are reduced to the Nonsuch of their Calling become meer Laicks and incapable of any colourable pretence to any successive Ministerial Apostolical Ordination or Mission derived from Christ and his Apostles left as unfit dispensers of the mysteries of the Kingdome Then pray by what power or commission doth Dr. Tayler and other such giddy pretending spirits preach teach guide soules plant Religion interpret Scripture and administer Sacraments intruding themselves and with a sottish arrogancy usurping those sacred Functions sure the result of this his doctrine is that both he and all other such Ministers Preachers Doctors c. of the now Protestant Church in England must be Roman Catholicks or claim not at all a pretence to any true Apostolical successive ordination or mission deriv'd from Christ ex ore tuo te judico serve nequam Thus you see the Doctor pledg'd in his own cup and proved a destroyer of his own Doctrine and pretended Ministery I pâ—tty the soules of his misguided and deluded Proselytes Notwithstanding this his Doctrine in his Episcopacy asserted you shall find quite contradictory in his Epistle Dedicatory to his liberty of Prophesying and all along in that his work where he allowes an indifferency or countenance to all Sects and new Religions teaching and encouraging varieties of Sects and contradictions in opinions that men may be saved in any Religion what is this other then to overthrow all Successive Apostolical Ordination and Mission derived from the Apostles for Baptizing Preaching Consecrating and administring Sacraments allowed and taught by him in his Episcopacy asserted and to open a wide gate and make way for all Schism irreverence pride of understanding and for a colluvies of Heresies and by consequence destroy all Religion and for to justifie forsooth the new birth of his rebellious brain the first stroke of his pen must be to lay a taint of ignorance and error upon the whole Current of ancient Fathers of the Church and General Councils and to blast their authority whose names and records ought to be sacred with posterity and to settle a like beliefe in all men he gives no general and certain rule but leaving every man to the dictamen of his own private judgment hence must result as by dire experience may be seen a variety of dayly new opinions as those dictamens of private spirits are different for who is able to number all the divisions and subdivisious of all the new Sects that these later dayes have hatch'd in England occasioned by the large liberty of Prophesying and interpreting Scripture given by our new Dr. to all Laicks to preach teach guide souls administer Sacraments interpret Scripture and invent new Religions and what not Oh times oh manners is this the frâ—â—t of the new wayes fresh wâ—â—s and dayly inventions whereby the utter desolation is day by day consummated are these our new pretended Reformers and Lights Sure they are but meer exhalations sulphureous Mâ—tâ—ors igues fatuâ— good for nothing but to lead men into lakes and ditches If the Reader will but seriously consider and peruse with attention this loose and Independent doctrine of Dr. Tayler he will finde him like the Chamelion changing himself unto all colours and inventing a trick to minâ— this doctrine as may be most serviceable to his particular Design and Interest for sometimes he steers according to the expresse doctrine of Roman Catholickâ—s he so much declames against sometimes according to the face of a rigid Presbyterian sometimes according to the successe and atchievements of illiterate Anabaptists sometimes according to the itch and inclination of Independents and finally according to the genius of damned Pelagius of whom Luther said that he was so called from Pelagus the Sea whereas his most impious erors like the Sea did in a manner overflow the world Might not Dr Tayler as well out of his name Tayler be not unfitly call'd cauda Draconis the erring tail of the Dragon meant by S. John Revel. 12. 4. who saw clearly in a Vision that a time would come when the tail of the Dragon should draw the third part of the stars from heaven A man may think now the time to be iâ— which that Revelation is fulfilled in Dr. Tayler the posthumus hereticorum filius cauda for doth not he vigorously endeavour to overthrow and quite abolish the efficacy of Baptism made the Characteristick note of a Christian from an Heretick Jew or Infidell shewing himselfe to be of so strange and imperious a spirit as that he would fain confine all the Wits in England to his particular erroneous fancy so far mistaking himselfe as to think his bare assertions without competent proofe should be received for Oracles What is this but to aime from the blind tail of the people to advance himselfe to such a pitch of presumption as to pretend to trample upon the Head Sacraments and all the mystical body of Christ the universal Redeemer and bring consequently Religion State and â—all to ruine and confusion Take fâ—om Plutarch to this purpose a story of a serpent whose tayl was discontented that the head should have the power to govern and carry it which way soever it pleased the tayle therefore petitioned that the same power