that this faith or beliâ—ving was to be sealed in the understanding that the understanding was to submit nâ— arrogantly to dispute And that this Act 〈◊〉 believe was a command or precept of Alâ— mighty God who will have his will obeyeâ— by all his subjects and the not obeying 〈◊〉 which is punished with eternal damnatâ—on Lastly consider Hebr. 10.23 let us hoâ— fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithfull that hath promised That faith is truly divine must be an infallible assent of our understanding submitting it self obediently to believe the Revelationâ— of God for otherwise faith consequently all Religion may be no more then fancy oâ— opinion and then no ways certain and if so then no obligation Now it must follow first that there must be some means appointed by God by which we may know this one true faith from all false Sects and opinions whereas to require one to believe upon pain of damnation not to give him any means whereby he may know what to believe for salvation in this Religion or that sect were to require him to walk without leggs these means must be infallible for we cannot be brought to an infallible assent by fallible and uncertain means as God would not require us to assent to an Authority which may deceive us then our understanding must of necessity submit to those â—eans under pain of damnation O terrible â—r if our understanding were at liberty to â—bmit or not submit to the means by which â—ving Faith is conveyed unto us it would â—en be no sin not to believe consequently â—od would not jnstly damn us for not beâ—eving and withall whosoever shall reâ—se to be governed by those heavenly â—eans and the same authority that God â—ath appointed to govern us he shall be a â—ebel against God and a vile Traitor Lastâ—y I say that two men of two differing â—iths or beliefs cannot be saved for both of â—hem knowing that they are bound to be guided and governed by those means which God hath appointed to convey saving faith â—o them and one of them flatly refusing to submit this person who refufeth must be guilty of disobedience and refractoriness to Gods Command and consequently cannot be saved And so to our present purpose ignorant people by reasonable and earnest diligence as it is very tollerable to humane frailty and very possible and easy for them may come by Gods grace to the true knowledge of these means otherwise God would have appointed means which would prove unprofitable to the end and so the far greater number of souls for whom Christ died would not be sufficiently provided for by Gods sweet providence 〈◊〉 that prophesy would prove also ineffectual Esay 35. Say to them that are of a fear fâ—â— heart be strong fear not behold your Gâ—â— will come and save you then the eyes of thâ— blinde shall be opened and the eares of thâ— deaf unstopped c. and one high way shall 〈◊〉 there and a way and it shall be called the holy way that way-faring men though foâ—â— shall not err therein It cannot be denyed bâ—â— this wholsome doctrine is agreeable with all sorts of people Apostats sectaries oâ— Dissenters from the Mother Church for it must be granted that there must be a way and a Rule there must be means appointed there must be a governing power to judge and decide all arising doubts and teach aâ— the world the true way and path to heaven with certainty but when we come to findâ—â— it out all persons will agree That they are obliged under pain of damnation to submit to it receive it and embrace it and walâ— according to it as to the Apostles if they were actually living or to Christ himself 〈◊〉 and when you understand this Rule and guide then you cannot but believe all and every article of faith which we the Roman Catholicks did all along from the Apostles time and this day do unanimously believe and practise this is the main point which will allay all controversies contests wranglings ammosityes and hatred between Roman Catholicks and all dissenters the God â—f union and truth open the eyes and illuâ—inate the understandings of apostats to â—ake right use of this my labour Now I â—t them know that neither private spirit or natural reason of any man can possibly 〈◊〉 this Rule and Judge for this must subâ—it as a subject and Vassal to that Rule and â—udge and it 's always fallible and strangdly â—t to mistake misleade which is against â—e nature of the true Rule and Judge to be â—r if God should oblige us upon pain of â—amnation to submit unto and to be goâ—erned and ruled by an Authority that might receive and might teach for a truth what 〈◊〉 not we should be bound to believe that 〈◊〉 true which is not so and yet be damâ—â—d for not believing the truth further â—our private spirit or reason were to be â—is Rule and Judge then it would follow â—â—ntrary to the scripture that it is not imâ—â—ssible to please God without faith for â—â—ason would sufficiently teach us how to â—ease God yet it would be a breach of this â—ule to believe what we do not understand would likewise follow that every preâ—â—nded Religion would be the truth and 〈◊〉 contradictions would be true and there would be not only one faith but no faith 〈◊〉 all but reason above which faith is for reason excludeth faith and there 〈◊〉 