f a*** rf tt« **"%&»/ j, *fc PRINCETON, N. J. *» Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE Y OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY (l(5C c . y Y ' NT ^* *?\ i? n fo* Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://archive.org/details/catholicksOObaxt A V^^SJ Key for Catn^SfrT To open the Jugling of the Jefuits/ and fatisfie all that arc but truly willing to under- ftandi whether the Caufe of the Roman or Reformed Churches be of God . and to leave the Reader utterly iinexcufable that after this will be aPapift* " The 'firft Part. Containing fome Arguments by which the mean* eft may fee the Vanity of Popery •, and 40. Veteftions of their Fraud $ with Dire&ions, and Materials fufficient for the Confutation of their Voluminous peceits: par- ticularly refelling Bovcrim^Ricblieu^.T^ CMamalfome Manufcripts, frc. With fome Propofals for a ( bopelefs ) Peace. The Second Tart fhewetfc ( efpecially againft the Frtnch^sA Grotians ) that the Cacholick Church is not linked in anymeerly Humane Head, either Pope or Council. By Richard Baxter a Catholick Chriftian^and Paftor of a Church of fuch at Kedermnfl(r. L O N V 0 n\M Printed by R.fr. for Nevil Simmons, Bookfeller in Kederminfler, ■and are to be fold by him there, and by Thorn.-* febufon at the Golden . ' Key in St. I-^/j Church-yard, 1^59. At 4.S. bound. ! % 1 * - L A f^Mi i \ '- To his Highnefs' RICHARD Lord Protestor OF THE Common-wealth of England, Scot* land and Irelandfac. Sir, Hefe Papers prefume to tender you their fervice, becaufe the Subject of themisfuch, askmoft needy con- cerned both us and you that you be well acquainted with. The £0- tnan Canons that batter the Unity, Catholicifm and Purity of the Church of Chrift, are mounted on the frame which I have neretf emolifhed. The fwords , and pens , and A z tongues The EpiJileDedicatory. tongues that you are now engaged againft, and which you muft expe&from henceforth to aflault you, are whetted and managed by the fenfelefs, tyrannous, un- godly principles, which I have here Detected. As un- reafonable as they appear to the unprejudiced , they arefuch as have animated theftudies and diligent en- deavours of thoufands to captivate the Princes and Nations of the Earth to the Roman yoke. As vain as they appear to us that fee them naked, they are fuch as have divided and diftra&ed the Churches of Chrift, and troubled and dethroned Princes, and laid them at the feet of the Roman Pope-, They have abfolved fubje<5te from their Oaths and "other obligations to fidelity : They have involved many a Nation in blood r O the ftreams of the blood of Saints that have been (lied by thefe Reman Principles, in Savoy, France, Bo- hernia, Poland, Germany, Ireland, England, and many other Lands! As eafiea war as here I manage, it is againft thofe ady#rfe Principles that have armed Thou- fands and Millions againft the innocent, or againft their lawful Soveraigns, whom God had bound them to obey : They have faftned knives in the breafts of the greateft Kings , as the lamentable cafe of Henry the third and fourth of France doth teftifie : They have in a few days time in Paris, and the adjoyning parts of France, perfidioufly butchered Nobles and other perfons of eminency, and people of all forts, to the number ofneer thirty thoufand (as Thuanu* reckoneth them, if not forty thoufand; as Davilab.) The Do- drines which I here confound, have' invaded England by a Spantfl) Armado, (whether by the Popes con- fcht, and upon the account of Religion, I have after fhewed out of their own Writers : ) they have pre- pared knives and poyfon for our Princes^ hich God 1 did "The Epiftle Dedicatory. did fruftrate ; they have laid Gunpowder to blowup King and Parliament, and hellifhly; execute the fury of the deluded zeajots in a moment, and then to have charged the Puritans with the fe& .• They have in a time of Peace, byafuddeninfurre&ion, murdered fo many thoufands in lreUndin a few days or weeks, as pofterity will fcare believe. They are dreadful Pra&i- cals,and not meer Speculations that we difpute againft. I befeech you therefore that you receive not this as you would do a Scholaftitk or Philofophical Difpu- tation about fuch things as feem not to concern you ; but as you would intercfs your felf in a Difputation upon the Queftion, Whether you fhould be depofed or murdered as an Herefcick? And whether we fhould be Tormented and burnt as Hereticks < And whether t^ie lives of all the Princes and People upon earth whom the Pope judgeth Hereticks, fhould be at his mercy * ^.fodo.in this caufe. I fpeak not this to provoke you to deal bloodily with them, as they do with tfoe Ser- vants Qf the Lord ! I abhor the thoughts of imitating their xruelty ! It is only the Neceflary Defence of your Life, and Dignity, and the Lives of all the Proteftants that aie under your Protection and Go- vernment, and the fouls of men, that I defire. On whatterms wefbnd withthofe men whofe Religion teacheth them to kill us if they can, and , to venture their lives for it, is eafi.e to undositand. When we have rKhfecurity from, them for our lives, but their dif- ability t,o deftroyus, we muft diiable them or die. I nt^er not melancholy dreams nor flinders : I have here /hewqditin the tqo plain, and copious .Decrees of the approved General Council at in eran, that the depo- sing of Princes, and abfolving their Subje&s from their fidelity^andkgiving their Dominions toothers,not only (a) fcr The Epijlle Dedicatory. for fuppofed He^efie^but for not exterminating fuch as deny Tranfubftantiation , &c* is an Article of their Faith v-and no man can difown it, without difowning Popery in the Effentials-lf once they vv.ll renounce the Decrees of General Councils approved by the Pope , we (hall be foon agreed . S ith C&flems Enebirid. cap, \ . a. 46. gjt£ fane D^creta ft vmtatem^ ft obfign&iitintm Spirit us Sanoli) ft frdfentiam chriflt fptlles , idem ha- bent pondm & momentum quod Santta Dei Evangelia, They believe thefe Decrees to be as true as the Go- fpel. I need not therefore tell you that Bofyus Ho- Jtienfts, aad maay more of them make the Pope to be the Lord of all &he World ; Or that Bellarmine and the ftronger fide do carry it, as {The common judgement of all Catkolick Divines , (fee what a rabble he heaps up De Pontiff Rom* li.$.c. 1.) that the Popes ratione fpintualis, habet faltem indiretie pote/latem tjuandam, eamq fummam in temporahbus. W hich cap. 6. he faith, [is jttft fuch over Princes as the foul hatb over the body orfenfitive appetite •, and that thus be may change King- dems^ and take them from one and give to another^ as the chief Spiritual Prince , if it be but necejjdry to the fafety of foals, j cap. 78. He gives us his proof of this. And whether thePopedo take your Government to be £ rthe good of fouls, I need not tell you. It is the ftupendious judgement of God on Chriftian Princes for their lias,that they have been fo far blinded as C3 endure fuch an ufurper folong, and have not be- fore this blotted out his name from among the fons of men. [Non licet, &c It is not lawful (faith Bellar- mine ib. c. 7.) for cbriflians to Tolerate an InfdJ^or He- retical King^ if he endeavour to draw his Subjects to his Here fie or ttnbelitf: but to judge whether a King do draw to Herefieornet, belongethto the Pope > to whom the care of The Epiftle "Dedicatory. cf Religion it committed : therefore it belongs to the Pope to judge a King to be depofed, or not depofed.'] You fee here it is not Lawful for fuch Chriftians as the Papifts to Tolerate you : which may help your judgement in the point pi their Toleration. Si chrijliani (.faith BeUar. ib.) slim non depofuerunt Neronem Falentem Aria- hum & (imiles, id fuit quia deer ant vires temporales Chri- fiUnis.'] You have your Government and we our Lives, becaufe the Papifts arenotftrong enough. They tell you what to truft to. Saith Toilet (one of the beft of the Jefuites, //. I. deln(lru&. Sacerd. c. 13. ) [They that were bound by the bond of fidelity or Oath , jhall be freed from [ucb a bond \ if he fall into Excommunication : and during that, Debtors are abfolved from the obligation of paying to the Creditor that debt that is contracted by words J Thefe are no private uneffeflual Opini- ons. Saith Pope Pius the 5thhimfelf in his Bullagainft our Qgeen Elizabeth •, \_Volumns& mandamus > We will and command that the Subjects take Arms agamft that He- retical and Excommunicate guten.~\ But their crueltie to mens fouls , and the Church of Chrift, dottvyet much more declare their unchari- tablenefs. It is a point 6i their Religion to bdieve, that no man can be faved but theSubje&s of their Pope, as I have after proved, and is to be feen in many of their writings, (as Knot, and a late Pamphlet called guefthns for Refolution $f Vnlearned PrOteflants^ &c.) and Bifliop Morton hath recited the words of Lindanus9 Valentia and Fafcjue^. (Apol. lib. 2. c t.) [defining it tobeo/Necefsityto Salvation to be fubjett to the Roman Bijhop,'} And would not a man think that for fuch horrid do&rines, as damn the far greateft part of Chri- ftians in the world, theyfliould produce at leaft fome probable Arguments i But what they have to fay , I (a 2) have The Epijlle Dedicatory. have here faithfully detetied. If we will difpate with them, or turn to them, the Scripture aiuft be ao fur- ther Jtfdgt.then a? their Church expoundethk : The Judgement of the Ancient, yea or prefent Church they utterly renounce *, for rhe far greateft port is known to be againft the Headfhip of their Pope • and therefore they avuft ftand by for Hereticks Tradirionit felf they dare not ftand to,except themfelves be Jpd<>ei of it-, for the greateft part of Chriftians profefs that Tradition ,s againft the Romaz Vice-chuft. The in- ternal fenfe and experience of Christians they gainfay - concluding all befides themlelves to be void of cha- rity or faving grace, which many a thoufand holy fouls do fiad w thin thexn, that never believed in th$ Pope. Yea when we are content to lay our lives on it .jbac we will (hew them the deceit of Popery, as certainly and plainly as Bread is known to be Bread when we fee it, feel and tafte it, and as Wine is known to be Wine when we fee and drink it ^ yet do they refufe even the judgement of fenfe, of all mens fen fesv. even their own and others. So that we muft renounce our honefty, our Knowledge of our felves, our fenfes, our reafoil, the common experience and fenfes of all men the Judgement and Tradition of the far greateft part of the preienc Church;or elfe by the judgement of the Pa- pifts we muft all be damned. Whether fuch opinions as thefe fliould by us be irn- contradi&ed, or by you be fuffered to be taught your Subje&s, is eafieto difcern. If they hzdftre»phy they would little trouble us with Difputing. Nothing moie common in their Writers fcarce, then that the Sword or Fire is fitter for Hereticks then Difputes. This is but their after-game. Though their Church muft rule Pnnces3astheioul ruleth the body, yet it crmft Be by Secular The Epftle Dedicatory, Secular Power $ excommunication doth but give fixe : it is Lead and Iron that muft do the execution. And when they are themfelves difabled, it is their way to ftrike us by the hands and fwords of one another. He that faw England y Scetlandmd Ireland a while ago in blood i, ai*d now fees the lamentable cafe of fo many Proteftant Princes and Nations deftroying one ano- ther^ and thinks that Papifts have no hand in con- triving, (XnmfelHn g,inftigating,or executing^ mi ch a ftranger to their Principles and Pra&ices^, Obferving therefore that of all the Se How many Princes are confe- (aj) derate..- ■- The EpiftleT)edicatoty. derate again ft them < The more will be required of you for their aid. The ferious endeavours of your Renowned Father for the Proteftants of Savoy, 'dis- covered to the world by Mr. Morland in his Letters, &c. hath won him more efteem in the hearts of ma- ny that fear the Lord, then all his victories in them- felves confidered. We pray that you may inherit a ten- der care of the caufe of Chrift. 2. We humbly requeft that you will faithfully adhere to thofe that fear the. Lord in your Domini- ons. Inyourqjw let a vile perfon be contemned $ but honour them that fear the Lord, Pfal. i 5. 4. Know not the wicked 5 but let your eyes be upon the faithfull of the Land> rfal. 101. 4,6. Companionate the weak and curable , Punifh the uncurable -, reftrain the froward -,but Love and cherifh the fervants of the Lord. They are un- der Chrift the honourandthe ftrength of the Com- monwealth -, It was a wife and happy King that profef- fed that his Good fhould extend to the Saints on earth, and the excellent in whom was his delight, PfaL 16.2,3. This {lengthening the vitals is one of the chief means to keep out Popery and all other dangerous difeafes. We fee few underftandingGodly people receive the Roman infeftion^but the prophane, licentious, ignorant or ma- lignant that are prepared for it. 3. Weearneftly requeft yourutmoft care, that we may be ruled by Godly, Faithfull Magiftrates under you : and that your Wifdom and Vigilancy may fruftrate the fubtilty of Masked Papifts or Infidels that would creep into places of Council, Command, or Juftice , or any publick office. If ever fuch as thefefhould have a hand in your affairs, or be our Rulers, we know what we muft cxpeft. TheRea- fons of our jealoufies of fuch men are , becaufe we know The EpiftHe Dedicatory. .know that the defign is agreeable to their principles andinterefts : and we know it is their ufual courfe : and we find that fuch men fwarm among us: wehear their words , we read their writings , we fee their praftices for Popery and Infidelity. The jealoufies of many wife men in BngUnd are very great concerning the prefent defigns of this Generation of men * and not without caufe. We fear the CM asked P apt (Is and In- fidels , more then the bare -faced , or then any enemy. The men that we are jealous of, and over whom we defire you to be Vigilant ,are thefe Hiders that purpofe- Jy obfeure and cover their Religion, He that wilfully concealeth his Faith , alloweth me to fufpeft if to be , naught: Thechiefof them are, i. The Seekers that have not yet found a Church, a Miniftry , Ordi- nances, or Scripture , nor fomeof them a Chrift to .believe in. 2. The Paracelfians, Behmenifts, and other Enthufiafts, that purpofely hide themfelves in Jelf-devifed, uncouth, cloudy terms, and pretend to vifible familiarity with fpirits. 3. The Vani^whova God by wonders confounded in New England , but have here prevailed far in the dark. 4. TKe fecret guides of the Quakers. 5. Thofe that make it their bufinefs to argue againft the Religion of all others, but affert little of their own, endeavouring to bring all men to uncertainties , and loofe them from the faith. 6. Thofe that are ftill vilifying or under- mining the faithfull Godly Miniftry. 7. Thofe that do fecretly or openly plead the caufe of Infidels .• ( which are alas, too many : whether ex ammo, or for promoting Popery, time will difclofe : ) that de- ride the Scriptures, and deny the Immortality of the Soul, the Refurreftion of the body , or that there are any Devils , or is any Hell, 8. The Libertines, that The Eftflle "Dedicatory that would have liberty for all that they can call Re- ligion, though againfl: the certain Principles of Chri- ftianity 3 and that tell us the Magiftrate hath nothing to do with mens Religion ( of which anon. ) 9 TheDemocratical Polititians, that are bufie about the change of Government, and would bring all into confufion under pretence of the Peoples Liberty or Power, and would have the Major Part of the Sub- jects to be the Soveraign of the reft •, that is , the worft, that are ftill themoft-, and the ignorant,that cannot Rule themfelves •, and the vicious , that are enemies and hinderers of piety,and the worldlings,that mind nothing but what is under their feet, and have no time to think of Heaven , they have fo much to do on earth % and as AugujUne faith , had rather there were one Star lefs inHcave^ then One Cow hfsrn their Paftures: thefemuft be our Soveraigns. io.Thofc that under pretence of defending Prelacy, and of uniting us with Eome , do adhere to the courfe of Grotiw and SantfaChra, and Unchurch all the Re- formed Churches, degrade all the Minifters that are not of their way, while they maintain the verity of the Church of Rome , and the validity of her Ordi-. nation, and would have the Pope to be the Prhci- pium Vnitatis to all the Church, and the Weftern Parts to obey him as their Patriarch, yea and him- felf to be the Ruler of the whole, fo he do it by the Laws of General Councils , and deprive not infe- rfourBifhops of their Piiviledges. Thefe ten forts of men we are Jealous of-, 2nd if ever you advance them into places of Command or Power, it will increafe our jealoufies. God knows, Lhave no perfonal grudge to any of them. But the Gofpd and the fouls of men, and the hopes of our poftcrity ;~ are not fo contemn p, tible The Epiftle ^Dedicatory tible as to be given away as a bribe to purchafe thefe mens good will, or to flop their mouths left they fhoulcf reproach us. As it is the common, but a poor redrefs, that after the Maflacres of thoufands, the fur- viving Proteftants have ftill had from the Papifts , viz,, todifclaim the fgft, or caft it upon fome rafli difcontented men ( which will not make dead men alive again. ) So will it be a poor relief to us, when thefe men are our Matters , and have deprived us of all that was dear to us in the world, that we efcaped their ill language while the work was doing. 4. We alio humbly befeech you, that you will go on with the forging, and encouraging of the Miniftry .• Cafting out the Ignorant and Ungodly •, and counte- nancing thofe that are Able, and Faithful!. They deny their eafe,and dignity and the riches of the world ( which other employments would afford ) to encoun- ter with Satan and the worlds corruptions, for the hap- pinefs of fouls .' And therefore the more oppofe them and revile them, and unthankfully requite them , the more are you obliged for the fake of Chrift, and mens falvation, to affift them. All their enemies con- tending to furpafs the Devil in impudency, accufe them of Covetoufnefs, Idlenefs and Ambition, as if thefe were the things that they feek after in the world. If our pra&ice feconding our profeffion, be not enough toconfute thefe calumnies of malignant men, let this be added to confute them, that we make it our earned requeft to your Highnefs, that all fuch Ambitious, Idle, Covetous, or otherwife fcandalous Minifters may be caft out. You have Commiffioners in every Coun- ty for this work: Require them to do it faithfully : If wedefired this much againft our Reproachers, they would fay we perfecuted them : We defire you there- (b) fore The Efifile "Dedicatory. fore but to turn this perfecution againft 6ur felves. We alfo defire you, that you will not advance us to Tem- poral Honours, or Dignities, or Power $ nor make us Lord Bifhops , nor to abound with the riches of this world ; Thefe things agree not with our cal- ing: We only defire food.and rayment,and necefla- ries to furnifli us for our work , and exprefs fume charity to the needy that daily expeft it from us-,and we crave of you that we may be no richer. Wealfo defire y ou5n'ever to put the fword into our hands5 nor enable us to execute any of our private paffions upon any, nor yet to touch mens Bodies or Eftates-, but only to manage the word and Key es of the Kingdom of Chrift upon mens Confciences,and Guide his Church accord- ing to our office, and let it prevail as God (hall blefs it. This is all the advancement we defire. We have doubly renounced all the world, as Chriftia#s,md as Mimftenoi Chrift* we have given up our felves to a difficult flefh-difpleafing work: we crave no more of you, but fo far to countenance us asChriftcommandeth you,and the good of our peoples fouls requires. And God will be judge between us and our malitious re- proachers, whether thefe requefts are Covetous, Am-, bitious., or Unreafonable. 5. We alfo humbly crave your aid^for the procuring and maintaining an Union and Concord among all the Paftors and Churches in your Dominion. All that fear God are Agreed in the main: and they have a fpecial Love to one another •, and thefe are good preparatives to their fuller reconcilement. I know that there is no fuchdiftance in their principles, but that they may in blefied Concord carry on the work of God : Our poor people need this, that are offended at our fmalleft di- ftances; All our ftrength united is too little to bear down T'he Epijile Dedicatory, down theoppofitions of Hell and Earth that we muft daily encounter in our work. Your help may do much to procure our Concord, of which I (hall prefume to fay more to you in another addrefs. 6. Laftly webefeech you that Toleration may be /*- tnhed by Execution as well as by Law $ And therefore that as the Approved Minifters muft have an Inftrumtnt of Approbation , and muft be refponftbie before the Commiffioners of ejetfion, for any thing that forfeit- ed it •, fo the Tolerated may be tryed according to your Laws of Toleration, and may have an lnjirument for their Toleration, before they have Liberty publikely to propagate their Opinions to others : and that they may be as refponfible before the Commiffioners for ejeftion as we. And that publikely nor privately Papifts , nor Infidels, nor any that deny the effentials of the faith may not be fuffered to feduce the people. If any think that this is defired by us,becaufe we fear the power of truth,or would deprive them of any juft freedom of de- bate5I provoke them folidly to anfwer what is here faid in the following Difpute -, and we diffwade not your Highnefs if you were in any doubt ( which wa do not imagine)of the truth of the Chriftian or Reformed Do- ctrine, to invite us to an equal Difputation, and try whether we (hall not open the ftiame of Infidelity and Popery ( the two great evils that threaten this land) at any time. But if you are refolved of the wickednefs of both thefe wayes, we have reafon to expe Judge I befeech you by thefe three Reafons, how far xhzitfeduftion is to be tolerated. I .That they preach- Trta[om%i\x\ft. Princes and States , I have fhewed un- denyably , is part, and a principal part, of their Reli- gion. 2. Their dodrine corruptethalmofl-all MoralitpY/hzt need we fuller clearer proof, then xhztfanfenian hath given us in his My fierie offefuitpfm < and much more may be added. Morton hathlong ago produced enough to tell us what to expaft from fuclvmen : Apdog. Part, iJ.i.c.i-j.-As from Toilet . himfdf/.4-.^ inftruB.facerd. c*9- [_ Quint nm ad intcntionem dileclionis^ non tenemnr, (ubf.racepto DtHmpiw omnibus diligere J Stapleton I 6. "The Epijlle ^Dedicatory. dejvftif.c.io.dr Valent. Lde Fotis c. 3. £ Hoc precept urn diligendi Deum extotawente^doSlrinalee^nonobligatori^ um\ See here,a/>rar*/tf,and thegreateft prccept,even to Love God above all, is not obligatory < A ftrange pre- cept ! And p. 322. he reciteth the words of Toilet, ibid. /. 4. c. 21. & 22. teaching Equivocation upon oath before a Magiftrate, and fo maintaining perjury. And/> 327.heciteth thefame Author maintaining that Murder, and Blafphemy in a paffion and not deliberate, is no mortal fin,unlefs in one that is ufed to Blafpheme. And f>. 329. how BeUarm. Cofterus, Falentia maintain that Fornication in a Prieft is better, or a fmaller fin then to marry. The like he (hews of their dodlrine of Theft, Falfe witnefs, &c.p. 3-32, $}$,&c. Thisfrom him. 3. But above all their other mifchiefs,the Propagating of Infidelity by them is the greateft : Which they do in two wayes. 1 . Under the VtT^rd of Infidels and Seekers they plead againft Scripture and Chriftianity, inde- fign to lcofen men from all Religion, and perfwade them that they muft needs be Infidels or Papifts; Vtron- and his followers have given them full Directions to manage this defign. And while, with debauched Con- fciences) they thus perfwade men to be Infidels injeft, they have made abundance fuch in good fadnefslo that upon my knowledge there are many foch fwai m among us, thac fometime feemed pious perfons, that plead againft Chrift anity it felf* 2. And no wonder, when jeme of the leading Papifts do feem to be Cbrifiians in ;>/?, and Infidels in good fadnejs themjelves. I (hall inftance now but in their CftampiotiV :51w. Wbite$ who in his Euclid. Metapbyf.Stsec'h. k pr. 16. maintained! that in a manner , or almoft all incorporated fouls /hall be fivedby the world as the lnftrument, or elfethe world were (b3), M- The EpiftleVedicatory* fubftantiallj evil, anh the fouls that fail ef Bleffednt[s,non tint fufficientts ad partem confiderabilemtotim multitude nU conftituendam.He that believeth this,cannot believe Chrift , nor well perfwade men to believe inChrift. This happy news to the Pagans and Mahometans , might fomewhat affright the Chriftians being the few- eft, left they (hould be that inconfiderable number , but that he that talks of the damnation of fo few, its like by his Arguments believeth it of none.The fame *he afferts in his Treatifeof the middle (late of fouls, Rat. 5. p.4!. And Rat. 10. he difputeth againft Vindi&ive Juftice as a thing not becoming God ': and />. 88.denyeth that fin- nexs injureGtd, fovfooth becaufehe fujferetb it willingly. Pag. 9 5 (Tranflat. ) he faith that fouls are exempt from dUjuch pains as may be caufed by any outward agent: And pag. in. That God Governeth not the world as a Monarch, but as an Engineer $ And pag. 134. he faith £ the punijhment of fin whether external or internal, is no- thing el fe but the increafe and exaggeration of fins in thofe who are perverfe , and the decreafe and diminution of them in thofe who amend ] And pag. 90. that £ the de- fett if Gods honour occaftoned by Peter , was not fup- pljed and repaired by any other] and fo not by Chrift/ And pag. 146. C that Gods aim is alwayes the utmofl good of every creature ] And he oft enough tels us that God attaineth all his will. And is this man a Papift i or are Papifts in good fadnefs 3 that tell the world that none but the fubje&s of the Pope can be faved i and yet now the number that perifh will be incon- fiderable *, and God aimeth at the utmoft Good of every creature. Sure he thinks that all the Toads muft be made men: and all men made Angels 5 and every ftar muft be made a Sun ! I (hall pafs by the Books that are written againft the Creation}and againft Scripture^ The Epifile Dedicatory. Scripture , and a^ainft Hell , &c. which fwarm among us 5 only adviing your Highnefs to take heed that you venture not upon any worldly mo- tives, to ftand guilty before the living God of al- lowing or tolerating fuch Books to be publiflied , and fuch dotfrines as thefe to be preached to your People, to the everlafting undoing of their precious fouls. If you ask who it is that frcfttmeth thu* to beyour CM'onttor { It is one that ferveth fo great a Matter that he thinks it no unwarrantable preemption, in fuch a cafe to be faithfully plain with the greateft Prince. It is one that (lands fo neer Eternity, where Lazarus ihall wear the Crown, that unfaith- full man-pleafing would be to him a double crime : it is one that rejoyceth in the prefect happinefs of England , and earneftly wiflieth that it were but as well with the reft of the worlds and that honour- eth all the providences of God by which we have been brought to what we are •, but dare not own all the anions of men that have been the Inftru- ments3as he hath thought meet to manifeft in this wri- ting , and leave upon record. And he is one that concurring in the Common Hopes of greater Blef- (ings yet to thefe Nations under your Government, , and obferving your Acceptance of the frequent Ad- dreffes that from all parts of the Land are made unto you, was encouraged to do what you dayly allow your Preachers to do, and to concur with the reft, in the tenders ( and fome performance ) of his > fervice y and particularly the County of Wilts who have Petitioned you for the Summ of what I have here expreft -, and whofe Petitions I defire maybe written The Epiflle "Dedicatory written upon your heart. That the Lord will make you a hedler and freferver of his Chucrhes here at home, and a fuccefsfull helper to his Churches abroad, is the earneft prayer of Your HighneflTes faithfull Subjedt f^jch. 'Baxter. Reader, Reader, Tl^S$^J^%t F tbw ccme hither with a practical efteem *&A fjSf F cf Trufh 3 de firing to know it that thou jKJ %W? ma!ft °^ey **>& w'* an humble mind dofi f^f\ ftudy and pray to the Father of Lights, r9^^M an^ art imPArti*lh wiping to receive the Truth in the Love of it that thou maift be faved, and with diligence andmeeknefs to read and weigh the Evidences that I bring thee^ thou art then the perfon to whom 1 recommend theft Papers with confident expeftation offuccefs. The Controversies here handled are thofe that have made> and jlill are makings the great eft comhujiions in the Chr/flian world. \^dnd yet to almoft all men of learning on both fides the) feem exceeding eafte. If el- dom meet with a Learned Proteflant but taketh Popery for fuch tranfoarent fallacies , that he is little or no whit trou- bled with any douhtings in the bufinefs : And 1 feldom meet with a Learned Papift but is as confident on the other fide^as ifbefidcsthem, all the Chriftian world were blind and mid. Inter eft and prejudice mu(l needs do much then on one fide at Je* ft. And which fide hath the great efi worldly inter eft to by as their under ft anding , is foon decerned by one that knows the Papal power t their Cardinals, Prelates, and the Riches, Honours and friviledges of their Clergy, and that knows our (late, i^And if thou wilt hear the Reafons of the confidence of both (ides, I will tell it thee here as briefly Aid plainly as 1 can. We are confident cf our own Rthgion, becaufe we believe the Gofpcl : and we have no o. her suie and feft of our Reli- ■ CO lion : The Preface. gton : And we are confident that Popery is a deceit , becaufe we both believe the Go/pel and the judgement of the ancient Andprefent churches, and because we believe our [enfe it [elf •• As fare as we know Bread from Flefh^and Wine from Blood ^by feeing, t a flings & c. fofure know we that Popery isfalfe. And if aControverfie is not at an End when it is brought to the judgement of all the [en[es of all the found men in the world ( it being about the cbjeff of fenfe ) tbenweart paji hope of ending contr over fie s : And there- fore as we will not wafic our time with every ft How that will drfpute with tts thai Snow is black , or the Fire cold , no more will we trouble our [elves with thefe men that tell us that Bread is not bread^and Wine is not wine. And if you would know the Reafons of the confidence of thePapifls, 1 knew no more of them but what their Wru tings and fpeec he's do exprefs, and thofe 1 have hereafter given you. Two things they are fti 11 harping on: thefrfi is> that in our way we have noaffurance that the Chri- ftian Religion is true, or that Scripture is the word of God. Save me the labour of repetitions, and read but what 1 have wit ten in the Preface to the fecond Part of the Saints Reft vEdit 2.&c) where Igiveyouthe Refolution of our faith,andin my Safe Religion^ Difp. 3. and then believe them if thou canfi. Their fecond #, that thred-bare Jj)ueftion£ Where was your Church before Luther'9. Where hath it been fuc- cefsively in each age i ] And here meer Sophiftry carry- tth it through the Papal world \ to the deluding of the fimph . that will be catcht with chafe, and are not able to fee things for Names, 1 have dealt with feme- of them that harped on this firings and never met with any thing from them that fbouldfeem confiderable to a difceming man,fave only the two unanfwerabU arguments of Confidence^ hat If ay ## Impudence )and Loquacity. Though I have more full} The Preface. full j flamed this Que (lion in this Book,! will here alfo give you at the entrance, a jhort view of the cafe* The men that ask us, where our Church and Religion wasz either know not ( through ignorance) or will not let others know ( through wickednefs) what our Church and Reli- gion is. [_ Shew us ( fay they ) a Church in all ages that held the thirty nine Articles, or that held all that the Proteftants hold, or el fe they were not Proteftants i ] Forfootb, we muft receive from them a Definition of a Pro* teft ant >and then we mu ft prove the fuccefsion of fucb.Know there fort before you diffuse about thefnecefsion, what is the thtng whoft fuccefsion is queftioned, £ A Proteftant is a Chriftian that holdeth to the holy Scriptures as the fufficient Rule of faith and holy living, and protefteth againft Popery. ] The Proteftant Churches are Societies prcfefiing the Proteftants Religion. [The Proteftant Re- ligion ] is an improper (peech^but L the Proteftants Re- ligion ~]is a phraje that wefhallown. For C Proteftancy ] ts not our Religion it felf but the Rejection of Popi[h cor~ ruptions of Religions or defiling Additions* If my Re\e- fiions of ether mens Additions be themfelves Additions , then is it in the power of any Heretick in the world to force me to Add to my Religion at his Pleafure. A thou f and new Articles & Forms ofWorfhip he may devife^andthen mnft I add to my Religion by rejetling them all : even as I add to my Appleby wiping the dirt of it , or to my Cloathsyby brufhing them, The P rote (I ants Religion is only the chriftim Religion the naked Chriftian Religion a] one: The) Papifis the Chriftian Religion corrupted wirh abundance of additions* The Proteftants ever di f Avowed a^y Confefsions if men as pretended 'tobe the Rule or Law of their Religion. The Proteftants Religion is the Holy Scriptures alone ] The Papifts Religion is all that is decreed by the Pope and Coun- cils. Our Religion containtd in the Scoipturc ha'h its JEf- (C2) fentials The Preface. fentials and Integrals. All the FjJ'entials and as much of the Integrals as {in the uje of means) we are able to under* Jland, we believe particularly and explicitely : the re (I we believe generally and implicit ely to be all true. So that as the P apt (Is will not give us leave to take the writings of Grefer, Bellarmine or any of their Doctors , yea the Articles of their Divines at Thoren, Ratisbone,&c. to be therefore Articles of th:ir faith, but only the fe that are contained in General Councils approved by the Pope-, fo wt require the fame juftice of them that they call Nothing the Articles of our Faith, but what is contained in the Holy Scripture, which is the only Rule of our Religion. Do thef know our Religion better then we do ? This is our Religion^ and this we fl and to. Well ! Conftder now whether any thing be eafier then for aVroteflanttojhewyouavifible Church that bath fnccef- fively been of his Religion. i. The Chriftian Religion hath been in all ages fince Chrtft in vifible Societies : The Religion of Proteflants is the Chriflian Religion : therefore the Religion of Prote- flants hath been in all ages fince Chrift in vifible Societies. 2. That Religion whtch is contained in the Holy Scrip* tureasits Rule or fufficient Revelation,hatb been prof efjed in all ages in vifible Churches. Bui the Religion of Prote* ffants is contained in the Holy Scriptures as its Rule or fuf- ficient Revelation : therefore ths Religion of Proteflants hath been profiled in all ages in vifible Churches. We name the Societies from the places of their refidence : Our Church ( as Auguftine/*7j the Donatifls ) begun at Hierufalem, and thence was difperfed into Afia, Africa and Europe-,^ hath continnedin Syria3iEthiopia3iEgypt> India, Greece, &c. If I could name but one Nation that had been of my Religion* I fhould (nfpetf it were not the true Religion. It is-the Chriflian world that is inffead of a Catalogue to us* O The Preface. G but, fay the $uglers> This is a General anfwer,to fay you are Chriftians: theie are more forts of Chri- ftiansthen One. 1 Reply •, It is the General or Catho- lick that we are [peaking of; and therefore if it were not fuch a General anfwer, it were not pertinent to the gue- flion : There are n$ more forts of chriftians but One $ that is , there is no Effential difference among them; hut there is a gradual, integral and modal difference. But may not Chriftians of fever al Degrees of Knowledge he in the fame Catholick church? Our qne ft ion is not , [Where any Seel, or any particular Church hath had its juccefion :] but [where that Catholick church hath been , of which we are members "] And furely drift hath but One Ca- tholick Church. O but, fay they, would you make men believe that Ethiopians^ Armenians 9 Greeks, &c. are Proteftants? you may be afhamed of fo grofs a fi<5Uon. / anfwer 9 Is it the Name of Proteftants, or their Religion, that you would have us prove a fuccefsion of? The fe deceivers cheat abnndance of poor fouls by this one device, even fuppoftng that the word QProteftant] doth denominate our Church from its Effential p Arts , and fo call for a Catalogue of Protectants. But I would ask themy whether we or they do better know our Religion < and con- sequently what a Proteftant is '. If they know it at all > it is from our writings or exprefsions; For Jure they will not pretend without figns to knov our hearts , and that better then our f elves. Tou muft take it fromm, if you will know what our Religion is, as we muft take it from you, if we will know yours. And therefore delude not filly fouls by per f wading them that you know what our Religion u better then we. If you will believe our Books that tell you, believe our fayings atfa, and believe me that here tell yon my own Religion. [A ? rot eft ant is a Chi f tan that (c 3) ?"- The Preface. protefleth againft Popery"] Chriftianity is our Religion: protefting againft Popery is our Negation or Rejection of jour Corruptions of Religion. CM en that never heard of the name of Papi/l or Protefiants, may be of the fame Religion with us. if many Nations of the world never received Popery , and we rejeff it -7 if they never knew it, and we know it anddifown it, are we not both of one Re- ligion, even in the Integrals i One man never heard of the Leprofie : another catcbeth it and u 'cured of it $ and a third flyeth from it and preventeth it ; Kjind I think allthefe are truly men \ yea and (in tantum) found men. When you call to us for a proof of our fuccefsion, either you mem it, of the Ejjentials of our Religion and Church, or of the Negation of your Corruptions : Either you mean it of %he points that we are Agreed in, or of thofe we dif- fer in : Chriftianity is it that we are Agreed in ; and that is our Religion, and nothing but that : Proteffancj as inch, is but our wiping offtbr dirt, or curing the f cab that you have brought upon our Religion , Is he not a man at well as you that will not tumble with you in the dirt, or come into your Pefthoufe ? If we know not our own Re* ligion, then we cannot tell it you 5 and then you cannot know it : K^And if we do know it , believe us when we prof efs our own Belief : We flill profejs before men and Angels, that we own no Relighn but the Chriflian Reli- gion, nor any Church but the Chriflian Church, nor dream of any Catholick Church but one , containing all the true Chriftians in the world, united in $efus chrift the Head. We protefl before men and Angels that it tithe Holy Scri- ptures that are the L*w and Rule and Teft of our Reli- gion-? And why are we not to be Believed in this our own Profefsion, as well as yon are in yours, when you make the Decrees of Popes am Councils to be your Law and Rule and Tefls f We The Praface. We perform therefore more then yob demand. You ask us Where was our Church before Luther ? And we anfwer , Where our Religion was. Tou ask us , Where was that i and we fell ytiu Where ever the Chriftian Religion was , and the Holy Scriptures were received. This were enough for us in anfwc'r to your gueftion : But we do more: We tell you not only where our Church and Religion was, but where there were men that owned not your grand Corruptions, no more then we : what van you demand more of us , when you call for a fuccefsion of Protefiants , then that we tell you of a fuccefsion of Chriftians (which are of our Religion) and which were no Papifts, yea againft Popery (which therefore were of our integrity ) And who knoweth not that the forefa d Abaffines, Armenians, Egyptians, Greeks, &c. are againft your Papal S over aignty, Infallibility, and all that is by us renounced as Ejjential to Popery ? O but, fay thetfuglers, thefe are not Protefiants 5 they differ from you in many paiticulars.] / anfwer, Call them by what name you pleafe • they are not only Chriftians, but alfo Anti- papifts , or free from Popery, and then they are of our Religion and Church. But in- deed> muft the world be made believe that all that we Be- lieve is effential to our Religion, and that no man that differeth from us can be of our Religion, be the difference never fo fmall ? But fay they, tell us of a Church that profeiTes your 39 Articles. Silly deceivers ! Do not thofe very Articles profefs that ^The Holy Scripture containeth all things neceffary to falvation , fo that whatever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be re- quired of any man that it fhould be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be thought requfite or ne- ceffary to Salvation, ] Art, 6, We never took thefe Articles ■ 8 The Preface, Articles inflead of the Scripture , but the Articles and all Proteftants frofefs the scripture to be the only Rule and Tefl of their Faith and Religion. The fubftance of the 39 Articles may eafily be proved to have been (uccefjively held by the Church from the beginning •, but it is not incumbent on us to prove that every word in the writings of every Divine ^ or Churchy hath been fo continued •, no more then you mil own the writings of any Divines or Pro- vincial Synods of your own^ as being the Rule of your Faith. As youprofefs that the Decrees of Popes and general Coun- cils approved by himy beftdes the Scriptures^ are the Rule and 1 efl of your Religion •, fo do we profefs that the Scriptures alone {with the Law of Nature) is the Rule of ours. But5vvhat {fay they) will you be of the fame Church with Nefiorians, Eutichians^ and other Hereticks i 1 Anfw. 1. We will not take d/// thai never knew them, nor can prove it. 2. Hereticks indeed that deny any effential part of Cbriftianity, are no Cbriflians, anh there- fore none of the Church that we are of : but if you will call thofe Hereticks that have all the efjentials ef Chri- ftianity, becaufe they err in leffer points, we know that there are fuch in the Catholick C hurch : We will be none of them our f elves ^ if we can efcape it {yet indeed have no hope of efcaping all error till we are perfect in know- ledge :) But we will not run out of the family of Cod, becaufe there are children and ftck perfons in it : Nor will we forfake the Catholick Church becaufe there are erring perfons in it, O but, faith the Papijl, We acknowledge not your diftin<5tion of points Effential and not Effential $ all points of Faith are Effential with us, and of neceffity to Salvation. ] Anfw, Reader D thou [halt fee here (uch impudent The Preface. impudent and fait blefs jugling, as may make thee bluff) to think that Chriftianity bath fuch prefffors. i. the Out- fide of their affertion damneth n$ lefs then all the world ( that live to the ufe of Reafon ) 2 . The Infide of their de- ceitful meaning is almofi clean contrary , and leaveth Heathens and Infidels in the Church,orina ft ate offal- nation as well as Chriftians. 3. It leaveth no one Article of faith efjential to a Chriftianjr to one that fhall be faved^ and leaveth the Church an Invifihle thing, clean contrary to their own amnions of its Vifibility .4. Csind when they have thus wrangled themfelves into a wood of contradittt- ons and Unchriflian abfuraities,the wife ft of them fay as we fay) in the main point, All this 1 will now manifeft to thee. 1 . The Out- fide of their ajfertion is that Every point that we are bound to belive by a Divine faith , is funda- mental^ or tffential to Chriftian faith , or of necefsitj to falvation. And if fo, then no man breathtng can be [a- ved : For no man knoweth all that he is bound to know. And no man believeth that which he underfiandetb not : ]t is impofsible to believe that fuch a Proportion is a truth diftincliy and actually , when I under ftand not what thi Propofition is. And that we all know but inpart>even what we are obliged to know, no man will deny, but he that is mad by pride orfacJion: All that God hath revealed in his word js the matter of our faith : There is no man can fay, 1 have no culpable ignorance of any one Truth of God that lfhould believe. Had we been more perfect in our diligent ftudies, and prayers, and ufe of all means 5 and had we never finfully grieved the fpirit that (hould illu- minate us, ( to jay nothing of our Original fmfull dark- nefs ) there is not one of us but might have known more then we do. Jf fin of the will and life be confident with true faith, then [omefin in the under ffianding is confident with faith. But the former is true : therefore, &c. But (d) according io The Preface. according to the cut-fide of their doctrine^ no man that hath an) (in full ignorance ( and confequently unbelief) in his under (landing can be faved • that is^ no man in the world* if he that thinks he knowah any thing, knoweth nothing as he ought to know, 1 Cor. 8. 2. what [hall be [aid of thefe men*, that think they and all the Church do know all things that they ought to know, and that their under (land- ings have no (in ? And muft we needs be of that faith that damnetb all men , and of that church where none art faved i 1. As' the Out -fide of their Affertions is made for a bug-bear to frighten fools, [0 that the In-fide (as expound' ed by many of them ) is that Heathens and Infidels ma) be $f their Church or faved, and that nothing of the Chri- an (aith at all is ncce([ary to falvation , is plain : For they tell us that they mean , that all points are of nccef- fity, where they arefufficiently propo[ed}andmens ignorance is not invincible $ but where there is nofufficient propofal , but mens ignorance is invincible 3 or fuch as comes not from a wilfull neglect of means , there no ignorance of the articles of faith is damnable, and [0 no article ab* jolutely nece([ary : fo that the que (lion indeed is not Whe- ther men believe or not? but Whether they are Unbelievers or Heathens or ignorant perfons, by a willfull neglect of fuffciently propofed Truth^or not ? So that all that part of the Heathen or In fide 11 world ( O how great ) that have no fuch propofals of theGofpel^may not only be faveh , but be better and fafer then mo (I chriftians ( if not all ) who certainly are fmfully ignorant of fome truth which they ought to know. obj.But (fay they) it will not ftand with faith to deny belief to God in any thing , fufficiently re- vealed i for he that believeth him in one thing, belie* vethhimin all, 3 Anfw. The Preface. ir Anfw. Very true , if they know it to be the Word of God. And if this he all jhe Proteflants are ready to avcrre upon their mojl folemn oaths 3 that they believe every thing without exception which they know to be a Divine Re- velation : and no wonder ; for fo doth every man that believes that there is a God and that he is no lyar. If this will ferveyour turn 3 you have no more to fay again ft us 5 your mouths are fiopt. But may it net [land with faith to be ignorant 5 and that through finfull neglett, of fome revealed truth of God, or of the meaning of his word ? If you are Jo proud as to think that all the juflified are per- fect and have no fin , yet at leafl confider whether a man that liveth in Heathenifm till f our f core years of age, and then turns Chriftian, is not afterward ignorant through his former finfull negligence ? But dare you fay that you have no finfull ignorance to bewail f Will you con- fefs nene^nor beg pardon, nor be beholden to Chri (I to par- den it? That they make no point of faith nectffary , while tbeyfeem to make all nec(f]ary , fee but what I have after cited from Franf. a S.Clara probl. 1 5 , 1 65 17. and Abun- dance more that are mentioned there by him* 3. And that by this Protean jugling\ they make the Church invisible, is apparent. For what man breathing knoweth the fecrets of the fouls of others 5 whether they have refitted or not refitted the light < and whether they are ignorant of the articles of faith upon finfull contempt, or for want of fome due means of faith, or internal cap a- city y or opportunity f We are as fure that all men are ig- norant of fome thing that God hath revealed to be known ( in nature and Scripture ) as that they are mtn : But now whither anyone of thefe men be free from thofe aggravati- ons of his ignorance {and that in every point ) upon which the Papifis make him an unbeliever ; is unknown to others • (dz) When n The Preface, When the Faith or Infidelity of mcn^ and [o their being in the Church or out of it \ mufl not be known by the Matter of Faith which they profefs^but by the fecret phages of their hearts 3 their witlingnefs or unwillingnefs ^ refinance or not refinance, and fuch like , the Church then is invifible 5 no man can fay which is it 3 nor who is of it : He that proftfjeth not the Faith .may be a Catbolick^and be that prof effeth it, for ought they know. may be an Infidel^ as being finfully yet ignorant of fome one truth that is not in his exprefs confefsi- on-.thxs by confufeon the builders of Babel marre their work. 4. And that the wife ft of them, fay in the main as we fay, fee herein fome proofs, Bellarm. de Vcrbo Dei, lib. 4. cap. 11. CIn theChriftian Do&rine both of Faith and Manners, fome things are (imply neceflary to fal- vationtoall-, as the Knowledge of the Articles of the Apoflles Creed, of the ten Commandements, and of fome Sacraments ; The reft are not fo neceflary, that a man cannot be faved without the explicite Knowledge, belief and profeffion of them Thefe things that a^e Amply neceflary and are profitable toall, the Apo- ftles preached to all All things are Written by the Apoflles which are Neceflary to all , and which they openly preaeht to all] fee the place. CofterusEchirid. c. 1. p. 49. Non inficiamurprae- cipua ilia fidei capita quae omnibus Chriftianis cognitu funt ad falutem Neceflaria , perfpicue fatis efle Apo- ftolicis fcriptis comprehenfa j That is 5 We deny not thatthofe Chief Heads of the Faith which are to all Chriftians neceflary to be known to falvation , are perfpicuoufly enough comprehended in the Writings of the Apoftles. ] fudge by thefe two (to (pare the trou- ble of citing more) whether they be not forced after all their Cavils ,t ofay as we^ in diflmguifhing of Articles of Faith t \^dnd the) cannot be ignorant , that the Church hath The Preface. hath (till bad Terms of Trofefsion^ which were called her Symbols, as being the Badge of her ^Members • and did not fufpend all upon uncertain conjectures about the frame and temper of the Profeffors minds. But if indeed it be not the want of Neceffary Articles of Faith that they accufe us ofy but the want of willingnefs or diligence to know the truth ^ let them prove their accusati- ons 3 and let the fe per fons that they prove guilty bear the blame. Do they think we would not as willingly know the truth as the) f and that we do not pray as earneflly for Divine illumination ? Do we not read their Books f (/ verily think incomparably more then the) do ours,) and are we not willing to confer with the wifeft of them that can inform us ? J have often privately and public kly de- fired you that if any of them can fay more then all thefe Schoolmen, Fryars and Jefuites fay, which I have read^ they would let me hear it, that I may wwt no means they can afford me for my fuller information* But yet they have not done with m. When we prove a fuccefion of our Religion^ by proving a fuccefsion of fuch as adhered to the Scriptures^ which are the Doctrine of our Religion {an Argument that no Papifl under heaven cm confute J) they vainly tell us, that All Hereticks pretend to Scripture, and therefore that will not prove thepoint. But i. Doth it follow that Scripture is not a fuffcient Rule of our Religion^ bee aufe Hereticks may pretend to it* Tou take the 39 Articles for our Religion , and jet may Hereticks that are far from our minds , pretend to them, lis thelikerto be the Rule becaufeall hereticks pretend it, and would borrow credit from it to their Herefies. The Law of the Land is the Rule of onr J>ufliee • and yet Lawyers and their Clients that are contrary to each other, do plead it for their contrary Caufes. The Creed it [elf is pretended by Arrians for their Herefie, What mufl we 1 ( d 3 ) have J4 7 he Preface hxve no Rule or Tefl or difcovery of our Religion which a Htreiick can pretend for his impiety. What words of God or mart are not capable of being misinterpreted ? if wc fhould give j ou every day aconfefsion of Faith, fome He- reticles might pretend to hold the fame : No wonder tbe# if they dofoby the Scriptures. 2. And can any Learned Papifts he fo ignorant, as net to know that the Arrians pretended the Authority of Ge- neral Councils f andfo do man) other Heretic ks>, and that the Authority of Pope and Councils are frequently pre- tended for contrary opinions among them , and may be pretended by many an Hereiick ? And will they therefore grant that the Decrees of Popes and Councils are no juf- ficient difcovery of their Faith ? IfHereticks pretending to your Teft of Faith, difprove notthatto be your Faith5 then Hereticks pretending to our Rule and Tefl of Faith {which is the Holy Scripture) is no proof that it is not our Rule of Faith. I do therefore conclude, that the Proof of a Succefsion of fuch Churches as have received the Hoi) Scriptures, is a valid proof of a fuccefsion of Churches ef our Religion, feeing we have no Religion (doffrinally) hut the Holy Scriptures. And this as far as mode fly will permit, I challenge all the ^efuites on Earth to confute with any (olid Reafons: yet adding that we do ex fuperabundanti prove a fuccefsion alfo ef Churches that never owned Popery , even the great eft part of the Chriflian world. But let theje men themfelves but prove to us a fuccefsion ef their Church, even fuch as they require of hs 5 Let them prove that from the Apoftles days theCathclick Church(er any one Congregation of twenty men) did hold all that now their Councils and Popes have Decreed, and are efleemed Ar- ticles of their Faith, and 1 am contented to he their bond- flave for ever, or to bear a fagot , or be ufed by them as cruelly The Preface. 15 cruelly as their malice cm invent , or fames or their flrappados execute. Let my Head he at their Mercy if they can hut prove that Succefsion of Popery \ as they require us to do of Proteflancy^ or as I have produced of our Churches and Religion. In the jjth and i6lh Detection I have more largely fpoken to them of this point, to which 1 refer the Reader. In the very principal point 0/their Papal Soverargnty, they have nothing hut this grofs deceit to cheat the world with : The Roman Emperors divers ages after Chrift, did give the Biftwp of Rome a Primacy in their Empire, and hence thefe men would per [wade us, that even from Chr/i they have had a Soveraignty over all the Christ an world* Wink hut at thefe fmall mi flakes, and they have won the Cauje: 1. Suppofe hut Chrifls Inflitution to fland in fie ad of the Emperors. 2. Suppofe divers hundred years after Chrifls to have been in the ^Jpoftles days. 3. Sup- pofe Trimacy to he Soveraignty or vniverfal Government. 4. But specially grant them, that the Roman Empire was all the chriflian world • and then they have made good that part of their Caufe. That there were many Nations without the reach of the Ro nan Empire, that had received the Chriflian Fatth^ is p aft doubt. Socrates lib. 1. c. 15. faith that Thomas chofe parthia,Bartholomew chofe India, Matthew Ethiopia , to plant the Gofpel in 5 but the middle India was not converted till Confiantines days,by Fruwentius 2nd Ede- fiush and Iberia by a Maid.] So Eufeb.l. 3. c. 3. tells us of Thomas his Preaching to the Parthians, and An- drew to the Scythians^ Et in vit. Cenft. /. 4. c. 8. that there were many Churches in Perfia, & cap. 91. how Conflantine wrote for them to the King.] Godignus and others of them maintain that the Abaffines did re- ceive the Gofpel from the beginning. Beflbes Scotland and \6 The Preface. and many other Countries that were not under the Roman Power, And none of tbefe were Governed by the Pope. Thefe three Arguments again ft the Papal Caufe, J (hall here premise to more that follow. I , // all that part of the Chriftian world that was out of the reach of the Roman Empire* did never Jubmit to the Soveraignty of the Pope, then hath he not been fuc- cefsively (or at any time) the aliual Head of tbeVniver- fal Church : But the Antecedent is moft certain : there- fore fo is the Conf extent. How an old woman 3 the Emperors Mother of HabafiTia, did baffle their Zpefuites, by asking them Q How it came to pajs, if obedience to the Pope be neceffary to falvation, that they never had heard from him till now f ] / have told you after from them f elves, if Primacy were Soveraignty , and Emperors and Coun- cils were Gods 3 yet the Indians, Abaflines, Perfians, and many more in the Eaft> and the Scots, and Irifh 3 and Danes, dWSweeds, and Poles, *and Mufcovites, and moft of Germany in the Weft and North, Jhouldbe no (ub- jecJs of the Pope. 2 . // the Rule and Tefi of the Faith of Papifis never bad a Real Beings or no [uccefsion from the Apoftles, then their Faith and Church hath either no Real Beings or no fuch S uccefsion : But the Antecedent is true : as I prove. It is either General Councils ^ or Popes, or the church E(fentia4(as they ufe to callitytbat isjbe Whole Body) that is the Rule of their Faith. If it be General Councils, i . 7 hey had no being from the tjdpoflles till the Council of Nice 5 therefore the Rule of the Papifis Faith was then unborn. 2. Tea they never had a being in the world : There was ne~ ver any thing like a General Council fince the days of the Apoftles to this day. The firft at Nice had none , ( fave one John*?/ Perlia, who its like was fome perfecuted Bifbop The Contents. 17 Bifhop that was fled ^ or if one or two more its not material) , but the Bifhops of the Empire , and out of the We flew parts fo few as was next to none : The following Councils , as Coaftantinop. 1. &c. were only out of one piece of the Empire : The Council of Trent Idifdainto reckon among the modefler pretenders to an Vniverfality. 2. And if it be not General Councils^ but the Pope that is the Rule of their Faith •, then, 1 . Their Faith hath been interrupted.yea and turned to Herefte and to Infidelity when the Pope hath fo turned, a. And why then do they tell our .people, that they take not the Pope for the Rule of thetr Faith? 3. If it be the Major part of the Vniverfal Church, 1. It's known that two to one are again ft them, or at leaft the Greater part : therefore by that Rule their Faith in the Papal Soveraignty is falfe. 2 . And yet it would be hard, if a man muft be of no Belief till he have brought the world to the pole forit. Argura. 3. // all the flir that the Papifts make in the world for the Papal Government be but to rob chriftian Princes and LMagi ft rates of their Power , then are they but a f editions Sett : But the Antecedent is apparent : For there are but two forts of Government in the church: The cne is by the Word apply ed unto the Confcience^ which mrketh only on the willing ; either by General exhorta- tions as in Preaching •, or by perfonal application , as in Sacraments^ Excommunication and Abfolution : And this is the workoftbeprefentPaflorS) and cannot be performed by the Pope : Nor would be be content with tbis^ to govern .Volunteers. The other is bj Commands , that /hall be feconded with force : And this is proper to the Magi fir ate. But if they will be deluded to give up their Crowns and Scepters to the Pope , let them (land as the objeffs of the compafsion ofspetfators, (O tJMuck ]8 The Preface. Mitch more then I have here given you, I had prepared of the Teftimony of Antiquity againfl them. But here is wore then they Are able folidly to anjwer , and 1 was Afraid of over-whelming the capacity of ordinary Readers. 1 under (land not the French Tongue \ but by the Teflimony of Learned men that under ft and them, and * The Right Honourable efpecially by the help * of a Noble friend that jKw&atf&fc- ^bvouchfafcdtotravpte foment of tbcm nefs and Learning occafioneth for my ufe , I am imboldened to a confidence^ the iorrow of his JF?"?^ that the two famous Confutations of the rreat that is deprived of him5infucri J I I Dete<5l. 3. Agree on the way of proof \ before ( e i ) yon io The Contents, you difpute : Papifls will take neither Senfe, Rexfon, Scripture,nor the Tradition or tfudgemerfafthe greater fart oft be Church for judge or proof > p. 41 • Chap. 13. Detedl. 4. Vndcrftaud what they mean, when they call to you for a Judge of Controversies. How far a Judge is necefjary, and wbc P» 43 • Chap. 14. Detect. 5. They pretend jhat in their waj there is an End of Controverfies, but in ours there ts none: Detected, p. 46. Chap. 15. Detedt 6. Their boafl of Vnity, and reproach- ing us with Divifions, Detected, p. 52. Chap. 16. Dete&. 7. Their confounding the Effentials and Integrals of Chriflianitj Detected, p. 63. Chap. 17. Detedl. 8. Their extolling the judgement of the Catholick Church Detected : 77 is again ft them^.qi. Chap. 18. Detedl.p. Some of their deluding Ambigui- ties Detetted. 1 . In the word [Church "] 2 . In the word C Pep*. 3 3 • C A General Council. ] Bring them to Define what they mean by thefe,andyou break them, p. 73, Chap. 15?. Dete&. 10. Their Confounding 1. An humane Ordinance, and a Divine. 2. tjMeere Primacy with So- wer aignty. 3. \^An alterable Order with an unalterable Effential, Detected, p^ Si . Chap. 20.Dete&. 11. The vanity of their pretending Tradition detected, p. 86. How far we are for Traditi- on, p. 87. Tradition confeundetb Popery, p. 98, Chap. 2 1 . Dete&. 1 2 . Their pretence that the Greeks and all other Churches were once under the Pope, Detected, p. 102. Chap. 22. Deteft. 13. Their plea that the Church of Rome is a True Church, and therefore we are Schifma- ticksfor Separating from it, Detected, p. 1 03 . Chap. i3.Dete£h 14. Their pretending to fixed Vnitj and Jettlednefs , and that we are at uncertainty > in- The Contents. n incoherent, and changelings , Betcfted, P. 107. Chap. 24. Dete&. 15. Their flea that our Church and Religion is new, and theirs old ; and their calling fvr a Catalogue % and proof of the Succefsion of our Church before Luther, Detected; and our Church made known to them, p. 115. Aud vindicated from H. Turber* vile'* exceptions. Proved fully that perfons differing in points of Faith are Chriflians,and of the fame Churchy p. i25,i27,&c. Andthatthe A baflines, Armenians, Copties, Greeks, &c. are of the fame Church with us, proved. H**!'* proof ef their Succefsion confuted, to p. 141. Chap. 25. Deteih 16. Their jumbling all our differences together, and then making lefferor common differences to he the Prote/iant Religion, Detefted, p. 141.. Thirty two points of Popery named, which they are chal- lenged to prove a Succefsion of, with my promife to re- ceive what is fo proved, p. 142. H. T'* Arguments for the Succefsion of their Doctrine confuted to p. 155. Papifls have thofein their Church t hat-differ in point of Faith, p. 155- No fuch difference between us and themofi of the Chri- ftian world as can prove us not of the fame Catholick Churchy proved againft H. T. in the inflances, i, of Invocation of Saints, p. 157. 2. Praying for the dead,. p. 160. 3. Veneration or Adoration of Images, Crofs andReliques,y.i6z* 4« Tranfubftantiation, 5. Satis- faction and Purgatory, 6> OfFafis, Fret-wilf &c Chap. 26.Deteft. 17. Their falfe. interpretation of the fayings of Ancients, from whence they would extort a proof of their Soveraigniy, Deteffed in eight in fiances, p. 169. Chap. 27. Dete', and the unholinefs of ours: And 1. Of their Canonized Saints \ p. 214, 217. 2. Of [the fir iff nefs of their Religious Orders. 3. of their unmarryed Clergie, p. 227. /[.Their Holy cere- monies. Chap. 35.Deteft.25. 7 heir demanding of us to tell them when every one of their Corruptions did begin, p. 233. Their Novelty proved, ^.i^^fac. A Confutation of a Papifts M. S. on this point , which was f em to Mr. Millard, neer Sturbridge, p. 244. Chap.36. Deted:. 27. They charge us with New Articles, for denying their new Articles of Faith, and then bid us prove theSuccefsion of our Negatives, p. 2 5 8. Chap. 37. Deced. 28. 1 hey conclude that thehs is the fifer Religion, becaufe it is mofi uncharitable and damn- tth others, and ours the lefs fafe becaufe the more chart' table, p. 2tfi. They The Contents. They admit or fave Heathens while tbtj wokld^damm. Pro- te fonts proved ', p. 26 J. Chap. 38. Deteft. 29. They win the Great wes and mul- titude by fuiting their DocJrine and Worship to thefefoy conceits and inclinations of ungodly men ,~ p. 371. (hewed in twenty infonces. Chap. 39. Deteft. 30. They pickup themftaMl 9r i[ar{h pafl'ages of fome particular &ivttw) an& perftiadt \men that thefe are the Proteflant Keligkm, - "-p. 27^. A Confutation of CardwalRichlkus twelve Accusations or Arguments agarnfl iht P+OH 'fonts, p/i&O^&ft^h Chap. 42. Dete The Contents. Chap. 47. Detect. 38. Their exceeding wduftry to pervert men of Inter eft and power, P« 3 45 • ■Chap. 48. Dete<5h 39. Their Treafons againft the lives of Princes and the Peace of Nations, and their disjoi- nting the bond of Oaths and Covenants 5 and making Perjury and Rebellion to feem Duties and Merit oriut, p. 348. proved from themjelves; their recrimination about the late Kings death further refeUed, p.355. Chap. 49. Dete&. 40. Their laft courfe is to turn to open Hoftility, andjttr up Princes to war and blood, p. 3 5 6. Chap. So. Some Propofals to the Papijtffor a(Hopelefs) Peace, p. 364* The 1 *5 The Contents of the Second Part. Quell. YW*#tf/w the way to heal the Bivifions in the ChurchesofChrift.be by drawing them all into One Vniverfal Viftble Political body > under One Vni- verfal viftble Head or Government ? Or whether the Catholick church be a body fo Vnited and Governed ? Neg. Chap. i. Shewing the Occafions andreafsns of this writings ejpecially as from the Grot fans : Mr. Pierce'j exceptions maniftfled to be frivolous, p. 379. Grotius [peaking EngXithtograttfie w£ P.104.I.IJ. for reafoned,r. ceafed. p.126. l.penult. for 0/ r. ta^c. p.i 3 1. l.penult. r.Vigntrim. p. 134. 1.? 6. for )fo? ^#y, r. the fifth Aft. p.145.1.9. r. to receive fo many. &. 1. ig.v.when he hath, p.i j7.L34.for fnf.r. Jof p.i7o.i.9.for rvhich,r.with. p.i9i.\.$$.forthis3r.hi*. p. 196.I.36 r. 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Key for Catholicks> To open the jugiings of the fefuits, and fatisfie all that are but truly willing to underftand , whe- ther the caufc of the tymane, or the Reform- ed churches, be of God : and to leave the Redder utterly unexcufable, if after this he will be a Fdpifi. C h a p. r. HE thoughts of the divided ftate of Chri- ftians have brought one of the greateft and conftanteft fadnefs to my Soul , that ever it was acquainted with ; efpecially to reraember,that while wc are quarrel- ling, and plotting, and writing, and fight- ing againft each other, fo many parts of tie world ( about five of (ix ) remain in the Infidelity of Hedthenifm , Judrifm oc Al4hometa»ifm , where millions of poor fouls do need our help ; and if all our ftrength were joyned together for their Illumination and Sal- vation, it would be too little. Oh horrible (harae to the face B of A f\ey for Catholicks. of Chriftendora , that the Nations arc quietly fcrving the De- vil,and the Turk is in pofleflion of fomany Countries, that once were the Inheritance of Chrift, and that his Iron yoak is (till upon the necks of the perfecutcd Greekj> and that he ftands up st ©ur doors in fo formidable a pofture, frill ready to devour the reft of the Chriftian world j and ye! that inftcad of combining to refift him, and vindicate thecaufc and people of the Lord , we are greedily fucking the blood of one another , and tearing in pieces the body of Chrift with furious hands, and deftroying our (elves to fave the enemy a labour, and fpending that wit , that treafure, that labour and that blood, to dafhour felvesin pieces on one another, which might be nobly, and honeft!y,and happily fpent in the caufe of God. Thcfe thoughts provoked mc to maay an hours confidcrati. on, Howthe wounds of the Church might be yet healed ^ And have made it long a principal part of my daily Prayers, that the Reconciling Light might (hinc from Hcavcn,tbat might in fomc good meafure take up our differences ; and that God would at laft give healing Principles and difpofitions unco men, efpecially to Princes and the Pallors of the Church. But the more I flu- died how it might be done,the more difficult, if not impoflible itappear*d, and all becaufcof the Romane Tyranny, the Vice- Chrift or pretended Head of the Church , being with them become an eflential part of it ,• and the Subjection to him eflen- tial to our Chriftranity it feif . So that (faith BeUarmine de Ec~ clef. 1. 3.c.$.)No manjboBgh he wonld^can be a SubjeEl of Chrift , that is notfttbjcEl to the Pope ; and this with abundance of into- lerable corruptions they have fixed by the fancy of their own Infallibility, and boiir upon this foundation a worldly Kingdom, and the temporal Riches and Dignity of a numerous Clergy, twifting fome Princes alfo into the Intercft ; fo that they cannot pofiibly yield to us in the very principal points of difference , unlefs thev will denv the very Eifcnce of their New Chriftia- nity and Church, and pluck up the foundations which they have fo induftrioufly laid , and leave men to a fufpicion that they arc fallible hereafter, tf they fhall confefs themfelves raiftaken in any thing no w-,and unlefs tbey will be fo admirably felf-denying, as to lee go the temporal advantages which fo many tboufands of them ate inter eikd in : And whether fo roach light may be hoped A I^ey for Catbolicks. hoped for in fo dark a generation, or fo much love to God, and felf-denyal in millions of men fovoid of felf-denyal , is eafie to conje&ure : And we cannot in thefe greateft matters come over to them, unlefs we will flatly betray our Souls, and depart from the Unity of the Catholick Church, and from the Center of that Unity, to unite with another called the RomaneCatholick Church, in another Center. And if we fhould thus caft away the Truth and Favour of God, and fin againft our Knowledge and C nfcience, and fo prove men of no Faith or Religion9undcr pretence of defiring a Vnity in Faith and Religion, yet all would not do the thing intended, but we fhould certainly mifs of thefe very ends which wefcek, when we had fold the Truth and our Souls to obtain them. For there is nothing more certain, then that thcChriftian World will never unite in the Romane Vice- Chriit, nor agree with them in their Corruptions, againft plain Scripture, Tradition, Confentof the ancient Church, againft the Rcafonand common fenfe of Mankind ; This is not by any wife man to be expeded. Never did the univerfal Church, or one half of it center to this day in the Roman Soveraignty : And why fhould they hope for thai which never yet was done ? When they had their Primacy of Place ( to be the Bifhop of the firft Seat, and firft of the Patriarcks ) it made the Pope no more a Soveraign and a Vic*-Chrift,then the King of France is Soveraign to the D*ke of Saxony or Bavaria •, or then the Se- nior Jufticc on the Bench is the Soveraign of the reft : and yet even this much he never had but from the Romane Empire : What claim did he ever lay in his fir ft U fur pat ions , to any Church without thofe bounds ? It was the Empire that raifed him, and the Empire limited his own Ufurpations. Saitb their own Reineriud, ( or whoever elfe ) Com. Waldenf. fatal. m Biblioth. Patr. To. 4. fag 773. [ The Churches of the Armenians , and ./Ethiopians , and Indians , and the reft which the Apofiles convert ed, are not finder the Church of Rome. ] Yea in Gregories days, they found the Churches of Brittain and Irelandboth Grangers and adversaries to their Soveraignty Jn- fomuch as they could not procure them to receive their Go- vernment, nor change fo much as the time of Eafltr for them , no nor to have Communion with them at laft : Anno 614. Lanrintitu their Arch. Bifhep here wrote this Letter ( with B 2 Mtllitm A J^zy for Catbolitks. MellitHs andfuftus) to the Bifhops and Abbots in all Scot- land ( that is, Ireland ) \while the Sea Apoftolicl^after its manner diretled tu to preach to the Pagan Nations in thefe Wtfern parts , as in the whole world ; and we happened to enter this ,'fiand, called Brittain , kef ore we fyew them Relieving that they talked after the manner of the univerfal Church , we reverenced bath the Brit- tains and the Scots in great Reverence of their SanBity. But when we knew the Brittains, we fought the Sco:s were better. But we have learnt by Daganus the 'Btjh-p in this forementioned Jjland , and by Columbanus the Abbot coming i»f France, that the Scots do nothing differ from the Brittains in their Converfation. For Btjbop Daganus coming to my reftifednot only to tat with us, but tvtntoeatin the fame Hottfe where we did eat, ] Vfher Epift* Hibern.j.p.iS. Our moil peaceable BiKhop Hall was forct to write a [[ Roma \rreconciliabilU. ] While we are thinking of Reconciliation, they are about our ears with Plots and violence , and with fwarras of Rome-bred Se&s , and are day and night induftri- oufly undermining us ^ fo that by ,their continual Alarms, I am called off to thefe defenfive wars which here I have under- taken ; yet {till refolving that the Defperatenefs of the Cure (hall not make me run from them into a contrary extrcam, nor be out of the way of Peace, norneglc&any ncceflary rocans; how hopelcfs focYer of fuccefs. The Work that here I have undertaken, is, i. To give you briefly thofe Grounds on which you muft go , if you will keep your ground againft a Papift. 2. To give a few invinci- ble Arguments, which the weakeft may be able to ufc, to over- throw the principal grounds of the Panics. 3 . To detect their Frauds, and give to the younger fort of Minifters, fufficicnt Dire&ions for the Confutation of all the Papifts in the world. 4. To propound (though in vain) fuch terms of Peace as we can yield to. Chap. AK^y for Qathollch Chap. \h BEfore I mention the Grounds or Caufe that you muft maintain , I muft premife this Advice to the Common People. i . Wrong not the Truth and your felvei by an unequal con- fl (ft. Enter not rafhly upon Difputes with thofe that are Learned and of nimble tongues , if you be ignorant , or of weak capacities your fcives. Though I (hali here {hew you that Scripture, Church, Tradition, Rcafon and Senfb are on your fiifc, yet experience tels us how the words of Juglcrs have made millions of men deny belief to their eyes, their cade and other fenfes. An ignorant man is foon filenced by a fubcile wit •, and many think that when they cannot anfwer, tbey muft yield , though they deny both Senfe and Reafon by it. If any of them fecretly entice you, defircthem to debate the cafe with fome able, learned, experienced Minifter in your bearing. It is the office of your Paftors to defend you from the wolves : If you once defpife them orftraggle from them and the Flocks, and trull 10 your own Reafon that is unfurnifhed and unprepared for fuch work , you may take that you get by if, if you be un- done. You need the help of Paftors for your foufs,as well as of Phyficians for your B odiei, and Lawyers for your Eftatei : or. elfe God would never have fct them over you in his Church. Let them but come on equal terms , and you (hall fee what Truth can do. In this way we will not avoid a Conference with any of them. But alas ! with ignorant unlearned people , what may not fuch Deceivers do ? that canperfwadc foma* jy thoufand fouls to give no Credit to their own cyes,or tafte, or feeling , but to believe a Prieft ,that Bread is not Bread, and Wine is not Wine. 2. Yet I would have the weakeft to endeavour to mderftatd the reafons of their Profeffion.andto be *blc to rcpell Deceivers.* And to that end , I (hall here give you firft fome Directions concerning the caufe which you muft defend. And concerning this , Obfcrve thefe things following, I. Underftand what the Religion is that you muft hold and maintain; It is the tntient Cbriftian Religion. Do not put eveay B 3 Truth A l\eyfor Catholicks. Truth among the EfTentials of your Religion : Our Religion doth pot (land o* fall with every Controverfie that is raifed about it. That which was the true Religion in the A pottles days is curs now; that which all were baptized into the Pro- feflion of, and the Churches openly held forth as their Belief. Reformation brings us not anew Religion: but eleanfeth the old from the drofs of Popery, which by innovation they had brought in. A man that cannot confute a Papifl , may yet be a Chriftian, and fo hold fafl the true Religion. It followeth not that our Religion is queflionablc or unfafe , iffome point in Controverfie between them and us be queflionable or hard^Thc Papifls would fain bring you to believe that our Religion mufl lie upon forac of thefe Controverfics : but its no fuch matter. Perhaps you will fay \Thattben it is not About Religion that we dif- fer from them. I anfwer • yes : it it about the Effentials of their Religion , but it is but for the preferving the Integrity of ours againft the Confequcnccs and additions of theirs. They have made them a Nerv Religion ( which we call Popery ) and joined this to the Old Religion ( which we call Chriflianity. ) Now we flick to the old Religion alone •, and therefore there is more effcntial to their Religion, then is to ours ; fo that our own Re- ligion, even the ancient (^hriftianity , is out of Controverfie be- tween us. The Papifls do confefsthat the Creed, the Lords Prayer , the ten Commandments are true , yea that all the Scripture is the word of God , and certainly true : fo that our Religion is granted us as pad difpute : And therefore it is only the Papifls Religion thai is in queflion between as, and not ours. If you will make thofe lower Truths to be of the EfTence of your Religion which arc not, you will give the Papifls the advantage which they defire. 2. If the Papifls call for a Rule, orTeft of your Religion , and ask you where they may find it, afiign them to the Holj Strif tares t and not to any Confefsions of Churches , further then as they agree with that. We know of no Divine Rules and Laws of Faith and Life , but the holy Scripture (and the hearts of Believers have an imperfect Tranfcript of them.^The Confefsions of Churches are but part of the Holy Scripture, or Collections out of them , containing the points of greatcft weight : And if in phrafe or order ( much more in mater)there be A %ey for Qatholicks. be my thing humane, we make ic not our Rule, nor are we bound to make it good , no more then the Writings of godly men. A point is not therefore with us an Article of Faith, becaufc our 'Churches or a Synod putitinto aConfefsion , but beciufe it is in the Word of God. For a Councils determi- nations do with us differ but gradually from the Judgement of a finglc man, in this rcfpecl. And therefore we give them the Scripture only as the full Do&rine of our Faith,and the perfect Law of God; And thofe points in it, which Life or Death is laid upon , and God hath cold us, we cannot be faved without, we take as the Effentials of our Religion, and the reft asthelnte- gralsonly. If they ask, jyhj then we do draw up Confe/fiens of Faith i I anfwer, i. To teach and help the people , by gathering to their hands the moft neceffary points, and giving them fometimes an explication of them, 2. To let our Accufers fee that we mif- underftand not the Scriptures. 3 . To let Paftors and other Sub- jects know what fence of Scripture the Magiftrate will own within his Dominions. 4. And to let the Paftors and the world know what fence in the principal Points we are agreed in. But ftill we take not our Confefiions for our Divine Rule; and there - fore if there be any errour in a Confeffion , there is none in the Rule of our Religion, and confequcndy none in the Religion which we all agree in • but only in fuchaperfons or Churches cxpofition of the Rule, which yet among Chriftians is not in my effential Point. 3 . Underftand well what is the Cdtholick^ Church, that when the Papifts ask you what Church you are of, or call to you to prove its antiquity or truth, you may give them a found and Catholic k anfwer. The Catholick Church is the whole number of trueChriftans upon earth ( for we meddle not now with that part which is in Heaven.) It is not tyed to Protectants on- ly, nor to the Greeks only, much lefs to the Roraanifts only, or to any othef party whatsoever • but it comprehendeth all the members of Chrifl ; and asvi(ible5 it containeth all that pro- fe's the Chriftian Religion by a credible profeiEon. IftheChri- ftian Religion may be known, then a man raay know that he is a Cbrifban, and confequently a member of the Catholick Cf«Uicb. But if the Chriftian Religion cannot be known,then no man can know Jfieyfor Catbolicks know which is the Church, or which is a Chriftian. All Chriftr ans united to Chriit the Head, arc this Catholick Church. If you tye the Church to your own party, and make a wrong defcrip- tion of it, you will enfnare your felves,and fpoil your belief, and your defence of it. 4. Run not into extream* : mix not any unfound principles with your Religion. For if youdo,thePapi(ts will cull out rhofe, and by difgracing them, will feem to difgrace your Religion. 5 . life not any unfound Arguments to defend the Truth. Foe if you do, the truth will fuffer , and feem to be overthrown by the weaknefsof your Arguments. 6. Joyn net with thofe men that caft out any Ordinance of God,becaufethe Pap.fts haveabufed it. Reformation of cor- rupted Inftitutions is not by the Abolition of them, but by the Reftauracionof them. There are few things in ufe among the Papifts themfelves as parts of worfhip , but may lead us up to a good original, or tell us of fomc other real Duty which did de- generate into thefe. 7. Joyn not with thofe ignorant, unpeaceable, felf- conceited, womanifh, rabious Divines, or private men, that pour out un- worthy reproaches at godly men among our felves;as if they were Hereticks , or Jfuch as the Churches fhould dif-own. For thefe are they that pleafe the Papifts , and harden them in their Error, and offend the weak. They think they may call us Hereticks or Blafphemcrs by authority, when we call one another fo. Such Railers teach them what to fay, and play their game more effe- ctually then they could do their own. When they are alluring the fimple people, how foon will they prevail , if they can but prove their charge againft us from the pens of Proteftants them- felves? Having told you on what grounds you mull make good your caufe againft them, I (hall next give you three or four eafie Ar- guments ( fome of them formerly given you ) by which even the weakeft may prove that Popery is bat deceit. Chat, A fyy for Cttholkks. Cfe a p. I IT. Argum. I. Ti7 there be any godly hone (I men on earth be fides X Papifts , then Popery is falfe and not of God. But there be ge-dly hone ft men en earth be fides Papifts : therefore Popery is falfe %and net of God. The Major is proved thus. It is an Article of the Popifti faith, that there are no godly honeft men on earth , bel'ides Papifts : therefore if there be any fuch,Popery is falfe, f By godly honeft men, I mean fuch as have true love to God , and fo arg in a ftate of falvacion.) The Antecedent I prove thus. i.*Tneir very definition of the Church doth make the Pope the Head , and confine the memberlhip only to his fubje&s, making the Roman Catholick Church ('as they call it) the whole. 2. But yet left any ignorant Papifts fay, I may be a Roman (fatholickjwithout be- lieving that all others are ungodly , and flail be dawned f\ will give it you in the Determination of a Pope and general Council. Leo the is\\i\\,Abrog.Pragm.fati£h.rBull.\t\ the 17th- General Coun- cil at the Later ane, faich [_And feeing it is of necejftty to falva- tU'4, that ail the faithful of Chrift be fubjeel to the Pope of Rome, asm are taught by the teftimony of divine Scripture, and of the holy Fathers, and it is declared in the (fonfthution of Pope Boni- face 7, &c] And Pope Pitts the fecond was converted from being ts£mtas Sylvius by this Dodrine of a Cardinal, approved by him at large, Bull. Retracl. in the Vol. 4. of Binnius, p. 5 14. [ / came to the Fountain of Truth , which the holy Doclors , both Greeks and Latine fheW , who with one voyce fay, that he cannot be faved that holdeth n9t the unity of the holy Church of Rome ; and that all thofe vertues are maimed to him that refufetk to obey the Pope of Rome ^ though he lye in fack^ cl°th andajhes, and fafh and pray both day and night, and feem in the ot'.cr things to ful- fill the Law of God.] So that if a Pope and General .Council be falfe, then Popery is falfc.For thtir infallibility rs the ground of tbeir faith, and they take it on their unerring authority. But if the Pope and a General Council be to be believed, then no roan but a fubjed of the Pope can be faved : no , though he fiftand pray in lack-cloth and afhes day and night, and feem to fulfill the reft of the Law of God. Its cercaimtberefore that if s i o A fyyfor Catkolicks. • — — — — ■ __ any one of you that call your felves Romanc Catholicks do not believe that all the world (hall be damned fave your felves , you are indeed no Romane Catholicks, but are Hereticks your felves in their account; for you deny a principal Article of their faith • and deny the Infallibility of the Pope with a General Council, whjch is your very Foundation. And therefore we find that even in the great charitable work of reducing tbe Abajftnes, the Jefuite Gonzaltu Rodericus in his fpeech to the Empcrours mother laid fo great a ftrefs on this point , that when fhe profefled her fubjc&ionto Chrift he told her, tbau[ None are fubjctl to Chrift that are not fubjetl to hit Vicar ^ \wtgavi Chrift o fubjici qui ejus vicario nenfubjicitur.~] Gedignus dcreb. Abafsin. Lib.Z.c. i8.in Roderic. liter, p. 323. And Bellarmine faith {de EccL 1. 3 .f .5 ) that [ no man though he would can be fubjetl to Chrift thai is not fubjetl to the Pope ] that is, hecanr.otbea Chriftian. And therefore Card. Rich- lieu ( then Bifhop of Lujfon.) tcls the Protcftants that they were not to be called Chrift 'tans. And Knot againit Chilling- worth, with abundance more of them, aflereingtbatProteftants cannot be faved, do eafily learn to practice thisLefTonof the Pope and Council. I come now to prove that your Pop?, and Councill, and Faith are falfe, and that others btfides you may be in a ftate of Charity and Salvation. ( For you confefs your felves, thathethat is in a ftate of Charity, is in aftatcof Salvation. ) I. If a man may kjtoty his own hearty then there are others be ftdes Pafifts that are in Charity, and are godly men : (and fo in a [late of Salvation ) But a man may kpjw his own heart: therefore, &c. The Confequence of the Major is plain by inward experience to every godly, honeft man that knoweth himfelf. If I can know my own heart, I n.uft needs fay I love God, and am not void of fincere Godlinefs and Honefty. And that I raay^know my own heart I can tell idfo by experience .- For to know my own Knowledge and Will is an ordinary certain thing , if not by intuition it fclf. And if a man cannot know whether he believe and love God or not, then no man can give thanks for it, nor dike Profefiion of it: nay men cannot converfe togetber,if they cannot know their own minds. And Bellarmine confeffeth that we A f\ey for Qatholicks. \ \ we may have a moral Conjectural certainty that we have true Love, and are juftiried. And then I have a moral con/e&iiral certainty at leift,that Popery ii falft; becaufe I have at lead fuch a certainty that I am not ungodly or un juftin*ed . So that look what meafureof knowledge or pcrfwafion any Proteftant hath that he is truly honed and juftificd, that meafureof knowledge rouft he needs have ( if he underftand himfclf ) that Popery is a deceit. So that from hence you may gather tbefe four conclufions ; I . That all that have any k^swle^ge or perfwafion that they are not ungodly unjuftified ptrfons them ft Ives, and void of the true Love of God, art quite out of danger from turning Papiftsy if they underftand but what Popery is j and if they do not, they cannot turn to it, but in parr. Z.That never any hem ft godly man did turn Papift in the world; and this the Papifts themfelves will juftifie : For they fay ( by a Pope and general Council ) that no man can be faved but a Papift: and they generally hold, that all that have Chanty and are juftificd, (hall be faved if they fo die. So that if Popery be true, tfien nomanhadCharityortrueGodlinefs before he was a Papift : and therefore never did one godly man or woman turn Papift. And therefore let them take the honour of their wicked feduced Ones. What glory is it to them that none ever turned to them but ungodly people? 3 . And it folio weth that the Papift s ao not fa much as deftre or invite any godly man to turn to them. If you underftand their meaning, they call you not to turn to them, if you arenotun* godly perfons. 4. And hence it follows that every one thatturneth Papift, doth thereby confefs chat he was a wicked man before , and that he had not the leaft true love to God ; that he was not jaftified, but a gracelefs wretch. In a word, all you that do but know or hope that you have tny faving Grace, have an Argument here againft Popery, which all the fefuites in the world cannot confute. For you know your own hearts better then they : And they havero way to turn you to them, but by perfwading you that you ara not what you are, and that you know not what you know. So that plainly this is ygur Argument, [ J k*w>°r I have good per- C 2 fwajiont 12 A KieyforCatholicks. fwajtons that I am not utterly void of Charity or faving Grace, therefore I know, or have the fame fcrfaaftons that Popery isfalfe, which determined that none have Charity or faving Grace hn% Papi(ts, ] 2. But I proceed to a further proof of the Minor ^ A man may have a very ftroagConjeclure that many others that are no Papifts have faving Grace •, though he had no perfwafion that he hath fuch Grace himfelf. And confequcntly he muft have as ftrong aconjedurethat Popery is falie. What abundance of holy heavenly perfonshave we known of all rank? among us / Such as have lived in dayly breathings after God, fpending no fmall part of their lives upon their knees, and in the ferious and reverent attendance upon God in holy worfhip, meditating day and night upon his Law ; hating all known fin, and delight- ing in holincfs, and longing for perfection; and living in con- ftant Temperance and Chaftity, abhorring the very appearance of evill, and making confeience of an idle word or thought, devoting their lives and labors, and all they have to God, giving all their Eftatcs ( fome of them ) to pious and charitahle ufes, except what is neccfTiry for their dayly bread, even nftan cloath- ing and food; taming their bodies, and bringing them into fubjedion , and denying themfelves,and mortifying theflefh, and contemning all the Honors or Riches of the world, re- folving to fuffer death it felf, ( as many of their Brethren have done from the Papifts ) rather then fin wilfully agiinft God and their confcienccs : in a word, living to God, and longing to be with him, and manifefting thefe longings to the very death \ grieving more at any time, if they have but loft the fenfeand perfwalions of the love of God , then if they had loft all the world ; and would give a thoufand worlds, if they had them , for more of the Love of God in their fouls, and fuller affurance of his Love and Communion with him. As far as words, and. groans, and tears, and the very drift of a mans life, and the expending of all that he hath, can help us to know another mans heart, fo far do we know all this by others,that have lived among us. And may we not conjecture, and be ftrongjy per* fwaded that thefe, or fome of thefe, or fome one of thefe, was a holy juftificd perfon ? And now Reader, if ever thou be tempted to be a Papift, L will Al^ey for Qatholkks. will tell thee what a task thou haft : Look on one frfe on the Lives of holy men among us, fuch*s was Mr.ZW^, A/Y. Paul Bayn, Mr.trtlliam Tenner , Mr. Arthur Hilderfbam, Mr. Robert Bo/ton, Mr. Greenham, Mr, Hooker, Dr. Sibbs, Dr. Prefton, Dr. Stoughton, Mr. Perkins, with many hundreds more ; Befides blef- fed Bradford fi 'lover, Sanders, Hooper, and the reft that Jaid down their lives in the flames in teftimony agiinft Popery ; befides aH thethoufands chat in other Nations have dyed bythePapifts hands, becaufe they durft not fin againft God; and befides all the Learned holy Divides of other Nations, and the millions of Godly Proteftants there ; as alfo look upon all the godly that are now living, men or women, that live in moft earned feeking after God and ferving him • look on thofe about you , enquire of others •, read the writings of holy Divines : and then remem- ber, yott cannot turn Papift tilt you have concluded that all thefe are damned, and are utterly void of faying Grace and the- Love of God ; If there be but one Proteftant that you know , or any one of all that have been, that you take to be in a faving ftate, you cannot poffibly turn Papift, if you know what you do. For it is efTential to Popery to contradid all this. Nay, this is not all: but think of all the Greek Church that lyeth under the tyranny of the Turk , and of all the Armeni- ans, and Abafmes, and other Chriftians in the world , that are more in number far then the Papifts ; and you muft conclude, that not one of all thefe are faved before you can be a 'Papift. And is this aneafie task to one that hath the heart of a man in his brcft ? If you are no true Chriftians your felves, dare you con- clude that not one of thefe are true Chriftians ? If you confefs that you love not God your felves , dare you fay that among the far greater part of the Chriftians of the world, there is noc one man or woman that loves God? This you muft fay if you will be a Papift. And then on the other band , Lo®k on the words of Jefus Chrift, and fee what thanks he will give you for fuch a cenfure, Mat . 7.1,2,3,4,5. fudge not, that ye be not judged • for with what judgement ye judge, y e* fh all be judged : and with what mea* fure you meet, it Jhallbe meafured t9 you again. And why be* haldeft thou the mote ikthy brothers eye, but confidtreft not the beam that U in thine, cwn eye}—ThoH hypocritelfirft caft out the beam C-3 • 9Ut.: 14 ^K^y for Catbolicks. cxtef thiwown eye , and then fljtlt thou fee clcerly tocaftout the mote out ofthy brothers eye. ~] Jam. 4.12. There is one Law giver that it able to fave and to deft, yea he /hall be hslden up , for God is able to make him ft and. One man efteemetk me day above another , another efteemeth every day alike : Let every man be fuUy per f wa- ded in his own mind- But why doft thou judge thy bro- ther, er why doft thoti fetdt nought thy brother ? Vre /hall all ft and before the Judgement feat of Chrift. For it is written , as I live faith tbe Lord, every knee /hall bow to me, and every tongue (hall confefs to God •, fo then every one of us fballgive account of himfelf to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more.] Matth. 18 6. \_But whofoever /ball offend one of thefe little ones which be* Hive in me.it were better for him that a milftone were hanged about his neckj and that be were drowned in the depth of the Sea. ] Mar. 25.40,45,34,41. [Come yeblejfed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom — For I was hungry and ye gave me meat — Verily I fay mtoyeujn as much at ysu have done it unto one of the lea ft of thefe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. ] And vcr . 4 1 . £ De- part from me ye cur fed into ever lafting fire Verily I fay unto yout in as much as you did it not to one o/the leaft of thefe t you did it not to me»~\ I will recite no more \ Judge now by fuch paffages as thefe, bow Chrift fets by one of the leaft of his fcrvants : snd confequent- ly, how he will take it of you, to judge the far greateft part of his Church to be gracelefs and none of his Church, but fuch as (hall be damned. And if you dare not venture on fo unreason- able and inhumane a cenfure , againft the experience of fo much holincfs as appeareth in them before your eyes, then you cannot be Papifts : And if you dare venture on it, I leave you to con- fider, whether under pretence of being the only Christians, you have not done violence to the common. reafon and nature of m*n. So much for the fecond proof of the Minor. 3 . But A I{ey for Catholicks. ® 1 5 3 . But I have yet another proof, that many that are no 7a* pifts are good Chriftians^ and confequently, that Popery is a deceit, and that is the Teftimony of many of their own Writers. I will not call for their teftimony concerning our felves ( for we know our felves better then they do) but concerning other Churches whom they condemn as Hercticks, or that are no fubje&s of the Pope of Rome , And I will at this time content my felf with one of many that might be cited; and that is a Monk, Burchardus that lived in the Holy Land,and having wrote aDefcription of it, and thofe that inhabit it,faith of them as followech, p. 3 25 ,3 26. [ And for thofe that we judge to be damned Heretic ks, as the Ne- ftorians, Jacobites, Maromtes, Georgians, and the like , 1 found them to be for the mo ft part good ani fimple men , and living fin- cerely toward God and men i they are of great abftixencefiiQ.. And of the Romane Catholicks he faith, page 323. [There are in the Land of Prom>fe men of every Nation under Heaven , and every Nation lives after their own Rites : and , to fpeak^ the very truth , to our own great confufion, there are none found in it, that are worfeyand more corrupt in manners then fchrifiians] (he means Papifts. ) And page 3 24. he tels us, that the Syrians, Greeks, Armeni- ans, Georgians, Neftorians, Nubians, Jubeans,Chaldaeans , Ma- ronkes, Ethiopians, Egyptians, andmany other Nations ef Chri- ftians, there inhabit ^ and that fome are fchifmatickj not fubjetl to the Pope ; and others called Here ticks , as the Neftorians, Jaco- bites, &c. but (faith he J there are many in the fe feBs that are very fimple (or fine ere) knowing nothing of herepes : devoted to Chrifl : macerating the fie/h with faftings^ andcloathed with the moft fimple garments , jo that they far excel thrvtry Religions of the Church of Rome. .] foyouhearan AdverfartestetUmony. Well then, when a Papift can prove to me , that I love not God, contrary to my own experience of my felf: and vfrhen he can make me believe that no one of all the holy Heavenly Chri- ftians of my acquaintance, MimfterSjOr people, areinaftate of charity or Juftification : and that no one Chriftian on earth (hall be faved but a Papift, then I will turn Papift : And till then they do not defire me to turn. But I mnft folemnly profefs that this belief is fo difficult to me, and abhorred by my reafon, and my whole heart , and fe contrary to my own knowledge, and to abundant 1 6 ^ A 2(gj /or Catholicks . abundant evidence, and to all Chriftian charity, that I think I (hall as foon be perl waded to believe that I am not a man , and that I have not the ufeof fence or rcafon, or that Snow is black, and the Crow white,as to believe this EfTential point of Popery. I fhould a hundred times eaficr be brought to doubt whether I have the love of God my felf, then to conclude all the Chrifti- ans in the world fave the Papifts, to be the heirs of damnation. * C h a p. IV. Argum. 2t~rHdt DoBrine is not true nor «f God which teacheth X wen to renounce all Chriftian Love and fVorks of Chriftian Love, towards moft of the Chriftians upon earth: But fo doth the Doclrinerf Popery; therefore it u not of God. Tf their Error were meerly fpeculative, it were the lefs •, but here we fee the fruits of it , and whither it tends. The major Proportion is plainly proved from John i$.^$.[^Bj this /hall all men know that ye are my Difciplesjfyc have love one t& another.'] Col. i. 4. It muft be a[_ Lsve to all the Saints. 2 iThcff. 4.9. But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you, fer je jour f elves are taught of God to love one another. ] This fpecial Love is the Commandment of Chrift , the new Commandment; without this, no mm can be a Lover of God, nor be loved of him as a Member of Chrift, as you may fee, I John 3. 11,12,14,23. & 4.7,8,11:12,20,21. 2 John 5. 7<>&* 13.34. CMS- i-2,i 7. 1 Pet A.2Z. He that loveth not a Chriftian as a Chriftian,wich a fpecial love you may fee in ihefe Texts is none of the Sons of God. And that the Papifts teach menro deny this fpecial Chriftian Love to molt Chriftians in the world, I prove. They that teach men to take mod true Chriftians in the world for no true Chriftians, but for Herericks or ungodly pcrfons that fhall be damned, do teach them to deny the fpecial love and works of love to moft true Chriftians : But thusdo the Papifts -% therefore, &c. How can a man love him as a Chriftian or a godly man,whom he muft take to be no Chri- ftian, or an ungodly man? Its true they may yet love them as Creatures, and fo they muft the Devils 5 and they may love them as men, and fochey muft the Turks and Heathens; But no A t\ey for Catbolkks . 1 7 no man can love him as a member of Chrift, whom he believes to be no member of Chrift, but of the Devil. And all Papifts are bound to this uncharitablenefs by their Religion, even by the Pope and general Council. And fo as Chrift bindcth his fervants to Love one another with a fpecial Love ; fo the Pope and Coun- cil bind the Papifts not to love the mod true Chriftianswith a fpecial Chriftian love : they cannot do it without being Hereticks themfelves, or overthrowing the foundation of Popery. And here you hare a tafte of thePopifh Charity, when they boaft above all things of their Charity. I muft profds, it is their horrible inhumane uncharitablenefs that feeras to me their mod enormous cirae. And alfo you may fee here the extent of their Good works, which they fo much Glory in. He that is bound not to love me as a Chriftian, is bound to do nothing for me as a Chriftian. So that they will not give a cup of cold water to a Difciplc in the name of a Difciple, unlefs he be alfo a Difciple of the Pope : nor can they love or relieve Chrift in his fervants, when they are bound to take them as none of bis fer- vants : and fo the fpecial Love and Charity of a Papift extendetb to none but thofe of their own Se& : and fuch a Charity the Quakers, and Anaba|>tifts, and Families have as eminently as they. Let them take heed left they hear, In as much as you did it not to one of tht leaft of thefejon did it not to me. Chap.V. Argum. 3. ' p1 Hat 'Doflrtne which teacheth men to deftroyer X undo them whom Chrifl hath bound them to love as Chriftian* y andabfolveth Subjetlsfrom their Allegiance to their Prin:es, and requireth the depoftng of them, and committing the Government of their Dominions to others , becaufe the) are judged to be Hert ticks by the Tope ; yea or if they will not deflrsy and ex- tirpate fuch as he calleth Hereticks \ I fay this Dotlrint is not of God, nor fuch as Chriftian Princes Jbsnld fmile upon. But fuch is the Dotlrine of Popery : therefore, &C. I know that a Paper entituled An explanation of the Roman Ca- tholikes Belie] ,and other the iike,do Teem to renounce the opinion of breaking faith with Hereticks, and of prmife breaking with D Magillratci i % A Z\eyfor Catbolkks. Magiftrates ( It fecras they think they owe no more obedience to tfeeir Magiftrates then they promiie. ) But as I refer the Bol- der to what King fames and his defenders havefaid on this point ( befides roany more ) fo I ftiall now give you but the words of one of their own approved General Council 12. the fourth at the Later ane under Innocent 3. as Binnius and others of their own record it. In the firi ; Chapter they fet down their Catho- like faith, two Ankles of which are, 1. That no man can be faved out of their Vniverfal Church. And 2. That the bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Altar are tranfubfi annate into th* Body and Blood of Chrift, the appearances remaining. And in the third Chapter they fay, Q We excommunicate and anathematize every herefie extolling it felf againfl this holy orthodox Catholike faith-, which we have before exported, condemning ail heretickj by what names foever they be called And being condemned, let them be left to the prefent fecular Powers , or their Bailifs to be punilhcd, the Clergy being firfl degraded of their Orders ; and let 1 the goods of fuch condemned ones be confifcate, if they be Lay -men y ' but if they be Clergy men Jet them be given to the Churches whence they had their fiipends. And thofe that -are found notable only by fuffition, if they do not bj congruous purgation demonftrate their inxocency, according to the confederations of the fufpition and the quality of theperfon, let them be fmitten with the fword of Ana- thema, and avoided by all men, till they have given fuffcient fa* tisfatlion ; and if they remain a year excommunicate, let them then be condemned as heretickj. And let the fecu!ar powers, in what Office foever, be admonifhed andperfwaded, and if it be ntcef- fary compelled by Eecleftaflical cenfure, that as they would be re- puted andaccoanted Believers y fo for the defence of the faith, they take an Oath publikely, that they will ftudy in good earnefi accord- ing to their power, to exterminate all that are by the (fhurch de- noted heretickj, from the Countries fubjetl to their furisditlicn. So that when any one (hall be taken into Spiritual or Temporal power, he fhallbyhisOath make good this (fhapter. But if the temporal Lord, being required and admonifhed eft he Church, Jhall negletl to purge his ^ountrejof heretical defilement, let him by the Metropolitan and other Comprovincial Bifhofs be tj/ed by the bond of Excommunication. And if herefufe to fatis fie within a yeary let it be fignifitd to the Pope} that he may from thenceforth de- nounce A fc\ey for Qatbolicks. 19 nounce his Vajfals abfolved from his fidelity and may expofe ha County ey to befeifed oh by fatholikes, who rcoting out th: hcretickj, may poffcfs it without contradiction, and may l^eep it in the purity of faith-, faving the right of the principal Lord, fo be it that he himfelf do make no hindrance hereabout, and oppofe any impedi- ment : and the fame Law is to be obftrved with them that are not principal Lords, ssfnd the Catho likes that taking the jign of the Croft [hall fet themfelves to the rooting out of the heretickj, /hall enjoy the Jame indulgences and holy priviledgesy which were grant- ed to thofe that go to the re leif of the holy land. Aivreover we De- cree, that the believers, receivers, defender s^ayid favourers »f He- retrcks, Jhall be excommunicate , firmly decreeing, that after any fuch is noted by tx communication, if herefufe to fatisfis within a year, he /hall from thenceforth be ipfo jure infamous, and may not be admitted to publikf Offices or Councils , or to the choice of fuch, nor to bear witnefs. And he /hall be intefiate and not have power to make a will, mr may come to a Succeffwn of inheritance. And no man Jh.dl be forced toanfwer him in any caufe : but he fiall be forced to anfwer others. And if he be a fudge, hUfemence [hall be invalid, and no caufes Jhall be brought to his hearing . If he be an Advocate, his Plea foal I not be admitted. If a Notary (or Regifier ) the Infiruments made by him Jhall be utterly void, and damned with the damned Author. And fo in other the like cafesy we command that it beobferved. ] Thus they go on further com- manding Bifhops by themfelves, or their Arch-deacons, or other fie perfons, once or twice a year to fearch every Parifh where any Herecick is found to dwell, and^U all the Neighbourhood to their Oaths, whether they know of any Herecicks there, mr any private meetings, or any that in life and manners do differ from the common converfarion of the faithful, &c. And the Biftiops that negled thefe things are to be caft out, and others put into their places that will do them. And Pope Gregory 7. /. 4. Epift. 7. exprefly ftirs up the peo- ple to caft off their Princes, faying [_ And for the con/piracy of Heretickj and the King, we believe it is not unknown to you that are near them, how it may be impugned by the Catholikt Bi/hops and Dukes, and many others in the Cjerman parts : for the faithful of the Church of Rome are come to fuch a number, that unlefs the King jhall come to fat i sf all ion, they may openly frofefs to chotfe D z another so a fyy for Catholicks. another King, and obferving Juftice^ we have promifed to favour ibem, and will keep our promife firm s &c ] The fum of all is^ that all that the Pope calls Hercticks, muft be condemned and deftroycd, and all Kings, Princes or Lords, that will not execute his fentence and root them oat, muft be difpofeflcd of their Dominions, and the fubjeds abfolved from their fidelity ( whatever Oaths they had taken ) and all others that do but favour or receive them be utterly undone. I fetch not thcfe things out of the writings of the Proteftants, nor from any private Dodorsof their own, but from the very words of a General Council confirmed by the Pope, and un- queftionably approved by them. And abundance the like might be produced. And many ages faw this dodrine put in execu- tion, when the Emperors of Germany were depofed by the Pope, and the Sub jed* abfolved from their Allegiance, as the many volumes written in thofc times^ and pubiifhed together by Gol- daftus teftifie. A nd the King of France, or any other that tole- rate any of the fuppofed Hereticks, may fee what a cenfure they areexpofed to, if meernecefluy were not their fecurity. Perhaps fome will fay, that this Decree was not de fide, but a temporary precept. Anfto. When a precept requireth duty, ic may be a point of Faith to believe it. Precepts arc the Ob/eds of Faith, at leaft as they are aflertions, that the thing command- ed is our duty. It is an Article of faith, that God is to be loved and obeyed, and our Superiors to be honoured, and our Neigh- bour to be loved, and Charity to be exercifed, &c. The Crea- tion, the Incarnation of Chrift, his death, refurredion, afcen- fion, glorification, interceffion, his future Judgement, the Re- furredion of the body, &c. are all matters of fad, and yet matters of faith too. If pradicals be not Articles of faith, then we have no Articles of faith at all •• for all our Theology and Re- ligion is pradical. Do Papifts murder poor Chrift ians by the thoufands, and yet not fide divina believe that it is their duty fo to do? Either it is a duty, or a (in, or indifferent. If a fin, woe to their Pope and Council (and if this be no fin with them, I know not why the world (hould be troubled by them with the name of (in.) If it be indifferent, what then dull be called fin ? If they can fivallow fuch Camels, as the blood of many thoufand Chriftians- what need they Itrain at Gnats, and flick at private Murders, A I^ey for Qatholicfo. 21 Murders, or Fornication, or Lying, or Slandering, any more thentheJefuic-Cafuiftsdo, that are cited by the fanfinian in his Myfterie of Jefuicifm ? But if thefe Murders and depofing Kings be indeed a duty, how can they knowittobefo,but by Bclicring ? And indeed if a General Council and the Pope are to be believed, who give it us with a Decernimas & fir miter ft at uU mur, then it isdoubdefs a point of faith : and if they are not to be believed , then Popery is all but a meer deceit. Objed. 2. But may we not be Roman Catholics though we joyn not with them in this point ? Have not many fitch renounced it} and fi may we, Anfw. If you renounce the Decrees of a Pope and General Council, you renounce your Religion in the very foundation of it , and cannot be Papifts, if you know what you do •, but are in the Roman account as errant Hereticks as thofc that they have tortured and burnt to afhes : though here in EngUnd where they cannot handle you as they would do,they dare not tell yon fo. And if you may renounce the Decrees of a Pope and General Council, when they fay, £ It is a duty, or-- lawful to extirminate all as Hereticks y that believe not Tranfub- ftantiatientand ttfeize upon the Lands of Princes that will not da ity and to deliver them to others that will* and abfolve their Fajfals from their fidelity ] I fay, if you may renounce them in this,vvhy may not we have as free leave to renounce them in other things^ , as groundlefs ? Chap. VI. Arguro. 4. T"* H E true Catholike Church is Holf 1 the Church A of Rome hath for many generations been unholy i therefore the Church of Rome was not in any of thofe Generations the true Catholike Church. The Major Proportion is an Article of the Creed profefTed by themfelvcs,as much as by us, \J. 'Believe the Holy Catholike Church. 