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
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
to moue your Highnesse to dispence with the said Statutes are as many and as weightie as in any case can be giuen whereof I will repeate onely some few out of which others may be collected First for that the said Statutes are contrary to the honor of God his oathes words and Law as we haue abundantly prooued throughout this booke and as your Maiesty well affirmeth in your Speech in the Star-chamber printed 1616. There is another Law of all Lawes free and Supreame which is Gods Law And by this all common and municipall Lawes must be gouerned And except they haue dependance vpon this Law they are vniust and vnlawful Secondly they defame Christ Iesus and all Christian men who euer were before the time of King Henry the eight knowne and reputed Heretikes by both parties onely excepted For that they all eyther committed or helped or assisted or gaue counsell to commit these actions which are by the said Statutes made Treason Fellony or Criminall as we haue proued in the first second and third Chapters Thirdly they are contrary to the solemne oathes of the Kings of England taken at their Coronation according to the ancient Lawes and Customes of this Land as in the Saxon Law left by King Engward the Lex Sancti Edwardi 7. Confessor it is said That the King because he is Gods Vicegerent vpon earth is ordained to gouerne his earthly kingdome and people of God and aboue all things that hereuerence the holy Church which is our Catholike Romane Church as I haue abundantly proued defend her from the iniurious pull the euil doers from her and vtterly disperse them Againe The King ought to feare God aboue al things and keepe his Commandements through-out the Land he ought to preserue the Lands Honors Rights Dignities and Liberties of the Crowne and the Rights of the Realme such as is especially the Catholike Roman Faith planted in this Land by the Apostles lost dispersed and wasted to recall with all his power to their ancient and due estate He ought to set vp good Lawes and approued Customes and euill Lawes destroy and put from his kingdome c. All which to do the King in proper person ought to giue an oath vpon the holy Gospell and vpon the blessed Reliques in the presence of the whole kingdome the Priest-hood and the Laytie So likewise Bracton an Bracton l. 3. c. 9. ancient Lawyer saith The King at his Coronation vnder an oath in the name of Iesus Christ ought to promise these three to his Subiects First That he will command and to his power doe his endeauour that true peace be alwayes obserued to the Church of God and to all Christian people Secondly That he should forbid rapine such as is the Purseuants taking away of Catholikes goods without forme or order of Law and all iniquities to all sorts of people Thirdly That in all maner of iudgements he command equity and mercy to be vsed as he would that our benigne and merciful God should shew mercy vnto him According to which Law the Kings of England at their Coronations haue alwaies bin solemnely sworne to defend the Church of God and her liberties to set vp good Lawes and destroy euill and doe justice c. So William the Conqueror at his Coronation tooke an Stow in his life oath on the Altar of S. Peter where he promised before the Clergie and all the people to defend the holy Church of God the Pastors thereof and all the people subiect vnto him he should iustly gouerne he would ordaine good Laws and obserue true iustice and to the vttermost of his power to withstand all rapines and false iudgements MALMESBVRY maketh mention of the oath of King Stephen to this effect In the Records of the Tower in the first yeare of Edward the second and first yeare of Edward the third are set downe their seuerall oathes to this effect And your Maiesty maketh mention of your oath in your Speech in the Star-chamber 1616. saying I protest in Gods presence my care hath euer been to keepe my conscience cleare in all points of my oath taken at my Coronation Againe in the same booke and leafe I haue resolued to renue my promise and oath made at my Coronation Herein your Maiesty may bee like Asa the good King of Iuda who at the words of Azarias the Prophet 2. Parel 15. Tooke away the Idols out of the Land of Iuda and Beniamin and gathered together all Iuda and Beniamin and when they were come into Ierusalem he went in after the maner to establish the couenant that they should seeke our Lord the God of their Fathers in all their heart and in all their soule And if any man quoth he shal not seeke our Lord the God of Israel let him die from the least to the greatest from man vnto woman And they sware to our Lord witb a loud voice in iubilation and in noyse of Trumpet and sound of Shalmes all that were in Iuda with execration for in all their heart did they sweare the King and all the people to seeke our Lord the God of Israel his Law Religion and Commandements Fourthly if we will beleeue the Scriptures they will be the destruction of your Kingdome and Posteritie and therefore oblige all those who sincerely loue your Maiesty and your Posterity to desire their abrogation or dispensation Samuel said to the Children of Israel which now we Christians are I will teach you 1. King 12. 