in the same Church and I pray then where will your Errours remain but in your own bosoms But see further the truth of this our Saviour parting out of this world tells his Apostles That he would be with them even to the end of the world so that we have two Persons of the Blessed Trinity promised to assist the Church of God for ever Matth. 28. v. 20. besides God the Fathers Divine aid and if this Church Erre with their guiding then there can be no truth at all for us to be guided by for this is as clear as the Sun that if the Church of God be guided by an Infallible Spirit it cannot Erre And the Church of God is guided by an Infallible Spirit therefore the Church of God cannot Erre And though I have made this good already yet I will make it more plainly appear from Christs own words where he exhorting Brethren to be reconciled one to another which if they will not do by reasonable perswasions they should tell the Church Matth. 18. v. 17. and if they will not hear the Church let them be as Heathens and Publicans by which it is plain that if the Church were not Infallible Just and free from Errour our Saviour would never have tyed us to her Judgement in our Faith and Manners under so sad a penalty as being a Heathen if we do not hear and submit to her and therefore it is very necessary for every one to submit to Gods Church which is infallibly true lest they be Heathens in the esteem of God and Man and consequently out-lawes to the Kingdom of Heaven Again see what our Saviour saith to this purpose in the same Gospel And I say unto thee Matth. 16. v. 18. that thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it now if the Church could be erroneous then you must deny this Gospel to be true for no Errours can be in the Church but by the prevailing power of the Devil which is meant by Hell-Gates and which our Saviour saith shall never prevail against it so by this we are certain the Church cannot Erre and we may confidently confide in her in all matters of our Salvation But for your further assurance if our Saviour be not enough I will show you what St. Paul saith concerning this truth where he confirms all that hath been said of it speaking to holy Timothy 1 Tim. 3. v. 15. But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave they self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth Now here I might stop and say no more for Saint Paul hath said enough for if it be the piller or support of truth and the ground from whence truth is derived is it not monstrous to think of Errour and I would fain know in what place Christians should ever be free from errour in their Faith if not in the Church of God and for to say that there is no way to be free from it would be very strange for then all men would grope in dark uncertainties which is quite contrary to the Qualities and Excellencies of Gods Church as was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Church of Christ Chap. 35. v. 8. And an high way shall be there and it shall be called the way of holiness and fools shall not erre therein now if there be no possibility for fools to erre in it certainly wise men cannot But this is no small subtilty of our Adversaries to hold this opinion well knowing that their Church hath been and is full of errours and that the gates of Hell hath prevailed against it hath manifestly appeared and doth now appear when all that they can do cannot allay the furious spirits of one Kingdom nor reduce them to any Obedience to their Church so that if they did not hold this Opinion as an Article of their Church all the world would see theirs was not the Church of God because it hath errours by which they are forced to maintain it as well as they can though it be against both Scripture and Reason too Now that this Church of God is onely the Roman Catholick is plainly shown already by her conformity to and practice of Gods holy word in all her points of Faith which she teacheth Christians to believe and therefore all her enemies wrong her and themselves too in saying the contrary for wheres they cry out the Roman Church was once the true Church of God but she is fallen from it now as they never could prove the time when nor the occasion how so is it impossible it ever should because as I have already shown Gods Holy Spirit guides and directs it that the Gates of Hell can never prevail to overthrow it nor bring it to errour And now having sufficiently proved the Infallibility of Gods Church I cannot but advise every one that hath any care of their eternal welfare to imbrace and believe what she preacheth concerning the same and so conclude with that of St. Augustine Many things saith he with much reason kept me in obedience to the Catholick Church the consent of people and Nations holds me the Authority of the same Church which is risen up by Miracle nourished with Hope augmented by Charity established by its Antiquity the succession of Bishops holds me therein whâ—ch beginning in the See and Authority of Saint Peter to whom God recommended the care of his Flock is maintained to this present time lastly the name of Catholick holds me in it and addeth he would not believe the Gospel it self if he were not assured of it by the Catholick Church Chap. 12. Proving the Doctrine of Remission of Sins as commanded by Christ and practised by his Apostles contrary to the Opinion of Protestants WEre not the mindes of many men corrupted with imperious principles they could not be so evil as to question yea deny the gifts both of Grace and Nature that God hath given both to Angels and Men when we have much reason to adore and praise him that he hath so much esteem of any of our Nature as to bestow such prerogatives upon them amongst which this is not the least that I am to treat of concerning remission of Sins by a Priest which though there be a grand mistake in this Point amongst Protestants and we are abused in it yet I shall by Gods assistance and by his holy word clear the mistake which may easily remedy the abuse for in all Mysteries of Christian Religion we are to consult with Gods word which if rightly understood cannot deceive us and not with our own shallow understandings which easily may neither are we to be led away with aiery fancies of our own nor with a giddy multitude nor ought the slanderous tongues of men to be trusted in but if you finde it plainly declared
