mission and commission You cannot produce any time out of any Records or Memorials extant or remembred in which and by which it may appeare that these things were otherwise The Churches of the East Asia Greece and Africa were a long time visible eminent and glorious The Churches of the West have held it out longer Since there first was a Church in England France Spaine and Rome there hath not ceased to bee a Church there And if in any of these places or all these places the Church should cease or not bee visible yet would it be still visible otherwhere though not ever alike nor to like purpose Againe I do call those Some mens doctrines in this point Private Opinions and so well may I doe in respect of the disinvalidity and disproportion of them being private mens opinions and no publick proposals or resolutions of the Church I call them not so in regard of paucity of proposers for they may bee many a strong potent prevailing partie that thus opine and runne a course to themselves in their owne Tenents against or beside publick enacted and authorized doctrine And yet even private opinions also are against you That worthy Divine my deare friend while he lived D. RI. FIELD lib. 111. pag. XIX saith It cannot bee but they are the true Church must by profession of the truth make themselves knowne in such sort that by their profession and practice they may be discerned from other men But without all question that Church must needs be visible the members whereof doe make open and publick profession of their Faith in such sort that by their practice and profession they may be knowne and distinguished from other men And therefore that learned man rightly resolveth That BELLARMINE laboureth in vaine to prove that there is and alwayes hath beene a VISIBLE Church and that not consisting of some few scattered Christians without order or Ministry or use of Sacraments for all this we do grant and most willingly yeeld unto howsoever perhaps SOME FEW have been of ANOTHER OPINION Marke my good Informers D. FIELDS Popery to the purpose and with all D. HUMFREYES another Papist SECRET abodes are no Christian Convocations because this communion of Saints is an OPEN testification of Christianity and D. WILLET no Papist I hope unlesse your selves be saith that The ONLY absence of word and Sacraments doe make a nullity in a Church therefore an existence in a Church is made by their presence But how can you or any man possibly conceive that the Word should be preached and Sacraments administred in a Church Invisible The L. Bishop of LICHFIELD hath as much Popery in this point as M. MOUNTAGU hath In his Appeale thus he writeth Now Protestants and Romanists doe concarre in words and almost in sence So that the difference is not so much in the position as in the application of the Invisibility of the Church And before him long since that IEWELL of his time hath uttered these expresse words The generall or outward Church of GOD is VISIBLE and may be seene in his Defence against HARDING And this Doctrine is sufficiently and to this purpose explaned by that right worthy and learned Deane Dr. WHITE in his just Defence of his deceased Brother against the cavills of a Iesuite And he that hath read moe Papists than ever you have heard of concludeth thus Whereunto our learned adversaries for the greater part agree Great Ignorance then it must be or malice or faction or all that by the Information of these poore Divines M. MOUNTAGU is promoted for a Papist for saying that with moderate men on both sides this Controversie might cease or for calling the opinion of the INVISIBILITY of the Church a private opinion But as I said so I see it fareth still now adayes as with the Iesuite and Iesuited Papist such as be by farre the major part of that side every man is an Heretick a Lutheren a Calvinist I know not what that is not a desperate Papist to goe unto the Divell with them though it be upon a second pouder-plot so also with our Puritans very Sibs unto those Fathers of the Society every Moderate man is bedaubed with these goodly habiliments of ARMINIANISME POPERY and what not unlesse hee will be frantick with them for their Holy Cause Yet well fare BELLARMINE a man of a better spirit than some of the Paternitie who ingenuously confesseth concerning this particular Notandum est multos ex nostris tempus terere dum probant ABSOLUTE Ecclesiam non posse deficere nam CALVINUS caeteri Haeretici id concedunt And that learned Deane of CARLILE of late against FISHER saith the same It is but lost labour to spend time in proving