have confessed Imposition of Hands and the solemn words of Investiture Receive ye the Holy Ghost The Scripture knows no other Essentials but these which is also acknowledged by some of your Learned Partizans and these are constantly used by our Bishops who received their Ordinations from their Predecessors by an uninterrupted line of succession whether from British or French or Roman Bishops is not material because each of these had their Mission in your expression by a continued succession from the Apostles who planted the Faith and laid hands on their first Successors of these Nations Cardinal Pole the Papal Legat by his Dispensation and Pope Paul the 4th by his Ratification setled the Ordinations in King Edw. the 6th his Reign with this only Proviso that those then so Ordained would return to the Vnity of the Church that 's sure in their and your sense to adhere to the Pope and acknowledg his begged Sovereign Monarchical Power This they could not have granted neither would they if they had suspected any defect in the Essentials of their Ordination It is not in the power of the Pope or Cardinals to ratify their Orders who had none or dispence with them to execute any Function in the Church who had no Authority from Christ or his Apostles for it if they did your Church hath concluded the Act sacrilegious and null if we may believe some of your Controvertists 2. By the Constitutions of the Church what hath been universally observed and was decreed by the Councel of Carthage in St. Aug. time hath been and is still retained in the Church of England 3. By the Laws of the Kingdom both this and the others will appear by the Records upon both these accounts Bishop Jewel defended this Church against Mr. Harding Fol. 129. I am a Priest by the same Order c you were and after our Bishops succeed the Bishops before our days being Elected Confirmed Consecrated and admitted as they were Mr. Mason hath proved this beyond all cavil your own Associates Mr. Higgins Mr. Hart Father Garnet and Father Old-corn took the pains to search the Registers and after that Arch-Bishop Abbot caused them to be shewed to four more who after they had perused did acknowledg them Authentical and undeniable Ex abundanti Cudsemius the Jesuit Lib. 11. de Desp Cal. causa hath freely confessed the English Nation are not Hereticks because they remain in a perpetual succession of Bishops Monsieur Militiere in his Letter to his Majesty Charles the Second hath declared the same Lastly look to your own Succession in which by your own Laws there be several Nullities by Vacancies Schisms and Simonies which if they were fully charged upon you would puzzel you to clear Having dispatched your Questions the Texts of Scripture are to be considered No man taketh this Honour c. True but this Honour is to be had in any Apostolical Church as well as yours which hath Elder Sisters particularly the British here in England confitente Baronio Faith cometh c. Very good But the Object of Hearing is not the Pope's decrees or Trent definitions but the word of Faith as before Gal. 118. The rest were true before there was a Church at Rome were true when she became an holy Church are true now it is an unsound rotten member of the Church would be eternally true if there were no Church at Rome nor Roman Bishop The Church shall not fail but Christ never setled this priviledg on the Roman or any Church of one denomination Christ's Church never faileth so long as there are Confessors through the World who contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS FINIS Some Books Printed for Henry Brome in Defence of the Church of England since the Year 1666. A Companion to the Temple or an Help to Devotion being an Exposition on the Common-Prayer in two Voll By Tho. Comber A. M. Lex Tallionis or an Answer to Naked Truth The Popish Apology reprinted and Answered A Seasonable Discourse against Popery and the Defence on 't The Difference betwixt the Church and Court of Rome considered Considerations touching the true way to suppress Popery to which is added an Historical Account of the Reformation in England Friendly Advice to the Roman Cath. of England enlarged Dr. Du Moulin's Answer to the Lord Castlemain his Papal Tyrannie in England With two Sermons on Novemb. 5th Fourteen Controversial Lords for and against Popery in quarto Beware of two Extremes Popery and Presbytery octav The Reformed Monasterie or the Love of Jesus or a Sure Way to Heaven A Guide to Eternitie by John Bona. Extracted out of the Writings of the Holy Fathers and Ancient Philosophers
it and pursue it hotly with Hue and Cry from Country to Country 6. Though several Reasons have before been assigned and more might why our Writers in those times such as Bishop Jewel c. did not expresly appeal to the Records yet I take the Chief to be this The then Romanists did pretend to a mixt Succession but chiefly insisted upon the Moral and Doctrinal so Dr. Stapleton Graeca Ecclesia c. The Greek Churches though they have lineal Succession yet because of the Heresies which they hold and the Schism they make they have not lawful (Å¿) Staplet Princ. doctr l. 13. c. 6. Succession and again Successio de qua agitur c. The Succession of which we dispute is not of places and persons but of true (t) Id. relect c. 1. qu. 4. art 1. 