1 The unholinefs of the Church of Rome, I prove undenyably, thus : If an Ejfentialpart of the Church o/Rome, even its Head, hath been unholy through many Generations, then the Church &f Rome hath been unholy for many Generations : but an Ejfenti- D 3- *IV iz A Key for Calholicks. all part, even the Head, hath been unholy : therefore, &c. The Confequence of the Major is paft denya). Bonum efi ex caufts integris. Though it will not follow that the Church is Holy, becaufe one EfTential part is Holy, yet it clearly foilow- eth that the Church is unholy, becaufe an EfTential part is un- holy. Asitfollowethnotthatthe Body is found, becaufe the Head is found 5 yetitfolloweth,thatthe man (or the body ) is unfound or fick, becaufe the Head is unfound or fick. As it is not a Church without a!i its EfTential parts, fo it is not an Helj Church without tke Holinefs of all its E 'Jfential par ts. And that they make the Pope the Head of the Cathoiike Church, and an EfTential part, I am loth to prove; I would I could but entice them to deny it : for it is the principal contro- verfie between them and the true Catholikes. And that abundance of their Popes have been unholy, I have formerly proved, and they dare not I hope deny it^ when their own Hiftorians defcribe their Impieties, and their own Writer*, even thofe that are bittereft againft us, do freely confefs it .-yea General Councils have judged them and caft them our. The cumber of thefe Monfters is fo great, that it would make a vo- lume greater then I intend, but to name them and recite their crimes. I will give a brief inftance of one of them. * Pope fohn the twenty third was accufed and depofed by the General Council at C$nftance.y upon about feventy Articles which in Binnius take up about thirteen columes in folio : and therefore I fuppofe you would give me no thanks to trouble you with the recital of them all. The firft Article was, that he was from his yotith, a man of a bad difpofitionjiramojieft, impudent, a lyar, a rebel! aBd difobedicnt to his parents, and given to moft vices • and then was, and yet is commonly taken for fuch a one by all that knew him. The fecond Article was, bow by Simoniacal and un juft means he grew ricb.The third Article,that by Simony he was promoted to be a Cardinal. The fourth Article, that feeing Legat at Bonouiahe governed Tyrannically, impioufly ,un- juftly, being wholly atiene from all Chriftian piety, and juftice, divine and humane, &c. The fifth Article, that thus he got to be Pope, and yet continued as bad, and as a Pagan defpifed the worfhip of God, and if he performed any, it was more left he Ihoold be totally blamed of herefie and caft out of the Papacy, then A Kjy for Catholic ks. %] then for any devocion, and hehudied it up like an Hunter or a Souldier. The fixt Article was, that he was the opprcfforof the poor, the perfecutor of righteou faefs, the pillar of the un- juft, and the Simoniacal, a fcrver of the flefli, the dregs of vicesi a ftranger to vertue, flying from publikc confiftorics , wholly given to fleep and carnal defires, wholly contrary to the life and manners of Chrift, ihe mirror of infamy, and the profound in- ventor of all mifckiefs ; fo far fcandaiizing the Church of Chrift, that among Chriitian Believers that knew his life and manners,, he is commonly called, The Devil incarnate. The feventh Ar- ticle was, that being a vefTel of all fins, repelling the worthy, he Simonicaily fold Benefices, Bifhopricks and Church-dignities openly to the unworthy that would give mod for them. Reader, 1 fhould but weary thee to add threefcore more of thefe Articles. Thefc were all proved to be Notorious by Car- dinals, Archbifhops, Bifhops,and many more. Yet I will crave thy patience while I add but two or three of the laft. Ano- ther was, that he came to be Pope by caufing Pope Alexander and his Phyfitian Dr. Daniel defophia to be poyfoned. Another was,that he committed inceft with his brothersWife,and with the holy Nuns.and Whoredom withVirgins,and adultery with mens Wives, and other crimes of incontinency, for which the wrath ofGod comethon thechddrenof difobedience. Another,tbat he was a wicked man, notorioufly guilty of Murder, Witch- craft and other grievous crimes,a difii pater of theChurch goods, a notorious Simonift, and pertinacious Heretick. The next Article was, that often and often before divers Prelates and other honeft men, by the Devils perfwafion, he obfiin^itely af- ferted, dogmatized, and maintained, that there is no life ever- lafting , nor any other after this ; Moreover, he faid and obf-U- nately believed that the foul of man doth die and is extin& with the body like the bruit beafts, and that the dead fhall not rife again at the lad day, contrary to the Article of theRefurredion. Thelaftand fome other Articles are about his perfidioufnefs. ] ~And hereupon the Council depofed him. And now Reader I leave thee ro judge, whether the Romans Chnrch had a holy Head, when it had a Heathen and a Devil incarnate? So the general Council at Bafil depofed Pope Eugenics 4, as 24 A Ksy for Catholicks as being S^iA rebel againft the holy Canons , a noterieus difiurber and fcaxdalizeroftbe peace and unity of the Church, a S intern ft and a perjured wretch incorrigible ,a fchifmatick^,and an cbfiinate Heretick. ] Pope John 1 3 . alias 1 2. was in Councill convi&ed of ravijb- ing Maids, Wives, Widows at the Apofiolick doors , and committing many muraers : he drunks a health to the Devil, and at Dice cat- edto Jupiter and Venus for help, andatlafl wat fiainin the ail of isfdultey. Saiih Plutina [ he was from his youth a man con- taminated with all dijhoneftj and filthinefs ; and if he had any time to f pare from his lufis, he [pent it in hunting, and not in pray- ing^ And after he call* him [4 mofi wicked man, or rather a Men • fler ] and faith that [ the life of this meft wicked man being judged in a Council of Italian Bifhops, for fear of them he fled and lived like a wild beafi in the woods, J till at laft he got the better again by the help of his friends at Rome; till an angry man that found him naught with his wife, got the better of him, and fenthim to anfwerit in another world. And their own writers note that this was the firft Pope that changed his name, whom his followers imitated. And do you think the Head of the Roman Church was then Holy ? If it were a difputable matter,I would prove out of abundance of their own writers, that many others of them have been moft wicked wretches, common adultercrs,and fornicators,yca Sodo- mites, poyfoning their predeceffors to get the Popedom. &c . But its necdlefs, becaufe they deny it nor. Barenius their flattering Champion faith [tsfnnal.ad an. 91 2 .) [What then was the face of the holy Roman Church? How exceeding filthy, when the mofi potent, and yet the mofi fordid whores didrule at Rome?/*; whofe Pleafare Sees were changed,B*Jhops were given, and which is a thing horrid to be heard >and not to be fpoken, their Lovers (or mates) were thrufi in- to Peters Chair, being falfe Pipes, who are not to be written in the Catalogue of the Reman Topes, but only for the marking out of fuch times. And what kind of Cardinals, Priefis, and Deacons thinly you we mufi imagine that thefe monfters did choofe , when nothing is fo rooted in nature as for every one to beget his like ? And Genebrard that fplcenifh Papift ( #4. Sec. 1 o. ) faith [ In this one thing that age was unhappy, that for neer one hundred and fifty years about fifty Popes did wholly fall away from the virtue A £\ey for Catholicks. *j of their anceftors, being rather irregular and Apofiatical , then Apojlolical ~\ So chat the Church of Rome had not then either a Holy or Apoftolical Head. And Pope Adrian the fixth himfelf writcth ( De Sacram. Confir. Art. 4. ) that there have many Popes of Home been He- reticles. And two or three feveral General Councils did con- demn Pope Honorins for an Herecick. And if I ihould tell you but what their own writers fay of the wickednefs of the Roman Clergy, in many ages ; and of the wickednefs of the Roman people,of the large furams of money that the Pope hath yearly for thelicenfcd or tolerated Whore- houfesin Rsme, you would think that the body of the particu- lar Roman Church were necr kin to the Head, and therefore not the Holy Miftris of all Churches. But perhaps fome will fay, that the Pope was holy becaufe his Office was Holyythough hisperfon vicious. Anf 1 M this be theHoli* fiefs of the Catholick Church , mentioned in the Creed, then the Inftitution of offices is it that makes it Holy , and while the office concinueth,theHolinefs cannot be loft. 2. Then lee them prove their Holinefi by Saints no more. 3 . Let them not then delude the people, but fpeak out, and tell them that they mean fuch Holincfs as is confident with Heathenifm, or Infidelity, Murders, Sodomie, and may be in an incarnate Devil I Is this the Holinefs of the Catholick Church ? Objecl. But yon may have unholy per -fens among you alfo, that jet fay you are of the true Church. Anfw. But they arc no Ejfential part of the Catholick Church which we believe •, and therefore it may be a Holy Churchy though they be unholy. But the Pope is an Efential part of the Roman Church which they believe in • and therefore it can not be Holy, if he be unholy. Objt6t.By this means )ou leave no roomfer the Church */Rome cr any Papifl in the Catholick Church which is truly Ho//. Anfw. NotasPapifb : fo they can be no members of it. But if with any of them Chriftianity be predominant, and prevail againft the infection of Popery, fo that it practically extinguish not Chriftianity, then as Chriftians they may be members of the Church, and be faved too, but not as Papifts. E Chap! 2 6 A t\ey for Catholkks. Chap.VII. Argum. 5. *nrHE true Catholic^ Church of Chrifl is but JL One - The pretended Roman (fatholic\ Church is more than One : Therefore the pretended Roman-Catholic £, Church is not the true (fatholic)^ Church of Chrifl. The Major is confefled. The Minor I prove thus, 1 . where the~e are typo Heads or Soveraign Powers fpecificallj diflincl, there are two Societies, cr Churches. But thofe called Papifls, or the^ Roman Catholic^ Church , have two Heads or Soveraign Powers fpecificallj diftintl. Therefore thej are two Churches. The Major is granted by all Politicians,who do without con- trad idion fpecifie Common- wealths and other Political Societiei from the Soveraign Powers : and fo the Monarchical, Ariftocra- tical and Democratical are feveral Speeies. The Belgian Com- mon-wealth, and the French, be not fpeciflcally the lame. The Minor hath two {landing proofs fo vifible that he muft be blind indeed that cannot fee them. Firft there are the many Volumes that are written by both fides for their feveral forms : Bellarmine, Gretfor and the reft of the Italian fadion proving that the Pope is the chief Power, and above a General Council, and the feat of Infallibility, and not to be judged by any, being himfclf the Judge of the whole world. And the other party proving that a General Council is above the Pope, and that he is to be judged by them, and maybe depofed by thcm.Ifany fay, that they are but few and no true Catholicksof this Opinion, I anfwer, then a General Council are but few and no true Catho - 1-kks, which yet is faid by them to reprefent the whole Catholick Church: For the General Council of Conftance and of Baftl have peremptorily afferted it,and repeat it over and over; yea the Council of Bajil fay, Sef. ultim. that [_ Not one of the skji- full did ever doubt but that the Pope war fubjetl to the Judgement of a General Council, in things th*t concern faith. %And that he canmt without their confent dtjfolveor remove a General Council ^ jea and that this is an Article of faith , which without deftruclion of falvMion cannot be denjedyand that the Council is above the Pope , defidc, and that it cannot be removed without their own cenfettt, and that he is a* hmtick^that is againjl thefe things ] See Binnius A Key for (atholicks. 17 Binnius page 4.1 , 79. 96. And Pope Eugenius owned this Coun- cil ibid.page 42. And for the Council or Conflance, CMartin the fifth was choien by ic, and prefentinic, and pcrfonally confirm- ed it in thefe words [ Quad omnia &fingula determinate^ conclur fa, & deer eta , inmateriis fidei per pr&fens concilium > concilia,* riter tencre & inviolabiliter obfervare velebat,& wnquamcon- traire quo quo mode. Ipfaq\ fie conciliariter fafta approbate^ ratificat, & non aliter, nee alio modo~\ (that is, what they did as a Council,and not what private members did ) you fee then even General Councils reprefencing the Catholick Church do not on- ly fay that a Council is above the Pope, but make ic an Arc cle of faith, and damn thofe that deny it. ( What then is become of Bellarmine and the reft of their champions ? ) But perhaps you*! fay, they are but few on the other fide. I anfwer : yes : Not only moft Popes, and the Italian Clergy, and the predominant party of Papilts, but another General Council, even that at the Lateran, under Julius 2. and Leo 10. exprefly determine on the contrary ,that the Pope is above a Gene- ral Counetl. So that here is not only an undenyable proof that General Councils are fallible by their contradicting each other5 and that there is a Neceffity of rejefting fome ofthem,andcon- fequently that the Foundation of Popery is rotten -9 but alfo hecc is oncReprcfentativc Catholick Church againft another Repre- Tentative Catholick Church, and one Council for one Species of Soveraignty ,and another for another Species of Soveraignty. So that undoubtedly it is not the fame Church, that had two heads of feveral forts. 2. And the Nations that are on both fides to this day,are a proof beyond denyall of their divifion. The French on one fid*, and the Italians on the other ^and other nations divided between both. So that the thing which they call by one name, is two in- deed. But fo is not the true Catholick Church. Ob jed. py hat though fome in England took, the King to be the Soveraigni and fome the Parliament, and foom thought it was in both C onjuncl; did this prove that jou were more than one Com' mon wealth? Anfw.Whcre the Soveraignty is mixt and not in either alone.if any one (hall fct up the one as the onlySoveraign,and fubjeft the other to them, they change the form of the Commonwealth, but £ 2 lie i8 ^K?y for Catholicks. do not fet up two Commonwealths -, but if half take one for the Soveraign, and the other half take the other for the Soveraign, they plainly divide the Commonwealth into two: if they do it only in mind, and the fecret thoughts of their hearts, this can- not be known to others ,and fo cannot be the ground of a Socie- ty ; but if they do it by a publikc confent and pra&ice, they evi- dently make two Commonwealths. What elfe brought us into a war which ended not till one party was fubdued ? It is not poflible that one Political body fhould have two Soveraign? fp*- cifically diftind. Indeed it may have five hundred natural per- fons intheSoveraignty (as in a Senate; ) but they are but one Political perfon, or one fumma pott ft as. 2. But I prove the Minor by another Argument, where there are two three or feur Heads or Stveraigns at once numerically diflintt^ there are two or three or four Churches* But the Roman Church pretending to be Catholike, hath had two or three or four Heads at once numerically diftintt ; therefore it was two or three or four Churches. The Major is a known truth to all that are verfc in any degree in the doSrine of Politicks. It is not only two fpecies of Sove- reignty, but two individual Sovereigns that are inconfiftent with the numerical Unity of a Political body. Two, or ten, or two hundred may joyn in one Soveraignty, as one Political perfon (aslfaidj but if there be two Soveraigns, there are certainly two Societies: for if both be Supream, neither is Subordinate. The Minor is not to be denyed : for the Papifts lay their very foundation on a fuppofed divifion ; forfooth Peter and Paul were both at once their Bifhops. And there is not many of them that adventureto tell us,thatF^r only was the Supream, and that Paul was under him : but they make them as equals, or coordi- nate ; and fome of them fay, that Paul was the Bifhop of the uncircumcifion, and Peter of theCircumcifion (and then Peters Church is confined to the Jews ) And they do not tell us, that one Headftvp was divided between them : For then that ex- ample would dired them ftill to have two Popes, or two Bifhops toaChurch : fo that Peter being a Head, and PauU Head,they had fure diftinft bodies. But whether they (land to this or not, they cannot deny their manyfollowingdivifions. The twenty third fchifme fas #**>•- nerus A Key for Qatbolicks. 29 nerus a zealous Papift in fafciculo temper, reckons them) was between Felix the fifth and Eugenius : of which the fad Werne- rus fpeaking faith, Q That hence arofe great contention among the writers of this matter, pro & contra, and thtj cannot agree to this day : for one part faith , that a Council U above the Pope , the other part on the contrary faith, No, but the 'Pope is above the Council. God grant his (fhurch peace ,&c. ] Of the twenty fecond fchifme the favnz wernerus faith thus, ( ad annum 1373.) £ the twenty fecond fchifme was the wo* ft and mofl fubtile fchifme of all that were before it. P^r4twas fo perplex- ed, that the mofl Learned and Confcientious men were not able to difctifs ( or find out ) to whom they fhotsld adhere. And it was continued for fourty years, to the great fcandal of the whole Clergy, and the great loft of fouls, becaufe of Here fie s and other evils that then fpr ung up, becaufe there was then no difcipline in the Church againft them. And therefore from this Urbane the fixthttothe time o/Martin the fifth, 1 knoVo not who Was Pope ]. After 2{icolas the fourth there was no Pope for two years and an half, and Ccleftine the fifth that fucceeded him refigning >7,Boniface the eighth entered , that filled himf elf Lord of the whole world in Spirituals and Temporals, of whom it was [aid, He entered as a Fox, lived asaLyon,and dyed like a Dog,faith the fame wernerus. The twentieth fchifme ( faith the fame Author ) was great between Alexander the third, and four Schifmatickj, and it lafie4 (event ten years. The nineteenth fchifme was between Innocent the fecond, and Peter Leonis ; and Innocent^ the better } becaufe he hadmoreon his fide {faith he. ) The'thirteenth fchifme (faith Wernerus ) was between another ani Benedid the eighth. The fourteenth fchifme ( faith the fame Author ) was fcanda* lous and full of confufion between Benedict the ninth a,nd five others, which Benedict (faith he) was wholly \ vitious, an\d there- fore being damped, appeared in a monfirous and horrid fhape ; hk head and tail were like an Affes, and the reft of hit body like a Bear, faying, I thus appear, becaufe Hived like a beaft. ] In this fchifnn {faith Wernerus ) there were no lefs then fix Popes at once. 1 . Be- nedict wasexpulfed. 2. Silveftcr the third get sin, but is cafi out again, and 'ienedift reftored. ' 3 . But being again c aft out, Gregor E 3 ry-. 3 o A %ey for Otholicks . ry the fixt u put into his place ^ who becaufe he was ignorant of Utters ( and yet infallible no doubt) caufed another Pope to be Confecrated with him to perform Church Offices • which was the fourth ; which difpleafed manjr and therefore a third is chofen% ( which was the fifch^) inftead of the two that were fighting with one another : hut Henry ( the Emperor ) coming in^ depofed them all and chofe Clement thefecond, ( who was the (ixth of all them that were alive at once ) Butaboveallfchifmsthatbctween^wo/^and Sergius, and their followers, was the fowleft, fuch faying and unfaying, doing and undoing there was, befides the difmembring of the dead Pope, and cafting him into the water. And of eight Succeffors, faith We rnerus, [] I can fay nothing obfervable of them ; becaufe 1 find nothing of them but fcandalous, hecaujeof the unheard of contention in the holy Apo flolike fea cue again ft another , and together mutually againft each other m ] Reader, wouldft thou be troubled with any more of thefe Re- lations ? I tell thee nothing but from their own Hiftorians, and that which multitudes of them agree in ; I go not to a Prote- flant for a word. But one Pope in thofe contentious times, I find lived in fome peace, and that was Silvefter the fecond, of whom faith Wernerus ( as others commonly ) £ This Silvefter vtas made Pope by the help of the Devil to whom he did homage ; that all might g$ as he would have it : — but he quickly met with the ufual End, as one that had placed his Hope in deceitful De- vils. ] Well / 1 ftiall now appeal to reafon it felf, whether this were one Church, that for fourty Cor fay others fifty ) years toge- ther had (Several Heads, fome of the people following one, and fome another, and the mod Learned and mod Confcientious not able to know the right Pope, nor know him not to this day. If England were fourty years thus divided between two Kings, it were certainly two Kingdoms. But the true Catbolikc Church of Chrift is but one* Chap, A K^y for Catholic ks . . ji Ch a p. VIII. Argura. 6. ~Y* H E true Cat ho like Church hath never ceafed or JL difcontinued > fince the founding of it to this day. The Church of Rome hath ceafed or difcontinued : therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Catholike Church. I prove the Minor ( for the Major they will gram- ) If th$ Head which is an Fjfentialpari, hath difcontinued \ then the Church of Rome hath difcontinued. But the Head hath difcontinued : therefore, dec. The Minor only needs proof : and that I prove i . There have been many years interregnum or vacancy \ » hen there was no Pope at all. And where then was the Church when it had no Head ? 2. There have been long fucceffions of fueh as you confefs your felves, were not Apottolical, but Apoftatical. 3. Your own Popes and Councils command us to rake fuch for no Popes. For cximplc , Pope Nicolas in his Decretals ( fee Caran^a fag. 393.) faith £ He that by money or the favour of men , or popular or military tumults is intruded into the Apofiolical feat without the Concordant and Camnical eletlionof the (fardinall and the following religious Clergy, let him not be taken for a Pope, nor Apofiolical, but for Apoftatical.] And even of Priefts, he* commandetb, [Let no man hear Mafs of a Prieft whom he cer* tai-Ay knoweth to have a Concubine or woman introduced] Ca- ranza, pag.3 95. and ibid, he faith, Q Priefts that commit forni- cation y cannot have the honour of PriefthoodJ] 4. But our greater Argument is from the authority of God, and the very nature of the office. An Infidel, or mtorioufly un* godly man,is not capable of being a P aft or of the Church ( in fen- fu compofito, while he is fuch) But the Popes of Rome have been Infidels, and notoriouftj ungodly men * therefore they were un- cap able of being P afters of the Church (and confequentiy that Church was Headlefs, and fo no Church. ) The Major I prove. 1 . Where there is not the neceffary matter and difpofttion of the matter .there can be no reception of the forrn:But Infidels and no- torioufly ungodly men, are not matter fufficientlydifpofed to re- ceive the form' of Paftoral Power -.therefore they cannot receive ir9 ■ The Minor is proved; 3. As every true Church is a Chriftian Church jx A K?y for Catholicks. Church (it being only aCongregation of Chriftians that we fo call, in our prefect cafe) fo every Paftor is a Chriftian Paftor : but an Infidel or notorioufly ungodly man is not a Chriftian Paftor : thercforenot a true Paftor. 2. O^herwife a Mahometan, Jew, or Heathen may be a true Pope; which I think they will deny themfelves. 3. If any Difpofition or Qualification at all be ne- ceffary to the being of the Paftoral Office ( befides manhood ) then is it neceffary, that he own God tbc Father, and the Re- deemer (that is, be not notorioufly an Infidel, or ungodly.) But fome qualification is aeceflary ; therefore, &c \ None can be named more neccflary then this. And that Popes have been fuch as I here mention,ts proved be- fore. Not to mention Marcellinus that facrificed to an Idol, or Liberius that fubferibed to the Arrian profefiion ; f for I be- lieve there is an hundred times more hope of their Salvation by Repentance , then of an hundred of their Succeffors ) John the twenty fecond held that the foul dies with the body , of which the Parifians and others condemned him. John the twenty third, as I (hewed before, deny^d the life to come, and fo was an Infidel. The Witchcraft, Poyfonings, Simony, Sodomy, Adulteries, Inceft, ejre. of others, are fuificiently re- corded by their own Hiftorians. Chap. IX. Argum. 7.*TpO the foregoing Arguments, I add the reci- X tal of one formerly mentioned , for the ufe of all that have the ufe of their wits and fenfes. If a man may be pure, that he k*ovts bread to be breads and mine t§ be mne , when he feeth, feeleth, and tafteth them, then he way be fare thit Peferj is a deceit. (This Confequence they can- not qucftion ) But a man may be fare that-hfkpweth bread te be bread,andwineto be wine, when he feeth , fee let hyaud tafteth them : therefore, &c. Note that I fpeak of fuch a knowledge as belongs to men of found wits and fenfes, and a convenient object and medium* It t$ the fenfes of the whole world that I appeal to, and not of one or two: it is bread and wine that are near us, in the hand or mouth A £\ey for Qatbolkks. $] mouth thac I fpeak of, and. not at a miles diflance: in the day- light, and not in the dark. So that take the bread and wine into your hand, and judge of it, and let this decide our Contro- vert. If you can tell whether that be bread or no bread, you may tell whether the Papifts or we are in the right. Thofe there- fore that be not learned and fubtile enough to judge by Depu- tations and writings of Learned men, may yet judge by their fight and feeling. Either you know bread and wine when you feeit, taftc it, feel it, or you do nor. If you do, then the Con- rroverfie is at an end : for the feafei of all found men in the world, will be againft the Papifts that fay the bread after Con- fecrationisnobread, and the wine is no wine. But if you can* not know bread when you fee, feel, and eat it, then fee what follows, i. Then we are fure that the Pope and all his Council arc not at all t® be trufted : for if fence be not to be trufted, then the Pope and his Council know not when they read the Scripture, and Canons, and Fathers, and hear Traditions, but that they are deceived. 2. Then we are uncertain of any Judgement thac Pope or Council can give : for when they fpokeor wrote it, we are uncertain whether our eyes and ears, or reafon judging by them, are not deceived in the hearing or reading of their words* 3. How ridiculoufly then do they call for a Judge of Contro- verfies? and what a foolifh quarrel is it that they make, who fhall bd the Interpreter of Scriptures,or Judge of Controverfies? For what can a Judge do but fpeak or write his mind ? and when he hath done, you know not what it is that you hear or read, becaufe your fenfes may deceive you. Its a far harder matter to underftand a lent? nee or book of the Pope or Council when you read or hear it, then to know bread when you fee, and feel, aad eat it. Many thoufands know bread, that know not the Popes fen- tence, nor a word of a book. 4. And by this rule, it is uncer- tain whether Scripture be true, or Chriftianity the true Religion.. For we cannot know it but by our fences ; and if they are fo uncertain, all our Religion muft needs be uncertain. 5 . Yea wc cannot tell what Revelation to defire that fhould end our Con* troverfies and make us certain. For if God fhould fend an An-„ gel or other MefTenger from heaven to decide the Controverfies between us and ihe Papifts, what could he do more but fpeak it to us as from God ? and we fhould ft ill be uncertain of what we F Ac 34 A Kj>y for Catholicks. fee or hear : fo that we arc !cfc uncurably in our ignorance and Controverfies.if Popery be true. And here you may fee upon what terms we difpute with P.r- pifts, end what hope there is of fatisfyingthem. We difpute with men that will not believe their own fenlcs, or the fenfes of the world. The damned man, Luk~ 16. thought if one might have been fent to his brethren from the dead, they would have belie- ved. And if Abraham fay to them, If they will not hear Mo- fes and the Prophets, neither will they be perfwaded though one rife from the dead ; we may fay of Papifts, fure, if they will not believe their own eyes, and ears, and tafte, and know roe bread when they fee, and feel, and eat it, how fhould they be perfwaded, though one were fent to them from heaven to refolre them ? Can we think by all our Arguments to make any matter plainer to a man then that "Bread is Bread, when he feeth and eatethit? If this be uncertain to them, what can you prove to them, or what way can you devife to deal with them? For in- deed, if fenfe be uncertain, we hare no certainty of any thing in the world. But to thisH.T. f they fay H.Turbervile) in his Manual ofControverfies faith thus.f Anfa. Subftance is not the proper and immediate oby.ll of fenfe , but colour, quantity, dec. Nor can fenfe judge at all of fub (lance though it be under fenfible accidents, un- lefs it be the fubjeel ofthofe accidents, and have a fenfible and corporal manner of beings which the Body of fhrift neither is, nor hath in that Sacrament, It hath a fpiritual manner of being, and is not tht- fubjeel of the accidents of bread ; they are without a fub- jeel bj Miracle ; therefore no we vder, if fenfe be deceived in this matter. Here Senfe and Reafon mufi vail bonnet to faith, and fub' mit to the Authority of God revealing, and the Church propound- ing ■, they are n§ competent fudges what God can do by his Omnipo* tenet.] Thus H.T. Repl. And is this all that thefe Rabbies have to fatisfiethe world that it is not Bread and Wine which is feen, snd felt, and tafted I Let us firft take notice of the by-paffagesof his anfwer, and then reply to the fubftance. i, Is not this like the rcit of their contradictory imaginations? That Chrift hath not a Cor- poral manner of Being in the Sacrament: and yet it is not Bread, buthis Body that is there: yea before />*£. 207. he faith, [We. A£\ey for QatholkKs. 35 {_ We maintain not his Corporal, but real and fpiritua! prefence in the Sacrament. So that either they affirm that his Body is pre- fenty and yet deny his Bodily prefence; or elfe they affirm his Bodily prefence, but not his Corporal prefence. Moft learnedly ! We Gull at laft be taught to diftmguiih between Bodily and Cor- poral! But is not the Juggle in the word [_ Manner f J Perhaps the Corporal prefence is not denyed, but the Corporal manner. Anfw. 1. Yes, in terms its faid [ We maintain not his Corporal prefence'] 2. And can a Body beprefeot, and not in a Bodily manner? And why is Q Spiritually'] put as contradiftind ? Sure when Paul kid our Bodies (hall be ti\kijpiritual bodies, he thoughc that they were neverthelefs bodies for being fpiritual; and therefore it is neverthelefs a Bodily manner of prefence, for bdng a fpiritnal manner. But it by the Corporal prefence or manner (denyed) be meant nothing but the qualities and quantity by which it is fit to be the Objc&ofour fenfes,why had we not this plainly without jugling ? To fay Chrift is prefentin Body but not fenfiby, is plainer Englifh , then to fay that he is prefent in Body hut not Bodily prcfent. 2. Note alfo that he calls them [ The accidents of bread] and yet faith £ they are without a fubjetl J And fo doth the Expla* nation of the Roman Cathotike Belief, and their ordinary writers fay that the Body of Chrift is under the forms of Bread and wine i and yet fay that Bread and Wine are none of the fubjetl of thofs forms. 3 . Note alfo that he profefleth Tranfubflantiation is a Mir a • cle, and fo every ignorant, drunken, adulterous Priefl: of theirs hath the gift of Miracles , which he worketh as oft as he con- fecrateth : No wonder if Miracles be the glory of their Church, and the proof of their Infallibility ; But let us come to the fub- ftanceofhis Anlwer. i. He tells you that f.bfiance is not the proper and immediate object of fenfe , but colour, quantity, &c. Hut I. Is not the Medi- ate Objett [_ Proper ] as well as the Immediate ? 2. But what ga- ther you hence ? be it a Proper or improper Ob jed , I hope we may yet have leave to believe thatRealonby the help of fenfc doth judge as infallibly of Subfiances as Accidents. If you think otherwife, then ail the foreraentioned consequences arc undenyable. You know not whether the world fa w Chrift on V z earth s 3 6 tfJfyyforCatbolicks. earth: or whether he were crucified, dead, buried, rofe, or afcended : It mighc be but colour and quantity which men (aw ; and when Chrift told them a fpirit hath not flefh and blood as ye fee me have, they might have anfwered, We fee no flefh and blood J?ut colour and quantity. And Thomas had then fmall rea- fon to be convinced by feeing and feeling ¥ when he faw but colour and quantity , and felt hut quantity aniquality. By this reafoning the world is not fure that ever there was a Pope of Rome t but the (felon* of a Pope, or other accidents. And you know not that there is any earth under your feet, or that you are a man, or have a body , becaufc your fenfes perceive but the accidents of it. 2. But what manner of men did H. T. imagine he had to deal with , when he puts off his Readers with fuch an anfvvcr as this ? Mark Reader the unfakhfull dealing of thek men,*nd how grofly they abufe poor people that follow them with meer de- ceits.Thc QuefUon or Objection which he undertook to anfwer was , Whether fenfe telling us that it is Bread after theConfecra- tionbe deceived f To this he takes on him to give an anfwcr,and cunningly fpeaks to another queftion,and paffeth this by. Its one queftion, Whether fenfe can infallibly difcern Chrift in the Sa- cramert ■ , if be were there , or difcern that he is not there} and another queftion Whether fenfe can infallibly difcern Bread and Wine, and know whether they be there ? Thelaft was the queftion in band : but he flily anfwers tothefirft infteadofit ; and tells us, that fenfe cannot judge of fub fiance, though under fenfible ac- cidents , unlefs it be the fubjetl of thofe accidents ,and have a fen- fible and corporal manner of being, which the body of Chrift neither is nor hath in the Sacrament.^ And fo goes on. And what of all this ? £ therefore Chrift may be in the Sacrament and you not df* cern him by fenfe ] Weil i and whats that to the queftion ? O Sir \ is it not the holy truth of God that you are about ? and fhould you thus abufe it,and the fouls of men? you knew the queftion if, Whether fenfe ( and the intellect thereby ) be infallible in judging Bread to be Bread when we fee, feel and eat it? Had you never a word to fay to this ? to perfwadc men that they have eyes and fee not, and hands and feel not, or that the world knowethnot certainly what they feem to know by feeing and feeling ? I pray you hereafter deal by us as fairly as Bellarmm did (and yet we A l<\ey for Catbolicks. \7 we will [hank you for nothing ) who quite gave away the Ro- man caufe by granting and pleading Q that fenfe is infallible in Pofitives : and therefore rve may thence fay, This is a Body becanft 1 fee it % (andfo this is Bread or wine becaufe I fee, feel And tafieit) but not in Negatives : and therefore we cannot fay , this u not a BoJy becaufe Ifee it not~\ I pray you give over talking of the Pope, or Church, or Religion, or Men, if you are uncertain of ftibftances which are (fuppofe but p*r 40^^14) the Obje&s of your fenfe. And cake nothing ill that I write of you, till you are more certain that you fee it, and know what you fee. 3. But you'l hy[Serife and Reafon mttft here vail bonnet to faith. Anftt. In the Negative cafe let it be granted , and any cafe where faith can be faith* But if fenfe (and the Intellect there- with)be fallible in TofitiveiSo that we cannot know Bread when we fee and cat it, faith cannot be faith then. What talk you of faith, if you credit not the foundeft fenfes of all the men in the world, when fenfe and reafon are preffippofed to fdit%. How know you that faith here contradi&cth fenfe? You'i fay, be- caufe the Church or Scripture faith ; This is my Body : and thac there is no Bread ? But how know you that there is any fuch thing in Scripture? or that the Church fo holdeth ? you think you have read or heard it : But bow know you that your fenfe deceived you not ? He that cannot know Bread when he feeth and eatchitjisualikcly to know letters and their meaning when fee feeth them. See more of my anfwer to fuch Objeftions in a Book entitled The Safe Religion, p. 24 1 . to 248. Thefimpklt Reader that hath honefty and charity, is fecured againfl Popery by the firft Argument, which he may make good to his own foul againft all the Jefuitc* on earth. And he that is unable to proceed on thataccount,may by the evidence of this fait Argument confute any Papift living , if he be a man of fenfe and reafon. And having brought all our controverfie fo low, that fenfe it felf may be the judge, I (hall go no further in Argu- ments thinking it vain to ufc any reafon with that man that will not believe his own cye-(ight,nor the fight, and feeling, and taftc of all the world befides. F 3 Cha?; ?8 Al{eyfor Catboltcks. Chap. X. ICorae now to the next and principal pare of my task, which is to open to you their Deceit? ,ard give you Directions for the difcovcry and confutation of them , that by the help of thefe you may fee the Truth. Detecl, i. Remember this ground which they have given you, that If you prove them guilty but of any one Err er in points of be* lief determined by their Church , yon thereby Mfprove the whole bodyofPcpery, as fuch. For you pull up the foundation which chcy build on, and the Authority into which tbey refolvc their faith. They will grant you, that if they arc deceived by the Church in one thing , they have no Certainty of any thing up- on the Churches credir. So that if you read Pauls difcourfe againft Praying in an unknown tongue, or the many precepts for our reading and meditating in the Law ofGod,ortbe like, and can but perceive that the Popifh Latine fervice, or their for- bidding men to read the Scripture, &c. are contrary hereto, or if you find out but any o<;e of their Errors, you cannot be a Papift,if you underftand their Profefiion. But it is not fo with us:for though we know that the Scripture ard all that is in it is of infallible Truth, ard that every true Chriftian ( while fuch ) is infallible in the EfTentials of Cbrifti- anity ; ( for elfc he were no Chriftian ) yet we profefs that we know but in part, and that our own Writings and Confeffions may poffibly in fome things be befidesthe fenfeof Scripture ^ and there being much more propounded in Scripture to our faith, then what is of abfolute neccflicy to falvation, we may poffibly after our ftudying and praying miftake in fome things that arc not of the Eflence but the Integrity of Chriftianity,and are necelTary to the Melius ejfi* the ftrength or comfort,though not to the being of a Chnftian.So that every. Error in their faith d^ftroyes their grounds, and fo their new Religion $ but (o doth not every Error of ours. Or to fpeak more diftin&lv ; lee us diftingulfh between the Fides &»3.4. For the fixth, fee 1 Tim. 3 • 2,4, 5,11,12. Tit. 1.6.1 Tiw^ 3 . 1 Cor. 9. 5. Forthefcventh,fee 1 Cor. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 11.23, 26, 27, 28. v4#. 2. 42. Aft. 20. 7. 1 1 . 2. And that they are contrary to chemfclves, appearcth : 1 . In that ( as I (aid before ) not only feveral pcrfons, but feveral Countries go feveral wayes -, the French are of one way, and the Italians of another, even in the Fundamentals of their Faith, which all the reft is rcfolved into. 2. Their Popes have ordina- rily been contrary to one another in their Decrees ; which made Platina fay [ Following Popes doftill either infringe or wholly ab- rogate the Decrees of the former Popes ~] And Erafmns faith that \_Pope John 22. and Pope Nicolas are contrary one to another in their whole Decrees , and that in things that feem to be- long to matter of faith ] Had we no inftances but of Sergitts and Formefus and their following partakers, it were enough. And Celefiines cafe puts Bellarmine to filly fhifes. 3. That their Councils contradict each other, I have formerly manife'fted. They confefs that the Arrians have had many Councils asGeneral as raoft ever the Orthodox had •' and if it be only the want of the Popes approbation that nullifieth their authority, then let them tell us no more of Councils and of[_allthe Church] but fay plainly that is but one man that they mean. But even their approved Councils have been contrary ; As the fixth Council at Conftantinople approved by Pope Adrian^ is now confefled to have many errors. The Council of Neo- cafarea confirmed by Pope Let 4. and by the Nicen Council (as faith the Council of Florence Sef.7.) condemned fecond marriages, contrary to Scripture and the prefent Church. The Council at the later*™ under Leo the tenth determines that the AJ\ey for Qathollcks. 41 the Pope is above a General Council ^ and the Councils of Co*- ftsnce &nd fijfil determine that the General Counc 1 is above the Pope, and that this is de fide , and ics herefie co deny it. Chap. XII. BtuB.l . T F jw enter into Difpute with any Papifiy enquire firfi JL what he will ta^e for /efficient Pros/, and what com- mon Principles joh are agreed on bj which the rtft muft be decided. For men that agree in nothing at all , are no: capable of a difpute. For the Principles in which they are agreed, are thofc that the reft muft be reduced to. And when you have made this enquiry, you (hall find that the Popifh way of Difputing is to forbid you to Difpute, unlefs you will firft yield the caufe to them as beyond difpute : and that they are not agreed with the reft of the world in any common principles to which the differences raaylje reduced for tryal, and fo that there is no fort of Proof that they will admit of as fufficient .* For if there be any ground of Proof at all , it muft be 1 . From the fenfes. 2* Or from Reafon. 3. Or from Scriprure. 4. Or from the Church i but they will ftand to none of all thefe. r. Begin at the bottom of all, and know of them whether they will take that for a Valid Proof, which isfeccht from fenfe, even from the founded: fenfes ofallmenin the world, fuppo- fing a convenient ob jed and Medium ? If they will not take this for Proof, how can you difpute with them ? Or what Proof can be admitted, if this be not admitted ? We have this advantage in dealing even with chofe Heathen that have blotted out much of the Law of nature it felf,that yet they will yield to an Argu^ ment from fenfe. But if they would yield to the Validity of this proof, then they give away their caufe, feeing/?*/* telleth us that it is bread which we fee,and feekand eat after the Confecration. They kqpw this ; and therefore they muft difown and deny this fore of proof. 2. But will they then admit of Proofs from Reafon ? No,thae cannot be, if proof from fenfe be not admitted. For Reafon re- ceived its objed by means or occafion of the fenfes, and muft G needi 42 ^Key fa Catholicks. needs be deceived if it be deceived .• And Reafon hath not a prin- ciple that it holds fafter,thcn that fenfe is to be credited ; that this is white or black which my own eves and tk» eye* of all other men do fee to be fo: and fo that this is bread which we all fee,and recl,andtaftetobefo. And therefore the Papifts tell usthac Reafon muft ft oop to faith, that is, they will not fand to Reafin whenitcontradideththedo&rineof their fed. Jt feemsthey are in force parts of tb#jf Religion unreaftnable. But 1 would ~.?.C w, wnether they have any Reafon to be unreafonable. If they have, then why might not our Reafon be valid as well as their Reafon which they bring againft Reafon ? by which they contra - did themfelves. For if Reafon be vain , why Reafon they to prove its Vanity or invalidity ?But if they have no Reafon againfi Reafon $zi them confefs it, and offer us none, and then their di* fputes will do no harm. We eafily yield, that we have Reafon to believe Gods Revelations ,about thofc things which we had no Rea- fon to believe if they were not Revea'ed: And that many of thofc Revelations arc above Reafon, fo far as that Reafon cannot difcern the truth of the thing without them ; yea it would rather judge the things improbable: But yet Revelations are re- ceived by Reafon, and inform Reafon, and not deftroyit ; nor do they fo contradict Senfe or Reafon , as to make that credible which fenfe and Reafon have fufficient ground to judge falfe. So that here we muft break with a Papift, even where we might j'oin in difpute with a heathen. And how will Papifts deal with Heathens if they will deny the proofs from fenfe and reafon ? 3 . But will they ftand totbeValidity of Proof shorn Scripture? No ; For i , They take it to be but part of Gods word, fo that we may nor argue T^egatively , [ It is not in the holy Scripture : therefore it is not an Article of faith or a Law of God) For they will prefently appeal to Tradition. 2. And even fo much as is in Scripture, though they confefs it to be true , yet they con- fefs it not to be by us intelligible, and will not admit of any proof from it, but with this limitation. that you take it in that fenfe as the Church takes it. For they are fworn by the Trent Oath(>0 take it in that fence as the Holy Mother Church doth hold, and hath held it in, and never t o take or interpret it but according to the unanimous fenfe of the Fathers.^ So that they raoft know what feafe all the Fathers are unanimous in before they can ad- mit A E^ey for Catholicks. 43 mit a proof from Scripture. And before that can be done, above a Care-load of books mufl be read over or fearched : and when thats done,they will find chac raoft texts were never medled with by moftof thofe Fathers in their writings; and in thofe that they did meddle with, they difagrecd in multitudes, and where they dij "agree they are not unanimous •, and there the Papifts are fworn to believe no fenfe at all. And if they would have come down to a Major vote, it is no (hort or eafie matter to ga- ther the votes. And if they know the Fathers unanimous con- fent,yet muft they have the fenfeof the prefent Church too: And is it noe all one to make your adverfary the fudge oj 'your cau fe9 as the fudge of jour Evidences And all jour proofs ? 4. Well, but at leaft may we not hope that they will (land to the Judgement of the Catholicl^Cburch ? And if fo, we will not take it for our adverfary ? No : they will not do fo neither. For 1. When they deny proof from fenfe and reafon, they muft needs deny all thats brought from the Church : For the Church cannot judge it felf but on fuppofition of the infallibility of fenfe. 2. And when you argue from the judgement and practice of the greater part of the Church, they prefently difclaim them all as Hereticks or Schifraaticks, and will have no man be a Valid wit- nefs but themfelves. The Greeks , the ^Ethiopians, the Arme- nians, the Protectants, all are Hereticks or Schifmaticks fave they • and therefore may not be witnefles in the cafe. So that you fee upon what terms we (land with the Papifts, that will ad- mit of no proofs upon the Infallibility ef*SV«/£ or Reafon, or the fufftciency of Scripture, or the teftimony of the Catholic^ Church, but only from themfelves. Ch a P. XIII. Detett. 4 1 I Nderftand ft hat the Papifts mean when thej are ft Hi +**& calling t$ you for a fudge of Controverfies* If you would difpute with them, they are prefently ask- ing you, £ who fhall be the judge ? ] and perfwading you that it is in vain to difpute without a living Judge : for every man will be she Judge himfclf; and every manscaufe will be right in his own eye*, and all the world will be (till at G 2 odds 44 A l{ey for Catholicks. odds till we are agreed who (hall be the Judge. To help you to lee the fenfe of this deceit , and then to con - fote it •, i . You may eafily obferve that this is the plain drift of all , to perfwadeyon to make them your judges, and yield the caufeinftcad of deputing it. For it is no other judge but them- feives that they will admit. Yield firft that the Pope or his Coun- cil is the judge of all controverfies, and then its folly to difpure againftthem •. fo that if you will yield them the crufefirft, they will then difpute with you after. 2. But what is to be faid to the pretence of theNfceffky of a Judge? I anfwer, i. Its againftall reafon and experience to thiokthat all enquiries ordifputes are vain, unlefs there be a Judge to decide the cafe. A Judge is a Ruling decider •, not to fatisfie mens minds, fo much as to prcferve Order.and Peace, and Juftice in the Society. But there arc thoufands of cafes to be privately difcufTed, that we never need to bring to a Judge. Every Husbandman, and Tradefman, and Navigator, and other Artificer doth meet with doubts and difficulties in his way which hclabonreth to Difcern, and fatisfieth himfelf with a Judge- ment of Difcretion without a Ruling Judge. We eat,and drink, and clothe our felves, and follow our daily labours without a Judge, though we meet with controverfies in almoft all , what meat or drink is beft for quality or quantity, and a hundred like doubts. Men do marry, and build, and buy, and fell, and takePhyfick,and difpatch their greateft worldly bufinefs without a Judge. Judges arconly for fuch controverted cafes as can- not well be decided without them, to the attaining of the Ends of Government. 2.Isitnotagainft the daily practice of the Papifts to think or fay that all difputes and controverfies muft have a Judge?Who is the Judge between the Nominals , Reals and Formalifti , the Dominicans, Francifcansand Jefuites, in all thofe conrro-- verfies which have Cartloads of Books written on them ? Their Popeor Councils dare not Judge between them. Do they not daily difpute in their Schools among themfelres without a Judge ? and ftili write books againft one another without a Judge? 5. Underftand well the ufe and differences of Judgement. The fenunct is but a means to the txecmiw. and Judges can- not A f\ey for Catholkh . 45 not determine the mivdandrvillof man: but preferve outward Order , if men will not fee the truth therafclvc?. Me thinks the Jefuits that are fo eager for freewill, fliould eafiiy grant thac the Pope by his definition cannot determine the Will of man. And they fee thac Hereticks remain Hcretickj , when the Pope hath faid all that he can •• And if he can cure them all by his de- terminations, he is mcch too blame that he doth not. And if a roaa? mindbc to be fettled, an Infallible Teacher is fitter then a Judge. Judgement then being for Execution, when you ask, Who {ball he the Judge ? I anfwer that Judgement is cither total \ abfolute and final : or it is only to a certain particular end, limi- ted,zndfuhrdinate , from which there is an Appeal. In the former cafe, there is no Judge but Chrift, and the Father by him. No abfolute decilion can be made till the great Judgement come; and then all will be fully and finally decided. And for the limited prefent Judgements of men, they are of fever al forts, according to their fever al Ends. When the queftion is, who [hall be corporally punifhedas an Heretic kj the Magiff rate is Judge -y For coercive pumjhment being his work , the Judgement rauft be hit alfo. But when the queftion is, who [hall be excommuni- cated as an Heretic^,** Gods Law hath told us who infpecie,M\& fo is the Rule of decifion about individuals : fo to try individual perfons, and cafes according to th s Law, belongs to the Gover- nours of the Church : but not to the Governours of other Churches atboufand miles of, that never received fuchan authority, and are not capable of the work : but to ihtGovernours of the Church in which the party hath Communion , and into which he (hall ac any time intrude and feek communion. And all men have a Judge* ment ofdifcerning that are concerned in the Execution. So that if a difputing Papift will fay that bisbofmefs is not to Difputc with you, but to Excommunic ate, or hang, or burn you for an Heretic^ then I confefs,its all the reafon in the world thac you fliould firft agree of the Judge. But why the Pope fliould be the Judge,I know not, unlefs it be in his own charge. G 5 Cha 46 A Kgyfor Catbolkks. Chap. XIV. Deleft. $>\ J \ 7 Hen you have proceeded on thefe grounds, V V the Papifts will tell you , that in their way there is an End of Centre verfies, but in jours there is none : For if j oh will not ft and to ones Judgement as infallible , you may dip- pute as long as you live before you come to an End. To dired you in difcu fling this part of the Deceit alio .' i.We *onfefs that on earth there will be no End of all comroverfies among the beft : nor of the great comroverfies which falvation lyeth on, between the believer* and the^ unbelievers •• that isf there will be (till Infidelity and Herefie" in the world , and errour in the godly themfelves. 1 . Hath it not been fo in every age till now ? And why (hould we exped that it (hould now be other wife? 2. Doth not Paul tt\\ us that here we know but in part% and prophejie in part ? and when is it that that which is imperfect -will be done awayy but when that which is perfetl is come ? While we know but in part,we (hall differ in part. 2.Hath your way put an End to comroverfies any more then ours ? Are you not yet at controverfie with Infidels, Whether Chrift be the Redeemer, and with Heretickj whether he be true eter- fiall God} Are you not yet as full of controversies among your (elves, as any Cbrifl ians on the face of the earth ? I do not believe but in the many Volumes of your Schoolmen,Cafuifts,and Com- mentators,! can (hew more comroverfies yet depending,then you xan find amongft any fort of Cbriftians in the worldjy ea then you and fo are beyond Controverfte between us and you; But j 6 ar / lyech alfo in a mixture of mens corruptions, which will ever be controverted and condemned. $. Our Faith conftftcth in the few ancient Articles by which the Church was alwayes known ( as to its eflfentials. ) But yon confound the Efentials with the integrals : and the dumber of your necelTary Articles is fo great , as mull needs be matter; of more concrovcrfie then ours. 4. We know our Religion, and where to find it : For it is per- fect at the firft, and receiveth no additions or diminutions. One generation cometh, and another goeth,but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. But you never know when you have all , be- caufe you know not when your Pope will have done defining: that is an article of faith to yott one year that was none the year before , nor ever before. 5. We need no Judge to decide any controverfies among us in the points of Abfolute neceffity to falvation : both becaufc the Scripture is fo plain in thofe points , as to ferve for decifion without a Judge ^ and becaufe we abhor to make a controvetfieofany of them-, and where there is no controverfie, there needs no Judge, We are all agreed, through the plaincefc of the Scripture, that there is but one, Eternal, moft Wife, and Good, and Omnipotent God -, and that there is one Mediator between God and man, who is himfelf both God and man, that was crucified, dead, buried, went to «^«, rofe again, afcen- ded, interccdeth for us, and is King and Head of the Church.* and will raife the dead, and judge the world, fomc to Heaven, and fome to Hell : Thefe and all the reft of the Effentials of our faith,and many more points that are not effentials, are fo plain in Scripturej&at we are paft making them matter of Controverfie. If any^tnan deny an Effential point of faith , he is none of us, no CKTre then of you. But you are it feems fo deep in infidelity, that vou muft have a judge to decide your Controverfies in the necelTary Articles of Faith. For whatever is defide,you make to be of fuch equal neceffity, that you deride our diftinguifhing the Fundamentals from the reft, ( as may be feen in Knots Infi- delity unmaskt ag^inft Chilling-worth ) Serioufly tell us , Do you think Chriftiam need a Judge , or muft put it to a Judge to de- cide, whether £hrift be the Mejpas or not} whether he died and rof$ 4 8 A l\ey for Catholtcks rofe again 9r not} whether he mill judge the world or not} or any fuch points. If he be a Judged muft have power to oblige you to ftand to his Determination on which fide foevcr he deter- mine. And what if fohn 22 determine that the foul is not im- mortal, or John 2$. that there is no refurrection or life to come, but a man dieth like a beaft : would you Itand to this decifion ? 6. If you fay that your Judge hath power to oblige you on- ly on one fide, that is, when he judgeth right (and fo make no Judge of him, but a Teacher) we have fuch Judges as well as you, even Teachers to fhew us the Evidence of truth. 7. it) ou fay that you have a Judge to determine of herefies in order to the P urn filing of them by the frvord : So have we as well as you , and bectcr then you. For your Pope is a Prieft that hath nothing to do with the fwerd, fat leaft out of his own Principa- lities ) : but our Prirces and other Rulers are lawful Magiftrate?, that are appointed to be a terror to evill doers, Rom. 13.4,6. 8. If you fay that you have a fudge to determine of here fie in Order to Excommunication t(o have we in every Church-even the Paftors of the Churches, who are bound to unite and affift each other in fuch works, what is to be accounted Herefie,the Law of God fufficiently detcrmineth : And what particular perfons are to be fudged heretickj and excommun'cated according to that Lav?, the particular Paftors that are on the place can better decide then a Pope that is a tboufand , or five thoufand miles off, and cannot hear the witnefles. And do you not your felves decide almoft all fuch cafes through the world ( that is of your fubje- dion) by the prefent Paftors or Bfhops, and not by che Pope ? And why may not we do fo then as well as you? 9. But if you lay all upon your Popes or Councils Infallibi- lity, Idefireyou but to read my third Difputatiou in a Book againft Popery, called the Safe Religion ; and then believe that Infallibility if you can. I (hould think my felf a miferable man, if I were not my fdf more Infallible then many of your Popes have been. Every Chriftian ( while fuch ) is infallible i n his belief of the Chriftian faith $ And the Scripture is an infal- lible ground of our belief. 10. Is it not a plain Judgement of God upon you, that while you make the Scripture fo dark and not intelligible , and AL^eyfor Qatfolicks. 49 and cry up the NeceiTuy or a living Judge, you fhouiJ not only (warm with differences among your fclves % bin fliould be utterly difagreed, and at a lofs to know whoisthu Judge of Cwtroverftes, one faying it is the Pope , and another that its the Council i and what the better are you for faying, There muft be a Judge, as long as you cannot tell Who it muft be > Its not only uncertain among you whether F of e or Council! fa the Infallible Judge, but alfo which is a true Pepe, and which is a lawfull Cje- neral (fvuncil} For fourcy years at leaft together, the Church could not know the true Pope, but the more learned and con- fcionablc men were divided : Nor is it known to this day. Fre- quently the ftrongeft hath carried it, and fuccefs been his beft title. Nay General Councils themfelves knew not the right Pope. The Council at Con/lance and Baftl knew not the right Pope. They of Baftl thought Felix the fifth the true Pope, and i: *£*»#*} no Pope • But friends and ftrength confuted a Gene- ral Council, and proved depofed Eugenius the Pope. And for Councils thcmfelves,who knows which to take for currant and of Authority? What Catalogues have you of reprobated Councils* and of doubtfull Councils ,and partly approved, partly reprobate, and who knows which and how far j buc only that is approved , that pleafeth the Pope , and that reprobate that difpleafed him, and yet perhaps approved by a former Pope: So that you are all in a confufion and uncertain about your true Popes and Ge* neral Councils. And if you knew them, yet what a lofs are you at] to know their Decrees and Canons ? What a Fardel of falfe Decretall Epiftles have you thruftupon the world, as B londt li \T> aliens , Rcignslds and others have fully proved. Forfooth decretals thatufeatranflationof the Scripture that was formed a long time after the death oftbefuppofed Authors of thofe Epiftles : And Decretals which make mention of pcrfons and things that were many fcore or hundred years after the death of the faid Authors. Thefe are your new Scriptures, and by thefe our faith muft be regulated, and our controverfies decided. And your Canons are abundance of them as uncertain : fome of your own will have hut twenty Canons of the ftrft General Council at Nice : fome will have the new found rabble of additi- ons. Much more uncertainty or certain forgery there is in the H Canons ^o ^Ksy for Catbdicks. Canons called the Apoftles :and the like we may fay of abua- dance more. And now I appeal to all the impartial Reafon in the world, whether your voluminous , apocriphal , uncertain faith that needs a living Judge, and cannot find one, or agree upon him, and that leaves your controverfies dill undecided, be a iiker way to peace and unity, then our fhort and plain Articles and infallible Scripture faith , that hath lefs matter of contenti- on , and better means to prevent it, even faithful Teachers and Judges m every Church and Commonwealth , which jfhall fo far determine as may prefervc the peace of thofefocieties, leva- ing the final full Decifion of all to the Eternal Judge that is even at the door. 1 1 . Yea and is not Gods hand of Judgement yet more ob- fervableagainftyou, that when your Popes and Councils have paft their judgement, the feveral Se&s are unable to under. Hand them? witnefs the late fentence againft the Janfenifts, of which the perfons that fcem to be condemned, fay, that there is nofuch thing or word* in all Janfenius writings, as the Pope faith are in him, and condemneth as his t and the Controverfie is as far from a decifion, as if the Pope had held his peace. Yea your great Difputer here in England Thomas white the Novelift, if the fame for all the Popes determination. Take another inftance in the forementioned Cafe, whether the Pope or Council he fupream : The Councils of Conftance and Ba- fil determined it one way as dt fde, and yet that made no end of the Controverfie. The Council of Litter an and Pope Leo de- termined it the other way; and yet it is a Controverfie after two contrary decifions : and force fay one way, and fome the othe ••• and fome fay, It is jtt undecided ( for fear of angring the French by catting them off as Hereticks. ) Another inftance. The Council at BafilSeff. 36. (pag.Ko. in Binnins) hath fully determined the Controverfie between the Francifcans and Domi- nicans about the Virgin Maries immaculate conception : and Jet it is undetermined fiill-, and Thomas white prefumes to af- rm> that [Certainly there is no Tradition for it> nor any proba- bility that ever the Negative mil be defined. A polog. for Tr adi t . pag, 64, 65,<56, yea he carryeth it as boldly out, as if never Council had made or medied with it. I will therefore recite the words ^^ ^ A J^ey for Catbolicks. 5 1 words of the Council, which arethcfe £ Ahardqueftionhath been in divers parts, and before this holy Synod, about tht Concepti* on of the gloriow Virgin Mary, and the beginning of her Santtifi- cation ; fome faying that the Virgin and her foul was far femt time or infiant of time actually under Original fin : others en tht contrary, faying, that from the beginning of her Creation, God loving her , gave her grace by which preferving and freeing that blcffedperfon from the Original fpot re, having diligently lookt into the authorities and rea fans, which for many years pafi have in publike relation on both fides been alledged before this holy Synod, and having fetn many other things about it, *nd weighed them bj mature con ft deration, do Define and Decide, that the doctrine af- firming that the glorious Virgin Mary the Mother of God, by the fisgn ar preventing and operating grace of Gody was never actu- ally under Original fin, but was ever free from all Original and actual fin, and was holy and immaculate, is to be approved, held and embraced of all Cathslikes as godly and Confonant to Church- worfhip, Catholike fuith, right reafon, and f acred Scripture : and that henceforth it fhall be lawful for no man to preach and teach the centrary ] Is not this plain Defining ? Obj. But this was not an approved CounciL Anfw. i.Ic was owned by Pope Eugenius himfeif. And here once for all I prove that the Council of Bafil was approved by the Pope: for Pope Felix the fife ( one of the heft Popes that ever Rome had this thoufand years ) approved it in this point: not only by accepting their election , but in exprefs terms [ frofeJTlrlZ frmh *° held the faith of the Councils of Con- itance and Bafil, and to keep it inviolate to a tittle^ and confirm it with his foul and blood : promifing faithfully to labour to defend the Catholic^ fait h^and for the execution and obfervation of the De- crees of the Councils of Conftance^^ Bafil, {wearing to profe? x:ute the celebration of Generall Councils, and confirmation of E e* clions , according to the Decrees of the Holy Council of BaliQ Sec Binnius Sef. 40. pageSy. If they fay that Felix was not a true Pope: I anfwer, then CMartin the fifch chofen by the Coun- cill at Covflance was no true Pope -, and then where is your fuccefiion f Thefe things are plain and cannot be denyed, though unc >nfcionable fhifors, that argue according to their Wills? may find words to beguile the Ample. H2 2.1c A l\ey for Catholicks. 2 It teems then your Catholick Church reprefentative is nothing if one man like it not,. One more inflancc : How largely hath the Council of Trent dealt about originall fin ; And yet the forefaid Thomas White ibid- faith thus |T If the People were taught Original fin is nothing but a Difpoption to evily or a natural weaknefs , which unlefs pre- vented bringj infallibly fin and damnation: and that in it ft If it deferves neither reproach nor punifhment , as long as it proceeds not to actual fin; the heat of vulgar devotion would be cooled , &c] See here a meer Pelagian iflue of all the Determinations abcuc Originall fin, which they (hould fwcar to believe. Chap. XV. Detttl. 6. A ND by this that hath been faid,you may fee Jr\ what to think of their glorying in their Vnity, and accufing our Divifions. One of the principal arguments that they prevail by, is fey telling the people into how many feds we are divided, and that the Catholick Church is but one ; but we are many : and here they will tell you of all the names they can reckon up^, Presbyterians,Independants, Anabaptifts, Antinomi* ans, Arminians, Socinians,Quakers,andwhatnot.And they will tell you that all this Divifion comes by departing from the Ro- man Catholick Church ; every man being left to be of what Re- ligion his fancyieadeth him to,for want of an univerfal Judge of controverfies. And they will ask you whatreafon you have among all thefe Se&s to believe one of rhern rather then another? So that they would pcrfwade you that there is no way for Unity bat by turning to be Papifts, that we may be united in the Pope of Rome, To all this deceit ("for it is no better ) we give them our full anfwer in thefe Proportions, i. It is not every kind of unity that is defirablc : but Unity with truth, and honefty, and fafety. Irs eaficr to agree in evil then in good : for evil findech more friendftiip with corrupted nature, and hath morefervamsin the world. The wicked are more agreed, and far more in number, of onemind,then the Godly are. The Mahometans arc far more agreed ; and that in a far greater number3thcn the Papifts are. ' ' The A K^ey for Ca tholk ks. 5 } The Devils have fome agreement in their way: They arc all agreed to hate Chriftand his members , and to feck night and day whom they may devour. It is eafier to agree in a Papifts work then in ours : To center carnally in a finfull ('and oft a mod wicked ) man; to agree in certain forms and ceremonies, which fkfti and b'ood is glad co delude themfclves with, inftead of the Life of faith and Love ^ its eafie to agree in fucha carnal religion. To fpare the labour and time of Itudy and fearching after truth , and to cart their fouls upon the faith of others, even the Pope or a Council, this is an eafie thingfor lazy ungodly men to agree in .* But to make the Truth our Own^and get the Law of Chrift written in our own hearts , and to live upon ir, and walk in the light, and embrace all thofe truths that are maft againft our flefhly inclination and imereft/his is not fo eafie for corrupred nature to agree upon. 2. Cbrifl hath told us that it is a little flocks to whom he gives the Kingdom, Luke I 2. 3 2. and that the 0 Ate is ftrait^and the way narrow that leads to life yand few there be that find it • and the gate is wide and the way broad that leads to deftrttbTion, and many there be that enter at it* And therefore it is no great wonder if error and fin have the greater number. . 3. And yet for all this I dire boldly fay that there is a far more excellent Unity and Concord amongthe true Reformed Catho- licks , then among the Papifts , and that they do but cheat poor fools with the falfe pretence of unity. And this I (hall make ap- pear to you as followeth. 1 .As I have (aid before,thev are utterly divided and difagreed about that very power in which they fhould- unite, .and which they pretend muit agree them in all other things. One half of them are for the Soveraignty of a Pope , and the other of a Ge- neral Council : and that as a point of faith. So that there is no * pofiibdity of Union with them, that are divided in the very point in which they invite us to Unite with them. If the eye be dark how (hall the body fee ? If they cannot agree about that power that, they fay mud 3greethem in all things elre,whac hope of an agreement with them ? But for our parts we are all agreed that Chrift only is the head of the Church,ar.d in him we all unite. 2, With uc, they are ufualiy but here and there a {tracing pcr- 54 A K?yfor Catholicks. Ton , or fome few half-witted felf-conceiced Novices that fall off and difagree from us in any thing chat ceftroyeth ialvation .* But with the Papilb, Princes arc ag*inft Princes, and Nations 8 gatnft Nations, and which is much more, General Councils againft General Councils, even in the Foundation of their faith. So that let the General Councils be never fo full and learned , and juftly called, yet if they be again!): the Popes Sovereignty over them, the.other party call them but Cenciliabula, falfe Councils and Conventicles. Of how great moment this difference is, let the learned Cajetanebe a witnefs, who in hisOrationin the Council at the Laterane, under Leo 10. inveighing againft the Councils at Pi/a, Confiance and i^y^makes one to be Babel, and the other ftrufalem- 3. As I proved bcfore,thc Papifts are divided into two feveral pretended CatholickChurches^y making themfelves twoSove- raigns : but fo are not we: For we have but one Head Jefus Chrith That they are two Churches (befides what is (aid ) hear the words of (fajetanein the forcfaid Oration (in Bin- p. 552.) [This Novelty of Pifa , fprung up at Conftarcc, and vamjbed. AtBzfilit fprung up again and is exploded : and if joubement itwiUn'walfobe repreffed as it was under Eugcnius the fourth. For it comet h not from heaven, and therefore will not be lafting. Nor doth it embrace the 'Principality of that Onejvho is in the Church triumphant ^and prefer veth the Church militant ; and which she Sjnod of Pifa ought to embrace if it came from hea- ven, ani not, as it doth, to rely on the Government of a multitude. The Church of the Pifans therefore doth far differ from this Church of Chrifi. Fer one is the Church of believers ; the ether of Cavillers : One of the houfhold of God ; the other of the Er • rone hs ' One ( is the Church ) of Chriftian men : the other of fuch as fear not to tear the coat of Chrifi , and divide the my fiical members of Chrifi from his mjftical body. ] This was jpoken inCcurcil withapplaufe. And can there yet be greater divifions thenthefe? 4. They have been utterly divided about the very power of choofing their Pope, in whom they muft unite. In one age the People cbofehim : In another the Cle rgj chofehim^ fometime both together : For a long time the Emperours chofc him : At iaft only the Cardinals chok him. And fometime a General Council faith A Key for Qatbolicks. ) 5 hath chofcn him. Our Catholicise hutch hath no fuch uncertain • Head, bin one thats che fame yeflerday to day and for ever. 5 . They have ofcen had two or three Popes at once , and one pare of the Church hath followed one, and another the other : yea ( as is faid for forty years together , none knew the true Pope) hithCajetane ubifup. [Of the Schifm of that time there rvtre three fo Accounted Popes , that none of them might bee {teemed the Sptcccjfor of Peter cither certain, or without ambiguity. ] For many ages one part hath been running after one , and the other after the other, orftriving about them. But we arc all agreed in our Head without Controverfie. 6. They have killed multitudes of perfons in their divifions about the choice of their Pope fas in Damafus choice ) And they have had many bloody wars to the dividing of the Church about their Popes and between Pope and Pope. This was their Unity. It would mike a Chriftianafhamed and grieved to read ' of the lamentable wars and divifions of Chriftendom, cither between or about their Popes. 7. Their Popes and Chriftian Emperor, K;ngs and Princef, have been in ycc longer and more grievous wars. 8. They have fet Princes agiinft Princes, and Nations againft Nuions in wars about the CaufcS °*" c^c Popes for miny ages together : and it is too feldom otherwife- 9. Tney have fet Kings and their own fubjeds together in wars, as Englandznd almoft all Chriftendom hath known by fad experience. 10. They hive Excommunicated Princes, and encouraged their fubje&s to expell them, and to murder them: hence were rheinhuTiane murders of Henry thetbird,and Hinrjxht fourth, Kings of France ; and the Powder Plot,and may Treafons in Eng- land: This is their Unity. 1 1. Th.*y center and unite the Church in an i m potent 5infurTi - cient Head, that is not abletodothe O.ikeofa Head, to the hundredth part of the Church,and therefore cannot poffibly pre- ferve unity. But our HeadisalUfufficient. 12. They fet up not only a Controverted head , which all the Churches never agreed to, nor ever will do , but alio- a falfe ufurpingHead, which the Churches dare not and ought not to unite in. Whereas Jefus Chrill is beyond contro- verfie 5 6 A l\ey for Catholicks . verfie the juft and iawfullHead of the Church. i 3. Your Agreement and Unity is with none but your own fc& : and is this fo great a matter to boaft off? you divide your felves from molt of the Catholick Church, and caft them off as Hereticks, orSch'ifroaticks; and then boaft of a Unity among your felves. Andfo may the Quakers, the Anabaptifts , the Socinians, as well as you: Or if you magnifie your Unity from thegrcatnefsof your number that agree, the Greek Church al- io is numerous : and yet in this we far exceed you. For the true Catholick is in Union with all the Members of Chrillon earth. We lay our Unity on the Effemials of Chriftianity, and fo are united with all true Chriftians in the world : even with many of them that reproach us : when you laying your Unity on 1 know not how many doubtfull points , yea,onyou know not what your felves, can extend it no further then to your fed. Which is the more notable and glorious Unity ? to be United to the truly Catholick body,containing ail true Chriftians in the world,or to be at Unity with a fed, which is the lefler and more corrupted part of the Church ? 14. With what face canPapifts glory in their Unity, that are the grcatelt Dividers of the Church on earth? Who is it £hat condemneth the greateft part of the Church , and profe- cutcth that condemnation with fire and fword , or fo much vehenrnce^as the Papifts do ? when they have moft audacioufly divided themfelves from all others, and arrogated the title of Ca- tholick? to thcmfelves, they call this abominable Schifm by the naraeof Unity. If you fay that the Reformers have divided themfelves from all others too : I anfwer,not as from Hereticks, or no members of the fame body with us, as you do t but only as from unfound miftaken Brethren : And therefore properly wc are not divided from them, but only from their miftskes. We think it not lawfull to join with the deareft Brethren in finning, or in that worfhip (by perfonal local communion J where we cannot keep our innocency : But yet we hold the unity of the Spirit with them in the bond of Peace ; and arc one with them in all the fubftanceof Chriftianity,and holy worihip. Even where diftance of p'ace, or circumftantiall differences keep us from Communion in the fame AfTemblics : yet our fcveral Affcm- hlks have comjjmnion in faith, and Lovc3 and the fubftance of worfh'p A I\ey for Qatholicks. 57 v. jrflhipastothekind , lb that oar divifion from other ChriftN ans is nothing to the Papifts. 15. But yet when any differ from us in any point EfTentia! to our Religion ( that is, to Chriftianity,,) they are none of us nor owned by us • and therefore you cannot fay that we are at difference among our felves, becaufe fome Apoftares have fain off from us. You will not allow us to fay you have many fe&s, becaufe fome of you have turned Socinians , or becaufe thoufands of yours have turned to the Reformers, in the dayes of Luther, Calvin, &c. And why then (hould thofe feds be numbred with us that are not ofus3buc went out from us? If men turn Inndels,Seekers,Quaker5, Socinians, ejre. they are not of us no more then of you. If you fay that we bred them ; I an- fwer, no more than you breed them, when they turn to the fame feds from you •' Nor no more then you bred the Lutherans, far better men. They went out from you,and yet you bred them not \ But on the other fide, you cherifh thofe as part of your Church , which differ from you in your fundamentals ; fo that the Pope dare not unchurch or difown them(as the French. &c.) butfo do not we. 16. Our Unity is in Pofnives, and theirs is in Negatives: Ours is a Unity in faith; and theirs is in not believing the contrary: And fo dead men, may have a fuller Unity in the grave then the Papiftshave. 17. Our Union is Divine, having a Divine Head and Center, and Divine Do&rine and Law in which we agree. But the Papifts is humane, having a carnal Head and Center, and Hu- mane Decrees and Canons for its matter and Rule. 18. They have not fo fure a means of retaining men in their unity as we have : Let experience be Judge of this : For where one hathforfaken our Unity and Communion , I fuppofe hun- dreds , if not thoufands, have forfaken theirs, as France Bdgiay Germany, Sweden, Denmark^ Poland, Hnngary, Tranfilvania1 England, Scotland, Ireland, &c. can witnefs : and if themfelves might be believed, the Greek Church, and all, or almoft all the Chriftians elfe in the world have gone from their unity. And yet will they glory in theeffe&ualnefsof their means of unity? Why then did they not retain all thefe Nations in their unity ? 19. Moreover, indeed they have very little Religious unity at I all 5 8 A tfeyfor Catholicks. all among them ^ for its force and terror that keeps men in their Church : And who can tell under fuch violence how many flick to them in Confcience and willingly ? He that will forfake their Religion in Spain jnutt be tormented and burnt at a flake, and in other Countreys where they have full power, he muft be at leaft undone. So that i .Theirs is a unity of bodies more then of minds: 2. And their union is not procured by the Pope as Pope; but by the temporal fword, which the Pope hath ufurped over fomc countreys, and which deluded Princes ufe by his per- fwafion in other Countreys. What a jugling deceit then is this, to perfwade poor fouls , that the only way to unity is to Center in the Pope of Rome, and that this is the moft eflk&ual means of ending differences/ when in the mean they make fo little ufe of it, and place fo little confidence in it themfelves, but uphold their unity by the Magiflr ate s fword ? And if this be the way,wc have Magifirates among us as well as they, that can as effectu- ally compeil men to unity,as far as their Judgements tell them ic is fit: And befides this force, it is the riches and preferment of their Clergy,with their immunity from fecular power^ the like, that is the means of their unity. But ic is the light of holy Scrip, ture opened by a faithfull Miniftry, and countenanced by Chri- itian Magiftracy without tyranny, that is our means of unity. If the Papal Headfhip be fo cffe&uall a means of unity as they pretend , and if they are fo much of a mind as they fay,!et them give us leave but to preach one 1 2. moneths in Spain and Italy if they dare : or let them give men leave without fire and fword to choofe their Religion. 20. And yet befides all this , and after all this tyranny , they have more difference among themfelves then we have , or then all the Chriftians that I hear of in the world. And to hide the Infamy of their differences, they tolerate them, and extenuste them. For differences in Difcipline, and order of Worfhip they allow abundance of feds called Orders > that men and women may choofe which theypleafe. And the voluminous differences of their Schoolmen, Cafuifts and Commcntators,thcy fay are not in matters of faith. But call them what you will, they are many of them greater differences then are with ui. I pray read over the lanfenians Myfterie of Jefuitifm, and take notice of the differences between the Jefuites and them in Cafe- Divi- A f\ey for fatbolicks. 5 9 Divinity, and judge whether they be final 1. And let it not offend your ears if I recite forae ot their Differences in that Pa- piitsown words, as he cites the Jefuites, and ceils you where to find what he faith. Pag. 89. Filintius the Jefuite holds, that if a man have pur- pofely wearied himfelf with fatisfjing a where, that he might be difpenfed with from fafiing on afafiing day, he is not obliged to fajt, But the Janfenians think otherwile. Baftlitis Pontius & Bunny the Jcfuites teach, that a man may feele^an opportunity of finding prirrb & per fe, when the jpirituahr temporal concernment of our [elves or our neighbours inclinethhim thereto, But the Janienifts think the contrary : Pag. 91. Eman. Sa the Jefuite holds, that \_a man do what he con- ceives lawful/ according to a probable opinion, though the contrary be the more certain : and for this thejOpinion of one grave Doctor *s [efficient .] And Filintius the Jefuite held [that it is lawfuli to follow the lefs probable opinion , though it be the lefs certain, and that this is the common opinion of modern authors^] Pag. 95. And yet the Janfenifts are againft it. Layman the Jefuite holds, that [If it be more favourable to them that as k^advice of him, and more dt fired, it ts Prudence to give them fuch advice as is held probable by fume knowing perfon, though he himfelf be convinced that it u abfolutely falfe.] But the Janicniftsarc againft this. Pag. 96. Bunney the Jefuite holds \jhat when the patient follows a pro- bable epiniony the cenfejfor is bound to abfolve him, though his judgement be contrary to that cf the penitent : and that he fns mortally if he deny him abfolmion] Mjfter.of fefuit. pag. 97. But the JanfenilU deny this. Father Reginaldus and Cellot hold, that [the modern Cafuifis in ejuefiiens of Morality are to be preferred before the antitnt Fathers^ though they were nearer the Apoftles times] Pag, 98 . But the Janfenifls think otherwife. Pope Cjregsry the fourteenth declareth Murderers unworthy to have San&uary in Churches. Butthejefuitsand Janfeniftj agree not who are the Murtherers. The 29 Jefuites in their Praxis page 600. by murderers underftand thofe who have taken money to kill oni treacherouflj : and that thofe who kjU without receiving any reward^ but do it only to oblige their friends , are 1 2 not 60 A K^ey for Cathoikks. not called murthtrers. ] But the Janfenifts think otherwife. (No marvaii if you cannot underftand theScrip*vire without a judge, when you can no better underftand your judge, r,o not what he means by a murtherer.) Vapjutz the Jefuite faith [that in this f&uefiion >rich men are obliged to give alms out of their fuperfluity ^though the affirmative be true, yet it will 'ft Idem or never happen, that it is obligatory in port cfpraclice] Pag. 105. But the Janfenifts think otherwife. Vahmia the Jefuite, Tom, 3. p. 2042. hold.% that [ If a man give money not as the price of a Benefice, but as a ^Motive to refignityit is not Simony ,t hough he that refigns do locf^at the money as his Principal end] and fo Tannerus, p. 115. But the Janfenifts think otherwife. Father Gafpar Hurtado faith [ that an Incumbent may with- out mortal fin wi/h the death of him that hath a penfion out of his living, and a f on his fathers death ; and may re Joyce when it hap* pens,fo it proceed only from a confi deration of the advantage accrew- ing to him thereby, and nit out of any perfenal hatred ] pag. 136. But the Janfenifts believe not this. Layman the Jefuit, and Pet. Hurtado : thinks that a man may lawfully fight a due '11, accepting the challenge to defend his honour or eft ate y Pag, 138. But the Janfenift thinks otherwife. Sanchez and Navarrus allow a man to murder his adverfary fecretly, or dif patch him at unawares to avoid the danger of a duell : p. 140. And LMolina thinks you may kill one that wrongfully informs againft us in any Court : and F^egmMusj hat you may kjll thefalfe witnejfes which the profecutor brings ; And Tanner us and Emanuel Sa, that you may kill both witneffies and judge which confpire the death of an imiocent per [on ] But fo think noc the Jan- fenifts. Henriquez faith [one man may kill another who hath given him a box on the ear^ though he run away for it, provided he do it not out of hatred or revenge, and that by that means a gap be open for ex* cejjive murther, deftrutlive to the State, t/fnithe reafon is, a man may as well do it in purfuance of his reputation, as his goods; and he that hath had a box on the ear is accounted dishonour able till he hath killed his enemy.'] And Awrius faith, Is it lawfull for aper- jqn of quality to kill one that would give him a box on the ear, or a bang with a flicks f fomefaynot « — But others affirm it lawfully and A I\ey for Catbdit k$. <5 1 And for my part 1 thin\ it probable y when it cannot be Avoided other - wife : For if it were not, the reputation of innocent perfons were flill ex poled to the infolencj of the malicious.'} par. 142, 143 , J 44. many other are of the fame mind , in To much that Father- Lcffius faith rit is lawful L by the confent of ail Cafuifls, to kill him that would give a box on the ear, or a bhto with a [lick^when a man cannot other wife avoidicp.i4$.[:&thcrBoJdellus faith^/f is lawfull to kill him that faith toyou\jbou lytft^fa man cannot right himfelf otherwife. ! And LeJJius iairh Q// you endeavour to ruine my reputation bj opprobrious fpeeches before ferfons of honour, and that 1 cannot avoid them otherwife then bj killing jou , may I dott ? According to modern Authors I may ; nay though the crime you lay to my charge be fuch as J am really guilty of, it being fuppefed to have beenfofecretiy committed ,that you cannot di [cover it by ways ofjuftice. Tis proved, if when you would take away my reputation by giving me a box on the ear, it is in my power to prevent it by force of a* ms, the fame defence is certainly lawfully when you wzuld dome the fame injury with your tongue. B '"fides , a man may avoid the affront of tbofe whofe ill language he cannot hinder. In a word, honour is more precious then life, but a mm may kill in defence of his life, ergo, he may hill in defence of his hemur^ pag. 146. But the Janlenifts are againft all this. Efcombar faith, that regularly it is lawfull to kill a man for the value of a crown, according to Molina, p. 151. Father Amicus faith j_ It is lawfull for a Church-man , or a Keligious man to kill a detractor that threatens to divulge the fcandalous crimes of his community or himfelf , when there is no oth-r mesns left to hinder him from doing it, as if he be ready to fcatter his calumn esf if not fud- denly di [patched out of the way~\ p. 1 52,1 5 3 . And Caramovel in his Fundamental Theologie takes it for certain, and thence concludes, ihat [_a Priefl not only may kill a detractor on certain %cc afions, but fomttime sought todoit]And yet the peevifh Janfenift believcth none of this. Bat I muft ftop : you may read in the faid Janfenians Myfterie of Jefuitifm, a voiumnoffuch paflkges of the Jefuites, allowing men to give and receive the Sacrament when they come than day from Adultery : and allowing a man to eat and drink as much as he can with his health ; and difcharging men from a Neccfiity of Loving God, uoief* it be once in their lives, or as I 3 others 61 A f\ey for Catbolicks. others fay, upon Holy-daics, or as Hurtado de Afendoza, once a year, or as fining, once in three or four years, or as Henri- qttez,, once in five years, or as Anthon. Sirmond, not at ad, fo we do not k«te him, and do obey his other commands , with abun- dance more. Now Reader I would here leave it to thy consideration, whether all thefe differences among the Papifts are fo fraall as to be no matters offaitb. And I increat you to read over the forementiontd Book, (the Myfterie of JefuitiGn) and then judge whether Papifts or the Reformed Catholicks are more at unity among themfclves. Well 1 but fuppofe the loving of God, the avoiding murder, bribery, and the like, be no matter of faith at Rome, yet I have not done with them fo. I defire to know whether the holy Scrip- ture be matter of faith or net? They dare not deny but* it is. Well I and what is the Scripture, but the words utfigna, and the fenfeor matter nt res Jignificata} And are the Papifts agreed among themfelves about either of thefe? no: For the words, its well known how fomeofthebeft Learned of them have flood for the preheminence of the Hebrew and Greek Texts : and others, and the raoft, for the vulgar Latine. And that vul- gar Latine Tranflation hath been altered and altered again by them. And after many others comes VopeSixtfts the fift, and makes it fo compleat, that the Church is required to ufc his Edition •, yet after him comes Pope Clement the eighth and mends it in many hundred, if not thoufand places, and impofes this upon the Church • which of thefe Popes was Infallible ? I am fure they much differ in their Translations. And for the fenfe of fcripture, though men mud fwear to take Scripture in the Churches fenfe, yet will not any Pope or Council to this day, tell us the fenfe of them, either by giving us an in- fallible Commentary,or by deciding the many thoufand differen- ces that are among their Commentators. Do not all thefe Com- mentators forfwear themfelves, having fworn f thofe that lived iince the Council of Trent) *o expound Scripture in the fence of the Church, and only according to the unanimous confent of the Fathers. And why doth not the Pope decide thefe controversies ? feingitistheir happinefs to have fucha Judge of Controversies to keep them all of a mind ? But A f\ey for Catbolicks. 6$ But perhaps they will fay, that allthefe Scriptures be not mat' ters of faith. No / where are we then ? what is matter of faith ifScripturebenoc? And if all be not, how (hall we know which is? Buc at leaft , tell us, Is no one of all thofe many hun- dred or thoufand Texts which your Commentators differ about any matter of Faith ? If not , then fure you have no Faith. If it be, then furely the Papifts differ among therafelves in mattcrsof Faith. It is not a few Texts that Lyras excepter and Bargenfts differ about, to name no more. And of the fore- faid Editions of the Bible by Pope Sixtus> and Clement, fee Dr. fame's Bellnm Papale, vel Concordia difcors. Chap. XVI. Detect. 7. Ty Y what hath been faid, you may difcern how to 13 deal with them , when they would induflriottfly con- found the Ejfentials and the Integral parts of onr Faith : for this ii another of their juglingi. They cannot endure to hear us diftinguifti the fundamentals ( that is, the Ejfentials ) of our Religion from the reft : and therefore they call out to us for a Catalogue of our fundamen- tals • and would perfwade us that whatfoever is matter of faith, is of Neceflity to falvation to be believed, and thofe are dam- nable Hereticks that deny them, and therefore we muft not make any fuch difference. See Knot againft Chillingwonh. Their defign in this is to perfwade people that the world muft be whol- ly of their mind in matters of faith,or elfe they cannot be faved. And by this trick they would prove that the Proteftants and many other Churches are all Hereticks, and therefore have no place in General Councils, and are no parts of theCatholick Church. But let us confider how judicioufly they proceed. 1. We muft defire the Papifts to tell us whether Chriftianity be any thing or nothing? If any thing,it hath its Effcnce.-and 2. Whether this Eflence of Chriftianity be Knowable or not? If not, then they cannot know a Chriftian from another : and they cannot know the Church from other Societies. If it be knowable, then its Eflence muft needs be knowable. 3. And we would be informed by them, whether all true Chriftians in the ^4 A l^ey for Cathjdicks . the world are of thefarrieftsture'or degree of knowledge and cxplicite belief? If they be, then there% no difference between Fathers and Babe*, Strong and Weak, Prieft and People • and then the Jefuites have no more Knowledge or Faith then the iimpleft woman of their Church : but if there be a difference, then 4. We would know whether r he Effence of Chriftianity be varyed according to thefe degrees. If fo , then there are as ma- ny forts of Chriftianity in the world, as there be degrees of Faith i which they have more wit, I fuppofe, then to affirm. If not, then the EfTence of Chriftianity is diftinguiftiable from the Integrity or fuperadded Degrees, which is the thing that we con- tend for. 5. We defire alio to know whether the Apoflles did not goon to teach their people more, after they had made them Cbriftians, in a Rate of fal vaEion. And whether the Pricfts, Fry. ers, and Jcfuirs will give men up, and teach them nothing more when they have soade them Cbriftians. I know they will fay, There's more to be taught. And if fo, then the EfTentials of Chriftianity are diftinguiiTiable from the Integrals or Degrees. 6. Aad we would know elfehow they will underftand that in Heb. 5. 1 0,1 1,12,14. and 6. 1 ,2. [For when for the time ye ought to be Teachers, ye have need that ene teach you again which be the fir ft prittcip/es of the Oracles of God, and are become fuch as have need of milk^andnot of ftrongmeat* For every one that ufeth milk^ is unskilful in the Word of righteoufnefs, for be is a bate. But ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full age> who by reafon of ufe have their fenfes exercifed to difcern good and evil : therefore leaving the Principles of the doclrine of Chrift, let us go on to per' fellion, not laying aiain the foundation^ &c. ] Tell us now whe- ther the Apoftle do not here diftinguifh between babes and ftrong men; milk and ftrong meat ^ the principles or foundati- on and pcrfedion ? 7. And we would know of them whether all that is Revealed by God be of abfolute Neceflity to every mans falvation that do or may hear it ? If fo, then no man can be faved that knoweth not all that God hath revealed; and then no one in the world can be faved : for here we know but in part. And their own Commentators differ about the word of God, which ftieweth that they are imperfed in the Knowledge of its fenfe. And their Pope knows it not, or elfe he is fhamefully to blame, that will not tell it the. world, and reconcile his Corn- men- AK^yfor QathoXxcfo. 65 mentators and Difputers. But if all revealed be not of Abfoluce Neceftky , tben we may have leave to diftinguilh between points abfoIu:elyNece(Tiry, and the reft. 8. And we would know whe- ther all (hall be damned, that know not as much as the raoft Learned and Wife? if nor, then (till we may have leave to di* ftingu'ifti. 9. Further we demand, whether any ignorance or error that is culpable, will ftand with Charity and Salvation ? If not, then who (hall be faved ? If yea • then we may (till diftin- guilh the points of AbfoluteNeceflity from the reft. 10. We demand alfo, whether the whole holy Scripture be the word of God ? If fo, then whether we ought not to believe it all as far as we can underftand it ? And if To, whether it be not all, de fide matter of Faith ? If not, they muft tell us, what part of Gods word is to be believed, and what not. If yea ; then cer- tainly men may err de fidt in points of Faith , and yet have Charity, and be faved : as their difagrceing Commentators, Cafuifts and Schoolmen do. 11. We would know whether the matters that their Divines are difagreed in, be Revealed by God, or things unrevealed? If not revealed, do they not deferve to bekicktoutof the world, for troubling the world fo with un- revealed things ? If they be Revealed, are they not Revealed to be believed, end fo are de fide ? 1 2. And we would know whe- ther there be not fome things Bffential to true Obedience, and fome things not EfTential ? If not, then no (inner hath (incerc Obedience, and can be faved : If yea ; then why may not the fame be faid of faith? 13. Alfo we would know, when they baptize the Adult, whether they require any profeflion of the faith from them or not ? If nor, they may as well baptize In- fidels or Heathens. If they do, then what is that profeffion? Is it a profefiion of every particular truth that God hath re- vealed to be believed ? No fure ; for then none but Doctors muft: be baptized. Nor they neither. Or is it a profefsion of fome particular Truths only > If of fome only, why of thofe more then the reft, if they be not the EiTentials diftinguifhable from the reft? And do they make men true Chriftians by baptizing them, or not? If they do, then fure the Baptifmal faith muft contain all that is EfTential to Christianity. 14. We defire alfo to be informed by them, what is the ufe of the Churches Creed, and why they have ufed frequently to make confefsion of their K faith: 66 A Kgyfor Catholicks. faith ? Was it not the whole faith Effcntial to Chriftianity which rheyconfeft? If not, then it was not fit to be the badge of the Church ; or of the Orthodox : if yea •, then it feems thofe Greeds had in thcra the effentials diftirguiflied from the reft. t 5. we would know whether every thing delivered or defined by any General Council, be of fuch neceffity to falvation, that all muft expiicitely believe them all that will be faved ? If fo, then whether any Papifl can be faved, feeing they underftand them not all ? If nor, then fure a diftindion muft be made. 16. And we would know how they can countenance ignorance fo much as they do, if all things revealed be of equal neceffity i&faivation. 17. And what mean they to diftinguifh oflm- piicite and Explicite faith ? Is it enough to believe as the Church believes, and not know what in any particular ? then it is not rffc/^ornecefTary to falvation to believe the refurrcdion of Chrift, or of man, or the life to come. For a man may believe that the Church is in the right, and yet not know that it holdeth any of thefe. Is it enough to believe the formal objed of faith (which with us is Gods veracity J without the material ? Or is it enough to remain Infidels, and only believe that the Church are true Believers ? If you hold to this, you make no ad of faith, but one (the believing that the Church, that is> the Pope or Council arc true believers) to be of Neceffity to falvation. But if thercbeforaethingthatisNecefTtrytobe atlually (that is ex- piicitely) believed, then muft not that be diftinguifhed from the reft and made known ? 18. Whence is it that you denominate men fideles, believers with you? Is it from a Pofitive faith, or for mt holding the contrary ? If the latter, then Stones ,and Beafts, and Pagans, and their Infants may be believers. If the former , then that Pofitive faith from whence ail believers arc denomi- nated muft be known. 1 9. Is not that true faith and all that is effenual to Chriftianity, which doth confift with faving grace or (to ufe your phrafej with true Charity ? If not, then cither Infidels and no Chriftians may have true Charity, or elfe true Charity may be in the unjuftified ; or both ; If yea, (which doubtlcfs you will yield ) then fure men of lower knowledge and faith then Dodors, may have true Charity- and therefore true faith. 20. Laftly, I appeal co your own confeffions, BelUrmine often diftinguiiheth between the points, that ail muft of A t\ey jor Qathoiicks. 67 of Neceffity explicitly believe, and the reft. And Suarez in three parts. Thorn. Difp. 43- Sill. 4. faith of the Article of Chrifts defcending into Hell [If by an Article of faith we under- ft and a truth which all the faithful I are bound explicitly to know , and believe, fo I do not think.it necejfary to reckon this among the Articles of faith, becaufe it is not altogether neaffarj for all men] Here you fee that JW^diftinguifhech between Articles ofNeceflitytoall, and thofe that are not : and that he excepts even the Defcent into Hell from this number of Articles Neceffa- ry to all I might cite many more of your writers,but the thing is well known. Bat perhaps you'i fay, that though all that //defide, be not necejfary to be believed explicit el) by all, jet implicitelj it muft. I *Anf. 1 . that which you call Implicite believing is no believing that point, but another point : yea a point that doth not fo much as infer that : for iz followeth not [the Church is infallible, therefore Chrift defc ended into Bell.'] 2. And we believe all that is depde with an Implicite faith as well as you ; But it is an Implicite Divine faith, and not humane: For we arc fure that All that God faith is true; and this Divine veracity is the formal objed of our faith. And we believe that all that is in Scripture is true, and that all that was ever delivered by the infpiratton of the Holy Ghoft is true. Objcft. But all that is de fide u fo xecejfary, that it will not ft and with falvatien to believe the contrary, or deny or disbelieve any point of faith. Aufw. 1 . That cannot be true, For no man can prove that a point may not be denyed and difputed againft by a true Believer as long as he is ignorant that is is true, and from God : the fame ignorance that keeps him from knowing it, may caufe him to deny it, and gainfay it. 2. Do not your own differing Commentators, Schoolmen and Cafuifts ("on one fide atleaft) difpute voluminoufly againft fome Truths of Divint revelation? If you change a mans mind from the fmalleft error by difpute, do you take that to be a change of his ftate from death to life ? ts£ntas Sylvins thought a General Council was above the Pope : but when he came to be Pope Pitts the fecond,he thought the Pope above a General Council • was this a change from death to life r* It feems by his Bull of Retradation,hc K z thought 68 A K^y for Catholicks. thought fo, but fo did not feveral General Councils: was the Catholick Church Reprefentative at the Councill of Bafil, or Conftance, or Pifa in a ftate of death and damnation for believing the Pope to be fubjed to a General Council? or was the Council at Later ant (another Reprefentative Catholick Church ) in a ftate of death for holding the Contrary ? Muft either Pope John the twenty fecond, or Pope Nicolas be damned becaufeof the contrariety of their Decrees ? If the Council of Toletane the hxft ordain that he that hath a Concubine injlead of aftife, [hall not be kept f rem the Sacrament, doth it prove them all in a (late of death? If Bdlarmm confefs that the fixth General Council at Corftanunop'e have many errors , doth it follow that the Catholick Church reprefentative was in a damnable ftate ? If the fecond Council at Nice maintain the corpereity of Angels, and the firft Council at the Latarane maintain the contrary, doth it follow that one of them was in a ftate of death ? I thin* not : (though I am fure it proves a General Council fallible , when approved by the Pope, and therefore Popery a deceit.) 'Bellarmine fometime tells us of the change of bis own mind. And the Retractations of Aufi-in (& better man) tell us of the change ©f his mind in many things .• And yet it fol- ic werh not that he was in a ftate of death and unjuftified before. Objcd. But all that is dc fide is of Neceffity to the Salvation ef fome, though not of all. Anfw. I. If that be granted, yeE you muft grant us leave to diftinguifh between Points necefftry to be believed by all,and points that are not thus ncceffary to all. 2. But in what cafe is it that you mean, that other points are of Neceffity to fame ? i. Is it to thofe fome that know them to be of Divine Revelation ? weeafily grant you that : But that is notbeeaufethe7/tftf£JthemfeIves are fimply neceffiry to Sal- vation, but becaufe a Belief of Gods veracity %zw& the Truth of all that he Revcaleth in general, is of neceffity: and he that Be- Ireveth that God is True (verax) cannot chufe but believe all to be True which ht knows God re vealctb. He that thinketh God to be a Lyar, in one word,doth not believe hit veracity, and. fo hath no Divine faith at all. And therefore you need not fear left any one fhoald be guilty of not believing that which they knpw. A I(ey for Catbolicks . 69 know is the word of God, but thofe that take God to beaLyar, and that is thofe that take him not to be God , and (o are • Athe- ifts. Butftilkhe thing of Abfolute neceflity is but firft to believe in General that God is true in all his word, fecondly and to believe the truth of the eflfenthl points of Chriftiamty in particular (embracing the Good propounded in them.) Now its true that fecondanly all known Truths are of neceflity to be believed, becaufe elfc our General belief of Gods veracity is noc finccre. But yet we muftfay that antecedently even to thac perfon,thefe Superadded truths were not of Neceflity to his Sal- vation to be believed, becaufe they were not of fuch Necefsity to be Known; and if they had not been known, you would fay your felves there had noc been fuch Nccefsuy of Believing them. But ifyou go further, and fay, that all that were obliged to know them , or that had opportunity jr the Revelation if the truth ,and jet did mty and thereupon deny them culpably, Are in a §Mt of death • I deny that, and (hall prove it falfe. Irs true, that a wilful I refufing the Light t becaufe men love darkxefs rather then frghty is a certain fign of a gracele fs wretch. But every culpable igno- rance and unbelief is not Damning ignorance or unbelief. 1. Otherwifenomanfhould befaved : For no man is void of culpable ignorance>and consequently of culpable unbeiief.Had we never been wanting in the ufe ofmcans,thertVno man but might have known more then he doth.Ts there any one of you that dare refufe to ask God forgivenefs of your ignorance, unbelief, or the negligence thac is the culpable caufe of them, or that dare fay, you need nop irdon of them ? 2. If you plead for venial fin, how can you deny a venial unbelief upon venial ignorance? But then I pray you le^rn more wit and piety, 1. then to fay that your venial unbelief or fin is no fin, fave as Analogically: fo called ^ or 2. then to fay it deferves- a pardon, or deferves not everlafting punifhmenr. But if you will call it venial^ becaufe being confident with the true Love of God and habitual Holinefs, and faving faith, the Law of Grace doth pardon it, and not condemn men for it, thus we would agree with you thac there is veniallfin •, but then you mud yield us that there is venial unbelief. 3. And we eafily prove ail this from the Law of God. Ic E*3 is yo AK^y for Catbolicks* is the nature of the preceptive part to conftitute Duty only, and the violation of that is fin : But it is the fan&ion, the promife and threatning that Determines of the Reward and Penalty : Now it is only the old Law of works that makes the Threatening as large as the prohibition, condemning man for every fin .• but fo doth not the Law of Grace. The precept ftillcommandcth Pcrfed obedience, and fo makes it aduty; but the promife maketh not perfect obedience the condition of Sal- vation ; but Faith, Repentance and fincere Obedience, though imperfeft. The Law of Nature dill makes everlafting Death due to every fin : But it is fuch a Due as hath a Remedy ac hand provided and offered in the Gofpcl •, and is adually rerae- dyed to all true believers. So that as it is not every fin that will damn us, chough damnation be due to it ( becaufc we have a prcfent Remedy ; ) fo it is not every culpable ignorance or unbelief that will damn us, though it deferve damnation, becaufe the GofpeFdoth not oaly not damn us for it, but pardons ie , by acquitting us from the condemnation of the Law. All this may teach you » not only to mend your abominable do&rine about Mortal and veniall fin, but alfo to difcern the rcafon why a man may deny fomc points of faith thatarenotoftheefTcnceof Chriftianity, and yet not be damned for it, becaufe the Law of Grace doth not condemn him for it, though he be culpable, becaufe the Law of Grace may command further then it peremptorily condemneth in cafe of difobedience. It is the Promife that makes fajth the Condition §f Life, though it be the Precept that makes it a dmj\ Now it favcthnotas a performed Duty dire&ly, (becaufc the precept gives not the Reward J butts* performed Condition: And there- fore unbelief condemneth not effectually as ameer fin dire&ly, but as finch a finis is the violation or non-performance of that condition. But it is not a belief of every thing that is prece* ptjyely de fide, which is made the condition offtfc, (Jhap^ A I^ey for Catbolicks. 7 1 Ch a p. XVII. Detett. 8. A Nother of their Joglings is, toextoll the judge- jl\ ment of the Cathoiick^ Church as that which ntufi be the ground of faith, and the decider of ail Controverfies : And co this end they plead againft the fufficiency of Scripture, and bend all the force of their arguings and defigns, as if all their hope lay in this point, and as if ic were a granted thing tfut the day ii theirs, and we arc loft, if the Cathoiick Church be ad- mitted to be the Judge. Hence it is that they cry out againft private faith and opinions , and cali men to the faith of the Church , and perfwade the poor people, that the Church is for them, and we are but branches broken off. Well, we are content to deal with them at their own weapon, and at that one in which they put their truft. For our parts we know that the true Cathoiick Church ( nor any member of it, in fenfu Compeftta) cannot err in any of the Bjfentials of Chriftianity ( for then it would ceafe to be the Church : ) But we have too much reafon to Judge that it is not free from errrorin leffer things. But yet for ail that in the main caufe between the Papifts and us, we refufe not their judgement. Nay we turn this Canon againft the Canoneers , and eafiiy prove that the Papifts caufe is utterly loft, if the Cathoiick Church be Judge. But is it the Ancient Church jr the prefent Church that mujl decide the caufe ? Well I It fhall be which you will. For the moft Ancient Church in the Apoftlesdayes , we are altogether of its belief, and ftand to itsdecifion in all things; and if you prove we miftake them in any thing, we fhill gladly receive inftru&ion and be reclaimed. To them we appeal for our EiTcntials and In- tegrals. And for fome following ages, we will be tryed by them in the articles of our faith,and in the principal ontroYerfies we have with the Papifts. Tea, but this will not ferve their turn : It is the prefent Church that muft judge or none : For fay they , if the ancient Church had power, fo hath the prefent ' and if the ancient Church had pfftf* fion of the truth , how fhall we know it but by the prefent ? I anfwer, 1 . Wc may know it by the Records of chofe times far furer 72 A l<{ey for C^tholtch furer theaby the reports of men without writing; Controver- fies or numerous myilerious points areforrily carryed in the memories, efpecialiyof the moft, even of the Teachers. And for the Record*, one diligent skilfull man will know more then ten thoufand others. One BaroniHs, AlbafptKaas , Petavius , among the Papifts and one VJber, Blondell.SalmaftHs, Gdtaker, &c. among the Proteftants, knew more of the mind of an- tiquity , then a whole Country bsfides, or perhaps then fome Generall Councils. 