according to the testimonie of the new Testament our Lord was Author of our Catholike Faith and Religion And first the Angell Gabriel foretelling the estate of the Church to come saith to our blessed Lady Thou Luke 1. 31. shalt conceiue in thy wombe and shalt beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS he shal be great and he shal be called the Son of the most High and our Lord God shal giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shal reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shal be no end And in like manner an Angell of our Lord said vnto the Shepheards Behold I euangelize Luke 2. 10. to you great ioy that shal be to al people not to one people of Brittans or Germans but to al people because this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heauenly armie a multitude of Angels praysing God and saying Glory in the highest to God and in earth Peace to men of good wil. As it was foretold by the Prophet Isay saying A little childe is borne to vs c. His Empire shal be multiplied and there shal be no end of peace he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome that he may confirme it in iudgement and iustice from this time and for euer That the Kingdome heere spoken of is the Church professing the Faith or Gospell planted by our Sauiour our Lord himselfe doth witnesse saying In the Matth. 13. 14. end of the world the Sonne of Man shall send his Angels and they shal gather out of his Kingdome all scandals and them that worke iniquity Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdom shal be preached in the whole world Againe Matth. 24. 14. And Iesus went about teaching and preaching the Gospel Matth. 4. 23. of the Kingdome So if the Angels of God and multitude of his heauenly Armie may finde grace and credite with your Maiestie to be beleeued by their testimonies it is manifest that our Sauiour came to plant the Catholike Romane Church and Faith which as we haue proued in our first Chapter was taught by our Sauiour and planted by the Apostles amongst the Romans hath continued and shall continue amongst them vntill the day of Iudgement and as is confessed by Protestants hath reigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction 1200. yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter CHAP. XI Wherein is proued by the testimony of our Sauiour himselfe that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith OVR Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ foreseeing that many Heretikes would arise and say that his Seede Faith Word Church or Gospell had failed and decayed and that they were immediatly sent from God to plant a new Faith or reforme or restore the Gospell c. To preuent their hereticall falsehood hee warneth all his faithfull that they should not beleeue them saying Doe not thinke that I came to breake the Law the olde Matth. 5. 18. Testament or the Prophets I am not come to breake but to fulfill for assuredly I say to you Till heauen and earth passe one iot or one tittle shall not passe of the Law the olde Testament till all be fulfilled and the Church of Matth. 5. 2. God begunne in Ierusalem and Iuda be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the Gen. 28. South as God spake to Abraham and his seed for euer Luke 1. 55. So supposed that our Sauiours words are true and that hee was the Messias and came to fulfill and performe the things promised by the Prophets and not to breake or violate their promises the Sunne was neuer more manifest in the moneth of August then it is manifest that he fulfilled the Prophecies by planting the Catholike Romane Faith and not by planting Protestantisme since Romane Catholikes haue been visibly multiplied ouer the world for many hundred yeares some Protestants say for nine hundred years some say for a thousand other Protestants say for twelue hundred and others say for more as is set downe in the third Chapter whereas the Prophecies haue beene so farre off from being fulfilled in Protestantisme that presently after the death of the Apostles it vanished away and hath been no where visibly knowne for one thousand foure hundred yeares So we may speak to Protestants who imagine that their Religion is true or was the Faith planted by our Sauiour and say to them in the words of our Sauiour Doe not thinke that our Sauiour came to break the Law or the Prophets Matth. 6. 18. he came not to breake but to fulfill Secondly our Sauiour foretelling the estate of his Church to come saith All things must needs be fulfilled which are writted in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets Luke 24. 44. Gen. 22. and the Psalmes of me And the Law of Moyses saith I wil multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen c. The Prophets say Behold thy King will come to thee the Iust one and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Zach. 9. 