2. notab 5. and sound Doctrine Thus also Mr. Harding def fol. 119. Did Capon Shaxton or ever any Bishop of that See before you teach your Doctrine whom have you succeeded as well in Doctrine as in outward sitting in that Chair To which Question if Bishop Jewel had appealed to the Records he had trifled because they are only evidences of meer matter of Fact not at all of Doctrines taught 7. But N. N. is a man of confidence he believes there were many living in Queen Elizabeth's time could have proved them Forged this is strange forgery is a work of darkness carried on by a few these are too many to be privy to the Fact and very closely with all the securities of secrecy and therefore a man of indifferent judgment will hardly be perswaded that many can be accessory and privy to a designed Forgery 8. On a sudden this great Undertaker grows dull for he supposeth that to make the Records more incredible which to all others makes them most credible To N. N. they are more incredible upon testimony of publick Authority which is indeed to destroy all human security and contrary to the common notices of mankind But N. N. is resolved to speak the Truth at last SECT XI N. N. THE truth is most of the Clergy of England in those times were Puritans and inclined to Zwinglianism they therefore contemned and rejected Consecration as a Rag of Rome and were contented with the extraordinary calling of God and his Spirit as all other Churches do who pretend to Reformation neither is it credible there was any other Consecration of Parker and his Camrades but that which passed at the Nags-head SECT XI J. S. THE truth is there is no truth in any of these Affirmations for 1. The Clergy of England then had a Liturgy with Rites and Ceremonies witness N. N. in what he said before which they orderly observed they did own and defend the three Orders (u) Bishop Jewel Apol. c. 3. divis 1. defence fol. 85. of Bishops Priests and Deacons witness the Ritual which N. N. also acknowledgeth to be the allowed Form of the Church of England to have been ever in Christ's Church since the time of the Apostles which the Puritans do not if they did the Romish Emissaries would lose some Proselytes and therefore N. N.'s suggestion that the Clergy then did condemn Consecration as a rag of Rome is a most malicious untruth 2. The Clergy then neither followed Zwinglius nor any other Person nor any Sect or Sectaries of Men farther than they followed the Scripture and the Practice of the Primitive Church these they took for their rule 3. If by Zwinglianism he intends as it is usually called Zwinglianism the rejecting that monstrous Figment of Transubstantiation they were therein followers of the Apostles and Doctors of the Catholicks if he conceive Zwinglius opposed Episcopacy he is deceived for he and the Helvetians did honour it What he adds of other Reformed Churches is most false for most of them have and do own Bishops either name or thing or both as in the Dominions of the King of Sweden Denmark and the most of them in High Germany even as many as subscribed to the Augustane Confession those under the Duke of Saxony Luxenburg the Marquess of Brandenburg the Prince of Anhault and many others and those of the Reformed Churches which have no Bishops account it their want an infelicity It is a bad Cause which must be underpropped with impious Frauds and is supported only with hideous and palpable Lies 4. In the close of this Section N. N. brings by head and shoulders his Nags-head again to shew he can write as well against common sense as without common honesty for his suggestion neither is it credible and is contrary to the apprehensions of all Impartial Judges for it is morally impossible the Fable should be credible because Dr. Parker's Consecration was performed as is before related in the presence of four of the most eminent Notaries Publick in the Kingdom one whereof was principal Actuary at Cardinal Pool's Consecration SECT XII N. N. HEar the Judgment of Whitaker and Fulk who lived in and about that time the English Ordinations were first called in Question I would not have you think saith Whitaker we make such reckoning of your Orders as to hold our own Vocation unlawful without them Cont. Dur. p. 821. Mr. Fulks more plainly you are highly deceived if you think we esteem your Offices of Bishops c. better than Laymen Ans to Counterf Cath. p. 50. and in his Retentive p. 67. with all our hearts we difie abhor detest and spit at your stinking greasy Antichristian Orders Is it credible these prime Protestants would answer thus if they had not known that the Story of the Nags-head was true SECT XII J. S. HItherto N. N. hath been a fabulous Romancer and Legendary he now falls under the suspition of a Plagiary for in all probability he hath by a trick of Legerdemain filched these Quotations from some Puritan Pamphleteers many of which have made use of them upon another design But 1. In the different Judgment of N. N. the Question was started in Arch-Bishop Parker 's time though not pursued indeed nor moved for many years after at which time Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Fulk were either but School-boys or Freshmen but when they were Writers the Romanists thought fit to let it lie in a Saint-solitude and smother it with profound silence hoping to get a better opportunity to market the Fable 2. Supposing the English Ordination was first questioned in their times by what Magick will N. N. infer his conclusion or prove his Fable credible His Argument â—â—us from the Staff to the Corner for thus he demonstrates Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Fulke defied and sleighted yea scorned the Popish Ordinations therefore they believe the jolly merry Fable Dr. Whitaker saith We hold our Vocation lawful without their Form and Orders N. N's wild inference from hence is Therefore he knew the Story to be true which if it had been so would have rendered it unlawful Dr. Fulk The Romish Orders are stinking greasy