To the Reader AMongst all the Miseries that attend our Humane Frailty there is none to be so much bewailed as the stupidity of our mindes which renders us worse then beasts and deprives us of that felicity for which we were Created which was to fill up the glorious places of the Lapsed Angels and so have been happy to all eternity the verity of this will plainly appear when we consider the madness of this our present Age where People suck in Errour as Children do Milk from their Mothers Breasts and unadvisedly repel Truth as one would do a Serpent that attempts their ruine they hiss at those that invites them to Happiness and hug the Preachers of their Misery that imbrace all kindes of Novelties and kick against ancient verities that cry out the Bible the Bible and yet believe nothing in it more then their own Fancies dictate to them Now that these people of which there is too many may a little see and know their own Errours I shall in this following Discourse prove that their own Bibles which they pretend to confide in both is and shall be their assured Judge to condemn their erroneous opinions as also their guide being rightly understood to the knowledge of the Truth as also make it appear that all the chief points of Religion which Protestants deny and Roman Catholicks practice is found and commanded in their own Bibles by which will appear with what partial eyes they have looked upon Scripture that read it over so often and cannot see those places which pointeth Gods Church and the Faith thereof so plainly to them for it is indeed with these kinde of people as it is with the Jews to this day who though they read in the Old Testament the Prophecies which plainly foretold Christs coming his Life and dolorous Death yet are so blinded with unbelief that they cannot understand the same so all that are now out of Gods Church read and tumble over the Old and New Testament and yet cannot see the plain places which all Christians are bound to believe under the peril of damnation and all this is because men have presumptuous mindes in trusting to their own understandings and will not relye on Gods Church which plainly shews them to her Members when none else can because she onely is guided in all truth by the Holy Ghost to the end of the world All therefore that I shall desire of every Protestant Reader is onely this that he minde and look closely to every Text of Scripture here quoted and what is said with an impartial eye and observe well how Scripture and reason concur in the truth of what is treated of concerning our Faith which is so much slandered by their teachers and others for though it be lightly made on by some yet they shall one day finde that the diligent search after truth was one of the main things for which we were sent into the world which truth being practised in Gods Church is here plainly proved which though not delicately dressed with crafty Sentences but in poor and simple style may I hope produce the desired effects for which it was intended that is that all deceived people may finde the way to Gods Church that all Ignorance and Errours may be banished and Truth take place that true Religion may flourish as a green Bay-Tree and Heresies and Factions wither as Plants without rain that living all our lives in communion with Gods Church we may at last enjoy that blessed end for which we were created THE Catholick Mirrour Chap. 1. This is to prove the Verity of the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Saviour and that it is really so contrary to Protestants Opinion THe Misbelief of these times is such that it may give a just astonishment to all true Christians especially when they consider how little Faith many have in this most Blessed Sacrament and that there is no one thing our Blessed Saviour did so much inculcate to us in his whole life concerning any point of Faith as this he very well knowing the greatness of the Mystery and the smallness of our Faith it is in Holy Scripture often mentioned to be really his Body and Blood because we may plead no excuse by any mistake of one place alone and first you shall see how this Blessed Sacrament was prefigured to us in the Old Testament by the holy men of God and his Prophets as in Exodus 16.15 concerning the Manna which came down from Heaven to the Israelites to feed their Bodies so that foretold of this Spiritual Manna which feeds our Souls for should not this Blessed Sacrament be of greater value then Protestants make of it who say it is barely Bread and a Figure onely of Christ his Body then this Manna which was indeed a Figure would be of greater validity then that which it prefigured which is very absurd to think A second Figure we finde in Scripture is that Holy Bread of Proposition Exod. 25 Lev. 24. v. 5.6 7. or Shew-Bread which because it was a Figure of this most Holy Sacrament was to be made and eaten with such purity that none but sanctified persons was to eat of it to shew with what purity and reverence we ought to approach these Holy Mysteries The third Figure in Holy Writ is the Paschal Lamb Exod. 12. v. 3.4 5 6 c. an eminent Figure of this Sacrament wherein you may observe what Ceremonies God exacted from the Jews in the eating of it although but a Type of this from whence we may gather that this which Christ hath Instituted is to be had in a far higher esteem amongst Christians as requiring greater Faith in the believing of it and reverence in the receiving The fourth Figure was the Ark Exod. 25.10.11 12. whereof the Holy Doctor Saint Thomas saith 1.2 q. 102. ar That even as the Ark was made of the Wood of Sethim that is of pure and shining Cedar even so the Body of our Lord consisteth of most pure Members Again the Ark was gilded both within and without the which gilding signifieth the Wisdom and Charity of Christ our Lord. In the Ark were three things 1. There was a golden Pot wherein was kept Manna and was a figure of the Soul of Christ which containeth all plenitude of Sanctity and Divinity 2. There was the Rod of Aaron which signified the Priestly Power of Christ and as the Ark stood in the Tabernacle covered with a Vail even so Christ lyeth hidden in this Divine Sacrament under the Forms and Accidents of Bread and Wine which we must discover with the eyes of Divine Faith according to Saint Paul That Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen 3. There was in the Arke the two tables of Stone to signifie that Christ should be a Law-giver and this being one of his greatest Laws to believe in him let us take him at his word and thank
