they might have true Faith in him Which they could not have but by Believing the Word of God The Apostle saying Rom. 10. Faith is by Hearing and Hearing is by the Word of Christ Whilst such then Heard and Believ'd The Doctrine of the Church that is the Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church they Heard and Believ'd the Word of God The same do Papists now Futhermore it cannot be doubted but that the Gospel and Voice of Christ is the Word of God and that those which hear these hear the Word of God. But the Preaching and Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church of Christ is the Gospel and Voice of Christ Ergo c. This is clear out of Matth. 24. where Christ says This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Preach'd in the whole World for a Testimony to all Nations and then shall come the Consummation For who do Preach this Gospel in all Ages till the end of the World but the Doctors and Pastors of the Church Their Preaching then is the Gospel of Christ and consequently the Word of God. Christ likewise says John 10. speaking of his Sheep which he is to gather out of the Gentiles even till the end of the World Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold that is of the Flock of the Jews Them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice Christ did not nor doth not Preach to the Gentiles to gather his Sheep from amongst them in all Ages by his own Corporal Voice But by the Voice and Teaching of the Pastors of his Church Their Voice then is his Voice and consequently the Word of God. Which is yet further shew'd out of Luke 10. where Christ says to his Pastors and Teachers He that heareth you heareth me Wherefore while Papists do hear the Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church lineally succeeding the Apostles they hear the Word of God the Gospel of Christ the Voice of Christ yea Christ himself And therefore they cannot be justly said to believe in matters of Faith the Doctrines of men Or to hazard their Souls upon the Doctrines of men But upon the Authority of God speaking in and by that Church which his continual assistance maketh to be The Pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. But the Case is not so with Protestants For they do not only rely and hazard their Souls upon the Doctrines of Men But they also prefer the Doctrines of men before the express Word of God. For in divers most weighty Points of Religion they leave not only the Antient Fathers the General Councils and the ever visible and Catholick Church of Christ but even the Word of God it self to follow the Teaching of their new Masters This will seem at first a strange or rather a very Injurious and Contumelious Imputation But let us make it plain by some examples The Word of God says James 2. 24. Do you see that a man is justify'd by Works and not by Faith only But Protestant Teachers say that a man is justify'd Not by Works but by Faith only Mark how directly they contradict the Word of God. For that says By Works and not by Faith only And these do Protestants believe rather than the express Word of God in the weighty point of Justification On which their Salvation depends which is not obtain'd but by the true manner of Justification Secondly The Word of God says Luke 1. 6. That the Parents of John the Baptist Were both Just before God walking in all the Commandments and Justifications of our Lord without blame Whence it clearly follows that this Holy Couple kept all Gods Commandments For he that breaks them doth not Walk in them without blame The Word of God likewise says 1 John 5. 3. This is the Charity of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not heavy But Protestant Teachers generally affirm that the Commandments of God are Impossible are such as no man can keep are Insupportable And confequently they must say that no man is bound to keep them For no man is bound to do more than he is able By which Doctrine they do not only loose the Bridle to all Vice and make God more Indiscreet and more Tyrannical than any other Commander in the World But They also flatly contradict the word of God Which not only shews that some men have kept the Commandments but also expresly affirms that they are not Heavy And yet Protestants rather believe these than the Word of God in this most weighty point But Note well what follows against these Teachers out of the Word of God 1 John 2. 4. Which there says He who saith he knows God and does not keep his Commandments is a Lyer and the Truth is not in him But Protestant Teachers affirm that they rightly know God but do not nor cannot keep his Commandments Ergo They are Lyars Our Saviour Instituting the Holy Eucharist says Luke 22. 19. This is my Body which is given for you But English Ministers generally say That the Eucharist is not Christ's Body which was given for us that is his True Body But a Figure or remembrance of it Christ says My Body which is given for you That is my True Body For his True Body was given for Us suffer'd for Us and not a Figure or Remembrance thereof But these new Teachers say Not his True Body not that which was given for Vs that suffer'd for Vs But a Figure of it which the Word of God no where Teaches And thus they flatly contradict the Word of God in this most important Article of Faith On the right Belief and Use of which Salvations depends as is manifest out of the 6 St. Joh. and out of the 11. of the 1 of Corinthians And yet These our English Protestants believe rather than the Word of God though it expresly says That the Eucharist is the Body of Christ The Flesh of Christ He himself saying John 6. 51. The Bread which I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World. 4ly Daniâ—l 2. 44. The VVord of God says In the days of those Kingdoms the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that is the Church of Christ that shall not be dissipated for ever And his Kingdom shall not be deliver'd to another people And it shall break in pieces and shall consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Of which Church of Christ speaking again c. 7. He saith His Power is an Eternal Power that shall not be taken away and his Kingdom that shall not be corrupted Conformable to which clear Prophecy of Daniel concerning the Perpetuity and Incorruption of the Kingdom and Church of the Messias Christ speaking of his Church Matth. 16. says And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against her That is The Power of the Devil and false Doctrines by which men are seduc'd and brought to Hell. John 14. 16. He says That
Divine Faith that is the Gift of God no Man can be saved according to the settled Ordination and Providence of God as I before have clearly shewed out of his Word Out of this Doctrine which is most True doth appear First The Reason of the Doctrine of Christ deliver'd Matt. 7. where he declares That false Prophets that is false Expounders of the Word of God in Matters of Faith do destroy Souls like as Wolves do destroy Sheep and that it is as impossible that thei Followers should acquire by their Teaching Divine Faith and True Sanctity as it is impossible that Thorns should bring out Grapes or Thistles Figgs The same Doctrine is taught by the Apostle who affirms That Hereticks are Subverted Tit. 3. And Subvert the Faith of others 2 Tim. 2. 18. That they make Shipwrack about Faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. That they depart from the Faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. That they are Reprobate about Faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. and the like Which mischief they fall into themselves and bring upon their Followers though they Err but in one Article of Faith as Himenaeus and Philetus did 2 Tim. 2. 18. And as Arius did at the first denying the Equality of the Father and the Son. But Note here That the Apostle in the places cited doth not mean that Heretical Teachers do so Subvert and Ruine the Faith of their Followers that they leave them no Faith at all but that they Subvert their Divine Faith which is the Gift of God wholly overthrowing that though they leave them store of Humane Faith to which seduced People firmly sticking yea sometimes even to Fetters and Death do reap thereby nothing at all but Temporal Commodities and Vain-glory purchased with the Eternal loss of their Souls Secondly Doth appear out of the same Doctrine the great Obligation that Christian People have to keep themselves within the Bosom of the True and Catholick Church of Christ Because that this Church being continually assisted by Christ himself Matth. 28. 20. And taught all Truth by the Holy Ghost John 16. 13. doth propose unto her Followers in her Doctrine of Faith nothing but Truth whereby their Faith doth easily come to be Divine and the Gift of God his Heavenly Grace Co-operating with them It doth also appear how deeply they are obliged to take heed of and to shun and avoid False Prophets False and Heretical Expounders of God's Word which run of their own accord not being sent authorized or allowed of by the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Ever Visible and Catholick Church of Christ And how wary they ought to be not to have itching Ears after new Masters 2 Tim. 4. 3. Or greedily to hearken to their Novelties in Matters of Faith which upon the reckoning will be found to be no better than Fables that is than the Fictitious and Self-inventions of Mens Brains Though these busie Teachers palliate them with specious terms and bear their Hearers in Hand That these their new devices are the Pure Light of the Gospel For by forsaking the Doctrine of the Church the Spiritual Mother and Mistress of all Nations and as the Apostle terms her 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Pillar and Ground of Truth and following such New Teachers they make Shipwrack of their Divine Faith and run themselves assuredly upon the Rock of Perdition Thirdly It appears how dangerously those are deceived who think they have Faith enough to Salvation if they believe those Points of the Christian Religion about which both Catholicks and Protestants agree esteeming themselves not obliged to believe any of those Articles about which the Learned of these two Religions do differ and contend As though Christian People were not obliged under pain of Damnation to beware of False Prophets Matth. 