ought to conuert into Councels and put them in prisons and leade them to Presidents and Tribunall seats and make their Religion Fellony and Treason Againe he saith When yee enter into Matth. 10. 12. the house salute it saying Peace be to this house He doth not say you shall send Pursuiuants to ransacke and spoyle the house Againe he saith The good Pastor giueth Iohn 10. his life for his sheepe The theefe commeth not but to steale and kill and destroy He doth not say the theefe giueth his life for his sheepe and the good Pastor commeth not but to steale kill and destroy Wherefore so much as is lawful for poore subiects wee humbly beseech your Majestie that conuerting of vs by killing imprisonments confiscation of goods ransacking and spoyling by Promoters and Pursuiuants c. laid aside at which the Christian world is scandalized it would please your Majestie to giue order that Disputations Conferences and sweet meanes may be vsed for the discussion of truth according to the doctrine of our Sauiour and his Apostles which is Peaceable modest suasible consenting to the good full of mercie and by those meanes if â—â—mâ—s 3. 17. we should be in error your Majestie might easily gaine vs. And if your Majesty be amisse as errare facile est wee may gaine your Majesty and bring all things to his happie issue that God Almightie may be glorified by the saluation of our soules and your Highnesse may to our great comfort so raigne ouer vs vpon earth that you may also raigne amongst vs in heauen which with all my heart I desire and to that end proceed to set downe the grounds and foundations of our Catholike Faith and Church by way of an Appeale vnto your Highnesse this being the best way as your Majestie most graciously hath signified vnto all your Subiect in your Speech in the Star-chamber vpon the twentith of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1616. in these words Why should you spare to complaine vnto me that being the high-way and not go the other by-way and back-way in contempt of our authority According to which speech worthy of a Royall King with Saint PAVL in the like case of Religion I appeale to Acts 25. 11. CAESAR your Majestie my dread and Supreamest Soueraigne as followeth THAT OVR SAVIOVR PLANTED the Catholike Roman Faith CHAP. I. Wherein is proued by the Scriptures that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted by our Sauiour and how it hath continued and shall continue amongst the Romans vntill the day of Iudgement FIRST that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith which our Sauiour planted Saint Paul witnesseth saying To all you that be at Rome beloued Rom 1. of God called Saints grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ First truely I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christ for all you Because your faith is published throughout the whole world c. I desire to see you and to bee comforted in you by the faith which is mutually yours and mine Which desire afterward he obtained And tarried in Rome full two yeares Act. 28. 30. in his hired lodging and he receiued all that came vnto him preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching the things that concerne our Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence without prohibition Whereby it is manifest that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith planted by our Sauiour and that their faith was published throughout the whole Rom. 1. world and was Catholike and Vniuersall Secondly that the Romans were to continue in this their Catholike Faith thus planted amongst them vntill the worlds end is manifest by the Scripture saying I Isa 66. will send of them that shall be saued to the Gentiles into the Sea into Africa and Lydia into Italy and Greece c. And they shall shew my glory to the Gentiles c. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuites saith our Lord. Because as a new heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name And there shall be moneth after moneth and Sabbath after Sabbath Againe the Scriptures speaking of the Romans who at the comming of our Sauiour were the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles say The strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee Againe And Isay 60 5. thy gates shall be open continually day and night they shall not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee Againe You shall eate the strength of the Gentiles and in their glory you shall be proud c. For as the Earth Isay 61. 6. bringeth forth her Spring and as the Garden shooteth forth her seed so shall our Lord God make Iustice to spring forth and praise before all the Gentiles Againe Thus saith our Isay 66. 12. Lord Behold I will decline vpon her as it were a floud of peace and as a torrent ouerflowing the glory of the Gentiles the Roman Empire which at the birth of our Sauiour was the glory of the Gentiles that it might be verified which was spoken by the other Prophets saying I will make Gen. 12. 2. thee into a great Nation and I will blesse thee and magnifie thy name and thou shalt be blessed Againe I will put him Psal 88. 28. the first begotten high aboue the Kings of the earth And I will keepe my mercy vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull vnto him I will put his seed for euer and euer and his throne as the dayes of heauen Againe Aske of me and Psal 2. 8. I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance not the refuse of the GeÌ„tiles but the Roman Empire the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles and not onely for a short time But as a new Heauen a new Earth which I make Isay 66. to stand before me so shall your seed stand and your name according to the words of the Prophet Isay before rehearsed Whereby it is sufficiently manifest that the Romant receiued the same Faith they now professe from the Apostles and they from our Sauiour and that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted vpon earth by our Sauiour and hath continued and shall continue Catholike or vniuersally published throughout the world vntill the day of Iudgement CHAP. II. Wherein is proued that the Catholike Roman faith was planted in this Iland of great Brittaine by the Apostles or Disciples of our Lord and hath continued heere euer since without alteration or change except in the keeping of Easter and some ceremonies in Baptisme and that no other doctrine but it can be taught for Christian doctrine without incurring the penaltie of Anathema and separation from God for euer THE Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour Matth. 28. 19. going by his appointment to teach all Nations to obserue and doe all things
multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore that presently after the Apostles times it became no where externall or visible as we haue shewed in the precedent Chapter And it is of it selfe so manifest that Protestants are not able from the time of the Apostles vntill the rising of Luther which is during the space of fourteene hundred years or thereabouts to assigne one knowne man of the Religion they now professe If this oath be made to Protestantisme where is the seede of Protestants multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea-shore Seeing that for many hundred yeares neuer a Protestant Starre appeared And if this oath was made to Protestants That they should possesse the gates of their enemies and that in their seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed As he spake to Abraham and his seede Luke 1. for euer How commeth it to passe that presently after the Apostles times Protestants were so ouercome by Roman Catholikes that from that time vntill Luther they haue been no where visibly knowne but so latent and inuisible as for all that space they cannot produce one Protestant Minister or Doctour who taught or maintained the doctrine they now teach If it be true that the God of the Protestants hath made these promises and this oath to them it must needs be that he is a very wretched vnfaithfull God that hath for fourteene hundred or fifteene hundred yeares together violated his oath and promises And I appeale to your Maiestie well pleased to consider how great injustice it is to haue your ancient Subjects spoyled of their Lands Goods Libertie and Life and be condemned as Fellons and Traytors for that they wil not beleeue in such a prejured God And how happie a thing it is to be a Roman Catholike seeing this oath of God is so manifestly fulfilled in them that as it is set downe in the last Chapter euen our Aduersaries themselues confesse for twelue hundred ceares together they haue bin dilated ouer the world and possessed the gates of their enemies and blessed all the Christian Families of the earth with temporall and spirituall birth by regeneration in Baptisme and education c. These are the seed of Abraham his seruant Psal 104. the children of Iacob his elect he is the Lord our God in all the earth are his iudgements he hath bin mindfull for euer of his Testament of the Word which he commanded vnto thousand generations Our Lord is not as Deut 32. 