Faith to a doubtfull authority therfore vnless they who pretend to be the Clergy can evidence by vndeniable miracles either wrought by themselves or by their knowen spiritual predecessours that professed the same Faith their iurisdiction and doctrin they can not rationaly pretend to have the charge of soules or any divine authority for determining controversies of Religion Because seeing the principal part of Religion doth consist in a perfect submission of the vnderstanding to diviâ—e authority even against the appearence of sense and the probability of reason vnless the Church or Clergy wherupon we rely doth make it evidently credible by supernatural signs that their authority and doctrin is divine their religion is not rational and therfore no rational person is bound without that supernatural evidence to acknowledg in them a spiritual jurisdiction or to follow their dictamens and forsake his own privat dictamens and principles of probability or the seeming evidence of his senses Some men do require more then this and are of opinion that a Religion can not be rational vnless the truth therof be cleerly discerned or demonstrated by the light of natural reason and judg it a great folly in men to believe what they do not comprehend But this maxim is destructiue to Religion and reason it doth ouerthrow the very foundation of both which consists in acknowlegding an incomprehensible Deity whose perfections are infinit his thoughts and revelations and by consequence the mysteries of Religion inscrutable and therfore to be revered not examined by so limited and imperfect creatures as we are that can hardly diue into the bottom of ordinary difficulties and discern the immortality of our own soules or the nature and composition of any visible body And albeit an excellent wit of our age in a late Treatise hath endeavored to cleere by natural reason the mysteries of Christian Faith and in order to facilitat the beliefe of Transubstantiation doth teach that one body can not be in many places at one tyme nor be penetrated with another body and therfore is for'ct to say that Christ hath as many bodys as there are consecrated pieces of bread yet I think it more agreable not only to Catholik Religion but to natural reason to believe that the very same body of Christ that was born of the blessed Uirgin and is in heaven is also under every consecrated species otherwise it must be sayd that Christ our Sauiour is a monster that hath not only as many heads but as many bodies as there are Consecrations But if this argument be thought more popular then philosophical I hope schollars themselves will judg it unreaâ—â—nable that Divines or Philosophers be too positive in defining the immutable essences of things or which is the same in determining what is possible or impossible for God to do and in deducing conclusions from such notions as they call natures If we consider that we owe all our human knowledg to the evidence of sence which is often fallacious and to reflections of the mind which are alwayes fallible we must grant that we may be frequently mistaken in the ground of our demonstrations and do sometimes take our own fancies and false conceits for true objects which haue no real existance in themselues nor any other immutability in order to Gods power besides that tenacity or obstinacy wherwith men stick to their own opinions This is sufficiently proved by the great discord and diuersity of opinion that is in the schooles euen concerning the essence or nature almost of euery thing and particularly of a body or quantity Wherfore it is more probable that M. r Bonart is as much mistaken in placing the nature or essence of a Body in actual extention as he takes others to be in their contrary opinions concerning the same subject otherwise Christ hath non only as many Bodys as there are consecrated species but also it followeth if his Body can not be penetrated or in the same place with another that he united to his Diuine person a nature which he cannot command to be whersoeuer himselfe as God is pleased to be I am no Vbiquist and therfore I grant that the hypostatical vnion doth not make Christs body to be every where or whersoeuer the Diuinity is but I think all Christians ought to belieue that it is possible for Christ as man to be in any particular place and penetrated with any Body whatsoeuer where his person and Diuinity is And as for Mr. Bonart his way of defending how Christs Body did and may penetrat other Bodys I see no difference between it and that of the heretiks which himselfe derides and condemns Pag 257. but that the Heretiks say he did shew his body to the assembled Disciples through some chinck of the wall or through the Key-hole of the doore and M. r Bonart says Christ shot or thrust his Body in through the indiscernable pores which are in euery body and how the whole or the parts of a human body such as that of Christ then was and now is can be conueyed entire through one or many such litle and distant pores without loosing all human shape if a perfect penetration be not allowed I do not understand And I belieue M. r Bonart will hardly be able to declare how the substance of Christs Body is not lost as well as the shape by Christs passing through the pores for that according to his principles pag. 243. the substance of euery Body consists in such a greatness and figure of the parts as compose that body and upon this ground he proceeds when he sayes ibid. that the substance of bread and wine is changed into the Flesh and â—loud of Christ because the greatness and figure of the parts of bread and wine are changed though al the rest doth remain If therfore the greatness figure and by consequence the shape of Christs Body and its parts be changed or proportioned to the pores of the penetrated body as they must of necessity be before they can pass or be shot through them Christs Body and the parts therof do loose the substance as well as the shape of a human body according to M. r Bonartes doctrin Hence we conclude that actual extension doth not so cleerly nor so catholickly declare the essence of a Body but that it must leaue or breed some doubts of Christs humanity of Gods omnipotency and of his Mothers virginity Besides if the least particles or Atoms of a Body are of the same nature with the whole and haue real extension by the addition wherof they make a body greater as this Author holds it can not be well comprehended how the Atoms can be so litle as not to be capable of being lessend by Gods power especially seeing M. r Bonart doth grant one side of an Atom may be toucht and the other side not toucht For if so How can any that believes Gods omnipotency imagin that God can not separat or divide sides
himself an 602. aduising him not to glory therin but rather to consider that God gaue him that gift for the weal of those to whom he was sent As also by his letters to Eulogius Arch-bishop of Alexandria lib. 7. epist. 30. indict 1. saying therin Know then that wher as the English Nation c. remaining hitherto in Infidelity I did by the help of your prayers c. send unto that Nation Austin a Monck of my Monastery to preach to them c. and now letters are come to vs both of his health and of his work that he hath in hand and surly either he or they that were sent over with him work so many Miracles in that Nation as they may seem to imitate the power and Miracles of the Apostles them-selves That the particulars of the Religion professed by S. Gregory and the visible Church of his tyme and preacht by St. Austin the Monck and his Companions sent by Gregory to convert the English Nation were the same which we Roman Catholiks profess at this present is evident by all Histories Both sacred and profane and even by the Confession of all Protestant writers who treat of this subject Austin the great Monck saith Doct. Humfrey sent by Gregory the great Pope taught the Englismen a burthen of Ceremonies c. Purgatory Mass Prayer for the Dead Transubstantiation Reliques c. And the Centurywriters Carion Osiander and other learned Protestants say that the Religion preacht by St. Austin to the Saxons was Altars Vestements Images Chalices Crosses Censors Holy Vessells Holy water the sprinkling therof Reliques Translation of Reliques dedicating of Churches to the bones and ashes of Saints Consecration of Altars Chalices and Corporals Consecration of the font of Baptism Chrism and Oyle Celebration of Mass the Archi-Episcopal Pall at Solemn Mass tyme Romish Mass Books also free will merit Iustification of works Penance Satisfaction Purgatory the vnmarried life of Priests the publik invocation of Saints and their worship the worship of Images Exorcism Pardons Vowes Monachism Transubstantiation prayer for the Dead offering of the healthfull Host of Christs body and bloud for the Dead the Roman Bishops claim and exercise of Iurisdiction and supremacy over all Churches Reliquumque Pontificiae superstitionis Chaos even the whole Chaos of Popish superstition Now that D. r Fulck should term this conversion our perversion and that Mr. Willet should place St. Gregorie and St. Austin among the Fathers of Superstition and Osiander should say they subjected England to the Yoke of Anti-Christ and Mr. Harison that they converted the Saxons from Paganism to no less hurtfull superstition then they did know before making an exchang from open to secret Idolatry c. we attribute to an excess of their privat spirit and zeale in their own Presbiterian or Fanatik way which doth not agree with the more sober and more Christianlike Protestants nor indeed impugn our assertion which is that this Popery now so much raild at though professed by St. Gregorie and wherunto our Ancestors were converted by St. Austin the Monck and our selves yet profess was the Religion held by the visible Church as the only Catholik and Apostolik in the 6. age and that vntil then no known chang of Christs Doctrin had bin made in the Roman Church Whether the whole Church of the 6. age was deceived or no in this their persuasion and adhesion to the Roman Doctrin is another question and shall be discussed herafter SECT II. Of the Author and begining of Protestancy and of Luthers Disputation and familiarity with the Devill serjously related by him self in his authentik Bookes THE first that preacht the Protestant Religion or Reformation was Martin Luther a German who as himself confesseth in a letter to his Father had bin fearfully hanted from his youth with Sathans apparitions and as others testify often in the forme of firebrands These frights together with the suddain death of his dearest Camerade slain by a thunderbolt forced him as he says in the said Epistle to enter into the Religious order of St. Augustin wherin he lived some yeares not without signs and suspition of being possessed vntill that an 1517. one John Tecell a learned Dominican frier was preferred before him in publishing and preaching of Indulgences which Sermon in like occasions had bin formerly giuen to the Augustins This fancied injury don to his Order and Person put Luther into such a passion that notwithstanding he vnderstood not well as he ingeniously confesseth what the name of Indulgences meant yet he preacht Sermons and printed conclusions against them his propositions being condemned in Germany he appealed to Rome and submitted his doctrin and himself to Pope Leo 10. Vt reprobet approbet sicut placuerit acknowledging his voice to be the voice of Christ. But loe saith he whilst I look for a joyfull sentence from Rome I am striken with the thunderbolt of excommunication and condemned for the most wicked man alive then I began to defend my doings setting forth many bookes â— And seing it is so let them impute the fault to them-selves that have so excessively handled the matter Afther that Luther had lost his hopes of being favored in his opinions by the Pope he appeald from his Holyness sentence to a general Councel assuring himself that none would be caled or assembled in his own days That this was his design and not any desire of being directed by a Councel is manifest by his procedings for as soon as he heard there was a Councel summoned and perceived some likelihood that the Bishops would meet he writ a book against the necessity and authority of general Councels and begins with the first at Jerusalem condemning its Decrees then with the first Nicen and concluds there is no obligation of submitting our Judgments to their Definitions or of conforming our actions to their Canons and declars to his Germans in what a sad condition they would all be if they were bound to obey Councels for then they must have abstained from strangled meat foule add which is wors from puddings and sausages according to the Apostles Decree at Ierusalem as if that Decree intended but for a litle tyme were still in force Therfore he maintained that Christ hath taken away from Bishops Doctors and Councels the right and power of judging of doctrin and given it to all Christians in generall and admitts of no other rule but Scripture as every one will thinck fit to interpret the same Thus farr was Luther driven by his pride and passion against the Dominican friars with resolution not to recant what he had once writt though he wished he had never begun that business and that his writings were burned and buried in eternal oblivion he had not as yet precipitated himself into the particulars of Protestancy but for some few years went no further then the dispute of Indulgences and wore still
thou lyest in thy throat foolish and sacrilegious King And other so immodestly base expressions against his Majesty and all other Papists that we ar ashamed to English them By Luthers Language and way of defending his Protestant doctrin we might guess at his Master though him self had not told us his name was Sathan SUBSECT I. How weakly Protestants excuse Luthers Conference with the Devill and the embracing of Sathans doctrin THERE is not any one thing troubleth so much the learned Protestants as their Apostle Luthers acknowledged instruction in Protestancy received from the Devill and therfore some of them endeavor to maintain that this Disputation was only a spirituall fight in mind and no bodily conference but with the same probability of truth they may affirm that all other real apparitions and the effects therof were only spirituall conflicts Luther tells so many corporeal circumstances that it could not be a meere spiritual fight first he says that the Devill spoke to him voce forti gravi in a strong and grave voice 2. That then he learnt how men were found dead in their beds in the morning True it is that these words and circumstances are fraudulently omitted by the Divines of Wittenberg in their later editions of Luthers works and perhaps Mr. Chark and Mr. Fulk did never peruse the more ancient and sincere edition tom 6. Germ. Ien. fol. 28. where all these things are set down Yet grant this were no bodily conference and but only a spiritual conflict what matters it whether Luther was instructed and persuaded this or that way by sensible conference or inward suggestion into Protestancy if therin the Devill was his Master Other learned Protestants excuse Luthers conference saying it was only a dream to mistake which for a reality he was subject as being a German Monk giuing to understand that good drinck doth frequently turn German dreams into reall persuasions But vnless they prove that Luther was in a dream or in drink when he writ this conference they wil never persuade any man that reads it that this Disputation was not real Him self says he was awake tells the tyme of the night that it happened describs the Devills voice his owne feare learnt how people were slain by the Devill in their beds these reflections and impressions are far from dreams especialy when the party delivers them as real truths many years after and maks them the ground of his chang in so important a matter as Religion But suppose German Monks were as much given to drink and after drink as apt to mistake their dreams for real truths as Mr. Sutcliff insinuats and to maintain even when they are sober that their dreams ar not dreams as Luther doth his Conference of what credit can such an evasion or excuse be to Protestants for what difference is ther between a dreaming drunken and Diabolical Religion These answers not being any way probable other learned Protestants grant the Devill did realy conferr with Luther so Hospinian B. p Morton Joannes Regius Baldwin c. This last in a Book of this subject printed at Jsleb 1605. pag. 76.75.83 saith let none wonder that I confess the disputation to be real and not written in iest or hyperbolicaly but seriously and historicaly for Luther writ that history so consideratly and prolixly that I still acknowledg be writ it seriously and according to the truth of the histor But then he adds that Luther had bin a protestant before that Conference and that the Deuills drift was to make Luther despair for hauing said Mass prayed to saints c. But this is impertinent and fals impertinent because our dispute is not of the Deuills intention but of his instruction and whether Luther did well in embracing either before or after his revolt from vs the Devills doctrin fals because vntil that Disputation Luther sayd Mass almost every day as sathan objects to him speaking somtyms in the present and was then no protestant for the only point wherin he differed then from Catholiks was about Indulgences and euen that he maintained more out of a pick and pride then Judgment as appears by what hath bin sayd in the beginning of this section Wherfore Joannes Regius in his Apology against Belarmin saith that the Devills instruction is no argument to confute Luthers doctrin because though it was the Devill that instructed him he instructed him according to the word of God and the Devills speak truth somtyms especialy when they speak that which the Scripture witnesseth This in my opinion is the worst of all other evasions 1. Because the Devill seldom or never applies the words of Scripture to the right sence when he tempted our Savior though he quoted Scripture yet he was no true Interpreter therof Now what ground Protestants can have to believe that the Devill hath altered his ould custom or why they should prefer the Devills Scriptural interpretation before that of the visible Church Councells and Fathers is not intelligible 2. It is not credible that if all the visible Church of Christians did err in professing Popery and committed Idolatry by hearing Mass and adoring the Sacrament that the Devills would dissuade them from that Idolatrous Religion his design and desire is to seduce men not to reduce them to the way of saluation 3. It is not likely that God would compel the Devill to be chief instrument of reforming the Catholik Religion and Church in the ould law he never committed so great a charg unto him he employd holy men and Prophets to convert the Iews and Pagans 't is strang that in the law of grace the Devil should become an Apostle When Dives who was but the Devills Camerade desired leave to come into the world and preach to his Brethren God did not judg him a fit Messenger or Missioner it was answered that his brethren ought to believe Moyses and the Prophets that is the Church and the Ministers therof And though this be a parable it contains real doctrin wherby we are instructed that Gods Church would never be so low brought as to stand in need of Preachers from Hell Seing therfore we have so many reasons to conclude that God would not make the Devill an Apostle or a Reviver and Reformer of the Ghospell Protestants can have none to believe that the doctrin and Reformation which Luther received from him is true or agreable to Scripture Doctor Morton late Bishop of Duresme to proue ad hominem against us that the Deuill doth persuade men somtyms to piety and by consequence that Luthers reformation might be pious though the Deuill instructed him therin objected Delrius a Iesuit affirming that the Deuill appeared to an Abbot in the forme of an Angel and persuaded him to say Mass. Therfore if the Mass be good as Catholiks say the Deuill may and doth exhort men to vertuous actions To this I answer 1. That our question is not whether the Deuill may somtyms persuade men to
reasonable subjection Therfore besids many other works in the yeare 1520. Luther writ a book called Praeludium captivitatis Babilonicae wherin he maintayned that Christians are not subject to human Lawes at least in foro Conscintiae Christ hauing made them all equall by the Gospell but that the Pope Prelates and Princes had tyranically usurped a Iurisdiction ouer them and kept them for many years in gross ignorance and wors then in a Babylonian captivity therfore that God had sent him to reforme these abuses and restore vnto all oppressed people the Christian liberty which they had received in Baptisme and by his reformation they might enjoy so fully as to judg and govern all omnia judicemus regamus Then he published his doctrin of justification by only faith so resolutly that he doubted not to preach though mens words be the greatest blasphemies and their works the most damnable villâ—nies If they haue as much confidence to belieue without doubt as impudence to act without scruple they may be sure that God hath receiued them into his fauor and cannot be damned unless they doubt of their saluation This abominable presumption Luther grounded upon the infinitness of Christs merits as if forsooth our Sauiour had suffered to the end we might not only be happy in heauen but by his passion hah waranted our wickedness upon earth grossly mistaking and confounding the sufficiency of Christs merits with the sufficiency of their application none can deny but that the least drop of our Sauiours Bloud is sufficient to redeeme millions of worlds because it is of infinite value but all Catholicks euer held that though his Bloud and merits be infinitly sufficient in themselues yet are they not sufficiently applyed to sinners unless they concurr to their own reconciliation and justification not only by faith but by good works Sacraments and other meanes which God hath appointed for that purpose Yet Luther pretended that faith alone is a sufficient application of Christs merits and that men needed not mortify their bodys nor endeavour to secure their salvation by good works thinking it a diminution of our Redeemers glory and a disrespect to his person that with our free will we should cooperat with his passion and help our selues and vpon this ground do Protestants raise all their batteries against Indulgences Purgatory Pilgrimages praying to Saints Confession of sins Penance Satisfaction Merit austerity of Monastical life Works of supererogation c. A reformation so indulgent to liberty and sensuality could not want Proselits and in a short tyme appeared the effects therof the Peasants of Germany rebelled against their Princes and Lords in defence of that Euangelical liberty which Luther had preached and in the space of one summer were on both sides a hundred thousand men slain Some Princes to make themselues considerable by heading the multituds which ran to Luther professed his Religion and protected his person and he layd for the foundation of his reformation the ensuing principles SVBSECT I. The fundamentall principles of Protestancy THe first principle and foundation of Luthers and of all Protestant reformations is a supposition that the whole visible Church fell from that primitiue pure doctrin and true meaning of Scripture which Christ our Sauior and the Apostles had planted and the first Christians had professed All râ—formed Churches do and must agree in this supposition the very name of a Doctrinal reformation implies a change and decay of doctrin though they disagree in the tyme and other circumstances of the change Untill Luther had conferred with the Devill he durst not vent this principle he appealed indeed from the Pope to a generall Councell and from a generall Councell when he perceiued one was summon'd to the Church diffusiue but after his conference with Satan he ventured to say Lay aside all the armes of orthodox antiquity Schooles of Diuinity authority of Councells and Popes consent of so many ages and all Christian People we receiue nothing but Scripture yet so that we must haue the certain authority to interpret the same Our interpretation is the sence of the holy Ghost that which others bring though they bee great though many proceedeth from the spirit of Sathan and from a distracted mind The reasons why Luther and all Protestants run this desperat course is because hauing examined and found that orthodox antiquity was Roman Catholik and not one Church parish or person ever Protestant before 1517. they are inforced to maintain by mis-interpreting Scripture that the whole visible Church erred and that God sent them to reform it The second principle of Protestancy is to admit of no rule of faith but only Scripture of no other infallible Judg of the letter or sence of Scripture or of any controversies in Religion but every particular Church and person interpreting Scripture according to their best endeavors and discretion This is expressly declared in the last mentioned words of Luther and inculcated by the Devill to him in his Conference and though few are willing to speake the same words yet is there not one Protestant in the world that doth not practise the very same doctrin and defend it when the matter is argued It necessarily followeth from the first principle Because if the whole visible Church fell from the pure faith and from Gods meaning of Scripture the belief tradition and testimony of that visible Church Councell and Fathers can be no true rule of faith nor themselves fit Iudges of Religion or of the sense of Scripture Therfore every privat Protestant must be his own Guide and Iudg in matters of saluation and Scripture For though Luther Calvin or any Protestant Congregation should pretend that their sense and interpretation of Scripture is that of the holy Ghost and the interpretation of others Diabolical yet no privat Protestant doth look even upon their own reformers or Churches as infallible in this or in any other particular but in as much as he Iudges it agreeth with Scripture and therfore every one that supposeth the fall of the Roman Catholik and visible Church and the fallibility of the Reformers and reformations as all Protestants do will deny that him-self hath any obligation to submit his Iudgment in controversies of Religion to any interpretation of Scripture or decision of doctrin besids his owne and so becoms his owne Guide and his owne Iudg of controversies and makes his owne interpretation of Scripture his only rule of faith The third principle of Protestancy is that men are justified by only faith and that he who hath once justifying faith can neither loose it nor be damned This tenet is cleerly professed as the doctrin of all Protestant Churches in the Catholik doctrin of the Church of England art 11. pag. 5â— seqq And pag. 54. The Papists are declared heretiks for holding that men are to remain doubtfull whether they shall be saved or not From these principles flow that infinit variety of Protestant Religions and
way in externall matters concerning disciplin they have troubled the Church another way in opposing themselves by new quircks and devices to the soundness of doctrin among Protestants And truly to pretend with all reformed Churches that the Pope is Antichrist and the man of sin and at the same time profess as the learned Prelatick writers do in their books that without his caracter of Priesthood there can be no orthodox Clergy or Christian Church are things that do not hang wel togeather neither is it credible that so zealous Protestants as were the first English reformers Cranmer Coverdale Bale c. who strained Scripture in their Translations and made formal abjurations against the caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood which they had received in the Church of Rome or that Parker Jewel Horn c. who received that same doctrin and excluded those caracters by an express Article of their 39. of Religion from the Church of England and from their form of ordination it is not I say credible that these and the like men did maintain in their convocations the late Prelatick contrary doctrin or that they exercised or recorded any such Popish formalities of consecrating Priests and Bishops by imposition of Episcopal hands as M. r Mason pretends he found in Parker's Register at Lambeth as appeareth also to any that wil consider the homely choyce and caling of the primitive Pastors and Preachers of our Prelatick Protestancy objected to themselves in print when they were living and yet could not deny the fact neither did they go about to excuse it not taking it to be a fault D. r Kelison in his survey pag. 373. 374. saith of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Elizab. time Lay men were taken of which some were base artificers and without any other consecration or ordination then the Prince's or the superintendent 's letters made them Ministers and Bishops with as few ceremonies and less solemnity then they make their Aldermen yea Constables and cryers of the market D. r Stapleton in his Counterblast lib. 4. num 481 saith And wherin I pray you resteth a great part of your new Clergy but in Butchers Cooks Catchpols and Coblers Diers and Dawbers fellows carrying their mark in their hand insteed of a shaven Crown c. Seing therfor our Catholick Arguments convince all disinterest'd persons that weigh them of the absurdity and novelty of Protestancy in general and such as do not take them to be of any weight because themselves are byassed and bent against vs by education or interest must needs take notice if they think seriously of any Religion or of their own Protestant principles that the Prelatick Reformation is but a politick appendix or addition of Q. Elizabeth in pursuance of her Father's passion and by her self resolved vpon more for securing a Crown then saving the soule and therfor containing more mysteries of state then of faith and more regarding conveniencies then conscience as appeareth by the layty of her Clergy by her She-supremacy by the anticipated Royalty of her vnlawful issue in case she would be pleased to own any these things I say being no calumnies of malignant pens or persons but most manifest by her own Articles of Religion and Acts of Parliament can hardly be digested by honest subjects much less settled as Divine truths in Christian souls or carry the face of a pious and plausible Religion even amongst the most silly sort of people Yet far be it from our thoughts to censure with folly or impiety such as suck't with their Nurses milk the poyson of this Prelatick Protestancy no we know they want neither piety nor policy according to their own principles but I hope they wil not be offended if according to ours we do pitty their condition and pray for their conversion we believe their zeale against our catholick Religion proceeds not from malice but mistaks and desire they may likewise believe our intention is only to expel by this antidot the poyson which others have infused into their brains This humble apology and explanation doth not relate to them that made the chang of Religion for preferring Q. Elizabeth and any natural issue of her body to the Crown befor the lawful heires who by God's providence since her death and at this present enioy right nor to any that wil obstinatly maintain such proceedings It is intended for all wel meaning Protestants that believe themselves to be Catholicks and if they be not wish they were and that the true Religion were setled in these Nations But what mervaile is it that privat persons be mistaken in Protestancy when the Royal family of the Stewards against whose title and succession it was introduced and established both in England and Scotland in England by Q. Elizabeth in Scotland by the Bastard Murry are so much in love with that Religion devised for their own ruine So bewitching a thing is education engrafted in good dispositions and so dangerous if not cultivated and corrected by our own more mature reflections when we arrive to years of discretion SECT IX How injurious Protestancy hath bin to the Royal family of the Stewards and how zealous they have bin and are in promoting the same AFter that King Henry 8. had vsurped the Pop's Supremacy and divised certain Articles of Religion he desired his Nephew K. James 5. of Scotland to follow his example which that Catholick Prince refus'd to do King Henry in his last will and Testament confirmed by his Protestant Parliament excluded the Royal family of Scotland from their right and succession to the Crown of England preferring before the Stewards not only his illegitimat daughter Elizabeth but the Grays and all others that descended of the yonger sister Queen Dowager of France and Dutchess of Suffolk King James 5. deceased his wife the Queen Regent of Scotland and his young daughter Queen Mary were so persecuted by the Scotch and English Protestants that the Queen Regent was deposed and Queen Mary was forc't to fly for refuge into France After her return into Scotland the King her Husband was murthered by the Protestants his subjects and the innocent Queen trepan'd by her protestant Bastard Brother to marry Borthvel one of the murtherers with a design to diffame and depose herself from the government which the Bastard had vsurped and had murthered likewise King James 6. an infant but that God prevented his wicked designs by permitting him to be killed by the hand of a Hamilton Other Protestants succeeded the Bastard Murry in the government and though King Iames escaped the dangers and designs they had layd for his life yet they perverted his soule and when he was but 13. months ould Protestancy was set vp in his name his Mother being driven out of her own Kingdom by those Protestants that deposed herself and abused her Son's minority was contrary to the publick faith and privat promises of Queen Elizabeth imprisoned in England her Rebels countenanced and her self at
Aug. cit cap. 20. [3] Aug. cit 16. Concil Tolet. 1. Can. 5. Cyprian de Coena Dom. post med Origen in num hom 23. [4] Cyprian lib. 2. epist. 3. Augustin de Civit. Dei lib. 16. cap. 22. passim Aug. [5] de Civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. lib. 20. contra Faustum cap. 18. Hieron lib. 3. contra Pelag. August tom 8. in Psalm 33. con 2. saith Ipse de Corpore et Sanguine suo instituit Sacrificium secundum Ordinem Melchisedech S. Chrisost. in lib. 1. cor hom 24. saith of Christ Ipsum mutavit Sacrificium et pro caede brutorum seipsum jussit offerri [6] Aug. in Enchirid. cap. 110. de cura pro mortuis cap. 18. [7] Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 20. Cyprian de coena Dom. [8] S. Ireneus lib. 4. cap. 32. August de gratia novi Testam cap. 18. [9] Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 17. cap. 20. S. Clement the Apostles scholler in Apost Constit. edit Antverp 1564. lib. 6. cap. 22. fol. 123. [10] Tertulian ad Scapul cap. â— saith Sacrificamus pro salute Imperatoris [11] Chrysost. hom 27. in Acta Apost Pro infirmis etiam sacrificamus [12] Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 8. saith one went and offered in the house infected the Sacrifice of Christs Body praying that the vexation might cease and by Gods mercy it ceased immediatly [13] Basil in Liturgia fol. 40. Chrisost. in Mart. Rom. 83. Cyprian de Coena Dom. prope initium Origen Athan. c. quoted by Crastonius cit [a] Osiander a Protestant writer epist. cent 16. pag. 90. saith Leonard Keppen on the 7. day of April 1523. brought to Wittemberg nine Nuns from the Monastery Nimptsen among which number one was Catharin Borenâ— whom afterwards Luther married Peter Martyr and Bucer married Nuns Luthers example of marriag was followed by all the Disciples though professed Monks not only in Germany but in euery other country Here with us these Protestant Bishops ensuing Hoopâ—r of Worcester Barlow of Chicester Dounham of Chester Scory of Herefort Barkley of Bath and Wells Couerdale of Excester all Monks Cranmer of Canterbury and Sandes of York Priests [b] S. Austin haeres 82. saith of Jouinian teaching the Lawfulness of Priests and Votaries mariage This heresy was quickly extinct neyther could it euer preuail to the deceiuing so much as of any one Priest And lib. 2 retrac cap. 22. that Jouinian with his heresy deceiued but only nonnullas Sanctimoniales some few Nuns But Luther deceiued Priests Monks and Nuns or rather they concurred with him to deceiue others [c] Luther de seculari potestate in tom 6. Germ. saith Among Christians no man can or ought to be Magistrat but each one is to other equaly subject c. Among Christian men none is superior save only Christ And in his Sermons englishd by William Gage pag. 97. and tom 7. Wittemberg fol. 327. he saith Therfore is Christ our Lord that he may make us such as himself is and as he cannot suffer himself to be tyed and bound by laws c. So also ought not the conscience of a Christian to suffer them Afterwards he taught to moderat this liberty by explaining that subjects ought to haue an obedience rather of policy then conscience which is as much to say as to dissemble and obey when they cannot help it but if euer they can rebell with probability of success they may do it with a safe conscience And therfore in the same Sermons pag. 261. he doth admonish we obey the ciuil Magistrat prouided it be not pretended that it is necessary for saluation to obey Most Protestants follow this obedience of policy not of conscience see Whitaker in resp at Rat. Camp rat 8. pag. 154. And Danaeus against Belarmin pag. 1127. [d] Luther in Comment ad cap. 2. ad Galat. saith When it is taught Faith in Christ doth indeed justify but with all its necessary to keep Gods commandments there Christ is denyed and faith is abolished because that which is proper of God alone is attributed to the commandements of God or to the Law See also Luther in Colloq Mensal Ger. fol. 152. 153. M. r Willet in his Synopsis Papismi pag. 564. saith The Law remaineth stil impossible to be kept by vs through the weakness of our flesh neither doth God giue vs ability to keep it but Christ hath fulfilled it for vs. D. r Whitaker de Eccles. pag. 301. We say that if a man haue an aâ—t of faith sins do not hurt him this truly Luther affirming this we all say Hofman de Poenitentiâ edit 1540. lib. 2. fol. 113. saith according to the Protestant principles Whosoeuer truly belieueth suffereth God to work for him and dispose eternall life for him himself taking no labor nor working any thing for himself [a] Lutherus lib. de servo arbitrio contra Eras. edit 1. Cnoglerus symbola tria pag. 152. nullus nemo G. 6 pag. 153. [b] The Catholik Doctrin of the Church of England pag. 103. in the explanation of the 20. article of Religion saith Authority is given to the Church and to every member of sound judgment in the same to judg in controversies of faith and so in their places to embrase the truth and to avoyd and improve Antichristianity and errors and this is not the privat opinion of our Church but the straight commandment of God him-self particularly to all teachers and hearers of Gods word and generally unto the whole Church and also the Iudgment of our Godly Brethren in forreign Countreys [c] Mr. Bilson Bishop of Winchester in his true difference c. part 2. pag. 353. saith The people must be Discerners and Judg. of that which is taught The Catholik Doctrin of the Church of England art 19. Proposition 6. pag. 94. saith The visible Church may and from tyme to tyme hath errd both in Doctrin and conversation pag. 95 concludeth This with us the Churches in their Confessions do acknowledg Dr. Whitaker de Eccles pa. 301. We say that if a man have an art of faith sins do not hurt him this truly Luther affirmeth this we also say [d] Jrenaeus l. 1. c. 5. saith Videmus nunc eorum inconstantem Sententiam cum sint duo vel tres quemadmodum de iisdem eadem non dicunt And c. 18. Cum autem discrepant ad invicem doctrina traditione qui recentiores eorum adnoscuntur affectant per singulos dies novum aliquid invenire c. Durum est enim omnium describere sententias Tertullian de Praescrip adv haer cap. 42. saith Mentior si non etiam a regulis suis variant inter se dum vnusquisque proinde modulatur quae accepit quemadmodum de suo arbitrio composuit c. Denique inspect haereses omnes in multis cum authoribus suis dissentientes deprehunduntur And see cap. 37. Chrystom oper imperfect in
only more â—ound in point of Christiatity but more safe in order to the government then any others And though it be a common and true saying that the greatest Clerks are not the wisest men and by consequence not so fit to prescribe rules for governing as wordlings that are not Divines or as wranglers that are Lawyers yet I humbly conceive that when the misfortunes of a government proceed not from want of judgment or resolution in the Councel but from want of faith or which is the same from an acknowledged vncertainty of faith in the Church Catholick Divines seing we are unanimous in matters of Christian belief and do persuade the best part of Christendom that our Church is infallible in the same and if heard we doubt not to prevail with these British Nations also to credit vs in that important point however improbable it may seem to them at first sight I hope this supposed we Catholick Divines may without offence pretend to be better able to shew and salve the spiritual sore of this state then any Protestant Statists or schoolmen who want sufficient unity and assurance of faith in themselves to make their cure and care credible to others Seing therfore the foundation not only of Christian Religion but of a peaceable government doth consist in a firm persuasion of the people governed that the doctrin professed and established by Law is infallible and of Divine inspiration not of human invention and by consequence that the decrees and determinations of the State which in all Governments ought to be proportioned to the doctrin of its Church are lawfull and intended for the common good not designs or devices to fool the multitude feed the ministery or favor the soveraign and that not only evidence of falshood but vncertainty of truth in matters of Christianity must needs render the Church and State that profess such an vncertainty so weak and contemptible that the subjection to either cannot be otherwise secured then by the force and fear of a standing Army and that such a subjection doth savor more of a Turkish slavery then fâ—â—a Christian Society or of a civil subordination to publick authority and therfore is the cause of continual discontents and frequent rebellions and that no Church but the Roman Catholick doth as much as pretend or can persuade it s own infallibility in matters of Religion seing I say all this is manifest by reason and our wofull late experiences I question not but that the Parliament will be pleased to take in good part this humble proposal of saving our souls and of setling this state by the doctrin of the Roman Catholick Church and by the Revenues of the Protestant Prelatick Clergy especially if the corruptions of Scripture and falsifications of Councells and Fathers wherwith I do charge that Clergy and wherby alone they maintain their Protestancy be cleerly demonstrated in this Treatise and patiently heard in a publick Trial. It 's now above a Century of years since the great Statsmen of England have employed their wit and industry in devising how to setle Monarchy vpon Protestancy but vnder favor we Catholick Divines do shew and all Protestants may suspect by the success that in so great an affair they have proceeded like vnskillfull Architects that busy themselves altogether in proportioning and adorning the superstructures without inquiring into the strength and solidity of the foundation They mistook sand for stone fals translations for true Scripture a lay ministery for a lawful Clergy a temporal soveraignty for a spiritual supremacy They layd for the first stone of their New fabrik a sworn spiritual rebellion the oath of supremacy against the chief Prelat and common Father of all Christendom S. Peters Successor No marvail then if this fundation yeelded and the whole fabrik fell to the ground in our late distempers for by an evident parity of reason it must be concluded that it is as lawful for Protestants to depose Kings as Popes by vertue of their privat and arbitrary interpretations of scripture If notwithstanding the legal and long possession or prescription of a suprem spiritual superiority the Bishop of Rome may by the principles and prerogative of Protestancy be reformed and reduced to be only Patriarck of the West or a privat Bishop what temporal soveraignity can be absolute or secure among Protestants The same arguments the same texts of Scripture the same spirit the same interpretations of God's Word that Luther Calvin Cranmer and all other Protestants objected against the Popes supreme spiritual authority did the Presbyterians and other Protestants press by an vnanswerable paralel against the late King 's temporal Soveraignty Wherfore it is much to be feared that notwithstanding the extraordinary prudence of our government we shall be frequently involved in as great troubles and dangers as formerly and that the privat spirit and English Scripture interpreted by Protestants will prevail against lawfull Monarchy whensoever the like circumstances do concurr viz. a Zealous Parliament a mild King a covetous Clergy a stubborn people and resolute Rogues to lead them and declare to the Multitude their own strength as wel as the fundamental principles and priviledges of all Protestant Reformations In Catholick Commonwealths all these circumstances do meet the principles of Protestancy only excepted and yet the Catholick subjects remain immoveable in their obedience in regard of the credit and authority of their Church and Clergy which in privat confessions and publick exhortations continualy inculcat how inconsistant any privat or arbitrary interpretation of Scripture and by consequence any pretext of superiority over the Soveraign is with the Christianity and obsequiousnes of Catholick faith and how principal a part it is of that â—aith to believe not only that the Church is infallible in its doctrin but also that temporal Soveraigns are Gods Vice-regents and absolut in their government and therfore as such ought to be revered and obeyed And when by reason of heavy taxes or other such accidents the fire of sedition somtimes breaks forth among Catholicks it is generally speaking suddenly quencht by the authority and severity of the Clergies Censures against the Authors or by the devotion and reverence which even the most Irreverent of our profession exhibit to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar that is shewn vpon such emergencies to the mutinous people which notwithstanding their fury and madness immediatly fall down to adore their God and Redeemer and for respect of him whom they beleeve to be realy present are appeased or at least give ear to their Pastors reasons and exhortations with more patience and better success then any Protestant people in the like occasions Wherfore though we Catholicks should grant as we neither do nor can that the Protestant or Prelatick reformation is as safe a way to Heaven as the Roman Religion yet methinks such Protestants as desire to live peaceably or govern prosperously ought to preferr Popery before Protestancy That K. Henry 8. in the heat
Protestant Church of England Pag. 62. Cranmer a meer Cotemporiser and of no Religion at all Pag. 63. Who fram'd the 39 Articles Pag. 64. Of the 39 Articles of the Church of England Pag. 67. Protestant Bishops well pleas'd to see themselves Religiously Worship'd Pag. 70. Protestants though they have chang'd their Form of Ordination yet cannot have a true Clergy till they change also the Character of the Ordainers Pag. 80. Of the Effects immediatly produc'd by the 39 Articles Pag. 82. Dudely Earl of Warwick's Endeavours to have his Son to Reign after K. Edw. His Marrying him to the Lady Jane Gray Pag. 83. Queen Mary's Troubles Pag. 84. The Roman Catholicks willing Resignation of the Church Livings to the Crown Pag. 86. An Act of Parliament in the first year of Q. Mary concerning the fraud and force of K. Henry the VIII's unlawful Divorce from Q. Catharine Pag. 88. Other Effects of Protestancy after it was reviv'd in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown And of the Nullity of her Clergies Character and Jurisdiction Pag. 95. Decreed in Parliament that any Natural Issue of Q. Elizabeths Body should enjoy the Crown after her Death and so the Line of Stewards to be Excluded Pag. 100. Reasons why Q. Elizabeth in her 44 years Reign could not make her Prelatick Clergy and Religion acceptable Pag. 103 How Injurious Protestancy hath been to the Royal Family of the Stewards and how Zealous they have been in promoting the same Pag. 109. K. James the I. declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no Hand in Gun-powder Treason Pag. 112. Of K. Charles the First Pag. 112. Part. 2. Of the Inconsistency of Protestant Principles with Christian Piety and Peaceable Government THe foundation whereon all Reformations are built Pag. 117. The Protestant evasion of the clearness of Scripture against Roman Catholick Doctrine and also of the Invisibility of their own Church Confuted And the Incredibility of the suppos'd Change and Apostacy prov'd by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant Principles Pag. 121 Protestants mistaken in the Canon of the Scripture maintain'd by the Church of England and by Dr. Cousins Bishop of Duresin Pag. 131. Dr. Couzins Exceptions and Falsifications against the Councel of Trent's Authority answer'd Pag. 137. New Definitions are not New Articles of Faith Pag. 141. Protestants so grosly mistaken in their Letter and Translation of Scriptures that they cannot have any Certainty of Faith And are forc'd at length by their Principles to question the Truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical Books thereof Pag. 149. Particular Instances of Protestant Corruptions in the English Bible Pag. 157. Protestant Interpretation is not the true Sense of Script Pag. 163. Protestants Mistaken in the Ministry and Mission of their Clergy in the Miracles of their Church in the Sanctity and Honesty of their Reformers Pag. 168. Calvin's Miracle Pag. 180. Beza's Lasciviousness He prefers his Boy Andibertus before his Girle Candida Pag. 181. Protestants mistaken in the application of the Prophesies of Scripture concerning the Conversion of the Kings and Nations of the Gentils from Paganism to Christianity foretold as an Infallible Mark of the True Church and whereof the Protestant is depriv'd Pag. 183. Calvin sends Ministers to Convert Gallia Antartica from Heathenism And what success they had Pag. 190. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their Justifying Faith with Justice or Civil Government Pag. 193. The Protestant Doctrine of Justifying Faith most dangerous and Damnable Pag. 198. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian Faith Humility Charity Peace either in Church or State with their making Scriptures as interpreted by private Persons or Fallible Synods or fancied General Councils composed of all Dissenting Christian Churches the Rule of Faith and Judge of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39 Articles or the Oath of Supremacy a distinctive Sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings Pag. 207. How the Fundamental Principles of Protestancy maturely examin'd and strictly followed have led the most Learned Protestants of the World to Judaisme Atheism Arianisme and Mahometanisme c. Pag. 222. The Protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania deny the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity Pag. 230. How the Indifferency or rather Inclination of Protestancy to all kind of Infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick Doctrine and distinction of Fundamental and Not Fundamental Articles of Faith The design of their fundamental distinction laid open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church And how it has the Authority of Judging all Controversy of Religion Pag. 233. The Roman Catholick Church is a Competent and Impartial Judge of Controversies of Religion Pag. 241. Of the Justice and Legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy Pag. 242. All Christians were never Judges of Religion one Party always submitted to the Judgment of the Other that was in Obedience to and in Communion with St. Peters Successor the Bishop of Rome Pag. 247. Gods Veracity is deny'd by Protestancy and by the Prelatick Distinction and Doctrine of Fundamental and not Fundamental Articles of Faith Pag. 251. Protestancy is Heresie Pag. 254. Protestancy contradicts Gods Veracity Pag. 255. The Infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in Matters of Faith prov'd against Protestants Pag. 256. The Protestant Doctrine of Fundamentals Confuted Pag. 257. The same further demonstrated and prov'd that neither the Protestant Faith nor the Faith lately Asserted in a Book call'd Sure footing in Christianity is Christian Belief Pag. 260. The Resolution of Protestant Faith Pag. 262. The Infallibility of the Church prov'd by Gods Veracity Pag. 268. Heresie Explain'd by Rebellion Pag. 269. The Unreasonableness of them who pretend a private Spirit and refuse to submit to the Authority of the Church for want of Clearer Evidence than the Roman Catholicks hath of Gods Authority Pag. 269. Reasons for Liberty of Conscience And how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the State by continuing and pressing the Sanguinary and Penal Statutes against the Roman Catholick Faith and the Act of Uniformity against Sectaries Pag. 271. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions Severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statutes against Popery Pag. 283. Part 3. Containing a plain Discovery of the Protestant Clergys Frauds and Falsifications whereby alone their Doctrine is supported and made Credible The Conscience and Conveniency of Restoring or Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion Demonstrated THat either the Learned Protestants or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every Illiterate Protestant may easily discern by which of the two Clergies he is Cheated And therefore is oblig'd under pain of Damnation to examine so near a concern And to renounce the Doctrine and Communion of that Church wherein he is Cheated Pag. 287. With what Impudency and Hypocrisy Bishop Jewel
and other Prelatick Writers began to maintain the Protestancy of the Church of England And how they were blam'd for appealing to Antiquity by some of their own Brethren Pag. 293. A Strange Expression of Mr. Hooker in favour of Bishop Jewel Pag. 294. The Centurists and other Learned Protestants Confess that the Councils and Fathers Defended Worship of Images Transubstantion Purgatory c. Pag. 295. How particularly the Protestant Clergy is Charg'd with Frauds and Falsifications in maintaining their Religion Pag. 298. There can be no Reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy in Matters of Religion And that Protestancy cannot be maintain'd otherwise then by Impostures Whereof there are such Evidences that to give the Protestant Clergy any Credit in matters of Religion is a sufficient Cause of Damnation Pag. 300. Of Edward VI's Protestant and Prelatick Clergys Frauds Falsifications and Forms of Ordination their Hypocrisy Incontinency Atheism c. And whether it be fit to term them and others like them Cheats when they are Convicted of wilful false dealing in matters of Religion Pag. 303. Of Thomas Cranmer his Birth Marriages Treasons Cheats Heresies c. And of Latimer and Ridley Pag. 304. Of Hooper's Rogers Poynet Bale and Coverdale's Hypocrisy and Impiety Pag. 312. A Prophesy of Rogers's Pag. 314. John Bale's account of his Education and how he scarp'd out the Cursed Character of the Horrible Beast by Marrying a Nun c. Pag. 315. Of Coverdale and his Bible Pag. 317. A Discourse between Dr Martin and the Arch-bishop Cranmer related by Fox Pag. 320 Of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Mary's Reign the same that afterwards founded Q. Elizabeths Church Their Frauds Factions Cheats and Changes of the English Protestant Religion during their Exile in Germany Pag. 326 Abominable frauds amd wilful falsifications of the Protestant Clergy in Q. Elizabeths Reign to maintain their Doctrine set forth under the name of an Apology and Defence of the Church of England Pag. 332 The Protestant Clergy Convicted of falshood in their Apology concerning Communion under one kind Pag. 334 How Jewel and the Church of England make the very same Holy Fathers they appeal'd to in other matters wicked Hereticks because they condemn'd Priests Marriage Pag. 337 Bishop Jewel and his Associates wickedness in charging Cardinal Hosins and all Catholicks with a contempt of Holy Scripture against their own knowledge after they had been admonished of the Imposture Pag. 338 Falsifications and Frauds against the Bishop of Rom's Supremacy Pag. 341 Frauds and fond Devises of the Protestant Clergy of England to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of the Mass. Pag. 343 Prelatick Falsifications and Corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist And Succession of Bishops a Mark of the Beast Pag. 346 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes may and have Decreed Heresy Pag. 348 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings Pag. 350 Prelatick Falsifications to prove that St. Augustin the Apostle of our English Saxons was an Hypocrite and no Saint as also to dicredit Catholick Writers Pag. 351 Of the Protestant Clergy's Frauds and Falsifications of Scriptures and alterations of their XXXIX Articles of Religion to make the People believe that they have true Priests and Bishops in the Church of England Pag. 352 An Advertisement to the Reader concerning Bishop Jewel Pag. 357 Examples of Learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Religion by observing the Frauds and Falshoods of the Apology of Jewel and of the Protestant Clergy for the Prelatick Church of England Pag. 359 Frauds Follies and Falsifications of John Fox his Acts and Monuments and of his Magdeburian Masters in their Centuries the little Sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such false Dealing Pag. 362 John Fox his Revelation Pag. 368 The Foxian Kalender Pag. 371 Wilful Falsifications committed by John Fox in his Acts and Monuments Pag. 374 Dr. Chark's Falsification of St. Augustin and how he excuses Luther's Doctrine of the Lawfulness of Adultery and Incest Pag. 379 Falsifications of Cranmer and Peter Martyr against Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Pag. 381 How some Protestant Writers in Q. Elizabeths time seeing their Fellows were prov'd Falsifiers waved the Testimonies of the Antient Fathers and yet the other continu'd their former course of falsifying both Fathers and Councils Pag. 384 Falsifications and Frauds of the Prelatick English Clergy to maintain Protestancy since the beginning of King James's Reign THeir Corruptions of Scripture for maintaining their Character continued in the Bible tho' commanded by King James it should be reviewed and corrected Pag. 391 Dr. Abbot and Dr. Smith Bishops of Canterbury and Glocester corrupted the Translation of Scripture which had been sincerely perform'd by Sir Henry Savill Pag. 397 Of Dean Walsingham's Search into Matters of Religion before his Change to the Catholick How he repair'd to King James as to the Head of the Church for a Resolution of his Doubts who remitted him to the Lord of Canterbury and he to other Men and how after finding no Satisfaction he betook himself to the Reading of Catholick and Protestant Authors for discerning on what side was the true and false Dealing Pag. 403 Dean Walsingham's Doubts and Difficulties in Reading the Catholick Book Pag. 406 The Substance of Dean Walsingham's Memorial to the K. Pag. 409 Dean Walsingham's Appearance before the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury at the Councel-Table Pag. 410 His Appearance before him at Lambeth Pag. 414. His third and fourth Appearance before him Pag. 416 How loath the Protestant Clergy is that the King or Great Persons should examin their Doctrine or way of defending it Pag. 417 What Cheating and Unconscionable ways were taken to frighten Dean Walsingham from examining of the Truth Pag. 417 What pretty Books the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury commended to Dean Walsingham to inform him of the Truth They prov'd after Examination Rediculous Libels Pag. 420 Dean Walsingham's Address Mr. Rolfe Commissary of St. Albans and of his Conference with Dr. Downham c. Pag. 421 What foolish Answers the most Learned Protestants are forc'd to give to Catholick Arguments Pag. 422 Mr. Walsingham found no satisfaction in the Answer to the Defence of the Sensure Pag. 425 Mr. Walsingham's last Appearance before my Lord of Canterbury and his Doctors Pag. 427 How the Arch-Bishop and his Assembly of Divines refus'd to confer Dean Walsingham's Notes of Mr. Bell's Corruptions with the Fathers Quoted notwithstanding the Books were in their presence Pag. 428 Reflections upon Mr. Walsingham's Relation Pag. 431 A brief Relation of a Tryal held in France about Religion whereof the Lord Chancellor of France was Moderator Pag. 437 A Copy of a Letter Written by a Person of Quality about this Conference Pag. 441 K. Hen. IV's Letter to the Duke of Espernon upon the same Subject Pag. 441 The Authors falcify'd and therefore the Sentence given against Plesses Pag. 442 Protestant Falsifications to persuade that the Roman
