hath had her gates continually open day night in all generations to receive the strength of the Gentils and in a word which has made the world Christian This is the Church which alone in allâ—ges has opposed all the heresies which did arise in their diverse ages from the beginning of Christianity and albeit they all have shut out their hornes against this Church and both by slight might have endeavoured to destroy her yet she alone hath fought against them all and gloriously triumphed over them all This is the Church which has held all the General Councels which hath condemned all errors and heresies which has had Pastors and people professing the faith in all ages without interruption and in which all the Saints Martyrs and Doctors have lived These things might be shown by a particular Catalogue of this Churches chief Pastors Councils Nations converted and publique Professors in every age if it were not too longsome and besids it is so clear that it is not here necessary especially seing the Lutheran Centurists who have raked together all they can both for themselves and against the Roman Church yet can shew the succession and continuance of no other but only of this Church And the reason of this is clear because this Church and she alone hath so clearly this succession that no other Churches which carie the name of Christian can so much as pretend to have it in the least degree of probability For it is evidently certain that all other Churches which are separated from this Church were once of her faith Communion and went vndeniably out of her and therefore they cannot be so ancient as she and consequently they have not alwayes had a continued succession from the Apostles and if they pretended it they would be most ridiculous making an evident lie against sense Therefore the Protestants wisely pretend no such thing Yea their whole Reformation is grounded vpon a contrary pretext that the whole Church had fallen into desolation grosse Errors Heresy and Idolatry which is in-indeed to pretend that the succession of the Church had failed and that they were now sent to set her vp again By all which it is seen that the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession from Christ his Apostles and that so clearly that no other Church can pretend to have it This same truth was testifyed by the holy Fathers in their time S. Hierom 〈◊〉 said above that he would bring a clear declaration of his mind that that is the true Church that hath still endured to witt the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome which he esteem's so much to be the true Church that he affirmes those who have no Communion with her to belong not to Christ but to Anti-Christ For thus he writes to S. Damasus Bishop of Rome With the successor of the Fisher and with the disciple of the Crosse I speak I Hior epist ad Damas following none chief but Christ hold the fellowship of Communion with thy Holynesse that is with Peters chaire Vpon that rock I know the Church to be built Whosoever shall eate the lambe without that house is a prophane person c. He that gathereth not with thee scattereth that is saith he who is not Christs is Anti-Christs This old doctrin is far different from the Presbyterians new opinions S. Cyprian saith Cyp. tract de simplicitate Prâ—tator who leaves the Chaire of Peter vpon whom the Church was built does he think to be in the Church But let vs hear S. Augustin the most glorious Doctor of the Church shewing this same truth For after he had spoken much of the sincere wisdom great holynesse and fruits of piety of the Church and of the great authority which God hath conferr'd on her he subioyns these remarkable words to his friend Honoratus Aug. de vtilite crede c. 17. Seing therefore we see so great help and assistance from God shall we make any doubt or question at all of retiriing into the bosome of that Church which to the Confession of mankind from the sea Apostolique by the succession of Bishops hath obtain'd the Soveraignity principal authority Heretiques in vain barking round about it being condemned partly by the gravity of Councels partly also by the Maiesty splendour of Miracles vnto which not to grant the chief place is either indeed an extream impiety or a very rash and dangerous arrogancy Thus he Here we see what Church in the time of the holy Fathers had this continued succession and the same is no lesse evident to this day In the Scriptures we read the prophesies and Christs promises of his Church and in this Church alone we see no lesse clearly the performances What the Scripture had foretold Aug. de vnitate Eccl. c. 8. in ps 149. here with ioy as S. Augustin speaks we may see fulfilled The Church before was only read in books and now it is seen in Nations By all which authorities evidences both the Maior and the Minor of the argument proposed are sufficiently proved to be manifest truths to witt That that is only the true Church which has had a continued succession from the Apostles to this time And that the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession From which the Conclusion followes clearly Therefore the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome is the only true Church of Christ You see this reason is neither new nor obscure For it was vsed by the holy Fathers as a most clear short and convincing way whereby the true Church may be known If it was so easy strong then it is no lesse but rather more evident forcible now If the succession of the Church for 3. or 4. hundred years and of 30. or 40. Roman Bishops was esteem'd so strong by the Fathers to prove the true Church how much more forcible is the successioÌ„ of the Church for above 1600. yeares above 2. hundred Bishops of the sea Apostolique to prove the same truth Nothing could be said by the AncieÌ„t Fathers in confirmatioÌ„ of this truth which may not as iustly be said now and nothing can be pretended now by the present Enemies of the Roman Church against it which might not have been as iustly preteÌ„ded by her ancient enemies the old heretiques Neither is there any way to shun the force of this Demonstration but either by affirming that the true Church had perished which is detestable blasphemy or by saying she became invisible which we have shown above to be a grosse falshood and desperate folly This whole matter may be further illustrated and confirmed There is nothing more clear in the Scripture then that the Church of Christ must still endure or have a continued succession of people professing the same faith which was taught by the Apostles Now it is no lesse clear it
fruitfull in produceing Saints But the Protestant Church teacheth doctrines which tend to prophanesse to the neglect of piety of all good works and she is so barren in produceing Saints that she professeth to bring forth none but those who continually or dayly break mortally Gods Commandments The true Church according to the Scriptures must be Catholique or Vniversal and must convert all Nations from infidelity to Christianity But the Protestant Church is only in parts pettie corners of the earth and has never as yet converted any Nation of Infidels but according to the nature of heresy has only perverted some ill Catholiques The true Church must ever have true Pastors lawfully called and ordained deriving their Succession by an vninterrupted line from the holy Apostles But the Protestant Churches first Pastors succeeded to none and without any lawfull Vocation ordination did intrude themselves by Vsurpation into the Pastoral office as all their successors have done The true Church adheres so closly to the truth that she is called in the Scriptures The pillar ground of truth 1. Timoth 3.15 But the Protestant Church is so inconstant passing from one falshood into another that she may be called the Pillar ground of Error The true Church according to Christs promise is ever directed by the Spirit of truth into all truth But the Protestant Church is misgoverned by the Spirit of giddinesse as is known by fresh experience These considerations besides others make me see the great darknesse wherein I lay and have made me to admire of my former blindnesse that I reading so frequently the Scriptures did not see the monstrous difference which is between the Church of Christ there so clearly described and the Protestant Church to which not one propertie of the true Church contain'd in the Scriptures doth agree This shew me how necessary it is to read the Scriptures with attention and to implore the Divine Maiesty for spirituall illumination without which darknesse will seem light and light darknesse But in the holy Catholique Church I found not only promise but also perforformance of truth I found her faith to be more pretious then gold which is tried by the fire as S. Peter speaks 1. Pet. 1.7 which after greatest opposition and triall doth ever shine more brightly I found in this Church clearly fulfilled all the Prophesies and that to her do agree all the properties of the true Church described in the Scriptures For this is the Church which alone has endured since the time of the Apostles This is the Church which as a Citie seated on a hill could never be hid but as a Candle set vpon a Candlestick hath enlightned the whole world This is the Church which has been admirable for its Vnity and eminent for its sanctity replenishing the heaven with innumerable Saints who have all lived and died in the bosome of her Communion This is the Church which is Vniversal for time place which has had her gates continually open night and day to receive the strength of the Gentils which she alone has converted from infidelity to Christianity This is the Church which has had a continued succession of Pastors descending without interruption from the holy Apostles This is the Church which adheres so closely to the faith she once received that she would never part from it nor yield in one syllabe or letter neither to Heathnish cruelty nor to heretical impiety and which neither force nor flatterie could ever shake so that she may be iustly called the Pillar ground of Veritie This Church is the chast Virgin Spouse of Christ which has been ever falsly accused as an Adulteresse by all Heretical Strumpets and has been even overloaden with their Calumnies but she has alwayes adhered vnto her heavenly spouse who in his own time has manifested her innocencie and brought confusion on her Enemies And in a word this is the Church which is admirable for its order and government for its supreme authority and invincible strength for its heavenly doctrin and great holynesse and lastly for her power of working miracles What then can I do more fitly then after so great darknesse to embrace so clear a light after so many dangerous errors and wandrings to put my self in the direct way of Salvation and incorporat my self without delay into this one holy Catholique Apostolique Church wherein all the holy Fathers all the Saints have liv'd and dyed What can I vse more properly then the words of S. Augustin who saith to this purpose since we see so great help of God Aug. dt vâ—il credendi c. 17. so great profit and fruite shall we make any doubt at all to retire vnto the bosome of that Church which from the Apostolique Sea by succession of Bishops has obtaind the Soveraign authority heretiques in vain barking round about it c. To which not to yield the Primacy is either a matter of greatest impiety or of precipitat arrogancy The same Motives which held S. Augustin within the Catholique Church have drawn me vnto it To witt Idem cont epist fund c. 4. the Consent of People and Nations Authority begun by Miracles nourished by Hope enlarged by Charity and Confirmed by Antiquity The Succession of Priests from the Seat of Peter vnto the present Bishoprick And last of all the very name Catholique which not without cause this Church has only obtaind among so many Heresies Iohn 1.41 Iohn 4.29 As then S. Andrew and the Woman of Samaria were glad when they found the Messias foretould by the Prophets because they were sure to find with him all truth So am I no lesse overioyed to have found the true Church foretould and clearly described by the Messias for with her I am sure to find all truth since she is the Pillar and ground of Truth and Christ has promised to her the Spirit of truth to remain with her for ever to lead her into all truth As the Apostles believed Christ for the voice of God the Father who said Mark 9.7 Luke 10.16 This is my beloved Son heare him so I believe the Church for the voice of God the Son who said Who heares you heares me and who despiseth yow despiseth me Math. 18.19 and who will not hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen a Publican And as the holy Apostles did believe Christ in all things because he received all from his father so I believe the Catholique Church in all points because she has received all her doctrines from Christ his Apostles and has faithfully retaind them This Catholique Church is she alone which Lactan. lib. 4. divinar Instit c. vlt. as an auncient Father writeth retaines the true worship This is the fountain of truth and House of Faith This is the Temple of God into which if one do not enter or from which if one go astray he is a stranger from the hope of life
PRESBYTERIES TRIALL OR THE OCCASION AND MOtives of Conversion to the Catholique Faith of a Person of quality in Scotland TO WHICH IS SVBIOYNED A LITTLE TOVCH-STONE of the Presbyterian Covenant Beloved beleeve not every Spirit but prove the Spirits if they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1. Iohn 4.1 If thou seemest to thy self to have been already sufficiently tossed and wouldest make an end of these labours paines Follow the way of the Catholique Disciplin which hath proceeded from Christ himself by his holy Apostles even vnto vs and from hence shall descend and be conveyed to posterity Aug. lib. de Vtilitate credendi c. 8. Truly the Covenants and Leagues of Heretiques are Thornes clasping one another Hier. in cap. 1. Nehum Printed at Paris anno 1657 Permissu Superiorum THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN and well-disposed Reader COVRTEOVS READER Although all Christians doâ— acknowledge that of all the affaires in this world there is none of that importance vnto man as the saying of his soule and that Salvation cannot be obtaynd without the true Faith and Religion yet manifest experience dayly sheweth that many thowsands do carrie themselvs so slouthfully in that most important affaire of Religion as if it were a matter of the least or rather of no consequence For we see that in whatsoever Error or Heresy though never so monstrous men are bred for the most part they continew in the same or els according to the mutability of their Inconstant Leaders they passe after them from one falshood into another without making any further search for the Truth This is truly one of the greatest miseries and the most deplorable follie of man that he should be so slouthfull and almost insensible in these things which concern his eternal Salvation whereas he is so diligent carefull about his Temporall affaires which are incomparably of lesser moment Neither is this negligence follie proper only to the rude and ignorant but it is also very ordinarie to many who are neither fooles nor vitious but rather have good store of worldly wisdom and of Moral vertues This then being vndenyably the common Lethargie of almost all those who live in the false Religions and sects of perdition wherewith the world is now pestered it is no small favour which they receive who by the divin mercy are awakned out of that dead sleep and being made to open their eys do see their own danger and seeing it strive by all means to free themselvs of it by seeking earnestly with imploring the divin assistance the right way vnto eternal happinesse This favour God hath been pleased to vouchsafe lately vnto diverse Protestants in Scotland awakning them by the great Confusion and Division most sensible and Natural Marks of Falshood that had falne vpon their Religion and by the grievous Dissensions that have been rageing a long time amongst their inconstant Teachers And amongst others he was pleased to graunt this favour vnto a certain honorable personnage who had been a very zealous Protestant relying altogether vpon the Ministers words But so soon as he saw their horrible contradictions Dissensions and that they condemned accursed what themselvs had before taught practized yea and furiously enforced others to follow them and swear to all their Innovations replenishing in the mean time the whole Nation with vnspeakable miseries calamities he thought it was not fitting nor secure for him to trust any longer these Inconstant Guides in a iourney of such importance since he could not prudently trust Guides of such qualities in an earthly Voyage Wherefore being thus awakned and not a stranger from good letters he did set himself seriously to seek the Truth choosing the Divin Scriptures for his Rule and the Holy Fathers for Interpreters of the same by which means he conceived that he should attayn vnto the knowledge of the practice beleef of the Primitive Church which by all sides is acknowledged to have been the true Church And so beginning his search with the Trial of the Innovations which were lately introduced by the Presbyterians he did not only soone find them to be against the Scriptures holy Fathers but also he began to see a glimse of the Truth of the Catholique Religion which he had heard so often defamed by the Ministers For he clearly perceived by pervsing especially some peeces of S. Augustins works and the Protestants Apologie that the holy Fathers Primitive Church beleeved diverse points which are condemned by Protestants and are still beleeved by Catholiques whereat he was not a little astonished especially when he saw this acknowledged by the chief Divines of the late English Church which pretended above all others to be most conformable vnto the primi ive times whose Testimonies are diligently collected by M. Breirly in the forementioned Apologie Having then thus seen the great deformity of the Scottish Presbyteian Kirk which is so monstrously different from the Primitive and the great prevarication of the late English Church he remained for some time in great perplexity of mind not being able of himself to overcome some difficulties preiudices which had been a long time beaten into his eares against the Catholique Religion Till at length falling into the acquentance of a Roman Catholique whom he perceived to be somewhat versed in these questions he was pleased to vnfold his mind to him and after diverse conferences received not only full satisfaction of his doubts but also was instructed in the chief principles and immoveable grounds of the Catholique faith whereby he saw also the sandy grounds of the Protestant Religion Being therefore in end fully resolved to enter into the bosome of the holy Catholique Church he desired the said Catholique would be pleased first to draw vp in some few sheets the Occasion Motives of his Conversion to the end that having these papers by him he might be more able to give satisfaction to others who might enquire of him the reasons of his change Which was done accordingly with intention only that it might serve for his private vse But some other zealous Catholiques coming thereafter to the sight of these papers were of opinion that they might prove profitable to others if the same Methode being observed the matters there touched were a little more enlarged and then published And therefore they ioyntly desired the said Catholique would be pleased to vndertake that labour giving him good hopes that not only the new Converted Catholiques would be thereby confirmed but also others who were seeking the Truth might be helped and assisted besides some other goods which they thought might redound from it In obedience to whose Desires this labour was vndertaken by him now it is his earnest wish that it may answer their expectation albeit perhaps for that end some more time had been requisite Thus Courteous Reader thou hast heard the occasion of writing this book Now thou maist be pleased to see a
