abilities or blind passion against all Guides establish'd in Gods Church if Divine Revelation consent of Antiquity manifest Reason and even experience by outward Sensation may be fit to guide me I must not be a Protestant I must of necessity be a Roman Catholic For Divine Revelation interpreted also by consent of Fathers and Councils informs me that Christ hath established on Earth a visible Church which is one holy and Catholic the common Mother and only authentick Teacher of all Christians that this Church shall remain such to the end of the World and that whosoever is not a true faithful Member of this Church is thereby cut off from the Mystical Body of Christ and shall be eternally separated from Him Again evident Reason shews that no Person or Society can be esteemed a Member of any Church any other way than by believing its Doctrines and being subject to its Laws and Government In the third place the testimony of our Senses assures us that not any of our Modern Sects do assent to the Doctrines or are governed by the Laws of any Church at all and consequently not of the Catholic Church which had a being at their first pretended Reformation therefore upon these grounds it evidently follows that all the said Sects are manifestly guilty of Schism Moreover since the Roman is that Church of which the first Reformers once were Members and by reforming made a separation from it and since the same Church does constantly profess the same Doctrines which were once held by the Universal Body of Orthodox Christians and again since there is not any visible Church upon earth to which all marks of the true Church assigned in Scripture and by the Holy Fathers can be so applied and whereto the Antient Prophecies and the Promises of Christ have been so perfectly accomplished as the Roman it will evidently follow that the present Roman Catholic Church ought to be acknowledged that one Holy Catholic Church which we confess in the Apostles Creed and by consequence whatsoever Doctrines in opposition to the Faith professed in this Church are taught by Protestants they are thereby without any particular discussion legitimately prejudged to be formal Heresies Now Heresie and Schism being by all even by Hereticks and Schismaticks themselves acknowledged most dreadfully wasting Crimes of which I cannot possibly be guilty whilst I adhere to the Roman Catholic Church nor avoid the guilt of them by forsaking its Communion I conceive I have without any necessity of engaging in particular Disputes given you rational Grounds enabling me to afford a sufficient Answer to the Question first proposed by you viz. Why are you a Catholic §. 40. And for a conclusion Sir give me leave to tell you that it will be utterly in vain for you to atempt the avoiding of the stigmata brands of Heresie and Schism by entring into an endless Dispute about particular Controversies to be stated out of Books For till you be able to shew a present Visible Orthodox Church the Governors and Teachers whereof are derived by a continual Succession from the Apostles which Church in all those Points for which you have separated from the Roman teaches as you do and either governs you or is governed by you Till this I say be done your busying your self about particular Disputes will never produce to you Peace of mind but rather encrease in you Pride and Malice against others Your first most necessary Care therefore must be to establish your self in such a Church as can oblige you to believe her for by no other way can you nor your Teachers avoid Self-condemnation as manifest Innovators There are certain illustrious marks assigned by the holy Scriptures and Fathers to distinguish the true Catholic Church from Congregations of Hereticks and Schismaticks such are Unity Succession Universality Converting of Nations Miracles c. And these are such marks as are perceptible by the meanest capacities to the end that none should be excused if they mistake the Church Now not one of these so visible marks belongs to you and not one but belongs to the Roman Catholic Church §. 41. When you are urged to shew some signs or marks which might invite any to joyn with you all you can say is That you teach truth and that you duly administer the Sacraments that is you would prove your selves to be a true Church because you say you are a true Church for not the marks but the essence of a Church consists in teaching Truth c. But marks of his Church easily observable by all men were appointed by God to lead the Simple as well as the Learned to discover that Church which only teacheth Truth and duly administers his Sacraments Not any such marks do you pretend to shew And as for this your miscalled single Mark the Unlearned cannot possibly judg whether you do indeed teach Truth c. and the Learned must have spent their whole lives before they can be in a capacity to judg And though they should be so unhappy as to suffer themselves to be convinced that you do teach Truth c. yet till you can further demonstrate that you are not guilty of Schism but that you communicate with that one holy Catholic Church which you believe in the Creed it would notwithstanding all the truth pretended to be taught by you be a damnable sin in them to communicate with you These things considered since I am confident it is impossible for you to clear this point I believe you will find an insuperable difficulty to prepare according to the method observed here a tolerable general answer sufficient to vindicate your Church in case I should by way of exchange propose to you this Question Why are you a Protestant Prot. Judg not Sir too hastily Perhaps at our next meeting you will hear more than you now expect In the mean time I thank you for your Charity And God willing I will seriously reflect on what hath been said Cath. Farewel Sir and if you think good cast your eyes upon this little bundel of Citations out of several ancient Holy Fathers of the Church who will tell you that upon the very same grounds which have been here discoursed on they were good Christians and Catholics Prot. If they tell me so I shall not easily contemn what they tell me Farewel ✚ ¶ TESTIMONIES of HOLY FATHERS regarding The Substance of the foregoing DISCOURSE §. 1. Of the Churches prepetual Existence Visibility c. OBscurius dixerunt Prophetaeâ—de Christo quam de Ecclesia Puto propterea The Prophets have spoken more obscurely concerning Christ than concerning the Church The reason hereof I conceive to be because they foresaw in Spirit that men would make divisions and parties and that they would not much dispute about Christ himself but that they would raise great contentions about the Church Therefore that was more plainly foretold and more openly prophecyed concerning which greater contentions would in succeeding times
Temple These therefore so many and so great bonds keep a believer firm in the Catholic Church although by reason of his natural dulness and perhaps his sins he does not manifestly see and penetrate the depth of Divine Truths But among you Heretics who have none of these advantages to invite or hold me nothing is heard to sound but a vain promise of true Doctrine c. Firmissime tene et nullatenus dubites Hold most firmly and doubt not at all that every Heretic or Schismatic baptised in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost if before he Dies he be not joyned and incorporated into the Catholic Church he can by no means be saved though he should give never so many Alms yea though he should shed his Blood for the Name of Christ For neither Baptism nor liberal distributing of Alms nor the undergoing death for the Name of Christ can profit any one to Salvation as long as Heretical or Schismatical lewdness perseveres in him which leadeth to eternal death §. 