last section is sufficient where the Scots are said to have become praestaÌ„tissimi omniuÌ„ Christiani c. which had filled the Christian world with the fame of their piety and zeal for propagating the eternal Kingdome of Christ To the which Confession and ancient VNIFORM Religion We without any constraint of men but meerly for the love of Truth in Hope of Eternal Reward though with imminent danger of Temporal losses doe most m m As it is evident that these who embrace the Catholique faith in Scotland where it is persecuted doe it willingly so it is manifestly known that many were constrained to take the Covenant and so did not willingly agree to it See above ch 4. p. 26. and sect 1. p. 417. WILLINGLY agree in our whole hearrs as vnto Gods n n The Catholique faith is so vndoubted Truth that it is altogether vnalterable with the Catholiques But ths Protestant Faith cannot be vndoubted Truth seing it is so often altered by Protestants see p. 430. in fine VNALTERABLE Truth grounded only vpon his o o The Catholiques beleeve all Gods reveal'd word whether vnwritten or written according to the expresse command of the written word Hold the Traditions 2. Thess 2.15 But the Presbyterians against the written word reiect all Traditions REVEALED word And therefore we renounce all sects and Heresies contrary vnto it But especially the PRESBYTERIAN sect and all the points thereof as they are now and have been anciently condemned by the p p How the Presbyterian sect albeit it preteÌ„ds the word of God as all Heretiques do ordinarly preteÌ„d is notwithstanding coÌ„demned by the word of God by the holy Catholique Church which is of far greater Authority then the Presbyterian Kirk of â—cotland may be seen almost every where in the former Treatises word of God and by the HOLY CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH But particularly we reiect the VNPARALLELD INSOLENCY of that Calvinistical q q As it has been shewed above sect 4. p. 432. that the Pope is the Vicar of Iesus Christ and therefore not Anti Christ so also all who do not belong to him belong not to Christ but to Anti Christ and therefore are Anti Christian So S. Hierom expresly affirmeth ibid. p. 437. ANTI-CHRISTIAN Sect vpon both the r r Calvin vsurped oveâ— the letter of the Scriptures by making vp a new Canon never known before And he vsurped over the sense of them by reiecting the ancient sense of the holy Fathers and by inventing new senses according to his private fancies So do also his Disciples the Presbyterian Ministers So did likewise Luther most grosly see p. 439. LETTER and SENSE of the holy Scriptures vpon the Å¿ Å¿ Calvin did vsurp over the holy Catholique Church who having no lawfull authority would take vpon him to reforme the Church to iudge and condemn her to prescribe his own fancies as divine Rules vnto her So do also the Presbyterians See p. 440. HOLY CATHOLIQVE CHVRCH vpon their own t t The Presbyterians in Scotland have had but 4. Princes since their religion began and they have vndenyably vsurped highly over them all as may be seen p. 440. and 41. LAWFVLL PRINCES and Superiors and their Tyrannizing over the u u How they Tyrannized over the consciences of their fellow subiects is notoriously known and may be seen chap. 4. p. 26. CONSCIENCES of their fellow-subiects x x These who vnder pretence of Christian liberty disobey iust Lawes such as are the Lawes of the Catholique Church which were also observed in the primitive times as these about lent fasting the single life of Church men c. make their freedome a cloke of malice against S. Peters advice 1. Pet. 2.13 and an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5.13 see above p. 454. 455. All their LICENTIOVS Exemptions from obedience to iust Lawes vnder pretence of Christian libertie to cloke INIQVITIE and give occasioÌ„ to the FLESH Their DESTVCTIVE Doctrin against the necessity of the y y The Presbyterians destroy all Traditions against the expresse Scripture See above p. 445. and 6. VNWRITTEN word expresly commended by the written word z z They teach that it is impossible even with Gods grace to keep his Law in observation whereof all perfection substantially consists and so indeed they destroy the end and perfection of the Law see above ch 13. 14. and sect 5. p. 448. against the FVLFILLING of the Law without which there is no PERFECTION against the Triple a a They destroy the office of Christ as King by spoyling him of the Kingdome of his Church for many ages They destroy his Priestly office by abrogating the dayly sacrifice and his Prophetical by denying the accomplishment of his Prophesies concerning his Churches continuance and Visibility see above p. 449. OFFICE of Christ as he is KING PRIEST and PROPHET which is a manifest corruption of the blessed Evangel Their corrupted Doctrine of b b Calvin teacheth that Original sin still remaines in vs even after Baptism and that it defiles before God what ever works proceed from vs and so makes theÌ„ mortal sins which doctrine the Presbyterians follow as may be seen above with more to this purpose p. 451. 454. ORIGINAL sin which makes their BEST actioÌ„s MORTAL sins Our c c The Presbyterians graunt such a natural inhability that they deny all supernatural ability in man to keep Gods Law even with the assistance of all his Grace which is a most dangerous corrupted doctrine as may be seen above p. 454. more fully ch 13. 14. of Presb. Trial. SVPERNATVRAL ABILITY and dutiefull SVBIECTION to Gods Law Our Iustification by d d They make Iustification by faith only the principal article of their Reformation and deny Iustification by works expresly against the Scripture Iames 2.124 and the holy Fathers See above ch 14. p. 157. WORKS Our e e They make our sanctification so imperfect that we cannot by it think so much as a good thought or do any thing but sin mortally and still disobey Gods Commandments so that such sanctification is rather profanation and such Obedience is Disobedience See above p. 455. PERFECT SanctificatioÌ„ and Obedience through Christs Grace vnto the Law The f f They have corrupted the Nature of the Sacraments by denying that they were ordaind to conferre Grace by making them only signs and Tokens They have corrupted the number by taking away 5. Sacraments and the vse by abrogating both private Baptisme Communion besides both the publique and private vse of others See above p. 458. seq and before ch 18. Presb. Trial. NATVRE NVMBER and VSE of the Holy Sacraments Their two g g By denying the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Eucharist which they admitt to conferre Grace They make them Gracelesse and so indeed Bastard Sacraments since the Sacraments of the Law of Grace were instituted to conferre Grace Above p. 467. before
ordinary discours now a dayes is concerning religion so I heard one at that time For the Minister taking occasion by hearing Cardinal Bellarmin named spake at first much in his praise saying that none of all the Popish Authors did relate so faithfully the Protestant Tenets nor argumented more clearly then he did Yet at length said the Minister after the Cardinal hath shewed the strength of his wit at the issue of the matter being convinced by the force of truth he concludes for the most part with the Protestants Wherevpon one of the Catholiques present said that he admired very much how Bellarmin who had written so much for Popry should be esteem'd a Protestāt merrily subioyn'd that himself was iust a Protestant as Bellarmin was After there had pass'd a little laughter occasioned by these words the other Catholique did gravely desire the Minister to shew wherein Bellarmin was a Protestant Wherevpon the Minister instanced in this same matter of Iustification and said that after Bellarmin had wearied himself by produceing many testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers to prove that we are iustifyed by works and not by faith only he in end yeelds the victory to tthe Proestants for he concludes That it is most safe to rely vpon the merits of Christ And so in one sentence he destroyeth what he had been building a long time To which the Catholique replyed that if Bellarmin was a Protestant for that then all Catholiques were Protestants for they all professed the same Neither was the Catholiques relying on Christ merits any way against iustification by good works more then the Protestants relying on the same merits was against their supposed Iustification by faith only But said he I admire very much how you ordinarly pretend so great advantage in your doctrin of Iustification by faith only which you esteem the principal article of your religion and yet it cannot be found in all the Scripture the only pretended ground of all your faith And how you can crye so much against the Catholiques for believing that we are iustifyed by works not by faith only which is expresly and word by word in the Scripture For doth not S. Iames clearly say Ye see that man is iustifyed by works and not by faith only The Minister finding himself thus engaged pass'd presently from the Scripture enquired of the Catholique whom he knew well enough not to be a profess'd Scholler If he had any Logique Who answered he had not much but he had sufficient for this purpose That there was not much Logique required to see what was contained in Scripture He would trust his owne eyes in that matter It was sufficient for him that he had on his side the expresse Scripture which is better then Logique But the Minister told him that although these words are in Scripture yet they must be vnderstood in a sound sense For works said he although they be necessary to iustification yet they are not the causes of it but in a very improper sense For you must vnderstand that there are diverse kinds of causes there is causa efficiens causa formalis and causa sine qua non which is not a cause properly Now works are not the efficient nor formal cause but only causa sine qua non They are via regni and not causa regnandi And so after this manner he made a long discours involving the matter in great obscurities passing the reach of the hearers if not also overpassing his own vnderstanding But the Catholique holding him still by his grounds told the Minister that his Logique was no Scripture and that the Protestants are brought to a low ebb when they are enforced to acknowlege that this prime article of their faith is not expresly in Scripture as they at first pretended And now when the quite opposite doctrine maintaind by the Catholiques against which the Ministers did so much raile is showē to be expresly in Scripture they are enforced to run from Scripture to their Logique which indeed is to yeeld the cause to the Catholiques and to quite ground For at first they pretended nothing but Scripture and now they flie to Aristotles Logique and that against the expresse words of Scripture making the whole matter end in a Logomachy which is so much the worse on the Protestants side seing they will not vse the very phrase of Scripture which the Catholiques keep And vpon this followes also another evil that the people being made to believe that they are iustifyed by faith only and not by works makes by natural Logique this inference which all the Ministers in the world with all their artificial Logique will not put out of their heads that good works are not necessary and so they altogether neglect them Thus ended that conference the Minister replying something but little to purpose with small satisfaction of some Protestants present who imagined that this prime article of their faith had been better grounded and that this Minister whom they much esteemed could haue said more then to acknowledge that his faith was against the words of Scripture and in end to run to his Philosophical distinctions which were not by them intelligible But albeit I was sufficiently satisfyed by what hath been said of the truth of the Catholique doctrin concerning Iustification yet being desirous that I might be able to discern more fully the deceits and obscurities which the Ministers invent to elude the clear Scriptures a Catholique whose assistance I required shew me that for this end it was necessary I should first know the nature of Iustification according to the doctrin of the Catholique Church For as a Rule said he is a measure to discern both what is right and what is crooked so truth is a manifestation both of it self and of falshood Wherevpon he had several discourses with me on this matter the summe of which I will briefly collect CHAP. XVI Of the Nature of Iustification according to the Catholique doctrine ALBEIT you haue seen evidently said the Catholique vnto me that according to the expresse Scriptures man is iustifyed by works not by faith only yet that you may know how this is done and what works are excluded from iustification according to S. Paul and what these works are by which we are iustifyed according to S. Iames yow must know the nature of Iustification of a sinner which according to the Catholique Church is thus described Iustification of a sinner is the translation of one from the state of sin into the state of grace a changing of one from being an enemy to make him become the friend of God There is the misery from which a sinner is delivered the happinesse to which he is brought Now that he may come from such a miserable condition to such a happy estate there are some preparations and dispositions required to go before in the soule of a sinner that is come to age of which kind only we here speak First God of
of them of some excellent privilege For they spoile God of his goodnesse by making him the Author of sin Christ of his merits by denying he dyed for all and the holy Trinity of Glory They spoile the Angels and the Saints of their felicity and of all respect and reverence from men They rob the Church of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost Man of his free-will the living of the prayers of the Saints and the faithfull departed of the suffrages of the living They rob the Sacraments of Grace and the Commandments of obedience Yea what have they left vntouched in the Church They have taken away many books of the Scriptures almost all the Sacraments all Traditions Priesthood Sacrifice Vowes set Fasts Festival Dayes Altars Reliques Holy Images all Monuments of Piety all the antient Ecclesiastical Lawes all Order and Disciplin all Comlinesse and beauty from the House of God They have abolished the Apostolique Government denyed the Apostles Creed subverted the Divine Commandments and abiured all the Evangelical Counsels and many more points have they destroyed as we shall see in the progresse of the Covenant so that never any heresy deserved more the title of Destroyer never any heretical Confession of Faith deserved so much the Title of the Negation of Faith as the Covenant For never any heresy or negative Confession denyed so many points of the Catholique faith and so overturn'd the Christian Religion both in doctrin disciplin in all the Monuments and helps of Piety As the matter of the Covenant is very large containing so many points of the Catholique Faith which it deny's so the manner how it doth renounce them which is as it were the life and forme of the Covenant is very considerable For it doth not only deny these articles but it detests and abiures them yea and blasphemes them adding a blasphemous Epithet almost to every point For thus it speaks We renounce and detest the Vsurped authority of the Roman Anti-Christ his wicked Hierarchie his Devilish Masse Blasphemous Priesthood Profane Sacrifice Bastard Sacraments Doubtsome Faith Desperat Repentance c. Behold said the Catholique to me what a Rapsodie of lies and calumnies against manifest sense and experience against the ancient faith and true religion was fathered vpon God the Author of truth and was called his Covenant Behold what a blasphemous Negation of the Faith was entitled the Confession of Faith Behold what a monstrous Idol of lies execrations blasphemies the Covenanters did so highly honour reverence as if it had been Gods vndoubted truth and not only did Idolatrize it themselv's but with furious zeal and rigour enforced others to adore it against their Consciences S. Cyptian affirmes that the Devil Cypr. de simâ—l Praelator Hieron in EsaiaÌ„ c. 21. in place of the old Pagan Idols has invented the deceits