no Church The step to Christian and Catholick Belief is the well-grounded Credibility excluding all prudent doubts of the Clergy we have the same of the Church and of the Faith and Doctrine proposed by its testimony and the true Faith admits of no such doubts Therefore Protestants before they can prudently believe themselves to have true Faith or be in the Catholick Church must clear all the doubts objected against their Ordination For though any Person shall not be convinced of the Nullity of their Ordination yet he cannot but harbour a prudent doubt thereof there being so many Reasons and Motives for it Now to Receive Sacraments from Priests of so doubtful Authority is without doubt a damnable Sacriledg it being in the highest degree against the light of Right Reason and Rule of Faith to expose the Reverence of the Sacraments and Remedy of our Souls to so manifest an hazard SECT V. J. S. THis Conclusion is of the same temper with the Premises these were a confused heap of Incredibles Improbables and Impossibles this is a wild distempered Sorites carried on with an affected Obscurity to distract and amuse the Reader by multiplying confounding and changing the Terms hudling up many Conclusions in this one If St. Hierome by Church meant the Vniversal Church this always has now hath and ever will have Bishops as Sacerdotes signifies with him but if he spoke of a particular Church then his is not is not to be taken absolutely but respectively not simply to deny it's being and existence but it 's integrity and complement viz. there is no through complete Church which hath not Bishops For we read in the Ancients of some Churches that had received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulness of Dispensations and of others which had not attained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the complement of Necessaries though in St. Hierom's time all Churches were complete that he might truly affirm there was no Church without a Bishop But it may fall out also that all the Bishops of a well-formed complete Church may dye or by Persecution be so Scattered that they dare not appear or by an Infidel Conquerour be Banished or Murthered but if the remaining Christians in this distressed condition keep their first Faith they are in a salvable state and continue true members of the Vniversal Church as those Roman Converts were who believed upon St. Peter's first Sermon Act. 2. which was long before St. Peter came to Rome Rom. 16.7 2. He suggests It is impossible they should c. For once he guesseth right It is impossible any Church of one denomination can be the true Catholick Apostolick Church that is in the usual sense of the Romanists the Vniversal as it is impossible for a Part to be the Whole or their Catholick Church which is not the fourth part thereof to be Vniversal as they by their common restriction assume but it is possible a particular Church may be a true Catholick and Apostolick Church and the true Catholick and Apostolick Church of such a Nation For the Title Catholick is either taken properly for the Vniversal Church which is the Congregation of all Believers dispersed over all the World in opposition to the Herds of Jews Pagans and Infidels and then it is a contradiction to apply or appropriate it to any particular Church as the Romanists industriously do to huckster off their false Wares which otherwise would stick on their hands or else it is used in the more common signification of an Orthodox Church which participates in the true Faith with the Vniversal Church in a contradistinction to the Conventicles of all Heretical Blasphemers In this Notion the Protestant Church of England is not only a Catholick and Apostolick Church but in due Form of construction the true Catholick and Apostolick Church of England as several particular Churches viz. Rome Carthage c. have been honoured with the Title of the Catholick Church of those respective Nations (k) For as the Roman Church was called the Catholick Church of Rome Leo Ep. 12. So that of Antioch the Catholick Church of Antioch Conc. Constant 5. Act. 1. That of Carthage the Catholick Church of Carthage Aurel. Epist Eccl. Cathol Carthag So Polycarp was the Bishop of the Catholick Church of Smyrna Euseb lib. 4. hist c. 14. And that famous Epistle to the Smyrnians was directed to all the Holy and Catholick Churches id ib. in Princ. Greg. Naz. the Bishop of the Catholick Church of Constantinople in his last Will and Testament witnessed by four Bishops of their several Catholick Churches as of Iconium c. Provinces and Dioceses 3. His doubts and uncertainties have a rare virtue perhaps they may work strongly on weak minds they can demonstrate This is the noble demonstrating faculty of Romish Traditors they can raise doubts and uncertainties where there are none and by their Magick demonstrate first that the Protestant Church is not the Vniversal and then it is no Church first absurdly without Proof suppose the Nullity of its Ordinations and thence conclude the Nullity of its Christianity The best is this is but one Doctors opinion if more there be yet all his Colleagues are not so Magisterial in their nullifying Sentence The Bishop of Chalcedon is more solid and Prudent Persons (l) As Bishop Bramhal cites Reply to the Survey p. 33. saith he living in the communion of the Protestant Church if they endeavour to learn the truth which if they do not they are neither good Protestants nor good Christians and are not able to attain unto it but hold it implicitely in the preparation of their minds and are ready to receive it when God shall be pleased to reveal it they neither want Faith nor Church nor Salvation which elsewhere he confirms by this reason A Church may be Heretical and Schismatical really yet morally a true Church because She is (m) Bishop of Chalced. Survey c. 2. Sect. 4. invincibly ignorant of her Heresy and Schism Pope Innocent was so much offended at the irregularities of the Spanish Ordinations in his time that at first he inclined to null them but upon better thoughts be forbore declaring that for the number of those who were faulty therein he would not question nor doubt of any of them any ways passed but rather leave them to Gods Judgment Epist ad Conc. Tolk Car. sum Conc. p. 270. 