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
A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT WITH Reflexions vpon the Cause and Cure of Englands late distempers and present dangers THE ARGVMENT VVhether Protestancy be less dangerous to the soul or more advantagious to the State then the Roman Catholick Religion THE CONCLVSION That Piety and Policy are mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery by penal and Sanguinary statuts Permissu Superiorum An Dom M.DC.LXX TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE THE DVKE OF BVQVINGHAM c. May it please your Grace THE inconsiderat censures of half witted Critiks have canonized the custom of dedicating books to great persons at least they have so extenuated the crime that I despair not to obtain your Graces Pardon for my presumption of prefixing your name to this Treatise without your consent or knowledge But if the general custom be not a lawful excuse for my ambitious solicitation of your Graces patronage I must transfer the fault from my self the Author and lay it on the Argument of my book which is so proper for a person of your Graces high birth profound judgment and publick trust thus without violence to the work it could hardly be offerd to any other The Argument My Lord of this Book is Liberty of Conscience which is the most reasonable oâ— all liberties it is the spiritual birthright of our souls and the only human prerogative that cannot be forc't or forfeited Though our selves be slaves our thoughts are free and so much our own that none but the searcher of hearts can know them God himself doth not vse violence against our opinâ—â—ns when he commands us â—o change them he doth not compell us by rigor and penalties but convinceth us by reason and miracles My Lord Princes are called Gods in the Scripture and therfore ought to imitat divin perâ—â—â—tions How much your Grace doth excell in this perfection of being avers from compelling mens Consciences is so notorious that any man may without flattery the common vice of Epistles Dedicatory publish and print your vertues In this one of patronizing Liberty of Conscience are so many comprehended that did I vndertake to enumerat and explain them this short Epistle must have bin a vast volum It s an eminent part of Religion to propagat and persuade it by reason Its Charity to consider and commiâ—erat other mens capacitys how capricious soever 〈◊〉 prudence to proportion the laws to tender Consciences On the contrary the zeal of persecution is but a Cloaâ— of ambition for men of one persuasion to exclude all otherâ— from places of profit trust and honor wherof the Zealots would never be thought worthy if such as the penal laws exclude did conform to the Church of England And when any one doth becom a conformist none is more sorry for his Conversion then they that pretended to design and effect it by persecution because the number of Proselits doth diminish the profit and destroy the projects they had of begging Recusants fines and forfeitures Your Genious and generosity My Lord are so much above these base and destructive ways that you are becom the refuge of all persons afflicted for their Conscience To be popular vpon this score and to be the patron of so numerous and conscientious a party as it is the effect of your Wisdom and vertue so it is a just cause for your Prudent Prince to confide in your Ministery and to countenance your popularity I do acknowledge My Lord that in som districts of the Church of Rome men are punished for their Conscience or contumacy by a Court of Iustice called the Inquisition How worthy the Inquisition is of imitation I leave to the Judgment of others But this I do maintain in my book that our penal and Sanguinary statuts are much more severe and vnreasonable then the Canon law wherupon the Inquisitors Sentences are grounded 1. Because the Canons against Innovators of Religion are almost as ancient as Constantin the first Christian Emperor 2. They seemed so conscientious and convenient to all his Catholick Successors and other Soveraigns that they have incorporated into the laws of their Dominions the Canons wherby the Inquisitors are directed to punish heresies or pretended reformations of Religion and therfore the first Protestant Reformers in England durst not publish their doctrin vntill these statuts against heretiks had bin repeald by Act of Parliament 1. Edu 6.3 the Inquisitors pretend not to act by human commission against mens opinions they proceed as spiritual Pastors and the Apostles Successors and therfore endeavor to reduce the obstinat Nonconformists by producing thousands of learned and lawful witnesses to proue that the Roman faith is built vpon the very same Apostolical revelations reasons and miracles wherby the primitive Church and the Catholick world had bin converted from Paganism to Christianity But our English penal and Sanguinary statuts punish men for adhering to the ancient and authentick Religion of Christendom and for not embracing a new interpretation of Scripture for which there is no credible testimony or proof that it is the Apostolical neither is there as much as a pretence of any miracles to confirm Protestancy or that monstrous Shee-supremacy which was imposed vpon men only to make An Bullens daughter Queen of England and to exclude the right heirs and now reigning family from the Crown Notwithstanding this great disparity My Lord between the severity of the Inquisition and of our penal statuts J wish both equally excluded from this Monarchy and that no compulsion be used against Conscience but that every one be left to choos his own Religion according to his capacity it being likely that none will have a greater care of saving any mans soul then himself who is more concerned therin then any other whether Prince Parliament or Pastor That God may inspire into every soul that one faith without which none is saved ought to be the only common prayer imposed vpon us for that by this vniformity of prayer every man is left to his own Inquisition which is much more agreable to our genious then that of Spain and more likely to make us agree amongst our selves then any penal or Sanguinary statuts all which I humbly submit to your Graces Iudgment begging your Pardon for this trouble and your protection for this Treatise Your Graces most obedient and most humble servant IOHN WILSON THE PREFACE THE end which most Authors propose to themselves in writing Prefaces is to incline mâ—n to read their books but the books are now so many and of such groat busks that even the Prefaces are not perused Notwithstanding this superfluity and surfeit of books I have ventured to add this one to the number not without hopes that the Title will invite men to read the Preface and perhaps the Preface may persuade them to read the Book For Religion and Government being the two things wherin mankind is most concerned the one being the ground of everlasting happiness the other of temporal prosperity and I having vndertaken to
conferences of Religion wherby their title to the churchs-livings may be questioned They will pretend and preach â—hat it is against the rules as well of piety as of policy to inquire into the truth of doctrin or into the right of possession after 100. years prescription But they do not consider or at least would not have others consider that the Roman Catholicks prescriptioÌ„ of 1000. years in England and our Prelats legal possession of lands for the same space of years was not judged by Q. Elizabeths Bishops or Parliaments a sufficient Plea against the pretensions of the Crown to the Church revenues notwithstanding the Church then was thought to be infallible in doctrin and the revenues therof were first intended for and annexed to the Prelats and preachers of the same Roman Catholick doctrin and Church Now if the Protestant Bishops think that the Catholick Bishops were legally and lawfully dispossessed of their revenues and their Doctrin legaly and lawfully condemned and changed by Luther Calvin Cranmer or the Prelaticks interpretation of Scripture confirmed by Act of Parliament how can they imagin to make the world believe that it is now either a sin or sacriledge to be dispossessed themselves of the Church revenues by an Act of Parliament confirming as probable an interpretation of Scripture as theirs or as that of Luther or Calvin is especially seing they confess their doctrin fallible and that the revenues were never intended by those that gave them for preaching or promoting any kind of Protestancy Doubtless this incoherency and their backwardness in reasoning of Religion will render their Zeal for the Church revenues as much suspected as their forwardnes in persecuting tender Consciences hath renderd their persons odious And that there may be no ground for them to work vpon nor to doubt of the Roman Catholick Clergy's loyalty and sincerity in petitioning and pressing for publick conferences of Religion it will be found I doubt not in case any such security be desired or valued that we shall as readily now as in Queen Maries reign resign all the right we can pretend to the revenues of the Church and as then bestow them vpon the Crown for the use and ease of our Country By this it may appear that we have no design but the duty of subjects or the devotion of Christians in desiring that the Protestant Clergys title be examined But they deterr the illiterat layty from this necessary scrutiny by often repeating the word Sacrilege without declaring its signification We know and so do they that it hath bin the ancient practise of God's Church to contribut with all that is Sacred without the least fear or scruple of Sacriledge to the maintenance of the State when the layty is so much empoveris'ht with wars and taxes as we are both in England and Ireland Wee see that in all Catholick Countreys the Clergy doth imitat the example of the ancient Church in the same practise Why our English Bishops Deans and Chapters ought to be exempted from so reasonable and general a custom vnless it be that they are burthend with wives and Children I do not vnderstand But sure their having wives and Children can neither â—make their revenues more Sacred nor â—heir Contributions more Sacriledge on cases of publick necessity As a â—ompetency of maintenance for themselves and for their Childrens education and application to some honest Trades is an act of Charity so to apply the rest of the Church revenues to publik uses for soldiers and seamen and to the payment of the Crown debts is not against Christianity In the conclusion of this Preface I must endeavor to excuse the bulk of my book and the positivenes of my Assertions For the first I could hardly draw into a narrower compass so transcendent a subject and yet I have placed in the end of this Treatise an Index wherin the substance of the whole book is contained to the end every one may find out with ease any point he hath a mind to read As to the positivenes of my assertions most of them being articles of my faith or deductions from my Creed I could not but utter them in the Tone of our infallible Church But becaus I speak to Protestants that condemn our infallibility I attempt to demonstrat their censure against the same is as rash as they fancy our belief is ridiculous J must also ingenuously confess that it is part of my design to diminish the authority of the Protestant and Prelatick writers but seing my arguments are taken out of their own writings and are no other then their wilfull and vndeniable falsifications of Scripture and Fathers I hope none that detests so horrid a crime will condemn my Censure or defend their credit Whether I have bin faithfull in setting down their falsifications I must submit to the Iudgment of my Readers as also beg pardon for intermedling with so much of government as necessarily depends of Religion and ought to be proportioned therunto our Protestant Statesmen will not only pardon but protect me when they reflect vpon the impossibility there is of regulating the motions or appeasing the mutinies of a body politik by a faith so vncertain as that of the fallible Church of England or by a rule of Religion so applicable to rebellion as the letter of Scripture is when left to every privat mans arbitrary interpretation THE TABLE Part I. Of the Beginning Progress and Principles in general And of the Prelatick Church of England in Particular HOw necessary a rational Religion is for a Peacable Government Pag. 1. Wherein the Reasonableness of Religion Consists Pag. 8. How dangerous it is for a Temporal Soveraign to pretend to a Spiritual Jurisdiction over his Subjects Pag. 10. The Grounds of Peace Piety and Policy Pag. 10. The Catholick World ever acknowledg'd the Bishop of Rome's Spiritual Jurisdiction over all Christians Pag. 11. The same Religion which St. Gregory the great held was by St. Augustine taught to our Ancestors Pag. 19. Of the Author and beginning of Protestancy and of Luther's Disputation and Familiarity with the Devil Pag. 22. How weakly Protestants Excuse Luther's Conference with the Devil Pag. 29. The Mass a Visible and True Sacrifie proved by the Councils and Doctors of the Church Pag. 36. The Sacrifice of the Mass offered for the Dead Pag. 37. Of the Principles and Propagation of Protestancy Pag. 39. The Fundamental Principles of Protestancy Pag. 43. Protestants affirm that if a man have an Act of Faith sin does not hurt him Pag. 46. Protestants affirm that all Christians Men and Women are Priests by Baptism Pag. 50. Of the Protestant Church of England in K. H. VIII's Reign Pag. 53. Henry the VIII weary of Queen Catharine Pag. 53. Anne Bullen's Incest and Leudness Pag. 54. Henry the VIII's Tyranny Pag. 56. Tyndal's Translation of the Bible abolish'd Pag. 59. Of the English Religion and Reformers in K. Edw. VI's days Pag. 60. The first Reformers of the Prelatick
their doctrin and of the sincerity of their Doctor And though it seemeth to me impossible for any man to know what parts of the new Testament the 6. Article and Canon of the Church of England declares Canonical it being so intricatly worded that either it must be non sense or els exclude from the Canon the Epistles of Iames the second of Peter the second and third of John the Epistle of Iude the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Apocalips seing the authority of all and every one of these hath bin doubted of in the Church and the 6. Article of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England is that In the name of the holy Scripture we do vnderstand those Canonical Books of the old and new Testament of whose authority was never any doubt of in the Church Though I say it 's impossible for me to comprehend how common sense and Christianity can meet in this Article but that if the words therof signify any thing out of the English Protestant new Testament must be excluded all the aforsaid Epistles and Apocalyps yet leaving this difficulty to the decision of that Church I wil suppose at the present with D. r Cosins that all these Epistles and Apocalyps are included in the English Canon and come to the examination of the Arguments wherby he pretends to defend it He therfor foreseing the impossibility of giving any reason why the parts of the New Testament hertofore doubted of should rather be received by Protestants into their Canon then the Books of the Old Testament no more questioned by the Church of Christ then the aforsaid epistles and the Apocalyps thought to avoyd the force of this pressing parity by flatly denying pag. 5. alibi That ever any intire Church or any National or Provincial Counsel or any multitude of men in their confessions and Catechisms or other such publick writings rejected or doubted of the sayd epistles c. In case so many solemnities had bin requisit for the questioning of Canonical authority which his Lp knows are not necessary It seems his lordship did not peruse Eusebius his works though he quotes them very often or at least did not thinck that the ancient Churches of Syria and Arabia deserve to be called Churches not that the Lutherans of Germany Denmark Suethland c. who stick to Luther's principles and Canon can make one or many Churches It s a gross mistake in the Doctor to say pag. 4. 5. that Luther or his Lutherans recalled or recanted their error concerning the Epistle of St. James he might see the contrary in the very book him-self cites of Chemnitius the famous Lutheran whose authority and words he placeth in his addition of certain Testimonies in the same rank with sentences of St. Augustin and St. Thomas of Aquin c. This Chemnitius in most of his works as in his Enchirid. pag. 63 and in his examin of the Councel of Trent p. 1. pag. 55. 56. declareth his own sense and that of his Church in these words The second Epistle of St. Peter the second and third of John the Epistle of Jude and the Apocalyps of John are Apocryphal as not having sufficient testimony of their authority His lordship might also have bin better informed of Luther's sence and Church by the saying of Illiricus an other pillar and Writer therof whom Mr. Bell in his regiment of the Church pag. 28. termeth a very famous Writer and most worthy defender of the Christian truth his words are Luther in his preface vpon St. Iem's Epistle giveth great reasons why this epistle ought in no case to be accompted for a writing of an Apostolick authority vnto which reasons I think every godly man ought to yeeld Luther's reasons are to be seen in the ancient editions of Jene and are comprehended in these few words of his The Epistle of Iames is contentious swelling dry strawy and vnworthy an Apostolick spirit And because these words and others were omitted in the later editions of Wittemberg by some Divins that would fain reform Luther's Canon Religion and Church the chief Lutheran Doctors mett in a Synod at Altembury complained of their Adversaries corrupting Luther's books and resolved to stick to the ancient editions and to the literal sence of his words So that in case it were true the Canon of Scripture could not be sayd to have bin questioned by any Protestant Congregation whithout declaring their doubt in a publick confession of faith we see the Lutheran doth so as also in their confession of Wittemberg quoted by Belarmin lib. 1. de verb. Dei cap. 7. init which is seconded by all hereticks of these tims saith Belarmin the Calvinist only excepted But the Doctor is so much mistaken in the necessity of such a formality that the Arians were condemned as hereticks notwithstanding that in their publick confessions of faith they endeavored rather to disguise then declare their errors It is wel known that Lutheran Churches in Germany not only do reject from their Canon the Epistles of S. Iames Iude the second of Peter and third of S. Iohn the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Apocalyps but are so obstinat in denying them to be in any wise Canonical Scripture that they do not as much as print them in their Bibles And if my Lord of Duresme thinks that the rigid and moderat Lutherans half Lutherans and other Protestant Congregations wherin are many as learned Ministers and Writers as him-self deserve not the name of a Church he may expect that they wil censure his Church after the same manner and perhaps with as much reason But lett them agree as wel as they can it concerns not vs. Yet I hope he wil not pronounce so severe a Censure against the Greeck and Latin Churches and vn-church both Wherof S. Hierom in epist. ad Dordunum testifieth that the Greeks doubted as much of the Apocalyps against the common consent of the Latins as the Latins did of the Epistle to the Hebrews against the common consent of the Church Seing therfor it is evident by the confession both of ancient Fathers and modern Proâ—estants that in the primitive Church the Canonical Scriptures were not generally received all at once but in so great variety of pretended Scriptures great care and search was requisit to determin which Scriptures were Canonical and which not wherby it came to pass thaâ— sundry books and parts were for a long time misdoubted by some Churches and Fathers and by some Councels omitted or not received which yet afterward vpon greater search and consideration were generally acknowledged it must be very great obstinacy in Doctor Cozins and other Protestants to reject the Canon which the Councel of Trent proposeth and embraceth because forsooth some books therin contained were not as soon believed by all Catholicks to be Canonical as the others Or to deny the authority and authentikness of some books of the old Testament because they were not in
mind of that folly in very cleer termes and excuse farther disputes by telling them plainly and without going about the bush that the Machabees was not Canonical Scripture nor fit to be quoted in matters of Religious controversies But the Doctor argues pag. 110. that St. Austin tells Gaudentius the Christian Church receiveth those books not vnprofitably if they be discreetly or soberly read or heard what then All discreet and sober men say the same not only of the books of the Machabees but of all the other books and parts of Scripture and St. Peter sayth the same in substance of St. Paul's epistles Will the Doctor conclude from thense that St. Paul's epistles are not Canonical Scripture because men may read them indiscreetly and deprave them to their own damnation Or that there is no Scripture at all because he himself or some of his Bishoprick of Duresme do not read the Bible with sobriety and discretion these words of St. Austin in the Doctor 's judgment pag. 108. are so cleerly against the Canonical authority of the Machabees that he says Cardinal Belarmin layd his thumb vpon them and durst not relate them I am sure he pointed at them with his Pen and directed all the world to see and examin them by his quoting the book and Chapter where they are as my Lord of Duresme him-self confesseth in the margent neither could Belarmin Peron or any oâ—her Catholick Writer observe any disadvantage to their cause in those following words of S. Austin Which Doctor Cozins pretends to be so notoriously prejudicial Recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter c. The Machabees is received by the Church for holy Scripture not vnprofitably if it be soberly read or heard That is sayth Doctor Cozins pag. 110. As St. Augustin els wher expoundeth him-self but where Doctor Cozins doth not because he cannot tell If those things that we read there be conferred with the sacred and Canonical Scriptures that whatsoever is therevnto agreeable may be approved and what is otherwise may be rejected According to this acute explanation which Doctor Cozins falsly fathers vpon S. Austin the most profane books and Romances Esop's Fables and Don Quixote may be received by the Church for holy Scripture as well as the Machabees if those things that we read therin be conferr'd with the sacred and Canonical Scriptures and whatsoever is thervnto agreable be approved and what is otherwise be rejected It were too tedious to note all Doctor Cozins his mistakes Let these few serve to know by what a pillar the English Canon and Church is supported SECT IV. Protestants so grossly mistaken in their letter and Translations of the Scriptures that they can not have any certainty of faith and are forc't at length by their principles to question the truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical books therof THe holy Scriptures were writen by the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists either in Hebrew Greeck or Latin the old Testament excepting some few parts writen in Chaldaick and Syriack was writen in Hebrew the new Testament for the greatest part in Greeck S. Mathew's Ghospel in Hebrew S. Marck's in Latin We have not the original writings of these Prophets and Apostles nor of the 70. Interpreters who translated the old Testament into Greek some 300. years before the comming of Christ we have only Copies for the truth and exactness wherof we must rely vpon the testimony and tradition of the Church which in so important a point God would never permit to err at least it must have bin so infallible therin as that the Copy be sufficiently authentick to be a rule of deciding controversies of faith and of directing men to holiness of life though perhaps no copy is so exact but therin may remain some erratas of the press and pen yet easily discoverable by it's coherency or incoherency with other parts of the Text. Notwithstanding the necessity of admitting some true and authentick copy of Scripture for what can it availe a Christian to believe that Scripture is the word of God if he be vncertain which copy or Translation is true and authentick Scripture Protestants pretend there is no authentick copy of Scripture in the world as may be seen in the preface of the Tigurin edition of the Bible and in all their books of Controversy seing therin they condemn the Councel of Trent for declaring that the old Latin Translation is authentick and yet themselves name no other for authentick and therfore though the Lutherans fancy Luther's Translation the Calvinists that of Geneva the Zuinglians that of Zuinglius the English some times one somtimes an other yet because they do not hold any one to be infallibly authentick it followeth from their exceptions against the infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in declaring or decreeing a true and authentick copy of Scripture and their confession of the vncertainty of their own translations that they have no certainty of Scripture nor even of faith which they ground vpon Scripture alone Most of the old Testament as it is in the vulgar Latin Translation which the Councel of Trent declares to be authentick was â—ranslated out of Hebrew by St. Hierom and the new Testament had bin before his time translated out of Greek but was by him revewed and such faults as had crept in through negligence of the Transcribers were corrected You constraine me sayth he to make a new work of an old that I after so many copies of the Scripture dispersed through the world should sit as a certain Iudg and determin which of them agree with the true Greek and in this Cathalogue he saith Novum Testamentum graecae fidei reddidi vetus juxta haebraicum transtuli The antiquity and sincerity of the first Interpreter and the great Commendations therof to be seene in St. Austin de Civit. Dei lib. 18. c. 43. Non defuit temporibus nostris Presbiter Hieronymus homo doctissimus omnium trium linguarum peritissimus qui non è Graeco sed ex Haebraeo in Latinum eloquium easdem Scripturas converterit Cujus tamen litterarum laborem Judaei fatentur esse veracem And lib. 2. doct Christi cap. 15. togeather with the eminent Sanctity and learning of S. Hierom forceth our Adversarie Bâ—eza to confess Annotationibus in caput 1. Luc. That the old Interpreter seemeth to have interpreted the holy books with marveilous sincerity and Religion and in praefat novi Testam The vulgar edition I do for the most part embrace and preferr before all others Carolus Molinaeus in nov Testam part 30. I can very hardly depart from the vulgar and accustomed reading which in Luc. 17. he professeth to preferr before Erasmus Bucer Bullinger Brentius the Tigurin Translation and even before Iohn Calvins and all others Doctor Humfrey de ratione interpret l. 1. pag. 74. The old Interpreter seemeth to be much addicted to the propriety of the words and truly with too much
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
his soule how that being a zealous Protestant and very familiar to the Earle of Leicester in the beginning of this Queenes dayes when M. r Iewell 's Book was newly come forth and being also learned himself in the latin tongue took paines to examin several leaves therof and finding many falshoods therin which were inexcusable as they seemed to him he conferred the same with the Earle who willed him that the next time M. r Iewell dined at his table he should take occasion after dinner to propose the same which he did soon after and receiving certain trifling answers from M. r Iewell he waxed more hot and urged the matter more earnestly which Iewell perceiving told him in effect that Papists were Papists and so they were to be dealt with all and other answer he could not get which thing made the good Gentleman make a new resolution with himself and to take that happy course which he did to leave his Countrey and many great Commodities which he enioyed therin to enjoy the liberty of conscience for salvation of his soule The second example which I remember of my own knowledge is M. r Doctor Stevens a learned man yet alive who being Secretary or Chaplyn to M. r Iewell for I remember not well whether and a forward man in Protestant Religion at that tyme espied certain false allegations in his Master's Book whilst it was yet vnder the print in London wherof advertising him by letters for that he supposed it might be by oversight the other commanded notwithstanding the print to go forward and passed it over as it was which this man seeing that had a conscience and sought the truth indeed resolved to take another way of finding it out and having found it in the Catholick Church where only it is to be found he resolved also to follow it and so he did and went voluntarily into banishment for the same where yet he liveth vnto this day in Finance with good reputation both of learning and godliness The third example that I call to mind is the worthy man before named M. r William Reynolds who being first an earnest Professor and Preacher of Protestant Religion in England he fell in the end to read over M. r Iewell 's book and did translate some part therof into latin but before he had passed half over he found such stuff as made him greatly mislike of the whole Religion and so he leaving his hopes and commodities in England went over the sea into these parts and the last yeare of Iubily to wit 1575. he came to Rome and brought that book with him and presented both himself and it to the Tribunal of Inquisition of his own free motion and accord c. And himself after absolution received from his former errors which he with great humility and zeale required and myself also at that time did speak with him in that place he returned into France and Flanders and there lived many years with singular edification for his rare virtue and learning and how heartily indeed he was converted may well appeare by his zealous writings both in Latin and English in defence of Catholick Religion Thus much the Author of the three Conversions I am credibly informed by a person then present that Primat Bramhall and some of his Majesties Chaplains who now are Bishops persuaded or endeavored to persuade our most gratious Soveraign Charles 2. who was then at Bruges that this Doctor Reynolds was made a Papist by disputing with an other Doctor Reynolds whom he intended to make a Protestant And that the Roman Catholick Doctor Reynolds at the same time turned Protestant Some think this story was feigned to make the King believe that there is as much to say for the Protestant religion as for the Catholick And to the end his Majesty might not reflect vpon the falshood of a Religion forsaken out of meere conscience by it's greatest Doctors when they were most applauded and when they had reason to expect the richest Benefites and greatest honours From the Apology of the Church of England we will pass to John Fox his Acts and Monuments a Book no less commended by the Protestant Clergy then the former because by frauds and lyes it serves their turn to foole the well meaning Layty who take it to be a true Ecclesiasticall History of the persecuted Church of Christ. SECT V. Frauds follies and falsifications of Iohn Fox his Acts and Monuments and of his Magdeburgian Masters in their Centuries the litle sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such falls dealing AFter that Luther and Calvin's desperat shift of the invisibility of Christ's Church for more then a thousand years before their pretended reformations had bin evidently confuted as not only impossible but as repugnant also to Scripture which compares the Church to a Citty placed vpon a mountain and a shining Sun c. Their schollers vndertook to shew a succession of the Protestant Church and to that purpose some drunken Germans as any sober man must judge them to have bin by their writings whose names were Flaccus Illyricus Joannes Vigandus Matheus Judex and Basilius Faber met togeather in some warme stoue of Magdeburg and there tipling took vpon them to Iudge of the writings doctrin and miracles of all the ancient Fathers from the first Century to the last Of the very next Century to the Apostles these merry Companions were pleased to give this Censure in the very title of the Chapter Inclinatio Doctrinae complectens peculiares incommodas opiniones stipulas errores Doctorum quae palam quidem hoc est scriptis tradita sunt The declining of Christ and his Apostles doctrin conteining the peculiar and incommodious opinions of Doctors their errors straw and stubble which were left publickly by them that is to say in their writings And thus they Censure St. Iraeneus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Methodius c. saying they abuse and wrest the Scriptures intolerably and grossly to favor popish opinions These foure merry saxons reprehend Ignatius St. Iohn's scholler for vsing the phrase offerre sacrificium imâ—olare St. Cyprian for saying sacerdotem vice Christi fungi Deo patri sacrificium offerre St. Martial scholler of the Apostles saying sacrificium Deo Creatori offertur in Ara. Martial in Ep. ad Burdegal and so all other points wherin Protestants and Catholicks do disagree calling the antient Fathers stubble Doctors the same they say of St. Basil Lactantius Gregory Nissen Hilary Nazianzen Ambrose Ephrem and Hierom c. and pretend their doctrin to be against Scripture and the Miracles they relate to be either forged or Diabolicall or at least wrought by God to punish the credulity of Christians But the errors of ancient condemned Hereticks to be the true and sincere primitive faith and produce no other proof for this their drunken foolery but their own presumption and privat interpretation of Scripture Wherfore Valentia a learned Jesuit