great Sacrament and no more question the works of God but conclude with that holy man Thomas de Kempes That if the wonderful works of God were to be understood by our reason they could not be said to be wonderful and unspeakable Thus have I shewed the truth of this Sacrament by the Protestants own Bible which though it work not my desired effects in the belief of it yet I hope it will reduce them to a more charitable opinion of us who think our selves bound to believe it because it is inserted in Holy Scripture according to that of our Saviour Search the Scriptures for therein you shall finde eternal life Chap. 2. Proving Sacramental Confession both by Holy Scripture and Reason against the Opinion of Protestants HAd we the prudence of our Predecessors in submitting our Judgements to Gods Church both as concerning this verity and all others we should not have so much peevish wrangling continually as we have in points of Faith but contrariwise we should joyn hand in hand in one uniform Doctrine of Christian Religion but being far from that happiness in this age we are possest with quite contrary for every one will be his own Judge and pass sentence though it be against Scripture and Reasont too and this will plainly appear when we consider that Confession hath been the practice of all Ages since Christ to this day I shall not need to produce the Authority of every Age which might easily be done it being out of my design because it is so plainly commanded in Holy Writ which ought not by any that professeth himself a Christian to be denied and if not so of necessity to be put in practice The first place I shall prove it from is out of the Gospel of Saint Matthew who speaking of Saint Johns Baptism Mat. 3. v. 5.6 saith They came from Jerusalem and Judea and were Baptized of him confessing their Sins Now to evade this Text the Protestants say That the people confessed themselves in general to be sinners But how poor this shift is let every one judge that hath a minde to know the truth for St. John knew and we all know that every man in general is a sinner without their saying so but the Text saith They confessed their sins which plainly argueth every ones particular sins Again you shall see what another Evangelist saith to the same purpose Mark 1. v. 5. And there went out to him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan confessing their sins It may justly bring an asTonishment on the souls of true Christians to consider that those people which say they will believe nothing but the Bible yet when they come to the touchstone of it will believe never a word more then what their own fancies please But now as I have shown you how this was practised amongst the Jews in our Saviours time so now you shall be shown how Christs Apostle from him doth command the same Saint James saith James 5. v. 16. Confess your sins one to another and in all reason and duty since it is thus commanded we are bound under the penalty of damnation to do all the commands of the New Testament at least to believe them to be lawful Many examples of this practice have we in the Old Testament commanded by God himself as in Numbers he saith Numb 5. v. 6.7 That if any man or woman had committed any sins that then they shall confess their sin and he shall recompence his trespass committed So David used Confession to Nathan the Prophet 2 Sam. 12. v. 13. and if there were no Scripture at all Reason might tell us that it is a Divine Institution First in regard of the goodness that is in it self for we finde nothing more repugnant to our corrupt natures then to confess our sins to a Priest from which we may gather that the more it is against our frail natures the more it hath conformity to Gods will in regard by sad experience we all finde how difficult it is for us to comply with Gods will in those things that concerns our salvation Secondly The thought of confessing our sins to a Priest oftentimes hinders our design in committing sins Thirdly by confessing our sins to a Priest to whom God hath given our souls in charge Heb. 13. v. 17. and must give an account for them he knows what sins we are infected with and knows the better what Doctrine to preach to us for the remedy of our spiritual distempers And can any reasonable man think that if it were not a Divine Law that so many Emperours and Kings and Princes as are and have been would stoop on their knees to a poor Priest in a gray course Gown to make their Confession No we may well imagine they would not being men that commonly follow the dictates of their own will did not their consciences tell them it was from God and not of mans invention Now by this you may plainly see what reason the Catholick Church hath to propose Confession to her Children and likewise what madness 't is for Protestants and others to impugne so naked a Truth and so good a principle of Faith as Confession is My advice therefore is to all that enjoy not this benefit That they would beseech the giver of all goodness to unite them in communion with his holy Catholick Church and make them obedient Members thereof if they expect salvation from his hands according to that of Saint Augustine That he that will not acknowledge the Church for his Mother cannot lawfully call God his Father and that out of the Catholic Church there is no salvation Chap. 3. Proving Purgatory or a temporal satisfaction to Gods Justice for our sins committed here against the Belief of Protestants DId we not by the irregular passions of our mindes throw down Reason the Queen of our souls and set up an Idol in her place called Opinion we should with much facility imbrace this verity so long practised by Gods Church though it were for no other reason but because it is practised there but since nothing but Scripture will serve the turns of many in the world I shall plainly set it forth by that rule that they may have no excuse to deceive themselves But first it is necessary to let you know that as God hath these two Attributes to wit Mercy and Justice so he is to have them both satisfied As to the first he satisfies himself in pouring down his Spiritual and Temporal Blessings into our Souls and Bodies for the good of both And the second must be satisfied either in our doing or suffering according as our sins deserve Agreeable to this truth is that satisfaction which God hath required in Scripture so often for example Gen. 3. that of our first Parents for so soon as they had abused the mercy of God which placed them there presently his
