counsel And againe Let vs believe saith he the Symbol of the Apostles which the Roman Church doth ever preserve and keep 's inviolate And if we will ascend higher S. Iren. lib. 1. c. 2. lib. 3. c. 4. S. Clement epist 1. ad frat Domini Basil de de Sp. S c. 27. S Ireneus Bishop of Lions and disciple of S. Polycarpus sheweth that diverse Nations believed without Scriptures by tradition which certainly was of the Apostles Creed S. Clement the disciple of S. Peter Coadiutor of S. Paul doth testify the same Diverse other Fathers may be seen cited in Cardinal Bellarmin tom 1. de verbo Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 4. S. Basil doth reckon the Apostles Creed as a principal Apostolique tradition And in a word I found that all Christian Nations and Ages have borne testimony of this truth Moreover I found that in the primitive times this Symbol was holden in so great reverence that in General Councels it vsed to be first recited Baron vbi su pra Aug. de Symb. and lay'd downe as the ground of the whole Ecclesiastique building as Baronius doth shew To this purpose S. Augustin calls it The foundation of the Catholique faith vpon which the edifice of the Church built by the hands of the Prophets and Apostles did rise ad Cat. lib. 3. c. 1. Leo ad Pul. Aug. ep 96. And S. Leo saith that this short and perfect Confession of the Catholique Symbol which is sealed by 12. sentences of the Apostles is so furnished with heavenly armour that by this sword alone all opinious of Heretiques may be cut of As I found such greet testimonies to prove the Apostolique authority of the creed so I did find that the holy Fathers did highly praise the excellency of it as of a worke worthy of such diuine Architects S. Augustin calls it Aug. ser 42. de trad Symb. The comprehension perfection of our faith It 's simple saith he short full That it's simplicity might serve the rudnesse it 's shortnesse the memory its fulnesse the instruction of the hearers Elswhere he calls it the Compend of the Scriptures lib. 1. ad Catech. Id. m ser in Vigil Pentecost And againe he saith This is a Symbol briefe in words but large in mysteries For whatsoever is prefigured in the Patriarchs whatsoever is declared in the Scriptures or foretold by the Prophets c. is contain'd and briefly confessed in it And in his Sermon above cited de Traditione Symboli speaking of the Creed he saith These are not humane words but heavenly mysteries of our Lord. But most notable and efficacious are the words of Rufinus to this purpose The Apostles Rufin in praef de expos Symb. saith he being to part from one an other to preach they lay'd downe this marke of their faith and agreement Not as the children of Noe being to part from each other rearing vp a tower of bricke and slime whose top should reach vnto the heauens but building the fortresses of faith of liuely stones and heavenly pearles which should stand stedfast against the face of the enemy which neither the winds should shake nor floodes subvert nor boysterous stormes or tempests move They therefore being to separate building the tower of Pride were deservedly punished with the Confusion of tongues that not one could vnderstand the speech of his neighbour but these who built the tower of Faith were endued with the skill and knowledge of all languages to the end that the one might be the marke of Sin and the other the monument of Faith Thus Ruffinus Lastly the same holy Fathers do shew the frequent laudable vse of the Apostles Creed in the primitive Church It was first taught and delivered vnto those who desired Baptisme and it was required to be publickly said by them immediatly before their baptisme This custome as Ruffinus sheweth was carefully observed in the Roman Church Ruffin ibid vt supra S. Augustin also doth witnesse how the God-fathers did say it in name of the Infants whom they presented to Baptisme and therefor he earnestly exhorts every Christian when he comes to the yeares of discretion to say frequently the Apostolique Creed which he professed by the mouths of those who presented him to Baptisme and call's it the Mirrour of a Christiā Render saith he your Symbol render it vnto the Lord Aug. homil 42. be not weary to rehearse it the repetition of it is good least forgetfulnesse creep on thee Do not say I said it yesternight I said it to day I say it every day I haue it well Remember thy faith behold thy self Let thy Creed be a Mirrour vnto thee there see thy self if thou believe all that thou confesses thy self to believe and reioyce dayly in thy faith Let it be thy riches the dayly Apparell of thy Soule Do you not cloath your self when you rise So by remembering thy Creed cloath thy Soule least peradventure forgetfulnesse make it naked S. Ambrose calls it the Seale of our heart which we ought dayly to review and the Watch-word of a Cristian Amb. lib. 3. de Virginib tom 4. which should be in readinesse in all dangers By all which irrefragable testimonies the sacred authority great excellency and frequent laudable vse both in publick and private of the Apostles Creed did appeare sufficiently vnto me So that I found for it the consent of peoples and Nations the testimonies of the holy Fathers the Martyrs Saints and Christians of all ages that is of the Vniuersal Church the piller ground of truth which are the greatest assurances that can be had vpon earth And therefore I rested fully satisfyed with them But I was much more confirmed in this resolution when I vnderstood by a serious conference with a friend that there was the same certainty for the Creed that there is for the Scriptures to witt the Tradition or testimony of the Church S. Augustin delivers clearly this truth concerning the Scriptures Aug. cont epist fund c. 5. I would not haue believed saith he the Euangel unlesse the authority of the Catholique Church had moved me c. and that authority being once weakned neither can I believe the Euangel This testimony authority of the Catholique Church was proved to me to be the most easy manifest and infallible ordinary way that can be had on earth to come vnto the certaine knowledge of what books are Scriptures yea it was clearly proved to be the only way so that if once this testimony be weakened there is nothing left but guessings wanderings after the manner of blind men as experience doth shew in the difference between the Lutheranists the Calvinists who agree in all their supposed wayes of knowing the Scripture and yet can never agree in the same Canon of the Scriptures But of this matter we shall haue occasion to speake more fitly hereafter in the question of the Church If then the
vnto the end of the world as we have seen above in the perpetuity of the Church For of Christs kingdom Luke 1.33 Mat. 16.19 there shall be no end and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against his Church These places of Scripture are so clear for the Vniversality of the Church that S. Augustin having produced them against the Donatists for the same purpose affirmeth Aug. de Vnitate Eccl. c. 11. no man how blunt so ever he be and slow of heart can say I did not vnderstand them That none but heretiques with head-strong frowardnesse and blind fury can bark against them And that no excuse is left for those who do not beleeve them because they contradict Christs clear words The next thing then that we are to do is to see to what company of Christians whither to Protestants or to those Christians who keep Communion with the Sea of Rome this property of Vniversality by which the true Church is so clearly described doth best agree We need not make great search in this matter For if we will speak of the time before Luther the Church in Communion with the Sea of Rome was so much Catholique in regard of Protestants that there was no little company yea nor one person at all of the Protestant religion to be seen or found to contest with her for this glorious title of Catholique Whereas from Luther vpward in every generation she may be proved by the most famous testimonies histories records Monuments in the world to have been alwayes Catholique that is to have been a most ample Society keeping the Communion of Nations and to have been most eminent above all other religions sects and heresies that went out from her which being condemned by this Church were as vnprofitable boughs cut off from the vine and so remaining where they fell in petty corners of the world did soone wither and decay Again if we will make now the comparison between the Church in Communion with the Roman sea and the Protestants Churches since Luther arose we shall find the last come very short of the other for Vniversality and that for the same very reason which S. Augustin brought against the Donatists Aug. de Vnit. Eccl c. 3. These sects saith he are not found in many Nations where this to