Mr. Walsingham nothing but a colerick Jnvective against the Author of the defence telling him first and facing him down that the cause why there was no publick disputation was in him and his fellowes as being afraid to come to that tryal Which kind of answer contented me not for that I expected he would have sayd that disputation should be procured and that he and all the rest of our Clergy would ioyn in that suit to her Majesty that then was Secondly to all the ways set down by the defence for trying of a Catholick and heretical spirit he sayd only that he and his would be tryed by Scriptures wheras the Controversies would be about the sense and Jnterpretation of Scripture Thirdly to that of Luther Zuinglius Calvin Beza their lives and doctrines which principaly I desired to see discussed he seemed to me to answer scarce any thing to the purpose but ran into a great exclamation of popish slanderers and against the absurdities of Indulgences c. which were not now in question he ought to have examined the place out of Luther's own writings about himself and others both for life and doctrin but this was not don only in general he would seem to excuse matters or rather to divert the reader from attention vnto them with this florish of words As for Berengariâ—s saith Chark Huss Wicleff Luther c. we measure them according to those times wherin the Lord stirred them vp and according to that measure of grace and light he bestowed vpon them and whatsoever were their Jmperfections therin we do not justifie them but give God the praise of his work and leave them to their place as men yet we may and will thus far defend them against that doggish tooth of yourâ—â— that in the principal points of faith wherupon dependeth salvation they were found with Athanasius and all other holy men of God These words J say may be as well applyed as an Apology to Turks Iewes and all hereticks as to Luther Calvin Beza Cranmer for Turks Iewes and all hereticks agree with Catholicks and Athanasius in some points of faith though in their imperfections as blasphemies Iudaisme Turcisme heresy c. They do not agree with Athanasius and therin we do not justifie them Were not this a good excuse thought J with my self And is it not a goodly Church that admits of such companions and fraternity saith VValsingham What he meant â—â—en he sayd in the principal points of faith wherupon dependeth salvation I could not tell seeing he giveth no certain rule to know them And besides I considered that Luther and 〈◊〉 Lutherans do affirm in their Books even to this day that we â—scanâ—ants of England are damned hereticks for denying the real pre 〈…〉 And on the contrary side we say that they are good protestants 〈◊〉 holy men and our Brethren though they hold the real presence which we deny and condemn for Idolatry To all the rest of my difficulties J found in effect no substantial answer at all Mr. VValsinghams last appearance before my Lord of Canterbury and his Doctors THe prefixed time of my appearance drawing neere I repaired to London and vpon the last day of Easter term I went to Lambeth to present my self to my Lord who was not yet come from Westminster though in 〈◊〉 absence there sate as I vnderstood divers Doctors and Prâ—lats about matters of Religion in his house at Lambeth At length my Lord came home and a great train with him coming out of his garden he cast his eye vpon me and presently said vnto me with a friendly countenanee and somewhat a low voice now Mr. VValsingham how do you are you satisfied To whom I answered no truly my Lord I am not yet satisfied wherunto he replyed nothing but went and sate down at his table in the parlor together with his Doctors and Prelats about him whither after a litle time I was called and then my Lord began to explain my case vnto them how I desired to be satisfied in matters of fact conteined in the defence what paines his Lordship had taken with me and others at his appointment and finaly that he had delivered vnto me two books of Mr. Bell's written against the Papists to satisfie me withall and then he called me closs vnto him at the tables end and asked me very seriously whether J had read them and what I thought of them To this I answered that I had read them over with diligence and that my Iudgment was that the Author was a golden Bell but his sound like as of a brazen Candlestick which I sayd in respect of the many golden advices inferences Corollaries and the golden sentences which he mentioned so often in his books but that his sound was no better then of brass according to the Apostle's similitude for that he seemed not only to have no charity in his writings but neither truth nor sincerity in his Allegations The Arch-bishop hearing me call him a golden Bell in the first part of my answer seemed much contented saying that is well but hearing the second demanded why so And Doctor Barlow Dean of Chester afterwards Bishop of Lincoln looking back vpon me with more displeasure as it seemed then the rest sayd why what say you to Mr. Bell and all the other Doctors in like manner cast their eyes vpon me But I gave the reason 〈◊〉 mentioned And then my Lord answering and willing me to shew wherin I had made that observation J layd forth vpon the table before them the two books that I had perused turning to the places of St. Chrysostom St. Augustin and other Fathers which I pretended to have bin vntruly alledged by him presupposing that my Lord would presently hâ—â—e commanded the said Fathers works to have bin brought forth out of his study and the places quoted to be examined in all their presence but no such matter ensued for my Lord having slightly looked over the places in Bell as he citeth them he layed them down again and the Doctors took them vp to peruse in which mean space his Lorship began to talk somewhat privatly and mildly with me concerning things objected by the defence of the Censure against Luther c. My Lord began to talk vnto Doctor Barlow who this while with the rest was looking on Bell's Books and began to speak somwhat concerning them seeming to maintain somewhat a good opinion of Bell's fidelity which yet appeared not to be great with my Lord himself as by some conjectures I gathered But none of them as I said so much as once offered to call for the Fathers works themselves to examin the places which was my desire But after some few words to and fro among themselves my Lord commanded me to stand a side whilst they talked Wherupon I retired my self by litle and litle down to the lower end of the parlour that they might confer more freely they talked together of this and other matters and after
confess a fault in the maintenance wherof their fortunes are concerned and by consequence how accomptable the protestant layty is to God for not mistrusting and examining the truth and sincerity of their own Clergy being so indigent and so interessed persons and so confidently charged and so frequently caught with falshoods what fraud can be more visible then to make men believe that so infamous and dissolute persons as Luther Zuinglius Calvin Cranmer and Beza c. were Saints sent by God to restore his Church vnto it's primitive doctrin and spirit or that they and all protestants do agree in all matters of faith against Papists Their dissentions vices and wickedness are so manifest that they can not be denyed without impudency and without giving the lye to the whole world and contradicting their own writings And yet the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and his Junta of Divines would face down Mr. Walsingham that there was no such matter and because the poore man humbly petitioned to have the matter decided by comparing their own books which were in the next roome with his notes he was censured and called a foolish bold Knave impudent fellow sâ—â—cy Companion c. and threatned with prison and pillary And for that they durst not betray the weakness of their cause by so publick and violent proceedings against a known protestant who desired to continue one of themselves if protestancy did not prove to be a mistake of Christianity the Arch-bishop to be shut of him sent him to the Commissary of St. Albans to be resolved forsooth whether Luther acknowledged in his Books that he began the protestant Reformation and impugned the Mass adoration of the Sacrament Invocation of Saints c. moved therunto by the devill 's arguments in a real conference between himself and sathan as if this passage and others of Luther's and Calvin's works were not to be found in London or in his Graces Library at Lambeth as well as at St. Albans And after that by his own importunity Mr. Walsingham had obtained of Doctor Covell to shew him Luther's book wherin he acknowledged this conference and conviction of the Devill 's arguments that the Doctor should interrupt him and divert the whole discourse with a rush you see I have this book and many such like 3. Reflexion By what particular indirect means cavills and Calumnies the Arch-bishop himself endeavored to maintain the protestant Religion and discredit the Catholick delivering to Mr. Walsingham Mr. Bell's libell against the Iesuits as an invincible fortress against the Roman faith and his other book full of corruptions and falsifications as a very sincere and solid piece which falsifications being shewed to them all sitting in their Junta and Iudgment about that affaire the Arch-bishop durst not send into his study for the Fathers works that were affirmed by Mr. Walsingham to have bin corrupted by Bell and Calvin c. His Lordship 's confessed practise also of burning Catholick Books argues the weaknes of the protestant cause and proves how much they are afraid their own false dealing and the impiety of their principles should be discovered 4. Reflexion That Mr. Walsingham's case hath bin and is revived and practised now every day when any conscientious protestant begins to doubt of the safety and sincerity of his Religion The protestant Clergy tells him that he is in a sure way of salvation and yet this assertion is against one of their articles of faith to wit that which acknowledgeth their Church is fallible in proposing Christ's doctrin and the true sense of Scripture and by consequence for all they know themselves may be in damnable errors Then they tell him the Papists are Jdolaters worship Anti-Christ c. that our Books of Controversyes are full of lyes and fables and to make good these their impostures they not only corrupt our Authors but translate into English all infamous libells though they treat not of controversies as the Jansenists Letters Palafox his relations and for the renegat Fr. Paulo his history of the Councell of Trent they swear it is the most exact and sincere work of this age wheras Cardinal Palavicino in his answer to the same and in the very begining hath set down 300. of Fr Paulo's vntruths in matter of fact so palpable that they seem inexcusable in him and render others guilty of vnpardonable rashness and obstinacy who credit so mistaken or malicious an Author and preferr his bare word before the vnanimous Testimony of all Christendom that hath accepted the definitions of the Councell as Catholick truths which they would never have don had they bin such as Fr Paulâ— describes Js it likely that the Bishops Embassadors and Prelats of so different nations and subjects to Princes of so contrary Interests who were present at the Councill and recommended to their flocks and friends the decrees of Trent as sacred would conspire to cheat and damne their Souveraigns relations and neighbors Or that they knew not better how matters went in the Councill or were not more impartial in relating them then one Apostâ—ta Friar or those persons from whom he pretends to have received his papers and intelligence with such pittifull frauds and fashoods are many poor protestant soules deluded and seduced into eternal damnation which they deserve for believing their own Clergy without any further examination of the scruples and doubts which common sense and natural reason doth raise in every one of them that converseth with Roman Catholicks or observeth the incoherency and inconstancy of protestancy together with it's singularity and pride of Spirit contemning the primitive true sense of Scripture declared by vniversal Tradition and the vnanimous consent of all orthodox Fathers and Councills Perditio tua ex te Jsrael 5. Reflexion One of my Lord of Canterburyes reasons to Mr. Walsingham against crediting the Popish book was do you not know when two men go to law together one will speak the worst he can by the other And though this ought not to be practised in law suites much less in controversies of Religion yet seeing my Lord would have protestants read our books with that prejudice reason doth dictat that theirs ought not to be read without caution especially Seeing every protestant â—eader makes himself supreme Judge of Controversies of Religion and no Judge ought to give sentence before both sides be heard Suppose therfore that the protestant and Catholick Clergy are engaged not only in a dispute of Religion but in a suit of Law to wit whether the revenues of the Church of the three Kingdoms belong of right rather to the present possessors then to the ancient proprietors neither party say you ought to be Iudge in his own cause who then must decide the business The Layty Content let my Lord Chancellor of England notwithstanding his known Jnclination to favor and promote protesâ—â—â—cy be named head of a Committee for examining and deciding the question Let it be tryed in publik Court which
all antiquity did believe and record 3. They may be ashamed of the first broachers of their Protestant doctrin against the worship of Images Iews Saracens and condemned hereticks who as Tarasius proved in the second Councell of Nice corrupted the holy Scriptures to assert their heresies But leaving these things we will mention a few miracles Eusebius and others in the Ecclesiasticall History relate how the woman that was cured by touching Christs garment Math. 9.21 returning home set vp for memory of this benefit the statue of Christ as also her own adoring him and that he himself had seen them and that an vnknown herb did grow at the bottom of Christs statue which so soon as it came to touch the garment of the statue did cure all diseases In the year 362. Iulian the Apostata vexed to see this statue worship't and the worship therof confirmed with so many miracles commanded the same to be thrown down and broken in peeces and sett vp his own in steed therof but his was immediatly destroyed by fire from heaven and the Christians gathering together the peeces of Christs statue placed it in the Church where it was as Sozomenus writeth vnto his time The honest Centutists against all truth of History not having the Authority of as much as one Writer thought by lying impudently to conceal the evidence of this miracle from the illiterat Protestants and some English have imitated their example in so shamfull an imposture saying that Christs statue not Iulians was destroyed by fire from heaven An other miracle you may read in the second General Councell of Nice produced by 350. Bishops as an vndeniable evidence against the heresy of the Image-breakers for the confutation wherof they were assembled and the miracle happened but some 20. years before The wicked Iews in the City of Beritus in Syria crucified the Image of Christ and peirced with a lance the side therof whence suddenly issued such abundance of blood and water that the Churches both of the East and West received reliques therof and with it all diseases were cured By so great and so many miracles those obstinat people were converted and the Church of God appointed a day to celebrat the memory of so notorious a favor And Athanasius a learned Bishop of that age writ a Book intituled De Passione Imaginis Domini The conversion of Iews to Christianity hath seldom bin effected without great miracles None can be moâ—e stupendious then that which St. Vincent Ferrer an 1412. wrought vpon their whole Synagogue in Salamanca wherinto he entred with a Crucifix in his hand on their Saboth and preaching with great fervor of that mystery On a suddain both men and women found white Crosses vpon their Cloaths which made such an impression in their hearts that they all were baptized and turned their Synagogue into a Christian Church which they called of the holy Cross. This Saint Vincent was a Dominican Frier whose preaching against hereticks and Iews God confirmed by miracles 38. dead were revived by his intercession he cured all diseases with the sign of the Cross holy water c. and was of so great esteem among Catholicks that when Martin King of Aragon dyed without issue the naming of a Successor was left to St. Vincent and all the Competitors acquiesced in his choice See all this in St. Antoninus tit 23. cap. 8. The chief Champion of Gods Church against the heresy of Image-breakers was St. Iohn Damascen and therfore was so much hated by the Emperor Leo Jauricus by whose tyranny and Decree that heresy was professed and the Catholicks persecuted at the instance of a Jew his Favorite that Iohn Damascen being in high esteem with the Prince of the Saracens at Damasco the Emperor by the means of Skilful scribes counterfeited his hand and sent a letter to the Saracen pretended to have bin writ by John Damascen to his Majesty inviting him to besiege Damasco and giving him assurance of assistance and good success Whereat the Saracen Prince was so enraged that he commanded Johns right hand to be cut off The Saint retiring to his Oratory and prostrated before an Jmage of our Blessed Lady beggd her intercession for the restitution of that hand which had bin employed vntill then in defending her sons honor and her own against the Iconoclasts and should continue for the future if restored in the same service Wherupon he seemed to sleep and had a vision of the Mother of God and when he waked found his hand joyned as it had bin formerly to his arm The Saracen Prince seing the miracle earnestly intreated him to remain in his Court But St. John Damascen retired to the desert and there writ the praises of our Lady and three excellent Treatises yet extant in defence of the worship of Images All which you may see more at large in his life writ by John Patriarck of Ierusalem and other Authors of those times Jn the Ecclesiastical History it is recounted by Zonaras how in the time that Leo Armenus persecuted Catholicks for worshipping Jmages his son Sabatius Constantinus who had bin dumb came to the statue of St. Gregory Nazianzen praying inwardly in his heart to the Saint that he might obtain of God the vse of his tong which immediatly God was pleased to grant There is scarce a Countrey or County where the exercise of Catholick Religion is publick which aboundeth not with Miraculous Jmages I will only at this time mention that famous miracle don at Sichem an 16â—4 Related by Iustus Lipsius and found to bee true by sundry Protestant Gentlemen attending on the Earle of Hartford Ambassador in Flanders who did see and conferr with the party cured and were satisfied by the publick and credible testimony given to them of the whole matter as followeth Iohn Clement whose Mother being at her delivery of him cut therupon died leaving behind her this her son lame from his Nativity and of a monstrous composition of body his thighes and feet were contracted and turned towards the forepart of his breast so as his knees did grow and stick thereto his body was round or spherical vnfit to stand ly or walk Having from his birth continued in this estate for 20. years and so known to the Jnhabitants of Bruxells and other places adjoyning he was moved in his mind to go to our Ladies Chappel in or neer the town in Brabant called Sicham where he had heard of many miraculous cures credibly published to have bin don Being come thither in a Wagon and having confessed his sins and received the B. Sacrament hee did in the end feel his contracted and bound feet to bee loosed and stretched forth so as presently he stood on his feet himself and the beholders being â—mazed therat Many such or greatet miracles have bin don at â—oreto Zaragoca Guadalupe c. Neither can they be denyed 〈◊〉 any who is not either very obstinat or ignorant Let the most precise and peevish Protestant
desired him at her death to remember her in his Sacrifice of the Altar Calvin saith it was but an old wives request which her son never examined according to the Scriptures and after his own privat affection would have the same approved by others As Calvin Luther and all the first Protestant Reformers contemn the Catholick Churches authority in matters of doctrin when it is contrary to their new interpretations and extravagant fancies of Scripture so do they and their Successors in that of miracles Jf any Miracles be recounted that confirm the mysteries which Protestants reject though delivered by the same Author and in the same book they must needs be old wives tales not duly examined c. And yet the foolish and fals stories of such a frantick and crackt-braind fellow as Iohn Fox was known to be and his Acts and Monuments shew him to have bin are credited by persons that have no other ground to beleive his fables and follies but their education in Protestancy and aversion to Popery His lies and simple storyes must pass for a true Ecclesiastical History notwithstanding that they are contradicted by all the Histories of the world and that many of his Martyrs were found following their trades after that he had described their torments and deaths very particularly and patheticaly his miracles in confirmation of protestancy and indeed his whole book are so ridiculous that I admire some Protestant zealots if they would have the reformation be thought a Religion do not suppress or reform the work He tells for a stupendious miracle that a stone fell from a ruinous building vpon Luthers stool after he had bin eased or weary of sitting vpon it An other that a multitude of German Clowns debauched Clergy men and libertins embraced Luthers reformation it being so indulgent to liberty sensuality and vice and that the Bishop of Rome and other Catholick Prelates Censures did not stop the violent cours and Torrent of their pervers inclinations He makes dreams revelations Merchants Expounders of the Apocalyps and not to seem partial how himself was made a fool by revelation But in steed of suppressing or correcting Fox his foolish Acts and Monuments the Protestant Clergy have reprinted that book divers times since his death with new comments chronologies and great commendations of the work every Parish Church is to have one and few privat families will endure the want of so great a spiritual treasure And though the Bishops know it is not only a very absurd piece but also the chief thing that makes Puritanism and Presbytery spread and so popular in England yet becaus it persuades the simple and vulgar sort that Popery is idolatry they countenance a book so prejudicial to themselves Our Catholick miracles are of a different nature and not related by such lying foolish fellows as Fox but by the greatest Saints and wisest men of Gods Church men so much esteemed for their vertue learning and judgment that Protestants themselves are ashamed to vndervalue their testimony in matters of faith and a fortiori ought to beleive them in matters of fact if they intend to believe any thing at all that is not mentioned particularly in Scripture I say particularly because Christ our Saviour assured us in generall as our Adversaries confess that miracles should continue in the Church forever as signs of the true belief Marc. 16. 20. Ioan. 14.12 2. Cor. 12.12 The Conclusion I have sayd as much as I think necessary for the information and instruction of such Protestants as desire to know the truth and do not find my conscience guilty of any one falsification in this whole Treatise And truly it were a great absurdity in me to commit wittingly that crime which J so much cry down in others Such mistakes as have crept into the printed book will J hope he attributed to the Printer or Transcriber I am sure I have bin so diligent in examining the quotations and assertions pro and con the Catholick cause that want of care cannot be objected and if there be no want of sufficiency in the work that commendation is not due to me but to the goodnes and evidence of the cause I maintain For what acutenes of wit is requisit to defend a Religion that never was impugned but by persons so leud and vnreasonable that at the very first appearance of their opposition they were condemned as hereticks by the whole visible Church that then was What profundity of judgment can be thought necessary to demonstrat that the ancient primitive letter and sense of Scripture ought to be preferred before the Devils interpretation therof embraced by Luther or before any new Canon and fancies of the like debauched fryers and Priests What litle learning is not more then sufficient to discover so palpable frauds and falsifications as the Protestant Writers practise to make their Reformations seem agreable to Gods word What Erudition is so mean that doth not surpass the history of one age or of Protestancy a Religion so lately sprung vp and raysed from the pride ambition liberty and lewdnes of the first reformers and confined to the Northern parts of this least part of the world How can such a Religion be Catholick either in length of time extent of Territories or Conversion of Nations Jts true that for the space of 100. yeares England hath bin so blind as not to see such gross errors but this misfortune was occasioned by their fondnes of Q. Elizabeth to make good her title to the Crown they separated themselves from the communion of the Church and when her interest vanished with her death and for want of posterity few were living after her long reign that observed the motives of her reformation most Englishmen beleived the changes she made had no relation to her illegitimacy but proceeded from pure zeal of the Ghospell Her new Clergy both then and eversince have endeavored to confirm the people in that persuasion by falsifying Scripture Councells and Fathers but the discovery of the frauds and the principles of Protestancy practised against the late innocent King have opend the eyes of many to discern the flaws of the Reformation and the fallacies of their own education And now that it is as much the concern of the whole Nation to tolerat the Roman Catholick faith as it was Q. Elizabeths interest to change it into protestancy I doubt not but that every particular persons ease in the addition of a revenue to the publick will excite both conscience and curiosity to examin whether the prelatick Religion and Clergy of England have not more of human invention then of divin institution And if after perusing this Treatise and proposing the arguments and instances therof to their learned Ministery no satisfactory answer can be given to the particulars wherwith their doctrin and function is charged to what purpose should men continue in mistakes so damnable to the soul and dangerous to the state But if the Protestant Clergy
Protestants None could ever prove there was one true miracle wrought to confirm the Protestants doctrin or their pretended authority for reforming the Tenets of the Roman Catholick Church Protestants are forced to say that miracles are ceased and that ours are Diabolical or counterfeit Because no true Bishops were Protestants and by consequence they could have no Priests ordained and so their Priesthood must have perished after the death of the first Apostatas Luther and others the Protestant reformers and Churches taught that all Christians are Priests both men and women and this doctrin is supposed to be true by the Church of England in their 39. articles and in the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. SECT IV. OF the Protestant Prelatick Church of England The occasion of K. Henry the 8. divorce from Q. Catharin and of his revolt from the Church of Rome was his passion to An Bullen the words of S. Iohn Baptist to Herod concerning his brothers wife absurdly applyed to K. Henrys marriage with his Brothers widdow How zealously he had formerly maintained the Popes supremacy how cruelly he afterwards persecuted the professors therof and how impiously he judged S. Thomas of Canterbury robbed his shrine and burnt his Reliques The Catholick Princes rejected his embasies and solicitations for imitating his example in assuming the supremacy And how much the protestant Princes were troubled and ashamed that he made his lust the motive of his reformation How incredible a thing is the English supremacy K. Henry 8. at length resolved to renounce it and returne to the duty of a Christian King but stood upon such termes and differrd it so long that he died in Schism excommunicated and despairing of Gods mercy His last will and testament was broken before his body was buried The Erle of Hartford made himself Protector and brought into England the Sacramenrian or the Zuinglian heresy against K. Henrys last will and the lawes of the land then in force without a Parliament and contrary to the votes of the Erles of Arundell and Southampton and others of the 16. Trustees named Governors by K. HeÌ„ry 8. during the minority of Edw. 6. SVBSECT I. HOw Seamor was directed and destroyed by Dudley Duke of Northumberland The sayd Dudley notwithstanding he was a Catholick in his judgment as himself confessed at his death concurred to establish protestancy in England designing therby to vnsettle the state and make way for excluding the right heirs of the Crown and crown his own family which he effected by excluding Q. Mary for being a Catholick and by marrying his Son to the Lady Jane Grey who had no other right to the Kingdom but what her Zeal to the Protestant Religion and Clergy gave her What wicked men and great cheats were Cranmer and his Camerades that composed the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England and the common prayer book that of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies and how the common people were made believe the change was not of Religion but of language SECT V. OF the 39. Articles of the Church of England they contain only some general notions of Christianity and are applicable to all dissenting Sects of Protestancy as Presbytery Zuinglianism c. The design of the composers having bin rather to give men a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christian Religion then of tying them to any certain points therof or to any faith therfore they declare that the visible Church is fallible and determin no certain canonical Scripture of the new Testament They make the doctrin that Luther learnt of the Devil against the Mass Tradition and praying to Saincts c. part of their Creed as also the Tenet against spiritual Caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood art 25. rejecting imposition of hands as not instituted by Christ. In the 2. last Articles they endeavour in vain to suppress the errors of Anabaptists especialy that of appropriating to themselves other mens goods in vain I say because in their former articles they declare its lawful for Protestants to dispossess the Roman Catholick Clergy of their goods and dignitys by vertue of a privat interpretation of Scripture and the Anabaptists pretend no more but that its lawfull for themselves to deal after the same manner with Prelaticks and t is certain there can be no disparity given So that the two last articles of the 39. as also that of the authority of the Protestant Clergy are against an evident parity of reason in their own Protestant Principles SECT VI. A Particular account of the revolutions which these 39. articles caused in England and how they may work always the same effects if there be such politick and popular heads amongst us as Dudley Crumwell and many of the last long Parliament Q. Maries Reign how much endangered by Protestant designs and rebellions Duke Dudleys speech at his death The Roman Catholick Religion restored by Act of Parliament and the Protestant decreed to be Heresy and Schism as also the force and frauds of K. Henry 8. divorce discovered and his marriage with Q. Catharin of Spain declared valid The Roman Clergys resignation of the Church revenues to the Crown and present possessors Q. Elizabeths intrusion against the right of the Steward 's effected by the zeal of the Protestant faction for suppressing of Popery SECT VII NOtwithstanding that Q. Elizabeth was declared illegitimat by 3. Acts of several Parliaments never yet repealed she possessed herself of the Croun and excluded the Queen of Scots the lawfull and immediat heir to Q. Mary lately deceased By the advice of Cecil and others she revived Protestancy and the Supremacy therby to excuse her illegitimacy She instituted a new Kind of Clergy the Prelatick Protestant Bishops neither had nor have any other caracter of Episcopacy but what the great seal and her temporal laws give them Any Lay person may consecrat a Bishop of the Church of England if he hath the Kings commission to do it all other things being superfluous according to the Act. 8. Eliz. 1. and 25. article of the 39. How the Oath of supremacy divided Protestants and made the Catholicks more constant The simplicity of some Protestant writers pretending that the Pope offered to confirm the English liturgy if Q. Elizabeth would acknowledge his jurisdiction SECT VIII REasons why Q. Elizabeth in her long raign could not settle her Protestant Religion nor gain credit for the Prelatick Clergy Neither is it possible for her Successors to make the generality of her subjects to have any esteem for either SECT IX HOw injurious and prejudicial the Protestant Religion hath been to the Royal family of the Stevards and how zealous they have bin and still are in promoting the same It preferred not only Q. Elizabeth but also any natural child of hers before the line of the Stewards Wherof see the 8. sect â—in How dexterously K. James played his game and how they who murthered his mother were forced to invite him to the Crown
St. Austin lib. 3. de Trin. c 10. Speaking of such holy signs as Images saith Honorem tamquam religiosa possunt habere S. Ambros. sec. 10. Qui imaginem coronat Jmperatoris utique illum honorat cujus imaginem coronauit qui statuam contempserit Imperatoris Imperatori utique fecisse videtur injuriam S. Hierom. contra Vigilant Euseb. hist. lib 4. c. 15. Centuriatores cent 2. c. 3. col 31. St. Ambrose serm 39 de sanctis Nazaâ— Celso in fin Our doctrin of Indulgences is confirmed by the same miracles that confirm worship of Saints Pilgrimages c. because Indulgences are commonly annexed to these devotions S. Ambros. ep 85 ad Mar. soror ser. 93. de Inventione corporum S. Gervasij Protasij Ariani dicunt non sunt Daemonum vera tormenta sed ficta composita ludi bria S. Hierom. contra Vigilant cap. 4. In morem Gentilium impiorumque Porphyrij Eunomij has praestigias Daemonum esse confinâ—gaâ— non vere clamare Daemonâ—s sed simulare tormenta c. S Chrysost. in lib. contra Gentiles speaking of Babylas sententiae nostrae abunde faciunt fideÌ„ quae quotidiana à Martyribus eduntur miracula Cent. 4. cap. 13. col 14â—6 Nazianzen Orat. in Cyprian saith Omnia potest pulvis Cypriani cum fide ut sciunt hi qui ipsi experti sunt miracula usque ad nos transmiserunt A miracle to confirm the worship and devotion of the Mother of God S. Basil. de Spirit S. c. 27 Alexan. 1. ep 1. Hebr. 9.13 S. Clem. lib. 8. Const. cap 35. Dion de Eccles hier cap de Baptismo Cyril Caieâ— ch 3. Cypr. lib. 1. epist. 12. Ambr. lib. 4. de Sacr. c. 5. l. de iis qui initiant cap. 3. Epiph. haer 30. August hom 27. epist. 50 Serm. 9. de Sanct lib. 6. in Jul. c. 8. Conc. Nannit cap. 4. Act. 8.14 19.6 Heretofore part 4. Serm. 215. de temp Hom. 49. ep 50. cap. 3. hoâ— 41. 50. cap. 4. 5. Mat. 18.18 Ioan. 20.23 De laps vide ep 10 55. Quaest â—88 in reg 〈◊〉 vide quaest 229. in ep 3. can ad Amphil. can 78. St. Bedes holines and great learing acknowledged by Iohn Fox as also his excellency in the knowledge of Scripture and yet he never had the least scruple that worship of Jmages was Idolatry or that any point of Popery was contrary to Scripture himself having bin a professed Popish Monk and confessed by ProtestaÌ„ts to be a great Saint The obstinacy of Protestants in rejecting and corrupting the ancient Fathers A notable corruption and impudency of Calvin Calvin l. 2. Jnst. c. 3. S. Aug. l. de corr gratia ad valent cap. 12. l. 22. de Civit. Dei c. 30. S Aug. lib. de cura pro mortuis c. 2. 4. Fox his miracles how ridiculous See Fox his Act. and Monum pag. 1843. 1844. He that believeth in me the workes that I do he shall do and greater Ioan. 14.12 In the marginal notes of the English Bible printed 1576. it is therupon sayd This is referred to the vvhole body of the Church in vvhom this vertue doth shine for ever See Mr. Vdal in his book of the life and death of the Queen of Scots dedicated so K. James Part. 2. A discourse with Mr Dan. Onealâ— in Flanders A paralel between Mahometism and Protestancy See heretofore part 2. sec. 10. 11. S. Iohn Damascen de haeres sayth that Mahomet granted Christ as the word of God and his son but withall a Creature and confessed that he was conceived of the Virgin Mary by vertue of the holy Ghost See heretofore part â— sec. 2. See Heretofore part 2. sec. 11. See heretofore part 2. sec. 10. how the most learned Protestants of the world became Turcks and Iews sticking to the principles of Protestancy S. Bede lib â— hist. cap 25. who liued an Dom. 700. [A] See Iohn Bole Bishop of Ossery in act Rom. Pontif. edit Basil. 15â—8 pag. 44.45 46. 47. See also Osiander in Epitom Cent 6 pag. 288.289 290. Carion in Chronic. lib. 4 pag. 567. See the Century writers of Magdeburg Cent. 6 cap 10. col 748 384 37â— 376 381 425. â— seqq See Dr. Humphry in Iesuitismi p. 2. raâ— 5 pag 5. 627. all of them confessing that S. Austin taught the very same doctrin in all particulars that we Papists now profess S. Bede lib. 1. cap. 25. 26. S. Bede lib. 2. cap. 2. S. Bede lib 1. cap. 32. Sets down S. Gregories letter to king Ethelbert wherin he gives him this caracter of S. Austin our right reverend Brother Augustin Bishop being brought vp in the rule of Religion having good knowledge in the holy Scriptures and a man through the grace of God of much vertue whatsoever he shal advertise you to do gladly hear it devoutly perform it diligently Remember it (B) And ibid. cap. 13. he sets dowâ— S Gregories letter to S. Austin exhorting him noâ— to glory in himself for the Miracles which God vvrought by him for the instruction of others J knovv saith holy Gregory deer Brother that it pleaseth God to shâ—â—â— by theâ— great miracles among the people Whom by thee he hath called to his faith WherevpoÌ„ it is needfull that of that most heavenly guift both thou joy vvith fear and fear with joy Thou hast to joy for that by means of the said Miracles the English mens souls are won to the faith Thou hast to fear least through the miracles â—hich be don by thee thy weak mind be lifted up in presumptioÌ„ falling as far invvardly by vain Glory as thou art by outward prays puffed vp c. And concludes his letter thus And whatâ—oever grace thou either hast or shall receive to work miracles think iâ— given thee not for thyn own sake but for theirs the Minister of vvhose salvation thou art ordained (C) D. Fulk in his confut of purgat calls St. Austins preaching our perversion Mr. Powell calls him a fals Apostle Mr. Ascham in Apol pro Caen. Dom. pag. 33. calls him the establisher of all Popish Doctrin Mr. Willet in his Tetrastylon Papismi pag. 122. placeth St. Gregory and St. Austin among the first Fathers of Superstition and Captains and Ringleaders of Popish Divines c.
