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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33770	Theophilus and Philodoxus, or, Several conferences between two friends the one a true son of the Church of England, the other faln off to the Church of Rome, concerning 1. praier in an unknown tongue, 2. the half communion, 3. the worshipping of images, 4. the invocation of saints / by Gilbert Coles.	Coles, Gilbert, 1617-1676.	1674 (1674)	Wing C5085; ESTC R27900	233,018	224

Determinations from thence in a Portmantle The Bishops and Fathers of the Council were acted more by Reasons of State and Principles of Policy then of Piety and consulted the Pope and the Conclave at Rome more then the Holy Scripture and the Fathers of the Church And withal you have no reason to urge us of England with the Autority of the Trent Council when none of our Bishops were there except only one fugitive And as I take it our Potent Neighbors of France have not yet accepted that Council and withal the Council is of too late an Edition to bear up its Autority against the consent and practice of so many Ages of the Church And therefore being now grown weary of the Controversie be pleas'd to answer this Question and we will conclude Why doth the Church persist so stifly to maintain the Communion in one kind against so many advantages we have shew'd and you must acknowledg on the other side especially seeing in the Council of Trent it was so much desir'd by the Emperor Charles the Fifth and by the Princes and People of Germany well affected so to make up the breach and keep many from falling away from the Church of Rome that the Council of Trent would allow the Communion in both kinds yet we find it was not granted but referr'd wholly to the Popes determination who never had leisure to take his infallible Chair and determine that Controversie Phil. To speak freely The Fathers of that Council and the Pope with his Cardinals at Rome in their Wisdom did well perceive that such as moved for the Communion in both kinds were dis-affected to the Church and made this a specious bait to catch the People They saw their Concessions in this plausible case would but make way for many complaints more and grievances to be redress'd You know not long before the Germans publish'd in Print their first a Centum gravamina Century of Grievances every Article being as a Libel against the Church Hereupon they thought it the wisest course to justifie the former Councils and stand upon their Autority and require subjection from the true Sons of the Church and as for Heretics and Schismatics either to subdue them by subtlety and force or else to slight them Theoph. This Observation of yours confirms many Passages we read of Bishops b Joannes Baptistà Hosius Episcopus Rbeatinus Lib. 4. Gonc Trid. Sess 2. Ecclesia nunquam consueverit vel minimum indulg heriticis c. in that Council giving their Vote upon the Question who mightily oppos'd the allowance of the Cup and urg'd That the Church was never observed to give the least Indulgence unto Heretics but to establish that which was diametrically opposite to their Positions c Andreas Cu●sta Episcopus Legionensis Another Bishop seconds this Opinion with the Example of the first General Council of Nice wherein those 318. Holy Fathers would not yield one tittle to the Arrians altho Constantine desired moderation and the Controversie had well nigh set in a flame the whole World d A verbis commoda interpretatione molliendis ex composito abstinuerunt Nay saith he they studiously rejected many Words and Expressions of the Arrians which were capable of a convenient Interpretation And thus you see with what intolerable Impudence they accounted their Christian Brethren as Heretics for following the plain Institution of Christ The Arrians found no favor in the Council of Nice from those Orthodox and Godly Fathers nor the least degree of complyance neither must the Protestants in Germany from the Council of Trent But there was somthing more in the Wind that hindred the Reformation of the See of Rome namely this That if upon the complaint of Nations and People the Pope should reform abuses especially such as had been Decreed in Councils It would be a tacite acknowledgment that the Church of Rome had solemnly erred in making such unjustifiable Decrees and so the jealous People would begin to suspect and examine all her Determinations and be easily perswaded by their Schismatical Guides that in many things the Church had miscarried and Bills of exceptions and complaint would be put up one after another as the interest and malice of her Adversaries should contrive them and therefore the safest way was ever found for the Church of Rome to stand upon her Justification against the clamors of the whole World and to put Princes in mind of their Obedience to the Church and the Obligation that lies upon them by force of Arms to subdue their contumacious Subject's and make them submit unto Rules and Disciplines of the Churches This was the sum of that smart Council which Cardinal Soderine gave unto Pope Adrian when the good old Man was much perplex'd with the Complaints and Demands of the German Princes and their People against the corruptions chiefly of the Court of Rome His Piety and Simpllcity and good Nature being not well vers'd in the Politics of Rome promted him to endeavor satisfaction and reform all such Abuses as might give just occasion of offence and grievance to their Adversaries About this great Work of Reforming he consults the