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A10173 Protestants demonstrations, for Catholiks recusance All taken from such English Protestant bishops, doctors, ministers, parlaments, lawes, decrees, and proceedings, as haue beene printed, published, or allowed among them in England; since the cominge of our king Iames into this kingdome: and for the most parte within the first six or seuen yeares thereof. And euidentlie prouinge by their owne writings, that english Catholiks may not vnder damnable syn, co[m]municate with English Protestants, in their seruice, sermons, or matters of religion: and soe conuincinge by the[m]selues, their religio[n] to be most damnable, & among other things, their ministery to bee voide, false & vsurped. Broughton, Richard, attributed name. 1615 (1615) STC 20450; ESTC S112509 81,861 158

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expect an Impossibilitie larkes if the skye falleth wee should bee then in as desperate a case by their Religion as before For in their publick article and Rule they haue thus defined generall councells may ●rr euen in things pertayning● Articl of Relig ●rt 21. Feild l. of the church pag. vnto God Vnto which I will add the publicke protestant opinion sett downe by D. Feild in these wordes Bishops ass●mbled in a generall councell haue aut●oritie to interprett scriptures and by their authoritie to supresse all them that gaynesay such interpretation and subiect euery man that shall disobey such determination as they consent vppon to Excommunication and censure of like nature This is the desolate estate of protestants Religion by their owne testimonies without hope of hop●ls generall councell there is noe hope of truthe or saluation in their Religion And with hope of that which can neuer bee the misery is still remaininge for wee are still left in daunger of error to condemne vs and perill of separation from the church out of which as they teach before there is noe saluation remission of sinnes or hope Couell def pa. ●6 Feild pag. 69. of eternall life Therfore seing by vnion and communion in Religion with protestants both by their Iudgments and our owne alsoe wee should bee in this damnable perplexitie and certaine daunger of euerlastinge hell And by remayning in vnitie with the church of Rome in which wee comfort our selues and offer to mayntaine against all opponents herericks or Infidells that the church of Christ Popes and generall Councells cannot iudicially erre in matters of faith wee are freed from those desperate conditions and lyue in moste comfortable hope of true Religion in earth and euerlastinge saluation in heauen wee may not forsake the catholicke church Vr●is orbis of Rome and the whole christian world to ioyne with the parlament and soe miserable protestant church of England and one kingdome For confirmation of this though not needinge to bee confirmed and for further demonstration in this question I argue thus Noe men in time of controuersie about Religion may with securitie and conscience forsake the communion of the superior mother and Apostolick commaunding church or that is taught to haue especiall assistance of God in matters of Religion or that vnto which to adhere by the Iudgment of the primatiue fathers was taken for a suer taken of a true catholick euen by the cōfession of protestants to Ioyne with an Inferior commaunded and subiect church vtterly destitute of such prerogatiues and acknowledged by the doctors thereof to bee erroneous But the Catholicks of England by forsakinge vnion with the church of Rome and communicatinge with english protestants should bee in this conscionles and irreligeous condition Therefore they may not doe yt The maior proposition is three fold contayning in effect three propositions as the argument for breuitie three demonstratiue arguments The first proposition is this The mother superior and commaundinge church may not vvithout greater authoritie bee forsaken to Ioyne vvith a subiect Inferior and commaunded church And it is euidently true otherwise yt should not bee the Mother superior and commaundinge church but the contrary inferior subiect commaunded The second proposition is this That church which in the Iudgment of many hath especiall assistance from God and freedome from error in religion i● rather to bee communicated with then that which by all men euen the best learned of it self is condemned of error and confessed to be fallible and deceauing iudgment And this alsoe is manifestly true for in the first there is either assurednes or contenting hope to bee free from error and obtaine salualtion in the other noe true hope thereof at all but a confessed certainetie of error seducing and to bee damned The third proposition is this That church which by the primatiue fathers had that priuiledge ●s the aduersaries doe graunt that to adhere vnto yt was a signe of a true beleeuing catholicke is reather to bee communicated with then that which neuer had or claymed such prerogatiue And this proposition is likwise apparantlie true for in the former there is securitie from error and in the second euident certaintie to fall into error and state of damnation Now that the case of english catolicks should bee this in all this three propositions if they should communicate with english protestans I doe thus demonstrate by thes protestans them selues and first how the romane church was and still is this mother superior commaundinge Church may appeare by the sentence of his maiestè concerninge that church in this K speach in parlam wordes it is our mother church it was a rule to all both in doctrine and ceremonies when it was in her florishinge and best estate And in the conference Conference at Hamptō pag. 75. at Hampton Court their Bishop Barlowe relateth thus T●e kings resolution is that noe church ought further to seperate it selfe from the church of Rome either in doctrine or ceremonies then shee hath departed from herselfe when shee was in her florishinge and best estate and from Christ our Lord and deade D. Downame Downam l. 1. Anticor ca. 3 pa. 36. denieth not but bothe Iustinian the Emperor and the generall councell of Calcedon in the primatiue church did attribute to the Pope of Rome to bee heade of the churche And the same D. Downame D. Couell D. Sutcliffe Porkins Down supr pag. 106. ●07 Couell plea of Innoc pa. 65. Sutcliff sub vi●p 19 Perk probl pag. 237. 