of Errors Heresies and S. Hierom saith that all Heretiques are Idolaters adoring their own fictions and imaginatio s as divin truths According to this doctrine if the Covenant containe heresies as we shall see it containes not a few the Covenanters have been great idolaters The old Pagans did indeed adore false Gods and the works of their own hands but never any carying the name o Chr stians did more Idolatrize the fancies of their own braines then the Covenanters have done The prosperity of the Covenant for a time did blind many but now the Visitation which God has sent vpon it has opened the ey 's of a great part so that the Covenant which was before the obiect of their greatest reverence respect is now become the subiect of their laughter sport The Prophet Ieremy foretells that these miseries should befalls to all Idols They are vain things Ieremy 10.15 Hieron â—u hunc loâ—um saith he and a work worthy to be laughed at in time of their Visitation they shall perish Which words S. Hierom applies excellently to Heresies Who would not laugh saith he when he considers the Idols of Heretiques c. Heresies prevaile only for a time that these who are chosen may be made manifest and be approved But when the Visitation of God comes and his eys do behold their fooleries then all are quyet and siâ—e it And so now is the Covenant silent and fallen asleep But enough for our intended brevity of the false Titles of the Covenant and of the grosse vntruths in it against sense We shall now run brieflâ— through the Spiritual vntruths of it against Faith SECTION III. Of the Covenantes vain pretext of the word and Spirit of God and of the marks by which they describe their Relâ—gion THAT this matter may proceed more clearly we shall set down in order the words of the Covenant and then subioyn the Observations we made vpon them The Preface then of it goes thus Covenant Wee all and every one of vs vnderwritten protest that after long due examination of our Consciences in matters of true false religion Wee are now throughly resolved of the truth by the word Spirit of God And therefore we beleeve with our hearts confesse with our mouths subscribe with our hands and constantly affirme before God the whole world that this only is the true Christian faith and Religion pleasing God and bringing salvation to man which now is by tho mercy of God revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed Evangel and received beleeved and defended by many and sundry notable Kirks Realms but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland the Kings Maiesty and the three Estates of this Realm as Gods eternal Truth and only ground of our Salvation as more particularlâ— is confessed in the Confession of our faith established and publickly confirmed by Sundry Acts of Parliament and now of a long time hath been openly professed by the Kings Maiesty and whole body of this Realm both in Burgh and Land To the which Confession and forme of Religion we willingly agree in our Consciences in all points as vnto Gods vndoubted Truth and Verity grounded only vpon his written word To passe by the first sensible vntruth about the long and due examination of their consciences which was lately touched they pretend next that they are fully perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word and Spirit of God But this is no new song neither is it only peculiar to them All sects although never so monstrous which receiv'd the Scriptures have made and do make the same pretexts And this they must all do or else they would get few followers But that the Covenanters make this pretext as falsly as any other sects is very evident For first they falsly pretend to be perswaded of the truth of their Religion by the word of God seing they beleeve diverse points as principal articles of their religion which are expresly against the word of God Which may be shown by many Instances but we shall be content with two or three The Covenanters beleeve as
also order and Vnity that becomes the house of God CHAP. IV. Of the Presbyterians rigour and Tyranny over Protestants MERCY and truth do ordinarly goe together and it 's a great signe that these haue no truth who shew no mercy Salomon giv's good advise to keepe both together Let not mercy and truth Prov. 3.3 saith he leave thee put them about thy neck and write them vpon the tables of thy heart The Covenanters did not follow this sound counsel for albeit they profess'd much truth and purity yet they shew little Christian meeknesse and mercy which made many grossely to suspect that they had nothing but a pretext of truth They complain'd much of hard vsage vnder the Bishops and cry'd for compassion of tender consciences And who would haue expected hard vsage from such men Or that they would have strain'd other mens consciences who would not suffer their own to be touch'd If they ould not attaine vnto some degree of Christian perfection in meeknesse mercy they might at least have practised a moral vertue Not to do that vnto others which they would not wish to be done to themselv's At the beginning of the Covenant in the yeare 1638. the Presbyterians appear'd first like lambs for they vsed nothing but milde invitations and many plausible words to induce men to renew as they spoke the National Covenant with God the breach of which was the cause of all miseries and the keeping of it would be the source of all happinesse This was the only means to divert Gods imminent iudgement to conserve purity and hold away Popery And according to this milde tenour Commissioners and Ministers were sent to all parts of the Countrey to draw the hearts and hands of all men to the Covenant All this time they profess'd that they would vrge or force no man against his conscience but shortly after they had by these faire mean's got their number and power encreas'd they chang'd their tunes they left off entreaties and procceded to threatnings and from these they went to their Ecclesiastical Censures to deprivation of Ministers Excommunications to plundering and sacking of mens houses sequestrating their estates imprisoning their person's and persecuting all the old Protestants whose consciences ty'd them to live conforme to the law 's of Church and state not as yet abrogated The Presbyterian Ministers tongues were sharped like two edged swords cutting in pieces all mens honour reputation and honesty who dissented from them although never so inoffensively And they never ceased by their continuall clamours to whet the material sword against them So that albeit they begun with Iacobs voice yet they ended with Esaus handes They appear'd first like lambs but their ravenous nature did soone shew that they were only covered with lambs-skinnes 1. Their spiritual Tyranny over mens consciences was very great for they were not content with Obedience to their doctrin and new orders which almost all Protestants would have given retaining only an internall liberty according to the light of their minds not to condemne the former governement doctrines practises as in themselv's vnlawful against Gods word But the Presbyterians requyred all men to sweare that they thought belieued Presbyterian doctrin and disciplin to be only lawfull according to Gods word and the contrary of Episcopacy and the other points which they had condemned to be false and erronious which was to force men to sin by making them not only do but also sweare things that were directly against the light of their consciences which is the highest degree of of soule Tyranny Yea the Presbyterians rigour and cruelty was not only great but also Vniversal for none of whatsoeuer condition or quality could be free of it Although at the beginning men were only admitted to subscribe the Covenant yet shortly thereafter the more zealous sisters obtain'd that fauour and others who were not seeking that curtesie got it press'd vpon them At lenth it came to children at schoole to seruants young maides and all sort's of persons without exception And these who could not write their owne names into the Covenant behoved to do it by a publick Notary so that they would haue none to be left out of Gods Covenant and the Covenant of grace as they spoke The Ministers who did not conforme themselv's to these new orders were presently render'd odious by the name of Papists and by populare tumults rais'd against them were forced to leave the Countrey And many others who swore all that the Presbyterians could require yet because they did not seem to be zealous enough in the cause were deposed and they with their wives aad children exposed without compassion to great want and misery Then for the lay Protestants these among them who could not be drawen on by the Ministers faire words threatnings nor censures were driven to obedience by Ministerial Armies which consisted principally at the beginning of Highlanders whom the old Protestants call'd Argyle Apostles who by their sakeing and burning of some good houses converted more to the Covenant then the Ministers had done For diverse persons of quality were imprisoned and fyned till affliction gave them vnderstanding and made their wills plyable to accept and sweare the new Reformation whose example many others followed Moreover the Presbyterians press'd all Noblemen and Barons to receive into their houses Chaplaines of their choosing or approving to say vnto them extemporary prayers But one of their employments and that not the least was to observe what they heard or saw spoken or done against Presbyt'ry and the blissed work of reformation as they call'd it and to make a true relation of all their observations to the Presbyt'ry vpon which depended their preferment to a Church And when any of these Chaplains seem'd not to be faithfull enough in giving these relations the Presbyt'ry would sometimes summon other servants to depose vpon oath what they knew spokē or done in the family against Presbyt'ry which being rightly considered was no small trouble to these persons who could nor be free of Presbyterian Tyranny within their owne private families in many whereof the Presbyterians would have rais'd vp more then one Iudas The rigour and Tyranny of Presbyterians was not only spiritual over mens Consciences but it was also Temporal over mens Estates and persons For besids the grosses fines which they imposed vpon those who could not get implicit faith soone enough to heare beleeve them they made a general misery to overflow the whole Countrey by their new inventions to maintaine and advance their plots and design 's as by their Leavie money Lone money Monthly maintenance Blind bonds and diverse others Their Souldiours who were ordinarly styled Saints were very vnruly and insatiably avaritious so that they proved sore Saints to many whereof the North of England had some experience Then the Presbyterians severity over all their Opposers became so well knowen that none expected favour who fell into there hands The Ministers
counsel And againe Let vs believe saith he the Symbol of the Apostles which the Roman Church doth ever preserve and keep 's inviolate And if we will ascend higher S. Iren. lib. 1. c. 2. lib. 3. c. 4. S. Clement epist 1. ad frat Domini Basil de de Sp. S c. 27. S Ireneus Bishop of Lions and disciple of S. Polycarpus sheweth that diverse Nations believed without Scriptures by tradition which certainly was of the Apostles Creed S. Clement the disciple of S. Peter Coadiutor of S. Paul doth testify the same Diverse other Fathers may be seen cited in Cardinal Bellarmin tom 1. de verbo Dei non scripto lib. 4. cap. 4. S. Basil doth reckon the Apostles Creed as a principal Apostolique tradition And in a word I found that all Christian Nations and Ages have borne testimony of this truth Moreover I found that in the primitive times this Symbol was holden in so great reverence that in General Councels it vsed to be first recited Baron vbi su pra Aug. de Symb. and lay'd downe as the ground of the whole Ecclesiastique building as Baronius doth shew To this purpose S. Augustin calls it The foundation of the Catholique faith vpon which the edifice of the Church built by the hands of the Prophets and Apostles did rise ad Cat. lib. 3. c. 1. Leo ad Pul. Aug. ep 96. And S. Leo saith that this short and perfect Confession of the Catholique Symbol which is sealed by 12. sentences of the Apostles is so furnished with heavenly armour that by this sword alone all opinious of Heretiques may be cut of As I found such greet testimonies to prove the Apostolique authority of the creed so I did find that the holy Fathers did highly praise the excellency of it as of a worke worthy of such diuine Architects S. Augustin calls it Aug. ser 42. de trad Symb. The comprehension perfection of our faith It 's simple saith he short full That it's simplicity might serve the rudnesse it 's shortnesse the memory its fulnesse the instruction of the hearers Elswhere he calls it the Compend of the Scriptures lib. 1. ad Catech. Id. m ser in Vigil Pentecost And againe he saith This is a Symbol briefe in words but large in mysteries For whatsoever is prefigured in the Patriarchs whatsoever is declared in the Scriptures or foretold by the Prophets c. is contain'd and briefly confessed in it And in his Sermon above cited de Traditione Symboli speaking of the Creed he saith These are not humane words but heavenly mysteries of our Lord. But most notable and efficacious are the words of Rufinus to this purpose The Apostles Rufin in praef de expos Symb. saith he being to part from one an other to preach they lay'd downe this marke of their faith and agreement Not as the children of Noe being to part from each other rearing vp a tower of bricke and slime whose top should reach vnto the heauens but building the fortresses of faith of liuely stones and heavenly pearles which should stand stedfast against the face of the enemy which neither the winds should shake nor floodes subvert nor boysterous stormes or tempests move They therefore being to separate building the tower of Pride were deservedly punished with the Confusion of tongues that not one could vnderstand the speech of his neighbour but these who built the tower of Faith were endued with the skill and knowledge of all languages to the end that the one might be the marke of Sin and the other the monument of Faith Thus Ruffinus Lastly the same holy Fathers do shew the frequent laudable vse of the Apostles Creed in the primitive Church It was first taught and delivered vnto those who desired Baptisme and it was required to be publickly said by them immediatly before their baptisme This custome as Ruffinus sheweth was carefully observed in the Roman Church Ruffin ibid vt supra S. Augustin also doth witnesse how the God-fathers did say it in name of the Infants whom they presented to Baptisme and therefor he earnestly exhorts every Christian when he comes to the yeares of discretion to say frequently the Apostolique Creed which he professed by the mouths of those who presented him to Baptisme and call's it the Mirrour of a Christiā Render saith he your Symbol render it vnto the Lord Aug. homil 42. be not weary to rehearse it the repetition of it is good least forgetfulnesse creep on thee Do not say I said it yesternight I said it to day I say it every day I haue it well Remember thy faith behold thy self Let thy Creed be a Mirrour vnto thee there see thy self if thou believe all that thou confesses thy self to believe and reioyce dayly in thy faith Let it be thy riches the dayly Apparell of thy Soule Do you not cloath your self when you rise So by remembering thy Creed cloath thy Soule least peradventure forgetfulnesse make it naked S. Ambrose calls it the Seale of our heart which we ought dayly to review and the Watch-word of a Cristian Amb. lib. 3. de Virginib tom 4. which should be in readinesse in all dangers By all which irrefragable testimonies the sacred authority great excellency and frequent laudable vse both in publick and private of the Apostles Creed did appeare sufficiently vnto me So that I found for it the consent of peoples and Nations the testimonies of the holy Fathers the Martyrs Saints and Christians of all ages that is of the Vniuersal Church the piller ground of truth which are the greatest assurances that can be had vpon earth And therefore I rested fully satisfyed with them But I was much more confirmed in this resolution when I vnderstood by a serious conference with a friend that there was the same certainty for the Creed that there is for the Scriptures to witt the Tradition or testimony of the Church S. Augustin delivers clearly this truth concerning the Scriptures Aug. cont epist fund c. 5. I would not haue believed saith he the Euangel unlesse the authority of the Catholique Church had moved me c. and that authority being once weakned neither can I believe the Euangel This testimony authority of the Catholique Church was proved to me to be the most easy manifest and infallible ordinary way that can be had on earth to come vnto the certaine knowledge of what books are Scriptures yea it was clearly proved to be the only way so that if once this testimony be weakened there is nothing left but guessings wanderings after the manner of blind men as experience doth shew in the difference between the Lutheranists the Calvinists who agree in all their supposed wayes of knowing the Scripture and yet can never agree in the same Canon of the Scriptures But of this matter we shall haue occasion to speake more fitly hereafter in the question of the Church If then the
