the Mass Veneration of Holy Relicks and Images Pilgrimages Invocation of Saints Monasteries Monks Obedience to the See of Rome and other things proper to the Catholick Religion which hath ever flourished among these nations ever since their Conversion till of late they were abolished by these New Religions Who that considers these things can doubt but the Roman Catholick Religion is the true Religion of Christ In it we see this Divine Promise of the Conversion of Nations fulfilled Hereunto so many Peoples so many remote Nations so many potent Kingdoms have fled and forsaking their Idols impurity of Life multiplicity of Wives barbarity of Manners and former licentiousness humbly stoop to the yoke of Christ have imbraced the fear of God conformed to an honest Life and were inflamed with contempt of the World and love of Heaven How can it be that this Religion should be false and impious which makes so great a change in the Minds of barbarous People To conclude how can it be that the Divine Providence for so many Ages should permit all these Nations to be deceived when they willingly forsook their Idolatry imbraced the Truth and united themselves to the Church of Christ and be plunged into other pernicious Errors and a new Idolatry and that by those who in the Church were esteemed by every one the most Lawful Ministers thereof as being famous for Holiness of Life Wisdom and Miracles God forbid we should so judge of the Divine Goodness and Providence which has so much care for the Salvation of Men. But now on the other side there has never been any Conversion of Nations made by the Lutherans Calvinists and Fanaticks never any accession of Pagan Kingdoms to their Religion but only a Revolt of those who bearing the Name of Christians but weary of their former Religion and Discipline have followed their Novelties and Liberty of the Flesh which is a clear Argument of Heresie For Heresie is nothing else but a corruption of the Catholick Doctrine and revolt of Christians from the Primitive Religion retaining still the Christian Name and it is the study of Heretical Doctors not to convert Heathens but to pervert Christians Therefore Tertullian hits them home Lib de Praescrip What shall I say touching the Ministration of the Word since it is their business not to convert Infidels but to seduce Catholicks They take greater Glory to ruine those that stand than pains to lift up them that are down For this Work of theirs is not of their own building but a demolishing of the Truth They undermine our Church to raise their own so that they can easier destroy the House that stands than raise a new Building out of ruines The Sixth Consideration from the Name of Catholick and the thing signified by this Name THat Religion is to be judged the true Christian Religion which has always been accounted and called Catholick according to the Apostles Creed I believe in the Holy Catholick Church But the Roman Church is only called Catholick and the Professors thereof Catholicks Therefore the Roman Catholick Religion only is the true Religion of Christ That it alone has been always and still is called Catholick 't is evident First By the general use of the Name over all the World Hence it is that even Hereticks many times call it the Catholick Religion and the Professors thereof Catholicks nor did ever any Sect merit this Name For the Marcionists Montanists Vid. Pacia Epist denom Cath. St. August c. 4. contr Epist sund Manicheans Donatists Pelagians Vigilantians Waldenses Lutherans Calvinists Anabaptists c. were never called Catholicks nor their Doctrine the Catholick Religion only the Church of Rome and that part of Christianity which adheres to it is called the Catholick Church and the Religion Belief and Doctrine of this Church the Catholick Religion the Catholick Faith and Catholick Doctrine and her Followers Catholicks Secondly Because the word Catholick signifies the same as Vniversal The Catholick Religion is spread over all the World or General spreading over all the World But such is the Roman Religion because being spread over all the known inhabited parts of the World it extends it self to all Nations and Kingdoms For there is no Kingdom nor Nation known to us which has not still this Religion or formerly had it or doth not now begin to profess it yea at this very time there is well near amongst all Nations a publick profession of our Religion namely in Japan China the Indies Persia Tartary Turky Affrica Brazil Peru Mexico c. For in all these places there are Catholicks to be found Churches Altars Images of Christ and his Saints celebration of Mass administration of our Sacraments observation of our Feasts and Fasts and in Fine there is publickly held the Roman Catholick Religion Who can doubt that this is the true religion and the true way of Salvation which our Lord would have proposed and preached to all Kingdoms which he hath made to grow and increase at convenient times in all Kingdoms and which every where in a manner he now preserves causing Catholicks to be dispersed through the whole World that Infidels by them might come to the knowledge of the true Religion Moreover it is Catholick in point of Time as well as Place The Catholick Religion extends it self to all Ages for it has been derived thro' all Ages from Christ's and his Apostle's time For there is no Age since that time can be assign'd wherein this Religion was not held In all Ages Mass was celebrated for the living and dead Festival and Fasting days were kept Monastick Vows were frequented the Saints invocated and their Relicks honoured with other things proper to our Religion in use and practice as 't is manifest by all Ecclesiastick Writers On the contrary if we consider all kind of Sects No Sect is called the Catholick Religion none of them were ever called the Catholick Religion or the Professors of them Catholicks as aforesaid but they took the Name of their Religion from the first Broachers of it as Simonians from Simon Magus Valentinians from Valentine Pelagians from Pelagius Lutherans from Martin Luther Calvinists from Calvin c. and none of their Religions are spread over all the World Nor dilated over all the World At first when the Catholick Religion began to appear and shew it self it was not long before it was diffused over all the World and did increase and fructifie almost in every Kingdom notwithstanding the Persecutions thereof as S. Paul tells us Rom. 10. Colos 1. But the religion of Luther Calvin and Fanaticks now for the time that it hath been in the World which is about 150 years hath made no such progress but being confined only to some few Countries does daily lose ground either by crumbling into other Sects or else by returning into Catholick religion again As also not one of them is of any ancient standing but all of them of new invention but
of Faith no end of Dissentions and Contradictions and it must necessarily in a short time have been divided into a Thousand Sects as we see it happens by the Conventicles of Hereticks Hence it is that in the Catholick Church all points of Faith are certain and defined and no variation made of them and all Catholicks unanimously consent acquiesce and are satisfied in the belief of them Hereby it follows Thirdly If you depart from the Catholick Religion you have no certainty to depend on for the true way of Salvation For what Religion will you make choice of in so great a variety The Lutheran But why not the Presbyterian or any other Fanatick Why do you profess Luther's Religion before the rest For the Presbyterians and Fanaticks have Scripture for their Religion as well as the Lutherans Again if you will imbrace the Religion of Luther which sort would you have the mild or rigid That pure Religion which Luther the German Prophet recommended or that which Philip Melancton renewed But this also is of divers sorts for the Augustane Confession was often changed If you are for Calvin's Religion why not Luther's since he is the Parent of all and the first that brought into the World this new Light of the Gospel Again if you are for Calvin's Religion whether that of Puritans or Protestants For they are very different as the English well know I omit many differences wherein these Sects are divided There is no solid Reason can be given why you should profess one for the certainly of it rather than the other since they all stiffly alledge the Word of God to be of their side that they have the Spirit of god and that the sence of Scripture is clearly for their Doctrine and that all the rest are false and manifestly against Scripture nor can they otherwise prove it but by saying that 't is clear to every one that has the Spirit Therefore they all urge the same reason for their Doctrine and rely on the same foundation You must therefore be of all their Religions or of none But the Catholick Religion proves her Tenets far otherwise namely from Sacred Scripture according to the exposition of the Holy Fathers and Doctors of all Ages from the Sanctity Miracles and Prophetick Spirit of those that profess this Religion from the perpetuity and uniformity of Doctrine through all Ages from the purity of Life which this Doctrine induceth from the Conversion of Nations to this Doctrine and from all the other Considerations set down in the foregoing Chapters The Ninth Consideration proceeding from divers Reasons why these New Religions are to be suspected and avoided ALL other Religions besides the Catholick expresly and particularly that of Luther Calvin and the Fanatick which I chiefly speak of here ought worthily to be suspected and abandoned as Heretical Sects for many Reasons which I shall here briefly commemorate and referr to your serious Consideration The First Reason from the Novelty of it ALL Novelty or all New Cutts and Fashions as St. Gregory Nazianzen calls it in any Government and chiefly in the Affair of religion are to be shunn'd and avoided The Christian religion is an ancient solid and immutable thing intended to last to the end of the World For it is the Form Strength and as it were the Soul of Christ's Church for as by the Soul the Flesh is animated into a Living Man so by religion an Assembly of Men who otherwise of themselves are but carnal is formed into the Church of Christ which is a Spiritual Kingdom As therefore the Church and Kingdom of Christ is ancient and never to be rooted out as against which the Gates of Hell that is to say no Herefies or other wicked attempts shall ever prevail Mat. ult and with which Christ has promised to remain to the end of the World De August de utit caeden c. 17. Such also must the Religion be by which this Church and Kingdom of Christ do subsist Therefore Novelty is repugnant to the true Religion But that these are New Religions is manifest First Because we can shew the first Authors of them the place time and