Catholick Doctrine is inconsistant with the Sovereignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants Pag. 443 Bishop Mortons Falsifications about the Lawfulness of killing a Tyrant Pag. 444 Bishop Mortons Falsification of Catholicks against the Sovereignty of Princes and how he excuses himself by saying he received it from the Archbishop of Canterbury Pag. 445 Mortons Answer in which see an Imposture continu'd against Catholicks by the whole Convocation of the Protestant Clergy in their Synod held Anno 1603. Pag. 546 The Protestant Falsification to perswade that the Canon-Law doth warrant deposition of Kings by the Pope Pag. 447 A Protestant Falsification to perswade that Catholicks may cheat any Excommunicated Persons of their Lawful Debts Pag. 449 Bishop Mortons Falsification to perswade that Catholicks hold it Lawful to Murther and Massacre Protestants Pag. 451 Bishop Morton's Falsification to Assert the Kings Supremacy Pag. 453 Ten Falsifications set down together by Bishop Morton to prove that we hold that Popes cannot be deposed nor be Hereticks Pag. 457 Primate Bramhalls Falsification to prove that Popes may and have Decreed Heretical Doctrines Pag. 458 It is prov'd by Reasons and Examples that no Religion is so little dangerous to the Sovereignty and safety of Kings or so Advantagious to the Peace and Prosperity of Subjects as the Roman Catholicks notwithstanding the Doctrin of the Pope's Supremacy Pag. 459 Protestants cannot clear their Religion from their Doctrin and danger of Deposing Sovereigns and Disposing of their Kingdoms Pag. 470 That Protestants could never prove any of the wilful falsifications wherewith they charge Roman Catholick Writers but themselves are convicted of that Crime wheresoever they Attempted to make good their charge against us Pag. 473 Bellarmin accused by Sutcliff of Falsifying the General Council of Chalcedon in favour of the Popes Supremacy Pag. 474 How Protestants are Convicted by Bellarmin of holding twenty ancient condemned Heresies and how Sutcliff and Bishop Morton to clear them of six only fourteen seems they confess do falsifie the Fathers and Catholick Authors about worshipping of Images Pag. 476 Two Pelagian Heresies imputed to Protestants and how they falsify to clear themselves of the One and say nothing of the other Pag. 477 Two Novatian Heresies Imputed to Protestants the one answered with Silence the other with Falsifying Pag. 478. The Manichean Heresie against Freewill Imputed to Protestants and how pittifully Answered by Bishop Morton Pag. 479. How Bishop Morton Answers to Bellarmin's Imputation of Arianisme unto Protestants Pag. 479. How Morton Falsifies and Abuses Bellarmine who Imputes the denyal of Christs Real Presence in the Sacrament to Protestants Pag. 480. Falsifications Objected against Cardinal Baronius by Mr. Sutcliff Pag. 483. Calumnies and Falsifications of Luther Calvin Archbishop Laud and Primate Usher to Discredit Catholick Religion against their own Knowledge and Conscience Pag. 487. Of Calvins Calumnies against Catholicks and their Doctrine Pag. 488 Frauds Falsifications and Calumnies of Primate Usher against the Real Presence and Transubstantiation Pag. 491. Usher's Falsifications against Confession Pag. 492. His Falsifications against Absolution of Sins Pag. 493. Against Purgatory Pag. 494 Against Worshiping Saints and their Reliques Pag. 496 Against Prayer to Saints Pag. 499 Of Archbishop Laud's Frauds and Falsifications HOw unsincerely Bishop Laud would fain Excuse the Modern Greek Heresie concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost Pag. 502 How Bishop Laud Abuses St. Augustine to make Protestants believe that General Councils may Err against Scripture and evident Reason Pag. 504 Vicentius Lirinensis abus'd by Laud to prove the Fallibility of the Church c. Pag. 507 How Bishop Laud falsifies Occham to infringe St. Augustin's Authority concerning the Infallibility of the Church in succeeding Ages as well as in that of the Apostles And is forc'd by his Error to resolve the Prelatick Faith into the Light of Scripture and the private Spirit of Phanaticks which he Paliats under the Name of Grace and thereby Warrants all Rebellions against Church and State Pag. 509 Divers Frauds and Falsifications of Bishop Laud to defend that Protestants are not Schismaticks Pag. 512 Whether it be Piety or Policy to permit the Protestant Clergy of these three Kingdoms to enjoy the Church Revenues for maintaining by such Frauds and Falsifications as hitherto have been alledged the Doctrine of the Church of England which also they acknowledge to be fallible and by consequence for all they know false And hâ—re the said Revenues may be Conscientiously apply'd to the Vse and Ease of the People without any danger of Sacriledge or any Disturbance to the Government if a publick Tryal of both Clergies Sincâ—rity be allowed and Liberty of Conscience granted Pag. 521 The same further demonstrated and how by Liberty of Conscience or by Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion by Act of Parliament the British Monarchy will become the most considerable of all Christendom Peaceable at Home and recover its Right Abroad How evidently it is the mutual Interest of Spain and England to be in a perpetual League against France and how Advantageous it is for Spain to put Flanders into English Hands Pag. 534 The King 's Right to France Pag. 544 My Lord of Clarendin's Policy Censur'd by all Wise Men. Pag. 548. Part 4. The Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherein it differs from the Protestant confirmed by undenyable Miracles THat such Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholick Church in the Canonization of Saints are true Miracles and the Doctrine which they Confirm cannot be rejected without denying or doubting of Gods Veracity and how every Protestant doth see true Miracles though he does not reflect upon them in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith Pag. 553 The Miracle of St. Januarius of Naples Pag. 555 The Famous and undenyable Miracle of St. Francis Xaverius wrought on the Person of Marcello Mastrillo Pag. 556 Antichrist's Miracles are not Credible if compar'd with Ours Pag. 561 Of Visible Miracles seen though not observ'd by every Protestant in Confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith The difference between true and false Miracles Pag. 562 Of True Miracles related in the Ecclesiastical History by men of greatest Authority in every Age to confirm the particular Mysteries of our Catholick Faith and that sense of Scripture wherein Roman Catholicks differ from Protestants Pag. 566 Of Miracles related by St. Chrysostom St. Gregory Nazianzen c. in Confirmation of Transubstantiation Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion under one Kind and Purgatory Pag. 567 Primate Usher's Falsification to discredit two Miracles Pag. 569 How Protestants falsify and corrupt the very Statutes and Law-Books Pag. 572 Miracles for the Mass. Pag. 573. Miracles for Purgatory Pag. 573 Miracles to Confirm the Worship and Virtue of the Sign of the Cross. Pag. 576 Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick Worship of Images Pag. 581 The Protestant Distinction of Civil and Religious Worship misapply'd by Ministers to delude
r. known p. 296 l. 29 for Sect. 8. r. Sect. 3 4 8. p. 30â— l. 8 omitted not p 302 l. 18 for reverences r. revenues p. 309 l. 31 for reverences r. revenues p. 315 l. 8 for became r. began p. 326 l. 17 for foundeth r. founded p. 327 l. 31 omitted Lutheran Book p. 328 l. 12 for tought r. sought p. 341 l. 23 for Pabam r. Papam p. 355 marg l. 3 for fol. 30 r. fol. 301 p. 156 l. 26 for greer r. geer p. 367 l. marg l. ult for 993 r 789 p. 371 l. 21 for 57 r. 53 p. 377 l. 2 Institiam r. Justitiam p. 378 marg l. 20 for three r. two p. 393 l. 4 for eidoolan r. eidolon p. 393 l. 32 for with r. which p. 396 marg l. 9 for Mat. c. 17. r. Mat. c. 27. p. 396 marg l. 11 12 13. these words Et in Harm in Mat. 26. ver 39. are to Be expung'd p. 407 l. 18 for 1 Thess. r. 2 Thess. p. 417 marg l. 5 for orgilat r. or great p. 424 l. 27 for he r. I p. 425 l. 4 for notice r. Notes p. 430 l. 24 the word and must be expung'd p. 444 l. 8 for restored r. retorted p. 453 l. 5 for report r. detort p. 457 l. 31 for rot r. not p. 458 l. 10 for Pramhalls r. Bramhalls p. 473 l. 9 for ad r. and p. 475 l. 7 for praeras r. praeeras p. 481 marg l. 19 for Figurinis r. Tigurinis p. 482 l. 13 for ad r. and p. 482 marg l. 13 for le r. de p. 495 marg l. 17 thy r. they p. 503 l. 30 for at r. as p. 528 l. 11 r. mentibay nefas in the same line r. hoc for tue p. 508 for 22 r. 32 p. 515 l 10 for our r. your p. 525 l. 21 after return is omitted to p. 540 l. 31 for them r. then p. 549 l. 23 for Anion r. Anjou p. 560 marg l. 6 for Matth 11.12 r. Matth. 11.21 Ibid marg l. 7 for Joan. 10.26 r. Joan 10.25 Ibid marg l. 9 for Joan 2.23 r. Joan 3.2 p. 562 l. 20 for receive r. revive p. 566 l. 5 for this r. thus p. 571 l. 16 at Waldensis omitted cap. 63. n. 6. p 573 marg l. 24 for Moral r. Dialog p. 584 l. 15 for 1664. r. 1604. p. 613 l. 27 for Regal r. Legal pag. ult of the Conclusion l. 8 for Actions 1. Nations A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT FIRST PART Of the beginning progress and principles of Protestancy in general and of the Prelatick Church of England in particular SECT I. Hovv necessary a rational Religion is for a peaceable Government What Religion ought to be judged rational That the truth of mysteries of Faith is more credible then cleere A digression concerning the Notions and Natures of things and in particular of a Body Hovv unreasonable it is to judg of impossibilities in order to Gods omnipotency because they seeme so to our human understandings How dangerous it is for a temporal Soueraign to pretend a spiritual iurisdiction ouer his subjects and how the Catolick world ever acknowledged the Bishop of Rome his spiritual iurisdiction ouer all Christians AMongst our Adversaries discourses against the Roman Catholick Religion the inconsistency therof with the soueraignty and safety of Princes seemeth to be most applauded The Protestant Ministers ceas not to proclaim from pulpit and press that Kings are but Tenants at will to the Pope and that his spiritual iurisdiction depriues them of all temporall power We shall rid I hope protestant Princes of that iealousy when we treat of this point by manifesting the calumny In this part of our Treatise we confine ourselues to matters of fact reserving to dispute of the right herafter And indeed none can frame a true iudgment of this or of any other Controuersy before he be informed of the historical part therof Therfore our method is to set down in the beginning of this work the state and belief of the visible Christian and Catholick Church untill the yeaâ—â— 1517. wherin the world heard first of protestancy afterwards we shall proceed to examin whether the soul and state may be better gouerned by the principles of protestancy then of Popery We doubt not with Gods assistance to retort against our adversaries their own arguments and to proue that as no Religion is a safe way to salvation but ours so likewise not any is so fauorable to the soueraignty of lawfull Magistracy and to the peacebleness of human gouernment as the same Roman Catholik We need not inculcat to States-men how euer so Irreligious that the support of gouernment is Religion and that thâ—ir own Masterpiece is to keep the multitude in awe of the lawes not so much by force of armes an expedient more dangerous then durable as by a religious fear of God and a firm persuasion that Soueraigns are his Vice-gerents and divine prouidence so concerned in the maintenance of their authority and prerogatives that neither can be opposed without infallibility of eternall damnation to the opposers This persuasion must not be the sole work or word of the Soueraigns themselves or of their state Ministers their testimony would be suspected by the subjects as partial it must be grounded upon authority credibly reported to be divin as among Christians the holy Scriptures explained by the ancient tradition and sense of Councels and Fathers which by another name we call the Church or Clergy that is men to whom God hath committed the charg of soules and commanded us to follow their directions in spirituall matters as being Jnterpreters of the divin Law which Soveraigns must observe There could not be an expedient more satisfactory then the institution of such a Church Clergy and spiritual Court of Iudicature For if interpretation of Scripture had bin left to the Soveraign the subjects would mistrust his sincerity in explaining the same if to the lay subjects the Soveraign would be as diffident of their explications Wherfore to avoid differences and disputes God appointed the Clergy for spiritual Iudges as being by their institution less concerned in temporal affaires and therfore presumed to be more conscientious and less partial in their sentences then lay persons and Tradition for the rule wherby they must direct their judgments to the end their doctrin be Apostolical not arbitrary or altered from the primitive but rather all novelties and differences concerning matters of Faith be still suppressed and therby all unlawfull pretensions which both Soveraigns and subjects frequently claim under the pretext of Religion be remedied or prevented for that souveraignty is as apt to degenerat into tyranny as subjection into rebellion if not regulated by a religion that makes it as vnlawfull for lay men to intermeddle with the doctrin of the Church as it is improper for Church men to intrude themselves into matters of state But because neither Soueraigns nor subjects are bound to submit their judgments in matters of
do things of themselues good we know he may but when he doth it is always with an euill design and to the end good things may not be well don but that the manner of doing them may vitiat their goodness This Delrius in the place cited by M. r Morton says and proues by many exemples wherof the Mass is one But M. r Morton wilfully conceals and mistakes the truth of the story for Simon the Monk whom the Deuill endeavored to persuade to say Mass was neither Abbot nor Priest but only Diacon as Delrius sheweth and therfore he answered the Deuill that none ought to say Mass without the order of Priesthood and by his aduice to the contrary he was discouered to bee the Deuill though he appeared like an Angell Without doubt this was a Lutheran Deuill and perhaps the same that dissuaded Luther from the Mass because Luther learnd of him amongst other points of the reformation that lay men and euen women are Priests and may consecrat the Sacrament preach and absolue from sins Hauing sincerely related this matter of fact in Luthers own words and not concealed any thing that any of the most learned Protestants could say to interpret or excuse the same and nothing appearing wherby his instruction in protestancy by the Deuill may be denyed or justifyed I leaue it to the consideration of all wise and Religious persons whether it be policy or piety to promote a Religion whose confessed Author or Apostle is Sathan So long as the generality of a people can be made belieue that Luther did seriously and of set purpose belye himself and discredit his own reformation or that the Deuill is a sincere Interpreter of Scripture and Scripture interpreted by him is the word of God so long I say as these Nations can be made belieue so impossible things without doubt both the protestant Church and state may thriue by protestancy but how long so unlikly a persuasion will continue amongst inquisitiue though ignorant people is vncertain as also the greatness grounded thervpon It hath gained more ground in England then could be expected considering the ingenuity of the Natiues but Q. Elizabeths interest went a great way in the begining of her Reign euery Courtier and countrey gentleman expected by giuing his vote in Parliament for reuiuing the Protestant Religion wherby alone she could pretend to be legitimat her fauor and rewards out of the Church liuings and in her long continued gouernment their Children were made belieue that her Reformation was not the work of Cecil but of Christ And euer since their posterity haue bin confirmed in that opinion by false Translations of Scripture and falsifications of Councells and Fathers as shall herafter appeare It s strang so improbable a persuasion can beare such sway and beat down the Catholick truth But as the Deuill insisted most vpon discrediting the Diuine Sacrifice of the Mass in his Disputation with Luther so the Protestant Clergy striue to make that holy Mystery to be lookt vpon by their flock as a blasphemous fable and dangerous deceit We hope notwithstanding that the English Laiety will reflect upon the occasion of their mistake and consider whether it be not a grieuous sin and great folly to preferr Q. Elizabeths temporal interests which now is turned into dust before that of their souls and Whether any thing can be so vnreasonable as to giue more credit to the Deuill and to Martin Luther and his followers debauch't and dissolute Friars and Priests then to the holy Doctors and Martyrs of Christs Church euer since the Apostles in their acknowledgd writings and in general Councels who call the Mass the visible Sacrifice the true Sacrifice the dayly Sacrifice the Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisedech the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of the Church and the Sacrifice of the new Testament which succeded all the Sacrifices of the old Testament and that it was offered for the health of the Emperor for the sick upon the Sea and the fruits of the earth for the purging of houses infected with wicked Spirits for the sins of the liuing and dead And this is so undeniable that our learned aduersary Crastoius in his book of the Mass against Belarmin pag. 167. reprehended Origen S. Athanasius S. Ambrose S. Chrysostom S. Augustin S. Gregory the great and venerable Bede for maintaining the Mass to be a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the liuing and of the dead And if there can be no policy of state as things now stand in the English Monarchy to make Q. Elizabeths legitimacy and supremacy a matter or ground of Faith I am sure it cannot be Christian piety to press and preferr the reformation which she and her faction introduced for that reason of state against the Stewards before the Religion of all the ancient and learned Fathers of the Catholick Church though we had no other exception against it but that all the wit and learning of Protestants cannot make it probable in any degree that the Deuill is not the Author of Protestancy SECT III. Of the principles and propagation of Protestancy LVther after his Conference with the Deuill hauing resolued upon that Foundation of his Reformation which hee had learnt from so godly a Master endeauored to gaine as many Poets Players Painters and Printers as he could to discredit with Scoffing Ballads Pamphlets Poems and Pictures the Roman Religion which untill then had bin caled and esteemed the only Catholick and Apostolick and to divulge his nâ—w Doctrin amongst ignorant and vicious People For encouragement of the dissolute Clergy to ioyn with him he taught against the doctrin and practise of the whole Church euer since the Apostles as shall be demonstrated that Priests and professed Nuns might mary and to giue them good example he took a professed Nun for his owne wife And prevailed with this doctrin more then Iouinian the heretik For this liberty together with his principle of justification by only faith drew from sundry parts of Europe incontinent Clergymen wherof the chief were Caroâ—stadius Archdeacon of Wittemberg Iustus Ionas head of a College of Canon Regulars Oecolampadius a Monk of S. Brigits Order Zuinglius a parish Priest Martin Bucer a Dominican friar Peter Martyr a Canon Regular Bernardin Ochinus a Capuchin and some Augustin Friars of Luthers own Order Each of these hauing taken a wench were engaged in Luthers quarrel against the whole Church But their course of life and the nouelty of their doctrin being dislik't by all men that were not Libertins and not countenanced as yet by any Princes or Prelates it was thought necessary for their own preseruation and propagation of their Ghospell to make it plausible to the giddy multititude whose ignorance they knew to be as capable of incredible impressions as their nature is impatient of
Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and to some other Protestant Divins who were all married friars and Priests lately come out of Germany with their sweet-hearts viz. Hooper and Rogers Monks Couerdale an Augustin friar Bale a Carmelite Martin Bucer a Dominican Bernardin Ochinus a Franciscan and Peter Martyr a Chanon Regular these three last were invited by the Protector and appointed to preach and teach in both the Vniversities and at London and were to agree with the rest in the new model and form of Religion which was a matter of great difficulty because the Tenets which vntil then they had professed were irreconciliable Hâ—â—per and Rogers were fierce Zuinglians that is Puritans or Presbiterians and with them was joyned in faction against Cranmer Ridly and other Prelaticks for that they opposed his pretension to the Bishoprick of Worcester Hugh Latimer of great regard with the common people Couerdale and Bale were both Lutherans and yet differed because the one was a rigid the other a mild or half Lutheran Bucer also had professed a kind of Lutheranism in Germany but in England was what the Protector would have him to be and therfore would not for the space of a whole yeare declare his opinion in Cambridg though pressed to it by his Schollers concerning the real presence vntil he had heard how the Parliament had decided that controversy at London and then he changed his opinion and became a Zuinglian The same tergiversation was used by Peter Martyr at Oxford and so ridiculously that coming sooner in the first Epistle to the Corinthians which he vndertook to expound to the words Hoc est Corpus meum then it had bin determined in Parliament what they should signifie the poore friar with admiration and laughter of the University was forc't to divert his Auditors with impertinent Comments vpon the precedent words Accipite manducate fregit dixit c. which needed no explanation And when the news was come that both houses had ordered they should be vnderstood figurativly and not literaly Peter Martyr said he admired how any man could be of an other opinion though he knew not the day before what would be his own But as for Bucer he was a concealed Jew or Atheist for being asked confidently his opinion of the Sacrament by Dudly Duke of Northumberland in the presence of the Lord Paget then a Protestant who testified the same publickly afterwards he answered that the real presence could not be denied if men believed that Christ was God and spoke the words This is my Body but whether all was to be belived which the Evangelists writ of Christ was a matter of more disputation Bernardin Ochinus dyed a Jew in his opinion he writ a book to assert the lawfulness of having many wives at once this together with his profession of the Mosaick law at his death proved that he was but a counterfeit Protestant Cranmer was a meer Contemporiser and of no Religion at all Henry VIII raised him from Chaplain to Sr. Thomas Bullen to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury to the end he might divorce him from Q. Catharin and marry him to An' Bullen afterwards by the Kings order he declared to the Parliament that to his knowledg Anne Bullen was never lawfull wife to his Majesty when he married the King to An of Cleves and when the King was weary of her Cranmer declared this marriage also nul and married and vnmarried him so often that he seemed rather to exercise the Office of a Pimp then the function of a Priest which to requite one courtesy for an other made the King connive at his keeping a wench and at some of his opinions though contrary to the Statut of the 6. Articles In King Henry VIII days he writ a Book for the Real presence in King Edwards 6. days he writ an other Book against the real presence He conspired with the Protector Somerset to overthrow K. Henry 8. will and Testament and afterwards conjured with Dudly to ruin the Protector He joyned with Dudly and the Duke of Suffolk against Q. Mary for the lady Jane Grey and immediatly after with Arundell Shreusbury Pembrouk Pageâ— and others against the same Duke Finaly when he was condemned in Q. Maries reign for treason and heresy and his treason being pardoned hoping the same favor might be extended to his heresy he recanted and abjured the same but seing the temporal laws reserved no mercy for relapsed hereticks who are presumed not to be truly converted or penitent he was so exasperated therby that at his death moved more by passion then conscience he renounced the Roman Catholick Religion to wich he had so lately conformed These were the men who framed the 39. Articles of Religion the Liturgy and the Book of Sacraments rits and ceremonies of the Protestant Church of England and though it may seem incredible that a Iew an Atheist a Contemporiser or meer Polititian a Presbiterian a rigid Lutheran half-Lutheran and an Anti-Lutheran or Sacramentarian should all agree to make one Religion yet when men do but dissemble and deliver opinions to please others and profit themselves and have no Religion at all they may without difficulty concurr in some general points of Christianity and frame negative articles impugning the particular truths therof This was the case of the Church of England For though Hooper and Rogers were prity obstinat in the Presbiterian or Zuinglian doctrin of the Sacrament and prevailed therin so far by the Protectors countenance as to reform the common praier-Book and to confound the caracter of Episcopacy with single Presbitery as if there had bin no real distinction between both nor no imposition of Episcopal hands required for either but only a bare election of the Congregation or Magistrat yet rather then loose the revenues of benefices and Bishopricks they were content contrary to their solemn confederacy to connive at the Episcopal disciplin and ceremonious decency of surplises square Caps and Rochets The names of Priests and Bishops they were content to admit of in the common praier-Book so the caracter were not mentioned in their new form of ordaining them but rather declared not to be of divin institution nor a Sacrament In like manner Hooper at length condescended to take the Oath of supremacy and conformed thervnto his conscience when the Bishoprick of Worcester was added to his former of Glocester though vntil then he agreed with Calvin in impugning the Kings ' spiritual headship As Hooper condescended to the Kings ' Supremacy to the Prelatick disciplin and ceremonies so Cranmer and his prelatick party condescended to the Presbiterian doctrin because they were indifferent for any that would alow them wenches and not deprive them of their revenues And as for Ochinus the Jew Bucer the Atheist and the rest of the protestant Divines their vots as wel as their livelyhoods depended of Cranmer his wil and pleasur Besids Cranmer perceived the Protector inclined to Zuinglianism and the Presbiterian
since the Apostles then to take the bare word of Cranmer a man who married and vnmarried K. Henry 8. to as many women as his Majestie lik't or dislik't dissolving the holy Sacrament of Matrimony as often as the King seemed to be weary of a wife a man whose religion was nothing but his conveniency and incontinency and therfore did alter his faith as often as the tyms changed and factions prevailed and sided with every Rebel against his Prince and was so carnaly given that even in Henry 8. days when Priests were not permitted to have wives he kept a wench so constantly that he carried her about in his Visitations Let any Christian I say be judg whether this man together with Ochinus a Jew Bucer an Atheist Peter Martyr so indifferent for any doctrin that he framed his faith at Oxforâ— according to the news from London and the Parliament Diurnals Hooper Rogers and Latimer ambitious and discontented Presbiterians Bâ—le and Coverdale two lewd and runigad friars whether I say these men ought to be believed in this important point of salvation rather then the holy Fathers and Councels who as hath binâ— said hertofore cal the Mass the visible Sacrifice the true Sacrifice the dayly Sacrifice the Sacrifice according to the Order of Melchisadech the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ the Sacrifice of the Altar the Sacrifice of the Church and the Sacrifice of the new Testament which succeeded all the Sacrifices of the old Testament Must the word of Cranmer and his fellows be a sufficient ground for prudent men to believe as an Article of Religion that the doctrin delivered as Catholick by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church are but fables and themselves but a company of Cheats The 32. Article was made by Cranmer and his Camerades to excuse their lewdness legitimat their bastards and make their wenches wives The second Parliament of King Edward 6. had bin so importuned by Apostata Priests and Friars who had coupled themselves with women that their petition having bin rejected by the first Parliament Edward 6. at lengh against the inclination and judgment of both houses they obtained now by meer importunity an Act to take away all positive Laws of man made against the marriage of Priests statut an 2. Edward 6. cap. 21. But then they are told in the very Act that it were not only better for Priests to live chast sole and separat from the company of women c. but that it were most to be wished that they would willingly and of themselves endeavour to keep a perpetual chastity and abstinence from the vse of women And 1400. years before that Origen Hom. 23. lib. 8. contra Celsum declared the doctrin even of the Greeck Church in these words Jt is certain the dayly Sacrifice is hindred in them who serve the necessities of mariage therfore it seemeth to me that it appertaineth only to him to offer the dayly Sacrifice who hath vowed himselfe to dayly and perpetual chastity with whomâ—agree the other Fathers S. Jerom in Apologia ad Pamachium cap. 3. desires them who like not of this doctrin not to be angry with him for telling them of it but with the holy Scriptures vvith all Bishops Priests c. vvho know they cannot offer Sacrifice if they vse the Act of mariage and said to Vigilantius c. 1. who in this point also was a Protestant and seemed to confess his owne frailty What do the Churches of the East of Egipt and of the Apostolick Sea vvho receive none but unmarried or continent Priests or if they have vviues they must cease to be Husbands And against Iovinian cap 19. 14. ad Pamachium Apol. cap. 8. Truly thou dost acknowledg that he cannot be a Bishop vvho in that state getts children if he be convicted therof he vvil not be taken for a Husband but condemned as an Adulterer But it seems out Protestant Bishops know the Scripture and the doctrin and disciplin of the primitive Church better then S. Hierom Origen and all the ancient Fathers and Councels both of the East and West Since the King 's most happy restauration they were not content to enjoy their wives and see the legitimacy of their children approved of but in the first Parliament wherin they were permitted to vote as I have bin credibly informed they atâ—empted the house of Lords should declare their spiritual peerage did communicat the same honours and privileges to their Ladys that the law doth give to Baron's wives but seing the house smile at the motion and one of the first Peers begin to rally according to his witty way vpon a subject so proper for his genius one of the Bishops not so much concerned in the suit because he was not married in the name of all the rest waved the pretention by saying there had bin a mistake in the motion Jn the two following articles they would fain prevent diversity of opinions and schisms among the Protestants of the Church of England and gain authority for the Prelats therof and reverence for their ceremonies and censures But this design is frustrated by maintaining the lawfulness of their own revolt and separation from the Church of Rome as also the Roman Catholick fallibility and fal from the true Apostolick Religion without any farther proofe or evidence of so great a fault or frailty then the fancy and privat interpretation of Scripture of some discontented and dissolute persons pretending divine inspirations and illuminations for the same and for their warant to depose their spiritual Superiours and to reform the doctrin of the whole visible Church which reformation they also introduced in so tumultuous and seditious a manner that none who considers the principles practises and circumstances of the chang can prudently commit his soule to the reformers charg or condescend to any spiritual jurisdiction and authority in their Successours For besids that they have nothing to shew for their presumption and intrusion but obscure texts of Scripture interpreted by them selves in a sense contrary to that of the whole visible ancient Church that hath bin confirmed by continual and vndeniable Miracles they can give no assurance or probability of them selves being or continuing in the right way of saluation because if all the Roman Catholick Churches did err in doctrin how can their reformations pretend not to be subject to the same mis-fortun or mistake And if the supposed frailty and fallibility of the Church of Rome be a sufficient cause to question and condemn it's authority how can the Church of England or any other Protestant congregation exact from their Sectaries greater respect and obedience then the first reformers gave to their Roman Superiours Presbiterians Independents Quakers Anabaptists c. pretend to as pure doctrin as Divine a Spirit and as much Scripture against Prelaticks as Prelaticks do against Papists and thinck there is as much reason for them to be Iudges of the truth of
enjoying their temporal liberties and much more vpon the spritual prerogative of Protestancy which according to Luther the first Author and Apostle therof is omnia judicemus regamus Let us judg and govern all things and not only his German Scholler Brentius but our English Bishop Bilson and all Prelaticks grant that the people must be discerners and Judges of that which is taught And the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England explaining the 39. Articles therof saith Authority is given to the Church and to every member of sound judgment in the same to judg controversies of faith c. And this is not the privat opinion of our Church but also the judgment of our godly brethren in forain Nations And it is not only the Tenet of Calvin but of all Protestant Writers that temporal laws oblige not in conscience any Christians to obey It being therfore a principle and priviledg even of Prelatick Protestancy and agreable to the 39. Articles that every member of sound judgment in the Church hath authority to judg controversies of faith and by consequence all other differences that may be reduced thervnto how is it possible for any King to be a Soveraign among Protestants who are all supreme judges both of faith and state for that State-affairs are subordinat to Religion and must be managed according to the Protestant sense of Scripture that is according to the judgment and interpretation of every particular Protestant or of him that can form or foole the multitude into his own opinion Wherfore we ought not be astonished that men constituted supreme Iudges and Interpreters of Scripture by the legal authority and articles of the Church of England and by the Evangelical libertys of Protestancy should presume to make them-selves the King's Iudges For my part I shal thinck it a great providence of God and extraordinary prudence in the government to see any King of England during the profession and legality of such principles in his Kingdom escape the like daunger and do continualy pray that their good Angel may deliver them from the effects of their own Religion His Majesty that by miracle now Reigns long may he live and prosper hath bin forced to lurck for his life in one of those secret places wherunto Priests retire when they are search't for God giving him to vnderstand therby that the most powerfull Princes where Protestancy prevails even in their own Kingdoms are never secure and may be often reduced to as hard shifts and as great extremities as the Poorest Priests and meanest Subjects RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT THE SECOND PART Of the inconsistency of Protestant principles with Christian piety and peaceable Government SECT I. Proved by the very Foundation of the Protestant Reformation which is a supposition of the fallibility and fal of the visible Catholick Church from the pure and primitive doctrin of Christ into notorious superstition IN the beginning of the first Part it hath bin sayd that the groundworck as wel of Policy as of Peace and Piety consists in making that persuasion to be the Religion of the State which is most credible or most agreable to reason because no commands duties taxes or charges will seem intolerable to subjects for the preservation and propagation of such a Religion nor for the maintenance of the spirititual and temporal Ministers to whose charge is committed the government of such a Church and Common-wealth How far all kind of Protestancy even the Prelatick is from having this prerogative we shall demonstrat in this Part of our Treatise and in this Section prove the same by the absurdity of the fundamental Protestant principles Common as well to the Prelatick as to all other Reformations The foundation wherupon all Protestant Reformations are built is this incredible or rather impossible supposition Viz. That all the visible and known Christian Churches of the world â—ell from that purity and truth of doctrin which they had once professed into superstition and damnable errors vntil at length in the 15. age God sent the Protestant Reformers to revive the true faith and Religion whose separation from the Roman Catholick Church and all others then visible is pretended to be free from sin and Schism by reason of the falshood of the Roman Catholick doctrin not consistent with saluation But this supposition is incredible 1. Because Protestants confess the fall and change of Religion was not perceived vntil 1300. or vntil at least 1000. years after it happned and such an imperceptible change in Christian religion involues as plain contradictions as a silent thunder For either it must be granted that all the Pastors and Prelats who lived in the time that any alteration of doctrin began were so stupid as not to take notice of so important and remarcable an object or so wicked as to observe and yet not oppose novelties so destructive to the souls committed to their charges Both which are proved to be groundless calumnies by the acknowledged zeal learning and integrity wherwith many Prelats and Pastors were endued in every age since the Apostles as their works yet extant do testify The truth of this Protestant supposition is not only incredible but impossible because the supposed chang of Christian Religion into Popish superstition is not pretended to have bin only a chang of the inward persuasion but of the outward profession visible and observable in ceremonies and practises answerable to the Mysteries believed as the adoring of the B. Sacrament worship of Jmages Communion in one kind publick prayer in vnknown languages c. How then is it possible that any Christian man or Congregation could begin so discernable and damnable novelties as according to the opinion of our Adversaries The adoration of the Sacrament Transubstantiation worship of Jmages Communion of the layty vnder one kind the Sacrifice of the Mass and publick prayers in an vnknown language the Pop's supremacy the doctrin of Purgatory Jndulgences Praying to Saints the vnmarried life of Priests c. How is it possible I say that any one should begin to teach and practise any of these supposed damnable doctrins and yet never be noted or reprehended by any one Prelat Pastor or Preacher who ar according to Esay the watâ—chmen of te visible Church vntil Luther's times or at least vntil these supposed superstitions had bin so vniversally spread so deeply rooted and plausibly received as Catholick truths and as ancient Traditions of Christ and of the Apostles that they who censured and opposed any of them were for so doing immediatly cryed down and condemned by the then visible and Catholick Church and Counsels as notorious hereticks How come the Preachers and Professors of these pretended Popish errors to escape for so many ages as Protestants confess they had continued vncontroul'd from the censures of Christ's pure Protestant Congregation if there was any vpon earth during that time was there not one Bishop Priest or Preacher in all the world for so many ages
were censured in these four first Councels with the Protestant exceptions and objections against the Councel of Trent especily if they wil pervse but the very first leaves of Cardinal Palavicino his confutation of Fr. Paulo Suarez or Servita his history wherin they wil find above tree hundred lyes and calumnies of that Apostata Friar in matter of fact so notorious and vndeniable that our English Prelatick Clergy wil or ought to be ashamed of the Preface they have set before it and of abusing King Iames and his Subjects with such impostures by their extolling so improbable and infamous a Libel Seing therfore the supposed change and fall from primitive Protestancy to popery hath bin from presumption and pride of a privat and censorious judgment against the publick testimony and sense of the visible Church to submission and humility of an obsequious and prudent belief from notorious rebellion against spiritual and temporal superiours to religious and dutifull obedience from gluttony to abstinence from incontinency to chastity from sincerity to flattery from Cloysters and austerity to Sacrilege and liberty from a pretence of faith alone to the Christianity of faith and good works c. It must be concluded that either Protestancy was not the pure and primitive Religion or if it was that the change therof into popery hath bin for the better and by consequence that the first Papist introduced into the world a more sacred and sincere profession then had bin taught by Christ and his Apostles But this being impious and as impossible as it is that men abandoned by God should exceed God's servants in piety or that they should establish and practice more Godly principles and more zealously promote virtue when they fel from God and the way of salvation then when they were in the same it must be granted that Popery is the pure and primitive Religion taught by Christ and his Apostles and that only weak brains or such tender plants as in their infancy received strong impressions of the possibility and existence of an invisible Christian Church vpon earth can fancy an insensible change of it's doctrin profession and ceremonies into so remarkable and different a worship of God as Popery is compared with Protestancy Congregations of Protestants living in the same Provinces Citties and Parishes with Papists and dissenting from them in the outward and oral profession of faith if they did not profess protestancy which they suppose was Christ's faith with the mouth they were dissemblers and could be no part of the true Church in the Canon and sense of Scripture in the administration and number of Sacraments in Rites and Ceremonies in the substance and language of the Liturgy in adoring the B. Sacrament in worshiping of Images in receiving of the Communion c. such Protestant Congregations I say to be invisible and never heard of in 1500. or 1000. years nor observed nor persecuted by the prevailing Papists among whom they lived is not a thing possible or intelligible much less prudently credible We see by experience in these Kingdoms how impossible it is for a Recusant not to be discerned and discovered Papists are known though not convicted Many of them through the mildn'ss and prudence of the government escape the penalties and rigour of the Law but none the observation of their neighbours and very few the menaces of both ecclesiastical and civil Courts The invisibility therfor of the Protestant Church and the insensibility of it's change to Popery is a fitter subject to ground ther-vpon a ridiculous Romance then a religious reformation Perhaps it wil be sayd that Protestants were vntil the last age among the ten tribes as the Jews of whose appearance ther hath bin of late so much talk but we heare not of Protestants among them neither did Luther Zuinglius Cranmer or Calvin pretend that they came from those Israelits or from Terra australis incognita they were born and bred neerer and they brag'd that them-selves were the first Reformers Now to their Scripture SECT III. Protestants mistaken in the Canon of Scripture maintained by the Church of England and by Doctor Cousins Bishop of Duresme OUr second Argument against the probability or possibility of Protestancy being the word or work of God is taken from the Protestants mistake of Scripture and their altering of the Canon And wheras our learned Adversaries do agree with vs in saying that neither the Scripture it-self nor the privat spirit can determin which parts of Scripture are Canonical or holy but confess that this controversy must be decided by the Testimony and authority of the Church and that above 300. years after the Apostles some of their writings were not held by all orthodox Catholicks to be Canonical which now are comprehended in the Canon and admitted as the word of God by many Protestants it foloweth 1. That the Canon of Scripture was not so sufficiently proposed to the whole Church for the three first ages as to make the denial or doubt therof Heresy 2. That the 6. Article of the Prelatick-Religion of England which admitted only such books of Scripture for Canonical of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church is false and the ground therof fallible For as all men vers'd in the Ecclesiastical History wel know and learned Bilson the Protestant Bishop of Winchester doth acknowledg in his survey of Christ's sufferings c. printed 1604. pag. 664. The Scripturs were not fully received in all places no not in Eusebius his time which was above 300. years after the Apostles he saith the Epistles of Iames Iude the second of Peter the second and third of John are contradicted as not written by the Apostles the Epistle to the Hebrews was for a while contradicted c. The Churches of Siria did not receive the second Epistle of Peter nor the second and third of Iohn nor the Epistle of Iude nor the Apocalips c. The like might be sayd for the Churches of Arabia Wil you hence inferr that these parts of Scripture were not Apostolick or that we need not receive them now because they were formerly doubted of This Argument of Bishop Bilson we apply to the Machabees and to the other books declared by the Church of England to be Apocryphal Doctor Cousins writ a book caled a Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture for which him-self and his friends think he wel deserved the Bishoprick of Duresme that he now enjoys in defence of the Prelatick Protestant Canon and of the 6. article of the Church of England And because he tels us in his Preface that men of knowledg pressed him to publish it as a piece that would give more ample satisfaction and cleere the passages in antiquity from the objections that some late Authors in the Roman side bring against Protestants then those other writings of home or foreign Divines have don that are extant in this kind I thought fit to give Protestants a proof of the soundness of
of the Councel of Nice and most vnconscionably cuts of the words immediatly following where Belarmin says the quite contrary of what Cozins imposed vpon his Readers to make good his English Canon of Scripture The words immediatly following are Excepto libro Iudith quem etiam Hieronimus postea recepit Except the booke of Iudith which also Hierom afterwards received as Canonical So that where Cozins says Belarmin confesseth that S. Hierom sayd the Councel of Nice declared not the book of Iudith Canonical Belarmin in that very place says the quite contrary And in the same page cap. 12. Belarmin proves by S. Hieroms testimony and words that the book of Iudith was declared Canonical in the highest degree by the Nicen Councel It were to be wished that Ecclesiastical promotions had bin better bestowed then upon 139 men whose labour and learning 〈◊〉 altogeather employed in seducing souls concealing the truth of Religion from their flocks and corrupting the writings of the ancient Fathers and modern Doctors of the Church for no other reason but because they speak so cleerly against the Protestant Doctrine of these times wherby our Prelatick Ministers are maintained vsurping vast revenues from the Crown and come to the greatest preferments both of Church and State I have not seen any one Protestant Writer free from this fault 't is strange that after so manifest and manifould discoverys as have bin made of Mortons Andrews Fox Sutclif Jewell Barlow Whitaker Willet Vsher Lauds and others falsifications frauds and labyrinths there should be men yet found to follow their examples and much more to be wondred that they should thrive by a trade so base vnconscionable and distructive notwithstanding so manifest and frequent discoveries of their impostures As to this work of Doctor Cosins it may be properly called a Cosenage independently of an allusion to his name had not his book bin sufficiently confuted by the absurdity of his fundamental principles denying that the Apostles or Christian Church could declare any book of the old Testament Canonical which the Iews omitted or rejected and affirming that no parts of the New Testament were ever questioned by any Church ancient or modern I should set down many more of his willful falsifications and weake evasions but that labour being rendred superfluous by the incoherency of his own doctrin and by the inconsistency of his principles with including in that Canon of Scripture which he vndertakes to defend the epistles above mentioned of Peter Iohn Paul and Iude and the Apocalyps for it is evident by the quoted testimonies both of ancient Fathers and learned Protestants that these epistles of Iohn Iude Peter and Paul as also the Apocalyps were doubted of by many Christian Churches for three or foure ages I do not think fitt to trouble the Reader nor my self with a more particular confutation of this rather fantastical then Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture fantastical J say because he fancies to him-self that the authority and sayings of men who writ before this controversy had bin decided by a general Councel and at the same time professed a faith which obliged them so submit ther writings and judgments to the decrees of Councels can be of any force against that general Councel by which the contrary was decided and they would have bin guided by if they had bin now living as St. Austin saith of St. Cyprian in a point of doctrine which was determined by a general Councel against the holy Martyrs opinion long after his death Whosoever can take delight in seing the pittifull shifts and sleights wherby interested writers endeavour to blind mens eyes and vnderstandings let him peruse this book of Doctor Cozins and he will find more sport in observing how he tosses and turns the sayings of the Fathers against them-selves then could be wished in so serious a subject When the Fathers call the books of Macabees Tobie Judith c. sacred and Divine Scripture Canonical Scripture prophetical writings of Divine authority c. Holy inspirations revelations c. he tels you pag. 93. alibi passim all this must be understood in a large and popular sence though the contrary may appeare to any vnbyass'd judgment that will read the words by him cited pag. 92. alibi in the Authors themselves as for example let any one observe how Doctor Cozins mingles and mangles S. Austin's words concerning the controverted books of the Machabees and afterwards see what the St. him-self says he will â—â—rce believe the words are the same and may swear the sense is not For S. Austin lib. 2. de doctr Christ. cap. 8. sets down as his own sense the same Canon of Scripture which the Councel of Trent accepts and confirmeth and he subscribed unto in the third Councel of Carthage And because he knew that this Canon had not bin defined by a general Councel and therfore many Churches and Fathers doubted of some books which he and the 3. Councel of Carthage held for Canonical he gives some instructions how they who do not follow his Canon shall proceed vntill they be more fully informed or the matter decided and these instructions which he sets down for others who doubted and differ'd in opinion from him Doctor Cozins wilfully mistakes and misapplies to St. Austin him-self as if he could be ignorant of his own belief of the Canon He is also troubled that St. Austin doth favour so much the doctrine of Purgatory and the authority of the Catholick Church in declaring books of the Old Testament to be Canonical which were rejected by the Iews as to say lib. 18. de Civit. Dei c. 36. That the books of the Machabees are accompted Canonical by the Church although not by the Jews To weaken this testimony he brings an other that strengthens it and quotes St. Austin's words Ep. 61. ad Dulcitium wherin confuting the error of the Circomcellions who to cloake their self-homicides with text and examples of Scripture excused that doctrin with the examples of Eleazarus and Razias related in the Machabees which pretext St. Austin largly confutes not only in his epistle ad Dulcit but in his 2. book against the epistle of Gaudent cap. 23. not by deminishing the Canonical authority of the books of the Machabees as Doctor Cozins falsly imposeth vpon his Readers pag. 108. seq but by declaring how the Scripture doth indeed relate yet not commend the self-homicide of Eleazarus and Râ—zias nor canonize them Martyrs or propose their deaths to be imitated though it cannot be denyed but that they shew'd great worldly courage and contempt of life Did Doctor Cozins imagin that Dulcitius Gaudentius and other learned Circumcellions were such Coxcombs as to prove their Religion by Scripture and then to quote for Scripture a book which their Adversaries admitted not at least for so Canonical as that controversies of Religion could be therby decided or doth he think that St. Austin would not have put them in
diximus tali lege vt quae hic damus anno aetatis nostrae quadragesimo secundo propendeant eis quae quadragesimo dederamus quando ut diximus tempori potius scripsimus quam rei sic jubente Domino vt tali ratione aedificemus ne inter initia Canes Porci nos rumpant He had no great opinion of the Apostles writings as is proved by his altering the very Text of Scripture contrary to all copies both Greek and Latin and by his saying that S. Paul did not attribut so much to his own Epistles as to think that all therin contained was sacred for that were to impute immoderat arrogancy to the Apostle tom 2. Elench contra Catabaptistas fol. 10. And because the other Cantons of the Suitzers would not accept of this Reformation he sticking to the principles therof endeavored by force of arms to bring them vnder subjection and to his own Ghospel and in this attempt Zuinglius was killed sealing with his bloud what he had writ tom 1. in explanat art 42. fol. 84. that Kings and Magistrats may be deposed when they resist the Ghospel that is any privat Protestant interpretation of Scripture As for the Reformers of the Protestant Church of England they were King Henry 8. Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Peter Martyr Hooper Rogers Ridley Bucer Okin The Revivers were Jewel Parker Horn c. of whose lives and conversations we have sayd somthing and enough to prove they were not fit men to reform christian Religion their doctrin they borrowed from Luther and Zwinglius the supremacy only excepted which King Henry 8. invented and therfore Bishop Iewel the chief maintainer both of the Protestant doctrin and Prelatick caracter of the Church of England in his defence of the Apology edit 1571. pag. 426. as also in the Apology part 4. c. 4. thought it necessary for the credit of the 39. Articles of the English Religion which had bin compiled out of Luther and Zwinglius writings to commend those two Pillars of Protestancy as most excellent men even sent by God to give light to the whole world in the midst of darkness when the truth was vnknown and vnheard of As for B. p Iewel him-self we remit the reader to Doctor Hardings Confutation of the Apology wherin he may cleerly discern the false lustre of this counterfeit Jewel and the value which men ought to set vpon this pretious stone layd for a foundation of the Prelatick Church and vpon the rotten stuff which he and his Successours have sould for Divine truth to English Protestants ever since he vndertook to maintaine their cause for as Doctor Heylin ingeniously acknowledgeth in his Ecclesia restaurata all the learned English Protestant Writers have borrowed from B. p Jewel what they have sayd in defense of the Protestant Religion and that is one reason why their works are so full of manifest vntruths and them-selves so frequently convicted of gross mistakes they rely too much vpon this reviver of their faith or at least would make the world believe that he may be relyed vpon in matters of faith But because Doctor Heylin makes it his busines to persuade the world that Ievel then did make good the caracter and ordinary vocation of the Church of England against Harding and that Doctor Bramhall late Protestant Primat of Ireland triumph'd over the supposed Jesuits who renewed Harding's quarrel I judged it necessary to cleer both these mistaks in few words As for Bishop Iewel we have sayd in the 1. part sect 7. of this Treatise how easily he might have stop't Harding's mouth by only naming the Bishop who consecrated Parker and his Camerades for Harding vsed no other Argument against the nullity of the English Protestant Clergy but this A Bishop must be ordained by an other Bishop but Parker and his Camerades were not ordained Bishops by any other Bishop Ergo. His proof that they were not ordain'd by any Bishop was this name the Bishop that ordained them name the place where they were consecrated This was a demand soon satisfied if ever Parker or his fellows had bin ordained Bishops especially with so much ceremony and solemnity as the new records of Lambeth report that matter Yet Jewel could never name Parker's and the first Protestant Bishops Consecrators he named indeed Parker for his own Consecrator but being press'd by Harding to name Parkers insteed of answering Harding's question whervpon depended the whole controversy the credit of his Clergy and the satisfaction of the Reader he maks an impertinent digression and long discours of the obligation which some pretended to have bin in ancient times of consulting the Bishop of Rome before they proceeded to the election and consecration of Bishops but never returned to the point of naming the first Protestant Bishop's Consecrator whom he would have named to Harding if ever they had bin consecrated And this is one part of the great victory which Doctor Heylin so much brags of The other part concerns Bramhall and the supposed Iesuits The true relation wherof is as followeth After that his Majesty and the Royal Family had bin driven out of England and France by the late vsurped powers and all Christian Princes thought it their conveniency to court the Rebells and not entertain in their Dominions the Person of our King much less embrace his quarrell it happen'd on day at Bruges that Doctor Crouder Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Duke of York in his Master's Chamber and presence without any provocation or occasion given by any of the Roman profession vtter'd very intemperat words against Doctor Goff Almoner to the Queen Mother for having taken orders in the Church of Rome after that he had received them in the Church of England To which a Catholick Gentleman answered he had don no more then what all other Protestant Ministers who became Roman Priests had continually practised and as he believed vpon good grounds Whervpon the Doctor notwithstanding the King was come to his Brother's chamber reassum'd his Argument and continued to dispute with such vehemency that being caled to read morning prayers he mistook the time of the day and in the morning read evening prayers to the congregation The cause of his mistake being known and many believing that his excess of choler argu'd a weakness in his cause Doctor Bramhall late Primat of Ireland Writ a Treatise in vindication of the English Clergys caracter which is the book so much applauded by the Prelaticks and by Doctor Heylin as vnanswerable wheras it was sudainly and so substantially answered that Primat Bramhall never durst reply notwithstanding the general concern of his Clergy and his own particular engagement and the Church of England perceiving the evidence of our arguments against the validity of their forms of ordination thought their best answer was to confess the force of our reasons and correct the errors of their Bishops by changing the forms they had composed of Priesthood and Episcopacy
