Heathers Heathens Ibid put out Math. 28. P. 63. Captiuite Captiuate Ibid. Madmes Madnesse THE CONTENTS THE cause of vvriting this manifest pag. 1. The reall Motiues of making his Search into matters of Religion p. 2. A fitt disposition for the finding out the truth of Religion p. 4. The false deating of Protestant vvriters acknovvledged by themselues p. 6. The blasphemous absurdities of Protestants auouching the Church to haue perished p. 7 The vnion of Sectaries vvhich principally consistes in their common conspiracy against the Romane and Catholique Church VVhat it argues p. 8. The reason vvhy none vvith à safe conscience can adheare to the English Church p 9. The guile full deceipt of Heritickes pretending to flie to the Scripture p. 10. VVhether Protestants haue infallibly any true Scripture to dispute out of or to build their faith on from the 10. to the 13. Theire falsifying the Scriptures and vnconscionable dealing in commending them to the people for the pure vvord of God p. 14. That Protestants can not proue any thing assuredly out of Scripture p. 16. The cunning of Heretickes in affirming the Church can erre that they take avvay all meanes of ending controuersies in Religion p. 17. The manifold old heresies Protestants haue renevved p. 18. to the 20. Their contempt of the Churches authority makes them guilty of Antichristian pride p. 20. VVhat effect the consideration of the Prementioned absurdities vvrought p. 21. The perpetuall visibility or succession of Pastours as the marke of Christes Church vvhich is but one established p. 22. of vvhich also p. 66. c. That the Fathers fled therevnto to confute heretikes p. 23. to 26. proued The Argument demonstrating that only the Romane Church is Christs true Church founded on the inseparable marks therof p. 26. Protestants Confessions that their Church vvas not in the ages before Luther but that truth was vnknovvne an vniuersall Apostacy ouer spreading the vvorld till his coming p. 27. to 31. The consequence dravvn from their style of Reformed Church incompatible in points of faith vvith Christs true Church p. 30. Their euasions of the Argument confuted p. 31. A triall by expresse Scripture of the controuerted points of Religion p. 32. to 38. Protestants impious dealing vvith Scriptures p. 39. to 43. A Triall by the auncient Fathers according to Protestants ovvne Confessions p. 44. The deepe hypocrisy of Ievvel the English Protestants grand champion in Appealing to the Fathers p. 47. The vanity also of Witthaker therin p. 48. Also VVillets diabolicall dissimulation in that point p. 49. The exeerable blasphemy vvhich folovveth from Protestāts pretēded Reformation of the Church p. 51. A Further prosecution of the Argument against other Sectes p. 53. Protestants Confessions in behalfe of the Romane Church that she vvas the true Church and that she never fell p. 55. to 61. The issue or result of the former discourse and the Authours Resolution p. 61. 62. c. An Ansvver to the obiection of differring his Conuersion to the Romane Church p. 72. The Fathers testimonies of her p. 68. c. The Conclusion and reason vvhy he so much vseth the Protestants confessions and testimonies p. 75. M. W. P. MANIFESTE TO HIS FRIENDS IN IVSTIFICATION Of his abandoning the English Church and becoming Catholique BEINGE not ignorant but very sensible how falsely my brother is voyced to haue seduced me such is theire phrase they please to vse to become Catholique and againe how temerariously noe lesse vniustly my selfe is accused of Levitie and inconstancy for abandoninge the Protestant reformed Congregation I haue therfore thought it à very behouefull part to declare my selfe breifly by this ensueinge manifest as well to clere my brother as to render your selfe an dmy other best freinds some satisfactory accoumpt in iustification of myne owne Action First then although my brother doe much ioy with the Angells for my Conversion as I doubt not but all godly people doe and might much more haue gloryed had he been the Instrument or Agent therof yet vpon my resolution I assure yow he was soe great à stranger unto it as that he knew me not to be otherwise then à Protestāt before that some weeks after my reconsiliation to the Church of Christ I tould him I was à Catholique Yea soe farr was he from conceavinge any hopes that way as that he ingeniously and playnly tould me that I was one of the prophanest Spiritts that ever he heard speake against his Religion How then was he an Actor in my Conversion to the Catholique Church that was not onely such à stranger to it but allso in à manner dispayringe therof As Concerninge the obiected Levity I sincerly protest it was the due Consideration of the vanityes of these transitory affayrs the vncertaynty of this present life the Innumerable daingers that therin occurre the Dreadfull Iudgement that I was to vndergoe and the fynall sentence of eternall Ioye or misery never dyeing but everlastinge wich I was to receive These important poynts I say seriously pondered and not levity occasioned my search into matters of Religion on the verity or falsety wherof accordingly depends the salvation or damnation of every