2. Weil/ but if you appeal to the greater number, to them (hall you go. You mud be tried by the prefent Church ; Why then you are condemned. Is it the lelTer number ,or the great- er, or the better that muft be judge ? You will not fay the lef- cr , as fuch : If you do, you know where you are. If you fay, the Better part (hall be judge : who (hall be Judge which is the Better part ? we are ready to prove the Reformed Churches the Better part : and if we do not,we will give you the day, and lofc our caufe. But I fuppofc you will appeal to the Greater part. Content i Then the world knows you are loft. The Greeks, Mofcovitcs,Armenians,AbaiTines,and all other Churches in Aft*, Africa and Europe arc far more tben the Papifts i and your own pens and mouths tell us that thefe are againft you. Many of them curfc you as Hereticks or Schifmaticks • the reft of them know you not,or refufe your governraent.They all agree againft your Popes univerfall Headfhip or Sovereignty, and fo againft the very form of your new Catholick Church : So that the world knows the Judgement of the far greateft part of Chrifti- ans on earth to be againft you in the main,fo that you fee what you get by appealing to the Catholick Church. But I know you will fay,that all thefe are Schifmaticks, or He- reticks,and none of the Catholick Church: But they fay as much by youjfomcofthem, and all of them abhor your charge ^ and how do you prove it ? and who (hall be Judge whether they, or you be the Catholick Church? You tell us of your fucce/fion, and of twenty tales that are good, if you may be Judges your fe'vesjbut fo do they fay as much which is good if they be Judges. W'^n we offer to difpute our cafe with you, you ask us who Jhall be fudge, and tell us the Catholick. Church muft be Judge : But who (hall be Judge between you and them which is the Ca- tholick Ai\eyfor Qatholicks. j* tholick Church t you will no: let us be J udges in our own caufe, and why then fhould you ? Are we Proteftants the Icjfer number as to you ? fo arc you to all the reft that are againft you. And what reafon have we to let the Icjfer number Judge over the Greater ? If (till you fay, becaufe you are the Better, let that *H be firft tryed • but no reafon you fhould there alio be the Judges. So that the cafe is plainly come to this, Either the Papifls mufi ftand to the Greater number, and then the controverfie is ac end : or they muft (hamefully fay, we will not difpute with you,mleft w: may be the Juiges our [elves , though the fewer. Or elfc they mutt lay by the.r talk of* a Judge, and difpute it equally with us, by producing their cvidence,which we are ever ready for. ,. * i Chap. XVIII. DeteB. 9. '"pH E mod common and prevalent Deceit of the A Papifts is, by ambiguous terms to deceive thoft that cannot force them to diftinguiflj, and to make you believe they mean one thing, when they mean another , and to mock^ you with cloudy words* I (hall here warn you to look to them therefore efpecially in three terms, on which much of their controverfics lies,thatis,the words Church, Pope, and Council. For there's but few underftand what they mean by any one of thefe words. 1. When you come to difputeof the Church with them, fee that you agree firft under your hands of the Definition of that Church of which you difpute. And when you call them to De- fine it, you will find them in a wood, you will little think how many feverall things it is that they call [ the Church : j For example, fomctime they mean the nhele Body, Paftorsavd People : but more commonly they mean only the Paftors, which are the far fmalleft part. And fomecime they mean the Church Reall:and fometimes only the Church Reprefentativc, as they call ic in a Ge- nerall Councill. But whether they mean the Pattors or People, chev exclude all faving the Pope of his fubje&s, and fo by the [Church~] mean but a part or fell* Sometime in the Queftion L about &. 74 A fyyfor Catholicks. about Tradition, Come of the French take the [Church] for the community , fas fathers deliver the do&rine of Chrift to their children,^.) And fometime they take it in its Politicall fence/or a holy fociety,cor;(ifting of a viftble Head and members : But then they agree not of that Head, forae fetting the Pcfc higheft^ and fome the CouncilL But frequently they take the word [Chureh~] for the fuppofed Head alone , as in moft queftions about Infallibility, Judging of Controverfies, expounding Scripture, keeping of Traditions, defining points of faith, &c. They fay, The Church muft dot hefe : but commonly they mean the fuppofed Head: And one part mean a Generall Councill&nd the jefuicesand Italians, ar.dpredomi nan t part do mean only the Pope : fo that when they talk of the whole Catholiek£hurch,md call you to its Judgement, and boaft of its Infallibility (you would little think itjthey mean all this while but one poor finfull man.&nd fuch a man as fometime hath been more unlearned then many of your fchool-boys of twelve or fourteen years of age- and fometime hath been a Murderer, Adulterer, and (if General Councils, or the common vote may be believed) an Here- tick, an Infidel, an Incarnate Devil. This man is their Church ,as Gretfer,Bellar mine find the reft of that ft rain profefs. Sotha:ifyoudobutforce them to define and explain what they mean by the Church, you will cither caufe them to open their nakednefs, or find thera all to pieces about the very fubjeft of theDifputc. 2. So alfo when they ufe the name of Q4 Pope~\ in difputation, make them explain themfelves, and teil you (in a Definition) what they mean by [_aPope.~\ For, though you would think this term were fufficicntly under flood, yet you (ball find them utterly at a lofs, and all to pieces about it. Let us consider diftindly of the Efficient, Matter, and Form. 1. As to the efficient caufe of their Pope, there muft concur a Divine Institu- tion (which they can no where fhew^ and a call from man '& Nemo dat quod non habet, what man or men have power to make a Head to the Catholick Church.) But whether they will call it an Efficient Caufe, or only a Caufa fine qua mn, Eleftion nd Qrdinatim muft go to make a Pope. Now either they mil put thefc into their Definition* or not. If not, know of them whether a.msn without Eh ftion and Ordination maj be Pope\ If' fo, what makes A t\ey for Qatholicks. 7 5 makes htm one? If 'Poffejfion, then he that can conquer 2to»*,and fit ) then it will not follow, if they could prove that the Apoftles fafted in the Lent, or ufed the fign of the Crois in Baptifme or holy Ordinances, or confirmed with aCrofs in Chryfroe> &c. that therefore they intended thefe as univerfal Laws to the Church, though I fuppofe they will never prove that ihey ufed the things themfelves. 4. We will never take the Popes Dccifion or bare word for a Proof of Tradition : nor will we receive it from pretended Au- thority, but from rational Evidence. It is not their faying, we are the authorized keepers of Tradition, that (hall go with us for proof. 5. And therefore it is not the Teftiraony of the Papifts alone,1 ( who are not only a leffcr part of the Church, but a part that hath efpoufed a corrupt intereft againft the reft) that we (hall take for certain proof of a Tradition : but we will prefer the Teftinonieof the whole Catholick Church before the Romifh Church alone. 6. They that can produce the heft Records of Antiquity, or rational proof of the Antiquity of the thing they plead for, though they be but a few Learned Antiquaries, may yet be of more regard in the matter of Tradition then millions of the vulgar, or unlearned men: fo that with us, univerfatTraditUn is preferred before the Tradition of the RomifbfeZh> and Rational prtof of Antiquity is preferred before ignorant furmifes. But where both thefe concur, both univerfal confent, and records or other credible evidence of Antiquity, it is moft valid. And as for the Romifh Traditions which they take for the other part of Gods word; 1. In all Reafon they rauft produce their fufficient proof that they came from the A poftles, before we can receive them as A poflolick Traditions. And when they have done that, they muft prove that it was delivered by the Apoftlesasaperpetualuniverfaldo&rineorLaw for the whole Church .* and when they have well proved both thefe, we (hall hearken further to them. 2. Either thefe Traditions have Evidence to prove them Apo- N 2 ftolical, y i A Z\eyfor Catholicks* ftolical, or no Evidence. If none, how can the Pope know them ? If they have Evidence, why may not we know it as well as the Pope ? at leaft, by the helps that his charity doth vouchfafe the world. 3.1ftherebeany Proof of tbefe Traditions, it is either feme Antient Records or Monuments ; and then our Learned Anti- quaries may better know them then a multitude of the unlearn- ed : Or it is the Pra&iee of the Church: And then i. How fhall we know how long that pra&ice hath continued, without rccourfeto the writings of the ancients? The reports of the people is in many cafes very uncertain. 2. But if it may be known without the fearch ofAntient Records,then we may know it as well as they. 4. If the Pope and Clergy have been the keepers of it > have they in all agei kept it to themfelvcs or declared it to the Church? ( I mean to all in common ) If they have concealed it, 1. Then it feems it belonged not to others. 2. Or elfe they were unfaith-- fuil and unfit for the office. 3. And then how do fuccecding Popes and Clergy know it ? If they divulged it,then others know it as well as they. We have had abundance of Preachers from among the Papifts, that were once Papifhtherafelves, zs Luther -% MtUntlhon^ZMnglitts fialvin^ BezAyPeter Martyr, Bmer, &c, and yet thefe knew not of your truly Apoltolical Traditions. 5. And it mars your credit with us, becaufe we are able ta . prove the beginning of fome of your traditions,or a time when they bad no being, fince the death of the Apoftles. 6. And a'fo that we are able to prove the death and burial of many things that have gone long under the name of Tra- ditions. 7. And when we find fo lame an account from your fclves, of the true Apoftolical Traditions : You are fo confounded be- tween your Ecclefiafticall Decrees aud Traditions, and your Apoftolical Traditions, that we defpair of learning from you to know one from the other ? and of feeing under the hand of bis Holinefs and a General Council a Catalogue of the true Apoftolical Traditions. And fure it feems to us fcarce fair dealing that in one thoufand and five hundered years time, (if indeed there have been Popes fo long ) the Church could never have an enumeration and defcription of thefe Traditions, with the. A K^y for Catbolicks. 9 j the proofs of them.. Had you told us which are Apoftolick Traditions but as fully and plainly,as the Scriptures which you accufe of infufficency and obfcurity, do deliver us their parr, you had difcharged your pretended truft. 8. And it is in our eyes an abominable impiety , for you to equal your Traditions with the holy Scripture, till yon have enumerated and proved them. And it makes us the more to fufpeft your Traditions, when we perceive that they or their Patrons have fuch an enmity to the Holy Scriptures, that they cannot be rightly defended without cafting foroe reproach upon the Scriptures. But this we do not much wonder at : for it is no new thing with the applauders of Tradition. We find the eighth General Council at Conftantinople, Can. 3. decrceing,thac \ the Image ofChrift be adored with equal Bonenr with the Holy Scripture,' ~] But whether that be an Apoftolical Tradition , we doubt. 9. And if General Councils themfelves, and that of your own, fhould be for the fufficiency of Scripture-, what then is become of all your Traditions ? Search your own Binnius, page 299. whether it paft not as fouud dodrine at the Council of Baft I (in RagufiiOrat.) Sup. 6. £ that faith and all things, neceffary to falvation , both matters ef belief \and matters ofpra- Bice , are founded in the literal fenfe ( of Scripture, ) and only from that may argumentation betaken for the proving of thofe things that are matters of faith, or nectary to falvation ; and not from, thofe parages that are f pah* by allegory, $r other fpiritual fence~\ Sup. 7. Q jh&f Holy Scripture in the literal (enfe ftwndly and well under ft ood , is the infallible and moft fufficient Rule of faith ] Is not here enough againft ail other Traditional Articles of faith >> A plain man would think fo. Yea, but Binnius notech that he meaneth that explicitely or impliekely it is fo. Well I I confef* the beft of you are fltppery enough: but let us grant this ; ( for indeed he fo explaincth himfeif afterward : yec thats no- thing for Tradition. He there maintained! that Scripture is the Rule of faith ( not partofthe Rule) £ For ( fai'h he ) r*h-n the intelletl hapneth to err, as in heretickj, its neceffary that there be Jome Rule, by the deviations conformity to which theinteil cl way perceive that it doth or doth not err. Elfe it yrould be ft ill -■«- doubt and fluUuate ... - it appear ethlhat no humane fci- N l eric* 94 A Ke)} for Catb6licks, ence is the Rule of faith. It remaineth therefore that the Holy Scrip- ture is this Rule of faith. This is the Rule, John 20. where be faith, thefe things are written that you might believe, that Jefta is the fon of God , and believing m ght have life in his name. And 2 Pet. 2. You have a more fure wordof prophecy to which ye do well that ye attend as to a light, dec. And Rom. 15. Whatfoevtr things were written 5 were written for our learn- ings &C. And its plain that the fore f aid authorities are of holy Scripture ; and fpeakpf the holy Scripture, &c. The fecord part alfo is plain, becaufe if the holy Scripture were not a fuffi* eient Rule of faith, it Veould fellow that the Holy Ghofl had in- Efficiently delivered it, who is the author of it : which is by no means to be thought of God whoje worlds are all perfttl. More- over if the Holy Scripture were wanting in any things that are mcejfary to falvation, then thofe things that are wanting might la&jully and defervedly be f up er added fr»m fome thing elje (ali- unde ) or if anything Vrerefuperfluous, be diminijhed. But this is forbidden^ Rev. 22. From whence its plain that in Scripture there is nothing defective, and nothing fuperflueus , which u agree- able to its author , the Holy Ghofi, to whofe Omnipotency it agree- etb that nothing deminutely •, to his fVifdom that nothing (uper- fluoujly ; ard to his Goodnefs that in a congruous order, he provide for the Neceffity of our falvation, Prov. 30. 5,6. The word of God u a fiery buckjer to them that hope in him: Add thou not to his words left he reprove thee, and thou be found dlyar. 3 How like you all this in a Popifti General Council ? and in an Oration againft the Sacrament in both kinds. Weil ! but perhaps the diftin&ion unfaitb ali again ? No fuch matter; you (hall hear it truly recited. He proceeds thus £ But for the further declaration of this Rule as to that part , it muft be known, that the fufficiency of any doclrine is necejfarily to be under flood two wayes ; one way Explicitly, another Vcay Im- plicitely. And this is true in every Doclrine or fcience , becaufe r.o doclrine was jverfo fuffciently delivered, that all the Conclufi- ens contained in its principles , were delivered and expreffed expli' citely dr> din the proper terms : andfoit is in eur purpofe : becaufe there is nothing that any way or in any manner ( N. B. ) pertain* etb Uf&ith and falvation , which is n$t mo$ Efficiently contained in the hrij Scripture explicitelj or implicitelj. Hence faith Auilin A I\ey for Qatholich. 95 Auftin [_ every truth is contained in the Scriptures, latent or pa- tent, Attn other fciences Speculative, or Moral and Civily the (^oncluftons and determinations are contained in their principles ,&c. and the dedutlion is by way of inference or determination ] This is the plain Proteftant Dodrine. There is nothing any way necefliry to faith or falvation, bat what is contained in the Scriptures, either exprefly, or as the Conclufion in the premifes. Good ftill L we defire no more. Let holy Reafon then difcern the Conclufion in the premifes, and let us not be fent for it to the Authority of Rome ; nay fent for fome thing elfe, that is no Con- clufion deducible from any Scripture principles : we grant Tra- dition or Church practices are very ufeful for our better under- ftanding of fome Scriptures. But what is this to another Tradi- tional word of God ? Prove your Traditions but by inference from Scripture, and we will receive them. Yet let us hear this Orator further clearing his mind \_ Adding U a Dottrine may be under flood four wayes* 1 . By way of explicA" tion or declaration, 2. Byway of fupplj. 3. By way of amplia* tion. 4. *By way of deftruftion, or contrary. The fir ft rpay is necef- jary in every fcience and dottrine, and fpecially in Holy Scripture ; not for it felft which is mofl fufficievt, and mofi chare in it felfy but for us : ( This we all yield ) The fecond way. is ntccjjiry to fciences dimir.ntely and inefficiently delivered by their authors , for their fnpplement :fo Ariftotle is fupp.lementedby Albertus Magnus, &c. The third way, fpecially if it be not >xcejjive^ is tolerable to the well bet 'ng , though it be not nsceffary. The fourth way *af- fer lively is to he rt jetted as Poyjon Thus are the authorities to be underftood^ that forbid to add to^or diminifh from the Scripture^ Dw'Ut/12,3 2. Weill by this time you may fee, that when fuch dodrine as this for Scripture fufficiency and perfection as the Rule of faith and life, admitting no addition as necelTary but explication, nor any other as tolerable, but moderate ampliation (which indeed is the fame, ) I fay, when this dodrine part fo lately in a Popifh General Council, you may fee that the very Dodrine of Tradi^ tions equaled with Scripture, or being another word of-Gcd; neceffary to faith and falvation, containing what is wanting in Scripture, is but lately fprung up in the world. And fure the Traditions themfclves be not old then, when the conciit of them, came but lately into the world , • al \U.eW\ii 96 ^ K?y foy Catbolicks- 4. Well : I have done the three firft parts of this task : but the chief is yet behind, whchisto fhew 1 How little the Papiils gee by their Argument from Tradition. 2. And how much they iofe by it : even all their caufe. 1. Two things they very much plead Tradition for ."the one is their private dodrines and practices, in which they difagree from other Ghriftians : and here they Iofe their labour with the judcious. 1. Becaufe they give us no fufficient proof that their Tradition is Apoftolica!. 2. Becaufe the diffent of other Churches fheweth that it is not univerfal ; with other Reafons before mentioned. 2. The other Caufe which they plead Tradition fcr, is the Dodrine of Christianity it felf. And this they doindefign to lead men to the Church of Rome \ as if we mud be no Chrit*ans, unlefs we are Christians upon the credit of the Pope, and his Subjeds. And here I offer ro their Consideration thefe two thing?, to (hew them the vanity of their arguing; I. Wedonotftnveagainftycu in producing any Tradition or Teftimony of Antiquity for the Scripture, or for Scripture Dodrine : we make as much advantage of fuch fuft Tradition as you. What do fuch men as white %Vane% Creffy, &c. think of, when they argue 10 eagerly for the advantage of Tradition to prove the Scripture and Chrh!i?n faith ? Is this any thing againft us ? Nothing at all. We accept our Religion from both the hands of Providence that bring it us ^ Scripture and Tradition : we abhor the contempt which thefe partial Difputcrs caft upon Scripture 5 but we are not therefore fo partial our felves as to refufe any collateral or fubordinatc help for our faith. The more Teftimonies, the better. The beft of us have need of all the ad- vantages for our faith that we can get. When they have extol* led the Certainty of Tradition to the higheft, we gladly joyn with them, and accept of any certain Tradition of the mind of God. And I advife all that would prove thernfelves wife defend- ers of the faith , to take heed of rejecting Arguments from Providences, or any neccfTary Teftimony of man, efpecially concerning jjiatter of fad, or of rejeding true Church Hifto- ry, becaufe the Papifts overvalue it under the name of Tradition, left fuch prove guilty of the like partiality and injurioufnefs to the truth as the Papifts are. And whereat the Papifts imagine, that A I\ey for Catbolicks . 97 that this muft lead as to their Church for Tradition, I anfwer that in ray next obfervation, which is, 2. We go beyond thePapifts in arguing for juft Tradition of the Chriftian faith, and we make far greater advantage of it then they can do. For i. They argue but from Authoritative Deci- fion by the Pope, under the name of Church-Tradition (except- ing the French party ) whereas we argue from true Hiftory and certain Antiquity, and prove what we fay. Where note j. That their Tradition is indeed no Tradition: for if it rauft betaken upon the credit of a man as fuppofed In- fallible by fupernatural ( if not miraculous ) endowment, this is not Tradition but P. ophefie. And if they prove the man to be fuch a man, its all one to the Church whether he fay that Q This was the Affiles dotlrine, or, This I deliver my ft If to you from God. ] For if he were fo qualified, he had thepowerand credit of a prophet or Apoftle himfelf. And therefore they muft prove the Pope to be a Prophet, before their kind of Tradition can get credit : and when they have done that, there is no need of it : this their honeft Dr. Hd/^» was ware of, upon which he bath fo hindfomely canvafled them. 2. Note alfo that fuch as Dr. Balden tCreffy, Vane , white and other of the French way that plead for Tradition, mean a quite other th ng then the Jefuited Italian Papift meanes- and while they plead for univerfal Tradition, they come nearer to the Pro- teftants, then to their Brethren,if they did not contradict thera- felve?) when they have done, by making meer Romifh Tradition to be univerfal, 3. Note alfo, that when Papifts fpeak of Tradition confufed- |y, they give us juft reafon to call them to Define their Tradi- tion, and tell us what they mean by it, before we difputc with them upon an ambiguous word ^ feeing they are fo divided among themfelves, that one party underftands one thing by it, and another another thing ^ which we muft not fuffer thefe jug- lers to jumble together and confound. 2. Another advantage in which we go beyond thePapifts for Tradition, is, that as we argue not from the meer pretended fu- pernatural Infallibility or Authority of any, as they do, but from rational Evidence of true Antiquity •, fo we argue not from a /?# or partj as they do, but from the Vnherfal Church : O As 98 ^K?} for Catholicks-. As far as the whole Church of Chrift is of larger extent and greater credit then the Popifh party, fo far is our Tradition more Credible then theirs. And that is efpecklly in three things. 1. The Papifts are fewer by far then the reft of the.Chriftians- in the world. And the teftimonyof many, yea of all, is more then of apart. 2. The Papifts above other parties have cfpou fed anintereft that leads them to pretend and corrupt Tradition, and bend all things to that intereft of their own, that they may Lord i it over ail the world : But the whole Church can have no fuch Intereft and Partiality. 3. And the Papifts are but one fide ; and he that will judge rightly, rauft hear the other fides fpeak- too. But the Tradition that we make ufe of, is fcom .all -fides concurring ; yea Papifts themfelves in many points. Yea our Tradition reacheth further then the Univerfal Church* for we take in all rational Evidence : even of Jews, Heathens, and Hereticks, and Persecutors, that bear witnefs to the matters of fad, and what was the dodrineand pradice of the Chriftr- ans in their times, and what Books they made the ground of theirfatth : fothat as true Univerfal impartial naturally-or- rati- onally-infallible Hiftory or Teftimony,diflfereth from a private, pretended-prophetical affertlon, or from the Teftimony of one party only ; fo doth our Tradition cxcell both the forts of Po- pifh Tradition, both that of the Papal, and that of the Cour- cill party. And now Judge who rray better boaft of or extol Tradition, they or we ; and to what purpose, Crf§h^'%te* an<* fuch men do bring their difcourfes of Tradition. 2, But yet we have not fo done with them, till Tradition have given them their mortal ftroak. You appeal to Tradition, to Tradition you (hall go. But what Tradition mean you ? The Tradition of tbe Catholick Church ? And where is this to he found and known? but in the profeflion and pradice of the Church, and in the Records of the Church. Well then /of both thefe let us enquire. The firft and great Qiieftion between you and us, is, Whether the Pepe be the Head and Soveraign Ruler of the -whole Cathlicl^ Church: and then whether the Catholic^ Church and the Reman *re of equal extent ? What faith Tradition to this ? 1. Let us enquire of the prefent Church: and there we have cbc profeflion and pradice of ait the Greek Church • the Sy- rians^ A f\ey for Qatbolicks. 9 9 rians, the Mofcovites , the Georgians, and all others of the Greek Religion difperfed throughout the Turks Dominions, with the Jacobires, Armenians, Egyptians, Aba/fines, with all other Churches in Europe, &c. that difclaim the Headfhip of the Roman Pope ; sll thefe do with one mouth proclaim that the Church of Rome is not, and ought not to be theMiftrifsof the world, or of all other Churches, but that the Pope for laying fuch a claim is an ufurper, if not the AntiChrift. This is the Tradition of the Greeks ; this is the Tradition of the Abafsines : the far greateft pare of the Church on earth agree in this. Mark then what is become of the Roman Soveraignty, by the verdid of Tradition; even from the vote of the greateft: part of the Church. Rome hath no right to its pretended Soveraignty. Baby- lon is fain by the judgement of Tradition. If you have the faces again to fay that all thefe are Hercricks or Schifmaticks, and therefore have no vote, weanfwer. If a minor party, and that fo partial and corrupt, fecking Dominion over the reft, may ftep into the Tribunal, ap,d pafs fentence againft the Catholick Chnrch, or the greateft part of it, blame not others, if on far better grounds they do fo by that part. And for (hame do not any more hereafter ufe any fuch felf-condemn- ing words, as to ask any Seel:, £ How dare yen condemn the £V tholick^ Church ? Dojou thinly all the Church is forfaken btttjw, &c?} And let us ask you, as you teach your followers to ask us, £ If we muft tarn from the Vniverfal Church to any Setl, why rather to yours then another ? why not as well to the Anabaptifts , or other party, as to the Papifts ? ] But your common faying is, that the Greek/ , Prote flams, and all the reft were once of your Church ^and departing from itjhey can have no Tradition but yours , for their fpring is with jott. To which we anfwer. 1. The vanity of this your fi&ion (hall by and by be anfwered by it felf. 2. You fay fo,and they fay other, wife : why fhould we believe you that are a fmaller, partial and corrupted part? 3. Well then let us go to former ages, fee- ing it is not the prefent Church whofe voice you will regard ( only by the way, I pray forget nor, 1 . That you do ill then to call us itili to the Judgement of the prefent Churchy and dare not (land to it. 2. And that you do ill to perfwade men that the greater part of the Church cannot err, if you fentence th$ O 2 greater * oo A t{ey for Catbolkks . greater part as Schifmaticks or Revokers. ) But how fhall we knowthe way and mind of the ages />**/? ? If by the prefent age, then the greater part giveth us in their fence againft you. If by the Records of thofe times, we are content to hear the Teftimony of thefe. And firft when we look into the Antients themfelves, we find them generally againft you •, and we find in that which is antiquity indecd,no footfteps of your ufurped Soveraignty, buc a contrary frame of Government, and a confent of antiquity againft it. 2. When we look into later Hiftory we find, how by the advantage of Romet temporal grcatnefs and the Emperors refidence there your greacnefs begun, and preparation was made to your ufurpation, and how the tranflation of the Imperial Seat to Confiantinofie made them your Competitors, yea to be- gin in the claim of an univerfal Headfhip ; and wc find how it being once made a queftion, you got it by a murdering Emperor refolved on your {ide for his own advantage. We find that it was long, even till Hildebrands dayes, before you could get any great pofTefiion, for all this fentence. It would but be tedious, here to recite our Hiftorical Evidence : we refer you to what is done already by Go/daftus and BifiopUftier de fiatu & [uccefs. Ecclejiar. and in his Anfwer to the fefuits Challenge and in his. Difcourfe of the Antient Religion of Ireland, &c. fpecially by filondelin his French Treatife of Primacy, and Dr. Field, and many others that have already given you the teftimony of Anti- quity. More then you can give a reafonable anfwer to, I have produced in my Book called the fafe Religion. In plain Englifh, inftead of Apoflolical Tradition for jour Sovereignty • we find: that eight hundred years after the dayes of Chrift, you had not neerfo much of the Catholick Church in your fubje&ion, as you have now; that at four hundred, or five hundred, if not till Jlx hundred years after Chrift you had no known part of the world that acknowledged your univerfal Soveraignty «, but onjy the LatincWeftern Church fubmitted to the Pope as their Patri- arch, and the Patriarch prim* fedis , the firft in order among the Patriarchs i and that before the dayts of Conflantine and the Nicene Council, he was but a Eifhop of the richeft and moft numerous Church of Chriftians ; and we fee no proof that of an hundred years after Chrift heiwas any more then the chief Pres- byter of a particular Churejv A I\ey for QatholicKs . i o i If all this will not fcrve, we have National Evidences beyond all exception, that the Ethiopian Churches of Habajfia, the 7»- dians, Perfians, dec. were never your fubje&s to this day. Thai England, Scotland,and Irelandherc in your Weftern Circuits, were not only long from under you, but refitted you, maintain- ing the Council of Calcedon againft you, and joyning with the Eaftern Churches againft you, about Eaftcr day, &c. And thac the Eaftern Churches and many great Nations, (as Tendue, Nu- bia, &c. ) that now are revolted, were never your fubje&s, and Tome of them had little to do with you . And yet if all this will not ferve, we have your own Confefil - ons. I have elfewhere mentioned foms : Canus Loc. Theol. lib. 6. cap.J. fol. 20 1 . faith [ Not only the Greeks, but almofl all the reft of the Bijhops of the whole world, have vehemently fought to deftroj the Priviledge of the Church of Rome : and indeed they had on their fide% both the Arms of Emperors, and the greater number of Churches : and jet they could never prevail to abrogate the fewer of the one Pope of Rome] Mark here whether the Cachohck Church was then your fubje&s, when the greater number of Churches and mod of the Bifhops of the whole world > as well as the Greeks were sgainft you, and vehemently fought againft your pretended priviledges. Rainerius ( fuppofed ) centra Waldeufes Catal. in Bibliotheca Patrum^Tom\. pag.jj 3 . faith [ The Churches of the Armenians y and Ethiopian* , and Indians > and the reft which the Apoflles con- verted,are not under the Church of Rome.~] Read and blufh, and cali Baronius a parafite. What would you have truer or plainer ? And what Comroverfie can there be, where fo many Nation? thcmfelves are witnefles againft you ? And you may conjecture at the numbers of thofe Churches by what a Legate of the Popes chat lived among them, faith of one Corner of them, facoLa Vitriaco Hiftor. Orient, cap.J J. that the Churches in the Eafitrly parts of Aft a alone exceeded in multitude the Chriftians b&th of the Greekjmd Latine Churches^ Alas, how little a thing then was the Roman Catholick Church ! If all this were not enough, the Tradition of your own Ca- tholick Church is ready to deftroy the Papacy utterly. VOr that a General Council is above the Pope, and may judge him and drpofe him> *ud that is deRde, and that its Hen fie to deny it7 and that O 3 * v i o z A i\eyfor Catholicks. all this is fo j fire that ne urquam ah'quis peritorura dubitavi? , novcifeman ever doubted of it , sli this is the judgement of the General Council ot Baftly with whom that of Cenftance doth agree; And whether thefe Councils were confirmed or not, they confefs them lawfully called and owned, and extraordina- ry full: and fo they were their Catholick Church Reprefenta- tive ^ and fo the Popes Soveraignty over the Council is gone by Tradition : but thats not the worft. For, if a free General Council fliould be called , ail the Churches in the world muft be equally there reprefented- And if they were fo, then down went the ofcrped Head-fhip of the Pope : For we are fure already that moft of the Churches in the world are agiinft it : and therefore in Council they would have the Major vote. And thus by the coRcefiion of the Roman Representative Catholick Church the Pope is gone by Tradition. So that by that time they have well confidered of the matter,me thinks they flhould be Jefc zealous for Tradit on. Cha p. xxr. Detect. 12. A Nother of the Roman frauds is this : Thej JT\ perfivjtde men that the Greeks, the Troteftantj, and all other Churches ,were once under their Papal f over aigntj , and have feparated t hem fe Ives without any juft caufe : and therefore vee are all fchifmaticks • and theref or ef ore have no vote in general Councils, dec. A few words may fcrve to (hew the vanity of this accufation* i . Abundance of the Churches were fo ftrange to you, that they had not any notable communion with you. 2. The Greek Churches withdrew from your Communion , but not from your fubje&ion. If any of the Patriarcks or Emperours of Co»ftantinople did for carnal ends at la ft fubmit to yon , it was not till lately , nor was it the sd of the Churches, nor owned , nor of long continuance. So that it was your Communion and not your fubjedion that they withdrew from. 2. And as for us of the Weftern parts, we anfwer you, i.We that are now living, our Fathers , or our Grand-fathers, were not of your Church : and therefore we never did withdraw. 2. There A l\ey for Catbolicks, ioj 2. There were Churches in England before the Roman Pow- er was here owned : And therefore if ic was a (in to change, the firft change was the fin , when they fubje&ed tbemfelves to you ; and not the later, in which they returned to their anciene Bite. 3. And for the Gerraanes or Engliftior whoever did relin- quifh you , they have as good rcafon for it, as for the relinquilh- ing of any other fin. If they did by the unhappinefs of ill education or dehifion , fubrait to the ufurped Soveraignty of the Pope they hid no reafon to continue in fuchan error. Re- pentance is not a Vice, when the thing Repented of is a vice. Juftific therefore yourufurpation, orelfe it is in vain to be an- gry with us for not adhering to the ufurper, and the many corruptions that he brought into the Church. Ch a P. XXII. Detetl.13. A Nother deceit that they manage with great Xjl confidence, is this ; fay they, If the Chwch of 'Rome be the true Church', then jours is not the true Church , and then you are Shifmatickj in feparatlngfrom if. But the Church of Komzisthe true Church ; For you -will confefs it was once a true Church : -vehen Paul -wrote the Epiftle to the Romans'- and if it ceafed to be a true Church , tell us when it ceafed, if joh can : If it ceafed to be a true Church , it Vas either by he* re fie , or Schifm or Ap&ftacy : but by none of thefe : there foret &c. A man would think that children and women fhould fee the palpable fallacy of this Argument ; and yet I hear of few that the learned Papifts make more ufe of. But to hy open the fhameof it in brief I anfwer 1. The deceit lieth in the ambiguity of the word^Church.^Asto our prefent purpofc, obfervechit it hath thefe lie vera! fignifications. t. It is raken oft in kcn- pture for one particular Chwch , ajfociatedfor per fond commun • en in Gods fVor (hip. And thus there were many Churches in a Countrey,as Judea^Ga/atia.&c. 2. It is taken by Ecclefiafti- cal writers often for an Affeciatienof matiyof thefe Churches for - Communion by their Pafiors j fuck as were Diocefan, Provincial, . National* 104 d Ke) fcr C & t Wi< ks . National Cnurches •, whereof moil were then ruled by Affem- blies, whereaBfhop, Archbifhop , Metropolitan or Patriarck ( as they called them ) didprefide. 3. It is taken oft in Scrip. ture for the Body of Chrifi, the holy Catholic]^ *r Vniverfal Church containing all true Believers as myfiical , or all Profef- firs of true faith as vifible. 4. 1 1 is taken by the Papifts oft for cne particular Church which is the Mi fir is *r Ruler of all ether Churches, And now I come to apply thefe in anfwerto the argument. 1. If the Quefhonbeof a true particular Church , we grant you that the Church of Rome was a true and noble Church in the daies of -Paul and long after • and thus Paul owncth it in his Epiftle as a trueChurch. And tothequeftionwhen it ceafedtobe a trueChurch : Ianfwer, 1. What matter is it to us whether it be reafoned or not any more then whether Corinth, Ephefus, Co\ofi% Thtffalonica, or ferufalem be true Churches or ceafed ? In chancy we regard them all : butotherwife what is it to the faith or falvationof the world,whetheric\5w*orany one of thefc be yet a true Church, or be ceafed? I know not well whether there be any Church at Colofs or Phittppi,ov fome other places that had then true Churches: And doth it there- fore follow that I am not a true believer ?what would you fay to fuch a fellow that fhould argue thus concerning other Chur- ches , as thefe men do of Rome ? and fay, e. g. [_ Tjf Philippic he a true (fhwch , then England are no true Churches , If it be not, when did it ceafe to be a true Church}"^ Would you not an- fwer him, [ What is it to me whether Philippi be a true Church or not ? May not we and they be both true Churches ? How prove you that ? And whether it be ceafed or not ceafed^ doth no whit concern my faith or (alvation , further then as my charity is to be exer* cifed towards them ] So fay we of Rome*. It was a true parti- cular Church in the Apoftles dsyes. And if it be (till a true Church what hinders but we may be fo to f But whether it be fo or not, is little to me. It concerneth not my faith or Salvation to know whether there be any fuch place as Rome on earth , or whether it wereconfumed long ago. If a man werefofimpleas to be- lieve a report that Rome was deftroyed by Charts of Bourbon % and never inhabited, or had a Pope (ince, he were but fuch a Herettckas VopsZachary and Biftiop Boniface made of Virgin hus% A t\ey for Qatbolicks. \ o 5 tins, for holding chere be Antipodes ( though further from the bomb. ) 2. And if you take the word [_ Church ~] in the fecond fence, for a D.ocefan or Patriarchiall Church, or AfTociation of Chur- ches ; fuppofing fuch forms proved warrantable,the fameanfwer lervech as to the fir ft. 3. But ( to come to the true (late of oar Controverfie ) If by £ a true Church ~] you mean either of the two Jaft, that is , 1 .The whole "J niverfal (fhurch : or 2. A Miftris Church that mufl Rule all the reft, it was never fuch a true Church in Pauls dayes. And therefore here we turn this argument of the Papifts agamft themfelves. If the Church of Rome were neither the V* hole Caths/icl^Chhrch , r or the Miftris of nil other Churches ■when Paul wrote his Epiftle to thtmjhtn it is not jo now, nor ought to be fo accounted But the former is p-oved: I. That the Church of Rome was not the whole fatholick^Church then,no man that! well in his wits on doubt, that reads what a Church there was at fcrufalem, what a Church at 8phefus, and Philadelpbia,Sr&jrna3 Thyxtira^Laodicea, Corinth, and abundance more. Prove that all or any of thefe were parts of the Church of Rome if you can, 2. Where dothPaul once name them either the Catholicise 'harchy or the tMiftris %r Ruler of all Churches* or give the iea-fthinc of any fuch thing? cr mention any Pope among them whom the whole world was to take to be their Soveraign Head ? Is ic not an incredible thing that Paul ( and alkbe ApofllesJ would forget to make any mention of this privilcdge,or teach them how to ufeit,or teach other Churches their duty in obeying the Church of Romejt indeed they had been made theMiflri* Church? Men that can believe what they lid, may fay what they lift. But for my part I will never think fo hardly of P*»/andall the Apo- ftles,as to accufethem offo great oblivion or negligence. And therefore I conclude, Rome was neither theUniverfal Church,nor the Miftris C hurch then (nor many an age after ) and therefore it is not fotobe accounted now. So that you fee how eafily this filly Argument (hews its fhame. But ( though it concern not our main queftion) I fhall tell them further, that the Matter ohhc Roman Church muft be dillmguiihed from its New Political Form* For the Mttter, P fa io6 A i\eyfor Catholicks. fo many of its members as are true Chrifiians , are part of the Catholic^ Church of Chrift , though not the whole : And for the form, i . There is the form of its fever all parts, and the form of the whole. The form of any pans of the Roman Church that are Congregations or particular Churches of true Chrifti- ans, may make thofe parts true Churches : that is , there may be many a true Parifh Church that yet live under the Papal! Yoak. But as to the Politicall jorm of their Roman Cathol cl^ Church , as it is a Bodj Headed by one claiming an Vniverjall Monarchy, fo the form is falfe and Antichriftian, and therefore the Church as Papall,mu{\. be denominated from this form -y and can be no better. And this is our true anfwer to the queftion^^r the Church of Rome be a true Church ? There are I doubt not among them many a thoufand true members of the Cathdick. Church , and there may be true particular Churches among them, having true Paftors and Chriftian people joyned for Gods worftiip (thou£h I doubt there is but few of them but do fearfully pollute it : and I am confident that falvation is much more care and difficult with them,then it is with the Reformed Catholick*;yet that many among them are true Chriftians and faved,I am fully perfwaded, efpccially when I have read fuch writings as Gerfons, Guil.Pari- fien/is, Ferusy Kempis,8cc.) And I think the better of B filar- mine himfelf for faying of Kempis be imitatione Chrifti Q Ej A I<\ey for Catholic ks . 1 07 Cah p. xxnr. Detect. 14. A Norher great Endeavour of the Paptftsis, t» JLjL make men believe that they only have a fix* ednefs, unity, conftftency and (etlednefs in Religion : but Kve are ft ill at uncertainty and to fee k, incoherent, n&t tjed together by any certain bond , but fill upon divifions , and upon change i And they inRance thus £ A while ago jou were Epifcopal, and then Presbyterian , and now you are nothing , but every one gees his own way : A while age you worjh'pped God in one manner, in Bafti[ing, Marrying, Burying, Common Prayer ,t he Lords Sup- per ; and now you have all new. Where is the Church of Eng- land noto ? fome of you are for one Government , and fome for another : the Lutherans have fuperint en dents , the (faivinifts are Presbyterians : And what names of reproach do the Epifcopal give the Presbyterians ? and the Presbyterians take them to be An' tichriflian. Sjme of yeu are Armenians -, feme Calvinifts ; fome fay Chrift dyed for all, and fome fay ko ; fome are for fuftificathn only by thrifts Paffive Righteoufnefs , and fome alfo by hi* * Hive; with other fuch differences even in thefe fundamental! points. J 1 repeat their words juft as I have heard they make ufe of them with the people, and now I (hall open the deceit of them in particular Anfwers to each part. And 1. For the matter of unity, I have fpokenof it before, and dare leave it to all the world that are judicious, whether the Papifts or weareraoreunanimous,or more divided. Only tothelnftanccsof divifion, Khali fpeak further now. i.For the matter of Church Government, we are all agreed in the fubftance of it ( except a very few ftraglers • ) As concerning the duty of Penitence , Confefiion, Reftitution, Contrition , and of the excommunicating theobftinate, and Abfolvingthe pe- nitent,^-c.All this we agree is the duty of the Presbytersjand wc agree that thefePresbyters may have a Prefidcn^only fome think that the President is ejnfdem ordinis,of the fame order, differing but in degree.and hath no power jure divine, but what the Pref- bytershave,buc only the exercife is reftratned as to the Presby- P 2 ters, \ot A K?) for Catholkks. ters , by men .-, but others think that thePrefident is a Bifhop* eminently of another order, having nor only the exercife, buc the power above the Presbyters. And is this difference fo greatabufinefs ? And do not thefe chearers know,that if for this they would reproach us, they muft do fo by tbemfelves? Know they not that among their own Schoolmen there is the fame difference , or in mod points the fame ? And know they not that if differences in Ceremonies or Modes fhould unchurt h us, or difgrace us, h would fall as foul on the whole Gatholick Churcb,and that in the very primitive times?Did they never read of the difference between the Afian and the Roman Churches , about the celebration of Eafterday , and bow Pclycratcs and the reft did plead Tradition againft the Church of ■ Pomes Tradi- tion -, and how Ircnatts did reprehend the Bifhop of Rome for his uncharitable cenfure of and Pope Clement made in the Vulgar Latine Bible, which is one part of their Rule; I told you befo-e, and Dr. fames his Bellum Paoale will tell you the particulars. 2. The other part is their Decrees, of which Pope Leo the tenth in Bulla contr. Luth. in BinrJuf , P*ge65j. faith Q the holy Popes our predecejfors never erred in- their Canons and Constitutions ■] And yet hear what Pope fulius. ths fecoud faith in bis General- Councill at the Late*/ Pc 33 ranee no A f\ey for Catholicks. rane with their approbation, Cant, pragmat. fanCt. monitor. 'BlnrAus, vol. 4. fag. 560. Q Though the Inftitutiens of fared Canons , W/ Fathers, and Popes of Rome *#*/ *&«> Decrees be judged immutable y as made b) Divine Jnfpiration ; jy* the Popt of Rome, who, though of unequal merits, holdeth the place ef the Eternal Kingyand the Maker of all things , and all Laws on earth , may abrogate theft Decrees when they are abufed. ] You fee here from the mouth of Infallibility it felf (if the rRoman faith have any ) of what continuance we may judge their Immutable Decrees to be of, which are made as by Divine infpiration : they are Immutable till the Pope abrogate them, who being in Gods place, though of unequal merits ( O humble con- feflion/J is of power to do ir. 3 . We have a Rule that was perfetledby Chrift and his ufp<£ files, to which nothing can be added, and therefore we are at a Certainty for our Religion: for we have a fure and perfed Rule from Heaven. Nothing may be added to it, or taken from it. But the Papifts do profits that the Determinations of the Pope or Councill may make a point (and fo five thoufand points, for there is no certain number ) to be defide articles of faith, and neceftary to falvation, though not infe, yet quoad nos, as to us. ( And what it is for a Law to be obligatory in fe, and not quoad nosy is hard to underiland. ) So that the Papifts never know when their faith is perfed and grown to its full ftature. For ought they know a thoufand more Articles yet may be added. And yet thefe men of uncertain growing faith, have the face to perfwade men that we are mutable, and they are fixed. You fee our kstx^X Principles : now to our PraBices. For our parr, 1 . We never changed our Head, our Lord, our Faith, or one Article of our Faith : if malice it felf be able to charge us with changing the fmalleft Article of our Faith, let them fay their worft : we change not our Rule, the holy Scri- ptures, nor one claufe or fentence of it, but endeavour the prefervation of the fame, which at the firit we received. In our contefts with the Papifts, our great offence is at their mutation from the antient Rule and way; we contend but for the faith once delivered to the Saints : the old way with us is the good wajx we abhor a Religion that is new fprung up, or is kfs then one thoufand five hundred and fifty years Handing at leaft. If we change A I\ey for QatholicKs . Ill change in any thing, it is but by repenting of our former change- ablenefs while our Nation was Popifh, having then changed from the Apoftolick fimplicity, we change from that (inful change, and return to the antient way again. And if we have made any further changes fince our firit change at the Reformation, it is but a perfecting the change to Antiquity, and Apoftolick fim- plicity which we then begun. Reme was not built in a day, and is not pulled down in a day. The work of Reformation is but one change, though it be not done all at one time. If we find fome fpots of Romiih dirt upon us, that efcaped us at our fir ft wafh- - ing, it is no dangerous mutability yet to wafh it off. If a man converted by faving grace be not perfc&ly rid of all bis former fin the firft day of hii Converfion, fhould he be reproached as mutable for ftrivingagainft it all his life afcer, and catting it off by degrees as he is able?If a man did but recover by degrees from the relicks of his difeafe,they will not therefore reproach him as muub'e? If he fweep the duft or dirt out of his houfe every day, they will not fay, He is mutable and knows not where to reft. Thefemen might as well reproach us as mutable, becaufe we rife in the morning and do not full lie in bed;or becaufe we go to bed at night, and do not itayupftill. But what is it that we are changeable in ? we have changed none of the fubftance of worfhip : did we baptize before, and do we not fo (till ? Did we pray or adminifter the Lords Supper before, and do wenotfoftili? what is the change? why, i.We before ufed t he common 'Prayer boo\^ and now we do net. 2 . Before we fifed frajers at the bkriatof the dead , which now an omitted, 3 . Before we nfed the Crofs and Surp/ice,and kneeled at the Sacra- ment, which are now omitted. And what then t therefore we have changed eur Religion. Even as a man changeth hiscloachsby brufhirigthero, orhisboufeby fwecpingiryor his face by wafh- ing it. Dothefementhinkusfofottifhasto place our Religion in thefe Circumftances ? God hath bid us Pray continually : but he hath not told us whether we fhallufe a Prayer book or not, but left that to mens neceffitics or conveniences to determine of. And doth a roan change his Religion or Worfhip of God, if he either begin or ceafe to ufe a Book } If any man had fo little wit or Religion, as to place their Religion in a Prayer book, its no Sr€*? !?[? 59 them if they have loft their Religion, when the Prayer wz A £\eyfor Catholic ks* Prayer book is taken from them. We doubt not but Prayer books are profitable to fome, and hinderances to others : fomc •fhould ufe them, and fome fhould not : bnt whether we ufetbem, cr not ufe them, is no part of our Religion at all, but ameer Accident, or common help and appurtenance. God hath noc told preachers whether they (hail ufe any Notes for their memo- ry in Preaching : to one it is an hinderance ; to another an help. Doth a man change bis Religion when he changeth acoftome of uling Notes ? God hath not told us what Chapter we (hail read, or what Pfalm we ihall fing, or what Text we (hall Preach on this day or that day. What if one age think it bed that fome Pallors give Laws to all the reft,tbat they fhall read no Chapter, preach on no Text, and fing no Pfalm but by their dircdion: and the nest age think it meeter to leave it to each Minifter,as think- ing it unfit to Ordain fuch Minifters that have not wit enough to choofe their Text, or Chapter, or Pfalm according to occafionf. •Will you fay thit here is a change of Religion .? Thefe outfide H y pocntes tell the world what a thing they take Religion to be, and in what they place ir, What if one man nfean hour-glafs in preaching, and another ufe none? What if one read a Chap- ter vvsth fpsdaclcs,and another without? or if one preach in a Pulpit, and another below : or if one preach in a white garraenr, or another in a black :or if one ftand at the Sacrament, and another fit , and another kneel : Are we therefore of feveral Relgions? or is this any partofthe worfhipitfclf ? Do we not all now either (land, fir,or kneel at the hearing of a Sermon, as we pleafe ? Do we not kneel or ftand at Prayer as we pleafe } Yea do not men commonly in ringing Pfalmsof Prayer or Praife to God, fit or ftand as they pleafe? And what if we do foac the Sacrament ? Is it not all one? Or doth ftanding, kneeling or fitting make another Religion, or any part of it? And for Marrying, Burying, Baptizing,and the reft, we have altered no part at all of the worfliip of God •, but order them in that man- ner as feemeth moft convenient. What ignorant fouls are thefe, that think that the ufing a Prayer book, or praying withoue book, or the ufing this gefture, or that, thefe wordi,orthofe words that are to the fame fence, doth make different Religions or Ordinances of worfliip? Thefe are tricks that none but the foitiftiJy ignorant will be deluded with, tha; know not what Relicion A Key for (^atbolicks. 1 1 3 Rel gionorworfhipis. Thcyrnay as well fay, If I change my Le&ure-day frora Thurfday to Friday, that I change my Reli- gion or the worfiilp of God. Thefe are our great changes. Weill will you now hear whether cbc Papifts or we be trie greateft Changlingsl 1. Some ' jstft changei they have made themfelves, that they know well enough are as great as ours. It was fo common in the antient Church to Pray only flanding on every Lords day, and not to kneel at all in any part of the worfhip of that dayy that it was taken for an universal Tradition, and to kneel was taken for a great fin, and condemned by General Councils many hundred years after Chrift ; and yec the Church of R$me, and other Churches as well as we, have caft off this pretended Tradition, violated this Decree of General Councils, and forfaken this univerfal Cuftom of the Church. And the Papifts receive the Eucharift kneeling, for all this Law and Cuftome. In the primitive Church , and in Tertullians dayes, a Common Feaft of the Church was ufed with the Lords Supper, and the Sacrament taken then. But now this Cuftcm is aifo changed. Ic was then the Cuftom to ling ex tempore in the Congregation to Gods praife. But now Rome itfelf hath raofuch Cuitora. Ic was once the Cuftom to give Infants the Lords Sapper : but now Rome it felf hath caft off that Cuftom. Once it was a Canon that Bifhsps mufl not read the books of Gentiles, ( Condi, Car- thag.4.) whicii yet Paul made ufeof,and the Papifts now do too much value. Abundance fach changes might be mentioned, great- er then ours, in which we are juftified by the P-pifts ehemf elves. 2. But they have yet other kind of changes then thefe* They have charged the very £ fence of the fathclick. Church ( in their efteem ; ) they have changed the Officers, the Dodrine, the Difcipline, the Worfhip, and what not, as though they had been born for change, to turn all upfidc down. In the Primitive times, the Church had no univerfal Monarch but Chrift : but the} have fet up a new univerfal Monarch at Rome. In the primitive times the Catholic^ Church was the Vnivtr- fality of Chrifiians : and they have cbangtd it to be only the fubjetls of the Pope. In the Primitive times Rem? Was 6ut a particular Churchy as ^4 AIQyforCatholicks. ferufalem and other Churches were : but they have changed it, to k the Mifirii of all Churches. Fee many hundred years after ChKft, the Scripture was taken to be a fufficient Rule of faith -t but they have changed it to be but part of the Rule. In the ancient Church all forts Vrere earnejlly exhorted to read, or heary and fiudj the Scripture in a knawn tongue : but they have changed this into a defperate reftraint, proclaiming it the caufe of all Herefics. In the aatient Church the Bread and Wine was the Body and Blood of (fhrift Re prefect at ive and Relative : but they have changed it into the real Body and Blood. Heretofore there was Bread and Wine remaining after the wsrds of Cenfecration : but they have changed fo, that there remaineth neither Bread nor Wine, but the qualities and quan- tity, without the fubftance, and this muft be believed, becaufe theyfay.it, againft Scripture and Antiquity, andindefpightof fenfe it fclf. In the antient Church the Lords Supper was adminijlred in both kinds , bread and wine to all: but they have lately changed this into one kind only to the people, denying them one half of the Sacrament. Of old the Lords Supper was but the Commemoration of the facrifice of Chrifl upen the Crofs, and a Sacrament ef our Com- mnmon with him and his members : but now they have changed it into a propitiatory facrifice for the fins of the quick and dead: and in it they adore a piece of Bread as very God, with Divine worfhip. Of old, men were taught to make daily confeffion of fin^and beg pardoned when they had done all, to confefs themfelves unpro- fitable fervants : but now they are lb changed, that they pretend not only to be perfed without fin, and to Merit by the Condig- nityof their works with God, but to fupererogateand be more perfect then innocency could make them, by doing more then their duty. Of old thofe things were accounted fins deferving Hell, and needing the blood of Chrift for pardon, which now are changed into venial fins, which properly are no fins, and deferve no more then temporal puniihment , A £\eyfor Catholicks. n 5 Of old the Saints had no proper merits to plead for themfeives ; and now reen have fome ro fparc for the buying of fouls out of Purgatory. Of ci J the Paftors of the Churches were fubjed to the Rulers of the Commonwealth ; even every foul, not onlpfor wrath , but for Cenfcience fake was obliged to be fubjed ;buc now ail the Clergy are exemp:ed from fccular Judgement, and yet the fecu- lar power is fubjed to them : for the Pope hath power to depofe Princes, and difpofTefs them of their Dominions, and put others in their room?, and diflblve the bon^s of Oaths and Covenants, in which thefubjeds were obliged co them, and to allow men to murder them by tabbing, poyfoning, &c. If you do not be- lieve me, (tav but till I come to it, and i (hall give you yecfome further proof. Would you have any more of the Popilh Changes ? Why I might fill a volume with them.Shoold I but recite all the changes they have made in Dodrines , and all that they have made in Church Orders, and Difcipline, and Religious Orders and their D.fcipline, and in Worfhip, and Ceremonies, I fhould be over tedious : their very Liturgy or Mail"- book hath been chang- ed, and made by changes , fuch abundance of additions it hath had fince the beginning of it. What changes Sixtus the fife, and Clementkht eighth made in their Bibles, I told you before 1 as alfo what changes they have had in the elcdion of their Popes. And now I am content that any impartial man be judge whe- thcrPapifts or the Reformed Churches are the more mucableAnd unfeded in their Religion ? and which of them is at the greater certainty, firmnefs, aad immutability? Cha p. XXIV. Betctl. iS- A Notber fraud of the Papifts, which they place l\ not the leaft of their confidence in, is this: They per fa tide the people that our Chvtrch and Religion is hut new, of the other dajes inventisn : and that theirs it the only old Religi- on, And therefore they call upon us to give them a Catalogue of the frofeffors of our Religion in all ages ; which they pretend we cannot do : and ask, us where our Church was before Luther ? <^ To n6 J- K?y for Cathoticks* To this we (hall give them once more a brief, but fatisfa&o- ryanfwer. I. We arefo fully affured that the oldeft Religion is the bed, ( fince the dare of the Gofpell ) that we are contented that our whole caufe do ftand or fall by this tryali. Let him be efteemed of the true Religion, that is of the oldeft Religion. This is the main difference between us and the Papifts : We are for ho Religion that is nor as old as thedaycs of the Apoftles : but they are for the Novelties and Additions of Popes and Councils. Their own Polidore Virgil de lnven. Rerum,p. 410. lib 8. c. 4. calling us a Seci, doth give you a juft deicrip'ion of us [_ It a tieentid p*l~la loquenAi, &c. i. e. Having once got leave tofpcal^, thar fell did marvailottfiy increafe in a Jhort time ; which is called Evangelically becaufe they affirm that no Law is to be received which belongeth to falvationtbui what is given by Chrifl or the Apsftles. ] Mark what they confefs themfelves of our Religion : And yet thefe very men have the face to charge us with Novelty ; as if Chrifl and his Apoftles were not of fufficient Antiquity for them. Our main quarrel with them is, for add' ng ntw inventions in Religion, and their principal bufi- nefs againft us is to defend it,and yet they call theirs the eld Reli- gion, and ours the new. Our Argument lieth thus. That which is mofl conform to the Dottrine and Practice of Chrift and his Apoftles, is the truly An* tient Religion and Church. But our Religion and Church is moft conform to the dotlrine and pratlice of the Apoftles : therefore it is the truly antient Religion and (fhurch. The Ma jor they will yield: For no older Religion is deiirable , further then as the Law of Nature and Moral Determinations of God are ftill in force. I fuppofe they will not plead for Judaifm. For the Mi- nor, we lay our caufe upon it, and are ready to produce our evidence for the Conformity of our Religion and Churches to the do&rineand practice of the Apoftles. That Religion which is moft conform to the Holy Scri- ture is moft conform to the dodrine and pra&ice of Chrift and his Apoftles : But our Religion ( and Churches ) is moft conform to the holy Scriptures : therefore, &c. They can fay nothing againft the Major , but that the Scrip- ture is Iofufficient without Tradition; But for that, 1. We have no Rule of faith but what is by therafelves confc (Ted to be true : A £\ey for Catbolicks. 1 17 true : They acknowledge Scripture to be the true word of God •, So thac the Truth of our Rule is Juftified by themfd/es. 2. Lee them fhew us as good Evidence that their Additional Articles of faith or Laws of life carae from the Apoftles , as we do thac the Scriptures came from them, and then we (hill confefs thac weeomefhoreof them : Let them take the Controverfies be- tween us point by point, and bring their proof, and we will bring ours, and let that Religion carry it that is Apoftolicall : Bat we are fure that by this means they will be proved Novelifts. For 1. Their Traditions in matter of faith fuperadded to the Scripture, are meer Hereticall or Erroneous forgeries, and they can give us no proof that ever they were Apoftolicall. 2. The Scripture affirmeth its own fufficiency; and therefore excludech their Traditions. 3 . 1 (hewed you how in their own General Council at Baftly the Scripture fufficiency was defend- ed. 4. 1 have fliewed you in my Book called the Safe Religion, that the ancient Fathers were for the fufficiency of Scripture. 5. Their Traditions are the opinions of a dividing fed, con- trary tothe Traditions or do&rine of the prefent Catholick Church ; the fir greater part of Chriftians being againftthem. 6. We are able to (hew that the time was for fome hundred years after Chrift, when moft of their pretended Traditions were un- known or abhorred by the Chriftian Church, and no fuch things were in being among them. 7. And we can prove chat the chief points of Controverfie raantained againft us, are not on- ly without Scriprure, but againft it, and from thence we have full particular evidence to dtfprove them. If the Scriptures be true, as they confefs them to be , then no Tradition can be Apoftolicall or true that is contrary to them : For exam- ple : the Papifts Tradition is, that the Clergy is exempt from the Magistrates judgement ; But the holy Scriprure faith [_L?t every font be fubjetl to the higher power , Rom. 13. 1 , 2, 3, 4, ?. The Papifls Tradition is for ferving God ptiblickjj in an unknown tongue . But the holy Scripture is fully againft it. Their Tra- dition is againftZ*/ mens reading the Scripture in a known tongue s without fpecial Licenfe from their ordinary : But Scripture and all antiquity is againft them. The like we may fay o f many other Controverfies. So that thefe kven wayes we know their Traditions to be Q^3 deceit* li8 A f\ey far Catkolicks. deceitful! ^ becaufe they are i . Unproved. 2. Againft the fuffi- ciency or Scripture. 3. Againft their own former confeffions. 4. Againft the concent of the Fathers. 5. Contrary to the judge- ment of m oft of the Catholick Church. 6. We can prove that once 'he Church was withou. them. 7. And they are many of them contrary to exprefs Scri prure. And if Scripture will but (hew which of us isneereftthe do- drtiieand pra&ice of theApoftle^then thecontroverficis ended, or in a fair way to it : For we provoke them to try the caufc by Scripture,and they deny it : we proofs it is the Rule and teft of our Religion •, but they appeal to another Rule and teft. And thus you may fee which is the dd Religion • which will be fomc- what fullyer cleared in that which followeth. II. And that our Church and Religion hath been continued from the dayes of Chrift till now, we prove thus. 1 . From the promife of Chrift, which cannot be broken. Chrift hath pro- mifcd in his word, that that Church and Religion which is mod conform to the Scripture, (hall continue to the end: But our Church and Religion is moft conform to the Scripture ••• there- fore Chrift hath promifed that it (hall continue to the end. 2. From the event. The Chriftian Religion and Catholick Church hsth continued from the dayes of Chrift till now. But ours is the Chriftian Religion, and Catholick Church : therefore ours hath continued from the dayes of Chrift till now. The Major they will grant: the Minor is proved by parts-, thus. I, That Religion which hath all the Effentials of Chriftianity, and doth not deny or deftroy any ElTential part of it, is the Chriftian Religion : but fuch is ours : therefore, &c. 2. That Religion,which the Apoftles were of, is the Chriftian Religion .• But ours is the fame that the Apoftles were of : therefore, &c. 3 . That Religion, which is neercr the Scripture then the Romifh Religion, is certainly the Chriftian Religion.' But fo is ours: therefore, &c. 4. They that believe not only all that in particu- lar that is contained in the Ancient Creeds of the Church, but a'foin general! all thatisbefidesin the holy Scripture, are of the Chriftian Religion : But thus do the Reformed Churches believe, &c. 2. And for our Church ; t. They that are of that one holy CathoUk Church, wbereof Chrift is the head, and all true Chri- A K^y for QathoXtch . M 9 Chriftians arc members , are oftbe true Church •• ( For there is but one Catholick Church : ) Butfo are we: there- fore, &c. 2. They that are San&ifled, Juftified, have the love of God imbem,are members of the true Catholick Church: But fucb are all that are fincere ProfefTors of our Religion: therefore, &c, But all this will not ferve them without a Catalogue , and tel- ling them where our Church was before Luther : To this wc further a nfwer • we have no peculiar Cachohck Church of our own • for fhere is but one, and that «our Church : Wherever the Chriftian Church was, there was our Church. And where- ever any Chrifiians were congregate for Gods worfhip^here were Churches of the fame fort, as our particular Churches. And wherever Chriftianity was, there our Religion was : For we know no Religion but Chriftianity. And would you have us give you a Catalogue of all the Chriftians in the world, fioce Chrift ? Or would you have us as vain as H.T. in his Msnu- all , that names you forsc Popes, and about twenty proftffors of their faith in each age, as if twenty or thirty men were the Catholick Church : Or as if thofe men were proved to be Papifts by his naming them? This is eafidbut filly difputing. In a word. Our Religion is Chriftianity. i. Chriftianity hath certain EfTentials,without which no man can be aChriftian; and it hath moreover many precious truths,and duties neceflkry nee e (Jit ate pracepti^nd alfo nectffitate medii ,to the better being of a Chriftian. Our being as Chriftian* is in the former ; and our ftrength and increafe and better-being is much in the latter .From the former , Religion and the Church is denominated. Moreover, 2. Our implicite and arjfuallexplicite Belief (as the Papifts call them) mult be diftinguifhed -y or, our General and our parti- cular Belief. 3. And alfo the Pofitives of our Belief muft be diftinguifhed from the implyed Negatives • and the exprefs Ar- ticles them (elves, fiom their implyed Confe&aries. And nowpremifing thefe three diftin&ions, I {hill tell you where our Church hath been in all Ages fince the birth of Chrift. 1. In the dayes of Chrift and his Apoftles our Church was where they and all Chriftians were : And our Religion was w*th 1 20 A Z\eyfor Catbolicks. with them in al! its parts, both Ejfential and perfeclive. That is, we now Believe 1. All to be true that was delivered by the Apofties as from God , with a General faith # z. Vr e believe ail the Eflentials and as much more as wecan underftand , with a Particular faith. 3 . But we cannot fay that with fuch a particu- lar faith we believe ail that the Apoftles believed or delivered ; for then we rouftfay that we have the fame degree of under - ftandingastheyj and that we underftand every word of the Scriptures. 2. In the dayes of the Apoftles themfelves , the Confc claries, and implied Verities, and Rejections of all Herefies were not particularly and exprtfly delivered either in Scripture or Tra- dition ( as the Papifts will confefs. ) 3. In the next ages after the Apoftles, our Church was the one Catholic!^ Church, containing all true ChriJlians,Headtd hj fefus Chrifi : and every fuch Chriftian [ too many to number ) was a member of it. And for our Religion , the Ejfential parts of it were contained both in the Holy Scriptures , and in thePublick Profcftions , Ordinances, and Practices of the Church in thofe ages, ( which you call Traditions : ) and the reft of \zy even all the doctrines of faith and univerfal Laws of God, which are its perfective parts, they were fully contain- ed in the holy Scriptures. And fome of our Re Jed ions and Confe&aries, were then gathered and owned by the Church, as Herefies occafioned the expreffing of them ; and the reft were all implyed in the Apoftolical Scripture dodrine which they preferved. 4. By degrees many errors crept into the Church : yet fo, that 1 . Neither the Catholick Church, nor one true Chriftian ( in fenfu comfofito at ieaft ) did reject any effential part of Chriftianky. 2. And all pares of the Church were not alike corrupted with error, bnt fome more, and fome lefs. 3. And full the whole Church held the holy Scripture it felf, and fo hadaperfed General or Implicite belief ^ even while by evill confequcr.ces they oppugned many parts of their own pro- feiiion. 5. When in procefs of time by claiming the univerfal! Sove- raignty ,&>«;* had introduced a new prctendedCatholickChurch, (fo A t\ey for Qatbolicks. \ 1 1 (fo far as their opinion took ) by fuperadding a New Head and form, there was then a twofold Chinch in the Weft; the Chrijfian as Chrijlian headed by Chrift ; and the Papal as Papal Head- ed by the Pope ; yet fo as they called it but one Church -y and by this ufurped Monarchy as under Chrift endeavoured to make but one of them, by making both the Heads Ejfential, when before one enlj was tolerable. And if the Matter in any pare may be the fame , and the fame Man be a Chriflian and a Pa» pift, and fo the fame Affcmblies : yet (till the forms are various " and*/ Chriflians and part of the Catholich^Church , they arc One thing: and as Papifts, ani members of the feparating fecJt they are another thing. Till this time tl ere is no doubt of our Churches Vifibility. 6. In this time of the Romifh Ufurpation, our Church was vifibie in three degrees , in three feverall forts of perfons. I . It was vifibie in the lowefl degree among the Papifts themfelves, not as Papifls, but as Chrifi arts. For they never did to this day deny the Scriptures, nor the Ancient Creeds, nor Baftifmt the Lords Supper, nor any of the fubftanceof our Pofitive Ar- ticles of Religion. They added a NevpReligion and Church of their own,butftill profefTed to hold all the old in confiftency with it. Wherever the truth of ho Ij Scriptures and the ancient Creeds of the Church were profefTcd, there was our Religion before Luther : But even among the Papifts the holy Scriptures and the faid Creeds were (viiibiy ) profefled : therefore among thera was our Religion. And note here that Popery it felf was not ripe for a corrup- tion of the Chriftian fkith profefled , till Luthers oppofition heightned them. For the Scripture was frequently before , by Papifts held to be a raoft fufficient Rale of faith, (as I (hewed before from the Council oiBdfil' ) and confequently, Tradi- tion wa? only pleaded as confervatory and expoficory of the Scripture; but now the Council of Trent hath in a fort equalled them. And this they were lately driven to, when they found xhat out of Scripture they were unable to confute or fupprefs the truth. 2. At the fame time of the Churches opprefiion by the Pa- pacy , our Religion was vifibie fand fo our Church ; ) in a more illujlrious fort ^among the Chrifiians of the mo ft of the world, R Greek'* 1 2 1 A E\ey for Catboltcks Greeks ^ Ethiopians , and the reft, that never were Tub jeft to the usurpation of Rome, but only ( many of them) took him for the ^Patriarch prima fe&k, but not Epifcoptts Ecclefia Catholica, or the Governour of the Univerfall Church. So that here was a vifibility of our Church doubly more eminent then among the Romanifts: i. In that it was the far greate(i part of the Catholick Church that thus held our Religion, to whom the Pa- pi fts were then but few. 2. In that they did nor only hold the fame Pofitive Articles of faith with u?, but alfo among their Rejections , did Re jed the chief of the Popifh errors as we do. Belides many particular points named in my Safe Religion^thcy Rejected with us, the Popes Catholic^ Monarchy, the pretended Infallibility of the Pope or his (founcils : the new form of ths Papall Catholic 1^ £hurch , as Beaded by him, with other fuch points ; which are the very fundamentall controverfies between us and the Papifts. So that ( befides that the Papifts thetnfclves profefs our Religion ) the major part of the Catholick^ Church did profefs it&ith the Rejetlion of the Papacy and Papall Church ; and fo you may as eafily fee where our Religion was before Luther > as where the Catholick Church, or moft of Chriftians were before Luther. $, And befide both tbefe, oar Religion was profcfTed with a yet greater Rejetlion ofRomifh corruptions, by thoufands,and many thoufands that lived in the Weftern Church it felf, and un- der the Popes nofe,and oppofed him in many of his ill endeavours againft the Church and truth, together with them that gave him the hearing, and were glad to be quiet, and gave way to his tyranny, but never confented to it. Concerning thefe we have abundant evidence, though abun- dance more we might have had , if the power and fubtilty of the Papall faction had not had the handling of them. i. We have abundance of Hiftories that tell us of the bloody wars and contentions that the Emperours both of Eaft and Weft have had with the Pope to hinder his tyranny • and that they were forced by his power to fubmtt to hiro,contrary to their for- mer free profeffions. 2. And we have abundance of Treatifes then written againft him, both for the Emperours and Princes, and againft bis doctrine and tyranny : fome ftorc of them &oldaft utb&th gathered* And intimations of more you have in A I^ey for Catbolicks . 1 1 J in their own expurgatory Indices. 3. And we have the hiftories and profefiions of the Albigenfes, Waldenfes, Bohe- mians and others that were very numerous, and xfRayneritts fay true, they affirmed ( about the year one thousand one hundred ) that they had coutinued fince the Apoftles , and no other Originail of them is proved. 4. Particular evidence unanfwerabie is given in bv Bifhop Vfher de Succef & ftatn Eccl. and *Anfwer to the Jefuitej, and the Ancient Religion of Ireland, and t»Dr.Field,andMorneyes Myfterie of Iniquity ^nd of the Church , and Illjricus, and many others. 5. Even Ge- nerall Popilh Councils have contended and born witnefs againft the Popes fupcriority over a Council!. 6. And in that and other points whole Countreyes of their own are not yet brought over to the Pope. 7. They have (till among therafclves Domi- nicans, Janfenifts, &c. that are reproached by the Jcfuitesas fiding with Calvin in many Controverfies, as Catharinus and many more in others. Molt points of ours which we oppofe to Popery, being maintained by fome or other of them. 8. But the fulleft evidence is the certain hiftory or knowledge of of the cafe of the common people and Clergy among them, who are partly ignorant of the main matters in Controverfies be- tween us ( as we fee by experience of multitudes for one, to this day ) and are generally kept under the fear of fire, and fword, and torments ; fo that the truth of the|Cafe is this : the Roman Bi(bops were afpicing by degrees to be Arch-bifhops, and fo to be Patriarchs, and fo to have the firft feat and vote, and to be called the Chief Bifiops or Patriarchs, and at lad they made another thing of their office, and claimed (about fix hun- dred years or more after Chrift ) lobe miv erf al Monarch s or Governoursof all the Church : But though this claim was foon laid, it was comparatively but few, even in the Weft, that made it any Article of their faitbibut multitudes fided with the Princes that would have kept the Pope lowers and the moft of the Peo- ple medled not with the matter, but yielded to neceffity,£nd gave place to violence, except fuchas the A Ibigenfes, Bohemi- ans, tvickjefi ft s and the reft that more openly oppofed. Sothat no man could judge of the multitude clearly, which fide they were on, being forced by Mre and fword, and having not the freedom 10 profefs their minds. R 2 So 124 d Key fa Ca&olicks. So that in fumm, our Religion was at ftrft with the Apoftles, and the Apoftolick Church : and for divers hundred years-after, it was with the univerfal Chriftian Church : And fir.ce Korms ufurpation, it was even with the Romanifts though abufed^nd withthe greater part of the Catholick Church that renounced Popery then, and fo do now ; and alfo With the oppofers of the Pope in the Weft under his own nofe. You fee now what Suc- ceffion we plead; and where our Church and Religon full was. If any deny that we are of the fame Church and Religon with the Greeks, Abafsines, and mod of the Chriftian world, ( yea all that is truly ChriftianJ leafily proveit. i. Theythar are Chriftians joyned to Chhft the Head, are all of the fame Church and Religion ( for none elfe>re Cbriftians or united to Chrift, but the Church which is his Body /But the fincere. Greeks, Abafiines, e5v. and we are Chriftians united to Chrift the Head : therefore we are all of one and the fame Church and Religion. 2. They that believe the fame holy Scripture, and differ in no efTential part of the Chriftian faith, are of the fame Church^ and Religion: but fo do both we and all true Chriftuns .-there- fore we are all of one Church and Religion. 3. They that are truly regenerate, and Juftified, hating all known fin,longing to be per fed, Loving God above all,and feek- ingfirfthis Kingdom and Righteoufnefs, and accounting all things but as dung in com pari fon of Chrift, thefe are all of the true Catholick Church.and the true Chriftian Religion: but fuch arc all that are fincere, both of the Greeks, Abaffines, &c. and the Reformed Churches 5 as we prove, 1. To other* by our Profeffion and Practice, by which only they are capable of judging of us. 2. To ourfelves infa'libly againft all the Ene- mies of our falvation in Hdi or Earth, by the knowledge and acquaintance with our own hearts, and the experience of the work of God upon them. Ail the Jefuites in the world cannot perfwade me that I love not God, vri hate not finf and prefer not the Love of Chrift before all the world, when I feel and know that I do -y till they can prove that they know my heart Ibettcr rhenldo.. 4. If Ckrtf Confetti to if, and rre Confetti to it, then we are alii A £\ey for C^holicks. u all ( that are fincere in their profefsion ) of the true Catho lick Church and Religion ( for if he confent and we confent, who is there that is able to break the match ?) Sue Ch* id confenteth,, and we confent : as we prove by pirts. i . His confent is expref- fed in his Gofpel, that whotver believeth in him fh&uld not ptrifo, but have cvepUjling life- ; and whoever will, may drin\ of the water of life freely. 2. And our corfent we openly profefTed ac Baptifrae, and have frequently renewed, and our own fouls aye acquainted with the fincerity of it, whatever any that know not our hearts may fay againft it. f. All that are truly Baptized , and own their Baptifmil Covenant, are vifible members of the true Catholick Church: ( tor it is the very nature and ufe of Baptifme to enter us into that Church : ) But Greeks, Abailines, Georgians, Armenians, &c. and Proteftants, are all truly Baptized, and own their Baptifraal Covenant '.therefore we are all of the true Catholick Church. What isordinarily faid againft this fucceffin of our Church, I haveanfwered in my fafe Religion. I now add an anfwer to what another, w* H. Turbervile in his Minudl faith againft us in the prefent point. Theeaiinefs of his Arguments, and the open vanity of his exceptions, will give me leave to bt the (hotter in confuting them. His firft Argument ( pag. 43. ) is this. £ The true Church of God hath had a continued Succefftonfrom £hrift r Bat the Protefl ant Church, and Ifo of all other St claries, hath not a con± tinned Succeffionfrsm Chrift to this time ' therefore, &c. J tsfnjv*. 1. I pray thee Reader be an impartial Judge what this man or any Papift ever faid with fenfeand reafon, to prove that the Eaftern and Southern Churches have no trueSuccefiion. Lee them talk what they p'eafe of their Schifme, the world knows they have had as good a Succeftion as Rome-. Are they not now of the hmt Church and Religion as ever they have been? All the change that miny of them have made, hathbeen but in the entertaining of fome fopperies, common to Rome and them. And if any of thefe ( which you call Sectaries ) can prove their Succefiion, it deftroyes your Argument and Caufe. Me thinks you fhould not ask them, where their Church wss* before Lnthtr} ft 3 2» Ear \i6 A I\ey for Catbolicks. 2 . But how doth this Difpater prove his Minor, that we have no SucccfTion r Only by a ftark falfhood : forfooth [ bj the CenceJJJcn of the mo ft Learr.ed A dverfaries , who freebj and ■unanrmottfl-j Confcfs, that foforeLutLcx made his feparaticn from tk? Church of Rome for nine hnndredor one then/and years tege* ftr*, the whole worlds as C aihd-c^ and in obedience to the Pcfe of Rome. Anfw. O horrid boldnefs \ that a man that pleads for the fandity of his Church, dare thus fpeak fo notorious an untruth in the face of the world ! Ac thisrateof Difputing, the man might have faved the labour of writing his Book, and have as honeftly at once have perfwadcd his Difcipies, that his Adver- faries unanimoufly confcfs that the Papifis caufe is heft. What if the fifteen cited by him had faid fo, when I can bring him one thoufand five hundred of another mind, and cite him fifteen for one of another mind, is that the unanimous confefsion of his Adverfaries? But unlefs his Adversaries were quite befide tbemfelves, there is not one of them could fay as he feigneth them to fay. For doth not the world know, that the Ealtern and Southern Churches, far exceeding the Romanics in num- ber, did deny obedience to the Pope of Rome .? Would this pcr- fwade his poor Difcipies that we all confefs, that there are, or were no Chriitians in the world but Protectants and Papifis f His fir ft cited Confefsion is Calvins [ that all the Weft em Chur ches have defended Toper j~\ A fair proof.' Doth this Dif- puter believe in good fadnefs. that the Weft em Churches are all the world, or a fixtb part of the world ? But this is the Popifh arguing. What Calvin fpeaks of the Weftern Churches, that is, the prevailing power in each Nation of them, he interprets of all the world. So he deales with Dr. White, who exprcfly in the words before thofe which he citeth, affirmeth the viability of the Churches of Greece, Ethiope, Armenia, and Rome j but only faith, that at all times there hath not been vifiblediftind com- panies free from all corruption -.which one would think every penitent man fhould grant that knows the corruption of his own heart and life. It would be tedious to ftand to flicw bis odious abufe of the reft .• when they that fay moft of the wc rd [world] butasitisufed, Luk^z, i. fomuch of his rlrft argu- ment. His A K^y for QatholicKs . 127 His fecond is this. Without a continued number of Bi (hops, Priefis, Laickj ,fucceeding one another in the profejfon of the fame faith from Chrift and his dpofiles to this time, a continued fuccejfion can- not be had: But Protefiants have no continued number , &c. tsJnfto. And how proves he the Minor ^ No hew at all j buc puts us to difprove it •, and withall gives us certain Ltws, which we will obey when they grow up to the honour of being rea- sonable. His firft Law is, that[[ JVf mufl name none but onlyfuch as held explicitly the thirty nine Articles, all granting and denying the fame points that the late Protefiants of England granted or denyed for if they differ from them in any one materia 1 1 point, they cannot be efieemed Protefiants ] Anfw. A learned Law ! And what call you Q a material point} J You may yet make what you lift of it. ii they differ in any point Ejfemallto Chriftia- nity , we grant your iropofition to be neceffary. But therein not the feaft Chronological! ,or Geographically other truth in Scripture , but is a Materiall Point , though not Ejfential. Mutt you needs know which tbefe EJfentials are ? In a word : Thofe which the Apofiles and the ancient (fhurch pre- re quired the knowledge and profejfton of, unto Baptifm. And becaufe all your fond exceptions are grounded on this one point, I fh 1 1 1 crave your patience,while I briefly , but fufficiemly prove that Men that err, and that in points materiall, may yet be of the fame Church and Religion* Argum. i. If men that err in points material (that if, pre- cious truths of God , which they ought to have believed. ) may yet be true Chriftians&nd hold all the Effentiah of Chrilli- anity: then may they be of the fame true Church and Reli- gion : But the former is true : therefore fo is the later. The Antecedent is proved,in that all truths which may be called Ma- teriall, arenotofthe cflenceof Chriftianity. Argum, 2. The Apoftle Thomas erred in a Materiall point ( which is now an effenriail ; when he would not believe Chrifb Refurre&ion : and \ et was a member of the true Church ; there- fore, &c. Argum- i. ThePapifb err in material points, and yet think themfelvesoffche fame true Church: therefore they muftcon- fefs that differing in Material points may be the cafe of members of the fame true Church. For proof of the Minor, I demand : Are ii 8 A l\ey for Qatholkfo. Are none of the points Material that have been fo hotly agi- tated between the Jefuites, and Dominicans and Janfenifls* the Papal! party, and theCounciil party ? The Thomifts, Scotifts, Ockamifts,c^c. Atleaft review thejefuite Cafuifts cited by the J^nfenifts Mylterie of Jefuitifra ; and tell us whether it be no whit Material whether a man may leJU another form Crown * or may ^ 11 both. Judge and witnrjfes to avoid an unjufl fentence} Or whether a man Jhould go with good meanings into a Whore* houfe to Vcrfwade them to penitence , that hath found bj experience that tt hen he comes there he is naught with them himfelfl Or whe- ther a man may lawfully lie and calumniate to put by a calumny ? Or fpeak^falflf with mentall refervationj ? Or forbear loving God many years together , tf not all his life? Are thefe points no whir Material < You know that one part of you ( with a Pope and General Council ) arc for dcpofir.g Heretical Kings, and murtheringand (tabbing them, and others of you difavow it : Is this no whit material ? And yet you ars all of one Church and Religion. A hundred more of ycur differences I could name. Argum.4.. Frominftances of the Fathers that have erred in CMaterial points , and yet are taken to be of the fame Church and Religion. How many Churches differed about JEafler day ? what abundance of errors are in your Clementines, and other fuch writers owned by you } fufiin Martyr was a Millenarie : Numbered divers Infidels with Chnltians ; thought that Angels lived by meat , and generated with Devils, <£*f. Athenagoras thought that fecond Marriages were comely Adultery and that the Angels fell bythe love of women, and begot Gyants of t hem, &c.henans hath the \'\ke.Theophil*j Antioch.worfc : Tertullian and Orrigtn you will confels had yet worfe , Clem. Alexand. was for the falvation of Infidels and Heathens : againft fwearing and many fuch , befides thofe before mentioned. Greg. Thaumaturgus hath divers, if the confeftion and ocher works be his that are afcribed to him. Cyprian, Firmilian , and the whole Council at Carthage were for rcbapcizing thofe baptized by hereticks; Againft all Wars and Oaths Ltftantius fwith many more ) was a Millenary, and hath too many great errors, I have no delight to rake into their faults ^ but if it be ncceflary I fhall quickly prove many and greac errors by fourty more of them ac the leaft. And yet all A ^ey for Qatholicks. 1 1 p all tbefe or moft, are confeffed by you to be of one Church and Religion. Argttm. 5- From your own Confeflions. B ell ar mine, lib. 1 M Beat.SS cap, 6. faith that he feeth not how the ft ntence of Juftin, Irenacus, &c. can be defended from error. QlTertallian he faith, There's no trufi to be given to him : lib. 4. dc Rom. Font. c. 8» Eufebius he faith was addicled to the Heretickj. Cyprian he faith did feem to fin morttlly ; ds Rem. Pont. lib. 4. cap, 7. Auguftine isaccufed by many Jefuites for going too far from Pelagius. Hie- rom is oft pluckt by you. And fo are maay more of the Fathers. And yet you confefs fome of them at lead were of the true Church and Religion. Argum.6. Iftherebeno perfect concord to be expected till we come to the place of perfect knowledge and happinefs, then ic is not perfect concord, that is recefTary to prove us of the fame Chnrch or Religion.But the Antecedent is alas too far pad doubt. Therefore, &c. Argxm.j. If the godly and learned Doctors of the Church ( and til men ) have fome ( alas how many ) culpable er- rors in matters of Religion (yea of faith, if you call that dt fide, which we arc obliged to believe ) then thofe that have fuch errors may be of the fame Church and Religion : But the An- tecedent is fo true and evident that I think none but a blind proud Pharifee will deny himfelf to beg of God daily to par- don and heal his culpable errors. So much to prove that men of errors and differing minds ( if not about the eftence of the Church)may be of the fame Church. 2. But why is it that they mufi all needs explicitely hsld the thirty nine Articles ? 1. 1 pray you tell us, whether all your own Church do explicitely hold and believe all your Articles ? that is, all that Popes and General Councils have defined oc declared. Dare you fay that one of five hundred, of five thou- land, doth explicitely believe all this? And why then is ic ne- cciTiry in our cafe that all mufl explicitely believe all thofe Arti- cles? 2.Yeawi:h us it is far more unneceflary. For we take not thofe Articles for the Rule of our faith, but only the holy Scripture: And therefore you may as well tell us that no man is of our Religion , that did not write or fpeak all the fame words that J ewell, Reigmlds, Perkins, or fuch other havewrit- S ten jo A I^ey for Catholich ten in their whole works. 3 . Its eafie to prove for all thar, that the fenfe and fubftance of thofe Articles have been owned by the Churches in all ages. 3. But what if we grant your conclufion, that [elfe they can- not be efleemed Prottflants^ what of that ? As if none but Pro - te ft ants were of the fame Church and Religion with us. Sure you think we make a fed of our felves like you , and exclude ail others from the Church and Salvation as you do I The word [Proteftant] is not thefirft denomination of our Religion from its eflence ., for fo we call our felves Q Cbri(lians ] only ; But it is a title that accidentally accrewed to our Religion, from our Protefting again]} your innovations and corruptions-, and our Re- jecting the errors contrary to our Religion which you had in- troduced. Now thofe that were not involved in your errors as our forefathers were, but lived at a further diftance from you, might have no occafion to make fuch a Protcftation ^ and yet be of the fame Church and Religion as we are. Now to your p articular Laws. 1. Saith H.T. [Let him not name the Wtldenfes : for they held the Real prefence, that the Apoftles were Lay men, that all Magift rates fall from their dignity b j any mortal fin, that it if not lawful to fwear, &c. and Waldo lived but in one th&ufand one hundred and fixty. Anfn* 1. We have better affurance of the faith of the Wai- denfesin their own publifhed Confeffions, then from the mouth of their Adverfaries. 2. The Lutherans hold the real prefence, and yet are of the fame Religion and Church with us. 3 . The ApofWes were Lay-men in the Jews account and fenfe, as not being Prieft sor Levites9 but not in Chriflians account that be- lieved their million : and thus thought the Waldenfes. 4. They thought that Magiftrates and Minifters do by Mortal fin forfeit all the right and title to their office , from which themfelves may have comfort and juftification in judgement : But they never thought that they were not to be obeyed by others , or that their adions were not valid for the Churches good. 5. Many of the ancienteA: Fathers thought it unlawfull to fwcar at all,that yet are cited by you as of your Church. But the Walden- fes are flandered in thefe points. 6. Though Waldo was but about one thoufand one hundred and fixty ,yet the fame Religion and Church under other names , and before thofe names were fail- ned A K^y for Catbolicks . I J ned on them, was much elder, as Raynerius may fatisfie you. So that for all this, the Waldenfes and we are of one Church and Religion. He adds £ Let him not name the Hujfites,fir they held Mafi, Tranfubflantiation and feven Sacraments^ that the univerfal Church confifted only ef the predeftinate, &c] Anfw. O what a fortof men have we to deal with? The Council of Con/lance burnt fohnHnfi to afhes for faying that there remained the fub- ftance of Bread and Wine after Confecrathn. and thatTranfub* ftantiation was a mw word to deceive men with ] as Binnius him- felf expreffeth among their accufations of htm : And among the articles for difcovery of the Hufikes, one was whether they take it to be a mortal/ Jin to rejeel the Sacraments of Confir- mation , extream unElion and marriage. ] And yet now Hufs is burnt for it , the poor lay-Papifts are perfwaded by their deceivers, that the Hufiices were for Tranfubftantiation and feven Sacraments. Why then did a General Council accufe or receive accufation and witnefs againft him for the contrary? 2. That the univerfal Church as invifible, and as taken in the firft fignification,containeth none but the truly fan&ified (and fo predeftinatej we believe as well as Unfit though in the fecond Analogical fignification , the Church as vifible, con- tained all the Profeflbrs of faith and Holinefs , whether (incere or not. 3 . And that they were condemned by the Coun- cil of Conftanceyznd Hufs and f/#Vw» burnt after they had a fafe conduct, doth ihew that the faith of Papifts is perfidi- oufnefs, ( for whyftiould the people be more juftthen a Ge- neral Council ? ) but it (hews not that we and they are not of the fameChurchor Religion .* you condemned and burnt thofe of our Religion too : therefore you thought at lead that we are neer kin. But H. T* proceeds with his precepts £ Let him not name the Albigenfes : for they held all marriages to be unlawfully and all things begotten ex coitu to be unclean : They held two Gods . &c] Anfw, The fe are not only fuch faifhoods by which you uphold your caufe, but the more inexcufable and fhamelefs, by how much the more frequently and fully dete&ed long ago.and yet continued in. CP. errinjfiguerius and many others might have pre- vented your error: efpecially Bifhop V/her de Succefi Ecclefi S 2, cap.6f lyi A i\ey for Catholich* cap. 6, 7, 8 , 9, & i o. who hath given you enough out of your own writers to have fatisficd you ; and (hewed you, that it was from the Arrians and Manichees, inhabiting thofe Countrcyes among them, that the heavy charges of Bernard, Ectyertus Schonaugienfts and others were occafioned. And fee by him there cited what the fame Bernard faith againft your Church of Rome, and then judge which he fpoak hardlier of. As for the Catharifts nexc added , they were not the Puritan Waldenfes as you fpcak,but part of the Manichees : and if fuch as they are defcribed, we are content to lofe their names,and arc not ambitious to be reputed tbeir Succeflors. He adds [ Let him not name the Wickjifians : for\they held ^ that all things came t e fa fs by fatall necefsity \ That Princes and Aiagiflrates fell from their dignity and power by mortal! fin. ] jfnfw.Vfe know by many ofjvickjifs own books printed and raa- nufcript what his judgement was, what erer your Council at Conflance accufe him of. It was a Divine Necessity oppofed to uncertainty , and to the determination of an unruled will, that he mentioneth. And do not your Jefuites lay as heavy a charge on the Dominicans fometimes> and with as great caufe may many of your Schoolmen be difclaimed for this as Wicklife, if you wiil undcrftand him, and them. Wickjife was known ro ebey and teach obed'ence to Magiftrates. But is it not a fine world, when wicklife muft not be of our ChurctTbecaufe he is fuppoftd to deny the power of Migiftrates in mortal fin ? and yet the Pope and his Council determine that Princes or Lords that wiil not root out fuch as the Pope cals Hereticksrouft be caftout, and their Countrey given to others. It feems you take Wicklife robe fome kin to your felves. But we doubt not but he was of the Catholick Church and Religion, and therefore of the fame with us. H. T. adds £ Let h m not name the Grecians : for they rejetled the Communion #/ Proteftants. Cenfuf . Eccl. Orient. They were at leafi [even hundred or eight hundred year in Communion with the Church of Rome. they vtere united to the Church o/Ronr e sgain in the Council a/Florence : They held Tranfubfiantiation% feven Sacraments, unbloody Sacrifice, Prayer to Saints^andfor the dead. ] Aft/wltton* Patriark, or twenty men rejeft our Commu- nion, A Key for Catholicks. 133 nion, whacs that to the Millions of Greek Chriftians that never rejected it ? And whats that to all Patriarcks before and af- ter that rejeded it not ? Did fyril rejed our Communion, that hath publiflied a Proteftant confeflion, and was fo malig- ned, and treacherouily dealt with to the death , and falfly accufed to the Turks by the Jefuites , for his conftancy ? 2. Do you think the world knoweth not by what inducements you drew a few poor men at Florence to fubferibe to a certain union with you? and what death the Patriark dyed ? and how the Greeks refented his fad ? and what a return they made to your Church ? I pray perfwade your (elves that they and we and all are Paptfts. 3. If the Greeks did difclaim Communion with us, they are neverthelefs of the fame Church and Religion with us, for all that. Paul tnd Barnabas were both Christi- ans when they parted in diflcntion. If one neighbour in anger call another Traitor unjaftly, and fay he will have no Society with him, they may be both the Kings fub jeds and members of one Common wealth for all that. 4. As to the Greeks opi- nions, and the Papifts falfe accufations of them, I havefpoken already againft pretended Veridicus in my Safe Religion. It is not you nor all the Jefuites on earth that can prove the Greeks and us to be fo diftant , as not to be of the fame Catholick Re- ligion and Church. You add £ Let him not name the Egyptians : far they held Tranfubftantiation and unbloody Sacrifice, as is manifeft by their Liturgies ; but denyed the procefion of the Holy Choft from the Son, and held but one mil in Chrift. Godignus de reb. Abaf. lib. 1 .cap. 28. J esdnfw. I. Godignus talks not of the Egyptians but the Abaftnes. This learned man it feems,is fo home-bred5and confined to the Roman Church , that he little regardeth the reft of the Chriftian world ; or elfe he would have known a dif- ference between the Egyptians and Aba fines \ He is likely to know well the true Catholick Church that while. 2.Y0U can- not prove that they hold Tranfubftantion. Nor (hall your bare naming their Liturgy make us believe it. The Egyptian Liturgy you tell us not where to find, nor I fuppofe do you know your felves. An Ethiopick. Liturgy your compilers of the Bibliotheca Patrum have given us, Tom. 6. But 1 . It hath no mention of Tranfubftantiation in it, that I can find, but only a S3. Ho* I] 4 -A K?y fGr Catholkks. Hoc eft Corpus, Sec. which we fay in our Adrainiftration as well as they. ,2. And I find that Liturgy fo contrary to the reports of your own writers concerning the pra&icc of the Ethiopians, ( as about the Elevation, Confirmation, &c.) that I muft needs conclude, that either the Liturgy or much of it is forged, or that the generality of your own Relators of their practice are grofly deceived, and do deceive, (which is not likely, becaufe they are many, and write at feveral times, and it is againft chem- felves. ) 3 . And as for the proceffion of the Holy Cjhoft^ and the denyalof twomllsin Chrift t fome of your own writers pro- fefs, that the former in the Greeks,and the later in many others, is found to be but a verbal difference, the fame words not fig- nifying the fame thing in their efteem as in ours. 4. However, li they would but become the fubje&s of the Pope, they might be of your Church for all this s and therefore feeing they are the fub je&s of Chrift,we fhall take both Ethiopians and Copties £0 be of the fame Catholick Church with us, for ail thefe and many other of their errors. Laftly faith H. T. [ Let him not cite the Armenians : for they hold but one nature in Chrift % and that his flejb was changed into bis Divinity, and were condemned by the Council of Cake don. ] Anfw. The Armenians area considerable part of the Catho- lick Church. £*'»«*'#* in the life of Eugenius the third faith, their Catholick (fo call they their chief Biftiop) hath infinite, that is, abweatbexfand Bijhops under him. Oth. frifingenfis hath she like. 1. Though they held but one nature in Chrift, it was not by -permixtion or confuiion of the natures, as Eutiches imagined, but Con jundion or Coalition : Nicepher. Eift. Ecclef. lib. 18. .cap>-$S. And divers of your own writers fay the difference is found to be but in words. And even all this they now deny^ as you may fee in their own Confeffion publifhcd not eighty years ago,^mV.26,27,28,29,30.&c. 2. That they change the hu- mane nature of Chrift into the Divinity, is your flander, and therefore no good argument. 3. That they were condemned by ( the five Adss or in any Ad of) the Council of Calcedon, is another untruth ; fureyou go much upon truft, that dare ven- ture to fluff your book with fuch falfhoods. But the bed is, your Ample Papifts know not but all is true ■: they tnuft believe you, A l\ey for Qatbolichl l ; 5 you, and cannot difprovc you. The Armenians then and we are of one Catholick Church and Religion, notwithftanding all your forgeries and vain exceptions. I know that one or two petty Councils chid tbem for not mixing wacer with wine in the Eucharift; and more then that, the Canons of the General Council called Qninifexti do conderas the fame error as theirs, and alfo their deputing the Sons of Priefts fuccefsively to the Priefthood, and not (having their hair -.and their eating eggs and cheefe on Saturdayes and Sundayes in Lent. But 1. We fear not to fay that we are of the fame Church with men thac err more then not (having , or then eating eggs and cheefe comes to, or any of this. 2* And remember thai this is one of your Reprobate Councils. 3. And one that the third time ( when two General Councils before had done it) did Canon. 36. give aqualiaprivilegia, equal priviledges to the Seat of Conftan- tinople as Rome had. So that I think you will have no mind of this General Council. And if any other have judged them Eutichians, though I renounce that opinion, yet I muft tell you, that my Charity co vereth far greater errors in the Papifts, or elfe I could not take them for Chriftians. If the Queftion bad ever been ftarted in a Council, whether mans [otil and body art two Natures or but one, its ten to one but it would have made another hcrefie, and yet perhaps the real difference have been no more then it is now there is no Controverfie about it. But H. T. addeth [ Trorefiants pretence to the Fathers of the firfi five hundred years , is very idle ; hecaufe were it true, as it is mofi falfe, that thofe Fathers were T rote ft ants, yet could not that fuf- fice to prove them a continued Succeffion of one thoujand fix hun- dred years. ] Anfw. 1. Itfufficethusif thofe Fathers were CLrlftians, as we are, though having no ufurper of an univerfal Monarchy to Prcteft againft, tbey were not to be called Proteftants. 2. it is an idle pretence indeed, to go about to prove a Succefsion of one thoufand fix hundred years, by the bireinltanceof five hundred years : but your idle bead hath forged more idle preten- ces then this, by way of calumniation. But yet we may prove the Antiquity of our Religion from thofe Fathers, and the iVV velty of jours, and a Succefsion for thofe five hundred years : and for the refir if the whole Chriftian world had been big enough 1 2 6 A fyy for Catkolicks. enough for you to fee, you might have difcerned our Evidence of a further Succefsion. He adds [_2. Becaufe tbofe of the fixth age mti ft needs k^o^f what was the Religien ,%nd Tenets of them that lived in the fifth age, by whsm they wereinftrntled, and Kith whom they daily con- Vtrfed better then our P rot eft ants can now do ; who have Protefted on their falvaticn, that it was the very fame with theirs, received from t him by word of month, &c. ] Anfw. i. Any thing will ferve for thefimple that will be- lieve you. But I pray you cell us whether it were all or feme of the fixth age that made this folcmn Proteftation that you mention. If all or mod, or the ten thoufandth man, tell us where we may find that Proteftation. If a few, they were not tht fixth age. 2. If Pope Boniface alone was not the fixth age, tell us where that age did Proteft on their falvatioo, that the Biftiop of Rome was taken by their Fore fathers for the univer- fal Monarch and Head of the Church ( beyond his bare Prima- cy of ore'er ) 3. What age hath protefted on their falvation,, that the Roman prohibition of reading Scriptures, or of re- ceiving the Eucharift in both kinds, or other points anon to be mentioned, were the Religion of their Fore-fathers , and fo from age to age ? 4. I pray you tell us where to find this Pro-. tefiation of the tenth age, which Genebrard, BelUrmine, and others of your own fo complain of, as having not learned men, nor any Council, but Apoftatical Popes and an ignorant wicked Clergy , that fufpeded a man of Herefie if be underftood Greek or Hebrew, and of Magick or Conjuring, if he medled with Mathematicks ? 5. It is legible in the writings of the fixth Age, that they did fetch the do<8rinc of the fifth age from their writings ^nd not only from word of mouth. What elfe mean the prefervation of thofe writings and thofe numerous citations out of them ? Nay more ; they would not truft their memories in a General Council for the Canons of the Chftrch : no nor for the Canons of the next preceding Council, no nor for the Com- mon Creed; but had all read and repeated out of the writing before the Council when there was occafion. And let Confer- ence be free to fpeak truth for a few fentence*, and tell us in good fadnefs,, whe;her you believe that the Oral Tradition of all the Church did prefcrve the Knowledge of Auguft'mes% Epiphtmns, A L\ey for Catholic ks . 127 Eplphanipis^Chryfoftdmes, &c do&rine, fo mcch as their wri- tings do i Is the doclrineof Aquxas^ Scotus, Gabriel, &c. yea the Council of Irene preferved now more certainly in mens memories, then in writing? If lb, they have better memories then mine that keep them, ?.ndthey have better hap then I that Jigh: of fuch keepers. For I can fcarce cell how to deliver my mind fo, in any difficult point, but one or oiher is mifunder- ftanding and mifreporting it ^ and by leaving out or changing a word, perhaps make it another muter : fo ibat I am forced to refer them to my writing* : and yet there by neg!ed they mifinterprcc me, till I open the book it fetf to them. 6. Either the Fathers of the fifth age are intelligible in their writings, or not. If they be, then we may underhand them I hope with induftry. If they be not, then 1. Much lefs were their transient fpeeches intelligible. 2. And then the writings of the fixth age be not intelligible, nor of any other : and fo we cannot undecftand the Council of Trent fas thePapiftsdo not that controvert i'sfenfe voluminouily,^ nor can we know the Churches judgement. 7. By your leave, the Roman Corrupters take on therafo much Power to make new Laws and new Articles ©f Faith quoad nos% by definitions, and to difpenfe with former Laws, that unlefs they are all Knights of the Poft, they can never fwear that they had all that they have from their Fore-fathers. 8. Well / but all this is theleaft partof my anfwer. But I grant you that the fixth age underftopd and retained the do- ctrine of the fifth age, and have delivered it to us. But that there were no Hereticks or corrupters, you will not fay your felves. Well then 1 the far greateft: part of the Catholick Church did not only receive from the fifth age the fame Chriftian Reli- gion, but alfo kept themfelves from the grofTeft corruptions of the Pope and his flatterers, that were then but a fraall part .• And thus we nick to the Catholick Church fucceeding to this day,and you to an ufurper that then was newly fet on theThrone ofuni- verfal Soveraignty. So that your chief Argument treadeth Po- pery in the dirt.-bccaufe the greater part of the Catholick Church not only in the fifth and fixth age, but in the feventh, eighth, nineth , tenth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and fixteenth ages, have been aliens or enemies to the Roman univerfal T Monarchy : 1 3 8 A I\ey for Catkolicks . Monarchy: therefore if one age of the Church knew the mind of the former age, better then the Pope did,we may be fure that the Pope is an ufurper. The third Argument of H. T. is, that the Fathers of the firft, five hundred years taught their tenets • therefore its impotfible they fioald he for the Proteftants. Anfw.i. Proteftanrs are Chrifti- ans, taking the Holy Scriptures for the Role of their faith. If the Fathers were Chriftians , they were for the Proteftams 9 but its certain they were Chriftians. If you could prove that they were for fome of your miftakes, that would not prove them againft the Proteftants in the do&rine of Chnftiamtv.and the holy Scriptures ; and fo that we are not their SuccefTors in Chriftianity , and of the fame Church, which was it that you fliouid have proved , but forgot the queftion. And of this we flriH fpeakto you more anon. Weill by this time I have fufficiently {hewed the fucceifion of our Church : and continuation of our Religion from the Apoftles , anj where it was before Luther, and given you the Catholick Church infteaiiof a dozen ortwenty namesin each age, which it feems will fatisfiea Pa pi ft -, but yet we have not done with them, but require this following juftice at their bands. Seeing the Papifts do fo importunately call to us for Catalogues and proof of our fucceffion, Reafcn and Juftice requireth rh3t they firft give us a Catalogue of Papifts in all ages, and prove the fucceilion of their Roman Catholick Church : which they can never do while they are men. And here I muft take notice of the delufory ridiculous Cata- logue wherewith H- T. beg:ns his Manual. His Argument runs thus [_ That is the only true Church of God, Xkloich hath had, 4 continued fuccefftonjrom Chrift and his Apoftles y to this day, (ve- rj true') But the Church now in Communion with the Sea of Rome and no other, hath had a continued fuccejfron from Chrifl and his i Apoftles to this time : therefore, &c. ] For the proof of i he Minor he giveth us a Catalogue. And here note the rnifery of poor fouls that depend on thefe men, that are deluded with fuch ftufT> that one would think they (hould be afhamed the world fliouid fee from them. i, What if his. Catalogue were true and proved, would it prov&. A K^y for Catholicks . 