9. Asse c. He shal speake Peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth Againe And I wil send of them that shal be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Asricke Isay 66. and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farre off to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glory And they shal shew forth my glory to the Gentiles and they shal bring of your brethren of al Nations a gift to our Lord vpon horses and in chariots and in horselittors and on Mules and in coatches to my holy mountaine Ierusalem Because as new heauens and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shal your seed stand and your name The Psalmes say Al the ends of the earth shal remember and be conuerted to our Psal 41. 28. Lord and all the families of the Gentiles shal adore in his sight Againe Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten Psal 2. 7. thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Againe I wil put his seed for euer and euer and his throne Psal 88. as the dayes of heauen I haue sworne in my holy if I lye to Dauid his seed shal continue for euer All which and many more the like promises and Prophecies of the encrease continuance and dilatation of the Christians the seed of our Sauiour the seed of Dauid the seed of Abraham ouer the world must as our Sauiour Luke 24. 44. saith needs be fulfilled and yet we see by experience that they are fulfilled in no other people kindred or Nation but Romane Catholikes whom Protestants confesse to
Countries can find as it seemeth none to name but Suitzerland Basil Bohemia Ausburge Flanders Saxonie Sueuia Wittenberge France yet in France there are ten Catholikes for one Protestant in Suitzerland six Cantons or Prouinces of Catholikes in Bohemia many Catholikes Ausburge but one Citie Wittenberge a Citie and these are but a heap of diuers Sects whereof the chiefe are Caluinists Lutherans and English Parliamentary Protestants The Caluinists who are most in number deny the Supremacie of Kings and authority of Bishops which is Treason amongst the English Protestants the Lutherans hold Consubstantiation in their Communion and deny the Communion of both Caluinists and English Protestants and they both the Communion of Lutherans all of them esteeming their Communion a Sacrament and matter of Faith Many more Sectes there are amongst theÌ„ as Anabaptists Hussites Arians Brownists Family of Loue Thrasquites and others Octiect 13. In time of Elias there was no visible Church Elias saying I alone am left therefore the 3. King 15. Church may decay and become inuisible Ans When Elias spoke those words of lamentation there were two Kingdomes of the Iewes the one knowne and called by the name of Iuda and the other called and knowne by the name of the Kingdom of Israel ouer Iuda at this time reigned Asa a good King ASA did right before the sight of our Lord as 3. King 15. DAVID his Father did ouer Israel reigned ACHAB a wicked King And ACHAB did euill in the sight of 3. King 15. our Lord aboue all that were before him ELIAS speaketh of the Kingdome of Israel and not of Iuda saying The Children of Israel haue forsaken thy Commandement 3. King 15. c. And our Lord said to him I haue left me in Israel seuen thousand men whose knees haue not bowed before BAAL of whom at that time it seemeth Elias knew not of So in the time of Elias the Church was so farre off from being inuisible that besides the seuen thousand in Israel there was the whole visible Kingdome of Iuda vnder Asa and Iosephat his sonne who was likewise a good King IOSEPHAT walked 3. King â—2 in the way of ASA his Father and he did that which was right in the sight of our Lord. Obiect 14. I haue saith the Puritan a true feeling of the Spirit and am assured to be saued all others may erre I am assured I cannot for my spirit doth tell me that I am in the right way of saluation Answ The way of a foole saith the holy Ghost is Prou. 12. 15. right in his owne eyes I desire thee to consider what a misery it is to be obstinate in opinion since it maketh a man to vse all the meanes and shifts he can to get to hell and doth not giue leaue either to reason or to the sences to execute their functions God Almighty hath promised that the Christians shall be as the Stars of heauen Gen. 22. and as the sand that is by the sea shore and that they shall possesse the gates of their enemies the mountaines shal be moued and the hils shal tremble but his mercy shal not Isay 54. depart from them and the couenant of his peace with them shal not be moued According to Gods promise such a seed or succession of Christians wee see Writings Registers Chronicles Antiquities Churches Chappels the report and traditions of our Parents al spake it our Aduersaries themselues confesse it experience doth teach vs that it must be so All seeing it fulfilled from Abraham vntill the Natiuitie of our Sauiour for one thousand nine hundred yeares or thereabouts yet rather then the obstinate man will yeeld to so manifest a truth and saue his souâ— he will seeke out all the corners malice shifts tricks and doubts that