Faith that was not soe before nor likwise make any Proposition Hereticall that was not soe before but only defines that Proposition to be of Faith that is and was ever soe and condemns that for an Heresie that is and was soe Nor are Articles of Faith as Sall affirms repugnant to human reason but transcending human reason as Saint Thomas teacheth Fidem non esse contra sensum sed esse de eo ad quod sensus non attingit much less is Faith repugnant to reason a nobler faculty then that of sence yet for all this wee may not say that reason can comprehend an Article of Faith Will you beleeve nothing Sall but what you can comprehend and as it were demonstrat by human reason and discourse This is not Faith but Science The silliest Catholick old woeman in your Country will tell you that in beleeving you must take Faith and leave reason And Saint Augâ—stin saith the same as thus S. Aug. lib. de utilitatâ— credendâ— Quod inteligimus debemus rationi quod credimus Authoritati Had you ankored your selfe Sall upon the Authority of the Church as most eminent Schoolmen of our side doe you had not fallne into Heresie but you presumed to much on your owne witt and wanted humility and necessary vertue Saint Augnstin reprehends such kinde of men as would circumscribe matters of Faith within the sphere of reason and discourse in these words Eccè qualibus Argumentis omnipotentiae Dei humana contradicit infirmitas quam possidet vanitas That is Behold with what kinde of Arguments doth human weakness mastered by vanity contradict the omnipotent power of God The Paulin difinition of Faith the most perfect of all diffinitions doth clearly demonstrate that the force of reason cannot comprehend Articles of Faith Illa particula Argumentum non aparentium clarè significat objectum fidei esse rem non visam cui firmiter adhaeret intellectus non ex rei evidentia sed ex auctoritate divina per illam particulam non apparentium distinguitur fides a Scientia intellestu per quem aliquid fit apparens That is The Argument of things not appearing doth clearly signify the object of Faith to be a thing not seen to which the understanding doth adhere not for the Evidence of the thing but for the devine Authority revealing it and by that particle of things not appearing Faith is distinguished from Science and understanding of objects by which a thing is made apearing This is the Opinion of Nicholas de Lira and others It is alsoe the Opinion of Devines commonly Visum non esse objectum fidei S. Tho. 1. 2. qs 67. S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 1. a. 4 And Saint Thomas saith elswher Quod nihil est objectum fidei nisi sub ratione non apparentis XVIII CHAPTER The Doctrin of Transubstantiation defended against Sall a new Protestant THere is noe Protestant soe maddly obstinate as to give God the lye to his face and in plaine tearms to say though hee did know God did reveale the Doctrin of Transubstantiation as the Church of Rome doth propose and maintaine it I would not beleeve it noe all Protestants acknowledg and generally all Hereticks God to bee truth it selfe and not able to deceive or bee deceived The obstinacy therfore of Protestants against Gods verityes is not as they are uttered immediatly by himselfe but as they are proposed by his Church as in the point of Transubstantiation Sall become lately a Protestant doth not beleeve the Catholick Church proposing that Doctrin as revealed by God but says it is not warranted by devine writt the same hee says of Indulgences Purgatory worship of Images c. but introduced and made an Article of faith by the use and Authority of the Roman Church Against cleare evidence there can be noe obstinacy the object of it must be involved in some obscurity otherwise the will which is the source of obstinacy would not bee able to master the understanding There is nothing more cleare and evident to the understanding then this proposition If God said or revealed any thing it s very true The obstinacy therfore of Hereticks doth not contest with this cleare and confessed truth It only doubts or denyes that God said or revealed any such thing as the Church pretends By this it appears in what Sall and I doe differ about Transubstantiation for hee doth not beleeve the Church proposing and defyning the Doctrin therof as revealed by God The Heretick beleeves what the Church proposeth as revealed only conditionally if God reveal'd it reserving to his owne privat Iudgment or to that of his privat Patriarks Luther Zwinglius Calvin c. this determination but the Catholick Absolutly and doubts not but God revealed what the Church proposeth as revealed submitting his Iudgment in matters of Faith to what soever the Church doth define or declare This is the case of Hereticks They protest if they had thought or beleeved that the Doctrin of the Roman Church in controverted points were revealed by God they would hartily imbrace it but they doe not consider this very if or doubt is Heresie for they have noe reason to doubt but that the Roman Catholick Church hath Commission and power of defining and declaring what is revealed by God seeing it hath the evident signes of a true Church as Miracles Sanctity of Doctrin and Life continuall Succession from the Apostles to the present age both of Pastors and Doctrin These signes may be easily perceived and knowne by all people as Clownes Souldiers and other illiterate persons let them examin the Histories of theire owne Countryes and the Religion of theire Ancesters which soever amongst all the Christians Churches had and hath the aforesaid signes that Church must be heard obeyed and beleeved as having Gods Authority and Commission to deside all doubts and Controversies of Faith who soever beleeves not her diffinitions and obeys not her decrees and Canons in points of Faith is an obstinat Heretick and such is Sall having deserted and condemned this Church But Sall tells us the Doctrin of Transubstantiation is a novelty not found in Scripture but brought into the Church by the Councell of Lateran anno 1215. This is a great mistake in Sall The very condemning of Berengarius as an Heretick for impugning Transubstantiation anno 1050 which was before the Councell of Lateran 165. years proves it was noe novelty but an Article of Faith before that Councell There were present at this Counsell the Emperors Roman and Greek and of the Kings of France Spaine England Hierusalem and Cyperus their Ambassadors euen from the Apostles tymes For otherwise I pray you how were it possible that the Patriarks of Hierusalem and Constantinople 70. Metropolitans 400. Bishops and 800. Conventuall Pryours who were all present at that great Counsell should all agree in declaring Transubstantiation to have been revealed by God to the primitive Church how can this agree with what Sall affirms
that this Doctrin was first invented in the tyme of that Councell The Canon or Diffinition of that great Councell was In haec Verba Verum Christi Corpus sanguis in hoc Sacramento Altaris sub speciebus Panis Vini ver aceter continentur Transubstantiatis Pane in Corpus Vino in Sanguinem potestate divina For the better declaring of this truth Sall you know the Church doth not make new Articles of Faith when it defines any controverted Doctrin It only declares that such Doctrin was delivered to the primative Church and soe downe along to us and groundeth its difinition upon Scripture or authentick Tradition As the Protestants object against Transubstantiation that it is a nouelty Soe did the Arrians against Consubstantiality that it was a novelty brought in by the Councell of Nice wheras said Councell did only define Consubstantiality to have been from the Apostles tyme an Article of Faith and decreed the same should be declared and signify'd by the word Omousion in like manner the Councell of Lateran did define for a mistery of faith Transubstantiation which was soe before theire Difinition and then they agreed upon the word Transubstantiation but the thing by that word signifyed was before beleeved as an Article of Faith by the whole Church though expressed in other tearms as those of Mutation Transmutation Transelementation Conversion of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Bloud of Christ In the mean tyme I can not understand how Sall a new Sacramentarian should dispute with us about the Doctrin of Transubstantiation seing hee slattly denyes the Body and Bloud of Christ to be realy and substantially present in the Sacrament What is more impertinent then to dispute of the manner of a thing or being that you hould has noe being The Lutherans who beleeve the Body and Bloud of Christ to be realy and substantially in the Sacrament though erroniously they likwise hould Bread to be there have some reason to dispute with us about the manner of Christes being there by Transubstantiation or otherwise The first Hereticks that impugned Transubstantiation were the Capharnites who said Quomodo potest hic nobis carnem Ioanes Cap. 6. suam dare ad manducandum And againe Durus est hic sermo When our Saviour said I am the living Bread that came downe from heaven If any man eat of this Bread hee shall live for ever and the Bread which I will give is my flesh for the life of the World The Iewes therfore strove among themselves saying How can this man give us his Flesh to eat This saying is hard and who can heare it Sall you see by this is becom a Capharnite and in this point soe are all that imbrace the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England About the yeare 780. certaine Greek Hereticks called Iconomachi held this Sacrament to be only an Image of Christ and that his Body was not realy in the Sacrament In the yeare 800. one Ioannes Scotus of the Latin Church fell into the same Heresie and after him two ages and more in the year 1050 Berengarius denyed Transubstantiation and the Real-Presence Before these men none did impugne this high mistery of Faith but all the Church did quietly and unanimously beleeve the Real-Presence of the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrament and the aforesaid Iconomachi and all other in this point were confuted by the Fathers and condemned by the Church in severall generall Councells The latter Hereticks as Zwinglians Calvinists and and the like Sacramentarians have alsoe been condemned by the Church In this high point of Doctrin wee are to beleeve and maintain what the Canons and Counsells of the holy Church have defined as that of Lateran aboue cited and others and of the Councell of Trent expressly and distinctly Concil Triden Sess 13. Cap. 1. 