conclude this point I found clearly that the Creed hath been alwayes held to be is Apostolique that it is the foundation perfect rule of the Christian faith that it is a worke worthy of the holy Apostles that it is such a strong heavenly fabricke that it cannot be overthrowen by no stormes nor tempests by no force nor violences and that it overcomes all heresies that the ancient custome of saying it publickly at Baptisme and often privatly and dayly is most laudable and profitable to Christian people And vpon the other part I found that the Presbyterians by denying the Cred to be Apostolique haue denyed the foundation clear rule of the Christian faith most vnreasonably haue worne out both the publick private vse of it And that they compleated their new Raformation when they not only reiected the Creed but obtruded the Covenant in place of it And lastly I found that as the Presbyterians new doctrin in this matter is most erroneous and presumptuous so that all their endeavours have proved vaine frivolous For that fortresse of faith which was built by the holy Apostles of lively stones heavenly pearles as Ruffinus speaks hath held out stronger tempests then the Presbyterians weake blasts and therefore it still stands immoveable Whereas the Babel of their Covenant which they were so diligently building and vpon which they could never get the Capstone as they often regrated hath ended in Confusion and in a short space hath come to ruine Now all these things being considered I refer my self to any man voyde of passion if I could reasonably much lesse Christianly exchange the pearles of the Apostles Creed for the drosse of the Presbyterians Covenant CHAP. XI Of the Article of Christs Descent to Hell perverted by the Presbyterians AFTER that the Presbyterians had thus endeavoured to shake the authority of the Apostles Creed least peradventure their small authority might not prevaile against all Christianity what they could not get effectuated by denying the letter they laboured to performe by corrupting the sense and especially of that article Short Cotech Vv st in fine He descended into Hell For in their new Catechismes they interline or put on the margent this glosse with it He descended into Hell that is He continued in the state of the dead and vnder the power of Death till the third day I Observed that although we had and said the words of the Creed before the Covenant began yet we did not know the true sense of it in this and some other articles albeit as S. Augustin shewes it was made plaine short that it might serve the capacity vnderstanding memory of the simple For there was a great quarrelling before these greater troubles among some of the Ministers for the sense of these words He descended into Hell Some publickly taught that they behoved to be literally vnderstood of a real and local descent others of the preciser sort called that a Papistical interpretation against which they did most sharply inveigh and taught according to Calvin that the sense of them was that Christ did suffer in his Soule the horrible torments of a coÌ„demned and forsaken man which glosse was called by the former Ministers a horrible blasphemy To come then to the true sense of this article about which there was such contrariety among the Ministers I had my recourse to the holy Scriptures Fathers and I found that there was scarcely any article of our faith more clearly contain'd in the Scriptures and more vnanimously avowed by the holy Fathers who brand those who do not believe it literally with the name of Infidels And lastly I found that diverse grosse wayes have been devised by the Ministers since their pretended Reformation to pervert and obscure it and when the falshood of one is discovered they alwayes find out an other but will never embrace the true sense of it The light of reason doth shew to every Christien that it is not sufficient for mans Salvatian to hold the words of the Creed but it is necessary also to follow the true sense of it This the holy Fathers do teach who shew likwise that as Heretiques ever endeavoured to pervert the true sense of the Creed so the true Church doth ever retaine maintaine it S. Cyril with the Alexandrin Synod writes to this purpose to Nestorius Who pretended to believe the Nicen Creed yet denyed the blessed Virgin to be the Mother of God Cyril Alex. cum Syn. Alex. epist 10. ad Nestor Aug. tom 3. de fide Symb c. 1 It 's not sufficieÌ„t saith he that you professe with vs the Symbol of faith c. For you do not vnderstand nor expound it rightly but rather perversly although you Confesse the words of it with your tongue S. Augustin also saith to the like purpose Vnder the few words contained in the Symbol many Heretiques haue endeavoured to hide their poisons to whom the Divine mercy hath resisted and doth resist by spirituall men who haue not only merited to believe and receive the Catholique faith in these words but also by the revelation of God to vnderstand know it So the Presbyterians although they have denyed the Creed yet vnder the words of it they endeavour to hide their poisons Although the article of Christs descent to Hell were not in the Creed which is a clear and easy rule of faith that ought to be plainly and literally vnderstood yet it is so clearly in the Scripture that it cannot be denyed without wresting of it S. Peter in his first Sermon doth apply vnto Christ Psal 15. v. 9 10. a prophesie of Dauid in the 15 Psasme which saith My heart hath been glad my tongue hath reioyced my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my Soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption â—cts 2.30.31 After S. Peter hath proved that this Prophely cannot be vnderstood of the Prophet Dauid he sheweth that Dauid mean't of Christ in these words Whereas therefore he was a Prophet c. forseeing he spake of the resurrection of Christ For neither was he left in Hell neither did his flesh see corruption There is both the old new Testament fot this truth The Prophet Dauid foretelling and the Apostle S. Peter expounding and shewing the fulfilling of it to witt that Christs soule was not left in hell neither did his flesh see corruption What can be reasonably more required by any Christian Aug. epist ad Exod. 99. But let vs heare S. Augustin so vnderstanding it That our Lord saith he being mortifyed in the flesh did goe into Hell is very certaine For that prophecy which saith Thou wilt not leave my Soule in Hell cannot be contradicted which least any man should presume to vnderstand otherwise the same Peter doth expound it in the Acts of the Apostles c. And then he concludes in these words Quis ergo nisi
no Scripture for them in this point but in expresse words against them should I give credit to those who to maintaine their errour did first manifestly corrupt the words of Scripture with false translations and thereafter did pervert the sense of them with blasphemous interpretations should I believe those who although they quitted their first sense of blasphemy did invent another full of Tautology not so impious but very ridiculous And who last of all to compleate the worke did deny their Creed Or should I believe the old and new Testament the Prophets foretelling and the holy Apostles expounding the holy Fathers so vnderstanding the whole primitive Church assisted by the Spirit of truth so believing and professing And last of all should I believe my Creed which the whole Christian world did receive as a most perfect plaine rule of faith composed by the holy Apostles for the capacity of all men I must professe that after such a Triall I could not put these authorityes in the ballance together much lesse could I prefer the Presbyterians inconstant new opinion to the ancient constant beliefe of the whole world vnlesse I would haue renounced both Reason Conscience CHAP. XII A Reflection on the last and an Entrance into the Triall of the first supposed Reformation HAVING by the Divine grace by the former considerations discovered as well the falshood of the forsaid Presbyterian Innovaons as the ancient truth of the Catholique doctrine I was advised and much encouraged to make the like triall of the principal points of our first Reformation as concerning the Commandements our iustification the nature effect of the SacrameÌ„ts For iâ—t was represented vnto me that there was no lesse pretext of pure Scripture and a like lowd cryes of a great engyring light for the last then was for the first Reformation And seing by the former triall I had discovered these last pretences to be false Why may not I haue some confidence to do the like with the first if I would vse the l ke diligence And if the last Reformers haue been mistaken and misled by passion why might not also their Predecessours over see themselves too Or what assurance can any man haue of their infallibility more then of the others The Alterations that haue been lately made by the Presbyterians do shew even in their Iudgment that their first Reformers were not infallibly assisted 2. I was put in mind that I had found lately some of the most eminent among them to be Corrupters or as S. Paul speakes Adulterers both of the letter and sense of the Scriptures and therefore they are not to be altogether trusted without trial In a word great promises and assurances were made to me that I would by this triall find out the falshood of the first as I had done of the last Reformation by that means I might attaine vnto the possession of solid truth whereon I might safely rely for the good of my soule As truth can endure iust trial and desires nothing more by which it is more manifested so falshood cannot abide triall but alwayes shuns it because thereby it's deceits are detected Catoch Rom. q. 12. Sa pientisfime Maiores nostri c. Lastly it was showen vnto me that the ancient Pastours of the Church did most wisely reduce the whole substance of the Christian doctrin which is of it self so large and plenteous into these 4. heads to witt the Apostles Creed the Sacraments the Divine Commandements and our Lords prayer for all things which belong either vnto the knowledge of God the creation and governement of the world or the Redemption of mankind the rewards of the good or the punishments of the wicked are contain'd in the Apostolique Creed The signes and instruments which God hath instituted for attaining grace are the holy Sacraments The divine Commandements shew what we ought to do and our Lords prayer doth containe all what we can wish or desire And therefore these are as it were the foure great Pillars wheron the whole fabricke of Christianity relyes Now it was told me how I had found by the former triall that this last pretended Reformation had overturned two of these Pillars to witt the Apostles Creed the Lords prayer besides the fundamental governement established by Christ in his Church If then I should find also that the first Reformation had overturned the other two Pillars to witt the Divine Commandements the holy Sacraments Then I might Conclude that the end and intent of these Reformations what ever was the intention of the Reformers hath been vnder the pretence of Reformation totall Deformation and the destruction of the Christian religion and that betwixt them they haue compleated that hydeous worke of Desolation For if the first refomation tooke away two as the next hath taken away other two Then they both together have subverted so far as they could the 4. great Pillars of Christianity and the last Presbyterian Reformation hath compleated what the first had begun and had not perfected I begun then the trial of our first Reformation with it's doctrin concerning the divine Commandements and specially of the impossibility to keepe them which was taught by our first and is yet maintain'd by our last Reformers For it was showen to me if the Commandements of God were possible to be keept as all wise and iust lawes are ordain'd for that end that they may be observed Then we by teaching they were impossible to be keep 't destroyed the very end for which the Commandements were made and so destroyed the Commadements themselues CHAP. XIII Of the possibility to keepe the Divine Commandements with the assistance of Gods grace denyed by the Presbyterians and their first Reformers I had for some space a preiudicate opinion in this matter against the Catholique doctrin which affirmed as the Ministers taught that it was possible for any man to keep all the divine Commandements yea and to do more then God had commanded I conceived that to be false For since no man to my knowlege or their owne confession had kep't them all or doth keep them I thought it not possible they could keep them For it would seeme if a thing were possible some one among so many thousands would put it in act Vpon the other part I was not well satisfyed with our owne doctrine which teacheth that it is altogether impossible to keep the Commandements of God by reason of a dangerous consequence which a Catholique made me see to follow thervpon to witt That so many thousands should be damned for not doing that which was vtterly impossible for them to do I wondered how that could stand with the goodnesse iustice of God For greater Tyranny iniustice cannot be imagined then to punish one with eternal misery and grievous paines for not doing that which was altogether impossible for him to do The light of Nature would not permit me to impute such cruelty to God whose goodnesse
