apprehension of the least danger from us to his Majesties Person or the State Nay so publickly and constantly have we asserted the innocence of our Religion in the Point of fidelity to Princes and such unquestioned proofs thereof have we given by our actions that the Honorable Peers of this very Parliament were in an immediate preparation of mind to antiquate all the Sanguinary Laws against us God Almighty give repentance and pardon to the unhappy obstructors of that grace Yet for all our innocence Preachers must be satisfied They cry aloud their fears of the increase of Popery when as for one new-professed Catholic who forsakes their Churches hundreds of all other Sects relinquish both their Churches and Allegiance too They impute as a Crime to us what all other Sects impute to them and themselves glory in that we receive our Ordinations from Rome that is that we are not a separated Sect but members of the true Catholic Church For if there be indeed a Catholic Church Ordinations must be derived into particular Countries from a Common Principle and Fountain otherwise the Cement of Union and Subordination is dissolved But what esteem our former Princes had of this pretended Crime will appear by a late example given by his Majesty of happy memory He had graciously reprieved a Priest condemned at the Old Bayly Hereupon the Commons in the late unhappy Parliament A. D. 1640. by Mr. Glyn request the Lords to joyn in a Petition to his Majesty to be informed who should dare to be instrumental in retarding Justice in the face of the Parliament To which the King by the Lord Privy Seal 28 January tels them the cause of the reprieve was because the man was found guilty as being a Priest only upon which account neither King Iames nor Queen Elizabeth ever exercised the penal Lawes Notwithstanding his Majesty left the Prisoner to their wills to live or dye according to their Votes and thereby he escaped for even they had not the courage to say Let this mans blood be upon us and our Children This MADAM is our condition A condition though according to the World's estimation to be bewailed yet if we look up to Heaven it is a condition to be triumphed in Now we are sure a reward in Heaven expects us since we are thus recompenced upon Earth It becomes us all therefore bending the Knees of our Hearts to give infinite thanks to our gracious God since it is now evidently and confessedly for him onely and the Catholic verities revealed by him for the unity of his Mystical Body and the religious fear we have of being guilty of Schiâ—m that we do and shall hereafter suffer This Madam is now our onely crime and this I am now actually committing and am so far from being asham'd except only of the imperfect manner of executing it that I have assumed the boldness to desire and hope your Majesties approbation and defence both of the crime and criminal Person it is our whole common Faith delivered by God to the Church that both at Court and all over the Nation has been publickly traduced some Doctrins have been charged to be contrary to the honour and safety of the State others to be Doctrins of Devils all of them to be Novelties and usurpations our whole Catholic Church is made to pass for a Sect a separated Schismatical congregation But from what other Church neither can our Accuser tell nor any one imagin Perhaps the present temper of the Times and delay of an Adversary appearing had encouraged the Preacher to think his Sermon un-answerable not for any weight in his proofs but because it may be in his power to reply with an Instrument sharper than his Pen. Notwithstanding as Prudence did justly restrain that impetuosity which zeal to Gods truth might move in the hearts of Catholics to retort this Cartel of Defiance which he has published against His Church so to remain utterly silent after so many reimpressions of that Sermon in several forms and after such diligent Translations of it into forraign Languages after that incredible avidity with which so many thousand Copies of it have been snatched out of the hands of the Readers and from the Stalls of the Sellers this would be a confession of our own guilt and a distrust in our Cause as publick as his challenge and provocation has been this would be indeed to be ashamed of Christ and his truth before men For this reason shutting my eyes to all external frights or discouragements I presumed to undertake an Answer to his Allegations hoping that some others of my Brethren would do it with greater efficacy and fruit than I dare promise to this imperfect work And having this resolution I took the boldness to inscribe your Majesties Name in the Front being assured that nothing could be more acceptable nor a greater refreshment to your most tenderly Christian heart which bears an equal share in this our common oppression then to see that Faith which you valew above Crowns at least not betray'd and truly I confidently hope demonstrated to remain unprejudiced by any thing alledged in that Sermon With this perswasion I most humbly beg leave to cast at your Majesties