Conclave and the necessity of the Times and the public Scandal of Abuses induc'd many of the Cardinals to advise a Reformation of many things which were in question But at last the subtle and experienc'd Cardinal Soderinus who had been vers'd in the Affairs of Christendom under three active Po●ds Alexander and Julius and Leo the 10 th turns the Scale of their Votes and absolutly disswades any appearance or attemt of a Reformation He rolls them That ne●er any Pope with his Cardinals before thought that a co●●enient way but rather by the Interest of Princes and the power of the Sword to suppress and extirpate unquiet and schismatical Spirits That no Pope cut off Heresies by a Reformation a Sed cruciatis quas vocant excitatis contra 〈◊〉 Princibus Populis Crucis simbolo in signitis but by the ●rucrats as they are call'd the Princes and People being stirr'd up against them wearing the badge of the Cross upon their Coat of Arms. Phil. I must confess Experience hath found this way the surest for so Pope Innocent the 3 d supprest the Albigenses in France and Charles the fifth the German Protestant Princes Theoph. But thro the Providence of God you find the Lutherans are yet alive in Germany and several Princes together with their Subjects reform'd themselves in spight of all opposition protesting against those Errors which the Church of Rome intends to justifie only by the Sword and by the Inquisition and the lower you draw your Observation the more success you will find God hath given unto many Kingdoms and People against the Tyranny and Innovations of Rome Phil. The Judgments of God are a great deep and you may not enter into his Secrets and judg of Truths by the Success Theoph. No my design only was to confute

of Heaven the Throne of God and Gate of Paradise hear the praiers of the poor and despise not the sighs of the miserable Let our groans and our desires be brought by thee into the sight of our Redeemer which by our misdeservings are cast out f Dele peccata relaxa facinera erige lapsos solve compeditos Blot out our transgressions release our sins raise the faln and loose such as are bound Let the branches of vices be cut off and the flowers of vertue planted g Placa precibus Judicem quem puerp genuisti Redemt c. Appease the Judg by thy praiers whom thou hast brought forth a Redeemer That as by thee he was made partaker of the humane nature so by thee he may make us partakers of the Divine Nature One passage more neer the close of the service I will produce The Catholic Church celebrates the holy memory of Mary Mother of God who stands in need for her salutary help without ceasing h Quoniam reverent quae Matri exhibetur Christo dofertur ideo totis desideriis c. Vt Matrem sentiamus piissimam et felium ejus Judicemisereniss And because the reverence towards the Mother redounds to Christ therefore with all the desire of our hert we will insist on her praises that the Mother may be favorable to us and the Son a serene Judg. Phil. You see most of these passages do proceed upon her praiers and intercession that she would interpose for us and present our supplications and sighs unto our Redeemer Theoph. But you shut your eies and not observe these absolute petitions which are put up to her and where any reference is made to Christ even there it much derogates from his mediation and intercession because it represents Christ as a Judg by her praiers and mediation to be appeas'd the blessed Virgin becoming our Intercessor unto Christ And so by the stamp of public Authority you see these extravagancies confirm'd which above you would not justify as being the fancies as you call'd them of private persons Now in confutation of such blasphemies the Holy Scriptures shew Christ to be our Advocate until the day of judgment not a juige A merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God Hebr. 2. 17. Hebr. 4. 15. 16. For we have not High Priest which cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities but was in all points temted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly saith the Apostle unto the Throne of grace that we may obtain mercy It is the design of Holy Scripture to make poor sinners come with confidence and comfort to Christ and to the Father It is the designe of your Church to discourage them with a sense of their unworthiness and to teach them to look upon Christ as a severe Judge that so they may fly to the Virgin Mother and to the Saints to be their Mediators and Intercessors Nothing is more opposite to the Covenant of Grace to the Love of God towards such as are reconcil'd in Christ to the tender compassion of our blessed Saviour and to the gracious promises and Invitations of the Gospel And upon this account I may pronounce your Doctrine of the Saints Invocation and Intercession to be a damnable doctrine destructive to the Souls of men Phil. Satis pro imperio Doubtless you think your self as infallible as we the Pope and you design to put Christs Vicar besides the Chair to place your self therein and magisterially declare against the doctrines of our Church Theoph. If our Declarations like the Pope's many times be against the Tenor of Holy Scriptures regard them not but if the word of God condems your practise that which your Church teacheth in her public Offices Wo unto them by whom offences come I have follow'd your prescription and have kept close to such instances as are approv'd among you by Councils and Popes and Missals of your Church and when you cannot refute the objection you scoff at the