the Holy Fathers in all points this truth hath been of purpose moved at large by many learned writers nor can Sectaries instance any one particular thing w ch the Roman Catholicks now hold as a point of faith which was not held by the Holy Fathers yea every particular point is granted even by Protestants themselves to have been the Doctrine or practice of the holy Fathers 3. Going out or separation is specified in the Scripture and by the holy Fathers as a note of novelty and heresie now certain it is that Sectaries could never assign any known time in which the Church of Rome went out and separated it self from any Society of Christians antienter than it self and this they grant which is a signe it is the antiontest of all Churches still and the only true 4. Of all sects of Hereticke the beginning of them withall the notable circumstances is known set down by writers No known beginning since the Apostles time of this Roman Religion which now is extant was ever mentioned by any authour whatsoever nor can be and this the very Adverfaries grant which is a sign that it is the most antient of all Religions and the very same which was established in Rome by the Apostles 5. since all Sectaries grant that the Romane Religion remained truly Catholick and Orthodox for many hundred years after the Apostles time it is and must be granted by all to be still the same unlesse evidence and that convincing can be brought in against it out of good and warrantable authours when Rome lost its true Religion in what point it did erre against its former true faith who taught that false saith first and what number adheard to it at first who stood in opposition against it who condemned it and what body of people stuck still to the true Religion for Christs true Church was still visible somewhere and to what countrey or town did any of them repair for Rome stood still for the Pope and he in it to exercise the true Religion in certain it is that most of all these circumstances would have been most exactly recorded if any such thing had happened that the Vicar of Christ should promulge an Heresie to be believed by the whole Church and that the true Church should lose its true faith which had been the greatest change and strangest point of news that ever the world had heard of since Christs time and no one Authour at least recount the circumst-nces of that great wonder is plainly incredible especially since the particular points and passages of all other heresies yea of all considerable points of news done in any Nation are alwayes commended to posterity by some Writers at least by some one the deep silence of all kinde of Authors in this businesse till Luthers time condemns this wretched Apostata and all that band against the Church of Rome upon that ungrounded and impious supposition of deadly sin of schisme of Hesie and obligeth all whom invincible ignorance excuseth not under pain of the same sins to return to the communion of the Church of Rome again Ponder further the antiquity and consequently the verity of the Roman Church upon this ground She was once in possession yea for many ages of the honourable title of being the most ancient and true Church Now this is her most just plea she hath still possession and melior est conditio possidentis of what her adversaries once her children grant was long hers by right Now by what law surely neither by the civill nor natural can she be thrust out of possession since her adversaries who are the Plaintiffs in this unjust action can prove nothing against her Deniall serves the Defendant the other must positively prove that which they can never prove Ponder lastly the Antiquity of the Roman Catholick Religion from the common sense or consent of all people from which arose that phrase of the Vulgar sort calling it the old Religion All these considerations questionless convince that the Roman Catholicks are the most antient and consequently the true Religion for here the one infers the other Si hi tacuerint lapides clamabunt if these arguments proclaim not with a voice loud enough the antiquity of the Roman Religion the very stones will speak in its behalf all ancient monuments even Gravestones and Church Windows all Abbies Collegies Churches and Chappels of which many lye buried in their own ruines for this Religions sake and crosses now groveling upon the ground for their too much favouring the antient Religion are strong witnesses of this truth Thou therefore that art wavering and carried about with every winde of doctrine harken to what the ancient of daies sayes to the of this ancient Religion Stand in the wayes and see and inquire of the old paths which is the good way and walk therein The third Point To understand the better that none but Roman Catholicks can justly pretend Apostolick antiquity consider first that rule which S. Hierom gives as a touch stone to try heresies by to reduce an heresie to its first beginning is to confute it this is it and it is well grounded in reason and Saint Irenaeus before him used the same rule and by it confuted the Valentineans and Marcionists Consider secondly this other proof of heresies novelty and salshood to wit going out and separation the scriptures make going out a distinctive mark of Hereticks Saint John speaking of Hereticks sayes They went out from us 1 Jo. 2. 