23. the good and right way Feare our Lord and serue him in truth and from your whole heart But if you shal perseuere in malice both you and your King shal perish together Againe Samuel said to SAVL Thou hast not kept the 1. King 13. 31. Commandements of our Lord thy God which he commanded thee which if thou haddest done euen now had our Lord prepared thy kingdome ouer Israel for euer but thy kingdome shall no further arise So MOYSES saith Deut. 29. 19. When he shall heare the words of this oath of the Couenant betweene God and man he blessed himselfe in his heart saying I shal haue place and walke in the priuity of my heart c. then shall Gods fury most specially fume and his zeale against that man and all the curses sit vpon him that be written in Deutronomie and our Lord will abolish his name vnder heauen Which we see by experience to haue beene verified of late yeares vpon two of the greatest Monarkes that were in Christendome Henry the eight King of England Henry the second King of France Henry the eight was the first beginner of these Statutes Henry the second went in person with thirtie thousand men to ayde the Protestants of Germany as witnesseth Serres in his life Henry the eight had fiue or sixe wiues and fiue or sixe children and Henry the second had fiue sonnes yet we see that both their names are abolished from vnder heauen their Kingdomes or Reignes ended
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
Transiluania and Hungary and many English at Tripolis Algiers and Tunis And some learned Protestants as Sebastian Cestalio Bernard Ochine Dauid George Adam Neucers and others who being obstinate against Catholike Religion either turned Turkes or Iewes seeing the Prophecies not fulfilled in Protestantisme Secondly for that they are not able to produce any one Heathen or Pagan King or Queene that hitherto hath embraced Protestanisme Your Maiesty and other Christian Kings and Queenes your Predecessors in the Kingdome of Great Brittanie haue had no other Christendome then that they haue receiued from Catholike Romane Priests Thirdly It is not the custome of Protestants to adore their God with such respect or reuerence as the Prophet Isay heere speakes of euery Protestant is so well assured of his saluation that hee hath no need to humble himselfe befor his God to aske forgiuenesse of his sinnes or saluation of his soule Not a Protestant Boy or Girle that doth not vse more respect or reuerence to their masters when they speake vnto them and all Protestants in their degrees and estates to their temporall Lords and Princes then they doe when they pray or speake to their God When they speake to their earthly Lords or Kings either they Note stand or kneele handsomely with their hats in their hands but when they speake to their God commonly they either speake sitting with their cappes on as haile fellow well met with their God or else with their noses thrust into their hats for feare as it seemeth that the euill smelles which come from their God should infect their braines Their Temples and Synagogues are not so neate as their Bed-chambers Galleries or Chambers of Presence or audience and when they come into their Temples to treate with their God or heare his Word or Law vnlesse it be for respect of some man there euery one without respect to his God sitteth him downe and putteth on his cap In so much as the God of the Protestants is the most vnciuill euill-mannered God of all those who haue borne the name of Gods vpon earth yea worse then Pan the god of Clownes that can endure no ceremonies or good manners whereby it is manifest that this Prophecie is not verified vpon so vnciuill and vnmannerly a Religion as Protestantisme is but vpon our Catholike Romane Faith and Religion which all the knowne Christian Kings and Queenes that euer haue been before Luther professed reputed Heretikes by both parties onely excepted as we haue set downe in the third Chapter Againe God Almightie by the Prophet Isay saith to the Gentiles whom he calleth the barren women for that before the Incarnation of our Sauiour they were without fruit of eternall life Prayse O barren Isay 54. 