the Canon of the Iews as if the Jews might not doubt and omitt to put some books divinely inspired into the Canon as wel as the primitive Christians or as if the Apostles might not supply that defect and declare some books of the old Testament wherof the generality of the Jews doubted to be Canonical SVBSECT I. Doctor Cozins exceptions and falsifications against the Councel of Trent's authority answered The difference between new definitions and new articles of faith explained THe Protestant obstinacy is not excusable by the exceptions made against the number of Bishops that voted in the Councel of Trent or against the pretended novelty of the Canon which they decreed As to their number the authority of defining matters of faith in a general Councel is no more limited or diminished by the absence of members legaly summoned and long expected then the authority of a lawful Parliament by the absence of many Lords and commons especialy if there be a necessity of applying present remedies to the distempers of Church or Common-weal Doctor Cozins doth confess that the Catholick Church stood in need of a reformation and that the Councel was too much diferr'd and delay'd After they had met at Trent Seing the Bishops were not as many as the Pope and his Legats expected and wished for the greater solemnity of so important a decision as that of the Canon of Scripture whervpon they were to ground their further definitions they put of that session for 8. months and at the end of them hearing that besids those who were at Trent many Bishops were setting forth and others in their Journey they differred the definition of Canonical Scripture for three months more to the end as many as could possibly come might be present If through neglect contempt age infirmity or other accidents wherof the Pope was not in fault many Bishops were absent that could no more prejudice the authority of the Councel at Trent then the like circumstances disanull the authority or make voyd the Acts of our Parliaments But sure the learned Protestant Pastors cannot but smile at the simplicity of their illiterat flocks when they consider the zeale and earnestnes wherwith they except against the smal number of Bishops and their presumption forsooth in the Councel of Trent For the declaring the Canon of Scripture and other Divine truths and yet them-selves accept the Canon of Scripture and doctrin of their own Churches vpon the bare word of one Luther Zuinglius Calvin or vpon the sole authority of the 12. or seven men appointed by Parliament in the reign of Edward 6. Besids our Canon of Scripture was confirmed by the whole Councel of Trent afterwards together with the other points of faith therin defined And though Doctor Cozins pag. 208. tels how the Princes and reformed Churches in Germany England Denmark c. immediatly set forth their Protestations and exceptions against the Councel aleadging that the caling of this Councel by the Pop's authority alone was contrary to the Rights of Kings and the ancient Customs of the Church That he had summond no other persons thither nor intended to admitt any either to debate or give their voice there but such only as had first sworn obedience to him that he took vpon him most injustly to be Judg in his own cause c. Yet it is sufficiently manifested to the world by the very Acts of the Councel that the Pope did nothing but what his Predecessors had don and the Catholick Princes and Church had approved in the like occasions and that though Protestants were not admitted to vote at Trent yet they were not only permitted but invited in a most secure and civil manner by the Councel to reason dispute and debate their controversies and answer for them-selves and their doctrin and this way of proceeding is no more vnreasonable in a general Councel then it is in a Parliament not to permit any to vote therin before he taks an oath of alegiance not to say any thing of the oath of Supremacy and much less to admit of Lords or Commons accused of treason or rebellion to sit in the House vntil they prove their innocency or acknowledg their fault and obtain their pardon by a dutiful submission and profession of repentance And granted that nothing had bin resolved in the Councel of Trent by the Fathers therof but what first was canvass't at Rome by the Pope and Conclave which is false yet we conceive that to be no more against the constitution or freedom of a Councel then it is against the constitution or freedom of a Parliament that no Bill pass vnto an Act vnless it be first signed by the King and approved by his Councel and yet we know that to have bin the constant custom in one of his Majesties Kingdoms since the reign of King Henry 7. As for the Pope or Church of Rome being Judg in their own cause it is a prerogative so absolutly necessary for the authority and govermnent of Magistracy and the quiet and peace of the people governed that no Monarchy or Commonwealth can want it without falling into great inconveniences and confusion A subject t' is true may sue the King but the sentence must be given in the King's Courts and by his authority notwithstanding any objected dependency or parciality of the Judg explaining the laws and customs in favor of his Soveraign And he who would not acquiesce in such a sentence but would needs have the cause decided by a foreign Prince or People is a rebel If this be reasonable and just in temporal Courts and fallible sentences how much more in spiritual controversies and infallible definitions of the Church which definitions of the Church if not acknowledged to be infallible the Church can not have any jurisdiction or authority in matters of faith as not being able to satisfie doubts and setle the inward peace of Christian souls either perplexed in them-selves or in daunger of being perverted by others whether hereticks or pagans neither of which can be indifferent Judges or competent Arbitrators between the Catholick Church and her Children And seing doubts and differences are vnavoidable in both Church and Commonwealth and that there can be no appeale to Infidels or Foreigners without doubt it is more agreable to Scripture to the law of nature and light of reason that Parents and Pastors be Judges in any cause of their Children and inferiors then the contrary or that there be no Judg at all nor jurisdiction either spiritual or temporal But that which Doctor Cozins and all Protestants most press against the judicature of Popes and the councel of Trent is that they do not judg according to Scripture and to the right sense therof wheras Kings and their Judges are regulated by the laws of the land even when the suit is against the King or his pretended prerogative To this we answer that Popes and Councels are as much regulated by Scripture in their definitions
as Kings and their Courts by the laws But Protestants do not observe that as the interpretation of the laws depends not of them who sue the King but of the ancient practise of his Judges and Courts so the interpretation of Scripture must not be made by tâ—em who sue the Pope and Councels but by the Bishop and the Church who ar to explain it not according to every on 's privat fancy as Protestants do but according to the tradition customs and practises of the orthodox Christians in former Ages And by this we free the Roman Catholick Church and the Councel of Trent from the Protestant calumny of novelty of doctrin not only in this particular of the Canon of Scripture but in all it 's other definitions Proâ—estants confound our new Decrees with new doctrin wheras nothing is more cleer then that old doctrin may be defined by a new Decree that is made more publick and authentick The Councel tels them sess 4. that it only declares what Canon of Scripture the primitive Church held and quotes for it divers ancient Faâ—hers and Councels and therfor it 's Decree maks no new Canon of Scripture but is a promulgation of the old which induceth an obligation of believing what formerly had not bin so generaly known because it had not bin so cleerly and solemnly proclaimed Methinks none ought to carp less at the novelty of our definitions then Protestants if they would reflect vpon their own reformations They pretend that their doctrin is not only renewed but revived because forsooth the whole visible Church had lost that purity of the Primitive faith for many ages which they now have restored Roman Catholicks are more moderat and modest as having a better opinion of the Church and of God's providence they confess that the doctrin defended by the Councel of Trent was never extinguished in the Church but that it lived in the harts and profession of many faithful though many others of the same communion did not hold them-selves obliged to believe it as a doctrin of faith vntil it had bin sufficiently and solemnly proponed by the Definition of the Church in a general Councel as Divine That being don no addition or alteration was made of divine faith For new definitions are not new articles of faith but promulgations of the old faith or declarations of our obligation to believe as articles of faith those things which had bin formerly revealed but not so sufficiently proposed to the whole Catholick Church Wherfore articles of Faith not believed before they be decreed by a general Councel may be aptly compared to laws or ordinances before they ar published as the publication or proclamation of a law maks not a law but declares the obligation of complying therwith so the definition of a general Councel maks not the article of faith but declareth the obligation of believing that doctrin which before the publication or proclamation of the Church had not bin sufficiently proposed as Divine revelation To what purpose then did Doctor Cozins trouble him-self and his Readers with composing a book against the Catholick Canon of Scripture declared in the Councel of Trent when all his arguments are but sayings of men who doubted of books and parts of Scripture before they were declared and only because they were not declared Canonical by a general Councel He would fain impose vpon the world that S. Ierom was so much a Jew and so little a Christian as for the Canon of the old Testament to rely altogeather vpon the Hebrew Rabins and that he set a greater value vpon their testimony then vpon the authority of the Church or of the great Councel of Nice which received into the Canon of Scripture the book of Judith though rejected by the Jews His proof of S. Jerom's judgment being the same with that of Protestants in this controversy is that in some places of his writings he says the contested books of the old Testament are not in the Canon of the Jews nor received as Canonical by the Christian Church to which is answered that S. Jerom altered his opinion as appeareth in his prefaces prefixed to the said books which he translated into latin at the instance of the Churches and Bishops that held them to be Canonical to whose belief S. Jerom at length conformed his own judgment In his preface to the Book of Tobie he says Yee desire me to translate a booke from the Caldean language to Latin the book of Tobie which the Hebrews admit not into the Catalogue of Sacred Scriptures J have satisfied your desire c. The Hebrews reprehend vs c. Because we have translated into latin things against their Canon But I judged it better to displease the judgment of Pharisees then disobey the commands of Bishops c. In conformity to this he says in his preface of Iudith With the Hebrews the book of Iudith is read amongst the Agiographa the authority wherof is judged less fit to decide controversie c. But because the Nicen Synod is read to have computed this book in the number of holy Scripturs J have acquiesced or complyed with your demand Out of which words it is manifest 1. That St. Jerom was not of the same opinion with the Iews concerning these books because he says he displeased or offended their judgment by his translation as a thing against their Canon which would not have â—in vnless his intention in translating and judgment were known to favour the belief of the Bishops and Christians that held them to be Canonical for the translating them only as pious books could not be offensive to the Iews who acknowledged them for such as Cozins with Chemnitius and all Protestants confess though pag. 82. he contradicts him-self having no other shift left to prove St. Ierom a Iew in this particular And his words of the book of Iudith demonstrat that he opposed the authority of the Nicen Councel against the opinion of the Iews to prove that book Canonical and fit to determin controversies of Religion and in case we should grant he doubted whether the Councel numbred it in the Canon yet non can doubt but that he believed the Councel had authority to declare it Canonical which is the point disputed of But Doctor Cozins would willingly make us believe by a notorious fraud and imposture that Cardinal Belarmin doth not only acknowledg St. Ierom to have persisted still in his former opinion of excluding these controverted books from the Canon but also that the Councel of Nice never received that of Iudith into it and to that purpose pag. 45. quotes Belarmin's words de verbo Dei lib. 1. c. 10. vlt. thus Admitto Hieronymum in ea fuisse opinione quia nondum generale Concilium de his libris aliquid statuerat These words the honest Protestant Bishop of Duresme setts down in capital letters and with them concluds Cardinal Belarmin's sentence and sense concerning Hierom's opinion of the book of Iudith and
1260. years And pag. â—4â— From the time of Constantine vntill these our days even 1260. years the Pope and his Clergy hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians And their chief Doctors ingeniously acknowledg that their Churches were either so obscure or so opprest that notwithstanding their own serious examinatiâ—â— and diligent search into all histories both sacred and profane they can not find in the space of at least 1300. years as much as a record or Tradition of any on person to beare witness that their faith sense of Scripture or Reformation was preach't by Christ and his Apostles Sebastianus Francus in ep de Abrog Statutis ecclesiast saith Statim post Apostolos c. Presently after the Apostles times all things were turneâ— vpside down c. And that for certain through the work of Anti-christ the externall Church togeather with the faith and the Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure and that for these 1400. years the Church hath bin no wher externall and visible Peter Martyr so much commended by Calvin and sent for by Cranmer to help to frame the Religion of the Church of England pag. 462. of his work de caelibatu votis saith as for the judgment of the Fathers because our Adversaires the Papists both in this and other controversies are accustomed to appeale to them J do not think it the part of a Christian to appeale from the Scriptures of God to the judgments of men And pag. 476. So long as we go no further then the Councells and Fathers we shall always remain in the same errors This Sophister would faine make Protestants believe that the question is whether the Fathers sense of Scriptures ought to be preferred before the sense of the Protestants them-selves confess that both Councells and Fathers are contrary to their interpretation Whitaker on of the learned'st Protestants that ever writ answering Duraeus and acknowledging the truth of the assertion coms off with this poore evasion l. 7. pag. 478. Jt is sufficient for us to know by conferring the Popish doctrin with Scripture that they do not agree let Histories say what they list So litle do the Ecclesiastical Annals favour Protestancy that never any point therof is mentioned without mentioning also how it began and was comdemned as heresy Now let Protestants examin our Roman Catholick witnesses we do not stop as they must at the last age 1500. we produce in every Century of years the most eminent persons for Sanctity and learning that then lived who not only professed our faith living but also dying as by the Traditions of all Christendom their own writings and the confession of our Adversaries is manifest wherof the Divines of Magdeburg hertofore quoted writ copiously in their Centuries These Fathers and Doctors of the Church in each respective Century delivered the Roman Catholick faith to the next succeeding not as a privat opinion of their own but as the publick pure primitive Apostolick saith which they had received as such from the precedent age confirmed by the vnanimous testimony of their known Catholick immediat Predecessours What exceptions or objections can Protestants pretend against the holy and learned Fathers so impartial Iudges and witnesses They could not be ignorant of what was the publick and vniversal faith or Church in their times and they were men of so great integrity that they would not for any temporal interest conceale the truth in a matter wherof depended eternity They were not angry saith S. Augustin disputing against the Pelagians advers Julian l. 2. prope finem lib. 3. c. 17. lib. 4. c. 12. neither at you or vs what they have found in the Church that they have holden they have taught what they have learn't what they have received from their fore-fathers they have delivered to posterity The most learned Protestants decline the Fathers judgment and testimony for no other reason but because they find them to be Roman Catholicks in their writings so that the question is not whether they by for vs but whether their testimony for vs averring that the Roman Catholick sense of Scripture is the same which Christ and his Apostles deliuered ought to be preferred before the contrary testimony of Luther Calvin Cranmer or of the other Convocations and Parliaments of England of Edward 6. and Queen Elizabeth who prove not their reformed sense of Scripture by ancient tradition but by a new arbitrary interpretation of Scripture And in what Court of Judicature would such an vncertain guess pass for a legal proof Wheras tradition is the only evidence wherby the greatest civil controversies even of regal successions and titles are decided in the Protestants Courts Therfore it ought not to be excluded as superfluous or superstitious from the Church SVBSET III. AS to their exception that the Roman Catholick Church is but a part and ought not to be judge of all other Christians we answer that not by all Christians but by on part were all controversies in the Church decided since the Apostles times and the other part which did not submitt to the judgment of that one in matters of faith and disciplin were censured hereticks That the Judgment and censures in all ages were issued but by on part and this the Roman Catholick party that lived in communion with the Bishop of Rome and the Councells that acknowledged his jurisdiction we prove by the confessed examples of every Century In the first the controversy of the legal ceremonies was determined by S. Peter and the Apostles in a Councell wherin S. Peter presided Act. 15. In the second Century the Christians were divided about celebrating E'aster the controversy was decided by S. Victor Bishop of Rome as S. Peter's successor and because the Churches of Asia would not conform themselves to his sentence he excommunicated them Euseb. l. 5. hist. c. 23. 24. And though S. Irenaeus approved not of S. Victor's severity yet he never questioned his jurisdiction or supremacy or the legality of his censures And because some Christians persisted obstinatly in not conforming to the Pop's Decree of celebrating Easter they were for that obstinacy declared hereticks and as such numbred in Catalogues by S. Epiphanius haeres 50. S. Augustin haeres 26. and by Tertullian de praescript in fine and called Quarto-decimans In the third Century by the Pope Cornelius and his Roman Councell the Novatian heresy was condemned Euseb. ex versione Rufini lib. 6. histor cap. 33. and though there were not as many Bishops in that Roman Councell as at Trent yet the whole Church thought the authority sufficient and legal to declare the Novatians hereticks The same Pope and Stephen his Successour condemned such Christians as thought and taught that they who had bin baptised by hereticks ought to be rebaptised In the forth Century the Arian heresy was condemned by the Councell of Nice wherin were but 318. Bishops whose testimony was thought sufficient and legal against a far greater
only more â—ound in point of Christiatity but more safe in order to the government then any others And though it be a common and true saying that the greatest Clerks are not the wisest men and by consequence not so fit to prescribe rules for governing as wordlings that are not Divines or as wranglers that are Lawyers yet I humbly conceive that when the misfortunes of a government proceed not from want of judgment or resolution in the Councel but from want of faith or which is the same from an acknowledged vncertainty of faith in the Church Catholick Divines seing we are unanimous in matters of Christian belief and do persuade the best part of Christendom that our Church is infallible in the same and if heard we doubt not to prevail with these British Nations also to credit vs in that important point however improbable it may seem to them at first sight I hope this supposed we Catholick Divines may without offence pretend to be better able to shew and salve the spiritual sore of this state then any Protestant Statists or schoolmen who want sufficient unity and assurance of faith in themselves to make their cure and care credible to others Seing therfore the foundation not only of Christian Religion but of a peaceable government doth consist in a firm persuasion of the people governed that the doctrin professed and established by Law is infallible and of Divine inspiration not of human invention and by consequence that the decrees and determinations of the State which in all Governments ought to be proportioned to the doctrin of its Church are lawfull and intended for the common good not designs or devices to fool the multitude feed the ministery or favor the soveraign and that not only evidence of falshood but vncertainty of truth in matters of Christianity must needs render the Church and State that profess such an vncertainty so weak and contemptible that the subjection to either cannot be otherwise secured then by the force and fear of a standing Army and that such a subjection doth savor more of a Turkish slavery then fâ—â—a Christian Society or of a civil subordination to publick authority and therfore is the cause of continual discontents and frequent rebellions and that no Church but the Roman Catholick doth as much as pretend or can persuade it s own infallibility in matters of Religion seing I say all this is manifest by reason and our wofull late experiences I question not but that the Parliament will be pleased to take in good part this humble proposal of saving our souls and of setling this state by the doctrin of the Roman Catholick Church and by the Revenues of the Protestant Prelatick Clergy especially if the corruptions of Scripture and falsifications of Councells and Fathers wherwith I do charge that Clergy and wherby alone they maintain their Protestancy be cleerly demonstrated in this Treatise and patiently heard in a publick Trial. It 's now above a Century of years since the great Statsmen of England have employed their wit and industry in devising how to setle Monarchy vpon Protestancy but vnder favor we Catholick Divines do shew and all Protestants may suspect by the success that in so great an affair they have proceeded like vnskillfull Architects that busy themselves altogether in proportioning and adorning the superstructures without inquiring into the strength and solidity of the foundation They mistook sand for stone fals translations for true Scripture a lay ministery for a lawful Clergy a temporal soveraignty for a spiritual supremacy They layd for the first stone of their New fabrik a sworn spiritual rebellion the oath of supremacy against the chief Prelat and common Father of all Christendom S. Peters Successor No marvail then if this fundation yeelded and the whole fabrik fell to the ground in our late distempers for by an evident parity of reason it must be concluded that it is as lawful for Protestants to depose Kings as Popes by vertue of their privat and arbitrary interpretations of scripture If notwithstanding the legal and long possession or prescription of a suprem spiritual superiority the Bishop of Rome may by the principles and prerogative of Protestancy be reformed and reduced to be only Patriarck of the West or a privat Bishop what temporal soveraignity can be absolute or secure among Protestants The same arguments the same texts of Scripture the same spirit the same interpretations of God's Word that Luther Calvin Cranmer and all other Protestants objected against the Popes supreme spiritual authority did the Presbyterians and other Protestants press by an vnanswerable paralel against the late King 's temporal Soveraignty Wherfore it is much to be feared that notwithstanding the extraordinary prudence of our government we shall be frequently involved in as great troubles and dangers as formerly and that the privat spirit and English Scripture interpreted by Protestants will prevail against lawfull Monarchy whensoever the like circumstances do concurr viz. a Zealous Parliament a mild King a covetous Clergy a stubborn people and resolute Rogues to lead them and declare to the Multitude their own strength as wel as the fundamental principles and priviledges of all Protestant Reformations In Catholick Commonwealths all these circumstances do meet the principles of Protestancy only excepted and yet the Catholick subjects remain immoveable in their obedience in regard of the credit and authority of their Church and Clergy which in privat confessions and publick exhortations continualy inculcat how inconsistant any privat or arbitrary interpretation of Scripture and by consequence any pretext of superiority over the Soveraign is with the Christianity and obsequiousnes of Catholick faith and how principal a part it is of that â—aith to believe not only that the Church is infallible in its doctrin but also that temporal Soveraigns are Gods Vice-regents and absolut in their government and therfore as such ought to be revered and obeyed And when by reason of heavy taxes or other such accidents the fire of sedition somtimes breaks forth among Catholicks it is generally speaking suddenly quencht by the authority and severity of the Clergies Censures against the Authors or by the devotion and reverence which even the most Irreverent of our profession exhibit to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar that is shewn vpon such emergencies to the mutinous people which notwithstanding their fury and madness immediatly fall down to adore their God and Redeemer and for respect of him whom they beleeve to be realy present are appeased or at least give ear to their Pastors reasons and exhortations with more patience and better success then any Protestant people in the like occasions Wherfore though we Catholicks should grant as we neither do nor can that the Protestant or Prelatick reformation is as safe a way to Heaven as the Roman Religion yet methinks such Protestants as desire to live peaceably or govern prosperously ought to preferr Popery before Protestancy That K. Henry 8. in the heat
Protestant Church of England Pag. 62. Cranmer a meer Cotemporiser and of no Religion at all Pag. 63. Who fram'd the 39 Articles Pag. 64. Of the 39 Articles of the Church of England Pag. 67. Protestant Bishops well pleas'd to see themselves Religiously Worship'd Pag. 70. Protestants though they have chang'd their Form of Ordination yet cannot have a true Clergy till they change also the Character of the Ordainers Pag. 80. Of the Effects immediatly produc'd by the 39 Articles Pag. 82. Dudely Earl of Warwick's Endeavours to have his Son to Reign after K. Edw. His Marrying him to the Lady Jane Gray Pag. 83. Queen Mary's Troubles Pag. 84. The Roman Catholicks willing Resignation of the Church Livings to the Crown Pag. 86. An Act of Parliament in the first year of Q. Mary concerning the fraud and force of K. Henry the VIII's unlawful Divorce from Q. Catharine Pag. 88. Other Effects of Protestancy after it was reviv'd in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown And of the Nullity of her Clergies Character and Jurisdiction Pag. 95. Decreed in Parliament that any Natural Issue of Q. Elizabeths Body should enjoy the Crown after her Death and so the Line of Stewards to be Excluded Pag. 100. Reasons why Q. Elizabeth in her 44 years Reign could not make her Prelatick Clergy and Religion acceptable Pag. 103 How Injurious Protestancy hath been to the Royal Family of the Stewards and how Zealous they have been in promoting the same Pag. 109. K. James the I. declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no Hand in Gun-powder Treason Pag. 112. Of K. Charles the First Pag. 112. Part. 2. Of the Inconsistency of Protestant Principles with Christian Piety and Peaceable Government THe foundation whereon all Reformations are built Pag. 117. The Protestant evasion of the clearness of Scripture against Roman Catholick Doctrine and also of the Invisibility of their own Church Confuted And the Incredibility of the suppos'd Change and Apostacy prov'd by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant Principles Pag. 121 Protestants mistaken in the Canon of the Scripture maintain'd by the Church of England and by Dr. Cousins Bishop of Duresin Pag. 131. Dr. Couzins Exceptions and Falsifications against the Councel of Trent's Authority answer'd Pag. 137. New Definitions are not New Articles of Faith Pag. 141. Protestants so grosly mistaken in their Letter and Translation of Scriptures that they cannot have any Certainty of Faith And are forc'd at length by their Principles to question the Truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical Books thereof Pag. 149. Particular Instances of Protestant Corruptions in the English Bible Pag. 157. Protestant Interpretation is not the true Sense of Script Pag. 163. Protestants Mistaken in the Ministry and Mission of their Clergy in the Miracles of their Church in the Sanctity and Honesty of their Reformers Pag. 168. Calvin's Miracle Pag. 180. Beza's Lasciviousness He prefers his Boy Andibertus before his Girle Candida Pag. 181. Protestants mistaken in the application of the Prophesies of Scripture concerning the Conversion of the Kings and Nations of the Gentils from Paganism to Christianity foretold as an Infallible Mark of the True Church and whereof the Protestant is depriv'd Pag. 183. Calvin sends Ministers to Convert Gallia Antartica from Heathenism And what success they had Pag. 190. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their Justifying Faith with Justice or Civil Government Pag. 193. The Protestant Doctrine of Justifying Faith most dangerous and Damnable Pag. 198. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian Faith Humility Charity Peace either in Church or State with their making Scriptures as interpreted by private Persons or Fallible Synods or fancied General Councils composed of all Dissenting Christian Churches the Rule of Faith and Judge of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39 Articles or the Oath of Supremacy a distinctive Sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings Pag. 207. How the Fundamental Principles of Protestancy maturely examin'd and strictly followed have led the most Learned Protestants of the World to Judaisme Atheism Arianisme and Mahometanisme c. Pag. 222. The Protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania deny the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity Pag. 230. How the Indifferency or rather Inclination of Protestancy to all kind of Infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick Doctrine and distinction of Fundamental and Not Fundamental Articles of Faith The design of their fundamental distinction laid open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church And how it has the Authority of Judging all Controversy of Religion Pag. 233. The Roman Catholick Church is a Competent and Impartial Judge of Controversies of Religion Pag. 241. Of the Justice and Legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy Pag. 242. All Christians were never Judges of Religion one Party always submitted to the Judgment of the Other that was in Obedience to and in Communion with St. Peters Successor the Bishop of Rome Pag. 247. Gods Veracity is deny'd by Protestancy and by the Prelatick Distinction and Doctrine of Fundamental and not Fundamental Articles of Faith Pag. 251. Protestancy is Heresie Pag. 254. Protestancy contradicts Gods Veracity Pag. 255. The Infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in Matters of Faith prov'd against Protestants Pag. 256. The Protestant Doctrine of Fundamentals Confuted Pag. 257. The same further demonstrated and prov'd that neither the Protestant Faith nor the Faith lately Asserted in a Book call'd Sure footing in Christianity is Christian Belief Pag. 260. The Resolution of Protestant Faith Pag. 262. The Infallibility of the Church prov'd by Gods Veracity Pag. 268. Heresie Explain'd by Rebellion Pag. 269. The Unreasonableness of them who pretend a private Spirit and refuse to submit to the Authority of the Church for want of Clearer Evidence than the Roman Catholicks hath of Gods Authority Pag. 269. Reasons for Liberty of Conscience And how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the State by continuing and pressing the Sanguinary and Penal Statutes against the Roman Catholick Faith and the Act of Uniformity against Sectaries Pag. 271. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions Severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statutes against Popery Pag. 283. Part 3. Containing a plain Discovery of the Protestant Clergys Frauds and Falsifications whereby alone their Doctrine is supported and made Credible The Conscience and Conveniency of Restoring or Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion Demonstrated THat either the Learned Protestants or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every Illiterate Protestant may easily discern by which of the two Clergies he is Cheated And therefore is oblig'd under pain of Damnation to examine so near a concern And to renounce the Doctrine and Communion of that Church wherein he is Cheated Pag. 287. With what Impudency and Hypocrisy Bishop Jewel
Catholick Doctrine is inconsistant with the Sovereignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants Pag. 443 Bishop Mortons Falsifications about the Lawfulness of killing a Tyrant Pag. 444 Bishop Mortons Falsification of Catholicks against the Sovereignty of Princes and how he excuses himself by saying he received it from the Archbishop of Canterbury Pag. 445 Mortons Answer in which see an Imposture continu'd against Catholicks by the whole Convocation of the Protestant Clergy in their Synod held Anno 1603. Pag. 546 The Protestant Falsification to perswade that the Canon-Law doth warrant deposition of Kings by the Pope Pag. 447 A Protestant Falsification to perswade that Catholicks may cheat any Excommunicated Persons of their Lawful Debts Pag. 449 Bishop Mortons Falsification to perswade that Catholicks hold it Lawful to Murther and Massacre Protestants Pag. 451 Bishop Morton's Falsification to Assert the Kings Supremacy Pag. 453 Ten Falsifications set down together by Bishop Morton to prove that we hold that Popes cannot be deposed nor be Hereticks Pag. 457 Primate Bramhalls Falsification to prove that Popes may and have Decreed Heretical Doctrines Pag. 458 It is prov'd by Reasons and Examples that no Religion is so little dangerous to the Sovereignty and safety of Kings or so Advantagious to the Peace and Prosperity of Subjects as the Roman Catholicks notwithstanding the Doctrin of the Pope's Supremacy Pag. 459 Protestants cannot clear their Religion from their Doctrin and danger of Deposing Sovereigns and Disposing of their Kingdoms Pag. 470 That Protestants could never prove any of the wilful falsifications wherewith they charge Roman Catholick Writers but themselves are convicted of that Crime wheresoever they Attempted to make good their charge against us Pag. 473 Bellarmin accused by Sutcliff of Falsifying the General Council of Chalcedon in favour of the Popes Supremacy Pag. 474 How Protestants are Convicted by Bellarmin of holding twenty ancient condemned Heresies and how Sutcliff and Bishop Morton to clear them of six only fourteen seems they confess do falsifie the Fathers and Catholick Authors about worshipping of Images Pag. 476 Two Pelagian Heresies imputed to Protestants and how they falsify to clear themselves of the One and say nothing of the other Pag. 477 Two Novatian Heresies Imputed to Protestants the one answered with Silence the other with Falsifying Pag. 478. The Manichean Heresie against Freewill Imputed to Protestants and how pittifully Answered by Bishop Morton Pag. 479. How Bishop Morton Answers to Bellarmin's Imputation of Arianisme unto Protestants Pag. 479. How Morton Falsifies and Abuses Bellarmine who Imputes the denyal of Christs Real Presence in the Sacrament to Protestants Pag. 480. Falsifications Objected against Cardinal Baronius by Mr. Sutcliff Pag. 483. Calumnies and Falsifications of Luther Calvin Archbishop Laud and Primate Usher to Discredit Catholick Religion against their own Knowledge and Conscience Pag. 487. Of Calvins Calumnies against Catholicks and their Doctrine Pag. 488 Frauds Falsifications and Calumnies of Primate Usher against the Real Presence and Transubstantiation Pag. 491. Usher's Falsifications against Confession Pag. 492. His Falsifications against Absolution of Sins Pag. 493. Against Purgatory Pag. 494 Against Worshiping Saints and their Reliques Pag. 496 Against Prayer to Saints Pag. 499 Of Archbishop Laud's Frauds and Falsifications HOw unsincerely Bishop Laud would fain Excuse the Modern Greek Heresie concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost Pag. 502 How Bishop Laud Abuses St. Augustine to make Protestants believe that General Councils may Err against Scripture and evident Reason Pag. 504 Vicentius Lirinensis abus'd by Laud to prove the Fallibility of the Church c. Pag. 507 How Bishop Laud falsifies Occham to infringe St. Augustin's Authority concerning the Infallibility of the Church in succeeding Ages as well as in that of the Apostles And is forc'd by his Error to resolve the Prelatick Faith into the Light of Scripture and the private Spirit of Phanaticks which he Paliats under the Name of Grace and thereby Warrants all Rebellions against Church and State Pag. 509 Divers Frauds and Falsifications of Bishop Laud to defend that Protestants are not Schismaticks Pag. 512 Whether it be Piety or Policy to permit the Protestant Clergy of these three Kingdoms to enjoy the Church Revenues for maintaining by such Frauds and Falsifications as hitherto have been alledged the Doctrine of the Church of England which also they acknowledge to be fallible and by consequence for all they know false And hâ—re the said Revenues may be Conscientiously apply'd to the Vse and Ease of the People without any danger of Sacriledge or any Disturbance to the Government if a publick Tryal of both Clergies Sincâ—rity be allowed and Liberty of Conscience granted Pag. 521 The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how Advantageous it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands Pag. 534 The King 's Right to France Pag. 544 My Lord of Clarendin's Policy Censur'd by all Wise Men. Pag. 548. Part 4. The Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherein it differs from the Protestant confirmed by undenyable Miracles THat such Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholick Church in the Canonization of Saints are true Miracles and the Doctrine which they Confirm cannot be rejected without denying or doubting of Gods Veracity and how every Protestant doth see true Miracles though he does not reflect upon them in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith Pag. 553 The Miracle of St. Januarius of Naples Pag. 555 The Famous and undenyable Miracle of St. Francis Xaverius wrought on the Person of Marcello Mastrillo Pag. 556 Antichrist's Miracles are not Credible if compar'd with Ours Pag. 561 Of Visible Miracles seen though not observ'd by every Protestant in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith The difference between true and false Miracles Pag. 562 Of True Miracles related in the Ecclesiastical History by men of greatest Authority in every Age to confirm the particular Mysteries of our Catholick Faith and that sense of Scripture wherein Roman Catholicks differ from Protestants Pag. 566 Of Miracles related by St. Chrysostom St. Gregory Nazianzen c. in Confirmation of Transubstantiation Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion under one Kind and Purgatory Pag. 567 Primate Usher's Falsification to discredit two Miracles Pag. 569 How Protestants falsify and corrupt the very Statutes and Law-Books Pag. 572 Miracles for the Mass. Pag. 573. Miracles for Purgatory Pag. 573 Miracles to Confirm the Worship and Virtue of the Sign of the Cross. Pag. 576 Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick Worship of Images Pag. 581 The Protestant Distinction of Civil and Religious Worship misapply'd by Ministers to delude