2. 3. 6. difining this mistery in the 13. Session in the sixth Chapter it defines more especially the Doctrin of Transubstantiation which is the Conversion of the whole substance of Bread into the substance of the Body of Christ our Lord and of the whole Substance of Wine into the Substance of his Bloud Quae Conversio soe ends the Chapter convenienter propriè a Sancta Catholica Ecclesia Transubstantiatio est appellata The first Canon is in haec verba Si Cone Triden Sess 13. Canon 1. 2. 6. quis negaverit in Sanctissimae Eucharistiae Sacramento contineri vere realiter substantialiter Corpus Sanguinem una cum anima divinitate Domini nostri Iesu Christi ac proinde totum Christum sed dixerit tantummodo esse in eo ut in signo Vel figura aut virtute Anathema sit This Canon is point-blanck against Calvinians and Sacramentarians The second Canon is against Wicklefians and Lutherans the sixth doth define the Worship of Adoration due to our Saviour in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist Wee cannot follow better guides and masters herein then the ancient Fathers men inspired by God in theire writings who all of them concerning the Sacrament of the Aulter have beleeu'd as wee doe and asserted the true and Catholick Doctrin touching the same in theire writings if Sall hath any esteem for those holy men let him take paines to read theire writings and hee shall finde I promise him that they all held this Article to bee of Faith to witt that Christ is realy and substantialy present in this Sacrament by Transubstantiation or Conversion of the whole Substance of Bread and Wine into his Body and Bloud I will not goe lower then the fifth age because Ptotestants regard not the Authority of Fathers later then that age in which liued Chrisostom Hierom Cyryllus of Alexandria Augustin Proclus Constantinopolitanus Theolet Gelasius Leo Hillarius Eusebius Emissenus c. In the fourth Century wherin the first Councell of Nice was celebrated Athanasius Hillarius Cyrillus of Hierusalem Ambrose Basill Optatus Gregorius Nyzenus Gregorius Nazianzenus Epiphanius In the third age lived Origen Tertulian Cyprian In the second Iustinus Martyr Pius Pope Irinaeus In the first the tyme of the Apostles Ignatius Dionisius Ariopagita Pollicarpe and others Out of all these Fathers and many more can be produced an infinity of passages clearly declaring that they beleeved the Real-Presence and maintained Transubstantiation or the thing therby signifyed and beleeved and that it was delivered from age to age from the Apostles tyme and that this was the Faith of the whole Church I will content my selfe which I hope will content my Reader in aleaging the Authorityes of some of them Tertulian who lived in the third age says Caro abluitur ut anima emaculetur Tertul lib. do Resurrectione carnis caro ungitur ut anima consecretur Caro Corpore Sanguine Christi vescitur ut anima de Deo saginetur That is The Flesh of man is washed with true substantiall Water that the Soule may be cleansed the Flesh is anoynted with true Oyle that the Soule
Faith only is sufficient without all Satisfaction and all other works of Pennance Wee have expressly That every man shall be saved according Apoc. cap. 20. to his works You have noe where That men shall be judg'd only according to theire Faith Wee have expressly That it is a holy Cogitation to Prayer for the Dead 2 Mach. cap. 12. Sacrifice for the Dâ—ad 2 Mach. cap. 12. Voluntary Corporall affliction Daniell cap. 10. Almes Tobias cap. 12. Prayer of Saints for those on Earth 2 Mach. cap. 14. pray for the Dead You have noe where It is Superstition or unlawfull to doe the same Wee have an express example Of an holy man that offered Sacrifice for the Dead You have noe example of any good man that ever reprehended it Wee have expressly That the Affliction which Daniell us'd upon his Body was acceptable in the sight of God You have noe where That such voluntary Corporall afflictions are in vaine Wee have expressly That an Angell did present Tobias his good works and Almes-deeds before God You have noe where that Angells cannot or doe not the same Wee read expressly That Ieremias the Prophet after hee was dead pray'd for the People of Israell You have noe where the contrary to this in express Scripture I leave many places more that I might relate but these are enough to prove that express Scriptures are for us and not for you nor can you shew that wee are driven to deny any one book of the byble or to gloss upon plaine places of Scriptures as you are forced to doe I pray you Sall consider well these things for they touch narrowly your new Religion Further-more I dare give you this Challenge that whereas there have been soe many hundred Heresies for the space of one thousand sixhundred and seventy odd years in the Christian Church condemned and Anathematized by her and her Bishops if it can bee shew'd that the Roman Catholicks doe agree or participate in any one point truly and sincerly that was Iudged for an Heresy in old tyme and that the Roman Catholicks doe hold it in that sence and meaning wherin it was condemned that then wee will yield that our Religion is false and our Church noe true Church But on the other side wee Catholicks offer to shew clearly that you Protestants doe hold divers old and evident Heresyes that were condemned openly for Heresyes by the ancient Catholick Church and in the self-same sence and meaning wherin they were condemned as is evident in the Heresyes of Aerius against Fasting days commaunded by the Church and Prayer for the dead as alsoe of the Heretick Vigilantius that denyed Saints to Old heresys held by Protestants be prayd unto and theire Reliques to be honoured of the Heretick Iovinian that compared Matrimony with Virginity and other like for which wee aleage Epiph. Haeres 75. Hier. cont Vigilantium cont Iovin Aug. lib. de Haeresibus Heres 50. defence pag. 15. Doct. Fulke against Bristowes Motius pag. 54. the cleare testimonys of Saint Epiphanius Saint Hierome and Saint Augustin and the matter is soe cleare that Doctor Fulk his words are brought in against Doctor Bristo's motives saying that Epiphanius and Augustin were deceived in recording those for Heresyes which are not And that Ierome rather rayleth then reasoneth and that Vigilantius was a good man and his opinion sound Sall you see Mr. Fulk a grave Doctor in your Church drawne to that extremity in this point that hee is forced to Iudge Epiphanius and Augustin two grave and ancient Doctors and Saints alsoe to have beene deceived and Saint Ierom to have rather railed then reasoned and infine to say that Vigilantius a pestiferious condemned Heretick was a good man and his opinion sound Good Doctor Fulk you sore to high when you dare judge Doctors pillars of Gods Church to haue been deceiued can not wee say to you Fulk Quis te constituit iudicem Upon those eminent Doctors Sall this ought to trouble you in your new Religion that one of the graue Rabbins of your Church hath showd himselfs soe foolish and impious as to preferre Vigillantius a Notorious Heretick's Opinion to the Iudgment of three soe renowned Fathers in a matter concerning faith Speake my Frindâ—â—â— speak truth and shame the Devill is not this an intollerable presumption in your Fulk an obscure man not knowne out of the Iland of Brittain Sall I pray put these things together 1. That hee that houldeth any one Heresie can not be saued soe teacheth Scripture A man that is an Heretick after Ad Titum Cap. 3. the first and second Admonition auoyd knowing that hee that is such an one is subverted and sinneth being condemned by his owne Iudgment 2. It is confessed by both parts that only a true Roman Catholick can be saued as was declar'd aboue in pag. 40. 41. 42. and 43. as Doctor King Bishop of London proves out of your owne learned men and writers and cleare it is that hee that holdeth any Heresie cannot be a true Roman Catholick for that the Names and Natures of the things are repugnant and consequently if any Protestant of the English Church doth hold any one confessed Heresie hee cannot bee saued Now the cited Doctors have evidently showne and prou'd The now Church of England holdeth many Heresyes wherfore it cannot be the true Church and consequently those dying in that Church and Religion can not be sau'd Doctor Fulk saying those learned Fathers Epiphanius Augustin and Hierome were deceived and that Vigilantius the Hereticks Opinion was sound is a weak ground to rely upon in the present Doctrin and points of Faith and none but a madd man or in a fury of blinde zeal will give him creditt against those most holy and learned Fathers This is a high and dangerous point Sall you had need look well unto it The third Advertisment A dissention in Fundamentall points and Articles being between Protestants they must hold on another for Hereticks Ergò Sall if he mindes his Salvation will part from that Church IN the true Church the beleevers in all Countrys and places agree in all Articles of Faith as it is in the Roman Catholick Church and as it was in the Tyme of the Apostles as this Text signify's And the multitud of the beleevers Actor Cap. 4. Irinaeus c. 1. l. 1. had one hart and one Soule Saint Irinaeus excellently teacheth this Quam accepit Praedicationâ—m fidem Ecclesia diligenter custodit quasi unam domum inhabitans similiter credit quasi unam animam habens unum coâ— consonanter haec praedicat docet tradit quasi unum possidens cor That is The Church keeps diligently the Faith and preaching shee received as if the whole Church were dwelling in one House shee likewise beleeveth as if all the beleevers had but one Soule and one hart and shee preacheth and teacheth and delivereth all points of Faith as if all the beleevers had
