was worth euery droppe of blood yea his most pretious life that you might liue for euer in eternall glorie in neuer ending pleasures and the rich fruition and possession of his immense Maiesty the All Good the supreame Good and the soueraigne sole Good Let not momentary pleasure procure you an everlasting paeine nor let á short sufferance depriue you of an infinite reward Breuis voluptas sempiterna poena modica passio infinita gloria Saith the Seraphicall Father Saint Francis Therefore whilest you haue time work well for your soule the one thing which is necessary differre not so consequent an affaire least forgetting God in your life he forsake you in your death bedde according to that dreadfull saying of S. Augustine Hac animaduersione percutitur peccator vt moriens obliuiscatur sui qui dum viueret oblitus est Dei Aske then I beseech you timely of the old paths which is the Good way and walke in it and you shall finde refreshing for your soule These old paths which is the Good way in which all the godly and holy persons walked to the heauenly Hierusalem is the infallible iudgment of the supreame Pastours and Gouenours of Gods Church which they followed as the guide of faith and necessary way of Salvation In the old law it was strictly commaunded by almighty God Exod 17. insomuch as whosoeuer should be so proud as that he would not obey the order and commaund of the Cheife Priest who was the iudge in Ecclesiasticall affaires he was to die This also in the beginning and foundation of the new law our B. Sauiour so strictly commaunded as he that would not obediently harken to the Church he was to be reputed not as one capable of life euerlasting but as à beathen and publicane that is à person out of the state of saluation This was the way S. Austen whom euen the Protestants affirme to haue beene à most excellent wittnes of Antiquity as liuing about the Primitiue times of Christs Church tooke to resolue himselfe infallibly in doubts of Religion as is to be seene in diuers places of his diuine workes finally this also is the finall and continuall way in all ages since all Orthodoxe professours haue folowed in the determination of controuersies of faith as is manifest by the perusall of the Ecclesiasticall Records This way did my deceased Brother take to resolue himselfe employing all his cares to finde out the true Church of Christ that is the Catholique Church which the Apostles in their Creed only teach vs to belieue at all times it being true at all times to say I beleeue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholique Church and to rest himsefe touching all points of faith in her iudgmēt she being infallible therin as perpetually being taught by the holy Ghost all truth and no errour He sought humbly with perseuerance and through Gods mercifull goodnes found it out'seeke also and you shall finde Shall you vouchsafe to peruse impartially this his Manifest I am confident it will contribute much direction to the knowledge and embracement therof to the glory of God the ioy of the Angells and heauenly Saints the saluatiō of your soule and comfort of your best friends among whom he is one who will not cease to pray our Blessed Lord and Sauiour that he will illuminate the darknes of yours my other friends and Countrymens soules that he will giue you à true faith an assured hope à perfect Charity and endue you with the knowledge of him that vnited to the Catholique Church in all things all manner of wayes you may accomplish his holy pleasure in this life and in the next enioying him with all the Saints you may sing his mercies for euer Which is and shall be the dayly praier of him who humbly begging that the necessary discharge of his bounden duty for your soules Good may finde pardon for his freedome remaines euer as he professeth and subscribeth On the Vigill of all Saints 1650. HONORABLE DEARE SIR Your most dutifull and affectionate poore Nephew H. P. TO THE READER ALLTHOVGH to some it may seeme superfluous to print any thing in this nature for any of our Countrymen for that the present confusion and destruction of the English Church is manifest to all who know what belongeth either to the Hierarchie doctrine or discipline thereof By which it is evident their Religion was neuer Scripturall but parlamentary founded on the changeable vote of à Maior parte Yet to satisfy the will of the dead I haue done it to the end it may the more easilie be communicated to all his Protestant friends as it vvas by him intended Some happily might haue expected in the publication I vvould haue diuided it into certaine Chapters and in the end of them according as occasion required haue confirmed vvhat therein is said or supposed vvith some additions But I am as vvell acquainted vvith the humour of the times vvhich loatheth prolix tracts as I am vvith the multiplicity of mine ovvne occasiōs vvhich vvill not permit any such fraternall office Besides that it is my intention only to print it according to the Copy of the Originall vvhich is in the hand of à Protestant friēd vvho is à man of qualitie I could truly haue vvished that I had had the benefit of those Protestant books he perused in order to this Manifest that I might haue put the forme and yeare of the editions of these Authours he cites in regard the seuerall editions and change of the forme in the editions sometimes in quartò another time in folio or octauo make the citations not so easilie to be found out as othervvise besides many enlargements in the latter editions vvhich disorders the text of the former yet this in part is obserued by the Authour In the 14. page I knovv not hovv the quotations of M. Bruges Broughton and D. Whitaker vvere omitted but knovv that M. Bruges vvordes are in his 6. Section of his Apologie and M. Broughton in his aduertisment to the Bishops M. Whitakers in his Ansvver to M. William Reinolds pag. 225. As for the faults escaped in the printing I must in the Printers behalfe craue thy charity to couer his defects for that he vvas à stranger to our language to say nothing of the ill caracter of the Manuscript vvhich for the orthographie and mispointing must pleade his pardon for vvhat is othervvise materiall I haue represented vvith the correction leauing the rest to thy charity and recommending thee to svveet IESVS our Blessed Sauiours fauorable mercy and protection ERRATA PAg 3. linea 17. In steed of their read your P. 4. l. 11. ouer vvauetring ouervveening P. 16. this his P. 12. alibi infalloble Infallible P. 22. 23. 31. insepable Inseparable P. 27. Champpon Champion P. 38. Conditions Traditions P. 30. Praeches Preachers P. 37. tho the P. 39. Mose Moyses P. 4. Antinomay Antinomians P. 50. Alleagtion Allegation P. 54. 58. Maine Many P. 62.
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