Roman-Catholick Church cannot endure division the soul must not be divided it must cleave altogether to the true Mother-Church Christ's spouse the house and temple of God the pillar and foundation of Truth it must believe all the Seven Sacraments all articles of faith believe all tenents and revealed mysteries propounded as means for salvation with S. Paul we captivate our understandings to the obedience of her true and un-errable faith but the false Mother will have the soul divided in two she is for division and for halfs seeking to bring into the house of God an anarchy of the children of Belial a division a destrustion of union and of Monarchical heavenly Government diuidatur infans the protestants say they have faith but will have no works of fasting watching praying pennance nor mortification c. they beleeve that their laick Minister doth abolish original sin in baptism but will not beleeve that Christ left power to true and lawful priests to absolve from actual mortal sins they will have the Lords Supper but will not believe Christ's words Hâ—c est corpus â—â—cum the reality of his body in a most miraculous manner in the Eucharist they will follow Scripture but only what is pleasing to them and what is contradictory to flesh and unbridled appetites they do reject and deny these words per solam fidem by bare faith you are saved are welcome to them but good works maceration of the body and austerity of life they cannot endure erescite multiplicabini pleases them serviti venâ—ri libidini c. but other words of Scripture they will not liâ—ten to as fides sine operibus est mortua poenitentiam agite sic luceat lux vestra ut videat opera vestra bona Regnum coelorum vim patitur violenti râ—piunt illud castigo corpus mâ—um ad implco in carne mea ea quae desunt passioni Christi these places of Scripture they will not follow Is not this to divide the childe dividatur infans they are altogether for division and confusion they have Churches but without lawful priests altars without sacrifice and religion every religion either true or false in all ages had always a sacrifice as a protestative signe of acknowledgement of divine excellency and supreme majesty In the Law of nature from the very beginning we finde sacrifice begun by Abel which after continued by the Patriarchs Noe Abraham Isaac Jacob In the written Law so many sacrifices according to Leviticus and if we look upon Idolaters the Gentiles we shall finde them given to many different sacrifices so as a sacrifice is inseparable from the law according to S. Paul Heb. 7. saying Translato Sacerdotio necesse est ut leg is translatio fiat S. Paul said that Priesthood being removed or translated the law of necessity must be removed if priesthood be abolish'd the law likewise must be for to every law or religion sacrifice and priesthood is connatural intrinsecal and inseparable being correlatives for priesthood is in order to sacrifice establish'd and the law is ordained in order to sacrifice and priesthood delivering precepts and ceremonies relating to priesthood translato sacerdotio c. dividatur infans the protestants they have our temples but alâ—s bare walls no priests no sacrifice consequently no law or religion therefore qui sine lege vivâ—nt sine lege peribunt they have sheep without pastors pastors without mission function order consecration character or true commission Christians without grace by hand imposition prophets without miracles faith without works and charity without effects behold Sall excellent peeces forsooth of a reformed Church to which you adhere you see all is but division and subdivision you separated your self from the Catholick Church which acknowledgeth a visible head an universal Pastor Vice gerent of Christ on earth established by the express words of Jesus Christ in S. Matth. 16.17 18 19. averred by all the holy Fathers confessed by the continuation of a lawfull succession in the revolution of so many ages without any interruption and Sall must blindely divorce and separate himself from it withstanding the force of Gods spirit what will Sall be able to alledge in his defence at the dreadful Judgement that expects him ah he will say that he thought the protestant was the true and lawfull Church Miserable wretch seest thou not that the memory of all ages the consent of all Nations the very ancient stones of temples bespeak thy damnation what miracles hast thou seen or ever heard of wrought to this day among protestants what Angel hath spoken to thee to remove to them what sanctity and holinesse of life hast thou noted in the authours of this sect or in their deluded proselites wert thou Andrew so bereav'd of humane understanding as not to see palpably that a pretended Religion which begun by breach of promises made to God by the sacriledges and impurities of Apostates by a general revolt against God against King against divine and humane laws by the liberty filth and ordure of the carrion the flesh by the dissolution of good manners by bloud tyranny and furies could take its source from the holy Ghost didst thou not set before thy eyes the desolations of thy poor countrey the robbing and prophaning of Churches Gods houses and the ruine and