4. But saith he a solid doubt c. This is not Universally true for a Church which hath a doubtful Clergy by irregularities of Ordination if She contend for that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints and cannot avoid those irregularities through not a pretended or contracted but a real necessity is a true part such an irregularity not absolutely and totally Un-Churching her of the true Catholick Church True but not Complete not Complete because it wants that which is required to the Integrity and Perfection of a Church yet True because it hath all things essential to
a Church For this reason the most eminent Protestants who still maintained the Divine Right of Bishops yet did they clear those Transmarine Churches which have not Bishops from sinning against Divine Right because their want was not through their own default but the Iniquity of the Times and Places they lived in which charitable construction should seem very reasonable to the Romanists for that the Court of Rome gave the first occasion of all the contests about Episcopacy by investing Priests with Episcopal Jurisdiction and Power by their Commissions and Delegations and without doubt Necessity is as strong Dispensation for these Pastors to execute the Ministerial Office as the Popes Mercenary Bulls granted upon unworthy avaritious ends can be for their Priests to exercise Episcopal Authority Those Churches therefore under this want are True though lame and maimed Members of the Catholick Church Just as Canus (n) Loc. l. 4. c. ult ad 10. determines of the Romish Church in a vacancy It is then left Lame saith he and diminished without Christs Vicar that one Pastor of the Church the Pope yet the Spirit of Truth should abide in it and vvithout doubt the Spirit of Truth will as certainly abide in those Churches which want Bishops as in their Church wanting a Pope at least they should think so because in their account the Pope is as necessary if not more to the being of a Church than Bishops are To clear this more distinctly some things are required to the Essence (o) This is Stapleton's distinction of a Church as the Doctrine of saving Faith in the Profession and Practice thereof some only to the Perfection and Integrity of a Church as the having Regular Pastors by a due Form of Ordination both these are necessary though not equally and in the same Degree the former absolutely and indispensably the latter de congruo possibili viz. it concerns the Church if possibly it can be obtained to have lawfully Ordained Pastors and every wilful Omission much more Rejection of the Catholick settled Order in this kind is Sacrilegious and Schismatical yet those Pastors who highly esteem Episcopal Ordination and much affect it but cannot obtain it through the Recusancy of Bishops in present Place and Power who will not Ordain them without sinful compliance and submission to gross Errours and Corruptions evidently contrary to the Law of Christ if they hold and divide the Word of Truth rightly may be accounted true Pastors though not in a real Mission yet by a moral designation as being deputed and separated to that Divine Office because in this case the Necessity is invincible which makes that allowable which otherwise would be unlawful as Dr. Cracken contr Spalet c. 4. observes from the Gloss and illustrateth from Scipio's Example who when the Questors denied him a supply of Monies out of the Publick Treasury because it was against Law presently replied Necessity hath no Law The Romanists confess the desire of Baptism is sufficient to excuse the want thereof and they have it in effect who have it in desire in all reason the want of an undoubted Sacrament is more dangerous than the want of a Sacramental can be especially where there is a Desire to have the Impediment removed The Jews were prohibited to build private Altars yet in case of Necessity when they were not permitted to go to Hierusalem the learned Jews determined the Prohibition ceased as to its present effect and every one knows a Negative Prescript is not so dispensable as an Affirmative It is the opinion of Cornelius a Lapide in Numb 20.26 that Eleazar was mâ—de High-Priest praeter legem morem otherwise than by standing Law and Custom he ought First because his Father was then living next in that the right only of putting on his Fathers Garment was used without any Solemn-Unction or Consecration to the Priesthood 5. He subjoyns a doubtful Clergy makes a Doubtful Church This is a Doubtful Proposition the most he can make of it is that a Doubtful Clergy makes a Doubtful Church only in Part not in the Whole for even Schismaticks in those things wherein they have made no separation from the Church otherwise the Romanists would be in a sad condition do so far still remain uncorrupted to the Church so that if that Doubtful Clergy keep the wholesom words of sound Doctrine if N. N. doubt of this he may remember there is a Clergy of a beyond-Sea