against us that there is alway in the world a true Church for we have ever acknowledged it and have ever been Papists in opinion for so doing or else these good Fellowes are and ever will bee I know what I could have produced many moe to purpose and amongst them diverse whom they will not cast off for Papists as M. PERKINS M. CLAPHAM D. SPARKS c. I will yet adde a little more Poperie to the former and so leave my friends and Informers to chew the Cud upon it as they do after Lectures The Church of Rome hath ever beene visible The Church of Rome is and ever was a true Church since it was a Church Therefore the true Church hath been visible I say Remember it lest you mistake my saying or maliciously mistake it a True Church ratione essentiae and Being of a Church not a Sound Church every way in their Doctrine CHAP. V. Touching ANTICHRIST The Pope and Prelacy of Rome Antichristian That hee is Magnus ille Antichristus is neyther determined by the publick doctrine of the Church nor proved by any good argument of private men Difference among Divines who The Man of sinne should be The markes of the great Antichrist fit the Turkish Tyrannie every way aswell as the Papacie The peace of the Church not to bee disquieted through varietie of Opinions No finall Resolution to bee yet had in this point INFORMERS COncerning ANTICHRIST thus hee writeth I professe ingenuously I am not of opinion that the Bishop of ROME personally is THAT ANTICHRIST nor yet that the Bishops of ROME successively are THAT ANTICHRIST Chap. X. pag. 74. MOUNTAGU WHat if I am not of that opinion what if ingenuously I professe so much that I am not of that opinion as indeed I am not I was occasioned to shew my opinion in the point by the Gagger who charged our Church in generall with the private Fancy and opinion of some men that the Pope of Rome was that very Antichrist mentioned and foretold in the Scripture I must needs avow it or disclaime it That I could not doe without wronging the Church and my selfe therefore I thought it an honest mans part ingenuously to professe what I thought Sure it
for Papists because wee are not so contentious nor brabbling as you would have us For heer what need you quarrell the not excepting against the terme Sacrament It was not proposed whether Ordination were a sacrament or not but whether in that which they call the Sacrament of holy Orders and the Church of England at least holy Orders any interior Grace were given by imposition of hands Iust as not long since you sought a knot in a rush for using the like phrase of sacrament of the Altar So if being to say somewhat against Transubstantiation I doe not quarrell the word I am a Papist though I dispute never so earnestly against the thing See how apt and disposed men are that love faction and division to take hold and fasten upon any thing to maintaine it But I can otherwise excuse my selfe and I beleeve shall not finde them in the excepting humor for it Know then Sirs Informers I durst not except against the phrase for feare of drawing more fists about my eares than my owne viz. of all YOUR DIVINES and they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom you call CALVINISTS For have you not read it or doe you not remember it what BELLARMIN hath said that CALVIN admitteth Ordination for a Sacrament And BELLARMINE doth not belie CALVIN for he doth so indeed These are his words lib. IV. ca. 19. sect 31. Superest Impositio manuum quam ut in veris legitimisque ordinationibus Sacramentum esse concedo ita nego locum habere in hâc fabulâ c. How that is and in what sort he expresseth himself lib. IV. cap. 14. sect 20. Nam impositionem manuum quâ Ecclesiae Ministri in suum munus initiantur ut non invitus patior vocari Sacramentum ita inter ordinaria Sacramenta non numero He admitteth it a Sacrament but not an ordinarie Sacrament No Papist living I think will say or desire more It is not for all but for some Which Saying of his is semblably expressed in that short small but perfect Catechisme in our Communion Book where the Question being asked How many SACRAMENTS are there the Answer is made TWO onely as generally necessary unto salvation not excluding others from that name and designation though from the prerogative and degree For touching sacramentall unction it is observed out of M. HOOKER that in the Writings of the antient Fathers all Articles peculiar unto Christian faith all Duties of Religion contayning that which sense or naturall reason cannot of it selfe discerne are commonly called Sacraments And this is not denied by