againe can say to Protestants that wee are noe way obliged to prove our Church is the true Church and our Keligion the true Religion though wee can evidently prove both It is enough to tell the Protestants the Roman Catholick Church whilest evidences coms not against it stands firme upon its ancient right of Possession OLIM POSSIDEO PRIOR POSSIDEO This long and lawfull Possession proves the Church Orthodox and frees us from all Obligation of disputing the reason above hinted is that the Protestants Protestants because Agressors are obliged to prove theire charge and claime are the Actors and Agressors and therfore it s theire taske to prove ours only to defend which is easy If you marke how strangely in vaine they make theire attempts against us observe it After our Church had stood a thousand years and more in the quiet Possession of truth they accuse it of Error After soe many thousands of learned and vertuous men that lived holily and dyed happily in it ye and had eyes as quick Iudgments as profounde and wills as good to find out these Errours had any beene as the best of Sectaries yet found none they forsooth espy them After this Church had its Purity The Churchss Purity and Innocency and Innocency signed and sealed by the blood of innumerable Martyrs evidenced by undoubted Miracles manifested by soe many glorious Conversions wrought on Aliens drawne to Christ and finally demonstratively proved by all these illustrious marks of truth wherof wee treated aboue our Protestants rise up and Calumniate this great Society of Christians lay the foule Aspersion of Heresy on it Are not they think you as Actors obliged in Iustice to make theire charge good against us by evident proofes And are not wee exempted from all farther Obligation Proued by a long Possession of pleading then only to stand upon our ancient blameless and quiet Possession Beleeve it This OLIM POSSIDEO PRIOR POSSIDEO is warant sufficient and our Wall of defense against such weak Aggressors And yet wee strengthen our hold with Canon proofe it is evident reason alsoe And evidenâ— reason alsoe Nemo praesumitur malus nisi probetur No Man upon vaine presumption ought to bee accounted naught unless reason prove him a delmquent For Example Give mee a loyall Subject that hath done wonders and great service for his Prince that hath An Instance enlarged his Kingdome gained him Frinds defeated his Enemyes and yet is struggling to doe him more Service Whose repute was neuer stayned nor fame blemished c. Suppose now That a smale knot of unknowne men should offer at some small or inconsiderable proofs And with these endeavour to impeach him of treason would not the Prince think you either require evidences to be brought in against soe worthy a subject or reject these Accusers as unworthy of credit yes most assuredly This is our case though noe Instance taken from private men can parrallel the fidelity of the Church towards Christ the Roman Catholick Church The Church evidently hath proved her fidelity to Christ I speak of noe other for there is none hath faithfully done great Service for the King of Kings Christ Iesus it hath dilated his empire far and neer it hath defeated his Enemys perfidious heathens gained him Frinds and innumerable Servants It yet struggles Maugre all attempts against it to promote his honour and gaine him more It has beene of an unspotted same Hither toe of unspotted and accounted pure without blemish till now at last a smale inconsidâ—rable knot of Protestants Impeach it of Treason and make it a Rebell against the King whome fame before Sectaries Impeachment it hath served soe long and faithfully What then doth our Lord Iesus and all Iustice too require of these Accusers but Evidence Yes and if possible more then Evidente is Necessary to make theire charge good against this Church It hath evident proof enough of its fidelitity Iustice in this charge requires evidence not unproved Cavills by its faithfull long Service by its hitherto irreprehensible Purity allowed for a thousand years and upwards and therfore cannot bee supposed a delinquent upon meer Cavils or for things which look like proofs but when examined are noe sooner weighed then cast away as weightless For all this wee Catholicks find it noe hard matter to prove the Roman Catholick Church the only true Orthodox Church out of which there is noe Salvation and to prove this by an undubitable Principle which cannot bee shaken even this short Argument will doe it Christ Iesus founded a Catholick Church which as hee promiseth should never faile Et porâ—ae inseri non praenalebunt adversus eam And therfore Math. cap. 16. could never bee forsaken by him Take the reason for no Monarch that lays the foundation of a kingdome and obliges himselfe to take care of it can without iniustice abandon it unless a contrary power or great negligence deprive him of his right none can bee more powerfull then Christ and I hope those Protestants of the English Church will not make him guilty of negligence or Iniustice ergò hee still defends the militant Church a most deare Kingdome which hee establisht with his owne bloud Take this other Argument A Church which hath converted whole Author of Protestancy without Principles c pa. 409 Kingdoms and Nations from infidelity to Christ by working Miracles casting out of Deuills great austerity of life and efficacy of Doctrin evident and convincing Arguments of truth and drawne innumerable Soules from a tepid life to pennance and mortification from the contents of the world to a contempt of it from selfe-love to a perfect self-abnegation must either bee deseruedly named the true Church of Christ or else the Apostolicall Church was not the Church of Rome only hath by the assistance of God done those wonders therfore it is the true Church or there was never any true upon earth Deny these Conversations made by our Catholick Society and you deny what is most evident grant them and you subscribe to Popery Ergò This Learned Author after severall Arguments and considerations makes the ensuing inferences The Roman Catholick Church was once the true Church Sectarys confesse it once it was built on Christ once it taught Christian verityes without errour once it was owned by Christians for Christes School once it evangelized the word of God purly Therfore if God bee yet as favourable unto Soules as hee was anciently if hee substract not meanes from us Necessary to saluation if his gifts bee unchangable if his intention of settling truth for ever amongst Christians alter not if hee blest his owne Society as well with truth as with the consolation of Grace this Catholick Roman Church and noe other once true was is and shall ever be soe for the future Ecclesia invicta res est they are knowne words of agreat Doctor etsi Infernus ipsâ— Commoveatar The Church is Invincible and continues
The dolefull Fall OF ANDREW SALL A JESUIT OF THE FOURTH VOW From the Roman Catholick Apostolick faith Lamented by his Constant Frind with an open rebuking of his Imbracing the Confession Contained in the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England Superiorum permissu 1674. THE RECANTATION OF ANDREW SALL A JESUIT OF THE FOURTH VOW Who had taught Divinity Eighteen years in Spain MADE IN S. JOHNS Church in Cashel in IRELAND Before the most reverend Father in GOD THO Lord Arch-Bishop of that Diocess MAY 17th 1674. Attested by the Secretary of the said Arch Bishop WHereas I Andrew Sall have been born and bred in the Communion of the Roman Catholick Church followed a Religious life and compleated my courses of Philosophy and Divinity in Colledges of the Order of Iesus in Spain and was employed in teaching the said Faculties many years I acknowledge that since by occasion of this Function I applyed my self to a stricter Inquiry and Examining of Matters And by frequent reading of the Holy Scripture Fathers Councils and Histories of the Church my Knowledge was furthered and my Judgment ripened I begun to doubt of the Truth of several Articles introduced by the use and authority of the Roman Church repugnant to Human Reason and not warranted by Divine Writ as Transubstantiation Indulgences Purgatory VVorship of Images c. yet smothered my Scruples partly fearing the severity of that Country against Opposers of their Tenets partly amused with a Supposition That the Church and Pope of Rome were infallible in their Decrees touching Faith and so might stand with security to their Declarations But having arrived in this Country Disputed often and closely of Religion with several Persons eminent in Learning and Integrity but principally with the Most Reverend Father in God and mine truly in Christ by the Gospel His Grace Tho Lord Arch-Bishop of Cashell present who mindful of the Duty of a good Pastour did procure to bring into his Fold this Sheep with unspeakable Constancy and indefatigable Charity suffering for Six years of continual battery my obstinate Resistance until at last by means of his solid Doctrine and of the Example of his pious and upright Life to the Glory of GOD be I permitted to say thus much here the LORD was pleased to give me a more clear sight of the Errours I was in yet a full Assent I delayed to give partly fearing that the weaknes I feeled may be of my Capacity rather than of the Cause I maintained partly frighted with the Confusion and Dangers I conceived might wait upon my deserting of the Romish Communion and so betook my self to a most diligent study of the Case leaving no stone unmoved for to quiet the trouble of my Conscience reading with indifferent Eyes the best VVriters on both sides and though I hartily wished to find the Cause I hitherto maintain'd justified for not to run into the terrible inconveniency which Human Considerations represented unto me in a Change yet assisted by Divine Grace and taking for Rule of my Actions the Service and VVill of God and the Interest of Eternity I resolved constantly to adhere unto the Party which with better ground would render me secure of this higher Emolument When being in these Considerations suddenly issued out our Soveraign