in the last Century Therefore neither in respect of time nor in respect of place can these religions be called Catholick I add farther that the Roman Catholick religion is one and the same every where but these new religions are divers differing one from another even in Fundamental Points of Doctrine while one accuses and condemns the other of Heresie How then can they be counted Catholicks For we must take notice that this Name Christian given at first to all Believers and to the whole Church was specially used to distinguish them from from the Jews and Heathens who believed not at all in Christ as the same now severeth and maketh known all Christian People from Turks and others that either deny Christ or know him not But when Hereticks began to rise from among the Christians who professed Christ's Name and owned some Articles of Faith as true Believers do while they denied others and brought in new Doctrines of their own the name of Christian was too common to distinguish and sever these Hereticks from the true faithful People and thereupon the Apostles by the Holy Ghost imposed this name Catholick upon such Believers as in all points were obedient to the Church's Doctrine When Heresies were risen says S. Pacianus and endeavoured by divers Names to tear the Dove of God meaning the Church and rent her in pieces Epist ad Sympho the Apostolical People acquired their Sirname whereby the uncorrupted might be distinguished c. and so those that before were called Christians are now sirnam'd also Catholicks Christian is my Name saith he Catholick my Sirname Hence this word Catholick is the proper note whereby the Holy Apostles in their Creed taught us to discern the true Church from any false Heretical Congregation what soever .. The very Name of Catholick says S. August keeps me in the Bosome of the Church And again We must hold the Communion of that Church which is named Catholick not only by her own Cont. Epist fundam c. 4. De vera Relig. c. 7. but also by her Enemies For whether they will or no the Hereticks and Schismaticks themselves when they speak not with their own Companions but with Strangers call no other Church Catholick but this for they could not be understood unless they did distinguish it by this name whereby it is known and called over all the World The Seventh Consideration from Succession THat Religion is to be judged the true Religion whose Pastors are all descended from the Apostles and are the Apostle's Successors or who derive their Authority and Ordination from them For by this reason it is evident that that Religion and that Church which holds that Religion is Apostolical but such is the Catholick religion therefore that is the true religion Now that all Ministers of the Catholick religion descend from the Apostles whether you regard the Power of Order or Jurisdiction is manifest for all her inferior Ministers especially Sub-deacons Deacons and Priests are ordained by Bishops the Bishops receive their Order from other Bishops and these again from others and so upwards to the Apostles who receiv'd this Power immediately from Christ as Christ from his Father As my Father sent me says he I send you and so must you send others and so I am with you and them to the end of the World As therefore all Men according to the Life of Nature by a long tract of Generations descend from Adam so all the Ministers of the Catholick Church according to Super-natural Power by a long race of Ordination and Consecration descend from Christ our Lord who is the Second Adam There is no Minister therefore in the Church of God but can derive his Power of Consecration to offer Sacrifice absolve from Sins and to administer other Sacraments whereby Christians are sanctified from Christ the Chief Fountain and Author Whence it follows that all his Works which he does by this Power are attributed to Christ as the Supreme Author who instituted this Power and invisibly presides and assists therein Man being only his Instrument whereby he does all this as St. Augustine and other Fathers excellently observe and teach In like manner all power of Jurisdiction of Ministers to rule and govern Christians to preach the Word of God to them Tract 5. in Joan. Chrysos hom 80. ad pop Ambros l. 4. de Sacram. c. 4 5. and officiate in their Pastoral Duty descends from Christ and may clearly be reduced to him for the Curates or Parish Priests have their Jurisdiction from the Bishops and Bishops from the Chief Bishop the Pope the Pope seeing he is Blessed Peter's Successor in the same Chair and Authority of governing the Vniversal or Catholick Church must needs be invested with the same Jurisdiction which was immediately conferred upon St. Peter and in him to all his Lawful Successors And also only those who have not an ordinary but a delegated Authority in the Church must have it from Parochial Pastors or Bishops or the Pope So that there is no Minister in the Catholick Church no Preacher of God's Word or Catechizer who cannot shew plainly his Mission and demonstrate the same to be derived from Christ And indeed if they could not do so they were in no wise to be heard but suspected and esteemed as Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing since they enter not into the Sheep-fold by the door but creep in privately another way Joh. 10. This Argument alwas the Ancient Fathers chiefly