238. and others wittnes that at such time wherein they confesse that church a Rule to all both in doctrine and ceremonies and not to bee separated from it exercised this supreame iurisdict●on in all partes of the worlde Asia Africke and Europe Therefore this Rule to all is not in ruling departed from her selfe or Christ our heade and soe wee m●y not bee seperated from yt Which M. Ormerod proueth further assuring vs that in the Apostles time it claymed thes priuiledges of preeminence indefectibilitie from the irreuocable graunte of Christ in holy Ormer pict pap pag. 78. scriptures his wordes bee thes To proue that the church of Rome hath the preeminence ouer all churches Anacletus lyuing in the Apostles time a blessed Saint and martyr alleageth Math. 16. vers 18. vppon this rocke vvill I build my church and hee expounde●h it thus super hanc petram id est super ecclesiam Romanam vppon this rocke that is vpon the church of Rome vvill I build my church Therfore for any man to say that wee may sepearate our selues from the church of Rome because it is departed from it selfe when it was in her florishing and best estate is not onely a very friuolous and vaine excuse but in their opinion and Relation manifestly false because this church of Rome euen in that her best estate did clayme and by the warrant and graunt of Christ registred in holy scriptures as ample
ministery wee are all one wee are all of one faithe VVee are ministers of the worde by one order wee preache one faith and substance of doctrine Then which nothing was euer more truly said or written Willet Antilog pag. 15. 20. Your greate Controuertist D. Willet writeth thus amonge protestants of ●ngland there is noe difference or diss●nt in any substantiall point of faith As for puritans and Caluinio-papists they are termes of papists deuisinge D. Georg● Abb. sup pa. 90. 106. 236. 237. Povvell sup pag. 48. 52 Your present protestant Archbishop of Canterbury is soe confident herein that hee vseth thes wordes Noe Goliath against vs can proue the contrary D. Powell with publicke approbation hath thes wordes Noe reformer euer distinguished betweene protestants and them of the reformed church The puritans doe not affirme the diuision betweene protestants and them to bee in substantiall points non but papists affirme that protestants and puritans differ in substantiall points of faith and hee lyeth which saith they differ in substantiall poyntes Like are the testimonies of others But thes are fullie sufficient in this place Therefore seeing I am to alleadge onelie causes and reasons essentiall and substantiall in Religion from thes your english protestant Bishops and doctors why their countrie Catholicks may not by their owne doctrines and proceedings communicate with them in matters of Religion It is euident that noe english protestant or puritane may or in conscience ought to denie any such authoritie to bee cited in this treatise or any conclusion truelie and scientificallie deduced from such their allowed principles for in soe doeinge by their generall graunt before hee should become a papist and a recusant to communicate with protestants or a blasphemous Goliah vncircumcised philistine or a lyer by their owne censure and Iudgment which would bee new and vrgent causes to auoide all spirituall communion with such men Wherevppon presuminge that noe aduersarie will soe muche disable my studyes in diuinitie and artes subordinate vnto yt But that I am able from graunted and allowed principles to deduce necessarie and vndemiable Conclusions I therefore doe confidentlie name this worke A booke of english protestants Demonstrations for English Catholicks recusancie Because the moste iust causes of Catholicks refusall to communicate with protestan●s in Religion are euidentlie proued by those protestants them selues in this Treatise And soe in all obedient and humble manner I take my leaue I rest and hope to continue for euer in all dutifull and beseeminge obedience and loue to our moste blessed Sauiour his Holie church and Religion his maiestie my dearest countrie and your Lordships the moste honorable portion thereof as I haue before professed and obliged myselfe by attestation and bonde vnuiolable PROTESTANTS DEMONSTRATIONS FOR CATHOLICKS RECVSANCIE The first particular protestant Demonstration why english Catholicks may not communicate in spirituall thinges with protestants is because by their owne testimonies yt would bee an act and offence vnreasonable irreligious and damnable THAT it is not lawfull for any Catholicke or member of the Romane church to communicate in Religion and spirituall thinges with the protestants of England I demonstrate by their owne testimonies And first argue thus Noe professors of Religion may lawfully and with securitie forsake that church and communion in which by the testimonie of aduersaries themselues there is saluation and many haue beene by that profession glorious Saints to communicate with a new Religion whereof there is noe such hope or certaine expectation But the state of Catholicks by communicating w●th protestants and forsakinge vnion with the church of Rome should bee in this ●erplexitie euen by thes protestants confession Therefore they may not in conscience forsake communion with the Romane church to ioyne with thes protestants in such busines The fi●st proposition is euidently true for good thinges and certaine may not bee left and forsaken for thinge● either euill or vncertainely good And that men may not communicate in a straunge Religion is confirmed by D. Couell and M. Hull prouinge yt by many Couell exā ●a 200. 201 Hul. Rom. ●ol p. 30. 31 32. 33. 34. Sutcliff exā of petit pa. 10. 11. Povvel ref ●pist apolo●●tic pag. ●5 23. 26. 27. 100. 114 112. 