in either place we know there is no coming out as Saint Luke saith Luke 16. v. 26. speaking of Dives and the other Lazarus so that we must conclude his soul to be in that temporal Hell spoken of in our Creed or no where at all and Holy David cryes out to God saying Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell for Lord thou lovest me c. Now this may be objected two wayes against Protestants First that if it meant the Grave what should his soul do to be left there And secondly if it means that temporall Hell as undoubtedly it doth then it plainly shows that his soul was there because it saith Thou wilt not leave it in Hell We may gather much to our present purpose from the last Text mentioned in Saint Luke where Dives being in Hell lift up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off ver 23. and Lazarus in his bosom which plainly proves Abraham and Lazarus not to be in Heaven for could the damned in Hell see the Saints in Heaven it would be no Hell to them since the sight of Heaven is so glorious it would take away the sense of Hell and so make them happy in that unhappy place Again if Abraham had been in Heaven according to Protestants opinion they could not hear one the other speak being at that vast distance as Heaven and Hell is for they say how can the Saints hear our prayers on earth much less if not so could they hear them in Hell We may again observe that the place where Abraham and the Fathers were was not far from the local Hell of the damned but as St. Augustine saith The upper part or over it some distance where holy Abraham saith ver 26. there was a gulf that separated the passage one to the other because they could both see and speak one to the other And thus having made it so manifestly appear I hope none that professes the truth of the Bible will now any more defile their souls with envy to the holy Catholick Church which teacheth all truth and nothing but the truth if you had but as right an understanding of all that is there taught as you have of this but be rather induced to the practice of it and with Saint Augustin to conclude Who is there but an Infidel August 99. Ep. in prin will deny that Christ was in this temporal Hell Chap. 5. Proving that Angels and Saints in Heaven do know what passeth here on Earth and so consequently may be prayed to by us for their mediation to God in our behalf THe mindes of men being naturally inclined to search and know the nature of hidden things doth oftentimes take indirect wayes to accomplish the knowledge of them and yet come short in their designs too This thing as it was the sin of our first Parents so is it a great corruption in this present age amongst many thousands which would make us believe they know on earth what power and happiness the Blessed Angels and Saints have in heaven and will grant them no more priviledge then what their shallow brains can comprehend they have quite contrary to that saying of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 2. ver 9. Eye hath not seen nor ear hath not heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him so infinitely out of our understanding are the qualities of glorified souls which Angels and Saints are But to let those people know how much they deceive themselves in fostering such pernicious opinions I will prove both by Scripture and Reason that they do know all our actions here on earth and that it is agreeable to the nature of Angels to know them my first place is from Saint Lukes Gospel Luke 2. ver 13. where so soon as our Saviour was born on earth the Angels came from heaven to the Shepheards to anounce it to them and singing with great joy a little before one in particular told them ver 10. that he preached to them great joy for a Saviour was born to them by which it is plain that the Angel knew when he was in heaven that he was born so likewise our Saviour when he was in the Wilderness after his temptation the Text saith Mat. 4. ver 11. The Angels came and ministred unto him by which you may see how ready those blessed Spirits are in all things and occasions to assist in our salvation Again when our Blessed Saviour was in his direful Agony in the Garden sweating drops of Blood for us Saint Luke saith Luke 22. ver 43. There appeared an Angel to him from heaven and strengthned him from which words we may gather 1. That if Angels lent their assistance to strengthen Christ who is the God of strength much more will they to us by Gods permission who are of our selves nothing but weakness 2. That if they knew not what passeth on earth how could they so readily assist us as we read in many places of the Bible they have done and as I shall prove hereafter Our Saviour saith likewise by the same Evangelist Luke 15. ver 13. That there is joy in heaven of the Angels at the conversion of a sinner by which it is clear that they must know when every sinner is converted or how should they know when to rejoyce So likewise in the tran figuration of our Saviour Christ Moses and Elias appeared to him and talked with him so that if they being out of this world had not known of his being on Mount Thabor Mark 9. ver 4. how should they have waited upon him And again our Saviour saith That his Apostles shall sit with him in judgement Mat. 19. ver 28. and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel and Saint Paul saith The Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. ver 1.2 which could not be if they did not know what passeth in the world for in reason no Judge can or will pass Sentence upon any man before he knows what he is guilty of by all which it is as manifest and clear as to see the Sun when it shines in the Firmament that Angels and Saints know what passeth here on earth Again it is very much to our purpose to consider what passed at the Death of Saint Stephen where the Text saith He looked into heaven Acts 7. ver 54 55 56. and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God from whence it is evident and plain that if Saint Stephen could upon earth see into heaven where God himself was that he can now being glorified in heaven see and know what passeth upon earth in a far larger measure and so may be prayed unto for his assistance Ver. 60. for if he at his Death had so much charity to pray