himself an 602. aduising him not to glory therin but rather to consider that God gaue him that gift for the weal of those to whom he was sent As also by his letters to Eulogius Arch-bishop of Alexandria lib. 7. epist. 30. indict 1. saying therin Know then that wher as the English Nation c. remaining hitherto in Infidelity I did by the help of your prayers c. send unto that Nation Austin a Monck of my Monastery to preach to them c. and now letters are come to vs both of his health and of his work that he hath in hand and surly either he or they that were sent over with him work so many Miracles in that Nation as they may seem to imitate the power and Miracles of the Apostles them-selves That the particulars of the Religion professed by S. Gregory and the visible Church of his tyme and preacht by St. Austin the Monck and his Companions sent by Gregory to convert the English Nation were the same which we Roman Catholiks profess at this present is evident by all Histories Both sacred and profane and even by the Confession of all Protestant writers who treat of this subject Austin the great Monck saith Doct. Humfrey sent by Gregory the great Pope taught the Englismen a burthen of Ceremonies c. Purgatory Mass Prayer for the Dead Transubstantiation Reliques c. And the Centurywriters Carion Osiander and other learned Protestants say that the Religion preacht by St. Austin to the Saxons was Altars Vestements Images Chalices Crosses Censors Holy Vessells Holy water the sprinkling therof Reliques Translation of Reliques dedicating of Churches to the bones and ashes of Saints Consecration of Altars Chalices and Corporals Consecration of the font of Baptism Chrism and Oyle Celebration of Mass the Archi-Episcopal Pall at Solemn Mass tyme Romish Mass Books also free will merit Iustification of works Penance Satisfaction Purgatory the vnmarried life of Priests the publik invocation of Saints and their worship the worship of Images Exorcism Pardons Vowes Monachism Transubstantiation prayer for the Dead offering of the healthfull Host of Christs body and bloud for the Dead the Roman Bishops claim and exercise of Iurisdiction and supremacy over all Churches Reliquumque Pontificiae superstitionis Chaos even the whole Chaos of Popish superstition Now that D. r Fulck should term this conversion our perversion and that Mr. Willet should place St. Gregorie and St. Austin among the Fathers of Superstition and Osiander should say they subjected England to the Yoke of Anti-Christ and Mr. Harison that they converted the Saxons from Paganism to no less hurtfull superstition then they did know before making an exchang from open to secret Idolatry c. we attribute to an excess of their privat spirit and zeale in their own Presbiterian or Fanatik way which doth not agree with the more sober and more Christianlike Protestants nor indeed impugn our assertion which is that this Popery now so much raild at though professed by St. Gregorie and wherunto our Ancestors were converted by St. Austin the Monck and our selves yet profess was the Religion held by the visible Church as the only Catholik and Apostolik in the 6. age and that vntil then no known chang of Christs Doctrin had bin made in the Roman Church Whether the whole Church of the 6. age was deceived or no in this their persuasion and adhesion to the Roman Doctrin is another question and shall be discussed herafter SECT II. Of the Author and begining of Protestancy and of Luthers Disputation and familiarity with the Devill serjously related by him self in his authentik Bookes THE first that preacht the Protestant Religion or Reformation was Martin Luther a German who as himself confesseth in a letter to his Father had bin fearfully hanted from his youth with Sathans apparitions and as others testify often in the forme of firebrands These frights together with the suddain death of his dearest Camerade slain by a thunderbolt forced him as he says in the said Epistle to enter into the Religious order of St. Augustin wherin he lived some yeares not without signs and suspition of being possessed vntill that an 1517. one John Tecell a learned Dominican frier was preferred before him in publishing and preaching of Indulgences which Sermon in like occasions had bin formerly giuen to the Augustins This fancied injury don to his Order and Person put Luther into such a passion that notwithstanding he vnderstood not well as he ingeniously confesseth what the name of Indulgences meant yet he preacht Sermons and printed conclusions against them his propositions being condemned in Germany he appealed to Rome and submitted his doctrin and himself to Pope Leo 10. Vt reprobet approbet sicut placuerit acknowledging his voice to be the voice of Christ. But loe saith he whilst I look for a joyfull sentence from Rome I am striken with the thunderbolt of excommunication and condemned for the most wicked man alive then I began to defend my doings setting forth many bookes â— And seing it is so let them impute the fault to them-selves that have so excessively handled the matter Afther that Luther had lost his hopes of being favored in his opinions by the Pope he appeald from his Holyness sentence to a general Councel assuring himself that none would be caled or assembled in his own days That this was his design and not any desire of being directed by a Councel is manifest by his procedings for as soon as he heard there was a Councel summoned and perceived some likelihood that the Bishops would meet he writ a book against the necessity and authority of general Councels and begins with the first at Jerusalem condemning its Decrees then with the first Nicen and concluds there is no obligation of submitting our Judgments to their Definitions or of conforming our actions to their Canons and declars to his Germans in what a sad condition they would all be if they were bound to obey Councels for then they must have abstained from strangled meat foule add which is wors from puddings and sausages according to the Apostles Decree at Ierusalem as if that Decree intended but for a litle tyme were still in force Therfore he maintained that Christ hath taken away from Bishops Doctors and Councels the right and power of judging of doctrin and given it to all Christians in generall and admitts of no other rule but Scripture as every one will thinck fit to interpret the same Thus farr was Luther driven by his pride and passion against the Dominican friars with resolution not to recant what he had once writt though he wished he had never begun that business and that his writings were burned and buried in eternal oblivion he had not as yet precipitated himself into the particulars of Protestancy but for some few years went no further then the dispute of Indulgences and wore still
for her proued incest and adultery yet his pride and wilfulness was so excessiue that rather then acknowledg his former error by a formal recantation he continued to exercise his scandalous supremacy so violently that he devised Articles of Religion made Cromwel his Vicar-general in spiritual affairs took upon him to define what was heresy what Catholick faith permitted the Scriptures to be translated by heretiks and read in English and to vexe the Pope countenanced and connived at any novelties though afterwards he burn't the novelists for heretiks and prohibited when it was too late their Translations of Scripture and other Books which he had formerly permitted But seing that notwithstanding his severity the Sacramentarian heresy which he most of all hated did increase in his Kingdom and that the spiritual sword in his lay hand did not work those effects which it had don when it was managed by the Bishops of Rome by whose sole authority all the heresies of the first 300. years were condemned and suppressed without the help of a general Councel and that the Keys which he had usurped served rather to open the doors of the English Church to all errors then shut them out and perceiving his end draw neer he began to think of a reconciliation with Rome but such a one as might sute with his humor which he termed Honour Therfore he sent his favorit Bishop Gardener to the Jmperial Diet with privat instructions to endeavour in such a manner his return to the unity and obedience of the Church through the mediation of the Catholick Princes of Germany and of the Pop's Legat that on King Henrys side it might look more like a princely condescendâ—ncy then a penitent conversion wherunto he seemed to incline at the solicitation rather of others then moved by a detestation of his own errors But God with whom none must dally nor Princes capitulat summon'd him to an account sooner then was imagined Whether he repented or despaired at his death is vncertain Some say his last words were omnia perdidimus all is lost In his last will and Testament he named 16. Tutors for his Son to govern during his minority with equall authority charging them not to bring in the Sacramentarian Religion But God permitted his will to be broken before his body was buried who had changed the last wills of so many thousands deceased and that but three days after his death for upon the 1. of February Seamor Earle of Hartford brother to Ed. 6. Mother was made Protector of the King and Kingdom by his own ambition and privat authority of his faction which prevailed amongst the 16. Executors without expecting any Parliament or consent to the Realm for so great a charge or for the change of religion which immediatly followed And because Wriothesly Earle of Southampton Lord Chancelor the Earle of Arundel and Bishop Tonstall and some others would not betray their trust and opposed the new reformation they were disgraced and displaced SVBSECT I. Of the English Religion and Reformers in King Edward VI. reign THe Earle of Hartford newly created Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector of England was a man fitter to be governed then to govern his judgment was weak but himself very wilfull and so blindly resolut in commanding and executing the designs of others by whom he was guided that without perceiving it he was made the instrument of his own ruin as wel as of his brothers and of the yong King also by the chang of the ancient Religion Dudley Earle of Warwick was his director both in Church and state affairs and yet was his greatest enemy which Somerset had not the wit to see though all the world knew him to be his Competitor And albeit Dudly had bin always a Roman Catholick in his judgment yet as most Polititians do he dissembled his belief and yet â—oothed the Protector in his inclination to the protestant reformation not doubting but that having once intoxicated the people with the liberty and inconstancy therof he might lead them from the contempt of spiritual authority to rebel against the temporal and humor so well their mad zeale that for their new Ghospel's preservation and propagation they would fix vpon him for their Director and stick to whom he would appoint for their Soveraign He was not deceived in his expectation the Protector Seamour was destroyed Dudly himself made chief Minister of England the King poysoned the Princess Mary excluded the Lady Jane Gray declared Queen because she was a Protestant and marryed to Dudlys Son All which things he compased in a short tyme though by degrees as you shall hear No sooner was K. Henry 8. dead but Dudly Earle of Warwick advised Somerset to take vpon him the Protectorship and to make him odious by his privat authority to alter the publick profession of faith and because he knew so notorious a fraud could not be effected without force he devised with the Protector the journy of Musselborough field and the war of Scotland vnder pretence of gaining by force the yong Queene of Scots to marry K. Edward 6. but in reality to get the power of the Militia into his own hands and therby to settle in England a Religion wherby he might in due tyme vpon the score of a refin'd reformation vnsettle the government and alter K. Henry 8. Testament and persuade England that his Daughter Marys reign would eclipse the light of the ghospel which then began to shine After that he had made the Protector so odious that none could endure to hear his name or to live vnder his government he thought it a proper tyme to establish by Parliament that new profession of faith which he knew could not be effected without the consent and concurrence of that great Assembly And though he was not ignorant of the absurdities contained in the best of the new reformations yet because since the setlement of the spiritual headship of our Kings he perceived the common people might be led any way and that an Act of Parliament was held sufficient to make them believe the ancient Christian Religion was profane and that any protestant reformation was the primitive and Apostolick faith he wrought so much by the feare of the army and the Kings authority that albeit in the first Parliament and year of Edward 6. reign nothing more could be obtained in favour of Protestancy but an indemnity for the preachers therof from penalties enacted by the ancient laws against married Priests and Heriticks and a repeal of the English Statuts confirming the Imperial Edicts against heresies yet in the second year and Parliament of Edward the VI. It was carried though by few votes and after a long debate of aboue four months that the Zuinglian or Sacramentarian reformation should be the Religion of England The charge of framing Articles of this Religion as also of composing the Liturgy and a book of rits ceremonies and administration of Sacraments had bin commited to
Helvidius Jovinian Faustus and Ebion hereticks saying that works of supererogation that is not commanded but councel'd by God cannot be taught without arogancy and impiety and yet Christ taught them and S. Paul commends them In the three subsequent Articles they seeme to agree with all Christians But in the 19. they differ from all Catholicks And as the Arians did maintain the fallibility of the Nicen Councel and the Donatists the fal or invisibility of the whole Church â—o do Protestants and therby open a wide gap for all heresies In the 20. they contradict themselves and the former articles by saying that the Church hath power and authority to decree controversies of faith for there can be no authority in a Church to decree or define matters of faith without there be in the faithful an obligation of conscience to submit and conform their judgments to the said Decrees and definitions and sâ—ure there can be no obligation of conscience in any man to submit or conform his judgment in points of faith to a Church that doth acknowledg it self may err therin and lead men to heresy idotry and damnation True it is that the Protestant Church of England can never remedy it's want of authority vnless it pretends to infallibility and that now can hardly be don seing in the 2â— Article next ensuing it denys that same prerogative to general Councels which are of greater authority then our English Convocations In the 22. Article Cranmer and his Associats because all other Sects of Protestants do the same speak cleerly against the Roman Catholick doctrin of Purgatory Pardons worshiping of Images Reliques and invocation of Saints and are pleased to censure it a fond thing invented and grounded vpon no waranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God as if forsooth the Jews Atheists and Apostata Friars who composed these 39. Articles knew better the right sense of the word of God then the whole Catholick Church and the general Councels which practised and thaught the Roman doctrin and the lawfulness of these things and condemned the contrary as heresy These errors were rays'd by Aërius n. 342· Xenaias and other hereticks Aërius because he was refused a Bishoprick taught that Episcopacy was not distinct from single Priesthood He denyed Prayrs and masses for the Dead ought to be offerred and by consequence the doctrin of Purgatory as also that the Church could command men to fast but that every man might fast when he thought fit Xenaias was the first who made war against Images· Vigilantius against Reliques praying to Saints c. S. Hierom. ad Ripar Desider Presbiteros Vigilantius orsus est subito qui contra Christi spiritum Martyrum nâ—gat sepulchra veneranda damnatqae Sanctorum Vigilias ex quo fit vt Dormitantius potiùs quam Vigilantius vocari debeat Haeretici assumunt sibi linguas suas vt cordis venena ore pronuncient O proescindendam itaque linguam in partes frusta lacerandam meam injuriam patienter tuli impietatem contra Deum ferre non valui S. Hierom laughs at the folly of Vigilantius the heretick and cals him Dormitantius for being in these points a Protestant and says that his tongue ought to be cut and carved into a thousand pieces for blaspheming against God in his Saints And truly it is a hard case that Scripture should warrant our worshiping of Prophets or recommending our selves to the Prayers of Saints when they convers with vs vpon earth and yet that it should not be lawful for vs to do the same when they ar in heaven as if their enjoying the presence and sight of God did diminish their dignity or charity Or as if a Saint in Gods glory were not as fit an object and as capable of our Religious worship as a Prophet Apostle or Bishop is in this world to whom we kneel out of the religious respect we own to their spiritual caracter or Ecclesiastical dignity though their natural qualities deserve not such respect My-Lord of Canterbury they say commends very much the religious piety of some Ladys for craving his benediction vpon their knees which reverence is not exhibited by them nor expected by him as he is M·r Sheldon but as he pretends to be Archbishop of Canterbury And if it be not only lawful but comendable to kneel to his Grace or at least to others who are true Bishops and to shew a religious respect of the like nature to his picture or presence and that all this may bee don without daunger of Idolatry or of derogating from the Deity I see no reason why men should condemn in vs the like worship of Saints in their Images or Reliques It is not the outward action but the inward intention that maks the worship unlawful So long as we do not adore Images as Gods or Idols we may bow and kneel to them with as much ceremony as Protestants do to their Prelats or Episcopal pictures The simplest Papist can hardly be so stupid by nature or at least so destitut of instruction as to believe a stock or stone can be God or that there is no difference between the worship due to Saints whom they know to be but Gods servants and the worship due to their Master and Creator The 23. Article is set down in such general and ambiguous terms that neither Presbiterian nor Prelatick Clergy is therby established nor any caracter of Priesthood or Episcopacy asserted but according to the doctrin of all the first Reformers a private ministery of preaching and baptising insinuated to be common to all Christians Be you most certain saith Luther lib. de Captiv Babylon and let every-man who is a Christian know that we are all equaly Priests that is we have the same power to preach and administer the Sacraments The same doctrin teacheth Zuinglius and Caluin Though to avoyd confusion it be not lawful for any man to take vpon him the office of publick preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully caled and sent to execute the same And because in the 25. Article they declare it is not necessary that this caling or ministery be ordination by imposition of Bishop's hands or by Apostolical succession and by consequence may be extraordinary vocation or election they leave the authority of caling as doubeful as not determining whether the power be in the secular Magistrat or in the ecclesiastical Congregation albeâ—â— they seeme by virtue of the English Supremacy to place it in the King their words are And those we ought to judg lawfuly caled and sent which be caled and chosen to this work by men who have publick authority given vnto them in not by the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyeard So that they seem to place all spirtiual authority and jurisdiction in the Kings and reserve only the application therof and the choice of the persons authorised to themselves But they were loath to explain
had made or don by any person or persons in or about any consecration confirmation or investing of any person or Persons elected to the office or dignity of Archbishops or Bishops by vertue of the Queens letters patents or Commission since the beginning of her Reign So that to know whether D. r Parker and his Camerades were true Bishops none must have examined whether they had bin consecrated by other Bishops but only whether the person or persons that were the Consecrators whether lay men or Ecclesiastick it matter'd not performed that ceremony by virtue of the Queens letters patents or commission If they could shew her great seal they might vse what matter and form they pleased for by the Act 1. 8. Eliz. there was given to the Queens Highness her Heires c. full power and authority by letters patents vnder the great seal of England from tyme to tyme to assign name and authorise such person or persons as she and they shal thinck meet and convenient any lay man or woman would serve turn to exercise use enioy and execute vnder her Highness all manner of jurisdictions Priviledges preheminences and authorities in any wise touching or concerning any spiritual or ecclesiastical power or jurisdiction within this Realm or any other her Majesties Dominions or Countrys Now priesthood being nothing but a spiritual power to Consecrat Christ's Body and Bloud and forgive sins and Episcopacy including besids the same a spiritual power to consecrat and ordain other Priests and Bishops who can doubt but that by these words and Statut the Queen might and her Successours may by their sole letters patents and great seal make any lay man whether Carter or Catchpole a Protestant Bishop or Priest seing therby he receiveth ful power to exercise vse execute c. all manner of jurisdictions preheminencies and authorities in any wise touching or concerning any spiritual or ecclesiastical power c. And because ther might remain no ambiguity or scruple of Parker and the first Protestant Bishops valid and legal Consecration the same Statut 8. Elizabeth 1. assures us that the Queen in her letters patents for that purpose directed to any Archbishop Bishops Or Others mark the word Others for the confirming investing and consecrating of any person elected to the Office or dignity of any Archbishop or Bishop hath not only vsed such words and sentences as were accustomed to be vsed by the late King Henry and King Edward her Majesties Father and Brother in their like letters patents made for such causes but also hath vsed divers other general words and sentences wherby her Majestie by her supreme power and authority hath dispensed with all causes or doubts of any inperfection or disability that can or may in any wise be objected against the same as by her Majesties sayd letters patents remaining on record more plainly wil appeare Now Mr. Bramhal the late Primat would fain make the Parliament so sensless and his Readers so simple as to referr the words mentioning and comparing the records of the Queen and her Father and Brother's tyme in this Act to the Archbishop of Canterbury's Register and not to their Majesties letters patents wher as by the whole context and discourse it is evident that the Parliament's drift is to shew no such ceremonious solemnity as of late hath bin pretended and printed by Mr. Mason was necessary Had ther bin any such legal or formal Consecration at Lambeth as 50. years after was forged and foisted into the Archbishop's Register the Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. would have remitted us therunto named Lambeth and not insisted al-togeather vpon the Queen's dispensation for the validity and legality of her first Bishops Consecration and caracter Many ar the reasons lately printed and not like to be answered that persuade all prudent men who have not too great a passion for the Prelatick Clergy to believe that Mr. Mason's new found Register of Lambeth is forged 1. It was never produced nor mentioned by the first Bishops so much pressed by their Adversaries to shew some Register or any evidence for their Consecration 2. They were only desired to let the world know wher when and by whom they had bin made Bishops questions easily answered had they bin consecrated at Lambeth or any Register then extant when Dr. Harding Stapleton and others charged them with nulity and illegality of Episcopal caracter 3. It 's no more credible that such knowing and conscientious men as Stapleton Harding Fitzherbert c. then living in England and probably at London would question so publick and solemn an action then it is that a sober man would now cal in doubt King Charl's 2. coronation at Westminster or ask in print who set the Crown vpon his head pretending he neuer had bin crown'd And though Bishop Godwin and other Prelatick Writers abuse Dr. Harding Holiwood Fitzsimons c. for relating the meeting of the first Protestant Bishops with a design to be ordained at the Nagshead in Cheap-side yet all the world knows that albeit there could be no design to feign that story yet our Controversy with the Prelaticks is not whether their first Prelats were ordained there but whether they were ordained any wher We know Bishops might be as validly consecrated in a Tavern though not so decently as in a Church But t' is fit they also consider that if Dr. Parker and their first Bishops were so narrowly watch't by Mr. Neal and other Catholicks whom Primat Bramhal doth cal Spies that they could not be merry in a Tavern without their knowledg they could hardly perform so serious and solemn an Action in a Church as the first Consecration of a Protestant Archbishop without their observation it being a matter then so much sought after and controversed of so great curiosity in it self and of greatest concern to us the total credit and being of their new Reformation depending therupon And yet for aboue 50. years none of the Writers of either side Catholick or Protestant who mentioned all other particulars relating to the reformation writ or spoke a word of this solemnity at Lambeth The Puritans indeed upraided the Prelaticks with saying their Episcopal ordination in England had it's beginning and progress in a corner not in a Congregation but we can not imagin they could mistake the Archiepiscopal Chappel of Lambeth for a corner or deny that the great Assembly pretended to have had bin at Dr. Parker's Consecration deserved not to be caled a Congregation Queen Elizabeths Clergy thus created by her patents and Parliaments they endeavored to shew themselves gratful to her Majesty by making the people believe that Popery by the principles wherof she was vncapable of the Crown was Idolatry the Pope Antichrist c. And to that end corrupted Scriptures in their English Translations as shal be proved herafter And because their frauds and follies were discoverd by Catholick Priests the sanguinary and penal laws were enacted and executed
enjoying their temporal liberties and much more vpon the spritual prerogative of Protestancy which according to Luther the first Author and Apostle therof is omnia judicemus regamus Let us judg and govern all things and not only his German Scholler Brentius but our English Bishop Bilson and all Prelaticks grant that the people must be discerners and Judges of that which is taught And the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England explaining the 39. Articles therof saith Authority is given to the Church and to every member of sound judgment in the same to judg controversies of faith c. And this is not the privat opinion of our Church but also the judgment of our godly brethren in forain Nations And it is not only the Tenet of Calvin but of all Protestant Writers that temporal laws oblige not in conscience any Christians to obey It being therfore a principle and priviledg even of Prelatick Protestancy and agreable to the 39. Articles that every member of sound judgment in the Church hath authority to judg controversies of faith and by consequence all other differences that may be reduced thervnto how is it possible for any King to be a Soveraign among Protestants who are all supreme judges both of faith and state for that State-affairs are subordinat to Religion and must be managed according to the Protestant sense of Scripture that is according to the judgment and interpretation of every particular Protestant or of him that can form or foole the multitude into his own opinion Wherfore we ought not be astonished that men constituted supreme Iudges and Interpreters of Scripture by the legal authority and articles of the Church of England and by the Evangelical libertys of Protestancy should presume to make them-selves the King's Iudges For my part I shal thinck it a great providence of God and extraordinary prudence in the government to see any King of England during the profession and legality of such principles in his Kingdom escape the like daunger and do continualy pray that their good Angel may deliver them from the effects of their own Religion His Majesty that by miracle now Reigns long may he live and prosper hath bin forced to lurck for his life in one of those secret places wherunto Priests retire when they are search't for God giving him to vnderstand therby that the most powerfull Princes where Protestancy prevails even in their own Kingdoms are never secure and may be often reduced to as hard shifts and as great extremities as the Poorest Priests and meanest Subjects RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT THE SECOND PART Of the inconsistency of Protestant principles with Christian piety and peaceable Government SECT I. Proved by the very Foundation of the Protestant Reformation which is a supposition of the fallibility and fal of the visible Catholick Church from the pure and primitive doctrin of Christ into notorious superstition IN the beginning of the first Part it hath bin sayd that the groundworck as wel of Policy as of Peace and Piety consists in making that persuasion to be the Religion of the State which is most credible or most agreable to reason because no commands duties taxes or charges will seem intolerable to subjects for the preservation and propagation of such a Religion nor for the maintenance of the spirititual and temporal Ministers to whose charge is committed the government of such a Church and Common-wealth How far all kind of Protestancy even the Prelatick is from having this prerogative we shall demonstrat in this Part of our Treatise and in this Section prove the same by the absurdity of the fundamental Protestant principles Common as well to the Prelatick as to all other Reformations The foundation wherupon all Protestant Reformations are built is this incredible or rather impossible supposition Viz. That all the visible and known Christian Churches of the world â—ell from that purity and truth of doctrin which they had once professed into superstition and damnable errors vntil at length in the 15. age God sent the Protestant Reformers to revive the true faith and Religion whose separation from the Roman Catholick Church and all others then visible is pretended to be free from sin and Schism by reason of the falshood of the Roman Catholick doctrin not consistent with saluation But this supposition is incredible 1. Because Protestants confess the fall and change of Religion was not perceived vntil 1300. or vntil at least 1000. years after it happned and such an imperceptible change in Christian religion involues as plain contradictions as a silent thunder For either it must be granted that all the Pastors and Prelats who lived in the time that any alteration of doctrin began were so stupid as not to take notice of so important and remarcable an object or so wicked as to observe and yet not oppose novelties so destructive to the souls committed to their charges Both which are proved to be groundless calumnies by the acknowledged zeal learning and integrity wherwith many Prelats and Pastors were endued in every age since the Apostles as their works yet extant do testify The truth of this Protestant supposition is not only incredible but impossible because the supposed chang of Christian Religion into Popish superstition is not pretended to have bin only a chang of the inward persuasion but of the outward profession visible and observable in ceremonies and practises answerable to the Mysteries believed as the adoring of the B. Sacrament worship of Jmages Communion in one kind publick prayer in vnknown languages c. How then is it possible that any Christian man or Congregation could begin so discernable and damnable novelties as according to the opinion of our Adversaries The adoration of the Sacrament Transubstantiation worship of Jmages Communion of the layty vnder one kind the Sacrifice of the Mass and publick prayers in an vnknown language the Pop's supremacy the doctrin of Purgatory Jndulgences Praying to Saints the vnmarried life of Priests c. How is it possible I say that any one should begin to teach and practise any of these supposed damnable doctrins and yet never be noted or reprehended by any one Prelat Pastor or Preacher who ar according to Esay the watâ—chmen of te visible Church vntil Luther's times or at least vntil these supposed superstitions had bin so vniversally spread so deeply rooted and plausibly received as Catholick truths and as ancient Traditions of Christ and of the Apostles that they who censured and opposed any of them were for so doing immediatly cryed down and condemned by the then visible and Catholick Church and Counsels as notorious hereticks How come the Preachers and Professors of these pretended Popish errors to escape for so many ages as Protestants confess they had continued vncontroul'd from the censures of Christ's pure Protestant Congregation if there was any vpon earth during that time was there not one Bishop Priest or Preacher in all the world for so many ages
vs as sacred Thus much have I thought good to remember that Volanus may receive answer from himself when he so often inforceth against vs the authority of learned men and the consent of the Church c. And truly Socinus doth defend his error concerning Christ with as many and as cleer texts of Scripture not vnderstood in the sense of the Roman Catholick Church as any point of Protestancy is maintained by other Protestants The Puritans now called Presbiterians vse the same way of arguing against the Prelatiks and with no less success then socinus against Volanus as may be seen in Cartwright in his second reply against episcopacy p. 1. pag. 484. And that it may appear saith he how justly we call this Canon of the Councell the first generall of Nice in the Canon touching the Metropolitan which the Prelatiks vrged in favor of Episcopacy vnto the tuch stone of the word of God let it be considered c. In the same Councell appeareth that to those chosen of the ministery vnmarried it was not lawfull to take any wife afterwards c. Paphnutius sheweth that not only this was before that Councell but was an ancient Tradition of the Church in which both him-felf and the whole Councell rested c. If the ancient Tradition of the Church can not authorise this neither can ancient custome authorise the other The Prelatick Clergy would fain hould Episcopacy by virtue of Tradition and of the authority of the Nicen Councell and yet would have Priests marry contrary to the same tradition and authority In like manner as the same Mr. Cartwright well observeth ibid. pag. 582. the Bishops of the Church of England would needs have the Nicen Councell be of sufficient authority to maintain arch-Arch-Bishops but not the Pope wheras the on is as cleerly expressed as the other and no less necessary for the government of the Church If saith he an Arch-Bishop be necessary for calling a Provincial Councell when the Bishops are divided it is necessary there be also a Pope which may call a generall Councell when division is among the Arch-Bishops for when the Churches of one Province be divided from other as you ask me so I ask you who shall assemble them togeather who shall admonish them of their duties when they are assembled If you can find a way how this may be don without a Pope the way is also found wherby the Church is disburdned of the Archbishop When Prelaticks dispute with Presbiterians about Episcopacy and ceremonies c. they extoll the four first general Councells but when they dispute with Roman Catholicks about the vnmarried life of Priests the Pop's supremacy or any other point of Popery then they extenuate the authority of the same Councells and will admitt of no other rule of faith but Scripture So that a Prelatick Protestant against Presbiterians is a Papist and against Papists is a Presbiterian what he is or would be if both did argue against him at the same time is not well known to me nor as I suppose to him-self but if he admits of the two main pillars wherby protestancy is supported which are the pretended fall and fallibility of the visible Church and the arbitrary interpretation of Scripture he may be any thing he pleases and to speak more modestly of him then Modestinus of Calvinists he is in a faire way to be a baptised Iew Mahometan or Arian and can not miss that way if he will be guided by the Protestant principles and follow the track of the most learned of the reformation Both Luther and Calvin dislik't the word Trinity on sayd it sounded couldly the other barbarously and Luther by omitting in his Translation of the new Testament this Text of Scripture There-be three which give witness in heaven the Father the word and the holy Ghost and these three be one sheweth how little inclined he was to believe that sacred Mystery and by saying that his soule hated Homusion and that the Arians did very well to reject that new and profane word from the rules of faith he declareth how his Protestant rule and reformation doth direct men to heresy and to all kind of infidelity for there is not a more refined heresy then Scripture mis-interpreted and mis-applyed and Scripture may be as easily mis-interpreted and mis applyed against the Trinity or the second Person 's equality and consubstantiality as applied to any on point of Protestancy The Anti-Trinitarians of Poland Transilvania and Hungary think themselves as good Calvinists as any French Hugonots and better Protestants then English Prelaticks or German Lutherans because they not only agree with all reformed Churches in the Fundamentalls of Protestancy that is in supposing the Apostacy of the Catholick Church and in reforming it by privat authority and their own interpretation of Scripture but go a step further in the Reformation by denying the Trinity By the principles of Protestancy and the practise of the first Protestant Reformers it is left to the choyce and discretion of every particular Church and person what articles of Popery are fitt to be rejected by their privat interpretation of Scripture and indeed it is impossible for men not tyed to any rule but to their own fancies of Scripture to agree in the points of Popery what to reject or retain They who confine with the Turk's Dominions venture to deny the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ and laugh at their brethrens arguments against their impiety as deduced only from Tradition Councells and Fathers and call them old Roman raggs long since torn in pieces by the Protestants them-selves in other points of Protestancy c. Hi sunt vetusti panni quos vos laceratis in aliis fidei articulis c. lacerata jamdudum calceamenta Nullus Nemo H. 9. They are say they patcht showes worn out long agon but heer in England France c. where no neighboring Nations deny the Trinity or Incarnation Protestants make those Misteries fundamental articles of faith but in Transilvania and Hungary The principles of Protestancy are not kept in such awe as heer they make bold there to apply Scripture against any mysteries of Christianity Wherfore we must not admire that they as Mr. Hooker tells vs Eccles. Polâ—â— l. 4. pag. 183. Of the reformed Churches of Poland think the very belief of the Trinity to be a part of Anti-Christian corruption and that the Pop's triple Crown is a sensible mark wherby the world might know him to be that misticall Beast spoken of in the Revelation in no respect so much as in his doctrin of the Trinity Nor when they say that St. Athanasius his Symbol is the Symbol of Sathan and brag that Luther did scarce vntile the Babilonian Jower of Rome but that they do vtterly demolish it and dig vp its very foundation By which words they give cleerly to vnderstand that the Protestants of Germany England Denmark c. are but superficial Protestants