7. To shun Heretical Teachers Tit. 3. To obey their Lawful Prelates and to be subject unto them in Matters of Faith and Religion Heb. 13. To hear those Teachers whom Christ doth send Luk. 10. To hear and obey the Voice of his Church if they will not be held to be in as ill Case as Publicans and Ethnicks are Matth. 18. Or as though they were not bound to know the right means by which they are to be Justified cleansed from Sin and Saved to Believe rightly and to Receive worthily the great Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. Joh. 6. And as though they were not obliged under the same Penalty to believe and profess the True Gospel the True Faith and Religion of Christ and to Serve and Worship God rightly Seeing those which believe not his Gospel that is the whole Summ of Divine Doctrine taught by his Apostles Apostles and by their Successors the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church are to be Damned Mark 16. As those also are Which deny Christ before Men Matth. 10. 33. Which Crime all commit who deny themselves to be of the True Religion as is manifest by the Example of St. Peter who denying only that he was a Follower of Christ and of his Company was reputed to deny Christ even as those will be who culpably profess a False Religion For such by their very Fact deny the True and themselves to be of the Communion thereof and of the Company and Society of the True Followers Disciples and Servants of Christ whereby at his Judgement-seat they will be reputed to have forsaken and denied him But to open this Point a little more because many even of the better sort are brought thereby into no small danger of Perdition this their Conceit is not grounded upon any clear Text of Gods Word or upon the Authority of any Vnerring Church but meerly upon a Mistake of their own by which out of one or two Truths they infer a pernicious Falshood upon which while they trust they trust to a broken Staff which at their last Leap will let them fall into the deep Ditch of Perdition if before their Death they cast it not away The first Truth is that the Illiterate Simple Unlearned of the True and Catholick Church of Christ are not bound to know and expresly believe that is with Faith explicit as Divines speak all the Articles of Faith which the Learned Doctors and Pastors of this Church do know and believe But such do satisfie the Precept of Faith if they believe with Faith explicit the prime and more celebrated Articles and Misteries of the Christian Religion contained in the Creed or solemnized by the Church which appertain to the right knowledge of the Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection of Christ and which concern the Redemption Justification Sanctification and Glorification of Man so that they believe the rest with Faith implicit that is so that they believe as the Church believes being ever ready in Heart and Affection to submit their Judgements in matters of Faith and Religion to the Judgement of the Church and to believe as She shall teach But yet although such are not bound to believe expresly and in
particular all the Articles of Faith which the Learned Pastors of the Church believe yet they are bound under the Penalty of Eternal Damnation not to deny wittingly any one of them nor to doubt stubbornly of the truth of them nor to believe wittingly the contrary for he that so doth falleth thereby into the damning Crime of Heresie Which ever includes an Election or Culling out of certain Articles out of the Doctrine of the Church which are imbraced for true and a Rejection of the rest as Doubtful False or Erronious Which presumptuous discarding of Divine Verities revealed by Christ to his Apostles for the direction of Mankind to Eternal Happiness and by them laid up in the Treasury of the Church as a Sacred Depositum 1 Tim. 6. 20. under the sure Custody of the Holy Ghost is no less than High-Treason against Christ our Saviour in regard that it raises a most pernicious Rebellion in his Spiritual Kingdom bringing part thereof again under the Tyranny of the Devil It frustrates the full Operation of his Passion extinguishes the true and right Worship of God despoils Christian People of Divine Faith and thereby of the true means of Salvation It deprives the Saints of due Honour defrauds the Faithful departed of necessary Relief It robbs Heaven of Souls and inriches Hell with innumerable unwary and most unhappy People For which respects it is rightly stiled one of the greatest Sins and of the loudest crying Crimes that is Although I say the Unlearned of the Church are not bound to believe explicitly all Her Sacred Verities yet they are bound not to deny any one of them wittingly even as they are not bound to know all that is in the Sacred Scripture yet they are bound not to deny any thing therein contain'd though it be never so small a thing because all is warranted by the Authority of God which is of equal Force and Worth of equal Truth both in great and in small things which therefore are of equal Certainty it being as far from God to lie and deceive in small things as in great And therefore prudent Men in Matters of Faith and Religion seek no farther than whether this or that be warranted by Gods Authority or no which they learn by the Teaching of the Church guided by the Holy Ghost for there is no other sure and infallible Means on Earth to direct us in the obscure Misteries of Faith about which anew God now reveals nothing but leaves us to the Teaching of his Church guided as I said by the Holy Ghost which makes all Discreet Christians to submit so humbly their Judgements to the Church and to relie so securely upon her Authority God himself assuring them that She is the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Second Truth is That the Subjects of the Church of Christ are not bound either to know or believe certain disputable Points of Divinity not defin'd by the Church which are controverted among the Learned The pernicious Falshood inferred out of these Truths is That Christian People who are not Learned are not bound under hazard of their Souls to believe those Articles of Faith taught by the the True and Catholick Church of Christ which false Prophets which Heretical Men reputed Learned do question deny and dispute against As though the Bad Proud Rebellious and Ungodly proceeding of these Men were a sufficient Warrant unto others to doubt of the Truth of Gods revealed Verities to mangle and believe by halves his Sacred Religion to disobey their Lawful Prelates to deprive their Souls of the fruitful use of Christs Divine Sacraments to contemn the Doctrine and to forsake the Communion of the Church Which is manifestly absurd and untrue being contrary both to Reason and Scripture as I have shewed Which teach that Christian People in the profound Mysteries of the Christian Religion are bound to be guided by those Doctors and Pastors Act. 20. which God hath placed in his Church and authorised to Teach Direct and Guide them And that they are likewise most deeply obliged to beware of and to shun false Prophets and Heretical Teachers and not to heap to themselves new Masters with itching Ears leaving the Truth of the Pillar of Truth the Church of the Living God and turning to Fables that is either to their own Self-conceits or to the Self-conceits of others which in the Mysteries of the Christian Religion when they swerve from the Doctrine of the Church are no truer than Fables though they be gilded over with the fair Title of the true Light of the Gospel and therefore the Faith of those who are guided by such Conceiters is never Divine never the Gift of God never available to Salvation For the clear understanding of which Assertion Note First That most true it is that God hath revealed many profound Misteries and Divine Verities for Men to believe to be thereby directed fittingly what to hold and to practise for the obtaining of ever-during Happiness Note Secondly That it is also most true that Man of himself without the Aid of Coelestial Grace is not able to believe these Verities fittingly and suitably to his Supernatural End. Note Thirdly That God cannot stir up and draw men by this his Heavenly Grace to believe these Verities unless they be proposed to be believ'd without all mixture of Falshood for if any Falshood be packt in among them and proposed with them for a Divine Truth revealed by God he cannot draw men by his Grace to believe them thus mingled and proposed with Falshood as is manifest because he cannot induce men to believe any Falshood at all And therefore whosoever doth thrust in among some Divine Verities any false Doctrine contrary to that which God hath revealed proposing the same to be believed as a Divine Truth and therein stubbornly contradicting the Teaching of the Church he debars God from co-opperating with his Grace and from drawing People to believe with Divine Faith the Doctrine so mixt and proposed Note Fourthly That Gods revealed Verities will fall out to be of no utility at all to Mankind but rather a Trap to ruine them unless there be some sure un-erring and infallible Proposer of them who doth propose them to Gods People without any mixture of Falshood at all in such sort that he doth not propose any thing as an Article revealed by God which is not so or which is false and contrary to that which God hath indeed reveal'd And therefore that God may draw men by the special aid of his Grace to believe with Divine Faith his revealed Misteries and Verities he must cause them to be proposed to men sincerely and without all mixture of Falshood He I say must cause them to be so proposed because no man of himself without the continual guidance and assistance of the Holy Ghost is able always so to propose them All then that will have Divine Faith must be guided by Gods Proposer of Divine Doctrine and