ravening Wolves But again our Saviour saith in Saint Marks Gospel Mark 10. v. 29 30. There is no man that hath left house or lands or Wife and Children for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold here and in the world to come eternal life Thus in many places is this truth made so clear to us by Christ himself that I hope none will be so much an Infidel as to practice the contrary But further to show you this truth observe this notable place concerning this point where our Saviour speaking concerning the general day of Judgement declares for what causes some are saved and some damned for to the just he saith Mat. 25. v. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you and then in the next verse he tells them for what causes they are made eternally happy Ver. 35. For I was a hungry and you gave me meat I was thirsty and you gave me drink naked and you clothed me c. And the reasons why them on his left hand received the sentence of hell fire was because they did not do these good works which the other had done Ver. 41 42. and so as the just by good deeds had obtained heaven so the wicked by their evil ones had obtained hell Now I verily think that if a Heathen or Jew should read this Book they would say it was rather made for instructing them in the Faith of Christ then for those that profess themselves Christians and to believe the Bible and yet to deny all this thus proved by the Bible Now having proved this by the words of Christ we will see what Saint Paul his Apostle saith who I will warrant you is of the same minde as you shall see by his words to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 3. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour by which words it is plain that every man shall receive his reward according as he hath himself deserved And in the second to Timothy he saith I have fought the good fight I have kept the faith Chap. 4. v. 7.8 henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which God the righteous judge will give me at that day and to all that love his appearing Now here we see that Saint Paul knew his reward for those good works and declares that all that loves Gods appearing shall be rewarded at the last day And more in his Epistle to the Hebrews Heb. 6. v. 10. he speaks to the purpose in this point That God is not unrighteous to forget you work and labour of love which ye have shewed towards his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints Now you may perceive St. Pauls Opinion which was that it would seem unjust in God if he should not reward our good works but as certain it is that God cannot be unjust so is it as certain that he will reward our good deeds done in communion with his Church which if our works did not deserve or merit we should receive no reward at all but on the contrary receive an eternal punishment Again Saint John Evangelist saith in the Revelation Rev. 3. v. 4. To him that shall overcome shall thus be invested in white Garments and I will not put his name out of the Book of Life and I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels And again Ver. 12. He that shall overcome I will make him a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go out no more And in another place he saith Ver. 21. To him that shall overcome will I grant to sit with me in my Throne I might and could produce many more places out of holy Scripture to this purpose but they that will not believe these will not care for ten thousand proofs made against their perverse principles but I will onely advise those that have any care of their salvation to consider first what Gods word which is truth it self declares to them And secondly what the practise of our Church is in this and other points of Religion and how agreeable to the same word as is clearly shown for in reason onely is this apparent to all Christians that if God as he doth inspire us to do all our good works then must needs those works be meritorious because God inspired them to be done and hath promised to reward the doing of them according to that of Saint John Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life Rev. 22. v. 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his work Chap. 11. Proving that Gods Church cannot Erre in her Doctrine of Religion and so may be trusted in by every Christian contrary to Protestants opinion DID the Adversaries of Gods Church but consider with themselves what authority and courage and order it hath exercised for this sixteen hundred years they would surely conclude that no government but that of Gods holy Spirit could ever perform the like for by its authority it hath alwayes supprest and beaten down Heresies and by her courage overcome all the torments and sufferings her enemies could invent to lay upon her and by her Order hath ever retained in her Members one uniform Faith and Obedience in all places where her Doctrine hath been spread which if it be granted or can be proved that Gods Holy Spirit is at all times with his Church to direct her in her Doctrine I hope none will deny but that then she is infallible and so cannot possibly be capable of Errour and that it is so shall be made manifestly to appear if you will believe Christ himself who cannot deceive us where in Saint Johns Gospel telling his Disciples that he must go to his heavenly Father to prepare them places at length he gives them and his whole Church this Consolation And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14. v. 16. Now we all know that the Apostles were not to remain for ever upon earth for they are dead and gone so that this promise of Christ was to them and his Church after them which is to remain to the end of the world and in the next verse he tells them who this comforter shall be Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive Now I would fain know how Gods Church can Erre in what she declares to us of Faith Ver. 17. when Gods Holy Spirit is with it And again But the Comforter Ver. 26. which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things Now we may be sure that since the Holy Ghost is to teach the Church all things there can be nothing but Truth taught
