tyme and consequently imbraced another religion lesse auncient These words contayne a stampe or Character impressed vpon Innouation to distinguish it from Antiquity Wherunto wel accordeth that sentence of Optatus (n) Cont. Donat. l. 1. Videndum est quis in radice cum toto orbe manserit quis foras exiérit and more literally that of (o) Tract 3. in epist Ioan. Augustin Omnes Haeretici omnes Scismatici ex nobis exierunt idest ex Ecclesia exeunt intending heerby that whosoeuer maketh choyce of any new sect or doctryne the same Man either in himselfe or in his predecessours in doctryne did depart from a more generall society of men houlding a more auncient fayth then that which by him is chosen From which ground the two wordes Haeresis Apostata tooke their Ecclesiasticall signification the one signyfying a separation or choyce the other a Man going out or reuolting from Heer now I prouoke my own Brethren how learned soeuer to make good two things The one to show from what coÌ„pany or Church more ancient they catholiks departed The other to nominate any one Sect-mayster of Protestancy who was not originally a Catholyke retayning other points of the said Religion departed from this more ancient CoÌ„munity of fayth by forging som one heresy or other Concerning the first it is not sufficient for our Brethren vnder their reducing of the matter to the scripture interpreted by the priuate Spirit being but an idle circulation and maze of dispute to affirme that the Catholykes haue departed from the auncient fayth first instituted by Christ except withall they show some certaine Community of Christians more auncient then the Catholyks from whome they departed the Catholiques by by this meanes taking vpon them a certaine name of the first stampers of their doctryne as the Manichies the Donatists the Iouinians and all others haue done or from the doctryne it selfe But hic labor hoc opus est Our Brethren can neuer do it Neither in my reading haue I found any one Protestant how conuersant soeuer in Ecclesiasticall historyes either to attempt to proue this poynt though most materiall or but once to vrge it against the Catholyks so dangerously he forsaw it might be retorted vpon himselfe and his Religion Concerning the second Our Brethren cannot name any one Protestant euen from the first fiue hundred yeares or afore to the dayes of Luther a compasse of tyme contayning at least a thousand yeares which was not originally a Catholyke himselfe being afore a member of the Catholike Church and going out of it by dogmatizing some few new doctrynes still beleeuing the rest of the articles of Catholike Religion The Precedents of the Hussies Wicleffists and Waldenses may cleare this poynt all which supposing them for the tyme to be ProtestaÌ„ts are reduced as the streame to the fountayne and the branch to the tree to a knowne Catholyke beginning to wit to Husse Wicleffe and Waldo who by our owne acknowledgment were borne and baptized in the Roman Church themselues after leaping out of it by mantayning and broaching some one new doctryne or other not allowed by the Church of Rome according to that of (p) Adue MarcioneÌ„ Tertull. Haereses prodierunt ex nobis non nostrae If then the matter standeth thus that our Brethren notwithstanding their most diligent perusing of all Ecclesiasticall wryters whose proiected labour is to relate al occurents of the Church cannot shew any visible society of Men professing the crue Christian fayth from which as more auncient the present Roman Religion euer departed or went out And that on the contrary part out Aduersaryes are able to proue that euen from the first fiue hundred yeares till Luthers dayes not any one Man can be suggested or put forth for a Protestant who was not originally a Catholyke and no Protestant departing from the Catholyks by his after making choyce of some Innouation in doctryne If then I say this be so what inference more irrefragable can be made or what mathematicall demonstration more counincing then that the Catholyke fayth was more auncient then Protetestancy that being the (q) Matt. 13. good seed which was first sowne though hindred by an after casting into the ground of some tares of Nouelliâ—me and Heresy And thus farre of this poynt the which once more I commend to the diligent perusall of a cleare Iudgment The force of which Argument more easely inuadeth a vulgar Vnderstanding by forging this supposall Imagine then two great familyes or Houses the one in the first tymes of all comming out of the other but whether not confessed both standing in this competency of Antiquity If heere the heyre of the one should not only prouoke and will the other to show by good euidence when any of this heyres ancestours desceded out of the others family he not being able by sufficient wrytings to proue any such descent but withall would engage himselfe to manifest by most auncient and vndoubted Records that all the other parents in their first Ancestours were primitiuely descended from out his owne House And vpon such their descent and other circumstantiall occasions had their names first changed Now this heyre thus vndertaking and thus performing followeth it not most euidently that his house is the more auncient it being indeed the stem and the other but the branch Our Case heerein is the same both in respect of the poynt questioned being cast in one Mould THE VI. MOTIVE That true Miracles haue been wrought for proofe of the Catholyke Religion but not any for Protestancy SVCH is the benigne and mercifull proceeding of God with Man humbling himselfe in a certaine maÌ„ner to the weaknes of our Nature as that he expecteth not true fayth and doctrine at it first promulgation should vnder any penalty of punishment be beleiued except the truth of it were then fortifyed and warranted with some strange and great Miracles Thus he thought good in the vnsearcheable and abysmall depth of his wisdome to ordayne a necessity of Miracles to the confirmation of euery true new doctryne and extraordinary mission for the preaching thereof Both the Testaments afford plentifull proofe herein In the old we reade that when Moyses was sent by God to the People and said to God They (a) Exod. 4. People will not beleiue me nor heare my voyce God thereupon instantly gaue him power to worke miracles to the end as God said that the People may beleiue that the Lord appeared vnto thee a poynt so euident that in our English Bibles our owne marginall Note to this place is thus (b) Printed anno 1â—76 This power to worke miracles was to confirme his doctryne and to assure him of his Vocation In the New the words of our Sauiour to his Apostles proclayme the lyke truth saying As (c) Mate 10. you go preach heale the sicke clense the leprous raise vp the dead cast out the deuills c. And heereupon our Lord Iesus in another place thus
the second Amussis Regula or the Propounder of the articles of fayth Now from hence it proceedeth that whosoeuer denyeth any one Truth propounded by the Church to whom God reuealeth it doth not beleiue any other Article with a true fayth Since the authority of the Church doth indifferently and alyke propound all Articles to be beleiued Therefore who beleiueth the Article of the Trinity or the Resurrection of the body through the Authority of the Church propounding them to be beleiued will also beleiue Freewill Prayer to Saints c. and any other poynt seeing these are no lesse propounded by the Church to be beleiued as reuealed by God then the former are Thus it is euident that who beleiueth one article of true Christian fayth and beleiueth not another this Man beleiueth not any one article by reason of the authority of Gods Church and consequently hath no true supernaturall fayth at all which is auaileable to Saluation but beleiueth it in regard only of the probability of the point in his Iudgment and thus it is not Beleife but Opinion only in such a Man For seeing the same credit and affiance is euer to be giuen in all things to the same authority whosoeuer doth not beleiue the said authority in any one poynt doth not as is said beleiue it in any other from whence it followeth that the authority of God his Church is equally contemned in the denyall of the smallest articles as of praying to Saints Purgatory c. as in the greatest articles of the Trinity Incarnation or any other sublime and high mystery The second Reason It is peculiar to Vertues Theologicall and Infused to be obliterated and extinguished by one only contrary Act. Thus for example one mortall Sinne wholy taketh away Charity and Grace One act of desperation the vertue of Hope the same may be exemplifyed in the vertues of PeÌ„nance Religion and others Now heere by the same reason I inferre that one Heresy I meane an obstinate maÌ„tayning of any one errour in fayth how small soeuer against the authority of Gods Church depriueth a man of true fayth which as other Vertues aboue are is supernaturall theologicall and infused In this next place we will see how the iudgments of auncient Fathers do approue the former doctryne Two or three for instance shall serue And first that light of the Latin Church I meane S. Augustine (y) Lib. 18. de ciuil Dei c. 91. doth thus pensill forth an Heretyke Qui in Ecclesia Christi aliquid prauuns sapiunt si correpti vt sanum rectumque sapiant resistant contu naciter Haeretici fiunt foras exeuntes habentur in exercentibus Haereticis That is Who beleiueth any wronge or false thing in the Church of God and being admonished to beleiue the truth do resist contumaciously they become Heretyks and departing out of the Church they are reputed for open and willfull Heretyks S. Ambrose thus answerably wryteth (z0 Lib. â— in Luc. 