that hee himselfe can by name say that we admit him So it seems wee had no great depth in hiding the name of Saint Iames which our Authour as shallow as his pen runs did so easily find But I confesse I am sorry both for him and my selfe for him that hee is troubled with working such Cob webs and for my selfe that I have the labour of sweeping them away Yet will hee needs goe on in such industrious vanities But abstracting from all these insincerities wherewith that booke of Articles is full fraught they doe not so much as say that the Articles of Doctrine which they deliver are fundamentall either all or halfe or any one thereof or that they are necessarily to be beleeved by them or the contrary damnable if it be beleeved by us But they are glad to walk in a cloud for the reasons which have been already toucht Our Author commends the booke of Articles while he calls the Insincerities of it These Insincerities that is these which before have been shewed to be invisible and no Insincerities Insincerities only in the eye of the Author which did cast the shape of them on the booke when he read it But saith he They shew not which are fundamentall and which are not Neither did they ever promise you that they would do so The fundamentalls are said to be there but no man said for ought I know that there it was shewed which are fundamentalls and which are not Your selves hold points of importance which are more fundamentall and to bee explicitely knowne and doth every Romish Councell tell you which are these points and which are not And if it doth not why doe you demand it of our Church in her Synod more then of your own Or if you can excuse your own why doe you quarrell with ours It was not the intended much lesse promised businesse of our Church there to distinguish fundamentalls from superedifications but to set downe both fundamentalls and superedifications And these being taught to her children the Spirit of Christ the foundation will discover the fundamentalls to his members and thereby settle them on Christ and further build them up by the superedifications according to their appointed measure And I have before shewed how our fundamentalls may bee discerned though I may say somewhat like to that of our Saviour to the Jewes Why of your selves discern ye not that which is right and rightly fundamentall For if you know how to find out these grounds of Christianity which must bee explicitely knowne which your selves acknowledge to be more fundamentall you may easily find out our fundamentalls so that all this is but an empty out-cry to affright the Reader with noise without reason thus to call for a designment of fundamentalls where none was undertaken and where in like case your selves do it not and to quarrell with fundamentalls which your self and yours do acknowledge Yet when Romists have agreed of the set number themselves let them send to us their Catalogue defined by a Synod and it may be we may deale with them upon exchange The Cavalier goes on Master Rogers indeed in the Analysis which hee makes of those nine and thirty Articles speakes loud enough by way of taxing the Doctrine of the Church of Rome as being contrary to that of the Church of England and hee gives it 〈◊〉 many ill names as his impure spirit can devise and affirmes among other things that many Papists and namely the Franciscans blush not to affirme that S. Francis is the holy Ghost and that Christ is the Saviour of men but one mother Jane is the Saviour of women a most execrable aspersion of Postellius the Iesuite with a great deale of such base trash as this And yet his Booke is declared to have beene perused and by the lawfull Authoritie of the Church of England permitted to be publick But yet even Master Rogers himselfe is not so valiant as to tell us in particular which point of their doctrine is fundamentall to salvation and which is not True it is that Master Rogers doth very clearely and audibly speake against and condemn divers errours of the Church of Rome as being not onely contrary to the doctrine of the Church of England but to the Word of God with which commonly he confronts the errours which hee brings forth to judgement And among them hee sheweth some errours of a high nature which make Saviours of Merits and Masses and Popish Pardons yea which carry the faith of the soule from God unto man the Pope and his Councels And for ought I see hee doth not give worse names then the purest and holiest Spirit gives to the Pope who calleth him the Man of sinne and sonne of perdition c. And the impurity which this Authour at his owne costs and upon his owne word layes on him Mr Rogers layes on Rome by proofes and allegations as in divers places so particularly in the nineteenth Article Propos. 7. whereof the Title is this That the Church of Rome most shamefully hath erred in life ceremonies and matters of faith But for that to which this Authours spirit gives the ill name of base trash it is brought in as the filth of his owne Associates and testified by other Writers and therefore the basenesse of it most justly should light on them that are the first Authours of it Neither is it strange amongst Papists to make creatures to share salvation with our Saviour the hymnes concerning the milke of the blessed Virgin the bloud of Thomas the vertue of the woodden Crosse singing it aloud in the ears of the world Filthinesse and basenesse most abominable and that deserves to bee swept out of the Church with detestation and to bee carried out as the Filthinesse out of the holy Place in the Reformation of Hezekiah And why in an equall judgement should not Master Rogers his Books much rather be permitted to bee publick for naming such filthinesse with detestation then Rome allowed to bee Catholick though using such filthinesse with practicall approbation Lastly The want of valour in Master Rogers to tell us which point of our doctrine is fundamentall and which is not I thinke is no just accusation because for ought I know hee did not undertake this as his businesse neither had any Romish Cavalier yet challenged him upon this quarrell SECT III. Wherein is discovered the vanity of his boasting That the Protestant Church is unlikely to define which are the fundamentall differences betwixt them and the Papists since they scarce dare avow any difference at all HEe goes on Much lesse is there any appearance that ever the Church of England should doe it since even now wee have seene that it dares not in divers points so much as declare in publick manner that it professes the expresse contrary of what wee held Nay wee are not likely to see the fundamentall points of faith whereof they talke so loud to bee avowed by so much as either