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
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
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
Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and to some other Protestant Divins who were all married friars and Priests lately come out of Germany with their sweet-hearts viz. Hooper and Rogers Monks Couerdale an Augustin friar Bale a Carmelite Martin Bucer a Dominican Bernardin Ochinus a Franciscan and Peter Martyr a Chanon Regular these three last were invited by the Protector and appointed to preach and teach in both the Vniversities and at London and were to agree with the rest in the new model and form of Religion which was a matter of great difficulty because the Tenets which vntil then they had professed were irreconciliable Hâ—â—per and Rogers were fierce Zuinglians that is Puritans or Presbiterians and with them was joyned in faction against Cranmer Ridly and other Prelaticks for that they opposed his pretension to the Bishoprick of Worcester Hugh Latimer of great regard with the common people Couerdale and Bale were both Lutherans and yet differed because the one was a rigid the other a mild or half Lutheran Bucer also had professed a kind of Lutheranism in Germany but in England was what the Protector would have him to be and therfore would not for the space of a whole yeare declare his opinion in Cambridg though pressed to it by his Schollers concerning the real presence vntil he had heard how the Parliament had decided that controversy at London and then he changed his opinion and became a Zuinglian The same tergiversation was used by Peter Martyr at Oxford and so ridiculously that coming sooner in the first Epistle to the Corinthians which he vndertook to expound to the words Hoc est Corpus meum then it had bin determined in Parliament what they should signifie the poore friar with admiration and laughter of the University was forc't to divert his Auditors with impertinent Comments vpon the precedent words Accipite manducate fregit dixit c. which needed no explanation And when the news was come that both houses had ordered they should be vnderstood figurativly and not literaly Peter Martyr said he admired how any man could be of an other opinion though he knew not the day before what would be his own But as for Bucer he was a concealed Jew or Atheist for being asked confidently his opinion of the Sacrament by Dudly Duke of Northumberland in the presence of the Lord Paget then a Protestant who testified the same publickly afterwards he answered that the real presence could not be denied if men believed that Christ was God and spoke the words This is my Body but whether all was to be belived which the Evangelists writ of Christ was a matter of more disputation Bernardin Ochinus dyed a Jew in his opinion he writ a book to assert the lawfulness of having many wives at once this together with his profession of the Mosaick law at his death proved that he was but a counterfeit Protestant Cranmer was a meer Contemporiser and of no Religion at all Henry VIII raised him from Chaplain to Sr. Thomas Bullen to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury to the end he might divorce him from Q. Catharin and marry him to An' Bullen afterwards by the Kings order he declared to the Parliament that to his knowledg Anne Bullen was never lawfull wife to his Majesty when he married the King to An of Cleves and when the King was weary of her Cranmer declared this marriage also nul and married and vnmarried him so often that he seemed rather to exercise the Office of a Pimp then the function of a Priest which to requite one courtesy for an other made the King connive at his keeping a wench and at some of his opinions though contrary to the Statut of the 6. Articles In King Henry VIII days he writ a Book for the Real presence in King Edwards 6. days he writ an other Book against the real presence He conspired with the Protector Somerset to overthrow K. Henry 8. will and Testament and afterwards conjured with Dudly to ruin the Protector He joyned with Dudly and the Duke of Suffolk against Q. Mary for the lady Jane Grey and immediatly after with Arundell Shreusbury Pembrouk Pageâ— and others against the same Duke Finaly when he was condemned in Q. Maries reign for treason and heresy and his treason being pardoned hoping the same favor might be extended to his heresy he recanted and abjured the same but seing the temporal laws reserved no mercy for relapsed hereticks who are presumed not to be truly converted or penitent he was so exasperated therby that at his death moved more by passion then conscience he renounced the Roman Catholick Religion to wich he had so lately conformed These were the men who framed the 39. Articles of Religion the Liturgy and the Book of Sacraments rits and ceremonies of the Protestant Church of England and though it may seem incredible that a Iew an Atheist a Contemporiser or meer Polititian a Presbiterian a rigid Lutheran half-Lutheran and an Anti-Lutheran or Sacramentarian should all agree to make one Religion yet when men do but dissemble and deliver opinions to please others and profit themselves and have no Religion at all they may without difficulty concurr in some general points of Christianity and frame negative articles impugning the particular truths therof This was the case of the Church of England For though Hooper and Rogers were prity obstinat in the Presbiterian or Zuinglian doctrin of the Sacrament and prevailed therin so far by the Protectors countenance as to reform the common praier-praier-Book and to confound the caracter of Episcopacy with single Presbitery as if there had bin no real distinction between both nor no imposition of Episcopal hands required for either but only a bare election of the Congregation or Magistrat yet rather then loose the revenues of benefices and Bishopricks they were content contrary to their solemn confederacy to connive at the Episcopal disciplin and ceremonious decency of surplises square Caps and Rochets The names of Priests and Bishops they were content to admit of in the common praier-Book so the caracter were not mentioned in their new form of ordaining them but rather declared not to be of divin institution nor a Sacrament In like manner Hooper at length condescended to take the Oath of supremacy and conformed thervnto his conscience when the Bishoprick of Worcester was added to his former of Glocester though vntil then he agreed with Calvin in impugning the Kings ' spiritual headship As Hooper condescended to the Kings ' Supremacy to the Prelatick disciplin and ceremonies so Cranmer and his prelatick party condescended to the Presbiterian doctrin because they were indifferent for any that would alow them wenches and not deprive them of their revenues And as for Ochinus the Jew Bucer the Atheist and the rest of the protestant Divines their vots as wel as their livelyhoods depended of Cranmer his wil and pleasur Besids Cranmer perceived the Protector inclined to Zuinglianism and the Presbiterian
doctrin and therfore resolved to accomodat the doctrin of the Church of England to his humour Hooper and Rogers agreed vpon an ecclesiastical Government inconsistent with Monarchy which was that over every 10. Churches or Parishes in England there should be a learned Superintendent appointed who should have faithful readers vnder him and that all Popish Priests should clean be put out And to draw all publick matters of state and Religion to them-selves they composed a Treatise to prove That it is lawful for any privat man to reason and writ against a wicked Act of Parliament and vngodly Councel c. see Fox pag. 1357. col 1. num 72. And Hoopers prophecy against the Prelatick protestants for not conforming them-selves to his Puritan and Presbiterian disciplin pag 1356. And of his contention with Cranmer and other Prelatick protestants about the oath of Supremacy c. Fox pag. 1366. Both Cranmer and Ridly made apear to the Protector and Councel that Hoopers Presbiterian disciplin was not consistent with the Constitution of Parliaments and the refusal of the oath of Supremacy to be of dangerous consequence in a tyme that Deuenshir Northfolk and many other Shires had taken arms in defence of the Roman Catholick faith It was further considered that so sudain a change from on extreme to an other in matters of religion as it would have bin from ceremonious Popery to plain Preâ—bitery was against the rules of policy therfore seing the people had bin so long accustomed to the Mass and to Ecclesiastical ceremonies it was judg'd expedient to make the vulgar sort believe the chang was not of Religion but of language that the common prayr was the Mass in English that the substance of the Catholick faith was retained in the Prelatick caps copes and surplises and what alteration there seem'd to be was but of things indifferent or petty circumstances and had bin resolved vpon by the King and Parliament more to preserve vniformity then to promote novelty as may be seen by any that wil observe the words of the statuts confirming the common prayr book administration rits ad ceremonies of the Sacrament 2. Ed. 6.1 and the Councels letter to the Bishops recited by Fox pag. 1184. col 1. Whereof long tyme there had bin in this Realm of England divers forms of common prayer And where the Kings Majesty hath hereto fore divers tyms assayed to stay innovations or new rits To the intent that an vniform quiet and godly order should be had concerning the premises hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury should draw and make one convenient and meet order of common Prayer and administration of Sacraments to be vsed in England Wales c. The which at this tyme by the ayde of the holy Ghost with vniform agreement is of them concluded c. in the Statut. But in very deed the whole substance of Catholick Religion was changed and nothing retained but so much therof as seemed necessary to keep the name of Christians and had not bin rejected by most of the ancient condemned hereticks as shal appeare by our obseruations vpon the 39. ensuing articles of Religion of the Church of England SECT V. Of the 39. Articles of the Church of England WHosoever considerâ—â— these 39. Articles of Religion composed by Cranmer and his Divines may easily perceive their drift was rather to humour factions at home and dissenting Protestants abroad to countenance sensuality and grant a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christianity then to instruct men in the doctrin of Christ or to prescribe any certain rule of Faith For their method is to word so the matter of the Articles that where Protestants disagree among themselves every one of the dissenting parties may apply the Text to his own sense In so much that the Presbiterians except not against the doctrins themsel-ves rightly explained that is according to their explanation but against the wording and expressions therof which say they are ambiguous and capable of more senses then one and so may be and are wrested to patronise errors In the mistery of the real presence they speak clearly against it because it was resolved in Parliament That England should be Zuinglian in that point against the Catholick faith of Transsubstantiation Wherfore after Cranmer and the other his Contemporisers had set down in five of their six first Articles the belief of the Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection wherof no Protestants then doubted they dare not declare themselves in the third wheein they speak of Christ descent into Hell whether it was to that of the damned or to a third place for that if they denyed the first they would have offended Calvin Jf they denyed the last they were sure to disoblige some Lutherans that admitted of Lymbus or a third place In the sixt Article they free all men from an obligation of believing any thing that is not read in Scripture or proved therby and make it their ownly rule of faith and themselves the Judges therof wherin they agree with the ancient Hereticks Arians Donatists Eunomians Nestorians c. But for that some Protestant doctrins are expresly reproved by many Parts of Scripture they make those parts Apocrypha because forsooth they were doubted of by some Churches in the primitive tymes And truly if a man will reflect vpon these words of thâ—ir sixt Article We do vnderstand those Canonical Books of the ould and new Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church he may cleerly see that they believe many parts of the new Testament not to be Canonical Scripture because many parts therof have bin doubted of in the Church before the Canon was determined See after part 2. In the 7. they only declare that Christians are not bound to observe the ceremonial but only the moral law of Moyses In the 8. they tel vs of foure Creeds wherof S. Athanasius his symbol is one are to be believed because they may be proved by Scripture and yet S. Athanasius himself declared in â—he Councel of Nice that the doctrin of his Symbol that is the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation could not be proved by Scripture alone or without Tradition In the 9. and 10. Article they follow the heretick Proclus the Messalians Zuinglius Luther and Calvins doctrin concerning Original sin In the 11. Article they teach with some of the Pseudo-Apostles with Eunomius and with the same Zuinglius Luther and Calvin that men are justified by faith alone See herafter of the justification by only faith how inconsistent with any solicitude or care for good works And in the 12. would faine but in vaine free themselves and their Doctrin from the aspersion of neglecting good works though they maintain them not to be necessary for justification In the 13. Article they say all virtuous moral actions of men â—hat are not in grace have the nature of sin And in the 14. they follow Eunomius Vigilantius
way in externall matters concerning disciplin they have troubled the Church another way in opposing themselves by new quircks and devices to the soundness of doctrin among Protestants And truly to pretend with all reformed Churches that the Pope is Antichrist and the man of sin and at the same time profess as the learned Prelatick writers do in their books that without his caracter of Priesthood there can be no orthodox Clergy or Christian Church are things that do not hang wel togeather neither is it credible that so zealous Protestants as were the first English reformers Cranmer Coverdale Bale c. who strained Scripture in their Translations and made formal abjurations against the caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood which they had received in the Church of Rome or that Parker Jewel Horn c. who received that same doctrin and excluded those caracters by an express Article of their 39. of Religion from the Church of England and from their form of ordination it is not I say credible that these and the like men did maintain in their convocations the late Prelatick contrary doctrin or that they exercised or recorded any such Popish formalities of consecrating Priests and Bishops by imposition of Episcopal hands as M. r Mason pretends he found in Parker's Register at Lambeth as appeareth also to any that wil consider the homely choyce and caling of the primitive Pastors and Preachers of our Prelatick Protestancy objected to themselves in print when they were living and yet could not deny the fact neither did they go about to excuse it not taking it to be a fault D. r Kelison in his survey pag. 373. 374. saith of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Elizab. time Lay men were taken of which some were base artificers and without any other consecration or ordination then the Prince's or the superintendent 's letters made them Ministers and Bishops with as few ceremonies and less solemnity then they make their Aldermen yea Constables and cryers of the market D. r Stapleton in his Counterblast lib. 4. num 481 saith And wherin I pray you resteth a great part of your new Clergy but in Butchers Cooks Catchpols and Coblers Diers and Dawbers fellows carrying their mark in their hand insteed of a shaven Crown c. Seing therfor our Catholick Arguments convince all disinterest'd persons that weigh them of the absurdity and novelty of Protestancy in general and such as do not take them to be of any weight because themselves are byassed and bent against vs by education or interest must needs take notice if they think seriously of any Religion or of their own Protestant principles that the Prelatick Reformation is but a politick appendix or addition of Q. Elizabeth in pursuance of her Father's passion and by her self resolved vpon more for securing a Crown then saving the soule and therfor containing more mysteries of state then of faith and more regarding conveniencies then conscience as appeareth by the layty of her Clergy by her She-supremacy by the anticipated Royalty of her vnlawful issue in case she would be pleased to own any these things I say being no calumnies of malignant pens or persons but most manifest by her own Articles of Religion and Acts of Parliament can hardly be digested by honest subjects much less settled as Divine truths in Christian souls or carry the face of a pious and plausible Religion even amongst the most silly sort of people Yet far be it from our thoughts to censure with folly or impiety such as suck't with their Nurses milk the poyson of this Prelatick Protestancy no we know they want neither piety nor policy according to their own principles but I hope they wil not be offended if according to ours we do pitty their condition and pray for their conversion we believe their zeale against our catholick Religion proceeds not from malice but mistaks and desire they may likewise believe our intention is only to expel by this antidot the poyson which others have infused into their brains This humble apology and explanation doth not relate to them that made the chang of Religion for preferring Q. Elizabeth and any natural issue of her body to the Crown befor the lawful heires who by God's providence since her death and at this present enioy right nor to any that wil obstinatly maintain such proceedings It is intended for all wel meaning Protestants that believe themselves to be Catholicks and if they be not wish they were and that the true Religion were setled in these Nations But what mervaile is it that privat persons be mistaken in Protestancy when the Royal family of the Stewards against whose title and succession it was introduced and established both in England and Scotland in England by Q. Elizabeth in Scotland by the Bastard Murry are so much in love with that Religion devised for their own ruine So bewitching a thing is education engrafted in good dispositions and so dangerous if not cultivated and corrected by our own more mature reflections when we arrive to years of discretion SECT IX How injurious Protestancy hath bin to the Royal family of the Stewards and how zealous they have bin and are in promoting the same AFter that King Henry 8. had vsurped the Pop's Supremacy and divised certain Articles of Religion he desired his Nephew K. James 5. of Scotland to follow his example which that Catholick Prince refus'd to do King Henry in his last will and Testament confirmed by his Protestant Parliament excluded the Royal family of Scotland from their right and succession to the Crown of England preferring before the Stewards not only his illegitimat daughter Elizabeth but the Grays and all others that descended of the yonger sister Queen Dowager of France and Dutchess of Suffolk King James 5. deceased his wife the Queen Regent of Scotland and his young daughter Queen Mary were so persecuted by the Scotch and English Protestants that the Queen Regent was deposed and Queen Mary was forc't to fly for refuge into France After her return into Scotland the King her Husband was murthered by the Protestants his subjects and the innocent Queen trepan'd by her protestant Bastard Brother to marry Borthvel one of the murtherers with a design to diffame and depose herself from the government which the Bastard had vsurped and had murthered likewise King James 6. an infant but that God prevented his wicked designs by permitting him to be killed by the hand of a Hamilton Other Protestants succeeded the Bastard Murry in the government and though King Iames escaped the dangers and designs they had layd for his life yet they perverted his soule and when he was but 13. months ould Protestancy was set vp in his name his Mother being driven out of her own Kingdom by those Protestants that deposed herself and abused her Son's minority was contrary to the publick faith and privat promises of Queen Elizabeth imprisoned in England her Rebels countenanced and her self at
were censured in these four first Councels with the Protestant exceptions and objections against the Councel of Trent especily if they wil pervse but the very first leaves of Cardinal Palavicino his confutation of Fr. Paulo Suarez or Servita his history wherin they wil find above tree hundred lyes and calumnies of that Apostata Friar in matter of fact so notorious and vndeniable that our English Prelatick Clergy wil or ought to be ashamed of the Preface they have set before it and of abusing King Iames and his Subjects with such impostures by their extolling so improbable and infamous a Libel Seing therfore the supposed change and fall from primitive Protestancy to popery hath bin from presumption and pride of a privat and censorious judgment against the publick testimony and sense of the visible Church to submission and humility of an obsequious and prudent belief from notorious rebellion against spiritual and temporal superiours to religious and dutifull obedience from gluttony to abstinence from incontinency to chastity from sincerity to flattery from Cloysters and austerity to Sacrilege and liberty from a pretence of faith alone to the Christianity of faith and good works c. It must be concluded that either Protestancy was not the pure and primitive Religion or if it was that the change therof into popery hath bin for the better and by consequence that the first Papist introduced into the world a more sacred and sincere profession then had bin taught by Christ and his Apostles But this being impious and as impossible as it is that men abandoned by God should exceed God's servants in piety or that they should establish and practice more Godly principles and more zealously promote virtue when they fel from God and the way of salvation then when they were in the same it must be granted that Popery is the pure and primitive Religion taught by Christ and his Apostles and that only weak brains or such tender plants as in their infancy received strong impressions of the possibility and existence of an invisible Christian Church vpon earth can fancy an insensible change of it's doctrin profession and ceremonies into so remarkable and different a worship of God as Popery is compared with Protestancy Congregations of Protestants living in the same Provinces Citties and Parishes with Papists and dissenting from them in the outward and oral profession of faith if they did not profess protestancy which they suppose was Christ's faith with the mouth they were dissemblers and could be no part of the true Church in the Canon and sense of Scripture in the administration and number of Sacraments in Rites and Ceremonies in the substance and language of the Liturgy in adoring the B. Sacrament in worshiping of Images in receiving of the Communion c. such Protestant Congregations I say to be invisible and never heard of in 1500. or 1000. years nor observed nor persecuted by the prevailing Papists among whom they lived is not a thing possible or intelligible much less prudently credible We see by experience in these Kingdoms how impossible it is for a Recusant not to be discerned and discovered Papists are known though not convicted Many of them through the mildn'ss and prudence of the government escape the penalties and rigour of the Law but none the observation of their neighbours and very few the menaces of both ecclesiastical and civil Courts The invisibility therfor of the Protestant Church and the insensibility of it's change to Popery is a fitter subject to ground ther-vpon a ridiculous Romance then a religious reformation Perhaps it wil be sayd that Protestants were vntil the last age among the ten tribes as the Jews of whose appearance ther hath bin of late so much talk but we heare not of Protestants among them neither did Luther Zuinglius Cranmer or Calvin pretend that they came from those Israelits or from Terra australis incognita they were born and bred neerer and they brag'd that them-selves were the first Reformers Now to their Scripture SECT III. Protestants mistaken in the Canon of Scripture maintained by the Church of England and by Doctor Cousins Bishop of Duresme OUr second Argument against the probability or possibility of Protestancy being the word or work of God is taken from the Protestants mistake of Scripture and their altering of the Canon And wheras our learned Adversaries do agree with vs in saying that neither the Scripture it-self nor the privat spirit can determin which parts of Scripture are Canonical or holy but confess that this controversy must be decided by the Testimony and authority of the Church and that above 300. years after the Apostles some of their writings were not held by all orthodox Catholicks to be Canonical which now are comprehended in the Canon and admitted as the word of God by many Protestants it foloweth 1. That the Canon of Scripture was not so sufficiently proposed to the whole Church for the three first ages as to make the denial or doubt therof Heresy 2. That the 6. Article of the Prelatick-Religion of England which admitted only such books of Scripture for Canonical of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church is false and the ground therof fallible For as all men vers'd in the Ecclesiastical History wel know and learned Bilson the Protestant Bishop of Winchester doth acknowledg in his survey of Christ's sufferings c. printed 1604. pag. 664. The Scripturs were not fully received in all places no not in Eusebius his time which was above 300. years after the Apostles he saith the Epistles of Iames Iude the second of Peter the second and third of John are contradicted as not written by the Apostles the Epistle to the Hebrews was for a while contradicted c. The Churches of Siria did not receive the second Epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalips c. The like might be sayd for the Churches of Arabia Wil you hence inferr that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolick or that we need not receive them now because they were formerly doubted of This Argument of Bishop Bilson we apply to the Machabees and to the other books declared by the Church of England to be Apocryphal Doctor Cousins writ a book caled a Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture for which him-self and his friends think he wel deserved the Bishoprick of Duresme that he now enjoys in defence of the Prelatick Protestant Canon and of the 6. article of the Church of England And because he tels us in his Preface that men of knowledg pressed him to publish it as a piece that would give more ample satisfaction and cleere the passages in antiquity from the objections that some late Authors in the Roman side bring against Protestants then those other writings of home or foreign Divines have don that are extant in this kind I thought fit to give Protestants a proof of the soundness of
of the Councel of Nice and most vnconscionably cuts of the words immediatly following where Belarmin says the quite contrary of what Cozins imposed vpon his Readers to make good his English Canon of Scripture The words immediatly following are Excepto libro Iudith quem etiam Hieronimus postea recepit Except the booke of Iudith which also Hierom afterwards received as Canonical So that where Cozins says Belarmin confesseth that S. Hierom sayd the Councel of Nice declared not the book of Iudith Canonical Belarmin in that very place says the quite contrary And in the same page cap. 12. Belarmin proves by S. Hieroms testimony and words that the book of Iudith was declared Canonical in the highest degree by the Nicen Councel It were to be wished that Ecclesiastical promotions had bin better bestowed then upon 139 men whose labour and learning 〈◊〉 altogeather employed in seducing souls concealing the truth of Religion from their flocks and corrupting the writings of the ancient Fathers and modern Doctors of the Church for no other reason but because they speak so cleerly against the Protestant Doctrine of these times wherby our Prelatick Ministers are maintained vsurping vast revenues from the Crown and come to the greatest preferments both of Church and State I have not seen any one Protestant Writer free from this fault 't is strange that after so manifest and manifould discoverys as have bin made of Mortons Andrews Fox Sutclif Jewell Barlow Whitaker Willet Vsher Lauds and others falsifications frauds and labyrinths there should be men yet found to follow their examples and much more to be wondred that they should thrive by a trade so base vnconscionable and distructive notwithstanding so manifest and frequent discoveries of their impostures As to this work of Doctor Cosins it may be properly called a Cosenage independently of an allusion to his name had not his book bin sufficiently confuted by the absurdity of his fundamental principles denying that the Apostles or Christian Church could declare any book of the old Testament Canonical which the Iews omitted or rejected and affirming that no parts of the New Testament were ever questioned by any Church ancient or modern I should set down many more of his willful falsifications and weake evasions but that labour being rendred superfluous by the incoherency of his own doctrin and by the inconsistency of his principles with including in that Canon of Scripture which he vndertakes to defend the epistles above mentioned of Peter Iohn Paul and Iude and the Apocalyps for it is evident by the quoted testimonies both of ancient Fathers and learned Protestants that these epistles of Iohn Iude Peter and Paul as also the Apocalyps were doubted of by many Christian Churches for three or foure ages I do not think fitt to trouble the Reader nor my self with a more particular confutation of this rather fantastical then Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture fantastical J say because he fancies to him-self that the authority and sayings of men who writ before this controversy had bin decided by a general Councel and at the same time professed a faith which obliged them so submit ther writings and judgments to the decrees of Councels can be of any force against that general Councel by which the contrary was decided and they would have bin guided by if they had bin now living as St. Austin saith of St. Cyprian in a point of doctrine which was determined by a general Councel against the holy Martyrs opinion long after his death Whosoever can take delight in seing the pittifull shifts and sleights wherby interested writers endeavour to blind mens eyes and vnderstandings let him peruse this book of Doctor Cozins and he will find more sport in observing how he tosses and turns the sayings of the Fathers against them-selves then could be wished in so serious a subject When the Fathers call the books of Macabees Tobie Judith c. sacred and Divine Scripture Canonical Scripture prophetical writings of Divine authority c. Holy inspirations revelations c. he tels you pag. 93. alibi passim all this must be understood in a large and popular sence though the contrary may appeare to any vnbyass'd judgment that will read the words by him cited pag. 92. alibi in the Authors themselves as for example let any one observe how Doctor Cozins mingles and mangles S. Austin's words concerning the controverted books of the Machabees and afterwards see what the St. him-self says he will â—â—rce believe the words are the same and may swear the sense is not For S. Austin lib. 2. de doctr Christ. cap. 8. sets down as his own sense the same Canon of Scripture which the Councel of Trent accepts and confirmeth and he subscribed unto in the third Councel of Carthage And because he knew that this Canon had not bin defined by a general Councel and therfore many Churches and Fathers doubted of some books which he and the 3. Councel of Carthage held for Canonical he gives some instructions how they who do not follow his Canon shall proceed vntill they be more fully informed or the matter decided and these instructions which he sets down for others who doubted and differ'd in opinion from him Doctor Cozins wilfully mistakes and misapplies to St. Austin him-self as if he could be ignorant of his own belief of the Canon He is also troubled that St. Austin doth favour so much the doctrine of Purgatory and the authority of the Catholick Church in declaring books of the Old Testament to be Canonical which were rejected by the Iews as to say lib. 18. de Civit. Dei c. 36. That the books of the Machabees are accompted Canonical by the Church although not by the Jews To weaken this testimony he brings an other that strengthens it and quotes St. Austin's words Ep. 61. ad Dulcitium wherin confuting the error of the Circomcellions who to cloake their self-homicides with text and examples of Scripture excused that doctrin with the examples of Eleazarus and Razias related in the Machabees which pretext St. Austin largly confutes not only in his epistle ad Dulcit but in his 2. book against the epistle of Gaudent cap. 23. not by deminishing the Canonical authority of the books of the Machabees as Doctor Cozins falsly imposeth vpon his Readers pag. 108. seq but by declaring how the Scripture doth indeed relate yet not commend the self-homicide of Eleazarus and Râ—zias nor canonize them Martyrs or propose their deaths to be imitated though it cannot be denyed but that they shew'd great worldly courage and contempt of life Did Doctor Cozins imagin that Dulcitius Gaudentius and other learned Circumcellions were such Coxcombs as to prove their Religion by Scripture and then to quote for Scripture a book which their Adversaries admitted not at least for so Canonical as that controversies of Religion could be therby decided or doth he think that St. Austin would not have put them in