B. MORTON For if wee should speak of improper Sacraments saith hee which are mentioned by the antient Fathers our Adversaries would not deny that not onely seven but seventy times seven Sacraments might bee named Therefore for the Church of England's sake be good to Master MOUNTAGU in this sinne of omission and unto the Church of England for the antient Fathers sakes unto them and unto all for B. MORTON'S and M. CALVIN'S sake who is the Father of your Divines called Calvinists who for Orders will you suffer them to bee called Holy goeth as farre as may be both for force and for forme of administration as if Ordination did in his opinion consist in relation unto some such gift or grace supernaturall as onely GOD can bestowe being the powerfull meanes of GOD though in different degrees unto eternall life It followeth CHAP. XXXIV Information against the Church-Booke of Ordination which acknowledgeth the giving and receiving of the HOLY GHOST in sacred Orders so that Priests have that interior grace power conferred upon them for the dispensation of Divine mysteries which others have not INFORMERS BUt denieth our Church to hold any such opinion These are his words This indeed is contrary to expresse words of our Bible and therefore directly contrarie to our opinion doctrine practice CHAP. XXXVIII fol. 269. MOUNTAGU COunterfeyting at length will be dismasked and Hypocrisie appeare in the true comportment For heer Sorex suo se indicio The Ape discovers himselfe to bee so by cracking of nuts so doe these men who what and what Side they are of Puritans in Faction and engrayned in their affection that way howsoever pretending conformity by subscription For what is that trowe ye that M. MOUNTAGU denieth our Church to hold which these Informers and their Abbetters hold not which they deny which in their opinion is Popery The Gaggers imputation upon us and our Church was that in the doctrine of the Church of England no interior Grace is given by imposition of hands in the Sacrament of holy Orders In effect that when it is formally and solemnly said RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST this is but idle and without effect This imputation M. MOUNTAGU denieth to be true and just and affirmeth that in the resolution and doctrine of the Church of ENGLAND by imposition of hands internall Grace is conferred Now this these good Informers have presented to be a Popish error namely the publike and by Parliament established and authorised doctrine of our Church So said their grand Patriarches and Fathers before them the Puritan Vndertakers and Complayners unto Parliament also against the doctrine and discipline of the CHURCH Papisticus quidam ritus are their owne words stultè quidem ab illis sine ullo Scripturae fundamento institutus à disciplinae nostrae authoribus pace illorum dixerim non magno primum judicio acceptus minore adhuc in Ecclesiâ nostrâ retinetur Eccles discipli pag. 53. They say Wee cannot give the HOLY GHOST and therefore we doe foolishly to bid men RECEIVE it And yet these men that are of the Clergy M. YATES and M. WARD have subscribed I hope That interior Grace is given that is the HOLY GHOST is given in Ordination who present M. MOUNTAGU as a Papist for saying so How can these Priests answer the one Act or the other When they entred into Priesthood their profession was then amongst other things acknowledged and subscribed that the booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons contayneth nothing contrary unto the Word of GOD and yet now it contayneth For this is expressely contayned there which M. MOUNTAGU amongst other points of Popery delivereth That interior Grace that is the HOLY GHOST is conferred in HOLY ORDERS and that this is the opinion doctrine and practice of the Church of England I may and do conclude with the VIII Canon against them leaving the execution which I hope will not be neglected unto Authority The Canon is Whosoever shall hereafter affirme or teach that the forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons contayneth any thing in it contrary to the Word of GOD let him be excommunicate IPSO FACTO These men have affirmed it in most publick maner for Popery is contrary to the Word of GOD and they have imputed Popery to me for saying as I and they have subscribed I referre it to Them unto whom it belongeth
