for so many Ages forsake his Church and leave her in an Error Again the beauty and splendor of that Church their Solemn Service the stateliness and magnificence of their Hierarchy their name of Catholick which they claim as their own due and to concern no other Sect of Christianity The Antiquity of their Doctrin the continual Succession of their Bishops their immediate derivation from the Apostles Their Title to Succed St. Peter whose Personal Prerogatives were so great The Honorable Expressions concerning this Church from many eminent Bishops of other inferior Sees which being old Records have obtain'd a credibility The multitude and variety of People which are of their Perswasion Apparent consent with elder Ages in matters Doctrinal The Advantage which is derived to them by retaining the Doctrin of the Church of Ancient times The great consent one part with another in that which they affirm to be de Fide The great differences which are commenced amongst their Adversaries abusing the liberty of Prophesying unto a very great Licentiousness Their happiness in being instrumental in converting divers Nations The advantage of Monarchical Government and the benefit which they daily enjoy by it The Piety and the Austerity of their Religious Orders of Men and Women The single life of their Priests and Bishops The riches of their Church The severity of their Fasts and other their Exterior Observances The great Reputation of their Bishops for Faith and Sanctity The known Holiness of some of those Persons whose Institutes the Religious Persons do now imitate and follow Their Miracles The Casualties and Accidents that have hapned to many of their Adversaries The oblique Acts and indirect Proceedings of some of those who have departed from them And among many other Things the names of Heretick and Schismatick which they fasten upon all that disagree from them c. Thus Dr. Taylor See the Learned Grotius declaring the impossibility of Uniting Christians into one Body but by their adhering to the Roman See What is the reason saith Grotius in his First Reply to Rivet ad Artic. 7. That such as differ in Opinion amongst Catholicks remain in the same Body not breaking Communion But on the contrary when dissensions happen amongst Protestants they cannot thus compose Disputes and oppositions although they speak much of Fraternal Love Now he that shall examine this well will find how much force and power there is in the Primacy Thus he This brings to mind that saying of St. Jerom concerning St. Peter's Primacy Wherefore amongst the Twelve One was chosen that a Head being constituted and appointed all occasion of Schism might be taken away Hieronym lib. 1. cap. 14. advers Jovinian Now again the same Grotius in the close of his last Reply to Rivet written not long before his death writes thus It is well known that Grotius has always wished for a Restitution and Reuniting of Christians into one and the same Body He was sometime of Opinion that this might have been begun by a Conjunction or Union of Protestants amongst themselves But he afterwards discerned that this was impossible to be effected because besides that most of all the Calvinists are totally averse from any such Peace or Union Protestants are not associated or united under any Common Ecclesiastical Government which is the cause why the diverse parts of them cannot be collected into one Body And withal this is the Reason that they must necessarily still divide into more new Sects or Parts Wherefore Grotius now plainly sees and judges as likewise many others with him that Protestants can never be united amongst themselves unless they be joyned with those that adhere to the Roman See whithout which no common Government can be expected in the Church And therefore he wishes that the Division and Separation which has been made and likewise the causes of it may be taken away Now amongst these the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome according to the Canons cannot be looked upon as one cause even by the Confession of Melancthon himself who thinks that Premacy to be necessary for the retaining and preserving of Unity Thus Grotius concering the Uniting all Christans by their adhering to the Roman See See Doctor Field in the Preface to his Book of the Church recommending the ending all Disputes in Religion by a lawful Church-Authority Seeing saith he the Controversies in Religion in our times are grown in number so many and in matters so intricate that few have time and leisure fewer strength of understanding to examine them what remaineth for men desirous of satisfaction in Things of such consequence but diligently to search out which amongst all the Societies of the World is that Blessed company of Holy Ones that Houshold of Faith that Spouse of Christ and Church of the Living God which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth that so he may embrace her Communion follow her Directions and rest in her Judgment Thus Dr. Field In like manner Dr. Hammond in his Treatise of Heresie Sect. 13. Num. 2 3. speaks thus of the Christians Security from the Divine Providence in his adherance in matters of Faith to Church Authority If we consider saith he God's great wise and constant Providence and care over his Church his desire that All Men should be saved and in order to that come to the knowledge of all necessary Truth his Promise That he will not suffer his Faithful Servants to be tempted above what they are able nor permit scandals and false Teachers to prevail to the seducing of the very Elect his most Pious Godly Servants If I say we consider These and some other such-like general Promises of Scripture wherein this question about the Errability of Councils seems to be concerned we shall have reason to believe that God will never suffer All Christians to fall into such a Temptation as it must be in case the whole Representative of the Church should err in matters of Faith and therein find approbation and reception amongst all Those Bishops and Doctors of the Church diffused which were out of the Council Thus he See also his Commentary on 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Church the Pillar and Ground of Truth According to this it is saith he that Christ is said Ephes. 4. 12. to have given not only Apostles c. but also Pastors and Teachers that is Bishops in the Church for the compacting the Saints into a Church for the building up of the Body of Christ confirming and continuing them in all Truth that we should be no more like Children carried about with every wind of Dectrin And so again when Heresies came into the Church in the first Ages 't is every where apparent by Ignatius his Epistles that the only way of avoiding Error and Danger was to adhere to the Bishop in Communion and Doctrin And whosoever departed from him and from that Form of wholesome words kept by him was supposed to be corrupted Thus far Dr. Hammond See Doctor Jackson on the
he is named before the Church in the Confession of our Faith Of which incomparable Excellency of the Church so beloved of Christ and so inseparably joyned in Marriage with him if the Hereticks of our time had any sense or consideration they would neither think their contemptible Company or Congregation to be the glorious Spouse of our Lord nor teach that the Church may Err that is to say may be divorced from her Spouse for Idolatry Superstition Heresie or other Abominations For this is as much as to say That this his Wife so dear and so praised here is in truth become a very Whore By this it evidently appears how just it is that all Hereticks should be Excluded from all hope of Salvation they being so injurious to Christ in thus reviling the Church his Spouse and accusing her of such horrid crimes It would require a large Volume to treat of all the passages of Scripture which speak of this Sacred Authority of our Mother the Church and the certain Damnation incurred by all such as refuse to hear and obey her to manifest which I conceive what has been here already said may suffice as also to confute that horrid false Opinion generally held in this Nation to the Destruction of many Souls to wit That all the multiplicity of Sects in this Nation may yet be capable of Salvation if they lead a Moral good Life which how untrue it is these following Testimonies of the Fathers conformable to the Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures will make it evidently appear CHAP. III. Testimonies of the Fathers shewing their Affection and Zeal to Catholick Unity and their detestation of Schisms and Divisions SAint Augustin says of the Donatists Epist. 48 That they conceived it a thing indifferent unto what Party they joyned themselves supposing that they were Christians and therefore they remained fixed to that Party in which they were born Now unto these St. Augustin and the rest of the Provincial Council at Cirta in Nuâ—…idia sent this following Declaration Aug. Epist. 