impoverishings of thousands of brave ancient Families to take thence and from no other their source and origin Oh but you will say I found that this sect had the Scripture of its side ah lamentable illusion to whom Sall did the Scripture send thee if not to the priests and lawful Pastors what said the Scripture but that thou oughtest to keep the traditions thou oughtest to obey the Church and Prelats thou oughtest not to trust thine own judgement thou oughtest to captivate thy understanding in matters of faith and that it is better to beleeve with a holy simplicity then as you do and question with a proud peremptory and vain curiosity could'st thou be ignorant that the devils and all damn'd hereticks had taken the same pretext of Scripture only to colour their ignorance malice and apostasie and that with passages which had a fairer shew and appearance then those now of thy deluded deluding Ministers and yet all that followed them are miserably damn'd and so are you vile varlet unlesse you sound a timely retreat freely confessing you have erred as man and protest you will not persevere in apostasie mischief and rebellion from the Church the womb of your beginning and bosome of your repose Open thine eyes poor beguiled Andrew at least to the wonderful and heavy judgements of God which thou hast so long shut to thy duty consider that the last verdict and sentence of thy unhappy sect is already written in heaven and that it must soon yield and fall to nothing as other blinde heresies have done what can hinder you Sall from returning to the bosom of the Roman-Catholick Church which ceaseth not to
Roman Catholick Church what honour therefore profit or proselits can accrew to the Protestants by so much honoring and contenancing our poor Apostates made their chief Apostles none but rather great dishonour and shame for how can any man in his witts believe that such vile Runagates who proves faithless and perfidious to the living God Religion Conscience and consecrated vows â—an prove at all true real and faithful to a new-fangled groundless and inconstant Sect moulded and fram'd by mortal men It is worth observation to ponder how there was an Orthodox priest very familiar with Theodoricus an Arrian King who for to insinuate himself into more favour with the King became an Arrian which when the King understood immediatly commanded he should be put to death saying Si Deo vivo fidem non servavit quomodo mihi qui mortalis sum eam conservabit and you may reade in histâ—r tripar lib. 1. c. 7. how Constantius a Gentile Father to Constantinus Magnus used a strange stratagem for to discover who among the Christians in his Court were his faithful friends from those that were not he fain'd to set up the worship of false Gods and to banish from his Court and service all such that would not abjure Christian Religion and embrace the establish'd by him in his kingdom upon publication whereof many revolted from Christian Religion for to enjoy the kings favour many continued constant to their principles whereupon the King removed from his Court and favour all who proved unconstant and faithless to their religion not daring in his prudence to trust those who were found perfidious to the living God but those who stood stedfast to their faith and conscience he embrac'd and emploied in places of trust and honour Hence it doth follow that it is folly to expect that Andrew can be true real or faithful to Sectaries that was not constant to Gods true service neither can he be instrumental to draw many proselites after him in Ireland from the Roman-Catholicks who are brave resolute clear-sighted Christians most zealous of their ancient Religion for which and for not going to the Protestant Churches against their conscience they would not suffer imprisonments forfeitures of estats if they had not been absolutely certain that all the Misteries and tenents of their antient faith are purely revealed by God and faithfully handed to them by their glorious and miraculous Patron and Apostle S. Patrick and so they choose undauntedly rather to suffer the loss of all their means and brave estates c. then make in the least shipwrack of their Religion and they be not ignorant how that it was not for any truth perfection or goodness in the protestant Sect that mov'd Sall to revolt to it neither for love of more vertues or more sanctity he deserted his true antient Mother but that it was rather for to enjoy more liberty indulgence more pleasure more mony more content and plausibility among protestants occasioned his dismal separation yet noâ—withstanding he will not if he can perish alone he will furiously endeavour to gaine proselites and will out of ambition pride and malice envenom others though I am confident he will catch none but Novices onely in both divine and humane learning and such as are unsetled in Religion and wild hair-braind loose livers and idle vagrants Therefore Andrew desist from preaching poor souls into just so much as shall beget their torture let them rest where they finde full satisfaction Oh Andrew desist from fighting against God who is the free disposer of his gifts and especially of faith do not expose your self dangerously to the indignation