when they leave matter and take offence at words The antiquity of Altars A Sacrifice representative and spirituall acknowledged by all The Author herein farther from Popery than the Informers from Puritanisme CHAP. XXX A reall presence maintained by us The difference betwixt us and Popish Writers is only about the modus the maner of CHRIST'S presence in the blessed sacrament Agreement likely to be made but for the factious and unquiet spirits on both sides Beati pacifici CHAP. XXXI The Author's acknowledgement of his error Consecration of the elements causeth a change yet inferrs no Popish Transubstantiation The Informers out of their element Antiquity maintained Figurists and Novellers condemned CHAP. XXXII Touching CONFESSION Information against the expresse direction and practice of the Church of England No new Popish custome but the ancient and pious manner of Confession for the helpe and furtherance of mens true repentance and for the continuing of them in amendment of life is may be and ought to be urged How Confession of sinnes to a Priest is required by the Church before the Receiving of the LORDS Supper CHAP. XXXIII Touching the Sacrament of ORDERS The new religion full of exceptions though but against words only Ordination acknowledged to bee a Sacrament by M. CALVIN himselfe A Sacrament in lato sensu What our Church meaneth in saying there are but TWO SACRAMENTS CHAP. XXXIV Information against the Church-Book of Ordination which acknowledgeth the giving and receiving of the HOLY GHOST in sacred Orders so that Priests have that interior grace and power conferred upon them for the dispensation of divine mysteries which others have not CHAP. XXXV Touching power of Priesthood to forgive Sinnes Priests have power to forgive sinnes not originally but ministerially The doctrine of the Ordination and Communion-Booke for publick and private Absolution The Informers to lose the profits of their livings and to bee imprisoned without bayle for declaring against it CHAP. XXXVI Priests only and none other have commission from CHRIST to forgive sins The Extravagancies of Puritans and Papists both in this point CHAP. XXXVII THE CONCLUSION The issue of YATES and his FELLOW-Informers fond Accusations Other flying reports defamations neglected The Authors humble submission unto the Church of England and to HIS most sacred MAIESTY FINIS The Approbation I FRANCIS WHITE Doctor of Divinity and Dean of Carlile by the speciall direction and commandement of His most excellent Majestie have diligently perused and read over this BOOK intituled APPELLO CAESAREM A just Appeale from TWO unjust Informers by RICHARD MOUNTAGU and finding nothing therein but what is agreeable to the Publick Faith Doctrine and Discipline established in the Church of England I doe approove it as fit to be printed Dat. 15. Febr. 1624. FRANCIS WHITE APPELLO CAESAREM AN APPEALE FROM THE BRETHREN CHAP. I. Of the Inscription which the Informers made to their severall Articles INFORMERS ERRORS delivered by M. RICHARD MOUNTAGU in his Booke intituled A new Gagg c. and published by Authority this present yeare 1624. MOUNTAGU THese Informers in this Frontispice before their severall suggestions impliedly undertake to make good Three Assertions First that whatsoever They have challenged and articled against in their accusation hath been in terminis so Delivered by M. R. MOUNTAGU in his book as they have tendred it and no otherwise Secondly that all particulars so designed by Them and said to have beene delivered by Him were Published by warrant of Authoritie Thirdly that all things so Published and so Delivered and by Themselves the Informers insisted on and complained against are Errors actuall in themselves and so stand resolved and accounted of in the Doctrine of the Church The first of these three that is to say Whether or not whatsoever is so insisted on as Error hath beene so Delivered and Published as is suggested must hereafter bee examined in convenient Time and Place For haply all hath not beene so by Him Delivered as They have surmised and informed at least not in that sense as is conceived They may mistake his meaning why not For have they assistance of Infallibility annexed unto their conceipts especially in a prest and short style by him ensued and inclining to Scholasticall Character Or they may wilfully mistake his meaning to their owne advantage for Faction and Affection are too frequently interessed in Oppositions Or lastly they may well enough bee guiltie of misreporting his words I dare not trust their consciences in that point too farre I know their Charitic is not too transcendent But for Publication by Authoritie it may touch them neerer than they are aware of It is not unknowne not Authoritie that Puriritanicall