little the Model and Methode of it In the first place are set down the Occasions of that Honorable new Converts doubts concerning the Truth of the Protestant Religion such as are the Ministers Inconstancy in Doctrin Disciplin their great Dissensions and Divisions Their Tyrannizing over mens Consciences Their Contradicting their own Principles c. In which matters some late histories or passages are interlaced without expressing the names of persons therein concerned because that was not necessary since the things here touched are publique late fresh in all mens knowledge and Memories within the Countrey and the persons also well enough known Neither is it the digrace of any mens persons Hier. Apolog. 3. cont Ruffin c. 11. which S. Hierom calls the Machines of Heretiques but the correction of their Errors which is here intended After the occasion of the doubts is shewed in some few chapters then followeth the Triall of the last pretended Presbyterian Reformation in the principal points thereof as its condemning of Episcopacy the abolishing the hymne of Glory to the Father c. the denying the Apostolical authority of the Apostles Creed neglecting to say our Lords Prayer c. In all which points the Presbyterians are found to go against the word of God the Primitive Church the former doctrines practises of many among themselvs against their first Reformers and many learned Protestants So that this last pretended Reformation is shewed to be nothing but a reall Deformation destroying not only the Apostolique office government established by Christ in his Church but also the two chief Pillars or heads of the Christian Religion to witt our Lords Prayer and the Apostles Creed Then followeth the Trial of the first pretended Reformation which is also shewed to have destroyed in effect the other two chief Pillars of Christianity to witt the Divine Commandments and Holy Sacraments and to have brought in a most Erroneous doctrin of Iustification by Faith only expresly against the Scriptures holy Fathers So that these two pretended Reformations are shown to have made vp between them the hideous work of Desolation After this the whole Protestant Church by the vndenyable principle of the perpetuity of Christs Church is proved not to be the true Church of Christ And by the same vndenyable principle the Church in Communion with the Sea of Rome and she alone is demonstrated to be the true Catholique Church of Christ and to have in all ages still continued in the same doctrin which she received from Christ his Apostles notwithstanding the calumnies of Heretiques Then lastly the same truth is proved by the Marks whereby the true Church is clearly designed in the Scriptures as by her Vnity Sanctity Vniversality Apostolical Succession by which marks the holy Fathers also did prove the true Church in their times To which is subioyned a brief Examination of the Presbyterian Covenant or Confession of Faith which although it was much Idolatrized of late is shewed to be nothing but a Denyall and Abiuration of the holy Faith with many execrations and blasphemies against it This briefly Courteous Reader is the Scope and Methode of the ensuing Treatises which the Author thereof earnestly wishes may tend to thy profit That if thou be a new Converted Catholique thou mayst be coÌ„firmed thereby in thy holy Faith If one who after many tossings in Errors art seeking the Truth thou mayst be assisted to find it where only it can be found if lastly thou be one who not through malice but through negligence or ignorance adheres vnto Errors thou mayst be stirred vp to try them and to seek diligently the Truth which is a work most worthy of thy paines Neither is it so hard as some do imagin to find the Truth since God Almighty according to his infinit goodnesse wisdom has prepared the way to heaven so much the more certain easy to be known how much more Error and deceit in it brings greater losse with it and therefore he has promised so plain and direct a way vnto Eternal happinesse that fooles may not erre by it Esay 35.5 Whence it is evident if thou seekest this way with diligence and after the right manner thou mayst have great confidence by Gods grace to attayn vnto it But then thou wilt seek it in the right way according to the advice of the glorious Doctor S. Augustin to his friend Honoratus if thou dost vse fervent and frequent prayer Aug de vtilâ— credâ—s 15 16. strivest to have peace and tranquillity of mind if thou wilt hear that Church which God hath established on earth with so great authority and which is called Catholique both by her own by strangers For it is by Authority only whereby men can come vnto the knowledge of Divin Truth and there is no Authority equall vnto this wich began by Miracles and is most famous for Multltudes of peoples and Nations and therefore if thou proceedest orderly at this Authority thou oughtest to begin as the same holy Father affirmes But if thou contemnest so great Authority and only openest thy eares to the Enemies and Calumniators of so famous a Society which has been also calumniated by all the former heretiques as well as by these of this Age thou canst not be excused neither canst thou arrive vnto the possession of solid Truth Therefore if thou be wise follow the former advice of S. Augustin who was so wise so learned a Doctor and who had such great knowledge and experience in this affaire And if thou wouldest take a short and compendious way to come vnto the Truth Try only that one question of the Church according to the marks abovementioned whereby it is clearly designed in Scripture and thou wilt not only soone find that they cannot agree to thy New Inconstant Church but also thou wilt quickly see that they agree to the Catholique Church which has ever endured and against which Hels gates could never prevaile and so with the true Church thou wilt find aâ—l Truth because it is ever governed by the Spirit of Truth and is the Pillar and ground of Truth This is the right manner for thee to attayn vnto the Truth and to true Happâ—nesse To which that God Almighty may direct and bring thee shall be earnestly desired by thy welwisher F. W. S. A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. I. THAT God by the Confusion of Error stirres vp many to seek the Truth p. 1. Ch. II. Of the Ministers Inconstancy and of the Alterations made by the late Presbyterian Reformation p. 8. Ch. III. Of the Ministers Dissensions Divisions p. 15. Ch. IV. Of the Presbyterians Rigour and Tyranny over Protestants p. 26. Ch. V. Of the Presbyterians contradicting their own Principles p. 34. Ch. VI. Of the Presbyterians Disobedience to the Civil Magistrate and of their pretext of Piety p. 46. Ch. VII Of Episcopacy condemned as Anti-Christian by the Presbyterians p. 53. Ch. VIII Of our Lords
could haue been Schollers Yea to confound yet more the Arians who blasphemously said that the Son was made by the father in time and that there was a time when he was not the holy Councel of Nice was pleased to add vnto the ancient hymne of Glorification Glory to the father c. That appendix As it was in the beginning now and ever shall be world without end Amen Which clause did appeare in my iudgment as a prophesie serving not only for the confusion of the Arians but also of the Presbyterians Moreover the Christians of old vere so carefull to preserve the integrity of this hymne as it had been delivered vnto them by their religious Ancestors that they would not suffer so much as one syllable of it to be altered So that diverse of the faithfull did take offence at some expressions of great S. Basil who ended his Sermons with the Glorification for not observing precâ—sly the words of it And therefore he wrote an excellent booke de Spiritu sancto to give satisfaction vnto the Catholiques and to take away all aduantage which the heretiques might haue drawen from his expressions Where he professeth Basil de Sp. S. cap. 27. that it is not lawfull to any person whatsoever to reiect or write otherwise the syllabe And which proceeded from our Lords mouth The same did Pope Vigilius testify as Baronius relateth to Eutherius a Spanish Bishop Baron tom 7. anno 5â—8 p. 279. who had shewed him that some evil Christians in Spaine had changed both the forme of Baptisme and the hymne of Glorification by taking away from them both the particle And before the holy Ghost saying I baptize thee in the name of the Father of the Son holy Ghost Doing the like also when they sung the hymne of Glorification To which the Pope ansuered that these were novelties and dangerous errours wherein if these persons would obstinatly continue they could haue no communion with the Catholique Church By this and diverse other experiences I perceived how carefull the ancient Christians were to preserve the purity of divine truths of Apostolical traditions that they would not quite not alter so much as one syllable of them to please all the Heretiques in the world What would they thought then of the Presbyterians who haue not taken away on syllabe but the whole sentence and substance of this hymne Lastly I found that God hath been pleased to approve the laudable vse of this divine hymne by miracles For whereas diuerse Catholiques had their tongues cut out by the wicked cruel Arians in the persecution which they endured vnder Hunericus the Arian King of the Wandals by the admirable power of the holy Ghost they spoke distinctly without their tongues and did celebrate the divinity of Christ as Baronius sheweth by the testimony of irrefragable witnesses Baron tom 5. anno 484. as of Iustinian the Emperour and diverse others who saw some of them with their eyes and beard them speake Which matter also Cornelius a Lapide doth touch in his Commentaire on the 8. ch to the Rom v. 28. Moreover the same Baronius doth also relate out of many good Authours Baron anno 1055. how Hildebrand the Popes Legat in France who became thereafter Pope Gregory the 7. did by this hymne miraculously discover diverse Simoniack Bishops in that Kingdome-For when one time a learned and eloquent Bishop was accused of Simony before him which he would by no means confesse being suddenly commanded by the Legat to say Glory be to the Father to the Son to the Holy Ghost he pronounced indeed clearly and distinctly the Father the Son but by no means could he pronounce the Holy Ghost By which miracle he was moved to confesse his fault to quite his Bishoprique after which confession he pronounced distinctly the whole hymne Diverse other Simoniack Bishops in that Countrey were induced by the same miracle to do the same So that God Almighty for approving the vse of this heavenly hymne hath made his approved Servants who wanted their tongues miraculously to pronounce it and from these who had tongues but vere vnworthy he tooke away even their natural power to vtter it What shall we say then of this inconsiderat Presbyterian sect which hath outstripped the Arians the most wicked of all Heretiques For these did only change a little this glorious hymne which yet with that change might admit a good sense although they made it for a perverse end but the Presbyterians to their greater ignominy haue totally abolished it Wherein they haue shouen themselv's against the Scripture and to be clearely opposit unto the holy Primâ—tive Church to the sacred Councel of Nice to the custome of their first Reformers and to goe against their owne practises and of the other Reformed Churches abroad Yea in an other consideration the Presbyterians appeare in this point to be worse then the Arians For these Heretiques denying the mystery of the holy Trinity by opposing one or two places of Scripture which they did privatly falsly expound to the constant ancient belief of the whole Christian world did rationally supposing these ill principles to change the hymne of Glorification which was said in in honour of the holy Trinity yea if they could to haue altogether abolished it which doubtlesse they had done if shame could haue permitted them But they left this effronted action to the Presbytery which is more passionat and lesse rational then the Arians For the Presbyterians pretending to believe the mystery of the holy Trinity haue most irrationally abolished that hymne of Glory which had been said in honour of it from the beginning of Christianity I was much astonished when I considered into what miseries raveries inconsiderat passion furious zeal do drive men who vnder pretence of greater purity of more close adhering to the Sriptures stray alway's further from them and fall into greater impurity and defile themselv's with more filthie errours This innovation shortly after it came in was very hardly press'd against me by a Roman Catholique of my acquentance who tooke occasion therevpon to say vnto me What is the reason that M. Knox your first Reformer whom you esteem no small light did not abolish the hymne of Glorification as your Presbyterians haue lately done Or if he did not see all things how could it escape the sharp eyes of these two famous first Apostles Luther Calvin whom you believe to haue bein sent extraordinarly by God to reforme the Church They neither saw nor could see any thing blameable in it When he saw that I answered nothing but only blamed the Presbytery for their inconsideration inconstancy which indeed was all that I could say he told me that S. Paul manifesteth the true Source of this the like innovations For speaking of false Teachers he saith Evil men and Seducers shall wax worse erring driving into errour So that 2.
Scriptures but also by the nature of God that he who is iust good could not command things impossible 3. That the Commandements of God are heavy to those who want the love of God but they are light to those who haue it Yea the same holy Doctour shewes by the testimony of S. Paul that Christ came into the world and lay'd down his life for this end that he might obtaine grace vnto vs whereby we might be enabled to keep the Commandements of God which were before so hard difficult Rom 8.3.4 Thus speaks S. Paul For that which was impossible to the law in that it was weakened by the flesh God sending his Son in the similitude of the flesh of sin for sin coÌ„demned sin in the flesh That the iustice of the law might be fulfilled in vs who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Aug. lib. de Spi. lit cap. 19. Vpon which words S. Augustin saith The law was given that grace might be sought after and grace was given that the law might be fulfilled for not by any fault of the law the law was not fulfilled but by the wisdom of the flesh which fault was to be shewed by the law but to be cured by grace For that which was impossible for the law c. S. Hierom brings the same place of â— Paul against the Pelagians to prove that man is not able by his own strenth or free will Hieren ad Ctesiphont but only by the grace of Christ to keep the law of God Behold there the Catholique doctrin affirmed by the holy Fathers not of their own heads but proved by the Scriptures And that this was the general beliefe of the holy Fathers of the ancient Church it was made appeare vnto me by the second Arausican Councel celebrated about S. Augustins time Araus Concil 2. c. 25. which makes this profession We believe according to the Catholique faith that by grace received in baptisme all such as are baptized Christ helping cooperating may and ought to fulfill if they will labour faithfully these things that belong to Salvation So it is evident that the holy Fathers ancient Church believed this doctrin to be contain'd in the Scriptures which is sufficient for my purpose This same truth is confirmed by S. Augustin not only by the Scriptures but also by reason Some one may say saith he I can by no means love my enemies To which he answer's thus God saith to thee in all the Scriptures Aug. serm 61. de temp that thou canst Consider now whether thou or God ought to be believed and therefore since truth cannot lie let humane weaknesse forbeare it's vaine excuses For he who is iust could not command any thing that 's impossible and he who is good will never condemne man for that which he could not avoid So that according to S. Augustin the Presbyterians beliefe is not only against all the Scriptures although they pretend to believe nothing beside Scriptures but also against sound reason that is against both the iustice goodnesse of God Hieron epist ad Celant S. Hierome also affirmeth that these who say that God hath commanded any thing impossible pronounce God to be vniust Moreover the same two most renowned holy Fathers do not only teach the Catholique doctrin but also they censure the contrary that is the Presbyterians opinion as blasphemy in the Heretiques of their time We accurse saith S. Augustin Aug. serm 191. de temp execramur eorum blasphemiam c. Hier. in Symbol ep 17. their blasphemy that affirm God commanded any thing impossible to man and that Gods Commandements cannot be kept of any man in particular but of all men taken together The same is repeated by S. Hierome So that these holy Fathers do iudge this errour not only to be an heresy but also a blasphemy And yet these new Reformers which is a thing most admirable deplorable make such blasphemies the principall articles of their faith and they haue also most tyrannically enforced others vnder pretext of giving them only pure Scripture to swear believe such horrible errours and blasphemies for divine truths But I found that some more prudent and conscientious Protestants haue abandoned this wicked Calvinisticall opinion yea and condemned it as the holy Fathers had done for blasphemy Mr Shelford a Minister in England hath written a Treatise expresly on this matter Shelford p. 147. to prove the possibility of the law with the assistance of Gods grace where he censures the contrary opinion by the Scriptures Fathers by the authority of King Iames. For this he speaks King Iames vpon the Lords prayer affirmeth it to be blasphemy to say that any of Christs precepts are impossible because this is to give him the lie who out of his own mouth told vs that his yoke is easy his burden light And his inward disciple S. â—n saith his Commandements are not grievous â—rom whence S. Basil the great averreth Impious it is to say the precepts of Gods Spirit are impossible Thus he Behold Bas hom 3. what the Presbyterians do esteeme a principal article of their faith how a learned Protestant whose booke came forth in the yeare 1635. with great applause in Cambridge and King Iames who was head of the Church of England do condemne as blasphemy impiety a giving the lie to God I heare also that some of the new Independent Congregations in England do no lesse sharply condemn the same Presbyterian opinion But besides all these pressing authorities I found also some convincing reasons against the Presbyterians which I will briefly collect 1. It cannot stand with the goodnesse and justice of a lawgiver such as God is to impose vpon people lawes which are impossible to be kept then to punish them with losse of goods and life for not observing these impossible lawes The greatest Tyrant on earth did never arrive to that hight of impiety cruelty Therefore it is impossible that God who is good iust should commit such cruelty iniustice To this accordeth S. Augustin in his words above cited when he saith Aug. ser 61. de temp God could not command any thing impossible because he is iust neither will he damne a man for that which he could not avoid because he is mercyfull Yea these absurdities of iniustice and cruelty would follow against the goodnesse of God in a high degree in how much the punishment he inflicts is greater then can be inflicted by man although thâ— greatest Tyrant on earth For what is the loâ—â— of temporall goods and life in comparison of the losse of heaven and of the death both of Soule body in the eternal paines of Hell Therefore it 's no wonder that the holy Fathers some Protestants do detest the Presbyterian doctrin as extream blasphemy 2. It doth not only incroach vpon the goodnesse iustice of God but also
baptism when he saith Aug. lib 1. de peccat mer. rcmis c. 5. by the begetting flesh original sin is only contracted but by the regenerating Spirit remission is made not only of original but also the of voluntary sins S. Chrysostom doth more largely illustrate this matter shewing that baptism doth not only take away sin but also bringeth many graces privileges to the persons baptized They are Chrys in homil ad Neophitos saith he not only made free but holy not only holy but iust not only iust but children not only children but heires not only heires but brethren of Christ not only brethren of Christ but coheires not only coheires but memhers not only the temple but the members of the Spirit Yow see how many are the privileges of baptism Many indeed think that the heavenly grace consists only in the remissien of sins but we have reckoned ten privileges For this cause we baptize infants c. Idem in homil ad baptizandos Thus S. Chrysostom Again the same holy Father sheweth that albeit a sinner were defiled with all sorte of iniquity and tyed with the bands of all wickednesse yet when he comes vnto this Bath he riseth more pure then the beames of the Sun And as a little spark of fire cast into the deep sea is not leasurely but instantly extinguished by the aboundance of waters forthwith it is shewed to be nothing so all humane malice when it comes to the waters of these heavenly fountaines is more easily put out then the heate of that little spark And least this should be thought to be said out of ambition or exaggeration he proves all from these words of S. Paul 1. Cor. 9.10.11 Do not erre Neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. shall possesse the kingdome of God And these things indeed you were but you are washed but you are sanctifyed but you are iustifyed Then after an excellent discours on the vertue of baptism he sheweth why it is not called the lauer of remission of sins nor the lauer of purification but the lauer of regenerion because saith he it doth not only forgive our ssns nor simply purify vs who were wrapped vp in wickednesse but it makes vs as if we were borne from heaven More testimonies need not to be added since the Centurists do confesse that the most auncient Fathers as S. Clement Cent. 2. cap. 4. cent 3. c. 4. S. Iustin Cyprian and many others maintain'd the same doctrine Yea they maintain'd this so eagerly that some of them do brand those who believe the contrary with the note of infidelity as we have seen lately out of S. Augustin Greg. lib. 9. regist ep 39. To whom also accordeth S. Gregory the great who saith that nothing can be more vnfaithfull then to teach that sins are only superficially or not fully taken away in baptism Moreover this truth is so engrafted in the hearts of Christians that the most part of Protestants believes it albeit it be against the faith of their Church and albeit it be also true that few of them know so much Hence it came to passe that diverse Presbyterians were scandalized at some words which a great Apostle of the Covenant spake lately against this truth For when one striving to cleare himself before the Presbytery of some imputation wherewith he was charged had said that he was as innocent of that whereof he was accused as he was free of original sin by baptisme the said Apostle presently took him vp sharply told him that he was speaking flat Popery and that neither he nor any man whosoever would be freed from original sin so long as they lived Wherevpon many to whose eares this discourse came took great offence as if this had been the private opinion of that Minister not knowing that it was also the belief of the Presbyterian Church and of their first Reformers Hence it may appeare that this article of the Presbyterian faith is not only against the Scriptures holy Fathers but also against the very instinct of almost all Christians And besids all these absurdities I found it to have been a most auncient heresy defended by the Origenists who thought as S. Epiphanius witnesseth Epiph. haer 64. that sins were not taken away by baptism but only covered and were at length purged by death So that we have for the most part auncient and condemned heresies for the articles of the Presbyterian faith Yea a famous Protestant of Germany condemnes this opinion in the name of his Lutheran brethren as a blasphemie against the holy Scriptures This blasphemie Shlusselburg lib. 1. Theol. art 18 saith he of the Calvinists that baptism doth not purge sins the holy Ghost in in many places refuteth All which besides many other considerations were more then sufficient to hinder me from making such a pernicious errour which indeed makes baptism of no effect an article of my faith I will conclude this matter with the testimonies of two most renowned Fathers who found by experience the wonderfull effects of baptisme Aug. lib 4. Confess cap. 4. S. Augustin doth relate how a dear Camerâ—d of his whom he had infected with the errours and heresies which himself followed before his conversion falling extreamly sick being without vnderstanding or sense was in that condition baptized And how thereafter he coming to his senses S. Augustin began to iest him with the baptism which he had received without vnderstanding But saith the father he found that he had received it and abhorred me as an enemy admonishing me with a wonderfull libertie that I would leave off to speak such things if I would remain a friend Whereat S. Augustin professeth that he much admired to see such a change wrought in the mind by that which was done in the body of him who at that time knew not what they did Cypr. epist 2. ad Donat S. Cyprian also ingenuously confesseth what a vitious man himself was before baptism and how suddenly he was changed and became an other man by the grace which he received in that Sacrament and acknowledging thankfully the many benefites which Christianity conferred vpon him he calleth it truly The death of sins and the life of vertues The like admirable change was also wrought by baptism in the soule of S. Augustin By all which may be knowen that baptism not only purgeth the soule from sin and adorneth it with grace but also it changeth admirably the mind of man The false supposition of the Presbyterians that original sin is nothing else but concupiscence shall be hereafter refuted in the triall of the Covenant CHAP. XX. That Baptism is necessary for the Salvation of Infants which is denyed by the Presbyterians I took notice of aÌ„ other daÌ„gerous errour which was taught by our first Reformers and is yet maintain'd by the Presbyterians against the necessity of baptism For as they teach that baptism taketh not a way original