made use of Irenae l. 3. c. 1. Tertul. de prescrip to convince all Hereticks for by it the Continuation of our Religion from several Ages up to the time of the Apostles is clearly shew'd The Succession of Priests from the See of St. Peter the Apostle to whom our Lord commended the care of feeding his Sheep to this present Bishop August Epist 165. Optatus l. 2. cont Parm. Hier. cont Lucif keeps me in the Church says St. Augustine and the like says St. Hierome in his Dialogues But now none of the Ministers of the New Religions can shew this And indeed the power of Order whereby the Sacraments are administred and the People sanctified they cannot derive from Christ and his Apostles because they have taken it quite away Nor is there any amongst them that have received the Episcopal or Sacerdotal Order unless it be some Apostares from the Catholick Religion whose Orders then are of no more use and service and yet the Church of Christ has had always these degrees and been govern'd by them Likewise they never had any power of Jurisdiction to preach the word of God as true Pastors or to administer Baptism and rule the People in Spirituals and Divine Worship For I ask of whom had Luther and Calvin this power Of whom was either of them sent to preach their New Gospel and Reform the People For they were not sent by the Ordinary Pastors of the Church as 't is sufficiently manifest They came therefore of their own
were occult and therefore could not be the Religion of Christ which hath been always visible manifest and publick What hath been said and proved in this Discourse against the religion of Luther and Calvin may be also said of all other Protestants whether Anabaptists Independents Quakers and the like Heresies for there is the same Novelty in them all and therefore the same reasons may be urged against them but for clearness sake and not to cloy the Reader with repetition of Names I have only made use of One or Two I conclude therefore in the Words of St. Hierome Dialog contr Lucif in fiae who writes thus I 'll tell you briefly and plainly my Opinion We must live and die in that Church which being founded by the Apostles remains to this day If in any place you hear some who are called Christians to derive a Name from some other Person besides Jesus Christ as Marcionists Valentinians Montanists Lutherans Calvinists c. know they are not of the Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Antichrist For by this very token that they have been brought in under such a Name in after Ages they are known and convicted to be some of those whom the Apostle foretold Nor let them flatter themselves by quoting Scripture for their Tenets since the Devil quoted Scripture also which consists not in the reading but understanding of it As Novelty therefore is a sign of Heresie foretold by the Apostle so such a Sectary Name a sign of Novelty and as for bringing of Scripture it is common to the Devil as well as Hereticks The Second Reason from a defect of Succession ANother reason why these Religions are not to be approved is They want Succession because they want a Succession of Ministers derived by a continued Order from the Apostles which Succession is necessary that our Religion or Church should be judged Apostolical For without this Succession it cannot be continued with the Religion of the Apostles Hence it is the Fathers teach every where that those who would be accounted the true Church of Christ ought to shew the Succession of their Bishops by a continual Series or order of them from the Apostles But if they cannot do this 't is a clear sign that they are not of the true Church of Christ So Optatus Milevitanus to convince the Donatists that they were not of the true Church saith Shew the Original of your Chair if you claim to your selves the true Church And Tertullian Let Hereticks shew the Original of their Churches Tertul. prescrip advers Heret let let ehem declare to us the Order of their Bishops by such a continued Succession that their first Bishop have either an Apostle or Apostolical Man for his Predecessor The same Argument other Fathers mke use of as Irenaeus Epiphanius St. Hierome and St. Augustine Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Epiph. Her 1.27 infir cont Lucif August c. 4. cont Epist fundam But it is manifest that neither the Lutherans Calvinists or Fanatticks have the least appearance of any such Succession for to whom I pray succeeded Luther who was for the most part the Author and Parent of those Religions Whose Chair and Authority did he seize upon Who was Chief of the Lutheran religion before him Who of the Presbyterian religion before Calvin and Swinglius But if none can be nominated it is clear they want that Succession which the Fathers require to make their Church Apostolical Again They do not only want Succession of Chair and Authority but also a degree Ordination of descending from the Apostles For a double Power in the Ministers of the Church has been always requisite and both of them to be derived by a continued Order from the Apostles as aforesaid in the Seventh Consideration to wit the power of Order whereby Sacrifice is offered and the Sacraments administred to sanctifie the Faithful and the power of Jurisdiction whereby a Right and Authority is granted to govern and feed the Church with the Word of God c. But neither of