by faith in Christ not by good works which they in no wise did affect We Catholicks do not pretend to have no evill-livers in our Church but this we may say with truth and I hope without offence that the difference between Protestant and Catholick â—â—â—ll-livers is that when Protestants sin they do nothing but what they are encouraged vnto by their justifying faith and the other principles of their Religion but when Catholicks sin they go against the known Tenets of their faith and profession Even our Pardons and Jndulgences how-ever so plenary are so far from encouraging vs to a continuance or relapse of sinning that they involue as a precedent and necessary condition a serious and sincere repentance of our former offences and afirm purpose and resolution of never returning to the like crimes and after all is don we pretend to no such vndoubted certainty of being pardon'd either by confession or Indulgences because we are not certain whether we do al as we ought as Protestants presume to have of their justification and saluation by only faith The nature of this justifying faith and of other Protestant principles considered We Catholicks have reason to thanck God that the prudence â—f the Prince and moderation of his Ministers is so extraordinary that it keeps the indiscreed zeal of a multitude so strangly principl'd if not as much with in the limits of Christianity and civility towards their fellow subjects as were to be wished yet so that the execution of the sanguinary and penal statuts is not altogeather so distructive as the Presbiterians and others endeavor Untill the generality of these Nations reflect vpon the impiety of the first Reformers and vpon their own mistakes in preferring the mad fancies of a few dissolute Friars concerning the nature of Christian faith before the constant Testimony and doctrin of the whole visible Church we cannot expect that they who govern so mistaken a multitude can make justice the rule of the publick Decrees which depend of the concurrence and acceptance of men whose greatest care is to promote Protestancy and persecute Popery SECT IX Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian faith humility Charity peace either in Church or state with their making Scripture as interpreted by privat persons or fallible Synods or fancied general Councells composed of all discenting Christian Churches the rule of faith and Iudg of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39. Articles or the oath of Supremacy a distinctive sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings LVther Zuinglius Calvin Cranmer and all others that pretended to reform the doctrin of the Church of Rome seing they could not prove their new Religions or Reformations by testimonies from antiquity or by probability of Reason were inforc't to imitat the example of all Heretiks who as S. Austin says l. 1. de Trin. c. 3. endeavour to defend their falls and deceitfull opinions out of the Scriptures If on shall ask any Heretick saith that ancient Father Vincentius lyr l. 1. cons. Haer. c. 35. from whence do you prove from whence do you teach that I ought to forsake the vniuersal and ancient faith of the Catholik Church Presently he answereth scriptum est It is written and forthwith he prepareth a thousand testimonies a thousand examples a thousand authorities from the law from the Apostles from the Prophets This shift is so ordinary and notorious that Luther him-self postill Wittemberg in 2. con 8. Dom. post Trin. fol. 118. Dom. post Trin. fol. 118. affirmeth the sacred Scripture is the book of Heretiks because Heretiks are accustomed to appeale to that book neither did there arise at any time any heresy so pestiferous and so foolish which did not endeavor to hide it self under the vaile of Scripture And yet Luther Calvin Cranmer c. finding nothing to say for them-selves either in History or Fathers and seing Tradition so cleerly bent against them that they could not name as much as on Parish or person which ever professed their protestant doctrines they appeal'd from the word of God proposed by the visible and Catholick Church and Counâ—â—ls to their own Canon and Translations of Scripture and from that sense of Scripture which the Church and Councells had follow'd for 1500. years to that which their own privat spirit temporal interest or fallacious reason diâ—â—â—ted to them-selves and so did others that followed their examples making every privat Protestant or at least every reforâ—â—d Congregation Judg of Scripture Church Councells and Fathers In so much that Luther tom 2. Wittemberg cap. de Sacram. fol. 375. setteth down this rule for all Protestants to be directed 〈◊〉 The Governors of Churches and Pastors of Christ's sheep 〈◊〉 indeed power to teach but the sheep must judge whâ—â—â—er they propose the voice of Christ 〈◊〉 of strangers c. Wherfore let Popes Bishops Councells c. decree order enact what they please we shal not hinder but we who are Christ's sheep and heare his voice will judge whether they propose things true and agreable to the voice of our Pastor and they must yeeld to us and subscribe and obey our sentence and censure Calvin though contrary to Luthâ—â— in many other things yet in this doth agree as being the ground wherupon all protestant Reformations must rely in his lib. 4. Institut cap. 9. § 8. he says The definitions of Councels must be examined by Scripture and Scripture interpreted by his rules and Spirit The same is maintained by the Church of England as appears in the defence of the 39. Articles printed by authority 1633. wherin it is sayd pag. 103. Authority is given to the Church and to every member of sound judgment in the same to judg controversies of faith c. And this is not the privat opinion of our Church but also the judgment of our godly brethren in foreign Nations And by Mr. Bilson Bishop of Winchester in his true difference c. part 2. pag. 353. The people must be Discerners and Judges of that which is taught How inconsistent this doctrin is with Christian faith is evident by the pretended fallibility and fall of the visible Church which all Protestants do suppose and must maintain to make good the necessity and lawfullness of their own interpretations and Reformations For if the Roman Catholik and ever Visible Church may and from time to time hath erred as the Church of England declares in the 39. Articles no reformed Congregations whether Lutheran Presbiterian or Prelatick can have infallible certainty but that them-selves have fallen into as great errors as those which they have pretended to reform in the Roman Church And if they have not infallible certainty of the truth of their reformed doctrin they can not pretend to Christianity of faith that involves an assurance of truth which assurance is impossible if that the Church can be mistaken in it's proposall So that Christianity of faith including
as an essential requisit the vndoubted assurance of the truth of what is proposed by the Church as revealed by God and Protestancy necessarily supposing fallibility or possibility of error in that same Church and proposal Christian faith is ther by rendred impossible and the Protestant Doctrin demonstrated 〈◊〉 be inconsistent with the nature of Catholick Religion with the certainty of Divine faith and with the Authority of Christ's Church Neither is the Protestant doctrin in this particular less consistent with Christian charity and humility then with Catholick faith For what judgment can be more rash injurious and contrary to Christian charity then to assert that so many holy and learned Doctors as have bin and are confessed Papists and even the whole visible Church for the space at least of 1000. years could either ignorantly mistake or would wilfully forsake the true sence of God's word so cleerly shining in Scripture as every petty Protestant doth pretend or what is more repugnant 〈◊〉 Christian modesty and humility then that homely Doctors and half witted wits should preferr their own privat opinions in matters of faith before the common consent and belief of 〈◊〉 Fathers of the Church the Definitions of general Councels the Tradition and testimony of so many ages Jt is both a ridiculous and sad spectacle to see how every student of the University that hath learn'â— to conster 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 or to quibble or scribble some-what in Greek English or Latin takes vpon him to talk of Religion and to censure St. 〈◊〉 St. Austin St. Christom c. and contemn both ancient and modern Catholick Avthors preferring before the whole Church him-self and his Poâ—antick Tutors or Fellows of Oxford and Cambrige Collâ—gâ—s Nay the illiterat people even the women are grown to that height of spiritual pride an infallible 〈◊〉 of Heresy that they pitty our Popish ignorance and fancy they can 〈◊〉 with the Text of their English Bibles falsly translated and fondly interpreted the greatest Roman Divines So true is the saying of St. Hierom in Epist. ad Paulinum Scripture is the only art which all people teach before they have learn't The pratling woman the old doting man c. And therfore advers Lucifer bids men not flatter them-selves with quoting Scripture to confirm their opinions seing the Devill him-self made vse of God's word which consists more in the sense then in the letter How impossible is it to govern peaceably so pratling and presuming a Protestant multitude either in Church or state is too manifest by the last experiences in England wher the endeavours of reducing this Protestant arrogancy to some kind of reason was the occasion and object of the Rebellion King Charles I. and his Councel for attempting to make the inferiors subordinat to their superiors in doctrin and disciplin and the subjects obedient to the laws of the land were aspers'd as Papists and destroy'd as enemies to the Evangelical liberty of Protestancy and as subverters of the fundamental principles of the Reformation Popish rebellions happen because the Promotors therof fall from that fervor of their faith and devotion which they ought to practise but the English Protestant Rebellion was raised and continued by the most devout pure fervent and zealous sort of Protestants in persuance and maintenance of their Religion Other rebellions are commonly vnexpected chances springing from a sudain fury or feare of desperat people but the late Rebellion was and is to this day pretended by many to have bin a pious and sober proceeding the King's murther only excepted of the prudent and Religious men of the Nation assembl'd in Parliament and is so justifiable by the principles of Protestancy that he must be thought not only a wise but a fortunat King of England that can prevent or suppress the like revolution in his Reign so long as Protestancy doth reign with him The reason is as manifest as the experience and the cause as the effect For if a Common-wealth were so instituted that every privat person might pretend by his birth-right or Privilege to admit of no other Iudg or Interpreter of the laws but him-self or at least might lawfully and legaly appeale from all Courts of Judicature even from the highest which is the Parliament to his own privat Judgment what intollerable confusion would it breed what justice subordination peace propriety or prosperity could be expected in such a government The same laws and authority which ought to decide all differences would be the subject and occasion of perpetual quarrells This is the condition and constitution of Protestant Churches and States Every privat person is a supreme Iudg of Religion and sole Interpreter of Scripture he may appeale both from Soveraigns and Bishops from their temporal and Ecclesiastical laws to his own privat judgment or spirit and him-self must determin the difference and conclude whether the Decrees of Church and State be agreable to God's word that is to his own Interpretation therof which commonly is byassed by privat interest or some singular fancy of his own And though the Governors and Clergy of his Church and Country tell him he ought to suspend his judgment and submit the same to 〈◊〉 Parliament or to a general Councel not like that of Trent but to one composed of all Nations and Christian Congregations called by the joynt authorâ—â—y of all temporal Princes but in the mean time he must 〈◊〉 to the Decrees of the Church and state wherof he is a member when they inculcat this lesson vnto a zealous Protestant◠〈…〉 not so simple as to believe that they who read this 〈◊〉 speak as they think or that they believe any such general Councel is possible for that every 〈◊〉 knows temporal Princes will never agree about the President time place and other circumstances of such a Counceâ—â— and though they should and the Turck and other Infidels give way to such a sâ—spitious Assembly of Christians yet when they mâ—tâ— nothing could be resolu'd â—or want of their agrement in a 〈◊〉 of judging of controversies every sect â—â—icking to it 's own principles and proper sence of Scripture So thaâ— every Protestant vnderstands the design of this doctrin to be but a fetch of their own Clergy to make it-self in the mean time solâ— Judg of Religion contrary to the principles and privileges of Protestancy and therfore laugh at the folly of such a proposal and pretext We Roman Catholicks need no such Devices nor delays we are content to submit to such general Councels as may be had our Popes and Councels define according to the tradition and sense of Scripture of the true Church our Censures must suppose known causes and crimes and if with all these cautions the Pop's spiritual jurisdiction is thought to be so dangerous to the soveraignty of Kings and peace of subjects least forsooth it might be indirectly applyed to temporal matters that all Protestants vpon that score renounce the Papal authority with how much more reason
confirmed by acts of Parliament But that which makes them to be so much insisted vpon is that they are so indifferent and appliable to all Protestant Religions that with much reason he is censured a very wilfull Presbiterian and fanatick who will not submit and subscribe to articles so indulgent and indifferent Therfore not only now but formerly in the beginning of all distempers grounded vpon Diversitie of Protestant opinions it was thought good policy to commit the 39. Articles to the press therby to please all dissenting parties and this hath bin practised not only in Queen Elizabeth and King Iames Reigns but also in King Charles I. an 1640. when the rebellion began to break forth and was cloak't with the authority of a legall Parliament as well as with the zeal of the Protestant Religion against the Church of England And an 1633. when the Symptoms of that rebellion were first discerned there was printed by special Command a Book setting forth the agreement of the 39. Articles with the doctrin of other reformed but rebellious Churches of France Germany Netherlands Basil Bohemia Swethland Suitzerland c. The Title of the book is the Faith Doctrin and Religion professed and protected in the realm of England and Dominions of the same expressed in the Articles c. The sayd Articles analized into propositions and the propositions proved to be agreable both to the writen word of God and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour Churches Christianly reformed Perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publick London printed by John Legatt 1633. So that no mervaile if the 39. Articles have not proved to be a better antidot against Rebellion then we have seen by experience they being so agreable to the doctrin of Churches raised and maintained by rebellious people and principles against their vndoubted lawfull Soveraigns The French Hugonot Ministers in their assembly at Bema 1572. decree that in every citty all should sweare not to lay down arms as long as they should see them persecute the doctrin of salvation c. In the mean time to govern them-selves by their own protestants rules See Sutcliff in his answer to a libel supplicatory pag. 194. See the Catholick doctrin of the Church of England art 19. pag. 94. agreeing here in with Confes. Helvet 2. Saxon. art 11. Wittemberg art 32. Sueu art 15. all quoted ibid. pag. 95. Dresterus the Protestant writer in part 2. Nullenarii sexti pag. 661. acknowledgeth that all the warrs of Germany against the Emperour and lawfull Soveraigns happned ex mutatione Religionis Pontificiae in Lutheranam See Crispinus of the Churches estate pag. 509. how the reformed Church of Basil was founded by the rebellion of some Burgesses against the Catholick Senators whom they ejected c. The Rebellion of Holland and the other Protestant Provinces is well known as also of Geneva Zuitzers or Helvetians See Chitreus in Cron. an 1593. 1594. pag. 74. seq How the King of Swethland being a Catholick was by his Subjects the Lutherans forc't so content him-self with Mass in his in his privat Chapell and to assent that no Catholick should beare office in that Kingdom and at length an other made King We may say without either vanity or flattery that were it possible to maintain the Soveraignty of a King the peace and prosperity of a people togeather with the principles of Protestancy the English Nation would have don it wanting neither witt or judgment to find out the expedients after long experience of 100. years since the pulling down of Popery and yet we see that nothwithstanding the wisedom of them who govern the learning of the Clergy the worth of the gentry the sincerity of the common sort and the natural inclination to loyalty of the whole Nation since Protestancy came among vs we have violated the laws of nature and Nations we have by publick acts of State don many things wherof but one perpetrated by a privat person whithout any countenance from the governement were sufficient to make not only him-self but his whole family and Country infamous Murthers of Soveraigns by a formality of justice breach of publick faith for the Protestant interest were never heard of in England nor acted by English men vntil they were Protestants Therfore the infamy and reproach therof must be left at the doores of the English Protestant Church without blaming our English Nation or nature It is the nature of an arbitrary Religion to pervert good natures It confounds the state more then any arbitrary government The worst of arbitrary governments have some regard to the honour and word of the Prince and to the publick faith An arbitrary religion dispenseth with all An arbitrary government is reduced to one supreme an arbitrary government doth pretend reason for the Prince his ComCommands an arbitrary Religion by pretending to be above reason commands against reason How arbitrary and applicable all Protestant Religions are to every particular interest and fancy notwithstanding their publick professions and confessions of faith is visible by the 39. Articles of the Church of England that hitherto could neither setle the judgments of subjects in any on certain belief nor tye them to their duty and alleigance to the lawfull Prince though the sayd articles wanted no countenance of law to gain for them authority And yet the profession of the 39. Articles togeather with the oath of supremacy is made the distinctive sign of truth and loyalty in our English Monarchy But the Articles being applicable to contrary religions and interests and an oath asserting a thinâ— so incredible as the spiritual supremacy of a lay Soveraign must needs expose the government to continual dangers that flow from a plausible and popular tenderness of conscience and from the contempt of so indifferent and improbable a Religion and therfore though many do abhorr yet few do admire our late King's mis-fortune his Majesty having grounded his Soveraignty and security vpon Councellors servants and souldiers of whose fidelity he had no other evidence but the profession of 39. Articles so vncertain that they signified nothing and dispensed with every thing and an oath of a jurisdiction so incredible that they who took it either vnderstood not what they swore or if they did by swearing a known vntruth disposed them-selves to violat all oaths of alleigance and learn't in all other promises to preferr profit before performance conveniency before conscience Were not this true and were the prelatik Religion with all it's laws and oath's capable of establishing Monarchs or of making subjects loyal and servants faithfull how were it possible that so just and innocent a King as Charles 1. The ancientest by succession and inheritance of all Christendom should be so generally and vnworthyly betray'd by them that profess'd the 39. Articles and took the oaths of supremacy and alleigance By the laws of the land it is enacted and accordingly practised that non be permitted
and are as yet far short of that substantial and fundamental Reformation whervnto the principles of Protestancy and the Protestant rule of faith or an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture doth direct and incline all Churches of the Reformation As for our English Presbiterians and Fanaticks they agree with the Polonian Hungarian and Transilvanian protestant Arrians and Anti-Trinitarians in believing the Protestant Reformations can not be pious and perfect so long as they retain any on point of Popery and indeed there is as much reason and ground in Scripture to reject all as any on and the Protestant principles warant the deniall of the Trinity and Incarnation as well as of the Mass and Transubstantiation The prelaticks perceive this to be true and therfore in the 39. Articles to avoyd scandal and discredit profess the belief of many mysteries that according to the very foundation of their Reformation they ought to deny and though they seem not to be guilty of impiety in their resolution of retaining some yet are they convicted of incoherency in not rejecting all as we shall now manifestly prove SECT XI How the indifferency or rather inclination of Protestancy to all kind of infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick doctrin and distinction of fundamental and not fundamental articles of faith The design of their fundamental distinction layd open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church and how it hath the authority of iudging all controversies of Religion VNity of doctrin being a confessed mark of the true Church which is called One in relation to one and the same faith and Protestants perceiving they want this vnity and the means to bring them to it every particular Church and person challenging a right to interpret Scripture after his own manner as well as Luther and Calvin c. who could not assume to them-selves that liberty without granting it to others and that not only their sundry Churches and confessions differ extreamly in doctrin but even the members of one and the same Congregation agree not among them-selves in the explanation of their Articles nor in the Authority of their Church to command and determin what articles ought to be believed this I say considered by Protestants some of their chief writers and particularly the English Prelaticks have invented a distinction wherby they hope to foole their flocks and make them believe that there is not only an vnity but an vniversality of faith amongst all dissenting Protestants and by consequence that they are true Catholicks They divide therfore the articles of Christian Religion into fundamentall and not fundamentall Fundamentall they call those wherin all Christians do agree not fundamentall they make every article wherof them-selves or any other Christians doubt how ever so fundamentall it may be held by the rest By which doctrin they make Arians Nâ—â—torians and all ancient Hereticks good Catholicks and their errors not fundamentall or destructive to salvation because forsooth they are Christians though deny the consubstantiality of Christ. This is no wrested consequence of ours but their own confessed Tenet The great prelatick writer Doctor Morton late Bishop of Duresme in his approved and applauded book of the Kingdom of Jsrael and of the Church dedicated to Queen Elizabeth pag. 94 sayth The Churches of Arians are to be accounted the Church of God because they do hould the foundation of the Ghospell which is faith in JESUS Christ the son of God and Saviour of the world And pag. 91. He giveth this general rule Whersoever a company of men do joyntly and publickly by worshipping the true God in Christ profess the substance of Christian Religion which is faith in JESUS Christ the Son of God and Saviour of the world ther is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption what soever c. Thus they plead for the Arrians declaring in their favour that consubstantiality of the son or his being the natural son of God is not the substance of Christian belief A man would think that the real presence of Christ in the Sacrament is a substantial point of faith seing ther of dependeth the reality of our Sacrifice the feeding or famishing of our soules and the verifying or falsifying of Christ's plain and express words and yet Bishop Iewel the greatest piller of the Church of England in his Apology for the same pag. 101. edit 1600. obâ—erving that Protestants were divided in the belief of that mystery tells vs it is but a matter of indifferency The Lutherans and Zuinglians saith he are both sides Christians good friends and Brethren they vary not between them-selves vpon the principles and foundations of our Religions c. But vpon one only question the real presence neither weighty nor great Doctor Reynolds in his 5. Conclusion annexed to his conference pag 722. affirmeth the real presence to be but as it were the grudging of a litle ague if otherwise the party hould the Christian faith And all Protestants conspire in this heretical shift because their change and choyce of articles of faith can not be maintained by any other way but by denying that therby they touch the foundation of Christian Religion So Luther defended his Consubstantiation as may be seen in Amandus Polanus in his Synop. pag. 446. And Iacobus Acontius lib. 3. Stratagematum Sathanae pag. 135. saith It 's evident concerning as well those who hould the real presence of Christ's Body in the bread as those others which deny it that although of necessity one part do err yet both are in way of saluation if in other things they be obedient to God Jn this Protestant distinction we must distinguish two things 1. The design 2. The doctrin wherupon Protestants ground their design In this Section J will discover the design and declare the weakness therof In the next I will demonstrat the falshood of the doctrin wherby they intended to carry on their design Protestants proceed in this affair as weak Ministers of state when they find by experience they have bin mistaken in taking their measures and in the management of publick concerns they would fain be reconciled and make strict leagues with such Potentats as formerly they had disobliged and them-selves now stand in need of their friendship and fancy they can effect all by inculcating vnto them general notions of a common danger grounded vpon the power and pride of some neighbouring and emulous Prince So Prelaticks reflecting vpon the weackness of their cause occasion'd through the dissentions of the Reformed Religions and vpon the incoherency of their own 39. Articles with the foundation and liberty of Protestancy would fain by a generall notion of Christianity vnite all heretical Churches to them-selves against the Roman Catholicks pretended pride and power In which proceedings they commit two great indiscretions 1. They do not consider how they have disobliged the Greek and most of the Eastern Churches by declaring in their 39. Articles the doctrin of the Holy Ghost's procession from the Father and
Catholicks were but few and in the later days they will not be many in respect of Heretiks but still it was and will be the Catholick Church Therfore it can not be an argument that a Church in not Catholick or Universal because ther ar more Pagans and Professors of Heresies then of the true Religion Their being more hereticks in number is consistent with the being of many faithfull houlding the Apostolick faith and no more is requisit for a Catholick or Universal Church But sure Protestants forget the invisibility of their own when they except against the Universality of ours If theirs was Catholick or Universal when they were so few that for the space at least of 1000. years not one Protestant could be found in the whole world they have no reason to deny the denomination of Catholick to the Roman which always hath bin so conspicuous and numerous If they will proceed coherently and say that for those 1000. years before Luther ther was no Catholick Church then they must not only reform but alter and cut short the Apostles Creed and blot out at least for those 1000. years that article J believe in the Catholick Church And as Protestants have no reason to believe that the vniversality or Catholicism of the Church consists not so much in the number of persons as in the antiquity and identity of faith of the Professors with that of the Apostles so have they not any reason to object partiality and illegality against the testimony and judicature of the Roman Church and Councells when they censure Protestant opinions Not partiality because when a Iudg or wittness giveth sentence or evidence against his own natural inclination and interest there can be no suspition of partiality nor lawfull exception against his sentence or testimony as too much favoring himself or his relations And truly if Roman Catholicks did judge of controversies of faith according to their own natural inclination and interest and had not in their definitions and testimonies a greater regard to conscience then conveniency they would never witness or define that Priests ought not to marry or that Kings and Bishops ought to be subject to the Pope in spirituall affaires or that men ought to abstain from flesh so many days in the week or that ther is no bread or wine in the Sacrament notwithstanding the appearance of both neither would they part with their lands and mony vpon the score of Purgatory or maintain that privat men or Churches must not take the liberty to themselves of deciding controversies of Religion but on the contrary beleeve that generall Councells are infallible even when they define matters contrary to our sense and inclinations Roman Catholicks are made of flesh and bloud they are naturally as averse from these thoughts and submissions and find as great difficulty in conforming their judgments and testimonies thervnto as Protestants Therfore they cannot be partial in condemning Protestants for not believing these things vnless they be also partial against themselves and nothing but the evidence of their own obligation â—o believe these things strengthned by the grace of God could prevaile with so many learned and sober men as have bin and are known to be among Roman Catholicks to be partial against themselves or to judg and wittness contrary to their own natural inclinations and temporal interest for Popery against Protestancy SVBSECT II. Of the Iustice and legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy NOw as to the legality of the proceedings and censures of the Roman Catholick Church against Protestancy it is as manifest as lawfull witnesses and cleer evidences can make any judgment either in law or equity In all controversieâ— both of law and Religion the Courts and Church must ground their sentences vpon matter of fact All disputes of faith must be reduced vnto and decided by this matter of fact Whether Christ our Saviour and his Apostles taught such doctrin Whether he revealed the reformed not the Roman sense of Scripture This being a thing don 1600. years since neither party can produce new eyes or eare witnesses pretending to an immediat knowledg of what then Christ and his Apostles preach't That immediat evidence ended with the begining of the second age and we must begin our proof with this last and proceed to examin our witnesses by a retrogradation from this present age to the first because the only proof of things which are beyond the reach of our knowledg and memory is the Tradition and testimonies of others vpon which we must rely or resolve not to believe any thing even of our-selves as our names families Countries or of this world and much less of the next Let us begin therfore with the Reformed Protestant Churches and ask them what witnesses have they in this 16. Century to prove that Christ and his Apostles were Protestants or taught their reformed sense of Scripture They will answer they have as many witnesses as ther are Protestants We demand their cause of knowledge such of them as in matters of Religion make any use of reason will not pretend that they know it by privat revelation or by their own proper interpretation of God's Law those are neither Court nor Church evidences but will answer that their Parents and Pastors tould them Christ and his Apostles were Protestants and these were tould so by others their Parents and Pastors vntill passing some few descents they come to Luther or Calvin or Cranmer c. There they must stop for Luther Calvin and Cranmer did not pretend that their Parents or Pastors testifyed to them that Protestancy was the true Religion them-selves having bin the first Inventors or Revivers therof after that it had bin by their own confessions at least 1000. years buried and their Church had bin invisible or enchanted Jt is a remarkable thing that never any ancient Heretick or modern Reformer of the Catholick doctrin could name an inmmediaâ— Preâ—â—cessor much less any Church from which he received his Religion and reformed interpretation of Scripture Optiâ—â—s that ancient Father â— 2. contra â—armeâ— says That Donatus was a son without a Father a Successor without a Predecessor filius sine Patre sequens sine Antecedenâ—e the same we may say of Luther Calvin Cranmer c. And seing ther must be a Succession of faith as well as of meâ— and that as one who can not prove his Father or family to be noble by the testimonies and tradition of others can not pretend to nobility of descent or to right of inheritance so can not Luther Calvin or Cranmer and their followers pretend to antiquity of faith or to be of the Catholick family of Christ without a legal testimony and tradition of their spiritual descent which tradition or testimony they confess to be wanting Mr. Napper in his Treatise vpon the Revelations pag. 43. The Pop's Kingdome hath had power over all Christians from the time of Pope Silvester and the Emperour Constantine for these
would follow the greater the authority is the more slow we ought to be in submitting therunto or which is the same the more inclined God is to truth and the more powerfull he is to practise the same and to keep the Church stedy to truth the more slow we ought to be in believing the Church or God's known Ministers and Messengers SECT XIV Reasons for liberty of Conscience and how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the state by continuing and pressing the sanguinary and penal statutes against the Roman Catholick faith and the Act of vniformity against sectaries THere is not any thing more damnable to soules or more dangerous to states then to make the laws of the land the rule of faith and temporal statuts the ground of spiritual jurisdiction It is endeed Christian piety to fence and favour Religion with Imperial edicts and Royal Decrees and therfore it was prophecied of the Church Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queens thy Mothers but to found the belief of eternal verities and of Christian Religion vpon temporal statuts and to frame the doctrin of the Church and the Caracter of the Clergy according to Acts of Parliament and to the interest of the Prince is neither piety nor policy in lawfull and vndoubted Soveraigns What Queen Elizabeth did to salue the sore of her illegitimacy was as great a prejudice and ought as litle be made a president to the royall family of the Stewards as Oliver Cromwel's Tyrany the laws and Religion of both equaly tending to it's total ruin and exclusion from the Crown with this only difference that Queen Elizabeth destroy'd the Stewards by reforming the Old Religion whervpon their right was grounded but Cromwell destroy'd them by reforming the New Religion whervnto they had conformed and wherby they endeavored to setle their Throne And indeed Souveraigns can expect no greater security or better success then the Royal family of the Stewards hath had whilst the Religion which their Subjects profess hath no other certainty or setlement but what is received from an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture confirmed by temporal statuts That the Protestant prelatick Religion hath no other rule but this and the laws of the Lands is manifest by so many changes of it's articles liturgy caracter and Translations of Scripture by publick and Parliamentory authority That it hath no certainty from it's own principleâ— is manifest by the acknowledged fallibility of that Church and by the liberty of interpreting God's word and by the prerogative of judging controversies of faith which the Tenets of all the Reformations and example of the first Reformers allow to any particular person that will claim the privilege of a reformed Christian or the spirit of a godly or guifted Protestant This liberty of professing and the vncertainty of protestancy having proved in all places and persons wherunto it had access a seed of rebellion destructive not only of the substance of Religion but of the tye of alleigance it was thought necessary for the preservation of Princes and the peace of their subjects to reduce the variety and regulat the extravagancy of the dissenting reformed doctrines into publick professions of protestancy as sutable to the interest of the souveraigns and inclinations of the subjects and customs of their Countries as could be devised And because the government of England continued Monarchical and that Episcopacy doth favor Monarchy and is essential to Parliaments the protestancy of the Church of England was made prelatick notwithstanding the incoherency of Episcopacy with the very foundation of the first and pure pretended reformations And seing ther is such antipathy between the caracter of Episcopacy and the principles of protestancy that the Church of England in the beginning of Q. Elizabeths reign durst not claim that caracter or any spiritual jurisdiction by succession from the Apostles and their successors the ensuing Catholick Bishops it was content to receive both as also the confirmation of it's prelatick doctrin from an vnheard-of spiritual supremacy of a lay Prince and from Acts of Parliament and so was it made the legal Religion of the state contrary to the principles both of the ancient Catholick faith and of the new protestant reformations How contrary this setlement of prelatick protestancy by a persecution of Popery is to Christian piety may easily appeare to them who will remember what hath bin sayd hertofore of the sanctity antiquity and continuall succession of the Roman Catholick Religion from the Apostles to this present and reflect vpon the principles begining and progress of protestancy in general and of the prelatick in particular How inconsistent with policy it is to press by the severity of laws a profession so generally dislik't as the prelatick it being contrary to the ancient Religion and not agreeing with the new Reformations experience hath demonstrated when not only all foreign Roman Catholick Princes and people stood neuters not much concerned whether Protestant Prelacy or Presbytery should prevaile in England they pittied indeed the Royal family and wish'd them good success against their rebellious subjects but this they wish'd to them as Princes not as Prelatiks not only Isay foreign Catholicks were neuters but all the Protestant Churches abroad were more inclined to favor the Presbiterian and fanatick English and Scotch Congregations then the King's Religion for that they come neerer to them and to the primitive and fundamental principles of Protestancy The reason why the Prelatick persuasion is so odious to the reformed Churches abroad and so opposed by Presbiterians and other Protestant Congregations at home is because the formality of it's ceremonies and the legality of it's discipline are incompatible with the primitive spirit liberty and principles of protestancy The protestant Bishops would fain Lord it over their brethren not content with the name and power of Protestant superintendents they strive to imitat the authory and severity of the Catholick Episcopal jurisdiction in their Courts and do what they can to retain a ceremonious decency in there Churches but neither is agreable with the nature and spirit of the Protestant Reformations which consist in an independency and exemption from all spiritual superiority and ceremonie of a particular person being supreme Judge and Interpreter of Scripture This spiritual judicature is the spiritual birth-right of every Protestant and the ground wherupon Luther and his followers raised their reformations and their new sense of the Ghospel Wherfore the resâ—raiâ— of this Protestant evangelical liberty and birth-right by the rigor of our lawes in favor of the prelatick jurisdiction and disciplin must needs make the law-makers and their religion as odious to all zealous Protestants as liberty of opinion and fancied Scripture are deere to a stubborn and humorâ—om peopâ—â— Let it then be maturely considered whether any thing can be more daungerous to the safety of the Soveraign or to the tranquillity of the state then to enact lawes
in a protestant Commonweale or Kingdom wherby the very foundation and birth-right of Protestancy is made penal and the most Religious observers of the protestant rule of faith are rendred incapable of all employments both in Church and state And that all this violence is practised to support a Creed the 39. articles of a doubtful sense and a Clergy of a doubtful caracter even according to their own prelatick principles and according to the primitive principles of protestancy and to vphould a Church that professeth it's own fall and fallibility and therfore for all it self knows is no true Church but may be mistaken in it's doctrin and lead all that rely vpon it's ministery and instruction into eternal damnation and can give no satisfaction or security to such as are of their communion nor produce any thing for justifying the severity of these proceedings but a Parliaments Act of vniformity and other temporal statuts To which every Presbiterian and fanatick doth answer that lawes enacted in favor of Religion do suppose not make the Religion reasonable for though reason be the ground of all human lawes yet no human lawes can be the ground of Religion When all this is maturely considered it will doubtless appeare to be a sad case that a poore man who desires to be saved and informed of the true Church and of Christ's doctrin and conform himself therunto shall be compell'd by forfeitures imprisonment and banishment c. to the prelatick doâ—trin and Church of England and shall have no other reason 〈◊〉 redress given him for this violence and punishments but that he doth not conform to the Religion established by the lawes of the Land So much was alleadged for the Idolls and Religion of the Pagan Emperous and vpon the same ground of law did they persecute the primitive Christians Doubtless all Quakers Presbiterians and non Conformists think themseves as glorious sufferers as the holy primitive Martyrs and Confessors which persuasion in so great and zealous a multitude can not be voyd of daunger and ought to be remedyed more by reason then rigor for though from Roman Catholicks whose principles are peaceable and incline them to suffer persecution with patience no great prejudice may be feared if they will be directed by their profession yet experience hath taught that all Protestant sectaries have inherited from their first Patriarchs Luther Calvin Crammer c. the spirit of sedition and rebellion which is involved in the very foundation of protestancy Luther openly declared so much at the Diet of Worms in presence of the Emperour Charles 5. Who had objected against him tumults and disorders as vndeniable effects of his doctrin misapplying the words of our saviour Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium as if dissention and rebellion had bin a mark of the true Ghospel On the other side the Presbiterians do imitate the bloudy proceedings and principles of their 〈◊〉 Fathers Zuinglius and Calvin in deposing of Kings and Magistrats and make good the saying of Zuinglius Evangelium vult sanguinem the Reformation must be maintained by bloud So that the sanguinary statuts in favor of prelatick protestancy and the bloudy principles of Presbitery in in pursuance of their seditious spirit clashing togeather will make fine work among Christians and the prelatick Clergy which ought by their admonitions and censures to compose these disorders and be Authors of peace are despised as no Clergy and their caracter is made the subject of discord and dispute And the Protestant Bishops which ought to exercise the authority whervnto they pretend retire and recurr to the 〈◊〉 Courts for the spirituality as well as for the legality of their jurisdiction and function and confess in plain termes their Churches frailty and fallibility in doctrin and leave the state to shift for it self deprived of thâ—â—â— helps which Catholick Princes receive from the Roman Church and Clergys censures wherwith rebellious subjects are terrified and 〈◊〉 or return to their duty SVBSECT I. NEither is the daunger of disturbing the tranquillity of the state for supporting the Prelatick doctrin and caracter by temporal lawes confin'd only to Presbiterians and Fanatiks the Prelatiks them-selves if interest prevaile not more with them then conscience and coherency can not but change their Religion into a contrary persuasion when they observe that the mean between Popery and Presbytery wherin they place Prelatick protestancy and the truth of christianity hath no solid foundation or colour of reason For what can be more absurd then to pretend that as moral virtue is a mean or mixture of two extremes so the truth of Christian Religion is a mean between two contrary opinions or a mixture of Popery and Presbitery which are two extremes involving contradictory Tenets Morality I confess is a mediocrity and a kind of Mixture For liberality for example doth seeme to participat some thing of covetousness and some thing of prodigality which are extreme different but Christianity being truth and Divine truth is no mean between the two but one of the two extremes it is no mixture because truth admits no mixture of falshood nor division it can be but on one side Therfore when a Presbiterian or Fanatick saith that Scripture is the only rule of faith and Judge of Controversies the Catholick sayes it is not not both but one of them speaks truth Yet the Prelatick would fâ—ain stand like a Christian moderator or neuter between both parties and reconcile their Contradictions by reducing them to a third doctrin or to a mean between truth and falshood and the mean is to grant both the contradictory propositions and collogue with both sides And indeed that is the mean wherin Prelatick Protestancy doth consist when their writers defend it against Presbiterians they grant the doctrin of Papists when they answer and 〈◊〉 against Papists they maintain the doctrin of Presbiterians for there is no other mean to reconcile or be reconciled to contradictions but to maintain both And this was the custom of Luther Calvin Cranmer c. and is the ordinary practise of the ablest Prelaticks in their books of Controversy I remit you to one of their greatest Champions my Lord Bishop of Down in his Dissuasive from Popery you need not run through the whole book read but his first Section and you will heare him say first that Scripture alone is the foundation or rule of faith and after that it is not Then again that it is nothing els but Scripture together with the Creeds and the foure first Councells It is as impossible therfore that a 〈◊〉 man should be in his judgment a Prelatick Protestant as it is he should believe that God revealed contradictions Wherfore if interest and conveniency hath not a greater 〈◊〉 vpon his profession of faith then conscience or coherency even to the principles of the Reformation he will not continue a prelatick nor make temporal statuts his rule of faith but will either according to the prudent
designes against his Majesty and the Protector and though the Lord Admiral to be restored to Worcester but after Ridley was in possession of the sea of London he laught at Latimer and ioyn'd with 〈◊〉 to keep him humble without Bishoprick or benefice 〈◊〉 hath bin sayd After K. Edward 6. death Ridley was very 〈◊〉 against Q. Mary and preach't against her title adding â—ith all she was so earnest a Papist that she refused to heare 〈…〉 to her which injury notwithstanding she would have â—ardon'd him if he had given any signes of true repenâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 a fair triall and confutation of his heresies he 〈◊〉 of a bag of powder which his Brother in law delivered 〈…〉 at the stake the sooner to be dispatch't of his torment 〈◊〉 Fox saith the design took no effect his martyrdom was 〈◊〉 which happened by accident and that he cryed 〈…〉 and desired the people to let the fire 〈…〉 〈…〉 of this manâ—s spirit by a part of his farewell to the 〈…〉 London set down by Fox thus Harken 〈…〉 of Babylon thou wicked limb of Anti-christ 〈…〉 staâ—est thou down and makest havock of 〈◊〉 Prophet's 〈◊〉 c. Thy God which is thy work of thy words and whom thou sayest thou hast power to make that thy dâ—â—f and dumb God I say will not in deed nor can not make 〈◊〉 to escape the revengfull hand of the high and almighty God c. O thou whâ—rish Drabbe thou shalt never escape In steed of my farewell to thee now I say Fye vpon thee fye vpon thee filty Drabbe 〈◊〉 all thy false Prophets Of Hooper Rogers Poynet Bale and Coâ—erdales hypocrisy and impiety JOhn Hooper by Fox his relation was a Priest in Oxford in the daies of King Henry 8. infected with Lutheranisme by books that came from Germany and lived in when he was arraigned for his heresies he spoke to he Lord Chancellor and Iudges so grossy carnaly and absurdly of his marriage with the Burgundian wench that his 〈…〉 though he seâ—s not down his words yet acknowledgeth that the whole Court cryed thaâ—â— vpon him calling him beast c. we shall heare more of this man in the following story of his Camerade Rogers John Rogers was a priest also saith Iohn Fox in the time of King Henry 8. when Luther's doctrin began first to be 〈◊〉 in England which he having read and finding himself by the spirit therof inclined to some novelties in Religion and to marry he went into Flanders and there became Chaplyn â—â— the English Merchants in Antverp there also he fell acquainted with VVilliam Tyndal and Miles Coverdale two other English Priests of the same humor and retired thither for the 〈◊〉 â—nd Rogers and Coverdale assisted Tyndal in falsifying the Scripture and setting forth his English Translation afterwards condemned by Act of Parliament for erronious false and wickâ—â— After that Tyndal was burned in Flanders in the yeare 1536. Rogers repaired to VVittemberg in Saxony to live with Martyn Luther by whom he was confirmed in his Religion and provided of a duch wife which as Fox testifyeth brought him forth no less then eight children in very few years with which load of wife and children after both King Henry 8. and Luther were dead for they dyed both with in the compass of one yeare Rogerâ— returned into England togeâ—ther with Friar Martyn Bucer and his wench resolved to accommodat them-selves in all points to the Protector 's will and to any Religion that should be established by the laws of the land and accordingly they forsook the Doctrin of their old Master Luther and embraced that of Zwinglius as being the more favored and countenanced by the Protector Both Hooper and Rogers came with hopes of ruling the Church of England because they thought them-selves more learned in the Reformation then Cranmer and Ridley who As Ridley had bin intruded into Bonners Bishoprick of London so Poynet was thrust into Gardiners of Winchester â— better Scholler saith Heylin pag. 161. then a Bishop He had taken a wiâ—e in Edward 6. time and not content 〈◊〉 duâ—ing her life married another whose Husband 〈◊〉 Butcher actualy living whether she had left her husband for some discontent or disease I do not know but between the Bishop and the Butcher became a great suit in law about the woman that the Bishop kept and claimed as his wife but at length he was forced to restore her to the Butcher which Bishop Gardiner hearing from some of the Lords he replyed that their Lordships he hoped would command Poynet to restore him his Bishoprick as they had ordered him to restore his wife to the Butcher It seems in those primitive times of Protestanâ—â— the purity of the reformed doctrin was practised in marâ—â—ages as wel as in other matters for though Bishop Poynet received not the benefit of that Protestant liberty which he sued for and his Lordship knew was due by the principles of that Religion yet it was granted to Sir Ralph Sadler by common consent of the English Church and Parliament for one Mathew Barrow having bin through jealousy driven beyond seas for some time his wife married her Lover Sir Ralph the husband returns and claims his wife but sentence was given in favour of Sir Ralph Sadler who was declared to be her lawfull husband and Mathew Barrow lest at liberty to marry whom â—e pleased This decree is agreable to the principles of Protestancy as may be seen in this Treatise part 2. Sect. 2. â—num 3. neither is it credible so learned a Protestant Bishop as Poynet would contest in a legal way with the Butcher for a thing not allowed by the reformed Church wherof he was so eminent a Prelat and one of the first English Reformers John Bale Bishop of Ossory was a Carmelite friar who hearing of the liberty which the Protestant Reformation gave to Priests and Religious persons to marry forsook his Monastical and Catholick profession and made a formal abjuration of the Bible condemned by act of Parliament and Fox pag. 1427. sets down the proclamation of K. Henry 8. and the publick instrument of the Bishops prohibiting again an 1â—46 Tyndal and Coverdales Translation of the new Testament notwithstanding all this Coverdale the corrupter of the Bible was by Cranmer's means made the Corrector of his own and Tyndal's Translation which went by the name of the Bible of Mathew And he set out the same again with litle or no alteration of the Text and it was called the Bible of the large Volume with which work the honest party of the Clergy were as much offended aswith Mathew's Bible as being the same or at least no less fraudulent and fals and yet it was not corrected in K. Henry 8. dayes and was imposed vpon England as authentick Scripture in K. Edward 6. and Q. Elizabeths reigns and is that in substance which was reprinted by order of the Convocation an 1562. by some caled the