can be to denie it and go to Hell and if none will serue to cloake his obstinacie yet rather then hee will change his nature he will go on he will not beleeue any thing but his owne fantasies and imaginations All others may be deceiued he is sure he cannot O be not obstinate but haue pity on thy poore soule Was thou neuer deceiued in any thing in all thy life whereof thou esteemedst thy selfe sure certainly thou hast And if thou wilt not bee an Ethnicke and Publican to thy owne Congregation of Protestants thou must defend that nothing is more certaine then that the Church of Protestants millitant and visible may erre as is affirmed in the English Creed Art 19. prop. 6. Art 21. So if thou beest not already gotten into heauen into a triumphant Church and art become an inuisible man in thy owne militant Church there is nothing more certain then that thou mayest erre Well then thou mayest be deceiued in this that thou thinkest thy selfe so sure of Thou wilt grant mee this principle that God Almightie can neither deceiue nor be deceiued since he is veritie it selfe and the first cause so if hee affirme one thing and thou and Luther and Caluin deny the selfe-same thing yet that must be true which God Almighty affirmeth and that false you affirme Thou willest not deny this But God Almighty affirmeth that the Christians the Seede of Abraham the people of Gen. 22. God should be multiplied as the Starres of heauen and as the sand which is by the sea shore and should possesse the gates of their enemies and bee dilated to the East and to the West and to the North and to the Gen. 28. South for euer Well then it must be true though thou Luke 1. 55. Luther and Caluin deny it But thou wilt say these promises are not made to Christians Againe whom shall we beleeue in this God Almighty or thou or Luther or Caluin God Almighty affirmeth that these oathes and promises of God are to bee fulfilled vpon the Christians saying All things must needs be fulfilled Luke 24. 44. which are written in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets and Psalmes of mee And the like affirme the Apostles as we haue set downe at large in the eleuenth and twelfth Chapter So if thou wilt not according to thy owne confession bee wilfully deceiued thou must beleeue that there must be Christians the people of God the Seed of Abraham embracing one and the same Faith multiplied as the Stars of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore dilated to the East and to the West to the North and to the South possessing the gates of their enemies As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his Luke 1. 55. Seed for euer And if thou doest not beleeue this thou must confesse that that thou art so farre off from being of the Seed of the Faithfull Abraham that thou doest not beleeue the promise which God Almightie made vnto him and so mayest manifestly see thy owne infidelitie And this second principle supposed to be a diuine truth as now thou confessest Art not thou againe wilfully blinde that
ought to conuert into Councels and put them in prisons and leade them to Presidents and Tribunall seats and make their Religion Fellony and Treason Againe he saith When yee enter into Matth. 10. 12. the house salute it saying Peace be to this house He doth not say you shall send Pursuiuants to ransacke and spoyle the house Againe he saith The good Pastor giueth Iohn 10. his life for his sheepe The theefe commeth not but to steale and kill and destroy He doth not say the theefe giueth his life for his sheepe and the good Pastor commeth not but to steale kill and destroy Wherefore so much as is lawful for poore subiects wee humbly beseech your Majestie that conuerting of vs by killing imprisonments confiscation of goods ransacking and spoyling by Promoters and Pursuiuants c. laid aside at which the Christian world is scandalized it would please your Majestie to giue order that Disputations Conferences and sweet meanes may be vsed for the discussion of truth according to the doctrine of our Sauiour and his Apostles which is Peaceable modest suasible consenting to the good full of mercie and by those meanes if â—â—mâ—s 3. 17. we should be in error your Majestie might easily gaine vs. And if your Majesty be amisse as errare facile est wee may gaine your Majesty and bring all things to his happie issue that God Almightie may be glorified by the saluation of our soules and your Highnesse may to our great comfort so raigne ouer vs vpon earth that you may also raigne amongst vs in heauen which with all my heart I desire and to that end proceed to set downe the grounds and foundations of our Catholike Faith and Church by way of an Appeale vnto your Highnesse this being the best way as your Majestie most graciously hath signified vnto all your Subiect in your Speech in the Star-chamber vpon the twentith of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1616. in these words Why should you spare to complaine vnto me that being the high-way and not go the other by-way and back-way in contempt of our authority According to which speech worthy of a Royall King with Saint PAVL in the like case of Religion I appeale to Acts 25. 