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A47214 Veritas evangelica, or, The Gospel-truth asserted in sixteen useful questions which being seriously searched into, will open the way to find out assuredly the true and saving faith of Christ which is but one, as the apostle affirms / written by T.K. and now published by R.C. T. K. (Thomas Kemeys) 1687 (1687) Wing K256; ESTC R13531 80,587 135

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Controversies about Faith and Religion now in question amongst Christian People which few I know have leisure or means fewer Capacity to look throughly unto or ability to distinguish always Light from Darkness Truth from Falsehood in them But my Endeavour is to stir you up to a serious consideration of certain general Heads and undenyable Truths which this little Treatise doth present unto you easie to be conceiv'd yet powerful to lay open even to mean Understandings the assured Light of the True Gospel of Christ and the absolute necessity of admitting some sure and un-erring Interpreter of God's Word by him ordained and enabled to deliver the right meaning thereof unto us in all Ages but especially when Controversies about Faith and Religion are raised which Interpreter being once admitted of and agreed upon all other Controversies about points of Belief will quickly be at an end Peace will be restored again to Christians and nothing will remain for the securing of Souls conjoin'd together in the Communion of Saints but a studious care to decline from Evil and to do Good and Industriously to imitate the Blessed Life of Christ But further yet to facilitate this affair be pleased to distinguish in the Belief of Catholicks whom I often call Papists to condescend to the Style of Protestants so terming them for adhering in Religion to the Pope in Latine Papa this word signifying Father as the common Spiritual Father of Christians and supreme Pastor of the Flock of Christ be pleased I say to distinguish in the Belief of Catholicks Divine Faith from Humane Their Articles of Faith from Humane Stories which many distinguishing not and thereupon perswading themselves that Catholicks with equal certainty and obligation believe the one and the other that is their Articles of Faith and the Humane Stories which relate the Lives Actions and Miracles of certain Saints and finding some of these to be very strange and to savour in their conceit of fraudulent Fictions take this to be a sufficient Warrant for them to contemn Papistry as a foolish ungrounded and fabulous Religion and to repute Papists indiscreetly credulous and plainly to be led in darkness and blindness But these do much mistake for the truth is that although all Catholicks be strictly bound to believe those points of Doctrine which their Church doth propose for Articles of Faith contained in the written word of God or in the perpetual Tradition of the Church or deduced by General Councils or by the Pastors of the Church out of God's Word when Heresies are condemned yet they are not bound to believe the Relations of particular Authors concerning the Actions and Miracles of Saints or other like things farther then discreet Prudence and Christian Piety doth lead them every Man being at liberty to weigh the worth and honesty of the Relator and the probability of the thing related and then to believe or not to believe as Reason and Piety shall dictate unto him Yet not forgetting that God is admirable in his Saints That His Wisdom Power Justice Mercy and Sweetness in Governing the World and in contriving and ordering the Affairs of Man's Salvation is far above the reach of our weak Understanding That frequently there is less danger in believing too much than in believing too little and that there are some as strange things related in the Holy Scriptures at which Atheists do stumble as are in the approved Histories of the Church Neither do Catholicks believe these Stories and their Articles of Faith with one and the same certainty for these Stories they believe meerly with Humane Faith for the Authority of the Relators who may Err mistake or deceive But their Articles of Faith they believe with Divine Faith for God's Authority speaking in his Word and by the ordinary Doctors and Pastors of his Church being bound under pain of forfeiting the Name of Catholicks and of incurring damnable Sin not to disbelieve wittingly any one of these Articles all of them being Divine Verities warranted for Truth by the Holy Ghost who continually guideth and directeth the Church in her Doctrine of Faith as is hereafter shewed out of Gods Word And so by disbelieving stubbornly the Articles of Faith which the Church professeth Heresie is incurred which is not incurred by disbelieving her Stories Furthermore if hereafter I affirm not for want of Charity but forced by unanswerable Arguments drawn from the word of God that the Followers of the Protestant Religion so dying are not sav'd take me to speak of those who culpably prefer this Religion before the Catholick or culpably dye therein being thereby destitute of that Faith and Charity which is of necessity required to Salvation and not of those who being truly Baptiz'd and brought up among Protestants have excusable Ignorance of the Catholick Faith and Church by reason either of their tender Years or of their weak Capacities or else of their mean and rude Education for such are secret Members of the Catholick Church and therefore if they depart this Life cloathed with those Garments of Christ with which he adorned them in the Sacrament of Baptism not having fallen into mortal Sin they shall certainly inherit the Kingdom of Heaven In which happiness none shall be Sharers that pass out of this Life destitute of Divine Faith which is the Gift of God of which more hereafter or defiled with Mortal Sin which is so called because it destroys the supernatural life of the Soul received by Regeneration in Baptism consisting in Divine Faith and other Celestial Virtues but especially in Sanctifying Grace and divine Charity without which Divine Charity nothing doth avail to Salvation as the Apostle teaches 1 Cor. 1. 13. Lastly because divers Protestant Teachers endeavour to make their Followers believe That the Fathers of the Primitive Church were Protestants seeking thereby to Illustrate the Protestant Religion that the greatness and boldness of this Imposture pardon the Word for I know not how otherwise to express truly the dealing of these Men may clearly appear I humbly intreat all understanding Protestants which know it not to take notice That those ancient Worthies and Lights of the Church of Christ were either Monks or Founders of Monastical Discipline or at least Approvers and Praisers of the same St. Anthony was a Monk and St. Athanasius his Praiser St. Basil the Great a Monk and the Founder of a Monastical Institute which in the Eastern part of the World is yet practised St. Gregory the Divine was a Monk St. Chrysostom a Monk St. Hierom a Monk the Great St. Augustine the Founder of a Monastical course of Life St. Martin a Monk St. Benedict a Monk and Founder of the Famous Order of Benedictine Monks which does yet flourish in the Western Church St. Gregory the Great was a Monk and by the Labours of Fourty Monks did first plant Christianity amongst the English Let any Man judge how likely or how true it is that these men were Protestants Secondly take notice that