manner how they began who resisted them what great Commotions Troubles and Mobbs were raised by reason of them and finally by whom they were condemned Now what clearer signs can there be of Novelty In the same manner all Heresies introduced against Apostolick Doctrine are convinced of Novelty because we can shew how they crept into the Church at what time they began in what place by what Author who opposed and condemned them Secondly Before the year of our Lord 1517. Luther's religion was not in the World nor Calvin's nor the other Fanaticks which are but two branches of the Lutheran Religion For it appears by Historians of that time wherein Luther first shew'd Head that there was no religion in the World but the Catholick Religion and a very few Hereticks called Hussites except the Judaick Mahometan and Pagan Religion Thirdly If you should say that some of them were existent in the World namely the Lutheran Religion c. but lay hid I ask in what place it was in what Kingdom in what Town who were the Defenders or Maintainers of it Lastly How do you know it was in Being before since it could not be manifest but by Writers who report no such thing but the contrary Besides when there were in every place Inquisitors of Heresies how could this Religion lie hid so many hundred years and not be discovered and never any one of the Followers of it fall into their Hands and be corrected Never any Heretical Sect could so hide it self but be often taken and publickly called in question and examination Again if this religion was in the World before Luther why did not the Professors of it who have hitherto lay hid come forth and acknowledge him as a Doctor of their Faith and a Champion of their religion Why did they not appear in publick and join with him as their Partner and Patron who had set at liberty their religion before suppressed and persecuted But no such ever appeared that had been of this religion before him but all of them were of the Catholick Religion before they turned to Luther as Luther himself before he revolted was a Roman Catholick and a Friar L. de Missa augular l. 2 contr Swingl and said Mass seriously and devoutly fifteen years together as himself confesseth Whereby it is clearer than the Sun at noon day that Luther's Religion is altogether new and was unknown to the World before his time Not any Congregation of Men and perhaps no single person was ever in Being before him that professed the same Religion that is all the same points of Faith his whole Body of Doctrine For although he might hold some Opinions of ancient Hereticks yet the Relagion of Luther and the ancient Hereticks is not therefore the same but in part For Religion is a
your own Testimony alone which is to bear Witness of your self But he that gives Testimony of himself his testimony is not true Joh. 8.13 That is is not to be esteemed true unless by some other way he can prove it For Example These Calvinists cannot prove by other ways that they have this private Spirit but would have us believe them upon their bare word and naked assertion whereby they affirm to know it secretly Therefore there is no reason why they should be credited but rather there is great reason why all should be disbelieved for the Spirit of God cannot be contrary to it self but they are contrary to themselves and others also Therefore they are not guided by the Spirit of God And hereunto and this also pertaining to their fraud and deceitful Machinations and Contrivances they revolted from the Antient Faith which had flourished so many Ages and they embraced these New Religions Their Princes according to the custom of the Church received from the time of Constantine the Great would compel them to return to the Antient Religion which sometimes they professed and forsake their Novelties For which cause they rail against Catholick Princes and accuse them of Tyranny call them Enemies of the Gospel and over all the World raise envy against them as those that would do violence to their Consciences against their Eternal Salvation And lastly under colour of this Liberty they raise Sedition and wage War against them But when themselves God permitting it for our sins get possession of our Goods or Estates they grant no Liberty to Catholicks but raise bitter persecutions against them and force them with divers Torments and Confiscation of their Goods to desert their Ancient Religion and embrace the New which they never learned which never had any Name but of their Sect which they owe nothing unto which they never saw confirmed by any rational Arguments but on the contrary condemned by the Church in all the Christian World with the greatest and most-weighty Reasons Is this to deal sincerely candidly and equitably Is not this the Society of Lyons whose Right consists in their Power and Strength who make and unmake Laws for their Interest And what Tyranny of Conscience can be compared to this In the Church none are ever compelled to the Catholick Faith but those who formerly professed it nor they neither but after a lawful and full Proof and Conviction to which the Deserters cannot Answer But these New Reformers compel those that never professed their Novelties and before they have convinced them of Errour In which thing they act against their own Doctrine For they teach that Man has no Free-will but all things are done by the Divine impulse and decree which none can resist and that God infuseth Faith into his Elect only By what Law then do they inforce Catholicks to believe them since it is not in their power Again since the whole cause of believing according to their Decrees is reduced to the Testimony of the private Spirit they do very unjustly in forcing Catholicks to believe them not only against the Testimony of the private Spirit but also against the Testimony of the publick Spirit of the Universal Church For it is certain out of the Scriptures that the Church is governed by the Spirit of God and therefore cannot err but yet this is in no manner certain of private Men. The Eighth Reason from their overthrow of Good Works THat Religion which takes away all Practice of Good Works is not to be imputed to Christ who every where commends Good works and the Observation of God's Commandments But the Religion of Luther and Calvin takes away all desire of Good works therefore neither of them is to be esteemed the Religion of Christ That these two Religions take away all desire of Good works is manifest First Because both teach That Man with all his Good Works is never the juster before God never the more deserves Eternal Reward and shall receive neither more or less Glory in Heaven for doing but a few or many or no Good Works at all That God regards Man only for his Faith That all Justice is contained in Faith alone For thus says Luther I would not give one Half-penny for all the Merits of St. Peter to help me De 10. Precept c. 1. because he cannot help himself but whatever he hath he had it from God through Faith in Christ Here he plainly teaches that St. Peter is never the juster for his own Good works or hath received a greater Happiness in Heaven for the same but was Crowned for his Faith only And again in another place De captio Bacyl cap. de Baptis Do you see how rich a Man is that is a Christian and Baptized who cannot be damned for what sinns soever he commits though he would unless he will not believe for no sins are damnable but only incredulity all other sins if he returns and fixes his Faith upon the Divine Promise are in a moment absorpt through the same belief Again in another place Good Works cannot be taught De Votis Monast without prejudice to Faith since Faith and Good Works in the case of Justificarion are extreamly contradictory in such sort that the Doctrine of Good Works is necessarily the doctrine of Devils and apostacy from the Faith Calvin is of the same Opinion as 't is manifest in his Institutions where he saith The Justice of Good Works can by no means be joyned with the Justice of Faith not only Works done by the force of Nature but all other whatsoever Title they are adorned with are excluded by the Justice of Faith L. 3 c. 11. s 13. l. 3. c. 15. s 2. sequen cap. 19. s 2.4.7 The same he teaches in many other places If there is not Merit in Good Works if they do not render us more gracious and acceptable to God and that for them we shall receive no reward in Heaven why should we trouble our selves about them Why should we spend our Fortunes in works of Mercy and relief of the Poor What should we Fast for and afflict our Bodies Why should we be instant in Prayer 'T is great folly to busie our selves in those things and be sollicitous for that which will redound nothing to our profit or advantage Who sees not by this Doctrine that the study of all Good Works is extinguished Secondly Because both their Religions teach ' That all our Good Works are so far from meriting any thing of God that they are sins and mortal sins too although by reason of Faith they are not imputed to Believers Luther teaches this in many places A just Man says he sins in every Good Work Again A Good Work well done In Presol cont Eckium in assert art 31. is a Venial Sin by the Mercy of God but a Mortal one according to the Judgment of God Again in another place In assert art 32. Our best Works whereby