11. CAESAR your Majestie my dread and Supreamest Soueraigne as followeth THAT OVR SAVIOVR PLANTED the Catholike Roman Faith CHAP. I. Wherein is proued by the Scriptures that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted by our Sauiour and how it hath continued and shall continue amongst the Romans vntill the day of Iudgement FIRST that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith which our Sauiour planted Saint Paul witnesseth saying To all you that be at Rome beloued Rom 1. of God called Saints grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ First truely I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christ for all you Because your faith is published throughout the whole world c. I desire to see you and to bee comforted in you by the faith which is mutually yours and mine Which desire afterward he obtained And tarried in Rome full two yeares Act. 28. 30. in his hired lodging and he receiued all that came vnto him preaching the Kingdome of God and teaching the things that concerne our Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence without prohibition Whereby it is manifest that the Romans receiued the Catholike Faith planted by our Sauiour and that their faith was published throughout the whole Rom. 1. world and was Catholike and Vniuersall Secondly that the Romans were to continue in this their Catholike Faith thus planted amongst them vntill the worlds end is manifest by the Scripture saying I Isa 66. will send of them that shall be saued to the Gentiles into the Sea into Africa and Lydia into Italy and Greece c. And they shall shew my glory to the Gentiles c. And I will take of them to be Priests and Leuites saith our Lord. Because as a new heauen and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shall your seed stand and your name And there shall be moneth after moneth and Sabbath after Sabbath Againe the Scriptures speaking of the Romans who at the comming of our Sauiour were the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles say The strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee Againe And Isay 60 5. thy gates shall be open continually day and night they shall not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee Againe You shall eate the strength of the Gentiles and in their glory you shall be proud c. For as the Earth Isay 61. 6. bringeth forth her Spring and as the Garden shooteth forth her seed so shall our Lord God make Iustice to spring forth and praise before all the Gentiles Againe Thus saith our Isay 66. 12. Lord Behold I will decline vpon her as it were a floud of peace and as a torrent ouerflowing the glory of the Gentiles the Roman Empire which at the birth of our Sauiour was the glory of the Gentiles that it might be verified which was spoken by the other Prophets saying I will make Gen. 12. 2. thee into a great Nation and I will blesse thee and magnifie thy name and thou shalt be blessed Againe I will put him Psal 88. 28. the first begotten high aboue the Kings of the earth And I will keepe my mercy vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull vnto him I will put his seed for euer and euer and his throne as the dayes of heauen Againe Aske of me and Psal 2. 8. I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance not the refuse of the GeÌ„tiles but the Roman Empire the strength glory and pride of the Gentiles and not onely for a short time But as a new Heauen a new Earth which I make Isay 66. to stand before me so shall your seed stand and your name according to the words of the Prophet Isay before rehearsed Whereby it is sufficiently manifest that the Romant receiued the same Faith they now professe from the Apostles and they from our Sauiour and that the Catholike Roman Faith is the Faith which was planted vpon earth by our Sauiour and hath continued and shall continue Catholike or vniuersally published throughout the world vntill the day of Iudgement CHAP. II. Wherein is proued that the Catholike Roman faith was planted in this Iland of great Brittaine by the Apostles or Disciples of our Lord and hath continued heere euer since without alteration or change except in the keeping of Easter and some ceremonies in Baptisme and that no other doctrine but it can be taught for Christian doctrine without incurring the penaltie of Anathema and separation from God for euer THE Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour Matth. 28. 19. going by his appointment to teach all Nations to obserue and doe all things
