Supreame-headship in all things might extend shee made another Law to make it as large as euer was the authoritie of our Lord or his Apostles vpon earth saying in the aforesaid Parliament Be it enacted by the authoritie aforesaid That such iurisdictions Stat. An. 1. El. cap. 1. priuiledges superiorities and preheminences Spiritual and Ecclesiastical as by any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power or authoritie hath heretofore been or may lawfully be exercised or vsed for the Visitation of the Ecclesiastical State and persons and for reformation order correction of the same and of al manner errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities shal for euer by authority of this present Parliament be vnited and annexed to the Imperial Crowne of this Realme That being crowned Queene though a woman and a Bastard yet now shee might haue as large Spirituall authoritie as any man euer had or might haue And so shee translated the Spirituall authoritie of Priesthood not only from Spirituall to Temporall but also from male vnto female that whatsoeuer Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power or authoritie hath heretofore been or may be lawfully vsed or exercised for the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall State and persons and reformation and giuing of orders and for the correcting them and all manner of errors heresies schismes abuses offences was by this law supposed to be wholy in her a woman And executing her Supreame Spirituall Function in the first yeares of her raigne shee set out two and fiftie Injunctions vnder title of the Queenes Injunctions with this Conclusion annexed to them All which and singular Iniunctions the Queenes Maiestie ministreth vnto her Clergie and to al her louing Subiects straitly charging and commanding them to obserue and keepe the same vnder paine of deprauation sequestration of fruits and Benefices suspension excommunication and other such cohersion of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction And by this meanes shee had all the Clergie at her command both the enjoying of their Temporall Benefices and Spirituall Offices depending wholly vpon her feminine authoritie In so much as in the first yeare of her raigne there arising some doubts about the lawfull making of her Archbishops and Bishops she by her effeminate authoritie dispensed with all their disabilities in these words Her Highnesse by her Supreame Stat. An. 5. El. cap. 1. power hath dispensed with all causes or doubts of any disability c. about the making of the said Archbishops and Bishops c. that no cause or scruple ambiguitie or doubt can or may be iustly obiected against the said Elections Confirmations or Consecration And in the eight yeare of her raigne doubts arising againe about the Consecration and making of her Archbishops and Bishops she signifieth her former dispensation saying For as much as diuers questions hath lately growen about Stat. An. 8. El. cap. 1. the making and consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops within this Realme c. Her Highnesse by her Supreame power and authoritie hath dispensed with al causes or doubts of any imperfection or disabilitie that can or may any wise be obiected against the same And in the nine and thirtith yeare of her reigne yet some doubts remaining amongst her Subiects that the Catholike Bishops whom shee out of her effeminate authority had depriued were lawfull Bishops and hers false shee depriued the Catholike Bishoppes againe and made their authoritie void to all intents and purposes establishing by her Law That al and euery depriuation and Stat. An. 39. El. Cap. 8. depriuations and al euery sentence and sentences of depriuation whatsoeuer had pronounced or giuen at any time betweene the beginning of the reigne of the Queenes most excellent Maiesty that now is and the tenth of Nouember in the fourth yeare of the same against any person or persons which was or tooke vpon him to be Archbishop or Bishop of any Sea or Bishopricke or Deane of any Deanery within this Realme or any the Dominion thereof in the reigne of the said late Queene Mary from such Sea or Bishopricke be adiudged deemed and taken good and sufficient in Law to all intents and purposes and so shal remaine and continue any appeale exception or other matter or thing whatsoeuer to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And that al such Archbishops and Bishops Note and Deanes as were ordained or made by the authority or licence of the Queenes Maiesty that now is at any time betweene the beginning of her reigne and the said tenth day of Nouember in the fourth yeare of her Maiesties reigne shal be taken and adiudged to be lawful Archbishop or Bishop of the Sea or Bishopricke and Deane of the Deanery vnto the which he was so preferred assigned or appointed And that the same Sea of Archbishop or Bishopricke and Deanery vnto the which he was so preferred assigned or appointed though there were in it a Catholike Bishop as they were all in the beginning of her reigne yet it shal be deemed and adiudged to be meerely void to all respects and purposes c. And by this means as much as lay in her shee depriued all the ancient Archbishops and Bishops both of their Spirituall authorities and Temporall Bishoprickes to all