one way to Eternal Happiness It is an Atheistical Opinion that every one may be saved in different Religions for as there is but one God one Christ one Truth one Right-way one Justice so there is but one true Faith one true Religion one true Congregation or Church of God and Christ out of which there is no Salvation Let them beware lest by a curiosity of reading or hearing or uncautious conversation with Hereticks or desire of pleasing any Mortal Man or fear of Persecution or loss of Temporal Life or Estate or loss of gain or ambition of Honour or for any other cause they lose so great a Good For what is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul But a loss of the true Religion is a loss of the Soul which no Wise Man will part with upon any account Those are unhappy Souls and unworthy the Name of a Christian who little regard the ruine of the Catholick Church or Religion so they may but safely and quietly enjoy a Temporal Peace to live in sensuality or hoard up riches and the trifling goods of this Life But this madness and vile esteem of so great a Good shall cost them dear when this momentary Life shall be ended and they suddenly fall into an endless Eternity Many Seducers are gone forth into the World many under Sheeps cloathing under a smooth pretence of God's Word hide a Wolfish Nature to the destruction of Christ's Sheep Our Lord hath admonished us more than once carefully to beware of them The Apostles and Holy Fathers have often warned us Eccles 13. He that touches pitch shall be defiled and he that loveth danger shall perish therein Eccles 3. The Times were never more dangerous and destructive to our Salvation than now the Fascination of the Devil was never greater nor a Spiritual frenzy more powerful with Men the operation of Errour was never more prevailing and successful and the minds of Men never blinder all which deservedly possess the understandings of those that disesteem this great Gift of the Catholick and Orthodox Religion and prefer Temporal Things before it Let those therefore that heartily desire to be saved preserve this Celestial Jewel and keep it with all carefulness because Life proceeds from it and because 't is a Supernatural Gift which without the Divine Assistance can neither be acquired nor preserved being invironed with so many Enemies Let them daily implore Gods help for themselves their Children and whole Family and add unto their Prayers Alms to the Poor with other Works of Piety for Prayer is good with Fasting and Alms and better than to heap up Treasures of Gold Job 12. Let them lead Lives agreeable to their Religion and allay their Thirst after the Goods of this Life with expectation and hope of Celestial and Eternal remembring the Saying of the Apostle 1 Tim 6.9 They that will be rich fall into Temptation and the snares of the Devil and many unprofitable and hurtful desires which drown Men in destruction and perdition for the root of all Evil is Covetousness which some desiring have erred from the Faith and intangled themselves in many sorrows By these helps they may securely walk amongst the differences and dangers of these Times and preserving intire the Gift of the only true Religion by it easily obtain Everlasting Life Amen To the Immortal and Invisible King of all the World the only God be all Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen An APPENDIX to the foregoing Consultation Whether every one may be saved in his own Faith and Religion WE have said in the Preface of the foregoing Treatise that it was a stupid and gross Errour of some that think it sufficient to Salvation if they believe in Christ and that he died for our Sins and we briefly demonstrated their Errour with certain Reasons But because this Errour is now far spread and hath infected the Minds of many I am intreated to explicare the same more at large Therefore I shall divide the matter into Two Questions The First is Whether it be sufficient to Salvation to believe in God and do no Body any injury that is to say Whether every one may be saved in his own private Faith or Belief if he endeavours to live honestly and virtuously The Second is That supposing that Faith in Christ is necessary Whether that alone be sufficient or whether we ought to believe something else The First Question AS to the First Question many at this time The Foundation of our Adversaries Opinion are of Opinion that every one may be saved in his own Faith or Religion The Reason which they chiefly give is because it seems to them incredible that all Jews and Turks many of which Worship God devoutly in their way and deal justly with their Neighbours should be damned eternally only because they do not believe in Christ since in this regard they seem not to offend very much because from their infancy they were taught otherwise For why should God who would have all to be saved make the way of Salvation so strict 1 Tim. 2.4 Joh. 3.17 Why should he condemn to Eternal Punishment these miserable Wretches who study to please him according to their Capacity who do no Man any Wrong but observe Justice and honesty of Life meerly for ignorance of that which they have not been sufficiently instructed in But this Opinion though consulting only Natural Reason It is refuted with Four Reasons ir seems to have some shew of Truth and Equity yet considering those things which God hath revealed to us in Scripture is altogether a Paradox For if every Turk or Jew may be saved in his own Faith or Belief then in vain the Apostles and Holy Fathers laboured so much to plant the Faith of Christ for they might abstain from a profession of this Doctrine without loss of their Salvation and remain contented with the Jews with a coufession of one God I add moreover Christ therefore was made Man in vain he wrought so many Miracles in vain that People might believe him to be the Messias and Saviour of the Would in vain he was Crucified and died for none of these things were necessary to Man's Salvation It had been enough to have sent Preachers through the World to perswade Mortals to believe in one God The Apostle uses this way of arguing saying If Justice be by the Law then Christ died in vain Gal. 2.21 that is if Justice may be obtained by the knowledge of one God and observation of the Law then Christ died in vain because his Death was not necessary to Salvation Second Reason Again the whole Scripture will he found false and lying which teaches That Christ is our Mediator Redeemer and Saviour which proposes him a Propitiator for us by Faith in his Blood Rom. 3. by whose Svcrifice we are reconciled to God by whose Blood we are
Christians about it out of hatred to Christian Religion or any other cause they render themselves inexcusable before God For the Affair of Religion and Salvation is of so great moment and concern that it is to be preferred before all other things and ought with the greatest care and diligence to be sought after where there is just occasion to doubt although you were to go into the remotest Countries for satisfaction The Second Question THe other Question is Whether it be sufficient to Salvation to believe in Christ and that he died for our Sins although we refuse to believe many other things Many especially the Vulgar think this to be sufficient if they believe those things concerning God and Christ which are contained in the Apostles Creed all other matters they count indifferent and that every one may believe of them as he is really convinced for they think that every one may believe the Creed according to his own sense and interpretation Therefore they judge that every one which confesseth Christ may be saved in his own Faith or Belief whether he be a Papist or Lutheran or Preâ—byterian or Anabaptist or of any other Sect For all these hold the same Head which is Christ Col. 1.19 and 2.8 all rely on the same Foundation which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Therefore they cannot fail of their Salvation although they dissent in many other things Hence it is that some Princes which are of these New Religions labour very much to establish and amplifie their Dominions by making the Lutherans and Calvinists but one Church and endeavouring to perswade the People that there is no difference amongst them but only in some small Matters and Ceremonies But this Opinion brings with it many ill Consequences First Because it saves almost all ancient Hereticks This Opinion is confuted with Ten Reasons First Reason For many of them confessed Christ and believed the Apostles Creed according to their own interpretation The Arrians then may be saved in their Heresie who deny the Son of God to be of the same Substance with his Father The Macedonians who made the Holy Ghost inferiour to the Son The Nestorians who held two Persons in Christ The Eutychians who affirmed that the Flesh of Christ was converted into his Divinity The Apollinarists who held the Divine Word instead of a Rational Soul united to the Flesh of Christ The Monotholites who maintained that there was but only one Will and Operation in Christ The Pelagians who denied Original Sin and taught that Man by the force of Nature might be able to merit the Grace of God and Salvation The Donatists who averr'd that the Church of Christ was every where perish'd but only in their own Communion The Novatians who denied repentance to faln Sinners The Montanists who thought Montanus was the Holy Ghost All these according to this Opinion are saved in their several Faiths and Heresies because they believed in Christ and the Apostles Creed as now the Lutherans and Calvinists do But what can be counted more absurd and a greater Paradox in the Church of Christ For if Salvation may be had by such a Faith why were so many Councils by a Convocation of Bishops throughout the whole World celebrated at so great labour and charge against these Heresies Why were they so often Anathematized Why did the Holy Fathers strive so much to extirpate them Why were Catholicks so much afraid of society and familiarity with those Hereticks Why did many of them rather suffer banishment death and all kind of torments than subscribe to any of their Heresies Certainly all these things were done in valn foolishly and injuriously if Salvation might be obtained in these Sects which since no Wise Man can affirm we must needs confess that these Heresies are the Plagues of the Mind and no Salvation can possibly consist with them Second Reason Because it condemns all Antiquity of Errour which always judged that Hereticks could not be saved and therefore so fiercely opposed them and always studied so carefully to confute them Third Reason Because it condemns the Apostle who thus writes to Titus A Man that is an Heretick after the First and Second Admonition avoid knowing that he that is such a one is subverted and sinneth being condemned by his own judgment Why is he commanded to avoid him if his Errour was not prejudicial to Salvation Why does he say that he is subverted Again Their Speech spreads as a Canker or Gangreen 2 Tim. 3.17 As therefore a Canker is Mortal to the Body unless it be cut so is an Heretick to the Company of the Faithful and therefore they are forbid to hear their Sermons or read their Heretical Books which are infectious spreading like a Canker But it may be some will say that no Body is to be esteemed a Heretick unless he denies Christ or some Article of the Apostles Creed But this is altogether ignorantly and absurdly said for then he would not be an Heretick that should renounce the Old and New Testament and say that it is connterfeited or written by the Spirit of Man and liable to many Errours as are the writings of prophane Authors He would not be an Heretick that should deny Hell or Eternal Punishment or that should hold that all the Devils shall be saved since none of these things are in the Apostles Creed He would not be an Heretick that should condemn Marriage and alledge that Matrimony is Diabolical that should judge some Meats to be impure or unclean of their own Nature which the Apostle esteems Heretical Lastly he would not be an Heretick that should affirm that there were Two Persons in Christ whom St. John calls an Heretick and Antichrist 1 Epist c 4. nor would he be an Heretick that denies Baptism and all the Sacraments Lastly none of those fore-mentioned should be reckoned Hereticks which is repugnant to all Antiquity and all Doctors of the Church since the Apostles days Fourth Reason This Opinion renders all Heresies and Sectaries equal with the Orthodox Faith judging Salvation may as well be obtained by them as by it Then the true and Orthodox Religion will be no better than Arrianism Pelagianism Nestorianism Eutychianism and other false Religions whieh is in it self most absurd and nothing else but to introduce meer Atheism For to grant all Religions to be good and that it concerns nothing our Salvation what Religion we profess is to regard no Religion at all For if there be any Religion this can be but only one as there is but one Truth one Justice one Faith one Beatitude one God and Lord of all things one Mediator of God and Men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Fifth Reason 'T is ridiculous to say that it is enough for a Man to believe the Creed Of the Faith of the Creed according to his own sence or meaning since there is but only one Truth which if he does not attain to then he believes falsely but what