witt the Catholique Church is and this which is every where is found also even where these sects are So it may be said Protestants are not to be found in many Nations where the Catholique religion is profest and Catholiques may be found where ever Protestants are For all the diverse sorts of Protestants are comprized within Europe and possesse only the Northern parts thereof there being some most famous large kingdomes provinces even within Europe where they are not to be seen or found as in all Spaine Italy Sicily and in others they are but scantly sowen as in France Poland Germanie where they are not a handfull to the Catholiques And in these Northern places which they possesse out of which they banished by force the publick exercice of the Catholique religion and still persecute the professors of it there are not deficient Catholiques who in the midst of the enemies of their religion have alway's profest their faith But in other parts of the world where the Catholique religion doth wonderfully flourish the name of Protestants is not so much as known For the Catholique religion is not only publickly professed in the most famous Kingdomes and Provinces of Europe but also it is to be found in Africk Asia and America And albeit in diverse Countries the publick profession be Heretical Mahometical or Heathnih yet even there the Catholique Roman Church hath Fathers and children professing her faith and what she lost by the falling away of Protestants in Europe she has gained with much encrease by the propagation of the Catholique faith in the East and West Indies now of late in the great Kingdom of China where many thowsands have ēbraced the faith If then the Society of Christians in Communion with the Roman Church remaines still Catholique notwithstanding that the Protestants have falne away from her and albeit they would muster together all their forces against her how much more is she Catholique in regard of Protestants if they be taken a part by their diverse sects scattered troops as in all reason they ought to be For none should be esteem'd of one religion but these who are of one Communion and therefore since Vniversality doth necessarly include Vnity no Protestant Church can be further Vniversal then her Communion is spread which will be found to be so little a way that every one of those Protestant Churches especially being compared with the Roman Catholique will deserve rather the title of particular then of Vniversal Moreover the holy Fathers have observed that as the Church in Communiō with the sea of Rome has ever had the thing signifyed by the word Catholique so she alone has ever possessed the glorious title of Catholique whereof heretiques have been very ambitious but could never obtain it S. Augustin did esteem the title of Catholique so plain an evidence of the true Church Aug. cont epist fund c. 4. that he said In the bosome of the Church the very name of Catholique holds me which not without cause amongst so many heresies that Church alone hath so obtayn'd that although all heretiques would have themselvs called Catholiques yet when a stranger enquires any of them where the Catholiques do assemble no heretique is so bold as to shew him his own meeting place Again he saith Idem lib. de vera relig c. 6. We must hold the Communion of that Church which is called Catholique both by her owne and by strangers This name of Catholique the true Church received from the Apostles to make her be known from all hereticall Congregations which she has ever caried as a badge of truth a title of great honour S. Cyril expounding the Apostles Creed saith Cyril Hierosol Catech. 15. For this end thy faith has given to thee this article the holy Catholique Church that thou mayst avoid the polluted Conventicles of heretiques And a little after When thou commest into a Town enquire not simply where the Temple of our Lord is for heretiques also call their dens Temples Neither ask simply where the Church is but ask where is the Catholique Church For that is the proper Name of this holy Church Vpon the other part as no heresies could ever be Vniversal for time or place for he who has prescribed bounds to the Sea has also ordain'd that no heresie can cover the earth so by the divine Providence they could never obtain the title of Catholique but were ever denominated from their Authors as Arians Pelagians Lutherans Calvinists or from some accident as Protestants for protesting against the Emperours Edicts Hierom. cont Luciferianos which sorts of names S. Hierom affirmes to be
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
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
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
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
how much lesse can they as they are now being in many places hard and obscure These Protestants who reiect all but Scripture would make Christ to have been the most imprudent Lawgiver that ever was in ths world to have left vs only a written law or a book in many things very obscure and expose it to every man to scance vpon without assigning an Interpreter who could give vs full assurance of the true sense of it That way would never bring men to the sure knowledge of Christs doctrine and the true sense of his law but would make all things vncertain and bring in a confusion more worthy of Babel then of the house of God But his divine wisdom hath otherwise provyded We haue seen then said the Catholique that the testimony of all Christians in every generation is the only sure infallible way Now we shall see that it is the most easy vniversal way to attayn vnto the certain knowledge of what Christ his Apostles taught For what is more easy then to hear a continued testimony of Pastors people who constantly depose that this is the doctrin which they have receiued from their Forefathers what can be more easy then to open our eys and see the practise of all Christians No man of sense will deny if the true doctrin can be surely known hereby but it is a much mor easy way then by the Scriptures which are so hard and obscure or by any written word although never so cleer And it is also evident that it is more vniversal for the Scriptures are only for those who can read and vnderstand them but this serues for all sortes of persons learned or vnlearned these who can read or cannot and even for the meanest capacities This was certainly the meaning of God when he promised vnder the Gospel a direct way so that fooles cannot erre by it Therefore this being so sure Esay 35.8 so easy so vniversal a way the wisdom goodnesse of God who disposeth all things wisely and sweetely has made vse of it This may be yet further illustrated and confirmed by the manner how the Christian religion was planted First the Apostles stayd long in one place that they might diligently inculcate the Christian doctrin as S. Paul said to the Ephesians Acts 20 27.31 I haue not spared to declare vnto you all the Counsell of God c. For three years night day I ceased not with teares to warn every one c. Secondly the Apostles earnestly exhorted their disciples to keep carefully what they had received 2. Timoth 2.2 Galat. 1.9 to entrust it vnto faithfull witnesses and not to admit any doctrin contrary to that which they had received not although an Angel from heauen should preach otherwise Thirdly The mysteries of the Christian religion were not only sensibly taught to the eare but they were rendred visible to the sight by the â—ractise devotion of the Christian people Fourthly The Christian religion was planted at once in many diverse nations Therefore it was easy for the primitive Christians to know what was the Apostles doctrin which they had heard so often beaten into their eares which they saw practised with their eys and which was profest through out the whole word and great reason had they not to receive any doctrin contrary to it It was also easy for them to discern hold out all new false doctrins For although some would pretend never so much the Scriptures against the publique doctrin of the Church yet the ancient Christians knowing certainly that the Scriptures are not contrary to the doctrin which the Apostles had clearly delivered by lively voice and publickly establish'd in the Church they vnderstood the Scriptures according to the clear rule of faith left by the Apostles They did not vpon pretext of contrariety between the doctrin of the Church the Scriptures abandon the Apostles clear lively doctrin vniversally establisht and follow a new glosse of their writings contrary to it which had been indeed grosse follie and directly against the Apostles command in the Scriptures as has been shown And as this was an easy way in the first ages to know the truth and to discern error so it has been in the succeeding ages For the rule of faith ought to be immoveable as the faith it self is God himself promiseth the continuance of this easy way when he said by Esay Esay 59.21 My Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seed for ever And again Vpon thy walls ô Ierusalem Esay 62.6 I haue appointed watchmen all the day all the night c. The Scripture directs vs to this way Deuter. 