AN HUMBLE APPEAL TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. Wherein is proved, that our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith, which Protestants call PAPISTRY. Written by JOHN HUNT, a Roman Catholic, in defence of his Religion against the Calumniations and persecutions of Protestant MINISTERS. JOHN 5. 39 Search the Scriptures, for you think by them to have life everlasting, and the same are they, which give testimony of me. THE PREFACE. Most dread Sovereign: SO heavy, for many years, hath been the hand of Protestant Ministers, upon us Catholics, your ancient and faithful subjects, that heaven is full with our cries, the world with our afflictions; the earth is drunk with our blood, the air a receptacle for our quarters; prisons are filled with our bodies, and Pursuivants, infamous men, at their pleasures enriched with the spoil of our goods; in such sort, as with the Apostles living in like persecution, we may truly say: We 1. Cor. 4. 9 are made a spectacle to the world, and to Angels, and to men: that the extremity of our afflictions enforceth us to Appeal unto your Majesty, prostrate at your feet, in most humble manner, to beseech your Highness to hear the truth of our cause, and take notice of the sincerity of our affections to God, your Person and State. God Almighty out of his infinite goodness having created us, according to his own Image, and after our fall Gen. 1. 27. redeemed us from eternal pains; in token of homage, exacteth of us the practising and professing of that Faith and Religion, which was planted upon earth by his only Son our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, and that with such rigour; as whosoever at his death shallbe found faulty herein, shall not only lose the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, and the happy vision of his divine Majesty, but also condemned into fire everlasting, which was prepared for Matth. 25. 41. the Devil and his angels, there to endure the wrath and vengeance of God for ever and ever. And lest any one should doubt, which was this Faith or Religion; he swore he would multiply it in men, as the Gen. 22. Isay 88 Isay 54. Isay 62. Stars of heaven; that remaining in all ages and times visibly seen and professed; none could or should have occasion of doubting, which was this Faith or Religion, unto the which he was so straight bound; unless he would wilfully be obstinate and blind: And yet notwithstanding your Protestant Ministers, contrary to the oath of God, and without respect of the penalty of eternal damnation imposed upon misbelievers, would persuade us that their Religion, which about threescore years ago was invented in England by Queen ELIZABETH (only to keep your Majesty's Mother, and her issue from their lawful right to the Crown of England) is the Religion which was planted by our Saviour; and afflict upon your ancient subjects, (who have maintained your Progenitors in the state of Kings and absolute Monarches, many hundred years) confiscation of goods and lands, imprisonment, loss of liberty and life, and the benefit of all Civil and Humane laws and conversation; for that we will not believe them, to the loss of our own souls, and in continuance of time, the destruction of your Monarchy; according to the Prophecies, saying: I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them Gen. 12. 3. that curse thee: In thee shall all the Kindred's of the earth be blessed. The Nation and the Kingdom that Isay 60. 12. shall not serve thee shall perish. Which we have seen so manifestly fulfilled in all ages & times amongst Christians, that hitherto never any Nation, People, or Country of Christian men, did separate itself by Schism from the Catholic Church, the spiritual seed of Abraham, dilated over the world; but it was within few years conquered by barbarus people. Whereupon, we your ancient subjects, fearful lest we should be forsaken of God, and fall into these evils, and timorous in any thing to offend your Majesty, our dearest Sovereign; prostrate at your feet, do humbly offer unto your Highness; the grounds and foundations of our Faith and Religion; by which we prove that it is the same Faith and Religion, which was planted upon earth by our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, in which all the Kindred's of the earth were to be blessed: hoping thereby to remove away from your Majesty's mind, these sinister false informations, which such as neither wish well, either to your Person or State, more than may serve to the accomplishing of their designs, daily publish in your presence, viz. That we are wilful disloyal Subjects, who under pretext of Religion, pretend Rebellion. Ignorant blind people, that have nothing to say for the Religion we profess. Enemies to your Majesty and State, etc. That your Majesty being better informed; we also may taste of the sweetness of your Government, who are at all times, and in all things, as ready to obey and serve you, our dread Sovereign, as our Ancestors have served and obeyed your Progeniters, Kings, and absolute Monarches of this Island; or as the Catholic subjects of the Emperor, or of the King of Spain, or France, or Polony, do serve their Sovereigns: And in testimony hereof, we offer to bind ourselves, always to remain loyal & faithful Subjects unto your Majesty, your Heirs, and lawful Successors, by amoath; whereby we may not, in effect and deed, swear that God Almighty is forsworn, in violating his oath and promises, which he made to the Patriarches and Prophets, every where spoken of in the Scriptures, to be fulfilled in that Faith, Seed and Religion, which was to be planted upon earth by his only Son, our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. Your Majesty well knoweth, that it is not yet much about threescore years, since these your Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland were Catholic, and the most of us, together with our Ancestors, never were of any other Religion, See this proved in the second Chapter▪ than this we now profess, since our Conversion to Christianity from Paganism: And if we should now forsake it, for fear of the loss of temporal goods, imprisonment and hanging; and not out of information in belief, we should be but Atheists, and be worthy to be hanged up indeed, for dissembling with men, and violating all obligation to God. Moreover, the means which God Almighty appointed his Officers to use in the conversion of Kingdoms and people, was, Humility, Patience, Charity, etc. saying: Behold Matth. 10. 16. I send you, as sheep in the midst of Wolves: he did not say, I send you as Wolves amongst sheep, to kill, imprison, spoil, and devour those unto whom they were sent. Again he said: They (to whom I send you) will deliver Matth. 10. 17. you up in Counsels, and in their Synagogues they will scourge you. And to Precedents, and to Kings shall you be led for my sake: He doth not say, you whom I send shall deliver the people, whom you ought to convert, into Counsels, and put them in prisons, and lead them to Precedents, and Tribunal seats, and make their Religion Felony and Treason. Again he saith: When ye enter into Matth. 10. 12. the house, salute it, saying, Peace be to this house: He doth not say, you shall send Pursuivants to ransack and spoil the house. Again he saith: The good Pastor giveth john 10. his life for his sheep. The thief cometh not but to steal, and kill, and destroy: He doth not say, the thief giveth his life for his sheep; and the good Pastor cometh not but to steal, kill and destroy. Wherefore, so much as is lawful for poor subjects, we humbly beseech your Majesty, that converting of us by killing, imprisonments, confiscation of goods, ransacking and spoiling by Promoters and Pursuivants, etc. laid aside, (at which the Christian world is scandalised) it would please your Majesty to give order, that Disputations, Conferences, and sweet means may be used for the discussion of truth, according to the doctrine of our Saviour and his Apostles, which is Peaceable, modest suasible, consenting to the good, full of mercy: and by those means, if ●●m●s 3. 17. we should be in error, your Majesty might easily gain us. And if your Majesty be amiss, as errare facile est, we may gain your Majesty, and bring all things to his happy issue, that God Almighty may be glorified by the salvation of our souls; and your Highness may, to our great comfort, so reign over us upon earth, that you may also reign amongst us in heaven, which with all my heart I desire, and to that end proceed to set down the grounds and foundations of our Catholic Faith and Church, by way of an Appeal unto your Highness, this being the best way, as your Majesty most graciously hath signified unto all your Subject in your Speech in the Star-chamber, upon the twentith of june, in the year of our Lord, 1616. in these words: Why should you spare to complain unto me, that being the highway, and not go the other by-way, and backway, in contempt of our authority. According to which speech, worthy of a Royal King, with Saint PAUL in the like case of Religion, I appeal to Acts 25. 11. CAESAR, your Majesty, my dread and Supremest Sovereign, as followeth. THAT OUR SAVIOUR PLANTED the Catholic Roman Faith. CHAP. I. Wherein is proved by the Scriptures, that the Catholic Roman Faith, is the Faith which was planted by our Saviour: and how it hath continued, and shall continue amongst the Romans, until the day of judgement. FIRST, that the Romans received the Catholic Faith which our Saviour planted: Saint Paul witnesseth, saying, To all you that be at Rome beloved Rom: 1. of God, called Saints, grace to you, and peace from God the Father, and our Lord jesus Christ. First truly I give thankes to my God, through jesus Christ for all you: Because your faith is published throughout the whole world, etc. I desire to see you, and to be comforted in you, by the faith, which is mutually yours, and mine. Which desire afterward he obtained, And tarried (in Rome) full two years Act. 28. 30. in his hired lodging, and he received all that came unto him, preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things that concern our Lord jesus Christ, with all confidence, without prohibition. Whereby it is manifest that the Romans received the Catholic Faith, planted by our Saviour, and that their faith was published throughout the whole Rom. 1. world, and was Catholic and Universal. Secondly, that the Romans were to continue in this their Catholic Faith, thus planted amongst them, until the world's end, is manifest by the Scripture, saying: I Isa. 66. will send of them that shall be saved to the Gentiles, into the Sea, into Africa and Lydia, into Italy and Greece, etc. And they shall show my glory to the Gentiles, etc. And I will take of them to be Priests and Levites, saith our Lord. Because as a new heaven, and a new earth, which I make to stand before me; saith our Lord: so shall your seed stand, and your name. And there shall be month after month, and Sabbath after Sabbath. Again, the Scriptures speaking of the Romans, who at the coming of our Saviour were the strength, glory, and pride of the Gentiles; say, The strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee. Again, And Isay 60 5. thy gates shall be open continually, day and night they shall not be shut, that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee. Again, You shall eat the strength of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall be proud, etc. For as the Earth Isay 61. 6. bringeth forth her Spring, and as the Garden shooteth forth her seed: so shall our Lord God make justice to spring forth, and praise before all the Gentiles. Again, Thus saith our Isay 66. 12. Lord, Behold I will decline upon her, as it were a flood of peace, and as a torrent overflowing the glory of the Gentiles, (the Roman Empire, which at the birth of our Saviour was the glory of the Gentiles) that it might be verified which was spoken by the other Prophets, saying, I will make Gen. 12. 2. thee into a great Nation, and I will bless thee, and magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed. Again, I will put him, Psal. 88 28. the first begotten, high above the Kings of the earth: And I will keep my mercy unto him for ever, and my Testament faithful unto him, I will put his seed for ever and ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. Again, Ask of me, and Psal. 2. 8. I will give thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance, not the refuse of the Gentiles, but the Roman Empire, the strength, glory and pride of the Gentiles, and not only for a short time. But as a new Heaven, & a new Earth; which I make Isay 66. to stand before me; so shall your seed stand, and your name, according to the words of the Prophet Isay before rehearsed. Whereby it is sufficiently manifest, that the Romant received the same Faith, they now profess, from the Apostles, and they from our Saviour: and that the Catholic Roman Faith, is the Faith which was planted upon earth by our Saviour, and hath continued, and shall continue Catholic, or universally published throughout the world, until the day of judgement. CHAP. II. Wherein is proved that the Catholic Roman faith was planted in this Island of great Britain, by the Apostles, or Disciples of our Lord, and hath continued here ever since, without alteration or change, except in the keeping of Easter, and some ceremonies in Baptism, and that no other doctrine but it, can be taught for Christian doctrine, without incurring the penalty of Anathema, and separation from God for ever. THE Apostles and Disciples of our Saviour Matth. 28. 19 going by his appointment to teach all Nations, to observe, and do all things whatsoever he had commanded them; came within so short a time after the death of our Lord into this our Island of great Briton, as that the Britain's, ancient inhabitants of this Island; received their Faith and Religion from Saint Simon▪ Zelotes, Saint Paul, Saint joseph of Aramathia, a Disciple of our Lords, or from all, or some of them, as besides these ancient Writers, Theodoret de cur Graec. affect. lib. 9 Dorotheus Bishop of Tyre, in suo Synopsi Apostolorum; Aristobulus, in his Epistle which he writ to the Romans: Guildas, cap. 7. Nicephorus, lib. 2. cap. 40. do affirm also these Protestant Authors, Camden in his Britania, pag. 40. & 52. and 157. Bale, Cent. 1. cap. 26. Doctor Caius de Antiq. Cantab. Harrison in his Description of Britain, annexed to Hollinshead his great Chronicle of the last edition, vol. 1. pag. 23. Clapham in his Sovereign remedy against Schism, pag. 24. Fulke in his book against Heskins, Saunders, etc. pag. 561. and in his Confutation of Purgatory, pag. 332. Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops, pag. 1. Barlow in defence of the Articles of the Protestant Religion, pag. 21. Mayson in his book of the Consecration of Bishops, etc. That it might be verified which was spoken by the Prophet Isay, saying, I will send of them, that shall be saved to Isay 66. 19 the Gentiles, to the Lands fare off, to them that have not heard of me. Again, The Lands expect me, and the Isay 6. 9 ships of the sea in the beginning, that I may bring thy sons from a fare, etc. That the Britain's, the ancient Inhabitants of this Island, did persevere in this said Christian Faith and Religion, which they received from the Apostles, or Disciples, not only these ancient Writers do testify every one for his time, Tertullian, lib. contra judaeos. Origen in Ezechiel, hom. 4. Athanasius in his Epistle to the Emperor jovinian. Theodoret hist. Eccles. lib. 1. c. 10. But also Protestants themselves give ample testimonies, that the Britain's, who inhabited that part of the Island, which is now called England, being destroyed, and their name extinct by the Pagan Saxons: yet the remnant of the Britain's, which remained in Wales, retained the Faith and Religion which they received from the Apostles or Disciples, even unto the coming of Saint Augustine into this Island, for to convert the English Pagan Saxons, which was about the year of our Lord, 599. as Bale in his Pageant of Popes, where he saith, The Britain's being converted by joseph of Aramathia, held that faith at Augustine's coming. And Fulke in his Answer to a Counterfeit Catholic, pag. 40. where he saith, The Britain's before Augustine's coming, continued in the Faith of Christ, even from the Apostles times. FOX his Act. pag. 463. printed 1576. saith, The Britons after the receiving of the Faith, never forsook it, for any manner of false preaching of others. And Midleton in his Papisto mastix, pag. 202. proveth by the testimony of the ancient Fathers, in succeeding ages, that the Britons did not forsake the Faith, and Religion which they received from S. Paul, and Saint Simon Zelotes, and Saint joseph of Aramathia, but continued in it, with the Catholic Christians in other parts of the world. That this Faith and Religion, which the ancient Britons' received from the Apostles or Disciples, and persevered in until the coming of Saint Augustine into this Island, did not differ from that Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine professed, and planted in this Island amongst the English, except the keeping of Easter upon a wrong Sunday, out of ignorance in Astronomy, and the accomplishment of some mysteries used in Baptism: besides the testimony of Saint Beda hist. lib. 2. cap. 2. these Protestant Authors do affirm, Francis Mayson in his book of the Consecration of the Bishops of the Church of England, pag. 58. where he saith, that Augustine said to the Britain Bishops: If you will in these three things obey me, that is, in celebrating of Easter in due time, in accomplishing the mysteries of Baptism (by which we are borne to God) according to the manner of the holy Roman and Apostolical Church: and last of all, in preaching with us to this English Nation the word of our Lord: all your other ceremonies, fashions and customs, though they be contrary to ours, we will willingly suffer, and be content to bear with. And the like affirmeth Hollinshead, Vol. 1. pag. 103. Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops, pag. 6. And the Protestant Author of the History of Great-Brittaine, printed 1606. lib. 3. page 133. Whereby it is manifest, that (the keeping of Easter upon a wrong Sunday, and the accomplishment of the mysteries of Baptism excepted) Saint Augustine and the ancient Britons held, professed, and taught, one and the same Faith and Religion, and planted it amongst the English of this Island, who then were Pagans. That the Faith and Religion which Saint Augustine professed, and planted amongst the Pagan English of this Island, was the same, which at this day the Roman Catholics of this Island do profess, not only all Catholic Authors do affirm, but also Protestant Writers do confess, as john Bale, Cent. 1. cap. 73. where he saith, That King Ethelbert, an English Pagan King, First of all English men, received of Gregory the first, Bishop of Rome, by Augustine, the opinions of the Roman Religion. And Cent. 13. cap. 1. he saith, That AUGUSTINE brought in (amongst the English, who before were Pagan's) Monks, Altars Vestments, Images, Masses, Chalices, Cross, Candlesticks, Banners, holy (as they call them) Vessels, holy water, and books of Roman custom. Their chiefest studies were about the oblation of Masses. Doctor Humphrey in his jesuitism, part. 2. pag. 5. and 627. affirmeth, That Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine professed and taught Mass, Purgatory, Oblation of the wholesome Host, prayer for the dead, Relics, Transubstantiation, hallowing of Churches, Indulgences, Monkish life, Papacy, and the rest of the chaos of Popish superstition, as he calleth it. And these (saith he) did AUGUSTINE, a great Monk taught by GREGORY, a Monk) bring to the English, who before were Pagan. Ascham in his Apology, pro Caena Domini, contra Missam, pag. 33. affirmeth, That Augustine was The establisher of all Popish doctrine. HARRISON in his last edition of his Description of Brittany, Vol. 1. pag. 27. saith, That Augustine brought in Popery amongst the English Saxons, who then were Pagan. And the like affirmeth Osiander in his Epitome. hist. Eccl. Cent. 6. pag. 289. The Century Writers in the 6. Cent. chap. 10. col. 748. and other Protestants set down more at large in the Protestants Apology for the Roman Church. Now seeing that the Britons (the keeping of Easter upon a wrong Sunday, & the accomplishment of the mysteries used in Baptism excepted) were all of one Faith and Religion with Saint Augustine, and Saint Augustine was in Faith and Religion a Roman Catholic, or Papist: we rightly infer, that our Saviour was Author of that Faith and Religion, which Protestants do call Papistry: since that the Britain's received it, as is before said, from the Apostles or Disciples, and they from our Lord, and persevered in it with Saint Gregory and Saint Augustine, and the rest of the Christian world, without any alteration or change, saving some mysteries used in Baptism, and the keeping of Easter upon a wrong Sunday. In all things else they were so agreeable to the Faith and Religion, which Saint Augustine held and taught; that these two things reform, he desired their help and assistance in the conversion of the Pagan English Nation, by preaching unto them the Word of God, which he neither could, nor would have done, had they not both (these two things excepted) agreed in one, in all points of Faith and Religion: neither did S. Austen labour to teach, or reform the Britons in any thing else: and seeing in these two things (which to Protestants seem of little moment) Saint Augustine made so great difficulty, that he would not receive them into the Communion of the Catholic Roman Church, until they condescended to reform them: far greater difficulty would he have made in receiving them, if they had held any point of Protestantisme, and had denied the Mass, prayer for the dead, worship of Images, and esteemed him an Antichristian man, or Idolater, etc. Neither would he (though they should have offered themselves) have admitted them to preach, and contradict, and defame him amongst the English Pagans, or Gentiles, unto whom he was sent as an Apostle: much less would he have required their aid and assistance in preaching unto them, if they had accused him, as Protestants do now, of Idolatry, Antichristian doctrine, and to have been son of the Whore of Babylon, etc. That the Catholic Roman Faith, which Saint Augustine planted amongst the English Saxons, is at this day, and in all ages and times, since the said planting hath been confessed, by some known English inhabitants in this Island, all our Writers, Chronicles, Histories and Monuments, Laws in ancient time made in favour of it, Statutes of late years made to suppress it, the death of many for it, and the prisons full of such as at this instant do profess it, give ample testimony: and if any require further proof, I refer him to a book entitled The prudential Balance of Religion, which treateth hereof at large. Whereupon I conclude, that our Saviour was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith, and that (the keeping of Easter upon a wrong Sunday, and some mysteries used in Baptism excepted) it hath in all ages and times, since the plantation thereof by the Apostles or Disciples, continued in this Island; and that no man can or may preach, or teach any doctrine for Christian doctrine, but the Catholic Roman Faith, under pain of Anathema, etc. according to the words of Saint Paul, saying: Although we, or an Angel from Galath. 1. 8. heaven Euangelize to you, besides that we have evangelized to you, be he Anathema: as we have said before, so now we say again; If any Euangelize to you, besides that which you have received, be he Anathema, that is, separated from God, according to the words of our Saviour saying, Depart from me ye accursed into everlasting Matth. 24: 41. fire, which was prepared for the Devil and his angels. So I appeal to your Majesty well pleased, to consider the wrong and injustice, your Protestant Ministers do unto us Catholics, your ancient subjects, in persecuting us, for professing that Faith and Religion, which was planted upon earth by our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, and even from the Apostles times until this day, hath continued in this Island: and humbly beseech your Highness, that you would not think us disloyal or unfaithful to your Person or State, for that we will not become Anathemaes from God. For the difference which was between the ancient Britain's and Saint AUGUSTINE, about the time of the keeping of Easter, it is manifest by Saint Beda, lib. 3. cap. 4. that the Britain's fell into this error, for want of skill in Astronomy, For they knew (saith Saint BEDA) as Christian men do, that the resurrection of our Lord ought always to be celebrated on Sunday. But as Wilfred in S. Beda, l. 3. ca 25. ignorant men (in Astrology) they had not learned when that Sunday should come. That the Britain's fell into this error, after Constantine his time, is manifest by Eusebius, who, lib. 3. de vita Constantini, cap. 8. affirmeth, that the same keeping of Easter was observed in the City of Rome, in Italy, Africa, Egypt, Spain, France, Brittany, Lybia, and all Greece, in the Diocese of Asia, and Pontus, and finally in Cicilia, with one uniform consent. CHAP. III. Wherein is briefly proved by the general consent of all known Christian people, who lived in all ages and times, between the death of the Apostles, and rising of Luther, that our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith, which Protestants call Papistry, known Heretics on both parties only excepted. FIRST. Protestants themselves confess, That the true Church (so they call their Church) decayed presently after the Apostles times. So Fulke in his answer to a Counterfeit Catholic, page 35. Sebastianus Franciscus, in his Epistle de abrogandis statutis ecclesiasticis, affirmeth, That for these fourteen hundred years, the Church (of Protestants) hath been no where external and visible. Peter Martyr de Votis, page 477. saith, That errors (so they call our Catholic Faith) did begin immediately after the Apostles times. And page 476. he saith, That presently after their age, men began to decline from the word of God: so they esteem their Protestantisme. The Protestant Author of the book entitled Antichristus sive Pronostica finis mundi, page 13. affirmeth; That from the Apostles times, till Luther, the Gospel (of Protestants) had never open passage. Melancthon in 1. Cor. cap. 3. affirmeth, Thet presently from the beginning of the Church, the ancient Fathers obscured the doctrine, concerning the justification of Faith, increased Ceremonies, and devised peculiar Worships. Whereupon Peter Martyr de Votis, page 476. saith: As long as we shall insist upon Counsels and Fathers, we shall be always in the same errors. And Whitaker in his Controu. 2. quest. 5. page 299. de Ecclesia, saith: BELLARMINE doth bring forth certain testimonies out of Caluin, and the Centurie Writers, who have noted certain errors of the ancient Fathers, which they hold common with Papists, that is to say, of , of Merit, of the Limb, of Invocation of Saints, of the Unmarried life of Bishops, of justification, etc. I answer that it is true, which Caluin and the Centuries have written, that in many things the ancient Church hath erred, as of the Limb, of , of the Merit of Works, and in other things which are above rehearsed. WHITGIFT in his Defence to the Answer to the Admonition, page 473. saith: How greatly were almost all the Bishops, and learned Writers of the Greek Church, and Latin also, for the most part spotted with doctrine of , of Merits, of Invocation of Saints, and such like? And page 473. he saith; Surely you are not able to reckon in any age, since the Apostles times, any company of Bishops, that taught and held so sound doctrine in all points, as the Bishops of England do at this day. Whereupon, Luther in his book De seruo arbitrio, tom. 2. Wittenb. 1551. affirmeth the Fathers to have been blind and most ignorant in the Scriptures, to have erred all the time of their lives (from his doctrine) and that unless they were amended before their deaths, they were neither Saints, nor pertaining to the Church (of Protestants). And in his Colloquijs mensalibus, he saith: In the Writings of Hierome, there is not a word of true faith in Christ, and sound religion. Tertullian is very superstitious. I hold Origen long since accursed. Of chrysostom I make no account. Basil is of no worth, he is wholly a Monk. Cyprian is a weak Divine. The Apology of Philip Melancthon doth fare excel all the Doctors of the Church, and exceed even Augustine himself. POMERAN, a Protestant upon jonam, saith: Our Fathers, whether holy, or not holy▪ I esteem nothing, they have been blinded with the Spirit of Montanus, by humane traditions, and doctrine of devils, etc. They do not teach purely of justification. Beza in his Preface upon the New Testament, Dedicated to the Prince of Condy, printed 1587. affirmeth; That even in the best times, the ambition, ignorance, and lewdness of Bishops was such, that the very blind may easily perceive, how Satan was Precedent in their assemblies or Counsels, because they taught opposite doctrine to the doctrine of the Protestants of this age. Whereupon Perkins in his Exposition of the Creed, page 400. in behalf of himself and all Protestants, saith, We say that before the days of Luther, for the space of many hundred years, an universal Apostasy (from Protestantisme, as he meaneth) overspread the whole face of the earth, and that our Church (of Protestants) was not visible to the world. And many more Protestants confess that the Faith or doctrine, which Protestants now teach and profess, hath been no where visibly known, published, or preached, since the Apostles times until Luther, as is set down more at large in the Protestants Apology for the Roman Church. And it is of itself so manifest, that no Protestant hath hitherto been able to assign in the time between the death of the Apostles, and rising of Luther, one only Protestant Minister, Doctor, Writer or Teacher, that held, professed, or taught the doctrine which Protestants do now hold and teach. Whereby it is manifest, that in all that time, which is about the space of one thousand four hundred years, there were no known Protestants, but all known Christians, who lived within the compass of these years, were either Roman Catholics, or reputed Heretics by both parties. Whereupon we rightly infer, that all known Christian men, who lived in all ages since the time of the Apostles, until the rising of Luther (known Heretics, and so reputed by both party only excepted) do testify that our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith; every Christian believing that our Lord jesus Christ was the Author of this Religion, and Planter thereof upon earth. Now that there were known Roman Catholics, living, and being, during these fourteen hundred years; Protestants themselves confess. Fulke in his Treatise against Stapleton, page 25. affirmeth: Some Protestants have written, that the Pope hath blinded the world these many hundred years; some say a thousand, some one thousand two hundred, some nine hundred. And the same Protestant in his retentive Motives, pag. 248. speaking of Leo and Gregory, Bishops of Rome, the first of them living about the year of our Lord, 440. and the second of them about 590. saith: The mystery of iniquity (so he calleth the Pope and our Catholic Faith) wrought in the Sea of Rome, near five or six hundred years before them. MIDLETON in his Papisto-mastix, page 193. affirmeth, saying: We are sure that the mystery of iniquity (so he pleaseth to call the Pope, and our Catholic Faith) did work in Paul's time, and fell not a sleep as soon as Paul was dead, etc. and therefore no marvel though perusing Counsels, Fathers and Stories, from the Apostles forward, we find the print of the Pope's feet. SEBASTIAN FRANCUS, in his Epistle De abrogandis Statutis ecclesiasticis, affirmeth: That for certain through the work of Antichrist (so he calleth the Pope, and our Catholic Faith) the external Church (of Protestants) together with the Faith and Sacraments vanished away presently after the Apostles departure. So potent were the Pope and Roman Catholics, even in the Apostles times, that presently after the Apostles departure, they were able to make the external Church of Protestants, together with the Faith and Sacraments of Protestants vanished away, as this Protestant affirmeth. Brokard in his Treatise upon the Revelations, pag. 110. affirmeth, That the Church (of Protestants) was trodden down, and oppressed by the Papacy, even from Sylvester's time unto these times. Which he there, and page 123. accounteth to have been for the space of 1260. years. Napper in his Treatise upon the Revelations, pag. 68 saith: Between the year of Christ, 300. and 316. the Antichristian and Papistical reign began reigning universally, and without any debatable contradiction, 1260. years; and pag. 145. he saith, even 1260. years the Pope and his Clergy hath possessed the outward visible Church of Christians. Yet the Pope and his Clergy could not come to reign universally, and without any debatable contradiction upon a sudden, as we see by experience in Protestant Ministers, who have been now about an hundred years, and yet do not reign, or possess their Religion in any one Country: without some opposition, whereby it is manifest, that the Pope and his Clergy were many hundred years, before they could obtain to reign universally without any debatable contradiction. Downham in his Treatise of Antichrist, lib. 2. cap. 2. pag. 25. affirmeth; That the general defection of the visible Church, foretold in the second of the Thessalonians (which he esteemeth to have been wrought by the Pope and Roman Catholics) began to work in the Apostles times. Caelus secundus Curio, in his book De amplitudine Regni Dei, lib. 1. pag. 43. saith; Are we ignorant in how great darkness, blindness, and ignorance (so he calleth our Catholic Faith) the world hath continued almost from the Apostles age, to these very times, in which above all expectation our Lord began to manifest himself. And Perkins upon the Creed, page 307. affirmeth; That during the space of nine hundred years, the Popish heresy (so he pleaseth to call the Catholic Roman Faith) hath spread itself over the whole earth: whereby appeareth that it was five or six hundred years before; since it could not spread itself of a sudden over the whole earth. And by these confessions of Protestants themselves, and by many more, set down in the Protestants Apology, it is manifest that the Catholic Roman Faith did begin even in the Apostles times, and hath reigned universally over the visible Church of Christians 1260. years, if we will believe the confession of our Adversaries themselves. So dread Sovereign, if the testimonies of all known Christian men, who lived in all ages and times, from the Apostles times, until the rising of Luther, may find grace and credit with your Majesty, they all (known Heretics, and so reputed by both parties only excepted) do witness, that our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith; for that they all believed and esteemed our Lord to be Author of that Religion, they themselves professed. And this were sufficient to show unto your most excellent Majesty, that the Son of God was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith: but because Protestant Ministers do so often brag, that the Scriptures, or written Word of God doth make for them: I will further examine the Scriptures, to see what they say of the Religion which was to be planted by our Saviour, and will begin with the old Testament, according to the directions of our Lord, saying; Search the Scriptures, (the old Testament, for as then no part of the New john 5. 39 was written) for you think by them to have life everlasting, and the same are they that give testimony of me: and after descend down unto the New, and so prove by the general consent of the whole Scriptures, that our Saviour was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. CHAP. IU. Wherein is proved by the testimony of Moses and the Patriarches, that our Saviour was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. TO discern the true Prophet from the false, and to discern the word of God from the words of arrogant men; God Almighty gave us this rule, saying: If in secret cogitation thou answer. How Deut. 18. 21. shall I understand the word that our Lord spoke not? This sign thou shalt have: that which the same Prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord, and cometh not to pass, that our Lord hath not spoken. But by the arrogancy of his mind, the Prophet hath forged it. And the Prophet, that being depraved with arrogancy, Deut. 18. 20. will speak in my name the things that I did not command him to say, shall be slain. Whereupon our Saviour saith, All things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the Luke 24. 44. Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and Psalms of me, otherwise Moses and the Prophets, should have been false Prophets, and our Saviour none of the Messiah, but a seducer and deceiver, and the God of the Scriptures a false God. So supposing that our Saviour was the Messiah promised to be sent, for the redemption of mankind, and that the Prophets of both Testaments were true Prophets, and not guilty of death, but prophesied things which must be infallibly fulfilled. We will seek out what they say of the Seed, Faith, Religion, or Gospel, which was to be planted by our Saviour upon earth. And to let pass other promises and prophecies written by Moses, we will begin with that great promise and oath made by God to ABRAHAM, the Father of all that believe: Whereupon is grounded and Rom. 4. 11. founded the succession of the Church in all ages; the oath of God being the highest act, that can be made in heaven or in earth, in confirmation of a truth, it cannot be contradicted without great impiety; or denied to be fulfilled, without making the God of Abraham our Lord, to be forsworn, and a false God, which is the highest kind of untruth; opposite to the greatest truth that can be given. Abraham going to sacrifice his only begotten son Isaac, according as God had commanded him; so greatly pleased his divine Majesty in that act of obedience, that he confirmed his former promise made unto him (that he should be heir of the world) by an oath, saying; By my own self have I sworn, saith the Lord, Gen. 12. 3. and 15. 5. Rom. 4. 13. Gen. 22. 