Lord the King's Proclamation for Banishing the Roman Clergy wherewith I saw my self betwixt two extremities either to continue further in the Country with my Ambiguities in disobedience to my Soveraign's Command or to go into Spain and there be forced to Preach and practice Doctrines my Conscience did not approve of and so for a speedy Resolution after earnest Prayer to God for the assistance of his Divine light in so weighty a Matter I penned down for better Consideration the Reasons I did hear read and conceive against The RomishTenets Controverted I did also carefully peruse and seriously reflect upon the XXXIX Articles Canons and Liturgy of the Church of England and all considered well I did conclude the Way of the Church of England to be safer for my Salvation then that of the Roman Church Wherefore I resolved to declare as I do hereby seriously and in my heart without any Equivocation or mental Reservation in the presence of God and this Congregation Declare that I do give my full and free Assent to the XXXIX Articles of the Church of England for Holy and Wise and grounded upon the infallible Word of God acknowledging the Romish-Tenets against them to be false and superstitious especially that of Transubstantiation as forcing upon Christians a belief of monstrous Miracles repugnant to Human Reason and not grounded upon Divine testimony nor necessary either for verifying Christ's Words in the Institution of this blessed Sacrament or for the effects of it Not for verifying the Words whereas Christ saith in the like tenour that He is a true Vine without real alteration either in his Person or in the Vine nor for the Effects of the Holy Sacrament Christ being able to annex unto the Receiving of Bread and VVine what spiritual Graces he pleaseth without alteration of the Elements as he doth afford the spiritual Grace of Regeneration in the Waters of Baptisme without alteration in the substance of the VVater And least an Imagination of some temporal or sinistrous intention in this my Declaration upon the present Conjuncture may hinder the Spiritual benefit which Souls may reap by it I have grave Testimonies to shew and did already shew them to my renowned Lord the Arch-Bishop's Grace which assureth I did enjoy in Spain and may now enjoy with more advantage going thither upon the Account I was to go such degree of Honour and Commodity as possibly I may not expect elsewhere so as looking upon a Voyage thither continuing my former Profession nothing occurr'd to my mind but Honour Applause and Pleasure and turning my eyes upon my present Resolutions mountains of Crosses and Dangers did fright me But in this perplexity I haue chosen rather to suffer Crosses here with satisfaction of Conscience than to enjoy Honours that other way accompanied with the tortures of a checking Conscience and the unworthiness of a dissembling Life Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace that I may be admitted into the Communion of this Church and that I may be absolved for my so long continuance in Errour resisting the powerful Calling of God which granted I hope by the Grace of Almighty God assisting me that I shall never withdraw my self For further confirmation of all this I have hereunto subscribed my Name ANDREW SALL Copia vera Examinata eum Original per me Carolum Robinson THE AUTHOR TO THE READER A Hundred to one you 'l be inquiring who is the Author but what need you care for that can not you feed on a dish of partriges unless you know who kild them there were many profitable Books written by Anonimi let it satisfy you that I haue reason to conceal my name The substance of the worke is the
but after a long and due Examination of the substancâ— of them hee refuted them soe substantially as to this day noe man of the Church of England hath answer'd him I observe in this place that this Gentleman spent a great deale of tyme in deliberation about seaven years before Adjuring said XXXIX Articles which hee once believed as you doe now Sall as Articles of faith which belief and Doctrin hee suckt from his Cradle much more tyme I say hee had bestow'd and deliberation in quitting them then you have done in deserting the Catholick Religion and its holy Communion in which you were bred and your parents before you which can not be spoken but to your shame and infamy The light and grace God gave to Mr. White the Gentleman I speake of led him out of Babilon in to Ierusalem and you without great musing on the weightiest matter can ever concerne you the damnation or salvation of your soule are fled from Ierusalem to Babilon The Tytle of Mr. Whites Book Schismatis Anglicani redargutio Authore Alexandro VVhite ex eodem Schismate per Dei gratiam ad fidem Catholicam Converso Viro qui coripientem dura cervice contemnet repentinus ei superreniet interitus cam Sanitas non sequetur Proverb cap. 29. Lovani typis Jeronimi Nempaei 1661. This Book Sall if you have it not allready you will finde with som of the Priestes there Such is my opinion and of the Devines of my side of the sound substance of this Book and the Reasons and Arguments and Authoritys of Scripture Apostolicall Tradition Counsells and Fathers hee produceth that I presume without all vanity to give a Challenge on the behalfe of Verity and the Roman Catholick Church to you and to the Protestant Arch-Bishop of Cashell I say I give a Challeng to you both and all that Profess the XXXIX Articles in the three Kingdoms to make answer to this Book This is not a Thrasonical defiance such as Mr. Iewell Bell and others Protestant Divines made to all the Catholicks in the world of disputing with them about Religion but the place of disputing must have beene in England they being sure the state would not allow therof this Challenge is only for answering this Book wherin Mr. White hath distroy'd the Babell tower of your XXXIX Articles which you will neuer build up againe This mans Arck hath cast downe your Dagon hee hath impeached your new English Creed the XXXIX Articles af a treason against heaven and verity I pray you Sall if you have any memory as yet left of mee peruse seriously sedato animo this learned Book one of two effects it will have that either it will convert you or confound you Now if your Arch-Bishop and you and the rest of your Devines shall refuse this Challeng doe not vapour hereafter of the light Doctrin and Sanctity of your XXXIX Articles nor of your owne maistership in Devinity for 18. years in Spaine My Reader you have heard Sall tell why hee went out of the Catholick Church But S. Augustin gives another kinde of answer wherfore such men goe a way from us Habent says the Saint calumnias suas August Tom. 8. in Psal 118. Conseioâ— 26. 1 Haeretici habent Scismaâ—ici quos omnes superbia de membrorum Christi compage proecidit When men begin highly to prise their owne learning and to censure and contemne the Doctors of Holy Church generall Councells and even the high Priest himselfe the Pope in matters of Religion as Sall hath now done and to interpret Scriptures according to their owne braine and fancy then swelling with vanity they break out of the pales of the Church Nature is strong in such kinde of men and grace weak and soe they easily fall into sinn Quia quod Creatura peccare non possit habet ex bono gratiae non ex conditione nature Poore Sall this presumption hath pulled you out of the Temple yea periit ipse Angelus superbia tumidus propria potestatis delectatione corruptus this hath beene and is your disease Smoth the matter the best you can pride will be found one of the greatest motives of your departure from us III. CHAPTER VVHat Guid led Sall out of the Ad secundum House of God it was likly the privat Spiritt of Protestanisme a kinde of Serpent that with hissing whispers infects the brains of curious men this spirit hath much helpt to loose the man Doctor Whitaker esteemed agreat Devine in the English Church defines this private spiritt to be an inward In Contro 1. q. 5. C. 3. contrae Bellarum perswation of the truth from the Holy Ghost in the secret Closset of the believers hart Sall with this deceiving guid you made your fatall Transmigration from our side I would faigne know where in Scripture or the ancient Fathers did Whitaker finde a ground for such a definition of his privat Spirit hee found it noe where and therfore likly hee made it in a dream This Spiritt hath not been knowne to the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church for full fiftien ages they heard nothing of it nor doe any of us claime it it is only a priviledg of your Church a pleasant Imagination that makes your people madd Exempli Gratia A Protestant with whome I conferred about Religion som years past told mee in plaine termes hee needed noe light or assistance from Saint Augustin or Saint Paul himselfe for to understand Scripturs being certaine Iesus who redeemed his soule would have a care that hee should not err in expounding of Scripture or any thing that touched his salvation I demaunded from him could hee prove by Scripture hee had that infaliable spirit or sacred light hee answered hee could and cited that place of David Signatum Psal 4. est super nos Lumen vultis tui Domine The light of thy Countenance O Lord is signed upon us I told him that Lumen was commonly expounded to be ipsa ratio by which man is the image of God as hee might read in the Book of Genesis and that by this light man was in his nature distinguished from a brute and that a Turck and a Pagan alsoe had this light as well as hee and by a good consequence had an infalible privat spiritt of expounding Scripturs as well as hee I alsoe assured him that his owne Devines would tell him the light understood by David was noe other then reason which is the image of God whereto wee are created like which was fixed in our understanding that wee may see and know there is a God that ought to be served adored and loved and that hee will reward his servants Next said I t is absurdity to say that a Pagan which denys Scripturs should haue a spiritt to expound the Scripturs which follows from your opinion But this and all I could say could draw noe other answer from the man then that hee was sure hee had himselfe from