even to Natural common Sense do appear so equitable that they are required in Disciples of all Arts and Sciences how much more then are they to be demanded in all Persuits of Divine and Supernatural Knowledge The Teachers and Professors of which seem to have a Right to exact them of all who pretend to be their Disciples and they may and ought to protest before-hand against all Passionate Prejudiced Self-interessed Self-conceited Arrogant Presumptuous Unserious and Insincere Discoursers To such Books Written by Angels and Sermons Preach'd by God himself would prove unfruitful as was the Case of the Scribes and Pharisees even for these very Reasons whilst of the Poor and Simple of the Meek and Lowly a few words of an unlearned Fisherman could Convert Thousands To Conclude if these Dispositions are so necessary in all other Inquests they are much more so in the perusers of the following Treatise Which being a Consult does in a most particular manner require an Impartial Unbiast and Unprejudiced Reader for as much as he is invited hither not so much as a Party as a Judge in whom a contrary Disposition is intolerable Let him therefore consider that he is to sit and hold the Ballance in the Scales of which are to be put and weighed the opposite Practices of Two contrary Parties great and zealous Pretenders to and Assertors of the True that is as each thinks of their own Respective Religion Nothing will be offered to his Animadversion but unquestionable Matters of Fact of which the common Sense of Mankind may be judge all begun and transacted within these Hundred and Fifty Years The Effects and Consequences of which do infinitely Touch and Concern him And therefore though he be advised to hold indifference in the Examen yet let him have a care he do not so in the Decision for it is of terrible importance to him either not to determine at all or to determine wrong For when all is done he must unavoidably in the end become a Party who here in the beginning is made a Judge and the Sentence which he shall or shall not Pronounce it matters not which if it be not the right will fall heavy only upon himself Let him therefore Read and attend with Fear and to all the Preparations recommended before in this Preface let him add this one more of Earnest and Fervent Prayer that God the Enlightner of all Minds and the Mover of all Hearts will please to Visit his with the Twofold Grace of Faith and Charity that he may see and chose and for ever Embrace and Adhere to the only means for Everlasting Life The True Religion Amen ERRATA PAg 15. l. 1. read Contrition or Sorrow for sins past is necessary p. 18. l. 30. r. No Liberty p. 32. l. 4. r. Paralytics ibid. l. 7. Dele such p. 37. l. 2. r. Bolsecus p. 51. l. 2. Dele only p. 57. l. 30. r. regimen p. 63. l. 22. r. his head p. 65. l. 14. r. Faith ibid. l. 15. r. Evinced ibid. l. 21. r. Gods Comandments p. 67. l. 7. Dele that p. 70. l. 5. r. profession p. 72. l. 26. r. them p. 73. l. 21. r. Ordination of Degree Descending p. 79. l. ult r. Heresie p. 82. l. 9. r. Advantagious to their own Authority p. 88. l. 9. r. The Prophets ibid. Their Mission p. 92. l. 25. r. Raisers ibid. l. 26. r. thò they p. 104. l. 30. r. in two p. 105. l. 12. r. free p. 107. l. 10. r. The Son p. 110. l. 21. r. They varied as long as they lived p. 114. l. 23. r. Faith in Christ p. 119. l. 6. r. or p. 123. l. 16. r. probation p. 124. l. 12. r. Adde ibid. Dele and. ibid. l. 14. r. Contrivances They p. 132. l. 3. r. required p. 134. l. ult r. Occultly p. 137. in the Margin r. Foxio p. 138. l. 4. r. Salvation ibid. l. 8. r. Christ has p. 139. l. 9. r. this p. 141. l. r. Basilides Carpocrates p. 143. l. ult r. de Iconomachis p. 155. l. 26. r. preside p. 156. l. 6. Dele .. after Scriptures p. 164. l. 22. r. Dominic p. 170. l. 19. r. infinite p. 173. l. 18. r. Day and Night p. 189. l. 6. r. Sacrifice p. 190. l. 6. for Know r. Honour p. 198. l. penult r. Vain p. 199. l. 15. r. is p. 208. l. 27. r. themselves What Faith and Religion is best to be imbrac'd NEver was there greater Variety of Religions than in these our days and never more dispute about the True one Many waver up and down therein all their Lives long and never come to fix upon any but shift their Religion as Men do their Lodgings to try where their Minds may be most at ease Others without any deliberation blindly venture upon the first that comes in their way and if you ask them why this rather than any of the rest all they can say for themselves is they take this for the best or perhaps which yet every one pretends in behalf of his own because it is most conformable to the Pure Word of God And yet such a choice as this requires the greatest search and deliberation imaginable as upon which our eternal Salvation depends Surely Eternal Salvation and Damnation are Matters of no small Moment in comparison with which all other things good or bad are as nothing Now these depend upon the Goodness of your Religion If your Religion be good 't will be easie by the Grace of God to obtain Salvation but if bad it is impossible to be saved For by a bad or false Religion you cannot please God Heb 11. and consequently you can never obtain pardon of your Sins nor true Justice nor by any Means be made partaker of Christ's Redemption And so you still remain in Death and the Wrath of God abideth on you For all Mankind without such Redemption and New Life in Christ do remain in the Death of Sin and are the Children of Wrath but whosoever has not the true Religion has no share in such Redemption and therefore must necessarily abide in Death be a Child of Wrath and become Fewel for Hell-fire Now this true Religion is but one and cannot be many fold For there is but one Truth one Faith one Baptism one God and one Lord of all Eph. 4. From whence it follows First That all Religions all Beliefs and Confessions of Faith besides one are false noxious pestiferous and introduc'd by the Devil the first Author of them who is the Father of Lies And Secondly That none who does not profess this Religion can ever obtain Salvation and all that are without it though they live otherwise never so laudably will perish everlastingly For that which the Apostle says of Charity If I could speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels if I should know all Mysteries and should distribute all my goods to the Poor and deliver my Body to be burnt but want Charity it would nothing profit me may
with greater Reason be said of the true Faith and Religion which is the Foundation of Charity and all other Christian Vertues Thirdly It follows that it is a gross and stupid Errour of some of the Vulgar who esteem it sufficient to Salvation if you only believe in Christ and that he dyed for your Sins altho' as to many other Points of Faith pertaining to the Sacraments and Sacrifice of the Church c. you believe nothing For after this rate almost all sort of Hereticks should be saved For all of them believe in Christ otherwise they were not Hereticks but Apostates and believe some few excepted that he dyed for our Sins Then also the Montanists and Novatians Donatists Sabellians Arrians Macedonians Eutychians Monotholites and the like Pests of the Church shall be saved Why then hath the Church in all Ages so vehemently oppos'd her self against Heresies Why does St. Paul the Apostle command us to avoid the Man that is an Heretick after the 1st or 2d Admonition T it 2. Why does he bid us beware of their Speech which eateth as a Canker 2 Tim. 2. In vain all these things are said and done if Hereticks may be saved I am sure this Fancy is against the Consent of all Ages Let us suppose says St. Augustine a Man to be chast Lib. 4. contr Donat. c. 8. continent not covetous nor idolatrous but bountiful and compassionate to the Poor an Enemy to none not contentious patient quiet envying none sober frugal but yet a Heretick such a one without all doubt meerly because he is an Heretick shall never enjoy the Kingdom of God For as St. James witnesseth he that hath offended in one Commandment is made guilty of all James 2. and Ioseth all Justice though he keeps the rest because he contemns the Law-maker himself who made the whole Law So he that obstinately denies one Point of Faith although he believe the rest is guilty of dis-believing all and loses his whole Faith and Religion because he despiseth the Author of it For it is one and the same first and supreme Verity which hath revealed all Points of Faith and proposed them to our Belief by the Church his Spouse the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. He therefore that shall obstinately reject one Article of Faith and will not acquiesce in the Testimony of the Church is thereby judged to dis-esteem the Authority of God the supreme Verity of whom the Church is the Publisher Interpreter and Organ Neither matters it that there are some principal Points of Faith which he thinks he believes because he does not believe them with Divine Faith which relies only upon Divine Authority that is infallible otherwise he would believe the rest proposed to him in the same manner but he believes them with a kind of Humane Faith that is to say because by his private Judgment he is induced to believe them taking upon himself the Authority of judging and discerning what things are to be believed and what denied and rejected Therefore the chief reason or motive of his Belief is private Judgment and for that Cause all his Faith is humane and unprofitable It is therefore most certain that as true Justice extends it felf to the performance of all the Commandments so the true Faith which is requisite to Salvation extends it self to a belief of all those things which God hath revealed so that we must believe them all either expresly or be ready to believe them if they be propounded to us the right way Hereby is manifest what