a more excellent foode then Manna Iohn 6.33 to witt the bread of life his own flesh But if the Sacrament were meer bread and not Christs body it would not be more excellent then Manna which was called the bread of Angels but much inferiour to it as is evident 4. Christ who is goodnesse and wisdom it self would not for tropes and figures have vsed so many asseverations as are set down in the 6. chapter of S. Iohn Neither would he have suffered so many of his disciples and others to go away from him after so many doubts proposed by them but he would have cleared the matter vnro them Lastly If this liberty be once graunted to expound the Scripture figuratively when we are not forced to it by any other Scripture or article of our faith then nothing will remaine but vncertaine opinions of divine things and so by this means the whole mysteries of the Christian religion may be denyed or overturned For there is no more requisite according to this licentious rule but that some few Novelists think a mystery impossible albeit all the holy Fathers ancient Church did ever esteem it not only possible but also a truth reveal'd by God and an article of their faith And so diverse heretiques have imagined the mysterie of the Incarnation of the holy Trinity and such like principal articles of the Christian religion to be impossible and therefore have expounded all the Scriptures which speak of them figuratively as the Presbyterians do here For these reasons besides the authority of the holy Fathers it appear'd sufficiently evident to me that the words of Christ concerning the holy Sacrament ought to be literally plainly vnderstood and not figuratively This truth also of the reall presence was shewed to me to betestifyed and confirmed from heaven by miracles both auncient and modern which are related by famous and faithfull Authors For either some singular benefites have been obtain'd by the faith of this holy Sacrament as expulsion of Devils deliverance from shipwrack and the like or some punishments have fallen vpon those who either did not beleeve the reall presence or vsed the Sacrament irreverently or some visions and apparitions of Christ in the forme of a child or flesh have been seen to confirm those who were doubtfull of the reall presence Of the first sorte Prosp de promissi Praed Dei c. cap. 6. S. Prosper bringeth an example which fell out at Carthage how a young Arabian maide who by a certaine sin made her self an habitation to the Devil by whom she was so miserably vexed some dayes that her throat being stopped she could receive no meat or drink was at length delivered by the Communion of the sacred body of our Lord. But most famous is that miracle which S. Bernard by the holy Sacrament did at Milan before innumerable people For he cured a woman who had been possessed many yeares by the Devil and was rather a monster then a woman In vita S. Bernardi lib. 2. cap. 3. by holding the holy Sacrament above her head and saying O wicked Spirit here is present thy Iudge Here is the highest power resist now if thou canst Now said he the Prince of this world shall be cast forth This is that body which was taken of the body of the Virgin which was stretched on the tree of the crosse which lay in the sepulchre which in the sight of his disciples ascended vnto heaven I command thee O wicked Spirit in the terrible power of this Maiesty that going out of this hand maid of our Lord thou presume to touch her no more God approved the truth of S. Bernards faith which was alwayes the faith of the Catholique Church by granting his desire Flor. Reym de ortu haeres lib. 2. cap. 12. The like miracle was done in this last age at Laon in Picardie on the person of a young woman named Nicolas Obry as is related with many admirable circumstances by an eye witnesse Florimond Reymond Counsellour of the Parliament of Burdeaux by which miracle he professeth himself to have been drawen out of the gulf of heresie Ambros in Orat. funeb de obitu Satyri S. Ambrose doth also relate how his brother Satyrus by the great faith he had of this holy Sacrament was miraculously delivered from shipwrack How God hath punished those who have abused or blasphem'd this holy Sacrament both auncient and modern histories do shew S. Cyprian relateth many of these miracvlous punishments Ott Mileâ—it cont Parmen lib. 2. For. de ortu haerâ—s lib. 4. c. 10. which fell out in his time so that some were filled with vnclean Spirits others were turned into madnesse S. Optatus doth shew that the Donatists who threw the holy Sacrament of the Catholiques vnto dogges immediatly thereafter felt the divine iudgment for the dogges becoming enraged did set vpon their own Masters and tore them in pieces The above named Florimond doth relate how an Arian woman of Cracovie in the yeare 1579. looking out at her window and seeing the holy Sacrament caried in procession cry'd out Behold the beare which the Papists carie and adore But immediatly she was punished For the Devil seazing on her did so torment her that blaspheming she expired in her husbands armes Moreover Idem lib. 4. cap. 6. the same-Author sheweth that a Iew having made himself Christian did steale out of a Catholique Church three consecrated hosties with which he fled to Hungarie where he sold one of them to a Iew in Presburg and with the other two he went to another town called Nickesburg where he assembled diverse of his companions to shew their outrage against the Sacrament Whence it came to passe that one of the company taking a knife did stob the sacred hostie which was lying on a table saying if thou be the God of the Christians shew it by some miracle The blow was no sooner given but the blood did spring vp by which they were astonished and in the same houre thunder came from heaven which destroyed that house and consumed into ashes that wicked company except only three who half burnt were left to be witnesses of their wickednesse and having escaped the fire of heaven were severly punished by the hand of man as the Author recounts This miracle was so much the more famous that the table and the two hosties of which one was pierced by a knife were found entire among the middest of these ashes and were collected at the sight of innumerable people This miracle fell out in the yeare 1580. I passe by many more which were showen me to this purpose Paul Diac. in vâ—ta S. Greg. Ioann Eiar in vita eiusd Greg. lib. 2. c. 41. Lastly for the comfort of the faithfull or for confirmation of the doubtfull some visions have appeared in the holy Sacrament That which is recounted in the life of S. Grego the great is very remarkable The historie is briefly this
the Church The Catholique Church saith he fighting against all heresies may be opposed but cannot be overcome all heresies have gone out of her as vnprofitable twigges cut off from the vine but she remaines in her roote in her vine in her charitie the gates of hell cannot pervaile against her Christ promised also his perpetu l assistance vnto the Pastors of his Church Math. 28. ver vlt. Behold said he I am with you alway even vnto the consummation of the world Which place both S. Augustin and S. Hierome do bring to prove the same truth The first introduceth the Church speaking thus to Christ Shew vnto me the fewnesse of my dayes ug conc 2. in psal 101. how long shall I be in this world Shew this vnto me for those who say she was but now is not the Church hath made Apostasy and perished from all nations And he declared vnto me Behold I am with you alway even vnto consummation of the world S. Hierome saith that Christ Hier. in cap. vlt. Matth. by these words shews there should be alwayes some faithfull people in this world that he should never separate himself from them I passe by many more places of Scripture which is so evident for the perpetuity of Christs Church that S. Augustin said against the Donatists who denyed it Avg. pref in 2. expos psa 21. and affirmed the Church had perished They mock Christ in a matter which is evident in a matter where no man can say I did not understand This truth is not only evident in Scriptures and Fathers but it is also acknowledged by all Protestants whose minds are best knowne by their Confessions of faith which ought to be of more authority amongst them then the testimonies of their private writers Conf. Augu. c. 7. Saxoni ca c. 12. Helvetic c. 17 The confessions of Ausburg of Saxonie of the Suizers do not only affirm that the Church must still continue vnto the end of the world but they prove it by the expresse Scriptures above cited The Authors of our first Scottish Confession professe that they beleeve as firmely the perpetuity of the Church as they beleeve the mysterie of the Trinity 1. Scottish Conf. article 16. Confes Vvest ch 25. n. 5. for thus they speak As we beleeve in God the Father Son and holy Ghost so we do most earnestly beleeve that from the beginning there hath been now is and to the end of the world shall be a Church The new Confession at Westminster professeth the same truth And so do also Luther Calvin as we shall see presently Now the contrarie doctrin to witt that the Church of Christ did perish or can perish is censured both by Catholiques Protestants as a most damnable errour iniurious to God against the clear Scriptures S. Aug. testimonie shall suffice for the First For against the Donatists who defended the like error and said But that Church which was of all Nations is no more Aug. in ps 101. she hath perished he subioyneth this censure This they say who are not in her O impudent speech And after ward This voice so damnable so detestable so full of presumption falshood which is sustained with no truth enlightned with no wisdome seasoned with no salt vaine rash heady pernitious the holy Ghost foresaw By the great severity of this censure may be knowne the abominable falshood of that opinion Neither is the iudgment of Caluin against that error lesse severe For writing against Servetus who defended it and who was burnt by his order at Geneva he saith I did not touch that long banishment of the Church from the earth Cal. tract Theolin refvtatione errorum Serveti p. 762. which he faineth wherein he plainly accuseth God of a lie And afterward he maketh this profession But we indeed confesse that the Church was put in glorious places otherwise God would have lied who promised that he should alwayes have some people so long as the Sun and Moone shall shine in the firmament We know what the prophets do every where teftifie of the eternall kingdome of Christ The reason of these great censures is very evident For 1. there is nothing so often and so clearly promised in the Scriptures as the perpetuitie of the Church of Christ If then notwithstanding these clear promises the Church might perish then all the other mysteries reveal'd in Scripture might be denyed then it would follow that God were a liar as Calvin reasoneth against Servetus 2. If the Church could perish then that article of the Apostles Creed I believe the holy Catholique Church would be false and therefore none could believe truely that to be which had no being This reason is brought by Luther 3. It would follow that men could not be saved Luth. tom 7. de votis verae Ecclesiae f. 148. Conf. Vvest cap. 25. n. 2. for out of the true Church there is no ordinarie possibility of Salvation as our new Confession of faith acknowledgeth Now what could be more against the goodnesse mercy of God what more iniurious to the merits of Christs passion then to take away the means of Salvation which would be clearly taken away if the Church did perish By all which may be seen that the perpetuity of Christs Church is not only clearly contayn'd in the Scriptures holy Fathers but also that it 's granted by Protestants proved by their reasons and that the contrarie opinion to witt that the Church can perish is censured both by Catholiques Protestants as a most pernicious damnable Error Thus spake the Catholique I was so satisfied of the truth of this principle that I desired no more for the evidence of it and I professed if by it the Protestant Church were proved not to be the true Church that it could not be denyed but Protestants were convinced not only by a clear truth but also by their own principles But to perform this the better the same Catholique shew me that it was necessarie to lay down an other principle to witt the definition or description of a Protestant Church And although said he this be difficult by reason that Protestants are very inconstant and changeable in their doctrin which is the essence of a Church so that the definition which will serve them this yeare may perhaps not fit them the next for which cause some have affirmed that it 's as hard to find out a definition which will alwayes agree to them as to paint Proteus or make a fit coate for the Moone yet notwithstanding these difficulties a general notion may be had of them and the best appear's to be that which is taken from their Confessions of faith So that the Protestant Church of Scotland may be described to be a Society of people beleeving the whole articles of the Scottish Confession And other Protestāt Churches as of Englād France c. may be described after the same manner by
Church hath only continued since the revolt of Luther Therefore the Protestant Church is not the true Church There is nothing more certain then the Maior The Minor hath been proved because if there had been any Protestant Church before Luther it had been either visible or invisible But there was neither Not the first because there was no Church nor person before Luther that professed entirely any Protestant Confession for any little time much lesse for the whole time between the Apostles Luther Not the second because if there had been any invisible Protestant Church before Luther it had become visible when Luther appeared and the feare of persecution was taken away But no such invisible Church did then appeare And moreover it hath been shewed that although the Protestants had had an invisible Church before Luther yet it could not be the true Church which ought to be alwayes visible and that an invisible Church is against Scriptures Fathers reason Protestants own principles disparageth the Christian religion gives great advantage to Iewes and infidels and leads men into Apostasy and Atheism And so both the holes of Visibility and Invisibility by which these foxes were accustomed to escape are now lay'd or stop't The diverse essaies which many Protestants make to find their Church shew the difficulty of the question so that they see what they ought not to say but cannot see what to say that hath any probability of truth They have travailed much to find out their Church before Luther they have been above these 100. years in seeking it and we have followed the most famous Guides among them But both they we have laboured in vaine to find that which cannot be found Yet we make much profit of our labour if we have discovered that the Protestant Church before Luther cannot be found not because it was hid but because it was not as hath been proved and therefore leave off any further search of it following S. Augustins advice who writes thus to the Donatists about the like purpose Some thing saith he may be Aug cap. 16. de vnitate Eccles and yet not found out but that which hath no being cannot be found Let them therefore leave off to seek that which they could not find not because it was hid but because it was not To this purpose spake the Catholique who vpon my desire delivered me thereafter these things more fully in writing which after serious consideration of them gave me such satisfaction that I desired him to proceed to the proof of his own Church which he did in the manner following CHAP. XXX That the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone is the true Church HAVING already proved to your satisfaction said my Catholique friend to me your Church not to be the true Church and that by the vndenyable principle of the perpetuity of the Church I will now endeavour with the assistance of Gods grace to prove no lesse clearly by the same principle laying aside other proofs the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and her alone to be the true Church Which I briefly do after this manner That is the only true Church which has had a continued succession from Christ his Apostles to this time But the Church in Communion with the ea of Rome and she alone has had a continued succession from Christ his Apostles to this time Therefore the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and no other is the true Church The Maior is clear For to have a continued succession to be perpetuall is the same thing Now as we have seen above that the true Church must be perpetual or must have continually endured from Christ his Apostles to this time so it is no lesse evident that that is only the true Church which has been perpetual or has still endured This the holy Fathers do testify this the light of reason doth evince S. Hierom saith Hieron Dial. cont Lucifer I will bring a short and clear declaration of my mind that we ought to remain in that Church which being founded by the Apostles endures even vnto this day And the reason is because we ought to remain in the true Church and that according to S. Hierom is the true Church which hath still endured from the Apostles Tertull. lib. 4. contr Marcion c. 5. To the like purpose Tertullian saith That is true which is first that is first which was from the beginning that is from the beginning which was from the Apostles And therefore that is the true Church which has continued from the Apostles This same truth is also cleared by the light of reason For the true Church was first founded by Christ his Apostles before any heresies or false Churches which carie the name of Christian were or could be raised by heretiques Because truth is alway's before falshood the body is before the shaddow and the good seed is sow'n in the field before the tares Therefore that is the true Church which was first and from the beginning and consequently that is the only true Church which hath been perpetual for that only could be first from the beginning Moreover this truth is confirmed For it is certain that de facto no heresies or false Churches have continued from the primitive times because these which arose of old have long ago evanished and these which remain to this day have but for a short time endured Therefore if it be most certain that the true Church must be perpetual then it is also certain that that only is the true Church which has been perpetual since one only Christian Church hath been perpetual Yea albeit any heresy had continued even from the ancient primitive times as never any of them by Gods special providence can see so many dayes yet it could not be perpetual because it could not be first and from the beginning which only the true Church can be as we have seen but it behoved to be raised thereafter by heretiques and therefore could not be so ancient as the true Church and consequently had not perpetually endured By all which the Maior of our argument is sufficiently cleared The Minor to witt that the Church now in Communion with the sea of Rome and she alone has still endured or has had a continued succession from Christ and his Apostles to this time is proved by all the evidences whereby such a proposition can be proved whereby the holy Fathers proved it in their times For all histories all Monuments records publique fame the Consent of people Nations and as S. Augustin speaks the Confession of mankind bear witness that this Church and she alone has had a continued succession For this was the Church which in the primitive times suffered and overcame all the cruel persecutions of the Iewes Pagans this is the Church which hath converted Kings Nation from infidelity to Christianity which