intents and purposes and admitted and established these onely who whereas the Statute saith ordained or made by the authority of the Queene and allowed and admitted of no authoritie Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall but in her and from her deriued to them In so much as Fulke glorying in the Spirituall influence he receiued from this Illigitimate Lady in his Answere to a Counterfeit Catholike pag. 50. saith to Catholikes You are vtterly deceiued if you thinke your Offices of Bishops Priests and Deacons any better then Lay-men and you presume too much to thinke that we receiue your ordaining to be lawfull And in his Retentiue Motiues pag. 67. he saith With all our hearts we defie abhorre detest and spit at your stinking greasie Antichristian Orders And WHITAKER cont Durem lib. 9. p. 821. saith I would not haue you to thinke we make such reckoning of your Orders as to make our owne vocation vnlawfull without them and therefore keepe them to your selfe And all the Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power which any Archbishop Bishop or Minister hath either to teach preach administer Sacraments or ordaine Ministers together with any right which they can pretend to any Archbishopricke Bishopricke Parsonage c. doth so fully and wholly depend vpon Queen Elizabeth her womanly authoritie and Statutes made by her that her femall Supreme Spirituall authority and Statutes repealed all the Archbishoprickes Bishopricks and Parsonages within this Realme together with their Offices are voyde in Law and as void rest to be disposed So that no other can or may bee justly said to be the Author and Founder of that Faith and Religion which is now by publike authority professed in England but onely Queene Elizabeth for that from her the English Protestant Archbishops Bishops and Ministers had whatsoeuer Priesthood or Spirituall
authority they can or may pretend or challenge either to administer Sacraments Teach or Preach or execute any other spiritual supposed function neither can English Protestant Ministers deny it vnlesse they deny the Queenes Supremacie and proclaime themselues to be perjured in the oath of Supremacie which they haue sworne Whereupon they are justly and truly called Elizabethians and ought not nor should not be called by any other name seeing they haue no other Author or Founder of their Religion and Priesthood but Queene ELIZABETH as we haue proued by publike Statutes And this Queene ELIZABETH did not that shee did thinke that she being a woman had Supreme authoritie in all Spirituall things or causes the Scriptures saying Let women hold their peace in the Church 1. Cor. 14. for it is not permitted them to speake but to be subiect Againe It is a filthy thing for a woman to speake in the Ibid. Church Againe Let women learne in silence with all subiection for I doe not permit a woman to teach But desirous 1. Tim. 2. to reigne in this world with whatsoeuer dishonor of God and danger soeuer of losing of her soule and damnation of her Subiects shee tooke vpon her IEROBOAMS Policies to strengthen her selfe against Your Mother So I appeale vnto your Maiesty well pleased to consider the wrong and injustice your Protestant Ministers doe vnto vs Roman Catholikes your ancient Subjects in persecuting vs with the losse of goods lands libertie and life for that we will not forsake the Religion planted vpon earth by the Sonne of God to professe in place thereof a Policie inuented by an Illigitimate woman THE CONCLVSION AND for Conclusion I humbly beseech your Maiesty well pleased to consider that without a true Faith it is imposible Hebr. 11. 6. Iohn 3. 8. to please God Againe He that doth not beleeue the Faith planted by our Sauiour is already iudged And the Iudgement is Get yee away from me yee accursed into fire euerlasting Matth. 25. which was prepared for the Diuell and his angels And presently after this sentence giuen they are cast into Hell which is as the Prophet Isay saith A profound and spacious roome his food is fire and store of wood the breath of our Lords mouth doth kindle the same like a maine Riuer of Brimstone and there bound hands and feete they are placed in a bed of Moathes to gnawe perpetually on their carkasses and in scorne of the pride of life in which they liued vpon earth couered with a couering of Lice as the Prophet Isay witnesseth saying Thy pride is drawne down into Hell thy carkas Isay 14. is fallen the moath shal be strowen vnder thee and wormes shal be thy couering And placed in this wofull and lamentable estate they are deliuered vp into the hands of Diuels who as ministers of Gods wrath power out vpon them Fire haile famine death teeth Eccles 39. Apoc. 14. of beasts scorpions and serpents And the smoake of their torments shall ascend vp for euer and euer Without any hope of ease or any possibilitie for one moment euer to haue their torments lessened for that they shall bee for euer the same as the Prophet saith He loued cursing Matth. 