to abolish the hymne of Glory which was ordinarly sung in praise of the holy Trinity This Innovation seem'd very strange and gaue great scandal to many For besids that it had been vsed from our infancy and was sung publickly in all Churches at the conclusion of of the Psalmes it contain'd not the least apparance of evil but rather did appear to tend much to the honour of God to whom all praise glory principally belongs And albeit it be not word by word in one place of the holy Scripture as our Lords prayer is yet the sense and the like words if not the same are to be found in it For what is more expresly contain'd in the new Testament then the Father Son and holy Ghost in whose name we are all baptized and which all true Christians do acknowledge to be one true God And what is more cleare in Scripture then that Glory is due vnto God S Paul saith to the King of the worlds immortal 1. Tim. 1.17 Pet 2. epist 3. ch ver 18. Iude ver 25. invisible only God be honour and glory for ever Amen S. Peter also speaking of Christ saith to him be Glory both now and to the day of eternity Amen And S. Iude to the only God our Saviour by Iesus Christ our Lord be Glory magnificence empire and power before all worlds and now for all worlds evermore Amen There is nothing more frequēt in the Revelatiō then redoubling of this Glory to God S. Iohn saith that he heard every Creature in heaven and vpon earth saying Apocal. 5.13 to him who sitteth on the throne and to the Lambe benediction honour glory power for ever and ever Therefore since the giving of Glory to God is the principal exercise of the Saints in heaven why may it not or rather why ought it not to be the exercise also of the Saints on earth S. Iohn saith he heard a voice come out from the throne saying Apoc. 19.5 Say praise to our God all you his Servants and you that feare him little and great Why then should the Presbyterians hinder both little great to sing this hymne of praise Glory vnto the holy Trinity Why should they goe against their owne former practise and that custome which was observed by their first Reformers and which is yet keep 't in all the more ancient Protestant Churches How could one of their Ministers interrupt the people when they were singing that hymne by crying out no lesse ridiculously then scandalously No more Glory to the Father No more Glory Indeed if the Presbyterians denyed the mystery of the holy Trinity as the Arians did they might vpon that false ground had some pretence of reason for this innovation but acknowledging the truth of that Divine mystery they appear'd very vnreasonable for abolishing that hymne which was ordinarly said in praise of it and which hath so good ground in the holy Scriptures Being therefore desirous to know this matter from the source I had my next recourse according to my accustomed methode vnto the primitive Church the holy Fathers And there I found that this hymne was most ancient an Apostolical tradition that it was highly esteem'd and much vsed by the Catholique Church in the primitive times that as some heretiques did much endeavour to pervert it so the Catholiques did labour as diligently to preserve it in the same purity as it had descended vnto them by continual practise and tradition And lastly I found that God did approve the laudable vse of this hymne by some notable miracles All which we shall briefly shew Basil ad Amphiloch de sp 5. How the hymne of Glorification was vsed from the very tyme of the Apostles S. Basil the Great doth largely shew For when the Sacrament of Baptisme was administrated by them in name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost the faithfull answered Glory be to the Father to the Son and to the holy Ghost Which custome of glorifying God the same holy father doth affirme to be an Apostolical tradition which had been every where observed throughout the whole Church Of this matter Cardinal Baronius treateth amply in his third tome anno 325. Where he also sheweth that this hymne was of so great authority and esteeme in the ancient Church that when the holy Fathers in the Councel of Constantinople were to establish a rule of faith against some Heretiques who denyed the Divinity of the holy Ghost they would haue inserted in that Symbol a testimony from this hymne of Glory for the Divinity of the holy Ghost in these words Who with the Father and the Son Baron tom 3. anno 323. n. 174. is adored and Con-glorifyed And albeit this hymne was much vsed in the Church from the beginning yet it was sung more frequently in honour of the blessed Trinity after the Arians began to corrupt it How the Arians did strive to change and pervert this hymne the same Card. Baronius sheweth out of Sozomen Baron ibid. n. 173. for as they had changed the forme of Baptisme by saying I baptise thee in the name of the Father by the Son in the holy Ghost so also they corrupted the hymne of Glorification by singing Glory be to the Father by the Son in the holy Ghost Which diversity bre◠a dissension in Antioch between the Catholiques and the Arians whilst they would keep the ancient custome and the others would bring in their corrupt innovation Therefore the great Councel of Nice Baron ibid. n. 176. which had condem-the Arian heresy for the more confusion of it gave order to continue these hymnes in the Church which were in vse to be sung formerly in praise of the holy Trinity and especially the hymne of Glorification which the Arians had changed and endeavoured to pervert as they had impiously denyed the mystery of the holy Trinity in whose honour it was said And from this time that hymne began to be more frequently vsed so that the Countrey people would sing it whilst they were busied about their ordinary labours For how much the Arians did strive to suppresse and pervert it so much the Catholiques did labour to preserve and celebrat it For which cause S. Ambrose did conclude all the new hymnes which he made to be sung by the people during the time of the persecution which he suffered of the Arians with the hymne of Glorification as S. Augustin testifieth Ang. lib. 9. Confes◠c. 6.7 Ambros in Auxent And therefore being accused by the Arians for hauing deceived the people with the verses of his new hymnes he answered I do not deny that c. What is more powerfull then the Confession of the Trinity which is celebrated every day by the mouths of the people They labour all earnestly to confesse the faith they know to praise in verse the Father Son holy Ghost and they are all become Teachers who scarcely
