the Holy Fathers in all points this truth hath been of purpose moved at large by many learned writers nor can Sectaries instance any one particular thing w ch the Roman Catholicks now hold as a point of faith which was not held by the Holy Fathers yea every particular point is granted even by Protestants themselves to have been the Doctrine or practice of the holy Fathers 3. Going out or separation is specified in the Scripture and by the holy Fathers as a note of novelty and heresie now certain it is that Sectaries could never assign any known time in which the Church of Rome went out and separated it self from any Society of Christians antienter than it self and this they grant which is a signe it is the antiontest of all Churches still and the only true 4. Of all sects of Hereticke the beginning of them withall the notable circumstances is known set down by writers No known beginning since the Apostles time of this Roman Religion which now is extant was ever mentioned by any authour whatsoever nor can be and this the very Adverfaries grant which is a sign that it is the most antient of all Religions and the very same which was established in Rome by the Apostles 5. since all Sectaries grant that the Romane Religion remained truly Catholick and Orthodox for many hundred years after the Apostles time it is and must be granted by all to be still the same unlesse evidence and that convincing can be brought in against it out of good and warrantable authours when Rome lost its true Religion in what point it did erre against its former true faith who taught that false saith first and what number adheard to it at first who stood in opposition against it who condemned it and what body of people stuck still to the true Religion for Christs true Church was still visible somewhere and to what countrey or town did any of them repair for Rome stood still for the Pope and he in it to exercise the true Religion in certain it is that most of all these circumstances would have been most exactly recorded if any such thing had happened that the Vicar of Christ should promulge an Heresie to be believed by the whole Church and that the true Church should lose its true faith which had been the greatest change and strangest point of news that ever the world had heard of since Christs time and no one Authour at least recount the circumst-nces of that great wonder is plainly incredible especially since the particular points and passages of all other heresies yea of all considerable points of news done in any Nation are alwayes commended to posterity by some Writers at least by some one the deep silence of all kinde of Authors in this businesse till Luthers time condemns this wretched Apostata and all that band against the Church of Rome upon that ungrounded and impious supposition of deadly sin of schisme of Hesie and obligeth all whom invincible ignorance excuseth not under pain of the same sins to return to the communion of the Church of Rome again Ponder further the antiquity and consequently the verity of the Roman Church upon this ground She was once in possession yea for many ages of the honourable title of being the most ancient and true Church Now this is her most just plea she hath still possession and melior est conditio possidentis of what her adversaries once her children grant was long hers by right Now by what law surely neither by the civill nor natural can she be thrust out of possession since her adversaries who are the Plaintiffs in this unjust action can prove nothing against her Deniall serves the Defendant the other must positively prove that which they can never prove Ponder lastly the Antiquity of the Roman Catholick Religion from the common sense or consent of all people from which arose that phrase of the Vulgar sort calling it the old Religion All these considerations questionless convince that the Roman Catholicks are the most antient and consequently the true Religion for here the one infers the other Si hi tacuerint lapides clamabunt if these arguments proclaim not with a voice loud enough the antiquity of the Roman Religion the very stones will speak in its behalf all ancient monuments even Gravestones and Church Windows all Abbies Collegies Churches and Chappels of which many lye buried in their own ruines for this Religions sake and crosses now groveling upon the ground for their too much favouring the antient Religion are strong witnesses of this truth Thou therefore that art wavering and carried about with every winde of doctrine harken to what the ancient of daies sayes to the of this ancient Religion Stand in the wayes and see and inquire of the old paths which is the good way and walk therein The third Point To understand the better that none but Roman Catholicks can justly pretend Apostolick antiquity consider first that rule which S. Hierom gives as a touch stone to try heresies by to reduce an heresie to its first beginning is to confute it this is it and it is well grounded in reason and Saint Irenaeus before him used the same rule and by it confuted the Valentineans and Marcionists Consider secondly this other proof of heresies novelty and salshood to wit going out and separation the scriptures make going out a distinctive mark of Hereticks Saint John speaking of Hereticks sayes They went out from us 1 Jo. 2. 19. Saint Jude sayes These are they which segregate themselves Jud. 19. Saint Paul sayes Out of our own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves Act. 20. 30. And the Apostles together in Councel said We have heard that certain going forth from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls Act. 15. 24. And our Saviour gave us all his expresse admonition against being seduced by Hereticks in these words Go ye not out Mat. 24. 26. So that going out is a badge or character of an Heretick and Novelist Hence inser that since Berengarius Waldo Wyckliffe Hus Luther Carolstadius Peter Maryr Bucer Oecolampadius Ochinus Zuinglius Calvin and Beza who had all been originally Româ—n Catholicks went out from that Church they are convicted to be Novelists Hereticks and Schismaticks and since both their going out of the Church of Rome is confessed by all and easily made manifest even by this alone their heresies are easily reduced to their first beginnings and consequently according to Saint Hieromes rule confuted As for Luther who led the Van of all these troups of modern Sectaries he in the year 1517. went out of the Church of Rome and began a new sect and in the year 1529. he and his adherentâ— gave to themselves their own posterity the name of Protestants a name never heard of before the occasion of the imposition of that new name was taken by their protesting
end as the Scripture sayes it must and since there is no other but the See of Rome which can with the least shew of probability pretend to have a succession of Bishops uninterruptedly continued from the Apostles time to these our dayes the Romane See must be the Apostolick this being so as most assuredly it is change that simister opinion you misled men which you have had of the Church of Rome so long away with that contumelious language with which you vilifie and slander it lay aside passion and prejudice then let the Romane Religion be paralell'd with any one or all other Sects and after your second thoughts upon this subject you will assuredly frame a better conceipt of that so long continued and so well grounded faith Gather fourthly that the Church of Rome hath been alwayes visible which is proved by its continuall succession of chief Pastors Fifthly that since Christ must have a Visible Church upon earth and since no other but the Roman hath been visiblely conspicuous in all ages it must be Christs Church love it therefore honour it adhere to it Sixthly since there is no true religion without true Priesthood no true Priesthood without true consecration and that by Bishops Apostolically descended and since there are none of those among these later sects what hopes what comfort what security yea or probability of salvation amongst these O Chief Priest Christ O thou whom God hath anointed with the olye of gladnesse before thy fellows be thou ever blessed for sending them as thy Father sent thee be ever praised for giving that eternall Priest hood according to the order of Melchisedech to them which thy Father gave thee Silence we beseech thee all false and lying prophets that say the Lord saith and the Lord hath not sent them Send labourers into thy Vinyard and make the fruits of their labours many and great to thy glory Amen The Tenth Meditation Of Antiquity The first Point Consider first that antiquity is a mark of Christs Church this is most clear out of scripture all those places in which the indefectibility and infallibility of the Church is foretold promised or intimated prove also the Antiquity of it And I will make this my covenant saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from hence forth for ever A most ample promise of the Churches antiquity and never failing Vpon thy wals O Hierusalem have I set watchmen all the day and all the night for ever they shall not be silent These so significant words cannot be verified upon the City of Hierusalem since it hath been destroyed but of Christs Church Behold I am with you all the dayes even untill