these can they derive from the Apostles not the power of Jurisdiction as it has been shew'd nor likewise the power of Order for who ordained Luther or Calvin Bishops of their Church If they say that Ordination is not necessary they contradict all Antiquity and the continual practice of the Church for there was never any made a Bishop in the Church to perform all Episcopal Functions unless by another Bishop to whom two other Bishops were to be assisting according to the Institution of the Apostles as is expresly commanded Can. 1. Apost Can. 4. Synod of Nice And St. Paul insinuates the same writing to the Bishop St. Timothy saying Neglect not the Grace that is in thee which is given thee by Prophecy with the imposition of the Hands of Priesthood 1 Tim. 4. That is the Assembly of Bishops who laid their Hands upon him that was to be ordain'd as the Fathers expound it Hereby it is clearly manifest that the Lutherans and Calvinists have neither of the said powers of Order and Jurisdiction from the Apostles and that they are not descended from the Apostles according to either nor can trace back either of these two from themselves up to the Apostles and consequently that they have neither true Religion nor the Church of Christ among them for this ought to descend and be as it were continued from the Apostles by the means of these two Powers as hath been declared For all Spiritual Power ought to be derived from Christ by the Apostles and their Successors through a certain continued Succession and Communication upon other Ministers as our corporal Life by a chain of Causes is derived from the First Man Adam and so must be to the last Man that shall be born For as in the Old Testament none were to be Priests unless they descended from Aaron of the Tribe of Levi so in the New Testament none are Priests or Bishops unless they derive their degree of Order and Jurisdiction from Christ the Chief Bishop by the Apostles and their Successors As therefore the Synagogue of the Jews could not be without Priests descended from Aaron by a continued Race so the Church of Christ cannot be without Priests or Bishops descending from the Apostles to their Successors by a perpetual continued Order and Succession But the Congregations of Luther and Calvin had never any such Ministers they never had any Bishops lawfully ordained amongst them that could derive their power of Jurisdiction from the Apostles and their Successors to govern the People 'T is plain therefore that they have not the Church of Christ amongst them The Third Reason from the defect of Mission THE Third Reason is from a want of Mission because they introduced these Religions of themselves without any Lawful Authority This therefore should make them worthily to be suspected as erroneous and the Authors of them to be Wolves and Seducers For no body in the
Great and St. Hilarion St. Martin St. Nicholas St. Benedict St. Malachy St. Bernard St. Dominick St. Francis of Paul St. Francis Xaverius to omit innumerable others Besides that their Miracles were not counterfeited Their Miracles were no Lies may easily be proved many ways 1st Because they were written by most grave and authentick Authors For the Miracles of St. Gregory who was therfore call'd Thaumaturgus that is the Worker of Miracles were written by St. Gregory Nyssen in the Life of him and by St. Basil in his Book of the Holy Ghost chap. 29. The Miracles of St. Anthony by St. Athanasius and St. Hierome of St. Martin by Severus Sulpitius of St. Nicholas by divers Greek Authors of St. Benedict by St. Gregory the Great and others of St. Malachy by St. Bernard of St. Bernard by several eminent Authors in his own time of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure of St. Dominick by those who being Eye-witnesses of them were reconcil'd to the Catholick Faith of St. Francis of Paul by the Bull of his Canonization and the Miracles of St. Francis Xaverius after a strict scrutiny and sworn Witnesses were approv'd of by publick Testimony of the Vice-Roy of India Who can believe that these Men famous for Sanctity Learning and Authority would to the damnation of their Souls and eternal infamy of their good Name forge these Miracles and impose them upon the World For a Lie in things pertaining to Religion is a most grievous mortal Sin Then again if they were false and feigned the vanity of them might easily have been discovered by the Men of that Age wherein they were written But no body ever rejected them except Heathens Jews or Hereticks Add hereunto that many of these Miracles were confirm'd by the publick Testimony of Bishops or Magistrates through a previous knowledge of them Lastly to say that they were false and counterfeited is to take away all belief of History and overthrow all knowledge of former times For all the Acts of Antiquity may be said to be false and feigned since they cannot be proved but by the Authority of the Writers In like manner that their Miracles were not wrought by help of the Devil nor by the Devil is manifest divers ways 1st Because they were done by most holy Men and such as were entirely devoted to God's Service Who can believe that St. Francis St. Dominick St. Bernard St Benedict St. Martin c. had any Commerce with the Devil Again because their Works were far above the Devils Power For the Devil cannot open the Eyes of the blind nor cure