many whatsoever this Authour saith have not deprived themselves voluntarily of marriage but have taken it upon them as a yoke and burden which neither they nor their Predecessors were able to beare many sinking under it unto the very pit of Hell And let them labour with their wits and pennes so much as they can they will never by reason nor by the lives of their Priests disprove Christs truth That all men cannot receive it nor prove their owne untruth That all men can receive it And surely the Fornications Adulteries Murders and pollutions that have issued from this Law of Coelibate I doubt not cry aloud to heaven against Rome as once against Sodome for that sore to which it is condemned Hee adds further In like manner Saint Peter saith That Saint Paul in his Epistles had written certaine things which were hard to bee understood and which the unlearned and unstable did pervert to their destruction Saint Augustine declares upon this place that the places misunderstood concerned the doctrine of Iustification which some misconceived to bee by faith alone by occasion of what Saint Paul had writ to the Romanes and of purpose to countermine that errour hee saith that Saint James wrote his Epistle and proved therein that good works were absolutely necessary to the Act of Iustification Hereupon wee may observe two things the one That an errour in this point alone is by the judgement of Saint Peter to worke their destruction who imbrace it And the other That the Apostles Creede which speakes no one word thereof is no good Rule to let us know all the fundamentall points of faith To this I answer First That this Authour goes on still upon a false ground as if wee said that all errours in faith that may damne men were fundamentall and expressely against some Article of the Creede Whereas wee have often affirmed That any errour though not fundamentall may damne men that by a lively faith hold not rightly the fundamentals and so are without Christ. And it seemes that these men were not well grounded and founded by fundamentals in Christ Jesus whom Saint Peter calls unlearned and unstable and their errour the errour of the wicked A generation of vipers turne wholesome food into poyson and abuse Scriptures to their owne condemnation But secondly That faith doth not justifie but that good workes are absolutely necessarie to the Act of Iustification is most untrue and against Saint Augustine himselfe Untrue for a man is justified by faith in Christ and not by his owne merits which in your language are good workes as divers of your owne Authours affirme And a man in the instant of his Justification may dye before he hath had time to do good works and yet his Justification may be good And it is against Saint Austin even in the same place whence the former saying of Saint Peter is taken where you may find that commonly knowne sentence of his Opera sequuntur justificatum non praecedunt justificandum Good works follow justification and doe not goe before it So that whiles this Authour observes two things hee gives more then two scandalls to his Reader For first hee chargeth falsly not Saint Austin onely but Saint Iames with holding this errour That good workes were absolutely necessary to the act of justification And then secondly he will make him to say that the not holding of this errour is an errour which may worke their destruction that embrace it Yea thirdly that the Apostles Creed is no good rule to let us know all the fundamentall points of faith because it speakes no one word to teach us that the Cavaliers errour is a fundamentall point of faith Lastly his owne Doctors doe bring into their Explicites our faith in Christs passion resurrection for justification but not this his Article That good workes are absolutely necessary to the act of justification And if they doe not why doth hee require it of us in our fundamentalls SECT II. Wherein his Exceptions against the 39. Articles of Religion established in this Church are answered BUt having quarrelled in vaine with the Creed to prove the insufficiency of it for fundamentalls now hee comes to the Articles where he thus begins Others say that the Booke of the 39. Articles declares all the fundamentall points of Faith according to the Doctrine of the Church of England but this also is most absurdly affirmed For as it is true that they declare in some confused manner which yet indeed is extremely confused what the Church of England in most things beleeves so it is true that they are very carefull that they bee not too clearly understood And therefore in many Controversies whereof that Book speakes it comes not at all to the main difficulty of the question between them and us and especially in those of the Church and Free-will While the Authour speaks of a confused manner and which is extremely confused his words do returne upon himselfe and his owne discourse For that he may make his discourse confused it seemes hee makes use of this doubtfull word Declare For if wee say That the Booke of Articles declares our fundamentalls of faith wee doe not say it declares all the knots of questions which are between us and the Romists For it is well knowne there are divers controversies between us and the Romists which are not of fundamentalls And neither the Fathers in their rules of Faith neither Romists in their Explicites doe declare the knots of questions which may arise even concerning fundamentalls themselves if the fundamentalls be so expressed that their true and saving sense may bee received and beleeved by the working of that Spirit which makes Christs sheep to hear Christs voice They that thus beleeve shall bee saved though they know not all the knots which cunning and erring men doe make They that write rules of Faith Explicites and Fundamentalls doe not in the same undertake to write all knots of controversies which concerne them And the Cavalier doth not find them in his owne Doctors among their Explicites wherefore the answer which he makes for them let him take for us Secondly for his particulars of the Church and Free-will First for the Church Doth our Church hold that the visibility and inerrability of the Church are fundamentalls And if shee doe not how can this Authour accuse her for not shewing fundamentalls because she shewes not those points which she doth not hold to be fundamentall The Church is not the foundation of the Church but she her selfe is built on that onely foundation Christ Jesus And even your owne men are not agreed about making the Article of the Church one of the Explicites or at least agree not in declaring these points of controversies concerning her to be explicitely beleeved And for Free-will I might aske first Doth this Authour find in any of his Doctors this knot of Free-will for an Explicite But secondly Doth the Councell of
hate the seven thousand that doe not bow their knees to Baal though dispersed among seven millions of Idolaters wee may not hate Israel though in bondage under Pharaoh But to the true Israel even to the pure in heart and those who in Christ Jesus are new creatures and walke according to this rule peace the prayers of peace the true fruits of love doe belong the divine Apostle being herein our guide and example And while thus wee enjoy and imbrace this universall love with the universall body of Christ great is our safety for hereby wee know and may assure our hearts that wee belong to that universall body which alone loveth it selfe with this universall love That is the truly catholick Church which is indued with this catholick love that is a living Church which is a loving Church Our Church therefore imbracing and exercising this catholick love is a Church truly catholick and our Church being a Church of love is a Church of life Let therefore Cassander a Doctor of the Church of Rome conclude for us Qui rectâ sententiâ de Christo capiti injunguntur c. They that by a right beliefe concerning Christ are joyned to the head and by the hand of love and peace are joyned to the bodie of the Church howsoever they may differ in some opinions and rites are by no meanes to bee accounted Schismaticks or separated from the Church though they seeme rejected and excomunicated by some other part of the Church more mighty and possessing the Government CHAP. II. Wherein is declared that Rome