Selfe-conceit and Presumption will square Law and Gospel too according unto that untoward Lesbian rule of their owne Private Spirit and speciall opinion and dare challenge any Authoritie old or new for Errors preaching publishing maintaining Errors viz. whatsoever doth not consort or run with the Tide of their Private Spirits motion And it hath beene found by experience practised of such male-content maligners at States in being Civill as well as Ecclesiasticall that they seldome or never talke of anie misbeing misordering misdemeaning in any point or case but that ever and anon directly or upon the By they can lend a lash unto or pinch upon the credite of Authoritie though most Sacred that great Cordolium and Moate-in-the-eye unto popular irregularitie and puritanicall paritie the Idoll of our Godly Brethren It is more than probable these Informers are of this stamp and making I have bin told and am assured they are two Grandees of the faction as great and turbulent as most bee in the Diocesse of Norwich which is not improbably thought to have of that Sect mo than enow They hold Authoritie interessed as farre at least as connivency goeth both for points of Poperie and Arminianisme if they could bee proved his against whom they are objected If it had not beene their purpose thus to have grated upon and galled Authority with little ado by the addition of but one poor word they might have amended and cleered all Had the Information beene carried and conceived thus and SAID to bee published by Authority the Errors of Popery and Arminianisme if any were must have laid all and every one hard upon M. MOUNTAGU interessed alone no reflection could have resulted as now intentionally upon Authoritie For Publication that gave life and living to these dangerous Errors is said to bee precisely the Act of Authoritie which is more than countenancing them in my understanding and I doubt not according to their interpretation Had this beene done M. MOUNTAGU must have borne all alone and what had it been that Hee erred He who may erre For in many things wee erre all but will be no Hereticke especially against the Church of England to the doctrine whereof established He hath more than once subscribed and therefore disclaimeth all aspersion of Poperie and is farther from it than any Puritan
wildernesse nor these men to cast on me particular calumnies but per satyram congested and conjected at a masse upon the Church of England in pretence of mee My words are It is confessed that private confession unto a Priest is of very ancient practice in the Church of excellent use and benefit being discreetly handled We refuse it to none if men require it if need be to have it we urge and perswade it in extremis wee require it in case of perplexitie for the quieting of men disturbed and their consciences This is my Popery per partes For warrant whereof I bring my witnesse and authoritie the Injunction Direction and Practice of the Church and of Bishops accordingly in the Church If I have misalledged falsified or else misapplyed my Authors and Authority why am I not taxed for that and charged with it If I cyte them truly and faithfully but they have erred into Popery speake it out my good Brethren that they to whom it appertaineth may stand up according as I hope they will as I am sure they should to maintaine according to their duetie and places that which their Mother Holy Church hath commanded in that sort and case to be observed What that is let Bishop MORTON speak and Bishop USHER deliver no Papists I know and I think none in your opinion The Bishop of LICHFIELD in his Appeale lib. 2. cap. 14. saith thus It is not questioned betweene us whether it be convenient for a man burthened with sin to lay open his conscience in private unto the Minister of GOD and to seeke at his hands both counsell of instruction and the comforts of GODS pardon But whether there be as from CHRISTS institution such an absolute necessity of this private Confession both for all sorts of men and for every particular sinne knowne and ordinarie transgression so as that without it there can be no remission or pardon to bee hoped for from GOD. And hereupon he reduceth the Differences betwixt Papists and Protestants unto two heads 1. the Necessity 2. the Possibility The PAPISTS impose a Necessity of Confession absolutè de jure divino of all sinnes with all circumstances which is a tyrannie and impossible and a torture to the conscience The PROTESTANTS doe acknowledge saith he the use of private Confession but with a double limitation and