25. Psal 108. and it shal come to him and he would not blessing that with which God hath blessed all Nations of the earth according to his promise and it shal be far from him in all eternitie he shall neither heare or haue any which considerations ought much to moue the heart of your most excellent Maiesty to take pity vpon a number of your Subjects who haue no other Faith or Religion then that which is grounded vpon the maledictions of God and out of your compassion to restore vnto them againe the liberty of embracing the Catholike Roman Faith which as wee haue aboundantly prooued was planted vpon earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the Sonne of God and there is no saluation in any other And by so doing your Maiesty shall much honour God put an end to all new Sectes establish your Throne as the dayes of heauen bring abundance of peace and quietnesse to your afflicted Subjects and as you haue vnited the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland in one so you shall vnite your selfe and them to God and the rest of the Christian world and be partaker of all the blessings promised to the Catholike Church The meanes is so easie that if your Maiesty please you may do it without infringing any Law by dispensation out of your Prerogatiue Royall with all Statutes made against the Catholike Roman Faith which Faith not being euill in it selfe but truth and verity as we haue abundantly proued the Lawes of the Land giue your Maiesty full leaue to dispence with then all as is set downe in Termino Michaelis An. 11. Henrici Septimo Your most worthy Ancestor Chap. 35. saying The diuersity betweene malum prohibitum malum per se malum prohibitum is where the Statute doth prohibite that a man shall coyne no money and if he do he shal be hanged this is malum prohibitum for before the said Statute it was a lawfull act to coyne money but not after and for this euill the King may dispence c. Euen so if a man ship wooll for other places then for Calleis this is malum prohibitum for it is prohibited by Statute and for this euill the King may dispence c. in like case But malum in se neither the King nor any other can dispence withall as if the King would pardon to kill another or giue leaue to robbe vpon the high-way this is void yet when they are done the King may pardon them So it is if a man be bound by Recognisance in the Chancery to keep the Peace at the suite of another man the King cannot release the duetie for the preiudice which may happen to the other yet when it is forfeited he may well release and before not and so neither King Bishop nor Priest can giue leaue to one to commit Lechery because it is euill in se in the Law of Nature but when it is done they may absolue them very well Thus the Lawes of the Land giue libertie to the Kings of the Land to dispence with any thing which is not euill in it selfe but made euill by Act of Parliament as was the Catholike Roman Faith in the Parliament holden in the time of King Henry the eight Edward the sixt Queene Elizabeth and yourt Maiesty Whereby it is sufficiently manifest that your Highnesse may out of your prerogatiue Royall as well and with as good authoritie dispence with all penallties imposed by Statute vpon your Subjects for professing the Catholike Roman Faith and giue them free liberty to professe it as you may dispence with Merchants freely to transport out of the Realme Siluer Wooll or other Merchandize forbidden by Act of Parliament And the reasons or motiues which ought
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
AN HVMBLE APPEALE TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Wherein is proued that our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST was Authour of the Catholike Roman Faith which Protestants call PAPISTRIE Written by IOHN HVNT a Roman Catholike in defence of his Religion against the Calumniations and persecutions of Protestant MINISTERS IOHN 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for you thinke by them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they which giue testimonie of mee THE PREFACE Most dread Soueraigne SO heauy for many yeares hath been the hand of Protestant Ministers vpon vs Catholikes your auncient and faithfull subiects that heauen is ful with our cries the world with our afflictions the earth is drunk with our bloud the aire a receptacle for our quarters prisons are filled with our bodies and Pursuiuants infamous men at their pleasures inriched with the spoile of our goods in such sort as with the Apostles liuing in like persecution we may truly say Wee 1. Cor. 4. 9. are made a spectacle to the world and to Angels and to men that the extremity of our afflictions enforceth vs to Appeale vnto your Maiesty prostrate at your feet in most humble manner to beseech your Highnesse to heare the truth of our cause and take notice of the sincerity of our affections to God your Person and State God Almighty out of his infinit goodnesse hauing created vs according to his owne Image and after our fall Gen. 1. 27. redeemed vs from eternall paines in token of homage exacteth of vs the practising and professing of that Faith and Religion which was planted vpon earth by his only Son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and that with such rigor as whosoeuer at his death shal be found faultie herein shall not onely lose the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen and the happie vision of his diuine Maiesty but also condemned into fire euerlasting which was prepared for Matth. 25. 