OF ROMANIZING RECVSANTS AND DISSEMBLING CATHOLICKS A COVNTER-MAVND of a counterfeit Embassage OR AN ANSWERE TO the posthume Pamphlet of Ralfe Buckland sometime a Popish Priest secretly printed and published after his death about a yeere a goe I haue not sent these Prophets sayth the Lord yet they ranne I haue not spoken to them yet they Prophecied Ieremy 23.21 AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoot An. Dom. 1611. These things are performed in this Treatise 1 THe scope or drift of the Priests Pamphlet is iustified viz. That dissembling Papists in England ought to vnmaske themselues 2 The Popish Doctrine inserted is controwled by the Positiue Doctrine of Truth 3 The prophane blasphemies and vniust Criminations against the true professours called Protestants are iustly retorted vpon the Popish Synagogue 4 Vnsetled Consciences among the Papists are exhorted to continew their obedience to the proceedings of the English Protestant Church that by gods grace in the end they may be setled in the Truth TO THE MOST REVErend Father in God the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate and Metropolitane of all England and of his Maiesties most Honourable priuie Councell my very good Lord. Most Reuerend Father THE DEDIcation of euery work framed against the Common Aduersary of our Church and State seemeth vnto me of right next vnder his Majestie to belong vnto your Grace in regard both of your Place and Person Your Place being as that of Zadock or Nathan to King Dauid your Person worthy of all Honour Whome God and the King haue so greatly honoured with such high and eminent graces and endowments as which truly none saue Haereticall and Prophane Spirits of enuy and malignitie can dis-tast but which the syncerely-christian ought to prosecute with all Honourable approbation and loyalty The consideration whereof respectiuely joyned with some other congruent motiues hath emboldned me at this time submisly to entreat your Graces Patronage of this my first Onset in this Kind which I haue giuen to the Iesuiticall Opposite Wherefore in all humilitie presuming to commend the same to your Graces protection I pray God almighty to assist and blesse your Grace in all your weighty affaires with his most holy Spirit and happy succes for euer Your Graces in all most humble affection and duty TH. SANDERSON To the Reader CHristian Reader In this Treatise Truth and zeale of Gods glory which were aymed at I trust will appeare But I should hardly haue deliuered store of reading though I had beene furnished therewith For neither doth the quality of the Message controwled require it neither is it fitting for him in whose name it is answered to make shew of it The Person answering is our blessed Sauiour himselfe whose word is a proofe inuincible In whose name a popish Priest hath audaciously praesumed to deliuer an Embassage which he neuer receaued The Message it selfe is full of rayling lyes and blasphemies but no learning at all I cannot find that scarcely once he attempteth to prooue any of those idolatrous and Popish opinions which he euery where scattereth As he layeth downe false principles of Popish doctrine without proofes so it may be found in this Countermand that they are crossed and checked with the Positiue Truth supported with some chiefe fundamentall arguments thereof Of this I thought good to aduertise thee because this Answere intendeth onely to discouer the praesumption of a false Embassadour the impudent calumniations of a notable Rayler and the erroneous doctrines of a Romish Priest to the end to controwle the malapert sawcines of the Embassadour to retort the iniurious criminations of the Railer to oppose the Truth of God to the Romish profession that wisedome may be iustified of all her children and they that run well may run so still vntill the light of God do shine full in their hearts and vntill vnremooueable grace bee with all them that loue the Lord Iesus Christ in syncerity The Preface A Short Horse is soone curried though a ragged Colt is not so sodenlie broken A pettie pamphlet may be sodenlie answered though a prophane pedantick Haeretick is not so readily put to silence But it is no matter Dogs will barke and euill workers will euer be busie bodies and the Concision will neuer bee of the true circumcision Si pro errore homines damnabili dissensione conuicta modis omnibus falsitate tanta praesumunt c. quantò magis aequum est oportet eos qui pacis vnitatis Christianae asserunt veritatem c. satagere instanter atque impigrè non solum pro eorum munimine quiiam catholici sunt verum etiā pro eorum correctione qui nondum sunt Nam sipertinacia insuperabiles vires habere conatur quātas debet habere constantia Aug. ad Festū ep 197. quae in eo bono quod perseuerantèr infatigabilitèr agit Deo placere se nouit proculdubio non potest hominibus prudentibus displicere It is therefore expedient and it shall not be grieuous because it is a work of no great labour as to answere words with words againe a foole according to his follie c so to teach a yong coltish Priest by this Priest to range about without an errand and pretend an Embassage without a message Whose ragged Rhetorick jmpudēt boldnes is the more jntolerable because he taketh vpon him the person of Christ hauing been himselfe a Priest lym of Antichrist hauing crept like a Locust out of the bottomlesse pit he crowneth himselfe the king of kings and Lord of Lords as comming downe from heauen Is it any matter to halter the necks and euen to breake the hearts of such Colts Who dare to entitle their owne beastlie and blasphemous neighings with the name of An Embassage from the sonne of God our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ But because this Embassador is now departed the mortalitie of this life as it seemeth to be insinuated in the preface I leaue him to the Iudgement of the Eternall Iudge Augustinus whose Iudgements are sometimes manifest sometimes secret alwaies iust Neuer-thelesse as one of the Lords Prophets and servants of Christ in the cause and quarrell of my Maister though the meanest and weakest of Ten-thousand I haue thought good to take in hand from a true and harty zeale that I beare vnto the Church of Christ to examine this Embassage And first he might haue gyuen leaue to some sturdier steed to haue rushed into the battell formost whether his meaning were in simple honestie to call backe his friends from the Enemies campe or in slye subtiltie to stirre and raise vp an open Rebellion so to muster all the papists in this Kingdome Recusants and Schismaticks as himselfe diuideth them in one Armie I will not determine his meaning because I know not his Conscience I leaue the purpose of his heart to him that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as one saith Quicquid id est Virg. AEneid 2. Prov. 12.5 timeo