3. Of the Catholic Churches Authority Of interpreting Scripture Saint Augustine informs us that a certain acquaintance of his derided the Disciples of Catholic Faith by which men were commanded to believe the Church not being taught by demonstrative Reasons what was true To satisfie this Friend he wrote his Book De Utilitate credendi Ecclesiae in which he writes thus It is fitly instituted by the Majesty of Catholic Discipline that those who come to Religion should before all other things be perswaded to believe the Church But you will say were it not better that Reason should be employed to move me which without any temerity I might follow withersoever it leads me Perhaps it might be so But since to come to the knowledge of God by Reason is a matter of so great importance and difficulty do you think that generally all men are capable of searching into the Reasons by which mens minds may be brought to a knowledg of Divine Mysteries Or are the greatest number of men such or but a few I suppose you will answer But a few If so do you think that the knowledg of Religion is to be denyed to all the rest who have not so piercing a Judgment It is a miserable thing to be deceived by Authority but it is much more miserable not to be moved by it If Gods Providence does not preside over human affairs there will be no cause why we should trouble our selves about Religion We ought not therefore to despair that some Authority is constituted by God by which those who walk doubtfully may be raised up to God Puto si quis Sapiens extitisset I conceive that if there were extant a wise man to whom our Lord had given his Testimony viz. that he should be directed by him and if that man were consulted by us concerning this controversie we should not at all doubt to do whatsoever he enjoyned us least we should be adjudged to oppose our selves not so much to that man himself as to our Lord Jesus Christ by whose Testimony he is recommended Now such Testimony doth our Lord afford to his Church Haeretici qui cum in unitate Heretics who though they be not in Catholic Unity and Communion yet Glory in the title of Christians are compelled to oppose Orthodox Believers and they have the boldness to attempt the seducing unskilful Christians by force of disputing and Reasoning whereas our Lord came with a peculiar Medicine against this when he enjoyned not reasoning but Believing to all people But Heretics are forced to take the way of arguing by reason because they see themselves in a most abject Condition if their Authority be compared with Catholic Authority Therefore they endeavour to prevail by a pretence and promise of Reason against the most unshaken Authority of the firmly established Church This is the uniform and as it were regular temerity of all Heretics But the most clement Emperor of our Faith has fortified with the Citadel of Authority his Church both by numerous Congregations of People and Nations and the Chairs of his Apostles He also by a few piously learned and truly Spiritual men has armed his Church with most copious provisions of invincible Reason But the more secure and rational Discipline is That those who are ignorant or infirm should be received within the Castle of Faith depending on Authority that they may be defended by those who can combate with the weapons of most powerful Reason Noc nos ipsi tale aliquid auderemus asserere Neither durst we affirm any such thing viz. that Hereties ought not to be rebaptized if we were not strengthned by the unanimous Authority of the universal Church To which Authority no doubt Cyprian who held the contrary would have submitted if in his time the truth of this question had been established by the examination and decision of a Plenary Council Proinde quamvis hujus rei certe de Scripturis Canonicis non proferatur exemplum Although no express example can be brought out of Canonical Scriptures touching this Point of rebaptization yet the truth of the same Scriptures in this matter is held by us when we do that which has pleased the Universal Church which the Authority of Scripture themselves does commend That since the Holy Scripture cannot deceive us he whosoever is in fear of being deceived by the obscurity of this question may consult the same Church about it which Church the holy Scripture doth without all ambiguity demonstrate Aliud est cum Authoritati credimus It is one thing when we believe submitting to Authority and another when we yield to reason To believe Authority is a way very compendious and without labour Et si nulla ratione indagetur Whatsoever is from Ancient times preached by our Orthodox Faith and believed through the whole Church though by no search of reason it can be found out and though by no speech it can be clearly expressed yet notwithstanding it is to be acknowledged most true Haeretici sunt sibi arbitri Religionis Heretics are to themselves judges of Religion Whereas the proper work of Religion is the Duty of Obedience to Authority Non ad Scripturas provocandum est We must not disputing with Heretics appeal to Scripture Neither is the debate to be constituted in things in which either no victory at all will follow or an uncertain one or little better than uncertain For though the success of examining Scriptures should not be such that each party should have no advantage over the other yet due order requires that that should be first proposed about which at present we are to dispute viz. to which of the parties the preaching of Faith belongs who have right to the Scriptures from whom and by whom and when and to whom that Discipline has been delivered by which men are made Christians For where the Truth both of Christian
to be Holy when it teaches Truth and Holiness So is the Universal Church Holy and so is every Member in its Communion Since that which makes it a Member in its Communion is its agreement with the whole in Doctrines taught by it both regarding Faith and Manners And from hence it follows that to ascribe Error and Corruption to any Church which is acknowledged a Member of the Catholic Church and for such pretended Errors to break off Communion with it is to do the same to the Universal Church and consequently to contradict an Article of Faith Now that this is the condition of the English-Church is manifest For since all Christians are under pain of damnation obliged to live in Communion with the Universal Church by being obedient to it's Laws and Governors as also to believe that this Universal Church is at this day extant where can an English Protestant hope to find this Church if not in the Roman Communion In the Greek-Church he will find the same Doctrine which in the Roman he calls dangerous Errours as besides the confession hereof by several Protestant Authors formerly hath been of late beyond all gainsaying evidenced by the indefatigable industry of Monsieur Arnaud in his two late Replies to Claude a Calvinist Minister from the Authentick Testimonials and Declarations both of several late Synods and of many Ecclesiastical Persons of eminency both in the present Greek and other Eastern Churches And besides these he will find other Doctrins which we all condemn as Heresies Then for pretended Corruptions in practice the same practices which he stiles Superstitious and Idolatrous principally touching the Blessed Sacrament he will find in the Greek Church far more distastful to him And as for other Eastern Sects besides the same Practises he will find himself obliged if in Communion with any of them to assent to Ancient Universally condemned Heresies Nestorianism Eutychianism Monothelitism c. §. 26. Prot. But no doubt God hath his Elect Servants among them all who are truly Orthodox as we are with whom we may be said to be united in Spirit Cath. Truly Sir this is a meer pittiful dream to talk of Communion in spirit with hidden Christians to you invisible as you are also to them This renders all the Discourses of the Holy Fathers touching the Churches Visibility and Unity utterly impertinent Yea this evacuates the Predictions of all Gods ancient Prophets foretelling the Extent Glory and Victories of the Kingdom of the Messias and it makes void the Promises of our Saviour touching his Church What meaning therefore can you frame to your self when you say You acknowledg a perpetually existent Catholic Church and a necessity imposed on all Christians to live in her Communion §. 