wants this catholick love 1. By her separation from other Churches 2. By her hatred to Protestants manifested in the cruell persecutions and massacres practised against them in Popish countries and by the rebellions treasons open hostilitie stirred up against this Kingdome All which prove her to bee uncharitable and un-catholick IT hath been shewed that love and peace must bee catholick and universall that so they may be capable of a catholick and universall Church for as wide and as large as the Church is so large must the love of the Church be The body of Christ is the measure of this love and this love must bee no jot shorter then the body of Christ the body of Christ then extending to all Nations and so being a catholick body must be followed through all Nations with no lesse then a catholick love but love as much as it is short of loving this catholick body of Christ so much is it short of being a catholick love and so much it is indeed uncatholick Now the Romish Church which according to the Church of England is to be understood of the Pope and his adherents doth not make this body of Christ the measure of her love but the body of the Papacie not Christs Kingdome but the Popes Kingdome is the measure of Romish love As much then as the Popes Kingdome is short of the Kingdome of Christ so much is Rome short of a catholick love and so much is shee uncatholick Now wee know that the Kingdome of Christ spreads it selfe much farther then the Kingdome of the Pope yea Christ is known and beleeved where there is neither knowledge nor faith of the Pope Accordingly Cassander thinketh not onely the Westerne Churches of Protestants but the Easterne and Southerne also and by name the Russian Syrian AEthiopian and Armenian that beleeve the Apostles Creed and doe not by schisme divide themselves from the communion of other Churches to bee members of the true and catholick Church of Christ. And these parts of the Church are so great and large that a Countrey-man of ours in his diligent Inquiries gives this judgement of the Greek Church alone If wee should collect and put together all the Christian Regions hitherto intreated of which are all of the Greek Communion and compare them with the parts professing the Roman religion wee should finde the Greek farre to exceed if wee except the Roman new and forraine purchases made in the West and East Indies Now to these if wee shall add the Christians in Syria Cyprus Mesopotamia Babylon and Palestine which are by the least computation 50000. families and by the greatest 60000. And if againe we joine with these the Armenians who are under two Patriarchs of their owne whom they terme Catholickes and are esteemed to exercise jurisdictions over 70000. families And if yet further wee shall increase this number by those innumerable Christians of AEthiopia that are spread far and wide in the vaste Dominions of Prester Iohn And lastly if to these wee adde the no little number of Protestant Christians in the West wee may see that the Kingdome of the Pope is far short of the Kingdome of Christ and consequently that the love of Rome at least so much is short of catholick love But if wee leave those other famous and farre dispersed parts of Christs body whom Rome leaves without true catholick love and more particularly and punctually examine Romes want of love to Protestants whereof especially is our present inquirie all the paper in the world were scarce sufficient to containe the words that might be written for the proofe of it with the bloud of Protestants shed by the Romists So that the ancient parable of Iotham hath been fulfilled in our dayes If indeed yee annoynt mee King over you then come and put your trust in my shadow and if not let fire come out of the bramble and devoure the Cedars of Lebanon The fire and lightning of the Popes excommunications fly out against the denyers of his universall Kingdome and Supremacy and that fire is too often seconded with materiall fire For the maintenance of his pride Christians must bee hated spoyled and butchered of Christians There is a method of cruelty set forth against such who are Romes Hereticks and the true Churches Christians This wee finde thus summed up by Azorius the Jesuite 1. Excommunication 2. Irregularity 3. Confiscation of goods 4. Dissolving of all bands bee they oathes fealty service or any other covenant and promise 5. Deprivation of all dignities and honours 6. Losse of Ecclesiasticall buriall 7. Infamy 8. Uncapacitie of all dignities and offices Ecclesiasticall to themselves their favourers receivers and children to the second generation by the fathers side yea though the children were borne before the heresie 9. Losse of life And even Bellarmine himselfe whom learning which once had a name of emollit mores and seeming devotion should have made somewhat milder drinks deeply if not pleasantly in this cup of bloud and delivers it to his Disciples that they may pledge him Solum remedium est mittere illos maturè in locum suum The onely remedy is to send them betimes to their owne place which place though indeed it be heaven it seems yet the good Fathers charitable meaning was by a first death speedily to send Protestants to hell the place of the second
death But no wonder is it if this Father drank to his children in this red cup of cruelty when the Father of these Fathers being now ready to goe out of the world drank to his fatherly Sonnes very stiffely in the same cup of the bloud of the Saints For the Pope that hee might shew some contrariety to Christ for which some perchance may espie in him a likenesse of Antichrist when hee was to leave the world as Christ left peace so the Pope leaves war to his Disciples for at parting above all he bequeathes to his Cardinals a legacie of bloud commending to them chiefly the Inquisition as a maine Pillar of the Papacie And if this be the chief Pillar of the Papacy no doubt as the Pope was before contrary to Christ so is the Papacy or Popes Kingdome contrary to Christs Kingdome for Christs Kingdome did grow by the bloud of his owne subjects but the Popes Kingdome must grow by the bloud of them that will not bee subject to him yea by shedding the bloud of Christs subjects But yet wee see him deceived for the bloud of the Martyrs even now as in the Primitive times hath increased the Church and diminished the Papacie Yet still they goe on the divels malice herein overcomming his wit as it did when hee entred into Iudas to kill Christ that Christ by his death might overcome him that had the power of death even the divell And according to this Sathans method of cruelty wee reade of 50000. in a few yeeres hanged beheaded buried alive and burned in the Low-Countries and of 30000. slaine and butchered in a few weekes at and after the Massacre of Paris and of nine hundred thousand slaine since the originall of the Jesuites to the yeere 1580. which is little more then thirty yeers Generally Europe hath beene flaming with fires wherewith Romish charity hath turned Protestants into ashes many of which were burning in this Land some yeers before Queen Elisabeth whom God did send as a gracious raine to quench those fires and to refresh his Inheritance But when shee assayed to quench the Popes fires the Pope sends out his fires to devour her yea many vipers came out of that fire and would have stung her to death but that the hand of God did so shake them off for her from her that the fire which sent them forth became their destruction Declaramus saith the Pope praedictam