Scriptures but also by the nature of God that he who is iust good could not command things impossible 3. That the Commandements of God are heavy to those who want the love of God but they are light to those who haue it Yea the same holy Doctour shewes by the testimony of S. Paul that Christ came into the world and lay'd down his life for this end that he might obtaine grace vnto vs whereby we might be enabled to keep the Commandements of God which were before so hard difficult Rom 8.3.4 Thus speaks S. Paul For that which was impossible to the law in that it was weakened by the flesh God sending his Son in the similitude of the flesh of sin for sin coÌ„demned sin in the flesh That the iustice of the law might be fulfilled in vs who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Aug. lib. de Spi. lit cap. 19. Vpon which words S. Augustin saith The law was given that grace might be sought after and grace was given that the law might be fulfilled for not by any fault of the law the law was not fulfilled but by the wisdom of the flesh which fault was to be shewed by the law but to be cured by grace For that which was impossible for the law c. S. Hierom brings the same place of â— Paul against the Pelagians to prove that man is not able by his own strenth or free will Hieren ad Ctesiphont but only by the grace of Christ to keep the law of God Behold there the Catholique doctrin affirmed by the holy Fathers not of their own heads but proved by the Scriptures And that this was the general beliefe of the holy Fathers of the ancient Church it was made appeare vnto me by the second Arausican Councel celebrated about S. Augustins time Araus Concil 2. c. 25. which makes this profession We believe according to the Catholique faith that by grace received in baptisme all such as are baptized Christ helping cooperating may and ought to fulfill if they will labour faithfully these things that belong to Salvation So it is evident that the holy Fathers ancient Church believed this doctrin to be contain'd in the Scriptures which is sufficient for my purpose This same truth is confirmed by S. Augustin not only by the Scriptures but also by reason Some one may say saith he I can by no means love my enemies To which he answer's thus God saith to thee in all the Scriptures Aug. serm 61. de temp that thou canst Consider now whether thou or God ought to be believed and therefore since truth cannot lie let humane weaknesse forbeare it's vaine excuses For he who is iust could not command any thing that 's impossible and he who is good will never condemne man for that which he could not avoid So that according to S. Augustin the Presbyterians beliefe is not only against all the Scriptures although they pretend to believe nothing beside Scriptures but also against sound reason that is against both the iustice goodnesse of God Hieron epist ad Celant S. Hierome also affirmeth that these who say that God hath commanded any thing impossible pronounce God to be vniust Moreover the same two most renowned holy Fathers do not only teach the Catholique doctrin but also they censure the contrary that is the Presbyterians opinion as blasphemy in the Heretiques of their time We accurse saith S. Augustin Aug. serm 191. de temp execramur eorum blasphemiam c. Hier. in Symbol ep 17. their blasphemy that affirm God commanded any thing impossible to man and that Gods Commandements cannot be kept of any man in particular but of all men taken together The same is repeated by S. Hierome So that these holy Fathers do iudge this errour not only to be an heresy but also a blasphemy And yet these new Reformers which is a thing most admirable deplorable make such blasphemies the principall articles of their faith and they haue also most tyrannically enforced others vnder pretext of giving them only pure Scripture to swear believe such horrible errours and blasphemies for divine truths But I found that some more prudent and conscientious Protestants haue abandoned this wicked Calvinisticall opinion yea and condemned it as the holy Fathers had done for blasphemy Mr Shelford a Minister in England hath written a Treatise expresly on this matter Shelford p. 147. to prove the possibility of the law with the assistance of Gods grace where he censures the contrary opinion by the Scriptures Fathers by the authority of King Iames. For this he speaks King Iames vpon the Lords prayer affirmeth it to be blasphemy to say that any of Christs precepts are impossible because this is to give him the lie who out of his own mouth told vs that his yoke is easy his burden light And his inward disciple S. â—n saith his Commandements are not grievous â—rom whence S. Basil the great averreth Impious it is to say the precepts of Gods Spirit are impossible Thus he Behold Bas hom 3. what the Presbyterians do esteeme a principal article of their faith how a learned Protestant whose booke came forth in the yeare 1635. with great applause in Cambridge and King Iames who was head of the Church of England do condemne as blasphemy impiety a giving the lie to God I heare also that some of the new Independent Congregations in England do no lesse sharply condemn the same Presbyterian opinion But besides all these pressing authorities I found also some convincing reasons against the Presbyterians which I will briefly collect 1. It cannot stand with the goodnesse and justice of a lawgiver such as God is to impose vpon people lawes which are impossible to be kept then to punish them with losse of goods and life for not observing these impossible lawes The greatest Tyrant on earth did never arrive to that hight of impiety cruelty Therefore it is impossible that God who is good iust should commit such cruelty iniustice To this accordeth S. Augustin in his words above cited when he saith Aug. ser 61. de temp God could not command any thing impossible because he is iust neither will he damne a man for that which he could not avoid because he is mercyfull Yea these absurdities of iniustice and cruelty would follow against the goodnesse of God in a high degree in how much the punishment he inflicts is greater then can be inflicted by man although thâ— greatest Tyrant on earth For what is the loâ—â— of temporall goods and life in comparison of the losse of heaven and of the death both of Soule body in the eternal paines of Hell Therefore it 's no wonder that the holy Fathers some Protestants do detest the Presbyterian doctrin as extream blasphemy 2. It doth not only incroach vpon the goodnesse iustice of God but also
the same that the most ancient Fathers as S. Iustin Martyr Tertullian S. Cyprian many more did affirme that the law was possible to be kept This Confession of Calvin the Centurists did manifest sufficiently vnto me the antiquity of this Catholique doctrine that it was no late invention of the Popes as the Ministers were wont to pretend falsly of the whole Catholique religion Then for Scripture they cannot bring so much as one place which containeth expresly the article of their beliefe to witt That the Commandements are impossible to be kept even with all the grace that Goh gives in this life Calvin brings these words of our Saviour Cal lib. 2. Instit cap. 8. sect 8. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strenth c. Wherevpon he his followers do scance after this manner To love God with all our heart requires all the faculties of out Soule to be alwayes applyed vnto the love of God which none can do From which they inferre that we are so far from being able to keep all the Commandments that we cannot so much as keep the first In answer to which a Catholique shew me that he did acknowledge the words of Scripture but that Calvins private interpretation inference vpon them is no Scripture 2. he said that besids that Calvins glosses consequences were no Scripture they were not to be much regarded since they were against the holy Fathers who will be prefer'd to him in the iudgment of all wise men 3. They are lesse to be regarded or rather much to be detested seing they are expresly against the Scriptures themselves in other places For Calvin saith that none can love God with all his heart and David saith in the Scripture Psal 118.10 speaking to God I haue sought thee in my whole heart And God himself approves this testimony to be true when he gave order to the Prophet to say to Ieroboam 3. Kings 14.8 Thou hast not been as my servant David who kept my Commandements and followed me with his whole heart 4. Reg. 23.25 The Scripture saith also of Iosias That he turned vnto the Lord in all his heart in all his Soule and in all his might according to all the law of Moyses Therefore it 's false against Scriptures themselves what Calvin saith that it is impossible for any to love God with all his heart and consequently his interpretation of the love of God Shel p. 142. is also false M. Shelford a Protestant Minister saith we love God with all our heart when we preferre him above all the world and above our lives as the Martyrs did when we will not offend God not part from his love for the love or feare of no Creature This is the love of God with all our heart which is here commanded wherevnto we are obliged which by Gods grace may be by vs fulfilled as it was done by Abraham Zachary Elyzabeth For how could the Scripture say that they kept all the Commandements walked in them blamelesse if they had not kept the first greatest of all the Commandements The absolute highest perfection of loving God is neither commanded nor can be exercised in this life but can only be attayn'd to in the heavens where the fulfilling of it as S. Augustin speaks is not obedience but happinesse Thus spake the Catholique with more words whereby I received good satisfaction 2. The Presbyterians pretend it is impossible to keep this other Commandment Thou shall not covet Because they say that here is forbidden all motion of concupiscence although involuntary albeit we resist vnto it Whereof none in this life can be free Shel p. 143. To which I find the same M. Shelford answer saying that the consent of the will is only forbidden here the cherishing of the first motion to sin according to the Scripture every where Rom. 6.12 let not sin reigne in your mortel bodies and Go not after thy concupiscences to fulfill the lusts therof Rom. 14. Aug. ad Iulian. lib. 2. prope finem Touching which matter S. Augustin saith most clearly As for vs we would ever be without sin till this evil of concupiscence were healed if we did not consent vnto it to evil Therefore not to consent vnto concupiscence is no sin and by the grace of God we may not consent and therefore we may keep that Commandment Thou shalt not Covet 3. They bring these words of S. Iohn 1. Iohn 1.8 Prover 24.16 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves the truth is not in vs. Moreover Salomon saith the iust man falls 7. times a day From which they inferre that it is impossible to keep the Commendemens so much as one day I remember that a Catholique answered me obiecting these places to him against the possibility of the Commandments and said that there was this difference between the Catholiques the Protestants that the Protestants make the Scripture to contradict it self neither haue they any probable way nor care they much how to reconcile these contradictions but think it sufficient to lay hold on that which they imagine makes for them As here because S. Iohn saith if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves they conclude that it 's impossible to keep the Commandments whereas the Scripture shewes that Abraham Zachary Elizabeth kept the Commandments and therefore they make the Scripture say as much as if it said they kept the Commandments they kept not the Commandments which are flat contradictions But Catholiques clearly shew that one may keep the Commandments as Abraham others did yet not be free of sin because the Scripture affirmeth both These two truths are not contrary one to another as the Presbyterians do imagine For one doth keep the Commandments who doth nothing against charity or the love of God which is the end of the Commandments as S. Paul affirmes and that only is properly a breach of the Commandments which breaketh love friendship with God But that is only done by mortal or grievous sins not by light or venial faults such as an idle inoffensive word a little immoderate laughter Aug. de nat gra cap. 38. such like as S. Augustin reckons out in his booke of Nature and grace For such lights faults do not break friendship with God since they do it not reasonably with men Now by the grace of God men may be free of mortal sins although not of venial imperfections therefore they may keep the Commandments yet not be free of sin This truth is clearly delivered by S. Augustin Aug. serm 56. de temp As no man saith he ever hath been or ever shall be without small offences so we by Gods help aid may and ought to be without any manner of Capital crimes And again he shewes that albeit Zachary kept all the Commandments
quite taken away For S. Iohn saith of Christ Behold the Lamb of God Iohn 1.29 Acts. 3.19 Mich. 7.19 Heb. 9.28 that taketh away the sins of the world And the spots of our Soules are said to be washed cleanged and our sins to be throwen into the bottome of the sea and to be blotted out and exhausted Therefore in iustification sins do not remaine but they are really taken away As the soule in Iustification is purged and cleanged from the filthinesse of sins which are so forgiven that they are really taken away so it is also beautifyed with inward grace and inherent iustice by which he who was before a sinner is renewed in the Spirit of his mind and hath the love of God powred forth in his heart by the holy Ghost This the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 6.11 when writing to the Corinthians he saith These things you were to witt fornicators adulterers c. but you are washed but you are sanctified but you are iustifyed in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God Ephes 4.24 And elswhere be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in iustice and holynesse of truth And writing to the Romans he saith Rom 5.5 The Charity of God is powred forth in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given vs. I forbear to cite more testimonies Aug. de gâ—â—â—ia S. Augustin sheweth that this inherent iustice is the love of God The grace whereby we are iustifyed that is Christ cap. 30. Idem de nat gra c. 70. saith he the love of God poured into our hearts And elswhere Charity begun is iustice begun Charity encreased is iustice encreased great charity is great iustice and most perfect charity is most perfect iustice If therefore charity or the love of God which is powred into our Soules and consequently is inherent intrinsecal in them be the iustice by which we are made formally iust then our iustice is also inherent intrinsecal And hereby all the causes of our Iustification according to the doctrin of the Catholique Church may be clearly vnderstood Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 7. For the efficient cause is our mercyfull God the meritorious our Lord Iesus Christ the final cause the glory of God of Christ and life everlasting and the formal cause is the Iustice of God not that by which he himself is iust but that by which he makes vs iust and with which we being endowed are renewed in the Spirit of our mind and are not only reputed but truly are iust But said the Catholique to me that you may vnderstand more fully how we are made formally iust not by that iustice which is in God but by that iustice which proceeding from God is in vs I will illustrate the matter a litle more vnto yow As sin is the death of the soule so grace and iustice is the life of it Wherefore as the natural life of man is the formal cause of his living naturally so his spiritual life which is grace iustice is the formal cause of his living spiritually As then the natural life or soule of man by which he lives naturally albeit it be from God yet it is not that life by which God lives but it is that life communicated by God to man by which man lives and therefore cannot be any thing external but must be internal in man So the Spiritual life of the soule which is grace iustice by which man lives Spiritually is not the iustice which is in God or by which God is iust but that iuftice which is communicated by God to man whereby man is rendred iust and lives Spiritually and therefore must be internal in him since nothing can live either naturally or Spiritually by any thing which is external vnto it The example of the raising Lazarus from the the dead will yet more cleare this matter For if Christ calling Lazarus from the grave had not given him inward life Lazarus could not haue risen again and lived by the life of Christ which was without him But it was necessary for the resurection of Lazarus that his own life should be inwardly restored to him by Christ It is so in our case for a man who is raised by Christ from the death of sin vnto the life of righteousnesse must have grace or iustice which is the Spiritual life of the soule inwardly communicated to him by Christ the fountain and meritorious cause of all iustice and the source of all Spirituall life or else man could not be raised from the death of sin and live spiritually S. Augustin proves by the holy Scriptures that Christ came into the world Aug. â—ib de peccat mer. remis cap. 26. seq to give vs that Spiritual life I shall heep together saith he many testimonies which shall suffice by which it may appear that for no other cause Christ came into the flesh but that by the disposition of grace he might quicken save and illuminate all those to whom as members appoynted in his body he is head who before were placed in the death sicknesse darknesse of sin I shall only bring two or three of the many testimonies of Scripture which the holy Father heapeth vp there S. Paul saith Ephes 2.4 God who is rich in mercy for his exceeding charity wherwith he loved vs even when we were dead by sins quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace you are saved and raised vs vp with him c. Ibid. c. 4 v. 24. And again be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in Iustice and holynesse of the truth The same Apostle writing to the Colossians saith And you Coloss 2.13 when you were dead in the offenses and vncircumcision of the flesh did he quicken together with him pardoning you all offenses And to Titus he saith Titus 3. v. 5. that we are iustifyed by his grace Whence it is evident that these who haue been sinners and become iust are said to rise again to be quickneed by Christ to be renewed inwardly to be iustifyed by his grace But they could not rise from the death of sin nor be quickned renewed inwardly and be iustifyed by his grace vnlesse they had spiritual life which is grace or iustice inwardly coÌ„municated vnto theÌ„ Therefore these who rise froÌ„ the death of sin are iustifyed quickned inwardly renewed have the spiritual life of iustice flowing from the merits iustice of Christ inwardly remaining in them And hence doth appear clearly the truth of that which the Catholique Church teacheth to witt that we are made iust by the iustice of God not by that wherby he himself is iust but by which he makes vs iust For as nothing can make an man iust but iustice So it is not the external