27. Pr. We acknowledg our selves in Communion with all Christian Societies as far as they teach Truth and practise according to Christs Law Cath. So you may be said to communicate with Iews Turks and Insidels for some Truths are taught by all these and some of their practises are lawful But is this such a Communion as the Church Catholic anciently or as the First four General Councils required It is manifest that at the time of your first Separation there was not one Society of Christians in the world to whose Profession of Faith you would subscribe in whose Religious Worship you would joyn and by whose Laws you would be governed So that all Christians then living and visible in the World were to you as Heathens and Publicans and you the very same to them Were your first Reformers in Communion with them Certainly you will not say that the Roman Grecian and Oriental Churches though they will not deny but you teach some Truths and sometimes practise virtues do live in your Communion that is That Persons mutually excommunicating one another do at the same time live in one Communion or that Pastors live in Communion with those who renounce Obedience to them and abhorr the Faith taught by them §. 28. P. Why Sir would you have us allow such a way of Communion as you seem to understand to Societies which we firmly believe do teach damnable Errours and enjoyn Idolatrous or Superstitious Practises Cath. No Sir by no means But since there is on earth a visibly holy Catholic Church placed as a City upon a Hill with which you must under pain of damnation communicate in such a manner as Christians did in the time of the first four General Councils I adjure you not to rest where you now are in Schism from all visible Churches preceding your Separation but to find Her out and having found her out to depose an overweening conceit of your own abilities to censure and condemn her Doctrines and with Christian Humility to submit your self entirely to her Guidance by which means you will be sure to find rest of mind §. 29. Prot. This seems to me a task too hard to be undertaken Cath. That which makes it seem so hard to you is perhaps a secret whisper of Nature and self-love telling you that this may expose you to many worldly disadvantages or if not this a strong prejudice by education deeply imprinted in your mind against the Roman Church the condemning and reviling of which is the subject of most Books you read and of most of the discourses and Sermons you hear I name the Roman Church because I am perswaded that if you should happen to entertain any Doubts of the security of the Grounds of Protestant Religion it would not be the Grecian nor any of the other Oriental Churches whose Religion you would put in the scales against it but only the Roman from whence you had your Christianity your Church her subsistence and within the Limits and Iurisdiction of whose Patriarch you live Do I not judg aright Prot. Yes §. 30. Cath. Then Sir though at present you should have no doubts of any Doctrines taught by your Church or rather in it for your self will not allow her the Title of an authentic Teacher neither does she challenge it yet since you have voluntarily fixed your self in such a Church which not pretending to an infallible direction from God cannot with any shew of reason tell you that you are bound in conscience to believe any one of her Doctrines nor that it is a sin for you to leave her Communion and to chuse that of any other Society which you may like better for then all Christians should as well as you be obliged to joyn themselves to the English Church only Endeavour I beseech you with a mind as disinteressed as may be to hearken to what may be alledged for the Right which the Roman Church has to challeng your Obedience so as that the refusal of such Obedience would be an heinous Sin For this Right indeed She challenges and She alone No other ancient Church hath and no par ticular Sect doth or can pretend to it Prot. I am content §. 31. Cath. First then consider that
to Scripture I desire you to take into consideration that the same Roman Church at the same time both proposed the Belief of those Doctrins to your first Reformers and also gave them the Scriptures testifying that they were the infallible Word of God Therefore certainly it was far from being evident to her that her Doctrines did evidently contradict Divine Revelation Now you will not surely deny but that in the Catholic Church there are men as learned and those in a far greater number than among Protestants Men I say who also make the Scriptures their principal study and have published almost innumerable Commentaries on them again Men of whom a great number live sequestred from the world in an assiduous Practice of Spiritual Prayer and therefore not likely to have their judgments perverted by worldly interests Yet not any one of these does see or but suspect that the Faith they profess is contradicted by Gods Word on the contrary they invincibly demonstrate that the Church has been as the only Depository of Scripture so likewise of the true Sence of it How comes then that to be evident to you which is invisible to them Which way went the Spirit of God from the whole Church to inhabite a debauched incestuous Fryer or a stigmatized Pichard upon whose credit doubtless you have taken up your Evidence If they could have shewed you in Scripture such passages as these The Pope is not the Supream Bishop and Visible Head of the Church Bread by Sanctification does not become the Body of Christ We ought not to confess our sins to Priests Purgatory is a meer humane invention It is an injury to Christ to desire Saints but none to desire Sinners to pray for us c. Such sayings indeed as these might have justifyed your charge against the Church that she contradicts Scripture But where are such sayings to be found except it be in the Heretical Writings of your Reformers On the contrary some Points contradictory to those are found litterally contained in Scripture and to elude them you are foced to have recourse to figurative sences and the rest are conveyed to us by the same Authority by which we receive the Scripture it self Yea by the Holy Fathers justified as consonant to Scripture and however I suppose you will not say that silence is equivolent to express contradiction The utmost that you can say is that perhaps you can produce now and then some scattered Texts of Scripture from which you can make a shew of arguing against some Tenets of the Catholic Church But what will that avail you since Probability as hath been said will not excuse you for omitting a necessary duty of Obedience and incurring the horible guilt of Schism Where now do you see an evidence that the Church contradicts Scripture Prot. I shall be better enabled to give a resolution in this Point when according to your promise you shall have given me an account of the necessary Doctrines of your Church in the points controverted between us §. 