might be chased away Wherevpon one went and offered vp saith he there the Sacrifice of the body blood of Christ to the end that the vexation might cease and by Gods mercy it did cease immediatly As therefore it is evident by what has been briefly said from the Scriptures holy Fathers that there is nothing more holy divine in the whole Christian religion then the Christian Sacrifice of Christs pretious body blood vnder the formes of bread wine which was foretould by the Prophets instituted and offered vp by Christ himself and was thereafter offered vp by the holy Apostles and their Successors so you very wickedly call it Devilish For that cannot be Devilish which was ordain'd by God himself and whereby he is most honoured that cannot be Devilish which chaseth away Devils But your railing against it and abolishing it must be Devilish because the Devil by his principal instrument the great Anti-Christ is to abolish it in the later dayes Daniel 11.31 and Luther your first Reformer Luth. de Missa pri tom 7. by a strange divine Providence did confesse to the world that the Devil did stirre him vp by many arguments to abrogat it And as the Sacrifice is most holy divine so is the office of Priesthood by which it is offered most sacred and venerable If the Aaronical Priesthood whereby only bullocks and beasts were Sacrificed to God was so sacred how much more sacred excellent must be the Christian Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedech by which the body blood of Christ are offered vp vnto God a pure Oblation And therefore you very wickedly call the office of Priesthood blasphemous and by dishonouring it you dishonour God himself who did institute it as S. Ignatius the Disciple of the Apostles affirmes when he saith that Priesthood is the Top of all Honours Ignat. epist ad myrn that are amongst men which if any man dishonoureth he dishonours God our Lord Iesus-Christ the alone chief Priest of God by nature Your Ministerial office is rather blasphemous against God which robs him of his supreme worship by Sacrifice which has been given vnto him since the Creation That the Christian Sacrifice is offered vp for sins our Saviour shewes when he saith This is my blood which is shed for many to the remission of sins And that it is profitable also for remission of sins to the faithfull departed the holy Fathers do teach by the Scriptures and practice of the whole Church Aug. l. de cura pro mortuis c. 1. S. Augustin saith We read in the Books of the Machabees of Sacrifice offered for the dead but though it were no where read in the old Testament yet not smal is the authority of the Vniuersal Church which shines in this custome where the commendation of the dead hath its place in the prayers of the Priest which are powred out to our Lord God at his altar lib. 9. Con. c. 3 And in his ninth book of Confessions he tells vs His Mother Monica desired on her death-bed that memory should be made of her at the Altar from whence she knew the holy Sacrifice to be dispensed wherewith the indictment against vs was blotted out Where you may see also the Saints call that a Holy Sacrifice which you call profane SECTION IX Of the Canonization of Saints Invocation of Angels and Saints Worshiping of Images Reliques and Crosses Dedicating of Churches Altars c. NOW follow these words of the Covenant We detest his Canonization of men calling vpon Angels or Saints departed worshiping of Images Reliques Crosses Dedicating of Kirks Altars Dayes and Vowes to Creatures We shall now for brevities sake run speedily through all the rest of the Covenant First you blame here the Catholique Church for a most laudable custome which she has ever observed of Canonizing that is declareing some persons who had been eminent for holynesse to be glorifyed Saints in heaven There have been indeed different wayes by which this Canonization has been performed For sometimes it was done by the voice of the people with consent of their Prelats or by the Prelats the people not controuling But since the year 800. none have been Canonized but by the Sea Apostolique according to the decree of Pope Leo the third Whence it is that this action is performed with greater diligence and more exact trial both of life miracles then when it was done in a popular manner What then can you iustly blame here But indeed you are to be blamed who Canonize in your own manner not Saints but sinners that break mortaly every day Gods commandments and such was your Covenanting Army which you ordinarly called the Army of the Saints You passe next from detesting the Catholiques Canonizing of Saints to detest the Invocation both of Angels Saints But indeed you cannot detest that vnlesse you detest also the Scriptures the practice of the Saints of the whole Primitive Church For did not Iacob invocat an Angel when blessing Iosephs children he said The Angel Genes 18 16. Osee 12.4 which delivered me from all evil blisse these children Doth not the Prophet Osee testify the same saying Iacob prevailed agrinst the Angel he wept prayed to him Did not also Abraham Lot Gedeon pray to Angels as may be seen recorded in the Scriptures Genes 18.4.19.1 Iudges 6.3 Therefore in detesting the invocation of Angels you detest the Scriptures practice of the Saints The same may be also said of the Invocation of Saints departed For if it be lawfull to invocat the Angels why not also the Saints of Heaven whom our Saviour affirmes to be equal vnto the Angels Luke 20.36 Yea if it be lawfull to invocat Saints and sinners living vpon earth and to desire the assistance of their prayers why is it not lawfull to invocat the Saints raigning in Heaven and desire them to pray for vs To say that they do not hear our prayers and know not what is done here below which may concern them Luke 15.10 is most false For our Saviour sheweth that there is ioy among the Angels of Heaven at the Conversion of a sinner Therefore they must know it And shall the Angels know such things and reioyce at them and the glorifyed Saints who are of our own nature be altogether ignorant of them and have no fellow-feeling with vs Shall some Saints living here on earth know the secrets of others hearts know what is done at a distance as is recorded in Scripture of Samuel in relation to King Saul 1. Kings 1.19 and of Elizeus in regard of his man Giezi 4. Kings 5.25 to passe by other instances of Daniel S. Peter shall I say these Saints have such knowledge in their exile here on earth and shall the glorifyed Saints in their Countrey in the presence fruition of God be ignorant of such things and so be in a worse condition No that cannot be for
Reformation This was not done by any formal act but as a Minister spoke by a desuetude of the principal Covenanters whose example the rest of the Ministers followed But there was one thing which hapned in this matter not vnworthy of remark and is very famous throughout the countrey For whilst the people of a Parish in Anguse were singing at the conclusion of a psalme Glory to the Father and to the Son c. as not knowing of the new alterations they were presently interrupted by their Minister who cry'd aloud No more Glory to the Father No more Glory c. which accident rendred the Presbyterians very ridiculous to the old Protestants Fourthly they proceeded further and strook at the roote of the Christian faith to witt the Apostles Creed denying it to be Apostolicall The contrairy whereof we was taught in our yonger yeares as was believed troughout the whole Christian world And after they had thus denyed the letter and authority of it they proceeded next to corrupt the sense of that Article He descended into hell as we shall see shortly Their inconstancy and changes may be instanced in diverse other points and practises as in their taking the Communion sitting and condemning kneeling as vnlawfull Their deuiding of the bread among themselues wherein they place no small purity of their religion and not taking it out of the Ministers hand as the custome was before Their condemning private Cōmunion and private Baptisme although administrated vpon extream necessity which I found to be pernicious errours especially in so far as concern's Baptisme Their condemning as superstitious the religious observation of Christmasse and of all other festival dayes c. All which are not only contrary to the doctrine of the most famous Protestant Churches abroad but also were contrary to the doctrine lawes practises of this Church at home By which inconstancy of the Ministers and the