152. Whosoever is separated from this Catholick Church amongst whom they reckoned the Sect of the Donatists how laudably soever he may think himself to live shall be excluded from Eternal Life and remain obnoxious to God's heavy Wrath as being guilty of the heinous crime of being divided from the Unity of Christ And as for the Sacraments received by them in that Separation the Declaration goes on thus You being fixed in the Sacriledge of Schism partake of the Sacraments of Christ to your own judgment or condemation Which Sacraments were profitable and very advantageous to you when in Catholick peace you had Christ for your Head where Charity covered a multitude of sins Again St. Augustin says of them De Bapt. lib. 1. chap. 8. Those whom the Donatists heal of the Wound of Idolatry and Infidelity they themselves wound more dangerously with the wound of Schism And again Super Gest. Emerit Out of the Catholick Church an Heretick may have all things but Salvation He may have the Sacraments He may sing Hallelujah He may answer Amen He may keep the Gospel He may have the Faith and Preach it only Salvation he cannot have Likewise in his Book against Petilian lib. 3. cap. 5. he saith No Man preaching the Name of Christ and carrying or ministring the Sacraments of Christ is to be followed against the Unity of Christ. And again writing against the Adversary of the Law and the Prophets lib. 1. cap. 17. he hath these words If he hear not the Church let him be to thee as an Heathen or Publican which is more grievous than if he was strucken through with a Sword consumed by Flames exposed to wild Beasts c. And again August de Symb. ad Catech. lib. 4. cap. 10. For this cause says St. Austin our Christian Creed concludes with the Articles touching the Church because if any one be found separated from her he shall be excluded out of the number of God's Children neither shall he have God for his Father who will not have his Church for his Mother It will nothing profit such an one that he hath been Orthodox or sound in his Belief done so many Good Woorks c. Lastly In another place Lib. de Past. cap. 12. he saith The Devil saith not Let them be Donatists and not Arians for whether they be here or there they belong to him that grathers without making a difference Let him adore Idols saith the Devil he is mine Let him remain in the Superstition of the Jews he is mine Let him quit Unity and pass over to this or that or any Heresie he is mine So likewise the Ancient Father St. Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 62. God saith he will judge those which make Schisms in the Church Ambitious men who have not the honor of God before their eyes but rather embracing their own interest than the Unity of the Church for small and light causes divide the great and glorious Body of Christ. In like manner St. Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria Hist. lib. 6. cap. 45. as Eusebius witnesseth writing to Novatian saith A Man ought rather to endure All Things than to consent to the Division of the Church of God since Martyrdom to which Men expose themselves to hinder the dismembring of the Church is no less glorious than what a Man suffers for refusing to sacrifice to Idols Also St. Cyprian Lib. de Unitat. Ecles in his Book of the Unity of the Church Do they think saith he that Christ is amongst them when they are Assembled I speak of those which make Assemblies out of the Church of Christ. No although they were drawn to Torments and Execution for the Confession of the Name of Christ yet this pollution is not washed away No not with their Blood This inexplicable and inexcusable crime of Schism is not purged away even by death it self That Man cannot be a Martyr that is not in the Church And again he saith He shall not have God for his Father that would not have the Church for his Mother So likewise St. Pacianus in one of his Epistles Epist. 2. ad Sempr. Although that Novatian saith he hath been put to death for Christ yet he has not received a Crown And why Because he was separated from the peace of the Church from concord from that Mother of whom whosever will be a Martyr must be a portion St. Chrysostom in one of his Homilies Hom. 11. in Ephes. tells us There is nothing doth so sharply provoke the wrath of God as the Division of the Church insomuch as though we should have performed all other sorts of Good Things yet we shall incur a punishment no less cruel by dividing the Unity and Fulness of the Church than those have done who pierced and divided Christ's own Body And therefore the Fourth Council of Carthage declares Can. 1. That out of the Catholick Church there is no Salvation St. Fulgentius likewise saith De Remiss Peccat cap. 22.
determined to discharge her Self from the Trouble of all Church-Concernments and leave them wholly to his care That She was sensible enough into what Disorder and Confusion the Affairs of the Church were brought by the connivance of some Bishops the obstinacy of some Ministers and the Power of some great Lords both in Court and Country But that notwithstanding he must resolve not only to assert the Episcopal Power but also to restore the Uniformity in God's Publick Worship which by the weakness of his Predecessor was so much endangered It is not easie to imagine what clamors were raised amongst the Brethren upon this occasion how they moved Heaven and Earth the Court and Country and all the Friends they had of the Clergy or Laity to come to their assistance in this time of their tryal By means whereof they raised so strong an opposition against his proceedings that it put him to great difficulties Some great Men about the Court who had engaged themselves in the Puritan Quarrels thought best to stand a while behind the Curtain and set Beal upon him of whose impetuosity and edge against him they were well assured This Beal was in himself a most eager Puritan trained up by Walsingham to draw dry-foot after Priests and Jesuits his extream hatred to those men being looked on as the only good quality which he could pretend to But being over-blinded with zeal he conceived that whatsoever was not Puritan must needs be Popish And that the Bishops were to be esteemed no otherwise than the Sons of Antichrist because they were not looked upon as Fathers by the Brotherhood And so far was he hurried on by these disaffections that though he were raised to be one of the Clerks of the Council yet he preferred the Interest of that Faction before that of the Queens Insomuch that he was noted to Jeer and Gibe at all such Sermons as did most commend her Majesties Government and move the Auditory to Obedience not sparing to accuse the Preachers to have broached false Doctrine From this man the Archbishop received great affronts The Lord Burleigh upon some complaint made against the Liturgy by some of the Brethren required them to compose another such as they thought might generally be accepted by them The first Classis thereupon devised a new one agreeable in most things to the Form of Geneva But this draught being offered to the Consideration of the second Classis for so the wise States-men had of purpose contrived the plot there were no fewer than Six-hundred Exceptions made against it and consequently so many Alterations to be made therein before it was to be admitted The Third Classis quarrelled at those Alterations and resolved therefore on a new Model which should have nothing of the other And against this the Fourth Classis was able to pretend as many Objections as had been made against the first So that no likelihood appearing of any other Form of Worship either better or worse to be agreed upon between them he dismiss'd their Agents for the present with this assurance that whensoever they could agree upon any Liturgy which might be universally received amongst them they should find him very ready to serve them in the setling of it Walsingham tries his Fortune next in hope to bring them to allow of the English Liturgy on the removal of such things as seemed most offensive And thereupon he offered in the Queens Name that the Three Ceremonies at which they seemed most to boggle that is to say Kneeling at the Communion the Surplice and the Cross in Baptism should be expunged out of the Book of Common-Prayer if that would content them But thereunto it was replied That they would have a total Abolition of the Book without retaining any part or office in it in their next New-nothing Which peremptory Answer did much alienate his Affections from them as afterwards he affirmed to some from whose Pen I have it The Brethren on the other-side finding how little they had gotten by their Application to the Lords of the Council began to steer another course by practising upon the temper of the following Parliaments into which they had procured many of their chief Friends to be received for Knights or Burgesses as they could prevail By whose means notwithstanding that the Queen had commanded them not to deal in any thing which was of concernment to the Church they procured a Bill to pass in the House of Commons 1585 for making tryal of the Sufficiency of such as were to be ordained or admitted Ministers by Twelve Lay-men whose Approbation and Allowance they were first to pass before they were to receive Institution into any Benefice Another Bill was also passed for making Marriage lawful at all times of the year which had been formerly attempted by the Convocation They were in hand also with a Third concerning Ecclesiastical Courts and the Episcopal Visitations pretending only a redress of some Exorbitancies in excessive Fees but aiming plainly at the overthrow of the Jurisdiction The like attempts were made in some following Sessions in which some Members shewed themselves troublesome to sober men alienated from the present Government and disrespective towards the Queen Thus Dr. Heylyn CHAP. XXII Their Design is promoted from Scotland and from many Great Men about the Court. Dr. Heylyn pag. 261. THe chief Zealots of the Faction of Scotland finding that they could not have their Wills on the young King James whose Mother was Prisoner in England and his Council came into England where they were much countenanced by Mr. Secretary Walsingham who had set them at work and therefore was obliged to gratifie them The Lords and great Men of that Nation were ordered to retire to Norwich and many of the Ministers permitted to prepare for London Oxford Cambridge and some other places At London they are suffered by some Zealous Brethren to possess the Pulpits in which they rail without controul against their King the Council and their Natural Queen labouring withal to beget amongst the People an ill opinion against the present Government and to engage them for advancing that of the Presbytery It would be too tedious to relate all that they acted in this kind The Lords of this Faction obtained such Assistance from Queen Elizabeth that they got the King into their hands put a new Guard upon him and conducted him whither they pleased Upon this the English Puritans shewed themselves to have more of the Scot in them than in former times For presently upon the News of the good Success which their Scottish Brethren had a scandalous Libel in the nature of a Dialogue is published and dispersed in most parts of England in which the state of this Church is pretended to be laid open They likewise had prepared their way to the Parliament then sitting Anno 1586 by telling them That if the Reformation they desired were not granted they should betray God his Truth and the whole Kingdom That they should declare