one and the same Faith Why do not all believe the self same Articles and Divine Verities if the Scripture it self clearly and distinctly propose them to all Where the Rule is certain all that is measur'd by it is Uniform and of the same quantity As is manifest by a Pound by a Quart by an Ell by a Bushel and the like And therefore if the Scripture of it self without the help of any Interpreter be unto Men a sure Rule a certain and stinted measure of Faith it doth to all that Read or Hear it measure shape and square out one and the same Belief one and the same Religion one and the same Worship of God. But this is evidently false Ergo evidently also false it is that the Scripture of it self without the help of an Interpreter is a sure Rule and Guide in matters of Faith. For what is more manifest then that several Readers left to the guidance of the Scripture it self and not tyed to any Interpreter do gather out of it several and opposite Faiths and Religions though they use all Humane Diligences to understand them rightly and be never so Learn'd never so well skill'd in the Greek and Hebrew Tongues This is evident by the several branches of Protestants before-nam'd Who all take the Scripture it self as they say and pretend for their Guide and Director in matters of Faith and Religion And yet they differ and contend so infinitely as they do Which differing and contending we must not conceive to spring in them meerly from Malice and the Spirit of Contention But rather from the Obscurity of the Scripture and the depth and profundity of the Mysteries therein contain'd In which our weak understandings may easily mistake and may easily be deluded by the Devil if we want the help of a sure and Infallible Interpreter This I think understanding Protestants will not deny And therefore if they will have the Scripture to be a Sure Rule to direct their Faith and Religion by will they nill they they must admit of and adjoyn to the Scripture a sure un-erring and Infallible Interpreter thereof But such an one it is impossible for them to find unless they will leave the Protestant and return to the Catholick Faith again For seeing they reject the Interpretation of Fathers of Councels of the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the Church And hold that the Church of Christ may err yea and hath shamfully and perniciously err'd for above these thousand years where will they find an Vn-erring Interpreter of the Scripture Or in whom hath God plac'd this high most necessary and most important Office If he hath not placed it in the Doctors and Pastors of his Church which he hath ordain'd to Perfect his People and to keep them from wavering in matters of Faith Ephes 4. And which the Holy Ghost hath plac'd in the Flock of Christ Act. 20. To govern the Church of God Hath he placed it in the Temporal Magistrates of Kingdoms and Common-wealths Or in some one Temporal Magistrate to whom God hath committed the Teaching and directing of all Nations If God hath not placed this most needful Office in General Councels consisting of the Learned Sages and Prelates of the Church hath he plac'd it in the Parliaments of England consisting for the most part of unlearned Lay-men I think no Sober Protestant will say so Neither will any Vnderstanding Protestant I think fly here to the private Spirit And make thereby every Crack-brain'd Scripturist an Infallible Interpreter of Gods Word For if hither he fly not only a Quaker an Anabaptist a Presbyterian but a Taylor also a Button-maker Weaver or Cobler will make his Party good with any Doctor the Protestants have and dart Text for Text with him for whole Hours together without loosing one Inch of ground Till Church Authority the deadly Weapon of the Papists be urg'd against him By urging which against these Fanatick People Protestant Prelates do not a little or sleightly Wound themselves they being as blame-worthy indeed if not much more for resisting the Authority of the Catholick Church of Christ as these are for resisting the Authority of the Church of England Nevertheless I approve not but detest the Male-peart boldness of these and the like Ignorants Who transgressing the bounds to them prescrib'd and entring upon to their own Perdition the smoaking mount of the Holy Scriptures Exod. 19. wherein God doth speak to Moses and Aaron and deliver his Sacred Oracles to be by them made known to his People dare take upon them to interpret the same and to search into and Sense the Profound Mysteries of God wickedly betrampling with their Impure Feet and Polluting with their base Conceits those pure but deep Fountains of Heavenly Verities It being their Duty to Learn and not to Teach Yet I cannot but pitty their Mislead Zeal Which if it were steer'd by the True Church of Christ would Inrich their Souls with the precious Jewels of many Christian Virtues whereas now it is likely to be the utter ruine of them Neither can I but greatly blame those who to draw these weak and unwary People off and to seperate them from the Breast of the Catholick Church At which they were securely nourish'd with the Milk of Celestial Doctrine Meat befiting their state and Weakness did put the Bible into their Prophane Hands inviting them to the Gospel to the Pure Light and Liberty of the Gospel And assuring them that those Sacred Volumes were easie to be understood and that in them they were to seek for the Truth of Gods Religion as being ordain'd by him for the Reading and Instruction of all And to facilitate this desir'd separation those New Teachers spar'd not to Disgrace with all Art and Cunning the Rank and Dignity of the Prelates of the Church and to Vilify church-Church-Authority Proclaiming it to be Tyrannical And that to urge men to believe as the Church doth Teach was no less than plain Butchering of Consciences But when these New Masters had effected what they sought and by the help of Temporal Power had brought Multitudes of People under their Command Then presently they stept into the place of the Antient Prelates Took their Authority upon them and in matters of Faith and Religion would have all to dance after their Pipe all to believe not what they themselves Learn'd out of the Book of God but what these men thought fit to propose That Book now being too hard for Vulgar People for the Unlearn'd sort Who now must stand below and not ascend and enter upon that obscure and smoking Mountain But must hear Moses and Aaron must hear Authoriz'd Teachers must obey the voice of the Church viz. Of Saxony of Geneva of England and must follow in Saxony one Faith in Geneva another in England another Now they must learn the Law of God from the mouth of Teachers allow'd of by the Commonwealth and be ty'd to believe what they propose And therefore in Saxony
they must not budge from Luther in Geneva from Calvin in England from the Belief Establish'd by Parliament Which if they do presently they are urg'd and sometimes born down by Church Authority Presently excellent and pithy Sentences extolling Church Authority and shewing the Necessity thereof are Alleadg'd Magnify'd urg'd in Sermons in Books out of the Scripture out of Tertullian St. Cyprian Lirinensis and other Fathers Notwithstanding that these very Sentences through the sides of these poor Ignorants do deadly stab the Hearts of those which alleadge them for disobeying that very Church Authority which these Sentences speak of and commend But with what Equity if I may be so bold as to ask with what Security of Conscience do these Authoriz'd Teachers proceed against these Zealous Ignorants for following that Belief which they gather out of the Word of God put into their Hands by these their Teachers and force them to follow another which by the very Rules and Tenets of these men they cannot but esteem Superstitious May they not justly say If the Scripture only be the Rule of Faith why do ye not permit us to believe what we find therein If it be easie to be understood why do you punish us for holding that Doctrine which we gather out of it If it be not easie why do you put it into our Hands If we are not bound to believe in Points of Faith any thing that is not expresly in the Scripture why will ye force us to believe and practice that which there we find not If Church Authority is to be rejected why do you interpose yours If it be a Butchering of Consciences to force men to Believe as the Church doth Teach Why do you force us to Believe as you Teach If you contemn the Authority of the ●ver Visible Church why do you force us to Reverence and to stoop to yours What signes do you shew what Miracles do you work to demonstrate unto us that your Church Authority is rather to be Follow'd rather to be Obey'd than the Church Authority of the Antient Fathers of the General Councels of the ever Visible Church of Christ If Church Authority be to be Follow'd be to be Reverenc'd be to be Obey'd Restore Us to that which Hoary Autiquity which Succession of Prelates which Consent of Nations which Excellent Sanctity which Manifest Miracles do commend unto Us. If it is to be rejected leave us to Gods Word and