of their Religion which was to recurr to the letter of Scripture conâ—â—â—ning the true sense therof delivered by 〈…〉 and practise of the Catholick Church doctrin 〈…〉 primiâ—â—ve Fathers and General Coâ—â—cells but these vpstarts knowing their new fancies 〈…〉 agreable therunto Insteed of the ancient faith of Christendom they resolved to maiâ—â—ain 〈◊〉 condemned heresies following in this manner of proceeding their first Apostles Luther Calvin c. who would admit of nothing but the 〈◊〉 of Scripture interpreted by themselves after an 〈…〉 manner We will instance 〈◊〉 three Doctor Wiâ—aker Arch-bishop VVhitgift and Doctor Fulk omitting many others Doctor VVhitaker in his answer to Doctor Sanders demonstrations pag. 21. saith we repose no such confidence in the Fathers writings that we take any certain proof of Religion from them because we place all our faith and Religion not in human but in divine authority if therfore you bring vs what some Father hath taught or what the Fathers vniversaly all together have delivered the same except it be approved by Testimony of Scriptures it availeth nothing it convinceth nothing For the Fathers are such witnesses as they have also need of the Scriptures to be their witnesses if deceived by error c. And Yet this same Whitaker vndertook to maintain Bishop Jewell's Challenge by Fathers and Councells Archbishop Whitgift was no less but rather more injurious for in his defence of the Prelatick Church against the Puritan Cartwright pag. 402. 473. he is not ashamed to say that all the learned Bishops and learned writers of the Greek and latin Church for the most part where spotted with the doctrin of free will Invocation of Saints c. And thence inferrs that in no age since the Apostles time any company of Bishops held so perfect and sound doctrin in all points as himself and his fellow Bishops of England To what impiety and impudency are men driven by defending heretical novelties Doctor Bristow alleadgeth the Testimonies of S. Epiphanius S. Hierom and S. Austin condemning the heresies of Aerius Iovinian and Vigilantius against fasting days commanded by the Church prayer for the dead prayer to Saints against the honoring of their Reliques against preferring Virginity before Matrimony c. Doctor Fulk answereth that Epiphanius and Augustin were deceived in recording those for Heresies which are not and that Hierom rather raild then reasoned and that Vigilantius was a good man and his opinions sound 〈◊〉 Chrysostom is alledged for the Mass saying the Apostles â—â—creed that in the Sacrifice of the Altar there should be made prayers for the departed Fulk answereth where he saith it was decreed by the Apostles he must pardon us for crediting him because he cannot shew it us out of the Acts and writings of the Apostles And divers other Fathers being quoted to confirm St. Chrysoâ—â—â—m's testimony Fulk says who is witness that this is the Tradition of the Apostles you will say Tertullian Cyprian Austin Hierom and a great many more But I would learn why the Lord would not have this set forth by Mathew Mark Luke or Paul why they were not chosen scribes hereof rather then Tertullian Cyprian Hierom Austin and others such as you name This desperat shift of slighting the ancient Fathers Testimony was the ordinary way of answering Catholick Books for many years but some of the Protestant Writers observing how the wise and well meaning persons of their own Religion were not satisfied therewith and that there could no reason be given why any Christian should rather believe a Luther Zuinglius Calvin Beza Peter Martyr Thomas Cranmer Chark Fulk Whitaker or VVhitgift then a Cyprian a Tertullian Basil Hierom Chrysostom an Ambrose or an Austin especially in a matter of fact such as our controversies are to wit whether the Apostles and the true Church taught this or that sense of Scripture and doctrin seeing these holy and leaâ—â—ed Fathers lived in the primitive times and more then 12. or 13. hundred years neerer to the Apostles then the aforesayd Protestant Doctors and by consequence might be more easily and exactly informed Some of the Protestant Writers I say observing how much their cause was prejudiced by this conteâ—â—â—â— of antiquity and Fathers resolved 〈◊〉 more to try Iewell 's Method and see whether their impudency in falsifying might have better success then his either for want of courage and means in Catholicks to manifest their corruptions or for the hopes they had to discredit our Testimony and suppress such 〈◊〉 as we should venture to print and publish against themselves and the states Religion which they maintained But no sooner came any Protestant Book to sight but by God's assistance it was answered with all possible speed and it's falsifications discovered and some of our Catholick writers made it their business to manifest the frauds and four beries of Protestant Controversorâ— one of ours say's To declare that this spirit of fals dealing ioyned with necessity and misery of their bad cause is common not only vnto him Morton but vnto many of his brethren and must needs be vnto all them whensoever they take pen in hand to defend the same for that one ly cannot be defended without an other therfore I do produce ten several witnesses two of them called Bishops M. r Iewell and M. r Horn five inferior Ministers M. r Iohn Fox M. r Calfeild M. r Hanmer M. r Chark and M. r Perkins and might have named five times more three lay men also and Knights that have written against us Sir Francis Hastings S. r Philip Mornay and S. r Edward Cook alledging not one but sundry examples out of each of their works and might inlarge myself to a volume in that argument if I would say what I have found in their and their Brethrens works in this kind c. Any man who desires to be rightly informed in this important matter of the Protestant Clergys true or fals dealing in religion may peruse and conferr the Books on both sides I will not detain my Reader longer with Q. Elizabeths Writers being to treat of the same again when we answer the like objections of Protestants against Catholick Writers yet J can not omit to let him see in one person the hypocrisy of many in one I say that professeth as commonly they all do so much sincerity in treating of Controversies as might seem to excuse the necessity of any further inquiry if his fourberies had not bin manifested to the world not only by his accusers but by his own answers so weake and impertinent they are that they conclude nothing but his obstinacy in â—â—thering to his former errors though he be evidently convicted of being an Impostor The writer I speak of is VVillet who as you have seen heretofore makes this protestation I take God to witness before whom I must render account c. that the same faith and religion which I defend is taught in the more substantial points by those Histories
confess a fault in the maintenance wherof their fortunes are concerned and by consequence how accomptable the protestant layty is to God for not mistrusting and examining the truth and sincerity of their own Clergy being so indigent and so interessed persons and so confidently charged and so frequently caught with falshoods what fraud can be more visible then to make men believe that so infamous and dissolute persons as Luther Zuinglius Calvin Cranmer and Beza c. were Saints sent by God to restore his Church vnto it's primitive doctrin and spirit or that they and all protestants do agree in all matters of faith against Papists Their dissentions vices and wickedness are so manifest that they can not be denyed without impudency and without giving the lye to the whole world and contradicting their own writings And yet the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and his Junta of Divines would face down Mr. Walsingham that there was no such matter and because the poore man humbly petitioned to have the matter decided by comparing their own books which were in the next roome with his notes he was censured and called a foolish bold Knave impudent fellow sâ—â—cy Companion c. and threatned with prison and pillary And for that they durst not betray the weakness of their cause by so publick and violent proceedings against a known protestant who desired to continue one of themselves if protestancy did not prove to be a mistake of Christianity the Arch-bishop to be shut of him sent him to the Commissary of St. Albans to be resolved forsooth whether Luther acknowledged in his Books that he began the protestant Reformation and impugned the Mass adoration of the Sacrament Invocation of Saints c. moved therunto by the devill 's arguments in a real conference between himself and sathan as if this passage and others of Luther's and Calvin's works were not to be found in London or in his Graces Library at Lambeth as well as at St. Albans And after that by his own importunity Mr. Walsingham had obtained of Doctor Covell to shew him Luther's book wherin he acknowledged this conference and conviction of the Devill 's arguments that the Doctor should interrupt him and divert the whole discourse with a rush you see I have this book and many such like 3. Reflexion By what particular indirect means cavills and Calumnies the Arch-bishop himself endeavored to maintain the protestant Religion and discredit the Catholick delivering to Mr. Walsingham Mr. Bell's libell against the Iesuits as an invincible fortress against the Roman faith and his other book full of corruptions and falsifications as a very sincere and solid piece which falsifications being shewed to them all sitting in their Junta and Iudgment about that affaire the Arch-bishop durst not send into his study for the Fathers works that were affirmed by Mr. Walsingham to have bin corrupted by Bell and Calvin c. His Lordship 's confessed practise also of burning Catholick Books argues the weaknes of the protestant cause and proves how much they are afraid their own false dealing and the impiety of their principles should be discovered 4. Reflexion That Mr. Walsingham's case hath bin and is revived and practised now every day when any conscientious protestant begins to doubt of the safety and sincerity of his Religion The protestant Clergy tells him that he is in a sure way of salvation and yet this assertion is against one of their articles of faith to wit that which acknowledgeth their Church is fallible in proposing Christ's doctrin and the true sense of Scripture and by consequence for all they know themselves may be in damnable errors Then they tell him the Papists are Jdolaters worship Anti-Christ c. that our Books of Controversyes are full of lyes and fables and to make good these their impostures they not only corrupt our Authors but translate into English all infamous libells though they treat not of controversies as the Jansenists Letters Palafox his relations and for the renegat Fr. Paulo his history of the Councell of Trent they swear it is the most exact and sincere work of this age wheras Cardinal Palavicino in his answer to the same and in the very begining hath set down 300. of Fr Paulo's vntruths in matter of fact so palpable that they seem inexcusable in him and render others guilty of vnpardonable rashness and obstinacy who credit so mistaken or malicious an Author and preferr his bare word before the vnanimous Testimony of all Christendom that hath accepted the definitions of the Councell as Catholick truths which they would never have don had they bin such as Fr Paulâ— describes Js it likely that the Bishops Embassadors and Prelats of so different nations and subjects to Princes of so contrary Interests who were present at the Councill and recommended to their flocks and friends the decrees of Trent as sacred would conspire to cheat and damne their Souveraigns relations and neighbors Or that they knew not better how matters went in the Councill or were not more impartial in relating them then one Apostâ—ta Friar or those persons from whom he pretends to have received his papers and intelligence with such pittifull frauds and fashoods are many poor protestant soules deluded and seduced into eternal damnation which they deserve for believing their own Clergy without any further examination of the scruples and doubts which common sense and natural reason doth raise in every one of them that converseth with Roman Catholicks or observeth the incoherency and inconstancy of protestancy together with it's singularity and pride of Spirit contemning the primitive true sense of Scripture declared by vniversal Tradition and the vnanimous consent of all orthodox Fathers and Councills Perditio tua ex te Jsrael 5. Reflexion One of my Lord of Canterburyes reasons to Mr. Walsingham against crediting the Popish book was do you not know when two men go to law together one will speak the worst he can by the other And though this ought not to be practised in law suites much less in controversies of Religion yet seeing my Lord would have protestants read our books with that prejudice reason doth dictat that theirs ought not to be read without caution especially Seeing every protestant â—eader makes himself supreme Judge of Controversies of Religion and no Judge ought to give sentence before both sides be heard Suppose therfore that the protestant and Catholick Clergy are engaged not only in a dispute of Religion but in a suit of Law to wit whether the revenues of the Church of the three Kingdoms belong of right rather to the present possessors then to the ancient proprietors neither party say you ought to be Iudge in his own cause who then must decide the business The Layty Content let my Lord Chancellor of England notwithstanding his known Jnclination to favor and promote protesâ—â—â—cy be named head of a Committee for examining and deciding the question Let it be tryed in publik Court which
of Paris a secular Court would fain have pressed vpon the French Clergy king since and the Jansenists lately but now dare not mention any such thing the Pope having lately censured their presumption of intermedling with matters aboue their jurisdiction and the King not giving them thanks for their officiousness Protestants can not cleere their Religion from the doctrin and danger of deposing Soveraigns and disposing of their Kingdoms NOw that we have cleered 〈…〉 Roman Catholik Religion from the aspersions of our 〈…〉 and shewed how 〈◊〉 dangerous the Pope's spiâ—â—â—ual supremacy can be to the temporal Soveraignty even of protestant Princes I would willingly vnderstand how the protestant and prelatik Clergy can vindicat their own principles 〈…〉 from deposing of as many Monarchâ— and Magistrat◠〈◊〉 did not conform to their Reformations whersoever they pâ—â—vailed Let them name but one protestant Kingdom Principality Commonwealth or Citty wherin protestancy hath not bin promoted by rebellion and exclusion of the lawfull Soveraign or Magistrat let them read the Histories of Germany Geneva France England Holland Suethland Suitzerland Vallies of Saâ—â—y Scotland c. 〈◊〉 they will find that as we do not exaggegrat so they can 〈◊〉 excuse the crime or except any of this number from notorious guilt therof So vniversal a conspiracy against lawfull Sâ—â—eraigns in nations so distant and different agreeing almost 〈◊〉 nothing but in the fundamental grounds of protestancy 〈◊〉 particularly in their maxim of the lawfulness to rayse 〈◊〉 settle the reformation vpon the ruins of all superiority 〈◊〉 spiritual and temporal that will not submit to the arbiâ—â—â—â—â— interpretation of Scripture of every Protestant prevailing 〈◊〉 must needs be a convincing proof that nothing can 〈◊〉 allyed to rebellion then the Protestant Religion which 〈◊〉 content to depose only Catholik Kings for Popery doth 〈◊〉 the same authority against their own protestant Kings 〈…〉 they conform not even their reformed Tenets to the 〈…〉 fancies of an illiterat giddy multitude And even the Cavaleers the wisest and most faithfull 〈◊〉 have given sufficient ground for men to suspect 〈…〉 think it no discredit to their prelatick Religion nor 〈◊〉 to themselves to trouble and question their Kings 〈◊〉 he and his privy Councell should think fit to vse a 〈◊〉 moderation towards Papists their late speeches in the 〈◊〉 of Commons against his Majesties Declaration is too cleer 〈…〉 for this censure Let themselves now be Judges 〈◊〉 the Roman Catholik Religion notwithstanding its 〈◊〉 of the Popes spiritual supremacy be not more 〈◊〉 â—o Kings then the best Protestant Reformations and 〈◊〉 the Papal spiritual Iurisdiction over souls be not 〈◊〉 with a temporal Soveraignty in Kings over their 〈◊〉 They will find this difference between both Religions that the Roman Catholik admits of and submits to Soveraignty however so addicted the Soveraigns are to Protestancy even the most precise Papists allow not of resistance against the royal authority in any case but only in that of forcing conscience by persecution but both Presbyterian and Prelatik Protestants think it lawfull to depose their Soveraigns if the Soveraigns SECT X. That Protestants could never prove any of the wilfull falsifications wherwith they charge Roman Catholik writers but themselves are convicted of that Crime whersoever they attempted to make good their charge against vs. SOME Protestants either out of ignorance or malice confound our Index expurgatorius with wilfull falsifications of ancient Fathers aÌ„d modern Authors wheras the sayd Index is a professed correcting not of the Fathers but of modern Authors opinions and Comments no concealed corrupting of their writings It doth not change any thing in ancient Fathers works though Protestants themselves confess 〈◊〉 of them have ambiguous and erroneous sentences but such are either sufficiently explained or corrected by themselves in other â—â—â—ces or condemned by the ancient Church and the geneâ—â—â— concurrence and consent of the other Fathers teaching and â—â—â—â—ifying the contrary to be Catholick doctrin So that we 〈◊〉 excuse our Adversaries either ignorance or impudence when they say we make the Fathers speake what is most pleasing to vs by our Index Expurgatorius This you may see solidly proved against Bishop Taylors Calumnies and falsifications in his Dissuasive and the thing is evident by the Index it self and the rules therof Kemnitius and other Protestants object some few texts of Scripture in the vulgar latin which they pretend were changed by vs and corrupted But Cardinal Bellarmin answers to all the objections so well that nothing can be replyed and all the world must confess we Roman Catholiks translated not any thing in that version to favor our Religion against Protestants seing our Latin Vulgata hath his vsed in the Church 1â— hundred years before their pretended reformation was heard of Iewell Morton and others object that Zozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus three Popes that lived in Saint 〈◊〉 â—ime and are much commended by him for holy men forged a Canon of the first Councell of Nice in favor of their own supremacy but they are sufficiently cleered from that aspersion by all Catholick Writers who agree in this that the heretiks did corrupt and Conceal some Canons of that Councell which are now wanting But as for that of appeales to the Pope which was the 〈…〉 it is in the Canons of the Councâ—ll 〈…〉 wayes held especialy in the west Church for 〈…〉 of the 〈◊〉 Councell because the same 〈…〉 both And St. Austin himself did appeale to 〈…〉 those three Popes whom Protestants would 〈◊〉 make 〈◊〉 in the cause of 〈◊〉 Bishop of 〈…〉 in his own Epistle about that matter Bellarmin accused by Sutcliff of 〈◊〉 the general Councell of Calcedon 〈◊〉 favor of the Pope's sâ—â—remacy one of the foure first and received in England by act of a Protestant Parliament MR. Sutcliff in his Challenge and defence of the same chargeth Cardinal Bellarmin with many falsifications which you may see reâ—orted vpon himself in Walsingham's Search of Religion I will relate but one which is the third in Sutcliff's order In the same Book and Chapter saith Sutcliff Bellarmin falsifyeth the acts of the Councell of Calcedon And for proof of this falsification he sayes wheras Bellarmin 〈◊〉 that the Councell acknowldedged and called Pope Leo 〈◊〉 Ecclesias Head of the Church Which name saith Bellarâ—â—â— the Councell of Calcedon about 1200. years past doth 〈◊〉 an epistle to Pope Leo saying quibus tu velut membris 〈◊〉 praeras over whom you as head over the members do beare 〈◊〉 And in the first action of the Councell the Roman Church 〈◊〉 the Head of all Churches Sutcliff letting pass this last 〈◊〉 vpon the words quibus tu velut membris caput praeeras saying that this is referred to certain Priests of Leo his order in which Rank he shewed himself principal c. so as he saith that these words of the Councell do acknowledge only that Leo 〈◊〉 of certain Priests but not of the Bishops
the Spaniards hear of such a Proposition nor the Catholick Natives accept of us if their Masters would grant it The Spaniards understand how interwoven the Interest of their Monarchy is with ours in case we gave liberty to Catholicks but think it not policy to trust us much upon any other Terms and desire our Conversion or a Toleration not only out of Charity to others but out of Conveniency to themselves and therefore they were so earnest with our late King in Spain to renounce his Protestancy and some attribute to his aversion against the Catholick Profession the breach of the Spanish Match We see how they sent three Ambassadors one upon another to demand the late Royal Princess of Orange for the Prince of Spain not doubting but that in her tender years she would have been brought to be of her intended Spouse his Religion We have indeed been most Happy in the Person and Royal Issue of our Vertuous Queen and Gracious Queen Mother and yet the French confess they did not that Favour unto us for any Happiness they wished us but to compass their own ends and obtain some advantages of our late King when the Passion of love to his beautiful Spouse made him forget the reasons he had to be averse from matching in her Family Our Alliances with Spain are Conjunctions of both Monarchys against an irreconciliable and common Enemy France They are not only private Contracts between the Married Princes but publick concerns of their Loyal People The Puritans always oppos'd them for that they knew Matches with Spain engaged that Monarchy in crossing their Presbyterian Plots and designs against our Monarchs They would not have presumed to Rebel against Charles the I. had it not been the Interest of the French King to foment Rebellion against the Lawful Kings of England and the English Kings of France Whereas on the contrary 't is the interest of Spain to maintain the Right of our Kings encrease their Power and offer them Conveniencies and help to recover their own in France We may therefore say with Truth that the French King and Ministers seek our Alliance thereby to lessen our Power But the Spaniards to increase it We must judge of the Intentions of Princes by their Interests it is the Interest of Spain that England be Powerful it is the Interest of the French King to destroy both it and that Line which claimes a Right to France We see how much addicted he and his Ministers were to the late Usurpers and Rebels By their Kindness to Cromwel and to his Sons it doth appear they had rather any Line should reign then the Right And because our Kings Antient Right to France if they did favour Catholicks would in all liklihood give them footing in Normandy and Aquitain some Politians are of opinion that the French Statesmen like well enough of Protestancy in England How far their Christianity doth incline them to wish our Kings and these Kingdoms were Catholick we cannot tell but their Policy and Proceedings seem not shew any great Zeal for our Conversion fearing perhaps that Popery may make us Popular in France and put us into a condition of recovering our own To conclude this matter of State wherein I am engaged against my Will by the Impertinency and Importunity of our Adversaries pretending that our Cotholick Religion is disadvantagious to these Kingdoms and by reason of the too great influence such humane considerations as these have upon state Ministers in their choice and settlement of Divine Worship in Commonwealths I desire the Judicious Reader will reflect upon the Situation and Fertility of these Islands the honest disposition and Warlike Genius of the Inhabitants the irreconciliable quarrel of the French Kings to ours the interest of Spain in promoting these our Rights and then after mature consideration let him be Judge whether any Monarchy in Christendom hath such means and may make such Friends to raise it self without injustice into a great Empire And what great pity 't is that all these means and Friends are rendred unprofitable by our persecuting the old Faith and by professing a new Religion that divides us at home makes our Government odious to such as ought to be our Subjects abroad and deprives us of the true Friendship and Succours of Spain whose interest it is that we were or at least did Tolerate Catholicks and were so considerable as to gain our own or by endeavouring to regain France were able to divert the French from invading Spain Italy and Flanders This is as much as I thought fit and perhaps more then some will think I ought to say in a matter of this nature But something must have been answered to stop the mouths of our politick Controversors who continually harp upon this string of reason of state in their Books against the Roman Catholick Faith pretending to demonstrate that it is inconsistent with the Interest and Greatness of our Kings with the Peace and Prosperity of their Subjects Therefore leaving this Argument I will return to that which is more proper for my profession and shew how manifestly God hath confirm'd our Catholick Faith and confuted the Protestant persuasion by Miracles which are the greatest Evidence that is consistent with the nature and merit of Christian belief For every point wherein Protestants we differ I will relate Miracles wrought in favour of our Doctrine and our sense of Scripture against theirs not recorded by uncertain or obscure Authors but by the prime Saints and Doctors of the Catholick Church in the Ages wherein they lived THE FOVRTH PART The Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherin it differs from the Protestant confirmed by vndeniable Miracles SECT I. That such Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholick Church in the Canonization of Saints are true miracles and the doctrin which they confirm can not be rejected without denying or doubting of Gods Veracity and how every Protestant doth see true Miracles though he doth not reflect vpon them in confirmation of the Roman Catholick Faith BY Miracles approved by the Roman Catholick Church I vnderstand such Miracles as induced the said Church to canonize and worship for Saints the persons by whose prayers or reliques they were wrought As for other miracles though I know many not mentioned in the Acts and Processes of Saints Canonizations are true so doubt I not but some vulgarly reported may be fals but that is a thing wholy impertinent to my design and the dispute against Protestants 'T is sufficient for my purpose and their confusion that some true miracles have bin and are wrought in confirmation of that Roman Catholick Doctrin which they deny or doubt of and we believe And first we are to know that no Confessors Martyrs have a priviledge Martyrdom it self being a notorious miracle are canonized or worshiped by the Roman Catholick Church before the Pastors therof see authentick proofs of supernatural miracles wrought by those Confessors or their Reliques
can divert the Layty from entertaining any thoughts of curiosity or scruples of conscience in order to the examination of this matter of so great importance and can make them believe that K. Henry 8. passion to Ann Bullen was a just cause to introduce the Reformation and to assume the Supremacy or that the Earle of Hartfords ambition of being absolutly Protector of England quite contrary to K. Henry 8. Testament and to his own Oath of not assuming any power above his Collegues and Tutors of K. Edward 6. was a divin inspiration to bring in Zuinglius his Sacramentarian Religion into the Realm or that the Duke of Northumberlands poysoning the yong King and excluding the next and lawfull heirs from the Crown to conferr it vpon his own own son and the Lady Iane Grey pretending therby to promote his new Zuinglian Ghospell was the work of the holy Ghost Or that Q. Elizabeths murther of the Q. of Scots and her Parliaments Decrees and endeavors to preferr any natural issue of her body to this Empire before the legitimat and immediat Heirs the Stevards and therby to continue her prelatick Protestancy were things lawfull according to the principles of Christianity and Catholick faith If the Protestant Clergy I say can persuade the layty that all this was lawfull and agreable to the doctrin which Christ and his Apostles did preach either they have an abundance of wit or they that believe them very litle judgment A great wit maintained that they may as well make Mahomets Alcoran a plausible Religion in England and gain therby as great revenues as they do by their Reformation and Protestant Scripture wherof neither the Canon letter or sense is that which God delivered to his Church as heretofore hath bin proved I do not speak in rallery sayd the gentlemen but seriously when I say that men who believe the Protestant Religion to be true may be induced by the same persons and the like reasons to believe that Mahometisme is the true Religion This hath also bin solidly proved by Doctor Reynolds in his Calvino-Turcismus and by others also when they demonstrat that Calvinism and Turcism agree in the principall points and every one knows that the doctrin of the 39. articles of the Church of England is the quintessence of Calvins doctrin and was by him applauded though he said that as to Point of disciplin there were many tolerable fooleries in in that Church and Lyturgy But let us pursue the Gentlemans parallel of Mahomet and his doctrin with our English Reformers and their doctrin and we shall plainly see that there is as much reason to believe Mahometism as prelatick Protestancy and that both these Religious were planted and propagated by the same means nay that it is more to be admired how our Countreymen became Protestants then the Arabians or Armenians became Turcks When Mahomet began to preach his doctrin in the East Christianity there was so discredited by being divided into sects and into so many heresies of Arians Manichees Nestorians c. that men were disposed by that diversity of opinions to follow any new Religion especialy that of Mahomet becaus he borrowed something from every Sect and as the 39. Articles of the Church of England agree in some fundamental points with Catholicks and also with hereticks so Mahomet agreeth in the worship of one God with Iews and Chriâ—tians and in the doctrin and worship of Christ he comes at â—eer to Christianity as most Arians and Nestorians or the Antitrinitarian Protestants of Hungary Poland c. nay as Bp. Morton and some other Prelaticks But when Luther in Germany and Cranmer in England began Protestancy all the west and Latin Church agreed in the Roman Catholick faith no other Religion was regarded and the â—emnants of Wickleff and Hus were hissed out of the world at least were nothing so considerable any where as the above mentioned heresies had bin in the East when Mahomet began there to preach his Alcoran So that if heresy or apostacy can have any excuse Mahometism in its begining was more excusable then Protestancy by reason of the more considerable divisions that then were among Christians in matters of doctrin then when Luther began his Reformation Now let us come to particular reflexions vpon both Mahomet retained some parts of Scripture as well as Protestants and had as good grounds to reject what he did not fancy of the letter and sense therof as Protestants have to be choosers of their own Canon and interpretation Mahomet gives as many rules of Morality as Protestants and though he allows of many wives Protestants do the same with this only difference that Mahomet says t is lawfull to keep many at once Protestants say you must keep but one at a time and that you cannot have the variety of wives men so much desire without the formality of a divorce how litle is requisit for the validity and legality of Protestant divorces we have proved heretofore by the authority and principles of the first Reformers and the dayly practises of their Successors In all other things Mahomets sect is more austere in fasting praying abstaining from wine c. then Protestancy And becaus both agree in the incoherency and absurdity of their principles both also agree in planting propagating and defending their doctrin not by miracles or rational arguments but by force and sanguinary statuts And this is the reason why Catholicks are as litle permitted to dispute or reason for the Roman Religion in these Kingdoms as Christians in Turky and Priests are as much perseeuted for writing books of Controversies as Printers and Stationers and severely punished Thus much as to the paralell of both doctrins But If we compare their persons or vertues we shall find that Mahomet was an honester man and deserved more credit then Luther Calvin Cranmer or any of the first Protestant Reformers He never was baptized at least never professed any Religion vntill he composed his own with the help of an Arian Monk but all the first Reformers had first professed the Catholick faith which afterwards they renounced pretending that God had forsaken his Church for many ages and presumed to say that he had authorised and inspired them to reform without shewing any warrant that doctrin vnto which their betters in learning vertue and judgment actualy submitted as vnto the true Catholick and themselves also had embraced as such vntill their pride and lust prevailed against their conscience Mahomet married a Widdow and had made no vows not to marry the first Reformers married Nuns and themselves also were votaries Calvin only excepted but his incontinency was no less scandalous and notorious then theirs having lived in adultery with a Gentlewoman of Mongis that left her husband at Lansanâ—â— to enjoy Calvins Company at Geneva who attempted also to commit the like sin with the Lady â—ollande of Bredrode wise to a sickly Nobleman called Iames Borgongue Lord of
Protestants None could ever prove there was one true miracle wrought to confirm the Protestants doctrin or their pretended authority for reforming the Tenets of the Roman Catholick Church Protestants are forced to say that miracles are ceased and that ours are Diabolical or counterfeit Because no true Bishops were Protestants and by consequence they could have no Priests ordained and so their Priesthood must have perished after the death of the first Apostatas Luther and others the Protestant reformers and Churches taught that all Christians are Priests both men and women and this doctrin is supposed to be true by the Church of England in their 39. articles and in the Act of Parliament 8. Eliz. 1. SECT IV. OF the Protestant Prelatick Church of England The occasion of K. Henry the 8. divorce from Q. Catharin and of his revolt from the Church of Rome was his passion to An Bullen the words of S. Iohn Baptist to Herod concerning his brothers wife absurdly applyed to K. Henrys marriage with his Brothers widdow How zealously he had formerly maintained the Popes supremacy how cruelly he afterwards persecuted the professors therof and how impiously he judged S. Thomas of Canterbury robbed his shrine and burnt his Reliques The Catholick Princes rejected his embasies and solicitations for imitating his example in assuming the supremacy And how much the protestant Princes were troubled and ashamed that he made his lust the motive of his reformation How incredible a thing is the English supremacy K. Henry 8. at length resolved to renounce it and returne to the duty of a Christian King but stood upon such termes and differrd it so long that he died in Schism excommunicated and despairing of Gods mercy His last will and testament was broken before his body was buried The Erle of Hartford made himself Protector and brought into England the Sacramenrian or the Zuinglian heresy against K. Henrys last will and the lawes of the land then in force without a Parliament and contrary to the votes of the Erles of Arundell and Southampton and others of the 16. Trustees named Governors by K. HeÌ„ry 8. during the minority of Edw. 6. SVBSECT I. HOw Seamor was directed and destroyed by Dudley Duke of Northumberland The sayd Dudley notwithstanding he was a Catholick in his judgment as himself confessed at his death concurred to establish protestancy in England designing therby to vnsettle the state and make way for excluding the right heirs of the Crown and crown his own family which he effected by excluding Q. Mary for being a Catholick and by marrying his Son to the Lady Jane Grey who had no other right to the Kingdom but what her Zeal to the Protestant Religion and Clergy gave her What wicked men and great cheats were Cranmer and his Camerades that composed the 39. articles of the Protestant Religion of the Church of England and the common prayer book that of Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies and how the common people were made believe the change was not of Religion but of language SECT V. OF the 39. Articles of the Church of England they contain only some general notions of Christianity and are applicable to all dissenting Sects of Protestancy as Presbytery Zuinglianism c. The design of the composers having bin rather to give men a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christian Religion then of tying them to any certain points therof or to any faith therfore they declare that the visible Church is fallible and determin no certain canonical Scripture of the new Testament They make the doctrin that Luther learnt of the Devil against the Mass Tradition and praying to Saincts c. part of their Creed as also the Tenet against spiritual Caracters of Episcopacy and Priesthood art 25. rejecting imposition of hands as not instituted by Christ. In the 2. last Articles they endeavour in vain to suppress the errors of Anabaptists especialy that of appropriating to themselves other mens goods in vain I say because in their former articles they declare its lawful for Protestants to dispossess the Roman Catholick Clergy of their goods and dignitys by vertue of a privat interpretation of Scripture and the Anabaptists pretend no more but that its lawfull for themselves to deal after the same manner with Prelaticks and t is certain there can be no disparity given So that the two last articles of the 39. as also that of the authority of the Protestant Clergy are against an evident parity of reason in their own Protestant Principles SECT VI. A Particular account of the revolutions which these 39. articles caused in England and how they may work always the same effects if there be such politick and popular heads amongst us as Dudley Crumwell and many of the last long Parliament Q. Maries Reign how much endangered by Protestant designs and rebellions Duke Dudleys speech at his death The Roman Catholick Religion restored by Act of Parliament and the Protestant decreed to be Heresy and Schism as also the force and frauds of K. Henry 8. divorce discovered and his marriage with Q. Catharin of Spain declared valid The Roman Clergys resignation of the Church revenues to the Crown and present possessors Q. Elizabeths intrusion against the right of the Steward 's effected by the zeal of the Protestant faction for suppressing of Popery SECT VII NOtwithstanding that Q. Elizabeth was declared illegitimat by 3. Acts of several Parliaments never yet repealed she possessed herself of the Croun and excluded the Queen of Scots the lawfull and immediat heir to Q. Mary lately deceased By the advice of Cecil and others she revived Protestancy and the Supremacy therby to excuse her illegitimacy She instituted a new Kind of Clergy the Prelatick Protestant Bishops neither had nor have any other caracter of Episcopacy but what the great seal and her temporal laws give them Any Lay person may consecrat a Bishop of the Church of England if he hath the Kings commission to do it all other things being superfluous according to the Act. 8. Eliz. 1. and 25. article of the 39. How the Oath of supremacy divided Protestants and made the Catholicks more constant The simplicity of some Protestant writers pretending that the Pope offered to confirm the English liturgy if Q. Elizabeth would acknowledge his jurisdiction SECT VIII REasons why Q. Elizabeth in her long raign could not settle her Protestant Religion nor gain credit for the Prelatick Clergy Neither is it possible for her Successors to make the generality of her subjects to have any esteem for either SECT IX HOw injurious and prejudicial the Protestant Religion hath been to the Royal family of the Stevards and how zealous they have bin and still are in promoting the same It preferred not only Q. Elizabeth but also any natural child of hers before the line of the Stewards Wherof see the 8. sect â—in How dexterously K. James played his game and how they who murthered his mother were forced to invite him to the Crown
greater miracle then the propagation of Mahomets Religion SECT VIII OF the Protestant justifying faith how absurd and inconsistent with Christian virtues how dangerous to Princes and all civill government Cromwell was directed by it and it may raise many Cromwells It s as dangerous an opinion as Atheism and therfore cryed down by K. James in the Conference at Hampton Court yet can it not be disowned by the Church of England without disowning Protestancy and the Prelatick Religion How much the best Protestant Princes and their Ministers are forced to suffer by this justifying faith of their subjects what great errors in policy they much condescend vnto Proved by the settlement of Ireland The late Earle of Straffords project and policy to make Roman Catholicks considerable in Irland Protestant Monarchy is more supported by Jrish Popery then by Scotch or English presbitery How fallacious and dangerous a thing it is they call the English Protestant interest in Irland Jn all parts of the world where Protestancy is professed their own Authors confess that vice and villany must reign and there most where their justifying faith is purest The Roman Indulgences and Iubilees give no such liberty or indemnity as the justifying Protestant faith Wee Roman Catholicks ought to praise and thank our Soveraign and his Ministers for not feeling wors effects of this justifying faith and of Protestancy To vse us with Christian moderation they strive against the principles of their own Religion SECT IX THat the rule of the Protestant faith and judge of controversies which is Scripture as interpreted by every Protestant is not consistent with Christian Faith humility Charity peace either in Church or State All hereticks appeale to the letter of Scripture therfore Luther called it the book of hereticks Every particular person according to the fundamental principle of Protestancy must be a Supreme Iudge of Scripture Councells and Fathers and of the whole Church How ridiculous it is to see shallow wits and silly women explain Scripture condemn Councells Fathers and the whole Catholick Church which folly proceeds from want of judgment humility charity and Christian faith It occasioned our late troubles and rebellion which was grounded vpon the Principles of Protestancy A Protestant people cannot be otherwise governed then a people wherof every one by priviledge or birthright may appeale from the law interpreted by publick Courts of Judicature to the law interpreted by every privat person The Protestants imaginary general Councells and their appeales therunto discovered to be a cheat to divert and delay any determination of religious controversies Every Protestant is a Pope more absolute and dangerous then the Bishop of Rome K. James his saying that every Protestant in the house of Commons was a King by his Religion How little the oath of Supremacy contributes to the Kings Soveraignty or Security or to the subjects loyalty The Protestant rule of faith is but every ones fancy applyed to the words of Scripture And therfore they often change according to their weakness of judgment or strength of passion Auditius his expression of their monthly faith and Melanctons saying both Protestants that they knew whom to avoid but knew not whom to follow are ingenuous The Protestant confessions and articles of faith composed and professed by every national Church oblige not the members of those Churches because the Collectors and composers of such articles are not infallible and will be thought not to agree with Scripture at least as every particular person will explain it The 39. Articles of the Church of England are so ambiguous that they may be applyed to all dissenting Tenets of Protestants both at home and abroad and therfore are printed and pressed in England to satisfy disagreeing parties and yet no party is contented with that indifferent symbol though each party callenges them in some occasions as favoring their own opinions nor any thing more contrary to piety and policy then articles so applicable to contrary Tenets and interests An arbitrary Religion is more dangerous and prejudicial to a state then an arbitrary government How vnfit the 39. articles and the Oath of Supremacy are to be made the distinctive sign of trust and loyalty to the King A man is more engaged to stick to the King by a red scarf or a garniture of ribands of the Kings colours then by an oath of so incredible a thing as the Supremacy and so vnsignificant articles as those of the 39. that contradict the Roman Catholick doctrin That Religion that hath not a more certain or infallible rule of faith then the Protestant Prelatick of England hath is not fit to be made the distinctive sign of trust or loyalty or the Religion of the state SECT X. HOw fundamental principles of the Protestant reformations maturely examined and strictly followed have led the most learned Protestants of the world to Judaism Atheism Arianism Mahometism c. And the protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania to deny the mystery of the Trinity and our best modern English witts and writers to admit of no other rule of Religion but natural reason Instanced in Castalio Bucer David George Bernardin Ochin Neuserus Calvin Alemanus Socinus Chillingworth Stilling fleet Faukland c. How prelatick Protestancy is contemned by the best protestant wits and writers as being incoherent to the principles of protestancy and contradictory in its own Tenets How Presbiterians agree with the Anti-trinitarians in their way of reforming A Prelatick is a Presbiterian against Papists and a Papist against Presbyterians His own Religion includes both their Tenets though contradictory he hath but one Tenet wherunto he is constant and that is Episcopacy de Iure divino Calvinists are sayd by Lutherans to be baptised Jews and that Mahometism Arianism and Calvinism are 3. pair of hose of one cloath All protestant reformations are remnants of the same piece though with different trimmings according to the diversity of their reformers fancyes Why our English protestants deny not the Trinity as well as those of Hungary without violating the principles of protestancy they may doe it Articles of Christian Religion against conclusions cleerly deducible from the principles of protestancy are not valued by protestants It is the case of the Church of England SECT XI THe indifferency or rather inclination of Protestancy to all kind of infidelity is further demonstrated by the prelatick and Calvinian doctrin of fundamental and noâ— fundamental articles of faith The design of this new distinction manifested and frustrated The design is to make all Christians though declared hereticks that dissent from Roman Catholicks one Church and of the Protestant communion The Greeks and others reject Protestants as hereticks By their doctrin of fundamentalls Turks and Iews may be of one Church and communion with Christians Protestants proceed in matters of Religion as weak Statesmen do in state affairs For their separation from the Roman Catholick Church they cannot be excused from a damnable sin and schism Their writers
6. reign What a wicked man Arch. Cranmer was of Peter Martyr Echinus Bucer Latimer and Ridleys impieties SVBSECT III. OF Hooper Rogers Poynet Bale and Coverdale Hooper and Rogers combined against Crāmer and Ridley How Latimer joyned with them Their Project of Puritanism How Hooper inveighed against plurality of benefices when he had none and enjoyed two Bishopricks when his faction prevailed and left his friend Rogers in the lurch How Rogers and Coverdale conspired with Tyndall to falsify Scripture Bishop Poynets contest and Suit in law with a Butcher about the Butchers wife notwithstanding that Poynet had one of his own But Sentence was given for the Butcher against Poynet contrary to the Principles and liberty of Protestancy and to what the protestant Church had resolved before in the like case between Sir Ralph Sadler and one Barrow whose wife was decreed to be married to Sir Ralph during Barrows life Bishop Bales conversion to protestancy related by himself and attributed to his beloved Dol. What an impostor he was Bish Coverdales drunkenes and corruptions of Scripture How corrupt and vngodly a Scripture is the English translation of the Bible It was condemned by act of Parliament as fraudulent ād fals Notwithstanding which censure it was and is imposed vpon the Nation as the word of God sometimes it was called Mathews Bible othertimes the Bishops Bible or the Bible of the large volume with litle or no alteration Coverdales vanity in attempting to convert to protestancy the Vniversity of Oxford Laurence Sanders a Protestant Martyr and Priest his resolution to dy for legitimating his little bastard SVBSECT IV. ARch Cranmers conference with Doctor Martyn and other Catholicks How weakly he defended the Protestant cause How vainly Protestants pretend Scripture for their doctrin as all heretiks do How Cranmer was proved to be an heretick by the definition of Origen Tertullian c. SECT III. OF the Protestant Clergy in Q. Maries reign the same that afterwards founded Q. Elizabeths Church Their frauds factions cheats and changes of the English Protestant religion during their exile in Germany Related by Dr. Heylin How the German Protestants called the English Protestants the devils Martyrs and would not entertain their banished Clergy and Confessors How therupon the English clergy changed and accommodated their Religion to that of the places wherin they lived and printed books at Frankford and Geneva containing contrary doctrines for humoring dissenting churches How often they changed their Liturgy at Frankford Of Grindall Horn Sandys Chambers Pakhurst Whithead Whittingham Williams Goodman Wood Sutton Fox their frauds factions divisions and books against Q. Mary c. How vnfit men to be Bishops and to found a Church and yet they were the chief pillars and Prelats of Q. Elizabeths reformation SECT IV. ABominable frauds and wilfull falcifications of the protestant Clergy in Q. Elizabeths reign to maintain their doctrin set forth vnder the name of an Apology and defence of the Church of England How Q. Elizabeth gained the Nobility and House of Commons to vote in Parliament for reviving Protestancy Of Bish. Iewells ridiculous challenge at Pauls Cross. How all the Protestant Clergy conspired with him in his impostures How they were confuted by Doctor Harding Stapleton and other Catholicks All the Protestant writers borrow from Jewells impostures their arguments and authoritys against the Roman Catholick Religion Acknowledged by Dr. Heylin in his history of the Church of England SVBSECT I. THe Protestant Clergys fraud and falshood against Communion vnder one kind It was a thing indifferent in the ancient Church Proved by several instances Jewells ridiculous evasions SVBSECT II. JEwell and the Protestant Clergy censure as hereticks the same ancient Fathers they appeal vnto in other controversies for condemning the mariage of Priests They corrupt the Ecclesiastical history for the same reason and bring an example of an imaginary Bishop to confirm their corruption and pretend that S. Gregory Nazianzen says that a Bishop may minister the better in the Church for having a wife in his house and that his own Father was instructed in Ecclesiastical functions by his wife SVBSECT III. IEwell and his Prelaticks charge Cardinal Hosius and all Catholicks with contemning the holy Scriptures contrary to his own knowledge and even after he had bin admonished of the imposture SUBSECT IV. FAlsifications and frauds against the Bishop of Rome his Supremacy scripture falsified to impugne the same SVBSECT V. PRotestants frauds and falsifications to deny and discredit the Sacrifice of Mass. Their pretence that the ancient Mass was the same thing with the English communion or Liturgy Iewells impudency SUBSECT VI. PRotestant falsifications and corruptions of Scripture to make the Pope Antichrist and the succession of Bishops a mark of the beast Q. Elizabeths first Bishops were violently bent against Episcopal Succession because it was notorious that themselves wanted such a succession Want of Succession a mark of hereticks Proved by Fathers SVBSECT VII PRotestant falsifications to prove that Popes may and have decreed heresys SVBSECT VIII ITem to prove that Popes have insulted over Kings SVBSECT IX ITem to prove that S. Austin the Apostle of England was no Saint but an hypocrit as also to discredit Catholick Writers SVBSECT X. PRotestants frauds and falsifications of Scripture as likewise their altering of the 39. articles of Religion to make the laity believe that there are true Bishops and Priests in the Church of England Jtem their forgery of records The Evasions of Primat Bramhal and others concerning their Episcopal succession confuted SVBSECT XI XII AN advertisment to the Reader concerning Bishop Iewell of some learned Protestants converted to the Roman Catholick Faith by discovering the falsifications and frauds of his books Mr. Hookers sincerity questioned for his immoderat praises of so great and notorious an impostor in his Eccles. Polit. A feigned Protestant story of the two Doctors Reynolds How Iewell excused his falsifications in presence of the Erle of Leicester by saying that Papists must be dealt with as Papists SECT V. FRauds follies and falsifications of Iohn Fox his Acts of monuments and of his Magdeburgian Masters in their Centuries The litle sincerity of the English Church and Clergy in countenancing such fals dealing All sober men that read the works of the Magdeburgian Centurists must conclude they composed them rather in drinking stoves then in retired studies so rash and foolish are their censures of the greatest Doctors and Saints of Gods Church Valētia the Iesuit aptly compared these centurists to malefactors that confess all the knowing and honest men of the country or citty witness that they are theeves and hereticks c. And then these malefactors refute all this by only saying that the sayd knowing and honest men so highly esteemed by all the world for their knowledge and integrity spoke incommodiously and ignorantly when they accused the theeves Iohn Fox his absurdity in making the true Church visible to Protestants and invisible to Catholicks What
Matth. hom 20. saith Omnes infideles qui sub Diabolo sunt non sunt vnum nec vnum sapiunt sed sunt per diversas opiniones dispersi alius quidem sic dicit alius sic c. Eo modo perfidia Haereticorum qui nunquam sapiunt vnum sed quot sunt tot sententias habent Hilar. lib. 7. de Trinit saith Haeretici igitur omnes contra Ecclesiam veniunt sed dum Haeretici omnes se invicem vincunt nihil tamen sibi vincunt victoria enim eorum Ecclesiae triumphus ex omnibus est dum in eo Haeresis contra alteram pugnat c. S. Athanas. Orat. 1. contra Arianos saith Jllud quoque prorsus admirabile omnes quot sunt Haereses in fingendo diversa pugnantiaque inter se adferre nec alibi nisi in falsitate sibi invicem consentire See the Centurists [e] almost in every age attributing the Roman Catholick Miracles to the Devill V. g. Centur. 9. cap. 13. And Osiander in Epitom Cent. 9. pag. 63. saith the same and in particular of St. Bernards St. Francis's Miracles c. Whitaker [f] de Ecclesia pag. 348. And Daneus in his answer to Belarm part 1. pag. 784. [g] Luther in proefat assertionis articulorum a Leone Pontif. damnatorum saith Scripture must be the Iudg of all controuersies and that it is cleerer then the comments of the Fathers upon it But that to the proud and vnfaithfull Papists he meanes it is obscure See him also in lib. de servo arbitrio [h] Luther in his Translation to assert his justification by only faith added to the text of Scripture the word alone against all Originals and Copies Swinglius to maintain that the Body and Bloud of Christ were not realy present in the Sacrament of the Altar in steed of Christs words This is my Body translateth This signifieth my Body See herafter more of this and of the English Bibles corruptions [i] Luther tom 2. lib. de Ministris Ecclesiae instituendis fol. 368. 369. lib. de abrog Miss privat tom 2. fol. 249. in lib. de captiv Babylon cap. de Ordine Luther in assertionibus damnatis per Leonem cap. 10. art 13. saith In the Sacrament of Confession and remission of sin the Pope doth no more then the meanest Priest nay where a Priest is not every Christian can do as much though a child or a woman c. That in the absence of a Priest a child or a woman and every Christian may absolve is cleer out of Math. 18. Where Christ saith to all Christians Quodcumque solveritis super terram c. An' BulleÌ„'s incest and leaudness was afterwards punished with her death and that of her brothers of Brueâ—ton Weston Norris and Sineton all of the Kings privy Chamber Another escaped death because he advertised his Majesty of her immodesty before the mariage S. Ambrose vseth this very argument to the same purpose Sand. lib. 1. Cochlaeus lib. contra Morison The Kings of France preteÌ„ded to the Gallical liberties and the Kings of Spaine to their Sicilian Monarchy and other privileges The kings of England also when they were Roman Catholiks pretended to the like priviledges presentations c. Stat Henry 8 34. 35. Be it enacted thaâ— all manner of books of the old and new Testament in English being of the crafty â—â—alce and â—ntrue Tranâ—lation of William Tyndall and all other books and writings in the english tongue teaching or compassing any matter of Christian Religion contrary to that doctrin which since the year of our Lord 1540. is hath or shall be set forth by his Majesty is cleerly and vtterly abolished The first Reformers of the Prelatick protestant Church of England Statut 28. Henry 8 cap 17. an 1536 See his letters in Fox 1279 and in Stow pag. 1036. Doctor Bruges in his post script to D. r Pearson edit 1660. (a) See the ancient Fathers affirming it was the constant practise and principle of Hereticks to appeale to Scripture alone S. Austâ—n l de vnit Eccl lib. cont a Maximinum S. Hilarius l. contra Constantium S. Basiâ—ius l. de Spiritu S. c. 27. 29. S Epiphaniâ—s haer 69 73. (b) S. Athanasius in l. 1 de decret Nicen Synodi contra Euseb. (c) S. Epiphanius haer 64. Theodorâ—â— lib. de haeres (d) August de fide oper c. 14 de haer c. 54. Mat 19.27 1. Cor 7. v. 25.28.38 (e) The Protestant Bishops are wel pleased to see themselves religiously worship't or respected and yet exclaim against Catholicks for shewing the like respest to Saints [f] See Martin Luther the first founder of Protestancy ep ad Bohem. in declarat Euchar. in ser. de Euch. hath these words Although truly it were an excellent thing to use both kinds in the Eucharist and Christ in this thing hath commanded nothing as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and vnity which Christ hath commanded vs to follow then to contend about the kinds And lib. de Captiv Babyl Cap. de Euch. They sin not against Christ who vse one kind seing Christ hath not commanded to vse it but hath left it to the wil of every one c. Philip Melancton in 2. edit loc com impres Argent an 1525. fol. 78. He erreth that thinketh it impious to eat swin's flesh As also these things are indifferent and placed in our power and so I judg of the Eucharist that they sin not who knowing and believing this liberty do vse either part of the sign Bucer alloweth the same indifferency and Iewel in his reply to Harding pag. 108.109 110. John Pezibram a Bohemian Protestant in his book de professione fidei Cathol cap. 19. Heere fearing God and taking notice of the evil custums of others I do confess that I do not intend to condemn or censure for hereticks any such persons of the Church as do impugn the communion of the faithful vnder both kinds which yet of necessity must have don if he had thought that Christ had recommanded it The 2. Councel of Carthage contradicts this article Can. 2. Omnibus placet that Bishops Priests and Deacons c. abstaine from wives that what the Apostles have taught and hath bin observed by antiquity we may keep See Clement l. 6. Constit. Ap. c. 17. Consil. Aâ—â—â—rcan 10. Concil Neocesariense c. 1 Consâ—l Nic. can 34. And Euseb. de demonstrat Evangelica lib. 1 c 9. Epiph. haer 59. ante med Basâ—l ep 1. ad Amphilocium ca. 6 epist. 17 ad ParagonuÌ„ Presbiterum and Cicil. Hierosolomy Catech 12. See the new Ritual of the Church of England published since his Majesties happy restauration D. r Heylin Eccles. restau Q. Mary pag. 19. D. r Heylin cit pag. 33.34 35. Heylin pag. 35 Cap. 14 D. Heylin Eccles. resta in the Histor. Q. Mary pag. 43. Stat. an 1. 2. Pbil. Mar cap. 8. Dr. Heylin Q Elizabeth pag. 107. Act. 14. v. 23.