baptism when he saith Aug. lib 1. de peccat mer. rcmis c. 5. by the begetting flesh original sin is only contracted but by the regenerating Spirit remission is made not only of original but also the of voluntary sins S. Chrysostom doth more largely illustrate this matter shewing that baptism doth not only take away sin but also bringeth many graces privileges to the persons baptized They are Chrys in homil ad Neophitos saith he not only made free but holy not only holy but iust not only iust but children not only children but heires not only heires but brethren of Christ not only brethren of Christ but coheires not only coheires but memhers not only the temple but the members of the Spirit Yow see how many are the privileges of baptism Many indeed think that the heavenly grace consists only in the remissien of sins but we have reckoned ten privileges For this cause we baptize infants c. Idem in homil ad baptizandos Thus S. Chrysostom Again the same holy Father sheweth that albeit a sinner were defiled with all sorte of iniquity and tyed with the bands of all wickednesse yet when he comes vnto this Bath he riseth more pure then the beames of the Sun And as a little spark of fire cast into the deep sea is not leasurely but instantly extinguished by the aboundance of waters forthwith it is shewed to be nothing so all humane malice when it comes to the waters of these heavenly fountaines is more easily put out then the heate of that little spark And least this should be thought to be said out of ambition or exaggeration he proves all from these words of S. Paul 1. Cor. 9.10.11 Do not erre Neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. shall possesse the kingdome of God And these things indeed you were but you are washed but you are sanctifyed but you are iustifyed Then after an excellent discours on the vertue of baptism he sheweth why it is not called the lauer of remission of sins nor the lauer of purification but the lauer of regenerion because saith he it doth not only forgive our ssns nor simply purify vs who were wrapped vp in wickednesse but it makes vs as if we were borne from heaven More testimonies need not to be added since the Centurists do confesse that the most auncient Fathers as S. Clement Cent. 2. cap. 4. cent 3. c. 4. S. Iustin Cyprian and many others maintain'd the same doctrine Yea they maintain'd this so eagerly that some of them do brand those who believe the contrary with the note of infidelity as we have seen lately out of S. Augustin Greg. lib. 9. regist ep 39. To whom also accordeth S. Gregory the great who saith that nothing can be more vnfaithfull then to teach that sins are only superficially or not fully taken away in baptism Moreover this truth is so engrafted in the hearts of Christians that the most part of Protestants believes it albeit it be against the faith of their Church and albeit it be also true that few of them know so much Hence it came to passe that diverse Presbyterians were scandalized at some words which a great Apostle of the Covenant spake lately against this truth For when one striving to cleare himself before the Presbytery of some imputation wherewith he was charged had said that he was as innocent of that whereof he was accused as he was free of original sin by baptisme the said Apostle presently took him vp sharply told him that he was speaking flat Popery and that neither he nor any man whosoever would be freed from original sin so long as they lived Wherevpon many to whose eares this discourse came took great offence as if this had been the private opinion of that Minister not knowing that it was also the belief of the Presbyterian Church and of their first Reformers Hence it may appeare that this article of the Presbyterian faith is not only against the Scriptures holy Fathers but also against the very instinct of almost all Christians And besids all these absurdities I found it to have been a most auncient heresy defended by the Origenists who thought as S. Epiphanius witnesseth Epiph. haer 64. that sins were not taken away by baptism but only covered and were at length purged by death So that we have for the most part auncient and condemned heresies for the articles of the Presbyterian faith Yea a famous Protestant of Germany condemnes this opinion in the name of his Lutheran brethren as a blasphemie against the holy Scriptures This blasphemie Shlusselburg lib. 1. Theol. art 18 saith he of the Calvinists that baptism doth not purge sins the holy Ghost in in many places refuteth All which besides many other considerations were more then sufficient to hinder me from making such a pernicious errour which indeed makes baptism of no effect an article of my faith I will conclude this matter with the testimonies of two most renowned Fathers who found by experience the wonderfull effects of baptisme Aug. lib 4. Confess cap. 4. S. Augustin doth relate how a dear Camerâ—d of his whom he had infected with the errours and heresies which himself followed before his conversion falling extreamly sick being without vnderstanding or sense was in that condition baptized And how thereafter he coming to his senses S. Augustin began to iest him with the baptism which he had received without vnderstanding But saith the father he found that he had received it and abhorred me as an enemy admonishing me with a wonderfull libertie that I would leave off to speak such things if I would remain a friend Whereat S. Augustin professeth that he much admired to see such a change wrought in the mind by that which was done in the body of him who at that time knew not what they did Cypr. epist 2. ad Donat S. Cyprian also ingenuously confesseth what a vitious man himself was before baptism and how suddenly he was changed and became an other man by the grace which he received in that Sacrament and acknowledging thankfully the many benefites which Christianity conferred vpon him he calleth it truly The death of sins and the life of vertues The like admirable change was also wrought by baptism in the soule of S. Augustin By all which may be knowen that baptism not only purgeth the soule from sin and adorneth it with grace but also it changeth admirably the mind of man The false supposition of the Presbyterians that original sin is nothing else but concupiscence shall be hereafter refuted in the triall of the Covenant CHAP. XX. That Baptism is necessary for the Salvation of Infants which is denyed by the Presbyterians I took notice of aÌ„ other daÌ„gerous errour which was taught by our first Reformers and is yet maintain'd by the Presbyterians against the necessity of baptism For as they teach that baptism taketh not a way original
really present in the Sacrament Although this be a most important question and is much agitated by the curiosity of carnal reason yet I was soone satisfyed in it because I was resolved by Gods grace to found my faith vpon no other ground but vpon the divine Scriptures as they were vnderstood by the ancient Church holy Fathers And therefore after a little diligence and some conference with a Catholique on this matter I found that the reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament was conforme to the clear words of the Scriptures which were so vnderstood by the holy Fathers and which in right reason cannot be otherwise vnderstood and that God hath approved this truth by famous miracles And vpon the other part I found that the Presbyerian doctrin is against Scriptures Fathers Councels and right reason that it is an ancient heresy and so false that many Protestants do eagerly oppose it and lastly that such great confusion was in this matter among the first Apostles of this new religion that it is no wonder to see it so much multiplied among their children All which points I will briefly touch 1. The Catholiques bring expresse Scripture for the reall presence to witt the words of Institution of this holy Sacrament related by three Evangelists and one Apostle where our Saviour alwayes saith This is my body This is my blood And to know that he mean'd of his true reall body he adioyneth my body which shall be given for you and my blood which shall be shed for you Now it was his reall body which was given for them and his reall blood which was shed for them S. Iohn ch 6. Therefore it was his reall body reall blood which they received in the Sacrament Moreover S. Iohn relateth along discourse which our Saviour had to the Iewes in which he affirmes that he was the bread of life that came down from heaven And the bread which he was to give was his flesh for the life of the world and vnlesse they eate his flesh and drink his blood they should have no life in them And notwitstanding that the Iewes murmured at all these things saying How can this man give vs his flesh to eate and this is a hard saying who can heare it Yet our Saviour did with many asseverations affirm it over and over again yea and the suffered them to depart from him because they would not believe this divine mystery Now Christ is not a mocker or deceiver of men to speak one thing yea and to averre it with asseverations which are equivalent to oaths and to intend the contrary Christ is not ignorant of the vsual manner of speech Therefore since he tells the Apostles plainly that the Eucharist is his body delivered for them it must be his body as the Catholiques beleeve and cannot be not his body as the Presbyterians imagine If the Scripture be Iudge of controversies then this controversie is decyded for that Iudge to which Protestants make ordinarly their appeales hath so determined the cause against them that they dare not stand to the clear words of their Iudge in so much that some learned Protestants do confesse that the Scripture taken in the native proper and literal sense is plainly for the Catholiques against themselves and namely Morton when he speaks thus to the Catholiques If the words he certainly true in a proper and literal sense Morton deinstit Sacrament lib. 2. c. 1. then we are to yeeld to you the whole cause And therefore they are enforced to runne to their tropes figures But I found the holy Fathers making no such glosses on our Saviours clear words taking them in their proper sense S. Augustin citing these words of our Saviour this is my body Aug. in ps 33. speaks thus A man may be carried by the hands of others no man is carried in his own hands but Christ was carried in his own hands when recomeÌ„ding his body he himself said this is my body For he carried himself in his own haÌ„ds And again We receive with a faithfull heart and month Idem contr adversar legis lib. 2. c. 9. Ambros lib. 4. de Sacram cap. 4. Chrys lib. 2. de Sacerdotio Cypr. de Coena Domini the Mediator of God and man the man Iesus Christ who giveth vs his flesh to eate S. Ambrose saith clearly Before consecration it is bread but when the words of consecration come it is the body of Christ Heare him saying take eate This is my body c. S. Chrysostom saith He who sitteth above with the father in that same instant of time O miracle O the bounty of God! is touched by the hands of all and he gives himself to those who will receive and embrace him S. Cyprian The bread which our Lord gave to his Disciples being changed not in shape but in nature by the omnipotency of the word is made flesh Many more testimonies of these and of the other holy Fathers in all the first ages even vntill the time of the Apostles Concil Nicen. apud Bellar. lib. 2 de Euch. aristi c. 10. Concil Ephes apud eund lib. 2. cap. 25. may be seen collected by Coccius and Gualterus So that I found both the Scriptures Fathers giving sentence against the Presbyterians The first for the letter and the other for the sense This same truth is also confirmed by the testimonie and authority of the vniuersal Church in general Councels as the first Nicen Councel whose words Bellarmin cites The third generall Councel of Ephesus to which S. Cyrill of Alexandria did preside by which Synod the epistle of S. Cyrill to Nestorius where the real presence of Christs body in the Eucharist is contain'd was approved as it was thereafter by the fourth and fift generall Councels to speak nothing of other more late Councels Besides all these authorities it was also made evident vnto me by the light of reason that our Saviours words concerning the institution of this Sacrament cannot be but literally vnderstood For 1. the principall articles or points of our faith are not delivered in the Scriptures but in proper and clear words But this by all mens Confession is a principall mystery of our faith Therefore it is delivered in clear and plaine tearmes 2. That cannot be ascrybed to Christ without blasphemy which no reasonable or prudent man would do But no reasonable or prudent man would make his testament in obscure and figurative words for that were the high way to deceive his children heires and put them at variance Therefore since Christ at the institution of this Sacrament a little before his death was making his Testament as is manifest by his words when he calleth the Chalice Luke 20.22 the new Testament in his blood by which he left vnto his children the most precious legacie of his body for their comfort nourishment he spake properly clearly and not figuratively 3. Chrâ—st promised the Iewes