force not our Consciences against that Light which shineth unto us in Reading the same Thus may these misled People now complain against those who having drawn them out of the Bosom of the Catholick Church do now endeavour to Inthrawl them to themselves But much more terrible I fear will be the Bill of Complaint which one day they are likely to put up at the Chancery Bar of Heaven if a speedy and serious Course be not taken to restore these misled Souls again to the secure feeding of their Mother Church Which God of his Mercy bring to pass for the Eternal Happiness both of Them and their Leaders Question VII If God hath left no sure and un-erring Interpreter of his Word in Matters of Faith How can it be defended That the Holy Scriptures are not Unprofitable and even Pernicious to Mankind PErchance some Protestants not able to give a satisfying Answer to my Question about the Interpreter of the Scriptures will affirm That God hath not ordained any certain Interpreter of those his Sacred Oracles but hath left them to the scanning and guess of all Readers whatsoever But then I demand How it can be defended that these Divine Books are not hurtful yea and even pernicious to Mankind For evident it is that they may be taken in divers and opposite Senses Yea evident it is that they are de facto so taken by several Learned Men. Who following no surer Interpreter than the strength of their own Wit and Learning do gather out of them contrary Faiths and Religions and several worships of God Of which some of necessity must be false and hurtful to all that follow them for False Religions are ever hurtful yea plainly pernicious to those which follow them as more clearly hereafter shall appear And indeed three things are questionable about the Holy Scriptures which without the help of an un-erring Interpreter authorized and enabled by God himself to guide us to the Truth about them can never be rightly and fittingly decided The first is Which Books are Canonical and truly the Word of God And which are not The second is Which Translation is good right authentical and which is not The third is Which is the true and right meaning of the Holy Ghost in this or that Text or Sentence of Scripture touching upon some point of Faith About the sense whereof the Learned do contend Which being so divers People perswaded in their Consciences that the Scriptures are Divine Books and really the Word of God And that by believing them rightly and by following that Religion which they teach they may obtain Life Everlasting Will earnestly endeavour to search out the true meaning of them Which they being not able every where to find by their own natural Forces without the help of a sure Interpreter directed by the Holy Ghost They will pick out divers false Senses yea and Religions out of the Scriptures by mistaking their right meaning Which they will repute the true meaning of them being not tyed to any Interpreter and will defend Tooth and Nail to the assured Perdition of their own Souls and theirs whom they draw after them and to the raising of several Factions endless Contentions and bloody Broils amongst Christian People as we see fallen out since the rising of Luther For each of those who thus search the Scriptures without regarding any Infallible Interpreter will easily perswade himself that is the right meaning of the Holy Ghost which he hath lighted upon and that the true Light of the Gospel which shineth to him in reading and scanning the Word of God and that therefore it standeth him upon if he will not betray the Truth and lose his own Soul to stick firmly thereunto and to strive even to death to maintain the same Yea sometimes such Searchers of God's Word esteem themselves bound in Conscience to bandy with all the force they can against those who seek to Ruine what they would Raise From which manner of perswasions have proceeded not only great varieties of Religions and great Animosity in the defence of them but all the furious Garboils also and bloody Contentions about Religion which now for above these Hundred Years have miserably turmoil'd the Christian World and yet are likely further to turmoil it unless Christian Princes open their Eyes to behold the true Root of these Dissentions and how absolutely necessary it is to admit of some one Infallible and Un-erring Interpreter of God's Word authorized and enabled by the Holy Ghost to deliver the true Sense thereof
affirm That those Protestants which deny Papistry to be a saving Religion and hold that Papists are not saved are neither of the best Learned nor of the Wisest sort For if they were Learned they would easily gather out of the Doctrine of the Scriptures and the Histories of the Christian Church that to deny Papistry to be a saving Religion is to deny Christ in effect as I have before shewed And if they were discreet and wise they would not so rashly condemn to the pit of Hell the whole Christian World together with their Fore-fathers for so many hundreds of years in which Papistry reigned over the World without any firm ground or urgent reason at all Unless their own mistaking and ignorance must be reputed a firm ground For setting these aside by which their mis-informed and mis-guided Zeal doth take Papistry to be that which it is not what can they bring firm and solid to prove that Papistry is not a saving Religion Will they say that Papists are ignorant of or do not rely upon a certain special Faith by which they esteem themselves to be the Elect of God and to be Cock-sure of Salvation Be it so Neither did the Prophets nor the Apostles nor the Ancient Fathers rely upon this special Faith as is evident by their Lives For they applied themselves to Holy Works to much Prayer to frequent Fasting to great Austerity and Mortification seeking by these means to make sure their Vocation 2 Pet. 1. 10. and really working their Salvation in fear and trembling as the Apostle adviseth Philip. 2. 12. For all which Labour Care and Austerity this special Faith is a Supersedeas as is manifest by the Lives and Actions of those which rely thereon Wherefore if for want of this Sin-nourishing special Faith Papists do perish both Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and the Ancient Fathers yea all the Saints and Holy Servants of God which lived from Adam's time to Luther must perish with them For none of these were acquainted with or relyed upon this special Faith. Otherwise there would have been clear and manifest mention thereof in the Holy Scriptures in which the Holy Ghost not once or twice but most frequently would have inculcated the same if it had been so needful that without it Men could not be saved But seeing that in all his Divine Word he hath made no clear mention thereof Papists cannot be in danger for not relying thereon But rather those which relye thereon are in manifest danger of Eternal Perdition because in so weighty a business as their Everlasting Happiness is they forsaking the received Doctrine of the Christian World in the point of Jurisdiction rely upon a meer chimerical Fiction of their own as at their death they will find What then will these Zealous Precisians exclude Papists from Heaven because they commit Idolatry But this foul and foolish Crime Papists do no where commit but in these Mens mistaking Brains as is evident to all that know what Papists believe But Papists they will say do Err in divers points of Religion and therefore they cannot be saved But do not all Churches Err in these Mens conceipt Are not all subject to Erring Let them then either yield that Erring Religions are saving or else let them boldly teach That Jesus Christ hath not provided the World of any means of Salvation seeing he hath not established therein as these Men imagine any Religion that is not Erring By all which it is clear that in these parts of the World none do doubt but that Papistry is a Saving Religion saving a few unlearned Precisians who doubt of this but very indiscreetly as I have shewed But on the contrary all the Papists in the World who are far more in number than the Protestants are and really far excel them in Learning do not doubt whether the Protestant Religion be Saving or no but most firmly hold upon sure and undeceiving Grounds that it is not