mans soule which is the Vnum necessarium to vse the Gospell phrase that aboue all affaires is to be regarded What exchange will à man make for his soule Verily by the irrefragable testimony of our Sauiour If he gaynes the whole world he profitts nothinge if he suffer damage therof Vnderstand yee these things that forgett God whilst peradvēture ther will not be any to redeeme yow Ps. 49. Oh all yee who are enthraled by the loue of perissinge riches temporall honnors Carnall freinds and wordly respects who by their actions and deeds deny God nothinge fearinge the fynall sentence of eternall woe or wellfare Oh all yee I say tymely consider and take to hart this most Consequent affaire least hereafter when it will be too late ther wil be none to releive or succor you and therfore lett vs while wee haue tyme worke good for our soules Let vs now I say while it is A nunc acceptabile seeke our Lorde while he may be fownd and be prepared to ascertayne our selues in the knowledge and embracement of the one Catholique Church out of which ther is noe salvation least when wee little thinke of it the Sonne of man will come to call vs to à dreadfull accoumpt and finde vs Et minus habentes ad recte credendum tardos And forasmuch as that in the Inquest after soe weightye an argument ther can be noe worse preparatiue disposition and more disadvantagious to the findinge out of the soule savinge truth then to haue aforehand an over wayueringe conceipt of the one syde and to be prepossest by preiudicate opinion of the other part I was resolued vtterly to divest my selfe of the passions of loue or hatred towards eyther syde and dilligently with the impartiall eye of Charity to looke into the principales of both Catholique and
Protestant Ministers and teachers haue of any Lawfull ordination or vocation for their pretensiue reformation and departure from the Roman Church with whom sometyme their Sect-masters were vnyted in Communyon of fayth but their owne errable authoritye And consequently seinge their Church can erre how can Protestants be assured that their Church doth not erre in Condemninge the Roman Church of superstition Or how can the vulgar be sure they are taught the truth when their teachers themselues confesse that their Church and all their Pastors may lye In à word noe Protestant can produce any prooffe on t of Scriptures in his owne defence or impugnation of Catholique Religion but it is glossed or expounded litterallie or misticallie eyther by his Church or his owne private Spiritt If by his Church what Certaynty or security when confessedlie she may erre If by his private Spiritt much lesse is he free from error And indeed by how much the more I heare and see Protestants amayne striue to maintayne that the Church may erre in matters of Fayth it renders me more averse from them and Iustly to suspect their Religion for that they seeme to be heires of vnworthie progenitors to witt of the Arians who taught all Counsells to be subject to error The hereticall Donatists who condemned the whole Church of Error As lykewise of the Wiklefians and Waldenses And would yow know the fundamentall reason of this their assertion Truely ther is noe other then that by disgraceinge the Churches authoritie whith errability their doctrine might be exempted from the note of heresie and themselues avoyd the tytle of hereticks for if the Church could erre in the determynation of controuersies of Religion why might not the decrees of the Church in Condemninge of hereticks be called in question and soe in fine ther would remayne noe meanes to know who are hereticks for if yow goe to the scripture which they whith great forwardnes will alledge and seclude the Churches exposition of the true sence they can never be Convinced but will allsoe easilye elude whatsoever Text can be brought against them as long as themselues be iudges of the controversie and sense And whem I Consider the many doctrines renewed by Protestants which formerly haue been Condemned by the Church as hereticall Noveltyes cōtrary to the fayth generally and aunciently professed how can I againe imagine otherwise then that they maintayne this dangerous and absurd position of the Churches errabilitie for noe other end then that their doctrine might be the betther freed from the Censure of heresies for what is not the denyinge of mans frewill the heresie of Simon Magus Is not the affirmeinge that distinction and order ought not to be observed in the Church of God the heresie of the Prepusians Is not the denyinge that all synnes are forgiuen by the Sacrament of pennance the heresie of the Nouatians Is not denyinge of the water of Baptisme to availe any thinge to our salvation one of the heresies of the Mamkeans Is not the denyinge to offer sacrifice for the Dead ād that ther is noe difference betwene à Bissopp and à simple Preist and that the fasting dayes of the Church ought not to be kept the heresies of Aeriaus Is not the affirmation that by fayth onely men maye obtayne life everlastinge the heresie of the Eunomians Is not the theachinge that Infants may be saued without Baptisme one of the heresyes of the Pelagians Is not the theachinge