one God have mercy upòn us pleaseth mee not for it wholy tasteâ—h of Barbarisme Said Doctor King further teacheth in these motives that foule dèceipts and sleights and falcifications are practised by Protestant writers that your XXXIX Articles of Protestancy are Heresyes that true Miracles have beene wrought for proof of the Catholick Religion but neuer any for Protestancy that there is unity in Catholick Religion and disagreements in Protestancy that the Doctrin of Catholick Religion tends directly to Vertue of Protestancy to vice and liberty When you shall attentively read this learned mans motius why and wherfore hee quitted the Protestant Religion and became Catholick you must hold your selfe for a madd man for having forsaken the Catholick Religion to become Protestant The last motive the 12. which is most to be considered of all in order to safty is that Salvation may be had in the Catholick Religion even by the Confessions of Protestant Devines and Writers and likely some of them have signed the XXXIX Articles whence hee Derives an undeniable Consequence that the Catholick Religion is the safest hee discourseth to this purpose both the sides and the learnedest of both the sides Confess and agree salvation can be obtained in the Roman Catholick Faith that same faith which hath beene professed and maintaned by Popes Catholick Bishops and Catholick Congregations directed and governed by them in Spiritualibus in Confirmation of which the Catholick Saints in our Littanys are acknowledg'd for Saints by the Protestants but all the Catholick side hould that Protestants cannot be saued in theire Religion the Religion of the XXXIX Articles Ergo saith Doctor King it is Wisdome and the safest way to Imbrace the Catholick Religion acknowledged by both sides for the safest to Salvation I will conclude this discourse in giving you Doctor Kings owne words upon this subject with which hee coucludes his book of motives excellent perswading words But heere doe present unto us saith Doctor King two Porismata or resultancyes out of the premisses of this passage The first that all true reason perswadeth The 12 Motive pag. 165. 166. 167. me to implant and ingraft my selfe in that Church which I finde to be ackowledged for the true Church promising salvation tâ— her members even by her adversarys For if I dye Catholick my life being agreeable thereto both Catholicks and Protestants warrants my Sâ—lvation but dying in the Faith of Protestancy the Protestants alone and this in honour of theire owne Religion assure mee of it for there is neuer a learned Catholick wryter in the world an observation much to be weighed who granteth that a Protestant dying with a positive setled and coutumacious neglect of the Catholick Church and Faith can be saved This then being â—hus shall I in soe great a bussiness leave a certainty for an uncertainty God forbid Wee Protestants expeot to be believed in other our positions and Doctrins why not then in this Since then the Protestants doe teach that Catholicks soe dying are in state of Salvation I am resolued my Brethrens wrytings shall have that powerfull Influence over mee as what themselves doe heerin teach I will through Gods Grace put in Execution And soe my will shall become in this point a ready and seruiceable handmayd to theire Iudgments The second The wrong which wee Protestants commit in afflicting the Catholicks and in unnaturally beâ—rampling upon theire dejected estates only for matters of Religion Alas by our owne Doctrin they are neither Babylonians nor Aegyptians both they and wee being as wee teach Israelits why then should Israel thus persecute Israell Are wee not become the gaze of Christendome thus to fight without an Enemy thus for Kindred to wound its owne Kindred yea often the Father the Sonne soe turning our owne Swordes into our owne Childrens breasts wee still inciting his Majesty to greater severity a Prince of his owne Disposition of the most benigne mercifull and commiserating nature that the world at this day enjoys and all this for the Catholicks living in that Faith and Religion in which our selves teach they may be saved thus doe wee make the confessed hope of theire Salvationâ— to be the sole cause of theire pressures and callamityes Good God! who would think that Christians the chiefest Articles of whose Faith are either reputed but as indifferencyes or which is more believed for true Doctrin by theire oppressours whose Church is acknowledged to be the d D. Morton ubi supra Church of God houlding the foundation of the Ghospell the e M. Hooker ubi supra family of Iesus Christ it being noe severall f M. Bunni ubi supra Church from theirs nor theirs from it houlding g D. Field ubi supra a saving Profession of the truth in Christ in which many h D. Covell with theother doctors ubi supra dying are by their adversaries registred for most glorious Saints Should neuer the less bee persecuted by either Christians of their owne Country yea their owne flesh for theire only persevering in the a foresaid Church with Confiscaâ—ion of goods restraint of body someâ—ymes with sheeding of most innoâ—ent blood and suffering a cruell death Obstupecite e coeli super hoc portae â—jus desolamini vehementer Heere now I will stay my penne making this last motive as a fitting Catastrophe for all Since that Closure i Hierem cap. 2. and end is warrantable enough which evicteth from the ingenious Confessions of the most learned Protestants that I may be saved in that Religion wherein I am resolued to dye I think Sall you can not meet with a stronger argument then Doctor Kings unanswerable discourse for bringing you backagaine to your Mother the Catholick Church V. CHAPTER TO the fourth Quere Who are Ad quartum the Doctors Sall parted from and who those new ones hee imbraced It is easily answered hee hath quitt the four great Doctors of Gods Church holy Saints Gregory Ambrosse Augustin and Ierome and all the ancient Fathers and Catholick Doctors how famous these foure Doctors were for great Sanctity Learning and Authority is sufficiently knowne over all the world They have beene the Lights Pillars Champions and Ornaments of the Church profound in humility flaming with Charity Conspicuous in their Conversation sublime in their Comtemplation zealous in converting Souls and defending the House of God they have beene such as Saint Paule desires Gods Servants to bee Abnegantes impietatem secularia desideria Ad Titum cap. 2. sobrié justé pié viventet in hoc seculo expectantes beatam spem adventum Gloriae magni Dei salvatoris nostri Jesu Christs Cum quo jam triumphant in Caelo That is denying Impiety and wordly desires living soberly justly and Godly in this world expecting the blessed hope of the great God and our saviour Iesus Christ with whome they now tryumph in heaven What more glorious then Gregory and what more humble then hee set on the
there discribed After followes the fight between Lucifer and those of his side and Michael the Arck-Angell Captain of the innumerable Legions that remaind obedient to God and these had the victory And there was made Apocal. ibid. agreat Battle in heaven Michael and his Angells fought with the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angells and they prevailed not neither was there place found any more in heaven And that great Dragon was cast forth the old Serpent which is called the Deuill and Sathan which seduceth the whole World and hee was cast into the Earth and his Angells were throwne downe with him From Heresie and Hereticks in heaven let us pass to those on Earth Hereticks in the Law of Nature AS soone as God began to be Cain the first Heretick worshipped on Earth the Heresie of Cain sprang up who deny'd Gods Providence and murthered his brother Abel for maintaining Gods Providence Cains Envy could not brook Abels Innocency The second Heresie was that of Lamech Lamech the second Heretick who marryed two wives at once and soe deny'd the Unity of the Church God drew but one Ribb out of Adam and of that made but one woeman and said to them Erunt duâ— Genesis cap. 2. in carne una Lamech violated this Law by taking two Wives which was an Heresie 3. The Gyants were the third sort of Hereticks 4. All those that did not enter the Arck and perished in the Deluge were Hereticks 5. C ham after the Deluge mocked his Fathers nakedness and was Eo Nomine Pratriarck and Father of all those scoffing Hereticks that contemne the holy Fathers saying they were ignorant unlearned and blind You see by this there was one Heretick Cham in the Arke wherin were in all but eight Soules 6. Those that were building Babell were Hereticks and the figure of Hereticks that follow'd them God confounded theire tongues soe that they could not understand one another it is soe this day with Protestants strucken by God with a giddiness and soe disagreeing in Religion and Opinion as upon this one Text of Scripture HOC Math. cap. 26. r. 27. EST CORPVS MEVM There are 400. Opinions and Interpretations God hath confounded them in theire understanding tongues and writings 7. Esau for persecuting his Brother Iacob therby opposing himselfe to God and Israel These are Sall your Companions in the Law of Nature Hereticks in the written Law 1. FRom the tyme the Church of God was planted in Egypt wee find by tradition that Iamnes and Mambre Tim. 2. cap. 3. who resisted Moyses were the first Hereticks of those speaks Saint Paul But as Iamnes and Mambre's resisted Moyses soe these alsoe resist the truth men corrupted in minde reprobat concerning the faith 2. All those that dyed in the desert murmouring against God and Moyses and his directions and commaunds 3. Chore and Dathan with theire seditious companions that opposed Moyses and his authority 4. Nahab and Albiu that put strange fyre in the Insence of the Lord. 5. All those strange Kings that made warre against the Children of Israel 6. All the false Prophets of Baal and all of that kind All these Sall are your companions in the written Law Hereticks in the Evangelicall Law IN the tymes of the Law of nature and of the written Law