in Scripture then are we bound to believe it for this is a general crime in this Age that men think nothing can be true if their narrow capacities cannot comprehend it as if all the mysteries of our Faith were so open for every ones understanding to enter the knowledge of them which if they were so then there were no need of Faith because Faith is onely required in those things our natures cannot comprehend and so might every Turk and Pagan be as good a Believer as a Christian therefore for the redress of this evil we are to understand whether Christ gave this power to his Apostles or no for if they had the power to pardon sins as being the Heads of his Church the same power must remain to their Successours in that Church because otherwise all succeeding Ages would receive no benefit by that gift which our Saviour gave for the good of us all that lay hold of it And to prove that they had this power is plain and easie enough first from Saint Matthews Gospel where our Saviour telling Saint Peter he would build his Church on him he saith Mat. 16. v. 18 19. And I will give thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven by which it is clear that he had a great power given him to pardon or not to pardon and that those which he did not pardon on earth should not be pardoned in heaven which is the same in Gods Church to this day and therefore let every one consider what reason they have to be members of it by which consists our eternal salvation Again our Saviour tells his Disciples in general saying Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven Mat. 18. v. 18. and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven by which it is plain that they had this power of remission of sins and to deny the same power to their Successours in Gods Church would in my esteem be very unreasonable And as in all other points of Faith the contempt of them proceeds from a want of a right understanding of them as I have shown elsewhere so is it the same in this for it is buzzed in poor peoples ears Can man pardon sins or can Priests forgive us or the Pope absolve us without any consideration of the nature of it at all for if we rightly understood our selves or did but consult with reason we should soon be undeceived in this mystery For in the first place know that it is the gift of Christ himself and therefore not to be questioned by any man Secondly Priests cannot pardon sins by any natural power they have more then other men but by a supernatural grace from God we know and confess that it appertains to God onely by nature to pardon sins and so doth many other things as working of Miracles and casting out of Devils and healing the sick and the like which power we know God hath given unto men as well as the other proved by Christ himself where he speaking of all that truly believed in him saith he These signes shall follow Mark 16. v. 17 18. in my name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover now it is certain all these excellencies appertains to God by nature but if he is pleased to give this power to men what reason have we to question or be offended with it which power is equal to that of remission of sins and we see are both given to men by God Thirdly we are to consider that Priests do not pardon our sinnes immediately from themselves but Ministerially as when they apply the words of Absolution on us God hath promised to pardon us otherwayes he will not John 20. v. 23. as Christ saith Whose sins ye remit they are remitted and whose sins ye retain they are retained so that you see this is plainly true if you dare believe Christ himself Now that this may not seem strange to you do but consider that great vertue that is in Baptisme where by the application of water and a few words by the Priest or Minister the childe is pardoned of all its original sin now it is not the Minister nor Water nor words that pardons the Childe but God himself who is pleased by them and that means to do it and yet it is so far from dishonouring God that he is honoured by it because it is his holy will it should be so and this all Protestants believe which is as great a gift of God to mankinde as is the other and by all people thus plainly understood will not appear so strange and monstrous as they are made believe it is now we may plainly see how far those kinde of men are from being in Gods Church that do not onely not practise this truth but rail against and contemn it though it be published by our Blessed Saviour himself for the good of the whole world Again consider if God had not ordained this in his Church how should we know that our sins are pardoned by God at all or when they are so pardoned but that he hath promised when they do it on earth he will do it in heaven and this is our onely assurance and as it were a mark by which we know our sins are pardoned that we may thank his Divine Name for it which otherwise we should be very uncertain when to do I shall conclude this Chapter with that wholesome Counsel of St. Augustine who desireth That none make doubt of the Priests right in Remission of Sins Aug. No. Test q. 53 seeing the Holy Ghost is purposely given them to do the same in which case if any be yet contentious he must deny the Holy Ghost to be God and not to have power to pardon sins And onely adde that of St. Ambrose who saith St. Amb. lib. 1. c 7. de peuitent Why should it be more dishonour to God or more impossible or inconvenient for men to forgive sins by Pennance then by Baptisme seeing that it is the Holy Ghost that doth it by the Priests Office and Ministery in both Chap. 13. Proving the Churches Vniversality and that no Church is or can be Catholick but the Roman against the Opinion of Protestants OF all the great actions that God hath openly done for mankinde there is none that he hath declared more apparently then that his Church should be spread in all parts and corners of the whole world to the intent that all Nations hearing the sound of the Gospel there could be none that might plead any ignorance in the not hearing of it Now as this shall be proved by the words of Christ himself