and that therefore no Man can be Saved precisely by the help of this Religion Which makes so many understanding Men and Women that know it right well forsake it notwithstanding that it is so easie and so pleasiing to Flesh and Blood and to imbrace Papistry far less agreeable to their Sensual Appetites with so great hazard of their Quiet Preferments Liberty and Goods Which certainly they would never do but to secure their Souls Which security if the Protestant Religion were able to afford no Man of Wit here in England would forsake the same to become a Catholick But no such security is to be found in this Religion but rather certain danger of Eternal Perdition as all do find that throughly search into it Neither are Papists for thus Censuring of the Protestant Religion to be esteemed less charitable then those Protestants which brand not Papistry with so hard a Censure For the Case of Papists and Protestants in this Affair is not alike Because Protestants in believing are at liberty according to their own Positions in regard That as they do not hold that there is upon Earth any Un-erring Church whose teaching all are bound to follow under pain of Damnanation So they do not esteem themselves bound to believe strictly the teaching of any Church or to think that Errors in Points of Faith do indanger Salvation But Papists are not at the like liberty because they believing that the Catholick Church which is no other than that Church which being spread over the World is joined in Communion to the Chair of Peter cannot Err in her Doctrine of Faith by reason of the continual assistance of the Holy Ghost do esteem themselves bound to believe as she teaches And therefore because this Church guided by the Holy Ghost and directed by the Holy Scriptures doth teach that there is but One Faith Ephes 4. but One Fold Joh. 10. That Christian People are bound under pain of Damnation to Obey their Lawful Prelates Heb. 13. And to hear the Voice of the Church Matth. 18. And to listen to the Ordinary Pastors thereof Luk. 10. And that they are in like sort bound to beware of false Prophets that is false Expounders of God's Word to avoid Heretical Teachers such as their Church hath declared Protestant Teachers to be For these and the like respects Catholicks do resolutely hold if they be such as understand their own Religion that by the help precisely of the Protestant Religion no Man can be saved Which they hold not for want of Charity but for Obedience to the Word of God and to the True and Catholick Church of Christ Let not then Protestants blame Catholicks for believing as they do seeing the word of God and so great Authority doth force them thereunto But rather let them blame themselves for following new Teachers contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures and for dis-uniting themselves from the True and Catholick Church of Christ out of whose Communion there is No Salvation as our Creeds do teach By all which
his Pastors For this Power being a Divine and Supernatural thing a participation of the Power of Christ and of Force and Efficacy to Bind and Loose Souls to Cleanse them from Sin and to Sanctifie them no Mortal man though never so eminent in Temporal Magistracy is able to invent and ordain Means to give and impart the same And therefore strange and audacious was their attempt who in the time of Edward the VI. invented a New Form to Consecrate Arch-Bishops Bishops and Priests and to Endue them with Divine and Spiritual Power But into this Errour they fell by the singular Providence of God that thereby Infinite Sacriledges and Abuses of the Blessed Sacrament might be avoided Which would have happen'd in This Kingdom if Protestant Bishops and Ministers had been True Priests indeed Out of this Doctrine which is most True it clearly followeth that neither Luther nor any other Protestant Teacher whatsoever had or hath any True Calling or Mission from God at all For manifest it is that none of these Teachers had Extraordinary Mission from God For they could never yet shew his Broad-Seal which is the Gift of Miracles And as manifest it is that they have not Ordinary Mission from him For they cannot possibly extend the Line of their Succession beyond Luther's time or Nominate any Rank of Pastors reaching up to the Apostles Times to whom these men do succeed in the Office of Teaching the Protestant Religion Dangerous then is the state of all Protestants because really and in very deed they want True Pastors sent from God. But some will say that the Case of English Protestants is not so bad because they have Bishops who have Ordination from the Church of Rome I answer First That these their Bishops have indeed a certain shaddow of Ordination but not the thing it self because in their Ordination the same Matter and Form is not us'd by which Priestly Power is confer'd in the Roman Church But that which was Invented in the days of Edward the VI. and Ratify'd in the time of Queen Elizabeth by which Divine Power cannot be given Secondly I answer that if these English Prelates were truly Bishops and Priests indeed yet this could nothing avail them or their Followers Because this is not sufficient to True Mission from God in regard that over and above this true Faculty and Authorizing from the Ordinary Pastors of the Roman Church to Teach and Pasture the People of Christ Succession of Truth in Dogmatical Points is of necessity requir'd to Ordinary Mission from God. Which Faculty and Authorizing our English Bishops wanting they should thereby be destitute of all True Mission from God although they were indeed True Bishops as it befell the Arian and Nestorian Bishops and Priests Which having True Ordination and being Truly Bishops and Priests were notwithstanding destitute of all True Mission from God being thereof depriv'd by God and his Church in regard of their Rebellion against the Church and of the false Heretical Doctrine which they Taught For Christ would have it to be in the Power of the Pastors of his Church to deprive False Teachers of all Authority to Teach and to expel them out of his Flock that they might not ruine the Souls of his People Thirdly I answer That Protestant Pastors cannot have True Mission from the Roman Church though she would bestow it upon them Which she would never do unless they will become Catholicks and will undertake the Teaching and Re-planting of the Catholick Religion Gods Grace and the care of their own Salvation and of the Salvation of those numerous Flocks of People which follow them drawing them to enterprise so Heroical and Divine a work Which point I shew thus Either the Pastors of the Roman Church or the Pastors of the Protestant Church are False Prophets False Teachers False Explicators of the Word of God and of the Mysteries of Christ This is evident for they cannot be both Orthodoxal Teachers seeing they contradict one the other about many of the Principal Articles of the Christian Religion If the Pastors of the Roman Church be False Prophets and Heretical Teachers They have no Mission from God themselves being by him prohibited to Teach as all False Prophets are How then can they impart true and Divine Mission to others But if the Pastors of the Protestant Church be False Prophets falsely Teaching and Expounding the word of God and the Religion and Mysteries of Christ then They are wholly incapable of True Mission God himself prohibiting them to Teach because False Doctrine in matters of Faith doth tend to the ruine of Souls as is clear out of the Word of God Matth. 7. 