great Care is to be taken that we chuse and profess the true Faith and Religion since it is the Foundation of our Salvation and that without it we shall certainly be damn'd Whereupon I have undertaken to propound some Considerations obvious and manifest to all rational People whereby they may take a right course in their Choice of the true Religion The first Consideration drawn from the tending to Perfection which Christian Religion excites us to THat Religion is to be preferred which conduces most to Purity and Holiness of Life which draws our Minds from all affection to earthly Things and raises them to the love of heavenly For this is the chief end of Religion to alienate the Minds of Men from Things temporal here below and to elevate them towards the thinking loving and pursuing of such as are celestial and eternal Only the Catholick Religion teaches perfection of Life Now such is only the Catholick Religion For this persuades to abstain from the Pleasures of the Flesh and Snares of this Life This alone teaches to contemn Riches and Honours and to renounce them when possessed for Christ's sake This exhorts to Fastings Hair-cloth and other Afflictions of the Body whereby the Flesh is brought under Subjection and subdued to the Spirit Hence are there such great numbers of Men and Women in the Catholick Church who contemning Riches Honours and Pleasures which they either enjoyed or might have enjoyed have bid adieu to the World and mortifying their Flesh have wholly devoted themselves to the Service of God and Contemplation of Divine Things Amongst these are many Noble Men and their Sons and Daughters many of the rich Gentry and their Children many great Wits many famous for their Eloquence and knowledge in all kind of Literature which is an evident sign of the Divine Spirit and true Religion For that Religion cannot chuse but be Heavenly which withdraws Man's Nature fixed on Earthly Things and raises it up to Heavenly which expels the Love of that which is Temporal and instils an affection to that which is Everlasting and in a word which can work such wonderful Changes in Men. The Tree is known by its Fruits Other Religions especially the Lutheran Calvinist and Fanatick For of these only I intend to treat in this Discourse do no such thing For they are so far from teaching Mortification of the Flesh Other Religions take away the study of Perfection and of all good Works Contempt of Earthly Things and cutting off carnal Pleasures that they call Fasting the Tradition of Men whereby God is worshipped in vain abstinence from Flesh with them is Superstition Monastick Vows they say are impious vain and not at all to be observ'd that Chastity is impossible that all Men are bound to marry and lye with a Woman which Luther affirms to be as necessary as Meat Drink L. de Vit. conjug and Sleep By which Doctrine it is come to pass that none of those who are of these New Religions do either mortifie their Flesh by Fasting or abide continent or abstain from Conjugal and Carnal Pleasures or abandon their Riches and imbrace Poverty for the Love of Christ but all of them are for a sensual easie and Worldly Life agreeable to the Inclination of the Flesh and corrupt Nature None of them have so much as a Notion of what it is to lead an Angelical Life upon Earth as many of the
Man is unable to make his ways good or bad For if there is Liberty there is properly no Sin as a Lyon by devouring a Man though he does a mischief yet he sins not because he does it not freely but by the impulse of Nature nor is is it in his Power to moderate this impulse No Man will deserve punishment because what he does is of necessity therefore there will be no Hell nor punishment after this Life For it would be a great and intolerable Cruelty that Men should be condemned to Eternal Torments for doing that which they cannot possibly avoid Why then do they fear to follow the Lusts and Desires of their Heart and commit what Sins soever they list Fourthly When they teach That all the Works of Men as well good as bad are predestinated of God from Eternity Luth. sup Cal. l. 1. c. 17. § 5. c. 13. § 1. and that they may be done in time God inclines incites forces and decrees Man's Will to act them all For if God equally operates good and bad in us there is no reason why we should fly Evil or fear any punishment For God is not a Revenger of that of which he himself is the Author nor can he justly punish us for those Crimes which he will have done and which he forces us to do for this were more than Tyrannical Cruelty which is far from God Hereby 't is clearer than the Noon Day that these Religions four ways shake off all fear of God from Men's Hearts and give as great License to all manner of Wickedness as ever any Atheist And 't is so much the more pernicious because not so openly impious but having a shew and pretence of Religion and Honour of God namely under the specious and plausible Titles of a Special Faith Satisfaction of Christ Liberty of the Gospel and Providence of Divine Predestination Under colour of these fair Words so much Poyson is swallowed as totally corrupts the Minds and Manners of Men. Who therefore that has but a spark of right Reason and Understanding can believe these Religions are of God The Third Consideration from the Sanctity of the Professors THat Religion is to be preferred wherein most are famous for Holiness of Life For it cannot possibly be that a bad Religion should bring us to Piety or that true Sanctity can consist with a Wicked Religion But the Catholick Religion has had many in all Ages that have led most Holy Lives by the General Confession of all Christians Among whom to single out some of each Age and omitting innumerable others I reckon the Great St. Anthony St. Hilarion St. Gregory Thaumaturge St. Nicholas Bishop of Myre St. Athanasius St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Basil St. Symeon Sty lite St. Cyprian St. Hilary St. Martin St. Ambrose St. Hierome St. Augustine St. Benedict St. Gregory the Great St. Vaust St. Amand St. Wineck St. Bertin St. Willebrord St. Romuald St. Norbert St. Dominick St. Boniface St. Bruno St. Bernard St. Francis St. Bonaventure St. Thomas of Aquin St. Francis of Paul and many in our own Age. That all these were of the Roman Catholick Religion is not to be doubted since they adhered to the Roman Church made profession of her Faith and strongly maintained it and because likewise a great many of them were Monks and obliged by their Vows to lead a Monastick Life yea all the Rules of Monastick profession sprung from them That these were most Holy Men is verifyed by the general Confession of all Christians throughout so many Ages wherein each of them lived nor was there ever any question made of it the same being confessed by Hereticks especially of St. Bernard St. Dominick and St. Francis It would therefore be a great absurdity and impudence to deny the Truth of that or in the least question it which is acknowledged by the general consent of all the World If these Men therefore were Saints and Catholicks as all the World believes the Roman Catholick Religion which they held and professed must necessarily be the true Religion and proceed from the Spirit of God First Because 't is impossible that a false Religion can bring us to true Sanctity for Religion is the Foundation of Sanctity That Celestial Edifice cannot be built upon a vain thing upon a pernicious and sacrilegious Lye as every Lye in Religion is It cannot be that a false Religion should withdraw the Mind from Earthly Things and raise it to Heavenly that it should inflame the Heart with Divine Love and urge it to have a care of our Neighbour's Salvation with so much pains and Labour Now the Holy Catholick Religion which these Men professed and practiced perfected all these things in them and therefore it cannot possibly be false Secondly Without the true Religion it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. But by the consent of all these Men pleased God and were his great Friends Therefore their Religion was true For how by a false Religion could they please God who is the Truth Thirdly If their Religion was not true and from God then 't was from the Devil For he is a Lyer from the beginning and the Father of Lies Jo. 8.44 He hath always contrived by his Lyes and Deceits to deprave and corrupt the true Religion to the end to destroy Men's Souls If it were from the Devil how could it bring them to so great Sanctity and Piety and make them the Devil's Adversaries and Friends of God For what Society hath Justice with Iniquity What Communion hath Light with Darkness And what Agreement hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 c. Fourthly 'T is altogether incredible that God should permit so many innocent Men so great Despisers of themselves and all Earthly things so studious of the Divine Glory and such ardent Lovers of God to be deceived for so many Ages in a matter of so great Concern as the business of Religion which is the Foundation of all Piety Who can so wickedly censure the Goodness of God They omitted nothing on their side whereby to please God to advance his Honour and Glory they undertook the greatest Labours and Difficulties for his sake and did wholly consecrate and devote themselves to his service How can it possibly be that this infinite Goodness this true Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World Jo. 1.9 should not shew his true Light and Truth to such eminent and beloved Servants but leave them in Darkness and Mortal Errours That would then be false which our Lord with double and repeated Promises so often said Ask and it shall be given you seck and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7.7 Luk. 11. For S. Bernard S. Benedict S. Francis S. Dominick and other Lights and Miracles of the World all their Life-time earnestly craved sought and knock'd to obtain