60. Cath. That Promise I will now with Gods assistance discharge through all the Points mentioned by you in the beginning And first as touching the two first Points viz. 1. The Churches Authority 2. The Popes Universal Iurisdiction c. enough hath been said in our former discourse Yet for your further satisfaction I will enlarge my self a little more Take therefore into your consideration that it is a Fundamental Truth agreed on by all Catholics That the only Objects of Catholic Faith are such Divine Truths as are revealed in Gods Word and also proposed to all by the Catholic Church to be believed by Divine Faith Now this general Ground being presupposed in case any Controversies should arise touching the sence of any Divine Truths revealed it is unquestionably necessary that some Means should be appointed by God to determine such controversies and to prevent a dissipation of his Church by Heresies and Schisms And what other Mean can be imagined efficacious hereto then what hath been taught and practised even from the Apostles time and this declared by the Council of Trent That no man trusting to his own prudence or skill shall presume to interpret Holy Scripture in matters of Faith or Manners pertaining to edification of Christian Doctrine wresting it to his own sences against that sence which our Holy Mother the Church doth or hath held to whom it belongs to judg of the true sence and interpretation of Holy Scriptures or also against the unanimous consent of the Fathers This is that which the Roman Catholic Church teaches concerning her Authority of interpreting controverted Texts of Scripture No more then this is any Catholic obliged to believe Now I leave it to your conscience whether you can think it a sufficient Ground for you to break from her Communion upon this quarrel because she judges more fit that the judgment of the whole Body of Teachers and Governors appointed by God in her should prevail against your single judgment or that of a few Apostat-Ministers Especially considering the Promises made by our Lord to his Apostles and their lawful Successors that his Spirit should remain with them and direct them into all Truth till the end of the world so as that the gates of Hell that is say the Fathers Heresies should never prevail against them Prot. I see it is in vain to contradict this §. 61. Cath. Let us next proceed to what the Church has determined touching the Priviledges and Authority of the Prime Pastor the Bishop of Rome Thus then we read in the Confession of Faith collected by the Pope himself out of the Council of Trent I acknowledg the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches and I promise true Obedience to the Bishops of Rome Successor of St. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Vicar of Iesus Christ. Here the See Apostolic being acknowledged the Mother and Mistress of all Churches and the Pope Vicar of Christ his universal Iurisdiction is therein acknowledged which Jurisdiction or Authority we are not to suppose to be arbitrary and unlimitted but as we read in a Canon of the Council of Florence consented to by the Emperor Patriark and other Bishops of Greece to be exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. after the manner as is also contained in the Gests of Oecumenical Councils and Sacred Canons And such a Primacy invested with Authority as this the General Council of Chalcedon admitted by Protestants does acknowledg in him which is also attested by Tradition and practice from the beginning §. 62. Now the necessity of such a standing Authority in Gods Church is thus grounded The absolutely Supream Ecclesiastical Authority against which can lye no Appeal is confessedly residing in a lawful General Council by which all Debates whatsoever may be determined all necessary Laws enacted c. But it being a matter of infinite difficulty especially since the division of
remitted and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained As likewise to the Precept to Saint Iames Confess your sins one to another Which Texts have been alwayes interpreted by the Holy Fathers in the same sense The universal Practice likewise of the Iewish Synagogue conformable hereto adds a considerable weight to induce us to a perswasion that it is by Divine Institution For how can it be imagined that by any humane invention a Duty so burthensom to flesh and blood and to our Natural Pride could have been introduced generally into the Church without sparing the awfull Majesty of Kings and Modesty of Queens by an unarmed Ecclesiastical Power the Pope himself also owing such Submission to a simple Priest §. 79. The ground of the necessity of this Sacrament is because those who by Baptism having submitted themselves to the Churches Authority afterwards do violate the Laws of the Gospel ought to undergo the judgment of the same Church in the Tribunal of Penance where she exercises the Power given her of remitting and retaining sins Now such judgment is esteemed as given by Iesus Christ himself by whom and in whose place his Priests are appointed Iudges It is this invisible High Priest who after Confession Sorrow and Satisfaction interiourly absolves the Penitent whilst the Priest exercises the exteriour Ministery as a Subordinate Iudge without whose concurrence Sins shall not be remitted §. 80. As for Satisfactions imposed after Confessions they according to the Churches expression regard only Temporal Pains due to our Sins She does not teach that we can satisfie God for the guilt even of Venial Sins or for Eternal Pains Moreover she declares that these Satisfactions are accepted of God through the Merits of Christ and that they do no way obscure the benefit of Christs death For Christ by his death has so satisfied for our sins that it is Gods pleasure his satisfaction should not produce its full effects till it be by us particularly applyed in the use of his Sacraments and works worthy of Penance to which Works his Merits being linked and not otherwise our Satisfactions will be accepted by him through his pure Grace and Mercy The Lutherans who seem so only to rely on Christs Passion for the remission of their Sins doubt not yet to profess that a previous Faith is necessary thereto for such as are come to the age of discretion and Baptism for Infants The difference then between us is that they pretend to be justified by a Dead Faith and we by a Living Now therefore advise with your self whether you would forsake Gods Church rather then submit your self to a Duty without which that eminent Priviledge given by our Lord to his Ministers for the general good of his people of remitting Sins becomes vain and of no effect Prot. I will seriously think on this and now expect what you will say concerning the other Articles 9. Of Indulgences §. 81. Cath. I will if you think good in the next place treat of the Point touching Indulgences by reason of its affinity to the former Prot. I leave the Method to your own choice Cath. Concerning Indulgences then the Church hath thus delivered her sense Since the Power of giving Indulgences hath been bestowed on the Church by Iesus Christ and that She hath made use of this Power divinely left her from antient times the Holy Synod teaches and commends the use of Indulgences as very beneficial to all Christian people and approved by the Authority of other Holy Synods and that they ought to be retained in the Church And denounceth Anathema against those who assert that they are unprofitable or deny that there is a Power of giving them in the Church Notwithstanding the Synod admonishes that the granting of them be done with great moderation according to the ancient and approved Custome of the Church for fear least by two great a remisness Ecclesiastical Discipline be weakned Thus we are taught by the Church And certain it is that there is not any Point of Catholic Faith which taken simply according to the Churches own expression is more evident as to the Truth of it and less offensive as to the use then is this touching Indulgences Yet after all there is not any one Point so embroyled by Controvertists disputing for and against Inferences and Interpretations made by several Schoolmen which have occasioned most horrible Scandals by abuses committed in Practise This having been the first occasion of Luthers revolting and Schism §. 