opponent But because this Conference hath bin spun out into a great length I will favor you and my self with the omission of many things and give you only one Instance more out of the same Ordinary and Missal according to the use of the Church of Sarum In the Office of S. Thomas the Martyr as you call him Archibishop of Canterbury Chancellor of England He was indeed a Martyr for the Pope standing so highly for his Authority in the justification of Appeals to Rome and not submitting the Clergy to the Laws of the Realm that he betrai'd his Native Cuntry to a sorreign Jurisdiction and became a rebel to the King and Kingdom Hereupon he was banish'd divers years and by the interest of his great Patron the Pope in neigboring Princes he created great vexation trouble unto his lawfull Prince King Henry the II d. After 7. years a reconciliation was made by the mediation of the Pope and other Princes between the King and him and he return'd into England the King abiding in his Territories in France Upon his return by the Popes Bull he Excommunicates the Arch-Bishop of York and those other Bishops who in his Banishment officiated in the Coronation of the Kings son Henry according to his Fathers command alleading that the priviledg of Coronation of Kings of England belong'd to him as Arch-Bishop of Canterbury This and other insolencies being soon related to King Henry in France he spake passionately against the proud Prelate and immediately four Commanders in his Camp went over into England entred the Bishops Palice and purfu'd him into the Chappel and there Inhumanly and Sacrilegiously murder'd him a See Gulielmus Nubrigenses his Hist. of England l. 2. c. 16. p. 25. c. Hereupon by the Pope he was Canoniz'd for a glorious Saint and Martyr and an b Baro. Martyr Rom. in 29. Decembris Annual feast was Instituted afterwards in memory of his Martyrdom upon the 29 th of December a solemn office and service there is appointed for the day as we find it in the missal wherein the Account is given that the first Solemnity of his Translation was kept in the Cathedral of Canterbury Henry the third being present and the Popes Legat Pandulphus the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury all the Prelates and Nobles in the Year 1220 Fifty Years after his Passion and that the Martyr Thomas of Becket honor'd his Translation with many Miracles c Caecis ad visum surdis ad Audit c. Restoring sight to the Blind Hearing to the Deaf Speech to the Dumb and Life to the Dead In the Office we have these Praiers O Jesus Christ by the Merits of Thomas Forgive us our Trespasses Again d T is per Thomae sanguin c. By the blood of Thomas shed upon thy score make us to follow where he 's gon before Another Petition there is to the Martyr himself in that Office e O Thomas give us help Strengthen those

Theophilus and Philodoxus OR SEVERAL CONFERENCES BETWEEN TWO FRIENDS The one A true Son of the Church of England The other Faln off to the Church of Rome Concerning 1. Praier in an unknown Tongue 2. The Half Communion 3. The Worshipping of Images 4. The Invocation of Saints By GILBERT COLES D. D. Fellow of Winchester College At the THEATER in Oxford MDCLXXIV Imprimatur RA. BATHVRST Vice-Cancel OXON Julii 10. 1674. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD GEORGE Lord Bishop of WINCHESTER Right Reuerend and my very good Lord I Am bold to entitle these First-fruits unto your Lordships Favor and Protection as being conscious how much they need it to shield them from this Censorious Age wherein impotent Men who ought to learn and become Disciples and reap the Fruits of others Labors usurp the Chair and sit as Judges most severely to censure and condemn A Generation furnish'd only with Principles destructive to pull down and not to edifie to except against what is Written and superciliously smile at the Authors folly as they have concluded whil'st they are wise in their own Conceits and secure themselves from public Censure by doing nothing that would become a public Spirit thro detestable Ignorance or Idleness betraying the Truth unto their Industrious Adversaries yielding up a Righteous Cause to the Lusts of Men for want of Zeal or Courage to defend it Now we must needs acknowledg your Lordships great Example and Encouragement hath not bin wanting to the contrary Your Clergy of this Diocess might have learn'd from you to Preach and Speak boldly in the Defence of Truth to reason with and convince Gain-sayers And for mine own particular having had the favour somtimes to stand before you and hear your familiar Communications in great humility and condescention with such as were far inferior and subject to you I declare That from your Lordships occasional Intimation and Discourse I took the Cue and Invitation to write in the Defence of the Church of England against her Adversaries of Rome having reason to distrust my self in so great an Undertaking I was confident to commit these poor Endeavors unto your Censure and lo thro your Tenderness and Indulgence they are improv'd into a favorable acceptance and Approbation Whereupon I am encouraged to present them unto public view and humbly beg They may pass into the World under the Wing of your Autority and Veneration and then no doubt the malevolent will be sober That Almighty God would lengthen your date of Life to rule his Church and do much good in an evil Generation and finally Crown your Piety with Immortality and Glory is the Praier of Your Lordships Most humble and obedient Servant Gilbert Coles THE PREFACE