Elisab eique adhaerentes in praedictis c. We declare that Elisabeth and her adherents in the matters aforesaid have run into the danger of our curse We declare also that we have deprived her from that right which shee pretended to have in the Kingdome aforesaid of England and also from all and every her authoritie dignitie and priviledge Wee chaâ—ge and forbid all and every the Nobles subjects and people and others aforesaid that they dare not to obey her or her will or commandements upon paine of like curse upon them After the bellowing of which Bull or blowing of which Trumpet by Sheba the son of Bichri many inspired with the spirit of the Papacy contrary to that spirit of Saint Peter which said Fear God Honour the King practised treason against Gods Annoynted and their Soveraigne Queene Yea open rebellions have been added by the Popes incitations and incouragements whereof that in the North is recorded to the Popes honour by the Popes owne Historian and others in Ireland we finde in our Stories to have been animated by his owne money souldiers and benediction And here I cannot but with griefe complaine that so learned a man as Doctor Sanders the cunning builder of the Babylonian Monarchie should be so bewitched with the cup of abomination as to bee the Popes Ensigne-bearer in an unnaturall rebellion against his naturall Soveraigne For with him came over a consecrated banner from his holinesse to a most unholy service And yet notwithstanding the Popes blessing the curse of God haunted that designe and the learned man that had abused his wit and learning lost the use of both and so being distracted and pitied and wandering in the mountaines lamentably dyed But the great Fleete of Eighty eight that should have swallowed up both the Queen and her Kingdome comes forth against both having her sails filled with the wind of the Popes Benedictions For the Pope sets forth in print a Cruciate as against Turks and Infidels wherein hee bestowed plenary Indulgences out of the Treasurie of the Church upon all that would joyne their helpe against England And against the Queene hee reneweth his former Buls hee denounceth excommunication hee deposeth her and absolveth her subjects from their allegeance But God curseth where the Pope blesseth and blesseth where hee curseth a most certain signe that the Pope is not of Gods minde yea not so good a Prophet as Balaam Not so good for Balaam said How can I curse where God hath not cursed and not so good a Prophet for of Balaam it was acknowledged Hee whom thou blessest is blessed and hee whom thou cursest is cursed But as the Author to the Hebrews saith of the faithfull and the great vertues of faith so may I say of the faithlesse and miserable effects and issues of their faithlesnesse What! What shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell at large of Stukely Savage Babington Parry and others who by treasons springing from the spirit of the Papacy have assayed to overthrow Kingdomes opened their mouthes like Lions upon Gods annointed have wrought unrighteousnesse and endeavoured by the violence of fire to destroy both King Peers and choice of the people For that master-piece of Satan the very wit of hell may never bee forgotten both as a perpetuall bond of thankfulnesse upon English Protestants for a miraculous deliverance and as an everlasting scandall and detestation of Popery seeing hellish Atheisme or Turcisme hath scarce brought forth such a monster of treason as the zeale of that which these Romists call by the name of Religion And now if wee looke stedfastly on the faces of these treasons rebellions invasions murders and massacres doe they looke like the faire children of charity or like the horrid broods and bastards of uncharitablenesse Charitie her selfe is a chiefe fruit of heavenly wisdome and the daughter is like the mother therefore is charity first pure then peaceable gentle easie to bee intreated full of mercy Behold the amiable and beautifull face of charity But on the contrary see in these Romish actions foulenesse and impurity wars and sedition cruelty and inhumanity A viperous generation that truely representeth and owneth uncharitablenesse for their mother uncharitablenesse a fury which ascendeth from below even from that infernall wisdome which is sensuall and divelish And surely since the actions are so manifest and so manifestly uncharitable how can Rome but by the forehead of an harlot say that shee loves us doth shee
charity that may bring forth to the eye such seeming good works And wee see such motives generally over-spread upon the face of the Romish Monarchy especially since wee see in Romists killing of brethren joyned with these works as in Cain fratricide was joyned with sacrifice how can we take the works of such to be other then the sacrifices of Cain And now to make it appeare that there are such motives in the Papacie I will present to your sight some of them And the first shall bee the glory reputation and support of the Papacy and that the Reader may the more clearely discerne this I wish him to get a spirituall eye therewith to behold her for the man of sinne is a mystery of iniquitie and mysteries are not well discerned by a carnall but a spirituall eye-sight Accordingly Saint Iohn when hee speakes of Antichrists going out of the Church hee tels us of an unction that must teach us to know him Now if by this spirituall unction we behold the Papacie wee may see it to be a mixt creature and a twofold Beast with the hornes of a Lambe and the mouth of a Dragon Hee sits like God in Gods Temple but worketh by Satan hee exerciseth a professed holinesse but therewith practiseth a deceivable unrighteousnesse There is a shew of Christian Religion yea and divers realities of Christianity within the limits of the Popes Tyranny but his own maine purpose in and by them is an aspiring to temporall honour and eminency yea this is his very character and by this you may know him for this converting or making use of some realities of Christianity for the advancement of temporall Eminence and Supremacie hath been a long time the businesse of the Papacy Now a State supported by the shew of Christian Religion may very well give way to many works of Christian Religion which helpe to make this shew especially those which besides the advancement of Rome in advancing her hornes of the Lambe or shew of Religion doe also immediatly advance her wealth strength and supremacie And if wee examine most of those works whereof this Author hath made a glittering Table they are such as by some one of these waies do increase the glory of the Papacie Now the Church of Rome being understood as before according to the words of the Church of England to bee the Pope and his adherents even the man of sinne sitting as God with the beleevers of his deitie These I say want charity to the Catholick Church and particularly to the Protestants notwithstanding any seeming workes of that remnant done within the command and extent of this Antichristian Church yea the workes of that remnant which truely belongs to the Church and Temple of God doe nothing prove the charitie of the Antichristian Church though they bee tolerated by it while they serve to advance her glory and supremacy for let those that work them but touch the in-errable supremacy deity of the Papacy the doers of these very works by which the Author will prove the charity of the Church of Rome shall feele and make up the proofe of her uncharitablenesse And indeed this is the