THE ADVISE OF A SONNE NOVV PROFESSING THE RELIGION ESTABLISHED IN the present Church of England to his deare Mother yet a Roman Catholike AC OX AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes Printer to the Vni versitie 1616. THE ADVISE OF A SONNE VNTO HIS MOTHER SEeing it hath pleased God to appoint you the meane of my being in the world by whose holy ordinance you may iustly chalenge as of your right frō me all sincere affection dutie and observation and besides the bond of Nature my obligacion being much encreased by your most louing and cōtinued care of me even from my childhood it is now my part and that vnder perill of a curse if I neglect it by all meanes I may to yeeld comforts to your yeares and from my hart and soule to wish that when your temporarie daies on earth shal end you may by the mercy of God take possession of the eternall ioyes of heaven I know and haue witnesses of this so many as haue knowne you that your intentions haue ever aimed at this mark your life and actions haue beene a rare patterne to your sexe alwaies well declaring your devotion zeale to the service of God The which being the principall end of our creation howsoever the generalitie now in this state of corruption trāsported with the cares the pleasures and enticements of this life lay it not to the heart it is without question a blessing incomparable whereof none can judge but they that feele it when God of his meere mercie by his holy Spirit shal moue the heart of a sinful creature who before delighted only in the way of his owne destruction sincerely to seeke and serue him for this we may build vpon as a truth that must admit no question that never any shall haue their place in heaven whose hearts by grace haue not beene truely moued to this duty heere on earth Since then the time of this life is the moment wherevpon dependeth etermitie of weale or woe it behooveth every Christian that desires salvation seriously to consider of the way he walkes in especially seeing we learne frō our Lord Master Christ himselfe that the way is narrow that leadeth vnto eternall life and that they are but few that finde it Yet this difficultie of finding the way to heaven riseth from the passengers wilfulnesse or want of care for the truth is that of the small company that make profession of Christianity in the world the greatest part howsoever they disguise themselues in acting their parts on earth with a maske of religion yet never aiming sincerely at salvation for their end wholly neglect the meanes and so runne the broad way to hell Others better weighing the shortnesse and instability of this present life and well foreseeing their future mortality in a state most blessed or no lesse accursed desire earnestly the joyes of heaven yet never attending diligently to attaine them by that way which God hath directed for that end but relying vpon guides whom they choose themselues at adventure to conduct them are carried blindfold at the last thorough vncertaine by-paths to their certain ruine It is true that God hath never failed in every age to send faithfull guides into the world to direct his servants in this earthly passage but it is likewise found true by woefull experience that the Divell hath heere his swarmes of agents likewise to mislead vs and of those very many who haue learned the skill of their master the Prince of darknesse to transforme themselues into the shape of the messengers of light If wee looke to the Church consisting of the Iewes alone before the comming of Christ we finde it recorded by the holy Prophets of God that it was in continuall danger by reason of false prophets and seducing Pastors that did infest it who a ler. 14.14 prophesied in the name of God when he sent them not so that as the Prophet Esay complaineth b Esay 9.16 The leaders of this people caused them to erre and they that were led by them were destroyed When Christ our Saviour came into the world who were they that most opposed him but the Scribes the Pharisies the high Priests who were then esteemed and tooke vpon them to be the guides and leaders of the people nay to discourage their Nation from receiving the doctrine of their salvation they thought it enough to presse this question c Ioh. 7.48 Doe any of the Rulers or of the Pharisies beleeue in him but this people that know not the Law c. In the time of the Gospell wee are forewarned of false teachers that shall rise vp in the Church who shal come neverthelesse in the name of Christ taking vpon them to be our guides nay some of them shall put on so faire a vizard of outward carriage as that they shall seduce if it were possible Gods chosen children So that it will concerne vs no lesse then the losse or salvation of our soules to be wary in our choice of the guides we follow for though it be certaine that the blinde and seducing teacher shall for his hire haue his portion in hell with his Master for whom he laboured yet must the seduced likewise know that they cannot escape the judgement of God so the one with the other fal at last into the pit of eternal ruine But herein to make vs the more inexcusable almighty God out of his infinit care of mans salvatiō hath not only forewarned vs of these noysome weeds that shall daily spring vp in his Church to the endangering of the