1 39 prove the Exdufion,that [ no other Church : ] had a fucceffion ? Dath it prove that Conjl amine? Ie, or Alexandria hid no fuch fucceflion , becaufe the Romanifts had it ? where is there ever a word here under this Argument to prove that exdufive part of his Minor e 2. And note how he puts that for the Queftion that is not the Queftion between us. A fair beginning/ The Queftion is not about Churches in Communion with you , bat about Churches in fubjettion to you : But this is but a pious fraud , to fave men by decieving them . The Ancient Church of Rome had the Church of Hierufalem , Corinth Jhilippi, Efhefus% and many a hundred Churches in Communion with her, chat never were in fubjeclion to ber. 3 . And if the Papifts can but prove therafeives true Chriftians, I will quickly prove that the Protectants are in Communion with thcmitill, as Chri(tians,by the fame Head (Chrift) the fame fpirir, baptifm, faith, Iove,hope, &c. though not as Papifls, by fub je&ion to the fame ufurper. 4. Our queftion is of the Vniverfal Church : And this man nameth us twenty or thirty men in an age that he faith were pro- fefTors of their Religion ; And doth he believe in good fadnefs that twenty or thirty men are either the univerfall Church }or a fufficient proof that it was of their mind ? 5. But principally, did this man think that all, or any befides their fub je&s had their wits fo far to feek,as to believe that the perfons named in his Catalogue were Papifts , without any proof in the world , but raeerly becaufe they are lifted here by H.T.} Or might he not to as good purpofe have fa ved his la- bour, and faid nothing of them ? 6. But what need we go any further ? we will begin with him at his firft Century, and fo to the fecond, and if he can prove that Jefus Chrift, or the Virgin Marytot John Bafti^ot the ApoftIe5,or any one of the reft that he hath named,were Pa- pifts, (much more all of thera J I am refoived prcfently to turn Papift. But unlefs the man intended to provoke bis rea- der to an unreverent laughter about this abufe of holy things, one would think he fhould not have named John Maptifi , that was dead not only before Rome had a Church,but aifo before the time that BdUrmine and his Brethren pretend that Peter re- T 2 ceived 140 A Key for CatboUcks. ceived his Commifsion, to be the univerfall Head. And did noc this writer know that Proteftams can give him the Tame names as for them ? and if printing them be proof, their proof is as good : If it be not, what proof (hall we have? Our proof is the Holy Scriptures, written by the Infpiration of the Holy Ghoft in thofe times. Thence we prove that the firft Church held the fame belief as we have : yea, though it be not incum- bent on us, we will thence prove that the Catholick Church was not then Pjpifts. Whytlfedo we flill appeal to Scriptures, and they refufe to Hand to the tryal of it any otherwifeiben as expounded by the Pope, but that we are confident, and they diffident of them > We know the Apoftles faith from the Apo- ftles ^ but the Papifts will not know it but from the preterit Church of Rome. They tell you the Apoftles were for them • but how know we that? Why by the^xeftimony of the next age : and where is that teftimony ? Why the third 3ge received it ; and how is that proved ? Why becaufe the fourth age was of their mind ; And how prove you that ? Why in the upftiot, becaufe the prefent age is of their mind: Why but moft Chri. fliansof the prefent sge, are againft them: yea, but they are none of the Church: It is only the prefent Church of Rome. Well / but the prerent Church of Rome reprefented in a Gene- ral Council may err. I, but the Pope cannot in Cathedra and in approving a Council!. So that thefumm is this : IfthePope himfelf may be judge,the Apoflles werePapifls : But if the Apo- ftles may be heard thcmfelves, thev were none. I make no doubt ( though BtlUrmine deny it,) but other Churches can prove as good a fucceilionas the Roraane, as to Bifhops^ And poor BeUarmine aftec all is fain to give up this Mark a» insufficient to prove a true Church. Lib. 3. de • Bcclef.cap.8. Dico fecunlo, Argumentum a fuccefsione legitima adferri a nobis pr&cipne ad frcbandtw non ejfe Ecclefiam ubi noneft h*c frtccefsio, quod quidem evident eft : ex quo tamenmn colligitnr ntcefptrio, ibi efe Ecclefiam ubi eft fttccejfio. By his own confeffion then, fucceflion will not prove the Romanifts a true Church. But as to a fucceffion of Religion , and a continuation of r he Catholick Church, for ray part, I am fo far from declining it, m argumentation , that I here folemnly profds to all the Pa- pills. A IQy for Qatholicks. l 4 1 pifts that (hall read thefe words, that, ASSOONASI SHALL SEE ANY CERTAIN PROOF, BY CATALOGUE OR ANY OTHER WAY,THAT THE CATHOLICK CHURCH, HATH SUC- CESSIVELY FROM AGE TO AGE BE'EN PAPISTS,IWILL TURN PAPIST WITHOUT DELAY: AND I C H A L LEN GE T H E M TO GIVE US SUCH PROOF IF THEY CAN. Nay if they will prove that in the fir ft age alone, or the fccond.or third alone,the Catholick Church were Pa pifts, I am im refolved to turn Papift : Nay I am mod confident they can- not prove that in any one age to this day, the Caiholick Church were Papift*. And as to H Ts. Catalogued return him ftrther anfwer, that no one named by him in the fir ft ?ge had any one of their errors: And no one named by him to the year four hun- dred, (I may add, to the year fix hundred, if his falfe catalogue be truly correded) was aPaptft ; fo we'll hath he proved the Po^ pifhSuccefllcn. But for the plainer opening of this, I (hall add thedifcuftionof another of their deceits. Chap. XXV. Detect. 16. A Nothcr notable fraud of the Papifls, is , to JTjL confound all their own errors and corruptions together , and then t@ inflance in fame of thofe errors that Are common to them with feme others^ and to omit the E^enti all parts of Popery : And fo they would make the world bdieve, that if they prove the Antiquity of any points in d.fference between them and us, they do thereby prove the ant-quicy of Popery ( and foof thefucceftion ) And fo they would make our Reli- gion alfo E/Tencially to conilft in every inferiour dlfferen-.e be- tween us. Suffer them not therefore thui to juggle in the dark, but 4\- flinguifh between the Eflentials of Popery , or the m in diffe- rence between them and us, and the other errors, which are- not proper to them alone. T 3-. Thus. 14^ A I\ey for Catholkks, Thus Bellarmfoe ^pens his jugHng lib. 4. de Ecclef. cap. 9. where he p'.eadeth Amiqiity of Doctrine as a Note of the true Church : And ( feitbhe ) fam duobus modis%£cc. Two wajej ft e may by this Mark. py 'we our Church. 1. By /hewing the fentences of the Ancients, hj which ive confirm all our tenets , end refute our adverfaries. But this way ( faith he ) is moft prolix, and obnoxious to many calumnies And objections. ( Mar'* Papiftc,aiid take heed of appealing to Antiquity.) The ether way ( faith he ) is Shorter and fur er, by /hewing fir ft from the confef. fionof the adverfaries t that our tenents are the dotirine of aII the antient s \ &c] And indeed if the weaknefs or ralhnefs of any Proteftancs be the Paplfls ftrength, its time for us to be more prudent : but if it be the Papifts unhappinefs that cannot under- ftand the antients in the sn:ients, but only from the Pope or the Pro:eitants, the Fithers 2re fain into the hands of Babies as well as the Scriptures •, and the Proteftants have too lite lc wit if they will join with the Pope in an abufive interpreting the Fa- thers for the Papiils. And thus Bellarmine proceeds to cite Calvin, and the Centurifts, as giving them the Fathers. But wherein? Forfoo'h in rhe point of Free'willyLimbus, Concupi- fcence,Lentt Lay baptifm in necefsity, &c. And therefore by our Confcfsions Antiquity is for thePapilts. And this is their fhorteit and fureft way. ( The rrore fools we then. ) Is not here great diffidence in the Fathers, when they have more con- fidence in our fayings then their writings ? But this jugling will not ferve the turn. Take up the Ef- fentials of Popery, and prove a Gitfeolick fuccefsion of them, and you (hall win the day. In Explication of my former profefsi- ons, I here again folemnly promife and proteft,that [W HEN EVER I SEEA VALID PROOF OF A CA- THOLICK SUCCESSION OF THESE FOL- LOWING POINTS, I WILL PRESENTLY TURN PA PI ST: OR OF A NY ONE OF THEM, I WILL TAKE UP THAT ONE.] And I provoke the Papifts that boafi of Tradition, Succefsion and Antiquity,to do this if they are able. 1. Let them prove a Catholick Succefsion, or continuation of this point, lhatThePopc e?/Rome is appointed bj Chrifttobe the emver fall Monarch , Soveraign^Govcrmnr^Head of the Ca- tbelicl^ A I\ey for Qa tbotich • 143 tholick, Church, and the Vicar of Chrift on earth, and holding the place of God himfelf, whom all muft obey. 2. And that the true and only Cat ho lick. Church is a Society thus headed and Governed by the Pope, and that no man is a true member of the Catholick. Church, that is not the fubjtcl of the Pope as univerfal CMonarch : Nor can any other befaved,as being without the Church. 3. And that the Church of Rome is by Qods appointment the Miftris of all ether Churches. 4. And that the Pope of Rome is Infallible. 5« That we canmt believe th^Scrmures to be the word of God, or the Chrifiian doelrine to be true, but upon the Authoritative Tradition of the Roman Church, and upon the knowledge or belief of their Infallibility : that is , we mufi believe in the Pope as In- fallible, before we can believe in Chrift (ft ho is pretended to give him that infallibility. ) 6 .That no Scripture is by any man to be interpreted but accord- ing to the fence of the Pepe or Roman Church, and the unanimous conftnt of the Fathers, 7. That a General Council approved by the Pope cannot err ; but a General Council not approved by the Pope may err, 8. That nothing is to us an Article of faith till it be declaredly the Pope or a General Council ; {though it was long before declared- by Chrift or his Apojiles as plain as they can f peak,. ) 9. That aGeneral Council hath no mere validity then the Pope giveth it. 1 o. That no P aft or hath a valid Ordination, unlefs it be derived; from the Pope. 1 1 . That there are Articles of faith of Neceffity to our Salva* tion, which are not contained in the Holy Scriptures, nor can be pro*- vtd by them. 1 2. That fuch Traditions are to be received with equal pious affeclion and reverence as the hoi] Scriptures. 13. That Images have equal honour with the Holy Cjo+ fpel. 14. That the Clergy of the Cath'olick,Church ought to ftoear- ck&ence to the Papers Chrift s Vicar, 1 5. That the Ptpe fhouldbe a temporal Prince. 1 6. That the Pope and h is Clergy ought to be exempted fromi thee 1 4 4 ^ K?y for Catbolicks the Qovemment of Princes yand Princes ought not to judge and pn- nifh the Clergy , till the Pope deliver them to their power, having degraded them* 1 J. 77?*f r^ Fop? w^; difpoffefs Princes of their Dominions , and give them to others , if thofe Princes be fuch as hejfidgetb keretickj, or mil not exterminate Heretickj. ift.That in fuch c^fei the Pope may difcharge all the fab jells from their allegiance and fidelity . 1 9. That the Pope in his own Territories ,and Princes in theirs , mnft burn or other wife put to death , all that deny Tranfubftanti- ation,the Popes Soveraignty ,or fuch dctlrines as are afore exprejfed , when the Pope hath fentenad them. 2.0. That the people fhsuld ordinarily be forbidden to read the Scri- pture in a known tongue >> except fame few that have a licenfefr&m the ordinary. 2 1 . That public^ Prayers, Trayfes and other publickworjhip of God, Should be performed conftantly in a language not under flood by the People •, or only in Latine, Greeks or Hebrew. 2 Z. That the Bread and wine in the Eucharift, is Tranfub- t ami ate into the very body aud blood of Chrifl • [0 that it is no more true Bread or Wine, though our eyes , taft , and feeling tell us that it is. 23 That the coxfecrated ho ft is to be worfiipped wiib Divine roorjhip, andcalled our Lord God. 24. That the Pope may oblige the people to receive the Eucha- rift only in one hind, and forbid them the Cup. 25. That the fns called venial by the Papiftsyare properly no fins, and defer ve no more bat temporal punifbment. 26. That we may Be per fell in this life by this double perfetlion. 1 . To hwe no fm, but to keep all Gods Law perfetlly. 2 . To fpi- pererogate, by doing more then is our Duty. 27. That our works properly merit falvation of Gody byway of Commit alive fuftice, or by the Condignity ef the works as proportioned to thf Reward. 2g. That Pri* ft s fhould generally be fordidden Marriage. 29. That there is a fire called Pffrgatcryy where fouls are tor* me . rd\ and where fin is pardoned, in another wvrld. 3 o. That in Baptifm there is an imphcite vow of obedience to I be Ptpe of Rome. 3 1 . That A I^ey for Catholic ks. 145 3 1 . That God is ordinarily to be wor /hipped by the Oblation of a true proper propitiatory facrifice for the living and the dead, where the Trieft only /hall eat and dnnk^the body and blood of Chrift , rph le the Congregation look °* a*d partake not, 3 2. That the Canon *f Scr.pt are u the fame that is dec-ayedby the Council of Trent . I will pafs by abundance more ro avoid tedioufnefs ; And I will no: flay to enquire which of chefe are proper co the Papifts. But I am refolvcd io co receive many of them as they can prove a Catholick fucceflion of-, tbac is, that they were in all ages the Doctrine of the Uiiverfal Church .- And I crave the charity of fuch a proof from feme Papiftor other , if they have any cha- rity in diem •, and that they will no longer keep univerfal Tradi- tion in their purfes. And I would defire H.T. to revife his Catalogue, and in- (lead of twenty or thirty dead and filent names , that fignifTe no more then Blanks or Cyphers, he would prove that both thofeperfons and the Catholick Church did in every age hold thefe thirty two forementioned dodrines. And when hath done, then let him boaft of his Catalogue. Till they will perform this task, let them nevermore forftiarae call to us for Catalogues or proof of fucceflion. But if they are fo unkind that they will nor give us any proof of fuch a Catholick fucceflion of Popery, we (hall be ready to fupererogate , and give them full proof of the Negative, That there hath been no fuch fucceffion of thefe thirty two points ,]as foon as we can perceive that they will ingeni- oufly entertain it: though indeed it hath been often done already. But certainly it bclongeth to them that fuperinduce more Articles of Faith, to prove the continuation of their own Articles through all ages.; of which anon. Well / but one of thefe Articles at kzft(thc Popes Soveraignty) H, T. will prove fucce (lively, if you will be credulous enough. . In the firft age he proves it from Peters words, Aft, 1 S- 7,8,9, I o. God chofe Peter to convert Cornelius and hit company : there* fore the Pope is the Vniverfall Monarch, Are you not all con- vinced by this admirable argument f But be forgot that Bellar- mine, Ragufms ( inConcil. Bafil. ) and others of them fay, that m ^Article can be proved from Scripture , but from the proper lit trail fence. To fay fomewhat more, he unfeafonably U talks J4s,Aurelius being prefident,and Auguftinc being one* They told the Pope that they would yield to him till the true co- pies of the Council ofiViV* wcrcfearctied-, for thofe that they bad feen bad none of them thofe words in, that Zofimus alledgcd. Hereupon they fend abroad to the Churches of the Eaft, to Con* ftantinoplet Alexandria, Ant\och% &c. for the ancient Canonsv From hence they received feveral copies, which all agreed ; but none of them had either Zofimus forgery in ; nor the forged claufe which Bellarnrne muft have in ; much lefs tbe eighty Canons of Pifanus the Jefuite, or this one which HT. doth found his fucceflion on , but only the twenty Canons there men- tioned, which have not a word for the Popes Soveraignty. And here note 1 . That Zofimus knew not then of Pifanus Ca^ nons, or cife he would have aliedged them ± nor yet of Bellar- U z mint* 148 A fyyfor Otbolicks. ~ mines new pare of a Csnon for the Primacy of the Bifhop of Rome . 2. Thar Zojimus himfelf had not the faith, the wit or the memory, to plead etcher Scripture, Apoftolical JnOitucion,or Tradition, for his priviledgeibut or.ly a falfe C anon of the Coun- cil of Nice : as looking no higher-it Teems for his authority. 3. How early the Roman Bifhops begun both to sfpire , and make ufe of forgeries to accomplish it. 4, That there wasnofuch Apoflolick or Church Tradition for this Roman power, as our Matters of Tradition now plead for ; which all the Catholck Church muft know. For the wholeCounci!,with all the Churches of Cenjlantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, &c. thit ist in a manner ail five Romeu.wz ignorant of that which Zepmus would have hid them believe, and Be liar mine and H T. would , have us to believe. 5. Note alfo how little the C hurch then be- lieved the Popes infallibility. 6. Yea Note, how upon the recep- tion of the feveral Copies of the Nicene Canons, they modeftly convicted Zofimus of f&lfhood : And how the Council refolved aga-inft his ufurpation. See in the African Councils, the Epiftle of Cyril and Alexandria^ and Atticusof Cenftantncple: and theEpiftles of the Council to Boniface and Cehftine. In their Epiftle to Boniface before they had received their an- fwers from other Churches about the Nicene Canons, they tell him that they believed they Jhould not fnffer that Arro- gancy [ mnfumus ijlum typhum pajfuri ] But to Celefline they conclude more plainly,though modeftly {_ Presbyterorum qwq\ & feqnentium, &c. /. e . [ Let your holinefs , as befeemeth yott, re- pell the wicked refuges $f Presbyters And the Clergy that follow them ; becaufe this is not derogate, or taken from the African Church by any Definition of the Fathers -, and the Nicene Decrees tnoft plainly committed both the infer lour Chr/y, *»A Bifhops themjelves to the Metropolitans. Tor they did mofl prudently ■, and mofl juftly provide , that all bufmefes (-N. B. all) [heuld be ended in the very places "where they begun ; and the Grace of the holy Ghoft Kill net ( er Jhould not ) be Wanting to each province •' which equity Jhould by the TriefisofChriJi be prudently obferved, and moft confiantly maintained: Efpeciall), becaufe it ts granted to every one to appeal to the Councils of their oVcn Province , crto a Vniverfall Council , if he be offended with the judge-- mentof the Cognitort. Vnlefs there Jhould be any one, that can thinks — A I\ey for Qatbolicks. 149 thinly that our God can infpire a j/fflice of try all into anj one man ( N. B. ) and deny it to innumerable Pricfts that are congregated in Ceuncill. Or how can that judgement thats fafi beyond fea be valid, to which the mcejfary per funs of the wit nefs could not be brought, either becaufe of the infirmities of fex,cr of age, many other impediment: intervening. Tor that any ( i. e. Legates ) Jbmld be , fent as from the fide of your holinefs ,we find not conftituted by any Synod of thf Fathers, Becanfe that which) on fent us by oar f el* low BiJhopY auftlfius as done by the Nicene Council in the truer Councils Received as the Nicene, (fent from holy Cyril our f el* lo* Bificp of the Church of Alexandria , and fnm venerable Acttcus the Bijhop of Conitantinop'c, out of the Authentic^ (Re* cords, ) which alfo heretofore were fent by us to Boniface your predeceffortBifbop of venerable memory, by Innocent a Tresbjter, and Marcellus Subdeacon,by wbom they were from them to us di- reeled, ) in which we could find no fuch m*tter.\And do not ye fend your Clergy executors to potent men ; do not ye field to it j left we feem to bring the fmoaky ssfrrogancy of the world ( or fee pilar ar • rogancy ) into the Church of Chrifty which preferreth the light of fimplicity and day of humility for them that defire to fee God, For of our brother Fauftinus, we arefecure, that the fafe brotherly cha- rity in your holintffes hone ft y and moderation , can fuffer him to ft ay m longer in Africa. ] Well faid Aurelius 1 Well faid A^guftine I Well faid all you African Fathers! Had others fluckas clofeto it as youjthe Pa- pacy had been kept from the Univerfall Monarchy. Note here 1 . That this Council lookc no higher for the pow- er of the Pops and other Metropolitans, then to the Council of Nice , and thought it a good argumenr, that the Pope had no fuch power,becaufe no Council had fo fubje&ed the African Church: And therefore they never dreamt that Chrift or the Apoftles had given it him. 2. Note that they evince the Nullity of his pretended power out of the Nicene Council. 3 .Note thac they took him not to be above a Council, hiving power to dif- penfe with its Canons. 4. Note that by the Nicene Council,noc forae, but all bofinefs muft be ended where they begin, and this Council fo interpreted them : and therefore there's noappeals to the Pope. 5. And that he that faith other wife urjufily chargeth the Holy Ghofao be wanting to the Church. 6. Tbanhsor- U 3 dex tfo A J^ey for Caiholkks. der is to be held faft. 7. That they took it for a fufficient rea- for. againft appeals co Rome ,becaufe all might appeal to a provin- cial or general Council. 8. Note that they thought ita thing not to be imagined by a man, thac God (hould give his Spirit to any one man, even to the Pope,to enable him to try and judge, and deny it to a Council, General or Provincial. This Teemed to them a thing that none (hould imagine, To that they little dreamt of the Roman infallibility or power of Judging all the world. 9. Note alfo that they thought the Pope to be uncapa- ble of this univerfal judgement, were it but by diftance, and the natural impediments or age, fex, and many the like that muft needs hinder the necefl\ry witneffes from fuch a voyage or journey. So that they give an Argument from Natural necef- lity againft the Popes pretended Soveraignty and judgement. 10. Note alfo that thev plainly make fuch judgements to be in- valid for want of neceffiry witnefs and means of profecution, 11. And whereas the Pope might objed that he could prevent all this by his Legates, they flatly reject that too, and fay they (ind no fuch thing Conftituted by any Synod : fo that they both rejeded the Popes trying and judging by Legates in other Metropolitans jurisdidion ; and they took it for a fufficient ground to do fo , that there was no Council had fo conftituted; little dreaming of a Scripture confutation, or Apoftolical Tra- dition. And if the Pope may neither j'udge them by himfelf nor his Legates , hemayfitftiil. 12. Next they convince the Roman Bifhop of fending them a falfe Canon of the Nicene Council 1 3 . And they (hew us here what way the Pope then took to get and keep his Power .• even by fending to the fecular commanders of the Provinces, (in whom they bad fpecial intereft by their refidencc azRome, ) to execute their wills by force. 14. And note how the Council plainly accufeth them for this, of introducing fecular Arrogancy into thrifts Church, that bet- ter loveth (implicity and humility and lighr. 15. And note how plainly they require the Bifhop of Rome to do fo no more. 16. And how plainly they tell him that FaHJiinns his flay any longer in Africa will not (land with that honefty and modera- tion of the Bifhop of Rome which is neceflary to the fafety of brotherly charity. , J give you bui the plain pafTagesof the Council as (hey lie be- fore A K^y for fcatbolicks . 1-51 fore you, and ferae no forced confluences from them. And now lee Binnius and his brethren go make women and children bdieve that it was not Appeals to Romejut a trouble fome mam &r of trjalzhttthz Council was againft. And let Zi. T. tell men thac cake him for infatlibIe,of a Nicene Canon for the Popes Su- premacy and Monarchy. And lee him perfyade ideotsand do- tards thac che Cathoiick Church in the fourth and fifth ages was for che univerfal Government of the Pope. And fo I procted to his next proof. Saith H. T. [The fir [I Con^nim^. Council d- creed the Bijbop of Conftantinople to be chief next the Btfbop of Koine. J Anfw. 1. You fee then thac Primacy was but the Initiation of Councils, for order fake. 2. You fee then thac it was grounded on a fecular reafon ; for fo faich the Canon [became it is new Rome. 3 3.. You fee then thac the Popes Primacy was but hono- rary , and gave him no univerfal Government. For the p i- macy here granted to Ccnftantinsple , gave them no Govern- ment over Alexandria, Antioch^ &c. 4. Yea expnfly the fe- cond Canon limits ail Bifhops without exception to their own Diocefs. And fo doth the third Canon, exprefly affirming [ that according to the Nicene Council in ever] province , the pro- vincial Council ought to admimfter and govern all things.] See1 now what a proof here is of Cathoiick JucceAion of the Roman Monarchy / Nay how clearly frill ic is difproved to thac time. The nexc proof of E. T. is from the third Aft of the firflr Council o/Ephefus, thatVettr jet lives and exercifes judgement in- his Sttccejfors 2 dnfw?r\z turns us to look a needle in * bottle of hay. That Council is a large volume, containing fix Tomes in Binnius , and not divided into Ads. Buc I fuppofe at laft I have found the p'ace , Tom. 2. c. 15. where the words [_ that Peter was the Head of the A 'po($les~] though nothing to> their purpofe, are neither fp^ken nor approved by che Council ,% but only by Philip a Presbyter, Ctleftims Legate. And the Council, though fpecialiy moved by his concurrence to exroll file/line to the highe(t,yet 1. Never fpakc a word of his Govern- ing power or Soveraignty , but only his concent : ^nd when they mention the Roman Church, it is only their concent which' they predicate. 2. And they extoll Cjril equally with Celeftine- [^Nov* Paulo Celejfino £ they forgot /W ) N'ovo Taulo Gj» 152 *A I\ey for Catholicks . rillo: Vnu Cehftinvs , Vnus Cjrillus,'] &c. The next wicnefs brought is the Council of Calcedin,as eat- ing Lzo Vwverfal A'chbifiop and Patriarch of eld Rome, and fentence is pronounced again ft Dofcorus in the names of Leo and Saint Peter. ] Anfw. 1 . This i> but one of your common frauds, lc was not the Council that called him univerfall Archbfhop, but two Deacons in the fupcrfcr? prion of their Libel? y\z.Thcd&- dorus and Ifchirion. And were they the Catholick Church ? 2.ByQ Vniverfal ArchbiJbop~] its plain that they meant no more then the chief in dignity and order of all Archbifhops ; and not the G over no fir of all, 3. I have (hewed you before thas this very Council in its Canons not only give the Bifhop of Ccn- (lantinoplee<\n*\ priviledges with the Bifhop of Rome, but ex- prefly fay that Rome received this primacy of trder a patribus, from a Council, becaufe it was Sedes Imperii,^* feat of the Empe - rour. I thought 1 had given you enough of this Council before. Sure I am when Bellarmine comes to this Canon,hc hath nothing to fay for his csufe, but plainly to charge this famous fourth General Council with lying or fa!(hood,and to fay, that the Pope approved not this Canon. But approved or not approved, if this was the Catholick Church representative, furelamthat their teftimony is valid to prove that there was then no Catho- lick reception of the Roman Monarchy as of God,but contrarily a meer primacy of Dignity and Honour given it newly by men. In the fixth age he had not one Council to pretend it feems for the Roman Soveraignty, for he cites none, but about other mat- ters (of which anon. ) In the fevemh age (which he calls the fixth) though then the Soveraignty was claimed by Boniface^ citeth no Council for it niether. In the eighth age ( from the year feren hundred ) be cites the fecond Council of Nicest approving an Epiftle of Pope Adrian , wherein he faith that the Roman Church is the Head of all Chur- ches. ] Anfvp. 1 .But whether Adrian himfelf by the Head meant the chief in Dignity , or the Goverhourof all, is a great doubt. 2. But whatever he meant, the Synods approving his Epiftle for Images, is no proof that they approved every word in it. 3 . Yea Tharaftus feems to imply the contrary, calling him only J'eterU Rom& primas & teftatorum principum fuccfjfor ; as if his Sea had A t%ey for Catholick*. 1 5 3 had the Priviledge only of being the Primate of Rome, and not the Ruler of the world. 4. But if thit Council did ( as it did not) openly own the PapalSoveraignty.it had been no great honour to him : For as in their decrees for Images they con- • tradi&edtwo Councils at Conftantinople } and that at Franks ford contradifteth them •, fo might they as well comrade the Church in this • Even as they defined Angels to bt corporeal, which the Council of Uterane afterward contradiaed. But the plain truth is, it was the fcope of Adrians Epiftleas for Images, which they expreffedthemfelvesto approve. And that their Imace-worfhtp'itfelfhath no Catholick fucceffion me tb.nks hey (houldeafily grant, confidering not only, 1. That there .. nothing in the firft ages for them. 2. And that gpphamns and many before him fpeak exprcfly aga.nft it. 3 . But fpeci- ally that there have been more General Councils of thole ages Snft them then for them, and that before this of N.ce de- seed for them , the reprefentative Catholick Church ( ex- cept ftffl the Pope be the Catholick Church ; d.d condemn lhTfuDDofeby this time you will think it needlefs for me to follow H.T. any further in his Catalogue I am content that any impartial fober perfon judge, whether here be a fat.sfafto- rvnroof of a Catholick fucceffionof the Papal Sovermgnp , when through fo many ages, they bring not a word for any fuc- "Son « all • much lefs that it was owned by the Catho- hef Church : and leaft of all that all the reft of Popery was f0Obiea.'i?«f " leafi [ome other points of Popery are proved bj H T t ohave fucb a f»cceffion. ^/W.Perufe his proofs and freely • Aol Two of the thirty two Articles which I mentioned be- fore he fpeaksto : The one 5 that Bifiops, Priefts and Deacons Zlld Main front their Wives, or be degraded. J Ban. ihe t 1 ihich he cites for this, is but a Prov.r.c.al Council in Council wheh^eates^ ^ ^ ^ Catho)jck fuc£cf, Sr?am> I The Evidences for the Antiquity of Priefts marriages f™ fo cka and numerous , that I will not thank any of them . «nfrfi their doftrine a Novelty. 1 Cor. 9. $. Have we not Z leatabZa Sifter, aWife as mil as other -A 'poftles, and as K^^SV^^Y ^opetheywninot deny 154 JK^yfor Cathdicks* that Petty had a Wife ? i Tim. 3.2,4. A Bifhop muft be blame- lefs, the husband of one Wife One that ruleth well his own houfe , having his children in fubjeclion With all gravity. .ver. 12. Let ihe Deacons be the husbands of one wife , ruling their children, and their own houfes well, Tit. 1. 7. If any be blamelefs, the husband of one Wfe, having faithfull children, * >Th*>An:ienc Canons called the Apofties, fay, Can. 6, Let not a Bifhop or Presbyter put away his own Wife on pretence of Religion. Andifhe reject her, let him be excommunicated', but if he per f evert, let him be depofed. ] Let Be liar mine perfwade thofe that will believe him, that this Canon fpeaks but of deny* ingthem maintenance: Canons as well as Scripture are unin- telligible to thefe men. The Canons at Trull, of the fifth' and fixth Council , do exprefly expound this Apoftolick Ca- non as I do here : and they profefs it was the Apoftles con- cefsion then to the Bifhops to marry .* and they tberafelves forbid any tofeparate Priefts from their Wive?, and profeffdly oppofe the Roman Church in it, Can. 12, 13. For this Bellar- mine, lib.z. cap.zj. de Pontif. Rom. reproacheth them, and thats his anfwer. Forfooth, the Pope approved not thefe fanonj : 1. Let Adrians words be read, and then judge. 2* What if he did not ? Our enquiry is of Catholick Tradition and fucceffion, and not of the Popes opinion. But its eafie to bring much more for this. Another point that H. T. proves,ts,Tk /<*«*£ Canon of Scrip- ture which they own : And for this he brings one Provincial Council, Carth, 3. as in the fixth Age. An excellent proof of Catholick fuccefsion through all Ages. But have we not bet- ter proof of the contrary ? Let him that would be fatisfied per- ufe thefe records and judge. Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. I. 3. cap. 9. vel. 10. and there fofeph. li. I. cont. Apion. Conftitut. Apoftol. (whofoever wss the author ) lib.z. cap. 57. Canon. Apofi. ult. Dionyf Eccl. Hler. cap. 3 . Meiet. in Eufeb- Eccl. Biftor. lib. 5. cap. 24. Origen in Niceph, hift. Ecclef. lib. $. cap. 16. Orig. PhilocaL cap. 3. Eufeb. Hift. I. 6. cap, 2$. Tertul. cont. Aiarcion. Carm. lib. 4. cap. 7. Athanaf. Tom. 2. Epift. 39. Et in Sympf. Sacr.fcrip. Hilar. Piclav. ExpUnat. in Pfalmos. Cy* ril. ( vel. fohan. ) Hierofol. Catech. 4. Concil. Laodic. fan 59+ Epiphan. h&ref &, & 76, & de Menfur* & pnderib. Greg. Nazjanz. A t\ey for Qatholicks. \ 5 5 Nazianz,. Carmin.deveris & genuinis libris SS . Amphiloch. in Balfam.-p.ig' 1082. Hieronym.in Prolog, in lib. Reg< & Prol. in lib. Selom.Et Epifl.ad L*tam. & pa/fim.Rujfinfts in Symbolum. But what need I cite any more, when Dr. £ V/fo hath done it in a volume purpofely ? where this allegation alto of the third Com. Carthag. is anfwered. AND now having (hewed you that Papifts cannot proye any Catholick Succeilion, or Continuation/^ Tradition of their Religion, let us confider of their filly (hifc,by inftancing infome by -points common to them with others. Of which I (hall fay the lefs becaufe I have fpoke to it already in my Safe Religion. And before I mention any particulars, remember that I have proved before that ignorance or difference about many points notefTential toChriftianity, mayconfift with our being of one Religion and Catholick Church, and therefore fuch differences are nothing to the point of fucceffion of the Catholick Church or Religion. This is plain to any reasonable man. And that the Papifts may fee that for their parts they have nothirg ro fay againft it, I (hall add to what is faid, that they tolerate or plead for the toleration of greater differences among themfelves , which yet they affirm to confift with the unity of faith. I will now give you but an inftance or two. Thejefuits maintain, that if a man do but believe in their Pope and Church as infallible, he may ('not only as fome fay, be ignorant of fome Article of the Creed it felf,and yet be a true Catholick,yea and befaved, butalfo) believe a falfe Arti- cle as from God and the Church : The former is commonly taught not only by fuch a$<*£. 239. Tcrtfdlian Apol. cap. 30. Tertullian and Cyprian of Prayer .- Athanafus Orat. 4. Cent. Arriumpag- 259, 260. Ecclef. Smjrn. apud Eufeb. Hift. lib. 4. &c. I am loth to recite what is there already given you. X 3 3. And 5 8 A I\eyfor Catbolicks. 3 . And when Prayer to the dead did come in, how exceedingly it differed from the Romifh Prayers to the dead, I pray you read there in the fame Author. 4. And alfo of thofe Adorati- ons and Devotions offered by the Papifts to the Virgin Marj% I defire you to read in the fame Author, and Place , enough to make a Chriftian tremble, and which for ray part I am not able to excufe from horrid Blafphemy or Idolatry , though I am willing to put the beft interpretation on their words that rcafon will allow, 5. The Reafon why in the old Teftament men were not wont to pray to Saints, Bellarmine faith w&s&caufe then they did not enter into heaven nor fee God. Bellar. de fancl.Beat. li. 2. cap. 1 9. So Suanz, in the third part, Tom. z.difp.^z. Sect. 1. But abundance of the chief Do&orsof the Church for divers Ages were of opinion that the Saints are not admitted into Heaven to the clear fight of God before the day of Judgement ( as moft of the Eaftern Churches do to this day ) therefore they could not be for thePopiih Prayer to Saints. And here again obferve, that men may be of the fame faith and Church with us,that differ and err in as great a matter as this. The Council of Florence hath now defined it, that depart • ed fouls are admitted into Heaven to the clear fight of Qod\ And yet Stapltton and Francif. Pegna. a Caftro, Aledma, Sotus&i- firm that Irenaus , fuftin Martyr , Tertullian , Clemens Ro- manus ,Origen , Arnbro/esChrjfoftome9 Auftin, Luclantius, Viclo- rinus, Prudentius, Theodorety Aretas,Oecuwemus^Theophilact% Etithyminsy yea and Bernard, have delivered the contrary fen- tence. See Staplet. Defenf, Ecclef author, cont.ivhitak.lib .1. capc 2. with Fran. Pegna in part. 2. Director. Inquifitor. COW. 21. Now as all thefe muft needs be againft the Popifh Invocation of Saints, fo they were againft that which is now determined to be de fide-, Whence 1 gather ( on the by) 1. That the Ro- mifh faith increafeth,and is not the fame as heretofore. 2 . That they had not this Article by Tradition from any of thefe Fa- thers, or from theApoftles by them(unlcfs from the Scriptures.) 3. That men that err in fuch points as are now defined by Councils to be defide, are yet accounted by Papifts to be of their Church and faith: And therefore they may be of ours , not- A Z\ey for Catkotich . i j^ notwithftanding fcrcberroursasthisinhand. 4. And note alfo hy this taft,whether thePapifts be net a perjured generation, that fwear not to expound Scripture but according to the unanimous confent of the Fathers. 6. The Council of Laodicea condemned them as Idolaters that prayed to Angels, Can. 35. ("which Caranza, Crab, and other Papiits have turned into Angulos ; whofe fabrication you may fee fully detected by the faid Bifhop Vfber, ibid, pag. 470,471,472. Read there alfo the full Teftimonies of Greg. Ntffen , Athanafius, Epiphanius,&c. againft praying to Saints and Angels , and the dece&ion of Bellarmines fraud, that pre- tendech the Fathers to fpeak of the Gentiles Idolatry when they mention the Virgin M*rj and the Saints, and fay exprefly they were not to be adored. But for all this,#. fT. Manual. page 291, &c. hath Fathers for this Adoration of Angels and Saints. And who are they ? The firft is Dionjftus : to which I anfwer, 1 . There is never a fuch a word in the place cited in Dionjftus , in the Book that I have at hand, printed Lugdun. 1572, 2. We are for praying the Saints to pray for us too, that is, thofe on earth : And the words cited by him , mention not the Saints in heaven. 3 . That Dionyfius is not Dionjftus but a fpurious Apochryphal Book : Not once known and mentioned in the world till Gregory the greats dayes, ("fix hundred years afcer Chrift ) as Bellarmine himfclf faith Lib. de Scriptor. Ecclef. de Dionyf, And lib. 2. de Monach. cap. 5. The fecond is (fltrn* Apofiol. Conftit. 5. Anfw. 1. The words fpeak only of honouring the Martyrs , which is our unquestioned duty 5 but not of Praying to them. 2. Its an Apochryphal forgery, and neither the Apoflies nor Cle- mentsWork which he citeth ( but any thing will ferve thefe men : ) Let him believe Bellarmine de fcriptor. Ecclef pag* 38, 39. where he proveth it, and faith that [_in the Latine Church , thefe Conftitutions are of almofl no account , and the Greeks themfelves Canon. 2. Trul- rejetl them as depraved by He- reticks, and that the receiving of them is it that mifleadeth the 9s£thiopians.~\ See more againft them in Cookj Cenfura,pag. 17, 18, 19. and Rivets Crit. Sac* & Dahus in Pfeudepigrap* The third Teftimony of H. T% is from fufiins fecond ApoL Anfy. 1 60 A £{ey for Qa tholicks . *Anfw. It is not Praying to Angels that fuftin feemeth no intend, but giving them due honour, which we allow of. His intent is to ftop the mouths of Heathens that called the Chriftians impi- ous for renouncing their Gods : To whom he replycth,that we yet honour the true Gody and his Angels fiid. His Teftimony for the third age is only Origen ( and yet none of Origen) Firft in his Lament. Anfw.i. Origenihzrz menti- oned ihe Saints, but not the dead Saints. It may be all the Saints in the Church on earth whofe prayers hedefireth. 2. If this fatisfie you not, at leaft be fatisfied with this, that you cite a forgery that is none of 0 rigens works. Not only Eraf- whs faith that Q This Lamentation was neither written by Orf- gen, nor tranflated by Hierom, but is the ficlion of fome unlearn- ed man, that by this tricky devifed to defame Origen : ) But Ba* ronius AnnaL Tit. 2. ad an, 2? 3 . f . 477. witneffeth that Pope Gelafius numbers it with the Apocryphals. But H. T. hath a fecond teftimony from Origin, in Canticl Horn. 3 . Anfw. 1 . That fpeaks of the Saints prayer for us, but not of our prayers to them one word, which is the thing in queftion. 2. But Erafmus and others have (hewed that nei- ther is this any of Origtns works. Sixtus Senenfis faith, that fome old Books put Hieroms name to it: And Lombard and Aquinas cite paffages out of it as Ambrofes. You fee now what Teftiraonies H. T. hath produced for the firft three Ages, even till above four hundred years after Chrift. And yet no doubt but this is currant proof with the poor deluded Papifts that read his Book. 2. The next exception to be confidcred is , Praying for the Dead : which they fay the ancient^Church was for. Anfw. 1 . We are for the Commemoration of the holy lives and fufferings of the Saints : and the firft fort of the ancients prayers for them began here, as the occafion. 2. We are for thankfull acknowledgement of Gods Mercies to the departed Saints, and to the Church by them. And the firft prayers for them were fuchajthefe. 3 . Bifhop VJher hath copioufly pro- ved that they were Saints, fuppofed to be in Heaven or Para- dife, and not in Purgatory, that were then prayed for : and therefore that it was not the Popifh praying for tormented fouls that was then pra&ifed ; And therefore their prayers then A i\ey for Cat hoi it ks . \6\ -then were befides Commemorations and Thankfgivings, the pe- titioning of ail tbofe following Mercies for them which are not to be received till the Te(urre,£k\on: Bellarmixe himfeif proving that though we we* e certain that the bit [fed fouls (hall have a raifed glorified body , and be jufiified in the lafl judgement , jet may it be ■prayed for, becaufeit is jet future. Now we are far from being of another Church or Religion then thofe that hold fuch an opini- on as this. Saith Vfher pag.21^ when he had cited many tefti- monies [_ In thefe and other prayers of the like kjnd,we may defer j evident feotjfeps of the primary intention of the Church in kerfup- pltcations for the dead : Which was that the whole man ( not the foul fepArated only ) might receive publicly rem:ffion of fins, and a folemn acquittal in the judgement of that great day • andfo ob- tain both a full efcape from all the Conferences of fiz ( the laft enemy being now deflrojed}and death f fallowed up in vitlory ) and a perfetl confummation of bitfs and happinefs \ all which are comprised in that fhort prayer of S. Paul/or Oncfiphorus {though made for him wh'de he was alive) [] The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day ] Tea, divers prayers for the dead of that kind are fiill retained in the Koman offices-^} which thegreatSpanifh Dotlerjohn Medina thus writeth^ Although 1 have rtad many prayers for the faithfull deceafed , which are contained in the Rom in Aiiffal, jet have I read in none of them that the Church doth petition , that they may more quickly be freed from pains ' but I have read that in fime of them petition is made, that they may be fr eed from everlafiing pains. ] Again there be other prayers ( faith Medina) wherein petition is made, that God would raife the fouls of the dead in their bodies unto blifs at the day of judgement. ] Yon (ee then, that our Queftion is not whether the dead maybe prayed for: but what prayers may be made for them. And therefore to find that about three hundred years after Chrift f more oriels) men begun to pray for the dead, is no proof that they were not of our Church or Religion-, or that therefore we want fuccdlion. It was rot a praying to be fooneroutof Purgatory that then was ufed, as Papifts do, but a Praying for the mercies promifed at the Refurre&ion -" And thus wethinkitlawfull to pray for the dead h were it not fot Y the \6i A I\ey for fatholich. the accidental evil that might follow with them that will mifun- derftandandabufeit. And its further to be noted, that a? Pegm, Stafleton and. others confefr, the Fathers,Greek and Latine,bcfore mentioned, did believe that men had not their perfed Joyes till the Refurre- dion- and therefore they had the far ftronger motive to pray for the dead. And if Proteftants had not been partly of this mind ( fave only that we put not the foul into hidden recep- tacles, nor anywhere but with Chrift ) B 'e liar mine had not found fo much occafion of that unworthy calumny againft Calvin for the words cited by him in his Inftit. as if he denyed the beatifical vifion, if not the immortality of the foul : Even becaufe he took not our blifs to be perfetl till the Refurretlion, but fomefthat Jhort of what we Shall then be. Now feeing the Fathers were fo commonly of that mind, and the Greeks and Ethiopians are ftill of that mind, and B 'e liar mine faith Luther and Calvin are of that mind, you may fee that neither in that nor the point of praying for the dead asufedby the ancients, is our diftance fo great as to weaken the proof of our fuc- ceffion, or make us to be of two Churches or Religions. And here you may fee the differences between the Prayers for the dead which are ufed by the Papifts , and by the Eaftcrn Churches to this day. And yet if upon private unfound opinions any Ihould go foraewhat further in this point, it followeth not that fuch error changeth the faith.l defire theReader that would have a fuller fight of the face of Antiquity in this point, to read Rifhopl^r of it in the forementioned Anfwer to the Jefuite. 3. Another point that they much challenge us about, is, The Veneration or Adoration of Images, Reliques^ and the Crofs , to which I may join, peregrinations to places efteemed by them to be of eminent holinefs. Concerning Peregrinations , yow may fee by a plain Epiftle of Gregory Njffen ( in the end of his printed works,but in the midft of a M. S. in Paris Library ) written purpofely againft going on Pilgrimage to ferufalem, what is to be thought of this. He advifeth even the retired Monafticks eveninthofe Countreyes that were near fudta^xo forbear fuch :rimagcsas dangerous andunnecefTarj^and not at all com- manded J. Key for Qa tholicks. manded in the Scripture. The Papifts did as long as they could perfwade the world that this Epiftle was none of Gregoriest and when they were madeaftiamed of that , they woold "expound ic as prohibiting Pilgrimages to none but the Monafticks : And iure if it (houid be forbidden them, then much more Ihould others be forbidden, that have not the ieifure, and pretend not to the devotions which thefe pretend to. Read but the Epiftle it felf without either Mdinaus his notes on our fide, or Gret* fers frivilous anfwers, and judge as thou feeft caufe. As for Images, we allow the Hiftorical ufc of them, and the feccing them up in Churches the Lutherans allow,and we dff- like it only as dangerous and a needlefs fnare, but take not our felves to be of another Church or Religion from thofe thac are otherwife minded : No nor from thofe that Reverence them as they refped the perfons whom they fignifie. * But its one thing to ufe Images, and another thing to ufe them Popift/j, which is to make them mediate objetls of Divine worjhip, yea to worChip the very Image it felf, and the Crofs and the fign of the Croft with the fame worjhip as we do him that is fignifie d bj them' So that we confidently affirm , i. That the Primitive Church did make no ufe of Images at all in the worfliip of God; no nor endure them in the place of Worfhip. 2. That when they were firlt brought in,the Popiih ufe of them was Hill renounced and deteftcd. Clemens Alexandrinus Prorreptic. ad Gent, faith that Q We are plainly forbidden to ufe that deceitfull Art] ( of painting or image-making^ - — —And [_We havenofenfble Image made of anjfcnftble matter , but fuch an Image as is to he conceived with the understanding j Origen againft Celfut Itb. 7 -page 373, 384, 386. 387. is large and plain againft this ufe of Images, as the Protectants are. And the E liber. Concil. C. $6. faith Q Placuit pitluras in Ecclefta effe non debere, ne quodcolitur, ant adoraturin parietibus dep'mgAtur. It ftcmeth good to us, that pictures ought not to be in the Church, left that which is worfhipped or adored fhmld be painted on Walls \ Some Papifts would tain find a fenfe for this Canon contrary to the words : But Mtlch. Canus plainly faith, that the Council ddnot only imprudent Ij but impuufly make this law to take away Images , Loc. Theol. lib. 5. cap. 4. cone. 4^1 (hall cite no moret but mtreat the Reader that is willing to be informed how much Y 2 Antiquity 164 A i\eyfor Catholicks. Antiquity was againft the Pa pills in the points of lmages,to per- ufeonly Dalltus de Imaginibus1 and\l(htr in his Anfwer to the Jefmre and Sermon to the Parliament : And I provoke the Pa* piits to confute what is in them ailedged if they can. H. T. hath no better fhifc to falve their credit ( Manual page 3 1 9, 3 20. ) then to fet their own Schoolmen and General Council together by the ears. The fecond Council of N*ce ( that did moftfor Images ) did openly renounce the adoring them with Divine honour, and Tharafius folemnly profeffcd , Duntaxat in mum verum Dtum latriam & fidem fe referre & reporter e ) Thej did refer andrcpofe faith and divine VPor/hip in the true God alone ] But Aquinas fum. iq.2.%. a. 3 . & 4. main- taineth ( as I before obferved) that the Image @} Chrift, and the Crofs and the fign of the Crefs are to be Vpoyjh pped with Divine Tvorjhlp.'] And what faith B.Turbervile to this? Why [This is ameer fchool opinion and not of faith with us: Urge not there- fore whatfome particular Divines fay , but hearken to the D»clrine of Gods Church. ]] Very good Us not this fo grofsa kind of jugiing, that would never down if deyout ignorance and impli- cite faith had not prepared the ftoraacks of the people ? 1. You fee here t hat to contrad tl the Determination of a General Council^ is not of faith with them. But i: is nor aga:n(t your faith ? Do you give leave to meer fchool opinions to contradid General Councils? See here what's become of the Popifh faith ? If the Determinations of Councils be not Articles of faith with you,. then you have no faith, but give up your caufe : And if they be, then Aquinas and his followers are Hcreticks. 2. And then fee whats become of the Popes Infallibility in Canonizing Saints, that have fainted Thdmas Asjuinas that proves a Heretick by your Law : fo that your caufe is gone wh ch way ever you turn you. 3. And then (ee what itisco pray to Saints, when fome of chem are mzde Heretickj by your own Laws. 4. And then aifo fee, at what Unity the Church of Rome is among thero- felves, when it is the very common doctrine of their learned Schoolmen , which contradi&etb a General Council : Are you not well agreed th.it while? 5. And laftly note what % Holy Church you have, when the common fort of your moft learned Divines are thus made Herericks : See Bifhop Vfhers allegations of Th\ Armdels Provincial Council at Oxford, 1 4©S, A t\ey for Qatholkks. 1 6 5 ex Gull. Lmewood lib $. And fac. Naclantusin Rom. cap. i.foL 42. faith £ We muft not only confefs, that the faithful I in the Lhurchdo Vrorjb'p before the Image, as fame cauteloufly Jpeal^r but that they adore the Image , without any fcruple : yea and that they worjhip it with the fame worjhip as the Prototype : fo that if it be worfhipt with Divine wor/hip, the Image muft have Di" vine worfiip ] And Cabrera in 3. part. Them. qu. 25. art.$.difp. 2. num. IS* there cited by VJherJmh that it is of faith that Images are to be worjbipped in Churches and without1, and we muft give themfigns of fervitude and fubmifficn , by em- bracing , lights, offering mcenfe, uncovering the head, &c. 2, That Images are truly and properly to be adored, with an intention to adore them/elves, and not only the famplars reprefented in them-* This Conclufion is againfi Durandus and his followers, whofe opi- nion hy the Moderns is judged dangerous, rajh, and favouring of Here fie: andH. Medina reporteth that M, Victoria reputed it he- retical 1 but our conclufion is the common one of Divines. If Images be improperly only adrred, then they are not to be adored fimply andabfolmely ; which is manifefl Here fie. And if Images were to be worfh'pped only by way of Remembrance , becaufe they make us remember the famplars, which we thus adore as if they were prefent, it would follow that all creatures are to be ado- red with the fame adoration as God which is abfurd* 3 . The Opinion of Saint Thomas , that the Image muft be worfhipped w th the fame acl of adoration, as the [amp I ar which it reprefent- eth,is mo ft true, moft pious, and very confomnt to the decrees of faith ^ Thus Cabrera, who- adds that this is the do&rine of Thomas andallhi9 Difciples and almoftalltbeold Schoolmen, and particularly otCajetan, Capreolus, Taludanus , Ferrarien- fts, Antoninus, Soto, A lex and, Alef. Albert us Magnus, Bona* ventura, Richardus de media villa, Dionyfius Carthufianus Ma- yor , Marfilns, Thorn. Waldenfts, Turrecremata, Clichtovnec d&monium colo, &c. I worjhip neither the Image, nor a Spirit in it ; but by the bodily likenefs I behold the fign of that which I ought to worfhip. ~] Yea that many of them renounced the worfhipping of Devils, appeareth by Auguftines repottof their words, in Pfal. 96. [Non celimus mala d&mo- niay &c. We wor/hip not evil fpirits : It is thofe that you call Angels, that we worfhip, who are the powers of the great G&d9 and the Minifiers of the great God"^ To whom Auftin anfwers [ Would you would worfbip them ( that is, honour them aright,) then you would eafily learn of them not to worfbip them ] And doubtlefsfew could be fo (illy as to think there were as many fupiters or Apollos as there were Images of them in the world. So that you fee here that fome of the Pagans as to Image-wor- ftiip difclaimed that which the Papifls afcribe to them, viz*. Di~ ,and (hew the vanity of their conclu- sions from them. 1 . Sometimes the Roman Bifhops are called [ Summi Pcnti* fees,'] the chief Popes : and hence fome gather their Supremacy. But I fuppofeyou will believe Baronius ( their chief flatterer ) in foch a cafe as this. And he tells you in Martyrolog. Roman. . April. 9. that [ Fuit dim vetus Hie ttfus in Ecclefiay tut Epif copiomnts, ran tantum Penti fees, fed crfummi Pomifices dicer en* Z 3 tM-rr^ 174 a K?y f°r Cat^c^s • tHr 1 — j e j. yvaj tfigc ancient cuftcm of the Church to cattail Bijhopsmt only Pontifices Popes', but chief Pepes] And then citing fuch a pa'fTige of Hierom Epifi. 99. be addeth [ Thofe that under ft and not this ancient cuftom of fpeech, refer thefe words to the Popedom of the Church of Rome.) 2. As for the names Papa, Vo^z,Domtnus^ Tater Sauclijfimus, beatiftimus, del amantijftmus, &c. ics ncedkfs to tell you thac tbefe were commonly given to other Bifhops. 3 . And what if they could find that Rome were called the mo- therof all Churches .? I have formerly (hewed you, where Ba- fil faith of the Church of Cafarea , that it is as the mother of all Churches in a manner. And Hierufalem hath oft thac Title. 4. Sometime they find where Rome is called Caput Ecclefi- arum , and then they think they have won the caufe. When if you will confulc the words , you (hall find thac it is no more then thac Priority of Dignity which (not Chrift, but) the Em- peroursand Councils gave them , that is intended in the word. Its called the H^rthac is, the chief Seat in Dignity, without any meaning that the Pope is the univcrfal Monarch of the world. 5. But what if they find the Pope called the Archbifhop of the Cathelick. Church, or the Vniverf&l Bifhep i then they think they have the day. I anfwer, indeed three flattering Monks ac the Council of Calcedon , do fo fuperfcribe their libels; but they plainly mean no more then the Bifhop that in order of dig- nity is above there/}; And many particular Churches are oft called Catholic ^ Churches. There'* difference between [ A Cd- tholic\ Church j and [The Catholic^ Church.] And the Bi- fhop of Conftantinople had that Title, even by a Council at Conftant. an. 5 18. before the Bifhop of Rome had it pubiikeJy, or durft own it : It was fetled on the Patriarch ofConjlantir.opU to be called the Oecumenical or Vniverfal Patriarch. Who knoweth not that Eraperours gave fuch Titles at their pleafure ? fvftinian would fometime give the Primacy to Rome, and at am> luTtimeto fcnftantinople, faying [Conftantinopolitana Ec- cle a omnium aliarum eft caput : The Church of Conftantinople is the Head of all ether Churches. ] An. Dam. $$Q.C.de Epift cot ts. /. 1 . lege 24. And its known thac this Juftinian that fome- time A I^ey for Catholich. \ 7 5 time calls Rome the Head , did ycc when the fifth General Council had condemned figiliiii Pope of Rome^ permit Theodo- ra his Emprefs tocaufehim tobefetchtto Co»flantinopleymd drag'd about the ftreet in a hilcer, and then banifhed, tili they had forced him to fobfenbe and fubmit to the Council .• even as they had depofed Pope Silverius his predeccfDr. And rBaro- »/*/himfelf mentioneth a Vaticane Monument which as it calls Agapetus Epifcoporum princeps on one fide , fo doth it call Mtnna\_ the ApoftolicJ^Vniverfal Bifhop :] Which Baronius faith, doth mean no more then that he wis Vniverfal over his own Provinces : aad if that be fo,any Bifhop may be called Vniverfal. And do not thefe men know what Council of Car- thage decreed that thcBiftiop prima fedis Should be called neither Summus Sacerdos % nor Princeps Sacerdotum, vel aliqxid hu.~ jufmodi, tattum Epifcopus prima fedU : i.e. Not the chief Prie ft y or the chief of Priefis but the Bifhop of the fir ft feat'] And how long will they (hut their eyes againfl: the leftimony of two of their own VopesfP eUgius and Gregory the firft that condemned the name of Vniverfal "Bifhop ? Sometime they find the Church of Rome called Apofto- lick, , and fo were others as well as that , as is commonly known. And fometime the Pope is called the Pillar of the Church ; And what of that ? fo are many others as well ashe-, as all the Apoftles were as well as Peter ? The Church is built en the Foun- dation of the Apoftles and prophets. That the Paftors of the Church were ordinarily called the Pillars and props of ir, as by Nicephorus Gildas ffheodoret, Bafil, Te^tulliani T>ionyfiuiy Hie- romy Auguftine, &c. you may fee proved in Gatakers Cinnus page 395 ,396. Andlaftly, when the Papifts read their Popes called the Sue* ceffors of Peter, they take this as a proof of their Sovereignty. Whereas i.P^rhimfelf had no fuch Soveraignty. 2. They, fucceed him not in his Apoftlefhip. 3 . They are called Pauls Succeffors as wetl as Peters. 4. Others arc called Peters Sue* ceffors too as well as they r by the Fathers. 5, And other Bi- fhops ordinarily are called the Apoftles Succejfors , and other Churches called ApftolickjChurches^ lihall only fet before tbem the words of one man at this time* , IT '6 jil^eyfor Catholicfa. time, ( Hejjchii Hierofol. apud P barium Cod. 269.) and de- fire themco tell me whether evermore werefaidof the Pope, yea or of Peter,thea he faith of Andrew, calling him [Chori zsfpoftolici primogenkus% primitus defixa Ecckfia coluwna9Ve- tri Petrus, fundamenti fundamentum , principli principium vel primitU, qnivocavit antequam vocaretur, addtixit priufquam adduceretur ] i. e. Q Thefirfi begotten of the ^poftolickChorc, the fir ft fixed Pillar of the Church , the Peter 0/ Peter, or the Rcck_ of Piter, the Foundation of the Foundation • the Principal of the Principal, who called before he was called, and brought {others) to ( Chrifi) before he was brought to him ( bj any ethers. ) And the fame Hefjchius faith of James apud Photium Cod. 275- C u*f *y*at*'*fa 9 &c. i.e. with what Praifes ma] I fet forth the fervant and Brother of Chrift, the chief Emperour ( or Commander or Captain ) of the New Hierufalera ; the Prince or chief of Priefts , the Prefident or Principal of the tslpofiles , the Crown or Leader among the Heads , the princi- pal Lamp among the Lights , the principal planet among the Stars •, Peter fpeaketh to the people ; but James giveth the Law ( or fits down the Law ) ] Can they (hew us now where more then this is faid of Peter himfelf ? Much lefs of the Pope? Ch a p. XXVII. Detect. 18. A Nother of the Principal Deceits of thePapifb, l\\sithe forging and corrupting of Councils and Fa' thersy and the citation of fuch forgeries. Be carefull therefore how you receive their Allegations, till you have fearched and know the Books to be genuine, and the particular words to be there, and uncorrupted. They have by their greatnefs obtained the opportunity of poflcfilng fomany Lbraries, tha* they might theeafilyer play this abominable game, tf ut God in mercy hath kept fo many monuments of Antiquity out of rheir hands,partly in the Eattern, and partly in the Reformed Churches, as mffice to difcover aDundance of their wicked forgeries and falfifications. Of A K^y for Catkolkks. \yy Of their forging Canons, yea feigning Councils that never were, (as ConciL Sinuetfan. Condi Rom.fub Silvefir. SeeBifhop VJbers Anfwer totbefefpag.iz,i$> As alfo of their forging Conftantines Donation ,and Ijjdore mercators forging of a fardell of Decretals ; and of their falfifying and corrupting in the Dodrine of the Sacrament, the works of Ambrofe, of Chryfoft. for the Author operis Imperfetli,) of Tulbtrtus Bifhop of Chartres j of Rabanus of \Mentz,,of Bertram, or Ratr annus, &c. Read I pray you the words detecting their horrible impious cheats. But their Indices expurgatorii will acquaint you with much more. And yet their fecreter expurgations are word of all. What words of Peters Primacy, and others for their advan- tage, they have added to Cyprian de unitate Ecclefut, fee in fer. Stephens his Edition of it,where much more additions to Cyprians works are deteded out of many Oxford Manufcripts. Andreas Schsttus the Jefuite publifhing Bafils works at Antwerp Lat. A. D. 1616. with Jefuitical fidelity, left out the Epiftle,in which is this paflage following, which fhould not be loft: fpeaking of the Weftern Bifhops he faitb [verily the manners of Proud men do ufeto grow more infolent, if they be ho- noured. Andif God be merciful to us, what other addition have •we need oft But if Cjods anger on us remain , what help can the pride of the Weft bring us .? when they neither know the Truth , nor can endure tofpeak. if *, but being prepoffeffed with falfe fufpicions, they do the fame things now, which they did in the cafe o/Marcellus, contentioujly difputing againft thofe that taught the truth , but for Here fie , confirming it by their authority. Indeed I was willing (not as reprefenting the publike perfon of the Baft) to write to their Leader ( Damafus ) but nothing about Church matters ^ but that I might intimate that they neither knew the truth of the things that are done with us, nor did admit the way by which they might learn them. And in general, that the) fhould not infult over the calamitous and dfflibled, nor thinks that Pride did m*\e for their dignity y when that one fin alone is enovtgh to make us hate full to God"] fo far £<*/// in that Epiftle left out by the Jefuite ; in which you may fee the Romane power in thofe daies, in the confeiences of "Bafil and fuch other Fathers in theEaft. k And (by the way) how Tertullian reverenced them, you A a may *7 8 A l\ey for Catbolicks. may fee lib. de pudicit. pag.74.2. where he calls Zepherinus, as we fay, all to naught : And the AJian Bifhops condemning of Vitlor, with Jrenxut his reproof of him; Cyprians and Fir mill' arts condemning Stephen : Marcellinus his condemnation by all; Z/^W^j his being fo oft Anathematized by Hilary Pitlav. the refinance of Zofimus and Boniface by the Africans , &c. fhew plainly in what efteem the now-infallible univerfal Head was then among the Fathers,and in all the Churches. But when the Papifts come to the mention of fuch paffages, what juglings do they ufe ? fometime they (ilencethem : fometime they pafs them over in a few words that are buried in a heap of other matters .- fometime they bring in fome forgeries to obfeure them. But commonly they make a nofe of wax of Councils and Fathers, as well as of Scripture, and put any ridiculous fence upon them that (hall ferve their turns, though perhaps fix men among them may have five or fix Expofitions. AnEpiftleof Ciril of ferufalem to Aufiinis forged by one, that their Molanns calleth A barbarous impofier ( Hiflor. Imag. I. 3. c. 36.) about the miracles of Hierom; where Purgatory and other errors are befriended. When as Ciril himfelf dyed thirty years before Hierome. And yet Binsfield, Snare* and other of the moft learned Papifts ftick not to make ufe of this forgery for all that. But it would be tedious to recite their particular forgeries, The ftudious Reader may find many of them difcovered up and down by Bifhop VJher and other of our Writers. And for his fuller helpj advife him to read Dr. Retinoids de Libris Apocrypha and Dr. ?h. fames his corruptions of the Fatbers,and Scttltetm. his medulla patrumx yea of the Papifts themfclves, read Sixtux Senenfis his Bibliethec. and TZellarm. de Scriptorib. Ecclef. and Poffevines Apparatus, and Erafmus cenfures on the Fathers which he dealt with ; Bat cfpecially let him not be without Coolej cenfura Patrum, and Blondell on the Decretals ; to which alfo add Rivets Critica Sacra , and DalUus de Pfeudepigra? phis. Of their abominable Legends I fliall fay nothing,but that the: wifer fort of themfelves are aihamed of them. And if any Anci- ents have abufed the Church by fharaelefs forgeries, the Papifts, make. ufe. of fuch as confidently as if they were the word of God. For A ^ey for Catholicks. \?9 For inftance, Lee any man but read over the Books of Bafil Bi- fhop ofSele*cia(\i\i be his indeed Jof the life & Miracles of The- da , and try his faith upon it, whether he be able to believe that Thecla flood fo long at the window to hear Paul while all thofe daily applications and orations were made to her f thatDzmis and Her- mogenes were there toftir up the people againft Paulrfj a deceiver, under the do ak^of being hh companions ; that any of thofe Orati* ons recited are true, when the Author like a profeffed fabler ufeth to fay [I fuppofe thus or thus they faid : ] that her Mother Theoc ]xi,and her lover Tharoiris were on thefndden fo cruel as to burn her, while thej are faid fo much to burn in Love to her; that when Thecla had formed her body like a Croft, and caft her felfinto the flaming pile , the flames in reverence of the Crofs, became as a Chamber to her , covering her like a vault from the peoples fight , and net approaching her ; and that the earth making a grievous noife, thejbswrs and hail defireyed the people, and Thecla went her way without obfervance, finding Paul and Ooefiphorus bid in a Sepulcher at prayer for her : that Paul permitted ber to cut her hair, and change her habit \ and become his fellow travailer; that Alexander the Qovernour was fo inflamed With ber beauty at Aneioch,* t/*» before (he came in full fight of the people in the City Gate, that he could not forbear % but prefently muft leap upon her like a mad dog; that fhe tore bis Cloaks, and threw off his Crown, and fo faved her Virginity; that for this fiewascafl andtyedto wildbeafts3and the Lyons couched to her, and one Lyonefs fought for her, and killed the refl that affaulted ber-, that yet they turned more upon ber : that Jhe leaped into the Tifh pond among the devouring Sea Calvs; and thatfi?e from Heaven came down into the Water^ and there made her a chamber, and faved her from thofe Sea-beafls ; that Falconilla's foulap* peared to her Mother Tryphacna to beg Thecla's prayers that fhe might be admitted into heaven, telling her how much Thecla was admired in Heaven. (She knew who was admired in Heaven before (he could be let in ; ) that at Thecla's prayers fhe was admitted into heaven ; ( but tells us not where (he was before : ) that when Thecla Was again tied to wild bulls , and fire fet to their pofleriors to enrage them, the fire killed them, and burnt the bond/, and fhe Was unhurt a That Thecla again puts on mans cloaths , andfeeks Paul; ( whether fhe wore breeches I findno^} that A a z Paul 1 So A i\eyfor Otholicks. Paul hereupon pronounceth her an Afoftle ( a predeceffor of Pope foan) zndordaineth her to go and preach the Go/pel • and ap- pint eth her to one Pagan City ( as if either women were Apo- ities, or ordained to be preachers of the GofpeUthat by Paul were forbidden to fpeak in the Church : or Apoftles were con- fined to a City : ) that [he fixed at Seleucia34W there converted and baptised many , and at lafi ( after many miracles ) did not die, but entred alive into the earth, which opened it felf for her in the place where the holy Table flood ; that after her death foe wrought thofe one and thirty miracles that fill a fecond Boo\^% and mmy more ; appearing to this Bafil, and encouraging him when he was weary , to goon in the writing of her praifes, and flue king him by the lar%and fo curing his headach , which elfe would have prevented his Oration in her praift the next day , with abundance more that are more ftrange then this. I have inftanced but in this one cafe of Thecla , becaufe ic would be endlefs to tell you of all the reft of their fi&ions (were I acquainted with them all ) Nor do I mention this as one of their Legends, no nor as a piece of Metaphrafles, but as the works of St. Bafil ( not Bafil the great ) an ancient Father. Now either this is Bafils work, or it is not. If it be not, then you fee what truft is co be given to the Papifts Antiquities, and fuppofed Fathers ; For this is one of them, and this llory vin- dicated by Petrus Pantinus , yea by no lefs a man then the Great Baronius, the Mailer of Antiquities , who Annal.Tom* 1. ad. An. D. 47. bringeth a whole Army of Fathers to atteft the A els of Thecla^nd approveth of this of B* fits ,and the like of Metaphrases. Two Teftimonies trouble him fhrewdly. One is no later then Tertullian, who ( de Baptif. cap* 18.) faith thus Q But if any women read the pretended writings of Paul,4»^ defend the example of Thecla, for womens Liberty to teach and baptife, let them know that a Presbyter in Afia , that framed that writing, putting Pauls name inftead of his ownjwas cafi out of 'his place , being convitledef it, andcenfefsing that he did i% in. love to Ptol. ] The other is Hieroms teftimony de Script. Ecclef. who cit- ing the fore-cited words , faith \The travails therefore o/Paul st?dThecte,a*d the whole fable of the baptised Lyon, we reckon #mV'g apocryphal writings; For hew can it be that the infuparabU com° A I\ey for fcatbolicks. \ 8 1 companion of the Apoftle ( Luke ) was ignorant of this only among all his matters ? ] But yet Baronius thinks that thefearenot the fame Books that Tertullian and titer om fpeak againft ; and why fo ? Becattfe I. Here is no mention o/Thcclaes CP reaching and Baptising, nor eif the Lyon baptized. 2. Becattfe fo many Fathers atteft the ftory, Butthe firftisa vifiblefalfhood, contrary to the exprcfs words of the ftory, which feign Paul to have fentherto preach as a true Apoftle,and mention her baptizing the people of Sehncia. And for the baptized Zj0*,perhaps Hierom fpoke de baptifmatt fangmnis : and meant the Lyon that dyed in the defence of Thecla: And in that place Thecla is brought as calling Death a Baptifm'However that word which might eafily be miftaken,is no great difproof that this is the fame ftory. And for the Fa- thers Teftimony, as we believe that a famous Martyr called Thecla there was, from whence the occafion of the ftory rofe , fo it doth but fhew how unfit the Fathers are to be the Authors of our Faith , or to be efteemed infallible, that fo eafily believe and recite the forged ftories of an Afiatick Presbyter , even when Tertnllian had before revealed the deceit. But if really this Book was written by Baftl of Seleucia^ni was not fpurious,then we yet further fee,that they that reft upon the Holy Scriptures alone for the matters of their faith, do take a furer wifer way, then they that build all on the credit of fuch credulous imprudent fabulous Fathers as rhis author was. By this little tafte you may fee how their Records and Tefti- monies from Antiquity are to be truftcd:Even as Zofimusreport of the Nicene Canon to the African Council was, who proved it a forgery ,and fo rejected it,when the writings are only in their keeping, and their intereft calleth them to deprave them, they are little to be trufted ; who dare venture to corrupt thofc thae are in the hands of the Chriftian world. Aa 3 Chap. i8z A £\ey for fathohcfa. Chap. XXVIII. Detett. ig. A Nother of the Popifti devices is , when they JLJL have laid their own caufe upon fo many forge- ties, and uphold it by fo many falfe reports , to make the people believe that it is we that are the lyars, and that we are not to be be- lieved in any thing that we fay of them: and that we mi [report the lathers^ belye the Roman Catholickj , and therefore n$ man fhould read our Books, or difconrfe with usyfo as to afford us any credence. So that indeed they gee as much by mcer perfwading the people that we are Lyars , as by any way that I know. We cannot tell them what is in their own Writers, but the igno- rant people are commonly taught to fay , *h Jlander them. Though we cite the book,and page,and line, and tell them that they were printed at Rome, or Colen, or Antwerp , or Paris , by men of their own Profcffion, yet they believe us not, for they are intruded to hold us for lyars, that we may beunca- pable of doing them good. If we cite any of the Fathers, they tell us that we mifallcdge them, or have corrupted them, or they fay no fuch thing. If we (hew them the books publifhed by their own Do&ors, and licenfed by their Superiors, and printed by Papifts, yet they will not believe us. And fo they are taught the eafieft way in the world to rcpell the trutb, and confute thofe that would do them good. It is no more but fay ,yo» /yr, and all's done. In fuch a cafe as this, what is there to be done ? Ignorance and Incredulity thus purpofely conjoyned , are the wall of brafs that is oppofed to our endeavours.To what purpofe fhould we fpeak to them that will not hear ? In fuch a cafe I know but one of thefe twowayes. i.To endeavour to revive the ftupified humanity and Ilea fon of thefe men : and ask them, Is Religion the work of a man or of a bead f Of a wife man, or of a mad man? Is it a Reafonable or an Unreasonable courfe f If it be Reafonable , why then will you go without Reafon upon other mens bare words ? But if you are fo little men as to venture your fouls without Reafon, me thinks you fhould not venture againft it ? Would you reft on the bare word of one of tiefc men , if it went againft Reafon ? If fo, then you re- nounce A K^y for Qatholicks. \ 8 1 nounccyour manhood. Butfuppofeyou will be fo unreafon- able,y et I hope you have your five fenfes fliJl ? What if a Prieft fhall tell ypa that the Crow is white , and the fnow is black, or that you fee not when you know you fee , will you believe him? If you will believe them before your eyes, and tafte, and feeling, then I have done with you-, who can difpute with flocks and ftones, or menfo far forfaken of God , as to re- nounce all their fenfes ? But if you will not believe a Prieft againfl: your eyes , and other fenfes^ then why do you be- lieve him that Bread is not Bread, and Wine is not Wine, when the eyes, andfmell, and tafte of all men fay it is? And if your fenfes tell you that your Pricfts deceive you in one thing , me thinks ypa ftiould not be fo confident of them in other things , as to believe and hearken to none but them. 2. If this will not ferve , try whether you can procure their Priefts to difcufs thofe points before the incredu- lous people, that fo they may hear both fides fpeak toge- ther. Get a conference between them, and fome experienced Judicious Divine. Bui this will hardly be obtained. For if it be to difpute with one that is able, ihey'l p^efently pretend a danger of perfecution : and no promife of fecurity will fa- tisfie them. Bue if ic be a weak unexperienced man that challcngeth them , then they will venture ,. and take the advantage. If nothing elfe can be done , it is the beft way to offer them fome fmall Book againft Popery to read. If they are fo captivated that they will neither Hear nor Read, and their Leaders will not be drawn to a Difpute , I know not whas to do but leave them, and let them take what they gee by their unreasonable obftinacy : They are unworthy of truth that fei no more by it. €b A: Po 184 ^K?yfor Catholkks. Chap. XXIX. Detett. 20. A Nothcr of their deceits is by pretended Mi- £\ racks. If they do but bear of a Wench that hath the flranguUtm uteri, or furor uterinus , or fuch hyfterical pAflions in any violent degree , they prefently go to call the Devil oat of her, that fo they may make deluded people think that they have wrought a Miracle. And ufually the Countrey people , and perhaps the difeafed woman her ielf, may be fo much unacquainted with the difeafe, as verily to believe the Priefts,that they have a Devil indeed : and fo turn Papifts when the cure is wrought, as thinking it was done by the finger of God. The nature of this difeafe is to caufe fuch ftrange fymp- toms, that moft ignorant people that fee them, do think that the perfons are cither bewitched , or have a Devil. At this very time while I am writing this, I am put to diffwade a man from accufingone of his neighbours of witchcraft, bccaufe his daughter hath this difeafe, and ccyeth out of her. Left the Pa- pifts gee further advantage by this ignorance of the people, Khali acquaint them briefly with fome of the fyroptoms of this difeafe. It ufually feizeth upon young women between the Age of feventeen and thirty two years : And moft commonly on thofe that are of a found complexion,foraewhat fanguine, or at leaft, fiefhly and ftrong , and but feldom on the weaker fore ( in this manner. ) When it is but a meer ftrangulation, wo- men commonly know it , by the ridng to their throat, and fwel- ing,and the like • But when it comes to the difeafe we raention,ic caufeth them to fail by fits into fudden trances, and fwoons .• in which at firft ufually they fcem ftupid as dead, if it be in a colder body , but after they grow to violent motions , and ftrivings,and ragings , fo that its as much as two can do to hold them. And when the fit is over, they are well again. Some- time there will be motions like convulfive in the head, the hands, and the fingers diftin&ly : fo that you (hall fee one hand vio- lently moved to fome part of the body, fo that it will be hard to remove it. Sometime one finger fet double, and then ano- ther, and after that another , fo that it will be hard till the fit is over to fet them (trait. Ufually the body toft up and down with A t\ey for Catholic ks . 185 with raging madnefs. And fomeof tbem will continue a year, or two,or (even in this cafe,daily failing in fuch firs as one would chink fhould deftroy or weaken them prefently, snd ^et after the fits, be almoft as well as ever, and their ftrength doth not much decay. If they hear any mention of a Witch, they will likely take a conceit that they are bewitched ; and then in their fits they will cry out upon the Witched if they fee her, they will fall into a fit. If they get but a Conceit 1 hit they are Poffcf* fed with a Devil, ( by hearing themention of others that were pofleffedj they will by the pow^r of corr up*ed fancy, play the parts of the pofTetfed, and ragt, and rore. and iwear, and fpeak as in the peribn of the Devi}, and take on them to prophefie, or tell of fecrets. All this I have known : and I have eafed foroe cf tbem by medicine in a few moments, and cured them (at that time^in a few dayes : So that I could eafily have made the com • mon people believe that I had caft out a Devil , if I had but had the defign and confeience of a Papift, A while ago a neigh- bour Minifter told me of a neighbour that was handled thus, I cold him what difeafe it was, and advifed him to perfwade her to a judicious Phyfitian. But the next I hear of her was, that negleding the Phyfitian, (he was cured by fome Papift Prieft , and thereupon was turned Papift. And no doubt but among themfelves it is reported for a Miracle. The famecourfe they cake alfo in foroe diftrs&ions and other difeafes. And fometime perfons are trained up by them to dif- femble and counterfeit a lunatick or pofTefTed irate. And here becaufe H.T. in his Mamial% fag 85, 86. doth plead their Miracles, I (hall revive the memory of one of the great Miracles that was done among their Profelites in the ?a- rifh of Wolverhampton 1 though I have mentioned it heretofore. I have the Book by me ( Printed at Lendstt by F. K. for Will. Bar ret, 16 22.) and have fpoke with many perfons that knew the A&or himfelf, being yet alive ; fothat I fuppofe that no Papift about JVolverhamftonWxW deny it,what ever they do dfewhere. At Bilfon in the Parifh of Wolverhamftcn in St aford- poire there was a Boy named William Perry, Son of The, Derrj , who feemed to be bewitched or poiTeffed with a Devil : ( about thir- teen years old , but of fpecial wit above his age.,) In his fits be feemed to be deaf, and blind, writhing his mouth afide, conci- B b nualiy 1 8 6 A fyy for Ccttholicks . _ t , nually groaning and panting, and when he was pricked, pinched, whipped, he feemed nor to feel. He Teemed to take no food that would digedjbut with it caft up rags, thred, draw, pins,^. his belly aimoft as flat as his back, his throat fwel'd and hard, his tongue ftiffand rolled up towards the roof of his mouth, fo that he feemed alwayes dumb, fave that once in a fortnight or three weeks he would fpeak a few words. It was thought he was bewkch?d by one Joan Cock* , becaufs i. He would difcern when that woman was brought into the room, though it were fecretly done, as was tryed before the Grand Jury at Stafford. 2. He would not endure the repeating of the firft verfe of John, [In the beginning was the word, ere] but other texts he would endure. When the Parents had been a while wearyed with him, and the Countrey flockc in to fee him, a Prieftofthe RomiQi Religion was invited to cure him. The Prieft exor- cifed, him praying in Latinc over him,hanging a (tone about his neck, wafhing him with Holy water, Witch water, and anoint- snghimwith Holy Oy\,&c. which feemed to eafc him, and make him fpeak , and fomccime cure him for the time. They Hallowed all his meat and drink- He would not (o much as eac Rai(ins,or fmell to flowcrs,unlefs they were bled by the Prieft : He told them that while the Puritans ftood by him he faw the Devil afTault him in the fliape of a black bird. The Prieft re- quired the chief fiend to (hew hirafelf : then the boy puts out his tongue fwel'd .The Prieft commandeth him to (hew the Peo- ple by the (heet before him , how he would ufe thofe that dyed out of the Roman Catholick Church. Whereupon he puis, and bites,and toffeth the (heet,till the people cry out and weep. Then he commandeth the Devil to tell him, how he did ufe Lh- then^Calvin and John Fox : and he playeth the fame part more fiercely then before. Then the Prieft commands him to (hew what power he had of a good Catholick that dyed out of mortal (in : and then he thruft down his arms , and hang'd down his head, and trembled. The Boy promifeth when his fit is over, that the will live and die a Catholick, perfwading his pa- rents and friends, &c. On this manner three Priefts one after another followed the cure, ftill fucceeding, but yet not curing him, that rhey might draw the Countrey to a longer obfervance ofthem, ( and preacht to them in the houfe ) and that the Mi- racle A L^ey for Catholicks. 1 87 facie might be the more famous. For forfooth there were many Devils in him, theyfaid, tebecaftouc. Anditftoptthecure, becaufe the Mother would not promife them to turn Papift if they cured him. But in the mean time rhe fuppofed Witch is brought to tryal at Stafford Afiizcs, 1620. before Judge War- burton and Judge Davies : But in the end the Judges defired Bi- fhop Morton then prefcm to take care of the Boy : who took him home to his Cattle at Eccle(b*lly and after certain weeks time ( the Biftiop being abroad) the faid B 1 (hop comes to the Boy,andtelishim that heunderftoodthat he could not endure the firft verfe of John, and faith he, the Devil underftandeth GrcekaswellasEnglifh, being a Schoilar of alreoft fixthou- fand years ftanding , and therefore he knows when I rccif e that verfe in Greek : And fo calling for a Greek Teftament, he read the 12. verfe-, and the Boy thinking it had been the firft, fell into his fit; And when that fit was over, the Bifhopread the firft verfe , and then the Boy had no fit , thinking it had been fome othec verfe. ^And thus they proved him a deceiver, and the Boy was much confounded, but pretended more diftradion -, and then that he might get away,he complained of extream fick- nefs , and made water in the Urinal, as black as ink, groaning when he made it ; But the third day after,they efpyed him mix- ing ink with his Urine, and nimbly conveying away the Ink- horn. And when they came in upon him, and found him in the conveyance, he broke out into tears, and was fuddenly cured, and confeffed all, how he had been taught his arr, and how he did all, and confeffed that his intent was to be cured by aPrieft, and to turn Papift ( and whether they have catchc him again or no; I know not-,for I hear he is a Quaker in Brlftel% or a; leaft arevilerof the Miniftry ) The Bifhoptook his ex- amination at large, 0#o£. 8. & 1 3. 1620. If any doubt of the ftory, they may befatisfied yet by the Boy htmfelf, or by the Reverend Bi(hop yet alive , or by any of the neigh- bours in Bilfon that were at age there but thirty feven years ago. Bat before tie Bifhop had difcovered the knavery, one of the Conjuring Pri efts writes the Narrative of thebufinefs (which is printed with the reft) and is Entitled £ their part fball be in the pool burning with fire andbr'.mftonejvhich is thefeconddeath~\ And fo make Application of it to the Proteftants, as being Ly- ars ; and when they have done ^conclude with the two forecited impudent Lies of Luther and Calvin. The like words of Ca^vln hath rhe late Marquefs of Worcefier ( or Dr. Baily for him ) in his Papers to King Charles ; the whole writing being fluffed with fuch impudent Lies, that one would wonder that humane nature (hould be capable of fuch wickednefs, and that the filly people fhould fwallow down fuch heaps of falfliood. And it t9 not thefe two alone, biit multitudes of Papifts that have written. thefe Lies of Luther and (falvin. Thyram the Jefuite in his Book de Dtmoniacis, part.i, cap. 8. fag. zv. tells us this ftory i £b 3 that: 190 A K^ey for Qa tholicks . that the fame day that Luther dyed, there was At Gheola a Town in Brabant many perfons pojfefled of Devils \ that waited on their SaintDymnafr Deliverance, and were all that day delivered', but the next day they were all pcffejfed again ^ whereupon the Ex* ercifl or fome body asked the Devils where they had been the day before •, and they anfwered, that they Were commanded by their Prince to be at the Funeral of their fellow Labourer Luther. And for proof ef this, Luthers own fervant that was with him at his deaths looking out at the windofto, did more then otuce^ to his great terror , fie a company of ugly [pints leaping and dancing about without : andalfo that the Crows folhwed the Corps all the way with a great mifi.] O wonderful patience and mercy of God, that fuffereth fuch abominable Lyars to live, and doth not caufe fome fudden vengeance to befall them/ Reader, I will tell thee now the cafe of thefetwo fervants of Chrift that aife thus reviled ( even as their Matter was before them, that was faid to do Miracles by the power of the Devil. ) As for Luther , he was oft taken with a great pain in his breaft, about the mouth of the ftomack, and thought his Death when it came would be fudden ^ which made him fay, Feri Dominet feri clement er, quia ipfefaratusfum \ftrike Lord^ftrike merciful- ly, for 1 am ready} Having preached his laft Sermon at Witten- berge, fan. 17. he took his journey the 23 . to Count Mansfelds Countrey, whither he was called. When he came thither, he was grown fo weak, that they almoft defpaired of his life -y yet by the ufe of fomentations he had fo mucheafe, as that he preached fometiroe, and did other work from fan. 29. to Febr. 17. The laft day of his life, though he was weak, yet he fate at the table with them, and at Supper his difcourfe was upon the Queftion, Whether we (hall know one another in Heaven ? which he affirmed and proved, in that Adam knew Eve as foon as he faw her, that (he was flefh of his flefti : and therefore much more ihail we know one another in Heaven, &c. After Supper, he withdrew himfelf as he ufed, for private prayer; but the pain of his breaft increafed on him. When he had taken a medicine, he lay downonaCouchandfleptfweetly two hours, and then went to his Chamber, faying to thofe about him £ Pray God to freferve the Doftrine of the Gofpelto ns • for the Pope and Council •f A i\ey for Cdtholicks. 191 of Trent have ftrange Contrivances. ] When he was laid down and had flepc a while he awakened, and found by the increafe of his pain, that he was near his End, and fpoke to God as follow- eth in their hearing Q O my heavenly Father, the God and Fa- ther of our Lord fe/us Chrift, the God of all Confolation, I thanks thee that thou haft revealed to me thy Son feftts Chrift, in whom I have believed, whom I have prof ejfedy whom I have loved, whom I have Celebrated ( or Honoured ) whom the Pope of Rome and the reft of the rabble of the ungodly do perfecute and reproach: I befeech thee 0 my-Lwd fefus Chrift receive my foul. O my heaven- ly Father, though I am tak^n from this life, and though my bod) muft now be laiddomn, yet 1 k*9* certainly that I (hall abide with thee fur ever, and that none can take me out of thy hands. J Thers he faid Q So God loved the world, that he gave hh or.lj begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him,(hould not perifb,but have ever- lafting life ] Then he repeated part of the 68. Pfalm : and when he had drunk a medicine that was given him, he laid [/ go hence : ln&w return my fpirit unto God ] prefently adding [Fa* ther , into ihy hands 1 commend my fpi'it, thou haft Redeemed me 0 God of Truth ] And fo he dyed as if he' were fetting himfelf to deep, without any fignof further pain : but when they faw him dying, Dr. Jonas and Calius cryed to him {_ Reverend Fa- ther -, do you die conftant through Chrift in his dotlrine which you have hitherto preached ? J And he anfwered [Tea ] and never fpoke more. When he was dead (at Ifiebe) Count Mansfield would have kept his body, but the Duke of Saxony would not fuflfer him, but caufed it to be brought back to Wittenberge, and there with great folemnity interred. 1 This is the true report in brief of Luthers Death, delivered to the world by thofe thatftood by him, and were eye witneffes. And yet tbefe impudent Lying Papifts have perfwaded their fol- lowers that the Devils were feen dancing about him , that when he (hould be buryed there was a horrible thunder, and the body was taken away out of the Coffin by the Devil, and a {link of Brimftone left behind , with more fuch fluff as this, which they have printed, and which one would think the Father of1 Lies (hould be afharaed of. And for Calvin, not only tbofe before mentioned, but alfo Bolfecu<9 Surius, Frateolus, Demochares,L'ndanus) Sancleftus, Cahierns, 19 2- A Z\ey for Catkolicks. Cahierus, andoihers publilb to the world, not only that he was an Epicure, but a Sodomite, and was burnt on the (boul- der for Sodoroie with a hot iron ac Noviodnnum where he was born. Yea Lejpt&thc Jtfuite impudently calls Chrift to wit- ncfs,that (ball judge all men according to their works, that he doth not devife tbefe things of his own brain,bat from good authors, and forty, years currant fame. And his Authors are thefe Papifts, Bolfecus, Bngtrtis^ Stafleton , Campian , Dura- us, Sarius, and Reginalds. Hath Hell any greater calum- nies then tbefe to fill the mouths or writings of men with- al! ? Readcr,I (ball (bew thee what credit thefe men are of by this inftance. As for the time when they lay he was frig mat zed for Sodomie, it was when he was a Papift, and therefore if it had been true, it had been a greater difbonourto them then to us. But its a meer forgery of the Devil and a Fryar. Hierom Bolfeck. a Fryar , feemed to turn Proteftant, and coming to Geneva thc began to preach the Pelagian do&rine there , and openly contend sgainft the Pallors in the Congregation ; and being confounded by Calvin , the Magiftrates imprifoned him, and banifhed him for fedition. Then he betakes himfelf to the neighbour Towns, to play the fame game there : but the Magiftrates of Bern alfo bani(b them out of their Countrey. Whereupon he turned Papift again , and when Calvin was dead, be wrote all thefe abominable lies of him , and all the reft (with Schlufielhurgins the Lutheran, an enemy o(Calvins) do take up the report from this one Lying heretical Papift : and fo it becomes a currant fame wirh them, as if it were as true as the Gofpel : Whereupon our writers call to them, provoke them, challenge them to fearch the Records at Noziodunum, where they fay the thing was done, and prove that ever chere wasfuch a thing, or elfe bear the open (bame of Lyar?. But they can bring no proof, but call on us todifprove it ; When the City are Papifts , and haters of Calvin. But after all this , as God would have it9 the Papift Dean of that City, cal- led facebtts le Vajfettr^ publi(beth at Paruyi6n. the Annals oftneir Cathedral Church, and therein pouring out his hatred againft Calvin, and faying what he can againlthim, doth yet oat of their records clear him of all thefe accufations, and lets the A l^ey for Catholicks. 195 the world know that there was never any fuch thing , and thae they had no crime at all againft him , but that he turned from the Papifts •, and that the Major or chief Governour of the City went away with Calvin, when he was forced to fly from his native Countrey. He recites all the pafTages of Calvins life there, but profcffeth that they had no more againft him. Thus God confounded the Lying Papifts by one of themfeives , and the Records of that City, where they faid the thing was done. And yet they believe one another, and carry on the Lye to this day. Mr. Rob. Amftrowther, Chimin to the King of Englands Em- baffadors with the Emperour,being at Vienna, heard the Jefuites and other repeating confidently this flander of Calvin; Where- upon he opened to them this Evidence againft it ; and fatisfied them of the falfhood , fo that they told him, they never knew fo much before,and promifed him they would never mention it more. If any would fee the very words of their own Records , and Doctor Vajfeur , he may read them in Rivets Sum, Contr. againft Baily , and again in his jcfmtA Vafulans, Cap. 2. And as for the life of Calvin after he forfook the Papifts,, if you will but believe that the City of Geneva, and all the Minifters and others that were about him, in his life and at his death , did know better then Bolfeck, a fugitive Apoftate Pa- pift that was his enemy, and then far off, you may fee at large in Melchior Adamfts,znd Bez,atxht defcription of fuch a (hining burning light as Rome hath not to boaftof. He was a man of admirable wit, judgement, induftry, and piety. When he bad forfaken his own Countrey for the Gofpel fake,and taken up in geneva , and planted the Gofpel there, with Tarellm and Vire- ttisy atlaftthe ungodly part getting the H;ad, the Minifters were baniftied. And fohe fetledin in another City. The four Bayliffs of Geneva that banifhed the Minifters, within two years were ruined by the judgements of God. One of them accufed of fedition, feeking to fcape through a window, fell, and was broken to death. Another was put to death for murder, The other two being accufed of Mal-adminiftration, fl.dand were condemned. Calvin is fent for and intreated to return Cc to i^>4 A %Sy for Catbolkh to Geneva : which by importunity, and Sneers perfwafion, he yieldeth to. There W54 he continually molefted by the ungodly, and loved by the good. The Maiignants whom be would re- frain by Difcipline from Whoredom, drunkennefs,and othtr wickedncfs, were (till plotting or raging againft him,and called their Dogs by his name. But fhame was ftill the end of their \ attempts. His revenge was to tell them [ I fee I Jhonld have but forrj wages if lferved man : but its weU for me that I ferve him that alway performeth his promises to his fervants ] As for his work,he preached every day in the week each fecond week, and betides that, he read three dayesa week a Divinity Ledure. And every Thurfday he guided the Presbyterie •, and every Triday at a meeting he held an Expository conference and Le&ure : fo that the whole came to aimoft twelve Sermons a week. Befides this, he wrote Epiftles to moft Countries of Chriftendom (in Europe) to Princes,Divines and others; And ^e wrote all thofe great volumes of mod Learned judicious Controver(ies,Commentaries,tnd other Treatifes, which one would have thought might have been work enough for a man that had lived an hundred years, if he had done no other. And many Hercticks he confuted, and fomc convinced and reduced. He fet up among the Minifters a courfe of teaching every Family from houfe to houfe,of which he found incredible fruit •, For all this hs labour heendured the affronts,contradi&ions,and reproaches of the rabble, yea and foraetime hath been beaten by them : becaufe he would not adminifter the Sacrament to un- godly men , that were rulers in the place , he was at firft ba- nifhed , and after threatned, and continually molefted by them, and railing fellows fet to preach and write againft him. And whether he were an Epicure, you may foon judge : Healwayes ofed tiveryfpare dyct : and for ten years before his death did did never tafte one bit, but at fupper, as his conftant courfe. fothat every day was with him a better faft then the Papifts ufeto make on their fafting dayes. By this extream labour, fpeaking, and fading, and watching ( for he di&ated his wri- tings as he lay in bed much, ) he overthrew his body , and falling firft into a Tertian, aud then into a Quartan, after that he rellintoaConfumption, with the gout and (tone, and (pit- ting of blood, and thedifeafein the Hemorrhoid veins, which A f\ey for Catholkks. iff at lair ulcerated by over m*ch fa{ting,fpeaking,and ufe of Aloes; befides the head-ach which was the companion of his life. In thefefidknefs he would never forbear his labour, buc when he he was perfwaded to it , he cold them , that he could not b«ir an idle life. And when he was near to death was (till ac work, asking thofe that intreated him to forbear, Whether they weald have God find him idle} Under all thefe pains of Gou« , Stone, Collick, Head-ach, Hemorrhoids , Confumption, &c. thofe that were about him teftified to the world that they never heard him fpeak a word unbefeeming a patient Chriftian. The worft was that oft repeated word £ How long , Lord ! how long ! ] as being weary of a miferable world. WitnefTes he had enough- for he could fcarce havered, for people crowding to him to vifit him. On Mar'. 23. he went among the Mini- ftersto their Meeting, and took his farewell of them there. The next day he was wearyed by it : but the twenty feventh day he was carryed to, the Court to the Senate of the City, where he raadeafpecch to them, and took his farewell of them, with ma- ny tears on both fides. April. 2. he was carryed to Church, and ftaid the Sermon,and received the Sacrement. Afterward the Senate of the City came to him , and he made an heavenly Ex- hortation to them. On April 25. he dictated his Will, which I would his fhnderers would read. His Library it felf, and ail his goods being prized, came fcarce to three hundred Crowns. May 11. he wrote his farewell to Farellus. Muj 19. all the Minifters came to him, with whom he fate,and did eat, and. cheerfully take his leave of them. On the twenty feventh of May h\s voice feemed tobeftronger, and fo continued till his laft breath that day, which was with fach quietnefs as men com- pofe themfelves to fleep. The next nigh: and day the City Ma- giftrates, Minifters, Schollars, people and Grangers, were taken up in weeping and lamentation. Every one crowded to fee the Corps, among whom the Queen of England; Embaffador to France was one. He Was buryed according to this defire in the common Church yard, without any Monument or Pomp •• and hath left behind him fuch a Name, as in defpight of all the Devils in Hell,and all the Pap fts on earth, (hall be precious till the coming of Chrift -t and fuch writings hath he left as are Cc 2 the i$Z A I\ey for Catbolich the comfort of the Difciples of Trqfh, and the fhamcof the. reproaching Adverfaries. Reader, this is that Calvin that is (o hated by the bad, and loved and honoured by the good : whom thefe Papifts have called an Epicure and Sodomite, and faid that he died blafphemin^ and calling upon the Devil, and was eaten with lice and worms, Is.not God exceeding patient, that will fuflfer fuch wretches to live on the Earth ? What man could they have named fince An- guftine, yeafince the Apoftles dayes, that was more unfit for fuch a Hinder then Calvin ? Yet becaufe one man Bolfeck^ that was banifhed and turned Papift, and lived then I know not in. what Countrey, hath written thefe things againft him, the reft of them, even as much as the late Marquefsof WoYcefter, take them up as confidently,as if the infallible Chair had uttered them* But yet if thou think this Enemy Bolfecl^h more to be believ- ed then thofe that lived with Calvin, and the City of Geneva, that had continual accefs to him, I will give thee fuch a Tefti- mony as (hall fharae the Papifts, that have a fpark of modefty, Hear then what other Papifts therafelves fay that knew better what they faid, or made more Conference of their words, : Ftorimundus Raimundus a Papift of Burdeaux ( or the Jefuitg. Richeome that wrote in his name) writing for the Pope and againft ^alvin, hath thefe words of him. \_Vnder a dry and lean body he had a [harp and lively wit, ready in anfwering ; hold in attempting ; a great j 'after ; even from his youth , Vchethtr for his health to overcome the head-ach, or for his (Indies— — There is fear ce a man found that ever matched Calvin in Labours : for the fpace of twenty three years, in which he remained in the Epifco- pacyof Geneva, he preached every day once, and twice on the Lords dayoftimes. And every wee\ he read publicly Lstlures of Divi- ng f (befides) and every Friday hi was at the conference of the P aft on : The reft of his time he fpent either in writing Books, or dtnfwering letters. ] Reader, is this Teftimony from a Papift like the reft ? But yet thou ftialt have more. Papirius Majfonius a Learned Papift, and Schoilar to BAldiom -one of Calvins Enemies, wrote Calvins life - and he faith of him, Q No day alwoft paffedin which he did not preach to the Citizens. Thrice every eight duk.es as long as kt, lived- i heprofeffed (on r>#b likely taught ) -Divinity (in the Salmis j ) t A f\ey for Qatbolicks. \ p7 Schools j ) being Laborious, and alwayes writing or doing fime- thing., of a weak* body, but worn by watchings, reading, writing, meditations, difeafes, bu/inejfej, preachings. He tookyery- little fleep>, and therefore much of his work' he diclated in bed to hi* fervant that wrote them from his mouth. Be did eat but once a day ■: and confejfed that he found not a more prefent or fnrtr Re- medy for his weaknefs of ftomack^ and head-ach. His c loathing was of fm all price, to cover -him rather than adorn him. At Worms and Ratisbone he exercifed the tyrtngih of an excellent wit with fo great applaufe of the Germane Divines, that by the judgement of Melanchthon and his Ajfociates -, by a peculiar priviledge he was called The Divine, He wrote as much and as well as any man of the contrary parties , whether you re- fpecl number, acutenefs, language, Jharpnefs, emphafis, orfubtil- ty : not a man of all his Adverfaries, whether Catholickj, Ana- baptifis, Luther anes, Arrians, or the for fakers of his Party, that wrote againfthim, did fctm to match him in gravity of writing, and weight of words avd Jharpnefs , in anfwtring his principles. He almost terrified Pigbius himfclf ' Aifcottrftng of. free will, and Sadaletus. 3 Thefe are the words of a Learned Papift. Bur this is not all. Abundance oFPtpifts tell us of a (lory how Calvinh'ired one in Geneva to take on him dead, that he might have the honour of raiiiiig him from the dead. This the JefaiteThyraus de Damcmacis writes, and many others, and it goes among them for a currant truth ; and a!l from the report of Bolfeck. But, as God would have it, Pap. Majfoni us con- futeththisalfo, and faith, that his Mafler Baldwinus knew no- thing of it, who lived at Geneva, and after turned Papift, and Calvins enemy : and other reafons he giveth to difprove this and the other (landers that were raifed of Calvin, faying, that they were but fcriptores plebii, maledicendi ftudio, &c. vulgar Wri- ters, that ftudyor love to reproach or fpeak. evil, that vend thefe things. And ib much (hall ferve againft the Papifts Lies againft Luther and Calvin., If you would fee more of that heap of Lies confuted, which the Marquefs of Worccfter gave in to King Charles, read Mr, Chr. Cartftrights Reply to them, where part of them ( and but part,) aredete&edo And as they have done by thefe, fo by others alfo. When Cc 3 Biz** i $f 8 A f\ey for Qatholich Beza was eighty years of age, a falfe report came to the Papifts that he was dead. Whereupon Claudius Puteanus with his J efn~ itical Companions wrote a Book, that at his death he turned Papift and renounced his Religion : (o that the old man ( that lived feven years longer ) was fain himfelf to write againft them, to prove that he was not dead, nor turned Papift : Thefe be the means by which men are reconciled to the Church of Rome. They have printed alfo a ftory that Calvins own Son being bitten by a mad dog, was fent by his Father to one of their Saints Images for Cure, when no other means would ferve^ and being cured, he turned Papift : when as the world knew that Cal- vin never had a Son. Alfo they tell us of a faying of Lathers, that [ This Caufe was not begun in the Name of God, nor will it be ended in the Name of God~] This Luther fpoke of Eckius and the other Papifts,as himfelf profeffeth in his Anfwer to Eurferus, Tom. i ./0/.4O4. And thefe (hamelefs Lyars confidently publifh that he fpoke this of himfelf, as the Marquefs of Worcefler to King Charles did. Another faying of his they as impudently abufe, viz. {If the wife will not Jet the Maid come, ] perfwading the world, that Luther would have a man lye with his Maid, if hii Wife refufe : whereas he only labours to prove, that Defertion is a fufficient caufe of divorce: and that if the Wife refufe, (he fhould be warned again and again before others and the Judges,and in Cafe of utter refufal and defertion, Vafihe may be rejected, and Hefler the Maid taken to Wife: which many a Papift is ready to juftifie. Yea they annex that Luther would have men Contain but five dayes; when as he vehemently deteftelh it, and urgeth the con- trary, telling them that God no doubt will enable them to be Continent, if they will ufe his Means, Tom. 5. ferm. de Matri- mon. They forgot that the 5. iuppofititious Epift. of their Cle- ment pleading for the Community of all things, adds £ In omni" bus autemfunt fine dubio & Conjuges ] [Among thefe All no doubt but Wives and Husbands are contained. ] Of the horrid Lyes of Genebrard, Poffevine, and other Papifts. againft Peter Martyr /Ben*, Calvin and others, fee Dr. Reynolds ad Anglica. Seminar, ante lib. de Idololatria Rom, Eccl. § . 5 .fag* 20,21,32,23- When the fall of their houfe at Black; fry or s had killed their Prieftf, A J^ey for Catbolicks. 199 Priefts,and fach abundance of the people that were hearing him inthemidftofthe Sermon, they printed a Book to pzrfwade the peoplcjbeyond Tea, that it was a company of the Hereticks or Puritans that were killed at the hearing of one of their preach- ers : Dr. Gouge tells you when and where it was printed, and many read it. When the Gunpowder Plot was in hand , they had con- trived prefently to give it all abroad that the Puritans did it: Read Mr. Samuel Clarke of it in his Mirror of Gods Judgements, Fol.and you (hall find this fully detected. When Fijher the Jefuitc had held his conference with Dr. Featly,znd Dr. white, there being prefent two Earls, one of them ( the Earl of Warwick^ ) having bulinefs fhortly after beyond fca, fell unknown into Dr. Weflons company at Saint Omers,who prefently tells it him for news, how Fijher had con- founded the Protcftant Dodors,and that two Earls and fo many people were turned by it to the Church of Rome • not knowing that he that heard him was one of the two Earls, and that there were not fomany people there, and how they were confirmed againft Popery by that Difpute. And wfien the Earl of War- wick^ brought home this jeaft, Dr. Wefton hearing what fporc was made with it in England, writ a fimple excufe for his Lying, which I have at hand, but rind it had been better for him to have faid nothing. Should I recite but half the forgeries of this nature, by which the Priefts and Jefuites cheat the poor people, I muft be volu- minous. But alas, their very worfhip of God is much of it compofed of Lyes, and is not that like to be acceptable wOifliip? How their Offices and Legends are ftufc with fidions, Canus and many of their own confefs. And Cajfander faith thatfe few of the relijuesin all Germany wsuld be found true ones if examin- ed, that its better quite take of the people from the veneration of them. Inftancing in one of old that was worfhipped as a Saint, and upon enquiry was found to be the bones dfa Thief. i^fgobardus Bifhop of Lyons ( faith VJher ) complained about eight hundred years ago? that the dntiphonarj ufed in hit Church had many ridiculous and phantaftical things in it : and that 200 A l^ey for fytholkks. that therefore he correUed much of it , cutting efwhatfeemedfu- perfluous, or tight, or lying, onjtlafpbemous. Agobard. ad Cant. Lugd. de Correct. Antiphon. pag. 396. And not long fince Lin- danes made the like complaint, that Q AW only Apochrjphal matters out of the Go/pel ef Nicoderaus and ether tojes are thru(h in, but even the fecret prayers, ( yea t alas for fhame and grief \ the very £amn varying, and redundant) are defied with mo ft filthy fault s.~\ Reader , I will trouble thee no more with ftirring in this puddle • but only warn thee, as thou lo veft thy foul, truft it not on the bare reports of fuch Lyars , but try before thou truft , and give not up thy fenfe and Reafon to men that make fo little, or fo ill a ufe of their Qwn,, If thou refufe this Council ; fay not but thou waft warned. Cha p. XXXI. Bet eel. 22, ANother of their Deceits is by quarrelling with our Tr inflations of the Bible find making the people believe that we have fo corrupted it,tbat it is none of the word of God, and fo they openly fcorn it, and deride it. As to this point, though Learned men can foon confute them by vindicating the Text as in the Original Languages, and then vindicating our Tranflation ^ yet the common difputant need not put them and hirafelf to fo much trouble. If really they will but let the Law of God contained in the Holy Scripture be the Rule by which our difference fhall be tryed and decided , we will cut fhort the reft of the controverfie , and take it wholly together, and we will ftand to the Vulgar Latine , which is it that themfelves applaud. We are content that this be the Rule between us. Yea rather then they (hall (hift off the unlearned by thefe tricks, we will admit of their own Tranflation, which the Rhemifts have ( with little friendfhip to our caufe ) com- posed. Only we muft intreat them that their Commentaries and conceits be not taken into the Text as part of the Word of God. So that this quarrell is quickly at an end. The Scri- pture is fo full againftthem, that no Tranflation that makes it net another thing, can make it to be on their fide, Chap. A j^ey for Catbolkks. 20 1 Cha p. XXXII. Detect. 23. A Nother of the Defigns of the Papifts h, n JLJL bring all the faithful! Pajfors of the Churches into contempt >or fufpicion at lea ft with the People ,f hat fo they may dray* them to refufe our helps , and the Papifts may deal with them alone , whom they k$w they areeafilj able to over-reach. Though our people have not that abfolute Dependance upon their Teachers as theirs have , yet an ordinate Dependance is Ncceffary to them, or elfe God would never have appointed Teachers and Paftors for his Church. The Papifts dare not truft their followers fomueh as to read a Bible in their vulgar tongue. Much lefsto Read our writings againft their errors and impieties .