length described So by this means M. Knox gote his Vocation to be a Minister from the call of that holy Congregation which was guiltie of murder and robbery and was then in actual rebellion by the mouth of their Preacher who could have no lawfull vocation himself but being an vnlettered man had taken vp by all appearance that calling at his own hand as many others did For it is said of him in the 74. page Albeit he was not the most learned yet was his doctrin without corruption c. I was much astonished when this historie of our first Reformer his Vocation was first shown me in his own book by a Catholique who did not faile to manifest the ridiculousnesse of it by all the circumstances Now these are all the different Vocations of the Protestant Ministers and all and every one of them are so vnsufficient that they are disproved not only by Catholiques but also by most famous Protestants who are brought to such confusion in this matter that they hardly know what to say For they can neither pretend ordinary nor extraordinary Vocation not the first because they evidently want succession as also ordination both which are requisite to an ordinary calling Not the second because they want the power of working miracles and have no extraordinary holynesse which are qualities very requisite and vsual for all Gods extraordinary Ambassadours And albeit neither of these qualities were required yet these who pretend this extraordinary Vocation do fall into such contradictions that they are evidently known thereby not to be Gods extraordinary Ambassadours whom he never vseth to send with contrary Commissions So that to the Protestant Ministers or Bishops agree well the words of S. Cyprian Cypr. de simplicit Praâ—lator These are men saith he who without any divin disposition preferre themselvs among rash people who make themselvs Prelats without any lawfull ordination who none giving to them a Bishops office take the name of Bishops vpon them Therefore the Protestant Pastors wanting clearly succession from the Apostles are not Apostolique and so are not true Pastors but Vsurpers and consequently the Protestant Church is not the true Church for that cannot be the true Church which hath no lawfull Pastors Vpon the other part this succession of Bishops from the Apostles has been ever so evidently in the Church of the Roman Communion that the holy Fathers did bring it as a most evident argument to show the true Church and therefore they reckon out ordinarly the succession of the Roman Bishops Aug. cont epist fund c. 4. S. Augustin saith The Succession of Priests from the Seat of Peter the Apostle vnto the present Bishoprique holds me in the Church And elswhere shewing the continuance of the same succession he saith The continuance of the true Church by most certain succession of Bishops Aug. lib. conâ— advers leg prophet c. 20. doth persevere from the Apostles time vnto ours and to the times after vs again And this succession doth to this day continue in the Roman Church as evidently as it did in the time of the holy Fathers neither can any thing be said now against it which might not have been said as iustly by the auncient heretiques Therefore as the Church in Communion with the Sea of Rome has been shewed to be one holy and Catholique Church so it is no lesse evident that it is Apostolique having lawfull Pastors as it has ever had deriving their Vocation from the holy Apostles by lawfull ordination personal succession and consequently this is the true Church lawfull spouse of Iesus Christ This matter of Vocation is of great importance because doctrin depends vpon it and because it is easily discerned so that it is compared by our Saviour Iohn 10.1 to a Gate As then it is more easy to hold a theef at the gate then to thrust him out being once let in so all heretiques are more easily confounded for lack of Vocation which is to hold them at the doore of the Church then by the falshood of their doctrin which is to expell them after they are once admitted For if they cannot bring evident testimonies of their Vocation ordination from a known Pastor of the Church they are presently known to be Wolves who run when they were not sent who enter not by the doore but climb vp another way Therefore it is great deceit in some Ministers to vndertake to prove the lawfulnesse of their Vocation by the truth of their doctrin which is a preposterous and ridiculous way Numer 16. Core and his complices taught no other doctrin but that which was taught by Moyses and yet because they vsurped the Priests office we know how fearfully they were punished What would be more ridiculous then if one would vsurp the Office of a Iudge in the state and then would prove himself to be a lawfull Iudge by the iustice of his decisions This question then of Vocation being so important and easy a Catholique gave me this advice which I resolve God willing to follow never to admit a Minister to dispute of religion till he first shew the lawfulnesse of his Vocation and to make ever that the first question Wherefore having now seen such evidence for the truth of the Roman Catholique Church to which alone the marks and properties of the true Church recorded in Scripture do so clearly agree I will draw to an end by this subsequent Conclusion CHAP. XXXVI The Conclusion AS light is more pleasant after darknesse so is the invention of truth more delightfull after errors I have now by Gods grace and by the former Triall seen both our pretended Reformations which were called such great engyring Lights to be nothing but thick Aegyptian darknesse obscuring the chief and most clear truths of the Christian Religion both in doctrin disciplin I have now found amongst the Protestants what S. Augustin observed amongst the Manichees Aug. cont epist fund c. 4. that they have nothing but a meer promise of truth a pretext of following only the Scriptures wheÌ„ indeed they follow their own Errors That their doctrin is nothing but counterfeit Mettall which cannot endure the fire of Triall Yea I have clearly seen that their Church which is the ground work of all has not the least resemblance of the Church of Christ as she is without ambiguity described in the Scriptures For according to them the Church of Christ must endure for ever But the Protestant Church has only endured since the time of Luther According to the Scriptures the Church cannot be hid but must ever shine like a light set vpon a Candlestick But the Protestant Church has lyen many hundred years hid and invisible vnder a bushell The Church of Christ must have Vnity as becomes the house of God But the Protestant Church is full of division confusion both in doctrin disciplin The true Church must be holy in all her doctrin and
and eternal Salvation Here in this house of faith is found the the true Catholique invariable faith of which S. Augustin truly saith That no riches Aug. serm 1. de verbis Apost no treasures no honors no substance of this world are comparable vnto it Therefore in end I will offer vp my thanksgiving vnto God in the words of that glorious Doctor for the same benefite Truly O Lord Aug. Soliloq c. 33. thou art my God who hast drawn me out of darknesse and out of the shadow of death and thou hast called me into thy admirable light and behold I see Thanks be given to thee O thou who art the illuminator of my soule I looked back and saw the darknesse wherein I had been and that profound black pitt wherein I had lyen and I was sore affraid and said Wo Wo be to that darknes wherein I lay Wo Wo be to that blindnes wherein I was not able to see the light of Heaven Wo Wo to that former ignorance of mine when I had no knowledge of thee O Lord. But I give thee thanks O my Illuminator and deliverer because thou hast illuminated me and I have knowen thee Yet still am I come too late to thee O thou antient Truth too late am I come to know thee O thou eternal Truth And because I cannot praise thee sufficiently I humbly desire the blessed Virgin all the Angels Saints of heaven to blisse and magnify thy glorious name and to offer vp their holy prayers for me that as by thy grace I have acquired the true faith So I may also attayn vnto sincere piety and so may have the happinesse to praise thee in their holy society for all Eternity Amen FINIS A LITLE TOVCH-STONE OF THE SCOTTISH COVENANT BEING desirous after the Triall of Presbytery to take a serious view of the late famous but now vnfortunat Scottish Covenant Presbyteries principal Chartour I required the accustomed assistance of my above mentioned Catholique friend which he willingly vouchsafed to me Wherevpon we had diverse Conferences and he was also pleased to write some papers on this matter for my contentment out of which I will make a brief Collection of some principall observations whereby as by a little Touch-stone the Covenant which glistered so much for a time and which was sold for the pure gold of divine truth may be seen to be nothing but base Counterfeit Mettall SECTION I. Of the great esteem and high Titles of the Covenant and that it was vniustly called Gods Covenant THE respect which the Covenanters gave to the Covenant was so great that perhaps it may seem incredible vnto posterity For they esteemd it as much as if God had sent it from heaven or had given expresse order for making it They were not content to esteem it so much themselvs but they would have all persons within their power to do the same They were not satisfyed with mens simple profession to beleeve it but they enforced all persons to swear and subscribe it yea and to take their Sacrament vpon it and were resolved by furious zeal to propagate it by force throughout the world They gave it also high Titles calling it ordinarily Gods Covenant or the Covenant between God and the Kirk of Scotland The Confession of faith The holy Covenant c. All which shew their great esteem of it At the very first serious view and once reading over of the Covenant we presently saw that it did not deserve these high Titles and especially of Gods Covenant because it containd some most grosse and palpable lies of which we observed three most obvious The first is containd in the very first words of the Covenant which begin thus We all and every one of vs vnderwritten protest that after long and due examination of our own Consciences in matters of true false religion c. where they professe to have vsed long due examination of their Consciences before they swore and subscribed the Covenant Now this is a falshood so manifest that men need not to examine their consciensces but only to recollect their senses and consider what their eys saw done to discover it For when the Covenant was subscrived at the beginning of the Troubles anno 1638. in the Grayfriers Church of Edinburgh all the long examination then vsed was to heare it once read over accompanied with a Panegyrick made by the Lord Lowdon and a prayer by M. Henderson and immediatly thereafter all almost who were present ran contentiously to it Throughout the rest of the Countrey the Ministers commendation of it was made to serve for all the peoples long due examination and presently followed their subscription with an implicit faith vpon the Ministers bare word which is no sure ground to relie vpon The Puritans ran to it every where with little knowledge and furious Zeal that they might pull down the Bishops and the old Protestants being awakned by their false Alarmes did swear and subscribe it inconfideratly that they might oppose the entrance of Popery which they were made beleeve to be at the doore So that it is evident even to sense that few of the Covenanters vsed any diligence most of them vsed none at all and none of them vsed long and due examination of their Consciences but their Subscriptions and oaths went before their knowledge and their knowledge before due Trial and diligence Whereof this is an evident sign that as yet after 19. years agitation few of their chief heads know all the points abiured in the Covenant as opus operatum works of Supererogation Stations and the like Therefore the first words of the Covenant are manifestly false The second grosse vntruth is a little after the Middle of the Covenant in these words And seing many are stirred vp by Satan and the Roman Anti-Christ to promise swear subscribe and for a time vse the holy Sacraments of the Kirk deceitfully against their own Consciences minding thereby first under the external Cloak ef religion to corrupt and subvert secretly Gods true religion within the Kirk and afterward when time may serve to become open Enemies and Persecutors of the same vnder Vain hopes of the Popes dispensation devised against Gods word to his greater Confusion and to their double condemnation in the day of the Lord Iesus c. Here said the Catholique are linked together diverse lies and not only lies but calumnies and both so evidently false impudent that the Father of lies if he had any shame might be ashamed of them For what can be more false and malitious then to say that the Pope stirres vp Catholiques to swear and subscrybe the Protestant to abiure the Catholique Religion against their Consciences That he stirres them vp to vse the Protestants Sacraments and that of purpose to subvert their religion vnder hope of his dispensation First the Catholique Church hath ever constantly taught with S. Paul that no evil is to be done
of them of some excellent privilege For they spoile God of his goodnesse by making him the Author of sin Christ of his merits by denying he dyed for all and the holy Trinity of Glory They spoile the Angels and the Saints of their felicity and of all respect and reverence from men They rob the Church of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost Man of his free-will the living of the prayers of the Saints and the faithfull departed of the suffrages of the living They rob the Sacraments of Grace and the Commandments of obedience Yea what have they left vntouched in the Church They have taken away many books of the Scriptures almost all the Sacraments all Traditions Priesthood Sacrifice Vowes set Fasts Festival Dayes Altars Reliques Holy Images all Monuments of Piety all the antient Ecclesiastical Lawes all Order and Disciplin all Comlinesse and beauty from the House of God They have abolished the Apostolique Government denyed the Apostles Creed subverted the Divine Commandments and abiured all the Evangelical Counsels and many more points have they destroyed as we shall see in the progresse of the Covenant so that never any heresy deserved more the title of Destroyer never any heretical Confession of Faith deserved so much the Title of the Negation of Faith as the Covenant For never any heresy or negative Confession denyed so many points of the Catholique faith and so overturn'd the Christian Religion both in doctrin disciplin in all the Monuments and helps of Piety As the matter of the Covenant is very large containing so many points of the Catholique Faith which it deny's so the manner how it doth renounce them which is as it were the life and forme of the Covenant is very considerable For it doth not only deny these articles but it detests and abiures them yea and blasphemes them adding a blasphemous Epithet almost to every point For thus it speaks We renounce and detest the Vsurped authority of the Roman Anti-Christ his wicked Hierarchie his Devilish Masse Blasphemous Priesthood Profane Sacrifice Bastard Sacraments Doubtsome Faith Desperat Repentance c. Behold said the Catholique to me what a Rapsodie of lies and calumnies against manifest sense and experience against the ancient faith and true religion was fathered vpon God the Author of truth and was called his Covenant Behold what a blasphemous Negation of the Faith was entitled the Confession of Faith Behold what a monstrous Idol of lies execrations blasphemies the Covenanters did so highly honour reverence as if it had been Gods vndoubted truth and not only did Idolatrize it themselv's but with furious zeal and rigour enforced others to adore it against their Consciences S. Cyptian affirmes that the Devil Cypr. de simâ—l Praelator Hieron in EsaiaÌ„ c. 21. in place of the old Pagan Idols has invented the deceits of Errors Heresies and S. Hierom saith that all Heretiques are Idolaters adoring their own fictions and imaginatio s as divin truths According to this doctrine if the Covenant containe heresies as we shall see it containes not a few the Covenanters have been great idolaters The old Pagans did indeed adore false Gods and the works of their own hands but never any carying the name o Chr stians did more Idolatrize the fancies of their own braines then the Covenanters have done The prosperity of the Covenant for a time did blind many but now the Visitation which God has sent vpon it has opened the ey 's of a great part so that the Covenant which was before the obiect of their greatest reverence respect is now become the subiect of their laughter sport The Prophet Ieremy foretells that these miseries should befalls to all Idols They are vain things Ieremy 10.15 Hieron â—u hunc loâ—um saith he and a work worthy to be laughed at in time of their Visitation they shall perish Which words S. Hierom applies excellently to Heresies Who would not laugh saith he when he considers the Idols of Heretiques c. Heresies prevaile only for a time that these who are chosen may be made manifest and be approved But when the Visitation of God comes and his eys do behold their fooleries then all are quyet and siâ—e it And so now is the Covenant silent and fallen asleep But enough for our intended brevity of the false Titles of the Covenant and of the grosse vntruths in it against sense We shall now run brieflâ— through the Spiritual vntruths of it against Faith SECTION III. Of the Covenantes vain pretext of the word and Spirit of God and of the marks by which they describe their Relâ—gion THAT this matter may proceed more clearly we shall set down in order the words of the Covenant and then subioyn the Observations we made vpon them The Preface then of it goes thus Covenant Wee all and every one of vs vnderwritten protest that after long due examination of our Consciences in matters of true false religion Wee are now throughly resolved of the truth by the word Spirit of God And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God the whole world that this only is the true Christian faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which now is by tho mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel and received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks Realms but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Maiesty and the three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternal Truth and only ground of our Salvation as more particularlâ— is confessed in the Confession of our faith established and publickly confirmed by Sundry Acts of Parliament and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Maiesty and whole body of this Realm both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion we willingly agree in our Consciences in all points as vnto Gods vndoubted Truth and Verity grounded only vpon his written word To passe by the first sensible vntruth about the long and due examination of their consciences which was lately touched they pretend next that they are fully perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word and Spirit of God But this is no new song neither is it only peculiar to them All sects although never so monstrous which receiv'd the Scriptures have made and do make the same pretexts And this they must all do or else they would get few followers But that the Covenanters make this pretext as falsly as any other sects is very evident For first they falsly pretend to be perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word of God seing they beleeve diverse points as principal articles of their religion which are expresly against the word of God Which may be shown by many Instances but we shall be content with two or three The Covenanters beleeve as
the principal article of their religion that man is iustifyed by faith only which is clearly against the word of God which saith in expresse tearmes Man is not iustifyed by faith only Iames 2.24 They beleeve that the Commandments are impossible to be kept Which is against the word of God which affirmeth that Gods Commandments are not grievous 1. Iohn 5.3 and that Zachary Elizabeth did keep them They beleeve that the Eucharist is not the body and blood of Iesus Christ Luke 1 6. which is directly against the Scripture which affirmeth It is his body and blood and that with such words as design the true body true blood Therefore it is evident that they cannot be perswaded of the truth of their religion by the Word of God seing the principal articles of their religion are so clearly against the word of God Yea before their religion can be true the most clear truth in all the Scriptures must be false to witt the perpetuity of the Church of Christ For their whole religion is founded vpon that supposition that the whole Church of Christ had become Anti-Christian and had perished for a long time before Luther Then which nothing can be more against the word of God as we have seen above Neither have the Covenanters any other refuge to shun these contradictions between their beleef and the Scriptures but to fly vnto tropes figures and pretend that these places of Scripture must be vnderstood figuratively which is the very fraude that was vsed by the auncient heretiques So soone Aug. lib 3. de doct Christian 6.10 saith S. Augustin as any Error doth prepossesse their mynds they esteem all to be figures which the Scripture saith to the contrary Yea they must bring senses iust contrary vnto the words of the Scriptures as for example the Scripture saith Man is not iustifyed by faith only which according to their beleef must be vnderstood as if the Scripture said Man is iustifyed by faith only which it nowhere saith Therefore if men can be perswaded by the Scripture to beleeve such things as are contrary to the expresse words of Scripture the Covenanters are perswaded by the Scripture of the truth of their religion otherwise they are not but rather perswaded to the contrary Secondly they come as small speed of their pretext of the Spirit of God For first they can bring no more ground for it then all sects do that is their own bare words and therefore they ought not to be beleeved more then others Secondly They cannot be perswaded by the Spirit of God who oppose the Catholique Church which according to Christs promise is ever directed by the Spirit of Truth S. Iohn who adviseth vs wisely not to beleeve every Spirit but to prove the Spirits if they be of God gives this Touch-stone by which they may be tryed He that knoweth God 1. Iohn c. 4. v. 6. saith he knoweth vs and he that is not of God knoweth vs not In this we know the Spirit of Truth and of Error This same Touch-stone has held in all succeding generations For these who would not beleeve the Catholique Church and the Pastors thereof succeeding vnto the Apostles although they bragged never so much of the Spirit of God were instantly seen to be misled by the Spirit of Error and were condemned as heretiques who with insolent folly would appropriat the Spirit of God vnto every one of their own giddie heads and yet deny it to the whole Catholique Church against the clear Scriptures The same holds against Calvin his descendents the Presbyterian Covenanters Thirdly They cannot have the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Vnity who have mingled among them the Spirit of giddinesse and Contrariety by which their Erroneous Spirit is discovered now even to the most simple among the people Lastly the Covenanters falsly pretend that they are fully perswaded of the truth of their religion For if they had full assurance of it they would not make so many changes in it and besides their Director is very vnconstant for what is more changeable then the privat Spirit Having seen now said the Catholique the Covenanters vain false pretence of the word and Spirit of God we will briefly run through the description of their religion and to spare paines of often repeating their names we will turn our speech to them First you say that your faith religion is the only true faith religion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to man If this were true the world for many ages had been in a pittifull condition For about the space of a thowsand or 12. hundred yeares your faith religion were not known and so all that time there had been no means of salvation By which device you not only controule the clear Scriptures but also show your selvs enemies to the Glory of Christ to the riches of his Grace and to the perpetuity of his Kingdome yea and to the very good of Man And lastly you oppose most famous Protestants who acknowledge Salvation was had in the Roman Church before Luther and may be had now after him in so much that King Iames in his speech to the Parlament 1605. sharply censures you for this cruel opinion We confes saith he that many Papists especially our Ancestors c. may be saved and often are saved detesting in this parte and iudging worthy of fire the cruelty of Puritans who yeeld Salvation to no Papist Secondly you describe your religion further saying that it is now reveald to the world by the preaching of the Evangel But that is rather a mark of the false then of the true religion For the true Christian faith was reveald of old by Christ his holy Apostles and from that time could never be hid But your Presbyterian faith has iust two contrary qualities to witt it is now reveal'd and has lyen long hid S. Vincentius Lyrinensis sheweth the nature of your faith by describing the doctrine of the auncient Heretiques What do they propose saith he Vincent Lyr. cont haeres c. 12. but new and vnheard doctrines For you shall heare some of them say Come ô you vnwise miserable men who are commonly called Catholiques learn the true faith which besides vs none knoweth which has lyen hidd many ages but now is lately revealed and manifested Neither doth it a white availe you that you call your faith the Gospel and the revealing of your faith the preaching of the Gospel For so all heretiques call their greatest Errors the Gospel of Christ S. Hierom saith wisely that the Gospel of God Hieron 1. ad Galat. by a false interpretation becames the Evangel of man or which is woâ—se the Evangel of the Devil So there still remaines a great question about the truth of your preaching which is nothing but your privat interpretation Thirdly to make your faith more commendable you pretend that it is both auncient Vniversal You