32.7 Remember the dayes of old saith Moyses Consider euery Generation ask thy Father and he will show thee thy Elders they will tell thee God himself saith in Ieremy Ieremie 6.16 stand you in the ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall find Rest to your soules Because many leave this old good way we see they change many wayes and can find no rest and never will vntill they return again to the old good way which they foolishly abandoned Christ directs vs to this way Math. 18.17 when he saith Tell the Church and who heares you heares me c. The holy Fathers followed this way S. Augustin shewes that this is the way to put an end to all doubts to attayn vnto the truth to be at rest which he knew by his own experience Aug. de vtilitate cred cap. 8. If thou seeme to thy self saith he to have been already sufficiently tossed and would make an end of these labours paines Follow the way of the Catholique Disciplin which has proceeded from Christ by his Apostles even vnto vs and from hence shall descend and be conveighed vnto posterity Tertullian affirmes there is no other way to know the Apostles doctrin Tertull. de praescrip c. 21. What the Apostles taught saith he I will prescribe ought no otherwise to be proued then by these Churches which the Apostles founded And that we must begin with the testimony of the Church in the time wherein we live to ascend by every generation vnto the ancient Church and so to the very mouth of Christ his Apostles the same Tertullian shewes who makes this ladder of belief Tert. de praes c. 21. What I believe I receiued from the present Church the present Church from the Primitive the Primitive from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ c. According to this tradition the holy Fathers did vnderstand the Scriptures Vincent Lyr. cont heres c. 1. S. Vincentius Lyrinensis shewes the necessity of this rule to avoid the turnings and windings of diverse errors where he cites and commends the following words of
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
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
infidelis c. Who them except au Infidel will deny Christ to haue been in Hell Behold what in S. Augustius iudgment are all Presbyterians who do contradict the prophecy which he saith cannot be contradicted and who vnderstand it in a contrary sense which S. Peter did expound least any man should presume to vnderstand it otherwise Which is indeed to goe against the Scriptures both the old and new Testament the Prophets and Apostles the holy Fathers the whole Church and in a word as S. Augustin speaks to be Infidels S. Hierome expounding that place of S. Paul in the 4. to the Ephesians Hier. in cap. 4. ad Ephes And that he Christ ascended what is it but because he descended also first into the lower parts of the earth saith The inferiour parts of the earth are taken for Hell to which our Lord Saviour did descend Where it is also shewed for what end our Saviour did descend He saith S. Paul ascending on high did leade captivity captive and gaue gifts to men Vpon which the same S. Hierome saith Our Lord and Saviour descended into Hell that being Victorious he might lead with himself the Soules of those who were kep't there inclosed Whence it came to passe that after his resurrection many bodies of the iust were seen in the holy Citie The Apostle sheweth the same truth in the 2. chapter to the Collossians Coloss chap. 2. ver 15. where he saith And Christ spoyling the Principalities Powers hath ledde them confidently in open shew triumphing them in himself I passe by for brevities sake Pet. 1 Ep. c. 3. v. 19. some other passages as that of S. Peter how Christ in his Spirit did goe downe and preach'd vnto the Spirits in prison and the like which are vnderstood by some of the holy Fathers of Christs descēt to hell these already brought appeared to me to be most clear sufficient Moreover I found S. Aug. vnderstanding the words of Christ to the good theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise far otherwise then the Presbyterians do For he saith Non ex his verbis c It is not to be thought by these words Aug. epist 57. ad Dardan that Paradise is in heaven for the man Christ Iesus was not to be in heaven to witt that day but in hell according to his Soule and in the grave according to his flesh And a little beneath he subioynes The Scripture clearly shewes that he was in Hell according to his Soule But as the same holy Father shewes out of the 87. Psalme He was so in hell that he was free among the dead and did there begin his triumph over all infernal powers principalities and freeing the Soules of the iust from their captivity did carrie them gloriously with himself vnto the heavens into which he did first enter and opened them vnto all true faithfull Christians For so it was fitting That he who is the head of the body the Church Colos 1. ver 18. the beginning the first borne of the dead as S. Paul speaks the first fruites of these who are asleep 1. Cor. 15.20 may in all things hold the Primacie I know these things are laughed at as if they were fables by the Presbyterians who founds their faith vpon their owne groundlesse fancies and will believe nothing which doth not suite to their humours albeit it be most clearly contain'd in the Scriptures so vnderstood by the holy Fathers and so believed by the Christian world But I intend God willing to prefer these solid grounds to Puritanical imaginations which are without yea and against Scriptures the holy Fathers and whole ancient Church and lastly against the clear words of the Creed As I saw the true and clear sense of this article so I found that the Ministers haue vsed many crooked windings turnings to obscure and deny the true sense of it For first they haue not stood to corrupt the letter of the Scripture 2. they followed a sense invented by Calvin which was not only false but by many esteem'd blasphemous 3. When for shame they had abandonned that sense the Presbyterians haue of late invented a new one not so impious but very ridiculous And lastly to compleate the work they haue denyed the whole Creed to be Apostolical which is the cleanliest way that hath been yet vsed For their corrupting of the words of Scripture Beza Calvins entire brother may cary the prize For in the Bibles of his translation he turnes these words 2. Acts 31. Thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell After this manner Thou wilt not leave my body in the grave And when this manifest corruption of Gods word was obiected to him by Protestants he answers in defence of his version against Sebastian Castalio Beza cont Sebast Cast ap Bellar. lib. 4. de anima Cha c. 12. saying No man can doubt but here is mean't of the body grave vnlesse one would be blind in the mid-day This must be a strange light or rather a strong illusion which the Presbyterians alone see But the reason which Beza gives there a little before for his changing Soule into body and hell into graves is very remarkable I did not this rashly saith he since we see that this place is chiefly wrested by the Papists for establishing their Limbe and the ancients also devised from it the descent of Christs soule into hell Our Presbyterians in Scotland were one degree inferiour to Beza for they did not corrupt two words as he did but only one as may be seen in the great bibles printed at Edinburgh by Andrew Hart where they reade thus the foresaid text Thow wilt not leave my Soule in the grave putting grave for hell which corruption was amended in the new Translations that was made by order of King Iames who said in the conference at Hampton-Court that he had never seen a true and sincere translation of the bible in English but of all these he had seen that of Geneva was the worst Having thus corrupted the text they did also invent corrupt senses of it Calvin the great Foundator of Presbytery vnderstands by Christs descent to hell that he suffered in his Soule the paines of a damned man and that doubting of his Salvation he vtteted words of desperation For thus he writes in his Institutions Diros in anima cruciatus Cal. lib. 2. instit cap. 16. sect 10. damnati ac perditihominis pertulit c. that is he suffered in his soule the horrible paines of a damned lost man And writing on the 27. chap. of S. Mathew ver 46. he saith that a word of desperation did fall from Christ And a little after Sowe see saith he Cal. in 27. Math. v. 46. that he was vexed on all sides that being overwhelmed with desperation he ceased from calling vpon God which was to renounce Salvation O most strange doctrine which I find to be condemned by many