alterations made by thē the people was not only miserably tossed to and fro and carried about with violent winds of new doctrines but also they knew not what to believe and almost loos'd all belief since they saw that many points which they believ'd before being taught them by their own Pastours were now condemned by the same Pastours who are very like vnto these whom the Apostle S. Iude calls wandering starres Hauing thought seriously vpon these things I made this reflection with my self How can this Scottish Church which changeth like the Moone and is as vnstedfast as the wind be the true Church of Christ which must be firme and stedfast as a rocke How can these Ministers who drawes yea driwes the people into such varieties of faith Ephes 4.11.14 be the true Apostles of Christ seing they were established as S. Paul testifies to conserve the people into the Vnity of Faith They must be false Pastours who do tosse the people to and fro with the inconstant winds of their new doctrines since true Pastours were ordain'd by Christ to keep the people into the constant profession of the old doctrin which was once delivered and generally professed throughout the world and to preserve them from such tossings As the scripture sheweth that inconstancy and lightnesse belongs to false Teachers so I found that the holy Fathers did observe it by experience Iren. l. 1. c. 18. c. 5. S. Ireneus saith They delight to find out every day some new thing Let vs now see their inconstant doctrin c. But 5. Hiero. most pithily describs their humour The feet saith he of those who erre Hier in cap. 16. Ezech. are alway's wavering neither are the footsteps sure which are against the truth but they run here and there and are caried about with euery wind of new doctrin whilst they passe from one falshood into another falshood Therefore seeing the great inconstancy and changes of the Scottish Church I desired to find out a more constant and skifull Guide to rely vpon to lead me vnto the kingdome of heauen CHAP. III. Of the Ministers Dissensions and Divisions AS the Inconstancy of a Church in faith and doctrine gives iust occasion to many of doubting and stumbling at it's religion so Dissensions and Divisions which necessarly flow from such Inconstancy are no lesse but rather more sensible evils and gives greater and more vniuersal scandals For there are many who would take no notice of Inconstancy and yet are awakned by the confusion that ever attends Dissension and Division It 's evident by the light of reason that nothing becomes more the house of God then vnity and order and that confusion and dissension are only fitting for Babel or the house of the Devil and as Vnity tends to preservation so Dissension hastens to destruction Therefore our B. Saviour being to found his Church which was to be a heavenly house vpon earth of admirable order and to stand for ever did pray most earnestly for the Vnity of it S. Thn ch 17. by which he knew it would be both beautifyed and conserved Yea he sheweth that by the admirable Vnity of his Church the world showld know Ibid. ver 21.23 that he was sent from heaven and be made to believe in him Therefore these Churches which haue no Vnity but are torne by Dissensions and Divisions cannot be the true Church of Christ neither can they long laste As Vnity doth designe beautifie and conserve the true Church so Dissension points out deformes and ever at lenth destroies all false Churches Our Saviour saith Luke 11.17 Gal. 5.15 Every kingdome divided against it self shall be made desolate And S. Paul If yow bite and eate one an other take heede you be not consumed one of an other And that this division and destruction befalls to all false Churches Luther himself doth testifie A kingdome saith he divided in it self Luth. tom 3. wit in psal 5. fol. 166. cannot stand neither did Heretiques at any tyme perish by force or art but by their owne mutuall dissensions neither doth Christ our Lord fight against them by other armes then by sending among them the Spirit of giddinesse and dissension Now what miserable dissensions have happened these yeares by past into the Church of Scotland by which it hath been much deformed and a considerable part of it destroyed are knowen far and neare at home and abroad For these dissentious haue been for matter manner and the miserable effects that have flowed from them very remarkable The matter of them concern'd no lesse points then the Governement of the Church established by Christ the authority of the Apostles Creed the vse of the Sacraments of private Baptisme and Communion the vse of our Lords prayer and of Glory to the Father the keeping of holy dayes and the rest of the articles of Perth the Covenant it self the Heade spring of all Dissensions and the authority of the Civil Magistrate c. But the forme and manner of these dissensions hath overcome the matter for it hath been
occasion of my first doubting that the Presbyterian Church could not be the true Church of Christ For by the Prebyterians changes and inconstancy in doctrin I saw evidently they were not govern'd by the Spirit of truth which Christ promised to his Church but by the Spirit of errour whic is alwaies various By their great Dissensions and Divisions I perceived they had no vnity as becometh the house of God but were a confus'd Chaos as many heads so many different opinions and that it was not truth nor authority that prevail'd in their meetings but the vsurpation of some few Ringleaders who owerawed the rest and made them succumb Yea I saw that inconstancy in doctrin flowes naturally from their principles and that their inconstant Church doth necessarly breed dissensions but hath no means to lay them nor take them away By their cruell severity over mens Conscienâ— and persons c. I saw they had little Christian Love and meeknesse which vertues Christ had recommended so earnestly to his true disciples by which he said the world should know them By their clear contradicting their owne principles I perceived they were not men led by reason but miscaried by passion and inconsiderat zeal which made them fall into inconsequentiall discourses not worthy of men of prudence and by which themselves shew the falshood of their owne principles By doing their duty so ill to man I saw evidenty they perform'd not well their duty to God by their violent disobedience to their Earthly Superiours I knew they could not be humbly obedient to their heavenly Soveraigne By their great pretext of pietie without any substance and by their bragg's of the Spirit without any fruites of the Spirit but rather with the works of the flesh I perceiv'd they were both corrupt in faith and manners And albeit some of the more simple had great zeal and no evill intentions yet others of a higher or be who moved the rest gave no small ground to make many suspect that they were not sincere Christians Although all that hath been already said which are not old nor hidden stories but such things as were done in our owne times and obvious to our senses did shew vnto me sufficiently the vnreasonablenesse of the new Presbyterian Reformation yet for my further satisfaction and least I might be deceived I resolved to try diligently and impartially the grounds of these new changes and alterations and to vse the Apostle S. Iohns counsel to prove the Spirits My deerest saith he believe not every Spirit S Iohn 1. Epist ch 4. v. 1. but prove the Spirits if they be of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world Now the triall