confirmed by acts of Parliament But that which makes them to be so much insisted vpon is that they are so indifferent and appliable to all Protestant Religions that with much reason he is censured a very wilfull Presbiterian and fanatick who will not submit and subscribe to articles so indulgent and indifferent Therfore not only now but formerly in the beginning of all distempers grounded vpon Diversitie of Protestant opinions it was thought good policy to commit the 39. Articles to the press therby to please all dissenting parties and this hath bin practised not only in Queen Elizabeth and King Iames Reigns but also in King Charles I. an 1640. when the rebellion began to break forth and was cloak't with the authority of a legall Parliament as well as with the zeal of the Protestant Religion against the Church of England And an 1633. when the Symptoms of that rebellion were first discerned there was printed by special Command a Book setting forth the agreement of the 39. Articles with the doctrin of other reformed but rebellious Churches of France Germany Netherlands Basil Bohemia Swethland Suitzerland c. The Title of the book is the Faith Doctrin and Religion professed and protected in the realm of England and Dominions of the same expressed in the Articles c. The sayd Articles analized into propositions and the propositions proved to be agreable both to the writen word of God and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour Churches Christianly reformed Perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publick London printed by John Legatt 1633. So that no mervaile if the 39. Articles have not proved to be a better antidot against Rebellion then we have seen by experience they being so agreable to the doctrin of Churches raised and maintained by rebellious people and principles against their vndoubted lawfull Soveraigns The French Hugonot Ministers in their assembly at Bema 1572. decree that in every citty all should sweare not to lay down arms as long as they should see them persecute the doctrin of salvation c. In the mean time to govern them-selves by their own protestants rules See Sutcliff in his answer to a libel supplicatory pag. 194. See the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England art 19. pag. 94. agreeing here in with Confes. Helvet 2. Saxon. art 11. Wittemberg art 32. Sueu art 15. all quoted ibid. pag. 95. Dresterus the Protestant writer in part 2. Nullenarii sexti pag. 661. acknowledgeth that all the warrs of Germany against the Emperour and lawfull Soveraigns happned ex mutatione Religionis Pontificiae in Lutheranam See Crispinus of the Churches estate pag. 509. how the reformed Church of Basil was founded by the rebellion of some Burgesses against the Catholick Senators whom they ejected c. The Rebellion of Holland and the other Protestant Provinces is well known as also of Geneva Zuitzers or Helvetians See Chitreus in Cron. an 1593. 1594. pag. 74. seq How the King of Swethland being a Catholick was by his Subjects the Lutherans forc't so content him-self with Mass in his in his privat Chapell and to assent that no Catholick should beare office in that Kingdom and at length an other made King We may say without either vanity or flattery that were it possible to maintain the Soveraignty of a King the peace and prosperity of a people togeather with the principles of Protestancy the English Nation would have don it wanting neither witt or judgment to find out the expedients after long experience of 100. years since the pulling down of Popery and yet we see that nothwithstanding the wisedom of them who govern the learning of the Clergy the worth of the gentry the sincerity of the common sort and the natural inclination to loyalty of the whole Nation since Protestancy came among vs we have violated the laws of nature and Nations we have by publick acts of State don many things wherof but one perpetrated by a privat person whithout any countenance from the governement were sufficient to make not only him-self but his whole family and Country infamous Murthers of Soveraigns by a formality of justice breach of publick faith for the Protestant interest were never heard of in England nor acted by English men vntil they were Protestants Therfore the infamy and reproach therof must be left at the doores of the English Protestant Church without blaming our English Nation or nature It is the nature of an arbitrary Religion to pervert good natures It confounds the state more then any arbitrary government The worst of arbitrary governments have some regard to the honour and word of the Prince and to the publick faith An arbitrary religion dispenseth with all An arbitrary government is reduced to one supreme an arbitrary government doth pretend reason for the Prince his ComCommands an arbitrary Religion by pretending to be above reason commands against reason How arbitrary and applicable all Protestant Religions are to every particular interest and fancy notwithstanding their publick professions and confessions of faith is visible by the 39. Articles of the Church of England that hitherto could neither setle the judgments of subjects in any on certain belief nor tye them to their duty and alleigance to the lawfull Prince though the sayd articles wanted no countenance of law to gain for them authority And yet the profession of the 39. Articles togeather with the oath of supremacy is made the distinctive sign of truth and loyalty in our English Monarchy But the Articles being applicable to contrary religions and interests and an oath asserting a thinâ— so incredible as the spiritual supremacy of a lay Soveraign must needs expose the government to continual dangers that flow from a plausible and popular tenderness of conscience and from the contempt of so indifferent and improbable a Religion and therfore though many do abhorr yet few do admire our late King's mis-fortune his Majesty having grounded his Soveraignty and security vpon Councellors servants and souldiers of whose fidelity he had no other evidence but the profession of 39. Articles so vncertain that they signified nothing and dispensed with every thing and an oath of a jurisdiction so incredible that they who took it either vnderstood not what they swore or if they did by swearing a known vntruth disposed them-selves to violat all oaths of alleigance and learn't in all other promises to preferr profit before performance conveniency before conscience Were not this true and were the prelatik Religion with all it's laws and oath's capable of establishing Monarchs or of making subjects loyal and servants faithfull how were it possible that so just and innocent a King as Charles 1. The ancientest by succession and inheritance of all Christendom should be so generally and vnworthyly betray'd by them that profess'd the 39. Articles and took the oaths of supremacy and alleigance By the laws of the land it is enacted and accordingly practised that non be permitted
not from the son to be heresy though now too late they would fain moderat the censure as also be reconciled to all Sects of Protestants in Europe 2. At the same time they endeavour to make this league offensive and defensive against the Roman Catholick Church their chief writers profess there is no cause to quarell with that Church because it is also a Christian Congregation and differs from Protestants only in things indifferent among which they place even the Worship of Images the Sacrifice of the Mass the communion under one kind the Pop's supremacy c. Wheâ—ce it must needs follow that their Protestant separation from the Roman Church can not be justifyed as confessedly not having sufficient ground to break the communion of the Church vpon the score of doctrin acknowledged by them-selves to be lawful and therfore their Protestant Reformations must be concluded schismatical This their Prelatick moderation towards our Roman Catholick doctrin is the effect of a necessary compliance with our Adversaries condemned hereticks not of any Christian charity that they bear to our principles or persons as appeareth by their quite contrary expressions in other occasions and by the severity of their statutes against Priests and Papists They can hardly excuse the errors of Arrians Nestorians c. And yet accuse vs of heresy nor can they maintain the Greek worshipping of Images to be lawfull and yet condemn the same in vs as idolatry But that which they most press against the Roman Catholick Church and wherin all sectaries dissenting from it are concerned to ioyn with Protestants is that we say ourselves are the sole Catholicks and the Pope and general Councels supreme Judges of hereticks Rather then admit our Church to be the Catholick they cantonize God's Church into dissenting congregations and canonize for Orthodox all sects of hereticks though they have no subordination connexion or communication among themselves much less that care of the common good that is among the Suitzers whose Commonwealth they would fain make a patern of Christ's Church To this end they sent their Agents to Ieremias Patriarch of Constantinople and in their printed books make honorable mention of Nestorius Dioscorus Eutiches and other hereticks brood and branches that are dispers'd in Egypt Ethiopia and East Jndies as if they had bin their Brethren wheras they do not know their Tenets and brag of their numbers in comparison wherof they say the Romanists are but few and at the best but a part of the vniversal Church and if a part they ought not to judg of the whole if they do their sentence must be slighted as invalid and partiall And though the Schismaticks and Hereticks of the Greek Church whom the Protestants so much courted have by a particular definitive sentence of Iâ—â—â—mias their Patriarch disown'd the doctrin and refused the communion of all Protestants yet are the so deserted and despised reformed Churches compell'd to maintain the indifferency of the eastern heresies even of those which the Greeks them-selves twelue times recanted having bin so many times reconciled to the Church of Rome though now again revolted and returned to some of their former errors but not without a visible marke of God's indignation and justice Protestants therfore are content to excuse the errors of the Greeks and of all other Christians though Hereticks hoping therby to obtain for them-selves the name of Catholiks and are so kind as not to exclude any that professeth Christ even after the Arrian manner from their Protestant communion not doubting but that for a return of civility them-selves will by virtue of that general appellation of Christians be countenanced by the enemies of the Church of Rome and protected from it's severity But the Greek Patriarch smelt their design and though a Rebell against the sea of Rome yet he condemned the Protestant doctrin and contemned their flattery giving them to vnderstand that the truth of Religion is never annexed to many dissenting Churches and that their agrement in Protestant fundamentalls can not be an argument of Catholick vnity or vniversality And to be rid of future importunities condemned their opinions as heresies declaring how different they are from those of the Greek Church as appeareth by his Sententia definitiva Jeremiae Patriarchae Constantinopolotani sententia definititiva de doctrina Religione Wittembergensium Theologorum edit an 1586. in this Book the Greeks detest the Protestant Religion wherof see further Hospinian in Histor. Sacram. part 2. and Responsio Basilii Magni Ducis Muscoviae c. an 1570. it appeareth by a Treatise set forth even by the Protestant Divines of Wittemberg intituled Acta Theologorum Wittembergensium Ieremiae Patriarchae Constantinop de Augustana Confessione c. That the Greek Church yet to this day professeth and teacheth invocation of Saints and Angells pag. 55. 102.128 Reliques pag. 244. 368. worshipping of Images pag. 243.244.247 251. Transsubstantiation pag. 86.96.100.240.318 Sacrifice pag. 102 104 The signifying ceremonies of the Mass pag. 97.99.100 Auricular Confession in praefat in lib. pag. 87 130. Confirmation with Chrisme pag. 78.238 extreme Vnction pag. 242.326 All the seaven Sacraments pag. 77.242 prayer for the dead pag. 93.102.109 Sacrifice for the dead pag. 95.104 Monachisme pag. 132.257 That Priests may not marry after orders taken pag. 129. See Sir Edward Sands also in his relation c. On the last leaf but five where he confirms all we have related here of the Greeks concurrence in Religion with the Roman Church As for the Protestant Doctors and Prelats exceptions against the Roman Church and Councells not being Catholick or Universall they can be of no force because their own Logicians may cleer the mistake â—y putting them in mind of the definition of Catholick or Universal which is vnum in multis one in many for â—nâ—â—â—rsality requireth two and but two conditions vnity or ideâ—â—ity of form and multitude of Subjects That a Church therfore be Universal or Catholick it is necessary and sufficient there be an vnity or identity of form which is faith and multitude of subjects which are the Professors of that faith Whether the subject of the form which is called universall be more or less so they be many is not material as to the nature and denomination of Universal or Catholick though there were but 200. men living homo say Logicians would be as much Universal as now it is with so many millions of men In like manâ—er we say though there were but 200. men in the world professing the true faith that faith would be still Universal or Catholick because it would be still one and the same in many and 200. are as properly many though not so many as 200. millions We grant that it hath bin prophecied the multitude of believers should be very numerous and spread over the whole world and accordingly it hath bin fulfill'd and now Roman Catholicks are every where multiplied yet there hath bin a time when the
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
protestant principles to the discovery of the frauds and â—â—â—â—â—fications wherwith the prâ—â—atick Clergy doth disguise them and divert their flocks from reflecting vpon those sad effects which they have wrought and must work wheresoever they are 〈◊〉 the Religion of the staâ—e A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT THE THIRD PART Containing a plain discovery of the Protestant Clergies frauds and falsifications wherby alone their doctrin is supported and made credible The conscience and conveniency of restoring or tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion demonstrated SECT I. That either the learned Protestant or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every illiterat protestant may easily discern by wich of the two Clergieâ— he is cheated and therfore is obliged vnder pain of damnation to examin so neer a concern and to renounce the doctrin and communion of that Church wherin he is cheated of the true Church being so conspicuous and manifest by such eminent and visible marks Christ might well forbid the faithfull to communicat with Hereticks and Schismaticks for that their conventicles 〈◊〉 never be mistaken for the whole or even a part of the Catholick Church vnless men â—ill be so simple as to take their â—are word when they say Hic est Christus aut illic wheras if it were possible for learned men to be innocently mistaken Christ's command had not bin obligatory for in such â— case we were not bound to believe that Christ is rather in one Church then other seing each Church had reason sufficient to excuse learned parties from schism and â—â—resy But it being impossible that God should command vs to believe on Congregation of Christians and not believe others that pretend also to be the true Church of Christ without confirming the testimony and doctrin of that one Congregation which he bids vs believe and preferr before the rest with such cleer signes of the truth and so evident marks of Divine authority that the others compared therwith can have no probability two things must be granted 1. that the Catholiâ—â— Church of Christ cannot be composed of all or any dissenting Congregations 2. That the one only Congregation which is the true and Catholick Church can never be so eclipsed but that it must appeare much more eminent in sanctity miracles conversion of Nations and much more credible in it's testimonies then any other Wherfore we conclude that either the learned protestant clergy or the catholick must be cheats seing that notwithstanding the evident and eminent signes and marks of God's Church can not be found in both or in any two Congregations dissenting in their doctrin and rule of faith yet each of them make their illiterat flocks believe that their own is the true Church of God whervpon the signes and seales of his authority and veracity do cleerly shine No human art or industry if not born-out with more then ordinary and notorious impudencie can pretend to discredit or darken the spendor of true Miracles Sanctity Successiâ—â— become Masters of the Comerce as shall be proved I hope these considerations will invite and incite them to examin which of both the Clergies the Roman Catholick that petitions for â—r the Prelatick Protestant that opposeth liberty of conscience are the cheats And that they may find it out withouâ— much trouble I have thought sit to lett them know there is not any one controversy between them and vs which hath not bin handled in English and argued to the full on both sides now the summe of our disputes being this whether the primitive Church was Roman Catholick or rather Protestant in the controverted points as Praying to Saints Transsubstantiation Purgatory worship of Images the Canonicall letter and sense of Scripturâ— c. To decide the Controversy each side quotes the words of Scripture Councells and Fathers because the true doctrine hath bin preserved and recorded in these writings Let him therfore that doubts of the sense of the Text and of the sincerity of him that quotes it compare the Authors words with the 〈…〉 he will infallibly find out who is the Cheat. For he that doth corrupt the words or change the sense of Scripâ—â—re Councells and Fathers doth not stick to the doctrin of the primitive Church And because I have spent some time both before and after my conversion to the Catholick faith in examining the falsifications and frauds of Protestants and their objections against Papists in the same kind I may speak with more assurance then others who have not so much experience and do protest that I never thought it possible before I found it was so de facto that men pretending not only to the name of reformed Christianity but to the Reality and Sanctity of an Episcopal caracter and charge of soules could be so vnconsiderable vnworthy and vncharitable in matters of eternity as I have â—ound the Protestant writers and in particular the prelaticks of the Church of England Let any who desires to satisfie his conscience or curiosity pervse and compare either the books of Jevel and Harding or of Bishop Morton and Father Pesons the nature or essence of a body Or whether quantity be a thing distinct from that which we call a corporeal substance SVBSECT I. VVith what impudency and hipocrisy Bishop Ievell and other prelatick writers began to maintain the Protestancy of the Church of England And how they were blamed for appealing to antiquity by some of their own Brethren TO manifest the impudency and hypocrisy wherwith Prelatick Protestancy was broach't and imposed vpon the layty in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reign I will begin with Bishop Jevell's famous challenge and his Seconds that offered to maintain the primitive antiquity of Protestancy and the novelty of Popery His words are As I sayd before I say again I am content to yeeld and subscribe if any of our learned Adversaries or if all the learned men that be alive be able to bring one sufficient sentence out of any one Catholick Doctor or Father or out of any old Generall Councell c. for the space of 600. years after Christ c Protesting also that he affirmeth thus much not as carried away with the heat of zeale but as moved with the simple truth least any of you should happily be deceived and think there is more weight on the other side then in conclusion will be found c. And then he brake into this vehement Apostrophe O mercifull God! who could think that there could be so much wilfulness in the heart of man Then exclaimes O Gregory O Austin O Hierom O Chrysostom O Leo O Dionise O Anaclâ—tus O Calixtus O Paul O Christ Jf we be 〈◊〉 acknowledged the impossibility of defending the Protestant Religion by Tradition or by any monuments oâ— examples from antiquity or by the sayings of Fathers and Councells Insomuch that Archbishop Whitgift in his defence against the reply of Cartwright pag. 472. 473. doth not stick to say that almost all the Bishops and learned Writers of
the Greek and Latin Church for the most part were spotted with the doctrin of free will oftner it of invocation of Saints c. And from thence infers that in no age since the Apostles time any company of Bishops held so perfect and so sound doctrin in all points as the Bishops of England at this day And Mr. Fulk in his reionder to Bristow pag. 7. I confess that Ambrose Austin Hierom all three Fathers to whom B. p Iewell appealed held invocation of Saints to be lawfull And B. p Bale acknowledgeth that St. Gregory the first of Iewell 's chosen Iudges by his indulgences established pilgrimages to Images and that St. Leo an other of Ievell's Fathers allowed the worship of Images And Doctor Humfrey Iesuitismi part 1. rat 5. pag. 626. cannot deny but that S. Gregory taught Transsubstantiation And Mr. 〈◊〉 in his Papisto mâ—t edit 1606. pag. 143. saith We are 〈◊〉 that the mystery of iniquity did work in Sâ— Paul's time and fell not a sleep so soon as Paul was dead c. And therfore no mermail though pervsing Councells and Fathers we find the print of the Popes feet And Mr. Napper in his Treatise vpon the Revelation dedicated to King Iames pag. 68. 145. affirmeth that Popery or the Anti-christian Kingdom did continue 1260. years vniversaly without any debatable contradiction The Pope and his Clergy during that time possessing the outward visible Church So that it was not one or two Fathers or Councells but all Christendom which professed the Roman Catholick saith for these 1â—00 years past And even Mr. Whitaker himself lib. 6. contra Duraeum pag. 123. notwithstanding his vndertaking to maintain Ievells challenge and bold assertion was forc'd at length to submit but by a profane expression saying that the Popish Religion is a patch't coverlet of the Fathers errors sowed together have them read their English falsified Scripture the subject of controversies and support of errors and will not permit them to pervse the true authentick translation and all this to the end nothing but fraud and fancy may be the rule of the Protestant faith These and all other the like observations which can not but occurr to them who frequent their Churches or company must needs induce men to suspect the weakness of their cause and the guilt of their conscience though there had bin no evidences that they are Falsifiers But seing their are as many evidences against them as there are Chapters in Catholick Books of controversies and that the Books are easily had and vnderstood I see not how any Protestant how ever so illiterat can be excused from eternall damnation by pretending the integrity of his Clergy or his own insufficiency to examin their sincerity When many accuse a man of high Treason and offer to prove it to his face not only by sundry honest and legal wittnesses but vnder his own hand writing it would be censured treachery or great carlesness in the Ministers of state to slight such an accusation and evidence though the person accused vntill then had bin trusted and reputed a loyal subject This is our case with the Protestant writers we have no quarrel against them but Religion we charge them in publick writing with the highest Treason the murthering of the soules of Soveraigns and subjects with corrupting God's word with rebelling against the Divine authority so authentickly appearing in the Roman Catholick Church And these Treasons we offer to prove face to face not only by legal witness but by their Bibles and Books We have no grudge to them but this only of damning soules by treacherous dealing and desire that so important an accusation may come to a publick hearing If their interest and industry can divert the layty from so great a concern that layty must be treacherous to themselves and censured very carless of their own salvation And to the end it may not be objected that these are are but 〈◊〉 words I have resolved to descend to particular crimes I 〈◊〉 the persons their Books I quote their own words I prove them to be no innocent mistakes but wilfull and wicked falsifications and fraudâ— not committed by one or few 〈…〉 of Religion against vs not in our time but alwayâ—◠〈…〉 but the whole body in their 〈…〉 only by connivance and permission but also by contrivanceâ— and positive approbation not only petty 〈◊〉 differences but of ancient condemned heresies which the Protestant writers maintain as orthodox doctrin notwithstanding that 〈…〉 S. Hierom and other Doctors of God's Church censure the opinions as notorious heresies and the Authors as hereticks This is the summe of the Accusations contained in this third part of our Treatise and if we be not mistaken deserues a Trial as well for the satisfaction of privat 〈◊〉 conscience as 〈◊〉 for the probability there is of publick conveniency it being very improbable that I or any man who pretends to the least degree of worth or witt would charge with so many particular grievous crimes so numerous and poweâ—â—ull a party as the Protestant Clergy is without 〈…〉 undeniable evidences If the Protestant Clergy be found guylty besides the salvation of soules which will be obtained by renouncing their errors and is that we all ought principaly to ayme at these Nations will be happy in this world by their revenues If they be not guilty they and their Religion will gain great credit and I nothing but the infamy of being a notorious Jmpostor I know not what others may think of me but I shall never think that any other can be so witless and wicked as to take so much paines as I have don in composing and be at so great charge of publishing this Treatise without manifest profeâ— of the truth therof for if my allegations be not true I can have no further design or hopes but of infamy to my self and of honor and credit to my Adversaries and an addition of strength to the cause I do impugne all which must follow and fall vpon me if the learned Protestant Clergy be not proved to be as great Cheats as I pretend they are But it s strange what deepe impressions education doth make in mens minds and how partial and passionat these Nations are tendred by Protestancy They will not believe that their Protestant Writers are wilfull Falsifiers as for example that Doctor Jeremy Taylor a man that hath writ so many spiritual Books foorsooth and rules of Morality is guilty of maintaining the Protestant Religion by aboue 150. shamefull vnexcusable corruptions and falsifications in his litle Dissuasive And when he the Author his Jrish Convocation and the English Protestant Church that Applauder of the work are challenged in print by sundry Catholick Writers to make good any one of those falsifications all the world besides Protestants observe they have not a word to answer and by consequence themselves must now confess that their Religion is damnable seing it can not be otherwise maintained then
false dealing in matters of Religion CIvility is a branch of Charity and therfore ought to be extended to all men but if a man did observe either in Church or Court that a disguised Cut-purse oâ— Cut-throate doth great mischief I am of opinion the observer is bound in conscience to advertise both Church and Court of his vilanies and without any ceremony to tell every one down right such a person that you take for a nobleman or Gentleman is a Cheat and a Murtherer therfore trust him not avoyd his company Jf the Protestant Clergy teach and countenance false and damnable doctrin they are Cut-purses and Cut-throaths they exhaust the treasure of these Kingdoms and cheat the King and his Subjects of a very great revenue They and writ a book in defence of the real presence in Edward the sixts time he professed protestancy and writ against the real presence both which books Bishop Bonner produced in judgment against him In the begining of this yong King's reign he seemed to be a Lutheran but in the latter end therof a Zuinglian and altered accordingly the Common prayer booke which himself had composed and changed the 39. Articles of the Church according to the humor of that faction which prevailed in the state He made no more conscience of condemning to death An Ascue for denying the real presence an 31. of K. Henry 8. then of professing himself to be of her belief in the reign of K. Edward 6. and pressed that yong King very importunely to seale a warrant for burning of her Mayd Ioane of Kent alias Ioane Knell for that she denyed Christ took flesh of the B. Virgin But Joane Knell when Cranmer pronounced sentence against her reproached him for his inconstancy in religion telling that he condemned not long before An Ascue her mistress for a peece of bread and now condemned her self for a pecce of flesh And as he was now come to believe the first which he then had condemned so would he come in time to believe the second c. And 〈◊〉 it is to be observed that Cranmer persuaded the King to sign the warrant against Ioane Knell when there was no law in England to put any one to death for heresy because it was after that all penall statuts against heretiks had bin repealed and that favor was granted at Cranmer's and the first reformers own request and solicitations not daring to profess or preach their novelties before they might be secured by such a repeal from the severity of the lawes We have seen heretofore how he divorced K. Henry from Q. Catherin by his own authority and married him to An Bullen And afterwarâ—â—â—clared in Parliament that An Bullen was not true wife to 〈◊〉 King how he married him to An of Cleve and with in the compass of one yeare came again to the Parliament and sayd she was never true wife to his Majesty in again And this was objected by Nicolas Heath Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England in his speech to the Parliament against the bringing in of Protestancy 1. Eliz. which speech saith learned Knot in his comment vpon Brerely p. 87. was read by him who told this to Knot and had seen divers of King Edward â— service books some with is some with signifieth and some with a blanck in the place Lastly how could Cranmer how could they thaâ—â—oyn'd with him be ignorant that thâ—â—r reformed doctrin was plain heresy seing they knâ—w it was notorious novelty and that many points therof had bin condemned as hereticall by the primitive Catholick Church and by lawes of the first Christian Emperours How could they excuse the abolishing of the Sacrifice of the Mass by their Common prayer and the caracter of Priesthood and Episcopacy by devising a new form of Ordination contaiing 〈◊〉 a syllable expressing the function either of Priest or Bishop contrary to all formes and Ritualls both of the Greek Latin and all other Christian Churches 〈◊〉 though their Successours since his Majesties restauration have acknowledged the invalidity of their Protestant formes of ordination by amending them in their new Book authoris'd by the late Act of Vniformity for the forme of ordaining a Bishop is corrected thus Receive the holy Ghost for the Office and work of a Bishop c. The forme of ordaining a Priest thus Receive the holy Ghost for the Office of a Priest c. yet this correcting comes too late for the past Ordinations and vnseasonably for the future also because none can give a priestly or Episcopal caracter which himself hath not and though the forme thus altered in their late edition be valid in it self yet can it not be validly applyed by laymen or which is the same by Ministers ordained by an invalid forme What could move the present prelatik Church of England to change their form of ordaining Priests and Bishops after a hundred years and above but the evidence and acknowledgment of it's nullity espetially if we consider with what in preaching is extoll'd by Fox and yet if you observe his proofs therof you will find that he was rather a Comedian then a Christian in the pulpit where in steed of solid discourses deduced from Scriptures and Fathers he entertâ—â—â—â—d his Audience with scurilous jests and some times grounded his Sermons vpon a play at cards and kept great stir with the King of Clubs the Ase of harts and the like foolish â—taffâ— good enough for the Heresies he displayed other times 〈◊〉 raysed at the â—ass calling the real presence the Maribone 〈◊〉 â—nd this so ridicolously that none but children applauded 〈◊〉 profane way of preaching by what Fox himself conâ—essâ—◠〈◊〉 his way you may fancy him to be another Hugh Pâ—â—â—â— But from his Sermons let vs go to his virtues Notwithstanding his great zeale in preaching and promoting the 〈…〉 recanted his doctrin therof twice once before Cardâ—â—â—l 〈…〉 second time before Arch-Bishop Warham and others 〈◊〉 K. Henry 8. declared against the Popes supremacy 〈◊〉 at the procurement of his Vicar Generall 〈…〉 of his Phisiâ—â—an D. r Butteâ— was named to the Bishoprick of 〈◊〉 but soon deprived therof by the same 〈◊〉 as an vnguilty and profane fellow his impiety was proved by many instances wherof one was eating of flesh on good friday without any pretext of sickness After King Henry 8. 〈◊〉 he sided with Hooper and Rogers for Puritanisme against Cranmer and Ridley who were then great stiklers for the prelatick disciplin therby to domineer over the Ministers who had bin in Germany and so would Latimer also if they both had not opposed his restitution to the Bishoprick of Worcesâ—â—â— Thus kept vnder by his two great Adversaries he 〈◊〉 thought by the Dutchess of Somersett a likely person in hopes of recovering his ancient dignity and reverences to inveigh against her Brother in law the Lord Admirall whom she mortaly hated and to reprehend publikly in the pulpit his ambition charging him also with dangerous