113. c. Feild pa. 27 pag. 182. examples and testimonies of scriptures and antiquitie T●at wee may not communi●ate ●ith men of a diuers Religion D. Sutcliffe telleth vs that such communion is reproued by the authoritie both of the fathers of the church and of aun●i●nt Christian Emp●rors The like hee testifieth of Holy scriptures M. Powell is plentifull in this matters and not needfull to bee cited no● man of learninge and conscience affirminge communion in a false or contrary Religion to bee lawfull The minor proposition of certaintie of saluation in the Roman church is thus confirmed by thes protestants D. Feilds wordes bee thes the Romane and la●ine church continued the true church of God euen till our tyme and againe in this maner Wee doubt not but the church of R●me in which the Bishop thereof exalt●d himselfe was not withstanding● the true c●urch of God that is hel● a sauing profession of the truthe in Christ and by force thereof conuerted many contryes from error to truthe D. Couell writeth thus in the name of them all Protestants Couell def of hooke pa. 68. doe gladly acknowledge them of the Romane church to bee t●● family of ●hesus Christ they of Rome Were still are in the church it ●● straunge for any man to deny them of Rome to bee of the church Wee affirme them of the Romane church Couell supr pag 73. 76. to bee partes of the church of Christ and that those that lyue and dye in that church may bee saued Yett both hee and D. Feild giue this sentence Couell sup pag. 76. Feild p. 69. Feild pag. 182. there i● noe saluation remission of synnes or hope of eternall life out of the church D. Feild further telleth vs that diuers of the Romane church euen of the best learned that coulde not pleade Ignorance bee saued and Saints in heauen Their Bishop Barlowe hath written how greate difficultie it is for princes to bee saued Barl. ag a name l●sse Cathol Willet An. pag. 144. Speede Theat of greate Britan yett D. Willet writeth thus it is not denyed by any protestant but many renowned kinges and Queenes of the Romane faithe are Saincts in heauen The names of our moste holy kinges and Queenes of England which M. Speede in his late Theater of greate Britanie relateth to haue forsaken their Crownes and kingdomes to become pore Monkes Nunnes in that church and Religion and to bee chronicled for all posterities to haue beene moste holy one ●arthe and now glorious Saints in heauen are too many to bee recited Therefore seing thes protestants assure vs that the church of Rome is the true church of Christ they that liue and dye in yt come to heauen and many
and supreame commaunding authoritie ouer all other churches parsons and as due and respectiue obedience as now yt doth as these protestants them selues are wittnesses against them selues and by such pretended excuse of reuolt and contempt of superioritie and gouernment and for the inferior subiect guiltie or accused to vsurpe power ouer the Superior and lawfull Iudge all heresies scismes treasons rebellious and disobediences may bee mayntayned and all Regiment and Rulers both spirituall and temporall bee reiected and ouerthrowne And is the like or worse in effect then that which his maiestie speaketh of the presbyte●iall discipline in these wordes lacke and ●om and Will and Di●k vvill censure the kinge and his Conferen●● a●●ampt pag. 79. couns●ll and all their proceedings at their pleasure And from hence alsoe both the second and third propositions are directly proued For by this the second proposition That Catholicks in forsaking communion vvith the church of Rome to communicate vvith english protestants should forsa●● a church by the doctrine of diuers and credible ●uthorities assisted by God from error is euideytlie true for not onelie the present doctors of the present Romane church soe teach but it was soe taught as this protestants assure vs by the learned and holy fathers and popes of that sacred church when by their graunt it vvas in her florishinge and best estate and a rule to all both in doctrine and ceremonies To which I add the testimonie of D. Downame telling vs that in those times Down l. 2. Antichr pag. 107. Orm●r hereticks though Bishops recanting did svveare to meyntayne th●t faith which the Bishop church of Rome professed M. Ormerod saith S. Leo that glorious Saint doctor did teache that God did assist direct that sea in decrees And to maintaine yt by protestāts that this was the cōmon and receaued doctrine of that vnsported time whereas they now tell vs a generall councell is highest iudge D. Powell writeth thus Powell l. 1. Antichrist p. 230. 231. Calixtus Pope in that best time defined that all Bishops though gathered in a generall Councell shall fullfill the will of the church of Rome they which doe not this are pronoūced of Pope Pelagius to keepe a false Conciliable and not a Councell Pope Damasus vvrote that it is not lavvfull for the Bishops to doe any thinge against the decrees of the Bishops of Rome Where vppon according to this generall and primatiue doctrine by protestants relation their Bishop of Bils true differ pag. 66. 67. Winchester hath written in this maner The Canon of the primatiue churche made euery thinge voide that vvas done vvithout the Bishop of Rome The canon of the primatiue church forbad any Councell to bee called vvithout his consent Therefore D. Feild directeth vs what to doe in Feild pag. 20● this case in these wordes Wee must obey vvithout scrupulous questioninge vvith all modestie of mynde and reuerence of bodie vvith all good ●llovvance and acceptation and repose in the vvorde of them that teache vs vnles they teache vs any t●ings vv●ich the authoritie of the higher Su●erior controlleth Therefore because thus protestants haue soe confidently assured vs that the Pope and church of Rome is our highest Iudge in authoritie and superioritie in this busines wee must still vvithout scrupulous question vvith all modest●ie reuerence good allovvonce acceptation and repose obey them still communica●e with them And forsake all spirituall communion withall protestants and others departed and sepa●ated from them And from hence alsoe the third proposition that to adh●re to the church of Rome in time of controuersie vvas and is a token or signe of a true catholick is euidently proued An D. Downame graunteth yt to haue beene the opinion of the primatiue fathers S. Augustine and victor vticensis in Afrike vvere of opinion that Down l. 1. Antichrist pag. 106. 