〈◊〉 9. Negat ChristuÌ„ qui non omnia quae Christi sunt coÌ„fitetur he denyeth Christ who beleiueth not all poynts or articles concerning Christ. Thus who denyeth Lymbus Patrum denieth that Christ descended therinto and consequenly he denyeth Christ Finally S. Gregory (a) Orat. â—7 Nazianzene thus elegantly conspireth heerto Vnum vnicohaeret ex ijs quaedam verè aurea salutaris fit catena ideo si vel vnum dogma auferatur aut reddatur incertum tota catena disrumpetur That is One Article of fayth is so cohering with another that of them all there is made a goalden and healthfull chayne of fayth so as if but one article be taken away or made but doubtfull the whole chayne becommeth broken See the lyke agreeing testimonyes in (b) Apud Theod. l. 4. hist. c. 19. Basil (c) Lib. â— Apolog. contr Ruf. Ierome (d) Lib. 1. epist 6. ad Magnum Cyprian and (e) In Sym. Athanasius The auncient Fathers mynd in this poynt is manifested besydes by their particular Sentences from the practize of the Primitiue Church against Heretikes I meane from the perusall of the Catalogues of heeresyes written by them as is euident out of the Catalogues of heresyes and other such wrytings composed by Irenaeus Hierome Epiphanius Augustine Theodoret Philastrius and others in all which we shall find diuers condemned and branded for expresse Heretickes for their willfull maintayning in our iudgments but small errours though otherwise they belieued al the chiefe points of Christian fayth as the Trinity the Incarnation and the like For proofe wherof I will heere alleadg the wordes of S. Austine against the Pelagians whom he absolutly resolutly condemneth for Heretikes for their belieuing that man could keep the law of God only by force of nature without the force of Gods grace His words are these Nec (f) Epist 120. c. 37. tales sunt Pelagiani c. Neither are the Pelagians such men as thou shouldest easily contemne them for they liue continently are laudable in good works they beleiue not in a false Christ as the Manichees do c. yet because they are ignorant of the iustice of God endeauouring to make it their owne they are Heretyks and cast out of the Church And thus far for a touch of the practize of the ancient Church and the Fathers lyke conspyring testimonyes heerein where I may remit the Reader to what hath beene aboue alleadged touching the condeminatioÌ„ by the Primitiue Fathers of our Protestant doctrynes Which auncient Fathers as being learned and vertuous neither would nor durst register any for Heretyks but those who by the whole Church of God were reputed for Heretyks as afore I haue â—â—ted which point is made more euident in that we do not fynd any one of the said Fathers among so many to be contradicted by any other orthodoxall Father for such his proceeding But to leaue humane authority and to come to diuyne if we looke into Gods sacred Word it is cleare that who maintayneth any one Heresy the same hath no more true hope of his saluation then a Heathen or a Publican for we fynd our Sauiour to vse this commination Qui (g) Matt. 18. Ecclesiam non audiâ—â—it c. He that will not heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen or Publican Where we may obserue that Christ said not Who will not heare the Church in all things but absolutely pronounced Who will not heare the Church If then a Sectary or Heretyke will not heare the authority of the Church proposing such and such poynts for example of Freewill Indulgences Prayer for the dead c. to be beleiued how shall he escape the Anathema heere threatned And though these wordes immediatly be intended of fraternall correction yet à fortiori they are to be vnderstood of him who reiects the authority of the Church in matters of fayth Since this mans conteÌ„pt towards the Church is farre greater lesse pardonable For who refusetâ— to
obey the Church in one poynt doth as aboue is said wholy and absolutely contemne all the authority of the Church Againe we fynd the Apostle speaking of the works of the flesh meaning those workes which are committed by wicked men without the assistaÌ„ce of the Holy Ghost thus to wryte (h) Galat. â— The works of the flesh are Adultery Fornication c. Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulations Wrath Contentions Seditions Heresyes c. they which do such things shall not inherit the kyngdome of God where we fynd the word Heresy particulerly set down in our English Bibles though the latin word being Sectae is more remisse and therefore increaseth heere the force of our illation Now from hence I thus argue As the Apostle doth in this place pronounce sentence of condemnation against the Sinne of fornication though but once committed so also against but one sect or Heresy Since he heere maketh no mention of the plurality of tymes in committing any Sinne nor of the number of Heresyes before the workers and defendours of them can deserue damnation And thus farre of our Adiaphorists or Neutralls in fayth for I can tearme them no better who though they beleiue some articles that are true yet beleiue those truths falsly as not relying vpon the grounds of beleife to wit God reuealing and the Church propounding And indeed such men if they be punctually examined are found to beleiue nothing but their Sense at most their Iudgment So they giue credit to the matter but not to the Authour and so much euery man affoards to a discredited and blemished witnes Away then among Christians with this tepidity or cold indifferency in fayth which is of that charitable disposition forsooth as to promise that to all others I meane Saluation of which it selfe is not capable Therefore to conclude my last Arrest and sentence heerin it that indifferently to allow all Religion is to take away all Religion and that Neutralisme in fayth finally discargeth it selfe into Libertinisme in maners I will heere stay my Pen passing ouer many other Positions of like nature breathing such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and impossibilityes which we mantayne Only I say as aboue I touched that if we ballance them with the most abstruse difficultyes to be found in the Catholyke Religion yea with those in the doctryne of the Reall Presence we may conclude that those more easely may become the Obiect of our beleife and so to be beleiued then these and other such lyke exorbitant grosse and absurd Assertions or Connexions of ours Since those former only transcend Reason these manifestly impugne Reason By beleiuing the first we forbeare to be Heathens by beleiuing these other we cease to be Men Those do aduance and magnify in Man the power of God these obliterate and deface in him by giuing assent thereto the Image of God To be short those may be apprehended by the light of fayth these are euen incompatible with the light of our Vnderstanding THE VIII MOTIVE Deceites and sleights practised by Protestant VVryters I HAVE euer beene of mind that matters of Religion are to be proceeded in with a fearefull and innocent pen and that who approacheth thereto ought with (a) Exod. cap. 3. Moyses to put their shooes off their feet the place wherin they stand being holy ground that is ought to cast off al imperfections of intended calumnyes impostures and other fraudes in regard of the venerable subiect to be intreated of I would to God I could not iustly charge my owne brethren with faultines heerein so exempting them out of the number of those who to vse the Prophets phrase Dolosam (b) Ose 12. calumniam diligunt But it falleth out far otherwise to their dishonour and my griefe since if tryall be made we shall find many Babylonians to dwell in our supposed Hierusalem Our owne fraudulent deportements in this great busines of Religion great in that it concerns our soules interminable weale or woe haue much disedifyed me begetting at the first in me a staggering opinion whether that can be Truth which needeth such supporters of deceite and collusion I will exemplify in diuers And to omit our pretence of the Priuate spirit for the auoyding of all authorityes as already discouered aboue The first kind of these shall concerne the English translation of our Bibles The sleight consisteth in translating such texts as mention Traditions and merit of Workes I will heer forbeare to show how the Scripture (c) Ioan. â—ic 1. Thess 2. commandeth vs not to relye only vpon Scripture or how our men haue borrowed our fayth heerein from the old Heretikes Nestorius (d) Vt habetur in sexto Synodo act 1. and Dioscorus so as we receaue by Tradition to reiect Traditions The imposture only in translating it is wherein I now dwell Whereas then the new Testament maketh relation of good traditions and bad wicked and Iewish traditions expressing them both by one and the same greeke word to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifyeth Traditio Now our English translations in such (e) 1. Cor. 2. I pray you Brethren that you be mindfud of mâ— and as I haue deliuered vnto you you kâ—ep my OrdinaÌ„ces The lâ—ke translating of the word Ordinances is in 2. Thess 2. texts wherein are vnderstood good and profitable Traditions doe translate insteed of the word Traditions the word Ordinances But where the texts speake of wicked (f) Matth. 