not vsurped For he who is a iust Possessor is no Vsurper Yea he has been so far from vsurping over the Scriptures the Church c. that he has chiefly preserved them from the Vsurpations and corruptions of Heretiques And first it is shewed that he doth not vsurp over the Scriptures as the Covenanters do calumniate For he neither Vsurps over the letter nor the sense of them Not the first For both the Pope whole Catholique Church professe that they only declare that to be Scripture which they received for such from the holy Apostles and it 's by their care diligence that the letter of the Scripture has descended pure free from corruptions vnto our hands whereas it might have been altogether corrupted or totally perished for Protestants Neither do the Pope or Catholique Church vsurp over the sense of the Scriptures but they preserve that sense which is conforme to the Vanimous consent of the auncient fathers of the Primitive Church Secondly the Pope doth not vsurp over the Church because the care and charge of it was committed by Christ to S. Peter and to his Successors as we have seen and he preserves the Church from the Vsurpation of Heretiques Thirdly He doth not vsurp over the Civil Magistrate The experience of many ages in all Christians Kingdomes Common-wealths is more then sufficient to make this good to manifest the impudent falshood of the Presbyterian calumnie to the contrary Fourthly The Pope doth not vsurp over the Consciences of men but as chief Governor of the Church has lawfull authority to make Ecclesiastical Lawes which bind in Conscience as also all the iust Lawes of Kings other Civil Magistrats do bind in Conscience to which their subiects ought to obey according to that of S. Paul Be subiect not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 And the contrary doctrin of Protestants which affirmeth that neither the Lawes of Church Kings or other Magistrates do bind in conscience is much detested by the Catholique Church and opens a broad way to all disobedience But now it will not be amisse to show how yow are destitute of all lawfull authority and deeply guilty of the same Vsurpations which yow falsly impose on others First all heretiques who go out of the Church and having no lawfull calling or authority take vpon them to be Pastors and impose their new doctrines Lawes vpon the Church are truly Vsurpers and are called Theeves by our Saviour who enter not by the doore but climb vp another way So S. Optatus speaks to the Donatists How comes it to passe Opt. lib. 2. cont Parmen saith he that you who are fighting against the Chair of Peter by your presumptions and Sacrilegious boldnesse contend to Vsurp the keies of the Kingdome to your selves Thus Luther Calvin the two chief Apostles of Protestants were Vsurpers who being private men without any lawfull calling or authority would bring in new doctrines and prescribe lawes to the whole Catholique Church And in this the Covenanting Ministers do imitate them Secondly they vsurped in particular over both the letter and sense of the Scriptures For Luther added the word Only to them in the matter of Iustification and tooke the whole Epistle of S. Iames and the Apocalypse from them Calvin also by his private Spirit made vp a new Canon not known before his time expunging many bookes avnciently received out of the Scriptures which new Rule the Covenanters follow Then for the sense they transgressed the bounds set by the Fathers reiecting the auncient sense preserved by the Catholique Church and invented new senses of their own imaginations which they enforced vpon others as divine Truths In this also you Covenanting Ministers have followed closely their footsteps For you have been no lesse fertile in inventing such new senses then active in enforceing them vpon others Thirdly your pretended Reformers were Vsurpers over the Church who having no lawfull calling nor authority tooke vpon them to be Reformers of the Church who would impose their own fancies as lawes divine Oracles on the Church who insolently would take vpon them to iudge and condemn the whole Catholique Church and who vnder pretext of Reformation have destroyed almost all that is sacred in the Church barbarously destroying many excellent Churches and Sacrilegiously vsurping and plundering the riches Ornaments of them This Luther and Calvin did at the beginning and this you have compleated in a great measure above all their progenie Fourthly you are also very guilty of Vsurpation over the Civil Magistrate The late riseing of your religion cannot furnish vs old histories but for your short time you have been prettie bussie and afford vs a good store For in our Countrey there have been only 3. or 4. Princes since your religion Began and none of them has been exempt from your Vsurpation First The Queen Regent was deposed by you from her Regency and died shortly thereafter for grief Secondly How you vsed her daughter Queen Mary Stewart it is notoriously known to the world For after you had imprisonned her enforced her to renounce her Crowne you never desisted till by persecuting of her vnto death you made her purchase a more glorious Crown and yet by your calumnies after her death augment her glory in heaven Thirdly Basili con Doron How you Vsurped over King Iames her Son he himself hath registred to your no small infamy And albeit you did not prevaile against him yet you have payed home that deficiency with Vsury to his Son the late King Charles By this may be seen whither the Pope or yow do Vsurp more over the Civil Magistrate Lastly you have been great Vsurpers over mens Consciences as may be known to passe by all other instances by your furious vrgeing this same Covenant vpon many Protestants against their Consciences for which they give you the Title of Soule-Tyrants By all which may be seen that you are very guilty of the same Vsurpations which you falsly obiect to others SECTION V. That the Lawes of the Catholique Church are not Tyrannous nor her doctrin concerning the Scriptures and office of Christ erroneous AFTER you have renounced the Popes authority as vnlawfull then yow renounce his Lawes as Tyrannous and the doctrin of the Catholique Church concerning the Scriptures the office of Christ as Erroneous For thus you speak in your Covenant We detest all his Tyrannous Lawes made vpon indifferent things against our Christian libertie His Erroneous doctrin against the sufficiency of the written word the perfection of the Law the office of Christ and his blessed Evangel If you renounce all lawes made vpon indifferent things pretending that they are against your Christian libertie then you renounce the most part of all Lawes both Civil and Ecclesiastical which are ordinarly vpon such matters and in a certain manner restrain libertie Then you may renounce also the Lawes of the Apostles Acts 15. for
ch 17. p. 183. seq Their SPECIAL and groundlesse Faith 9 9 They deny all Satisfaction or works of Penance for sins and so they teach men are not to make any Satisfactions for their sins p. 500. Their doctrine of sinning WITHOVT Satisfactions 10 10 They teach Iustification by faith only against the expresse words of Scripture Iames 2. v. 24. as may be seen above ch 17. p. 182. Iustification by faith ONLY 11 11 Albeit some were great sinners yet so soon as they took the Covenant they were esteemed Saints and all their sins forgiven them though indeed they becam no better This is a greater Opus Operatum which the Presbyterians ascribed to their Covenant then that which the Catholiques assign to the holy Sacraments as may be seen above p. 202. 203. The Opus Operatum of the Covenant which SAINTED without dispositions even the worst Covenanters 12 12 They do not only abiure works of greater perfection not coÌ„manded but counselled but also they neglect works of duty commanded teaching hat the Commandments are impossible to be kept p. 502. 5â—3 Their Omission of works of DVTY tending to EDIFICATION 13 13 They teach that all their works are evil and therefore are demerits which may be iustly renounced p. 504. 505. 4. They often give and sell pardons from their stoole of Repentance or else all the great people must be Saints only the poore must be sinners For it is very rarely seen that any person of condition doth sit vpon their stoole of Repentance See p. 506. Demerits 14 14 They bragged that they should never leave off till they went with their Covenant Covenanting Armie to destroy the walls Citie of Rome p. 507. 508. SELLING of Pardons 15 Their intended WARLIK peregrinations to destroy holy places 16 16 The English Independents did call ordinarly the Presbyterian K rk-SessioÌ„s Bawdy-Courts For by them the fines were imposed vpon the fornicators But now that power is taken from them and given to the Civil Magistrate These Sessions are not so good as the Catholiques Stations above p. 508. Their Kirk SESSIONS 17 17 They do not consecrate their Communion Wine and albeit the Ministers say a long prayer at the beginning by which they would seem in some measure to hallow that which is present which is but a small quantity yet the rest is brought sometimes out of the Tavern and vsed without any benediction See of Holy water above p. 510. 511. VNCONSECRATED wine 18 18 See above how at the beginning of their pretended Reformation they vnhallowed many Bells p. 511. 512. Their VNHALLOWING and selling of Bells Their 19 19 The true Church has only power to cast out Devils Luther tryed once to do this but it succeded ill with him as may be seen above p. 512. WANT of power to coniure Spirits and cast out Devils 20 20 The Presbyterian Ministers do much hate the sign of the Crosse calling it the badge of Anti-Christ as may be seen in Spotswoods historie lib. 6. p. 324. See above p. 513. the Antiquity efficacy of that glorious sign of the Son of man Their CVRSINGS and Detestations of the SIGN of the CROSSE as also 21 21 The holy Apostles vsed Vnctions as may be seen above p. 514. which custome has been ever observed in the Church ibidem As also the Church did ever hallow some Creatures for holy ends as Water burial places Churches Bells c. which the Presbyterians have often made common and turn'd into profanes vses of VNCTIONS of benedictions of Creatures for holy ends together with the PROFANATIONS of these hallowed Creatures Their Domineering Presbyterian 22 22 How the Presbytery domineered over all sorts of persons may be seen above ch 4. and 5. of Presb. Triall 23. Their severity cruelty may be seen ibid. DEMOCRACY and 23 cruel ANARCHY 24 24 Their solemn League Covenant which intended the setling of Presbytery in all the 3. Kingdomes is not such a work of perfection as are the 3. Solemn Vowes of chastity poverty Obedience which they here abiure and which their first Reformers Vowed but did not keep And therefore their Solemn League may be better renounced then the three Solemn Vowes abiured Their Solemn LEAGVE and CovenaÌ„t with all their ROVNDHEADS of Sundry SECTS Their cruel Decrees made at GLASGOW to extirpate the Catholique Religion where their Covenant which has proved a bloudy Band was confirmed against the holy Catholique Church And lastly we reiect all their 25 25 See above pag. 229. 242. how by Trops and figures the clear words of Christs institution of the holy Sacrament are perverted by them against the sense of the holy Fathers and of the auncient Church VAIN TROPES AND FIGVRES perverting the true literal sense of the divin Scriptures against the constant exposition of the holy Fathers together with all their 26 26 Their denying of privat baptism is a Presbyterian Tradition derived from Calvin as may be seen above p. 212. without or rather against the word of God and the practice of the auncient Church The same may be also said of their denying private Communion c. PRESBYTERIAN Traditions brought in without or against the word of God and Doctrin of the 27 27 As the Catholique Church is only the true Church of Christ so S. Cyprian has observed that all heretiques like Apes do take vpon them the name and falsly Vindicate to themselves the authority of the Church Cypr. Epist ad Iubaian holy CATHOLIQVE Church the Pillar ground of Truth To the which holy Catholique Church we MOST WILLINGLY ioyn our selves in Doctrin Disciplin and all holy RITES as members of the same vnder Christ Iesus the Supreme invisible Head and the 28 28 See above section 4. p. 432. where it is shewed that S. Peter was ordain'd by Christ Supreme Pastor of his Church and that the Bishop of Rome succeeds vnto S. Peter in the same charge BISHOP of ROME the Successor of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles the Visible and Subordinate Head or Governour thereof 29 29 As the Catholique Church remaines constant in her doctrin and government so the Scottish Protestant Church has been very inconstant for it has changed diverse doctrines and very sensibly its disciplin three or foure times since the beginning of their pretended Reformation so that a man cannot wisely swear constant obedience to such an vnconstant Church See above ch 2. and 7. of Presb. Trial. Promising by the assistance of Gods Grace to continue in the obedience and Communion of the same Church all the dayes of our lives 30 30 As it is a malicious calumnie to say that any Catholique is stirred vp by the Pope to deny and abiure the Catholique religion against his conscience vpon hope of the Popes Dispensation So it is a known truth by diverse fresh experiences
for the further manifestation of the truth and he turn's all the plots and cunning design 's of the Authours and Promoovers of falshood to the ruine and confusion both of it and of themselves and to the exaltation of that whereof they intended so eagerly the destruction This was evident of old in the Arrians who vsed all slight and might to obscure and extinguish the great mystery of the holy Trinity But it did never shyne so brightly neither was it so fully discussed clearly vnderstood till the Arrians begun to bark against it as S. Augustin speaks Aug. in psal 54. So that by the many fold grace of our Saviour that which the Enemy intends for hurt destruction God turn's into help and advantage These things for the most part are now by the goodnesse of God become very evident in the Scottish Covenant and Presbytery which prospered so much for a time and yet at leuth are come to nought notwithstanding all the wise deepe plots that were so subtilly deuised for the standing and aduancing of them And notwithstanding the great power of Armies which did raise and vphold them in these Nations And by which they should in a Martial rather then Apostolique manner haue been propagated troughout the world as the Ministers some others fondly imagined but more foolishly bragged The great Covenanters also haue been much disappoynted and come short of their design 's There was nothing wherein they so much gloryed as in their prosperity and in the ruine which fell vpon all their opposers whereby they avowed publiquely and frequently that their cause was clearly owned by Heauen All their discourses and sermons were nothing but Panegyriques of that great ingyring light as they tearm'd it which God had made shyne to them above all other Nations They did bragge not a litle that they were Gods Covenanted people and he their Covenanting God which high priviledge no nation else could claime Their wisdome in their counsels diligence in executions were highly esteem'd and much cry'd vp by many There seem'd nothing in humane prudence fitting for the advancment of their cause but they try'd it And nothing could appeare a crosse and hinderance to their designs but they provyded for it And yet notwithstanding all these pretended priuiledges exploits and diligences the Covenanting Presbyterians haue been brought to confusion their prosperity so much bragged of hath quickly turn'd into adversity and their self conceated wisdome Iob. 5. v. 13. hath now appear'd to all men to be manifest folly For God who takes th2 wise in their own craftinesse and dissipats the counsels of the froward as it is in Iob hath made that witty or crafty course which they took for their own standing tend to their ruine and hath caused their fall to proceed from those whom they least or in no wise suspected that is from their own Covenanting and Leagued Brethren whom they had of purpose raised and vpholden to be a prop to themselues and a ruin to their Enemies And now is verifyed in them that which S. Paul foretold showld befall to all false Teachers and Seducers 1. Thimoth 3.9 They shall not long prevaile for their folly shall be made manifest to all men Yea it hath not only pleased God to bring the Covenant and Presbytery to such a stay and to frustrate the designs of their Promoters but he who drawes good out of evil hath drawen this good from them amidst the many deplorable evils which they haue directly brought vpon this Nation That many who were not sensible of the great errour wherein they were lying haue been awakned as it vere out of a dead sleep by the huge confusion of the Covenant and Presbytery and so seeing their own danger haue been stirred vp to seeing for the truth and to see the day of God as S. Augustin speaks Multi vt diem Dei videant per haereticos é somno excitantur Aug. lib. de vera relig c. 8. Amongst which number his vnspeakable goodnesse hath been pleased to make me one who by all apparance would haue liv'd and dyed in a grosse security of the religion wherein I was bred if the Covenant Presbytery by their confusions changes and violence had not furiously endeavoured to dispossesse me of many points which I formerly beleev'd as I was taught for vndoubted truths and by that means pressed me to make an earnest search to informe my self of the true grounds of these alterations and to find some setled ground whereon I might safely rely for the Salvation of my soule and not be tossed to an fro with every wind of doctrine in the wickednesse of men and circumvention of errour Whilst there was nothing but some little jarres betwixt the Bishops and a few Ministers for conformity to the 5. articles of Perth which concerned kneeling at Communion privat Baptisme Confirmation of children observation of Christmasse and of some few festival dayes I was never moved to doubt of the religion publiquely professed For these dissensions were not as I conceaved in substantial points neither was the manner of them very vehement and rigorous by reason of the Bishops temper who did not vrge these things violently though establish'd both by Ecclesiastical and Civil lawes Besid's the Ministers who oppos'd them were but few and not considerable either for learning or prudence in regard of those who were of a contrary iudgement All this time I liv'd in a deepe security in an implicit faith of the Church of of Scotland and its doctrine imagining that it was the very same which was taught by Christ and his Apostles But so soone as that great storme of the Covenant did arise none got leave to sleep any longer at rest in that barke all were awakned by these unskilfull Mariners to whom we had rashly trusted our soules who fell at such oddes and dissensions amongst themselv's that hardly ever such confusion and noise was heard or seen every one of them contradicting condemning and accursing another and making such factions that they seem'd to thirst after nothing but blood with which they may be sufficiently glutted since they begun This tempest and confusion hath brought such shipwracke vpon the Church to speak nothing of the miseries of the Countrey that many of sound iudgement seing the danger haue been mov'd to abandon that confus'd and sinking vessell and putt themselv's in one more solidly built and govern'd by more sober wise and discreet Pilots This confusion was the occasion of my first doubt which made me begin to examin the particular points of these new dissenssions and to try the ground whereon our religion so easily shaken was weakly founded And finding that all was built vpon the sand I made there after a diligent search to find out that true religion and holy Church which Christ the wise Master builder had promised in the Scriptures to build vpon a Rocke which could not be shaken neither by the deceits of men nor