31. their Gods our enemies also are Iudges It may please your Maiesty to obserue the notes and markes of our Catholike Romane Church and Faith heere set downe in this oath of God to Abraham viz. Vnity Vniuersality and Succession The Vnitie is promised in these words Thy seed not diuers seeds that there might bee as many sects as men as some Elizabethians some Lutherans some Caluinists some Hussites some Anabaptistes some Armenians some Gomaristes some Trasquits all differing in Faith and Religion but one seede Faith or Word of God planted in the hearts of men by the preaching of our Lord as witnesseth our Sauiour expounding the Parable of the Cockle of the field said to his Disciples He that soweth good seed is the Sonne of man Againe Matth. 13. 37. The good seed those are the children of the Kingdome Matth. 13. 38. Againe O Father the words which thou gauest me I Io. 17. 8. haue giuen them and they haue receiued and knoweth in very deed that I came forth from thee and haue beleeued that thou diddest send me to fulfill the promises made to Abraham the Patriarkes and Prophets The second marke is Catholike or Vniuersall heere promised in these words And I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen which doe manifestly appeare and shine in all Countries And God brought Abraham Gen. 15. 5. forth abroad and said to him Looke vp to heauen and number the Starres if thou canst And he said to him so shall thy seed be as the Starres of heauen shining in all Countries not onely in Brittanie France or in Germany but in all Nations according to the oath of God saying In thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth Whereupon our Sauiour said He that soweth good seed is the Sonne of Man c. and Matth. 13. 37. the field is the world Againe You are the light of the Matth. 5. 15. world Againe Teach yee all Nations c. The third marke is Succession which is promised in these words Thy seed shall possesse the gates of his enemies Gen. 12. As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his Luke 1. 55. seed for euer not that the Succession should decay or become inuisible that there should neede new missions but that it should continue vntill the worlds end according to the words of our Sauiour saying I haue Ioh. 15. 16. appointed you that you go and bring fruit and your fruit abide Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdome shall be Matth. 24. 14. preached in al Nations and then shal come the consummation of the world Againe The gates of hell shall not Matth. 24. 3. preuaile against it c. And the like three markes or notes of the Church which was to be planted by our Sauiour your Maiesty may obserue to be set downe almost in euery Prophecie though I omit to speake more of them for breuities sake Secondly God Almightie promised to Isaac saying I will performe the oath which I sware vnto Abraham Gen. 26. thy father and I will multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen and in thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my precepts and Commandements Thirdly hee promised to Iacob saying Thy seed Gen. 28. shall be as the dust of the earth thou shalt be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and thy seed all the Families of the earth shal be blessed and I will be thy keeper wheresoeuer thou shalt go and I will bring thee againe into this Land neither wil I forsake thee vntill I haue performed whatsoeuer I haue spoken Which Prophecies we see haue been manifestly fulfilled in our Catholike Roman Faith which hath been vniuersally and successiuely dilated ouer all Nations according to these Prophecies as we haue proued in the former Chapters and can no way be verified vpon Protestantisme since it decayed presently after the Apostles times and for a thousand and foure hundred yeares together was neuer knowne to haue been taught or practised and now is but scattered in diuers corners of the earth diuided into many sects teaching opposite doctrine in matters of Faith and heere we seeke for one Faith or seed dilated ouer the world God Almightie heere saith I will performe the oath which
more set downe in the Protestants Apologie it is manifest that the Catholike Roman Faith did begin euen in the Apostles times and hath raigned vniuersally ouer the visible Church of Christians 1260. yeares if wee will beleeue the confession of our Aduersaries themselues So dread Soueraigne if the testimonies of all known Christian men who liued in all ages and times from the Apostles times vntill the rising of Luther may find grace and credit with your Maiestie they all knowne Heretikes and so reputed by both parties onely excepted doe witnesse that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith for that they all beleeued and esteemed our Lord to be Author of that Religion they themselues professed And this were sufficient to shew vnto your most excellent Maiestie that the Sonne of God was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith but because Protestant Ministers do so often bragge that the Scriptures or written Word of God doth make for them I will further examine the Scriptures to see what they say of the Religion which was to be planted by our Sauiour and wil begin with the old Testamēt according to the directions of our Lord saying Search the Scriptures the olde Testament for as then no part of the New Iohn 5. 39. was written for you thinke by them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimony of me and after descend downe vnto the New and so prooue by the generall consent of the whole Scriptures that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith CHAP. IV. Wherein is proued by the testimony of Moyses and the Patriarkes that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith TO discerne the true Prophet from the false and to discerne the word of God from the words of arrogant men God Almightie gaue vs this rule saying If in secret cogitation thou answere How Deut. 18. 21. shall I vnderstand the word that our Lord spake not This signe thou shalt haue that which the same Prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord and commeth not to passe that our Lord hath not spoken But by the arrogancie of his minde the Prophet hath forged it And the Prophet that being depraued with arrogancie Deut. 18. 20. will speake in my name the things that I did not command him to say shall be slaine Whereupon our Sauiour saith All things must needs bee fulfilled which are written in the Luke 24. 44. Law of Moyses and the Prophets and Psalmes of mee otherwise Moyses and the Prophets should haue been false Prophets and our Sauiour none of the Messias but a seducer and deceiuer and the God of the Scriptures a false God So supposing that our Sauiour was the Messias promised to be sent for the redemption of mankinde and that the Prophets of both Testaments were true Prophets and not guiltie of death but prophecied things which must be infallibly fulfilled We will seeke out what they say of the Seed Faith Religion or Gospell which was to be planted by our Sauiour vpon earth And to let passe other promises and prophecies written by Moyses we will begin with that great promise and oath made by God to ABRAHAM the Father of all that beleeue Whereupon is grounded and Rom. 4. 