the consummation of the world most expresse words of our Saviour who also said That after the sower had sown good seed then came the enemy and sowed cockle upon it the good seed of Catholick doctrine was first sowen by Christ and afterwards the devill sowed the cockle of false doctrine and heresie upon it Confider secondly the antiquity of Christs Church gathered from other reason And first its very names import thus much it is called the Church of Christ because he founded it when in mortall flesh he conversed with men and therefore it would imply a contradiction to grant it to be Christs Church and yet deny it antiquity it is also called Catholick not onely because it imbraceth all places but all times also and it is called Apostolick because it begun in the Apostles retains their doctrine and keeps their succession 2. Reason dictates to all that truth is precedent in time to falshood which is nothing else but a denyall of truth and consequently posteriour in time to it for the Father of lyes brought falshood into the world when he tempted our first Parents after their creation in the state of Grace and Knowledge of Truth 3. The holy Fathers alwayes urged this mark of the antiquity of the Catholick Church against the Novellismes of the Hereticks and their comming after that the Church of Christ was begun so did Saint Austin urge this mark against the Manicheans and Saint Hierom in his Epistle to Pammachius Hence infer first that that Sect cannot possible be yea or conceived to be Christs true Church w ch begun in such or such a year after that Christs Church was instituted Why because this posteriority of times argues diversity which excludes identity Secondly that that sect cannot possibly be the true Church of Christ which though it began in Christs or his Apostles time yet hath not continued but is now annihilated and why because its antiquity which must not onely be derived from Christs time but the same must also be without interruption continued till the worlds end is come to an end Christs Church having still its being The second point Consider now the Antiquity of the Church of Rome by which Church is understood not onely that Congregation of the faithfull which in the City of Rome and the adjacent places adhere to that Supream Bishop but all others also dispersed over all the earth that are united to the Church of Rome by the same belief by communion in the same Sacraments and by obedience to the same Supream head under Christ the Antiquity therefore of this Church is first demonstrated out of the Scripture it self Saint Paul writ that famous Epistle of his to the Church of Rome in which he gives the members thereof many great Elogiums To all that be in Rome beloved of God called Saints and again your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world When Saint Paul was come near to Rome the faithful for even then there were Christians at Rome at Puteoli and thereabouts before Saint Pauls coming thither went out of Rome to meet him and his fellow prisoners as far as Appii forum He began presently upon his arrival to preach in sine he preached the faith of Christ in Rome without any disturbance for two whole years together Of the Church of Rome Saint Peter also makes mention in these words The Church which is in Babylon salutes you so that both the Antiquity and truth also of the Romane faith is demonstrated out of Scripture Consider secondly the Antiquity of the Romane Church continued conserved uninterrupted in all ages since its being founded in the Apostles time First at all times in every age there hath been apparent a visible body of Professours of the Roman faith this is evinced clearly by that brief Catalogue of Saints put down in the sixth Meditation as also by the never interrupted Apostolick Succession of chief Pastors treated in the preceding Meditation 2. The faith and Doctrine held now by the Church of Rome accords most perfectly with the faith and Doctrine of
against that decree which was made against them at the Dyet in Germany Luther was presently writ against and confuted by many learned men in all Catholick Countries his Doctrine and he were condemned first by Pope Leo the tenth and afterward by the Councel of Trent so that Luthers going out and the beginning of his new Sect are most certainly known and recounted by many Yea the falshood and novelty of Luthers doctrine as also his going out of the Roman Church and that the said Church of Rome is Christs true Church is plainly demonstrated further by this thing which is most worthy to be taken notice of At that time when Luther began his new sect there were not in the world any Religions but these the Roman Paganisme Judaisme Mahometisme the relicks of Nestorianisme in Greece and some Hussites in Germany some one of these was Christs true Church for he had a visible Church upon earth Therefore the Roman must be it for even the Lutherans deny that any of the other could be it Hence infer first that Luther could not but know that he went out and separated himself from Christs Church by forsaking all Churches one of which he knew must be it Secondly that he could not but know that the Roman Church was it thirdly that supposing the Church of Rome were it which must be supposed or else the denyers must say Christ had no true Church upon earth it could not be guilty of any Heresie or Idolatry nor give any just cause to Luther of going out of it and consequently by his revolt from the communion of it he incurred the sin of schisme by teaching doctrine contrary to it he fell into the sin of heresie Fourthly that all that entered into that schismaticall league with him and embraced his opinions were guilty of the same sins so far forth as ignorance did not make their acts involuntary Fifthly that that schisme unlawfully begun by Luther cannot be lawfully continued by others and therefore all that are not Roman Catholicks expose themselves to evident danger of their souls unless they return to the communion of the Roman Church The fourth Point Consider now what may be drawn out of all the precedent points first that antiquity is not onely a mark of the true Church but it is one by which even the most ignorant soules may easily finde out which is the true Church and which are late sects and consequently false for a smal enquiry will bring them to the knowledge of which Religion is of the longest standing and a far lesse will discover unto them which are of the latest for of Luther above mention is made Calvin begun at Geneva anno 1538. and Protestant Religion in England begun under Queen Elizabeth though some symptoms of falling into it were difcovered in her predecessor Edward the sixth his dayes as is evident out of John Stows Chronicle and other Protestant Writers as also out of the Stature book 2. That since according to Saint Austins rule which is that if there be any thing practised in the Church universally and no time of its being introduced can be assigned that thing is to be supposed to have its first origin from the Apostles times no known beginning of the Roman Catholick Religion since the daies of the Apostles can be specified it must be the true Religion On the contrary since both the going out from the Roman Church and also the first beginnings of all later Sects are easily demonstrable none of these can be true or a soul saving Religion 3. That all who are not Roman Catholicks for these know it have great reason yea are obliged to inform themselves about the requisitenesse of antiquity in point of Religion For by a neglect of this they expose themselves to the danger of making an imprudent choice to the great prejudice of their soules whereas a compliance with this obligation of searching after the antiquity of Religion will bring them easily to a perfect insight into the defectivenesse and falshood of all save only that Religion of the Roman Catholicks Inquire therefore of the old paths you who are out of that way which your Ancestors held for above eight hundred years together in England before Luther was born you who have left the true worship of God and sacrifice to the Idols of your own fancies learn that lesson well which Moses reads to you Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise remember the dayes of old consider the years of many generations ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee What The ancient being and truth of the Catholick Religion and the non-entity of these late ones of our miserable times The Eleventh Meditation Of Unity The first Point Consider first that the true Church of Christ is but one The Scriptures Councels Fathers History and Reason prove this truth imprint in thy minde the many divine Oracles with which the true God of Wisdome hath confirmed this One is my Dove my perfect one Cant. 6. One God one Faith one Baptisme one body one spirit sayes Saint Paul Ephes 4. who also recommends to all Christians most earnestly that they will stand fast in one spirit with one minde Phil. 1.27 and that they will be like minded having the same love being of one accord and one minde Phil. 2.2 in all which places and many more he exhorts to unity in Faith Judgment and opinion Our Saviour every where speaks of his Church in the singular number tell the Church upon this rock will I build my Church intimating thereby it is but one the General Councell of Nice and Constantinople received by Protestants define and professe in their Creed that the Catholick Church is but one the holy Fathers all unanimously fight for the unity of Christs Church against Hereticks and schismaticks and History delivers unto posterity the continued succession of Popes Bishops Priests Doctours Confessors Virgins and Martyrs for fifteen centuries of years together and more all whose lives deaths books and blood have published signed and sealed their attestations that there is but one Church the Roman Church which is the Catholick Church Consider secondly and that seriously what forces natural reason brings to establish this Unity verity it self is but one and that indivisible and propositions contradictory cannot possibly be both true how then can Sects or Religions contradicting one another in one and the self same points be more than one of them true Different Nations people of different callings and qualities may meet in conjunction together and make one and the same body in Faith and Religion as it happened in the Primitive Church But different Sects and People of a contrary beliefe about the self same material objects or points of Faith for example about the real presence of Christs body in the Eucharist about Justification about Purgatory about the infallible Authority of the Church and such like cannot