* No nor their Priefts and Fryars ordinarily to read them : No nor commonly to read the writings of their own Party: Nonotthofc, nor the ftrongeft of thofe that are writwn againft us: for fear left the objection (hould prove too hard for the anfwer ^ or left they (hould understand the truth of our dodrine in fome meafure. Sr. Edw: Sands in his Europ* Specul. profeffeth how hard he found it, to meet with the Works of Bellarmine himfelf in any Book- fellers (hop in Venice or other parts of Italy, But our people have all leave to keep and read the Papifts writings : We dare venture them upon the light upon equal terms : But yet we know them to be infuffi- cient,for the molt part, to defend even plain and neceflary truths againft the Cavils of adverfaries that overmatch them in learning and other abilities.Now left we fliould but afford them our afli- ftance,the Papifts principal defign is to bring them inco falfe con- ceits of the Minifters,and make us odious to them; that they may negleA our help , and theeafiiyer hearken to other Teachers. And if they can but prevail in this defign,the day is their own, and the fouls of our unhappy people are like to be undone. And the more is it to be feared, left at laft they fhould this way prevail , both becaufe of the fin that lye:h on our felves in tooreferved and negligent a doing of our work ; and becaufe of the great obftinacy and unprofitableness of the people , that hatethe light,and unthankfully defpifeit, or will notobvyit> and work by it while they may. Dd The 2Q2 A Key for Qtholicks. The defigns of the Papifts againft the Miniftry are thcie I. They principally endeavour to delude the Rulers of the Land* and fee them againft them, of which more anon. * 2. They are very bade to procure an overthrow of their eftablifhed maintenance: To which end they animate all feds to rail againft Tythes. 3. They labour by feoffs and nicknames to make themodiou*. As they were the Authors or chief fomenters of the old fcowi under the name of Taritans, fo are they of many more of late. If in Court, or Parliament, City or Countrey ; you hear men fetthemfeives of purpqfeto fcorn or vilifie the Mmiftry , its very probable that they are either fecret Papifts, or their de- luded ferviters. If they fpeak of men that regard the Miniftry, and be not hardened as they to a defpiiing of Chrift in his fer- vants, they call fuch Q Prieft rMen ] and the Paftors they fcornf ully call \_ ^acl^-Presbyters , Drivincs , ]| and many other feoffs are at hand , to ferve the ends of the Devil and the Pope , by alienating the Affections of the people from their Teachers ,. that fo they may devour them at plcafure. 4. Ano;her of their wayes of reproach is,by telling the people what oiious divifions are among us , and how many mind* we are of, and how oft we change, and fuch like reproaches, by their mouthing it they can make fomethingof; while they never tell them how much more changeable they have been , and what divifions are among themfelves .incomparably beyond all oun. Nor do they ever tell them how far we are united, and how fmall the differences among us are , and fuch as muftbeexpe&ed while we all know but in part. y. Another reproach that the Papifts caft on the Miniftry, is Greedinefs, Covetoufnefs,ind being hirelings. And therefore fchey put thefe into the mouths of Quakers and other Sectaries. And whats their ground ? Forfooth becaufe we take Tyihes, or other fet maintenance. Becaufe we have food andrayment, and cur daily bread. I have faid enough of the Caufe it felf inmyfeveral writings againft the Quakers. If any doubt whe- ther the Papifts be their Teachers,or of the fame mind , befides many greater Evidences, the Manufcript from W°lvt rhamftott before mentioned may be full fatisfa&ion. This tells men that A K^y for CathGlicks . 2 o j [ for filthy lucre fake we fcratch itching ears with dotlrines of li- berty J and thus it learnedly verfifieth. jyith P leaf ng words thej fcratch all ears that itch. That Mammon ( whom theyferve ) may make them rich. For they are Mercenaries, that will be hir*d To f reach what dotlrines are by men defi/d. Anfw. I muft profefs unfeignedly that the experience of fuch horrid wickednefs of men, is a great help to my faith againft all temptations that ever would provoke me to doubt whe- ther there be a Hell ; When 1 fee and hear that unreafon- able villany , that I fhould fcarce have believed humane na- ture could have been capable of, if God or fuch experience had not told it me. But when I fee Abominations before my eyes as incredible or horrid as Hell it felf almoft,it filenceth temp- tations to fuch unbelief. Reader, I will give thee a brief comparison between the Papifts Priefts and the Minifters of Chrift, that thou maid fee whether thefe men be fit to rail at us as Mercenaries.and fuch as are the fervants of Mammon. Itsa well known cafe that the Minifters of this Land, and of all the Reformed Churches commonly do many of them wane neceflaries, and fome want food and rayment, and the reft of them for the moft part have little more : Or if one of an hun- dred have two hundred pounds a year, its ten to one but taxes and other payments bringeth it fo low, that he hath no fuperflui- ti-es. And fome that have not Wives or Children, do give all that they can gather to the poor ^ and fome upon my knowledge give more to charitable ufes, then they receive fo«r the work of their Miniftry, living on their own means. And they have them- felves been the means of taking down theXordly Prelacy and Riches of the Clergy : and though they would not have had the Lands devoted to the Church to have been alienated, yet they would have had it fo diftributed as might but have reacht to have made the maintenance of Minifters to be an hundred pounds a year. This was the height of their Covetoufnefs and Ambition, as you call it. And now will you take a view of the Popifli Clergy, for Greatnefs, Riches, and Numeroufnefs. i. For Greatnefs , the Dd 2 Pope 204 A K?yfor Cdtbolicks. Pope who is their chief Prieft, prctendeth to the Government or ail the Chriftian world. Emperors and Kings have kift his feet, and held him the ftirrup. One Emperour was forced to wait bare foot at his Gates a iong time in patience, till he pleafed to open them. Another being forced to proftrate himfelf to him, the Pope fee his foot upon his neck, profanely abufing the words of the Pfal. 91.130 He Jhall treadonthe Lyon and Adder , 8cc. Divers Princes hath he depofed : He hath claimed a Supre- macy in Temporals and Spirituals, and his more moderate flat- terers fubjed Princes to him in ordinead fpiritualia* General Councils approved by him, decree that he fhall Excommunicate and depofe Princes> that will not extirpate thofe that he calleth Hereticks, and (hall commit the Government to others, or give their Countreys to the firft that can feize on them ; and abfolve all their Vaffds from their Allegiance, fin defpight of Oaths and Gods Commands. ) He is a Temporal Prince himfelf,having large Dominions. He hath fo numerous a Clergy in the Coun- treys of all Popifh Princes, as makes him great and formidable to them, . His Cardinal Priefts are equal to Princes, and greater then many Princes are 2. And for their Riches and Numbers, co fay no more of their Pope and Cardinals, they have fuch mul- titudes of Arch-bifhops, Pifhops, Priefts, Abbots, triors, Fry- ars, Jefuices, and fuch others, as take up a great pan of the Land where they live. I will at this time give you but one Inftance, and defireyouto compare it with ourMiniflers and their maintenance : and that is of the Popifh Clergy in Trance. Their own writers tells us as followetb. 'Bodin (a Judge in Trance) faith, ( as HeylinGeograph. fag. 148. reciteth it^ That the Revenues of the Clergy there are twelve millions, and three hundred thoufand livres, which it one million and two hun- dred thoufani pounds of our Snglijh mo nej per annum-, and that the J poffefs feven parts of twelve of the whole revenue of the King- dom-y which is above half. But we will take up with the lower reckoning of the Book called Comment, defiat. and faith Heylin, this tells us that the Clergy have near a fourth part of the very . Lands of all the Kingdom, be fides the Offerings , fburchings, BurjalS) Dtrigts, and fuch like Cafuahies^ which amount to as misk.fis their Rent;, /So chic there is another fourth part,which cgmei A i\ey for Catholkks. 205 comes to half the Kingdom ) upon which Sr. Edwin Sands computes their revenue at fix millions yearly : And for the num- ber, that one Kingdom hath thirteen Arch-bifteps, an hundred and four Bifhops, a thou/and four hundred and fifty Abbies9 five hundred and forty Afchpriories -.twelve thoufand three hundred and twenty Priories, five hundred fixtj feven Nunneries : feven hun- dred Convents of Frjars : two hundred fifty nine Commanderies of Malta; be fides alltheColledgesof thefefuites. And the Parifh Priefts are an hundred thirty thoufand of all forts. And whereas the Kingdom is fuppofed to have about fifteen millions of peo- ple ; the Clergy and their Minifters are judged to be three milli- ons of them. Judge now like menofreafon and impartiality, whether the tongues of thefe men be fit to call us Mercenaries ,or Hirelings,, or fuch as preach for filthy lucre. Or whether ever greater im- pudence was manifested by the vileft Son of Adam , then for fuch men that Lord it over Emperors, Kings and Princes, and de- vour the wealth of the Chriftian world, to call poor Minifters of Chrift, Covetous, or Hirelings, that are content with food and rayment, and a mean education of their children, and that have done fo much to take down the Lordlinefs and Riches of the Clergy. Judge of this dealing; and if you had rather have the Popifh Priefthood, with the numberlefs fwarm of Fryars and feveral orders, you may take them , and fay, you had your choice. Chap. XXXIII. DsteB.2^ A Nother of their defigns, Conjund with the l\ laft mentioned is, to perfwade the world that they oMj have a true Miniftry or Priefthood, and an Apofiolical Epifcopacy.and true Ordination: and that we and all other Churches have no true Minifters , but meer Lay men under the name of Minifters \ becaufe we have no jn ft Ordination. And how prove they all this ? Why, they fay, that they have a Pope that is a true SuccefTor of Siint Peter, but we have no Succeilion from ■*/?. 108. And that Presbyters may Ordain Pref- byters, fee Anfelmn on 1 Tini.4. 14. And Inftitttt. inConcil. Colon, defacr. Ordin.fol. 1 96. fee aifo what% faid by our Mart. Bucerfcript. Anglic, p^.254,.255, 259, 29I. & fequ. & Pet. Marty. Lie. Comma. Claf.4. Loc. 1 . feci .23. />4g. 8 49 . And Wickjiffes Arguments in Waldenfts Paffim. And your own Caf fander Confult. Artie. 14, faith [ // is agreed among all, that of eld in the Apoftles dayes> there was no difference between Bifhops and Presbyters, but Afterwards for Orders fake, and the avoiding cf Schifm, the Bijhjp was fet before the Presbyters.^ And Ockam determined, that by ChriiU Inftitution all Priefts of whac de- gree foever are of equal Authority, Power and Jurifdi&ion. "| Reynold Peacock^ Bilhop of Chichefter wrote a Book de Mini- ftrorum&qualitate, which your party caufed to be burnt. And Richardus Armachanus , lib.Q.cap.^.ad jQueft. Arm'en. faith ][_There is not found in the Evangelical or Apoftolical Scri- ptures any difference between Bijhops and fimple Priefts, called Presbyters ; whence it follows , that there is one Power in all, and i 'quail from their Order. ] & cap.j. anfwering the Qucftion, Whether any Priefi may Confecrate Churches, &c. he faith [Priefts may do it as well as Bijhops, feeing a Btjhsp hath no more in fuch matters then any fimple Prieft : though the Church for reverence to them appoint that thofe only de it, whom we call Bijhops It feems therefore that the reflritlion of the Priefts Power was not in the Primitive Church, according to the Scripture. ] I refer you to three Books of Mr. Prins, viz. his Catalogue ; his Antipathy of Lordly "Prelates, &c. and his mbifhop ng of Ti- mothy and Titus ; where you have the Judgements of many writers of thefe matters. And alfo to what I have faid in my Second Deputation of the EpifcopalControverftes, of purpofe on this point. 7. The chief error of the Papiftsin this caufe is expreffed in their reafon, [No man can give the Power that he hath not : [] wherein they intimate, that it is Man that giveth the Mimfteriai Power ; whereas it is the gift of Chrift alone : Man doth but defign the perfon that (hall receive it , and then Chrift giveth A J^ey for Qatbolicks. 1 1 j giveth it by bis Law to the perfon fo defigned ; and then man doth invert him and folemnize hi* introdudion. As a woman may choofe her an husband, but it is not (he that giveth him the Power over her, but God who determineth of that Power bv his Law, affixing it to the perfon chofen by her, and her adion is but a condition///** qua nony or caufe of the capacity of the matter to receive the form. And fo is it here. When do but obey God in a right choice and defignation of the perfqp, his Law doth prefently give him the Power, which for orders fake lie mult be in a folcmn manner inverted with. But matters of Order may poffibly vary •, and though they are to be ob- fervedas far as may be, yet they alwayes give place to the Ends and fubftanceofthe work, for the ordering whereof they are appoineed. 8. Temporal power is as truly and neceffarily of God, as Ecclefiaftical, and it was at firft given immediately by him, and hecholethe perfon; And yet there is no Neceffity that Kings muft prove an uninterrupted Succefiion. God ufeth means now in defigning the perfons that (hall be Governors of the Nations of the earth : But not alway the fame means : nor hath he tyed himfeif to a fuceefiivc Anointing or Eledion : elfe few Kings on earth would hold their Scepters. And no man (from any diverfity in the cafes ) is able to prove rhat a man may not as truly be a lawful Church-govcrnor,as a lawful Governor of the Commonwealth, without an uninterrupted fucceffion of Mini- fterial Collation. 9. If Bellarmine be forced to maintain that with them it is enough that a Paftor have the place,and feem lawfull to the people , and that they are bound to obey him, though it fhould prove otherwife. Then we may as well rtand on the fame terms as they. 10. In a word, our Ordination being according to the Law of Chrift, and the Popes fo contrary to it, we are ready at any time,more fully to compare them, and demonilra:e to an) impar. tial man, that Chrirt doth much more difown their Ordination then ours, and that we enter in Gods appointed way. Mr. Eliot in New England may better Ordain a Paftor over the Indians converted by him , then leave them without 7 or fend to Rome, or England for a B Chop, or for Orders, But Ee 3 again; 214 A £\ey for fcatholtch again I muft refer you of this fubjeft to the Books before mentioned, and the Sheet which I have writtenjeit I be over- tedious. Chap. XXXIV. Detett.24. A Nother of their Deceits is, In pretending the jLJLHolinefjKtf their Churches , and Miniftry , and the mhelinefs of oftrs. This being matter of fad, a willing and impartial mind may the eafier be fatisfied in it. They prove their Holinefs, 1. By the Canonized Saints among them. 2. By the devotion of their Religious Orders, and their ftriclnefs of living. 3 . By their unmarried Clergy. 4. By their fandifying Sacraments and Ceremonies : In all which they fay that we are wanting,and fo far wanting,that being out of the Church, there is no true Holinefs among us. When in the Preface of my Book againft Popery, called The Safe Religion, I bud truly fpoken my experience, that 1 had ne- ver the happinefs to be acquainted with any Papift of a ferious fpiritual temper, and holy life, but only fome of a Ceremonious formall kind of Religion, and but with very few that lived not in fome grofs (in, I was paflionately cenfuredby fome of the Papifts, as one that condemned all for fome. When as 1 . 1 only fpoke of my own acquaintance. 2. And I added withall,thac yet I was confident that God had his fervants among them, though I had not the happinefs to know them. 3 . And is it not a ridicu- lous bufinefs, that tbefe fame men fhould be fo paflionate with me, for fpeaking but the truth, concerning the ungodlinefs of fome of them, when at the fame time they make it an Article of their faith,and an eflcntial point of Popery, That nooneProte- ftant hath charity IaleorFerm!e,nor whether r/er he was the King, Prophet or Prieft of the Church, norfor wh-u : 216 A K^y for Catholich what end he dyed, nor what faith, or repentance is ^ but were infidels under the name ofPapifts, or Catholicks. The learn- ed and unlearned live in fome grofs (in or other, either all or neer all that I have been acquainted with. The better fort would ordinarily fwear, S^ by their Lady, and by the Mafs.~\ and fome- time greater oaths. The reft were fome fornicators or adulterers, fome drunkards or revellers, and gamefters, or fuch like : And never bad I the happinefsto be acquainted with one that would fpeak experimentally andfavourilyofthe work of Grace upon his foul , of tie life offaith, of communion with God, and of the life to come • but their Religion lay in being the Popes fub- jeds, and in fafting on Fridayes and in Lent from fome forts of meat, and in faying over fomany Ave Afar iesy Pater Nofters, or the like-, and in obferving dayes, and hours, and Cere- remonics. Yet I again fay, I fully believe that there be better among them , though I am not acquainted with them. But if thefe men that £ never heard of a Protectant Saint ] and that conclude [ there is noonefavedbut a Papift^ and build their falvation on this as an Article of their faith, had known but thofe that I have known , and yet know , they would either have been of another mind, or have been left unexcufable in a malicious reproaching of the Saints of the moft high. I blefs the Lord that I can truly fay, that I know many and many , that ( as far as the heart of another can be known, by words and a holy life) do live in much communion with God ^ whofe fouls are daily longing after him-, and fome of them that have vacancy from worldly necefiities, fpending much of their lives upon their knees, having had many a fpecial extraordinary re- turn to their importunate requefts : whofe delight is in the Law of the Lord, in whfch they meditate day and night ( which is lockt up among the Papifls. ) Whofe hearts fmite them for vain words or thoughs, or the lofsof a few minutes of time ; that live in exemplary humility, meeknefs and felf-denyal, bear- ing wrongs patiently , and doing good to as many as they can, as the fervants of all ^ contemning the Riches and Honours of the world, mortifying the flefh , and fome of them longing to be diflblvedand to be with Chriftjin whom the world never knew either once drunkennefs>fornicatiori,oronerafhoath, or any J Key for Qatholick z\7 any other grofs fin, that I could ever hear of. And is it certain that alLhefe fhall be damned., becaufe they believe not in the Pope?N.iy is it not certain by Promife that all fuch (hall be faved? Imuftagain profefs,that when the Papifts lay their faith 'and caufe onthi?,thac their Church is Holy , andours and all other are every man unbolj, its almoft all one to roe as if they faid that no menbnt Pafifts have foils in their bodies, and laid their faith on this • and as loon I think fhould I believe them, if this were their belief. Its a good preservative againft Popery, when a man cannot turn Papift without putting out his eyes, and re- nouncing his wic,and reafon, and common experience, as well as his chanty; yea without denying of what he knoweth by his own foul! But let us come to their Evidences, i .They fay , We have no Canonized Saints. I anfwer i. All the Apoftles and Saints of the firft ages were of our Religion ^ and many of thera have been beholden to the Pope for Canonizing them. 2. We have no u fur per among us that pretendeth Infallibly to know the hearts of others , nor to number Gods Saints. But with us, the Holy Ghoft maketh Saints ,and their lives declare it- and thofc that converfc with them difcern it t fofaras to be highly confident , and men difcern it in themfelvcs,fo far as to be Infallibly ("though not perfectly) certain. 3«Itfeemsthe Pope takes Saints to be rare with them, thac they mult be named and written with red Letters in an Alma- nack : And H. T. Man. fag. 84. is fain to fend us for proof to their Chronicles and Martyrologies ^ and he nameth four Saints that they have had, viz. Saint Aufiin the Monk., Saini Bennet, Saint Duminich^vA Saint Francis. Now we all know that none but Saints arc faved , and that without holinefs none can fee God , Ihb. 12. 14. So that it feems it fan&ity befo rare among the Papifts, falvation mutt be rare. But as for us, we make it our care to admit none but Saints to our Church Communion: though we preach to others to prepare them for it : For we believe that the Church is a Holy Society, and find Panl calling the whole Churches that he writes to, by the title of [ Saints, j and we believe it is [ the Commu- nion of Saints 3 that; is there to be held. And if we had no more Saints in one County at once, yea infomeoneParifhat once, Ff then 2 1 8 A Ksy for Catholicks . then would fill up the Popes Calendar , fo as to have one for every day in ihc year, we fhould becake our felves to bitter lamentation. Whereas the Church of Rome takes in all forts of the unclean, and is fo impure and polluted a i'ociety, that its a wonder how they fhould have the face to boalt of their holinefs to men that live among them and know chem. Thoufands of their members areftarSHnfide!?, as not knowing the Eflentials of the Chriftian Faick Its known here in Ireland, chat abundance of them know not who Chrift was, but that he was abetter man that Saint Patrick^: Bifhop VJber faw it and lamented it, that they perifhed as Heathens for want of knowing Chriftianity it fe\fr while they went under the name of Catholicks .• and therefore he would have perfwaded the Popifh Priefts to have Confented that they fliould be all taught a Catechifm of the common principles that we are agreed in ; but he could not procure it : when Dr. Jo. White asked one of them in Lancashire, who fe/ns Chrifl •wot ? (he anfwered, that [fare it was fome good things or elfe it jhpfsldxst have been put into the Creed."] And how muchfwearing, whoredom, drunkennefs, and other wickednefs is in theirChurch,is known not only by the complaints of their own writers, but by the too common experience of Travailers. We have known Papifts that have turned from them by the experience of one journey to Reme, and feeing what it there. And^^brChurch cenfures by which any of thefe fhould bejjurgecfout, they arela4d by, and referved for other ufes, even asthcnder-boltsforthe Pojpes Adverfaries, and thefervants of Chrift whom they take for Ihlerecicks ; and for Princes whom the Pope would have depofed and murdered. Thefe things are not meer words, but the lives of many Kings and Princes have been the facrifTce of the Roman Holinefs. And what need you any further proof that their Church is as the common wildernefs, and not u the Garden of Chrift, and is a Cage of all unclean birds, then that they actually keep them ail in their Communion. It made my heart rife at their hypo- crifie and fiI&hinefs,:o read one fesrence in one of themoft learn- ed, snd fober, and honeft of all their BTfhops that have written, and that is Albaffinttu Obfervat. I'pag. I. fsith he [Siquis- tmqmm hocfecalo, ( qnodnefcio an ac cider it ) Cimmttnioneftiit privates, A I\ey for Catbolich. 1 1 9 privates y fold fait Euchariftit perceptione : in reUqnis fu& vita partibus , q nam ante Excomm.tinicationem habuit, eandem cum ceteris fidelibusconfxet#dinem,& ufftm retinuit.] That is \_ If ever any one man in this age was put from the Communion ( which J know not whether fuch a thing hath come to pafs, ) it was only from the receiving the Eucharifl ; in the other parts of his Life% he retained the fame familiarity andconverfe with other bditversy which he had befo* e his Excommunication. ] Here you fee from a credible Bifhop that lived in the thickeft of their Clergy in France, that he knew not that any one pcrfon in the age that he lived in, was ever kept from the Lords Sup- per ; but if he were, yet that was all : he was iiill a member of their Church, and familiar with the reft. Let the Chriitian world then obferve by their pra&ice, what an abominable hypocritical conteft they make, for to prove the Power of Church-govern- ment to be only in theirPope,and the Prelates to whom he giveth it; and when they have done, do make no more ufeof the Power which they fo pretend to, as not to exercife the Cenfures of the Church upon one offendor there in an age. Hpw were that man worthy to be thought of, or to be ufed, that would fet all the world on fire by contending, that no Schoolmafter or Phyfitian fhould be fuffercd in the whole world, but hirafelf and fuch as he giveth power to ; and when he hath done, will not by himfclf or his fubje&s and dependants teach or heal one perfon in an age ? were fuch an one meet to live on the ear:h ? Or fhould we judge that man in his wits that would believe him? O whac a ftyeis the Roman Society I what dunghiilsare in their AfTem- blies? and yet muft not the Shovel or the Beefom be ufed once in an Age? what! no weed pulled up ? no fuperfluous branch cutoff? Is this the ufeof all the Canons of their Churchcon- cerning Excommunication, and abftention? Muftthe Chriitian world be at fuch a vaftexpence,to maintain fo rich and nume- rous a Clergy for this ? And mud wecaftoutour P^ftors to receive fuch as thefe } when we (hould be afhamed, if we had not exercifed more of the cleanfing power of the Reyes in one Parifh Church, then Albafpin&us Knew of among the Papifts in 1 whole age. But perhaps there is little of this filth among them to be cad out: He that readeib their own writers, or liveth among them, Ff2 and no A l^ey for fcatholich and feeth their lives, will hardly think fo. He that had bat feen the Murders of their Popes for the obtaining of the Popedom, or" how Vo^c Stephen raged againft rhe Carcafs of Pope Forme- fus, drawing it out of the grave, and changing its Pontifical habit to a fecular, and cutting off his fingers ; or he that had feen Pope Chriftophex cafting the Corps of Pope Leo the rift into the River Tiber-, or Pope Sergius keeping the faid Chriftopher bound in prifon -, or Vo^t Boniface thefeventh putting out his Cardinals eyes- would fcarce believe that the Holy Seat of Pe* ter were indeed Holy .- (all which P latin* and others of their own writers give us notice of. ) He that reidcth Baronius him- felf telling us {To. 10. an. 897. n. 6.) how Pope Stephen the feventh defiled St. Peters feat with unheard of facriledge, not to be named; and ( fecl*4.ib. ) and how the Prince s of Tufcia were brought into Peters Chair and Chrifls Throne, being monftrous men, of moft filth) lives, and defperate manners, and everj -way moft filthy. 3 He that fhall read the fame flattering Cardinal, foying, (£Wooo. feci. I. ) [that ugly monfiers were thru ft into the Papacy, that it was dawbed with dung, infccled with ftinks, defiled with filthinefs , and collowed by thefe with a perpeutal infamy"] And {an. 912. feci. 8. ) [that at Rome, the mefi powerful and the moft fordid whores did Rule ; at whefe will the feats were changed, Bijhops were made, and, which is horrid to be heard, and not to be fpoken, their fweet*hearts falfe Topes were thruft into Peters feat. ] And [that for an hundred and fifty years the Popes were wholly fain from the vertue of their Prede- ceffors 5 being diforderlyt and Apoftxtical, rather then Apoftolical, riov entring by the door, but by the backdoor] faith a panlonate Papift, Genebrard, Chron. 1. 4. an. 901. I fay he that fhall read thefe impartially, will fcarce think the Head of their Church kath been Holy, which is an Effential part of it , ( nor thas their fuccefsion is uninterrupted. ) But if befides thefe you would read but Nic. Clemangis, Al- varus Pelagius de plantlu Ecclefia ( lib.-2.art.2. fol. 104.) and many fuchlike; or their Poets Mantnan, Pantes, &c. or Petrarch, Mirandula, &c. you would think the Holinefs of Romeihould be the pooreft proof in the world of their being rhe only Church, Their: A K^y for Catholich; 1 1 1 Their EJpenfdtu+nd others recite that Diftich, p'ivere qui cupitis fantle , difcedite Roma : Omni a cum lice ant, turn- licet ejfe bonum. Tlatina faith ( in vita Marcellini ) [] 0 ur vices are fo in* ere a fed, that they have fcarce left us any place for mercy Vvith God, How treat is the fivetoufnefs of the Priefts I efpecially of thofe that rule all I hoy* great Ittft ! how great ambition and pomp \ howg reat ignorance of themfelves} and of the Chriftian doflrine ! how little Religion , and that rather counterfeit , then true \ how corrupt manners I even fuch as in the prophaneft fecular men were to be detefied ! its not -worth the fpeaking •" when the) fin fo openly and fo publike I y , as if they feught Pratfe by it.] Their Claudius Efpenftus on Tit, pag. 75. faith £ Where u there under the Sun a greater liberty , clamor, impunity of all evil \ that J fay not infamy and impudency ( then at Rome : ) verily it is fuch as no man can believe but he that hath feen it , and no man can deny it that hath feen it ?']■ This was written finee the Council of Trent. And in the Council of Trent, their Cornelius Afufs, aBifhop there, and the wonder of his age among the Papifts, fakh that [ there was no monflers of filthinefs, orfink^, or plague of unclean- nefs, with which both people and Priefi was not defiled : In the very Sanctuary of God, there was no fijame.no modefty,no hope or re- gard of good living", but unbridled and untamed luft, lingular audaciouf nefs, incredible wickednefs. ~\ And after more of the like he adds, [tVould they had not fain from Religion to fuperfti- t ion from faith to infidelity ; from thrift to AnUchrift^yea as men that had no fouls , from God to Epicurus or Pythagoras , faying in an impious heart, and an impudent mouth, there is no God. And yet now of a long time, there hath been no Taftor thatywuld re- quire, ( or feck, them again ) I piy there was none to feek them , becaufe they all fought their own things, but mt one the things of fefus Chrift~] The fame Bifhop Cornelius Mufs&fter the Council writes thus ( To. 2. Serm 2. Bom. V. Jguadr. ) Q The Roman Name is hate full with all Nations • and fee I pray you how lit' tletfteemthe £httrch it fclf is of, becaufe of tht fc an dais that Ff 3- 4TSr 224 A t\ey for Catmlicks- moniacall Market of benefices, fave me the labour of reciting, and read bu^Wf 0/. Clemangis Archidiaconus Baiofenps Tratl. de Annatibus ih+foheedis , & ^IvarusVeUgius de 'Plantlu Ecclef lib. 2. Art. 1 5. & I. 1 . art. 67. & Claud. Efpenfaus in Tit, i.pag. 68. & Cardinel Cufanum de Ccncerd.Cathol. lib. Z.cap 40. & Matc. & Duarenumf.C.dc facris Ecchf. Minift. lib. %.€.%.& paffimfiivet will dired you to many more. Yea that the odious fin of Sodomie was common, or too fre- quent with many of the Clergy, and Popes thcrafelves ( glutto- ny , drunkennefs and whoredom being the common (mailer fins ) fee the fame Rivet manifefting at large out of the exprefs complaints of Maphaus% Alvarus Pelagius, and many more of their own writers. Hoffmeifter eked by Grotius Difcuffio ApoL Rivet, p. 72. £ At cam Epifcopi quidam ignorant, quid Sacra- mtnti vox fegnificft ; cum ipfos pudent facramem-- per f ipfos conferre , cum omnia apud ipfos fint venalia , cum Eccleftam defraudent fuis facr amenta libsts qua vacant , qua potefi Sa- crameutis apud fimplici ores reverentia t Jam quod ad Parachos ejr EccUfiaftas quod attinet , vix centefimus fuifq$ de facramentis ullam facit mentionem in fuis ad plebem con* cionibus ; hie ex ignorantia , Me ex negligent™. Gra- viffime peccatum eft ab Epifcopis noftris , dum nnmeran- tur potius ordinandi, quam examinantur : & quantum quis nummorumjaritum & favens habet apud quofdam. Qua hie premo prudens letlor intelligit. Nolim enim hie referre quale s Epifcopos , Decanos, fanonicos , Paftsres , &c. Nobis fubinde intrudat potius quam ordinet Romana Curia , Regum item & Principum aula • qui omnes juxta jocum cujufdam , familiam fuam fatiant ( fi ntodo tales beftia fatUri pojfent ) muneribus facris ■■ Ab e quorum ftabulis , e culina rapiu>!tur ad Sacerdotia, qui, quidSacerdoi fit, ne perfomnium quidem cogita- runt} homines qui profeffionefunt indigni. ] Papirius Mstjfonius that wrote the Deeds of the Popes for their honour,and fought his Reward from Sixtus Quintus, faith ( De Epifcop. urb. lib. 6. in Gregor. 13. J £ No man doth now a dales look^fr Hdixefs in Popes : thofi are judged the be ft % that A H\ey for Catbolicks. 225 that are a little good , or lefs naught then other Mortals fife to be, ] Pope T>ius the fecond was one of the belt that your Papal feat a long time had ; and yet in his Epiftle to his Father (Epift.15.) that was angry with him for foPnication,he faith, £ At* dolerete—— i. e. Ton fay you are firry for my crime , that I begot a fin in Jin ( or baftardy. ) I kpow not what opinion you have of me. Certainly you that are flejh jour felvet did not beget a fin that is made of flone or iron. Tou know what a Cock^ you were your felf. And for my part I am not gelded ', nor one of them that are frigid ( or imp§tent) Nor am I an hypo- crite ythat Ifhoulddefire rather tofeem good, then to be good. 1 ingenuoujly cenfefs my error , for am not holyer then David, nor wifir then Solomon. Its an antient and ufual fin , / know not who is without it. ( A holy Church you are that while ) This plague is fpreadfarand neer,if it be a plague to make ufe of our naturals , though J fee it not, feeing Nature , which doth nothing amifs , hath bred this Appetite in all living creatures , that mankind Jhould be continued. ] This was he that was the glory of your Papacy, that knew none without this beaftly fin. AndOrichovius tells Pope fulius the third, that Pope Paul the fecond his predecejfor had a Daughter in the eyes of all men. And of this Pope fulius the third, Onuphrius hirafelf faith, that [] Being a Cardinal! he followed voluptuoufnefs as by ftealth , but being made Pope, and having what he would have Joe caft away all care , and gave up himfelf to his mirth and difpofition ] Of whom Thuanus faith ( Hift. lib. 6. ) that he was very infamous as a (fardinall , but after paft his life in greater in* famy.~] And zsllvarus Pelagius , ( lib. 2. art.Jl- fol. 241 , &c, ) lamenting Whoredome as a coramon fin, but fpecially of the Clergy , tells us that the caufe is, becaufe £ (fommonly the Religious of that age were Gluttons or belly Gods , Arrogant, Proud, incomparably beyond fee ular men, cenverfing with women, &c. And drink^ more wine in their Religion* fate then before, and are commonly carnal. And that the Monks had their female Ve* votaries > with whom%by the Prelates licenfe they convtr fed. And be- Gg i*l 2z6 A %ey for fcatholicks. i*g fent to preach , they go to play the whoremongers : And that there was [caret any one of the Holj Nuns without her camall male Devoiary, by Which thty broke their fir ft faith with Chrift\ &jc. ] Th s was your Holy Church. And li. 2 art. i6. he hitb[That moftofthe Clergy mix them- f elves with gluttony, drunkennefs and whoredom, which is their common vice , and moft of them give themfelvts to the unnaturall vice ( Sodomie )- Thus continually, yeaandpnbUkely do they of end againfi that. holy chaftity which theypromifed to the Lord v be fides thofe evils not to be named which in fecret thej commit ^ which Papers will not receive , mr pen can Write. ] Abundance more he hath of the fame fubjedr, and their putting their choic- eft youth into houfes of Sodomie. This book of Alvartu Pelagim Be liar mine cafieth Liber inftgnis ( deScriptor. Eccle- fiaft.) Math. Pari* ( in Henr. 3 . />. 8 19. ) tells t* of Cardinal Hu- go's farewell fpecch to the people of Lons when he departed with the Popes Court £ Friends , ( faith he) fince we came to. this City we have Brought you great commodity and alms. When we CAme hither We found three or four whore houfes , but mw at our depart u e we leave but one • but that one reach- eihfrom the Eaft gate t$ the Weft Gate. ] O Holy Pope 1 and Holy Church! But C°ftertis tnc Jefuite eafily anfwers ail that Ihave faid, Enchirid. cap. 2. de Ecclef. that [ The Church lofeth not the name [ Holy ] a* long as there is but One thats truly Holy, j Anfw Is this your fandity ? I deny your conclufion. For 2 . If the Held be unholy,an effential part is unholy • and there- fore the Church cannot be Holy. 2. One perfon is not the Matter of the Church , as one drop of Wine caft into the fea doth not make it a fea of Wine ; and one Italian in England makes roc England Italian : nor one Learned man make England Learned. And let the Papifts obferve, that it is from the very words of their own that I have fpoken of them what is here recited, and not from their adverfarie* And Aerefore I (hall be fo far from believing the Gofpel upon the Account that their Church h Holy that recommendeth it9 or from believing them to be £he only Church of Chrift, becaiife of iheir Holinefs , that I mull Al^eyfor Qatholich "7 rouft blefs God that I live in afweeterair and cleaner Society , and fliould be loath to com* one of the Garden into (he Channel or fink to be made clean or fweet,butfay,that the travailer learn- ed more wit, that left us thisRefolution, Roma vale ; vidi • [Atis eft vidiffe ; revert ar Cftm lew am meretrix, fenrra cin&dui ero. T H E fecond Proof which they bring of the Hoiinefs cf their Church , is , the ftrift life of their Fryers , as Carthufians, Francifcans, and others. Anjw. Having been fo long already on this point, I will be butfhort on this branch* In a word, i . I have no mind to deny the Graces of the fpirit in any that have them. Though travellers tell me lamentable fto- ties of your Fryars, &Gnil. deAmore, and his companions faid much more , and many other Popiflh Writers paint them out in an odious garb, yet } do not doubt but God hath his fervants among them. 2. But I muft tell you that this alfo fliewsthe Pollution of your Church in companion of our Churches ; that Hoiinefs and Religion arc fuch rarities, and next to Miracles among you, that it muft be cloiftrcd up, or confined to certain orders that are properly called Religious, as if the People had no Religi- oufnefs or Hoiinefs. When our care and Hope is to make all our Parifh Churches far more Religious and Holy then your Monafteries or Convents : Yea were not this Church much more Religious and Holy whese I live^I think I fhouW have fmali comfort in it. 3 . •T" Heir third Proof of the Hoiinefs of their Churches, is, JL their unmarried Clergy. Anfa. I. I will not ft ir too long in this puddle , or elfe I could tell you cut of your own writers of the odious fruits of your unmarried Clergy. Only ( becaufe the eflential parts of your Church are they that ncer- Jieft concern your caufe ) I will ask you in brief, whether ic was not Pope John the eleventh that had Theodora for his whore? whether it was no Pope Sergim the third that begot Pope fohn G g 2 tbc 228 A i\eyfor Catholicks. the twelfth of Marofa t whether fohn the twelfth, alias the thirteenth (faith Luitprandus, and others of your ownj did not ravifh maids and wives at the Apoftolick doors, and atlaft was killed in the Ad: of Adultery ? whether it were not Pope Innocent of whom a Papift wrote this diflich ? Otlo Nocens pueros genuit) totidemq; pvellas, Hhhc merito potuit dicer e Roma patrem* And whofe Son was Aloifus, made Prince of Parma by Pope Paul the third ? A nd for your Arch- biihops, Bifliops, Priefts, &c. I (hall now add but the words of your Dominicus Soto de Inftit. &furequ.6. art. I. cited by Rivet, [pve do not deny ("faith he ) that in the Clergy, fuch as keep Concubines, and are Adufc tereri, are frequent. J 2* We have many that live unmarryed, as well as you, but not on your terms. 3 . We know that P<*#/dire&ed Timothy and Titus to ordaio him a Bifhop that was the Husband of one Wife, and ruled well his houfe, having his children in fub je&ion ; and that the Church a long time held to this do&rine,and that Greg.NyJfen was a mar- ryed Bifhop. But if you are wifer then the Spirit of God, or can change his Laws, or can prove the Holy Ghoft fo mutable, as to give one Law by Paul and other Apoitles, and another by the Pope, wewillbelieveyou,andforfake the Scripture, when you can fo far bewitch us, and charm us to it. We believe that a fingle fife is of very great Convenience to a Paftor, when it can be held : and that Chrifts Rule mnft be obferved [ Ever) man cannot receive this faying, but he that can, let him receive it ] And whether Minifters be Marryed or not Marryed (as many now living in the next Parishes to me are not, no more then my felf ) itisaftrangethingwith us to hear of one in many Counties that was ever once guilty of fornicati- on in his life : and if any one be but once guilty in the Miniftry, he is caft out, though he fhould be never fo penitent, as any man that rcadeth the Ad for ejecting fcandalous Minifters and Schoolrnafters may fee. As alfo you may there fee, that if he were but once drunk, if he fwear, curfe, or be guilty of other fcandalous fins, he is caft out without any more ado. And none are A J<\ey for Qttbolicks. up arefoearneft for the through- execution of this Law as the Mi- nifters. If aMinifter dobutgointo an Alehoufe, except to vi- fic the fick,or on weighty bufinefs, ft is a fcandalous thing among us : we do not teach as the Jefuites cited by the fanfenift Mon- tahuss that a roan may lawfully go ii\co a Whorehoufe to exhorc cbem from Whoredom, though he hath found by experience, that when he comes among them he is overcome, and playes the Whoremonger with them. Left the vices of your Clergy fhould be laid open and punifh- ed, you exempt them from the fecular power, and will not have a Magiftrate fo much as queftion them for whoredom , drunkennefs, or the like crimes. It is one of Pope NiceUs De- crees ( rfjCaranza^r. 3 95. recite; them ) that [No Lay man mufijudgea Prieft, nor examine any thing vf hu life. And no fee ular Prince ought to judge the fatts of any Bijhops or Priefis whatfoever ] And indeed that is the way to be wicked quietly, and fin without noife and infamy. But for our parts, we do not only fubjed our felves and all our actions to the tryal of Prin- ces and the loweft Juftice of Peace, as far as the Law gives him power, but we call out to Rulers daily to look more ftridly to the Miniftry, and fuffer not one that is ungodly or fcandalous in the Church. And if one fuch be known, our Godly people will all fet againft him, and will not reft till they caft him out (in times when there is opportunity for it ) and get a better in his ftead. The whole Countrey knows the Truth of this* If you fay, as the Quakers do, that yet the moft among us are ungodly ; I anfwer, that Thofe among us that are known ungodly and fcandalous are not owned by us, nor are members of our Church, or admitted to the Lords Supper, in thofe Con- gregations that exercife Church-difcipline • but they are only as Catechumens, whom we preach to and inftruc% \l not caft out. Your eighth General Council at Conflantinoflc, Can. 14. de- creed, that [Minifters mufl not fall down to Princes, nbreatat- their Tables, nor debafe themfelves to them ; but Emperors mufb take them as Equals ] But we are fo far from eftablifhing Pride and Arrogancieby a Law, that though we hate fervile flattery and man-pleafing, yet we think it our duty to be the fervants of all, and to condefcend to men of low eftate, and much more to G g %' honour: 5<> A $\ey for Catholich honour our Superiors , and God in them. The fame Council decreed, Cam*. 2 1 . that [ None mufl cow- pofe any Peculations agaiuft the Pcye\]$o marvai! then if all Popes go for Innocents. But we are lyablc to the accufations of any. And becaufe you charge our Churches with Unholinefs, and that with fuch an height of Irapudency, as I am certain the Divel himfelf doth not believe you, that provokes you to it; even that there is not One Good among us, nor one that hath Charity, nor can be faved ( unlefs by turning Papift, ) 1 (hall therefore go a little higher, and tell you that I doubt not but the Churches in England where I live, are purer far than thofe were in thedayesof Augajline, Rizrctn, &c. yea and that the Paftorsof our Churches are lefs fcandalous then they were then ; what if I fhould compare many of tbem even to St. Auguftiney St. H,eromy and fuch others, both in Do&rine and Holinefs of Life ? fhould I do fo,I know you would account it arrogancy : but yet I will prefumeto makefome comparison, and leave you to Judge impartially if you can. As for the Heavenlinefs of their writings, let but fome of ours be compared with them, and you will fee at leaft that they fpake by the fame fpirit : and for their Commentaries on Scri- pture, did we raifs it as oft as Ambrofey Hierom and many more; we fhould bring our fclves very low in the efteem of the Church- Even your Cajetane doth more boldly cenfure the Fathers Com- mentaries then this comes to. And as to our lives, the Lord know* that I have no pleaiure in opening any of the faults of his Saints, nor fhall I mention any but what are confeffed by themfelves in Printed Books, and mentioned by others ; and to boaft of our own Purity I take to be a deteftable thing, and contrary to that fenfe of fin that is in every Saint of God. But yet if the Lords Churches and fer- vants are (landered andjreproached as they were by the Hea- thens of old, the vindicating them is a duty which we owe to Cbrift. Thofe Minifters that I Convcrfe with are partly Marryed, and partrjrunmarryed. The Macryed live fobcriy, in Conjugal Cha- flity, as burning and Alining lights before the people, in exem- plary Holinefs of Life. The unmarryed alfo give up chemfelvcs to A I\ey for Catholicks. 2 ? 1 to the Lord, and to his ferwce : and I verily think that of many fuch that converfe with me, there is not one that ever defiled themfelves by incontmency, and I am confident would be ready to cake the moft folemn Oath of ir, if any Papift call them to if. And for the people of our Communion, through the mercy of God fuch fins are fo rare, that if one in a Church be guilty once, we all lament it, and bring them to penitence, or djfown them. And were the Churches better in the third, fourth, fifr, fixr, or following Ages ? I doubt nor. And I judge by thele difco- veries. 1. By the fad Hiftories of the Crimes of thofe times. 2. By the lamentable complaints of the Godly Father?, of the Biftiops, and people of their times. What dolefull com- plaints do Bafil^ Gregory NazianZr. and Qreg. Njjfen, and Chry- fiftom, ^«/?/«,&c.ra8ke? ( it were too long to recite their words. ) What complaints made Gtfdas of the Brittifh Church ? What a doleful defcription have we of the Chriftian Payors and People inhisdayes, from Sylvian, ihrough his whole Book dt Guber- nut.} 3. I judge alfo by the Canons, and by the Fathers directions concerning OrTendors. For example ; Gregory Mag. faith cf drunkards [ Quod cum veniafuo ingenio funt relinquendi, ne dete* riores fixnt, ft a tali confuetudine evellantur.] And was this the Roman Sanctity even then > And was this St. Gregories San&i- ty ? that Drunkards muft be let alone with pardon, left if they be forced from their cuftome, they be made worfe 1 Then fair- fall the Minifters of England : If fuch advice were bur given by one of us, it would feem enough to call us out of our Mini (try. We dare not let one drunkard alone in our Church communion, where Church-difcipline is let up. So Augufl'me faith [that Drunkjnnefs id a mortal 'fin. Si affidna, if it be daily or ufual. And that they muft be dealt with gently and by fair wjrds, and not roughly and fh ar ply. j If one or us fhould make fo light of Drunkennefr, what ihouid we re thought ? I cite thefe two from Aquinas zz. q. 1 50. art. 1 .4. ad 4m &art.z. 1. Many Canons determine that [_Priefts that reiki not part zvirh their Concubines, /ball be fufpended from officiating^ till they hi them go. 3 Whereas with u§, a man deferveth to be ejeded, clue fhould I 2?i jiK^yfor Catbolkh' ftiou\dhavea Concubinebut one night in his life. GratianDiftincl.i^.cltethc.ij. of a TV*;**; Council, fay- ing, that he that bath not a Wife, but a Concubine in her ftead, /ball not be put from the Communion. His Corrector reciteth the whole Canon thus [_ If any Believer have a wife and a Concu- bine. let him not Communicate. But he that hath m wife, and hath a Concubine in ftead of a W>fe, may not be put from the Com- munion : only Ut him be content -with one woman, either Wife or Concttbine, which he will. He that liveth etherwife, Ut him be caft eff, till he give over, and return to penitence. ] ■ InanEnglifh Council at Berghamfted an. 697. the feventh Canon is this [ If a Prieft leave his Adtdtery^ and do not naughti- ly defer Baptifm, nor is given to drunhnnefs, let him k.eep his Mi- niftrj, and the priviledge of his habit ] Spelrnan, fag. 195. King Alured in the Preface to his Laws tells us, that except Treafon and Defer tion of their Lords, the Councils of the Clergy did lay but fome pecuniary mulft on other fins, Spelm. fag. 3 62 . All this (hews that the Church then was much more corrupt then ours now in England, Yea the belt of the Fathers had fuch blots, that I may well make their Confeffions another difcovery, that our Churches are as pure and holy as theirs. I will name but few of the chief, becaufelwouldnot rake into their faults needlefly, who are pardoned, glorified Saints in Heaven. St. Auguftine whilcft he leaned to the Maniches had a baftard, and confeffcth tHm&lf guilty of fornication. Sr. Hierom that was fo vehement for Virginity, and lived a MonafHck life, doth yet confefs that he was not a ^irgin. St. Bernard that lived fo Contemplative a life, in his Serin, kebeata virgine poft ferm.% . de Affumpt. confef- feth,/* carere virginitate, that he lacked his virginity. And though Bel 'lar mine ( defcriftor. Eccclef. fag. 224. ) do from that only reafon queftion whether it be Bernards, yet it is in the fecond Tome among his undoubted writings, and this reafon is a poor difproof. Now if one of our ordinary Miniflers fhould be but guilty of fuch a fin, though but once, and that before Conversion, no doubt but it would lye heavye on their Confciences; and I am fure it would leave fuch a blot on their names, that were never likely to be worn off while they live. When A I\ey for Catholicks. 23 $ When wc tell the Papifts of their Licenfing Whore-houfes at Eome, Bononia.&c. they commonly fly to the words ofAaftin, lib. de Or dine , faying Q Aufer Meretricei de rebus humanity & turbaveris omma iibidinibus, i.e. Take away jyh&resfrem Among men , andjou will diflurb all things with Ipifls. ] Though this was written when Attfiin was but a young convert, and it feems that he after changed his mind, yet this (hews that our firms are far from the abominations of thofe $ and our Paftors are far more ftrid then Anftin then was. 4. As for the Holinefs of their Church by Ceremonies, as Holy Water, Holy Oil,Relicks, Altars, and an hundred fuch things,! think it not worth the fpcaking of; all things are fan&iHed to us by the word and prayer. We devote our felves and all that we have to God,and then to theTtsre all things are Pure.Vfz negred no Ordinance of God that we can know of and enjoy. He id a ffirit, and feekfth fuch as will worjhip him in fpirit and truth. This is the Holinefs that we look after. But for numbringof Beads,and Ave Maries^ and going pilgrimage$,and fuch in- ventions of arrogant men, we place no Holinefs in them , as knowing that Cjod deiirethnota Mimical or HiQrionical wor- fhip; and that none knows what will pleafe him fo well as himfeif. Chap. XXXV. Detett.26. ANother of their Deceits htbj calling us to tell . . them when every one of. tk&r?$£rrors did firft begin %and what Pope did bring them in ± or elJctSej will not believe but they are from the Apeftles. To this Bfhop Vfher and abundance of our writers havean- fwered them at large. I (hall therefore fpeak but thefe fcw,buc fatisfa&ory words. i . It belongs to you to prove the continuance of your Opini- ons or Practices , more then to us to prove the Beginning. 2. It fafficech that we prove that there was a time when your errors were not in the Church, and that we can do from the Scriptures and the Fathers, and oft have done. 3, You know \ oar felves of abundance of changes which you know not who Hh did 2 34 A i\eyfor Catholicks. did fir ft introduce. Whofirft adminiftrcd the Lords Supper in one kind only ? dare you fay that this was from the beginning? Who firft laid by the ftanding on the Lords day , and uied kneeling ? ( forbidden fan* 20. CenciL Nicen. t. and in other General Councils. ) Alvarus Telagius deplancl. Ecclef li.i. art. z.fol. 1 04. faith j The Church bewaileth the fins of the people, but fp-ccially of the Clergy as greater then the fin of Sodom : For we fee that faith and fuftice have forfaken the earth. The Boly Scripture and [acred Canons are accounted as fables — He's now a man of no knowledge that inventeth not Tfyvelties.'] You fee that then Novelties were brought in. The iarnc Vincentius Lirinenfis comp'aineth of : And not only complainethof, but givech Direction what to do in cafe that [ N&vella aliqua contagioy non jam portinnculam t ant urn , feA tot am Pariter Ec- clefiam csmmaculare conetur? If any neve 11 contagion fhall en- deavour to ftain not only a part of the Church tbut the whole (fhurch alike ? ] And then his advifeis to appeal from Novelty to Anti- quity , and not to the Pope or the prefent Church. And withail he addeth that This Direfticn is but for [[ new herefies at their firft rifing , before they falfifie the rules of ancient faith ( that j?, before they corrupt antient Writers, or can pretend to Antiquity ) and before by the large spreading of the venome, they endeavour to corrupt the volumes of our anceftors. But di- lated and in vetente Herefies are not to be fet upon this way, becaufe by the long trad of time, they have had a long occasi- on of flealing Truth : and therefore we muft convince fuch an* tient herefies and fchifms by no means but by the only Authority of the Scripture, if there be need, or avoid them ] Lirinenf cap. 4 efrc. Were there not abundance of Novelties introduced , when Angttftine ad Januarium faid that \_ They load our Religion with Jervile burdens, which God in mercy would have to be free , with a very few and mofl manifeft Sacraments of Celebration , fo that the condition of the Jews was more tolerable, that were fubjetl to Legall Sacraments j and mt to the presumptions of men ~\ Thefc words of Auftin your own foh. Gerfon reciting ( devitalfirit. anima.lecl. 2. par. 3. ) addeth of his own [ Si tuo tempore ,&c. If in thyjayes thoudidfi thus meHrn/ Oh wife Auguftinc, what wouldft vthon have faid in $ur time : where according te the variety, and A f\ey for Catboluks . 255 and motion of heads, there is incredib'e variety and diffonant multi- flic it y of fuch fervile burdens, and as thou calleft them, of humane preemptions. Among which, as fo manyfnares of fouls, and entang- ling nets, there's fcarce any man that walkj Jecure, and us mt taken (or catcht. ) ] How think yon now in the Judgement of Augujline and Ger fen, whether there have any Novelties been brought into the Church; and whether all your Preemptions and burdens, and ( as Gerfon calls them) halters for fouls, have come from the Apoft!es,orare your own? When all is thus overcome with Novelty, do you make any queftion whether any thing be new ? It fcems that Bernard thought that humane Traditions were too much befriended, when he thus defcribeth the AfTcmblies thatheapproveth,i^//?. 91. \_Sucha Council ( do I delight in ) in which the Traditions of men are not obfiinately defended, or fuperftitioufly obferved ; but they do diligtntly and humbly enquire, what is thegoody and well pleafing ,and perftfi will of God.] Acditfeeras to me that General Councils by error intro- duced Novelties, when Later Councils were fain to undo what the former had done : For fo doth bieffed A ugu ft i*e pro fcfe they did, faying , De Baptif. com. Donat. lib. 2. cap. 6. £ And Councils themfelves that are gathered through fever al Regions or Provinces ydo without any fcruple yield to the authority of more plenary Councils that are gathered out of the whole (fhrifti an world; tcree\ If not, the forming of the decree frail be de- ferred till the Pope of Rome, being advifedwithy /ball return his anfwer ~] And faith BelUrmine de Concil. lib. leap. 11. [_ In the Council o/Ba(il, Sef. 2. it was decreed by common confent, to- gether with the Popes Legate , that a Council is above the Pope •, which certainly is now judged erroneous ] And the Council of La- ter an and Florence decreed the contrary. And Pighius faitb,£fr- trarch.Ecclef I 6, that [the Council: 0/Conftance and Bafil went A £\ey for Catbolicks. 237 we fit about bj anew tricky and pernicious example to deftroy tins Ecclefialiical H ierarchy, and infiead of it to bring in the Domi- nation of a promifcmm confufed popular multitude , that is te raife again B aby bn itfelf,fubjetling to themfelves , or to the com- munity of the Church , ( which they falfly pretended that they Reprefent ) the very Head and Prince of the whole Church ; and him that is the Vicar of Chrifi himfelf in this his- Kingdom, and thii again fi Order and Nature , againft the cleareft light of Gofpel verity, againft all Authority of Antiquity, and againfi the un- doubted Faith and Judgement of the Orthodox Church itfelf. ] Mark Papifts : General Councils with the Popes Nuncio may bring in Novelties in faith, againft the cleareft light of the Gofpe!, and the full Confent of Antiquity ^ and yet thefe Councils affirmed their opinions to be de fide, and the contrary to be Heretical and Damnable, and contrary to all Antiquity. You fee then that Novelties are among you in matters of faith. And the French to this day are guilty of thofe Novelties, and alfo charge their Adverfaries with Innovation. Nay what will you fay, if General Councils themfelves are but Novel ies, though th^y a^e the foundation of the faith of one half of the Papifts ( a; the Pope is of the other ) I fay net fo, but judge whether your Champion Pighius fay fe.Wer arch, Ecclef lib. 6. cap, \. fol. 230. where he faith that [Concilia ftniverfalia non habent Divinam , &c. General Councils have net a Divide or Supernatural Original, but meerly an humane Original^ and are the Invention of Conftantine a Prince, profita- ble indeed fometimes to find out in Contr over fie, which is the Ortho- dox and Catholic^ truth, though to this they are not neceffary ; feeing its a readyer way to advife with the Apoftelick^feat J How now Sirs? Is your Reprefentative Church the foundation of your faith, a Novelty of fonftantines invention •, and yet are you in the old way, and mud we be put to prove you to be No- velifls ? Do you think thofe Popes did go the Old way, of whom Alvarus Pelagius fpeaks ( de planBu Ecclef art. 15. lib. 2.) that [they facceeded in authority, but not in Santlity, intruding themfelves, procuring, bargaining, Rebuilding Totters -and Pa- laces in Babylon ^that is,in Rome according to Hierom] Some foul innovation lure they were guilty of that fore* edified 'Babylon. Hh 3 So 2^8 ^K?yfor Catholich. So that this is my firft proof that you are Novelifts ; from the General Accufations of others, and CqnfeiTions of your own. 2. Another proof that changes may be, and yet the time and Authors be unknown , is from the inilance of other Churches that have been corrupted or fubverted by Innovati- ons, and yet the time and authors are unknown. You accufc the Churches in Babajfta of many errori your fclves ; and you are not able to tell us when they came in, or who introduced them. The fame may be faid of the Georgians, Armenians, Egyptians, yea arid of the Greeks and Ruffians. Can you tell us when, and by Whom each error was introduced that corrupt- ed the Churches mentioned in the Scripture ? as Corinth, Phi - IippiiColofj,The]J,4l6fiic4>£phefujiLaodic2. that {this power was alxvay in the Church : that in difpenftng the Sacrament slaving the fub fiance of them it might ordain or change things yas it [bould judge moft expedient to the profit of the receiver. ~\ Vafque^To. 2. Dijp.216. N. 60. faith [ Though we Jhould grant that this was a precept of the Apoftks , nevertheless the Church and Pope might on juft caufes abrogate it : For the Power of the Apoftles was no greater then the power of the Church and Pope in bringing in Precepts ,] Thefelciced in another Treatife againft Popery, page 365, Where alfo I added that of Pope Inmcent [ Secundum plenitudi- mm poteftatis, dec. By the fulnefs of our power, we can difpenfe with the Law above Law~] And the Glofs that oft faith f The Pope di/penfeth againft the Apoftle^ againft the Old Tcftamcnu The Pope difpenfeth with the Gofpell interpreting it ] And Gregor. devalent. faying ( Tom. 4. difp,6. 7.8.) [ Certainly fome things in later times are more right If conftituted in the Church then they were in the beginning ] And of Cardinal Per on s faying lib. 2. Obf. 3. cap. 3. pag. 674. againft King fames, of the Au- thority of the Church to alter matter* conteined in the Srripture.- and his inftance [ of the form of Sacraments being alterable ; and the Lords command [Drinl^ ye all of it ] mutable and difpen! "able. And Tolets [ Its certain that all things inftituted by the Apoftks Vrerenetof Divine right. ] Andtadius ( DefenfConcil.TridJib. 2. pag. 236. Q Hence it is plain that they do not err that fay the "Topes of Rome may femetime difpenfe with Laws made by Paul and the four fir ft Councils j AndBzoviw £ The Ro- man Church ufmg Apoftolical power , dot h according to the Con* dition of times , change all things for the better ] And vet w-li you not give us leave to take you for chancers and Novelifts ? But let usaddro thefe witneffes , fome more of your wor- thies, Auguft. Trihmph. de A neon, q. 5 art.i. faith [T*n%ah a Ii 2 m & 244 A K?y for Ccttbolich new Creed, belongs only to the Pope, becaufe he u the Head of the .ft inn faith , by whofe authority all things belonging to faith Are cor.fi-rmtJ and firengthened ■ ~} Et Art. 2. [_ As he may make a neve Creed, fo he may multiply new Articles up who hath a mind to condemn h:r. Schifm is a departure or divifion from the unity of the Church , whereby the boni and Communion held with feme former Church u broken and Jijfolved. J f ever the Church of Rome divided her felf from any body of ftithfull Chriftiar.s^ or broke C ommunion, or went forth fr$m the Society of any Elder Church , I pray you fatisfie me in thtfe particulars. 1 . Whofe company did/he leave ? 2. From what body went fhe forth f 3. where was the true Church (he for fook^ ? For it appears not a little ft range , that a Church Jhsuld he accounted Scbifmatical, when there canmt be afftgnedany other Church different from her (which from age to age fince Chrift? time hath continued vifible)frem whence fie departed. J Thus far the Papifts Manufcripr. J»: 246 A I\ey for Catbolicks- z/in Anfiver te the feregoing Argument. IF the Author of jhis Argument thinks as he fpeaks, its a cafe to be lamented with tears of blood , that the Church of Chriftfhouldbeabufed,andthefoulsofmen deluded by men of fo great ignorance. But if he know that he doth but juggle and deceive, its as lamentable that any matter of Salvation (hould fall into fuch hands. 1 .This Argument I have before anfwered,Ztoe#. 1 3 .The word Church here is ambiguous,and either (ignifieth, 1 . A particular Church,which is an Affociation of Christians for perfonal Com- munion in Gods worfhip. 2. Or divers fuch Affociat'ions or Churches AfTociated for Communion by their officers or dele- gates, for unity fake. 3 . Or elfe it mayfignifie fomeoneMi- ltris Church that is the Ruler of all the reft in the world. 4. Or elfe it may fignifiethe Univerfal ( Catholick ) Church it felf, which containeth all the particular Churches in the world. The Papift (hould not have plaid either the blind man or the Jugler by confounding thefe , and never telling us which he means. 1. For the firft,we grant him that Rome was once an ex- cellent flourifhing Church : And fo was Ephefus% Hiemfalem , Philippi, Colojfe and many more. 2. As to the fecond fence it is humane,or from Church cuftom, fo to take the word Church, for Scripture, that I find doth not fo ufe ic : But for thething,we are indifferent ; Though it can- not be proved that in Scripture times Rome had sny more then a particular Church ; yet its all one as to our caufe. 3. As to the third and fourth fenfes, we deny, as confidently as we do that the Sun is darknefs/that ever in Scipture times Rome was either a Mother to all Churches, or the Ruler and Mi- ftris of all, or yet the Univerfal Church it felf. Prove this, and J will turn Papift. But there's not a word for it in the Texts cited, but an intima- tion of much againft it. T^/caileth Rome a Church , and cora- m^ndethitsfaith.True,butdothhenot fobvthe Thejfahniansf CohJfians^Ephefian^ Philippians^&c* and fohnby tbe ThtU- delphUn*^ Pergammi Thjatira. and others, as well ? And will not A Z\ey for Catholicks. 247 not this prove thsLtRome was but fuch a particularChurchas one of them / The citation of Proteftants are done it feems by one that ne- ver read them, nor would have others read them ; which makes him turn us to whole books to fcarch for them, if we have no- thing elfe to do, and to mifcited places. But we know that ail our Divines confefs that Rome was once a true and famous par* ticularChurch, but never the Univcrfall Church, nor the Ruler oftheworld,or of all other Churches, in Pauls dayes. Would you durft lay your caufe on this, and put it to the tryal ? Why elfe did never fWmake one word of mention ofthisPower and honour, nor lend other Churches to her to be Governed ? And now I pray confider to what purpofe is the reft of your reafoning? What is it to me, whether Romebe turned either Apoftate, Heretical, or SchifmaticaJ, any more then whether ferufalem, Sfhefm , Philippe or any other Church be fo fain ? If you are not fain I am glad of it; ifyouarelamforry for it; and fo I have done with y ou(unlefs I knew 4iow to recover you.) Would you not laugh even at the Church of ferufalem that was truly the Mother Church of the world, if they fhould thusrea- fon £ We are not fain away : therefore we mtift Rule over all the world , and no man is a £hriftian that doth not obey us ? ] This is the fport you make in the cheating of fouls. Well; but let us follow you, though our caufe be not con- cerned in it. i.I anfwer,that we accufe you not of renouncing the name of Chrift. 2. We muft needs fear, that according to to your own definition of Herefie, you are guilty of many Herefies. AndtoyourQueftions, Ianfwer. i.Tpray you tell us what General Councils did ever condemn one half of theHerefiei men- tioned by Ep-phaniHs^Atigttftine or Philaftritts}W&s there ever a greater rabble of Herefies then before ever a General Council was known ? and were they dead andburyed before the firft General Council was born ? 2 . Did you rot fmile when you wrore tbefe delufory Qucftions ? How can a General Coun- cil condemn you,or any great part of the Church : forinftance the Greeks, &c. If you be not there its not a General Council? And will you be there to condemn your felves ? you have more wi: andieis grace then fo. And I pray , what General Coun- cil! 2 4 8 A f\ey for Qa tholkfa . cil did ever condemn the Greeks, for thofe many errors charged on them ? If the Greeks themfelves were not there , it was not a General Council ; fo considerable a part are they of the Church. And what General Council hath condemned the Abaf- fines, Egyptians, &ca 3 . Do you think General Councils are fo ftark mad or hor- ridly impious,as to condemn fo many Kingdoms with one con- demnation , forHefefie? Why, they know that men rauft be heard, before they be condemned,and a Kingdom confiftethof many millions of fouls. And it is not enough to know every mans faith, if we know the faith of theKing,orPope,or Arch- bifliop, or Bifhops : And how long (hail they be examining each perfon in many Kingdoms? 4 But yet I can fay more of your Church then of others. He that kills the Head, kils the Man: Your UfurpingHead is an Effential part of your New-formed Church : But your Head hath been condemned by Councils; therefore your Church in its effential part hath been condemned by Councils. Do you not know that all the world fas well as the feigned Council Sittttejfan. ) condemned your Pope Marcellinus for Offering to Idols i* Know you not that two or three General Councils con- demned Pope Honorim as a Monothelite ? Yes .* no doubt you know it.Knowyou not that the fecond GcneralCouncil of£phe. fm condemned and excommunicated your Pope ? And that the Council of Bafil called by him did the like ? If you do not, fee Bellarmittes parallel of them de Conciliis lib.2. cap. n. Do I need to tell you what the Council of Conftance did? Or for what fohn 22. alias 23 . and fobn 13. and other Popes were depofed by Councils ? 2. And for Fathers, do I need to tell you how many con- demned Marcellinm^Liberhs^ Honor ins and others? How oft Hilary Piftav. ( in fragment is in recit.JEpift. Liberii ) doth cry out Anathema tibiLbtri, prevaricator : prefuming to curfe and excommunicate your Pope. Need I tell you what Tertnllian faith againft Zephernipts : Yea what ^Iphonftts a Cafiro and di- vers of your own fay againft Liberies, Honorius, Anaftafins, Celefkine •, and tell us that many Popes have been Hereticks? At leaftgive us leave to believe 'Pope Adrian the fixth him- ftl£ Read Bom. Barnes in zm Z* q.i. Art, 10. Wtare he proves A J^ey for Catholic ks. 249 proves at large againft: Pighius, chat a Pope may be an Heretic^ and laughs at Pighius that now after two hundred vears would prove them falfe witnefTes, which write that Pope Honorius was condemned for an Heretick by three Popes, viz. Agatho, Leo the fecond, and Adrian the fecond, 3. But perhaps you'l fay, that though jour Popes have been condemned by Councils, yit fo have not jour maintained dottrines. Anfw. Yes, that they have too. Did not the Councils at Ccn- ftantinople condemn the Dodrine of the fecond Nicene Council for Imagc-worfhip, andthcCouncil at Frankford do the. like? And thofe two at Conjl antinop le were as much General as your Council of Trent was, and much more. And yet that fame Council at Nice did condemn the dodrine of St. Thorn. Aquinas , and your Doctors commonly of wor- shipping the Image of Chrift, andCrofs, and fign of the Crofs with Latria, divine worfhip. And did not \ our Genera! Councils ae Laterane and Florence de- clare that the Pope is above a~Council,and that they cannot dc- pofe him ? &c. And yet your General Councils at Conftance and Baftl determine the contrary as an Article of Faith,and exprefly affirm the former to be Herefie. See then your own dodrine, •even in a fundamental point condemned by General Councils of your own ( which fide foever you take, the Popes, or the Coun- cils. ) And did not the fixt Council of Carthage , of which St. Ah- guftine was a principal member, not only deted Pope Zofimns forged Canon of Nice, but alfo openly and prevalently refill and rejed your Ufurpation, andrefufe your Legates and Ap- peal; to you? If you would cloak this, believe your own Pope Boniface, Epift. ad Eulalium, faying [ Aurelius fometime Bifkcf of Carthage, with his Colleagues , did begin, by the Devils infti- gation to wap proud againft the Church of Rome in the times of •ur Prpkfrjfors^omhcc and Celefiine. j - Atfd if you have learnt to except againft this Epiftle, fee yourBifhop Lindanus juftifyingir, Panopl. L cap.$9. Or at leaft believe your Champion Harding zg&inii Jewels Challenge, art. 4. [eft. 1 9. T After the whole African Church had perfevered in fchifm the [pace of twenty years, and had removed themfelves ^romthe obedence of the Apoftolick. feat \ being feduced by Au- Kk 'reliut 250 A i\eyfor Catbolicks. rchus Btfiop of Carthage.") Again note, that Anftm wasone or them. Butyou'ifay, that this was not a General Council : Anfw. True ; for when part rifeth againft part, it cannot be the whole that is on either fide. Moreover do you not know that the Greeks have condemned you oft? And truly their Councils have been much more Ge- neral then yours at Trent was, whereabout forty Bifhops alter- ed the Canon of Scripture, and made Tradition equal with it. I think verily this one County would haic afforded a far better Council of a greater number. But He once more name one General Council that hath con- demned your very foundation j and that is the fourth General Council at Catcedm before mentioned , Aft. 15. Can. 28. & Aft. 16. where you may find, 1. That the ancient Priviledges of the Roman Throne were given them by the Fathers ( in Council) 2. That the Reafon was, becaufe Rome was the Im- perial City. 3. They give Equal Priviledges to the feat of Con- ftantinople, becaufe it was now become New Rome. 4. That the Roman Legates would not be prefent at this ac%. 5. But the next day when they did appear, and pretended that this ad was forced, the Bifhops all cryed [ No man was compelled : Itsajuft decree ; we all fay thus •, we all appreve it : Let that ft and that ij decreed; its all right. ] 6. Here fpecially note that this General Council thought they . needed not the Popes Approbation for the validity of their De- crees, when they pafs them, and take them for valid, even con- trary to the will of the Pope. Speakyoathat bear the leaft re- verence to a General Council. Did thh Council chink thst their Decrees were invalid, if the Pope approve them not ? You fee, if you be not wilfully blind, they did not. And who is now to be believed ? Bellarmine and his party, and the prefent prevalent party of the Papifts, that fay, Councils not approved by the Pope are invalid or without authority ; or the Council of Cafce- den that thought othcrwife ? 7. Note that the Popes Legates called this [An humbling and depr e flings and wronging of the Pap acjy and therefore entred their diffent : fee Bellarmincs Confeflkn lib. 2. de Pontiff, cap. 17. Bin- «*#r notes on this Council. Baronius an^%i. &> Note A i\ey for Catboluks . ; 2 5 1 8. Note alfo Chit the fllifts of Btllarm. Binnipts, Barents , Becanus, Gretfer, &c. are apparently falfe, that fay this Canon was furreptitiouflv brought into the Council .- for , and the reft aforecited did what they did. By as good Authority as the Church of Rome condemneth the Greek Church, doth the Greek Church and many another condemn the Church of Rome. 3 . The next cafe is about the R.oman fchifm. To your Quc- ftions, Ianfwer, 1. To Queftion whether Papifts be Schifraa- ticks, is to queftion whether Ethiopians be black. Do you no* at ths day divide from ail theChriftian world, fave your fclvesi^ Do you not unchurch moft of the Chriflians on earth ( O dreadful preemption! when Ghrift is fo tender of his inte- reft and his fervants, and is bound as it were, by fo many promifes to fave them and not forfake them.) You ask, what Church ym It ft ? and when was it ? and who fe company ? Senflefs Queftions. By a Church if yoa mean the Univerfal Church, there is but One in all : and therefore One Univerfal Church cannot forfake another ; but when part of itforfaketh the other part, A t\ey for Catholicks. iff part, and arrogatcch the title of tbe whole to themfeives^ do you doubt whether this be Schifm f If you mean a particu- lar Church : How can Spain, Italy, France, and many more Kingdoms go out of a particular Church, that contain lb many hundred particular Churches in them? No more then London can go out of Pattls Church. The Catholick is but One con- taining all trae Chriftians on earth :and you have been guilty of a moft horrid Schifm, as ever the Church knew. For 1. You have fet up a Church in ^he Church : An Univerfal Church in the Univerfal Church : Anew form deftru&ive to tbe old. Your Pope as Chrift-reprefentative is now an Eflencial pare of it, and no man is a member of it, that is not a member of the Popes body, and fubjed to him. So that even the Antipdes and the poor .^rfjj/rf;*/ that know not whether the Pope be fifh or flefh, or never beard of fucha name or thing, muft all be unchriftencd, unchurched and damned ,if you be Judges. Yea and Bellarmine tells us ( which indeed your Church Conftitution doth infer ) that all that are duly baptized, are interpretatively or implicitely baptized into the Pope. 2. And as you have devifed a New Catholick Church : fo you hereby caft off and difown all the Chriftians of the world that be not of your party : determining it as defide, that none of them can be fa ved ; who yet had rather venture on your Curfe and Cenfure, then into your Herefie and Schifm. 3. And hereby you fix your felvesin this Schifm, and put us (that unfeignedly long for peace ) out of all Hope of ever having Peace with yourbecaufe you will hearken to it on no terms, but that all men become fubje&s to your ufurping Re- prefentative-Chrifl, which we dare as foon leap into the fire as do. Do you know now where the Church or Body was that you forfook ? It was all over the world where ever there were any Chriftians; Were it not a great Schifm, th enr per tot Mates ae feeuU nemo repertus efty qui ncs errr antes commonercnt] i.e. We are in the fame A %eyfor £atbolicks. 255 fame Belief as we were from the beginning.* If ic were not right , why did no man in fo many ages warn usofour er- ror till now?] Mark here adpuble Argument coucht againft the Pope, One from Tradition, even ApoftolicalTradicon , ( for Godignus himfelf faith, that no man doubts but Ethi- opia received the faith from the beginning , even from the the Eunuch and St. Mathew. ) The other is , that fure that Pope that cannot info many ages look after his flock, no notfo much as to fend one man to tell them that they erred till about one thoufand five hundred years after Chrift, was never intend- ed by Chrift to be the Univerfal Governour of the world. What ! will Chrift fetany on an Impoffible work ? Or make it fo neceffary to people to obey one that they never fo much as " hear from } But what faid the Jefuite to the old woman I Why he told her £ Non potuiffe Romanum Pontificemtfui totim (fhrifti Ecclefia paflor eftjrateritis retro annis ,D obi ores in Abaffiam wit- ter e, eb qmd Mahnmetani omnia cirenmdarent, nee ullum ad ipfoj additum relinqnerani. Nunc vero aperta jam Aiaritima fid t/Ethiopiamvia, id praftare quod nequivit pritis~\ that is, \_ The Pope of Rome who is the Paftor of the whole Church of Chrift, was not able in the years paft to fend Doctors into H#- baffia% becaufethe Mahometans compelled all, and left not any pafTageto them. But now the fe:«s are open, he can do that which hecould not before] Liter, Gonzal. Roder. in tjodig*. de Reb. Abafs. lib. 2. cap. 18. pag. 324. A fair anfwer* As if Chrift had fet either the Pope,or the Abafftnes an impof- fible task : and appointed a Governour that for fo many hun- dred yean could not govern : or the people muft be fo many hundred years noChnftians , though they believed in Chrift,t\ll the Pope could fend to them ? And how fhould thefe and all fucfo Countries fend Bftiops to a General Council ? As your own Canm Loo. Theol. faith of the Jcfuites .' fofay I of your New Church [Voeati eftis ad focietatcm fe- fu Chrifti , qu Wherethe cafe is notori- ous. A £\ey for Catbolitks . 257 ous,theoffcndorisj/>/o;4r£ cut off. 3. 1 hen ir is in the Popes Power to let whole millions ofHereticks to be flill pirts of the Church.Andfothe world (hall beChriltiansor no Chriftiansas he pleafe:and why may he no: let Turks and Infidels on the fame grounds be pares of the Church ? For he. may forbare to judge thera,if chat will ferve.4/Ihenall the Chriflians in the world thac the Pops hath not yet judged and caft out , are members of the Church: And then millions and millions are of the Church thac never were fubje&s of the Pope. If you fay , It is enough thac there is a General condemnation of all that are guilty as they are : I anfwer,then icis enough to cut off a Pope,thac there was a General condemnaton againft fucb as he. 5-Buc if all this fatisfie you not, yet I told you before, thac two or three Councils i»nd three Popes did all judge Pope Honoring guiky of Herefie f and confequently both Popes and General Councils have judged that a Pope may be an Herer ck ) therefore you have been judged Heretical in your Head,which is an efTntial pirt of yonr Church. And thus I have (hewed you what is the fchifm of the Church of Rome , which being but a part , hath attempted to cut off all the reit , and fo hath made a new pretended Catholick Church : Asa part of the Old Church which confifteth of all Christians united in Chrift, we confefs all thofe of you, ftill to be a pirc,cbat deftroy not this Chriftianity .-But as you are new gathered to a Chrift-Reprefentative,or Vicar General, we deny you to be any Church of Chrilt. If you be Church members or iaved.it muft be as Chriflians •, but never as Papifts. For a Papift may be a Chriftian,but not as a Papift. And if yet you cannot fee the Church that you feparate from, open your eyes and look into much of Europe, and all over Afia aimoft where are any Chriftians : look \r\to *sfrmeni a, Paleftme , Sgipt , Ethiopia, and many other Countries, and you fhall find thac you are buc a fmaller part of the Church. If you will not believe what I have before proved of this . hear what your own fay .Anton. Marinaritis in the Council of Trent com- plaineth [thdt the Church is fhut up in the Comers of "Europe, and jet Bom? flicks enemies arifejhat waftc this portion /hut up in a corner.~~\ Sonxius Bifbop of Antwerp ( inDmvnftat.JZtlfg. Chriflufi. L I ' lb. ■ 2 j 8 A f\ey for fakolick. lib. 2. Tra%. $ . c. 3 . ) faith [ / pray you what room hath the Ca- tholick Church now in the habitable world } fcarce three elnes long in comparifsn of that vaftnefs which the Satanical Church doth pojfefi.2 If yet j ou boafl that you bave the fame feat that formerly you had; I anfwer,fohave the Biftiops of ' Conftantinople.Alexandria, and others whom you condemn : And we fay as Gregory Na- zianz.O rat.de lauLAihanafti £ It is afuccejjion ofG$dlinefs that is properly to be efleemed a fucceffion : For he that profeffeth the fame detlrine of faith , is alfo partaker of the fame throne^ But he that embraceth the contrary belief , ought to be judged an advcr- faryjhot$gh he be in the throne. This indeed hath the name offuc- cejfion>y but the other hath the Thing it felf9and the Truth] And benexcaddethfuch words as utterly break your fucceffion in pieces : faying [ Fir he that breaketJf in by force ( as abundance of Popes did ) is not to be efteemed a fuccejfor j but rather he that fujfereth force : nor he that breakeththe Laws: but he that is cho- fen in manner agreeable to the Laws i nor he that holdeth contrary tenets ; but he, that is endued with the fame faith : Vnlefs any man will call him a ^ucceffor , as we fay a ficknefs fucceedeth health ; or darknefs fucecedeth light , and a ftorm fucceeds a calm% (or madnefs or diftratlion) fucceedeth prudence] Thus Na- zianz. pag. 377. • We conclude therefore with one of your own ( Lyra Glof. in Math. 16. ) [_ Becaufe many "Princes and chief Priefls ( or Popes )' and other inferiors , have been found to Apoflatizc^the Church confifieth in thdfe perfons in whom is the true knowledge and confcfpon of Faith and Verity ] And fo much to this empty Manufcripc. Chap. XXXVI. DeteEl* 27. A Nothcr of their Deceits is this ; To charge ns X\ with introducing New Articles of faith or pints of Religion , becaufe we contradict the New Articles fthich 2 hey introduce-, and then they require us to prove our dotlrines which are hut the Negatives oft heirs. We receive no Doctrines of faith or worfliip but what was . delivered J. L^ey for Qatholicks. 2*9 delivered by th? Apoftles to the Church : Thefe men bring in abundance of New ones,and fay without proof, that they re- ceived them from the Apoftles. And hecaufe we refufe to re- ceive their Novelties, they call our Rejedions of them £ the Dotlrincj of our Religion • ] and feign us to be the Innovators. And by this device, it is in the Power of any Heretick to force the Church to take up fuch as thefe men call New points of faith. IfaPapiltftiall fay, that befides the Lords Prayer Chrift gave his Difciples another Form, or two,or three,or many • or that he gave them ten New Commandments not mentioned in the Bible , or that he oft defcended after his Afcenfion a:id con- verfed with them,or that there are many more worlds of men befides this earth ^ or that Chrift inftitutcd twenty Sacraments , how fhould we deal with thefe men,but hy denying their ri&ions as finfull Novelty , and re jeding them as corrupt additions to the Faith ? And were this any Novelty in us ? And fhould they bid us prove in the exprefs words of Scripture or antiquity , our Negative Propofitions, [ that Chrift gave but one formofpray- er,that he did not oft defcend.that he gave no more Deci'ogues, Sacraments, &c. ] Is it not a fufficient proof of any of thefe, that they are not written ; and that no Tradition of them from the Apoftles is proved; and that they that hold the Affirmative 1 and introduce the Novelty, muft prove, and not we? Our Articles of faith are the fame , and not increafed, nor any new ones added : But the Papilts come in with a new faith as large as all the Novelties in the Decretals and the Councils, and thefe innovations of theirs we rejed Now our Re jedions do not increafe the Articles of our faith, no more then my beating a dog out of my houfe , or keeping out an enemy, or fwceping outtheflltb,doth enlarge my houfe,or increafe my family They do not take all the Anathema and Rejections in their own Councils, to be Canons or Articles of faith. For example, The Pope hath made it an Article of fakh, that no Scripture isto be interpreted hat according to the unani- mous cenfent of the Fathers. This we rejed, and make it no Ar- ticle of our faith , but an erroneous Novelty. Do we hereby make a new Article ? becaiife we re jed a new one of theirs, (yea a part of the Oith of their Church made by Pope Pi- rn after the Council of Trent ) 1 • If this be an Article , prove ic LI 2 if 2 6 o A %eyfor Otholicks. if you can. 2. If ie be a Truth, and no Noveicy, I pray you tell us which be Fathers, and which not ? and help us to know certainly when we have all, or the unanimous Confent. And then tell us whether every man is not forfworn with you that in- terprets any text ofScripture before he have read all the Fathers, or any text which fix of them never expounded ; or any text which they do nor unanimoufly agree on? And ) et(though it be not our ncceffary task ) we can eafily prove to you,that this is a New Article of your devifing. i. Becaufe elfe no manmuft expound any Scripture at all before thefe Fathers were born. For how could the Church before tbem have their unanimous confent ? And 2. Becaufe that otherwife thefe Fathers themfelves wanted an Article of faith , unlefs it was an Article to them, that they mult expound no Scripture but by their own Con- fenr. 3 . Becaufe thefe Fathers do few of them expound al^or fcalf,or the twentieth part of the Scripture. 4. Becaufe they took liberty to difagree among thcmfelveSjand therefore do not unanimoufly confent in abundance of particular texts. 5. Be- caufethey tell us that they are fallible, and bid us not take it on their truft. 6 . Becaufe the Apoftles have left us no fuch rule or precept , but much to the contrary. 7. Your own Doctors (for all their Oath,) do commonly charge the Fathers with error and mifexpounding Scripture, as I (hewed before , Canm and many others charge Cajetan ( a Cardinal and pillar in your Church ) with making it his praftife to differ from the Fathers, andchooiing expolitions purpofely for the Novelty; pro more fuot as his cuflom : And when be hath highly extolled Cajetan * ( Loc. Theol.lib.j.pag. 223 . ) he adds,that {yet his dotlrine was defiled with a Leprofie of errors \by an affettion and lufi of Curt- ofity , or confidence on his wit, expounding Scripture as he lifl^ happily indeed for the moft part, but in fbnte few places more acute- ly then happily , becaufe he regarded not antient Tradition , and was not verfl in the reading of the Fathers , and would not learn from them the Myfteries of the fealed book ] And in another place he blames him,that he alway followed the Hebrew and Greek text : And many other Papifts by him and others are blamed for the fame faults : Andradius, and more of the later plead for ic. And yet thefe men are counted members of your Church,thae go againft an Article of your new faith and Oath. So A t\ey for Qatbolkks. 26 r So Tranfubftantiation is one of your New Articles in thac Oath. Do we make a New one nowifwereje&ic ? Or need we be put to prove the Negative? And yet we can eafily do ic : And Edm. Albertinus ( among many others ) hath done ic unanfwerably. Another of your Articles is, that [ it belongeth to your Holy Mother the Church to judge of the true fence of Scripture ] And you mean the Roman Church ; and that they mu(t judge of ic for all the Chriftian world. Prove this to be the Antienc dodrine if youcan. Ifwerejed this Novelty, are we Innovators? or need we prove the Negative? And yet we can do it, and have oft done it at large. Did Athanafius,BaJil, Naz,ianzmtNyffen^, Auguftine, Hierom, Chryfoflome, Epiphanius s and the reft of the Fathers, fend eo Rome for the fence of the Scriptures which they expound, or did they procure the Popes Approbation before any of them pubJifhed their Commentaries ? You knowfure that they did not. The like may bcfaid of all the reft of your New Ardcles,and Pra&ifes: We ftand our ground. Some of your Novelties we rejed as trifle?, fome as lmaller errors, and fome as greater: but (till we keep to our antient faith, of which the Scripture is a full and fufficient Rule ( as Vincemius LWinenf ubi fupra ) though we are glad of ail helps to underftand it, we fay withTVr- tufliandecarne Chrifti, cap. 6. Nihil de eo con/tat juia Scriptura non exhibet. Non probant, quia non Scriptnm eft- His qui infu'er argumtntantnr nos reftftemus*- Cha p. XXXVIL BcteB. 28. A Nother of their Deceits is this: They make JLjL advantage of our charitable Judgement of them% and of their uncharitable judgement of us and all other Chrtftiant^ to affright and entice people to their feci. They fay that we can* nor befaved , nor any that are not of the Rom*n Church : But -ws- fay that a P apt ft may befaved'- They fay that we want abundatiec of the Articles of faith that are of necellity to falvation : We fay that the Papifts hold ail that is neceiTary to falvation : Lu~ sberfwh that the Kernel of true faith is yet in the Church of LI 3 ; Rome j ; i6z A Kjy for Catbolicks- Rome •, therefore fay they, Let Proteflants take the (hell. And hence they make the fimple people believe, that even according to our own Confefiions, their Church and way isfaferthen ours. Ihaveanfwered this formerly in my [Safe Religion,'] but yet (hail here once more (hew you the nakednefsof thisDe- ceir. i. ThePapiftsdcnyisg the faith and falvation of all other Chriftians/doth no whi: invalidate our faith, nor (hake our fal- vation. Our Religion doth not ceafe to be true, when ever apeevifhadverlary will deny it, or accufe it. Men are in never the more danger of damnation, because a Papilt or any other partial Se&ary will tell them that they (hall be damned. We believe not that the Pope hath fo far the Power of the Keyes of Heaven, as that he can keep out whom hepleafe. We have a proraife of falvation from Chrift, and then we can bear the threatningof a Pope. When Bejlarmine judgeth Pope Sixths damned himfeif. its ftrange that hefhouldhave a power before to difpofe of Heaven for others, and (hut out whom he pleafed, that muft be (hut out himfeif. TneNovatians, Donatrfts, Ana- baptifts,or any fuch Se&,that held the fubftance of theChrifti- an faith, might have pleaded this Argument as well as the P&- pifts : for they alfo have the courage to pafs the fentence of dam- nation upon others, if that will ferve turn; and we have the Charity to fay, that fome of them may be faved. 2. If by the Papifts own confefiion, Charity be the life of all the graces or holy qualities of the foul, and that which above all others proveth a man to be Juftified, and in a (late of falvati- on then judge by this Argument of their own, whether our charicablenefs, or their uncharitablenefs be the better fign : and whether it be fafer to joyn with the charicable or the uncharita- ble ? yea With them that are fo nocorioufly uncharitable, as to condemn the far greateft part of the Church of Chrift, meerly becaufe they are not Pa pi 'Is. 3, When we fay that a Pap'rft may be faved, it is with a!l thefe limitations. 1 . We fay that a Papilt as a ChriOian may be faved, bntnotasaPapift. As a man that hath the Plague may Live; feucnot by the Plague. 2. We fay that Popery is a great enemy and fainderance to mens falvation • and therefore that thofe among A I\ey for Catbolicks. z 6 $ among them that arc faved, mutt be faved from Popery, and not If) it. 3. We fay, that therefore falvation is a rarer thing among the Papifts, then among the Reformed Catholicks : where it is moft difficult, it is like to be moft rare; many more of the Or- thodox are like to be faved then of the Papifts. 4. A nd we fay, that where Popery prevaileth againft Christianity, and fo much maftereth the heart and life, that the Chriftian dodrine is noc Practically received, there is no falvation to be had for fuch without Converfi©n.Thus isit that we fay aPapift may be faved. And for my part, I will not be the more uncharitable to them, for fear of giving them advantage. I know Hunmus hath written a Book to prove them noChriftians,and Perkins hzih written another to prove, that a Pap ft cannot go beyond a Re- probate .- and I mult needs fay fo too, of all thofe in whom Po- pery is predominant practically, and overcometh Chrifttanity. But yet! doubt not, but God hath thoufands among them that (hill be faved : partly of the common people that are forced to forbear contradiding the Prielts; and that underftand not, or receive not all the myfteries of their deceit ; and partly among the Fryars and Jefukes, where forae of them take in the venom but fpeculatively ; or not predominantly and practically give themfelves to Mortification and an holy Life.- though I have known none fuch, yet when I read the writings of Gerfon^Kem- pis, Thaulerqj , Fertu, Bfirbanfon, Benediftus AngltistthtL\fe of Moiinfiettr de Renty,and fuch others ( though I fee in fome much of error, and meeraffedation, yet ) I am eafily perfwa- ded to believe, that they had the fpirit of God, and that there are many more fuch among them. Butlfhouldbe forry if Ho- linefs were not much more common among us, and freer from the mixtures of error and affedation. 4. And for our faying that they have the Kernel, and fo much as is necejfarj to falvation, it is true ^ but it is the fame Kernel that we hold : and we have it undefiled and unpoyfoned, and the Papifts mix it with the venom of their Errors. He "that hathf all things in his mtat and drink that I have in mine, may yet make it worfe then mine, if he will put dung or poyfon in it. When you have all things neceffary in a precious Antidore or other Medicine, you may foon marrall, by putting in more then all, ai the Papilts do, * The 264 ^K?yfor Catholkh. The plain truth is, che Papifts and Reformed Catholicks are both Chriftians, ?ndChriftianity is enough to fave them that tnarit not, bur. keep it pra&ically and predominancy : even as a man that takes poyfon, and he chat takech none, are both of them men : and he that takes the poyfon may be faid to have all the fame parts and members as the 01 her , and yet not be fo likely to live, as he that lets it alone ; And I cannot fay but many that take it may recover ; and if you ask me which be they ? I fay, All thefe that timelj cajl it up again , or elfe vohofe (Ircngth of Na~ . tureprevailetb againfi it, andkeepetb it from marring the Heart or vital Powers, /ball be recovered and live : but thole in whom the poyfon prevai eth and is predominant, (hall dk. So all thofe Papilsthat fo receive the Errors of Popery, as either to caft them up again; or that they are not predominant to the fub- duingof the power of Chriftian Faith and Holinefs, f by keep- ing them from being fi ncere, and practical, and predominant ) thefe (hall be faved, but not the reft. Now if upon thefe grounds, any man (hall think that Popery is the fafer way, becaufe we fay, that they have ail that is necef- fary to falvation ( objectively in their Creed ) and that a Pa- "pift. may be faved ^ upon the fame terms that man may be per- fwaded that it is fafeft taking poyfon, becaufe that he hath all the parts of a man that takes it, and pofiibly nature may pre- vail, and he may live. But yet 1 (hall choofe to let it alone. 5 . The fame Papifts that fay,that a Proteftant cannot be faved, do yet maintain that an Infidel may be faved, or one that be- lieveth not the very Articles of the Chriftian faith. You will think this ftrange. But I will a little infift on the proof of it, totheleufes. 1. That you may fee, that their cenfures proceed from meer defign or partiality. 2. That you may fee , that they make believing in the Pope to be more neceffary then be- lieving in Chrift, or in the Holy Ghoft. 3. That you may fee, how holy their Church is that admittcth of Infidels. 4. That you may fee,- on how fair grounds they deny, that we may be one Cathoiick Church with the YaLihcisfireeh'Egjftians^ Abaf- fines, Armenians t Waldenfit, &c. becaufe of fome differences ^ when yet they themfekes can be one Church with Infidels, or fuchasdeny the Articles of the Creed, or at lead believe them not. 5. And that you may fee, how well their Religion hangs together, A I(ey for Cat hoik fa. 265 together, andalfohow well they are agreed among themfelves, even about the effentials of Chriftianity it felf, whether they be of Neceftity to falvation or nor. I before cited the words of Albertintis the Jefuitc. I (hill now give you many more, and more fully, which Franf. a SanFla Clara hath gathered to my hands in his Dens, Naturat gratia% Pr»blem.i$. & i6.pag.109 &c. And 1. pxg- no. he tell* us himfelf that [the Doctors com- monly teach , that a jufi and probable ignorance ought to excufe : and that it is probable, when one loath a probable foundation (or ground ) as a Country- man, when he believe J that a thing is law- JuH, drawn by the Teftimony of his Parifh Prieft or Parents', or when a man feeing reafons that are probable on both fides, doth choofe thofe which feem to him the more probable , which yet indeed are againfi the truth, to which he is etherwife wellaffefted : in this cafe he erreth without fault , th&ughhe err againfi the truth, and fe labour of the contrary ignorance ] [ Hither is it to be reduced , when the Articles of Faith^are not propounded in a due manner, as by frivolous reafons , or by impious men: for then to believe^ were an acl of imprudence , faith Aquin..2.2.q. i. ar.4. ] So chat if the truth of Scripture be fo propounded as to feem moft improbable, it is no fin to disbelieve it ;and if fuch areexcufed,asby a Parent or Parifh.Prieft arc feduccd, and that have not a due propofal of the Truth, then it muft follow, that the Heathens and Infidels are innocent , that never had Chrift propofed any way to them, and by their Parents have been taught Mahometanifm, or Paganifm. But what if I can prove, that even the want of a due propofal is a punifhmenc for their fin? and that they ought themfelves to feek after the truth ? and that it is long o( their own fins that neceffary truths do feem improbable to them ? will fin excufe fin ? And pag. 1 1 1. he telleth us, [ That as to the Ignorance of things neceffarj as means ( to falvation ) the Dollars differ -3 for Soto 4.^.5. q.$.& I, denatur.& grat.c. 12. AndVegzlO. c, 20. fup. Tnd. will have no more ex p licit e faith required now in the Law of Grace % then in the Law ef Nature. Tea Vega loco citato , and Gab. 2. d. li.qu. 2. art. 3. & 3. d. 21. qu, 2. thinly that in the Law of Nature, and in cafes in the Law of Grace, a\ man hmj be faved with only 2{atural Knowledge , /tnd that the M m havit i66 A I\ey for Catholicks. habit of faith u not required. And Horantius {being of the contrary opinion ) faith , that they are men of great name that are again}} him, who fe gravity and great and painfull ftmies moved him, not to condemn them of here fie y in a doubtful I matter, not jet judged J (O happy Rome that hath a judge that can put an end to all their controverfies I And yet cannot determine whether it be Neceffary to falvation to be a Chriftian ! ) Q Yea ( faith S Clara) Alvarez de AuxiL difp. $6, with ethers, feems to hold that to fuftificatienu not required the know- ledge of a fupematuralobjeci at all. Others fay that both to Grace and to Glory an explicite faith in Chrifl is neceffary, as Bonavcnr. 3 . d. 25 . and others. Others fay that to falvation at lesft an ex* flicite faith in the Gofpel , or Chrifl is required, though not to Grace or j l unification. And this u the commoner in the Schools, as Herera declareth, andfollmeth it. ] A nd for Scot us S. Clara faith [ I take him to be of that opinion* that is not neceffary as a Afeans to Grace or Glory to have an expli- 1 cite Behef 'of Chrifl or the Gofpel.(\U 4.d.3 .q 4.) he feems at large to prove. ] Pag. 113. he adds £ what is clearer, then that at this day, the Gsfpellbindeth not, where it is not authentically f reached ; that is, that at this day men may be faved without an explicite belief of Chrifl : for %n that fence fpeakj the Dotlor concerning the fews. sslna verily what ever my illuflriom M.afler hold,wrth his Learn* ed Mafler Herera , I thinly that this was the Opinion of the Do- tlor ( >cotus, ) and the amnion one , which alfo Vega, a faith* ful Scotifl fo/lowsth ; and Fabcr 4. d. 3. Petigianis 3. d. 25. q. 1. and of the Thomifts Bannes , 22. q. 2. a. 8. Cane, and others. ~\ And he gathers it to be the mind of the Council of Trent, Se(. 6. cap. 4. and adds pag. 113. [ Its effectually proved by the Do- clor, fremjohi 15. Iflhadnot come and [poke to them, they had not had fin \ 1 know the Dotlors of the contrary opinion anfrverjhat fuch are not cendemned for the fin of Infidelty precifely, but for other fins that hinder the illumination and fpecial help of God. But verily the D'jtlor there argueth, that the Jews might by circumcifion he cleanfed from Original fin, and favedwitheut the Gofpel : and accordingly he may argue as to all others, to whom the Gofpel is not authentically promulgate : Elfe his reafon would not hold. And A i\ey for Catbolicks . 2 67 cur moft grave Corduba 1.2.qu. Theol. q. 5, fubfcribes to this opinion, faying fince the promulgation of the Gsfpel, a* Explicate Belief of thrift is necefjary : except with the iwinc bly ianordnt, to whom an implicite fuffceth to the life of grace J?ut whe ther it fuffice to the life of glory, is a problemt ^ but it is more p-o- If able that here alfo an implicite fufficeth ] Page 1 1 4. headdech theconfenc of Medina re refta in Be* urn fide, lib. ^. cap. nit. and of Bradwardine foi. 6z. that an Implicite belief of Chrifl is fufficient tofalvation. And pag. 115. be faith that this is the way to the end debates of them that thinks the Article of the Trinity, of Chrifl , of the in- carnation, Sec. are neceffary to falvation .though not to fuflifica- tionx and anfweringrhem, he faith that [fuch are not formal' y without the Church, j You fee then formal y Infidels are in their Church and may befaved, in his opinion. And fag. 116. af:cr a blow at Vellofillus he citeth alfo Vicloria Reletl. 4 de Indif. & Richard Je Med. Villa, 3*25. art. $.qu.l. and orners for this opinion: And tells you what his implicite faith is [ to bel eve as the Church believeth. ~\ And page 118. heanfwerech from Scot us the Quefiion,^^- therfuch perfons may hold the contrary error to the truth that they are ignorant of ': and faith, No, (out of Scotus : ) while it is preached but in fome one fUce, till he know it to be beiie ved as 4 truth by the Church , and then he mufi firmly adhere to it. Which the charitable Fryarappliethto £h£/W as excu fable fornot be- lieving fome of their Articles. And he citeth Petigiants faying, £ // 'a fimple old woman Shall hear 4 falfe opini&n from a falfe Prophet , ( as that thefubflance of the breadremains with Chr»fis body in the Eucharifi ) and believe itj doth {he fin becaufe of this r" No : This were too hard and cruell to affirm. ] Pag. 1 1 9 he citeth Angles, and zgreeih with hxm^that fuchas have no knowledge ef thefe things toftir them up, are not bound fis much as to feek^information- "] Andpag. 120. he cites Vega lib. 6. cap. 18. faying that as £ Ignorance purae negationis about many Articles of faith, may be without fault : fo there is the fame reafon of Ignorance pra- vae difpofitionis.] Which he maintains agsnnft Qerfon and Hh . is nothing but the cxplicite adual belief of the Formal Objed of Faith, Divine or Humane, as that God is True , or the Church True and infallible; but it is no belief at all of the par- ticular material objed. And note that every one in the world that believeth that there is a God , muft needs believe that he is no Lyar ; and fo hath in God an Implicite belief. Now if this will fave men, without z particular belief in Chrift,then Chriftianity is not neceflary : Every Turk, and Jew, and Infidel that believeth in God, may thenbefaidto have an Implicire faith in Chrift , in the Popifh language ; becaufe he believeth all that God revealeth to be true •, But if an Implicite faith in God will not ferve, how fhould an implicire fauh in the Church fervej unlefs the Churcha , that is the Pope,be better then God. See here, whether they make any more of the Christian faith i then a meerlTiooing horn, to draw and keep men to their fide. By a General Council and the Pope it is determined that no man can be faved out of their Church •, as headed by the Pope : To believe in the Pope is of Necefiky to Salvation $ but to believe in Chrift,in his Incarnation,Death, Refurredion, is not fo. An Implicite faith in the Pope or Church , yea or erring Dodors may fave, and men may merit by following them in error • but an Implicite faith in God himfelf will not fave, if we believe not in the Pope. So that if we were Infidels we might be faved, fo we were of the C hurch of Rome, and believed in the Pope : but the Holieft Chriftian that believeth esplicitcly inGod,and all the • Articles of thefaithxannot be faved,if he believe not in thePope, . Do you think they believe thefe Dodrines themfdvc$i,or rather fame them to the building of their Kingdom ? Mm i A?A l %yo ^K?yfor Catbolkks. And what a wonder is it that Learned Do&ori fee not their own contradiction ? they fuppofe a man to believe in the Pope , or as the Church believetb, and yet not to believe in Chrilt I And is wot the ChurcR efTenmlly a company of ChriflUns^ the fpoufe , and body, and fchool , and Kmg"- domof Chrift ? And is not the Pope eflentially the pretended Vicar of Chrift ? How then can they believe in Chrifts Vxar, or Chrifts Scbool.orKingdom^r followers, before they believe in Chrift himfelf ? And by all this you may perceive the Holinefs of the Ro- man Church, and the nature of that Difcipline or Church Go- vernment that all the world muft needs fubmit to,or be damned* Even fuch as takes in Infidels and all,and layetb the Church as common to the world/or as many as wili but believe in the Pope and Clergy. You fee here alfo another myftcrie opened : that a man may have enough to Juftifie him , that yet will not fave him-* For molt of them are here faidtohold that a man may be juftified without an exp'icite faith in Chrift, or that the knowledge of Chrift is not neceffary to his Juttification , but to his faivation it is-f Though the other half fay, that its neceffary to neither) And if a man dk in a Juftified State , muft he be condemn- ed-.? when Paul faith, Rem. 8. 30. whomhejuftified, them lot a\lfo gUrified. You fee alfo here what their Baptifm doth , that can ex opere operate infallibly put away the fins of all thefe Infidels, and fo the Eucharift, &c. And yet they muft not be faved for all that their fins are all done away. O what a Maze is the Romifh Divinity / And you fee how well they are agreed about thefe fundamentals , when half of them chink that an Actual belief in Cbrifl is neceffary to faivation , and not to purification ; and others that its neceffary to both : and|a great part that its neceffary to neither. And you fee here the benefit of having an Infallible Living judge of controverfies, and expounder of Scriptures 1 and how admirably he hath ended all their differences. And again I fay, If formally thefe Unbelievers arc in their Catholick Church,they (hall give us leave to fay that the Greeks and other Eaftern and Southern Chriftians are in the fame Ca- ' fhnlirk A f\ey for Qatkolicks. 27 1 tholick Church as wc are , when we differ not fo much. And when they have made the Non- belief of Art clesof the faun confident with falvation, they will never while they breath be able to confute him that on the fam^ grounds affirroeth the contrary belief confident with falvation,in cafe of the fame wane of teaching and fuffkient means. And by this time I hope you fee of how fmall moment the Popfh Cenfures are, when they judge that aPreteftant cannot be faved. Its true that S.flara here judgeth other wife : but i,Itsfaid bis Book was burnt or condemned at Rome for ir. 2. He allow- eth Infidels as much. 3 . A nd he proveth himfelf a Heretick by ic at Rome; feeing a General Council and Pope have determined the ^contrary, even that it is neceffary to falvation to be a fubjed of thePopeof&?w*v Ch a p. XXXVIH. Detect. 29. A Nother of their Deceits, and I think the moft JljL fuccefsfull of all the reft is, Their fming their Ditlrines ^ndGovernment and Worfb'.p to thefiefhly humours of the ungodly : by which means the Great eft and the Mo ft are alwayes like to be on their fide: When on the contrary our Do&rine,Di- fcipline and worfhip is all fo contrary to carnal intereft and con- ceits, that we are (till like to lofe the moft,if not the greateft, and consequently to be a perfecuted people in the world. This is their unanfwerable Argument ; By this means they captivate the Na- tions to their Tyranny. TheMoft areevery where almoft li- centious,fenfual, worldly and unfandified Wife men and God- ly men are few in comparifon of the reft of the world. And it is the multitude commonly that hath the ftrength,and the Great: ones that have the wealth. So that I confefs I take it for a won- der of mercy , that they are not Lords in every Councrey , and that the Reformed Catholicks be not ufed every whereas they be in Spain and Italy. For where they have but opportunity to (hew them felves , the Principles and Pra&ifes of the Papifts are %7i A I\ey for Qatholicks . are fuch, as will be mod likely to win the Rabble rout to them, and make them Matters of the multitude, and of all except a few believing Heavenly perfons: ( For the flock is little that mnft have the Kingdom. ) And then, when they have got the t multitude thus to follow them , and club'd the reft into prifons, or burned them in the flames, they reckon of this as one of ehe fureft Evidences that they are the Catholick Church, becaufe forfooth they are the greater number ( in the Countries where they have advamagejand it is but a few whom they were able to perfecute or burn as Herethkj that were againft them. The very Argument of the Jews againft Chrift and bis Difciples. The Reafons why they have not by thisPolicie won theChri- ftian world to their fide , are ( under God, the great Defender of the innocent) thefe four ; i. Becaufe in the Eaftern and Southern Churches they have not had opportunity to lay their fnares,as they have had here in the Weft .' And alfo thofe Chur- ches have too many corruptions and negleds at home for the gratifying of the worfer fort. 2. Becaufe God hath been pleaf- ed in fome places fo toblefs the endeavours of the fmaller part, as to enable them againft the multitude to preferve fome liberty. 3 . Becaufe God hath fometime given Wife and Godly Princes to the people, that will not be cheated with the Popular deceits. .4. And principally becaufe that the Papal Tyranny is diredly contrary to Princes Rights, fo that its only thofe that are blind- ed by ignorance, or ftrengthened by an extraordinary league with Rome, or forced by the multitude of Popifti fubje&s and neighbour^ that put their necks into the Romifh yoke. For what by the Popes pretended Power in temporals,at leaft m ordi" ne.adfpiritttalia, and what by hii excommunicating Princes, and his pretended power to depofe them and give their kingdoms to another, and to abfolve their fub jeds from their oaths and fide- lity , ( which is an Article of their faith, agreed on by the Pope and General Council, Later* fab. Innoc. 3. cap. 3. ) and what ■by his exempting the Clergy from their Princes Power, and what by the pilling their Countries for money , and what by their dodrine and pra&ifes of murdering Princes that are not ,pf their raind, by thefe and many other Evidences, they have awakened many of the Princes of the earth to look about them, &n& confequently to befriend the Truth againft thefe Tyrannous Ufurpers. A ^ey for Catholkks. 