number of Arius his faction because the Councell's testimony was confirmed by a Tradition and by the authority of St. Silvester Bishop of Rome whose legats presided in that Assembly· In the same Century was condemned the Heresy of Macedonius against the Holy Ghost by a Councell in Constantinople confirmed by the authority of St. Damasus Bishop of Rome Photius in lib. de septem Synodis In the fifth Century was condemned the heresy of Nestorius in the Ephesin Councell wherin presided Cyrillus in the name of Pope Celestin. Evagrius lib. 1. cap. 4. And a litle after was condemned the heresy of Eutiches in the Councell of Calcedon wherin also presided the Legats of Pope Leo. Evagrius lib. 2. cap. 4. And the whole Councell petitioned to the Bishop of Rome for his confirmation of their Acts. tom 2. Concil Breviarium Liberati In the same fifth age was condemned the heresy of the Pelagians by authority of the Bishops of Rome The Pelagian heresy saith St. Austin lib. 2. Retract c. 50. with it's authors was convicted and condemned by the Roman Bishops Jnnocent and Zozimus with concurrence or at the instance of the Councells of Africk And Prosper in Chronico an 420. A Councell being holden at Carthage of 217. Bishops the Synodal Decrees were sent to Pope Zozimus which being approved the Pelagian heresy was condemned in the whole world In the sixt Century many heresies were condemned in the 5. Synod In the 7. Century and sixt Synod were condemned the Monothelits wherin presided the Pop's Legats though the Emperor was present and subscribed but after all the Bishops not as a Judge but as on who consented and submitted to their judgment In the 8. Century and 7. Synod of 350. Bishops were declared and condemned as hereticks they who opposed the worship of Jmages wherin also presided the Pop's Legats wherof Photius saith This sacred and great Councell condemned a barbarous heresy newly invented by wicked and execrable men c. For they did terme the adorable Image of Christ wherby erronious idolatry is excluded an Idol c. In the 9. Century and 8. Synod many controversies were decided and the Pop's Legats presided The Emperor was present and subscrib'd but after the Legats and Patriarchs and plainly acknowledged that the judgment of Religious Controversies apertain'd not to him and that by subscribing he only testifyed his Consent In the 10. Century we read of no heresy but of the Greeks Schism In the 11. Century Pope Leo the 9. in a Councell at Vercelli and Pope Nicolas 2. in a Councell at Rome of 113. Bishops condemned the heresy of Berengarius against the real presence and Transsubstantiation Lanfrancus lib. 1. contra Bereng This Berengarius was no great scholler as Archbishop Guido says but very ambitious and thought to acquire fame by his new opinion After twice recanting and returning to his heresy in his last sickness perceiving his end to draw neer Iohn Gerson relates these his last words My God Thou wilt this day appeare to my salvation as J hope for my repentance or to my damnation as I feare for deceiving with pervers doctrin others whom afterwards I could not reduce to the truth of thy Sacrament In the 12. Century Jnnocent the second Bishop of Rome condemned the heresy of Peter Abaylard see S. Bernard epist 194. And Pope Eugenius 3. condemned the error of Gilbert Porretanus in the Councell of Rhems see S. Bern. serm 80. in Cantica In the 13. Century Pope Innocent 3. condemned the error of Ioachim the Abbot in the Lateran Councell And afterwards Pope Gregory 10. in the Generall Councell of Lions condemned the Greeks error In the 14. Century Pope Clement 5. condemned the errors of the Begards in the Councell of Vienna In the 15. Century the errors of Iohn Hus and Iohn Whicliff were condemned in the Councell of Constance by Pope Martin 5. And the errors of the Greeks in the Councell of Florence by Pope Eugenius 4. Now what reason can Protestants give why Pius 4. Bishop of Rome and the Councell of Trent though of his calling and party might not condemn the opinion of Protestants as lawfully and legaly as his Predecessors had don in every age the like opinions of other Reformers Both condemners and condemned were Christians for hereticks must be baptised otherwise they are rather Pagans then hereticks The condemned Christians were often Patriarchs and Bishops some-times as many as the Condemners and yet neither could their Plea of Christianity or pretence of Scripture or parity in dignity or equality in number exempt them from the validity and legality of the Roman Censures vnto which if they did not submit all the Catholick world held them for obstinat hereticks Therfore we may not without contradicting both reason and authority the common sense of the Church and the general custom of Christian antiquity allow the exceptions which Protestants plead against the Pope and the Councell of his Bishops that forsooth they are but a part of the Catholick Church and therfore as party concerned incompetent Judges and witnesses in controversies of Christian Religion We have seen the weakness and ill success of the protestant design in this distinction of fundamentall and not fundamentall articles of faith and how they are rejected as hereticks by the Greeck Schismaticks and other sectaries whom they courted to be admitted as a part of their Church we have also proved the vnreasonableness of their exceptions against the testimony and censures of the Roman Bishops and Councells Now we will view the distinction it self and prove that by the protestant doctrin of fundamentalls the very foundation of Christian Religion is destroyed and nothing believed with Divine faith SECT XII God's veracity is denyed by Protestancy and by the Prelatick distinction and doctrin of fundamentall and not fundamentall articles of faith THe foundation of Christian Religion is the belief of God's veracity The belief of God's veracity consists not only in acknowledging that whatsoever God saith is true that was never denyed by any heretick and yet all hereticks deny his veracity but consists in acknowledging also that whatsoever doctrin is sufficiently proposed as spoken or revealed by God is infallibly true and that God is the Author of the same To avoyd all disputes concerning the sufficiency of the proposal of God's revelations we will condescend so far to our Protestants Adversaries as to make themselves Judges therof provided they will be so Religious and rational as to grant that to Divine Majesty ought not be denyed a prerogative which by the dictamen of reason the laws of nature and the practise of themselves and of all Nations is due and exhibited to Majesty and Magistracy and to all temporal Soveraigns Viz. To speak and declare their mind by the mouth of others their inferiour Officers and Ministers wherfore as subjects do judge it a sufficient proposal of the regal authority and confess them-selves are obliged to believe that their Soveraign speaks and commands
all Papists in these words what shall J say here O ye principall posts of Religion and ye Arch-Governors of Christ's Church Is this your reverence which you giue to God's word to bid them avant away c. no mervaile if these men dispise us and all our doings which set so litle by God him-self and his infallible saying Thus they write and inveigh against Hosius and all the Roman Church even after they knew and had bin twice admonished that the whole ground was fals and forged by them-selves Hosius his own words are there is sprung vp a certain new kind of Prophets who have not bin afraid by the authority of Scripture to take away all authority from the Scripture Behould whither Satan at length hath brought this matter c. And after Nihil Scripturâ sanctius c. Nothing is more holy then Scripture nothing more noble or excellent there is nothing next to God himself more worthy of all veneration and reverence but what thing can there be so holy which the enemy of man-kind may not abuse to man's destruction c. Thus Hosius how hardly his words could be wrested or mistaken by Iewel and his Confederats all the world may see and ought to detest a Reformation that can not be otherwise maintain'd then by such palpable impostuâ—es SVBSECT IV. Falsificatïons and Frauds against the Bishop of Rome his supremacy JEwel and his Associats cyting a Constitution of the Emperour Iustinian against the Pope's supremacy say The Emperours words stand thus Sancimus c. Senioris Romae Papam primum esse omnium Sacerdotum Beatissimum autem Archi-Episcopum Constantinopolios novae Romae secundum habere locum which words Mr. Iewel Englisheth thus We ordain that the Pope of the elder Rome shall be the first of all Priests and that the most holy Arch-bishop of Constantinople which is named new Rome have the second place Of which Mr. Iewell and the English Church inferr that the Pope's Authority and preeminency in those days consisted only in sitting in the first place and that this dignity also was given him by the secular power of the Emperour First Iewell and his Camerades by â—n c. did hope to make the Emperour spiritual head of the Church and by consequence derive the same prerogative to all secular Princes in their own Dominions for they fraudulently omitted the words wherby the whole matter is cleered the words as they stand in the Constitution of Iustinian are these Sancimus secundum Canonum definitiones sanctissimum senioris Romae Papam primum esse omnium Sacerdotum c. we do ordain according to the determination of the Canons c. But had they not concealed these words they had discovered the weackness of their doctrin of the Queen's supremacy because those few words according to the definition of the Canons import that this ordination or declaration of the Emperour was grounded vpon the authority of the Canons of the Church which he did but confirm and command the execution of the Decrees and Declarations of Councells by his Imperial power The second fraud is that they translate primum esse omnium Sacerdotum thus that he shall be the first of all Priests wheras the Emperour vseth the present tense declaring that the Pope is the Chief of all Priests not shall be By Iewel 's falls Translation they intended to impose vpon such as vnderstand not Latin or at least are so careless as not to compare this Text with the English that Popes had not bin the first or chief of all Priests before that Decree of Iustinian and that spirituall supremacy came to them by vertue therof Not content with this fraud they add an other in the very next words of this Constitution which are these We ordain also that the most Holy Arch-Bishop of Justiniana the first which is our Country shall have for ever vnder his Iurisdiction the Bishops of the Provinces of Dacia Dania Dardania Mysia and Panonia and that they shall be invested by him and he only by his own Councell and that he in the Provinces subject vnto him shal have the place of the Apostolick sea of Rome c. Out of which words Mr. Iewel and his English Prelatick Clergy inferr thus Heere we see the Bishop of Iustiniana set in as high authority and power with in his own Iurisdiction as the Bishop of Rome with in his But had they bin as honest as the Protestant Layty take them to be all the world might have seen the Roman truth and their falshood for they deceitfully cut of the ensuing words that expound and declare the whole matter the words cut of are secundum ea quae sanctus Papa Vigilius constituit we ordain that these things shall be don and observed according to that which the Holy Pope Vigilius had constituted so that as in the former decree the Emperour professeth him-self to have ordained according to the definitions of the Canons so here in particular he professeth to have confirmed the Constitutions of the holy Pope Vigilius who had made the Arch-Bishop of Iustiniana to be his legat and to hould the place of the Apostolicâ— Sea of Rome in those Provinces not vnlike to that of St. Gregory who according to venerable Bede in his history gave the like Authority to St. Augustin our first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by which Concession they have always bin called Legati nati sedis Apostolicae Not content to conceale the words and the truth of Imperial Decrees and Ecclesiastical Histories Iewel and the English Clergy were neither ashamed nor afraid to corrupt Scripture to the same purpose against the Pope's supremacy For pretending that the words of Christ to St. Peter Thou art a Rock and upon this Rock will I build my Church and again feed my Lambs feed my sheep were spoken as well to all the Apostles as to St. Peter in the Apology of the Church of England is quoted for profe hereof an other saying of our Saviour Quod vni dico omnibus dico that which I say to one I say to all which sentence is not found in Scripture but an otherlike it though to an other purpose to wit about the watchfulness which our Saviour would have all men vse for the day of Iudgment Quod vobis dico omnibus dico vigilate That which I say to you here present I speak to all both absent and to come be watchfull of this day wherof Mr. Iewel and his Collegues could not be ignorant and yet thus he insulted Mr. Harding affirmeth That to the rest of the Apostles it was not sayd at all feed ye c. to Peter and to non els was it sayd feed my Lambs feed my sheep yet Christ him-self saith quod vni dico omnibus dico that y say to one I say to all And quoted for it Marck the 13. SVBSECT V. Frauds and fond devices of the protestant Clergy of England to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of the Mass.
gathered 〈◊〉 in that Councell But this is a foolish fancy and 〈◊〉 fraud of Sutcliff as appeareth by the very letter and 〈◊〉 of the Councell to Pope Leo who after praysing God 〈◊〉 favor and providence in gathering together and 〈◊〉 themselves at Calcedon preferring the notifying of their 〈◊〉 of faith before their Countrey and labour som Journey add over which Priests or Bishops assembled in this Councell you did preside as head over the members by those which 〈◊〉 your place to wit by his legats of whom Leo sayd in his Epistle to the Councell In these Brothers Paschasius and Lucenâ—â—â— Bishops Boniface and Basilius Priests who are directed by 〈◊〉 Apostolick Sea your fraternity may think that I preside in the 〈◊〉 And these legats though two of them were but Priests took place of all Bishops and were acknowledged of so absolute authority that they pronounced sentence against Dâ—â—scorus the Heretik thus in the Popes name The most holy Pope Leo head of the vniversal Church by vs his Legats the holy Synod consenting being indued with the dignity of Peter the Apostle who is called the Foundation of the Church the Rock of faith and Doorekeeper of the heavenly Kingdom have deprived Dioscorus of Episcopal dignity and all priestly function Now this Councell of Calcedon having bin received in England by act of Parliament 1. Eliz. and never yet repealed I see not how Priests can be legaly punished or Catholiks persecuted for acknowledging the Pope's spiritual Iurisdiction in these Kingdoms and maintaining that he is head of the Catholik Church St. Peter's Successor and Christ's Vicar vpon earth much less how could Doctor Sutcliff charge Bellarmin with falsifying the Councell that conâ—esseth the same doctrin in so cleer termes SVBSECT I. How Protestants are convicted by Bellarmin of holding twenty ancient condemned heresies and how Sutcliff and Bishop Morton to cleere them of six only fourteen it seems they câ—â—fess do falsify the Fathers and Catholik Authors about the worshipping of Images CArdinal Bellarmin lib. 4. de notis Ecclesiâ— cap. 9. proves that Protestants are heretiks because they hold many old heresies condemned as such by the ancient Catholik Church wherof he sets down twenty One is that of Xenaias a Persian who saith Bellarmin cit was the first that did openly affirm the Images of Christ and his Saints ought not to be worshiped as wittnesseth Nicephorus lib. 17. cap. 27. Doctor Sutclif sayes that Nicephorus is falsifyed which is most fals for that Nicephorus writing many horrible things of this Xenaias as that he faigned himself to be a Priest yea and got a Bishoprik before he was baptised amongst others saith This Xenaias did first of all others O audacious soul and impudent tongue belch out that voice that the Images of Christ and those that have bin acceptable vnto him are not to be worshiped And this he sayd so is a truth so vndeniable and generaly received that even the Protestant Authors that write the Ecclesiastical history confess it as Functius in his seaventh book of Commentaries vpon his Chronicle an 494. saith Porro is Xenaias primus in Ecclesia bellum contra Imagines indixit Two Pelagian heresies imputed to Protestants and how they falsify to cleer themselves of the one and say nothing of the other WHeras the Pelagians saith Bellarmin according to St. Austin and St. Hierom taught two heresies among others 1. That every sin though never so litle is mortal 2. That there is no original sin in man especialy in Infants of Lawfull parents The first all â—rotestants teach the last Zuinglius Bucer and Calvin but with this difference that Zuinglius doth absolutely deny original sin to be in any man Bucer and Calvin do only deny the same in the Children of the Faithfull whom they say to be born Saints and saved without Baptism Now Doctor Morton not being able to deny the first heresy to be common to Pelagians and protestants would faine make Bellaâ—â—â—â— a falsifier in the second setting down Bellarmin's words both in Latin and English corruptly and contrary to his plain 〈◊〉 as may be seen in Bellarmin's Text thus The Pelagâ—â—â—s did teach that there was no original sin in men and especialy in the Children of the faithfull the same doth Bucer and Calvin teach as though he had sayd that Calvin had denyed with the Pelagians that there is any original sin at all in men much less in the Children of the faithfull and had made no distinction between Zuinglius and Calvins and Bucers opinions And Morton by this fraud would make his Reader believe he had cleered Protestants from both the pelagian-heresies wheras he cleeres them not from either Hear Bellarmin's own words which are Pelagiani duo inter alia docebant 1. non esse in hominibus peccatum originale praecipuè in filijs fidelium c. Hoc docet Zuinglius Bucerus Calvinus lib. 4. instit c. 15. § 20. Nisi quod Zuinglius negat simpliciter peccatum originale in quolibet homine c. Bucerus autem Calvinus solum in filijt fidelium negant peccatum originale quos dicunt Sanctos nasci salvari etiam sine Baptismo Vide. Belar de notis Ecclesia cap. 9. § 14. Two Novatian heresies imputed to Protestants the one they answer with silence the other with falsifying WHeras Cardinal Bellarmin to prove that Protestants do agree with the old Novatian 〈◊〉 alledgeth two particular instances the one in denying the power of the Church to remit sins by priestly absolution or the Sacrament of Pennance the other in denying the vse of holy Chrism in the Sacrament of Confirmation Bishop Morton having nothing to answer to the second replyeth only to the first by an equivocation and falsification for he endeavoreth to confound the Sacrament of pennance with privat repentance or sorrow sighs tears c. for sins and makes beleive that Bellarmin contradicts himself when he grants that Protestants admit the later though they rejectâ— the Sacrament of pennance and to embroyle the Reader and excuse the Novatiâ—ns as if they held but one error cuts short Belarmin's words praecipuus error and post Baptismum Novatianorum praecipuus error erat c. The Manichean heresy against Free will imputed to Protestants and how pittifully answered by Bishop Morton ST Hierom and St. Austin saith Belarmin accuse the Manicheans for condemning the nature of man and depriving it of free will and ascribing the original and beginning of sin vnto the nature of man and not to free will The same is taught openly by all Sectaries Thus Belarmin Morton sets down St. Hierom. and St. Austin's words as if they were Belarmin's being loath to have such great Fathers tax himself and his prelatiks with heresy Then he sayes Belarmin accuseth Calvin of this heresy wheras Belarmin accuseth all Protestants or sectaries not only Calvin and accuseth Calvin in particular of an other Manichean heresy to wit of reprehending and condemning Abraham
for refusing to Roman Catholicks a publick Trial of Falsifications and an amicable Conference of Religion makes the refusal yet more unreasonable Popery saith every Protestant is a growing Religion if disputes thereof be admitted we shall turn all Papists If they be not persecuted their profession will prevail If liberty of conscience be granted very few will frequent Protestant Churches The prelatick Clergys last reason is Venient Romani tollent locum nostrum If we come once to reason the matter with Roman Catholicks infallibly we shall loose our Revenues But I may assiure them that the Roman Clergy covet not their revenues if it be found that we have any right to the Church livings we will lay our pretensions at his Majesties feet and Petition the Pope as we did in Queen Marys days to leave all to the King and Parliaments disposal for the ease and defence of our fellow Subjects and the terror of our Enemies And as for our Religion being a growing Religion we cannot deny it and rejoyce that our Adversaries confess so much how could it otherwise be the Catholick or become universal Protestancy is confined to this Northern Climate notwithstanding its liberty of open and sensual allurements the Mahometan perswasion is propagated by force of Arms and multiplicity of Wives the Greek Schism is but a spite and spleen against the Primacy of Rome and therefore is justly Become a Slavery to the Turk No Religion but the Roman Catholick doth grow and flourish maugre the Storms of outwaâ—d Persecutions and the strength of our inward perverse inclinations aganst it we follow reason against the appearance of sense we prefer vertue before vice the judgment of the Church before our own and Heaven before Earth and therefore we are made Strangers in our own Country Straglers abroad Tennants at will of our own Estates and our lives stand at the mercy of every base Informer that will press the law against our Conscience and yet in this sad condition and circumstances our Religion doth increase and is acknowledged to be a growing Religion Ergo it is the true Catholick and not only the most safe for the Soul but the most convenient for the State especially of Great Britain as now shall more particularly appear SECT XIII The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how advantagious it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands THree things must concurr to make a Monarchy Powerful and Peaceable 1. Uniformity in Religion or at least Liberty of Conscience 2. Great Revenues of the Monarch without empoverishing by unusual and unimerciful Taxes the Subjects unless they be slaves 3 Men fit for Sea and Land Service These Islands afford the last the other two we want but may have them if we will by an Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience or for tolerating the old Faith of our Ancestors wherewith this Kingdom flourished in Peace and Prosperity for the space of 1000 years Such an Act I mean as may make legal one Profession but wherein there ought to be a Proviso that none of another suffer for his Conscience or Religion especially for the Roman Catholick That without Uniformity in Religion or without Liberty of Conscience it is impossible for a Monarchy to be long peaceable or powerful is manifest by Reason and Experience Reason doth dictate that when Mens minds are Discontented and Oppressed by Persecution for their Conscience they will hazard their all to be satisfied and saved their Rebellion against the Soveraign will be thought the ground of their Salvation or at least the only way to preserve their Posterity from being damned and brought up in the state false Religion Experience doth shew that diversity of Opinions if but one be permitted doth not only occasion Domestick differences as the parting of Man and Wife of Parents and Children Brothers and Sisters c. But is the cause of publick Inconveniencies as jealousies between Princes and Subjects from whence proceed civil Wars which are the greatest obstacle of Prosperity in an Empire or Commonwealth Whilst the Hugonots were persecuted in France France was not so considerable Here in England we are more afraid of persecuted Presbyterians Fanaticks and other Sectaries than of the French Danes and Dutch seeing therefore Liberty or Uniformity in Religion is so necessary for the Peace and Power of a Monarchy all States-men must grant the Religion fittest for the State is that which is most likely to be generally embraced if Men may have their free choice Now whether that be Protestancy or Popery is the question It is not Protestancy because 't is now a hundred years and more since it hath been endeavoured by all ways imaginable to bring the Subjects of the Crown of England unto an Uniformity in Protestancy even by Sanguinary and Penal Statutes and yet the design doth not take and indeed cannot Because it involves a contradiction for to be a Protestant is to have the liberty of opâ—ning and the gift of interpreting Scripture which Liberty and Prerogative is not consistent with a subjection of Judgment to the Authority and Interpretation of any Church or Councel and by consequence not with Unity of Faith Besides the Protestant Church whether Prelatick Presbyterian or Fanatick is not as much as pretended to be Infallible in Doctrine or in its Interpretation of Scripture and it 's a great vanity for a Church that professeth Fallibility in explaining the Scriptures and admitteth a liberty or Latitude of applying the Letter of the same to every private mans Spirit and Interpretation to oblige men to any unity or certainty of Faith and therefore our Acts of Parliament are so inefficacious Again Faith is not Christian unless the Believers hold it certain and no Believer can hold his own Faith certain if he submits and comforms his Judgment to the Doctrine and Decrees of a Fallible Church For that no man can think himself certain of what he knows may fail evident therefore it is that the Protestant Faith is neither Christian nor certain because the Professors thereof if they be guided by their confessed fallible Church must know that their Faith may be False The Roman Catholick Church seeing it is believed Infallible by all Catholicks may teach a Faith which must be thought by us to be Certain Conscientious Christian and by consequence convenient fit for both Soul and State How conscientious and Necessary it is for the Salvation of the Soul we have proved in this whole Treatise as also how convenient for the State now I will shew the same in a word and by the confession of our Adversaries It is a growing Religion say they therefore I infer
the tendernes of her conscience was satisfied there could be no scruple of Sacriledge in applying with consent of the true owners ecclesiastical livings to pious and publick vses And now I hope I may conclude this Treatise with humbly desiring a Conference or examination of Protestant and Catholick books at least of one for each side let the quotations of Doctor Taylors Dissuasive be viewed and that book or any other writ against the Roman Religion stand for the Protestants sincerity t is like he writ nothing carelesly or rashly his declared drift being to make a whole Nation Protestants and professing himself to be only Amanuensis to a prelatick Convocation of reformed Bishops which in his Preface he compares with that Assembly of the Apostles wherin choyce was made of Iudas his Successor and sayes the lot of St. Mathias fell vpon himself and that some other like himself was Barnabas the just Jf this holy Convocation of Protestant Apostles should set forth a Book that hath more lyes then leaves I hope men may advise their friends to consider whether a Religion that cannot be maintained but by such men and means and a Clergy that practiseth such frauds and falsifications ought to be preferred before a Religion and Clergy that not only professeth as all others do to write truth but presseth to come to a publick trial therof in a â—egall way and rather then fail herein are content that the controversy be decided by them that are known to be most zealously devoted to Protestancy I do not instance Bp. Taylors Dissuasive from Popery for the Trial as if his falsifications to maintain Protestancy were more numerous or more enormous then those of other writers that have defended the same cause No. He is more waâ—y then many and more moderat then most of his predecessors or equalls But I instance his book to give my adversaries all the advantages that the learning of the Author and the Authority of a Convocation can afford Jf they have a better opinion of the sufficiency of Bishop Jevell then of Bp. Taylor they may fix rather vpon his Apology for the Church of England then vpon Doctor Taylors Dissuasive from Popery authorized by the Church of Ireland To Jevells Apology we oppose Harding Stapleton and Rastalls Answers To Taylors Dissuasive Worsley Lengar and Sergeants Annotations But if they refuse this offer as pointing but at two particular Doctors of their Church let them be pleased to have the truth of their Reformation and the sincerity of their whole Clergy examined by answering to the frauds and falsifications wherwith I charge their whole Church and calling in this book FINIS The Summe of this Treatise Containing the Substance of every Section THE FIRST PART Containing the Matter of Fact of the Beginning Progress Principles and effects of Protestancy SECTION I. HOw necessary a rational religion is for a peaceable government and wherin doth the reasonableness of Religion consist How dangerous for a temporal Soveraign to pretend a spiritual supremacy over his subjects Heathen Princes durst not assume it without a persuasion in their subjects that it was due by descent from some Deity or that the Gods signified their approbation therof by prodigies and miracles The great Turk notwithstanding his tyranny thinks it not policy to pretend a spiritual jurisdiction over his subjects though slaves The ground of policy piety and peace consists in establishing by law a Religion confirmed by miracles that such a Religion will make the Prince powerfull and popular the Prelats respected the people willing to obey and pay taxes It takes away all pretexts of rebellion vpon the score of a tenderness of conscience How necessary it is for the Government to have a devout Clergy and that Clergy at the Soveraigns devotion and Some of them emploied in State affairs Therby all disputes between the spirituall and temporall jurisdictions are prevented With how much reason Statesmen dread such disputes For the space of 1500. years the Catholick world believed that the Bishop of Rome had the supreme spiritual jurisdiction over souls as being Christ's Vicar vpon earth and that only such as were of his Communion and vnder his obedience were members of the Catholick Church and therfore the Greeks for exempting the Bishop of Constantinople and themselves from that obedience were declared Schismaticks others were condemned as Hereticks for teaching and professing doctrin contrary to the Roman Both the doctrin and authority of the Roman Bishops and Clergy hath been confirmed by vndeniable true miracles even here in England Jt was held to be the only Catholick doctrin in St. Gregory the great his time That faith which wee Roman Catholicks now profess is the same in every particular with that of St. Gregory and of all Orthodox Christians of his time and for confirmation wherof true miracles have been wrought SECT II. OF the Author and beginning of Protestancy The first Preacher therof was Martin Luther an Augustin Friar who from his youth had bin lianted by the Devil and presumed to have bin possessed He resolved to preach and write against the Mass praying to Saints and other Catholick Tenets after that the Devil had appeared to him and convinced him by Protestant arguments How weakly the Protestant writers endeavour to excuse Luthers disputation instruction and familiarity with the Devil Others acknowledge it and maintain that the Devils doctrin ought to be believed when it agrees with the Protestant interpretation of Scripture that is with every privat interpretation contrary to the sense of the whole visible Church How much it is against piety and policy to make the Protestant or any other privat interpretation of Scripture the Religion of the State or to preferr it before that of the Church and of the holy ancient Fathers quoted subsect 1. passim SECT III. OF the principles ad propagation of Protestancy How Luther begun his reformation by gaining Poets Players Painters and Printers to discredit by their Poems Pamphlets pictures and ballads the Roman Catholick Religion and its Clergy How he drew also many dissolute Friars and Priests to his side and married nine of them to so many Nuns in one day taking also one to himself How he made his reformation plausible to Libertins by teaching that only Faith was necessary for Salvation without troubling themselves with good works and popular by preaching that no Christian ought to be subject to an other and how therupon the Clowns and Tenants of Germany rebelled against their Princes and Landlords The three fundamental principles of Protestancy are 1. That for many ages the whole visible Church had bin in damnable errors and so continued vntill Luthers reformation 2. That there is no rule of faith but Scripture as Protestants are pleased to interpret it 3. That men are justified by only faith How from these principles have issued innumerable Protestant Religions contrary one to the other Luther did see his own reformation divided into 130. disagreing sects of
bounds when he took vpon him to excommunicat the Bishops of the East S. Ireneus found fault with his seuerity but neuer doubted of his authority The Centurists Centur. 3. Col. 168. do condemn S. Stephen Pope and Martyr for vndertaking to threaten excommunication to Helenus Firmilianus and all others throughout Cicilia Capadocia and Galacia for rebaptysing Heretiks And col 84. They reprehend S. Cyprian for teaching that the Roman Church ought to be acknowledged of all others for the mother and root of the Catholick Church And Centur. 4. col 764. they confess that the Councell of Sardis consisting of 300. Bishops and aboue assembled from all parts of the world and wher at sundry Fathers of the Nicen Councell were present decreed appeals to the Bishop of Rome [a] M. r Whitaker Lib. de Antichristo contra Sanderum pag 35. answering D. r Sanders who affirmed and proued that the Roman Church was not changed during the first 600. yeares after Christ Whitaker saith During all that time the Church was pure and florished and inuiolably taught and defended the faith deliuered from the Apostles See the same acknowledged by M. r Fulk in his confutation of Purgatory pag 373. And by Reynolds in his conference with Mr. Hart pag 443. And Mr. Iewell in his reply to Mr. Harding pag 246. That the Roman faith and the Catholick faith are Synonima or the same appeared by [b] S. Hieroms words in Apo 2. adversus Rufinum who pretending to be a Catholick S. Hierom demands What doth he call his faith That which the Church of Rome holdeth If he answered it is the Roman ergo Catholici sumus then without doubt we are Catholicks And ep 57. ad Damasum Papam Quicumque extra banc domum Agnum comederit profanus est quicumque tecuÌ„ non colligit spargit S. Cyprian lib 4. epist 2. speaks thus to Antonianus You writ that I should send a Copy of the letters to Cornelius Pope to the end that you communicat with him that is to say with the Catholick Church And the same S. Cyprian ibid Epist 45. ad Cornelium it seemeth good to us that letters should be sent to all our Colleagues at Rome that they should firmly embrace your communion that is to say the Catholick Church Et Ibid Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens Beatitudini tuae id est Cathedrae Petri communione consocior Super illaÌ„ Petram aedificataÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ scio And S. Ambrose de obitu Fratris reporteth how his Brother Satyrus being desirous to know whether the Bishop to whom he came were Catholick or no asked him whether he did communicat with the Catholick Bishop hoc est cum Romana Ecclesia convenerit [d] ¶ Theodoret d a Greek Father in his Epistle to Pope Leo placed before his Commentaries vpon S. Pauls Epistle saith behold after all trauel and sweat I am condemned being not so much as accused But I look for sentence of your Apostolik sea and I humbly beseech and require your Holiness in this case to aide me justum vestrum rectum appellanti judicium appealing to your right and just judgment and command me to come before you And in his Epistle ad Renatum Presbit he further saith I beseech thee persuade the most holy Arch Bishop Leo to exercise his Apostolical authority and command me to go to your Councel because that holy Sea hath the government of all the Churches of the World S. Chrysost. in Epist. ad Innocentium Papam saith I beseech you write that these things so wrongfully don in my absence and I not refusing judgment may not be of force and that those who haue don wrong may be subject to the penalties of the Ecclesiastical lawes c. And command vs to be restored to our Church c. Pope Innocentius in his Epistle to Arcadius the Emperor and his wife who were aduerse to S. Chrysostom and took part with Theophilus quoted Centur 5. col 663. saith I the last of all and a sinner yet hauing the throne of the great Apostle Peter committed to me do separat and remoue thee and her from receauing the immaculat mysteries of Christ our God and euery Bishop or any other of the Clergy which shall presume to minister or giue to you those holy Mysteries after the time that you haue read these present lettres of my Order I prononce them voyd of their dignity c. Arsacius whom you placed in the Bishops throne in Chrysostoms roome though he be dead we depose and command that his name be not written in the role of Bishops In like manner we depose all other Bishops which of purposed aduice haue communicated with him c. To the deposing of Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria we add excommunication c. The Centurists Cent. 5. col 778. say of the Fathers of that 5. Century They did affirm erroniously that antiquity had attributed the principality of priestood to the Roman Bishop aboue all And Col. 782. they set down the general Councell of Calcedons petition to Pope Leo desiring his Holyness to confirm their Decrees and Col 823. the words of the Councell of Carthage to Pope Innocentius supplicating that to the statutes of their mediocrity might be added the authority of the Sea Apostolick They further acknowledged that the Pope summoned S. Athanasius and his aduersaries to appeare at Rome And that Athanasius obeyed wherof see also Nicephor l. 9. c. 6. and hist. Tripartit l. 4. cap. 6. D. Philip. Nicolai de Regno Christ. l. 2. pag. 149. confesseth that Julius Pope exercised the supreme spiritual Jurisdiction as given ex praescripto jure divino and as St. Peters Successor as also Pope Damasus and Pope Jnnocentius afterwards See Iulius epistle to the Churches of the East Centâ—r 4. col 735. and col 746. how Pope Julius saith to them are ye ignorant of the custom to write to vs first to the end from hence may be determined what is just c. For what things wee have received from St. Peter the Apostle those I signifie to you [e] ¶ Functius a Protestant writter in lib. 7. Chronolog anno Christi 494. saith Henaias was the first who raised war in the Church against Images Nicepâ— in Hist Eccl. lib. 16. c. 27. saith Henaias iste primus O audacem animam os impudens vocem illam evomuit Christi eorum qui illi placuere Imagines venerandas non esse August haer 53. Epiphan haer 75. mentions Aerius his nouelties against fasting appointed by the Church prayer for the dead c. Wherof M. r Fulk in his answer to a counterfeit Catholick pag 44. c. 41. saith I will not dissemble c. Aerius taught that prayer for the dead was unprofitable as wittnes both Epiphan and Austin which they count for an error S. Aug. de Eccl. dog c. 73. saith We belieue that the bodyes of Saints and chiefly the Reliques of holy Martyrs ought to be most sincearly honored as if they