best learned men I could get at that time Martyn Hearken good people what this man saith he made a protestation on day to keep never a whit of that which he would swear the next day was this the part of a christian man But will you have the truth of the matter King Henry 8. even then meant the lamentable change which after you see came to pass and to further his pittifull proceedings from the divorcement of his most lawfull wife to the detestable departing from the vnity of Christ's Church this man made the foresaid protestation and on the other side he letted not to make two solemne oathes quite contrary and why for otherwise by the lawes and Canons of this Realm he could not aspire to the Archbishoprick of Canterbury Cranmer I protest before you all there was never man came more vnwilling to a Bishoprick then I did to that In so much that when King Henry 8. did send for me in post that J should come over I prolong'd my Iourney by seaven weeks at the least thinking that he would be forgetfull of me in the mean time Martyn You declare well by the way that the King took you to be a man of a good conscience who could not find within all his Realm any man that would set forth his strange attempts but was inforced to send for you in post to come out of Germany what may we conjecture therby but that there was a compact between you being then Queen An's Chaplyn and the King give me the Archbishoprick of Canterbury and J will give you licence to live in adultery Cranmer You say not true Martyn Let your protestation joyned with the rest of your Talks give Judgment 〈…〉 Of that your execrable perjury and his coloured and too shamfully suffered adultery 〈◊〉 heresy and all mis-chief to this Realm And now to answer 〈…〉 of your Oration wherin you bring 〈◊〉 God's 〈…〉 you have it on your side and no man ells and 〈◊〉 the Pope hath devised a new Scripture contrary to the Scriptures of God you play here in as the Pharisees did which cryed alwais Verbum Domini Verbum Domini when they mean nothing so This bettereth not your case because you say you have God's word for you for so Basilides and Photinus the Hereticks sayd that they had God's word to maintain there Heresy So Nestorius so Macedonius so Pelagius and briefly all the Hereticks that ever were yea and so the Devill being Father of Heresies alleadged God's word for him saying Scriptum est it is writen so sayd he to Christ mittâ— to deorsum cast thy self downward saith he and so taught you to cast all things downward down with the Sacrament down with Muss down with the Armes of Christ and vp with a Lion and a Dog down with Abbyes down with Chauntrers down with Hospitalls and Colledges down with fasting and prayer yea down with all that is good and Godly c. And therfore tell us not you have God's word for God had given us by his word a mark to know that your teaching proceeded not of God but of the Devill c. For Christ sayd there shal come against his Church râ—vening wolves and false Apostles And by their fruits ye shall know them What be their fruits St. Paul declareth After the flesh they walk in concupiscence and vncleaness they contemn Potentates c. Whether these be not the fruits of your Ghospel I referr me to this worshipfull Audience whether the sayd Ghospel began not with perjury proceeded with adultery was maintained with heresy and ended in Conspiracy Now Sir two points more I marked in your raging discourse that you made here the one against the holy Sacrament the other against the Pope's Iurisdiction and the Authority of the Sea Apostolick Touching the first you say you have God's word with you yea and all Doctors I would here ask but one Question of you whether God's word be contrary to it self and whether the Doctors teach doctrin contrary to them-selves or no For you Mr. Cranmer have taught in this High Sacrament of the Altar three contrary doctrins and you pretend in every one Verbum Domini the word of God Cranmer Nay I taught but two contrary doctrins in the same Martyn What doctrin taught you when you condemned Lambert the Sacramentary in the King's presence in Whitehall Cranmer I maintained then the Popish doctrin Martyn That is to say the Catholick and Universal doctrin of Christ's Church and how when King Henry dyed did you not translate Justus Jonas Book Cranmer J did so Martyn Then there you defended an other doctrin touching the Sacrament by the same token that you sent to Lynne your printer that wheras in the first print there was an affirmative that is to say Christ's body realy in the Sacrament you sent then to your printer to put in a Not wherby it came miraculously to pass that Christ's body was clean conveyed out of the Sacrament Cranmer I remember there were two prints of my said Book but where the same Not was put in I can not tell Martyn Then from a Lutheran you became a Zwinglian which is the vilest heresy of all in the high mystery of the Sacrament and for the same heresy you did help to burn Lambert the Sacramentary which you now call the Catholick faith and God's word Cranmer I grant that then J believed otherwise then J do now and so J did vntill my Lord of London Doctor Ridley did conferr with me and by sundry persuasions and authorities of Doctors â—â—â—ew me quite from my opinion Martyn Now Sir as â—ouching the last part of your Oracion you denyed that the Pope's Holiness was supreme head of the Church of Christ. Cranmer J did so Martyn Who say you 〈…〉 head Cranmer Christ. Martyn But whom hath Christ 〈◊〉 here in earth his Vicâ—â— and head of his Church Cranmer No body Martyn Ah why â—ould you not King Henry this when you made him supreme head and now no body is This is treason against his own person as you then made him Cranmer I mean not but every King in his own Realm and Dominion is supreme head and so was he supreme head of the Church of Christ in England Martyn Is this always true and was it ever so Cranmer Jt was so Martyn Then what say you by Nero he was the mightiest Prince vpon the earth after Christ was ascended Was he the head of Christ's Church Cranmer Nero was Peter's head Martyn I ask whether Nero was head of the Church or no If he were not it is falls that you said before that all Princes be and ever were heads of the Church within their Realms Cranmer Nay it is 〈◊〉 for Nero was head of the Church that is in worldly respect of the temporal bodies of men of whom the Church consisteth for so he beheaded Peter and the Apostles And the Turck too is head of the Church of Turky Martyn Then he that beheaded the heads of
chalenged them to name him Who hath layd hands on you how and by whom are you consecrated saith Harding and Stapleton How chanced then Mr· Iewell that you and your fellowes bearing your selves for Bishops c. have taken vpon you that Office without any Imposition of hands J ask not who gave you Bishopricks but who made you Bishops Me thinks Iewell and his Camerades the first Protestant Bishops might easily have answered by only naming the person who consecrated them and the place of their consecration But not a word of this point Iewell indeed once attempted to answer something but it had bin better for himself and his Companions he had sayd nothing for his silence to the question might have bin interpreted a slighting of the demand by the Bigots of his Church that endeavor to make the most palpable absurdities probable answers in this and other Controversies Iewell therfore saith himself was a Bishop by the free and accustomed Canonical election of the whole Chapter of â—â—lesbury but to the question how he or Parker together with the first Bishops were consecrated or by whom not one 〈◊〉 After having first contented himself and by conseâ—â—nce Arch-bishop Parker and his other Camerades that were â—â—â—stioned with a bare election of the Chapter insteed of an Episcopal consecration yet he adds our Bishops are made in form 〈◊〉 Order as they have bin ever by free election of the Chapter 〈◊〉 consecration of the Arch-bishop and three other Bishops Heere we may observe both fraud and folly because he doth not answer to the question his adversary askes him how himself and the first protestant Bishops wherof Arch-bishop 〈◊〉 was one and the chief were consecrated and by whom 〈◊〉 lieu of answering Arch-bishop Parker my self and the other 〈◊〉 Bishop were consecrated by such a man and in such a place 〈◊〉 his Adversary our Bishops are made by consecration of the Arch-bishop c. Perhaps he meant that Arch-bishop Parker conâ—â—â—rated himself by imposition of his own hands therfore Harding tells him and how I pray you was your Arch-bishop himself consecrated For that was the question and main point of the Controversy what three Bishops were there in the realm to 〈◊〉 hands on him c. There were antient Bishops enough in England who either were not required or refused to consecrate you He alludes to the Bishop of Landaff who refused to consecrate them at the nags-head and to the Irish Arch-Bishop Creagh who refused also to lay hands on them though they offered him his liberty being then prisoner in the Tower if he would do them that favor What Parker Horn Jewell and none of the first Bishopâ— could do but some fiue or six yeares after their pretended conconsecration their successors of the Church of England have don above fifty yeares after They shewed in the yeare 1613. a Register not only with the names of Parker's Consecrators but with a description of the tapestry on the east-side of the Chappell read 〈…〉 Sermon Communion concourse of people c. at the solemnity of his consecration at Lambeth forsooth and yet neither Parker himself nor any Protestant or Catholick ever heard of such a solemnity Consecration or Consecrators when both parties were so highly engaged about the names of the place and persons and made it the subject of printed Bookes and all this their contest was in a time that it might have been soon ended by 〈◊〉 or Horn's only writing in their answers to 〈…〉 of their Adversaries the names of 〈…〉 place of their Consecration without troubling themselves with copying 〈◊〉 of the Registers the richness of the tapestry or the color of the cloath c. menmentioned by M. r Mason to make the fable credible by so common and ordinary stuff seing he durst not venture upon more individual circumstances But because no Protestant can believe so great 〈◊〉 was kept about â—â—thing M. r Mason Primat Bramhall D. r Heylin and all other modern prelatick writers endeavor to persuade the layty of the Church of England that the dispute between Harding and Jewell Stapleton and Horn was not about the validity but concerning the legality of the first Protestant Bishops consecration because forsooth Bishop Bonâ—er in his plea and Controvertists in their bookes only pretended that there was no law 1. Eliz. to warrant Edward 6. forme of consecrating Bishops Q. Mary having repealed the same with the booke of Ordination which Stapleton and the rest fancied was not revived with that of the common prayer 2. Elizab. by act of Parliament But though this evasion hath bin sufficiently confuted by the Author of the nullity of the Prelatick Clergy and 〈◊〉 of England against Primat Bramhall yet I admire he omitted these ensuing words of D. r Stapleton's which demonstrate our Catholick exceptions were not grounded upon Stapleton's persuasion of the want of Laws or statuts then in force for confirming the forme or Booke of Ordination but they were â—â—ther grounded upon a cleere evidence that though the sayd forme and Book of ordination was legal then yet there had bin 〈◊〉 Consecration at all performed For thus saith D. r Stapleton to Horn pretended Bishop of â—â—â—chester It is not the Princes only pleasure that maketh a Bishop 〈◊〉 there must be free election without either forcing the Clergy to 〈◊〉 or forcing the Chosen it seems Horn payd a good summ 〈◊〉 his Bishoprick to filthy bribery and also there must follow a 〈◊〉 consecration which you and all your Fellowes do lack and therâ—â—â—â— you are indeed no true Bishops neither by the law of the Church 〈◊〉 yet by the law of the realm for want of due consecration expressly required by an act of Parliament renewed in this Queenes dâ—yes in suffragan Bishops much more in you By which words 〈◊〉 appeares that the exception was not grounded vpon D. r Staâ—â—â—ton or any other Catholicks persuasion that Q. Elizabeth had not sufficiently renewed the booke and forme of ordination by 〈◊〉 act of Parliament 1. Eliz. but on the quite contrary and that though there was an act yet the Bishops could not be vaâ—â—â—ly consecrated according to that Act of Parliament that Stapleton says was renewed 1. Eliz. for want of a true Bishop to â—â—ercise that function not for want of any Law to authorise â—piscopal consecration all the Catholick Bishops who were named in her first commission having refused to act by her order and her Majesties Dispensation in her second commission not only with her own statute but with the very state and condition of the Protestant Consecrators who were not Bishops could not be of force to give them a spiritual caracter Wherfore M. r Parker Grindall Horn Jewell and the rest of the first Bishops who understood better their own condition then their Successours would seeme now to do resolved in their 〈◊〉 1562. to publish the 39. Articles made by Cranmer and his Junra but with some alteration and addition especially to that article
were burned in Argentina in Zwitzerland for that they denyed fornication to be any sin at all for that it is a natural act c. As for the Waldenses or poore men of Lions they held doctrins which Protestants do not own 1. That all carnal concupiscence and conjunction is lawfull when lust doth burn vs. 2. That all oathes are vnlawfull 3. That no Iudgment of life and death is permitted to Christians 4. That the Creed of the Apostles is to be contemned c. The Albigensis were another Sect of hereticks rysing some 30. or 40. yeares after the Waldenses an 1216. and their begining was at a Town called Albigium neere Tolosa They agreed with Protestants in the deniall of the Popes supremacy purgatory and some other points but differed in many as first they held with the Manichees that there are two Gods one good and another evill 2. They denyed all resurrection of the body and that it was in vain for Christians to vse any kind of prayer at all 3. That external baptism was an idle ceremony and to be rejected as superfluous 4. they held the transmigration of soules c. As for Wickleffs opinions by Fox his own relation pag. 400. they are different from the Protestant articles And the Lollards held that Lucifer with the rest of his Angells were injuriously thrust out of heaven by Michael and his and consequently to be restored again at the day of Iudgment and that Michael and his Angells are to be damned That our Lady could not beare Christ and remain a Virgin That God doth not punish any wickedness don vnder ground And therfore in caves and Cellars they were accustomed to exercise all abomination And Tritemius relates how one Gisla a yong woman of their sect coming to be burned for heresy being asked whether she were a Virgin or no she answered that above ground she was but vnder ground not These and the like impurities and impieties John Fox would fain impose vpon Protestants as the primitive Christianity and doctrin of the true Church the Wretches that suffered for maintaining these blasphemies are Fox his Martyrs and their obstinacy in dying for these fooleries togeather with the propagation of Luther and Calvin's sensual Tenets and some dreams and fancies of crackt brain fellowes are the Miracles of his Church Three Miracles he notes in Luther To stand against the Pope saith he was a great Miracle to prevaile against the Pope a greater to dye vntouched may seem greatest of all c. Which three Miracles he may find in Marcion Mahomet Cromwell and in every Rebell or Malefactor that hath escaped the fire or Gallowes by fortune favor or faction Then he addeth another time as Luther was sitting in a certain place vpon his stoole a great stone was in the vault over his head where he did sit which being stayd miraculously so long as he was sitting as soon as he was vp immediatly fell vpon the place where he satt able to have crusht him all in peeces if it had light vpon him Now if Fox did prove that this great stone was stayed miraculously from falling vpon Luther something it were but how can he make that appeare he may as well maintain that every stone or tyle falling from a decayed building was miraculously stayed from falling vpon every man's head that passeth vnder and escapes such casual and dayly dangers But to the end you may be rightly informed of John Fox his judgment and spirit in discerning and describing supernaturall things I will relate a miracle or revelation that happned to himself in his own words And first you must know that he was resolved to prove by Scripâ—ure that Pope Boniface 8. was Anti-Christ and to that purpose quotes a Text out of the 20 chapter of the Apocalips and then maketh his account thus The binding vp of Sathan after peace given to the Church counting from the 30. year of Christ was an Dom. 294. which lasted for 1000. years vntill an 1294. about which year Pope Boniface 8. was made Pope c. This he endeavored to confirm out of the 13. Chapter of the Apocalips where it is sayd that power was given by the dragon to the Beast to wit to Anti-Christ to speak blasphemy and to do what listeth him for 42. months which make as all men know 3. years and a half and is the time allotted by S. t Iohn according to all the ancient Fathers â—nterpretations to the reign of Anti-Christ in the end of the world But John Fox will needs have the number of the 42. months to import 294. years that is every month 7. years or as he fantastically calls it a sabbaoth of years for proof wherof he describes a revelation of his own thus Because the matter saith he being of no small importance greatly appertaineth vnto the publik vtility of the Church and least any should misdoubt me herein to follow any privat interpretation of my own I thought Good to communicat to the Reader that which hath bin imparted to me in the opening of these mysticall numbers in the foresaid Book of Revelation contained by occasion as followeth c. As I was in hand with these Histories c. Being vexed and turmoiled in Spirit about the reckning of these numbers and years it so happened vpon a Sunday in the morning lying in my bed and musing about these numbers suddenly it was answered to my mynd as with a Majesty thus inwardly saying within me Thou fool count these months by Sabbaoths as the weeks of Daniel are counted by Sabboths The Lord I take to witness thus it was wherupon thus being admonished I began to recken the 42. months by Sabboths first of the months and that would not serve and then by Sabboths of years and then I began to feele some probable vnderstanding yet not satisfied herewith I repaired to certain Merchants of my acquaintance Of whom one is departed a true and faithfull servant of the Lord the other two yet alive and witnesses hereof to whom the number of these foresaid months being propounded and examined by Sabboths of years the whole summ was found to surmount to 294. years conteining the full and just time of the foresaid persecutions neither more nor less c. And thus you have the revelation made to John Fox which he saith that he relateth vnto vs for that we shall not misdoubt the truth therof nor think that he followeth any privat Interpretation of his own but that it came from God immediatly as if every fanatik did not fancy and pretend the same And this is the dream of John Fox in his bed The second ridiculous point is that he went to three merchants to conferr this revelation and that they approved there of The third point is open falshood and folly where he saith that this number of 294. conteineth the full and just time of the first persecutions of Christians vnder Pagan Emperors neither more nor less seing
that from Christ to the victory of Constantin against Maxentius there are assigned by Eusebius 318. years and yet did not this persecution cease then neither but continued vnder Licinius and other Tyrants for divers years after see then how just these numbers fall out neither more nor less all which being considered I find no one thing so true or credible in all this revelation saith the Author of the three Conversions who confuted Fox his Acts and Monuments as those words of the spirit vnto him saying Thou fool for that this maketh him a fool indeed by revelation What credit Protestants give to Fox his revelations I do not know but sure Iam they give too much to his relations notwithstanding the absurdity of the whole work in composing a Catholick Church of condemned hereticks without subordination or succession and making wicked Malefactors Câ—â—â—st's Martyrs the Protestant Clergy who could not be ignorant of so abominable a deceit cryed vp the book as a most godly and sincere history and by publick authority endeavored to make it authentick placing one in every Parish Church like a fifth Ghospell recommending the reading therof to all persons both in their houses and Congregations All this was don with design to make the Roman Catholick religion odious and to exasperat the generality of the people against the Priests and professors of the same And though judicious Readers may easily discern in perusing the Book the weaknes of the Author and of the cause he vndertakes to maintain yet the vulgar sort are much taken with both and doubt not but that Protestants have as much reason to put Catholiks to death as Catholiks had to punish those mad fellows whom Iohn Fox calls Martyrs and would needs dy rather then recall those blasphemies against God or submit their fond opinions to that sense of Scripture which our Saviour and his Apostles delivered to the Church and had bin derived by the publick Testimony and vndeniable Tradition both of holy Fathers and general Councells from one age to an other vntill this present To the end silly seduced souls may see their mistake and how litle credit Iohn Fox his Protestant Church and Martyrs deserve compared with the Roman-Catholick I will set down his Calendar SVBSECT I. The Foxian Calendar THe number of all his saints are 456. wherof Bishops Martyrs 5. to wit Cranmer Ridley Hooper Farrar and another whom I remember not What litle credit they deserved we have shewed heretofore every one of them changing his religion with the times and their opinions having bin confuted as heresy in vniversities by publick disputations Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs none Mayd Martyrs 3. Kings and Queens Martyrs and Confessors 1. who was Edward 6. other men and women Martyrs 393. other men and women Confessors 5â— These were of divers sects and opinions and contrary in many points one to the other as for example Waldesians and Albigensians 13. Lollards and Wickleffians 36. Hussits and Lutherans 78. Zuinglians and Calvinists 268. Anabaptists Puritans and doubtfull of what sect 59. Again of these were husbandmen Weavers sawyers shoomakers Curriers smiths and other such like occupations 282. poore women and spinsters 64. Apostata Monks and Friars 25. Apostata Priests 38. Ministers 10. publick Malefactors and condemned by the lawes for such 19. of age running away from his Master and finding an old English Bible sincerely translated you may be sure lying in 〈◊〉 the Chappell of Burntwood fell to reading therof and therby presently became a Protestant in divers opinions and would needs burn for the same Rawling White is recounted by Fox to have bin an old poore fisherman in Wales and hearing of certain new fresh doctrin to be had out of the Scriptures in English and grieved that himself was not able to read them he put his litle boy to schoole to learn to read which being somewhat instructed in that art he caused him to read Scriptures vnto him and profitted so much therin with in a litle time that the old fisherman began to be a preacher and so leaving his occupation went vp and down Wales with his boy after him bearing the Bible out of which he took vpon him to preach at every town and Tavern therof seeking therby to pervert such as were no wiser then himself nor could he be restrained from this folly vntill the Bishop of Cardiff apprehended him whom afterwards they were forced to burn for that he stood obstinat in his fantasticall opinions which were extravagant and â—â—â—rce agreed with any sect of Protestancy We have seen heretofore how Laurence Sanders the married Priest seing a litle bastard of his was so tenderly affected therunto as in great vehemency of spirit he sayd to the standers by what maâ—â— of my vocation would not dy to make this litle boy legitimat and prove his mother to be no whore And indeed such of the Protestant Clergy as were executed were brought to the stake for the love they had to their wenches and bastards and because they thought it was against their honor to recant It 's remarkable that of some hundreds of Heresiarchs who have since the preaching of the Apostles risen against the doctrin of the Catholick Church not above two or three wherof Berâ—â—garius was one would recall their opinions no marvaile therfore if Cranmer Latimer Ridley c. should be so obstinat These motives and persons I say well considered rational Protestants will find no parity between Foxian and Catholick Martyrs nor any reason to persecute Priests and Papists by their new Statuts because Protestants and sectaries were persecuted by Q. Mary and other temporal Soveraigns according to the ancient Laws of all Christendom They will find a parity between Fox his Martyrs and Fanaticks for the old Protestants were look't vpon in those days when they first began as themselves look now vpon fanatiks and Quakers only with this difference that these may complain of harder measure now received from their prelatick Brethren then prelatick Protestants from papists because prelatiks have nothing against presbitery 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 that their doctrin and conventicles are prohibited by the temâ—â—â—al lâ—â—es of the Land which can not be a competent rule of faith they can not condemn them by any Pâ—â—â—â—stant general Councells ancient Tradition or by the primitive Protestant principles or by any sense of Scripture ever yet held to be Catholick by the visible Church of Christendom wheras Roman Catholicks did and may censure prelatick Protestants by every one of these rules and do demonstraâ—â— that their prelatick reformation is contrary to all the Testimonies and evidences of Christian and Catholick antiquity SVBSECT II. VVillfull falsifications committed by Iohn Fox in his acts and Monuments FOx having searched and inquired after Protestants and their Church and not finding any one person he durst call by that name for the first 1200. years after Christ and that particularly here in England the Roman Catholick Religion as his