15 VVhy doe you transgresse the CommandmeÌ„ts of God by your Traditions and friuolous Traditions there they remember precisely to set downe in their translations the right word Traditions and not the word Ordinances or any other word in lieu of it as may be seene in these Textes quoted But this I feare was done in dislike of Apostolical traditions that so the ignorant Reader should neuer find the word tradition in Scripture in a good sense but alwayes in a bad and disallowed Though now in our last translation but not in any former for the better plaistering of the matter we put in the margent of such texts speaking of godly Traditions the word Traditions The like course we take in translaring the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying dignus in english worthy and the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be made worthy for in those Texts (g) Luc. 21. watch at alâ—ryâ—as praying that you may be accounted worthy to stand befor the sonne of God The like iâ— done in the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Luc. 20. 2. Thess 1. which concerne merit of workes wherein these forsayd wordes are vsed we translate them to seeme to be worthy and to seeme only to be made worthy therby to weaken such texts for the prouing of merit of Workes But in other Texts (h) O how much forer punishment shall he be worthy which tredeth vnder foot the son of God not touching the doctrine of merit we can be content to
then before in those kynd of studyes in the which to speake in the VVisemans (a) Eccles cap. 52. dialect Modicum laboraui sed inueni mihi magnam requiem Many are the Reasons warranting this my change much trauelled in euen by my owne paynes and disquisition for I graunt I scorned to looke into these weighty matters with other mens eyes yet by reason of the present weake state of my languishing Body I haue selected these few particular Motiues ensuing hereafter in due tyme to be presented to the eye of the World Touching which I foresee I shall fynd different and perhaps some calumnious Censures For I probably presage that since it wil be interpreted iniurious to the present State as if (b) Tert. lib. aduers Gentes non possumus Romani esse hostes non esse and displeasing to his Maiesty whom in my soule I do affect with all true Allegeance do acknowledge with all Gratefulnes his many Honourable vndeseruing Fauours and for whose true Happines I do and daily wil pray as long as this enfeebled flesh of myne shall enioy this ayre when it shal be reported that the Bishop of London dyed a Romanist in Religion and hath not beene ashamed euen with his owne penne to pull in those Colours of that fayth which himself afore had aduaÌ„ced that therefore it must be diuulged either he dyed not in that Religion or at least that these written Motiues are but masked vnder his Name as being framed by some Catholike Pryest for the greater defaming of the ProtestaÌ„ts Ghospell No No. By Gods infinite grace I am resoued notwithstanding all contrary assaults whatsoeuer to dy a menber of the Catholyke or as we tearme it Papist Church Inueni (c) Cantie 8. quem diligit anima mea tenui eum nec dimittam And as an earnest giuen to this my designe I haue heere written this small Treatise which in my lyfe tyme is deliuered to a friend It is myne and penned by my self and to me the dearest and choisest Chyld that euer the wombe of my brayne brought forth howsoeuer it is likely that Orphanlyke it shal be cast out and be betrampled vpon with all ensuing serpentine malignity I haue purposely enleuened the most passages thereof with the testimonyes of diuers Protestant Wryters and Doctours and this for two respects One because my selfe being heeretofore a Protestant Doctour and placed in that eminency of seate wherin I am I thought it the more sutable to produce authorityes of men of my owne former Religion Rancke and Profession The other for breuity seeing the acknowledgments of Protestants in poynts controuerted preuent that we need not to recurre through a long and wearisome enquiry to Scriptures Fathers or Historyes for the determining of the said Poynts and I remember well that dull and tedious reading soone turneth the edge of fastidious and curious Witts The truth is heere set downe plainly without Affectation of pleasing Oratory or to vse the Apostles phrase the perswasible (d) 1. Cor. 2. words of humane wisdome for at this tyme and vpon this subiect I little pryze a fluent smooth and oyled tongue If it be demanded why now and not before I do wryte this Apology Let such men know iâ—lis the feare of Hell and losse of Heauen the only two landing-places of the Soule after her departure from hence for all Eternity that hath forced me heerto Alas my poore languishing body euery day decaying and assuring itself that many moneths for I look not for yeares it cannot hould out sommons me now to display the very secrets of my soule for the sauing of my soule and not to draw any veyle betweene me and my most inward Thoughts and Intentions I haue dissembled my Religion for some few yeares so haue Wyfe Children wordly Honours enthralled my Soule sweet Iesus forgiue me I haue persecuted the Church of Christ for many yeares O blessed Apostle S. Paul thou who once wast a Persecutour but after a planter of Gods Church intercede for me But O the torment of my afflicted ConscieÌ„ce I haue had my hand would to God both hand and arme for the preuenting of such a mischeife had then beene cut off in sheeding of innocent Bloud And is it not high tyme for me to cast vp these accounts and to vse an introuersion vpon my owne Actions O happy Almond who heeâ—e vpon earth didst maske thy self vnder the name of Mollineux In thy bloud euâ—â— in thy bloud did I wash my hands It was I that did further thy death be thou O blessed Saint who now seest and hearest me Quid (e) Creg l. 4. dial non videt qui videntem omnia videt be thou I say out of thy Seraphicall Charity as propitious to pray for remitting of that crying-Sinne as I am ready to acknowledge the Sinne. And let thy bloud guilty of no other treason then in not being a â—raytour to Christ and his Church not resemble the bloud of (f) Gâ—â—es 4. Abel which cryed for reuenge against his brother but rather the bloud of Christ which prayed (g) Luc. c. 3. for pardon of his Crucifiers Well then the state of my former lyfe and my present weaknes being thus haue I not iust reason to say with the Spouse (h) Cant. 4. Vadam admontem mirrhae collem thuris where a man by a spirituall annibilatioÌ„ of himself enioyeth a more perfect being That is I will spend the short remnant of my lyfe in Pennance and Prayer Let my future Aduersaries spit our their Venome neuer so much in their contumelious Scripts against me I care not I feare not I am resolued for my owne good to breake with flesh bloud since shortly I am to leaue all flesh and bloud I am within the iawes of death all that I expect is to saue my soule And poore Doctour King dying Catholike is not ashamed to acknowledge the transgressions of Doctour King liuing Protestant Therefore O most mercifull Lord who aâ—t God of God and Man for Man who hast sayd to a sinnefull soule Tu (i) Ierâ—n â— fornicata es cum multis amatoribus tamen reiertere admo ego reâ—piam te doe not repudiate this poore soule of myne which hath committed spiritual fornication with Honours Preferments and other such glorious Miseryes Thou who in thy holy Writ hast left recorded Quomoâ—o (k) Psal â—02 miseretur Pater filiorum misertus est Dominus timentibus sâ— Be hould heer thy Prodigall son prostrating my selfe at the feet of thee my heauenly Father humbly crauing pardon for my mispent substance and partrimony Finally thou who thus assurest 〈…〉 Nolo (l) Fzech cap. 18. mortem morientis conuertimini â—iuite Looke vpon me who now halfe dead in body and heeretofore wholy dead in Soule euen loathing the vpbrayding remembrance of my former courses do cast my selfe betweene thy armes to receaue a new spiritual life Sweet Iesus who by my creation