feet both my self and Work which as it was undertaken not upon my own single judgment so that it may not appear in public without your Majesties approbation and protection is the most humble Suit and only Petition of 14 May 1663. MADAM Your MAIESTIES Most humbly Devoted Servant in our Lord S. C. CHAP. I. Of Doctor Pierce's Sermon in General What was probably the inward design of it I Cannot forbid my self to wonder that a Book so universally esteem'd so often reprinted and not only reprinted in our own but translated into foreign Languages should yet lye open to so many and so plain Exceptions Not one period can I find that seems to me Extraordinary Not one Instance but has long since been often objected both with closer Reason and neater Rhetorick So that now by experience as well as faith I see 't is true that the Scripture sayes The Race is not to the Wise nor the Battle to the Strong nor favour to men of Skill but Time and Chance happens to them all 2. And are we not come to a fine passe when not onely a dozen perhaps of the greatest and subtilest Controversies in Religion shall be crowded into a short Sermon but exprest with such vanity and affectation of exotic and abstruse Phrases as if the end of Preaching were nothing but to talk an hour of hard things in harder words Ask the great Auditory of Lords and Ladies that heard this Doctor Persons of clear and ingenuous apprehensions who like good sense though not delivered in Greek who penetrate into the connection of Things though they have not mis-spent their lives in studying Words Ask that Illustrious and Noble Assembly what they think of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Emperor Zeno or of the
to the publick received Doctrin of the Catholic Church but particular Opinions of some Catholic Divines as much disputed against by other Catholics as by Protestants 6. However to qualifie a little the admiration that many Protestants have of their new Champion or Hyperaspista as he calls it somthing must be said thiâ— hundred and one time to old allegations and new mistakes And first whereas in all points now in debate between us he so often repeats From the Beginning it was not so He did very well to fix a notion and conception of this word Beginning or a distinct measure of time after which only whatever Doctrins are broached ought in his opinion to be esteemed Novelties Novelties of so great importance as to justifie a separation from the external communion of all Churches both Eastern and Western And that is the time of the Apostles and so downward till the fourth General Council inclusively This he has don not out of a voluntary liberality but because an Act of Parliament obliges him wherein it is said That such persons Laicks or Ecclesiasticks to whom Queen Elizabeth shall by Letters patents under the great Seal of England give authority to execute any Iurisdiction spiritual or to correct any Errors Heresies Schisms c shall not in any wise have authority to adjudge any matter or caus to be Heresy but only such as heretofore have been determined to be Heresy by the authority of the Canonical Scriptures or by the first four General Councils or any of them or by any other General Council wherein the same was declared Heresâ— by the express and plain words of the said Canâ—nical Scriptures or such as hereafter shall be judged to be Heresy by the High Court of Parliament with the assent of the Clergy in their Convocation 7. By this Proviso it appears that though in words the Doctor is more liberal to us than the Presbyterians and other Sects who will call all things Novelties which they think are not in express Scripture yet the Law would have allow'd him a greater extent for the might have enlarg'd the time beyond the four first General Councils to any succeding Council that in the Opinion of Commissioners judged Heresy by express Scripture or to future Acts of Parliament judging after the same manner but we are content with and thank him for his allowance 8. Only he must give us leave to propound a few Questions upon this occasion As first Does he submit only to the four first General Councils because they had an Authority inherent in them obliging him thereto Or because he judged their Decisions conformable to God's express word If the former then he must inform us why only four Councils have such authority which it seems the Church lost as soon as the Fathers at Chalcedon rose If the later then he deludes us and with Presbyterians Independents Quakers c. makes Scripture alone in effect th Rule of Reformation and Protestants only the Interpreters of that Rule Because the Statute tyes no further to any General Council than as that Council is believ'd to proceed according to express Scripture which whether it does or no who must be Judge Doctor Pierce To answer this Question well will be a great Master-piece I am sure his late immortal Archbishop found it a Task too hard for himself as shall be seen before we part too hard I say to resolve so that any rational man can be satisfied with 9. A second Question is