Controversies about Faith and Religion now in question amongst Christian People which few I know have leisure or means fewer Capacity to look throughly unto or ability to distinguish always Light from Darkness Truth from Falsehood in them But my Endeavour is to stir you up to a serious consideration of certain general Heads and undenyable Truths which this little Treatise doth present unto you easie to be conceiv'd yet powerful to lay open even to mean Understandings the assured Light of the True Gospel of Christ and the absolute necessity of admitting some sure and un-erring Interpreter of God's Word by him ordained and enabled to deliver the right meaning thereof unto us in all Ages but especially when Controversies about Faith and Religion are raised which Interpreter being once admitted of and agreed upon all other Controversies about points of Belief will quickly be at an end Peace will be restored again to Christians and nothing will remain for the securing of Souls conjoin'd together in the Communion of Saints but a studious care to decline from Evil and to do Good and Industriously to imitate the Blessed Life of Christ But further yet to facilitate this affair be pleased to distinguish in the Belief of Catholicks whom I often call Papists to condescend to the Style of Protestants so terming them for adhering in Religion to the Pope in Latine Papa this word signifying Father as the common Spiritual Father of Christians and supreme Pastor of the Flock of Christ be pleased I say to distinguish in the Belief of Catholicks Divine Faith from Humane Their Articles of Faith from Humane Stories which many distinguishing not and thereupon perswading themselves that Catholicks with equal certainty and obligation believe the one and the other that is their Articles of Faith and the Humane Stories which relate the Lives Actions and Miracles of certain Saints and finding some of these to be very strange and to savour in their conceit of fraudulent Fictions take this to be a sufficient Warrant for them to contemn Papistry as a foolish ungrounded and fabulous Religion and to repute Papists indiscreetly credulous and plainly to be led in darkness and blindness But these do much mistake for the truth is that although all Catholicks be strictly bound to believe those points of Doctrine which their Church doth propose for Articles of Faith contained in the written word of God or in the perpetual Tradition of the Church or deduced by General Councils or by the Pastors of the Church out of God's Word when Heresies are condemned yet they are not bound to believe the Relations of particular Authors concerning the Actions and Miracles of Saints or other like things farther then discreet Prudence and Christian Piety doth lead them every Man being at liberty to weigh the worth and honesty of the Relator and the probability of the thing related and then to believe or not to believe as Reason and Piety shall dictate unto him Yet not forgetting that God is admirable in his Saints That His Wisdom Power Justice Mercy and Sweetness in Governing the World and in contriving and ordering the Affairs of Man's Salvation is far above the reach of our weak Understanding That frequently there is less danger in believing too much than in believing too little and that there are some as strange things related in the Holy Scriptures at which Atheists do stumble as are in the approved Histories of the Church Neither do Catholicks believe these Stories and their Articles of Faith with one and the same certainty for these Stories they believe meerly with Humane Faith for the Authority of the Relators who may Err mistake or deceive But their Articles of Faith they believe with Divine Faith for God's Authority speaking in his Word and by the ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church being bound under pain of forfeiting the Name of Catholicks and of incurring damnable Sin not to disbelieve wittingly any one of these Articles all of them being Divine Verities warranted for Truth by the Holy Ghost who continually guideth and directeth the Church in her Doctrine of Faith as is hereafter shewed out of Gods Word And so by disbelieving stubbornly the Articles of Faith which the Church professeth Heresie is incurred which is not incurred by disbelieving her Stories Furthermore if hereafter I affirm not for want of Charity but forced by unanswerable Arguments drawn from the word of God that the Followers of the Protestant Religion so dying are not sav'd take me to speak of those who culpably prefer this Religion before the Catholick or culpably dye therein being thereby destitute of that Faith and Charity which is of necessity required to Salvation and not of those who being truly Baptiz'd and brought up among Protestants have excusable Ignorance of the Catholick Faith and Church by reason either of their tender Years or of their weak Capacities or else of their mean and rude Education for such are secret Members of the Catholick Church and therefore if they depart this Life cloathed with those Garments of Christ with which he adorned them in the Sacrament of Baptism not having fallen into mortal Sin they shall certainly inherit the Kingdom of Heaven In which happiness none shall be Sharers that pass out of this Life destitute of Divine Faith which is the Gift of God of which more hereafter or defiled with Mortal Sin which is so called because it destroys the supernatural life of the Soul received by Regeneration in Baptism consisting in Divine Faith and other Celestial Virtues but especially in Sanctifying Grace and divine Charity without which Divine Charity nothing doth avail to Salvation as the Apostle teaches 1 Cor. 1. 13. Lastly because divers Protestant Teachers endeavour to make their Followers believe That the Fathers of the Primitive Church were Protestants seeking thereby to Illustrate the Protestant Religion that the greatness and boldness of this Imposture pardon the Word for I know not how otherwise to express truly the dealing of these Men may clearly appear I humbly intreat all understanding Protestants which know it not to take notice That those ancient Worthies and Lights of the Church of Christ were either Monks or Founders of Monastical Discipline or at least Approvers and Praisers of the same St. Anthony was a Monk and St. Athanasius his Praiser St. Basil the Great a Monk and the Founder of a Monastical Institute which in the Eastern part of the World is yet practised St. Gregory the Divine was a Monk St. Chrysostom a Monk St. Hierom a Monk the Great St. Augustine the Founder of a Monastical course of Life St. Martin a Monk St. Benedict a Monk and Founder of the Famous Order of Benedictine Monks which does yet flourish in the Western Church St. Gregory the Great was a Monk and by the Labours of Fourty Monks did first plant Christianity amongst the English Let any Man judge how likely or how true it is that these men were Protestants Secondly take notice that
and certain Guide in matters of Religion any Infallible Interpreter of his Word p. 24. Question 7. If God hath left no sure and un-erring Interpreter of his Word in matters of Faith how can it be defended that the Holy Scriptures are not unprofitable and even pernicious to Mankind p. 30. Question 8. Whether the State of the great Family City Kingdom and Commonwealth Army of Jesus Christ that is of his Church doth require a Supreme Spiritual Head or no p. 33. Question 9. Whether the way to Salvation be narrow or no p. 40. Question 10. How it can be defended that Jesus was the true Messiah promised in the Old Testament if the Church which he Founded erred so many Ages in her Doctrine of Faith p. 42. Question 11. Did the Church of Christ Err heretofore because Christ could not preserve her from Erring or because he would not p. 63. Question 12. If the Church of Christ did Err for so many Ages How can it be defended that God is truly Good and doth truly desire the Salvation of Mankind p. 65. Question 13. If the Church of Christ did Err from the true Light of the Gospel so many Ages could he find none fit in so many Hundred Years to restore the same till Luther falling out with the Pope and breaking his Vow of Chastity began to teach a new Religion tending to Liberty and Looseness p. 69. Question 14. Whether God by Miracles can draw and incline men to believe a false Religion or no Where it is shew'd that Cod by Miracles did draw our Fore-Fathers at their first Conversion to Christianity to believe Papistry p. 74. Question 15. Out of which Religion the Elect of Christ are to be gather'd at the day of Judgement p. 80. Question 16. Whether Protestants or Catholicks do take the sure way to Eternal Happiness Where it is shewed that Papistry by the Judgement of all Learned Protestants is a saving Religion and consequently a securer way p. 87. An Appendix Whether the Apostles were Protestants or no p. 95. Question I. Where was the Protestant Religion Believ'd and Practis'd the last five hundred years before Luther First I Demand of Protestants where in what Countries Provinces or Cities was the Protestant Church and Religion Extant and Practis'd the last five hundred years immediately before Luther's Revolt from the Roman Church Which he began in the year 1517 First To say that Christ for those five hundred years had no True Church no Saving Faith and Religion upon Earth is flatly against Daniel 2. 44. foretelling that the Kingdom that is the Church of Christ should stand for ever and c. 7. v. 14. That it should Never be Corrupted And against Christ himself assuring us Matth. 16. 