I sware to Abraham neither will I forsake thee vntill I haue performed whatsoeuer I haue spoken And I appeale to your Maiesty wel pleased to consider whether it bee more conuenient to beleeue the words of God when hee saith hee will performe his oath and promises then the words of Protestant Ministers who affirme that the seede of Christ hath failed and now after a thousand and fiue hundred yeares they are sent to plant it in corners of the earth What is found more madde saith Saint AVGVSTINE then this folly or August cont epist Parmeniani lib. 1. rather frenzie In so many Nations of the world and for the most part God hath fulfilled and doth yet fulfill vntill it come vnto all which he hath promised who said I will not leaue thee vntill I doe these things which I haue spoken vnto thee And now these Protestants doe beleeue such as tell them that it is not fulfilled what God promised and that therefore the seed of Abraham which is Christ to haue decayed in those parts of the earth in which it was planted and that the promises of God are voide because they are not admitted into their Communion amongst whom it is fulfilled Thus Saint Augustine So If the oath of God or the Promises made to Abraham Isaac and Iacob written by Moyses may finde grace and credit with your Maiesty it is manifest by their testimonies that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith CHAP. V. By the testimony of the Prophet DAVID and the Psalmes our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith OVR Sauiour saith That all things must Luke 24. 44. needs be fulfilled which is written in the Psalmes of him So we will examine what the Psalmes say of our Sauiour and his seede the Christians that wee may see whether the Prophecies contained therein be verified vpon Romane Catholikes or vpon Protestants it being now a thousand and six hundred yeares since the Natiuitie of our Sauiour those must needs be his seed and true Christians vpon whom they are verified seeing that it is impossible Hebr. 6. for God to lye First the Psalmes say Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I will giue thee the Psal 2. 7. Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Secondly All the ends of the earth shal remember Psal 21 27. and be conuerted to our Lord and all the Families of the Gentiles shall adore in his fight Because the Kingdome is our Lords and he shall haue dominion ouer the Gentiles Thirdly For thy fathers there are borne sons to thee Psal 40. thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth they shall be mindefull of thy name in all generation and generations for euer and for euermore Fourthly The God of gods our Lord hath spoken and Psal 49. 1. hath called the earth from the rising of the Sinne vnto the going downe thereof Fiftly Their sound is gone into all the earth and their Psal 18. words into the ends of the world Sixtly He shall descend as raine vpon a fleece of wooll Psal 71. 6. and as the drops distilling vpon the earth In his dayes shal arise Iustice and abundance of peace so long as the Moone endureth And he shall rule from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the end of the world Seuenthly I will put him the first begotten higher Psal 88. 27. then the Kings of the earth I will keepe my mercies vnto him for euer and my Testament faithfull to him I will put his seed for euer and euer and his Throne as the dayes of heauen But if his children shall forsake my Law and keepe not my Commandements I will visite their iniquitie with a rod and their sinnes with stripes but my mercy I will not take away from him neither will I hurt in my truth And many more the like Prophecies of the conuersion of the Gentiles and propagation of the Faith or seede of our Sauiour ouer the world for euer which cannot bee verified vpon Protestants or Protestantisme who haue beene so farre off from hauing the Gentiles for their inheritance and their Possessions vnto the ends of the earth or conuerting all the Families of the Gentiles or from hauing abundance of peace as long as the Moone endureth or from hauing their seed to endure for euer and their throne as the dayes of heauen that in all the time which was betweene the death of the Apostles and the rebellion of Luther which is for one thousand and foure hundred yeares or thereabouts they are not able to assigne one Doctor Preacher or Writer that held or taught the doctrine Protestants doe now preach and teach That our Catholike Romane Faith was planted by the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and hath continued successiuely dilated ouer the world according to these Prophecies we haue proued in the first second and third Chapters Whereupon wee rightly inferre that by the testimonie of Dauid and the Psalmes our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith and conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AVGVSTINE saying We may see many accuse themselues of their former August epist 48 blindnesse who could beleeue that Christ was exalted aboue the heauens though they did not see it and yet did deny that his glory was ouer all the earth although they did see it When the Prophet hath so clearely comprehended them both in one sentence saying Be exalted aboue the Psal 107. heauens O God and thy glory ouer all the earth CHAP. VI. By the testimony of the Prophet Isay our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith THE Prophet Isay speaking more abundantly of the seed Faith and Religion which was to be planted by our Sauiour then the rest of the Prophets saith It is a small thing that thou Isay 49. shouldest bee my seruant to raise the Tribes of Iacob and to conuert the dregges of Israel Behold I haue giuen thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be saluation euen to the furthest part of the earth Kings shall see and Princes shall rise and adore for our Lords sake because he is faithfull and for the holy one of Israel who hath chosen thee Againe Behold I will Isay 49. 