reasonable subjection Therfore besids many other works in the yeare 1520. Luther writ a book called Praeludium captivitatis Babilonicae wherin he maintayned that Christians are not subject to human Lawes at least in foro Conscintiae Christ hauing made them all equall by the Gospell but that the Pope Prelates and Princes had tyranically usurped a Iurisdiction ouer them and kept them for many years in gross ignorance and wors then in a Babylonian captivity therfore that God had sent him to reforme these abuses and restore vnto all oppressed people the Christian liberty which they had received in Baptisme and by his reformation they might enjoy so fully as to judg and govern all omnia judicemus regamus Then he published his doctrin of justification by only faith so resolutly that he doubted not to preach though mens words be the greatest blasphemies and their works the most damnable villâ—nies If they haue as much confidence to belieue without doubt as impudence to act without scruple they may be sure that God hath receiued them into his fauor and cannot be damned unless they doubt of their saluation This abominable presumption Luther grounded upon the infinitness of Christs merits as if forsooth our Sauiour had suffered to the end we might not only be happy in heauen but by his passion hah waranted our wickedness upon earth grossly mistaking and confounding the sufficiency of Christs merits with the sufficiency of their application none can deny but that the least drop of our Sauiours Bloud is sufficient to redeeme millions of worlds because it is of infinite value but all Catholicks euer held that though his Bloud and merits be infinitly sufficient in themselues yet are they not sufficiently applyed to sinners unless they concurr to their own reconciliation and justification not only by faith but by good works Sacraments and other meanes which God hath appointed for that purpose Yet Luther pretended that faith alone is a sufficient application of Christs merits and that men needed not mortify their bodys nor endeavour to secure their salvation by good works thinking it a diminution of our Redeemers glory and a disrespect to his person that with our free will we should cooperat with his passion and help our selues and vpon this ground do Protestants raise all their batteries against Indulgences Purgatory Pilgrimages praying to Saints Confession of sins Penance Satisfaction Merit austerity of Monastical life Works of supererogation c. A reformation so indulgent to liberty and sensuality could not want Proselits and in a short tyme appeared the effects therof the Peasants of Germany rebelled against their Princes and Lords in defence of that Euangelical liberty which Luther had preached and in the space of one summer were on both sides a hundred thousand men slain Some Princes to make themselues considerable by heading the multituds which ran to Luther professed his Religion and protected his person and he layd for the foundation of his reformation the ensuing principles SVBSECT I. The fundamentall principles of Protestancy THe first principle and foundation of Luthers and of all Protestant reformations is a supposition that the whole visible Church fell from that primitiue pure doctrin and true meaning of Scripture which Christ our Sauior and the Apostles had planted and the first Christians had professed All râ—formed Churches do and must agree in this supposition the very name of a Doctrinal reformation implies a change and decay of doctrin though they disagree in the tyme and other circumstances of the change Untill Luther had conferred with the Devill he durst not vent this principle he appealed indeed from the Pope to a generall Councell and from a generall Councell when he perceiued one was summon'd to the Church diffusiue but after his conference with Satan he ventured to say Lay aside all the armes of orthodox antiquity Schooles of Diuinity authority of Councells and Popes consent of so many ages and all Christian People we receiue nothing but Scripture yet so that we must haue the certain authority to interpret the same Our interpretation is the sence of the holy Ghost that which others bring though they bee great though many proceedeth from the spirit of Sathan and from a distracted mind The reasons why Luther and all Protestants run this desperat course is because hauing examined and found that orthodox antiquity was Roman Catholik and not one Church parish or person ever Protestant before 1517. they are inforced to maintain by mis-interpreting Scripture that the whole visible Church erred and that God sent them to reform it The second principle of Protestancy is to admit of no rule of faith but only Scripture of no other infallible Judg of the letter or sence of Scripture or of any controversies in Religion but every particular Church and person interpreting Scripture according to their best endeavors and discretion This is expressly declared in the last mentioned words of Luther and inculcated by the Devill to him in his Conference and though few are willing to speake the same words yet is there not one Protestant in the world that doth not practise the very same doctrin and defend it when the matter is argued It necessarily followeth from the first principle Because if the whole visible Church fell from the pure faith and from Gods meaning of Scripture the belief tradition and testimony of that visible Church Councell and Fathers can be no true rule of faith nor themselves fit Iudges of Religion or of the sense of Scripture Therfore every privat Protestant must be his own Guide and Iudg in matters of saluation and Scripture For though Luther Calvin or any Protestant Congregation should pretend that their sense and interpretation of Scripture is that of the holy Ghost and the interpretation of others Diabolical yet no privat Protestant doth look even upon their own reformers or Churches as infallible in this or in any other particular but in as much as he Iudges it agreeth with Scripture and therfore every one that supposeth the fall of the Roman Catholik and visible Church and the fallibility of the Reformers and reformations as all Protestants do will deny that him-self hath any obligation to submit his Iudgment in controversies of Religion to any interpretation of Scripture or decision of doctrin besids his owne and so becoms his owne Guide and his owne Iudg of controversies and makes his owne interpretation of Scripture his only rule of faith The third principle of Protestancy is that men are justified by only faith and that he who hath once justifying faith can neither loose it nor be damned This tenet is cleerly professed as the doctrin of all Protestant Churches in the Catholik doctrin of the Church of England art 11. pag. 5â— seqq And pag. 54. The Papists are declared heretiks for holding that men are to remain doubtfull whether they shall be saved or not From these principles flow that infinit variety of Protestant Religions
him-self was that is to say Consecrators c. If then that which is greather then all be given indifferently to all men and women I meane the word and baptism then that which is less I mean to consecrat the supper is also given to them So much Luther With Luther in this doctrin concurred all the reformed Churches even the Prelatick of England seems to approve therof in the 23. and 25. articles of Religion and M. r Horn Bishop of Winchester in the Harbrough An. 1559. n. 2. saith concerning the Ministery Preaching or Priesthood of women Jn this point we must vse a certain moderation and not absolutly in every-wise debarr women herein c. J pray you what more vehemency vseth S. Paul in forbidding women to preach then in forbidding them to vncover their heads and yet you know in the best reformed Churches of all Germany all the maids be bareheaded They who know this to have bin the Doctrin of Luther and of the reformed Churches are not so much startled at Q. Elizabeths spiritual headship of the Church nor at the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. wherin it is declared that she and her successors may authorise any person whatsoever whether lay man or woman to exercise any spiritual jurisdiction or power in any matter whatsoever even of consecrating Archbishops Bishops Priests c. And albeit afterwards art 27. there hath bin an explanation made concerning the supremacy excluding from the Church a shee or Lay Ministery and Priesthood yet the words of the Oaths both of supremacy and Episcopal homage and the laws of the land especialy this Act 8. Eliz. 1. maks it most manifest that even Prelatik protestancy maks the temporal Lay Soveraign to haue the source of all spiritual power and jurisdiction and that the letters Patents of the Kings of England directed to any person whatsoever renders him capable of consecrating Archbishops Bishops Priests c. as may be seen in the aforesaid Act of Parliament And if any person whatsoever may by vertue of the Kings letters patents consecrat Bishops Priests c. without doubt the King that gives that spiritual authority and the Lay men or women so authorised must of necessity have the caracter of Episcopacy and Priesthood which they communicat to others vnless it be maintained that men can give what they have not themselves Thus was Protestancy begun principled and propagated by Martin Luther and his Disciples and because their Sects agree in nothing so vnanimously as in protesting against the doctrin of the Roman Catholik Church and the Imperial Decrees enacted in behalf therof though some Lutherans only exhibiting the Confession of their faith at Auspurg were the Protesters yet all others who pretend a Reformation like the name and call themselves Protestants thinking it to be more for the credit of their dissenting Congregations to pretend vnity of doctrin by assuming one name then declare the novelty and diversity of their Tenets by calling themselves by the names of their first Authors and Reformers Now it is tyme we treat in particular of the Protestant Church of England SECT IV. Of the Protestant Church of England IT was the misfortune of England to have had in that tyme when Reformation began to spread a vicious King and lewd Court an ambitious Minister of state a timorous Clergy and contemporising Parliament Cardinal Wolsey who had bin raised from the meanest parentage to domineer over the English Peerage not content with his good fortune and the Kings favour would needs be Pope and obtained from Charles V. the Emperour a promise of his best endeavours to promote him to that dignity but perceiving himself deluded when the occasion was offered of performance and that Charles had preferred to the Papacy one of his own subjects that had bin Instructor to him in his tender age he resolved to be revenged vpon the Emperors relations seeing hee could not reach his person And observing that K. Henry 8. was weary of Q. Catharin the Emperors Aunt and desired her death or divorce to the end he might marry and have issue male to succeed him in the Crown The Cardinal discoursed with his Majesty of the doubts which himself had raised and many seemed to entertain concerning the validity of a mariage with one that had bin his brothers wife and proposed the publick conveniency and privat satisfaction the King might receave by taking to wife some relation of the French King with whom he persuaded Henry 8. to make a league in defence of the Sea Apostolick against Charles V whose army at that tyme had sackt Rome and kept the Pope prisoner not doubting that his Holiness so oblidged by Henry and injured by Charles would declare Q. Catharins mariage voyd K. Henry applauded the motion but lik't not so well the French Lady as An Bullen one of his Queens Mayds of honour of whom he was so desperatly enamoured that though he was advertised of her amorous disposition and lewd conversation by one of the Courtiers that sayd he had enjoyed her savours yet she rejecting his Majesties courtship he thought she was not so cunning as chast and persuading himself that a woman so sparing of favours to a King would not be prodigal of them to others he gave litle credit to the publick reports and privat informations of her immodest behaviour and now courted her not as his present Mistriss but as his future wife not questioning but that the Pope whom he had obliged would declare null his mariage with Q. Catharin but his Holiness though much inclined to gratifie the King and incensed against the Emperour for many indignitys resolved neither to reward or revenge by abusing his spiritual authority which he knew could not be extended to dissolve a knot that God had tyed and blessed with posterity his Predecessors dispensation after mature deliberation was found to be valid and no way contrary to Scripture which is so far from prohibiting a mariage with a deceased brothers wife Levit. 18. that it commands Deuter. 25. the brother to marry his issuless brothers widow And when S. John Baptist told Herod it was not lawfull for him to keepe his brothers wife his brother was then living so that these words could not be applyed to K. Henry 8. his case nor occasion any scruple in his conscience He therfore finding by experience that the Sea of Rome was not directed in deciding controversies of Religion by human respects or interest and that the Colledge of Cardinals could not be corrupted with bribes to favour his sute as some Doctors of forreign vniversities had bin nor terified by his threats as was most of the English Clergy he resolved to renounce that spiritual jurisdiction and supremacy the only lett against his lust which all his Christian Ancestors had acknowledged and himself defended in an excellent Treatise against Luther demonstrating as well by Scripture as by reason that the Bishop of Rom's supremacy and jurisdiction was de jure
Divino otherwise how could S. Peter be caled by the Evangelist Chief of the Apostles or Primus in dignity seing his brother S. Andrew was the first Disciple or primus in antiquity and if there was a Chiefe among the Apostles how can it be imagined that their successors should be all equal or that the successour of the Chief Apostle could be deprived of a prerogative so necessary for the peace and government of the succeeding Church Or if the Bishop of Rome had not this supremacy as S. Peters Successour and by Christs appointment how is it possible that all the Christian Princes and Prelats of the world should conspire or consent to submit themselves to one whose temporal power could not force that submission and they had no cause to feare his spiritual more then that of other Patriarchs or Bishops confined to their own Dioceses These were the Kings reasons in behalf of the Popes supremacy against Luther but now his passion made him contradict his pen and love though blind gave him eyes to see more of Christs mind since he had seen Anne Bullen then all the world had discerned in 1500. years before He declared therfore by Act of Parliament that the Popes spiritual jurisdiction was a meer vsurpation and that every temporal Soveraign was Pope in his own Dominions and by vertue of this prerogative he declared his own mariage with Q. Catharin voyd married Anne Bullen and seised vpon all the lands and treasurs of the Monasteries and Abbies dispensed with all the young Friers and Monks vows of obedience and chastity after that he had taken an order they should not break the vow of Poverty and to that purpose framed an instrument and forced the Religious to sign it wherin they declared that now at length through Gods great mercy they had bin inspired and illuminated to see the inconsistency of aâ—â— Monastical life with true Christianity and the salvation of their souls and therfore they humbly petitioned his Majestie by means of his Vicar General in spiritualibus Cromwell who was Earle of Essex and a black-smiths son of Putney to restore them to Christian liberty and a secular life And because the Abbots of Glastenbury Reading Glocester and many others would not subscribe to this instrument nor by their approbation therof declare that S. Austin the Monk and Apostle of England who converted the Saxons to Christian Religion professed a life inconsistent with Christianity they were cruely tormented and put to death The same tyrany was executed vpon all sorts of people without distinction of age sex or quality and amongst them suffered also Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancelor of England and Cardinal Fisher Bishop of Rochester two of the greatest ornaments of that age for refusing the oath of the Kings supremacy And for that S. Thomas of Canterbury alias Becket had opposed K. Henry 2. Laws made rather against the exercise then the right of the Popes spiritual authority in England and therfore was Kill'd by some officious Courtiers and honoured as a Martyr by the Catholick Church and his Sanctity and Martyrdom had bin confirmed by most authentick Miracles which also confirmed the Popes spiritual supremacy and jurisdiction and condemned King Henry 8. vanity he without feare of God or regard of the world cited a Saint reigning in heaven to appeare and heare vpon earth his sentence which was to have his reliques burn't the treasure of his Church and shrine confiscated and all those declared Traytors that would call him Saint or celebrat his feast or permit his name to remain in the Kalendars of theyr Books of Devotion He also prohitited his subjects to call the Bishop of Rome Pope and every one who had S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierom S. Austin S. Leo or any of the Fathers works was commanded to write in the first leafe therof that they renounced those Saints doctrin of the Popes supremacy Not content with these extravagancies at home he sent Embassadours to solicit Princes abroad and in the first place to Francis 1. of France that they might follow his example in assuming the supremacy and albeit the Pope was either agreed or engaged in a Treaty with Charles 5. to the prejudice of France yet that Christian King would not as much as hear Henry 8. Ambassadours speak of his imitating their Master in assuming to him-self the supremacy And even the Protestant Princes of Germany to whom the Ambassadours repaired after that their negotiation had bin rejected by the French King told them they were sorry K. Henry 8. did not ground his reformation vpon a more religious foundation then his scandalous passion for Anne Bullen And the first protestant Reformers abroad part of whose design was to get all spiritual jurisdiction rather into their own hands then into the hands of their temporal Soveraigns were much troubled at K. Henry's supremacy and Calvin writ a smart though short treatise against it and no Protestants make a lay Prince spiritual head of a Church but our English Prelaticks Notwithstanding that the lateness of the discovery together with K. Henry 8 motives of his supremacy made it so incredible that no Catholick Soveraign would assume to him-self that prerogative nor any forraign Protestants approve therof yet his cruelty made most of his English subjects swear that which neither themselves nor the world could believe for had it bin any way probable by Scripture History or Tradition that temporal Soveraigns as such are spiritual Superiours how is it possible that all Christian Princes before Henry 8. should be so short-sighted and stupid in their own interest and in a matter of so great consequence as not to see a thing so obvious and aduantagious How careless in their own concerns were Charls 5. Francis 1. and many other Princes their Predecessours who after having bin provoked and exasperated by some Roman Bishops so far as to think it necessary to invade their Teritories sack Rome and imprison their persons yet at the same tyme did acknowledg that spiritual supremacy which gave so much advantage power and credit to their enimy Without doubt the same forces which had bin employed against the Popes person and temporal power would not have spared or favored his spiritual jurisdiction he would have bin forc't to renounce his primacy had not the world and they who subdued him bin fully satisfied that it was no human donation but divin institution Though these reasons were convincing and the example of Charls 5. spiritual subjection and submission to his subdued prisoner Pope Clement 7. was fresh in King Henry 8. memory and that he knew never any Catholick Princes pretended it was a prerogative of soveraignty to share with the Pope in the Ecclesiastical government of the soules of their subjects though many clamed as a priviledg granted by the Roman Sea the liberty to examin and approue the authentikness of Papal censures and injunctions and that his passion for Anne Bullen was turned into hatred
since the Apostles then to take the bare word of Cranmer a man who married and vnmarried K. Henry 8. to as many women as his Majestie lik't or dislik't dissolving the holy Sacrament of Matrimony as often as the King seemed to be weary of a wife a man whose religion was nothing but his conveniency and incontinency and therfore did alter his faith as often as the tyms changed and factions prevailed and sided with every Rebel against his Prince and was so carnaly given that even in Henry 8. days when Priests were not permitted to have wives he kept a wench so constantly that he carried her about in his Visitations Let any Christian I say be judg whether this man together with Ochinus a Jew Bucer an Atheist Peter Martyr so indifferent for any doctrin that he framed his faith at Oxforâ— according to the news from London and the Parliament Diurnals Hooper Rogers and Latimer ambitious and discontented Presbiterians Bâ—le and Coverdale two lewd and runigad friars whether I say these men ought to be believed in this important point of salvation rather then the holy Fathers and Councels who as hath binâ— said hertofore cal the Mass the visible Sacrifice the true Sacrifice the dayly Sacrifice the Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisadech the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of the Church and the Sacrifice of the new Testament which succeeded all the Sacrifices of the old Testament Must the word of Cranmer and his fellows be a sufficient ground for prudent men to believe as an Article of Religion that the doctrin delivered as Catholick by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church are but fables and themselves but a company of Cheats The 32. Article was made by Cranmer and his Camerades to excuse their lewdness legitimat their bastards and make their wenches wives The second Parliament of King Edward 6. had bin so importuned by Apostata Priests and Friars who had coupled themselves with women that their petition having bin rejected by the first Parliament Edward 6. at lengh against the inclination and judgment of both houses they obtained now by meer importunity an Act to take away all positive Laws of man made against the marriage of Priests statut an 2. Edward 6. cap. 21. But then they are told in the very Act that it were not only better for Priests to live chast sole and separat from the company of women c. but that it were most to be wished that they would willingly and of themselves endeavour to keep a perpetual chastity and abstinence from the vse of women And 1400. years before that Origen Hom. 23. lib. 8. contra Celsum declared the doctrin even of the Greeck Church in these words Jt is certain the dayly Sacrifice is hindred in them who serve the necessities of mariage therfore it seemeth to me that it appertaineth only to him to offer the dayly Sacrifice who hath vowed himselfe to dayly and perpetual chastity with whomâ—agree the other Fathers S. Jerom in Apologia ad Pamachium cap. 3. desires them who like not of this doctrin not to be angry with him for telling them of it but with the holy Scriptures vvith all Bishops Priests c. vvho know they cannot offer Sacrifice if they vse the Act of mariage and said to Vigilantius c. 1. who in this point also was a Protestant and seemed to confess his owne frailty What do the Churches of the East of Egipt and of the Apostolick Sea vvho receive none but unmarried or continent Priests or if they have vviues they must cease to be Husbands And against Iovinian cap 19. 14. ad Pamachium Apol. cap. 8. Truly thou dost acknowledg that he cannot be a Bishop vvho in that state getts children if he be convicted therof he vvil not be taken for a Husband but condemned as an Adulterer But it seems out Protestant Bishops know the Scripture and the doctrin and disciplin of the primitive Church better then S. Hierom Origen and all the ancient Fathers and Councels both of the East and West Since the King 's most happy restauration they were not content to enjoy their wives and see the legitimacy of their children approved of but in the first Parliament wherin they were permitted to vote as I have bin credibly informed they atâ—empted the house of Lords should declare their spiritual peerage did communicat the same honours and privileges to their Ladys that the law doth give to Baron's wives but seing the house smile at the motion and one of the first Peers begin to rally according to his witty way vpon a subject so proper for his genius one of the Bishops not so much concerned in the suit because he was not married in the name of all the rest waved the pretention by saying there had bin a mistake in the motion Jn the two following articles they would fain prevent diversity of opinions and schisms among the Protestants of the Church of England and gain authority for the Prelats therof and reverence for their ceremonies and censures But this design is frustrated by maintaining the lawfulness of their own revolt and separation from the Church of Rome as also the Roman Catholick fallibility and fal from the true Apostolick Religion without any farther proofe or evidence of so great a fault or frailty then the fancy and privat interpretation of Scripture of some discontented and dissolute persons pretending divine inspirations and illuminations for the same and for their warant to depose their spiritual Superiours and to reform the doctrin of the whole visible Church which reformation they also introduced in so tumultuous and seditious a manner that none who considers the principles practises and circumstances of the chang can prudently commit his soule to the reformers charg or condescend to any spiritual jurisdiction and authority in their Successours For besids that they have nothing to shew for their presumption and intrusion but obscure texts of Scripture interpreted by them selves in a sense contrary to that of the whole visible ancient Church that hath bin confirmed by continual and vndeniable Miracles they can give no assurance or probability of them selves being or continuing in the right way of saluation because if all the Roman Catholick Churches did err in doctrin how can their reformations pretend not to be subject to the same mis-fortun or mistake And if the supposed frailty and fallibility of the Church of Rome be a sufficient cause to question and condemn it's authority how can the Church of England or any other Protestant congregation exact from their Sectaries greater respect and obedience then the first reformers gave to their Roman Superiours Presbiterians Independents Quakers Anabaptists c. pretend to as pure doctrin as Divine a Spirit and as much Scripture against Prelaticks as Prelaticks do against Papists and thinck there is as much reason for them to be Iudges of the truth of
singular glory and vain reputation conceive sundry suttle and disloyal practises for the interruption and breach of the sayd most lawful and Godly concord And endeavering to put the same in vre devised first to insinuat a scruple into the King your Father's conscience of an vnlawful marriage between him and his most lawful wife the Queen your Highnes's Mother pretending for the ground therof that the same was against the word of God And thervpon ceased not to persuade continualy vnto the sayd King your Father that he could not without daunger of the loss of his soule continue with his sayd most lawful wife but must be separated and divorc'd from her And to this intent caus'd the Seals aâ— wel of certain Vniversities in Italy and France to be gotten as it were for a testimony by the corruption of mony with a few light persons Schollers of the same Vniversities as also the Seals of the Vniversities of this Realm to be obtained by great travail sinister working secret threatnings and intreatings of some men in authority especialy sent at that tyme thither for the same purposes And how that finaly Thomas Cranmer newly made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury most vngodly and against all laws equity and conscience prosecuted the same wicked device of divorce and separation of the said King your Father and Queen your Mother caled before him ex officio the hearing of the same matter of marriage and taking his foundation partly vpon his own vnadvised judgment of the Scripture ioyning ther with the pretended Testimonies of the said Vniversities and partly vpon bare and most vntrue conjecturs gathered and admitted by him vpon matters of no strength or effect but only by supposal and without admitting or hearing any thing that could be sayd by the Queen your Mother or by any other on her behalf in the absence of the sayd late your Mother proceeded pronounced and discerned declared and gave sentence the same most lawful and vndoubted matrimony to be naught and to be contracted against God's law and of no value but lacking the strength of the law and the said most noble King your Father and the said noble Queen your Mother so married together did separat and divorce and the same your most noble Father King Henry the 8. and the said noble Queen your Mother from the bands of the same most lawful matrimony did pronounce and declare by the same his vnlawful sentence to be free discharged and set at liberty Which sentence and judgment so given by vnlawful and corrupt means and ways by the said Archbishop of Canterbury was afterwards vpon certain affections ratified and confirmed by two several Acts the one made in the 25. year of the raign to the said King your Highnes's Father and intituled an Act of declaring the establishment of the succession of the Kings most Royal Majesty of the Imperial Crown of his Realm The other Act of Parliament made in the 28. year of the raign of the said King your Highnes's Father intituled an Act for the establishment of the succession of the Imperial Crown of the Realm In the which said two Acts was contained the illegitimation of your most noble Person which your sayd most noble Person being born in so solemn a mariage so openly approued in the world and with so good faith both first contracted and also by so many years continued between your most noble Parents and the same Mariage in very deed not being prohibited by the law of God could not by any reason or equity in this case be so spotted And now we your Highnes's sayd most loving faithful and obedient subjects of a godly heart and true meaning frely and frankly without fear fancy or any other corrupt motion or sensual affection considering that this foresayd mariage had it's beginning of God and by him was continued and therfor was received and is to be taken for a most true just lawful and to all respects a sincere and perfect mariage nor could nor ought by any man's power authority or jurisdiction be dissolved broken or separated for whom God joyneth no man can nor ought to put a sunder and considering also how during the same mariage in godly concord the Realm in all degrees flourished to the glory of God the honour of the Prince and the great reputation of the subjects of the same and on the other side vnderstanding manifestly that the ground of the sayd divice and practice for the sayd divorce proceeding first of malice and vaine glory and afterward was prosecuted and followed of fond affection and sensual fantasie and finaly executed and put in effect by corruption ignorance and flattery and not only feeling to our great sorrow dammage and regret how shamful ignominies rebuks slanders and contempts yea with death pestilence and wars disobedience rebellions insurrections and divers other great and grievous plagues God of his Justice hath sent vpon vs ever since this vngodly purpose was first begun and practised But also seing evidently before our eys that vnless so great an injustice as this hath bin and yet continued be rebuked and that the sayd fals and wrongful process Iudgment and sentence with their dependances be repealed and revoked nothing is less to be doubted then that greater plagues and stroaks are like to encrease and continue dayly more and more with in this Realm do beseech your most excelent Majesty as wel in respect of your own honours dignity and just title as for truth's sake wherwith we doubt not but your Highness also will be specialy moved in conscience and also for the intire love favour and affection which your Majesty beareth to the common wealth of this Realm and for the good peace vnity and rest of vs your most faithful subjects and our posterity that it may be enacted by your Highness with the consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled And be it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that all and every decree sentence and Iudgment of divorce and separation between the sayd King your Father and the sayd late Queen your Mother and all the process commenc'd followed given made or promulged by the sayd Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Canterbury or by any other person or persons whatsoever wherby the same most just pure and lawful marriage between the sayd late King your Father and the sayd late Queen your Mother was or is pronounced or in any wise declared to be vnlawful or vnjust or against the law of God be and shal be from the beginning and from hence forth of no force validity or effect but be vtterly naught voyd frustrat and annihilat to all intents constructions and purposes as if the same had never bin given or pronounced And be it also enacted by the authority aforsaid that as wel the said Act of Parliament intituled an Act declaring the establishment of the Succession of the King 's most Royal Majesty to the Imperial Crown
of this Realm made in the 25. year of the reign of the King your Father be repealed and be it voyd and of no effect as also all and every such clauses Articles branches and matters contained and expressed in the afforsaid Act of Parliament made in the said 28. year of the Reign of the said late King your Father or in any other Act or Acts of Parliament as wherby your Highness is named or declared to be ilegitimat or the said marriage between the said King your Father and the said Queen your Mother is declared to be against the word of God or by any means vnlawful shal be and be repealed and be voyd and of no force nor effect to all intents constructions and purposes as if the same sentence or Act of Parliament had never bin had nor made and that the said marriage had and solemnized between your said most noble Father King Henry and your said most noble Mother Queen Catharin shal be definitivly cleerly and absolutly declared deemed and adjudged be and stand with God's law and his most holy word and to be accepted reputed and taken of good effect and validity to all Intents and purposes c. Notwithstanding that the force and fraud vsed by King Henry 8. Cranmer and others engaged in this divorce were so plainly manifested the Catholicks faith reestablished the folly and falshood of former schisms and heresies publickly acknowledged yet no sooner was Queen Mary deceased then Queen Elizabeth and her Protestant faction resolved to return to the former errours whervnto vicious persons who always are the greatest number were as vehemently inclined as men are to enjoy their liberty and to excuse the sensuality which they practised by the principles of that Religion And though it seemed a busines of great difficulty for Q. Elizabeth and her Councel to revive a Reformation which had bin so lately cryed down as schism and heresy by the vnanimous concurrence of a ful and lawful Parliament yet her Regal authority her sex and words wrought so strongly vpon the weakness of some and vpon the ambition of others that she gained the greater part of the house of Lords and yet but by on only voice for establishing Protestancy the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Arundel employing in her service all their interest with friends and relations against the Religion of their Ancestors And such Lords and Gentlemen saith D. r Heylin as had the managing of elections of their several Counties retained such for members of the house of Commons as they conceived most likly to comply with their intentions for a reformation Besids saith he the Queen was young vnmarried and like enough to entertain some thoughts of a husband so that it can be no great mervail not only if many of the nobility but some even of the Gentry also flattered themselves with possibilities of being the man whom she might choose to be her partner in the Regal Diadem Which hopes much smoothed the way to the accomplishment of her desires which otherwise might have proved more rugged and vnpassable c. Notwithstanding all these devices and compliances they never passed an Act in Parliament for the validity of her Mothers marriage on which saith Heylin her title most depended It seems the late former Act declaring the validity of Queen Catharins mariage deter'd her from attempting an other incompatible therwith and wherin men must have had contradicted themselves most imprudently as also the truth asserted by the many witnesses and confirmed with such individual circumstances that without infamy to the late Parliament they could not take from Queen Elizabeth the brand of bastardy Yet they resolved it should be no bar between her and the Crown and so they thrust her into the Throne which of right belonged to Mary Steward Queen of Scotland as is manifest to all that are not persuaded Catholick Religion doth make soveraigns incapable of Regal jurisdiction SECT VII Other effects of Protestancy after it was revived in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown of the nulity of her Clergy's caracter and jurisdiction By King Henry 8. his revolt from the Church of Rome not only the Religion but the realm of England was so embroyl'd that very many who had no right entertained hopes of ascending into the Royal Throne some by fishing in troubled waters others by marrying Q. Elizabeth others by their descent from the younger daughter of King Henry 7. all mention of the heires of the elder Sister having bin omitted or blotted out of the last will and Testament of K. Henry 8. and Q. Elizabeth having bin declared ilegitimat by three Acts of different Parliaments which never yet were repealed very few there were that did not hould their own title to be more legal then hers This confusion also made the Queen of Scots known right to be neglected But the French King who was concerned therin commanded her to be proclaimed Q. of England and quarter'd the Arms of great Britanie with his lilies Q. Elizabeth apprehended some daunger from a title so cleere seconded with the power of France and Scotland and therfore by the advice of Secretary Cecil and others resolved upon the chang of Religion and the destruction of the Catholick party and Clergy which favoured the Stewards claim The Protestant Reformation as being sutable both to her birth and interests was revived and a new caracter of Priesthood and Episcopacy devised not imprinted in the soule by imposition of Episcopal hands according to the Ghospel but in wax as if forsooth by the weight of the great seal and the vertue of a shee supremacy a woman or lay men might make Bishops This superficial formality was declared a sufficient caracter and ground of Episcopacy by a Junta of her Majesties lawyers and Divines as appeareth in their definitive sentence and her Commission to the Consecraters of her first Bishops D. r Parker and others wherin she dispenseth with all the inhabilities and incapasities even of their State and Condition because the true Bishops refused to ordain her Clergy and a Clergy she was resolved to have that would vote in Parliament and instruct the People as should be thought fit for her Succession and security And because the Roman Catholick Writers of those tyms laught at the Protestant Bishops Episcopacy and bid them shew the letters of their Orders not the letters patens of the Queen and tould them a secular Prince might give them the revenues of Bishopricks but not the Caracter of Bishops and that the same Catholick writers insisted much vpon their Adversaries not being able to name what Bishops did consecrat them and besids pleaded in the publick Court they were not realy nor legaly ordained and that afterwards it appeared so to the Iury appointed for the examination therof both the Queen and her Bishops found it absolutly necessary for her credit and their caracter to ratify all Acts and things