which I intended was to trie their doctrin by the pure word of God which these Reformers gave out to be their only ground When the Scripture was expresse and clear then I was resolved to be fully satisfyed but when the Scripture was not evident and the question diâ— not so much concern the scripture as the true sense of it then I intended to follow the interpretation sense of the holy and learned primitive Fathers who have been after the holy Apostles the Pillars and Propagators of Christianity and I resolved to prefer their constant testimonies according to the practice of the primitive Church to the inconstant guesses of new vpstarts according to the practice of their wavering Church who are as far inferiour to the holy Fathers in Holynesse and Learning as they come short of them in Antiquitie and Renowne And with this resolution I began to examin the question of Epicopacy which gave so great occasion to all the broiles and alterations that have ensued CHAP. VII Of Episcopacy condemned as Anti-Christian by the Presbyterians AS I knew the Church of Christ which is often called in the Scripture the kingdome of heaven to be the most excellent Society that ever was vpon earth to tend to a most Spiritual and heavenly end and to be directed by most holy and divine lawes So I iustly conceived that the goodnesse and wisdome of Christ had established a most excellent order and forme for the governement of that heavenly kingdome which he had founded vpon earth and that whosoever would strive to overturne that order and government would be guilty of Spiritual Treason and of Sacrilegious Presumption We have had for many yeares furious contentions in our Nation concerning the governement established by Christ in his Church The Bishops who had governed from our infancy were deposed at the beginning of the troubles and their office was declared to be contrary vnto the purity of our first Reformation to have no warrant in Gods word and to be in it self vnlawfull and Anti-Christian And in place of Episcopacy was brought in a parity of Ministers and the Presbyterian disciplin as the only governement established by Christ in his Church and only conform to his word c. But after due triall I found the Presbyterians in all these matters to come very short of their pretences To begin then with our Reformation I imagined a good space that Episcopal governement was not vsed till many yeares after the Reformation wherein I was deceived by two reasons 1. because it was generally affirmed that King Iames brought first in Bishops at the Assembly of Glasgow anno 1606. 2. Because the Puritanicall Ministers were accustomed to accuse the Church of Scotland for having fallen from her first love and they alwayes pretended that they were to reduce all things vnto the purity of their first Reformation But I found the contrary in their owne Records For M. Knox his Chronicle sheweth that at the beginning of his Reformation which happened in the yeare 1559. the Church newly planted was governed by Super-intendents who had authority over whole Shires could ordaine and depose Ministers had a larger stipend then others and kept their places all their lifetimes It expresseth also the manner of their election and the names of those who were first chosen with the bounds of their power and iurisdiction as may be seen in the said Chronicle pag. 253. 284. and 325. of the London impression And what is this but Episcopal power vnder an other name This governement remain'd vnquestioned the space of 16. yeares till M. Andrew Melvil a man of a firie and Presbyterian Spirit comming from Geneva in the yeaere 1575. began to make factions and by all means laboured to introduce the holy Geneva disciplin which he cry'd vp to the heavens and as far abased the Episcopal function as a meere Anti-Christian corruption The whole matter is largely described Spots woord hist lib 5. p. 275. in the late Bishop of S. Andrewes history where he sheweth that the confusion troubles and tyranny which the Presbyterian governement brought into the Church and the Seditions it raised in the State were so great that K. Iames who had often that sentence in his mouth No Bishop No King was forced to reduce things vnto the
by a true conversion to God when the baptism of water is not contemned but rather desired and yet through some necessity men die without it as S. Ambrose testifieth of Valentinian the yonger· I haue lost him Ambr. orat de obitâ—â— Val. ent iunioris Mark 1.4 Luke 3.3 saith he whom I was to regenerate but he hath not lost the grace which he hoped for This true conversion penance is also called baptism in the Scriptures for it is said that S. Iohn preached baptism of penance vnto remission of sins And according to this doctrin the ancients did handsomly distinguish three kinds of baptism which they called Sanguinis flaminis fluminis that is the baptism of blood of the Spirit of water Lastly he said that although baptism were not a necessarie mean ordained by God for Salvation of Infants yet it hath the necessitie of a command to Pastors Mat. 28.19 as is evident by our Saviours words to the Apostles Goe and teach all nations baptizeing them c. Therefore although it were supposed that no hurt come to the children dying without baptism yet they who by their office are obliged to baptize commit a great sin when they wilfully neglect to obey Christs command which the Presbyterian Pastors manifestly do suffering so many children notwithstanding the many teares and cries of their parents to die without baptism And according to this observation King Iames answered well a Minister in Scotland who enquired of him if he thought baptism so necessarie that if it were omitted the child would be damned No said the King but I verily believe if yow being called to baptise a child in danger of death would refuse to do it that you would be damned This answer may be seen in the first dayes conference at Hampton-Court Where it is also shewed that such a neglect of baptisme is not only a damnable sin in the Minister but likwise that it is very daÌ„gerous for the child For who saith the Bishop of London hath any carâ— of religion and would not by all meanes be carefull that his child receive baptism Who would not rather assure his action vpon the promises of Iesus Christ then the omission of it vpon the secret iudgment of God Then whereas the Ministers do alleadge that Christs command extends only to publique and not to private baptism this is a meer fancy without any ground in Scripture where no such distinctioÌ„ is made yea it is against Scripture For do we not read that S. Paul was baptized privatly by Ananias and the Eunuch by S. Philip. Acts. 9.18 Acts. 8.38 But they who teach that Gods commandments are impossible to be kept and make dayly profession to break them may let this passe with the rest These and diverse other inconsequentiall errours of the Presbyterians concerning baptim he did manifest vnto me which for brevities sake I omitt Therefore to conclude this point I cannot believe the Presbyterian doctrin against the necessity ob baptism because iâ— is against our Saviours expresse words against the holy Fathers whole ancient Church because it is an ancient heresy condemned in the Pelagians because it is against the common instinct of Christians and is condemned by diverse famous Protestants so that King Iames the head of a famous Protestant Church iudged it damnable in the Ministers and his Prelats esteem'd it most dangerous to the infants For which dangerous