cry'd alway's for iustice to divert from the land as they gave out Gods iudgements It would be tedious to relate all the particulars that have past of their severity That alone which they vs'd against the Lord Montrose and his fellow Captives made their temper sufficiently knowen to all Europe For although they coul'd not have been much blam'd supposing their principles for removing out of the way such an active enemy yet the manner of it shew too great passion and cruelty Some respect might have been had to his ancient Nobility to his personall Gallantry and many worthy parts but especially to his admirable Clemency show'd to his Enemies after many notable victories obtayn'd over them But notwithstanding all these respects when he fell into the Presbyterians hands they were not content to put him symply to death vnlesse they satisfyed their passion by putting disgraces vpon him For they brought him vp the high street of Edim borough bound with ropes to a chaire in a Carte bareheaded the common Executioner riding in livery covered before him which spectacle was so cruel and lamentable that it wrested teares from many of his Enemies This was the Triumphal Entrie he got into that cittie which was in his power after the battall of Kilsyth to have burn't and sack'd but of his innate clemency did spare it And within two or three dayes after this solemne entrie they caused him not only to be hang'd but also to be dismembred and quartered ordaining his Head Legges and Armes to be affix't in the principal Townes of the Countrey and the trunck of his body to be buryed vnder the common gallowes And all this was done by expresse order of the Presbyterians who excluded all other from having voices in Parliament That scaffold which was erected at the crosse of Edimborough for the execution of Montrose did remaine vnremoved about the space of two months conrrarie to all former custome vpon which every week the Presbyterians offered vp diverse sacrifices of gallant and worthy men so that it became a heape of blood and therefore it was called by many of the people The Ministers Altar who as they alleadged delights not in vnbloody sacrifices Yea some of the Ministers hatred against Montrose was so great that it did not end with his death but pursued his memory after death calling him publickly a periur'd Traytor a Dogge the Malignants God with many such vncivil epithets Then they bragged who durst any more oppose them or set their faces against them That God had now own'd their cause and had brought their greatest Enemy's to confusion as they had often prophecy'd for which ever thereafter they ought to be beleev'd But all the severity and rigour that had past was nothing to that which many wise men foresaw was approaching if the reigne of Presbyt'ry had endured longer Before Montrose death the Presbyterians were not free of feares and were not fully Masters but shortly after getting home the King whom they made to subscryb and swear their Covenant and solemne League and to confirme all their proceedings they had higher design 's But as the Christian Moderatour hath observed their fall was nearer then they expected and the hand of God stop't them in their full carriere So that they were not only rendered vnable to do more hurt which they intended but also they were happily hind'red from doing any more that which they practised at least in their accustomed rigour These obvious considerations made the rigour and severity of Presbyt'ry appeare to be very Tyrannous vnto me For thereby I saw that it was both Spiritual and Temporal and extended to the Soules and Bodies lives and Estates yea and to the very Memories of men after their death and that for pretext of religion to Protestants whom sometimes they acknowledge to be of their owne religion And therefore I made this reflection with my self How can this Presbyterian Church have Christian truth and purity since it 's so voyd of Christian meeknesse mercy How can these Presbyterian Ministers be Christs true Disciples Matth. 11.29 since they do not learne nor practise his lessons Christ saith learne of me for I am meek and humble of heart They learne this lesson backward for they shew no Meeknesse nor Humility but rather the contrary all Pride and cruelty Our Saviour saith to his Disciples Love your enemies Math. 5.44 The Presbyterians hates and persecut's their friends their owne Brethren Protestants Truly I cannot think there can be much truth among Presbyterians where there is so little mercy They would have done well to have ioyn'd these two together vsed Salomons wise advise Let not mercy and truth leave thee and then perhaps they had found more credit CHAP. V. Of the Presbyterians contradicting their owne Principles TRVTH is alway's consonant to it self Wise men do not fall into manifest contradictions and good men do not practise these things which they blame and condemne in others Now in many things the Presbyterians appear'd to me to contradict their owne principles â—oth in deeds and words whereby they bewray'd the vanity of their faire pretexts and shew that some of their Principles were so false that themselv's were forced to goe often against them and controwle them 1. This appeared in their pretext of tender Consciences which truly I and many others beleeved they for the most part had till they tooke the power of ruling or rather domineering over other mens Consciences But as it is in the proverbe Magistratus indicat virum Many seeme good so long as they have no power to do evil The Presbyterians tendernesse of conscience was most esteem'd when it was least knowen but so soone as it was brought to the light it lost more credit then they acquyred power When the prime Ringleaders of this mad Presbyterian Dance were vrged to conformity in the Bishops time O then they cry'd vp their tender Consciences They could not so much as cary a Cassocke nor make a Sermon on Christmasse in remembrance of Christs Nativity nor Baptize a child privat'ly although at the point of death Their tender Consciences could not digest such hard meates they would stand to the purity of their Reformation which had abandonned all such Superstitions But after they became Masters they seem'd to swallow downe some more grosse morsels and for all the pretended purity of their first Reformation they would yet Reforme and purify it more For then they digested the denying of the Apostles Creed the abrogating the hymne of Glory to the Father the forbearing of saying our Lords prayer all which were practised by their first Reformers besids the many terrible oaths of the Covenant and their obedience sworne to their Superiours Civil and Ecclesiastical all which and many more they swallowed downe without the least trouble of their Consciences Now how can such men be iustly thought to have tender Consciences who started so at straw's and leap't over Mountains who are like those of whom our
first Reformation and to restore Episcopacy So that it 's very evident that the Presbyterians do falsly pretend that Episcopacy or Superiority of Pastors is against the purity of their first Reformation and that parity of Ministers or Presbyterian governement is conform to it the contrary being most certaine out of their owne Records Next I found they came as little speed of their pretence of the word of God which is so far from condemning Episcopacy as evil and Anti-Christian that it rather commends it as good and Christian 3. Tim. ch 3. v. 1. S Paul writing to Timothee saith This is a true or faithfull saying If a man desire a Bishops office he desireth a good worke And that we may not contend about names I find the same S. Paul acknowledging in Timothee the power of iudging and ordaining Presbyters in which the power and Svperiority of Bishops principally consists For in the 5. chap. of the same epistle he saith Against a Presbyter receive not an accusation but vnder two or three witnesses And ver 22. Lay not thy hands suddenly on no man He sheweth also that he had left Titus in the isle of Crete to ordaine Priests by cities Tit. ch 1. v. 5. By this I saw as I conceived clearly enough that all Pastors are not equall but some are Superiour to others and that a Bishop and a Minister is not the same as the Presbyterians do pretend since the one hath power to iudge and ordaine which the other hath not Therevpon I made this observation If it be a true or faithfull saying as the Apostle speaks to call the office of Bishop good Then it is neither a true nor faithfull saying to call it evil as the Presbyterians speaks If the office of Bishop be a good worke then it was no good worke in the Presbyterians to condemn it as Anti-Christian For that is not only to contradict the Scripture but also to incurre the curse threatned by the Prophet Esay 5.20 Wo vnto them who call's evil good and good evil More over Christ himself did institute diverse degrees of Pastors in his Church when he choosed 12. Apostles Luce c. 6. and thereafter 72. Disciples Now it appear'd very evident vnto me that as the Apostles were distinguished from the Disciples by their diverse institution Luce c. 10. number and more intire familiarity with Christ by whom they were privily instructed so they were in a higher degree and dignity above the other Disciples which truth is much illustrated and confirmed by the solemn assumption of Matthias who was before one of the Disciples vnto the Apostle ship Act. 1. or as S. Peter sheweth out of the Psalmes the Bishoprike of Iudas Lastly God did institute in the old Testament diverse degrees of the high Priests the other Priests and Levits as Calvin himself confesseth Therefore it seem'd vnto me there was no repugnancy Cal. lib. 4. Inst c. 6. §. 2. why the like goodly Order and Subordination of Pastors might not also be in the new Testament yea rather all reason doth require that these things ought to be in the Church of Christ and that more excellently and perfectly then in the Synagogue of the Iewes since this is but a shaddow and type of the other But although the Scriptures being duely considered seemed clear enough in this matter yet for more security and to take away endlesse ianglings and wranglings which some contentious heads makes vpon the clearest words of Scripture I had my next recours vnto the interpretation of the holy Fathers practise of the Primitive Church And I found that they did not only vnderstand the Scriptures for the Superiority of Bishops over other Pastours but also they condemned the contrary opinion as a wicked heresy in Aerius S. Augustin Aug. lib. 19. de Ciu. c. 19. explaining these words of S. Paul above cited who desireth a Bishops Office desireth a good worke saith the Apostle would shew what the Office of a Bishop is for it 's a name of of labour and not of honour that he may know himself not to be a Bishop Who delights to preside not to profite Hier. ap Cornel in hunc loc S. Hierom sheweth that in the primitive Church the Office of a Bishop was the next degree to Martyrdome for Bishops being the chiefe Leaders of Christians were most diligently searched out persecuted by the Pagans Therefore the Office of a Bishop being so high and excellent so hard dangerous it was no wonder that the Apostle did require so many excellent vertues and qualities in any Dion lib. de Eccles hier c. 5. who desireth that office which he call's a good worke I will only adde to these two most ancient Fathers for confirmation of this truth S. Denys Arcopagita the disciple of S. Paul describing the Hierarchy instituted by God in the Church putteth the Bishops in the first place the Priests in the second and the Ministers or Deacons in the third And S. Ignatius the disciple also of the Apostles and Bishop of Antioch doth shew this excellent subordination of Pastours in the Church for thus he writes in one of his epistles Priests be subiect vnto your Bishop Deacons vnto Priests Ignat. epist ad Taâ—sens and you people vnto Priests and Deacons Who shall observe this comelinesse of Order I would willingly change my Soule with theirs and our Lord be with them for ever The Presbyterians have not only not observed that comelinesse of Order but they have condemn'd it and brought in the vglinesse of confusion and therefore they want this holy Martyrs benediction The holy Fathers also do constantly teach that the Bishops do succeed vnto the Apostles and the Priests vnto the 70. Disciples and therefore the Bishops are greater then the Priests Yea the most eminent among all the holy Fathers were Bishops although diverse of them were advanced to that dignity much against their will And besids all these testimonies I found the practice of the whole primitive Church which was alwayes governed by B shops from the beginning I must professe that considering all these things I was fully satisfyed and resolved not to abandon all these authorities of Scriptures Fathers and the whole ancient Church for the Ministers strong cry's and bare words which they only bring against them all I was much confirmed in this resolution when I found the contrary opinion concerning parity of Pastours which is now maintayn'd by the Presbyterians to be condemned as an ancient heresy by the holy Fathers S. Epiphanius writes thus of Aerius His speech was more furious then became any man for he said what differs a Bishop from a Priest there is no difference the order is one the honour one and the dignity is the same And confuting it a little after Epiph. haeres 75. he saith That this matter is full of fully is manifest to all wise men For that a Bishop and a Priest are not
Scriptures cannot be certainly knowen but by the testimony authority of the Church and are to be believed for the samâ— as S. Augustin doth affirme the Creed also may be knowen and ought to be believed to be Apostolical for the same very reason since the same testimony authority are for both Yea the Tradition Testimony of the Church for the Apostles Creed hath in a certaine manner some preeminence above that which is for the Scripture For it is more ancieÌ„t more vniuersal more manifest More ancient because the holy Fathers and the whole Church do constantly affirme that the Symbol was composed by the Apostles before any part of the new Testament was written It was more vniversal because it was received every where at the very first plantation of Christianity whereas diverse parts of the Scripture being directed only to some particular Churches could not be communicated but after some space to the whole Church It was also more manifest because there were some bookes of the Scripture doubted of by some of the ancient Fathers till the Vniversal Church did determin the Canon of the Sciptures but there was never any ancient Christian who doubted of or denyed the Apostles Creed there was such a clear and Vniversal tradition for it And besides the Creed in it self is very clear as being a short rule of faith ordain'd for the capacity of the most simple according to which the Scriptures that are more obscure ought to be vnderstood Seing then the whole Church in the primitive times and in all ages hath professed that the Apostles made taught the Creed it remaines most certaine that the Apostles did teach it for greater certainty then this cannot be had If the Apostles taught and delivered it vnto the first Christians then they being so taught were obliged to receive it with the sâ—me reverence wherewith they did receive the Scriptures which were delivered or directed vnto them by the same Apostles And if the first ChristiaÌ„s were so obliged why not also their children their childreÌ„s children so downeward froÌ„ age to age vntill the end of the world shall haue the same obligation If this obligation held in the first age why not also in the second and in every succeeding age Or when should this obligation cease Or why more at one time then at an other since the same assurance remaines at all times Or why should it cease more for the Creed then for the Scripture since the same testimony is for both and if there be any preeminence in this matter the Creed hath it as has been shewed Wherefore as I was by these considerations fully satisfyed of the Apostolique authority laudable vse of the Creed in the primitive Church so I could in no wise approve the Presbyterians innovations against it but rather did much admire of their presumption For by their denying the Creed to be Apostolique I saw they denyed the clear rule and endeavoured to subvert the very foundation of the Christian faith By their taking away both the publick and private vse of it they would haue robbed Christians of the heavenly apparell and spiritual armour of their soules as the holy Fathers above call it And all this they do relying vpon no other grounds but their owne gesses which they oppose and would haue to be preferred to the constant testimony and irrefragable authority of the whole Christian world The Iewes brought at least Aug. in psal 63. v. 7. sleeping witnesses against the resurrection of Christ for which folly S. Augustin mocks theÌ„ and saith that they theÌ„selves were sleeping and failed in their search But the Presbyterians bring neither sleeping nor waking witnesses and yet they will blindly iudge in a matter done above 16. hundred yeares ago and boldly pronounce sentence against an ancient fundamental truth which had been received professed by the Christians of all ages But albeit the Presbyterians do reiect the authority testimony of the Church yet I saw if they followed their owne principles they might as easily discern the Creed to be Apostolique as they pretend they can know the Scriptures For the Maiesty of the style the harmony of the parts the purity of the doctrin and the like do concurre in the Creed in an eminent degree as we haue seen above out of the holy Fathers who do so highly praise it for its perfections as a worke Worthy of such heavenly Architects And the matter being considered in it self the Creed in all these qualities is equal if not Superiour by outward apparance vnto the Scriptures For in them there are many seeming contradictions hard to be explained but none in this Many things in Scripture not so full of Maiesty as about S. Pauls cloke c. 2. Tim. 4.13 but the creed is totally replenished with most sublime divine mysteries Therefore if the Presbyterians could by these marks discern the Scriptures they might as easily discern the Creed to haue been made by the Apostles Albeit I admired much how the Presbyterians could vpon so weake grounds deny the Apostles Creed against such invincible authorities yet I was much more stricken with admiration when I considered what they brought in place of it For in place of the Apostles Creed we got the Presbyterians Covenant As that was denyed to be Apostolical so this was cry'd vp to be Divine for it was called Gods Covenant the Confession of faith c. As parents were accustomed at the Baptisme of their children to say the Apostles Creed in which they promised to bring them vp so now they were made promise to breede them in the Covenant which was too long to haue by heart or to be repeated This was truly a rare exchange to deny the Creed to be Apostolique to cry vp the Covenant to be Divine To rob vs of a most ancient clear briefe positive Sacred Confession of faith made by the holy Apostles famous in all ages vniversally received troughout the whole world full of great mysteries divine expressions And to give vs in place of it a new long obscure negative Confession or rather Confossion of faith full of terrible oaths execrations combinations devised by some few discontented heads by cunning and force obtruded vpon this Nation much suspected at the beginning to be nothing but a meer pretence of religion as it was notoriously knowen to be a humane invention and as it 's now at lenth after all its disguises manifested for such vnto the world It 's good fame hath not lasted long neither at home nor abroad It got some footing in England by cunning and worldly interest but these soone failing it was quickly detected and reiected The Christlan Moderator saith to this purpose Christ Mod. p. 2. That the last Reformation setled with so solemn a Covenant and caried on with so furious a zeal is already by better lights discovered to be meerly humane therefore deservedly lay'd aside Therefore to