105. to adhere to the church of Rome vvas a marke of a true Catholick in those times And that it must soe continue for euer is proued by thes protestants before To which I add this protestant Demonstration followinge Euery forsakinge of Communion and communicating which by protestants Iudgment doth or would make men guiltie of all kinde of spirituall disobedience is to bee auoid●d But for Catholicks to forsake communion with the church of Rome and communicate with protestants by their owne doctrine is such therefore to bee auoided The maior proposition is euidently true for seing to bee disobedient in any one spirituall dutie is wicked and abominable much more damnable must it needs bee to bee guiltie of all such synnes The minor proposition is proued by D. Feild and the publick protestant authoritie that gaue priuiledge to his writinge for entreatinge of the diuers and distinct kindes of spirituall F●ild pag. 202. l. 4. cap. 5. obedience hee writeth thus Hither wee may referr those different degrees of obedience which vvee must yeeld to them that commaunde and teache vs in the church of God excellently Waldens doctr fidei l. 2. art 2 3 pag. 27. described by waldensis wee must saith hee reuerence and respect the authoritie of all catholick Doctors whose doctrine and writings t●e church allovveth Wee must more regarde the authoritie of catholick Bishops more then thus the authoritie of the Apostolick churches amongst them more especially the church of Rome of a generall councell more then all thes By which doctrine of english protestants it is euident that all men communicating with them in Religion are culpable in all kinde of spirituall disobedience and if the degrees of obedience to commaunders in the church of God bee as thes men assure vs excellently described by Doctors and catholick Bishops vnder the Pope and the Pope is cheefest in thes degrees and as before is proued by them noe councell can bee either generall or allowable without his allowance and approbation by forsakinge communion with the Pope and beinge disobedient vnto him wee should bee guiltie of a spirituall disobedience Therefore when wee are assured by thes men them selues that now wee lyue in all true spirituall obedience and contrary to their commaunding and supreame byndinge instruction noe autho●itie on earthe is to bee obeyed in such things but rather to bee obedient and subiect it selfe to them the pretended instruction of protestants to vnlearned catholicks is not to bee termed instruction but destruction and their pesecution against vs for this our soe religious iust deniall to communicate with them in Religion shall bee censured by his maiestie and their Bishopp of Durham and not by mee his maiesties wordes in publick parlament in this question are thus You my Lord of Durham said very learnedly in Serm. An. 1603. 19. of March before the K. Kings speac in parlam 1. Iacob your sermon to day that correction vvithout instruction is but tyrannye And how can England euer an inferior subordinate and dependinge church take vppon yt power to instruct the highest spirituall authoritie
or lesse in dignitie and Christ offering his body and blood for the quicke and deade and giuing power to those whome he made preists to doe that which hee then did Hoc facite doe you this which I doe preists also must needs haue that power and that power be the proper office of Holy preisthood For at that time were the Apostles made preists otherwise we doe not finde where any power is communicated vnto them to be ministers of this soe commaunded and recommended sacracrament And otherwise S. Thomas not present when the wordes of binding and losing were spoken vnto the Apostles was not a preist in the doctrine of protestants admitting nothinge but scriptures in such cases Neither can those wordes whos● syns you forgiue they are forgiuen and whose syns you retayne they are retayned confer that power which belongeth to preists if they were not to offer sacrifice but onely to minister sacraments in the Religion of protestants which doe not teach that either the preist or sacrament but the faith of the Receauer forgiueth syns And soe essentiall it is to preisthood to offer sacrifice that those which in our languadge we call preists sacrifice and altar bee in other tonges things inseperable and Correlatiues both in name and deed Thusiastis Thusia Thusiast●rion sacrificer sacrifice and place where there sacrificer or preist offereth sacrifice Which inseperable connexion betweene sacrifice and altar preist and sacrifice D. Morton before acknowledgeth in these wordes We cannot dislike t●● sentence of D. Reynoldes concerning the mutuall Mortō App. pa. 16● l. 2. ca. 6. sect 1. Reinolds confer pag. 550. Relation and dependance betweene an altare and sacrifice But graunt that altar doth as naturally and necessarily inferr a sacrifice as a shrine doth a Saint a father a sonne And further these Cardinall Bellarmine said truly viz sacrifice and preistood are Relatiues Therefore seing Relatiues bee inseperable preisthood and to offer sacrifice cannot bee deuided but inuiolably vnited and coniected together Therefore the holy generall Councell denied such by these protestants before defineth thus The forme Conc. Flor. in vnion of preisthood is this Receaue power to offer sacrifice in the church for the liuing and deade in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Neither is this by these protestants other doctrine then was taught from the beginninge but it was euer soe constantly and generall taught in the church that it was adiuged and condemned for heresie in Aërius to deny yt D. Felds wordes thereof are these Arius condemned the custome of the church in Feild p. 138 l 3. cap. 29. Couell exā pag. 114. naminge the deade at the Alt●r and offerringe the Sacrifice of Eucharist for them for this his ●ash and inconsiderate boldnes and presumption in condemning the vniuersall church of Christ hee was iust●y condemned Therefore protestants haue noe preisthood they are iustly condemned for hereticks by their owne censure and the Romane sacrificing preisthood both by the present and primatiue vniuersall church of Christ is most holy Which is further confirmed by these protestants authorities first their allowed greeke church censureth these The doctrine Feild of that church Gennad Schol. def 5 c. 3. Feild p. 238 Hull Rom. pol pa. 86. Middleton papistom p. 64 45. 