from my familie Haue not I ordained Sacraments for your speciall comfort A Sacrifice c. The Lord Christ HEre you lay vpon your friends a threefold accusation in my name but I haue not accused them of Deniall Contempt and Resistance of God in yeelding to the Profession of a Protestant Your service is not my seruice your Coate my liuerie your Synagogue my familie your pitcht field my Campe and Colours or the Protestants pavilions mine Aduersaries Tents yee are my Adversaries and your Tents are the tents of vngodlines your Campe and Colours are opposite vnto mine To enter your familie to weare your liverie to doe service in your assemblies is to forsake and denie mine But they doe well that doe the contrarie Againe I haue Commanded all my professors to loue mee aboue all to confesse my Name my faith and Church and to striue for the truth even vnto bloud But your Religion is not the Truth your Faith and Church are none of mine so that they cannot despise and disobaye mee that depart froÌ„ you For your 5. 5. SacrameÌ„ts thrust in by papists which Christ never ordained see Sect. 13. Sacraments added vnto my Baptisme and holie Supper I never ordained as necessarie to Salvation or significant symboles of my death Passion Your infernall Sacrifice of the Masse He. 10.10 c. as not onlie an jdle and odious repeticion of my pretious death But a most jmpious and blasphemous derogation from the All-sufficient and eternall merite thereof I hate and abhorr as an Antichristian Idoll They haue doon well that haue with-drawen themselues from it and entred into the Congregations of my faithfull Protestants despizing and refraining your tedious Multiplicitie of Ceremonies altogether ridiculouslie both Superstitious and Profane obseruances for herein they haue honoured and obayed me Lastlie then let other Romanized English bee discomforted let their courage faile and the number decrease on your part let the false-Catholicke cause be weakened and the enemie thereof be fortified they doe well who are a meanes of this and please mee best of all that come from among you so farr it is that they oppugne and assault me The false Embassador Schismatickes wilfully deceaue them selues YOu flatter your selues notwithstanding all these iniuries soothing your consciences c. The Lord Christ NAy never perswade them vnto that For having builded vpon a false foundation how can you choose but inferr a false and presumptuous conclusion Your foundation was that they are * Sect. 1. erring Soules departing from my Church joyning with Heretickes * Sect. 4. denying despizing and oppugning mee which they will never graunt you which I will never yeeld you yet thereof you would haue them to be perswaded And to that end forsooth would rouze vp their Consciences and sound the bottome of their hearts to search and see their dissimulation That they are Romanists in heart and dissemble their faith I cannot approue it that they vnite themselues vnto the Protestants I will not blame it that they doe so onlie in a colour to saue their Lands and goods I doe not justifie it that they therfore must be concluded for deniers despizers oppugners of me The Popish Priest t keth vpon him to judge his brethren contrary to the commandement of Christ Mat 7.1 and my faith of truth in conversing with the Protestants and comming to their Seruice and Churches how should I jnferr it yet you take vppon you to prooue it The false Embassador DOe yee not as Peter denie your selues to bee of my Company c. By Peters denyall is prooued that Schismaticks deny Christ Not contented with eschewing the exercise of the Catholicke faith and participation with the faithfull in profession of conscience yee make no Scruple to frequent the rites of a false beleefe c. The Lord Christ NO sir they doe not Doubtfull Catholicks may come to Protestant Churches to 〈◊〉 theÌ„selues Recusant Papists perseuere in erroneous Contumacie For yee Recusant Papists are none of my companie my followers my inheritance my â—ooke the household of faith my Children and the like as you stile your selues To denie your companie your Religion and false Catholicke Church is not to renounce mee their God Redeemer and Saviour and to denie my holie Name and Maiestie Therefore let this whole comparison betwixt Peters deniall of me and theirs as yee suppose goe for naught and cancelled Onlie I would haue you remember The Pope is onlie the presumed successor of Peter that your holie Father the presumed Successor of this Apostle and all his followers haue learned well his Apostasie but cannot find the waie to returne repent goe out with him weepe bitterlie My blessed * Mat. 16.17 Apostle had hee not slipped from mee in the high Priests Hall * Mat. 26.58 his continuance in the profession of my name had beene true Christian constancie But your perseverance in your erroneous hereticall and jdolatrous course can be no lesse theÌ„ profane contumacie and wicked desperation Happie then are they who eschew the exercise of your Catholicke faith and participation in profession of Conscience with such mis-beleeuers as yee are Happie who frequent the Rites of my true friends the Protestants and partake with them in the sacred profession of their Religion Be it known vnto you Protestants onlie are true Catholicks and to all men They onlie are accepted of me for true Catholicks and remaine firmelie vnited to the Church my Spouse and all the rest whatsoever they professe commit the Acts of heresie Nay are absolutelie either mis-beleevers or vnbeleevers Hereticks of Christendome or Panim Infidels The false Embassador DAre yee then saye that Catholicke Recusants are not my proper flocke c. Schismaticks are not of the Catholike Church The Lord Christ. NAy dare yee saie they are I say they are the heard of Antichrist Recusant Papists Foxes Wolues the wilie * Canti 2.15 Foxes the wild Bores that destroye my vine yea the * Matt 7.15 ravening Wolues that prey vpon the soules of men If your conceaved Schismaticks be not of their band nor members of their Church and brother-hoode it is the better for them For no companie is or can be mine which imbraceth their erroneous and false Catholicke Faith which pursueth their traiterous murderous and vnnaturall course of life The false Embassador The assured ground where-vpoÌ„ Recusants stand REcusants to stand vppon an assured ground none can iustly denie or with reason call their saluation in question who cleaue stedfastlie to their fore-fathers Faith c. First christened Auncestors c. The Lord Christ NO can indeed Ah yee spirits of presumption stand they vpon the assured ground of my Apostles doctrine in my word Popish foundations traditions and shew of Antiquitie No they are weakelie builded vppon the sand of humane traditions Therefore I even I doe call their saluation in question They cleaue not stedfastlie but