Meditations UPON THE MARKS of the True CHURCH of CHRIST OR Motives of Credibility In behalf of the True Religion And the easiest way to finde it out By H. W. Testimonia tua credibilia facta sunt nimis Thy testimonies are made too credible Psal 92.7 Lord if that which we believe be an errour you have deceived us for this doctrine is confirmed by those signes which could not be done but by you Ricardus de S. Victore 1.1 de Trinitate c. 2. Paris Printed with Licence 1655. The Preface IF the Enemy of mankinde did not shew unto Sectaries the face of Religion in a false Glass in which he makes the very Spouse of Christ she that is so beautifull with so lovely features and of so comely a comportment in her self appear to the deluded eyes of so many souls ill-favoured ugly and in a manner monstruous and on the contrary sets out other Sects though never so contemptable in themselves for beauties most gracious and attractive disputes and â—â—arrels about Religion would be soon composed for the naturall comlinesse of the one and the uglinesse of the others covered onely with a painted exteriour would easily discover themselves My endeavour therefore shall be to unbeguile these people and shew them both parties as they are in their own native colours for effecting of which I have chosen a new medium or at least a new manner ofproposing the old many Elaborate works have been published in Vindication of the true Faith and in confutation of falshood which undoubtedly were convincing enough but because both experience and the ingenuous acknowledgement of many teach that though the intellect in many thousands rest convinced yet the will holds back and will not execute what the understanding dictates ought to be done Therefore I resolving not to be backward in contributing my endeavours towards the common good thought it not a misse to handle this great businesse of Religion by way of Meditation rather than by that of argumentation as being the most efficacious way to move the will besides its being the most clear and easie way of propounding things to the understanding especially since the subject I take in hand is both spiritual and proper for Meditation to wit the marks of the church For who can doubt but Sanctity of life and Doctrine the gift of Miracles and of Prophesying conversion of Souls Martyrdome and the like are a very connaturall matter for Meditation But as the best masters of spirit advise that in delivering matter to Meditate upon some points or considerations be suggested to the exercitant thereby to facilitate the businesse for him and yet that all that may be considered upon such a subject be not ambitiously introduced least the others understanding be prevented and forestalled So have I in this little work endeavoured to proceed setting down upon each matter only some chief considerations which may give the Reader occasion to search further himself I have also added some affections and Colloquies thereby to further the motions of the will As for the matter of the ensuing Meditations to wit the Marks of the Church this I may truly say of them that as they are in themselves a most noble matter and most worthy of a Christians Meditation and Study so are they of all other the most facile 〈◊〉 forcible means whereby to finde out the true Church That Catholick who hath a desire to make a quick dispatch of his Adversary let him encounter him with these Weapons they are an unknown treasure and not unlike to Aristoles Topicks in that they are as it were common places or fountains out of which reasons and arguments both to impugn false Sects and also to defend the Orthodox Religion are easily at any time drawn Art thou demanded the reason why thou art a Catholick Answer Because that Religion hath the marks of Christs true church upon it and consequently is it Art thou desirous to find out that onely soul-saving Faith of Christ look where thou canst finde these marks and there thou hast it and where these are wanting assuredly there the true Church is not Hast thou a mind truly to understand how incomparable a benefit God hath bestowed upon thee in making thee a member of that church out of w ch no salvatioÌ„ can be hoped for read and meditate this matter which will inform thee Roman Catholicks indeed have more and clearer texts out of the propheticall apostolick writers than any other Sect can introduce in their own behalf yet the latter have always evasions either by appealing from one sentence to another or else by insisting upon their own private exposition reduce them therefore to this matter of the marks of the Church and you will soon have them fast One thing is worthy yea necessary to be well understood by all and this is that the marks of the Church which are the motives in point of religion may be considered two ways to wit either as they are antecedent to faith or as they are subsequent and things themselves believed with divine faith for all christians who receive the the scriptures for divine must believe with divine faith that Christ gave to his church the gift of working miracles of prophesyings that the church is but one and antienter than all other Sects amongst christians that in it there are holy members that its doctrin is holy and efficacious to convert souls that it hath continued ever since christs time shal do stil untill the world have an end that the prophesies of the old law are fulfilled by christ and his church all these or the most of them must be believed as divine truths by christians for they are expressed in the holy scripture as will appear in the first point of the succeeding meditations So that sectaries must believe the true Church to be where these marks are But the same things may be also considered as they are preceding divine Faith and go before it yea or wholly independent of it and in this acception only they are motives of credibility yet most powerfully perswasive For by demonstrating to Athiests Pagans or other non-Christians out of humane history and out of the scriptures received only for books of humane authority yet held by thousands of prudent and learned men for authenticall and of great credit that such and such prodigious things or miracles and the like may be urged in strange predictions of future things contingent fulfilled in a strange contempt of worldly things and in some other such like rareties are recounted by so many authors of the greatest humane authority this cannot but convince them that there is a Deity that this Diety rules the World by a most wise Providence that the same Deity by order of good consequence is to be worshipped by some form of Religion and that that is in all likelihood yea in all certainty the most credible and true the professors of which are conspicuous by such things as out