very quarrell for which they kill and damne us because we complaine of the Popes errors and will not say that when the Pope erreth hee cannot erre Let us heare Cassander speaking to this purpose In those that will seeme to be the Governors and Protectors of the Church of Rome I condemne this that they will acknowledge no disease and which naturally followes thereupon they will admit no remedie yea those that speake to them of amendment that exhort them to be healed and that offer their help to effect it they not onely cast off aâ—d drive from the fellowship of the Church but also in many places have judged them miserably to be slain Which thing seems to have given the occasion of this wretched schisme Thus Rome may maintaine the shew of good works yea perchance some works truely good for her owne honour and glory while they serve and advance these ends and yet bee cruell and uncharitable not onely against Protestants but against those who doe these good workes within her owne territories when otherwise they crosse those ends for which she did tolerate them So the encouraging of such works in the Papacie may prove her ambitious but leave her still uncharitable cruell and malitious yea these works joyned with ambition and uncharitablenesse and pleaâ—ing for them by the shewes of charitie give her the true shape of the second part of Antichrist even of that beast which with the shew of the Lambe killeth Saints like the Dragon And herein lies the very cunning of Pope-craft and the mystery of iniquity by contraries to bring in and maintaine contraries by the shew of faith to perswade faithlesnesse and by the shew of charity to palliate uncharitablenesse and persecution And indeed I think the Serpent wonders at his owne wit in the Papacie and applauds it as the highest and most artificiall counterfeit of a creation because therein hee hath wrought and as it were created contraries out of contraries Out of a doctrine of deepest humility hee hath raised the highest pride and from a doctrine of contempt of the world hee hath raised a title to the whole world from a doctrine of patience long-suffering and perfect charity hee hath raised a catholick persecution tormenting the world with uncharitablenesse and cruelty And so by this kinde of infernall Alchimie which hee still continueth the seeming good works yea the true ones done by the remnant of Grace are digested to nourish and defend the sinnes and among them the uncharitablenesse of the man of Sinne. There is yet a second sort of works which passe for works of charitie but are indeed works of error for they issue from error and therefore not from charitie these are fained empty and hollow inventions or imaginations given by Rome to her children in stead of nourishing and solid gifts of true motherly piety so indeed they are rather works of Poetry then of Charity such are the Popes Jubiles and Indulgences especially those which are annexed to a cruciate like that sent into Ireland which stirred up subjects to rebell against their Soveraigne But in our Authors own Catalogue of Romes charitable workes I take notice of her giving things for Sacraments conferring grace which are none now when Rome giveth these to her children for Sacraments which are none shee giveth them not gifts of charity but of vanity yea of cruelty for a cruelty it is for a mother to feede her children with fictions in stead of Sacraments as when a father to his hungry soâ—â—e giveth a stone in stead of bread it doth rather prove the fathers hatred then his love There is also a third kinde of Romish works which looke like works of charitie but are not such indeed because they come not from a right spring nor ayme at a right
maintenance of foure Popish grounds First The perpetuall visibility of the Church of Rome Secondly The absolute authority of this Church in judging controversies Thirdly The Inerrability of this judgement Fourthly a Necessity of submission thereunto whereby their imaginary unity is produced I Might here bee at rest for this Chapter but that this Champion besides two impertinent places one of which speaks of unity of Affection and a second of the unity of Spirit in the bond of Peace brings forth a third even the often answered place of S. Matth. which hee perverts to divers ill uses whereof this imaginary Popish unity is one For hee assayes hereby to prove the Church to be the judge of controversies to prove her visibility to prove her inerrability and thereupon he thinkes presently should follow an unity First to remove the stumbling blocke of visibility for which the Author went out of his owne way that hee might lay it in ours I answer That this Text may teach what is to bee done where there is a Church as commonly there is where there is a Brother and a Brother but it doth not teach that there shall be a Church visible in all places and at all times But notwithstanding this text a Church may be visible sometimes in one Nation and somtimes in another according to the fruitfulnesse of the people and the just pleasure of God who sometimes removeth the Gospell and the Candlesticke from a Nation that bears no fruit to another that shall beare it And so wee see that there are no Churches now to be seene where there have beene famous Churches in times past Accordingly the Church may be visible in Greece in AEthiopia in Armenia yea in England though it be not visible in Rome and so the visibility thereof may bee true though there were no Rome and no Pope So that neither this nor any other text though they say the Church is visible yet they doe not say that Rome or the Pope shall still be the visible Church but contrarily the Scripture giveth us good hope that Rome shall be invisible yea it gives us great proofe that shee is now the Scarlet Lady that persecutes the Church and is now the Mother of abominations Secondly no Scripture doth say that in time of persecution or prevailing Heresie the Church shall there bee visible where this persecution drives it into corners that it may escape the fury of it by a kinde of invisibility And when the Arian heresie had covered the face of the Earth and the Roman Bishops or Pope had subscribed to it this Scripture doth not say that then the Pope or his Adhaerents were the visible Church nor that they shall be so when the Pope turnes Antichrist For the second point that the Church is the judge of controversies I could perchance say that there appeares very probable reasons why this text doth not speak of the Churches authority in judging of controversies of faith but of her authority in admonishing her children and requiring reconciliation satisfaction from one brother to another in evident wrongs even faults without controversie For the text saith If thy Brother sinne or trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault So that there is a sinne and a fault without controversie and such a fault that the offended Brother himselfe may first judge and tell him of it that hath offended And according to this beginning may bee the proceeding that is that the two witnesses and so the Church may be not to judge of the fault whether it bee a fault or no but to witnesse and condemne the contumacy of the party in denying satisfaction and reconciliation after an evident fault And when the offending Brother will not heare the Church thus admonishing perswading and injoyning him satisfaction and reconciliation then hee is to bee cast out of that Church which hee hath thus contumaciously disobeyed Agreeable to