charity towards Catholicks is but forc't and feigned Whatsoever is required that a Church be truly Catholick is visible in the Roman It may judge and censure all other dissenting congregations without note of partiality or illegality Protestants have no credible nor legal witnesses to testify that their doctrin is the same which Christ and his Apostles taught Roman Catholicks have If all sects of Christians were admitted to general Councells and therin Judges of themselves and of their faith greater illegality it would be and greater partiality then that only Roman Catholicks be Judges of their cause Since the Apostles time one part of the Christians judged the other and the part that judged the other was that which obeyed and stuck to the Bishops of Rome as St. Peters Successors proved in every age vntill this present SECT XII HOw Gods veracity is denyed by Protestancy as also by the prelatick doctrin of fundamental and not fundamental articles of faith The belief of Gods veracity consists not in acknowledging that whatsoever God sayd is true never any heretick denyed that and all hereticks deny Gods veracity but consists in believing that God will not color nor countenance falshood with supernatural and evident signes of truth Protestants give less credit and obedience to Gods Ministers and Orders declared by the Church though qualified with vndeniable signes of Gods truth then they do to a Constable Catchpol or any other the meanest officers of a Court or Commonwealth though their warrants or badges may be more easily counterfeited then the miracles or signes of the Roman Catholick Church They will not believe God speaks or commands by the Roman Catholick Church though it hath the supernatural signes of his trust and sheweth his great seal Miracles but they believe that the King speaks and commands by any Minister of state or inferiour Magistrat No Ministers of judicature or officers of war have so authentick marks of the Kings authority to command the subjects and to end Suits of law as the Roman Catholick Church hath of Gods authority to instruct mankind and determin controversies of faith As it is rebellion to contemn the Kings authority represented by the authentick badges therof in his Ministers so is it heresy to contemn Gods authority represented in the Roman Catholick Church by supernatural signes as miracles sanctity Conversion of nations c. Gods veracity might be lawfully questioned if it were lawfull to judge that he permits the Roman Catholick Church to err in any point of faith whatsoever Proved by a similitude of my Lord Chancelor delivering the Kings mind to the Parliament in his Majesties own hearing and presence Veracity is a vertue inclining to speak truth not only when the person speaks but when any other speaks by his commission for then the person that employes an other to speak is bound by virtue of his own veracity to endeavour to the vttermost of his power that his Minister or Messenger vtter nothing but truth and this is to be vnderstood not only in matters of great but also of small importance Protestants make their own conveniency not Gods veracity the motive of their faith and measure therby which articles are fundamental which not The most fundamental article or the foundation of faith is to believe that God can not permit his Church to err even in not fundamentals A Demonstration ad hominem against the Protestant doctrin of the Churches fallibility in not fundamentalls SECT XIII THe same further demonstrated as also that neither the Protestant faith nor that of the Sure footing in Christianity is christian belief Not the matter believed but the motive and manner of believing makes our belief Christian. Protestants and the Author of the Sure footing believe not any thing in matters of faith which they do not imagin to be evident in it self or evident to them that it is revealed They agree in making cleer or self evidence the rule of faith but vary in the application of that rule the Author of the Sure footing applies it to all or most of the Roman Catholick Tenets Protestants to few The doctrin of the Sure footing can not be excused by the opinion of some Schoolmen that say an act of faith is possible and consistent with evidence of the revelation Christian faith must have a mixture of obscurity Mr. Robert Boyles expression that faith and twilight agree in this property that a mixture of darknes is requisit to both for that with too refulgent light the one vanisheth into knowledge as the other into day is not only witty but agreable to the sense of the ancient Fathers and to Scripture Hebr. 11. To believe is to trust the person believed and take his word for the truth as you doe a mans word or bill for mony Gods worth and veracity being infinit we ought not to admit of any doubt in matters of faith our assurance of faith must not be grounded vpon evidence either of the object or of the revelation but vpon an impossibility that God should by evident signes oblige mankind to believe that he revealed the mysteries of Christianity and yet not reveale them or permit the Church to deceive us God were not omnipotent did he permit the Church to err in any matter of faith though not fundamental because according to the proportion of ones inclination to any thing is the application of his power to effect the same and Gods inclination to truth even in not fundamentalls being infinit he must be infinitly concerned and applied to preserve the Church from falshood in the least articles as well as in fundamentalls The different manner of believing God and men Wee could not believe God if it were evident to us he spoke what we assent vnto Wherin doth consist the guilt of heresy Declared by that of rebellion The absurdity of the privat spirit and of all other Protestant pretexts against the publick testimony and authority of the Roman Catholick Church SECT XIV PIety and policy mistaken in making prelatick Protestancy the legal Religion of the state and