19. Saint Jude sayes These are they which segregate themselves Jud. 19. Saint Paul sayes Out of our own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves Act. 20. 30. And the Apostles together in Councel said We have heard that certain going forth from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls Act. 15. 24. And our Saviour gave us all his expresse admonition against being seduced by Hereticks in these words Go ye not out Mat. 24. 26. So that going out is a badge or character of an Heretick and Novelist Hence inser that since Berengarius Waldo Wyckliffe Hus Luther Carolstadius Peter Maryr Bucer Oecolampadius Ochinus Zuinglius Calvin and Beza who had all been originally Româ—n Catholicks went out from that Church they are convicted to be Novelists Hereticks and Schismaticks and since both their going out of the Church of Rome is confessed by all and easily made manifest even by this alone their heresies are easily reduced to their first beginnings and consequently according to Saint Hieromes rule confuted As for Luther who led the Van of all these troups of modern Sectaries he in the year 1517. went out of the Church of Rome and began a new sect and in the year 1529. he and his adherentâ— gave to themselves their own posterity the name of Protestants a name never heard of before the occasion of the imposition of that new name was taken by their protesting
Meditations UPON THE MARKS of the True CHURCH of CHRIST OR Motives of Credibility In behalf of the True Religion And the easiest way to finde it out By H. W. Testimonia tua credibilia facta sunt nimis Thy testimonies are made too credible Psal 92.7 Lord if that which we believe be an errour you have deceived us for this doctrine is confirmed by those signes which could not be done but by you Ricardus de S. Victore 1.1 de Trinitate c. 2. Paris Printed with Licence 1655. The Preface IF the Enemy of mankinde did not shew unto Sectaries the face of Religion in a false Glass in which he makes the very Spouse of Christ she that is so beautifull with so lovely features and of so comely a comportment in her self appear to the deluded eyes of so many souls ill-favoured ugly and in a manner monstruous and on the contrary sets out other Sects though never so contemptable in themselves for beauties most gracious and attractive disputes and â—â—arrels about Religion would be soon composed for the naturall comlinesse of the one and the uglinesse of the others covered onely with a painted exteriour would easily discover themselves My endeavour therefore shall be to unbeguile these people and shew them both parties as they are in their own native colours for effecting of which I have chosen a new medium or at least a new manner ofproposing the old many Elaborate works have been published in Vindication of the true Faith and in confutation of falshood which undoubtedly were convincing enough but because both experience and the ingenuous acknowledgement of many teach that though the intellect in many thousands rest convinced yet the will holds back and will not execute what the understanding dictates ought to be done Therefore I resolving not to be backward in contributing my endeavours towards the common good thought it not a misse to handle this great businesse of Religion by way of Meditation rather than by that of argumentation as being the most efficacious way to move the will besides its being the most clear and easie way of propounding things to the understanding especially since the subject I take in hand is both spiritual and proper for Meditation to wit the marks of the church For who can doubt but Sanctity of life and Doctrine the gift of Miracles and of Prophesying conversion of Souls Martyrdome and the like are a very connaturall matter for Meditation But as the best masters of spirit advise that in delivering matter to Meditate upon some points or considerations be suggested to the exercitant thereby to facilitate the businesse for him and yet that all that may be considered upon such a subject be not ambitiously introduced least the others understanding be prevented and forestalled So have I in this little work endeavoured to proceed setting down upon each matter only some chief considerations which may give the Reader occasion to search further himself I have also added some affections and Colloquies thereby to further the motions of the will As for the matter of the ensuing Meditations to wit the Marks of the Church this I may truly say of them that as they are in themselves a most noble matter and most worthy of a Christians Meditation and Study so are they of all other the most facile 〈◊〉 forcible means whereby to finde out the true Church That Catholick who hath a desire to make a quick dispatch of his Adversary let him encounter him with these Weapons they are an unknown treasure and not unlike to Aristoles Topicks in that they are as it were common places or fountains out of which reasons and arguments both to impugn false Sects and also to defend the Orthodox Religion are easily at any time drawn Art thou demanded the reason why thou art a Catholick Answer Because that Religion hath the marks of Christs true church upon it and consequently is it Art thou desirous to find out that onely soul-saving Faith of Christ look where thou canst finde these marks and there thou hast it and where these are wanting assuredly there the true Church is not Hast thou a mind truly to understand how incomparable