11. founded the succession of the Church in all ages the oath of God being the highest act that can bee made in heauen or in earth in confirmation of a truth it cannot bee contradicted without great impietie or denied to be fulfilled without making the God of Abraham our Lord to bee forsworne and a false God which is the highest kinde of vntruth opposite to the greatest truth that can be giuen Abraham going to sacrifice his only begotten son Isaac according as God had commanded him so greatly pleased his diuine Maiestie in that act of obedience that he confirmed his former promise made vnto him that he should be heire of the world by an oath saying By my owne selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord Gen. 12. 3. and 15. 5. Rom. 4. 13. Gen. 22. 16. because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely begotten sonne for my sake I will blesse thee and I will multiply thy seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea-shore thy seede shall possesse the gates of his enemies and in thy seede shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth because thou hast obeyed my voyce He saith not saith Saint Paul and to seeds as in many Galath 3. 16. but as in one and to thy seede which is Christ That in Christ Iesus the Sonne of Dauid the Sonne of Abraham not the Nation of the Iewes or Brittans onely but all the Nations of the earth should be blessed and become children of Abraham and sonnes and seede of Christ Iesus borne againe as Saint Peter saith not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. Whereupon Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians In 1. Cor. 4. 6. Christ Iesus by the Gospell I begate you And to the Ephesians he saith That the Gentiles are coheires and of the same body and partakers of his promise by the Gospel And so saith That Christ hath redeemed vs from the Galath 5. 14. curse of the Law that on the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham might be made in Christ Iesus that we may receiue the promise The Scriptures foreseeing that God instifieth Galath 3. 8. the Gentiles by Faith shewed vnto Abraham before that in thee shall all Nations be blessed Not for a day or a yeare but for euer according to the words of Saint Luke saying He hath receiued Israel his childe Luke 1. 55. being mindfull of his mercy As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer So likewise God said to ABRAHAM SARA thy wife shall beare thee a son Gen. 17. 19. and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my couenant to him for a perpetuall couenant and to his seed after him Whereby wee see that this oath of God to Abraham is to bee fulfilled in and vpon Christians professing the Faith and Gospell planted by our Sauiour and that those Christians vpon whom this oath can or may be fulfilled are the seede of our Sauiour and the children of his Kingdome and heires of the Promises none else vnlesse we will make God Almightie forsworne which is too great impietie and a vanitie for any man to acknowledge him for a God whom he professeth in deeds to be a violater of oathes and promises So it resteth to examine whether this oath of God be verified vpon Roman Catholikes or vpon Protestants that we may clearely see which of them are true Christians and heires of the Promises and seed of our Sauiour And as for Protestants they themselues confesse that their Faith and Religion which they now professe hath been so farre off from being
I sware to Abraham neither will I forsake thee vntill I haue performed whatsoeuer I haue spoken And I appeale to your Maiesty wel pleased to consider whether it bee more conuenient to beleeue the words of God when hee saith hee will performe his oath and promises then the words of Protestant Ministers who affirme that the seede of Christ hath failed and now after a thousand and fiue hundred yeares they are sent to plant it in corners of the earth What is found more madde saith Saint AVGVSTINE then this folly or August cont epist Parmeniani lib. 1. rather frenzie In so many Nations of the world and for the most part God hath fulfilled and doth yet fulfill vntill it come vnto all which he hath promised who said I will not leaue thee vntill I doe these things which I haue spoken vnto thee And now these Protestants doe beleeue such as tell them that it is not fulfilled what God promised and that therefore the seed of Abraham which is Christ to haue decayed in those parts of the earth in which it was planted and that the promises of God are voide because they are not admitted into their Communion amongst whom it is fulfilled Thus Saint Augustine So If the oath of God or the Promises made to Abraham Isaac and Iacob written by Moyses may finde grace and credit with your Maiesty it is manifest by their testimonies that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith CHAP. V. By the testimony of the Prophet DAVID and the Psalmes our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith OVR Sauiour saith That all things must Luke 24. 44. needs be fulfilled which is written in the Psalmes of him So we will examine what the Psalmes say of our Sauiour and his seede the Christians that wee may see whether the Prophecies contained therein be verified vpon Romane Catholikes or vpon Protestants it being now a thousand and six hundred yeares since the Natiuitie of our Sauiour those must needs be his seed and true Christians vpon whom they are verified seeing that it is impossible Hebr. 6. for God to lye First the Psalmes say Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I will giue thee the Psal 2. 7. Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Secondly All the ends of the earth shal remember Psal 21 27. and be conuerted to our Lord and all the Families of the Gentiles shall adore in his fight Because the Kingdome is our Lords and he shall haue dominion ouer the Gentiles Thirdly For thy fathers there are borne sons to thee Psal 40. thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth they shall be mindefull of thy name in all generation and generations for euer and for euermore Fourthly The God of gods our Lord hath spoken and Psal 49. 1. hath called the earth from the rising of the Sinne vnto the going downe thereof Fiftly Their sound is gone into all the earth and their Psal 18. words into the ends of the world Sixtly He shall descend as raine vpon a fleece of wooll Psal 71. 6. and as the drops distilling vpon the earth In his dayes shal arise Iustice and abundance of peace so long as the Moone endureth And he shall rule from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the end of the world Seuenthly I will put him the first begotten higher Psal 88. 27. then the Kings of the earth I will keepe my mercies vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull to him I will put his seed for euer and euer and his Throne as the dayes of heauen But if his children shall forsake my Law and keepe not my Commandements I will visite their iniquitie with a rod and their sinnes with stripes but my mercy I will not take away from him neither will I hurt in my truth And many more the like Prophecies of the conuersion of the Gentiles and propagation of the Faith or seede of our Sauiour ouer the world for euer which cannot bee verified vpon Protestants or Protestantisme who haue beene so farre off from hauing the Gentiles for their inheritance and their Possessions vnto the ends of the earth or conuerting all the Families of the Gentiles or from hauing abundance of peace as long as the Moone endureth or from hauing their seed to endure for euer and their throne as the dayes of heauen that in all the time which was betweene the death of the Apostles and the rebellion of Luther which is for one thousand and foure hundred yeares or thereabouts they are not able to assigne one Doctor Preacher or Writer that held or taught the doctrine Protestants doe now preach and teach That our Catholike Romane Faith was planted by the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and hath continued successiuely dilated ouer the world according to these Prophecies we haue proued in the first second and third Chapters Whereupon wee rightly inferre that by the testimonie of Dauid and the Psalmes our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith and conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AVGVSTINE saying We may see many accuse themselues of their former August epist 48 blindnesse who could beleeue that Christ was exalted aboue the heauens though they did not see it and yet did deny that his glory was ouer all the earth although they did see it When the Prophet hath so clearely comprehended them both in one sentence saying Be exalted aboue the Psal 107. heauens O God and thy glory ouer all the earth CHAP. VI. By the testimony of the Prophet Isay our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith THE Prophet Isay speaking more abundantly of the seed Faith and Religion which was to be planted by our Sauiour then the rest of the Prophets saith It is a small thing that thou Isay 49. shouldest bee my seruant to raise the Tribes of Iacob and to conuert the dregges of Israel Behold I haue giuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be saluation euen to the furthest part of the earth Kings shall see and Princes shall rise and adore for our Lords sake because he is faithfull and for the holy one of Israel who hath chosen thee Againe Behold I will Isay 49. 