in continuing the Sanguinary and penal statuts against the Roman Catholick faith It was want of Christian piety in Q. Elizabeth to introduce the Protestant Religion but not want of human policy because she had no title to the Crown but by Protestancy The title of the Stevards is vnquestionable and therfore they need not the Support of Protestancy How dangerous and damnable a thing it is to make the temporal laws of the land the rule of faith the Protestant prelatick Religion hath no better The Principles and priviledges of Protestancy being inconsistent with Soveraignty and government every Protestant Commonwealth found it necessary to mold and moderat those principles and priviledges by human lawes according to the customs and constitutions of every Kingdom and therfore Episcopacy without which our Parliaments could not be legal was here in England continued with prelatick Protestancy though contrary to the Tenets of Protestancy and to
Protestant Church of England Pag. 62. Cranmer a meer Cotemporiser and of no Religion at all Pag. 63. Who fram'd the 39 Articles Pag. 64. Of the 39 Articles of the Church of England Pag. 67. Protestant Bishops well pleas'd to see themselves Religiously Worship'd Pag. 70. Protestants though they have chang'd their Form of Ordination yet cannot have a true Clergy till they change also the Character of the Ordainers Pag. 80. Of the Effects immediatly produc'd by the 39 Articles Pag. 82. Dudely Earl of Warwick's Endeavours to have his Son to Reign after K. Edw. His Marrying him to the Lady Jane Gray Pag. 83. Queen Mary's Troubles Pag. 84. The Roman Catholicks willing Resignation of the Church Livings to the Crown Pag. 86. An Act of Parliament in the first year of Q. Mary concerning the fraud and force of K. Henry the VIII's unlawful Divorce from Q. Catharine Pag. 88. Other Effects of Protestancy after it was reviv'd in England by Q. Elizabeth to exclude the Royal Family of the Stewards from the Crown And of the Nullity of her Clergies Character and Jurisdiction Pag. 95. Decreed in Parliament that any Natural Issue of Q. Elizabeths Body should enjoy the Crown after her Death and so the Line of Stewards to be Excluded Pag. 100. Reasons why Q. Elizabeth in her 44 years Reign could not make her Prelatick Clergy and Religion acceptable Pag. 103 How Injurious Protestancy hath been to the Royal Family of the Stewards and how Zealous they have been in promoting the same Pag. 109. K. James the I. declared that Catholicks and their Religion had no Hand in Gun-powder Treason Pag. 112. Of K. Charles the First Pag. 112. Part. 2. Of the Inconsistency of Protestant Principles with Christian Piety and Peaceable Government THe foundation whereon all Reformations are built Pag. 117. The Protestant evasion of the clearness of Scripture against Roman Catholick Doctrine and also of the Invisibility of their own Church Confuted And the Incredibility of the suppos'd Change and Apostacy prov'd by the difference of the Roman Catholick and Protestant Principles Pag. 121 Protestants mistaken in the Canon of the Scripture maintain'd by the Church of England and by Dr. Cousins Bishop of Duresin Pag. 131. Dr. Couzins Exceptions and Falsifications against the Councel of Trent's Authority answer'd Pag. 137. New Definitions are not New Articles of Faith Pag. 141. Protestants so grosly mistaken in their Letter and Translation of Scriptures that they cannot have any Certainty of Faith And are forc'd at length by their Principles to question the Truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical Books thereof Pag. 149. Particular Instances of Protestant Corruptions in the English Bible Pag. 157. Protestant Interpretation is not the true Sense of Script Pag. 163. Protestants Mistaken in the Ministry and Mission of their Clergy in the Miracles of their Church in the Sanctity and Honesty of their Reformers Pag. 168. Calvin's Miracle Pag. 180. Beza's Lasciviousness He prefers his Boy Andibertus before his Girle Candida Pag. 181. Protestants mistaken in the application of the Prophesies of Scripture concerning the Conversion of the Kings and Nations of the Gentils from Paganism to Christianity foretold as an Infallible Mark of the True Church and whereof the Protestant is depriv'd Pag. 183. Calvin sends Ministers to Convert Gallia Antartica from Heathenism And what success they had Pag. 190. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of their Justifying Faith with Justice or Civil Government Pag. 193. The Protestant Doctrine of Justifying Faith most dangerous and Damnable Pag. 198. Protestants mistaken in the consistency of Christian Faith Humility Charity Peace either in Church or State with their making Scriptures as interpreted by private Persons or Fallible Synods or fancied General Councils composed of all Dissenting Christian Churches the Rule of Faith and Judge of Controversies in Religion How every Protestant is a Pope and how much also they are overseen in making the 39 Articles or the Oath of Supremacy a distinctive Sign of Loyalty to our Protestant Kings Pag. 207. How the Fundamental Principles of Protestancy maturely examin'd and strictly followed have led the most Learned Protestants of the World to Judaisme Atheism Arianisme and Mahometanisme c. Pag. 222. The Protestant Churches of Poland Hungary and Transilvania deny the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity Pag. 230. How the Indifferency or rather Inclination of Protestancy to all kind of Infidelity is further demonstrated by the Prelatick Doctrine and distinction of Fundamental and Not Fundamental Articles of Faith The design of their fundamental distinction laid open The Roman Catholick the sole Catholick Church And how it has the Authority of Judging all Controversy of Religion Pag. 233. The Roman Catholick Church is a Competent and Impartial Judge of Controversies of Religion Pag. 241. Of the Justice and Legality of our Roman Censures against Protestancy Pag. 242. All Christians