there haue not been if I am not mistaken above 20. Kindes of Hereticks but in the Evangelicall or in the Law of grace they have been above 600. of them A man would say it were hard to beleeve this seeing the standart of the Cross after Christes passion hath been lifted up against hell and heresie the kingdom and power of the Devill diminished Idols cast down Atheisme bannished and the Empire of Hell on Earth as it were destroy'd by the Bloud of Iesus Vertue Piety and the light of Grace for all this woefull experience proues what I have said to be true And Saint Cyprian giues you the true reason S. Cyp. lib. de Vnitat wherfor in these words Cum videret inimicus idola derelicta templa sua deserta exâ—ogitauit novas fraudes hereses inuenit scismata â— quibus fidem subuerteret When Sathan saw after our Sauiours Passion the Idols cast away and his tempels deserted hee thought of new fraudes hee inuented heresies and scismes by which hee might subuert faith and sanctity Sathan therfore the Father and Author of all lyes and Heresies seduced men from the way of truth and stirred them up against the Church and Verity these kinde of men sowed Heresyes and Scismes and some of them began like Hypocrits covering theire damnable Doctrin with a cloack of Sanctity such were Arius Iohn Wicklef and many more and even the worst livers of them pretended a kind of Piety in theire Opinions and as it were a speciall regard of the glory of God grounding all Sanctity and Salvation upon Sanctifying faith alone and upon this account some of them took away free will others good works fasting pennance and allkind of Mortification they did but mock all these things others took away the Invocation of Saints and Angells and Doctrin of Purgatory Indulgence and Prayers for the dead others reduced seven Sacraments unto two or rather to one to wit Baptisme and others have even destroy'd this Sacrament teaching infants to be saved in the faith of theire Parents and that Baptisme is but a meer cerimony that might be used or omitted without sinne others said the Commaundements were impossible to be kept and others held they did noe way oblige Christians and that they were only made for the Iewes but oboue all Calyin was soe zealous in attributing mans Salvation only to the Passion and Bloud of Iesus that hee held all the good works man could doe of noe value or effect yea hee termed Bona opera hominis piacula sordes inquiuamenta By this you see the Doctrins taught by Hereticks were but mera somnia deliria and a good part of the thirty nine Articles of the Church of England are such I shall herafter in a convenient place give you a long Letany of Hereticks but it will be noe way holy In this place I will only set downe the Sect of Quakers that sprung up in England some years agoe theire principall theorems and tenets are 1. That they are imediatly cald by Iesus and sent to convert the world as the Apostles were by an extraordinary mission 2. That God being a pure Spiritt is to be honoured only by the Spiritt wherfore they condemne all bending of knees and all exteriour signes of Religion and worship due to God 3. That it is superstition to light Candles by daytyme to weare Capps Copes Albs or any sacred vestments 4. That it is Idolatry to build Churches put up Crosses or the Images of Christ or his Saints or render them any Worshipp 5. They denye and reject the name of Sacrament and affirme that Baptizing in water is not of devine Institution 6. They
Scriptures wherin those Miracles are found as for Church Miracles they seem to make noe more account of them then of fables or of ridiculous things but holy men and those that feare God doe much esteem them by Church Miracles I first understand such as the most antient fathers have left upon record never questioned never call'd into doubt by any 2. I understand by Church Miracles such as in latter ages have been aproved by the Sea Apostolique chiefly at the Canonization of Saints wherof wittnesses have been produced upon oath and all Imaginable sinserity or severity rather used to avoyd heresies and to make truth openly knowne Wee Catholicks distinguish between the received Miracles of the Church and those which particular men relate wherof some are only probable others Dubious others false the Protestants doth not distinguish them but make all fish that coms to Nett The Catholicks alsoe distinguish the Miracles of Christ and other Miracles those of Christ are immediatly wrought by God and the other by Gods servants but In Nomine virtute Dei soe that Christ is the Magnus Thaumaturgus quia sine illo nihil possumus facere when one baptizeth Saint Augustin doth affirme that Christ doth Baptize with him even soe wee say when any of Gods servants workes a wonder Christ works that Miracle with him and consequently all the Miracles of the Saints are Christs Miracles If Sall and other Protestants shall deny Gods servants to have received from Christ the power of working Miracles I say Sall and his Companions in this doe not beleeve the Prophesie of Christ saying expresly Amen Amen I say unto you hee Ioan. cap. 14. that beleeves in mee the works that I doe hee alsoe shall doe and greater works then these shall hee doe These are Christes owne words who cannot deceive or be deceived For a more exact notice of the nature of Miracles and how they are differenced I remitt my reader to an excellent Treatise printed at Antwerp anno 1674. Thus intitled The Infallibility of the Catholick Church and her miracles Now that Miracles are not Monstrous as Sall prophanely speaks but Glorious and the true seals and Characters of the true Religion and Church the ensuing Chapter will declare XXI CHAPTER Of undeniable Miracles proving the Faith and Sanctity of the true Church Mi ∣ racle 1 VVHen the people of Israel were most devided in matter of Religion and very many of them bended theire knees to Baal the Prophet Elias said to them in zeale and Anger How long halt you of two sides if Lib. 3. cap. 18. our Lord be God follow him if Baal follow him And the people did not answer him aword Such a zealous postulation is necessary to those that are neither hott nor cold in Religion but luke-warme such as the Angells themselves detest Apocall Cap. 3. then the Prophet made a motion to them of clearing the truth in point of Religion between him and the Priests of Baal by that famous undoubted Miracle of burning an Ox upon the Alter without kindling fyre under this way was well approved of by the people and they all answering said a very good proposition Gods Prophet was but one and alone in this conflict and the Prophets of Baal then present 450. The reason wherfore the people willingly condescended to the Prophets proposition was that in common sence they judged that God would not permitt a falshood to be confirmed by Miracle in soe publique a tryall where the veracity of God was soe particularly concerned on the other side the Prophets of Baal durst not refuse soe faire an ofter as Elias made in the presence of all the people fearing they would fall from them and the Worship of Baal their God What end say you had this faire Tryall who had the Victory who but Elias the true servant and Prophet of God The Priestes of Baal began to pray and cry upon Baal theire God with great fervour and many Ceremonyes they cryed till noon-day the tyme the Sacrifice should be burnt but their God Baal sent them noe fyre Then Elias after gering the foolish prayres and exclamations of those 450. Prophane Priestes of the Idol Baal began to pray to the living God in this kind Lord God of Abraham and Isaac and Israel shew this day that thou art the God of Israel and I thy servant and that according to thy Commaundement I have done all these things Heare mee Lord heare mee that these people may learne that thou art our Lord God and that thou hast converted theire hart againe And the fire of our Lord fell and devoured the Holacaust and the wood and the stones licking alsoe the dust and the Water that was in the Water gutter Which when all the People had seen they fell on theire face and said Our Lord hee is God our Lord hee is God Sall two things you may here observe the first that the people of Israel seeing the Miracle of the fyre coming from heaven detested Baal and adored God crying out Our Lord hee is God our Lord hee is God Secondly That the Devills power was here restrained and soe chained that hee was not able to help those Priestes of Baal demaunding fyre from him to burne the Holocaust and soe it is still when Miracles are attempted for the Tryall of truth then only truth will be testifyed and Sathan confounded having noe power to the contrary which is according to that of Saint Mark Our Lord working with Mark cap. 16. all and confirming the Doctrin with signes following And why should not I in this place in the name of the Catholick Church make such an offer to Sall and all his Protestants in England Ireland and Scotland as Elias made to the Priestes of Baal I hope they will be asham'd to refuse it for that were to confess that the Roman Doctrin is true and theirs false The Roman Church the true Church and the Protestants the false Sall let us not delude the people with School subtilitys or obscure Texts of Scripture If the Church of England or Scotland or any other reformed one be the true Church and its Doctrin the true Doctrin let that be try'd by Miracles I shall try ours of Rome by that Test I challenge then all the Bishops and Ministers of the Church of England and all those of the Reformation or all the Protestants of the World to work or mention any one Miracle ever yet wrought by any Protestant to confirme any one point of Doctrin or Religion wherin they differ from the Roman Catholick Gentlemen summon your Synods search into all Historyes Prophane and Sacred set your heads to gether and produce at least some probable testimony of as much as one Miracle to grace your Reformations Mi ∣ racle 2 When the same Prophet Elias raised from death to life the child of the Widow of Sareptha of the Sidonians and delivered him to his Mother and Lib. 3. Regum cap. 1â—8 said to her behold