82. Now forasmuch as regards the proper necessary sence of this Canon those very Schoolmen who advance the virtue of Indulgences much beyond what will be allowed by many very learned Catholics yet do acknowledge that the Church by her Decision obliges us to believe as of Faith only this viz. That only such a Power of conferring Indulgences has been left by our Lord to his Church as from ancient times has been practised and approved by former Synods intending those that are usually cited to that purpose as the first of Nicea Can. 11. of Neocaesare Can. 3. of Laodicea Can. 1. and 2. the Fourth of Carthage Cap. 75. and of Agdes Can. 6. in all which Synods we only find this that it was always lawful and usual for Bishops to remit to their Penitents some part of those Canonical Penances which were inflicted for certain crimes in case the life and laudable conversation of the Penitent did seem to deserve so great a favour or if by such indulgence they thought requisite to encourage weaker Christians in times of Persecution to suffer for the Faith Hence appears that whatsoever beyond this we read in the Catholic Writers as thouching the remission of any pane due to Sin in the judgment of God or after death in Purgatory or touching certain clauses in the Bulls of some Popes or touching the Churches Treasure consisting of the Merit of Christ alone as some or of the Merits of Saints joyned to those of Christ as others conceive c. not any of these are necessary Points of Catholic Faith Thus in effect the Catholic Church requires no more to be assented to but what is taught and practised by every Congregation of Christians upon Earth All Sects even Fanatics and Quakers denounce Censures against Delinquents Must all those Censures alwayes have their full effect Is no mercy to be extended to humble contrite Penitents Shall no difference be made between Sinners converted and those that are remorsless This is contrary to humane Nature and the practise of all mankind Therefore surely you would not forsake the Catholic Church for allowing that which all Christians esteem necessary §. 83. Prot. If this were all that the Roman Church teaches concerning Indulgences they are much to blame who condemn her But the general Practise therein contradicts you Do we not see the virtue of Indulgences extended to the other world Do we not see in the tenor of promulgated Plenary Indulgences all Sinners promised
thoughts to justify his Church by the Marks of Unity Antiquity Succession Universality c. nor does he pretend that his Church has any Authority from Christ to oblige him to believe her rather then any Fanatic Congregations for she her self will not suffer him to say so What does he then Truly he leaves his Church in a desperately forlorn condition he never thinks of her though she be the only subject of the Question but diverts his fancy to spy out faults and errors elsewhere comforting himself with a perswasion that he has found them though perhaps he be not able to penetrate into or truly state one Point of Controversie And this illogical Method Sir you have observed in this Discourse and as illogical as it is I am confident you cannot mend it for doubtless if you could have furnished your self out of your Anti-catholick Writers or if your self could invent any specious Arguments to recommend to any mans liking or esteem the Church of which you profess your self a Member you would not have neglected the doing it you would not have been quite silent in the only matter which you were concerned to prove Now Sir I am not desirous to take advantage against you from your past Method of proceeding Take your own time to think better of it and if it be your pleasure that we may have a third Meeting I shall willingly expect a direct Answer to my Question Why are you still a Protestant Prot. I will through Gods Grace seriously think on this and I will either provide a satisfactory Answer as you require or give you leave to conclude that my eyes are opened to see the true Catholic Church of which I will live and dye a faithful Member §. 110. Cath. Gods Holy Spirit direct you And be pleased to take this Admonition with you That unless you can find out a way to demonstrate the Protestant Church in whose Communion you have hitherto lived to be a true Member incorporated into that Catholic Church which unless the Creed be false had a being before Protestancy was heard of and so continues the same your Soul is in evident danger unless you forsake her It will necessarily follow also except such a Demonstration can be produced that without further examination all those special Doctrines which you have hitherto triumphed in as Christian Verities are certainly illusions and errours because not professed in the same Catholic Church which alone is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and whose Teaching whosoever will not hear and believe is by our Saviours sentence to be esteemed as a Heathen and Publican §. 111. And indeed to deal plainly with you it was more then you could justly challenge in the present occasion that I should have the compliance so far as to attend unto the charges and accusations laid by you against the special Doctrins of the Catholic Church for such accusations could have no place in an Answer to be made to the Question proposed in the beginning Indeed if I had now as may be done another time precisely imputed Heresie to you it might have been proper for you to justifie your particular Tenents and also to recrimimnate But it was only the Crime of Schism that I laid to the Charge of Protestant Churches and therefore asked you the Question Why are you a Protestant Now to this Question thus intended no Answer can be proper but such an one by which you shall endeavour to demonstrate that the Protestant Church in whose Communion you live is not Schismatical that it is not divided from the Catholic Church which never did nor ever shall fail and that it has all the Marks which declare a Church to be Catholic This you have not done and no wonder Since you can find no help for such a purpose from any of your Writers And yet till that can be done all other Disputes are to no purpose neither can Catholics be obliged to engage themselves in them or if they do so it is only to shew you that being evidently and confessedly Schismatics you are also Heretics §. 112. Now Sir Since I am assured you will find it utterly impossible for you this way to excuse any of your lately erected Churches from the guilt of Schism if still notwithstanding you will resolve to persist divided from that Catholic Church which has been deserted by them all my fear is that for the stupifying of your Conscience you will think it necessary to make use of that lately so cryed up Socinian Opiat I mean that desperate Principle That Schism is one of those Theological Scar-crows with which those who hold a party in Religion use to fright away such as making onquiry into it are ready to relinquish and oppose it if it either appear erroneous or suspicious Whereas whosoever shall with a true and unpretended Conscience perswade himself or but suspect that the Church requires a Profession of false Doctrins or conformity to unlawful Practises and of this each particular person must be the Iudge in sâ—ch a case he not only may but is obliged to separate from the Church and by such Separation not he but the Church is guilty of Schism Now Sir is not this Prinoiple a Preservative of soveraign virtue against all remorse of Conscience for Schism or Heresie Prot. But what would you have a man so perswaded or so suspecting Errours and Misdemeanors to be in the Church to do Cath. I readily enough grant that in such a Case the man must neither profess nor do any thing against his present conscience And consequently I do not say he must separate but if the Church for his obstinate disobedience shall cast him out he must be patient But the truth is his case is deplorable for every way he is exposed to extreamest danger If he conforms against Conscience he sins mortally by damnable Hypocrisie If he refuses to conform that is to submit his private perswasion or Suspicion to the Teaching of the Church I mean the Catholic Church his sin is yet more heynous being a rebellious Disobedience to the highest and most Divinely established Authority upon Earth from the guilt of which Disobedience no dictates of consoience how unpretended soever can acquit him Otherwise none but false Hypocrites and subtle pretenders of conscience can be guilty either of Schism or Heresie yea the prouder menace the more self-conceited of their own judgments and more addicted to entertain suspition and contempt of their Superiors the more innocent they shall be So that a full perswasion or it seems but suspition that any Heretical Doctrines are Orthodox will excuse all Heretics even the most blasphemous from all guilt and danger and moreover at the end of the account the Governours and lawful Teachers appointed by God in his Church in case the excommunicate such Orthodox Hereticks must alone be esteemed Heretics and Schismatics only for teaching Truth and doing their Duty §. 114. Indeed if he who called Schism a