22. lift vp my hand to the Gentiles and to the people I will exalt my signe And they shall carry thy sons in their armes and thy daughters vpon their shoulders And Kings shal be thy nursing fathers and Queenes thy nurses with countenance cast toward the ground they shal adore thee and they shal licke vp the dust of thy feete and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. This Prophecie cannot be verified of Protestanisme First for that they were neuer yet any light to the Gentiles and a saluation to the furthest part of the earth that they might become Christians many Protestants denying Christianity become Turkes in
shal not be deliuered to another people and it shal breake in peeces shal consume al those Kingdoms it self shal stand for euer Which Prophecie we finde verified by experience vpon the Catholike Roman Church which as Protestants themselues confesse was so potent presently after the Apostles times that it destroyed and consumed the Church of Protestants and for these one thousand and two hundred yeares hath raigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction as is set downe in the third Chapter Againe we see by experience that all other Kingdomes and Monarchies of Christians haue been interrupted and changed as the Empire first from the West vnto the East and after into Germany Spaine was first possessed by the Romans after by the Goathes and lastly for many yeares by the Moores France was long time tributarie to the Romans and about the yeare of our Lord 451. the Franck Germanes who dwelled beyond the Rhyne began to conquer them and in processe of time obtained their Kingdome and changed their name from Gaules to French and about the yeare 461. elected Mirouee for King after France was possessed by the English and Henry the sixt was crowned King of France about the yeare 1422. from which time the Kings of England haue alwayes challenged to be Kings of France England was vnder the Romanes vntill the time of Honorius and shortly after it was conquered by the Saxons and then by the Danes and last by Norman French In so much as that it is manifest to experience that the Catholike Romane Church is the Kingdome raysed vp by God which shall not bee destroyed for euer Whereupon the Prophet Ioel saith Yee children of Ioel 2. 23. Syon the Church of God reioyce and be ioyfull in the Lord your God because he hath giuen you a Doctor of iustice and hee will make the earely and the late showre to descend to you as in the beginning And the floores shal be filled with wheate and the presses shall ouerflow with wine and oyle And I wil render you the yeares which the Locust the Bruke and the blast and the Eruke hath eaten my great strength which I haue sent vpon you And eating you shal eate and shal be filled and you shal praise the name of the Lord your God that hath done maruailes with you and my people shal not be confounded for euer And you shal know that I am in the middest of Israel and I the Lord your God and there is none besides and my people shal not be confounded for euer So the Prophet Micheas saith And thou Bethelem Mich. 4. 2. Ephrata art a little one in the thousands of Iuda out of thee shall come forth vnto me he that shal be the Dominator in Israel and his comming forth from the beginning from the dayes of eternity c. and the remnant of his brethren shal be conuerted to the children of Israel And he shal stand and feed in the strength of our Lord in the height of the name of our Lord his God and they shal be conuerted because now shal he be magnified euen to the ends of the earth c. And the remnant of Iacob shal be in the Gentiles in the middest of many peoples as a Lyon amongst the beasts of the forrest and as a Lyons whelpe amongst the flocke of cattell who when he hath passed and trodden downe and taken there is none to deliuer Thy hand shall be exalted ouer thine enemies and thine enemies shall perish So the Prophet Abacuc saith God wil come from Abac. 4. 