restraint the first is the foresaid freedome of conscience the second the possibility of performance And to this end and purpose he reciteth out of BELLARMINE CALVIN'S judgement thus Admittit etiam CALVINUS privatam Confessionen coram Pastore quando quis it a angitur afflictatur Peccatorum sensu ut se explicare nisi alieno adjutorio nequeat sed addit moderationem ut libera sit nec ab omnibus exigatur nec necessariò de omnibus The Councell of TRENT that Popish Cynosura hath decreed Auricular Confession to be of absolute Necessity from Ordinance divine and so wee must take it or incurre their Anathema if wee care for it The Master of Sentences saith Without it there is no way to heaven In IV. dist 17. INNOCENTIUS 111. denieth Christian buriall unto the not confessed when they dye In Concil Lateranensi C. XXI HUGO de potestate Ecclesiae is bold hee saith to speake it Whosoever commeth to Communion unconfessed be hee never so repentant and sorie for his sinnes doth without doubt receive to judgement More bold than wise in saying so I wis for it is oftentimes a matter of impossibilitie to doe it ever impossible to do it with particular enumeration of each sinne and speciall circumstance in each sinne Nor was it so rigidly practised of old as appeareth by LYRA in XVI XXI of Levit. nor is there such necessitie of absolute use nor anie such originall imposition The learned Bishop of MEATH setteth downe in his Answer unto the Iesuites Challenge the state of Confession in the doctrine of OUR Church thus Wee tell him againe that by the PUBLICK ORDER prescribed in our Church before the administration of the HOLY COMMUNION the Minister likewise doth exhort the people that if there be any of them which cannot quiet his owne conscience but requireth further comfort or counsell he should come to him or some other discreet and learned Minister of GOD'S Word and open his griefe that he may receive such ghostly counsell advice and comfort as his conscience may be relieved and that by the ministery of GODS Word hee may receive comfort and the benefite of ABSOLUTION to the quieting of his conscience Whereby it appeareth saith that learned Bishop that the exhorting of the people to CONFESSE their sinnes unto their GHOSTLY FATHERS maketh no such wall of separation betwixt the ANCIENT Doctors and Us. And againe Be it therefore knowne unto him that no kinde of Confession eyther publick or private is disallowed by us that is any way requisite for the due execution of the ancient power of the Keyes which CHRIST bestowed upon his Church The thing which we reject is that new pick-lock of Sacramentall Confession obtruded upon mens consciences as a matter necessary to salvation So that setting these late Romish aberrations aside which M. MOUNTAGU also hath excepted In HIS opinion as well as in M. MOUNTAGU'S wee may as wee doe advise and urge the use thereof And lest this phrase should be excepted against Vrging doth not ever imploy constraint or imperium it reflecteth as often upon argument perswasion and inducement Therefore you that are Informers against the Church and me remember to bee more temperate hereafter at least for some mens sakes whom you dare not cannot will not censure for Popish errors as you doe M. MOUNTAGU CHAP. XXXIII Touching the Sacrament of ORDERS The new religion full of exceptions though but against words onely Ordination acknowledged to be a Sacrament by M. CALVIN himselfe A Sacrament in lato sensu What our Church meaneth in saying there are but TWO Sacraments INFORMERS WHereas his Adversary chargeth our Church to maintain that no interior grace is given by imposition of hands in the Sacrament of holy Orders and that this our opinion is contrary to expresse words of our owne Bibles hee taketh no exception to him for calling it The SACRAMENT of holy Orders MOUNTAGU THis is no positive but negative Popery a sinne not of commission but omission Not to take exception no Peccadillo but a capitall crime with Puritanicall quick-silver Spirits whose service unto GOD is performed by taking exception against all things that sute not with their fancy Else what maketh it so hainous an offence with them to take no exception at a terme or a word We brabble not for words our difference is for and about things Contentions may be multiplied beyond all degrees of bounds moderation or measure and that in things needlesse and to no purpose oftentimes You foment this humor more than you need or shall have thank for of the PRINCE OF PEACE that call us out still unto direct Contestation and censure us