46. 51. 47. 48. 49. Relation of Religion Casau resp ad Card. per p. 51. 52. c of purgatorie prayer sacrifice for the deade was a tradition of the Apostles equall with the worde of God as D. Feild writeth M. Hull saith Leo S. Leo the Pope appointed Masses for the deade M. Middleton saith It was a tradition of the primatiue church receaued from the fathers to pray for the deade and begg mercye of God for them the deade were prayed for in the publick liturgies of Basile Crisostome and Epiphanius And their Relator wittnesseth that these Masses and forme of sacrifice were publick in the church Therefore M Isaac Casaubon calling yt the Religion of our kinge and saying he writeth by the kings commaund and from his mouth writeth these neither is the kinge ignorant nor den●eth that the fathers of the primatiue church did acknowledge one sacrifice in Christian Religion that succeeded in the place of the sacrifices of Moses lawe D. Morton goeth higher euen to the Rabbins before Christ graunting with his frend Mortō app in sacrifice c. Mortō app pa. 395. l ● Theodore Bibliander that they taught this sacrifice of the Christians and called yt Thoda And hee addeth these These testimonies of Rabbi Cahana Rabbi Iuda Rabbi Simeon are such if yet● they were such that they make soe directly for the Romish article of transsubstantiatiō that the most Romish Dostors for the space of allmoste a thousand yeares after Christ did not in soe expresse termes publish this mistery to the world They are more playne and pregnant for transsubstantion then are the sayings of transsubstantiators themselues pag. 396. Hitherto D. Morton And therefore allthough I now dispute for a sacrificing preisthood and externall sacrifice not of transubstantiation or what it is in particular that being impertinent to my present purpose yett because D. Couell with publick allowance before hath told M. Morton that preists to vse Couell def pag. 8● his wordes Haue power imparted to them by God ouer Christs naturall body which is himselfe which antiquitie doth call the making of Christs bodie it hath to dispose of that flesh which was giuen for the life of the worlde and that blood which pag. 105. was powred out to redeeme soules And M. Casaubon graunteth for our kinge and their protestāts church that the sacrifice offered by preists is Christs bodye to vse his wordes the same obiect Casaub sup pag. 50. 51. and thinge which the Romane church beleeueth Therefore I say because D. Morton acknowledgeth himselfe but an Alephbethorian in Mortōpr●ā Hebrue not able to Iudge of those Rabbines and I may not dispute but by protestants his f●end and fellowe protestant Franciscus Starearus Hebraicae literaturae callentissimus most excellent in Hebrue learninge as the Franck fort protestant allowers of those Rabbines name h●m Praefat. prot in p. G●l Frā●● fur●i An. 1602. and they themselues are wittnesses doe call those and other testimonies of the Rabbines before Christ. Irrefragabilia testimonia vndeniable testimonies of the kingdome of Christ that all men except madd against the Religion of Christ might knowe the truthe Therefore by all kinde of Testimonies in the Iudgment of these protestants as scriptures traditions Councells the whole church of Christ holy fathers and the protestant proceedings themselues the sacrificing preistood of the Romane church is Stat. An. 8. Eliz. cap. 1. Foxe in Ed. 6. Regist e●d pereg in Lōd Reinol Caluinot Resp lustit english min●sters in state of treason protestāt●●n felony by their doctrine Method pataren l. decret ab init Iams Manuscrip in Can●trig lawfull sacred and moste reuerent And
for the truth of Christs Ghospell to bee preached without preachers and true ministers lawfully ordeyned sent expresseth it by this gradation as these protestants themselues translate him How shall they call on him in whome they haue 〈◊〉 ca. 10 vers 14. 15. not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a preacher and how shall they preach except they bee sent And therevppon these english protestants in their moste authori●ed Arti●les vtterly disable all that are not lawfully called to thes functions And D. Couell giueth a reason of it in these wordes T●e church hath Art minist in the congreg art 23 Couell exa pag. 130. noe reason to heare their voice whom Christ hath not commaunded to feede his she●p● Secondly there is made demonstration before first in generall that all groundes and rules in diuinitie scriptures traditions Popes Councells fathers c. are against their doctrines and opinions as alsoe that in particular in euery cheefe Article questioned betweene Catholicks and them they are in vnexcusable error by their owne testimonies therefore the pure word cannot bee preached by them their church consequently is not by their owne definition the true church nor any hope of saluation to bee had in their Religion And soe they are not to bee communicated with in such busines Further I argue thus noe societie or congregation of men hauing by their owne confession errors in matters of faith to bee rectified and amended hauing erroneous conceipts desiring se●king or wanting reformation in matters of beleefe can bee said to haue the pure word of God preached with them But these english protestants by their owne confession are in this state Therfore the pure worde of God is not preached with them The maior proposition is euidently true for as nothinge is soe vndoubtedlie true as the worde of God which by noe possibilitie can bee vntrue and the pure word of God cannot bee vnpure and false Soe errors in matters of faith to bee rectified amended c. cannot by any meanes bee said to bee pure the worde of God or truth but the quite opposite vnpure the word of the deuill a lyer and falsehood The minor proposition is thus proued by these protestāts first D. Willet is soe absolute that their english protestant church is erroneous and false in doctrine that M. Parkes writeth of him in these words M. Willet exclaymeth moste bitterly Parkes ag lymbo p. ●0 Couell exā p. 212. 