speaketh of himselfe If (d) Ioan. 15. I had not done the works which no other Man did they had not sinned To conclude S. Marke sealeth vp his Gospell with the lyke words touching the Apostles saying They (e) Mar. vâ—â— preached euery where and the Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with signes that followed Now from these sacred texts of Scripture ryseth this Resultancy to wit What Church enioyeth this guyft of Miracles the same is the true Church since true Miracles are wrought only by the power of God though not allwayes by good men yet euer to a good end And what Church wanteth this priuiledge especially in the first planting of a new Religion or in an extraordinary Mission or vocation of Ministers the same is not to be reputed the true Church of God but the Conuenticle of Satan which later poynt is acknowledged for true euen by vs (f) Musculus thus writeth in loc com Vocatio quae immidiatè est a Christo c. babebat sua signa vnde cognosci potuis de quibus meminit Marcus Euangelista cap. vis Amandue Polâ—â—us in partis theolog l. â— p. 308. Ministrorum extraordinariè vocatoruÌ„â—tiam dona extraordiâ—aria fuere neÌ„pe Prophetia doâ—um edendi miracula Vide D. Sauaria in defens tract coutra respons Bezae cap. 2. p. 38. Luth. in loc com class 4. c. 20â— Bullinger aduers Anabapt lib. 3. cap. 7. saying Si dicitis vos instar Apostolorum peculiarem vocationem babâ—re probate eam signis miraculis ProtestaÌ„ts thus are we coÌ„tent to lend a hand for the drawing out of that sword which our Aduersaryes after do sheath in our owne sides for if I can proue that in the Catholike and Roman Church there hath beene in all ages the patration of true Miracles and that neuer any one hath beene performed by vs Protestants notwithstanding our vndertaking to plant a new Religion and challenging to our selues an extraordinary vocation what can be more irrefragably concluded but that the Catholike Church is that true Church whereunto our Sauiour hath tyed this glorious guift and that our Protestant Church is but a false and late erected synagogue According to that of S. Augustine Culmen (g) Lib. de â—tilitate credâ—â—di cap. 17. authoritatis obtinuit Ecclesia Catholica Haereticis Miraculorum maiestate damnatis And first to examine vs Protestants touching this point where as forseeing and acknowledging our want of miracles it will not be sufficient for vs by way of preueÌ„tion to say That since the doctrine now taught by vs was confirmed in the beginning by the Apostles and Martyrs with infinite miracles therefore it is not to be expected that we should worke any miracle for the second warranting of it This I say is but a subtill subterfugious declyning of the point for seeing our doctrine is confessed by vs to be repugnant to all Antiquity as appeareth from our reiecting of the ancient Fathers seeing we vendicate to our selues an extraordinary vocation as not being sent by ordinary Pastours but immediatly (h) Doctor Fulke against Stapl Marti c. p. 2. thus wryteth The ProtestaÌ„ts that preached these last dayes had likewise extraordinary calling Thesame is affirmed by Caluin Instit l. 4. c. 3. sect 4. by Philip Mornay in his treatise of the Church translated printed anno 160â— by Beza in epist. Theolog epist from God as we are forced to teach therfore we are obliged to make good this our doctrine vocation and mission by some supernaturall and diuine testimonyes that is by exhibiting of miracles Now how farre we Protestants are distant from the working of any such stupendious actions will appeare from the liberall acknowledgments of our want therein And first as confessing so much D. Sutcliffe thus writeth We (i) In his examen of Doctour Kellisons Suruey printed 1606. pag. 8. do not practise Miracles nor do we teach that the doctrine of Truth is to be confirmed with miracles To whose iudgment D. Fulke accordeth in these wordes It (k) Against the Rhemish Testament in Apocal. cap. 13. is knowne that Caluin and the rest whome the Papists call Archeretikes do worke no miracles A point so euident that through our owne want of miracles we peremptorily teach and mantaine that all true Miracles haue ceased euer since the Apostles tymes And yet heere I cannot pretermit to note how in the life of Caluin written by Hierome Bolsecus it is certainely affirmed and recorded for true that Caluin emulous of the Catholike Church for working miracles contracted with a poore man of his owne Religion to counterfeite himselfe dead that he for confirmation of his owne doctrine and vocation might seeme to raise him to life But Caluin in the presence of many began no sooner to call the poore supposed dead man to life but that instantly through Gods iust iudgement he became dead indeed and so was buryed And thus though Caluin neuer wrought any miracle yet God vouchsafed to exhibite this miracle for his greater confusion So as those wordes of Tertullian may well be heere verifyed Apostoli (l) Lib. de praescript de mortuis suscitabant Haeretici de viuis mortuos faciunt Now that the Catholike Church euer enioyed this priuiledge and honour of working miracles and this often in proofe of some Catholike point or other I thus proue And first to begin with the tyme of the Primitiue Church and for tast of some particulers I find in proofe of the Reall presence in the Sacrament S. Chrysostome (k) De sacerd l. 6. c. 4. thus to record of one A certaine venerable and aged man was vouchsafed by God to be made worthy of a vision which was that during that tyme meaning of celebrating the sacrifice of the Masse he did see whole multituds of Angells to descend suddenly downe being cloathed with shyning vestements and standing round about the Altar and bowing downe their heades in such sort as if one should behold souldiers bearing themselues in the presence of their King Thus far S. Chrysostome Touching the vertue of the signe of the Crosse (l) In vita Hilarionis Hierome (m) In vita Antonij Athanasius (n) Hâ—r 30. Epiphanius and (o) Hist l. 5. cap. 21. Theodoret do make so ample relation of many miracles done by it as that D. (p) In his answere to Iohn Burges p. 138. Couell speaking thereof thus writeth No man can deny but that God after the death of his sonne manifested his power to the amazement of the world in this contemptible signe being the instrument of many Miracles Touching the Image of Christ Eusebius thus writeth The (q) Hist l. 7. c. â— image of Christ was erected by that woman whome Christ cured of the fluxe and an vnusuall herbe did grow at the bottome thereof which after it growing vp and once touching the garment of the Image had power to cure all diseases Thus Eusebius Concerning
for a tast I will only passe them ouer with a gentle pen rather intimating them to the Reader then displaying them at large And first touching the actuall fayth for habituall with them is not sufficient which (b) So Luther teacheth lib. de captiu Babil c. de Baptis See further of this Artiâ—le agreing with Luther Kenmitiâ—â—â—n 2. part aâ—am Conâ—il Trid. ad Caâ—on 〈◊〉 and the Centurists Cent. â— c 4. col 63. and Cent. 5. c. â— col 517. Luther and others exact of infants at the tyme they are baptized and this by force and mediation of the words pronounced by the Minister Now what iudgement can giue assent heereto To wit that fayth can be wrought by certaine wordes and yet the party belieuing not to hear or vnderstaÌ„d the words fides ex auditu If Infants vnderstand the wordes of Baptisme why do they resist what they can their baptising by wayling and other motions of the body Or how can their vnwillingnes therof be excused from sacriledge And thus their Baptisme washeth not away but contracteth new blemishes Poore Innocents who know not whether they liue or no and yet they must be presumed actually to know the misteryes of fayth since otherwise in the cold seuerity of these our men they cannot be saued strange harse and incridible Not the late inuested soule departing from it body baptized is assured of it saluation since it is free from originall sinne as enioying the benesit of this sacred mistery where the ablution of the body is the abstersioÌ„ of the soule Caro (c) Tert. lâ—de resierrect carn abluitur vt anima emaculetur free from actuall as wanting reason wherby it otherwise might worke against reason In our doctrine of Iustification do we (d) Ita Luth in art 10.11 12. Melaâ—ct in locis titul de fide Caluiu in Antid Concil Trident. sess 6. Kemuit in exam Concil Trident. sess 6. not teach that sinne is remitted by a sole speciall fayth by the which a sinner thinketh himselfe to be iust Which graunting we graunt that the truth of the thing depends vpon the opinion though later had thereof and not the opinion as in reason it should vpon the truth of the matter Which is no lesse theÌ„ to grant that thinges subsequent in nature can exist in priority of being before thinges precedent in nature or that the effect still remayning the effect can produce it cause Further I doe heere vrge When I begin to belieue that I am iust Either I am thus Iust or not Iust If iust then I am not iustifyed by that fayth by the which I belieue I am iust because this fayth as is sayd is later then my iustice If vniust then this fayth of myne by which I belieue I am iust is false therefore it is no diuine and supernaturall fayth Finally if by this fayth of myne I am iust then doe I want all sinne If I haue no sinne I cannot without committing sinne repeate that sentence in our Lords prayer Dimitte nobis debita nostxa forgiue vs our sinnes For it is a sinne to aske remission of sinnes when it is certaine that I haue no sins to be remitted See what absurdityes Iustification by fayth engendreth Concerning that heathnish and impious doctrine which teacheth that God is the authour of sinne for howsoeuer we verbally disclaime from it yet do our positioÌ„s (e) Luther sayth God worketh the wicked worke in the wicked and againe Nulliest in maniâ—quippiam â—ogi tare mali aut boni fed â—â—mnia de necessi tate absoluta venitâ—nt In assertion bas damnat per Leonem art 36. Beza saith God exâ—yteth the wicked wil of one thâ—ef to kill another In his display of Popish practis p. 202. D. VVillet God not only permitteth but leadeth into temptation with an actiue power and not permissieuly In Synops papism pag. 