To the READER I Make no other Apology Christian Reader for my committing these Papers to the Press but this The Love of Truth constreined me and a just indignation against those Emissaries of Rome who lately swarm'd among us and have not yet we fear taken their slight notwithstanding the Law hath banish'd them But the Laws of Princes oblige not them against the Mission of their Superiors hither they will come and here they will abide compassing Sea and Land to make Proselytes They flatter themselves or at least the simple with expectation of great Success of their Labors Observing our sad Divisions and great Corruptions they find good Fishing in Troubled Waters and conclude The general Debauchery of Mens lives will dispose them to entertain a Religion suited to their Vitious Inclinations wherein they may have Indulgencies and Pardons and perfect Absolution upon easie terms They well know That only our Sins can bring such a Judgment upon this Island which God avert as to let in Popery and as they see our Iniquities abound so their Hopes and Confidences improve to make us corrupt in our Religion as in our Lives But we hope better things from a Gracious God and Invincible Truth That the Church of England shall stand against all Vnderminers at home and abroad Only let such as love the Lord hate evil and let the Truths of God be more pretious in our Eyes then to be Sacrificed unto the Lusts of Men. And when we shall observe such Industrious Designs set on foot to bring in Errors Good God! How earnestly should we contend to keep them out Formerly we had Stout and Learned Champions of the Reformed Religion who put our Adversaries well-nigh to silence by the advantage of their Cause their indefatigable Industry and Piety But however it comes to pass the Scene is alter'd The Envious one sows his Tares and few appear to weed them out the Truths of God are contradicted and we are filent Since a Puritan Faction made the Schism disturbing the Peace of Church and State approving themselves better skil'd at their Weapons then their Arguments instead of Writing against their Adversaries Fighting against their Friends Since the Venerable Fathers of our Church were driven from their Habitations bereft of their Libraries and of their Lively-hoods forc'd to seek for succors many of them in Foreign Parts Since the Presbyterian and Independent Chaplains had learn'd the Merchandize of Plundred Books selling whole Libraries upon easie terms unto Popish Factors Since our Universities were Garrison'd and Reform'd All the Fellows and Students of Colleges thrust out to seek their Fortunes a Generation of Seekers and puny Discipies succeeding I say since the year 1642. there hath bin a sad long Vacation in England from studious Reading and Writing of Books and thereout our Adversaries of Rome have suck'd no small advantage They are bold in Challenges and Disputes and Controversial Pamphlets whereunto the true Sons of the Church of England could not rejoin for want of necessaries and Books the Presbyterians for want of Learning Since His Majesties miraculous and happy Return The Church hath had time to breath and all things move in their own Sphere But Learning and Judgment come not in per saltum the Intercision of twnety Years is sadly sensible and to be lamented Our old Divines thro desuetude and the infirmities of Age are indispos'd to enter into the List of Controversies our yong Divines are unfurnish'd with Materials Thirteen Years since His Majesty warm'd the drooping Genius of this Nation with his nearer Influence and Protection being too short a term for men to traverse the Cycle of the Arts and Sciences to revolve the Learned Volumes of the Fathers to be vers'd in the Councils and Histories of the Church and to wind themselves out of the Labyrinth of the Schools And there are very few of the middle sort For when the Glory of the Land was departed and the Virgin Daughter of Sion did sit in the dust our military Schismatics committed an horrible Rape upon Religion and Learning all things were prostituted to their Interests and Lusts our new model'd Universities studied nothing but Politics and Pamphlets compendious Systems of New Philosophy and Divinity so that the Institution of two

or three Years was more then sufficient to qualifie them for the Pulpit and the Press and to vent their extemporary Notions to a deluded People The chief point of their Wisdom appear'd in the choice of such Pygmies as themselves to sight with The Presbyterian Learning was of a just size to match Enthusiasts and Phanarics A Generation hatch'd under their wing and when they were fledg they serv'd to peck out the Eyes of their Dam and make Past-time to the Spectators with their Puppet like Contentions and Disputes But our Adversaries of Rome were too strong for them to wrestle with or rather indeed they were their Friends affording them Principles to justifie Rebellion and Politics to carry on their Design against the common Enemy The genuine Sons of the Church of England Nay unto this day with grief we speak it they both appear to shake hands and set their shoulders on both sides with all their might to unhinge our Settlement and Security From this sad Prospect you may take the Measures of our Disadvantage Insomuch that if one of a thousand against the Genius of the Times did bend his Studies to search after Truth in the Records of Antiquity to read the Primitive Fathers of the Church and furnish himself with Arguments against Romes Innovations upon his first Adventure