1. woman which bearest not sing prayse and make ioyfull noyse which diddest not beare because many are the children of the desolate of the Gentiles which were before the comming of Christ desolate of spiritual helpe more then of her that hath a husband the Synagogue of the Iewes enlarge the place of thy tent and stretch out the skins of thy Tabernacles for thou shalt penetrate to the right hand and to the left and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles Againe For a moment a little while haue Isay 64. 7. I forsaken thee and in great mercies will I gather thee in a moment of indignation haue I hid my face a little while from thee and in mercies euerlasting haue I had mercy on thee saith thy Redeemer our Lord. As in the dayes of Noe is this thing to me to whom I sware that I would no more bring the waters of Noe vpon the earth So haue I sworne not to be angry with thee and not to rebuke thee for the mountaines shal be mooued and the little hils shal tremble but my mercy shal not depart from thee and the couenant of my peace shal not be mooued saith our Lord thy Miserator Againe Euery vessel that is made against Isay 64. 17. thee shal not prosper and euery tongue resisting thee in iudgement thou shalt iudge This is the inheritance of the seruants of our Lord. This Prophecie of Esay cannot bee verified vpon Protestantisme for that since our Sauiours time there hath not been more Protestants then Iewes neyther haue the children of the Protestants bin more in number then the children of the Iewes who are a great people in number and haue continued visible in great numbers dispersed through many parts of the world as Protestants themselues confesse as the Centurie Writers in the fourteenth and fifteenth Chapter of euery Centurie where they make mention from time to time of their abode and at this day the Synagogue of the Iewes is more dilated and greater then any one Sect of Protestants in the world Secondly neither can this be verified of Protestantisme that after our Sauiours comming They should enlarge the place of their tents penetrate to the right hand and the left and that the seed of Protestants should inherite the Gentiles Neither could this oath of God bee made to Protestants I haue sworne not to be angry with Protestants and not to rebuke them for the mountaines shal be moued and the little hils shal tremble but my mercie shal not depart from Protestants and the couenant of my peace shal not be moued saith our Lord thy Miserator vnlesse they will make God Almighty forsworne since they themselues confesse that Protestantisme vanished away presently after the Apostles times and was so extinguished that for a thousand and foure hundred yeares they cannot name one Protestant man that taught the doctrine they now teach In such sort as this malediction of the Prophecie is fulfilled in them as vpon the enemies of our Sauiour where it is written Euery vessel that is made against thee shal not prosper And all the blessings of this Prophecie are verified vpon our Catholike Romane Faith which was planted by the Apostles and hath beene dilated ouer the world and embraced of all Christian people who liued betweene the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther reputed Heretikes to both parties only excepted as wee haue prooued in the first second and third Chapters And by this oath of God heere set downe it is as certaine that the Catholike Roman Church and Faith shall neuer bee suppressed as it is certaine that the world shall not be drowned with water any more the oath and promise of God Almightie being equally giuen for assurance of both saying As the day of Noe is this thing to me to whom I answere that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe vpon the earth so haue I sworne not to be angry with thee or rebuke thee for the mountaines shal be moued and the little hils shal tremble but my mercy shall not depart from thee and the couenant of my peace shal not be moued saith our Lord thy Miserator And your Maiestie may be pleased heere to obserue that those Kings and people who persecute
the Catholike Romane Faith do but bring misery and vnhappinesse vpon themselues according to the word of God in this Prophecie saying Euery vessel that is made against thee shal not prosper and after all their rage and crueltie of hanging drawing and quartering imprisonments and seuere Lawes made against Romane Catholikes they must come to be judged by them according to the words of God in this Prophecie saying That euery tongue resisting thee in iudgement thou shalt iudge this is the inheritance of the seruants of our Lord Iesus Christ and their iustice with me saith our Lord to bee Iudge of those who resisted them in judgement Againe God Almightie speaking of the encrease of Christian Religion saith Arise be illuminated Ierusalem Isay 60. because thy light is come the glory of