16. because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake. I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the seashore, thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies, and in thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth, because thou hast obeyed my voice. He saith not (saith Saint Paul) and to seeds, as in many; Galath. 3. 16. but as in one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. That in Christ jesus, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, not the Nation of the jews, or Britain's only, but all the Nations of the earth should be blessed, and become children of Abraham, and sons, and seed of Christ jesus, borne again (as Saint Peter saith) not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the word of God. 1. Pet. 1. 23. Whereupon Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians, In 1. Cor. 4. 6. Christ jesus, by the Gospel, I begat you. And to the Ephesians he saith, That the Gentiles are coheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise by the Gospel. And so saith, That Christ hath redeemed us from the Galath. 5. 14. curse of the Law, that on the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham might be made in Christ jesus, that we may receive the promise. The Scriptures foreseeing that God instifieth Galath. 3. 8. the Gentiles by Faith, showed unto Abraham before, that in thee shall all Nations be blessed. Not for a day, or a year, but for ever, according to the words of Saint Luke, saying: He hath received Israel his child, Luke 1. 55. being mindful of his mercy: As he spoke to our Fathers, to Abraham and his seed for ever. So likewise God said to ABRAHAM, SARA thy wife shall bear thee a son, Gen. 17. 19 and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant to him, for a perpetual covenant, and to his seed after him. Whereby we see that this oath of God to Abraham, is to be fulfilled in and upon Christians, professing the Faith and Gospel planted by our Saviour, and that those Christians, upon whom this oath can, or may be fulfilled, are the seed of our Saviour, and the children of his Kingdom, and heirs of the Promises, & none else, unless we will make God Almighty forsworn, which is too great impiety, and a vanity for any man to acknowledge him for a God, whom he professeth in deeds to be a violater of oaths and promises. So it resteth to examine, whether this oath of God be verified upon Roman Catholics, or upon Protestants: that we may clearly see which of them are true Christians, and heirs of the Promises, and seed of our Saviour. And as for Protestants, they themselves confess, that their Faith and Religion, which they now profess, hath been so fare off from being multiplied as the Stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore, that presently after the Apostles times it became no where external or visible; as we have showed in the precedent Chapter: And it is of itself so manifest, that Protestants are not able, from the time of the Apostles, until the rising of Luther, which is during the space of fourteen hundred years or thereabouts, to assign one known man of the Religion they now profess. If this oath be made to Protestantisme, where is the seed of Protestants multiplied as the Stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the seashore? Seeing that for many hundred years, never a Protestant Star appeared. And if this oath was made to Protestants, That they should possess the gates of their enemies, and that in their seed, all the Nations of the earth should be blessed: As he spoke to Abraham, and his seed Luke 1. for ever. How cometh it to pass, that presently after the Apostles times, Protestants were so overcome by Roman Catholics, that from that time until Luther, they have been no where visibly known, but so latent and invisible, as for all that space they cannot produce one Protestant Minister or Doctor, who taught or maintained the doctrine they now teach? If it be true that the God of the Protestants hath made these promises, and this oath to them, it must needs be, that he is a very wretched unfaithful God, that hath for fourteen hundred, or fifteen hundred years together violated his oath and promises. And I appeal to your Majesty, well pleased to consider how great injustice it is, to have your ancient Subjects spoilt of their Lands, Goods, Liberty and Life, and be condemned as Felons and Traitors, for that they will not believe in such a prejured God. And how happy a thing it is to be a Roman Catholic, seeing this oath of God is so manifestly fulfilled in them, that (as it is set down in the last Chapter) even our Adversaries themselves confess, for twelve hundred ceares together they have been dilated over the world, and possessed the gates of their enemies, and blessed all the Christian Families of the earth with temporal and spiritual birth, by regeneration in Baptism, and education, etc. These are the seed of Abraham his servant, Psal. 104. the children of jacob his elect, he is the Lord our God, in all the earth are his judgements, he hath been mindful for ever of his Testament, of the Word which he commanded unto thousand generations. Our Lord is not as Deut 32. 31. their Gods: our enemies also are judges. It may please your Majesty to observe the notes and marks of our Catholic Roman Church, and Faith, here set down in this oath of God to Abraham, viz. Unity, Universality, and Succession. The Unity is promised in these words, Thy seed, not diverse seeds, that there might be as many sects, as men, as some Elizabethians, some Lutherans, some Caluinists, some Hussites, some Anabaptistes, some Armenians, some Gomaristes, some Trasquits; all differing in Faith and Religion: but one seed, Faith, or Word of God planted in the hearts of men, by the preaching of our Lord, as witnesseth our Saviour, expounding the Parable of the Cockle of the field, said to his Disciples: He that soweth good seed, is the Son of man. Again, Matth. 13. 37. The good seed, those are the children of the Kingdom. Matth. 13. 38. Again. O Father, the words which thou gavest me, I Io. 17. 8. have given them: and they have received, and knoweth in very deed, that I came forth from thee, and have believed that thou didst send me, to fulfil the promises made to Abraham, the Patriarches and Prophets. The second mark is Catholic or Universal, here promised in these words: And I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of heaven: which do manifestly appear and shine in all Countries. And God brought Abraham Gen. 15. 5. forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven, and number the Stars if thou canst. And he said to him, so shall thy seed be, as the Stars of heaven, shining in all Countries; not only in Brittany, France, or in Germany, but in all Nations, according to the oath of God, saying: In thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth. Whereupon our Saviour said; He that soweth good seed, is the Son of Man, etc. and Matth. 13. 37. the field is the world. Again, You are the light of the Matth. 5. 15. world. Again, Teach ye all Nations, etc. The third mark is Succession, which is promised in these words: Thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies. Gen. 12. As he spoke to our Fathers, to Abraham and his Luke 1. 55. seed for ever: not that the Succession should decay, or become invisible; that there should need new missions, but that it should continue until the world's end; according to the words of our Saviour, saying: I have joh. 15. 16. appointed you, that you go and bring fruit, and your fruit abide. Again, And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Matth. 24. 14. preached in all Nations, and then shall come the consummation of the world. Again, The gates of hell shall not Matth. 24. 3. prevail against it, etc. And the like three marks, or notes of the Church, which was to be planted by our Saviour, your Majesty may observe to be set down almost in every Prophecy; though I omit to speak more of them for brevity's sake. Secondly, God Almighty promised to Isaac, saying: I will perform the oath▪ which I swore unto Abraham Gen. 26. thy father, and I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of heaven; and in thy seed shall be blessed all the Nations of the earth, because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my precepts and Commandments. Thirdly, he promised to jacob, saying: Thy seed Gen. 28. shall be as the dust of the earth, thou shalt be dilated to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South, and in thee, and thy seed, all the Families of the earth shall be blessed, and I will be thy keeper wheresoever thou shalt go, and I will bring thee again into this Land, neither will I forsake thee, until I have performed whatsoever I have spoken. Which Prophecies we see have been manifestly fulfilled in our Catholic Roman Faith, which hath been universally and successively dilated over all Nations, according to these Prophecies, as we have proved in the former Chapters: and can no way be verified upon Protestantisme, since it decayed presently after the Apostles times; and for a thousand and four hundred years together, was never known to have been taught or practised, and now is but scattered in diverse corners of the earth, divided into many sects, teaching opposite doctrine in matters of Faith, and here we seek for one Faith, or seed dilated over the world. God Almighty here saith; I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham, neither will I forsake thee, until I have performed whatsoever I have spoken. And I appeal to your Majesty well pleased to consider, whether it be more convenient to believe the words of God, when he saith, he will perform his oath and promises, than the words of Protestant Ministers, who affirm that the seed of Christ hath failed, and now after a thousand and five hundred years, they are sent to plant it, in corners of the earth. What is found more mad, (saith Saint AUGUSTINE) than this folly, or August. count. epist. Parmeniani. lib. 1. rather frenzy? In so many Nations of the world, and for the most part God hath fulfilled, and doth yet fulfil, until it come unto all, which he hath promised; who said, I will not leave thee, until I do these things, which I have spoken unto thee: And now these (Protestants) do believe such as tell them, that it is not fulfilled what God promised; and that therefore the seed of Abraham, which is Christ, to have decayed in those parts of the earth, in which it was planted; and that the promises of God are void, because they are not admitted into their Communion, amongst whom it is fulfilled. Thus Saint Augustine. So If the oath of God, or the Promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, written by Moses, may find grace and credit with your Majesty, it is manifest by their testimonies, that our Saviour was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. CHAP. V. By the testimony of the Prophet DAVID, and the Psalms, our Saviour was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. OUR Saviour saith, That all things must Luke 24. 44. needs be fulfilled which is written in the Psalms of him. So we will examine what the Psalms say of our Saviour and his seed, the Christians, that we may see, whether the Prophecies contained therein be verified upon Roman Catholics, or upon Protestants; it being now a thousand and six hundred years since the Nativity of our Saviour; those must needs be his seed, and true Christians, upon whom they are verified, seeing that it is impossible Hebr. 6. for God to lie. First, the Psalms say; Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee: Ask of me, and I will give thee the Psal. 2. 7. Gentiles for thine inheritance, and thy possession, the ends of the earth. Secondly, All the ends of the earth shall remember, Psal. 21, 27. and be converted to our Lord: and all the Families of the Gentiles shall adore in his fight: Because the Kingdom is our Lords, and he shall have dominion over the Gentiles. Thirdly, For thy fathers there are borne sons to thee, Psal. 40. thou shalt make them Princes over all the earth, they shall be mindful of thy name in all generation, and generations, for ever, and for evermore. Fourthly, The God of gods, our Lord hath spoken, and Psal. 49. 1. hath called the earth, from the rising of the Sin, unto the going down thereof. Fiftly, Their sound is gone into all the earth, and their Psal. 18. words into the ends of the world. Sixtly, He shall descend as rain upon a fleece of wool, Psal. 71. 6. and as the drops distilling upon the earth. In his days shall arise justice and abundance of peace, so long as the Moon endureth. And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the end of the world. Seventhly, I will put him, the first begotten, higher Psal. 88 27. than the Kings of the earth. I will keep my mercies unto him for ever, and my Testament faithful to him. I will put his seed for ever and ever, and his Throne as the days of heaven. But if his children shall forsake my Law, and keep not my Commandments, I will visit their iniquity with a rod, and their sins with stripes; but my mercy I will not take away from him, neither will I hurt in my truth. And many more the like Prophecies of the conversion of the Gentiles, and propagation of the Faith, or seed of our Saviour over the world for ever; which cannot be verified upon Protestants, or Protestantisme, who have been so fare off from having the Gentiles for their inheritance, and their Possessions unto the ends of the earth, or converting all the Families of the Gentiles, or from having abundance of peace, as long as the Moon endureth, or from having their seed to endure for ever, and their throne as the days of heaven: that in all the time which was between the death of the Apostles, and the rebellion of Luther; which is for one thousand and four hundred years or thereabouts, they are not able to assign one Doctor, Preacher or Writer, that held or taught the doctrine Protestants do now preach and teach. That our Catholic Roman Faith was planted by the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord, and hath continued successively dilated over the world, according to these Prophecies, we have proved in the first, second, and third Chapters. Whereupon we rightly infer, that by the testimony of David and the Psalms, our Saviour was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith, and conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AUGUSTINE, saying: We may see many accuse themselves of their former August. epist. 48: blindness, who could believe that Christ was exalted above the heavens, though they did not see it, and yet did deny that his glory was over all the earth, although they did see it: When the Prophet hath so clearly comprehended them both in one sentence, saying: Be exalted above the Psal. 107. heavens, O God, and thy glory over all the earth. CHAP. VI By the testimony of the Prophet Isay, our Saviour was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. THE Prophet Isay speaking more abundantly of the seed (Faith and Religion, which was to be planted by our Saviour) than the rest of the Prophets, saith: It is a small thing, that thou Isay 49. shouldest be my servant, to raise the Tribes of jacob, and to convert the dregges of Israel. Behold I have given thee to be a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be salvation, even to the furthest part of the earth. King's shall see, and Princes shall rise and adore for our Lord's sake, because he is faithful, and for the holy one of Israel, who hath chosen thee. Again, Behold I will Isay 49. 22. lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and to the people I will exalt my sign. And they shall carry thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters upon their shoulders. And Kings shallbe thy nursing fathers, and Queens thy nurses, with countenance cast toward the ground, they shall adore thee, and they shall lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. This Prophecy cannot be verified of Protestanisme: First, for that they were never yet any light to the Gentiles, and a salvation to the furthest part of the earth, that they might become Christians; many Protestants denying Christianity, become Turks in Transiluania and Hungary, and many English at Tripoli, Algiers and Tunis: And some learned Protestants, as Sebastian Cestalio, Bernard Ochine, David George, Adam Neucers' and others, who being obstinate against Catholic Religion, either turned Turks or jews, seeing the Prophecies not fulfilled in Protestantisme. Secondly, for that they are not able to produce any one Heathen or Pagan King or Queen, that hitherto hath embraced Protestanisme. Your Majesty and other Christian Kings and Queens, your Predecessors, in the Kingdom of Great Brittany, have had no other Christendom, then that they have received from Catholic Roman Priests. Thirdly, It is not the custom of Protestants to adore their God with such respect or reverence, as the Prophet Isay here speaks of: every Protestant is so well assured of his salvation, that he hath no need to humble himself before his God; to ask forgiveness of his sins, or salvation of his soul. Not a Protestant Boy or Girl, that doth not use more respect or reverence to their masters, when they speak unto them, and all Protestants in their degrees and estates, to their temporal Lords and Princes; then they do, when they pray, or speak to their God. When they speak to their earthly Lords or Kings; either they Note. stand, or kneel handsomely, with their hats in their hands; but when they speak to their God, commonly they either speak sitting, with their caps on, as hail fellow well met with their God; or else with their noses thrust into their hats, for fear, as it seemeth, that the evil smells, which come from their God should infect their brains. Their Temples and Synagogues are not so neat as their Bedchambers, Galleries, or Chambers of Presence or audience; and when they come into their Temples to treat with their God, or hear his Word or Law, unless it be for respect of some man there, every one without respect to his God, sitteth him down, and putteth on his cap: In so much as the God of the Protestants, is the most uncivil, evill-mannered God of all those, who have borne the name of Gods upon earth, yea worse than Pan, the god of Clowns, that can endure no ceremonies or good manners: whereby it is manifest, that this Prophecy is not verified upon so uncivil, and unmannerly a Religion as Protestantisme is: but upon our Catholic Roman Faith and Religion, which all the known Christian Kings and Queens, that ever have been before Luther, professed (reputed Heretics by both parties only excepted) as we have set down in the third Chapter. Again, God Almighty by the Prophet Isay saith to the Gentiles, whom he calleth the barren women, for that before the Incarnation of our Saviour, they were without fruit of eternal life. Praise O barren Isay 54. 1. woman which bearest not, sing praise and make joyful noise, which didst not bear, because many are the children of the desolate (of the Gentiles which were before the coming of Christ desolate of spiritual help) more than of her that hath a husband (the Synagogue of the jews) enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy Tabernacles, for thou shalt penetrate to the right hand, and to the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles. Again: For a moment, a little while, have Isay 64. 