Theological Scar-crow had intended to apply that Expression to single divided Churches whose birth has perhaps been within mans memory and particularly to the Church of England some Fundamental Doctrines whereof to my knowledge he did not assent to and whose Ecclesiastical Government he did not approve his Assertion may be justified to be grounded on Reason For who can tell how a Seperation from any of them can be called Schism or Tenents contradicting their Heresies They all mutually favour one another with the Title of Pure Reformed and Sufficiently Orthodox Churches So that in which soever among them any one shall live and from which soever of them any one shall think fit to depart as liking another better this according to their common grounds must be accounted a matter in a manner indifferent and however there is in it no danger of incurring the guilt of Schism so it be done with an unpretended Conscience It seems therefore to me an Act unjust and unsuitable to the grounds of Pure Reformation in some late Prelatical Writers who charge with the Crime of Schism their tender Conscienced Orthodox Brethren for deserting their Communion as it was anciently in the Donatists those Arch-contrivers of Schisms for doing the same to the Primianists Maximianists and Rogatists subdivided Sects Spawned from them It is plain therefore that among all Reformed Congregations Schism is a meer Scar-crow and the like may be said of Heresie And the reason is because both Heresie and Schism must include an opposition to that Church only which can justly challenge an Authority to determin what Doctrins are true and necessary to be believed by all Christians and to oblige all under penalty of Anathema's to joyn in her Communion Which Authority only belongs to the Catholic Church and which is not so much as pretended to by any Reformed Congregations §. 115. Hence it necessarily follows that the entertaining a perswasion that the Catholic Church to which God hath made a Promise that he will lead her into all Truth is guilty of Errours can proceed only from an excess of Spiritual Pride but it is moreover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an obstruction of Reason upon a meer suspicion of such Errors to esteem one's Self obliged to separate from her Communion But so pestilent is the Nature of Spiritual Sins that though all men condemn them and most men are deeply stained with them yet not any one can see them in himself Where shall we find an usurping Oppressor acknowledge himself Covetous or an ambitious man proud So never did any Schismatic say or think himself Such He acknowledges that he separates from the Church and boasts of it yet he will not endure to be esteemed a Schismatic as if Sinlurked only in the Greek expression To conclude Unless you will impute to all the Antient Councils and Holy Fathers of Gods Church not only the utmost extremity of ignorance and folly but likewise a base partial interessedness and most execrable Tyranny in denouncing Anathemas against Dissenters and Separatists you will judge Separation from Catholic Communion to be no vain Theological Scar-crow Such a sleight Opinion of the harmlesness of Schism was not first branched in this Age. Saint Augustine will inform us that in his days There were some who said We thought it made no matter where that is in what Communion we preserved the Faith of Christ But saith he thanks be given to our Lord who hath gathered us from separation and hath made manifest to us that this is a thing pleasing to God who is One to be served in Unity Such horror had those great Lights of the Church of the Crime of Schism that according to their judgment even Martyrdom it self cannot cure the deadly poyson of it And that the Martyrdom to which we expose our selves by hindring Schism in the Church is no less glorious then that which is suffered for refusing to Sacrifice to Idols That there cannot possibly be made any Reformation of such importance as the mischief of Schism is pernicious And in a word That it cannot possibly be that any one should have a just cause toâ— separate from Catholic Communion More to this purpose you may find in the Second Section of the Collection of Testimonies out of the Holy Fathers at the end of our former Discourse Prot. I well remember them therefore if you please here we may make an end §. 116. Cath. Farewel Sir and pardon the frequent urging of this most necessary Admonition If I thought you would require it I could very easily have concluded this Discourse as I did the former with a Collection of Testimonies from the Holy Fathers to justifie the Churches Doctrines through all the Points here mentioned But such a Collection having been the only Subject of many great volumns published by Catholic Doctors it will be sufficient to refer you to them I will only desire you to take notice in perusing them first That never any such Book has been written by any Protestant And next that such Collections have been made by Catholics to shew that their whole Religion came by descent from the Antient Fathers Whereas Protestants only upon a particular occasion Select some obscure or ambiguous passages from their Writings with a purpose to cast a mist besore the eyes of unwary Readers that they may so elude the force of those Testimonies far exceeding in number and more perspicuously evident produced by Catholics FINIS 1 Tim. 3. 15 Psal. 122. 3. Matt. 5. 14. Isa. 54. Mat. 18. 17. Calvin Instit. lib. 4. cap. 1. Calvin Epi. ad Melanct. Prejugez con les Calvinists San. Relation pag. 233. Roses his View of Religion pag. 4768. Humsr. in Iesuitiâ—mi part 2. 〈◊〉 5. Mig leb Cent. 6. p. 289. lb. c. 10. p. 748. Cariâ—â— Chron. lib. 4. 〈◊〉 Onanâ— Epitome cent 6. Parker Antih Bâ—it c. 17. Aâ—ch 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 Dom. p. 33. Osiand Epist. p. 290. Whitak cont Dur. l. 5. §. 26. Humfr. ad rat 5. Godwin in Conv. Brit. c. 4. Magdeb. Cent. 6. c. 10. Castal in Praefat. Bibliâ—r Lat. Philip Nicolai de Regno Christi c. 1. p. 53. Auâ— Epist. 165. Calvin Inâ—stit l. 4. c. 2. §. 42. August in Psalm 30. Conc. 2â— Aug. in Ps. 147. Aug. in Psal. 56. August in Epist. Ioan 2. August cont Faust. l. 13. c. 13. Aug. in Psal. 85. Aug. de Baptis cont Don. l. 1. c. 10 Aug. in Ps. 1. 30. Pacian Epist 2. ad Sympron Dionys. Alex ap Euseb l. 6. Aug. Ser. 22. de diversis Aug. in I sal 42. Itâ— l. 4. c. 62. Aug. in Psal. 48 Aug. de Vera Rel g. Aug. Epist. 48. Aug. cont Epist. Fundam c. 3. Fulgent de â—ide ad Pet. cap. 39. Aug. Retract l. 1. Id de Utilitate Aug. de Unitate Eccl. c. 19. Aug. in Psal. 41. Aug. de Baptismo cont Donat l. 2. Aug. cont â—reseon 〈◊〉 33. Aug. de Quantit Animae c. 7. Aug. cont Iulian. l. â— c. 5. Hilar. l. 1. Tertull. de Praescrips c. 18. Aug. Epist. 118. Aug. de Haeres Vincent Lirin Comon c. 38. Sâ—ogli â—el Chr. Nauâ—r 1 Kin. 12. Mat. 5. 13. 14. Conc. Trid. Sess. 4. Io. 16. 13. Mat. 16. 18. Bulla Piiâ— P. 4. Conc. Fâ—r Perron in Ambass Epist. Margaretae Gubernatricis ad Archiepiscopum Camerac Responsis ejusd Confess de Foy Art 36. Catech. Dimanch 53. Ib. 52. Ibid. Epist. aâ— Cardin. Perron Council Trid. Sess. 13. can 6. Bull. Pii P. IV. Concil Trid. Sess. 22. c. 1. Hebr. 9. 26. Ib. 28. Ib. 12. Ioh. 22. 23. Mat. 18. 18. Iam. 5. 16. Concil Trid. Sess. 14. Can. 13. 14. Concil Trideâ— Sess. 2â— Suarez Vasquez Concil Trid. Sess. 21. de Reform c. 9. Ibid Sess. 25. Council Trid. Sess. 6. can 11. Ib. can 34 Ib. c. 9. Ib. c. 8. Ib. c. 16. Ibid. Ib. Sess. 14. cap. 8. Can. Miss â—uth Concil Trid. Sess. 25. Eâ—ius Bull. Pii P. IV. Council Trid. Sess. 25. 2 Mâ—cchab 12. 43 44. Calvin Insti lib. 3. c. 25. §. c. 1. Tim. 4. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Mat. 18. 17. Hâ—le's Discourse of Schism Epiâ— aâ— Diut Aug. Epist 48 Dionys. Alex. ap Euseb. l. 6 Pacian Epist. 2. Iren. l. 4. c. 62. Aug. Epist 48.