273 Ufurpers. Had it not been for thefe helps under God, we had not been like to have a name where they can reach, nor to have had liberty to breath in the common air. It would be a voluminous work to fhew you how all the DoArines, Government, and worfhip of the Papifts is futed to the humor of the fenfual multitude, and fitted to take with un- godly men. I fhall but inftance in twenty particulars ( which are far from all. ) 1 . The Reformed Catholicks hold, that none (hould be taken into the Church by Baptifm, unlefs themfclves,or their Parents, if they be Infants, do make Profeffion of the Chriftian faith,and of an holy life, for the time to come, and icem to underftand what they fay and do, and be ferious in it ; which exafperateth the grofly ignorant and ungodly, when we deny them this Pri- vilege of Believers. But the Papifts admit of the ignorant, ungodly, and fuch as believe not explicitely in Chrift, as you heard even now ; and fo pleafe the people , and fill theic Church. 2. The Orthodox hold, that Baptifm giveth Remiffion of fin to none but true believers and their ktd. The Papifts per- fwade many millions more, that ail their fins are not only par- doned, but actually abolifhede x open operato, in their Baptifm, which is comfortable News to fuch ungodly fouls. 3 . The Proteftants fay, that Original fin liveth after Bap- tifm in fome degree ; though it reign not, or condemn not thofe that are true believers*, and that Concupifcence, that is, all inordinacy of the fenfual appetite, or inordinate inclination to fenfual obje&s is a fin. The Papifts tell them that when once they are baptized,there is no fuch thing in them as Original fin, and thai Concupifcence is no fin at all. 4. The Orthodox hold, that none are to be admitted to the Eucharift and Communion of the Church therein,but thofe thac believe adually ( or profefs fo to do ) the Articles of the faith, and underftand the nature of the Sacrament, and live according to the Laws of Chrift. But the Papifts give it to all3and drive men to the Sacrament ♦, fo that AlbatyhuM before cited, faith, he knows not whether ever any one was kept away in his age. S- The Proteftants hold, that men are not to be \tt alone in fcandalous fin, but admonifhed privately, and then openly before Wn the 274 ^ %sy for Ca^°^Sm the Church, and if yet they Repent not, and Reform not, to becaftouE; and noc to be abfolved or re-admitted, without a PublickConfeiFion and Penitence anfwerable to the fin : And this wicked people hate at the very heart, and will not endure. But the Papifts have got a device to pleafe tbem by Auricular fecret Confeffion to a Prieft, where if he will but confefs and fin, and fin and confefs again, he may have a pardon of courfe without any open flume or true Reformation, if we durft but imitate the Papifts in this one particular, we (houJd do much to pleale the people that are now exafpersted .• for I 6nd, that al« moft any of them will confefs in fecret that they have finned, that will not endure the open fhame. 6. The Proteftants hold , that every fin deferveth death* and that every breach of theLawisfuch a fin; ("though God will noc airlift the Punifhment on them that have a pardon J But the Papifts tell us of a multitude of fins that are but venial* that is, fins that deferve pardon, and yet deferve not Hell, and are indeed no fins , but analogically fo called. And they make thofe to be fuch venialiins, which Proteftants account abomina- bly grofs; as fome lying, fome fwearing in common talk, fome drnnkennefs, fome fornication, and the like, are with them but venial fins, which are properly no fins ( And yet here alfo they are by the ears among themfelves, fome faying that venial (ins are properly fins, and moft denying it ) Yea all fini chat are not deliberated on, are with them but venial fins. So that if they will but fufficiently brutifie themfelves by fufpending the exer- cife of reafon, and will fwear, curfe, murder, without delibera- tion, they are then free from fin and clanger. And how eafie and pleafingis this to the ungodly ? Thofe are but Evangelical Coun- fails with the Papifts, that are the Precepts or Laws of Chrift to the Proteftants. 7. The Proteftants teach men, that it is their duty to feck the underftanding of the holy Scripture, and to meditate in it day and night : but the Papifts do forbid the Common people to read it in a language which they underftand, and fave them all that labour that Proteftants put tbem on r Nothing can win the peo- ple more then cherilhing them thus in floth and ignorance. 8* Ths Proteftants fay, that a roan cannot be juftified or faved without an a&ual faith in Chrift for being the Infant ofa believer, A I^ey for Qatholkks. 27 5 believer Dedicated toChrift) and that this faith muft extend to all things that are EiTential to Chriftianity. But what the Pa- piftsfayof the Juflification and Salvation of Infidels, if they be- lieve in the Pope, you heard in their own words in the laft De~ xeElion. A comfortable doctrine to the unbelieving world, to whom God hath fpoken no fuch Comforr. We confefs that thofe that never had the Gofpel, are under the Law of natnre or works, and that the penalty of this is fuch as God can in fome cafes difpenfe with ( or elfe we could not be faved by ChriftJ and fo that all Pagans are not under the Perem- ptory undifpenfable threatning of the Gofpel againft final Priva- tive unbelievers : But yet, though God may pardon fome of thefe, he hath made them no promife that he mil ; and therefore they can have no pofitive hope grounded on a promife ; nor can any man fay, that Gedwill fave any of themy or that he mil not ; it being certain that they are under the condemnation of the Law, which God can difpenfe with, inwayes of fecurity to his Juftice and Ends, but uncertain whether he will or not; and therefore is to be left among his unrevealed things. The true believer is under a certain prvmife of falvation. The unbeliever that hath had the Gofpel, or might have had it and would not, is - under the Gofpel fentence of damnation^ which is certain and irreverftble, if he die in that Condition. The negative unbeliever that ntver had or could have the Gofpel, is under the Condemning fentence of the Law (of works or nature,) that is, his fin De- ferveth eternal death , but this fentence is not peremptory and in- d'tfpenfable ; but yet it is fueh as God win not difpenfe with rafli-» ly, but on terms that may fecure his Ends and Juftice. This is the true mean between extreams in this weighty point. 9. The Proteftants fay, that all our belt works are imperfect, and the fin that adhereth to them deferves Gods wrath, accord- ing to the Law of work?, though he pardon it by the Law of Grace : and that when we have done all, we are unprofitable fervants, and properly Merit nothing of God for the worth of our works,or in Commutative Juftice. But the Papifts take thofe very works to Merit heaven, ex Condigno, and ( for here they are by the ears again J fay fome of them, by the Proportion of the wor^andin Commutative faftice, which the Proteftants fay, defcrve damnation for their finful imperfe&ions, and therefore Nn 2 need 27 6 A K^y for Catholicks . need a pardon through the blood of Chrift. Yea they take thefe work to be perfed, and the man to be perfed, and fay, that by fuch works as thefe, they may Merit for others as well as for themfclves. And how cafie and pleafing is tbis to proud cor- rupted Nature ?• 10. The Proteftants think, that no Faith Jufttfieth, but that which is accompanyed with unfeigned Love and Refolurion for Obedience. But the Papifts make a Faith that's feparated from Charity, and joyned with Attrition, to be fufficient for admiifi- on to the Sacrament, which fhali be inftead of Love or Contri- tion, and fo (hall put away all (in. 1 1 . The Proteftants knowing that God is a Spirit, and will be worfhipped in Spirit and truth, do teach people a fpiritual way of worfhip, which Carnal men are undifpofed to, and unac- quainted with. But the Papifts do accommodate them by a mul- titude of Ceremonies, Images, and a Pompous hiftrionical kind of worfhip, which is eafie and pleafant to flefh and blood. To have an Image before them , and Copes, and Ornaments, and abundance of formalities, and to drop fo many Beads, and be faved for faying over fo many Ave Maries , or fuch like words ; what an eafie kind of Religion is this, and how agreeable to 3efli and blood ? How much eafier is it to fay over their offices - then to Love God above all, and defire after Communion with him imhe fpirit, and to delight in hira, and to pray in Faith, and heavenly fervour ? 1 2. Proteftants tell men of Hell-fire,asthe reraedilefs punifh- ment of thofe (ins, which Papifts fay deferve but a Purgatory : and they have hopes cf coming out of Purgatory • but there^s none of coming out of Heil. 13. Proteftants tell them of no hope of eafe or pardon of fin after this life, if it be not pardoned here. But Papifts tell them, that when they are in Purgatory, the Pope hath power to pardon them, and the faying of fo many Mafles for their fouls, may eafe them, or rid them out ^ and the Merits of other folks may deliver them. 14, Proteftants teil them, that they muft be holy for them- felves : but Papifts tell them, that they may hire another man to fay their prayers for them, which may ferve turn. 25. The Proteftants do ingenuoufly confefs, that they have no A K^y for Catholicks. 277 no way to end all Controverfies in this life, but that we have a fufficient way fo far to decide them as is necefTary to the'peace of the foul, of the Church, and of the Commonwealth ; but no way for a final abfolute Decifion, tiil the day of Judgement. The Paftorsof the Church are to be Judges, fo far as they are to execute: And theMagiftrates are to be Judges fo far as they mufl: execute : And every ChrifHan hath a judgement of Difcerning fo far as he is to execute. But the abfolute final judgement is referved to the laft day -, when God will fully end our contro- verfies. But this fatisfyeth not men that would have all in hand, and the fentence paft before theAflizes: And therefore the Papifts better fit their humour, and tell them (and they do bur tell them ) of an End of ail their controverfies at hand • of an eafie cheap remedy by believing the Infallible Pope and Council • and fo putting en end to all divisions and doubts, 16. The Proteftants would have none but feeming Profeiling Saints in their Churches .• But the Papifts Canonize a Saint as a wonder ; and (hut them up in Monafteries 5 and call a few [ Religious ] that are feparated from other Chriflians, as Chri- ftians formerly were from the world : which brings the people to think that Holinefs and Religion is not neceflary to all but to a few Devotaries that will be better then they are commanded to be. 1 7. The Proteftants bind men to keep their vows, and fidelity to their Governors : But the Papifts tell them that the Pope hath Power to free them from their fidelity, and difpenfe with their oaths. 1 8 . The Papifts teach men to faft : by eating the pleafanteft: meats : but the Proteftants ufe a total abftinence while they faft, onlefs in meer neceffity. 19. The main bufinefsand adminiftration ofProteftant Pa- ftors,is againft thatflefh that is predominant in the unregencrate , and therefore muft needs be diftaftefull to the multitude of th- ungodly. Our preaching is to open mens fin and mifery , and caufe them to perceive their loft condition, and fo to revea! to them a crucified Chrift, and then to fee them on the holy felf- denying heavenly life that Chrift hath prefcribed thf m. And to fpeak terrour to the rebellious, and to caft the obftinate out of Nn 3 our 27^~ A Key for Catbolich our communion, and to comfort none as the heirs of heaven, either in life or at death, but only the truly fan&ified and re- newed fouls. But for the Papi(H,their Preaching in moft places is but feldome-, but tbey have a Mafs in Latine: And as the old fay- ing is, £ The Mafs doth not bite* ] It galleth not a guilty con- science to fee a Mafs, and here a many of Prayers which he under- ftandethnot: And when they do preach, when they (houki (hew wicked men their mifery, they flatter and deceive them too often by their falfe doctrine : T hey cannot humble them in the fenfc of their Original fin and Mifery,for that chcy tell them was quite extinct and done away in Baptifm : And for their following fins, Abfolution upon their cuftomary confefiions , hath done away all the guilt at lead : fo that here is no Mifery for the Mifcrable fouls to fee: but like a Cenftables prefer- ment at a Seffions, an Omnia bene i Unlefs perhaps fome grofs a&ual fin be apparent among them : and then they (hall have an Oration againft it, to drive them to auricular confejfton^ and to receive the Body of Chrift, and be Abfolved. And fo do they by Ceremonies and Sacraments ex epere operato quiet the Conferences of unfandifled men, and humour them in all their rites and cuftoms, and at laft turn them to Heaven or Purgatory with an Abfolution, and Extream Un&ion. And howpleaf- ing a Religion this is to the ungodly people, thofe Miniflers can tell , that fee the rage of fuch , againft thofe that deny them even better Forms and Ceremonies when they defire them ; to pacific their Confcienccs inftcad of real Holinefs and Obedience. 20. Laftly, how thejefuites have fitted their whole frame of Moral doctrine and Cafe Divinity to humour the unconfeiona- ble , Mtntaltusthe fanfenifi will fully fhewyou through the whole ( fore-cited ) Mjfterieef Jefuitifm. Thofe that would efcapeany worldly trouble or danger, the Jefuites have a help at hand for, even their doSrine of Equivocation, and Mcntall refervation ( which makes the Popes Difpenfation with oaths and prornifes needlefs. ) What accommodations they have for him that hath a mind to Murder bis adverfary, to calumniate another, to take life without Ufury, to forbear refloring ill- gotten goods,to commit fornication , to rob another, and many the like, you may fee in their own words cited in the faid Book. Yea A I{ey for Catholicks. 279 Yea what comfort they have for a man that loveth not God, fo he will not hate hira. Truft not ray report$but read the Book; for its worth the reading. So that we fee the advantage that the Papifts have to fweep away the vicious ignorant multitude, and then to boaft that they are the Catholicks,and we but Schifmaticks, becaufe they are the greater part : and then they are armed alfo by the Multitude^ opprefs us by their violence. Now what remedy to ufe againft this Fraud, I cannot tell, but only to deal plainly and faithfully ,though it do difpleafe, and to adminifter Gods Ordinances as he prefcribeth, though never fo diftaftefull to flefh and blood- andfoto commit our felves to God, and truft him with his Church and caufe , who is able to preferveit, and is moft engaged to appear foru% when we lay all upon him, and have none to truft but himfclfllone. Let us not hearken in this cafe to flefh and blood that would advife us co remit the reins of Difcipline , and to bend our Adminiftratt- ons to fome pleafing complyance with carnal minds. We difen- gage God when thus we begin to fhift for our felves out of his way. But withall we mult acquaint thofe Princes that arc faitbfull toChrift, how much it is their duty in this cafe to af- iiftu$i not by any cruelty to the Papifts (that I defire not) hut only by quieting the ungodly part of our People inaftate of Catechumens, or expectants, or a Learning condition fitted to their ftate*, and to reftrain fuch in the mean time as would take advantage of their difcontcnts, to feduce them by pleafing licen- tious do&rines to their undoing. Cha p. XXXIX. Detett* 3 which the Scripture no where faith. <] Anfw. i. The Scripture faith not that it is his Body and Blood fubftantially, or by Tranfubftantiation : And we fay not, as }OM fegn, that it is not his Body and Blood, but a figure, dec. For we fay, that it is his Body and Blood Sacramentally and Re- prerentatively : as he that perfonateth a King on fomejuft ac- count, is called a King, and as in adions of Inveftitureand Delivery ; the delivering of a Key is the delivering of the Houfe, and the delivery of a twig and turf, is the delivery of the Land; and the deliverer may fay, Take, this is my Houfe, this is my Land, which I deliver thee. If you be among many Images in a room, you will not blame him that faith, This if Peter, and this is ?&u\,andthisis the Virgin Mary. 2. The Scri- pture often calls it Bread after the Confecration; which you condemn us for .♦ therefore we are taught to call it fo. 3. The Scripture faith, 1 Cor. 10. 4. [That Rock^was Chrifi ] and he faith, [ / am the door, John 1O.7. I am the true Vine, John 15.1. ] David faith, [ I am a worm and no man, Pfal.22 6*.] we believe all this. Bucrauftwebe therefore reproached, if we fay, that David was a man\ that the Rock was Chrift typically v tha: A J\ey for Catboluks . 1 8 $ that he was a Vine and Door Metaphorically only ? Andyec thefeare as plain as, Tiois is my Body, and This is my Bleed. • His fourth Aecufation is, [The Scripture fa^th, that Baptifm favetbus,and that we are ckanfed and regenerate by the wajking of water : On the contrary yon fay, that Baptifm doth neither fave us, nor regenerate us , but is only to us afymbol of falvation, ablu- tion, and regeneration, which is no where faidin Scripture. ] Anfw. A childifh concert about words I we fay, that two things go to our full pofleilion of our ftate of Regeneration, Juftification,and Cleaning; One is our fundamental Right ,which the Tromife of the Gofpel gives us upon our Heart confm or Covenant with God : the other is our Solemn Invijliture : in regard of the former, we are Chriftians, and Regenerate, and juftified before Baptifm : In regard of the later, we are made Chriftians, regenerate, juftified , faved by Baptifm. This we commonly hold, and fo never denyed what you falfly fay we deny. Asa man is made a King by his Coronation, that yet in a fort was one before; or as Marriage makes them Husband and Wife by publickfolemnization, that were fundamentally fo be- fore by Private Covenant ; or as pofleilion is given by a Key, a twig and a turf ( as I faid ) of that which a man had right to before -, fo are we folemnly inverted with thore benefits by baptifm, which we had a fundamental Title to before. Do noc your own writers confefs this of a man that is Baptized many years after he had Faith and Charity? Do you think Cornelius and the reft that had the Holy Ghoft before Baptifm, yf 7. 10. had not Juftification before ? Do you think that Conftamir.e the great was unpardosed, unregenerate and no Chriihan till he wasBap*ized? Or rather would you make quarrels agamfl your own Connexions ? His fifth Aecufation is [ Scripture faith , that Priefis do forgive fin : on the contrary you fay tl^at they do not remt them, but only tejlifie that they art remitted, which the Scriptures no where fay.] Anfw. As if TcfttfcMion could not be a Remijfton. W< that whofe fins the PaHo^s of the Church remit, they arc remirrelt. Do you not know that thefe very words were ufed to e^ ry Presbyter in our Ordination he- e in England ? We fay i . 1 iiac Pallors do as Gods Embaffadors, proclaim his General Cbttd cl- onal Pardon unto all. 2, That they are Gods Minifter? to make a O o 2 particular z&4 ^ K?) for Cathdtcks . — — - . ■ ■ " — — ■ — ■ * ' — ■ particular Application , and delivery of pardon in Baptifm , on fuppofition that the Baptized be qualified for pardon. 3 . That they arc as his Minifters,to make the fame Application by De- claration and Delivery in the Abfolution of the Penitent ; on fup- pofition that their penitence be fincere. 4. And as Church Gover- nour«,they may on good confiderations fometiraes remk fome humbling difgraceful acts that were impofed on the penitent for the tcftificaiion of his repentance , and the fatisfa&ion of the Church. And are notthefe four conceflions enough ? Or are you minded to pick quarrels , that your felves and others may have fewel for the rancour and uncharitablenefs of your raindi ? But indeed we do not think that any man can primarily as the chief Agent forgive fins ; but God rauft be the fir ft par- doner ; Nor that any man can pardon the fins of thedead,and abate or fhorten the pains of the foul in a fire called Purgatory. Here we leave you. And verily if the Pope have power to remit but the very tem- poral punifhment , he is a cruel wretch that will not forgive men , even good men, the torments of the Gout, and the Stone, and an hundred difeafes; nay that will not remit them to him- fclf, no nor the pain* of death, when he is fo loath to die : ( But I forgot that the Pope hath no body to forgive him, becaufe none above him) He that connot remit the punifhments which we fee , and feel, how (hall we believe him ( without any Divine Teltimany)that he can remit a penalty that he never faw nor felt, nor no man elfe, that can beproved. His fixth Accufation is Q Scripture faith Jf a Virgin marry fie ftnneth not : but you fay that thejuft fin in all works : which Scrip- ture mentions not. J Anfifi. i. Doyou believe in your Confcience that the Scrip- ture meaneth that a Virgin (inneth not at all in any circumftance or defcd in the manner or Concomitants of her Marriage ? Then I pray tell your Nuns fo , that if they marry they fin not. Tell Priefts fo, that if they marry they fin not. Your own rea- ion can expeft no other fenfe in the words, but that Marriage 9 asfuch, is no fin- to the Virgin. And this we grant: But yet if you think that in this or in any other work , you fee God as apprehenfively , and believe as ftrongly , and reftrain every wandring A I\ey for Catholicks. 285 wandring thought as exa&Iy , and Love God as much as vou are bound to do by the very Law of Nature it felf ; (o tha: you areperfe&ly blamelefs, and need not be beholden to the blood of Chrift, to the Mercy of God , to the Spirit of Grace, either for the forgivenefs of thefe failings ^ or the cure of them, you (hew then a proud Pharifaical fpirit , unacquainted with icfelf and with theGofpel. Do you go on and fay, Lord It banl^ thee that I am not as ether men- and I will rather fay, Lord be mercifullto me afinner: and which (hall be rather juftified, Chrift hath told us. The dreams cannot be perfectly finfefs, till the fountain befo: and [" who can fay , 1 have made my heart clean , J am pure from my fin' f Prov. 20. 9. ] £ Tor there is not a jftfi man upon earth , that doth good , and finneth not, Eccl.y. 20.] Chrift telleth us that the fruit will be like the Tree, the adions like the heart : and therefore an imperfect Heart will have imperfect duties. If you dare fay there is no remnant of fin in your hearts you have fo much of ic that hindereth you from feeing it. Humility andfelf-knowledge would foon end this controverfic. We fay not that all our works are fins,that is9 either materially forbidden, or done in vpickednefsy and from vi- cious predominant habits ; But that the fame works which Afa~ terially are good , are tainted with our finfull imperfections , having not in them that tncafure of knowledge, faith, love, &e« as we ought to have; and therefore that we muft beg pardon for our imperfections , and fly to the blood and merits of Chrift , through whom God will accept both our works and us, for all the imperfections, which he pardoneth to us of h»4 grace. His feventh Accufation is [Scripture faith that there are wicl^ fd men and reprobates , that believe in Chrifi : But you contend tkat the j believe not , but have only a fbadow of faith : which no Scripture faith. ] An'™. Again , a quarrel about the name of faith , unworthy feriousracn! We fay that Reprobates do believe, and we fay that they believe no:, taking belief in different fenfes. We be- lieve what ever the Scripture faith , even that the Devils be- lieve and tremble: and yet as Believers and Chriftians are all one, we arc loath to call the Devils Believers and Chriftians •, but you may doit, if jou pleafe, As 2?*/*>/fignifiech a bare uneffe&u- Oo 3 aM*- 286 A Key for Catkolicks. ail convi&ionor fuperficial Affent which you call fides informis, fo we dill confefs that the wicked may believe. But as Belief fignifiech our Receiving of Chrift, and Coming to him, and be- ing planted into him at his members, and taking him heartily as Chrifti our Lord and Saviour, and fo becoming Chrifiians and Tiifci fits'* asitfigntfieth fucha faith that hath the promife of pardon of fin, of Adoption, andofGiory, fowefay that the wicked have but a (hew or fhadow of it. And this is the fenfe of the words of Calvin,?. Marty 9 Bezatand Danxus , whom you cite. And do you not think fo your fel ves ? Indeed you know not what to believe in this, as I have (hewed in Poftfcript to my Difput. of Sacraments. His eighth Aecufation is this [Scripture faith, that there art fome that believe for a time, and after at another time believe r.ot. Tou deny that there are any that believe for a time, and then fall from faith, and that he that once believeth doth ever lofe that faith, which is not in any Scripture to be found. ] Anfrv. It is too light in ferious matters, to playthusupon words, i . We (till maintain that there are fome that believe but for a time,and afterward fall away : but we fay it is but with an unefYc&ualor common affent that they believe,fuch as you call fides informis. Your aecufation therefore is falfe. The femen vita and faith that Calvin fpeaks of , in the place which you cite, is meant only of a faving faith , fuch as you call fides charitateftr* tnata. If any of you think that faith is called charitate formata^ or juftifying or faving faith , only by an extrinfecal deno- mination , from a concomitant, and that there is no difference in the faith it felf between that of the unjuftificd and of the jufHfied , you are miftaken againft all reafon. Your own Phi- lofophers frequently maintain that the will (which is the feat of chanty ) followerh the practical di&ates of the Intellect ( which is the feat of Affent. ) And therefore according to tbofe Philofophers , a Practical Belief muft needs be accompanyed with charity. And tbofe that deny this , do yet maintain that a powerfull clear Affent of the Intellect will infallibly pro- cure the determination of the Will, though every affent will nor, and though it do ic not Neceffarily. So that on that account ( and in common reafon ) there muft needs be an intrinfick dif- ference between that Affent which prevaileth with the will to determine A I\ey for Qatbolkks. 287 determine it felf, and that which cannot fo prevail : And there- fore your unformed and your formed faun, havefome intrinfick difference. 2. the Lutherans that are half the Proteftants, do think thac juftifying faith may be loft. So thac (be it right or wrong,) you cannot charge this on them all. 3. The reft which be not of their mind, do hold a brotherly communion with them ; and therefore take not thac point to be of fo much moment as to break communion. 4. Are you not at odds among your felves about perfeverance? fome laying it firft on mans free will f and fome with Auftiny afcertainingperfcveraneetotheE!e&,beeaufc Eleft, and laying it on Gods free Gift • and fome Jefuices and School men affirm- ing that the confirmed in Grace are not only certain to per- fevere, but thac they neceffarily believe and are faved, and cannot mortally fin ( ftrange doctrine for a Jefuite 1 ) Of all thiscontroverfieof perfeverance, I defire the Reader to fee a few fheecs called An Account of my judgement hereabout. When I wrote thofe I knew not whom Alvarez meant ( lib. 1 o. Difp. 104. pag. 419. §. 1. de AuxiL ) When he difputed againft this fort of men : But fince I find it in his Refponf. ad 0 bye El. Lib. 2. cap. 9. pag. S22, &c. Where he tells us thac it is the Jefuite Greg. deValentia flam. 2,di/p.S. ej, 3. puntl. 4. §.2. ScTom.r , d 1. q. 23, puntl. 4. s\ 7. Vbi docet non folum ejfe prxeletlss ut falventur , fed ut neceffario falventur3 4c per cenfetjuens nm foffe peccare Aiortaliter , & Neceffario per fever are in gratia , ac eatentu non liber e, fed neceffario falvari. And alfo that he meant Alexand. Alef. 3-p.q. 9. Et Almain. in 3. d. \l. q. 2. Qui ajferunt confrmatos in Gratia non habere libertatem, &c. ^Uim fententiam Medina impugnatl.p.q.l'J* art. 4. This is more then Proteftants fay , And yet will you quarrell ? His ninth Accufation is this [_ Scripture faith , lfthourviit enter into life , keep the commandments : Yiu fay that there is noneedofkftp'Hg the Commandments^ and that he that Jaith^it doth deny Chrifland nbolifh faith , efvehich the Scripture jpeaketk n$t a word.~] Aafw. Still confufion playes your game r and you ftrive about 1% 8 A Key for Qatholkh. about wc-rdf. We diftinguifh between the l^epingof that Law of Works, or Nature , which made per feci obed ence the only condi- tion ef Life : and the keeping of the Law e/Mofes as fuch , and the keeping of the Law efChrift. For the two hrft , we fay that no man can be juftified by the works of the Law. Is this a doubt among Papifts, thn believe Pauls Epiftles ? But as for the Lawof Chrifi34s fuch% wemuft endeavour to keep it per- fetlLj ( chats neceflary neceffitate pracepti , ) and mud needs keep it ikcerely { neceffi tat e me dii ) if we will be faved. This all Proteftants that ever I fpoke wkh are agreed in *. And dare eny Papift deny it ? If we be not all ( nor you neither) agreed on the fenfe of that text of Scripture, yet are we agreed on the do&rinr, and yet ycu quarreJ. His tenth Accufation is [Scripture faith, that feme that were illuminated and made partakers of the Holy Ghoft s did fall , and crucifie again to themfelves the Son of God. Butjou defend tthat whoever is once partaker of the Holy Ghoft , cannot fall from his Grace ' which Scripture fpeaketh n»t. ] A»f». The fame again : and ameer untruth I We Till main- tain that thofe words of Scripture arc of certain truth. But wediuinguilh between the common and the fpeciall gifts of the Spirit. The common gifts may be loft : we never denyed it : The fpecial gifts that accompany falvation , fome of us judge are never loft : others of u$ think are left only by tho'e that are not predeftinate, as Auftin thoughr,and your Dominican! think. And what caufe is here of your quarreil ? His eleventh Accufation is this [ Scripture faith that God takethaway, andblotteth out our iniquity as a cloud: and puts cur iniquities far from us , as the Eaft is from the Weft, and maketh vu as white as f now \ Yeu fay, that he takes not away , nor hlotteth out our fin, hut only doth not impute it , and doth not make W white as fmw, but leaveth in us the fau't and uncle anefs of fin : which Scripture no where fpeakj. ] tsfnfw. This is half falfiocd, at.d half confufvjn, raked up to raake a matter of quarrel with. i. \isfaJfe that we fay, He doth riot take away , nor blot out our fin, nor make us white as fnow : po not all Protcftants in the world affirm all this ? 2. There are thefe things here confiderable. I. The A €t of fin. z. The Ha- birs 3. The guilt, or obligation to punifhmentr- 4. The cul- pability, A £\ey for Qatholicks. 2 89 pability, or reatus culpa. 1. As for the AR% how can you for fliamc fay, that God cakes it away, when it is a tranfient aft that is gone of it feif as foon as acted, and hath no exiftence, as Sco- tustnd all your own take notice. 2. As to the Culpability, you will not fure for fhame fay, that God fo put away, e.g. Davids Adultery, as to make it reputable as a virtue, or not x vice. 3. As to the Reatus ad p&nam, the full Guilt, we main- tain that it is done quite away : and if your eyes be in your head, you may fee that it is in regard of this guilt and punifhrsent that the Scriptures mentioned by you fpeak ( or principally fpeak at leaft ) For I pray you tell us, what fife can they mean, when they fpeak of a&ual fins that are paft long ago, and have noexftence. Learned wranglers ! would you make us believe, that Grace is given to David to put away the Ad of his Mur- der and Adultery, fo that it may be quid prater it urn, & non jam exiftens ? a thing pift and gone, which it is without grsce? fo that when you feign us to fay, that Cjod takes not away fint but only not imputetb it , you feign us to make fynonymal terms to be of different fences. He takes them away by not imputing them. 4. But if you fpeak not of the fence of a particular Text, but of the Matter in difference, it can be nothing but the habit of fin that you mean, that we fay, that God takes not away. And here you play partly the Calumniators,and partly the erroneous Pharifees. 1. You Calumniate, in feigning us to deny, that habi- tual fin is done away. Becaufeour Divines fay, that it is not the work of meer pardon ( which we call Juftification ) to put it away, therefore you fa! fly fay, that we hold it is not put away at all : whereas we hold (without one contradicting vote tbac ever I read or heard ) that all that are fufiified, are Santlified, Converted, Regenerate, Renewed, and muft live an hcly life : And that all thtir fins are fo far deftroyed, that they (hail not have dominion over them .- that Grofs and Wilfull fin thcyforfake, and the leaifc infirmities, they groan, and pray, and drive againft to the lair, and then obtain a perfect conqueft. 2. But if you mean, that no degree of habitual or difpefitive fin, or abfence of IrAy qpid ties remaineih \n thejuftified foul, it is a Pharafaical error, yea worie then a Pbarifec durft h^ve owned. And it feems ti-is is your meaning ,by the words of Cdvins which you cite. Pp And 290 A i\eyfor Catholicks* And dare you fay that you have no fin to refilt, or purge, or pardon ? Are you in Heaven already ? The whole have no need of the Phvfitian, but the fick : and have you no need of Chrift to heal your foul ? would you be no better then you are ? O proud fouls ! and ftrange to themfelves and the purity of the Law ! Hath not the Holy Ghoft pronounced him a Lyar and Self de- ceiver, that faith he hath no fin, 1 foh.i.S.io. In m^ny things we offend all Jam. 3. 2. I (halibut recite to you two Canons of a Council, which if you ufe the Lords prayer, are fit for you to confider. ConciL Milevit. cont. Pelagianos Can.j. [ Item placu- it, ut quieting dixerit in Oration: Dominica ideo dicer e fanclos, Di- mitte ncbis Dibit a nefira, ut non prefeipfis hoc die ant ■, quia non efi eu jam neceffaria iff a, fed pro aliis, qui funt in fao populo pecca- tdrest& ideo non dicere unumquemejae fanQorum , Dimitte mibi debit a me a ; fed Dimitte nobis debit a no (Ira, ut hoc pro aliis pot ins quamprofe fnftus pet ere intelligatur, Anathema fit. Can. 8. ltemplacuit ut quicunque verba ipfa Dominic qui labiis ftbi dicit dimitti velle> & Corde dicit, qu Here the Rea- der may fee, that it is to no iefs then to be Chrifts fucceffor , or a Vice-chriit, that the Pope pretendetb. And then the Rea- fon, if it were of any worth, would as well prove, that there Qjj mult 298 A I\ey for fatholicfa. muft be one on earth ftill that may give the Ho ly Ghoft imme- diately, and make Articles of Faith denovo, and Laves for the Church (with promife of Salvation) and may appoint new Of- fices and orders in the whole Church, &c. And why not one alfo to live without fin, and to die for our fins, and rife again, and be our Saviour ? And why not one to give us his own body and blood in the Sacrament ? 2. Cbrift bimfelfdothoppofehimfelf to all terreftrial inha- bitans, faying, [One is your Mafttr, even Chrif}.] And what then? why [Be not ye called Mafters} But he tic at is greateft among joa, fhall be your fervant. j And \ Be not ye ca led Rabbi, for one is jonr Af after, even Chrift , and all ye are Brethren, ~\ Mat. 23. 8,9, 10, 11, 12. where moft evidently he (hews that neither Peter , or any of his own Difciples were to be called Mafters, as Chrift was, nor was any fudKabe on earth, and fono Vice cbrift ; yea that all his Apoftles being Brethren, were not to be Matters one to another , but fervants : (b that here is a plain bar put in agamft any of Peters Mafterfhip or Headlhipof thellaiverfal Church. 3 . We do on thefc and many other Reafons, deny your con- fequence. It follows not that we muft ftill have a Chrift on earth, becaufeweonce had- 4. Chrift hath chofen another Vicar ( though invifiblej as Ttrtullian calls him : and that is, the Hoi/ Qhoft, whom he fent to make fuch fupplyas wasneceffary, by various gifts propor- tioned tothefeveral ftates and members of the Church. 5. If Chrift would have left a Vice-cbnft upon earth, which (hould have been an Effential part , even the Head of his Church- he would doubrleft have plainly exprefled it in Scri- pture, anddefcribed his Office and Power, and given him- di- rections-to exercifeit, and us directions how to know which is he, and to obey him : But there is not a word of any fuch mat- ter in the Scripture, (nor Antiquity^ when yet it is a point (if true ) of fuch unfpeakable importance; 6. You might at well feign , that if it were then nectffary to have twelve or thirteen Apoftles, it is fo ftill: and if then it was neceflary to have the gift of tongues and miracles, it is fo ftill : which yet the Pope himfelf is void of. 7. It is not enough for your filly wit, to fay its fit that Chrift have 1 JKeyjor Qatholkks. 299 have a Succejfor , therefore be bath one : but lee him that claim. ech fo high an honour as to be the Vice-chrift , produce his Commi (lion, and prove his claim if he will be believed. 8. Chrift is ftill the vifibie Head of his Church, feen in Hea- ven, and as much feen over all the world , except fudea and Egypt , as ever he was. When he was on earth, he was not vi- able at Rome, Spain , Afia^&c. He that is Emperor of the Turkijh Monarchy, perhaps was never perfonally an hundred miles from Constantinople. The King of Spain is no vifibie Mo- narch in the Weft Indies, And if all the world except fudea might be without a Prefent Chrift, then why that may not as well as the reft, you mult give him an account, if you wiJI tie him to be here reiident. 9. And yet if the Pope would ufurp no more Power then Chnftexercifed vifibly on earth, it would not be all fo bad as it is or hith been. He would not then divide inheritances , nor be a temporal Prince, nor wear a Triple Crown, nor keep fo glorious a Court and Retinae,nor depofe Princes, nor deny them tribute, nor exempt his Prelates from it, nor from their judge- ment Seats, nor abfolve their Subje&s from their fidelity, &c nor trouble the world as now he doth; He would not exercife the power of putting any to death : much lefs would he kt up Jnquifitions, to burn poor people for reading the Scriptures,or no being of his mind. Pag* 1 3 3. He makes Chrift the viftble Pope while be was on earthy and tells us that Promulgating the G off el , fending Apo* files y infiituting Sacraments , &c. were Pontificalia muncra, Papal Offices. Anfw. And indeed was Chrift a Pope ? and is the Pope a Chrift f Jefus I know, and Peter and Paul I know : but this Vice- chrift I know not. if indeed the Vice-chrift have power to do thefe Papal works, to promulgate a new Gofpel,to fend out Apoftles , to inftirute Sacraments, &c. asChrilt did, let us but know which be the Popes Sacraments , and which be Chrifts; which be the Popes Apoftles,and which beChrifts; and which is the Popes Gofpel, and which is Chrtfts, and we (hall ufe them accordingly. The Law and Tefiimonj will help us to diftinguifh them. Pag. 134. He comes to prove that Chrift hath a Succejfor ; and his firft proof is from Mic. 2. LettheResder pstufeir,and Q.q z judge goo A K^eyfor Catholicks. judge without any help of mine, what proof there is that the Pope is a Vicc-chrift. The next is in Hofea i. which fpeaketh of the return of the Ifraelites from Capjvky. Let the Reader make his beft on it for the Pope, for I think it not worth my labour to confute the Papifti impudent perverting fuch Texts as thefe. By the way he tells us (&$Card.Richlieu and the reft com- monly do) that [its no dijbonoptr to Chrift to have a Deputy, no more then for the King of England to have a Deputy , or Vice- kjngin Ireland.] Anfa. I. But our firft queftion is, Whether de fa&o fuch a thing be ? Prove that Chrift hath Commifiioned a Vice-chrift,and we will not prefumeto fay that he hath dif- honoured himfelf. 2. Though it fhould not didionour Chrift, it is fuch a tran* fcendent honour to man, as we will not believe that any man Inch, that proveth not his claim. It was no difhonour to the Godhead to be united to the manhood of Chrift in Perfonal union* but if the Pope fay, that the Godhead is thus united! to his manhood, verily I will not believe him. %. Though we fhould not have prefumed to queftion Chrift if he had done ir, yet we muft prefume to tell the Pope that he is guiity of difhonouring Chrift by his ufurpation. i. Becaufe he fees up himfelf as V*cc chrift , without his Commiftion; and takes that to himfelf, that is, Chrifts Prerogative. God faith, This is my beloved Son in whom I am wefl-p leafed, Hear him] And the Papifts fay of the Pope, This is the Vice-chrifi^ Hear him] 2. Becaufe the Power of a King h more communi- cable, then the Power of Chrift, it being fuch as is fit for one raeer man as well as for another. But the Power of Chrift is fuch as nomeer man is fit for. The capacity of theSubje&is Connderable as Neceffiry to the reception of the form of Power. He that is God as well as Man is fit for an Univerfal Monarchy, when he that is raeer man is not. From whence we argue thus. If there was never fuch a thing by Gods inftitution as a meer man to be the Chrift or Univerfal Head of the Church, then there ii no fuch thin^-co be imagined now .- But there never was fuch a dung ; Therefore there is no fuch-' .. " A f\ey for Catholicks. 301 Chrift that was the vifible Head was God and Man: when the Pope is fo, we will believe in him as his Succeffor. 4. Ic would ruine the Church to have built on fo fandy a foun- dation, and to have laid fo much work on one that is fo unable to perform ir. Doubtfefs common reafon tells us, that if God made any one man the Monarch of the whole world (efpecially leaving his Commifiionasobfcure, as the Popes is, were it any) and fhould not give him a divine or fupra-humane ftrength to execute it, it would be the confufion of the world. I am eoc well acquainted with the Power of Angels ; but I hope without difhonounrgr.nem , I may fufped, that the due managing of fuch anllniverfa! M »-.archy is above their abilities : At lead I am confident, it is an honour that their Modefty and Reverence of Chrift will not permit them to own, as the Pope doth. If this Vicc-chrift be not a falfc Chrift, he may apply that of Heb, I. [Being made fo much better then Angels ^ as he hath by in* heritance obtained a more excellent name then they : For unto which of the Angels faid heat anytime^ thou art the Succeffor of Chrift, thou art the Univerfal Head of the Church ? Whether the Pope will be called the Vice-fon of God , the Vice-faviour, and fay, \ Let all the Angels rvorfhip him \ fit then on my right hand, &C.J I leave to bis modefty to cor,fider ? But I muft: profefs here to the Reader, that though my modefty and con- fcioufnefs of my weaknefs, hath made me fo fufpicious , left I underftand not the Apocalips , as to fufpend my judgement, whether the Pope be the Antichrift , the Beaft, &ct yet the reading of their ferious iramodeft arguing?, to prove the Pope to be the Vice-chriflon Earth, doth exceedingly more increafe myfufpicion that he is The An'ichrift. For to be Peters Suc- ceffor, as a firft Apoftle, is a contemptible thing in thefe men eyes. This is not it that they plead for. Bcllarmine (ubi fupr.) exprefly tells us, that the Pope fucceeds not Peter as an Apoftle. , No, ic is as a Vice-chrifi to the whole Church, as rBoverim here profeffedly maintaineth. And this they make the Foundation of their Catholick Church, and the acknowledgement of it Ef- fential to every member of it. Which I even tremble to read and think of. Next Boverius comes to his proofs from the New Teftamenr. And thofe are the fame that I have anfwered (as Bellarmms) QjJ3 in ^oz A Kty for Catbolich in my [Safe Religion^ and are an hundred times anfwered by our writers , and therefore the Reader may excufe me, if I put him to no long trouble about them. Thefirftistheold {Tues Petrus, #• /«&,*»<: Petram, &c] Anfw. I. He doth not (ay [.Thou art Chrift , or the Vice- chrift, or my Sacceffor , or the Vniverfal Monarch of the Church : No fuch words as thefe. 2. It is Chrift hirofelf here that is called the Reck^, &nd not Peter, q. d. [Thy name is Peter who confeffeft me, in allufion to which I tell thee, that I whom thou haft confef- fedam?czra, the Rock^. upon which I will build me a Churchy whic h the gates of Hell Jhal I not prevail again ft. ~\ As the Apoftle faith of the fpiritual Rock^, i Cor. ip. That Rockwas Chrift..'] So may I of this. 3. But if it had been fpoken of Peter , it had been no more then is fpoken of the other Apoftles,on whom as on a Foundation the Church is faid to be built Jefus Chrift hiroielf being the head corner ftone, Eph. 2. 20. But whar need we more^f we put not out our eyes,then to •find in all the New Teftament, that Peter was never called or taken for a Vice-chrift by the Apoftles, ( unlefs Secundum quid, as every Embaflador of Chrift is that fpeaks his meflage in his ftead, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20 J and that he never is faid taexercife any UniverfalGovcrnmcnt over thereftofthe Apoftles,nor fomuch as give them a Law, or Convent them before him, or fend them out , or do any more in Ruling them, then they in Ruling himf nor fo much as Paul did in rebuking him to his face for difor* ^erly walking, &c.Gal. 2. Yea when Paul calls them carnall that iided with Peter, though but in the fame over-valuing way as others did of Apollosznd Paul , faying Q / ^wo/Paul, and I amof Apollo, and 1 Am o/Cephas,] 1 Cor. 1. 12. He faith 10 them that faid £ I am of Chrift] [ Is Chrift divided Q as ihewing that he was the common Universal Head and Matter of them all. But when he raer.tionethmeermen, hchathnofuch word : He faith not £ Is Peter divided ] But implying all in one,he faith [pya* Paul crucified for you, or wen yee baptized into the name o/Paul?]And [ Who then is ¥&u\,andwho is Apollo? ( implying alfb, Who is Peter) but Miniftert by whom ye believed M the Lord gave to every man, 1 Cor. 3 . 5.] See I Cor. 4 6. Fag. 144. Boverins playes his game with Metaphors and Simi- litudes* A j^ey for Catbolicks. 303 litudes, and faith [ The Church is Chrifls Kingdom,, an Army, a Sheepfold, a Houfe,a Ship^or Noahs Ar\^\ and what s a Kingdom without a vifihle King : or an Army without a Vtfible General: or a Flock* without a vifihle Shepheardi or a Houfe without a- Houjholder : or a Ship without a Pilot } ] Anfw. I . The whole earth is Gods Kingdom ! And can he not Govern it withouc a Vtfible Monarch t Why then did the world never hear of fuch a man? Yea the whole world is the Kingdom of Chrift himfelf, though not in that fpecial fort as his Church is : For all Power in heaven and earth is given him, Mat. 28. 18,19. and/or that end he DjedyRofe and Rtvivedjhat he might he Lord of the Dead an& Livings Rom. 1 4. 9 and he is made Head over all things to the Church, Eph.i. 22,23. And hath [his Kingdom an Univer- fel Vifible Monarch? Yes: the Pope is the man: Long hath he laid claim to it. Princes, you fee whofe hands your Crowns and Kingdoms are in : Deceive not your (elves, they are the Popes : For certainly they are all Chrifts ^ and if he he to be be^ lieved, he is the Vice-chrift,and fo fucceedeth him in the Monar- chy of the world. But then why doth not this fimple Pope lay claim to the Empire of Indoflan, and Tartarie , and China , and Conftantinople , as well as of thefe. fmaller Kingdoms of Europe ? 2. And for the Metaphorical title of an Army, I anfwer, It fufficeth that it hath an Univerfal General in Heaven , that can command ic twice as well there as the Pope can on earth, yea and is as Vifihle to the A ntipodes , yea to me , as ever the Pope was. All the world is Gods Army : But 1 will not fay that the Pope or any man is Generall of it ( fa ve Chrift) nor will I call tiun.TheLordofHofts. 3. And for the Sheepfold of Chrift , he hath appointed parti- cular Shepheards to watch for the feveral parts of the flock. But if one man were to look to all the fheep in the world , he would m3ke fuch work as the Pope would do with the (beep of Chnft. Ir you til us ftill that Chrift is out of fight, I anfwer, He is even at hand*, he is coming : he will not be long ,• In the mean time it is the duty of every Paftor £ to feed the flocks of God that is amsng them not as Lords over Gods Heritage ( as the Vice-chrilt would be : ) and when the chief Shepheard doth appear \ we /hall receive the Crown, ] 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. Pe- ter- 304 A Key for QatbolicKs . ter never dreamed, poor man, that he was the chief Shcpheard bimfclf. 4. For the Metaphor of a "Family, I anfwer, That God can Govern all the Families in the world; and when the Pope can do fo, then all the world (hall acknowledge him theMaiterof the Family. Till then we have learned that the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is named of God, and of the Redeemer-God- and-Man : but not of the Pope of Rome. 5 . And for the fimilitude of a Ship , I anfwer , One man can Govern a fhip of the common fize-, but a (hip as big as all the world, I think no man but Chrift can govern : And fo confi- dent am I in this opinion , that I profefs I will not be in that (hip as big as the world which the Pope (hall undertake to Go- vern , if I do but know how to get out of it. Pag. 146. He goes on to tell us,tbat even the bruits have their Governour s, and inftanceth in the Bees. Anfw. I am not well acquainted with Irrational Govermurs or Governments : but fcrioufly it is no Article of my faith , that one Bee can Go* vern all the Bees in the World: Nor one Ape all the Apes in the world. Lee it fuffice the Pope that every particular Church be a Bee-hive, and every Hive have its proper Governour. Next he again tells Prince £harls [ that we [hould not deny that te the Church which we fee is necejfarj to all humane Seciem ties ] Anfw. Was this man in his wits I Have all Societies, or any Society an Univerfal Humane Governour ? Who is it that is the Univerfal Chancellor of all the Academics on Earth ? Who is it that is the Ruler of all the ColfedgesofPhyfltiansin the world? I know what Schoolmafter we have in our own School here •, but I never heard of an Univerfal Schoolmafter for all the world ; nor for all England : who is the Uni- verfal Governour of all the Companies of Merchants in the world ? Or who is the Univerfal King ? In the Conclufion he gathers up all into feven reafon?, Why the Church poould have a Vice»chrifi [ I .That the militant C^urc^ might be like the triumphant \ who have one Invifible Head. ] %s*n[w.\ . Chrift is vifible to the Church in Heaven. 2. When you have proved that any meer man is Chriit,or Head in Hea- ven, then we will grant that a meer man (hall be Chrift and Head on earth. 3 . Earth is not yet fit to be conformed to Hea- ven 1^ p A I{ey for Catkolicks. 3°5 ven in its Government. 4. Is it not the trueft conformity, that Heaven and Earth have one and the fame Lord, though vifible to them and not to us, yet ruling us by vifible officers } 5. But if this will not ferve. lets have on earth a vifible Government : therefore let us have no Pope that is invifible to almoft all the world ; but Paftors that are vifible in their particular Churches. Thefecond Reafon \i[That the militant Church differ not from it (elf \ but as each particular Church hath one Vifible Head or Pafiory fo the whole fhoald have. J Anfw. 1. Content,if the Pope can (hew as good a Commifiion for the whole, and be as able to Govern the whole, and will really be prefent with the whole, and vifible to them. 2. Is the world unlike it feif,if all the world have not one King, as every particular Kingdom hath ? Or one Schoolmafter,as every particular School hath ? The third Reafon is [ For prefcrving Vnity. ] Anfw. 1 . And well it is done by you ? And what unity will you keep at the Antipodes ? Or in the vaft dominions of Heathen and Mahome- tan Princes,where Chriftians are difperfed, but you come not neer,them? 2. We have a better unity already in One God, One Chrift, One Spirit, One Gofpel, One Baptifm, One Hope , &c, 3 . The Mahometans have more unity then you. T he fourth Reafon is [ To fulfill the dollrine of the Prophets andC hrifi.] An fw. You (hould have better (hewed fuch a dodrine before you had made ufe of it as a reafon. The fifth Reafon is [ That the Chriftian Church may be like thefemfi] Anfw. When the Chriftian univerfal Church is no bigger then the Jewifh, that one may Govern it as well , we will hearken to you : Let the Pope undertake no larger a Circuit. The fixth Reafon is [That there maybe fame one Supream judge to punifh Bifhops, and define matters of faith ; call Councils , extinguish herefies andfehifms. ] Anfw. I, One Chrift is enough for the Cacholick Church for all thefe ufes. I find the Articles of faith as well defined by Chrift, as by the Vice- chrift. I havefearcht the writings both of Chrift and the Vice-chrift, and in my poor judgement there is no coroparifon between them, nor hath the Pope one jot mended the Scripture. 2. And for Herefie9 and Schifms, Chrift hath extinguiftit many , but Rr for 3 o 6 A K?) for Catholicks . for ought I fee the Pope rather increafcth them. In good fad- nefs, did God fend fohniht twenty kcond, alias the twenty thirdjto extinguish Herefier, with all thofe Abominations and all that Infidelity that was charged on him by a General Coun- cil? And was John the thirteenth a Vice-chriftto extinguish Herefiesby all that diabolical villany that he was depofedfor by a Council ? 3 • And for calling Councils , they have learnt more wit , fince Conftance and Bujil have let them know what Councils mean to do by them. Unlefs they can pack up forty or fifty ( or what if it were anhundred,or two hundred ) as they did at Trent, to fay their teflon , as it was brought to them from Rome , and to call therafelvesa General Council for folks to laugh at them. Is this all thai we muft have a Vice-Chrift for? How many General Councils did the Pope call for fix hundred years after Chrift ? Tell us without Lying , and -let us fee why he was created. The fevcnth Reafon is £ That the Divine Inftitution of Chrift, and the plain Scripture about Peters Primacy ma] take place. ] Anfw. 1 . Where (hall a man that bath eyes find your pretended inftitution / The blind may fooner find it by the half. 2. Prima- cy and Monarchy are not all one. And Bellarmine can tell you, that its one thing to be the firft Apoftie,and another thing to be the Vice-chriftto the Church Univerfal. Peter was none fuch. 3. No nor was he properly any more the Bifhop of Rome then of many another place. Antioch c'aims the inheritance by birthright , as Peters firft fuppofed feat flnd ferttfatem before them both. Well, Reader thou feeft now how Babel is bui!t,and what is the flrongeft ftuff that the learned Spaniards bad to affaultPrince Char Is with : For verily I have not bawkt their ftrength : And were it not for the lofs of precious time to you and me,I would quickly thus fhew vou the vanity of abundance more of their molt applauded writings. Ch a p. A K^y for Catbolkks. 307 Cha p. XL 1 1 1. Detetl. 34. A Nothcr of their Devices is, td take nothing jl\ as Evidence frem Scripture ^ but the Letters or exprefsftordf. They will not endure to hear of confequences,no nor Synoni- real exprcfiions. Bellarmine himfelf faith ( de verb. Dei,lib. 3 . caP- 3- ) [ Conven^ *nttr n6s & *dverfariostexfolo literati fen* fu, peti debere argument a efficacia : nam eum fenfum qui ex ver- bis immediate colligitur, certum eft fenfum tffe ffiritns fantti.] But this may admit a fair interpretation. It was Cardinal Pero* uius in his Reply againft King James that is judged the devifer of this Deceit : but Gonterim and Veromus the Jefuites have perfected ir. I fliall fay but little of it , becaufe it is already dere&ed and refelled by Paul Ferrius 1618. and Ifaaccus Chorinus 1623. andiWV. Vedelim 1628. at large. Yea Vedelius (hewsjap. 6. p. 50. &c. that it was haccht in Germany by the Lutherans for the defending of Confubftantiation,and from them borrowed by the Revolter Perron. For our parts, the cunning Sophifterslhall find us very Rea- fonable with them in this point ; but if they be fain out with Reafon it felf , there's no way to pleafe them but by turning bruits. And we will not buy their favour at thofe rates. Our judgement in this point, I fhall lay down diftindtly i though briefly,as followeth. 1 . The Holy Scripture is the Do- ctrine, Teftament and Law of Chrift. And we (hall add nothing to it, nor take ought from it. The ufeof itasadoftrine,is to inform us of the will of God in the points there written. The ufeof it as a Teftament, is to fignifie to us the laft will of our Lord concerning our duty and Salvation. The ufe of it as a Law, is to appoint us our Duty and Reward,or Puniftimenr ^nd to be the Rule of our obedience, and in a fort, the Rule by which we fhall be judged. 2. All Laws are made to Reafonable creatures, andfuppofc the ufe of Reafon for the underftanding them. To ufe Reafon about the La w,is not to add to the Law. 3- The fubjeft muft have this ufe of Reafon to difcern the Rr 2 fence 308 Ai\eyforCatbolicks. fence of the Law that he may obey it. And the judge mud Rationally pafs the fentence by it. 4. This is the Applicacion of the Law to the fad and perfon : And though the fad and perfon be not in the Law, yet the Ap- plication of the Law to the fad and perfon is no addition to it. Otherwife toufe any fuch thing would be to add to it. 5. As the fad is diftind from the Law, fo muft the fentence of the Judge be, which refults from both. 6.Tofpeakthefame fence or thing in equipollent terms, is not to add to the Law in matter or fence. 7. Yet we maintain the Scripture fufficiency in [ho genereym terms and fence : So thai we fhall confefs that equipollent words are only Holy Scripture as to fence, but not as to the term?. 8. But there is no Law but may many wayesbe broken, and noDcdrine but may be divers wayes oppofed. And therefore though we yield that nothing but the exprefs words of God are the Scripture , for terms and fence , yet many thoufand words may be againft Scripture, that be not there exprefly for- bidden in terms. 9. The Law ofNature is Gods Law, and the Light of Nature is his Revelation. And therefore that which the Light of Na- ture feeth immediately in Nature, or that which it feeth from Scripture and Nature compared together , and foundly con- cluded from thefe premifes, is truly a revelation from God. 10. The Conclufion followeth the more debile of the Pre- mifeSjin point of evidence or certainty to us. Where Scripture is the more debile , there the conclufion is of Scripture- faith : but where the fad or Proposition from the Light of Nature is more debile, there the conclufion is of Natural Evidence : But in both , of Divine difcovery. For there is no Truth and Light but from God the Father of Lights. This is our judgement herein. Now for the Papifts , you may fee their folly thus ; 1. If no- thing but the bare words of a Law may be heard in Tryals, then all Laws in the world are void and vain. For the fubjeds be not all name i in them • nor the fad named : And what then have witneffcs, and jurors, and judges to do ? The Promife faith, Be ibat bdhveth fallbe favUi But it doth not fay ihitBelUr- mine A £\ey for Qatholicks. 309 mine or Veronius believeth : Doth it follow , that therefore they may make no ufe of it for the comforting of their fouls in the hopes ©f Salvation: The Threatning faith, that he that believeth not is condemned : But it faith not that fitch er fuch a man believeth not : fhould they not therefore fear the threat- ning ? 2. By this trick they would condemn Chrift himfelf alfo, as adding to the Law in judgement. He will fay to them , / was hungry and ye fed me not, dec. But where faid the Scripture to% that fuch or fuch a man fed not Chrift t It needs not : Chrift knows the fad without the Scripture. The Scripture is fufficient to its own ufe , to be Rule of Obedience and Judgement : but it is not fufficient to every other ufe which it was never made for. The Law faid to Cain, Thou Jhaltnot murder. But it faid not to him , Thou hafl killed thj brother, therefore thou Shalt die. It was the Judges part to deliver this. . 3. By this trick they would give a man leave to vent any Blafphemy, or do any villariy, changing but the name. But they (hall find that the Law intended not bare words, but by words to fignifie things : And if they do the things prohibited , or hold the opinions condemned , what ever names or words they cloath them with , they (hall feel the punifhment. 4. By this they would leave almoft nothing provable by the Scripture, feeing a Papiftor Heretick may put the fame into other terms, and then call for the Proof of that. For ex- ample , they may ask where God commandech or inftituteth any one of the Sacraments in Scripture ? And when we telf them where Baptifm and the Lords Supper were inftituted, they may reply, that there is no mention of Sacraments • and fo turn real Controverfies into verbal. 5. Yea it feems by this they would makea^l Tranflations to be of little ufe. And a man might lawfully fin in Englijb, be- canfe God forbad it only in Hebrew and Greeks 6. If this be the way of it, let us remember that they muft. in Reafon ftand to their own Rules. Let them tell us then what Scripture faith, that Peter was the Vicar of Chrift, or the Head< ef the Catholick. Church : or the Bifhop of Rome, or that the Pope U his Succejfor , or that the Pope is the Vice-chrift , c? Vniverfal Bijbof. Where is there exprefs Scripture for Rrj any 5 io A fyy for Qatholich any of this ? Yea fo much as Btllarmines Literal fenfe. 7. And why do not thefe blind and partial men fee , that the fame courfe alfo mad be taken with their own Laws ? And that all their Decretals and Canons are mfufficient , according to thefe Rules. It's eafie for any Heretick to form up his Error into other words then thofe condemned by Pope or Council : And if you go again to the Pope , and get him to condemn thofe new expreffions, the men in Mexico may ufe them long to the de- triment of the fouls of men, before the damnatory fentence be brought to them. And when it comes, they can again word their Herefie anew. The fanfenijts in France (hew how well the Popes dccifion of wordy Controversies is underftood, and doth avail. Bat really if they will hold that no part of the Popes Laws oblige but in the literal fenfe, or that none offend that violate not the Letter, they willmakea great alteration in their affairs. And perphaps any of their fubjeds may Blafpheme the Pope himfelf in French, Dutch, Irijb, Snglijh , Slavonian^ dec. becaufc he forbids it only in Latine ; For if Tranjlations be not Gods Word, then they are not the Popes word neither. A pretty crochet for a Jefuite. It is mendacium, and not a Lyet that the Pope forbids. It is faid that a Traytor or Murderer may be hang'd : but it is not faid that fuch or fuch a man fhall be hang'd • or that he was a tray tor or murderer. Their common inftance is, {The Scripture no where calls it felf the whole word of God j nor no where tells us which be (fano* meal B$ok,s , Sec. and jet thefe are Articles of Faith .] Anfw. 1. The Scripture doth call it felf the Word of God, and fignific its own fufficiency ,anl feveral Books have particular tcftimonies to be Canonical. 2. Though fecondarily fo far as Scripture affirmeth its own Divinity ,it be to be beleived:yet Primarily,that this is Gods Word, and that thefe are the Books, and that they are not corrupted,and that they are all, &c. are points of know- ledge antecedent in order of nature to Divine Belief of them. There are two great Foundations antecedent to the Matter of Divine Faith. The one is Gods veracity ; that God cannot lie : The other is, His Revelations ; that This is Gods Word : The firft is the FormalObjetl of Faith ; The fecond is a Nectjfary Medium between the formal object and the fubjeel ; fine qua non, without which there is no poifibility of Believing. The Mam terial A %ey for Catholkks. 3 1 1 terial objecl called the Articles of Faith, prefuppofe both thefc,as points of Knowledge,provcd to us by their proper evidencc.And that this is All the }VordofGod% is ameer Confequence, from the a&aal Tradition of this much and no more. Togiveyouanundenyable illuftration by inftance. Let us enquire which be the Adminifiring L*ws of this Common-wealth* And we (hall find that 1. The Authority of the Lawgivers is none of them j for that is in the Confiitution, before the Admi- nistration ; and it is the formale objetlum of every Law% which it more noble then the Material objecl : 2. And the Promulga- tion of thefe Laws, is not it felf a Law ^ but a necejfary Medium t fine quo non, to the a&ual obligation of the Law. 3. And that there is no other Laws but thefe ,is not a Law ; but a point known by the non promulgate* of more. 4. And that all thefe Laws are the fame that they pretend to be, and that they are not changed or depraved fi nee, this is not a Law neither, but a Truth to be proved by Common Reafon, from the Evidences that may be brought from Rccords,Practife, and abundance more. So is it in our Cafe. 1. That God isTrue, and the Soveraign Rettor, is firft a point to be known by evidence •, the one being the formal object of Faith, and the other the formal objecl of obedience .- and eafily proved by Natural Light, before we come to Scripture. 2. And that this is Gods Revelation , or Vromul- gationofhis L*wy is a point alfo firft to be proved by Reafon, not before we fee the Book or hear the Word, but out of the Book or Do&rineitfeif, ( propria luce) together with the full Hifto- rical Evidence,and many other reafons, which in order of Nature lie before our Obligation fide divina to believe. So that this is not Primariiy an Article of Faith , but fomewhat higher, as be- ing the NecefTary Medium of our believing. 3. And that there ism other Law, or Faith, is not Primarily a Law or Ar- ticle of Faith , but a Truth proved by the Non- Revelation or Promulgation of any other to the world. He that will prove us obliged to believe more, mud prove the valid Promulgation or Revelation of more. 4. And that thefe Books are the fame, and not corrupted, is not diredly and primarily an Article of Faith , but an Hiltorical verity to be proved as abovefaid. And yet fecondarily. Scripture is a witneis to -all or mod of thefe, and fo they are de fide. But of this I refer the Reader for fuller fatisfa&ion 3ia lAKgyfoY Catbolicks* fatisfadion to my Preface before my fecond Part of the Saints Reft. And thus it is manife(t,that it is an unreafonable demand of the Papifts to call/or express Scripture, for thefe that are not Articles of Faith in proper fence. Chap. XLlV. DeteB. 35. /^\NE of their Practical Deceits confifteth in V^ the chsofing of fttch perfons to dijpme with, againft whom they find that they havefome notable advantage, 1. Commonly they deal with women and ignorant people in fecret, who they know arc not able to gainfay their falfeft,fillieft reafonings. 2. If they deal with a Minifter, it is ufually with one thse hath fome atleaftof thefe difadvantages. 1. Either with fome young or weak unftudyed man, that is not verft in their way of Controverfie. 2. Or one that is not of fo voluble and plaufible a tongue as others. For they know how much the tonguing and toning of the matter doth take with the com- mon people. 3 • Or with one that hath a difcontcnted people, that bear him fome ill will , and are ready to hearken to any one that contradið him. 4. Or elfe with one that hath fixe upon fome unwarrantable notions , and is like to deal with them upon terms that will not hold. And if they fee one hole in a mans way of arguings, they will turn all the brunt of the Contention upon that, as if thedifcovery of his peculiar Error or weaknefs were the Confutation of his Caufe. v And none give them greater advantage here,tben thofe that run into fome contrary extream. They think to be Orthodox by going as far from Popery as the furtheft; About many notions in the matter of fuftiflcation , Certainty of Salvation , the nature of Faith, the ufe of Works, &c. they will be fure to go with the furtheft. And a Jefuite willdefireno better fport, then to have the baiting of one that holds any fuch opinion, as be knows himfelf eafily able to dif- grace. One unfound Opinion or Argument is a great difad- vantage to the moft learned Difputant. Moft of all the infuirings and fuccefs of the Papifts, is from fome fuch unfound paffages that J. i\ey for Qatholkks. ^ - that they pick up from fome Writers of our own (as I hid before .) And they fct all thofe together , and teil the world that This is the Protffiant Religion. Juit as if I fhould give the Description of a Nobleman from all the blcmifhes that ever 1 law in any Nobleman. As if I have feen one crook^backt \ another blink , another lame , another dumb , another deaf, another a whoremonger ,&no:hcr& drunkard, &c. I fliould fay, thit A Nobleman is a whoremonger , and drunkard, &c. that bath neither ejes, nor ears, nor limbs to bear him, &c. So deal they by Protellants ; And what a Character could we give of Papifrs on thefe terms ? But I would intreacall theMinifters of Chrift to take heed of giving them any fuch advantage. By over-doing, and run- nirg coo far into contrary ex reams, you will fooner advantage them, and give them the day, then the weakeft Difputants that ftand on fafer grounds. Inconfiderate heat, snd felf-conceit- ednefs , and making a fa&ion of Religion , is it thatcarryeth many into excreams : when Judgement, and Charity, and Ex- perience, are all for M deration, and {landing on fa fe ground. A Davenant, a Lnd Crocius, a Camero, a DalUus , &c. will more ficcefsfully confute an A r mini an , then a Maccovius , a fo it is here. The world fees in the Anfwer of Knot, what an advantage Chillingworth had by his Principles ; when the Jefuire having little but the reproachful flander of a Socinian name andcaufe to anfwer with, hath loft the day , and (hewed the world how little can be faid for Popery. Chap. XLV. Detett. 36. A -Nother of their Practical frauds is in fee king /I to Divide the Protefiants among themfelves, or to breaks them into Setts^ or fojfon the duilile fort with Here- ftes, and then to draw them to fome odious pratlifes , to caft a dif- grace on the Preteftant Caufe. In this and fuch Hellifh pra&ifesaschis, they have been more fuccefsfol then in all their Difputstions. But whether the Caufe be of Heaven or Hell that muft be thus upheld , I leave to the confiderare to judge. S f . What ^ 1 4 A i\ey for Latbolicks . What they have done abroad in this way, I leave others ro enquire thac are more He ; Buc we all fmart by what they have done at home. Yet this I may weil fay, that if their own fecular Priefts are to be believed , ( as Wat fen and many more J It is their Jefuites that have fee many Nations in thofe flames, whofe caufe the world hath not obferved. And I may well fee down the words of a Prieft of their own, fohn 'Brown, aged feventy two, in his Vo- luntary Confeffion to a Committee of Parliament , as it is in M*". Prins Introdutl. pag, 202. Sakh he [ The whott Chriflian world doth acknowledge the pre- diEiion which the Vniverftty of Paris doth forefee in twofeveral Decrees thej made Anno 1565. When the Society of fefuites did labour to be members of that Vniverftty' Hoc genus hominum natus eft ad internum Chriftianar Reipublicae & fubvertionem literarum. They were the inly caufe of the troubles which fell out in Mufcovie, when under pretence to reduce the Latine (fhurch , anb plant them felves, and deftroy the Greeks Churchy the poor King Demetrius and his fifteen ,and thofe that followed him from Polo- nia were all in one night murdered by the monftrotu Vfurper of the Crown, and the true progeny rooted out. They were the only caufe that moved the Swedes to ta\e tsirms again) their law- full King Sigifmund, and chafed him ro Poland : and neither he nor his fucceffo^s Kere ever able to take f*f[tjp9n of Sweden. For the fefuites intention was to bring in the Romifh Religion, and root out P rote flams. They were the only caufe that moved the Poloni- ans to take Arms againfl the J aid Sigifmund , becaufe they had perfwadedhim to marry twofi(ters% one after the other ; both of ththoufeof Auftria. They have been the foU caufe of the war entered in Germany fince the year one thoufand fix hundred and nineteen, as Pope Paulus 1 5. told the General of their Order, cal- led Vicelefcus, for their avarice , pretending to take all the Church lands from the Huffttes in Bohecnia to themfe'ves •, which hath caufed the death ef many thoufand by fword, famine a*d peftilence in Germany. They have been the caufe of civil wa*s in France, during all which time moving the Trench King to take Arms againfl his own fub)eEls the P rote (I ants, where innumerable peo- ple have loft their lives, as thefiege of Rochell an i other places mil give fufficient proof For the fefnites intentions were to ft* their A Key for Catbolicks. j 1 5 their fociety in ail Cities and Towns conquered by the King, and quite to abolifbthe Proteftants. They were the caufe of the mur- der of the loft King of France. They were the only projetlors of the Gunpowder Treafon, and their Penitents the aclors thereof. They were the only catife {namely Father Parfons ) that incenfd the Pope to fend fo many fulminate Breves to theft Kingdoms, to hin* der the Oath of Allegiance and lawfull Obedience to their temporal Prince, that they might ftill fi/h in troubled waters* Their dam- nable doUrinetodeftroy and depofe Kings , hath been the caufe of the Civil wars , li&ly to befall the fe Kingdoms }if God in mercy do not ft op it ^ So far the Popiih Prieit. You fee here, if their own pens areco becredired, chofe very A&ions of the Swedes, Germans, French, wh ch they caft as a reproach in the face of the Protdtant^fas you may fee in a Book called The Image of the two (fhurches ) were indeed their own, and co be laid ar thdr own doors. I omit abundance of better proof , becaufe I will give them the words of none bur them- feives in this. How far they were the caufes of the old broils in Scotland, Knox, and Spotfwood^nd al! their later Hiftories will tell you. How bufie they were in England'm Queen Elizabeths da yes , the Popes Bulls , and the many Treacheries committed figoi fie. Even in YLmgfamesh'xs dayes, who wrote again!! them, they fofar prevailed, as to caufe hirato fwear to thofe Articles for Toleration of Popery,in order to the Spanifh Match, which you may read in Prins lntrodnEl.fMg.4.^45. Yeafo far as to prevail with Kng James before the Lords of his Council to fay, chat £ His Mother fuffered Martyrdom in thx Realm for the profeffion of the CatholicJ^Religion •, a Religion which had been pnbm likely profejfedfer many ages in this Realm , confirmed by many great and excellent Emperours , and famous in all Eccleftaftical Hiftories yby an infinite number of Martyrs, who had fealedit with their blood ■ that the Catholickj well knew that there was inhim a grand affebHon to the Catholickj Religion in fo much that they believed at Rome that he did but d'ffemble his Religion to obtain the Crown of 'England : That now he had maturely confi- der ed the penury and calamities of the Roman Catholickj , who were in the number of hu faithfull fubjetlsi and was refolved to relieve them •, and therefore did from thenceforth take ollhitRo- S i 2 man j 1 6 A i^ey for fatbohch man Catholick fnbjecls into his protection , permitting them the liberty and entire exercife of their Religion, and liberty to celebrate the Mtfs with ether Divine offices of their Religion without any inqnifitionfrocefs or molefiation from that day forwards. ] And fo he goes on reltoringchem to their eftates, commanding all Offi- cers co-hold their hands, and for whar caufe fo ever it be, not to attempt to grieve or moleft the faid Catholicks neither in pub- lick or private in the liberty of the excercife of their Religion, upon pain of being reputed guilty of high Treafon, &c] Prm stbifup. p. 30- & Mercur.GaL To. 9. p. 485. So far prevailed tbey with Prince Charls our late King, as to caufc him to write that Letter to the Pope which you may read Mercur. Franc. To. Q. An. 1623. p. 5°9, Sia a°d m Print Jntrodutl.p. 38. which I have no mind to recite : and alfo they prevailed with him to fwear to the Spanifh conditions, and alfo that he would [] permit at all times, that any Jhould freely propofe to him the Arguments of the Catholic^ Religion, without giving any impediment : and that he would never di» re My or indirectly permit any to fyeak. to the Infanta againft the fame. ] What a hand the Papifts had in the late Innovations,and wars in England, and Scotland,*nd lrtland%\% too evident. How they designed the reducing of England to the Pope in the Spanifh, and after in the French match, and how ia profecution of it, they had their Nuntio*s here at London y and erected their hou- fes ofjeiuites, Capuchins, and Nuns , how far they inftigated the Court and Prelates to fi!ence,and fufpend, and banifh God- iy Emitters, and to enfnare them by the bowing to Altars , by the Book for dancing on the Lords dayes, and many fuch things^ how far they urged them on againft the Scots , I had rather you would read in Mr. Prins Works of Darknefs brought to Light 3. and Canterburies Tr jail t and hit Romes Mafter piece, and his Key all Favorite t then hear it from me: And if any reader be difaffefted to the reciter of it, let them at ieaft perufe impartially the Evidences produced by him. It was one of their own Religion,who in remorfe of Confid- ence opened the Plot in which they were engaged, to Andreas at Habernfield^hyfimn to the Queen of Bohemia, who told it Sr.yyi7.^/w//ttbc,Kings-Agcntat Hague-, which was tofubvere the; A I{ey for Catholicks. 517 the Proteftant Religion , and fee up Popery, and reconcile us to Rome v and to that end to attempt the perverting of the King, and to engage us in a war with Scotland, and if the King would not be perverted, then to poyfon him. Thejefuites ( of whom four forts were pianred in London, and had built them aColledge, having Cardinal Barbarino for their Proteftor ) crept into all Societies, and a&cd all parts, (fave the peace -makers,)and being a forefeeing Gencratioo^they lookt further before them then the fhorc witted men whom they ovcr-reacht. When they had by the Countenance of the Queen got fo confiderable a ftrength at the Court , and fo much intereft in the Prelates>and influence on all Ecclefiaftical affairs, they fer afoot the forefaid innovations in worfhip, agai A\ the Lords Day, arc and the forefaid perfections of faithfull, yea and conformable Minifters >, and {till they went Dilemmatically to work , thinking to make fure which way ever things went, to effects their ends. They fee that either their firft attempt would prevail without oppofition or not: 7/iC do, then the Calviniftt, and Puritan, and P rot efl ant Treacher s w 11 be removed , and the places filled with Armmians , and masked Papifts,**^ ignorant men finable to rtfefl them, and duclile world* lings > that willalvcay be on the (Wronger fide , and their ends will be eafily attained. But if there be any Oppofition, Murmuring , Bifcontents, either it will provoke the Discontented to open De- fence and Reftftance, or not : If not , their Difcontents will hurt none but themfelves. If it do9tben either they will be crufht;» the beginning, or able to bring it to a war. If the firft ; then we fiall have the Day, and this to boot, that they will lie under the Odium of Rebellion, and be trod the lower \and be the lefs able ever to rife : and we fhall be able with eafe to drive on the change to a higher degree, in Oppofition tofo odious a party. But if they be able t*m*kea war of it, either they will be conquered, or conquer, or make Peace. The la ft is mo ft unlikely , becaufe fealoufies and Engagements will prefently be multiplyed, fo that an apparent neceffity Willfeem to lie on each party not potruft the other : And the flames are e after to be kept in, then kindled : Andif fo unlike* ly a thing (hould come to fafsyyet it muft needs be to our advantage. For we will openly all appear for the King, andfo iff England and Ireland m fhall be confiderable' H? will remember that he was Si .3 helpf j 1 8 A K^y for Qatholicks . helftby us , and look on the P rote fi ants and 'Puritans as Rebels y find take hu next advantage agai>fi thtm^vr at leafl be at a great* er aiftancefrom them then before : For fucha war will never out of i his mind1, nor will \:e thinks himfelf fafe till he hath difabled them frem doing the like again. But if one part conquer it will be the Km£, or the Puritans (for fo the Protejiants mnfinow be cat- ed ) If the King prevail , then will the Puritans be totally trod down, and we bj who ft help the vitlory was got^ [hall certainly be incomparably better then we a*ey if not have prefently all our will. For our fidelity will be predicated'- the Rekells will beodieus : S* that their very names will be a J corn , and there will be no great re ft fiance of us ( For faith Mr. Middletonwi his Letttr t% the A. B. of Cancerb. >»Pnns Introdud. p. 142, 143. The Jefuice fat Florence , lately returned from England , who pretends to have made a find difcoven, of theftateof Englandss it ftands for Religion J faith, that the Puritans are (he*'d fellows, but thofe which are counted good Proteftants are fair conditioned honeltraen, and think they may be faved in any Religion. J But if the Puritans get the day ( which u a mofi unlikely thing ) yet [hall we make great advantage of 'it ; For I. They will be un- fettled ani all in pieces , and not know how to fettle the Govern- ment : And faith the fefuites Letter , found in the A. B. of Can:. Study in Prins Introdud. pag.8Q,QO. LOur foundation muft be Mutation: this will caufe a Relaxation ^ which fervesas !• many violent difeafes, as the Stone, Gout, &c. tothefpeedy deftrudion, &c. ] 2. We [hall nectfsitate the Puritan Prote- ft ants to keep the King as a Pr if oner , or elfe to put him to death ; If they ktep him as a Prifoner, his diligence , and friends, and their own divifions , will either work, his ddiverance , and give him the day again by our helper at leafl will keep the State in a con- tinual un fettle dnefs , and will be an Odium en them. If they cut feim off ( which we will rather promote , lefi they fhould make nfe of his extremive s to any advantage) then 1. We fhal I procure the Odium of King-killing te fall upsn them , which they are wont to caft uptn us and fofhall be able to disburden our f elves. Z> And we [hall have them all to pieces in diflraftions.For 3 . Either they will then fet up anew King, or the Parliament will keeP t^oe fewer , changing the Government inn a Democracy. The fir ft can- not fre done without great cincujftons , and new wars ; and we fhill A Z\ey for Catholicks. 3 1 9 fbail have opportunity to have a hand in all. And if it be doney it ma] be much to our advantage. The ftcendwill apparently by f aElions and diftraftitns give as footing for continual attempts* But to make all furey we will fecretly have our party among the Puritans alfo^ that we may be fure to maintain our Interefl which way ever the world go~\ The event with common reafon and many full difcoveries (hew, that this was the frame of the Pipifts plot. And what power and intereft they had in the Kings Armies and Counfels in the wars, is a thing that needs no further difco- very. But had they any Intereft in theCounciis and Forces of the Parliament? Anfw. It will be expe&ed that he that afTcrteth anything in matters of this moment, (hould prove it by more then moral evidence of greateft probabilities: and therefore I fha 1 be fparing in my AfTertions : but yet I fhall fay in genera! , that though the bulinefs would be troublefome, chargeable and tedious, to call together the Witneffes that aie neceffary, yet Witneflfes and Evidences may be had, to prove that the Papifts have had more to do in our affairs, then molt men are aware of, without anypofitive AlTertiors ^ therefore I defire them that can fee a caufe in its effects but to follow thefe ftreams till they find the Fountain, i. Whence came thofe motions againft the Miniftry and Churches into our Councils ? Whence was ic that fo many men of note did call the friends of the Miniftry [_Prie(t ridden fellows] and the Minifters [Jack Presbyters] to teach the Nation to bring them intofcorn? I well know that all this came from Hell. But whether by the way of Rome, I leave to your inquiry. Yea, whence was it that motions have been made to pull down all the Miniftry at once f Was this by Pr oteftants } 2. Whence came the do&rine contended for by Sir H.y. and others, againft the Power of the Magiftrate in matters of Religion , and for Univerfal Liberty in Religion ? I "know the Papifts are not for fuch liberty in Spain , or any where,, where they can hinder it: but with alii know, that it is on£ of their fundamentals, that fuch matters belong only to the Pope and Prelates, and Magiftrates rauft but be their Executi- oners; and I know that its truly the Magiftrates Power for which the ufurping Pope contendeth : and I know tha: the Papifts aremoft Zealous for Liberty of Confcience in England, though deadly enemies to irelfewherc. 3. And |ZO A Kjy for Catbolicks. 3 . And whence came the Eiders Body of Divinity, that hath infe&ed fo many high and low ? How come fo many called Seekers to feera to be at a lofs ; whether there be any Scripture, Church, or Miniftry? or which be they ? 4. How came we contrived into a war with Scotland and Holland, when we could keep Peace with Spain ? with them, or us, or both, there was Tome forry caufc. 5. How came our Armies fo corrupted with principles of impiety, Licentioufneis and Anarchy, that fo many turned Le- vellers (to fay nothing of all the reft J , and rofe up againft their Commanders , and were fain to be fubdued by force, and fome of them fhot to death, and many cafhiered ? &c. 6. How came it to pafs that Papifts have been difcovered in our Armies, and in the feveral parties in the Land? 7. And where are the fwarms of the Englijh Jefuites and Fryars, that are known to have emptyed themfelves upon us from their Coliedges beyond Sea > 8. How came it to pafs, that the Petitions of the Proteftant Presbyters of London, and of other Proreftams for the Life of the King, could not be heard ? but that the Levelling party car- ryed on their work, till they had fet the forreign and doraeftick Papifts on reproaching the Proteftants as King-killers ? and had (though very falfelyj turned theodium of that horrid kind of crime upon the innocent Pr oteftants,which the Papifts are known to be molt deeply guilty of; And now in all Nations they make the ignorant people believe, that the death of that King was the work of the Preeeftams or Presbyterians, and the blot of their Religion. 9. Whence came it to pafs, that Levelling went on with con- tinued fuccefs till the Houfe of Lords,with the Regal Office was taken down, and an engagement put (on all thofe dudile fouls that would take it) to be [[True to the Common-wealth, as cftabliftied without a King or Houfe of Lords ?] 10. Whence came it that the Weekly News Books contained the Letters of the Agents of the Agitators from France, telling us how good men the Jefuites were, and how agreeable to them in their principles for a Democracy , (which they vainly call a Reeublick, as if there were no Common- wealch, but a Demo- cracy) and telling us what exceeding meet materials for fuch a Common- *d K?y for Qatholkks. 3» Common-wealth the Jefuitcs would be. The Agencici of particular men wich Jefuices I (hall pur pofcly omit. n. Whence cameic that all the maddeft dividing parties had their liberty •, and the reproach and envy was moft againft the united Mrniftry ? and if the Lord Prote&or bad notftept in, they had been likely to be taken down. 12. And whence came it that Sextj, and others, that have been Souldiers in our Armies, have confederated wich Spain to mnrder the Lord Proteftor ? And whence came their Jefuitical Treafonable Pamphlets (Tuch as Killing no Murder; provoking men to take away his life ? Much more may be propofed tending to a difcovery, how far the Papifls have crept in among us, and had to do in our affairs. Bat I think God hath yet much more in feafon to difcover.Truch is the daughter of time. As concerning the death of the King, I (hall not meddle at this time with the Caufe, nor meddle with the Reafons brought for it or againft it. But, fuppofe as bad of it as you can, the Providence of God hath fo contrived it, that nothing but ig- norance or blind malice can lay it upon the Proteftants, Epi- fcopal, or Presbyterian, that (trove fo much againft it, andfuf- fered fo much for it as they have done. When many on the other fide, charged the Scots, and the imprifoned Minifters of London, with thofe that were put to death , for going too far on the other fide , in manifefting their diftaftts .* Of which I take not on me to be judge, but mention it only as Evidence that clears them from the deed. And to vindicate the Proteftants openly before all the world, and to all pofterity, from that Fa&t it is moft publikely known, i. That both Houfes of Parliament in their Proteftations en- gaged themfelves and the Nations , to be true to the King. 2. That they openly profeffed to roannage their war for King and Parliament : Not againft his Perfon or Authority, but againft Delinquents that were fled from Jufticc, and againft evill Counfellors. 3. That the two Nations of England and Scotland did in the midft of the wars (wear in the Solemn League and Covenant to he true to the King. 4. That the Commit- tees , Commanders , Minifters and people through the Land, profeffed openly to go only on thefe terms, as managing but a de- Tt fenfive 3*2 A fyyfor Catholicks. fenfive war againft the Kings mifcarriages , but an OfFenfive againft Delinquent fubje&s. 5. In that it was known chat the Army was quite altered ( not only by a new modelling, but J by an inteitine Jefuitical corrupting of multitudes of the Souldiers, before this Odious fad could be done. 6. And it was known, that the corrupted pare of the Army , though the fewer, did faexcellthereft iniriduftry anda&iviry, that thereby they hindered their oppofition. 7. And it is known that the •_ Jefuited part (that afterward fo many of them turn'd Levellers) did draw into them the daafaptifts , Libertines , and other Sects, upon a conjunction of Interefts, and by many fly pre- tenfes, efpecially tying all together by the predicated Liberty for all Religions. 8. And yet after ^.11 this, the world knows they were fain before they could accompliih it , to Matter the City of London, to Mailer the Parliament, to imprifon and caft out the Members, and to retain but a few that were partly of their mind, and partly feduced or over-awed by them, to joyn with them in the work. 0. It is known that before they were put our, andimprifoned by the Army, the Commons voted the K ingi Concefiions in the Treaty to be fo far fatisfa&ory, as that they would have proceeded on them towards a full Agree- ment. See Mr. Print large Speech in the Houfe to that end. And if they had not fuddenly been fecluded and imprifoned, they had agFeed with the King. 10. And it is wtll known to all that dwell in England, that before and fince the doing of \xi the thing is difowned, diftafted and detefted by the main Body of the Englijb Nation, Nobility, Gentlemen , Minifters j and people: Yea, to my knowledge multitudes that are now firm and loyal to the prefent Power, fuppofingit tobefet over as by God, ( and therefore would abhor the like pradifes againft them) do yet deteft that fad that intervened and made way to it. So that experience may facisfie all men , that Proteftants, Ignatius injeflt but Vre will make them fm art fir A £\ey for Cati?olicks . . 329 foritinearneft. J hope Jouwill excufemj merry digre(fiony for 1 confefs to joh lam at this time tranfporteb with j*y% to fee how happily all infir ument s and means yas well great as lejfer co-operate to our purpofes.~] Yet cannot I hear of any contiderable infe- ction among this party that way before Sir Henry Vanfs daycs. 5 How far they crept into all Societies under the name of In- dependants^ is opened by fo many already in Print.that I (hall add no more of it. 6. And ics a thing notorious, that they have crept in among the Anabaptifts, and fomented that Sed. The (lory of the Scottifh Miflionary that pretended himfelf a Jew,and gave the Anabaptifts the glory of his Conversion, and Rebaprizing at Hexham, and was difcovered at Newcaftle , is publifhcd and commonly known : ( whether he be yet in Prifon, or releaft,[ know not. ) And too many more have more cleanly plaid their game. And though many of the more fober Anabaptifts would not be fo ufefull to the Papifts as they expeded, yet multitudes of them too far anfwered their expectations. If you ask now what the Papifts get by all this , I anfwer, you fee in the Inftance but of this one fed, and the produds of it, 1. By this means our Councils, Armies, Churches have bcen'iivided, or much broken. 2. By this trick they have en- gaged the minds and tongues of many f and their hands if they had power ) againft the Miniftry^which is the ereray that (land- ech in their way. 3. They have thus weakned us by the lofs of our former adherents. 4. They have found a Nurfery or Seminary for their own Opinions , which one half of the Ana- baptifts too greedily receive. 5.By this they have prepared them for more and worfe. 6. By this means they get an Intereft in our Armies, or weakned our own. 7. By this they have got Agents ready for mifchievous defigns ( as hath been lately too manifeft. ) 8. By this they havecaft a reproach upon our Pro- feffion, as if we had no unity or confidence , but were vertigi- nous for want of the Roman pillar to reft upon. 9. By this they baveloofned and difaffeded the common people, to fee fo ma- ny minds and waies, and hear fo much contending , and have looft them from their former ftedfaftnefs, and made them ready for a new impreffion. 10. Yea by this means they have the op- U u portunitv ■ — ■r 330 A I\ey for Catboltcks . portunity of Predicating their own pretended unity,and hereby have drawn many to their Church of late. Ail this have they got at this one game. What then have they got by all the reft ? I (hall next cell you of fome of thofe Herefies or parties among u«, that are the Papifts own Spawn or progeny ; Either they laid the Egg ,or hatched it, or both. And 1. It is moil certain that Libertinifm or Freedom for all Relights, was fpawned by the Jefuite*, who hate it in Spain and Italy % but love it in England. I have met with the masked Papifts my felf tha: hwebeen very zealous and bufie to pro- mote this Liberty of Confcience ( as they deceitfully called it. ) For by this means they may have Liberty for themfelves,and Liberty to break us in pieces by fefts, and alfo Liberty under the Vizor ofaSe&ary of any tolerated fort, to oppofe theM.- niftry and dodrine of truth. 2. But the principal defign that the Papifts have upon our Religion, at this day, is managed under a fort of fuglers, who all are confederate irube fame grand principles, and are bufie at the fame work, and are agreed to carry it on in the dark>and with wonderfull fecrecydo conceal the principal part of their opinions- but yet they ufe not all one vizor, but take on them fevcral fnapes and names, and fome of them induftricufly avoid all names. The principal ofthefe Hiders are thefe following. 1. The Vani, who(e game was firft plaid openly in America in Net England, where God gave in his Teltimony againft them from Heaven upon their two Propheteffes , Mrs. Hntchinfon , ani Mrs. Dyer: The later brought forth a Monfter with the parts of Bird, Bead, Fifh and Man,which you may fee defcribed in Mr. Welds Narrative, with the difcovery , the concomitants and Confequenrs. The former brought forth many (neer 3 o.) luonftrous b.nhs at once, and was after flain by the Indians. This providencc fhould at lead have awakened England to fuch a Godly Jeaoufie , as to have better tryed the do&rines which God thus fcemed. to caft out, before they had fo greedily enter- tained them, as in part of Lincoln/hire, fombridge/hire, and ma- ny other parts they hive done. At leaft it fhould have wakened the Parliament to a wife and Godly Jealoufie of the Counfels and "defig is of him that was in New England^ theMafterofthe g*me, A fyy for Catbolkks. 3 3 l game, and tobave carefully r'earchc how much of bis do&rine and ddign were from beaven,and how much of them he brought with him from Italy , or at leaft was begotten by the Progeni- tor of Monikrs, Such extraordinary providences are not to be defpifed. They bad a great Operation in New England among thofewife and godly men that law them, or were reer them, and knew the wayes of them that God thus certified againft. That wh'cb healed them fhculd have warned us. But God had a judgement for us, and therefore wc were lefc in blindnefs, to overlook that Judgement that fhould have warned us. They a^e nowdifperfedin Court, Gty,and Country , snd what God m 1 fufTer them ; and the Papifts by them further to do, time will difcover. 2. The next fort of Hiders, arc the Paracefians.Weigdians^nd Behmenifts, who go the tame way in the main with the former i and are indeed the fame party, but think meet to take another r ame, and fetch their vizor from facob Behmen : of cheir life of Community, and Chaftity, and Vifible convene ( as they pro- fefsj with Angels, you may fee fomewhat in the Narrative of Dr. Pordidgc of him felf, together with Mr. Fowlers o: him. The moil clean and moderate piece of their doctrine that hath been larely publi(h?d,is Mr. Bromlejes way to the Sabbath of Reft ^ or Treat ife of Regeneration. 3 Another fore of the Hiders are thofe called Seekers, among whom I have reafon to believe the Papifts have not the leaft of their ftrength in England at this day. They pra&ifc the lefTon that BovertHi in Ararat, adConfttltat. taugh! Prince Charts long ago Q Primitm eft, tit ejmniam vera Religio tibi inqmrenda eft, anteejuam adeaminvtftigandam actedas, omnem print Religi- onem apttd te fttfpettam habeas '. Ixbeatcf^tamdiH a Proteftjntiujn fideac Religiose animum ac voluntatem fnfpendere, <\HamdiH in veriincjuifitione virfaris . | We mui^ !urpe& all Religion itfeems, and be firit of no Religion , if we will become Papift?. A fair begining'.We mutt then be unchnitned.and fufped Chrift and Scripture , that we may beefpoufed to the Pope. Arid this is the Papifts work by the Seekers, to take us off from ail,or from our former Religion, and blotoutalltheoldimpreflions, that we may be capable of new. And if they canaccompliih this , they hare us at a fair advantage. For he that is not a Uu 2 ftark 3 J? A fyyfov Catholicks. {lark Atbeiftor Infidel, but believes that he hath a foul co fave or lofe, muft needs know the Neceffity of feeking his Salvation in fome Religion or other.* and therefore take him off from this, and you mud needs bring him to fome other* And he that could prevail to take him off his old Religion , is likelieft to have fo much intereft in him as may alfo prevail to bring him to another. And thePapift thinks that on the pretence of Unity, Antiquity and Univerfality ( of which indeed they have but a delufory (hew) they can put as fair for him that is once indiffe- rent as any other can. Of thefe Seekers there are thefe Sub-divifions, orSe&s. The firft and raoft moderate do only profefs tberafelves to be Seekers for the true Church and Miniftry ; holding that fucha Church and Miniftry there is, but they are at a lofs to know which is it. A likely thing it is indeed, that men that take chemfelves for extraordinary wife, (hould think there is exiftent fuch a Church and Miniftry as they predicate , and yet have no conjecture which it it. As if they (hould believe that there is fuch a crea- ture as the Moon, but be not able to know it from the Stars. The fecondfortof Seekers are to feek whether there be any Organized Political Church , or any Miniftry, or any Ordi- nances proper to a Church at all, or not. Not denying them, but Doubting and Seeking ; that fo when they have found them at Rome ,they may prove but Finders , and not grofs changlings : And withall they yield that private men may Declare the Word, and pray together, and read the Scripture. The mod rational and modeft that hath wrote for this way, is the Author of [Afc btr Wordte a Serious People^ A likely thing indeed it is, that fo rational a man (hould heartily believe, that Chrift hath planted fo excellent a Miniftry^ and Church, and Ordinances as himfelf defcribetb, andtothofeftandingncceflary ufes which he men- tioneth,e*/en inftead of Chrift, to take men inco the holy Cove- nant, and yet that all (hould be left but foranAgeor two, and that ever fince there is no fuch thing, or at lead, no certainty of it. The Stile (hews us that this Author is no fuch dotard as to think as he fpeaks. 3. Another fort of Seekers are thofe that do not only Doubt ©f, but flatly deny any Miniftry , and Political Churches, and Church-ordinances on Earth, as things that are loft in an VnW verfal dpcftacj;, 4« Ano- A J^ey for fabolicks. 33 3 4. Another fort of Seekers do not only doubt of , */• <&*jr thefe Particular Churches and Ordinances , but alfo they arc to ftekjor the Vniverfal Church it felfy and the hdy Scriptures , yea many of them not only <2*eftioning them, but flatly mam taining, that we have no certainty that the Scripture is true , or that we have the fame that was written by the Apoftles, or that thereisfuch athing asatrueMiniftry, or State of Chnftianity in the World. Hence it if that fome of them pour out fo many reproaches againft the Miniftry and the Holy Scriptures, as you may find in Clem. Writer jntwo ignorant Pamphlets, thzt have fcorn in the very Titles, as well as through the bulk ; one called, The fus Divinumef Presbyterie -y and the other Fides Divina ; In which he maintaineth the caufe of the Infidelf .The opinion which this fort of men openly profefs, is, that no par- ticular man u bound to believe the Go/pel , but thofe that have them/elves feen Af trades to confirm it : and therefore in the firft ages when Mirscles were wrought, thofe that fa w them were bound to believe in Chrift, and at the fecond coming of Chrift, when again he fhall be witneffed by Miracles, it will again be- come a duty to beChriftians: but not to others tl at fee no Mi- racles, however they may hear of them. This do&rine C&w. Writer hath profeffed to me with his own mouth. But I may not cenfure him to be fo weak as to believe himfclf. It's pofii- ble that fuch a filly foul may be found , that (hall think that -Chrift came into the world to fet up Chriftianity as the true Religion for thofe only in an Age or two, or more, that fa w Mi- racles ; but it** unlikely that a man that hath any considerable ufe of his reafon fhould be fo filly. Who will not defpife Chrift that thinks he came on folow adefign? Who would not be an Infidel , that thinks ten thoufand Infidelsare favedforoneCbri- ftian? Yea who can be himfelf a Chriftian, that thinks that he is no: bound to be a Chnftian, becaufe he fees not Miracies -? It*s moft evident therefore that this is but a Juggle, ^nd that fuch are either Infidels or Papifls. Infidelity is the thing pro- fejfed, and therefore that we take them for Infidels, they cannot blame us: But yet in Charity I hope (and not without caufe) that fome of this Profellion are but Papifts-^ though others £ have found to be defperate Infidels. A fifth fort called Seekers alfo there are? that own the Church U u v mi 334 a K?y for Cat^tc^ and Miniftery , and Ordinances,* but yet fuppofe themfelves above them : for they think that thefe are but the Administra- tions of Chrift to men in the pafftge to & higher ft ate, and that fuch as have received the Spirited have the Law once writEen in their hearts, are under fas they call it) the fecond Covenant, and fo arc paft the lower form of Ordinances, Scripture, Minifte- ry, and vifible Churches. And a fixth fort of Seekers there are that think the whole company of believers fhould now be over- grown the Scripture, Miniftry and Ordinances : For they think that the Law was the Fathers Adminiftration, and the Gofpel Miniftry and Sacra- ments are the Sons Adminiftracion , and trm both thefe are now paft, and the feafon of the Spirits Adminiftration is come, which all muft attend, and quit the lower forms. The David- Qeorgians were the chief that taught the world this leflbn, their Leader taking himfeif to be the HolyGhoft. All thefe forts of Seekers are bred orchertfhed by the Jefuites and Fryars. And the truth is, when a man is made a Seeker , he is half made a Pa- pift : Asa Dog when he hath loft his Matter will follow almoft any body that will whittle him ; fo when men have loft their Miniftry, Church and Religion, they are eafily allured to the Church of Rome : For they are a body as confpicuous to a carnal eye as any other. And who will not rather be of the Roman Church and Religion then of none ? 4. Another fore of Hiders are the Quakers \ an impudent Generation , and open enough in pulling down ; but as fecret and referved as the reft in afferting and building up. What in- terefts the Papifts have in breeding and feeding this Scft among us, hath been partly proved from the Oaths of Witnefles, and Confeflions of Fryars, and fomewhat I havefpoken of it in three feveral Papers againft them. The Do&rine of this fourth fore is the fame, or fcarfe difcernable from the reft. 5, A fifth fort of Hiders , are thofe Enthufiafts, that fliun thearTe&edbombafted language of Behmen, and fuch like, but yet give us much of the body of Popery, Headed by an infal- lible Prophetick Spirit, inftead of the Pope. Such as the Au- thors of the Book againft the Aflemblies Confeftion, owned by Parker^ but faid to be written by a London Do&or : And many fuch Do&ors I know and hear of abroad in England. They take A I\ey for tatholicks. 33 j take on them to be adversaries to the Pope ; but they arc friends to his Doctrines, and maintain the nece/Iity of an infallible living Judge , and fend us to Prophets for this infallible judge- ment. And could the Papifts bring men once to this, it's an eafie matter to ftrike off the the feigned Prophetick head , by difgracing fuchas meer fantafticks , and to feton the ancient Papal Head, whichonly will agree with the Body which they have received. So much of the Libertines and the Hiders of their Religion, (of feveral forts). 3. Another fort that are fpawned by the Papifts, are ftark Heathens, Atheifb, or Infidels ; Thefe carry their judgement as to the pofitive part as clofe as any of therelt, and are grown in England to a far greater number and (Irength then is com- monly imagined. It is not only Leviathan or his Ocean that is guilty of this Apoftafie , (however they ufe the name of Chnit) but abundance that lurk under feveral names. A great while I knew, not whit to make of this clofe Generation-, buc now I have found out that which (hould make a believing ten- der heart to bleed ; even grofs Infidelity, caufing them fecretly to- (corn at Chrift and the holy Scripture,and the life to corners bitterly as ever Julian did : And this is crept fo high , and fpred fo far , tbit it is dreadful to thofe few that are acquainted with its progrefs. Some that have lately profeffcd to turnPa. pift (for what ends I know not,) are known to be (lark Infidels : And fome that have long gone for leading men wkh them, have farisfied us by their writings that they are Romaniflt of the molt ancient (train • even of the Roman Religion that was- ancienter then Peter and Paul. And many of the unfetied fort of Proteftants, are fo far forfaken of God, as to Apo:tatiz:to the Hme condition. Mont /tit m the fanfenian takes the Jefuites for falfe unworthy calumniators, for giving out that they have Jong hadadefignat Pert-Royal to ovenhrow theGofpe!, and fct up Infidelity and meer D»sifm. Butlam furethey eeerve much harder words of us in England, between them , (it d> ing fo muchco deftroy the Chnftianity of many , in onde o the fettiog up of Popery. I do not charge it all and oniy oa Papiils. I know the Devil ha:h more forts of Jnftrumevits tlrn one: Bu: that they have had a notable hand in this Apo ta we have good reaf?nto fatisfie us. Not that they deiire tl men: 33^ ^K?J>for Catholicks. men fhouid be abfolutely and finally Infidels: But i. they would make the world believe, that all muft be Infidels that will not receive the Cbriftian Faith upon the Roman account and terms: And in order to this they induftrioufly feek to difgrace the Scripture , and overthrow all the grounds of the Faith of fuch as they difpute with. And fo make them Infidels in order to the proof of that their affirmation. 2. And then they think that they muft take them off all Religion (as Boverins afore cited) to prepare them for the Popifli Religion. 3. And the malice of Tome of them is fuch, that they had rather men were Infidels then Proteftancs; or at leaft they will venture them upon Infi- delity in the way , rather than not take them off from being Proteftants. And no wonder, when they allow Infidels fo much more charity then Proteftants, as to their falvation,as all the Au- thors cited by S. Clara before do fignifie : And when Rome burneth Proteftants, but givcth toleration for fews. And thus by thefe Devihfh devices , the Hidcrs in England that keep clofe their Religion , are difcovered at laft to be one part of them Infidels or Heathens , and another part of them Papifts. And no wonder if they would lately have introduced the Jews here into England, and if they have fo many other defigns to promote this Apoftafie. 4. Another fort that Popery hath here hatch or cheriftied are the Socinians ; a Se& with whom both Papifts and Heathens do joyn hands , as the Bond of their Conjunction. Yet I know that they were not bred at firft by Popery : and I know that the genuine Papift that holds faft the Articles of their Faith, muft needs difown the Socinian : But however it comes to pafs, I am furc there are too many of lace (felf-conceited men, inno- vators in Philofophie ) that have reduced their Tbeologie to their novel Philofophie, and expounded Scripture by fuch con- ceits as fait with the Socinians. I (hall fay nothing of the Millenaries, the Levellers, and maoy fuch like. But here in the clofe, I would defire any Papift that is confeious of the promoting of any of thefe fore- mentioned abominations, to tell us whether this be like to be the way of Cod? Or whether Peter or fW did ever take fuch acourfeas , this to plant the Gofpel, or build up the Church } And whether k be like to be the Caufe of God that muft be maintained by fuch means ? A Kgy for Qatholicks. * yj means ? Is not their damnation juft, that fay, Let us do eviil that good may come thereby ? Should not the means be fuited to the end? Hath the glory of God any need of a lie? This courfe will never ingratiate your opinions with any wife con- siderate men. This ts but working with the Devil for God : like one that doth confult with a Witch or Conjurer, to find the goods of the Church when they arcftoln. Do you think God needs the Devils help ? Or is it like to be help that comes from him? But the truth is, it is your bad Caufe that requires thefe evils means : and it is your bad hearts that fet you on work to ufe them : Though you think perhaps that you do God fer- vice by it , yet you know not what Spirit you are of. Chrift owncthnot fuch ways as thefe, and therefore his fcrvants will not own them. Chap. XLVI. Tsetelt. 