so I will first show it you by the Infallible Prophesies of the Prophets of God Isa 2. v. 2. and first of Isaiah And it shall come to pass in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountains Christs Church and shall be exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it so here is one true testimony that the Catholick Church shall be spread in all parts and all Nations shall partake of her holy Doctrine and not to lye hid in a corner as in one Kingdome or City or Congregation or this mans Church or that mans Church as all Sectaries do by which I shall plainly prove they cannot be any thing like Gods Church And again the same Prophet saith speaking of the many benefits that we shall enjoy under Christs Church That the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord Chap. 11 v. 9 10. as the waters cover the Sea Now as we know they are spread in all parts of the world so is the knowledge of Gods truth spread by his Church in the same manner which quality agreeth to no other Church but the Roman Catholick The same Prophet declares further Chap. 49. v. 22 23. That Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy nursing Mothers and to show the great reverence they should bear to this Church of God saith he They shall bow down to thee with their faces toward the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet Now I would demand what Church or Sect in the Christian world that hath Kings and Queens for their nursing Fathers and Mothers but the Roman Catholick and so by consequence cannot be the Church of God but are as wandering sheep having no true shepherd and so are daily exposed to the rage and fury of that ravening wolf John 10. v. 12. the Devil Again the same Prophet speaking how largely Gods Church should be stretched forth under the Gospel Isa 54. v. 2 3. saith Enlarge the place of thy Tent let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation spare not lengthen thy Cords and strengthen thy stakes for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate Cities to be inhabited Now let the understanding Reader judge where this Prophesie is fulfilled in Protestants and Sectaties or in the Roman Church which is thus stretched out and hath her Members in the West-Indies and East-Indies in China in Tartary in Egypt in Assyria in Africa and Asia in Turky and all parts of Europe as the Empire of Germany the Kingdoms of Spain France Poland England Dominions of Italy and every Land in Christendom is either all or a considerable part of this Church which none in the world can say besides and so are very far off from fulfilling this Prophesie And in another place he saith Chap. 66. v. 18. And it shall come to pass that I will gather all Nations and Tongues and they shall come and see my glory Thus hath this holy Prophet by Gods inspiration foretold clearly the Universal or Catholick State of the Church of God in the time of the Gospel and Jeremiah the Prophet hath not been silent in Prophesying the fame for saith he Jer. 31. v 37. If heaven above can be measured and the foundation of the earth searched out beneath then will I cast off the seed of Israel and the measuring line shall go forth from Gareb to compass about Goath all which do declare the large extent of Christs Church And for confirmation of these Prophesies and what else hath been said I shall produce now the words of our Blessed Saviour himself who telling his Disciples of all the troubles they were to suffer for his name before Kings and Judges Ma k 13. v. 10. but saith he The Gospel must first be published among all Nations which plainly shows that Gods Church must be Catholick or Universal and I would fain learn from our Adversaries what Church hath taken the pains to publish the Gospel to all Nations and so fulfil these Prophesies but the Pastors of the Church of Rome for this may be urged to the shame of all Sects that if none took more pains in converting of Heathens Jews and Infidels then they do many millions of souls might perish for want of the knowledge of the living God but they instead of labouring to convert forreign Nations and so make the Church Universal lie at home in a corner of the world jangling one with another and sleeping on beds of Doun in Ladies bosoms and yet by all means theirs is the true Church and they the onely Pastors sent to convert the world and yet never intend to go about any such matter It is a wonderful thing to consider that men that read the Bible and all these Prophesies can be so ignorant to think that Gods Church should be pinn'd up in so narrow limits as any one Sect or Congregation did Christ himself preach for that and command his Apostles to publish the Gospel to all Nations who did so and lost their lives in that work was all this done I say to have his Church thrust up in a corner and to be no where else how then shall all Nations come to know God how shall they be Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost how shall they partake of any Sacraments how shall the Church hear their differences Mat. 18. v. 17. and decide them as our Saviour saith it shall how I say shall all this be done if it were so straitned but since she is a Catholick Church she is every where and so all persons inspired by God in all places may receive if they will the foresaid benefits which otherwise can never be done And thus is plainly shown you that there is an Universal Church and that it is the Roman Catholick is as plain in its agreement with Gods Word according to Saint Paul who highly commends the same Faith Rom. 1. v. 7 8. in these words To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ First I thank my God for you all that your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole world from which words we may gather that if the Faith of the Romans was so inlarged in the world sixteen hundred years ago that now it is much more for then Gods Church was but in her Infancy and now she is in her flourishing State she was then under most cruel persecutions by Tyrants and now praised be God she is at rest with her friends so that now we may clearly see that all those that are shut up in such narrow Corners are meerly Sects and Heresies and are clean shut out from the bosom of the Spouse of Christ which is his Holy Catholick Church