might reside in it which being unwarily granted upon greaâ— importunity the tayl a member oâ— a very active and stirring nature but withall blind carried the head breast and body through many holes and crevises untill at last 〈◊〉 brought it selfe into such narrow straits that it could not stir but both head body and tayle were all destroyed This though but a Fable hath in it an important morall truth and may pertinently be applyed by the ingenious to Dr. Tayler Doe but observe what a brave flourishing Island most famous for Learning Piety Sanctity and true Religion setled by Christ the divine Architect has England been while soules were governed and ruled in the way to common salvation by the Head viz. by the true Apostolical Doctors and Preachers sent and authorised with divine Power Ordination and Commission by fit and legal Ministers of the mysteries of the Kingdome by Christs Emyassadors for Peace and Reconciliation Then indeed the saving doctrine purely extracted from the true Fountain did at all times most perspicuously appeare against all avouch'd Heresies and intolerable Blasphemies Then there has been seen a blessed harmonious union in all fundamental principles of Religion constantly maintain'd and preserv'd both in Church and State But alas since the planting of new fangl'd Religions and the rule and government of soules has been by usurpation assum'd by the over-bufie blind and erring tayle viz. by Dr. Tayler and other such like upstart subpedanean Divines made Ministers only according to the new model by humane ordination and now justly cast out of Church-government and levelled to the rank of the unsteady vulgar this gallant Nation is become inglorious the light and liberty of the Gospel extremely ecclips'd if not quite extinguish'd new inventions
Where the Protestants do teach that in the Eucharist the body and blood of Christ is not only signified and offered but also really substantially and truly presented exhibited and communicated and consequently that the bread is not a bare sign significative only but also exhibitive of Christs body See Vsher's Sermon before the Commons Page 16. Edit. 2. Sure had Christs body been only figuratively presented he would have removed the doubt when he saw the Jews offended at the reality as Hereticks be now a days John 6. and he would not have confirmed and repeated his saying in terminis with promise of a greater wonder John 6. 62. The Lutherans believe our Saviour to be as really in the Eucharist as he was upon the Crosse but do not adore him the Roman Catholiques both believe the reality of it and adore it For my part I should clearly hold with these for S. Paul and all the four Evangelists unanimously teach the Doctrine of the reall presence and not one single place produceable that in direct terms calls the B. Eucharist a sign or figure of Christs body notwithstanding the vain cursed maintainers thereof admit no proof as authentical but the prâ—cise Text of Scripture but in this so important controversie they fly to logical inferences and Philosophical discourses and so make their own bare reason the Judge and not the word of God rendering by their new and private interpretations this great Sacrament inferiour in dignity not only to the Paschal Lamb a type of Christ but even to Manna which was but a figure of this very mystery Surely if we shall add to so many and so evident Texts of Sâ—ripture the constant judgement of the Fathers and the universal practise of the whole Christian world for above a thousand years we may safely conclude the doctrine of our Saviours presence in the B. Eucharist to be most probable and true and consequently Roman Catholiques in no wise accusable of rashness or obstinacy in believing a position so efficaciously recommended to them and conveyed from hand to hand therefore what can be more dangerous and pernitious to any Kingdom then to quite abolish such a dread Sacrament plainly invincible which adorneth and graceth the whole universe fomenteth innocency extirpats vice and by most evident ways demonstrate that a living God lieth under it and set up in its place a piece of prophane bread which never yet discovered more grace or force in the Ministers hand then it brought out of the Oven As it s evinced out of Christs repeated words By this so important digression we have the omnipotencie of God against all weaknesse idle curiosities sophisms and artificial falsities of new wits as a pledge sufficient enough to evince and secure the reality of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar and believe that under the Sacramental species sensible and corruptible our Saviour subsisted with a glorious body which is called by S. Paul spiritual body because it s dignified with qualities and conditions of spirit though it lose not the essence of a body adoring therein with all humility that which cannot be sufficiently comprehended but by expresse passages of Scripture clear decision of 40. Councels the testimony of above 500. Authors antient and holy which ought to be preferred to the chimeras imaginary figments and bare assertions of any particular Lay-man and if plain Scripture-Texts with the Church