a Protestant §. 2. Prot. Perhaps we do not agree in the sence of this Article Cath. It may well be so therefore for a tryal give me leave to propose a few Questions to you Prot. Ask what you please Cath. First then when you say you believe the holy Catholic Church do you not believe this Church to be one Body as St. Paul expresly teaches saying There is one Body one Spirit as there is one Hope of our calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all c. Ephes. 4. 4. 5. 6. and as we profess in the following Creeds of the Church Prot. Yes I believe the true Catholic Church of Christ to be one Body §. 3. And do you not further believe that this Church of Christ shall continue one Body till the end of the world Prot. Yes doubtless for otherwise the time might come in which this Article of our Faith should be false and also Christ's promise That the Gates of Hell should never prevail against his Church should fail §. 4. Cath. In professing such a Belief of this Article do you not also intend thereby to acknowledg your self a Member of this one Catholic Church Prot. Yes without doubt Cath. You cannot surely think it a matter indifferent whether you be a Member of this one Church or not Prot. No by no means On the contrary I acknowledg that whosoever is separated from this one Church of Christ and dies in that separation cannot be saved §. 5. Cath. Thus far then we both agree Let us further if you please consider what a Church in general is I mean a Christian Church Prot. I conceive it to be a Society of Men and Women publicly professing that Religion which they believe to have been taught by Christ. §. 6. Cath. But every Society thus professing is it thereby the same Church which we are taught to believe in the Creed Prot. It is at least a part of that Church Cath. Are then Societies of Heretics and Schismatics part of that one Church since they also profess the Religion which they believe to have been taught by Christ Prot. No For they cut themselves off from this one Church either by inventing New and false Doctrines which renders them Heretics that is Chusers of a new Faith Or by disobeying the Lawful Commands of this one Church which renders them Schismatics that is Rebels §. 7. Cath. Can any Society be called one Body or Corporation unless it be united by common received Laws and Governors Prot. I now begin to perceive whither you would lead me Therefore I must advise well lest I engage my self too far by an hasty answer to this Question Cath. Sir it is not Victory but truth we now regard Therefore speak not of being engaged but freely recal any Answer you have or shall give if you find cause And as for the present Question consider well what that is which makes a Society as a Kingdom a Province an Army a City a Corporation to become one Body Is it not an Obligation imposed on those who live respectively in any of these to be subject to the peculiar Government and Laws there established This appears plainly in that wheresoever any one obstinately refuses such submission he is esteemed and treated as a Rebel a Fugitive an outlawed person and utterly deprived of all Priviledges and emoluments belonging to the said Body Prot. This cannot be denyed Cath. Apply this then to God's Church St. Paul says expresly it is one Body your Creed obliges you to call it One The Scripture compares it to a City at Unity in it self and to a well ordered Army with Banners under which all Soldiers are reduced in their ranks expecting the Generals command signifyed by subordinate officers Such a society is Gods Church It is the Kingdom of Christ which if once divided cannot stand But by his promise it and no other Kingdom besides it shall stand for ever and therefore it shall never be Divided but all its members shall continue in their order Now what makes such Order but obedience to Government and Laws Can you Imagine any other excluding this Prot. I must confess I cannot For it is plain that where every one will be a Law to himself there can be no Order nor Unity nothing but confusion and endless Divisions Cath. Hence it follows then that the Church must necessarily consist of Teachers and Disciples of Governors and Subjects Prot. That is granted Cath. And consequently that it is a Visible Society Prot. True for otherwise none will be able to know whom or what to obey No Society can be invisible to the members of it and it is not a Society if the Governors or Teachers in it be invisible and the Laws unknown §. 8. Cath. By whom have these Teachers and Governors been appointed in the Church Prot. St. Paul informs us Epes 4. 11. 12. 13. saying Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect man c. So also we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. §. 9. Cath. This being so are not they who are Disciples in Gods Church obliged in conscience to believe their Teachers and Subjects to obey their Governors Prot. Yes without doubt But yet with this condition that these Teachers teach truth and these Governors command lawful things Cath. But is every Subject to be a Iudg whether the Doctrine taught him be true and the thing commanded lawful Prot. The Scripture is to be Judg between them Cath. Indeed that which you say would be to some purpose if the Scripture could speak and answer the Readers Questions and Doubts as we two can do to one another But the Scripture being only a Writing and by consequence incapable of interpreting its own meaning whensoever any doubt of its true sence arises if it may be permitted to every Christian to judg of his Teachers Doctrines by examining them by Scripture the Church may as well be without Teachers §. 10. Prot. I know no remedy For since it is evident to us that there is on Earth no visible infallible Guide and Interpreter of Scripture we cannot rely upon any Man or any Society of Men so as to remain secure that they will not mislead us either out of ignorance or secular interests Therefore we must leave to all Christians a judgment of diseretion to discern by the Light of Gods word whether their Teachers guide them in the way of Truth or not Every one must take the best course he can not to fall into any dangerous Error And since Eternity depends upon it it is not likely that men will
themselves from Her but submit patiently to her Censures which she should lay upon them If her Censures were just they would have no reason to complain If unjust God would reward them for their Patience and love of Peace §. 23. They were no sooner separated but they heaped on the Church all the most despightful reproaches and Calumnies they could invent and to heighten their Criminal Schism to the uttermost they formed New Societies which they called Churches and therein established New Pastors and a New Ecclesiastical Ministry the very Sin for which God commanded the Earth to swallow Core Dathan and Abiron Amongst the Gifts which our Lord when he led captivity captive received from his Father and bestowed on his Church the principal Gift mentioned by St. Paul was his constituting therein Apostles Pastors and Teachers to continue to the end of the world by a legitimate Succession There is not the least intimation given in Scripture or Tradition that this Succession should ever be interrupted Yet as if it had quite ceased and been annulled these Reformers without any Warrant usurp a Power to take all Authority out of the hands of those to whom our Saviour had given it and to bestow it according to their own pleasure thus making a total reversement of the whole frame of Gods Church as far as lyes in their Power through the whole World If Christ himself had thus without testifying his Authority by Miracles dealt with the Iewish Synagogue he would not have expected belief nor been able to answer that Question proposed to Him By what authority dost thou these things and who gave thee this Authority Luke 20. 2. Yet all this our late Reformers have done without ever pretending to one Miracle Into whatever place they come through the whole earth they as far as their Secular power extends degrade and chase away all Bishops Priests and Pastors professing the Catholic Religion they take Authority to defame them as false Pastors and true Wolves they denounce Anathemas against them they incite their Subjects to rebel defraud and persecute them as if God had given his iron Rod into the hands of these Gladiators and conferred on them the ends of the earth for their inheritance No man takes his Power of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction but he that is called as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. Who called these men to the Office of Preaching and governing Christians Who invested them with such Authority If we consult their own Stories we shall find the prime Ministers in the principal Cities of France constituted and consecrated by hands of the basest sort of Tradesmen There have not been nor even now are wanting among them several sensual Priests once they had a Bishop Apostates from the Catholic Church whom they might employ in the Office of Preaching and Praying in their Synagogues and by that means make a shew that some of their Ministers were indeed Clergymen who had an ordinary Vocation But such hatred they bear to all Ecclesiastical Order that even these shall not be admitted into the Presbytery without renouncing their former ordinary Vocation and receiving their Commission by a New imposition of hands of Lay-Ministers In a word I should weary both you and my self if I should enumerate all the enormities of your first Reformation If you have a mind you may receive sufficient information in a late Book written in French the Title whereof is in English Legitimate Prejudgments against Calvinists in which the learned Author demonstrates by several titles as by what appeared exteriourly in the life of the first Reformers by want of Mission by the evidence of their being guilty of Schism by their temerity most prodigious in their presumption to establish a New Ecclesiastical Ministry by the Spirit of calumny and injustice which generally actuates them by their peculiar most monstrous Doctrines taught by them by their ridiculously impossible way of instructing their Disciples in Christian verities c. By these Marks I say he shews that they do not deserve to be admitted to an examination of their Pretended Reform'd Religion being manifestly prejudged and self condemned §. 