doctrin and the cruel practise flowing from it I can find no other ground but Ministerial tradition from Geneva and that against the Scriptures and all the former authorities Florimond above cited sheweth Flor. Reym de orta haeres lib. 8. c. 11. c. how this tradition descended from Calvin and that Musculus Superintendent of Berne deposed a Minister named Samuel Hueber for having baptized a child in the night when it was in danger of death and Beza did assist to that censure Moreover he sheweth how in a Protestant Synod at Figear it was ordain'd that the Ministers should comfort the parents of children dying without baptism But all in vaine so that the Ministers of Poictou in an aslembly at Chastelrauld in the yeare 1599. were enforced to give way to Ministers to baptize in private houses that they might avoid the cryes of tender hearted mothers I have heard of some pittiful accidents that have fallen forth in our Countrey vpon this same occasion so that some mothers have almost gone out of their witts when the Ministers suffered their children to die without baptism And I knew a Protestant father who for this same reason took great indignation at all Presbyterian Ministers Such a strong impression hath God made of this truth in the hearts of the simple people who in many other things have suffered themselves to be too simply misled to abandon the truth By all which it may be fâ—en how the Presbyterians make void and destroy the Sacrament of baptism CHAP. XXI Of the reall presence of Christs body in the holy Sacrament which is denyed by the Presbyterians AS the Presbyterians by denying both the effect and necâ—ssity of bapism do in effect quite take away that so holy and necessary a Sacrament so I conceived if it be true that Christs body be really present in the Eucharist as the Catholiques beleeve that the Presbyterians who deny the reall presence and do give vs nothing but signes and tokens of Christs body do also destroy this other most excellent Sacrament The Catholiques belief in this point Concil Triden sessio 13 c. 1. is clearly set down by the Councel of Trent where it is said The holy Synod doth openly and simply professe that in the holâ— Sacrament of the Eucharist after the consecration of bread wine our Lord Iesus Christ true od true man is truly really suhstantially contain'd c. Our first Scott sh Confession speaks not so clearly For after some ambiguity of words by which it would seem to graunt the reall presence it acknowledged that hrists body is only in the heavens For it saith that the holy Ghost by true faith 1. Scottish confes art 21. carrieth vs above all things that are visible c and maketh vs to feed vpon the body blood of Christ Iesus which is in the heavens And yet notwithstanding the far distance of place which is betwixt his body now grorifyed in the heavens and vs now mortall in this earth yet we assuredly beleeve c. The late Gonfession of Westminster albeit it vseth also some ambiguous expressions yet it affirmeth that Christs body is not corporally or carnally in with or vnder the bread wine Confess Vvest chap. 29. n. 7. And it s knowen also that the Presbyterians do zealously maintaine that Christs body is only in the heavens and that it is impossible even to the omnipotency of God to make a body to be present in two places at once And therefore according to them Christs body cannot be
When S. Gregorie was giving the Sacrament to the people he came to a woman who smiled when he said to her the body of our Lord Iesus Christ preserue thy soule wherevpon the Pope did withdraw his hand lay'd the SacrameÌ„t on the altar After the holy solemnities were ended he enquired at the woman why she had laughed in so dreadfull an action She in end confessed that she could not acknowledge that bread which she had made with her own hands to be the body of Christ Then S. Gregorie prayed God earnestly for her and obtain'd that the bread even in external forme should be turned into flesh by which miracle he both reduced the woman vnto the faith and confirmed the people in it The faith of S. Lowis King of France Bosius li 14 de signis Eccles p. 145. ex Villanaeo an 1258. concerning this Sacrament is much celebrated For when he being advertised that a most beavtifull child had appeard in the holy Sacrament was desired to come and see this miracle he refused to goe saying that these miracles were done for these who doubted but for himself he was most certaine that Christ Iesus was truly present in the Eucharist An other such apparition was seen at Doway in the yeare 1254. continueda good time Spond suppl anno 1254. n. 16. so that great numbers of people came from diverse parts to see it and the memory of it is every yeare celebrated in that town with great solemnity By all which considerations I was sufficiently satisfyed of the Catholique belief concerning the reall presence which I found to be containd in the holy Scriptures beleeved by the holy Fathers and by general Councels and to be confirmed by miracles And therefore I could not any longer believe the Presbyterian doctrin which against all these authorities makes the body of Christ to be as far distant from the Sacrament as the heavens are from the earth 1. I perceived that they scarcely pretend to have Scripture for them but are enforced to runne from the clear words of it to their tropes figures Aug. lib. 3. de doct Christ c. 10. which S. Augustin observed long ago to be the custom of erroneous persons So soone saith he as the opinion of any errour hath once prepossessed their minds they esteeme all to be figures which the Scripture saith to the contrarie And therefore albeit the Scripture saith not once but foure times that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Iesus Christ without ever saying in any one place that it is not his body but only a figure of it they beleeve the one which it saith not and not the other which it affirmes Against them S. Iohn Damascen saith efficaciously Damas lib. 4. Orthodo fidei The bread wine is not a figure of the body blood of Christ God forbid it were that but it is the divine body of our Lord he himself saying this is my body 2. They passe from the Scriptures Fathers and found their negative faith vpon their senses and some carnal reasons Chrys homil 60. ad popul Antioch Against which vaine pretences S. Chrysostom saith well Let vs beleeve God every where let vs not oppose him although that which he saith seem absurd to our sense vnderstanding Let his speech overcome our sense and reason which in all things we ought to do cheefly in the mysteries not only looking to that which lieth before vs but also holding fast his words For we cannot be deceived by his words our sense may be easily deceived these cannot be false this is often deceived Because therefore he hath said this is my body let vs not be holden by any doubt but let vs beleeve and comprehend it wiâ—h the ey 's of of our vnderstanding Cyrill Alex. lib. 4. in Ioan c. 13. S. Cyrill speaks no lesse efficaciously against those who pretend this mystery to be against reason and impossible compareing them to incredulous Iewes A malignant minde saith he doth presently reiect as frivolous false what it doth not vnderstand yeelding to none nor thinking any thing to be aboue it self as we shall find the Iewes to have been For when it became them who had seen the divine vertue the miracles of our Saviour to receive his speech willingly and if any thing seemed difficult to have asked the resolution of him they did the