Church which hath no Bishops hath made this good against the choicest Champions of the Roman See so far they are Catholicks 6. He is very positive a doubtful Church is no Church It is true he who harboureth a doubt which he will conclude Prudent because the issue of his own Imagination or the suggestion of some over-admired Teacher of that Church whereof he is a Member that Church to him is no Church but where such a doubt is entertained the Case is only disputable and questioning doth not disprove or destroy certainty and truth But such doubtful Propositions as N. N. hath here conjured up will without doubt damnify his good old Cause because thereby his Church will be concluded a no Church by the demonstrating Power of those many doubts and uncertainties which her chief Members have conceived and uttered against her instances of most important concern For Part 2. 1. It is a rule with them that a doubtful Pope is no (p) Crespet in verb. Papa Caran p. 827. Pope and that there cannot be two Popes at one and the same time etiam ex urgentissima causa as Jac. Castellon cites out of Navar verb. Papa p. 485. no not upon the most weighty Consideration because there is but one Monarch and one Monarchy only for Spiritual concerns by the appointment of Christ hence they generally conclude that all those who are not united to that one determinate Head are in the state of damnable Schism and those who are united to him are united to the true Catholick-Church viz. The Church is a Society of men united in the Profession of the same Faith and participating of the Sacraments under the Government of lawful Pastors chiefly of one Vicar of Christ upon Earth the Roman Pope This then is obvious at the first view from these Premises that an undoubted Pope is as fully and by the word chiefly in the definition more necessary to the being and Constitution of the Church than an undoubted Clergy and a doubtful Pope is as destructive to the Church as a doubtful Clergy from whence it necessarily follows that if a doubtful Clergy makes a doubtful Church a doubtful Pope must do so too and then if this be proved there hath been a doubtful Pope and no one undoubted Pope by N. N 's demonstration it is impossible the Roman can be the true Catholick and Apostolick Church but this is easily made evident from the many doubts and uncertainties which of the several pretending Popes hath been the one undoubted Pope
In the year 1378 upon the death of Gregory the eleventh a grievous (q) Caran p. 823. Theodoric de Niem Bishop of Perda Vrban's Secretary wrote the History of this Schism so did Bonin Segino in the Florentine History c. Friar John de Pineda l. 22. c. 37. Sect. 3 4. Schism began which continued more or less till Ann. 1414. the Italians created Vrban the sixth Pope who (r) England Almain and Italy favoured him resided at Rome The French elected Clement the seventh who (s) France Castile Arragon and Catalonia owned him betook himself to Avignion The Abbot of St. Pedest endeavoured to prove Vrban was the true undoubted Pope Joh. de Bigniaco and the Council of Paris defended Clement's title Vrban during this Schism had three Successors Bon. the ninth Innocent the seventh and Gregory the twelfth Clement had but one Ben. the thirteenth in Ann. 1409 a Council of Cardinals met at Pisa who thought fit for the peace of the Church to depose the two surviving Popes and set up another but for all the Cardinals could do to repair the breach it proved wider the two contesting Popes Gregory the twelfth and Ben. the thirteenth being unwilling to be so dishonourably ejected kept their ground till at last in Ann. 1414 the three Popes the Italian French and Pisan were Deposed by the Council of Constance and Martin the fifth was Created All this while even in the judgment of observing learned Ramanists none could know which of the broken Heads was the true Head of the Church and lawful (t) Marian de reb Hisp l. 18. c. 1. Naucler Val. 2. Gener 46. for that every one of them had learned Patrons id ibid. Gener. 480. Successor to St. Peter Azor (v) Instit Moral part 2. lib. 25. c. 14. saith It was doubtful and uncertain which of the claiming Popes had the right title Caran saith ut supra It was not known who was the true Pope and Bellarm. (w) Lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. c. 14. So doth Aemil. de Gest Franc. lib. 9. Aut. Sum. Hist part 3. tit 22. c. 2. adds It was not easy to be determined and the famous Chancellor of Paris John (x) Lib de signis ruinae Eccl. Sign of which the same is to be found in Otho Fris Hist. l. 6. Baron Tom. 11. Ann. 1044. n. 2. Gerson goes higher The Church it self saith he was then so full of doubts in this case that She could not know on what side or party the Roman See was unless God himself had been pleased to reveal it to her It then being proved that a doubtful Pope makes a doubtful Church and that there hath been a doubtful Pope in the Romish Church the conclusion is irrefragable the Roman Church hath been for a long space of time a Doubtful Church and by N. N.'s Logick and Peremptory Position the Church of Rome was then a no Church 2. There are many Doubts and uncertainties harboured in the Romish Church concerning the Church it self as whether their Virtual Church the Pope be that Church they would commend to us for it's well-grounded Credibility and Infallibility or their Representative a General Council or the Essential the diffused body of the Faithful all the world over or a body compounded of some of these or any others Some will be contented that the Pope and his Conclave should be that Infallible thing others