22. lift vp my hand to the Gentiles and to the people I will exalt my signe And they shall carry thy sons in their armes and thy daughters vpon their shoulders And Kings shal be thy nursing fathers and Queenes thy nurses with countenance cast toward the ground they shal adore thee and they shal licke vp the dust of thy feete and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. This Prophecie cannot be verified of Protestanisme First for that they were neuer yet any light to the Gentiles and a saluation to the furthest part of the earth that they might become Christians many Protestants denying Christianity become Turkes in
the Catholike Romane Faith do but bring misery and vnhappinesse vpon themselues according to the word of God in this Prophecie saying Euery vessel that is made against thee shal not prosper and after all their rage and crueltie of hanging drawing and quartering imprisonments and seuere Lawes made against Romane Catholikes they must come to be judged by them according to the words of God in this Prophecie saying That euery tongue resisting thee in iudgement thou shalt iudge this is the inheritance of the seruants of our Lord Iesus Christ and their iustice with me saith our Lord to bee Iudge of those who resisted them in judgement Againe God Almightie speaking of the encrease of Christian Religion saith Arise be illuminated Ierusalem Isay 60. because thy light is come the glory of our Lord is risen vpon thee Vpon thee shal our Lord arise and his glory shal be seene vpon thee And the Gentiles shal walke in thy light and Kings in the brightnesse of thy rising lift vp thine eyes round about and see al these gathered together they are come to thee thy sonnes shal come from a far and daughters shal rise from thy side Then thou shalt see and abound and thy heart shal maruaile and be enlarged when the multitude of the sea shal be conuerted vnto thee the strength of the Gentiles shal come to thee Againe For Isay 60. the Ilands expect me or the ships on the sea in the beginning that I may bring thy sonnes from far Againe And Isay 60. thy gates shal be open continually day night they shal not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee and their Kings may be brought For the Nation and the Kingdome that shal not serue thee shal perish Now suppose that there were Protestants in our Sauiour and the Apostles times yet is it manifest that these Prophecies cannot be verified vpon them That the Gentiles should walke in the light of Protestantisme and Kings in the brightnesse of their rising and the multitude of the sea be conuerted vnto them and the strength of the Gentiles or that the Islands did expect Protestantisme and the ships of the sea in the beginning or that the gates of Protestants Temples were open continually day and night that the strength of the Gentiles might be brought to Protestanisme and their Kings Since the Protestants themselues confesse that after the Apostles times Protestantisme vanished away and was no where so much as visible for a thousand and foure hundred yeares In such sort as within all that space they are not able to name any one man much lesse one Heathen or Pagan King conuerted to the Religion they now professe So suppose that in our Sauiours time there were Protestants it is manifest that they were these enemies of Christian Religion vpon whom was verified this part of the Prophecie saying The Nation and the Kingdome that shall not serue thee shall perish Againe God Almightie speaking of the Christians after our Sauiours comming saith by the same Prophet I will giue their workes in truth and make a Isay 61. perpetual couenant with them and they shall know their seed in the Gentiles and their bud in the middest of peoples all that shall see them shall know them that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Againe Vpon thy Isay 62. walles Ierusalem I haue appointed watchmen al the day and al the night for euer they shal not hold their peace And you that remember our Lord hold not your peace and giue not silence to him vntil he stablish and vntil he make Ierusalem the praise in the earth Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the arme of his strength If I shall giue thy wheate any more to be meate to thy enemies and if the strange children shall drinke thy wine wherein thou hast laboured Because they that shall gather it together shall eat it and shall praise the Lord and they that caried it together shal drinke it in my holy courts Suppose that there were Protestants in our Sauiours the Apostles times yet these Prophecies could not be verified vpon them that God Almightie should make a perpetuall couenant with Protestants visibly to maintaine their seed in the Gentiles and their bud in the midst of peoples Neither can this oath be verified vpon Protestants Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the hand of his strength that he would giue the wheate of Protestants no more to be meat for their enemies and that strangers should not drinke the wine wherein Protestants haue laboured who decayed presently after the Apostles times as they confesse and were so farre off from enioying these blessings heere promised that all the maledictions prophecied to wicked and impious men enemies to Gods truth fell vpon them in such sort that there is lesse memorie of them then of Sodom and Gomorra which was destroyed with fire from heauen or of Coar Dathan and Abiron who were swallowed vp quicke into the earth of whom there is some mention made in other mens writings But of Protestants liuing after the Apostles times who should before Luther hold and teach the doctrine they now teach No Author doth giue testimony of any such men or make so much mention of them as of any of their names or Countries where they dwelt or where they were destroyed wherefore it seemeth that if euer they were in these times they were enormous wicked vile people cursed of God aboue all the men that euer liued vpon the face of the earth euen such abominable people as all men were ashamed to name or make any mention of any one of them people that descended into hell quicke of whom they would keepe no memory Now that all these Prophecies are verified vpon our Catholike Romane Faith and Religion we haue sufficiently shewed in the first second and third Chapters of this booke whereupon we inferre that by the testimonies of the Prophet Isay our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith and planter of it vpon earth And so conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AVGVSTINE saying What can be exacted August de Vnit. Ecclae to be spoken more manifestly Behold how many and how cleare testimonies haue been brought out of one Prophet and yet there is resistance and contradiction made not to any man but to the Spirit of God and to the most euident truth And yet the glory of Christ is enuied by those who will boast of the name of Christians that those things wbich haue been so long before foretolde of him may not be beleeued to be fulfilled whereas now they are not foretold but shewed seene and possessed So Saint AVGVSTINE and we with him That these Prophecies of Isay are spoken of the Church of Christ Protestants themselues confesse in the Collections of the Contents of the Chapters set downe before euery Chapter in their English Protestant Bibles CHAP. VII