length most vnworthily murthered by the joynt consent of a Protestant Queen and Parliament and her son and Family excluded from the British Empire in case Queen Elizabeth should have or at least own any natural issue which many suppose was the true cause why she or the Parliament would never declare her Successour King James having bin brought vp in this schoole of affliction attained to more then ordinary wisdom dissembled with his enemies in England and strengthned him-self with as many friends and Allies as he could in foreign Nations to the end he might recouer his right after Queen Elizabeths death which he and the best part of the world every day long'd son He kept faire with France Spain and even with the Pope He succord Tyrone Tirconel and the Jrish Scots in Irland against Queen Elizabeth but vnder hand He corresponded with the Catholick party in England and was civil even to that party that contrived and pressed his Mothers murther By his marriage he obtained the confederacy of Denmarck and the Protestant Princes of Germany for recovering of England Cecil and others of the English Councel observing how prudently this young King had ordered his affairs and prepared him-self for being their Master courted him and vnknown to the Queen gave him dayly intelligence and thought it their best course to fix vpon him for her Successour seing they could hardly keep him out they invited him to the Throne after his enemie's death and he finding that very Protestancy by which his mother and him-self had bin so long excluded from their right and would have bin for ever if Queen Elizabeth had bin as capable as t' is sayd she was desirous of Posterity was deeply rooted in the hearts of most of his English subjects who either did not see he chang or not observe the motives and Mysteries therof King James J say reflecting vpon this inclination of the people to Protestancy conformed him-self vnto that Reformation which had bin setled by law in England discountenanced the Puritans by whose doctrin he had bin persecuted in Scotland and would have tolerated the Catholick if the gun powder Treason wherunto some few discontented and desperat Papists were cunningly drawn by Cecil to make their Religion odious had not blasted our hopes and blotted out of his Majestie 's memory what we had suffered for his Mother and how not only our persons but our principles had bin persecuted for supporting the title of his Family to the British Empire By King James his learned works and discourses it is manifest he had a design to reform the principles of Protestancy and reduce them to some rules of reason and confine that dangerous liberty which they give to every privat Protestant of being supreme Judg in all spiritual Controversies to one certain interpretation of Scripture that might be less prejudicial to Monarchy Monarchs peace and all civil Government then the Protestant arbitrary interpretations have proved hitherto To that purpose he commanded the Bible to be truly translated and those fraudulent and foolish corruptions to be corrected which had bin imposed vpon the people for God's word by Queen Elizabeths Clergy for maintaining her title and securing the revenues of the Church to them selves But his command was not obey'd some falcifications in the ould and new Testament were corrected but very few in respect of what remain and pass now current for true Scripture He declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no hand in the gunpowder treason those few persons excepted which had bin executed He was not afraid to acknowledg that the Pope was the first Bishop of Christendom and Rome the mother Church he suspended the rigor of the sanguinary and penal Statuts commended not apostatised Priests that became Protestants as he said to get wenches and benefices These things he did not out of any inclination to Popery but out of his zeal to Protestancy which he perceived would in a short time become as infamous as it is intolerable to Monarchs in case it's principles were not corrected and brought neerer vnto Catholick Tenets After King Iames his death his son King Charles 1. pursued the Father's design but found by sad experience that the Protestant liberty of interpreting Scripture cannot be restrained to reason by any human industry of the wisest Princes especialy so long as they are guided by a fallible Church that confesseth it's own vncertainty of doctrin King Charles the 1. was persuaded by his Councel and Clergy that the Laws which had bin enacted in favour of the Prelatick fallible Church and doubtful jurisdiction were of sufficient force and authority to contain Protestant subjects in awe and obedience and to stop the cours and consequences of those fundamental and violent principles of their reformation against superiority at the Church of Rom's doore and keep them from passing further or entrenching vpon the Church of England But the mistake soon appeared they who are allowed by the Prelatick principles to rebell against their Roman Superiours vnder the pretence of a Religious interpretation of Scripture and evangelical Reformation could not then nor cannot for the future be contain'd or deterr'd by any authority from rebelling against their Protestant Kings and Bishops vpon the same score whose superiority could not be more authentick then the Roman Catholick And therfor because the King had engaged in the Bishops quarel he drew vpon himself the odium of all Protestants that with the spirit and zeal of Reformation stuck to the fundamental principles of Protestancy which is to contemn all authority both spiritual and temporal which any privat person judges contrary to his own interpretation of Scripture and seeng the Prelatick Church of England doth grant this doctrin was lawful in Luther Calvin Cranmer Parker and other particular persons Churches and States against the Pope and others their then acknowledged spiritual and temporal superiours it will be very difficult to shew why now a Presbiterian or Fanatick Congregation may not as rationally pretend and as lawfully practise the same doctrin as their primitive Protestant Predecessours had don And so in vertue of this fundamental principle of Protestancy was the sacred person of a good King judged and murthered by a rude and wicked multitude without regard to innocency or respect to Soveraignty And by a remarkable revolution of tyms and interests the grandson came to loose his head for vpholding that same Prelatick Religion and Clergy which by Q. Elizabeth had bin rays'd for the destruction of his Grand-mother and the exclusion of his family from the crown Since Christian Soveraigns have reign'd the like Tragedy hath not bin acted many Princes have bin murthered by their Subjects but never by any such formality of Law and a publick Court of Judicature pretending superiority in themselves and Scripture for their rule and warrant Wherfore they that looke into the principles and privileges for the future in so zealous and resolute a people as the English who stand much vpon
the Fathers contradicted his protestant doctrin bouldly affirmed the ancient Doctors and Fathers of all former ages to have bin blind and most ignorant in the Scripturs and to have erred all their life time And in Colloq cap. de Patribus Ecclesioe Luther saith of sundry Fathers in particular thus Jn the writings of Jerome there is not a word of true faith in Christ and sound Religion Tertullian is very superstitious J have holden Origen long since accursed Of Chrysostom I make no accompt Basil is of no worth he is wholy a monk I way him not a haire Cyprian is a weak Divine c. Adding further that the Church did degenerat in the Apostles age and that the Apology of his scholler Philip Melancton doth far exceed all the Doctors of the Church and exceed even Austin him self And in his Treatise de formulâ Missae in tom 3. Germ. folio 274. Jf the Councel should in any case decree this the Communion vnder both kinds least of all then would we vse both kinds yea rather in despite of the Councel and that decree we would vse either but one kind or neither notwithstanding Christ's precept and the necessity of that spiritual refection and in no case both But this man's bare word ought not to weigh more then the Testimony of all the Fathers and Councels that went before him or be preferred before the constant Tradition of 15. ages especialy if we reflect vpon the pride and passion which he declares in all his writings not only against the Doctors of the Roman Church but against his own Disciples and as hath bin said how in the begining of his reformation when his spirit was in it's primitive fervor he doth plainly confess that he did favour Idolatry to contradict Carolstadius for anticipating his commands in a point of the reformation viz. for abolishing of the adoration and elevation of the B. Sacrament in his absence I did know saith he the elevation of the Sacrament to be Idolatricall yet nevertheless J did retain it in the Church at Wittenberg to the end J might despite the Devill Carolstadius And yet this wicked friar's authority is the first foundation of protestancy Therfore notwithstanding his known impiety he is termed by their writers Holy saint Luther a man sent of God to lighten the world the Helias Conductor and Chariot of Israel to be reverenced next after Christ and Paul greater then whom lived not since the Apostles tims The Angel and last trumpet of God whose caling was immediat and extraordinary c. Let the most peevish Protestant I say once more be judg whether it be not more probable and possible that one privat proud and passionat man did mistake the true sence of Scripture and misapply the words therof to humour his passion of pride and revenge then that all the primitive Fathers and Christians of the world did conspire to forsake the known true letter and cleer meaning of God's word or if all did not conspire in the Apotasy that there should be no monument left or mention made in record history or tradition of the fidelity of the party that resisted Secondly this supposed change is proved incredible not only by the impossibility of an insensible change in a thing so remarkable and important as the doctrin and Profession of Christian Religion but also by the impossibility that a change and corruption of Christ's doctrin should be made to the detriment of the wary layties temporal interest and to the disadvantage both of the layty and Clergie's liberty For when men resolve to go out of the narrow way which leads to heaven they are not so foolishly wicked as to retire from the wide world into deserts or Monasteries and to impose vpon themselves or their followers an obligation or principles of a more strict course of life then that which they had forsaken as dayly experience doth cleerly demonstrat If protestancy therfor was the primitive and pure Christian Religion the fall from it to Popery must have bin rather condessending then contrary to sensuality and liberty And yet if the doctrin of the reformation and it's exceptions against Popery be considered we shal find that in every particular wherin they differ Protestancy doth favour liberty and vice Popery doth favour temperance and virtue We shal declare herafter to what great crimes and carlesness of life men are encouraged by the Protestant doctrine of predestination and justification by faith alone Christ's sufferings and satisfaction for our sins they apply not to themselves by imitation of his virtues and mortification of the flesh but think it a diminution of his glory and a disrespect to his person that men endeavour by God's grace to help themselves and to cooperat with Christ's passion and vpon thiâ— ground they rayse their batteries against Indulgences Purgatâ—â—y â—â—lgrimages Prayer to Saints Confession of sins Pennance the three Vows and the austerity of a Religious life Works of Supererogation c. and censure Catholicks as guilty of superstition and folly for believing that though Christ's passion be infinitly sufficient to redeem vs from the guilt and penalties of sin yet is it not sufficiently and actualy applied to actual sinners without their own concurrence good works and the Sacraments of the Church As for their pretence that Christ hath satisfied for all they may as wel say that he hath prayed fasted and given almes for all and so discharge men of all such Christian-duties and devotions And as to other particulars we desire to know what can the Protestant Clergy's design be in allowing Priests mariages and a liberty to dissolve mariages change wives and husbands in case of adultery departure infirmity by child-birth or otherwise but lust and sensual liberty contrary to the instition of matrimony and to the purity and practise of Christianity which Roman Catholicks observe From whence proceedeth their allowing of eating of flesh and fish promiscuously on all days of the year but from gluttony Their Clergy's denyall of the Pop's superiority which their betters in virtue birth and learning acknowledg but from want of humility And their placing it in the temporal Soveraign but from excess of flattery Their dulness in confounding the substance with the appearance of bread and wine in the Sacrament but from sensuality Their denial of the Church's infallibility and yet assert in themselves an vncontroul'd authority but from pride and obstinacy Their fond expressions of their own prelatick reformation and doctrin but from want of Christian modesty and from their for-fathers the ancient hereticks whose presumption and obstinacy was neuer more manifestly absurd nor more legaly condemned at Nice Ephesius Calcedon or Constantinople then the Protestant Tenets have bin at Trent as wil appeare to any that wil read the history of those Councels and compare the objections and exceptions made by Arians Nestorians and Eâ—â—tychians e. against the Authority and decrees wherby they
when certain officers known by the vsual marks and badges of their Master's Soveraignty and their own military or civil charges propose his orders either by proclamation letters patents or otherwise so Protestants will acknowledg that all Christians are bound to believe it i◠a sufficient proposal of the 〈◊〉 existence of Divine Revelation and that God speaks or commands whensoever his mind is declared to them by that Church and Ministers who beare at least as authentick marks and badges of God's authority and of their own ministery to evidence their trust and jurisdiction as the Officers of state and Justice do in a Republick or 〈◊〉 Government In a word all that we desire of Protestants is that they will give as much credit and respect to God as to Princes and no less to the Ministers of God's Church then to Senators or to the Officers of a King's Court. But their fundamental distinction dispenseth with all such duties and leads them a quite contrary way 〈…〉 not obliged to believe the mysteries of faith as they are proposed by the Roman Catholick Church though the sayd Church be more authentickly waranted thervnto by God then any Ministers or Magistra◠are waranted to 〈…〉 of state by their Prince vnless it be clearly evident 〈…〉 evidently credible will not serve their turn that God revealed what the Church proposeth as his word and command Such Doctrines of the Roman Church as they fancy cleer or self evident either by their owne privat spirit and discourse or by the vnanimous and general acknowledgment of all Christians such and only such do Protestants believe as points of faith and call them fundamental articles or articles necessary for salvation all others either they hould only as probable opinions and things of indifferency or reject as superfluous and superstitious And because the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation are generally professed in these parts of Europe by all Christians though not by all in the Catholick sense but with certain interpretations Therfore the learned Prelatick Protestant Writers both ancient and modern reduce all the articles and the total summe of Catholick faith and of the foure first generall Councells to a belief of the Trinity and Incarnation that is to some Kind of faith though it be but the Arian in JESUS Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world as Doctor Morton Bishop of Duresme and others teach who vpon this score maintain that the Arian Churches and by consequence all ancient hereticks are to be accounpted members of the Church of God We have quoted their words num 3. of the precedent section That no King's Ministers or Magistrats have so authentick marks and badges to evidence in them-selves their Master's authority for exercising their respective charges and jurisdictions as the Roman Catholick Church hath of being entrusted and apointed by God to deliver his Divine doctrin declare his sense of Scripture and decide Religious controversies is manifest by the signs and marks of God's Church compared with the marks and badges of Princes Officiers Omitting many other marks of the true Church J will touch but three which are Conversion of Kings and Nations from paganism to Christianity Succession of Pastors and doctrin from the Apostles to this present and miracles All these are visible only in the Roman Catholick Church and are more authentick because they cannot be easily counterfeited then any human euidences even the most esteemed which is the King's hand and Seale To say because some pretended miracles have bin impostures no miracles at all are true or none ought to be credited is no less vnreasonable then to cry down all current money because there is some fals coyne and is as ridiculous and rebellious as to disobey and reject all royall commissions and orders of Councell because some may or have bin counterfeited and subreptitiously obtained But suppose as Protestants pretend that miracles were ceased I hope the Conversion of so many Nations and Kings of the Gentils to Christianity and a continuall succession of the Roman doctrin and Pastors are neither ceased not counterfeited no other Church but the Roman Catholick hath these signes of God's providence and as non can deny but that they are more convincing arguments and greater evidences of the super-natural Ministery and jurisdiction which the Roman Church doth claim then any human signes badges or commissions can be of the Royal authority exercised by King's officiers either civil or military so likewise it must be acknowledged that there is a cleerer and greater obligation vpon men to submit their judgments and wills to the definitions and Decrees of the Roman Catholick Church and Councells proposing or declaring God's revelations and commands then there can be vpon subjects to obey the orders of temporal Souveraigns published or proclaimed by their chief Ministers and subordinat officers Therfore as it is notorious Rebellion in subjects against their King's authority to contemn his commands when they are proposed by Ministers that shew his commissions so is it manifest heresy and a denial of God's veracity to contemn or doubt of the doctrin proposed as Divine by the Roman Catholick Church so authentickly qualified with the aforesaid supernatural marks And as it is want of duty and alleigance in subjects and a ridiculous excuse for not obeying Orders to pretend they have not cleer evidence that the King signed them or for all they know that his Minister or Officer may be an Impostor and his commission or warrant counterfeit so must it be concluded want of christian belief and excess of hereticall obstinacy in Protestants to excuse their contempt of the Roman Catholick doctrin and authority by pretending a possibility of mistake in the same Church because forsooth they are not convinced of it's infallibility and authority by a Demonstration or revelation so evident that though they would they cannot deny it Such evidences are not necessary nor even compatible with Christian belief as shall be proved herafter less are sufficient to convince them-selves and all rational men of a strickt obligation to believe and obey a temporal Prince and Magistrat and sure they are vnreasonable if they imagin God deserves less belief duty and subjection then Princes That Protestants believe not their own Churches or Congregations with out doubts and feares of being mistaken in the reformed doctrin and authority of proposing the same we do not admire because not any on of their churches doth pretend to infallibility nor could hitherto or can yet shew any sign or seale of God for their sense of Scripture or reformations but that they should think them-selves obliged to take a Herald or Trompeters Coat and a Constable or Cathpol's staffe and other such badges so easily counterfeited for sufficient evidences of the King's authority and yet except against the authentickness of the conversion of Kings and Nations the Succession and sanctity of Pastors and doctrin of the Roman Catholick Church Which are things that cannot be
counterfeited must needs be the effect of prejudice and passion proceeding from want of christianity especialy when they see that others as learned cautious and conscientious as them-selves after weighing all objections and circumstances submit their judgments to the sufficiency of these signs for making the Roman Catholick authority authentickly Divine and that we believe what is proposed with out the least suspition or feare either of fraud or frailty in the Roman Catholick Councells which are the Proposers and Ministers of God's word Besids if Protestants did consider the nature of Veracity and God's Providence they would never doubt of the application of his power to preserve the Roman Catholick Church from error seing it hath so many signs of his truth and Ministery as the conversion of Nations succession and Sanctity of doctrin and Doctors miracles vnity of faith c. For Veracity as Aristotle and all Philosophers define it is a Virtue inclining to speak truth And he is not inclined to speak truth that countenanceth falshood in so particular a manner as God doth the doctrin and jurisdiction of the Roman Catholick Church A King that might if he would and yet doth not hinder his Ambassadors and Ministers or any other persons from abusing other Princes or his own Subjects by their speaking or commanding in his Majesties name or at least in speaking other-wise then he really intended they should and had prescribed by his commission or instructions such a King I say is not inclined to speak truth because he willingly permits his officers or others that pretend to speak in his name or really do speak by his Orders to vtter falshood and misinterpret his words and meaning notwithstanding that he may easily prevent that fraud and frailty and reapeth no benefit by either an evident argument that he is not avers to such false practises No Protestant doubts but that my Lord Chancellor speaks truly the King's mind and sense when he pursues his Majesties speech in Parliament in his Royal presence and hearing and to think other-wise would be not only to tax my Lord Chancellor with folly but the King with an inclination to falshood and a fault unbeseeming the dignity of a Prince the care and charge of the Country's Father as also the sincerity and veracity of an honest man Seing therfore God is as much inclined to speak truth as any thing can be to love it self for God is truth by essence if it be against the dignity of a Prince and against the nature of human veracity and honesty which is but a shadow of the Divine to permit falshood in Ministers of state or in servants sent but of ordinary errands when their Masters can easily prevent it how much more repugnant must it be to the nature of God and to his Divine veracity to permit the Roman Church in his own presence name and hearing tell lyes and disguise them and it self with so probable and plausible signes of his Divine truth and Commission as to seale it's doctrin with marks and miracles so vndeniably supernatural that the most learned Protestants acknowledg they are and can only bewrought by God's power light can as litle concurre to produce darkness as truth to favor falshood Even men that love truth hate to heare others tell lyes and do contradict vntruths if them-selves be present and quoted for Authors of the stories They will not entertain servants given to that vice nor permit them weare their livery much less employ them in matters of concern wherin they may abuse their Master's word and prejudice his friends or Tenants Can Protestants then imagin that God doth not only permit the Roman Catholick Church to weare his livery and his authority but that he doth promote the stories and lies of that Church in case it's doctrin be fals for the space of so many ages with so great signes and testimonies of his Divine approbation that the wisest and wairiest men of the world after much study and examination did and do still preferr it before all other Religions Do they think that God is not as much concern'd in preventing frauds faults and frailties in his Ministers and Messengers as temporal Princes are concern'd in the credit and truth of theirs Wherfore if Protestants judg it a breach of faith or want of truth and worth in a temporal Prince not to endeavor to the vtmost of his power that his Ministers and messengers deceive not his subjects and Allies by mistaking or misapplying his Commands or demands they can not but see the absurdity of believing that God doth permit Ministers and Messengers so supernaturaly qualified as those of the Roman Church are to err in proposing his revelations vnto all man kind his Veracity being as highly concern'd in the infallibility of the Proposers as his power makes him capable of preventing their human mistakes and of confounding the Devill 's malice But Protestants have found out a new device and defence of their distinction They grant it is against God's Veracity to permit the Roman Catholick Church to err in proposing the Fundamental articles of faith that is such articles as Protestants fancy absolutly necessary for saluation which are say they that Scripture is the word of God and JESUS Christ the son of God and Redeemer of the world some add the Mystery of the Trinity hitherto we could never obtain from them a more exact Cathalogue of their Protestant Fundamentals As for the other doctrines of the Roman Catholick Church 〈◊〉 and proposed as Divine Protestants think they may be denyed and questioned without any offence to God denyal or doubt of his veracity I could never heare any other reason or dispâ—rity for this their distinction but that the measure of the infallibility of the Church ought to be our salvation because it was the end proposed by God in the institution and constitution of his Church In such articles therfore say they as are absolutly necessary for salvation the Church cannot but be infallible in the proposal otherwise we could not believe them and consequently not be saved because we can not be sure that God revealed them But this their Fundamental distinction still destroys the foundation of Christian belief which is God's veracity They make their own conveniency and not God's veracity the motive of crediting the Mysteries of faith as if truth it self or God's inclination to speak truth could be greater in on matter then other or that the belief of any article could be more Fundamental or of greater importance and necessity for salvation then to believe that God is as much concerned and as necessarily inclined to speak truth as well by the mouth of his Church as if him-self spoke immediatly as well also in the least matter as in the greatest and by consequence he is as much engaged to preserve the Church from error in on as in the other So that to believe the testimony or proposal of the Church in a matter
absolutly necessary for salvation and not to believe it in a matter not absolutly necessary when equaly proposed by the same testimony and authority is as much as to say that God can speak by his Church litle vntruths but not great vntruths or that he may permit his veracity to be violated or vitiated in litle but not in great matters as if forsooth the authority and infallibility of the Church were to be measured by the matter it proposeth and not by the manner and supernatural marks of the proposal and by the dignity of the speaker More over their pretence of the Churches fallibility in not Fundamental articles hath no solid ground for the Protestant Church is either fallible or infallible in saying so and in it's doctrin of Fundamentals if fallible non can prudently rely thervpon either in this or in any other matters of faith if infallible then the Protestant distinction of Fundamentals must be a fundamental article of faith because they admit not any Church to be infallible in articles that are not fundamental And yet the same Protestants say the Roman Catholick Church is also infallible in fundamentals but the Roman Catholick and Protestant Church contradict on the other in this doctrin of fundamentals Therfore one of both must erre and that on must be the Protestant because it maintains that two Churches teaching contradictory doctrins may both be infallible therin Add hervnto that if the Roman Catholick Church be infallible in fundamentals or in all articles necessary for salvation how can Protestants excuse their reformation and separation from the guilt of a grievous sin and schism so vncharitable a breach is not justifiable by less then damnable or dangerous doctrin in the Church that is forsaken And what damnable doctrin or danger of damnation could or can be in adhearing to the Roman Church it being confessedly infallible in Fundamentals that is in all things necessary for salvation If therfore God's veracity is denyed even according to the Protestants doctrin and distinction by saying that the Church is fallible in fundamentals it can be for no other reason but because the fundamental articles are sufficiently proposed by the Church as revealed by God and seing the not fundamental articles are proposed by the same Church and testimony and by consequence as sufficiently as the fundamental Protestants must grant that God's veracity is no less denyed by maintaining the fallibility of the Church in not Fundamentals then in Fundamentals So that they must either acknowledg the infallibility of the Church in all articles and matters of faith whether absolutly necessary or not necessary for salvation or deny God's veracity and the foundation of all Christian belief SECT XIII The same further demonstrated and proved that neither the Protestant faith nor the faith lately asserted in a book called sure footing in Christianity is Christian belief where also is treated of the resolution of faith NOt the maâ—â—er believed but the Motive and manner of believing makes a belief Christian There may be an historical or imaginary faith of Christ as well as Divine and real that is men may believe the mysteries of Christianity 〈◊〉 they believe the roman history and fancy that such a belief is not human but Divine This we maintain to be the Protestants case and faith which is not grounded vpon Divine revelation but vpon human persuasion and vpon an imaginary evidence of God's revelation They assent not to the mystery of the Trinity or to any other because God revealed it but because they think it vndeniably evident either by the publick confession of all Christians or by the privat suggestion of their own spirit or by the principles of natural reason or by their pretended cleerness of Scripture that God revealed such mysteries as they are pleased to make choyce of for the Articles or fundamentals of their Reformations And therfore according to the diversity of the evidences wherupon they build their faith the Protestant sects are framed and divided into Prelaticks whose Motive and evidence is the concurrence of all Christians in their fundamentals of Christianity and into Fanatiks amongst whom we include Presbiterians c. who rely vpon the evidence of their spirit and the cleerness of Scripture and into Socinians who make evident reason the rule of their Religion c. That these Protestant persuasions are not grounded vpon Divine revelation or vpon God's Authority and veracity we proove because it is impossible to make an authority the motive of our belief vnless we believe all things that are equaly proposed and delivered to vs as depending of and asserted by that authority St. Austin says non can believe that the Ghospel of St. Matthew is the word of God vnless he doth likewise believe that the Acts of the Apostles is the word of God because they are both delivered as God's word by the same authority The same testimony and the same visible Church which delivered to the first Protestants the mystery of the Trinity and Incarnation as revealed by God delivered also to them Transubstantiation Purgatory c. as revealed by God and they or their followers can not pretend to have any other testimony for the engagement of God's veracity in certifying them of the truth and revelation of the articles they retain but the same testimony which delivered to them the articles they reject Therfore the reality and Divinity of the revelation being equally testified and applicable by on and the same testimony to both articles aswell to the retained as to the rejected it is impossible that Protestants can believe those they retaâ—â—â— moved thervnto by God's veracity or for being revealed by God seing the same veracity and revelation is equally and as cleerly applyed by the testimony of the Catholick visible Church to the other articles which they reject as not revealed If you ask a learned Protestant why doth he believe the mystery of the Trinity or Incarnation He will answer as all Hereticks ever did aswell as Catholicks because God revealed it But if you inquire further why doth he believe that God revealed it He will tell you because it is manifest in SVBSECT I. I Am right sorry to number among Protestants and Manichees who hould also this error of believing nothing which they did not fancy to be self evident the Author of a book called sure footing in Christianity who will needs have it self evident by virtue forsooth of tradition that God revealed all the points of our Roman Catholick doctrin Jt's pitty he stumbled so irrecoverably at his very first step pretending to see so cleerly and tread so surely vpon a plain ground had he bin as wary in the choice of his principles as he is witty in deducing his conclusions I should have followed him as an excellent Guide but he striving to raise Christian faith vnto a greater height of evidence then is consistent with it's nature and with our merit and liberty or convenient for the Government of God's
commission The Roman Church therfore being prudently taken for the Organ of God's voice it is as impossible we should be misledd by it's doctrin as it is that God should go against his infinit inclination to truth or should violat his own veracity Had God's veracity bin limited to his own personal or immediat speech and not extended to what-soever he delivers by the mouth and ministery of others and of his Church it had not bin infinit his credit would have ended with Christ's preaching to the Apostles and though they were bound to believe their Master non could be obliged to believe them But seing God's veracity is infinit and his words must continue for ever they can be as little confined to the persons or Pastors of any on certain age as infinit veracity to on particular truth or infinit excellency and goodness to any one degree of perfection Now seing that God's worth and veracity or his infinit inclination to speak truth cannot be greatet in on matter nor in on age then in an other and that according to on 's inclination to any thing must be the application of his power to effect it we must conclude that God is as much engaged by his worth and goodness and as much inclined by his veracity and as much applied by his omnipotency to speak truth by the mouth of the Church as by his own and in the least matter as much as in the greatest and in every succeeding age as in that of the Apostles and that vnless his worth wisdom veracity goodness and omnipotency faile that Church which beareth the miraculous marks of his authority and exerciseth his ministery must be infallible in proposing and declaring his will and word in all Controversies whatsoever So that they who grant the Church 〈◊〉 infallible only in fundamental articles of faith deny Godâ—â—oodness worth veracity and omnipotency and they who believe not the doctrin of the Roman Catholick Church as the word of God because forsooth they have not cleer evidence that it is the word of God do no more believe nor trust God in the other they assent vnto then he who says he believes and trusts a man whose word or writing he will not take for 100. pounds vnless he delivers to him at the same time that summe of money not only sealed but seen in a bag The reason of this last assertion is cleer because one of the differences between the word of God and the word of men is that you mistrust men for the truth though you heare their own voice and have evidence that they speak the imperfection of their nature making their speech subject to falshood and themselves to frailty therfore we may mistrust their veracity and doubt they be mistaken or deceive vs though they pretend and profess to speak nothing but truth It is not so with God whose nature being infinitly perfect and truth it self it is manifest by natural reason that he can neither be mistaken nor deceive vs by his words and by consequence if we knew evidently that him-self speaks or that the words or doctrin vttered by the Church are his we can no more mistrust or not believe him then mistrust his Deity or feare a flaw in his perfections and fraud in his proceedings So that Protestants resolving not to believe the doctrin of the Church of Rome made sufficiently credible by supernatural signes to be Divine vntill it be made cleerly evident to them that it is the word of God resolve their faith into heretical obstinacy because they resolve not to believe or trust God that evidence which they exact not being compatible with the merit trust obscurity and obsequiousness of Christian belief nor with the duty of rationall Creatures They may be compared to some Irish or Scotch Rebells refusing to obey the King's Lieu-tenant and Commissioners because for-sooth they have not clear evidence that the commissions and commands are signed by the King though they see his Majesty's hand and seale for the authority set over them which also is obeyd and acknowledged by the better sort and greater part of both Nations yet the Rebells will not submit to any Orders vnless the King leave England go in person to rule them and satisfie every particular fellow that he hath named such a Lieu-tenant or Commissioner or vnless his Majesty will immediatly by him-self exercise his royal Jurisdiction signe and seale his commissions in their sight c. Some will think there is a great disparity in the comparison for that God may without trouble or prejudice to him-self reveale his will and pleasure to every particular person which Kings can no more do then be in many places at one time Therfore what inconveniency can it be that God make evident to every particular person either by a clear signe of his presence or by an evident proof of his spirit which doctrin is Divine which not without obliging men to believe that the Roman Catholick or any other Church is infallible and can not propose falshood for God's word To this we answer that God might not only reveale his mysteries to every person but save us also without subordination to any Church or Pastors or dependency of Sacraments but all Christians agree that he hath bin pleased not to do so so that the question is not what he could have don but what he hath don But it appears by the light of reason that ther is a certain distance and decorum due to Majesty and superiority by virtue wherof God or even a Creature that is supreme in any government may command his inferiors and subjects by subordinat officers and warant these officer's authority by some outward signes and seales of his Soveraignty which signes though they may be possibly counterfeited yet oblige the People so governed to obey Ministers so qualified as submissively as if him-self had immediatly delivered his own commands Wherfore though it were possible that a King might without trouble write and deliver all his oâ—ders immediatly or without the assistance of Secretaries Ministers and Messengers yet it were not fit And why the Protestant Doctors that write of this subject should think fit that God ought to deprive him-self of a decency and decorum due even to human Majesty to humor their curiosity or to comply with their obstinacy J can not comprehended nor attribute to any other thing but to want of humility and excess of heresy the malice wherof consists in contemning God's authority and denying his veracity when sufficiently appearing in the Church and though not self evidently yet so convincingly as to make our obligation of submitting thervnto evident Jt is therfore agross absurdity to think or say that the reverence due to the Divine authority obligeth vs not to submit or not assent therunto vnless it be more then moraly evident and by consequence more them sufficiently evident vnto us that we can not be mistaken in our submission or assent For hence