Whether to judge of Heresy that is to determin authoritatively what is Heresy and what is conformable to Scripture be not an Act of Iurisdiction parely Spiritual and Pastoral though it seems to reside notwithstanding sometimes in Lay-Commissioners but ordinarily in the Parliament And this not being possible to be denyed then he must be further ask'd since by one of the 39. Articles it is affirmed That General Councils may and have err'd whether the English judge of Heresy be it the King as in the days of Henry the 8th and Edw. the 6th or the Parliament also as in Queen Elizabeths be infallible or no If he acknowledge it infallible he must resolve us whether the Supreme Temporal Authority with the assent of the Clergy be infalliâ—le only in England or in other Countrys also as Holland Swedland c. If the former he must shew what Promises our Lord has made to England alone If the later then it will follow that that may and certainly will be Heresy and contrary to Scripture in England which England it self confesses is not Heresy beyond Sea But if no such Authority be indeed infallible then it will follow that Decisions made by it do not oblige in Conscience and by consequence in his Opinion there is no Spiritual Authority on earth that does so I mean oblige not only to non-contradiction but to internal assent The consequences of which Position he may imagin and shal see anon 10. A third Question is Whether since Presbyterians and Independents and all such Reformed Churches following the Heresy of Aerius do directly oppose the Order of Bishops and their Iurisdiction that is the whole frame of God's Church manifestly asserted in the four first General Councils and as is here affirmed of Divine Right by expresse Scripture whether I say they be not according to this Rule formal Heretics or however Schismatics since to alter this Frame they relinquish'd both this Church and ours And especally for their denying the Supream Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Authority to be in Temporal Governors which yet the Statute tells us in effect is the fundamental Corner-stone of the English Church If all this do not render them Heretics or at least in the highest degree Schismatics what will become of this Act of Parliament and his Primitive Rule of Reformation If they be such what will become of the English Church which gives to Heretics and Schismatics the right-hand of Fellowship and acknowledges them holyChristianâ— Reformed Congregations And on the other side since notwithstanding the extremity of passion against Catholics if was never yet pronounced that Roman Catholics are Heretics nor possibly could by their own Rule and measute how comes it to passe that we alone are punish'd with death as Heretics and this meerly for Religion since we both often have justified and still are ready to justifie our Principles of Fidelity and Peaceableness beyond all exception which yet no other Diffenters from this Church though real Heretics and Schismatics either have or I fear will do 10. A fourth Question shall be how can the Preacher answer to God for abusing Scripture and mis-applying through the whole Sermon his Text to the prejudice of his Church He pretends that our Saviour's words are to be esteem'd the Pattern or Primitive Rule of Reformation and consequently as our Lord demonstrated Pharasaical Divorces to be illegal because Ab initio non fuit sic So the Dâ—ctor pretends to prove the Justice and Legality of
Religion of their Fore-Fathers even King Henry the Eighth for all his Headship never pretended so far Of this I dare accept as Judge even Sir Edward Coke himself and Balsamon likewise though a malicious Schismatick therefore the fitter to be quoted by him yet all he sayes is That the Emperor has an inspection over the Churches that he can limit or extend the Iurisdiction of Metropolitans erect new ones c. which whether by the ancient Lawes of the Church he can do or no is little for the Preachers purpose I am sure he is not able to prove it or if he could it is a Reformation which will not serve his turn 7. His last Examples of Reformations made by Princes is that of the Kings of Iuda in which indeed Religion it self was Reformed But withal the Doctor may do well to take notice 1. That those Kings are no where said to have reformed all the Priests or the High Priest or not to have found him as Orthodox as themselves 2. They are not said to have reformed the people against the Priests 3. Or without the Priests 4. Yea in several places we read they were by the Priests assisted in their Reformation And therefore Bishop Andrews who was willing to make as much advantage of this example against the Roman Church as might be says only that those Kings did reform citra or ante declarationem Ecclesiae but he saies not contra And to make good his citra or ante hath only the strength of the weakest of all Arguments a Negative thus There is recorded no such Declaration of the Church in Scripture ergo there was none The infirmity of which argument is much more visible if applied to such a short