according to the testimonie of the new Testament our Lord was Author of our Catholike Faith and Religion And first the Angell Gabriel foretelling the estate of the Church to come saith to our blessed Lady Thou Luke 1. 31. shalt conceiue in thy wombe and shalt beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS he shal be great and he shal be called the Son of the most High and our Lord God shal giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shal reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shal be no end And in like manner an Angell of our Lord said vnto the Shepheards Behold I euangelize Luke 2. 10. to you great ioy that shal be to al people not to one people of Brittans or Germans but to al people because this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heauenly armie a multitude of Angels praysing God and saying Glory in the highest to God and in earth Peace to men of good wil. As it was foretold by the Prophet Isay saying A little childe is borne to vs c. His Empire shal be multiplied and there shal be no end of peace he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome that he may confirme it in iudgement and iustice from this time and for euer That the Kingdome heere spoken of is the Church professing the Faith or Gospell planted by our Sauiour our Lord himselfe doth witnesse saying In the Matth. 13. 14. end of the world the Sonne of Man shall send his Angels and they shal gather out of his Kingdome all scandals and them that worke iniquity Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdom shal be preached in the whole world Againe Matth. 24. 14. And Iesus went about teaching and preaching the Gospel Matth. 4. 23. of the Kingdome So if the Angels of God and multitude of his heauenly Armie may finde grace and credite with your Maiestie to be beleeued by their testimonies it is manifest that our Sauiour came to plant the Catholike Romane Church and Faith which as we haue proued in our first Chapter was taught by our Sauiour and planted by the Apostles amongst the Romans hath continued and shall continue amongst them vntill the day of Iudgement and as is confessed by Protestants hath reigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction 1200. yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter CHAP. XI Wherein is proued by the testimony of our Sauiour himselfe that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith OVR Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ foreseeing that many Heretikes would arise and say that his Seede Faith Word Church or Gospell had failed and decayed and that they were immediatly sent from God to plant a new Faith or reforme or restore the Gospell c. To preuent their hereticall falsehood hee warneth all his faithfull that they should not beleeue them saying Doe not thinke that I came to breake the Law the olde Matth. 5. 18. Testament or the Prophets I am not come to breake but to fulfill for assuredly I say to you Till heauen and earth passe one iot or one tittle shall not passe of the Law the olde Testament till all be fulfilled and the Church of Matth. 5. 2. God begunne in Ierusalem and Iuda be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the Gen. 28. South as God spake to Abraham and his seed for euer Luke 1. 55. So supposed that our Sauiours words are true and that hee was the Messias and came to fulfill and performe the things promised by the Prophets and not to breake or violate their promises the Sunne was neuer more manifest in the moneth of August then it is manifest that he fulfilled the Prophecies by planting the Catholike Romane Faith and not by planting Protestantisme since Romane Catholikes haue been visibly multiplied ouer the world for many hundred yeares some Protestants say for nine hundred years some say for a thousand other Protestants say for twelue hundred and others say for more as is set downe in the third Chapter whereas the Prophecies haue beene so farre off from being fulfilled in Protestantisme that presently after the death of the Apostles it vanished away and hath been no where visibly knowne for one thousand foure hundred yeares So we may speak to Protestants who imagine that their Religion is true or was the Faith planted by our Sauiour and say to them in the words of our Sauiour Doe not thinke that our Sauiour came to break the Law or the Prophets Matth. 6. 18. he came not to breake but to fulfill Secondly our Sauiour foretelling the estate of his Church to come saith All things must needs be fulfilled which are writted in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets Luke 24. 44. Gen. 22. and the Psalmes of me And the Law of Moyses saith I wil multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen c. The Prophets say Behold thy King will come to thee the Iust one and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Zach. 9. 9. Asse c. He shal speake Peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth Againe And I wil send of them that shal be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Asricke Isay 66. and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farre off to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glory And they shal shew forth my glory to the Gentiles and they shal bring of your brethren of al Nations a gift to our Lord vpon horses and in chariots and in horselittors and on Mules and in coatches to my holy mountaine Ierusalem Because as new heauens and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shal your seed stand and your name The Psalmes say Al the ends of the earth shal remember and be conuerted to our Psal 41. 28. Lord and all the families of the Gentiles shal adore in his sight Againe Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten Psal 2. 7. thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Againe I wil put his seed for euer and euer and his throne Psal 88. as the dayes of heauen I haue sworne in my holy if I lye to Dauid his seed shal continue for euer All which and many more the like promises and Prophecies of the encrease continuance and dilatation of the Christians the seed of our Sauiour the seed of Dauid the seed of Abraham ouer the world must as our Sauiour Luke 24. 44. saith needs be fulfilled and yet we see by experience that they are fulfilled in no other people kindred or Nation but Romane Catholikes whom Protestants confesse to
AN HVMBLE APPEALE TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Wherein is proued that our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST was Authour of the Catholike Roman Faith which Protestants call PAPISTRIE Written by IOHN HVNT a Roman Catholike in defence of his Religion against the Calumniations and persecutions of Protestant MINISTERS IOHN 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for you thinke by them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they which giue testimonie of mee THE PREFACE Most dread Soueraigne SO heauy for many yeares hath been the hand of Protestant Ministers vpon vs Catholikes your auncient and faithfull subiects that heauen is ful with our cries the world with our afflictions the earth is drunk with our bloud the aire a receptacle for our quarters prisons are filled with our bodies and Pursuiuants infamous men at their pleasures inriched with the spoile of our goods in such sort as with the Apostles liuing in like persecution we may truly say Wee 1. Cor. 4. 9. are made a spectacle to the world and to Angels and to men that the extremity of our afflictions enforceth vs to Appeale vnto your Maiesty prostrate at your feet in most humble manner to beseech your Highnesse to heare the truth of our cause and take notice of the sincerity of our affections to God your Person and State God Almighty out of his infinit goodnesse hauing created vs according to his owne Image and after our fall Gen. 1. 27. redeemed vs from eternall paines in token of homage exacteth of vs the practising and professing of that Faith and Religion which was planted vpon earth by his only Son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and that with such rigor as whosoeuer at his death shal be found faultie herein shall not onely lose the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen and the happie vision of his diuine Maiesty but also condemned into fire euerlasting which was prepared for Matth. 