Councells Fathers that lived within five or six hundred years after Christ. And pag. 264. it is most notoriously evident that for the grossest points of popery as Transubstantiation Sacrifice of the Mass worshiping of Images Iustification by works the supremacy of the Pope prohibition of Priests marriage they Papists have no shew of any evidence from Fathers within five hundred years after Christ. And yet this very man being pressed with St. Augustin and the Church in his time holding of popish doctrin doth grant it and says that can not prejudice protestancy for that the pure time of the primitive Church extended not much beyond the age of the Apostles So that he whom before you heard take God to witness that the Church was so pure for the first five or 6. hundred years that Papists had no colour for their Tenets in Fathers or Councells now doth confess not only that St. Austin but the whole Church was infected with popery not long after the age of the Apostles The honest Willet divideth his book of answer and satisfaction into foure several parts in the first he setteth down 13. vntruths objected by his adversary as notoriously wilfull in the second as many objected contradictions in the third the like number of falsifications of Authors and in the fourth thirteen corruptions of Scripture I will mention but two or three and leave my Reader to judge of the man's honesty by his answers pag. 29. his adversary doth object against him these words of his taken out of his Synopsis pag. 609. The Mass promiseth sufficient redemption to the wicked that have spent their life in drunkeness adultery c. if they come to the Church and hear Mass and take holy Bread and holy water c. though they never pray nor repent nor hear the word preached Which words being confessed by Mr. Willet to be his his adversary doth accuse him of willfull lying or intolerable ignorance for that in no Roman Catholick writer in the world shall he find this proposition or the parts therof Willet answers not to the particular charge but taketh occasion for more then a dozen pages together to prove that the Roman doctrin doth not favor virtue or good manners more then the Protestant nor yet so much alledging for his proof that to hold the Commandements to be impossible and that the first motions of concupiscence be sin without consent and that a man is sure of his predestination by faith and the like Protestant doctrins are causes of much virtue among them as the contrary doctrins held by Papists are causes of wicked life on their parts So he answereth to his accusation with so manifest an absurdity as to say that men are inclined to observe God's Commandments by holding it impossible to keep them wheras if they be not mad that principle must dissuade them from attempting any such observation seeing it is a madness to endeavor an impossibility and to believe that God doth command things impossible Of their assurance of predestination and justification we have proved heretofore how inconsistent it is with good works moral virtue the salvation of the soul and tranquillity of the state And as for their making the first motions of concupiscence a sin without consent it is the sink and source from whence Protestants suck most of their errors From hence they inferr that all the best actions of man are infected with mortal crime because they pass through the stinking Channell of human corruption hence they deny the merit of good works wrought by grace hence the impossibility of fulfilling God's Commandments for that every action of the just is of it 's own nature a transgression of his Laws Hence no inherent but a vain imputative Justice hence the justification by faith alone hence no freedom of will to perform any morall good no liberty in man to cooperat with God when he first moveth awaketh and calleth him out of the state of sin c. But let 's return from Willet's absurdities to his falsifications I let pass his falsifying S. Bernard to make him say that the Pope is Antichrist by applying the words of the Apocalyps The beast to which a mouth was given speaketh blasphemies doth sit in Peter's Chaire it being evident that Saint Bernard applyed those words not to any true Pope but to an Anti-Pope called Petrus Leonis because he entred by violence into that Sea I likewise pretermit his fraud and folly in saying your doctrin in prohibiting and restraining marriage to your Clergy how it helpeth to holiness 〈◊〉 Bernard wâ—ll 〈◊〉 saying Tolle de Ecclesia 〈…〉 c. Wheras S. Bernard speaks in defence of the 〈…〉 against 〈◊〉 Hereticks of his time 〈…〉 never dreamed 〈…〉 marry himself having bin a votary and vnto 〈◊〉 Monk Letting 〈◊〉 I say thâ—se I will only mention how he accuseth all Catholicks of heresy for defending the lawfulness of the vow of voluntary 〈…〉 against vs that it was the heresy of the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to persuade men to cast away their riches S. Austin and all other Authors tell vs that the sayd Pelagians and Manicheâ—s were not condemned of 〈◊〉 for persuading men to give away their riches but for maintaining that all rich men were bound to forsake all their riches 〈◊〉 that otherwise they could not go to heaven But now 〈…〉 shew the sincerity of the English Protestant Clergy since the beginning of King Iames his reign vntill this present SECT VII Falsifications and frauds of the prelatick English Clergy to maintain protestancy since the begining of King Iames. SVBSECT I. Their corruptions of Scripture for maintaining their caracter continued in the Bible though commanded by King Iames it should be reviewed and corrected THe English Protestant Translations of Scripture had bin so cryed down as fals and corrupt by Catholicks and acknowledged such by many learned Protestants that King Iames commanded a review and reformation of those Translations which had passed for God's word in King Edward 6. and Qveen Elizabeths days the work was vndertaken by the Prelatick Clergy not so much for zeale of truth as for a shew of compliance with his Majesty who protested in the Conference at Hampton-Court he never had seen an English Bible truly translated And because the Catholicks insisted much vpon two main points in their former Controversies wherin they observed the illiterat sort of people had bin most abused by the English Translators of Scripture to wit by their translating Jmages for Idols and Ordination by Election for Ordination by imposition of hands by the first wherof the Roman Catholick Religion was generally held by the simple sort to be Idolatry and by thâ— second the Protestant Prelatick Clergy were mistaken for Priests and Bishops 〈…〉 never had received any Episcopal Ordination but what they challenged by the Queenes 〈…〉 election and by an act of Parliament 8. Eliz 1. because I say these two â—â—â—sifications were so palpably fraudulâ—nt and
〈…〉 who run their 〈◊〉 wayes c. But truly I 〈◊〉 no reason why they should Iudâ—â— so rashly of Roman Catholicks 〈…〉 to persuade the King and the whole world that we are so impious and envious as to conceale from the people the light of the Ghospell seeing we stick to the old letter and sense of Scripture without altering the Text or rejecting any parts therof or devising new Interpretations and we are dayly imployed not only in preaching and explaining God's word in Europe but forsake our own Countreyes and conveniences and travell with great difficulties and dangers both by Sea and Land to Asia Afrik America and the Antipodes with no other possible design but to publish the doctrin of Christ and enlighten the Nations of Gentillâ— who are in 〈…〉 ignorance And as for their self-conceited presbitâ—â—ian 〈…〉 Brethren who run their own wayes in translating and interpreting Scripture we do not excuse them but only say that we see no reason why prelaticks should 〈…〉 for a fault wherof themselves are no less guilty Do not prelaticks run their own wayes as well as those other Sectaries in translating the Bible Do they stick to either the Greek Latin or Hebrew Text Do they not leape from one language and Copy to an other accept and reject what they please Do they not fancy a sense of their own every iot as contrary to that of the Catholick and ancient Church as that of their Brethren the Presbiterians and others is acknowledged to be And yet they are nether more learned nor more skilfull in tongues nor more godly then those they so much contemn and blame But to the end every Christian may more cleerly discern 〈◊〉 Cheat and divert himself with some variety in the method of this tedious but convincing argument I will give 〈◊〉 a brief relation of a remarkable passage much to the 〈◊〉 purpose which happned in the beginning of King James 〈◊〉 Reign by which he may in one man's case see the 〈◊〉 and sincerity of all the Protestant prelatick Church and 〈◊〉 in King Iames his time and Iudge what satisfaction 〈◊〉 may have in this world or whether they may expect 〈◊〉 in the next by relying vpon the authority and 〈◊〉 of the Prelatick Protestant Church of England SVBSECT II. Of Deane VValsingham's search into matters of Religion before his change to the Catholick how he repaired for a Resolution of his doubes to King Iames as to the head of the Church who remitted him to the Lord of Canterbury and he to other men and how after finding no satisfaction he betook himself to the reading of Catholick and Protestant Authors for discerning on what side was the true or false Dealing I Will reduce into as narrow a compass as I can Deane Walsingham's relation which he dedicated to K. Iames concluding his epistle with these words most humbly on my Knees I beseech your Royal Majesty to pardon me this 〈◊〉 resolution wherunto I protest vpon my soule and Conscience that no earthly motive drew me but only my love and obedience 〈◊〉 to him that is King of all Kings c. That 〈…〉 pag. 〈…〉 as you have seen to change my Iudgment and yeild to the manifest evidence of truth which I found to be on the Catholick side and nothing 〈…〉 shiftâ— and deceits on the contrary This 〈◊〉 speake here Good 〈◊〉 as in the sight of Almighty God and as in truth of conscience I have found and no way out of passion or evill affection or wordly respects in which every man will easily see how much I prejudice my self by this new course taken But that both reason and Religion prudence and all true piety doth â—â—â—quire that the everlasting salvation of our soules should be preferred before all other human respects whatsoever which is the true and sincere cause of this my resolution And this I desire thee Good Christian Readerâ— to believe and assure thy self to be most true as aâ— the last day when we shall all appeare before the Tribunal of 〈◊〉 Saviour and all hearts be made known will evidently appeare In his preface to the Reader he gives an account of his Protestant education and Religion wherin 〈◊〉 was so zealous that he took all occasions to deale with others either for their confirmation or gaining to 〈◊〉 and to this effect was wont to send Books of that profession to any that would read them By which occasion it fell out that one of his acâ—quaintance that seemed backward in the acceptance of a Book was content to receive it from him vpon condition saith he that I should promise him to read an other Book he would lend me wherof I accepted This book was inittuled a Defence of the Censure given vpon two bookes of William Chark and Meredith Hanmer Ministers which book I litle esteemed at that time thinking it should serve me for some disport especialy for gathering out some absurdities against Papists wherâ—ith I did Imagin all their books to be abundantly stuffed But finding whersoever I lighted certain passages which I could 〈◊〉 well digest and many proofs alledged wherunto I could 〈◊〉 â—â—swer I cast â—t ofâ—en aside and then took it in hand again 〈◊〉 â—oon after I felt my self so strangely troubled and turâ—â—â—led in Iudgment and conscience vpon the reading therof 〈◊〉 my soule had taken pills indeed and could not beare 〈…〉 I conferred divers of my difficulties with 〈◊〉 â—â—nisters without specifying that I had them out of such 〈◊〉 but they could give me very litle satisfaction or 〈◊〉 at all Wherupon I made divers Iourneys to London 〈…〉 to see Books of sundry sorts as also to conferre with 〈◊〉 of my friends And having wearied my self in this sort 〈◊〉 the space of divers moâ—thes at last I betooke my self to a â—ore strange resolution but yet such as then seemed to 〈◊〉 most necessary for appeasing of my mind and this was 〈◊〉 so much as I had taken two or three several times the oath 〈◊〉 supremacy first to the Queene and afterward to his Majesty that now reigneth I 〈◊〉 persuade my self that my best comfort of conscience would come from the superiour powers but especialy from his learned Majesty who governed the Crown as from God's Lieutenant and substitute in all causes and affaires whatsoever Wherfore after much deliberation not daring to conferr â—ith any Papist or almost to entertain any Good thought 〈◊〉 them or of their Religion I determined with my self to â—ake a short memorial vnto his sayd Majesty and to deliver him the summ of my afflictions and doubts together with the â—â—ok it self which had bin the cause therof and to entreat him by his supreme authority to give order for my sound satisfaction therin and so binding vp the old book in the comeliest manner I could I got me to London and thence to Greenwich and there after many difficulties of audience I exhibited the same together with my Memorial both tyed and conjoyned in one
as his Majesty was going to the Chappel vpon Good friday in the morning in the yeare 1604. Deane 〈…〉 difficulties 〈…〉 Book MY 〈…〉 the Author's complaint that Catholiks â—â—ving 〈…〉 offers of some jâ—st tryall of their and 〈…〉 Religion in England either by publick disputation free writing or printing they could never yet be admitted vnto any which made me much to mervaile vpon what cause or ground this should be so long denyed for that supposing our Protestant Religion to be true as I was persuaded I could not see why this pâ—â—blick tryall might not be and ought not to be granted Moreover I saw and considered that wheras his Majesty soon after his coming into England was resolved gratiously to heare the differences that were between his own subjects and to that effect yeelded for three or four days most honorable audience in his own person to heare and Iudge the contentions between the Protestants and puritans yet notwithstanding in this conference the Papists had no place at all which was marked by many and divers also spoke therof Wherfore vpon these considerations I was much troubled doubting lest this straitness vsed in not admitting Papists to any kind of this equal offered tryall might have some mystery in it and that all things went not so cleere indeed on our side as I had hitherto believed My second difficulty was about the tryall of spirits whether they be of God or no the Author of the Defence joyning roundly with M. r Chark offered to stand to all lawfull tryall whatsoever and therupon taketh in hand to prove that Protestants have no sure ground or way to try an heretical or Catholick spirit and that Catholicks have many wherof he setteth down nine shewing first that the only way offered by Protestants of only Scripture is no way at all and that for divers reasons one among the rest that all heretickâ— both old and new have professed this way c. which 〈◊〉 it were admitted to be the best and that Scripture 〈◊〉 neither corrupted in the letter nor perverted in the 〈◊〉 by Protestants yet could not that way of tryall advance 〈◊〉 advantage their cause because the Catholicks have express 〈◊〉 of Scripture for themselves and Protestants no express 〈…〉 for their Tenets As for example Catholicks have 〈◊〉 This is my Body for Transubstantiation Mat. 26. 〈◊〉 man is justifyed by workes and not by faith only Jacob. 2. for â—â—â—tification by Good workes Whose sins you forgive are forgiâ—â—â— c. Joan. 20. for absolution The doers of the Law 〈◊〉 be justified Rom. 2. for the possibility of observing the Commandements vow ye and render your vowes Psalm 75. for votaries Keep the traditions which you have learned either by word or epistle â— Thess. 2. for vnwritten Traditions c. Protestants have not one express text in all Scripture for their Tenets My third difficulty was about the first beginners of our Protestant doctrin to wit Luther with his schollers Zuinglius Câ—â—oldstadius Oecolampadius Calvin Beza c. for that albeit Religion is not to be measured by the life of the Teacher yet I considered that whensoever God did send any men extâ—â—ordinarily to reform his Church they were alwayes comâ—only of more eminent virtue in their lives then others as 〈◊〉 seen by all the Patriarchs and Prophets by St. John Baptiâ—â— and others in succeeding ages But now for these men before named Luther and the rest this writer of the Defence doth shew by very great testimonies that they were men far inferiour vnto the common sort of honest men that Luther had his reformation against the Mass Intercession of Saints c. from the Devill from whom also Zuinglius received his opinion against the real presence and Transubstantiation that Calvin followed therin Zwinglius and we in England embrace the same That Hierom Bolseâ— Doctor of Physiâ— many yeareâ— in Geneua and other places round â—bout in 〈◊〉 time when himself was a 〈…〉 things both of 〈…〉 his falshood might be so easily 〈…〉 As that Iohn Calvin was 〈…〉 with a burning â—â—â—ron for 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 who preserved 〈…〉 and that 〈◊〉 was testifyed by publick record of the said Citty of Noyâ—â—â— and that this was registred by Monsieur Bertilier Secretary of the Councell of Geneva vnder a publick and sworn 〈◊〉 hand he relates many things of Calvin's excessive ambition intollerable hypocrisy delicat niceness and lascivious carnaâ—â—â— As for Beza who lived when Bolsek's book was written he reporteth many enormous things as that he kept both a boy and a Queane Andebertus and Candida that he ran away with a Taylor 's wife that dwelt in Calenâ—â—r street in Paris â—he robbing her husband to accompany him and that he continued the like life after keeping an harlot called 〈◊〉 together with his own wife and killing his own Child begotten vpon her to cover the sin by letting her blood above measure and many other soul things which I avoyd to name for loathsomness My fourth difficulty was thaâ— the Defence of the Censâ—â—â— sheweth how our Church of England doth receive and 〈◊〉 for Brethren such as could never agree nor cannot at the day in sundry substantial points of doctrin as the book proves by their confessions protestations and writings one against the other as also by sundry Synods and Protestant Councells wherin the one hath condemned the other And namely he citeth this saying of Luther among many other I do protest before God and the world that I do not agree with them the Sacramentarians which is our Religion of England 〈…〉 will while the world standeth but will have my hand◠〈…〉 the blood of those sheep which these hereticks do drive 〈…〉 and kill 〈…〉 it was possible that Luther 〈…〉 with God's holy spirit 〈…〉 so manifestly condemn us 〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 hereticks that hold him for 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 very same doctrin as doctrin 〈…〉 for pernitious heresy This 〈…〉 I might have some 〈…〉 〈◊〉 fifth difficulty was M. r Fulk and our Protestant 〈◊〉 contempt of the holy Fathers and of Traditions 〈…〉 I fell vpon this account whether it were more 〈…〉 me to adventure my soul with Fulk and our 〈…〉 or with the antient Fathers and whether it 〈…〉 probable that they should know what passed in 〈…〉 Church better then St. Cyprian St. Austin c. 〈…〉 troubled me as I thought every day a year 〈…〉 〈…〉 was about M. r Chark against whom 〈…〉 was written who seemed to me 〈…〉 very 〈…〉 impugning the same for that 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 to any of the difficulties as to 〈◊〉 seemed and much less in his reply to the defence 〈◊〉 afterward I 〈◊〉 to see The substance of Dean Walsingham's memorial to the King 〈◊〉 a certain memorial as I may call it wherin I 〈◊〉 comprehended as compendiously as then I could some chief 〈◊〉 principal causes of my doubts and difficulties before 〈◊〉 and contained in that book desiring his Highness 〈…〉 Mr. Doctor Covell told me
it was your 〈…〉 should go home vntill your Grace sent for 〈…〉 sayd J gave no such order Doctor Cavell is 〈…〉 sayd J vnderstood your Grace so 〈…〉 Lord tuâ—ning 〈◊〉 to the Knight sayd with an angry 〈…〉 as soon as J came to the Court to day the first word 〈…〉 spake vnto me he asked me what I had don with him 〈…〉 book you are a fellow indeed we have dealt 〈…〉 thou art a bold Companion to deliver such a book 〈…〉 Then J began to speak and to yeeld my reasons 〈…〉 but my Lord proceeded in his wrathfull speeches and 〈…〉 and angry words he added I will even send 〈…〉 thou art worthy to be set on the pillory and to 〈…〉 for a libelling Knave as thou art I answeâ—â—◠〈…〉 your Grace J hope I have not deserved 〈…〉 I have set my hand to that which I 〈…〉 I desire my Lord but to be taught the truth 〈…〉 sayd thou be taught thou art a foolish bold knave 〈…〉 as thou art before I have don with 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Lord had chafed and spoken largely his 〈…〉 he had put me in a bodily feare the Knight 〈◊〉 Corner began to speak and say my Lord he will be 〈…〉 Mr. Walsingham I dare say is sorry for his 〈◊〉 you shall see he will conform himself as he should 〈…〉 yet stil continued in his rough and angry 〈…〉 no man forsooth will serve you but the King to 〈…〉 allpunc I answered may it please your Grace to 〈…〉 reasons why I came chiefly to the King then sayd 〈◊〉 Lord why what hast thou to do with the King what 〈…〉 if thou werâ— hanged like a foolish Knave as thou art 〈…〉 other such like vehement and threatning speeches 〈…〉 the end he sayd come near for that all this 〈…〉 stood a loof And then he called for his Secretary or Notary saying 〈…〉 indignation to me Come come you hither I will examin 〈◊〉 Lord â— will write to the Commissary that he shall not 〈◊〉 or hinder you in any thing and so calling for pen 〈…〉 his letter the summ wherof was this 〈…〉 the Bearer hereof seemeth to be somewhat 〈…〉 towards popery we will that you appoint some 〈…〉 and learned Divine who may conferr with him and 〈…〉 his doubts but let all things be so don as 〈…〉 not be discouraged nor his infirmity divulged 〈…〉 sayd my Lord you see what I have written 〈…〉 〈…〉 any way prejudice you c. I doubt not but 〈…〉 come again you will be wel resolved and 〈…〉 I hope so my Lord sayd I you go to 〈…〉 my Lord yes and it please your Lordship 〈…〉 that is vvell sayd my Lord. And thus having 〈…〉 my Lords letter he bid me farewell and then 〈…〉 leave of Doctor Covell he spake very kindly to me 〈…〉 I hope when you come again Mr. Walsingham you 〈…〉 of another mind and all shall be well And so from 〈…〉 I passed to London and from thence the next day 〈◊〉 Countrey somewhat to satisfie my friends and to 〈…〉 what the rumors raised about me 〈◊〉 Walsinghams address to Mr. Rolfe 〈…〉 of St. Albans And of his 〈◊〉 with Doctor Downham and an other 〈◊〉 the Protestant Clergy and his perusal of Mr. 〈◊〉 Books recommanded to him by my Lord of 〈…〉 and of the answer of the Defence 〈◊〉 the Censure MR. Walsingham thus dispatcht without any Satisfaction of his doubts he began to distrust and suspect the Protestant Clergy and Religion but howeâ—â—◠〈…〉 that I had read the 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 had driven me into many doubts 〈…〉 I declared how that Book 〈…〉 whom 〈…〉 to be a man of God to have 〈…〉 the Church of Rome by the insâ—igation of the 〈…〉 had much Conference c. which of true surely 〈…〉 to be of some better faith and Religion 〈…〉 have the original and begining from the Dâ—vil 〈…〉 common practise of the Papists to 〈…〉 of God and I think I haâ—â— the answer to that book 〈…〉 sayd Mr. VVâ—lsingham have a sight of that 〈◊〉 And now being dinner time Mr. Doctor sayd he 〈…〉 with Mr. Arch-Deacon and so he left me not 〈…〉 it seemed to have any further conference with 〈…〉 made me conceive an hard opinion of Mr. Doctors 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who perceiving in what state I was 〈◊〉 â—dolatry Antichrist c. would seeme so willing as he 〈◊〉 withdraw himself But meeting Mr. Rolfe he wished 〈◊〉 any wise so expect Doctor Downham which J 〈…〉 〈◊〉 with him to his house in Company of one or two 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 Mr. VValsingham came to Dr. Downham house at 〈…〉 shewed him some of Luthers works wherin he 〈…〉 worst things ther he had noted out of the defence 〈◊〉 Censure and the Doctor alwayes diveâ—ted him from the 〈◊〉 of the truth and from comparing his notes with the 〈◊〉 The next day morning an other Minister came to 〈…〉 whom he made acquainted with Mr. 〈…〉 who thervpon desired 〈◊〉 have some conference 〈…〉 perplexed soul and having related to that ancient 〈…〉 doubts the remedy he applied was to inveigh 〈◊〉 the Papists obstinacy vntrue dealing Jndulgences c. 〈…〉 word to answer Mr. VValsinghams difficulties who 〈…〉 the answer to the defence of the Censure took his 〈◊〉 of Doctor Downham men by the Jnstigation of some who were far blinded with 〈◊〉 against them Mr. Bell's second Book called a Survey of Popery Mr. 〈◊〉 pervsed because he had promised and took no 〈◊〉 some corruptions he had found therin of St. Chrysostom 〈…〉 of Nice St. Austin St. Gregory c. with a 〈◊〉 to shew them to my Lord of Canterbury who did 〈◊〉 esteem the Author and extoll the Book He read 〈◊〉 third book of Mr. Bell's called the downfall of popery 〈◊〉 he found also many falsifications to maintain 〈◊〉 and against popes wherof one was this Antoninus 〈◊〉 bishop of Florence affirmeth saith Mr. Bell pag. 40. 〈◊〉 Pope Martin the fifth dispensed with one who had contracted 〈◊〉 â—â—â—summated matrimony with his own natural and full sister 〈…〉 Father and Mother citing these words of Antoninus 〈…〉 cum quadam ejus Germana which he englished as 〈◊〉 have heard his own natural and full sister c. cutting of 〈◊〉 the sentence that ensued and confuted his falsification 〈◊〉 cognoverat fornicariè whom he had known in fornication 〈◊〉 the sentence in Antoninus is that Pope Martyn the 3. 〈◊〉 a great suit and long deliberation did dispence with one 〈…〉 married with the sister of her whom he had known in fornication that is to say with his concubines sister which dispensation saith Antoninus was hardly granted and one theiâ— reason of the grant was saith he for that the parâ—â—â—â— could not be separated without great scandal nor were fit to enter into Religion Now as to Mr. Chark's answer or reply to the defence of the Censure which Doctor Downham had lent vnto me I found therin no satisfaction for I saw in effect saith
some litle time c. my Lord began to speak with a high and angry voyce concerning me and my affaires and looking toward me complained of my importunity and obstinacy and sayd to the Doctors that he would send me to prison and therupon calling for his pursuivant or apparitor which presently appeared said let a mittimus be made to send him to the Chink c. But then came vnto me from the other side of the parlour the Knight of the Corner mentioned before who out of â—â—ew of great compassion and extraordinary friendship began with divers temporal reasons to persuade me not to meddle further in these matters but accommodat my self to my Lord's will and I should find his Grace a good Lord vnto me and ready to perform as occasion should be offered c. After a litle time they rose from the table and standing on foot my Lord shewed himself much displeased talked again of me and of my busines threatning to send me to prison but after that again he retired himself into a window together with Doctor Barlow who having conferred some litle space together my Lord called me vnto him and insinuating vnto me that the sayd Doctor had intreated for some favor towards me sayd well Mr. VValsingham J am content you shall conferr these places with Doctor Barlow who will take some paines with you to resolve you and then turning vnto Mr. Doctor he sayd vnto him you can shew him Mr. Deane Chrysostom both in greek and Latin and so might his Grace also but durst not willing me to repaire vnto him for conference and dismissed me with saying only that J should return vnto him in the end of the next term and indeed his dismission was such and with such countenance and speech as it seemed to me he could not well determin what to do with me being weary of me and of my suite and that he would have bin content to be handsomly rid of me Upon the next day J repaired to VVestminster to Mr. Doctor Barlow who after even song went vp with me to his study and there at my request opened first one of St. Austin's Tomes wherin the Book de bono viduitatis is contained and there sought for the place before named cyted by Mr. Bell and falling vpon the words alledged by him read them and would have seemed to defend them as there they lye But when J pressed him to have him go forward and to read the words ensuing which do explicat St. Austin's meaning and wholy overthrow Mr. Bell's purpose he was vnwilling at that time to pass any further especialy his man coming to tell him that it was now supper time and so with courteous words he dismissed me saying nothwithstanding that if at any other time I should come vnto him he would be glad to spend an houre and take 〈◊〉 some further paines with me But J thought with my self to what end should J come vnto him and trouble both him and my self as J had don many others in the same cause before for that I seemed to perceive now how litle they were able or willing to give me that satisfaction in these points which I demanded about my doubts and scruples and with this I departed from him not meaning to return again for the present but to take some other course as afterwards I did which was to examin books on both sides for finding out truth or falsity begining first with the writings of the protestants and afterward of Catholicks This is the substance of the historical part of Mr. VValsingham's search into Religion In the progress of his book he sets down those frauds and willfull corruptions which he found in perusing the works of Luther Calvin Jewell Fox â—â—â—low VVillet Chark Fulk Hastings and other protestant â—â—iters and acknowledgeth the truth and sincerity which he 〈◊〉 with in the Catholicks wherupon he resolved to reâ—ounce protestancy and the conveniencies that therby he might â—â—pect preferring the good of his soul which he believed could not be saved out of the Roman Catholick Church before all temporal respects To satisfy his friends and the world in this resolution he published the foresaid Treatise and became a Catholick Priest and by his good example and paines taken in this Kingdom converted many of his seduced Countreymen He lived to be of very great age dying but few years since bidding always those with whom he conversed not to credit or trust any of the protestant Clergy in matters of Religion how ever so sincere they may seem to be in other affaires SVBSECT III. Reflexions vpon Mr. VValsingham's relation THe first Reflexion is How education and a persuasion of the truth grounded therupon can not be safely or prudently relyed vpon in matters of that one only faith without which it is impossible to please God and be saved especialy when we acknowledge the fallibility of our Church and have reasons to suspect our Clergys sincerity The protestant Church of England doth acknowledge it's own fallibility and that Clergys interest and intrigues in vpholding a Religion wherby alone they may live above the meanness of their parentage and patrimony together with our Catholick continual exceptions and proofs against it's novelty and libertinism and the publick offers of learned disinteressed and conscientious persons to demonstrat how much lay-Protestants are abused by their Clergy and mistaken in their fancied Scripture and reformed Doctrin in case the state wil give way to a faire tryal doth leave no room for the illiterat layties ordinary excuse to wit that they are not obliged to study Controversies or read the Fathers so much is not exacted of them they are bound notwithstanding to examin every one according to his capacity which of the two Clergys Protestant or Catholick do corrupt and falsify Scripture the Fathers and Councells or if that diligence be not compatible with the meanes and condition of many of them no more is required of such then to observe which of both partyes and Clergyes hinders or is most backward in coming to a publick tryal therof this being but matter of fact discernable by the eye without Metaphysical speculation or historical erudition can not in conscience be rejected or neglected by any Christian learned or vnlearned Though Mr. VValsingham was a protestant Divine yet he never had read any Catholick Books and by consequence was before he lighted vpon the defence of the Censure as ignorant in our Tenets as any lay-protestant and as avers from reading our Controversies yet being a conscientious and judicious person he thought himself bound vnder pain of damnation to examin whether what that Book said of Protestants was true Particularly when he reflected vpon their putting of and declining all publick disputations concerning Religion and their persecuting such as offered to dispute 2. Reflexion How easily a company or Corporation of necessitous and mean persons do conspire and concurr in a beneficial fraud and how difficult it is to make them
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