corne but to make vs able to discerne betweene the true Pastors of his flocke and those impostors that endeavour to delude vs he sends vs none to treate with vs in this great affaire concerning our saluation but with instructions in writing and those open to our view requiring vs to whom these messengers are sent to haue an eye to their commission d Esay 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this rule it is because there is no light in them It is true that from the first creation of the world for divers ages there was no written Word but as God himselfe was pleased to bee the immediate teacher of our first parents so afterwards frō time to time he raised vp preachers for his people whom in divers manners hee inspired with knowledge and enabled for this worke of instructing others in his true feare and service But when once it pleased God in his wisdome to appoint Moses that holy man to be the faithfull pen-man of his everlasting Law which he gaue for the government and direction of his Church it is required as a duty of the people of God e Iosh 1.8 That this booke of the Law depart not out of their mouthes That they meditate therein day and night To observe and doe according to all that is written therein And to restraine vs from wandring out of
the compasse of this written law this charge is giuen f Deut. 4.2 That wee put nothing to the Word which hee commands vs nor take ought therefrom that wee may keepe the Commandements of the Lord our God which are commanded And although the Prophesies were penned after at sundrie times by men vndoubtedly directed by the holy Ghost yet shal we find no new article of doctrine delivered in them but they serue many times to explaine the law They Prophesie of Christ to come the accomplisher of the law and generally they are all Gods Heraulds to denounce his iudgements and heavie wrath against the transgressors of the law of Moses But in the fulnesse of time when Christ came into the world of whome Moses and the Prophets wrote the Gospell was published which was no other but a cleare declaration of the prophesies and the law whereof a learned Father aptly giues this note g August de Carichisand Rud. That in the olde testament the New is hidden and in the new is the manifestation of the olde And this Gospel was first preached but after as one other of the Ancients observeth well h Iren. advers haeres l. 3. c. 1. was by the will of God delivered in the Scriptures to be the pillar and foundation of our faith And in this sacred booke is wonderfully set foorth vnto vs the infinite wisdome of the supreame Law-maker of the world for as in the civill government of earthly Kingdomes those lawes are ever commended most that leave least to the discretion of the Iudge and never hath any common-weale had laws so exactly framed but with time they haue bin sound sensibly defectiue in this point so certainely this perfection is peculiar only to the written laws of the Lord of heaven so farre foorth that for the ministers of this law to adde or alter any one thing respecting the religious dutie and service wee owe to God though but in offering strange fire before the Lord as did Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron makes them liable to his wrath and malediction for their presumption This moued Saint Augustine that reverend Father alluding to the words of the blessed Apostle confidently to pronounce i Contra Lit. Petilian lib. 3. cap. 6. That whether concerning Christ or concerning the Church of Christ or concerning any thing that pertaineth to our faith and life we will not say if we but if an Angell from heaven shall preach vnto you but what you haue received in the Scriptures of the Law and the Gospell accursed be hee The consideration of this gaue me occasion to forsake my communion with the Church of Rome in whose bosome I receiued the first instruction for matter of my salvation as you your selfe deare Mother can well remember But after divers yeares when by accident this principle had taken impression in me k Rom. 10 1â— That faith commeth by hearing of the word of God and then calling to mind that many points of the religion I haue embraced were not to bee found within the volume of Gods sacred booke I began to question with my masters of that Church whom I did then reverence and admire as men wholly composed to devotion and sinceritie by what authority they could approve theÌ„ where after many paffages with the relation wherof I thinke not fit to trouble you their resolution was That a great portion of Gods word was not l Little of Gods word is committed to writing the greatest part of it is come to vs by tradition Hosius Confess Polon pag 383. contained within the holy Scriptures but delivered in safe custodie to passe from hand to hand by tradition for the truth and certainty whereof they tolde me I must depend vpâ—n the credit of their m Alphons 2 Castro advers haeres l. 1. c. 5. Church the which after much debate they resolved at the last into the bosome of the n Mater Ecclesia per osâ— summi pontificis loquens Bellar. Apol. contra praef monito serenissi Reg. Iac. pag. 78. Romane Bishop when I considered this and perceiued in the end the weaknesse of the grounds that must warrant the truth of these vnwritten verities as they style them I thought it no longer safe-to commit my selfe for direction to those guides my masiers I meane of the Church of Rome of whom in my conscience we may complain as the Prophet Ieremy did of the false teachers in his dayes o Ierem. 