a benefit God hath bestowed upon thee in making thee a member of that church out of w ch no salvatioÌ„ can be hoped for read and meditate this matter which will inform thee Roman Catholicks indeed have more and clearer texts out of the propheticall apostolick writers than any other Sect can introduce in their own behalf yet the latter have always evasions either by appealing from one sentence to another or else by insisting upon their own private exposition reduce them therefore to this matter of the marks of the Church and you will soon have them fast One thing is worthy yea necessary to be well understood by all and this is that the marks of the Church which are the motives in point of religion may be considered two ways to wit either as they are antecedent to faith or as they are subsequent and things themselves believed with divine faith for all christians who receive the the scriptures for divine must believe with divine faith that Christ gave to his church the gift of working miracles of prophesyings that the church is but one and antienter than all other Sects amongst christians that in it there are holy members that its doctrin is holy and efficacious to convert souls that it hath continued ever since christs time shal do stil untill the world have an end that the prophesies of the old law are fulfilled by christ and his church all these or the most of them must be believed as divine truths by christians for they are expressed in the holy scripture as will appear in the first point of the succeeding meditations So that sectaries must believe the true Church to be where these marks are But the same things may be also considered as they are preceding divine Faith and go before it yea or wholly independent of it and in this acception only they are motives of credibility yet most powerfully perswasive For by demonstrating to Athiests Pagans or other non-Christians out of humane history and out of the scriptures received only for books of humane authority yet held by thousands of prudent and learned men for authenticall and of great credit that such and such prodigious things or miracles and the like may be urged in strange predictions of future things contingent fulfilled in a strange contempt of worldly things and in some other such like rareties are recounted by so many authors of the greatest humane authority this cannot but convince them that there is a Deity that this Diety rules the World by a most wise Providence that the same Deity by order of good consequence is to be worshipped by some form of Religion and that that is in all likelihood yea in all certainty the most credible and true the professors of which are conspicuous by such things as out
RomanCatholicks generally perform much lesse will they pretend to come neer these in Fasting In brief their doctrine is exclusive of works of supererogation Merit Mortification and Satisfaction how then can it be but destructive of true Sanctity yea and salvation in fine all the means they pretend to get sanctity by is faith alone this medium of faith the Roman Catholicks have and besides it all the other comfortable helps mentioned before Who can now but be afraid of the ones condition and admire the other Consider secondly what Saints they have they will not now surely own that Calender of John for any more since Father Parsons examination proves it a ridiculous false thing the chief of their forefathers were Luther Calvin Beza and such like what lives led they Scandalous and exorbitantly bad Luther himself ingeniously confesseth that when he was a Papist he said Maffe and that devoutly for many years that he lived in his Monastery for he was once an Augustine Friar punishing his body with Watching Fasting and Prayer by which he followed the counsell and example of our Saviour that he kept Poverty Chastity and Obedience and that he honour'd the Pope out of meer Conscience Well at length he begun a new Sect did this make him continue his former piety Did he increase it Did he become a Saint Behold what he did he casheer'd Fasting Prayer Watching his Vows his Monastery and the Pope and instead of these took a Nun called Catherine Bore for his Concubine and gave himself wholly to Lust Gluttony drinking of Wine and sensuality What he writ was conformable to the temper which these Vices put him in to and so he persisted to his dying day Calvin was not onely given to lust but to lust against nature to wit Sodomy for which his Shoulder was burnt with a mark of a Lilly at Noyon in France Beza kept not onely a Concubine but a Boy also to satisfie his lust with both which he was so transported that he could not forbeare to expresse the same in wanton and scandalous Verses which are extant amongst his other Works As for these mens followers and adherents Luther himself fayes upon the Gospel for the first Sunday in Advent of his that they were become worser livers than they were whilest they remained Papists Erasmus in his Epistle to Vultu rius Neocomus gives the same character of them and Jacobus Andraeus a famous Lutheran in his 4. Sermon upon the 21. of S. Luke sayes To the end that all the world may know that they are no Papists nor attribute any thing to good works they do no good works at all and indeed experience teacheth that those who turn from being Papists do not become Saints but Sensualists The fourth Point Consider now what may be gathered