25. 41. the Diuell and his angels there to endure the wrath and vengeance of God for euer and euer And lest any one should doubt which was this Faith or Religion he swore he would multiply it in men as the Gen. 22. Isay 88. Isay 54. Isay 62. Starres of heauen that remaining in all ages and times visibly seene and professed none could or should haue occasion of doubting which was this Faith or Religion vnto the which he was so straitly bound vnlesse he would wilfully be obstinate and blinde And yet notwithstanding your Protestant Ministers contrary to the oath of God and without respect of the penalty of eternall damnation imposed vpon misbeleeuers would perswade vs that their Religion which about threescore yeares agoe was inuented in England by Queene ELIZABETH only to keepe your Maiesties Mother and her issue from their lawfull right to the Crowne of England is the Religion which was planted by our Sauiour and afflict vpon your ancient subiects who haue maintained your Progenitors in the state of Kings and absolute Monarkes many hundred yeares confiscation of goods and lands imprisonment losse of liberty and life and the benefit of all Ciuil and Humane lawes and conuersation for that we wil not beleeue them to the losse of our owne soules and in continuance of time the destruction of your Monarchie according to the Prophecies saying I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them Gen. 12. 3. that curse thee In thee shall all the Kindreds of the earth be blessed The Nation and the Kingdome that Isay 60. 12. shall not serue thee shall perish Which we haue seene so manifestly fulfilled in al ages times amongst Christians that hitherto neuer any Nation People or Countrey of Christian men did separate it selfe by Schisme from the Catholike Church the spiritual seed of Abraham dilated ouer the world but it was within few yeares conquered by barbarus people Whereupon we your ancient subiects feareful lest we should be forsaken of God and fal into these euils and timorous in any thing to offend your Maiestie our dearest Soueraigne prostrate at your feete doe humbly offer vnto your Highnesse the grounds and foundations of our Faith and Religion by which we proue that it is the same Faith and Religion which was planted vpon earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in which al the Kindreds of the earth were to be blessed hoping therby to remoue away from your Majesties minde these sinister false informations which such as neither wish well either to your Person or State more then may serue to the accomplishing of their designes daily publish in your presence viz. That we are wilfull disloyall Subjects who vnder pretext of Religion pretend Rebellion Ignorant blinde people that haue nothing to say for the Religion we professe Enemies to your Maiesty and State c. That your Majesty being better informed we also may taste of the sweetnesse of your Gouernment who are at al times and in al things as readie to obey and serue you our dread Soueraigne as our Auncestors haue serued and obeyed your Progeniters Kings and absolute Monarkes of this Iland or as the Catholike subiects of the Emperour or of the King of Spaine or France or Polonie do serue their Soueraignes And in testimony hereof we offer to binde our selues alwayes to remaine loyal faithful Subiects vnto your Majesty your Heires and lawful Successours by amoath whereby we may not in effect and deed sweare that God Almighty is forsworne in violating his oath and promises which he made to the Patriarks and Prophets euery where spoken of in the Scriptures to be fulfilled in that Faith Seede and Religion which was to be planted vpon earth by his only Son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Your Majesty wel knoweth that it is not yet much about threescore yeares since these your Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland were Catholike and the most of vs together with our Auncestors neuer were of any other Religion See this proued in the second Chapter then this we now professe since our Conuersion to Christianity from Paganisme And if we should now forsake it for feare of the losse of temporall goods imprisonment and hanging and not out of information in beleefe we should be but Atheists and be worthy to be hanged vp indeed for dissembling with men and violating all obligation to God Moreouer the meanes which God Almighty appointed his Officers to vse in the conuersion of Kingdomes and people was Humility Patience Charity c. saying Behold Matth. 10. 16. I send you as sheepe in the middest of Wolues he did not say I send you as Wolues amongst sheepe to kill imprison spoyle and deuoure those vnto whom they were sent Againe he said They to whom I send you will deliuer Matth. 10. 17. you vp in Councels and in their Synagogues they wil scourge you And to Presidents and to Kings shall you be led for my sake He doth not say you whom I send shall deliuer the people whom you
Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophet Ieromie that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith THE Prophet Ieremie speaking of the estate of the Church after our Sauiours comming saith Behold the dayes Ierem. 31. 37. shall come saith our Lord and I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel c. And this shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will giue my Law in their bowels and in their heart I will write it I wil be their God and they shal be my people And a man shal no more teach his neighbour and a man his brother saying Know our Lord for all shal know me from the least of them euen to the greatest saith our Lord for I wil be merciful to their iniquitie and their sinne I wil remember no more Thus saith our Lord that giueth the Sunne for the light of the day the order of the Moone and of the Starres for the light of the night that troubleth the sea and the waues thereof doe sound the Lord of hostes is his name If these Lawes shal faile before me saith our Lord that there be no more Sunne for the light of the day and Moone and Stars for the light of the night and ebbing and flowing of the Sea then also the seed Israel shal faile that it be not a Nation before me for euer Wherupon our Sauiour saith This Gospel of the kingdome shal be preached in the whole Matth. 24. world for a testimony to al Nations and then shal come the consummation of the world and the Sun shal be darkened and the Moone shal not giue her light and the stars shal fall from heauen Vntill then if wee will beleeue the Word of God the seed of our Sauiour the Church of God shall in all ages and times so flourish vpon earth as that the Christians shall not neede secretly one to teach another But all shall know our Lord from the least of them to the greatest and be a visible Nation for euer So I appeale to your Maiesty well pleased to consider how ignorant hee should bee in the Scriptures that should make himselfe of the Congregation of Protestants in hope to enter into this Testament with God when they haue been so inuisible for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that they are not able to assigne one man who for all that time professed the Faith they now hold much lesse one Nation So if Protestants would prooue by the Scriptures that their Religion which hath been so many hundred yeares vnknowne were the Faith planted by our Sauiour they should first proue that for one thousand and foure hundred yeares there hath been no Sunne for the light of the day or Moone for the light of the night to make good the Word of God otherwise they proue nothing but that they are ignorant in the Scriptures and in effect and deede blaspheme God and his holy Word by affirming him in effect and deed to be a violater of his promises written in the Scriptures That this promise of God heere spoken of is to be performed in and vpon Christians Saint Paul witnesseth in the eight to the Hebrewes where he repeateth the foresaid words of Ieromie as to be fulfilled in and vpon Christians That our Catholike Romane Faith hath successiuely continued according to this Prophecie wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. VIII Wherein is proued by the testimony of Ezechiel That our Sauiour was the Author of the Romane Catholike Faith THE Prophet Ezechiel speaking of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour saith I will saue Ezech. 