15. And so the Roman Church if she would cannot give Protestant Bishops and Ministers True Mission and sending from God. Out of the Doctrine deliver'd in this Question which is solid and true it clearly followeth that the Protestant Religion is not truly Apostolick that is descending from the Apostles and the same that they Believ'd and Taught Though it pleases the Teachers thereof so to stile it to make it the more acceptable to their followers Even as bitter Pills are sometimes Gilt with Gold that they may the more easily be swallow'd The reason is that this Religion doth not descend from the Apostles by a continual Line of Doctors and Pastors one succeeding the other in the Office of Teaching and practising the Protestant Religion which reacheth through all Ages even up to the Apostles If any Protestant will answer to this that they esteem not their Religion Apostolick because it descendeth from the Apostles by such a Line of Succession But because it is shap'd out according to the Model of the Religion of the Apostles express'd in the Word of God so near as the Founders and Shapers thereof could guess I reply first that I will then grant that the Protestant Religion may be stil'd Apostolick in this sense when all Protestants shall be agreed among themselves which Sect of theirs is best shap'd out according to the Model of the Apostles Religion express'd in the word of God and cometh nearest to the Purity thereof That is whether the Lutherans or the Swinglians or the Calvinists or the Anabaptists or the Quakers or the new Arians or the Parliamentary Protestants or the Puritans have shap'd out their Religion best and nearest to the Purity of the Apostles times But as they will never be agreed of this the best rule to guide them in the work of shaping out Religion being but the private guess of this or that Sect-Master or Sect So I shall never be tyed to grant their Religion to be Apostolick Secondly I answer that according to this manner of proceeding every Heretick will prove his new Devices in Religion to be Apostolick If he himself may be Judge and may have leave to Sense and Expound the Scriptures as his own Guess and Conceit shall lead him Which absurd Liberty being deny'd to Protestants they can never
they might have true Faith in him Which they could not have but by Believing the Word of God The Apostle saying Rom. 10. Faith is by Hearing and Hearing is by the Word of Christ Whilst such then Heard and Believ'd The Doctrine of the Church that is the Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church they Heard and Believ'd the Word of God The same do Papists now Futhermore it cannot be doubted but that the Gospel and Voice of Christ is the Word of God and that those which hear these hear the Word of God. But the Preaching and Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church of Christ is the Gospel and Voice of Christ Ergo c. This is clear out of Matth. 24. where Christ says This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Preach'd in the whole World for a Testimony to all Nations and then shall come the Consummation For who do Preach this Gospel in all Ages till the end of the World but the Doctors and Pastors of the Church Their Preaching then is the Gospel of Christ and consequently the Word of God. Christ likewise says John 10. speaking of his Sheep which he is to gather out of the Gentiles even till the end of the World Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold that is of the Flock of the Jews Them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice Christ did not nor doth not Preach to the Gentiles to gather his Sheep from amongst them in all Ages by his own Corporal Voice But by the Voice and Teaching of the Pastors of his Church Their Voice then is his Voice and consequently the Word of God. Which is yet further shew'd out of Luke 10. where Christ says to his Pastors and Teachers He that heareth you heareth me Wherefore while Papists do hear the Teaching of the Doctors and Pastors of the Church lineally succeeding the Apostles they hear the Word of God the Gospel of Christ the Voice of Christ yea Christ himself And therefore they cannot be justly said to believe in matters of Faith the Doctrines of men Or to hazard their Souls upon the Doctrines of men But upon the Authority of God speaking in and by that Church which his continual assistance maketh to be The Pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. But the Case is not so with Protestants For they do not only rely and hazard their Souls upon the Doctrines of Men But they also prefer the Doctrines of men before the express Word of God. For in divers most weighty Points of Religion they leave not only the Antient Fathers the General Councils and the ever visible and Catholick Church of Christ but even the Word of God it self to follow the Teaching of their new Masters This will seem at first a strange or rather a very Injurious and Contumelious Imputation But let us make it plain by some examples The Word of God says James 2. 24. Do you see that a man is justify'd by Works and not by Faith only But Protestant Teachers say that a man is justify'd Not by Works but by Faith only Mark how directly they contradict the Word of God. For that says By Works and not by Faith only And these do Protestants believe rather than the express Word of God in the weighty point of Justification On which their Salvation depends which is not obtain'd but by the true manner of Justification Secondly The Word of God says Luke 1. 6. That the Parents of John the Baptist Were both Just before God walking in all the Commandments and Justifications of our Lord without blame Whence it clearly follows that this Holy Couple kept all Gods Commandments For he that breaks them doth not Walk in them without blame The Word of God likewise says 1 John 5. 3. This is the Charity of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not heavy But Protestant Teachers generally affirm that the Commandments of God are Impossible are such as no man can keep are Insupportable And confequently they must say that no man is bound to keep them For no man is bound to do more than he is able By which Doctrine they do not only loose the Bridle to all Vice and make God more Indiscreet and more Tyrannical than any other Commander in the World But They also flatly contradict the word of God Which not only shews that some men have kept the Commandments but also expresly affirms that they are not Heavy And yet Protestants rather believe these than the Word of God in this most weighty point But Note well what follows against these Teachers out of the Word of God 1 John 2. 4. Which there says He who saith he knows God and does not keep his Commandments is a Lyer and the Truth is not in him But Protestant Teachers affirm that they rightly know God but do not nor cannot keep his Commandments Ergo They are Lyars Our Saviour Instituting the Holy Eucharist says Luke 22. 19. This is my Body which is given for you But English Ministers generally say That the Eucharist is not Christ's Body which was given for us that is his True Body But a Figure or remembrance of it Christ says My Body which is given for you That is my True Body For his True Body was given for Us suffer'd for Us and not a Figure or Remembrance thereof But these new Teachers say Not his True Body not that which was given for Vs that suffer'd for Vs But a Figure of it which the Word of God no where Teaches And thus they flatly contradict the Word of God in this most important Article of Faith On the right Belief and Use of which Salvations depends as is manifest out of the 6 St. Joh. and out of the 11. of the 1 of Corinthians And yet These our English Protestants believe rather than the Word of God though it expresly says That the Eucharist is the Body of Christ The Flesh of Christ He himself saying John 6. 51. The Bread which I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World. 4ly Dani●l 2. 44. The VVord of God says In the days of those Kingdoms the God of Heaven will raise up a Kingdom that is the Church of Christ that shall not be dissipated for ever And his Kingdom shall not be deliver'd to another people And it shall break in pieces and shall consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Of which Church of Christ speaking again c. 7. He saith His Power is an Eternal Power that shall not be taken away and his Kingdom that shall not be corrupted Conformable to which clear Prophecy of Daniel concerning the Perpetuity and Incorruption of the Kingdom and Church of the Messias Christ speaking of his Church Matth. 16. says And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against her That is The Power of the Devil and false Doctrines by which men are seduc'd and brought to Hell. John 14. 16. He says That