scarce that man living but his reason diffeâ— from anothers understanding judgmenâ— differing as much as their faces therefoâ—â— none that follows his own Reason could 〈◊〉 justice be condemned by God and so 〈◊〉 ilation all men would be saved unleâ—â— peradventure you will say that in a buâ—â—ness of such main consequence as the salvâ—tion of souls our primate reason perswadâ— us to prefer the authority of such as aâ— wiser then our selves before our own judâ—ments which is most true But I then infeâ—â— that Roman Catholicks are the most ratiâ—nal most learned most wise most godly most unbiased people now in the world aâ— consequently have the best Religion 〈◊〉 acting most conformably to reason in the belief for they rely still on the authority 〈◊〉 General Councils consisting of the able and most learned men of all Nations whiâ—â— is the greatest authority to be found 〈◊〉 Earth especially having the assistance of tâ—â— holy Ghost visum est spiritui sancto 〈◊〉 bis as it appears they have both by thâ— testimony of the Scripture and the constaâ—â— tradition of all ages Upon these ground we may be sure that certainly God in hâ—â— good providence had appointed a moâ—â— sure Guide Rule and Judge to bring maâ— to the infallible faith for salvation the Reason and proud spirit otherwise God is defective in necessaries and that Religion were no more then fancy and opinion and it is worth observation how for the first two thousand years before any Scriptures were written the visible
carnal childish sences and to turn your self to your mother the Roman Catholick Church wherein only is true faith Religion grace and true comfort to be found opus annorum multorum perdidisti arise and rouse from your dismall Apostasy An Appendix IN the great and most important affairs of faith all on all sides agree that they are bound on pain of damnation to believe all truths sufficiently propounded to them as revealed of God and to obey and submit to that Guide Rule Judge and Authority which God hath instituted and appointed to teach and govern them the reason is because whosoever denies any thing sufficiently propounded to be revealed by God denies Gods veracity and makes him a lyar No protestant can shew any other reason why by denying the Trinity and unity or the Incarnation Gods veracity is denied and God thereby made a liar but because the Trinity and Incarnation are sufficiently propounded as divine Revelations therefore the Real Presence prayer to Saints the Papes Supremacy auricular confession purgatory c. being without doubt as sufficiently propounded in the Scripture as those mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation by denying which Gods Veracity must be also denied and so God made a lyar See in chap. 16.12 when the spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth but all truth excludes all errours and this for ever which was to be longer then the Apostles were to live If you Andrew enquire by what means this teaching shall be by whom all people shall be taught all truths and shall be preserved from all errours S. Paul will tell you Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles succeeding in full Apostolical authority some Prophets expounders of the prophets some Evangelists preachers of the Gospel some Pastors and Teachers to what end for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ for what time or how long till we all come in the union of faith now Andrew you may ask will these secure us the very next verse tells you that henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro with every winde of doctrine by the slieght of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive as you lately have been most shamefully by the slieghts of Satan and his Instruments pride lust and avarice hurried away from Christs unerring Church wherein only are manifestly seen unfeigned miracles sanctity of life efficacy of doctrine admirable repentance of sinners conversions of people and Nations unity stability perpetuity uninterrupted succession of lawfull pastors which cannot be found in your protestant sect these are such heavenly marks as are impossible for God to affix unto a lie which is as impossible as to set his hand and seal to the confirmation of falshood according to the Rule of Gamaliel If it be of God it will hold the faith of Roman-Catholicks holds and daily grows more numerous in her proselites when the unsteady wavering protestant pitiful sect daily changes like the Camelion from one false doctrine to another which occasioned the most illustrious Marquesse Badensis from a Lutheran to become a Roman-Catholick the same instability of hereticks scoffed and laugh'd at by Fredericus great Duke of Saxony at a time being questioned by a familiar friend what did his Lutherans believe he answered quid hoc anno credunt scio quid vero credituri sint anno sequenti nescio nec ipsimet sciunt no wonder having lost their ground their rule their un-erring Judge the Roman-Catholick Church some years past the protestants in England according to their first institution did observe the Lent exactly and also were accustomed to fast from meat on Frydays Saturdays but alas all that is forgorten all is chang'd nothing permanent among them but persecution of the Roman-Catholicks yet to observe the Lent and to abstain from meat the forty days of Lent withal on Frydays and Saturdays would much conduce to the weal-publick for the growth of cattle and for the comfort of poor people meat being so excessive dear for not observing the fasts on those holy times not speaking of the infinite comfort and encreaâ—e of blessings both to soul and body which daily accrew to Kingdoms where the Lent and Frydays and Saturdays are duely observed and fasted in the Roman-Cath Church Now Andrew I conjure you in the bowels of Charity to learn by heart that most heavenly lesson of Christ Jesus viz. Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart in order to this remember S. John 4.6 We are of God He that heareth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth us not hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour Andrew nothing was required to distinguish those two spirits but to hear or to refuse to hear the Apostolical Teachers Lo S. Paul saith Faith comes by hearing it will be as necessary now for you to hear in these our times those that are lawfully commissioned to teach as it was in the time of the Apostles Come along therefore return to your Mother your true un erring guide fly away from Babylon and save your soul begin to curse the day that you began to curse and dishonour your true Mother in imitation of that great Heresiarch Calvin who consuming with intolerable stench from vermine cryed out aloud saying Maledicta dies qnae primum studio scriptioni falsae me adduxit Bolsecus in vita Calvini haec te horrenda moveant terreant from appearing against truth and the faith of Christ for vain oftentation for sordid gain for to please men and displease the all-seeing God O Andrew how come you to forsake your true mother the Roman-Catholick Church which is the womb of your beginning and bosome of your repose and fall into the cruel hands of a false mother and harlot I pray observe 3. Reg. how two harlots came to Solomon for to decide the controversie between them about a living child the one alledging it was hers and the other also alledging the childe belonged to her the King said bring me a sword and they brought a sword before the King and the King said divide the living childe in two and give half to one and half to the other then spake the woman whose the living childe was for her bowels yerned toward her son saying O my Lord give her the living childe and in no wise slay it but the other the false mother said let it not be mine or thine but divide it then the King out of his wisedom said give her the childe slay it not she is mother thereof because she has true love to her childe and will not have it divided your soul is a childe which is claim'd by two Mothers the Roman-Catholick Chhrch and the pretended Church of Protestants how shall we finde out the true mother from the false one by Solomons dividatur infans let the childe be divided in two the
stretch her arms and open her heart to your obedience and humble submission are you afraid that Infidels will blame you of inconstancy in changing of your Religion know you not that there is only sin vice and errour to which you must want constancy why should you blush at humane weakness and not at withstanding and denying truth was it a blemish to S. Paul to become an Apostle of a cruel persecutor was it a shame to Constantine the Great of a heathenish Infidel to become a Christian was it a blemish to Clouis the first King of France to be drawn to Christian religion by a woman Finally was it a shame to very many noble learned protestant Doctors and very many persons of quality who daily return to the Roman-Catholick Religion let us impute the many falls that happens to the malice of the devil and to the age we live in and to the weaknesse of corrupt nature but let us not grudge God the conversion of souls which are the works of his hands do not follow the course of the times rather follow the light of your conscience what matters it if the children of darknesse viz. protestants judge ill of the children of light Did ever the Sun blush for not being look'd upon wishfully by blinde owls and bats who can justly blame you for having submitted wilful obstinacy to moderation to truth to vertue to ways of grace peace and sanctity humane judgement to divine law and for having followed rather infinite learned holy and consciencious brave men of all ages then a handful of proud unwarrantable ignorant rebellious and self-seeking spirits that have no other Religion but back and belly because they have moulded their souls meerly of flesh and bloud we men have above brute beasts the resurrection of the body we have above the devils repentance to cry for mercy to reclame and acknowledge we are sinners Is it possible that the sweet alluring though deluding commodities and gilded pleasures of this fading world and temporall blessings shall as yet keep you back from returning what can you hope more of this sect forsaken by God and men though it should promise unto you mountains of gold ought you peradventure for a false and deceitfull representation of honours goods riches or momentany pleasures to