18. That the Gates of Hell should never prevail against his Church Moreover out of this Answer it follows that Christ was not the Saviour of the World. For if the World had no means of Salvation from him for those five hundred years Such means it had not from him the next five hundred years which passed before these Which being granted it will be hard if not impossible to prove either by Scripture or Reason that for the space of the next five hundred years which reach up to the times of the Apostles the World from Christ had any true means of Salvation And so by this Answer he will be wholly excluded from being the Saviour of the World as hereafter more clearly shall appear Secondly No understanding Protestant will deny that the World was full of Christians before Luther began his new Preaching or that they then had believ'd and re-cited the CREED of the Apostles If then a Christian in those times had been press'd by a Jew Turk or any other Infidel to deny that Article of his Creed I believe a Holy Catholick Church a Communion of Saints Whether might he with a safe Conscience have deny'd it or no If safely he might have deny'd this Article safely also he might have deny'd the rest In regard that all these Articles so far forth as they are the Object of Faith are of equal Truth and Certainty as is manifest For if one of them be false what certainty is there of the rest But if he might not without damnable Sin and the high offence of God have deny'd this Article as doubtless he might not then this Article as well as the rest is a Divine Truth which we ought to believe with firm and Divine Faith And consequently there was extant in the World before Luther's rising a Catholick Church and a Communion of Saints That is a common union or conjunction of Sanctify'd People in that Church Otherwise Christian People could not so strictly have been oblig'd to believe that Article For they cannot be oblig'd to believe a Falsehood Christ then in the Ages immediatly before Luther began to Preach and institute the Protestant Church and Religion had on Earth a Catholick Church and a Sanctify'd People therein united together in Faith and Religion and in the participation of his Divine Benefits Which being so What will Protestants Answer to my Question Will they grant as the Truth is that although the Protestant Church and Religion were no where extant and in practice the last five hundred years before Luther Yet Christ had then and in all former Ages a saving Faith and Religion But then I must tell them first That if the Protestant Religion and Church were not then the Catholick Church and saving Religion of Christ it cannot prudently be thought or possibly prov'd to be so now But rather all Discreet and Judicious People must hold it to be a new Invention such as the Arrian or the Nestorian Profession was Secondly I must tell them that That Religion which before Luther's Innovation was a Saving Religion is still a Saving Religion For why should it not it being the same that it was Which being granted the Protestant Profession cannot be a Saving Religion Because there cannot be two Saving Religions extant at the same time opposite and contrary one to another as hereafter more clearly shall appear in regard that one of them must of necessity be a false Religion and proceed as from the prime Suggestor and Author not from God but from the enemy of mankind Who will never invent and set a foot a Religion apt to save men in Thirdly I must tell them that if in all Ages before Luther's time Christ on Earth had a Holy Church and a Saving Religion as most certainly he had The first Protestants did very ill in forsaking her Communion and in raising against Her such Factions and Tumults meerly for Liberty sake as they have done For this breaking off was not to secure their Souls whatsoever they pretended to have some colour of their doing but to enjoy more Carnal Liberty than the long settled Discipline of that Holy Church could bear and allow And as ill do They who still maintain the same breach and impugne the same Holy
believe as he doth teach For if they follow any contrary Proposer who does mingle Truth with Falshood contrary to the Doctrine of the right Proposer their Faith cannot be Divine nor avail them to Salvation If any one ask who is Gods un-erring Proposer of Divine Verities I answer now as I answer'd before no other but the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the ever visible and Catholick Church of Christ which Doctors and Pastors among other things propose as a Divine and certain Truth that out of the Communion of the True and Catholick Church no Salvation can be had out of whose Communion those most certainly do live who are separated from the Chair of St. Peter and profess Riligions by it condemned And therefore those which esteem themselves secure by believing only those general Points of the Christian Religion which are not controverted betwixt the Learned of the Protestant and of the Roman Church are greatly deceived they being not only destitute of Divine Faith but also very far off from performing the Duty of good Christians as may sufficiently appear by what is said And therefore this their Conceit serves to little else but to bring them to Hell with a quiet and unfrighted Conscience Fourthly Out of the Grounds laid a sufficient Reason doth appear of the Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers who constantly taught that out of the Catholick Church there is no Salvation which Catholick Church they esteemed to be no other than that which is joyned in Communion with the Chair of St. Peter Hear a word or two out of those ancient Worthies St. Athanasius in his Creed approved of and received by the whole Church speaketh thus Whosoever will be saved before all things it is needful that he hold the Catholick Faith the which unless one keep entire and inviolate without all doubt he shall perish eternally St. Cyprian De Simpl. Prelat And St. Augustin De Simbol l. 4. c. 10. saith If any one be found without the Church he shall be an Alien from the Children of God neither shall he have God for his Father who would not have the Church for his Mother The same St. Augustin speaking of Emeritus a Donatist and a Bishop saith Serm. de gestis cum Emerito He cannot have Salvation but in the Catholick Church out of the Church he may have all but Salvation He may have Honour he may have the Sacrament he may sing Alleluja he may answer Amen he may hold the Gospel he may both have and preach Faith in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost but Salvation he can no where have saving in the Catholick Church Where note that Bishop Emeritus being a Donatist was not so much separated from the Roman Church as Protestants are And yet this Learned Father and great Light of Gods Church esteemed him to be out of the Catholick Church and out of the State of Salvation In vain then do Protestants confide that they are within the Catholick Church they being farther separated from the same than this Bishop was St. Fulgentius De Fid. ad Pet. c. 39. saith Most firmly hold and in no sort doubt that each Heretick or Schismatick Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost if he be not restored to the Catholick Church how great Alms soever he give yea though he should shed his Blood for the Name of Christ yet he cannot be saved Thus these Holy and Learned Fathers with whom in this Point agree the rest Fifthly It appears by the Grounds aforesaid that there can be but only one saving Faith and Religion in the World because there can be but only one Doctrine of Faith that is wholly true and free from all mixture of Falshood for all other Doctrines of Faith must of necessity be mixed and stain'd with some Falshood more or less according as they do more or less differ from and contradict that one Divine Doctrine of Faith which is wholly true as is manifest And therefore God cannot draw men to believe any of them with Divine Faith required of necessity to Salvation And so no Religion whose Doctrine of Faith is mixed with Falshood is truly and really a saving Religion how much soever it be adorned by the seducing Teachers or the seduced Followers thereof with the gay Title of the pure Light of the Gospel Sixthly It appears how just cause all Protestants have to return with speed to the Roman Church in which they may assuredly be saved even by the Judgement of the most Learned among them as hereafter shall appear because it is more than probable that the Protestant Profession is not a saving Religion in regard that the Doctrine of Faith which it imbraceth is not nor cannot be wholly true but really and certainly is mixed with much Falshood 1. Because in divers weighty Points of Faith it directly contradicts the express Word of God as I before have shewed 2. Because this Doctrine of Faith is not directed by any sure Rule of Faith by any Infallible Interpreter of the Scriptures by any Un-erring Judge of Controversies nor proposed by any sure and Infallible Proposer 3. Because Protestants are divided into several Branches or Sects which greatly differ and are contrary one to another in divers weighty Points of Faith as I before have noted And 4. Because Protestants hold that all Churches are subject to erring yea and have erred in their Doctrine of Faith. What assurance then have they that Theirs doth not err none at all But to come now to the principal Point intended in this Question I affirm that out of the Grounds laid which Christianly cannot be deny'd it clearly follows that according to the main Tenet and Ground of the Protestant Religion Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary was not the true Messias promised in the Old Testament nor the true Saviour of the World. This monstrous Falshood and detestable Blasphemy I say doth clearly and inevitably follow out of the chief and Fundamental Ground of the Protestant Religion For if the Church which Jesus founded came to erre in her Doctrine of Faith in the Ages after the Apostles and to be corrupted with many pernicious Falshoods and Superstitions as Protestant Teachers affirm the Promises of God concerning the Messias made so seriously to the Patriarchs of the Old Testament cannot possibly be verified of Jesus and consequently he was not the true Messias the true Christ and Saviour of the World for of the true Messias these Promises must be verified most certainly in regard that God cannot be false of his Word Thus then he promised to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. In thee shall all the Kindreds of the Earth be blessed Gen. 18 18. In him Abraham are to be blessed all the Nations of the Earth To Isaac Gen. 26. 4. In thy Seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the Earth To Jacob Gen. 28. 14. In thee and in thy Seed all the Tribes of the