〈…〉 â—â—â—ngiius sayth God moueth the thi fe to kill c. and the thief is enforrel to sinne Tom. 1. d prouidentia fol. 306. necessarily include the same Now what can be more dissonant from all probability of Truth or further from winning an assent in our vnderstanding then to belieue that who redeemed vs by death from sinne should thirst after our eternal death by forcibly incyting vs to sinne That who by his sacred Word most vehemently disswades vs from offending him by our wickednes should not withstanding such his perswasiue disswasions will vs to perseuere in our wickednes That who in this life temporally chastizeth vs thereby to draw vs from all enormous courses should most effectually worke in vs a resolution still to lye groueling in the mudd of such enormityes To be short that he whose nature is euen goodnes it selfe should be the fountaine from whence all euill impiety receaues it emanation and flowing thus most desiring that which he most hateth And heere when we are charged by our Adoersaryes with whole shot of Texts of (f) E cles 2 14 Toby â—â— Psal 3.943.36 7â— besides infinite others in both the old new Testament Scripture prohibiting sinne as the soule of all euill threatning most dreadfull punishments for the perpetrating thereof and promising most honourable and mutificent rewardes for the auoyding of the same then doe we labour to diuert the forces thereof by interposing an idle and intentionall distinction of a double (g) Of this double will in God Calu. instis l. 1. c. thus saith Non capimus quomodo fiers velis Deus quod facere vetat Will in God whereby indeed we distinguish God from Iustice and Mercy The one his secret and concealed Will the other his â—eâ—eaâ—ed Will in the Scriptur impugning his concealed will As if God were a deluder of men speaking one thing yet intending another thus profering his lip-fauours of grace and rewardes for the auoyding of sinne but inwardly resolued to impell man irresistably thereto and after to punish him eternally for the same so iniurious it is to God and repugnant to the naturall light of our Vnderstanding to aâ—â—ribe any other Will vnto him whose loue heere towardes man is increased through mans hate towards sinne thus Hate engendring Loue then an vnleauened and pure intention desirous only of our relinquishing of sinne and of our soules saluation Nolo (h) Ezech. 18. mortem peccatoris sed magis vt conuertatur vinat Since otherwise it would follow that by sinning against his Commandments a strange duty consisting in breach of dutye we performed his will and Commandement such exhorbitancyes in sense this our doctrine exhaleth forth Touching the Pope being Antichrist do we not mantaine that the Pope is that Antichrist which is foretould in Gods holy (i) 2. These 2. write And do we not withall confesse that during the tyme of his reigne till Luthers (k) Luther in epist ad Argentina Christum 〈◊〉 nobis primo vulgatum audeâ—â—â—is gloriâ—â— See the testimonyes aboue touching the inuisibility of the Church reuolt our Church was
altogeather vnknowne and latent so as further we acknowledge that for the space of many hundred years the Papacy (l) D. Field in his book of the Church l. â— c. 6. sayth The Church when Luther began was that apparent Church wherein Luther the rest wer baptized â—eceaued their Christianity ordination and power of Ministry osiander â—pâ—som â—ent 16. p. 1073. Ecclesia quae sub Papaâ—u fuit â—obuit ministerium Euangelij sacra biblia Baptismum Coenam Domini c. And Luther in loc comm class 1. sayth In medijs furoribus c. Euen in the middest of the furours of the Dragon and the Lyon there did remaine Baptisme the Eucharist the power of the Keyes holy Scripture c. Thus Luther alone enioyed the safe keeping of the Scriptures and an auaylable administration of the Sacraments Now heere I would demand of our Inuisibilists how these two assertions can stand togeather to wit the Pope is Antichrist the Pope so being preserued for so many ages the Scripturer incorrupted and administrated the Sacraments profitably Which if they can then can Israell be found in Babylon and participation be betweene Christ Belial then must Antichrist only preserue the means for the descryall of Antichrist and he who is falshood it selfe be by our owne inference columna firmamentum veritatis Then can heauenly musickâ— for at least in part the Pope expounded the Scriptures truly proceed from the Dragons voyce and medicinable phisicke be drunke out of that cup which shall inebriate the Kings of earth then must our soules saluation for without the vse of the Sacraments it cannot be obtayned be wrought by our soules chiefest enemy and Heauen be purchased by the mediation of the Man (m) 2. Thess vbi supra of sinne and sonne of pocalyps thus is Antichrist become Christs setuantes best supporter keep safe those records wherby those many hundred thousandes (n) Apocalyp 14. of Christs Virgins make their clayme to the inestimable reward allotted for their vowed chastity As easily may we belieue that the Arke and the Idol Dagon could be placed togeather or dreame with Copernicus that the heauens stand still and the earth moues Neither wil that extrauagant answere giuen by some of (o) Doctor VVhitak lide Eccles p 165. so sayth And Beza epist Theo. ep 1. Voluiâ— Deus in papatu seruare Ecclesiam et fi papatus noÌ„ est Ecciesia vs when we are demanded to reconeyle these points auayle vs at all The Church was in the Papacy the Papacy was in the Church and yet the Papacy was not the Church O Delphick and Aenigmatical or other childish idle and false since if we belieue S. Augustine Nihil prodest esse in Ecclesia nisi sis cum Ecclesia Lastly diuers of vs Protestants I do not say all do implye in our writings that a man may haue â—â—luation in any religion so he hould the fundamentall points of the Trinity the Incarnation that Christ suffered for vs c. This is euident from the testimonyes of such of our Protestant Brethren as acknowledge the Lutherans who dissent from them in the doctrine of the Reall presence and the Puriâ—â—ns differing also from them in seuerall articles of fayth for members of the Church Yea our Brother M. D. (p) In his treatise of the kingdoÌ„ of Israel and the Church p. 94. Morton I infinitly meruaile he would euer suffer such wordes to fall from his pen teacheth that the very Arians may be saued for â—â—us he writeth The Churches of the AriaÌ„s are to be accounted the Church of God because they hould the foundation of the Ghospell which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God Sauiour of the world where by the way I note that it is strange he should be so seuere towardes Catholiks if reports be true being so indulgent to the very Arians To this sentence D. (q) In his answere to a counterfeite Catholikâ— p â—9 Fulk seemeth well to agree saying The true Church vnder the Emperours Constantine Constans and Valens was greatly infected with the heresyes of Arius Thus in his iudgements an Arian is a member of the true Church and consequently in state of saluation But our foresayd D. (r) Vbisupra p. 91. Morton comprehendeth al sects and heresyes whatsoeuer within the compasse of Gods Church and consequently of saluation if so they belieue in Christ for thus he writeth Wheresoeuer a company of men do ioyntly and publikely by worshipping the true God in Christ professe the substance of Christian Religion which is fayth in Iesus Christ the son of God and Sauiour of the world there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Where we are to note the last wordes notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer Good God! how different is this man as heereafter I will show from the iudgment of the ancient Fathers and practise of the Primitiue Church But to proceed this most pernicious yet plausible doctrine being the Prodromus and forerunner of Libertinisme originally springeth from the Priuate Spirit since this spirit giueth reynes to euery Man to beleiue what it selfe best suggesteth But since the Canker heereof is secretly spred into the harts of many men at this day I will therfore rest the longer in discouering the absurdity and falshood thereof by stirring a litle the earth about the roote of it it being indeed a fayth coÌ„sisting in a wast of fayth and a Religion resting in the denyall of the necessity of any one Religion And first it is certaine that without fayth a Man caÌ„not be saued sine (s) Hebr. 11. fide impossibile est placere Deo And again qui (t) Marc. 16. non crediderit condemnabitur Withall it is as certaine that this fayth according to that (u) Ephes 4. vna fides vnum baptisma ought to be One True and Supernatural for if it be not One and True it saueth not Man but seduceth him since Truth is One and Errour various and multiplicious Now heere I vrge that one fayth cannot be in seuerall Sects seeing these Sectes teach poynts not only in themselues disparate and different but contradictory and meerly repugnant Furthermore that that fayth which saueth man must be entyre and true in all poynts is confirmed by other two irrefragable Reasons The first altogether insisted vpon by S. Thomas (x) â—n â— distinct 23. 22 q. 5. art 5. and all cheife Schoolemen is this True Christian fayth as being a supernaturall and infused Vertue hath a necessary reference to two thinges the first is that which Deuynes heere call Prima Veritas reuelans which is God reuealing all truths of fayth to the Church the second the authority of the Church which God heere vseth as a meanes by the which he propouÌ„deth the said truths to be beleiued So as no true supernaturall fayth can be produced but where these two concurre The first of these is called by the Deuines Obiectum formale of fayth