were never Judges of Religion one Party always submitted to the Judgment of the Other that was in Obedience to and in Communion with St. Peters Successor the Bishop of Rome Pag. 247. Gods Veracity is deny'd by Protestancy and by the Prelatick Distinction and Doctrine of Fundamental and not Fundamental Articles of Faith Pag. 251. Protestancy is Heresie Pag. 254. Protestancy contradicts Gods Veracity Pag. 255. The Infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in Matters of Faith prov'd against Protestants Pag. 256. The Protestant Doctrine of Fundamentals Confuted Pag. 257. The same further demonstrated and prov'd that neither the Protestant Faith nor the Faith lately Asserted in a Book call'd Sure footing in Christianity is Christian Belief Pag. 260. The Resolution of Protestant Faith Pag. 262. The Infallibility of the Church prov'd by Gods Veracity Pag. 268. Heresie Explain'd by Rebellion Pag. 269. The Unreasonableness of them who pretend a private Spirit and refuse to submit to the Authority of the Church for want of Clearer Evidence than the Roman Catholicks hath of Gods Authority Pag. 269. Reasons for Liberty of Conscience And how much both Piety and Policy is mistaken in making Prelatick Protestancy the Religion of the State by continuing and pressing the Sanguinary and Penal Statutes against the Roman Catholick Faith and the Act of Uniformity against Sectaries Pag. 271. Queen Marys and the Inquisitions Severity against Protestancy can be no President or excuse for the Statutes against Popery Pag. 283. Part 3. Containing a plain Discovery of the Protestant Clergys Frauds and Falsifications whereby alone their Doctrine is supported and made Credible The Conscience and Conveniency of Restoring or Tolerating the Roman Catholick Religion Demonstrated THat either the Learned Protestants or Roman Catholick Clergy are Cheats and how every Illiterate Protestant may easily discern by which of the two Clergies he is Cheated And therefore is oblig'd under pain of Damnation to examine so near a concern And to renounce the Doctrine and Communion of that Church wherein he is Cheated Pag. 287. With what Impudency and Hypocrisy Bishop Jewel
mind of that folly in very cleer termes and excuse farther disputes by telling them plainly and without going about the bush that the Machabees was not Canonical Scripture nor fit to be quoted in matters of Religious controversies But the Doctor argues pag. 110. that St. Austin tells Gaudentius the Christian Church receiveth those books not vnprofitably if they be discreetly or soberly read or heard what then All discreet and sober men say the same not only of the books of the Machabees but of all the other books and parts of Scripture and St. Peter sayth the same in substance of St. Paul's epistles Will the Doctor conclude from thense that St. Paul's epistles are not Canonical Scripture because men may read them indiscreetly and deprave them to their own damnation Or that there is no Scripture at all because he himself or some of his Bishoprick of Duresme do not read the Bible with sobriety and discretion these words of St. Austin in the Doctor 's judgment pag. 108. are so cleerly against the Canonical authority of the Machabees that he says Cardinal Belarmin layd his thumb vpon them and durst not relate them I am sure he pointed at them with his Pen and directed all the world to see and examin them by his quoting the book and Chapter where they are as my Lord of Duresme him-self confesseth in the margent neither could Belarmin Peron or any oâ—her Catholick Writer observe any disadvantage to their cause in those following words of S. Austin Which Doctor Cozins pretends to be so notoriously prejudicial Recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter c. The Machabees is received by the Church for holy Scripture not vnprofitably if it be soberly read or heard That is sayth Doctor Cozins pag. 110. As St. Augustin els wher expoundeth him-self but where Doctor Cozins doth not because he cannot tell If those things that we read there be conferred with the sacred and Canonical Scriptures that whatsoever is therevnto agreeable may be approved and what is otherwise may be rejected According to this acute explanation which Doctor Cozins falsly fathers vpon S. Austin the most profane books and Romances Esop's Fables and Don Quixote may be received by the Church for holy Scripture as well as the Machabees if those things that we read therin be conferr'd with the sacred and Canonical Scriptures and whatsoever is thervnto agreable be approved and what is otherwise be rejected It were too tedious to note all Doctor Cozins his mistakes Let these few serve to know by what a pillar the English Canon and Church is supported SECT IV. Protestants so grossly mistaken in their letter and Translations of the Scriptures that they can not have any certainty of faith and are forc't at length by their principles to question the truth of Scriptures and of them who writ the Canonical books therof THe holy Scriptures were writen by the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists either in Hebrew Greeck or Latin the old Testament excepting some few parts writen in Chaldaick and Syriack was writen in Hebrew the new Testament for the greatest part in Greeck S. Mathew's Ghospel in Hebrew S. Marck's in Latin We have not the original writings of these Prophets and Apostles nor of the 70. Interpreters who translated the old Testament into Greek some 300. years before the comming of Christ we have only Copies for the truth and exactness wherof we must rely vpon the testimony and tradition of the Church which in so important a point God would never permit to err at least it must have bin so infallible therin as that the Copy be sufficiently authentick to be a rule of deciding controversies of faith and of directing men to holiness of life though perhaps no copy is so exact but therin may remain some erratas of the press and pen yet easily discoverable