213. against the protestants english church in the preface before his Antilogie D. Couell turning his speach to our kinge for Correction hath these words The church of England which l●et● prostrate at your graces feete desireth not to be● fauoured in her errors nor to haue her corruptions warranted by authoritie D. Wiliet telleth vs it Willet sup pag. 43. petition of 1000. c. Answere of the vniuersity King speach 19 mart An. 1603. hath erroneous conceipts it hath errors in doctrine The petition of the millinarie Puritans write how erroneous the english protestants church is and far from hauing the pure word of God preached in yt And the two vniuersities in their Answere submit their Religion to bee corrected or altered as the kinge pleased And the kings Maiestie himselfe in publicke parlament vseth these word I could wish frō my hart that laying willfullnes aside wee might meete in the midst I would for my owne part bee content to meete them in the midd way that all nouelties might bee renounced These hee testifieth of the english protestant Religion And in the Conference at Hampton Court as their Bishop Barlowe relateth it concludeth this point as all the rest that Conference pag. 47. errors in matters of faith might bee rectified and amended Then if the kinge and whole protestant assembly all the rest concluded that the errors in matters of faith might bee rectified c. Their opinion was that they had errors in matters of faith and soe not the pure word of God which by noe possibilitie can admit such errors nor any one least error at all in Religion Againe thus I argue None that haue beene condemned about articles of faith or as heretiks by generall councell haue the pure worde of God or may bee communicated with in such religeous things but the english protestants are such by their owne iudgments Therfore they haue not the pure word preached nor may bee communicated with in Religion The maior proposition is euidently true and shall more lardgely bee handled in my chapter that these englsh protestants by their owne testimonies are hereticks in the meane time D. Couell writing how wee may not communicate with such men doth thus define them Hereticks Couell exā pag. 199. are they whoe directly gaynesay some article of our faith and are or haue beene condemned by seme generall Councell The minor proposition that our english protestants haue beene thus condemned by their owne confession not onely by some one generall Councell which this protestant D. alloweth for a lawfull condemnation of men for hereticks but by many Cou●●●lls acknowledged by themselues for generall is proued by them before And for this place their generally allowed Article shall suffice sett downe in these words Generall Councells may err and sometime haue erred euen in things pertayning vnto God wherefore things ordeyned by them as necessarie to saluation haue neither strength nor authoritie vnlesse yt may bee declared that they bee taken out of Holy scripture And how declaration with them in this poynt consisteth in their owne priuate deduction for they can neuer haue any to bee esteemed publicke against a publicke generall is thus testified by M Wotton and the authorized priuiledg to this booke deduction from scripture Wottō def of perk pa. 467. maketh a matter of faith By which Rule if priuate men may soe censure generall councells there neuer was or can bee any heresie Therefore by this doctrine in all probabilitie the english protestants assuredly know how they haue beene condemned for hereticks and are as such to bee auoided in communication of Religion Otherwise they would not soe extoll priuate and fallible deduction aboue the authoritie of generall Councells to say that these may err and their priuate deductions are such warrant for them that they should priuiledge a man to write in all their names in this maner Wee acknowledge both and holde all matters Wottō sup pag. 467. concluded logically out of the scriptures to bee the word of God as well as if they were expressely sett downe in yt vvorde for vvord● And yett they generally teach as before that their church hath errors in doctrine and that neither prince nor any amonge them is free from error Then Willet art p. 43 150. noe man is left to make these their pretended infallible deductions from scripture Therefore the pure word of God neither is nor by their writings can bee preached with
corruptions of our church and practise of the prelates as appeareth by the testimonie of the deane of the Chapell And yett his cunninge hath serued him and his Conscience suffereth him to bee a greate Bishop Offer sup pag. 29. D. G. Abbot ag Hill p. 101. 102. 94. 106. 236 237. Povvell ag Apol. epi●● pa. 52 c. 48. Doue persuas pa. 32 Su●cl against kell pag 42. Middleton pap pa. 201 Will Antil pa 15. p 20 ●ovvell ●ōsider pa 17. Wott● d●f of Perk. p. 28. Feild pag. 170. Morton satisf p 18. Abridgm pag. 39. amonge them And thus it further followeth in that protestant Author Noe hon●stie was vsed in that Relation it seemes by the whole manadgenge of yt that it vvas vnder●and plotted and procured by the prelates themselues abusing therein his ma●estie and vsinge M. Galloway as an instrument in the matter to the end that they might haue the more colour for their intended proceedinge Wee haue hard before how constantly and vniformely both their Bishops parlamentarie and puritane protestants haue written that they all agree in all materiall and substantiall points and as their Archbishop of Canterbury absolutely affirmeth noe Goliath against t●em can proue the contrary And an other hath with publicke priuiledge these words none but Papists affirme t●at ●rotestants and puritan●s differ in substantiall points of f●●the● and hee lyeth which saith t●ey differ in subsiautiall ●oints And such is the common and generall assertion both of the parlamen●arie and puritane protestants as is euident before and may appeare by these their Citations and others to many to bee