A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT WITH Reflexions vpon the Cause and Cure of Englands late distempers and present dangers THE ARGVMENT VVhether Protestancy be less dangerous to the soul or more advantagious to the State then the Roman Catholick Religion THE CONCLVSION That Piety and Policy are mistaken in promoting Protestancy and persecuting Popery by penal and Sanguinary statuts Permissu Superiorum An Dom M.DC.LXX TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS PRINCE THE DVKE OF BVQVINGHAM c. May it please your Grace THE inconsiderat censures of half witted Critiks have canonized the custom of dedicating books to great persons at least they have so extenuated the crime that I despair not to obtain your Graces Pardon for my presumption of prefixing your name to this Treatise without your consent or knowledge But if the general custom be not a lawful excuse for my ambitious solicitation of your Graces patronage I must transfer the fault from my self the Author and lay it on the Argument of my book which is so proper for a person of your Graces high birth profound judgment and publick trust thus without violence to the work it could hardly be offerd to any other The Argument My Lord of this Book is Liberty of Conscience which is the most reasonable oâ— all liberties it is the spiritual birthright of our souls and the only human prerogative that cannot be forc't or forfeited Though our selves be slaves our thoughts are free and so much our own that none but the searcher of hearts can know them God himself doth not vse violence against our opinâ—â—ns when he commands us â—o change them he doth not compell us by rigor and penalties but convinceth us by reason and miracles My Lord Princes are called Gods in the Scripture and therfore ought to imitat divin perâ—â—â—tions How much your Grace doth excell in this perfection of being avers from compelling mens Consciences is so notorious that any man may without flattery the common vice of Epistles Dedicatory publish and print your vertues In this one of patronizing Liberty of Conscience are so many comprehended that did I vndertake to enumerat and explain them this short Epistle must have bin a vast volum It s an eminent part of Religion to propagat and persuade it by reason Its Charity to consider and commiâ—erat other mens capacitys how capricious soever 〈◊〉 prudence to proportion the laws to tender Consciences On the contrary the zeal of persecution is but a Cloaâ— of ambition for men of one persuasion to exclude all otherâ— from places of profit trust and honor wherof the Zealots would never be thought worthy if such as the penal laws exclude did conform to the Church of England And when any one doth becom a conformist none is more sorry for his Conversion then they that pretended to design and effect it by persecution because the number of Proselits doth diminish the profit and destroy the projects they had of begging Recusants fines and forfeitures Your Genious and generosity My Lord are so much above these base and destructive ways that you are becom the refuge of all persons afflicted for their Conscience To be popular vpon this score and to be the patron of so numerous and conscientious a party as it is the effect of your Wisdom and vertue so it is a just cause for your Prudent Prince to confide in your Ministery and to countenance your popularity I do acknowledge My Lord that in som districts of the Church of Rome men are punished for their Conscience or contumacy by a Court of Iustice called the Inquisition How worthy the Inquisition is of imitation I leave to the Judgment of others But this I do maintain in my book that our penal and Sanguinary statuts are much more severe and vnreasonable then the Canon law wherupon the Inquisitors Sentences are grounded 1. Because the Canons against Innovators of Religion are almost as ancient as Constantin the first Christian Emperor 2. They seemed so conscientious and convenient to all his Catholick Successors and other Soveraigns that they have incorporated into the laws of their Dominions the Canons wherby the Inquisitors are directed to punish heresies or pretended reformations of Religion and therfore the first Protestant Reformers in England durst not publish their doctrin vntill these statuts against heretiks had bin repeald by Act of Parliament 1. Edu 6.3 the Inquisitors pretend not to act by human commission against mens opinions they proceed as spiritual Pastors and the Apostles Successors and therfore endeavor to reduce the obstinat Nonconformists by producing thousands of learned and lawful witnesses to proue that the Roman faith is built vpon the very same Apostolical revelations reasons and miracles wherby the primitive Church and the Catholick world had bin converted from Paganism to Christianity But our English penal and Sanguinary statuts punish men for adhering to the ancient and authentick Religion of Christendom and for not embracing a new interpretation of Scripture for which there is no credible testimony or proof that it is the Apostolical neither is there as much as a pretence of any miracles to confirm Protestancy or that monstrous Shee-supremacy which was imposed vpon men only to make An Bullens daughter Queen of England and to exclude the right heirs and now reigning family from the Crown Notwithstanding this great disparity My Lord between the severity of the Inquisition and of our penal statuts J wish both equally excluded from this Monarchy and that no compulsion be used against Conscience but that every one be left to choos his own Religion according to his capacity it being likely that none will have a greater care of saving any mans soul then himself who is more concerned therin then any other whether Prince Parliament or Pastor That God may inspire into every soul that one faith without which none is saved ought to be the only common prayer imposed vpon us for that by this vniformity of prayer every man is left to his own Inquisition which is much more agreable to our genious then that of Spain and more likely to make us agree amongst our selves then any penal or Sanguinary statuts all which I humbly submit to your Graces Iudgment begging your Pardon for this trouble and your protection for this Treatise Your Graces most obedient and most humble servant IOHN WILSON THE PREFACE THE end which most Authors propose to themselves in writing Prefaces is to incline mâ—n to read their books but the books are now so many and of such groat busks that even the Prefaces are not perused Notwithstanding this superfluity and surfeit of books I have ventured to add this one to the number not without hopes that the Title will invite men to read the Preface and perhaps the Preface may persuade them to read the Book For Religion and Government being the two things wherin mankind is most concerned the one being the ground of everlasting happiness the other of temporal prosperity and I having vndertaken to
conferences of Religion wherby their title to the churchs-livings may be questioned They will pretend and preach â—hat it is against the rules as well of piety as of policy to inquire into the truth of doctrin or into the right of possession after 100. years prescription But they do not consider or at least would not have others consider that the Roman Catholicks prescriptioÌ„ of 1000. years in England and our Prelats legal possession of lands for the same space of years was not judged by Q. Elizabeths Bishops or Parliaments a sufficient Plea against the pretensions of the Crown to the Church revenues notwithstanding the Church then was thought to be infallible in doctrin and the revenues therof were first intended for and annexed to the Prelats and preachers of the same Roman Catholick doctrin and Church Now if the Protestant Bishops think that the Catholick Bishops were legally and lawfully dispossessed of their revenues and their Doctrin legaly and lawfully condemned and changed by Luther Calvin Cranmer or the Prelaticks interpretation of Scripture confirmed by Act of Parliament how can they imagin to make the world believe that it is now either a sin or sacriledge to be dispossessed themselves of the Church revenues by an Act of Parliament confirming as probable an interpretation of Scripture as theirs or as that of Luther or Calvin is especially seing they confess their doctrin fallible and that the revenues were never intended by those that gave them for preaching or promoting any kind of Protestancy Doubtless this incoherency and their backwardness in reasoning of Religion will render their Zeal for the Church revenues as much suspected as their forwardnes in persecuting tender Consciences hath renderd their persons odious And that there may be no ground for them to work vpon nor to doubt of the Roman Catholick Clergy's loyalty and sincerity in petitioning and pressing for publick conferences of Religion it will be found I doubt not in case any such security be desired or valued that we shall as readily now as in Queen Maries reign resign all the right we can pretend to the revenues of the Church and as then bestow them vpon the Crown for the use and ease of our Country By this it may appear that we have no design but the duty of subjects or the devotion of Christians in desiring that the Protestant Clergys title be examined But they deterr the illiterat layty from this necessary scrutiny by often repeating the word Sacrilege without declaring its signification We know and so do they that it hath bin the ancient practise of God's Church to contribut with all that is Sacred without the least fear or scruple of Sacriledge to the maintenance of the State when the layty is so much empoveris'ht with wars and taxes as we are both in England and Ireland Wee see that in all Catholick Countreys the Clergy doth imitat the example of the ancient Church in the same practise Why our English Bishops Deans and Chapters ought to be exempted from so reasonable and general a custom vnless it be that they are burthend with wives and Children I do not vnderstand But sure their having wives and Children can neither â—make their revenues more Sacred nor â—heir Contributions more Sacriledge on cases of publick necessity As a â—ompetency of maintenance for themselves and for their Childrens education and application to some honest Trades is an act of Charity so to apply the rest of the Church revenues to publik uses for soldiers and seamen and to the payment of the Crown debts is not against Christianity In the conclusion of this Preface I must endeavor to excuse the bulk of my book and the positivenes of my Assertions For the first I could hardly draw into a narrower compass so transcendent a subject and yet I have placed in the end of this Treatise an Index wherin the substance of the whole book is contained to the end every one may find out with ease any point he hath a mind to read As to the positivenes of my assertions most of them being articles of my faith or deductions from my Creed I could not but utter them in the Tone of our infallible Church But becaus I speak to Protestants that condemn our infallibility I attempt to demonstrat their censure against the same is as rash as they fancy our belief is ridiculous J must also ingenuously confess that it is part of my design to diminish the authority of the Protestant and Prelatick writers but seing my arguments are taken out of their own writings and are no other then their wilfull and vndeniable falsifications of Scripture and Fathers I hope none that detests so horrid a crime will condemn my Censure or defend their credit Whether I have bin faithfull in setting down their falsifications I must submit to the Iudgment of my Readers as also beg pardon for intermedling with so much of government as necessarily depends of Religion and ought to be proportioned therunto our Protestant Statesmen will not only pardon but protect me when they reflect vpon the impossibility there is of regulating the motions or appeasing the mutinies of a body politik by a faith so vncertain as that of the fallible Church of England or by a rule of Religion so applicable to rebellion as the letter of Scripture is when left to every privat mans arbitrary interpretation THE TABLE Part I. Of the Beginning Progress and Principles in general And of the Prelatick Church of England in Particular HOw necessary a rational Religion is for a Peacable Government Pag. 1. Wherein the Reasonableness of Religion Consists Pag. 8. How dangerous it is for a Temporal Soveraign to pretend to a Spiritual Jurisdiction over his Subjects Pag. 10. The Grounds of Peace Piety and Policy Pag. 10. The Catholick World ever acknowledg'd the Bishop of Rome's Spiritual Jurisdiction over all Christians Pag. 11. The same Religion which St. Gregory the great held was by St. Augustine taught to our Ancestors Pag. 19. Of the Author and beginning of Protestancy and of Luther's Disputation and Familiarity with the Devil Pag. 22. How weakly Protestants Excuse Luther's Conference with the Devil Pag. 29. The Mass a Visible and True Sacrifie proved by the Councils and Doctors of the Church Pag. 36. The Sacrifice of the Mass offered for the Dead Pag. 37. Of the Principles and Propagation of Protestancy Pag. 39. The Fundamental Principles of Protestancy Pag. 43. Protestants affirm that if a man have an Act of Faith sin does not hurt him Pag. 46. Protestants affirm that all Christians Men and Women are Priests by Baptism Pag. 50. Of the Protestant Church of England in K. H. VIII's Reign Pag. 53. Henry the VIII weary of Queen Catharine Pag. 53. Anne Bullen's Incest and Leudness Pag. 54. Henry the VIII's Tyranny Pag. 56. Tyndal's Translation of the Bible abolish'd Pag. 59. Of the English Religion and Reformers in K. Edw. VI's days Pag. 60. The first Reformers of the Prelatick
so absolute and arbitrary that the Clergy may at least indirectly spiritualize any thing for their temporal conveniency at least that they may persuade such as by an implicit faith submit to their authority and direction to question if not contemn any ciuil Gouernment wherof they mislike the Lawes or Ministers and by their Ecclesiastical Censures fright the illiterat multitude into rebellion upon the score of religion To prevent this â—anger our English states-men think fit to continue that supremacy of spiritual Iurisdiction in our Kings which K. Henry 8. assumed how piously and politikly shall be seen herafter At present we will only obserue that it is thought to be the concern as well as the custom of Soueraigns to employ Clergy men in state affaires for two reasons 1. That they may be as much engaged in defending the temporal jurisdiction which they receiue from and exercise by fauour of their Prince as in vphoulding the spirituall so much recommended to them by the Pope 2. That the Soueraigns may be cleered from all suspicions and aspersions of intermedling with the soules of their subjects farther then the Church and the Pastors therof do allow This Christian policy is imitated by the Turck he thinks it so necessary for the safety of a Prince not to be suspected by his people of affecting a spiritual supremacy that he consults with and euen remits to his Mufty matters of state depending of Religion The Pagans giue the same respect to their Priests and the wisest Heathen Princes who tooke vpon themselues the High Priesthood pretended and persuaded their subjects by some counterfait miracle that they had bin inspired or commanded by the Gods to assume the dignity or that the same was due to them by descent from some Deity And indeed nothing less then a miracle can make it prudently credible that God doth trust temporal Soueraigns with a spiritual supremacy The ground therfore of policy as well as of piety and peace consists in the choyce of a Clergy or Church for gouerning soules whose doctrin jurisdiction and caracter hath bin confirmed by supernatural miracles The legal settlement of such a Religion and Clergy is so agreable to reason and so acceptable to all sorts of people that the non-conformity therunto will be prudently and popularly judged to proceed rather from the contumacy then from the conscience of the non-conformists and the seuerity of lawes against such Recusants will sauor more of piety then cruelty and moue more the generality of subjects to praise the Soueraign then pitty the sufferers In a word such a Church and Religion will make the Prince powerfull and popular the multitude peaceable and obedient the Clergy respected their riches and priuileges not enuied it will take away conscientious pretences of rebellion and remoue or reconcile all differences between the spiritual and temporal jurisdiction That the Roman Catholick Clergy and Religion hath all these properties and the Protestant reformations not one of them shall appeare after we haue finished the historicall part of this Treatise Now to the matter of fact For the space of almost 1500. yeares it was the general belief of Christendom that the true Catholick Doctrin was professed only by such as held to the Roman faith and that the Supremacy of spiritual jurisdiction was annexed to the Bishop of Rome as St. Peters Successor and Christs Vicar vpon earth and that the Sea Apostolick changed not any one point of faith the first 600. yeares is acknowledged by our learned Adversaries as also affirmed by the Fathers that the Roman faith or Church and the Catholick faith or Church are Synonima and that he who is not in communion with the Bishop of Rome is profane and not in the way of salvation And though some of the more modern Greecks attempted to make their Patriarch of Constantinople at least equal with the Bishop of Rome yet their frequent submissions and recantations of that presumption together with the cleere testimonies of their holy and ancient Bishops and Councells in behalfe of the Popes supremacy ouer the Churches of the East as well as of the West sufficiently demonstrat the error of the Greek Schismatiks I say therfor that for the space of almost 1500. yeares the Roman Doctrin was held to be the true Catholick and Apostolick and the Roman Bishop to be S. Peters successor and Christs Vicar vpon earth For abbeit our learned Adversaries do not all agree in acknowledging that the Roman doctrin was pure for the first 600. Yeares some of them saying that it began to be corruped after the Yeare 400. others before that tyme yet they do not prove their assertions but ground them upon this only reason that the Church in those ages did censure as Heresies some points of Protestancy and condemned the Authors as heretiks In particular Henaias for opposing the worship of Images Aerius for denying prayer and offering the Sacrifice of the Mass for the Dead Vigilantius for denying prayer to Saints and their worship as also the Monastical Profession the single and unmarried life of Priests denied not only by Vigilantius but by Jovinian and others as the Churches visibility and continuance by the Donatists But the censuring these protestant doctrins as errors cannot be an argument of corruption or chang of faith in the Church that did censure them vnless it be made appeare that the opinions censured had bin formerly the ancient and generally receiued belief of the Catholick and visible Church so that these and the like exceptions are grounded only vpon some vnlearned Protestants suppositions without proofe and rather confirm then disproue what we say Therfore we shall not argue against them but in this particular of the Roman doctrins purity for the first 600. yeares we will prefer the testimony of their more learned brethren viz. their greatest Doctor Bishop Ieuell Bishop Godwin D. r Humfrey D. r Bell Bishop Bale and many others of their best Diuines versed in Ecclesiasticall history all of them positiuely affirming that the Roman faith was pure for the first 600. years and that S. Gregory the great Bishop of Rome with whom ended that terme of years liued and dyed in the purity of the primitiue faith and that all the Orthodox Christians of the whole world professed his belief and communicated with him as appeareth also by his correspondence and communion of faith with the Patriarchs of Alexandria Antioch Constantinople and Hierusalem and with all the Orthodox Churches of the world through out Asia Africk and Europe We do also agree with most protestant Writers in this that the same Religion which S. Gregory the great held was that which S. Austin the Monk and his Companions sent by Gregory into England to conuert the Saxons taught our Ancestors and that God was pleased to confirm the faith which they preacht with Miracles as appeareth by the Confession of our Adversaries and by S. Gregories letters to Austin
doctrin and therfore resolved to accomodat the doctrin of the Church of England to his humour Hooper and Rogers agreed vpon an ecclesiastical Government inconsistent with Monarchy which was that over every 10. Churches or Parishes in England there should be a learned Superintendent appointed who should have faithful readers vnder him and that all Popish Priests should clean be put out And to draw all publick matters of state and Religion to them-selves they composed a Treatise to prove That it is lawful for any privat man to reason and writ against a wicked Act of Parliament and vngodly Councel c. see Fox pag. 1357. col 1. num 72. And Hoopers prophecy against the Prelatick protestants for not conforming them-selves to his Puritan and Presbiterian disciplin pag 1356. And of his contention with Cranmer and other Prelatick protestants about the oath of Supremacy c. Fox pag. 1366. Both Cranmer and Ridly made apear to the Protector and Councel that Hoopers Presbiterian disciplin was not consistent with the Constitution of Parliaments and the refusal of the oath of Supremacy to be of dangerous consequence in a tyme that Deuenshir Northfolk and many other Shires had taken arms in defence of the Roman Catholick faith It was further considered that so sudain a change from on extreme to an other in matters of religion as it would have bin from ceremonious Popery to plain Preâ—bitery was against the rules of policy therfore seing the people had bin so long accustomed to the Mass and to Ecclesiastical ceremonies it was judg'd expedient to make the vulgar sort believe the chang was not of Religion but of language that the common prayr was the Mass in English that the substance of the Catholick faith was retained in the Prelatick caps copes and surplises and what alteration there seem'd to be was but of things indifferent or petty circumstances and had bin resolved vpon by the King and Parliament more to preserve vniformity then to promote novelty as may be seen by any that wil observe the words of the statuts confirming the common prayr book administration rits ad ceremonies of the Sacrament 2. Ed. 6.1 and the Councels letter to the Bishops recited by Fox pag. 1184. col 1. Whereof long tyme there had bin in this Realm of England divers forms of common prayer And where the Kings Majesty hath hereto fore divers tyms assayed to stay innovations or new rits To the intent that an vniform quiet and godly order should be had concerning the premises hath appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury should draw and make one convenient and meet order of common Prayer and administration of Sacraments to be vsed in England Wales c. The which at this tyme by the ayde of the holy Ghost with vniform agreement is of them concluded c. in the Statut. But in very deed the whole substance of Catholick Religion was changed and nothing retained but so much therof as seemed necessary to keep the name of Christians and had not bin rejected by most of the ancient condemned hereticks as shal appeare by our obseruations vpon the 39. ensuing articles of Religion of the Church of England SECT V. Of the 39. Articles of the Church of England WHosoever considerâ—â— these 39. Articles of Religion composed by Cranmer and his Divines may easily perceive their drift was rather to humour factions at home and dissenting Protestants abroad to countenance sensuality and grant a liberty of not believing the particulars of Christianity then to instruct men in the doctrin of Christ or to prescribe any certain rule of Faith For their method is to word so the matter of the Articles that where Protestants disagree among themselves every one of the dissenting parties may apply the Text to his own sense In so much that the Presbiterians except not against the doctrins themsel-ves rightly explained that is according to their explanation but against the wording and expressions therof which say they are ambiguous and capable of more senses then one and so may be and are wrested to patronise errors In the mistery of the real presence they speak clearly against it because it was resolved in Parliament That England should be Zuinglian in that point against the Catholick faith of Transsubstantiation Wherfore after Cranmer and the other his Contemporisers had set down in five of their six first Articles the belief of the Trinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection wherof no Protestants then doubted they dare not declare themselves in the third wheein they speak of Christ descent into Hell whether it was to that of the damned or to a third place for that if they denyed the first they would have offended Calvin Jf they denyed the last they were sure to disoblige some Lutherans that admitted of Lymbus or a third place In the sixt Article they free all men from an obligation of believing any thing that is not read in Scripture or proved therby and make it their ownly rule of faith and themselves the Judges therof wherin they agree with the ancient Hereticks Arians Donatists Eunomians Nestorians c. But for that some Protestant doctrins are expresly reproved by many Parts of Scripture they make those parts Apocrypha because forsooth they were doubted of by some Churches in the primitive tymes And truly if a man will reflect vpon these words of thâ—ir sixt Article We do vnderstand those Canonical Books of the ould and new Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church he may cleerly see that they believe many parts of the new Testament not to be Canonical Scripture because many parts therof have bin doubted of in the Church before the Canon was determined See after part 2. In the 7. they only declare that Christians are not bound to observe the ceremonial but only the moral law of Moyses In the 8. they tel vs of foure Creeds wherof S. Athanasius his symbol is one are to be believed because they may be proved by Scripture and yet S. Athanasius himself declared in â—he Councel of Nice that the doctrin of his Symbol that is the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation could not be proved by Scripture alone or without Tradition In the 9. and 10. Article they follow the heretick Proclus the Messalians Zuinglius Luther and Calvins doctrin concerning Original sin In the 11. Article they teach with some of the Pseudo-Apostles with Eunomius and with the same Zuinglius Luther and Calvin that men are justified by faith alone See herafter of the justification by only faith how inconsistent with any solicitude or care for good works And in the 12. would faine but in vaine free themselves and their Doctrin from the aspersion of neglecting good works though they maintain them not to be necessary for justification In the 13. Article they say all virtuous moral actions of men â—hat are not in grace have the nature of sin And in the 14. they follow Eunomius Vigilantius
their own Canon and sense of Scripture and of the falshood of the Canon and sense of Scripture of the Church of England as there is for the English Church to make it self judg of the falshood of the Canon and sense of the Church of Rome As for the authority which the Prelatick religion receives from the laws of the land that gives but little advantage seing the Roman Catholick doctrin hath bin confirmed by the temporal laws of every Kingdom Country and Citty besor and at the tyme that Protestancy succeeded and prevailed and yet that legality was not valued by the Reformers The 35. Article is to authorise some Puritan homilies as the 2. wherin the danger of idolatry in Popery is much insisted vpon as if Christians could easily mistake Images for Idols or Saints for Gods Jews and Hereticks have often endeavoured to confound the one with the other Catholicks never The ancient Fathers as also the second Councel of Nice have long since declared the Protestant Doctrin against Images to be heresy and the Councel of Trent confirms the same decree of Nice and demonstrats how far that the Catholick doctrin of worshiping Images is from any danger of Idolatry The words of the Councel sess 25. are The Images of Christ of the Virgin Mother of God and of other Saints are to be had and retained especialy in Churches and that due honour is to be imparted vnto them not for that any Divinity is to be believed to be in them or vertue for which they are to be worshipt or that any thing is to be begg'd of them or that hope is to be put in them as in tyms past the Pagans did who put their trust in Idols but because the honour which is exhibited to them is referr'd to the first pattern which they resemble So that by the Images which we kiss and before which we vncover our heads and kneele we adore Christ and his Saints whose likness they beare we reverence that which is ratified by the Decrees of Councels especialy of the second of Nice against the impugners of Images In the 36. they make it an Article of Religion that their new form of ordaining Priests and Bishops is valid and containeth all things necessary but since his Majesty's happy restauration they have judged the contrary and therfore thought necessary to add thervnto the words Priest and Bishop Yet this wil not serve their turn for before they can have a true Clergy they must change the Caracter of the Ordainers as wel as the form of ordination a valid form of ordination pronounced by a Minister not validly ordained gives no more caracter then if it had continued invalid and never bin altered The present Protestant Bishops who changed the form of their own Ordination vpon their Adversaries objections of the invalidity therof might as wel submit to be ordained by Catholick Bishops as alow by altering the from after so long a tyme and dispute that it was not sufficient to make themselves and their Predecessours Priests or Bishops In their 37. Article they give a spiritual supremacy to the temporal Soveraign But because the world laught at that vanity and at the statuts 1. 8. Eliz. 1. Wherin is declared that the English Soveraignty is so spiritual as that it may give to any person whatsoever whether man or woman lay or ecclesiastick power and authority to exercise any spiritual function and consecrat Priests and Bishops they would fain make vs now believe that they did not attribut to the Queen and her Successours any power of ministring God's word or the Sacraments notwithstanding that the aforesaid Statuts yet in force certify the contrary And indeed if none can give what himself hath not seing the Kings of England can give power and authority to any person watsoever to consecrat Priests and Bishops and to exercise all kind of spiritual ministery and jurisdiction concerning God's word and Sacraments this power and ministery cannot be denyed to be inherant in themselves In the 38. and 39. articles they endeavour to supress some errors of the Anabaptists which necessarily follow from the foundation and principles of Protestancy for if it be lawfull to deprive men of a spiritual authority and jurisdiction wherof they are in present possession and which their Predecessours had peaceably enjoy'd tyme out of memory the consequence of the lawfulness to deprive men of their temporal jurisdiction Dominions riches and goods is evident by a parity of reason for if peaceable and present possession confirm'd by a prescription of many ages be not sufficient to ground right for the Roman Bishop and Clergy to govern souls and to enjoy the Church livings ther is no temporal Prince or person can be secure or have a right to govern subjects or possess his Dominions So that by the same warrant wherby Prelatick Protestants have taken from the Pope and Roman Clergy their spiritual jurisdiction and temporalities the Anabaptists and all others may evidently demonstrat that all goods are common and no one person can pretend right to Superiority or any thing he doth possess SECT VI. Of the effects which these 39. Articles of Prelatick Protestancy immediatly produced in England and may produce at any tyme in every state wher such principles are made legal and how the Roman Catholick Religion was restored by Act of Parliament of Queen Mary AFter that Prelatick Protestancy had not only bin permitted but established by Parliament in England ensued the destruction of many thousand innocent people as also of the Protector Seamor and K. Eduard 6. togeather with the exclusion of Q. Mary and others the lawful Heires of the Crown and the in trusion of the Lady Jane Grey and in her of Dudly's son and family vnto the Royal throne These were effects of Protestancy not events of fortunc they were designs driven and directed by the principles of the Reformation the like wherof any politick and popular subject may compass as wel as Dudly witness our late long Parliament and Oliver Cromwel's proceedings Though K. Edward 6. was but a Child and his vncle the Protector no great Polititian yet they had a grave and wise Councel but against the liberty and latitude which men are allow'd by the principles of Protestancy no conduct can prevail nor government be safe as appeareth in many examples and in our late Soueraign's Reign and death Jt's in vain to make particular articles of Religion or temporal Statuts if there be a general principle admitted as if it were the word of God wherby both are rendred vnsignificant One of the general principles and indeed the foundation of Prelatick Protestancy is that it is lawful for privat men and subjects such were all the first Protestant Reformers to despise and depose their spiritual Superiours by their own arbitrary interpretations and applications of Scripture notwithstanding the peaceable possession immemorial prescription legality and exercise of their sayd Superiour's authority and jurisdiction From hence it
evidently followeth that if it be lawful to deal thus with spiritual Superiours it must be as lawful a fortiori to deal after the same manner and vpon the same grounds of every privat man's interpretation of Scripture with temporal Superiours To imagin therfore that by a particular article of Religion or by an Act of Parliament against Presbiterians Quakers Anabaptists c. in favour of the subject's property to temporal goods or of the King's prerogatives and soveraignty such mens minds or mouths wil be stopt from raising tumults and runing into a rebellion so cleerly waranted by the fundamental principle of the Protestant Reformation is but a fancy not to be rely'd vpon by any discreet person Dudly Earl of Waâ—vvick and afterwards Duke of Northumberland observing that by this foundation of Protestancy the very ground of Alegiance and Obedience not only to the spiritual but also to the civil Magistrat is vndermin'd resolved to make his son King of England and in order therunto marryed him to the Lady Jane Grey a Protestant of the bloud royal not doubting but that they who had renounc'd all subordination unto their spiritual Superiours vnder the pretext of a reformation would vpon the same score preferr the lady Jane to the Crown before the Princess Mary a Constant Catholick Therfore after that he had beheaded the Protector and poyson'd the King he crown'd his son's wife with the concurrence and applause of the Prelatick Clergy Cranmer Ridly c. and with the consent of the Protestant Nobility and Citty of London But Protestancy not being at that tyme so deeply rooted nor so largly spread in the nation the Catholick Gentry and Commons togeather with Q. Maries great courage and resolution quash't this Polititian's design and brought him to due punishment Vpon the scaffold he declared that he never had bin a Protestant in his judgment and only made use of it's profession and principles for temporal ends as to raise his family c. he advertiss't the people of the new Religion's inconsistency with peace and quiet that it's Clergy were but Trumpets of sedition The substance of his speech is set down by D. r Heylin in these words He admonish'd the spectatours to stand to the Religion of their Ancestors rejecting that of later date which had occasion'd all the misery of the foregoing thurty years and that for prevention for the future if they desir'd to present their souls vnspotted in the sight of God and were truly affected to their Country they should expel those tempests of sedition the Preachers of the reform'd Religion that for himself what soever had otherwise bin pretended he profess'd no other Religion then that of his Fathers for testimony wherof he appeal'd to his good freind and ghostly Father the Lord Bishop of Worcester and finaly that being blinded with ambition he had bin contented to make rack of his conscience by temporising for which he profess'd himself sincerly repentant and so acknowledg'd the justice of his death A Declaration saith D. r Heylin very vnseasonable whether true or false as that which rendred him less pittied by the one side and more scorn'd by the other This is a more Politick then pious observation of D. r Heylin would he not have men confess their faults and profess their â—aith when they are dying and would he have them preferr the vanity of the pitty or scorn of the world when they are to bid the whole world adieu before the satisfaction and salvation of the soule I feare too many of D. r Heylins principles not only deferr until the last houre the profession of the truth but even then dissemble thinking a Declaration and recantation of their errors at that tymâ— either vnseasonable or vnpardonable and preferr the vanity of the world's opinion before the necessity of a conversion vnto the true faith Q. Marys daunger ended not with Dudlys death it lasted as long as ther was any man to head the Protestant party and to put the people in mind of it's principles First the Duke of Suffolck and others plotted the setting up once more of the Lady Jane Grey and began the execution therof by their Proclamations against Q. Marys intended mariage with Philip of Spain this occasioned the Lady Jan's death Other zealots of the Protestant Religion concluded a mariage between the Lord Courtny and the Lady Elizabeth their plot was discover'd as also Wyats Rebellion suppress'd all these things were don by the advice and assistance of the Protestant Clergy that remained in England and were commended by such of them as liv'd abroad D. r John Poinet the last Bishop of Winchester was not only of Wyat's Councel but continued in his camp vntil he perceiv'd the design would not take then he departed telling the Rebels he would pray for their good success Goodman and Knox rayled in their Books against the Queen and Calvin in his Coment vpon Amos termeth her Proserpine Goodman hath this expression Wyat did but his duty and it was but the duty of all others that profess the Ghospel to have risen with him for the maintenance of the same His cause was just and they were all Traytors that took not part with him O Noble Wyat thou art now with God and those worthy men that dyed in that happy enterprise This was the primitive spirit these the first effects of our English Protestancy Not only the Queen out of a zeal to the Roman Catholick Religion but the Privy Councel and Parliament moved with a desire of peace seing it was moraly impossible to govern people protestantly principl'd resolved to restore the ancient doctrin wherwith their Ancestours had so long prosper'd and to suppress the Protestant novelties by the rigour of the laws formerly made against heresies which had bin repeal'd at the instance of the reform'd Preachers and Prelats in K. Edward 6. raign And therfore as D. r Bancroft Arch-Bishop of Canterbury confesseth in his book of dangerous positions pag. 63. though Q. Mary was a Princess of nature and disposition very mild and inclined to pittie yet she and her government is taxed with too much severity by them that consider not the nature and consequences of Protestancy If Tinkers Taylors Tapsters Tanners and Spinsters would needs run into the fier for defending the fond inventions of Cranmer and of other known Temporisers who could help it neither patience nor pains was wanting in the Catholick Clergy to reduce them to the truth but their obstinacy and the vanity of dying Martyrs forsooth made them preferr their own privat sence of Scripture before that of the whole visible Church So charitable were the Catholicks that they delay'd the penalties of such as they could not convert and connived at them who endeavored to escape by absenting or concealing themselves And as for Cranmer Ridly Latimer and the other Ringleaders of Protestancy they had liberty given them to maintain their cause in publick disputations with the tyme books and notaries
every day rather loose then gain ground and the generality of these Nations can not be wrought vpon either by fair or foul means to thinck wel of that Religion or to submit their Judgments and consciences to the direction of the Bishops and Prelatick ministery The reasons are obvious to such as are not obstinat 1. The incredibility of their pretented spiritual caracter and jurisdiction 2. The incoherency of their doctrin with the fundamental principles of Protestancy Their Episcopal caracter and jurisdiction is as incredible as King Henry 8. spiritual supremacy Queen Elizabeths legitimacy and the validity and solemnity of their first Bishops consecrations They have indeed of late endeavored to excuse the latness of their Masonian Registers discovery and to cleere them from the suspitions of forgery but so faintly and fraudulently that their vindication though pen'd and published by on of the ablest Prelats of their Church hath furnished their adversaries with so many new demonstrations against their Caracter that in steed of a reply the Protestant Bishops have resolued vpon a submission to the evidence of our arguments and changed the controverted and essential part of their forms of Ordination As they endeavored of late to vindicat their Registers from forgery so they long since explained the Queens supremacy but so contrary to the known laws of the land and cleer words of their Oaths both of supremacy and Episcopal homage that neither can bear their fond interpretations and if they could the Bishops would have nothing to shew for their pretended spiritual function and jurisdiction it being manifest they cannot deduce either of them by succession from any Apostolick Church or orthodox Councel and therfor must content them-selves with what they can buy from a lay soveraign and temporal Statuts or acknowledg the truth and confess ingeniously they are but lay-men and have no lawful authority to take vpon them a spiritual function and jurisdiction seing they have no Catholick Predecessours and degenerat from the first Protestant Reformers and are ashamed to claim with Presbiterians and Fanaticks the extravagancy of a privat spirit and extraordinary vocation The incoherency also of the Prelatick doctrin maks these nations averse from the Prelatick Church and Clergy â—n the 39. Articles of Religion they declare with Luther and the first Reformers that no visible sign or ceremony and by consequence no such thing as imposition of Episcopal hands was instituted by Christ or is the necessary matter of a Priest's and Bishop's ordination and yet now of late that visible sign and ceremony is held by them-selves to be so essential that without the same no caracter of Priesthood or Episcopacy is thought to be given to the party ordained and therfor they reordain such Presbiterian Ministers as did neglect or contemn imposition of Episcopal hands 2. They maintain in the same 39. Articles that the Roman Catholick Church hath falen into damnable errors and acknowledg that only such a fal can justify the Protestants separation or excuse them from sin and schism And yet when they are pressed with a consequence that necessarily follows out of this supposition to wit that if the Roman and visible Church had so erred Protestants can have no Christian faith nor certainty of the Scriptur's being God's word or of the Trinity and Incarnation c. which they received and retain vpon the sole Testimony of the Roman Catholick Church having in their own 39. Articles declared the Greeck Church Heretical for the doctrin of the Holy Ghost's procession and therfor it 's testimony even in other Articles is invalid and it's concurrence in those other Articles with the Roman Church is vnsignificant And yet they again contradict them-selves and confess that the Roman Catholick Church is infalible in all articles necessary for saluation 3. The same inconstancy and incoherency they shew in denying that doctrinal Traditions are the word of God or that Tradition it self is a sufficient ground of Divine belief and yet when they are demanded to shew a proof by cleer Scripture of the distinction between single Priesthood and Episcopacy v.g. then they maintain that traditional doctrin is God's word and the testimony of the Roman visisible Church a sufficient evidence therof Their wavering and inconsequent way of proceeding doth manifest to the world that as wel in this as in other particulars of Christian Religion nay even in declaring which are necessary or not necessary points of faith the Prelatick Clergy hath a greater regard to their own conveniency then to God's veracity and to the revenues of â—he Church then to the saluation of souls Otherwise why should they take our Roman Catholick word for Episcopacy and not for the Pop's supremacy for the letter but not for the sence of Scripture for not rebaptising or for receiving relaps'd penitents more then for Purgatory or Transubstantiation or for keeping Sonday and not praying to Saints c. Seeing all these doctrins are equaly proposed to them as Catholick truths by the sole credible testimony and tradition of our one and the same Roman Catholick Church the testimony of the Greeck and all other Churches as hath bin sayd being rendred invalid by the hereticks wherwhith Protestants confess they are infected Some are of opinion that if the more modern Prelaticks had not forsaken their ould way of being ordained Bishops by the Queens letters patents or by some such publick testimony and superficial ceremony of their Congregations without troubling them-selves with the doctrin of the inward caracter given by imposition of Episcopal hands so contrary to the principles of the reformation a broad and to the 23. and 25. of their own 39. Articles at home they had not bin so hard put to it by their Presbiterian Brethrens arguments who stick to the Tenets and Rules of pure and primitive Protestancy detesting those formalities and dregs of Popery which Prelaticks of late have so much affected in ordaining of Ministers Mr. Hooker Dr. Couel and some other Prelaticks in their writings towards the end of Queen Elizabeths reign began to inculcat the doctrin of making Ordination a spiritual caracter imprinted in the soul by imposition of Episcopal hands and not a bare formality of the secular Magistrat's election by some outward ceremony or letters patents as all English Protestants had believed and practised vntil Hooker and Couel broacht this among their other Popish novelties and therfor were publickly blamed and complained of by Prelatick Writers and particularly by Dr. Willet in his worck vpon the 112. Psalm printed 1603. and dedicated to the Queens Majesty page 91. he saith From this fountain have sprung forth these and such other whirlpoints and bubles of new doctrine and amongst others he sets down as a novelty in the Church of England this That there is in ordination given an indelible caracter and then addeth Thus have some bin bould to teach and write who as some Schismaticks the Puritans have disturbed the peace of the Church one
so zealous as every Protestant is in ours If any Protestants lived then why did not they speack or write were they all Temporisers and Turn-coats or were they all so blind dumb deaf and dull that not one of them could see heare reprehend or observe practises and ceremonies so erronious obvious and offensive The Protestant evasion or answer to this evident Demonstration is both frivolous and fallacious Their chief Doctors acknowledg they can not tell by whom nor at what time the Popish errors were broacht and say that errors in Religion may creep as insensibly into the Church as a building may decay or white haires grow in man's head as if forsooth all and every Christian of the world and particularly the Pastors and Prelats of the Church were as much concern'd in the observation of every gray hair and head or in the preservation of every building from decay as they are in observing and preserving the purity and integrity of every article of faith and in opposing the least novelty contrary to the same Besids the outward profession and propagation of those points of Popery that Protestants suppose to have crept insensibly into the Church could neither be concealed nor confounded with the contradictory principles and practises of Protestancy as a white hair may be easily confounded and concealed with others that cover or come neer it in colour Moreover the chang from youth and stately buildings into gray hairs and ruinous edifices is wrought insensibly by the hand of time without any perceptible concurrence of any other cause Time wears out and consumeth structure strength youth and beauty whether men gaze or not gaze vpon such gay objects but the planting preaching or inculcating of new doctrin and new ceremonies of Religion are of a quite contrary nature they have not such dependency of time alone they must be effects of attention and observation of discourses and disputs of Sermons and Catechisms they must be also professed and practised in the view of the world Time without these and the like notorious practises and observations can not alter Christian Religion nor induce a contrary superstition Lastly Granted there were no fallacy in the similitude nor disparity in the Comparison the examples are better retorted against Protestancy then applied to Popery for though haires may begin to grow white and buildings to decay without any great notice taken of their chang yet when either coms to the height or even to the mediocrity of their chang that chang is observ'd by as many as have eyes to see and is not only observed but resented and remedied according to their power by them who are most concerned in such decays and defects If then a white head is so easily discern'd from black and a ruin'd edifice from a new Palace and a decay'd face from a beauty by all kind of people that make use of their senses and if so much industry is used by them who are most sensible of those imperfections to hinder their further progress or appearance how is it possible that all or any orthodox Christians being so greatly and particularly concern'd in the purity and truth of their Religion and in the observation of it's rites and Ceremonies could be for many ages so stupid as not to distinguish it's doctrin and profession from the quite contrary or so carless in applying remedies against the grouth and continuance of errors both damnable and discernable Is it not more probable and possible that Martin Luther a man so impious proud and passionat that him-self acknowledgeth he did retain Idolatry in the Church at Wittenbergh to vex his Scholler Carolostadius should to disgrace the Pope and Papists his enemies be seduc'd by his confessed disputation and submission in his diabolical doctrin then that the whole visible Church Fathers and Councels before Luther for at least 1000. years should not only forsake Christ's doctrin but mistake the true sence of Scripture now pretended to be so cleer and manifest to every Protestant That all the world did conspire and concurr to such an apostasy is not credible That they who did not concurr should sit quiet and conive is as vnlikly If no Pastor nor Prelat had the courage to oppose Idolatry and superstition sure some one or other would have had the curiosity to describe the occasion beginning and progress of so great and remarkable a change and would mention if not condemn the stupidity of the whole Church in not opposing doctrin so inconscionable and vnreasonable And yet ther is no Tradition therof nor a syllable in any history sacred or profane of this supposed change in any on point of Popery nor so much as the least sign therof in any monument of antiquity SECT II. The Protestants evasion of the cleerness of Scripture against our Roman doctrin as also of the invisibility of their own Church confuted and the incredibility of the supposed change and Apostasy proved by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant principles THE second evasion of Protestant Writers is that they are not bound to inquire when or wher our Popish errors crept into the Church or became so vniversal but think it sufficient to prove by Scripture that Popery is not Christ's doctrin This shift is no less absurd then the former because they suppose for granted what is denyed and the subject to our disputes The controversy between Protestants and Catholicks is whether the Roman Tenets be contrary to Scripture Protestants say they are and prove it because forsooth Scripture is contrary to the Roman Tenets We deny it and they prove it only by pretending that the letter and sense of Scripture is evident for the Protestant doctrin and by consequence they must say that all Papists for the space of 1500. or at least 1000. years have bin either so witless as not to vnderstand what is evident or so wicked as to contradict evidence and the cleerness of God's written-word and meaning Let any Protestant who hath so much sense as to vnderstand that nothing but the obscurity of Scripture can make it the subject of disputs and occasion diversity of opinions among so honest and learned Christians be judg whether the controversies between us and Lutherans Presbiterians and Prelaticks c. be not a demonstration that the true sense of Scripture is not cleer and evident in the controverted Texts And if the dissent and dissentions amongst honest men and learned Scripturists be an vndeniable proof and evidence of Scriptur's obscurity whether it be not great obstinacy in Protestants to maintain that Popery is evidently condemned in Scripture and that so many thousands of honest and learned Papists could not or would not discover what is cleer to every illiterat Protestant or if they did would not embrace that truth to which their judgments and God's cleer word did direct them Until the year 1517. no man euer pretended the cleerness of Scripture for Protestancy at that time Martin Lather seeing all