Study Yet first by reading and meditating upon that subject a perfect knowledge of it from which will arise a high conceipt and esteem of the same and then the will must needs produce its acts such are a longing and languishing desire of seeing and enjoying that infinite Majesty a great love and affection towards the service of God frequent and servent acts of gratitude resolute and efficacious purposes humble and devout petitions for divine grace and perseverance The Will being thus moved she as Queen will give order to all the executive powers that they bâ—stirre themselves about the performance of all that is conducing to that finall end and in abandoning whatsoever is prejndiciall to the same Be ever blessed O thou great Creator of this little world Man thine is the work thine be the glory O my ungratefull forgetfulnesse of this and thy other benefits Grant me Lord a large measure of thy grace for the reformation of my life for from bence forward thou shalt be the object of all my actions the end of all my creation shall be the rule of all my operations thy divine will shall be the copy after which I l'e write the White at which I l'e shoot the Compasse with which I l'e saile and the Pole Star at which I l'e look grant me still the strong gaile of thy grace till I arrive at Heavens Haven Amen The second Point Consider first That as the goodnes of God hath created man for a supernatural end so hath he liberally provided him of all the necessary requisites which can be wished for that purpose All these created things of which some administer Food others Cloathing some delight man others assist him some serve for his instruction and others for his necessary correction are means to help him forward on his great journey if they be used with reference to his end and as a Physician uses drugs of which he prescribes neither more nor lefse than is needfull but mans end being beyond natures reach alone God hath also supplied him with plenty of supernatural means all which are contained in that generall one the true Church out of which as there are no helps so no hopes of attaining to that end no salvation without serving God no serving God but by true worship no true worship faith Lactantius very well but in the true Catholike Church Seek it finde it Consider Secondly The particular helps which are contained in this general one The Church enter in and to thy comfort take a view of the many and marveilous means which like precious treasures or sacred relicks Christ hath laid up in store within it 1. Faith without which its impossible to please God not humane and fallible but divine and undoubtedly true 2 A Law which comprehends in it those divine ordinations precepts which all must obserue that will enter into life 3 Evengelicall Counsels which though they be only for noble voluntiers yet by means of them a man may live farre more remote from sin and border nearer upon perfection 4 A forme of worship most Religious Decent Majesticall and in which the two essential parts of man both soule and body serve God like a God by the exercise of the acts of Religion the cheif of all the moral Vertues both interiour and exteriour such are Prayer Sacrifice Vowes Adoration Devotion and others 5 The harmonious quier of the infused Vertues and gifts of the Holy Ghost by the exercise of whose acts the soule makes a kind of heavenly musick 6 Most ample promises of a manifold reward in those glorious mansions of heaven for the true servants of God and most severe though wholsome threats of never ending punishments for the bad both which like sharp Spurs are for to makeus fly from the occasions of sin and strive to make haste in the course of a virtuous life 7 The holy Sacraments which are like sacred Conduits through which the living waters of divine grace of which our Saviour spoke to the Samaritan woman and the merits of our dear Redeemer flow out of his sacred side into mans soul 8 The Holy Scriptures with these three circumstances of being truly canonicall authentically translated and infallibly expounded 9 Examples of eminent sanctity in men made of flesh and blood as we are 10 True hearts ease and peace of mind which made David Psal 118. run the way of Gods Commandements and which Christ promiseth onely to those of his Church saying My Peace I leave to you these are the true solid and supernatural means which our liberall Lord hath left in his Church to help us to what we were created for The third Point Consider now what use is to be made of this so admirable means and provision for mans supernatural end and first those who are already incorporated members of the true Church have reason to render praises to God eternally for so facilitating the work of their Salvation by these ample means Secondly an oblation and that a great one is upon them of corresponding with their indeavours towards a diligent application and a well ordered use of those means for assuredly they shall be responsible to God for the interest of those so many and great Talents with which they are intrusted Of you O Catholiks may that heavenly Husbandman once more admiring say What could I do more for my Vineyard and have not done it As for those who are not members of the true Church of Christ whereof some content themselves with the bare extrinsecall denomination of a Protestant Presbyterian or Independent not troubling themselves with the tenents of these Sects nay nor so much as knowing how many or what they are Others are of a Religion ut sic a Platonick Idea they have in their heads and that 's all of some one they are but of no one in particular others like individua Vaga run from Sect to Sect will be of every Religion are carried about with every whirlwinde of new Doctrine and others to omit other varieties of new fashioned Sects in these our mad times content themselves with Negations shewing the little better than non-existency of their Religion by the onely Negatives of the Roman Catholike affirmative Tenents All these I say and such as are not members of Christs true Church or doubt how the case stands with them in point of religion let them ask and answer themselves whether or no they seriously love and long for life eternal if they affirm it then let them love seek for and finde out the true Church for that alone is the means to acquire that happy end if they be carelesse indifferent or ungrounded in point of religion evident it is that their love of heaven is not efficacious but a meer velleity for qui vult sinem vult media he that loves the end must love the means Hence inferre of what infinite moment is deliberation and choice of Religion to hit right or misse that mark
other sorts of people so have they most excellent instructions given them by holy and learned men 4. Fasting so much commended and extolled by holy scripture in the lovers of it how can it but be very conducing to vertue since it weakens vertues adversaries the rebellion of the Flesh inordinate passions and the malignant humours both of body and soul so much as experience teaches the Roman Catholicks surpasse all others in this 5. Another great advantage they have above all others and that is the direction of their spiritual Pastors and Ghostly Fathers upon whom as there is a most strict charge laid that they have care of their spirituall children so they discharge that duty most exactly 6. The Doctrine they teach especially that of good Works Works of Supererogation Penance and Satisfaction is a great spurre and mover to perfection 7. To omit other instrumental causes of vertue and devotion that admirable and plainly divine invention and institution of Religious Orders differing one from another in their manner of living but most unanimous in beliving is plainly an admirable means to get vertue by yea that state of life is properly the schoole of perfection it self and by these you see how abundantly the Roman Catholicks are supplied with means for attaining to sanctity to these also may be added other particular helps mentioned in the second point of the first Meditation Consider secondly how Catholicks correspond with these great helps they have for the expulsion of Vice and purchase of Vertue The Church commands each one that 's come to the years of discretion to approach once a year to the holy Communion but commends a more frequent accesse What do they do hundreds in every great Town yea thousands in some repaire not once a year but once every week to that divine banquet they are commanded to confesse their sins to the Priests whose power to forgive sins was most assuredly given by Christ in these expresse and clear words Whose soever sins ye remit are remitted unto them Once a year yet thousands of them go to that Sacrament once every week They are commanded to be present at holy Masse every Sunday and Holyday yet besides these dayes thousands of them in every great Town perform that act of Religion every day is not this a true compliance with the forementioned means Are not these works of Supererogation a fair way to perfection These instances alone argue how much these people are addicted to prayer what good they get by their spirituall directors and how they fulfill that doctrine of good Works As for Fasting that soveraigne antidote against the sins of the Flesh Roman Catholicks are admired by all Sectaries for this as for upright dealing in civill contracts they have the repute of being generally the left injurious or unjust nor does any sort of peoples word go further than theirs even in treating with those who are averse from their opinions And truly to see so many of them families of great worth in this our Nation live so contentedly amongst the ruines of their great Fortunes which they might have kept intire in great part by once going with those of a different Religion to Church or swallowing over that one Oath yet would not this must needs argue a great fidelity to their religious Principles and a great esteem of vertue and piety in them as for these holy inhabitants of religious Monasteries they live as if they would win heaven which suffers force even by very violence such is their study of persection so intense their prayers so protracted their fastings so long their watchings so continual their study of self denial carrying their crosses and following their Saviour the things so much recommended by him to all by an exact imitation of heroicall vertues Who now can deny but the Roman Catholicks take to heart the study of perfection and that science