the lame nor raise the dead nor give immediate cure to Paralitticks or restore dead and withered Limbs c. All these things are above the power of Nature And hence never any Magicians could do such such things by the Devil's aid But our Saints have done many such Miracles and almost innumerable and that in a trice by the touch only or by the sign of the Cross by a short prayer and oftentimes only by a word of Command 3dly Because those which are done by the Art of the Devil either continue but a little while being delusions and deceptions of the Sight as appears by that which Conjurers do or if they last long they are done by natural Causes and exceed not the power of them Moreover they are for the most part unprofitable to Men vain and hurtful as to make Fire to descend from Heaven to make a Statue or Idol speak c. which shall be done by Anti-Christ and his false Prophets in the last days as 't is written in the Revelations Chap. 13. nor do they tend to amendment of Life But the Miracles of the Saints have a permanent and solid effect and are profitable to Mankind exciting us to the fear of God and amendment of our Lives 4thly New Miracles are never allowed of in the Church but by great Examination before-hand for Witnesses are examined and commonly under Oath the Fact it self is also looked into whether 't was not done by Virtue of Nature or Help of the Devil all Circumstances are likewise considered as by what means order and occasion in what place and time to what end and for whom and before whom the Miracle was wrought And oftentimes there are not wanting Persons that are emulous who are willing to undervalue and slight the matter overmuch or endeavour what they can to render it suspicious and therefore they let nothing escape untry'd or unexamin'd So that it is impossible the Fraud should lie hid long if there were any and it concerns the Divine Providence not to permit Men to be so miserably deluded especially after so great care and diligence used by them to find out the Truth 5thly If the Miracles of the Church were from the Devil to retain Men in a flase Religion Why does he not do the same in other false Religions namely amongst the Turks Arrians Anabaptists Libertines c. Why does he forbear to work Miracles amongst all these and do them only in the Catholick Church Is it because he loves it better than all the rest But he should not neglect them by whom he may enlarge his Dominions He is delighted with variety of false Worships and accommodates himself to the Genius Dispositions and Affections of all Therefore since only the Catholick Religion hath Miracles and no false Religion hath or can have them 't is a clear sign that the Miracles of the Catholick Church are not from the Devil Lastly What reason is there that they should be counted Fictions or performed by the Devil Is it because they cannot be done But God is Omnipotent and did many the like by his Apostles as appears in Scripture Or is it because they are repugnant to Scripture But our Lord hath plainly promised this Grace of Miracles saying Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth in me the Works that I do shall he do also and greater Works than these shall he do because I go to my Father and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son Joh. 14.12 c. By which Words he insinuates that the Gift of Miracles shall always remain in the Church not only amongst the Apostles but many Apostolical Men and People of eminent Sanctity in due time and place This Promise therefore of our Lord we see fulfilled when Holy Men do Miracles Or is it for lack of Witnesses Besides the Writers most worthy of belief we have the credit and consent of the People the Testimony of Bishops and Magistrates after a strict enquiry and examination of the matter by Sworn Witnesses There are not any ancient Matters of Fact except those recorded in the Holy Scriptures which have so many and so considerable Witnesses Add hereunto that in every Age yea almost every year there are many great Miracles done in several places by the Saints reigning with Christ in Heaven especially
Church ought to Preach but those that are sent by Lawful Authority according to the Apostle How shall they Preach unless they be sent Otherwise a great confusion would spring in the Church For every one then would take upon him the Office of Preaching and governing the Church and sow what Errors he pleased For if in a Temporal Republick or Humane Government no Man can intrude himself and assume the Magistracy to govern the People in Earthly Affairs pertaining only to this Life but ought to have Commission from the Prince how much less in the Church in the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ can any one arrogate to himself the Office of a Pastor to govern the People in things belonging to their Eternal Salvation but ought to have Authority from the Supreme Head of the Church For a confusion of Government in the Church is much more to be avoided than in a Republick since this tends to a destruction of Souls whereas the other is but the loss of our Fortunes or Bodies Again He that entreth not by the door into the Sheepfold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber saith our Lord Joh. 10. But he that without any Lawful Mission and Authority assumes the Office of a Pastor in the Church does not enter in at