7. I forsaken thee, and in great mercies will I gather thee, in a moment of indignation have I hid my face a little while from thee, and in mercies everlasting have I had mercy on thee, saith thy Redeemer our Lord. As in the days of No, is this thing to me, to whom I swore, that I would no more bring the waters of No upon the earth. So have I sworn not to be angry with thee, and not to rebuke thee, for the mountains shall be moved, and the little hills shall tremble, but my mercy shall not departed from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved, saith our Lord thy Miserator. Again, Every vessel that is made against Isay 64. 17. thee shall not prosper, and every tongue resisting thee in judgement, thou shalt judge. This is the inheritance of the servants of our Lord. This Prophecy of Esay cannot be verified upon Protestantisme, for that since our Saviour's time, there hath not been more Protestants than Iewes, neither have the children of the Protestants been more in number, than the children of the jews, who are a great people in number, and have continued visible in great numbers, dispersed through many parts of the world, as Protestants themselves confess: as the Centurie Writers, in the fourteenth and fifteenth Chapter of every Centurie, where they make mention from time to time of their abode, and at this day the Synagogue of the jews is more dilated, and greater than any one Sect of Protestants in the world. Secondly, neither can this be verified of Protestantisme, that after our Saviour's coming, They should enlarge the place of their tents, penetrate to the right hand and the left, and that the seed of Protestants should inherit the Gentiles. Neither could this oath of God be made to Protestants: I have sworn not to be angry with Protestants, and not to rebuke them; for the mountains shall be moved, and the little hills shall tremble, but my mercy shall not departed from Protestants, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved, saith our Lord thy Miserator: unless they will make God Almighty forsworn, since they themselves confess that Protestantisme vanished away presently after the Apostles times, and was so extinguished, that for a thousand and four hundred years, they cannot name one Protestant man, that taught the doctrine they now teach. In such sort, as this malediction of the Prophecy is fulfilled in them, as upon the enemies of our Saviour; where it is written, Every vessel that is made against thee shall not prosper. And all the blessings of this Prophecy are verified upon our Catholic Roman Faith, which was planted by the Apostles, and hath been dilated over the world, and embraced of all Christian people, who lived between the death of the Apostles and rising of Luther, (reputed Heretics to both parties only excepted) as we have proved in the first, second, and third Chapters. And by this oath of God here set down, it is as certain that the Catholic Roman Church and Faith shall never be suppressed; as it is certain that the world shall not be drowned with water any more: the oath and promise of God Almighty being equally given for assurance of both, saying: As the day of No is this thing to me, to whom I answer, that I would no more bring in the waters of No upon the earth: so have I sworn not to be angry with thee, or rebuke thee, for the mountains shall be moved, and the little hills shall tremble, but my mercy shall not departed from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved, saith our Lord thy Miserator. And your Majesty may be pleased here to observe, that those Kings and people, who persecute the Catholic Roman Faith, do but bring misery and unhappiness upon themselves, according to the word of God in this Prophecy, saying; Every vessel that is made against thee shall not prosper: and after all their rage and cruelty of hanging, drawing and quartering, imprisonments, and severe Laws made against Roman Catholics, they must come to be judged by them, according to the words of God in this Prophecy, saying; That every tongue resisting thee in judgement, thou shalt judge, this is the inheritance of the servants of our Lord (jesus Christ) and their justice with me, saith our Lord; to be judge of those, who resisted them in judgement. Again, God Almighty speaking of the increase of Christian Religion, saith; Arise, be illuminated jerusalem, Isay 60. because thy light is come, & the glory of our Lord is risen upon thee: Upon thee shall our Lord arise, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and Kings in the brightness of thy rising, lift up thine eyes round about, and see all these gathered together, they are come to thee: thy sons shall come from a far, and daughters shall rise from thy side. Then thou shalt see and abound, and thy heart shall marvel and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee. Again, For Isay 60. the Lands expect me, or the ships on the sea in the beginning, that I may bring thy sons from far. Again, And Isay 60. thy gates shallbe open continually, day & night they shall not be shut, that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee, and their Kings may be brought. For the Nation and the Kingdom that shall not serve thee, shall perish. Now suppose that there were Protestants in our Saviour and the Apostles times, yet is it manifest that these Prophecies cannot be verified upon them, That the Gentiles should walk in the light of Protestantisme, and Kings in the brightness of their rising, and the multitude of the sea be converted unto them, and the strength of the Gentiles, or that the Islands did expect Protestantisme, and the ships of the sea in the beginning, or that the gates of Protestants Temples, were open continually, day and night, that the strength of the Gentiles might be brought to Protestanisme, and their Kings. Since the Protestants themselves confess, that after the Apostles times Protestantisme vanished away, and was no where so much as visible, for a thousand and four hundred years. In such sort, as within all that space they are not able to name any one man; much less one Heathen or Pagan King, converted to the Religion they now profess. So, suppose that in our Saviour's time there were Protestants, it is manifest that they were these enemies of Christian Religion, upon whom was verified this part of the Prophecy, saying; The Nation, and the Kingdom that shall not serve thee, shall perish. Again, God Almighty speaking of the Christians after our Saviour's coming, saith by the same Prophet: I will give their works in truth, and make a Isay. 61. perpetual covenant with them, and they shall know their seed in the Gentiles, and their bud in the midst of peoples, all that shall see them, shall know them, that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. Again, Upon thy Isay 62. walls, jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen, all the day, and all the night, for ever, they shall not hold their peace. And you that remember our Lord, hold not your peace, and give not silence to him, until he establish, and until he make jerusalem the praise in the earth. Our Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength: If I shall give thy wheat any more, to be meat to thy enemies, and if the strange children shall drink thy wine, wherein thou hast laboured. Because they that shall gather it together, shall eat it, and shall praise the Lord, and they that carried it together, shall drink it in my holy courts. Suppose that there were Protestants in our Saviour's & the Apostles times, yet these Prophecies could not be verified upon them, that God Almighty should make a perpetual covenant with Protestants, visibly to maintain their seed in the Gentiles, and their bud in the midst of peoples. Neither can this oath be verified upon Protestants: Our Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the hand of his strength, that he would give the wheat of Protestants no more to be meat for their enemies, and that strangers should not drink the wine, wherein Protestants have laboured: who decayed presently after the Apostles times, as they confess, and were so fare off from enjoying these blessings here promised, that all the maledictions prophesied to wicked and impious men, enemies to God's truth, fell upon them in such sort, that there is less memory of them, then of Sodom and Gomorra, which was destroyed with fire from heaven, or of Coat, Dathan and Abiron, who were swallowed up quick into the earth; of whom there is some mention made in other men's writings. But of Protestants living after the Apostles times, who should before Luther hold, and teach the doctrine they now teach. No Author doth give testimony of any such men, or make so much mention of them, as of any of their names, or Countries where they dwelled, or where they were destroyed: wherefore it seemeth, that if ever they were in these times, they were enormous wicked vile people, cursed of God above all the men that ever lived upon the face of the earth; even such abominable people, as all men were ashamed to name, or make any mention of any one of them; people that descended into hell quick, of whom they would keep no memory. Now, that all these Prophecies are verified upon our Catholic Roman Faith and Religion, we have sufficiently showed in the first, second and third Chapters of this book: whereupon we infer, that by the testimonies of the Prophet Isay, our Saviour was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith, and planter of it upon earth. And so conclude this Chapter with the words of Saint AUGUSTINE, saying: What can be exacted August. de Vnit. Ecclae. to be spoken more manifestly? Behold how many, and how clear testimonies have been brought out of one Prophet, and yet there is resistance and contradiction made, not to any man, but to the Spirit of God, and to the most evident truth. And yet the glory of Christ is envied by those, who will boast of the name of Christians, that those things which have been so long before foretold of him, may not be believed to be fulfilled; whereas now they are not foretold, but shown, seen and possessed. So Saint AUGUSTINE; and we with him. That these Prophecies of Isay are spoken of the Church of Christ; Protestant's themselves confess in the Collections of the Contents of the Chapters, set down before every Chapter, in their English Protestant Bibles. CHAP. VII. Wherein is proved by the testimony of the Prophet jeromie, that our Saviour was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. THE Prophet jeremy speaking of the estate of the Church after our Saviour's coming, saith: Behold the days jerem. 31. 37. shall come, saith our Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, etc. And this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: after these days saith the Lord, I will give my Law in their bowels, and in their heart I will write it: I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And a man shall no more teach his neighbour, and a man his brother, saying; Know our Lord, for all shall know me, from the least of them, even to the greatest, saith our Lord, for I will be merciful to their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Thus saith our Lord that giveth the Sun for the light of the day, the order of the Moon, and of the Stars for the light of the night: that troubleth the sea, and the waves thereof do sound, the Lord of hosts is his name: If these Laws shall fail before me, saith our Lord, (that there be no more Sun for the light of the day, and Moon and Stars for the light of the night, and ebbing and flowing of the Sea) then also the seed Israel shall fail, that it be not a Nation before me for ever. Whereupon our Saviour saith; This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole Matth. 24. world, for a testimony to all Nations, and then shall come the consummation of the world, and the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. Until then, if we will believe the Word of God, the seed of our Saviour, the Church of God shall in all ages and times so flourish upon earth, as that the Christians shall not need, secretly one to teach another: But all shall know our Lord, from the least of them to the greatest, and be a visible Nation for ever. So I appeal to your Majesty well pleased to consider, how ignorant he should be in the Scriptures, that should make himself of the Congregation of Protestants, in hope to enter into this Testament with God, when they have been so invisible for one thousand and four hundred years together, that they are not able to assign one man, who for all that time professed the Faith they now hold; much less one Nation. So if Protestant's would prove by the Scriptures, that their Religion (which hath been so many hundred years unknown) were the Faith planted by our Saviour, they should first prove, that for one thousand and four hundred years, there hath been no Sun for the light of the day, or Moon for the light of the night, to make good the Word of God: otherwise they prove nothing, but that they are ignorant in the Scriptures, and in effect and deed, blaspheme God and his holy Word, by affirming him in effect and deed, to be a violater of his promises written in the Scriptures. That this promise of God here spoken of, is to be performed in, and upon Christians: Saint Paul witnesseth in the eight to the Hebrews, where he repeateth the foresaid words of jeromie, as to be fulfilled in and upon Christians. That our Catholic Roman Faith hath successively continued according to this Prophecy, we have showed in the first, second and third Chapters. CHAP. VIII. Wherein is proved by the testimony of Ezechiel, That our Saviour was the Author of the Roman Catholic Faith. THE Prophet Ezechiel speaking of the estate of the Church after the coming of our Saviour, saith; I will save Ezech. 34. my flock, and it shallbe no more into spoil, etc. And I will raise up over them one Pastor, who shall feed them; my servant David he shall feed them, and he shall be their Pastor. And I the Lord will be their God; and my servant David the Prince in the midst of them. I the Lord have spoken, and I will make a covenant of peace with them, and will make the cruel beasts to cease out of the Land. And they that dwell in the desert (the Hermits and religious men, who now, and in the Primative Church lived in the desert, as witnesseth Saint Austin, Epist. 121.) shall sleep secure in the forrost. And I will put them round about my hill (his Church) a blessing. And I will bring down the shower in his time, there shall be raynes of blessing (abundance of spiritual graces, and consolations of the holy Ghost, according to the words of our Saviour, saying: He that believeth in me, out of his belly shall john 7. 38. flow rivers of living water.) And the tree of the field (our Saviour the Vine, or Olive tree) shall give his fruit, and john 15. Rom. 11. the earth (humane nature, of which it is said, thou art earth) shall give his spring, and they shall be in their Land Gen. 3. without fear, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have broken the chains of their yoke, and shall have delivered them out of the hand of those that rule over them. And they shall be no more for a spoil to the Gentiles, neither shall the beasts of the earth devour them: but they shall dwell confidently without any terror, and I will raise up to them a bud of name, and they shall be no more diminished for famine in the Land, neither shall they bear any more the reproach of the Gentiles. This Prophecy to be spoken of our Saviour under the name of David; first, Protestants in their Bible's confess it: secondly, it is manifest, for that David the Prophet was dead many years before the time of Ezechiel. Yet this Prophecy cannot be verified upon Protestants, that Protestants shall live in their Land without fear, delivered out of the hand of those who rule over them, and be no more for a spoil to the Gentiles, nor be any more diminished, nor bear any more the reproach of the Gentiles, since they have been so spoiled and oppressed for one thousand and four hundred years together, that during all that time, they are not able to assign one known man, who professed the Religion they now profess. This Prophecy to be verified upon Roman Catholics, we have showed in the first, second and third Chapters. CHAP. IX. Wherein is proved by the testimony of the Prophets, Daniel, joel, Micheas, Abacuc, and Zacharias, That our Saviour was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. AND in like manner all the rest of the Prophets, as often as they have occasion to speak of the estate of the Church, after the coming of our Saviour, say; that it shall be universally dilated over the world for ever, as Daniel, saying: In the days of Dan. 2. 44. those Kingdoms, the God of heaven will raise up a Kingdom that shall not be destroyed for ever, and this Kingdom shall not be delivered to another people: and it shall break in pieces, & shall consume all those Kingdoms, & itself shall stand for ever. Which Prophecy we find verified by experience upon the Catholic Roman Church, which as Protestants themselves confess, was so potent presently after the Apostles times, that it destroyed and consumed the Church of Protestants, and for these one thousand and two hundred years hath reigned universally, without any debatable contradiction, as is set down in the third Chapter. Again, we see by experience, that all other Kingdoms and Monarchies of Christians have been interrupted and changed; as the Empire first from the West unto the East, and after into Germany: Spain was first possessed by the Romans, after by the Goathes, and lastly, for many years by the Moors: France was long time tributary to the Romans, and about the year of our Lord 451. the Frank Germans, who dwelled beyond the Rhyne, began to conquer them, and in process of time obtained their Kingdom, and changed their name from Gauls to French; and about the year 461. elected Mirovee for King: after France was possessed by the English, and Henry the sixth was crowned King of France, about the year 1422. from which time the Kings of England have always challenged to be Kings of France. England was under the Romans until the time of Honorius, and shortly after it was conquered by the Saxons, and then by the Danes, and last by Norman French: In so much as that it is manifest to experience, that the Catholic Roman Church is the Kingdom raised up by God, which shall not be destroyed for ever. Whereupon the Prophet joel saith: Ye children of joel 2. 23. Zion (the Church of God) rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God, because he hath given you a Doctor of justice, and he will make the early and the late shower to descend to you, as in the beginning. And the floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will render you the years which the Locust, the Bruke, and the blast, and the Eruke hath eaten: my great strength which I have sent upon you. And eating, you shall eat, and shall be filled, and you shall praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath done marvels with you, and my people shall not be confounded for ever. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I the Lord your God, and there is none beside, and my people shall not be confounded for ever. So the Prophet Micheas saith: And thou Bethelem Mich. 4. 