of the Saints which is sanctity Compare these and Sectaries together and see what sequels follow Consider thirdly the number of their Saints behold a short Catalogue of some few of them in every Age besides the Apostles Disciples and others these following lived in the first Age Saint Dennis Linus Cletus Clement Martialis Thecla and others 2. Ignatius Policarp Justine Vincent Irenaeus Eleutherius Lucius Felicitas 3. Tiburtius Valerianus Cecily Barbara Agnes Agatha Laurence Xirtus George S. Gregory Thaum 4. Nicholas Antony Hilarion Hellen Athanasius Hilary Basil Gregory Naz. Hierom Ambrose Epiphanius 5. Chrysostome Augustine Paulinus Alexius Vrsula Lutrick Leo Germanus Simeon Stelites 6. Columbe Columbane Genovesa Siverius Leonard Leander Hermingildus Gregory the great 7. Isidore Aidan Edwin Oswald Cuthbert Theodore Benedict Ebbe Cesarius Lambert Eugenius 8. Bede S. John Damascen Germanus Cuthlack Grimwald Hubert 9. Sabinus Geroldus Ludgerus Rumoldus Nicetas Rembertus Swithin 10. Wenceslaus Dunstan Bruno Odocluniacensis Romaldus Elphegus Guibert 11. Henry the Emperour Edward Conf. Lanfrank Anselme Stanislaus Ivo Bruno Carthusianus Robert 12. Malachy Bernard William Norbert S. Thomas of Canterbury S. Hugh Bishop of Lincolne 13. Dominick Francis Mary Ognes Thomas Aquinas Bonaventure Gertrude 14. Roche Christina Sumlensis Gertrude ab Oesten Catharine of Sienna 15. Bernardinus senensis Viucentius Laurence Justinian Antoninus Colecta Francis of Paula Ignatius Loyola Francis Xaverius Philip Nereus Teresa Carolus Borom To these many thousands more might be added yea the English Martyrologe alone affords us Saints of our own Country for every day in the year Now that these were Saints and also Roman Catholicks it is evident First because all the whole Roman Church not any one expressing in the least the contrary acknowledgeth them for such and upon that score honoureth them Secondly because their written lives and Ecclesiasticall History do evidently evince the same Thirdly the practice of their lives and their opinions demonstrate that they were Roman Catholicks for they all honoured and obeyed the Pope as supream head of the Church next after Christ they practised Invocation of Saints Prayer for the faithfull departed saying or hearing holy Masse Priestly power to remit sins and other tenents now held by Roman Catholicks yea their very enemies the Magdeburgian Centurists acknowledge many of them for Saints even of the latest of them as S. Bernard S. Malachy S. Dominick S. Francis and others and grant that they held these foresaid opinions The third Point Consider now the state and condition of other Sectaries in point of sanctity First they have no means to acquire it whilest they remain as they are They deny that Priests have power to forgive sins and consequently make no use of that Sacrament their Communion they grant is but bare bread and consequently it cannot sanctifie them for publick worship there is none now in any sect in England a Psalm is all that is now extant of publick service amongst them and that rejected by most and for private prayer certainly they spend little time in it at least they do nothing that 's comparable to what the
RomanCatholicks generally perform much lesse will they pretend to come neer these in Fasting In brief their doctrine is exclusive of works of supererogation Merit Mortification and Satisfaction how then can it be but destructive of true Sanctity yea and salvation in fine all the means they pretend to get sanctity by is faith alone this medium of faith the Roman Catholicks have and besides it all the other comfortable helps mentioned before Who can now but be afraid of the ones condition and admire the other Consider secondly what Saints they have they will not now surely own that Calender of John for any more since Father Parsons examination proves it a ridiculous false thing the chief of their forefathers were Luther Calvin Beza and such like what lives led they Scandalous and exorbitantly bad Luther himself ingeniously confesseth that when he was a Papist he said Maffe and that devoutly for many years that he lived in his Monastery for he was once an Augustine Friar punishing his body with Watching Fasting and Prayer by which he followed the counsell and example of our Saviour that he kept Poverty Chastity and Obedience and that he honour'd the Pope out of meer Conscience Well at length he begun a new Sect did this make him continue his former piety Did he increase it Did he become a Saint Behold what he did he casheer'd Fasting Prayer Watching his Vows his Monastery and the Pope and instead of these took a Nun called Catherine Bore for his Concubine and gave himself wholly to Lust Gluttony drinking of Wine and sensuality What he writ was conformable to the temper which these Vices put him in to and so he persisted to his dying day Calvin was not onely given to lust but to lust against nature to wit Sodomy for which his Shoulder was burnt with a mark of a Lilly at Noyon in France Beza kept not onely a Concubine but a Boy also to satisfie his lust with both which he was so transported that he could not forbeare to expresse the same in wanton and scandalous Verses which are extant amongst his other Works As for these mens followers and adherents Luther himself fayes upon the Gospel for the first Sunday in Advent of his that they were become worser livers than they were whilest they remained Papists Erasmus in his Epistle to Vultu rius Neocomus gives the same character of them and Jacobus Andraeus a famous Lutheran in his 4. Sermon upon the 21. of S. Luke sayes To the end that all the world may know that they are no Papists nor attribute any thing to good works they do no good works at all and indeed experience teacheth that those who turn from being Papists do not become Saints but Sensualists The fourth Point Consider now what may be gathered out of the precedent points First either these modern Sectaries acknowledge Luther Calvin Beza or others of their times for their first Founders or not if they do then they admit men of scandalous lives for their Founders and so the Religion or fruit sprung from these bâ—d trees cannot be good If they disavouch them then they be like the Acephalists members without a head and without Ancestors for they cannot lay claim to the Saints mentioned in the second point since they so little resemble them either in belief or life Secondly the reason why due respect to the Saints in heaven is neither taught nor practised by them to wit because they have had none of their own and because the true Saints indeed were Roman Catholicks thirdly seeing that the opposition of contraries and their repugnancy appears more clearly when they are paralell'd together compare the Roman religion and the best of these later sects together in point of virtue and sanctity which is the cream quintessence of mans felicity in this life then make a prudent choice and side with that party where there is most Sanctity and by good consequence most hopes of salvation then with the Cherubins and Seraphins cry out Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Son of God since you bid us be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Heavenly Father since you bid us be holy because you are holy grant us what you command and command what your good pleasure is My heart is ready O God my heart is ready Help me Lord to remove the obstacles and apply the means aright that being freed from the enemies of my conversion I may serve thee in sanctity and justice all the dayes of my life Amen The Seventh Meditation Of holinesse of Doctrine The first Point Consider I. that Christs true Church hath as it must needs have amongst other marks that of holy doctrine and such as becomes Christs Church it must teach nothing against Piety Verity Reason Equity or good manners but on the contrary all things in it must be conformable to Piety and Vertue as truly they are The holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of the Prophet David confirms this truth gives the Churches doctrine many great Elogium's in that long but most sweet Psalm 119. The law of the Lord is immaculate that is without spot or blemish of falshood or impiety The precept of the Lord is Lucid that is bright shining and like a light to shew us the true way to serve God and save our soules The testimony of the Lord is faithfull and Saint Paul cals it a sound doctrine by which Metaphor he intimates that as that body cannot be judged sound healthfull which is seased upon by any disease so that Doctrine Faith or Church cannot be wholsome and soul-saving which hath adhearing to it any maxime or assertion false or favouring vice but there needs no proof of this for it is called the word of God And the doctrine of Christs Church must needs proceed originally from Christ who will not permit his Church to teach impious or false doctrine Consider secondly of how great concernment it is for men of understanding to have sometimes for the subject of their most serious and retired thoughts the consideration of what doctrine is taught by the different Sects now on foot in England and to mark which and how far they are pec cant against piety And thou who tenders the good of thy soule weigh their tenents and those of the Roman Catholicks with an equall ballance but let not the love or sear of thy temporal interests meddle with the scales and after exact notice taken of them all cast thy selfe without more adoe into the arms of that religion which seems to teach that doctrine which is conducing to piety andthy souls eternal felicity The second Point To understand how agreeable to Piety and Verity the doctrine of the Roman Catholicks is take these three considerations for matter of the frequent meditation The first is That tenents of the Roman Catholicks about those matters which are controverted betwixt them and other Sectaries are more beseeming Almighty God and his Church much more advantagious to the