impeachment of That mine euerlasting Offering Popish Ceremonies apish ridiculous and Office after the order of Melchisedech Your multiplicity and absurdity of most apish and toyish Ceremonies as ducking crossing closing opening of hands Host-eleuating loud-bawling secret Mumbling and the like are fitter for a Theater then for the Church What reuerence can yee require to such jrreuerend childish and profane Administrations To be short your dishonorable seruice your detestable Altar your hypocriricall creeping and casting downe your bodyes your no lesse odious lifting vp jmpure harts and hands your idolatrous adoratiō your contumacious endeauour of blynd zeale your dreadfull nay direfull abhominable sacrifice The abhomination of the popish Masse therfore abhominable because an offring not only of my passion but of my body a spirituall a Carnall a bloudy and vnbloudy Sacrifice indeed a Sacrifice and no Sacrifice because not only a memory of me the Redeemer of my Chosen is solemnly celebrated and liuely represented but a propitiation also for the liuing and the dead is pretended to be offered directly crossing and contrary to that one Oblation of my selfe once offred not without bloud Heb. 10.14 whereby for euer I haue consecrated and perfected them that are sanctified wherein by the Eternall spirit I offered vp my selfe vnto God Heb. 9.12.13.14 and found eternall redemption for them All these are not the workes of my Children and seruants and therfore I command you once againe vnder the penalty of my great and Eternall curse that yee cease any further to lead the blynd out of the way whome you haue peruerted too farr already and will not suffer them so much as to enter a deliberation to returne vnto the flocks of my Sheapheards againe The false Embassador Schismaticks justly repelled from the Sacramēts HEre you straine courtesie here flesh and bloud reclaimeth the spirit taking the foyle and the old man triumphing Some of you discharge themselues of their crimes by my Stewards ouer rigorous austerity c. How dare you proffer to approach to my Altar where so great a Maiestie is resident c. The Lord Christ IS not this an ouer-Rigorous austerity and most apparent in you First to inhibite them the Churches of the Protestants and after to exclude them from your own mysteries Oratories also You say nay For first you would haue them to Confesse themselues guilty for ioyning with the Protestants and to purpose amendment of that fault to receaue your absolution and to doe penaunce and so to be purged and so be prooued worthy to come vnto your Altar But I say vnto you still your Altar is not my Altar my great Maiestie is not there resident but onely the pettie Maiestie of your profane bread neither is your penaunce your pardon your Confession my ordination Therefore they who refuse these things from you are guiltles before me and as yee saye in this one thing happie that they are suspended and reiected of you And I denounce a woe against you that Cal good euill and euill good sweet sower sower sweet Esay 5.20 put light for darknes and darknes for light The false Embassador WEll then Schismaticks are to be praesumed for Haereticks and why among my Catholicks since you are not where shall I find you where c. The Caluinist taketh you for Proselytes c. The poore Catholick scandalized at your impiety c. The Lord Christ WHat and will you still make me the Patrone of your lyes surely I doe not hold them among my true Catholicks no more then I doe your selues neither yet doe I conclude The Lord alloweth not dissembling Catholicks that cleauing to the Protestants they cleaue to sectaries neither doe I pronounce them Protestants neither do I allow their reproofe either in priuate talke or in priuate opinion of the Protestant proceedings neither are those proceedings departure from the faith nor yet their Temples houses of Idolatry as ye blaspheme So that albeit by their presence with them in appearance they honour by obaying they allow by example they further by deeds they cōfirme by dissembling they establish those proceedings albe-it they goe to those houses as one of them they sit there as one of them they behaue themselues reuerēdly as one of them yet in all this or in any of these they cannot be defined eyther Schismaticks or Haereticks In a word howsoeuer they are reputed Proselyts of the Caluinist as you terme the true Christian and howsoeuer your poore Catholicks poore indeed and voyde of true Catholicke faith Dissembling Catholicks no Schismaticks are scandalized of them though they may be lost sheepe for the time and dissemblers yet are they no Schismaticks being not diuided from the true Church much lesse at the brinck of bottomles haeresie in that respect The false Embassador Those which goe to the Conuenticles of Haereticall rites are iustly and properly called s hismaticks ABhominable is Schisme and horrible is the name of Schismaticke c. When my Church in her first prime c. The Lord Christ. Schisme is a separation from the faith of truth and the true Cōmunion of Saints What is Schisme And therefore all those Christians vpon whatsoeuer intent purpose of heart whether for Feare of the Aduersity and Crosses or for loue of the prosperity ease and sensuality of this present euill world who do consort themselues though but for a time with the Iewish Turkish or any other Heathnish profession let them be censured for schismaticall Reuolters till they returne into the Church againe But herevpon how can you charge your cunning Catholicks of schisme for associating in their actions with the Protestants First you are to proue the one to be Haereticks their Assemblies also and rites haereticall which you can neuer do and then forewarne the other vnder the penalty of Schismaticall reproch to adhaere vnto them Be it that some of them for all I know who know the hearts doe not repute and take the Protestants for Haereticks for that is the poynt you press vppon them and yet like Ambidexters Machiauels and Temporizers only for feare or for loue of the earth and earthly things against their consciences will make a shew to be on their side yet I say neuer shal their own false opiniōs no more thē yours conclude them to be Schismaticks in joyning with my Church howsoeuer they may be convicted of themselues for notorious hypocrites and dissemblers and so be vnexcusable in my sight For I cannot like it that they or you or any should dissemble with me Iosue 9.9 or my people The Gibeonites in that they sought the friendship of my seruant Iosua and his host did not offend me in that they sought it by dissimulation they did not please me vers 21. Therfore for the one I spared their liues and for the other I adjudged them to perpetuall seruitude The remnant of those Iewes who dwell now among