will have him to sit in the Assembly of the Bishops of his Province others will go no less than he must Head a General Council to pronounce an Infallible Sentence If it be put to the Vote and most Voices must carry it the Pope runs loose away with it he hath the Patronage of the best and most Ecclesiastical Dignities and Preferments But be it so for once upon this a fresh Fry of Doubts and uncertainties appears in this very foundation of their Faith and Vnity whether this Man be Pope or no Whether Gregory the twelfth or Bâ—n the thirteenth or Alexander the fifth or Martin the fifth Let Martin be the Man presently a new Covy of Doubts spring up whether he be an Infallible Judg and if so whether as a Doctor or the Pope If as Pope whether when he gives Laws de Concilio Fratrum by the advice of his Colledg of Cardinals passing his Decrees upon the Gates of St. Peter at Rome and in Campo de Flori or when he speaks E Cathedral which is as it is commonly interpreted when he Proclaims his Decrees however he be assisted for a general reception with an intention to Teach and Govern the whole Church though this be very uncertain Let this also be presumed another Set of Doubts is started wherein is he Infallible Whether in matters of Right and Fact or of Faith The Jesuits of late will have him Universally Infallible upon all these accounts as they determined at Clermont Ann. 1661. but suppose with the soberer sort his Infallibility extends only to Definitions of Faith yet another Doubt remains unsatisfied Whether this his restrained Faith be conditional or absolute some conceive an absolute Infallibility is too high an intrenching upon God's Prerogative but others of them will not have him tied to Conditions viz. To observe the Order of the Primitive Church and use such holy and needful means as God by his Son Jesus Christ hath appointed for the finding out the Truth For (y) De Pont. Rom. lib. 4. c. 2. Stapl. relect c. 4. qu. 3. art 3. conclus 5. say they if Conditions be required to Perfect and Legitimate the Popes Definitions besides his own Act of decreeing them the Faithful which is very remarkable and apposite would be Doubtful whether he had observed them or no and so their Faith would be wavering and so it must needs be if Doubts do the feat 3. It is the Doctrine of their new-founded Church that the intention of the Bishop or Priest Officiating is so necessary to any Sacrament that without it none of them is perfected but to receive the Sacraments from such of whom we can have no assurance that their intentions be serious and sincere and there be many evident reasons and motives to perswade us the Priests are oft Formal in their Ministeries and False in their intentions is certainly to expose the reverence in N. N.'s Language of the Sacraments and remedy of our Souls to a manifest hazard For we are informed by their own Historians that in some Centuries the Clergy were so ignorant and wicked that many of them knew not what to do others cared not what they did In what a perplexed condition would a prudent man be cast who being married by a Popish Priest soon after detected to be a Villain should consider with himself very likely this wicked man had no Intention to marry him or an Intention not to marry him It is a wonder those Trent-Assemblers should be so rash and yet so Magisterial in their Definition when they would not
time by (e) Marsil Petav. def part 2. c. 18. the Nicene Council But because N. N. stands so much upon his points of Prudence it may be neither an imprudent nor impertient digression to compare the Romish Principles and Practices with the Protestant and by discussing one of them more largely to judg of the rest more clearly It is universally acknowledged that the Doctrine of all Apostolical Churches disseminated over the whole Christian World is Infallibly certain because attested by Vniversal Tradition which in it self is so but it is generally confessed that the Tradition of an Apostolical Church of one denomination may prudently be traversed because often found certainly False Now Protestants rely upon Vniversal Tradition truly such for Time Place and Persons and the Authority of all Apostolical Churches Papists content themselves and sit down in security with the Tradition and Authority of the Roman Church and which is worse of the present Romish Church of this age Protestants prescribe for Sixteen hundred years there is no Law nor Custom to destroy or over-rule a Prescription of so long standing Papists plead as N. N. doth the acknowledgment of the sixteenth Century over-leaping all the rest and that but in our parts of the World Protestants believe the Scripture to be the adequate Rule of Faith as to the essentials thereof Papists hold unwritten Traditions are to be received with the same reverence and respect Protestants esteem those Books to be Canonical Scripture which the Catholick Church hath so adjudged Papists singularly superadd others to the Canon Protestants believe the Truths they profess to be Divine Revelation because God by his Son Jesus Christ hath delivered and promulgated them to Mankind Papists believe their supernumerary Articles which they assume to themselves because defined by an Infallible Pope with the advice and consent of a presumed General Council Protestants assert the Pope is not Infallible for Pope Honorius was a Convicted Heretick as before hath been proved The Catholick Church hath always resolved against his Infallibility and the Doctors of that Church cannot agree about it and some of them oppose it neither was that Council General say the Protestants because no Southern nor