from which it had its Christian Birth O England remember the relation which is or ought to be between Rome and thee Whence ariseth this aversion and bitternes of many of thy children apainst those supream Prelates whose predecessor was once to thee a second Saviour Remember the dayes of old and return to thy self and say Convert my soul O Lord for I have sinned against thee nor doe I deserve thee for my father since I have been so disobedient to thy Church my Mother From Rome and by order of that incomparable lover of our English Nation St. Gregory came these men who made England Catholick and so Catholick that it from that time became able to make other Nations Catholick also For the two Ewaldi brothers commonly called Albus and Niger converted Westphaly Saint Willibrord converted Frizeland and Saint Boniface almost all Germany These bleffed men were Monks as S. Austin and his companions were by profession English by Nation and their Doctrine in all points according to what the Roman Catholicks now teach Now to passe further multitudes of Spanyards were converted by Andonius the Flemmings by Saint Eligius those of Franconia by S. Kilian the Danes Sweads by Ausgravius the Bulgarians by Joanieius the Moravians by Withgumgus after these follows those of Russia who were converted by means of the Emperour Basilius and the Polonians by Aegidius Tusculanus sent thither for that end by Pope John the 13. after these followed the Hungarians brought in by holy Adelbert and the Sclavonians by an other Adelbert to these succeeded the Pomeranians and those of Norway both which Nations were made Catholick by Nicholas the English Monk a man of great vertue who was afterwards chosen for Pope and called Adrian the fourth to these may be added the Livonians and Liâ—uanians the former of which were converted by Medardes the later by the Knights of Saint Mary All these Nations in order as they are here specified were converted by these men who were all Roman Catholicks to that very same faith which the Roman Church now professeth Nor were these all that were Converts of the Roman Catholicks the Tartarians with their Emperour Cassanes were made members of that Church yea and the great Turk Azatines embraced the same faith and of Jews and Sardzens that blessed Saint Vincentius a Dominican Friar converted 25 thousand to the same Catholick faith not many years before Luthers time and thus it is manifest that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is efficacious since by it Nations in all Ages have been converted from Infidelity to Christianity The third Point Consider first what Nations Ethnicks or other non-Christians have been converted by Hereticks to Christianity not any one in all these many Ages from Christs time unto Luthers not any one Sect converted so much as any one Kingdome Country or Province of Infidels to the faith of Christ yea or to their own Sect Take a view of the whole body of Ecclesiasticall history and you shall not finde one and this consideration alone me thinks might be a sufficient conviction of the fals-hood of all sects whatsoever and a confirmation of the truth of the Roman faith Sectaries have labored much to bring some one instance in opposition to this so generall a Thesis and cite one Freculphus who seems to say that the Goths became of Pagans immediately Arians Miserable Sectaries that can finde but one example to impugne the Papists withall and in that one favour the condenmed Arians thereby to oppose Catholichy Yea and this one instance is false also as Master Southwel proves in his Analysis out of S. Austin Theodoret Sozomenus Orosius Nicephorus Baronius and others Consider secondly what insidels have been converted to Christianity by Luther or Calvin or any other Sectaries which succeeded them name any one Pagan Nation Province or Town of their converting from paganisme to Christianisme or even to any of their own Sects he that can And yet in the very dayes of Luther and Calvin Roman Catholicks and those such as Sectaries hate even for this every reason of their great zeal to wit Jesuits have converted many how many That one blessed Saint Francis Xaverius sent by the Pope of Rome Paul the third into the East Indies to convert souls laboured there incessantly for the space of ten years and converted three hundred thousand souls to the Christian Faith thus writes Bosius the Oratorian the same in effect writ many more Nay his signes of Apostleship struck astonishment even into the enemies of Catholick Religion amongst whom Hackluit well versed in the Indian affairs cals him a godly Professor the painfull Doctour of the Indian Nation and one endued with all spirituall blessings so true it is that vertue and verity force their own praises even from enemies Now if one man in ten years time converted 300000. how many hundred thousand may be converted in above a hundred years not by one but by many hundred of them who are now there sent by the like authority enabled with the like talents of vertue and learning and carried on with the same motives seeking most earnestly in Africa America India and China for those truly precious pearls immortall souls for the adorning of the heavenly Hierusalem with what successe you may learn of their great enemy and Protestant Symon Lythus who sayes that the Jesuits have filled Asia Africa and America with their Idols How great a Panegyrist he proves by thus disparaging them and their Religion let prudence judge Thus Luther and Calvin should have imployed the heat of their zeal in converting Ethnicks as these others did who begun their work about the same time that they begun theirs and whom God raised up as the greatest Prelate of the world upon occasion affirmed to oppose them Had Luther and Calvin set forth for the Indies to propagatt Christianity perhaps posferity would have preferred them before these ancient Heroes which went to setch the golden Fleece but as well said Tertullian of the old Hereticks their sorefathers These mens work was not to convert Aliens to Jesus Christ but to pervert his domesticks mark these words Protestants they drew indeed thousands from the practice of their antient yea the onely in Europe then extant Religion and from the love of Chastity Fasting Consession Pennance and Satisfaction for their sins and from the love of good works and hatred of sin to all licenciousnes and wicked liberty but this was to pervert not to convert to this no efficacy of doctrine or divine grace was requisite any proposal or the least pretence was a sufficient alarum for frail people to run after the maximes of liberty and sensuality to which self inclination carried them It s easie going with the stream or down bank but to clime up the mount of Christian persection Hic labour hoe opus est The fourth Point Consider lastly what resultancies arise and may be gathered out of these foregoing Points Amongsts others
no temporall Princes power whatsoever Gather out of the premisses First that that Church cannot possibly be Christs Church which wants Bishops Secondly that these are only true Bishops and Priests who are lawfully descended from the Apostles Thirdly that those only are legally descended from the Apostles who have these two things Succession and Consecration both Apostolicke A true Pastor must succeed to some one of the Apostles ether immediatly as Saint Liuus succeeded Saint Peter and as Saint Policarpe succeeded Saint John or else mediatly as S. Ignatius succeeded S. Evodius who was ordained Bishop by S. Peter his Consecration also must be Aposto lick that is this Priest must be consecrated by a Bishop which Bishop must be consecrated by other Bishops and these by others till at length an assent by degrees be made up to the Apostles Fourthly that Spiritual dignity is of a far higher nature than temporal both by reason of its lineal descent and that never interrupted from Christ as also by reason of its Function which is about things Speritual and Divine The second Point To under stand how lawfully the pastors of the Church of Rome are called Consider first that the Protestants doe not stand in denial of this but plainly grant it yea they pretend for the lawfulnes of their own calling no greater argument then that they have their succession from the Church of Rome conscious to wit that there can be no true power either of order or Jurisdiction nor any true legislative power Ecclesiasticall at all but it must descend by succession from Christ and his Apostles and this they acknowledge the Church of Rome to have pretending with all that themselves are united to the same line of Communication in that Apostolick succession Consider secondly this their