these Ancient and most Learned Fathers were great Praisers and Practisers of austere and penitential works consisting in frequent Prayer in much watching in severe fasting in hard lodgings in course and spare Dyet in wearing of Hair-cloth and the like They lived single Lives Many of them bestow'd their Wealth upon the Poor and other Pious Uses and professed Voluntary Poverty following therein the counsel of Christ given Matth. 19. 21. and they not only allowed of but also most highly extolled the observing of perpetual Chastity and Virginity preferring the same far above Matrimony Were not these men then strange Protestants Thirdly Take notice that these Ancient Worthies even by the Confession of all Protestants were Men of excellent Wits of excellent Learning If then they had found in the word of God as Protestants say they find that only Faith does Justifie That Good Works are not meritorious That in Works of Grace Men have not Free-will That they are not able to keep the Commandments That it is not in the power of Man or Woman to live perpetually chaste That Virginity is not more pleasing to God than Matrimony That to give all to the Poor to Fast Pray and watch much and to undergo other Austerities and mortifications of the Body doth not profit and inrich the Soul That there is no Purgatory no Pennance to be done no satisfaction to be made for Sin no punishment to be inflicted upon the Faithful for them after this Life If I say the ancient Fathers had found these and the like Doctrines of Protestants in the Scriptures and why should they not have found them there if there they had been they being so Wise so Learned and so industrious Searchers of the Word of God as they were If there I say they had found these things and had believed them as Protestants do they would have lived as Protestants do for why should they not If these pleasing Doctrines which are light and easie to Flesh and Blood and the sweet Liberty of the new Gospel had as feelingly pierced and as strongly possessed the Hearts of those Antients as it did and doth the Breasts and Bowels of Luther Zwinglius Bucer Peter Martyr Calvin Beza and their Followers the Teachers of the Protestant Religion they would without all doubt with these have preferred Pleasures before Pennance Feasting before Fasting the delights of the Conjugal Life before the continent and single And in a word Riches Honours Pleasures before the labours and smart of a penitential and mortified Life before voluntary poverty and the vexing Attire of Hair-cloth or else they had been mad had they believed as most Protestants do that such Exercises as these are needless fruitless yea and superstitious Toys But the Truth is that those ancient and shining Lamps of Wisdom and Sanctity did not believe as Protestants do and therefore they liv'd not as they do for they were otherwise instructed in the School of Christ they read and learned another Lesson in his Divine Gospel even the same that Papists now do and therefore they instituted their Lives as they did and were in very deed as much Protestants as the Pope and his Priests and Fryers now are and no more most certainly unless we will have them to have been Sots and Mad-men If a douzen Protestant Ministers now should consociate themselves together and shaking off the Delights of the World should apply themselves fervently to much Prayer Fasting Watching lying on hard Couches wearing of Hair-cloth and such other austerities of Body and forbearing to marry should highly extol the single Life perpetual Chastity and should exhort young Maidens Noble Gentlewomen Princes Daughters to the perpetual keeping of their Virginity and Consecrating of it to God would they be held for sincere and well-grounded Protestants I think not Nay would they not presently be suspected for Papists No doubt but they would the institute of their Life plainly breathing Papistry and wholly swerving from the Belief and practise of Learned Protestants Let not then my Noble and dear Countrymen the misreports of some of your Teachers so far prevail with you as to make you believe the better to keep and quiet you in Protestantism that the Fathers of the primitive Church were Protestants For certainly those Blessed Servants of Christ were as far from being Protestants as the most zealous of your Teachers are from being Papists yea from being Monks or Fryers and from instituting their Lives as those Ancients did If then you truly prize the Learning and Sanctity of the Primitive Church and Christians become of that Belief which their Lives and Practices do Preach unto you If you think them saved be not so hardy as to seek a new way to Heaven for the safety of your Souls is of greater moment then so to be exposed to hazard being there can be but one saving Faith as my Tenth Question will make plain unto you Eternal Glory is not easily to be set upon the Dice when you may take a secure way to it Become then of the Communion of that Church in which the Fathers lived and dyed that therein seconding your Belief with a Virtuous Life you may assuredly attain to everlasting Happiness which I cordially wishing unto you shall infinitely rejoice if these my Questions which I now leave to your perusal shall further or occasion your return to that Religion which assuredly leadeth thither As most certainly they will Gods Holy Grace concurring if you will but attentively and with impartial Eyes read them and not be shuffled off with frivilous Answers or rest satisfyed untill you see my Arguments solidly refuted which you will never see if you look well to their Fingers who shall undertake the answering of them And so beseeching God to prosper your Reading and Meditation to his own Glory and the Salvation of your Souls I remain unfeignedly A Well-wisher of Your Eternal Felicity T. K. THE CONTENTS Question 1. WHere was the Protestant Religion believ'd and practis'd the last Five Hundred Years before Luther Page 1. Question 2. If Luther was not the first Teacher of the Protestant Religion to whom did he immediately succeed in the Office of Teaching the same Where also is treated of the Mission of Protestant Teachers p. 4. Question 3. If the Protestant Religion be truly Catholick when was it spread over the World and what Heathen Nations hath it Converted to Christ p. 11. Question 4. What likelihood there is that to bring to pass and effect the great and merciful Work of the Conversion of the Nations of the Earth and of their Kings to Christ God hath never yet made use of the True Religion of Christ and of the pure Light of the Gospel p. 12. Question 5. Whether it be not a very inconsiderable thing and full of danger to prefer in matters of Faith and Religion the Teaching of Men before the Word of God p. 16. Question 6. Whether God hath left to Christian People any sure Rule of Faith
Church and saving Faith of Christ Following New Inventions in Religion tending to Liberty Of which they can never be groundedly secure that they are sufficient to Salvation as this little Treatise doth make too too manifest Some Protestants perchance being loath to grant that their Church and Religion had no Being at all upon Earth for the last five hundred years before Luther And yet not able to nominate with any colour of Truth where their Church then was and where their Religion was believ'd and practis'd there being no Record or foot-step of these things extant in the World will affirm that for many Ages before â—â—ther their Church lay hidden under Papistry But how do they know this Doth the word of God teach any such thing If the Papists which then liv'd did not know of any such thing or that there was any such Church How do the Protestants that now live know it Certainly this saying is too too Childish and fitter for Idiots or Mad-men to make then for men of Judgement For thereby Anabaptists Quakers new Arrians or any other foolish Hereticks whatsoever may pretend that their Churches and Religions were ever extant in all former Ages and ever in practice in the World even since the times of the Apostles Than the which what can be more ridiculous My first Question then cannot be so Answer'd by Protestants as may satisfy the Consciences of Prudent men But let us pass to the next Question II. If Luther was not the first Teacher of the Protestant Religion to whom did he immediately succeed in the Office of Teaching the same Where also is treated of the Mission of the Protestant Teachers IF Luther was not the first Teacher of the Protestant Religion to whom did he immediately succeed in the Office of Teaching the same If in this Office he did not succeed to any other Doctor who had the same before as most certainly he did not for no such former Teacher of the Protestant Religion can be nam'd then clear it is that Luther was the first Teacher of the Protestant Faith and Religion Further then I demand Who set him a work to Teach as he did God Or the Enemy of God and Man Not God most certainly 1. Because nothing can be said to justify the new Teaching of Luther which may not be said to justify the new Teaching of Arius or of Nestorius or of the Anabaptists and Quakers or of any other false Prophet and Heretick that ever was Let Tryal be made and this will be found to be most true For by the self-same ways by which Luther can prove himself to come from God any Heretick may prove himself to come from God. Will Luther say that he had a private Instinct from God That he saw there was great need to Reform the Doctrine of the Church That the People and Princes who follow'd him gave him Calling and the like The self-same might Arius have said the self-same may the Quakers and Anabaptists say and the self-same may any False Teacher say that can get People to follow him 2. Because it is certain that Luther had no Calling or Mission from God at all Without Calling and Mission from whom no man may take upon him the Office of Preaching and of Pasturing the People of God as is clear out of his Holy Word Rom. 10. 15. Heb. 5. 