Eastern Bishops was there nor any Northern but one titular only Olaus magnus the Goth who for that time passed as an Arch-Bishop of Sweethland no English Bishops nor Irish save another blind Sir Robert the Scot who for that time being was reputed the Primate of Ireland only two French Bishops six Spanish the rest were Italians who when they came to be arrayed were mustered but to Forty three in all This was a Plot of the Pope to keep what his Predecessor Leo the tenth had got by the Lateran Assemblers and after him others still maintained but he was for all this contrivance possessed with fears and jealousies the Council would be tampering with his Jurisdiction as other Councils had done and therefore was very careful to have fresh supplies in readiness for a reserve and according as the Pope suspected it hapned for the Council began to form Canons for the redress and reformation of several abuses and to abridg the Popes unlimited Power in granting Dispensations of which design he received early intelligence from his Legates and thereupon moved the Council to desist from any further progress therein for six weeks which being accepted and condescended to he dispatched his new recruits of Auxiliaries forty Italian and Sicilian Bishops who within the time limited ariving at Trent over-voted the reformers in the Council and quite quashed their attempts which made the Apulean Bishops cry out in open Council O we are the Popes Creatures we are the Popes (f) Carol. Malin l. de ton Frid. n. 21. Slaves Protestants rely only upon the Mercy of God and Merits of Christ for their Salvation This Bellarm. saith is the safest way and therefore it is the most Prudential Papists will join in their own Merits of Works done by Grace which Bellarm. confesseth is a more uncertain way and therefore less Prudential Protestants ascribe all Religious Worship to God and to God only Papists give it to Images and the Consecrated Host Protestants know it is an indispensable duty to Pray to God for all things necessary both for Soul and Body and direct their Prayers only to God the Father through and for the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ alone Papists Pray to God by Jesus Christ for which Duty Zanchee entertains a charitable opinion of them but withall they invocate Angels and Saints departed as Conductors secondary and subordinate Mediators for which Practice Protestants aver there is no warranty in Scripture no Authority from Primitive Antiquity nor any rule in Reason to approve it either a necessary lawful or an expedient Duty But because some eminent Protestants have declared that Papists have more to say for this particular than in any of their other eleven additional new forged Articles if this Principle and Practice of theirs be cogently proved unscriptural unpractical and irrational the same may be concluded of the rest CHAP. VI. SECT I. IT is Vnscriptural The Scripture teacheth us and commands us to ask the Father in the name of his Son Jesus Christ it prescribeth no rule to ask in any other name but declareth against it For it proposeth Christ to us as our only Mediator and Intercessor there is one God to whom we are to make our requests known by Prayer and Supplication and there is one Mediator between God and Man 1 Tim. 2.5 the God-man Jesus Christ by whom we have boldness of access to the Throne of Grace The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical importing thus much as there is one God only and no more even so there is one Mediator betwixt God and Man in reference to our Prayers Supplications Intercessions and Thanksgivings ver 2. one God and no other besides him even so one Mediator and none but he who is our Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.1 who as he performed all Righteousness for us so the virtue and value thereof qualifies and capacitates him for the Office of being Advocate for us viz. to recommend open and plead our Cause for us and procure our Prayers to be granted none can effectually Mediate for us but he who did Redeem us he only can be our Advocate who is the Propitiation for our Sins which was Jesus only who for the more effectual execution of his Office of Advocate after he had offered himself a Propitiatory Sacrifice for our Sins was advanced to sit on the right hand of God the Father Rom. 8.34 where it may be observed that it is the same Person that died for us and therefore as Jesus alone died for our Sins and rose again for our Justisication so for the application of these Benefits and Priviledges to us he only sits at God's Right-hand and makes Intercession for us this Office being as proper and
confessed Explicite non est c. Invocation of Saints departed is not expresly delivered in Scripture for which he assigns his Reasons such as they are Not in the Old Testament because the Jews were inclined to Idolotry therefore there is danger of Idolatry in the Practice and the Fathers were in Limbo not then in Heaven Bellarm. (b) De Sanct. beatit c. 19. Sect. Item c. 20. Sect. atque ex his herein is of his mind Not in the New Testament for two reasons First Lest the Gentiles should upon their Conversion think themselves therefore the Practice may be justly suspected and is scandalous which the prudent and charitable Romanists should avoid obliged to Worship the Inferiour Godlings or Demons as formerly they have done or which is all out as bad a new set of petty Vnder-Gods in exchange of the old ones The second is Because if the Apostles had delivered this Doctrine or which is all one had ordained and observed the Practice they might be concluded ambitious and vainglorious