3. the South and the holy one from the shady mountaine his glory shal couer the heauens and the earth is full of his praise That is saith S. AVGVSTINE the Gospell shall begin from Ierusalem and Mount Oliuet and so be dilated ouer the world For Ierusalem saith Saint AVGVSTINE is placed Southward as is read in the Aug. â—p 166. booke of Iesus Naue from whence the name of Christ hath been spread and there is a shadie mountaine Mount Oliuet from whence he ascended into heauen that his vertue might couer the heauens and the Church might be filled with his praise throughout the whole earth So the Prophet Zacharias saith Behold thy King will come to thee the lust and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a Colt the Fole of an Asse c. He shal speake peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers of Iordan Matth. 5. 13. where he was baptised euen vnto the end of the earth not for a day or a month or a yeare But as he spake to Luke 1. 55. our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer These Prophecies to be verified on our Catholike Roman Faith we haue shewed at large in the first second and third Chapter and are so far from being verified vpon Protestantisme that for a thousand and foure hundred yeares together Protestants are not able to name one man who held and taught the doctrine they now hold and teach So dread Soueraigne if the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophets may find grace and credit with your Maiesty they affirme that our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith as we haue abundantly shewed Yet the testimonies of Moyses and the Prophets were of such force with our Sauiour as he bringeth in Abraham saying If they heare not Moyses and Luke 16. 31. the Prophets neither wil they be perswaded though one rise from the dead Againe hee saith to the incredulous Iewes Had you beleeued Moyses you would peraduenture Iohn 5. 46. haue beleeued me for he wrote of me And if you beleeue not his writings which are confirmed by so many oathes and promises and found true by experience how wil you beleeue my words And so I conclude the Prophecies of the old Testament with the words of Saint Augustine saying The Aug. in Psal 30. Prophets haue spoken more obscurely of Christ then of the Church I thinke because they did see in spirit that men would rebell against the Church and would not haue so great strife concerning Christ but would raise vp great contentions concerning the Church therefore that about which men were to make great strife was more plainly foretold and more manifestly prophecied that it might serue for their condemnation who did see it and fled out CHAP. X. Wherein is proued by the testimony of Angels that our Sauiour was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith HAVING most dread Soueraigne according to the counsel of our Sauiour Iohn 5. 39. sought the old Testament to see what it saith of the Faith Seed and Children of the Messias and hauing found that by it our Lord was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith Seed or Religion we will now descend downe vnto the New to see what it saith in generall of the Faith Seed Word or Gospel which our Sauiour planted vpon earth that wee may also see whether
honor Behold how they are counted among the children of God and their lot is amongst the Saints We therefore haue erred from the way of truth and the light of Iustice hath not shined to vs. Such things said they in Hell which sinned And I set it downe for thy example that yet whilest there is time thou mayest become one of the Seede of Abraham and be partaker of his blessings which with all my heart I wish vnto thee and all Protestants and Puritans Thus hauing abundantly shewed vnto your most excellent Maiesty that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ was Author of the Catholike Roman Faith It resteth to set downe who was Author of the Faith and Religion now publikely professed in England by Protestant Ministers CHAP. XIV That Queene ELIZABETH was Author of the Faith and Religion publikely now professed in England and vpon what occasion THE Kingdome of England together with the Crowne after the death of Queene Mary belonging by all Law and right vnto your Maiesties Mother as lineally descended from Henry the seuenth Henry the eights lawfull Line being ended in Queene Mary to the great prejudice of your Maiesties Mother Lady Elizabeth tooke vpon her the Crown and knowing that not only of all Catholikes shee was esteemed Illigitimate and for such published by the Church of God planted by our Sauior for that shee was borne of Anne Boloigne during the life time of the first wife of King Henry the eight her supposed Father but also by a Decree in publike Parliament holden in the eight and twentith yeare of the Reigne of Henry the eight her supposed Father Shee was to vse the words of the Statute iudged Illigitimate excluded and barred to claime challenge or demand any Inheritance as lawfull Heire to Henry the eight as remaineth yet to bee seene amongst the Statutes of Henry the eight printed by Thomas Berthlet the Kings Printer and set forth with Priuiledge And fearing lest for the said cause of Illigitimation her Subjects should forsake her and stand to the right Heire your