out of the precedent points First either these modern Sectaries acknowledge Luther Calvin Beza or others of their times for their first Founders or not if they do then they admit men of scandalous lives for their Founders and so the Religion or fruit sprung from these bâ—d trees cannot be good If they disavouch them then they be like the Acephalists members without a head and without Ancestors for they cannot lay claim to the Saints mentioned in the second point since they so little resemble them either in belief or life Secondly the reason why due respect to the Saints in heaven is neither taught nor practised by them to wit because they have had none of their own and because the true Saints indeed were Roman Catholicks thirdly seeing that the opposition of contraries and their repugnancy appears more clearly when they are paralell'd together compare the Roman religion and the best of these later sects together in point of virtue and sanctity which is the cream quintessence of mans felicity in this life then make a prudent choice and side with that party where there is most Sanctity and by good consequence most hopes of salvation then with the Cherubins and Seraphins cry out Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Son of God since you bid us be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Heavenly Father since you bid us be holy because you are holy grant us what you command and command what your good pleasure is My heart is ready O God my heart is ready Help me Lord to remove the obstacles and apply the means aright that being freed from the enemies of my conversion I may serve thee in sanctity and justice all the dayes of my life Amen The Seventh Meditation Of holinesse of Doctrine The first Point Consider I. that Christs true Church hath as it must needs have amongst other marks that of holy doctrine and such as becomes Christs Church it must teach nothing against Piety Verity Reason Equity or good manners but on the contrary all things in it must be conformable to Piety and Vertue as truly they are The holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of the Prophet David confirms this truth gives the Churches doctrine many great Elogium's in that long but most sweet Psalm 119. The law of the Lord is immaculate that is without spot or blemish of falshood or impiety The precept of the Lord is Lucid that is bright shining and like a light to shew us the true way to serve God and save our soules The testimony of the Lord is faithfull and Saint Paul cals it a sound doctrine by which Metaphor he intimates that as that body cannot be judged sound healthfull which is seased upon by any disease so that Doctrine Faith or Church cannot be wholsome and soul-saving which hath adhearing to it any maxime or assertion false or favouring vice but there needs no proof of this for it is called the word of God And the doctrine of Christs Church must needs proceed originally from Christ who will not permit his Church to teach impious or false doctrine Consider secondly of how great concernment it is for men of understanding to have sometimes for the subject of their most serious and retired thoughts the consideration of what doctrine is taught by the different Sects now on foot in England and to mark which and how far they are pec cant against piety And thou who tenders the good of thy soule weigh their tenents and those of the Roman Catholicks with an equall ballance but let not the love or sear of thy temporal interests meddle with the scales and after exact notice taken of them all cast thy selfe without more adoe into the arms of that religion which seems to teach that doctrine which is conducing to piety andthy souls eternal felicity The second Point To understand how agreeable to Piety and Verity the doctrine of the Roman Catholicks is take these three considerations for matter of the frequent meditation The first is That tenents of the Roman Catholicks about those matters which are controverted betwixt them and other Sectaries are more beseeming Almighty God and his Church much more advantagious to the
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
his prayers immediately upon which the fearfull storm ceased to the great astonishment of the King and increase of his reverent respect to the man of God Saint Bernard being requested by a Noble mans son that he would pray for the conversion of his Father returned him this answer be not perplexed be not perlexed I shall bury him in this Monastery of Clarevall a perfect Monk and so it fell out he foretold also the conversions of foure more Saint Francis foretold the Captains of the Christian Army that if they gave the Sarazens battail upon their intended day they should loose the field they took little notice of the holy mans Caveat ingaged with the enemy and were defeated Saint Dominick falling sick at Bolonia called for the Religious Fryars of the Convent there and exhorting them to the study of perfection told them he should die of that sicknesse and yet it was far from mortal then Saint Ignatius founder of the order of the â—ociety of Jesus foretold that Francis Borgia then Duke of Gandia should forsake the world become religious and General of the forementioned order so he died and is now beautisied Hence infer that the Roman Church is highly priviledged with this Prerogative and gift of prophesie for these blessed men