our Lord is risen vpon thee Vpon thee shal our Lord arise and his glory shal be seene vpon thee And the Gentiles shal walke in thy light and Kings in the brightnesse of thy rising lift vp thine eyes round about and see al these gathered together they are come to thee thy sonnes shal come from a far and daughters shal rise from thy side Then thou shalt see and abound and thy heart shal maruaile and be enlarged when the multitude of the sea shal be conuerted vnto thee the strength of the Gentiles shal come to thee Againe For Isay 60. the Ilands expect me or the ships on the sea in the beginning that I may bring thy sonnes from far Againe And Isay 60. thy gates shal be open continually day night they shal not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee and their Kings may be brought For the Nation and the Kingdome that shal not serue thee shal perish Now suppose that there were Protestants in our Sauiour and the Apostles times yet is it manifest that these Prophecies cannot be verified vpon them That the Gentiles should walke in the light of Protestantisme and Kings in the brightnesse of their rising and the multitude of the sea be conuerted vnto them and the strength of the Gentiles or that the Islands did expect Protestantisme and the ships of the sea in the beginning or that the gates of Protestants Temples were open continually day and night that the strength of the Gentiles might be brought to Protestanisme and their Kings Since the Protestants themselues confesse that after the Apostles times Protestantisme vanished away and was no where so much as visible for a thousand and foure hundred yeares In such sort as within all that space they are not able to name any one man much lesse one Heathen or Pagan King conuerted to the Religion they now professe So suppose that in our Sauiours time there were Protestants it is manifest that they were these enemies of Christian Religion vpon whom was verified this part of the Prophecie saying The Nation and the Kingdome that shall not serue thee shall perish Againe God Almightie speaking of the Christians after our Sauiours comming saith by the same Prophet I will giue their workes in truth and make a Isay 61. perpetual couenant with them and they shall know their seed in the Gentiles and their bud in the middest of peoples all that shall see them shall know them that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Againe Vpon thy Isay 62. walles Ierusalem I haue appointed watchmen al the day and al the night for euer they shal not hold their peace And you that remember our Lord hold not your peace and giue not silence to him vntil he stablish and vntil he make Ierusalem the praise in the earth Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the arme of his strength If I shall giue thy wheate any more to be meate to thy enemies and if the strange children shall drinke thy wine wherein thou hast laboured Because they that shall gather it together shall eat it and shall praise the Lord and they that caried it together shal drinke it in my holy courts Suppose that there were Protestants in our Sauiours the Apostles times yet these Prophecies could not be verified vpon them that God Almightie should make a perpetuall couenant with Protestants visibly to maintaine their seed in the Gentiles and their bud in the midst of peoples Neither can this oath be verified vpon Protestants Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the hand of his strength that he would giue the wheate of Protestants no more to be meat for their enemies and that strangers should not drinke the wine wherein Protestants haue laboured who decayed presently after the Apostles times as they confesse and were so farre off from enioying these blessings heere promised that all the maledictions prophecied to wicked and impious men enemies to Gods truth fell vpon them in such sort that there is lesse memorie of them then of Sodom and Gomorra which was destroyed with fire from heauen or of Coar Dathan and Abiron who were swallowed vp quicke into the earth of whom there is some mention made in other mens writings But of Protestants liuing after the Apostles times who should before Luther hold and teach the doctrine they now teach No Author doth giue testimony of any such men or make so much mention of them as of any of their names or Countries where they dwelt or where they were destroyed wherefore it seemeth that if euer they were in these times they were enormous wicked vile people cursed of God aboue all the men that euer liued vpon the face of the earth euen such abominable people as all men were ashamed to name or make any mention of any one of them people that descended into hell quicke of whom they would keepe no memory Now that all these Prophecies are