2. Ephrata art a little one in the thousands of juda, out of thee shall come forth unto me, he that shall be the Dominator in Israel: and his coming forth from the beginning, from the days of eternity, etc. and the remnant of his brethren shall be converted to the children of Israel: And he shall stand and feed in the strength of our Lord, in the height of the name of our Lord his God; and they shall be converted, because now shall he be magnified, even to the ends of the earth, etc. And the remnant of jacob shall be in the Gentiles, in the midst of many peoples, as a Lion amongst the beasts of the forest, and as a Lion's whelp amongst the flock of cattles, who when he hath passed, and trodden down and taken, there is none to deliver. Thy hand shall be exalted over thine enemies, and thine enemies shall perish. So the Prophet Abacuc saith: God will come from Abac. 4. 3. the South, and the holy one from the shady mountain, his glory shall cover the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise. That is, saith S. AUGUSTINE, the Gospel shall begin from jerusalem, and Mount Olivet, and so be dilated over the world: For jerusalem (saith Saint AUGUSTINE) is placed Southward, as is read in the Aug. ●p. 166. book of jesus Nave, from whence the name of Christ hath been spread, and there is a shady mountain, Mount Olivet; from whence he ascended into heaven, that his virtue might cover the heavens, and the Church might be filled with his praise, throughout the whole earth. So the Prophet Zacharias saith: Behold thy King will come to thee, the lust, and Saviour: himself, poor and riding upon an Ass, and upon a Colt, the Foal of an Ass, etc. He shall speak peace to the Gentiles, and his power from sea, even to sea, and from the rivers (of jordan, Matth. 5. 13. where he was baptised) even unto the end of the earth; not for a day, or a month, or a year: But as he spoke to Luke 1. 55. our Fathers, to Abraham and his seed for ever. These Prophecies to be verified on our Catholic Roman Faith, we have showed at large in the first, second, and third Chapter, and are so far from being verified upon Protestantisme, that for a thousand and four hundred years together Protestants are not able to name one man, who held and taught the doctrine, they now hold and teach. So dread Sovereign, if the testimonies of Moses and the Prophets may find grace and credit with your Majesty, they affirm that our Saviour was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith, as we have abundantly showed. Yet the testimonies of Moses and the Prophets were of such force with our Saviour, as he bringeth in Abraham, saying; If they hear not Moses and Luke 16. 31. the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead. Again, he saith to the incredulous jews; Had you believed Moses, you would peradventure john 5. 46. have believed me, for he wrote of me. And if you believe not his writings, (which are confirmed by so many oaths, and promises, and found true by experience) how will you believe my words? And so I conclude the Prophecies of the old Testament with the words of Saint Augustine, saying: The Aug. in Psal. 30. Prophets have spoken more obscurely of Christ, then of the Church, I think, because they did see in spirit, that men would rebel against the Church, and would not have so great strife concerning Christ, but would raise up great contentions concerning the Church: therefore, that about which men were to make great strife, was more plainly foretold, and more manifestly prophesied; that it might serve for their condemnation, who did see it, and fled out. CHAP. X. Wherein is proved by the testimony of Angels, that our Saviour was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. HAVING (most dread Sovereign) according to the counsel of our Saviour, john 5. 39 sought the old Testament, to see what it saith of the Faith, Seed, and Children of the Messiah, and having found that by it, our Lord was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith, Seed or Religion: we will now descend down unto the New, to see what it saith in general, of the Faith, Seed, Word, or Gospel, which our Saviour planted upon earth: that we may also see, whether according to the testimony of the new Testament, our Lord was Author of our Catholic Faith and Religion. And first the Angel Gabriel foretelling the estate of the Church to come, saith to our blessed Lady, Thou Luke 1. 31. shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bear a Son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS, he shall be great, and he shall be called the Son of the most High, and our Lord God shall give him the seat of David his Father, and he shall reign in the house of jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end. And in like manner, an Angel of our Lord said unto the Shepherds: Behold, I evangelise Luke 2. 10. to you great joy that shall be to all people; not to one people of Britain's, or Germans, but to all people: because this day is borne to you a Saviour, which is Christ our Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly army (a multitude of Angels) praising God, and saying: Glory in the highest to God, and in earth Peace to men of good wil As it was foretold by the Prophet Isay, saying: A little child is borne to us, etc. His Empire shallbe multiplied, and there shallbe no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom: that he may confirm it, in judgement and justice, from this time, and for ever. That the Kingdom here spoken of, is the Church professing the Faith, or Gospel planted by our Saviour, our Lord himself doth witness, saying: In the Matth. 13. 14. end of the world, the Son of Man shall send his Angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity. Again, And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world. Again, Matth. 24. 14. And jesus went about teaching, and preaching the Gospel Matth. 4. 23. of the Kingdom. So if the Angels of God, and multitude of his heavenly Army, may find grace and credit with your Majesty, to be believed by their testimonies, it is manifest, that our Saviour came to plant the Catholic Roman Church and Faith: which, as we have proved in our first Chapter, was taught by our Saviour, and planted by the Apostles amongst the Romans, & hath continued, and shall continue amongst them until the day of judgement: and as is confessed by Protestants, hath reigned universally: without any debatable contradiction, 1200. years, as is set down in the third Chapter. CHAP. XI. Wherein is proved by the testimony of our Saviour himself, that he was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. OUR Lord & Saviour jesus Christ foreseeing that many Heretics would arise; and say, that his Seed, Faith, Word, Church, or Gospel had failed and decayed, and that they were immediately sent from God, to plant a new Faith, or reform or restore the Gospel, etc. To prevent their heretical falsehood, he warneth all his faithful that they should not believe them, saying: Do not think that I came to break the Law (the old Matth. 5. 18. Testament) or the Prophets, I am not come to break, but to fulfil; for assuredly I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the Law (the old Testament) till all be fulfilled; and the Church of Matth. 5. 2. God, begun in jerusalem and juda, be dilated to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the Gen. 28. South, as God spoke to Abraham and his seed for ever. Luke 1. 55. So supposed that our Saviour's words are true, and that he was the Messiah, and came to fulfil and perform the things promised by the Prophets, and not to break or violate their promises; the Sun was never more manifest in the month of August, than it is manifest that he fulfilled the Prophecies, by planting the Catholic Roman Faith, and not by planting Protestantisme, since Roman Catholics have been visibly multiplied over the world, for many hundred years; some Protestants say for nine hundred years, some say for a thousand, other Protestants say for twelve hundred, and others say for more, as is set down in the third Chapter: whereas the Prophecies have been so fare off from being fulfilled in Protestantisme, that presently after the death of the Apostles it vanished away, and hath been no where visibly known, for one thousand four hundred years. So we may speak to Protestants (who imagine that their Religion is true, or was the Faith planted by our Saviour) and say to them in the words of our Saviour: Do not think that our Saviour came to break the Law or the Prophets, Matth. 6. 18. he came not to break, but to fulfil. Secondly, our Saviour foretelling the estate of his Church to come, saith: All things must needs be fulfilled which are writted in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, Luke 24. 44. Gen. 22. and the Psalms of me. And the Law of Moses saith: I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of heaven, etc. The Prophets say; Behold thy King will come to thee, the Just one, and Saviour, himself poor and riding upon an Zach. 9 9 Ass, etc. He shall speak Peace to the Gentiles, and his power from sea, even to sea, and from the rivers, even to the end of the earth. Again, And I will send of them that shall be saved to the Gentiles into the sea, into Asricke Isay 66. and Lydia, into Italy and Greece, to the Lands fare off, to them that have not heard of me, and have not seen my glory. And they shall show forth my glory to the Gentiles, and they shall bring of your brethren of all Nations, a gift to our Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in horselittors, and on Mules, and in coaches, to my holy mountain jerusalem. Because, as new heavens, and a new earth, which I make to stand before me, saith our Lord, so shall your seed stand, and your name. The Psalms say. All the ends of the earth shall remember and be converted to our Psal. 41. 28. Lord: and all the families of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight. Again, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten Psal. 2. 7. thee, ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance, and thy possession the ends of the earth. Again, I will put his seed for ever and ever, and his throne Psal. 88 as the days of heaven. I have sworn in my holy, if I lie to David his seed shall continue for ever. All which, and many more the like promises and Prophecies, of the increase, continuance, and dilatation of the Christians, the seed of our Saviour, the seed of David, the seed of Abraham over the world, must (as our Saviour Luke 24. 44. saith) needs be fulfilled, and yet we see by experience, that they are fulfilled in no other people kindred, or Nation, but Roman Catholics, whom Protestants confess to have reigned universally over the world, for twelve hundred years, as is set down in the third Chapter. And so I conclude out of our Saviour's words, that the Catholic Roman Faith, must needs be the Faith and Religion which our Saviour planted, and that Roman Catholics are true Christians, since neither the promises in the books of Moses, nor in the Prophets, nor in the Psalms, are, or can be verified, or fulfilled in, or upon any other. Thirdly, our Saviour speaking of the estate of his Church, saith: The Kingdom of heaven is resembled unto a man that sowed good seed in his field, but when men Matth. 13. 24. were asleep, his enemies came and over-sowed Cockle among the Wheat, and went his way, and when the blade was shut up, and had brought forth fruit, than appeared also the Cockle. And the servants of the Goodman of the house, coming, said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it Cockle? and he said to them; the enemy man hath done this. And the servants said to him, Wilt thou we go, and gather it up? And he said no: lest perhaps gathering up the Cockle, you may root up the Wheat also, together with it, suffer both to grow until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the Reapers, Gather up first the Cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn; but the wheat gather ye into my Barn. And expounding this Parable of the Cockle of the field, he said to his Disciples; He that sowed the Matth. 13. 37. good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world, and the good seed, those are the children of the Kingdom, and the Cockle, those are the children of the wicked one, and the enemy that sowed them is the Devil: but the Harvest is the end of the world, and the Reapers are the Angels. So our Saviour in describing his Church, by which description it is manifest, that our Saviour sowed the Catholic Roman Faith, and that Roman Catholics are the children of the Kingdom of God, and all other Sects, of what kind or sort soever, are Cockle sowed by the Devil, after death, or at the end of Matth. 13. 38. the world, to be gathered up and cast into a Furnace of fire. Since there neither is at this instant, nor yet hath been heretofore any Nation, People, Faith, Religion, or Sect, which challenged the name of Christians, that hath been successively dilated over the world, according to our Saviour's description, but the Catholic Roman Faith, which as Perkins, a Protestant, saith: Upon the Creed. fol. 307. During the space of nine hundred years, spread itself over the whole earth. Fourthly, our Saviour speaking of his Church, saith: The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a mustardseed, Matth. 13. 31. which a man took and sowed in his field; which i● the least surely of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is greater than all herbs, and is made a tree, so that the fowls of the air come to dwell in the branches thereof. Again, The Kingdom of heaven is like to Leavens, which Matth. 13. 33. a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened. Again, The Kingdom of heaven Matth. 13. 47. is like to a net, cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes. Which words of our Saviour cannot be verified upon Protestantisme, supposing that it was in the Apostles times, as they affirm, since it did not increase or grow greater than all other sects, nor leavened the whole world, nor gathered together all kind of people. But so vanished away after the Apostles departure, that for fourteen hundred years together they are not able to assign one man, professing the Religion they do now. Fiftly, Our Saviour setting down the state of his Church to come, saith: I chose you, and have appointed john 15. 16. you, that you go and bring fruit, and your fruit abide. Again, This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in Matth. 24. 14. the whole world, for a testimony to all Nations, and then shall come the consummation. Again. Holy Father, I pray john 17. not that thou take them away out of this world, but that thou preserve them from evil, etc. And not for the Apostles only do I pray, but for them also that by their words, shall believe in me. Again, Teach ye all Nations, and Matth. 28. behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world. Which words of our Saviour cannot be verified upon Protestants, that our Saviour hath appointed Protestants to go and preach in the world, and bring fruit, and their fruit abide; or that Protestantisme should be preached to all Nations; or that our Saviour prayed that Protestants should not be taken away out of the world, but be preserved from evil; or that our Saviour would be with Protestants, aiding and assisting them in the conversion of Nations, even to the consummation Matth. 28. 20. of the world: since we see it false by experience. Sixtly, Our Saviour speaking of the estate of his Church, saith to the chief Priests, and Ancients of the people: Have you never read in the Scriptures; The stone Matth. 21. 42. which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner. By our Lord was it done, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, that the Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a Nation yielding the fruit thereof. And he that falleth upon that stone shall be broken, and on whom it falleth, it shall all to bruise him. These words of our Saviour cannot be verified upon Protestants, that our Saviour should become head, to unite Iewes and Protestants together in one family of Christians: or should take away his Church, and Kingdom upon earth, from the jews, to give it to Protestants, or that the Church of Protestants should yield more fruit than the Church of the jews, or he that should fall upon the Church of Protestants should be broken: since as Sebastianus Francus, a Protestant, In epist. de Abro. stat. Eccl. affirmeth; That for certain, through the work of Antichrist, the external Church (of Protestants) together with the Faith & Sacraments, vanished away presently after the Apostles departure, and that for these fourteen hundred years, the Church (of Protestants) hath been no where external and visible. Which being so, dread Sovereign, I appeal to your Majesty, well pleased to consider, how ignorant he should be in the Scriptures, that should make himself a Protestant, out of hope to become one of the Kingdom of God, here spoken of. That all these promises and Prophecies of our Saviour are verified upon Papists; Protestant's themselves give sufficient testimony, who affirm that Papistry began in the time of the Apostles, and hath reigned universally for twelve hundred years, as is set down in the third Chapter. So if the words and testimonies of our Saviour himself, may find so much grace and favour with your Majesty as to be credited, it is manifest that by this testimony and description of his Church, that he was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. CHAP. XII. Wherein is proved by the testimony of the Apostles, that our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. FIRST, Saint Peter speaking of the estate of the Church planted by our Saviour, saith: MOSES indeed said, that a Prophet shall the Act. ●. 22. Lord your God raise up to you, of your brethren, as myself, him shall you hear, according to all things whatsoever he shall speak to you. And it shall be, every soul that shall not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed out of the people. And all the Prophets from Samuel and afterward, that have spoken, could of these days: you are the children of the Prophets, and of the Testament which God made to our Fathers, saying to Abraham: and in thy seed shall all the Families of the earth be blessed. To you first God raising up his Son, hath sent him, blessing you. That this Seed here spoken of, is the Church of Christians, our Saviour and Saint Paul do witness, saying: The good seed, those are the children of the Kingdom. Again: If you Matth. 13. 38. Galath. 3. 