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
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
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
after it began how furiously it ran what great noise it made how it carried down almost all with it Now you see it runs more calmly it is almost run out and the great noise of it is past Again the true Church is like the Sun ever shining in all generations according to that of the Psalmist He hath put his tabernacle in the Sun Psal 18.6 which S. Augustin expounds thus He hath placed his Church in manifestation And such has been the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome always visible and ever shining since the time of Christ But all heresies are like Comets which arise at certain times being made vp of terrestrial vapours make a great blaze so long as their grosse matter lasts but so soō as that failes they quickly evanish So indeed are heresies made vp for the most part of tēporary interests which make thē for a short time give a great glister but so soon as the grosse matter of these interests failes as it cannot laste long then they begin to shine dimnly then they languish in end evanish How great a light was the Covenant esteem'd What a great lustre did it make in great Britain so long as the interests concurred But these soon failing new lights have risen which have discocovered the former to be meerly humane have made it to languish and in a word have shown it to be a Comet Moreover the Church of Christ is frequently compared by the holy Fathers to a ship strongly built and wisely governed by Christ which ever since his time hath sailed through the seas of this world and notwithstanding the many tempests which the Divel and wicked men have raisd against her yet she riding out them all hath carried in her all these who have been saved vnto the port of Salvation She has been many wayes tossed but could never be overwhelmed For Ambros lib. de Salomone c. 4. as S. Ambrose saith excellently She cannot suffer ship shipwrak because Christ is exalted on the mast that is on the Crosse the Father sits pilot in the sterne and the holy Ghost preserves the fore-Castle Such is the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome as we have seen But heretical Churches are like little boats neither made nor governed by Christ but by new Sect-Masters who foolishly abandoned the ship of the Church Who promise a safe and more easy passage to heaven whereby many are rashly drawn to entrust their soules to them But within a short space the stormes arising these new vnskifull Pilots being of contrary iudgments fall into horrible dissensions and their passingers into bloody factions to the destruction of one another So that in end these boats which came but lately vpon the sea of this world which intended fondly to sink the Church are das't against rocks split in pieces and all these miserable soules which remain'd in them are overwhelm'd with waters Hieron epist ad Damaum For whosoever saith S. Hierom is not in the ark of Noah shall perish by the raging deluge And thus all false Churches after a little time have perished Lastly the Church is compared by Christ vnto a house built by himself as by a wise Master-builder vpon ◠rock which must stand for ever And such is the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome which hath stood vnto this day But heresies are new houses built by foolish sect◠masters not founded vpon a rock but vpon the sand which are soon shaken overthrown Wherefore to conclude I hope now through Gods goodnesse that you having seen such evidence for the truth of the Roman Catholique Church will make your self a domestique of this heavenly house which can never be shaken that you will enter into this ship which can suffer no shipwrack that you will walk in this light that can never be eclipsed and that you will runn this channel wherein all the Saints have pas't vnto paradise To this purpose spake the Catholique After I had considered diligently all these things which were given me thereafter in writing and had seen that this reason was so well grounded in the Scriptures and was vsed by the holy Fathers as a most clear and convincing way to prove the true Church I was much satisfyed therewith But yet I desired the Catholique if he would fully satisfie me to shew that the Roman Catholique Church had never changed her doctrin and had still kept that same which she had received from the Apostles For I doubt not said I but you know that the Ministers accuse her to have fallen from the Apostolique doctrin in many points and to have brought in many corruptions Wherevnto he answered that by proving the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome and her alone to have had a continued succession he had proved clearly her to be the true Church and so consequently to haue stil retained the same doctrin which was taught by Christ and the Apostles for change of doctrin changeth the Church and so the doctrin being changed the Church had not continued But said he for your more full satisfaction to take away all doubts and to dispell the mists of these calumnies I will prove the same truth by another special way CHAP. XXXI That the Church in communion with the sea of Rome holds now and has still held the same doctrin which was taught first by Christ his Apostles ALBEIT this truth hath been sufficiently proved by the continued succession of the Church yet now it shall be demonstrated by the special manner whereby this Church has received and still conveighed all her doctrin and for more clearnesse I frame my reason thus That Church which in all ages believed nothing as the doctrin of Christ his Apostles but what she received from her immediat Ancestors as their doctrin holds and hath still held the true doctrin of Christ his Apostles But the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome she alone hath in all ages received all her doctrin after that manner Therefore she alone holds and hath still held the true doctrin which was first taught by Christ his Apostles and consequently she has never changed the doctrin which she first received The Maior is proved after this manner That Church which in all ages believes the same doctrin which Christ and his Apostles taught in the first age hath ever held the true doctrin of Christ his Apostles But that Church which believes nothing as Christs doctrin but what she received as such from her immediat Ancestors believes in all ages the same doctrin which Christ his Apostles taught in the first age Therefore that Church which receives so her doctrin has ever held the same doctrin which was taught at first by Christ his Apostles The reason of this vniformity of doctrin in all ages is because that principle of receiving no doctrin as the doctrin of Christ his Apostles but what was delivered immediatly
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
Rom. 3. v. 8. that good may come of it and therefore much lesse is the greatest of evils to be done such as is the renouncing of the Catholique faith and swearing of a contrary Religion against the light of a mans conscience Secondly she condemned the Helchesits in the primitive times Euseb lib 6. cap. 31. as Heretiques for affirming that it was lawfull to Christians to deny Christ externally in the time of torments persecution Thirdly the Popes of whom the Puritans think no sin to lie are so far from stirring vp Catholiques to do the forsaid abominations that they earnestly dehort them from approaching to the least degree of such impiety Which to pâ—sse by other Instances may be known by the Breviat of Pope Paul the fift directed to the English Catholiques in October 1606. Where he saith We have vnderstood that you are compelled by the threatnings of most grievous paines to go vnto the Temples of Heretiques to frequent their Meetings to be present at their Sermons Truly we vndoubtedly beleeve that those who with so great Constancy and courage have suffered most fierce persecutions and almost infinit miseries will never trespasse so as to be defiled with the society of the desertors of the Divine Law Neverthelesse We being stirred vp by the zeal of our Pastoral charge and out of the Fatherly care we have of the Salvation of your soules are forced to admonish and earnestly beseech you that by no means you would go vnto the Temples of Heretiques or heare their Sermons or communicat with them in Rites least you incurre the wrath of God For it is not lawfull for you to do these things without the dammage of the Divin worship and of your own Salvation If the Pope dehorts so earnestly the Catholiques from going to the heretiques Temples