quit contrarie and cryed out together against God not without great impietie How can this man give vs his flesh neither did it come into their minde that there is nothing impossible with God for since they were sensual as S. Paul speaks they could not vnderstand spiritual things and so great a mystery seemed to them to be follie But let vs make great profit by other mens sins Let us have a firme faith in these mysteries Let vs neuer speak nor think that word How That 's meerly Iudaical and the cause of great punishment Thus S. Cyrill 3. The Presbyterians do wrest our Saviours words by a figurative interpretation against all reason as hath been shewed Then I found this Presbyterian doctrin Apud Bellar. lib. 1. de Euch. cap. 1. Gualt Chronolog saecul 1. cap. 1. Elien resp ad Apolog. Bellar. c. 1. Casaub ans to Card. Peron 1. instance fol. 32. English to have been an ancient heresie of Simon Magus and Menander and thereafter of Berengarius who at his death did recant of the Albigenses and of diverse others Yea Gualterus brings some testimonies of the holy Fathers to shew that Iudas the traitor denyed the reall presence and did not believe our Saviours words in the 6. chapter of S. Iohn Lastly diverse famous Protestants have abandoned that doctrin of Calvin As Bishop Andrews who writes thus against Bellarmin We agree faith he with yow of the matter all the contention is about the manner a presence I say we believe not lesse reall then yow Casaubon made the like profession in name of King Iames of the whole Church of England And whereas I heard so much cryed out against Transubstantiation as a thing impossible and a noveltie lately introduced into the Church I found both these allegations to be false For the holy Fathers do shew both the possibility and the verity of it out of the Scriptures Cyrill Hieros Catech. 4. Mystag Ambros l. 4. de Sacram c. 4. lib. de mysterijs initiand cap. 9. S. Cyrill saith Christ changed once water into wine which is near vnto blood and is he not worthy to be believed of vs that he hath changed wine into blood S. Ambrose having shewed the power of Christs speech how by it he gave a being to the world which had no being before saith How much more then operative is it that these things which were might have a being and be converted into another Again the same holy Father calls this change a conversion of nature substance bringing examples out of the old
can it be but wonderfull to consider that this Church being dilated throughout the world in so many diverse remote Kingdomes Provinces Countreys of different languages Customs worldly interests and some of these being enemies to others in worldly affaires should all agree in the Vnity of the same Catholique faith as if they were one man Whereas all other Churches which go out from this vnder pretext of greater purity although they do not fill the earth but are comprized in small bounds fall into such horrible dissensions and divisions that they never rest till like generations of vipers they destroy one an other and oftentimes the later destroies the former as we have seen in our time The Church in Communion with the sea of Rome may be known to be the true Church by this admirable Vnity for which Christ prayed and Christ by it may be known to have been sent from heaven who had establish't vpon earth so large a Kingdome of such admirable Vnity If the Vnity of the Catholique Church were not a special blissing of God how could it fall out to her alone How could it have continued so long among such great multitudes of people as have been and are of her Communion How comes it to passe that Vnity could never be conserved among heretiques who although but few and new could never shun the curse of Division which ever destruction followes at the heels For my part I cannot resist vnto this clear reason As this Vnity in the Catholique Church proceeds principally from the blissing of God so secondarly it flowes from the ordinary means which his divine wisdome has appointed and whereof all false Churches are destitute As first from this principle that she beleeves nothing but what has descended vnto her by the constant testimony of her forefathers in all ages from the time of Christ his Apostles By which means it has been shown that she cannot but keep Vnity in faith Secondly She receives the Decrees of all General Councils which in all reason ought to be believed to preserve that which was delivered by the Apostles and if any doubt arise about the sense of the Scriptures are more able to interpret them then any other persons To which therefore all the members of the Catholique Church do modestly wisey submit their iudgments they never ransack any matter of faith once defined but it remaines ever inviolable And lastly All Catholiques submit themselves to one Supreme Pastor whom they acknowledge to be establish't by Christ over the whole Church From whom the holy Fathers do affirm that the Vnity of the Church doth much depend This person appoynted by Christ they shew out of the Scriptures to have been S. Peter to whom Christ said Math. 16.19 Iohn 21 16.18 Cypr. in tract de simplicite Praelator I will give thee the keys of the Kingdome of Heaven c. and again Feed my sheep feed my Lambs Vpon which S. Cyprian saith That Christ might shew Vnity he establish't one Chaire and he disposed by his authority the Origin of that Vnity to proceed from One c. The Primacy is given to Peter that one Church of Christ and one Chaire might be shown S. Hierom seeing the necessity of One head Hieron lib. 1. cont Iovinian for keeping Vnity saith excellently One is chosen that a head being appoynted Occasion of schisme might be taken away And that the Bishop of Rome is successor to S. Peter in that same Dignity Primacy and that the Vnity of the Church depends vpon his authority all the holy Fathers do affirm The same S. Hierom writing to S. Damasus Bishop of Rome saith Hier ep ad Damasum With the Successor of the Fisher with the Disciple of the Crosse I speak c. I am ioyn'd in Communion with thy Holynesse that is with the Chaire of Peter vpon that rock I know the Church is built who gathereth not with thee scattereth S. Augustin affirmes Aug. cont epist fundament c. 4. that the Succession of Priests from the seat of Peter to whom our Lord after his resurrection commended his sheep to be fed vntill the present Bishop held him within the lap of the Church There is nothing more ordinary with the Fathers then to reckon out the succession of the Roman Bishops from S. Peter vnto their time Aug. epist 166. Cypr. epist 73. 