4. For he came not from God either by Ordinary or by Extraordinary Mission And so he had no sending from him at all For God doth use no other sorts of sending because no other are fit to distinguish the True Preachers of God from the False Prophets of the Devil For Calling and Mission from Temporal Magistrates from the Common People or pretended from private Instincts are agreeable and common to False Prophets and Heretical Teachers And some of these for want of better when they are urg'd they ever pretend But Ordinary or Extraordinary Mission they are never able to shew Extraordinary Mission God doth use when he sendeth any one to make notable Mutation about Religion But then to assure the World that those whom He doth so send do come indeed from him he doth ever furnish them with the Gift of Heavenly Miracles Which Gift is as it were His Broad-Seal set to their Commission Whereby they are easily distinguish'd from False Prophets and Heretical Teachers By this manner of Mission God sent Moses and Aaron and Christ and his Apostles to make those Mutations and Additions about Religion which they made furnishing them with the Gift of Miracles as is plain out of his Sacred Word Which Gift was so necessary even to the Blessed Son of God himself notwithstanding the great Sanctity of his Life and Excellency of his Doctrine The plain Predictions of the Holy Prophets and the weighty Testimony of St. John the Baptist that he affirmeth John 15. 24. That if he had not done amongst the Jews Works that no other had done they should not have sinned In refusing Him for their Messias Must Luther then his Life and Doctrine being such as it was be receiv'd as sent from God by Extraordinary Mission to make so great a change in Religion as he did without any Miracles at all Who will think so but inconsiderate blind or mad-men But Note here by the way a thing worth the observing That those whom God doth send by Extraordinary Mission do never exclaim against the Church of God and the Ordinary Pastors thereof which were before their time as though they had err'd in matters of Faith and abus'd and mis-led the People of God as appears by the 23 d. of St. Matthew But this is ever the Property of Heretical Teachers rais'd up by the Devil to seduce Souls who always pretend to Teach the Church and People of God better than they were taught before And thereupon they cry out that the Church and her Pastors had Grievously Err'd Till they forsooth came and discover'd the True Light of the Gospel But how False and Fond the proceeding of such men is will appear by that which follows in the sequel of this Treatise By Ordinary Mission God doth send those who immediately or in the time of Succession mediately succeed by due Consecration and Authorizing in the Office of governing in things Spiritual and Pasturing the People of God to them who were sent from him by Extraordinary Mission In this manner the Priests of the Law of Moses succeeding Aaron by Generation Consecration and Authorizing had Ordinary Mission from God during the time that That Law was in force And in like manner the Pastors and Doctors of the Law of Grace succeeding to the Apostles by due Consecration and Authorizing have Ordinary Mission from God during the time that this Law is to be in force Which is even till the Day of Judgement Which succeed I say to the Apostles by due Consecration and Authorizing that is by that Consecration and Authorizing which Christ ordain'd to confer Divine and Spiritual Power to
unto us and to guide us in Matters of Faith and Religion if ever they mean to repress justly the Irreligious boldness of Fanatical Interpreters and to see Peace again restored to the Christian World. Which Root of Dissention is no other thing than that liberty to Read and Interpret the Holy Scriptures which the Protestant Religion instilleth into Men while it denieth the Infallibility of the Church admitteth of no certain and un-erring Judge of Controversies to whose definitive Sentence all are bound to submit and maketh the written Word of God of it self without an Interpreter the sole Rule of Faith by which all Men ought to square out their Belief and Religion By all which it appeareth to be manifest That according to the Grounds and Tenets of the Protestant Religion the Sacred word of God is not only unprofitable but even hurtful and pernicious to Mankind for want of a Sure Interpreter appointed by God to guide us in Faith and Religion to the right Sense and Meaning thereof As beside the Reasons given the manifold Examples of divers unfortunate Men do convince who by over-boldly searching into the Bible have either crack'd their Brains or fallen into despair or turned Jews Turks or Atheists or imbraced absurd and ridiculous Opinions for what made Hacket formerly Naylor and others lately to give themselves out for New Christs What made so many false Prophets and Prophetesses appear in the late Confusions of England Or what occasion'd then so many Sacriledges Barbarities and Cruelties but too much poring into and medling with the Bible Question VIII Whether the State of the Great Family City Kingdom Commonwealth Army of Jesus Christ that is of his Church do require a Supream Spiritual Head or no ALL understanding Protestants will easily grant that no Family City Kingdom Commonwealth Army or Navy can be fittingly and rightly ordered and govern'd without some Head or Supream Magistrate to whom Subjects may have recourse and from whom they may receive Directions as need shall require Which being so I demand of Protestants whether the State in Earth of the Great Family City Kingdom Commonwealth Army of Jesus Christ that is his Church doth of necessity require for the fit Uniform and peaceable Government thereof a Supream Head a Supream Spiritual Magistrate to whom the Subjects thereof may have Recourse and from whom they may re-receive Directions in matters of Faith and Religion as need shall require To deny the Necessity of such a Supream Magistrate for the fit Government of the Church of Christ consisting of Men yea of so many several Nations differing in Laws Customs Affections Empire and the like is manifestly against Reason And to affirm that although such a Magistrate be extreamly needful for the due Government of His Church yet he neglected to provide Her of any such is to accuse him of want of Wit and Discretion for there was never yet amongst Civil People so simple a Founder of a Commonwealth or so simple a Law-maker that ordained no Supream Power in his Commonwealth no Interpreter of his Law no Judge to decide and end Controversies Christ then being Founder of the best Commonwealth that ever was and maker of the best Law that Mankind ever received it can be no less than Blasphemy to affirm that he left this his Noble Common-wealth without a Supream Magistrate to whom his People might have recourse and his Divine and Evangelical Law containing so many obscure Verities so many profound Mysteries without an Interpreter without a Judge to decide and end Controversies Moreover If Christ hath ordained no such Supream Magistrate Head or Guide of his Church in things Spiritual appertaining to Faith and Religion it seems to follow clearly and manifestly that every man is at liberty to believe what he list and to practise what Worship of God he thinks best What Unity then in Faith what Uniformity in the Worship of the Divinity can there be in the Church of Christ Or what sure means have Christian People to know who be right and who Heretical Believers Or to discern their true Prelates whom they are bound to obey Heb. 13. 17. from False Prophets from Heretical Teachers whom they are to shun under pain of Damnation Matth. 7. Tit. 3. Yea How can any man be proved to be a false Teacher if there be not some known true Teacher If no man hath Power and Authority from God to direct the Faith of others If no man be bound and obliged by Christ to Believe or to Teach as an other would have him how can any man be justly esteemed to Believe or Teach amiss Or why should he be reputed to Believe or Teach amiss if he be not bound to limit and square out his Faith and Teaching by the Judgement and Discretion of some other Wherefore either we must say that the Church of Christ is not to be obeyed that false Prophets are not to be avoided that no man doth Believe or Teach amiss so long as he Believes and Teaches well in his own Judgement and that no man is or can be in respect of Men an Heretick or a false Prophet All which is contrary to the Word of God and plainly overthroweth all Christianity or else we must affirm as the certain Truth is that God hath ordained and appointed some to teach and to direct others what they ought to Believe and Practise to obtain Life everlasting and others to be taught and guided What will Protestants to this Will they deny all possibility of Vnity and of Order in the Church and Family of Christ or else will they grant as Reason and as the Truth requires that God hath ordained some visible Ministerial Head some Supream Spiritual Magistrate in his Church to whom all may have Recourse in the Affairs of Religion and by whom all are bound to be directed in Points of Faith and in the Practise of his Divine Worship If this they grant I demand which is this Head this Spiritual Magistrate and in whom doth reside this Supream Spiritual Power and Authority Doth it reside in Supream Spiritual or in Supream Temporal Magistrates If in Supream Temporal doth it reside in one or in many If in one who is this Supream Temporal Magistrate Who hath Power and Authority even by Gods Ordination to direct the whole World all the Nations of the Earth in matters of Faith and in the Practise of Gods Worship And how is this proved out of the Word of God If this Supream Power reside not in any one Supream Temporal Magistrate Doth it by Gods Ordination reside in many that is in the Supream Temporal Magistracy of each Common-wealth in such sort that the Supream Temporal Magistrate Prince or King of each Commonwealth or Kingdom hath Power and Authority from God to direct the Subjects thereof in Faith and to appoint them what Religion they shall follow what Worship of God they shall practise If so then the Subjects of each Commonwealth are bound under Pain of