how much more doth he dehort them from abiuring the Catholique faith and from receiving the Puritans Sacraments If the Pope only connived at such actions it would be a lie and calumnie great enough to say he stirred vp Catholiques to do them But it is a monstrous lie and calumnie to say he stirres vp men to do such abominations when he stirres them vp to the contrary Neither can the Covenanters ever shew that any Pope did otherwise since ever the Protestant religion began The Catholiques beleeve that God has such a care of his Church that it needs not by periuries dissimulations or any false wayes to be advanced and they know also that all hereticall Churches need not by such vniust means to be by them subverted For by their own divisions they are sufficient to subvert themselvs as long experience hath shewed Lastly it is false that these Catholiques who against their consciences renounce their religion do it vpon hopes of the Popes Dispensation For all Catholiques know that the Pope as he himself professeth cannot dispence in any thing that is intrinsecally evil and against the eternal Law of God as that action is in the highest degree All which may be known to moderate Protestâ—nts even by the Confession of Apostat Catholiques Therefore these being so groundlesse lies and malitious calumnies the Covenant did well to begin them with the Father of lies for thus it speaks And seing many are stirred vp by Satan the Roman Anti-Christ c. But it had been no lie if the Ministers had been yoaked with the Devil in that work For they have concurred oftentimes with him to draw and force diverse Catholiques to renounce their faith against their consciences as has been known by many late experiences since the Covenant began But it is strange to see famous Protestants yea and the very same Accusers guilty of the same Crimes which they falsly lay to the charge of others which may be shewed by their own Monuments Who is esteem'd a more famous Protestant then Queen Elizabeth the Foundresse of the Late English Church And yet she is taxed by M. Knox for faigning her self to have been a Papist for bowing to Idolatry Knox Chron. pag. 226 and going to Masse all the time of her Sister Queen Maries reigne It is known also how shortly after her sisters death she subverted all that in her lay the Catholique religion albeit she sware to maintain it at her Coronation Who gave her Dispensation to vse such dissimulation in religion Surely it was not the Pope but rather she as head of her own Church which is now also subverted did dispence with her self It is yet fresh in all mens memorie how many of the Puritans did swear obedience to their Bishops and conformity to the late English Churches orders and yet when time served they subverted both who gave them Dispensations for such hypocrisies and periuries That is one of their rare privileges that they all and every one of them by more then Papal power can dispence with themselvs as Becan shewes in a special Treatise of their Privileges The third grosse vntruth of the Covenant followeth in these words We therefore willing to take away all suspicion of hypocrisy and of such double dealing with God and his Kirk protest and call the Searcher of all hearts to witnesse that our Minds and hearts do fully agree with this our Confession oath and subscription so that we are not moved for any worldly respect but are perswaded only in our Consciences c. As theÌ„ the foundation was false so is this fabrique which is raised on it For the most rigid Covenanters know that many thowsand Protestants were made to put their hands to the Covenant whose hearts were far from it and when they could shew both their hearts hands against it And they were so far from being moved without worldly respects that for these only they were induced to take the Covenant and so soone as these failed they abandoned it By all which it is evident that this Covenant which containes so many grosse lies and Calumnies against very sense and experience cannot be the Covenant of God who Loves truth and hates lies SECTION II. That the Covenant is not a Confession but a Denyal of the Faith THE Covenant carieth this Title in print The National Covenant or Confession of Faith c. But it appeared very soon to vs not to deserve that Title but rather that it ought to be called a Confossion or Denyal of the faith which it deny's not simply but with many horrible execrations and blasphemies All heresies are of a Malignant Nature consisting in denyal of some points of the Catholique faith But there are some which deny fewer and others more points of it In the primitive times some heresies were cast out of the Church for one word only against the faith But the Covenant and Presbyterian religion deny almost al the points of the Catholique faith For they run through heaven earth the Church Triumphant and Militant they leave neither God nor man the Angels nor the Saints the living nor the dead vntouched but they rob every one
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
pretend Vniversality when you say that your faith is beleeved received and defended by many Notable Kirks and Realmes but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland Next you lay claime to a certain kind of Antiquity when you say that it hath been of a long time openly professed Such is the evidence of Truth that Enemies to it are sometimes enforced to make vse or rather a shew of it But to speak first of the vniversality of your faith where are all these many notable Realmes and Kirks which you affirm do professe your religion In Europe no such Kingdomes can be found For Swedland Denmark are known to be Lutherians who have neither Vnity of faith with you nor Communion in Sacraments and abhorre the very name of Calvin of all Sacramentaries The Realme late Church of England maintaind the Hierarchy of the Church abhorring very much the Anarchy of your Presbytery and now since England became a Commonwealth it hates nothing more then the Soule-Tyranny as it is commonly called there of your Presbytery The other famous Kingdomes of Europe are either totally or for the much greater part Roman Catholiques So that the many Notable Realmes of your religion are as yet invisible vnlesse you would count all those to be of your religion who are not Papists or who go vnder the general name of Protestants But that cannot be done for the Vniversality of a Church requires Vnity in faith Communion in Sacraments which you evidently want with a great part of Protestant Churches And therefore knowing that you want this Vnity you wisely pretend that this faith which you so much praise is chiefly professed by the Kirk of Scotland For every one of you pretends to be chief and will not yeeld to another Then yow come as little speed of your Antiquitie For all the long time that your faith was profest from the beginning of your Reformation to the first making of the Covenant is but about 20. years and as yet to this day it has not past the bounds of one Age. If you had the Vniversality Antiquity of the Catholique Church how would you glory when you make such a stirre with your fewnesse and Novelty For your one Kingdome and your one hundred years in which your religion has been professed we can show you the same Kingdome professing the Catholique religion above 14. hundred years and all the famous Christian Kingdomes and Countries of the world making the same profession even to the first time of their Conversion from Infidelity to Christianity And for your one King mentioned in your Covenant which he took in his younger years disproveing it when he became more ripe as appears in the Conference at Hampton-Court we can show you 80. Kings of the same Nation diverse of which are glorious Saints in heaven who lived and dyed in the Catholique Profession To whom we may add all the famous Christian Kings Emperours that have been in the world But albeit you were more spread then you are you would find no great advantage by it S. Augustin compareing you with good reason to smoake Aug. serm 2. in Psal 36. which doth vanish so much the sooner by how much it is greater more dilated abroad This we have seen verifyed in our time For the late Church of England intending to dilate her self in Scotland did shortly thereafter vanish like smoake in England Again the Scottish Presbytery indeavouring with great zeal to propagate it self in England lost soone much of its fyrie force in Scotland Secondly Antiquity of your religion would tend no lesse to your ruine for as S. Hierom hath observed all heresies please only men for a time and when they grow old they weare out of request as may be known by the many alterations of religion that have happened in Scotland but especially in England since their publique fall from the Catholique religion Then for Acts of Parlament