related w●en they write against Catholicks charging them with their diuers intollerable essentiall materiall and fundamentall differences in Religion But when they dispute or write against themselues then if to bee hereticks is to differ in a materiall fundamentall or essentiall point as they write in these words Hereticks are neither simple infidells nor idolaters but obstinately ●rring in some fundament all point Protestants and puritans doe thus differ for either hath condemned others befor for Hereticks Therfore to affirme it is not a lye B●t they which both affirme and deny it to serue their vse and delude their readers are prophane lyers and dissemblers in Religion and soe not to bee imitated but auoyded Againe the puritans condemne the protetestant Bishops for essentiall poynts and make them moste damned and hellish people together with their ministers and adherents as is manifest before And the protestant Bishops followers haue in diuers publicke canons made the state of puritans excommunication ipso Constitutiō c. can ecclesiast An. 1604. can 3. can 4. can 5. can 6. cā 7. can 8. cā 9. can 10. can 11. can 12. can 4. can 5. can 6. can 7. c●n 8. facto And to shew that they doe not thus Censure them for things not essentiall but verie essentiall materiall and fundamentall things questioned betweene them some of their opinions bee there thus expressed the worship in the church in England is corrupt superstitious vnlawfull repugnant to the scriptures and in sacraments The articles of their religion are erroneous their rites Antichristian gouernment of the church of england vnder his maiestie by Archbishops Bishops d●anes c. Antichristian and repugnant to the word of God The forme and maner of makinge and consecratinge Bishops ●reists and deacons is repugnant to the vvord of God They vvhoe are made Bishops preists or deacons in that forme are not lavvfully made nor ought to bee accompted either by themselues or others to bee truely either Bishops preists or deacons c. Therefore soe many Excommunications ipso facto in number seuen together with soe essentiall differences must needs bee materiall points putting a man as they think ordeyne out of the church and soe out of all hope of saluation as they haue taught before Further D. Couell setteth downe these protestants doctrine in this maner The Gouernment Couell ag Burg. p. 33. b● Elders and the Pressbitery is the expresse commaundement of God and as essentiall as either the worde or Sacraments And ag●●ne T●e discipline Couell exā pag. 36. is an essentiall note of the churche men are martyres in that quarrell as well as for the defence of any article of the Christian faithe M. O●merod Ormer pict purit f. 4. relateth their opinion in this maner Certaine of the things which puritane● stand vppon are such as that euery hayre of their ●eade were a life they ought to offor them for the defence of them Hee hath told vs before how they haue Ormer dial 1. reuiued allmost all old heresies and besides their opinions haue their tricks qualities and conditions Then if protestants differ not from them in any essentiall thinge they ioyne with them in those heresies They are to vse his words Apostolicks Aerians Popuzians Petrobrusians Flo●inians Cerinthians Nazarens Beguardines ●bi●nits Catababdi●es Catharists Iouinianists c. too m●ny to bee recited Therefore hee speaketh thus puritans differ from protestants in things fundamentall and substantiall puritans Ormerod dial 2. doe not agree with protestants in all matters of substance Therefore seing these men bee not papists they must needs bee notorious lyers and deceauers in spirituall things M. Parkes in his Epistle dedicatorie to their late Archbishop of Canterbury writeth thus The Creede Parkes epist dedicat it selfe which hath allwayes beene the very badge and Cognizance whereby to discerne and knowe the faithfull from vnbeleeuers Christians from heathens and Catholickes from hereticks is the mayne point in question Then they agree not in all things essentiall and fundamentall for besides this hee addeth puritanes seeke to vndermyne the foundation of faith Therefore speakinge Parkes p. 3. o● protestants and puritanes seducing t●e ignorant as though they agreed in all essentiall things hee writeth in these words To deceaue Parkes pag. 89. the worlde and make men beleeue there is agr●ement in all substantiall points they affirme that there is noe question amonge them of the Iacob reas epist. dedic truthe M. Iacob giueth this Censure T●ey are vayne wordes of men vnaduised yea of corrupt mindes and studing to flatter which cease not to inculcate that the things in question are indifferent Iacob reas pag. 75. and arbitrary The matters in question are far from matters indifferent or arbitrarie but are in deede very greately importinge the common pag. 82. sup saluation These things are far from indifferent matters or small trifl●s in the churches as some so●d men sugg●st and ●ill reiterate t●ey are directly contr●●y to Gods worde preiudiciall and dishonerable to Holy ca●linge and pernitious to the soules of all the Christian● in the land Their Supplication Supplicat An 1606. Argum 5. Offer of Cons pa. 3. sa●●h their cause is ●hole Christ The protestant Authors of the offer of Conference say the pr●positions offered to bee disputed contayne in them the nature of Christs true visible churche