in his Epistle to the Colossians Your holy dayes so your Churches and your Temples Churches dedicated amoÌ„g the Papists are dedicated not onely to the holy Trinitye and to other true and worthy saynts Martyrs many of them Dunstan but some to vile jmpious Traytors and Coniurers and such like abhominable sinners besids to the exercise of your Idolatrous and superstitious deuotious which I cannot abyde Therefore they are not more holy no more my howses no more the places of my sanctuary which you frequent nay all your meetings synagogues and asseÌ„blies I vtterly abhorr what talke yee of Bethel of Gerizim of Sichem of the Christian Churches For yee goe up to Beth-auen and stand vpon mount Eball and commit jdolatrie in the hill of Samaria The Turkish Temples are Antichristian The Pope and so are yours Your High Priest of the Romane sea is now deemed fitly of my Christian Churches the very Apostaticall Iudas of the world Apoc. 17.5 and the Ecclesiasticall Apocalypticall Beast so is euery one that receiueth his marke and jmbraceth his doctrine a Reuolter from my faith of truth Therefore all your prayers and seruice offered vnto me I haue in Execration The false Embassador OH think not it can be to my worship which is so wicked The Protestants publike prayer how vnlawfull and detestable Remember that Altar is raised vp against Altar c. Against my venerable Alter there is erected a plaine communion Table c. And stolen away with them her ornaments and to couer the ragges wherewith they are rigd Iet vp and downe clad in hir robes c. The Lord Christ It is so it must be so yee Papists betweene your Altar your Priests your Sacraments your seruice your faith and the Altar the Preachers the sacraments the seruice the faith of the protestants there is and euer wil be an opposition neither possibly can be any vnitie concord or conformitie The Papists Altar Idol For your Altar of jmagined Sacrifice propitiatory who hath required at your hands your abhominable host which I neuer acknowledged to be my blessed Body I know and condeÌ„ne for a detestable Idol The Protestants Communion But their plaine Communion Table is both necessarie and seemely to set my holy and heauenly bread vppon not a base and vnprofitable peece of Bread as yee blaspheme but bread honoured and consecrated by mine owne ordinance for an euerlasting memoriall of my death and Passion To the end that all beleeuing soules which feed thereon with a true and liuely Faith might be confirmed and nourished vnto Eternall life Dare yee call this an Idoll yee wicked jmpes of a contemptible supper yee are also the ministers of darknes yee stamped Priests of Antichrist they are myne only true faithfull Embassadours who faithfully require intreat my people in my name to be reconciled vnto god For theirs is the Reuerend worthy sound vndoubted faith of truth yours to returne your owne words because they fit you well as swords and arrowes into your owne hartes a Basterd Counterfait vncertaine and fained miscreance But finally what is this your blame in the seruice of my Saints and publique praier of the Protestants what positiue Corruption finde you therin that you will haue it abhominable in my sight Onely you alledge it is a forme of prayer a shadow of diuine seruice wholy tending to the maintenaunce of heresie not onely c. but directly substituted in defiance of me my mysteries and of the faith Catholicke which is put into English to Insinuate that my Church erreth in not vsing the vulgar A forme of prayer it is indeed The Protestants forme of prayer and an excellent forme not a shadow but a substantiall forme of diuine seruice wholy tending to the maintenance of the pure faith and the ouerthrowe of the popish Heresies Rites and Ceremonies superstitions jdolatries In regard whereof Ancient and approued Rites and whatsoeuer ceremonies are fitting and significant for edification it neither disanulleth nor suppresseth not stumbling at euery straw to be scandalized with things indifferent whatsoeuer other opposites say or write to the contrarie but it retaineth and ordaineth prudently and deuoutly Rites and Ceremonies of such nature and qualitie as these prophane and dissolute times do much require Vestiments and ornaments As touching the ornaments or vestments vsed in their Church yee speake vnlearnedly and spitefully to saye they were stollen from your Church and the protestants Iet vp and downe in your Robes They know the stollen attire of the Strumpet of Babylon will ill become the virgin the daughter of God Therefore in defiance not of me but of you and your mysteries and your now Romaine Catholick faith The reformed seruice of the Protestants hath abolished Mass Latine Liturgie Invocation of Saints Praier for the dead Consecration of Bels Books Candels c. Elevation of host Superstitious crossing and profane Crosses They haue well and wisely and according to my will abolished your abhominable Masse and Mattens with the MuÌ„meries thereof your ridiculous liturgie and seruice in a strange and vnknowne tongue and therefore vnedifying your superstitious Inuocation of Saints your jrreligious prayer for the dead your foolish and sottish consecration or coniuration rather of Bells Books Candells and such like trifles and toyes your thrise jmpious and odious eleuation of a wafer-god iustlie offensiue to euery good Christian eye Your ten-times jdolatrous profanation of Crossing and Crosses at the sight whereof say you the furies quake Ah yee fooles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what furies meane you those fictions of the poets nay be they rather the raging furies of your owne distempered braines and tormented Consciences as they may well enough yee haue it in such an execrable vse Images And so haue the pictures and Images of saints in your Temples and howses and high waies for which cause howsoeuer they may be to some historicall monuments and memorials of those worthy personages and lessons of instruction to the Ignorant to jmitate their vertues yet otherwise quod legentibus Scriptura hoc Idiotis praestat Pâ—ctura â—crueÌ„tibus Greg. Rom. EpistolaruÌ„ lib. 9. cap. 9. seeing they can stirre vp nothing but a blind and buzzardly deuotion and those lay-mens bookes as your Gregorie stiles theÌ„ can be no better then a doctrine of vanitie though they be demolished broken and burnt vpp As Idolls it is no matter no more then that the signe of the Crosse is vtterly abolished and cast away as it is in vse Signe of the Crosse not Popish hath a tolerable vse It is generally graunted euen by most learned displinaricis in immortalian laâ—acâ—o Tertullian Origen Cyprian See confereÌ„ce at Hampton Court an 16â—4 Pag. 69. Taâ—ers Mat. 5. Psal 116. Prou. 6. â— Vestiments and vessels or abuse rather among you howsoeuer they retayne it as they finde it hath bin vsed in the prime purer Churches