are known by all to have lived and dyed Roman Catholicks As for the Writers of their lives or Prophesies Saint Athanasius S. Austin S. Gregory Venerable Bede S. Bonaventure and other Authors of known fidelity with what face can they be suspected either of feigning or recountting these things without an assured knowledge of the truth of them The third Point Consider first for prevention of objections against the gift of prophesies being an argument that the Roman Church is the true Church that though God may or have revealed things to come by persons not known to be of the true Church or in his favours as he did by Balaam Number 24. v. 17. foretell the Star which appeared at our Saviours birth and by the Sybils whose acrostick Poem is full of most clear predictions about our Saviour Yet he will never permit a thing contingent to be foretold and fulfilled in confirmation of a fals religion Besides this makes nothing against the intent of this Meditation which is to shew first that the gift of prophesie is a mark of Christs true Church and this is proved by scripture 2. That this gift is found to be eminent in the Roman Church and so it appears evidently proved in this point going before 3. That that Sect cannot possibly be the true Church which is destitute of this gift because it wants this mark which is inseparable from the true Church for the Negative here as in all other marks admits no latitude but excludes all sects devoid of these marks from possibility of being the true Church and to understand how truly Sectaries are destitute of the gift of Prophesie Consider secondly that in reall truth they could never instance any particular Prophesies delivered by members of their Sects in confirmation of their doctrine nor indeed have they any person endowed with the gift of any true prophesie at all True it is that Luther prophesied once that if he lived but to preach his doctrine two years longer the Pope Cardinals Bishops Monks Nuns Towers Bels and Masses would all vanish away he preached afterwards according to his manner not onely two years but almost twenty two yet these things are al extant none of them vanished hence infer that Luther proved himself a false prophet by this and his doctrine false according to what is Writ in Deuteronomy cap. 18. of false prophets and that of Jeremy Thy Prophets England have seen false and foolish things Lam. 2. Calvin indeed prognosticated more truly but to the destruction of his own Sect in these words Concerning posterity I am so anxious that I dare not think of it for unlesse God send marvellous succour from heaven I seem to see extream barbarousnesse hang over the world and I pray God our children may not erelong feel that this is rather a prophesie than a conjecture Thou hadst had Calvin no need of such fear if thy sect had been that Church which Christ built upon that rock for the gates of Hell would not have been able to prevail against it But conformably to what Gamaliel said since thine is the work of man thy prophesie will be accomplished it will come to nothing And he that will apply to the Protestant what Hooker appropriated to the Puritan King Davids words of the life of man and withall summon up the years betwixt the establishing of Protestant Religion by Queen Elizabeths Parliament and the abolishing of the same by this late parliament will sinde a kinde of prophesie of the ruine of it in these the royal prophets words The dayes of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soon cut off Psal 90. Thus speaks the Protestant Bible and thus out of this point it appears that Sectaries have not that gift of prophesie which is promised by scripture to Christs Church as a mark of it The fifteenth Meditation Of Easie decision of Controversies The first Point COnsider first what means the divine wisdome provided the Jewish religion with in order to deciding of Controversies amongst them In Deuteronomy 17. God declared in expresse terms many particulars concerning this matter and first he appoints for judge of the hardest controversies not the scripture as Sectaries doe but the Priests a living judge and particularly the chief Priest Secondly he commands all to stand to the definitive sentence of that judge even upon pain of death v. 12. And thirdly he promiseth that that judges definition verdict and decree shall be infallibly true v. 9 10 11. but particularly in these words He shall shew thee the truth of judgement judicii veritatem which words in the Protestant Bible are falsly translated the sentence of judgement Consider secondly the necessity of a living judge No form of Government be it Monareby Aristocracy or Democracy can subsist in an orderly being without it No suit either in Civil or Canon Law no action of debt or dammage can come to a tryal no sentence can be passed upon any person or cause without the voice of a living judge two Counsellors cannot without a Judge as Umpire put a final period to any one cause for example in the Court of Chancery so as that both parties shall understand and acknowledge it to be decided much lesse will the Plaintiffe and Defendant end their quarrell by themselves alone without a Judge for each one would still plead for himself the dead letters of the written law can never sufficiently expound either the legislatours mind or it is own meaning nor shal men at any time understand by it alone who is cast who