24. Prot. But surely Sir you will not apply this to the Reformed Church of England and particularly that charge concerning the want of Lawful Pastors We have been far from making a breach in the Chain of Succession since if there be lawful Pastors in the Roman Church we have the like in the English in as much as we received our Ordinations from Rome Cath. For as much as concerns your Ordinations I will not here enter into any dispute neither indeed is it needful But this I may confidently say That since English Protestants have especially of late by many tokens shewed that they esteem Calvinists or Presbyterian Congregations to be true though not so perfect Members of Christs Church as themselves the English Church I may say justifies but however qualifies or excuses that horrible defect in them of want of Ordinations and lawful Mission and thereby involves her self in their guilt Again though it were true that the English Clergy have received their Ordinations from the Roman Catholic Church yet sure I am that Church never released them from their Canonical subjection to their Superiors particularly to their Patriarch and Supream Pastor of Gods Church She never gave them power to change the order of administring Sacraments to reverse Ordinances of Superior Councils to expel Catholic Bishops from their Sees meerly because they were Catholics In a word she never gave them authority to alter or rather destroy the whole Religion in a manner professed in England since they were first Christians If English Bishops have received their Character from Rome yet not Iurisdiction or if that also yet certain it is that the same Church which gave them Iurisdiction can also upon their demerits and exercising it contrary to her intention suspend the administration of it which suspension is no doubt implyed in her condemnation of all their Innovations To be brief the English Church challenging Ordination by lawful Succession is thereby obliged to acknowledg the Roman Church to be at least a true Member of the Catholic Church and consequently her self no such Member unless the Bishops here will confess themselves to be Anti-Catholic Bishops and yet most unreasonably pretend an Union with the Catholic Church §. 25. Prot. She does in deed acknowledg the Roman to be a Member but a corrupt Member of the Catholic Church Cath. Consider Sir I pray you that the Rule of Faith obligeth us to believe the Church of God to be Holy as well as Catholic Now if the Universal Church be Holy or uncorrupt then is every Member of it as far as in its Communion Holy and uncorrupt also Which Holiness does not regard the persons whether Governors or Subjects for in the first and best Church of all consisting of the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord only there was a Iudas and a Nicolas A Church is said
The Prophesies themselves are thus expresly set down in the Old Testament and acknowledged by Protestants to regard the Christian Church The Prophet Isai writes thus Isa. 60. 2 3. The Lord shall rise upon thee and his Glory shall be seen upon thee ver 5. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising ver 10. The abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee ver 11. The sons of Strangers shall build thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee ver 14. Thy Gates shall be open continually that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and their Kings may be brought All they that despise thee shall bow themselves at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee The City of the Lord ver 22. A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation Again Isai. 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy nursing Mothers And again Isai. 39. 21. This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Also the Kingly Prophet Psal. 11. 8. I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession This Kingdom saith the Prophet Daniel Shall not be given over to another people but shall stand for ever Dan. 11. 44. These are Gods Promises to his Church so acknowledged by Protestants Now it is manifest out of Ecclesiastical History that these Prophecies began not in a signal manner to be accomplished till the days of Saint Gregory For during the first three hundred years the Church was wholly under Persecution and was encreased chiefly by sufferings In the next three hundred years the Emperour Constantine being converted to Christianity there were but few other Kings Foster-fathers of the Church And besides this several of the Emperours and some Kings during that space turned Arians and Apostates from the Catholic Faith But from Saint Gregories time till Luther it is incredible almost what we read of the Conversion of Nations and Kingdoms and of the wonderful Piety and zeal of once Barbarous Kings and Queens assoon as they had embraced the Catholic Faith Which Conversions were generally made by the fervor care and authority first of St. Gregory himself as England can but most ungratefully will not as becomes her witness and next of St. Gregories Successors Bishops of Rome §. 36. Now Sir consider the force of illgrounded prejudices Several Protestants though they saw all the formentioned Prophesies perfectly fulfilled by Catholic Missioners yet out of the pre-assumed hatred to Catholic Religion they will not acknowledg the forsaking Idols and worship of Devils and the embracing of the Catholic Faith to be a Conversion but rather a Perversion and therefore wonder that they do not to this day see those Prophecies accomplished which were made above two thousands years since In so much as Castalio Professes The more I do peruse the Scriptures the less do I find these Promises performed howsoever they are to be understood David George a Protestant living at Basil upon the same grounds became a Blasphemer of Christ whom he called a Seducer Bernardin Ochin turned an Apostate denying they Divinity of Christ. Adam Neuserus a Calvinist Professor at Heydelberg turned Turk and was circumcised at Constantinople Alemannus likewise renouncing Christianity became a blasphemous Iew. And the principal motive of all these horrible changes was an opinion that these Prophecies were false Dreams or impudent inventions of Sectaries and never fulfilled because forsooth not fulfilled in a Church of their Reformed Religion which Reform'd Religion never banished Pagan Idolatry out of one Village Some conversions indeed of their own particular mode they have made for by seditions they have banished Catholic Religion out of several places And particularly the Hollanders may brag that they have converted the great Empire of Iapan from the Catholic Faith to its pristine most execrable Idolatries to effect which they have procured the most cruel murder of near four hundred thousand Catholic Martyrs themselves in the mean time renouncing the open Profession of Christianity §. 37. Notwithstanding the truth is the wonderful Conversions of Nations in former and later times also by Catholick Missioners have been so illustrious that very many of the soberer Protestant Writers have highly exalted their zeal and unwearied deligence in their Apostolical functions and glorified God for it being forced hereto by the many undeniable Miracles wrought by them Yet the pleasant cunning of one Luther an Writer is very remarkable his name is Dr. Philip Nicolai who having written a Book on this very Argument to wit the fulfilling of the fore-cited Prophesies touching the Conversion of Nations is forced to alledg the examples not only ancient as of the Saxons Frisons Danes Germans c. converted by Catholic Bishops and Priests but later also as of innumerable People in the East and West-Indies reduced from Idols to Christianity by Iesuits and other Religious Missioners and to acknowledge likewise that God testified the Doctrine preached to them by stupendious Miracles All this this Lutheran confesses but then with a turn he deprives Catholics of the glory and merit of all their labours and applies it to his own Sect for he tells his Readers that all these Apostolical Preachers in converting Nations did Luther anizare and that the Iesuits in their first converting the Oriental Indians did shew themselves not Roman Catholics but Lutherans and Evangelicks Might he not have said as well that Christ's Apostles converted Nations not as such but as Lutherans §. 38. Now if these Prophesies be Divine and have indeed been fulfilled they have been fulfilled by Catholics only and consequently Catholic Religion constitutes that Church of Christ to which such glorious Predictions were made I will therefore here adjoyn the words of St. Augustine who having alledged out of the Scripture many such Prophesies concludes thus Whilst thou holdest thy self fast to these Prophesies if an Angel from Heaven should say to thee Leave the Christianity of the whole Earth and chuse the part of the Shismatic Donatus Luther Calvin Tindal c. he ought to be to thee Anathema because he would endeavour to cut thee off from the whole and thrust thee up into one part so alienating thee from the Promises of God §. 39. These Sir among many other are grounds surely sufficient to justifie the Right which the Roman Church has to merit your Obedience I beseech you think seriously on them For mine own part I do sincerely protest to you that unless I would renounce all other Guides to eternal Happiness but an over-weaning Fancie of mine own