the door but climbeth up some other way as the Fathers every where expound it and as 't is plain enough of it self For what is it else to enter by the door than to enter by a Lawful way by legitimate Authority For a door is the ordinary way appointed whereby to enter into the Sheepfold and signifies this Lawful Authority whereby Ministers ought to be admitted into the Sheepfold of Christ to govern and feed Christ's Flock Moreover our Lord says by St. John He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own Glory but he that seeketh his Glory that sent him the same is true and no injustice is in him Joh. 7.18 By which Words he signifies we must not believe those who come of themselves and are not lawfully sent because they seek their own glory and profit to which end all their Doctrine is directed Lastly The Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews judges this Mission to be so necessary that he requires it in Christ our Lord No Man taketh this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as Aaron So Christ also did not glorifie himself that he might be made a High Priest but he that said to him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Hence it is that our Lord so often inculcated to the Jews his Mission namely that he did not come of himself but was sent by his Father and confirms the same many ways Hereby it is clear that Luther Calvin and the like new Doctors are not to be heard nor their Doctrine believed but avoided and detested because 't is apparent they came of themselves without any Lawful Authority It is evident that they have usurped to themselves this Function and Duty of Pastors and a Right to Reform the Church It is manifest they entred not by the door and by a legal way but climb'd up another way into the Sheepfold and therefore according to the Sentence of our Lord they are to be taken for Thieves and Robbers Perhaps they will say they were sent immediately from Christ Christ sent them not as of old God sent the Prophets in an extraordinary manner to Reform the People and as Christ sent his Apostles to convert the World and as St. Paul after our Lord's Ascention was not sent by Men nor received the Gospel from Men but immediately from our Lord Jesus Christ But First 't is not enough to say this and boldly to affirm it but they must prove it and evince it to be true lest the People and other ordinary Pastors lawfully renounce them as Impostors As the Prophets of old and the Apostles did not only say that God sent them but abundantly prov'd and demonstrated the same by many Miracles Secondly All Arch Hereticks and false Prophet in all Ages have said the like namely that they were sent of God and received their Authority from him Therefore all are to be imbraced or none For why should I believe for example sake that God sent Calvin rather than Luther Munster Arrius or any other Arch Heretick since he cannot shew greater Proofs or Reasons of his Mission than the others Thirdly If God sent Calvin then he did not send Luther and so the contrary because if two Prophecy contradictions and condemn one another in their Doctrine of resie they destroy the Religion of each other Wherefore if God sent both of them he should be against himself deny and overthrow himself destroying by one what he built up by the other Amongst the Prophets which God sent there was always an exact agreement of Doctrine Fourthly If God sent Luther or Calvin to reform the Church I ask at what time and in what place did God confer on them this Ministry What Words did he say to them either outwardly or inwardly How did he declare to them the points of Reformation what order and method did he prescribe them How or in what Form did he appear to them Whither exteriourly in a visible manner as he did to St. Paul or interiourly by an imaginary Vision in some ecstasie as to the Prophets and to S. John the Evangelist in his Revelations For all these things God is wont to do when he sends any One extraordinarily and the Prophets themselves presently when they began to Preach declared all this that the People might understand by whom they were sent or what charge was given them as it appears by the Prophet Isai Chap. 1. c. Ezek. 1. c. Dan. 2. and 9. c. In fine all the Prophets were used to Evidence this in the first place as you may see in their Prophecies In like manner it is known at what time and by what Words our Lord sent his Apostles and what he enjoyn'd them c. But these new Prophets were so inconsiderate that they never thought of this to be reputed immediately sent from God for there is no mention hereof made by them which is a most certain sign that they are compelled of necessity to tell a most grievous untruth by saying God sent them For who can doubt if they had the least colour of Divine Mission they would not have inserted it in their Writings and presently manifested the same to the whole World expressing the time place manner and precept of our Lord together with other circumstances Fifthly If God sent them he did not only send them as Reformers of Manners as the Prophets were sent but as Reformers of all Doctrine and Religion and therefore an exact narration and description of their Mission was chiefly necessary and a nomination of the points which God would have reformed and in his Name and Words propounded to the Church as the Prophets