Saints and general Councels exposition be not sufficient for a man to rest both his Science and Conscience upon I know not where he will find a resting satisfiable place it may shoot at randome but never come to take a right aim It being the most palpable folly which can creep into the brain of man to desire wisedom contrary to the wisedom of Saints my firm hope is that Doctor Taylor having with so much labour and charges indeavoured to honour Christ in a meer shadow will now in the name of God turn his tongue and pen to honour and glorifie him in his true real and substantial body and receive those rules of Religion ever unalterable eternal universal and constant and not any longer to run with the Jews after simple figures and weak elements Now it s more then time to look after Christs true Church still the same without opposition to it self in any fundamental doctrine when all other arising Sects are notoriously known to contradict both their Associates and themselves at the end Behold more then sufficient cause and ground for all those that pretend to any fear of God any care or regard of their souls eternal welfare utterly to detest and anathematize all novellism and damnable principles now its time to return to the Catholique Church setled by Christ upon a Rock never to be prevailed against by humane or divels power Cause enough there is to take warning for the future not to remit the planting of religion to every giddy pretending spirit Now it s more then time that truth the centre of our understanding maugre never so long or strong opposition should powerfully work upon those very many Machievillians of our times that seriously and deliberately say Pox on it I 'l be of any Sect rather then hazard my liberty honour or fortunes I 'l keep my consciene to my self but I 'l never lose my Land for want of outward compliance or conformity with the prevailing lâ—bertines Alas how many brave ancient families are quite extinguished and brought to nothing for want of compliance or conformity with God and his holy revealed Ordinances as it s by woeful experience obvious to any judicious person for non est prudentia non est concilium contra Dominum for my own part I cannot but wonder that any man acknowledging his sould immortal and that either Hell or Heaven must be the eternal domicil after this life withal acknowledging that a false wavering religion cannot be the way to beatitude shall not desert that sect of whose falsenesse and damnablenesse to mans soul and inconsistency with a well ordered Church he hath so many and pregnant demonstrations to the eye Finally its time for all to begin to follow the main current and generality of Religion ancient and well grounded Erubescat senectus quae se emendare non potest nullus pudor est ad meliora transire S. Ambros. Ep. 31. ad valent And now that we see the Protestants fighting writing and preaching against Protestants for Protestant Religion The old Catholique Religion must be the white at which we must all aim out of which none can hope for salvation I beseech God the Father of light and mercy may open the heart and eyes of our Doctor and of his Profelytes and resolve them herein for to receive that faith which hath God himself for object Let me now end with two words concerning the B. Virgin Mother ever most highly reverenced under God by all Christians upon earth as the blessed instrument of our welfare who but a turbulent Momus or a
whereas secundum animam the son is not pars patris Furthermore I answer that the childe shall not beare the fathers sin if the childe become not partaker of his fathers sin as when the childe imitates his fathers sin or when the son's will and consent be implicitely involved in the fathers will as it was with Adam in whose will all the wills of all his posterity are ever by interpretation and by Gods secret decree involved 6. Object From S. August and S. Fulgent who averreth that Infants are punished by eternal flames of hell fire I answer that there is an infernal place where in never ending flames the damned soules are eternally punished in their senses and the holy fathers are of opinion that though unbaptized Infants are in this infernal place yet are not tormented or punished at all by that fire as the wicked are 7. Object It seems horrid to impute to the goodnesse and justice of God to be Author of so great calamity to innocents as to be damned even to the eternal losse of the sight of Gods glorious face for this cannot be inflicted upon Infants because they are not capable of a Law when they had no life no consent no act of understanding nor of will c. which argument what sense what piety or what probability it can have in it needs not much inquiery such a weake friend of God to plead for his justice and goodnesse as Doctor Taylor pretends to be may very well be answered as Job did answer his mistaken comforters Job 13. Doth God stand in need of your lye I wish you would altogether hold your peace and it would be your wisedome though this weake and disingenious argument is to satisfaction solued in many places of the preceding Chapters yet â— add what followeth Gods mercy and goodnesse is abundantly shewn