that of S. Paul If any man obey not our word have no company with him But be it that the Church be the judge of controversies this also may bee true in Russian AEthiopian and Protestant Churches And so the Church may judge controversies though there were no Pope and where the Pope hath no power Besides the Romists themselves differ concerning the meaning of the word Church So that while wee labour in this text to finde a Judge of controversies for reconciling them wee are left unreconciled by being at controversie about the Judge of controversies mentioned in this text For some say the multitude is this Church and they have for them the most usuall acception of the word Church in that sense through the new Testament And the current of the place seems to him that way according to proportion For first the offended Brother alone was to admonish his Brother and next with one or two witnesses and lastly hee was to be admonished by the congregation So it is a doctrine of degrees from one to two and from two to many And if it be thus then the Popes power of judging controversies hath no footing here But thirdly and so withall to include and resolve the question of inerrability If the Prelates be meant by the Church which Lorca saith is the most usuall opinion amongst Romists yet doth not this place say that Romish Prelates shall have still an unerring judgement in controversies especially any single Prelate as the Pope Againe it can hardly bee thought that when a Brother hath offended a Brother this text would have him presently to call a Councell or Synod of Prelates and so complaine to many Prelates at once and so to the Church But if it be his owne Prelate of whom hee must aske doth this place promise that no Prelate shall erre in judgeing of controversies it is well known that in the Jewish Church which was undeniably the true Church before Christ Priests did not judge controversies without errour Yea God Himselfe complaineth of the contrary when he saith The Priests lippes should preserve knowledge and they should seeke the Law out of his mouth for hee is the messenger of the Lord of Hostes But Ye are departed out of the way Yee have caused many to stumble at the law Yee have corrupted the Covenant of Levi. Accordingly wee finde in the Prophets a continuall out-cry upon the Priests for mis-leading the people yea the Priests are chiefe in false judgements and injuries of the true Prophets Accordingly Pashar both prophecied lies and did cast Ieremy into the stockes for prophecying truth yea the High Priest himselfe falsly judgeth Christ to have spoken blasphemy And S. Peter tells the High Priest and his associates that they were the builders that despised the Corner stone and crucified Christ. And thus wee see it plaine in the Scripture that the Priests and Prelates did erre even when our Author ascribes that inerrability to them by which hee would prove the inerrability of Rome yea we see farther that
the Man of sinne Secondly for that Idolatry which giveth divine worship to Images though it be an evill that hath too largely overspread the Romish dominions and the denyall of it in Spaine hath beene censured for heresie Yet there are divers of the Romish communion that have not thus bowed to Baal in so much that Papyrius Massonus thus writes in his Preface before Agobardus and of him Hee manifestly discovers the errors of the Greeks concerning Images and Pictures and denyeth that they ought to be worshipped which opinion all Catholicks doe approve So it seemes hee thought it a Catholick opinion not to worship Images and those not Catholicks which doe approve this worship And Pamelius dares tell the Pope himselfe That if the question bee proposed concerning the use of Images How they are forbidden in the Decalogue which is that they bee not worshipped Tertullian sheweth it in his Booke against Marcion and after in his Notes upon Tertullian's Apologetick Tertullian saith not that Christians did hate Statues and Images but that they did not worship them which certainly as the Fathers of the seventh Synode Damascen and Jonas doe often inculcate none of us ever attempted I meane not with the worship of latria which is due to God alone But though his speech be somewhat too large when hee excludeth all Romists from giving this worship as hereafter in another Chapter will more plainely appearâ— yet it is possible that this all might 〈…〉 lâ—â—arned ones wherewith hee 〈…〉 for I doubt the common 〈…〉 understood the distinction betweene doulia and latria yet thus it is likely wee may finde some at least of the Learned that are cleere also of this pestilence In this ranke also of Idolatry may bee mentioned the worship and adoration of the Sacrament which is likely to bee the more universall because it seemes back'd with a Councell which some thinke universall But indeede all doe not take it to be universall as the Author of the Examen Pacifique doth plainely shew And of this Idolatry wee may well beleeve that there are some free in the Romish Territories For wee finde that because without the Priests Intention Romists doe acknowledge that the Bread is still but Bread and withall that the worship of bread is abominable Idolatry It hâ—th been thought safest by some to direct all the Sacramentall worship to Christ Jesus sitting at the right hand of God where hee is sure to be found This is the doctrine of Vasques and I could name a Lady in England who professed so to worship Christ in the Sacrament and I hope shee is not without followers Another Romish Idolatry is turning merits into Saviours This we have seen is too common among the vulgar yet by some they are removed from this office and especially at the time of death for even persecuting Gardiner thought it good doctrine for them that were dying to put their whole trust in the merits of Christ. And Cardinall Bellarmine in his last will desires to bee crowned by God not as a Regarder of merits but as a Giver of mercy And Bernard Thomas de Kempis Cassander and Ferus who have many Readers and I hope herein some beleevers appeare sound in their Writings both from this and other Idolatries Briefly the catholick Apologie brings forth divers Authors of theirs that have taught their Readers Doctrine contrary to the mortall and damnable errors which wee complaine of for massacring soules in the Kingdome of the Pope So that though a pestilence hath generally over-run his Territories yet there are some healthy and living soules therein though there may bee millions that bowe unto their many Baals yet there may bee thousands that bow not unto them And though wee bee not of one Religion with the Idolaters yet with those that serve God in spirit and truth and keep themselves from Idols wee have one Religion in Essentialls and Fundamentalls and so both may be saved Let us conclude in the words of one of them upon the conclusion of S. Iohns Epistle and in him see what saving Religion is taught and I hope learned by some of them Babes keep your selves from Idols This Corollary S. John not unfitly nor without cause annexed to this Epistle For seeing he had taught that there is one onely God who hath manisted himselfe in his Sonne and hath taught us by him that the true worship of God consisteth in faith hope and love and in purity and sanctity of life hee doth now necessarily admonish us that we remaine in that faith and true worship of God and beware of all Idolatry So John in this whole Epistle would teach us two things That there is but one true God And