by it's coherency or incoherency with other parts of the Text. Notwithstanding the necessity of admitting some true and authentick copy of Scripture for what can it availe a Christian to believe that Scripture is the word of God if he be vncertain which copy or Translation is true and authentick Scripture Protestants pretend there is no authentick copy of Scripture in the world as may be seen in the preface of the Tigurin edition of the Bible and in all their books of Controversy seing therin they condemn the Councel of Trent for declaring that the old Latin Translation is authentick and yet themselves name no other for authentick and therfore though the Lutherans fancy Luther's Translation the Calvinists that of Geneva the Zuinglians that of Zuinglius the English some times one somtimes an other yet because they do not hold any one to be infallibly authentick it followeth from their exceptions against the infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church in declaring or decreeing a true and authentick copy of Scripture and their confession of the vncertainty of their own translations that they have no certainty of Scripture nor even of faith which they ground vpon Scripture alone Most of the old Testament as it is in the vulgar Latin Translation which the Councel of Trent declares to be authentick was â—ranslated out of Hebrew by St. Hierom and the new Testament had bin before his time translated out of Greek but was by him revewed and such faults as had crept in through negligence of the Transcribers were corrected You constraine me sayth he to make a new work of an old that I after so many copies of the Scripture dispersed through the world should sit as a certain Iudg and determin which of them agree with the true Greek and in this Cathalogue he saith Novum Testamentum graecae fidei reddidi vetus juxta haebraicum transtuli The antiquity and sincerity of the first Interpreter and the great Commendations therof to be seene in St. Austin de Civit. Dei lib. 18. c. 43. Non defuit temporibus nostris Presbiter Hieronymus homo doctissimus omnium trium linguarum peritissimus qui non è Graeco sed ex Haebraeo in Latinum eloquium easdem Scripturas converterit Cujus tamen litterarum laborem Judaei fatentur esse veracem And lib. 2. doct Christi cap. 15. togeather with the eminent Sanctity and learning of S. Hierom forceth our Adversarie Bâ—eza to confess Annotationibus in caput 1. Luc. That the old Interpreter seemeth to have interpreted the holy books with marveilous sincerity and Religion and in praefat novi Testam The vulgar edition I do for the most part embrace and preferr before all others Carolus Molinaeus in nov Testam part 30. I can very hardly depart from the vulgar and accustomed reading which in Luc. 17. he professeth to preferr before Erasmus Bucer Bullinger Brentius the Tigurin Translation and even before Iohn Calvins and all others Doctor Humfrey de ratione interpret l. 1. pag. 74. The old Interpreter seemeth to be much addicted to the propriety of the words and truly with too much
and by in serting into those forms words that might beare the signification of the caracters which their Predecessours had excluded from or omitted in the ordination of Protestant Ministers as superfluous and superstitious This manner of answering is of great satisfaction to Catholicks but how safe it is for the Protestant layty to rely vpon the validity of a Ministery that now after 100. years confess the insufficiency of their own forms of ordination and by consequence of their Priesthood Episcopacy and Sacraments we leave to their consideration and pass to speak a word of Calvin the chief Author of the Presbiterian sect and faction John Calvin whom the Magistrat of Noyon condemned for infamous Sodomy was by his freind Beza canonized for extraordinary Sanctity but Sclusselburg a man of so great esteem among Protestants that he was made Superintendent and general Inspector of many Churches in Germany after relating Calvin's Sodomy and vices saith I know Beza writ otherwise of Calvin's life manners and death but seing him-self noted with the same Heresy and almost with the same sin as the history of Candida c. witnesseth none can credit him Therfore I am induced to believe Bolseck the Phisitian of Geneva who begins his book of the life and death of Calvin with this protestation I am heer for the love of the truth to refute Theodor Beza his fals and shamless lyes in the praise of Calvin protesting before God and all the holy Court of heaven before all the world and the Holy Ghost it self that neither anger nor envy nor evill will hath made me speake or write any one thing against the truth and my conscience Then he relates how Calvin was branded for Sodomy with a burning iron on the shoulder and therfore retired from his Country Noyon in Picardy and how this punishment was testified by that Citty vnder the hand of a publick and sworn Notary to Mons. r Bertelier Secretary to the Councell of Geneva which testimony sayth Bolseck is yet extant Then he describeth Calvin's delicat dyet how his wine was choyce and carried with him in a silver pot when he dined abroad that also special bread was made for Calvin only and the same made of fine flower wet in rosewater mingl'd with sugar Synamond Aniz-seeds besides a singular kind of bisket and this he affirmeth as a matter known to all Geneva This delicasy of dyet was not prescribed to preserve his health but prepared to foment his lust and lewd conversation with a Gentleman of Lausann's wife and others his ambition was so great that he aym'd at being Lord of Geneva approving of their notorious rebellion and deposition of their lawfull Prince from his temporal right and jurisdiction His death is described by the aforsaid Schlusselburg lib. 2. fol. 72. in these words God in the rod of his fury visiting Calvin did horibly punish him before the fearfull houre of his death for he so stroke this Heretick so he term'd him in regard of