45. S. Augustin tearmeth the sea of their residence the Chair of Vnity and S. Cyprian calls it the beginning of Vnity the roote of the Catholique Church As by these means the Vnity of the true Church is preserved so for want of them there can be no constant Vnity in false Churches For they all reiecting the infallible testimony authority of the Catholique Church by which we are certified of our Saviours doctrine as has been shewed put their own election and private iudgment in place of it and their iudgments being diverse they make diverse faiths having no Compasse to steer by but the Scriptures which they diversly interpret according to their pleasures Neither do they submit themselv's to the sentence of any Church for they beleeve that all Churches may erre neither is their own Church constant in her sentence for one Assembly ransacks and condemns as heresy and Anti-Christian what another has defined approved as Christian truths Neither have they any supreme Pastor to whom they obey And in a word they have no bond to ty them together except sometimes worldly interest or the hatred of another religion And when these interests faile when by mutual assistance ioyn't forces they have subdued or overturned that Church which they esteem their Common adversarie then they instantly begin to be miserably scattered divided as fresh experience sheweth how after the destructiō of the late English Church the brethren of Scotland and England became hugely divided notwithstanding the solemne League Covenant which had before so straitly tyed them together Yea it is impossible for the wit of man to make it otherwise For besides that it is impossible that many men can a long time adhere to the same falshoods as we suppose all heresies to be the nature of man being so strongly bent vpon truth this confusion division followes from the nature of their principal doctrin which is the ground work of all the rest to witt that every one should have liberty of reading interpreting Scripture and iudging the Preachers doctrin thereby From which ground there must needs arise variety of sects in religion according to the various conceipts and apprehensions of people Moreover God in his iust iudgment sends ever the curse of division among heretiques for according to their sin so are they punished They endeavoured to divide the Church and themselvs are divided and so at length destroied This God promised by the Prophet Esay when he said Esay 19.2 I will set the Aegyptians against the Aegyptians and they shall fight every one
and others is confessed by the Centurists The approved sanctity of S. Francis Xaverius a Iesuite who in the last age converted sundry Nations of the east Indies is testifyed by Hacluite a Minister in his book of Navigations where he doth highly praise him Luther confesseth that in the Papacy is the very kernel of piety Breirly cites the words of diverse Protestants who acknowledge that there are many holy men women in the Roman Church that Protestants are not to be compared vnto them in the least degree and that the Catholique Church hath many excellent orders and holy institutions Apol. tract 2. c. 3. sect 9. subd 1. post F. for curbing of sin and advancing of piety whereof Protestants are destitute This must be a strong truth which extorts confession from Adversaries and this Confession is a most convincent proofe against themselves Moreover amongst many of the Catholique Church there is found not an ordinary but a sublime degree of holynesse For many persons in all ages of the greatest quality honour riches have renounced the world all its pleasures that they might serve and enioy God more freely so that they have not only by Gods grace kept but also gone beyond the commandments as S. Chrysostom speaks S. Augustin describing the manners of the Catholique Church in his time after an excellent apostraphe concerning the holynesse of her doctrin saith vnto her concerning holynesse of life Aug. lib. de morib Eccl Cat. c. 30. Deservedly with thee the divine Commandments are kept far and neer By good right with thee are many given to hospitality many dutifull many mercyfull many learned many chast many holy many so burning with the love of God that in highest abstinence from all worldly pleasures incredible contempt of the world they delight only in the desert And thereafter shewing the diverse degrees of holy persons in the Catholique Church as of the Anachorits who liv'd in the wildernesse of the Monks who liv'd a part by themselvs and of others who were gathered together into Communities of religious women who separating themselvs from the company of men served God chastly diligently and having described their diverse manner of living their divin contemplations fervent prayers frequent fastings and the rest of their holy exercises he saith of the Anachorits not without admiration Aug. ibid. cap. 31. What is it I beseech you that these men who cannot but love man do see and yet can be without the sight of man Truly whatever it be it must be more excellent then all humane things since for the contemplation of it a man can live without man And a little after To whom this excellent hight of holynesse doth not appear of it 's own accord worthy of admiration how can it appear to him by our words Then of them all he professeth himself vnable to praise sufficiently these holy manners these holy orders and institutions and if he would vndertake to do it he would be affrayed lest he seemed to detract from them as if they would not please men by the simple relation of theÌ„ In end as this were an vndeniable truth appealing to the heretiques own iudgment he saith These things O Mâ—nichaeans reprove if you can But if there had been any Presbyterians in his time he had found them not only reproving these most holy things but also renouncing abiuring and accursing them as may by known by their Covenant practice at the beginning of their Reformation In this indeed the Presbyterians go beyond the Manicheans S. Augustin proceeds to the praise of the holynesse of the Clergy the Bishops Priests Deacons whose vertue he saith is so much the more wonderfull how much it 's more hard to keep it in such a kind of troublesome life amongst so great a multitude of persons with whom for their spiritual goods they do converse And yet he saith that he knew many holy persons in all these vocations as also many of the laytie of all ranks qualities living holyly in the world as if they did not vse the world and who would willingly forsake all wordly things before they forsook the love and service of God This Description of the ancient Catholique Church which the Catholique shew vnto me did represent very clearly to my sight how fitly the present Catholique Church doth agree with it in all these holy orders and Institutions and it did no lesse evidently manifest vnto me how monstruously the present Protestant Church is different from it Lastly diverse histories as well of Enemies as of friends have recorded many famous miracles wrought in the Catholique Church for confirmation of her doctrin and for manifestation of the holynesse of some persons who have lived dyed in her Communion The Magdeburgian Centurists although Protestants have recorded many great miracles done by Catholiques in the 13. chapter of every Century for 1300. years together after Christ Therefore since holynesse of life doctrin testifyed by Miracles from heaven hath in all ages from Christ been found eminently in the Roman Catholique Church and in no other we may most iustly conclude That she and no other is the true Church and lawfull spouse of Christ Aug. epist 50. ad Bonifacium S. Augustin saith The Catholique Church alone is the body of Christ c. out of this body the Holy Ghost quickens no man And a little before For as a member if it be cutt off from the body of a living man cannot retain the Spirit of life so a man who is cut off from the body of Christ the Iust cannot retain the Spirit of Iustice CHAP. XXXIV The true Church demonstrated by her Vniversality for which she is called Catholique AS the true Church is designed in the Apostles Creed by her holynesse so is she also by her Vniversality I beleeve the holy Catholique Church She is clearly also described by the same vniversality Genes 12.17 in the Scripture God said to Abraham In thy seed all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed The Prophet Esay foretould the same when he said of the Church All Nations shall flow vnto it Esay 2.2 Psalm 2. God promised this to Christ I will give thee the Gentils for thine inheritance the vtmost bounds of the earth for thy possessions Christ himself declared it Luke 24.47 when he said that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name vnto all Nations beginning from Hierusalem S. Paul said to the Colossians Coloss 1.6 that the Gospel was in all the world fructifyed Therefore to forbear from citing more testimonies it 's evident by the Creed by the Law and the Prophets by the Psalmes and the holy Apostles and by Christ himself the most true describer of his own body that his Church must be Catholique or Vniversal for place having the Communion of all Nations She must be also Vniversal for time that is she must endure from the time of Christ