confesse to Saluation But they giue not my glory to another that goe to Protestant Churches yee doo that adore and worship jmages Crosses and crucifixes The rites of Protestants are not heathnish but few and easie and significāt yours of the Romane Synagogue are borrowed both from Iewes and Heathens as I haue told you before and a mightie multitude both Idle and cumbersome for nomber and for nature Their Conuersation that haue society with English Protestants js with faithfull Christians yours that are Romaine Catholicks is with Antichrist and his adhaerents Now then I commaund and Charge you all the sort of you Christ Iesus calleth not the wauering Romaine catholicks from the Protestāt Churches Companies to speake no more to your fellow Catholicks after this fashion in my name For I the Lord the omnipotent Creator haue not thus called them from among the protestants But I exhort and warne them rather to follow their faith because it is the faith of truth that faith also to beleeue in heart that they may be justified and that Faith to Confesse with mouth that they may be saued As for you you proud flesh and bloud neuer cast vpp an jdle and presumptuous accompt of merit added vnto merits yours or theirs or any mans to mine which will neuer verely I say vnto you amount to any sume of Felicitie mine owne beeing onely and altogether al-sufficient to that purpose The false Embassador Schismaticks violate the law of nature by going to the Protestant Churches And what if I had not in such expresse wise prescribed your duty doth not the light of reason the Law af nature c. Which faileth or falleth in one point of faith be fully guilty of Infidelitie c. The Lord Christ NO it doth not teach your Catholicks who are with Protestants any such thing viz. to cleaue firmly to their Popish faith and Religion for that is stubbernly to persist in error and to embrace in deed a strange and false faith and irreligious proceedings But what one argument bring you to proue that the lawe of Nature herein is violated Are you so jmpudent to alleage Propositions in my name and bring no proofe at all or do you goe about to prooue it thus He which breaketh one Commaundement is guiltye of all and a violater of Charitie ergo hee which faileth or faulteth in one point of Faith is fully guilty of Infidelitie and so by consequent violateth the lawe of nature The first assersion I graunt is mine owne in myne Apostle Iam. 2.10 if you vnderstand it aright But this latter thus inferred is your paradox For if he which faileth or faulteth in one point of faith be fullie guilty of jnfidelity that is must needs be charged and taken for a meer jnfidel then not onely all haereticks and you Papists who faile in many poynts of Faith but euen all true Christians and good Catholicks must be condemned so to Cor. 13 9. seeing they all know but in part and prophesie in part and so must needs faile in one point of Faith at least euen that which is hidden from their knowledge whereto they cannot for that cause yeld any manner of assent no man consenting vnto that which in his knowledge he doth not apprehend at all And thus ye Condemne by this Paradox all the world and namely all Christendome and your owne Romane Church for jnfidels nay fully guiltye of jnfidelitie and so there are no beleeuers at all by your doctrine There is no Church no Faith No Truth no Gospell no Christ no God among men Heere I must tell you also Though in some sence hee that is fully guiltye of jnfidelitie that is that beleeueth no one poynt at all of god or godlines as he ought Tit. 1.15 his very minde and Conscience is defiled and so the light of reason and the law of nature is violated in him Yet those famous and Renowned Paragons among the heathens Trismegistus Pythagoras Socrates c. Cato Aristides Scipio and many others of that ranck for their great and Admirable learning profound politick wisedome and worthy morall vertues were neuer-thelesse verie great lights and had the light of Naturall reason shining in them gloriously concerning many secular and ciuill affaires and liued in many things agreeable to the lawe of Nature How be it concerning Spirituall and heauenly things yea the true knowledge of God they became vaine in their Imaginations Rom. 1.21 and their foolish hearts where full of Darknes and in that might they be sayd to be fully guilty of jnfidelity because they knew not God the Father in me his only begotten Sonne Iesus Christ So that Iohn 3.18 26.8.9.10 17.3 some may be fully guilty of jnfidelitye and yet not violate the law of Nature Wherfore be not so rash hereafter I aduise you to proiect your Paradoxes in my name do not challenge them for partaking with haereticks that goe to protestants neither say any more that your Church your Faith your Sacraments are myne as ye doe For I will not acknowledge them yee doe me jniurie The false Embassador Heresie persecution purposely permitted of God for tryall of mēs hearts I Foretold while I conuersed on earth that heresies of necessitie must be for the triall c. The Lord Christ. True it is I foretold of Haeresies for the tryall of my Saints But are ye Romanists therefore the vniuersall Church No. yee know and allow my seruant Austen answering the Donatists of his time Augustine Africa non est orbis Therefore I say also vnto you The Synagogue of Rome is not the vniuersall Church And do Protestants and their followers preferre their owne Imaginations before it I tell you nay but yee Papists doe and run a madding after your owne jnuentions and Apostaticall Traditions closed and clasped vp in the bosome of your Pope Luc. 12.51 What though I forwarned that I came not to send peace but separation meaning not that I doe loue or bring diuision and strife among men but that many whose hearts my selfe haue not reformed are and wil be euer so bad and obstinate in their euill opinions and wicked wayes wilfully disobeying my Ghospell that they will gaine say and oppose their owne parents Children Princes Subiects Maisters Seruants wiues Husbands Brethren Kinsfolks and Friends that professe my name yea and will raise vp bitter persecution against them But I had no meaning to teach Children or seruants or Wiues or Brethren or friends disobedience and disloyalty against their Parents theyr Maisters their Husbands their Brethren their frinds much lesse to foster treasons in a state to raise vp mutinies and rebellions to arme naturall subiects against their naturall Princes and to practise the ouerthrowe of their Coūtries for the pretended catholick cause These are diabolicall suggestions and actions of Sathan my sworne Enemie wherewith yee Romanists are too too much acquainted The false Embassador ARe yee Christians and think your selues excused