yield and deliver your soul to eternal pains and render your name and memory hateful to all men living Let not so great an illusion creep into your brain now in the confusion and low ebb of reeling Protestancy God means to sever the chaff from the good corn to part true children from the unlawful and base born the fire is kindled to try the brethren of gold and lead faith is tried and sealed with the signet of tribulation persecution and affliction forsake the spirit of Satan which breedeth in you the spirit of errour lies crimes disorders frantick fancies and fool-hardy conceits yeeld yeeld Sall seek as much as you can your glory in humility obedience and submission of spirit to lawful powers and be sure that there and no where else is the only holy way to truth faith religion and salvation In the name of God weigh at leisure these considerations of this Sovereign antidote kick no longer against the goad go no more to forge difficulties and illusions you shall no sooner set your foot in the sheep-fold of the true Catholick Roman Church with so many men of great note lately and daily converted notwithstanding all penal Statutes Proclamations confisations mulcts sequestrations c. but all phantasies will vanish you shall live in peace of conscience and receive grace to your soul But alas I am afraid that it is now adays easier to bring to the sheepfold of Christ whole entire Provinces and Cities then to convert one perverse obstinate heretick The Athiests are converted not by force of arms or compulsion but by the preaching of the pure word of God by miracles and vertuous examples of Roman-Catholicks but a perverse heretick is more pertinacious because more presumptuous neither by sound arguments nor by miracles nor conviction of the understanding can be removed from his liberty of heresie See what S. Jerome says Facilius est furori Gentilium occurrere raptisque populos abestiali scientia ad fidei pietatem praedicando convertere quam quemlibet haereticum in sui perfidia dogmatis confidentem ad fidem rectam revocare This glorious Doctor says that it is more facil to cure and restore to his sight one that is stark blinde having his eyes closed up and not open then one that hath his eyes open and yet can see nothing his reason is because he that hath eyes close needs no more then to open up his eyes applicando activa passivus even so it is with you Andrew you have your eyes open you believe in Christ in the Scriptures and that there is a heaven and hell c. yet you cannot nor will not look attentively or desire to be convinced neither by reason miracles nor yet by the heroick brave examples of Roman Catholicks you are obstinate you are like an owl that cannot see at noon-day the Gospel O excecation O purblind execration vae impio in malum I believe I may be censured by some and thought to be too severe and sharp in this my expression designed onely for to recover you a lost sheep from the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity but let me tell you that publick scandall must have publick and severe reprehensions to prevent utter ruine and perdition both my zeal and indignation shall ever express it self both ways against any that gives scandal to Christs flock I am instructed to be rough by my sweet Jesus who never was so invective against any as the Scribes and Pharisees the hypocrites of that age and truly these my reprehensions are not so sharp out of any end but to shew you Andrew your own guilt in order to your speedy reviviscence and repentance such diseases as festers inwardly requires a faithfull though rough hand to search them and to keep from gran-green he that is fallen into a deep sleep of heresie must have loud cryes to awaken and rouse him I desire you therefore to dissolve vincula colli tui cumputruisti enim in oculis tuis placens tibi placere cupiens oculis perditorum hominum superbe derilantium in quorum ore â—aquei diaboli fly from them Andrew abhorre ea quae te praeparant ad interitum appete ea nunc quae te foelicem perpetuo facere possunt Learn from S. Paul Non credere omni spiritui Learn from Solomon multos amicos unum autem habere conciliarium Learn from Christ Domum tuam supra Petram fundare Learn from the Apostles to sail within that sacred Ship the Catholick Church which can never be cast on rocks or errours to suffer shipwrack ad hanc a te turpiter derelictam Ecclesiam ut redeas ego admoneo exhortor gemebundus ne pernitiosis seductorum