That all the Doctrins and Practices which this Nation hath deserted in these Changes of Religion were delivered to us by those Apostolical Men that converted the Saxons our Predecessors to the Christian Faith and this by the Confession of many Learned Protestants themselves Which being so it must necessarily be granted that we have as much certainty of the Truth of those Doctrins and Practices as we have of any other Doctrins or Practices in Christianity Since they were all confirmed to us by the same Miracles that first made us Christians So that if they be now found to be false and erroneous all the other Doctrins and Practices of Christianity must be so likewise since the truth of them all depends upon the same Testimony To wit the Miracles that were then wrought and the Authority of those Apostolical men that delivered them to us Now for warrant of what I have here said concerning this besides the Testimony of St. Gregory's Writings Liturgy Ritual Missal c. and besides the ancient Ecclesiastical History especially of England and the Synods anciently Assembled in this Nation I appeal to the Confession of the most Learned Protestants as Humfrâ—…y Fulk the Centuriators of Magdeburg c. Whose words describing the Religion brought into England by St. Gregory and St. Augustin the Benedictin Monk are these They brought in say they Altars Holy Vestments Images Chalices Candlesticks Censors Sacred Vessels Holy-Water and Sprinkling with it Reliques and the Translation of them Dedication of Churches with the Bones and Ashes of Dead men Consecrations of Altars of Chalices of Corporeals of Baptismal Fonts of Chrysme of Oyl of Churches by using sprinkling of Holy-Water Celebration of the Mass use of the Archiepiscopal Pall in the Solemnizing of the Mass Books of Roman Rituals and a Burden of Ceremonies Free-will Merit and Justification by Works Pennance Satisfaction Purgatory Single-life of Priests Publick Invocation of Saints and Worship of them Veneration of Images Exorcisms Indulgences Vows Monachism Transubstantiation Prayer for the Dead Exercise of the Jurisdiction of the Roman Bishop and his Primacy over all Churches In a word the remaining Chaos as these zealous Reformers are pleased to call them of Popish Superstition Here you have had it clearly confessed by these Protestants that these Doctrins and Practices were delivered unto us by those that first Converted our Predecessors the Saxons to the Christian Faith And therefore be your self a Judge whether these men do with Justice and Reason call the said Doctrins and Practices Superstitions And withal by this you may further perceive how unjust all the Choppings and Changes in Religion have been which have been related to you in this Book And moreover it will appear That by these proceedings we have renounced our Right and made our selves uncapable of defending the Truth of our Christianity Since if those who first brought us the News of it and Converted us to it brought such a Mass of Superstitions with it as Protestants are pleased to call them then it is evident we cannot be certain of the Truth of any Thing they taught us Thus we may see how unjust we have been to our selves in pretending these Reformations of Religion Now yet further to manifest the sad condition of this Nation in having thus deserted its Mother-Church I will here annex some other Additional Chapters to make this appear CHAP. II. Testimonies of Scripture evidently convincing That there can be no hope of Salvation for such as are separated from the Church by Heresie or Schism SAint Paul says Rom. 16. 17. I beseech you Brethren observe those who make Schisms and Scandals contrary to the Doctrin which you have been taught and avoid them For such men serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by kind Speeches and Benedictions seduce the hearts of the simple Annotations St. Paul here carefully warns them to take heed of Seditious sowers of Sects and dissention in Religion and this ever to be the mark to know them by to wit If they teach or move them to any thing which was not agreeable to that which they had learned at their Conversion Not bidding them to examine the case by the Scriptures but by their First Form of Faith and Religion delivered to them before they had or did read any Book of the new Testament Now his saying That such Seducers serve their own belly does evidently manifest that howsoever Hereticks pretend in words and external shew of their Sheeps-coat to preach the Truth yet indeed they seek but after their own profit and pleasure And by the Apostle's own Testimony here we are warranted so to judge of them as of men that indeed have no Religion nor Conscience Now to manifest how much such Hereticks are to be detested he writes thus to Titus Tit. 3. 10. 11. A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition avoid Knowing that he that is such an one is subverted and sinneth being condemned by his own judgment Annotations It is here to be noted that not every one who errs in Religion is an Heretick but he only that after the Churches determination wilfully and stubbornly stands in his false Opinion not yielding to the Decrees of Councils or to the chief Pastors of the Church therein Tâ—…y saith St. Augustin Epist. 162. that defend their Opinions although they be false and erroneous with no stubborness nor obstinacy especially if they be such as themselves did not broach by bold presumption but received them of their deceived Parents and do seek the Truth warily and carefully being ready to be reformed if they find it such are not to be reputed Hereticks And again Lib. 18. De Civitat Dei Cap. 11. They that in the Church of Christ hold any unsound or erroneous Opinion if being admonished to be of a right and sound Opinion they resist obstinately and will not amend their pestiferous opinions but persist in defence of them are thereby become Hereticks and going forth out of the Church are to be accounted for Enemies that Exercise us to wit by Disputing against them Again Lib. 4. De Baptism cont Donatist cap. 16. He is an Heretick that when the Doctrin of Catholick Faith is made plain and manifest to him had rather resist it and chuse that which himself held And in divers places he declares that St. Cyprian though he held an Error yet was no Heretick because he would not defend it after a General Council had declared it to be Erroneous Lib. 2. De Bapt. Cap. 4. So Possidonius in the Life of St. Augustin Vit. August cap. 18. reports how after the Determination of the See Apostolick to wit that Pelagius his Opinion was Heretical all men esteemed Pelagius an Heretick and the Emperor made Laws against him as against an Heretick Again St. Augustin says Lib. De Utilit Credendi cap. 1. He is an Heretick in my opinion that for some Temporal Commodity and specially for his Glory and
Out of this Church neither the Title of Christian secures any one neither doth Baptism confer Salvation neither doth any man offer a Sacrifice agreeable to God neither doth any man attain to Eternal Life For there is one only Church one only Dove one only Well-Beloved one only Spouse And again in his Book De Fide ad Petrum cap. 39. Hold this saith he most firmly and doubt not of it in any wise That every Heretick and Schismatick whatsoever Baptized in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost if before the end of his Life he be not Reunited to the Catholick Church let him bestow never so many Alms yea though he should shed his Blood for the Name of Christ he cannot obtain Salvation Likewise St. Prosper says Lib. de Prom. Praedestinat Dei p. 4. cap. 5. He who does not Communicate with the Universal Church is an Heretick and Antichrist See Athanasius in the beginning of his Creed Whosoever expects to be saved must necessarily before all things Assent to and retain the Catholick Faith which unless he preserves intire and inviolate that is entirely submits to it without all question he will perish everlastingly And again at the end thereof thus This is the Catholick Faith which except a Man believe Faithfully he cannot be saved See St. Augustin writing upon this Beatitude Blessed are those that suffer Persecution for Justice Lib. 1. de Sermone Domini in Monte. It is not the suffering these Things saith he that makes men Blessed but the undergoing them for the Name of Christ not only with an equal mind but likewise with joy and much satisfaction For many Hereticks deceiving Souls under the name of Christians have suffered many of these things But they are therefore excluded from this reward of being Blessed because it is not here only said Blessed are those which suffer Persecution but it iâ—… further added for Justice Now where Faith is not sound and entire there can be no perfect Justice since the Just man lives by Faith Neither can Schismaticks promise to themselves any thing of this reward because likewise where there is no Charity there can be no Justice For the love of our Neighbor cannot design any thing that is evil or unjust against him Hence it is manifest that if they had such Charity they would not seek to rent and tear in pieces the Body of Christ which is his Church Likewise the same Father in his Fourteenth Sermon De verbis Domini proves in general against all Hereticks and Schismaticks That whatsoever in particular their opinions are yet since they profess otherwise than the Church does and requires of them to do they are in a damnable Estate because thereby they virtually renounce one Fundamental Article of Faith viz. of the Authority and Unity of the Catholick Church And therefore if they break Communion though but for one Doctrin and that of it self of no great importance their Orthodoxness in all other Points will not avail them wanting Truth and especially renouncing Charity and Obedience to the Universal Church Hereupon the same Father in Psal. 54. saith of the Donatists We have each of us one Baptism in This they were with me We celebrated the Feasts of the Martyrs in This they were with me We frequented the Solemnity of Easter in This they were with me But they were not in All Things with me In Schism they were not with me In Heresie they were not with me In many Things they were with me and in some few Things they were not with me But in those few Things in which they were not with me those many Things do not profit them in which they were with me So again the same Father speaking to the same Donatists Epist. 