Mother or that Christian Kings would not permit so euill a president in prejudice of the lawfull Lineall discent of Kings casting off all feare of God shee resolued at what price soeuer to reigne and to that end beganne to practise Ieroboams policie of whom it is written that hauing obtained a part of Roboams Kingdome Thought in his heart now will the 3. Reg. 12. Kingdome returne to the House of Dauid If this people shall go vp to make Sacrifice in the house of our Lord into Ierusalem the heart of this people will be turned to their Lord Roboam the King of Iuda and they will kill me and returne to him and finding out a deuice he made two golden Calfes and said to them Go vp no more into Ierusalem Behold thy Gods Israel which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt And he put one in Bethel and another 2. Parap 11. in Dan. And he made Priests of the obiects of the people which were not of the Tribe of Leui and cast off the Priests and Leuites that were in all Israel and their posteritie that they should not execute the Priest-hood of our Lord. And by these meanes Ieroboam esteemed though falsely to establish the Kingdome of Israel in him and his Posteritie So Ladie Elizabeth being thus ascended to the Crowne of England contrary to the Law of God Nature and Nations fearing lest her Subjects should forsake Her and adhere vnto Your Mother the lawful Heire if they continued in the Catholike Faith with Your Mother and other people and Kingdomes shee put in practise this Ieroboams wicked policie and Cassered al the Catholike Priests and Bishops in this Land and their Posteritie that they should not execute the Priest-hood of our Lord and vnder a veile of a Supreame Gouernour shee tooke vpon her all spirituall Power and Authoritie and would not admit any to be Archbishop Bishop or Minister who would not abjure and renounce all authoritie deriued from Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and his Apostles and receiue all their Power Spirituall Authoritie and Iurisdiction from her a woman So that none could in her time be made an Archbishop Bishop Minister or Deacon or receiue any Degree in Schooles or beare any Office vnder her but he must first take the oath of Abrenunciation of all power and authoritie which was not deriued from Her as followeth I. A. B. Doe vtterly testifie and declare in my conscience Stat. An. 1. Eliz. cap. 1. that the Queenes Highnesse is the onely Supreame Gouernour of this Realme and of all other Her Highnesse Dominions and Countries as well in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things or causes as Temporall and that no forraine Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate such as were our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and the Apostles who were borne in Iuda or thereabouts hath or ought to haue any Iurisdiction Power Superiorite Preheminence or Authoritie Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall within this Realme and therefore I doe vtterly renounce and forsake all forraine Iurisdiction Powers Superiorities and Authorities And if any did refuse to take the said oath of Abrenunciation of all forraine Authoritie such as was the Authoritie deriued from our Sauiour and the Apostles and deny her Supreame Spirituall Authoritie in all things they should neither beare Office nor be admitted to any Degree in Schooles or bee made Archbishops Bishops Ministers Deacons as is set downe at large in the first Chapter of the said Statute made in the first yeare of her reigne And that there should be in her time no person or persons or man whosoeuer that might challenge any authoritie from Christ Iesus or the Apostles but that all Spirituall Power and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction might be wholly in her and receiued from her Shee made a Law in her said first Parliament That no forraine Prince Person Prelate Stat. An. 1. El. cap. 1. State or Potentate Spirituall or Temporall shal after the last day of this Session of Parliament Vse enioy or exercise any manner of Power Iurisdiction Superiority Authority Preheminence or Priuiledge Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall within this Realme or within any of her Maiesties dominions or Countries that now be or hereafter shal be but from henceforth the same shal be clearely abolished out of this Realme and all other your Highnesse Dominions for euer any Statute Ordinance Custome Constitutions or any other matter or cause whatsoeuer to the contrarie in any wise notwithstanding By which Law shee hath not onely abolished out of this Realme all the Authority which the Sonne of God left vpon earth but also as much as lyeth in her power shee hath debarred him from comming to Iudgement within her Dominions or sending any one hither to preach or teach that all authoritie might bee in her selfe and come from her to her Subjects as from their God or golden Calfe vpon earth And lest there might be some doubt how far her womanly