of God do not strive to drive others and thy self to eternal perdition without question you commit a most grievous sin when you endeavour by artifice of the devil to draw men to profess or act contrary to what their souls and consciences believes to be revealed and true when you wound the weak consciences you sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 do not desperatly preach or strive to whip Roman Catholicks out of their true faith to a way that is but errour and falshood Let me now Andrew close this Discourse with this when Prometheus stole fire from heaven to animate quicken his artificial bodies the gods for punishment of so high a sacriledge struck him not dead with a sudden thunderbolt but to be more deeply avenged let him live to be tormented with vultures continually gnawing on his liver O Andrew your horrid apostasie and sacriledge exceeds all crimes imaginable so your punishment will be exceeding grievous for in an unlucky time you steal away the heavenly fire of your sacred function mission and character from Gods service and employ it though to little effect to animate and quicken that artificial earthly imperfect dead body of protestanism your fire is turned to black coals fetch'd from the infernal pit to preach what in your conscience you believe untrue I am sure is damnable and to compel others to the same is nothing else but to drive them to renounce their sure-footing in Religion and the essential part in them their reason but let me tell you all your labour poor contrivements wretched ambition and oyl will be wasted to no purpose you do feel I am confident your self tormented with vultures continually gnawing on your liver nam sequitur superbos ultor a tergo Deus Seneca and withall non existimes impune tibi futurum quod contra Deum pugnare tentaveris 2 Mac. 7. My last advice to you is from the holy Ghost Eccles 9. quodcunque potest manus tua operare instanter quia nec opus ne ratio nec sapientia apud inferos quo tu prâ—peras ah dear Andrew be wise return to thy self confider these things work according to them that you may be happy according to the true prayers of Your true friend and well-wisher in the best things J. E. FINIS A COUNTER-POYSON For to Enchant that Enchanted Enchanting Forsworn Wretch ANDREW SALL APOSTATE Miserably wandring in the Region of Nothing Thou hast not lied to men but to God Acts 5.
say chearfully with S. Paul Domine quid me vis facere do not expect to be instructed by God ingredire Civitatem forsake your Court of Camas come audi Ananiam Concionatorem coâ—solatorem amicum confessarium tuum fidelem A Soveraign Caution to Roman Catholicks not to be troubled or take scandal by Andrew Sall Apostate falling from his Religion Documents 5. WHat Lay-man will not run and willingly embrace a plausible and easy way to heaven sure we cannot be ignorant how stones fall naturally down to their centre yet are with difficulty raised up it 's more facil to destroy and beat down a house then to build the same Did not Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor of England and a glorious Martyr make answer in this manner to one who bragg'd much of the propagation of Luthers sect saying ad propositam vitae libidinem licentiam populum ruere majus non est miraculum quam saxa deorsum cadere take notice also how Socrates answered a certain common strumpet who insulted and said tu neminem ex amatoribus meis unquam valebis a me ab alienare at ego quoties lubet tuos Auditores omnes a te voco ad me traho to whom the wise philosopher mirum hoc non est tu siquidem ad declinem voluptatis tramitem omnes rapis trahis ego ad arduum virtutis callem cogo impello Aelian lib. 13. de var. hist Surely in Scripture Esa 1. heresie is called a whore qâ—oâ—odo facta est meretrix Civitas fidelis for even as the strumpet doth easily draw to her and â—educeth many so doth heresie delude charm and drag men daily to perdition liberty and sin The ancient Philosophers being questioned why there were very many Epicures to be found but very few peripateticks or Stoicks the reason they gave was that Stoicorum Peripateticorum disciplina severior subtilior erat Epicureorum autem laxior crassior Hear what Lactantius lib. 3. de divinae Instit c. 16. say Epicuri disciplina multo celebrior semper fuit non quia veri aliquid afferat sed quia multos ad populare nomen voluptatis libertatis invitat nemo enim non in vitia pronus est eaque vincere difficillimum est and certainly those that become Apostates from Christ and his Religion are plung'd by the liberty of their flesh and not of any good spirit it 's no hard matter to perswade a voluptuous Religious man that Priests ought to marry and that it is impossible to be chaste it 's not difficult to perswade those given to gluttony that fastings are superfluous and needless and that drunkenness is no sin c. did not Balaam advise the King Bâ—l. c to place beautifull maids neer the armies of the Hebrews that so they might be allured to the sin of the flesh and that the women should not at all consent to give the souldiers their will unless they would become Idolaters Numb 31. by which very many Israelites were deluded and perverted and this was the only way to overcome