29. be Christ's, then are you the seed of Abraham, heirs according to promise. That this blessing can no way be verified upon Protestantisme, is manifest, for that it vanished away presently after the time of the Apostles, and for faureteene hundred years together, there is not to be found one man that professed it, much less one Family, or all the Families of the earth. That this blessing in general, hath been verified upon Roman Catholics, Protestants themselves confess; some Protestants affirming, that Papistry hath been spread over the world for nine hundred years, some for a thousand, some for twelve hundred, and some for more, as it is set down in the third Chapter. So if the testimony of Saint Peter, Moses, and all the Prophets, from Samuel and afterward, may find so much grace and favour with your Majesty, as to be credited; they all affirm that our Saviour was to be the Author of our Catholic Roman Faith. And supposed that there were Protestants in our Saviour's and the Apostles times, who after their departure vanished away (as Protestants affirm) it is manifest by the testimony of Moses and Saint Peter, that they were enemies of Christian Religion, and so were destroyed from among the people, according to the words of Moses and Saint Peter, saying: Every soul that shall Act. 3. Deut. 18. not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed out of the people. Secondly, Saint Poter speaking of the estate of the Church, saith: Behold I put in Zion a principal cornerstone, 1. Pet. 2. elect, preciaus. And he that shall believe in him, shall not be confounded. To you therefore that believe, honour; but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made into the head of the corner, and a stone of offence, and a Rock of scandal to them that stumble at the Word, etc. But you (who beleeue) are an elect generation, a Kingly Priesthood, a holy Nation, a people of purchase, that you may declare his virtues, which from darkness hath called you into his marvelous light. Now supposed that there were Protestants in our Saviour's time, yet these words of Saint Peter cannot be verified upon them, that they should not be confounted, but honoured, and made an elect generation, a Kingly Priesthood, or holy Nation, a people of purchase, to declare our Saviour's virtues in fulfilling the promises, by converting the Gentiles to the Christian Faith: Since they vanished away presently after the departure of the Apostles. Thirdly, Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come, saith: Christ ascending on high, he led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men. And he gave some Ephes. 4. 8. Apostles, and some Prophets, and other some Evangelists, and other some Pastors, and Doctors, to the consummation of the Saints, unto the work of the Ministry, unto the edifying of the body of Christ, until we meet all into the unity of Faith, and knowledge of the Son of God, that now we be not children, wavering, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, in the wickedness of men, in craftiness to the circumvention of error: So Saint Paul describing the estate of the Church to come. If this be spoken of the Church of Protestants, where were their Protestant Apostles, Evangelists, Prophets, Pastors and Doctors, for fourteen hundred years together? Since for all that time, they are not able to assign one man, who held the doctrine they now hold, much less one Apostle, Evangelist, Pastor, or Doctor: and yet Saint Paul saith, that they should teach and preach truth, even unto the Consummation of the Saints, that the Church might not be wavering, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, in the wickedness of men; whereby we see, that if Saint Paul were a true Apostle and Prophet, the Church of Protestants is a false Church: That this Prophecy of S. Paul is verified upon Roman Catholics is manifest, for that Roman Catholics have had Doctors, Preachers, and Teachers, in all ages, as we have proved in the first, second, and third Chapters. Again, Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church to come, saith: God according to his promise Act. 13. hath brought forth to Israel a Saviour. Again, We preach Act. 13. 32. unto you that promise which was made to our Fathers, which was, I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of heaven, Gen. 22. etc. As God spoke to our Fathers, to Abraham, and Luke 1. 55. his seed for ever: which words and preaching of Saint Paul should be false, if Protestantisme were the Faith and Religion planted by our Saviour, and Preached by Saint Paul: since it hath been so fare off from fulfilling the promise, that it vanished away presently after the Apostles times. Again, Saint Paul speaking of the estate of the Church, saith: By the offence of the jews, salvation is to Rom. 11. 11. the Gentiles, that they may emulate them: And if the offence of the jews be the riches of the world, and the diminution of the jews the riches of the Gentiles? how much more the fullness of them? Again, If the loss of the jews Rom. 11. 15. be the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving be? Again, Blindness in part hath chanced in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles might enter, and so all Israel might be saved: Which cannot be verified upon Protestantisme, supposed it were in the Apostles times, since Protestants have neither been so eminent, as that the jews should emulate them, nor the riches of the Gentiles, neither hath the world been reconciled to Protestantisme, neither hath the fullness of the Gentiles entered into Protestantisme, which for fourteen hundred years together was not known unto the men of the earth: That all these words of Saint Paul are verified upon Roman Catholics, Protestants themselves give ample testimony, as is set down heretofore. By these and many more Prophecies of the estate of the Church to come, set down by the Apostles and Evangelists, it is manifest that our Saviour was the Author of the Catholic Roman Faith. So dread Sovereign, if the General consent of both Testaments, the testimony of God, of Angels, of Patriarches, of Prophets, of Apostles, of Evangelists, and of all known Christian men that ever were before Luther, may find grace and credit with your Majesty, to be believed; they all (reputed Heretics by both parties only excepted) affirm that the Son of God was Author of that Catholic Roman Faith, which is now persecuted within your Dominions. CHAP. XIII. Answers to Objections. OBJECT. 1. ALL Protestants do not affirm, that their Congregation hath been invisible for these fourteen hundred years, which were between the death of the Apostles, and the rising of Luther: but some say that they were visibly conversant in the world, administrating the Sacraments, and preaching the pure Word. Ans. These Protestants did not live in any of those ages, to affirm that which they did see, Revelations, Miracles, & Traditions they deny, Writings, Records, Antiquities, Counsels, Histories, or any ancient testimony of such a visible company so administrating of Sacraments, they have none; yet there is no other means of knowing things past, but by a vain imagination of an idle brain, proper to lunatic men in Bedlam and Bridewell, who talk of strange fantasies and chimaeras, we look for a people that should be made Princes over all the earth: To whom Kings were Psal. 44. nursing fathers, and Queen's nurses. That did overflow Isay 66. the glory of the Gentiles. That did possess the gates of their Gen. 22. enemies, in whose seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed: And they tell us of a people, that supposed they were, yet they were the most base, vile, contemptible, and wretched people, that ever lived upon the earth: such liars and dissemblers, as that it could not be known what Religion they professed: So impious, that it is never heard of, that ever they used any Sacraments, Sermons, or Prayers: So barbarous, that it is not found upon any Record, that ever they were married, but if they were, it seemeth that they accompanied together like horses and dogs: so ignorant, that there is not found one man amongst them, that ever writ any thing: so vile that they never did any thing worthy of memory: So lawless, that there is not found any Order, Statute, or Decree they had; such Rogues and Vacabonds, that none until this day can find out where any of them dwelled: Such enemies of Christ, and Christianity, that not any testimony can be found of their being Baptised, or Christened: So if they were, it seemeth that they were rather the seed of the Devil, then of Abraham or Christ jesus, or of any Christian man. Object. 2. Waldo, who lived in the year of our Lord God 1220. and Wickliff, who lived in the year of our Lord 1370. and john hus, who lived in the year 1400. were Protestants, and held and taught the same doctrine Protestants do now. Answ. First, Waldo did so extol merit for good works, that he did forsake all things to become poor, and follow Christ and evangelical perfection, as witnesseth Doctor Humphrey, a Protestant, in his jesuitism, part. 2. fol. 270. Secondly, he denied the Sabbath, in regard whereof, the Waldenses were called Insabbatists, that is to say, people who had no Sabbath: as affirmeth Fox, Acts and Monuments fol. 41. Thirdly, he taught that Laymen and women might consecrate the Sacrament, and preach. Fourthly, that there should be no division of Parishes, Fiftly, that men ought not to swear in any case. Sixtly, That neither Priest, nor Civil Magistrate, being guilty of mortal sin, did enjoy their dignities; or were to be obeyed: and many the like, as witnesseth ILLIRICUS in cattle. testium veritatis. Wickliff taught, that if a Bishop or Priest were in deadly sin, his ordaining of Priests, Consecrating, and Baptism, was not Valide, and that Ecclesiastical Ministers should not have any Temporal possessions, Fox Acts fol. 96. Moreover, he condemned lawful oaths, as affirmeth Osiander in his Epito. hist. Eccles. fol. 459. Yet maintained he the worshipping of Images, intercession to our blessed Lady, the Mass, and seven Sacraments, as is manifest in his books. And for john Husse, except the doctrine of the Communion in both kinds, which he would have given to Laymen: and the doctrine of Wickliff, in defending, that if a Prince, Priest, or Bishop, committed mortal sin, they did lose their dignities, and were not to be obeyed, for the most part he retained the Articles of our Catholic Faith, as the Seven Sacraments, the Pope's Primacy, the Mass; in so much as Luther in Colloquijs Germanicis, ca de Antechristo, saith of him: The Papists burned john hus, when as yet he depapted not a finger's breadth from the Papacy, for he taught the same which Papists do. Object. 3. The Church of the Protestants was in that of the Papists, so if Protestants were not, neither should Papists be. Ans. That is to confess that the Papists Church is the true Church, and that Protestants are Schismatics or Heretics, according to the Scriptures, saying: They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had john. 2. 19 been of us, they would surely have remained with us. Again, Out of yourselves shall arise men speaking perverse Act. 10. 30. things. Object. 4. The Church is compared to the Moon, so it may increase, and diminish, and yet be a true Church. Ans. The Church is compared to the Moon, not for that it waneth, & increaseth every month, as the Moon in our Horizon doth, but for because what it loseth in one Country, it gaineth in another, as what light the Moon wanteth on the one side, it hath on the other; and so as the Moon changeth his light, sometimes on the one side, and sometime on the other, according to the aspect ●e hath to the Sun, and yet (except it be by an Eclipse for a little while) always hath his full light. So the Church of God, unless it be for a little Eclipse of persecution, is always dilated over the world, though more manifest in one Country, then in another; as we see by experience, that the loss which the Church hath in England, and some corners of the earth, is more than restored in Asia & America. So it was promised by the Prophet, saying: Thy Sun shall go down no more, and thy Moon shall not be diminished, Isay 60. 20. because our Lord shall be unto thee for an everlasting light: As our Saviour said: I am with you all days even Matth. 28. 20. to the consummation of the world. And this was the promise of God to David, saying: His seed shall continue Psal. 88 37. for ever: and his Throne as the Sun in my sight, and as the Moon perfect for ever. Object. 5. Our Saviour calleth his Church little flock, saying: Do not fear little flock, because it Luke 12. hath pleased your Father to give you a Kingdom. Ans. Little in the beginning, after to increase according to the words of the Prophet Isay, saying: jacob Isay 27. 5. shall flourish, and Israel shall grow, and they shall fill the face of the earth with seed. So our Saviour compared Matth. 13. 31. his Church to a Mustardseed, which is the least of all seeds when it is sown, but when it is grown, it is greater than all herbs: And to Leavens, which a woman Matth. 13. 33. took, and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened. Object. 6. In the time of Constans, Constantius, and Constantinus, the Arians so prevailed, that there remained no Catholic Bishops, but Liberius and Athanasius. Answ. In their times was the Council of Sardis, where were three hundred Catholic Bishops, as is set down in the said Council. Object. 7. Our Saviour saith, That many are called, Matth. 20. 16. but few chosen. Ans. He hath called the earth, from the rising of the Psal. 49. 1. Sun, unto the going down thereof. So in respect of the number of all people, of what sect or sort soever, the Elect shallbe but few, yet dilated all over the earth, as our Saviour witnesseth, when he saith; That at the day of judgement, he will send his Angels with a great Matth. 24. 31. sound of Trumpet, and they shall gather his Elect from the four winds, from the one end of the heaven to the other. Object. 8. Our Saviour saith of the jews, I know john 8, that you are Abraham's seed, and yet, saith, Ye are of your father the Devil. Ans. This place demonstrateth, that men are not justified by Faith only, showing that neither the jews, who were Abraham's seed by carnal generation, nor the Christians, who are his seed by Faith only, shallbe saved without good works, saying: I know you are Abraham's seed, but ye seek to kill me, therefore ye are 1. john 3. 8. of your father the Devil, begotten of him by evil life: Catholics do not defend salvation by Faith only, but by Faith and good deeds. Object. 9 Some of the Fathers do understand by Babylon (spoken in the 17. of the Apocalypse) Rome. Apocal. 17. Ans. Tertullian, lib. contr. judeos, and Saint Jerome Epist. 17. ad Marcellum, understand by Babylon, Rome, as it persecuted Christians, and worshipped Idols, and not Rome Christian. S. Augustine upon the 26. Psalm, Aretas upon this place, Haymon and Saint Bede do understand by the great Whore, great Babylon, etc. not Rome: but the universal City of the Devil, which in Scriptures is called Babylon, and is opposite to the City of God, which is his Church: and by the seven Hills, these Fathers understand the general estate of proud men, as the Scriptures use, saying: Every Valley Luke 3. 5. shall be filled, and every Hill shall be humbled. Object. 10. In our Creed we say, I believe in the Catholic Church: but the things that we believe, cannot be seen: therefore we cannot see the Catholic Church, but must believe it only. Ans. Herein consisteth the ignorance of Protestants, that in one and the same thing, they distinguish diverse acts, as the act of Faith, and the act of corporal seeing, both in one and the same man: but do not distinguish in the same men or things, diverse objects, as the object of the act of Faith, and the object of the act of corporal seeing. So the things that we believe, we cannot corporally see by an act of Faith; that is true, otherwise our Faith should be in our eyes. The thing that we believe, we cannot corporally see with an act of seeing, that is false: the Apostles did both see and hear our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, and believed him to be our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ: Catholics can corporally see the Catholic Church, but not with an act of Faith proceeding from their eyes: and believe the same Catholic Church, but not with an act of seeing, proceeding from their understandings, but with an act of Faith proceeding from their understandings, and so at the same time, though not with one and the selfsame act, both see and believe the same Catholic Church. But see it, as it is object of their eyes, and believe it, as it is object of their Faith, which for the salvation of their souls, I wish Protestants could do: Since the same God Almighty, and the same Prophets which tell me, I must believe the Church, do also tell me, that it shall be corporally visible, according to their descriptions, until the world's end; and he maketh God and the Prophet's liars that denyeth it. Object. 11. The Protestants yet may hope, that the Prophecies may be verified upon Protestantisme hereafter. Answ. That were to make Luther the Messiah, and him, and his Ministers of greater power, than our Saviour and the Apostles, and is contrary to the promises of God and Prophecies. Again, the Prophets do not speak of converting Papists, but Gentiles to our Lord; which are in great part converted already, and there is no probability that Ministers, tied to women, children, servants, good fare, soft beds, commodities of the world, and flesh, should go to convert Gentiles in Africa, or America. Again, What should they convert them unto? to believe: That the God of the Christians hath for fifteen hundred years failed of his oath and promises. That the Apostles, and those men who planted Christian Religion, are not to be called, nor esteemed of as Saints. That Baptism is not necessary to salvation. That the Sacraments of the Christians do not confer grace. That the whole Church, and General Counsels of Christians may err, in things that appertain to God. That Fasting and Penance is not necessary to salvation. That the Mass is superstition. That the Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images, as of Relics, and also Invocation of Christian Saints is a fond thing. These and many the like Articles of the English Creed, the Heathen and Pagans believe, and have believed many hundred years, before Luther and Caluin, or any Protestant man was borne, that held and maintained the same Faith Protestants do now. Object. 12. The Church of Protestants is fare extended, and so, in some part, the Prophecies may be verified upon it. Ans. Though it were as fare extended, as Turkism, yet it would be inferiors to the promises, and latitude of our Catholic Church, and wanteth the other properties, set down by the Prophets, all Heretics have possessed some place or Country, and at this day Protestantisme is but in this corner of the world. Thomas Rogers, a Protestant, seeking out the Roger's upon the Creed. Protestants of other Countries, can find, as it seemeth, none to name, but Suitzerland, Basil, Bohemia, Ausburge, Flanders, Saxony, Suevia, Wittenberg, France, yet in France there are ten Catholics for one Protestant; in Suitzerland, six Cantons or Provinces of Catholics; in Bohemia many Catholics; Ausburge but one City; Wittenberg a City; and these are but a heap of diverse Sects, whereof the chief are Caluinists, Lutherans, and English Parliamentary Protestants. The Caluinists, who are most in number, deny the Supremacy of Kings, and authority of Bishops, which is Treason amongst the English Protestants; the Lutherans hold Consubstantiation in their Communion, and deny the Communion of both Caluinists and English Protestants, and they both the Communion of Lutherans, all of them esteeming their Communion a Sacrament, and matter of Faith. Many more Sects there are amongst than, as Anabaptists, Hussites, Arians, Brownists, Family of Love, Thrasquites, and others. Octiect. 