8.9 They haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is then in them For although it caÌ„not be denied but they reteine and publish some principles of our Christian profession according to the truth of Gods holy word yet even those truths they recommend vnto vs vpon as perillous false a ground as if a man should therfore beleeue Christ Jesus to be the Sonne of the living God because the Divell did confesse it To this purpose deare Mother I beseech you to note that whereas Gods sacred word is left vnto vs to be the rule and foundation of our faith and religion my masters of Rome intending to build a new thinke it proper first to lay a new foundation in place of the holy Scriptures to be the rule direction of our faith they advaÌ„ce their Church the which neverthelesse being rightly vnderstood holds no resemblaÌ„ce with the Church in truth And the rather to invite vs to pin our faith vpon this their Church they tender vs some formes of truth the which when wee haue embraced vpon their Churches authority shee will not leaue vs so but this Church that teacheth vs to worship God by like authority wil then require vs to worship p Seeing Christ is to be adored with divine worship his Image also is to be adored with the same adoration Tho Aquin part 3. q. 25. art 3. Images Shee that teacheth vs to pray to God wil command vs likewise to pray trourblessed Ladie and the q The new Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth Saints Shee that teacheth vs that Christ by one offring of his body once made in sacrifice vpon the Crosse hath purchased remission for our sinnes requireth vs likewise to beleene that she offers dayly vnto God the same reall body of Christ in sacrifice which himselfe offered vpon the Crosse as a r I consesse that in the Masse is offered to God a true proper and propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead ibid. propitiation for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead She that teacheth vs that Christ hath madesatisfaction for his sin by blood-shedding and bitter passion will teach vs withall that our selues must make satisfaction for some sort of our sins by our workes of penance the which if wee neglect that then wee must satisfie Gods justice for them after this life by suffering paines in a purgatory fire vnlesse this holy Mother out of compassion shall free vs by her indulgence á favour she
will be saved Bishop the seminary of traditions against Mr Perkins That the doctrine of salvation at least so much as every simple Christian is bound to beleeue vnder perill of damnation is contained in the holy Scriptures though not so for himselfe and his learned brethren but then will they taxe the Scriptures with obscuritie discourage you from medling with them vnder that pretense affirming that they cannot be comprehended by the capacitie of the vulgar vnlearned reader To this I oppose the iudgement of S. Austin who plainely tels vs p Enarrat i◠Psal 8. That God hath howed downe the Scriptures even to the capacitie of babes and sucklings That when proud men will not speake to their capacitie yet himselfe might To like purpose S. Chrysostome q Homil. 3. de Lazaro That God hath penned the Scriptures by the hands of Publicans Fishermen Tentmakers Shepherds Neatherds and vnlearned men that none of the simple people might haue any excuse to keep them from reading and that so they might bee easily vnderstood of all men the Artificer the Housholder and widows woman and him that is most vnlearned c. thus he To the resolution of these learned Fathers my Masters of Rome will reply with a question If the doctrine of salvation be so plainely proposed in the holy Scriptures how it should come to passe that it is so diversely vnderstood Arrius reads it denies the divinitie of Christ Eutiches reads it and denies his humanitie the Graecians read it and esteeme it folly The Jewes read it and are offended at it It is read at this day in the Church of Rome as likewise in the Church in the communion whereof wee liue and different opinions are collected from it yet of either side it is true there are men of excellent gifts both for wit learning As if my Masters of Rome were ignorant that wit and learning if not guided by the holy Ghost were so farre from being means to further vs to a right vnderstanding of Gods word as that the more they abound in any man apart from grace the more irrecouerable many times they plunge him into errour delusion for as the light of the Sunne though visible yet is not discerned by a blinde man even so although it bee true which S. Austin teacheth r De doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. That those things which concerne our faith conversation yea all things necessarie are plainely and manifestly set downe in the holy Scriptures yet the doctrine of salvation contained in them being the obiect of faith not of witte and humane learning which faith is the speciall worke of the holy Ghost in man and never rightly and vsefully vnderstood beleeved of any but such only as sincerely applying