verified vpon our Catholike Romane Faith and Religion we haue sufficiently shewed in the first second and third Chapters of this booke whereupon we inferre that by the testimonies of the Prophet Isay our Sauiour was Author of the Catholike Romane Faith and planter of it vpon earth And so conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AVGVSTINE saying What can be exacted August de Vnit. Ecclae to be spoken more manifestly Behold how many and how cleare testimonies haue been brought out of one Prophet and yet there is resistance and contradiction made not to any man but to the Spirit of God and to the most euident truth And yet the glory of Christ is enuied by those who will boast of the name of Christians that those things wbich haue been so long before foretolde of him may not be beleeued to be fulfilled whereas now they are not foretold but shewed seene and possessed So Saint AVGVSTINE and we with him That these Prophecies of Isay are spoken of the Church of Christ Protestants themselues confesse in the Collections of the Contents of the Chapters set downe before euery Chapter in their English Protestant Bibles CHAP. VII
according to the testimonie of the new Testament our Lord was Author of our Catholike Faith and Religion And first the Angell Gabriel foretelling the estate of the Church to come saith to our blessed Lady Thou Luke 1. 31. shalt conceiue in thy wombe and shalt beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS he shal be great and he shal be called the Son of the most High and our Lord God shal giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shal reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shal be no end And in like manner an Angell of our Lord said vnto the Shepheards Behold I euangelize Luke 2. 10. to you great ioy that shal be to al people not to one people of Brittans or Germans but to al people because this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heauenly armie a multitude of Angels praysing God and saying Glory in the highest to God and in earth Peace to men of good wil. As it was foretold by the Prophet Isay saying A little childe is borne to vs c. His Empire shal be multiplied and there shal be no end of peace he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome that he may confirme it in iudgement and iustice from this time and for euer That the Kingdome heere spoken of is the Church professing the Faith or Gospell planted by our Sauiour our Lord himselfe doth witnesse saying In the Matth. 13. 14. end of the world the Sonne of Man shall send his Angels and they shal gather out of his Kingdome all scandals and them that worke iniquity Againe And this Gospell of the Kingdom shal be preached in the whole world Againe Matth. 24. 14. And Iesus went about teaching and preaching the Gospel Matth. 4. 23. of the Kingdome So if the Angels of God and multitude of his heauenly Armie may finde grace and credite with your Maiestie to be beleeued by their testimonies it is manifest that our Sauiour came to plant the Catholike Romane Church and Faith which as we haue proued in our first Chapter was taught by our Sauiour and planted by the Apostles amongst the Romans hath continued and shall continue amongst them vntill the day of Iudgement and as is confessed by Protestants hath reigned vniuersally without any debatable contradiction 1200. yeares as is set downe in the third Chapter CHAP. XI Wherein is proued by the testimony of our Sauiour himselfe that he was the Author of the Catholike Romane Faith OVR Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ foreseeing that many Heretikes would arise and say that his Seede Faith Word Church or Gospell had failed and decayed and that they were immediatly sent from God to plant a new Faith or reforme or restore the Gospell c. To preuent their hereticall falsehood hee warneth all his faithfull that they should not beleeue them saying Doe not thinke that I came to breake the Law the olde Matth. 5. 18. Testament or the Prophets I am not come to breake but to fulfill for assuredly I say to you Till heauen and earth passe one iot or one tittle shall not passe of the Law the olde Testament till all be fulfilled and the Church of Matth. 5. 2. God begunne in Ierusalem and Iuda be dilated to the West and to the East and to the North and to the Gen. 28. South as God spake to Abraham and his seed for euer Luke 1. 