his doctrin concerning the Sacrament and of God being the Author of sin with his mighty hand that being in despaire and calling vpon the Devil he gave vp his wicked soule swearing cursing and blaspheming he dyed of the disease of lyce and worms a kind of death wher with God often striketh the wiked as Antiochus Herod c. increasing in a most lothsom vlcer about his privy parts so as none present could endure the stench His Miracle for he never attempted to work more then one or two is recorded not only by Bolseck but also by Ninguerda Lindanus Copus and others and it was thus Calvin pretending extraordinary vocation thought necessary for the confirmation therof and his own credit to cheat the world with a feign'd miracle to that purpose he agreed with a poore man caled Bruleus to feign him-self dead promising him great rewards if in this Trage-comedy he would be secret and act his part hansomly non knew of the plot but Bruleus and his wife who vpon the day and howr appointed sart in her house lamenting her husband's death Calvin passing by with a great number of his freinds as it were by chance and hearing the lamentations of the poore woman seemed to pitty her sad condition and moved forsooth with charity and compassion fell down vpon his knees with the rest of the company praying in a loud voice and beg'd of God that for the manifestation of his glory and confirmation of his servant Calzin's doctrin and mission he would vouchsafe to revive the dead Carcass which he took by the hand and bid him rise in the name of the Lord. The wife seing her husband did not move nor rise as he had promised drew neer and perceiving he who had bin well but half an houre before was now dead lamented in good earnest the loss of her husband reviled Calvin as a Murtherer Cheat Hypocrit Heretick c. and related to the whole company what had past between them Calvin seing Bruleus had acted his part more naturaly then he wished retired with hast and confusion to his lodging I leave it to the judgment of any disinteress'd person whether Bolseck and other grave Authors would report such remarkable lyes as Calvinists will pretend this and other passages of Calvin's life and death to be and set down in print so many circumstances in a time wherin they were so notably disprovable This kind of miracles as Tertulian sayth is proper to men who teach new doctrin contrary to that of the Apostles as their doctrin is contrary so ought their miracles to be the Apostles raysed men from death by miracles their Antagonists by miracle make men dead Jsti Apostoli de mortuis suscitabant ipsi de vivis mortuos faciunt Tertulian in lib. de preter Beza an other Protestant Saint was in love with a boy and a girle at the same time in his amourous and lascivious Epigram's printed at Paris 1548. he called the boy Andebertus the girle Candida in these Epigram's is express'd his passion for both and his perplexity in the choice of on before the other At last he resolves to preferr the boy before the girle and if his Candida should complain to content her with a kiss his words are Preferre tamen alterum necesse est O duram nimium necessitatem sed postquam tamen alterum necesse est Priores tibi deferâ— Andeberte Quod si Candida forte conqueratur Quid tum basiolo â—acebit vno I will not trouble the Reader with relating the known vices of other Protestant sectaries these three are the chief all other Sects being but branches of theirs If any English Protestant will pretend that the Church of England is neither Lutheran Zuinglian nor Calvinist let him fix vpon his Reformers Jf he rejects Henry 8. Cranmer Ridley Bucer Martyr Ochin Latimer c. And will needs have the whole Parliament which authorised them in Edward 6. reign to reform Religion or the Parliament of Queen Elizabeth
could not otherwise be admitted but however though it was lawfull to begin with such beggarly rudiments yet it behooved the learned grave and godly Ministers of Christ to endeavour farther and set forth somthing more refiâ—ed from filth and vncleaness How great a Cheat Calvin was had bin partly sayd heretofore but whosoever desires to be fully informed of his particular villanies and hypocrisy let him read his life writen by Ierom Bolseck Anno 1577. There he will find how Calvin continued to practise his execrable Sodomy adultery c. How he compassed the Heretick Servetus his death vnder the pretence of Heresy though Calvin him-self wrot a book a litle before to prove that no Heretick ought to be put to death for his Religion but the true cause oâ— his quarell to Servetus was the frauds and falsifications that Servetus had discovered in Calvin's Institutions and published them How he banished from Geneva divers Ministers and Gentlemen that did not favour his way and how he forged letters and suborned an Italian to make Peter Waldâ—â—â—â—â— and the Balâ—asars Traytors but they cleered them-selves and the Lords of Bern gave publick Testimony of their innocency and of Calvin's knavery How this Cheat to make him-self famous devised divers letters and other works in praise of him-self and published them vnder the name of one Galatius and others But Peter Veretus Minister of Lausaâ—a found out the truth and threatned to discredit Calvin who to pacify Veretus writ to him that it was expedient by such means to get in credit for their cause and that he meant shortly to do as much in the commendation of him and Farellus also and so stopt his mouth How Calvin after that he had broken and defaced the Jmages of Christ and Saints in Geneva caused his own picture to be set vp in divers places and vsed also to give litle pictures and Images of him-self to Gentle-women and Gentle-men to carry about their necks And when on tould him that some thought much of this he answered he that cannot abide it let him burst for enuy And twenty more the like But from their Apostle Calvin let us return to his flock the English exiled Clergy This Sentence of Calvin saith Heylin was of such