whereby you say your faith is confirmed they cannot be very many seing the religion is so late neither can they give great confirmation to a religion because they are very changeable We see one Protestant Parliament has ransacted the Kings Suâ—remacy which many Protestant Parliaments had enacted and that which was before declared Heresy if not Treason to deny is now iudged both great follie and Treason to affirme The true religion is warranted by a higher authority then by earthly Courts But the Protestant religions are made and vnmade by Protestant Parliaments The last point here proposed containes three vntruths linked together as where you say that you all willingly agree in all points All the Horologes of the world will sooner agree then your wills When coercive power is now taken out of your hands you see how many do willingly freely disagree from you Then you call all the points of your faith Gods vndoubted truth which they cannot be besides other reasons because many Protestants doubt of diverse of them yea they think them vndoubted falshoods and besides yourselves are often changeing them which shewes that many articles of your faith are doubtsome and your faith of them is nothing but meer opinion Lastly it is most false that all your faith is grounded only vpon the written word because you beleeve some things without the word of God as the changeing of the Sabboth into Sunday the baptizing of infants and which is more you beleeve some points against the expresse word of God as your article of Iustification by faith only to speak nothing of diverse others And moreover you lay down a false ground when you professe to beleeve nothing 2. Thes 2.15 but what is containd in the Scriptures whereas they expresly bid you Hold fast the Traditions Thus we have seen all your pretences as about the word Spirit of God the Vniversality Antiquity of your faith by which you would make it more commendable to be false groundlesse Now we shall see how bitterly you renounce accurse the Catholique faith SECTION IV. Of the Popes Supremacy where it is shewed that the Pope is not Anti-Christ nor an Vsurper as the Covenanters do calumniate AFTER the former Preface follow these words of the Covenant And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrary Religion Doctrin but chiefly all kind of Papistry in generall and particular heads even as they are now damned confuted by the word of God and Kirk of Scotland But in special we detest and refuse the Vsurped Authority of the Roman Anti Christ vpon the Scriptures of God vpon the kirk the Civil Magistrate and Consciences of men c. Here you ingenuously confesse your selves to have one quality which all heretiques have ever had to hate and detest most the Catholique religion And your practice sheweth this your Confession to be true For albeit any person become a Socinian Anabaptist or Atheist you take no great notice of him but if you heare of any that is become a Papist he is sure to
to the young man in the Gospel If thou wilt enter into life Math. 19 18.21 1 Cor. 7.38 keep the Commandments and receiving answer that he had kept them all adioynd if thou wilt be perfect sell that thou hast and give it to the poore S. Paul also saith Who maries doth well but who maries not doth better S. Augustin vpon our Saviours former words saith Our good Master distinguished the Commandments of the Law Aug. epist 89. ad Hila. from this more excellent perfection For there he said If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments and here if thou wilt be perfect sell all By which it may appeare that the doctrin of the Catholique Church in this matter being the same that Christ his blessed Apostle the holy Fathers taught is not against the perfection of the Law And the same may be made good also by the light of reason For every thing is perfect when it has perfection in its own degre and so the Catholique Church teacheth that the Law of Christ is most perfect in the nature of a Law that no Law can be more perfect and that perfection consists essentially in keeping it Which nowayes hinders but that there may be some works not commanded but Counseled which may be prefer'd in perfection to some works commanded and so some Counsels may be called more perfect then the Commandments which are about the same matter As for example it is more perfect to sell all for the Love of God which is only a Counsel then not to steal which is a precept As it is also more perfect to keep chastity then to marie and not commit adulterie Again there are some Counsels more perfect then any of the Commandments not in regard of the external work but of the internal charity which they presuppose and to which they lead For it presupposeth a greater degree of perfection charity to renounce all riches pleasures which are otherwise lawfull for the Love of God then to equal and prefer nothing to God which is commanded Therefore as the Catholique Church is free of Erroneous doctrin against the perfection of the Law so we may iustly inferre that your doctrin which teacheth the Law is impossible to be kept is most erroneous against the very end and perfection of the Law since it was made for that end to be kept and it robs men also of all perfection which cannot be had without keeping the Law Then for your other accusations about the office of Christ the Evangel albeit you strive by such words to affright the people making them beleeve that the Pope the Catholique Church are sworn Enemies to Christ his Gospel yet it is well enough known that Christ and his Gospel are more honoured in the Catholique Church then among all the sects of the world For it is by her means the Gospel has been preserved and Christs name has been honoured among all Nations all which she alone has converted to the faith But you are enemies to all Christs offices For you would destroy his Kirgly office by making him a king many hundred years without a kingdome and by destroying the spirituel governement thereof bringing in place of it the Anarchy confusion of your Pressbytery You are Enemies also to his Priestly office by abolishing the dayly Sacrifice for the continuance of which he is called a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech You are Enemies likwise to his Prophetical office For whereas he had Prophesied so clearly of the perpetuity of his Church that it cannot be hid that it should be ever governed by the Spirit of truth into all truth You would make him a false Prophet by teaching that the Church had failed had been many hundred years invisible and was fallen into Anti-Christian Errors Lastly albeit you pretend to honour the Gospel and make it the only rule of your faith yet you do iust the contrary because you deny what it affirmes and beleeve the contrary to what it teacheth in expresse tearmes and you make it such a Rule that you frequently oppose your Iudgments to it as has been more then once shown SECTION VI. That the Doctrine of the Catholique Church concerning Original Sin Iustification and sanctification is not corrupted But that the Prebyterian Doctrine is corrupted in all these points Covenant WE detest his corrupted doctrine concerning Original sin our natural inhability and rebellion to Gods Law our Iustification by faith only our imperfect Sanctification obedience to the Law As it is ordinary for all those who are tainted with corrupt Errors to call these Catholiques doctrines corrupted which oppose their corruptions So the Covenanters here call the Catholique doctrine concerning Original sin corrupted which indeed is most pure and opâ—oseth the most poysoned source of almost all their corruptions The Catholique Church teacheth principally three things in this matter against the Errors of the Calvinists First that all Children as well of faithfull as of infidel parents descending from Adam by natural generation do contract Original sin and are borne in it which is against a corrupt doctrin of Calvin who affirmeth that the Children of the faithfull are borne Saints Secondly the Catholiques teach that Original sin is quite taken away and purged in the Sacrament of Baptisme which is against an other corruption of Calvin and his followers who affirme that Original sin still remaineth in vs even after Baptisme Thirdly the Catholique Doctors ordinarly teach that Original sin is nothing else but a privation of original iustice or iustifying grace which was in the Superior part of the soule which is restored to vs by the merits of Christ in the Sacrament of Baptisme which is against a most corrupt Error of all Calvinists who affirme that Original sin is nothing else but concupiscence or a pravitie of Nature by which the Image of God is vtterly defaced in man and by which Adam his posterity became Enemies to God slaves to Sathan servants to sin So do our Scottish Ministers speak in their first Confession article 3. Of the first two points something hath been said above and they are both evidently true by the Scriptures Fathers For the Apostle S. Paul saith that all sin â—â—d in Adam and were borne the children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Aug. lib. 2. de peccator remiss c. 40. Hier. ep 7. ad Latam S. Augustin affirmeth that holy Parents do not beget regenerated Children which is seconded by S. Hierom who saith Christiani non nascuntur sed fiunt We are not borne but made Christians And that Baptism taketh away Original sin has been so clearly above shewed that nothing shall be here repeated except only what S. Augustin said None except an Infidel can deny it The third point also was fully cleared to me by the Catholique who shew that as all sin is evil evil is nothing else but the privation of good so original sin being evil can be nothing