55. So supposed that our Sauiours words are true and that hee was the Messias and came to fulfill and performe the things promised by the Prophets and not to breake or violate their promises the Sunne was neuer more manifest in the moneth of August then it is manifest that he fulfilled the Prophecies by planting the Catholike Romane Faith and not by planting Protestantisme since Romane Catholikes haue been visibly multiplied ouer the world for many hundred yeares some Protestants say for nine hundred years some say for a thousand other Protestants say for twelue hundred and others say for more as is set downe in the third Chapter whereas the Prophecies haue beene so farre off from being fulfilled in Protestantisme that presently after the death of the Apostles it vanished away and hath been no where visibly knowne for one thousand foure hundred yeares So we may speak to Protestants who imagine that their Religion is true or was the Faith planted by our Sauiour and say to them in the words of our Sauiour Doe not thinke that our Sauiour came to break the Law or the Prophets Matth. 6. 18. he came not to breake but to fulfill Secondly our Sauiour foretelling the estate of his Church to come saith All things must needs be fulfilled which are writted in the Law of Moyses and the Prophets Luke 24. 44. Gen. 22. and the Psalmes of me And the Law of Moyses saith I wil multiply thy seed as the Starres of heauen c. The Prophets say Behold thy King will come to thee the Iust one and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Zach. 9. 9. Asse c. He shal speake Peace to the Gentiles and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth Againe And I wil send of them that shal be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Asricke Isay 66. and Lidia into Italy and Greece to the Ilands farre off to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glory And they shal shew forth my glory to the Gentiles and they shal bring of your brethren of al Nations a gift to our Lord vpon horses and in chariots and in horselittors and on Mules and in coatches to my holy mountaine Ierusalem Because as new heauens and a new earth which I make to stand before me saith our Lord so shal your seed stand and your name The Psalmes say Al the ends of the earth shal remember and be conuerted to our Psal 41. 28. Lord and all the families of the Gentiles shal adore in his sight Againe Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten Psal 2. 7. thee aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth Againe I wil put his seed for euer and euer and his throne Psal 88. as the dayes of heauen I haue sworne in my holy if I lye to Dauid his seed shal continue for euer All which and many more the like promises and Prophecies of the encrease continuance and dilatation of the Christians the seed of our Sauiour the seed of Dauid the seed of Abraham ouer the world must as our Sauiour Luke 24. 44. saith needs be fulfilled and yet we see by experience that they are fulfilled in no other people kindred or Nation but Romane Catholikes whom Protestants confesse to
will not see those Christians the Seed of Abraham the people of God to be the Catholikes whom thou callest Papists since at this day there are no Christians vpon whom this promise can be fulfilled but vpon them and as for former ages thy owne fellow Sectaries confesse that for many hundered yeares The Popish Heresie hath spread it selfe ouer the whole earth as is set downe in the third Chapter and since for one thousand foure hundred yeares together thou art not able to bring forth any writing testimonie antiquitie or euidence of any one Protestant Minister or Doctor that held the doctrine Protestants now teach Wilt not thou then obstinately go to hell that will be a Protestant and in thy imagination find out them which haue not bin to the dishonor of God and thy damnation And willest not see a multitude of men which are and haue been as the Stars of heauen for the saluation of thy soule and glory of God in fulfilling his oathes and promises But thou wilt say that suppose there were such an infinite number of Christians the people of God so visible as that they possessed the gates of their enemies as God Almightie affirmeth yet I cannot finde such a multitude of men professing one and the same Faith To which I answere that hereby thou shouldest most manifestly see that thou art obstinate thou wilt confesse that all Christians which euer haue beene may be comprehended vnder one of these three sorts knowne Heretikes to both parties Protestants and Papists knowne Heretikes on both parties thou wilt confesse not to haue been this seed of Abraham Protestants thou canst not assigne one that taught and held the doctrine thou now holdest in all them one thousand foure hundred yeares See now if thou beest not obstinate that will not know that the seede of Abraham were the Papists when it is so manifest that reputed Heretikes to both parties excepted for one thousand foure hundred yeares together thou canst finde none else Againe knowne and reputed Heretikes thou acknowledgest to haue bin amongst the Christians during the time of them