34. my flocke and it shal be no more into spoile c. And I will raise vp ouer them one Pastor who shall feed them my seruant Dauid he shal feed them and he shall be their Pastor And I the Lord wil be their God and my seruant Dauid the Prince in the middest of them I the Lord haue spoken and I will make a couenant of peace with them and will make the cruel beasts to cease out of the Land And they that dwell in the desart the Hermits and religious men who now and in the Primatiue Church liued in the desart as witnesseth Saint Austine Epist 121. shall sleep secure in the forrost And I will put them round about my hill his Church a blessing And I will bring downe the shower in his time there shall bee raynes of blessing abundance of spirituall graces and consolations of the holy Ghost according to the words of our Sauiour saying He that beleeueth in me out of his belly shal Iohn 7. 38. flow riuers of liuing water And the tree of the field our Sauiour the Vine or Oliue tree shal giue his fruit and Iohn 15. Rom. 11. the earth humane nature of which it is said thou art earth shal giue his spring and they shal be in their Land Gen. 3. without feare and they shal know that I am the Lord when I shal haue broken the chaines of their yoke and shal haue deliuered them out of the hand of those that rule ouer them And they shal be no more for a spoile to the Gentiles neither shal the beasts of the earth deuoure them but they shal dwel confidently without any terror and I wil raise vp to them a bud of name and they shal be no more diminished for famine in the Land neither shal they beare any more the reproach of the Gentiles This Prophecie to be spoken of our Sauiour vnder the name of Dauid first Protestants in their Bibles confesse it secondly it is manifest for that Dauid the Prophet was dead many yeares before the time of Ezechiel Yet this Prophecie cannot bee verified vpon Protestants that Protestants shall liue in their Land without feare deliuered out of the hand of those who rule ouer them and bee no more for a spoile to the Gentiles nor be any more diminished nor beare any more the reproch of the Gentiles since they haue bin so spoiled and oppressed for one thousand and foure hundred yeares together that during all that time they are not able to assigne one knowne man who professed the Religion they now professe This Prophecie to be verified vpon Romane Catholikes wee haue shewed in the first second and third Chapters CHAP. IX Wherein is proued by the testimony of the Prophets Daniel Ioel Micheas Abacuc and Zacharias That our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith AND in like manner all the rest of the Prophets as often as they haue occasiō to speake of the estate of the Church after the comming of our Sauiour say that it shal be vniuersally dilated ouer the world for euer as Daniel saying In the dayes of Dan. 2. 44. those Kingdomes the God of heauen wil raise vp a Kingdome that shal not be destroyed for euer and this Kingdom
shal not be deliuered to another people and it shal breake in peeces shal consume al those Kingdoms it self shal stand for euer Which Prophecie we finde verified by experience vpon the Catholike Roman Church which as Protestants themselues confesse was so potent presently after the Apostles times that it destroyed and consumed the Church of Protestants and for these one thousand and two hundred yeares hath raigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction as is set downe in the third Chapter Againe we see by experience that all other Kingdomes and Monarchies of Christians haue been interrupted and changed as the Empire first from the West vnto the East and after into Germany Spaine was first possessed by the Romans after by the Goathes and lastly for many yeares by the Moores France was long time tributarie to the Romans and about the yeare of our Lord 451. the Franck Germanes who dwelled beyond the Rhyne began to conquer them and in processe of time obtained their Kingdome and changed their name from Gaules to French and about the yeare 461. elected Mirouee for King after France was possessed by the English and Henry the sixt was crowned King of France about the yeare 1422. from which time the Kings of England haue alwayes challenged to be Kings of France England was vnder the Romanes vntill the time of Honorius and shortly after it was conquered by the Saxons and then by the Danes and last by Norman French In so much as that it is manifest to experience that the Catholike Romane Church is the Kingdome raysed vp by God which shall not bee destroyed for euer Whereupon the Prophet Ioel saith Yee children of Ioel 2. 23. Syon the Church of God reioyce and be ioyfull in the Lord your God because he hath giuen you a Doctor of iustice and hee will make the earely and the late showre to descend to you as in the beginning And the floores shal be filled with wheate and the presses shall ouerflow with wine and oyle And I wil render you the yeares which the Locust the Bruke and the blast and the Eruke hath eaten my great strength which I haue sent vpon you And eating you shal eate and shal be filled and you shal praise the name of the Lord your God that hath done maruailes with you and my people shal not be confounded for euer And you shal know that I am in the middest of Israel and I the Lord your God and there is none besides and my people shal not be confounded for euer So the Prophet Micheas saith And thou Bethelem Mich. 4. 2. Ephrata art a little one in the thousands of Iuda out of thee shall come forth vnto me he that shal be the Dominator in Israel and his comming forth from the beginning from the dayes of eternity c. and the remnant of his brethren shal be conuerted to the children of Israel And he shal stand and feed in the strength of our Lord in the height of the name of our Lord his God and they shal be conuerted because now shal he be magnified euen to the ends of the earth c. And the remnant of Iacob shal be in the Gentiles in the middest of many peoples as a Lyon amongst the beasts of the forrest and as a Lyons whelpe amongst the flocke of cattell who when he hath passed and trodden downe and taken there is none to deliuer Thy hand shall be exalted ouer thine enemies and thine enemies shall perish So the Prophet Abacuc saith God wil come from Abac. 4. 3. the South and the holy one from the shady mountaine his glory shal couer the heauens and the earth is full of his praise That is saith S. AVGVSTINE the Gospell shall begin from Ierusalem and Mount Oliuet and so be dilated ouer the world For Ierusalem saith Saint AVGVSTINE is placed Southward as is read in the Aug. â—p 166. booke of Iesus Naue from whence the name of Christ hath been spread and there is a shadie mountaine Mount Oliuet from whence he ascended into heauen that his vertue might couer the heauens and the Church might be filled with his praise throughout the whole earth So the Prophet Zacharias saith Behold thy King will come to thee the lust and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a Colt the Fole of an Asse c. He shal speake peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers of Iordan Matth. 5. 13. where he was baptised euen vnto the end of the earth not for a day or a month or a yeare But as he spake to Luke 1. 55. our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer These Prophecies to be verified on our Catholike Roman Faith we haue shewed at large in the first second and third Chapter and are so far from being verified vpon Protestantisme that for a thousand and foure hundred yeares together Protestants are not able to name one man who held and taught the doctrine they now hold and teach So dread Soueraigne if the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophets may find grace and credit with your Maiesty they affirme that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith as we haue abundantly shewed Yet the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophets were of such force with our Sauiour as he bringeth in Abraham saying If they heare not Moyses and Luke 16. 