prevalency with all the rest of that party that such who formerly did approve did afterwards as much dislike the English Liturgy and those who at first had conceived only a dislike grew afterwards into an open detestation of it But in the end to give content to such as remained affected to the former Liturgy it was agreed vpon that a mixt form consisting partly of the order of Geneva and partly of the Book of England should be digested and received till the first of April consideration in the mean time to be had of some other cours which should be permanent and oblidging for the time to come Here the Reader may observe the hipocrisy and impiety of this Protestant Clerâ—â— In England they imposed this Liturgy vpon the whole Kingdom as agreable to the word of God and the work was pretended to have bin composed by the assistence of the Holy Ghost words of the Statut wherby it was made legal and thousands of Catholicks were slain in many shires of England by the Protector 's forces because they would noâ— accept of it in steed of the Mass and now they who preach'd and press'd this violence against Recusants contemn and reject their own doctrin and disciplin But as soon as Queen Elizabeth was in possession of the Crown these very men who in Germany had so often changed and condemned their English Liturgy and Religion now to become Bishops turned again in England with the times and were the chief 〈◊〉 of that Church Horn was named to the Sea of Winchester Grindal to that of London Sandys to Worcester Parkhurst to Norwich and Whitehead was offered if you believe Heylin the Archbishoprick of Canterbury c. And being thus exalted were never contented vntil they had penal and sanguinary Statuts enacted against Priestâ— and Popish Recusants for not conforming to that doctrin and Liturgy these godly Prelats had so much sleighted and altered in Germany and postpon'd to â—â—lvin's disciplin and were ready to do the same or wors again in England if occasion had bin offered After that the English Liturgy had bin thus forsaken and despised in Germany D. r Kâ—x who had bin Schoolmaster and Almonâ—er to King Edward 6. arrived at Franckford and could with no patience saith Heylin endure the rejection of that Liturgy in the drawing vp wherof him-self had a principal hand and therfore disturbes the new disciplin Wittingham and Knox procured an Order from the Magistrat against Kox his desâ—ign but Kox accuseth Knox for treason against the Emperour and therfore Knox is commanded by the Senat to depart from Franckford Kox procures Whitehead to be chosen for the principal Pastor appoints two Ministers for Elders and foure Deacons for Assistants then gives an account to Calvin excusing him-self that he had proceeded so far without his consent By the way you may see that Kox was then a good Calvinist in disciplin though afterwards he became a Prelatick 1. Eliz. when he got the Bishoprick of Ely Whitehead not able to rule such a contentious Congregation resign'd his place to Horn between whom and on Ashley were such factions and divisions that Horn with his Elders were forc't to forsake their Offices and Ashleys party got the better and composed a Book of disciplin according to the rules wherof the Congregation was govern'd The Magistrat not able to agree the difference sends for Cox and Sandys to compose it but to no purpose They who stood for Ashley's new disciplin got the power into their hands whervpon Horn and Chambers depart to Strazburg Such were the troubles and disorders saith Heylin in the Church of Franckford occasioned first by a dislike of their publick Liturgy before which they preferred the nakedness and simplicity of the French and Genevian Churches and afterwards continued by the opposition made by the general Body of the Congregation against such as were appointed to be Pastors and Rulers over them An other argument of the sincerity and Religion of this Clergy is that during the Reign of Queen Mary in England they taught and printed that the Government of women is against the Law of nature and not to be endured by Christians but as soon as she dyed they writ and preached the quite contrary in favour of Queen Elizabeth whom they were not content to make temporal head of the common-wealth but supreme Governess of the Church in all Spiritual affaires we have seen their proceedings in Queen Maries days now to Queen Elizabeths SECT IV. Abominable Frauds and willful Falsifications of the Protestant Clergy in Queen Elizabeths reign to maintain their doctrin set forth vnder the name of an Apology and defence of the Church of England AFter that Queen Elizabeth by giving hopes
gathered 〈◊〉 in that Councell But this is a foolish fancy and 〈◊〉 fraud of Sutcliff as appeareth by the very letter and 〈◊〉 of the Councell to Pope Leo who after praysing God 〈◊〉 favor and providence in gathering together and 〈◊〉 themselves at Calcedon preferring the notifying of their 〈◊〉 of faith before their Countrey and labour som Journey add over which Priests or Bishops assembled in this Councell you did preside as head over the members by those which 〈◊〉 your place to wit by his legats of whom Leo sayd in his Epistle to the Councell In these Brothers Paschasius and Lucenâ—â—â— Bishops Boniface and Basilius Priests who are directed by 〈◊〉 Apostolick Sea your fraternity may think that I preside in the 〈◊〉 And these legats though two of them were but Priests took place of all Bishops and were acknowledged of so absolute authority that they pronounced sentence against Dâ—â—scorus the Heretik thus in the Popes name The most holy Pope Leo head of the vniversal Church by vs his Legats the holy Synod consenting being indued with the dignity of Peter the Apostle who is called the Foundation of the Church the Rock of faith and Doorekeeper of the heavenly Kingdom have deprived Dioscorus of Episcopal dignity and all priestly function Now this Councell of Calcedon having bin received in England by act of Parliament 1. Eliz. and