translate the sayd wordes truely that is to be worthy and to be worthy indeed But alas is Gods holy word so little fauourable to our Protestant fayth that we must be forced thus to adulterate and corrupt it for the better sustayning of our cause The next sort of Collusions may be extended to our deceitfull setting downe the doctrine supposedly maintayned by Catholikes indeed obtruding vpon them certaine absurd Positions from which they vtterly disclaime And thus doe we no lesse charge them with belieuing of errours then with not belieuing of our presumed truth To instance this Touching the merit of works Do we not vsually affirme in our Sermons Books that the Papists doe so belieue to be saued by their owne workes without the passion of Christ as that we hould their doctrine therein to be dishonourable to his Passion We do And yet the Councell (i) Sess 6. of Trent wherein is contayned a summary of their fayth teacheth that al good workes which a Christian can do receaue their force valew and price from the Passion of our Sauiour for otherwise it houlds them as no good workes to which workes as proceeding only from the grace of God the Catholikes teach our Sauiour (k) Matt. 3 16. 10 hath promised his reward So confidently they affirme that it is of the grace of God that we concurre with the grace of God and worthily since as the soule informes the body so Grace informes the Soule Touching the Catholikes praying to Saints We charge them in great estuation and heate of wordes that thereby they dishonour Christ his Passion making the Saints in praying to them their Redeemers and Sauiours When God knoweth all that the Catholikes do is but to pray to them that so the Saints as being more gracious in the sight of God would intercede for them with no other intention then S. Paul requested the (l) Rom. â—s I befeech you c. striue with me by prayers to God for me Romans (m) 1. Thess 5. Brethren pray for me The like wordes he vseth to the Hebrews c â—5 Thessalonians and Hebrews in his Epistles that they would remember him in their prayers to God And from hence doth grow that most warrantable distinction of Mediatours to wit of Reaemption of which kind the Catholikes no lesse then we acknowledge no other then Christ alone and of Intercession of which sort euery vertuous and good man much more the Saints and Angells may be without any indignity to our Sauiour one for another since no prayers euen by the Catholiks owne doctrine are auailable but such as are founded in the beliefe in Christ and in the vertue and force of his most deare and precious Passion So willfully we mistake the doctrine of the Church of Rome heerein Concerning Indulgences How frequent are these and the like bold reproaches with vs That the Paprsts teach the Pope can giue aforehand pardon for any subiect to murther his King that he can absolue one from the sinne which heere after he is to comnit What fooleryes are these And how idly do we diuer berate the ayre in deliuering in our SermoÌ„s such improbable or rather senseles assertions they being indeed incompatible with common Reason Do not the Catholikes owne bookes show first that the Pope can no more forgiue aforhand any one sinne which heerafter is to be perpetrated then he can create a new world since the obiect of the Sacrament of Pennance is a sinne already committed Secondly that the Pope cannot remit the guilt of sinne I meane the punishment of damnation due to sinne by meanes of any Indulgences for it is their owne generall doctrine that no man can be partaker of any Indulgence but at the tyme of his receauing thereof he must be in state of grace to which state he is first brought by vertue of a sacramentall Confession or when that cannot be obtained by force of a true and perfect Contrition Thirdly and lastly that the guilt of eternall damnation being afore remitted as is sayd by the sacrament of Confession or in want thereof by perfect Contrition there remaines a temporal punishment for the sayd sinnes afore remitted for the satisfying of Gods iustice which temporall punishment as being the only obiect of Indulgences the Catholikes hould the Pope as Christs Vicar heere vpon earth and dispenser of his spirituall Treasure can either-lessen or wholy take away if so the party be capable thereof in being at that instant in state of Grace and performing the pennances enioyned vpon him by applying vnto him vpon iust occasions the superbundaÌ„cy of Christs passion In whose passioÌ„ for the more fully satisfying of all eternall much more temporall punishment the sheeding of one drop of bloud was sufficient to redeeme thousands of Worlds since then his Humanity being accompanyed with the Diuinity Innocency did suffer for sinne Iustice for offence Health for infirmity and finally God for Man Thus and no otherwise doe the Catholikes teach heerein as is euident out of their chiestest (n) Set heereof S. Thomas Aquinas 4. sent d. 10. art 5. Sotus 4. sent d. â—â— Caietan tom 1. Bellar lib. de indulg possim wryters Who notwithstanding their defence of the doctrine of Indulgences may I feare iustly charge vs Protestants with relying too much vpon a I lenary Indulgence as I may tearme it of a solifidian fayth The next point of this nature shal be concerning Images touching which our Eiconomachi or impugners of the lawfull vse of them do run into strange exhorbitancy of speaches accusing Catholikes that they place a kind of diuinity or deity in Images and that they pray to them so wonderfully doth preiudice of opinion transport mens mindes tongues When the Catholikes are charged heerewith yea the most silly and ignorant women on their side they answere that for the images themselues they know they are made of stone wood or such other matter and that in regard of their substances they account them no better then stone wood or the like They vse them they say not to pray to them since this were no better then a godles religion or a deuout impiety but only besides a peculiar respect giuen vnto them aboue other things made of like substances to supply the wants of their â—emory that so their corporall eye being fixed vpon them the eye of their vnderstanding during the tyme of their deuotions may be more intent vpon our Sauiours Passion or the Saints represented in them See heereof the second Councell of (o) Act. 7. Nice (p) Epist 119. S. Augustine (q) Lib. 7. epist 107. S. Gregory S. Thomas Suarez others Finally do we not diuulge that the Pope and his Church aduance themselus aboue the Scripture allowing for Scripture that which is not and altering at their pleasure the true sense of the scripture by obtruding vpon it any sense of their owne Good God! that men otherwise learned and witty should thus idly in their speaches
of godly men to vse his words raysed vp by the Holy Ghost Againe Gregory the Great and Augustin who first planted in England Christian Religion are confessed by vs to haue beene Papists as aboue is showed and yet they are thus styled by vs That (t) M. Godwin in his Catal. of Bishops pag. 3. See the like coÌ„mendation giuen to them by D. Fulke against Heskins Sanders c p. 561. blessed and holy Fathers S. Gregory and S. Augustine our Apostle S. Bernard by our acknowledgment was so confessed a Papist as that he was an Abbot and (u) Osiand in epitom Cent. 12. p. 309. Authour of many Monasteryes in France and Flaunders and yet D. (x) Lib. de E cles p. 369. Whitaker thus writeth of him Ego quidem BernarduÌ„ verè suisse Sanctum existimo And Osiander (y) Cent. 12. p. 309. tearmeth him A very good man Of Bernard Francis others Tindall (z) Act. mon. pag. 1338. thus acknowledgeth I doubt not but S. Bernard Francis and many others like holy men erred as concerning Masse thus he confessing them to be men of Sanctity and holynes and consequently in state of saluation And touching the same point Luther (a) In col loq Germ. cap. de Missa thus saith Priuate Massse hath deceaued many Saints and carryed them away into errour from the tyme of Gregory for 800. yeares Of S. Dominicke who was the Authour of the Order of the Dominican Fryars (b) In Chronic. p. 200. Pantaleon a Protestant relateth much and speaking greatly of his piety and vertue concludeth thus Dominicus erat vir doctus bonus Praedicatorum Ordinem instituit His like confessed Holines is celebrated much at large by the (c) Cent. â—â— col 1179. Centurists To conclude of these three former Saints Luther thus confesseth Fateor c. I gâ—aunt that the guifts of God were not want ng to Francis Dominicke and Bernard and to others who were the first Authours of Colledges for Monks but these guifts are but personall But