Marryage to be as acceptable to God as virginitie and that it is lawful for Nonnes and Monkes to Marry the heresies of Iouinian Is not the denyinge the intercession of Saints And the honoringe of the Martyrs reliques the heresies of Vigilantius Is not the breaking downe the Images of our Lorde Iesus and of his Saints the Iconomachians heresie Is not the denyinge of the body of our Lorde Iesus to be really present in the Sacrament of the Alter the heresie of Beringarius In à worde to omitte many other renewed heresies of the Albigenses Waldenses Wicklifts Hussitts and other detestable hereticks many yeares agoe condemned by the Church of God Is not the denyall of the possibility of Gods Comaundements condemned as the famous and auncient Doctors S. Ierome S. Augustin witnes Condemned I saye in certayne ould hereticks yea verilie What marvill then is it that when they see their Doctrine Condemned of hereticall novelty if they contemne the Churches authority in Generall Counsells and reiect the auncient Fathers As patrons of Papistrie Note What marvill I saye seeinge in these they finde their condemnation in most Articles now in contestation if they affirme the Churches errabilitie in matters of Fayth True it is as S. Paul sayes that an heretick is condemned by his owne Iudgment seeinge he disclaymes from the authority of Gods Churchs Which is the pillar and foundation of truth and betrampleth the Pastors and Doctors lights of the Church in which he manifestly preferreth himselfe before the holy Ghost the ruler and director of the Church Accordinge to Christ infallible promise Note And what is this else but to extoll himselfe aboue God Super omne quod dicitur Deus Which is one of the speciall markes of Antichrist and yet this Antichristian arrogancie in treadinge vnderfoot the diffinitions of the Church and the authority of the auncyent Fathers and Doctors therof is the verie mayne grownd of Reformers And therfore Peter Martyr one of the pryme wpholders of the Reformed Church endoctrinates his fellowes with this principle sayinge That soe longe as wee stand to the Counsells and Fathers soe longe wee shall remayne in the Papists errors Lib. de votis Oh when I seriously considered and discussed the former discourse with many daingerous Consequences which thence yssued and seeinge my selfe to sayle in the barke of such à Congregation which had noe assured safegard against eternall Shippwrack it was high time to leaue her and spedily to imploy all my endeavours for findinge out of that Church which is the Arke of safetye the mother of the faythfull the pillar of truth Soe beutifull à spouse of Christ which hath neyter spott nor wrincle soe infallible à Iudge of all Controversies of Religion as whosoever shall refuse to receive her sentence is to be reputed as à Heathen and Publican It is this vnspotted Church not lyable to error in fayth espoused to Christ for ever who is with her to the consummation of the world and directs her by the holy Spiritt which shall abyde whith her for ever and teach her all truth It is this vnspotted spouse of Christ I saye my cares were incumbant spedily to procure for my mother to the end I might haue God for my Father The Caracteristicall and insepable marke of Christ Church which is but one is that in her shall allwayes be found Pastors and Teachers for the Contineuall preachinge of the word and administration of the Sacraments the ordynarie meanes necessarie to Salvation To this effect are alledged these words
wee must be vnited if wee will be saued she onely beinge infallable and secure in her doctrine For if she onely beareth the cognissance and inseperable marke of Christ his Church as hath bin demōstrated then necessarily to her only are agreable those prerogatiues which by holy writt are conferred and confirmed on Christ his Church to witt that she is the foundation and pillar of Truth 2. ad Tim. 3. That she hath the spirit of truth ever to abyde with her Pastors to teach her all truth Io. 14. c. and 16. c. That she is the spowse of Christ without wrinkle or blemish which he hath espoused to himselfe by à continuall assistance vnto the consummation of the world Eph. 5. And finally that she is the Church to whose Iugment in Controversies of Religion wee are to referre our selues and to whose determination without further appeale wee ought to obey vnder the penalty of beinge reputed Heathers and publicans Math. 28. Math. 18. Wherfore I thus resolue that seeinge the Romane Church is Christ his true Church if he hath any on earth as most certainly he hath and that in no age or season Christ his true Church can erre in matters of fayth I ame resolued I saye to receive for à verity of fayth that which the Romane Church hath or shall declare to be such and on the contrary reiect and disclayme from whatsoever doctrine she hath or shall disapproue or condemne as repugnant to Gods worde written or vnwritten Let then her Athistical aduersaries presse never soe much to receive nothinge but that which by their naturall reason they can be convinced of I ame prepared accordinge to the advice of the Apostle to Captiuite my vnderstandinge obsequiously