Aug. lib. 50. hom liar hom 49. and elswhere he saith It 's lawfull for the cause of fornication to put away an adulteresse wife but dure ng her life it is not lawfull to marie another c. These are Adulteries not Mariages Is Augustin contemned let Christ be feared Two Ancient Councels do also confirme the same doctrine Therefore Concil Elibert c. 9. Milerit c. 17. the Catholique Church in denying Mariage to the innocent partie divorced is not cruel as you calumniate but observes the iust Law of Christ the commandment of the Apostle and the practice of the holy ancient Church And if any think it hard they have a remedie prescribed by the Apostle to reconcile themselves to the guilty partie But indeed you are cruel who vnder pretext of mercy do allow men to Violate the iust Law of God and vnder the name of Mariages authorize people to commit Adulteries to the destruction of their soules So that it is truly verifyed of you that your mercies are cruel But let vs proceed now to your other abiurations SECTION VIII Of the Christian Sacrifice and of Priesthood AFTER you had robbed Christians of almost all the Sacraments and of our Saviours legacie to witt his precious body now you would rob the Church of the Christian Sacrifice and would spoyle God of the greatest external honour that can be rendred to him is due to him alone And with the Sacrifice you would also destroy the sacred Order of Priesthood by which it is offered For you renounce them in these most virulent tearmes of your Covenant We detest his Devilish Masse His blasphemous Priesthood His profane Sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick As never any Religion neither vnder the Law of Nature nor vnder the Law of Moyses wanted Sacrifice which is a Supâ—â—m worship due to God alone so the Chrisâ—â—â—n Religion which excells all Religions tha◠〈◊〉 have been is not destitute of that perfecâ—â—â—n but hath a most excellent Sacrifice far exceeding all the ancient Sacrifices The Prophets did foretell of it Christ did institute it the holy Apostles their Successors did offer it and the whole Christian world hath in all ages frequented it which points we shall briefly touch The Prophet David speaking of Christ saith The Lord has sworne Psal 109.4 Thou art a Priest for ever according to the Order of Melchisedech Which words have relation to these of Moyses Genes 14.18 Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine for he was Priest of the most high God The holy Fathers vnderstand that Prophesie of the Christian Sacrifice of Christs body blood vnder the formes of bread wine So S. Cyprian who is more Priest Cypr. epist 63. ad Cecil saith he of the most high God then our Lord Iesus-Christ who offered a Sacrifice to God his father and offered the same which Melchisedech had offered that is bread wine to witt his own body blood S. Augustin also to the same purpose saith Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 17. c. 17. No where now is the Priesthood Sacrifice according to the order of Aaron and every where vnder Christ the Priest is offered vp that which Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham And again speaking of Melchisedechs Sacrifice he saith There did first appeare the Sacrifice which is now offered vp to God by Christians in the whole world The second Prophesie is in Malachie where God saith to the Iewes Malachie ch 1. v. 10. I have no pleasure in you neither will I accept any offering at your hands For from the riseing of the Sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentils and there is offered Sacrificed to my name in every place a pure oblation The holy Fathers vnderstood this as a most clear Prophesie of the Christian Sacrifice So S. Ireneus Among the 12. Prophets saith he Malachie did so fâ—retell of it Ireneus lib. 4 c. 33. I have no pleasure in â—u c. most clearly signifying by these words that the first people should leave off to offer vnto God and in every place a Sacrifice and that pure shouâ—d be offered vnto him So also S. Augustin did vnderstand it Aug de 〈◊〉 it l. 18. c. 26. Malachie saith he prophesying of the Chvrch which we see now propagated saith most â—learly vnto the Iewes in the person of God I have no pleasure in you c. since then we see the sacrifice by the Priesthood of Christ according to the Order of Melchisedech offered vp in every place c and they cannot deny but the sacrifice of the Iewes is ceased why do they yet look for another Christ seing that which they read Prophesied and see fulfilled could not be accomplished but by him If this Prophesie be so strong against the Iewes it is no lesse forcible against the Covenanters As the Prophets foretould so Christ fulfilled by instituting this Sacrifice by offering it vp himself and by ordaining it to be offered vp vnto the end of the world This he performed when taking bread he blessed it saying This is my body which is given for you and after the same manner of the Chalice He ordaind the same oblation to be continued when he said to his Apostles Do this in remembrance of me So the holy Fathers expresly teach S. Ireneus who lived in the second age speaking of Christs words of Institution saith Christ taught the new oblation of the new Testament Iren. lib 4 c. 33. which the Church receiving from the Apostles offereth vp to God throughout the whole world S. Cyprian affirmeth clearly the same truth saying Our Lord God Iesus-Christ Cypr lib 2. epist 3. is the high Priest of God the Father He offered vp himself a Sacrifice to his Father and the same he commanded to be done in his remembrance To which two we shall only adioyn S. Augustin who saith Aug. in psal 33. serm 2. Christ did Institute the Sacrifice of his body blood according to the Order of Melchisedech And last of all may be added the practice of the whole Christian world which in all ages from the death of Christ did render vnto God supreme honour worship testifying his Soveraignity power of life death by this most excellent Sacrifice of Christs body blood which the holy Fathers called the Sacrifice of the Masse The Vertue also of which God has manifested by many Miracles one of which I will recount out of S. Augustin to our purpose Aug. lib. 22 de Civit. c. 8. Which is briefly thus The house of a certain Tribune in the Countrey near to Hippo the City of S. Augustins residence being vexed with evil Spirits to the great losse of his cattel and affliction of his Servants he came and desired that one of our Priests saith the holy Father I being then absent would goe and pray that the Devil
it as the same Bellarmin affirmes against Calvins calumnies Secondly it is falsly called vncertain For albeit the Catholiques teach that no man without divine revelation can know the truth of his own repentance by the certainty of divine faith yet he mâ—y know it by a moral certainty ariseing from hope in the divine goodnesse according to that of S. Paul Rom. 8.14 we are saved by Hope which is sufficient to put mans mind in peace and tranquillity Then you as falsly detest the Catholique faith as generall and doubtsome For albeit the Catholiques bele ve not only all that God has reveal'd in geneâ—all but also every particular point yet you call their faith general and doubtsome because they will not beleeve that which God never reveal'd to witt your special faith or rather foolish fancie by which every one of you beleeves that your sins are forgiven and that you are of the number of the predestinate and by which you think to be iustifyed But the Catholiques have no reason to beleeve such a special faith because as it has been shewed above it is nothing but meer presumption and is condemned as a false faith a private fancie by a famous Protestant and it is so groundlesse doubtsome that it brings diverse among your selves who follow closely your principles into great perturbation of mind and some into desperation All which as also the truth and