the feeling of his conscience or by both As he that came vpon the Stage when he had said Vtinam ne in nemore was able to go no farther so this praunsing Priest directing an Epistle to all Schismaticks meaning his Catholique minded that come to our Churches beginning at first more like a franticke furious Herauld then a sober prudent Embassador to rayle at them is choked as it wereof himselfe as chasing and cholerick spirits vse to bee in their overhasty fumes not able to deliuer one perfect Period But A Domino factum est istud this was the Lords doing that he became so speechlesse vppon a sodaine â—ob 38.11 He that said to the Sea hitherto shalt thou come and here shall it stay thy proude waues gaue a notable forewarning to this blasphemer hitherto to range here to breake off his prowde words if he had had the grace to take it But as it is our jubred corruption to like best and bee most eager of the forbidden fruite and as the Poet spake of a stomackfull jade The more he was held in with Bridle and bit Vidi ego nuper equum contra sua froena tenacem Ore reluctanti fulminis tre modo Ovid. The more head-strong furious he stroue against it And as a strong Current the more it is stopped the more it rageth till it runne over the banks like the swelling of Iordan so it is apparant that this naughty nature would not be warned this vnbrideled Pegasus would not bee tamed this running Rhetorician would not be restrained but his voluble tongue must needs cast out the wilde fire of blasphemies against CHRIST and his truth of slaunders against the Gospell and Professours thereof and of revilings against his owne Catholique minded as in the sequele wee shall perceiue THE COVNTERMAVND of the counterfait EMBASSAGE The false Embassador HEarken yee erring soules who will not enter the Arke ordained for the safety of my elect The dangerous estate of Schismatickes yet hope c. Come forth before me and iustifie your selues if yee can c. To all both Angels and Men I appeale to Catholickes and Heretickes c. The Lord Christ HEARKEN YEE FALSE Embassadors and messengers of the Romane harlot Yee runne but I send you not yee speake but I haue not spoken vnto you your dissembling Catholiques I doe not iustifie either in their opinions or in their dissimulations Their opinions are haereticall their dissimulation is damnable yet their suting and sorting with my Protestants in England is both justifiable in it selfe and acceptable vnto me Their estate therefore is not herein dangerous never trouble them with such account But yours who are Recusants is For in your own words to answere you Ye are the erring soules who will not enter the Arke nor refuse to leaue Sodome who forsake not the Tabernacles of Korah who neglect to flye from Babylon yee are the lost sheepe who have worne out My marke and enter an other folde yee runne with the theefe and partake with iniquity yee broken braunches ignorant of your owne decay yee rent my vnseamed coate yee teare my bodie yee breake the vnitie of my Church without scruple of Schisme Could you possibly have deuised fitter words wherein to describe your own Hereticall and Schismaticall qualities Therefore stand vp and plead for your selues if you bee able before me your Iudge and Creator of all your wickednesse shall testifie vnto your owne faces and let all my Creatures testifie against you for notorious Impostors Men and Angels Protestants and Romanists Christians and Infidels and your owne Consciences if yee haue any The false Embassador I Haue tryed you and found you faithlesse c. Schismaticks no true servaÌ„ts of GOD. I haue prouided for you a plentifull haruest of glorious and eternall merits I proffer the purchase of the kingdome of Heauen but I perceiue c. Oh seed of Samaria c. The Lord Christ. YOu I haue tryed and found indeed a faithles and disloyall generation yee haue set at naught my wisedome and bountie and contemned the treasures of my kingdome Oh yee seed of Samaria your idolatrous blindnes and frowardnes as that of vntamed Ephraim I detest abhorr and cannot digest The purchase of the kingdome of Heaven by my glorious and aeternall merits how so ever I seeme to proffer vnto all yet I have provided for none but my true beleevers As for them who only for the feare of a Temporall losse will not make publique and open profession of the truth how can I choose but hate their so dastardlie dissimulation Yet I am no Counsellor as thou wouldest make me here Oh thou false tongue to any vnresolved or vnsetled soules to turne Traytors to their King and Countrey to the hazard of thâ—ir liues and goods The false Embassador Vngratitude of Schismaticks and their iniurious dealing towards GOD. IF any man with-hold your right an action is readie he is serued with processe and exclaimed against for vnconscionable dealing c. But where is your owne dutie the honour of your Maker the loue of your Redeemer the awe of your God where are the fruites which my care haue deserued Long haue I trauailed in manuring your barren soules I haue sent my labourers c. The Lord Christ TVrne your eyes and looke vppon your selves yee Runnagates and yee shall see that yee are the men of vnthankefulnes here described I will and do challenge you in your owne words that you with-hold your owne soules from me my right and interest by Purchase of redemption that you are stubborne servants and disobedient Children that I haue sent my labourers vnto you who haue travailed much with him that I haue by many occasions sollicited you Recusant Papists many wayes sollicited to â—ome to the truth of the Ghospell profâ—â—â—ted in England as by the great prosperitie and long peace of this Land by miraculous defence of the late Queene and the present King thereof and strange deliverances of all the states therein both from forraine invasions and domesticall treasons secret and open practises by encreasing both the multitude and learning of my true Pastors according to my mind as I promised of old vnto my Church Ierem. 3.15 and many other vnspeakeable blessings besides yet have you like barraine soules brought foorth no sweet and kindly fruites of truth and Godlines but vnprofitable and bitter weeds of Poperie and Impietie Stiff and intractable as yee are wicked and perverse people why doe yee wrong my patience and dailie vexe me to drawe my people from me yea those among yourselves that are comming towards me why doe yee your selues thus forsake me and deny me despize and disobey me oppugne and assault me The false Embassador Schismaticks deny despise and impugne GOD. YEE forsake me and deny mee and say with a bold countenance wherein haue wee forsaken and denied thee Haue yee not renounced my seruice cast off my liuerie departed