to appear in public he is beset with numerous Adversaries and Opponents Some Writing against his Book and more against his Person They take their several Parts as their Genius leads them either unto Contumely or Sophistry despairing to give satisfaction to his Arguments they will wound his Reputation and vex his Righteous Soul entangle the Discourse with Subtleties and Fallacies that so the Reader may be at a loss in such Mists which they have cast about him Now it is great pity they should have such leisure to send forth Legions against single Persons were all of my mind we would carve out more work for them Relying upon Divine Assistance and the merits of the Cause let us not fear their numbers but examin their pretensions and we shall have encouragement enough to enter into the Lists For Error is weak and indefensible Let us therefore follow the steps of our Fore-fathers who have brought their deceitful Wares to the Light and weighed their Motives in the Ballance and lo they were as inconsiderable as the dust upon the Ballance They decline very much the Holy Scriptures because they appear against them They brag of Antiquity but in those things wherein we differ fall very short of that account They build upon the Rock of their Churches Infallibility but when we manifest their Errors in many Particulars it will be an accumulative Demonstration against that Fundamental Article Now this is the Design in General of this Conference to bring the Innovations of the Church of Rome unto the Test of Holy Scritpure and of Venerable Antiquity and when the Reader shall find her so much to swerve from the Infallible Rule we will leave him to judg of her Infallible Spirit I have taken Bellarmins Motives principally into consideration because he is esteemed a Pillar and doubtless speaks the sence of his Church as fully as any others and he had a Cardinals Cap for the reward of his Polemics And here I call the great Searcher of Hearts to witness that I have not hitherto neither hereafter will concele from the Reader any Argument which the Cardinal brings either in his own Defence or in opposition to his Adversaries which I judg material for I will not prevarieate in the Cause of God One Word more Gentle Reader touching the form of this Discourse by way of Conference and Dialogue Designing by Gods help to profit my Country-men and keep their feet out of the Snare to write for the benefit of the Vulgar rather then of the Learned who can help themselves I have made choice of this familiar way to insinuate Truths and to invite and recompence the Readers patience with the Pleasure and Divertisement of these Interloculories And so I leave thee by the Blessing of God to reap the Fruit of my Labors G. C. Theophilus and Philodoxus OR A CONFERENCE Between two FRIENDS and NEIGHBORS One A true Son of the Church of England The other Faln off to the Church of Rome Theoph. SIR You have of late declin'd that familiarity we have formerly maintain'd as Friends and Neighbors and I now give you the trouble of this visit to understand the reason Phil. Not for want of good will and affection worthy Theophilus have I sequester'd my self from the sweetness and advantage of your Society nothing less I do assure you then the greatest concern in this World hath for a time confin'd me to my most reserv'd and serious Thoughts and Studies making me neglect the due Ceremonies of Friendship whil'st I have been in pursuit after the Vnum necessarium the only true Religion and way of Gods Worship Theoph Dear Sir You have in few words given full security to my fears lest some discontent had made you a Stranger but now I will easily grant that all other circumstances and business must give place unto the care of Religion Are you therefore now at leisure to give your Friend an account of the success Religious Conferences are more becoming and suitable to our Christian Profession then the accustomed emtiness and vanity of our Communications Phil. Your goodness Theophilus hath given the opportunity which my heart desired to declare what the Lord hath done for my Soul in bringing back the straid Sheep to his Fold and opening to me a door of entrance into the true Church out of which there is no salvation and against which the gates of Hell cannot prevail Theoph. Be pleas'd to be more particular and express that I may understand you Phil. With a very good will I have been long wavering and unsetled and in the studious search of Truth and now I have found the Jewel the wandring Star is fix'd in its proper Sphere and I am become a Convert to the Roman Catholic Church Theoph. It seems by your acknowledgment the Church of Rome is the proper Sphere for wandring Stars for such as waver in the Faith And herein I approve your Judgment for I ever thought it impossible that the thoughts of reasonable Men could be setled on that foundation which Rome hath laid or find any satisfaction in those Arguments which her great Champions do produce to confirm those Points wherein we differ from her Phil. The prejudice Theophilus of your Education is great and doubtless you have not sufficiently consulted your Adversaries as you esteem them otherwise they would have given you sufficient Reasons of their Doctrine and Practice and remov'd the Scruples and Objections you have entertain'd against them Theoph. The holy Scriptures in this case are the best Oracles to be consulted and withal our Learned Writers appear to manifest the full consent of Antiquity Fathers and Councils within the first 600 Years