48. saith You are with us in Baptism in the Creed and in other Sacraments of the Lord But in the spirit of Unity in the bond of Peace and finally in the Catholick Church you are not with us To the same purpose writeth St. Cyprian in his Book De Unitate Ecclesiae One Church saith he the Holy Ghost in the Person of our Lord designeth and saith One is my Dove This Unity of the Church he that holdeth not doth he think that he holdeth the Faith He that withstandeth and resisteth the Church He that forsaketh Peters Chair upon which the Church was built doth he trust that he is in the Church When the Blessed Apostle St. Paul also sheweth this Sacrament of Unity saying One Body and one Spirit Ephes. 4. 4. Which Unity we Bishops especially that Rule in the Church ought to hold fast and maintain that we may prove the Bishoply Function also it self to be one and undivided And again in one of his Epistles Epist. 40. There is one God and one Christ and one Church and one Chair by our Lord's Voice founded upon Peter Another Altar to be set up or a new Priesthood to be made besides one Altar and one Priesthood is impossible Whosoever gathereth elsewhere scattereth It is adulterous it is impious it is sacrilegious whatsoever is instituted by mans Fury to the breach of God's Divine Disposition Get ye far from the contagion of such men and fly from their speeches as from a canker and pestilence Our Lord having premonished and warned us beforehand saying they are Blind leaders of the Blind Matt. 15. 14. St. Hilary likewise Libro ad Constant. August thus applieth this same place of the Apostle Ephes. 4. 4 5. against the Arians as we may do against the Calvinists Perillous and miserable it is saith he that there are now so many Faiths as Wills and so many Doctrins as manners whiles either Faiths are so written as we will or as we will so are understood And whereas according to one God and one Lord and one Baptism there is also one Faith we fall away from that which is the only Faith and whiles more Faiths be made they begin to come to that that there is none at all Noah's Ark is an acknowledged Type of the Church as it appears by St. Peter 1 Pet. 3. 20 21. Wherefore as All perished Temporally by the Deluge that were not in the Ark so all perished Eternally who are out of the Church Witness St. Cyprian whose words are these Cyprian lib de Unitat. Ecclesiae Whosoever separates himself from the Church is separated from the Promises of Christ. Whosoever forsakes the Church is an Alien an Enemy a prophane Person He cannot have God for his Father who will not have the Church for his Mother Could any escape drowning being out of the Ark So neither shall any one escape Damnation out of the Church They cannot abide with God who refuse to continue with one accord in his Church Though they be cast into the Fire and burnt though they be devoured by wild Beasts c. yet shall not that be any Crown of their Faith but a punishment of their perfidiousness Such an one may be killed he shall
never be crowned Thus St. Cyprian Now concerning the Supereminent Power of Bishops in the Church as to the Excommunication of Hereticks and of the effect thereof St. Jerom Epist. ad Heliodorum cap. 7. has these remarkable words God forbid saith he I should speak sinistrously of them who succeeding the Apostles in degree make Christ's Body with their holy mouths by whom we are made Christians who having the Keys of Heaven do after a sort judge before the day of Judgment who in sobriety and chastity have the keeping of the Spouse of Christ to wit his Church And a little after They may deliver me up to Satan to the destruction of my Flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus And in the old Law whosoever was disobedient to the Priests was either cast out of the Camp and so stoned of the People or laying down his neck to the Sword expiated his offence by his Blood But now the Disobedient is cut off with the spiritual Sword or being cast out of the Church is torn by the furious mouth of Devils Thus St. Jerom. The Church's Practice in this is taken from the Example of St. Paul 1 Tim. 1. 19. where having exhorted Timothy to preserve his Faith and a good Conscience he presently adds Which certain repelling have made shipwrack about the Faith that is of their Faith of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme Now to prevent our being Seduced by Hereticks St. Paul says 2 Tim. 3. 1. And this know you that in the last days shall approach perillous times and Men shall be lovers of themselves covetous haughty proud blasphemous not obedient to their Parents unkind wicked without affection without peace accusers incontinent unmerciful without benignity traytors stubborn puffed up and lovers of voluptuousness more than of God having an appearance indeed of Piety but denying the vertue thereof and these avoid For these be they that craftily enter into houses and lead captive silly Women laden with sins which are led with divers desires always learning and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth But as Jannus and Jambres resisted Moses so these also resist the Truth men corrupted in mind reprobate concerning the Faith But they shall prosper no further For their folly shall be manifest to all as theirs also was All these words St. Cyprian Epist. 55. Num. 3. Expounds of such as by pride and disobedience resist God's Priests Let no faithful man saith he that keepeth in mind our Lords and the Apostles Admonition marvel if he see in the latter times some proud and stubborn fellows and the Enemies of God's Priests go out of the Church or impugn the same when both our Lord and the Apostle foretold us that such should be Now one Reason why the going out of the Church by Heresie is so great a crime is because the Church is always preserved from Error by the priviledge of Christ's Presence of the Holy Ghosts Assistance of our Lords Promise and Prayer of which see St. Augustin upon those words of the 118 Psalm Conc. 13. Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis usque quâque Where he writes admirably of this matter To the same purpose also these words of Lactantius are very remarkable It is the Catholick Church only that keeps the true Worship of God This is the Fountain of Truth This is the House of Faith This is the Temple of God into which if a Man enter not or from which if any Man goes out he is an Alien and Stranger from the hope of everlasting life and salvation No Man must by obstinate contention flatter himself for it stands upon Life and Salvation St. Cyprian Epist. 55. ad Cornel. Num. 3. says The Church never departs from that which she once hath known And St. Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 3. That the Apostles have laid up in the Church as in a rich Treasury all Truth It were an infinite labour to recite all that the Fathers say of this matter All counting it a most pernicious absurdity to affirm That the Church of Christ may err in Doctrins of Faith St. John the Apostle 1 John 2. 18. says Little Children it is the last hour and as ye have heard that Antichrist comes now there are become many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last hour They went out from us but they were not of us St. Cyprian upon this place writes thus Epist. 76. Num. 1. ad Magnum The holy Apostle St. John did not put a difference betwixt one Heresie or Schism and another nor meant any sort that especially separated themselves but generally called All without exception Antichrists that were adversaries to the Church or were gone out from the same And a little after It is evident that All be here called Antichrists that have severed themselves from the Charity and Unity of the Catholick Church Concerning St. Peter's Supremacy or Charge of the whole Church from which Hereticks separate themselves St. Cyprian writes thus Lib. de Unitat. Ecclesiae To Peter saith he our Lord after his Resurrection said Feed my Sheep and built his Church upon him alone and to him he gives the charge of Feeding his Sheep For although after his Resurrection he gave his Power alike to all saying As my Father sent me so I send you Receive the Holy Ghost If you remit to any their sins they shall be remitted c. Yet to manifest Unity he constituted one Chair and so disposed by his Authority that Unity should have origin of one The rest of the Apostles were that which Peter was in equal Fellowship of Honor and Power but the beginning comes of Unity the Primacy is given to Peter that the Church of Christ may be shewed to be one and one Chair St. Chrysostom also says thus Lib. 2. de Sacerdot Why did our Lord shed his Blood Truly to redeem those Sheep the Cure of which he committed both to Peter and also to his Successors And a little after Christ would have Peter endowed with such Authority and to be far above all his other Apostles For he saith Peter Dost thou love me more than all These do Whereupon our Master might have inferred If you love me Peter use much Fasting Sleep on the hard Floor Watch much be a Patron to the Oppressed a Father to Orphans and Husband to Widows But omitting all These things he says Feed my Sheep For all the other Vertues certainly may be done easily by many Subjects not only Men but also Women but when it cometh to the Government of the Church and committing the charge of many Souls all Women-kind must needs give place to the burden and greatness thereof and a great number of Men also St. Gregory likewise Lib. 4. Epist. 76 writes thus It is plain to all men saith he that ever read the Gospel that by our Lord's mouth the charge of the whole Church