the Fathers contradicted his protestant doctrin bouldly affirmed the ancient Doctors and Fathers of all former ages to have bin blind and most ignorant in the Scripturs and to have erred all their life time And in Colloq cap. de Patribus Ecclesioe Luther saith of sundry Fathers in particular thus Jn the writings of Jerome there is not a word of true faith in Christ and sound Religion Tertullian is very superstitious J have holden Origen long since accursed Of Chrysostom I make no accompt Basil is of no worth he is wholy a monk I way him not a haire Cyprian is a weak Divine c. Adding further that the Church did degenerat in the Apostles age and that the Apology of his scholler Philip Melancton doth far exceed all the Doctors of the Church and exceed even Austin him self And in his Treatise de formulâ Missae in tom 3. Germ. folio 274. Jf the Councel should in any case decree this the Communion vnder both kinds least of all then would we vse both kinds yea rather in despite of the Councel and that decree we would vse either but one kind or neither notwithstanding Christ's precept and the necessity of that spiritual refection and in no case both But this man's bare word ought not to weigh more then the Testimony of all the Fathers and Councels that went before him or be preferred before the constant Tradition of 15. ages especialy if we reflect vpon the pride and passion which he declares in all his writings not only against the Doctors of the Roman Church but against his own Disciples and as hath bin said how in the begining of his reformation when his spirit was in it's primitive fervor he doth plainly confess that he did favour Idolatry to contradict Carolstadius for anticipating his commands in a point of the reformation viz. for abolishing of the adoration and elevation of the B. Sacrament in his absence I did know saith he the elevation of the Sacrament to be Idolatricall yet nevertheless J did retain it in the Church at Wittenberg to the end J might despite the Devill Carolstadius And yet this wicked friar's authority is the first foundation of protestancy Therfore notwithstanding his known impiety he is termed by their writers Holy saint Luther a man sent of God to lighten the world the Helias Conductor and Chariot of Israel to be reverenced next after Christ and Paul greater then whom lived not since the Apostles tims The Angel and last trumpet of God whose caling was immediat and extraordinary c. Let the most peevish Protestant I say once more be judg whether it be not more probable and possible that one privat proud and passionat man did mistake the true sence of Scripture and misapply the words therof to humour his passion of pride and revenge then that all the primitive Fathers and Christians of the world did conspire to forsake the known true letter and cleer meaning of God's word or if all did not conspire in the Apotasy that there should be no monument left or mention made in record history or tradition of the fidelity of the party that resisted Secondly this supposed change is proved incredible not only by the impossibility of an insensible change in a thing so remarkable and important as the doctrin and Profession of Christian Religion but also by the impossibility that a change and corruption of Christ's doctrin should be made to the detriment of the wary layties temporal interest and to the disadvantage both of the layty and Clergie's liberty For when men resolve to go out of the narrow way which leads to heaven they are not so foolishly wicked as to retire from the wide world into deserts or Monasteries and to impose vpon themselves or their followers an obligation or principles of a more strict course of life then that which they had forsaken as dayly experience doth cleerly demonstrat If protestancy therfor was the primitive and pure Christian Religion the fall from it to Popery must have bin rather condessending then contrary to sensuality and liberty And yet if the doctrin of the reformation and it's exceptions against Popery be considered we shal find that in every particular wherin they differ Protestancy doth favour liberty and vice Popery doth favour temperance and virtue We shal declare herafter to what great crimes and carlesness of life men are encouraged by the Protestant doctrine of predestination and justification by faith alone Christ's sufferings and satisfaction for our sins they apply not to themselves by imitation of his virtues and mortification of the flesh but think it a diminution of his glory and a disrespect to his person that men endeavour by God's grace to help themselves and to cooperat with Christ's passion and vpon thiâ— ground they rayse their batteries against Indulgences Purgatâ—â—y â—â—lgrimages Prayer to Saints Confession of sins Pennance the three Vows and the austerity of a Religious life Works of Supererogation c. and censure Catholicks as guilty of superstition and folly for believing that though Christ's passion be infinitly sufficient to redeem vs from the guilt and penalties of sin yet is it not sufficiently and actualy applied to actual sinners without their own concurrence good works and the Sacraments of the Church As for their pretence that Christ hath satisfied for all they may as wel say that he hath prayed fasted and given almes for all and so discharge men of all such Christian-duties and devotions And as to other particulars we desire to know what can the Protestant Clergy's design be in allowing Priests mariages and a liberty to dissolve mariages change wives and husbands in case of adultery departure infirmity by child-birth or otherwise but lust and sensual liberty contrary to the instition of matrimony and to the purity and practise of Christianity which Roman Catholicks observe From whence proceedeth their allowing of eating of flesh and fish promiscuously on all days of the year but from gluttony Their Clergy's denyall of the Pop's superiority which their betters in virtue birth and learning acknowledg but from want of humility And their placing it in the temporal Soveraign but from excess of flattery Their dulness in confounding the substance with the appearance of bread and wine in the Sacrament but from sensuality Their denial of the Church's infallibility and yet assert in themselves an vncontroul'd authority but from pride and obstinacy Their fond expressions of their own prelatick reformation and doctrin but from want of Christian modesty and from their for-fathers the ancient hereticks whose presumption and obstinacy was neuer more manifestly absurd nor more legaly condemned at Nice Ephesius Calcedon or Constantinople then the Protestant Tenets have bin at Trent as wil appeare to any that wil read the history of those Councels and compare the objections and exceptions made by Arians Nestorians and Eâ—â—tychians e. against the Authority and decrees wherby they
Protestancy an infallible mark of a false Church and of Hereticks whose endeavor saith Tertullian Is not to convert Pagans but to pervert Christians Negotium est illis Haereticis non Ethnicos convertendi sed nostros evertendi Their success in that particular is no argument that God approves of their Religion but is only a sign of our human frailty and perverse inclinations to vice and liberty And they who say that the Protestant Reformation needs no other miracle to prove that it is Divine but it's propagations mistake and misapply the argument the miracle consists not in that many embraâ—â— Protestancy but rather in that any at all reject or forsake a Religion so favorable to sensuality of liâ—â— and singularity of judgment Is it not an argument and a miracle of God's special and super-natural grace that any one temporal Catholick Soveraign reject so absolut and advantagious a jurisdiction over these Subjects as the spiritual supremacy That Bishops preferr the Catholick subordination to the Pope before the Protestant equality That Catholick Priests contemn the conveniences and coâ—â—â—nt which Protestant Ministers find in a married life 〈◊〉 â—hat the Catholick laytâ— change not their wives or husbands according to the principles and practises 〈◊〉 Protesâ—â—â—cy and not only contradict their senses in the 〈…〉 Transubstantiation but dis-own the Protestant pretended right of every privat person to judg according to his own sense of 〈…〉 all controversies of Christian Religion A Reformation so indulgent and obliging to every man and woman of what â—â—ate and condition soever could as litle want Proselies as the 〈◊〉 neither is the multitude of believers more a miracle 〈…〉 Pâ—â—â—estant then in the Mahometan or any other popular 〈◊〉 pleasing Religion SECT VIII Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their justifying faith with justice or civil Government Demonstrated in the new setlement of Irland and in the persecution against Catholicks in England and yet the King and his government vindicated from the note of Tyrany or the breach of publick faith because his Ministers are compell'd by a necessity of state to run with the spirit and principles of Protestancy Notwithstanding all which the Irish and English Roman Catholicks are bound in conscience not to attempt the recovery of their right or Religion by arms but rather to submit them-selves to his Majesty and suffer their crosses with Christian patience All Protestants agree in the doctrin of Iustification by only faith but seem to differ in that of good works And though all necessity of good works be in very deed excluded by the pretended sufficiency and efficacy of the Protestant justifying faith for in what need can a man stand of good works if he be sure of his justification and by consequence of his salvation by only faith But the scandal of the world at their dispensing with the observation of the ten Commandments as things not required by Christians and cleerly inferred from their Iustification by only faith was so general that they disguised but never disown'd the doctrin and do yet stick to their principle though they dare not openly allow the consequences They speak so sparingly in favour of good and gracious works that no one Protestant Church will attribute to them any merit congruity or influence vpon either justification or salvation In so much that our Prelaticks who are more modâ—â—at then any other Protestants in this particular will not grant that good works are commanded by God as if they were depending of our liberty or relating to our endeavors but only are commanded as vnavoydable effects flowing necessarily from a Protestant and justifying faith as heat from fire or fruit from the tree The Prelatick Church of England in the 11. Article of it's Religion saith We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ by faith and not for our own works or deservings Wherfore that we are justified by faith only is a most wholsom doctrin and very full of comfort And in the 12. Article declares All beit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification can not put away our sins and endure the severity of God's Judgment yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith in so much that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit This explanation concerning the necessity of good works makâ— men as carless of them as if they had bin impossible or not at all requisit Because we are not solicitous of what we are sure of he who is well clad and sits by a good fire fears not to be starv'd with could neither doth he think it necessary to vse any other exercise or diligence for keeping him-self warm If therfore good works do spring out as necessarily of a true and lively faith as heat from fire or fruit from the tree any Protestant that supposeth him-self hath that faith needs not be solicitous of good works they will spring as a necessary consequent from his faith But because experience doth shew that the Protestant who pretends to a justifying faith hath not always good works and many who are not Protestants exercise moral virtues it is further declared by the Church of England in the 13. Article for the comfort of Protestants and confusion of Papists That even the best moral works and virtues when they spring not of faith in JESUS Christ are no way pleasing to God but rather have the nature of sin Hence it is our English as well as other Protestants hould expressly with Luther That good works take their goodness of the worker and that no work is disallowed of God vnless the Author be dis-allowed before that sin is not hurtfull to him that actually believeth and therfore when the faithfull do sin they diminish not the glory of God all the danger of sin being the evell example to our neighbour That David when he committed adultery was and remained the Child of God that sin is pardoned as soon as committed the believing Protestant having received forgivness of all his sins past and to come And that there is no work better then other to make water to wash dishes to be a Sower or an Apostle all is one to please God That he who doth once truly believe cannot afterwards fall from the grace of God or loose his faith by any sins and therfore faith is either perpetual or no faith What a wide gap is opened by this wicked doctrin to all kind of vice libertinism and rebellion is more visible in it self then considered by well meaning Protestants who may tax the most dissolut of their brethren with being evill Christistians but must withall confess them to be good Protestants as not violating the principles of their Religion by which they are encouraged to justify the most wicked actions by
their sole belief in Christ without any regard to the morality of good works or to the alleigance and obedience due to Majesty or Magistrasy That which makes most men carefull in God's service is the vncertainty of their saluation and feare of his displeasure by their dayly sins but Protestants are rid of all those perplexities and troubles by their assurance of being justified and saved by only faith which makes adulteries Murthers rebellions c. either no sins at all in them or so venial that they are no sooner committed then pardoned by a more plenary Jndulgence and Jubilee then ever the Pope pretended to have power to grant and without obligation of any satisfaction almes fasting or prayer for past offences or any purpose of future amendment that purpose being rendred not only superfluous by their faith but ridiculous by their doctrin either of the impossibility of keeping God's Commandments or by their Tenet of the necessary springing of good works from faith And because this their Evangelical liberty and indemnity is not consistent with the words of St. Peter 2. Pet. 1. Brethren labour the more that by good works you may make sure your vocation They either make that Epistle apocryphall or leave out of the Text in their Translations those two words good works It is commonly sayd that though many stats-men be Atheists yet they will never permit Atheism to be made the legal Religion of the state because they know that men who do not believe there is a God or providence cannot be kept in awe of the government or brought to observe any other laws but their own appetits seing they neither feare punishment nor expect rewad in an other life for vice or virtue and without this feare and hopes the multitude cannot be govern'd in this world The same reason concludeth that Protestant Politians ought not to make Protestancy the Religion of the state civil government being rendred as difficult and contemptible by an indulgent and over-confident belief as by non at all He who persuads himself that faith alone is sufficient assurance of his saluation and that such a faith once possess'd can not be lost will not avoyd the occasion or resist the temptation of finning for his pleasure or profit nor omit the oportunity of rebelling whensoever it is offered with probability of success so he be cautious in his vices and villanies his justifying saith makes all his designs and devices conscientious and if he can save him-self from being hang'd his Protestant belief will secure him from being damn'd or droun'd in Hell How impossible it is to govern a multitude where this is the Religion not only permitted but promoted is evident by our late distempers Could Tanners Tinkers Taylors Coblers and Bruers domineer and possess peacebly these tree Kingdoms and murther our lawfull and innocent King by a formality of Religion laws and justice had not their wicked practises bin countenanced by the Protestant principles and look't vpon as a restauration of Protestancy vnto it's primitive purity It is credibly reported of their Ring-leader and Regicide Cromwell that he dyed without remors of conscience or signs of repentance for his monstruous villanies because sayd he to his Protestant Divine that assisted him in his last sickness I am sure to be saved seing I had once justifying faith and could never loose it Every resolut Rogue may attempt the most horrid crimes with hopes of prevailing amongst men whose principles are so presuming vpon mercy and so applyable to mis-chief I know it will be answered by them in whom education hath created zeale for the protestant religion or interest hath rendred obstinat in maintaining the same that the principles and articles of protestancy are mistaken and misapplyed not only by vs Catholiks but even by those protestant Authors last quoted in the margents To which we reply 1. That nothing is more preiudiciall to the soule and good government then a religion subiect to so many mistakes and so generally and plausibly mistaken by it's own greatest Doctors 2. We say that our being mistaken is but their privat opinion which opinion though it were back't by a publick Act of their Church can pretend at most but to probability and so much they must also grant to our contrary censure and Judgment of their justifying faith and seing that of two probable opinions the generality of men follow that which favors most their particular inclinations and interests very few protestants will vary from the most favorable explanation of iustifying faith or will wave the comfort that the 11. Article of the Church of England affords to them in that particular calling or canonising it a most wholsom doctrin and very full of comfort K. James was a wise and fore-seing Prince and in the conference at Hampton-Court did countenance the Dean of Pauls and the Bishop of London disputing against Doctor Reynolds and others that maintained the assurance of salvation or predestination by the protestant justifying faith and yet not withstanding the King's dislike noless politik then religious of a principle so damnable to the soule and dangerous to the state it would not be condemned nor censured unless the 39. Articles of religion and the whole frame of English protestancy were overthrown as Doctor Reynolds made appeare And indeed Mr. Perkins doth demonstrat in his reformed Catholick pag. 39. the necessary connexion and continuance of the assurance of salvation with the protestant doctrin of justifying faith in these words If vpon every aboad in sin the party be again vncertain of his salvation then was the former certainty no certainty at all For his sin notwithstanding he yet remembreth his former supposed certainty and therfore if he was once truly assured he can not during every his aboad in sin forget how that he was so assured which his only remembrance therof suffiseth to continue and preserve his former supposed certainty even during his aboad in sin So that if Cromwel by his justifying faith was once sure of his salvation or predestination Protestants must believe he could never loose that assurance and must grant that he went to heaven without any punishment even in Purgatory for his murthers periury hypocrysy adulteries c. Such a belief must needs raise other Cromwells for who will not venture his life for a Crown by the most vnjust means when he is sure to be cron'd in God's glory though he miss of his ayme in this world and perish in the attempt As it cannot be denyed but that these and the like dangerous consequences do naturally flow from this principle of Protestancy so we must acknowledg and admire the extraordinary skill and constancy of them who sit at the helme and steer the ship of this great Common-wealth so stedily in so turbulent a sea and stormy weather against the most violent currents of perverse inclinations and principles long may they continue their prosperous course but surely them-selves do apprehend that at long running
to vote in Parliament or trusted with any employment in the state who professeth not the prelatick Protestant Religion and swears not the Supremacy and Alleigance And yet we see how litle this Religion and oaths wrought vpon the generality of these Kingdoms or availed the late King None that vnderstands the genius of the English Nation will believe that by nature they are so base and treacherous as of late the world hath observed Therfore what they have don amiss so contrary to the generosity and honesty of their dispositions and to the rules of Christianity must be attributed to their Religion Wherfore it must be concluded that any outward sign though it be but a red scarf or garniture of ribands of the King's colours doth engage and confirm more the subjects and souldiers in their duty and loyalty then the 39. Prelatick Articles and the oath of supremacy A Rebell or Roundhead may t' is true weare the King's colours but not with so great danger to his Majesty or dommage to the publick as when he professeth the King's Religion Very few Englishmen will fly from the King's colours they once weare and profess to esteem but many that profess the 39. Articles will fight against the Prelatick interpretation therof for their own privat sense and against that of the King and Church of England So applicable are the 39. Articles to all dissenting Reformations and so pliable to every Rebellion that is grounded vpon any pretence of Scripture SECT X. How the fundamental principles of the Protestant Reformations maturely examined and strictly followed have led the most learned Protestants of the world to Iudaisme Atheisme Arianisme Mahometanisme c. and their best modern wits and writers to admit of no other Rule of Religion but Natural Reason and the Protestants Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania to deny the Mystery of the Trinity SEbastian Castalio termed by Osiander in epitom pag. 753. Vir apprimè doctus linguarum peritissimus Ranked by Doctor Humfrey In vita Ivelli pag. 265. with Luther and Zuinglius and placed by Pantaleon in Chronographia pag. 123. amongst the Fathers and lights of the Church this great and learned Protestant having considered the Prophecies mentioned in Scripture of the conversion of Kings and Nations by the Christian Church and of it's happy state splendor and continuance and compared all with the very foundation and first principle of protestancy to wit with the protestant supposition of a generall apostacy and fall of the visible Church from the true faith and their remaining in superstition and idolatry for so many centuries of years together with the invisibility of the Protestant Church vntill Luther and by consequence it 's not converting any visible Kings or nations from Paganisme to Christianity having I say maturely considered these things was so perplex'd and doubtfull in point of God's providence and veracity that he came at length to believe nothing as may be seen in his Preface of the great latin Bible dedicated to K. Edward 6. where he saith verily we must confess eyther that these things shall be performed herafter or have bin already or that God is to be accused of lying If any may answer that they have bin performed I will demand of him when If he sayd in the Apostles time I will demand how it chanceth that neither then the knowledg of God was altogether perfect and after in so short space vanished away which was promised to be eternall and more abundant then the flouds of the sea And concludeth the more I peruse the Scriptures the less do I find the same performed howsoever you vnderstand the same prophecies Martin Bucer one of the primitive and prime Protestants And an Apostle of the English reformation of whom Sir Iohn Cheek K. Edward 6. Master says the world scarce had his fellow and whom Arch-bishop Whitgift in his defence c. pag. 522. termeth a Reverend learned painfull sound Father c. this great Bucer after his first Apostasy from his Dominican order and Catholik Religion became a Lutheran afterwards a Zvinglian as appaereth in his epistle 〈◊〉 Norimb ad Essâ—ingenses Then he returned again to be a Lutheran as may be seen in the Acts of the Synod holden at Luther's house in Wittemberg an 1539. and in Bucer's own Comentaries vpon the 6. John and 26. Mathew where he asketh pardon of God and the Church for that he deceived so many with the error of Zuinglius and the Sacramentarians And notwithstanding this open repentance he returned again to the same Zuinglianism in England and therfore is reprehended by Schlusselburg in Theol. Calv. lib. 2. fol. 70. At length seeing the incertainty of Christianity wherunto by protestancy he had driven him-self and others that stuck to it's principles at the houre of his death he embraced Judaisme as they who were present therat testify saith Prateolus pag. 107. He declared long before to Dudley Earle of Warwick that he doubted whether all was true that the Evangelists relate of Christ. wherof see hertofore part 1. David George who for many years had bin a pious and publik Professor of Protestancy at Basil and called a man of God for his notorious charity to the poore and sick considering and comparing the aforesaid doctrin of protestancy with the prophecies of Scripture concerning the visible Church became a blasphemous Apostata and affirming our Saviour to have bin a seducer drew many Protestants to his opinion convincing them by their own principles and this argument Jf the doctrin of Christ and his Apostles had bin true and perfect the Church which they planted should have continued c. But now it is manifest that Antichrist hath subverted the doctrin of the Apostles and the Church by them begun as is evident in the Papacy therfore the doctrin of the Apostles was falls and imperfect Bernardin Ochin one of them whose opinions were Oracles to the Composers of the 39. Articles of Religion and the liturgy of the Church of England so much celebrated for his learning and piety that the Protector Seamor and Arch-bishop Cranmer called him out of Germany to help them in their Protestant reformation termed by Bishop Bale a light of the Church and England happy whilst it had him miserable when it lost him highly commended for learning and virtue by Simlerus and Sleydan l. 9. fol. 297. and by Calvin l. de scandalis c. This Ochin whom as Calvin writ all Italy could not match this light whose presence made England happy and whose absence made it miserable this very Ochin considering well the principles of protestancy became a Jew concluding that Christ never had a Church vpon earth When I did saith he in praefat Dialogorum consider how Christ by his power wisdom and goodness had founded and established his Church washed it with his bloud and enriched it with his spirit and again discerned how the same was funditus eversa vtterly over thrown I could not but wonder
number of Arius his faction because the Councell's testimony was confirmed by a Tradition and by the authority of St. Silvester Bishop of Rome whose legats presided in that Assembly· In the same Century was condemned the Heresy of Macedonius against the Holy Ghost by a Councell in Constantinople confirmed by the authority of St. Damasus Bishop of Rome Photius in lib. de septem Synodis In the fifth Century was condemned the heresy of Nestorius in the Ephesin Councell wherin presided Cyrillus in the name of Pope Celestin. Evagrius lib. 1. cap. 4. And a litle after was condemned the heresy of Eutiches in the Councell of Calcedon wherin also presided the Legats of Pope Leo. Evagrius lib. 2. cap. 4. And the whole Councell petitioned to the Bishop of Rome for his confirmation of their Acts. tom 2. Concil Breviarium Liberati In the same fifth age was condemned the heresy of the Pelagians by authority of the Bishops of Rome The Pelagian heresy saith St. Austin lib. 2. Retract c. 50. with it's authors was convicted and condemned by the Roman Bishops Jnnocent and Zozimus with concurrence or at the instance of the Councells of Africk And Prosper in Chronico an 420. A Councell being holden at Carthage of 217. Bishops the Synodal Decrees were sent to Pope Zozimus which being approved the Pelagian heresy was condemned in the whole world In the sixt Century many heresies were condemned in the 5. Synod In the 7. Century and sixt Synod were condemned the Monothelits wherin presided the Pop's Legats though the Emperor was present and subscribed but after all the Bishops not as a Judge but as on who consented and submitted to their judgment In the 8. Century and 7. Synod of 350. Bishops were declared and condemned as hereticks they who opposed the worship of Jmages wherin also presided the Pop's Legats wherof Photius saith This sacred and great Councell condemned a barbarous heresy newly invented by wicked and execrable men c. For they did terme the adorable Image of Christ wherby erronious idolatry is excluded an Idol c. In the 9. Century and 8. Synod many controversies were decided and the Pop's Legats presided The Emperor was present and subscrib'd but after the Legats and Patriarchs and plainly acknowledged that the judgment of Religious Controversies apertain'd not to him and that by subscribing he only testifyed his Consent In the 10. Century we read of no heresy but of the Greeks Schism In the 11. Century Pope Leo the 9. in a Councell at Vercelli and Pope Nicolas 2. in a Councell at Rome of 113. Bishops condemned the heresy of Berengarius against the real presence and Transsubstantiation Lanfrancus lib. 1. contra Bereng This Berengarius was no great scholler as Archbishop Guido says but very ambitious and thought to acquire fame by his new opinion After twice recanting and returning to his heresy in his last sickness perceiving his end to draw neer Iohn Gerson relates these his last words My God Thou wilt this day appeare to my salvation as J hope for my repentance or to my damnation as I feare for deceiving with pervers doctrin others whom afterwards I could not reduce to the truth of thy Sacrament In the 12. Century Jnnocent the second Bishop of Rome condemned the heresy of Peter Abaylard see S. Bernard epist 194. And Pope Eugenius 3. condemned the error of Gilbert Porretanus in the Councell of Rhems see S. Bern. serm 80. in Cantica In the 13. Century Pope Innocent 3. condemned the error of Ioachim the Abbot in the Lateran Councell And afterwards Pope Gregory 10. in the Generall Councell of Lions condemned the Greeks error In the 14. Century Pope Clement 5. condemned the errors of the Begards in the Councell of Vienna In the 15. Century the errors of Iohn Hus and Iohn Whicliff were condemned in the Councell of Constance by Pope Martin 5. And the errors of the Greeks in the Councell of Florence by Pope Eugenius 4. Now what reason can Protestants give why Pius 4. Bishop of Rome and the Councell of Trent though of his calling and party might not condemn the opinion of Protestants as lawfully and legaly as his Predecessors had don in every age the like opinions of other Reformers Both condemners and condemned were Christians for hereticks must be baptised otherwise they are rather Pagans then hereticks The condemned Christians were often Patriarchs and Bishops some-times as many as the Condemners and yet neither could their Plea of Christianity or pretence of Scripture or parity in dignity or equality in number exempt them from the validity and legality of the Roman Censures vnto which if they did not submit all the Catholick world held them for obstinat hereticks Therfore we may not without contradicting both reason and authority the common sense of the Church and the general custom of Christian antiquity allow the exceptions which Protestants plead against the Pope and the Councell of his Bishops that forsooth they are but a part of the Catholick Church and therfore as party concerned incompetent Judges and witnesses in controversies of Christian Religion We have seen the weakness and ill success of the protestant design in this distinction of fundamentall and not fundamentall articles of faith and how they are rejected as hereticks by the Greeck Schismaticks and other sectaries whom they courted to be admitted as a part of their Church we have also proved the vnreasonableness of their exceptions against the testimony and censures of the Roman Bishops and Councells Now we will view the distinction it self and prove that by the protestant doctrin of fundamentalls the very foundation of Christian Religion is destroyed and nothing believed with Divine faith SECT XII God's veracity is denyed by Protestancy and by the Prelatick distinction and doctrin of fundamentall and not fundamentall articles of faith THe foundation of Christian Religion is the belief of God's veracity The belief of God's veracity consists not only in acknowledging that whatsoever God saith is true that was never denyed by any heretick and yet all hereticks deny his veracity but consists in acknowledging also that whatsoever doctrin is sufficiently proposed as spoken or revealed by God is infallibly true and that God is the Author of the same To avoyd all disputes concerning the sufficiency of the proposal of God's revelations we will condescend so far to our Protestants Adversaries as to make themselves Judges therof provided they will be so Religious and rational as to grant that to Divine Majesty ought not be denyed a prerogative which by the dictamen of reason the laws of nature and the practise of themselves and of all Nations is due and exhibited to Majesty and Magistracy and to all temporal Soveraigns Viz. To speak and declare their mind by the mouth of others their inferiour Officers and Ministers wherfore as subjects do judge it a sufficient proposal of the regal authority and confess them-selves are obliged to believe that their Soveraign speaks and commands
dictamen of a good conscience become a Roman Catholick or according to the rigor of the purest Protestant consequences become a ranck Presbiterian or Fanatick I report me therfore to the judgment of all moderat and sober persons whether it be piety or policy to engage the authority of a Protestâ—â—â— soveraign and Parliament in 〈◊〉 the severity of lawes against subjects for not professing the prelatick Reformation which the most learned men therof can not maintain without granting manifest contradictions 〈◊〉 practise without condemning the fundamental principles 〈◊〉 Protestancy I must confess that the Presbâ—â—erian Fanatick or any other arbitrary Religion that is Religion directed by the letter of Scripture subject to every man's privat interpretation will at length destroy the state if ther be not a limit set to the indiscreet zeale and extravagant fâ—ncies of every particular person and Congregation that 〈◊〉 to the purity of a Reformation but I can hardly believe that temporal lawes are a proper and efficatious meanes to refrain that spiritual liberty which according to the Principles of protestancy is due by the Ghospel to every Protestant and not subject to any human authority As for that much celebrated and generaly practised expedient and distincâ—â—on of Brentius and the Divines of Wittemberg saying that though it belongs to every privat person to judg of Doctrin and Religion and to distinguish the true from fals yet between the Prince and privat man is this difference that as the privat man hath privat authority of judging and deciding the doctrin of Religion so the Prince hath publick And through-out the whole book doth defend that the secular Prince is obliged to force his subjects even with punishment of death to that Religion and sense of Scripture which he judgeth true and also that the subjects are bound to stick to their own contrary sense of Scripture and Religion this expedient I say doth not prevent the daunger or remedie the desease of a politick body sick of protestancy but doth increase the distemper and renders it incurable And though in some parts of our more northern Climat several Protestant Princes have purchased some quiet by the severity of their lawes in favor of the sects which they profess yet that quiet proceeding from want of curiosity in the people of examining the truth or from want of courage to profess it we can not expect in the English Monarchy the like acquiescense and success the British Nations are naturaly serious and scrupulous in the scrutinâ— of Religion and either zealous or seditious in the maintenance therof Wherfore it imports no less then the peace of these nations that the Act of vniformity be not the rule of their Religion Seing therfore it is the nature of Protestancy as of all other Religions grounded vpon voluntary and privat interpretations of an obscure writing to breed disorders and confusion in all Common-wealths wherin the liberty of interpreting that writing is not restrained by law and if restrained by law the legislative power is opposed and it's authority contemned as contrary to the law and word of God and this opposition is waranted by the principles of protestancy which exempt all reformed Christians from any conscientious obligation of submitting to Church or state Governors in matters of Religion supposing I say this to be the nature of Protestancy it is apparent how contrary it is to policy to enact or continue lawes against the profession of the Roman Catholick faith which alone amongst all Christian Religions needeth not the support of human lawes or of temporal statutes to make it the Religion of the soule or to setle the Common-wealth as appeareth by the feare of Prelaticks to grant liberty of conscience to Papists For the space of 1000. years did our English Ancestors profess the Roman faith and in all that time they never had the least contention in the state about matters of Religion and in the space of these last 100. years there had bin more Rebellions more deposing and murthering of Soveraigns in this one litle Island of great Britanny vpon the accompt of Protestancy then hath bin since Christ's birth in the whole world vpon the accompt of Popery Wherfore seing that one of the differences between Popery and Protestancy is that although Popery be co 〈…〉 y to liberty of opinion to sensuality and depraved inclinations yet is it so plausible and popular that Protestants notwithstanding the legal incapacities 〈◊〉 penalties which they lay vpon Papists are afraid it will spread over the whole Kingdom in a short time and therfore call it a growing Religion it is evident that it increaseth by the reasonableness and sanctity of it's principles and without the help of law or countenance of 〈◊〉 government nay against the greatest severity of law and against the known inclination of the Soveraign in such a measure that the King and Parliament have thought of new remedies against the grouth therof But Protestancy especialy the Prelatick notwithstanding all it's liberty of opinion and pretended assurance of being saved by only faith without the trouble of pennance fasting or other mortifications of the flesh with all the favor of the lawes and countenance of the Government can not be made the Religion of the state Of three parts of England the one is Prelatick Protestant in their judgments and the two parts which are not will sooner become Papists then Prelaticks Now whether it be sound policy to persecute the Roman Religion by law which doth increase against law and to endeavor to setle by law the Prelatick Religion which so lately hath occasioned the abolishing of all lawes we humbly submit to the consideration of them who sit at the helme Besids one of the greatest prejudices that a Prince or Common-wealth can suffer is to be deprived of loyal conscientious and able men's services either in civil or military employments By the penal and sanguinary Statuts the King and Country deprive them-selves of many servitors of approved loyalty wisdom and eminent abilities and not only deprive themselves of such servitors but by virtue of legal incapacities set vpon Papists enable every ambitious man or discontended faction to asperse the King and his chief Ministers with favoring foâ—â—ooth Popery if they do not exercise cruelty and the rigor of 〈◊〉 sanguinary and penal Statuts against deserving persons or 〈◊〉 least if they shew them any countenance how-ever so meriting and vsefull they have bin in the worst of times and may prove to be again if this Protestant zeale should prevaile for it is alwayes the fore-runner of rebellion and is now become so rash that it attempteth to asperse my Lord Late Chancellor with favoring Popery who is a pillar and patâ—rn oâ— Protestancy Perhaps his Lordship 's gentle nature great wisdom justice and integrity might incline him to thinck that lawes made by Queen Elizabeth for excluding the Stewards from the Crown and for destroying that Religion and party wherby their title was supported
protestant principles to the discovery of the frauds and â—â—â—â—â—fications wherwith the prâ—â—atick Clergy doth disguise them and divert their flocks from reflecting vpon those sad effects which they have wrought and must work wheresoever they are 〈◊〉 the Religion of the staâ—e A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT THE THIRD PART Containing a plain discovery of the Protestant Clergies frauds and falsifications wherby alone their doctrin is supported and made credible The conscience and conveniency of restoring or tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion demonstrated SECT I. That either the learned Protestant or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every illiterat protestant may easily discern by wich of the two Clergieâ— he is cheated and therfore is obliged vnder pain of damnation to examin so neer a concern and to renounce the doctrin and communion of that Church wherin he is cheated of the true Church being so conspicuous and manifest by such eminent and visible marks Christ might well forbid the faithfull to communicat with Hereticks and Schismaticks for that their conventicles 〈◊〉 never be mistaken for the whole or even a part of the Catholick Church vnless men â—ill be so simple as to take their â—are word when they say Hic est Christus aut illic wheras if it were possible for learned men to be innocently mistaken Christ's command had not bin obligatory for in such â— case we were not bound to believe that Christ is rather in one Church then other seing each Church had reason sufficient to excuse learned parties from schism and â—â—resy But it being impossible that God should command vs to believe on Congregation of Christians and not believe others that pretend also to be the true Church of Christ without confirming the testimony and doctrin of that one Congregation which he bids vs believe and preferr before the rest with such cleer signes of the truth and so evident marks of Divine authority that the others compared therwith can have no probability two things must be granted 1. that the Catholiâ—â— Church of Christ cannot be composed of all or any dissenting Congregations 2. That the one only Congregation which is the true and Catholick Church can never be so eclipsed but that it must appeare much more eminent in sanctity miracles conversion of Nations and much more credible in it's testimonies then any other Wherfore we conclude that either the learned protestant clergy or the catholick must be cheats seing that notwithstanding the evident and eminent signes and marks of God's Church can not be found in both or in any two Congregations dissenting in their doctrin and rule of faith yet each of them make their illiterat flocks believe that their own is the true Church of God whervpon the signes and seales of his authority and veracity do cleerly shine No human art or industry if not born-out with more then ordinary and notorious impudencie can pretend to discredit or darken the spendor of true Miracles Sanctity Successiâ—â— become Masters of the Comerce as shall be proved I hope these considerations will invite and incite them to examin which of both the Clergies the Roman Catholick that petitions for â—r the Prelatick Protestant that opposeth liberty of conscience are the cheats And that they may find it out withouâ— much trouble I have thought sit to lett them know there is not any one controversy between them and vs which hath not bin handled in English and argued to the full on both sides now the summe of our disputes being this whether the primitive Church was Roman Catholick or rather Protestant in the controverted points as Praying to Saints Transsubstantiation Purgatory worship of Images the Canonicall letter and sense of Scripturâ— c. To decide the Controversy each side quotes the words of Scripture Councells and Fathers because the true doctrine hath bin preserved and recorded in these writings Let him therfore that doubts of the sense of the Text and of the sincerity of him that quotes it compare the Authors words with the 〈…〉 he will infallibly find out who is the Cheat. For he that doth corrupt the words or change the sense of Scripâ—â—re Councells and Fathers doth not stick to the doctrin of the primitive Church And because I have spent some time both before and after my conversion to the Catholick faith in examining the falsifications and frauds of Protestants and their objections against Papists in the same kind I may speak with more assurance then others who have not so much experience and do protest that I never thought it possible before I found it was so de facto that men pretending not only to the name of reformed Christianity but to the Reality and Sanctity of an Episcopal caracter and charge of soules could be so vnconsiderable vnworthy and vncharitable in matters of eternity as I have â—ound the Protestant writers and in particular the prelaticks of the Church of England Let any who desires to satisfie his conscience or curiosity pervse and compare either the books of Jevel and Harding or of Bishop Morton and Father Pesons the nature or essence of a body Or whether quantity be a thing distinct from that which we call a corporeal substance SVBSECT I. VVith what impudency and hipocrisy Bishop Ievell and other prelatick writers began to maintain the Protestancy of the Church of England And how they were blamed for appealing to antiquity by some of their own Brethren TO manifest the impudency and hypocrisy wherwith Prelatick Protestancy was broach't and imposed vpon the layty in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reign I will begin with Bishop Jevell's famous challenge and his Seconds that offered to maintain the primitive antiquity of Protestancy and the novelty of Popery His words are As I sayd before I say again I am content to yeeld and subscribe if any of our learned Adversaries or if all the learned men that be alive be able to bring one sufficient sentence out of any one Catholick Doctor or Father or out of any old Generall Councell c. for the space of 600. years after Christ c Protesting also that he affirmeth thus much not as carried away with the heat of zeale but as moved with the simple truth least any of you should happily be deceived and think there is more weight on the other side then in conclusion will be found c. And then he brake into this vehement Apostrophe O mercifull God! who could think that there could be so much wilfulness in the heart of man Then exclaimes O Gregory O Austin O Hierom O Chrysostom O Leo O Dionise O Anaclâ—tus O Calixtus O Paul O Christ Jf we be 〈◊〉 acknowledged the impossibility of defending the Protestant Religion by Tradition or by any monuments oâ— examples from antiquity or by the sayings of Fathers and Councells Insomuch that Archbishop Whitgift in his defence against the reply of Cartwright pag. 472. 473. doth not stick to say that almost all the Bishops and learned Writers of
the Greek and Latin Church for the most part were spotted with the doctrin of free will oftner it of invocation of Saints c. And from thence infers that in no age since the Apostles time any company of Bishops held so perfect and so sound doctrin in all points as the Bishops of England at this day And Mr. Fulk in his reionder to Bristow pag. 7. I confess that Ambrose Austin Hierom all three Fathers to whom B. p Iewell appealed held invocation of Saints to be lawfull And B. p Bale acknowledgeth that St. Gregory the first of Iewell 's chosen Iudges by his indulgences established pilgrimages to Images and that St. Leo an other of Ievell's Fathers allowed the worship of Images And Doctor Humfrey Iesuitismi part 1. rat 5. pag. 626. cannot deny but that S. Gregory taught Transsubstantiation And Mr. 〈◊〉 in his Papisto mâ—t edit 1606. pag. 143. saith We are 〈◊〉 that the mystery of iniquity did work in Sâ— Paul's time and fell not a sleep so soon as Paul was dead c. And therfore no mermail though pervsing Councells and Fathers we find the print of the Popes feet And Mr. Napper in his Treatise vpon the Revelation dedicated to King Iames pag. 68. 145. affirmeth that Popery or the Anti-christian Kingdom did continue 1260. years vniversaly without any debatable contradiction The Pope and his Clergy during that time possessing the outward visible Church So that it was not one or two Fathers or Councells but all Christendom which professed the Roman Catholick saith for these 1â—00 years past And even Mr. Whitaker himself lib. 6. contra Duraeum pag. 123. notwithstanding his vndertaking to maintain Ievells challenge and bold assertion was forc'd at length to submit but by a profane expression saying that the Popish Religion is a patch't coverlet of the Fathers errors sowed together have them read their English falsified Scripture the subject of controversies and support of errors and will not permit them to pervse the true authentick translation and all this to the end nothing but fraud and fancy may be the rule of the Protestant faith These and all other the like observations which can not but occurr to them who frequent their Churches or company must needs induce men to suspect the weakness of their cause and the guilt of their conscience though there had bin no evidences that they are Falsifiers But seing their are as many evidences against them as there are Chapters in Catholick Books of controversies and that the Books are easily had and vnderstood I see not how any Protestant how ever so illiterat can be excused from eternall damnation by pretending the integrity of his Clergy or his own insufficiency to examin their sincerity When many accuse a man of high Treason and offer to prove it to his face not only by sundry honest and legal wittnesses but vnder his own hand writing it would be censured treachery or great carlesness in the Ministers of state to slight such an accusation and evidence though the person accused vntill then had bin trusted and reputed a loyal subject This is our case with the Protestant writers we have no quarrel against them but Religion we charge them in publick writing with the highest Treason the murthering of the soules of Soveraigns and subjects with corrupting God's word with rebelling against the Divine authority so authentickly appearing in the Roman Catholick Church And these Treasons we offer to prove face to face not only by legal witness but by their Bibles and Books We have no grudge to them but this only of damning soules by treacherous dealing and desire that so important an accusation may come to a publick hearing If their interest and industry can divert the layty from so great a concern that layty must be treacherous to themselves and censured very carless of their own salvation And to the end it may not be objected that these are are but 〈◊〉 words I have resolved to descend to particular crimes I 〈◊〉 the persons their Books I quote their own words I prove them to be no innocent mistakes but wilfull and wicked falsifications and fraudâ— not committed by one or few 〈…〉 of Religion against vs not in our time but alwayâ—◠〈…〉 but the whole body in their 〈…〉 only by connivance and permission but also by contrivanceâ— and positive approbation not only petty 〈◊〉 differences but of ancient condemned heresies which the Protestant writers maintain as orthodox doctrin notwithstanding that 〈…〉 S. Hierom and other Doctors of God's Church censure the opinions as notorious heresies and the Authors as hereticks This is the summe of the Accusations contained in this third part of our Treatise and if we be not mistaken deserues a Trial as well for the satisfaction of privat 〈◊〉 conscience as 〈◊〉 for the probability there is of publick conveniency it being very improbable that I or any man who pretends to the least degree of worth or witt would charge with so many particular grievous crimes so numerous and poweâ—â—ull a party as the Protestant Clergy is without 〈…〉 undeniable evidences If the Protestant Clergy be found guylty besides the salvation of soules which will be obtained by renouncing their errors and is that we all ought principaly to ayme at these Nations will be happy in this world by their revenues If they be not guilty they and their Religion will gain great credit and I nothing but the infamy of being a notorious Jmpostor I know not what others may think of me but I shall never think that any other can be so witless and wicked as to take so much paines as I have don in composing and be at so great charge of publishing this Treatise without manifest profeâ— of the truth therof for if my allegations be not true I can have no further design or hopes but of infamy to my self and of honor and credit to my Adversaries and an addition of strength to the cause I do impugne all which must follow and fall vpon me if the learned Protestant Clergy be not proved to be as great Cheats as I pretend they are But it s strange what deepe impressions education doth make in mens minds and how partial and passionat these Nations are tendred by Protestancy They will not believe that their Protestant Writers are wilfull Falsifiers as for example that Doctor Jeremy Taylor a man that hath writ so many spiritual Books foorsooth and rules of Morality is guilty of maintaining the Protestant Religion by aboue 150. shamefull vnexcusable corruptions and falsifications in his litle Dissuasive And when he the Author his Jrish Convocation and the English Protestant Church that Applauder of the work are challenged in print by sundry Catholick Writers to make good any one of those falsifications all the world besides Protestants observe they have not a word to answer and by consequence themselves must now confess that their Religion is damnable seing it can not be otherwise maintained then
the Church and crucified the Apostles was head of Christ's Church and hâ— that was never member of the Church is head of the Church by your new found vnderstanding of God's word After thâ—se and divers other questions to the same purpose Doctor Brooks Bishop of Glocester spoke thus to Cranmer you have bin conferred with all not once nor twice but often times you have bin oft lovingly admonis'd you have oft bin secretly disputed with and the last year in the open schooles in open disputations you have bin openly convicted you have bin openly driven out of the schooles with hisses your Book which you brag you made seaven years agoe and no man answered it Marcus Antonius hath sufficiently detected and confuted and you persist still in your wonted heresy Wherfore being so oft admonished conferred withall and convicted if you deny you to be the man whom the Apostle noteth haereticum hominem hear then what Origen saith who wrote above 1300. years agoe and interpreteth the saying of the Apostle in this wise in Apologia Pamphili Haereticus est omnis ille habendus qui Christo se credere profitetur aliter de Christi veritate sentit quam se habet Ecclesiastica traditio He is to be deemed an heretick who professeth to believe in Christ and yet judgeth otherwise of Christ's truth then the tradition of the Church doth hould c. Wherfore I can no other but put you in the number of them whom Chrysostom spake of saying Heare o thou Christian man wilt thou do more then Christ Christ confuted the Pharisees yet could he not put them to silence fortior es tu Christo and art thou stronger then Christ c. Thus much have I sayd not for you M. r Cranmer for my hope I conceived of you is now gon and past but in some what to satisfie the rude and vnlearned people that they perceiving your arrogant lying and lying arrogancy may the better eschew your detestable and abominable schism Two things I wish the Reader did observe in this conference 1. What a faire Trial Cranmer and all other protetestants had before they were sentenced to death for heresy in Q. Maries dayes they were heard speak for them-selves and reason for their opinions in publick such as desired it had time and Books given them to answer and further time to correct their answers wheras Catholick Priests are not permitted to reason for their Religion in publick by word of mouth much less are they allowed time or books to defend the same by writing 2. How litle the most learned protestants could or can say for their preâ—ended 〈…〉 and by consequence how obstinat they 〈…〉 vpon that account and how well Origens 〈◊〉 of hereticks agreed to Cranmer Ridley and the rest of their learned Martyrs and to all the Protestant Clergy seing they reject Ecclesiastical Tradition and that sense of Scripture which the Church delivered from age to age following their own privat fancies and fond Interpretations But from their Martyrised Clergy let vs go to the Confessors and Doctors of their Church in Q. Maries days who were the same that revived protestancy in Queene Elizabeths reign SECT III. Of the Protestant Clergy in Queen Maries Reign the same that afterwards foundeâ— Qeeen Elizabeths Church Theâ—â— frauds Factions Cheats and changes of the English Protestant Religion during their Exile in Germany AS many of the English Protestant Clergy of King Eduard 6. as escaped the severity of the ancient lawes made against Hereticks which were revived by Queen Mary retired themselves to Germany and Zuitzerland but found not that pitty and welcom they expected from their Brethren of the Reformation The English had made a Religion of their own which was neither fully Lutheran Zwinglian nor Calvinian their Liturgy was dislick't by all only their doctrin against the Real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament was approved by some Zuinglians but so condemned by the Lutherans that their Martyrs who suffered in England vpon that score were called the Devill 's martyrs by other Protestants and they who harbour'd any of their banished Clergy in Germany were hated by their reformed-neighbors For stopping the course saith Heylin of these vncharitable Censures it was thought fit to translate from English into Latin Cranmers Book of the Sacrament and forthwith see it printed but he doth not tell us which of Cranmer's Books that of Henry 8. or that of King Edward 6. We may be sure if he means Cranmer's Book of King Henry 8. time his book and words were altered that they might agree with the Lutheran Consubstantiation in Germany which Cranmer durst not defend in his Book of Henry 8. date and his Book of Edward 6. was wholy Zuinglian or Sacramentarian which could not please Lutherans So that the good English Church and Clergy in Germany made them-selves and Cranmer Lutherans to avoyd persecution and obtain favour in their sufferings after having maintained the quite contrary doctrin in their own Countrey and exhorted their flocks to dye for that Religion which them-selves now disowned This is not all the like course was taken also at Geneva saith Heylin by the English exiles by publishing in the Latin tongue a discours writ by Bishop Ridley on the self same argument the Sacrament of the Altar to the end it might appear vnto all the world how much their Brethren had bin wronged in these odious calumnies So that the English Protestant Clergy in Germany among the Lutherans printed a Book and in Geneva a Calvinian discours concerning the real presence and owned both as the doctrin of the Church of England for Ridley as you may observe in his disputation at Oxford set down at large by Fox in his Acts and Monuments was a Calvinist in that â—oint Was not this a Holy Church that taught contrary 〈…〉 at least doctrin so vncertain that it might be applyed 〈◊〉 contrary Tenets was it not a sincere and sacred Clergy that could fraâ—â— them-selves and the profession of their 〈◊〉 to all 〈◊〉 how ever so disagreeing But let us proceed The greatest number of theâ—e exiled Confessors were received in Franckford vpon condition thâ—y should conform them-selves vnto the French Hugenots in doctrin and ceremonies which the holy men did so readily that Doctor Heylin who relates all these passages doubts whether the conditions were imposed vpon them by the Magistrats or â—ought by them-selves The chief heads of this English Congregation at Francford were Wittingham Williams Goodman Wood and Sutton to whom afterwardâ— came Knox and Whiteâ—ead The first thing they did was to alter and dis-figure saith Heylâ—â— the English Liturgy which proceeding was not approved of by Grindall Horn Sandys Chambers and Pakhurst Calvin therfore was consulted as their common Father his answer was that in the English Liturgy he had observed many 〈◊〉 fooleries that being therwas not manifest impiety in it it had bin tolerated for a reason because at first it