them and their Army what other way or means did Luther and Calvin use for to draw Proselites after them then lust liberty avarice c. how was Joannes Fredericus Duke of Saxony brought to be an heretick by Luther it was thus This Duke had an ambition to bereave the Family of Austria from being Emperours which they enjoyed quasi jure haereditario this his ambition he imparted to Luther who perswaded the Duke to change his Religion if he expected a change in the Empire his hellish advice was embraced by the Duke easily being full of envy and an enemy to Caesar thus the Duke by the advice of cursed Luther raised an army against Charles the fifth endeavouring to destroy him but by divine providence and the brave valour and conduct of the Emperour the Duke was conquered and taken prisoner and deprived of being Elector which place and honour was conferred on Prince Maurice in whose Family even to this day it holds and assuredly nothing but pride curiosity an appetite of contradiction arrogancy avarice ambition usurpation of sacred gifts voluptuousness an aversion from severe discipline luxury an itching desire of novelties and liberty of the flesh are the baits that enchaunted your soul from the firm standing in the true Church to the sink of herefie and a postasie When any falls from Religion the harm is very dangerous to him that falls we cannot finde that any of the B. Apostles or Disciples of Christ nay nor any of the weaker faithful did fall from their faith by the deplorable Apostasie of Judas which cannot be but a signal providence of God towards his faithfull hereticks imagines that when any Doctour preacher or priest of ours runs to apostasy from us to their sect that then our faith begins to be weakned and that many more will follow but this is a very foolish conceit for many reasons first because that fall and deficience is no new matter or unusual in the Church of Christ whereas in all ages and times there have been some that were permitted to fail and fall into Apostasie to the end that by their deficiency the Church should be excrcised but never to fail or fall away with them whereas the same is not grounded but upon a firm Rock Christ Jesus for God almighty when one vessel is broken can make another as Hieremia observed c. 18 did not Judas fall off from Christ in that time when he promised to draw all things to him did not immediatly the good thief â—orn confesse and believe though Peter â—denied his matter the Centurion was conâ—rerted revertumur percutientes pectora sua therefore the ruine and fall of members of our Church doth not at all shake our Church â—or faith Who in the Greek Church was more famous then Crigines Who in the Latin Church was more famous then Terâ—â—llian each of these was a most antient Doctor in the third age and at first they proved most indefatigable and earnest overthrowers and persecutors of the Enemies of the Church hereticks they were rare Doctors to a great many saints Confessors and Martyrs yet notwithstanding both fell from the Church into heresy and the Church not in the least moved or weakned for it did not Sapricius in the time of Valerianus the Emperor a learned and renowned priest being dragg'd to martirdom for his faith denie his faith and offered sacrifice to false Gods what shall I say of Osius the Master of Constantinus magnus a most learned man and one that was emploied as Legat from the Church oftentimes did not he betray the Nicene Council become an enemy to the true faith and an Arian yet the Church stood permanent and triumphant so as when he fell then the the Enemies of faith the Arians were converted and what Osius did deny to wit the divine substance in the Son of God was confessed and restored and maintained by the Arians so as the
stretch her arms and open her heart to your obedience and humble submission are you afraid that Infidels will blame you of inconstancy in changing of your Religion know you not that there is only sin vice and errour to which you must want constancy why should you blush at humane weakness and not at withstanding and denying truth was it a blemish to S. Paul to become an Apostle of a cruel persecutor was it a shame to Constantine the Great of a heathenish Infidel to become a Christian was it a blemish to Clouis the first King of France to be drawn to Christian religion by a woman Finally was it a shame to very many noble learned protestant Doctors and very many persons of quality who daily return to the Roman-Catholick Religion let us impute the many falls that happens to the malice of the devil and to the age we live in and to the weaknesse of corrupt nature but let us not grudge God the conversion of souls which are the works of his hands do not follow the course of the times rather follow the light of your conscience what matters it if the children of darknesse viz. protestants judge ill of the children of light Did ever the Sun blush for not being look'd upon wishfully by blinde owls and bats who can justly blame you for having submitted wilful obstinacy to moderation to truth to vertue to ways of grace peace and sanctity humane judgement to divine law and for having followed rather infinite learned holy and consciencious brave men