such guifts cannot stand without true vertue nor true vertue without hope of saluation And thus farre of this most certaine and vndeleble truth that Catholikes dying as Catholikâ— may be saved confessed in the cleare words of the most learned Protestants from whence we may be assured of their iudgments especially deliuered in the behalfe of their Aduersaryes answerable heerein to their writinges since wordes are the naturall shadow of the mind cast by the light of the Vnderstanding But heere do present vnto vs two Porismata or Resultancyes out of the Premisses of this Passage The first That all true Reason perswadeth me to implant and ingraft my self in that Church which I fynd to be acknowledged for the true church promising Saluation to her members euen by her Aduersaryes For if I dye Catholyke my lyfe being agreable thereto both Catholyks and Protestants warrant my Saluation But dying in the fayth of Protestancy the Protestant alone and this in honour of their owne Religion assure me of it For there is neuer a learned Catholyke wryter in the world an obseruation much to be weighed who granteth that a Protestant dying with a positiue setled and contumacious neglect of the Catholyke Church and fayth can be saued This then being thus shall I in so great a busines leaue a certainty for vncertainty God forbid We Protestants expect to be beleiued in other our Positions and doctrynes Why not then in this Since then the Protestants do teach that Catholyks so dying are in state of Saluation I am resolued my Brethrens wrytings shall haue that powerfull influence ouer me as what theÌ„selues doe heerin teach I will through Gods grace put in execution And so my Will shall become in this poynt a ready and seruiceable Handmayd to their Iudgments The second The Wronge which we Protestants commit in afflicting the Catholyks and in vnnaturally betrampling vpon their deiected estats only for matters of Religion Alas by our owne doctryne they are neither Babylonians nor Aegyptians both they and we being as we teach Isralits why then should Israel thus persecute Israel Are we not become the gaze of Christendome thus to fight without an enemy Thus for kynred to wound it owne kyndred yea often the Father the Sonne so turning our owne swords into our owne childrens breasts we still inciting his Maiesty to greater seuerity a Prince of his owne disposition of the most benigne mercifull and commiserating nature that the World at this day enioyes and all this for the Catholyks liuing in that fayth and Religion in which our selues teach they may be saued thus do we make the confessed hope of their saluation to be the sole cause of their pressures and calamityes Good God! who would thinke that Christians the cheifest articles of whose fayth are either reputed but as Indifferencyes or which is more beleiued for true doctrine by their Oppressours whose Church is acknowledged to be the d Dâ— Morton vbi supra Church of God houlding the foundation of the Gospell the (e) M. Hooker vbi supra family of Iesus Christ it being no seuerall (f) M. Bunny vbi supra Church from theirs nor theirs from it houlding (g) D. Field vbi supra a sauing Profession of the truth in Christ in which many (h) D. Couell with the other Doctours vbi supra dying are by their Aduersaries registred for most glorious Saints shold neuertheles be persecuted by other Christians of their owne Country yea their owne flesh for their only perseuering in the foresaid Church with confiscation of goods restraint of body and sometymes with sheeding of most innobloud suffering a cruel death Obstupescite (i) Hierem cap. 2. Cali super hoc portaecius desâ—lamini vehementer Heere now I will stay my penne making this last Motiue as a fitting Catastrophe for all Since that Closure and End is warrantable inough which euicteth from the ingenuous Confessions of the most learned Protestants that I may be saued in that Religion wherein I am resolued to dye THE CONCLVSION TO MY DEARE AND REVEREND BRETHREN THE LORDES ARCH-BISHOPS AND BISHOPS OF ENGLAND REVEREND and Learned Brethren the ouerlooking eyes of our Nation my Pen heere salutes your Lordships before it taketh it last pawse This smal Legacy I haue determined to leaue behind me primitiuely for the iustifying of my vnrepented reuolt from you in matter of Fayth for Non (a) Tert. suffundar errore quo caruisse delector Secondarily for the benefit of those whose weake Iudgments haue beene abused through their ouer-hasty swearing Fealty to their Protestant Maysters To your selues it is needles as already enioying the same other forcible demonstrations in the like behalf Diuers of you haue spent I know many yeares in seriously perusing the holy Scriptures the voluminous Commentaryes of the Lights of Gods Church the Ecclesiasticall Historyes of all ages the Oecumenicall Councells of the Primitiue Church
the sweet yoake of Christ made in our owne dayes by the Iesuits whose very name to vs is vngrateful but Quis (l) Tertul. aduerjus gentes nominis reatus Quae vocabulerum accusatio Osiander a learned Protestant in his booke of Ecclesiasticall history faythfully relateth the Conuersions of many Countreyes Of which Of the (m) Cent. 9.10.11.12.13 14.15 Danes the Morauians the Polonians the Sclauonians the Bulgares the Hunnes the Normans the Bohemians the Swecians the Noruegians the Liuonians the Saxons the Rugy Tusanes By whome sayth he were they conuerted By the Bishops of Rome liuing in those seuerall ages To what fayth To the now Catholike or as he tearmes it papisticall fayth In like sort our Century writers (n) Cent. 8.9.10.11 discoursing vpon the same subiect affirm that the Countryes of Germany of the Vandals the Bulgarians Sclauonians Danes Morauians Hungarians Noruegians were first reduced to Christianity by the Church of Rome professing then by their owne acknowledgments the same religion which at this present it doth Thus hath Rome Christian subiected to it more Nations and Kingdome by a peaceable and sweet force of Religion then euer Rome Heathen did by warre And heere we are to note a consideration not to be neglected that as these and other Protestants do confesse that all the Conuersions of the foresayd Countryes were made by Papists D. (o) Lib. de Eccles contra Bellarm. §. 336 Whitaker therefore styling them impure and corrupt conuersions so not one of the sayd Protestants or any other though writing elaboratly of this subiect would euer ascribe the conuerting of any of these or any other one Heathen King or Nation to the Protestants labours But leauing these last thousands yeares let vs ascend higher to the next three hundred yeares ariuing from the tyme of Boniface the third vp vnto the dayes of Constantin the first Christian Emperour During the space of which three hundred years no Countryes or Kingdomes were conuerted at all to Christian religion either by Catholikes or by any others most Nations in respect of Religion lying then wholy wast and incultiuated The truth of which point is euen demonstrable seeing in these ages there were no Kinges who professed Christian religion the Emperours of the East West only excepted Among whome some were bastard Christians as being braÌ„ded with (p) ValeÌ„s Constantius Constans Arianisme others (q) Iulian. Apostata's so enioying but an abortiue fayth since it wombe became it graue Now concerning the tyme it selfe of Constantin it is so irrefragably true that neither himselfe nor any Countrey by his meanes was conuerted to our Protestant religion (r) Cent. 4 as that our Magdeburgenses recording the state of the Church in his tyme doe charge Constantine with all the Catholike pointes of religioÌ„ at this day professed by the Church of Rome styling them The errours of Constantine of hâ— age Lastly to rise higher in tymes to wit from the tymes of Constantine to that of Christ our Sauiour â—it is aboundantly testifyed by all Historiographers that the Church of God was so straitned and shut vp on all sides and in such violent persecutions though otherwise glad to sweat vnder such a burdeÌ„ as that it had no meanes to enlarge it selfe by conuerting to it Kinges and kingdomes and if it had at that tyme conuerted any yet the question would then follow whether such a Conuersion had beene made to the Protestant or to the Roman Church But the luculency of this former point appeareth both from the writings of the ProtestaÌ„t (Å¿) In the booke flyied Disputationes c. Deuines of Wittemberge from the testimony of our home-brother D. Barlow (t) In his defence of the articles of the Protestant religion p. 24 thus discoursing heereof In the primitiue nonage of the Church this promise of Kings allegiance thereunto was not so fully accomplished because in those dayes that Prophesy of our Sauiour was rather verifyed You shall be brought before Kinges for my names sake by them to be persecuted euen vnto death c. But now to reflect vpon this our Argument or Motiue Is the Protestant Church the true Church of Christ Then hath it conuerted many Kinges Kingdomes vnto the fayth of Christ Let any particularize if he can the Countreyes and Tymes which and when Hath not the Protestant Church conuerted any Kingdomes and Nations to the fayth of Christ Then it selfe is not the true Church of Christ since the