no Scripture for them in this point but in expresse words against them should I give credit to those who to maintaine their errour did first manifestly corrupt the words of Scripture with false translations and thereafter did pervert the sense of them with blasphemous interpretations should I believe those who although they quitted their first sense of blasphemy did invent another full of Tautology not so impious but very ridiculous And who last of all to compleate the worke did deny their Creed Or should I believe the old and new Testament the Prophets foretelling and the holy Apostles expounding the holy Fathers so vnderstanding the whole primitive Church assisted by the Spirit of truth so believing and professing And last of all should I believe my Creed which the whole Christian world did receive as a most perfect plaine rule of faith composed by the holy Apostles for the capacity of all men I must professe that after such a Triall I could not put these authorityes in the ballance together much lesse could I prefer the Presbyterians inconstant new opinion to the ancient constant beliefe of the whole world vnlesse I would haue renounced both Reason Conscience CHAP. XII A Reflection on the last and an Entrance into the Triall of the first supposed Reformation HAVING by the Divine grace by the former considerations discovered as well the falshood of the forsaid Presbyterian Innovaons as the ancient truth of the Catholique doctrine I was advised and much encouraged to make the like triall of the principal points of our first Reformation as concerning the Commandements our iustification the nature effect of the SacrameÌ„ts For iâ—t was represented vnto me that there was no lesse pretext of pure Scripture and a like lowd cryes of a great engyring light for the last then was for the first Reformation And seing by the former triall I had discovered these last pretences to be false Why may not I haue some confidence to do the like with the first if I would vse the l ke diligence And if the last Reformers haue been mistaken and misled by passion why might not also their Predecessours over see themselves too Or what assurance can any man haue of their infallibility more then of the others The Alterations that haue been lately made by the Presbyterians do shew even in their Iudgment that their first Reformers were not infallibly assisted 2. I was put in mind that I had found lately some of the most eminent among them to be Corrupters or as S. Paul speakes Adulterers both of the letter and sense of the Scriptures and therefore they are not to be altogether trusted without trial In a word great promises and assurances were made to me that I would by this triall find out the falshood of the first as I had done of the last Reformation by that means I might attaine vnto the possession of solid truth whereon I might safely rely for the good of my soule As truth can endure iust trial and desires nothing more by which it is more manifested so falshood cannot abide triall but alwayes shuns it because thereby it's deceits are detected Catoch Rom. q. 12. Sa pientisfime Maiores nostri c. Lastly it was showen vnto me that the ancient Pastours of the Church did most wisely reduce the whole substance of the Christian doctrin which is of it self so large and plenteous into these 4. heads to witt the Apostles Creed the Sacraments the Divine Commandements and our Lords prayer for all things which belong either vnto the knowledge of God the creation and governement of the world or the Redemption of mankind the rewards of the good or the punishments of the wicked are contain'd in the Apostolique Creed The signes and instruments which God hath instituted for attaining grace are the holy Sacraments The divine Commandements shew what we ought to do and our Lords prayer doth containe all what we can wish or desire And therefore these are as it were the foure great Pillars wheron the whole fabricke of Christianity relyes Now it was told me how I had found by the former triall that this last pretended Reformation had overturned two of these Pillars to witt the Apostles Creed the Lords prayer besides the fundamental governement established by Christ in his Church If then I should find also that the first Reformation had overturned the other two Pillars to witt the Divine Commandements the holy Sacraments Then I might Conclude that the end and intent of these Reformations what ever was the intention of the Reformers hath been vnder the pretence of Reformation totall Deformation and the destruction of the Christian religion and that betwixt them they haue compleated that hydeous worke of Desolation For if the first refomation tooke away two as the next hath taken away other two Then they both together have subverted so far as they could the 4. great Pillars of Christianity and the last Presbyterian Reformation hath compleated what the first had begun and had not perfected I begun then the trial of our first Reformation with it's doctrin concerning the divine Commandements and specially of the impossibility to keepe them which was taught by our first and is yet maintain'd by our last Reformers For it was showen to me if the Commandements of God were possible to be keept as all wise and iust lawes are ordain'd for that end that they may be observed Then we by teaching they were impossible to be keep 't destroyed the very end for which the Commandements were made and so destroyed the Commadements themselues CHAP. XIII Of the possibility to keepe the Divine Commandements with the assistance of Gods grace denyed by the Presbyterians and their first Reformers I had for some space a preiudicate opinion in this matter against the Catholique doctrin which affirmed as the Ministers taught that it was possible for any man to keep all the divine Commandements yea and to do more then God had commanded I conceived that to be false For since no man to my knowlege or their owne confession had kep't them all or doth keep them I thought it not possible they could keep them For it would seeme if a thing were possible some one among so many thousands would put it in act Vpon the other part I was not well satisfyed with our owne doctrine which teacheth that it is altogether impossible to keep the Commandements of God by reason of a dangerous consequence which a Catholique made me see to follow thervpon to witt That so many thousands should be damned for not doing that which was vtterly impossible for them to do I wondered how that could stand with the goodnesse iustice of God For greater Tyranny iniustice cannot be imagined then to punish one with eternal misery and grievous paines for not doing that which was altogether impossible for him to do The light of Nature would not permit me to impute such cruelty to God whose goodnesse
mercy I knew to be vnspeakable Hauing therefore seriously implored the Divine assistance that I might come to the knowledge of the truth I received the first sparke of light in this matter by knowing the true state of the question For I found that the Romā Catholiques did not teach that men were able of themselves that is by their owne strenth or by any natural power to keep the Divine Commandements but only they teach that men are able to keep them by the assistance of Gods grace Now that particle of divine grace was ordinarly suppres't by the Ministers in this question And when I knew this to be the true meaning and expresse doctrin of the Catholiques as may be seen Large Catech. Vvest after the C mmandements in the Councel of Trent session 6. Canon 18. I imagined there was no real Controversy till I found in the new Presbyterian Catechisme a particular exception made against Gods grace For hauing there made this question Is any man able perfectly to keep the Commandements of God They answer No man is able either of himself or by any Grace received in this life perfectly to keep the Commandements of God but doth dayly break them in thought word deed And in the answer to the third question thereafter They say that every sin even the least deserveth Gods wrath and curse both in this life and that which is to come This booke is very obscure in most points but here it speaks somewhat clearly although againe by foysting in the word perfectly it seemes to cast a mist over our ey 's that the Authours of it may lurke in their obscurities as we shall see hereafter I found the Catholique doctrin to be contrary set down in these termes by the Councel of Trent Consil Trid. sess 6. can 18. If any man say that the Commandements of God are impossible to be kep't by a man even iustifyed and constituted vnder grace let him be accursed Being therefore desirous to know the truth I began first to consider the testimonies of Scripture for the strenth of Gods grace to enable men to keep his Commandements which testimonies I found to be very strong and expresse 1. I saw that God promisheth clearly in the Scriptures to enable men to keep his Commandements yea and to make them actually keep them Ezech. 36.27 God saith in Ezechiel I will put my Spirit within you and cause yow to walk in my statutes and you shall keep my Iudgment Ezech. 37. v. 23.24 and do them And againe he saith They shall be my people and I will be their God and David my servant shall be King over them c. they shall also walk in my iudgments keep my Commandements and do them Where nothing is more clear then that God hath promised to enable men to keep his Commandements But Gods promises are true for he is faitfull Rom. 4.21 as Abraham the Father of the faithfull did professe believe and whatsoever he hath promised he is able and willing to perform Therefore his promises which are ever true haue been truly faithfull fulfilled And so consequently some by the help of Gods grace haue actually kept his Commendements Therefore they are not impossible but possible to be kept by the grace which God giveth in this life Secondly I found in the Scriptures a real performance of this promise for some are recorded there by name to haue actually kept the Commandements of God S. Luke giveth this excellent testimony of Zachary Elyzabeth the parents of S. Iohn Baptist Luke 1. ◠They were both iust before God walking in all the Commandements ordinances or as it is in the Catholique translation the iustifications of our Lord blamelesse So that they were not only iust before men but also before God and they did not only walk in one but in all the Commandements of God without blame Gen. 6.9 Gen. 5.22.24.4 Reg. 2.11 Iob. ch 1. v. 1. The Scripture also calls Noe a iust and a perfect man Enoch Elias were so iust holy that they are said in the Scripture to haue walked before God and were translated Iob is also called in the Scriptures a perfect vpright man one that feared God eschewed evil But most clearly is the iustice of Abraham exalted by the mouth of God himself who said to his Son Isaac Genes 26.3.4.5 I will perform the oath which I sware vnto Abraham thy father c. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Because that Abraham obeyed my voice kept my precepts my Commandements my Ceremonies my lawes What can be more clear to prove the possibility of keeping Gods Commandements with the help of his grace and to disprove the impossibility of observing them For what is impossible to be done by men even with the assistance of Gods grace no man hath done or will do But God himself and the Scriptures shew that divers haue kept Gods Commandements Therefore with the help of his grace they are possible not impossible to be kept Yea it appeared most consonant vnto all reason piety that if the Commandements were possible and were actually kept by Gods grace in the law of Nature under the law of Moyses they should be more possible and more easy to be kept vnder the law of Grace when by the fulnesse of Christs Redemption Grace is more plentifully powred forth and in which time Esay 30.26 the Prophet Esay foretells that the light of the Moon should be as the light of the Sun the light of the Sun should be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes Thirdly I found the Scripture to be so far from affirming the Commandements of God to be impossible that they avow the clear contrary yea and more then the contrary For a thing to be impossible is much more then to be hard or difficult What is impossible to men cannot be done by any man what is hard not impossible may be done although with difficulty Now the Scriptures affirmes that the Commandements of God are easy which is not so much as difficult and therefore much lesse are they impossible Christ saith Math. 11.29.30 Take my yoke vpon you c. For my yoke is easy my burden is light And S. Iohn a most faithfull interpreter of our Saviours words affirmes that Gods Commandements are not heavy Iohn 1. ep ch 5. v 3. This is the love of God saith he that we keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not heavy And againe He that saith Chap. 2. v. 4. he knoweth God keepeth not his Commandements is a liar truth is not in him What is easy light not heavy is neither hard heavy nor impossible But the Commandements of God are an easy yoke a light burden they are not heavy as our Saviour his beloved Disciple do affirme Therefore they are not hard nor heavy and much
vpon his wisdome For as it 's certaine that God made these lawes so it 's no lesse evident in the Scriptures that God vseth admonitions exhortations propounds rewards and threatens punishements to induce men to observe his lawes Now what Magistrate would be esteemed to be in his right wits who would not only make lawes impossible to be kept but also spend time in making exhortations propounding rewards to perswade men to do impossibilities But the Presbyterian doctrine makes God who is not only wise but wisdome it self subiect to both these follies which are most grosse absurdities And therefore since his lawes admonitions exhortations cannot be but prudent reasonable they do ever suppose the possibility of that which they enioyne and wherevnto they exhorte 3. The Presbyterian doctrine is not only iniurious to God but also it is very preiudiciall to man for it would rob him of the most excel-cellent of all vertues to witt the love of God For none can love another vnlesse he be good iust or at least appeare to be so But how can God appeare to be so who is described by the Presbyterians as if he were the most cruel Tyrant in the world to command impossibilities then to punish man eternally for not doing them Therefore if the Prerbyterian doctrine were true no man could love God as good gratious but rather would hate him as vniust Tyrannous 4. The Presbyterian opinion is a great enemy to piety vertue For if the Commandements be impossible none will strive to keep them and by this meanes a wide gate is opened to all impiety This is acknowledged by the forementioned Minister M. Shelford who saith Were the law impossible to be kept then all the exhortations threatnings in Gods word should be idle then all mens labours would wax lazie then good life which is after the rule would be exiled for that no man will strive against the stream Wherefore great enemies are they to Christian growth reward in the way of Godlinesse who are against this doctrine to witt of the possibility to keep the Commandements Lastly if the law were impossible then all men would be freed from subiection obedience to it for who can be reasonably tyed to things meerly impossible And this was the vse that Islebius one of Luthers Schollers made of his doctrine wherevpon he began the sect of the Anti-nomians as Sleidan doth testify in the 12. book of his history Having therefore found such clear testimonies of Scriptures Fathers such weight of right reason for the ancient Catholique doctrine I could not either in reason or conscience reiect all these and follow the Presbyterians groundlesse fancies which are against the very ground of faith to witt the holy Scriptures For the Presbyterians do teach that the commandements are impossible even with Gods grace And the Scripture saith they are easy light not heavy which is more then if it had affirmed that they were meerly possible Againe the Presbyterians by affirming the commandements are impossible do averre that never any did keep them doth or shall keep them The Scripture shewes in expresse termes that Abraham Zachary Elizabeth and others did keep them and that God hath promised many should keep them S. Iohn affirmeth that he who saith he knoweth God keepeth not his commandements is a liar the truth is not in him The Presbyterians do professe that they know God and that they neither do nor can keep his commandments and yet they will not be esteemed liars but rather true Professours For my part I am not able to reconcile such manifest contradictions as are in this matter betwixt the Scriptures the Presbyterians And therefore seing I cannot adhere to both I choosed rather to abandon the Presbyterians in thiâ— matter then to forsake the Scriptures I was much confirmed in this resolution when I saw the Catholique doctrine and sense of the Scriptures to be so clearly in the holy Fathers that by no shifts their testimonies can be shunned But I will add to these testimonies already brought one or two more which seem'd to me very clear efficacious How I pray you saith Sainct Augustin is it impossible vnto man to love Aug. ser 47. de Sanc to love I say a bountifull Creator a most loving father and then also to love his own flesh in his brethren but he who loves has fulfilled the law as the Apostle teacheth Wherefore the same holy Father admiring the great goodnesse bounty of God Rom. 3. who requires nothing of vs but to love him who is so good in himself and so gracious to vs he speaks thus vnto him What is man that thou wilt haue thy self to be beloved by him Aug. lib. 1. Confes c. 5. and if he do not love thee thou threatens him with great punisments But is not this punishment great enough if I do not love thee S. Chrysostome to the like purpose saith God commanded nothing impossible in so much Chry. hom 19. in Heb. hom 18. de Poenit. that many go beyond the very commandments And then he sheweth who these were to witt S. Paul S. Peter even all the quire of Saints Lastly the holy Fathers do not only prove the Catholique doctrine by the Scriptures and most solid reason founded vpon the goodnesse iustice of God but they condemne also the contrary opinion as a flat blasphemy against God Which censure is approved likewise by some Protestants Truly I cannot resist these reasons authorities and follow the Presbyterians to make a doctrine which is against the Scriptures and is condemned as blasphemy by the holy Fathers by some Protestants a principal article of my faith CHAP. XIV A Consideration of the Presbyterians principall grounds against the Possibility of keeping the Divine Commandements HAVING received aboundant satifaction in this matter concerning the Catholique doctrin I will briefly run through the Presbyterians principal grounds against it which in this search I did not leave vnconsidered 1. I found they acknowledged the Novelty of their doctrine 2. They brought no pure Scripture to prove it notwithstanding they pretend to believe nothing but Scripture 3. The Scriptures they bring are privatly expounded by them against the holy Fathers ancient Church against the Scriptures themselves in other places 4. They lay down some false Maximes and weak reasons whereon they build their imaginary faith or rather most dangerous errour Calvin acknowledges the novelty singularity of his doctrine Cal. lib. 2. Instit cap. 7 sect 5. in these words That we said the observation of the law to be impossible is briefly to be explained confirmed for it was wont commonly to be esteemed a most absurd opinion in so much as Hierome did not doubt to denounce a curse to it but I care nothing what Hierome thought Cent. 2. â— cap. 4. The Centuriators also of Magdeburg do acknowledge
all men would be cleansed from sin and so all would be saved which is false If they say It is not death simply but death ioyn'd with faith that hath this power Why shall not also faith and life have the same power How can the Presbyterians without any ground in Scripture assigne that power to faith and death which they deny against Scripture to faith and the holy Sacraments and to the blood of Christ Death indeed may put an end to sin that one sin no more but it cannot take away sins already done or else death would be more powerfull according to that tenet then the blood of Christ the holy Sacraments which is not only a groundlesse fancy but also a great absurdity Out of which it followeth that either the Presbyterians must grant that they do not go to heaven which is very much against the assurance of their election or that they are purged from their sins after this life since they are not purged in it which is against their negative confession And so these who deny a a Purgatory for venial sins must grant a new and most dangerous Purgatory for mortal sins For my part I could never find a solid answer to this reason and therefore I leave it to the Presbyteries consideration But because this Catholique did trouble vs with this difficulty I thought to have entangled him as much with the words of Bellarmin whereof I had heard some Ministera often boast Did not Bellarmin said I after he had much laboured to prove Iustification by works in end conclude That it was most safe to put all our confidence in the only mercy of God What will become then of all your works and merits which such a great Champion of your Church doth renounce To which he answered that Bellarmins words fully related do clear the whole matter Bellar. lib. 5. de Iustif cap. 7. prop. 3. and shew the vanity of the Ministers pretences For thus he speaks By reason of the vncertainty of our proper Iustice and of the danger of our vaine glory it is most safe to put all our confidence in the only mercy favour of God Where he doth not deny neither good works nor merits but only affirmeth that for two reasons which he there toucheth that it is most safe not to rely vpon them but vpon the alone mercy of God Out of which the Ministers would make this false collection therefore we are not iustifyed by works Which is as ridiculous as if you would say The Protestants teach that it is most safe to rely vpon the mercy of God Therefore they are not iustifyed by faith If then the Protestants relying vpon the mercy of God taketh not away Iustification by faith why should not also the Catholiques relying on the same mercy not take away Iustification by works Bellarmin speaks so clearly in this matter that his meaning cannot be wrested without malice For he sheweth in the same place that David and other Saints had some confidence in their iustice and good works according to that in the 17. Psalme The Lord will render to me according to my iustice because I have kept his wayes The like he sheweth of Nehemias Ezechias and Ester And this they did with great humility But because such cōfidēce is dangerous to many by reason of pride vaine glory that may arise beside there are few who haue such merits or are sure to have them Therefore Bellarmin saith it is most safe to rely on the mercy of God whereof he gives this reason Either a man hath good works or he hath none but evil works If he hath no good but evil works then he is perniciously deceived who trusts in evil works for these are deceitfull riches as S. Bernard calls them If he hath good works he looseth nothing by not looking on them by putting his trust in the mercy of God alone for God lookes on them knowes them well and will not suffer them to passe without their due reward Thus Bellarmin Yea Concil Trid. sess 6. cap. 16. the Councel of Trent makes the like profession when it saith Although much be given to good works in the holy Scriptures c. Yet God forbid that a Christian should trust or glory in himself not in our Lord whose goodnesse is so great that he willeth these things to be our merits which are his own gifts The Ministers may collect out of these words by their Logique that the Councel of Trent yea and that all Papists are Protestants But they will not distinguish between the necessity of good works and confiding in them which are very different At least all moderat Protestants may know by this open profession the falshood of that calumny which is often beaten into their eares to witt that all Papists presume in their merits S. Augustin sheweth that there are two gulfs in this matter one vpon either hand and that the truth is a direct way in the middle Presumption of iustice or good works is the gulf vpon the one hand and negligence of good works is the precipice on the other But the earnest care of good works and piety accompanyed with humility is the safe way in the middle Thus ended the Catholique to the good satisfaction of some Protestants who were present To conclude this matter wherein I have stayed longer by reason of the Ministers specious pretences of great advantage in it I can not believe any more Iustification by faith only as the principal article of my religion because it is not in Sctipture because it is expresly against Scripture against the holy Fathers because it is an ancient heresy condemned in Simon Magus Eunomius because the Presbyteriās iustifying faith is not a true Catholique faith having the divin reveal'd truth for its obiect as these he retiques required but is a private fancy a false faith Shelf aboue as it is acknowledged by some Protestāts having for its obiect humane presumption Because it makes Christ a most imperfect Physician and either debarreth man from the kingdome of heaven into which he cannot enter with the filthinesse of his sins or exposeth him after this life to a most dangerous purgation Because it breeds neglect of all piety and good works and opens a wide gate to all sort of vice In a word albeit the Ministers bragged much of this article yet I found they had never lesse reason if we will stand to the iudgment of the Scriptures Fathers which God willing I ever intend to prefer to their fancies and to their Philosophical distinctions or rather confusions to which they are forced to run that they may lurk in their obscurities when they are beaten out of the Scriptures in which at first they pretended to be impregnably setled It is sufficient for me that the Scripture expresly saith that a man is iustifyed by works and not by faith only Which is the contradiction of the Presbyterians faith and