what they say in Controversies of Religion Had Luther Calvin Beza Kemnitius Melancton and Jewell bin as sincere in their writings against Catholicks as Canisius Coccius Bellarmin Gualterus Peron and Baronius are against Protestants we could not have discovered so many palpable falsifications in the later Protestant writers as our Books manifest to the world wherof I have sayd more J fear then my Readers will have patience to peruse Yet I shall entreat them for the Conclusion of this matter to permit me to mention somewhat of Luther's and Calvin's sincerity the two chief Apostles of the Protestant Reformation and of two others the most eminent Prelats and writers of the Church of England Usher and Laud one called the Irish Saint the other the English Martyr When such Primats are proved Falsifiers we need not examin further the writings of the Inferior Clergy and petty Ministers but remit the â—ealous defenders of their sincerity to such Books as discover their frauds and are easily found wherof we have given heretofore a Catalogue SECT XI Calumnies and Falsifications of Luther Calvin Archbishop Laud and Primat Vsher to discredit Catholick Religion against their own knowledge and conscience LUther in postilla ad Evang. Dominicoe Annuntiationis saith Among the Papists every one maketh recourse vnto Mary expecting from her more favour and grace then from Christ himself Calvin saith every Papist hath chosen peculiar Saints to whom he hath devoted himself as to so many helping Gods 〈◊〉 are their Gods now according to the number of their Cittyes as the Prophet vpbraided the Jsraelits but according to the number of their very persons This our Popish Babylon saith Luther hath so far extinguished faith in this Sacrament of Pennance as with a shamless forehead she denyeth faith to be necessary nay further she hath with an Anti-christian impiety defended that it is an heresy if any man affirme faith to be necessary His Scholler Philip Melancton saith the same The School-Doctors have foolishly and wickedly taught that sins are forgiven without faith Without doubt the illiterat Protestants who all take Luther to be a Saint at least do not believe him to be an Jmpostor question not but that Roman Catholicks are such men as Luther Calvin c. describe them and will not so much as turn to the Councell of Trent or to any other Book where our Tenets are to be found there they might see that we hold faith to be the beginning and foundation of man's saluation and the root of all Justification without which it is impossible to please God c. And in him that doth repent it is of necessity that faith go before pennance Concerning the necessity of Grace Luther saith The Papists do teach that a man may keep the Commandements of God with the proper forces of nature without God's grace Concerning the immortality of the soul he saith The Papists at this day do not believe at all the Immortality of the soul. And again in the Lateran Councell that was celebrated in the year 1515. in time of Pope Julius it was first of all known and decreed that the resurrection of the Dead was to be believed Of this wicked Friars corruptions of Scripture see Zuinglius tom 2. ad Luth. de sâ—c fol. 412. and many more Authors As for Fathers and Councells he did not value them so much as to trouble himself with falsifying or corrupting their writings though sometimes to impose vpon illiterat people that the holy Fathers were hereticks or ignorant he endeavors in his writings to discredit their persons and condemn their doctrin See what he sayes of them hertofore part 1. 2. SVBSECT II. Of Calvin's calumnies against Catholicks and their Doctrin MR. Walsingham in his search pag. 152. acknowledgeth he had such an opinion of Calvin's Sanctity and sincerity that having read in his Institutions cap. 11. lib. 1. That in the first 500. years after Christ there were never any Images in Christian Churches both himself and other Ministers did often alledge the same as a certain truth to such as knew less then themselves but perceiving that the Papists laughed at them for it he began to doubt and after examination of twenty Authors or witnesses within the first 500. years which Coccius citeth against Calvin he found them truly cited and Calvin a Lyar. How litle Calvin valued the practise or doctrin of the ancient Church he declareth lib. 3. Instit. c. 5. § 10. where he saith when the adversaries object against me that prayer for the Dead hath bin vsed above 1300. years I ask them again by what word of God revelation or example it 〈◊〉 bin so vsed c. But the very old Fathers themselves that prayed for the dead did see that herein they wanted both Commandment of God and lawfull example So as 〈◊〉 accuseth all the holy Fathers because they were Papists of superstition In all the Hymns and Litanies of the Papists saith Calâ—â—â— there is never any mention of Christ but wheras always they pray to dead Saints the name of Christ never occurreth And yet this Impostor could not be ignorant that our Litanies begin Kyrie eleison Christe eleison Lord have mercy â—pon us Christ have mercy vpon us Christe audi nos Christe exaudi 〈◊〉 c. And our hymns he knew were made by St. Ambrose St. Gregory Prudentius Sedulius and other ancient Fathers and conclude Gloria tibi Domine qui natus es de Virgine c. In the very same Book and Chapter Calvin affirmeth that is the third Councell of Carthage wherin St. Austin was present it was forbiden that we should say Sancte Petre ora pro nobis which is fals it was indeed decreed Quod cum Altari assistitur semper ad patrem dirigatur Oratio That when the Priest did assist at the Altar he should offer his prayer and sacrifice to God the Father The Papists do shamefully and impiously define saith Calvin that dayly pennance must only be don for venial sin As though we taught that for mortal sin pennance was not necessary Jn the same place he saith the Papists speak not at all when they treat of pennance of the internal renovation of mind which bringeth true amendment of life and again ibid. 29. they hold that they are reconciled once only by the grace of God when they are Baptised post Baptismum resurgendum esse per satisfactiones but after baptism a man must rise again from sin by satisfactions Wheras this impudent fellow knew well enough that we hold all rising from sin or reconciliation vnto God whether before or after baptism must be by Grace and that satisfactions only are for temporal punishments after the guilt of sin is remitted by Reconciliation In his institutions l. 4. c. 7. he saith that Pope Iohn 2â— affirmed mens souls to be mortal and to perish together with the Body vntill the day of resurrection which calumny we have confuted hertofore In the same
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
Gregory Nazianzen saith that St. Cyprians Reliques are omnipotent to work miracles if applied with faith as experience doth shew and orat 1. in Iulianum he relateth how Gallus and Iulianus two Brethren and Nephews to the Emperor Constantius joyning to build a famous Church over the Reliques of St. Mamans Martyr the part which Gallus a good Catholick vndertook went on most prosperously but the part of Iulian who was then perverted in his Iudgment and became afterwards the Apostata could never as much as have the foundation layd for that the earth by continual and vnusual earthquakes did always cast from it self and in a manner vomit forth all that was layd in it by Iulianus And the reason was saith St. Gregory Nazianzen becaus the Martyrs are so linkt in charity that St. Mamans would not be honored by him who in time was to decry the worship of his Brethren and disgrace them But the Centurists above cited say that God hindred Julianus his fabrick to shew that he was not pleased with the superstitious worship of Martyrs and yet they do not consider that he was pleased to let Gallus his fabrick prosper Such fopperies as these we must expect even from learned men that vndertake to maintain new opinions against the ancient doctrin of Gods Church confirmed by evident miracles St. Anselm whom Protestants commend as one of the worthiest Prelats of the Church both for piety and learning recounteth in his book of the Miracles of our B. Lady this story The Devil who out of his inveterat hatred and enuy to man seeks all means possible to ruin him took human shape and put himself into the service of a Nobleman with whose humor he did so comply as in a short time he was steward of his family and Master of his will taking the advantage of this favor he persuaded him to commit many mischiefs and murthers walking one day in the fields with some of his servants not much better then himself he abused a devout Priest and carried him prisoner to his Castle At night the Priest signified to him that hee had a busines to impart to his Lordship in which he was much concerned but it must be opend to him in presence of all his servants He longing to know the busines commanded all his servants should be called and all appeared the steward only excepted who retired to his chamber pretending he was not well and being pressed to come answered he could not stirr the Priest replyed to the Lord that the stewards presence was absolutely necessary wherupon other servants were ordered to bring him in their arms he still counterfeiting the sick man When the holy Priest did see him he commanded and conjured him in the name of Almighty God to declare who he was and to what end he had thrust himself into that Noblemans service The steward answered and confessed he was the Devil and that his end of serving that man was to procure his destruction and damnation which he had long before effected had not the B. Virgin interposed herself and interceeded to God for his Conversion of the cure they could not be mistaken neither could they have any design in deceiving others by a fals information neither durst they or the Monk who writ the story venter to abuse the whole Kingdom with such an imposture that could not be long concealed or unpunished So that this being the miracle wherupon Fox did fix to disgrace all the rest as also St. Thomas his sanctity I shall believe them all to be as authentick as any miracles need to be and as that which both in the French and English profane and Ecclesiasticall Histories is recorded of the King of France his pilgrimage to St. Thomas his Shrine in Canterbury for the recovery of his son Philips health in what despair the Father and all France were of his life by human remedies is evident by his vndertaking so vnusual and dangerous a Iourney as it was for a King to put himself into the hands of his reconciled enemy and of so powerfull a Monarch as K. Henry 2. But God that would have all the world take notice of St. Thomas his glory and of the justice of his cause disposed so things that the most Christian King and Kingdom should be beholding to him for the life of the Heir apparent of the crown who immediatly recovered and the King to shew his gratitude for so great a benefit did give many Lands and privileges in France to the Monks of Canterbury all this was don in the yeare 1179. and but nine years after his Canonization Miracles of Holy water ST Pasil testifieth that the vse and blessing of holy water is an Apostolical traditon neither can it be denyed if we consider these words of St. Alexander Pope who but 50. years after St. Peter governed the Church We bless water sprinkled with salt for the people that all being sprinkled with it may be sanctified and purified which thing also we ordain as to be don of all Priests For if the ashes of an Heifer being sprinkled with blood did sanctify and cleans the people much more water sprinkled with salt and consecrated with divin prayers doth sanctify and cleans the people And if by salt sprinkled by 〈◊〉 the profet the barrenes of the water was healed how much â—ore the same salt being consecrated with divin prayers taketh 〈◊〉 the barrenes of human things and sanctifieth those which 〈◊〉 defiled and cleanseth and purgeth and multiplieth other 〈◊〉 things and turneth away the deceits of the devil and â—â—sendeth men from the craftines of the evil Ghost For if by â—â—â—ching of the hemm of the garment of our savior we do not 〈◊〉 but that the diseased were cured how much more by the â—â—ubt of his holy words or his elements consecrated by which 〈◊〉 frailty doth receive health both of body and soul. Thus 〈◊〉 Alexander Pope and martyr in the first age of Christianity â—hat is sayd of holy water the same is applied by the ancient â—â—hers to holy Oil holy bread holy Candells holy Ashes 〈◊〉 Palms c. Theodoret hist l. 5. c. 21. telleth that 〈◊〉 dissolved inchantments by sprinkling of holy water which 〈◊〉 saith Theodoret the Devil not induring the vertue of the â—â—inkled water fled away See also the like report made of â—â—â—charius by Palladius 〈◊〉 historia Lausiaca cap. 19. of miraculous 〈◊〉 wrough by holy water see St. Gregory lib. 1. Dial. cap. 10. 〈◊〉 St. Bede lib. 4. hist. cap. 4. and Palladius cap. 9. 20. and â—â—â—doret in his Theoph. cap. 13. of a memorable miracle don conâ—â—â—ding Church lights Read Eusebius hist. lib. 6. cap. 8. S. 〈◊〉 2. lib. 1. contra haereses haeres 30. pag. 61. edit Basil. 〈◊〉 how Josephus seing fire made unactive by enchantments and 〈◊〉 from burning by witchcraft called for water a world of 〈◊〉 being present made the sign of the Cross upon it put his 〈◊〉 into the vessel of the
blessed water saying In the name of â—â—sus of Nazareth whom my Fathers crucified let there be vertue 〈◊〉 this water for the dissolving the charms don by these men Then 〈◊〉 Epiphanius he took some of the water in his hand sprinâ—â—â—â— the several enchanted Furnaces with it dissoluta sunt inâ—â—â—amenta the witchcraft ceased the fire burned the people who 〈◊〉 the wonder cryed aloud One God there is who helpes the Chriâ—â—â—â—ns and so departed Epiphanius cited in the precedent page relates an other miracle don by Ioseph upon a possessed man Ioseph saith he having shut the doores took water in his hands blessed it with the sign of the Cross besprinkled the raging man with it commanded the Devil in the name of IESUS to be goâ— and the possessed party was cured This miracle saith Epiphanius the Iews knew and great talk there was of it some sayd Iosephus had opened the Gazophylacium and finding there the name of God writ did the wonder by force of this name It was true he did the miracle but not as the Iews imagined Thus St. Epiphanius Of our Catholick Churches severe inquiry discovery and punishment of Counterfeits in this kind and al other sorts of miracles our Adversaries give testimony see Osianders epitom Centur 16. pag. 32. And the book intituled Two Treatises the first of the lives of Popes c. The second of Masse c. also of fals miracles wherwith Mary de la Visitation Prioresse de la Anunciada of Lisbon deceived very many and was discovered and condemned Englished and printed 1600. And see in the Addition in the end of that book an other like discovery and punishment in Sevill of one Father Lion See also such an other Discovery of fals miracles in St. Thomas Moores dialogue of veneration of Images Reliques c. l. 1. c. 14. so that our Catholick Bishops and Inquisitors are so far from contriving and concealing such practises that they publish and punish them with extreme rigor And this our sincerity in publishing fals miracles is the only evidence Protestants have to say that the true miracles are fals for thus they argue against us such a Nun or Friars miracles and revelations were fals as appeareth by our own discovery and punishment of the cheat therfore we have reason to suspect that none are true wheras if obstinacy did not prevail with them more then reason they should have inferred and believed the quite contrary conclusion Madre Luisa de Charion notwithstanding her prediction to our late King Charles that if he did not become a Roman Catholick he should be the most vnfortunait Prince in the world after some years of prosperity Notwithstanding I say this and many other predictions her continual fasting and seeming miracles she was by the Jnquisition kept in prison all her life and never declared innocent or free from illusions vntill after her death when God seemed to approve of her sanctity by vndeniable signs and testimonys Miracles of the Sacrament of Confirmation COnfirmation is a Sacrament of the new law as sacred and holy saith St. Austin lib. 2. contra lit Peril c. 104. as Baptism it self it is ministred vnto the baptized with the imposition of the hands of a Bishop and the amoynting with holy Chrism And therfore St. Vrban Pope and Martyr an 227. in his letter to all Christians saith All the faithfull ought to receive the holy Ghost after Baptism by the imposition of hands from a Bishop that they may be found perfect Christians becaus when the holy Ghost is infused the faithfull heart is dilated to prudence and constancy And an other Pope and Martyr Euseb. cp ad Episcop Tust Campan The Sacrament of imposition of hands is to be had in great reverence which cannot be don by any other but by the high Priests neither is it read or known to have bin don by any other in the Apostles tyme but by the Apostles themselves And Tertullian de carniâ— resurrect cap. 8. in lib. de Bapt. alluding to the nature of oyl wherwith we are anointed in the Sacrament saith the flesh is anointed that the soul may be consecrated the flesh is signed that the soul may me be fensed the flesh by imposition of hands is overshadowed that the soul by the spirit may be illuminated Hitherto Prelatick Protestants according to the 25. article of their 39. of Religion contemned the holy Sacrament of Confirmation as superstitious and corrupt following of the Apostles but since Episcopacy was cryed down in England by the Puritans they writ whole Treatises of the necessity and prayses of Confirmation not so much I fear out of any devotion themselves have to that Sacrament as to be end the people may bee devoted to their Episcopal caracter it being granted that only Bishops can confirm Christians Doctor Taylors Discours of Confirmation is an excellent Interlude all circumstances considered He proves the necessity and holines of Confirmation contrary to the 25. article of his faith then he proves that only true Bishops can confirm whence some say it followes that his Protestant Episcopacy is not for that purpose 3. he pretends that the Jesuits though he knowe the contrary are enemies to this holy Sacrament The question between Doctor Smith Bishop of Calcedon and them was not whether Confirmation were not necessary when it might be had conveniently but whether it were so absolutly necessary for salvation that the Catholicks of England ought to bring vpon themselves new persecutions for maintaining and harbouring a Bishop in that Kingdom to confirm them And Taylor approves pag. 66. the same by saying that Confirmation is not absolutly necessary for salvation 4. It is ridiculous to see how Doctor Taylor quotes Authors and books for Confirmation that in all other points of doctrin he rejects as vnworthy of credit amongst others a book of miracles wherof he believeth not one the old Ordo Romanâ—â—â— pag. 24. St. Iohn Damascâ—n pag. 76. Melchiades Pope pag. 44. the Apostolical Constitutions pag. 16. which in other matters he rejects as apocryphal Rupertus pag. 4. who in any thing not favouring Episcopacy Taylor contemnâ— as a Novice and too modern St. Bernard the Monk and St. Malachias the Bishop two acknowledged Papists 5. He is much troubled to see that these Authors call Confirmation a Sacrament and knows not how to English Sacramentum at last he resolves to translate it Rite and therfore these latin words of the Ordo Romanus which he sets down pag. 24. Omnino praecavendum esse ut hoc Sacramentum Confirmationis non negligatur the Bishop doth English thus we must by all means take heed that the Rite of Confirmation be not neglected And pag. 5. he saith St. Bernard in the life of St. Malachias my Prodecessor in the See of Down and Connot reports that it was the care of that Good Prelat to renew the rite of Confirmation in his Diocess Seing Protestants with Doctor Taylor value so much the testimony and faith
answered say not so see ye play the wise mans part Nay saith he J do not rave but J have here before mine eyes a wicked conscience all wounded and mangled And what is the matter sayd the King A litle before you came quoth he two beautifull yong men came in and sate down by me one at my head the other at my feet and one of them took a fine book out of his bosom but litle in quantity and gave it me to read Jn the which when I looked a litle while I found all the good deeds that ever I had don fair written and God knoweth they were few in number and little in effect when I had don they took the book of me again and sayd nothing Then sudenly came there about me a whole legion of wicked spirits and besieged the hous round about and sitting down replenished every corner within Then he that for his foul face and highest seat appeared to be greatest among them taking out a book terrible to all mens sight vnmeasurable for greatnes and for weight importable commanded one of his black guard to bring it to me to read When I read a litle I found all the enormous detestable sins that ever I had committed not only in word and deed but also in thought written there in great black letters and he said to the two faire yong men that sate by me why sit you here knowing most certainly that this fellow is ours They answered True it is take him and lead him away to the bottomless pit of damnation and with that they vanished away Immediatly two wicked spirits having fier-pronges in their hands rose vp and struck me one in the head and the other in the sole of my feet the which now with great torment and anguish creep vp into the bowels and other internal parts of my body and when they meet together J shal dy and be drawn hence by the Devils into Hell without redemption Thus spake that miserable man lying in extreme desperation and so dyed out of hand Jt is evident saith St. Bede hee had not these visions for his own sake whom they availed nothing at all but for other men who knowing his lamentable end might be afraid to differr and prolong the time of Repentance while they have opportunity and leasure In the next Chapter cap. 15. l. 5. St. Bede tells of an other damned for differring his confession thus I my self saith Bede Knew a Religious man whom would to God I had never known placed in a good and famous Monastery notwithstanding he himself was infamous for his lewd behavior and loos life I could tell his name also if it were worth the telling This man was earnestly rebuked of his brethren and Superiors of the Monastery for his enormities and exhorted to a better trade of life but all in vain c. But as men are wont to say He that will not come of his own accord within the Church-door shall run against his will to hell gates this man being now struck with a very faint diseas and brought to extremity called all the Convent about him and with much lamentation and deep sighs like a man already damned began to declare vnto them that he saw hell gates open and the devil drouned in a deep dungeon therof and Caiphas and the whole rablement that put Christ to death cast in flaming fier hard by him and next to them O miserable and wretched man that I am said he I see a place of eternall perdition prepared for me The brethren hearing these wofull words exhorted him earnestly to repent and be sorry for his sins while he was yet alive Then he brought to extreme despair answered no no There is no time for me to amend my former life especially seing I perceive my judgment is past and fully compleated already With these words he dyed without receiving the Sacrament His body was interred in the farmost part of all the Abby not one of all the whole Convent durst Say Mass for his soul nor sing Psalms nor once say one Pater noster for him This chanced of late in the Country of the Bernicianâ— Northumberland and was blazed all the Country over So that it stired vp many to make quick Confession of their sinfull acts and not to take days with God Which God grant it may work also in such as shall read this present story Hitherto St. Bede who lived above nine hundred yeares ago Thus much of ancient miracles in confirmation of Popery some whereof were seen others so vndoubtedly beleived by the greatest Saints and Doctors of Gods Church that they judged them worthy of being recorded in their writings to the end posterity might by giving them credit take for divin the doctrin which they confirmed We do not recurr to the primitiye Fathers and times for miracles out of any want of the like in our dayes every where now some are so visible that only foolish Atheism or obstinacy can deny their supernaturality we mention the ancient miracles and Fathers for two reasons 1. To prove that our doctrin is the same with theirs and confirmed by the like miracles 2. To convict our Adversaries of obstinacy by their denial or contempt of the testimony of the holy Doctors and Catholick Church in such things as their spirit doth not fancy and yet they do admit the same testimony as sufficient and Obligatory in such points of Christianity as themselves think necessary or convenient for their own reformations and interpretations of Scripture It is ridiculous to see how Calvin ex gr presseth and wresteth the authority of St. Austin for some parts of his doctrin and how he sleighteth the same when that holy Doctor speaks against it To draw St. Austin to countenance the error against freewill I will relate St. Austin saith Calvin in his own words and then quoteth his words thus Primam fuisse libertatem posse non peccare nostram multo majorem non posse peccare Wheras the St. Speakes in that plâ—ce of our happines in heaven where we shall not be able to sin and preferres it before the liberty Adam had in Paradise of being able not to sin his words are Prima libertus voluntatis erat posse peccare novissima erit multo major non posse peccare Prima immortalitas c. Here Calvin corrupts the words insteed of St. Austins Novissima he puts in nostra then leaves out erit with many other words which made clear St. Austins speech and meaning of the liberty we shall have in heaven but Calvin makes him speak of our liberty here vpon earth and is so inconsiderat as to reprehend grievously the Master of the Sentences for following St. Austins sence according to the text But when St. Austins authority is vrged against him in favor of the Mass praier for the dead and Purgatory and particularly how carefull he was to have Mass sayd for the soul of his Mother St. Monica that
Fallaise in so much as she persuaded her husband to leave Geneva and go to Lansanâ—â— where she revealed the whole matter Mahomet t is true was a Cheat but a mere cunning cheat then Luther Calvin or Cranmer c. for by his Dove or fitts of the falling sickness he made people believe that the holy Ghost appeared and inspired to him the Alcoran but the Protestant Reformers had not so much to shew for their new doctrin Canon Translations and their new sense of Scripture Mahomet was constant to his principles the Protestant Parliament and Reformers were as changable as the times and humors of the giddy people and therfore may with more reason then the Turks give the Moon crescent for the Crest of their Religions as Catholicks do the Cross. Here in England they changed with Henry 8. the Roman faith for Articles of Religion devised by the Kings Majesty As soon as he dyed they changed that faith into Zuinglianism to comply with the Protector Somerset within two or three years after they changed Zuinglianism into Calvinianism at the suit of Calvin and reformed the Liturgy accordingly After K. Edward 6. death they returned with Q. Mary to the old faith With Q. Elizabeth they restored the new but with some alterations When K. James succeeded they changed their Translations of Scripture and other things In K. Charles 1. time prelatick Protestancy was pulled down by Presbytery this by Independency c. Prelatick Protestancy being restored again by K. Charles 2. the formes of Ordination wherupon depend the validity of the prelatick Ministery Church and Sacraments were not thought sufficient and therfore are now changed into more Catholick forms and therby all is left doubtfull and changeable for if the Church of England acknowledgeth to have erred in a thing of so great importance what assurance can it have of not erring in all the rest In a word Protestants in this one Kingdom and in this one age have made moâ—â— changes of Religions then Mahometans in the ten ages they have continued and in the greatest part of the world which they have conquered These things maturely considered makes Mahometism as probable a Religion as the best kind of Protestancy and therfore it would be no great wonder if they who believe the Protestant and Prelatick Clergy and take their word and fancies for true Scripture and Christianity should alter their belief vpon the change of that Clergys testimony acknowledging that hitherto they had bin mistaken which they may confess at any time becaus their Church is acknowledged fallible and that now they find the Turks have the true faith for that they reject all such books of Scripture as any Christians ever doubted of and that as lawfully as the pretended apocrypha are rejected by Protestants vpon the same ground and likewise believe all Protestant fundamental points necessary for salvation seing they believe of Christ as much as Arians Socinians and Chillingworth with his Sect of wits nay as much as the moderat and modern Prelatick writers who say that it is sufficient to believe Christ is the word and son of God which Mahomet never denyed If any Mahumetan Prince could pretend a title to this British Monarchy with probability of prevailing why may not we think he would find the Protestant Clergy as ready to comply with his Religion therby to secure their own and promote his interest as they were ready to change the Catholick and legal Religion which was professed in Q. Maries time for complying with Q. Elizabeth and fortifying her weak title against the legitimat and vndoubted Heirs All things weighed there is less difference between Mahumetism and prelatick Protestancy then between prelatick Protestancy and Popery for that Popery and Protestancy agree only in the name of Christianity in the motive and manner of faith they differ and in the ground therof as also in the Canon letter and Sense of Scripture but Mahumetism and Protestancy though they agree not in the letter of Scripture Protestants admitting into their Canon more books therof then the Turks yet they both agree in the rule of Religion though not in the application as also in the rule wherby their Canon and sense of Scripture is discerned which is every mans privat judgment in controverted matters in that point which is not controverted to wit one Deity the consent and concurrence of the generality of the world or evident reason is the foundation as well of Mahumetism as of protestancy as also in the point of the immortality of the soul. Therfore I see no impossibility or improbability said this great wit why Mahumetism may not in time be made the Religion of these Nations without violating the principles or altering the grounds of Protestancy and the prelatick Clergy be as much applauded and rewarded for the one change as for the other The greatest obstacle is that no Mahumetan Prince can pretend a title even such as Q. Elizabeths was to the Crown God almighty deliver us from so great evils and open the eyes of them that do not see the precipices wherunto their souls are led by such principles and grant the learned prelatick Clergy grace to prefer truth before falshood conscience before conveniency and eternity before the few days which they are to enjoy Benefices and Bishopricks But in case they do not for fear of loosing their credit and conveniences recant their errors J hope the Protestant Layty will have so much curiosity as to examin whether it be possible that so many Catholick Authors as have written books of Controversies should damn and discredit themselves by forging and feigning Protestant frauds and falsifications quoting the very places and pages where they are to be found affirming that without such practices protestancy cannot be maintained to examin I say whether we Catholicks can be so wicked and witless as to accuse men of such grievous crimes without hopes of any honor or profit to our selves but rather with a certainty of an immediat discovery of our impostures If this one thing be maturely considered the Protestant Layty and their vnlearned Clergy that rely so much vpon the sufficiency and sincerity of Cranmer Jewel Fox Morton Andrews Whitaker Fulk Perkins Vsher Laud Abbots Chillingworth Bramhall Cosins Hamond Taylor c. will believe us or at least examin and certainly find most palpable vnexcusable corruptions and contradictions in every one of their own Authors books composed against the Roman doctrin and conclude with us that Piety and Policy is mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery and that a good revenue may be conscientiously setled if legaly demanded vpon the Crown and vpon the poor soldiers and seamen that defend these nations against forreign invasions and rebellious insurrections Seing the Pope and his Roman Catholick Clergy in all likelihood will be content to resign their right and interest in the Church revenues to his Majesty as they did in the like occasion to Q. Mary who notwithstanding
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