the Protestant Clergy abuse the layty and illiterat people making 〈◊〉 believe that in all ages there hath bin a Church teaching and professing the Protestant doctrin and because some of the hereticks to 〈◊〉 â—â—ckleffians Hussits 〈◊〉 Lollards whom he names Martyrs and witnesses of his Evangelical truth were condemned not 〈◊〉 by the Church but by Acts of Parliaâ—â—nt he tellâ—â—h you that though the statuâ—s 〈…〉 persons preaching divers sermons 〈◊〉 herelies 〈◊〉 doctrin and 〈◊〉 errors to the blemish of Christian faith c yet notwithstanding whosoever readeth histories and the 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 see these to be no false teachers 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 c. and to have taught no other 〈…〉 then now 〈…〉 their own preachers in 〈…〉 And 〈…〉 Sr John 〈…〉 is produced by Fox as a witness for the Protestant 〈◊〉 and a chief member of that Church and he in his professiâ—◠〈◊〉 faith said 〈…〉 Church I believe to be divided into three sorts or companâ—â—◠〈…〉 now in heaven c. the second sort are in 〈…〉 of God and a full deliveraâ—â—e of paine The 〈…〉 earth c. Iohn Fox to this speech of Purgatory addeth 〈◊〉 parenthesis of his own as if it had bin part of Oldcastles profession of faith if any such 〈…〉 Scriptures fearing his Reader might take notice how Sr. 〈…〉 was no Protestant And such frauds he vseth in most other occasions as you may see in the three Converâ—â—â—ns of England writ to confute his acts and Monuments and from whence we have borrowed most of what hath bin sayd concerning Fox and his Martyrs Now we will treat of others no less fals and deceitfull in maintaining the Protestant Religion SVBSECT III. Doctor Chark's falsification of St. Austin and how he excuseth Luther's doctrin of the lawfulness of adultery and incest DOctor Chark was so great a pillar of protestancy in Q. Elizabeths days that he was thought the fittest man to dispute against learned Campian in the Tower but 〈◊〉 behaved himself in that occasion very insolently ignoâ—â—â—â— and vncharitably he writ a â—ook in answer to the 〈◊〉 which was published of himself Luther Calvin Beza 〈◊〉 â—any other falsifications of Mr. Chark to defend 〈◊〉 Protesâ—â—nt doctrin his adversary objects pag. 122 â— that 〈…〉 St. Augustin's Text about the doctrin of conâ—â—â—scence where the Censure had alleadged besides the Testiâ—â—ny of many other Fathers one most plain out of that great 〈◊〉 saying concupiscence is not sin in the regenerate if consent 〈◊〉 yeelded vnto her for accomplishment of vnlawfull works Mr. 〈◊〉 alleadgeth another authority out of St. Austin in the same 〈◊〉 that doth as he says expound his meaning for thus 〈◊〉 writeth Augustin's place is expounded by himself afterward saying concupiscence is not so forgiven in baptism that it is not sin 〈◊〉 that it is not imputed as sin where the word sin in the first place is put in by Mr. Chark for that St. Austin's words are Dâ—â—itti Concupiscentiam carnis in Baptismo non ut non sit sed ut in peccatum non imputetur quamvis reatu suo jam soluto manet 〈◊〉 Concupiscence is forgiven in Baptisme not so that it is not or remain not in the regenerat but that it be not imputed as SVBSECT IV. Falsifications of Cranmer and Peter Martyr against Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass c. AFter that Cranmer had bin publikly convinced both by Scripture and Fathers 〈◊〉 his disputation at Oxford â—s will appeare to any that will read even his friend 〈◊〉 concerning that subject the Catholick disputants objeâ—â—ed falsifications and corruptions of his in the Books which 〈◊〉 had composed against the real presence one was that wheras 〈◊〉 Martyr who flourished in the beginning of the second 〈◊〉 answering to them who sayd the Christians adored bread 〈◊〉 we do not take this for common bread and drink but like as â—â—sus Christ our Saviour Incarnat by the word of God had flesh and 〈…〉 Salvation even so we be taught the food where-with our 〈◊〉 and blood is nourished by alteration when it is consecrated by the 〈◊〉 of his prayer instituted by him to be the flesh and blood of the same Jesus Incarnat Cranmer thus translated the words of that ancient Father Bread water and wine are not to be taken as other 〈◊〉 and drinks be but they be ordained purposly to give thanks to 〈◊〉 and therfore be called Eucharistia and be called the Body and blood of Christ and that it is lawfull for none to eat and drink of them but that profess Christ and live according to the same and yet that meat and drink is changed into our flesh and Blood and nourisheth our bodys After Cranmer's confessing that the former Catholicks Translation was the right he excuseth his villany saying he did not translate Justin word by word wheras he set down all as Justin's words but only gave the meaning let any Protestant be Iudge whether he gave Iustin's meaning You have corrupted Emissenus saith Doctor Weston to Cranmer for insteed of cibis satiâ—ndus that is to be filled hath pro omni paena for all pain your Book omitteth many things there Thus you see Brethren saith Doctor Weston the truth stedfast and invincible you see also the craft and deceit of hereticks And thus concludeth Fox himself the disputation with Cranmer Doctor Chedley did also object to Cranmer his corruption of St. Hillaries words putting in vero sub Mysterio for verè sub mysterio by which the whole sense was altered because verè sub mysterio sheweth that we do truly receive in the mystery of the Sacrament Christ's flesh and blood and vero sub mysterio proves only the reality or verity of a Sacrament or a mystery not of the body and blood of Christ. To this after many excuses Cranmer answered that the change of one letter for an other was but â— small matter But Weston told that Pastor was a Bishop and â—â—stor a Baker and yet there was but one letters change As for Peter Martyr's falsifications they appear sufficiently 〈◊〉 the places themselâ—â—â— which Fox alleadgeth for him out of 〈◊〉 or twelve Fathers in his disputations at Oxford an 1549. wherof the reader will scarce find one truly cited in all respects but that either the words next going before or immediatly following making wholy against Protestants are purâ—â—sely left out and others put in or mistranslated as hath bin evidently demonstrated part 3. c. 19. 20. 21. of the â—â—eatise of the three conversions of England and therfore we â—â—â—â—eare what every one may see in a Book no less obvious then profitable SECT VI. How some Protestant 〈◊〉 in Q. Elizabeths time seing their fellowes were proved Falsifiers waved the Testimonies of the ancient Fathers and 〈◊〉 the others continued their former course of falsifying both Fathers and Councells THE discovery of Iewell 's 〈◊〉 other mens falsificatiâ—â—â— made some Protestant writers more wary and take an other course for defence
the citations which we do accuse of falshood be so indeed in the Authors as Plessis hath alledged in his Book And yet of the overthrow of these so many Falsifications gathered together ensueth the overthrow and dishonor of the cause which is defended by such weapons And consequently we are much bound to the holy providence of of Almighty God that he hath permitted in this last assault of Hereticks the Ministers of France to have layd all the heads of their fals Impostures and deceitfull dealings vpon one Body to the end they may be all cut off at one blow and that the simple people by them abused seeing discovered the false and vnfaithfull dealings of those vpon whose fidelity they grounded their faith may forsake them hereafter and return to that faith which is the pillar and sure ground of all truth This is an excellent Method and Peron's words may be very well applied to B. Taylor 's Dissuasive from Popery But to our relation The Iudges of the conference were besides the Chancellor of France who was Moderator the president de Tou a neere Kinsman to Plessis Monsieur Pitheu his great friend and Monsieur le Fevre Master of the Prince of Conde all Catholicks On the other side for the Protestants were named the president Calignon Chancellor of Navarre and Monsieur de Fresne Conaye president and Monsieur Causabon Reader to his Majesty in Paris all earnest and learned Protestants The day before the tryal Peron to deale more plainly and like a friend sent vnto Plessis 60. places taken out of his book vpon which he meant to press him and as his words are to begin the play of which 60. Plessis choose out 19. that seemed to him most defensible But the next day the tryal being begun after Peron had declared there were foure thousand places falsified in Plessis his Book only 9. of the 19. could be examined though they sate 6. houres and all Iudged against Plessis by common consent wherupon Plessis fell sick that night vomiting blood c. and could be never got to proceed in the tryal and went from Paris to Samur without taking leave of the King or seeing the Lord Chancellor This proof of wilfull Falsifications wherby alone it seems protestancy can be maintained every where els as well as in England occasioned the conversion of very many in France as the King's Lieutenant in Limoge and his wife with divers of the nobility and no few Ministers wherof one was Tirius a Scotchman master of a Colledge in Nismes and an other who was Nephew to John Calvin The Coppy of a letter written by a person of quality about this conference SIR Heere hath bin some foure dayes past a great Conference at Fontainbleau between Monsieur Peron Bishop of Eureux and Monsieur Plessis Mornay Governor of Samur The King with many Princes were present and Iudges chosen and appointed for both parties In the end Plessis Mornay was vtterly disproved and confounded by a general consent of both sides and shamed in so much as the King rose vp from his place and swore Ventre Gry he had heard and seen enough of Plessis falsities and that by Act of Parliament he would cause his books to be burned saying that himself had all his youth time bin abused and carried away with their corruptions c. The Hugonots are struck more dead with this accident then if they had lost a battle of 40. thousand men and Plessis Mornay himself is faln sick vpon it vomits blood and looks like himself c. Paris 10. May. 1600. King Henry 4. letter to the Duke of Espernon vpon the same subject MY friend The Diocess of Eureux hath overcom Samur and the sweet manner of proceeding that hath bin vsed hath taken away all occasion to say that any force hath bin vsed beside the only force of truth The Bearer hereof was present at the combat who will inform you what mervailes J have don therin Certainly it is one of the greatest blows that hath bin given for the Church of God this long time for the manifestation of this error By this means we shall reduce more in one year of them that are separated from the Church then by any other way in fifty years There were a large discourse to be made of each their actions but the same were too long to write The Beareâ— will tell you the manner which J would have all my servants to observe for reaping fruit of this holy work Good night my friend And for that I know what pleasure you will take hereof you are the only man to whom J have written it This â— of May 1600. HENRY The Authors falsified and the sentence given against Plessis THe 〈◊〉 places or Authors corrupted by Plessis and his Ministâ—â—â— went 〈◊〉 about the real presence Durandus against Transubstantiation St. Chrysostom against prayer to 〈◊〉 twice 〈…〉 against prayer to Saints St. Cyril against worshiping the holy Cross. The Code or Imperial 〈◊〉 to the same 〈…〉 against honoring our B. Lady 〈◊〉 against worshiping of Images The particulars wherof may be seen in the printed Acts of this Conference and in the three Conversions part 3. translated into English But to satisfie the curiosity of many J will copy the abridgment of the Judges sentence which was delivered immediatly after Conference by the Secretaries to divers persons of quality Vpon the first two places of Scotus and Duranduâ— the sentence was that Monsieur Plessis had taken the objection for the resolution Vpon the places of St. Chrysostom That he had left out that which he should have put in Vpon the fifth place of St. Hierom That he ought to have alledged the passage entire 〈◊〉 it was in the Author vpon the six place of St. Cyril that 〈◊〉 passage alledged out of St. Cyril was not to be found in him The seaventh place out of the Emperors Theodorus and Valens 〈◊〉 Plessiâ— had alledged truly Crinitus but that Crinitus was abuâ—â—â— Vpon the eight place out of St. Bernard That it had bin 〈◊〉 Plessis had cited the place distinctly as it lay in the Author with 〈…〉 of any thing in the midst And finaly vpon the ninth 〈◊〉 out of Theodoret against Images That the passage alledged 〈◊〉 not to be vnderstood of Images but of Idols and that this 〈◊〉 by the words which Plessis had omitted in his allegation 〈◊〉 this suffice for French falsifications let vs return to the English wherof there is such abundance and so great variety â—hat J can hardly resolve which to 〈◊〉 vpon SECT VIII Protestant falsifications to persuade that the Roman Catholick doctrin is inconsistent with the Soveraignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants THe Protestant Clergy seeing their frauds and falsifications of Scripture Fathers and Councells cleerly discouered and that after Queen Elizabeths death they had no reason to make Catholik Religion odious to the line of the Stewards our Tenets favoring their
down Bp Morton's Falsification to persuade that Cathotholiks hold it lawfull to murther and massacre Protestants IN the 6. page of Morton's discovery he hath this grievous 〈…〉 out of the Canon law against Catholiks 〈◊〉 felij vel consanguinei non dicuntur sed juxta legem sit 〈◊〉 super 〈◊〉 vt fundas sanguinem ipsorum And then he 〈◊〉 thus Apud Grat. Gloss. in decret lib. 5. ex decret Greg. 9. 〈…〉 cap. legi Which words he englisheth thus 〈…〉 termed either Children or kindred but according 〈…〉 thy hand must be against them to spill their blood 〈…〉 in the Margent he setteth down this special prinâ—â—â— note The professed bloody Massacre against the Protestants withâ—â—â— distinction of sex or Kindred First of all is to be considered that this Gloss or 〈◊〉 of the Canon law which here is both vntruly cited 〈◊〉 malitiously applied is vpon a Canon begining si quis Episcopus which Canon is taken out of the third Councell of Carthâ—ge wherin the famous Doctor St. Austin was present and 〈◊〉 device of the Canon is that if any Bishop should institute hereticks or pagans for his heires whether they were Kinsmen or 〈◊〉 ei Anathema dicatur let him be accursed c. now the 〈◊〉 yeilding a reason of this severity saith Quia isti haeretâ—â—â—am non dicuntur filij vel consanguinei vnde dicitur in lege si 〈◊〉 tuus amicus tuus vxor tua depravare voluerit veritatem sit manus tua super illos For that these hereticks are not nâ—w called Children or Kinsfolks therfore as such they cannot be made Inheritors by ecclesâ—astical men Wherupon it is sayd in the law of Deuteronomy if thy Brother or friend or wife will go about to deprave the truth let thy hand be vpon them And presently he citeth to the same effect the authority of St. Hierom in an other Canon and volume of the law where the holy Doctor excusing to his friend Riparius a Priest his earnest desire and zeal to have Vigilantius the heretik punished by his Bishops alledgeth divers examples of severity in like cases out of the Scriptures as of Phinees Elias Symon Chananaeus St. Peter St. Paul and lastly citeth also the aforesaid words of God's ordinance in Deuteronomy If thy Brother thy friend thy wife c. shall go about to pervert thee from God's true worship c. heare him not nor conceal him but bring him 〈◊〉 Judgmeâ—â— and let thy hand be vpon him first and then after the hand of all the people c. which is to be vnderstood accordiâ—◠〈◊〉 the form of Law appointed afterwards in the 17. Chapâ—â—â— that he be orderly brought forth to Iudgment and 〈…〉 sentence is past against him he which heard or 〈…〉 commit the sin and is a witness against him must 〈◊〉 the first stone at him and the rest must follow And this also doth the ordinary Gloss of Lyranus and others vpon those texts of Scripture declare And now let the Judicious Readeâ— consiâ—â—â— how many corruptions this Protestant Bishop hath vsed to 〈◊〉 forth to his purpose this one litle distracted Text for proof of professed bloody massacres in ended by Catholicks against Protestants For first he corrupteth the words of the Gloss leaving out the beginning Quia isti Haeretici which 〈◊〉 to the vnderstanding of the Author's meaning as also he lest out the reasoâ—â—â—ledged by the Gloss out of God's own words in Deuteronomy to wit the wilfull corruption of his truth Then he corrupteth the meaning both of the Gloss and Canon depraving that to a wicked sense of bloody massacring without distinction of sex or Kindred which the Canon and Councell of Carthage with St. Austin meant only of civil punishment against heretiks to wit that they should not be made heires to Ecclesiastical men He perverteth in like manner St. Hieriom's intent which was that heretiks and namely Vigilantius for denying the lawfulness of praying to Saints worshipping thâ—ir Reliques c. should be punished but by order and form of Law and not that any one shall Kill an other and much less by bloody massacres Lastly he presumeth to reâ—ort the very words of God himself in the Law by translating fundas sanguinem ipsorum 〈◊〉 their blood in steed of shed their blood for that to spill 〈◊〉 is always in Scripture taken in the worst sense for murthâ—â—â—ng or killing vnjustly The good Bishop remits vs for an answer to the allegaâ—â—â—â— of this place of Gratian to his friend Stock once more 〈◊〉 Stock doth not take vpon him to justifie any thing therin 〈◊〉 then the citation to be true which notwithstanding is 〈◊〉 as every one may see in the Text. Morton in his preamble denyeth the foresaid Canon to have bin decreed in the 〈◊〉 Councel of Carthage therfore saith he must his 〈◊〉 own terms of falshood fraud treachery 〈◊〉 vpon himself But let any one peruse the said Councell 〈◊〉 he will find decreed in the 13. Canon Vt Episcopi vel Clericâ— c. That neither Bishops nor Clergy men shall bestow any of their goods vpon any that be not Catholikly Christians though they be their Kinsfolks And the Councell of Hippo where St. Austin was Bishop which Councell professeth to mâ—ke Abbreviationes Concilij Carthaginensis tertii an abridgment of the third Carthage Councell hath this Canon That Bishops and Clergy men shall bestow nothing of their goods vpon any but such as are Catholiks Bp. Morton's Falsification to assert the King's supremacy POpe Leo writing to a true Catholik Emperor saith Morton hath these words You may not be ignorant that your princely power is given vnto you not only extinguished The oblation of Sacrifice the Mass is intermitted the hollowing of Chrysm is ceased and all 〈◊〉 Mysteries of our Religion have withdrawn themselves from the parricidial hands of those heretiks that have murâ—hered their own Fatherâ— and Patriarch Proterius burned his 〈◊〉 and cast the ashes into the ayre This then was the cause and occasion wherin the holy 〈◊〉 Leo did implore the help and secular arm of Leo the 〈◊〉 for chastising these turbulent heretiks for the 〈◊〉 of the Church And is this all that is exacted of 〈◊〉 by the Supremacy Is this the substance of the 〈◊〉 we know the English Prelatik Clergy are now ashaâ—â—â— to acknowledg that their own spiritual caracter and jurisâ—â—â—tion is dâ—â—ived from Queen Elizabeth's shee supremacy but 〈…〉 they did own 8. Eliz. what now they 〈◊〉 every man may see how vngratfully and confidently 〈◊〉 contradict what is extant in the Act of Parliament 8. 〈◊〉 and in their Episcopal Oath of homage wherin it is 〈◊〉 that all spiritual Jurisdiction supreme power order 〈◊〉 and authority over all the state Ecclesiastical of their 〈…〉 is in the Kings of England and that in 〈◊〉 of the prerogative they may by their Letters patents 〈◊〉 only authorise Arch-Bishops and Bishops to consecrat 〈…〉 Caracter but that they may authorise any 〈…〉 not Bishops
need therfore powerful and 〈…〉 Princes and nations fear a Iurisdiction they 〈…〉 seing the so much talked of papal 〈…〉 so litle prevail against Catholiks that own it 〈◊〉 other reason why the Popes spiritual supremacy is not 〈◊〉 dangerous is because they who acknowldge the power 〈◊〉 themselves the liberty of judging of the lawfulness of 〈◊〉 â—pplication and to know whether it be justly exercised by 〈…〉 whose censures and sentences are limited to so 〈◊〉 causes and conditions known to every Catholik Lawyer 〈◊〉 Divin that they can hardly disturbe a state if any of the previous admonitions and requisit formalities be omitted were acknowledged would employ it now as willinâ—â—â— to the advantage of the english Monarchy as his 〈◊〉 did in the reign of Q. Mary by condescending that 〈◊〉 Church revenues may be spent in more pious and publik 〈◊〉 then they are at present Notwithstanding the visible advantages which 〈◊〉 vnto all Catholik Soveraigns by admitting the 〈◊〉 of the Pope's spiritual Iurisdiction in their Kingdoms and â—â—minions and the litle or no danger which therby can come 〈◊〉 â—â—otestant Princes yet because Q. Elizabeth was proceeded 〈◊〉 by the Sea of Rome whose case was very different from 〈◊〉 of the Stewards vndoubted heires of the Crown no 〈◊〉 of England saith the Protestant Clergy must trust 〈◊〉 Roman Catholicks so many and so malignant are 〈◊〉 suggestions and suspitions which these Ministers endeavor 〈◊〉 in privy Councellors and the members of Parliaments 〈◊〉 and all this to reape the benefit of the Church lands 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—selves that a fancyed possibility without any 〈◊〉 of disturbing the peace and Government is preached 〈◊〉 printed by these Sir Polls to be a sufficient reason of state 〈…〉 Roman Catholiks vncapable of serving the state 〈◊〉 which is wors they have lately endeavored by their 〈◊〉 in Court Countrey and Parliament to question the 〈◊〉 prerogative and his Councell's prudence for publishing 〈…〉 which he had promised at Breda in favor of 〈◊〉 conferences so conscious they are of their own guilt 〈◊〉 they doubt not but the least countenance shewed to 〈◊〉 will discover the frauds wherby themselves deprive 〈◊〉 estate of so vast a revenue And because the chief Ministers 〈◊〉 state are out of their piety or policy inclined to 〈◊〉 moderation towards tender consciences and the Protestant 〈◊〉 dare not oppose it directly they cease not by means of some false Brethren and debaucht Friars to render all good intentions for our relief vneffectual by inculcating the necessity of a publik instrument not much differing from the Oath of alleagiance which they framed in King James his reign that insteed of acknowledging the Kings temporal Soveraignty gives him an vnheard of jurisdiction over souls or at least by reason of the ambiguous and offensive wording therof doth engage even Catholiks as will take it in an endless quarrell with their spiritual Superiors without rendring therby any service to their temporal Soveraign but rather making themselves vnfit to appeare for his or their own right in Ecclesiasticall Catholik Courts Therfore as well to satisfie the State concerning our allegiance and fidelity to our King as to avoyd the obloquys and artifices of the Protestant Clergy we humbly offer to his Majesty and his Ministers 〈◊〉 that we shall swear or sign any instrument or engagement 〈◊〉 fidelity to him which Catholik Subjects sweare or sign to their Catholik soveraigns To exact more strict obedience from so inconsiderable a party as we are vnder a Protestant Prince against the Bishop of Rome's pretention then any Catholiks of the world think fit either in conscience or prudenâ—â—â— to give to their own 〈◊〉 seems not necessary and would savor more 〈◊〉 presumption in vs against the Church of Rome then of affection to the Crown of England 3. They who teach that Kings 〈…〉 dâ—posed for heresy maintain they may be also dâ—posed 〈◊〉 Tyranny and notwithstanding that 〈…〉 their Soveraigns taxes Tyranny then their opinion◠〈◊〉 yet because Popes seldom countenance Subjectâ— complaints and proceedings against their Princes pretended Tyranny none fears to be deposed as Tyrants How litle Popes have intermedled with Protestant Princes if not persecutors is visible to the whole world If therfore Catholik Kings apprehended no danger or prejudice from the Bishop of Rome his censures against Tyranny because they are so sparing of them notwithstanding the inclination of their Subjects to solicit and obey such Censures I see no cause protestants Kings have to fear Censâ—â—â—s for heresy wherof the Sea Apostolik is no less sparing 〈◊〉 he answered that Catholik princes by the principles of 〈◊〉 Religion or at least by reason of the probability and pâ—â—sibility of the opinions against heresy and Tyranny must 〈◊〉 the hazard of being thaught deposable in those cases we 〈◊〉 protestants to consider whether it be reasonable in them 〈◊〉 of us poore English or Irish Subjects a Declaration 〈◊〉 those opinions which the most powerfull Catholik 〈◊〉 of Christendom dare not contradict for fear either of 〈◊〉 Christianity or of vndergoing the censures of the 〈◊〉 Consistory notwithstanding their temporal concern 〈◊〉 countenance a persuasion that seems to check their regal 〈◊〉 Never any King had or can have more reason to 〈◊〉 Bellarmin's opinion or other such like then the French 〈◊〉 since the loss of Navarr and the Troubles of the 〈…〉 yet whensoever the Parliament of Paris and the 〈◊〉 of Sorbon censured the same opinions the King and 〈◊〉 of France were so far from giving them thanks that 〈◊〉 disowned and declared voyd their Censures condemning 〈◊〉 for intermedling in the matter and vnder pain of his 〈◊〉 indignation and of being held for seditious and 〈◊〉 of the publik repose commanded them and all 〈◊〉 not to move or dispute any questions of that nature 〈◊〉 the right either of Popes or of temporal Soveraigns 〈◊〉 be seen at large in Monsieur Bouchet a French Author 〈◊〉 Richerist and therfore not to be suspected of favoring 〈◊〉 Sea of Rome And as for the Church of France it is so 〈◊〉 from such disputes as every one may Judg by Cardinal 〈◊〉 Oration in name of the whole Clergy to the states of thâ—â— Kingdom Two years ago Monsieur Talon the Kings Attâ—rney objected to some Doctors of Sorbon that their Faculty held the doctrin of the deposition of Kings but they declared that though some particular members of the Vniversity had long since taught the doctrin yet the Faculty never resolved the question True it is that the Kings of France permit not their Subjects now to preach or publish any such doctrin and Iudg that prohibition to be a sufficient security against it and I see no reason why protestant Kings should not think the same a sufficient security for themselves and questionless they would did not over-offiâ—ious persons misinform the Ministers of state by imposing vpon them that the Church of France doth practise such Oaths engagements or Remâ—â—strances as the Parliament
in the statuts of K. Henry 8. K. Edward 6. Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth and against resolutions taken in so legal and general a way no rebellious designs have ever prevailed in this Monarchy nor can because in a Parliament is involved the free consent and concurrence of the Prince and people and in case it should be judged conscionable and convenient that liberty of Conscience be granted to all Christians though thereby it could be feared the Roman Catholick Religion would be restored to these Kingdoms it must be at the instance of the people and by vote of Parliament for that the Royal family and the privy Councel are at present nothing inclin'd to Popery But we hope and pray that in time God may open his Majesties and his Councells eyes to see the Divin truth and the Temporal conveniences annexed to the ancient faith wherof this Monarchy hath bin so long deprived 2. The case between the Queen of Scots and her Royal issue now reigning is very different for albeit her right was as cleer according not only to Catholick principles but to Acts of our Protestant Parliaments as it is that a man can not have two Wives at once or that Q. Elizabeths mother could not be wife to K. Henry 8. during Q. Catherins life nor her self legitimat yet the Protestant principles and her Fathers Testament seemed to favor her succession and the Queen of Scots mariage to the Dolphin of France made the English even Catholicks more slow then they would have bin otherwise in declaring for her right in the due time which was a litle before and immediatly after Q. Mary dyed because they were not inclined to be subject to a French King or governed by his Viceroy None of these circumstances and considerations now concurring it is not likely that designing or discontented persons can take any advantage against the royal family that now reigns in case liberty of conscience or even the restoring of the Roman Religion should be judged conscientious and convenient by the Parliament 3. The Protestant Clergys sincerity is now much more suspected and the common people less incensed against popery then in Queen Elizabeths dayes when the Protestant Bishops and Ministers Sermons and Bibles made men believe that Images were Idols the Pope Anti-Christ Priests Traytors Agents for the King of Spaine c. which things now are discovered to be calumnies and impostures for the Bible making Images Idols is corrected by publick authority the Pope known to be a civil person like other men not the beast of the Apocalyps Nor Rome the whore of Babylon Priests have served the King faithfully at home and abroad and if any of them hath in our late troubles negotiated with the King of Spain or his Ministers it was then intended and since hath proved and bin owned by our gratious Soveraign to have had bin for his Majesties and his Royal Highness benefit and when they were in exile in order to their subsistance and restauration not any way against their interest Wherfore seing the people of these nations are naturaly inclined to piety though whilst they were abused by the Protestant Clergy and countenanced by the interest of an illegitimat Prince they did persecute Priests and popery as the greatest obstacles of peace and salvation yet now seing they are better informed and that in this particular of our desire to apply the Church revenues to the Crown for the defence of this Empire against all forreign and domestick Disturbers we can have no design but duty to our King and love to our Countrey there can be no ground to fear that the bare word or clamors of interested Adversaries will disturb the Government or incense a well meaning multitude against Papists Priests or any other persons that desire nothing but a peacable and publick Conference in order to liberty of Conscience and to ease these Nations of those heavy burthens vnder which they grone And indeed it concerns so much the soul and state the publick good and all privat persons to examin whether English men after so many changes may not and have not bin mistaken in matters of Religion and misled by education that we have reason to hope some worthy and zealous Protestants will be pleased for their own and the worlds satisfaction to move in Parliament that our objections against the novelty of their doctrin and the sincerity of their Clergy may be taken into Consideration and a publick Tryall allowed for the discovery either of their Cheat or of our Calumny If I be found a Calumniator no other joyned with me in this work I do engage in the word of a Christian to present my self to due punishment in case J escape the pestilence wherunto J have resolved to expose my self for the benefit and salvation of my brethren but if the Protestant learned Clergy be found Cheats I humbly and only beg that the revenues which they possess may be better bestowed not vpon the Catholick Clergy but vpon the Crown for the defence and ease of the Countrey If the Protestant Religion be true by a fair Tryal it can receive no damage nor the state incurr any danger if false besides the conversion of souls to the Catholick truth the Commonwealth may declare to whom it appertains the necessity there is of seising vpon the Church livings for the preservation of the people and by their approbation conscientiously enjoy the same And albeit never any Protestant contributed to the foundation of Bishopricks or Benefices but that all such pious works in these Kingdoms have bin founded by our Roman Catholick predecessors with an express obligation of prayer for the souls in Purgatory and of preaching the Roman Religion yet I question not but that they who by vertue of the last wills and Testaments of the Founders and long prescription of lawfull Predecessors ought to be in possession of the Temporalities of the Church are so good Patriots and dutifull subjects as to declare they will resign their right vnto his Majesty whensoever these three Kingdoms will think fit to grant liberty of Conscience or to return the ancient true Religion and therby the world may be satisfyed that our quarrell with the Protestant Clergy is not for lands but for souls and of this we have given heretofore sufficient evidence in the change of Religion made by Q. Mary having then resigned our Abbeys and impropriations to the Crown wheras the Protestant Clergy in these great warrs never presented the King with any Donative out of their vast fines and revenues This backwardnes of the Bishops in so pressing a Conjuncture together with the present poverty of the people and the dangers wherunto these nations are cast for want of a publick revenue which ought to be independant of taxes that can not be seasonably and securely raysed when they are most necessary do not only justify but exact a scrutiny into the right wherby the sacred patrimony of the Church is possessed by men
convenient and fit for that Uniformity of faith and union of Hearts which cements the People with their Soveraign and among themselves It is indeed so growing a Religion that it hath spread it self over the whole world not by force of Arms but of truth not by allowing leud liberty or licentiousness but by working miracles by professing and observing abstinence chastity poverty and obedience to spiritual and temporal Superiors by mortifying our Passions and the perverse inclinations of a spiritual pride and proper judgment this pride and property of judgment the source of Heresy we renounce by submitting our opinions to the Church acknowledging in the same God's Infallible assistance and authority and this our submission proceedeth not from simplicity credulity or rashness but we are induced thereunto by evident marks of Gods favour and providence clarly appearing in our Roman Catholick Church and in no other as Miracles Conversion of Nations Succession and Sāctity of Pastors c. whereby the most Learned Men of the World in every Age since the Apostles have been evidently convinced of an obligation to conform their Faith to a Church so supernaturally qualified and therefore did prudently believe that none but God is Author of the Roman Catholick Doctrine and we judge our selves bound under pain of damnation to follow their example For these Signs of Divine Providence are so far above the force and course of Nature and so visible to all the World that not only the Learned but all sorts of people who are not wilfully obstinate must confess a sufficient evidence of Gods Commission and Authority in our Church and by consequence they deny Gods veracity who contradict the Doctrine of a Congregation that hath so notorious and significant badges of his Divine trust for proposing Articles of Faith and composing all differences in Religion So that having for our guide a Church of so Authentick Authority a Testimony to rely upon so visibly confirmed by supernatural Miracles marks of Gods Commission the same Church must needs have his Infallible assistance in discharging her trust of instructing Mankind wherefore we Catholicks may do uniformly agree acquiess in her Difinitions with as little fear of being seduced as of God being the Seducer He must be very unreasonable who after being informed of these motives of credibility or marks of Gods Church will refuse to submit his judgment to so convincing arguments of the Divine Authority and this is the reason why not only the Natives of one Country or the Subjects of one Monarch but whole Kingdoms and Kings of most different tempers and interests do so easily constantly and unanimously submit and adhear to the Roman Catholick Religon both now and in former Ages whereas they who at any time opposed the same could never agree among themselves or with themselves but were and are divided into as many opinions as there are fancies or occasions offered of changing their inclinations or of raising their fortunes And now our States-men may easily conclude which of both Religions is not only most conscientious for the soul but most convenient for the power and peace of the State if they will reflect upon the different ways of planting and preserving both Religions the Catholick and Protestant To omit other examples let them consider how St. Austin our Apostle of England arrived at Kent with forty Monks and Preachers entred into Canterbury as our Adversary Fox confesseth p. 150. in procession with a Crucifix carried before him and singing Litanies and how they converted that Kingdom and all England from Paganism to the very same Roman Catholick Religion we now profess in every particular not by force of Arms or by Frauds of falsifying the Letter and Sense of Scripture but by working confessed Miracles in confirmation of our Roman Text and Sense of Scripture which they Preach'd and by the example of a Godly life How this same Religion continued for almost a thousand years in this Island and in all that time never was there any Rebellion upon the score of our Doctrine or of Interpreting of Scripture much less did the Subjects pretend Scripture or the Word of God to warrant a Superiority over their Sovereign or to try Him by a formal Court of Justice On the other side our Statesmen will find in all Histories and this Treatise that in this one Age since Protestancy began that Reformation hath not entered without Rebellion or Tyrany into any one Kingdom Country or City that he who first Preached this Reformation Luther did see it divided into more Sects than himself had years tho' he lived to be an old Man That never any of these Sects continued long without embroyling the State That never Miracle was wrought to confirm any kind of Protestancy nor the Author of any of these Sects or Reformations lived with the esteem I do not say of holy but of honest conversation No marvel therefore if People so naturally honest as the English cannot be brought to uniformity in a Reformation so unlikely to be Divine that was begun by a dissolute and drunken Friar who had no Rule of Faith but his own fancy the marvel indeed is that any sober man can be persuaded 't is possible to bring pious prudent men to reject the old Religion confirmed with so many supernatural signs renouned for so long successful subjection to Lawful Kings for a new fangled device introduced into England by an Illegitimate Queen in opposition to the Title and known right of our lawful Sovereigns Seeing therefore our Adversaries do confess that the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion even in this groaning and sad condition wherein we are kept in these Kingdoms who doubts but that if made the Religion of the State and countenanced by Law or even tolerated it will soon grow to such a hight that all other persuasions will be rendred contemptible and incapable of thwarting the Designs and Decrees that will be resolved upon by the King and Parliament when Law Religion and Reason walk hand in hand there is no room or pretext left for Rebellion upon the score of conscience And what can be more legal than an Act of Parliament what more agreeable to Religion and Reason than that every man ought to submit his judgment to Authority so Authentikly Divine and so prudently judged to be Infallible as that of the Roman Catholick Ghurch For what more convincing arguments can there be of Divine and Infallible authority than the undeniable Miracles Sanctity Succession both of Doctrine and Doctors Conversion of Kings and Nations c. of the Roman Catholick Church He who denies any of these must consequently resolve to believe nothing and even to doubt of himself of his Parents Country and Relations because no Man hath or can have a more credible Testimony or a more constant Tradition for any one of these particulars concerning his Parents Country c. than he hath for the Miracles wrought in
Confirmation of the Authority Infallibilty and Doctrine of our Church the Sanctity and Succession whereof is as evident also as our converting of Kings Nations from Paganism to Christianity and cannot be contradicted without questioning at least all humane Faith and History A Church and Religion so supernaturally qualified cannot be prudently suspected to be a Cheat or humane Invention And if once I do not say established but permitted in these Kingdoms its Doctrine needeth not be fenced with Sanguinary Statues nor favoured by any Penal Laws and Acts of Parliament for Vniformity all which rigorous proceedings will be superfluous as also the continual care and vast charges of suppressing unlawful Assemblies The absurd gestures and foolish fancies of every humorsom fellow or Hypocrite will not then take with the common people and pass for motions and revelations of the Holy Ghost neither will silly Tradesmen be heard with patience in Pulpits prate non-sense and comment upon Texts of Scripture All these impieties and disorders I say will be quasht when liberty is granted to declare unto the ignorant and misinformed people the Roman Catholick truths and the motives that induce to believe them and no Nations in the World are more inclined to embrace the truth and wholsom documents than these Islands witness the multitude of our antient Saints the magnificence of our Churches even the zeal of the present Seekers and Sectaries in their mistaken way of Salvation By all which it appeareth there would soon be an Uniformity in Religion in these Kingdoms if the Roman Catholick were Tolerated That the King would have a considerable and conscientious Revenue to support the Honour of this Monarchy and suppress all sinister designs by the addition of the Church Livings when resigned by the Roman Clergy needeth no proof I believe there will be found more difficulty in His Majesty to accept than in the Catholick Clergy to offer such a Donative seeing His Piety is now so great towards unlawful Ministers doubtless it would be refined in case He did see the mistake Let us suppose therefore that God hath heard our continual Prayers and will open the eyes of him and of these Nations and that they will acknowledge the Errors of their Education in such a case I say the Roman Clergy ought to press and without doubt will their Revenues upon His Majesty and the Commonwealth 1. To let the World see they seek not so much Worldly Interest as the salvation of Souls 2. Because the Kings Catholick Ancestors and theit Subjects of the same Profession founded all the Bishopricks and Benefices of these Kingdoms and it is a principle and practice of Roman Catholicks that in case of necessity the Heirs of the Founders ought to be maintained and relieved by the Foundations But the principal reason to move His Majesty not to reject and the Roman Catholick Clergy to make so dutiful an offer is the absolute necessity there is of a greater publick revenue then at present the Crown doth possess For though the English Valour should force advantagious Articles of Peace from our Enemies that Peace will not be lasting unless they see we are in a condition to force the performance as well as the Peace if at any time a breach of Articles should happen or new injuries be offered Nothing is more uncertain than the solemn agreement of Princes Their Leagues last no longer than until they be at leasure and recover strength to renew the War and if one of them wants a constant considerable Revenue he and his Subjects will be contemned and his Dominions made a prey to his more powerful Neighbour though lately reconciled Friend The best pledge therefore of a Peace with Foreigners is our own power if we rely wholly upon the word of the French or upon the worth of the Dutch we shall be mistaken and repent our credulity But shall our power so depend of Parliaments that before the Lords and Commons can meet or Taâ—es be rais'd our Enemies may be landed and our selves so distracted that none knows what to do Without doubt our power must depend of Acts of Parliament espicially of one annexing the Church Revenues to the Crown seeing no other found doth appear Never Parliament did give greater proofs of love and liberality to a King than this present but the more people have given the less able they are to give their will is still the same their ability is not what then must Church-men whose profession ought to be poverty especially when the State is empoverish'd think of enjoying Millions of Revenue and see that the Laity is not able to bear the burden of the War or must the Fnglish Monarchy be reduced to such a condition that if the French or Dutch will but send a Messenger to have a Place of importance delivered to them it must be done because the King hath not Money to maintain a War and defend His Subjects I do not say this hath been but I fear it may be the case of England if the King's Revenues be not made much more considerable than they are And how they may be considerably conscientiously and conveniently raised otherwise than I have proposed by the Lands of the Church I do not understand and wish that others find out a better expedient As for relying upon extraordinary Taxes and Subsidies raised from the empoverished and discontented Laity by new Acts of Parliaments according to occasions offered it is not safe for that such Taxes are look'd upon by all wise men to be more dangerous than durable as depending upon a popular Vote and Vogue whereupon neither the secret and solid designs of State nor the Peace of the Monarchy nor the power of the Monarch all which require a constant and sure Revenue can be well built Seeing therefore that extraordinary Taxes cannot be made that ordinary and constant Revenue which is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of Peace as well as of War and that the Laity cannot contribute much more than they have done and that the Revenues of the Clergy may be so conscientiously applied to the Crown I see not any scruple of Sacriledge that may deter the King or Parliament from such a resolution There is not one Catholick Divine thinks it Sacriledge to apply sacred things to pious uses and what use can be more pious than the publick safety the defence of King and Country the ease of poor Subjects the maintenance of Soldiers and Sea-men that venture their lives for our repose or then Pensions to their Widows and Children when themselves perish in the Service Seeing I say this is lawful and laudable in all other Countries I see not why our Bretish Clergy should be excepted from so general a rule and excepted from so particular a Duty The Portugal Nation hath been ever most Orthodox and pious aâ—d since their late separation from Spain they have apply'd the Revenues of the Bishopricks to the maintenance of their War against the Castilians
conclude what censure themselves deserve for being obstinat against our doctrin and for running with the appearance of sense against the express words of Scripture confirmed by so supernatural and visible a miracle as our not condescending or assenting to that evidence which we as men are naturaly inclined to follow It is an vndoubted Maxim wherin both Catholicks and protestants agree that God only can work vpon the soul while it is in the body immediatly without the help of our senses or without making impressions vpon the Organs therof The Devil can not suggest or convey hereticall opinions into our minds otherwise then by so tempering the objects and tampering with our senses that the soul doth willfully though vnwarily embrace deceitful appearances for real truths His whole power and art consists in humoring the soul in its mistake of these sensual appearances and allurements making them to seem vnquestionable evidences for it would quite destroy his drift and spoil his market if the soul did suspect a fallacy or at least reflect vpon the vanity of sensual objects and appearances Wherfore he always inculcats that the best rule in matters of faith is not to contradict or contemn vpon any score whatsoever the experiments and appearances of sense Even in Paradise before mans soul was wounded and weakned he attemped and compassed the fall of our first Parents by a fallacy grounded vpon the evidence or appearance of their senses against Gods word and warning God told them they should dye if they did eat of the forbidden fruit but by the sight and tast of the forbidden fruit the Devil wrought so vpon their souls that they believed him and their senses and preferred that fallacious evidence before Gods express word And if Sathan prevailed with them in the state of innocency to judge of divin revelations rather by their own senses then by the literal sense of Gods word how vnlikely is it that after such success he will tempt their posterity in a contrary manner or that he will suggest to men that they ought not to believe their eyes and senses in the Controversy of Transubstantiation but rather rely vpon the litteral sense of Christs words This is my Body Seing therfore it is a strange and singular miracle that so many pious and learned men of different tempers interests times and Nations after so frequent and serious debates in a matter wherupon depends their eternal happiness should without any present or prudent advantage or allurement resolve to contradict their own senses and curb their nature and inclinations of judging according to their sight tast c. and that this great miracle can not be attributed to the Devil whose suggestions and impressions reach not the soul vnless they be conveyed through our senses and our selves consent to the sensual solicitations and appearances wherwith Sathan doth assault and allure us it followeth that our Roman Catholick resistance and resolution of not condescending to those solicitations and of not crediting such appearances must be a miracle of God and the effect of his supernatural grace not of the Devil or of any natural power of our own So that our adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and our belief of Transubstantiation which are the things Protestants most except against in the Catholick Religion if they reflect vpon them will be found to be supernatural miracles and convincing motives for their Conversion to our Roman Catholick Faith Let Protestants number also the particular doctrins wherin they differ from Roman Catholicks and observe how our belief and practise in such particulars go against sensual appearances and pervers inclinations and they will find we have as many visible miracles as there are doctrinal and practical differences in our Church from Protestancy To these may be added the general signs or marks of the Church as our vnity in faith the continuance and vniversality of our doctrin our Apostolical succession our conversion of Nations to Christianity c. No Protestant can rationaly deny that every one of these is a visible and supernatural miracle which can be as litle attributed to human industry as to chance or fate For if they might how comes it to pass that not one of these signs can or could ever be found in any other Congregation of Christians but ours This much I thought fit to say not to satisfy the curiosity but the conscience of them who desire to see any one vndeniable miracle that favors Popery And albeit any one true miracle doth confirm the whole doctrin of our Roman Church yet J will set down more then one for confirmation of most particulars wherin we differ from Protestants and begin with what we have in hand concerning Transubstantiation and the adoration of Christ in the Sacrament which our Adversaries pretend to be a kind of Idolatry for that our selves confess the Species or accidents of bread and wine do remain and they are creatures by us adored together with Christ. Our common and constant answer wherunto no reply can be given is that we adore the Species no more when we adore Christ in the Sacrament then the Apostles and others who conversed with him vpon earth adored his cloak or cloaths when they adored himself SECT II. Of true miracles related in the Ecclesiastical Histories by men of greatest authority in every age to confirm the particular mysteries of our Catholick faith and that sense of Scripture wherin Roman Catholicks differ from Protestants THere is not any thing so evident which is not questioned by obstinate and interested persons The Protestant layty in regard of their education are fixt in the maintenance of Protestancy the clergy are interested because it is their livelyhood Let Catholick miracles be never so visible or credibly reported Protestants look vpon them as mistakes and that can be for no other reason but becaus themselves are setled in a prejudice against the doctrin of the Church of Rome The Authors that relate Popish miracles are credited in all other matters and esteemed â—udicious persons but when they come to that point they must needs loos their witts or be judged Jmpostors To avoyd this Cavil or confute the Calumny J have fixed vpon Authors whose wisedom and integrity hath never hitherto bin called in question even in points of doctrin and the sole denial of whose Testimony is held to be a sufficient evidence of heresy or foolery in the person that contradicts it and of weaknes in the cause that can not be maintained without so vnreasonable a contradiction And seing they are credited in matters of faith J hope they deserve credit in matters of fact Of miracles related by St. Chrysostom St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Austin St Nylus St. Cyprian the Martyr St. Gregory the great St. Optatus and others in confirmation of Transubstantiation Adoration of Christ in the Sacrament the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion vnder one Kind Prayer for the Dead and Purgatory A Certain venerable old man saith St. Chrysostom to