for them to give a proper and True Definition of an Heretick but therein they must involve and inclose Luther Calvin Zwinglius and such other prime Founders of the Protestant Religion How improbable then a thing is it that God among so many Wise Learned and Holy Men as flourish'd in his Church in the long tract of above a thousand years could not find any fit to be by him particularly imploy'd for the restoring of the True Light of his Heavenly Religion to the World again if it were lost till Luther and his carnal and jarring Off-spring appear'd And how slenderly do Protestants provide for the safety of their Souls who hazzard them upon so manifest a Falshood as this Question XIV Whether God by Miracles can draw and incline men to believe a false Religion or no Where it is shewed that God by Miracles did draw our Fore-Fathers at their first Conversion to Christanity to believe Papistry MY Fourteenth Demand is Whether God by Miracles can move and draw Men to believe a false Religion or no Or thus whether Men may safely and without danger of their Souls esteem that Religion False VVicked Pernicious and worthy to be hated and persecuted to believe which God doth stir up and induce men even by Miracles as by curing the Lame Blind and the like I think no understanding Protestant will be so ill advised as to affirm this for he that should so do should utter a manifest Blasphemy tending to the denial of God and of all Christianity For he that draws men to believe false Religions cannot be a good Spirit but a Bad cannot be God but the Devil as is manifest or the Devils Agent God being infinitely VVise Good and True and a zealous Hater of all Falshood Moreover what certainty can we have of the Truth of the Scriptures of the Doctrine of Moses and of Christ or that Christ was the true Messias and Saviour of the VVorld if God by Miracles may draw and induce men to the imbracing of a false Religion Far then be it from all true Christian Breasts to hold so great a Blasphemy as this and therefore let me lay for a sure and uncontroulable Ground that God by Miracles cannot draw men to imbrace a false or bad Religion and that therefore that Religion to believe which God by Miracles doth stir up and induce is not Bad Superstitious and False but true Holy and Divine yea wholly True and the only Saving Faith of Christ because there can be but only one Faith but only one Religion in the VVorld that is intirely True and truly Saving as I before have shewed This Ground being agreed upon which Christianly cannot be denied I propose to all prudent and considerate Protestants this Syllogism That Religion to believe which God by Miracles doth stir up and draw is wholly True Divine and Saving But God by Miracles doth stir up and draw men to believe Papistry Ergo Papistry is wholly true Divine and Saving yea it is the only Saving Faith of Christ The Major is clear and certain out of the Ground laid The Minor I could prove by the Testimony of innumerable grave Authors and by relating the Conversion of divers Heathen Nations to Christ brought to pass in former Ages and also in our Times But omitting these to avoid Prolixity I will only insist upon the Conversion of our own Nation to Christ which was effected a thousand years ago by forty Holy Monks sent hither by Gregory the Great then Bishop of Rome St. Austin the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury being the Cheif of them who converted our Fore-fathers not to the Protestant Faith which then was not so much as thought of in the VVorld but to Papistry for what Religion should the Pope send in and Monks bring in but Papistry This is manifest by the Churches Altars Abbeys Monasteries Nunneries which our first Christians built By the Names which they imposed upon Churches and upon sundry Days of the Year as Christmas Ash-Wednesday Palm-Sunday By the Crosses which they every where erected By the Pictures wherewith they adorned their Altars and the Glass Windows of their Churches By their perpetual Subjection to the Pope and the Paying of the Peter-pence unto him from the Time of King Inas even to Henry the Eighth Yea This is so evident that even the most earnest of the Protestants cannot deny it Bale Cent. 1. Fol. 3. saith That Austin was sent from Gregory to season the English Saxons with the Popish Faith. Doctor Fulk Confu of Purg. pag. 333. for this cause tearms our Conversion to Christ our Perversion Danaeus Resp ad disput Bellar. Part 1. pag. 780. Terms the same The Inebriation of the VVhore of Babilon Mr. Ascham Apol. pro caena pag. 33. Calls St. Austin who brought our Fore-fathers from worshipping the Devil to worship Christ The Overthrower of true Religion and the Establisher of Popish Doctrine Mr. Harrison in his Description of Britanniae set before Hollinshead in plain terms confesses That Austin came and brought in Popery Bale in Catalog cent 14. pag. 117. saith That Austin by his Interpreters taught our People the Papistical Faith. The same is clear out of the Magdeburgians Luke Osiander and others who shew that scarcely there is a Ceremony now used by Papists that was not then brought in by St. Austin And so there can no doubt be made but that our Fore-fathers by their first Converters were made Papists and that that Faith in Christ to which God by his Grace did draw them was Papistry It rests then to prove that to this Faith God did convert and draw our Fore-fathers even by Miracles VVhich Point being well and firmly proved no prudent man will deny but that Papistry is truly and really a Holy and a Divine Religion yea the true Light of the Gospel and the only Saving Faith of Christ as my former Syllogism doth demonstrate That God then by Miracles did incline and draw our Fore-fathers to believe and imbrace that Faith and Religion which Austin taught that is Papistry is testified first by Venerable Bede a Holy Grave and Learned Author who living near the Time of our Conversion while things were yet fresh in Memory and writing out of the assured Records of the whole Business then extant and to no meaner a Person than a King is not likely to have erred through ignorance or to have feigned This wise then and Holy man in his first Book C. 26. speaketh thus But when the King himself being much delighted with the Purity of their Life namely of Augustin and his Associates and the Example of their Godly Conversation as also with their sweet Promises which to be true they proved by working many Miracles did believe and were Baptized there began more and more daily to resort unto their Sermons and renouncing the Rites of their old Gentility to joyn themselves by Faith to the Vnity of the Holy Church of Christ Thus in this place Bede Who in his Second
Book C. 2. relates a Famous Miracle wrought by God at the humble Petition of Augustin to witness the Truth of that Religion which he and his Associates taught which hapned thus Blessed Austine being desirous not only to convert the English to Christ but also to reform some Errors crept in amongst the Britans about the keeping of Easter and the Ceremonies of Baptism and to have the help of the Britans in the Conversion of the English procured a Meeting betwixt himself and the Learned of the Britains at which when after long Disputation the Britans would not yield to bring the Matter to some issue St. Austine said Let us make our Prayers to God who maketh of one Mind the Inhabitants of his Fathers House that he by Heavenly Signs would vouchsafe to shew which Tradition is to be followed and by which way we ought to hasten towards his Kingdom Let some sick Body be brought hither and by whose Prayers he shall be cured let his Faith and Operation be esteemed by all to be pleasing to God and to be that which we ought to follow To which though unwillingly his Adversaries agreeing a Blind man of the English Nation was brought who being offered to the British Priests and receiving no Help by their endeavours Austin at length by just necessity compelled bowed his Knees to the Father of oar Lord Jesus Christ beseeching him that he would restore to the Blind Man the Sight he had lost and by illuminating one man corporally would inkindle in the Hearts of many the Light of Spiritual Grace Presently the Blind Man received his Sight and Austin by all is proclaimed to be the true Preacher of Heavenly Light. Then the Britains confessed that they perceived that Austin taught the true way of Justice but they could not forsake their old Customs without the Consent of the rest of their Side Thus St. Bede What will Protestants say then Will they deny that this Miracle was wrought Will they pawn their Souls that Bede recounts a Fable I believe not Bede being so Wise and Honest the Meeting so Solemn the Fact so Publick and Famous What then will they attribute this Miracle to the Devil That indeed were desperately done Austine praying to Gon and not to the Devil and the Devil would think himself much honoured by them for attributing so great Power unto him for the Truth is that although â—e can do many juggling Tricks yet to restore Sight to he Blind far surpasseth his Skill and lies far without he Sphere of his Activity Will they then yield to the Truth and admit that both the Miracle was wrought and that it was the Work of God If this they grant they also must admit that Papistry is the true Religion of Christ and so they must not only leave to hate and persecute Papists but Papists also they must become unless they will run head-long to eternal Perdition for God wrought this great Miracle to testifie that That was the true Religion and the right way to Salvation which Austine taught And what taught he Papistry certainly even plain Papistry as I before did shew even by the Confession of Learned Protestants Papistry then is the true Religion if Credit be to be given to God. The Second that I bring to witness St. Austines Miracles is St. Gregory the Great a Holy Learned and wise Prelate of whom Bede thus relateth Lib. 1. c. 31. At which time Gregory sent unto Austine an Epistle concerning the Miracles which he knew were done by him In which that through the Multitude of them