the Old Religion to be such so Vile Absurd and Superstitious as the false Tongues and Pens of divers of their Teachers who like to those of Isaias 28. 15. make Lying their Hope and are protected with Lying depaint it to be that so with more tranquility of mind they may enjoy the Liberty of their New Religion esteeming the Absurdities reported of the Old to warrant them sufficiently not only not to look after the same but also utterly to hate and detest it Yet in a Business of so great importance as is the Salvation or Damnation of their Souls they might remember that one Tale is good till another be heard and the rather for respect to their Noble Progenitors and to the numerous Troops of Blessed Souls now reigning with Christ in Glory which have liv'd and dy'd in the Old Religion But seeing that neither the Wisdom and Sanctity of these nor the earnest Cries of Catholicks now living who continually avouch that Protestants are mis-informed mistake mis-construe mis-understand the Tenets and Practises of the Catholick Religion can move them to make a serious Scarch into Religion Catholicks must comfort themselves to think that howsoever their Religion is here dis-esteem'd yet the Haters Impugners and Oppressors thereof will be of another mind at the Judgement Seat of Christ when their great Account must be made when Pleasures Riches Honours will be past when Obedience to Christ and his Church when a Holy and Mortify'd Life will be priz'd and when the Glorious Troops of Holy Doctors and Pastors and of innumerable other blessed Men and Women will stand up in Judgement with great constancy against all that have neglected vilified contemned derided their Authority Teaching Practice Examples as many of the New Gospellers usually do Question IX Whether the Way to Salvation be narrow or no IN the Ninth Place I demand of Considerate Protestants whether the Way to Salvation be narrow or no If this happy Tract be not indeed a narrow Way Why did Christ with a kind of Admiration say Math. 7. 14. How narrow is the Gate and straight the Way that leadeth to Life and how few there are that find it Was he deceived or did he intend to deceive us if neither because in very Truth this Way to Flesh and Blood is narrow and not to be kept and travelled without much Labour great Difficulty and frequent Mortification both of the Body by crucifying the Flesh and the Concupiscences thereof Gal. 5. 24. and also of the Mind by subjecting the Will to the Laws of Charity 1 Cor. 13. and by bringing the Understanding into Captivity for Obedience to Christ in believing as the Apostles and their Successors do teach 2 Cor. 10. 5. without suffering much for the Love of God for the Practice of Virtue for the avoiding of sin and for the Profession of our Faith if a storm of Persecution arise If I say for These and such like respects the Tract of Salvation be indeed a narrow way as the Blessed Son of God affirms who best knew this matter How may any Protestant Prudently perswade himself that the Protestant Religion is really this hard and narrow way seeing that it is one of the easiest Religions in the World one of the widest and broadest ways For what greater ease and freedom in Religion can there be than to be ty'd to no sharpness and Mortification of Body And to be at liberty in Mind to believe in matters of Religion what we think best our selves VVhich liberty most certainly all Protestants have by the very Tenets and Principles of their Religion which freeth them from being bound in their own Conceit to Believe as the Church Teaches And takes from them in the same manner the yoke of Fasting of Confession of Pennance Freeth them from all necessity of doing good VVorks to be Sav'd Yea and of keeping the Commandments of God as most Protestants hold And Teacheth them to esteem themselves justify'd from Sin and secur'd from all pain in the next Life and sure of Salvation by only Faith by Believing only and stedfastly that the Lord hath dy'd for them and pay'd the shot of their Sins That this is so not only their express Doctrine but even also the Lives of Protestants especially of their Teachers and Ring-leaders do evidently convince And therefore seeing that no doubt can be made but that the Protestant is a most easie Religion and exceedingly pleasing to Flesh and Blood There can no doubt also be made but that it is not that narrow way of which our Saviour did speak which leadeth to Salvation But rather the broad way which leadeth to ever-lasting Perdition VVhat satisfying Answer to this Protestants may make I see not And therefore such of them as truly desire to secure their Souls and to avoid everlasting misery may do well and wisely to return whilst they have time to that Religion wherein their Fore-fathers for the space almost of a thousand years were Sav'd And wherein also they may be Sav'd if they will even by the grant of their own Learned men as hereafter shall appear which Religion if they will practice exactly they shall find it indeed to be a Narrow-way to Flesh and Blood Yet sweet and easie to Minds elevated by Grace and inflam'd with the Love of Heaven Question X. How it can be defended that Jesus was the True Messiah promis'd in the Old Testament if the Church which he Founded err'd so many Ages in her Doctrine of Faith. IT is a certain undoubted and undenyable Truth and not to be question'd amongst Christians that Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary is the true Messias the True Christ promis'd in the Old Testament the Omnipotent Son of God Truly God Truly Man and the true and sole Redeemer of the World. This I say is a most certain Truth and not doubted of by any but wicked Miscreants Yet to discover the Nature of the Protestant Religion and to shew clearly to my Dear Countrymen whether it tendeth that thereby if they will they may receive the less hurt by it I must crave leave to demand how this prime and Fundamental Truth of Christianity can be defended and maintain'd against Atheists Turks and Jews if we admit for a Truth that That Church which Jesus founded and which his Apostles planted in the World hath grievously and perniciously err'd in her Doctrine of Faith and in the practice of the Worship of God for many Hundred years Yea almost even since the times of the Apostles That the Church of Jesus hath so Erred is the Main Prime and Fundamental Ground of the Protestant Religion as is well * The Homily against the Perils of Idolatry p. 57. known For upon This as upon a sure Foundation Protestant Teachers have raised all their New Buildings Upon this as upon a sufficient Cause they have forsaken the Old Religion of the Christian World pretending it to be Erroneous Superstitious Idolatrous and have undertaken their various and discordant
particular all the Articles of Faith which the Learned Pastors of the Church believe yet they are bound under the Penalty of Eternal Damnation not to deny wittingly any one of them nor to doubt stubbornly of the truth of them nor to believe wittingly the contrary for he that so doth falleth thereby into the damning Crime of Heresie Which ever includes an Election or Culling out of certain Articles out of the Doctrine of the Church which are imbraced for true and a Rejection of the rest as Doubtful False or Erronious Which presumptuous discarding of Divine Verities revealed by Christ to his Apostles for the direction of Mankind to Eternal Happiness and by them laid up in the Treasury of the Church as a Sacred Depositum 1 Tim. 6. 