the Nations who are baptized and professe Christianity therein are no offenders but being true as it is reported of many of them that they still are judaicall in opinion and that the vayle of Moyses is layd ouer their hearts in that I disclame and detest them as forlorne mis-beleeuers and my sworne Enemies So let euery one of yours either be as they professe vnfayned Christians Perfect schismaticks Schisma facere ab vnitate Christi aut in Schismate esse profecto malū est magnū malū nec omninò fieri potest vt Christus det Schismatico non fidem sed sacrilegum errorem aut in Christo radicem Schismaticus fixerit aut Schismatico Christus sit origo caput Aug. lib. 4. contra Crescon Gramm or professe as they are false-hearted and false opinionated Catholicks Schismaticks they cannot be that professe the truth in the Church They only are such who being runnagates and hereticks maintaine falshoods with personall separation from the Church Neither yet doe I allow them for good and faithfull Christians who would be so reputed and are not for they only are such whose opinion and profession agree togither in the truth that is who professe the truth in syncerity The false Embassador I Know Protestants cannot be of the Catholicke church neither in their faith can be salvation I know what it is that lyeth at your heart c. Yee are not perswaded forsooth that the Protestants Religion is so abhominable c. To take your selues for a particular Church is vnpossible for a headlesse multitude who haue neither Temple Altar Priest nor Sacrifice neither distinct members nor anyband of Vnion aswell you may thinke of going at the latter day neyther to Heauen nor to Hell as to thinke in this life a Newtrality c. Will you diuide my Church c. To say that Protestants may by their profession be saued c. The Lord Christ. OH ye wretched and wicked Priests of Antichrist I know well I know that my Church my Spouse my body mysticall my chast Turtle my Citie my Kingdome my Familie 1 Cor. 11.19 Mat. 18.7 the piller of Truth is but one For albeit in my visible Church there must bee Haeresies 2. Tim. 2.20 Mat. 13 24. c. Mat. 3.12 and Scandals for the triall of my chosen for that in my house there are vessels of honour dishonour in my field there is Corne Tares in my garner there is Wheat Chaff Mat. 13.47 Gen. 7.8 in my Net there is good and bad Fish in my Arke there are cleane and vncleane beasts Phil. 3.2 Rom. 6.17 and there will be alwaies some of whome it may be sayd Beware of Dogs Mat. 7.15 Act. 20.29 Marke them that make diuisions among you and auoyde them Beware of false Prophets Grieuous Wolues shall enter in among you Yet as vnto my chosen there is but one way Ioh. 14.1 One truth one life so they are all baptized by one spirit into one body 1. Cor. 12.13 Ephesi 4.4 c. For there is one bodie and one spirit euen as they are called in one hope of their vocation one Lord one faith one Baptizme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through all and in them all One sheepheard and one fold My Doue is alone Ioh. 10. Cantic 6. The company of my chosen is but one Communion of Saints partly triumphant in Heauen and partly militant on Earth But must ye therefore be that one Do ye take it for graunted that I will not yeeld you Nothing but begging of the Question How dare ye say in my name that they are blind and impious who imagine holines in the Protestants prayers or saluation to bee found in their Faith For I euen I pronounce vnto you their prayers are holie A true sauing faith and their faith is a sauing faith which ascribeth and acknowledgeth the sole and whole worke and merite of redēption and the purchase of Heauen vnto me alone And to say that by any other profession a man may be saued is indeed to make an other God and Summum bonum besides me and to make me none or euil or jnsufficient at the least which in truth ye prowde Papists doe Papists ioyne their own merits with the Death of Christ in the purchase of saluation in vaunting the merits of your owne defectiue and jnfected works as coadjutors to the purchase of Eternall glory with the obedience and sprinckling of my precious bloud as though I had not made a full and perfect satisfaction without your ayde or helpe But thus ye boldly and presumptuously diminish dishonour me and my all-sufficiently meritorious Sacrifice and yet ye malapertlie charge my true beleeuers of that fault whereof your selues are guilty Shall I not punnish you for this thing The false Embassador The perfect opposition and contrariety of Catholicks Protestāts IF on the other side you ioyne Caluinists with Catholicks in one Church then set together the Woolfe with the Lambe c. For asmuch as my dreadfull Eucharist is irrefragably beleeued by the one to be my true body c. Of other maine differences consider c. The Lord Christ THis generall opposition betwixt you Papists and my true professors the Protestants I doe allow prouided alwaies that yee are the Wolues the Lyons the Goshawkes and they the Lambes the Harts the Partridges and that your Religion is the surmized their 's the sure yours vnpossible their 's infallible yours newly reared by mans imaginations cherished for pollicie c Theirs founded by my selfe from the beginning vppon my selfe the Rocke What other Haereticks doe or how they injuriously reuile vpbraide as an Idoll teare spit at and treade vnder foote my dreadfull Eucharist What is that to these true Christians whome opprobriously yee call Hugonots Sure it is they for their parts most constantly and deuoutly beleeue my true body jmpute no jdle Manichean phantasie vnto them and the personall presence of my Deity in the Eucharist I know their faith Popish adoration of bread me they adore with due veneration though not the Element that representeth my true body Neither doe they commit such a mysticall and spirituall kind of murder and mangling of my body asye do who professe Papists feed corporallie they say vpon Christ when they feed on him in the Sacrament See Ferus in Iohn cap. 6. The number of Popish Sacraments howsoeuer in termes ye disclame it not only a spiritual but a corporall feeding thervpon brutish Cannibals as yee are As touching the other maine differences between them and you in the particulars Know yee that I neuer ordained the number of 7. Sacraments but onely Baptisme and my holy Supper your vse of Images I scorne and abhorr Images being directly contrary to the second Commaundement of my morall Law Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. Act. monū