he should not come within the danger of Vain-glory he exhorts him with these Words I know my most dear Brother that the Omnipotent God by thy dilection doth shew great Miracles toward that Nation which he hath chosen Whence it is needful that for the same Heavenly Gift thou shouldst Joy with Fear and Fear with Joy. Rejoyce because the Souls of the English by these outward Miracles are drawn to inward Grace But Fear least among these Signs which are done thy weak Mind elevate it self thorough Presumption and while without it is raised to Honour within it fall into Vain-glory. And again Whatsoever Power in working Miracles thou hast or shalt receive esteem the same to be bestowed not on Thee but on Them for whose Salvation thou hast it Thus in this Epistle St. Gregory where I would beseech every considerate Protestant to weigh maturely with himself whether it be likely that so Grave Eminent Conscientious and VVary a Prelate as Great St. Gregory was would have written thus to Austine if he had not been well inform'd by sure and certain testimonies of the Multitude of Miracles wrought by him for the Conversion of the English So certain indeed was this Holy Doctor of the Miracles of Austine that he feared not to insert some mention of them into his Famous VVork upon Job as Bede testifies Lib. 2. c. 1. Behold saith he the Tongue of the English which lately knew nothing but to mutter barbarously now hath begun to resound in the Praises of God the Hebrew Alleluja c. Because by Precepts by Heavenly Words and also by shining Miracles the Virtue of Divine Knowledge is infused into them By which Words saith Bede Blessed Gregory declares that St. Austine and his Associates did bring the English Nation to the Knowledge of the Truth not only by the outward sound of Words but also by the help of Heavenly Miracles VVhich Holy Gregory testifieth also to Eulogius Patriark of Alexandria To whom relating with joy the Conversion of the English Lib. 7. Epistol 30. Indict 1. Know then saith he that whereas the English Nation c. remained hitherto in Infidelity I did by the help of your Prayers c. send unto that Nation Austine a Monk of my Monastery to Preach to them c. And now Letters are come to us both of his Health and of the Work he hath in hand And surely either He or they which were sent with him work so many Miracles in that Nation as they may seem to imitate therein the Power and Miracles of the Apostles themselves Thus to Eulogius Gregorius By whose most grave and so often iterated Testimony as also by St. Bedes it seems to be convinced that Austine and his Associates did draw the English to Papistry not only by the Sanctity of their Lives and by Preaching but also by great store of divine and undoubted Miracles even such as were like to the Miracles of the Apostles But that which striketh this matter dead and which proves undeniably the intercourse of Divine Miracles in our Conversion to Christ is the Epitaph placed upon the Sepulchre of Blessed Austine shortly after his Death For who can perswade himself that King Ethelbert newly then converted and full of Divine Zeal and of the Love of the Truth would permit or the Holy Bishops which St. Austin left behind him attempt to inscribe upon his Tomb notorious Lies and Fictions to
it sees to be clear that the Old Religion of the Christian World called Papistry wherein assuredly our Forefathers were Saved is far a surer way to Eternal Happiness then the New and Protestant Profession is in regard that all Learned Men agree both Protestants and Papists that Papistry is a Saving Religion Whereas all Learned Papists who are far the greater and the Learneder number upon sure grounds affirm That no Man can be Saved by the help of the Protestant Religion Which being so I demand first with what security of Conscience do Protestants hate revile tread under foot and persecute the Old Religion seeing it is a secure way to Salvation even by the Judgment of all Learned Protestants May any Man without offending God persecute the Children of God and seek to ruine that Religion by which the Holy Ghost doth Sanctifie and Save Souls Can this be accounted Charity towards God Charity towards our Neighbour Nay seeing that Protestants cannot deny but that it is far the securer and surer way to Eternal Happiness to live and dye Papists than to live and dye Protestants with what Christian Piety do Persecuting Protestants afflict Catholicks for taking in the great Affair of Salvation the surer and securer way Secondly I demand what Light of Reason what Duty towards God what Charity toward themselves doth lead Protestants not to take the surer way for their own Salvation they having so just cause to doubt that their New Protestant Profession is not secure Do they not know that many Learned Catholicks have indured Imprisonments Fetters Tortures Cruel Butchering of their Bodies and loss of their Lives rather than they would hazard their Souls in the Protestant Religion Do they not see that many Prudent understanding Generous and Noble Catholicks did suffer disgrace indured Vexations sustained the Abridging of their Liberties and loss of their Goods rather than they would hazard their Souls among them Moreover do they not see how little Unity in Doctrine how little Sanctity of Life how small Resemblance of the holy Life and Virtues of Christ and of his Apostles how little immitation of the Antient Fathers there is in the Teachers and prime Professors of the Protestant Religion Do they not know how great a decay of Humility of Charity of Chastity of Sobriety of Neighbourhood of Justice of Fidelity of Conseience the Protestant Belief hath brought into the World Do they not know that false Teachers are known by their Fruits And that there is but One Truth All this they know and see and therefore if they will but consult with reason and not be lead by fancy or blinded by affection they cannot but judge that to live and dye in the New and Protestant Religion is far less secure for their Souls then to live and dye in the Old and Catholick Faith And consequently they cannot but know that the tender care which they are bound to have of their own Souls and of the Eternal Salvation of them doth put upon them a great obligation to become Catholicks and to return to the Faith of their Fore-fathers so to secure those their most precious Jewels which in their New Profession can never be truly secured as the Doctrine of this little Treatise doth clearly demonstrate But rather they lye exposed most certainly to the misery of Eternal Perdition whereas in the Catholick Profession they may certainly secure them by the Judgement not only of the whole Catholick Church of Christ but also of all Learned Protestants To the Arguments which support the strength of this Treatise I could add others not of Inferior force to demonstrate the Happiness of Catholicks the Unhappiness and danger of Protestants arising from their Faith and Religion But that which hath been said is abundantly sufficient to give Light to all who willingly will not be blind And therefore I here end my present endeavours for Truth and Peace To which if any Protestant will frame an Answer I require of him First that he abstain from Railing Secondly That he abstain from Feigning and from helping his Cause by Impostures Thirdly That by vain Impertinencies and Retorical Digressions he seek not to lose and to dazle the Eyes of Weak and less Judicious Readers Fourthly That he make not vain Flourishes by Citing some broken or mistaken Sentences out of the Antient Fathers against me For I will not allow him to meddle with them but upon two conditions The one is that he shall Tye himself and his Church to stand to the Arbitriment of those clear Lights of the Church of Christ in points Controverted betwixt Catholicks and Protestants For if he will not be stinted by them why should I The other is that he shall allow the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the present Catholick Church to be of equal Authority with those Antient VVorthies in matters appertaining to Faith not in matters Historical For those Antients are better VVitnesses of what the Apostles Taught and Practic'd than those which now live can be But yet they are not surer Interpreters of Gods VVord in matters of Faith nor surer Explicators and Proposers of the Articles of the same Faith than the present Doctors and Pastors of the Church are This may seem to some a Paradox and yet it is no more then what the Rules of True Theology do warrant me to affirm For those Antient Doctors were not sure Guides in matters of Religion by the strength of their own VVits or Excellency of their Learning but by the assistance of the Holy Ghost which necessary assistance in explaining and proposing Articles of Faith the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the present Church have equally with them For Christ did not Promise that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against his Church that the Holy Ghost should abide with the Apostles and their Successors and Teach them all Truth for four and five hundred years Or for the time of the Primitive Church but even for ever And therefore the ordinary Doctors and Pastors of all Ages are equally assisted by the Holy Ghost and equally free from erring in mattters of Faith. Fifthly I require That my Antagonist assail me with no other Weapons than what the Light of Reason and the express Text of Gods Word will furnish him withal The express Text I say of God's Word for I will not allow him to Interpret Or accept of his Interpretation against the Interpretation of the Antient Fathers of the General Councels of the ever Visible Church of Christ unless he can prove by manifest Miracles that God hath sent him into the World to read us a new Divinity and to Interpret his Divine Word otherwise than his Antient Pastors have done Which things if he cannot perform let him in silence attend to his own Salvation and making use of that Knowledge which he may learn out of this Treatise let him timely return to the Roman Church out of whose Communion most certainly he will never be able to obtain Salvation FINIS