But it may be they will say they have no need of Miracles Whether it be a Miracle that they have so many Followers for 't is a Miracle great enough that in so short a time so many have embrac'd this new Gospel Perhaps this might be some pretence or argument if their new Religion were stricter and more mortifying to the Flesh than the Catholick Religion But since they have abolished all the Severities of the Catholick Religion and given all liberties to the flesh what wonder is it if so many follow it What wonder is it if heavy things by removing the impediments fall downwards and Rivers by taking away their dams run speedily to the Sea Our depraved and corrupt nature is very prone to a licentious life which it finds in these new Religions Therefore so many profess them not because they are convinc'd by force of Reason to believe that they are more holy but because they find in them that liberty which they covet and seek after and can now enjoy the same without any fear under pretext of an honest and pious Religion I add also that this Miracle may be as well brought by all these new Religions for many have flock'd not only to the Lutherans but to the Calvinists and Anabaptists c. therefore all should be holy and authorized of God But God cannot deny himself nor destroy what himself hath established and therefore cannot be the Author of so many contrary Religions which condemn one another The Fifth Reason from the Life and Manners of the First Reformers THE Fifth Reason Because these New Religions were introduced by Men of Evil Life and noted Infamy Pride Envy Malice and Detraction having not the least shew of an Apostolical Spirit in them For as to Luther's Life we know that he was a professed Friar and Priest about fifteen years and therefore strictly bound by a double Vow of Continency We know also that this Man forsaking his Monastery Habit and Profession returned to a Secular Life and seducing a professed Nun out of her Monastery married her and lived daily with her whereby in the opinion of the whole World he committed a double Sacrilege and that as many times as he used the act of Matrimony What way of living could be more scandalous We know that he was so addicted to Gluttonny and Lust as frequently in his Banquettings and Compotations he would say That the use of a Woman was more necessary than to eat drink Lib de Vit. Conjugal Serm. de Matri and sleep and that it was Lawful to use the Handmaid if the Wife refused the Debt or Right of Marriage Hierome Bolsecus Julius Brigerus and others describe Calvin's Life to be full of the worst of Crimes as false Witness or Perjury Murders Thefts bestial Impurities c. many other Authors write the same things which I never saw yet confuted But touching Luther's infamy it is apparent by the Fact aforesaid and notorious to the whole World when being a Religious Man professed and a Priest he presumed to Marry a professed Nun for this raises a scandal in the judgment of Divines for if in the Civil Law he is become infamous that is taken in Adultery how much more he that contracts a double sacrilegious Marriage For Spiritual Adultery committed against Christ is much more horrible and filthy than carnal Adultery of Husband or Wife And as to the infamy of Calvin It appears out of the Judicial Acts at Noyon Bol. in vit Cal. c. 5. Jul. Brig p. 59. that he was convicted and by Sentence condemned to be publickly burnt for Sodomy had not the punishment of Fire by the intercession of the Bishop been changed into the penalty of Whipping and stigmatizing his Back with an hot Iron Hence it is manifest both by Law and Fact he was infamous Concerning Luther's Pride and slander it is manifest First Because his whole Doctrine took its beginning from it For when certain Indulgences were to be published in Germany this Office was given to to the Dominicans which had often been granted before to the Augustine Friars whereof Luther was one This Luther took so extreamly in dudgeon and so disdainfully to Heart that first of all he began to disclaim against Indulgences and being reprehended for the same by degrees he alledged many and greater things against the Pope's Authority and other points of Faith and thereby raised great Commotions and Troubles in Germany as John Coclaeus a Spectator of all these things writes at large in the Acts of Luther Anno Dom. 1517. This Pride and Indignation is the very Fountain and Origin of all Luther's Doctrine without it Luther's Religion had not been nor many others of which this is the Parent Secondly Luther in his Epistle to the Citizens of Strasburg says He would willingly deny the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist on purpose to prejudice the Papacy were not the Scriptures so clear to the contrary And in another place he says thus If any Council should decree or permit the Sacrament to be received under both Kinds Lib. de form Missan then we would do neither but in despight of the Council and its Decree we would either receive under one or none and curse all those that should observe the Decree of a Council Here in contempt and spight of a Council he teaches to abstain from a thing necessary to Salvation when yet we may obey even a Tyrant if he commands things Lawful and oftentimes we are obliged to it From whence you may clearly see by what Spirit he was moved What can be compared to so great Fury and Madness Also in his Book against the King of England he writes That Kings Princes and Bishops are not worthy to unty his Shooes and that he will be taken for a Holy Man in spight of their Teeth In the same place he says That he cares not a Fig for a thousand Cyprians and a thousand Augustines also he calls Christian Princes Kings and Emperors Tyrants Block-heads Asses Fools Wild Beasts Hang-men Nitts Bubbles the Enemies of God most wicked Knaves and makes many scurrilous Songs on them Of Calvin's Pride and Detraction there is enough to be seen in Bolsecus although 't is sufficiently apparent in Calvin's own Writings for he despises therein all the ancient Fathers and impudently taxes them of Errors He calls the Scholastick Doctors Sophisters and frequently in his Sermons Lib. 2. Instit c. 14. s 3. l. 3. c. 4. s 38. c. 5. s 10. l. 4. c. 12. s 20. c. breaks forth into these expressions I am a Prophet I have the Spirit of God if I err it is you O God which leads me into Error and deceives me for the Sins of the People In his Letters and smaller Works also he publishes his own Praises Dignities and Merits in the Church under some counterfeited Name as Bolsecus and others tell us Many more things of this Nature I might instance as
Hereticks though never so contrary in their Opinions boast and bragg of and from which every one thinks the Truth is revealed to himself which certainly he that is not stark Blind may easily perceive because the Spirit of God cannot reveal contraries Add hereunto that the sacred Scripture no where sends private Men to search the Scriptures in Doubts of Faith but to the Church and those which precede therein So in Deut. 17. they are sent to the Priests in doubtful matters who were then appointed Judges and those that would not obey them were to be put to death Therefore in the Church God hath appointed Pastors and Doctors and would have the Church conspicuous to the whole World the Pillar and Ground of Truth Eph. 4.11 1 Tim. 3.15 that all People might easily consult it and acquiesce secure in her Decrees The Spirit of understanding the Scriputres is not granted to every one as 't is plain by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 1 Jo. 4. ' Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God Therefore although the Spirit should suggest any thing to you yet you are not secure because you are not certain it is of God For 't is manifest that innumerable have been deceiv'd For all Hereticks brag of this Spirit and Satan frequently transforms himself into an Angel of Light Hereby it is manifest that the private Spirit can be no Rule of faith The Twelfth Reason from another great absurdity IF any of these New Religions for example the Lutheran Religion were the true Religion of Christ besides the absurdities afore-mentioned this would follow that all Catholicks which have been hitherto from the time of the Apostles are damned and sentenced to the Eternal Torments of Hell-Fire because according to the chief Tenet of this Religion they wanted justifying Faith and therefore Justice before God so that they remained in their sins and died in them For the Faith necessary to Justification as this Religion teacheth is that whereby a Man firmly believes that he is just before God by reason of Christ's satisfaction which by Faith is applied and imputed to him But 't is manifest that this Faith was unknown to the World till the time of Luther Nor does he deny but rather glories that he manifested to the World the true Nature of Justification hid from the antient Fathers The same is clear by the Writings of all the antient Fathers because besides Faith in Christ they require an inward change of the Will and purpose of keeping the whole Law also for that they condemn this security of Salvation and will have Men to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 and be always sollicitous Hence it is that this peculiar special Faith whereby every one certainly believes he is just they all reject as meer presumption For although we ought to believe that Christ has fully satisfied for us on his part yet it does not appear to us that we have done all things necessary on our part to be made partakers of his satisfaction and that we may not sometime or other fall from him 'T is clear then that all the Antients wanted this Faith Therefore so many Holy Fathers so many Martyrs so many Virgins are damned St. Irenaeus St. Justin St. Gregory Thaumaturgus St. Gregory Nazian St. Basil St. Chrysostome St. Damascen St. Hilary St. Ambrose St. Hierome St. Augustine St. Martin St. Nicholas St. Anthony St. Gregory the Great St. Benedict St Bernard St. Dominick St. Francis are all damned also St. Laurence St. Vincent St. Sebastian St. Catharine St. Caecilia St. Agnes and innumerable others who for Sanctity of Life Miracles and the Honour of Martyrdom were renowned through the whole World are damned To conclude all our Ancestors are damned that have been from the Apostle's till Luther's time and to use the Words of Tertullian The Gospel has been wrong Preached L. de prescrip advers Heret for so many Ages and wrongly believed so many Millions of Men wrong Baptized so many Works of Faith wrong administred so many Virtues and Graces wrong laboured for so many Sacrifices and Divine Services wrong offered and so many Martyrdoms wrong Crowned But how incredible absurd and blasphemous are all these things How contrary to the judgment of the whole World and of all Ages Nor can it be said that they were excused for their ignorance because no Body can be saved without Faith without the justice of Christ without participation of Christ's Redemption as every where the Scripture teacheth especially the New Testament No ignorance can excuse that a Man may be saved without these things therefore there is no refuge here either they are all damned or the Religion of Luther and Calvin in their principal Opinion of Justification is false and impious Behold Twelve Reasons whereby 't is clearly demonstrated that these New Religions are to be avoided as false and pernicious The last Consideration now follows The Tenth Consideration and Conclusion of the whole Consult LAstly That Religion is to be imbrac'd in this Life which Men are most like to be willing to profess at the hour of death and of which they can render a just account at the Tribunal of Christ For in the practice of things we cannot be better advised than by the consideration of Death and Eternal Judgment namely to love that here which at the point of death will be most profitable to us and to shun that which may bring upon us certain ruine and destruction at least put us in great peril of it But the Catholick Religion is such as we shall certainly prefer at the hour of death As is manifest First By the example of many who although they have lived Hereticks yet when they came to die have desired to die Catholicks as judging it the safer way Secondly Because every one wishes then that he had done many Good Works and with great diligence had avoided all sin to both of which the Catholick Religion efficaciously exciteth and to neither of which does the Religion of Luther or Calvin but rather to a contempt of all Good Works and licentiousness of Life Thirdly Because the Catholick Religion has many Remedies which in that dreadful passage are not to be despised as Repentance for Sin Absolution of the Priest the Sacrament of Extream Unction and the Eucharist which give great consolation and confidence to the Faithful For by this means the satisfaction of Christ is communicated to us But bare Faith is a very cold comfort and a weak thing at the point of death For how can you perswade your self that God will be merciful to you that you are just and shall be saved by the Merits of Christ who have despised the Remedies ordained by him and determined to die out of the Catholick Church All the Sects of this time boast of this Faith and yet certainly all are not saved For the true Religion of Christ is but one out of which there is no