was committed to St. Peter Prince of the Apostles For unto him it was said Feed my Sheep For him was the Prayer made that his Faith should not fail To him were the Keys of Heaven given and Authority to bind and loose To him the Cure of the Church and Principality was delivered And yet he was not called the Universal Apostle This Title indeed was offered for the honor of St. Peter Prince of the Apostles to the Pope of Rome by the holy Council of Chalcedon but none of that See did ever use it or consent to take it Thus St. Gregory St. Paul ad Corinth 1. 2. 15. says The Spiritual man judgeth all things Annotations St. Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 6. excellently declaring That the Church and every Spiritual Child thereof judges and condemns all false Prophets and Hereticks of what sort soever At length concludes with these remarkable words The Spiritual man shall judge also all that make Schisms who are cruel not having the love of God and who respecting more their own private to wit Interest than the Unity of the Church mangle divide and as much as in them lies kill for small causes the great and glorious Body of Christ to wit his Church Speaking Peace and seeking Battel He to wit the Spiritual man shall judge likewise such as be out of the Truth that is to say out of the Church Which Church shall be under no man's judgment for to the Church are all things known in which is perfect Faith of the Father and of all the Dispensation of Christ and firm knowledge of the Holy Ghost that teacheth all Truth It is said Acts 11. 26. That the Disciples were at Antioch first named Christians Annotations This name Christian ought to be common to all the Faithful and other new Names of Schismaticks and Sectaries must be abhorred If you hear Saith St. Hierom contr Lucif cap. 7. in fine any where such as be said to be of Christ not to have their Names of our Lord Jesus Christ but to be called after some other certain Name as Marcionites Valentinians as now also the Lutherans Calvinists Protestants c. know you that they belong not to the Church of Christ but to the Synagogue of Antichrist Lanctantius also lib. 7. Divinarum Institution cap. 30. saith thus When Phrygians or Novatians or Valentinians or Marcionites or Anthropomorphites or Arians or any other to wit such Sects be named they cease to be Christians Who having left the Name of Christ have assumed the Names of Men. Neither can our now Sectaries help or excuse themselves by objecting That we are called Papists For besides that it is by them scornfully invented as the name Homousians was by the Arians This Name is not of any one Man Bishop of Rome or elsewhere known to be the Author of any Schism or Sect as their callings be but it is of a whole State and order of Governors and that of the chief Governors to whom we are bound to cleave in Religion and to obey in all things concerning it So that to be a Papist is to be a Christian a Child of the Church and a Subject of Christ's Vicar And therefore against such impudent Sectaries as compare the Faithful for following the Pope to the diversity of Hereticks bearing the names of new Masters let us ever have in readiness this saying of St. Hierom writing to Pope Damasus Hierom Epist. ad Damasum Vitalis I know not Miletius I refuse I know not Paulinus Whosoever gathereth not with you scattereth That is to say Whosoever is not Christs is Antichrists And again If any man joyns with Peter's Chair he is mine that is he is of one Faith with me It is here further to be observed That this name Christian given to all Believers and the whole Church was especially taken to distinguish them from Jews and Heathens which believed not at all in Christ And the same now likewise severeth and makes Christians known from Turks and others who believe nothing of the Divinity of Christ. But when Hereticks began to rise up among Christians which Hereticks professed Christs Name and sundry Articles of Faith as true Believers do then the name of Christian was too common to distinguish such Hereticks and make them known from true Believers who were entirely sound in their Faith And therefore to distinguish these from such true and faithful Believers of All Doctrines of Christian Faith the Apostles inspired by the Holy Ghost put into the Creed the name Catholick which is as much as to say A true and faithful Believer of all Christian Doctrin And by this it appears evidently That no Heretick is a Catholick although they falsely pretend to it when they are prâ—…ssed with this Article of the Creed To confirm what hath been here said St. Pacianus Epist. ad Sympherianum writes thus When Heresies were risen and endeavoured by divers Names to tear the Dove of God and Queen to wit the Church and to rent her in pieces the Apostolical People reqired their Sir-name whereby the uncorrupt People might be distinguished c. and so those that before were called Christians are now Sirnamed Catholicks Christian is my Name saith he Catholick my Sirname And thus the word Catholick is a proper note by which the Apostles in their Creed taught us to discern the true Church from the false Heretical Congregations of all sorts of Hereticks And not only the meaning of the word which signifies Universality of Times Places and Persons but likewise the very name and word it self by God's Providence has been always and only appropriated to True Believers And though sometimes at the beginning or first rising up of Sects challenged by them yet never obtained by Hereticks as their constant Name Wherefore St. Augustin sayes In the lap of the Church the very name of Catholick keeps me Aug. contr Epist. Fundament cap. 4. And again Tract 32. in Joan. We receive the Holy Ghost if we love the Church if we be joyned together by Charity if we rejoyce in the Catholick Name and Faith And again Tom. 1. libr. de verâ Religione cap. 7. We must hold the Communion of the Church which is named Catholick not only of her own but also of all her Enemies For will they nill they the Hereticks also and Schismaticks themselves when they speak not with their own Fellows but with Strangers call the Catholick Church nothing else but the Catholick Church For they would not be understood unless they discerned it that is expressed it by this Name by which she is called of all the World Thus far of the Testimonies of the Fathers concerning Schisms CHAP. IV. The Reason of this great Severity of both Scriptures and Fathers against Heresie and Schism NOw the reason of this great Severity of the Fathers excluding all from any hope of Salvation that are divided from the Unity of the Church by Schism or Heresie is manifested by St. Augustin in a Discourse of his upon those
very Gall of Schism by usurping an Authority which express Scripture says belongs only to Pastors I fear much fewer than is ordinarily imagined of those who have any liberal Education will be excused from this sin by any Ignorance Surreptition Provocation c. by reason of that great evidence and light which they have of the continued Succession Unity of Doctrin perfect Obedience to their spiritual Superiors Pennances and Retirements from the World and several other signal marks of the One Holy Catholick and Apostclick Church Some may be more deeply guilty and obnoxious to a heavier damnation than others as Ring-leaders more than their Followers But Damnation is by the Fathers generally denounced as the portion of them all Thus of the sin of Schism CHAP. VI. Of the Schism of the Church of England NOw whereas some Protestants seek to vindicate the Church of England from Schism by likening it to the Church of St. Cyprian of whom it is said That it condemned no man nor separated none from its Communion yet you are to know that this Plea helps them not at all For although this Moderation did exempt St. Cyprian from Schism because as St. Augustin says The Church had not then decided the dispute to whose decision St. Cyprian would certainly have submitted Yet this Moderation does not at all exempt the Church of England from Schism because her separation from her Mother-Church is for very many Doctrins of Faith defined and determined by the same Church This following Example will make the Case of the Church of England evidently appear For if for Example a Province in England had with-drawn it self from the Publick Civil Authority this Excuse would not exempt them from being Rebels to say We do not intend to quarrel with Those that continue in Obedience to the King we mean neither him nor them any harm They shall be welcome to come among us if they will we will be good friends we will not meddle with their doings but we will be governed only by our own Laws and Magistrates c. I believe I say This would not take from them the Guilt of Rebellion Their Civility in such their Rebellion would not change the Title of their crime nor free them from the punishment due unto it It may perhaps qualifie the Prince's resentment but the civilest Treason is Treason In this Point of Schism to the end that Doctor Peirce in his Court-Sermon may clear Protestants and lay the weight of so great a crime on the Catholick Church he argues thus Since besides the corruptions in Practice which yet alone cannot justifie separation there were in the Roman Church so many corruptions in Doctrin likewise entrenching on Fundamentals the Schism could not be on the Church of England's side which was obliged to separate so just cause being given but on theirs who gave the cause of the separation This Plea of the Doctors if it be admitted totally destroys all Governments and lays all the Guilt of Schisms and Rebellions in Church and State upon Civil and Ecclesiastical Governors For if Subjects may accuse their Governors and be themselves Judges of the Justice of such their Accusations the Governors are always sure to be condemned and pronounced guilty and the Subject justified Now to admit this Liberty of the Subject in Church-Government above all others is the most unjust Thing imaginable because that Government is protected from all error in Doctrins of Faith by the assistance of the Holy Ghost who was sent by our Saviour to teach it all Truth Wherefore to tax that Government with Errors in