41. the Diuell and his angels there to endure the wrath and vengeance of God for euer and euer And lest any one should doubt which was this Faith or Religion he swore he would multiply it in men as the Gen. 22. Isay 88. Isay 54. Isay 62. Starres of heauen that remaining in all ages and times visibly seene and professed none could or should haue occasion of doubting which was this Faith or Religion vnto the which he was so straitly bound vnlesse he would wilfully be obstinate and blinde And yet notwithstanding your Protestant Ministers contrary to the oath of God and without respect of the penalty of eternall damnation imposed vpon misbeleeuers would perswade vs that their Religion which about threescore yeares agoe was inuented in England by Queene ELIZABETH only to keepe your Maiesties Mother and her issue from their lawfull right to the Crowne of England is the Religion which was planted by our Sauiour and afflict vpon your ancient subiects who haue maintained your Progenitors in the state of Kings and absolute Monarkes many hundred yeares confiscation of goods and lands imprisonment losse of liberty and life and the benefit of all Ciuil and Humane lawes and conuersation for that we wil not beleeue them to the losse of our owne soules and in continuance of time the destruction of your Monarchie according to the Prophecies saying I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them Gen. 12. 3. that curse thee In thee shall all the Kindreds of the earth be blessed The Nation and the Kingdome that Isay 60. 12. shall not serue thee shall perish Which we haue seene so manifestly fulfilled in al ages times amongst Christians that hitherto neuer any Nation People or Countrey of Christian men did separate it selfe by Schisme from the Catholike Church the spiritual seed of Abraham dilated ouer the world but it was within few yeares conquered by barbarus people Whereupon we your ancient subiects feareful lest we should be forsaken of God and fal into these euils and timorous in any thing to offend your Maiestie our dearest Soueraigne prostrate at your feete doe humbly offer vnto your Highnesse the grounds and foundations of our Faith and Religion by which we proue that it is the same Faith and Religion which was planted vpon earth by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ in which al the Kindreds of the earth were to be blessed hoping therby to remoue away from your Majesties minde these sinister false informations which such as neither wish well either to your Person or State more then may serue to the accomplishing of their designes daily publish in your presence viz. That we are wilfull disloyall Subjects who vnder pretext of Religion pretend Rebellion Ignorant blinde people that haue nothing to say for the Religion we professe Enemies to your Maiesty and State c. That your Majesty being better informed we also may taste of the sweetnesse of your Gouernment who are at al times and in al things as readie to obey and serue you our dread Soueraigne as our Auncestors haue serued and obeyed your Progeniters Kings and absolute Monarkes of this Iland or as the Catholike subiects of the Emperour or of the King of Spaine or France or Polonie do serue their Soueraignes And in testimony hereof we offer to binde our selues alwayes to remaine loyal faithful Subiects vnto your Majesty your Heires and lawful Successours by amoath whereby we may not in effect and deed sweare that God Almighty is forsworne in violating his oath and promises which he made to the Patriarks and Prophets euery where spoken of in the Scriptures to be fulfilled in that Faith Seede and Religion which was to be planted vpon earth by his only Son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Your Majesty wel knoweth that it is not yet much about threescore yeares since these your Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland were Catholike and the most of vs together with our Auncestors neuer were of any other Religion See this proued in the second Chapter then this we now professe since our Conuersion to Christianity from Paganisme And if we should now forsake it for feare of the losse of temporall goods imprisonment and hanging and not out of information in beleefe we should be but Atheists and be worthy to be hanged vp indeed for dissembling with men and violating all obligation to God Moreouer the meanes which God Almighty appointed his Officers to vse in the conuersion of Kingdomes and people was Humility Patience Charity c. saying Behold Matth. 10. 16. I send you as sheepe in the middest of Wolues he did not say I send you as Wolues amongst sheepe to kill imprison spoyle and deuoure those vnto whom they were sent Againe he said They to whom I send you will deliuer Matth. 10. 17. you vp in Councels and in their Synagogues they wil scourge you And to Presidents and to Kings shall you be led for my sake He doth not say you whom I send shall deliuer the people whom you
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
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
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