a more excellent foode then Manna Iohn 6.33 to witt the bread of life his own flesh But if the Sacrament were meer bread and not Christs body it would not be more excellent then Manna which was called the bread of Angels but much inferiour to it as is evident 4. Christ who is goodnesse and wisdom it self would not for tropes and figures have vsed so many asseverations as are set down in the 6. chapter of S. Iohn Neither would he have suffered so many of his disciples and others to go away from him after so many doubts proposed by them but he would have cleared the matter vnro them Lastly If this liberty be once graunted to expound the Scripture figuratively when we are not forced to it by any other Scripture or article of our faith then nothing will remaine but vncertaine opinions of divine things and so by this means the whole mysteries of the Christian religion may be denyed or overturned For there is no more requisite according to this licentious rule but that some few Novelists think a mystery impossible albeit all the holy Fathers ancient Church did ever esteem it not only possible but also a truth reveal'd by God and an article of their faith And so diverse heretiques have imagined the mysterie of the Incarnation of the holy Trinity and such like principal articles of the Christian religion to be impossible and therefore have expounded all the Scriptures which speak of them figuratively as the Presbyterians do here For these reasons besides the authority of the holy Fathers it appear'd sufficiently evident to me that the words of Christ concerning the holy Sacrament ought to be literally plainly vnderstood and not figuratively This truth also of the reall presence was shewed to me to betestifyed and confirmed from heaven by miracles both auncient and modern which are related by famous and faithfull Authors For either some singular benefites have been obtain'd by the faith of this holy Sacrament as expulsion of Devils deliverance from shipwrack and the like or some punishments have fallen vpon those who either did not beleeve the reall presence or vsed the Sacrament irreverently or some visions and apparitions of Christ in the forme of a child or flesh have been seen to confirm those who were doubtfull of the reall presence Of the first sorte Prosp de promissi Praed Dei c. cap. 6. S. Prosper bringeth an example which fell out at Carthage how a young Arabian maide who by a certaine sin made her self an habitation to the Devil by whom she was so miserably vexed some dayes that her throat being stopped she could receive no meat or drink was at length delivered by the Communion of the sacred body of our Lord. But most famous is that miracle which S. Bernard by the holy Sacrament did at Milan before innumerable people For he cured a woman who had been possessed many yeares by the Devil and was rather a monster then a woman In vita S. Bernardi lib. 2. cap. 3. by holding the holy Sacrament above her head and saying O wicked Spirit here is present thy Iudge Here is the highest power resist now if thou canst Now said he the Prince of this world shall be cast forth This is that body which was taken of the body of the Virgin which was stretched on the tree of the crosse which lay in the sepulchre which in the sight of his disciples ascended vnto heaven I command thee O wicked Spirit in the terrible power of this Maiesty that going out of this hand maid of our Lord thou presume to touch her no more God approved the truth of S. Bernards faith which was alwayes the faith of the Catholique Church by granting his desire Flor. Reym de ortu haeres lib. 2. cap. 12. The like miracle was done in this last age at Laon in Picardie on the person of a young woman named Nicolas Obry as is related with many admirable circumstances by an eye witnesse Florimond Reymond Counsellour of the Parliament of Burdeaux by which miracle he professeth himself to have been drawen out of the gulf of heresie Ambros in Orat. funeb de obitu Satyri S. Ambrose doth also relate how his brother Satyrus by the great faith he had of this holy Sacrament was miraculously delivered from shipwrack How God hath punished those who have abused or blasphem'd this holy Sacrament both auncient and modern histories do shew S. Cyprian relateth many of these miracvlous punishments Ott Mileâ—it cont Parmen lib. 2. For. de ortu haerâ—s lib. 4. c. 10. which fell out in his time so that some were filled with vnclean Spirits others were turned into madnesse S. Optatus doth shew that the Donatists who threw the holy Sacrament of the Catholiques vnto dogges immediatly thereafter felt the divine iudgment for the dogges becoming enraged did set vpon their own Masters and tore them in pieces The above named Florimond doth relate how an Arian woman of Cracovie in the yeare 1579. looking out at her window and seeing the holy Sacrament caried in procession cry'd out Behold the beare which the Papists carie and adore But immediatly she was punished For the Devil seazing on her did so torment her that blaspheming she expired in her husbands armes Moreover Idem lib. 4. cap. 6. the same-Author sheweth that a Iew having made himself Christian did steale out of a Catholique Church three consecrated hosties with which he fled to Hungarie where he sold one of them to a Iew in Presburg and with the other two he went to another town called Nickesburg where he assembled diverse of his companions to shew their outrage against the Sacrament Whence it came to passe that one of the company taking a knife did stob the sacred hostie which was lying on a table saying if thou be the God of the Christians shew it by some miracle The blow was no sooner given but the blood did spring vp by which they were astonished and in the same houre thunder came from heaven which destroyed that house and consumed into ashes that wicked company except only three who half burnt were left to be witnesses of their wickednesse and having escaped the fire of heaven were severly punished by the hand of man as the Author recounts This miracle was so much the more famous that the table and the two hosties of which one was pierced by a knife were found entire among the middest of these ashes and were collected at the sight of innumerable people This miracle fell out in the yeare 1580. I passe by many more which were showen me to this purpose Paul Diac. in vâ—ta S. Greg. Ioann Eiar in vita eiusd Greg. lib. 2. c. 41. Lastly for the comfort of the faithfull or for confirmation of the doubtfull some visions have appeared in the holy Sacrament That which is recounted in the life of S. Grego the great is very remarkable The historie is briefly this
the Church The Catholique Church saith he fighting against all heresies may be opposed but cannot be overcome all heresies have gone out of her as vnprofitable twigges cut off from the vine but she remaines in her roote in her vine in her charitie the gates of hell cannot pervaile against her Christ promised also his perpetu l assistance vnto the Pastors of his Church Math. 28. ver vlt. Behold said he I am with you alway even vnto the consummation of the world Which place both S. Augustin and S. Hierome do bring to prove the same truth The first introduceth the Church speaking thus to Christ Shew vnto me the fewnesse of my dayes ug conc 2. in psal 101. how long shall I be in this world Shew this vnto me for those who say she was but now is not the Church hath made Apostasy and perished from all nations And he declared vnto me Behold I am with you alway even vnto consummation of the world S. Hierome saith that Christ Hier. in cap. vlt. Matth. by these words shews there should be alwayes some faithfull people in this world that he should never separate himself from them I passe by many more places of Scripture which is so evident for the perpetuity of Christs Church that S. Augustin said against the Donatists who denyed it Avg. pref in 2. expos psa 21. and affirmed the Church had perished They mock Christ in a matter which is evident in a matter where no man can say I did not understand This truth is not only evident in Scriptures and Fathers but it is also acknowledged by all Protestants whose minds are best knowne by their Confessions of faith which ought to be of more authority amongst them then the testimonies of their private writers Conf. Augu. c. 7. Saxoni ca c. 12. Helvetic c. 17 The confessions of Ausburg of Saxonie of the Suizers do not only affirm that the Church must still continue vnto the end of the world but they prove it by the expresse Scriptures above cited The Authors of our first Scottish Confession professe that they beleeve as firmely the perpetuity of the Church as they beleeve the mysterie of the Trinity 1. Scottish Conf. article 16. Confes Vvest ch 25. n. 5. for thus they speak As we beleeve in God the Father Son and holy Ghost so we do most earnestly beleeve that from the beginning there hath been now is and to the end of the world shall be a Church The new Confession at Westminster professeth the same truth And so do also Luther Calvin as we shall see presently Now the contrarie doctrin to witt that the Church of Christ did perish or can perish is censured both by Catholiques Protestants as a most damnable errour iniurious to God against the clear Scriptures S. Aug. testimonie shall suffice for the First For against the Donatists who defended the like error and said But that Church which was of all Nations is no more Aug. in ps 101. she hath perished he subioyneth this censure This they say who are not in her O impudent speech And after ward This voice so damnable so detestable so full of presumption falshood which is sustained with no truth enlightned with no wisdome seasoned with no salt vaine rash heady pernitious the holy Ghost foresaw By the great severity of this censure may be knowne the abominable falshood of that opinion Neither is the iudgment of Caluin against that error lesse severe For writing against Servetus who defended it and who was burnt by his order at Geneva he saith I did not touch that long banishment of the Church from the earth Cal. tract Theolin refvtatione errorum Serveti p. 762. which he faineth wherein he plainly accuseth God of a lie And afterward he maketh this profession But we indeed confesse that the Church was put in glorious places otherwise God would have lied who promised that he should alwayes have some people so long as the Sun and Moone shall shine in the firmament We know what the prophets do every where teftifie of the eternall kingdome of Christ The reason of these great censures is very evident For 1. there is nothing so often and so clearly promised in the Scriptures as the perpetuitie of the Church of Christ If then notwithstanding these clear promises the Church might perish then all the other mysteries reveal'd in Scripture might be denyed then it would follow that God were a liar as Calvin reasoneth against Servetus 2. If the Church could perish then that article of the Apostles Creed I believe the holy Catholique Church would be false and therefore none could believe truely that to be which had no being This reason is brought by Luther 3. It would follow that men could not be saved Luth. tom 7. de votis verae Ecclesiae f. 148. Conf. Vvest cap. 25. n. 2. for out of the true Church there is no ordinarie possibility of Salvation as our new Confession of faith acknowledgeth Now what could be more against the goodnesse mercy of God what more iniurious to the merits of Christs passion then to take away the means of Salvation which would be clearly taken away if the Church did perish By all which may be seen that the perpetuity of Christs Church is not only clearly contayn'd in the Scriptures holy Fathers but also that it 's granted by Protestants proved by their reasons and that the contrarie opinion to witt that the Church can perish is censured both by Catholiques Protestants as a most pernicious damnable Error Thus spake the Catholique I was so satisfied of the truth of this principle that I desired no more for the evidence of it and I professed if by it the Protestant Church were proved not to be the true Church that it could not be denyed but Protestants were convinced not only by a clear truth but also by their own principles But to perform this the better the same Catholique shew me that it was necessarie to lay down an other principle to witt the definition or description of a Protestant Church And although said he this be difficult by reason that Protestants are very inconstant and changeable in their doctrin which is the essence of a Church so that the definition which will serve them this yeare may perhaps not fit them the next for which cause some have affirmed that it 's as hard to find out a definition which will alwayes agree to them as to paint Proteus or make a fit coate for the Moone yet notwithstanding these difficulties a general notion may be had of them and the best appear's to be that which is taken from their Confessions of faith So that the Protestant Church of Scotland may be described to be a Society of people beleeving the whole articles of the Scottish Confession And other Protestāt Churches as of Englād France c. may be described after the same manner by
and amongst all doctrines which have been delivered there is none descended more clearly then the irrefragable testimony of the Catholique Church either as she is dilated throughout the whole world or as she is assembled in a General Council whereof the continual practice of the Church from the beginning is a superabvndant evidence From this truth we will briefly deduce some Corollaries 1. Since we neither ought nor can arrive vnto the certain knowledge of our Saviours and his Apostles doctrin but by the testimony of the Catholique Church this Testimony is not only necessary for the knowledge of the doctrines not written but also of these which are written because the true sense of these cannot be infallibly known but by this lively rule of faith 2. The doctrines not written which have been still believed and profest in the Church are truly Apostolical divine as well as these doctrines which are contain'd in Scripture because we have the same infallible assurance for them that we have for these 3. Since the Testimony and authority of the Vniversal Church is the only means by which we can be fully assured what was the doctrin of Christ and therefore is the formal motive of our belief it followes that what ever the Church testifieth to be revealed by God has been truly revealed and ought to be beleeued whither the matters themselvs be great or small And hereby the Protestants distinction of points fundamental not fundamental is quite overturned and shewed to be impertinent Because neither of these points are beleeved for themselv's but for the divine authority revealing them and this cannot be known but by the testimony of the Church by her authority proposing them Therefor the formal motive being the same for all points they are all alike to be beleeved when they are by the same authority of the Church sufficiently proposed and in that case to deny any thing albeit never so small for the matter is a fundamental error and clearly opposite to the formal motive of our faith for which all the points of faith are beleeved and whosoever disbeleeves any thing at all so proposed denies faith to God reiects his authority 4. He who contemnes or neglects the testimony of the Catholique Church in the time wherein he lives which is a testimony beyond all exception most worthie of credit can never come to the full certain knowledge of our Saviours doctrin For that is as it were the first step of the ladder vpon which if one set not first his foote he cannot arrive vnto the top that is vnto the first age wherein Christ his Apostles lived 5. From this principle flow all the notes of the Church As first her Vnity in all points of faith For if she has alway's beleeved nothing but what was received from hand to hand from father to son by the testimony of the Christian world and all persons within her submit to the same supreme authority of one chief Pastor of General Councels the Church cannot but have Vnity in all points of faith Secondly the holynesse of the Church flowes also from the foresaid principle For if the doctrin of the Church was holy at the beginning as all Christians must confesse and the doctrin by this continual testimony remaines ever the same as hath been proved Then the Church is still holy in all her doctrines which all tend to holynesse Thirdly the Church is also Catholique For it is by the testimony of Christians in all Nations that the doctrin of Christ is infallibly conueighed vnto vs. Lastly the Church is Apostolique For it is by her continued testimony that the doctrin of Christ is known in all generations and therefore she must have a continued succession from the Apostles Wherefore to conclude I hope that I have proved now sufficiently the Church in Communion with the Sea of Rome by receiving all her doctrines in all ages from her forefathers has ever kept the same doctrin which she first received from Christ his Apostles never changed it and therefore as she was so she still is the spouse of Christ being a fruitefull Mother yet a chast Virgin never parting from Christ for she could never be drawn from the doctrin which she once received from him neither by the bloody persecutions of the Pagans nor by the deceitfull pretexts and allurements of heretiques yea she never did dissemble the least Error in her deerest children Iude v. 3. but as S. Iude exhorts has ever contended earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints She has indeed been ever falsly accused as an Adulteresse by all heresies which are themselvs as we have seen before harlots and strumpets But she remaines pure chast Adulterari non potest Cypr. in tract de simplicitate Prelator Osee 2.19 saith S. Cyprian Sponsa Christi c. The Spouse of Christ cannot become an adulteresse she is chast incorrupt What she once knew of Christ she still holds and never at all parts from him as he never parts from his Church to which he said I will espouse thee to my self for ever S. Paul speaking of the great love of Christ to his Church saith that he delivered himself for it Ephes 5.25 c. that he might sanctifie it and present it vnto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing c. And of the indissolvible coniunction between Christ and his Church he saith This is a great Sacrament Ibid. v. 32. but I say in Christ his Church As the Iewes did loaden our Saviour with lies calumnies so all heretiques strive to defame oppresse his Spouse by the same means but all in Vain For as the innocency of Christ did appear and the whole earth was filled with his praises whereas his enemies were cloathed with shame confusion were scattered through the earth had their Temple destroyed and their Nation ruined So within a short time the vnspotted innocency purity of his spouse is manifested to the shame confusion of all heresies which being accursed by the Church with all their lies calumnies are ever at length destroyed from the face of the earth for as the Wiseman has observed Ecclesiastic c. 3. v. 11 the Mothers curse rooteth vp the foundation If it was a great sin in the Iewes that they not only refused to hear and obey Christ but also falsly accused him and many wayes lyed and blasphemed against him It cannot be a small sin in heretiques that they do not only refuse to hear the Church for which crime alone they are by Christs command to be holden as Heathens Publicans but also they falsly accuse his Spouse which he loves so deerly for an Adulteresse and charge her with Idolatry Superstition all sorts of abomination These calumnies if not blasphemies are the ground of all their new doctrines pretended Reformations By which we may know the rare fabrick