in a protestant Commonweale or Kingdom wherby the very foundation and birth-right of Protestancy is made penal and the most Religious observers of the protestant rule of faith are rendred incapable of all employments both in Church and state And that all this violence is practised to support a Creed the 39. articles of a doubtful sense and a Clergy of a doubtful caracter even according to their own prelatick principles and according to the primitive principles of protestancy and to vphould a Church that professeth it's own fall and fallibility and therfore for all it self knows is no true Church but may be mistaken in it's doctrin and lead all that rely vpon it's ministery and instruction into eternal damnation and can give no satisfaction or security to such as are of their communion nor produce any thing for justifying the severity of these proceedings but a Parliaments Act of vniformity and other temporal statuts To which every Presbiterian and fanatick doth answer that lawes enacted in favor of Religion do suppose not make the Religion reasonable for though reason be the ground of all human lawes yet no human lawes can be the ground of Religion When all this is maturely considered it will doubtless appeare to be a sad case that a poore man who desires to be saved and informed of the true Church and of Christ's doctrin and conform himself therunto shall be compell'd by forfeitures imprisonment and banishment c. to the prelatick doâ—trin and Church of England and shall have no other reason 〈◊〉 redress given him for this violence and punishments but that he doth not conform to the Religion established by the lawes of the Land So much was alleadged for the Idolls and Religion of the Pagan Emperous and vpon the same ground of law did they persecute the primitive Christians Doubtless all Quakers Presbiterians and non Conformists think themseves as glorious sufferers as the holy primitive Martyrs and Confessors which persuasion in so great and zealous a multitude can not be voyd of daunger and ought to be remedyed more by reason then rigor for though from Roman Catholicks whose principles are peaceable and incline them to suffer persecution with patience no great prejudice may be feared if they will be directed by their profession yet experience hath taught that all Protestant sectaries have inherited from their first Patriarchs Luther Calvin Crammer c. the spirit of sedition and rebellion which is involved in the very foundation of protestancy Luther openly declared so much at the Diet of Worms in presence of the Emperour Charles 5. Who had objected against him tumults and disorders as vndeniable effects of his doctrin misapplying the words of our saviour Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium as if dissention and rebellion had bin a mark of the true Ghospel On the other side the Presbiterians do imitate the bloudy proceedings and principles of their 〈◊〉 Fathers Zuinglius and Calvin in deposing of Kings and Magistrats and make good the saying of Zuinglius Evangelium vult sanguinem the Reformation must be maintained by bloud So that the sanguinary statuts in favor of prelatick protestancy and the bloudy principles of Presbitery in in pursuance of their seditious spirit clashing togeather will make fine work among Christians and the prelatick Clergy which ought by their admonitions and censures to compose these disorders and be Authors of peace are despised as no Clergy and their caracter is made the subject of discord and dispute And the Protestant Bishops which ought to exercise the authority whervnto they pretend retire and recurr to the 〈◊〉 Courts for the spirituality as well as for the legality of their jurisdiction and function and confess in plain termes their Churches frailty and fallibility in doctrin and leave the state to shift for it self deprived of thâ—â—â— helps which Catholick Princes receive from the Roman Church and Clergys censures wherwith rebellious subjects are terrified and 〈◊〉 or return to their duty SVBSECT I. NEither is the daunger of disturbing the tranquillity of the state for supporting the Prelatick doctrin and caracter by temporal lawes confin'd only to Presbiterians and Fanatiks the Prelatiks them-selves if interest prevaile not more with them then conscience and coherency can not but change their Religion into a contrary persuasion when they observe that the mean between Popery and Presbytery wherin they place Prelatick protestancy and the truth of christianity hath no solid foundation or colour of reason For what can be more absurd then to pretend that as moral virtue is a mean or mixture of two extremes so the truth of Christian Religion is a mean between two contrary opinions or a mixture of Popery and Presbitery which are two extremes involving contradictory Tenets Morality I confess is a mediocrity and a kind of Mixture For liberality for example doth seeme to participat some thing of covetousness and some thing of prodigality which are extreme different but Christianity being truth and Divine truth is no mean between the two but one of the two extremes it is no mixture because truth admits no mixture of falshood nor division it can be but on one side Therfore when a Presbiterian or Fanatick saith that Scripture is the only rule of faith and Judge of Controversies the Catholick sayes it is not not both but one of them speaks truth Yet the Prelatick would fâ—ain stand like a Christian moderator or neuter between both parties and reconcile their Contradictions by reducing them to a third doctrin or to a mean between truth and falshood and the mean is to grant both the contradictory propositions and collogue with both sides And indeed that is the mean wherin Prelatick Protestancy doth consist when their writers defend it against Presbiterians they grant the doctrin of Papists when they answer and 〈◊〉 against Papists they maintain the doctrin of Presbiterians for there is no other mean to reconcile or be reconciled to contradictions but to maintain both And this was the custom of Luther Calvin Cranmer c. and is the ordinary practise of the ablest Prelaticks in their books of Controversy I remit you to one of their greatest Champions my Lord Bishop of Down in his Dissuasive from Popery you need not run through the whole book read but his first Section and you will heare him say first that Scripture alone is the foundation or rule of faith and after that it is not Then again that it is nothing els but Scripture together with the Creeds and the foure first Councells It is as impossible therfore that a 〈◊〉 man should be in his judgment a Prelatick Protestant as it is he should believe that God revealed contradictions Wherfore if interest and conveniency hath not a greater 〈◊〉 vpon his profession of faith then conscience or coherency even to the principles of the Reformation he will not continue a prelatick nor make temporal statuts his rule of faith but will either according to the prudent
to the Earl of Arundell that she would marry him and by promising other favours to the Duke of Norfolck had by their solicitations gained most of the nobility and the Lords and Gentlemen who had the managing of elections in their several Counties had retained such men for 〈◊〉 of the House of Commons as they conceived moâ—â— likely to comply with the Queens new design in reviving that Religion which but five years before them-selves and the whole Kingdom had rejected as damnable heresy and groundless novelty devised by some lâ—w'd revolted Friars and Priests and had observed how all sober and conscienâ—ious men weâ—â— troubled to see so shamefull a change introduced only for maintaining the weakness of a title against the cleer right of the Stewards and fearing least this scruple might spread and work vpon the consciences of the illiterat multitude it was thought fit to command Bishop Iewell the fittest man for so impudent an vndertaking to assert the antiquity of the particular Tenets of the New Church of England and so in forme of a Challenge against all Roman Catholicks he published at Paules Cross that the Religion which the Queen and Parliament had then established by Law was no novelty nor new invented sense of Scripture but the same which our Saviour and his Apostles delivered to the Church and all Orthodox Christians held for the first 600. years which thing he vndertook to demonstrat by vndeniable Testimonies of the Holy Fathers that lived in those six first Centuries The words of this Challenge we have set down heretofore as also the confutation therof One Rastal having writ against this challenge Iewell togeather with the rest of the Bishops and learned Protestant Clergy composed that famous Apology for the Church of England both in Latin and English it came out first in the name of their whole Church though I believe Iewell had the wording of it because afterwards his name was set to it and to the defence therof but without doubt all the able men of the English Clergy had their hands and heads in the work Against it divers appeared in print Stapleton Sanders and Harding whervpon saith Dean Walsingham in his search of Religion pag. 166. Mr. Iewel within few years after set forth the reply to D. r Harding which was esteemed to have bin made by joynt labours of the most learned men in England both in London and the Vniversities But in these their labours they were convicted of a thousand and odd falsifications and yet saith Harding of 26. articles only five have passed our examination Imagin then what number is like to rise of the whole work I will mention but one or two of every controversy I hope that is sufficient to prove that no one point wherin Protestants differ from Roman Catholicks can be maintained even by the most learned Protestants without frauds falshoods and impostures And do choose to instance particulars out of this Apology and defence of the Church of England because it is not only the work of their first Bishops and Clergy and the very bulwork of their Church but as D. r Heylin truly says the Magazin from whence all the Protestant Controversies since that time have furnished them-selves with arguments and authorities We will omit most of their corruptions of Scripture in the Apology because we have convicted them elâ—â—where of that crime but that they may not imagin we what matter even in this work of theirs let the curious read 〈…〉 Epistle to M. r Jewell set before his return 〈◊〉 vntruthâ— where he tells him you have falsifyed and mangled the very Text of Holy Scripture namely of Saint Paule in one Chapter nine times as the reader may see in the third article of his Book fol. 107. SVBSECT I. The Protestant Clergy convicted of falshood in their Apology concerning Communion vnder one kind BIshop Iewell and his Associats maintain with most Protestants that to receive the B. Sacrament 〈◊〉 one kind only is against the institution of Christâ— and therfore could not be allowed nor practised by the Church nor ever was during the first six hundred years So that the Controversy between the Church of England and Harding is whether in the first 600. years after Christ any Communion were ministred vnder one kind or no which they vnder the name of M. r Jewell deny against whom Harding giveth an instance out of the Ecclesiastical History of one Serapian that was Communicated in his death vnder one kind only Mr. Iewell seing him-self convicted replieth That it is not our question we vnderstand not of privat Communion but of publick in the Church and yet in the first proposing of the Question there was no mention of the Church or Publick and the whole controversy between Catholicks and Protestants is whether with out breach of Christ's Institution any man might communicat vnder one kind only Then Mr. Iewell is demanded whether if it may be proved that sick persons have received the Communion vnder one kind in the Church it will satisfie him wher to he answereth no saying the only thing that I denied is that yee are not able to bring any one sufficient example or authority that ever the whole people received the Communion in open Church in one kind within that time then he is vrged further whether if it can be proved that in closs chappels and Oratories in wilderness and caves in time of persecution the communion was practised vnder one kind this would satisfie him for so mucâ— as this proveth Christ's Institution not to forbid Communion vnder one kind But M. r Iewel leapeth also from this saying the question is whether the Holy Communion were ever ministred openly in the Church It being manifest that for the first 300. years vntill Constantin's time the Christians in most places particularly at Rome had no open Churches but privat Oratories and caves At length being demanded whether Infants receaving the Communion vnder one kind openly in the Church was a sufficient example Jewel answereth Mr. Harding maketh his whole plea vpon an Jnfant and yet of Infants as he knoweth I spake nothing Mr. Harding presseth him with the example of the two disciples to whom Christ our Saviour did give the Communion vnder one kind only at Emaus as by the Text of Scripture and Jnterpretation of ancient Fathers is plain he alledgeth also the examples of S. t Ambrose and S. t Basil who receaved the Sacrament vnder one kind though they were Priests Wherunto M. r Iewel answereth this is not to the purpose for the question is moved of lay people M. r Harding bringeth examples of Christ and two disciples who were of the number of 72. and therfore it may well be thought they were ministers and not of the lay sort I demanded of the layty M. r Harding answereth of St. Ambrose and St. Basil which were Bishops Which evasion is not only fraudulent but foolish as if forsooth Priests
right against the deceased Queen and other Protestants pretences resolved vpon an other way to secure their Church-livings against the title and claim of the Roman Clergy which was to maintain in their Books that it is impossible for a Papist to be a good Subject because say Protestants it is a principle among them that in some casâ—â— the Pope may depose a King So that now the Protestant preachers are become shrewd Polititians and defend their doctrin and revenues by reasons of state One of the chief of these Church-Polititians was Thomas Morton late Bishop of Duresme more famous for his wicked impostures then for his many volumes He began with a Treatise of Rebellion and Equivocation which having bin answered and restored vpon himself and his Protestants in the begining of K. James his reign and his wilfull falshoods layd open to the world he set forth a pamphlet which he called a preamble of his promised but never performed Reply and in that Preamble omits almost all the material accusations and objections of his adversary F. Persons and to such few as himself had attempted to answer he added new lyes and impostures or layd the fault of his own former falsifications vpon his Brethren who joyned with him in the work as euery one may see in F. Persons Quiet and sober Reckning with Mr. Morton out of which we will borrow some few examples Bishop Morton's falsifications about the lawfulness of Killing a Tyrant AN other like trick he playeth vs saith Persons abusing a place of Doctor Boucher the French man de Justa abdicatione c. therby to make all Catholicks Odious as allowing his doctrin He cites Bouchers words thus Tyrannum occidere honestum est quod cuivis impune facere permittitur quod ex communi consensu dico And then he Englisheth the same thus any man may lawfully murther a Tyrant which I defend by common consent But he that shall read the place in the Author himself shall find that he holdeth the very contrary to wit that a privat man may not kill a Tyrant that is not first Iudged and declared to be a publick enemy by the Common-wealth And he proveth the same at large out of Scripture and by the Decree of the Councell of Constance But the words which I say by common consent are added by Morton and not 〈◊〉 be found in the Author Morton excuseth his fraud and folly by saying the like are in other Chapters as Mirum esse in affirâ—â—â—â—do consensum which words are of other matters and spoken vpon other occasions and not annexed to the former sentence of Doctor Boucher Bâ—· Morton's Falsification of Catholicks against the Soveraignty of Princes and how he excuseth himself with saying he received it from the Arch-bishop of Canterbury BIshop Morton in his Book of Discovery pag. 8. set down this fals proposition That all Catholick Priests did profess a prerogative of the people over Princes for proof therof he citeth this position of Mr. Reynolds in the place aforesayd Rex humana creatura est qaia ab hominibus constituta and englisheth it in this manner A King is but a creature of man's creation where you see first that in the Translation he addeth but and man's creation of himself for that the latin hath no such adversative clause as but nor creation but rather the word câ—â—stitution Secondly these words are not the words of Mr. Reynolds but only cited by him out of S. Peter And thirdly they are alledged here by Morton to a quite contrary sense from the whole drift discourse and meaning of the Author which was to extoll and magnifie the authority of Princes as descending from God and not to debase the same For proof hereof whosoever will look vpon the book and place it self before mentioned shall find that Mr. Reynolds purpose therin is to prove that albeit earthly principality be called by the Apostle humana Creaturae yet that it is originally from God and by his commandement to be obeyed Morton's Answer THis allegation is of all which yet J have found most obnoxious and liable vnto taxation which God knoweth that J lye not J received from suggestion as the Author therof R. C. can 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 that time I had not that Rosâ—â—ns alias Reynolds neither by that present importunity of occasions could J seek after him which I confess is greatly exorbitant for I received it as a testimony debasing the authority of Kings so 〈◊〉 When J was advertised saith Persons that R. C. did signify Ric. Cant. J was driven into a far greater mervaile how Mr. Morton could be permitted to publish such a maner the thing having to pass the view of R. C. his officers and how he could presume to have more care of his own credit then of the others that is head and Cheiftain But though the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury did suggest this calumny to Morton it 's probable he did not English 〈◊〉 for him but left that labour to himself The truth is the Arch-Bishop and Morton and all the Protestant Clergy were resolved to make Catholicks and their Religion odious by any means whatsoever and finding they could not do it with truth it was judged convenient for preserving aboue two Millions Sterl per an for themselves and their Children to effect it by falshood And to the same intent and purpose did their whole prelatik Synod held at London 1603. Can. 30. contrive and conspire in a notable cosenage trumpery and calumny against the Roman Catholik doctrin when giving the reason to satisfie puritans why they retain the vse of the sign of the Cross in Baptism they sayd they do it because the same hath biâ— ever accompanied among the prelatick Protestants with sufficient cautions and exceptions against all popish error and superstition and forsooth that the world may vnderstand from what Popish error they have freed the same they signify that the Church of England since the abolishing of popery have ever held and taught that the sign of the Cross vsed in baptism is no part of the substance of that Sacrament and that the Infant baptised is by virtue of baptism before it 〈◊〉 signed with the sign of the Cross received into the Congrâ—gation of Christ's Flock as a perfect member therof and not by any power ascribed to the sign of the Cross c. â—â—erupon they conclude that the vse of the sign of the Cross in Baptism being thus purged from all popish superstition and 〈◊〉 and reduced in the Church of England to the primary 〈◊〉 of it c. is to be reverently retained and vsed Thus teach 〈◊〉 in their foresaid Synod And yet it can not be shewed 〈◊〉 as in one particular Roman Catholick Doctor or 〈◊〉 that the sign of the Cross is an essential or substanâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 of Baptism Witnes K. James nay the Bishops thâ—â—selves that make this their imposture the ground of a 〈◊〉 of their Church who in the Conference of
their Reliques honoured nor their Images worshipped with Vigilantius c. These and other â—rotestant doctrins are recorded as heresies by St. Irenaeus St. Epiphanius St. Hierom St. Austin and other Fathers as you may see in Belarmin and the prelatick writers confess their Testimony but contemn their authority Fâ—lsifications objected against Cardinal Baronius by Mr. Sutcliff THat sincere Protestants may see how litle their Clergy can say against Catholick Authors writings in this point of willfully falsifying Fathers or others J will set down 〈◊〉 some of the principal falsifications objected against 〈◊〉 whose work of the Ecclesiastical History depending alâ—â—â—â—ther vpon the true quotations of the holy Fathers and 〈◊〉 Authors might be the subject of Protestant cavills had 〈◊〉 bin very sincere yet notwithstanding all his ingenuity 〈◊〉 termes him a Cardinal forger and lyar and one of all 〈◊〉 that ever he read that most impudently abuseth and 〈◊〉 scriptures contrary to the intention of the holy Ghost c. 〈◊〉 his preface and then setteth down 52. falsifications and 〈◊〉 of his The first wilfull falsification wherwith Sutcliff chargeth 〈◊〉 is that in the first page of his first Tome he placeth the Image of the Roman Church in form of a woman with a heavy wodden Cross on her shoulders c· This is a notable lye saith Mr. Sutcliff for that the Roman Church that now is possessed of the triple Crown was never subject to the Cross of Christ Jesus for that the Pope claimeth a power above all Emperors liveth in delights c. His second charge of wilfull falsification is that wheras the sayd picture had two great keyes of the Popes cellar as Mr. Sutcliff saith hanging down vnder it he lyeth impudently saith Sutcliff where he signifieth that Christ gave the Keyes to the Pope and his adherents c. His third charge is that wheras the sayd picture had written vnder it on the one side vicit haereses and on the other side subegit Gentes Mr. Sutcliff objecteth this for a wilfull falsification saying that this later Roman Church hath not subdued heresies but is overgrown it self with heresies The fourth charge of wilfull falsification is that Mr. Sutcliff supposing Baronius and the Pope do mean to worship that wodden Cross layd vpon the pictures shoulders he saith that if Baronius mean the true Church he lyeth for that the true Church did never worship any woodden Cross. The fifth charge is about these words subegit Gentes vnder the picture this is a lye saith Mr. Sutcliff for that Saracens Turks and Gentils have prevailed against the Pope and his followers c. regaining the Holy Land The sixth charge is that the holy Ghost hovereth over the triple Crown the B. Virgin sitteth with her Son in her lap St. Peter and St. Paul support the worship of our B. Lady which are all saith Sutcliff notorious lyes for that Christ is no longer an Infant c. And are not these substantial charges of wilfull falsifications to be placed in the first rank Had he found matter to discredit Baronius he would never detain nor divert his Reader with the picture but would have entred presently into the History But now in his seaventh charge he will not trifle Sixtus the Fifth saith Sutcliff in his decretal epistle prefixed before Baronius his books saith that he faithfully and diligently reported the story of the Church c. Now you must know that this Epistle made decretal by Sutcliff is only a licence and privilege for Baronius to print the Book Wheras our beloued Son Antony Cardinal Garaffa saith the Pope Prefect of the Apostolick Library hath related vnto vs that the first volume of our Ecclesiastical History is now ready to be set forth and that it is a work no less learnedly then faithfully written c. we do give you leave to print the same c. With his eight charge of wilfull falsification he is resolved to destroy the whole work of Baronius The year saith Sutcliff and precise time of Christ's Nativity being the ground of all his work it must needs follow that if he faile in that then his whole Book is nothing but a pack of lyes but that he hath erred in that point is very probable for that Epiphanius saith our Saviour was born when Augustus and Silvaâ—â—â— were Consuls but Severus writeth that he was born when Sabinius and Ruffinus were Consuls but Baronius followeth neither of these two but Cassiodorus Is not this a wise charge of falsifying And yet Sutcliff is mistaken in his charge though it be nothing material to the History of the Begining and progress of Christian Religion Conversion of Nations Councells condemnation of heresies c. Epiphanius is of Baronius his opinion as well as Cassiodorus Chrysostom Orosius Beda and most of the ancient writers All his other Charges are very foolish not considering whether Baronius relate things of himself or from others and when Sutcliff denyes the authority he doth not confute it with better authority or reason but by Scoffing and contempt and yet he accuseth Baronius of lyes and forgery because he relates what other men of credit and great authority say in matters of History or doctrin As for example he accuseth Baronius of wilfull lying for that out of Euthymius he relateth that Dives Luke 16. was called Ninensis who also held it was a story and not a parable Then his 50. charge is Baronius would make his Reader believe that our Saviour did celebrate his passeover in S. John Evangelist's house but Symon Metaphrastes denyeth it which is alledged by Baronius as a grave witness His last two charges are 1. Baronius says Missa is derived from the Hebrew or Chaldee word but Belarmin his fellow telleth him he is deceived 2. Baronius doth report out of Gregory of Tours this â—able that divers making thongs did put them about the pillar wherto Christ was tyed when he was scourged and the same did heal divers diseases And with this sound charge he ends his 52. of wilfull falsifications against Baronius What I desire the Protestant Reader should observe in the charges of wilfull falsifications and lyes which they print against our Catholick Authors is the difference between our charges against them and of theirs against us We charge Protestants with heresies and with corrupting Scripture Fathers and Councells to prove heresies and we demonstrat the same so home that either they omit to answer the corruptions and falsifications objected or answer them with adding new falsifications to the old as hath bin manifest hitherto but the Protestant writers objections against us are either frivolous impertinent or forged by themselves And when they can find no matter to carp at in such works as those of Baronius and Belarmin wherin there is such a multitude and variety of quotations and relations it may be well imagined how litle they will find in modern Catholick writers who for the most part borrow from those two Cardinals
be 〈◊〉 with in other questions not diligently digested nor yet made firm 〈◊〉 authority of the Church there error is to be born with but 〈◊〉 not to go so farr that it should labour to shake the very 〈◊〉 of the Church The Bishop sayes this can not be 〈◊〉 of the definition of the Church though St. Austin 〈◊〉 expressly of the authority therof but of Scripture But 〈◊〉 afterwards the words might be vnderstood of the 〈◊〉 of the Church or general Councells to the end that 〈◊〉 might not imagin St. Austin thought such definitions were 〈◊〉 or vnquestionable he adds But plain Scripture with 〈◊〉 sense or a full demonstrative argument must have room 〈◊〉 a wrangling and erring disputer may not be allowed it And 〈◊〉 neither of these but may convince the definition of the 〈◊〉 if it be ill founded And to shew that this is no fancy of 〈◊〉 but the doctrin of St. Austin he quotes his words 〈◊〉 see them in the margent with an F. referring the word 〈◊〉 to Scripture So that if you believe the Bishop and rely 〈◊〉 his quotations St. Austin doubted not but that the 〈◊〉 of the Church in general Councells may be contrary to 〈◊〉 and confuted by full demonstrative arguments I confess that when I read this page and part of Bp. Laud's 〈◊〉 with Fisher I found my self much troubled vntill 〈◊〉 the matter and then I resolved never more to 〈◊〉 him or any Protestant writer however so Saint-like or 〈◊〉 by report or in appearance The truth is St. Austin 〈◊〉 place cited by the Bishop hath nothing at all either 〈◊〉 Scripture or evident sense or demonstrative arguâ—â—â—ts but addressing his speech to the Manicheans he writes 〈◊〉 Apud vos autem vbi nihil horum est quod me invitet ac 〈◊〉 sola personat veritatis pollicitatio and then follow the words 〈◊〉 by the Bishop quae quidem si tam manifesta monstratur c. 〈◊〉 truth so bragd of and promised by the Manicheans to 〈◊〉 demonstrated in that epistle called Fundamentum saith St. Austin if it be demonstrated to be so cleer c. is to be preferred where you see St. Austin's quae referred not to Scripture but to that fictitious truth which the Manichees pretended to be in their doctrin Nay St. Austin is so far from doubting of the infallibility of the Church and general Councells in that very place quoted by the Bishop that he disputes ex professo against the possibility of its erring or of its definitions being contrary to Scripture and sayes that if the doctrin of the Catholick Church could be contrary to Scripture he should not be able to believe rationaly and infallibly either the one or the other not the Scriptures because he receives them only vpon the authority of the Church Not the Church whose authority is infringed by Scripture which is suposed to be brought against her Si ad Evangelium me tenes ego ad eos me teneam quibus praecipientibus Evangelio credidi his jubentibus tibi omnino non credam Quod si forte in Evangelio aliquid in apertissimum de Manichaei Apostolatu invenire potueris infirmabis mihi Catholicorum authoritatem qui jubent vt tibi non credam qua infirmata jam nec Evangelio credere poterâ— quia per eos illi credideram ita nihil apud me valebit quicquid inde protulâ—ris Quapropter si nihil manifestum de Manichaei Apostolatu in Evangelio reperitur Catholicis potius credam quam tibi si aâ—tem inde aliquid manifestum pro Manichaeo legeris nec illis nec tibi illis quiÌ„a de te mihi mentiti sunt Tibi autem qui eam scripturam mihi profers cui per illos credideram qui mihi mentiti sunt Aug. cont Epist. Fundament cap. 4. Wherfore St. Austin doth not suppose as the Bishop pretends that Scripture or reason can be contrary to the definitions of the Church he professedly teaches the contrary in the very place cited and vses the alledged words quae quidem si tam manifesta monstratur c. only ex suppositione impossibili in the same manner as St. Paul speaketh Gal. 1. Jf an Angell from heaven teach otherwise then we have taught you let him be accursed St. Paul well knew it was impossible that an Angell from heaven should teach contrary to the Ghospel and so did St. Austin that the definitions of a general Councel should be contrary to Scripture or reason as appeareth by his own discours against the Manichees Vincentius Liâ—inensis abused by Mr. Laud to prove the fallibility of the Church pretending that learned Father supposed and sayd she might change into Lupanar errorum à strumpet or stewes of errors BUt A. C. tells us further saith Mr. Laud that if one may deny or doubtfully dispute against any determination of the Church then may he also against an other and so against all since all are made firm to us by one and the same divine revelation sufficiently applyed by one and the same full authority of the Church which being weakned in any one can not be firm in another First A. C. borrowed the former part of this out of Vincentius Lirinensis and as that learned Father vses it I subscribe to it but not as A. C. applyes it For Vincentius speaks there de Catholico Dogmate of Catholick Maxims c. which are properly fundamental but here the Bishop is mistaken for Vincentius speaks also of not fundamentals as of the celebrating of Easter according to St. Victor's decree the not rebaptizing of those who had bin baptized by hereticks c. now in this sense saith the Bishop give way to every cavilling disputer to deny or quarrel at the maxims of Christian Religion c. And why may he not then take liberty to do the like of any other till he have shaken all But this hinders not the Church her self nor any appointed by the Church to examin her own decrees and to see that she keep the principles of her faith vnblemished and vncorrupted for if she do not so but novitia veteribus new doctrins be added to the old the Church which is Sacrarium veritatis may be changed in Lupanar errorum I am loath to english it Hitherto the modest Bishop who quotes Vincent Lirin in his Margent for his lupanar errorum c. and for the whole discours Vincentius Lirinensis is so far from expressing any fear or suspition of danger that the Church should be changed into lupanar errorum a stews of errors by addition of novelties or falling from the primitive doctrin that as if he had foreseen this corruption of his meaning and cutting short his words practised by Mr. Laud he declares in that very place by him quoted that only hereticks and vngodly men can entertain any such thoughts of Christs spouse sed avertat hoc a suorum mentibus divina pietas sitque hoc potius impiorum furor
and our industry the new English Church is brought vnto the faith of Christ we grant to you the vse of the Pall the proper badge or sign of Archiepiscopal dignity to wear it when you say Mass and we condescend that you ordain twelve Bishops vnder your Jurisdiction yet so that the Bishop of London be consecrated hereafter by a Synod of his own Bishops and receive his Pall from this holy Apostolical Sea wherin I by the authority of God do now serve Our will likewise is that you send a Bishop to York to whom we intend also to give the Pall that is to make him Arch-bishop but to you shall be subject not only the Bishops you make and he of York but all the Bishops of Britain If Vrban the 2. sayd St. Anselm of Canterbury was a Patriarch none can deny but that he received that dignity and his Iurisdiction from Saint Gregory as the others of the East did from the Sea of Rome That the Patriarchs of the East were subject and did appeal to the Bishop of Rome is evident in the Ecclesiastical History and as for the law of not appealing from a Patriarch Mr. Laud could not be ignorant it was intended for the inferior Clergy who of ordinary cours were not to appeal further then to the primat of their province for so the Councell of Afrik determins His Lordship without doubt did see also how in that very Councell it is acknowledged that Bishops in their own causes might appeal to Rome Mr. Fisher askt the Bishop Quo Judice doth it appear that the Church of Rome hath erred in matters of faith as not thinking it equity that protestants in their own cause should be Accusers witnesses and Iudges of the Roman Church He answers there is as litle reason or equity that any man who is to be accused should be the accused and yet wittness and Judge in his own cause Fisher replyes that the Church of Rome is the principal and Mother Church and that therfore though it be against common equity that subjects and Children should be Accusers Witnesses Iudges and Executioners against their Prince and mother in any case yet is it not absurd that in some cases the Prince or mother may accuse witness Iudge and if need be execute Iustice against vnjust and rebellious or evil Children especialy if the prince or mother be infallible But the Controversy being at length reduced vnto this whether the Church might not err in doctrin as Princes and parents do in governing their subjects and Children Mr. Fisher sayes it can not and proves it by that of St. Mathew 16.18 That Hell gates shall never be able to prevail against the Church The Bishop sayes this is to be vnderstood that errors which are meant by Hell gates shall never be able to prevail against the Church in Fundamental Articles and confirms this his saying by one of St. Austin quoting his words thus pugnare potest expugnari non potest wheras if his Lordship had bin pleased to set down St. Austins words sincerly as he ought the case had bin cleerly decided St. Austins words are Ipsa est Ecclesia sancta Ecclesia vna Ecclesia vera Ecclesia Catholica contra omnes haereses pugnans And then come in pugnare potest expugnari tamen non potest The Church fights against all heresies contrary to every article and by consequence whether Fundamental or not and yet expugnari non potest she can not be overcome All heresies saith the Saint depart from her as vnprofitable branches cut of from the vine but she remains still in her root in her vines in her charity the gates of Hell shall not overcome her All this as not being for his Lordships purpose who challenged all our party to shew one Father for 1200. years after Christ that concluded the infallibility of the Church out of Mathew 16.18 is concealed by the Bishop from his Reader The like fraud is practised by this Lordship in answering to that Text of St. Irenaeus ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles in qua semper ab his qui sunt vndique conservata est ea quae est ab Apostolis Traditio These words he sets down in the Margent and doth English them thus To this Church he speaks of Rome fot the more powerfull principality of it t is necessary that every Church that is the faithfull vndique round about should have recours Laud pag. 182. First he translates vndique which signifies ordinarily from all places parts and every where round about to the end St. Irenaeus might be thought to make the Sea of Romes principality a bare primacy of order and precedency and then confine its Iurisdiction to Italy Sardinia and Corsica but hereby he would make the Saint speak non-sense for he vsed this argument against the Gnosticks in France and other hereticks and gives us this rule of Christianity that the doctrin or Tradition of the Roman Church is the touchstone of all Apostolical doctrin If therfore vndique in this place doth signify no more then round about Rome and therby the more powerfull principality Irenaeus speaks of be restrained to precedency and the Roman Iurisdiction to sole Italy and its Islands he must have argued thus T is necessary that Italy Sardinia and Corsica should have recours to Rome for its Bishops precedency of place or in regard of his Patriarchal power within Italy and the adjacent Islands Therfore the Gnosticks in France and all other hereticks of the world are convinced of heresy for not having recours to the Sea of Rome This would be a far fetcht consequence and as vnworthy St. Irenaeus found Iudgment as its necessary to defend Mr. Lauds false comment and Religion Yet to make this appear not so improbable an interpretation Mr. Laud pag. 181. tells us that Irenaeus was a Bishop of the Gallican Church and a very vnlikly man to captivat the liberty of that Church vnder the more powerfull principality of Rome as if forsooth the so much talkt of liberties of the Gallican Church which were not claimed or thought on vntill 1300. years after St. Irenaeus his time could move him to limit the Popes spiritual Iurisdiction to Italy or that the Gallican liberties did exclude it now from France These are too gross mistakes and can hardly be excused by ignorance in so knowing a person as Mr. Laud is thought to have bin After the same manner doth he abuse St. Gregory Nazianzen who speaking of the Roman Church saith Vetus Roma ab antiquis temporibus habet rectam fidem semper eam retinet sicut decet vrbem quae toti orbi praesidet semper de Deo integram fidem habere These words the good Bishop translates thus into English pag. 12. Ancient Rome from of old hath the right faith and alwayes holds it as becomes the