doctrin Christ his Apostles taught and that the Catholique Church by her constant treading this way has still held the same true doctrin which she first received and consequently has never changed her doctrin nor brought in corruption as the Ministers do caluminate And therefore their pretended Reformation having no other ground but this calumnie is a groundlesse imagination and a destruction of Christs true doctrin But that the truth of this whole matter may yet more fully appear I will shew you briefly that this constant testimony is the only sure infallible way to attayn vnto the certain knowledge possession of our Saviours true doctrin that it is also most easy vniuersal for all sorts of persons that the holy Fathers primitive Church did follow it and that all Errors heresies have been clearly confuted by it We have already show'n that this testimony is a sure infallible means now that it is only sure infallible Aug. cont ep fond c. 5. is shewed For if there were any other it would be the Scripture as Protestants pretend But that cannot be 1. Because we cannot beleeve the Scripture without the testimony of the Church as S. Augustin clearly avoucheth 2. Albeit we could know it without that testimony yet by the Scripture we cannot know the whole doctrin of Christ especially since the Scripture it self saith 2. Thessal 2.15 Hold fast the Tradition Thirdly principally Albeit the Scripture contain'd the whole doctrin of Christ yet how shall I know assuredly by the letter of the Scripture the true sense of it without which I have not the true doctrin of Christ Yea I may corrupt the Scripture or follow those who corrupt it as S. Peter shewes many do vnto their own perdition Here many if not all Protestants are perplexed to show how by the Scripture the true sense of it may be had Some say that the Scripture is clear in all things necessary to Salvation so that every man may easily vnderstand them Others think that the Scripture is not so clear but an Interpreter is necessary But they are divyded in assigning this Interpreter Some say the Scripture in one place expounds it self in another Others assign the private Spirit and last of all some assign for an Interpreter every mans natural reason But all these are false frivolous pretences For first they could never shew what these necessary points are Besides this is an open confession that by the Scripture we cannot know assuredly our Saviours doctrin in these points which they call not necessary Then is not the true belief of the Sacrament necessary for the Church and yet we see what contrary glosses the Lutherans Calvinists make on our Saviours clear words Lastly if there needed no Interpreter for things necessary every one although vnlearned who could but read might pick out what are necessary which troubles the most learned heads among them to find out and these who could not read behoved to pin their implicit faith at at other mens sleeves Now what confusion would this make what vncertainty would there be in this case of our Saviours doctrin And how contrary are these things to truth and experience to Protestants principles practices So it is evident that by the Scripture alone we cannot come to the sure and infallible knowledge of our Saviours doctrin Neither can we attayn to it by the Scripture assisted by any Interpreter which Protestāts assign For it is false that the Scripture expounds it self it being obscure in many places which are not interpreted by others more plaine as may appear besides other reasons by the Protestants dissenssions in many points The conference of places study and the like which some require to be ioyn'd with the Scripture are but humane helps subiect to error and not infallible Then for the private Spirit it can give vs as little assurance of the sense as it can of the letter of the Scripture We see what contrariety is among those who all equally lay claim to it Neither is the last Interpreter to witt every mans reason assigned by M. Chilingworth the last peaceable Refiner of the English Church any white better but rather worse For besids that this opinion makes humane reason not the divine authority the main ground of our faith which is a dangerous errour it is so far from bringing men vnto the sure knowledge of what our Saviour taught that it professeth no more but a moral certainty for the truth of the whole Christian religion and leaves all particular doctrines to be pickt out of the Scriptures according to the diversity of mens particular reasons And so diuerse men according to the diversity of their reasons collect from the Scriptures opposite doctrines For what some think reasonable accept others esteem vnreasonable and reiect as is evident in the Socinians who deny the divinity of Christ principally vpon this ground because it chokes their reason as the Calvinists also chiefly for the same reason deny the reall presence So that this Interpreter brings as great vncertainty to know our Saviours doctrin as any other And therefore it remaines evident that the Scripture even assisted by any Interpreter which Protestants can assigne much more the Scripture alone is not a sure infallible means for this end and consequently the testimony of the Church is the only sure infallible means But here I did enquire of the Catholique If the Scriptures were as cleer every where as S. Augustin affirmes they are concerning the Church where he saith they need no Interpreter might they not then give vs vndoubted assurance of our Saviours doctrin To which he answered That although the Scripture were never so clear and as evident in every sentence as words can be written Yet because these words may be diversly vnderstood taken indifferent senses they cannot be so sure infallible away to certifie vs what was our Saviours doctrin as the living words testimony of the whole Church which received the true doctrin and the sense together with the letter of the Scriptures which she hath constantly transmitted vnto posterity This is evident in a very principal point of the Christian religiō to witt the holy Sacrament What words can be more clear then these of our Saviour This is my body which shall be given for you c And yet vpon these clear words there are reckoned about two hundred diverse interpretations since Protestāts arose How then should a man amōg such variety of senses come vnto the true sense be sure that he has attayn'd vnto it in which only Christs true doctrin consists Therefore it is evident in this case that the written word cannot do it and this only the Church can perform which has conserved both the letter and sense of the Scriptures from corruptions If then the Scriptures although they were written in most cleer words cannot certifie vs fully of the true sense of our Saviours doctrin
for the space of 14. hundred years did professe the Catholique faith with so great piety and did propagate it abroad with so great glory zeal of which many Monuments are extant in forreign Nations should be now so blinded with Error and miscarried by passion against the truth that for the most part if it were in their power they are no lesse Zealous to extirpate it Baron tom 5. in supplem ad annum 429. The most famous Cardinal Baronius gives this excellent testimonie of the ancient Scottish Christians These saith he who received the Gospel first from Pope Victor and their first Bishop from Pope Celestin by whom they were all made Christians did profitt so much through the grace of Christ that they became the most excellent of all Christians and practising the Christian faith with great diligence by an Apostolical function did propagate it largely and gloriously among forreign remote Nations as we shall see in due place Thus Baronius It may please God in his own time to dispell the clouds of darknesse and Ministerial calumnies and make the light of truth appeare again vnto this Nation and turn their hearts vnto the right way from which they have gone very far astray And that this may be granted all ought to pray especially these whom God has called lately in this Nation vnto the knowledge of the truth With the concurrence of which desire I would make an end if the Renounciation of the Covenant shown by my Catholique friend to me and some other new Converted Catholiques wherein there is an Antithesis almost in every point between the Catholique and Presbyterian doctrine were not thought fitting to be here subioynd with which we shall conclude A RENOVNCIAtion of the Scottish Presbyterian Covenant or Confession of Faith WEE whom it hath pleased God of late to call mercyfully from the darknesse of Heresy vnto the admirable light of the holy Catholique faith doe professe that after a a The Catholiques long diligeÌ„t search may appeare by the former Trial whereas the Covenanters vsed neither long nor due examination of their consciences as may be seen above pag. 411. LONG and serious search for the Truth we are now b b Catholiques who relie vpon the immoveable Pillar and ground of Truth to Witt the holy Catholique Church which never changes are fully satisfyed and assured of the Truth But Heretiques who quite this solid ground and follow the Private Spirit which is very inconstant let them pretend what they please can never have full assurance which evidently appeares by their continual changes new pretended lights See above pa. 425. FVLLY satisfyed thereof by the c c Christ promised that the Spirit of Truth should remaine in his Church for ever teach her all Truth Iohn 14.16 Iohn 16.13 And yet it is strange that every new heretique without Scripture appropriats this Spirit to himself against Scripture Christs clear promise denys the holy Spirit to the whole Church The same may be said also of their vain pretext of the word of God See above pag. 423. 424. WORD and Spirit of God RESIDING constantly in the holy Catholique Church And therefore we beleeve and professe that this only is the true Religion without which it is impossible to please God which was of d d The true faith was revealed of old and from that time can never be hid But the Presbyterian faith has two contraâ—y qualities to witt it is now revealed and has lyen long hid as may be seen above p. 426. See also Math. 5.16.17 OLD mercyfully revealed by our blissed Saviour Iesus-Christ and by his holy Apostles through the preaching of the blessed Evangel which since that time has never lyeÌ„ HID but has ever shynd like a light set vpon a Candlestick And has been professed through All Ages in e e The true Church must be in all Nations as Esay foretells saying All Nations shall flow vnto it Esay 2.2 and Christ shew that repentance should be preached in his name vnto all Nations beginning at Hierusalem Luke 24.47 For this cause the true Church is called Catholique as being dispersed through All Nations as she is also Catholique for Time endureing in All Ages But Heresys are only in some few Nations or corners of the world and in these also they are not the same but full of diversity and contrariety which is manifestly verifyed of the Presbyterians Protestants See above ch 32. 34. All Christian Nations and particularly in the ancient Kingdome of Scotland as Gods f f As Gods Truth is Eternal so it cannot be hid Esay 62.6 But the Presbyterians pretended Eternal Truth has been too long hid Eternal and MOST KNOWN TRVTH the only ground of our Salvation as may be seen in the Catholique Confession of Faith approved and authorized by the g g The approbations of all General Councels which are governed by the holy Ghost and which do never revoke their determinations by which the Catholique faith is approved and confirmed are a much more solid authority to confirme the Catholique religion then are the earthly courts of changeing Parliaments to establish any sort of the Protestant Religion We know by experience that there are nothing more changeable then Acts of Parliament See pag. 430. Vniversal consent irrevocable Determinations of all the General Councels of the Christian world And has been not for the short space of 20. or hundred but for the h h The Scottish Nation was converted to the faith an Christi 203. Leslaeus de Reb. gestis Scot. l. 1. p. 114. which is above 1400. yeares agoe during which time it remaind coÌ„staÌ„t in the Catholique faith except a little of late This indeed may be called a long time but the Presbyterians long time is only 20 years as may be known by calculation and as yet it is not a hundred LONG time of 14. hundred years and above professed publickly not by one or two but by above i i Since the conversion of King Donald the first Christian King there are reckoned above 80. Catholique Kings of this Nation as may be seen in our Histories whereas the Presbyterians had only one King to witt King Iames the 6. who subscrybed their Covenant in his younger yeares which he also disproved thereafter in the Conference at Hampton-Court 80. KINGS of this Nation diverse of which are k k There were diverse of the Scottish Catholique Kings eminent for holynesse as S. william S. David S. Malcom and many more as may be seen in Camerarius lib. 3. de Scotorum pietate c. 4. where he reckons out also many great Saints of the Royal race as S. Rumoldus S. Fiacre S. Mathildis c. GLORIOVS SAINTS in Heaven and by the whole body of this Kingdome l l For the ancient piety and zeal of the Scottish Nation to propagate the Kingdome of Christ Baronius testimony cited at the latter end of the
last section is sufficient where the Scots are said to have become praestaÌ„tissimi omniuÌ„ Christiani c. which had filled the Christian world with the fame of their piety and zeal for propagating the eternal Kingdome of Christ To the which Confession and ancient VNIFORM Religion We without any constraint of men but meerly for the love of Truth in Hope of Eternal Reward though with imminent danger of Temporal losses doe most m m As it is evident that these who embrace the Catholique faith in Scotland where it is persecuted doe it willingly so it is manifestly known that many were constrained to take the Covenant and so did not willingly agree to it See above ch 4. p. 26. and sect 1. p. 417. WILLINGLY agree in our whole hearrs as vnto Gods n n The Catholique faith is so vndoubted Truth that it is altogether vnalterable with the Catholiques But ths Protestant Faith cannot be vndoubted Truth seing it is so often altered by Protestants see p. 430. in fine VNALTERABLE Truth grounded only vpon his o o The Catholiques beleeve all Gods reveal'd word whether vnwritten or written according to the expresse command of the written word Hold the Traditions 2. Thess 2.15 But the Presbyterians against the written word reiect all Traditions REVEALED word And therefore we renounce all sects and Heresies contrary vnto it But especially the PRESBYTERIAN sect and all the points thereof as they are now and have been anciently condemned by the p p How the Presbyterian sect albeit it preteÌ„ds the word of God as all Heretiques do ordinarly preteÌ„d is notwithstanding coÌ„demned by the word of God by the holy Catholique Church which is of far greater Authority then the Presbyterian Kirk of â—cotland may be seen almost every where in the former Treatises word of God and by the HOLY CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH But particularly we reiect the VNPARALLELD INSOLENCY of that Calvinistical q q As it has been shewed above sect 4. p. 432. that the Pope is the Vicar of Iesus Christ and therefore not Anti Christ so also all who do not belong to him belong not to Christ but to Anti Christ and therefore are Anti Christian So S. Hierom expresly affirmeth ibid. p. 437. ANTI-CHRISTIAN Sect vpon both the r r Calvin vsurped oveâ— the letter of the Scriptures by making vp a new Canon never known before And he vsurped over the sense of them by reiecting the ancient sense of the holy Fathers and by inventing new senses according to his private fancies So do also his Disciples the Presbyterian Ministers So did likewise Luther most grosly see p. 439. LETTER and SENSE of the holy Scriptures vpon the Å¿ Å¿ Calvin did vsurp over the holy Catholique Church who having no lawfull authority would take vpon him to reforme the Church to iudge and condemn her to prescribe his own fancies as divine Rules vnto her So do also the Presbyterians See p. 440. HOLY CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH vpon their own t t The Presbyterians in Scotland have had but 4. Princes since their religion began and they have vndenyably vsurped highly over them all as may be seen p. 440. and 41. LAWFVLL PRINCES and Superiors and their Tyrannizing over the u u How they Tyrannized over the consciences of their fellow subiects is notoriously known and may be seen chap. 4. p. 26. CONSCIENCES of their fellow-subiects x x These who vnder pretence of Christian liberty disobey iust Lawes such as are the Lawes of the Catholique Church which were also observed in the primitive times as these about lent fasting the single life of Church men c. make their freedome a cloke of malice against S. Peters advice 1. Pet. 2.13 and an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5.13 see above p. 454. 455. All their LICENTIOVS Exemptions from obedience to iust Lawes vnder pretence of Christian libertie to cloke INIQVITIE and give occasioÌ„ to the FLESH Their DESTVCTIVE Doctrin against the necessity of the y y The Presbyterians destroy all Traditions against the expresse Scripture See above p. 445. and 6. VNWRITTEN word expresly commended by the written word z z They teach that it is impossible even with Gods grace to keep his Law in observation whereof all perfection substantially consists and so indeed they destroy the end and perfection of the Law see above ch 13. 14. and sect 5. p. 448. against the FVLFILLING of the Law without which there is no PERFECTION against the Triple a a They destroy the office of Christ as King by spoyling him of the Kingdome of his Church for many ages They destroy his Priestly office by abrogating the dayly sacrifice and his Prophetical by denying the accomplishment of his Prophesies concerning his Churches continuance and Visibility see above p. 449. OFFICE of Christ as he is KING PRIEST and PROPHET which is a manifest corruption of the blessed Evangel Their corrupted Doctrine of b b Calvin teacheth that Original sin still remaines in vs even after Baptism and that it defiles before God what ever works proceed from vs and so makes theÌ„ mortal sins which doctrine the Presbyterians follow as may be seen above with more to this purpose p. 451. 454. ORIGINAL sin which makes their BEST actioÌ„s MORTAL sins Our c c The Presbyterians graunt such a natural inhability that they deny all supernatural ability in man to keep Gods Law even with the assistance of all his Grace which is a most dangerous corrupted doctrine as may be seen above p. 454. more fully ch 13. 14. of Presb. Trial. SVPERNATVRAL ABILITY and dutiefull SVBIECTION to Gods Law Our Iustification by d d They make Iustification by faith only the principal article of their Reformation and deny Iustification by works expresly against the Scripture Iames 2.124 and the holy Fathers See above ch 14. p. 157. WORKS Our e e They make our sanctification so imperfect that we cannot by it think so much as a good thought or do any thing but sin mortally and still disobey Gods Commandments so that such sanctification is rather profanation and such Obedience is Disobedience See above p. 455. PERFECT SanctificatioÌ„ and Obedience through Christs Grace vnto the Law The f f They have corrupted the Nature of the Sacraments by denying that they were ordaind to conferre Grace by making them only signs and Tokens They have corrupted the number by taking away 5. Sacraments and the vse by abrogating both private Baptisme Communion besides both the publique and private vse of others See above p. 458. seq and before ch 18. Presb. Trial. NATVRE NVMBER and VSE of the Holy Sacraments Their two g g By denying the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Eucharist which they admitt to conferre Grace They make them Gracelesse and so indeed Bastard Sacraments since the Sacraments of the Law of Grace were instituted to conferre Grace Above p. 467. before