Rom. 3. v. 8. that good may come of it and therefore much lesse is the greatest of evils to be done such as is the renouncing of the Catholique faith and swearing of a contrary Religion against the light of a mans conscience Secondly she condemned the Helchesits in the primitive times Euseb lib 6. cap. 31. as Heretiques for affirming that it was lawfull to Christians to deny Christ externally in the time of torments persecution Thirdly the Popes of whom the Puritans think no sin to lie are so far from stirring vp Catholiques to do the forsaid abominations that they earnestly dehort them from approaching to the least degree of such impiety Which to pâ—sse by other Instances may be known by the Breviat of Pope Paul the fift directed to the English Catholiques in October 1606. Where he saith We have vnderstood that you are compelled by the threatnings of most grievous paines to go vnto the Temples of Heretiques to frequent their Meetings to be present at their Sermons Truly we vndoubtedly beleeve that those who with so great Constancy and courage have suffered most fierce persecutions and almost infinit miseries will never trespasse so as to be defiled with the society of the desertors of the Divine Law Neverthelesse We being stirred vp by the zeal of our Pastoral charge and out of the Fatherly care we have of the Salvation of your soules are forced to admonish and earnestly beseech you that by no means you would go vnto the Temples of Heretiques or heare their Sermons or communicat with them in Rites least you incurre the wrath of God For it is not lawfull for you to do these things without the dammage of the Divin worship and of your own Salvation If the Pope dehorts so earnestly the Catholiques from going to the heretiques Temples how much more doth he dehort them from abiuring the Catholique faith and from receiving the Puritans Sacraments If the Pope only connived at such actions it would be a lie and calumnie great enough to say he stirred vp Catholiques to do them But it is a monstrous lie and calumnie to say he stirres vp men to do such abominations when he stirres them vp to the contrary Neither can the Covenanters ever shew that any Pope did otherwise since ever the Protestant religion began The Catholiques beleeve that God has such a care of his Church that it needs not by periuries dissimulations or any false wayes to be advanced and they know also that all hereticall Churches need not by such vniust means to be by them subverted For by their own divisions they are sufficient to subvert themselvs as long experience hath shewed Lastly it is false that these Catholiques who against their consciences renounce their religion do it vpon hopes of the Popes Dispensation For all Catholiques know that the Pope as he himself professeth cannot dispence in any thing that is intrinsecally evil and against the eternal Law of God as that action is in the highest degree All which may be known to moderate Protestâ—nts even by the Confession of Apostat Catholiques Therefore these being so groundlesse lies and malitious calumnies the Covenant did well to begin them with the Father of lies for thus it speaks And seing many are stirred vp by Satan the Roman Anti-Christ c. But it had been no lie if the Ministers had been yoaked with the Devil in that work For they have concurred oftentimes with him to draw and force diverse Catholiques to renounce their faith against their consciences as has been known by many late experiences since the Covenant began But it is strange to see famous Protestants yea and the very same Accusers guilty of the same Crimes which they falsly lay to the charge of others which may be shewed by their own Monuments Who is esteem'd a more famous Protestant then Queen Elizabeth the Foundresse of the Late English Church And yet she is taxed by M. Knox for faigning her self to have been a Papist for bowing to Idolatry Knox Chron. pag. 226 and going to Masse all the time of her Sister Queen Maries reigne It is known also how shortly after her sisters death she subverted all that in her lay the Catholique religion albeit she sware to maintain it at her Coronation Who gave her Dispensation to vse such dissimulation in religion Surely it was not the Pope but rather she as head of her own Church which is now also subverted did dispence with her self It is yet fresh in all mens memorie how many of the Puritans did swear obedience to their Bishops and conformity to the late English Churches orders and yet when time served they subverted both who gave them Dispensations for such hypocrisies and periuries That is one of their rare privileges that they all and every one of them by more then Papal power can dispence with themselvs as Becan shewes in a special Treatise of their Privileges The third grosse vntruth of the Covenant followeth in these words We therefore willing to take away all suspicion of hypocrisy and of such double dealing with God and his Kirk protest and call the Searcher of all hearts to witnesse that our Minds and hearts do fully agree with this our Confession oath and subscription so that we are not moved for any worldly respect but are perswaded only in our Consciences c. As theÌ„ the foundation was false so is this fabrique which is raised on it For the most rigid Covenanters know that many thowsand Protestants were made to put their hands to the Covenant whose hearts were far from it and when they could shew both their hearts hands against it And they were so far from being moved without worldly respects that for these only they were induced to take the Covenant and so soone as these failed they abandoned it By all which it is evident that this Covenant which containes so many grosse lies and Calumnies against very sense and experience cannot be the Covenant of God who Loves truth and hates lies SECTION II. That the Covenant is not a Confession but a Denyal of the Faith THE Covenant carieth this Title in print The National Covenant or Confession of Faith c. But it appeared very soon to vs not to deserve that Title but rather that it ought to be called a Confossion or Denyal of the faith which it deny's not simply but with many horrible execrations and blasphemies All heresies are of a Malignant Nature consisting in denyal of some points of the Catholique faith But there are some which deny fewer and others more points of it In the primitive times some heresies were cast out of the Church for one word only against the faith But the Covenant and Presbyterian religion deny almost al the points of the Catholique faith For they run through heaven earth the Church Triumphant and Militant they leave neither God nor man the Angels nor the Saints the living nor the dead vntouched but they rob every one