desired him at her death to remember her in his Sacrifice of the Altar Calvin saith it was but an old wives request which her son never examined according to the Scriptures and after his own privat affection would have the same approved by others As Calvin Luther and all the first Protestant Reformers contemn the Catholick Churches authority in matters of doctrin when it is contrary to their new interpretations and extravagant fancies of Scripture so do they and their Successors in that of miracles Jf any Miracles be recounted that confirm the mysteries which Protestants reject though delivered by the same Author and in the same book they must needs be old wives tales not duly examined c. And yet the foolish and fals stories of such a frantick and crackt-braind fellow as Iohn Fox was known to be and his Acts and Monuments shew him to have bin are credited by persons that have no other ground to beleive his fables and follies but their education in Protestancy and aversion to Popery His lies and simple storyes must pass for a true Ecclesiastical History notwithstanding that they are contradicted by all the Histories of the world and that many of his Martyrs were found following their trades after that he had described their torments and deaths very particularly and patheticaly his miracles in confirmation of protestancy and indeed his whole book are so ridiculous that I admire some Protestant zealots if they would have the reformation be thought a Religion do not suppress or reform the work He tells for a stupendious miracle that a stone fell from a ruinous building vpon Luthers stool after he had bin eased or weary of sitting vpon it An other that a multitude of German Clowns debauched Clergy men and libertins embraced Luthers reformation it being so indulgent to liberty sensuality and vice and that the Bishop of Rome and other Catholick Prelates Censures did not stop the violent cours and Torrent of their pervers inclinations He makes dreams revelations Merchants Expounders of the Apocalyps and not to seem partial how himself was made a fool by revelation But in steed of suppressing or correcting Fox his foolish Acts and Monuments the Protestant Clergy have reprinted that book divers times since his death with new comments chronologies and great commendations of the work every Parish Church is to have one and few privat families will endure the want of so great a spiritual treasure And though the Bishops know it is not only a very absurd piece but also the chief thing that makes Puritanism and Presbytery spread and so popular in England yet becaus it persuades the simple and vulgar sort that Popery is idolatry they countenance a book so prejudicial to themselves Our Catholick miracles are of a different nature and not related by such lying foolish fellows as Fox but by the greatest Saints and wisest men of Gods Church men so much esteemed for their vertue learning and judgment that Protestants themselves are ashamed to vndervalue their testimony in matters of faith and a fortiori ought to beleive them in matters of fact if they intend to believe any thing at all that is not mentioned particularly in Scripture I say particularly because Christ our Saviour assured us in generall as our Adversaries confess that miracles should continue in the Church forever as signs of the true belief Marc. 16. 20. Ioan. 14.12 2. Cor. 12.12 The Conclusion I have sayd as much as I think necessary for the information and instruction of such Protestants as desire to know the truth and do not find my conscience guilty of any one falsification in this whole Treatise And truly it were a great absurdity in me to commit wittingly that crime which J so much cry down in others Such mistakes as have crept into the printed book will J hope he attributed to the Printer or Transcriber I am sure I have bin so diligent in examining the quotations and assertions pro and con the Catholick cause that want of care cannot be objected and if there be no want of sufficiency in the work that commendation is not due to me but to the goodnes and evidence of the cause I maintain For what acutenes of wit is requisit to defend a Religion that never was impugned but by persons so leud and vnreasonable that at the very first appearance of their opposition they were condemned as hereticks by the whole visible Church that then was What profundity of judgment can be thought necessary to demonstrat that the ancient primitive letter and sense of Scripture ought to be preferred before the Devils interpretation therof embraced by Luther or before any new Canon and fancies of the like debauched fryers and Priests What litle learning is not more then sufficient to discover so palpable frauds and falsifications as the Protestant Writers practise to make their Reformations seem agreable to Gods word What Erudition is so mean that doth not surpass the history of one age or of Protestancy a Religion so lately sprung vp and raysed from the pride ambition liberty and lewdnes of the first reformers and confined to the Northern parts of this least part of the world How can such a Religion be Catholick either in length of time extent of Territories or Conversion of Nations Jts true that for the space of 100. yeares England hath bin so blind as not to see such gross errors but this misfortune was occasioned by their fondnes of Q. Elizabeth to make good her title to the Crown they separated themselves from the communion of the Church and when her interest vanished with her death and for want of posterity few were living after her long reign that observed the motives of her reformation most Englishmen beleived the changes she made had no relation to her illegitimacy but proceeded from pure zeal of the Ghospell Her new Clergy both then and eversince have endeavored to confirm the people in that persuasion by falsifying Scripture Councells and Fathers but the discovery of the frauds and the principles of Protestancy practised against the late innocent King have opend the eyes of many to discern the flaws of the Reformation and the fallacies of their own education And now that it is as much the concern of the whole Nation to tolerat the Roman Catholick faith as it was Q. Elizabeths interest to change it into protestancy I doubt not but that every particular persons ease in the addition of a revenue to the publick will excite both conscience and curiosity to examin whether the prelatick Religion and Clergy of England have not more of human invention then of divin institution And if after perusing this Treatise and proposing the arguments and instances therof to their learned Ministery no satisfactory answer can be given to the particulars wherwith their doctrin and function is charged to what purpose should men continue in mistakes so damnable to the soul and dangerous to the state But if the Protestant Clergy
the examples of other Protestant Churches Whence followeth continual discontents and designs of the generality of these Protestant nations against their prelatick Clergy and the little esteeme and affection there is for the same Clergy among the reformed Churches abroad How vnsafe it is for the Prince and government to establish by law a Religion and Clergy so generaly hated and that acknowledgeth it self to be fallible in doctrin and therfore for all they know lead their flocks to eternal damnation Laws enacted to favor Religion ought to suppose not pretend to make the Religion reasonable Reason is the ground of human laws but human laws can not be the ground of Religion How dangerous it is to press too much the Act of vniformity against so great and zealous a multitude as the Sectaries are Their errors ought to be confuted with reason not rigor The prelatick Clergy whose spiritual Censures and authority ought to quash all dissentions doth cause the mischief and engageth the state in perpetual troubles for maintaining by force of law the improbability of their caracter and jurisdiction against the evidence of reason SVBSECT I. THe prelatick caracter and Religion is so incredible that few serious men in their judgments continue any long time Prelaticks By pretending a mean and moderation between Papists and Presbiterians the Prelaticks fall into manifest contradictions in defending their own caracter doctrin and disciplin How learned Protestants are forc't to confess that the Prince may force his subjects by laws to his Protestant persuasion and that every Protestant subject notwithstanding the Prince his prerogative hath a privat authority to judge of the Prince his Religion and is bound to stick to his own contrary judgment What great confusion this must occasion It is the nature of all Religions that give privat men liberty to judge of Religious controversies to cause such disorders How this inconvenience is prevented in the Roman Catholick One of the differences between it and the Protestant is that when Protestants rebell they do not violat the principles of Protestancy which makes every man Supreme in matters of faith and by consequence of state When Catholicks rebell they go against their principles that give no such supremacy or liberty Jn these last one hundred years there have bin more rebellions vpon the score of Protestancy then have bin since Christs time vpon the score of the Roman Catholick Religion In what sense the Roman Catholick is a growing Religion Whether it be policy to persecute a Religion that encreaseth against the rigor of the lawes and to promote a Religion that doth not encrease with all the helps of lawes and favors of the Prince The sanguinary and penal statuts are thought to be so vnjust even by Protestants that no honest and sober man thinks them fit to be put in execution Whether it be policy to continue such statuts All seditious persons begin their designs against the government with pressing the execution of the statuts and somtimes therby make the zealous and giddy multitude rebell Whether it were not piety and policy to repeal statuts that if put in execution make the nation and government infamous if not put in execution may occasion rebellion by reason of an indiscreet zeal in the giddy multitude Besides their being enacted to suppress the principles and destroy the persons of the Catholick party which maintained the Stevards right to the Crown ought to facilitat the repeal SVBSECT II. THe sanguinary and penall statuts of England against Catholicks can not be justified by the proceeding of the Inquisition or by laws and edicts of Christian Kings and Emperors against hereticks The first English Protestants acknowledged themselves to be hereticks when they petitioned to the Parliament 1. Ed. 6. for a repeal of all ancient statuts against hereticks not daring to preach and profess their reformed doctrin vntill the Parliament had condescended to their petition Queen Elizabeths reformation confirmed by Sanguinary statuts diametricaly opposit to primitive Christianity and therfore very strange that men so knowing as the English nobility and gentry should continue them or that persons so pious loyall and well bred should not either out of Christian charity to Catholicks or out of a dutifull civility to the Royal family that now reigns repeale laws enacted by Q. Elizabeth for ruin of the Stevards party and for excluding themselves from the Crown THE THIRD PART COntaining the conscience and conveniency of tolerating the Roman Catholick religion by Act of parliament proved by the little conscience of the Protestant clergy in maintaining Protestancy with frauds and falsifications and by the great inconveniencies this Monarchy suffers by pressing the prelatick and Protestant Religion vpon tender consciences SECT I. DEmonstrated that either the learned Protestant or the Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats Proved by the impossibility of concealing the truth of Christianity and of the true Church otherwise then by the frauds and falsifications of either Clergy So manifest are the signs of the Catholick Church and so particularly mentioned in Scripture And as one of the two Clergyes are Cheats so either the Catholick or Protestant layty are damnably careless in matters of salvation Reasons why the Catholick layty can not be thought carless the Protestant may How easily the truth may be known and how the Protestant layty may be considerably eased from extraordinary taxes by informing themselves of the truth of Religion The impudency and impiety wherwith Bp. Ievell and the first prelatick clergy imposed Protestancy vpon this nation to favor Q. Elizab pretensions and to raise themselves from Pedantry to Peerage Proved by Ievells Challenge and Sermon at Paules Cross and by his and the Prelatick clergyes Apology for their Church of England pretending that the Catholick Church for the first 600. years was Protestant How this imposture was confuted by the Catholick writers and the Protestant writers forced to acknowledge their own error How the same imposture was again maintained by succeeding prelaticks and how vnsuccesfully How Taylor revived now again the same shamfull imposture and with how great infamy to his person and discredit to his cause The Protestant layty can not without committing a damnable sin give any credit to their Clergy in matters of Religion after so many and so manifest Discoveries of the frauds and falsifications wherby alone they defend Protestancy How a conference and Triall about this matter can not be conscientiously denyed nor the denyall stand with good policy SECT II. THe same further demonstrated and that there can be no reason to suspect the sincerity of the Roman Catholick Clergy SVBECT I. AND II. WHether it be charity to treat Cheats with ceremony when they are convicted of damning souls by frauds and wilfull falsifications And whether the first reformers of the English Church Cranmer and his Camerades ought not to be censured accordingly The frauds and wilful falsifications hypocrisy incontinency impiety and Atheism of the prelalatick Protestant Clergy in K. Edward
a ridiculous Church of Protestants he fancies and deduceth only from the time of Pope Innocent 3. and composeth of a rablement of all sectaries divided among themselves and dissenting also from Protestants Proved in particular instances of VValdenses Albigenses Wickleff and others His three simple Miracles of Luthers and how Fox describes a revelation of his own and how he was made a fool by revelation The Prelatik clergy recommend Fox his works to all Godly people though the learned of them know it to be a collection of frauds follies and fables SUBSECT I. IOhn Fox his Calendar of Protestant Saints In all 456. wherof Bishops Martyrs 5. and Cranmer the principal by him you may judge of the rest Bishops Confessors 1. Virgin Martyrs none Mayd Martyrs 3. Kings and Queens Martyrs and Confessors 1. Edward 6. Other men and women Martyrs 393 other men and women Confessors 57. The greatest disputers against the Catholick Bishops of these Martyrs were a Cook a Cowheard a Taylor a Blaksmith a millers wife a Cutlers wife and a married mayd So Fox calls her How madly these poor souls ran to the fire Fox his Martyrs were all fanaticks SUBSECT II. WIlfull falsifications committed by John Fox in his acts and monuments He falsifies St. Bede and an ancient english Synod to make them Quartodecimans and to favor the Protestant doctrin of divorces He falsifies also St. Antoninus to discredit Pope Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand and a Councell to favor the mariage of Priests The ancient Greeks and Latin Churches held the single life of Priests 120. lyes in three leaves of Fox his book and more in the whole then in Sleydans History though eleven thousand are gathered out of Sleydan by the German writers His censuring Acts of ancient English Parliaments for condemning Rebells and heretiks His falsifying Sr. John Oldcastles profession of faith to make us believe he was a Protestant in the point of Purgatory SUBSECT III. DOctor Charks egregious falsification of St. Austin and how falsly he excuseth Luthers doctrin of the lawfulness of Adultery and incest SUBSECT IV. ARch Cranmer and Peter Martyrs falsifications against transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. SECT VI. HOw some Protestant writers in Q. Elizabeths time seing their fellows proved falsifiers waved the testimonies of the ancient Fathers and Councells and yet the others continued their former cours of falsifying both Fathers and Councells Of Whitaker Arch. Whitgift and Fulk How they contemn the Fathers and Church when they relate ancient condemned heresies that Protestants now profess Doctor Willet a great Impostor how impudently he falsifies taking God to witness he will speak nothing but truth it is the general custom of Protestant writers SECT VII FAlsifications and frauds of the prelatick and Protestant Clergy ever since the beginning of K. James his reign for continuing and maintaining Protestancy SUBSECT I. THeir corruptions of Scripture notwithstanding that the King commanded the English Bibles to be corrected They corrected some few things that gave advantage to the Puritans against Episcopacy leaving other corruptions as formerly Insteed of correcting their fals Scripture they forged new Registers How they falsify Scripture in the first commandement Exod. 20.4 and yet object against vs Catholiks that wee take away the 2. commandement How absurd this their objection is See also how they corrupt Scripture to humour K. James in the supremacy divers others Arch. Abbots and the Bp. of Glocester altered the true translation of St. Peters epistle to impugn Purgatory accused of this impiety by Sir Henry Savill that translated it rightly How they corrupt Scripture against prayer to Saints That Saints in heaven do hear our prayers proved by reason and authority Whether it be not more then credible that Arch. Abbots who falsified Scripture would forge Registers How vnreasonably the prelatick Clergy in their Dedicatory to King Iames set before the new translation of Scripture desire his Majesty to protect the same against the objections of Puritans and Papists SUBSECT II. OF Dean Walsinghams scruples and Search into matters of Religion and how by discovering the frauds and falsifications of his own Protestant Clergy he became a Roman Catholick The occasion of his doubts His memorial to K. Iames as being head of the church for satisfaction His reading of the Defence of the Censure and his judgment therof How that book proves Scripture is more cleare for Catholick Tenets then for Protestant of Dean Walsinghams appearance before his Grace at Lambeth his conference with Doctor Covell This Doctors fraud and folly in diverting Walsingham from the truth Of Dean Walsinghams third and fourth appearance before my Lord of Canterbury How he was abused and threatned by his Grace for desiring to know the truth Of the Knight of the corner Perkins and his persuasions How the Archbishop to be rid of a man that pressed to know the truth remitted Dean Walsingham to the Commissary of St. Albans and to others who gave him no satisfaction Of Bells libells delivered by the Arch-bishop to satisfy Mr. Walsingham His last appearance before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and an assembly of Diuines How in their presence he produced the corruptions and falsifications of the Protestant books recommended vnto him by his Grace and yet neither he nor that assembly durst compare Mr. VValsinghams notes of frauds with the same books as Mr. VValsingham desired but dismissed him wishing he were far enough for discovering their cheat and the weakness of their Religion SUBSECT III. REflexions vpon Mr. VValsinghams Relation This like case and cheat doth happen as often as the Protestant Clergy observeth any conscientious person troubled in conscience through the vnreasonableness of their Religion A case of conscience concerning one millions of revennue proposed and desired it be decided by the Parliament and that some knowing person my Lord Chancellor be the Moderator of the conference for that purpose SUBSECT IV. A Relation of a Trial held in France about Religion How necessary the like is in England for the credit of Protestants and convenience of the state SECT VIII PRotestant falsifications to persuade that the Roman Catholick doctrin is inconsistent with the Soveraignty and safety of Kings and with civil Society between Catholicks and Protestants How the Protestant writers having bin worsted at Scripture Councells Fathers c now endeavour to defend Protestancy by reasons of state and become vnfortunat Polititians Divers falsifications touching this subject published by Morton Bishop of Duresm How he answers some objections with new lyes others whith laying the blame vpon the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. Stork c. To most objections he gives no answer The whole National Synod and Protestant Clergy concurr in an imposture concerning the sign of the Cross in Baptism against Roman Catholicks The Protestants falsifications of the Canon Law about deposing of Kings About cheating excommunicated persons About murthering and massacring Protestants Diuers falsifications to assert a spiritual Supremacy in Kings According to the
people are abused Many Protestant mistakes wherwith the common sort were fooled are now cleered and their own conveniency wil invite them to examin further the errors of doctrin incident to education from which errors the Protestant Church doth acknowledge it self not exempted If the Protestant faith be true such a trial as we desire will be of great satisfaction to the Professors therof and confirm them in their religion and convert Papists and Sectaries to the same if it be falfs besides the salvation of souls by a discovery and prosession of the Roman truth these kingdoms will be able not only to defend themselves but offend foreign Enemies after we are enabled thervnto by a conscientious addition of a million sterl per an to the publik revenue No danger of sacriledge in applying the Church revenues to pious and publick vses for the preservation of the people practised by the ancient Catholick Clergy Not one good reason why the Church of England ought not to admit of such a publick conference as we propose and desire Bishop Lauds reason to the contrary confuted The denying and differring it a sign that Protestants are guilty Catholicks grant conference to Protestants whensoever they demand it The Protestant layty have reason to question their Clergies Ordination and caracter as well as their doctrin The new change of their formes of ordination very suspicious That the Roman Religion is such a growing Religion proves it is the true Religion fit to be made the Religion of the state THE FOURTH PART THe Roman Catholick Religion in every particular wherin it differs from the Protestant is confirmed by considerable Miracles recorded not in vain Legends or modern Authors but in the most authentick histories of the world and by the ancient Fathers and Doctors of Gods Church SECT J. SUch Miracles as are approved by the Roman Catholik Church are true Miracles The doctrin confirmed by those Miracles cannot be rejected without doubting of Gods Veracity Every Protestant doth see though not observe true Miracles in confirmation of the Catholick faith What great scrutiny is made by the Roman Catholick Church into true Miracles and the lives of men that are to be canonized for Saints There can be no combination or cheat in such matters Some Miracles permanent that be seen by all men as that of S. Ianuarius in Naples An vndeniable Miracle of S. Francis Xavier wrought vpon Marcello Mastrilli most remarkable for many circumstances Miracles to confirm Popery related by the Magdeburgian Centurists but by them absurdly attributed to the Devil or said to be seigned True Miracles cannot be wrought to confirm falshood 't is against Gods veracity to permit the same Miracles oblige vs to believe the doctrin in confirmation wherof thy be wrought The difference between Antichrists and Catholicks Miracles or true and fals Miracles That all the Roman Catholicks adore the Sacrament and believe Transsubstantiation as also other points of Popery is an evident Miracle of God and can not proceed from the Devils power or art The Devil temps men to be hereticks by the means and ministery of their senses and by humoring the same not against the evidence and inclination of sense The general signs and marks of the Church are vndeniable Miracles No other Church besides the Roman Catholick can shew those signs SECT II. OF particular miracles that confirm the Roman Catholick Tenents and our sense of Scripture related by S. Chrysostome S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Austin S. Nilus S. Cyprian the Martyr S. Optatus S. Gregory the great and others in confirmation of adoring the B. Sacrament Transsubstantiation the Sacrifice of the Mass Communion vnder one kind prayer for the dead and Purgatory Primat Vshers falsifications and fraud to discredit some of these Miracles discovered Of Miracles in England related by Waldensis and recorded by the Archbishops of Canterburyes Register How Protestants falsify the very statuts and law books Miracles wrought by S. Bernard to confirm every controverted point of the Roman Catholick doctrin against the Protestant Protestant writers confess S. Bernard was a Saint and yet say his Miracles were wrought by the Devil How absurd SECT III. MIracles to confirm the worship and vertu of the sign of the Cross recorded by St. Paulinus St. Cyril of Jerusalem St. Athanasius St. Hierom St. Gregory Tuâ—onensis Nicephorus and Theodoret. How by Tradition from the Apostles the primitive Christians were accustomed to sign themselves frequently with the sign of the Cross. The first and worst Heretiks were enemyes of that sign Christs Cross multiplyed by miracle in St. Paulinus his time Protestant miracles are but cheats Not one of them true Protestants agree with Pagans heretiks and Magitians in contemning miracles and the sign of the Cross. How the Devils dread the same SECT IV. MIracles in confirmation of the Catholick worship of Jmages related by the most eminent authors of the Ecclesiasticall History and by the 2. Councell of Nice an 787. wherin were 350. Bishops St. Peters shaddow was the Image of his body and by scripture Act. 5.15 it appears to have wrought Miracles The Protestant Imposture concerning Christs statue that Iulian the Apostata broke confuted S. Iohn Dâ—mascens hand that was cut off by the practises of Image-breakers restored by his praying at our Ladies Image The Protestant evasion of civil and religious worship confuted SECT V. MIracles related by S. Austin S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostom S. Hierom S. Optatus S. Bede S. Bernard S. Anselm and others in confirmation of prayer to Saints worshipping their Reliques of the vertue of holy water the Sacraments of Confirmaon Confession and extrem Vnction The doctrin of Indulgences confirmed by the same Miracles that confirm worship of Saints Pilgrimages c. The truth of all S. Thomas of Canterburyes Miracles evidenced by one that Fox recounts and picks out to discredit the test What litle reason Protestants have to suspect our Catholick Miracles of forgery How severe the Roman Church is in the scrutiny and punishment of such Impostures Reflections vpon Bishop Taylors Treatise of Confirmation Confession and extrem Vnction maintained to be Sacraments by ancient Fathers S. Bedes holiness and learning acknowledged by Protestants He relates Miracles wherby the errors of Protestancy are confuted How absurdly Protestants contemn the authority of the holy Fathers in Miracles admitting it in matters of faith How ridiculous John Fox his Miracles are how vnwisely the Prelatick Clergy countenance his Acts and Monuments that have so spread Puritanism in England A Paralell between Protestancy and Mahometism FINIS THE CONCLVSION To the right Honorable the Committee OF PARLIAMENT FOR RELIGION May it please your Honors VEnerable St. Bede in his History of the Church of England recounteth how St. Austin the Monk and our Apostle Sent by St. Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome to convert our Saxon Ancestors from Paganism to Christian Religion arriving at the Isle of Tanet in Kent gave notice vnto King Ethelbert then a
reformations They began in Luthers owne days and still continue to increase and multiply having no rule of faith but an obscure text of Scripture nor no Church or Court of judging the controversies therof with an obligation to submit there-unto but every ons privat opinion which must needs breed diuision add confusion And so it happened in the very beginning to Luther For his Disciples observing that every one of them-selves might pretend to be sent by God by an extraordinary vocation as well as Luthers seing he proved not his Mission by Miracles or by any supernatural sign to reforme the Church divers of them separated from him and set up for them-selves as Zuinglius who invented the Sacramentarian Religion against Christs real presence in the Sacrament and Bernard Rotman Father of Anabaptists c. It were tedious to relate all their divisions and almost impossible We will only assure the Reader that in the space of 30. years after Luther began his Reformation it was divided and subdivided in Germany alone into 130. Sects For first his Disciples divided them-selves into four principal Reformations of plain Lutherans halfe Lutherans Antilutherans or Sacramentarians and Anabaptists These plain Lutherans into eleuen Sects and these againe into soft rigid and extravagant Lutherans the semilutherans or half Lutherans also into eleven Sects The Sacramentarians or Antilutherans into 56. and one of these into 9. The Anabaptists into 13. Sebastianus Traneus a Protestant numbreth 70. How all these have bin subdivided since we may guess at by the variety we see in England of Protestant Religions not with standing the severity of the Laws in favor of the Prelatik Not one of these Sects have subordination to another and agree only in some generall Notions of Christianity and in impugning the Roman Catholick Religion one of the marks wherby the Holy Fathers discerned Heresies Each of them pretend to be a true Church and condemn the rest as Schismatical and Heretical Congregations perpetualy quoting Scripture one against the other but understood according to every on s conveniency fancying or feigning that the Spirit of God inspires him to reform not only the Roman Doctrin but the Protestant reformations But when we call to them for their comission which must be signed by Miracles and desire to know by what authority they presume to take vpon them so high an employment they tell vs that Miracles are ceased in the Church and all ours either counterfeit or Diabolicall wrought by the Devill to confirm us in the Idolatry of the Mass Invocation of Saints c. But because our Miracles exceed the Devills power and can be wrought only by God rather then Protestants will embrace the truth by Miracles testified they teach a blasphemy saying that God doth give power of working true Miracles unto false teachers not to confirm their false and Popish opinions but to tempt those the Indians Iaponeses and Chineses unto whom they be sent By which Paradox they call in question Christianity it self for why might not God tempt the Iews and primitive Christians by Christs Miracles as well as the Indians and Iaponians by others of the same nature and as prodigious If the Indians be not bound to belieue the doctrin preach't to them though confirmed by our true miracles why should the Jews or any others be obliged in conscience to belieue Christ For if God may work true Miracles to make a falshood so plausibly credible as to oblige prudent men to belieue it no prudent man is bound to belieue the truth when it is euidently confirmed with true Miracles and by consequence none was or is bound to belieue in Christ which doctrin is impious and contrary to our Sauiours own words Ioan. 5.36 and against 2. Cor. 12. Hebr. 2.4 and Marc. 16.20 and Joan 15.24 Where our Sauiour declares that the reason why the incredulous Jews did sin in not believing his Diuinity was because he confirmed his doctrin with Miracles Jf I had not don among them the works which no other man did they had not sinned As for their authority of reforming the Roman Catholick faith they answered that they needed no other warrant but Scripture which did cleerly condemn the Popish Tenets Being desired to shew what parts or words of Scripture were Contrary to the Popish Tenets for that after comparing all places and Texts very godly and learned men could find no such opposition between Gods word and the Roman doctrin they replied that the reason why the Popish Diuins and Prelats did not see their own errors afterall their search and study was because they had not the spirit of God which had reuealed to Protestants the true meaning of holy writ though they could not deny but that their own interpretation was new and contrary to that which the visible Church of the 15. â—n age had receiued from the 14 th and the 14 th from the 13 th and so forth Therfore they all conspired in maintaining that the visible Church had erred in doctrin and that the mystery of iniquity began euen with the Apostles or immediatly after But because some parts of Scripture are so cleere against their new doctrin that they could not be wrested against the Roman Catholicks nor reach the Protestant thy framed a new Canon of Scripture and excluded as Apocryphall many Books and Chapters which spook cleerly against them and in their translations of the ould and new Testament into vulgar languages they added to and substracted from Gods word what they thought fit to make the illiterat people belieue that their new inuentions were agreable to Scripture and that Popery was quite contrary to the same And because none of the first Reformers was a Bishop and they knew Bishops only could consecrat other Bishops and Priests and that no Congregation could be esteemed a Church with out that caracter and calling according to the receiued maxim of S. Hieron Ecclesia non est quae non habet Sacerdotem Luther And the rest who pretended a Reformation judged it necessary to alter this doctrin and declare that all Christians both men and women are Priests by baptism yet that only such as are chosen by the Congregation or Magistrat ought to exercise the function for the auoyding of confusion Luther endeauors to proue it at large thus The first office of a Priest is to preach the word c. But this is common to all next is to baptyze and this also may do euen women c. The third is to consecrat bread and wyn but this also is common to all no less then Priests and this I avouch by the authority of Christ him-self saying Do this in remembrance of me this Christ spook to all there present and to come afterwards whosoever should eat of that bread and drink of that wine c. This also is wittnessed by S. Paul who 1. Cor. 11. repeating this applyeth it to all the Corinthians making them all as
the tendernes of her conscience was satisfied there could be no scruple of Sacriledge in applying with consent of the true owners ecclesiastical livings to pious and publick vses And now I hope I may conclude this Treatise with humbly desiring a Conference or examination of Protestant and Catholick books at least of one for each side let the quotations of Doctor Taylors Dissuasive be viewed and that book or any other writ against the Roman Religion stand for the Protestants sincerity t is like he writ nothing carelesly or rashly his declared drift being to make a whole Nation Protestants and professing himself to be only Amanuensis to a prelatick Convocation of reformed Bishops which in his Preface he compares with that Assembly of the Apostles wherin choyce was made of Iudas his Successor and sayes the lot of St. Mathias fell vpon himself and that some other like himself was Barnabas the just Jf this holy Convocation of Protestant Apostles should set forth a Book that hath more lyes then leaves I hope men may advise their friends to consider whether a Religion that cannot be maintained but by such men and means and a Clergy that practiseth such frauds and falsifications ought to be preferred before a Religion and Clergy that not only professeth as all others do to write truth but presseth to come to a publick trial therof in a â—egall way and rather then fail herein are content that the controversy be decided by them that are known to be most zealously devoted to Protestancy I do not instance Bp. Taylors Dissuasive from Popery for the Trial as if his falsifications to maintain Protestancy were more numerous or more enormous then those of other writers that have defended the same cause No. He is more waâ—y then many and more moderat then most of his predecessors or equalls But I instance his book to give my adversaries all the advantages that the learning of the Author and the Authority of a Convocation can afford Jf they have a better opinion of the sufficiency of Bishop Jevell then of Bp. Taylor they may fix rather vpon his Apology for the Church of England then vpon Doctor Taylors Dissuasive from Popery authorized by the Church of Ireland To Jevells Apology we oppose Harding Stapleton and Rastalls Answers To Taylors Dissuasive Worsley Lengar and Sergeants Annotations But if they refuse this offer as pointing but at two particular Doctors of their Church let them be pleased to have the truth of their Reformation and the sincerity of their whole Clergy examined by answering to the frauds and falsifications wherwith I charge their whole Church and calling in this book FINIS The Summe of this Treatise Containing the Substance of every Section THE FIRST PART Containing the Matter of Fact of the Beginning Progress Principles and effects of Protestancy SECTION I. HOw necessary a rational religion is for a peaceable government and wherin doth the reasonableness of Religion consist How dangerous for a temporal Soveraign to pretend a spiritual supremacy over his subjects Heathen Princes durst not assume it without a persuasion in their subjects that it was due by descent from some Deity or that the Gods signified their approbation therof by prodigies and miracles The great Turk notwithstanding his tyranny thinks it not policy to pretend a spiritual jurisdiction over his subjects though slaves The ground of policy piety and peace consists in establishing by law a Religion confirmed by miracles that such a Religion will make the Prince powerfull and popular the Prelats respected the people willing to obey and pay taxes It takes away all pretexts of rebellion vpon the score of a tenderness of conscience How necessary it is for the Government to have a devout Clergy and that Clergy at the Soveraigns devotion and Some of them emploied in State affairs Therby all disputes between the spirituall and temporall jurisdictions are prevented With how much reason Statesmen dread such disputes For the space of 1500. years the Catholick world believed that the Bishop of Rome had the supreme spiritual jurisdiction over souls as being Christ's Vicar vpon earth and that only such as were of his Communion and vnder his obedience were members of the Catholick Church and therfore the Greeks for exempting the Bishop of Constantinople and themselves from that obedience were declared Schismaticks others were condemned as Hereticks for teaching and professing doctrin contrary to the Roman Both the doctrin and authority of the Roman Bishops and Clergy hath been confirmed by vndeniable true miracles even here in England Jt was held to be the only Catholick doctrin in St. Gregory the great his time That faith which wee Roman Catholicks now profess is the same in every particular with that of St. Gregory and of all Orthodox Christians of his time and for confirmation wherof true miracles have been wrought SECT II. OF the Author and beginning of Protestancy The first Preacher therof was Martin Luther an Augustin Friar who from his youth had bin lianted by the Devil and presumed to have bin possessed He resolved to preach and write against the Mass praying to Saints and other Catholick Tenets after that the Devil had appeared to him and convinced him by Protestant arguments How weakly the Protestant writers endeavour to excuse Luthers disputation instruction and familiarity with the Devil Others acknowledge it and maintain that the Devils doctrin ought to be believed when it agrees with the Protestant interpretation of Scripture that is with every privat interpretation contrary to the sense of the whole visible Church How much it is against piety and policy to make the Protestant or any other privat interpretation of Scripture the Religion of the State or to preferr it before that of the Church and of the holy ancient Fathers quoted subsect 1. passim SECT III. OF the principles ad propagation of Protestancy How Luther begun his reformation by gaining Poets Players Painters and Printers to discredit by their Poems Pamphlets pictures and ballads the Roman Catholick Religion and its Clergy How he drew also many dissolute Friars and Priests to his side and married nine of them to so many Nuns in one day taking also one to himself How he made his reformation plausible to Libertins by teaching that only Faith was necessary for Salvation without troubling themselves with good works and popular by preaching that no Christian ought to be subject to an other and how therupon the Clowns and Tenants of Germany rebelled against their Princes and Landlords The three fundamental principles of Protestancy are 1. That for many ages the whole visible Church had bin in damnable errors and so continued vntill Luthers reformation 2. That there is no rule of faith but Scripture as Protestants are pleased to interpret it 3. That men are justified by only faith How from these principles have issued innumerable Protestant Religions contrary one to the other Luther did see his own reformation divided into 130. disagreing sects of
Law of England our Kings may minister all ecclesiastical functions consecrat Bishops and their letters patents are sufficient to give any lay person man or woman power to consecrat Bishops and Priests Ten wilfull falsifications set down together by Bish Morton for proving that Catholicks hold the Pope cannot be deposed nor become an heretick Primat Bramhalls falsification to prove that Popes may and have decreed heretical doctrin SECT IX PRoved by reasons and examples that no Religion is so little dangerous to the soveraignty and safety of Kings or so advantagious to the peace and prosperity of subjects as the Roman Catholick notwithstanding the Popes spiritual supremacy Bellarmin the Author most excepted against in the opinion of deposing of Kings sayes that a King cannot be deposed for being an heretick vnlesse he forceth his subjects to heresy The Author of this Treatise doth not intend to promote Bellarmīs doctrin but only sheweth there can be no danger in it though it were allowed as true Not any thing more contrary to sound policy then to lay for the foundation of loyalty an Oath or engagement against opinions plausible popular and practised The best way to suppress them is to silence the Authors not censure their doctrin How litle the Popes power is feared by protestants though they make it the pretext of persecuting Catholicks How little his censures can disturb the government in regard of the notoriousness of the fact and the solemnity of his sentences required for their validity How Arch Laud and other protestants contradict them selves in this matter A fancied possibility without probability can bring no danger to the government How vnreasonable it is to exact a more strict profession of allegiance from catholick subjects to a protestant Soveraign then is given by any other Catholicks to their Catholick Soveraign That the french Kings exacts such engagements or Remonstrances from their subjects against the Popes authority as is required in England and Ireland from Catholiks against the same is a gross mistake All such disputes are prohibited in France as tending to sedition and no way profitable The Censure of the Parliament of Paris and some Doctors of the Sorbon against the Popes authority disanulled by the King and privy Councell in France Protestants cannot cleare their own principles in this particular from the aspersions they lay on the Catholick Tenets One of the fundamental principles of Protestancy is a power in the people to depose Soveraigns and dispose of their Kingdoms for the use of the Ghospel Proved by the examples of all Kingdoms and States that received the Reformation even the Prelatick of England SECT X. THat Protestants could never prove any of the wilfull falsifications wherwith they charged Roman Catholick writers but on the contrary themselves are convicted of that crime whensoever they attempted to make good their charge against us Of the Index Expurgatorius Bp. Taylors objections in the Dissuasive as also Bp. Mortons Bp. Jewells c. retorted vpon themselves Item Sutcliffs accusations against Bellarmin The Councell of Calcedon confirmed by Act of Parliament of Q. Elizabeth and by consequence the Popes spiritual supremacy which that Councell asserts SUBSECT I. PRotestants convicted by Belarmin of holding 20. ancient condemned heresies and how fourteen are admitted by them or at least vnanswered and the other six wherof they endeavor to cleere themselves are excused only by falsifying Fathers and Catholick Authors among which are two Pelagian heresies two Novatian one Manichean and one of the Arians Besides these Protestants maintain Iustification by only faith with the Simonians and Eunomians That God is the author of sin with the Florinians That women may be and are Priests with the Peputians That Concupiscency is a sin with Proclus That the true Church was invisible for many ages with the Donatists That men ought not to fast the Lent pray nor offer Sacrifice for the dead with the Aerians That Saints ought not to be prayed vnto nor their reliques or images worshipt with Vigilantius SVBSECT II. FAlsifications objected against Baronius by Dr. Sutcliff How ridiculous The difference between the falsifications objected by Catholicks and those that are objected by Protestants SECT XI CAlumnies and falsifications of Luther Clavin Arch-bishop Laud and Primat Vsher to discredit the Roman Catholick Religion and vphold Protestancy against their own conscience and knowledge What impudent impostors were Luther and Calvin Proved in many particulars Frauds and falsifications and calumnies of Primat Vsher called the Irish Saint by Protestants against the real presence and Transsubstantiation Against sacramental Confession Against absolution of sins by a Priest His cheat concerning Duli◠nd Latria No new invention of Jesuits but the ancient doctrin and distinction of the Fathers Against prayer to Saints His imposture of the Breviary of the Premonstratensian Order SVBSECT I◠OF Bp. Laud the English Protestant Martyr How fraudulently he would fain excuse the modern Greeks from being hereticks notwithstanding his 39. Prelatick articles condemn their doctrin of the holy Ghost as heresy He abuseth S. Austin to make Protestants believe that general Councells may err against scripture and evident reason He abuseth Vincentius Lyrinensis laying to that ancient Fathers charge his Graces own blasphemy and commits therin many frauds He falsifies Orcam and resolves the Prelatick Faith into the imaginary light of Scripture and the priva◠spirit and therin agrees with Presbiterians and Fanatiks And pretends that Prelaticks are not Schismaticks and Sectaries But to excuse them commits divers frauds His pretence of the lawfulness for privat Churches to reforme themselves confuted His doctrin doth justify all the sectaries proceeding against himself and the Church of England His vanity in pretending that the Church of Britain is independent of the Pope as also that the Pope can not be judge in his own cause His fraudulent and absurd explanation of S. Ireneus against the primacy of Rome item of the gallican libertys His abusing and corrupting S. Greg. Nazian because that Saint asserteth the infallibility of the Roman Church His falsifying of Gerson vpon the like accompt A faire offer to Protestants for the trial of falsifications SECT XII Whether it be piety or policy to give the Protestant Clergy of these 3. Kingdoms a million sterl per an for maintaining by such frauds and falsifications as hitherto have bin alledged the doctrin of the church of England which also they acknowledge to be fallible and by consequence for all they know fals And how the sayd million per an may be conscientiously applyed to the vse of the people without any dangerous disturbance to the Government It was policy in Q. Elizabeth to make such a clergy and Religion but not piety The case being now altered neither piety nor policy to preserve either No seditious or interessed persons can disturb the Government by pretending zeal for preserving a Religion and Clergy so prejudicial to the soul and state if liberty be granted to discover the cheat wherby the
Pagan that he and his fellow-preachers were come from Rome and brought to him very good tydings to wit that such as would follow and obey their doctrin should enjoy an everlasting Kingdom in heaven with the true and living God The King moved with curiosity came into the Island of Tanet and notwithstanding his suspition that the Monks were Magitians returned this civil and prudent answer you give us very fair words and promises but yet for that they are strange and vnknown vnto me I can not rashly assent vnto them forsaking that antient Religion which thus long both I and my people have observed But for so much as you are come so far to the intent you might impart vnto us such knowledge as you take to be right true and good wâ—e will not seek your trouble but rather with all Courtesy we will receive you and minister vnto you all such things as are behovefull for your living Accordingly he allowed them lodging and other necessaries in the City of Canterbury and after hearing and examining their doctrin became a Christian. The very same tydings and Doctrin that St. Austin and his Companions delivered to King Ethelbert do I most humbly offer vnto your Honors in this book as your own Bishops and writers confess and is plain in St. Bedes History testifying that as they approched neer the Citty of Canterbury having the Cross and Image of our King and Saviour IESUS Christ carried as their manner was before them they sung Letanies they served God in continual prayer watching and fasting They resorted to an antient Church built in the honor of St. Martyn made while the Romans were yet dwelling in England and there did say Mass c. This their doctrin they proved to be true by working of many miracles and to be the very same which Joseph of Arimathea and the Apostles had preacht to the antient Britons whose Bishops St. Austin courted to Ioyn with him in converting of the Saxons a Curtesy he never would have desired or demanded had their Doctrin differed from his of certain ceremonies vsed by them in Baptism and of their Iewish way of celebrating Easter he did not approve and all Protestants grant he had good reason neither could the Britons themselves gainsay it when by common accord they prayed that God would vouchsafe by some heavenly sign to declare whether their particular traditions or rather St. Austins with whom saith Bede all the other Churches throughout the whole world agreed in Christ were most acceptable to his Divin Majesty and the Briton Priests having prayed in vain for the restitution of fight to a known blind man St. Austin compelled by just necessity fell on his knees prayed and forthwith the blind man saw Then the Britons confessed indeed that they vnderstood that to be the true way of righteousnes which Austin had preached and shewed vnto them This miracle God wrought by his servant to reduce the antient Britons to an vniformity in ceremonies Many other greater miracles did he work by the same St. Austin wherby our Modern Ministers are convinced of heresy for being obstinat in their errors against Transubstantiation worship of Images Purgatory Prayers to Saints Jndulgences the Sacrifice of the Mass c. for that with these Popish Doctrins both St. Austin and his Master St. Gregory are charged by your own Protestant writers and censured as converting the Saxons from Paganism to this Superstition I hope your Honors will not give vnto vs who desire only liberty of conscience wherof the worst consequence can be this that the ancient Religion of Christ may therby be restored a wors answer then King Ethelbert returned to S. Austin Though what wee affirm of the Catholick belief will seem strange to you that have hitherto supposed the same to be idolatry or superstition and perhaps suspect us to be as great Sorcerers as King Ethelbert did S. Austin and his Companions But without question so pious and prudent Persons as Your Honors will not be less charitable then a Pagan to men that besides an everlasting Kingdom in heaven come to offer you a million sterl per an vpon earth especialy seing we do not desire you should condemn your own Protestant Religion nor credit ours before you see what your Clergy can answer to our reasons and to corruptions and falsifications of Scripture and Fathers which we desire to object against them in a publick conference if it be your Honors pleasure to grant vs that favor for obtaining wherof they will be as earnest Suitors as wee if they believe their own doctrin But in case they decline or deferr so reasonable and seasonable a request as we humbly concieve ours to be I hope Your Honors will not think that men who dare not defend their Religion against provoking adversaries that offer to shew the falshood therof and the frauds wherby it is and only can be maintained deserve so great reverence and revenues or can be fit to direct others in the way of salvation As for their railing against St. Austin our Apostle notwithstanding that God approved of his Doctrin with many miracles it is no satisfactory way of reasoning neither as I persuade my self will they be able to rally so grave and sober a Comittee as your Lordships out of a million per an by quoting their own Translations and sense of Scripture or by wresting texts to their own advantage and to the great prejudice both spiritual and Temporal of these Nations againâ—â— the Commonâ—sense and consent of the visible Church for 16. ages They have had indeed hitherto better Success in this particular then they could expect from so wary and wise a people as the English but the improbability that a Clergy would be so impudent and impious as to falsify Scripture forge Registers and build faith vpon fancy hath gained them more credit then they deserved and made the Layty more credulous and carless then Christians ought to have bin in a matter of so great importance as the everlasting happines of their souls and in a subject so tempting and suspicious as the revenues of the Church Now that it hath bin the fate or fortune of this Monarchy to be involued in wars which have discovered the insufficiency of the Kings revenue to maintain the same and that we have no other security of a peace when concluded but the words of Dutch and Frenchâ— drawn vp into a formality of Articles which will be no longer observed then it will be their conveniency so to do and that the honor and safety of these three Nations can not be secured without greater and more Constant supplies and subsidies then perhaps after a little time will be safe to exact of the impoverished multitude seing I say this is the present condition of our State and will be also for the future whensoever it pleaseth our neighbors to be our enemies not only all lawfull ways of raising moneys must be sought after