offer yt any violence to frame it to an imagined conceit and to drawe it to an idle purpose Then noe meruaile if the Ignorant bee deceaued and seduced by such writers and preachers when noe Catholicke may bee suffered to write or speake against them though they haue by all meanes they can make moste humbly fought for equall Audience which the Protestant Author of the Relation of the state of Religion in some sort insinuateth in these words Catholicks crye maynely in all places Relation of Religion cap. 29. for triall by disputation thus did Campion many yeares since with vs T●is ●s I passed t●r●ughe Turricke did the Cardinall Andrea of Constance and his Iesuites not longe before the same was done to them of Geneu● and v●rye lately the Capuchins renwed the chall●ndge Yett none will bee accepted nor other answeare returned but such sermons writings as wee haue related before and M. Ormerod describeth in thes words Ormer pict purit supr l. prefat in postscript diuers bookes printed against the papists are as fitt for the fyer as the con●uringe bookes ca. 19. Act. ver 19 and the publishers of such phantasticall bookes should bee hanged Book●s are written by protestants and suffered to bee published which bee a greate disgrace to protestant Religion Besides their argument of persecution remembred by the same author in the name of protestants in this maner The Clin●e t●e Gatehouse the Ormer pict purit g. 1. white lyon and the f●●ete haue be●n● protestants onely Arguments whereby they haue proued their cause those many yeares Hee might haue added moste bloodie rigorous and iniurious edicts Tortures penalties arraigm●nts iudgments executions c. And yett they haue gayned noe more then Iulian and other persecutors haue done Gods Auger vnto themselues and glorie and euerlastinge renounce vnto Catholicks for such sufferings registred by their owne protestant writer a man of greate witt worthe and place amonge them in these words The sufferings Relation of Religion cap. 31. and martirdomes of english Catholicks in these time are recompted to the height of Neroes Dioclesians persecutions and the sufferers of their side bothe in meritts of cause in extreamitie of Torments and in constancie and pati●nce to the renouned Martyrs of that heroicall church age Thus this protestant relateth the iudgment of forreyne nations concerninge english protestant persecutions towards their contry Catholicks The 10. particular protestant demonstration is Because these protestants contrarye to the nature of true beleeuers and the true church by their owne doctrine are by their owne testimonies alsoe generally moste vile wicked impious and gracelesse people MY next protestant demonstration shall bee taken from their lyues maners and behauiour Befor which I s●ppose the common doctrine of these protestants That good ●orkes and true faith cannot bee separated testified not onely by D. Willet D. Feild M. Thomas Rogers Willet Antilog p. 207 Feild Rogers pa. 55. pa. 56. Articles of Religiō art 12 and others but alsoe by their highest authorised articles in these words Good workes doe springe out necessarily of a true and liuely faith in soe much that by them a liuely faith may bee as euidently knowne as a tree discerned by the fruite Therefore seing there is as they tell vs an euident and necessarie coniunction of these they cannot bee seperated which M. Rogers would not onely proue by scriptures in this maner Rogers sup cil Matth. 7. 16 Math. 3. 12 Ihon 13. 35 luk 6. 36. Eph. 1. 1. 1. Ihon 3. 10 Cōfess Helu 2. ca. 16. Basil ar 8. Bohem. c. 7. Gal. ar 22. Belg. 24. Saxon. ar 3 Wittēb c. 7 Sueu c. 4. Powell l. 2. Antichrist p. 474. 476. The scripture saith and sheweth that by good workes are knowne the good trees from the b●dd the wheate from the chaffe the true disciples from the false the sonnes of God from the children of Sathan the regenerat● from the vnbeleeuers Hereticks vnto the Saincts and churches doe subscribe And citeth the protestant Confessions of Heluetia Basile Bohemia Fraunce Belgia Wittemberge Sueuia for thie subscription and doctrine To these I add an other receaued doctrine of protestants of the certayntie of their being in true faith grace and to bee predestinate entreated before and soe confidently taught that M. Powell calleth it blasphemye to deny yt his words bee these It is blasphemous doctrine to say as the church of Rome doth that saith is onely in generall propositions as hee that keepeth the commaundements shall enter into life and hee that b●le●ueth and is baptized ●hall bee saued and not in these particulars I shall enter into life I shall bee saued or my synnes are forgiuen Then if as before by their doctrine true faith and good workes are euidently and necessarilie conioyned to gether and vnseperable it is blasphemous by true consequence to say that a man or men or church wantinge good workes by their owne confession and alsoe ouerwhelmed with euill workes and all kinde of syns and iniquities haue true faith true Religion or church or shall bee saued wherevppon I argue thus Noe men societie or Congregation conuicted by their owne testimonies to bee ●ereticks which want true faithe can haue those things that are in their iudgment vnseperable from yt which bee good workes But these english protestants as is proued before by them selues are in this case Therefore they haue not good workes Therefore not the true church Therefore not to bee communicated with in Religeous busines All things in this argument are proued before and confessed by these protestants Againe I argue in this maner noe men infected and defiled with such euill works as depryue and leaue men destitute of grace can haue good workes done by grace and in grace But the english protestants by their owne testimonies before are in this condition Therfore they haue not good workes of grace The maior is euidently true for to haue grace and not to haue grace are contradictories Therefore if it bee true that protestants haue not grace it is false to say that they haue grace The minor proposition is manifestly proued before in that protestants are proued by themselues to bee Scisma●icks vsurpers in Religion prophane lyers dissemblers feducers c. which being mortall and damnable fyns must needs depryue them of grace and leaue them gracelesse For as they conclude in their Conference euery Conferenc● pag. 41. greuous synne depriueth of grace and iustification their proposition there is this whosoeuer though before iustified did commit any greuous syn as adultery murther treason or the like did become ipso facto subiect to Gods wrathe and guilti● of damnation quoad prasentem statum vntill they did repent Therefore protestants by these their owne doctrines haue neither good workes nor good beleife or faithe And soe not to bee communicated with in such busines of Religion And from this soe generally receaued protestant doctrine of England Heluetia Basile Bohemia Gallia Belgia Saxonia Wittemberge that