Citty which is governess over the whole world to have an entire faith in and concerning God But saith his Lordship there is no promise nor prophecy in St. Gregory that Rome shall ever so do And to make this the more cleer to his illiterat English Reader he leaves out the word ever in the later part of his Translation and in his gloss vpon the sentence omitts the same word again saying only it became that Citty very well to keep the faith sound and entire But How long Semper saith St. Gregory for ever Therfore Bishop Laud thought fit to conceal that semper At length he acknowledgeth a double semper in S. Gregory but misplaceth the later His words are plain saith he semper decet c. wheras St. Gregory saith not semper decet c. it alwayes becomes but decet it becomes that Citty which Governs the whole world semper de Deo integram fidem habere alwayes to have the entire faith of God Now who sees not a manifest difference betwixt these two propositions It alwayes becomes that Citty to hold the entire faith And It becomes that Citty to hold the entire faith alwayes The first only signifies the keeping of the faith entire whensoever it is don is a thing well becoming the Citty of Rome The second signifies to keepe the faith so that it must never fail or cease to keep it entire is a thing well becoming the City which Governs the whole world Besides the Government wherof St. Gregory speaks must be vnderstood of souls or spiritual because Roma vetus did not govern in his time temporaly seing the Emperour resided in New Rome that is Constantinople Therfore St. Gregorys words are to be vnderstood of the Popes spiritual Iurisdiction who governed the souls of the whole world as supreme Pastor vnder Christ. But Patriarch Laud can not endure this and will needs haue all Bishops or at least all Patriarchs equal with the Bishop of Rome by Christs institution and proves it p. 200 by the authority of St. Hierom whom Mr. Laud mistakes for the St. speaks only of the caracter of Episcopacy and sayes that all Bishops are ejusdem Sacerdotii ejusdem meriti and by Gersons Book de Auferibilitate Papae when Gerson saith he writ this Tract de Auferibilitate Papae sure he thought the Church might continue in a very good being without a Monarchical head Therfore in his Judgment the Church is not by any command or institution of Christ Monarchical Gerson par 1.154 Answ. Gerson that famous Chancellor of Paris writ that Book in time of Schismes and Troubles wherin for the peace of the Church doubtfull Popes may be deposed as also Hereticks But Gerson never meant that a Pope may be so deposed as none other should succeed he defends the contrary earnestly and expresly consid 8. His words are Any civil monarchy or regal Government may be taken away or changed into an Aristocracy the law still continuing in force but it is not so in the Church which was founded by Christ in one supreme Monarch throughout the world Because Christ Instituted no other Government vnchangeably Monarchicall and as it were regal besides the Church Can any words be more express against Mr. Lauds assertion and yet his assertion is so positive that I have known a Catholick Divine deceived by his authority in this particular but after examination wondred at the Bishops confidence I conclude this matter of Protestant falsifications with this fair offer let the learned men of that side shew but any one saying of any ancient Orthodox Father or Councell quoted by the reformed writers of any Nation or quality whatsoever to confirm protestancy and if it be not found either impertinent or corrupted by addition omission translation or concealing the words going before or coming after whervpon depends the true meaning of the Text let them J say but shew one of these that speaks cleerly in favour of Protestancy and I will confess in print that J have bin mistaken in the opinion I have of their Religion and of its want of truth But if not as much as one Orthodox Doctor can be produced to support their Tenets and the credit of Protestant writers I hope they will not take it in ill part that we advise our Contreymen and all Christians to renounce their Conduct and Communion SECT XII VVhether it be piety or policy to permit the Protestant Clergy of these three Kingdoms to enjoy the Church Revenues for maintaining by such Frauds and Falsifications as hitherto have bin alledged the doctrin of the Church of England which also they acknowledge to be fallible and by consequence for all they know fals and how the said revenues may be conscientiously applyed to the vse and ease of the people without any danger of sacrilege or any disturbance to the Government if a publick Trial of both Clergies sincerity be allowed and liberty of Conscience granted THat it cannot be piety in a Prince or people to cast away so vast a Treasure vpon so vncertain a Religion and Clergy as we have proved the Protestant to be needs no proof Neither is there any doubt but that it was policy though not piety in Q. Elizabeth whose title could not stand with popery to bestow the sayd revenues vpon any men that would call themselves a Clergy and engage to fool the vulgar sort with fals Scripture for framing a Religion or reformation agreable to her title and interest against the Royal line of the Stewards lawfull heires of this Monarchy As litle question can be made that the present possessors and pretenders of Bishopricks and Benefices will endeavor to justify and continue Q. Elizabeths cours though the case be altered and that such of the layty as have vnlawfull designs in their hearts will side with the Bishops and strive to gain or make a party and win the hearts of ignorant and seditious people by pretending great zeal for that prelatick Religion wherby Q. Elizabeth vsurped the Crown and her Creatures the revenues of the Church not despairing but that as she by the advice of her Councel and Clergy forc't or foold this Nation out of their loyalty and duty to the Stewards by pretending that popery is Idolatry so themselves may vpon any occasion and perhaps vpon the motion of liberty of conscience have the like success against K. Charles the second as Q. Elizabeth had against the Queen of Scots This is the only objection can be made against liberty of Conscience from which say they will spring Popery and will be the plea of policy against piety in case the falshood of prelatick protestancy and the frauds of the faction interested therin should be as zealously cryed down as we presume it to be cleerly discovered in this Treatise Our answer to this plea is 1. That liberty of conscience and legal changes of Religion in England have bin alwayes made by Acts of Parliament as we may see
in the statuts of K. Henry 8. K. Edward 6. Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth and against resolutions taken in so legal and general a way no rebellious designs have ever prevailed in this Monarchy nor can because in a Parliament is involved the free consent and concurrence of the Prince and people and in case it should be judged conscionable and convenient that liberty of Conscience be granted to all Christians though thereby it could be feared the Roman Catholick Religion would be restored to these Kingdoms it must be at the instance of the people and by vote of Parliament for that the Royal family and the privy Councel are at present nothing inclin'd to Popery But we hope and pray that in time God may open his Majesties and his Councells eyes to see the Divin truth and the Temporal conveniences annexed to the ancient faith wherof this Monarchy hath bin so long deprived 2. The case between the Queen of Scots and her Royal issue now reigning is very different for albeit her right was as cleer according not only to Catholick principles but to Acts of our Protestant Parliaments as it is that a man can not have two Wives at once or that Q. Elizabeths mother could not be wife to K. Henry 8. during Q. Catherins life nor her self legitimat yet the Protestant principles and her Fathers Testament seemed to favor her succession and the Queen of Scots mariage to the Dolphin of France made the English even Catholicks more slow then they would have bin otherwise in declaring for her right in the due time which was a litle before and immediatly after Q. Mary dyed because they were not inclined to be subject to a French King or governed by his Viceroy None of these circumstances and considerations now concurring it is not likely that designing or discontented persons can take any advantage against the royal family that now reigns in case liberty of conscience or even the restoring of the Roman Religion should be judged conscientious and convenient by the Parliament 3. The Protestant Clergys sincerity is now much more suspected and the common people less incensed against popery then in Queen Elizabeths dayes when the Protestant Bishops and Ministers Sermons and Bibles made men believe that Images were Idols the Pope Anti-Christ Priests Traytors Agents for the King of Spaine c. which things now are discovered to be calumnies and impostures for the Bible making Images Idols is corrected by publick authority the Pope known to be a civil person like other men not the beast of the Apocalyps Nor Rome the whore of Babylon Priests have served the King faithfully at home and abroad and if any of them hath in our late troubles negotiated with the King of Spain or his Ministers it was then intended and since hath proved and bin owned by our gratious Soveraign to have had bin for his Majesties and his Royal Highness benefit and when they were in exile in order to their subsistance and restauration not any way against their interest Wherfore seing the people of these nations are naturaly inclined to piety though whilst they were abused by the Protestant Clergy and countenanced by the interest of an illegitimat Prince they did persecute Priests and popery as the greatest obstacles of peace and salvation yet now seing they are better informed and that in this particular of our desire to apply the Church revenues to the Crown for the defence of this Empire against all forreign and domestick Disturbers we can have no design but duty to our King and love to our Countrey there can be no ground to fear that the bare word or clamors of interested Adversaries will disturb the Government or incense a well meaning multitude against Papists Priests or any other persons that desire nothing but a peacable and publick Conference in order to liberty of Conscience and to ease these Nations of those heavy burthens vnder which they grone And indeed it concerns so much the soul and state the publick good and all privat persons to examin whether English men after so many changes may not and have not bin mistaken in matters of Religion and misled by education that we have reason to hope some worthy and zealous Protestants will be pleased for their own and the worlds satisfaction to move in Parliament that our objections against the novelty of their doctrin and the sincerity of their Clergy may be taken into Consideration and a publick Tryall allowed for the discovery either of their Cheat or of our Calumny If I be found a Calumniator no other joyned with me in this work I do engage in the word of a Christian to present my self to due punishment in case J escape the pestilence wherunto J have resolved to expose my self for the benefit and salvation of my brethren but if the Protestant learned Clergy be found Cheats I humbly and only beg that the revenues which they possess may be better bestowed not vpon the Catholick Clergy but vpon the Crown for the defence and ease of the Countrey If the Protestant Religion be true by a fair Tryal it can receive no damage nor the state incurr any danger if false besides the conversion of souls to the Catholick truth the Commonwealth may declare to whom it appertains the necessity there is of seising vpon the Church livings for the preservation of the people and by their approbation conscientiously enjoy the same And albeit never any Protestant contributed to the foundation of Bishopricks or Benefices but that all such pious works in these Kingdoms have bin founded by our Roman Catholick predecessors with an express obligation of prayer for the souls in Purgatory and of preaching the Roman Religion yet I question not but that they who by vertue of the last wills and Testaments of the Founders and long prescription of lawfull Predecessors ought to be in possession of the Temporalities of the Church are so good Patriots and dutifull subjects as to declare they will resign their right vnto his Majesty whensoever these three Kingdoms will think fit to grant liberty of Conscience or to return the ancient true Religion and therby the world may be satisfyed that our quarrell with the Protestant Clergy is not for lands but for souls and of this we have given heretofore sufficient evidence in the change of Religion made by Q. Mary having then resigned our Abbeys and impropriations to the Crown wheras the Protestant Clergy in these great warrs never presented the King with any Donative out of their vast fines and revenues This backwardnes of the Bishops in so pressing a Conjuncture together with the present poverty of the people and the dangers wherunto these nations are cast for want of a publick revenue which ought to be independant of taxes that can not be seasonably and securely raysed when they are most necessary do not only justify but exact a scrutiny into the right wherby the sacred patrimony of the Church is possessed by men
Sidon they had long since don pennance in sackcloth and ashes The works which I have don in my Fathers name beare witness of me And though you believe not me believe my works And again We know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man could do these miracles thou dost except God were with him And the reason why miracles oblige vs in conscience to believe the doctrin by them confirmed is because they are a sufficient and moral evidence of Gods authority and as it were the great Seal wherwith he warrants his Ministers and the Church to preach and propose his doctrin and Commands Now if he could put this seal to any fals doctrin or therby authorize an erroneous Church men might prudently doubt whether he doth not do so now de facto and in every particular but with such a prudent doubt none is bound to obey any Church authority and by consequence there could be no obstinacy heresy or infidelity against Gods revelations and veracity how ever so authentickly and sufficiently proposed by miracles which are the signs and badges of divin authority and the most authentick marks of the true Church To that ordinary objection of Anti-Christs miracles which though fals and feigned yet will seem so true to many that most of the world will be seduced we answer 1. That there will be an apparent difference between Anti-christian and our Catholick miracles though for want of due reflexion prudence and piety men will not consider the difference nor compare his miracles with ours 2. Christs words and warning of Anti-Christs feigned miracles is a sufficient evidence of their falshood becaus we must not credit our selves or any outward appearances against the express words of Christ. This is the reason why in the Sacrament of the Altar we are not deceived by the Species or appearance of bread and wine Though there were no other argument that Anti-Christs miracles are fals but this that the miracles of the Church both in the old and new Testament are first and that we have a Caveat to beware of such miracles and miraculists as shall come afterwards to confirm contrary doctrin whosoever is moved by Anti-Christ or his fore-runners to forsake the ancient faith and signs of the Church for novelties how ever so plausibly or prodigiously confirmed deserve damnation For there are two qualities that oblige men in reason and conscience to preferr one thing before another how ever equall they both may seem to be in other respects 1. priority of time 2. present possession We see what priviledges and prerogatives are given by the law of nature and Nations to such as are antienter by birth or nobility then others and how possession is sayd to be eleven points of the law These qualities are most properly found in our Roman Catholick doctrin it is most antient and always hath had the precedency of all pretended Reformations both in time and in the possession of the hearts of the faithful The same we say of our Catholick miracles Therfore we ought to preferr them before any others that shall appear afterwards in opposition to them Besides those miracle so credibly reported that no man can deny them without being guilty of obstinacy and rashness and besides those others continualy visible as that of St. Januarius there is an other kind of true miracles seen but not observed by every Protestant vpon which if they did reflect as many of them as mean well would become Roman Catholicks The difference between true and fals miracles is that true miracles are works besides or against the order of nature and of secundary causes and therfore may be don only by the divin power as to receive the dead to cure diseases of the body and distempers of the mind without the application of any natural means or remedys And becaus the Devil hath less power over souls then over bodys the cure of a distemper of the mind wherof no natural cause appeareth is a greater and more authentick miracle then any cure of the body how ever so prodidious Fals miracles are only such as may be don by the application of natural causes and remedies as that of Vespasianus of whom Suetonius recounts that he restored sight to a blind man and the vse of his feet to a lame man But Cornelius Tacitus doth acknowledge lib. 4. Hist. that the Physitians being consulted did answer those diseases were not incurable and Tertullian in Apologetico cap. 22. saith that both the disease and the cure was a work of the Devil Anti-Christs miracles also will be such as as may be don by the cours and concurrence of natural causes That miracles don vpon mens minds are greater then any â—â—res or changes wrought vpon the body is granted by our Adversaries and St. Bernard recounts as one of the greatest miracles of St. Malacâ—ius that he converted an obstinat soul to recant his opinion against the real presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament And for the most remarkable miracle of St. Bernard himself it is recorded how with the blessed Sacrament in his hand he did so terrify William the prowd Duke of Aquitain that he fell prostrate at his feet and he whom the most powerfâ—ll Monarchs of Christendom could not rule submitted himself to the disposal of a poor Monk becaus he threatned him with that which in appearance seemed to be and Protestants hold to â—e no more in reality or in substance then a wafer cake These things supposed as vndeniable in Philosophy and Divinity it may be easily proved that every Protestant doth or at least may see true miracles in confirmation of our Roman Catholick â—aith For without question it is either a miracle of God or of the Devil that all the Roman Catholicks not only now but for so many ages past should contrary 〈◊〉 the evidence of sense and to our natural inclination of judging according to that evidence adore for our Savior JESUS Christ that which in appearance is but a wafer cake or a Cup of wine We are either abused and seduced by Sathan or inspired and enabled by the Holy Ghost to contradict our senses which contradiction being in a matter so long and so much controverted in publick schools and general Councells and a thing wherupon depends our Salvation we can not â—e presumed if we err that we err for want of examining and comparing the reasons of both sides Catholick and Protestant especialy if we consider the number learning and integrity of the Roman Catholick Examiners and the great difficulty which they as well as all other men find in believing or judging against the evidence of sense and in denying that to be bread or wine which doth smell look tast feel and feed like bread and wine Now if we prove that this marvellous and vnanimous contradiction of our senses can not be a miracle of the Devil protestants must grant it is a miracle of God and from thence may
the examples of other Protestant Churches Whence followeth continual discontents and designs of the generality of these Protestant nations against their prelatick Clergy and the little esteeme and affection there is for the same Clergy among the reformed Churches abroad How vnsafe it is for the Prince and government to establish by law a Religion and Clergy so generaly hated and that acknowledgeth it self to be fallible in doctrin and therfore for all they know lead their flocks to eternal damnation Laws enacted to favor Religion ought to suppose not pretend to make the Religion reasonable Reason is the ground of human laws but human laws can not be the ground of Religion How dangerous it is to press too much the Act of vniformity against so great and zealous a multitude as the Sectaries are Their errors ought to be confuted with reason not rigor The prelatick Clergy whose spiritual Censures and authority ought to quash all dissentions doth cause the mischief and engageth the state in perpetual troubles for maintaining by force of law the improbability of their caracter and jurisdiction against the evidence of reason SVBSECT I. THe prelatick caracter and Religion is so incredible that few serious men in their judgments continue any long time Prelaticks By pretending a mean and moderation between Papists and Presbiterians the Prelaticks fall into manifest contradictions in defending their own caracter doctrin and disciplin How learned Protestants are forc't to confess that the Prince may force his subjects by laws to his Protestant persuasion and that every Protestant subject notwithstanding the Prince his prerogative hath a privat authority to judge of the Prince his Religion and is bound to stick to his own contrary judgment What great confusion this must occasion It is the nature of all Religions that give privat men liberty to judge of Religious controversies to cause such disorders How this inconvenience is prevented in the Roman Catholick One of the differences between it and the Protestant is that when Protestants rebell they do not violat the principles of Protestancy which makes every man Supreme in matters of faith and by consequence of state When Catholicks rebell they go against their principles that give no such supremacy or liberty Jn these last one hundred years there have bin more rebellions vpon the score of Protestancy then have bin since Christs time vpon the score of the Roman Catholick Religion In what sense the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion Whether it be policy to persecute a Religion that encreaseth against the rigor of the lawes and to promote a Religion that doth not encrease with all the helps of lawes and favors of the Prince The sanguinary and penal statuts are thought to be so vnjust even by Protestants that no honest and sober man thinks them fit to be put in execution Whether it be policy to continue such statuts All seditious persons begin their designs against the government with pressing the execution of the statuts and somtimes therby make the zealous and giddy multitude rebell Whether it were not piety and policy to repeal statuts that if put in execution make the nation and government infamous if not put in execution may occasion rebellion by reason of an indiscreet zeal in the giddy multitude Besides their being enacted to suppress the principles and destroy the persons of the Catholick party which maintained the Stevards right to the Crown ought to facilitat the repeal SVBSECT II. THe sanguinary and penall statuts of England against Catholicks can not be justified by the proceeding of the Inquisition or by laws and edicts of Christian Kings and Emperors against hereticks The first English Protestants acknowledged themselves to be hereticks when they petitioned to the Parliament 1. Ed. 6. for a repeal of all ancient statuts against hereticks not daring to preach and profess their reformed doctrin vntill the Parliament had condescended to their petition Queen Elizabeths reformation confirmed by Sanguinary statuts diametricaly opposit to primitive Christianity and therfore very strange that men so knowing as the English nobility and gentry should continue them or that persons so pious loyall and well bred should not either out of Christian charity to Catholicks or out of a dutifull civility to the Royal family that now reigns repeale laws enacted by Q. Elizabeth for ruin of the Stevards party and for excluding themselves from the Crown THE THIRD PART COntaining the conscience and conveniency of tolerating the Roman Catholick religion by Act of parliament proved by the little conscience of the Protestant clergy in maintaining Protestancy with frauds and falsifications and by the great inconveniencies this Monarchy suffers by pressing the prelatick and Protestant Religion vpon tender consciences SECT I. DEmonstrated that either the learned Protestant or the Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats Proved by the impossibility of concealing the truth of Christianity and of the true Church otherwise then by the frauds and falsifications of either Clergy So manifest are the signs of the Catholick Church and so particularly mentioned in Scripture And as one of the two Clergyes are Cheats so either the Catholick or Protestant layty are damnably careless in matters of salvation Reasons why the Catholick layty can not be thought carless the Protestant may How easily the truth may be known and how the Protestant layty may be considerably eased from extraordinary taxes by informing themselves of the truth of Religion The impudency and impiety wherwith Bp. Ievell and the first prelatick clergy imposed Protestancy vpon this nation to favor Q. Elizab pretensions and to raise themselves from Pedantry to Peerage Proved by Ievells Challenge and Sermon at Paules Cross and by his and the Prelatick clergyes Apology for their Church of England pretending that the Catholick Church for the first 600. years was Protestant How this imposture was confuted by the Catholick writers and the Protestant writers forced to acknowledge their own error How the same imposture was again maintained by succeeding prelaticks and how vnsuccesfully How Taylor revived now again the same shamfull imposture and with how great infamy to his person and discredit to his cause The Protestant layty can not without committing a damnable sin give any credit to their Clergy in matters of Religion after so many and so manifest Discoveries of the frauds and falsifications wherby alone they defend Protestancy How a conference and Triall about this matter can not be conscientiously denyed nor the denyall stand with good policy SECT II. THe same further demonstrated and that there can be no reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy SVBECT I. AND II. WHether it be charity to treat Cheats with ceremony when they are convicted of damning souls by frauds and wilfull falsifications And whether the first reformers of the English Church Cranmer and his Camerades ought not to be censured accordingly The frauds and wilful falsifications hypocrisy incontinency impiety and Atheism of the prelalatick Protestant Clergy in K. Edward
people are abused Many Protestant mistakes wherwith the common sort were fooled are now cleered and their own conveniency wil invite them to examin further the errors of doctrin incident to education from which errors the Protestant Church doth acknowledge it self not exempted If the Protestant faith be true such a trial as we desire will be of great satisfaction to the Professors therof and confirm them in their religion and convert Papists and Sectaries to the same if it be falfs besides the salvation of souls by a discovery and prosession of the Roman truth these kingdoms will be able not only to defend themselves but offend foreign Enemies after we are enabled thervnto by a conscientious addition of a million sterl per an to the publik revenue No danger of sacriledge in applying the Church revenues to pious and publick vses for the preservation of the people practised by the ancient Catholick Clergy Not one good reason why the Church of England ought not to admit of such a publick conference as we propose and desire Bishop Lauds reason to the contrary confuted The denying and differring it a sign that Protestants are guilty Catholicks grant conference to Protestants whensoever they demand it The Protestant layty have reason to question their Clergies Ordination and caracter as well as their doctrin The new change of their formes of ordination very suspicious That the Roman Religion is such a growing Religion proves it is the true Religion fit to be made the Religion of the state THE FOURTH PART THe Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherin it differs from the Protestant is confirmed by considerable Miracles recorded not in vain Legends or modern Authors but in the most authentick histories of the world and by the ancient Fathers and Doctors of Gods Church SECT J. SUch Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholik Church are true Miracles The doctrin confirmed by those Miracles cannot be rejected without doubting of Gods Veracity Every Protestant doth see though not observe true Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick faith What great scrutiny is made by the Roman Catholick Church into true Miracles and the lives of men that are to be canonized for Saints There can be no combination or cheat in such matters Some Miracles permanent that be seen by all men as that of S. Ianuarius in Naples An vndeniable Miracle of S. Francis Xavier wrought vpon Marcello Mastrilli most remarkable for many circumstances Miracles to confirm Popery related by the Magdeburgian Centurists but by them absurdly attributed to the Devil or said to be seigned True Miracles cannot be wrought to confirm falshood 't is against Gods veracity to permit the same Miracles oblige vs to believe the doctrin in confirmation wherof thy be wrought The difference between Antichrists and Catholicks Miracles or true and fals Miracles That all the Roman Catholicks adore the Sacrament and believe Transsubstantiation as also other points of Popery is an evident Miracle of God and can not proceed from the Devils power or art The Devil temps men to be hereticks by the means and ministery of their senses and by humoring the same not against the evidence and inclination of sense The general signs and marks of the Church are vndeniable Miracles No other Church besides the Roman Catholick can shew those signs SECT II. OF particular miracles that confirm the Roman Catholick Tenents and our sense of Scripture related by S. Chrysostome S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Austin S. Nilus S. Cyprian the Martyr S. Optatus S. Gregory the great and others in confirmation of adoring the B. Sacrament Transsubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion vnder one kind prayer for the dead and Purgatory Primat Vshers falsifications and fraud to discredit some of these Miracles discovered Of Miracles in England related by Waldensis and recorded by the Archbishops of Canterburyes Register How Protestants falsify the very statuts and law books Miracles wrought by S. Bernard to confirm every controverted point of the Roman Catholick doctrin against the Protestant Protestant writers confess S. Bernard was a Saint and yet say his Miracles were wrought by the Devil How absurd SECT III. MIracles to confirm the worship and vertu of the sign of the Cross recorded by St. Paulinus St. Cyril of Jerusalem St. Athanasius St. Hierom St. Gregory Tuâ—onensis Nicephorus and Theodoret. How by Tradition from the Apostles the primitive Christians were accustomed to sign themselves frequently with the sign of the Cross. The first and worst Heretiks were enemyes of that sign Christs Cross multiplyed by miracle in St. Paulinus his time Protestant miracles are but cheats Not one of them true Protestants agree with Pagans heretiks and Magitians in contemning miracles and the sign of the Cross. How the Devils dread the same SECT IV. MIracles in confirmation of the Catholick worship of Jmages related by the most eminent authors of the Ecclesiasticall History and by the 2. Councell of Nice an 787. wherin were 350. Bishops St. Peters shaddow was the Image of his body and by scripture Act. 5.15 it appears to have wrought Miracles The Protestant Imposture concerning Christs statue that Iulian the Apostata broke confuted S. Iohn Dâ—mascens hand that was cut off by the practises of Image-breakers restored by his praying at our Ladies Image The Protestant evasion of civil and religious worship confuted SECT V. MIracles related by S. Austin S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostom S. Hierom S. Optatus S. Bede S. Bernard S. Anselm and others in confirmation of prayer to Saints worshipping their Reliques of the vertue of holy water the Sacraments of Confirmaon Confession and extrem Vnction The doctrin of Indulgences confirmed by the same Miracles that confirm worship of Saints Pilgrimages c. The truth of all S. Thomas of Canterburyes Miracles evidenced by one that Fox recounts and picks out to discredit the test What litle reason Protestants have to suspect our Catholick Miracles of forgery How severe the Roman Church is in the scrutiny and punishment of such Impostures Reflections vpon Bishop Taylors Treatise of Confirmation Confession and extrem Vnction maintained to be Sacraments by ancient Fathers S. Bedes holiness and learning acknowledged by Protestants He relates Miracles wherby the errors of Protestancy are confuted How absurdly Protestants contemn the authority of the holy Fathers in Miracles admitting it in matters of faith How ridiculous John Fox his Miracles are how vnwisely the Prelatick Clergy countenance his Acts and Monuments that have so spread Puritanism in England A Paralell between Protestancy and Mahometism FINIS THE CONCLVSION To the right Honorable the Committee OF PARLIAMENT FOR RELIGION May it please your Honors VEnerable St. Bede in his History of the Church of England recounteth how St. Austin the Monk and our Apostle Sent by St. Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome to convert our Saxon Ancestors from Paganism to Christian Religion arriving at the Isle of Tanet in Kent gave notice vnto King Ethelbert then a
was through extreme necessity brought to appeale from the Bishop of Rome See also Osiander in Epitom cent 16. c. 25. p. 63. [h] Belarm praefat de Consiliis [i] Luther tom 2. Wittemberg fol. 374. 375. The Governors and Pastors of Christs sheep have power to teach but the sheep must give judgment whether they propose the voice of Christ or of strangers c. Let the Pope Bishops Councells c ordain what they please we will not hinder it but the judgment shal remain with us who are Christs sheep and heare his voice whether they propose the truth and things agreable to our Pastor and they must yeeld subscribe and obey our censure and sentence [k] Luther in Colloq Mensal fol. 158. [l] Luther in praefat in tom Germ. [m] Luther tom Germ. fol. 9. And t. 2. WitteÌ„berg of an 1562. lib. de abroganda Missa privata fol. 244. [n] Luther tom 5. Wittenb in Galat. c. 1. fol. 290. in colloq Mensal fol. 273. [o] Luther tom 7. Wittenberg anno 1558. in l. de Missa privata fol. 443. 228. tom 6. Ger. fol. 28. in lib. de Missa angulari [p] Luther in lib. de servo arbitrio contra Erasm in the first edition faith Lay aside all the armes of Orthodox antiquity schooles of Diuinity authority of Councels and Popes the consent of so many ages and of all the Christian people we receiue nothing but Scripturs yet so that we alone haue the authority of interpreting them That which we interpret is the sence of the holy Ghost that which others bring though they be great though many proceeds from the spirit of Sathan and madness [q] Mr. Chark in his answer to Censure c. as also Mr. Fulk in his Treatise against the defence of the Censure pag. 234. [r] Sutcliff in his book de vera Cathol Christi Ecclesia pag. 299. when he saith Lutherus autem nihil aliud peccavit quam quod ut homo Germanus non ita pridem Monachus c. [s] Hospinian in Hist. Sacramentar part altera after that in his prolegomen had sayd that Luther was a man adorned vvith excellent gifts vvith the light of heavenly knowledg zeale of Gods glory and raised up to restore the Ghospells light c. affirmeth fol. 131. That Luther being instructed by the Devill that the Mass vvas vvicked and being overcom with Sathans arguments did therupon abandon the Mass. [t] Luther tom 7. Wittenberg an 1558. fol. 229. setteth down the Devills words saying to Luther as being then one vvith the Papists Behold your bouldness you do these things in darknes and abuse the name of the Church c. And fol. 230. why therfore in the privat Mass dost thou blasphemously goe against the cleer words and institution of Christ c. And fol 229. going about to prove that Luther may not in the Mass communicat alone he aleadgeth the example of the other Sacraments which a man can not vse for himself saying If a man absolues himself it is no Absolution If he anoints himself it is no Unction If one marries to himself it is no mariage c. Fo these are your seaven Sacraments so plainly yet was Luther a Roman Catholik If therfore a man can not Minister to himself any of your Sacraments how comâ— that thou canst Minister to thyself alone this greatest Sacrament c. Dost thou think that Christ did institute the Sacrament for thee alone and that in thy privat Mass thou dost consecrat the body and bloud of the Lord [v] Joannes Regius in his book intituled Liber Apologeticus c. under the Title Consideratio Censurae pa. 123. saith of Luthers instruction from the Devill What doth this availe to confute Luthers doctrin of the word of God And how doe you know that it vvas an evell spirit vvho told this to Luther We know it by Luthers own Confession or if he vvere an evell spirit it doth not follow that he told lyes because the Devills speak truth som tyms vvhen they speak that vvhich the Scripture vvittnesseth [w] D. r Morton in Apolog. Catholica part 1. l. 2. c. 21. pag. 351. saith Apud Surium liquet Diabolum in specie Angelica apparuisse statimque Abbatem ut Missam celebraret hortabatur alledging there in his margent Delrium Iâ—s lib. 4. de Magia cap. 1. quaest ◠§. 5. [x] Luther in lib. de captiv Babylon saith Whosoeuer is a Christian let him be most certain that wee are all equaly Priests that is we have the same power in ministring the word and Sacrament See more of this alledged out of the edition of Jeneua by Cnoglerus in his Symbula tria pag. 157. And in loc con clas 2. pag. 136. 138. See also Luther in assert damnatis per Leonem X. art 3. where he maintains that women can absolue from sins [y] S. Augustin contra Faustum Manichaeum lib. 20. cap. 21. saith of the Mass celebrated on Saints days Although in memory of Martyrs yet not to Martyrs do we erect Altars Et lib. 22. de Civitate Dei cap 10. Vpon which Altars we offer Sacrifice not to Martyrs but to the God of Martyrs lib. cap. 27. de Civitate Dei contra Faustum Manichaeum libro 20. cap. 2â— For which of the faithfull hath at any tyme heard the Priests standing at the Altar which in the honor of God is erected upon the body of a Martyr to say in seruice tyme O Peter Paul or Cyprian I offer to thee Sacrifice The protestant writers Eusebius Altkircher us doe confess that the Arians seeing the whole Catholik Church by unanimous consent offer Sacrifice in the Mass to God the Father mistaking as Fulgentius says lib. 2. ad Monimum cap. 3. that the same was not also offered to the son argued against Catholicks that the Father was greater then the Son lib. de mystico incruento Sacrificio adversus abominandam Missae superstitionem pag. 241. And pag. 236. the same Protestant Author doth acknowledg and set down S. Irenaeus his Argument against Marcion the heretick deduced from the Churches receiued doctrin concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass and this was in the next age to the Apostles S. Augustin lib. 9. Confes. cap. 12. sayth that the Sacrifice of our price was offered for his Mother Monica being dead And de verb. Apost serm 34. That the vniuersal Church doth obserue as deliuered from their Forefathers to pray for the faithfull deceased in the Sacrifice and also to offer the Sacrifice for them Conc. 1. Nicen. Can. 14. saith the holy Councel hath bin informed that in some places and Cities the Deacons distribute the Sacrament to Priests neither rule nor custom hath deliuered that they who haue not power to offer Sacrifice should distribut the body of Christ to them who offer Concil Bracarense 3. Can. 3. Concil 12. Tolet can 5. [1.] S. Augustinus de Civitate Dei lib. 10. cap. 19. [2.] S. Cyprian lib. 2. epist. 3.