Iustinian hee caused the Mother and boy to be Baptised which because the obstinate Father refused to yeild unto by the Emperors commandment hee was hanged upon a Gibet I Will now relate a story saith Waldensis wherof I my selfe was an eye Wittness in the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul in London where the venerable Thom. VV aldensis Tom. 2. de Sacra Eucha cap. 62. Arch-Bishop Thomas Arundell of happy memory the Sonne and Brother to an EarI sat in Iudgment in his Bishops Chaire assisted by Alexander the Prelate of the Church of Norwitch and others At which tyme hee proposed certaine Interrogatories concerning the Faith of the Eucharist unto a Taylor of the parts of Worcester shire taken in the crime of Heresie but when that the obstinat fellow could not be persuaded by any reason to embrace the right Faith nor would believe nor call the consecrated Host any other thing but only Holy Bread hee was at last commaunded to Worship the said Host but the blasphemous Heretick answering said Verily a spider is more Worthy to bee worshiped then it is When behold a monstrous horrible Spider came suddainly sliding downe by her thred from the top of the Church directly unto the Blasphemers mouth and endeavoured very busily to gett entrance even as hee was speaking the Words neither without much adoe could the many hands of the standers by keep her from entring into the wretch whether hee would or noe Thomas Duke of Oxford and Chancellor of the Realme was there present and saw this Wonder Then the Arch-Bishop stood up and declared to all that were present that the revenging hand of God had denounced the man to be a Blasphemer Saint Bernards Miracles THe Learning Devotion Sanctity and Miracles of this Saint are soe generally confessed by Protestant writers as Whitaker saith I realy beleeve VVhit de Ecclesia pa. 369 Osian Cent. 12. Bernard was a true Saint Osiander likwise saith Saint Bernard Abbot of Clarivall was a very pious man c. Yea Doctor Stillingfleet himselfe in his late Comedy of the Idolatry Fanatiscisme of the Church of Rome durst not bring Bernard upon the stage All the World lookt upon this Saint as the Apostle of that age wherin Divers Heresies were broacht by the Waldenses Apostolici Henricians and others These two last Sects had infected a great part of France especially about Toulouse theire chief Errors were against the Sacrifice of the Masse Transubstantiation Purgatory Prayer for the Dead Prayer to Saints theire Worship that of Images the Popes Supremacy c. Even the same Protestants hould in our days The Pope sent a Legate and Saint Bernard to confute them It is to be noted that Protestants Challenge these as Members and Martyrs of the Protestant Church as every one may see in theire Catalogue of the wittness of truth printed 1597. Among other Miracles one is recounted by Godefridus in vita Bernardi Lib. 3. Cap. 5. And by others of the same Tyme as followeth There is a place in the Country of Tolouse caled Sarlatum where after Sermon was done they offerd to the Servant of God as every where the use was many loaves to bless which hee lifting up his hand and makeing the signe of the Cross in Gods Name blessing said thus In this you shall know that these things are true which wee and that those other are false which the Hereticks labour to persuade you that whosoever they be of your diseased Persons that tast the loaves shall be healed to the end you may know us to be the true Ministers of God The Bishop of Chartres a great Frind to the Saint thinking this Proposition to generall told the People they were to understand it conditionally if they did eat of the loaves with Faith Saint Bernard suddainly replied My Lord I doe not meane soe my meaning and saying is that all sick Folks who shall eat of these loaves shall recover their health to the end it may be knowne wee are Gods true Ministers And accordingly it fell out not one diseased Person that did eat of the Breadâ— mist of being cured and the Miracle being thus dâ—uulged by its effects soe huge a multitude of People came to thank and admire the Saint that hee declined the common roads and went by by-ways to Tolouse Two other excellent Miracles of Saint Bernard the one in Millane the other in Aquitaine THat in Millane was of an old woeman possessed for many years the Devill had taken from her speech Veran Dom. Gulielmus Abbas in vita Saint Bern. lib. 2. cap. â—â— sight and hearing her Breath was stincking her face gashly her presence uggly infine shee was the most miserable spectacle in the World The Saint in tyme of Masse began to vex this evill Spiritt that for many years had vexed the poore old woeman And immediatly after saying the Pater Noster in the Mass the holy man holding over the Patena the Body of our Lord and turning his face towards the People and to the lamentable and tormented possessed said these strong and vehement words Adest inique Spiritus c. Thou impious Spiritt hee is heere present who before his Passion said Now Sathan the Prince of the World shall bee cast out this is the same Body that took flesh from the Body of the blessed Virgin that was stretched upon the beame of the Cross that was layd in the Sepulcher that did rise up from death that ascended in to heaven his disciples viewing that strange Mistery Therfore in the terrible power of this great Majesty I commaund thee malignant Spirit to goe out of the Body of this handmaid of God and that thou shalt noe more touch or molest her The Saint then turned to the Alter and persued the rest of the Mass Now what happened The Devill cast out fled away quite mute the woeman came to her selfe and recovering her reason and senses drew in her tongue that hung downe at a great length and thank't God for his mercy towards her and beholding holy Bernard that cured her cast her selfe at his feet owneing the great benefitt shee had receiv'd from him Then says the Author Ingens per Ecclesiaâ— attolitur clamor omnis aetas Iubilat Deo personant aeramenta benedicitur ab omnibus Deus That is A great Cry of Joy was raised over all the Church young and old praised God the Organs sounded melodiously and God was honoured of all This renowned wonder being done in the sight of thousands of Soules was recorded in the Archives of Millan and now I would faine know what may be Salls Iudgment of this Miracle wrought for Confirmation of Transubstantiation the real and true Presence of Christ his Body in the Sacrament the Worship of Adoration due therunto and of the power and Majesty of Christ in the Sacrament Will hee dare call this Miracle Monstrous let him be aware of speaking soe Non enim irridetur Deus or will hee perhaps tell us that all wee
which are flatt Heresies and for all these Impietyes and abominations there are not that I heare of any Lawes made in Parlament for punishing these Presbiterians Noe but all the lightning thunder and tempest of the Bishops and that kind of Protestants and of the Presbiterians likwise doth fall upon the poor Catholicks our Religion is made treason to owne the Pope head of the Church in Spiritualibus as realy hee is is punish'd with death to worship Images superstition to invocate the Angels and Saints Idolatry wee suffer disgrace in Court and Country wee suffer the loss of livings wee suffer Imprisonments and death it selfe the Extirpation of our Faith is desired sought and put in Execution and men receive pleasure which is inhumane and cruell in our Miserye and Distruction and all these Afflictions fale upon us soly for the hatred men have to Religion What comfort can wee finde in these Extremityes That only and that is enough which our Saviour hath promised to his Servants Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur Math. Cap. 4. propter Iustitiam quoniam ipsorum est Regnum Caelorum That is Blessed are they that suffer Persecution for Justice for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Sall wee heare you have preached in July 1674. before the Lord Lieutenant and State in Christ-Church in Dublin a long premeditated Sermon for Justifying your departure from the Romish Communion and you then told your Auditors that you had found in the Romish Church three Abominations to wit Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny and those you called Abominationem desolationes stantem in loco Sancto And that therfore according to our Saviours Admonition you departed from that Congregation But I tell you you have forged a pernitious Calumnie and Imposture in charging the Church of Rome the Mother of all Churches with Idolatry Impiety and Tyranny And I further say my Opinion that an Idol which is found in all your Congregations the pride of the privat Spiritt that Spiritt Doctor Whitaker see Pagina 17. discribed made you charge the Church of Rome with Idolatry Sir your zeal in your new Religion is soe furious that you have render'd your selfe at present incapable of Councell and all advice but in tyme you may become colder Non est abrevitae manus Domini And think better of what you have done however for the true love I have for you and especially for your Soule which is the maine and principal part ought to bee taken care for I hartily pray you what kinde of thing is Parlament Religion a ssippery and changable Religion which is thus declared For Satisfying King Henry the eight The Parlament changed some Articles of Faith as soone as hee dy'd they changed that Faith into Zwinglianisme to comply with the Protector Summerset young King Edward the sixt his Vncle within two or three years after they changed Zwinglianisme into Calvinisme and at the sute of Calvin reformed the Liturgy accordingly After the young Kings death they return'd with good Queen Mary to the old Faith and by new acts abolished those acts they had lately made before against Catholick Religion with Queen Elizabeth they restored againe the new Religion with some Alterations when King Iames succeeded they changed the translations of Scripture and other things In King Charles the firsts tyme Prelatick Protestancy was puld downe by Presbitery and this by IndePendency and the last puld downe quite Kingly Authority and took of