never yet repealed I see not how Priests can be legaly punished or Catholiks persecuted for acknowledging the Pope's spiritual Iurisdiction in these Kingdoms and maintaining that he is head of the Catholik Church St. Peter's Successor and Christ's Vicar vpon earth much less how could Doctor Sutcliff charge Bellarmin with falsifying the Councell that conâ—esseth the same doctrin in so cleer termes SVBSECT I. How Protestants are convicted by Bellarmin of holding twenty ancient condemned heresies and how Sutcliff and Bishop Morton to cleere them of six only fourteen it seems they câ—â—fess do falsify the Fathers and Catholik Authors about the worshipping of Images CArdinal Bellarmin lib. 4. de notis Ecclesiâ— cap. 9. proves that Protestants are heretiks because they hold many old heresies condemned as such by the ancient Catholik Church wherof he sets down twenty One is that of Xenaias a Persian who saith Bellarmin cit was the first that did openly affirm the Images of Christ and his Saints ought not to be worshiped as wittnesseth Nicephorus lib. 17. cap. 27. Doctor Sutclif sayes that Nicephorus is falsifyed which is most fals for that Nicephorus writing many horrible things of this Xenaias as that he faigned himself to be a Priest yea and got a Bishoprik before he was baptised amongst others saith This Xenaias did first of all others O audacious soul and impudent tongue belch out that voice that the Images of Christ and those that have bin acceptable vnto him are not to be worshiped And this he sayd so is a truth so vndeniable and generaly received that even the Protestant Authors that write the Ecclesiastical history confess it as Functius in his seaventh book of Commentaries vpon his Chronicle an 494. saith Porro is Xenaias primus in Ecclesia bellum contra Imagines indixit Two Pelagian heresies imputed to Protestants and how they falsify to cleer themselves of the one and say nothing of the other WHeras the Pelagians saith Bellarmin according to St. Austin and St. Hierom taught two heresies among others 1. That every sin though never so litle is mortal 2. That there is no original sin in man especialy in Infants of Lawfull parents The first all â—rotestants teach the last Zuinglius Bucer and Calvin but with this difference that Zuinglius doth absolutely deny original sin to be in any man Bucer and Calvin do only deny the same in the Children of the Faithfull whom they say to be born Saints and saved without Baptism Now Doctor Morton not being able to deny the first heresy to be common to Pelagians and protestants would faine make Bellaâ—â—â—â— a falsifier in the second setting down Bellarmin's words both in Latin and English corruptly and contrary to his plain 〈◊〉 as may be seen in Bellarmin's Text thus The Pelagâ—â—â—s did teach that there was no original sin in men and especialy in the Children of the faithfull the same doth Bucer and Calvin teach as though he had sayd that Calvin had denyed with the Pelagians that there is any original sin at all in men much less in the Children of the faithfull and had made no distinction between Zuinglius and Calvins and Bucers opinions And Morton by this fraud would make his Reader believe he had cleered Protestants from both the pelagian-heresies wheras he cleeres them not from either Hear Bellarmin's own words which are Pelagiani duo inter alia docebant 1. non esse in hominibus peccatum originale praecipuè in filijs fidelium c. Hoc docet Zuinglius Bucerus Calvinus lib. 4. instit c. 15. § 20. Nisi quod Zuinglius negat simpliciter peccatum originale in quolibet homine c. Bucerus autem Calvinus solum in filijt fidelium negant peccatum originale quos dicunt Sanctos nasci salvari etiam sine Baptismo Vide. Belar de notis Ecclesia cap. 9. § 14. Two Novatian heresies imputed to Protestants the one they answer with silence the other with falsifying WHeras Cardinal Bellarmin to prove that Protestants do agree with the old Novatian 〈◊〉 alledgeth two particular instances the one in denying the power of the Church to remit sins by priestly absolution or the Sacrament of Pennance the other in denying the vse of holy Chrism in the Sacrament of Confirmation Bishop Morton having nothing to answer to the second replyeth only to the first by an equivocation and falsification for he endeavoreth to confound the Sacrament of pennance with privat repentance or sorrow sighs tears c. for sins and makes beleive that Bellarmin contradicts himself when he grants that Protestants admit the later though they rejectâ— the Sacrament of pennance and to embroyle the Reader and excuse the Novatiâ—ns as if they held but one error cuts short Belarmin's words praecipuus error and post Baptismum Novatianorum praecipuus error erat c. The Manichean heresy against Free will imputed to Protestants and how pittifully answered by Bishop Morton ST Hierom and St. Austin saith Belarmin accuse the Manicheans for condemning the nature of man and depriving it of free will and ascribing the original and beginning of sin vnto the nature of man and not to free will The same is taught openly by all Sectaries Thus Belarmin Morton sets down St. Hierom. and St. Austin's words as if they were Belarmin's being loath to have such great Fathers tax himself and his prelatiks with heresy Then he sayes Belarmin accuseth Calvin of this heresy wheras Belarmin accuseth all Protestants or sectaries not only Calvin and accuseth Calvin in particular of an other Manichean heresy to wit of reprehending and condemning Abraham