self-seekers who designed and after death expected the honour of Religious Invocation This reason beside other inconveniences it is liable to thwarts the Trent determination that the Practice was Apostolical for if in their time it was currant then they did institute an observation and usage for their own Honour and Worship Cope (c) Dial. 3. in Script Nov. Test alias Harpsfield is of the same Opinion But Bannes (d) Bannes 22. qu. 1. ant 10. speaks the whole truth without mincing the matter Invocation of Saints is neque expresse nec involute Neither clearly nor covertly declared in Scripture which is also (e) Which is also affirmed to be unknown in the Old Testament Pigh contr Ratisb l. 13. Suar. m. 3. Th. q. 52. disp 41 42. Sect. 1. p. 514. Not in the New Salmer m. 1. Tim. 2. disp 8. Sect. postremo Not in the Gospel Horantius loc Cath. l. 3. c 1.31 Not used in the Apostles days Peres de Trad. p. de cult Sanctor S. Clara expos Paraphr Divines of Collen Censur p. 250. antid p. 34. affirmed by Pighius Suarez Peres de Aiala Sanct. Clara and the Divines of Colen 2. From the Judgment of their Learned Interpreters who expound those Texts of Scripture which the bolder sort presume not without the guilt of Perjury to wrest and corrupt to their own sense as the ancient Doctors of the Church have done and as Protestants do now which will appear by viewing the most considerable produced by them The first is fetched from Gen. 32.24 c. but Bonfrer confesseth many of the ancient Fathers understood this Text of Jacob's wrestling with God and so did the ancient Rabbins which is confirmed by the following words and by Hosea 12.3 4 5 in the opinion of Vatab. and Ar. Mout to this they add Gen. 48.16 insisting first on that clause The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads But (f) Com. in Gen. 23. Piega Com. in Apoc. 8. Sect. 2. p. 343. Pererius acknowledgeth that many of the ancient Fathers interpreted this of Christ though he thinks otherwise and is resolved without any respect to his Oath binding him to follow their Interpretations to understand it of an Angel properly so called because saith he Christ is never precisely stiled an Angel but always with an additament as the Angel of the Covenant But other Romish Interpreters conceive this to be a groundless conjecture Viegathus censures it Some saith he of our Writers affirm that Christ is never called an an Angel Absolutely and simply in the Scripture but this is a mistake in them it is sufficient that it be collected and inferred from the consequents and therefore he is confident the Angel mentioned Rev. 8.4 was Christ and Pintus (g) Pintus Conc. in loc Riber com in Hebr. 7. n. 81. that the Angel spoken of Dan. 3.28 was Christ and Ribera that the Angel spoken of Zech. 1.12 was Christ hereby then it is manifest the Protestants follow the ancient Catholick Doctors in their Interpretation of this clause and Perer. with the other Râ—manists who urge these words in defence of their practice of Angel Invocation desert and reject them and most certainly side with the Arrian Hereticks But they go on to the next Period of the Verse Let my name be named on them and the name of my Fathers Abraham and Isaac But Protestants expound these words by Vers 5 6 and so do Learned Romanists Ar. (h) Arias Mont. in loc Riber com in Amos 9. n. 42. Cajet c. in loc Mont. Riber Fonsec Cajet Lyra. Hucard Pintus Esthius Then Luk. 15.7 and 10 is alleadged in the Roman Catechism Par. 3. Cap. 2. Sect. 5. p. 297. Ann. 1606. to prove the Practice for thus it is argued They the Angels rejoyce at the conversion of a Sinner therefore Rogati being supplicated they can obtain pardon for our Sins and procure Gods grace for us this is a strange inconsequence for from hence it would follow because Protestants rejoyce at the Conversion of a Papist therefore the Papists should Religiously Invocate them as coadjutors and being thus Invocated can purchase those Benefits for them but our late Apostates urge them to another purpose viz. to prove thereby that Angels know the Secrets of mens Heart this no way follows because they know the Repentance of a Sinner by its Signs and Fruits and so rejoyce at his Conversion therefore they have the intuitive knowledg of the Heart But in the judgment of many ancient Fathers this Rejoycing of theirs is not for the Conversion of a Particular Sinner but for the Redemption of all mankind which is the lost Sheep for all that sinned in Adam and so lost both their Innocency and Felicity and they rejoyced that God had discovered a means equivalent to Innocency viz. Repentance in order to their recovery and future happiness and with them concurs (i) Titus Sostr Cajet in loc Tit. Bostr and Cajet And lastly supposing it were to be understood of individual Sinners yet is this Rejoycing not to be ascribed to Angels but to God who confessedly is the Shepheard looking for the stray Sheep and the Woman seeking the lost Groat Next they produce Matth. 22.30 Luk. 20.36 but first it was incumbent on them to prove the Angels are to be Invocated before they can conclude from hence viz. from the Saints departed equality with Angels they are to be Invocated and so the whole may be granted and yet it appears not from the Text that they receive this equality with the Angels at their first admission to the Beatifical Vision but only that they shall receive this similitude of condition at the Resurection of the just and so their now Reigning in Heaven doth not qualify them for this Duty nor will do till the day of Judgment and even then they shall be equal to Angels not in every respect for as they differ in