Salvation as not only all Catholick but likewise Lutherans Calvinists and Anabaptists teach Therefore your special Faith will avail you nothing unless you have the true Religion of Christ Now that all Professors of the Catholick Religion may easily render an account of their Religion to the Supreme Judge and fear no danger for being Catholicks is manifest For suppose that I stand before that terrible Judgment-Seat of Christ and am asked why I followed the Catholick or as Hereticks call it the Papists Religion and not rather by forsaking it turn'd to the New Reformed Religion of Calvin I will answer with great security Therefore I professed the Catholick Religion because it teaches me to withdraw my mind from the love of earthly things and fix it upon heavenly It teaches me to mortifie the Flesh to fear God to practice Good works to obey my Superiours to be instant in Prayer and to cut off all occasions of Sin I stuck to the Catholick Religion because I saw therein many famous over all the World for Wisdom Holiness Miracles and the Spirit of Prophecy it being impossible for them to be deceived in so great a matter because I saw God hath established this Church for several Ages by many Miracles because I saw therein the Promises of God fulfilled for it is spread over all the World To this Church the Conversion of Nations has been made hitherto and is dayly making In this Church there has been a continual Concord of the Doctors in points of Faith In this Church there has been a perpetual Succession of the Chair and Connexion of all Ministers with the Apostles In this Church there is a speedy decision of all Controversies This Church for many Ages has stood immovable against all Heresies and Persecutions of Tyrants so that the Gates of Hell could never prevail against it Matth. 16.18 But I perceived in all these New Religions all things contrary to this therefore there was no reason for me to renounce the Catholick Religion or in the least to doubt of it But though I should omit all this which I haye said Is not this alone sufficient for my security that I have followed a Religion which those have been of who were most Holy and Famous for Miracles over all the World as S. Benedict S. Bernaod S. Diminick S. Francis c. For it clearly appears that such Heavenly Souls so dear and devoted to God such beloved and familiar Friends could not possibly be deceived in so great a business as the Salvation of their Souls Therefore I may securely follow these Guides in reference to Religion But you now who have followed some other New Religion What a Heretick can answer what account I pray can you make of it when you shall be examined before the terrible Judgment-Seat of Christ Perhaps you will answer the Judge Therefore I deserted the Catholick Religion because I thought it full of Idolatry Superstition and Humane Traditions I thought that Antichrist reigned in it and I thought that Catholicks depended upon their own Merits and not upon the price of your Blood But what if the vail of Diabolical delusion which now blinds you being then taken off you see your self clearly deceived what Counsel will you take For there will be ro more time and place for repentance Perhaps you will plead Ignorance but this will not excuse you because you might have easily known the Truth if you had used that diligence which the matter required nor did you ever want a just occasion of doubting which should have stirred you up to a diligent enquiry As therefore it shall not excuse the Jews that they erred by ignorance because they might have known the Truth if they would so neither shall it excuse you For to depart from the Catholick Religion without sin you ought not only to think and surmise by reason of some slight suspicions but to know certainly that such Evil Doctrine is taught in the Catholick Church by using diligence and setting aside all worldly interest so that no farther scruple could be left nor any just reason to doubt But you are so far from having any such certainty of the Churches Errors that no probable reason can be given for it For what probability or shew of Truth could induce you to believe that Religion was full of Idolatry and Errours which you saw professed by so many eminent Men for Wisdom and Holiness of Life Which you saw or might have seen confirmed with so many Miracles and Martyrs Which you beheld diffused through the whole World In which you saw so great Concord in points of Faith and constant Succession Continuation and Conjunction with the Apostles How could it possibly be that in so many Ages none of the Holy Fathers and Doctors should spy this Idolatry these Superstitions and Errors Again how could you be perswaded to believe that to be the true Religion of Christ which makes God the Author and Forcer of all Sin Which takes away from Men Free-will Which extirpates all Good Works Which opens the Gate to all manner of Wickedness as much as Atheism Which takes away subjection to Laws and obedience to Princes under pretence of Christian Liberty Which recalls from Hell many old and condemned Heresies Whose Authors were renowned for no austerity of Life no Piety no Miracles but Men given to the Pleasures of the Flesh covetous of worldly Goods ambitious slanderous envious seditious infamous for Apostacy sacrilegious Marriages preposterous Lust and inconstancy of Doctrine Lastly If any of these New Religions are true then the Church of Christ is fallen for so many Ages the Kingdom of Christ is overthrown the Divine Promises touching the stability of the Church are frustrated and the Gates of Hell have prevailed against it Then for so many Ages the Gospel has been Preached in vain and in vain believed so many Gentiles have been in vain converted from Paganism in vain Baptized and received other Sacraments in vain they fasted and mortified the Flesh and so many thousands in vain suffered Mrrtyrdom by the effusion of their Blood for the Confession of Christ Then all our Ancestors are perished the Holy Fathers are perished so many Myriads of Confessors which were wholly devoted to God and famous for Sanctity Miracles and Prophecy are all perished and damned For they were all without the true Religion and Righteousness of God and all addicted to Idolatry But if these things are false blasphemous and horrible to think how could it be you did not conceive these New Religions to be false or at least to doubt of them from which such cruel and frightful things are clearly deduced But if you doubted why did you not endeavour to know the Truth upon which your Salvation depends Our Lord admonishes us to beware of False Prophets which come to us in Sheeps-cloathing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves Matth. 7.16 What 's the reason it did not come into your Mind sometimes and make you afraid lest
Luther and Calvin c. should be in the Number of those False Prophets which Christ warns you to beware of for these came forth clad with a fair pretence of the Word of God and purity of the Gospel as if God sent them to the Salvation of his Sheep but in the mean time they destroyed these Sheep with the venomous Food of their Doctrine You shall know them Christ by their Fruits Matth. 7.16 Now what were their Fruits Seditions Wars Plundering subversion of Churches and Monasteries destruction of Cities extirpation of the Antient Religion and a License to all Wickedness We know by information of the Apostles that many Heresies shall arise in the latter days many false Prophets and Seducers by the Midwifry of Satan shall appear in the World As oft therefore as any New Doctrine riseth against the Church we ought at least to suspect it and the Author of it Therefore I most humbly and earnestly beseech all those who live out of the Communion of the Catholick Church A Conclusion of the Work by the Goodness of God which created us and by the Blood of Jesus Christ which redeemed us by the Eternal Inheritance which we expect in Heaven and the Torrent of Divine Pleasure which they shall drink of that retain Truth and Justice to lay this business seriously to Heart that they would consider whether they rely upon a sure and firm Foundation that may make them secure of their Religion at the hour of death when they shall stand before the Tribunal of Christ and in that very moment shall receive an eternal and immutable Sentence Let them examine this our Consulâ—ation which we have written for that end Let them never rest or give over till they have rightly weighed and discussed all things and have obtâ—ined a full perswasion in a business of so great moment as the Salvation of their Souls Let them consider what great punishment they incur if the Religion which they profess is Heresie and they themselves Hereticks That it is a Heresie and a most notorious and pernicious one too all Catholick Doctors all Universities and the whole Christian World except those which are of it who are but few in number and slender in Learning to those that are against them undoubtedly and for certain affirm it So that finite Numbers have died and are ready to die for the Confession of it to be Heresie rather than venture the Eternal Damnation of their Souls by complying with it Heresie certainly is a most grievous sin How great a sin Heresie is First