tom 5.22 * See thee nulity of the Prelatick Clergy of England cap. 2. and D. Bramhal in his vindication therof pa. 92. pag. 10â— Dr. Stapleton in his return of vntruths against Jewel fol. 130. and in his Counterblast against Horn fo 79 301 Dr. Harding Confut. Apol. fol. 57. 60 part 2. fol. 59. edit 1563 fol. 57. 59 edi 1566 Stat. 8. Elizabeth 1. Stat. 8. Eliz. 8. See the nullity of the Clergy and Church of England edit 1659. Bramhal in his vindicâ—tion pag. 132. Demonstrat Discipl cap. 8. ¶ 1 2. pag. 43. 2. part See this Act of ParliameÌ„t in the life of the Queen of Scots Written by Mr. V. dal and dedicated to King James pag. 200. 201. See 1 p. seâ— 1. Primat Bramhal's succession and vindication of the Prelatick Clergy was answered by the Author of the nullity of the Church of England and by an other book after he had both these aÌ„swers by him and durst not reply but rather coÌ„curred with his Brethren in adding the words Priests and Bishop to their forms of ordination as appeareth in their last edition of the CommoÌ„ praier rites c. of the Church of England See in the epistle Dedicatory and our Preface the Act of Parliament preferring any natural issue of Queen Elizabeth to the Crown before the royal family of the Stewards See Udal a ProtestaÌ„t in his history of the Queen of Scots wher he proves how the bastard Mâ—rry by the means of John Knox and others that he employed changed the ancient Religion in Scotland to the end him self might be made King by the Protestants and how afterwards by the same way he murthered King James his Father and persecuted King James and his mother all vnder the pretext of a Protestant Reformation Luther in epist. ad Argentinenses anno 1525. Christum à nobis primò vulgatumau demus gloriari See part 2 sect 5. n. 5. See M. r Belson Bishop of Winchester in his true difference c. part 2. pag. 353. See M. r Rogers in the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England pag. 103. pervsed aÌ„d published by the Lawful authority of the Church of England an 1633. Calvin in Dan c. 6. v. 22. 23. Abdicant se potestate terreni Principes duÌ„ insurgunt coÌ„tra Deum c potius ergo coÌ„spicere oportet in illorum capita quam â—llis parere c. (a) Perkins in his exposition vpon the Creed p. 400. vve say that befor the days of Luther for the space of many hundred years an vniversal Apostacy overspread the vvhole face of the earth and that our Church vvas not then visible to the world Mr. Napper upon the revelations dedicated to King Jams pag. 143. saith from Constantin's time vntill these our days even 1260 years the Pope and his Clergy hath possessed the out ward visible Church of christianity [b] vpon thy vvalls ö Jerusalem have I set vvatchmen all the day and all the night for ever they shal not be silent Esay 62.6 see Ephes. 4.11 (c) Dr. Powel in his consideration of the Papist's supplication pag 43. Buchanan in loc com pa. 466. And Whitaker contra Camp rat 7. pag. 101. 102. contr Duc. pag. 277. This Whitaker after vainly attempting to shew the beginning of Popery and seing the insufficiency of his particular instances doth at length acknowledg his weakness and runs with the rest of his Protestant Championâ— to divert the Reader from the evidence of truth so deceitful and silly similituds (d) Luther tom 2. Wittemb anno 1551. lib. de se. arbit pag. 434 [e] Luther in parâ—a Confess to 3. Germ fol. 55. in Colloq mons Germ. fol. 210. (f) Mr. Gabriel Povvel in his consideration of the Papists supplication pag. 70. [g] Fox act and Mon. pa. 40 Jewel in his Apology p. 4. c. 4.5 2. and in his defence of the Apology edi 1571. p. 426 (h) Andreas Museâ—lus in praef in libellum Germ. de Diaboli Tyranide Nicolaus Androphius Conc. â— de Luthero [i] Conrad Schlusletbur Catal. haeret l. 13. pa. 314 seqq (k) M. Cartwright in M. whit gifts defence pag. 17. [l] Luther contra Regem Angliae fol. 344. I pass not if a thousand Austins a thousand Cyprians a thousand King Henry's Churches stood against me Et libro de se. arbit contra Eras. edit 1. Lay a side all the arms of orthodox antiquities c. see also nullus and nemo G. 6. pag. 153. And Cnoglerus his symbola tria pag. 152. [m] Danaeus pag. 939. in his answer to Belarm of the confess'd austerity of life of S. Bernard S. Francis S. Dominick the Monks c. says they were all fools And M. r Willet who maketh a special Treatise against the austerity of the ancient Fathers in pag. 358. of his Synopsis reproved S. Bazil S. Gregory Nazianzen for plucking down themselves by immoderat fasting and concludeth Wher in all the Scripturs learn'd these men thus to punish their bodys Oseander reprehended S. Anthony the Eremit for the same and saith his Religion was superstition And Calvin lib. 4 cap. 12. sect 8. that the austerity of the ancient Fathers was not excusable and differeth much from God's prescript and is very dangerous And Iunius in his animadversions pag. 610. 611 attributs S. Simon Stilletes his austerity and Miracles to cunjuring melancoly and his prophecies to suggestion from the Devill [n] Bucer one of the Composers of the Common prayer-book and of the Religion of the Church of England whom Mr. Withguift Archbishop of Canterbury in his defence pag. 522. termeth a Reverend learned painfull sound Father teacheth in his applauded work of the Kingdom of Christ and translated into English that it is lawful to procure liberty by a libel of divorce to marry again not only in the case of adultery but in case of the on 's departure from the other in case of homicide theft or repairing to the company or banquets of immodest persons likewise in case of incurable infirmity of the woman by Child birth or of the man by lunacy or otherwise See his own words in the aforsaid work l. 2. c. 26. 27. pag. 99. 100. cap. 28. pag. 101. saies that who ever will not induce his mind to love his wife with conjugal charity that man is commanded by God to put her away and marry an other And in Math. cap. 19. saith that the wife repudiated either justly or vnjustly if she hath no hopes to return to her husband and desirs to live piously and wants a husband may be marryed to an other without sin The whole University of Cambridg comends this Bucer for a man most holy and truly devine and this letter of commendations is printed with Bucer's Book wherin he teacheth this doctrin see it pag. 944. Luther's words in Serm. de Matrim are notorious If the wife will not or can not come let the mayd come Et ibd fol. 123. tom 5.
noâ—is Ecclesiae cap 9 Apparatus ad Tom. 1. pag. 49. Sutcliff pag. 199. Sutcliff pag. 279. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 20. Luther de Captiuit Babylon in cap. 15 Ioan. in 6. art against the execrable Bull c. Melancton disp de paenitentia prop. 7. Concil Trid. Sess. 6. c. 8. Catech. ad Paroch de paen Sacram pag. 290. Luther lib. 1. de natura hominis art 4. Luther lib. contra Ambr. Cathar Luther in Concil Germ. cap. de Anti-Christo Calvin lib. 3. Instit. c. 20. â— 21. Calvin Instit. lib. 3. c 4. §. 1. See part 2. 3. Cor. 7. Cyprian ser. de caena Domini See St. Cyril of Hierusalem Cateches Missagog 4. S. Ambros lib. 4. de Sacram. c. 4. de ijs qui Mysterijs initiantur c. 6. St. August vide Canonean do consec dist 2. Answer 85. St. Basil. in Regulis brevioribus Interrogatione 288. St. Ambrose l. de paenit cap. 6. St. Austin hom 49. c. 3. Aug. lib. de vera falsa paenitentia cap. 10. cap. 14. St. Gregory Nyssen orat in eos qui durius alios judicant Petro Francisco Zeno. Interpret Pag. 128. St. Ambrose l. 1. de paenit cap. 2. ser. 10. in psal 128. St. Hierom. in proverb cap. 11. saith it is to be observed that although there be no hope of pardon after death yet be there soâ—e who may be absolved after death from such light sins as they carried with them out of this life They may be absolved I say either by suffering punishment or els by the prayer almes and masses of their living friends But to whom soever these things are don thy are don to them before the last Judgment and for lighter faults De hac quaestione nihil Ecclesia definiuit sunt autem multae opiniones Belarm lib. 12. de purgat cap. 6. initio pag. 178. passim St. Bernard ser. 66. in Cant. St. Gregory Nyssen orat de mortuis Purge me o Lord in ths life c. that I may not stand in need of that ameÌ„ding fire which is for those who shall be saued but so as by fire Aug. in psal 37. It is manifest that they aged persons dying in smaller sins being purged before the day of Judgment by temporary pains which their souls do suffer they shall not be deliuered to the punishment of eternal fire Aug. l. 20. de Ciuit cap. 13. Vsher's Answer pag. 179. Answer pag. 182. See Sir Edward Sands in his relations cap. 53.54 Hieremias Constantinopol Resp. 1. c. 12. 13. Gabriel Alexand ep ad Clem. 8 Hypathius Ruthenorum legatus in professione fidei Graeci Venetiad Card. Guisianum q 10 Zaga Zabâ— Ethiop in Confessione fidei Aethiop Gennadius Scholarius c. Purgatorio sec. 1. 5. Answer pag. 420 Reply against Harding p. 379. St. Austin contra Faust. Manichaeum lib. 20. c. 21. Answer pag. 377. Mathew 4. v. 10 St. Epiphan Haeres 79. parag 6. 7 Ibid parag 2. Vsher translates But thou o Lord and adds interrogations to help his fraud Adjuvent nos eorum merita quos propria impediunt scelera excuset intercessio accusat quos actio qui eis tribuisti caelestis palmam triumphi nobis veniam non deneges peccati Pag. 24. against Fisher Aug. serm 14 de verbâ— Apostoli in fine Laud pag. 33 Ibid. Pag. 34. B. Laud. E. Quae quidê si tam manifesta monâ—ratur vt in dubium venire non possit praeponenda est omnibus illis rebus quibus in Catholicateneor Ita si aliquid apertissimuÌ„ in Evangelis St. Aug. contra Fund c. 4. Pag. 38. Vincent Lirin cap. 23.24 he sayes the Pelagians erred in Dogmate fidei and yet they erred not in a prime maxime but in a superstructure Vin. Lirin cont haer c. 31. Impiorum turpiumerrorum lupanar vbi erat ante castae incorruptae Sacrarium veritatis Bp. Laud pag. 38. Pag. 39. Christi vero Ecclesia sedula cauta depositorum Custos nihil in ijs vnquaÌ„ permutat nihil minuit nihil addit non amputat necessaria non apponit superflua non amittit sua non vsurpat allena Vincent Lirin cap. 22. Se hertofore part 2. Ego vero Evangelio non crederem nisi me Ecclesiae commoveret authoritas Aug. lib. 1. contra Epist. Fund c. 5. Bishop Laud pag. 81. edit 1639. Vbi Ecclesia Catholica Episcopos populos à tempore Apostolorum vsque in hodiâ—rnum diem sibimet succedentium importat sic accipit nomeÌ„ Ecclesiae Augustinus cum asserit quod non crederet Evangelio niâ—â— eum authoritas Ecclesiae c. Ocham Dial. part 1. lib. 1. cap. 4. Hos. 4.15 A.C. pag. 58. Guilielm Malmesbur in prolog lib. 1. de gâ—stâ—s Pontif. Angl. p. 195. St Bed lib. 5. Eccl. Hist. cap. 20. Bede lib. 1. Eccl. Histor. cap. 29. See this Treatise par 1. sec· 1. Concil Afrik Can. 101. Ut Romam liceat Episcopis provocare ut Clericorum causae apud suarum provinciarum Episcopos finiantur etiam litteris nostris ad eundem venerabilis memoriae Zozimum Episcopum datis insinuari curâ— vimus c. Concil African ep ad Bonifac pap to which St. Austin subscribed St. Irenaeus l. 3. cap. 3. Gregor Nazian in Car de vita sua See D Lauds labyrinth p. 135. 136 Hierom. ep ad Evagrium Auferibilis non est usque ad consummationeÌ„ saeculi Vicarius sponsus Ecclesiae â— quin aliquis certus ei praeficiatur c. Gerson Consid 20. A faire offer to Protestants See the petition and instrument of the Catholick Clergyes resignation in Doctor Heylins Ecclesia restaurata pag. 43. and the Stat. 1. Mar. and in this Treatise part 1. No sacrilege to apply the Church revenues to the Crown in some cases See the Sentence of Pope Julius 3. sent to Queen Mary an 1554. And the reasons therof set down by Dr. Burges in his book No Sacrilege nor sin c. 52. 53. wherof the last reason is seeing the goods and possessions of the Church even by the authority of the Canon laws may be aliened for the redemption of Captives and that the same may be don by that Church only to whom such possessions do belong it is fit and reasonable that such dispensations should be granted for continuing of possession already gotten for so great a good of publick concord and vnity of the Church and preservation of the State as well in body as in soul pag. 54. edit 1660. A publick Trial and Conference desired by Catholicks See Doctor Allen in his Apol. for the Seminaries And Persons in his Defence of the Censure Arch. Lauds reason confuted See the Nullity of the Protestant Church and Clergy See also my Erasus junior and an other book of mine called Erastus seni See the late or last EditioÌ„ of the Common prayer book since his Maj. happy restauration and there you shall find the words Priest and Bishop put into this their new form which are not
as an essential requisit the vndoubted assurance of the truth of what is proposed by the Church as revealed by God and Protestancy necessarily supposing fallibility or possibility of error in that same Church and proposal Christian faith is ther by rendred impossible and the Protestant Doctrin demonstrated 〈◊〉 be inconsistent with the nature of Catholick Religion with the certainty of Divine faith and with the Authority of Christ's Church Neither is the Protestant doctrin in this particular less consistent with Christian charity and humility then with Catholick faith For what judgment can be more rash injurious and contrary to Christian charity then to assert that so many holy and learned Doctors as have bin and are confessed Papists and even the whole visible Church for the space at least of 1000. years could either ignorantly mistake or would wilfully forsake the true sence of God's word so cleerly shining in Scripture as every petty Protestant doth pretend or what is more repugnant 〈◊〉 Christian modesty and humility then that homely Doctors and half witted wits should preferr their own privat opinions in matters of faith before the common consent and belief of 〈◊〉 Fathers of the Church the Definitions of general Councels the Tradition and testimony of so many ages Jt is both a ridiculous and sad spectacle to see how every student of the University that hath learn'â— to conster 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 or to quibble or scribble some-what in Greek English or Latin takes vpon him to talk of Religion and to censure St. 〈◊〉 St. Austin St. Christom c. and contemn both ancient and modern Catholick Avthors preferring before the whole Church him-self and his Poâ—antick Tutors or Fellows of Oxford and Cambrige Collâ—gâ—s Nay the illiterat people even the women are grown to that height of spiritual pride an infallible 〈◊〉 of Heresy that they pitty our Popish ignorance and fancy they can 〈◊〉 with the Text of their English Bibles falsly translated and fondly interpreted the greatest Roman Divines So true is the saying of St. Hierom in Epist. ad Paulinum Scripture is the only art which all people teach before they have learn't The pratling woman the old doting man c. And therfore advers Lucifer bids men not flatter them-selves with quoting Scripture to confirm their opinions seing the Devill him-self made vse of God's word which consists more in the sense then in the letter How impossible is it to govern peaceably so pratling and presuming a Protestant multitude either in Church or state is too manifest by the last experiences in England wher the endeavours of reducing this Protestant arrogancy to some kind of reason was the occasion and object of the Rebellion King Charles I. and his Councel for attempting to make the inferiors subordinat to their superiors in doctrin and disciplin and the subjects obedient to the laws of the land were aspers'd as Papists and destroy'd as enemies to the Evangelical liberty of Protestancy and as subverters of the fundamental principles of the Reformation Popish rebellions happen because the Promotors therof fall from that fervor of their faith and devotion which they ought to practise but the English Protestant Rebellion was raised and continued by the most devout pure fervent and zealous sort of Protestants in persuance and maintenance of their Religion Other rebellions are commonly vnexpected chances springing from a sudain fury or feare of desperat people but the late Rebellion was and is to this day pretended by many to have bin a pious and sober proceeding the King's murther only excepted of the prudent and Religious men of the Nation assembl'd in Parliament and is so justifiable by the principles of Protestancy that he must be thought not only a wise but a fortunat King of England that can prevent or suppress the like revolution in his Reign so long as Protestancy doth reign with him The reason is as manifest as the experience and the cause as the effect For if a Common-wealth were so instituted that every privat person might pretend by his birth-right or Privilege to admit of no other Iudg or Interpreter of the laws but him-self or at least might lawfully and legaly appeale from all Courts of Judicature even from the highest which is the Parliament to his own privat Judgment what intollerable confusion would it breed what justice subordination peace propriety or prosperity could be expected in such a government The same laws and authority which ought to decide all differences would be the subject and occasion of perpetual quarrells This is the condition and constitution of Protestant Churches and States Every privat person is a supreme Iudg of Religion and sole Interpreter of Scripture he may appeale both from Soveraigns and Bishops from their temporal and Ecclesiastical laws to his own privat judgment or spirit and him-self must determin the difference and conclude whether the Decrees of Church and State be agreable to God's word that is to his own Interpretation therof which commonly is byassed by privat interest or some singular fancy of his own And though the Governors and Clergy of his Church and Country tell him he ought to suspend his judgment and submit the same to 〈◊〉 Parliament or to a general Councel not like that of Trent but to one composed of all Nations and Christian Congregations called by the joynt authorâ—â—y of all temporal Princes but in the mean time he must 〈◊〉 to the Decrees of the Church and state wherof he is a member when they inculcat this lesson vnto a zealous Protestant◠〈…〉 not so simple as to believe that they who read this 〈◊〉 speak as they think or that they believe any such general Councel is possible for that every 〈◊〉 knows temporal Princes will never agree about the President time place and other circumstances of such a Counceâ—â— and though they should and the Turck and other Infidels give way to such a sâ—spitious Assembly of Christians yet when they mâ—tâ— nothing could be resolu'd â—or want of their agrement in a 〈◊〉 of judging of controversies every sect â—â—icking to it 's own principles and proper sence of Scripture So thaâ— every Protestant vnderstands the design of this doctrin to be but a fetch of their own Clergy to make it-self in the mean time solâ— Judg of Religion contrary to the principles and privileges of Protestancy and therfore laugh at the folly of such a proposal and pretext We Roman Catholicks need no such Devices nor delays we are content to submit to such general Councels as may be had our Popes and Councels define according to the tradition and sense of Scripture of the true Church our Censures must suppose known causes and crimes and if with all these cautions the Pop's spiritual jurisdiction is thought to be so dangerous to the soveraignty of Kings and peace of subjects least forsooth it might be indirectly applyed to temporal matters that all Protestants vpon that score renounce the Papal authority with how much more reason
ought every one to renounce his own judicature of Religion and Scripture tyed to no rules but to his own discretion and to an indiscernable and privat spirit There is greater danger that Protestants may abuse this spiritual Soveraignty by an indirect application therof to temporal affaires then the Pope his who being a stranger and at such a distance can not if he would have the conveniencies oportunities and occasions of plotting rebellion which Natives and subjects may lay hold on with less danger of a discovery and greater hopes of success It is sayd that in time of a Parliament wherin many of the lower House stood vpon higher termes then was thought convenient for the state though warranted by the purest Protestancy a Gentleman presented a petition to King James who seemed to admire that any would sue to him in a time ther were as his Majesty said three hundred Kings sitting in the House of Commons and therfore bid the Gentleman repaire thither for relief We see in the late long Parliament how some few membres of the House of Commons prevail'd against K. Charles I. in his own Court and Citty by making them-selves popular vpon the score of the Protestant Religion and Scripture How afterwards these and their faction were supplanted by Cromwell's sense of Scripture and how that he wanted only the name of King How after his death every Commander had hopes to succeed him in this power and Protectorship and without question some might had not the Duke of Albermalâ— bin so honest We have grounds therfore to say that every Protestant that hath wit and valor and will take hould of the advantages of his Religion may hope to be a King or Protector and we cannot but admire that any states-man doth except against the Roman Catholick Tenets for admitting of one Pope wheras according to the ground and principles of all Protestant Reformations there are as many Popes as Proâ—â—stants and every one of them much more absolute then the Bishops of Rome and their supremacy less consistent whith the security of Princes and peace of the people then his spiritual jurisdiction Besids the stay and security of a state consists in a discreet distribution of publick charges and employments and this in the choyce of persons qualified with such signs of conscience and loyalty as can hardly be counterfeited or misapplied wherof the principal is the profession of the Religion of the state therfore we see non trusted in weighty affaires of the Common-wealth but such as are of the Prince his Religion But if that Religion have no certain rule or only such a rule that maks men of no certain Religion it can be no more a sign of conscience and loyalty or fit to direct â—he King and Councell in their choyce of persons for their purpose and â—ust then a plume of feathers or a garniture of ribands fancied for it's colours The reason is obvious and concluding because the security of a King and the prosperity of his Kingdoms is grounded vpon the loyalty of his subjects and servants who are intrusted with secret designs and publick employments both in the civill and military list their loyalty is directed by their conscience their conscience by their Religion their Religion by their rule of faith If therfore their rule of faith be but their own fancy of Scripture or Scripture as it is interpreted by every man's privat judgment without any obligation of conscience to submit to the contrary interpretation of their national Synâ—â— or Church because neither of them pretend to be infallible then loyalty conscience religion government and King are as subject to the changes of fortune and animosities of faction as the fickle fancy of every privat person is apt to vary according to his weackness of Iudgment or strength of passion and to declare for that party which will be most for his interest This inconstancy of the reformed Religions is acknowledged by them-selves Duditius a learned and zealous protestant quoted and highly commended by Beza for his piety and elegant witt ep 1. ad Andraeam Duditium pag. 13. lamenteth the condition of his reformed Brethren in these words They are carryed about with every wind of doctrin now to this part now to that whose Religion what it is to day you may perhaps know but what it will be to morrow neither you nor they can certainly tell pag. 5. ep Bezae cit In what head of Religion do they agree that impugn the Roman Bishop If you examin all from the head to the foot you shal almost find nothing affirmed by on which another will not averr to be wicked And their Divines do dayly differ from them-selves Menstruam fidem habentes coyning a monthly faith Now what smale hopes there are of remedying this mis-fortune Sands ingeniously confesseth in his relation fol. 82. The Papists have the Pope as a common Father Adviser and Conductor to reconcile their jarrs to decide their differences to draw their Religion by consent of Councels vnto vnity c. wheras on the contrary side Protestants are as severed or rather scattered troups each drawing adiverse way without any means to pacify their quarrels no Patriarch one or more to have a common superintendance or care of their Churches for correspondency and vnity no ordinary way to assemble a generall Councel of their part the only hope remaining ever to assuage their contention To this we may add the saying of Melancton as remarkable as true Quos fugiamus habemus sed quos sequamur non intelligimus we know who we should avoyd meaning the Papists Religions is to believe what you think fit according to your best vnderstanding of a writing you can not vnderstand by any human and privat industry of your own and will not learn from any publik authority of the Church because by following the interpretation of the Church you fancy that you may be mistaken so that for feare of being mistaken in or by publick authority the protestant either falls into obstinacy in his own privat opinion or into an indifferency for all opinions and so becoms to be an Heretick or of no Religion Among the protestant Confessions of faith the 39. Articles of the prelatick Church of England is estem'd an excellent piece and yet the same Articles acknowledg that the visible Church of God hath erred and may err from time to time and by consequence the prelatick may have erred in this very assertion as in most of the 39. Articles How this acknowledged vncertainty of truth can agree with the certainty or Christianity of faith or with any hopes of salvation I can not comprehend But albeit these articles seem as insufficient for salvation as men are vncertain of their truth yet are they thought usefull to the government for though they want the substance that is the certainty of faith yet they have the face of religion and formality of law because they talk of God Christ Trinity c. And are
would follow the greater the authority is the more slow we ought to be in submitting therunto or which is the same the more inclined God is to truth and the more powerfull he is to practise the same and to keep the Church stedy to truth the more slow we ought to be in believing the Church or God's known Ministers and Messengers SECT XIV Reasons for liberty of Conscience and how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the state by continuing and pressing the sanguinary and penal statutes against the Roman Catholick faith and the Act of vniformity against sectaries THere is not any thing more damnable to soules or more dangerous to states then to make the laws of the land the rule of faith and temporal statuts the ground of spiritual jurisdiction It is endeed Christian piety to fence and favour Religion with Imperial edicts and Royal Decrees and therfore it was prophecied of the Church Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy Mothers but to found the belief of eternal verities and of Christian Religion vpon temporal statuts and to frame the doctrin of the Church and the Caracter of the Clergy according to Acts of Parliament and to the interest of the Prince is neither piety nor policy in lawfull and vndoubted Soveraigns What Queen Elizabeth did to salue the sore of her illegitimacy was as great a prejudice and ought as litle be made a president to the royall family of the Stewards as Oliver Cromwel's Tyrany the laws and Religion of both equaly tending to it's total ruin and exclusion from the Crown with this only difference that Queen Elizabeth destroy'd the Stewards by reforming the Old Religion whervpon their right was grounded but Cromwell destroy'd them by reforming the New Religion whervnto they had conformed and wherby they endeavored to setle their Throne And indeed Souveraigns can expect no greater security or better success then the Royal family of the Stewards hath had whilst the Religion which their Subjects profess hath no other certainty or setlement but what is received from an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture confirmed by temporal statuts That the Protestant prelatick Religion hath no other rule but this and the laws of the Lands is manifest by so many changes of it's articles liturgy caracter and Translations of Scripture by publick and Parliamentory authority That it hath no certainty from it's own principleâ— is manifest by the acknowledged fallibility of that Church and by the liberty of interpreting God's word and by the prerogative of judging controversies of faith which the Tenets of all the Reformations and example of the first Reformers allow to any particular person that will claim the privilege of a reformed Christian or the spirit of a godly or guifted Protestant This liberty of professing and the vncertainty of protestancy having proved in all places and persons wherunto it had access a seed of rebellion destructive not only of the substance of Religion but of the tye of alleigance it was thought necessary for the preservation of Princes and the peace of their subjects to reduce the variety and regulat the extravagancy of the dissenting reformed doctrines into publick professions of protestancy as sutable to the interest of the souveraigns and inclinations of the subjects and customs of their Countries as could be devised And because the government of England continued Monarchical and that Episcopacy doth favor Monarchy and is essential to Parliaments the protestancy of the Church of England was made prelatick notwithstanding the incoherency of Episcopacy with the very foundation of the first and pure pretended reformations And seing ther is such antipathy between the caracter of Episcopacy and the principles of protestancy that the Church of England in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths reign durst not claim that caracter or any spiritual jurisdiction by succession from the Apostles and their successors the ensuing Catholick Bishops it was content to receive both as also the confirmation of it's prelatick doctrin from an vnheard-of spiritual supremacy of a lay Prince and from Acts of Parliament and so was it made the legal Religion of the state contrary to the principles both of the ancient Catholick faith and of the new protestant reformations How contrary this setlement of prelatick protestancy by a persecution of Popery is to Christian piety may easily appeare to them who will remember what hath bin sayd hertofore of the sanctity antiquity and continuall succession of the Roman Catholick Religion from the Apostles to this present and reflect vpon the principles begining and progress of protestancy in general and of the prelatick in particular How inconsistent with policy it is to press by the severity of laws a profession so generally dislik't as the prelatick it being contrary to the ancient Religion and not agreeing with the new Reformations experience hath demonstrated when not only all foreign Roman Catholick Princes and people stood neuters not much concerned whether Protestant Prelacy or Presbytery should prevaile in England they pittied indeed the Royal family and wish'd them good success against their rebellious subjects but this they wish'd to them as Princes not as Prelatiks not only Isay foreign Catholicks were neuters but all the Protestant Churches abroad were more inclined to favor the Presbiterian and fanatick English and Scotch Congregations then the King's Religion for that they come neerer to them and to the primitive and fundamental principles of Protestancy The reason why the Prelatick persuasion is so odious to the reformed Churches abroad and so opposed by Presbiterians and other Protestant Congregations at home is because the formality of it's ceremonies and the legality of it's discipline are incompatible with the primitive spirit liberty and principles of protestancy The protestant Bishops would fain Lord it over their brethren not content with the name and power of Protestant superintendents they strive to imitat the authory and severity of the Catholick Episcopal jurisdiction in their Courts and do what they can to retain a ceremonious decency in there Churches but neither is agreable with the nature and spirit of the Protestant Reformations which consist in an independency and exemption from all spiritual superiority and ceremonie of a particular person being supreme Judge and Interpreter of Scripture This spiritual judicature is the spiritual birth-right of every Protestant and the ground wherupon Luther and his followers raised their reformations and their new sense of the Ghospel Wherfore the resâ—raiâ— of this Protestant evangelical liberty and birth-right by the rigor of our lawes in favor of the prelatick jurisdiction and disciplin must needs make the law-makers and their religion as odious to all zealous Protestants as liberty of opinion and fancied Scripture are deere to a stubborn and humorâ—om peopâ—â— Let it then be maturely considered whether any thing can be more daungerous to the safety of the Soveraign or to the tranquillity of the state then to enact lawes
due to Saints Bishops Priests c. 〈…〉 of that religious and supernatural excellency or 〈◊〉 which God hath given them And to Saints we pray 〈◊〉 God's servants not as to Gods as Mr. Vsher would 〈◊〉 Proâ—estantâ— We are calumniated by him as St. Hierom St. Austin and all Catholicks were by Vigilantius and Faustus Manichean Heretick St. Austin his words are The hereâ—â—ck Faustus doth calumniat us because we honor the 〈◊〉 or reliques of Martyrs affirming that we have them for our Idols The Christian people doth celebrat with religious 〈◊〉 the memories of Martyrs therby to stir vp themâ—â—â—ves to their imitation and that they may be assisted with their prayers and made partakers of their merits But with the worship termed in Greek latria and which the latin language can not express in one word it being a certain subjection and servitude due properly to the Deity only we do not honor any but God alone c. Coilyridians who holding our Lady for a Deity adored her 〈◊〉 latria and offered sacrifice vnto her And yet he doth 〈◊〉 how St. Epiphanius in that very disputation inveighed 〈◊〉 against such as did not honor our Lady with due 〈…〉 but let our Lord be adored saith he 〈…〉 none adore her as God for though she be 〈…〉 and most worthy of honor yet not worthy to be 〈…〉 wit with latria And the same Saint condemneth as 〈◊〉 those who do not give due honor to the mother of God 〈◊〉 who give her that of latria For as these saith he 〈…〉 Imaginations of Mary do sow pernicious 〈…〉 in mens minds so these others inclining too much to the 〈…〉 to be in the wrong So that we see 〈…〉 of Latria and Dulia is no Idle invention of the 〈…〉 necessary doctrin of the ancient Fathers Against prayer to Saints MR. Vhser in his answer to the Iesuits chalenge treating of this controversy proceeded with the same fraud he vsed in that of Purgatory Finding that the ancient 〈◊〉 prayed to Saints and that God wrought many miraâ—â—â— at their shrines and Reliques he endeavors to change the 〈◊〉 of the question and place the whole controversy in points 〈◊〉 making his Reader believe that we Roman 〈◊〉 now a dayes do not believe as the ancient Church but 〈◊〉 that the souls of Martyrs are present at their shrines 〈◊〉 when miracles are wrought and other things 〈◊〉 the manner of their intercession and knowledge of our 〈◊〉 and prayers so that saith Mr. Usher pag. 405. to 〈◊〉 good the Popish manner of praying vnto Saints that 〈◊〉 at the first was but probable and problematical to wit 〈◊〉 sayings of the Master of the sentences Scotus Biel and other schoole Divines must now be held to be de fide This calumny and fraud is cleerly confuted by the words Concede nobis Domine quaesumus veniam delictorum 〈…〉 sanctis quorum hodie solemnia celebramus talem nobis 〈◊〉 denotionem vt ad eorum pervenire merâ—amur societatem 〈…〉 â—orum merita quos propria impediunt scelera excuset 〈◊〉 accusat quos actio qui ijs tribuisti coelestis palmam 〈…〉 nobis veniam non deneges peccati Grant us O Lord we 〈…〉 remission of our sins and by the intercession of the Saints 〈◊〉 solemnity we celebrat bestow vpon us such devotion that we 〈◊〉 serve to attain vnto their fellowship And immediatly folâ—oweth let their merits help us that are hindred by our own sins 〈◊〉 their intercession excuse us who are accused by our own 〈◊〉 and thou o Lord who hast bestowed vpon them the palme 〈◊〉 heauenly triumph deny not vnto us the pardon of our sins 〈…〉 pag. 408. quite omitting the first part of 〈…〉 translateth the later part as if it were rather an 〈◊〉 then a supplication thus can their merits help us 〈◊〉 own sins hinder can their intercession excuse us whose 〈◊〉 doth accuse themselves But thou who hast bestowed vpon 〈◊〉 palme of thy heavenly triumph deny not vnto us the 〈…〉 sins You see how he adds interrogations and makes 〈◊〉 on his own head and not only translates the latin 〈…〉 fraudulently but changeth the whole sense and 〈◊〉 into the Text At insteed of and tu which is not 〈◊〉 latin and makes the whole order of the 〈◊〉 as also that of the Benedictin Monks hereticks as 〈◊〉 of that which no Roman Catholick ever called in 〈◊〉 What credit think you doth such a man as this deserve 〈◊〉 collections of antiquities when they agree not with his 〈◊〉 Protestant Religion he who venters to contradict a 〈◊〉 so generaly known and to corrupt a writing so common 〈◊〉 in so many Libraries and Books what will he not 〈◊〉 or hath not don in Papers and Copies which he fancies 〈◊〉 must take vpon his sole word and Testimony Whosoever desires to have a full view of Primat Vsher's vnsincere dealing in maintaining protestancy which we attribute more to the of the Roman Church whose words he quotes were of 〈◊〉 that as the Greeks expressed themselves it was a 〈◊〉 not simply fundamental 〈◊〉 for his Lordship's backwardness in denying the Greeks 〈…〉 Church that is of accusing them of heresy 〈◊〉 forsooth they seem to maintain the equality and 〈◊〉 of the persons so great a prelat and writer ought 〈◊〉 known that a Church may be a fals and heretical 〈◊〉 for denying the generation and procession as well as 〈◊〉 the equality and consubstantiality of the persons 〈◊〉 indeed can the one be denyed without denying the other 〈◊〉 task is to examin the Bishop's sincerity not his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first fraud is to pretend that Catholick Authors 〈◊〉 him in the Protestant distinction of fundamental and 〈…〉 articles wheras we hold every article by 〈…〉 motive though not of the matter to be 〈◊〉 that is of necessity the matter how ever so small 〈◊〉 believed by us vnder pain of Damnation whensoever 〈…〉 proposed to us as revealed by God or which 〈…〉 whensoever we know any matter to be either 〈…〉 Scripture or declared by Catholick Tradition or 〈◊〉 by the Church we are bound to believe it and can 〈◊〉 if we deny or doubt of it So that doctrin which 〈…〉 grievous â—rror in the greek Church we must call it plain 〈◊〉 which makes them no Church because their error hath 〈…〉 heresy by the Church 〈◊〉 second fraud in this matter is that he conceals from 〈…〉 the true state of the question and abuseth the 〈◊〉 â—uthors he cites as if they had vnderstood it as his 〈…〉 doth set it down or had excused the modern Greeks 〈◊〉 and argues with their sayings and authority in favor of pâ—â—â—estancy The question is whether the modern Greeks 〈◊〉 that the holy Ghost proceeds from the son as well as 〈◊〉 the Father The Bishop pretends they do and that they 〈◊〉 pain of Damnation and proved this saying by these words 〈◊〉 Austin this is a thing founded An erring Disputant is to