of all ages then a handful of proud unwarrantable ignorant rebellious and self-seeking spirits that have no other Religion but back and belly because they have moulded their souls meerly of flesh and bloud we men have above brute beasts the resurrection of the body we have above the devils repentance to cry for mercy to reclame and acknowledge we are sinners Is it possible that the sweet alluring though deluding commodities and gilded pleasures of this fading world and temporall blessings shall as yet keep you back from returning what can you hope more of this sect forsaken by God and men though it should promise unto you mountains of gold ought you peradventure for a false and deceitfull representation of honours goods riches or momentany pleasures to yield and deliver your soul to eternal pains and render your name and memory hateful to all men living Let not so great an illusion creep into your brain now in the confusion and low ebb of reeling Protestancy God means to sever the chaff from the good corn to part true children from the unlawful and base born the fire is kindled to try the brethren of gold and lead faith is tried and sealed with the signet of tribulation persecution and affliction forsake the spirit of Satan which breedeth in you the spirit of errour lies crimes disorders frantick fancies and fool-hardy conceits yeeld yeeld Sall seek as much as you can your glory in humility obedience and submission of spirit to lawful powers and be sure that there and no where else is the only holy way to truth faith religion and salvation In the name of God weigh at leisure these considerations of this Sovereign antidote kick no longer against the goad go no more to forge difficulties and illusions you shall no sooner set your foot in the sheep-fold of the true Catholick Roman Church with so many men of great note lately and daily converted notwithstanding all penal Statutes Proclamations confisations mulcts sequestrations c. but all phantasies will vanish you shall live in peace of conscience and receive grace to your soul But alas I am afraid that it is now adays easier to bring to the sheepfold of Christ whole entire Provinces and Cities then to convert one perverse obstinate heretick The Athiests are converted not by force of arms or compulsion but by the preaching of the pure word of God by miracles and vertuous examples of Roman-Catholicks but a perverse heretick is more pertinacious because more presumptuous neither by sound arguments nor by miracles nor conviction of the understanding can be removed from his liberty of heresie See what S. Jerome says Facilius est furori Gentilium occurrere raptisque populos abestiali scientia ad fidei pietatem praedicando convertere quam quemlibet haereticum in sui perfidia dogmatis confidentem ad fidem rectam revocare This glorious Doctor says that it is more facil to cure and restore to his sight one that is stark blinde having his eyes closed up and not open then one that hath his eyes open and yet can see nothing his reason is because he that hath eyes close needs no more then to open up his eyes applicando activa passivus even so it is with you Andrew you have your eyes open you believe in Christ in the Scriptures and that there is a heaven and hell c. yet you cannot nor will not look attentively or desire to be convinced neither by reason miracles nor yet by the heroick brave examples of Roman Catholicks you are obstinate you are like an owl that cannot see at noon-day the Gospel O excecation O purblind execration vae impio in malum I believe I may be censured by some and thought to be too severe and sharp in this my expression designed onely for to recover you a lost sheep from the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity but let me tell you that publick scandall must have publick and severe reprehensions to prevent utter ruine and perdition both my zeal and indignation shall ever express it self both ways against any that gives scandal to Christs flock I am instructed to be rough by my sweet Jesus who never was so invective against any as the Scribes and Pharisees the hypocrites of that age and truly these my reprehensions are not so sharp out of any end but to shew you Andrew your own guilt in order to your speedy reviviscence and repentance such diseases as festers inwardly requires a faithfull though rough hand to search them and to keep from gran-green he that is fallen into a deep sleep of heresie must have loud cryes to awaken and rouse him I desire you therefore to dissolve vincula colli tui cumputruisti enim in oculis tuis placens tibi placere cupiens oculis perditorum hominum superbe derilantium in quorum ore â—aquei diaboli fly from them Andrew abhorre ea quae te praeparant ad interitum appete ea nunc quae te foelicem perpetuo facere possunt Learn from S. Paul Non credere omni spiritui Learn from Solomon multos amicos unum autem habere conciliarium Learn from Christ Domum tuam supra Petram fundare Learn from the Apostles to sail within that sacred Ship the Catholick Church which can never be cast on rocks or errours to suffer shipwrack ad hanc a te turpiter derelictam Ecclesiam ut redeas ego admoneo exhortor gemebundus ne pernitiosis seductorum