certainty of the Catholiques iustifying faith may be seen handled above in the matter of Iustification and particularly in the 17. Chapter page 183. and some few pages following After you have detested Confession and blamed the Catholiques for requireing so much Contrition now you detest Satisfaction and so you renounce all the three parts of the Sacrament of Penance but you do this with as little reason as you have done the rest For by Satisfactions the Catholiques vnderstand some laborious works such as Prayer A mesdeeds fasting which are offered vp to God in Satisfaction for the temporal punishment due to our sins after the guilt and eternal punishment are taken away by the Sacramental absolution which doctrine is most consonant to the Scripâ—ures holy Fathers That temporal punishment remaines due to sin after the eternal is remitted is most clear in the person of King David 2. Kings ch 12. v. 13. who after he had gote remission of his sins from God by the mouth of Nathan the Prophet was notwithstanding punished temporally with the death of his Son Aug. tract 124. in Ioan. This truth S. Augustin doth testifie saying A man is forced to suffer even after his sins are forgiven c. puniâ—hment doth hold a man temporally whom sin holds not guilty vnto eternal damnation That this temporall paine remaining after the guilt of sin is remitted may be redeemed by good works which are therefore called Satisfactions is also evident For Daniel said to the King Let me Counsell thee Daniel 4. ô King redeem thy sins with almes and thy iniquities with the mercies of the poore S. Iohn Baptist saith Doe fruits worthy of Penance S. Augustin vpon these words of the Psalme Luke 3.8 Cleanse me from my sin desires sinners to say with David No my Lord Aug in psal 50. my sin shall not be vnpunished it shall not be vnpunished but therefore I will not that thou punish it because I punish my own sin I passe by more testimonies for brevities sake It is sufficient to note that the Centurists confesse this was the doctrine practice of the auncient Church as may be seen Centurie 3. col 127. Neither is it any wonder that you who deny all good works are so great Enemies to Satisfactions or works of austerity You detest next the Popes Iustification by works but you might as well with your first Apostle Luther renounce the Iustification of S. Iames who teacheth the same in expresse termes saying Do you see that by works Iames 2. ch v. 24. a man is iustifyed and not by faith only But enough of this matter has been said above Then for opus operatum which you abiure it has bred some of your Ministers endlesse work for being often enquired they could never tell truly what it was but brought diverse ridiculous oftentimes contrary glosses or rather gesses on it which would be too tedious here to insert Whereby it is evident Iude v. 10. that they have blasphemed things as S. Iude speaks whereof they are ignorant and have made many thowsands do the same What the Catholique Doctors intend by opus operatum has been above shewed pag. 202. to witt that the Sacraments of the new Law doe conferre grace by the work wrought that is by the power of the Sacramental action instituted by Christ to that effect and not by the merit of the Minister or Receiver of the Sacraments which is a most certain truth as may be seen above explain'd and confirmed at more length This is a better work wrought then the work of your Covenant which has wrought much mischief in great Britain You are not content to renounce all works of duty which are commanded by denying the possibility of keeping the commandments vnlesse you renounce also works of more perfection not commanded but Counselled which the Catholiques call works of Supererogation That there are such works most laudable commendable albeit you detest them is evident by the Scriptures Fathers For Virginity is not a command but a Counsel and is more perfect then Matrimony Of this S. Paul giveth testimony saying As concerning Virgins a commandment of our Lord I have not but Counsel I give as having obtaynd mercy of our Lord to be faithfull 1. Cor. 7.25 where he also sheweth that he who maries doth well but he who maries not doth better ver â—8 The same also our Saviour shewes saying that there are Eunuches who have gelded themselves for the Kingdome of Heaven Again our Saviour shewes another Counsel Math. 19.12 or work of perfection when he said to the yong man in the Gospell If thou wilt be perfect Goe sell the things thou hast and give to the poore thou shall have treasure in Heaven Math. 19.21 To these two works of perfection is adioyn'd voluntary obedience as Christ himself shew by his voluntary subiection to the blessed Virgin and S. Ioseph He himself being the absolute Lord of them all things S. Luke 2.51 The holy Fathers are most clear for this doctrine S. Chrysostom saith Chrys in 1. ad Cor. c. 9. Some things Christ commandeth somethings he leaveth to our own free-will For he said not sell that thou hast but if thou wilt be perfect sell that thou hast c. And in his 18. homily of Penance he saith Multi ipsa superant mandata Aug. de Virginitate c. 30. Many goe beyond the very commandments S. Augustin also sheweth the difference between Commands Evangelical Counsels affirming that for not doing the first men are
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
that many Catholiques have been stirred vp by the Presbyterian Ministers for feare of their Excommunications and the Confiscation of their Estates which followed therevpon to swear and subscribe the Covenant against the light of their Consciences as was well known to the said Ministers which may be seen above p. 414. and 15. And seing many Catholiques are solicitited by Sathan and the PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS To swear subscribe receive their Sacraments against the clear light of their Consciences for IVST FEARES of the Ministerial CONFISCATIONS and lossing of their Estates 31 31 All these to whom God has made the light of Truth to shine ought to be thankfull for so great a benefit and never commit so great ingratitude as to abandon it for worldly respects How much more ought they to abhorre from taking the Covenant which makes even some Protestants hearts to stand which containes so many grosse vntruths as we have seen above which is not only a Denial but an Abiuration ioynd with horrible blasphemies of almost all the points of the Catholique faith We solemnly promise by the assistaÌ„ce of Gods grace that we shall never yeeld vnto such temptations nor be so ingrate after God has made the light of his truth to shine vnto vs who were living in the darknesse of Error as to abandon the Truth against our Consciences But rather shall continue constant in the profession of the same though it be with the losse of our Lives and Estates knowing that God Almighty is power full and Hoping that his goodnesse shall be willing to render vnto vs a hundred fold and life everlasting To which God of his infinit mercy bring vs. Amen THE PRESBYterian Covenant or Confession of Faith WEE all and every one of vs vnderwritten protest 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 due examination of our own Consciences in matters of true false Religion 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. THROVGHLY resolved of the Truth 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 And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God and the whole world that this only is the true Christian faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to man which 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 NOVV is by the mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel and received beleeved and defended by 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. Many notable Kirks Realmes but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Maiesty and the three Estates of this Realme 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 Truth and only ground of our Salvation As more particularly is confessed in the Confession of our Faith stablished and publickly confirmed by sundry 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. Acts of Parliament And now of a 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 hath been openly professed by the 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 Kings Maiesty and whole body of this Realme both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion wee 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. VVILLINGLY agree 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 VNDOVBTED Truth and Verity grounded only vpon his VVRITTEN word And therefore we abhorre and detest all contrarie Religion Doctrin But chiefly all kind of PAPISTRY in general and particular heads even as they are now damned and confuted by the