13. In time of Elias there was no visible Church, Elias saying, I alone am left: therefore the 3. King. 15. Church may decay and become invisible. Ans. When Elias spoke those words of lamentation, there were two Kingdoms of the jews, the one known, and called by the name of juda; and the other called and known by the name of the Kingdom of Israel: over juda at this time reigned Asa a good King; ASA did right before the sight of our Lord, as 3. King. 15. DAVID his Father did: over Israel reigned ACHAB, a wicked King, And ACHAB did evil in the sight of 3. King. 15. our Lord, above all that were before him. ELIAS speaketh of the Kingdom of Israel, and not of juda, saying: The Children of Israel have forsaken thy Commandment, 3. King. 15. etc. And our Lord said to him: I have left me in Israel seven thousand men, whose knees have not bowed before BAAL: of whom, at that time it seemeth Elias knew not of. So in the time of Elias, the Church was so fare off from being invisible, that besides the seven thousand in Israel, there was the whole visible Kingdom of juda, under Asa and josephat his son, who was likewise a good King: JOSEPHAT walked 3. King. ●2. in the way of ASA his Father, and he did that which was right in the sight of our Lord. Object. 14. I have, saith the Puritan, a true feeling of the Spirit, and am assured to be saved, all others may err, I am assured I cannot, for my spirit doth tell me that I am in the right way of salvation. Answ. The way of a fool (saith the holy Ghost) is Prou. 12. 15. right in his own eyes. I desire thee to consider what a misery it is to be obstinate in opinion, since it maketh a man to use all the means and shifts he can to get to hell, and doth not give leave either to reason, or to the senses, to execute their functions: God Almighty hath promised that the Christians shall be as the Stars of heaven, Gen. 22. and as the sand that is by the sea shore, and that they shall possess the gates of their enemies, the mountains shall be moved, and the hills shall tremble, but his mercy shall not Isay 54. departed from them, and the covenant of his peace with them shall not be moved. According to God's promise, such a seed, or succession of Christians, we see, Writings, Registers, Chronicles, Antiquities, Churches, Chapels, the report and traditions of our Parents, all spoke it, our Adversaries themselves confess it, experience doth teach us that it must be so: All seeing it fulfilled from Abraham, until the Nativity of our Saviour, for one thousand nine hundred years, or thereabouts, yet rather than the obstinate man will yield to so manifest a truth, and save his sou●▪ he will seek out all the corners, malice, shifts, tricks and doubts that can be to deny it, and go to Hell: and if none will serve to cloak his obstinacy, yet rather than he will change his nature, he will go on, he will not believe any thing but his own fantasies and imaginations: All others may be deceived, he is sure he cannot. O be not obstinate, but have pity on thy poor soul; Was thou never deceived in any thing in all thy life, whereof thou esteemedst thyself sure? certainly thou hast. And if thou wilt not be an Ethnic and Publican to thy own Congregation of Protestants, thou must defend, that nothing is more certain, then that the Church of Protestants militant and visible may err, as is affirmed in the English Creed, Art. 19 prop. 6. & Art. 21. So if thou be'st not already gotten into heaven, into a triumphant Church, and art become an invisible man, in thy own militant Church, there is nothing more certain, then that thou mayest err. Well then, thou mayest be deceived in this; that thou thinkest thyself so sure of. Thou wilt grant me this principle, that God Almighty can neither deceive▪ nor be deceived; since he is verity itself, and the first cause: so if he affirm one thing, and thou, and Luther, and Caluin, deny the selfsame thing, yet that must be true which God Almighty affirmeth, and that false you affirm: Thou willest not deny this? But God Almighty affirmeth that the Christians, the Seed of Abraham, the people of Gen. 22. God, should be multiplied as the Stars of heaven, and as the sand which is by the sea shore, and should possess the gates of their enemies, and be dilated to the East, and to the West, and to the North, and to the Gen. 28. South for ever. Well then, it must be true, though thou Luke 1. 55. Luther and Caluin deny it. But thou wilt say, these promises are not made to Christians: Again, whom shall we believe in this, God Almighty, or thou, or Luther, or Caluin? God Almighty affirmeth, that these oaths and promises of God are to be fulfilled upon the Christians, saying: All things must needs be fulfilled Luke 24. 44. which are written in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets and Psalms of me. And the like affirm the Apostles, as we have set down at large in the eleventh and twelfth Chapter. So if thou wilt not, according to thy own confession, be wilfully deceived, thou must believe, that there must be Christians, the people of God, the Seed of Abraham, embracing one and the same Faith, multiplied as the Stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore, dilated to the East, and to the West, to the North, and to the South, possessing the gates of their enemies: As he spoke to our Fathers, to Abraham and his Luke 1. 55. Seed for ever. And if thou dost not believe this, thou must confess, that, that thou art so fare off from being of the Seed of the Faithful Abraham, that thou dost not believe the promise which God Almighty made unto him, and so mayest manifestly see thy own infidelity. And this second principle supposed to be a divine truth, as now thou confessest: Art not thou again wilfully blind, that will not see those Christians, the Seed of Abraham, the people of God, to be the Catholics, whom thou callest Papists? since at this day there are no Christians, upon whom this promise can be fulfilled, but upon them: and as for former ages, thy own fellow Sectaries confess, that for many hundred years, The Popish Heresy hath spread itself over the whole earth, as is set down in the third Chapter; and since for one thousand four hundred years together, thou art not able to bring forth any writing, testimony, antiquity or evidence of any one Protestant Minister or Doctor, that held the doctrine Protestants now teach: Will't not thou then obstinately go to hell, that will be a Protestant, and in thy imagination find out them, which have not been to the dishonour of God, and thy damnation? And willest not see a multitude of men, which are, and have been as the Stars of heaven, for the salvation of thy soul, and glory of God, in fulfilling his oaths and promises? But thou wilt say, that suppose there were such an infinite number of Christians, the people of God, so visible, as that they possessed the gates of their enemies, as God Almighty affirmeth: yet I cannot find such a multitude of men, professing one and the same Faith. To which I answer, that hereby thou shouldest most manifestly see that thou art obstinate: thou wilt confess that all Christians, which ever have been, may be comprehended under one of these three sorts, known Heretics to both parties, Protestants and Papists: known Heretics on both parties, thou wilt confess, not to have been this seed of Abraham. Protestants thou canst not assign one, that taught, and held the doctrine thou now holdest, in all them one thousand four hundred years. See now if thou be'st not obstinate, that will not know that the seed of Abraham were the Papists: when it is so manifest, that reputed Heretics to both parties excepted, for one thousand four hundred years together, thou canst find none else. Again, known and reputed Heretics, thou acknowledgest to have been amongst the Christians, during the time of them one thousand four hundred years; but they were not known, or reputed such in these ages by Protestants, who then were not; but by Papists, who both spied them out, and overcame them, according to these Prophecies: So art not thou obstinace, that dost not see the Prophecies verified upon the Papists? Again, all the Christian Kings and Kingdoms (known Heretics on both sides excepted) as their Histories, Chronicles, Laws, Antiquities, reports of Parents do testify, were Papists: then art not thou obstinate that will not see the Prophecies to be verified upon Papists? But thou wilt say that the Papists Church hath failed; but so should not the seed of Abraham. To which I answer, that God Almighty affirmed that his Church, the seed of Abraham, should not fail, and cannot be contrary to himself; and thou findest no other congregation of men, which even in thy own judgement, hath longer endured according to the Prophecies of the Prophets, than the Papists, even admitting the worst thou sayest of it: so if thou wilt not be obstinate, and fall into Atheism, thou should conclude; certainly it is false that the Papists Church hath failed: for when thou sayest that the Church of Papists fallen; thou canst not say that it fell to Protestantisme, so it maketh nothing for thee, unless thou wouldst be an Atheist, and prove that God Almighty hath violated his oaths and promises; and go against the first principle, and say that God may be deceived, but man cannot; and likewise against the second principle, and say there were no known Christians of the seed of Abraham upon earth, for many hundred years together. If thou be'st a creature of God Almighty's, thou art first bound to maintain his honour and glory, and show upon what Christians his promises are fulfilled, and then thine own, otherwise thou makest thyself an Idol, and deniest God. So first show us Protestants multiplied as the Stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore, dilated to the East, to the West, to the North, and to the South, which possessed the gates of their enemies; and then show us, when and where the Papists Church decayed, and what Religion they embraced, when they fell from Papistry. That it did decay, thou allegest the authority of some few; that it did not decay, I bring thee the authority of Scriptures, and the general consent of all known Christians, for one thousand four hundred years together (known Heretics, and so reputed on both parties, only excepted) as is set down in the first, second, and third Chapters. So if any reason may prevail with thee, thou must needs confess, that Papists are the Seed and children of Abraham, and that our Lord by the testimony of the Prophets, and Apostles, and himself, planted that Religion Protestant's call Papistry. Neither mayest thou object that the testimonies of the Prophets, concerning our Saviour and his Church, are obscure, and their meaning hard to be found out; when God Almighty affirmeth by the mouth of Saint Peter, That they are as a candle shining in a dark place, 2. Pet. 1. 19 into which, if thou dost but look, and not obstinately shut thy eyes, thou mayest see light: So open thy eyes, and accommodate thy understanding to the Prophets, and believe firmly, that to be the true Seed of Abraham, which hath been spread over the earth many hundred years, according to the Prophecies, & do not accommodate the Prophets to thy understanding: take not for a first ground, that thy sect is true, and then seek to shape the sayings of the Prophets to thy understdanding, and to thy sect, so thou shalt make thyself an Idol, and be always blind, until thou fall into everlasting darkness, and there lamenting, say; We have groaped as blind men for the wall; and as Isay 59 without eyes have feeled, we have stumbled at none day, as in darkness, in dark places as the dead, that could not see the Seed of Abraham, the Church of Christ, a multitude of men, which held one and the same Articles of Faith upon earth, without prevaricating in sense, when even in our days; they were multiplied as Gen. 22. 28. the Stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore, dilated to the East, and to the West, and to the North, and to the South (in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America) overflowing the glory of the Gentiles, and being a light and Isay 49. salvation to the furthest parts of the earth, who had Kings their nursing fathers, and Queens their nurses, who with countenance cast down to the ground adored them, and kissed their feet: Deserts as delicacies, and wildernesses Isay 51. wherein lived contemplative men, as the gardens of our Lord, upon whose walls stood watchmen day and night, holding not their peace, keeping the Quire in one place or other perpetually: We senseless, esteemed their life 〈◊〉 5. 4. madness, and their end without honour. Behold how they are counted among the children of God, and their lot is amongst the Saints. We therefore have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined to us. Such things said they in Hell which sinned. And I set it down for thy example, that yet whilst there is time, thou mayest become one of the Seed of Abraham, and be partaker of his blessings, which with all my heart I wish unto thee, and all Protestants, and Puritans. Thus having abundantly showed unto your most excellent Majesty, that our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ was Author of the Catholic Roman Faith: It resteth to set down, who was Author of the Faith and Religion now publicly professed in England by Protestant Ministers. CHAP. XIV. That Queen ELIZABETH was Author of the Faith and Religion publicly now professed in England, and upon what occasion. THE Kingdom of England together with the Crown, after the death of Queen Mary, belonging by all Law and right, unto your Majesty's Mother, as lineally descended from Henry the seventh (Henry the eights lawful Line being ended in Queen Mary): to the great prejudice of your Majesty's Mother, Lady Elizabeth took upon her the Crown; and knowing, that not only of all Catholics, she was esteemed Illegitimate, and for such published by the Church of God, planted by our Saviour, for that she was borne of Anne Boulogne, during the life time of the first wife of King Henry the eight, her supposed Father; but also by a Decree in public Parliament, holden in the eight and twentith year of the Reign of Henry the eight, her supposed Father: She was (to use the words of the Statute) judged Illegitimate, excluded and barred to claim, challenge, or demand any Inheritance, as lawful Heir to Henry the eight; as remaineth yet to be seen amongst the Statutes of Henry the eight, printed by Thomas Berthlet, the King's Printer, and set forth with Privilege. And fearing, lest for the said cause of Illigitimation, her Subjects should forsake her, and stand to the right Heir, your Mother, or that Christian Kings would not permit so evil a precedent, in prejudice of the lawful Lineal descent of Kings: casting off all fear of God, she resolved, at what price soever to reign, and to that end began to practise jeroboam policy, of whom it is written, that having obtained a part of Roboams Kingdom, Thought in his heart, now will the 3. Reg. 12. Kingdom return to the House of David. If this people shall go up to make Sacrifice in the house of our Lord, into jerusalem, the heart of this people will be turned to their Lord Roboam, the King of juda, and they will kill me, and return to him: and finding out a device, he made two golden Calves, and said to them, Go up no more into jerusalem: Behold thy Gods, Israel, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt: And he put one in Bethel, and another 2. Parap. 11. in Dan. And he made Priests of the objects of the people, which were not of the Tribe of Levi, and cast off the Priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, and their posterity, that they should not execute the Priesthood of our Lord. And by these means jeroboam esteemed, though falsely to establish the Kingdom of Israel in him, and his Posterity. So Lady Elizabeth being thus ascended to the Crown of England, contrary to the Law of God, Nature, and Nations, fearing lest her Subjects should forsake Her, and adhere unto Your Mother, the lawful Heir (if they continued in the Catholic Faith, with Your Mother, and other people, and Kingdoms) she put in practise this jeroboams wicked policy, and Cassered all the Catholic Priests and Bishops in this Land and their Posterity, that they should not execute the Priesthood of our Lord, and under a veil of a Supreme Governor, she took upon her all spiritual Power and Authority, and would not admit any to be Archbishop, Bishop, or Minister, who would not abjure and renounce all authority derived from jesus Christ, the Son of God, and his Apostles, and receive all their Power, Spiritual Authority, and jurisdiction from her a woman: So that none could in her time be made an Archbishop, Bishop, Minister or Deacon, or receive any Degree in Schools, or bear any Office under her, but he must first take the oath of Abrenunciation, of all power and authority, which was not derived from Her, as followeth. I. A. B. Do utterly testify, and declare in my conscience, Stat. An. 1. Eliz. cap. 1. that the Queen's Highness is the only Supreme Governor of this Realm, and of all other Her Highness' Dominions and Countries, as well in all Spiritual, or Ecclesiastical things, or causes, as Temporal, and that no foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, State, or Potentate (such as were our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, and the Apostles, who were borne in juda, or thereabouts) hath or aught to have any jurisdiction, Power, superiority, Pre-eminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual, within this Realm, and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all foreign jurisdiction, Powers, Superiorities and Authorities. And if any did refuse to take the said oath of Abrenunciation of all foreign Authority, such as was the Authority derived from our Saviour and the Apostles, and deny her Supreme Spiritual Authority in all things, they should neither bear Office, nor be admitted to any Degree in Schools, or be made Archbishops, Bishops, Ministers, Deacons, as is set down at large in the first Chapter of the said Statute made in the first year of her reign. And that there should be in her time no person or persons, or man whosoever, that might challenge any authority from Christ jesus, or the Apostles; but that all Spiritual Power, and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, might be wholly in her, and received from her: She made a Law in her said first Parliament, That no foreign Prince, Person, Prelate, Stat. An. 1. El. cap. 1. State or Potentate Spiritual or Temporal, shall after the last day of this Session of Parliament, Use, enjoy or exercise any manner of Power, jurisdiction, Superiority, Authority, Pre-eminence or Privilege, Spiritual or Ecclesiastical, within this Realm, or within any of her Majesty's dominions, or Countries that now be, or hereafter shall be, but from henceforth the same shallbe clearly abolished out of this Realm, and all other your Highness' Dominions for ever: any Statute, Ordinance, Custom, Constitutions, or any other matter, or cause whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. By which Law, she hath not only abolished out of this Realm, all the Authority which the Son of God left upon earth, but also as much as lieth in her power, she hath debarred him from coming to judgement