Gods Church that they have not yet left their Cradles that is they are rocked up and down by their new opinions and so far from being settled that it is to be feared they never will for what wise man can be so much an enemy to truth as to think Gods Church was not spread in the world before Henry the Eighths time or Martin Luthers or John Calvins The rise of all Sectaries who were the first bringers in of all Religions but the Roman as every one knows which hath read any thing and for such men who were known to be leud and evil livers to pretend new lights and discoveries from God for the alteration of Christian Religion who seeth not but that it was preposterous as it hath proved for I would demand why did our Blessed Saviour preach Christian Religion and send his Apostles and Disciples to preach the same to all Nations in the world that they might plant true points of Faith and they did do it and watered it with their Blood was this done for nothing that when these pretended Reformers came they must make the world believe that God would undo all again what had been practised so long in all Christendome to have new Religions of their making set up sure these men thought that either God knew not what he did when he planted the first or that all people but themselves were very simple to receive a second Faith from them of their own inventing as plainly appeared soon after and doth still for no sooner were they severally grown to any authority with silly people but they began to rail and revile one against the other just as we see their succeeding followers do to this day which indeed is proper to all Sectaries and Hereticks to do which shewed then and now of what far distance their doctrine was from pleasing God who is the God of peace and hareth contention as also far from being of his Church since there is no such custome as Saint Paul saith and yet we see by wofull experience in this Kingdome how these Sects which are the spawn of Heresie still grow more and more amongst us and in their increasing are still more monstrous then at first in their opinions against God and Christian Religion and yet they say as the first of them did that God hath sent them to convert and purge the world and bring in new Relgions and so all Hereticks that come after this Age will say the like and so it seems by them that God will never settle any but have every Age a new Religion And thus we may see what a tempestuous sea Heresie is which tumbles them up and down that follow it and never are at rest here till they imbarque themselves in the secure Ship of the Catholick Church where God himself is the Pilot from whence those unhappy souls that went out and were the cause of these prodigious storms have suffered shipwrack on the quick-sands of their own giddy fancies Again let us observe further how monstrous these Heresies and Factions are and how destructive both to mens souls and to Monarchy in the Civill Government of our Bodies First we may easily perceive what ruine it hath brought to many souls Their bad practices and proceedings when they are taught to deny all these Principles of Faith proved in this Book by the word of God and other high points by some of them as the Godhead of Christ and the Holy Ghost is denyed by Antebaptists and Quakers and too many others and Baptisme of Infants and amongst them altogether is practised such a furious contempt of Gods word and all the Sacraments and Divine Mysteries of Christian Religion as never was yet known or heard of in the Christian world before so that some people are even distracted and know not where to go for to finde rest for their souls because so many Sects pretend for the truth and are all false because as Saint Paul saith there is but one Faith one God and one Baptisme and the Catholick Church is the onely Haven for all those troubled spirits that seek for truth to finde repose in And how destructive they are to Civill Government I need not quote any Authour to prove it since our King and Kingdome at home as well as others abroad have felt the hellish hands of Heresie and faction in such sort that Rebelling against our deceased lawful Sovereign they did not onely spill his Royal Blood but thousands of his Subjects and this under the appearance of Religion too as well as any but they that see not these to be snares and pits of the Devil deserve to fall into them since none but those that are wilfully blinde can be caught in such visible ginns And now as I have briefly shown you the rough and stormy Seas of Heresie and Factions so I will open the gate to let you see the smooth and pleasantest Waters of Gods Church which runs through every vein of the world peaceably without noise or disturbance agreeable to his Word wo said My peace I leave with you and that you love one another as I have loved you which words of our Saviour is no where observed as I have shown by the malice and contentions that is amongst Hereticks but in the Catholick Church The Churches Antiquity and rise which hath had this peace which Christ left ever since he left it and as it began then in his time and the Apostles to be a famous Church throughout the world so hath it continued in the same splendor and purity to this day as is plainly seen first by her being so conformable in her Doctrine she now teacheth to the true and infallible word of God as I have proved Secondly in her continuance of her lawful Line of Pastours Thirdly in her Apostolical care for the Conversion of Nations that know not God which otherwise might perish Fourthly The Churches practice by her Miracles famed throughout the world as our Saviour said who ever did believe truly in him should have power to cast out Devils Mark 16. v. 17 18. and take up Serpents and drink poison and not hurt them so his Church which hath onely truly believed in him hath onely had many Members that hath truly done those Miracles as many Protestants themselves confess Again if we consider the different order that is in both Churches it may justly amaze all reasonable men the Priests of the Catholick Church never marry nor enjoy any great Estates that so they may be freely divested from the worlds interests as the Apostles were to attend wholly to perform their charge in Gods Church and the conversion of souls on the contrary the Ministers of all other Churches do generally marry and enjoy very great Possessions and Riches by which they are so incumbred with the world as very few are more as we daily see by their continual Suits of Law and griping cares to advance themselves from one