themselues to the outward meanes of seeking instruction by hearing and reading Gods holy word obtaine withal by hearty prayer the direction of Gods blessed spirit ſ 1. Cor. 2.14 for the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are discerned spiritually as the Apostle tels vs. My masters of Rome wil heere be carping with a question whether every reader or hearer of the scriptures may assure himselfe to haue the spirit of God I say not so spiritus vhi vult spirat but this I say and am assured that I say the truth t Rom. 8.9 that he that hath not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his and in an other place we are plainely taught u Rom. 8.14 That they that are governed by the spirit of God they are the children of God from al which this conclusion wil cleerly follow that as it is impossible for vs vnlesse by hearing or reading we acquaint our selues with the language of the holy scriptures to distinguish with the sheep of Christ between the shepheards voice and the voice of strangers so it is our part seriously and from the heart to seeke to God to enlighten our vnderstāding by the gift of his holy spirit without which this everlasting word of life proues to none but the savour of death to their eternall destruction My masters of Rome I presume will be intreated to acknowledge this that there is no true servant of God but hath in this life the holy Ghost for a pledge of his adoption e Rom. 8.15.16 which testifieth to his spirit that he is the child of God and shame I thinke will not suffer them to make it questionable whether this spirit of God that was so powerfull with the blessed Apostles as from vnlearned Fishermen as diverse of them were to enable them for teachers of the world may likewise bee now of power to prepare the heart of the simplest hearer or reader of Gods holy word truely to apprehend therein the mysteries of his salvation But how shall any man say they be certaine that he hath the spirit of god I must confesse the truth of this is felt before it can be learned yet as the man that hath his bodily sight being demanded how hee can bee certaine that bee hath his eyes could giue no other answer but that by seeing he is assured that he hath his eyes and by his eyes he is assured that he sees even so the spirit of God being the eye whereby the soule discerneth in spirituall things the inward light of vnderstanding in Gods faithfull seruants apprehending and beleeuing the grounds of faith deliuered in the holy Scriptures assures them that they haue the spirit of God abiding in them and by the same spirit revealing vnto them out of Gods holy word which is infallible the doctrine of salvation their consciences are secured that they vnderstand and beleeue the truth Yet would I not be thought to hold that every faithfull Christian in this life did attaine to a perfect knowledge of all the deepe mysteries that are to be found within the booke of God I knowe there is depth for the Elephant to swimme and safe place for the Lambe to wade in and it is most certaine that since the Apostles Evangelists left the world the holy Ghost to hold the children of God in humility to moue them the more carefully to attend the subordinate meanes prescribed for the gaining of Christian learning as fervēt prayer with diligence in hearing Gods word preached taught by the pastors of his Church and seeking to them for their helpe and instruction vpon all occasions of doubt hath tempered their knowledge with such measure as that they shall but vnderstand in part yet shall they never faile to vnderstand so much as shal suffice to bring them to a sauing faith But here a question may be moued seeing it is true as in part I haue noted that God by his ordinance hath assigned the ministery of the Church I meane the instructions of her Pastors both private pub-like to bee one meane to bring his children to the knowledge of his truth whether it be imposed
maine supporter of all religion at this day in the Church of Rome is not so ancient by many ages in the world as is the Alcoran of that accursed Mahomet If the foundation be proved new what rule can they propose to secure your conscience for the antiquity of the building their coÌ„tinued Priesthood their daily sacrifice their satisfactions for sinne their workes of merit their reall change in the Sacrament their adoration of it their mangled communion their worship of Images their prayers to Saints their Auricular Confession their Purgatory fire with all that trumperie besides which they tender vnder the name and disguised habite of Church traditions Certainly all these are terrae filij If they seeke to the Scriptures for their originall they will be sent packing with we know you not Possibly it may be demanded what I thinke of our forefathers who liued in the latter ages of the world while these mists of Popery lay thicke vpon the face of the visible Church in these Westerne parts Were they damned all God forbid that any man should be so savage to write or think so I verily beleeve and haue beene alwaies taught so that as well the Church of England as other of forraine parts when the tyranny and corruptions of the Papacie did most oppresse them were neverthelesse portions of Gods vniversall Church and sent many soules to God For even in these