37. A Nother Practical fraud of the Papifts Is, In JT\ hiding themfelves and their Religion, that thej may do their worl^ with the more advantage. I (hall tell you briefly, 1 . The way by which they do this,and 2. The advantage they get by it. And 3. Help you to detedfc them. I .The principal means by which they conceal themfelves is,2?jf thrufiing themftlves into all Setts and Parties, And putting on the vizor of any fide, as their caufe. required. It's well known that formerly we had abundance of them that went under the name of Proteftants , and were commonly called by the name of Church-Papifts : But there is great reafon to think that there are more fuch now. Some of them are PreUtifis, and fome of them call themfelves Indefeniants : fome creep in among the tAnabaptifts; and fome go under the cloak of Arminiam , and fome of Socinians, and fome of Millenaries , and all the other SeSs before- mentioned. They animate the Vanifts , the Beb- menifts, and other Enthufiafts, the Seekers, the Quakers , the Origenifts, and all the fuglers and Riders of the times : It is they that keep life iciLibmiwfms, and in Infidelity itfelf. Among Xx everv 338 A K^yfor Catbolkks every one of thefe parties ycu may find tbtro , if you have the skill of unmasking them. 2, Another way of fftdkf themfelves if, bf having a Difpefr Cation to come to any ef "our Affewblies, or join to worship wjth anv par;y, good or bid : Or elfe they will prove it lawful! with- cora Difpenfation' where the Pope interdideth h not. And their way is this: that at!' the old known Papifo , efpeciafly of the poorer fort, fluiifreftili forbidden tocorrieto our A (fern* hire? t fefi they bring the blot of levity and tcmpofizng On their Religion and left there fhouid not be a vifible party among them r.o countenance their caufe. But the New profelites , efpecially luch as ire of any power and inrereft. in the world, and may do ? hern more fervicein a marked way, and can fairly avoid the Imputation ofPopery, thefe fhail have leave to come to our Affemblics, when their caufe may make advantage of it. Thac you may fee I feign not ali this of them, (betides the proof from certain experience which we daily fee ) let me lay before you the Dccilions of one of their principal! Directors, in this work ef propagating thiir faith \ and that is, Thorn, ajefu de(fonverf. gentium. How far they are for favouring of Heatnen* and Infidels, and Liberty of Conscience for them ( for ali their cru- elty to Proteftants ) you may fee him, lib. 5 . Dab. 4. fag. 207. Where he tells you that the feritence commonly received in the. Schools is/hititis not lawful! for Chriftian Princes to ufeany force againft Infidels, for fins againft the Law of Nature it felf; and citeth CayM.Vitioria^ov arrtiv. Greg, divalent. And him- felf decides itiri the middle way of A zori to, [ That Pagans Ma) not be pun'-fhedfor defpifing the honour and Ivor/hip of God, though they may for not giving every man his own, and for theft, murder, falfe witnefs, and other fins thxt are again ft mens r\ghf\ Cdmpafe this with Sir H: Vane's doctrine of Liberty. And lib. 5. part. 1. Dub.6.pag.2ZO. he teacheth that [ A Catholick living among Her nicks may ( when the fcandalizing of others forbids it not ) for fear of death , go to the Temples of he* retickj, and be among them in their meetings , and affembliestbe- catife of it felf it is a thing indifferent ♦, For a man may for many canfesgati the Temples tf heretickj> and be among them in their affemblies, as that he may the ea flyer and more effe&ually and com- mo dio fifty confute their errors, or on other jufi occafions, ( tmlefs accidentally A J^ey for Catbolicks. 3 39 accidentally it fcandali^e others.) Tea as Azorius faith y he may do it to obey a Prince \theugh he be an heretic ky when he feareth the lofs of his honour , maintenance or life : For in this he only cbeyeth his Prince: efpecially if among the faithful I ('that is,the Papifts) be openly affirm, that he doth it only to obey his Prince , and not to profefs the heretical feci : For by that open atttftation he avoideththe offence and danger of Catholickj , and well declineth the ttnjuft vexation of the Prince. 3 And that Papifts may eat pfh on dayes when their Church for- bids it , to hide themfelves among heretickj , he determineth in Dub. 5. p. 218,219- So that toe Papifts are abundantly pro- vided for their fecuricy , againft fuch as would difcover them when it ftandsnot with their ends to difclofe themfelves. 3. Another moft effc&ual way of Hiding themfelves is, by Equivocation or mental refervations , which we ufe to call Lying, when rhey are examined about their Religion, their Orders or their a&ions. Lying that hurteth not another, they com- monly maintain to be but a venial fin , which fay moft of them, is properly no fin at all. And to equivocate or referve one half of your an fwer to your feives,fay the Jefuitcs,is not Ly- ing, nor unlawful!, in cafe a mans intereft requireth him to do it. See the words of their own Cafuifts cited for this by Mon- t alt us the fanfenift. Were it a thing that needed proof, I would give you enough of it. Thorn, d fefu the Carmelite, nbi fup> Bub. 4. pag. 2i8r fecureth them fufficiently ; His Quefti- onis £ Whether one that denyethitwhen he is asked of a Heretic^ whether he be a Prieft^or a Religious man, or whether he heard Di- vine fervice, do fin againfl the confeffion of faith?] He anfwereth, [N# : for that is no denying himfelf to be a Chriflian , or Catho • lick^: For it is lawfullto dijfemb/e or hide the per f on of a Clergy man or a Religious man, without a lye in words , left a man be betrayed and m danger of hit life. ; and for the fame canfe he may layby his Habit, omit prayers , &c. ■ becauje (N.B. ) V.u* mane Laws for the moft part bind not the fp.b) lis confeience, when there is great hazard of life, as in this cafe Azorius hath well taught, fuft. Mor. Tom. 1 . lib. 8 . c . 27.] bo that by the confent of moft , there is no danger to a Papift in any fuch cafe from his own confeffion. Another way of Hiding their Religion and thenDfelves,isby X x 2 fslft ^o d f\?y for Cat^lc^s- falfe Oaths, which we called, wilfuil perjury, but the Jefuites take for a Lawfull thing, when a mental! Refervation or Sqtiivft* cation fupplyech the want of verbal truth, as their words cited by the forementioned Janfenian, teftifie. And who will ever want foeafie,fo obvious, fo cheap a Remedy a gainft all dan- ger of perjury, as a mental Refervatun is I Yea that the Pope can fufficiently difpcnfc with any of their Oaths of fidelity or Allegiance,or the like,I (hall (hew you un- der the laft Detcdion.The Parliament hath impofed on them an Oath of Abjuration, but do they not know how little the Clergy, and fuch as have their countenance will flick at that, fuch Nets are too wide to catch them in. Hear the words of one of their OWnPriefts ( f 9. Browns Voluntary Confejf. in Prins Introdntb. p. 203 . ) faith he, Q Its ftrange to fee the Stratagems which they ufe with thtir penitents concerning the Oath of Allegiance I If they be poor, the j tell them flatly , (when they are demanded tota\{e the Oath) that it is damnable, and no wa) es to be allowed by the Qhurch : If they be of the richer fort, they fay they may do as their conference will infpire them> tstnd there be fome of them that maks no confeience at all, to have it taken fo oft as they are de- manded. J What would you have more, then fuch difcoveries by themfelves? 2. But what get they by this Biding of themfelvesfAnfw.i. They hereby fecure therafelves from danger.2.They do the more cafily prevail for the multiplication of their fed : For worldly perfons would not fo eafily flock into them without fome fuch fecurity from fuffcring. £. They prefer ve thofe that are come over to them from revolting,by the difcouragement of fuffering,efpeciaU Jy the Rich and Honourable. 4.They angle for fouls with the lefs fufpition, when they itand behind the bufh : Papifts are become fo diftafted with the people by the Powder- plot, and many other of their pranks , that they rriay take more with them , if they come masked under another name. 5. By this means they may openly revile and oppofe the Miniftry, and Ordinances , and Churches, and Proteftant doftrine , without difturbanceby the Magiftrate. A Papift in the Coat of a Quaker, an Anabap- tift, a Seeker , or the like, may rail at us and our do&rine in the open Streets, and Market place, and call us all to naught, and teach abundance of their own Opinions, without a con- trol. A H{ey for Catbolicks* J 4 troul. And many a poor foul will take an Anabaptift Papift, or Seeker into their bofome, and familiarly hear them, and ealily fwallowdown what they fay, that would be afraid of them if he knew them to be Papifts. 6. By this means they baveeafier accefs to a greater number then openly they could have. 7-And by this means they may infinuate into our Counfels, and know all our wayes,and how to refift us. 8. But above all , by this means they may be capable of any office and truft among us. They may be Minifters , or Juftices of Peace : They may be Parliament men , and Leaders in our Councils, and have the conduct of our affairs : They may have a great influence on the reft that know them not ; They may come to have power in our Armies. And if once the Masked Papifts come to make our Laws , or guide our Councils and Affairs , and influence or command our Armies, you may foon know what would become of Proteftants : Kings and Parliaments, Prelates and Presbyters (hall all go one way , if they can accompli (hit : Its eafie there- fore to difcern that their principall Artifice lyeth in Hiding themfelves (h be it ftill there be a vifible body of their open profeffors. ) And for my own parti I think I have good reafon to fear left the Papifts are far ftronger at this day in England that are unknown , then that are known: and that wear the Vizard of Seekers, Vanifts, and other Sects, then that appear barefaced • Yea I believe that our danger of the open Papifts is nothing in comparifon of our danger from thefe Juglers. Andlconfefslthink an ingenuous open Papift fhould have a gre$t deal more gentle dealing from our Magiftrates,then thefe Deceivers that have fucfr ftretching Confidences* For my own part I muft confef* I feel a great deal of charity in my heart for a confeientious plain dealing Papift •, and I would never be guil- ty of cruelty or rigor to them. But this Ogling in the matters of God and Eternal life , my very foul abhors. I have been fet upon by thefe Juglers my fclf, and by fome of the moft renown- ed of them •> but as foon as I perceived any of them purpofely choofethe dark, and hide themfelves in a rtefted cloudy rerms or methods, I was moreaverfefrom their documents,and took, them for men that were either enemies to truth, or elfe had not received it into honcft hearts themfelves. Truth is moft beauti- full in its nakednefs •, It loveth plain dealing, and abhorreth X x 1 fraud. 3^2 A £\ey for Qatholkks . ■ ... ~ ■ — I,. » ■ ' '*" fraud. It takes that for its greateft friend, chat layes it moft naked to the view of all, and that for its enemy that purpofely obfcureth it. We haveail fuch a natural inclination to trutb,that he fcarcedefervesthenameofaman, much lefs of a Chriftian, that would not embrace it if he knew it. Did I think chat the Papifts had the truth, the Lord knows I would run after them, and follow them till I had learned it ; If ever any of thctn would work on me, they muft come bare faced : for I naturally abhor a Jugler in Religion,and a friend of darknefs. 3 . But how /ball theft Hiders be Detetfod ? Anfw. l .You have caufe to //*//*# all that ufe *Mask,> "and purpofely bide their minds. To fufped: them I fay, to be Papifrs or worfe : They walk not in Gods way that walk in Darknefs : It is the Kingdom of Satan that is the Kingdom of Darknefs, and it is he that is the Prince of Darknefs, and hisfervants that are the fonsof Darknefs. Me thinks a man that intendeth Deceit , what ever his end be , fhould not take ic ill to be fofpe&ed for a deceiver,, God is fo good a matter that no body fhould be afhamed of h m. Truth is fo amiable, that the genuine fons of Truth are not afhamed of it. Its no true Religion that affureth not men of that which will fave them harmlcfs, and bear them out againft fill the malice of earth and hell, and repair all lodes that they can fuftainin the defending of ir. Quiwnvttltintelligi, debet ftegligi. He that would not be fully underftood , (hall never be my Teacher, nor be much regarded by me. And therefore the Vantzwi Steril language of Paracelfian Bchmenifts, and Popifh Juglers , doth ferve with me fcr no other ufe but to raiferaeinto fufpicion of their Defignsand Do&rines, and lo fignifie &Vaint&r\d Steril mind. Who will not fufpecltbat Tradefmans wares that choofeth a dark Shop, and refufeth to open his wares rn the light? I know that Scripture hath its diffi- culties, and ftrong meats. But that is from our incapacity of underftanding higher points, till we are prepared by the low- er : It is from the altitude of the matter , and not that God doth envy us the truth, which he pretendeth to reveal : If -a Prophefie be purpofely obfeured , which concerneth not the world fo neerly, yetfo are not the Doctrines that our life or death lyeth on. But faith Clem. Writer to me, •( recited in his late Book againft me ) [ WqhUjqh not hidtpnr minder Re- ligion A J^ty for Catkolicks. 343 tight in Spain ? Anfw. r. No: I would not-, whenever I found my feff capable of ferving God moft by the difcovery ; which is the common cafe. 2. Till chen, I would not put on the vizor of any thing that I knew ta befalfc-, and make ufc of Pofirive Jugling and Diffembling to hide my Religion. 3. If Chriftians againfl: Infidels, or Protefxants among Papift?, had thought this diffimuiation lawful! , there had not been fo many thoufands of them martyred or murdered as were. 4. What Opinion is it that brings men in England into any great danger at thi9 day } Either your Opinion mull be AcheifticaJ , or at leaft Infidelity, if youfuppofe it will bring you now into any great faff ring : or if it befome fmall matter that you fear , it teems you think not your Religion worthy to be openly owned in fo fmall a danger. Tie never be of a Religion that is not worthy my openeft confefiion, even to the death, when there is fo much danger. * 2.TheJuglingPapifts may be known by this, that they are alwayes loofening people from their Religion , and leading them into a diflike of what they have been taught; that they may be receptive of their new ImpreiTions. And therefore of any one Scd in England , there is none to be fo much fuf- peeked of a fpiritof Jefwtifm, as theSeekjrsof all forts. 3.TheJugHng Papiftsmay be much detected by this, that they are all upon the DeftruElive part in their Difputes, and ve- ry little on the Afertive part. They pull down with both hands, but tell you not what they will build op.till they have prepared you for the difcovery. They tell you what they are againft. But what they are for, you cannot draw out of them. As if any wife man will leave his houfe or grounds till he knows where to ba better: or will forfake his (raff- that he leaneih on , or the food that he feedeth on , till he know where to have a better provifion or fupport. Do they think wife men Will be made irreligious ? They deal by the poor peop!e,as cne that fhouid fay to paflengers on Shipboard [ What fools arejM to venture your lives infucha/hip that hath fo much encumbrance •And danger , and fo man) flaws, and but d few inches between you and death , a*d is guided by fuch a Pilot as may betray yot\ \ or cafl away jour lives for ought you know ? ] They know now that none but mad men will be perfwaded by fuch words as thefe to- 344 4 &y for Catholicks* to leap into the Sea to fcape thefe dangcrs.-and therefore they do this but to make men willing to pafs into their ftiip,and take them for our Pilots. If you are wife therefore bold them to it, and leap not over- board, but keep where you are, till they have {hewed you a fafer Veffei and Pilot : which they can ne* vcr do. When I did but privately defire of CI. Writer that he would acquaint me with that truth that he thought me ignorant of, and that we might privately and lovingly confidcr how far we were agreed, and where we differed, that we might debate the cafe, and try who was in the right, he refolutely denyed to have any debate with me,or to open any of his judgement,but pag. 46. re- proacheth this very motion, as proceeding from [my aims of a monfirotu fhape and ugly lookj ] fo raonftrous a thing doth it appear to thefe deceiving Juglers, to tell men what Religion they are of, and would have us to receive, when they will freely re- proach the Religion which we profefs. t* 4. And you may ftrongly conjecture at the quality of thefe Juglers, by their conftant oppojition againfl the Miniftry. It is Miniflers that are their eye- fore; the hinderersof their King- dom : Could they but get down thefe,the work were done , the day were their own : And therefore their main bufinefs , what- ever vizor they put on, is to bring the people into a diflike or contempt of the Miniftry. If they feera Quakers , they will rail at them : If they fecm Seekers,they will difpute againft their calling : If they fecm the gentleft Behmenifts, they have their girds at them, to acquaint the world that they are mifguided by them. But at firft , they will not let you know which is the true Miniftry, if ours be not; or which is the true Church, if ours be not.- Here they leave you, 5. The Jugling Papift, what vizor foe ver he wears, is com- monly putting in for his own opinions, of the Necejpty of a fudge of Controverfies, an Infallible Church , a (late of perfeElion here, the magnifying of our own inherent Right eoufnefs9 without any great eftcera of purification by the forgivenefs of fin \ and many fuch like. 6. Papiftshaveftill an aking tooth at the Authority and faf* ficiency of Scripture ; and therefore on one pretence or other, are ftill difgracing and impugning it, and leading men afide to fome other Rule. 7. Papi(rs A I\ey for Catkolicks. 345 7. Papifts have ft ill an enmity againft the Tower of the Ma- gifirate in matters of Religion : For in fuch matters their Vice- chrifi muftbetheonlv Judge. Whereas indeed, by that time the Magiflrate hath judged , Who is Pmijhable bj the Sftord% and the Paftors and Particulars Churches have judged , Whs uexcommunicable, (which are their undoubted work 5 J there is nothing left for a Pope to do.Sufpcd them that are for a Liberty for all i or at leaft for all that are no worfe then Papifts. They that fet open this door intend to creep in at it themfelves at lafr. 8. And it is afufpicious (ign when you find men enemies to the Unity, Peace and SettJement of our Churches , but would ftill keep us in divifion and diftraftion. And yet fome of thefe men will lament our Divifions, and cry up Unity, but they will fecretly hinder ir, or do nothing to attain it. 9. And it is fomewhat fufpiciout to fee men hang loofe from all our Churches in their pra&ife , and joyn with none , nor communicate in the Sacraments, If they know not Sacraments and Church -communion to be both our Duty, and the Means of our ftrength and comfort , it ii doubtful whether they are Chriftians or Infidels. But if they know this of the Neceflicy and ufc of Sacraments, and Church-communion in general, and yet joyn not with any of our Churches herein, it's a fhrewd fafpicion that they have an eye upon fome other Church. For fure a tender confidence would not be many years in refolving of fo great and practical a point , no more then he would live many years without prayer, 0x1 pretence of being unfatisfied in the mode of Prayer. 10. And yet on the contrary fide, there are fome Jugling Papifts, efpecially in our Councils, Civil and Ecdefiaftick, that play their ^anae by over-doing , and making every thing to be Popifhand Amichriftian , to drive us into extreams, and into opinons in which we may cafily be bafled. And it's not a little that they have won of us at'this garae. Chap. XLVII. DetcQ. 38. A Nother of their Pradical Frauds is. In their ex- t~\ ceeding induftryfor the perverting of men of Pow» er &Interefiithat are lik^lj to do much in hrlping or hindering them* Y y Swarms 346 A fyyfor Catholicks. Swarms of them are bufiedayand night, for ihe reducing of Princes, and Nobles, and Rulers of all forts, and of Comman- ders in the^ Armies. Of their diligence abroad we may know fcmewhat by their fuccefs on divers of the German Princes, and the late Qgeen of Sweden, and on many of the Nobles of France y and fuch others. At home we have fmarted by the fruits of their induftry. What abundance of affauks were made on the lace King ? from his going to Spain, and the Popes Letters to him there , and to the Bifhopof Conchen to take care for his fedu&ion , and fo all along to the laft , I need not mention. And what Noblemen or Perfons of Intereft in England lay not under aflaults and foltcitations in thofe days } And are all the Jefuites and Fryars dead I Or have they not ftill the fame caufc and induftry as then ? Is the Court, or Councils of the Land, or the Nobility, Gentry or Army now free from their fraudulent felicitations ^ How far they have prevailed time will fullicr reveal : but what they will endeavour wemayealily judge. And certainly the number of Seekers and fuch other Sects among them, doth telli us that they have not loft their labour. If thefe lines (hall fail into the hands of any of our Rulers or Commanders, I intreat them for the fake of their fouls, and- the Common wealth, to be prudent and vigilant in a matter of fueh> confequence. I do not intend to intreat them from error unto truth without Sufficient light and evidence : But that which I defire is but rcafonable • 1 . That you would not be too confix dent of your own underftandings to deal with fuch Jug'ers in your own ftrength , without affiftance. They have made it their ftudy all their day*, and are purpofely trained up to de- ceive: whereas you are much wanting in their way of ftudy, and much unfurniflled to refift,bow highly foever you may think of your felves. 2, That you would read a little more the learned folid wri- tings of our Divines againft the Papifts, fuch as Dr. Fields, Crakenthorps, ZJJbers, C hi Ring-worths, Jerteis, Rivets, Chami- ers, Ames , Retinoids ,whittakers ', and fuch like, beginning with Sir Httmfrey Lands Via Deviat& via Tnta,(& dn Pleffis of the Ghurch,and his Myfterie of Iniquity, and Dr. John White. &c) ^. That you will not hearken to Papifts fecretly, nor masked, nnr A I{ey for Catholic ks • 347 nor coming to you by indired and Jugling ways : but open their perfwafions , and call to fonae able ftudyed Divines to deal with them in your hearing, if needs you will hear thero, that fo you may hear one fide as well as the other. 4. That you take heed what Retainers,Scrvants,or Familiars are about you : For fome that pretend to be acquainted with thefe men, are much miftaken, if they be not more frequent at your elbows, and in your Bed-chambers, then many do ima- gine. If they cannot be of your Councils, and your neer atten. dants , they will rather be your Porters, or the Grooms of your Stables, then they will be kept out. We fear not any thing that they can do in an open way, in comparison of their fecret whifpers and deceits, when there is no body to gainfay them. Had they the Truth, we fhouldbeglad to entertain ic wi:h them. It is not therefore Truth in their mouths that we arc afraid of: But feeing the Nations and our Pofterity have fo much dependance on your Integrity , we call for fo much Juftice at your hands, as that you will not caft open your cars to each deceiver,efpecially in fecret, or on unequal tearms : Let not all our peace and fafety fee hazarded by the felf conceit- ednefs , or imprudence of you that are our Rulers. Seeing it is you that muft give us Laws, or fet the Vulgar the pattern which they are fo much addided to imitate ; Wc adjure you in the Name of the moft High God, that you be not too for- ward and facile in hearkening to Seducers, and corrupting thofe Intclleds which the whole Nation hath fo great an In- tereft in : and that you be not henceforth as children toft to and fro, andcarryed about with every wind of dodrine by the the fleighc of men, and cunning craftincfs whereby they lie in wait to deceive, Eph. 4. 14. But we befeechyou mark thera which caufe Divifions and offences contrary to the dodrine which you have learned, and avoid them. F rthey that are fuch, ferve not the Lord Jefus Chrift, but their own belly, and by good words and fair fpeeches deceive the hearts of the fim- pie, Rom. 16. 17,18. Hearken not to everyone that faith Lo here is Chrift, or Lo there is Chrift-, here is the Catholick Church, or there is the £. Abbots Antilogia ad Apohg. Ettdamojohan : But what need we more then the Decrees of a Pope and General Council, and the practice of the Church of Rome for fo many ages ? And for the topes power to abfolve them from all oaths of Al- legiance and fidelity ,the forefaid Pope Innocent and his approved General Council have told the world enough of their mind to ' put us out of doubt of it. But ( leaving abundance of forreign inflances^ I fhall men- tion but one or two at home. The Papifts have lately had the confidence to affirm that the Powder-plot and the Spanifh inva- fion in one thoufand five hundred eighty eight were not upon a quarrell of Religion, nor owned by the Pope. King fames hath laid already fo much againft them in thefe point', that I think it needlefs to fay any moref efpecially aifo after Bifhop Abbots An- tilogia) but only hereto produce one Teftimony of their own , concerning the Spanifh Invafion, Cardinal Ojfattts in his 87. Epift. ad D. de Vtlle-rofoUU us that Pope Clement the eighth ( one of the be ft ofall the late ones ) did prefsfortheKingof JVxarf to join with Spain in the Inva- fion of England , and the Cardinal angered that the King was tied by an Oath to the Queen of England : to which the Pope rcplyed, that [_ The Oath was maie to an Herttu j^, hptt he was bound in another Oath to God and the Pope ] adding wirhail [ that Kings and other Princes do permit them/elves ail things (or tole- rate themfelves mall things) which make for their commodity : and that the- mutter u gone fofay%that it is mt ( or fhould not be,) imputed 352 A £\ey for Qatholicks . imputed to them , or taken for their fault : and he al /edged the fay- irg of Francifcus Maria Duke o/Urbine, that indeed every one doth blame a Noble man, or Great man that is no Soveraign, if he keep not his Covenants, ( or fidelity, ) and they account him in* famous ; but fupream Princes may without any danger of their reputation, make Covenants and breakjhem^ lye, betray ,and perpf trate other fuch like things'] This was good Pope Clement the eighth. And can we look for better from che reft ? You fee what Oa:hs and Covenants arc with them. A nd that the defign was ft ill carried on againft the Queen up- on account of Religion,and the Realm to have been invaded by the Spaniard on that account, and that the principal point of the Plot was to prepare a party within the Realm that might adhere to the invaders- all this with much more Sir Francis Walftngham ( that well knew) hath teftified to Monfieur Critoy'm his Letter, Cabal. part, z.pag. 39. Thuanus a Moderate Papift ( andameft knowing and impar- tial Hiftorian) tells you ( lib. 89. p. 248,249. ad an. 1588.) that, [_ the Spaniards pretended to undertake the expedition only for Religion fake , and therefore tookyeith them Martin Alarco Vi- car general of the Holy lnquiftiion,with abundance of Capuchins and fefuites : and that they had with them the Popes Bull, which they were topublifh as foon as they landed, and that Cardinal Allan was appointed as the Popes Legate to land at the fame time t and with full power to fee to the re flaring of Religion. And that the faid "Bull had thefe expreffions : that the Pope, by the Poller given from God by law full fucceffion of the Cat he lie k Church ,for the defetlion of Henry the eighth who forcibly feparated h'mfelf and his people from the communion of (fhriftians% Which was promo- ted by Edward the fixth and Elizabeth,w/w being pertinaceous and impenitent in the fame Rebellion and Vfurpation - therefore ( the Pope ) incited by the continual perfwafions of many, and bj the fuppliant prayers of the English men them f elves , (N.B. ) hath dealt with diverge Princes , and fpecial/j the moft potent King of Spain to depofe that woman ,and pumjh her pernici- ous adherents in that Kingdom 1 Read the reft th.re ; for though wickedjts worth the reading. The 'Pope there faith, that Pope Sixcus before h!m prefcribed the J£ueen, and took, from her all her Dignities, Titles , and Rights to the Kingdom of England and A ^ey for Catholic ks. 3 5 3 and Ireland, abfolvingher fubjecls from the Oath of fidelity and obedience ' He chargeth all mtn on pain of the wrath of God, that thej cfford her no favsur, help, or aid, but ufe all their ftrength to bring her to punifhment • and that a 11 the En^ifh join with the Spaniard as /goh as bets landed', offering rewards and pardon of finst to them that will lay hands on the Queen ; and fo /hewing oft what Conditions he gave the Kingdom to Philip of Spain. This and more you may fee in Thuanus. And yet fome of our juglers that fay they are no Papifts, pcrfwade the world that Papiits hold not the depofing of Prince*, norabfolving their fubje&sfrom the Oaths of fidelity • and that the Spanifh invafion was meerly on Civil accounts, and that they expected not any Englifh Papifts to aflift them; with other fuch impudent afTertions. Even Dominicus Bannes (oneofthebeft of them) inThom. Zl.qu. 12. art. 2. faith that [guandoadefl ev dens notitiat&C.\.e. When there is evident knowledge of the crime , fubjecls may lawfully exempt themfelves from the Power of their Prince sy before any de- claratory fentence of a judge, fo they have but ftrength to do it. ] Adding toexcufethe Engufh Papifts for being no worfe,that £ Hence it follows that the faithfull ( Papifts ) of England and Saxony are to be excufed , that do not free themfelves from the power of their Superiors , nor make war againft them : becanfe commonly they are not ftrong enough to manage thefe wars , and great dangers hang over them.~] Princes may fee now how far the Papifts are to be truftcd •' Even as far as they are fufficiently difabled. And their ssfuguft. Triumphm faith ( de Toteft. Ecclef. qu. 46. art. 2, ) [ Dubium non eft quin Papa pofftt omnes Reges, cum Jubeft caufa rationabilis depone re } i. e. £ There is no doubt but the Pope may depofe all Kings, when there is reafcmble caufe for it 2 Is not this a Vice chrijt., and a Vicerged with a witnefs ? Add but to this, that the Pope is Judge when the caufe is Rea- Fonabiei ('for no doubt but he mull judge,>f he mud: execute \ ) and then you have a Pope in his colours, even in hisUniver- fal Sovereignty Spiritual and Tennporall. And ( as I faid before from Suarez, and others ) when the Pope hath depofed a King^anj man may kill him. I will not trou- ble you with Marianas directions foe poyfoning him, or fe- Z z crcdy 2 <4 A I{ey for fatbohcb. cr etly dtfpatching him (de Reg. h ft it. lib. i. cap. 7.) Stare* his moderate conclusion is enough (Defenf fid. Cathol. li. 6 c.4.. fitt. 14.) {.Poft fententiam, &c. After fentence paft be is alto- gether deprived of his Kingdom, fo that he cannot by juft title poffefs it ; therefore from thence forward he may be handled as a r meer tyrant ; and confeqnently any private man may kill him ] G Ltarned Snares \ No wonder if you and your Profeffion be dear to Princes ; and if Henry the founhofFriftr; took down the Pillar of your infamy, and received you into his Kingdom, and Heart again? No wonder if the Venetians at laft have re- admitted you, to procure force aid againftthe Turk. I will conclude with one Teftiraony of a Roman Rabbi (cited by Bifhop'&VW, who knew his name, but would not do him the honour to name him.)It is, B.P. \&™. EpiftoL J.R. imprefo an. 1 609. Who hath excufed the Powder* Plot from the Impu- tation of cruelty , [ becaufe both Seeds and Root of an evil herb muftbe dejireyed] and doth add aderifion of the fimplicity of the King in impofing on them the oath of Allegiance, in thefe raoft memorable expreffioni , worthy to be engraven oa a Marble Pillar [ Sed vide in tanta aftutiay quanta fit ftmplicitasl &c But fee what fimplcity here is in fo great craft I When he had placed alt hUfecurity in that Oath, he thought hit had framed fuck a manner of oath, with ft many circumftancei % which no man could any way diffohe with a fafe confeience. But he could not fe$% that if the Pope diffolve the Oath^ all its knots, whether of being faithful! to the King , or of admitting no Difpenfatio»9are accordingly diffolved. Tea I will fay a thing more admirable* You know 1 believe , that an unjuft Oath, if it be evidently known to be fuch y or ofenly declared fuch ,\ obligeth no man. Thar the King* oath isunjaft, is Efficiently declared by the P after of the Church himfelf Ton fee now that the Obligation of it is vanifbed into fmoak^y and that the bond which fo many ftife men thought was made of iron , is lefs thenftraw* ] Thefe arc the words of Papifts themfelves. From their pub- lished writings we tell you their Religion. I know they will here again tettus abundance of falfeaccti fa- ttens of the Proteftants, fuch as [ the Image of both £hurches ] heapetb up ; and they will tdl us of our war, and killingthe jj&ng ^England* But of this I have given them their aniwer before. A %ey for Qatholicks. -> 5 c before. To which I add, i.The Proteftant dodrine expreffed in the Confeilionsof all their Churches, and in the conftant ftreara of their writers , is for obedience to the Sovereign Pow- ers, and againft refifting them, upon any pretcnfei of Hesefie, or Excommunication,or fuch like. 2/The wars in England wcfccraifed between a King and Parlia- ment, that joy ned togetufr/itd conftitutethe Higbeft Power; and upon the lamentable divifion ( occafioned by the Papifts , ) the people were many of them uncertain which part was the Higher, and of greatcft Authority : fome thought the King,and others thought the Parliament, as being the Reprefentative body of the people ( in whom Polititians fay is the Afajefias RealuJ and the Highefi Judicature, and having the chief part in Legifia- ti$nt and Declaration what is juflor unjuft, what is Law and what is againjt Law\ Had we all been refolvcd in England which fide was by Law the Higher Power , here had been no war. So that here was no avowed refifting of the Higher Pewers.NoriQ but a Parliament could have drawn an Army ofProteftantshere under their banner. 3. Andwithall that very Parliament ( confiding of Nobles, Knights, Gentlemen and Lawyers ,who all declared to the peo- ple, that by Law they were bound to obey and afiift them) did yet profefs to take up orTcnfive Arras only againft Delin- quents, or rather, even but defenfive againft thofe men that had got an Army to fecure them from Juftice:And they ftill pro- feffed and vowed fidelity to the King.which, as I have (hewed, they manifefted to the laft of their power ,till they were imprifon- edandfeduded. Read Mr. Trins Speech for Agreement with the King .* and read the writing of the London Minifters prefent- ed to the General,and published againft the Kings death : and Read the Vindication of the fecluded members , and read the Paffages of the war with Scotland , and of the Imprifonment of many London Minifters 9 and of the death of Mr. Love and others: and tell me whether you can do men greater wrong then to defame them for being caufcrs of that which they dif- owned , though it coft them the lofs of Liberty, Eftate, or Life. 4. And really if you take either Vanifts or Levellers (who were the chief agents in this) for Proteftants, you may as weil Zz z fay 3 5 6 A fyy for Catholtcks . fey that Papifts are Proteftants. The world knows that the Pray- ers, the Petitions, Protections, and other endeavours of the Proteftants, even the Presbyterians, was for the preventing the death of that King, how ever many of them di (liked his courfe, and joyned with the Parliament againft his adherents. This is the very tru:h , which they* tfc&it have been eye witnefTes all along have good rcafon to know , whatever any Papift fay to the contrary. 5 . And what Proteftants be they that give power to any man on earth to depofe Princes, and give their Kingdoms to others >% or to difoblige all their fubjeds, and warrant them to kill tbero, and difpenfe with oaths , and turn them all into fmoak and ftraw as yours do? Renounce your treacherous Principles, and we willceafe to charge you with them. Let a General Council and Pope but Decree the contrary to what the forecited Pope and General Council have Decreed, or elfe do you all declare that you think this Pope and Councill erred , and then we will (hake hands with you • for then you will either ceafe to be true Papifts t or at leaft become tolerable members of humane fbcieties. Why doth not the Pope himfelf at leaft condemn thefedo&rines, if re* ally he difown them f The cafe is too plain. Ch a p. XL IX. Deteft. 40. HP Heir laft courfe when all other fail, is, To turn X from Fraud to Force, znd open Violence , ft ir ring up Princes to wars and bloodfbed, that they may deftroy the pro- feffors of the Reformed Religion, as far as they arc able, and do that by flames and fword, by halters, and hatches, which they cannot do by Argument? Hence have proceeded the bloody butcheries of the poor Waldenfes and Alhigenfest formerly and now again of late ; and the wars in Bohemia, the League and wars , and Ma fiacres in France , the defolacing wars of Germany, the plots,invafions and wars in England : Moft of the flames in Qhri^ndom of late ages have been kindled for the Pope by his Agents, that he might warm him by that fire that others are confumed by. Hence his own precenfes to the Temporal Sword. A f\ey for Cttbolicks. 5 jy Stford, and (o many volumes written to juftifie it, and fo many Tragedies acted in the execution. And yet thefe men cry up Antiquity and Tradition. I wonder what Bifhop in all the world for above three hundred years after Chrift, did ever claim orexercife the temporal fword, as much as to be a Jufttce of Peace?nay ic was their judgement that it did not belong to them. Neither the Pope nor any Bifhop on earth, as fuch, hath any thing ro do with the coercive power of the fword ^ nor may not inflid the fmalleft penalty on body or purfe , but only guide men by the Word of God ; and the utmoft penalty they can in- flidis, to excommunicate them. And they have nothing to do to deftroy men when they have excommunicated them, nor tocaufethc Magiftratetodo it : but rather (houldftili en- deavour their Converfion. Syne fins Epiflol. 57. againrt An* dronicus faith as followeth £ SwwoMnxl^, &c. To join together fee ular government with the Priefihoodtis to tje together things that are incoherent ( or fuch as cannot be tjed together ) The old times made the fame men Priejls and fudges : For the (^Egyptians and Hebrews did long make ufe of the Government of Priejls. But af- terward , asfeemstomey when Gods wirk began to be done in an humane manner , Godfeparated the two forts of life , and one of them was made f acred , and, the other appointed far Rule and Com' mind. Forfome he turned to thefe Materiall ( or common, fecu- lar ) things, and fomehe affsciated with himfelf: The. former •were appointed for fecular bufinefs ; the later for prajer. But from both doth God require that which is honeft ( or (food. ) why then do ft thou revoke this ? Why wilt thou conjoin what God hath feparated f Vrho wouldfi not have m indeed to do the woy^ of fecu- lar Ruler* , but by doing it to deprave ( or marr ) it ; then which' what can be more unhappy ? Dofl thou need a Ruler ? ( or Patron) Go to him that managtththe Laws of the Commonwealth. Do(i thou need God in any thing ? Go to the Bifhop ( or Trie ft ) of the City : not that thou Jhxlt be fure there to have all that thou de firefly bMt that 1 will afford thee the befl ajftjlance that I can ( or will do my beft in it. ) So far Syne/ins : Which I wonder how Petavim could pafs over without fomediftortingobfervation , confider- ing how low it treads the Roman Kingdom. But Baronim had , the cunning as toexcrad even from hence foaie advantage to his caufe, even to (hew the Power thit Pallors have to excommuni- Zz3 cate -jj8 A t{ey for Catbolich* catc Rulers {ad An. 411.) as Synefiui with the Council did Androgens. But r. He went not out of hit own circuit to play the Bilhop in other mens piocefs. 2. Much lefs did he take up the Temporal Sword againft him, but difclaimech and deteftath any fuch thing. Why doth not the Pope when he hath paft his Excommunications, content himfelf that he hath done his part ; but he rauft excite Princes, yea force them to execute his rage, and fall upon the Lives and Dominions of fuch Princes as he will call Heretical ? He knows how fmall account would be made of his brutifh thunderbolts, if he had not a fecular Arm to follow them : Nay why is he and many of his Cardi- nals and Biftiops, fecular Princes tbemfelvcs } Whyjoynethhe thofe Funftions of Magiftracie and Priefthood which Sjnefius here tells us God hath feparated , and made incoherent in one and the farce perfon ? Let the Pope ufurp what Ecclefi- aftical power he pleafe, he would not (o much difturb the Chqrchbyit, if he did not fecondit by another power. It is violence that he trufteth too. He knows if it were not for Arms and Violence, he would foon be fpewed out by the Chrifti- an world. And yet many of his followers that feem more mode- rate , confefs be hath nothing to do as Pope with any but the Spiritual Sword (which works no further then Confcicnce doth confentand yieldj And yet his Kingdom ftandeth on thofe legs , which the do&rine of thefe more moderate men do difown. The fame do&rine alfo Bernard taught the Pope himfelf. Ad Eugen. P. R. dt Confident. /. 2. Saying [Quid tibi dimiftt S.Apoftolus} &c. What did the holy Apoftle leave thee? Such as 1 have faith he , that give I to thee : And what was that ? One thing lam Jure of '; it was not go Id, nor filver, when he f aid) himfelf, Silver and gold have 1 none. If thou can ft claim thk if any other title, fo let it be ; but not by Apoft clival right : for he could nst give thee that which he had not : fuch as he had, he gave, a care of the Churches, but did he give thee a domi- nation .* Hear himfelf [_Not as Lords (or Ruling as Lords) faith he, in the Clergy (or heritage ) but as examples of the flocl^ And lefs thou think, that he fpoki it only in humility , and not in verity, it is the voice of the Lord himfelf in the Gojpel : The Kings of the Gentiles rule over them , and they that have power A £\ey for Catholkks. j 5 9 fvwer ever them, as called Bene fa flors, (or Bounteous) and he «*- ferreth [Butjjou {hall not be fo"2 It is plain , that Domination *s forbidden the Apoftles. Go thou therefore, and ufurp if thou dareft, either Apoftlejbip while fl thou Rulejf as a Lord, era Lordlj Rule (or Domination) while thou art Apoflolickc Plainly thou art forbidden one of the two : If thou wilt have both alike, thou lofeft both.] So far Bernard. By whofe verdid the Pope and bis Bifliops are deprived of bo:h ^ by grafping at both teng ago. Nay the Pope make! himfelf a Temporal Prince in every Princes Dominion on earth, where he is able to do it, and takes •lithe Gergy out of their Government into his own. So that •ftofttiy he hath difpoffcfTed them of part of their Dominion already, by taking fo considerable a part of their fubje&s from Binder their power, yeaandthofe that have fo great an infill. dee upon, all the reft : What by publick Preaching,and Church- governing, tad fecret Confeffing, and dependance on them for the Sacraments, one would think it fhould be no hard matter for a Rsmifi allowed numerous Clergy, to be Matters of any Kingdom where they are. And thus Princes are more then fealf conquered already , without a war. If any believe not that the Pope doth not thus exempt his Clergy from the fscular power, it is becaufe he knows not their moll notorious princi- ples and pra&ifesv Nay even in England, in King Charier his Articles for the Spanifh match, the Pope had the confidence to demand this Prerogative, and therefore himfelf added to the fix- teemh Article , which feed them from Laws about Religion, [Scclefiaftici vero null is U gibus fub'jAceant, nlfi fuorum fuperio- rum Ecclefiafticorum ] that is [_Eccleftaftick^ perfons Jhall be under no Law, but of their Superiour Ecclefiaftickj (or Church' men)\ Is not this pla;n Englifi t See Vrins Introduft. p. 6. So that no Church-man muft be under any Law of the Land,or Govern- ment of Secular Princes. And when they have fuch a ftrength in our own Garrifons , a forreign Enemy is eafily let in. To the exciting of whom they will never be wanting,, having their ' Agents in one garb or other at the ears of the Princes and States in Chriftendom , and of mod of the Great and Noble perfons that are deeply intereffedin the Government. Yea, and: with Infidel Princes fometitfles^s CjvU the Patriarch of Conftan*- timp/s f 36o A f\ey for Qatbolicks . tinofle proved, to the iofs of his life, for being fo much againft the Papifts. And the more caufe have all Chnftian Princes and States to be vigilant againft tbefe incendiaries, i. Becaufethey truft to War and Violence, and build their Kingdom on it, and therefore ftudyitday and night. 2. And becaufe they have fuch afrieof politick Jefuites all abroad continually upon the defign; whofe contrivances and endeavours are day and night to bring Princes and Nations to their will,and to kindle divisions and wars among them to attain their Ends. They make a trade of thisiraployment. And expert prepared men, that follow a bufinefs all their days, are like enough to make fomething of it at laft j efpecially while others deep, or filently look on, and let them alone to play their game. If the Papifts can but gee into the Saddle, either by deceiving the Rulers, or Commander^ or by bringing forreign force againft us, they will give us leave to difpute, and write, and preach againft them , and laugh at us that will ftand talking only, while they are working : And when the Sword is in their hand , they will foon anfwer all our Arguments, with a fagot, a hatchet, or halter; Smith field confuted the Proteftants, that both the Univerfities could not confute. Their Irquifition is a School where they difpute more advantagioufly then in Academies. Though all the Learned men in the world could not confute thepoor Albigtnfes , w*l* dtnfes and Bohemians , yet by thefe Iron Arguments they had men that prefently ftopt the mouths of many thoufands, if not hundred thoufands of thcm:Even as the Mahometans confute the Chriftians. A Strappado is a knotty Argument. In how few days did they confute thirty thoufand Proteftants in and about Pari*, till they left them not (on earth,) a word to fay. In how ftw weeks fpace did the ignorant Irijb thus ftop the mouths of many thoufand Proteftants ? Even in Vljler alone, as is ftrongly conje&ured , by teftimony on Oath , about an hundred and fifty thoufand men were mortally filenced : Alas we now find that the poor lrifb commonly know but little more of Chrift, but that he is a better man of the two then Saint Patrick : And therefore how long might they have been before they could have filenced fo many Proteftants any other way ? There's nothing Ike flow dead, with a Papift. They love not to tire themfelves with Difputes , when the bufinefs may be fooner and more fuccefsfully difpatcht. Well, A £\ty for Qatholicks. 3 6 1 Well, feeing this is the way that they are refolved on, and no peaceable motions will fervc for the preventing it, all men that have care of the Church and Caufe of Jcfus Chrift, and the happincfsof their pofterity, have cmfe to Hand on watch and gusrd : Not to be cruel to them ( leave that to themfelves, ) but co be fecured from their cruelty. I fhould be abundantly more earned then I am, to prefs all men to fuch a patience and fubmiflion in Caufes of Religion, as leaves all to God alone, but that we all fee how the Papifts are ftiil at the dore with the Swords in their hands, and watching for an opportunity to break in. And if in modeflywe ftand Hill and let them alone, they will give us free leave when they have the day, to call them Tray tors, or perfidious, or what we pleafe. Let loofers talk: Let them have the Rule, and then make the beft you can of your Arguments. If they can once get England, and other Proteftant Countries, into the czfc of Spain and Italy, their Treachery (hall not be cad in their teeth- for they will leave none alive and at liberty to do ir. When we fee in good fadnefsthat it is Navies,and Armies , and ftabbings of Kings, and Powder- plots,and Maflacres that we have to difpute againft, it's time to be able to Anfwer them in their own way, or wc lofe the day. It is not a good Caufe, or wit , or learning , or honefty, that will then ferveturn. I know God is al-fufficienc for his Church/ind in bim muft be our Truft : But he requireth us to expe& his bleffing in the ufe of lawful probable means. He can give us Corn without plowing,and (owing : but we have little reafon to forbear chefc and expe& it : He can Convert men without preaching : But yet the bleffing of God doth prc- fuppofe Pauls planting , and Apollo's watering. He can Rnfe and Defend us without Magiitrates, but it is not his appointed way. And he can fave us from deceitful bloody men, without our care, and vigilancy and refiftance : but it is not bis ordinary appointed courie in which he would have us look to him for deliverance. And therefore in the Name of God let Princes and Parlia- ments be vigilant : for they watch for the outward fecurity of the Church and Common- wealth f asMinifen do for our fpiri- tual wel-fare ) as thofe that muft give account. And let the people take heed what Parliament or Magiftratcs theychoofe: Aaa And 3 6 1 A Key for Catholicks. And lee all that love the Gofpel, and the profperity of the (.hriftian world, and of their pofterity, have their eyes in their head, and take heed of that bloody hand, that hath in England, Scot land , Ireland, France, Savoy, Low- countries, German], Bo- hernia, &c. already fpilt fo many ftrearas of Chriftian blood. If the Wife, the Learned, Moderate Lord duPUJfls, was fo zea- lous for the Lawfulnefs ofNecejfarj Defence, as Grotitu chargeth him, as to put it into hisTefiament, ("whom he makes alfo the Author of Junius Brutus, I know not on what ground ) doubt- lefs he'knew with whom he had to do, and thought that every Guifian League was not a Law of God or of the King. Some Princes think that it is their fafed way to pleafe the Pope and Jefuites, and fo will be Papifts , on the terms as forae of the Indiant worlhip the Devill, becaufehe is fo naught, that he may not hurt them. But thefe men were wifer, if they un- derftood, that the malice of Infernal Spirits is not to be avoided by pleafing them , but by refilling them. They arc too bad to be ever pleafed by any means, but what will be your utter ruine : And they are notftronger then the Devil himfelf, who will fits if we refift him. If the beft were not the moft Powerful, what would become of the world ? And if God be ftronger then the Devil, he fhould rather be pleafed then the Devil • for he is able to defend you from the Devils difpleafure : and he is moft able to hurt you if you be difpifers of his power : which Juftice will crleft more certainly on the bad* then Satans malice can do upon the good. Men think themfelves wife, that fhift for their fafety by carnal and unlawful means : But they (hall all find at lead , that plain honefty is the beft policy , and the favour of God the beft fecurity, and a life of faith the moft prudent life; and that fluffing for your felvcsin unbelieving ways, is thegreateft folly. It is thedefign of the Papifts by the ftrokesof Clements,RavilliackssV tuxes, and fuch others, to terrific Princes, that they may not dare to refift them, but may fee that they have no hold of their lives while they are under their difpleafure. But yet fuch as have moft difp'eafed them hye fcaped beft. It is recorded by one, that the great King ifenry of FrThtce, being perfwaded to ftand it out againft the Jefuites^ anfwered , [Give me fecurity for my Life then"} And what a fecurity did he fin J in his unbelieving way ? A i\ey for Catbolicks . 3 6 j A thoufand pitties it is that Proteftant Princes ftiould not be united among therafelves, that they might be ftrengthened for their joynt Defenfe ; But that the envious man ftiould be able fo far to over- wit them, as to low among them the k^ds of war, while they flcep, or felfiftily mind their own affairs and interefls : And a greater pitty and ftiame it isf that the Mi- nifters of the Gofpel of peace ftiould be the caufcs of thefe dV vifions, or ftiould not do their beft to heal them: But it is the greaceft ftiame of all to us , that fo many years experience of the calamitous effe&s of our Divifions, and fo much induftry of many worthy peaceable men, ftiould do no more to a fuller Reconciliation then yet is done. The names, and pacifying La- bors of fuch as Dxr&tis , Davenant , Hally Mir ton , VJbt r, Hajne,Dr. Morin, AmjraUns, Hottonus, Conradus , Bergiuj^ Johannes Bergins fieorgias £ alixtus , f erem\ Burroughs ,and many more chat have laboured for peace, do live as Monuments of their honor and our diftionor, and do reflect much ftiame upon the faces of thofe Reformed Minifters and Churches that after all this are fo much unreconciled ; yea,that are not by the ftrong- efl; motives and perfwafives, fo much as excited to zealous en- deavours for the healing of our fad divifion ; no nor fome of them reftrained from the paffionate profecution of their in- creafe. If yetanyPapift, believing fuch falfe Hiftories as [the Image ef bdthChttrchti] doth contain, or really finding any Proteftams culpable, (ball fay, that we arc as bad as rhey in wars or cruelty, and that llliacos intra mures peccatur, & extra. I again re- ply, 1. That true Hiftory and experience tells the world , that there is no comparifon between their cxccilive cruelties and ours. 2. Yet it is none of my defire or intenr, to defend any perfonor people that have been truly guilty in the leaft degree. 3. Our do&rine is sgatnft that which theirs doth own. 4. If either our Do&rine or pra&ife have been amifs, we defire re- proof and information, and are willing to reform them. The Word of God being our only Rule, if it appear that we have in any point mifunderftood ir, we defire nothing more then to be reftified , and then we ftiall confefs our former faults before the world, and promife reformation, for our Principles fix us not in Sin or Error. But thePapiflsare fixed in their Errors, A a a 2 and 364 A Z\ey for fatholicfa and think there is a necefiity lyech on them never to amend. Now the Pope and a General Council hath already decreed that the Pope may depofe Princes, and Abfolve their fubje&s, and give their Lands to others ; to amend this abominable error, is with them to give away all their caufe,and to ceafe to be Papifts. So that all Princes and People mud neceflarily defpair of their amendment. Chap. L. Some Proposals for a (bopchfs) Peace. IT is A Defenfive conflict that I have been hitherto managing; This work is put upon us by our adverfaries. But in the conclufion I will add a few words of that whith enticeth by its amiable afpeft , and which we gladly follow, without im* portunityor conftrainr. And were our Pewer but anfwerable to our Defies , we would foon put an end to thefe contentions of the Church, without the hurt of any of the BifTeaters 1 Yea the doors of their bloody Inquifition. 6. Let us all agree to renounce all Treachery and unf ait hfulnefs againfi the Soveraign Powers, and all f editions difl urbane es of the Peace of Common wealths. 7. Let thofe afford us the common Love of men , that think, tu not capable of the fpeciai Love of Chrifiians \ and fo lee us Love our Neighbours as our felves , and ftudy to do good, and not A J^ey for Catholicks* 375 not hurt to one another •, and give over plotting to undermine one another, and dettroy one anothers civil intereft, and gee our Neighbours under our feet. This much well practiced , woulddofomethingtothe peace of the Chriftian world. Chap. LV. THE lowcft Degree, that none but incarnate Devils one would think fhouldrefift is this; that if we will needs live as enemies, yet we may remember that we have all greater enemies ; and therefore let us give over our -wars , and let every Nati- on be quietly governed by their own Laws and Soveraigns, and let fts all join together again ft the common enemies offhrift. We cannot but know that much of Chrifts intereft lyeth in our hands, and that if either party were devoured by the Turk, it would be a heavy blow to the Chriftian caufe : If God (hou'd fufTer that proud enemy to come and make a third among us, to end our quarrels, we muft juftirle him in his judgements; and muft to our perpetual flume confefs that by our proud and paffionate contending*, and unpeaceblenefs, and felf-feeking , we did betray the Chriftian caufe. O wonderfull ftupidity and impiety of great men , and Learned men , profeffing fo much zeal for God, that they can no more agree, nor bear in Love and Companion with each other, nor ceafe their wars, when a raging potent enemy (tends over them, ready to devour them both. Let the Venetians take the honour, and wethefliame : How ever their own Intereft may engage tiiem , yet materially their wars are more honourable then ours. The Pope is eager for a General Peace among his fubjects,that they may be ftrenghthened to devour us : But it were an honefter defign , that would give him more comfort at laft, to mediate a Peace among all Chriitians, that in this at leaft they might be one, to oppofe the Turk, and refcue the Heritage of Chriit which be hath opprelTcd. And O whu a blelTed thing it were , if the Jefuttes, Fryars and Proteftants could but agree , to join together for the con- verfion of the poor Indians. And either preach in the fame, or feycral Countries , without feeking the deftruft ion there of one another;. 375 A f\ey for Qatkolicks. another ^ yea and afford each other help : that the EngIifli,Hol- landers, and others might fend Preachers as well as Merchants into the Indies % and we might there contribute our endeavours to propagate theGofpel, though in our different wayes, not envying, hating and hindering each other* but remembringwe all confefs one Chrift, though not one Vice-chrift. Concfafion. I Have caft out thefe Propofals mcerly to acquaint the peaceable Chriftian , what he fhould defire, that the frame of his heart may be right before God : and not with any expectation that they fhould be fo regarded as to procure what they drive ar. I am not fo weak, or ignorant of the inconfiderablencfs of the Pro* pofer, or of the felfifhnefs and ungodlinefs of the world. But yet I may lawfully take the comfort of the mofl: uneffe&ual defires and endeavours that are honeft. And for thofe that would have us Reconciled upon the Groti* an terms , or upon the French Foundation of a General Coun- cil, and would have all forced, as our Bifhops attempted to come over to their way , and deny Liberty to the reft, that can- not thus clofe with them$and all that think that the Church mud have forae Vifible Head or Soveraign to unite in, I (hall fhew them their errour in a diftind Deputation, which I am publifh- ing next to this, as a fupplement ; and therein I (hall give them fuch further Propofals for a juft Reconciliation , as men that are Studious of Peace may profecute, with hope of forae fuccefs. And becaufe I have lately met with a Paper called [ An Ex- planation of the Roman Catholic!^ Belief ', ] &c. which prctend- eth to much moderation, in divers points ; I purpofe next to en- quire, whether it mean as it pretends, thatifitdo,we may give it welcome; if not, we may Deleft its Fraud: For as I fhould much rejoice to hear of fo much amendment of the Roman Be- lief,which I thought had been fuppofed by themfelvcs to be in- corrigible-, So Imuft confefs that I am fo much for plain and open dealing, that I think it my duty to help to bring their works into theLioht, and try how they agree with the Truth and among themfelvcs* that men may judge of them as tbey are. F2NIS. The Second Part : PROVING That the Catholick Church is not a Political Body Headed by any Earthly Soveraign , nor any fuch Unity to be Defired or eiv deavoured,by'any that would not Blafpheme, Divide and Deftroy , under the pretence of Unity. /Specially Directed againft the Soveraignty ( and Nccefsity too ) of General Coucnils : ro the followers of Cjrstius , and others of that Party, that at leaft would give them a Part in the Soveraignty with tfoef Pope. And propounding the true grounds and means of the Churches Unity and Peace. By T^ch. 'Baxter. LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Nevil Simmms, Book- feller in Kederminfier, AnnoDtm. 1659. V9 P##Sg^f* IfiSf ,Cf Iff ftffe$ SpJ|2 tifi YiiiiiY? 7 i i?i if? f 7 7 iir?? 2«^. Whether the way to heal any Divifions in the Churches of Chrift be by drawing them all into One Univerfal Vifi- ble Political Body, under One Univerfal Vifible Head or Government ? Or Whe- ther the Catholick Church be a Body fo United and Governed ? TS^eg. Chap, I. Shewing the Occafion and Reafons of this Writing, efpeci- ally as from the Grotians $ which are Vindicated from the frivolous exceptions of Mr. Tho. Pierce. HAVE already in the flift Part of this Book ( and formerly in another ) difproved the Popes Univerfal Headfhip,and anfwered what Bellarmine^ Boverius, and fome others fay for the maintaining ofit j And it is a work already done fo fully by C h antic ^Wkitahr^nd many other? , but moft triumphantly and copioufly by David Bhndell in a French Trcatife in Folio de primatft in Ecclefia againft Car- C c c 2 dinai 380 A f\ey for Catbolicks . dinal Perron, that I need not , and therefore intend not to fay much hereupon that fubjed. But thisDifputation I principally intend, 1. For the fubverting of the Foundation of Poperj, which is the fuppofition , that the Vifible Catholic^ Church mufl needs be united in fome Humane Vifible Head. 2. To confute the Opi- nion of the moderate fort of French Pa pifts and Grotiam , that take a General fiuncil to be the Legiflative Head , and the Judi- cial Head while they are in Being ^ and the Pope ruling by the Laws of Councils,to be the ordinary Judicial Head. 3 . To de- liver forae perfonsfrom a dangerous Temptation, that by GVo- tius , or his followers here in England are drawn into a conceit that the Catholick Church is fuch a Body as we here deny, and think that the unity that the Scripture fo commendeth to us can- not be attained without anllniverfal Vifible Head.'which Temp- tation of theirs is much increafed by obferving the differences of Opinions in the world j which every good man doth lament , as we do all the (ins and frailties that on earth accompany as in the ftate of imperfection. As I blame not thofe that defire perfed Knowledge, orHoIinefs^ but blame them that promife it to the Church on Earth , when it is the prerogative of Hea- ven • and much more (hould blame him that would fay we fhall be perfectly Wife and Holy if we will but be of this Opinion, that the Church hath an Infallible Humame Head * even fo I blame not them that defire perfect Concord ( the Confequent of perfed Knowledge and Holinefs ; ) for this is to defire Hea- ven : But I blame them that promife us this Heaven on Earth ; and them much more that tell us we (hall have it if we will but believe that a Pope or Council is the Univerfal Head; and fo will condemn the Church on Earth, becaufe it hath not attain- ed that Celeftial perfection, which they have once fancied that it may and fhould attain. Concerning Gretius his opinion, defign and great endeavours to reduce the C hurches to Popery, under the pretence of a Con- ciliation, I have lately by the Invitation of Mr. Thomas Pierce given in my Evidence ( I think beyond all further queftion ) ©ut of his own writings, in his frequent and exprefs afTertions. Amd Rivet in hWDUljfis and his Apologet. and other writings hath fufficiently confuted him. The miftakes of many in their judg:- ingof Grotius, are caufed by their fuppofition, that the man was the A i\ey for Catholkks. 3 8 1 the fame in his firft Conciliatory enterprifei , and in his Jaft , which is not true. He oft profefTeth his mutations himfelf, and how apt he was todflike that which he had but lately thought or faid : At firft he thought but of Reconciling the Proteftants among themfelves : But afterwards his defign was to Reconcile them with the Papifts , and that by drawing them all to be Pa- pifts, that is, to unite in the Pope of Rome as the Unirerfal Go- vernour,ruing according to Canons and Decrees ; and this he thought was the only way to the union of the Churches. The Truth of this, and theMifchiefs of the Enterprife, muft be apprehended by him that will underftand my endeavours in this difpute,andefcapethefnarethats laid for their perverfi- on. And for the Truth of it, I refer you to my forefaid wri- ting of the Grotian Religion. Since which it pleafed Mr. Pierce to publifh a fheet containing ( not any thing that hath the lead aptitude to perfwade a rational man thatGrotianifmisnot Po- ,pery, but ) fome Reafons why he doth not, at leaft, as yet per- form the vindication, with a General profcificn how eafiiy he can do it, and make me a Winding fheet, at leaft as futable as that which I made for Popery ( which when he hath confuted, I (hall better know his mind and ftrcngth) This with two or three frivolous Exceptions, and many fwelling words of Vanity, wkh certain Squibs and empty jeers,according to the manner of the man, is the matter of his Ad vertifement.Nothing could have been eafier for him then to fay Qor almoft to fay ,that / am very liable, in every line ] and that his advantages are too many^nd that I am an advocate fir the crimfon fins of others ,and an enco- miafl of my oyvn% Nothing more vain then his oftentation of the milddifchargeofhisCenforfliip , and his fenflefs intimation that I take the Virtues of Epif copal Divines y for glittering fins -,. when he never had a word from me of fuch a fence or tendency. (Bu: Grotiftns will now be but E pi fcopal Divines ,and their glitte- ring fins ^muVt be their r*>//tf.r.)Becaufe I had acknowledged how civilly he dealt with me ( no doubt on a fuppoficion that I was neerer his conceits then thofe that he had fo copioufly reproach- ed,) he takes it as an acknowledgement of his moderation, as if it were the proof of a mans moderation, that he can give a civil word to any,and a while refrain abufing one, while he is abufing many. I am thankfull to him that fpits in moft mens faces, that Ccc 3 he $8x >4f\eyfor Catholicks. he fpeaks to, that he fpittetb not in mine ^ when I give a civil man no fuch thank*. When I commend a man for not belying me , reproaching me, or otherwife abufing me, as he doth others, 1 (hould fufped he would take it for a difpraife : For I ufe not to thank good men for doing me no mifchief. His valu- ing the fecurity of his own eftate above Davids or Peters ( that hadfuch fpecial Teftimonies of their Holinefs , and Promifes from God , before theirs falls, ) and his defending his Malignant fins as vertues, his venemous reproaches of Purkans and Presby- terians as Proteftants frightned out of their wits, men of fedition and violence, and a bloody Generation, with abundance of the like , and then telling us that he meant no Puritans but fucb fas if one (hould fay, the Arramians area perfidious bloody Gene- ration •, and then fay, Its well known that he meant no Arroini- ans but fuch, ) thefe and fuch like paffages (hew the quality of the man and his Advertifement. He that durft openly and fre- quently charge his adverfaries with (landers , and yet tell the world , that I £ pretend that the difference between him and his Antagonifls is meerlj Verbally (becaufe I faid [ that Aloft of our contentions about thofe points are mere about words then mat' ter.and that fptch eager men as he and hi* Antagonift^do make them- f elves and others believe that we differ much more about them then we do. 2 Is tnis equipollent to £ a difference meerlj verball ? ] ) this man its like dare do the fame by others. Btft it is the bufinefs of Grotius upon which I am to meddle with him. And firft he ti\th[jhat on the fame Reafons as 1 conclude hima Papift, Imufl conclude him a P rote ft ant , unlefs J thinks as hardly of the Auguftinc Confefflcn as of the Council of Trent. ] Anfw. I (hall yield it, when you have proved £ that a Prete- ftant u one that holdethto the Council of T rent yand the New Creed bj PepeV'iUS, made long after the Auguftine Confejpcn, and that she Common Government in which all the CatholickChurch muft unite , is the Vniverfal Headfhip of the Pope% governing accord* ing to the Canons and Decrees , and that the Auguftine Confeffion is fo to be expounded ( bj fair means or foul ) as fhall be Agreeable to, or cenftftent with all this.'] We ufe not to call fuch men as thefe Proteftants, but Papifts, but if this be your meaning when you call your felf a Proteftant, you (hould have told us fooner9if you defire to be known. He A %ey for £atbolicks. j 8 j He faith (the proof of which we wait for j that I [miftake tit once the whole drift ^Grotius his excellent Difcuffio Apol. and that 1 tran/late not his Latine into Englifb, or Umelyt &c. ] Anfw.i, Nothing more eafie, then to cell me I miftake / Are not his words plain enough, and frequent enough to open to us fo much of his mind as I have charged him with.? Let the Readers of his words recited by me, be the Judges ; ( For him that will believe you, cither to favehimthe labour of reading, or againft his eye fight , he is not one of them that I write for ^ but fhall have Liberty for me to be deceived. ) 2. That I trans- lated not the words of Grotius ,wsls purpofely done,forcdeeming that fuch men as you would have faid they were miftranflatcd, and that they were not his own but mine : I am fure now that I give you but his own ; And if you think him wronged if the En- glifti Reader know him not, by a Tranfiation, I pray you tranf- late the words yourfelf; for I fuppofe you will leaft quarrel with your own. Buttopleafure youj will Tranflatc fas well as I can ) the paffage which you choofe out to defend,and a few more. Difcuf Apol. pag. 2 5 5 . £ Thofe that hew Grotius^wsw that he alwayes wifbedfor the reftitution ofChriflians into One and the fame body : But he fomtt'me thought, even after he was known to the moft llluftrions Vairius, that it might be begun by a Con* junclion of the Prot eft ants among themfelves : Afterwards hefaW that this was altogether unfeafible-,becaufeybefides that the genius of almeft all the Calviniftsis mo ft alien from all peace , the Prote* ft ants are not joyned among themfelves by any Common Government of the Church ; which are the cdufes that the parties made cannot be gathered into one Body of P rote ft ants •, yea and that more and more parties are ready to rife out of them. Wherefore Grotius now abfolmely judgeth, and many with him , that the Proteftants can* no be joined among themfelves ■> unlefs at once they be joined to them that tohert to the Sea of Rome : without which there can no com- mon Government be hoped for in the Church, Therefore he wifheth that the divulfion which fell out, andthecaufes of that divulfmn may be taken away. The Primacy of the Bifhop of Rome accor- ding to the Canons is none of the fe% as Melanchton confejfeth. ] I think this is theEnglifh of Grotius words (be it fpoken with & Salvo to the preheminenceof Mr. PiwwTran dating faculty. ) But here he hath a quarrel, and that fo momentous, as to be fei* 3S4 a K?y for Cat^°^Sm his grand, if not only inftance of my mifdealing •, and fo be hath written enough againfi the Contagion of my Volume ! A happy generation / that can make what they will true or falfe by af- ferting it,and can give therafelves the victory at their pleafureby triumphing , and by wiping their mouths, can make themfelves innocent I and by faying any thing,or fuch a nothing as this,can prove Popery to be the Proteftant Religion, and make many Worfhipful Gentlemen of their mind , that were of their mind before they knew it, implicitely believing in them, and in their Church.Well:but what is my mifcarriage?Why \jhe Uter part of thefe words .which are the chief \ Mr. Baxter takes no notice of in the Sngltjh account which he renders of them* 3 Anfw. I . He fuppoied that you and all that he wrote this for underftood La- tine , though in Anfwer to an Englifh Cavill, he wrote hisDif- courfein Englifh. And he that Tranflated none of the fen- tence, thought rt no injury , to give account in Engliftibutof part. 2. But open your eyes, and look further into bis words, and fee whether you wrong him not , by leaving out the reft of his account, as much as he wronged Grotius : And look into your own advertisement, and fee whether you recited not Gra - tins his words your felf without a Tranflation, committing the fame error which you reprehend, while you do reprehend it. But fairh the Epifcopal Divine, ( for fo be will needs be called ) [He is deeply filent as te the canfes of the breach -which Grotius did wifh might be taken away , and which he charged the Pa- pifis with. J Anfw. i .Was I deeply filcnt that Grotitts would have the eaufes taken away ? What ! When I recite his very words ? Or was I deeply filent of the particular eaufes? Do you mean Bere.or Throughout ? W Here, fo I was deeply filent often thou- fand rhings more , which-either it concerned roe not to fpeak,or t bad not the faculty of expreffing in one fentence. If yoa mean Throughout , you read without your eyes,or wrote either with a defective Memory or Honefty. Read again, and you {hall find that I recite the eaufes. 3. But did I not all that my task required, by reciting the Negation of the eaufes [It was not faith Grotius, the Primacy of the Bifhop of "Rome according to the Canons t ] And I (hewed you partly, and the Canons (hew you fully, thai that Primacy is the Univerfall Headfhip, which Proteftants ( I mean not Roman, Gmian Proteftants) have ev*r ufed A i\ey for Catholic ks . j 8 5 nfed to call Popery. But faith Mr. P. Grotius chargeth the Papi/ls with it. ] ^*/w. 1 . True ! but the Proteftants much more, as making many more faults by their withdrawing from Rome then they mended. 2. And he chargeth not that which we have called Popery with ic, though he charge the Papifts with it. That fome fwsoliht Papifts did occajton ir, he confefTeth, and all the Pap Its that ever I fpoke with of it do confefs. ButI am refer- red forthefecaufes charged on the Papifts , to Grot Votum fag. 7, 8. and thither l'ic follow Mr. 7*. thit I may know haw much he chargeth en the Papifts himfelf. And there I find that the things that grotius found faulty in the Papifts ,were but thefetwo. 1. That to the true and ancient do&rine, many quirks of the Schoolmen that were better skliM in Ariflotle then the Scriptures, were introduced, out of a liberty of difputing, not out of the Authority of Univerfal Councils. And theOpi* nions ftabliftu in the Church were kfs fitly explicated. 2. That Pride and Covetoufnefs, and manners of ill ex it pie prevailed among the Prelates, &c. And really did jou think ihatheis no Papift that is but againft the Schoolmens Opinions , and the Prelates Pride, Covetoufnefs, and Idlenefs f and hold- c:h all that they call the Decrees of General Councils? Hath not the Council at Later an and Florence decreed that the Pope is above a General Council ? and the Council ac Liter an decreed that Princes are to be depofed , and their Subje&s abfolved from their fidelity > if they exterminate not Hereticks ( fuch as Proteflants ) out of their Domini* ons ? Is he no Papift that holds all that is in the Councilor" Trent , if he be againft force School-points not determined , and againft the Prelates Pride? Well S:r, I underftand you bet- ter then I did : And though you thought meet ( that your words might be conform to one another, and not to truth ) to fay thatl called you Arminian and Pelagian, ] purpofe ( if I had done fo, to call you an Arminian no more : But I befeech you cry not out of pcrfecution till the men of your mind will give us leavetobeRc&orsof Churches in their Dominions, as you and others of your mind are allowed to be in thefe. And demand not of Mr. Hickrnan the bread he eats, nor the money he receives, as if it were yours, till we can hive liccn-fetobe D d d main- 86 A K^y for fatholtcks. maintained Re&ors , or at leaft to cfcape the Strappado in your Church. But I promifedyoufomemoreof ^'m^inEnglifh to flop your mouth, (or open it whether you fee caufe :) and you (hall have it. Difcuf.pag. 14. [ Grotius diftinguifbtth between the Opinions of Schoolmen which oblige no man {for , faith Me!chi- OT Canus, our School alloweth ns great liberty ) and therefore could give no jufi caufe of departing ( as the Proteftants did ; ) and between thofe things that are defined by Councils, even by that of Trent: The ts4 els of which if any man read vith a mind fro- penfe to peace , he will find that they may be explained fitly and agreeably to the places of the holy Scriptures, and of the ancient Doctors, that are put in the Margin. Andif be fides this, by the care of Bifhops and Kings , thofe things be taken away which con* travel that holy dotlrine , and were brought in by evil man" ners, and not by authority of Councils , or Old Tradition, then Grotius, and many more with him, will have that with which they may be content."] This is Qrotius in Englifh.Reader,is it not plain Englifh ? Durit thou or I have been fo uncharitable as to have faid without his own confent , that Mr. Pierce would have defended this Religion , and that we have Re&ors in Eng? land of this Religion? and that thofe that call themfelves Epif- copal Divines , and feduce unftudied partial Gentlemen', are crept into this garb, and in this do aft their parts fo happily ? U words do fignifie any thing, it here appears , that Grotists his Religion is that which is contained in the Council of Trent with all the reft, and the reformation which will content him is only againft undetermined School- Opinions^and ill manners that Crofs the dodrines of the Councils. I'le do the Papifts fo much right as to fay I never met with a man of them that would not fay as much : Efpecialiy taking in all Old Tradition with all the Councils (how much together by the ears, now matters not ) as Grotius doth. Yec more, Bifcuf. p. 1 85 . He profefleth that he will fo inter- pret Scripture I God favouring himr and pious men being confult* tdrthat he crofs mt the Rule delivered both by himfelf, and by the Council of 'Trent, &c. ] Pag. 239. The Auguftine ConfeJJlen commodioufly explained-, L&bfcarceany thingwhich may not be reconciled with thofe Opi- won* A Key for Qatholkks. 1 87 nions Khich are received with the Catholicks, by Authority of Antiquity And of Synods^ as may be known oat */CafTander and HofTaaeiiter. And there are amsng the fefuites alfo that thinks not other-wife. ] Pag. 71, Hetels us that the Churches that join with Rome have not onlj the Scriptures, hut the Opinions explained in the Councils , and the Popes Decrees againji Pehgius , dec. [They have alfo received the Egregious Conftitutiens of Councils and Fathers , in which there is abundantly enough for the correction of vices: but allufe them not as they ought. They lye for tht mofi part hid in Papers, as a Sword in the Scabbard. And this is it that all the Uvers of piety and peace would have csrrecled.] And gives us Borromaus for a president. Pag. 48. [ThefeXre the things , which thanks be to God the Catholic k* do not thus believe \ though many that call themfelves Catholic ks fo live as if they did believe them : but P rote flams ( fo live ) by force of their Opinions , and Catholic kj bjthe decay of Difcipline. ] Pag. 95. what was long ago the judgement of the Church of Rome, the Miftru ef others, we may be (I {now by the Epifiles of the Roman Bifhops to the Africans and French , to which Groti- us will fubferibe with a moft willing mind ]] Rome you fee is the Aliftris of other Churches. Pag 7. [Theyaccufe the Bull of PiusQuintus , that it hath Articles be fides thofe of the Creed. But the Synodof Dort hath more. T>ut thofe in the Bull are new, as Dr. Rivet will have it. But very many learned men thinks otherwife , that they are not new, if they be rightly underftood I and that this appeareth by the places both of holy Scripture , and of fuch as have ever been of great authority in the Church, which are cited in the Margin of the Canons of Trent . Pag. 3 %\_And this is it which theSjnodofTrentfahbjbat in that Sacrament JefusCbriftjrue God^&trulj man is really & fab ft an- tiallj conteined under the form $f thofe fen fib! e things, yet net accor- ding to thenaturall manner of exifting^but Sacramextallj ,$rid by that way of exifting, which though we cannot exfrefs in words, yet may we by cogitation illuftrated by faith be certain that to God it is poffibl: \ And the Council haih found words to cxprefs it \_ that there is made a change of tht whole fubftance of Ddd 2 the 588 AfyyforCatholkks. the bread into the Body, and the whole [fib fiance ef Wine into the Blood, which converjjon the Catholick^ Church calleth Tranfub* flantiation. Pag. 79. [When the Synod of Trent faith, that the Sacrament is to be adored with Divine werfhip, it intends no more but that the Son of God himfelf is to be adored"] He add no more but that which tells you aho is a Papift with thzGrotians, and who is none. Pag. 15. [In that Epiflle Grotius by Papifls meant thofe that without any difference do ap- prove of all the flyings and doings ef Popes , for honor or Inert fake, as is ufual^ Ibid. He cells us that by Pap fts, he meaneth not them [jTtaf, faving the right of Kings and Bifhops, do give to the "Top or Bijhop of Rome, that Primacy which ancient cuflom and Camnf, and the Edifts of ancient Emperors and Kings affign them* which Primacy is not fo much the Bifhops , as the very Roman Churches, preferred before all other by common confent (It* swell it hath fo mutable a foundation ) fo Liberius the Bifiop being fo lap fed ph at he was dead to the Church, the Church of Rome retained its right, and defended the casifeoftheVniverfat Churchy This and much more I had given the Reader before in La- tine, but becaufe Mr. Pierce thinks,thatl wrong Grotint if you have it not in Englifh, I have born fo much refped to his word% and to the Reader,as to remove the wrong, and thus far to fatif* fie his defire. Having told you fome of the Occafion of this writing, I (hall add fomewhat of the Reafons of it ; but the lefs, becaufe I have given you fo much of them already in my forefaid Difcove* ry of the Grotian Religion. 1. My principal Reafon is that before expreffed, that Po- pery may be pulled up by the very roots : For Italians, French, and all build on this, that the Church mufl have one vifible Head. 2. That I might take in thofe parties of the Papifts, that I have part by or faid iefs to in the former Part of the Book. 3. Becaufe I fee what Influence the conceit that * difpute againft hath on the minds of many well- meaning lefs judicious people. 4 Becaufe A t\ey for Qatholicks. j 89 4. Becaufe I perceive in part what influence the defign of Grains had upon England, in the changes that were the occafion of our late wars ; He faith himfelf Difcujf. pag. 1 6. [ That the Liborsof Grotius for the Peace cf the Church were not dijpleajing to many equal men, many know at Paris, and many in all France, many in Poland and Germany, andntt a few in England , that a^e placid and lovers of peace : For as for the now- raging Brown* ifis, and others like them : With ft horn Dr. Rivet better agreeth then with the Bijhops o/England, who can defire to pleafe vhemjhat is not touched with their venom f\ So that he had Epifcopal Fa- don herein England. And whereas fome tell me, that <7r and fon> much we grant. HAving given you an account of the Occafion and Mo» tives that produced this Difputation, Ifhallnow briefly ftate the Controverfie between us. And becaufe the terms are all plain, and my fsn/e of them explained in the fore-going part, A K^y for Catholkks. J 9 5 part, I (hall think no more here neceflary, then to tell you in certain Propositions, How much we Grant , and How far we are Agreed, and then to tell you what it is that we deny , and wherein we differ. Prop. 1 . We are Agreed that Chrift hath a trae Catholick Church on earth, and ever hach had fince firfthe planted ir, and ever will have to the end of the world, and that the gates of Hell (hall not prevail againft it, or hachit ever had anlnterci- fion for a day or an hour ; and that this Church is fo far Infalli- ble, as that ic never was, nor ever will be ignorant of, or erro- neous againft any Article of faith, or part of obedience that is of abfolute Neceflity to falvation ( otherwife by that error ic (hould have ceafed to be the Church of Chrift.) Prop. 2. We are agreed that this Catholick Church in re- fped of the Internal faith and charity of the Members, and their Communion with Chrift by the quickening Spirit on his part, and holy fincere recurns of devotion on theirs, may be called, Myftic at, or InviftbU. The thing is utterly undenyable, though fome Papifts in the perverfnefs of contentious Difpu- tations feem to deny it. And doubtlefs when they aflert thai Chrift hath no Invifible Church, they rauft mean it (imply, and not quoad hac interior*, or elfethey fpeak againft all fenfe and Reaion. No man is fimply Invifible : but every man as to his font is Invifible. Prop. 3. We are Agreed that this Catholick Church in re- gard of the outward Profejpon of this Tn ward Faith and Holi- nefs, and in regard of the di.cernable numbers of perfons making this Profefsion, hath ever been viiibie, fince firft ic began to be vifible : And that the vifibilicy hath never had any intercifion. If fomeProteftanss lay otherwife, it's clear that this is allthac by the common judgement of Protcftants is maintained , viz. That Chriftians, and the Catholick Church containing the Pro- fefsing Chriftians through the world, have ever fince their firft planting had a vifible being -y but yet i . That the Visibility was not fuch but thac Hercticks fas the Arrlans did ) might make a concroverfie of it, whether they, or the true Chriftians were the Church indeed , and by their greater numbers or Pt>wer might blind men, that they (hould not fee which was the true Church. 2. And that in the Catholick Church fome parts may Eee2 be 1)6 A £\ey for fcatholich be much more corrupr,and others much more pare •, and the Purer pirt be fo much the lefTer, and opprefled and vilified by the more corrupt, that themoft pare fhould not djfeern their Purity , but take them f as they did the Waldetijts) for He- reticks. 3. And that two parts or more of this Catholick Church may fo fail out among themfelves, as that one of chem (hall de- ny the other to bt part of the Catholick Church, when yet they really for all that cenfure remain parts of it, as much as they: And hereupon may growaconteft between them, which of the two is the true Catholick Church, and one part may fayjtiswe and not you; and the other may fay,Tc is we and not you : and no man (hall be able todifcern which of the two is the Catholick Church , becaufe it is neither of them, but each are a part. 4. And though the Bodies of the members are vifible, and their Worfhipping actions Vifible , and their ProfefBon audible , yet the faith ProfefTed is not Vifible •, nor the Truth of their Profeffion,or of their Chriftianity,or Church •, Truth being the object of the Intellect, and not offence. 5. And though the true members of the Church do know the true Church, and fo it is apparent unto them , yet moft that are not members of it, do Fiot know it. Arriars and Mahometans know us to be men profefling fuchandfuch Articles of faith: but they know not that to be the true faith, nor us to be the true Church,but judge the contrary. In this fence ( contained in thefe Pro pofit ions ) itisthatProteftants deny the Church to have been alwayes Vi- fible, and not as the Papifts commonly raiftake them. Prep. 4. We are agreed that this Catholick Church is but One 1 There are not two Vifible, nor two Myftical Catholick Churches : Nor are the Myfticall and Vifible, two •• Bel- Urmine might havefpared all his labour that he bath beftowed in vain upon this point, to prove that the Vifible and Invifible are not two Catholick Churches. The Proteftants are farther from that Opinion then the Papifts: and it is morefuitable to the Popifti Imereft and Caufe to be of that Opinion , then to the Proteftan's. If it were not thst they are paft learning , by the advantage of their Infallibility, and efpecially of one man, and one fo mean, condemned by them, and that it is unlawfull to be a Teacher of Error, I could tell them of a new device by the advantage of this diftinction of Catholick Churches, for the modelling A f\ey for Catholicks. \$f modelling their miftakes into a more fpecicus plaufible form , then now it appeareth in to the reft of the Churches. But we are glad of their comp-any in any Truth, and therefore will not difagree from them in that which makes againft themfelves. One Objection I once heard a Learned Anabaptift caft in our way, viz. There may be a Vifible Church of hypocrites • therefore the My flic at and Viftble may be two, Anfw. But the Queftton was of the Cacholick Church, and not of a particular Church. Weconfefs that fome members of the Catholick Church are My- ftical and Vifible in the feveral refpec*ts before mentioned •• and that fome are Vifible and not Myftical , or as BelUrwine well calls them, Dead Members , and not Living ; and that the Church *s yifibleM more comprehend vc then the Church as Regenerate , or Invifible , and yet all but One Church , though it have more members in it in one refped then in another : And we confefs that its poflible for twenty or an hundred of thefe Dead members to conftitutc a particular Church by themfelves ( though it is not ufual for Vifible Churches to be without Liv- ing members:) and fo there may be a particular Vifible Dead Member ( Analogically called a Member, ) or a particular Vi- fible Church that is thus Dead ; and thefe be parts of the Catho- lick Church as Vifible. But yet there is not two Catholick Chur- ches,One Vifible,and the other Invifible, one alive and the other Dead.ln a Corn field there are, i. Good Corn. 2. Stricken, blafted Corn,that hath a name and (hew,but in deed no Corn. 3. Tares, darnell,cockle,and fuch weeds.lt is called, AField as itconteineth them all : It is called £ a Com field ] only from the Corn. The Univocal proper parts of a Corn field j$ the Corn only.' The Vifi- ble and Analogical parts are alfo the blafted ears: The darnel and cockle are no parts, but noxious accidents. There are not two fields of Corn, one of trueCorn, and the of other blafted ears : And yet theCorn fkld,taken largely and Analogically^ath more parties in it then true Corn : and you may perhaps have fome particular (heavs that are wholly of that which is blafted : which you will call a fheaf of Corn Analogically only : but a flieaf of weeds you will not at all call a fheaf of Corn. Even fo in the Catholick Church , there are fincere Chriftians which are true and living members ; and there are Hypocrites which are Analogically members ; and there are lo- cally mixed many that by denying effential points of the Chri* Big 1 ftian 398 A %ey for Qatholicks . fhan faith, or by notorious Impiety, do declare themfelves to be weeds , and no members of the Church at all. Prop. 5 . We are a!fo Agreed that this One Vifible Catholick Church, is One Political Holy Society, as united in Jefus Chrift the Head , who teacheth and rulcth it by his Minifters and other Officers , in che feveral parts, according to the neceflity of each. We call it One Political Society, r . Principally becaufe that all the Church is united in this One Soveraign, or Head , the Lord Jefus : and therefore it is called his body. 2. They have all the fame holy dodrine of faith, and Law to live by , and be judged by. 3 . They have all Church Officers of the fame fore under Chrift to teach and govern them. 4-They have all the fame kind of Holy Ordinances, as Reading, Preaching, Praying, P. aife, Sacraments, &c* appointed them by the Lord. 5. They are ail engaged in One and the fame Holy Covenant to the Lord : More might be mentioned ( and fhall be God willing, in a peculiar Treatife of Carholicifm,or the Catholick Church) AndthoughChrift himfelfbenot now fecn among us, yet may he truly be called a Vifible Head. For 1. He fometime lived vifibly on earth. 2. And is now the Vifible King of all the Church, as he is in the Heavens.Though we fee him not, the Ccleftiall Inha- bitants do. It is but little of the world that feeth the Pope,any more then they fee Chrift: If one unfeen to us may be a pretend- «d Vifible Head, the other may be truly fo. So that the Body, Head,Laws, Worfhip,^. being Vifible, fo is the Policy. Prop. 6. We are agreed alfo, that all thefe Chriftians,and par. ticular Churches, are obliged by Chrift, even by the very Law of Nature , and the ends of their calling , and the General Laws of the Gofpell, to live in as much Love, and Unity, and Peace as they can; and to hold as full and extend ve communi- on as they can : that is, as far as their work requireth , and their Capacity will permit and enable them; thofe that are co- habitansand members of one Congregation , mud hold local communion in that Congregation , unlefs Neceffity prohibite. Thofe that through diftance are uncapable of joining in the fame Affemblies , fhould yet be conjoined, 1 . In the fame Lord, Faith. Bapttfm, Covenant, Profefiion. 2. In the fame bond of Chriftian fpecial Love. 3. In the ufe of the fame fore of holy wor- ship , as to theSubftance, though they differ in circumftances , as A i\ey for Catbolicks. *99 as in the Word , Prayer , Praifes, Sacraments, &c. 4. And in one fort of Church Officers and Government. And as far as we have to do with each other, all this (hould be manifc- fled, and we (hould readily own one another as Brethren and true Churches, notwithstanding leffer differences. Prep, 7. To thefe ends it is meet that the Bifhops or Paftors of the Churches (hould hold in way of Aff:>ciation, as frequent AfTemblies as is needfull,for the maintaining of mutual Love and Correfpondency, and right underftanding of each other, and to manifeft their unity, and aflift each other in the work of God, that it may be the more fucccfsfully carried on by united ftrength againft all oppofitions . Prop. 8. Thefe Affociations (hould fo far know the members Aflbciated, as it neceflary to the holding of a Chriftian Commu- nion with them , and therefore (hould not admit all into their Aflbciation, but fuch as either produce the Evidences of found faith and Holy life , or literas communicator's , certificates from credible members of their communion, that the perfons 'are fit for their Communion. Prop. 9. Thefe Affociations are principally for the Union and Communion of Churches, and therefore muft apply them- felves to the maintaining and promoting of Unity. Prep. 10. Such Affociations (hould therefore have their fet times of frequent meeting in Synods, for Ordinary help of one another, befides extraordinary meetings on extraordinary occa- sions, which none (hould neglect. Prop. 1 1. We agree that fuch Aflbciated Paftors may have their Moderators either pro tempore > or ftated as the caufe re- quired. And that it is no great master whether he be called a Prefident, Bifhop, Moderator, &c. in which all (hould have liberty, fo far as that the peace of the Church be not caftaway for fuch names. Prop. 1 2, We are alfo agreed that whatfoever (hall be concluded in order to the Union and Communion of Churches, in any of thefe Synods, the particular Aflbciated Members muft obferve3 they being thereto obliged , by Virtue of thofe General pre- cepts thet require us to do all in Unity and Concord, and with one mind and mouth to giori fie God , and to avoid diviiions, &e. Except they be fuch thing? as cannot be obeyed, unlefs we violate 400 A t\ey for Catbolicks. violate the Law of God. Thus far the Canons, that is, Agree- ment of lefler Synods or greater are obligatory. Prop. 1 3 . We are alfo Agreed, that when ever the good of the Church requireth it, there may be Greater AfTemblies alfo held , confiftingofmanyof thefe conjund , or fpeciall mem- bers ddegace by the reft •• And that this courfe fhould extend as far as our capacity will allow in needfull cafes. . Prop. i4.Laftly we (hall grant, that where Paftors cannot through diftance or other Impediments, hold Synods, or any particular Churches cannot fend any competent members to fuch Synods, yet may they, when its needfull, by meflengers certific each other of their faith, profeffions , pra&ifes,and particular doubts and cafes , and fo hold communion , in fome deg ee , owning each other as Brethren in one Lord, and by fuch inter- courfe of Meflengers and Letters as we are capable of, afiifting, and feeking aftiftance from each other ; As B*jUand the reft of the Eiftern Bifhops did to theWeftern in thdr diHrcft while they had hope. And the faith of all the Churches that are ncer enough for any externall communion, being thus known, their Liter* Commune atorU may be valid and fatisfadtory , when any mera> ber pafleth into other parts. Thus far I hope we are Agreed : This much lam fure we hold our felves : But now the difference folio weeh. We hold that this Univerfal Church ( whichisoneinChrift their Head, as the world is one Kingdom in God the abfolute Soveraign King ) is by Chrift diftributed into many Congre- gations,difperfed over the face of the Earth, and that thefe as feveral Corporations in one Kingdom,have all their particular Governours and Order. All forcible Government we afcribc to the Magiftrate , and deny it to the Paftors of the Church. And that teaching and Guidance which is called Ecdefiaftick Government,we fuppofcis the work of every Paftor in his flock, and the Ordering of the communion of Churches, by Canons, Agreements ( and their execution in part) is the work of Synods. And as in this Kingdom, all the Free-fchools arc go- verned by the Schoolmafters, who arc all under the Prince and Liws, without any General Schoolmafters to Teach,or Overfee, and Rule the reft, (and without Synods too, though they may meet A %ey for Catholicks. 401 meet when tbeir mutual Edification requires it, ) ard yet all the Schools in England are in Peace, becaufe no Archfcoolmafters prefuroe to rob the Magiftratc of his power : Even fo we judge, that ifPaftorsdo but Teach and Guide their feverallflocks,and the Magiftratc keep and ufehis power of forcible Government, that is, in feeing that they do their Offices faithfully , and no Arcbpaftors prcfume to take the power of t-he.Magiftrat-es.oui of their hands , the Churches may have quietnefs and peace : ( ftill allowing a greater Neceflity of Communion, and fo of Synods, among Churches then among Schools, and rcferving the rod to thefccular power. ) And we concieve , that moftof the ftir that Popes and Popifh Prelates have made about Church Government , hath been but to rob the 'Magiftratc of his due, and to become thernfejyes the Church-Magiftrates through the world. But that the Church hath any Politicall Univerfal Head out Chrift alone, either a Vice-god, or Vice-Chrift , either Pope or Council; that any one is as Pope Julias hkh of himfelf , y^ in the place of God, the maker of all things and Laws, ] this we deny • That the whole Church on Earthy is foonePoIiti* cal Society, as 10 be under any one terrcftial numericall Head, whether perfonal or collective, Pope, Council , or Patriarks, having power of Legiflation , or judgement ever the whole, and by whom each member is to be Governed, this we deny : and think it as abfurd (and much more (infull ) as to affirm that all the world muft needs have oneVifible Monarch under God to reprefent him^ and that he is no fubjed to the God of Heaven, that acknowledged not this VifiblcUniverfall Monarch. We deny that the Church is fucha Society; We deny that it bath fuch an Head •. We deny that it hath any fuch univerfal Humane Laws : We deny that the parts of it are to be conjoyned by the fubordinate Officers ( Cardinals, Patriarks, Archbifhops, or whatever ) of fuch an ufnrping Soveraign. We affirm that no Chriftian fhould fancy or affert that any fuch Head and Order for unity is appointed by Chrift ; or that it is Dcfirable , or Home to be the better Jiked of becaufe it pleadcch for fuch an Order, or vainly boafteth of fuch of an unity ; or that any fhould dare to contrive the promoting of ir. Yea we maintain that fuch fancies and contrivances are the moft notable means of 401 A Kjyfor Catholicks. thedivilion, or delolacion of the Chucbes ; And that it is the notable hinderance of the unity of all the Chnftian Churches, that fuch a falfe Head and Center of unity is fet up, and an Impofiible Impious unity pleaded for, and furioufly fought by fire andfarord, infteadof the true defirable unity : And thac the Churches will never have true unity and peace if thefe principles of theirs be not difgraced and difowned, and the true princples better underftood. I (hall now give you fome Arguments for our Affertion , and then in the End (hall give you the true Grounds and Means ofunity. Chap. III. Oar Arguments for the Negative. IN the management of the Arguments for the Negative, I (hall p incipall' deal with them chat would Head the Church with aCouncil, tnatis, would make the Church to be autono- micall, and be the Soveraign, or chief Governour of it felf, or the Church Reprefentative of the Church reall ( as they ufe to call then/.) As to them that Head it with the Pope , I have faid enough already , and others much more, efpecially Blon- iell unanswerably. Yet I (hall partly take them alfo in my way , though I deal principally with the other. And thefe brief Argumenti may ferve to confute the Vice- chriltrtvporSoveraigntyof the Pope. i . There is no fuch Head Inftituted by Chrift. The Scripture pretenfes for ir I have before confuted,and they are fo poor, that they vanifti of themfelves. 2. The Popes Soveraignty is againft the Judgement of the Ancien: Fathers,and pra&ife of the Primitive Church, as I have proved in this and a former Book. 3. h is againit Tradition,as brought down to us by the great- eft: part of the Church on earth by far, as is before proved. 4. It is againft the Judgement of the far greateft part of the prefent Cathoiick Church, as is proved. 5.. It is the the raeerefftft of pride and tyranny; a plain de+ fign A I\ey for Latbolicks . 402 fign to fct up one man over all the world for his greatnefs, and their hurt. 6. The pretenfe of this Sovereignty is the confequent only of .Row*/ greatnefs ,a> id the will or Erap*jrours, that to conform the Ecclefia heal LUre to the cml.Uid give a Primtcy to the Bifhop of ~Rome within the Empire. 7. It is a meer Iropofiibility for one man to be the Soveraign of all the Churches in the world, and do the work of a Sove- raign for them. He had need of many millions and millions of Treafure to defray the charge (which Peter had not. ) While he pretends to govern all he world, he doch but leave them un- governed, or not by him. How csn he govern all thofe Chur- ches in the Dominions of Infidels, that will not endure his Go- vernment I There are more then all the Pc.pifts in the world now from under his Government voluntarily, that could not be go- verned by him if they wouid. 8. There are yet vilible many great Churches that were planted by the Apoftles,orin their dayes, and nev^r we;e onder Romts Soveraignty to this day, as the ^yEtheopians^PerftansJndians^Tii mod that were without the verge of the Roman Empire. 9. There is no ufe for fuch an Head, as I (hail (hew anon , of Councils. 10. There is not fo much Reafon for it, or p ^flibiUcy of it, as that One man rauft beKmgerM> narchof ail the world. Con- fiderirg that fpiritual Government requireth refidency , and can left be done by D^pucies uen temporal : And that Princes are truly Chureh-Governours alio in their kind and way. 11. It is an intolerable qfurpation of the Power of all Chriftian Princes and Paftors, who conjunctly in their feveral wayes are intruded by God with the Government of the Chur- ches under them. 12. To make fuch a Soveraign, is to make a new Cathoiick Church, that Cbrift never madf. 13. Anditsthemoft notorious fchifm, dividing rherafelves from all the Cathoiick Church, that are not their fubjed?. 14. And inhumane cruelty to damn all ( as much as Hea- thens at leaft ) that believe not in the Pope, be they never fo ho'y. Fff2 15, To 404 A Key for Qatbolicks. 1 $5 To fet up a Vice-god fas Pope Julius paraphraftically cal- led himfe!f)and a Vice- chrift on earth over all the Church (as the Papift commonly do, maintaining that the Pope4s the Vicar of Chrift ) is to fet up an Idol! , and a name of Blafphemy , againft Jefus Chrift, whofcf rerogative it is to be the fole Univer- falHead • And therefore he muft needs be an Antichrift,.whe- Dr Hm- thcr he be T^e Antichrift or not. This much to the Pope. mini on ~ Tner- The[Catholicl^ Chursh of Chrift is not one Viftblt Poli- iTm.i.t.ticAl bod) , as pjmd to one Vhiverfal Viftblt Head or Sove* faitVr k r4*&n> ^ fave only C^ift • ) And confeqnentlj it u not the way t* a^thc *M' **" Churches divifons, to draw all into fuch a bodj> or tndea* particular VQHr fuck an Vnion. Churches of the wh°le world conSdered together under the fupream Head, Chrift Jefus, dif- fpenfing them all by himfelf.,& adniniftrmcr thsm fcYeraUy5noc by any one ceconomi^ bucby the feveral Biftaps as inferiour Heads of Unity to the feveral bodies fo confti- cured by the feveral Apoftles in their plantations; each of them having an J vrsvoui*, afeveral diftlnd Commiflbn from Chrift immediately, and fubordinate to noner bus the fupream donor or plenipotentiary. ]_ This I make good by thefe following Arguments,which reach both the Italian Papifts,that would have the Pope to be the Head or Soveraign ^ and the French and Caffandrian,who would have a General Council to be the Head, and the Pope only to be the chief Patriarch, and the Princifium Vnitatis : For if I prove that the Body is not one, as Headed by any except Chrift, I (hall fay enough againft both thefe opinions * But yet as is faid,it is prin- cipally againft the later ( who are for the Headfhip of a Coun- cil ) that I (hall direct ray Arguments j becaufe they are the bulk Reconcilers, and becaufe the reft are fo largely confuted already on both (ides. Argument 1 . That which is the trne form of the Cat belief Church of Chrift, it retaineth de fa&o at this day : But it retain* ct'bn&t a Political Vnion- under a ViftblcTerreftrialVniverfaL Head : therefore this is not the tr He form of the Catholic^ Qhurch* Or, what the Catholick Church is ptoad ejfeniiam, that it is aifo quoad exiftentiam ' But it is not fuch a Body quoad exiften* Ham;> therefore not quoad efintiam.- If any will grant the conclufion, quoad sfftfltim velformtm, an& A K^y for Catbolicks. 40 j ----- ■ - and fay that this Policy,Head and Union are not effential to the Church, but feparable accidents tending only ad melius ejfe, he will give away his caufe : For the Pars Imperans and pars /Mi* ta are the two effential parts of a body Politick, or Republick, whether Civil or Ecclefiaftteal , as a foul and body are the parts of man: and if it want either part, the eflence is deftroy- ed • It hath loft its Political form. But I need not (land on this, becaufe the cafe is paft controverfic , and I know not of any that make the objection, or will go on fuch terms: I am fare thofe do not that I have now to deal with. Another thing there may be that is called a Church , without this Form or Head. bur not this fame thing or body that now we fpeak of. The Major propofition I prove thus: The Church of Chrift is a true Church at this day, or retainetb its effential parts; there- fore it rctaineth its form. If its effential* were not in exiftence, . the Church were extind,or did not exift : But that the Church is not extinft or nulled , the opponents will eafily grant,and the promifeof Chrift will eafily proves The gates of Hell fhall not prevail againft it. The Minor I prove thus 5 If the Catholick Church be now Headed with one Vifible Head ( beiide Chrift, ) then it is either-' the Pope or a General Council. But it is neither of thefe." That it is not the Pope, the French will grant. And 1 . Its prov- ed at large by many a volume of Protcftant writers • and 2. By the prefent vifible ftate of the Church ; The greateft part of the Church on Earth ( and all thofe in Heaven ) difown the Uni-; verfall Soveraignty or Headfhipof the Pope ; The Greeks, Abaf-1 fines, Armenians, Proteftants, &c. That it is not a General Council appearcth, in that there is ""■' no ftjch thing in Natural or Moral Exiftence* Not in Natu* ral exiftence -, For where is it f'when called ? how long have they fate ? But this none will affirm. Not in Moral exiftence ; For there is no fuch thing pretend- ed, nor poffible. I confefs the Common wealth is not diffolved at the death of the Prince j becaufe a Succeflbr being determined of by Law (as in hereditary Government,) there is one bath prcfemly right to the place, though he want folemn admittance* or if elective, yet Re x mn moritur , both becaufe the fuccefibr htthanintentional Moral being in the Fundamental Law, and - Fff 3:i '" the- 40(5 A f\ey for Catholicks* the Intention of the Eie&ors conjun&ly , and they prefently make an adiial cho.ce, orelfe the power fo far as is neceffary for execution, fails in the mean, time into the hands of fome Truftees of the Republick, while chey areele&ing, and the fo- veraign is in fieri ; Or if it be in fome diffolvable body , whofc a&ualSeiTion is intermitted, yet they are ftill in Moral being, and ready to affenible, and the Soveraigncy for fo much as is of ordinary exercife, even over the Univerfal body, is in the mean time in the hands of fome other Affernbly a who therefore may be faid to partake of the Soveraigmy. But none of this is fo in the prefent cafe. Here is no Gene- ral Council ordinarily in natural being •, and therefore in the vacancy not in Moral being : There is none that prctendeth to be in Moral being ; For the Council of Trent j which was the laft pretended General Council , is diffoived j and the Pope would not take it well if any (hall call another without him: and no time is appointed far it : The Decennial Council determined of at Cor.ftance, is an empty name : and that Decree did but ferve to prove, that really General Councils are not the Supream Governors of the Church : For no one obeyeth them in that. And whether ever the Pope, or any one clfe will call a General Council again , we cannot tell. So that now there is none ^ nor we know not whether there ever wiH be. But further. Argum. 2. That which u the Head, or form of the Catholic!^ Church ( or any way Neceffary to its Being or Vnity) hath ever been found in it , or at leaft within this thou/and years , or at le aft in the primitive purer ages , or fometime at leaft : But a true General Council is not always in being, mr ever was within this thoaf and years, no nor in the purer ages, nor ever at all: there- fore it is no Head of the Church, nor neceffary to its unity. The Major wi*l not be denyed. The proof of any branch of the Minor may ferve turn : much more of all. I. That a Ge- neral Council hach not been this forty years in being, all men Wui onfefs. If the Church have been Headlefs forty years, or warded any thing Neceffary to its Being or Unity, then was it fo long no ( hurch, or many Catholick Churches, which are kn> m u -rru.hf. 2. f the Church h«ve had any General Council within this t£ouluuti }ea s, it was either that of Trent, that of €anftar:ce% Ml, A Z\ey for Qatholicks. 4 07 Bafil, Florence, the Laterane, Sec. But none of thefe were fuch. For 1. there were no Bifhops from the moft of the Chriftian world. I have told you before how few at Trent did the moft egregious parts of their work ("few more then forty : ) The Churches of Syria , Armenia, Ethiopia , and the moft of the Chriftian world , were never fo much as fairly invited to be there. If at Florence the Patriarch of Conftantinople, and two or three Greeks more were prefent, what's that to all the Chur- ches of the Greek Profeffion through the world ? befides all others. The ancient Councils called General, contained All the Bifhops that could and vtould come. For all were to be there, and not one Bifhop chofen by two hundred, or by a Prince, in- ftcad of two hundred. But at thefe later Councils were neither all, nor fo much as any Delegates (though but chofen by hun- dreds to reprefent them ) from moft of the Churches of the world. Befides the packing and fore-refolutions of the Popes, that ruled all,and many other Arguments that nuliifie thefe pre- tended General Councils. I fay not that all of them were ufe- lefs; but none of them were any more like to Oecumenical ox Univerfal, then Italy and its fewfervants are like to all the Chri- ftian world. And that the Ancient Councils were not General, I mean, the four firft, or any like them, I eafily prove, 1 . From the Ori- ginal of them, and the Mandates, and the Prefidents , and Ra- tifications, and Executions. Ic was the Roman Emperors that called them, and that fent their Mandates to the Lieutenants and other fecular Officers to fee to the execution, and t6 the Bifhops to be there : It was the Roman Emperors that by themfelves or their Lieutenants, Were prefent to Rule the m Ml ( according to the proportion of fecular intereft. It was the fame Powers chat Ratified them, and what they ratified went for currant, and their Ratification was fought by the Bifhops to that end. Ic was the fame Power that banifhed them that obeyed nfct, arid compelled men to fubmit to them;, Nowlet arty man of Reafon tellmc, what Power Conflamine.'fhtdofim^'Mdriian^ or any Roman Emperor had to fummon* the Bilhop's thic .were Tub- jects in chc Dominions of all other Princes through the world? What Authority had they out of their own Do- minion? 2. Yea 408 A Kjyfor Catbolicks. 2. Yea de falls, the cafe is known, i. That they did not fummon the Bifliops of other Princes Dominions. 