to the mysteries of fayth as beinge supernaturall and transeendinge naturall reason And therfore will I rest in the Iudgment of the Church which is ever directed by à supernaturall Agent that teacheth her all Truth Hee that seeketh fayth seeketh not reasō Sayth Tertullian and Chrisologus Athens hath nothing to intermeddle with Hierusalem nor the Academy with the Church our schoole is the porch of Solomon which teacheth vs that wee must search for God with simplicity of Hart and not with frivolous curiositie of naturall reason what wronge doth the Creator to vs if he would haue vs beleiue more then wee are able to comprehend It is not for the iron to aske of the Adamant from whence those charmes and secret influences come wherwith he attracteth and captiuats him It is enough that he followe when God proposeth à verity to vs by the voyce and generall consent of the Church wee are not to appeale to humaine reason and to sence which haue winges tooshort to vndertake such à flight while one proceedeth in this Manner fayth wil be noe true fayth but à fantesy or opinion If S. Peter would not haue beleiued Christ to haue bin the sonne of God except naturall reason and carnall sence had convinced him therof Our Saviour had not pronounced Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for that fleshe and blood hath not revealed it vnto yow c. vpon this Rock will I build my Church For in the comprehension of the verities and the misteries of fayth It is the spirit that quickeneth and the fleshe profitteth nothinge as our blessed Saviour avoucheth against those which were incredulous that the bread which he would giue to eate was his fleshe for the liffe of the world For according to S. Gregoire Fides non habet meritum vbi ratio praebet experimentum and therefore blessed ore those who beleeue and doe not see viz by the evidence of natural reason or sense Lett also Heretickes obiect against any Article of our fayth any Texte of Scriptures perversly or malitiously interpretted and to theire owne perdition misvnderstood according to the dictamen of their owne private vnwarranted spiritt Lett them I saye with noe lesse pryde then madmes proclayme the Churches authority lyable to Error in declaringe what is truly Cōformable or repugnant to the worde I value not their erronious Iudgments knowinge full well that she is ever assisted by the spirit of all teachinge truth accordinge to the infallible promise of Christ and cānot teach any thinge repugnant to the worde of God noe more then God can teach contrary to himselfe who is her director And therfore whosoever harkenneth vnto her voyce that is to the generall Iudgment of the Pastors and teachers heareth the voyce and word of Christ soe that the worde of the Church is the worde of Christ Whence S. Augustin who dilligently observed this rule sayeth The truth of Scripture is holden by vs when wee doe that which know hath pleased the vniversall Church which the authority of the same Scripture doth commend that seeinge the Holy Scripture cannot deceive whosoever feareth to be deceived by the obscurity of this question lett him take Counsell therof from the Church which without any ambiguitie the Scriptures doth demonstrate And in another place he sayth it is most insolent madnes what she professes and practices to call in question Epist. 118. ad Ianuarium cap. 5. And why I pray is this most insolent madnesse to question what the Church professes and practiseth but because this in effect is to denie or dispute against the Canonicall Scriptures aknowledged on both sides For if in the aknowledged worde of God by most cleare testimonies the authority of Christ his Church is soe highly magnified as that she is styled the pillar and foundation of Truth the vnspotted Spouse without wrinkle his body his Lott his Inheritance and kingdome given him in this world in which he hath placed Apostles Doctors and Pastors to the Consummation of the Electe which Doctors are ever assisted by the spirit that teacheth them all truth and accompanied by our Saviour to the Consummation of the world who Comaunds vs to harken to his Spouse the Church Sub poena of beinge reputed Heathens or Publicans Tell me then is not this most insolent madnesse to call her profession and practice in question Note To be soe Antichristianly proud as to preferr our owne Iudgments and expositions of the worde before the Church which is directed by the Spirit of Truth Is not this in words to boast much of Scriptures and indeed not to follow them for if yow search the Scriptures that is profoundly and not superficiasly or malitiously consider them yow shall finde that the same are they that give testimony of her and how she is to be obeyed and as eagerly followed Wherfore to draw to à Conclusion seeinge the true Church of Christ which is but one cannot Erre in matters of Fayth and onely the Romane Church beareth the vnseperable marke of it To vse the Apostle S. Paules words From hence foward lett noe man trouble me for I beare the markes of my Lorde Iesus in my bodie ad Gal. 5. from hence forth let noe man goe about to molest my conscience for being incorporated in the bodie of