20. under the sure Custody of the Holy Ghost is no less than High-Treason against Christ our Saviour in regard that it raises a most pernicious Rebellion in his Spiritual Kingdom bringing part thereof again under the Tyranny of the Devil It frustrates the full Operation of his Passion extinguishes the true and right Worship of God despoils Christian People of Divine Faith and thereby of the true means of Salvation It deprives the Saints of due Honour defrauds the Faithful departed of necessary Relief It robbs Heaven of Souls and inriches Hell with innumerable unwary and most unhappy People For which respects it is rightly stiled one of the greatest Sins and of the loudest crying Crimes that is Although I say the Unlearned of the Church are not bound to believe explicitly all Her Sacred Verities yet they are bound not to deny any one of them wittingly even as they are not bound to know all that is in the Sacred Scripture yet they are bound not to deny any thing therein contain'd though it be never so small a thing because all is warranted by the Authority of God which is of equal Force and Worth of equal Truth both in great and in small things which therefore are of equal Certainty it being as far from God to lie and deceive in small things as in great And therefore prudent Men in Matters of Faith and Religion seek no farther than whether this or that be warranted by Gods Authority or no which they learn by the Teaching of the Church guided by the Holy Ghost for there is no other sure and infallible Means on Earth to direct us in the obscure Misteries of Faith about which anew God now reveals nothing but leaves us to the Teaching of his Church guided as I said by the Holy Ghost which makes all Discreet Christians to submit so humbly their Judgements to the Church and to relie so securely upon her Authority God himself assuring them that She is the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Second Truth is That the Subjects of the Church of Christ are not bound either to know or believe certain disputable Points of Divinity not defin'd by the Church which are controverted among the Learned The pernicious Falshood inferred out of these Truths is That Christian People who are not Learned are not bound under hazard of their Souls to believe those Articles of Faith taught by the the True and Catholick Church of Christ which false Prophets which Heretical Men reputed Learned do question deny and dispute against As though the Bad Proud Rebellious and Ungodly proceeding of these Men were a sufficient Warrant unto others to doubt of the Truth of Gods revealed Verities to mangle and believe by halves his Sacred Religion to disobey their Lawful Prelates to deprive their Souls of the fruitful use of Christs Divine Sacraments to contemn the Doctrine and to forsake the Communion of the Church Which is manifestly absurd and untrue being contrary both to Reason and Scripture as I have shewed Which teach that Christian People in the profound Mysteries of the Christian Religion are bound to be guided by those Doctors and Pastors Act. 20. which God hath placed in his Church and authorised to Teach Direct and Guide them And that they are likewise most deeply obliged to beware of and to shun false Prophets and Heretical Teachers and not to heap to themselves new Masters with itching Ears leaving the Truth of the Pillar of Truth the Church of the Living God and turning to Fables that is either to their own Self-conceits or to the Self-conceits of others which in the Mysteries of the Christian Religion when they swerve from the Doctrine of the Church are no truer than Fables though they be gilded over with the fair Title of the true Light of the Gospel and therefore the Faith of those who are guided by such Conceiters is never Divine never the Gift of God never available to Salvation For the clear understanding of which Assertion Note First That most true it is that God hath revealed many profound Misteries and Divine Verities for Men to believe to be thereby directed fittingly what to hold and to practise for the obtaining of ever-during Happiness Note Secondly That it is also most true that Man of himself without the Aid of Coelestial Grace is not able to believe these Verities fittingly and suitably to his Supernatural End. Note Thirdly That God cannot stir up and draw men by this his Heavenly Grace to believe these Verities unless they be proposed to be believ'd without all mixture of Falshood for if any Falshood be packt in among them and proposed with them for a Divine Truth revealed by God he cannot draw men by his Grace to believe them thus mingled and proposed with Falshood as is manifest because he cannot induce men to believe any Falshood at all And therefore whosoever doth thrust in among some Divine Verities any false Doctrine contrary to that which God hath revealed proposing the same to be believed as a Divine Truth and therein stubbornly contradicting the Teaching of the Church he debars God from co-opperating with his Grace and from drawing People to believe with Divine Faith the Doctrine so mixt and proposed Note Fourthly That Gods revealed Verities will fall out to be of no utility at all to Mankind but rather a Trap to ruine them unless there be some sure un-erring and infallible Proposer of them who doth propose them to Gods People without any mixture of Falshood at all in such sort that he doth not propose any thing as an Article revealed by God which is not so or which is false and contrary to that which God hath indeed reveal'd And therefore that God may draw men by the special aid of his Grace to believe with Divine Faith his revealed Misteries and Verities he must cause them to be proposed to men sincerely and without all mixture of Falshood He I say must cause them to be so proposed because no man of himself without the continual guidance and assistance of the Holy Ghost is able always so to propose them All then that will have Divine Faith must be guided by Gods Proposer of Divine Doctrine and
it sees to be clear that the Old Religion of the Christian World called Papistry wherein assuredly our Forefathers were Saved is far a surer way to Eternal Happiness then the New and Protestant Profession is in regard that all Learned Men agree both Protestants and Papists that Papistry is a Saving Religion Whereas all Learned Papists who are far the greater and the Learneder number upon sure grounds affirm That no Man can be Saved by the help of the Protestant Religion Which being so I demand first with what security of Conscience do Protestants hate revile tread under foot and persecute the Old Religion seeing it is a secure way to Salvation even by the Judgment of all Learned Protestants May any Man without offending God persecute the Children of God and seek to ruine that Religion by which the Holy Ghost doth Sanctifie and Save Souls Can this be accounted Charity towards God Charity towards our Neighbour Nay seeing that Protestants cannot deny but that it is far the securer and surer way to Eternal Happiness to live and dye Papists than to live and dye Protestants with what Christian Piety do Persecuting Protestants afflict Catholicks for taking in the great Affair of Salvation the surer and securer way Secondly I demand what Light of Reason what Duty towards God what Charity toward themselves doth lead Protestants not to take the surer way for their own Salvation they having so just cause to doubt that their New Protestant Profession is not secure Do they not know that many Learned Catholicks have indured Imprisonments Fetters Tortures Cruel Butchering of their Bodies and loss of their Lives rather than they would hazard their Souls in the Protestant Religion Do they not see that many Prudent understanding Generous and Noble Catholicks did suffer disgrace indured Vexations sustained the Abridging of their Liberties and loss of their Goods rather than they would hazard their Souls among them Moreover do they not see how little Unity in Doctrine how little Sanctity of Life how small Resemblance of the holy Life and Virtues of Christ and of his Apostles how little immitation of the Antient Fathers there is in the Teachers and prime Professors of the Protestant Religion Do they not know how great a decay of Humility of Charity of Chastity of Sobriety of Neighbourhood of Justice of Fidelity of Conseience the Protestant Belief hath brought into the World Do they not know that false Teachers are known by their Fruits And that there is but One Truth All this they know and see and therefore if they will but consult with reason and not be lead by fancy or blinded by affection they cannot but judge that to live and dye in the New and Protestant Religion is far less secure for their Souls then to live and dye in the Old and Catholick Faith And consequently they cannot but know that the tender care which they are bound to have of their own Souls and of the Eternal Salvation of them doth put upon them a great obligation to become Catholicks and to return to the Faith of their Fore-fathers so to secure those their most precious Jewels which in their New Profession can never be truly secured as the Doctrine of this little