Because it makes a Man prefer his own judgment before the judgment of all the Fathers of all the Doctors of the Church of all Councils and Bishops of the whole World for he contemns them all as Men void of the Spirit of God and arrogates this Spirit to himself alone and his Companions Secondly The Spouse of Christ which is the Church it censures to be an Adulteress of Satan and Daughter of Perdition Thirdly It charges her with the crime of Idolatry and divers Superstitions Fourthly It belches forth many Blasphemies against the most Holy Eucharist and all the Saints Fifthly It abuses all Sacred Things most unworthily and scornfully Sixthly It calls the Vicar of Christ Antichrist and casts a thousand aspersions indignities and slanders on him without any shew or colour of Truth the same it does upon all Orders and Degrees of the Church Lastly Every Heretick wishes an overthrow of the whole Church and that the Catholick Religion were totally extinguished The Heresies therefore of our times swell with Pride many horrible Blasphemies many invectives and detractions many Sacrileges and most bitter hatred against the Church of Church of Christ for these things are as it were intrinsically in Heresie which habitually inclines to all these things and daily urges and excites to action All Catholick Doctors thus judge of Heresie and the matter is plain enough of it self Therefore Heresie with its issue and attendance is a greater Crime than innumerable sins of Catholicks Now I beseech them to consider How great a punishment the sin of Heresie deserves what will be the great punishment of this sin of Heresie For if for one Crime of Theft for one Act of Fornication without true repentance a Man shall suffer Eternal Fire as the Scripture plainly tells us Gal. 5. Col. 3. 1 Cor. 16. 1 Tim. 1. how great punishment shall he endure for the sin of Heresie which is more grievous than a thousand Thefts and a thousand Fornications If the pain which our earthly Fire Inflicts by the force of Nature may be increased a hundred-fold and so augmented till it be hundred times more grievous how horrible how insufferable how incomprehensible would that punishment be Let no Man flatter himself that Hell-Fire will be no pain but only I know not what Terrours of God's anger as Calvin dreameth The Scripture too plainly shews the contrary Dâ—part from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire Matth. 25.41 Their Worm never dieth and the Fire is never quenched Mark 944 God shall rain suares upon the Wicked Fire and Brimstone and a burning Tempest this shall be the Portion of their Cup. Thou shalt make them as a fiery Oven in the time of thine anger Our Lord shall swallow them up in his Wrath and the Fire shall devour them Psal 11.6 The False Prophet was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Apoc. 20 10. The same is the Opinion of all the Antient Fathers and Doctors of the Church It is therefore most certain that Hell-fire is a true and real Fire greater and fiercer than all our Fires made never so furious by the Art of Man which are but as painted Fires in comparison of the heat of Hell-fire wherein all Hereticks shall burn and be tormented day night for all Eternity as long as Hell shall be Hell as long as Heaven shall be Heaven and as long as God shall remain God and the smoak of their Torments shall ascend before the Face of our Lord for ever and ever These are most faithful and true Words Then they will curse their Deceivers and Masters who brought them into this Misery They will curse the Devil which blinded them and with divers delusions bewitched them under the colour and shew of Piety They will curse themselves for being so facile to give ease to them and believe their new Doctrine so foolishly without any diligent inquiry that in a business of so great consequence they were so blind and sloathful Lest therefore they should rush headlong into this Sea of Misery let them with all care and diligence examine this whole business of Religion by prudent and pious Counsellors particularly let them but suspend their prejudice a little which uses to be a great hindrance to this serious deliberation Things requisite to inquire the Truth I mean a certain prepossessed Opinion which many have
cleansed from our Sins and by whose Faith we are justified Apoc. 1.7 for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Act. 4.12 All these things were in vain and false if every one might be saved in his own Religion Object Perhaps some will say that Christ is indeed our Redeemer and all Good to us proceeds from him yet a belief in him is not abfolutely necessary to Salvation for it sufficeth to believe that all our Happiness springs from the Bounty of God and is needless to know the means of conferring it Answ But this is repuguant to the Holy Scripture and Reason because the Scripture plainly teaches that Christ's Redemption is not applied to us Why Faith in Christ is necessary to Salvation but by Faith in him and therefore all that bâ—lieve not in Christ are without Justification remain in Sin and are the Children of Wrath and Damnation 'T is likewise against Reason because to be made partakers of any great and singular benefit all reason requireth to know our Benefit and Benefactor that we may know him as 't is meet with all thanksgiving for the condition of the Benefit and Benefactor requires this gratitude therefore since the benefit of our Redemption is so strange and great and he that gave it so sublime and excellent and the manner of bestowing It so wonderful 't is requisite we should know all this least we should live and die altogether ungrateful to so great a Benefactor least like the Jews we should return Curses for a Blessing and Blasphemies for Thanksgiving 'T is therefore absurd that those who believe not in Christ should be partakers of the same Happiness with them that are to be saved by Faith in Christ the which also is confirmed by this that none can be saved who is ignorant of God and the benefit of his Creation else all Idolaters may be saved therefore neither he can be saved that is ignorant of the benefit of our Redemption because the benefit of our Redemption is far greater and more admirable and pertains more to the Glory of God and Christ and requires of us a more ample Honour Service and Thanksgiving Nor is it sufficient to know in general The benefit of our Redemption is to be known in particular that all this Happiness comes to us from God this is not enough to pay that gratitude and honour due to him but we ought to know what and how great this benefit is how and in what manner and way he conferred it namely that he delivered us from Sin and Eternal Death that he opened us the passage to Eternal Life and that also by a way most stupendious and strange to wit by uniting our Nature to his own and therein suffering death for us For this chiefly commends his Charity Mercy and Justice this requires of us all Obedience all Praise Benediction and Thanks-giving and these are principally to be known by us as necessary to Salvation Third Reason Again if every one may be saved in his own Faith then that Faith sufficeth to Salvation which is no infused gift of God but a Humane Perswasion conceived by a private judgment supported by Humane Authority and built on a fallible foundation For although the Turks believe one God Maker of Heaven and Earth and Rewarder of Good and Evil Works yet this Faith is not from the Holy Ghost but from a private Judgment or rather from the Devil for they do not so believe because God hath revealed it to Men by some true Prophet but because Mahomet whom they imagine to be God's Prophet and Instrument to instruct Mortals has so declared it in his Alcoran Therefore although that which they believe is true yet because the Foundation and all their reason of believing is false and pernicious to wit that Mahomet is a Prophet of God the Faith it self whereby they believe is deceitful and in regard of the foundation on which it depends is noxious and destructive to Salvation necessarily infecting the Mind with the contagious Errours of that Sect. How then can it be said that that Faith is sufficient to their Salvation or that they can be saved by this Faith How can that Faith which is uncertain fallible and pestilential be laid for a foundation of Justice and Salvation In like manner the Jews although they believe the same things and many more consonant to Truth yet that Faith whereby they believe these things is deceitful and far from the Spirit of God For the main reason of their belief is because their Rabbins and Doctors of their Synagogue so interpret the Scriptures for these are a Rule of Faith to them or which is the same thing the Holy Scripture as 't is subject to their Interpretation But all this reason of believing is false and deceitful and no less harmful than that of the Turks For now it is as bad to believe the Rabbins to be indued with the Spirit of God for the right interpretation of Scripture as Mahomet to be a Prophet of God nor are they driven to less absurdities by force of that Principle How then can such a Faith be the Basis or Ground-work of Salvation Fourth Reason Lastly This Opinion makes no difference between Turcism Judaism and Christianity but in some small matters nothing at all necessary to Salvation so that 't is all one what Religion you live in because you may be saved in any which is to open a way to the Alcoran and to equalize Mahomet with Christ or rather to introduce Atheism For to allow of every Religion is to take away all Religion and think none necessary since there can be but one only true Religion The Fundamental Reason on which this Opinion chiefly depends is of no moment For First if it be not incredible That God for many thousand years An Answer to the Foundation of the other Opinion left the whole World in Idolatry except the Jewish Nation a little part of it and suffered the same to run headlong into destruction although amongst them there were many famous Wits and serious Worshippers of their Gods and Lovers of Humane Justice and Honesty it ought not to seem incredible that the Turks and Jews at this time live in the state of damnation Secondly The Turks and Jews now who believe not in Christ are less excuseable then of old the Heathens were that did not acknowledge one God Maker of Heaven and Earth The reason is because when almost the whole World was overspread with Idolatry the violence of common custom swept away all nor did reason much sway with private Men to doubt of their Religion and if any doubt did arise there was no easie way of knowing the Truth But now since the Christian Faith hath compassed the World so that Christians are to be found every where both Jews and Turks have manifold occasions to doubt of their Religion and if they refuse or carelesly neglect to confer with