Prophesyes of Gods sacred Write are infallible Non (u) Tert. aduers Gnost licuisset aliter euenire quà m edixit nec ipse aliter edixisset quà m euenire voluisset Which Prophesyes as being already actually accoÌ„plished by the Catholike Church in subiecting to it diuers true Kinges indeed so the full consideration of them hath much preuayled for his intended incorporating into the Church with one poore King in name To reply heere and say that these Prophesyes are to be full filled not before but after the preaching of Luthers Ghospell is controlled by the iudgment of all learned men and by experience it selfe since it is certaine I must confesse to the preiudice of our Ghospell that neither Luther nor his schollers nor his party haue as yet first conuerted any one Kingdome Nation Citty Village or House from heathnish insidelity to the fayth of Christ Therefore we must conclude with D. Whitaker (x) Lib. 7. contra Duraeum pag. 472. ingenuously thus confessing Whatsoeuer the ancient Prophets haue foretould of the enlargment amplitude and glory of the Church the same to haue beene already performed is most euident out of historyes so true is that Lex est Enangelium praedictum â—uangelium lex completa The other branch of Prophesyes wherein I heere will insist forâ—el that in the Church of Christ there shal alwayes be found Pastours and Doctours and a continuall administration of the Word and Sacraments the spirituall conduits whereby Gods grace is deriued into mans soule or the subordinate wheeles of his diuine Maiesty by which the soule is moued and directed to gaine it owne saluation To this effect are alleadged those wordes out of the (a) Ephes 4. Apostle a text which for it clearenes is able to coÌ„ment it Comment to wit that Christ hath placed in his Church Pastours and Doctours to the consumation of Saints till we all meet in the vnity of Fayth that is as our D. (b) In his answere to a counterfeit Catholike Fulke truely expoundeth for euer Caluin (c) Instit. 4. c 3.64 himselfe concluding from hence in these words The Church cannot at any tyme want Pastours and Doctours Now that these Pastours and Doctours must not in their offices and dutyes be silent is not only witnessed by the Holy (d) Isa 62. Ghost but also besides the nature of their function requiring it acknowledged by vs Protestants And therfore D. Fulke well sayth Truth (e) Vbi supra cannot be
continued in the world but by the Ministery of the Pastours and Doctours In like sort touching the continuall administration of the Sacraments the same is more particulerly euicted from the cleare wordes of our Sauiour and S. Paul seeing by the help of them we shal show (*) 1. Cor. 11. the Lords death vntill be come A point so euident that it lyeth out of the way of all Contradiction and therefore we Protestants in plaine wordes mantaine That the absence (f) Doctor VViles in his Synopsis pag. 1. of the Sacraments doth make a nullity of the Church And againe in D. Whâ—takers (g) Centra Duâ—aâ—â—m l. 3. p. 249. phrase That the administration of the word and Sacraments being present doth constitute a Church being absent doth subuert it and againe as the same Doctour (h) Vbi supra pag. 260. styleth them that they are Ecclesiae essentiales proprietates Thus do we and Catholikes ioyntly teach that not at sometymes only the Church of Christ being his intemerate immaculat spouse is to enioy Pastours Doctours and the vse of the word and Sacraments at other tymes to be wholy destitute of them ague-like hauing thus accesses and remittings but that at all tymes in all ages in al seasons the Church without any interruption is to continue in it full Orbe by euer enioying the foresayd meanes of mans saluation Now this being the true and confessed sense of all sides of the former Prophesyes We are to examine if in the Protestant Church the administration of the word and Sacraments haue for any ages or yeares beene interrupted since such an interruption being once proued it then ineuitably followeth that the Protestant Church is not that true Church of Christ which is delineated and descrybed in the former wordes by the Apostle To euict this our Aduersaryes the Catholikes do instance in the last hundred years before Luther vrging that if any such administration of the Word Sacraments had been in that age some one history or other would haue mentioned the Pastours and Doctors of those dayes But all historyes and relations of that age say they are most silent therein What answere can we giue heereto To produce any one Historiographer of that age but intimating so much we are not able Shall we then say as some of vs haue not beene ashamed to suggest that the Pope did determinately cause all such narrations both of former tymes and of that age aboue instanced concerning Protestancy to be suppressed thereby to bury in obliuion all memory of Protestant Religion It is a phantasy it is a dreame The personall faults and vices of some Popes are (i) So was Gregory the seaâ—eÌ„th wrote against by Bâ—nno Benedictus 3. by the Councell of Constance Eugâ—nius 4. by the Councel of Basil and sâ—m others recorded in Historyes yet to be read Is it then probable that the Popes were so solicitous to extinguish all remembrance of the Protestant Payth and yet content to suffer the lesse warrantable liues of themselues and their Predecessours to be recorded for all posterity Againe in the Canons of the CouÌ„cells of euery age there is frequent mention made of particuler heresyes which then embroyled the Church condemned by the sayd Councells Can we then thinke it possible to speake morally not metaphisically that the Pope and the Councells should be so distracted in iudgment as carefully to register all other impugned Heresyes and on the other side as carefully to suppresse all arysing opinions of Protestancy It is improbable it is absurd Lastly besides that the particuler subiect of all Ecclesiasticall historyes in the relation of new doctrins recorded in the sayd historyes are not the writinges of Husse Wykcliffe and others wherin they first disgorged forth some few pointes of Protestancy yet extant euen to these dayes So transparent in a cleare eye the former answere is Or shall we secondly labour to euade our Aduersaryes pressing vs by clayming Waldo VVikcliffe Husse and such others for pastours of the Protestants Church in their tymes Durum telum necessitas our challenging of them ryseth from our extreme want and penury It is most cleare that the foresayd men were no true Protestants since not only they euer retained most of the points of Catholike religion comparting with vs Protestants only in three or foure articles but also they broached diuers errours vniustify able in our owne and our Aduersaryes iudgments with which their owne writinges do still vpbraid them So much haue some of vs (k) Pox Act. Mon. pag. 618. p. 85. diuers other ProtestaÌ„ts wronged the reputed honour of our owne Church by pretending those former Heterogeneous and mongrill Sectaryes to be true meÌ„bers therof Againe suppose them to be entyre ProtestaÌ„ts it but iustifyeth the being of ProtestaÌ„t Doctors Pastours only for their own tymes we not being able to instaÌ„ce the like for diuers ages before them But sooner shall the seas ebbing and flowing forsake the moones course then the true Church of Christ be depriued but for one age yeare or day of her Pastours and an answerable administration of the Word and Sacraments Or shall we say that in the age aboue instanced as also in many other ages before there were Pastours and Doctours of the Protestant Church notwithstanding by reason of the tyranny of the Pope they were latent and vnknowne How inexplicable or rather contraditory is this Did those Pastours conceale their owne fayth through seare of persecution the strongest pulse which beateth in weakest mindes ioyning in outward show with the supposed Idolatry of the Church of Rome Then were they dissemblers forsakers of their owne Religion and no good members of the Church Ore (*) Rom. 10. fit confessiâ— ad salutem Did they openly professe notwithstanding the imaginary rage of their enemyes their fayth and exercise the Word the SacrameÌ„ts Then by so doing they were made most eminent for what Church is better known theÌ„ that Church which liueth vnder the hatches of persecution resembling the Sunne which is best subiect to the eye in it lowest descent Or what man can for his religion be persecuted which is not knowne Eye-witnesses heereof are those Countryes wherein the Catholike religion at this day suffereth pressures tribulations But to draw towards an end the doctrine of the Churches inuisibility mantayned by many of vs Protestants is a Supersedeas to all our former answeres since it irrefragably euicteth the want of Pastours and Doctours and consequently an interruption of the Word and Sacraments except we wil misapply to the Pastours and Doctours those words of Tacitus Eo ipso praefulgebant quod non visebantur For if the Protestant fayth for many ages was absolutly extinct and no such religion was then mantayned in any Countrey then followeth it that there were neither men in the world to preach the Word and minister the Sacraments according to that religion nor any to heare it preached or receaue theÌ„