Roman Catholick Church what honour therefore profit or proselits can accrew to the Protestants by so much honoring and contenancing our poor Apostates made their chief Apostles none but rather great dishonour and shame for how can any man in his witts believe that such vile Runagates who proves faithless and perfidious to the living God Religion Conscience and consecrated vows â—an prove at all true real and faithful to a new-fangled groundless and inconstant Sect moulded and fram'd by mortal men It is worth observation to ponder how there was an Orthodox priest very familiar with Theodoricus an Arrian King who for to insinuate himself into more favour with the King became an Arrian which when the King understood immediatly commanded he should be put to death saying Si Deo vivo fidem non servavit quomodo mihi qui mortalis sum eam conservabit and you may reade in histâ—r tripar lib. 1. c. 7. how Constantius a Gentile Father to Constantinus Magnus used a strange stratagem for to discover who among the Christians in his Court were his faithful friends from those that were not he fain'd to set up the worship of false Gods and to banish from his Court and service all such that would not abjure Christian Religion and embrace the establish'd by him in his kingdom upon publication whereof many revolted from Christian Religion for to enjoy the kings favour many continued constant to their principles whereupon the King removed from his Court and favour all who proved unconstant and faithless to their religion not daring in his prudence to trust those who were found perfidious to the living God but those who stood stedfast to their faith and conscience he embrac'd and emploied in places of trust and honour Hence it doth follow that it is folly to expect that Andrew can be true real or faithful to Sectaries that was not constant to Gods true service neither can he be instrumental to draw many proselites after him in Ireland from the Roman-Catholicks who are brave resolute clear-sighted Christians most zealous of their ancient Religion for which and for not going to the Protestant Churches against their conscience they would not suffer imprisonments forfeitures of estats if they had not been absolutely certain that all the Misteries and tenents of their antient faith are purely revealed by God and faithfully handed to them by their glorious and miraculous Patron and Apostle S. Patrick and so they choose undauntedly rather to suffer the loss of all their means and brave estates c. then make in the least shipwrack of their Religion and they be not ignorant how that it was not for any truth perfection or goodness in the protestant Sect that mov'd Sall to revolt to it neither for love of more vertues or more sanctity he deserted his true antient Mother but that it was rather for to enjoy more liberty indulgence more pleasure more mony more content and plausibility among protestants occasioned his dismal separation yet noâ—withstanding he will not if he can perish alone he will furiously endeavour to gaine proselites and will out of ambition pride and malice envenom others though I am confident he will catch none but Novices onely in both divine and humane learning and such as are unsetled in Religion and wild hair-braind loose livers and idle vagrants Therefore Andrew desist from preaching poor souls into just so much as shall beget their torture let them rest where they finde full satisfaction Oh Andrew desist from fighting against God who is the free disposer of his gifts and especially of faith do not expose your self dangerously to the indignation of God do not strive to drive others and thy self to eternal perdition without question you commit a most grievous sin when you endeavour by artifice of the devil to draw men to profess or act contrary to what their souls and consciences believes to be revealed and true when you wound the weak consciences you sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 do not desperatly preach or strive to whip Roman Catholicks out of their true faith to a way that is but errour and falshood Let me now Andrew close this Discourse with this when Prometheus stole fire from heaven to animate quicken his artificial bodies the gods for punishment of so high a sacriledge struck him not dead with a sudden thunderbolt but to be more deeply avenged let him live to be tormented with vultures continually gnawing on his liver O Andrew your horrid apostasie and sacriledge exceeds all crimes imaginable so your punishment will be exceeding grievous for in an unlucky time you steal away the heavenly fire of your sacred function mission and character from Gods service and employ it though to little effect to animate and quicken that artificial earthly imperfect dead body of protestanism your fire is turned to black coals fetch'd from the infernal pit to preach what in your conscience you believe untrue I am sure is damnable and to compel others to the same is nothing else but to drive them to renounce their sure-footing in Religion and the essential part in them their reason but let me tell you all your labour poor contrivements wretched ambition and oyl will be wasted to no purpose you do feel I am confident your self tormented with vultures continually gnawing on your liver nam sequitur superbos ultor a tergo Deus Seneca and withall non existimes impune tibi futurum quod contra Deum pugnare tentaveris 2 Mac. 7. My last advice to you is from the holy Ghost Eccles 9. quodcunque potest manus tua operare instanter quia nec opus ne ratio nec sapientia apud inferos quo tu prâ—peras ah dear Andrew be wise return to thy self confider these things work according to them that you may be happy according to the true prayers of Your true friend and well-wisher in the best things J. E. FINIS A COUNTER-POYSON For to Enchant that Enchanted Enchanting Forsworn Wretch ANDREW SALL APOSTATE Miserably wandring in the Region of Nothing Thou hast not lied to men but to God Acts 5.