one true Religion Iesus Christ with the Father and the Holy Ghost is that and one true God and Christian Religion is the onely true worship of God For this Religion gâ—veth all glory to God by Christ and by the same Christ bringeth to us life and salvation Behold that one Religion which we all so professe Yet for a caution to be annexed to the conclusion I thinke that true zeale and charity though they take such for living soules which are safe in fundamentalls yet they pity other grosse errours which make the soule sick though they kill not and a true lover of soules resembles the head both of soules and of love and desires to present unto God soules without spot and blemish And because they love them as on the one side they acknowledge the life that is in them so they desire to add growth to this life and to bring it onward toward perfection They doe not tell them that they are well enough because they live for that is rather to build their contentment on their owne safety then on the full pleasing and serving of their Saviour Therefore they call on them for the washing away of other errours which are blemishes in the eye of the Heavenly Bridegroome that thus the Bride being all glorious within may bee ready and prepared for the day of her gladnesse even her marriage in eternall and consummate felicity CHAP. IX Wherein divers objections are re-inforced against the Romists concerning those divisions amongst them which the Cavalier in vaine seekes to reconcile in his seventh Chapter SECT I. Wherein is shewed First that Protestants in submitting to the holy word and spirit of God have therein a true ground of unity actually in those things wherein they agree intentionally in other things wherein they differ Secondly that their Romish submission to the Pope though it produce a seeming unity in many points yet it leaves divers irreconcileable differences amongst them THe Cavalier in his last chapter hath rid on much out of his way and in this he rides apace and the faster the more out of the way He was out of his way when hee travelled to free Romists from want of charity by proving Protestants and Romists not to have one saving faith seeing Protestants
have indeed the divine gift of Love and thereby love God as a Father that hath already so merited of them all that they are and have that his merit is to them a most sufficient motive to serve him heartily even with all that might and being which they have received from him Accordingly the man according to Gods owne heart calls upon all mankinde for their service as due to God for making them Come let us kneele and worship before God our Maker Againe the love of God in redeeming us hath deserved all our love and service and accordingly the Apostle rap'd into the third heaven saith The love of Christ constraineth us and why doth it constraine because wee thus judge that if Christ dyed for us wee should live to him Gods merits in creating and redeeming us are strong motives to serve him though wee cannot merit of him though Gods merit is so great that it hath swallowed up all our merits we are therefore to serve him not the lesse but the more the more hee hath deserved beyond our requitall A good Sonne would serve and obey this heavenly Father for that which hee hath done though hee gave him nothing hereafter And surely if there were not such an affection even in humanitie how should thee sonne of a poore father ever doe him service But yet wee doe not stop here because the bounty of our heavenly Father doth not stop but enlargeth it selfe further for though God hath already deserved of us all that we can doe so that all that wee can doe were but our dutie yet hee goes on and promiseth to give rewards even for doing our duty And doth not this reward move us as much being given by free promise as if it were gotten by the workers merit yea much more in a noble worker For such a one will reason thus My heavenly Father freely gives mee infinite rewards even an excessively exceeding weight of glory for small and moment any passions and actions hee gives mee that which hee is not bound to give hee gives that which I can never deserve and shall I not couragiously and affectionately serve him who is so freely gracious and bountifull to mee far beyond my deserts But indeed much rather and that contrary to Romish Divinity out of a right consideration of Gods great rewards and our great unworthinesse wee being if Iacob say true lesse then the least of Gods mercies wee may truely affirme That we can have no courage to good workes if wee will not worke without a true confidence of Merits For if Gods rewards be beyond all merits as it needes must bee since hee himselfe whom all that we have and are cannot merit is our exceeding great reward how should there bee good works raised from the confidence in that merit which is not And though there be an excellency in the grace of the Spirit by which wee worke yet even that grace is a free loane and wee are debters to God for it and how can wee merit of him by growing in debt unto him especially because the money wherewith we should pay those debts is of a baser Alloy by the mixture of our corruption then that which wee received and whereby wee became debtors And wee cannot pay debts much lesse become meriters by paying ten borrowed Talents of pure gold with ten Talents of the metall of Nebuchadnezzars Image Therefore the Saints trust perfectly in the grace of God and not in their merits and from that grace as from a boundlesse and bottomelesse Ocean fetch most sufficient motives of good works While they have grace that enables them to worke and grace that forgives the imperfection of their workes and grace that rewards whatsoever goodnesse is in their workes yea even the will for the deede they are mightily encouraged to continue in good workes knowing that Their labour thus is not in vaine in the Lord. And herein their hearts agree with the heart of him that rewardeth them For his eyes are on them that feare him and trust in his mercie They feare God and by good workes keepe his Commandements but they trust not in the merits of their workes but in Gods mercy And in such God takes delight and loves to behold them and if God love to behold them hee will also bring them to behold him in a beatificall vision SECT II. Wherein are contained these two Tenets 1. That the best workes of Gods children are mixed with some sinne 2. That no man doth or will perfectly fulfill the whole Law And yet contrary to the Cavaliers lame Inferences there are encouragements sufficient to good works and to use our best endeavours toward the fulfilling of the Law BUt that which followeth next requires a patient Reader For if the Articles of the Church of England bee but compared with this Authours words I doubt the Reader will feele some need of patience The Authours words are these And what cause can they assigne why men should abstain from sin when they teach them that the best workes which are performed by the greatest Saints in the world are no better then sinnes and they in their owne nature mortall The Articles words are these Albeit that works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sinnes and endure the severity of Gods judgement yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ. And the like approbation of good works by the Church of Scotland and forraine Churches of Protestants is to bee seene in the harmonie of Confessions Wherefore I should offend my Reader to say much against this which appeares