Treatise doth clearly demonstrate But rather they lye exposed most certainly to the misery of Eternal Perdition whereas in the Catholick Profession they may certainly secure them by the Judgement not only of the whole Catholick Church of Christ but also of all Learned Protestants To the Arguments which support the strength of this Treatise I could add others not of Inferior force to demonstrate the Happiness of Catholicks the Unhappiness and danger of Protestants arising from their Faith and Religion But that which hath been said is abundantly sufficient to give Light to all who willingly will not be blind And therefore I here end my present endeavours for Truth and Peace To which if any Protestant will frame an Answer I require of him First that he abstain from Railing Secondly That he abstain from Feigning and from helping his Cause by Impostures Thirdly That by vain Impertinencies and Retorical Digressions he seek not to lose and to dazle the Eyes of Weak and less Judicious Readers Fourthly That he make not vain Flourishes by Citing some broken or mistaken Sentences out of the Antient Fathers against me For I will not allow him to meddle with them but upon two conditions The one is that he shall Tye himself and his Church to stand to the Arbitriment of those clear Lights of the Church of Christ in points Controverted betwixt Catholicks and Protestants For if he will not be stinted by them why should I The other is that he shall allow the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the present Catholick Church to be of equal Authority with those Antient VVorthies in matters appertaining to Faith not in matters Historical For those Antients are better VVitnesses of what the Apostles Taught and Practic'd than those which now live can be But yet they are not surer Interpreters of Gods VVord in matters of Faith nor surer Explicators and Proposers of the Articles of the same Faith than the present Doctors and Pastors of the Church are This may seem to some a Paradox and yet it is no more then what the Rules of True Theology do warrant me to affirm For those Antient Doctors were not sure Guides in matters of Religion by the strength of their own VVits or Excellency of their Learning but by the assistance of the Holy Ghost which necessary assistance in explaining and proposing Articles of Faith the Ordinary Doctors and Pastors of the present Church have equally with them For Christ did not Promise that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against his Church that the Holy Ghost should abide with the Apostles and their Successors and Teach them all Truth for four and five hundred years Or for the time of the Primitive Church but even for ever And therefore the ordinary Doctors and Pastors of all Ages are equally assisted by the Holy Ghost and equally free from erring in mattters of Faith. Fifthly I require That my Antagonist assail me with no other Weapons than what the Light of Reason and the express Text of Gods Word will furnish him withal The express Text I say of God's Word for I will not allow him to Interpret Or accept of his Interpretation against the Interpretation of the Antient Fathers of the General Councels of the ever Visible Church of Christ unless he can prove by manifest Miracles that God hath sent him into the World to read us a new Divinity and to Interpret his Divine Word otherwise than his Antient Pastors have done Which things if he cannot perform let him in silence attend to his own Salvation and making use of that Knowledge which he may learn out of this Treatise let him timely return to the Roman Church out of whose Communion most certainly he will never be able to obtain Salvation FINIS
at all And as for the Scriptures as from thence we may easily gather that the Apostles were Papists So we find not there the least Sign that they were Protestants For if as Reason dictates we will judge of their Faith by their practice we cannot admit that in Faith they were like the Protestants seeing that in their practice they were plainly Papists For they lived perpetually Chaste yea and if ever any other they also Guelded themselves for the Kingdom of Heaven by a Vow of perpetual chastity according to the Counsel of our Saviour given Matth. 19. 12. They forsook all to follow Christ and to attain to perfection according also to the Counsel of Christ given Matth. 19. 21. as Saint Peter doth confidently profess Matth. 19. 27. whereby they practised both Poverty and Obedience Poverty in forsaking all Obedience in following Christ wherein they were so exact that they doubted not at his appointment to leave both Country and Friends and to expose both themselves and their Lives to infinite Labours and Hazards while they enterprized the Conversion of the Gentiles from their carnal and inveterate Idolatry to the Holy and Divine Religion of Christ And therefore we may truly say that the Apostles were Religious Men even such as are in the Catholick Church practising Poverty Chastity and Obedience and imitating thereby in an excellent manner their Blessed Master who was so poor that he had not whereon to repose his Head Luke 9. 58. So Chaste and so great a Friend of Chastity that even he would be born of a Virgin and so Obedient as he was Man to his Heavenly Father that he gave his Life at his appointment for the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind Philip. 2. 8. By the practices of which excellent Virtues this Blessed Lord laid the Foundation of the Regular or Religious Life consisting chiefly in the profession and due observance of perpetual Poverty Chastity and Obedience so much practiced afterwards in his Church For from him as from the Original Fountain the same hath hitherto flowed and doth yet flow with so full a Stream in his true and Catholick Church For the Vowing of these things had never been of so high esteem and of so frequent use among the Ancient and Learned Fathers and the choicest pieces of Christian Sanctity had it not been the nearest imitation of the Holy and mortified Life of Christ and of the practice of the Apostles of John the Baptist of Elias To which practice of the Apostles if we add their frequent Praying Act. 2. 42. Act. 12. 5. Act. 10. 9. and their often Watching and much Fasting Act. 14. 22. 2 Cor. 6. 5. 2 Cor. 11. 27. it will manifestly appear that they were as far from being Protestants as Monks and Fryers now are These things being wholly out of use amongst Protestants and not only contrary to the Liberty of their new Gospel but even fruitless vain superstious toys according to the Tenets and Principles thereof By all which it seems to be manifestly Convinced that the Apostles of our Saviour were not Protestants but rather truly and really Papists both in their Belief and practice their outward practice shewing their inward Belief according to that of our Saviour Out of the abundance of the Heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12. 34. But if any Protestants will be yet so wilful that he will maintain against manifest Reason that the Protestant Religion was in the times of the Apostles though afterwards it appeared not in the World till Luther reviv'd it I must tell him that this doth not only prove that the Protestant Religion is not the true Religion of Christ which must ever be extant in the World for the Salvation of Souls but further also it shews that it is a very vile and naughty Religion seeing the whole Christian World did so soon forsake and cast it aside notwithstanding that it is so easie and so pleasing to the Carnal Appetites of men And so Protestants cannot reap much true comfort by imagining that their Religion was in the times of the Apostles seeing all the Antient Saints and Learned Fathers yea even the whole Christian World thought it not worth the regarding Books Printed and sold by Nathaniel Thompson at the Entrance into the Old Spring-Garden near Charing-Cross A Manual of Controversies clearly demonstrating the Truth of Catholick Religion By Texts of Holy Scripture Councils of all Ages Fathers of the first 500 years Common Sense and Reason And fully Answering the principal Objections of Protestants and all other Sectaries Price bound 1. s. 6. d. 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