the good Kings head from his Body Prelatick Protestancy being restored by King Charles the second the forms of Ordination where upon depends the validity of the Protestant Ministry Church and Sacraments being not thought sufficient were amended and are now changed into more Catholick Forms adding to the Forms the words Priest and Bishop which hath quite discredited theire Character of Priesthood and Episcopacy for those two Words being held by them as Essentiall in these two Forms the former orders given without these Words must have been invalid and in like manner all things in theire Ministry that depends upon Ordination are uncertaine and doubtfull for if the Church of England hath acknowledged to have erred in a thing of soe great importance as the Forms of Ordination what reason can it have in not erring in all the rest In a word Protestants in the Kingdome of England in one age have made more changes of Religions then Mahometans in the ten ages they have continued What I have sayd being duly examined tell mee Sall is not Protestant Religion slippery and changable and consider well what shall become of you in the sad exchange you have made The fourth Advertisment Learned Protestants of the Church of England doe confess that English and Irish Pagans venerable Beda called them Slaves of Idols were converted to Christian Faith by men sent from the Popes of Rome holy men that wrought Miracles in those Conversions IF any shall demaund to what end doe I make Mention of these Protestant Authors what doe I inferr from theire Testimoneys I make this Illation that said Authors did attest the Conversion of those Pagans to have beene made by those sent from Rome to a true and sauing Faith and for this Verity there are two convincing reasons The first that the Veracity of God was herein concerned which neuer confirm'd by Miracles a false Faith The second that the Goodness of God would not have Pagans brought from Idolatry to Heresy or to such a Religion wherein they would bee as certainly damn'd as in Idolatry to Iudge this of the goodness of God were a horrible Blasphemy for it were noe less then to cale him a cheate Sall examin now seriously what Faith that was the Saints Fugatius Damianus sent from Pope Eleutherious taught to the Pagans of England when King Lucius the first Christian King his Queen and thousands more were converted what the Faith which Saint Augustin the Benedictin Monk sent from S. Gregory Pope denounced to the Saxon Pagans In what Faith did S. Parrick sent from Pope Celestinus instruct the Idolaters of Ireland doubtless you will confess it was the same Faith then professed in Rome and by all the People that obey'd the Pope now all these professed as Articles of Faith the Real-Presence in the Eucharist the Invocation of Angells and Saints the seven Sacraments the Sacrifice of the Mass worship of Images and the like And aforesaid Saints Fugatious Damianus c. delivered them for such to the Pagans of both the Nations they likewise wrought Miracles for proving the truth of the Religion they taught and the Pagans seeing those Miracles beleeved they were sent from God They were indeed sent to those Idalaters as Moyses Elias and others Prophets to the People of Israel and as the Apostles to the Gentils doeing wonders In Nomine Virtute Dei. I observe in this place that the Religion the S S. Fugatious Damianus Patrick and Augustin preached to the Pagans of these countryes was not the Faith now Professed by Sall and
with the Roman Church as well in points of Faith as in the use of Rites Liturgy's and Sacraments yet for all this they have shaken of all Obedience to the Church of Rome and if this bee not a willfull formall Separation of theire part let any man judge And after all this they are soe bold and impudent as to say the Scisme Lyes of our part for having given them the Occasion of Separation but they doe not point out the time and errors they say crept into our Church Is not this a pleasant Jest first openly to Rebell and then without any other proofe but theire owne prooflesse word tacitly to suppose they had great Reason for theire Rebellion and to accuse soe vast a Society of ancient Christians as wee are and know not why to condemne us of Errors and know not wherfore and this before noe other Tribunall but themselves who were the Rebells This indeed savors soe strongly of sauciness and self-conceited pride that the very method held in the Condemnation makes all to look upon it as naught illegall and contemptible This kinde of Proceeding of Protestants makes it most evident that this actuall breach with Rome this Rupture this Rent this Rebellion this divorse from the ancient Church this formall Scisme let Protestants couer it with the smothest words they please is as cleare on theire side as the Sunne shining at noon-day like durt it lyes at theire doores and they will neuer be able to wype it away They say often and over and over that wee erred and gave them the Occasioâ— of Separation but prouing nothing nor shewing the cause wee have given of such Separation they say nothing doe they thinck theire Asserâ—â—on or saying that wee have erred can be proofâ— strong enough against us or any thing like a Satisfactory reason in this matter between us theire saying being noe received Principle Certainly the humour of Protestant Wâ—iters and Disputers is strange they chiefly abuse themselves in finding fault and carping at Catholick Religion whilst they speake least of that which most concerns them that is possitively to prove that Protestancy ought to bee owned as Christs true and Orthodox Religion this they wholy Wave and Protestants prove noâ— theire owne Religion the reason is because an â—mprobability cannot be proved For confirming what I say heare what the Author of PROTESTANCT WITHOVT PRINCIPLES c. speaks Pray you saith hee tell mee did you ever yet heare from a Protestant That Author pa. 430 431 any thing like a convincing Principle when hee goes about to prove two Sacraments and noe more or that Faith only Iustifyes without Charity or to bee brief that Protestancy ought to be valued of as the only Pure and Orthodox Religion of Christianity Noe these points they eyther pass over in silence or soe sleightly handle them that they seem afraid to meddle with such difficultyes what doe they therfore Theire whole straine is to finde fault This in the Papist Religion is not right that is not well proved a third thing pleaseth not here wee have a nouelty introduced there is a ceremony blamable c. then a Iere follows in handsom language and theire worke is done In the mean tyme the maine point in controversy which is to prove that Protestancy ought to be owned as a true and Orthodox Religion is noe more touched on then if it were not in being This same Author says else where I realy perceive a strange humor The Author pa. 320 321 in our Protestant writers You have theire Books t is true difficultys now and then hinted at words â—ultiply'd much talke in generall intricate discourses carryed in darkness and this to amuse a vulgar reader weak conjectures enough now drawne from this now from that Evidenced Authority Margents charged with Greek and Latin and they must bee thought learned Margents But after all you see the maine difficulty's waved you finde nothing proved nothing clearly reduced to any other owned Principle but theire owne proofless word and bare assertion in soe much as I am apt to beleeve if I think amiss God forgive mee all that Protestants ayme at in theire Polemicall writings is only to keep up talk in the world and Glory when they have the last word in a Controversy whether a prou'd word or noe it Imports not soe it may be proved they answer it Is it not a remarkable thing that Protestants notwithstanding they doe not nor cannot defend theire owne Religion and notwithstanding they are wilfull and wrongfull in their Separation from the Roman Church an open Scisme and notwithstanding a lawfull Succession in our Church from th' Apostles tymes and a quiet Possession of truth with it by Vertue of an immemoriall Tradition yet our Adversaryes the Protestants tell us the Obligation of proving lyes upon us of proving what for God-sake That our Possession is lawfull Quo Iure came they to question this they being Actors how come they to put the proofe upon us contrary to the Custome of all Benches of Justice contrary to that knowne Rule of the Law Actore nihil probante reus absoluitur If they would euer acknowledge any indifferent Iudge or umpier between us which they are neuer like to admitt of assuming to themselves the Office of Accuser wittness and Judge hee would compell them to the proofe wee are noe way bound therunto wee only stand upon our owne defence and garde wee only say OLIM POSSIDEO PRIOR POSSIDEO that irrefragable Rule of the Law is for us Qui prior est tempore Regula Iuris 24. in sexto prior est Iâ—re Ratio huius regulae est quod jus acquisitum alteri inuito auferri non potest That is The reason of that rule is that reason acquired to any one cannot bee taken from him against his will Wee haue been aboue a thousand and more yeares in possession before the world heard any thing of Luther and his knott of scismaticall companions are not wee then Priores tempore but they will perhaps tell us they have prescrib'd against us by holding our Churches Benefices and all power and Iuridiction in England for a hundred years and more to this wee reply that violence gives noe ground to Prescription wee alleage that undeniable rule of the law Possessor male fidei Regula Iuris 2 in sextâ— ullo tempore non Prescribit that is a possessor of evill Faith or conscience can never prescribe mala fides here is mala Conscientia and doth cutt of quite all title they can make to Prescription It is manifest to the world all they have of ours they have against Conscience and soe theire crime in holding that by force which by Iustice is ours is the more grivous and the longer they detayn them the greater is theire sinn Cum tanto sint graviora peccata as the Text of the Law says quanto diutius infaelicem animam detinent alligatam Wee Catholicks I repeate it