so plainely to be a scandall even one of those coales of Iuniper which comes from devouring tongues and I wonder it had not burned the tongue or the conscience of the speaker Briefly wee hold that a good tree made good by Regeneration and ingrafted by faith into Christ Jesus bringeth forth good fruit even this fruit of good works and these works as much as they come from the sappe of the roote of Christ Jesus and partake of his fatnesse so much are they good but as much as they partake of us and our remnant of corruption so much are they faulty This faultinesse hath need of mercy and receiveth it through Christ into whom wee are ingrafted but this being removed by Christ the goodnesse which the worke hath from Christ shall eternally bee rewarded And this reward is a very good motive to good works unto all those who with Moses have an eye of faith where with truely to see the recompence of the reward Hee goes on and askes When they teach men that the Commandements of God are not possibly to bee kept by any man even with the helpe of Divine grace what reason can they have either to exhort men to keepe Gods Commandements or to reprove them for infringing the same The Cavalier is here troubled and troubles us with an old
c. Aq. 22. q. 2. A. 5. See more hereafter in the diversitie oâ— Explicites b The Priest T.W. as I finde him alledged by B. White in his Orthodoxe Page 134. And the Priest Master Smith askes Mr. Walker whether the Church of England may erre in points fundamentall and the Councell of Trent Sess. 3. cals the Creed Fundamentum firmum unicum c De praescript cap. 14. Certè aut non obstrepant aut quiescant adversus Regulam Nihil ultra scire omnia scire est d Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 19. Cum teneamus Regulam veritatis id est Quia sit unus Deus omnipotens c. e In his verè completur Prophetia qua dicitur verbum consummans brevians in AEquitate Istud indicium posuerunt per quod agnosceretur is qui Christum verè secundum Apostolicas Regulas praedicaret Ruffin in Symbolum Sigillum integrum id est Symbolum Catholicum Optat. lib. 2. adversus Pa. Symbolum est breviter complexa Regula fidei Et totius Catholicae legis fides Symboli colligitur brevitate Aug. de Temp. S. 119.115 Regula fidei pusillis magnisque communis Aug de fide c. Est autem Symbolum per quod agnoscitur Deus quod quique proindè credentes accipiunt ut noverint qualiter contra Diabolum fidei certamina praeparent In quo quidem pauca sunt verba sed omnia continentur Sacramenta c. Isid. de off Eccl. lib. 2. c. 22. Patrum consensio non in omnibus legis divinae quaestiunculis sed solùm certè praecipuè in fidei Regula Item in iis duntaxat praecipuè quaestionibus quibus totius Catholici dogmatis fundamenta nitantur Vincent Livin cap. 39 41. a Profecto quod sacer Psalmus peâ—sonat verum est Quoniam pater meus mater mea dereliquerunt me Dominus autem assumpsit me Si ergò dereliquerunt nos patres nostri quomodo curis nostris rebus intersunt si autem parentes non intersunt qui sunt alli mortuorum qui noverint quid agamus quidve patiamur Ibâ— ergò sunt spiritus defunctorum ubi non vidâ—nâ— quaecunque aguntur aut eveniunt in ista vita hominibus August de cura pro mortuis cap. 13. b Major difficulâ—as est circa posteriora Capita ejusdem libri Esther ab illis verbis Cap. 10. Dixitque Mordochaeus à Deo facta sunt omnia Haec enim non esse veram Scripturam neque pertinere ad librum Esther Canonicum opinati sunt ante Concilium Trident. Lyranus Dion Carthusianus Hugo Camotensis Cajâ—tanus post Concilium Sextus Senensis Lorca â—ract de locis Cathol lib. 1. Dis. 3. membr 3. n. 23. Liber Baruch Hunc librum à Canone rejiciunt nonnulli ex haereticis ex Catholicis Driâ—do Idemque sentit Cal. in fine libri Ester qui nullos libros admittit praeter eos quos Hieronymus expresâ—è Canonicâ—s vocat Id. n. 27. similia passim in seq b Etiam quando aliqui dubitabant libri isti erant Canonici licet illi probabili ignorantiâ excusantur negarenâ— Id. n. 38. a Universum Romanum Imperium funditùs concussum emotum est Vinâ— Liri cap. 6. b Liberius Sozom lib. 4. c. 14. Cum his verò simul projicit à sancta Dei Catholica Ecclesia similiterque anathematizari praevidimus Et Honorium qui fuerat Papa antiquae Romae â—ò quòd invenimus per scripta quae ab eo facta sunt ad Seâ—giumâ— quia in omnibus menteÌ„ ejus secutus est impia dogmata conâ—irmaviâ— Conâ— 6. Act. 13. a See the History of the Waldenses lib. 1. cap. 8. when it was said by a Jesuite that the Waldenses and the Ministers of Calvin agree in twenty seven Articles viz. About the Popes Supremacie Purgatory Praiers to Saints worship of Images marriage of Priests sufficiencie of Scriptures c. which are more then one or two points Ibid. part 3. lib. 1 â—b 6. It is very likely their doctrine came from the Apostles and agreed with them for Reynerius the Inquisitour saith Some hold so And againe They live justly before men and beleeve all things well of God and all the Articles contained in the Creed onely they hate and blaspheme the Romish Church Speeds Chronic. Foxe Martyrolog aâ— Ann. 1160. The Confessour of Lâ—wes the twelfth being sent by him to examine some of the Walâ—enses at his returne wisheâ—h that â—e weâ—â— so good a Christian as the worst of them Histor. of the Waldenseâ— â—â—b 1. cap. 5. b See the Mysterie of Iniquity by Philip Momay L. of Plessis 1 Kin. 3.26 b Hunc qui receperunt veritatem consuetudini anteponunt Tert. de vel virg cap. 1. Consuetudo â—ine veriâ—aâ—e vâ—tustas erroris est propter quod relicto errore sâ—quamur veritaâ—é Cypâ— â—pâ—st 74. b Quaedam in doctrina Christiana tam fidei quam morum esse simpliciter omnibus necessaria ad salutem qualis est cognitio Articulorum Symboli Apostolici decem Praeceptorum nonnullorum Sacramentotum caeâ—era non ita necessaria ut sine eorum explicita notitia fide professione homo salvari non possit Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 11. c In Symbolo Apostolorum Niceno â—liqui praeter illos continâ—ntur quos rudes non debent ex praecepto scire nec fideles communiter fed si quis audiat eos in Symbolo contineri debet credere nam Communionem Sanctorum non omnes sciunt imo etiam inter homineâ— literatos non paucos invenias qui ignorant quae sit haec Communio Sanctorum Articulus autem de Ecclesia multis viris doctis videtur difficilis ad docendum putant rudes in illo communiter errare Caeterum adhuc ego non dubitarem concedere esse non paucos rusticos inter Christianos qui absque culpa ignorant aliqua mysteria ex iis quae necessaâ—ia sunt Vasques in 12. Disp. 121. n. 2. d Quisque fidelium credeâ—e expliciâ—è debeat omnes Articulos fidei vel qui juxta numerum Apostolorum duodecim in Symbolo continentur vel qui juxta Thâ—olâ—gorum sententiam qâ—atuordecim proponuntur Quaeritur An quisque etiam vulgaris rudis credere expliciâ—è debeat aliquid praeter praedictos fidei Articulos Sunt qui ita affirmant eâ— ratione permoti quòd unusquisque expressim credere debeat immortalem esse animaÌ„ hominis item esse peccatum originis c. Qâ—â—rundam est opinio unumquemquâ— fidelium debere credere quicquid expressè in Symbolo Apostolorum continetur ob id minimè sufficere â—i singulâ— credant explicitè quaâ—uordecim Articulos fidei prout à Theologis propununtur quoniam quisque praecepto ac lege compellitur ad credendum expressim descensum Christi Domini ad inferos unam sanctam Caâ—holicam Ecclesiam Sanctorum communionem peccatorum remissionem perpetuam Deiparae Viâ—ginitatem de quibus singulis nihil explicitè quatuordecim fidei