one thousand foure hundred yeares but they were not knowne or reputed such in these ages by Protestants who then were not but by Papists who both spied them out and ouercame them according to these Prophecies So art not thou obstinace that doest not see the Prophecies verified vpon the Papists Againe all the Christian Kings and Kingdomes knowne Heretikes on both sides excepted as their Histories Chronicles Lawes Antiquities reports of Parents doe testifie were Papists then art not thou obstinat that will not see the Prophecies to be verified vpon Papists But thou wilt say that the Papists Church hath failed but so should not the seed of Abraham To which I answere that God Almightie affirmed that his Church the seed of Abraham should not faile and cannot be contrary to himselfe and thou findest no other congregation of men which euen in thy owne judgment hath longer endured according to the Prophecies of the Prophets then the Papists euen admitting the worst thou sayest of it so if thou wilt not bee obstinate and fall into Atheisme thou should conclude certainly it is false that the Papists Church hath failed for when thou sayest that the Church of Papists fell thou canst not say that it fell to Protestantisme so it maketh nothing for thee vnlesse thou wouldest be an Atheist and proue that God Almighty hath violated his oathes and promises and go against the first principle and say that God may be deceiued but man cannot and likewise against the second principle and say there were no knowne Christians of the seede of Abraham vpon earth for many hundred yeares together If thou beest a creature of God Almighties thou art first bound to maintaine his honor and glory and shew vpon what Christians his promises are fulfilled and then thine owne otherwise thou makest thy selfe an Idoll and denyest God So first shew vs Protestants multiplied as the Stars of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore dilated to the East to the West to the North and to the South which possessed the gates of their enemies and then shew vs when and where the Papists Church decayed and what Religion they embraced when they fell from Papistrie That it did decay thou alledgest the authoritie of some few that it did not decay I bring thee the authoritie of Scriptures and the generall consent of all knowne Christians for one thousand foure hundred yeares together knowne Heretikes and so reputed on both parties onely excepted as is set downe in the first second and third Chapters So if any reason may preuaile with thee thou must needs confesse that Papists are the Seede and children of Abraham and that our Lord by the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles and himselfe planted that Religion Protestants call Papistrie Neither mayest thou object that the testimonies of the Prophets concerning our Sauiour and his Church are obscure and their meaning hard to be found out when God Almightie affirmeth by the mouth of Saint Peter That they are as a candle shining in a darke place 2. Pet. 1. 19. into which if thou doest but looke and not obstinately shut thy eyes thou mayest see light So open thy eyes and accommodate thy vnderstanding to the Prophets and beleeue firmely that to be the true Seed of Abraham which hath been spread ouer the earth many hundred yeares according to the Prophecies do not accommodate the Prophets to thy vnderstanding take not for a first ground that thy sect is true and then seeke to shape the sayings of the Prophets to thy vnderstdanding and to thy sect so thou shalt make thy selfe an Idoll and be alwayes blinde vntill thou fall into euerlasting darknesse and there lamenting say We haue groaped as blinde men for the wall and as Isay 59. without eyes haue feeled we haue stumbled at none day as in darknesse in darke places as the dead that could not see the Seede of Abraham the Church of Christ a multitude of men which held one and the same Articles of Faith vpon earth without preuaricating in sense when euen in our dayes they were multiplied as Gen. 22. 28. the Starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore dilated to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South in Europe Asia Affrica and America ouerflowing the glory of the Gentiles and being a light and Isay 49. saluation to the furthest parts of the earth who had Kings their nursing fathers and Queenes their nurses who with countenance cast downe to the ground adored them and kissed their feete Desarts as delicasies and wildernesses Isay 51. wherein liued contemplatiue men as the gardens of our Lord vpon whose walles stood watchmen day and night holding not their peace keeping the Quier in one place or other perpetually Wee sencelesse esteemed their life 〈◊〉 5. 4. madnesse and their end without