purgatory in an vnknowne world your praesumtuous jnvocatioÌ„ of Saints vnder colour of humility your Idolatrous vse of jmages your idle prayers for the dead at rest your Latine office and seruice in an vnknowne tongue I even I my selfe haue ever jmprooued repooued and condemned So haue I also them that suppose Antichrist shall be one singular person and not a succession of many because they directly oppose my holy Revelation therein Yet to suppose and belieue as I haue reuealed it to my servant Iohn Apoc. 17.18 alibique you will needs jmpute it for an infection of haeresie Moreouer you are not content with me the true and onely head of the Church which is my body Ephe 4.15 and the presence of my grace and power Mat. 28.20 whereof I spake when I sayd Behold I am with you to the end of the world But except there be acknowledged one visible and ministeriall Head that your Pope forsooth may be the man and tirannize ouer the consciences of my people the very Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God 2. Thes 2.4 and aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God it must bee haeresie with you But come yee now and reason with me of these poynts if ye be able if it bee possible that ye can bring any other Arguments then haue byn brought and answered already by my servants or else because ye are not able I jmpose you silence and charge you henceforth to set a broche no more lyes and forgeries in my name For if yee doe I will call you to accompt at my dreadfull day of Iudgement when ye shall not escape The Councels of my primitiue Church are of good and great authority in their kind Your Gregor was too bold so to compare them but not of the greatest not any of theÌ„ aequall to my 4. Euangelists your decrees Ecclesiasticall of farr less as contayning in them many Cannons both erroneous ridiculous and blasphemous The gates of Hell cannot prevaile against my Church for I haue grounded it vppon a Rock that is my selfe 1. Cor. 10.4 But your Church is not my Rock as well appeareth for the gates of hell haue already preuailed against it and it hath lost the spirit of truth Iohn 14. ver 16.26 the promise of my Father yea the faithfull Citie Rom. 1.8 whose faith was famous sometimes in all the world is become an harlot like Samaria and Ierusalem long agoe and she hath playd the harlot with all her neighbour Princes whom shee could jntice Therefore they doe well and follow the truth in righteousnes that call in question the authority of many Councels and assemblies of men that detract from your Ecclesiastical decrees and decretals that not onely feare but beleeue and find and report abroad not that I haue not fulfilled my promise Act. 2.1 c. for I haue and haâ—e sent my spirit of truth the Comforter vnto my chosen which shall lead them into all truth but that the same my spirit hath beene by you your Praelats and your false-teachers diuersly abused and despited so that it hath byn pressed and as it were compelled to forsake you and depart from you many yeares agoe Cease ye then to cast your filthie haeresies vppon my Saints or to call them backe into your stewes whome I haue caused to come and joyne and dwell with them in my holie house Els thou Babylonish harlot woe wo vnto thee Ah how shall I punish thee in the end how shall I be avenged of thee seeing thou dost all these things of an jmpudent whoorish woman The false Embassador WHence all this By what meanes Schismaticks grow to be Haereticks not because the longer yee liue c. By neuer talking with Priests not conferring of matters touching the Spirit by being loden c. As in domesticall Adders and in their familiarity as in Cocatrice eyes c. Flee Babilon flee Chore flee Sodome flee from the aduersarye campe in tyme. c. The Lord Christ. HEre againe as els where and almost every where in this false Embassage you diue into the Consciences of your brethren and you can tell them without me yet very boldly in my name that they begin to loth your religion for checking of their humor For you challenge them that feare of aduersity loue of the world neuer talking with your Priests nor conferring of matters touching the spirit and the load of secret sins haue jnduced them to depart from among you Thus you raile vpon them exclaime expostulate advize and commaund them in my name restles as you are You rayle vpon them as possessed of sensuall carnall and worldly affections lying open to the enemy destitute of my grace and protection made a prey to the roaring Lyon conuersing among haereticks becomming like them in conditions quickly delighting in their sutable doctrine To which they can easily answere if they bee wise that thus haue you deciphered your own selues ye Runnagates who have forsaken a good and pleasant land to converse among your Romane Haereticks and so are made like vnto them in evill and vngodly conditions disloyall to your Prince and country having first conformed your selues to their damnable doctrine Therefore you are as you say of them sensual carnal worldly affectionated lying opeÌ„ to the Enemy destitute of the Sauiours grace and protection and made a prey to the roaring Lyon You exclame poyson poyson lurketh in their company meaning the Protestants you should haue ment your selues as in domesticall Adders and in their familiaritie as in Cockatrices or Basilisks eyes Thus doe you plainly shew that Adders poyson is in your lips and vnder your tongue lurketh vngodlines and vanity You expostulate What though they be not conquered at the first what though the Arguments of Protestants be but weake foolish yet that they may in time be perswaded ouercoÌ„e by them So they may jndeed for those Arguments as weake and foolish as they are yet you do find them Gordian knots and like the Trumpets of the Priests of the Lord of Hoastes Iosue 6.20 at the blast whereof the wals of Ierico fell downe yea like stones in dauids bag 1. Sam. 17.49 whereof some one or other when the measure of your wickednes is filled vp shall stick so fast in the forehead of your Pope the great Goliah that he shall fall groueling to the ground and neuer be able to rise againe Then shall you find those Arguments which now are but drops of Raine to fall vpon you as a storme as hailestones and Coles of fier For sure it is Esay 55.10 as my word is like the snow and rayne which commeth downe from heauen and watereth the Earth that it may bud and bring forth seed vnto the sower and bread vnto him that eateth Heb. 6.7.8 so the earth that drinketh in the rayne which falleth oft vppon it bringeth forth nothing but bryers and thornes is neer vnto Cursing whose