which is erected vpon it But all these lies calumnies false accusations and railings can prevaile nothing against the Church which may say truly as the Prophet David foretould of her Psal 128.1 seq How often have they impugned me from my youth How often have they impugned me But they have not prevailed against me Sinners have built vpon my back they have prolonged their iniquity Our iust Lord will cut the necks of sinners Let them all be confounded and turned back which hate Sion S. Chrysostom writing on these words of the psalme The Queen stood at thy right hand said truly and excellently of her The Church is opposed Chrysost ver 10. Psal 44. and overcomes being pursued by snaires she gets the vpper hand being provoked with wrongs and reproches she is made more illvstrious She is hurt but yields not to the print of the woūds how ever she be tossed she is not overwhelmed She endures great tempests and yet for all that suffers no shipwrack she wrestles but is not thrown down Thus he Thererefore this cloud of the Ministers calumnie to witt that the Catholique Church had changed the doctrin of Christ brought in corruptions which is the very same which all heretiques have vsed the new Arians vse to this day being dispelled I am confident that by Gods grace you see now the admirable light of the Catholique Church and therefore abandoning the darknesse of all error will walk in this light by which all the Saints have attain'd vnto the light of heaven To this effect with many more words spake the Catholique After I had diligently considered all these things the heads of which were given me in writing I did not only by Gods grace see with my vnderstanding the truth of the Catholique Church but also I was bent with my will to follow embrace it laying aside many worldly difficulties which only stood in my way And having heartily thanked my Catholique friend by whose paines charity I had received so much help I earnestly desired that for the accomplishment of the work he would assist me to consider how the true Church may be known by these 4. notes which are contain'd in the Nicen Creed and which he briefly touched above to which he willingly condescended shewing me that any man who believes the Scripture may find the true Church so manifestly there described by these properties that he may easily find her out or rather clearly see her so that S. Augustin saith Aug. conc 2. in psal 30. de vnite Eccl c. 5. lib. 1. ad Cres c. 33. The Scriptures speake more obscurly of Christ then of the Church that they are so clear for the Church that by no shift of false interpretation they can be avoided that the impudence of any forehead that will stand against such evidence is confounded and that it is prodigious blindnesse not to see which is the true Church I shall collect briefly the summe of our conferences in this matter CHAP. XXXII The true Church proved from the Scriptures first by her Vnity AS the great dissensions of our Ministers furnished to me the first occasions of my doubting that their Church could not be the true Church so the very light of Nature did shew me that the true Church being the work of God must have Vnity For what more belongs to the house of God which ought to be a house of Order then Vnity what more fitting for his Kingdom which must endure for ever then Vnity which tends to preservation what more vnbeseeming them then disorder division which at length produces ruine destruction The Scripture is full of clear testimonies to this purpose as where it is said of the Church My Dove is one my beloved is one Cant. 6. and it 's called by our Saviour one sheepfold Iohn 10 16. S. Paul doth also excellently shew the vnity of the Church in which are diverse functions by the Vnity of mans body in which are diverse members but all animated with one Spirit as the whole Church is quickned by one faith For else where he saith There is one Lord Ephes 4.5 one faith one baptism But of these other passages of Scripture which were brought there was one which had a special influence vpon me and that was our Saviours prayer in the 17. of S. Iohn where after he had prayed most earnestly for the Vnity of his Apostles he prayes also for the Vnity of the whole Church Iohn 17 20. saying Neither pray I for those alone but for them also who shall beleeve in me through their word That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be One that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me I did seriously ponder this reason which our Saviour brings to obtain his desire which was much vrged also by the Catholique who shew me that our Saviour declared thereby the vnity of his Church should be so admirable that the world should be moued thereby to beleeve that he was the Son of God a true Prophet sent from heaven as some Fathers have also obserued Therefore it 's evident by the Scripture that the true Church must have Vnity Apud Maldonat in hunc locum and that that cannot be the true Church of Christ which wants it And if we shall speak of the holy Fathers they are so much for this Vnity of the Church that some of them have written whole Treatises concerning it Now it is no lesse evident both to sense and reason that this Vnity agrees better to the Church in Communiō with the Sea of Rome then to the Protestant Churches or rather it agrees fully to the one and not at all to the other For who may not see by the manifold Schismes Divisions which are now among Protestants all other Sectaries as well in Doctrine as Government which we have touched above and which do dayly augment that the Protestant Churches have no Vnity Shortly after Luthers rising the Protestant Church was divided into three principal sects to witt the Lutherans Calvinists Zuinglians that we may speak nothing of the Anabaptists and Libertins But now their divisions have so multiplyed that they can hardly be numbred And these divisions are not only great for the matter being in some principal points of doctrin but also have been very great for the manner For thereby diverse Protestants have kild and destroy'd one another made bloody warres and overturned kingdome Commonwealths So that if there were no other Christian Church but the Protestant the world could not be moved by the Vnity thereof to beleeve that Christ was sent from heaven or had been a divine Architect who had built such a Babel of Confusion But if laying aside rancour preiudice we will cast our eyes vpon the Church in Communion with the sea of Rome this Vnity appears wonderfully in her For how
the principal article of their religion that man is iustifyed by faith only which is clearly against the word of God which saith in expresse tearmes Man is not iustifyed by faith only Iames 2.24 They beleeve that the Commandments are impossible to be kept Which is against the word of God which affirmeth that Gods Commandments are not grievous 1. Iohn 5.3 and that Zachary Elizabeth did keep them They beleeve that the Eucharist is not the body and blood of Iesus Christ Luke 1 6. which is directly against the Scripture which affirmeth It is his body and blood and that with such words as design the true body true blood Therefore it is evident that they cannot be perswaded of the truth of their religion by the Word of God seing the principal articles of their religion are so clearly against the word of God Yea before their religion can be true the most clear truth in all the Scriptures must be false to witt the perpetuity of the Church of Christ For their whole religion is founded vpon that supposition that the whole Church of Christ had become Anti-Christian and had perished for a long time before Luther Then which nothing can be more against the word of God as we have seen above Neither have the Covenanters any other refuge to shun these contradictions between their beleef and the Scriptures but to fly vnto tropes figures and pretend that these places of Scripture must be vnderstood figuratively which is the very fraude that was vsed by the auncient heretiques So soone Aug. lib 3. de doct Christian 6.10 saith S. Augustin as any Error doth prepossesse their mynds they esteem all to be figures which the Scripture saith to the contrary Yea they must bring senses iust contrary vnto the words of the Scriptures as for example the Scripture saith Man is not iustifyed by faith only which according to their beleef must be vnderstood as if the Scripture said Man is iustifyed by faith only which it nowhere saith Therefore if men can be perswaded by the Scripture to beleeve such things as are contrary to the expresse words of Scripture the Covenanters are perswaded by the Scripture of the truth of their religion otherwise they are not but rather perswaded to the contrary Secondly they come as small speed of their pretext of the Spirit of God For first they can bring no more ground for it then all sects do that is their own bare words and therefore they ought not to be beleeved more then others Secondly They cannot be perswaded by the Spirit of God who oppose the Catholique Church which according to Christs promise is ever directed by the Spirit of Truth S. Iohn who adviseth vs wisely not to beleeve every Spirit but to prove the Spirits if they be of God gives this Touch-stone by which they may be tryed He that knoweth God 1. Iohn c. 4. v. 6. saith he knoweth vs and he that is not of God knoweth vs not In this we know the Spirit of Truth and of Error This same Touch-stone has held in all succeding generations For these who would not beleeve the Catholique Church and the Pastors thereof succeeding vnto the Apostles although they bragged never so much of the Spirit of God were instantly seen to be misled by the Spirit of Error and were condemned as heretiques who with insolent folly would appropriat the Spirit of God vnto every one of their own giddie heads and yet deny it to the whole Catholique Church against the clear Scriptures The same holds against Calvin his descendents the Presbyterian Covenanters Thirdly They cannot have the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of Vnity who have mingled among them the Spirit of giddinesse and Contrariety by which their Erroneous Spirit is discovered now even to the most simple among the people Lastly the Covenanters falsly pretend that they are fully perswaded of the truth of their religion For if they had full assurance of it they would not make so many changes in it and besides their Director is very vnconstant for what is more changeable then the privat Spirit Having seen now said the Catholique the Covenanters vain false pretence of the word and Spirit of God we will briefly run through the description of their religion and to spare paines of often repeating their names we will turn our speech to them First you say that your faith religion is the only true faith religion pleasing God and bringing Salvation to man If this were true the world for many ages had been in a pittifull condition For about the space of a thowsand or 12. hundred yeares your faith religion were not known and so all that time there had been no means of salvation By which device you not only controule the clear Scriptures but also show your selvs enemies to the Glory of Christ to the riches of his Grace and to the perpetuity of his Kingdome yea and to the very good of Man And lastly you oppose most famous Protestants who acknowledge Salvation was had in the Roman Church before Luther and may be had now after him in so much that King Iames in his speech to the Parlament 1605. sharply censures you for this cruel opinion We confes saith he that many Papists especially our Ancestors c. may be saved and often are saved detesting in this parte and iudging worthy of fire the cruelty of Puritans who yeeld Salvation to no Papist Secondly you describe your religion further saying that it is now reveald to the world by the preaching of the Evangel But that is rather a mark of the false then of the true religion For the true Christian faith was reveald of old by Christ his holy Apostles and from that time could never be hid But your Presbyterian faith has iust two contrary qualities to witt it is now reveal'd and has lyen long hid S. Vincentius Lyrinensis sheweth the nature of your faith by describing the doctrine of the auncient Heretiques What do they propose saith he Vincent Lyr. cont haeres c. 12. but new and vnheard doctrines For you shall heare some of them say Come ô you vnwise miserable men who are commonly called Catholiques learn the true faith which besides vs none knoweth which has lyen hidd many ages but now is lately revealed and manifested Neither doth it a white availe you that you call your faith the Gospel and the revealing of your faith the preaching of the Gospel For so all heretiques call their greatest Errors the Gospel of Christ S. Hierom saith wisely that the Gospel of God Hieron 1. ad Galat. by a false interpretation becames the Evangel of man or which is woâ—se the Evangel of the Devil So there still remaines a great question about the truth of your preaching which is nothing but your privat interpretation Thirdly to make your faith more commendable you pretend that it is both auncient Vniversal You