2. That thofe Bifliops ( at leaft na confiderable number were there.) What Mandates or Invitations were fentto all the Churches of India, Ethiopia, Perfia, or the parts of Parthia, Armenia , Jrem lan4y Scotland ficz. that were out of the Roman Power t Who- tver thofe one or two were that 8n[ebiw calls Bifliops of Perfes, Parthia, Armenia^ it's a plain cafe, that there were no due Re- presentatives of all or any of thefe Churches there, that were without the verge of the Empire. No Brittijh, Jrifb, (that is, then Scottijh) Bifliops were there, nor any from abundance other Churches. And the other Councils after that at Nice% jnake lefs pretenfe to fuch a thing. So that it is moft evident that General Councils then were but of the Bifliops of the Empire, or the Roman world , unlefs aBifliopor twofometime mighc drop in that lived next thera.And was the Church na wider then the Empire ? Let £4n?^himfelfbe judge,that tells you of the .Churches planted by the primitive Preachers,in India, Perfta, and ,many other parts of the world. Let Goctignm be judge,that con- feffcth the Ethiopians h&& the Gofpel iince the Apoftles days (and I pray in what age were they Papifts? ) Let Rajnerittsbc judge, that faith the Churches of Armenia and others planted by the Apoftles were not fubjed to the Church of Rome f Let the Antiquities of Brittain and Ireland be evidence. But the cafe is undenyable. All thisnoyfe then of General Councils comes but from a fuppofition that the Roman world was the whole Chri- ftian world. A fmall miflakel We home-bred Rufticks may jfhortly be as well able to prove that a Lsndon Convocation was a general Council 1 Pighius pleading for the Pope, faith plain- ly, that General Councils were the devife of Conftantine. And the Popes themfelvesdo fetch the molt fpecious Evidences for their primacy from the Decrees or Edi&s of Emperors , Valen* (timan, Gratian&nd others. And what power had thofe Emperors at the otbes fide of the world ? 3 . And then, before the Nicene Council,what General Coun- cils were there fince the Apoftle days ? None doubdefs that the world now knows of. It's fenfelefs enough to think that 350 Mojtsan Bifliops at the fecond Council of Nice, or the 1 50 Bi- ghops in the third Council at Conflantimple, or the 1 65 Bifliops at A Kgy for Qatholkks* 409 at thefecond Council at Conftantinople, or the i5oBifhops at the hxft there, were the Univerfal Church of Chrift ? But ic will be more ridiculous to fay, that the new-found Concilium Sinutjfanum , imagained without proof to meet in a certain Cave, tor the depoficion of an Idolatrous Pope, were a Ge- neral Council. Where then was the Head , the unity , the form of the Church for 300 years ? Wat ic governed all that time, think you, by a General Council? yea or ever one day fince the Apoftles ? Well, but was there everfucha thing at all? Indeed men have a fairer pretence when the Church was contained in a fa- mily, or a City, or a narrow fpace, to call the meetings of the Apoftles or other Chriftians then , by the name of a General Council, but they are hard put to ir, if this be all. The great Inftance infixed on is the Council, Ail. 15. But were the Bi- fhops of all the Churches there ? or fummoned to appear ? AH. 1 4. 2 3 . they had ordained them Elders in every Church » but few of them were there, Timothy, Titus, abundance were ab- fenr. ItJs plain, that it was to the Apoftles and Church at Hie- rufalem as the Fountain, and bed informers that they fern. Not becaufe thefe were the Univerfal Church , but becaufe they were of greateft knowledge and authority. If it could be proved that all the Apoftles were there , it would no more prove them a General Council, then that the Deacons of one Church were ordained by a General Council, Acl.6. And Mat- Mas and fufites put to the Lot by a General Council , AH. 1. and that Chrift appeared to a General Council after his Refar- reftion , and gave the Sacrament of his Supper to a General Council before his death. So that it is raoft evident from the event, that Chrift never made a General Council the Head or Governor of his Church •, and that there never was fuch a thing the world, much lefs continually. Argum. 3. The form or unity ( no. nor the well biing) of the Catholic^ Church, dependeth not on that vhichu either tin- necejfarj, u»juft, er naturally or morally impojfib'e: But a true General Council is none fuch : It cannot be : or if it Vrere it would be unnecejfary andunjuft. Therefore it is mt the Head or S&veraig* Governor of the Church, en which its being, unity, (or well being) doth defend. Ggg I have 4 1 o ^ i(ey for Catholicks. I have nothing here to prove bu: the Minor. And i . 1 (hall prove the Impoffibility. 2. The non-necefiity. 3. The un- jufticeofa General Council : andfo chat no fuch thing is to be expe&ed. A true General Council confifteth of all the Paftors or Bi- (hops of the whole world ; or fo many as Morally may be called All. A General Council of Delegates from all the Churches, mud confiftoffomany proportionably chofen, as may fignifie the fenfc and confent of all, orelfeitisa meer name and fha- dow. Both thefe are Morally, if not Naturally Impoffible : a$I prove. j. From the diftarce of their habitations, fome dwell \riMe- fopotsmU, fome in Armenia, fome in EthitpU, fome in Mexico, the Philippines ■, or other parts of the Eafi and Weft- Indies: fome at St. Thome's, fome difperfed through raoft of the Turks Dominions. Now how long mud it be, before all thefe have tidings of a Council, and fummonsto appear, or fend their De- legates? Who will be at the cod of fending meflengers to all thefe ? Will the Pope ? Not if he be no richer then Peter was. How many hundred thoufand pound will it cod before that all can have a lawful fummons ? And when that is done, it will be long before they can all in their feveral Nations meet.and agree upon their Delegates, and their inftru&ions. And when that is done, who (ball bear their charges in the journey ? Alas,thc beft of the Churches Paftors have had fo little gold and filver, that they are unable themfelves to defray it. A few Bifhops out of each of thefe diftant Countries, will coafume in their journey a great deal of money and provifion. To provide them (hip- ping by Sea, and Horfes, and all other nece(Taries by land , for fomany thoufand miles, will require no fmall allowance. And then confider, that it mud be voluntary contribution that mud maintain them. And mod love their money fo well, and know fo little of the need of fuch journeys and Councils, that doubtlefs they will not be very forward to fo great a con- tribution. And it Is not to be expected that Infidel Princes will give way to the tranfporting of fo much money from their court* tries on the Churches occafions, which they bate. But fuppofethem furniftied with all necefiarics, and fetting forward : A Ifyy for Catholicks . 411 forward ; How long will they be in their journey ? Shipping cannot always be had : Many of thera muft go by land : U cannot be expected that feme of them ihould come in lef* than three, or four, if not feven years time to the Council. And will ever a General Council be held upon thefe terms ? 2. Moreover the perfons for the moft part are not able to per* form fuch journeys. Bifhops are Elders : Moft of them are aged perfons. The wifeft are they that are fit to be trufted in fo great a bufinefs by all the reft : And few attain that maturity but the aged: Efpecially in the moft of the Eaftern & Southern Churches . that want the helps of Learning which we have. And will the Churches be fo barbarous as to turn out their aged faithful Pa- llors upon the jaws of death ? Some of them are not like to live out fo long time as the journey , if they were at home. They muft pafs through raging and tempeftuous Seas, through De- ferts and enemies, and many thoufand miles where they muft daily conflict with diftrefr. It were a fond conceit, to think that ("without unufual providences^ ten Bifhops of a thoufand (hould come alive to the Council, through all thefe labors and difficulties. And moreover, it's known how few bodies will bear the Seas, and fo great change of air ; How many of our Souldiers in the Indies are dead, for one that doth furvive ? And can ancient Bifhops, fpent with ftudies and labors, endure all this? Moft ftudious painful Preachers here with us are very fickly, and fcarfe able to endure the fmall incommodities of their habitations : And could they endure this ? 3. Moreover abundance of [he Paftorsof the Churches live under Mahometans and other Infidels, that will not give them leave to travail fo far into the Countries of Chriftian Princes on fuch occafions. They hate us and our Religion. They are oft at war with us,and then would hang thofe Bifhops as Intelligen- cers that fhould offer to come among us, 4. And they muft many of them pafs through the Countries of other Princes, that are Infidels, and oft in war with the parts which they come from or go to. And it cannot be cxpe&ed that in fuch cafes they fhculd allow them p&fTagc through their Countries. If one do, all will not : When poor LithgoVe had travailed nineteen years, he was tortured, ftrappado*d and dif- Ggg2 joynted, 4? 2 A i\ey for Qatholick* joynted, and mide a cripple at Malaga in the Spanifh Inquifiti- on. And thanked G ;d and the £#£///?? EmbafTador that he fped fo well. 5. Even at home in Europe, the Princes are fo commonly in Wars ("as are France ^ Spjin, Venice , Sweden, Denmark Po- land, the Emperor, Brandenbnrgh, Holland, Portugal, England^ Tranfylvania.Scc. at this very day) that there is rot the leaft probability that they fhould all or half confent to have fo many of their fubje&s pafs into their enemies Countries to refide fo long. Jealoulies raifedby particular Intcrefts would make ic Treafon. 6. Moreover many Princes underftand that the Pope hath no power to call fuch Councils, nor any man elfe.- and they know the defignof the Pope to fubjsd the world to himfelf. And therefore they will abhor that their fubje&s fhould travail fo far at his call, that hath fuch defigns, for at another mans that hath no authority to call them.) This hath made the Em- peror of HabAffia fo rcfolutely refift tie Popes pretentions fas Godignm, Ma fata, and others do declare) Few Princes wiU endure to have their fubje&s brought under a forreign Power. 7. And if you fuppofe all the Bifhops come to the Council, the very number out of all the Chriftian world, (to make any thing like a General Council,) would be fo great, as would be unfit for one, or two, or ten, or twenty Council houfes or Af« femblies. 8. And they would be uncapable of conferring, through di<- verficy of languages. Few of the Abajftnes, Egyptians,. Sjri. ans, Armenians, or of moft of the world, underftand and fpeak any language that would commonly be underftood andufedin a Council. Nor is it pofiiblc to doit by Interpreters, For fo many Interpreters cannot be ufed to tell all that underftand not,what every man faith,and to expound their minds to others, '{his would walk an age in a Council j fo that fuch a Council would be a very BabtL 9. And Councils ufe to be fo long, that it cannot be ex- pected that after fo many years journey, old men fhould live to fee theifTue, or do any great matters there. Eighteen years at Trent would confume a great many of the Bifhops: How many, A K^y for Catholich. 41 3 many even of the Popes own Legates dyed before that Council could be fiaifhed ? 10. And if they (hould live to fee the end , can you dream that they (hould live to perform the like ttdious dangerous journeys and voyages to bring back the Decrees of the Coun- cill to their Churches? Judge now whether fuch Councils arc not Naturally Impoflible. I will add but this. No men can be compelled. And to make all the world at once agree to fo difficult a task, and agree up- on the time and place, muftbe a Miracle. One will be for it, and another againft ir. One for one time and place , and another for another,through mod of the world. We fee how hardly any two Princes can agree upon times , places, and all circumftances in their Treaties. 2. Let us next enquire , of what Neceffity fuch a Council is. If it be Neceflary for Church government, it is either to make Laws, or to executethem. But for neither of thefe : therefore they are not Neceffary. 1. Chrift hath made us Laws ahready fufficient for falvation. And I hope he hath not conftitured foloofe a Society, and left his Body to fuch mutations, as that they mult fo frequently have new Laws. And if it muft . , fure it muft be from their Sove- raign, who. hath- referved theLcgflative Power to himfelf as his Prerogative. Legiflation is the higheft a& of Supremacy^ and chief rlowcr in the Crown of Soveraignty. The Church is drifts fubje&s, and (hall fubjecls make their own Laws? Scripture is fuffkient. If this be all that we need General Coun- cils for , to make Univerfal Laws to the Church, we can fpare them as well as Traytors in a Common-wealth. And for Execution of Laws , it is either Magifterial , by force of the Sword 5 and this they have nothing to do With, it being the Princes right. Or it is for the Excommunicating Church- offenders : And to caft them out of particular Chur- ches is die work qf the Paftors of thofe Churches; Oihers can- not know. the perfons^ aud hear the caufe. If all Church- caufes (hould come to a General Council, Millions of men muft be attending them at oncf. And if it be to judge who fhallbe caft out of the Communi- on of the Churches , and what Churches themfelm are to Gg.g 3 fee. 414 ^fyyfor Catholicks* be excommunicated , the Synods of neighbour Paftors are to do as much of that as is to be done. Where then is theNecefiity of fuch Councils at fuch rates ? Augttftine faid tint drunken- nefs in hi* time was grown fo ftrcng, that there muft be a Coun- cil to fupprcfs it. Could they do fuch feats as to cure Drun- kenness , Whoredom , Covetoufnefs , Pride , I would be for tbero. 3. If a General Council were called, itrouftbea moRptftjufl AfTea.bly. For, 1 . It would be guilty of cruelty and deltroy- ing the Church of Chrift , by killing fo many of the Pallors as afore (aid. 2. It would be guilty of cruelty and Church deftoying by the ftarving and defertion of the flocks at home. What will become of the poor peoples fouls, when they are left to the Wolves, to Hercticks, and Deceivers, and to the temptations of their own flefh, and the world, being for ten or twenty years, or for ever deprived #f their Paftors under pretenfe of a General Council ? Baft! in his feventieth Epiftle tells theWeftern Bifhops, that they of the Eaft could not come to folicite their own caufe with them. For, feith he, If any one of us ( N. B. ) do for the leaft moment leave his Church, he prefently leavcth his people to deceivers. And on this ground hefhews that they could not fo much as fparc Bifhops to be meer MefTcngers to them; Much lefs could they havefpared a fnfficient number to ftay feven or ten years together. If any think that fuch Necef- fities are unufuall , he knows not the world. And Coun- cils are moft nfefull if evcr,when neceffities are greateft. 3 . In Councils things are carried by Votes : and fo tAbaffia, Armenia, Mexico, and places fo remote that they can fend but one or two, would be out- voted by that corner of the world where the Council is called, that can fend in proportionably an hundred for one ; and fo under the name of a General Coun- cil , a fa&ion might promote any herefie or carnal intcreft, and no Churches would be fo cnflaved as thofe that fend at the deareft rates. Italy and a few more parts, at Trent, would over-vote all the Churches of Eaft and South, and fee up what intcreft or opinion they pleafe • And fo if one corner of the Church can err, all may err, for all the Council .- Where there is an equal intereft, there (hould be an equal power in Councils : which will certainly be otberwife, 4. if A l$ey for Qatbolicks. 4 1 5 4. If the Pope be he thtt muft call General Councils, we (hall have none, till it will Rand with bis intercft. And ifhe have not the power of calling them, no one rife hath, for none pretcndeth to ir. And if they muft be called by univcrfal confent, three hundred years is little enough for all the world to treat of the time, place, and other circumftances, and confent. 5. And if the Pope muft call them, he will eafily by the very choice of the place , procure the accompliftiment of bis own defigns. 6. Thofe that think it the Popes prerogative to call a Council, do alfo affirm ( as I before (hewed in the exprefs words of Bin- nius and others ) that a Council hath no more power then the Pope will give them, and that when they are convened by him, and have done their work, it is all of no Validity ^ if he allow it not; If he approve one half, that half is valid , and bis appro- bation will make their Decrees the Articles of our faith ; when as the other half which he difapproveth (hall not be worth a ftraw. And is it not a raoft foolifti thing for all the world to put themfelves to fo much charge to defray the expenfes of their Bifhops, and hazzard their lives, and lofe their labours at home for fo many years, and hazzard the Churches by their abfence, when for ought they know the Bifhops of the whole Chriftian world do but lofe all their labour, and nothing (hall be valid if they pleafe not the Pope of Rome ? And is it not moft abomi- nable juftice in him thus to put all the world to trouble, and coft,and hazzard the Churches and the Paftors Iives,fbr nothing, when if the infallible fpirit be only in bimfel^be might have done the work bimfelf, and faved all this coft and labour. 7. By what Juttice (hall all the Catholick Church be obliged by the Decrees of fuch t General Council ? Is it by Law, or Con- tract ? If by Law, it is by Divine Law,or by Humane. If by Divine, let it be fhewed that ever God made fuch a Government for the Catholick Charch, and then take all. If by Humane Laws, it is impoffible , and therefore not to be affirmed. For no Humane Sovereign hath power to make Laws for all the world. If you fay is it by contraft, then 1. All thofe Nations that thought not meet to fend any Bifliops to the Council, will be free. 2. And fo will all thofe be that fent Bilhops who dif- feoted from the reft. For contraft or Confent bindeth none but 4** A Key for Catbolicks. but Contra&ers or Confenters. And fo England is not bound by the Council of Nice, Epbefus ,C 'alee don tConfiannnople, &c. 8. By what Juftice (hall any people be required to fend Dele- gates,onfach terms as thefe to Councilor to ftand to their de- finitions when they have done? When our faith and fouls are precioufer things then fo boldly to call upon the truft of a few Delegates fo to be chofen and employed ? What Bifhops other Countries will choofe, we know not. And for our own, i . In almoft ail Countries it is the Princes that choofe, or none mud bechofen but who they will, which is all one. 2. If the Bifhops choofe , its thofe that are higheft with the fecular power that will have the choice, who perhaps may choofe fuch as are con- trary to the judgement of mod of that Church that is thought to choofe them. Moft Nations have a Clergy much ac difference. The Remonftrants and Contraraonftrants in Holland would not have chofen like members for theSynod.In the Bifhops days men of one mind were chofen here in England to Convocations : The next year we had a Learned AfTembly that put down the Pre- lacy, for which a Convocation had formed an Oath to be impof- ed on all Minifters but a little before. And why flrould the judg- ment of the Prelates be taken for the judgement of the Church of England , any more then the other, when for number, learn- ing and piety ( to fay the lead) they had no advantage (laying Sifide ignorant, ungodly men, in point of number. ) Till the Spamfh .match began to be treated on , the Bifhops of England were ten,if not twenty to one Augudinians, Calvinifts, or An- tiarminians : Now the Arroinians would be thought the Church of England , and their do&rine , agreeable to the dodrine of that Church. Would they not accordingly have differed, if they had been fent to a General Council ? How bit- terly are the Articles of the Church of Ireland decryed by the Arminian Bifhops fince fprung up both in Ireland and England! fothat if Delegates be fent to any Council, they mayfpeak the jninds of thofe that fent them, ( which perhaps is the King,or a fmall prevailing party, ) but not of the reft ; ( which perhaps may the bed and mod. ) If Jeremiah of Confiantinople be of a Council , he will go one way. If Cjril be of a Council, he will go another way : And his counterfeit Succeffor undo what he did. 9 No A £\ey for Catbolicks . 417 9. No Church that fendeth three or four Biftiopsto repre- fent a thoufand or two thoufand Paftors , can be fure how thofe Bifhops will carry it when they come thither. For ought we know they may betray our caufe, and crofs their inftru&ions : They may be perverted by the reafonings of erroneous men, or bribed by the powerful! : And to caft our faith on fo flendcr an aflurance,is little wifdom. 10. If confent only bind us to the Decrees of Councils ( to fubmit to them as our Rule , ) then is Pofterity bound than did not confent as their Fathers did, or arc they not ? If not , we are free ? If yea , by what bond ? And then why do not the Grotians in Ireland ind England obey the Antiarminian Decrees of the Churches in both ? Did not the Church of Engl And fend Bifhop Carltonfilfaop H*//,Bifhop Davenant ( afterward a Bi- (hop) Dr.Ward.Dr.Goadpnd 2?*/ &c. Ah if good Pope Zachary^ or Archbifhop Boniface had confidered that the eflence or. unity of the Church did confift in a General Council, that muft be fetched partly from the Antipodes, they would have thought better on it before they had excommuni- cated F*>£///*tf>for faying that there were Antipodes,or quod ali- as mundus , & alii ho mines (ant fxb terras. Dr. Hejlin tels us in his Geography, Lib. I . pag.2%. that Bede ( de ratione temporum% cap. 32.7 calleth it a fable that there are Antipodes,, and nol to be believed : and adds that rfugHftim , Lattantitts &nd fome other of the Learned of thofe better times condemned it as a ridi- culous incredible fable, whofe words ( faith he J I could puc down at large , did I think it neceffary. 3 And did that age dream that the Being or Unity of the Church , or the falvation of the Believers foul depended on this Article, that a General Council, partly called from the Antipodes muft be the Churches Hhh Head 3. Its apparently againft the word of God, and tendeth to the fruflratingof the Office that true B;fhops fhould be forare. By their own Rule, each City (hould have one. And let Brerewoods Enquiries, or any fuch writers help you to conjecture how ma- ny that would be. And for the other way, i. A Reprefentative General Coun- cil is another thing, quite different from a Real. 2. What word Hhh 2 of 4 1 o A J^eyfor Catholicks. ef God have they to prove fuch a Reprefentative Counal ? Doubtlefs none: And will they give us a Church form,and center of Unity, raeerly of their own brains,upon fuppofition thai it is prudential ? 3 . Men are of exceeding different degrees of underfianding , and of different judgements actually : fo that if e. g. England fhould fendone,or two,or ten men to reprefent the reft to a General Council, its more then poffible that they may give their judgements in many points fo far contrary to the minds of thofe that fent them, that twenty or an hundred to one at home may be againft them. For we cannot fend our under- Handing! and all our reafons with them to the Council when we fend them. Andfo no man can fay that any fuch Council doth exprefs the mind of the greater part of the Church. 4. By this rule you may reduce a General Council to a dozen men, or to the four or five Patriarks : For all the reft may choofe them as their representatives. 5 . But its not to be expe&ed that all the Churches fhould be fatisfied of the lawfulnefs or fitnefs of- fuch fubftitutions and reprefentations : And therefore they will not confent or elec"t men for fuch a power and work : And who may juftly force them } 1 3 . Moreover fuch Councils are un juft, becaufe there can be no juft fatisfadion given by men that live at fo vafta diftance, that this great number that come thither are truly Bifhops : yea or Presbyters either. Its not poffible under many years time, fo much as to take any fatisfa&ory account of their ordi- nation , and abiding in that office, and the truth of their depu- tations or elections. And when ( in their elected Reprefentative Councils ) there will be perpetual controverfies between feve- ral parties ( as there is in Parliaments ) whether it be this man or that which is truly eleSed, in how many years will all thefe be decided, before they begin their work ? So that I may well concIude,layingallthefcfeven confederations together, the di- ftance of places, the age and ftate of the Bifhops, the ftate of the Civil Governments which they live under, their neceffary labours at ho«e, and the ruine that will befall their Churches by fo much abfence , the diverfity of their languages , the multitude of the Bifhops, and the difficulty of knowing the Ordination and Qualifications of perfons fo remote to prove their capacity, I fay all thefe together do plainly (hew that fuch General A l\ey for Qatkolkks. 41 r General Councils areimpofiibleandunjulr : and thereforenot the ftanding^Go vernment or form of the Church,or the center of its Unity. Argum.4. As the Sjnoditfelfis impojfible.needlefs.andunjufh^ fo it is Impoffible that they fhould do the work, of a Head or Sove- raign Power jf they could Ajfemble : therefore they are not appoint' ed thereunto* The Antecedent is partly manifeft by what is faid from their different languages and other confederations. Moreover 1 . The perfons that will have appeals to them, and caufes to be judged(if really they will do the work of a Soveraign Power and Judge) will be fo many millions, that there will be no room for tbenij about their doors, nor any leifure in many years to hear their Of^!onc caufei. If you fay, It was not fo in former Councils, I anfwer, Reafons that is becaufe they were not truly General, or were called in of the fuch times when the Church did lie in a narrow compafs , and Council of not in fuch remote parts of the world ; and becaufe they were p^/X" affembled indeed but occa(ionally,to advife upon and determine to prove ^ fomeone particular mans cafe , or few, and never took upon the invali- them to be the Soveraign power or head of the Church, or its ef- dity of the fential form or Center of Unity. 2. Thefe millions of perfons PjP*1 that have fo many caufes, will have fo far to travail, that it will mewTup- put them to great coft and labour to come and attend and bring on appeals all their witnefies. And if they be not founder body ed then from other ourEnglifh Souldiers, the poor people of Mexico and other JpounJ.ric^ parts of thofe Indies ( to look no further ) will be a great part th^wk of them dead by the way before they can reach the General nefsnecef- Council, e . g. if it fhould be in the raidft of Europe. 3. And the fary to a Council will not be competent Judges of fo many caufes which iuft Council* therefore h- Hhh %\ 7f0j 4^2 -4 i(ej/ /or Caibolicks. was not his intent that itfhouldbe the form or nectfary Governonr of his Church. Either this Council muft meet by an Authoritative calli or by , confent. If by fuc ha, call , who rauft call them ? The Popes pre- tenietothis Authority is voluminotifly and unanfwerabiy con- futed long ago • and its well known, what ever Baronius fay, that the ancient Councils were called by the Emperors,and many Unce have been called by Emperours and Cardinals. And if you i fay that it belongs to the Emperour, I anfwer, what bath he to do to furamon the fubje&s of the Trench, Spaniards, Turks % ^Ethiopian, &c } And by this it appears that we never had true rllniverfal Councils: They were but General as to the Roman world, or Empire. For ( who ever precided ) it is certain that the Emperours called them. And what had Confl amine, Mar* tian,Tbeodofiusy or any Roman Emperour to do,to call the Tub- ;jects in India, Ethiopia ,7* erji a, &c. to a Council? Nor de fatlo, was there any fuch thing done. Is it not a wonderfull thing that the Pope and all his followers fhould be,or fecra fo blinded to this day, as to take the Empire for the whole earth, or the Ro- man world for all theChriftian world I yet this is their all. If you fay that it muft be done by the confent of Princes, then either oiChriflian Princes or of all. If of the Chriftian only, you muft exclude the Bifhops that are under Mahometan and Heathen Princes, and then it will be no General Council ^ efpecially if it be now as it was in the time of Jacob i Vitriaco the Popes Legate in the Eaft, who faith that the Chriftiani of the Eafterly parts of Afta alone, exceeded in number the Chriftians both of the Greek and Lati.ne Churches. And whether it be all Princes, or only Chriftian Princes thatfhould confent, who can tell whether ever it will be ? God hath not proroifed to lead them to fach a confent: And they are unlikely of themfelves, as being many and diftant, and of different interefts and appreheniions , and ufually in wars with one another, fo that if an age fhouldbe fpent in treating of a General Council among them,its ten to one that the treaty will be in vain , and its next to an impoflibility that all fhould confent. Befidcs ; no man can (hew a Commiffion from God toenablethem, and only them to fuch a work. But if you fay that it muft be done by the confent of 'the Bijhops fthemfehres, the Impoffibiiity (moral) is apparent, who wjII be A f\ey for Catbolich. 423 be found that will be at the cod and pains to agitate the bufinefs among them ? No one can appoint the time and phce but by confent of the reft. Who doth it belong to , to travail to the Indies 1 Ethiopia, zAtgypi, Paleftixe, and all the reft of the world, to treace with the Bifhops about the time and place of a Council? And how many lives muft he have that (hall doit? And when he findeth them of a hundred minds , what courfe fhall he take , and how many more journies about the world muft he make,to bring them to an agreement? But I am afhamed to beftow more words on fo evident a cafe. Argum. 6. The Header Sovereign of the Church (as of every body Politick^) hath the Legiflative Power over the whole. The Pope er a General Council have not the Legi (lathe Power over the •whole. Therefore the Pope or Q'eneral Council are not the head or Severaigns of the Church, The Major is of unqueftionable verity in Politicks. Le- giflation is the firft and chief work of Soveraignty. The Minor is proved, 1. Adhominem by theconfeffion of the The Pa- chief Opponents , grotitu de Jmperio fummar.poteft. doth pur- piftscon- pofely maintain it : andfo do others; ( See of this Lud. Moll- ^s that ,, nans new Bookfuppofed againft the Presbyterians : his Par*- council nefts.) 2. It is the high Prerogative of Chrift the true King cannot andSoveraign of the Church, which none muft arrogate. He make new was faithfull in all his houfe as was Mofes. His Law is perfeft : ^™cles o£ It is fufficient to make the man of God perfed : even a fuffici- ^ >™/aef ent rule of faith and life : No man muft add thereto, nor take ms onl)\ ought therefrom , but do whatfeever he hath commanded, Deut. Anchhey 1 2.. 3 2. To the Law and to the Teftimony : if they [peak notfy c^y according to the fe, it is becaufe there u no light in them, Ilk. ceivedCb 8^20. ^ Tradition Objeft. But men maj make By-laws under Chrifi and hisxhzAo- L&ws.Anfw. True : but as thole are in this cafe no proper Laws, a5in£s fo'no man or men may make them for the Unverfal Church. For^*' the bufinefs ofthofeLawsis only to determine ofcircumftancestea^ ►. which God hath made necefiary ingenere, and left to the deter- mination of men in facie : And we may wdl know that there ivas fome fpecial realon why Chrift did not determine ofthefe himfelfc And the 1 eafon is plain •, even becaufe that they depend fomuchonthefeveral ftates, capacities, cuftomv^c. ofmen3 , that ■ : 424 ^HQyfor Catholicks^ that .thry arc to be varied accordingly in feveral times and places. If one ftandirig-Lavrwould have fitted all the world,or all ages in thefe matters , Chrift would have made it hirafelf. Tor if you fay he makes fomc Laws, and negled others that arc of the like kind, and might as well have been done by himfelf , you make him imperfed and inefficient to his work. And if it be not fit that one Univerfal Law be made for the world, then a Council muft not make ir. And as the fufficiency of Chrifts law, fo the nature of the things declares it, that thefe matters muft not be determined of by an univerfal Law. Should there be an univerfal Law to determine what day of the week, or what hour of the day every Le&ure or occasional Sermon (hall be on ? Or what place every Con- gregation fhall meet in ? Or where the Minilier fhall ftand to preach ? Or what Chapters he fliould read each day ?. Or what Text he fhould.preach on ? or how long ? Whether by an hour- glafs or without? in what habit of apparrel particularly ( when many a poor man muft wear fuch as he can get) yea or what ge- ftures or poftures of body to ufe ( when that gefture in one Countrey fignifiech reverence , which in another rather figni- fieth negled ) with abundance the like. And the fame is plain from the nature of the Pa floral office. livery Btftiop or Paftor is made by Chrift the Ruler of. the flock in fuch cafes,and they are bound to obey him, Htb. 13.17. An4 therefore a General Council rauft leave them their work to do which Chrift hath put upon them, and not take it out of their hands : efpecially when being in the place,, and feeing fbrvaxie- ty of circumftances, they are more competent judges then a Ge- neral Council at fuch diftance. The plain truth is, Chrift hatb left them none of that work .to-do which bclongeth to a Head or Soveraign, but they make work for themfeires, that there may feem to be a Neceffity of g power to do it. The Church needeth none of their Laws. Let $15 have but the Holy Scriptures, and the Law of Nature, and the civil Laws of men , and the guidance of particular Paftors fro tempore , and the fraternal Confutations and Ajgreemeius of Councils, not to make any more work, hut to do this forefaid wori unanimously, and rbe Church £an bear no more ; there * nothing left for tegiflators jEcclefiaftical to do. Wc can fpare iheir A J^ey for Catkolicks. 425 their Laws, and therefore their power and work. Their bufi- nefs is but to make fnares and burdens for us • and therefore wc can lire without them, and cannot believe that the felicity, or unity ,or efTence of the Church confifteth in thcro. Argum. 7. All the inferior officer s do derive their power from thefupream. All the other officers of the Catholic^ Church do not derive their potter from the Pope or a General Council'* therefore a Pope or General Council are not thefupream* The Major is an unqueftioned Maxime in Politicks. Its ef- fential to the Sovereaign to be the fountain of power to all under him. Yea if it be but a deputed derived Soveraignty,/erW#*» ejuidh called, as the Viceroy of Mexico , Naples %&c, yet fo far he rouft be the fountain of all inferiour power. The Minor is maintained by moft Chriftiansin the world. Every Biftiop or Presbyter hath his power immediately from Jefus Chrift as the Efficient caufe, though man muft be anoeca- iion, or caufa fine qua nony or per accident. The Italian Bifhops in the Council of Trent could not carry it againft the Spaniards, that the Pope only as Head was immediately;/*™ dlvino^nd the reft but mediant e Tapa. Moreover it is eafie to prove out of Scripture that God never fetupany Soveraign power in bis Church ( perfonal or colle- ctive j po be the fountain of all other Church power, nor fendeth us to have recourfe to any fuch for ir.Nor can they prove fuch a power, on whom it is incumbent. And laftly its moft eafie to prove defaclot\.\\zi the Bifhops or Presbyters now in the feveral Churches in the world, did no: re- ceive, and do not hold their power from any fuch vifible Head, whether Pope or Council. Though the Popelings do , yet fo do not all the reft of the Chriftian world. Who age not there- fore no Minifters or no Church of Chrift , whatever thefe bare affirmers and pretenders may imagine •. Nor are all the Minifterialadions in th€ world null , which are not done by a power from him. And even the Papifts themfeives will few of them pretend to receive their feveral powers of Priefthood from a General Council. This therefore is not the Soveraign power, or head of the Church. Argum, 8. The Head o- Soveraign Power hath the finally dem cifive Judgement, and in great caufes all muft, or may appeal to Ii i them. 426 A K?y for fytholick. them. A General Council hath not the finally decifive judgement* norma) all men in great caufes appeal to them. Therefore a Gene* ral Council is not the Head or Soverargn power* The Major is undenyable. The Minor is proved, i. In that it is not known, nor hath the world any rule or way to know in what cafes we muft appeal to a General Council , and what not ; and what is their proper work. 2. In that an appeal to them isanabfolute evafionof the guilty , and in vain to the innocent, becaufe of the rarity of fuch Councils, or rather the nullity. 3 . Becaufe the protecting of fuch an Appeal is impof- fible to mod of the world (as is before (hewed,) and were it pofTible, it would be fo tedious and laborious a courfc , that its ridiculous in mod to mention fuch Appeals, Argum. 9. The Soveraign or Head of the Church (as of every Body Politick ,) hath power to deprive and denude any other of their power. The Pope or General Council hath not power to do f$ : therefore they are not of the Head or Soveraigns of the Church. The Major is a known principle in polity : Hie that giveth power, can take it away ; And it's confeffed by the Opponents in this cafe. The Minor I prove, 1. Becaufe elfe it would be in the power of the Pope or Council, whether Chrift (ball have any Miniftry and Church or not. They may at lead make havock of it at pleafure. But that's falfe. 2. As is before faid, we receive not our power from them : therefore they cannot take it from us. 3 . The Holy Ghoft doth make us Over- fecrs of the flock, A el. 20.28. and lay a Neceffity on us, and denounce a woe againflr us, if we preach not the Gofpel : and hath no where given us leave to give over his work, if the Pope or a Council fhall forbid us. 4. And they can fhew no Commiffion from Chrift that giveth them fuch a power. Arg. 1 o. If it Were the form or E (fence of the Church to have 4 humane vifible Head, then our Relation to fuch a head would be effential to our Member jhip or Chrijlianity* But the Confequence? isfalfe 1 therefore fo is the Antecedent. The falfenefs of the confequent is appareat, 1 . In that it cru- elly and ungroundedly unchrifteneth all that do not believe in &ch a yifible Head * That is y the greateft pare by far of the CKrift i an ^ A Key for Qatholkks. 42 7 Cbriftians in the world ; And 2 . By the enfuing argument : And the neceificy of the confequence is evident of it felf. Argura. 1 1 . Iffach a vifible Head were effential to the Church, and Jo to our (^hriftUnity,thcnJbouldwe all be Baptised into the Pope or a General Council , a* truly and necejfarilj as we are bap- tized into the Church. But we neither are nor ought to be fo baptized into the Pope or a General Council ^ therefore they are not ejfential to the Church or our Chriftianity. The Major (vi& the Confluence Jl is clear, and not denyed by thePapifts, who affirm that Baptifm engageth the baptized to the Pope. He that is united to the body,is united to the head : he that is lifted into the Army, is lifted to and under the Gene- ral. He that is entrcd into the Common- wealth, is engaged to the Soveraign thereof. But that we are not baptized to the Pope or a General Coun- cil,isproved, 1. Becaufe neither the form of Baptifm, nor any word in Scripture doth affirm fuchathing. 2. Noperfons in Scripture times were fo baptized : Men were baptized before there was a Pope at Rome, or a General Council. And afterward none were baptized to them, at leaft for many hundred years : otherwife then as they were entred into the particular Church of Rome , who were Inhabitants there. 3 . Never any was bap. tized to Peter or ?<•*/, or any of the Apoftles . faith Paulyi Cor* 1. 13. was Paul crucified for you, or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? They muft be baptized into the name of no vi- fible Head, but him that was crucified for them. 4. The A- poftle fully refolveth all the doubt, 1 fir. 1 2.defcribmg the body into which we are baptized, ver. 1 3 . And he entitleth it from the head, Chrift, verf. 12. but acknowledgeth no other head, either co-equal with Chrift, or fubordinate : The higheft of the other members are called by Paul but eyes and hands, and thus Apoftles, Prophets, Teachers, Miracles, gifts of healing, helps, Governments, arc only faid to be fct in the Church, as eyes and hands in the body ^ but not over the Church as the Head or So- veraign Power: ver. 17,18, 19,28,29. fothatthough he that is baptized into the Church,is baptized into an Organical body, and related to the Paftors, as to hands and eyes , yet not as to a head , nor as to a representative body neither. And me thinks neither Pope nor Council (hould pretend to be more then Iii2 Apoftles, 4 2 8 A Z\ey for Qttholicks . A potties, Prophets,and Teachers, and Governments. If the form of baptifm had but delivered down the authority of the Pope or aCouncil,asitdidthe authority and name of the Pather, Son, and Holy Ghoft, Tradition would have been a tolerable Argu- ment for them, though Scripture had been filent. But when the Baptifmal Tradition itfelf is filent, anditisado&rinefomon- ftruoufly ftrange to the Primitive Church , that all the bap- tized are baptized to the Pope or a General Council, I know no remedy but they muft both put up their prctenfes. Argum. 12. The SJfence of the Church into which thej were baptized, was part of the doctrine which the Catechumeni were taught, ( ani all at age fhould learn) before their baptifm. The Soveraignty or Headfbip of Pope or Council was no part of the Do* Brine which (by the Primitive Church) the Catechumeni were taught, and ought to learn, before their baptifm. Therefore the So- veraigntj or Headfhip of Pope or Council was not then taken to be of the Effcnce of the Church. The Major is evident, i . In that the Catholick Church was in the Creed : and it's eflentials there briefly expreffed in thofe terms [Holy Catholicise hurch, and Communion of Saints."} 2. In that Church Hiftory fully acquainted us that it was the practice of the Catethifts and other Teachers to open the Creed to them before they baptized them, and therein the Article of the Catho- lic!^ Church, and the Communion of Saints. The Minor is proved by an indu&ion of all the Records of thofe times, which in grofs may now fuffice according to our prefent intended brevity to be mentioned. There is no one Writer of many hundred years , no not Origen , Tertulliany Iremtu, or any other that purpofely recite the Churches be- lief which the Catechumeni were taught, nor Cyril, for John) HierofiL or any other who open thofe Articles to the Catechu- mens, that ever once mention the Dodrine of the Headfhip of the Pope or Council, when they open the Article of the O tholick^C hurch ; nor yet at any other time. If they affirm that they did, let them prove it if they can. Argum. 13. AsitishighTreafonina Republick, to deny the Soveraign, and to be cut of from him, is to be cut off from the Com- monwealth; fo it would be a damning unchrifiening fin to dtny she Headfiip of the Pope or General CttMcit, if ifry were indeed thi A ^ey for Catkolicks. 429 the Head of the Church. But it is no fuch damning unchri* ftening fin : Therefore they are not the Head of the Church. The Major is plain from the Nature of Sovcraignty. The Minor is certainly proved, 1. Becaufe it is never mentioned in Scripture, nor any ancient Writer for many hundred years, as a ftate of Apoftafie, nor as a damning fin, nor as any fin, to de- ny the faid Headfhip of the Pope or Council. 2. Becaufe elfe moftofthe Chriftiansof the world at this day are Apoftatcs and unchriftened : Or if that feera a tolerable concluflon to the Romanifis; Yet 3. Becaufe then Chrift had no Church for fome hundreds of years , which I know they will not think fo tolerable a conclufion- For to dream that the ancient Chri- ftians did know any Head of the Church but Chrift , or were engaged in loyalty to the Pope or Council,is a difeafe that few are lyable to, except fuch as are Grangers to the writings of thofe times, or fuch as read them with Roman fpe&aclcs,refolvcd what to find in them before hand. Argnra. 14. tAll Chriftians are hound to fiudy or labor to be acquainted with the Laws of the Soveraign powet of the Church : All Christians are not bound to ftudj or labor to be ac- quainted with the Laws of Popes and Councils : Therefore the taws of Popes and Councils are not the Laws of the Soveraign power of the Church. The Major is proved, in chat all fubjeds muft obey theLaw* of the Soveraign power : But they cannot obey them unlefs they know them- Therefore they are bound to endeavour to know them. The Minor is proved, i . Tn that they being written in Latins- and Greeks which a very fmall part of the Chriftians of the world do underitand, and their Teachers not fuflficiently expounding them, and they being more copious and voluminous, moreob- fcure and uncertain (of which next,) then for all private Chri- ftians to underftand 5 the people cannot learn thefe, having enough to do to learn Gods Word* 2. The Papifts that deny the u(e of the Holy Scriptures to the people in a known tongue, and deny thenecelfny of underftanding them, will fure fay the fame of their Decretals and Canons,unlefs they mean to fet them up above the Scripture, as well as equal them thereto. Argum, 15, The Soveraign Head of the vifible Church and' Iii.5 Ctntw; 43° A I\ey for Catbolicks. Center of our unity, muft be evident , that all the Chriftian world may know it ' The Pope and General Council are not fuch. There fare neither of them are the Head of the Vifible Church. The Major is confefled by the Opponents ; and it's plain 9 becaufe men cannot •bey an unknown power. The Minor is known by common experience. For many a year together ( by Bellartmnes confefiion ) learned and wife men could not tell which was the true Pope ; yea their Councils could not tell. Mod of the Chriftian world to this day can- not difcern his Commiffion for that power which he pretendeth to. A true General Council now no man can know , becaufe it is imn.ens. Their pretended General Councilsare fo ravelled in confufion, that they arc not agreed among therafelves which are indeed fuch, and which not : but many are rejected, and many fufpe&ed f of which ^//drwwgivethusalift) andthofe that one receiveth, another reje&cth ; and the moft by far are reje&ed by moft of the Chriftian world. And when fome would take up with the four firft, and fome with fix , and fome with eight , the Papifts deridingly ask them , whether the Church hath not as much authority now as it had then? And how (hall the Chriftian world know whether it were a true General Coun- cil or not ? Of which fee the difficulties firft to be refolved, which I have recited in my Difputations againft Popery. Argum. io\ The Laws of the Soveraigtt Power of the Church muft be certain {or elfe how /hall we know what to obey) The Laws of Pmpes and General Councils are not certain : There- fore, &c. The Minor is proved by experience. The Popes Decretals ^re many unknown, and many proved forgeries f by Blonde 11 Mfup. and many others,) beyond all queftion: and none of them proved Laws to the Church. The Canons of the firft Council of Nice are not agreed on among the Papifts. Many others arc proved forged : Many are flatly contrary to each other /as I have ihewed ubi fup.) and how then fhall Chriftians ftnowwhatto obey? The ancient Canons condemned thege- fture of kneeling on the Lords day (and confequcntly then at the Lords Supper) thereading of the Heathens Books, and many fuch things which are now taken for lawful: The later Councils skat contradidk the former^ do feqn to cnoft of more qaeftion- able A I\ey for Catbolicksl 43 r able authority then they. And what Councils are to be re- ceived and what rejected, they are not agreed among them- felves, nor have any certain Rule to know by on which they are agreed: Nor will their Popes or Councils yet refolve tbem this great queftton. So that Chriftians are at a lofs concerning thefe Laws, and know not which of them they are obliged by, and which nor. Argum. 1 7. // the Pope or Council be the Head of the Church t then muft their Laws be preached to the people by their Teach- ers. But the Laws of Popes and Councils need not be preached to the people by their Teachers : Therefore, &c. The reafon of the Major is, becaufe the Laws that they muft obey in matters fpiritual in order to falvation,the Minifters mud' preach to them. But thefe are pretended to be fuch.* There- fore, &c* As to the Minor, ii It wouldbe but an unbanfome thing in their own hearing , for Preachers to take their Texts out of the Canons or Decretals, and preach thefe day after day to the people : which yet they have need to do many a year , if the obedience of them be our neceffary duty. 2. Minifters are commanded to preach only the Gofpel, and it is faid to be fufficientor able to make usperfed, and build us up to fal- vation. Therefore we need not preach the Canons or Decretals. Argum. 18 . While a Vifible Head cannot be agreed on even by thofe that would have the Church united in fuch a Head , it is all one to them as if there were no fuch Head, and the union ftill is unattainable by them* *But even among the Patifts themfelves a Vifible Head is not , cannot be agreed on : Thereforet &c* What good will it do to fay we muft center forae where,1 : and know not where % and obey fomc body , and know nos who? The Italians and Spanijh make the Pope the Infallible Head, and fay a General Council without him may err, andfs but the body. The French make the Council the Head, and fay the Pope may err ., and that the infallibility ffuch as they plead for J is in the Council. It is not a Head , but this Head in facie- , that is, the form of the Church , if any fuch be : And therefore they muft needs ( according to their own principles^ be of divers Churches, while they place the Soveraigoty in federal forts and perfons. Till they better agree-- ah d K?) for Catbolicks. agree among thetnfelves in their Fundamentals and Effentials of the Church, we have fmali encouragement to think of uniting •n any of their grounds, Argum. 19. The Soveraign Power or Headfiip over the Church is a thing undoubtedly revealeed in the Holy Serif ture : (Tor we cannot imagine that the Scripture (hould be filent in fo weighty a point, without intolerable accufation of it. ) The Soveraign Power or Head/hip of Pope or Council is not revealed in the Holy Scripture. Therefore, 8cc. They havenot yec produced a Text to prove either of thera. Thofe produced by the Italians for the Popes Headfhip , arc difclaimed by the French, as meaning no fuch thing; and our Writers have largely manifefted their abufing of the Text. So have they done of thofe that are brought for the Headfhip of Councils. Thefe texts are fpoke tofo fully by Chamier, whi- takfr, Amefins, and abundance more, that I think it in vain to do it here again. That of 1 Tim. 3. IS- that the Church is the pillar and ground of Truths doth not fpeak a word of a General Council, nor a word of Headship : The whole Church united in Chrift, is the P.llar and Ground, that is, the certain Receptacle and retainer of the Truth, the Law of Chrift being written in their hearts. None feeras more to favour their conceeit then Ephef.4. 15,16. which Grotim fattens on.- But even that is againft thero,and not for them. For 1 It is Chrift and only Chrift that is here faid to be the head , and all other parts contradiftinguiflied, and excluded from Headftiip , and the Body is not faid to be united in them. 2. And it is by aflbciation, and mutual communication of their feveral gifts,that the parts are compacted togcther,and edifie the whole-, and not by meeting in anyone, and deriving from ir. Object. But were not the Apsftles General Officers, andfo the £hurch united in Gentral officers f Anfw. This is little to the Qoeftion. For 1 . the Apollles had one among them to be the Soveraign or Head of the reft,but were of equal power. 2. Nor did a major part of their whole number make fuch a Head for the Church to unite in, nor do we read that ever a Major vote carryed it among them againft a Minor ; for they were all guide# by the Spirit. Yet its true that they met ofter together then a General Council can. 2. The Apoftles as extraordinarily qualified A Key for Catbolicks. 433 qualified,and as the Secretaries of the Spirit, have no fucceffors : But the Apoftles as ambulatory unfixed Minifters , had even then many companions : For Barnabas, Luke , Apollo , and abundance more, did then go up and down preaching, as well as the Apoftles; yet had not any one of them a fpecial charge of Governing all the Churches : nor yet all of them united in a body : For the Apoftles called not the Evangelifts and other fellow workers toconfult in Councils about the Government of the whole ^ But both they and their helpers, did fevcrally what they could to teach and fettle the Churches. 3. Who be they now that are the Apoftles fucceffors ? If all the Bifhops in the world, the cafe is as we left it. If any fmall number of Primates or Patriarcks, how fhall we know which and how ma- ny ? If they be not twelve , why (hould one Apoftle have a fucceffor, and not others ? But there are no twelve only that lay claim to the fuccefiion. And if you go further , who can limit, and fay who, and how many they be, and how far the number maybe increafedor decreafed, and by whom? In Cy- prians dayes he and his fellows in the Council at Carthage de- clare that all Bifhops were equal, aud none had power over other. And fo thought others in tbofe times. Nor was there then any number of Bifhops that claimed to be the fole fuccef- fors of the Apoftles, to rule all the reft. And if they had, when the Church increafeth,the Rulers muft increafe. But this is not to the main point. Argum. 20. The Scripture doth appropriate the Vniverfal Head/hip to Chrifl only, and deny it to all others*, therefore nei- ther Tope nor Council are the Vniverfal Head, Eph. 5.23. It is the peculiar Title of Chrift- to be Head of the Church, to whom it muft be fubje&, 1 Cor. 1 1 . 3 . The Apoftle would have us know that the Head of every man is Chrift, and the head of the woman is the man,and the Head of Chrift isGod. So that there is a particular Head overfome parcellof the bo- dy below Chrift : but to be the Univerfal Head of every man, is the proper Title of Chrift. In 1 Qor. 12. the unity of the body and diverfity of the members is more largely expreflfed then any where elfe in Scripture ; and there when the faid unity of the body had been fo fully mentioned, the Apoftle comes to name the Head of that Unity, Verf.zj. which is only Chrift. [No* Kkk jc _ 434 ^K?)for Catholicks* ye are the body of Chr t ft \and members in particular ] The Church is never called the body of the Pope , or of a Council , but the body of Chrift: yea (as was even now faid) in the next words the oyipoftles, Prophets, and Teachers are enumerated to the parties lor members, contradiftinft from the Head, fo far are all, or any one of them from being the bead themfelves. And in Col. 2. 1 o, 1 7, 1 9. it is Chrift only thai is caHed the Head, and the body is faid to be of Chrift, and he only is mentioned as the Center of its Unity £ And not holding the Head, from which all the body by pints, and bands having nourifiment miniftred and knit together, increafeth with theincreafe of God. ] And Col. 1 . 18. And he is the Head of the body, the Church. ] If any fay that you cannot hence argue Negatively that therefore no one elfe is the Head, I anfwer, They may as well fay, when it is affirmed that [the Lnd he is God ] you cannot thence conclude that Baal is not God. The Apoftle plainly fpeaks this of Chrift as his peculiar honour : And he fpoke to men that knew well enough that natural bodies have but one Head,unlefs they be Monfters : And he would not fo oft infift on this Metaphor, intending fo great a difparity ia the fimilitude, and never difcover any fuch intention 5 So in Ephef. 1. 22. He gave him to be Head over all things to the fourth , which is his Body , thefulnefs of him that fillet h ail in all'] And in Ephef, 4. the Apoftle purpofely exhorteth us to the obfervation of this unity •, and purpofely telleth us by a large enumeration wherein it doth confift : but in all he never men- tioneth the Pope or a Council : yea he plainly cxdudeth them, Verf 3 ,4,&c [Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace -.There is one body, and one fpirit, even at you are called in one hope of your calling fine Lord, One Faith fine Baptifm, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in > you all : But unto every one of us is given Grace, according to the me a fur e of the gift of Chrift » — — He gave fome Apoftles , and feme Prophets, and fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors and Teach' ersyfor the perfetling of tht Saints, for the work of the Miniftryv for the Edifying of the body of Chrift, till we all come in the unity of the Faith, &c J fo then you fee there is but one Lord of the Church; therefore the Pope or Council is not Lord ( in nam&ordeed,) An&Apoftles, Prophets, Paftors, and Do8ors,, sre-: A %ey for Qatholicks. 4 ] 5 arc the member contradiftirguifhed from this One Lord , and whofediverfityispurpofeiy mentioned, they being the matter or parcels that muft have their unity in fome other, but not the Church to be united in them. Here is then no mention among all thefe [Ones] of one earthly Head, whether Pope or Council , not of One Apoftle that was the Head of the reft. If fuch a thing had ever come into the Apoftles mind, he would fure hive mentioned it on fuch occafions as thefe, and not have quite forgotten it • yea and contradict itfo evidently. 1 for. 6. 15,17. Our bodies are the members of ChriflJ 'not of the Pope ) and he that is pined to the Lord is onefpirit ( not he that is joined to the Pope. ) Gal 3. iS.lTearealloneinChrifi Jefui ( not in an earthly Head ) Many and many times doth the Apoftle exhort them to be of one mind, andacord, and take heed of fchifm, and maintain peace, and he reproveth their divifions at large: yet doth he ne- ver mention fuch a fin as dividing from an earthly Head, nor ever once dired them to a Pope or General Council as the Cen- ter of their unity, or the necefTary means of curing divifions. Peter himfelf exborteth them to be all of one mind, I Pet. 3.8. but never to be all united in him as their head. The Apoftle Paul ispun&ual indefcribingthe Officers of the Church, and the peoples duty to them.-But he never defcribeth a Pope,or any earthly Head of that Church : nor ever telleth the people of their duty to fuch : And if fuch a fuppofed fundamental (hould be quite forgotten by men thatbelieived it, and taught others that which was neceffary to be believed , ic were incredibly ftrange. That Paul writing to the Romans (hould never mind them of the honour of their Sea, or their duty to their fuper- eminent Prelate, was his forgetfulncfs or unbelief. And furely he would never have fo (harply reproved them of Corinth for contentions , in faying Iamof?a(\\ , and I of Apollo, and I of Cephas, and lofChrift, if he had thought they muft have been united in Cephzs ; without once telling them of fuch a means of union and reconciliation. He faith [ Is Chrift divided ?] as much as to fay , you muft be all united in him : but he faith not [ Is Cephas divided ? ] but plainly makes the exalters of Cephas a party that was guilty of divifion, zndCbap. 3. 3,4, 5. tells them plainly that this (hewed that they were carnal. And fpeak- Kkk Z ing 4} 6 A K^yfor Qatholicks. ing of all others in his own perfon and Aptllos, faith [ who then U Pau!,er who it Apollo,£*tf Minifters by whom ye btlieved /] They had not then learned to anfwer [ Why Cephas is the Head of the Church. ] And i Cor. 4 6. He fpeaks as if it were purpofely to a Papift £ All the fe things, brethren, I have in a, figure trans- ferred to my [elf and to Apollo for jour fakes : that ye might learn in us not to thinly ( of men ) above that which is written : that no one of you be puffed tip for one againft another] What not for Peter} no not for feter himkU. And doubtlefs Paul did no8 believe his fupremacy, when he fo prefumed to reprove hira to his face , Gal. 2. So 1 Cor. 10. 16, 17. there is mention of our being all one bread, and onebodj : but thats becaufe we are all partakers of that one body of Chrift, and not becaufe we are united in the Pope or any other. Moreover wheathe Difciples drove who fhould be greateft , Chrift exprefly rebukethfuch thoughts, andinftead of grant- ing any of them thatdefire» he deny eth it to them all, Mat. 22. 25, 26. Luke 22. 26. The Kings of the Gentiles rule over them,andare called gracious Lords tbut withjouitfballndtbefo.~] Bellarmine indeed can merrily hence gather that there muit be one appointed to be the greateft, becaufe Chrift faith , He that will be Greateft Jet him be the fervant of all, ] This is to make good their charge againft the Scripture,that it isanofeofWax by their prefumptuonsabufeof it; as fome men would prove the Apoftacy of the Saints, by their own Apoftatizing , whea yet they prove it not , though they ruine themfelves. Did not Chrift by thefe words reprehend their feeking of a Supremacy ? And yet doth he grant it ? Oh but it is only Tyranny that Chrift forbiddeth them.Anfw.Th&t which Chrift acknowledgeth in the Kings of theNations,without reprehenfion,trntisitwhich hedenyethto his Difciples. Bur it is not Tyranny but Dominion which Chrift thus acknowledg- eth in,andaliowe(h to the Kings of the Nations ; therefore it is not Tyranny but Dominion which he forbiddeth to his Difciples; That which Chrift here fpeaketh of the Kings of the Nations, is fomewhat common to all Ktngs,and fo as Kings. But Tyranny was not common to all Kings, nor to them as Kings : there- fore it is not Tyranny that he fpeaks of Moreover its plain that itisaGreatnefs in Defireand ArTe&ation that is thefubjeft of Chrifts A F^ey for Catholicks. 437 Chrifts fpeech,and no: an allowed fupremacy,and that he forbids this Supremacy in the following words, [ Let him be tbefervant of all J q. d. Q 1 allow in my Kingdom to the Preachers of the Vo- [pd no other Great nefs or fuperioritj above others, but what con* fifteth in halinefs \and humility , and doing goodyandfo in difclaim* ingof Ruling Qreatnefs. ] In Luke Q. there's mention of [ him that was leaft, &c^\ 1c follows not thence that one was appoint- ed to be the loweft. And if the will of Cbrift were known to them that one {hould be the Supream, and this was Peter ^ what need they ftrive any further about it; or why doth he no: re- buke them for refilling their Supream t Againlfay,that I cannot fee how it can ftand with the wif- domor goodnefsofChrilt the Law-giver of his Church, or the perfection of his Laws, or how it can be any way probable, that he (hould be wholly filent of fo great a point as the Head- (hipand Center of the Churches Unity ; never giving us either the Name or Titles of fuch a Head, nor the feat of his Empire, nor appointing him his work, nor directing him how to do it when he hath the greateft work in the world to do ( as thefe men fuppofe ) and fuch as furpaffeth the ftrength of man, yea of a tboufand men-, never giving him any advice and direction for the determining of his very many occurrent diffi- culties i nor once giving us any of his power,nor telling us of his prerogative, nor telling us what officers he (hall appoint un- der him,andhow; nor once telling any man of his ducy to obey him; never telling us any thing of the fucceflion of this So- veraign in whom it (hall refide-, nor once telling us hiftorically of the exercife of any of bis power : I (ay that not a word of this (hould be mentioned by Chrift or his A pottles, even when there was fo great occafion, when Peter was among them,when there was driving for fupreraacy , when the Churches were lamentably contending abou; the preheminence of their teach- ers , and fome were for one, and fome for another , and fome for Cephas himfelf ; and when fo many herefies arofe, and haz • zarded the Churches, as among the Corinthians, Galathianspnd others there did ; This is a thing fo hard to be believed by one that believeth the wifdom and love of Chrift, that I mull fay for my part, it furpaffeth my belief. Efpecially fas isfaid) when alfo fo much ii fatd againft the Supremacy contend- Kkk a ed 4 j 8 A fyyfor Catholicks. ed for. All this I fpeakofany earthly Head, whether Pope or Council. €>bje&. But ( fay the Papifts ) you can allow Princes to be tht Heads of the Church : why then not a Pope ? Anfw. We acknowr ledge Princes and Paftori over parts of the Church , but not over the Church Univerfai. Every Corporation may call the Major or BaylirT a fub ordinate Head of that Corporation, but not of the Kingdom. Objed. There may be a Prorex , a Vicehing : and why not then a Vicarious HeadoftheCatholicl^Church? Anfw. I. Be- caufe a Kingdom is not fo big as all the world , or all that is and maybe Chriftian. 2. BecaufeaKing having Dominion, bath power of doing all that by others that he cannot do himfelf : But a Paftor being a Minifter, hath no fuch power given him, i but mud do his work himfelf. 3 .Becaufe the work of theMiniftry requires far more labour and attendance. So that it is an utter Imopffibility that any man fhould be able to do the work of a fupream Ruler of all the Chriftian world, yea or the hundreth part of it, as it mull be done. 4 . And laftly , becaufe Chrift hath made no fuch Prorex , or Vice -head : and none can have it with - out his commifiion. Objed. But theQivil power hath been exercifed by an Emfr rour over more then all the Chriftian world : And why then may .not the Ecclefiafiical f Anfw. 1. Its notorioufly falfe that ever Emperour had fo extenfive a Dominion, 2. The Gofpel muft be preached over all the world ; and therefore we muftconfider the poflible future extent of the Church, and not only the prc- fent exiftentftate. 3. There are many millions ofChriftians mixt in the Dominions of Infidel Princes among other Religi- ons, which makes the Government of them the more difficult. 4. 1 (hewed before from the nature of the work many other diffi- culties, which make a difference. Obje&. Monarchy it the be ft Government ; therefore the Church muft have it. Anfw, The Monarchy of God is beft : but among men it is according to the date of the Rulers and fub* jeS. One way is better in fome cafes, and another in others. 2. For one man to be Monarch of all the Chriftian world, is not beft, when by taking a thoufand times more upon him then fcecan do, be will rojne inftead of ruling well. 3 ■ You may as well A fyy for Catbolicks. 4^ well fay, An Univerfal Civil Monarch over all the world is beft ; therefore fo it muft be : but when will you prove that ? But if Fmiftake not in my conjecture, it is the thing that the Jefuites have lately got into their heads, that the Pope muft have the Univerfal So veraignty Ecclefiaftical and Civil • that fo an Uni- verfal peace may be in the world. Ob j. There was but One High Prieft before Chrift. An/to. i .No more there was but one Temple-, Will you therefore have no more ? Nor but one civil Monarch in that Church : Would you have no more ? I partly believe it. 2. It was eafie for one to Rule fo fmall a Nation as fudta in coroparifon of all the world. 3. Prove you the Inftitution of your Supremacy , as we can prove the Inftitution of Akrons Priefthood, and the taking of it down again,and we will yield all. 4. That Priefthood was a Type of Chrift the Eternal Prieft, and is ended in him,as the Epiftle to the Hebrews (hews at large. Objeft. There is a Monarchy among Angels and Devils^ A*fo. i.Itsahardfhift when you muft go to another world for your pattern : But for your Argument fetcht from Hell, I will leave it with you : but for that from Heaven, I fay,theres no proof of it. And if there were, till you can prove that our work and fitnefs for it is the fame as Angels , and that the Lord hath appointed the fame form here, you have (aid nothing. ButbecaufetbisQiieftionis largely handled by abundance of our Learned Writers,! (hall fay no more to it here, but con- elude, that by this which is already faid in brief, it is roanifeft , that 7 he Catholicity Church of Chrift is not one Vi fib le Political Bodj> as joined to any One Vniverfalfifible Head or Soveraign, befides Chrift. If any being driven from this hold, (hall fay, that yet there are feveral Patriarcks that Govern the feveral Provinces of the Chriftian world , though there be no head but Chrift. I anfwer, 1. Iftherebeno earthly Head and Center of unity ,then I have - the main caufe. Thefe Patriarcks may and do at this day, un- reconcilably difagree among themfelve*. This therefore will not fervefor a unity, 2. When ( as is a fore faid ) you have well proved the Inftitution of thefe Patriarcks, and how many they bc,and who , and the power of Princes to make new on&0 . ( and 44o A K?y for Catholicks. ( and not to forbear it,and to pall down the oid ones:)andwhen you have anfwered the foregoing Arguments, as many of them as extend to Patriarchal power alfo , as well as Unverfai Head- fhip, then we (hall take this further into confideration. In the mean time, I fuperfede, as having done that which I think neceffary to take off men, from inclining to Rome^nd re- proaching of Churches, upon the erroneous Conceit of the Na- ture and unity of the Catholick Church 5 as if it were One, as under One Earthly Vifible Head. \ Ch a p. IV. Opening the true Grounds on which the Churches vnityand Peace muft be fought, and the means that rnuft he ufed to attawfo much as is here to be expetfed. Qjteft. T) V T if this be not the way of the Churches Vnity, Ef which is ? and what fbould we defire and endeavour for th: attaining it ? For the dtftratlions of the Church are fo great through our diviftons, that it makes usftillaft tofufpecl that we are eutoftheway. Though it be a great work to anfwer this cjucftion right- ly, and a hundred, a thoufand times greater to anfwer it fatisfa- doriiy ( that is, to fatisfie prejudiced incapable men with a right anfwer,,) yet I (hall attempt it by cafting in my thoughts ; or to fpeik more confidently , by declaring fo much as I am certain is the will of God concerning this weighty thing. And here I (hall firft lay down tbofe grounds upon which we muft proceed, ifwewilldo our duty for the union of the Church. 2. 1 (hall tell you what muft be done to reduce them into Practice. I. n^HE firft General Ground is this [Peace and Holinefs -*" muft be carried on together : Tea Peace muft be fought as a Means to Holinefs • and therefore Holinefs which is the End, muft be preferred. ] The wifdora that is from above , is firft Pure, A Key for QatholicKs. a. t Pure, then Peaceable, Gentle,eafie to be intreac^lg^ c.f am. 3 . A roan may be faved that cannot attain Peace withmemand there- fore we are commanded to feck it as an uncertain good, Rom. 12. 18. If itbepoffibIe,asmuchas inyoufyetb, live peacably with all men : But no man can be faved without Holinefs, Heb. 12.14. Follow Peace with all men, and Holinefs, without which no man (hall fee God. There is a kind of Unity among Devils. For if Satan were divided againft Satan, how could his Kingdom ftand ? Mat. 12. There is a Peace in a (late of mifcry and fin, which hindereth mens recovery. For when the ftrong man armed keeps his houfe, the things that he poffefleth are in Peace. It is a flate ofgreateft danger on earth to be United in evil,and to have Pcaceina way of fin. And there- fore it is no wonder if there be more lovers of Peace then of Ho- linefs , and more that will cry out of our Divifions then of our ungodlinefs, and more that cry out offo many Religions, then of irreligioufnefs and ungodlinefs. For nature may make a man in love with Unity and Peace , but not with Holinefs ^ for with that it is at Enmity. Hence it is that we hear fo ma8y Worldlings, Swearers, Drunkards, Whoremongers cry up uni- ty, and cry down fo many minds and wayes : And hence it is that fo many, fuch wicked livers do turn Papifts on fuppofition that there is more unity with them. And fo the Popifh party among us arc the fink into which the filth and excrements of our Churches are emptyed. 2. The fecond General Ground. From hence it followeth that the firft clofure of the members of the Church muft be up. on principles of Faith and Holinefs : and therefore only between the ProfefTors of Faith and Holinefs. And therefore we ought cot to be foiicitqus of obtaining a Unity with open ungodly men ^ For what Communion hath light with darknefs ? or what concord hath Chrift with Belial? If men will not agree with us in the great Principles of Godlirefs, nor join with us in avoiding crying fins, and living anHoly life ; it is they that are the Separatifts, and withdraw from our communion. If they will not come to us in Piety, we muft not come to them in Impiety. And to attempt a union with them in Government and Cereraonie$,when we cannot bring them to a Union wi h us in feeming Godlinefs , is as vain as to attempt to an AOTociation Lli with 44* J Key for Catholkh with tbedea8**Tndto make a marriage with a (linking Corps. It is therefore but a carnal ftir that Papifts, and fome Recon- cilers make to have a Union fo General, as (hall take in the mod impious rabble that ought to be excommunicated, and fhould conjoin the livingand the dead. And therefore in fome cafes we are all called to feparate , by him that calle:h us in other cafes to unity : And he tels us that he came not to fend peace , ( wi:hfuch ) butdivTion. 3. The third General Ground. Unity and Peaee are fuch excel- lent things, and fo much depend upon Love and Holinefs, and fuppofe alio fo much Illumination, that the perfection of them isreferved for Heaven: and as it is but a fraall raeafure of Illumi- nation,and Love and Holinefs that is here attainable, in compari- son of that which we fhall have in heaven ; fo it is but a Jmall meafure of Peace and Concord : And therefore though our de- fires and endeavours fhould go as high as we can, yet our expe- ctations on earth muft not fly too high. This hath been my own error. I have not fufficiently confidered , that perfcft Peace, as well as perfect Holinefs is the prerogative of Heaven, and that true Peace will be iroperfed while the Light and Vertue which is fuppofed to it is irrperfed. And it is a blind abfurd conceit of them that wonder we have not perfed Unity, when yet they murmur at Piety, and think a little may ferve the turn,and any fin is tolerable thats dire&iy againftGod, but notdifunion. So much for the General Grounds : The Particular Grounds are thefe following. i-Grcnnd j"T is the Prerogative of the Lordjcfustobe the * only Head and Soveraign of the Church. And his will revealed is our Law, and in him only muft we center : and not in any Vicarious Univerfal Head: And from him muft all receive their power .- and all mull worfhip God according to his p aefcript. £;£. 4. 3, 4, 5. e> 1.21,22. Mm. 28. 18, 19. C«l. 1. 18. Atls^. 12. & 3. 21. &j. 57. ^f.3.17. I Ccr- 3- 5> 22. 1 Ccr. 1. 12. Gal. 2. 9, 10. 2. Gr. The Holy Scriptures with the Law of Nature, are the only Laws of Chrift .- unlefsas he may pofiibly by extraordi- nary A $\ey for QathoUcks. 44 } nary Revelation, oblige ferae perfontoa particujar duty, not contrary to that word, but left undetermined : which yet is fo rare a thing that men rauft not rafhly prefuraeoffuch a matter, iTim.i.3.Gal.i.7fii9.Ifit.$.20.i Cor^.CzTim.l.ll.Dettt. 12. 32. Mat. 15. 9, 11. 3. It is the prerogative of Chrift himfelf to be the fupream, abfolute and final Judge of the fence of his own Laws,and of the caufes that are to be tried thereby. And therefore it is treafonable folly to attribute any of this to man : and to cry out for an Abfolute Judge of Controverfies here on earth : when one faith, This is the fence of Scripture,and another faith that is the fence : faith the Papift, £ But who ftiall be Judge ? ] To which I anfwer, How far man is Judge , I fhali tell you in the next: but the Abfolute Judge,and the final Judge is only Chrift. He that made the Law is the proper Judge of the fence of his own Laws : Do you not know that Chrift will come to judgement, and that all fecrets mud then be opened by him, and he mud decide what man cannot ? Man is to Judge but in tantum ; ad hoc -, fecundum quid ; limitcdly ^ fo far as he rouft execute ; but Chrift only Judgeth entirely , finally and abfolutely, 2 Cw. 4. 3,4,5. i7V«n. 5.24. 7*^.4.11,12. 1 Tet. 1. 17. &z. 23. I CV. 2. 15.^.23.3. 1 £Vr. 13.9,10, 11,12. Mark 7.9^ 13. 4. All Councils whether Generator Provincial, or Clafficai, which confift of the Bilhops or Paftors of feveral Churches met together, are appointed and to be ufed dire&ly, but gratia Vnitatis^&Communienis Chriftiana, and not dire&ly gratia re* giminis for the Governing of Paftors , in order to Unity and Communion,and not as a Regimental , as to the Paftors. This Proportion which is of exceeding confequence,was voluntarily aflerted to me, without my own asking his opinion , by that Learnedjudicious man Arch-Bifhop VJher ; a man well known to be acquainted with the judgement and practice of the Ant i- cnts, if any other whoever. His words were thefe, £ Councils are not for Government, but for Unity * not as being in order of Government over the feveral Bifhops ; but that by confu- tation they may know their duty more clearly, and by agree- ment maintain Unity; and to this end they were anciently ce- lebrated] Himfelf a Primate ,recommended to others thefe mo- L 1 1 2 derate 4+6 4 X&fw C^thoUcks. .n agreements and pract.ce. --.':";. 6. 5,6. fym.iy 26,27. : W S.--9. - 1 be Poftors of particular Wor (hipping Churches, arc the j Guides, Rulers or Teacbei fe Churches, and : thereof: and muft nrft <£, rce m in their own minds, an: -v be many over a Church) Afrtt among themleWes, and then teach the people, whit is to be believed tod pra&ifed, andwr n in General, and in Particular to held Communion, and whom to avoid, and may charge the peo- ple in Chrifh mme :o obey :' eil fufl directions . srd when they m-.elves execute tl- pah hereto fas by trading the Rjeje&ed, and not delivering them the Symbols or Sacrament cf Comm &c,) And though they n corfult wi:h re ghbor Churches for carrying on the srork of G.d.n Boky,and :o thebeft advantage of the Common caufe, ye: are they no: under the proper Governrcn: of them, or any .';Tiblies (E;c ...) though obliged in a!! juft t: Ac ::;3. So thai Canons as Canons I rr.e:.- :he C l luons of Inch AiTcmbh.es, are bu: properly Ag-eements, notLaws, though by confluence :hey may be faid to oblige, or rather we by [another Law obliged to accord and pra- ctife them, Hd\ ::.:-. 1 Tic: ' 5. 12, : ; . 1 Or. 4 1,2, • 1:. ::. S, Tie work of Councils how large fo eve-, is not to make new Scriptures to be the Ruk of oof faith and Life, nor :o~ new Articles or Doflnoes of faith, nortoframe God a new Vorfhip in wholeor in pare- Ba: by Confutations 2nd Agree- ments to Efcrtngtfien each other , and Direct the people, a the fii:h of and the maintaining 2 gai og the Do- ctrine of the Holy Scriptures , and i ofe duties in the Worfhlp of God, atni in Righteoufnefs and Mercy to men,wbich the Scriptures do icapoJe, and in agreeing upon thofe Modes and Grcomfibanccs of Worfhip which God hath made ne- ceiurv i* gimri^ and left to occafional humane determination im facie: Nor may they under this pretence, e ither contrsdtfl ft determination of the Magiftrate concemrog-fucfi Cir- romftanccs, or impofc any rafraring, needle;"* Ceremonies upon tbeChurch ; but only order the ferviceof God according to the G; regions of the Scripture, and the Light of Na- ture. A K^y for Cat hoik ks . ^ tare, which by the confederation of the cafe may help to difcern the fitteft order. Ic is therefore a ftrangeaficrcion of force, that Governours have nothing to do if they may not appoint new Ordinances or Symbolical Ceremonies on the Church, and make new Laws , feeing God hath done the reft already. As if it were nothing to fee to the execution of Gods Laws? Or as if this were not the fitted work for fuch kind of Rulers , whofe Rule is only by Minifterial Guidance ? Or as if the cferermination of Neceffary Circumftances requifite ex naturarei, were not enough for them to do, befide what is written .? There being no more neceffiry to the reducing of the Laws of God into pra- ctice : Me thinks rr.eerfervants and Embaffadors fhould not be very forward in making Laws, if they underftand their office, f*«.4.i2.Hf£.8.io,i6.GV.3.i5. Deut.11.i2.Ezsk, 2-7* & 3.10,11. 1 CV.3.5.&4.i,2. iCor. I. 24. 1 CV.6.12. 9. Thofe neceffiry Circumftances in Religious Worfhip which are of humane determination, and left undetermined by God, are unfit matter for General Councils or remote Affem- blies to make (landing General Laws of: For 1. the Nature of the things are fuch as are mutable, and unfit to be fixe, but rauft be frequently varied as occafions require. 2. The occurr- ing circumftances will be the fitteft guide :o determine them. 3. They may be meet in oneCountrey or Church, which are unmeet in another. 4. Upon fuch reafons God himfelf hath left them undetermined: Therefore he left them not to any fixed Ge- neral determination. 5. The Paftors that are in the place are the fitteft Judges of thofe occafions that muft determine them. 6. And it is the office, and in the Commiffion of thofe Paftors to be the Guides of their own actions and Congregations. 7. And Coun- cils are not their Lords. So that all this laid together, may tell us that it is rather the work of particular Paftors or Biftiops^nd of neereft Affociations in thofe cafes where Concord is requifite, then of Provincial, or National, or General Councils to deter- mine of fuch Circumftances. Tor example : The command of preaching, reading, adminiftring the Sacraments, finging Pfalms, &c. do imply that I muft have fometrme and place to do them in : I muftufefomegefture,vefture, neceffary utenfils , but ic tells not what in particular : I muft read fome particular Chap- ter, Pfalm,^. or fo much of it: Now common prudence will tell 44* A fyy for Catbdich telime what to do in thefe cafes my feif, or el fe I am not fit to be aPaftor, orentrufted with fo great a work'as Gods publick Worfhip , or the care of fouls. Shall a Council now make Laws that all the Minhters in the World, or in this Nation, (hall preach only onfucbaday, and only at fuch an hour, and in this or that psrt of the Church, and only on fcch Texts fuch days, appointing them a Text for every day ; or that they (hall ufe only fuch words in praying and preaching as is written for them; or fhall pray or preach juft fo long; or (hall fing only fachaPfalra, in fuch a tune, ufing only fuch cloaths , and fuch geftures, with an hundred the like? This is to make thecnfelves Mailers of the Church, and ufe their power to the deftrudion of Miniftry, Worfhip and Church, and not to the Edification of it. The prefent ftate of the flock, by fin ; or affliction, or the like, may make fuch a Text fitteft for me to preach on, and fuch a Chapter to be read, or fuch a Pfalm to be fung , when by the Impositions of proud ufurpers I am commanded to ufe the con- trary, viz,. Subjects of Joy, in a time of Humiliation, or of Hu- miliation in the time of Joy, &c. Many the like inconveniencies might eafily be manifeft. Thefe unneccfliry Irapofitions are the Engines of Divifion, Aft. 1 5.28. Rom. 14. throughout. Rom. 15.1,7. Phil. 3. 15,16.^^.23.4. & II. 28. I Cor. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 1 . 24. 10. Where fome Impofitions by Magiftrates or Agreements by Mtniftersinfoch Circumftances are thought lawful or fit,yec muft not the Churches Unity or Peace be laid upon them: So that if through the weaknefs of Chriftians they could not per- ceive the lawfulnefs of them,but did think they (hould fin againft God if they ufed them, it is a cruel dividing courfe for Magi- ftrates hereby fore penalties, or Paftors Excommunications to feek to drive them upon that which they think is the way to hell or the wrath of God, when in the Judgement of the Impofer it is a thing indifferent : The peace of the Church and of Confci- ence is more worth then a Ceremony, and better kept by gentle recommending fuch things (if fit,) and a tender rebuke or check to the weak, then by forcing all to that which they neither can nor need to ufe. But fome fay, if all may ufe what way they will,what order (hall we have ? I anfwer • therefore make no un- neceffiry Laws ; caft noc a foot- bail of contention before them : Thefe A t\ey for Catholicks. 44 9 Thefe prefumptuous Impoficions are the fire brands of the Church. For example : we had here a Law that Miniftcrs ihould read only fuch a peeceof a < hapter called anEpiftleand Gofpcl fuch a day fwhsch yet I would noc difobey : ) here now arofe contention about it : The fame Mmiftcrs were left at li- berty what Vexc to preach on : and fhi*> liberty made no breach in the Church. Miniitcr* were commanded co wear a Surplice. *nd this raifed contention . But wiiat kind of hat,or cap, or (nooes,or hole to wear, tbey weie left at liberty , and this made no con- tention , nor occafioned any undecency. The Lords Supper was to b< tfken only kneeling : and this raifed contention But they were left at liberty whether to kneel, or ftand, or fie at Sermon, or reading, or ringing Pfalms, and this bred no unde- cency nor divifion. They were enjoyned to bow at the name of Jems in the reading of the Gofpel only : And this raifed divifion. But tbey were left at liberty to bow or not to the Name of God, Chrift,Lord, &c . and to the Name Jefus in Sermon, or the Epi- (lie, or the fame Gofpel read in the whole Chapter : and this bred co divifion, nor difcontent : Lay the Churches peace up- on no new humane Impofitions , if you would have it hold. Perufe Rom. 14. and the other Text lad cited, 1 O. 6.12. 11. The Churches Peace or Unity mud not belaid on any bare words of mansdevifing. It*snot a work for Councils or Prelates to form the Chriftian do&rine in new methods and terms, and then to force others to fubferibe or ufe t'hofe very terms ; If the fame men that refufe this , be willing to fub- feribe to the whofe Scripture, or to a Confeffion in Scripture terms, you may force him to no more. Objeft&ut Hereticks will fubferibe to Scripture. A/tfw. i.They rauft wreft it then, or wreft their Confciences • fad by either or both thefe fhifts, they may alfo fubferibe to any of your Confeffion* . 2. If his Herefie be latent in his mind, you know it not,nor can call him an Heretick,oor doth it hurt the Church : If it he pubhfhed or preached to others, let civil Governors queftion him for corporal punifhment , and let the Affiliate Payors queftion him to his Reformation or rvj-&ionv You will have a better ground to reject him for delivering wife- hood in his own words, then for not fubfenbing to Truth in your worJs, when he fubferibed the fame Truth in Gods Words. M si na There 45° A Kjy for Catbolich. There is no Unity ro be expeded , if you will fo far depart from the Scripture fufficiency, as to make any more for fenfe orphrafe, of abfoiute neceftity to our peace. By phrafe or terms, I mean either the fame numerically (as in the Original ) or equipollent ( as in tranflatton?. ) And I fay not that itV neceUary to the unity of the Church , that every word in Scripture (Original or TranflationsJ be fubfcribed to ; ( for iome may doubt of the corruption of a word or Book) Bu! that no more is neceffary. If ail Scripture be not of that degree of Necefiity, much lefs humane additions, If* 8. 20. 1 Tim> 3.17. 2 7*ki.i?. 1 Cor. 9 5. 1 Tim.6.20. ^tf.20.32. 1 2. The Churches Unitv & Peace muft not be laid upon all Di. vine Truths : as not on leffer darker points,which neither the be- ing nor well-being ofChriftianity is concerned info much as to reft upon them , Thil. 3. 15, 16. Rom. 14. 15, 17, 20.Hefr. 5.11,12,13,14. 1 Cor. 7.19. G*L 5,6. &6.15. Col. 5. 11. 13. We ought to love and efteem as Cbriftian* and mem- bers of the Catholick Church all thofe that profefs to believe the Effentials of Chriftianity, and to be fan&ified by the Spirit of God, and lead a holy upright life *, fo they make a credible pro- fefiion, not evidently contradicted by words or deeds : though thefe perfons may differ from us in many lower points of Do- ctrine, Worfliip or Government, t Cor.i.z.Eph. 6.24. Gal. 6. 15, i6.P/?//.3.ic5. #010.15. 1,2. &i4.i,2. 1 CV.8.9. 14. We ought fo to manage the Wor (hip of God in our par- ticular folemn Affemblies, that no fober peaceable Chriftian may be repulfed or forced from our local Communion, through diffe- rences in thing? of indifferent nature, Het>.%. %.Mat. 15. 9. Rem, 14 13 &141. 2 CV.i 1.3. ^£.4.23,24.- 1 5. If any Churches differ from us in Ceremonies or fmalter thing?, or if any particular Chriftians differ, fo that they can- not in confeience hold local Communion with us in the fame Af- femblies for Worfhjp (E,G. if we fit at the Lords Supper, and they dare not take it without kneeling : if we finga verfian of the Pfalms which they- fcrup'ero joyn in; If we permit none to joyn that will not conform in difputable things,) in fuch cafes, though it be fir ft our duty to do our bed to remove all offence?, yet if that cannot be done, we may and ought in feveral AfTem. blies to take each other for Brethren, and of the fame Catholick Church, A £\ey for Catholicks. 45 1 Church, fo be it we all hold the fame eflentials of Faith and God- linefs , and walk accordingly ^and efpecially if we alfo hold thofe weighty fuperftru&ures, that the welfare of the Church is moft concerned in. Though here were few or no inftances of this cafe in the days of the Apoftlcs, when divifions were not fo great as now, yet the general rules in the fore cited Texts do prove it. \6. Ecdefiaftical Miniftcrial Government (by whomfoever excrcifed) mud not degenerate into a fecular coercive Govern- ment ^ nor may we ufe carnal weapons, nor meddle by force with mens bodies or eftatcs • nor yet can we oblige the Magiftrate to do ic, meerly to execute our cenfures , or without fufficienc Evidence to prove it his duty; nor can we oblige the people againft the Word of God , clave err ante : fo that neither Bifhop, nor Council hath any fuch power as is properly decifively Judi- cial obliging to execution, be the fentence right or wrong : But our people muft know that though we be their Guides or Ru- lers, yet are we but Mmiftcrs,and chat they have a higher power to regard, and muft not obey us againll the Lord, but in and for him. The Power of Paftors therefore is not like Magiftrates, or abfolute Judges (as is faid before but like a Phyfuian in bis Ho- fpiral, or in an infe&ed City among his Patients, and like a Rea- der of any Science to voluntary Scholars, in his School ; and as an Emb^fTador to chern to whom he is fent. So that our Govern- ing being but by the Word,and on the Confcience, is of the fame nature with our Directing. 1 Pet* 5.3. Luke 22.25,26. $fek 9.10. 1 Cor. 4. 1,2. 17. Magiftrates are Governors of the Church even ss a Church, and of Chriftians as Chriftians, though not Abfolutely," nor in the fame refpe&s,by the fame means,& to the fame neerelt Ends.as Paftors. Magistrates muft force us to our duty, and pu- nifhusif we be wicked or negligent, evenas Paftors, andcaft us out of our Benefices, and deny us encouragements, if we bein- fufficient : fo that ad hoc the Magiftrate is the only Judge what is found doctrine, and what herefic, what MiniPers are fufficien: or inefficient, culpable or not, I fay, ad hoc % fofaras to Judge who (hall have publick Liberty and Countenance, and who (hall be punifhed, restrained and discountenanced : Thusfarthe Ma- ftrate is Judge in Religion •, fbefides that Judgement of Choice Mmra2 which 432 A I\ey for Qatholicks. which every privateman hathj And therefore the Princes of the Chriftian world fhould hold forae correfpondencies like General Councils, among themfelves by their agents for carrying on the work of Chrift, and much of the unity and profperity of Cbrifti- ans lyeth on their hands, 7/4*49. 23. Pfal.2. i2.ft?»M 3. 1,2,3,4. I King.2.27^5. &2 iO'tfg.18.4. & 2X^.23.8,20. 2 Cbron. 14-3,S- ?/>A *• 8.' iTim.2.2. 18. Yet are the Paftors of the Church in their places Rulers or Guides of Princes and Magiftrates : that is , we Guide them by Dodrine and Church difcipline, at they Role us by force. The Paftors are the Judges of Herefic and Vice, ad hoc thus far, fo as to judge who (hall be Denounced by therafelves unmeet for the Churches Communion • and Judges of found Dodrine fo far as to refol vc what is by themfelves to be taught to the people : and Judges of that Magiftrace fo far, as to determine whether he be a fit fubjeft for their Adminiftrations and Communion. For every man is to judge when he is to aft and execute fin thefe cafes •, ) and therefore when the Queftion is, Who is to be tolerated or forcibly reftrained, the Magiftrate is the only Judge,and the Mi- nifter but a teacher : But the Queftion is, whom fhould I admit or not admit to ray Communion , and whom fhould I perfwade and require the Chu: ^ to avoid or to receive ? Here the Paftors are the Judges .- And when the Qaeftion is, Whether the Paftor go according to Gcds Word or not, here the people have fudi- ciu&Difcretienu ,and cannot be forced ; though they ought to obev w; ere :hey fee not fufficient reafon to the contrary, Mat. 2,8.18,19. H^.13.17. 1 Tbef.5.12. 1 Cer.^.i.Luk' 12.42,44. I Sam.2%. i8.ZXw*.o.8,io, fob.20.23. 2 Cbron. 3 6. 14,15,16. 19. The honor and power of the Paftors is for their work : And fo great is that work, that as to flefhly accommodations, it layeth us under abundance more trouble, then the power and ho- sier arTordeth us relief from. All true Paftors therefore fhould be fo far from ftriving forPower,& Greatnefs,and Rule.and extent of their Diocefs as matters of advantage , that they fhould Mill look on their Power but as Power to threfh, or plough,or fow,or reap; a Power to give alms to all the poor in the Town, to vifit s'lthefick, to cure madmen that will abufeme, &c> fuch a Power to labor and furTer in doing good. And thus he that will be thcGreateft3 butthmkofnootaaWndofgreatnefs, but a power A Fsty for Catholicks. 453 power to become the fervantof all : If men had thefe true ap- prehenfions of the Epifcopal office, they would be no more for- ward in contending for power and large Diocefles , then now they are in contending who (hall Inftrud raoft of the ignorant, or go to the poor ungodly families to further their reformation ; or intreat,befeech,exhort moft of the obftioate from man to manj ; or who (hould relieve the mod of the poor of all the Countrey about. And if this be it they contend for, they may Rule without a Commiffion from the Prince: Who will hinder them,that hath any fear ofGod? 1 CV.4.9,10,1 1,12,1 3,16. ytf#. 20. 18. to ' the end. 2 Cor. i.z^Mark; 1044. 1 Thef.29. Luk.10.2. 20. No man is called by God to more work then he can pof- fibly do, nor fhould defire and undertake more. And therefore if Prelates, and Councils, and Popes would but confeionably be- think them of the work, what it is,and how to be done,& of what weight, and how ftrift will be the account , and then confidec how they can do it,our differences would quickly beat end : For though godly men would put off no fer vice they can do , yet when they lookt on the undertaking of thefe Impoffibles, they would tremble to think on it. All confcionable men are fenfiblc of their weaknefs, and the weight of the work, and fay who is fufficient for thefe things • And I dare fay the ltrongeft of them all would feel the weight of the burden of one Parifh , and be readyer to beg and feek about for help, then to contend for a a larger Diocefs, unlefs as the meer necefficy of the Church for want of laborers might call them to labor in other parts. Duty fuppofeth Authority , and Authority fuppofeth ability and op- portunity ; even natural ability and raen;al qualifications,?/*/,, 131.1,2. 2 Cor. 2.16. BY this much you may fee what Unity may be expe&ed in the Church on earth. 1. A unity of internal Faith and Love, and Spirit among all real Chriftians. 2. A Unity of Profeifion, all profeffing the fame Belief,that is of the word of God inGeneral; and of the Creed and Effentials of Religion in particular ; and as many more of the particular truths as they can reach, , 3 . A Unity of Profeffors in local communion in the fame Af- femblies in Gods publick Worfhip, in the Woxdx Prayer,Praifes9 , Sacraments, &c, Where they cohabite,or have opportunity for fudi communion. M m m 3 4« Among j 454 A K$y for Qatholtck. 4. Among thofe that are out of our reach, or being neeru«, yet differing in fome fmaller things, where a difference is tolera- ble, we may yet in word, writing and deed own each other as Brethren, and combine for the promoting of the common good, and the commonly received truths and duties. So that we have in thefe four, the unity of the fpiritin the bond of Peace : One Body : ( the Catholick Church comprehending all properly cal- led Chriftians) One Spirit (The fandifying Spirit of Chrift : > One Hope of our calling (One Promife or Gofpel, and One Heaven and End : ) One Lord ( even Chrift the only Head of the Church; One Faith f Both objedive, in Scryxure , and the Creed : and fubjedive, fpecifical, which is our Reception of Scripture doctrine, and of Chrift with his benefits : J One Baptifm (entrirgall one and the fame Covenant with Chrift, to be his, and take him for our Lord and Saviour, renouncing the world, the rlefh and devil, and fignifying this by external wafhing in the name of that Father, Son,and Holy Ghoft. I One God and Father ( Our Creator, Prefcrver, our End and Happi- nefs; Efhtf. 4. 3,4,5- And is all this Noihing to you that fcemed fo much to Paul> that unlefs you have alfo an Earthly,Univerfal Hcad,and an Uni- ty in Ceremonies ( wherein all mult be of your mind, and con- form to you as if you were Gods ) you will revile at ourdivifi- ons, and run to Rome for further Unity. HAvinglaid down thofe Grounds or Principles on which the Unity and Peace oftheChnrch muft be built, there appears not any great need of adding any more for the reducing thefe to pradice ; if thefe were but received , the way of pradicewould be obvious. But briefly I fhail lay down thefe few Propofitions.implyed in thofe expreft before. 1. Let every man profefshis belief of the Holy Scriptures in General; and in particular of all that Scripture hath exp to be of Neceility to Salvation : b\ denouncir^ ceath to them that have it no: ; And let them alio Profefs to confent that God be their God, and Chrift their Saviour , and the Holy Ghoft their Sandirier, and that thev renounce the ficrti, the world and Devil, refolvingto live a holy I re. And let this be by a credible way of ProfefFing. And all that do thu% let us A I\ey for Qatholicks. ^ - eftecm.fove^and ufethcra as Chriftians, till they fome way plain- ly difowr? this Profeffion. 2. Lee every fuch BaptizedProfefTor,owning alfo the Miniftry, Church and Worfhip Ordinances, plainly required in Scripture' be a member of fome particular Church, where he may worfhip God in the Communion cf Saints. 3.Letthofe that make not the forefaid Chriflian Profc /lion be excluded the number of Chriftians,and thofe that own not the Fundamentals of communion, (the Church,Mini(lry,Word Prayer, Praife, Sacrament of Communion ) be taken as unmeet foraftual communion with us, though yet we cenfure them not to be no Chriftians. 4. Let thofe that are obftinate and impenitent m any Errors, contrary to the faid Profeffion and Ordinances, or in a&uai grofsfin,ordifcoveringan ungodly heart, be rejected by the Church, after due admonicion and patience. 5 Let all the Pafton AfTociate, and hold conftant correfpon- dency according to their neernefs and opportunity, for helping and ftrengthening each other, and unanimous carrying on the workofChrift. 6. Let thefe Aflbciations have Handing Prcfidents, where the peace of the Church requireth ir. 7 Let no particular Paftors kt up any thing in Gods pub- lick Worfhip which is not Necefliry , and may tenckoraake divifions by driving tender Conferences from his communion. 8 Let Affociations forbear making Laws to others, and im- ping as Governours, and let them make Agreements for cer- tain Duty, and not Laws that pretend to make new duties; and let them Agree on nothing unncceffary. 9. Let them ftudy Holinefsas much as Peace, and keep clean themfelves and their focieties as far as they can, and look at la- bour and fufTefing,andnotatany other Lonourand power, but ■ what is for duty ; and let them look abroad and help the dark parts within their reach, and lay out themfelves freely and induHrioufly for God, and have the chief regtrd tothemoft publick good. 10. Let him that is juftiy caftoutof oneChurch, bereceivei by none into communion till he be reconciled ;^and if they fu- fpeft .that he is un juftiy caftout, lee him not be received till the e ^7 . A fyy for Catkolicks. the Church chat caft him out be heard, and the injury or his Re- pentance manifeft. 1 1 . Let thofe that canno: hold loca^ comnnnion , bec.ufe of fomefmalier pra&xal difference ( as geft ures, words, &c- ) and yet agree in the ibrcfaid Profeifion , and Fundamentals of Communion ■ yet own each other profeffcdly as Brethren , and maintain Love and communion in orher refpe&s. 12. Let all differing Lbriftiansconiuk and agree how to hold their differences, fo asmayleaft prejudice the common truths which all receive, and as may lead hinder the falvation of the ungodly, or offend the weak. 13. Let none judge or defame each other till they are heard, and fee they have fufficient caufe by certain proof : And then adrnonifh them, and bring :hc caufe to the AfTcciation , before they proceed further. 1 4. Let the correfpondency of Paflors extend as far as there is Capacity, Opportunity,and need. We cannot correfpond with the Antipodes, nor much with the Ethiopians, nor foch remote parts : there is feidom opportunity , and feldom neceflity of actual correfpondence with forreign Nations:But yet when pub- lick occafions require it, (the publikeft cafes being the weighti- er we (hould by Delegates or MefTengers from feveral AfTocia- tion?$ perform our duties in all fuch correfpondencies, whether in Councils or other wife. 15. If any members of our Churches travail into other parts, they fhouldtake Certificates or Communicatory Letters, that they may be admitted to the communion of the Churches where they travail or abide. 16. The chief confultations for General Peace and effectual promoting the healing of the Churches, and the propagation of the Gofpel into the unbelieving parts of the world, fhould be done by Chriflian Princes by their Agents : and though Mini- fters are fit to be ( partly) their Agents in fuch confultations, yet not meerly as Paftors, but as lit men employed by their Princes, He that lives to fee but this much reduced to pra&ife, will fee a better unity and peaee in the Church^hen ever was or will be attained by an earthly Head and Judge of the Univerfal Church, whether Pope or Council, or then the Agreement of the five Patriarks, and the later Primates and Metropolitans wilf procure. Let us be content with cae Head . and one Hearr-3 A J^ey for Catbolkks. 457 and center there • but chough the fingers and toei be more, we can well bear ir. Take op with the Holy Scriptures as the fuf- ticient Rule > Let the Profcflion of that be the mark of a be* iievcr: and all fuch believers betaken to be, as they are, the Catholick Church • and no faction Schifraatically and prefump- tuoufly confine it to themfelves ; Let this Intellectual Unity of faith, befeconded wirha. cordial Unity of Holy Love, to Chrift and his Members : ( chat To our Unity may begin at the Head and Heart, and not perverfly at the fingers and toesoffmallcr matters, or at the hair and nails of Ceremonies and indifferent Modes • ) Lrf his be raantfefted in Profcflions of Love,and pub- lick ownings of the Catholick Brotherhood, and of Chriftians as Cbriftiani $, and by publick difclaimtng ali feirifhnefs , and partiality,and private Interefts, and all reproachfull words and writings , and by adua! communion as far as we can. Let the W- > fhip of God be performed in fuch holy fimplicity that none may be driven from the facred AfTemblies •, and let the peo- ple be fuffcred to go the fame way to heaven as Peter and P*ul did go themfelvcs,and lead their bearers in • Let us not be am* bitious of Church Union or Communion with thofe that ought to be caft out of the Church , and whom we are in Scripture commanded to avoid t but let the three attributes of Q i^Qlg Cat&oltcfe, and dpoftolual j be {till affixed to the CBUtcrj ; and be practically confidered; and thofe confederations iffued in C &bc Communion of Saints ] An<1 cnen we AwN hav« fo much Unity and Peacc,as may honour the Cbriftian Religion, and ftrengthen us in the way to our PerfeB Pe4ce, which is not tobeexpededinthrs dark, difeafed,imperfe& world* This it the way, and none but this. But is there any hope that while men are as they are, fuch healing Truths fhould be received and obeyed ? Yes : by here and there a man^ who (hall have the Peace of their peaceable Af- fections and Endeavours- but not by the meft either of thepeo* pie or the Paftorsjlet the evidence of the truth be never fo clear. Who can exped any great fuccefs of fuch Propofals, that knows the world ?(till the time come i*hen Light (hall go forth with an abfolute refolution to prevail. ) God is one ^ and all that Deny tbcmfelves and center in bim,muft needs be One:But/*/f is as va- rious and numerous as Perfons are. And this/* //is the Hear t of Nnn the 45$ ' d KeJ for Qathiilicks. theNatural man,and the ftnter of ail the unfan&ificd. And every felf is a grain of Sand, tbats hardly made coherent with ano- ther. The Dark' ft mind ,is felf- conceited: and the pooreft child or beggar Is ft! f-affe£led j and high and low. Princes and people have felf-interejh, which draw them fever al waves. And in the fan&ifi- edzhis fetfu mortified but in par:, and is the firft living, and ftrongeft, and laft dying fin,in all •, and giveth (trengch to all the reft. What hope then of Vnity, while every man hath a numeri- cally different Center, Principle, & End,and fo few forfake it,*nd devo;e themfelves to God the common Center, and End of th« Saints? and thofe few folmperfe&ly^ permitting felf to live and do fo much within them. And though the Papilla have devifed a way to make this fand into a rope^ or cement innumerable felves together , by finding out fucb a Carnal Head and Center where every man may find his own Carnal Intereft involved in the In> terefl of that Head and his body; and fo may have a carnal unity of a multitude of carnal ones to glory in ; Yet Chrift is another kind otHead and Center .condemning and deftroying carnal felf and commanding all his followers upon pain of damnation to de- ny ir, though to nature it be the deareft thing in the world. No wonder therefore if the number of his Adherents be few, and the unity of thofe that center in him,be lefs confpicuous and glorious in the world. With ftrong Be fires thcrefore,but Low Expectations I propound thefe terms of Unity to the Church ^as knowing how many thoufand of theDark.*ndfelfifl will not only neglect them and reject thcm,but rife up againft them(if they come into their hands) with no fmall fclf-conceited confidence and fcorn. But theChurch if theLords,who hath purchafedit by his blood; his Intereft in it is more then minej& it is infinitely dearer to him then to me;& his wifdom is fitted to difpofe of the fuccefs of our endearourSj&to determine of the feafon and meafures of its cure: He is the Phyfician,and hath undertiken the work, and in the fit- ceft way and time will perfect it, and be the finifher 2s well as the Author of our faith. The eye of the chief Shephcard h even now upon all his fcatrered flock^nd of thofe that are given him to be faved, he will lofe none- he is neither inefficient for them, nor carelefs of themjbut will gather into one the E'ecl that are dif- perfedj and prefentthem all pure,unblamable, and fpotlefs to his Fatherattbelafyandas much as theyfeem nowtous,tobeun- curably A fyyforCatbclicks. 4 459 curably dmdcd, we fhall then fee them perfe&iy healed and uni- ted,and made up One Glorified Body of our Head. For that blef- fcd Marriage day of the Lamb,and the Glory of the Ntft Jerufa- lemy we therefore Cray, and Hope, and Wait,in our paffage through this finfaland diftra&ed world. HP Here are three common fayings in which I am much de- -*- lighted that conduce to the Illuftration of what I have faid. 1 . Servanda in Neceffariit V nit as ; In Kon*neceJfariu liber tas : in utrijj^ cbaritas. Vulg. 2. Contra Rationem nemo fohriut ; Contra Script ur am nemo Chriftianiu ; Contra Scclefvam nemo faeificus. Auguft. Scripture is the reft of ChriiHanity, and muft (hew us found in the faith 5 though the Church may (hew us Peacable. Qjerir ^-..Catholicus 1 V Speculatn u? Therefore to feek for Unity, Verity or Felicity, by the lofs or deduction of Sanctity, Religion, Charity ; is really to renounce, oppofe and lofe them. Satisfaction to certain CALVMN1ATORS. I Am informed from London^ and feveral parts of the Land , that fome of my Books having lately been fold at exceflive rates by the Bookfel- {ers, it is fomewhat commonly reported that it is cauicd by my exceffive gain,which fay they,is at leaft three or four hundred pounds a year. I thank the Lord that doth not only employ me in his fervice, but alfo vouchfafe me the honor and benefit of being evil-fpoken of for doing him the beft fervice that'I can, Mrff.?. 11,12. i Pef.4. 15,1451^516. Blefled Auguft'me waspuc to vindicate himfelf by an oath, from the infamy of a -covetous defign, which was raifed by one godly woman, upon a disorderly aftion of otner men, and to that end he wrote his 2Z5.Epillle. I find no call to ufehis oath i but yet I judge it my duty to imitate him in patience,and in refcuing the flanderers from their fin, that they abufe not their fouls by uncharitable furmifes, nor their tongues by falfe reports. To which end I give them this true information : The two firft Books I printed, I left to the Bookfellers Will ; for all the reft, I agreed with them for the fifteenth Book, to give to fome few of my friends,hearing that fome others agreed for the tenth, Some- time 4^o time my fifteenth Bc<& corriing not :o anliur^ed,andfcrnrtirncbar to few rnore,when of i'racrieal Books I needed fometroe Soaso gne awav.Becaufe I was fcarce rkh e» jj gh to bay fo many £ agreed icr, (arr Neighbour,) mallow 13 . :: ".: :•;:": ::' :/• remembrance: but if itfcll©_:: :: - oart came to more tSan I gare my friends, If tfhangd them for other Books : My accooncs and memory tell me not of -Ji that ercr was returned for me on rbcfe accounts, which was on literary occafions : fo chat mv many hundreds a year is come tear- 1 pennymailjbotasaboTeiaid^m'fornecaxHaneeof Books. And the price I let on my Books which I exchanged tor theirs at the deareft rates, isasfbi- - "•'■ ' ■ .:-■-: : C :- ::ie. -_.>, DcW. of Tuniscar, :.s. +d. TbiCaJ toth^UncoriTerted,8uL Dnpoc of faring Faith, 5uL Of the Grecian Religion, *.d. Diiectkas for found ConrerSon, is. S-d. Difput of Bight to Sacraments,:^**. fctr*j. aj. 4^.] Thefe are all my bargains and my gains. And I chofe the bonettett Bnok- fcllcrs chat I could meet with^crording to my f mall mcafure of wit and ac- who told me, they ftill made good their Prooaifes, Andnow cenfocious Slanderer, tell me, what thou wooldft hare had me to hare done more- If lJud got Food and Raymentootgf my own hard labors, had k been unlawful or duhooourable, when Bookfcllers get (6 many hundred rc-_r.i= '?■ :re 7;.;--. ->:: r-y-t: .":-_.:: -.:. ." .-..-.: : - :.: :. v.t :"_ ;:.:r:r :: , ■ - .;:-.; - }.-,: . v-e: : :-.-■_ ::-;i: .'---: :~ i: :-::-./■ t ~ :: 1 ".:: > :.>ecaufe 1 will not oblige my feif to the fame couxfc for the rature, and that thou may& kno 1 ax Wnax r«rs 1 ferre thee , let me tell thee, that in e labors early and late rcy body is waffcd^ny precioas time laid out, and fomewhatcf myEftait,andfornewhaxof the liwr of my friends. I can- r.:: :"; :*>z?.:'- c_.: = :: -'• ■:.:_-.£ •:.'. ::i .": .r-:- . ~-.ee; — ■ :-:_"i^. Ana who (rull pay for this, or maintain me in thy ferrice : I hare troubled :•:.-_-■■ T-i.e :-.:•- r_::f *>-:". r.-: 1 r. ;: = ."/.■■ ■:: T.:":.:r ~~-Z :~r:: Z _: * - i>": v.e_isi '•-.:: ::?...:•: ^_ ::::. sr. e rr^- :.-:::::: :.:.er.;-i :: ■-•■ :::..:.:::: And :hat thou r for the tine to come, 1 {hall agree with my BooWeU; mail --:..'- i:'.~.:t: -'::: .r^i : ."".;;'.•;".::" . . ". i~.t ?:..; :: ;• :: • :■:•:£ :: :~: boaoui of rhe T.-J.t ~ii? FxrnrtL :etr a, Richard \Bzxter. -