Faith is either to tax the Holy Ghost with them or to blaspheme against our Saviour by saying he has not kept his word in sending the Holy Ghost to teach the Church All truth Besides There is this other consideration which doth further manifest the weakness of this the Doctor 's Plea For if the Church of Rome be our Mother-Church as King James acknowledged her to be in a publick Speech made to his Parliament wherein he says I acknowledge the Church of Rome to be our Mother-Church See Stow pag. 840. then it will follow as it was urg'd in Parliament by Doctor Heath Archbishop of York in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth That if now after so many Ages this Church of Rome be found an Erroneous Church then we have hitherto received no benefit by our Christianity but rather have been all along deceived Since if this Mother-Church be false the Doctrin which she taught us must necessarily be false A Church being said to be false because she teacheth false Doctrin Thus the Doctor may see what he has gotten by his Reformation There is one thing yet that deserves well to be taken notice of in this change of Religion here in England For if all the Clergy and the Universities had generally assented to this Change it might have seemed a lesser crime But to have this done as de facto it was done in Queen Elizabeths Reign by Laymen only and this only with the Difference of Six Voices in Parliament although that Parliament was pack'd for this purpose and in opposition to the contrary Protestations and Declarations of all the Clergy and Universities This does heighten this crime to the utmost of all Impiety I will yet for a close add one thing more which does not a little manifest this Impiety For although Reformation of Religion was here pretended yet it evidently appears by our English History that nothing but worldly and carnal Interests carried on this business For was not the Liberty obtained by King Henry the Eighth to bring into his Bed a new handsom Wife instead of his former vertuous Queen a very carnal Interest Was not his invading all the Possessions and Treasure of Monasteries a great Secular Interest Was not the dividing the said Lands amongst the Nobility and Gentry at very easie rates a very great Interest In King Edward's days was not the Protector 's seizing on the remainder of Churchspoyls a great Interest Was not the freeing of Clergy-men from a necessity of saying daily and almost hourly long Ecclesiastical Offices from lying alone without Bedfellows c. matters of great both carnal and secular Interest Was not the exempting of All both Layity and Ecclesiasticks from the Duty of confessing their Sins and submitting themselves to Penitential Satisfactions from rigorous Fasts out of Conscience and Religion and other Austerities a matter of considerable Interest to Flesh and corrupt Nature By what hath been hitherto said appears but even too clearly how that the Fundamental Rule of all Government and Subordination was utterly neglected in England at the time that the pretended Reformation was contrived and executed Here is a new and thorough moulding of a Church both in Doctrins and Discipline called a Reformation Wherein all the Synodical Acts of this Church since Christianity entred among us are as to any obliging Power by their Authority reversed wherein all the Decisions of
Patriarchal Councils yea of Oecumenical Synods are called into Examination All their Laws so far as to them seemed meet reformed the whole regard that England had to all other Catholick Churches as a Member of the whole is utterly broken by one National Church Nay not so much By one Luxurious King By one Child and by one Woman Even when the whole Body of the Clergy protested against it Let the world now be judge Whether this Action can be justified Thus of the Schism of the Church of England CHAP. VII The Assertions of some Protestants concerning Church-Authority And of some of them concerning the Dignity and Authority of the Church of Rome SChism and Heresie being here so evidently demonstrated to consist in denying Obedience to Church-Authority it may seem strange to find any Protestants so much to their own condemnation to write any thing in defence of such Church-Authority and particularly of the Authority of the Church of Rome from which they have separated totally casting off all obedience to it But yet this they have done as will appear by these following Testimonies of some very Eminent amongst them See Sir Edwyn Sands in his Europae Speculum Numb 12. where he has this following Discourse of the Security in submitting to the Authority of the Church of Rome Which although he delivers in the Person of a Catholick yet it is without Reply or seeking to deny the Truth of any thing here said The Discourse then is this SInce Christianity is a Doctrin of Faith a Doctrin whereof all Men are capable as being in gross and in general to be believed by all and since the high Vertue of Faith is in the Humility of the Understanding and the Merit thereof in the readiness of Obedience to Embrace it and withal since of outward proofs of our Faith where the true sense of Scripture is disputed the Churches Testimony whether for declaring to us the sense of Scripture or the judgments of the Ancients is a proof of most weight What madness were it for any man to tire out his Soul and to wast away his Spirits in tracing out all the thorny paths of the Controversies of these days wherein to err is no less easie than dangerous what through forgery of Authors abusing him what through sophistry beguiling him what through passion and prejudice transporting him and not rather betake himself to the right path of Truth whereunto God Nature Reason and Experience do all give witness And that is to associate himself to the Church whereunto the custody of this Heavenly and supernatural Truth hath been from Heaven it self committed To weigh discreetly which is the true Church and that being once found to receive faithfully and obediently without doubt or discussion whatsoever it delivers Now to discover this let him reflect that besides the Roman Church and such others as are United with it he finds all other Churches to have had their end or decay long since or their beginning but of late This Church was founded by the Prince of the Apostles with a promise to him from Christ That Hell Gates should never prevail against it Matt. 16. 18. And that himself would be assistant to it to the Consummation of the World It hath now continued Sixteen hundred years with an Honorable and certain Line of near Two hundred and forty Popes Successors of St. Peter both Tyrants Traytors Pagans and Hereticks in vain wresting raging and undermining it All the Lawful general Councils that ever were in the World have from time to time approved and honored it God hath so miraculously blessed it from above that many Learned and wise Doctors have enriched it with their Writings Armies of Saints with their Holiness and Virtues Armies of Martyrs with their Blood and of Virgins with their Purity have sanctified and embellished it And even at this day in such difficulties of unjust Rebellions and unnatural Revolts of her nearest Children yet she stretcheth out her arms to the utmost corners of the World newly embracing whole Nations into her bosom Lastly in all other opposite Churches there are found inward dissensions and contrarieties change of opinions uncertainty of resolutions with robbing of Churches rebelling against Governors confusion of Order Whereas contrariwise in this Church there is the Unity undivided the resolutions unaltered the most heavenly Order reaching from the hight of all Power to the lowest of all Subjection all with admirable Harmony and undefective correspondence bending the same way to the effecting of the same work all which do promise no other than a continual encrease and victory Wherefore let no Man doubt to submit himself to this glorious Spouse of Christ. This then being accorded to be the true Church of God it follows that she be reverently obeyed in all things without further inquisition she having the warrant that he that hears her hears Christ and whosoever hears her not hath no better place with God than a Publican or Pagan And what folly were it to receive Scriptures upon the credit of her Authority and not to receive the interpretation of them upon her Authority also and credit And if God should not always protect his Church from Error and yet peremptorily command Men always to obey her then had he made very slender provision for the Salvation of Mankind which conceit concerning God whose care of us even in all things touching this transitory Life is so plain and evident would render us very ungratefully impious And hard were the case and mean had his regard been of the vulgar People whose wants and difficulties in this life and whose capacities will not suffice to sound the deep and hidden Mysteries of Divinity and to search the truth of intricate Controversies if there were not others whose Authority they might safely follow and rely upon Blessed are they who believe and have not seen Joh. 20. 29. The merit of whose Religious Humility and Obedience exceeds perhaps in honor and acceptation before God the subtle and profound knowledge of many others Thus Sir Edwyn Sands To the same purpose Dr. Jeremy Taylor in his Treatise of the Liberty of Prophesying These following Considerations says he may very easily perswade persons of much reason and more Piety to maintain that which they know to have been the Religion of their Fore-fathers which had actual possession and seizure of Mens minds and understandings before the opposite Professions had a name As first its Doctrin having had a long continuance and possession of the Church Which therefore cannot easily be supposed in the present professors to be a design since they have received it from so many Ages And it is not likely that all Ages should have the same purposes or that the same Doctrin should serve the several ends of divers Ages Secondly its long prescription which is such an advantage that it cannot with many Arguments be retrenched as relying upon these grounds to wit that Truth is more Ancient than Falshood and that God would not