and not a man of them left to pisse against the wall according to the words of God And amongst the many temporall maledictions which God promiseth to send vpon that Nation which shall forsake his Word and Law to follow humane inuentions and policies for Religion this is one That the stranger that liueth with thee in the Land a fornicator Deut. 28. 43. after mans inuentions as thy selfe shall ascend ouer thee and shal be higher and thou shalt descend downward and be inferiour He shal be as the head and thou shalt be as the tayle Whereupon the children of Israel after they had embraced Ieroboams policies for Religion were deliuered into the hand of the spoilers vntill God threw them away from his face euen now from that time 3. King 17. when Israel was rent from the house of Dauid and made Ieroboam the son of Nabat their King for Ieroboam seperated Israel from our Lord and made them to sin a great sin c. And Israel was transported out of their Land vnto 4. King 15. 19. the Assirians and made slaues and tayles vnto those Idolaters with whom not long before they had made couenants of association and defence So the whole people of the Iewes renouncing our Sauiour the Messias are as we see by experience euen vntill this day the tayle of all people and vnder all and aboue none Many people and Nations forsaking the Catholike Roman Faith to embrace Arianisme became tayle to the barbarous Goathes Africa infected with the Heresie of Donatus was conquered by the Vandals The East Church which whiles it was Christian Catholike held the Empire of the world now for her Schisme is become slaue and tayle to the Turke and many Kingdomes in Asia and Africa which heretofore haue flourished vnder the Catholike Roman Faith by forsaking it either became base vile and contemptible or quite extinct to the verifying of the words of God saying Whosoeuer shall glorifie me I will glorifie him and they 1. King 2. 30. that contemne me shelbe base And who is able to expresse the present maledictions which are fallen vpon Germanie by forsaking in this our age the Catholike Roman Faith Since before it flourished both in dominion and prosperitie aboue all the Nations of the West which now is punished with all the plagues of God as Famine Pestilence Sects Ciuill warre and in danger to be swallowed vp by the Turke And if before the rising of Luther there euer were any Christians that made profession of the Religion now publikely professed in England as some of your Protestant Ministers would seeme to affirme wee see by experience that they were the tayle drosse and refuse of all people so lodened with the curses and maledictions of God as that there resteth no more memory of them then if they neuer had been to the verifying of the Prophecies saying The enemies of our Lord forthwith Psal 36. 20. as they shal be honored and exalted vanishing shall vanish as smoake Againe I haue seene the impious lightly Psal 36. 35. exalted and aduanced as the Cedars of Libanus And I passed by and behold he was not and I sought him and Psal 36. 38. his place was not found Againe the vniust shall perish together the remaynes of the impious shall perish God Almightie hauing created all creatures and giuen to euery creature whatsoeuer good it hath and to certaine Kingdomes and people particular diuine fauours and graces aboue other people as the Faith planted vpon earth by his onely Sonne by the practise whereof they may liue vpon earth like Citizens of Saints and domesticals of God and euen in this life taste of the comforts and consolations of diuine pleasures when this people in stead of gratitude shall become so base and vile as to forsake this Faith to follow the crafty inuentions and politick deuices of men Then saith MOYSES Our Lord will not forgiue him Deut. 30. 19. but then his fury will most specially fume and his zeale against that man and all the curses sit vpon him written in Deutronomie And the generation following shall say and the children that shal be borne from henceforth and the stranger that shal come from a farre And al the Nations seeing the plagues of that Land shal say Why hath the Lord done this to this Land And they shal answere Because they forsooke the couenant of the Lord which hee made with their Fathers therefore the fury of the Lord was wrath against this Land to bring vpon it all the curses written in Deutronomie That the iust may see and Deut. 28. feare and say Behold the man that hath not put God for Psal 51. 8. his helper Behold they that make them farre from thee Psal 72. shal perish thou hast destroyed all that Fornicate from thee Fiftly they are Lawes and Statutes made against all Law and the grounds of Law for that Protestants would not be content that the Catholike Kings of France or Polonie who haue many Protestant subjects should make Protestantisme treason or felonie yet as our Sauiour saith Whatsoeuer you wil that men do to you Matth. 7. 12. doe you also to them for this is the Law and the Prophets And to conclude the precident of making or approuing such Lawes followed will serue to make any thing Fellony or Treason or to change the Monarchie into a Common-wealth or to set vp any Intender or Vsurper whereof your Highnesse ought to haue especiall care both for the good of your Person Posteritie and Kingdomes ouer which God of his goodnesse grant that your Maiestie and your Posteritie may most happily Reigne in the estate of Monarkes and absolute Kings vnto the worlds end FINIS The faults escaped I leaue to the courteous Reader to correct
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