in that he hath provided gracious remedies sufficient for all men to be saved of which remedies if any be deprived through default either of themselves or others or by chance then is their being so deprived to be ascribed accordingly either to themselves or to other men or to chance and not to any defect of Gods infinite mercy goodnesse or justice and indeed if circumcision and baptism had not been in most divine and merciful providence instituted by Christ for the salvation of Infants then Doctor Taylor might justly charge him with in justice and cruelty The Doctor bringt a great deal of ridiculous stuff concerning concupiscence to be originall sin It s true S. Austin called it a sin viz. the material part or substract signification of sin and as the naturall instrument of generation proving onely concupiscence thus to be prejudicial to us and an evil against Pelagius who denied the rebellion of the flesh to be an effect of sin but rather naturale bonum Read Saint Austin contra Julian And its observable that whosoever will be at the pains to compare Dr. Taylers obsolet doctrine with that of Pelagius Julian and other such horrid wretches in whom the spirit of the worst Heresies did rage shall finde that all his late arguments borrowed from them are both weak impertinent and increased to a great number as the same body put in many divers habits and needlesse variation of shapes Thus the Ingenuous Reader hath the misterious question of the present subject rightly stated Christ as universal Saviour and the revealed truth of his Sacraments vindicated the horrid impostures odious falshood and latent venome of the pernitious assertions of an aiery and blind Enthusiast unmaslied and accurately refuted As for my particular pure zeal I assure you was the motive and prevailing argument that set my brain and pen awork about this subject for the undeceiving of the missed I hope I have done my duty having sincerely produced Scripture-reason and the best authority for to secure the interests and advantages of piety Gods justice goodnesse and truth and of the lives and salvation of many I expect from all the wiser seriously to examine whether this Orthodox Doctrine or the contrary of Doctor Tayler in his Vnum Necessarium doth better agree or explicate the truth with greater reason and to better purpose against the patronizing sin and damnation of innocent souls Let not I pray sordid prejudice forstal the moderate Readers judgement nor envious passion supplant his reason For if this short Treatise be perused diligently compared exactly and the verdict given uprightly in presence of the all seeing eye then I doubt not but the Reader seeking shall find and finding shall confesse that the truth of Christian Religion ever holy ever victorious though ever oppos'd by the wicked is still the same for the confirmation of which God ingaged his own faith by oath and that Doctor Tayler's confused doctrine is Doctrina mendaciorum non desursum descendens sed terrena animalis diabolica and that he is worthy of all contempt and unhappinesse for peremptorily distrusting and odiously confounding this eternal divine verity The Postscript IT is a point most worthy of all admiration to behold such a vast number of gracelesse presuming Theologues now in England perpetually labouring in searching out new whymsical inventions of religion and filling the Land with ridiculous and shamefull Pamphlets and unprofitable controversies about an object more perspicuous then the Sun preferring their own sorry inventions to the prime substance of Gods heavenly indeavours the celestial faith which the infinite wisedome of man-God hath planted on earth as the master-piece of all his great works and wonders Lord what can any expect while those that presume to be the godly pillars and reformers of Religion are quite corrupted unstable staggering and stealing mens affections and inclinations from embracing the true doctrine of the only saving Religion how can any that hath but his wits about him venture to pin the salvation of his soul upon the thred-bare sleeves of any of the giddy spirits of these times who dayly indeavour to trike up anew the great work of Religion as if it were the work of man I then demand of you Noble Reader whether all this well considered you ought not to abhor these petty and odiously proud undertakers who seem to come to the world to prescribe rules of faith in it and believe and teach what pleaseth them and the humorous itch of their incredulous Proselytes to displease God and confound his prime verity Sure an inevitable malediction is tyed to those that voluntarily withdraw themselves and others from the true light and shake off the blessed yoak of lawfull revealed Ordinances which ought rather to be reverenced then disputed with unprofitable wranglings and grosse falsities impudently denying things most manifest avouching without shame things odiously false proposing things impious as the first principles of faith condemning of heresie things Orthodox boasting and quoting the holy Fathers when nothing is followed lesse then their Doctrine Now if I should ask whether or no in the so plausible reformation begun in