Creed lib. 2. cap. 4. pag. 165. Sundry saith he in profession Protestants in eagerness of opposition to the Papists affirm That the Church or Spiritual Pastors must then only be believed then only obeyed when they give Sentence according to the evident and express Law of God made evident to the Heart and Consciences of such as must believe and obey them And this in one word is to take away all Authority of Spiritual Pastors and to deprive them of all Obedience Unto whom doubtless God by his Word hath given some special Authority and Right to exact some peculiar obedience of their Flock Now if the Pastor be then only to be obeyed when he brings evident commission out of Scripture for those particulars unto which he demands Belief or Obedience what obedience do men perform to him more than to any other man whatsoever For whosoever he be that can shew us the express undoubted Command of God it must be obeyed of all But whilst it is thus obeyed it only not he that sheweth it unto us is obeyed And if this were all the Obedience that I owe unto others I were no more bound to believe or obey any other man than he is bound to obey or believe me The Flock no more bound to obey the Pastors than the Pastors the Flock Yet certainly God who hath set Kingdoms in Order is not the Author of such confusion in the Spiritual Regiment of his Church Thus Doctor Jackson tying All to Obedience or Submission to the judgment of their Spiritual Superiors See lastly Doctor Ferne. pag. 48. The Church of Christ saith he is a Society or Company under a Regiment Discipline and Government and the Members constituting that Society are either Persons Taught Guided and Governed or Persons Teaching Guiding Governing And this in order to preserve all in Unity and to advance every Member of this visible Society to an effectual and real participation of Grace and Union with Christ the Head And therefore upon no less account is Obedience due unto them Ephes. 4. 11 12 13 16. and Heb. 13. 17. And he that will not hear the Church is to be as an Heathen and Publican Matth. 18. 17. Thus Doctor Ferne. Now in Confirmation of what has been here said by these Protestants concerning Obedience to Church-Authority See St. Augustin in his Book De utilitate credendi of the benefit of believing the Church written to his Friend Honoratus led away by many extravagant Manichaean Dotages advising him Submission of judgment to Church-Authority There is nothing saith he more easie than not only to say but also to think or conceive that we have found out the Truth but in reality it is very difficult Aug. de utilitat credendi Cap. 10. And Chap. 12. who is there but even of a mean capacity that does not plainly see it to be more secure for all such as are not profoundly knowing in Divine matters to obey the Precepts of the wise than to rely upon their own judgments For if this be convenient to be observed in lesser matters as in Merchandizing Tilling of Ground c. certainly much more in concerns of Religion For human Affairs are far more easily understood than the Divine Things of Faith Which being more sacred and sublime as they ought to be more reverenced and esteemed by us so the danger and offence is greater if we fail in the true notion of them And Chap. 17. he argues thus If every Discipline although never so mean and easie to be understood requires a Master or Teacher what can be a more temerarious Pride than not to learn the Books of the Divine Sacraments or Mysteries from the Interpreters of them And Chap. 7. No man that is not a Poet presumes to read Terence without a Master And will you venture upon the reading of those Books which by the Confession of almost all man-kind are accounted Holy and full of Divine Mysteries and presume to give a judgment of the sense of them without a Master And Chap. 16. he thus goes on Since it is so difficult a thing to come to the knowledge of God by Reason Do you think that all men are capable of comprehending the reasons which are produced to guide mens minds to this Divine Knowledge Thus he to induce his Friend Honoratus in such Divine matters to yield the guidance of himself to Church-Authority And then the Church Authority he would have him Submit to he describes thus Chap. 17. Which Church saith he hath obtained Supream Authority from the Apostolick See by a Succession of Bishops Hereticks in vain barking against it Who were lastly condemned partly by the judgment of the People partly by the Gravity or Authority of Councils and partly also by the Majesty or Greatness of Miracles Now not to submit to this Authority were the height of Impiety or a precipitant arrogancy For if there be no other way of obtaining Wisdom and Salvation but by Faith preparing and disposing Reason what could more manifest our Ingratitude unto God for his Divine aid and assistance than to make it our endeavours to resist the forementioned Authority Lastly he concludes with him thus Chap. II. If now you have been sufficiently toss'd and wearied out with variety of Disputes and desire to put an end to them follow the Direction of the Catholick Church or the way of Catholick Discipline which his derived from Christ himself to us by his Apostles and is to continue in the same Channel of Succession unto the End of the World Thus St. Augustin concerning the Security of adhering to Church-Authority Now because in the precedent Historical Collections there is so often mention made of the great contests that hapned concerning the Sacrament of our Lord's Supper I will endeavour to give some satisfaction and to settle mens minds in the true notion of this Doctrin of Faith CHAP. VIII What Ways the Church has made use of to settle mens minds in the Doctrin of the Sacrament of the Eucharist or our Lord's Last Supper TO make this appear more fully I will give you a brief Relation of the past proceedings of the Church in the Decision of the Disputes concerning the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament and the Substantial Conversion of the Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. This Real presence and Substantial Conversion Berengarius and some Followers of his long ago denyed Who being complained of Two Councils were called one after another at Rome and Verseilis Anno Domini 1050. Berengarius Summoned and he not appearing his Heterodox Opinions were condemned He according to the now Protestant Grounds thinking his a Doctrin of great consequence and the Decrees of the Two Councils a manifest Error and that himself had manifest Scripture and Demonstration against it judged himself freed from the obedience of silence or noncontradiction of these Councils And so he and his Followers publickly justified his Tenent desiring a reversing by some new
Auricular Confession is expedient and necessary to be retained and continued used and frequented in the Church of God For the which most Godly study pain and travel of His Majesty and determination and resolution of the Premises His humble and obedient Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled not only render and give unto His Highness their most high and hearty Thanks and think themselves most bound to Pray for the long continuance of his Graces most Royal Estate and Dignity And being also desirous that his most Godly enterprize may be well accomplished and brought to a full end and perfection and so Established that the same might be to the Honor of God and after to the common Quiet Unity and Concord to be had in the whole Body of this Realm for ever Do most humbly beseech His Royal Majesty that the Resolution and Determination above written of the said Articles may be established and perpetually perfected by the Authority of this present Parliament It is therefore Ordained and Enacted by the King our Sovereign Lord and by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and by the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same That if any Person or Persons within this Realm of England or in any other of the Kings Dominions do by Word Writing Printing Ciphering or any otherwise Publish Preach Teach Say Affirm Declare Dispute Argue or Hold any Opinion 1. That in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar under the Form of Bread and Wine after the Consecration thereof there is not present really the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ conceived of the Virgin Mary or that after the said Consecration there remains any Substance of Bread or Wine or any other Substance but the Substance of Christ God and Man or likewise to Publish Preach Teach Say Affirm Declare Dispute Argue or Hold Opinion that in the Flesh under the Form of Bread there is not the very Blood of Christ or that with the Blood under the Form of Wine there is not the very Flesh of Christ as well apart as though they were both together or by any the means abovesaid or otherwise do Preach Teach Declare or Affirm the said Sacrament to be of other Substance than is abovesaid or do by any means Contemn Deprave or Despise the said Blessed Sacrament that then such Person or Persons so offending shall be deemed and adjudged Hereticks and that every such offence shall be judged manifest Heresie and that every such Offender and Offenders shall therefore have and suffer Judgment Execution Pain and Pains of Death by way of Burning without any Abjuration Clergy or Sanctuary and their Estates to be Confiscated to the King as in Cases of High Treason 2. And moreover if any do obstinately Affirm Uphold Maintain or Defend that the Communion of the Blessed Sacrament in both kinds that is to say in Form of Bread and also of Wine is necessary for the health of Man's Soul or that it ought or should be Given and Administred to any Persons in both kinds or that it is necessary so to be taken or received by any Person other than Priests being at Mass and Consecrating the same 3. Or that any Man after having received the Order of Priesthood may marry 4. Or that any Man or Woman who hath advisedly vowed or professed Chastity or Widowhood may marry 5. Or that Private Masses be not