be 〈◊〉 with in other questions not diligently digested nor yet made firm 〈◊〉 authority of the Church there error is to be born with but 〈◊〉 not to go so farr that it should labour to shake the very 〈◊〉 of the Church The Bishop sayes this can not be 〈◊〉 of the definition of the Church though St. Austin 〈◊〉 expressly of the authority therof but of Scripture But 〈◊〉 afterwards the words might be vnderstood of the 〈◊〉 of the Church or general Councells to the end that 〈◊〉 might not imagin St. Austin thought such definitions were 〈◊〉 or vnquestionable he adds But plain Scripture with 〈◊〉 sense or a full demonstrative argument must have room 〈◊〉 a wrangling and erring disputer may not be allowed it And 〈◊〉 neither of these but may convince the definition of the 〈◊〉 if it be ill founded And to shew that this is no fancy of 〈◊〉 but the doctrin of St. Austin he quotes his words 〈◊〉 see them in the margent with an F. referring the word 〈◊〉 to Scripture So that if you believe the Bishop and rely 〈◊〉 his quotations St. Austin doubted not but that the 〈◊〉 of the Church in general Councells may be contrary to 〈◊〉 and confuted by full demonstrative arguments I confess that when I read this page and part of Bp. Laud's 〈◊〉 with Fisher I found my self much troubled vntill 〈◊〉 the matter and then I resolved never more to 〈◊〉 him or any Protestant writer however so Saint-like or 〈◊〉 by report or in appearance The truth is St. Austin 〈◊〉 place cited by the Bishop hath nothing at all either 〈◊〉 Scripture or evident sense or demonstrative arguâ—â—â—ts but addressing his speech to the Manicheans he writes 〈◊〉 Apud vos autem vbi nihil horum est quod me invitet ac 〈◊〉 sola personat veritatis pollicitatio and then follow the words 〈◊〉 by the Bishop quae quidem si tam manifesta monstratur c. 〈◊〉 truth so bragd of and promised by the Manicheans to 〈◊〉 demonstrated in that epistle called Fundamentum saith St. Austin if it be demonstrated to be so cleer c. is to be preferred where you see St. Austin's quae referred not to Scripture but to that fictitious truth which the Manichees pretended to be in their doctrin Nay St. Austin is so far from doubting of the infallibility of the Church and general Councells in that very place quoted by the Bishop that he disputes ex professo against the possibility of its erring or of its definitions being contrary to Scripture and sayes that if the doctrin of the Catholick Church could be contrary to Scripture he should not be able to believe rationaly and infallibly either the one or the other not the Scriptures because he receives them only vpon the authority of the Church Not the Church whose authority is infringed by Scripture which is suposed to be brought against her Si ad Evangelium me tenes ego ad eos me teneam quibus praecipientibus Evangelio credidi his jubentibus tibi omnino non credam Quod si forte in Evangelio aliquid in apertissimum de Manichaei Apostolatu invenire potueris infirmabis mihi Catholicorum authoritatem qui jubent vt tibi non credam qua infirmata jam nec Evangelio credere poterâ— quia per eos illi credideram ita nihil apud me valebit quicquid inde protulâ—ris Quapropter si nihil manifestum de Manichaei Apostolatu in Evangelio reperitur Catholicis potius credam quam tibi si aâ—tem inde aliquid manifestum pro Manichaeo legeris nec illis nec tibi illis quiÌ„a de te mihi mentiti sunt Tibi autem qui eam scripturam mihi profers cui per illos credideram qui mihi mentiti sunt Aug. cont Epist. Fundament cap. 4. Wherfore St. Austin doth not suppose as the Bishop pretends that Scripture or reason can be contrary to the definitions of the Church he professedly teaches the contrary in the very place cited and vses the alledged words quae quidem si tam manifesta monstratur c. only ex suppositione impossibili in the same manner as St. Paul speaketh Gal. 1. Jf an Angell from heaven teach otherwise then we have taught you let him be accursed St. Paul well knew it was impossible that an Angell from heaven should teach contrary to the Ghospel and so did St. Austin that the definitions of a general Councel should be contrary to Scripture or reason as appeareth by his own discours against the Manichees Vincentius Liâ—inensis abused by Mr. Laud to prove the fallibility of the Church pretending that learned Father supposed and sayd she might change into Lupanar errorum à strumpet or stewes of errors BUt A. C. tells us further saith Mr. Laud that if one may deny or doubtfully dispute against any determination of the Church then may he also against an other and so against all since all are made firm to us by one and the same divine revelation sufficiently applyed by one and the same full authority of the Church which being weakned in any one can not be firm in another First A. C. borrowed the former part of this out of Vincentius Lirinensis and as that learned Father vses it I subscribe to it but not as A. C. applyes it For Vincentius speaks there de Catholico Dogmate of Catholick Maxims c. which are properly fundamental but here the Bishop is mistaken for Vincentius speaks also of not fundamentals as of the celebrating of Easter according to St. Victor's decree the not rebaptizing of those who had bin baptized by hereticks c. now in this sense saith the Bishop give way to every cavilling disputer to deny or quarrel at the maxims of Christian Religion c. And why may he not then take liberty to do the like of any other till he have shaken all But this hinders not the Church her self nor any appointed by the Church to examin her own decrees and to see that she keep the principles of her faith vnblemished and vncorrupted for if she do not so but novitia veteribus new doctrins be added to the old the Church which is Sacrarium veritatis may be changed in Lupanar errorum I am loath to english it Hitherto the modest Bishop who quotes Vincent Lirin in his Margent for his lupanar errorum c. and for the whole discours Vincentius Lirinensis is so far from expressing any fear or suspition of danger that the Church should be changed into lupanar errorum a stews of errors by addition of novelties or falling from the primitive doctrin that as if he had foreseen this corruption of his meaning and cutting short his words practised by Mr. Laud he declares in that very place by him quoted that only hereticks and vngodly men can entertain any such thoughts of Christs spouse sed avertat hoc a suorum mentibus divina pietas sitque hoc potius impiorum furor