Aug. lib. 50. hom liar hom 49. and elswhere he saith It 's lawfull for the cause of fornication to put away an adulteresse wife but dure ng her life it is not lawfull to marie another c. These are Adulteries not Mariages Is Augustin contemned let Christ be feared Two Ancient Councels do also confirme the same doctrine Therefore Concil Elibert c. 9. Milerit c. 17. the Catholique Church in denying Mariage to the innocent partie divorced is not cruel as you calumniate but observes the iust Law of Christ the commandment of the Apostle and the practice of the holy ancient Church And if any think it hard they have a remedie prescribed by the Apostle to reconcile themselves to the guilty partie But indeed you are cruel who vnder pretext of mercy do allow men to Violate the iust Law of God and vnder the name of Mariages authorize people to commit Adulteries to the destruction of their soules So that it is truly verifyed of you that your mercies are cruel But let vs proceed now to your other abiurations SECTION VIII Of the Christian Sacrifice and of Priesthood AFTER you had robbed Christians of almost all the Sacraments and of our Saviours legacie to witt his precious body now you would rob the Church of the Christian Sacrifice and would spoyle God of the greatest external honour that can be rendred to him is due to him alone And with the Sacrifice you would also destroy the sacred Order of Priesthood by which it is offered For you renounce them in these most virulent tearmes of your Covenant We detest his Devilish Masse His blasphemous Priesthood His profane Sacrifice for the sins of the dead and the quick As never any Religion neither vnder the Law of Nature nor vnder the Law of Moyses wanted Sacrifice which is a Supâ—â—m worship due to God alone so the Chrisâ—â—â—n Religion which excells all Religions tha◠〈◊〉 have been is not destitute of that perfecâ—â—â—n but hath a most excellent Sacrifice far exceeding all the ancient Sacrifices The Prophets did foretell of it Christ did institute it the holy Apostles their Successors did offer it and the whole Christian world hath in all ages frequented it which points we shall briefly touch The Prophet David speaking of Christ saith The Lord has sworne Psal 109.4 Thou art a Priest for ever according to the Order of Melchisedech Which words have relation to these of Moyses Genes 14.18 Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine for he was Priest of the most high God The holy Fathers vnderstand that Prophesie of the Christian Sacrifice of Christs body blood vnder the formes of bread wine So S. Cyprian who is more Priest Cypr. epist 63. ad Cecil saith he of the most high God then our Lord Iesus-Christ who offered a Sacrifice to God his father and offered the same which Melchisedech had offered that is bread wine to witt his own body blood S. Augustin also to the same purpose saith Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 17. c. 17. No where now is the Priesthood Sacrifice according to the order of Aaron and every where vnder Christ the Priest is offered vp that which Melchisedech brought forth when he blessed Abraham And again speaking of Melchisedechs Sacrifice he saith There did first appeare the Sacrifice which is now offered vp to God by Christians in the whole world The second Prophesie is in Malachie where God saith to the Iewes Malachie ch 1. v. 10. I have no pleasure in you neither will I accept any offering at your hands For from the riseing of the Sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentils and there is offered Sacrificed to my name in every place a pure oblation The holy Fathers vnderstood this as a most clear Prophesie of the Christian Sacrifice So S. Ireneus Among the 12. Prophets saith he Malachie did so fâ—retell of it Ireneus lib. 4 c. 33. I have no pleasure in â—u c. most clearly signifying by these words that the first people should leave off to offer vnto God and in every place a Sacrifice and that pure shouâ—d be offered vnto him So also S. Augustin did vnderstand it Aug de 〈◊〉 it l. 18. c. 26. Malachie saith he prophesying of the Chvrch which we see now propagated saith most â—learly vnto the Iewes in the person of God I have no pleasure in you c. since then we see the sacrifice by the Priesthood of Christ according to the Order of Melchisedech offered vp in every place c and they cannot deny but the sacrifice of the Iewes is ceased why do they yet look for another Christ seing that which they read Prophesied and see fulfilled could not be accomplished but by him If this Prophesie be so strong against the Iewes it is no lesse forcible against the Covenanters As the Prophets foretould so Christ fulfilled by instituting this Sacrifice by offering it vp himself and by ordaining it to be offered vp vnto the end of the world This he performed when taking bread he blessed it saying This is my body which is given for you and after the same manner of the Chalice He ordaind the same oblation to be continued when he said to his Apostles Do this in remembrance of me So the holy Fathers expresly teach S. Ireneus who lived in the second age speaking of Christs words of Institution saith Christ taught the new oblation of the new Testament Iren. lib 4 c. 33. which the Church receiving from the Apostles offereth vp to God throughout the whole world S. Cyprian affirmeth clearly the same truth saying Our Lord God Iesus-Christ Cypr lib 2. epist 3. is the high Priest of God the Father He offered vp himself a Sacrifice to his Father and the same he commanded to be done in his remembrance To which two we shall only adioyn S. Augustin who saith Aug. in psal 33. serm 2. Christ did Institute the Sacrifice of his body blood according to the Order of Melchisedech And last of all may be added the practice of the whole Christian world which in all ages from the death of Christ did render vnto God supreme honour worship testifying his Soveraignity power of life death by this most excellent Sacrifice of Christs body blood which the holy Fathers called the Sacrifice of the Masse The Vertue also of which God has manifested by many Miracles one of which I will recount out of S. Augustin to our purpose Aug. lib. 22 de Civit. c. 8. Which is briefly thus The house of a certain Tribune in the Countrey near to Hippo the City of S. Augustins residence being vexed with evil Spirits to the great losse of his cattel and affliction of his Servants he came and desired that one of our Priests saith the holy Father I being then absent would goe and pray that the Devil
were made with the Ark about Iericho Iosue 6. And of diverse others when the Ark was carried from place to place 2. Kings 6.7 and 3. Kings 8. They were vsed also in the Primitive Church as Baronius shewes Baronius tom 1. anno 48. Basil ep 63. and mention is made of them in the Councel of Laodicea c. 17. In these Processions were oftentimes said Litanies or short prayers by which God has been often pacifyed of which S. Basil the great saith Cum Litanias dicimus non humanis verbis sed oraculis Spiritus Deum placamus When we say the Litanies we pacify God not with humane words but by the Oracles of the holy Spirit By these Processions Litanies Spond an 590. n. 4. or publique supplications the City of Rome was miraculously delivered from a furious plague in the time of S. Gregory the great and the City of Vienne in France from horrible earthquakes in the time of S. Mamertus Bishop of that City as may be seen in the Ecclesiastical history Spond an 475. n. 4. Therefore Processions Litanies are most ancient laudable they tend much to the glory of God stirring vp of devotion And the Litanies are so far from being blasphemous as you very rashly call them that they are Oracles of the holy Ghost by which Gods iudgments have been often prevented For the multitude of Mediators Advocats which you renounce the Catholique Church acknowledgeth but one Mediator who has redeemd all mankind by the shedding of his pretious bloud to witt Iesus-Christ And for the Saints she acknowledgeth them to be only Mediators Advocats to pray for her as the faithfull living pray for others which makes nothing against the one Meditation redemption of Iesus-Christ as is evident to any man who has common sense Therefore albeit you renounce the mediation of the Saints to pray for you yet the Catholique Church will not renounce the Prayers of the Saints You detest also the Manyfold Orders of the Catholique Church which are in all reckoned to be 7. to witt the Order of Porter Lector Exorcist Acolite Subdeacon Deacon Priest and which may be seen explained Catech. Rom. parte 2. de Ordine in the Roman Catechisme out of the Scriptures and holy Fathers It is sufficient to know that they were observed in the most holy Primitive times and it may be truly said that these Manyfold Orders of the Catholique Church are much more commendable then the manyfold Confusions of your Presbyterian Kirk Lastly you detest here Auricular Confession But either you detest it as vnlawfull or vnnecessary You cannot detest it as vnlawfull vnlesse you controule both your Masters Luther Calvin Luth. lib. de capt Babyl tit de penit For the first saith Secret Confession which is now kept in the Church doth mervailously please me and is profitable yea necessary neither would I wish it were not yea I reioyce that it is in the Church of Christ since it is a Soveraigne or only remedie to afflicted soules Calvin also speaketh to the same purpose saying Cal. lib. 3. Instit c. 4. When any man is troubled with his sins he may discover them to his Pastor to be comforted c. Yea not only the late English Church did allow it but also your selves do sometimes practice it confessing to your Ministers albeit some of them be not very good Secretaries telling in the pulpit what has been tould them in their care to the ruine and disgrace of some as might be shown by fresh experience If you detest it as vnnecessary then you goe against our Saviours Commission the holy Fathers For Christ having made the Apostles spiritual Iudges and having given them power to bind loose from sins it followes necessarly that the people must confesse their sins to them or else their power had been given them in vain neither could they absolve the people from what they knew not But hear S. Augustin so vnderstanding the Scripture shewing the practice of the Primitive Church Do penance saith he Aug homil 49. ex lib. 50. homil as it is done in the Church c. Let no man say to himself I doe it secretly I doe it with God God who forgives me knowes I doe it from my heart Therefore without cause was it said what you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Therefore without cause were the keys given to the Church Doe we make void the Evangel of God Doe we make void the words of Christ If we promise to you that which he denys doe we not deceive you And elswhere he saith There are some Idem lib. 2. de Visitat infirmor who think it sufficient to Salvation to confesse their sins to God alone For they will not or they are ashamed or disdaine to show themselv's to the Priests c. But I will not that thou be deceived by that opinion c. For his iudgment is also to be vndergone whom our Lord doth not disdaine to appoint his Vicar I passe by more testimonies for some have been brought above to this purpose Section 7. By this alone Testimony of S. Augustin you may see that your Ministers who deny the necessity of Confession or the desire of it when a Confessor cannot be had make the power of loosing to be given to the Church without cause make void the Evangel of God the words of Christ and promising you remission of your sins without Confession promise you that which Christ denys and so miserably deceive you The Catholique doctrine of Confession is a truth so engraffed in the hearts of Christians and the practice of it brings so great comfort that even these who are brought vp in a contrary heresy are enforced sometimes to make vse of it for the comfort and ease of their distressed consciences albeit they confesse for the most part to vnlawfull Pastors who have no power to absolve them And your Puritanical opinion against Confession is an old damned heresy of the Novatians Messalians Iacobits SECTION XI Of Repentance Faith Satisfactions Opus Operatum Works of Supererogation Merits Pardons Peregrinations Stations YOV say next in your Covenant We detest his desperate and vncertain Repentance His general and doubtsome faith His Satisfactions of men for their sins His Iustification by works Opus operatum works of Supererogation Merits Pardons Peregrinations and Stations Here in the first place you follow your two Masters Luther Calvin by calling the Repentance of the Catholiques desperate and vncertain Bellar. lib. 1. de penit c. 2. 5. which Cardinal Bellarmin reckons not amongst their doctrines but amongst their deceits calūnies For first it is most false that the Catholiques Repentance is desperate thtough Cōtrition be required to it since there is no more required but that which is iust and which many have had and by Gods grace may be easily had neither have any been drawn to despaire by
511. 512. Baptizing of Bells Coniuring of Spirits CROSSING sauing anointing coniuring HALLOVVING of Gods good Creatures with the superstitious opinion ioyned therewith His worldly 22 22 How the Presbytery domineered over all sorts of persons may be seen above ch 4. and 5. of Presb. Triall 23. Their severity cruelty may be seen ibid. MONARCHIE and wicked HIERARCHIE 23 His three Solemn 24 24 Their solemn League Covenant which intended the setling of Presbytery in all the 3. Kingdomes is not such a work of perfection as are the 3. Solemn Vowes of chastity poverty Obedience which they here abiure and which their first Reformers Vowed but did not keep And therefore their Solemn League may be better renounced then the three Solemn Vowes abiured VOVVES with all his SHAVELINGS of Sundry sorts His corrupted and bloudy Decrees made at TRENT with all the Subscribers and Approvers of that cruell and bloudy Band coniured against the Kirk of God And finally we detest all his 25 25 See above pag. 229. 242. how by Trops and figures the clear words of Christs institution of the holy Sacrament are perverted by them against the sense of the holy Fathers and of the auncient Church Vain Allegories Rites Signs and 26 26 Their denying of privat baptism is a Presbyterian Tradition derived from Calvin as may be seen above p. 212. without or rather against the word of God and the practice of the auncient Church The same may be also said of their denying private Communion c. Traditions brought in the Kirk without or against the word of God and Doctrin of this true 27 27 As the Catholique Church is only the true Church of Christ so S. Cyprian has observed that all heretiques like Apes do take vpon them the name and falsly Vindicate to themselves the authority of the Church Cypr. Epist ad Iubaian REFORMED Kirk To the which we ioyn our selves willingly in Doctrin Faith Religion Disciplin and vse of the holy Sacraments as lively members of the same in Christ our Head 29 29 As the Catholique Church remaines constant in her doctrin and government so the Scottish Protestant Church has been very inconstant for it has changed diverse doctrines and very sensibly its disciplin three or foure times since the beginning of their pretended Reformation so that a man cannot wisely swear constant obedience to such an vnconstant Church See above ch 2. and 7. of Presb. Trial. Promising swearing by the Great Name of the Lord our God that we shall continue in the obedience of the Doctrin Disciplin of this Kirk and shall defend the same according to our Vocation power all the dayes of our lives vnder the paines contained in the Law and danger both of Body and soule in the Day of Gods fearfull iudgement 30 30 As it is a malicious calumnie to say that any Catholique is stirred vp by the Pope to deny and abiure the Catholique religion against his conscience vpon hope of the Popes Dispensation So it is a known truth by diverse fresh experiences that many Catholiques have been stirred vp by the Presbyterian Ministers for feare of their Excommunications and the Confiscation of their Estates which followed therevpon to swear and subscribe the Covenant against the light of their Consciences as was well known to the said Ministers which may be seen above p. 414. and 15. And seing many are stirred vp by Sathan and that ROMAN ANTI-CHRIST to promise swear subscribe and for a time vse the holy Sacraments of the Kirk deceitfully against their own Consciences minding thereby first vnder the external cloak of Religion to corrupt subvert secretly Gods true Religion within the Kirk and afterwards when time may serve to become open Enemies and Persecutors of the same vpon VAIN HOPES of the Popes DISPENSATION devised against the word of God to his greater confusion and their double condemnation in the day of the Lord Iesus 31 31 All these to whom God has made the light of Truth to shine ought to be thankfull for so great a benefit and never commit so great ingratitude as to abandon it for worldly respects How much more ought they to abhorre from taking the Covenant which makes even some Protestants hearts to stand which containes so many grosse vntruths as we have seen above which is not only a Denial but an Abiuration ioynd with horrible blasphemies of almost all the points of the Catholique faith wee therefore willing to take away all suspicion of Hypocrisy and double dealing with God his Kirk protest and call the Searchers of all hearts forwitnesse that our minds and hearts do fully agree with this our Confession promise Oath Subscription So that we are not moved for any 32 32 See above in the first section this last grosse vntruth of the Covenant p. 416. worldly respect c. FINIS Soli Deo Honor Gloria