when they were most obscured with errour and ignorance yet all essentiall points of Christian doctrine were to bee learned touching the invocation and worshippe of God touching our redemption by Christ Iesus crucified touching our observation of Gods commandements so the rest so that concerning out forefathers this may suffice that as wee are bound in Christian charitie to hope the best of their salvation that before vs embraced the faith of Christ though possibly divers of them might approue in grosse some errors of the time wherein they liued never apprehending in particular the scope meaning of them so yet is it no way safe for vs to make our forefathers our rule of faith In the Church coÌ„sisting of the Iewes before Christs comming into the world the holy Prophets of God were so farre from making their forefathers a rule to follow as that to the contrary we shal finde nothing more familiar with them then to warne the people of God That they walke not in the ordinances of their fathers t Psal 78.8 Not to be as their forefathers a faithlesse stabborne generation a generation that set not their heart aright c. and to like purpose in sundry places But for resolution of this point it is our part to follow the direction of Saint Cyprian that holy Martyr of the Church u Lib. 2. Epist 3. If Christ onely bee to bee heard not to listen what any man before vs hath thought fit to be done but what Christ hath done who is before all for that wee are not to follow the custome of men but the truth of God My masters of Rome if there be no remedy will assent to this position of Saint Cyprian marry then you must giue them leaue to begge and assume this truth of God to bee the proper inheritance of the Bishop and Church of Rome but if you shall deale so vnfriendly with them as to presse them to shew their evidence they wil trouble you with much discourse but in the end for your satisfaction this answere must content you or none at all dixit Ecclesia themselues will tell you so The Pastors of the prosent Church of England will likewise make claime of this truth of God to rest with them but herein they wil deale more ingeniously with you then the other they will desire you to beleeue them no farther in this point then by plaine demonstration out of Gods holy word they shall be able to make good their claime In this confusion and difference betweene our teachers pretending of either side to haue the Church and truth of God and yet impossible but that in so direct a contrarietie as resteth betweene them of one side they must needs abuse vs possibly deare Mother you will aske what meanes are left for vs that are but learners in the schoole of Christ to discerne betweene them To censure their doctrine by their liues and actions were an vncertaine way a reason whereof wee learne from Saint Chrysostome an ancieÌ„t Father of the Church x Homil. 49. in Matt. oper imperf Because whatsoever kinde of holines the servants of God haue in truth the servants of Satan may have in likenes for the divell hath his that be meeke and humble that be chast and giue almes that fast and doe every good deed which God hath appointed for the salvation of mankinde and these formes of godlines hath the Divell brought in to seduce vs that a confusion being made betweene good and counterfeit simple men which know not the difference betweene goodnes indeed and goodnes in shew while they seeke the good servants of God might light vpon the Divels seducements Of this mind are likewise the learned of the Church of Rome y Part. 6. pag. â—9 You know saith Master Harding in his confutation of Bishop Iewels Apologie it is no good argument to reason from manners to the doctrine who would not hisse and trample you out of the schooles if you make this argument The Papists liues be faultie Ergo their teaching is false I know that howsoever my master of Rome like not as you see to haue their doctrine measured by the line of their liues and actions yet themselues will offer crooked measure in this kind there is nothing more familiar with them in their publike writings or private discourse with their schollers that admire them then to traduce and vilifie the Pastors of the Church of England of whom certainly many there haue beene and are of excellent merit and example in the Church and no doubt but some in so great a number may be found scandalous in their places who can expect no other but a feareful judgement in the end But if this were an argument wee need not seeke for proofe from any adverse to the Church of Rome but from their own records as for instance in one I pray you deare Mother note what Aventine a learned historian of their owne discloseth z Annal. lib. 6. in initio The Pope setteth over the flocke of Christ goates wolues lustfull persons adulterers ravishers of Virgins and Nunnes cookes muleters thieues bankers vsurers drones game hunters lecherous perfidious periured ignorant asses He committeth the sheep to wolues and hypocrites which only provide for their own bellies Nay hee setteth boyes and wantons to rule the lambes I am ashamed to say what manner of Bishops we have with the revenews of the poore they feede their hounds horses whoores they quaffe they loue the fly learning as infection c. thus farre the Historian But my masters of Rome will