History as that of the Kings and Chronicles containing a relation of so many hundred years and chiefly of the actions of Kings not of the Clergy 8. It cannot indeed be denied but that in such publick changes the Power of Kings is more Operative and Illustrious then of the Priests because their Civil Sword awes more than the others Spiritual and therefore no wonder if their part in such Reformations is more spoken of especially in so very short a story But certainly according to Gods Institution the Priests lips are to preserve knowledge and it is from their mouths that Kings are to learn Gods Law and what they are to Reform because they are the Angels of our Lord. Now for Reformations or other Ecclesiastical Ordinances made by such Kings as David Solomon c. who besides a Regal Authority were Prophets likewise immediately inspired and so employed by God I suppose the Doctor will not draw such into consequence to justify the actions of a King Henry the Eighth the young child his Son or youngest Daughter no Prophets surely 9. To these examples alleged by Doctor Pierce but very insufficient to justify the English Reformation I will in the last place take notice briefly of one great motive which as he sayes set on work the English Reformers of happy Memory which was their observing that in the Council of Trent the Roman Partizans were not afraid to make new Articles of Faith commanded to be embraced under pain of Damnation as it were in contempt of the Apostles Denunciation Gal. 1. 8. 10. But to omit his contradictions charging us with hideous errors in Faith which yet he dare not say are Fundamental lest he ruine his own Church To omit his uncivil language to the Bishops of that Council persons of too honourable a quality to be called by a little Doctor contemners of the Apostles denunciation conspirators liable to a curse To omit his commending the first English Reformers our Kings c. that they consulted not with fleth and blood then which what could be said more unluckily to himself Did not our first Reformer consult sometimes with flesh and blood Was Henry the Eighth so wholly spiritual Do not your self confess that Sacriledge and Rebellion help'd Reformation To omit his petty Quibble that the Church of Rome is but the younger Sister to that of Brittain Directly contrary not only to many of his brother Divines but to the Head of his Church King Iames who in a publick Speech to his Parliament says I acknowledge the Church of Rome to be our Mother Church To omit all these and more I shall desire the Doctor to take notice that neither what the Church hath done in the Council is any Novelty nor is it a Novelty that the Churches Adversaries should make such an objection concerning which the Reader may please to review what has been said before chap. 20. Sect. 9. 10. 11. 11. Protestants must impute this to their first Reformers that the Church hath been forced to make such as they call them new Articles of Faith For what would they have advised the Council of Trent to do when the Churches ancient Doctrines and Traditionary practises were question'd and condemned by Innovators As yet such Doctrines c. having never formerly been opposed except by inconsiderable Hereticks Such as Iovinian Vigilantius c. whose Errors before any Council could take notice of them soon after they appeared withered away again were visible only in the consent and practise of Catholicks But now it was necessary to declare Conciliariter that they were unjustly question'd either of Error or Novelty Must there be no decisions in God's Church after the four first General Councils For fear of new Articles must liberty be given to new Heresies Old Articles such as the Church had formerly occasion from time to time to mention in her Creeds and Canons will not serve the turn explicitly to condemn them therefore new ones must be excogitated says the Council New ones that is Old ones further explained Or Old Practises newly declared to be Traditions 12. But surely these which are mentioned by the Doctor and related to in his margin are no new Articles Most of them had been expressly declared in former Councils and all were as old at least as Christianity in England For even St. Gregory who sent St. Austin hither to Preach the Gospel is accused by learned Protestants of all or most of these very Novelties which the Preacher objects Doctor Humphrey accuseth him and St. Austin the Monk Quod invexerunt in Angliam Purgatorium c. that they brought into England Purgatory Oblation of the salutary Host and Prayers for the Dead Relicks Transubstantiation To which Osiander adds That the same Gregory vehemently urged Celibacy of the Clergy Invocation and Worship of Saints nay that the Idolatrous Veneration of Images also was by him approved excused defended To which Carrion in his Relation of the state of the CHURCH in those dayes adds That when he tragically exclaim'd that he abhorred the Appellation of Vniversal Bishop yet at the same time he sufficiently declared his vehement desire of the thing which this Title signifies in his