lawful or not laudable or should not be celebrated had nor used in the Realm nor be not agreeable to the Laws of God 6. Or that Auricular Confession is not expedient and necessary to be retained and continued used and frequented in the Church of God Such Persons are to suffer pains of death as in cases of Felony without any benefit of Clergie or Priviledge of Church or Sanctuary and shall forfeit all their Lands and Goods as in cases of Felony Thus far out of the same Book CHAP. IV. Of another Effect of this Change which was a horrid Effusion of Blood QUeen Anne Boleign who had been the first occasion of this Change of Religion was beheaded Whereof there is this Relation Baker pag. 407. It was now the Twenty eighth year of King Henries Reign When there were solemn Justs at Greenwich from whence the King suddenly departed and came to Westminster Whose sudden departure struck amazement into many but to the Queen especially And not without cause For the next day the Lord Rochford her Brother and Henry Norris were brought to the Tower Prisoners Whither also the same day was brought Queen Anne her self Who at the Tower-gate fell on her knees beseeching God to help her as she was innocent of that whereof she was accused Soon after this she was arraigned in the Tower and found guilty and had Judgment pronounced Immediately the Lord Rochford her Brother was likewise Arraigned Who together with Henry Norris Mark Smeton William Brierton and Francis Weston all of the King's Privy-Chamber about matters touching the Queen were beheaded on Tower-hill Within Two days Queen Anne her self on a Scaffold upon the Green within the Tower was also beheaded At her death she spake these words God save my Master and Sovereign the King the most Goodliest Noblest and Gentlest Prince that is and grant him that he may long Reign over you which words she spake with a smiling countenance which done she kneeled down and the Hangman of Calais smote off her head at one stroke For her Religion she was an earnest Professor and one of the first Counternancers of the Gospel The Crimes for which she died were Adultery and Incest She had many Enemies as being a Protestant and perhaps in that respect the King himself not greatly her Friend For though he had excluded the Pope yet he continued a Papist still Her Death cast upon King Henry a dishonorable Imputation Insomuch that whereas the Protestant Princes of Germany had resolved to chuse him for Head of their League after they heard of this Queens Death they utterly refused him Thus far Sir Rich. Baker The next day after her Death the King Married the Lady Jane Seymour Stow Page 573. In the next place Thomas Cromwel who had been the grand Promoter of this business was likewise beheaded Whereof thus writes Howes upon Stow page 508. THomas Cromwel Earl of Essex being in the Council-Chamber was suddenly apprehended and committed to the Tower of London and soon after attainted of Heresie and High Treason When he was brought to the Scaffold on Tower-hill to be executed he spake these words I pray you that be here to bear me witness that I die in the Catholick Faith not doubting in any Article of my Faith or in any Sacrament of the Church Many have slandered me and reported that I have been an A better of such as have maintained evil Opinions which is untrue But I confess that like as God by his holy Spirit does instruct us
in the Truth so the Devil is ready to seduce us And I have been seduced But bear me witness That I die in the Catholick Faith of the holy Church And I desire you to pray for me that so long as life remains in this Flesh I waver nothing in my Faith Having said this he was presently beheaded Thus Howes This following Relation although it concerns not the shedding of Blood yet is very remarkable as manifesting how the King's Marriage with the Lady Anne of Cleve was in Parliament declared not lawful Which is thus related by Howes upon Stow Page 578. AFter the Death of the Lady Jane Seymour the King 's Third Wife He Married the Lady Anne of Cleve in the Two and thirtieth year of his Reign From which time the King not only continued his first Misliking of her but his hatred encreased more and more against her not only for want of beauty whereof at first he took exceptions but also for sundry other qualities whereof he secretly accused her As also he said that her body was unpleasant making great doubt that she was no Virgin when she came into England with divers other defects which he said he knew by her outward appearance to be in her And being thus so sore perplexed and desperate of redress he grew wondrous apt and willing to call in question any thing that might tend to the dissolving of this Marriage Within Eight dayes the King told his Physicians his further cause of grief That she was loathsome to him in Bed and that her Body was foul and out of order The King being thus tormented in Body and Mind knew not how to ease himself until he had procured a speedy Divorce Which was thus effected Certain Lords came down into the Lower-House of Parliament expresly declaring the causes why this Marriage was not Lawful And in conclusion the matter was by the Convocation clearly determined that the King might lawfully marry where he would and so might she It appears clearly in the Record what moved the King to this Marriage For these are his words I declare that when the first Communication was had with me about this Marriage I was glad to hearken to it trusting to have some assured Friend by it I much doubting at that time both the Emperor France and the Bishop of Rome Thus Stow. The King 's Fifth Wife Catherine Howard put to death for Adultery As appears by this Relation Baker page 514. THe King was informed of the Queens dissolute life first before her Marriage with one Francis Dereham and since her Marriage with one Thomas Culpepper of the King's Bed-Chamber Whereupon Sir Tho. Wriothsâ—…ey was sent to the Queen at Hampton-Court to charge her with these Crimes and discharging her Houshold to cause her to be conveighed to Syon The Delinquents being examined Dereham confessed that before the King's Marriage with the Lady Catherine there had been a pre-contract between him and her But when once he understood of the King 's good liking to her he then waved it and concealed it for her preferment These Gentlemen were arraigned and had Judgment to die as in cases of Treason They were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn Where Culpepper was beheaded and Dereham hanged and dismember'd The Lord William Howard and the Lady Margaret his Wife Catherine Tilney and Alice Bestwold Gentlewomen Joan Bulmer Anne Howard Wife to Henry Noward the Queens Brother with divers others were all condemned for Misprision of Treason in concealing the Queens misdemeanour and adjudged to forfeit all their Lands and Goods during life and to remain in perpetual Prison The Lords and Commons in Parliament Petitioned the King That he would not vex himself with the Queens Offences and that both she and the Lady Rochford might be Attainted by Parliament And that to avoid protracting of time he would give his Royal Assent to it under the Great Seal without staying for the end of the Parliament Also that Dereham and Culpepper having been Attainted before by the Common-Law might be Attainted likewise by Parliament All which was Assented unto by the King After this the Queen and the Lady Rochford were beheaded on the Green within the Tower It is certainly said that after her Condemnation She protested to Dr. White Bishop of Winchester her last Confessor That as for the Act for which She was condemn'd She took God and his holy Angels to witness upon her Souls Salvation that She died guiltless Thus of the putting to death of his Wives Here follows an unheard of Cruelty of Bloodshed for Religion in these times of Confusion and Change of Religion ONe Lambert was accused for denying the real presence in the Sacrament who Appeal'd to the King and the King was content to hear him Whereupon a Throne was set up in the Hall of the King's Palace at Westminster for the King to sit And when the Bishops had urged their Arguments and could not prevail then the King took him in hand hoping perhaps to have the Honor of converting an Heretick when the Bishops could not do it and withal promised him pardon if he would recant But all would not do for he remained obstinate the King miss'd his Honor and the Delinquent his Pardon Being shortly after drawn to Smithfield and burnt Baker page 412. Two more were for the same cause burnt Baker in the same page Dr. John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moor expresly denyed at Lambeth before the Archbishop of Canterbury to take the Oath of Supremacy and thereupon were both beheaded Bishop Fisher was much lamented as being reputed a man both learned and wise and of good life Sir Thomas Moor was both learned and very wise His Devotion was such that he used to wear a Shirt of Hair-cloth next his skin for a perpetual Penance And oftentimes in the Church he would put on a Surplice and help the Priest at Mass Which he did not forbear to do when he was Lord Chancellor of England as one time the Duke of Norfolk coming to the Church found him doing it Baker page 406. Sir William Peterson Priest late Commissary of Calais and Sir William Richardson Priest of St. Maries in Calais were both there drawn hang'd and quarter'd in the Market-place for the Supremacy Stow page 579. Dr. Wilson and Dr. Samson Bishop of Chichester were sent to the Tower for relieving certain Prisoners who had denyed to Subscribe to the King's Supremacy And for the same offence Richard Farmer Grocer of London a rich and wealthy Citizen was committed to the Marshalsea and after arraigned and attainted in a Praemunire and lost all his Goods his Wife and Children thrust out of doors Stow page 580. Robert Barns Dr. of Divinity Thomas Gerrard Parson of Honey-lane and William Jerom Vicar of Stepney-Heath Bachelors in Divinity Also Edward Powel Thomas Able and Richard Fetherston all Three Doctors were drawn from the Tower of London to West Smithfield The Three First were drawn to a Stake and there