lawfull calling confirmed by this Negative Argument Christ must have and hath a Visible Church upon earth somewhere this Church must have a Visible succession of Pastors for this is the main thing in which chiefly the visibility of the Church appears since where the succession of Pastors ceaseth there the flock is lest ungoverned unfed exposed to dispersion and perishing and thus the Church would come to faile not onely in visibility but even in its existency Now this Visible succession must be derived from the Apostles and that without ever being interrupted otherwise the Church would not be Apostolick contrary to the scripture and the Nicene Creed nor remain the same unto the end of the world contrary to our Saviours promise and St. Pauls forementioned words And since there is not any sect which either doth or can with any shew of probability pretend to have a See Apostolick or a never interrupted visible succession from the Apostles but onely in the Church of Rome there it must be and consequently their calling yea only theirs lawfull True it is the Greek Church had Apostolick Sees to wit at Hierusalem Antioch and Alexandria each of which had an Apostle or Evangelist for its first Bishop but for the space of these last nine hundred years since the begining of which time the Persians Sarazens and Turks have kept possession of those Countries the succession in these hath been obscure interrupted as good as none And this by the just judgement of God for the Schisme and persidiousnes of the Greek Church as also to make the Roman See Apostolick more clearly to appear to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches Consider thirdly that the lawfull Calling of Pastors amongst the Roman Catholicks is further positively demonstrable from the succession of their Popes For the better understanding of which note first That the ancient Fathers were most exact in registering the names of the Popes as they succeeded one another so did Saint Ireneus Tertullian Eusebius S. Austin S. Hierom and others the like diligence hath been used by other Roman Catholicks in all succeeding ages even to this present Popes dayes who is called Innocent the 10. and is the two hundred thirty and nine from S. Peter Note secondly that the forementioned holy Fathers used to produce the succession of Popes as an impregnable argument to prove that to be the onely true Religion which had these chief Pastors on its side Now if the succession of twenty or thirty of them were of such force in the judgment of these learned Doctors to convince Hereticks how forcible an argument against these modern Sects must a long Catalogue of 239 make Note thirdly that none were ever acknowledged by the Roman church for true and lawfull Bishops or Priests but such as were ordained either immediately by the Apostles or by their successors now conformablely to these truths here noted this follows and is most certain that from every true Priâ—st now living by passing from the Bishops which consecrated them to those that ordained these and so on upward a line of spiritual pedegree uninterruptedly ascends to the very Apostles This orderly series or scale of succession proves evidently the Pastors of the Roman Religion to be lawfully called and sent Here 's solidity here 's security those that will get out of their labyrinths of errours doubts or fears must do it by the conduct of this line begin go on this is your way to the Apostles and Christ The third Point Consider now how the case stands with other Sects in point of lawfull calling and first for Luther the ringleader of all modern sects that his calling was not extraordinary it is certain for he could never shew his extraordinary Commission to wit Miracles the gist of Prophecy or these other supernatuall endowments which God alwayes gave to his Prophets and Apostles whom he sent extraordinarily and that this exacting of Miracles in this case is most just and reasonable it is hence proved if some new upstart should pretend he were immediately sent by God to preach against such or such a Sect the onely means that Sect could use for silencing and confuting such an one were to demand Miracles of him and if some new impostor should pretend he were Christ or urge his being sent extraordinarily to Preach against Christ or any other mystery of Faith which were believed by all Christians as the mystery of the Incarnation or Passion the reality of supernatural Faith and divine grace or the like against such a fictitious pretender not onely Roman Catholicks but all other Sects amongst Christians also ought to bid him shew his Commission sealed with Miracles As for Luthers ordinary calling true it is he was lawfully ordained Priest by the Church of Rome but a Priest cannot ordain other Priests much lesse Bishops so that no succession could be propagated by him It is true also that he had jurisdiction which must flow from the spring head of all true ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Christ and his Vicar and was lawfully sent after his being consecrated to govern and seed souls but his faculties or commission were given him with these limits and conditions which not only the
Scripture and that the twelve Articles were made by the Apostles they must believe which are not expressed either in Scripture or in the Creed what and how many these things were they never yet resolved nor do they agree in the meaning of the twelve Articles they admit what latitude and liberty in believing they please they neither agree about the Canon of Scripture for some admit parts of it which others reject nor have they one authentical Edition but a multiplicity nor one and the true sense but every one follows his own private interpretation hence is it that their Ministers cannot be unanimous and preach all the same doctrine they cannot agree about the number or nature of the Sacraments for some admit fewer others more and these are instrumentall causes of grace withsome bare elements with others in form of worship they come nearer a nullity than unity for nothing now but a Psalm and that not liked of by many is used in most of the Churches they have not one head of their Church but are become Acephalist◠or if otherwise every man at least Minister when he pleaseth makes himself head of a faith particular to himself or his houshold nor have they one yea any judge of Controversies but in that every man is his own Master whence it cometh that how many men so many minds are there even about going or not to Church in which exteriour action alone many place their whole Religion without any regard who preacheth or what is his doctrine they are various so like it others are aversed from it some go and others forbear in fine no uniformity nor unity but a kinde of multiformity appears even in the most famous Sects amongsts them which be it what it will is more like that Proteus Hieroglyphick of each modern Sect metamorphising himself now into one shape now into another then any way resembles the perfectly one mysticall body of Christs true Church The fourth Point Out of these former points gather first a perfect knowledge and a lively apprehension of the far different condition of Roman Catholicks from that of Sectaries in point of Religion the one hath an admirable Systema of Faith and Religion the other a confused Chaos of disagreeing fancies and judgments onely the one hath unity mixed with a most gratefull variety the other neither unity nor variety the one hath a summe of things to be believed which is one and the same for all persons and places the other hath nothing fixt or settled in point of belief 2. Since the Roman Catholicks have in a most perfect manner this mark of Unity so much mentioned in the holy Scriptures and no other sect hath any thing that is considerable of it the former ought to be embraced by all as the true Church of Christ and the rest forsaken as false and Heretical sects 3. Since the substance of the two former points parallel'd together cannot but work strongly upon an impartial and disingaged judgment and will prosecute draw Christian soul this comparison with a desire of the truth and thy souls good and at length thou wilt finde that onely the Roman Catholicks are that populus unius labii a people of one lip saying and believing every one the same thing in matters of Religion and Faith you will find that Saint Pauls exhortation to the Corinthians I beseech you that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no schismes among you but that ye be perfectly knit together in the same mind and in the same judgment is truly fulfilled by them We acknowledge sweet Saviour that your amorous prayer to your heavenly for your Churches Unity Neither pray I for these Apostles of mine alone but for them also which shall believe in me through their word that they all may be one we acknowledge that it was beard and also is fulfilled by the members of the Roman Church and by them onely and that in such manner as forceth us to admire and cry out with the Prophet O quà m bonum ac jucundum eft habitare fratres in unum O how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133.1 The Twelfth Meditation Of the Amplitude and extent of the Dominions of Christ Church The first Point COnsider first the Predictions of the Prophets concerning the great extent and