greater miracle then the propagation of Mahomets Religion SECT VIII OF the Protestant justifying faith how absurd and inconsistent with Christian virtues how dangerous to Princes and all civill government Cromwell was directed by it and it may raise many Cromwells It s as dangerous an opinion as Atheism and therfore cryed down by K. James in the Conference at Hampton Court yet can it not be disowned by the Church of England without disowning Protestancy and the Prelatick Religion How much the best Protestant Princes and their Ministers are forced to suffer by this justifying faith of their subjects what great errors in policy they much condescend vnto Proved by the settlement of Ireland The late Earle of Straffords project and policy to make Roman Catholicks considerable in Irland Protestant Monarchy is more supported by Jrish Popery then by Scotch or English presbitery How fallacious and dangerous a thing it is they call the English Protestant interest in Irland Jn all parts of the world where Protestancy is professed their own Authors confess that vice and villany must reign and there most where their justifying faith is purest The Roman Indulgences and Iubilees give no such liberty or indemnity as the justifying Protestant faith Wee Roman Catholicks ought to praise and thank our Soveraign and his Ministers for not feeling wors effects of this justifying faith and of Protestancy To vse us with Christian moderation they strive against the principles of their own Religion SECT IX THat the rule of the Protestant faith and judge of controversies which is Scripture as interpreted by every Protestant is not consistent with Christian Faith humility Charity peace either in Church or State All hereticks appeale to the letter of Scripture therfore Luther called it the book of hereticks Every particular person according to the fundamental principle of Protestancy must be a Supreme Iudge of Scripture Councells and Fathers and of the whole Church How ridiculous it is to see shallow wits and silly women explain Scripture condemn Councells Fathers and the whole Catholick Church which folly proceeds from want of judgment humility charity and Christian faith It occasioned our late troubles and rebellion which was grounded vpon the Principles of Protestancy A Protestant people cannot be otherwise governed then a people wherof every one by priviledge or birthright may appeale from the law interpreted by publick Courts of Judicature to the law interpreted by every privat person The Protestants imaginary general Councells and their appeales therunto discovered to be a cheat to divert and delay any determination of religious controversies Every Protestant is a Pope more absolute and dangerous then the Bishop of Rome K. James his saying that every Protestant in the house of Commons was a King by his Religion How little the oath of Supremacy contributes to the Kings Soveraignty or Security or to the subjects loyalty The Protestant rule of faith is but every ones fancy applyed to the words of Scripture And therfore they often change according to their weakness of judgment or strength of passion Auditius his expression of their monthly faith and Melanctons saying both Protestants that they knew whom to avoid but knew not whom to follow are ingenuous The Protestant confessions and articles of faith composed and professed by every national Church oblige not the members of those Churches because the Collectors and composers of such articles are not infallible and will be thought not to agree with Scripture at least as every particular person will explain it The 39. Articles of the Church of England are so ambiguous that they may be applyed to all dissenting Tenets of Protestants both at home and abroad and therfore are printed and pressed in England to satisfy disagreeing parties and yet no party is contented with that indifferent symbol though each party callenges them in some occasions as favoring their own opinions nor any thing more contrary to piety and policy then articles so applicable to contrary Tenets and interests An arbitrary Religion is more dangerous and prejudicial to a state then an arbitrary government How vnfit the 39. articles and the Oath of Supremacy are to be made the distinctive sign of trust and loyalty to the King A man is more engaged to stick to the King by a red scarf or a garniture of ribands of the Kings colours then by an oath of so incredible a thing as the Supremacy and so vnsignificant articles as those of the 39. that contradict the Roman Catholick doctrin That Religion that hath not a more certain or infallible rule of faith then the Protestant Prelatick of England hath is not fit to be made the distinctive sign of trust or loyalty or the Religion of the state SECT X. HOw fundamental principles of the Protestant reformations maturely examined and strictly followed have led the most learned Protestants of the world to Judaism Atheism Arianism Mahometism c. And the protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania to deny the mystery of the Trinity and our best modern English witts and writers to admit of no other rule of Religion but natural reason Instanced in Castalio Bucer David George Bernardin Ochin Neuserus Calvin Alemanus Socinus Chillingworth Stilling fleet Faukland c. How prelatick Protestancy is contemned by the best protestant wits and writers as being incoherent to the principles of protestancy and contradictory in its own Tenets How Presbiterians agree with the Anti-trinitarians in their way of reforming A Prelatick is a Presbiterian against Papists and a Papist against Presbyterians His own Religion includes both their Tenets though contradictory he hath but one Tenet wherunto he is constant and that is Episcopacy de Iure divino Calvinists are sayd by Lutherans to be baptised Jews and that Mahometism Arianism and Calvinism are 3. pair of hose of one cloath All protestant reformations are remnants of the same piece though with different trimmings according to the diversity of their reformers fancyes Why our English protestants deny not the Trinity as well as those of Hungary without violating the principles of protestancy they may doe it Articles of Christian Religion against conclusions cleerly deducible from the principles of protestancy are not valued by protestants It is the case of the Church of England SECT XI THe indifferency or rather inclination of Protestancy to all kind of infidelity is further demonstrated by the prelatick and Calvinian doctrin of fundamental and noâ— fundamental articles of faith The design of this new distinction manifested and frustrated The design is to make all Christians though declared hereticks that dissent from Roman Catholicks one Church and of the Protestant communion The Greeks and others reject Protestants as hereticks By their doctrin of fundamentalls Turks and Iews may be of one Church and communion with Christians Protestants proceed in matters of Religion as weak Statesmen do in state affairs For their separation from the Roman Catholick Church they cannot be excused from a damnable sin and schism Their writers
6. reign What a wicked man Arch. Cranmer was of Peter Martyr Echinus Bucer Latimer and Ridleys impieties SVBSECT III. OF Hooper Rogers Poynet Bale and Coverdale Hooper and Rogers combined against Crāmer and Ridley How Latimer joyned with them Their Project of Puritanism How Hooper inveighed against plurality of benefices when he had none and enjoyed two Bishopricks when his faction prevailed and left his friend Rogers in the lurch How Rogers and Coverdale conspired with Tyndall to falsify Scripture Bishop Poynets contest and Suit in law with a Butcher about the Butchers wife notwithstanding that Poynet had one of his own But Sentence was given for the Butcher against Poynet contrary to the Principles and liberty of Protestancy and to what the protestant Church had resolved before in the like case between Sir Ralph Sadler and one Barrow whose wife was decreed to be married to Sir Ralph during Barrows life Bishop Bales conversion to protestancy related by himself and attributed to his beloved Dol. What an impostor he was Bish Coverdales drunkenes and corruptions of Scripture How corrupt and vngodly a Scripture is the English translation of the Bible It was condemned by act of Parliament as fraudulent ād fals Notwithstanding which censure it was and is imposed vpon the Nation as the word of God sometimes it was called Mathews Bible othertimes the Bishops Bible or the Bible of the large volume with litle or no alteration Coverdales vanity in attempting to convert to protestancy the Vniversity of Oxford Laurence Sanders a Protestant Martyr and Priest his resolution to dy for legitimating his little bastard SVBSECT IV. ARch Cranmers conference with Doctor Martyn and other Catholicks How weakly he defended the Protestant cause How vainly Protestants pretend Scripture for their doctrin as all heretiks do How Cranmer was proved to be an heretick by the definition of Origen Tertullian c. SECT III. OF the Protestant Clergy in Q. Maries reign the same that afterwards founded Q. Elizabeths Church Their frauds factions cheats and changes of the English Protestant religion during their exile in Germany Related by Dr. Heylin How the German Protestants called the English Protestants the devils Martyrs and would not entertain their banished Clergy and Confessors How therupon the English clergy changed and accommodated their Religion to that of the places wherin they lived and printed books at Frankford and Geneva containing contrary doctrines for humoring dissenting churches How often they changed their Liturgy at Frankford Of Grindall Horn Sandys Chambers Pakhurst Whithead Whittingham Williams Goodman Wood Sutton Fox their frauds factions divisions and books against Q. Mary c. How vnfit men to be Bishops and to found a Church and yet they were the chief pillars and Prelats of Q. Elizabeths reformation SECT IV. ABominable frauds and wilfull falcifications of the protestant Clergy in Q. Elizabeths reign to maintain their doctrin set forth vnder the name of an Apology and defence of the Church of England How Q. Elizabeth gained the Nobility and House of Commons to vote in Parliament for reviving Protestancy Of Bish. Iewells ridiculous challenge at Pauls Cross. How all the Protestant Clergy conspired with him in his impostures How they were confuted by Doctor Harding Stapleton and other Catholicks All the Protestant writers borrow from Jewells impostures their arguments and authoritys against the Roman Catholick Religion Acknowledged by Dr. Heylin in his history of the Church of England SVBSECT I. THe Protestant Clergys fraud and falshood against Communion vnder one kind It was a thing indifferent in the ancient Church Proved by several instances Jewells ridiculous evasions SVBSECT II. JEwell and the Protestant Clergy censure as hereticks the same ancient Fathers they appeal vnto in other controversies for condemning the mariage of Priests They corrupt the Ecclesiastical history for the same reason and bring an example of an imaginary Bishop to confirm their corruption and pretend that S. Gregory Nazianzen says that a Bishop may minister the better in the Church for having a wife in his house and that his own Father was instructed in Ecclesiastical functions by his wife SVBSECT III. IEwell and his Prelaticks charge Cardinal Hosius and all Catholicks with contemning the holy Scriptures contrary to his own knowledge and even after he had bin admonished of the imposture SUBSECT IV. FAlsifications and frauds against the Bishop of Rome his Supremacy scripture falsified to impugne the same SVBSECT V. PRotestants frauds and falsifications to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of Mass. Their pretence that the ancient Mass was the same thing with the English communion or Liturgy Iewells impudency SUBSECT VI. PRotestant falsifications and corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist and the succession of Bishops a mark of the beast Q. Elizabeths first Bishops were violently bent against Episcopal Succession because it was notorious that themselves wanted such a succession Want of Succession a mark of hereticks Proved by Fathers SVBSECT VII PRotestant falsifications to prove that Popes may and have decreed heresys SVBSECT VIII ITem to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings SVBSECT IX ITem to prove that S. Austin the Apostle of England was no Saint but an hypocrit as also to discredit Catholick Writers SVBSECT X. PRotestants frauds and falsifications of Scripture as likewise their altering of the 39. articles of Religion to make the laity believe that there are true Bishops and Priests in the Church of England Jtem their forgery of records The Evasions of Primat Bramhal and others concerning their Episcopal succession confuted SVBSECT XI XII AN advertisment to the Reader concerning Bishop Iewell of some learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Faith by discovering the falsifications and frauds of his books Mr. Hookers sincerity questioned for his immoderat praises of so great and notorious an impostor in his Eccles. Polit. A feigned Protestant story of the two Doctors Reynolds How Iewell excused his falsifications in presence of the Erle of Leicester by saying that Papists must be dealt with as Papists SECT V. FRauds follies and falsifications of Iohn Fox his Acts of monuments and of his Magdeburgian Masters in their Centuries The litle sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such fals dealing All sober men that read the works of the Magdeburgian Centurists must conclude they composed them rather in drinking stoves then in retired studies so rash and foolish are their censures of the greatest Doctors and Saints of Gods Church Valētia the Iesuit aptly compared these centurists to malefactors that confess all the knowing and honest men of the country or citty witness that they are theeves and hereticks c. And then these malefactors refute all this by only saying that the sayd knowing and honest men so highly esteemed by all the world for their knowledge and integrity spoke incommodiously and ignorantly when they accused the theeves Iohn Fox his absurdity in making the true Church visible to Protestants and invisible to Catholicks What
a ridiculous Church of Protestants he fancies and deduceth only from the time of Pope Innocent 3. and composeth of a rablement of all sectaries divided among themselves and dissenting also from Protestants Proved in particular instances of VValdenses Albigenses Wickleff and others His three simple Miracles of Luthers and how Fox describes a revelation of his own and how he was made a fool by revelation The Prelatik clergy recommend Fox his works to all Godly people though the learned of them know it to be a collection of frauds follies and fables SUBSECT I. IOhn Fox his Calendar of Protestant Saints In all 456. wherof Bishops Martyrs 5. and Cranmer the principal by him you may judge of the rest Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs none Mayd Martyrs 3. Kings and Queens Martyrs and Confessors 1. Edward 6. Other men and women Martyrs 393 other men and women Confessors 57. The greatest disputers against the Catholick Bishops of these Martyrs were a Cook a Cowheard a Taylor a Blaksmith a millers wife a Cutlers wife and a married mayd So Fox calls her How madly these poor souls ran to the fire Fox his Martyrs were all fanaticks SUBSECT II. WIlfull falsifications committed by John Fox in his acts and monuments He falsifies St. Bede and an ancient english Synod to make them Quartodecimans and to favor the Protestant doctrin of divorces He falsifies also St. Antoninus to discredit Pope Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand and a Councell to favor the mariage of Priests The ancient Greeks and Latin Churches held the single life of Priests 120. lyes in three leaves of Fox his book and more in the whole then in Sleydans History though eleven thousand are gathered out of Sleydan by the German writers His censuring Acts of ancient English Parliaments for condemning Rebells and heretiks His falsifying Sr. John Oldcastles profession of faith to make us believe he was a Protestant in the point of Purgatory SUBSECT III. DOctor Charks egregious falsification of St. Austin and how falsly he excuseth Luthers doctrin of the lawfulness of Adultery and incest SUBSECT IV. ARch Cranmer and Peter Martyrs falsifications against transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. SECT VI. HOw some Protestant writers in Q. Elizabeths time seing their fellows proved falsifiers waved the testimonies of the ancient Fathers and Councells and yet the others continued their former cours of falsifying both Fathers and Councells Of Whitaker Arch. Whitgift and Fulk How they contemn the Fathers and Church when they relate ancient condemned heresies that Protestants now profess Doctor Willet a great Impostor how impudently he falsifies taking God to witness he will speak nothing but truth it is the general custom of Protestant writers SECT VII FAlsifications and frauds of the prelatick and Protestant Clergy ever since the beginning of K. James his reign for continuing and maintaining Protestancy SUBSECT I. THeir corruptions of Scripture notwithstanding that the King commanded the English Bibles to be corrected They corrected some few things that gave advantage to the Puritans against Episcopacy leaving other corruptions as formerly Insteed of correcting their fals Scripture they forged new Registers How they falsify Scripture in the first commandement Exod. 20.4 and yet object against vs Catholiks that wee take away the 2. commandement How absurd this their objection is See also how they corrupt Scripture to humour K. James in the supremacy divers others Arch. Abbots and the Bp. of Glocester altered the true translation of St. Peters epistle to impugn Purgatory accused of this impiety by Sir Henry Savill that translated it rightly How they corrupt Scripture against prayer to Saints That Saints in heaven do hear our prayers proved by reason and authority Whether it be not more then credible that Arch. Abbots who falsified Scripture would forge Registers How vnreasonably the prelatick Clergy in their Dedicatory to King Iames set before the new translation of Scripture desire his Majesty to protect the same against the objections of Puritans and Papists SUBSECT II. OF Dean Walsinghams scruples and Search into matters of Religion and how by discovering the frauds and falsifications of his own Protestant Clergy he became a Roman Catholick The occasion of his doubts His memorial to K. Iames as being head of the church for satisfaction His reading of the Defence of the Censure and his judgment therof How that book proves Scripture is more cleare for Catholick Tenets then for Protestant of Dean Walsinghams appearance before his Grace at Lambeth his conference with Doctor Covell This Doctors fraud and folly in diverting Walsingham from the truth Of Dean Walsinghams third and fourth appearance before my Lord of Canterbury How he was abused and threatned by his Grace for desiring to know the truth Of the Knight of the corner Perkins and his persuasions How the Archbishop to be rid of a man that pressed to know the truth remitted Dean Walsingham to the Commissary of St. Albans and to others who gave him no satisfaction Of Bells libells delivered by the Arch-bishop to satisfy Mr. Walsingham His last appearance before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and an assembly of Diuines How in their presence he produced the corruptions and falsifications of the Protestant books recommended vnto him by his Grace and yet neither he nor that assembly durst compare Mr. VValsinghams notes of frauds with the same books as Mr. VValsingham desired but dismissed him wishing he were far enough for discovering their cheat and the weakness of their Religion SUBSECT III. REflexions vpon Mr. VValsinghams Relation This like case and cheat doth happen as often as the Protestant Clergy observeth any conscientious person troubled in conscience through the vnreasonableness of their Religion A case of conscience concerning one millions of revennue proposed and desired it be decided by the Parliament and that some knowing person my Lord Chancellor be the Moderator of the conference for that purpose SUBSECT IV. A Relation of a Trial held in France about Religion How necessary the like is in England for the credit of Protestants and convenience of the state SECT VIII PRotestant falsifications to persuade that the Roman Catholick doctrin is inconsistent with the Soveraignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants How the Protestant writers having bin worsted at Scripture Councells Fathers c now endeavour to defend Protestancy by reasons of state and become vnfortunat Polititians Divers falsifications touching this subject published by Morton Bishop of Duresm How he answers some objections with new lyes others whith laying the blame vpon the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. Stork c. To most objections he gives no answer The whole National Synod and Protestant Clergy concurr in an imposture concerning the sign of the Cross in Baptism against Roman Catholicks The Protestants falsifications of the Canon Law about deposing of Kings About cheating excommunicated persons About murthering and massacring Protestants Diuers falsifications to assert a spiritual Supremacy in Kings According to the
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.
Wittensbâ—rg he is so vehement against the wifes refusal of her husband's bed that he saith if the Magistrat omit it's duty in punishing her the husband must imagin that his wife is stole away by theeves and dead and consider how to marry an other for saith he yet further we cannot stop St. Paul's mouth c. his words are plain that a brother or sister are free from the law of wed lock if the one depart or do not consent to dwel with the other neither doth he say that this may be don once only but leaveth it free that so often as the case shall require he may either proceed or stay In which case as he signifieth to Wittemb fâ—l 112 a man may have ten or more wives fled from him and yet living Nay he doubteth not in case of adultery to give liberty even to the offending advlteror to fly into an other country and marry againe Luther loc cit fol. 123. Melancton consil Theol. part 1· pag 648. [o] Mr. Whitgift the Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury in his defence pag. 472. saith The doctrin taught and professed by our Bishops at this day is much more perfect and sound then it commonly was in any age since the Apostles tims pa. 473. asuredly you are not able so recken in any age since the Apostles time any Company of Bishops that taught and held so perfect and sound doctrin in all points as the Bishops of England do at this time In the truth of doctrin our Bishops be not only comparable with the old Bishops but in many degrees to be preferred before them c [a] Hooker lib. 1. Polit. Eccles pag. 86. lib. 2. sect 5. pag. 192. It is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that we do wel to think it his word for if any book of Scripture did give testimony of all yet stil that Scripture which gives credit to the rest would require an other Scripture to give credit vnto it Neither could we come to any pause wher on to rest vnless besids Scripture there were some thing which might assure vs. c. Which he lib. 3. sect 8. pag. 146. lib. 2. sect 7. pag. 116. Acknowledged to be the authority of God's Church Whitaker against Stapleton lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 270. saith The testimony of the spirit being privat and secred is vnfit to teach and refell others and therfor we must recurr to Ecclesiastical Tradition an argument saith he ibid. cap. 4. pag. 300. Wherby may be argued and convinced what books be Canonical and what be not M. r Fulk in his answer to a counterfeit Catholick pag. 5. saith the Church of Christ hath judgment to discern true writings from counterfeit and the word of God from the writings of men and this judgment she hath of the holy Ghost M r Jewel in his defence of the Apology pag. 201. And afther the edition of 1571. pa. 242. saith the Church of God hath the spirit of wisdom wherby to discern true Scripture from false [*] See Pomeran in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 4. Vitus Theodorus in annot Test. pag. vl The Century writers of Magdeburg cent 1. lib. 2. cap. 4. cent 2. lib. 3. cap. 4. Hafferoferus in loc Theol. lib. 3. stat 3. loc 7. pag. 222. Adamus Fancisci in Margarita Theol. pag. 448. giveth this testimony of the Protestant Church wherof him-self was a member The Apocriphal books of the new Testament are the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of Iams the second and third of Iohn the second of Peter the Epistle of Iude and the Apocalyps And all the Authors heer mentioned give the like testimony in behalf of their Protestant Churches wherfor we can not but admire Doctor Cossins confidence in affirming a matter so notoriously contradicted and much more the carelesness of them who ground their faith and Canon of Scripture vpon it s not being ever questioned See Cozins in the 17 chap. per toâ— [a] Salvus Conductus datus Protestantibus sess 13. 14. Concil Trident. Vt Protestantes de iis rebus quae in ipsa Synodo tractari debent omni libertate conferre proponere tractare c. ac articulos quot illis videbitur tam scripto quam verbo afferre proponere cum Patribus c. conferre absque ullis convitiis concontumeliis disputare nec non quando illis placuerit recedere possint Placuit praeterea Sanctae Synodo vt si pro majori libertate ac securitate eorum certos tam pro commissis quam pro committendis per eos delictis Iudices eis de putari cupiant illos sibi benevolos nominent etiamsi delicta ipsa quantumcunque enormia ac hoeresim sapientia fuerint New definitions are not new articles of faith See this largly proued in 3. part of this Treatise pag. 101. seq (a) S. Hierom in lib. de 〈◊〉 illustr extremo in Praefat librorum quos latinâ—s â—ecit (b) Hierom. epist. 89. ad Aug. quaest 11. inter ep August S. Hierom. in his Preface before the new Testament dedicated to Pope Damasus Novum opus c. [c] Luther being admonished of his corruption would not correct his error but saith tom 5. Germ. fol. 141. 144. sic volo sic jubeo sit pro ratione voluntas c. Lutherus ita vult And concludeth Therfore the word alone ought to continue in my New Testament although all Papists run mad yet they shal not take it from thence It grieves me that I did not add those two other words Omnibus omnium The Church of England in Edward 6. time Translated some times This signifieth my Body other times this is my Body other times neither is nor signifieth but insteed therof a blanck as not yet resolved vpon which was true See Knot in his Protestancy condemned Edit 1654. pag. 87. Bible 1562 Bible 1562. Cor. 7. v. 1. Bible 1577. 1579. Chemnit in examin part 2. fol. 74. Saravia in defens tra diversis mini â—r gradibus pag 3. Jewel in his defence of the Apology 157. pa. 35. Tertullian in lib de praescr Qui estis vos vnde quaÌ„do venistis vbi tam diu latuistis S. Hilarius l. 6 de Trinit ante med Tarde mihi hos piissimos doctâ—res aetas nunc â—ujus â—â—culi protulit c. S. Hierom in epist ad Pamaâ—â— â—ce an 〈◊〉 pâ—st quadring 〈◊〉 now 1600 annos docere nos 〈◊〉 quâ—d anâ—â—a neseivimus Vsque in haÌ„c diem sine isra doctrina mundus christianus fuit Luther in â—p ad Irgentineneses auâ— 1525. Christiana nolaâ— primo vulga tun audemu gloriari [a] Georgius Milius in August Confes. explic art 7. de ecclesia pag. 137. [b] Dr. Feeld in his Treatise of the Church lib. 3 cap. 46 Mr. Abr Hartwell in his report of the Kingdom of Congo printed 1597. in his epistle to the reader Symon Lythus in respons altera ad alteram Gretseri Apol pag. 331
Danaeus contra Belarmin pag. 781. (c) The title of Zwingitu his writing is Pietate Prudentia in signi Helveti orum Reipublicae Hulde ricus Zwinglius aliique Evangelicae doctrinae Ministri gratia pacem a Deo c. ton 1. fol. 110 See all these words and much more related by him-self 1. sq ad fol. 123. [d] Zwingl tom 3 in lib. de subid Ecclesiae fo 249 The Reformers of the English Church Jn Queen Elizabeth See the nullity of the English Church and Clergy See this in the new Edition of the Common prayr book ritâ—s c. of the Church of England [a] In psal 30. con 2. [b] Esay 2.2 [c] Esay 60.16 [d] Esay 60.9 [e] Esay 60.10.11 Psalm 102.15.22 Esay 62.2 [f] Esay 60.6 [g] Esay 49.23 And see the marginal notes of the English Bible of 1576. in Esay 49.23 [h] Psalm 2.8 [i] The English Bible 1576. in the marginal notes saith The meaning is that Kings shall be converted to the Ghospel and bestow their power and authority for preservation of the Church Luther tom 4. Wittemb in Esay 6. folio 234. Kings shall obey and believe the Ghospel c. The Church is in perpetual vse of converting others to the faith c. For this is signified by her gates being continually open [k] Whitaker in his answer to Mr. William Reynolds in the Preface pag. 37. [l] Centur. 4. col 292. 293. vnder the titles de justificatione bonis operibus where they conclude saying J am cogitet pius Lector quam procul haec aetas in hoc Articulo de Apostolorum doctrinâ— desciverit (m) Centur. 4. col 254. Ad hoc Presbyterâ—m aliquem deputarunt ad quem qui deliquerunt accedentes quae gessissent confiterentuâ— c. Ea lege confitentes absolvebat vt a seipsis poenas commissorum exigerent (n) Centur. 4. col 255. col 256.257 are recited and rejected the particulaâ— sayings of Bazil Ambrose Prudentius Ephrem Athanasius (o) Centur. 4. col 304. Where are recited and rejected the sayings of Lactantius and S. Ierom. (p) See confessed testimonies for Transsubstantiation alleadged by the Centurists cent 4. col 29â— col 985. And cent 5â— col 517. They say Chrysostom seemeth so confirm Transsubstantiation And cent 4. c. 10. col 985. that Eusebius and Emissenus did speake vnprofitably of Transsubstantiation (q) Chemnitius in his examin part 2. pag. 29. alledged the severall sayings of S. Austin S. Ambrose and S. Gregory Nazianzen affirming the adoâ—â—tion of the Sacrament And Orat. 11. de Gorgonia sorore telleth how his deceased sister prostrated her self before the Alter and calling vpon him who is worship'd on it â— miracle saith he the departed presently received health And the Centurists cent 4. col 430. do reprove some prayers of S. Ambrose saying Continent adorationem panis in Sacramento (r) Centur. 3. col 83. they reprove S. Cyprian saying Sacerdotem vice Christi fungi Deo Patri Sacrificium offerre They also say that the writings of S. Ireneus and Ignatius the Apostles scholler are here in incommodious and dangerous And Sebastia Francus in his Epist. de abrogandis Statutis omnibus Ecclesiast affirmeth that presently after the Apostles time the supper of our Lord was turned into a Sacrifice (s) Centur 4. col 456. 457. 482. 1446. Centur. 4. col 602. 1250. 457. And S. Ierom contra Vigilantium cap. 3. affirmeth the estimation of Reliques to be in his time the received doctrin non vnius vrbis sed totius orbis (v) Hemnitius examin part 4. pag. 10 Suscipiebant etiam Peregriâ—â— Nationes ad loca vbi Reliquias Miraculis celebres claras audiebant (x) Centur. 4. col 409. (z) Mr. Fulk against Heskins Sanders c. pag 657. affirmeth that by report of Paulinus the Cross was by the Bishop of Hierusalem brought forth at Easter yearly to be worshiped of the people See Evagrius hist. lib. 4. cap. 25. also Danaeus in respons ad Belarmini controvers pag. 1415. affirmeth that Cyril and sundry other Fathers were plainly superstitious and blinded with inchantment of the Crosses adoration (1) See Mr. Covels answer to Burges pag. 130 136. (2) Cent. 4. col 616. It is alledged out of the Councel of Neocesaâ—ea can 1. Presbyter si vxorem duxerit ab ordine suo illum deponi debere col 486. col 303. col 704. 1293. (3) Centur. 5. col 1274. they charge Gelasius who lived an 480. saying Romanam Ecclesiam jure Divino contendit Gelasius esse omnium primam in epist. ad Brut. c. cap. 11. And Gelasius in decretis cum 70. Episcopis initis saith Romana Ecclesia â—alliâ— Sâ—â—odicis constitut caeteris Ecclesiis praelata est sed Evangelica voce Domini Primatum obtinuit Tu â—s Petrus inquiâ—â—s super hanc Petram c. (y) Centur. 4. col 1329. Et Osiander in epitom cent 4. pag. 454. And Zozimen hist. lib. 6. c. 27. post med reported of S. Paul the Monk In dies singulos trecentas Orationes Deo velut tributum quoddam reddidit ac ne per inprudentiam in numero erraret trecentis lapillis in sinum conjectis ad singulas preces singulos inde ejecit lapillos consumptis igitur lapillis constabat sibi Orationes lapillis numero pares abs se expletas esse And see other like examples of saying prayers by accompt or numbring of them in Palladius his historia Lausiaca cap. 24. cap. 25. [4] Beza cit apud Saâ—â—iâ—â—am in defen Tract de divâ—â—sis gradibâ—â— Ministrorum c. pag. 309. [5] Tertull. lib. de praescr c. 42. Luther in Commentâ—r ad cap. 2. ad Galat. Where it is taught Faith in Christ doth in deed justify but it 's necessary with all to keep God's Commandments because it is writen Jf thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments there Christ is denyed and saith is abolished because that which is proper to God alone is attributed to the Commandments of God or to the law When any one proposeth Moyses with his Commandments to thee and would oblige thee to keep them then thy with thy Moyses to the Jews J will have nothing to do with Moyses nor his law for he is an enemy to Christ. Luther in Collo mens Germ. fol. 152. 153. Si scortus es si scortator si Adulter vel alioquin peccator crede in via salutis ambulas Cum in peccatum demersus es ad summum vsque si credis in mâ—dia beatidudine versaris This doctrin of the Antinomian Lutherans togeather with their rejecting the ten Commandments as impertinent to Christians is censured by the Manâ—feldian Ministers Confess Mansfeld fol. 39. 90. And yet the principle from whence all necessarily follows is maintained Mr. Willet in his Synopsis Papismi pag. 564. saith The law remaineth still impossible to be kept by us through the weackness of our flesh neither doth
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