31. the Prophets neither wil they be perswaded though one rise from the dead Againe hee saith to the incredulous Iewes Had you beleeued Moyses you would peraduenture Iohn 5. 46. haue beleeued me for he wrote of me And if you beleeue not his writings which are confirmed by so many oathes and promises and found true by experience how wil you beleeue my words And so I conclude the Prophecies of the old Testament with the words of Saint Augustine saying The Aug. in Psal 30. Prophets haue spoken more obscurely of Christ then of the Church I thinke because they did see in spirit that men would rebell against the Church and would not haue so great strife concerning Christ but would raise vp great contentions concerning the Church therefore that about which men were to make great strife was more plainly foretold and more manifestly prophecied that it might serue for their condemnation who did see it and fled out CHAP. X. Wherein is proued by the testimony of Angels that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith HAVING most dread Soueraigne according to the counsel of our Sauiour Iohn 5. 39. sought the old Testament to see what it saith of the Faith Seed and Children of the Messias and hauing found that by it our Lord was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith Seed or Religion we will now descend downe vnto the New to see what it saith in generall of the Faith Seed Word or Gospel which our Sauiour planted vpon earth that wee may also see whether
which for fourteene hundred yeares together was not knowne vnto the men of the earth That all these words of Saint Paul are verified vpon Romane Catholikes Protestants themselues giue ample testimony as is set down heretofore By these and many more Prophecies of the estate of the Church to come set downe by the Apostles and Euangelists it is manifest that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith So dread Soueraigne if the Generall consent of both Testaments the testimonie of God of Angels of Patriarkes of Prophets of Apostles of Euangelists and of all knowne Christen men that euer were before Luther may find grace and credite with your Maiesty to be beleeued they all reputed Heretikes by both parties onely excepted affirme that the Sonne of God was Author of that Catholike Romane Faith which is now persecuted within your Dominions CHAP. XIII Answeres to Obiections OBIECT 1. ALL Protestants doe not affirme that their Congregation hath been inuisible for these fourteene hundred years which were betweene the death of the Apostles and the rising of Luther but some say that they were visibly conuersant in the world administrating the Sacraments and preaching the pure Word Ans These Protestants did not liue in any of those ages to affirme that which they did see Reuelations Miracles Traditions they deny Writings Records Antiquities Councels Histories or any ancient testimony of such a visible company so administrating of Sacraments they haue none yet there is no other meanes of knowing things past but by a vaine imagination of an idle braine proper to lunatike men in Bedlam and Bridewell who talke of strange phantasies and chimeraes we looke for a people that should be made Princes ouer all the earth To whom Kings were Psal 44. nursing fathers and Queenes nurses That did ouerflow Isay 66. the glory of the Gentiles That did possesse the gates of their Gen. 22. enemies in whose seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed And they tell vs of a people that supposed they were yet they were the most base vile contemptible and wretched people that euer liued vpon the earth such lyars and dissemblers as that it could not be knowne what Religion they professed So impious that it is neuer heard of that euer they vsed any Sacraments Sermons or Prayers So barbarous that it is not found vpon any Record that euer they were married but if they were it seemeth that they accompanied together like horses and dogges so ignorant that there is not found one man amongst them that euer writ any thing so vile that they neuer did any thing worthy of memory So lawlesse that there is not found any Order Statute or Decree they had such Rogues and Vacabonds that none vntill this day can finde out where any of them dwelt Such enemies of Christ and Christianity that not any testimonie can be found of their being Baptized or Christened So if they were it seemeth that they were rather the seed of the Diuell then of Abraham or Christ Iesus or of any Christian man Obiect 2. Waldo who liued in the yeare of our Lord God 1220. and Wickliffe who liued in the yeare of our Lord 1370. and Iohn Husse who liued in the yeare 1400. were Protestants and held and taught the same doctrine Protestants doe now Answ First Waldo did so extoll merit for good works that he did forsake all things to become poore and follow Christ and euangelicall perfection as witnesseth Doctor Humfrey a Protestant in his Iesuitisme part 2. fol. 270. Secondly hee denied the Sabbath in regard whereof the Waldenses were called Insabbatists that is to say people who had no Sabbath as affirmeth Fox Acts and Monuments fol. 41. Thirdly hee taught that Lay-men and women might consecrate the Sacrament and preach Fourthly that there should be no diuision of Parishes Fiftly that men ought not to sweare in any case Sixtly That neither Priest nor Ciuill Magistrate being guiltie of mortall sinne did enjoy their dignities or were to be obeyed and many the like as witnesseth ILLIRICVS in catel testium veritatis Wickliffe taught that if a Bishop or Priest were in deadly sinne his ordaining of Priests Consecrating and Baptisme was not Valide and that Ecclesiasticall Ministers should not haue any Temporall possessions Fox Acts fol. 96. Moreouer hee condemned lawfull oathes as affirmeth Osiander in his Epito hist. Eccles fol. 459. Yet maintained he the worshipping of Images intercession to our blessed Lady the Masse and seuen Sacraments as is manifest in his bookes And for Iohn Husse except the doctrine of the Communion in both kinds which he would haue giuen to Lay-men and the doctrine of Wickliffe in defending that if a Prince Priest or Bishop committed mortall sinne they did lose their dignities and were not to be obeyed for the most part he retained the Articles of our Catholike Faith as the Seuen Sacraments the Popes Primacie the Masse in so much as Luther in Colloquijs Germanicis ca. de Antechristo saith of him The Papists burned Iohn Husse when as yet he depapted not a fingers breadth from the Papacie for he taught the same which Papists doe Obiect 3. The Church of the Protestants was in that of the Papists so if Protestants were not neither should Papists be Ans That is to confesse that the Papists Church is the true Church and that Protestants are Schismatikes or Heretikes according to the Scriptures saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had Iohn 2. 19. been of vs they would surely haue remained with vs. Againe Out of your selues shall arise men speaking peruerse Act. 10. 30. things Obiect 4. The Church is compared to the Moone so it may encrease and diminish and yet bee a true Church Ans The Church is compared to the Moone not for that it waneth increaseth euery month as the Moon in our Horison doth but for because what it loseth in one Countrey it gaineth in another as what light the Moone wanteth on the one side it hath on the other and so as the Moone changeth his light sometimes on the one side and sometime on the other according to the aspect â—e hath to the Sunne and yet except it bee by an Eclypse for a little while alwayes hath his full light So the Church of God vnlesse it be for a little Eclypse of persecution is alwayes dilated ouer the world though more manifest in one Countrey then in another as wee see by experience that the losse which the Church hath in England and some corners of the earth is more then restored in Asia America So it was promised by the Prophet saying Thy Sunne shall go downe no more and thy Moone shall not be diminished Isay 60. 20. because our Lord shall be vnto thee for an euerlasting light As our Sauiour said I am with you all dayes euen Matth. 28. 20. to the consummation of the world And this was the promise of