Amplitude of the kingdome of Christs Church Of it said David It shall rule from sea to sea Psal 71 To it spoke God by the same Prophet I will give unto thee Nations for thy Inheritance and for thy possession the bounds of the earth Psal 2 Of it spoke Esay The Nation and kingdome which will not serve thee shall perish Isa 6 And to it spoke the same Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy nursing Mothers Isa 49.23 Upon which place the English Bible makes this glossa Kings shall be converted to the Gospel and bestow their power and authority for the preservation of the Church Daniel also hath most strange Predictions and representations of the greatnesse of the Kingdom of Christs Church in the interpretation of the meaning of that statua and the same thing is prefigured in the four beasts representing the same foure Monarchies after which the monarchy of Christs Church was to succeed and surpasse them all Consider 2d that since this kingdom of Christ whose great dominions are here promised foretold must be now some where extant and visible upon earth that Church whether it prove the Roman Catholick or some other sect which hath not this Amplitude salendour and greatness of limits and bounds cannot be it but on the contrary that to w ch most Nations Kings and Princes have yeelded to have honored acknowledged for the kingdome of Christ that must be and no other Christs true Church The second Point Consider first the amplitude of the Church of Rome from that time to wit of Saint Gregory the great about which Sectaries say it ceased to be any longer the true Church of Christ for their imputations aspersions with which they endeavour to brand the Church of Rome must be granted to be most unjust slanders and it to be still the true Church if this mark and the others attributed to Christs Church by the scriptures be still apparent upon it In the time of Saint Gregory therefore almost all parts of the world obeyed the Church of Rome and communicated with it this appears evidently by the Epistles of that holy Doctour to the Bishops both of the Orientall and Western Churches Constantinople with the other Patriarchal Seas obeyed then the Church of Rome the Bishops of Greece yeelded to it to it the Churches of Asia to it the Churches of Affrica submitted all these stood true to the Church of Rome and when they revolted from it they fell not only into schisme but into heresie also to wit the deniall of divinity to the holy Ghost which
Davids posterity must be understood of Christs Church as the Apostles and holy Doctours averre What an argument of inveterate hatered is it against the Roman Church in which only these promisses are fulfiled to say as some body to their own shame and their Auditory's injury have both said and preached that this Magnificency and greatnesse of the Romon Church argues it to be the Kingdom of Antichrist No no the Roman Church is thy Kingdom Christ This collection of converted Nations is that which was blessed in the seed of Abraham This is that Kingdom whose largenesse and eternal duration Daniel fore-saw this is that holy mount Sion which David fore told Christ should be King of Raigne therefore O King of Kings in this thy Kingdom for ever Amen The thirteenth Meditation Of the name of Catholick The first Point Consider first that this noble Surname Catholick is one of the many Marks which distinguish the true Church from every particular Sect of hereticks The Apostles themselves gave Christs Church this significant name for it is specified in that Article of our beliefe I believe in the holy Catholick Church The Counsel of Nice also in that Creed puts this as a Mark of the true Church together with the other three Vnam Sanctam Catholicam Apostolicam Ecclesiam And the Athanasion Creed gives the true Faith the same honorable Appellation Consider secondly that the holy Fathers made use of this namâ— Catholick amongst other marks thereby to prove against hereticks 1. that the Roman Church was the true Church because it kept still that name 2. That Hereticks were not members of the true Church because they were called not by this but by some other name 3. That they themselves were members of the true Church because they were members of that Church which had alwaies borne that name For Saint Austin after that he had summ'd up many excellent marks and motives which like forcible chaines held him in the Roman Church and made him believe it was the true Church he thus concludes Lastly the very name of Catholick holds me in this Church thus argued he against the Manicheans And Pacianus one of the Nicen Fathers sayes Christian is my name and Catholick my surname And Hereticks in all ages whom the modern sectaries imitate in this as in other things aimed at this name which they see was a mark of the true Church with hopes therby to conciliate to their doctrine an opinion of its being true if they could get it christned by the name of Catholick The second Point Consider now that this honorable name is theirs by right and only theirs who have and do adhear to the Church of Rome the reasons are First because ever since the Primative Church they have held it as their birth-right and part of that inheritance which their Ancestors the Apostles to whom they only succeeded as lawfull heires left them And though many attempts have bin made by heretical pretenders to put them out of the possession of this yet they were never able to effect it so that now the Roman Catholicks hold it both by title of inheritance and also by title of prescription not of years only but ages Secondly it is the Roman Catholicks only because in them only is verified that which the name Catholick imports The word Catholick is a Greek word and it signifies Vniversal now this Universallity may be taken either with reference to time or place or doctrine or communion all and every one of these several acceptions pleads yea and proves that title to be theirs who hold with the Roman Church for that Religion only stretcheth it selfe out to all times by its Antiquity embraceth all Places by its Amplitude or extension of bounds its Faith and Doctrine is universally one and the same for all persons and its communication betwixt the members and the head is also universally one and the same Thirdly the generality of all sorts and Sects of people have in all ages been of this minde and upon occasion expressed the same in words that by Catholicks are meant those who are in communion with the Church of Rome Fourthly even the by-name Papist proves them Catholicks for by calling one Papist they mean as really the word argues one who joines in communion with the Pope and is under obedience to him Now the Pope is one of that never interrupted line of Saint Peters successours and consequently chief pastor under Christ of the Catholick Church Fiftly the name of Roman-Catholick which every one willingly gives them proves the same that the former reason proves the intention also which Sectaries have in calling these Roman Catholicks argues the same for they do it First to prevent Roman Catholicks from ingrosing the name Catholick wholy to themselves Secondly out of hopes that these will rest content with the title of Roman Catholicks and not impugne others when at any time they terme themselves Catholick with some such restrictive adjective as Protestant added to the word Catholick The third Point Consider and ponder the reason why Sectaries have no right to that honorable and Antient appellation of Catholicks The first is because there is no congruity betwixt the signification of the word Catholick and any one of these sects for they are not Universall in any of the four wayes mentioned in the former point much lesse in them all Secondly they can pretend no more why they should be called Catholicks than the Donatists Arians or other Sects could formerly which not withstanding were opposed and confuted in this very point by Saint Austin S. Hierom Saint Chrysostom as also by Pacianus S. Athanasius S. Cyrill and Justin Thirdly The practice of all sorts of people yea of those who are of the particular Sects themselves is to give Sectaries their names either from the authors name who first broached that Sect as the Arians Pelagians Donatists Montanists Manicheans Lutherans Calvenists and others or else from some principall Tenent which they maintain Hence the Monothelites Protestants Puritans Independents and Presbyterians have their names or from some exploit or genious of the persons as the Iconaclasts Geuses Quakers none ever gave these the name of Catholick Fourthly Sectaries do not nor dare they own the name of Catholick at such times as fidelity to their Religion most requires as first when they are brought before any Justice Judge or Tribunal either upon score of Religion or to give evidence in Court upon any other action true it is in time of disputation about the name Catholick who should have the best title to it then being constrained by their Adversaries to a forc't put and positive answer to the question they will let fall these or the like propositions we are Catholicks as well as you we are all Catholicks all Christians are Catholicks ungroundedly spoken and sooner said than proved unlesse taking the question for the argument be good proof In like manner when any Protestant Presbyterian