within her Dominions, or sending any one hither to preach or teach, that all authority might be in herself, and come from her, to her Subjects, as from their God, or golden Calf, upon earth. And lest there might be some doubt, how far her womanly Supreame-headship, in all things, might extend, she made another Law, to make it as large, as ever was the authority of our Lord, or his Apostles upon earth; saying in the aforesaid Parliament: Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid; That such jurisdictions, Stat. An. 1. El. cap. 1. privileges, superiorities, and preeminences, Spiritual and Ecclesiastical, as by any Spiritual, or Ecclesiastical power, or authority, hath heretofore been, or may lawfully be exercised or used, for the Visitation of the Ecclesiastical State and persons, and for reformation, order, correction of the same, and of all manner errors, heresies, schisms, abuses, offences, contempts and enormities, shall for ever, by authority of this present Parliament, be united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm. That being crowned Queen, though a woman, and a Bastard; yet now she might have as large Spiritual authority, as any man ever had, or might have. And so she translated the Spiritual authority of Priesthood, not only from Spiritual to Temporal, but also from male unto female, that whatsoever Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power or authority, hath heretofore been, or may be lawfully used or exercised, for the visitation of the Ecclesiastical State and persons, and reformation and giving of orders, and for the correcting them, and all manner of errors, heresies, schisms, abuses, offences, was by this law supposed to be wholly in her a woman. And executing her Supreme Spiritual Function, in the first years of her reign, she set out two and fifty Injunctions, under title of the Queen's Injunctions, with this Conclusion annexed to them. All which and singular Injunctions, the Queen's Majesty ministereth unto her Clergy, and to all her loving Subjects, straight charging and commanding them to observe and keep the same, under pain of depravation, sequestration of fruits and Benefices, suspension, excommunication, and other such cohersion of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction. And by this means, she had all the Clergy at her command, both the enjoying of their Temporal Benefices, and Spiritual Offices, depending wholly upon her feminine authority. In so much as, in the first year of her reign, there arising some doubts about the lawful making of her Archbishops, and Bishops; she by her effeminate authority, dispensed with all their disabilities, in these words: Her Highness by her Supreme Stat. An. 5. El. cap. 1. power, hath dispensed with all causes or doubts of any disability, etc. about the making of the said Archbishops and Bishops, etc. that no cause or scruple, ambiguity or doubt, can or may be justly objected against the said Elections, Confirmations, or Consecration. And in the eight year of her reign, doubts arising again about the Consecration and making of her Archbishops and Bishops, she signifieth her former dispensation, saying; For as much as diverse questions hath lately grown, about Stat. An. 8. El. cap. 1. the making and consecrating of Archbishops and Bishops within this Realm, etc. Her Highness by her Supreme power and authority, hath dispensed with all causes or doubts of any imperfection or disability, that can or may any wise be objected against the same. And in the nine and thirtith year of her reign, yet some doubts remaining amongst her Subjects, that the Catholic Bishops, whom she out of her effeminate authority had deprived, were lawful Bishops, and hers false: she deprived the Catholic Bishops again, and made their authority void, to all intents and purposes, establishing by her Law; That all and every deprivation, and Stat. An. 39 El. Cap. 8. deprivations, and all every sentence, and sentences of deprivation whatsoever, had, pronounced, or given, at any time between the beginning of the reign of the Queen's most excellent Majesty that now is, and the tenth of November in the fourth year of the same, (against any person or persons, which was, or took upon him to be Archbishop, or Bishop of any Sea, or Bishopric, or Deane of any Deanery, within this Realm, or any the Dominion thereof, in the reign of the said late Queen Mary, from such Sea or Bishopric) be adjudged, deemed, and taken good, and sufficient in Law to all intents and purposes, and so shall remain and continue, any appeal, exception, or other matter, or thing whatsoever to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding: And that all such Archbishops, and Bishops, Note. and Deans as were ordained, or made, by the authority or licence of the Queen's Majesty that now is, at any time between the beginning of her reign, and the said tenth day of November, in the fourth year of her Majesty's reign, shallbe taken and adjudged to be lawful Archbishop, or Bishop of the Sea or Bishopric, and Deane of the Deanery, unto the which he was so preferred, assigned or appointed: And that the same Sea of Archbishop or Bishopric and Deanery, unto the which he was so preferred, assigned or appointed (though there were in it a Catholic Bishop, as they were all in the beginning of her reign, yet it) shallbe deemed, and adjudged to be merely void to all respects and purposes, etc. And by this means, as much as lay in her, she deprived all the ancient Archbishops and Bishops, both of their Spiritual authorities, and Temporal Bishoprickes, to all intents and purposes, and admitted and established these only, who, whereas the Statute saith, ordained, or made by the authority of the Queen: and allowed, and admitted of no authority, Spiritual or Ecclesiastical, but in her and from her derived to them. In so much as Fulke, glorying in the Spiritual influence he received from this Illegitimate Lady, in his Answer to a Counterfeit Catholic, pag. 50. saith to Catholics, You are utterly deceived, if you think your Offices of Bishops, Priests and Deacons, any better than Laymen; and you presume too much, to think that we receive your ordaining to be lawful. And in his Retentive Motives, pag. 67. he saith; With all our hearts, we defy, abhor, detest, and spit at, your stinking, greasy Antichristian Orders. And WHITAKER cont. Durem, lib. 9 p. 821. saith; I would not have you to think we make such reckoning of your Orders, as to make our own vocation unlawful without them, and therefore keep them to yourself. And all the Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power, which any Archbishop, Bishop or Minister, hath either to teach, preach, administer Sacraments, or ordain Ministers, together with any right, which they can pretend to any bishopric, Bishopric, Parsonage, etc. doth so fully and wholly depend upon Queen Elizabeth her womanly authority, and Statutes made by her, that her female Supreme Spiritual authority and Statutes repealed, all the archbishoprics, Bishoprics, and Parsonages within this Realm, together with their Offices, are void in Law, and as void, rest to be disposed. So that no other can, or may be justly said, to be the Author and Founder of that Faith and Religion, which is now by public authority professed in England, but only Queen Elizabeth, for that from her, the English Protestant Archbishops, Bishops and Ministers, had whatsoever Priesthood, or Spiritual authority they can, or may pretend, or challenge, either to administer Sacraments, Teach or Preach, or execute any other spiritual supposed function: neither can English Protestant Ministers deny it, unless they deny the Queen's Supremacy, and proclaim themselves to be perjured in the oath of Supremacy, which they have sworn. Whereupon they are justly and truly called Elizabethians, and ought not, nor should not be called by any other name, seeing they have no other Author, or Founder of their Religion and Priesthood, but Queen ELIZABETH, as we have proved by public Statutes. And this Queen ELIZABETH did, not that she did think, that she being a woman had Supreme authority in all Spiritual things, or causes, the Scriptures saying: Let women hold their peace in the Church, 1. Cor. 14. for it is not permitted them to speak, but to be subject. Again, It is a filthy thing for a woman to speak in the Ibid. Church. Again, Let women learn in silence, with all subjection, for I do not permit a woman to teach. But desirous 1. Tim. 2. to reign in this world, with whatsoever dishonour of God, and danger soever of losing of her soul, and damnation of her Subjects, she took upon her JEROBOAMS Policies, to strengthen herself against Your Mother. So I appeal unto your Majesty, well pleased to consider the wrong, and injustice your Protestant Ministers do unto us Roman Catholics, your ancient Subjects, in persecuting us, with the loss of goods, lands, liberty and life, for that we will not forsake the Religion planted upon earth by the Son of God, to profess in place thereof, a Policy invented by an Illegitimate woman. THE CONCLUSION. AND for Conclusion, I humbly beseech your Majesty, well pleased to consider, that without a true Faith it is impossible Hebr. 11. 6. john 3. 8. to please God. Again, He that doth not believe (the Faith planted by our Saviour) is already judged. And the judgement is, Get ye away from me ye accursed into fire everlasting, Matth. 25. which was prepared for the Devil and his angels. And presently after this sentence given, they are cast into Hell; which is as the Prophet Isay saith: A profound and spacious room, his food is fire and store of wood, the breath of our Lord's mouth doth kindle the same, like a main River of Brimstone: and there bound hands and feet, they are placed in a bed of Moths, to gnaw perpetually on their carcases; and in scorn of the pride of life, in which they lived upon earth, covered with a covering of Lice; as the Prophet Isay witnesseth, saying: Thy pride is drawn down into Hell, thy carcase Isay 14. is fallen, the moth shallbe strowen under thee, and worms shallbe thy covering. And placed in this woeful and lamentable estate, they are delivered up into the hands of Devils, who as ministers of God's wrath, power out upon them, Fire, hail, famine, death, teeth Eccles. 39 Apoc. 14. of beasts, scorpions, and serpents. And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever. Without any hope of ease, or any possibility for one moment, ever to have their torments lessened, for that they shall be for ever the same, as the Prophet saith; He loved cursing, Matth. 25. Psal. 108. and it shall come to him, and he would not blessing (that with which God hath blessed all Nations of the earth, according to his promise) and it shallbe far from him, in all eternity he shall neither hear, or have any: which considerations ought much to move the heart of your most excellent Majesty, to take pity upon a number of your Subjects, who have no other Faith or Religion, then that which is grounded upon the maledictions of God, and out of your compassion to restore unto them again the liberty of embracing the Catholic Roman Faith, which as we have abundantly proved, was planted upon earth by our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, the Son of God, and there is no salvation in any other. And by so doing, your Majesty shall much honour God, put an end to all new Sects, establish your Throne as the days of heaven, bring abundance of peace and quietness to your afflicted Subjects, and as you have united the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland in one; so you shall unite yourself and them to God, and the rest of the Christian world, and be partaker of all the blessings promised to the Catholic Church. The means is so easy, that if your Majesty please, you may do it without infringing any Law, by dispensation out of your Prerogative Royal, with all Statutes made against the Catholic Roman Faith: which Faith not being evil in itself, but truth and verity, as we have abundantly proved: the Laws of the Land give your Majesty full leave to dispense with then all, as is set down in Termino Michaelis, An. 11. Henrici Septimo, Your most worthy Ancestor, Chap. 35. saying: The diversity between malum prohibitum, & malum per se malum prohibitum, is where the Statute doth prohibit, that a man shall coin no money, and if he do, he shallbe hanged; this is malum prohibitum, for before the said Statute, it was a lawful act to coin money, but not after; and for this evil the King may dispense, etc. Even so, if a man ship wool, for other places then for Calleis, this is malum prohibitum, for it is prohibited by Statute, and for this evil the King may dispense, etc. in like case: But malum in se, neither the King, nor any other can dispense withal, as if the King would pardon to kill another, or give leave to rob upon the highway; this is void: yet when they are done, the King may pardon them: So it is, if a man be bound by Recognisance in the Chancery, to keep the Peace at the suit of another man, the King cannot release the duty, for the prejudice which may happen to the other, yet when it is forfeited, he may well release, and before not: and so neither King, Bishop, nor Priest can give leave to one to commit Lechery, because it is evil, in se, in the Law of Nature, but when it is done, they may absolve them very well. Thus the Laws of the Land, give liberty to the Kings of the Land to dispense with any thing, which is not evil in itself, but made evil by Act of Parliament, as was the Catholic Roman Faith, in the Parliament holden in the time of King Henry the eight, Edward the sixth, Queen Elizabeth, and yourt Majesty. Whereby it is sufficiently manifest, that your Highness may out of your prerogative Royal, as well, and with as good authority dispense with all penallties imposed by Statute upon your Subjects, for professing the Catholic Roman Faith, and give them free liberty to profess it, as you may dispense with Merchants freely to transport out of the Realm, Silver, Wool, or other Merchandise forbidden by Act of Parliament. And the reasons or motives, which ought to move, your Highness to dispense with the said Statutes, are as many, and as weighty, as in any case can be given: whereof I will repeat only some few, out of which others may be collected. First, for that the said Statutes are contrary to the honour of God, his oaths, words, and Law, as we have abundantly proved throughout this book, and as your Majesty well affirmeth in your Speech in the Star-chamber, printed 1616. There is another Law, of all Laws free and Supreme, which is God's Law: And by this all common and municipal Laws must be governed: And except they have dependence upon this Law, they are unjust and unlawful. Secondly, they defame Christ jesus, and all Christian men, who ever were before the time of King Henry the eight, known and reputed Heretics by both parties only excepted. For that they all either committed, or helped, or assisted, or gave counsel to commit these actions, which are by the said Statutes made Treason, Felony, or Criminal, as we have proved in the first, second, and third Chapters. Thirdly, they are contrary to the solemn oaths of the Kings of England, taken at their Coronation, according to the ancient Laws and Customs of this Land, as in the Saxon Law, left by King Engward the Lex Sancti Edwardi 7. Confessor, it is said: That the King, because he is God's Vicegerent upon earth, is ordained to govern his earthly kingdom, and people of God, and above all things, that hereverence the holy Church (which is our Catholic Roman Church, as I have abundantly proved) defend her from the injurious, pull the evil doers from her, and utterly disperse them. Again, The King ought to fear God above all things, and keep his Commandments throughout the Land: he ought to preserve the Lands, Honours, Rights, Dignities, and Liberties of the Crown, and the Rights of the Realm (such as is especially the Catholic Roman Faith, planted in this Land by the Apostles) lost, dispersed, and wasted, to recall with all his power to their ancient and due estate. He ought to set up good Laws, and approved Customs; and evil Laws destroy, and put from his kingdom, etc. All which to do, the King in proper person ought to give an oath, upon the holy Gospel, and upon the blessed Relics, in the presence of the whole kingdom, the Priesthood, and the Laiety. So likewise Bracton, an Bracton, l. 3. c. 9 ancient Lawyer, saith: The King at his Coronation, under an oath, in the name of jesus Christ, aught to promise these three to his Subjects. First, That he will command, and to his power do his endeavour, that true peace be always observed to the Church of God, and to all Christian people. Secondly, That he should forbid rapine (such as is the Pursuivants taking away of Catholics goods, without form or order of Law) and all iniquities, to all sorts of people. Thirdly, That in all manner of judgements he command equity, and mercy to be used, as he would that our benign and merciful God should show mercy unto him. According to which Law, the Kings of England at their Coronations have always been solemnly sworn to defend the Church of God, and her liberties, to set up good Laws, and destroy evil, and do justice, etc. So William the Conqueror at his Coronation, took an Stow in his life. oath on the Altar of S. Peter, where he promised before the Clergy and all the people, to defend the holy Church of God, the Pastors thereof, and all the people subject unto him, he should justly govern, he would ordain good Laws, and observe true justice, and to the uttermost of his power to withstand all rapines, and false judgements. MALMESBURY maketh mention of the oath of King Stephen, to this effect. In the Records of the Tower, in the first year of Edward the second, and first year of Edward the third, are set down their several oaths, to this effect. And your Majesty maketh mention of your oath in your Speech in the Star-chamber, 1616. saying: I protest in God's presence, my care hath ever been to keep my conscience clear, in all points of my oath taken at my Coronation. Again in the same book, and leaf, I have resolved to renew my promise, and oath made at my Coronation. Herein your Majesty may be like Asa the good King of juda, who at the words of Azarias' the Prophet, 2. Parel. 15. took away the Idols out of the Land of juda, and Benjamin, and gathered together all juda and Benjamin, and when they were come into jerusalem, he went in after the manner to establish the covenant, that they should seek our Lord, the God of their Fathers, in all their heart, and in all their soul. And if any man, quoth he, shall not seek our Lord, the God of Israel, let him die, from the least to the greatest, from man unto woman. And they swore to our Lord witb a loud voice, in iubilation, and in noise of Trumpet, and sound of Shawms, all that were in juda with execration, for in all their heart did they swear, the King, and all the people, to seek our Lord, the God of Israel, his Law, Religion, and Commandments. Fourthly, (if we will believe the Scriptures) they will be the destruction of your Kingdom and Posterity, and therefore oblige all those who sincerely love your Majesty, and your Posterity, to desire their abrogation or dispensation. Samuel said to the Children of Israel, which now we Christians are, I will teach you 1. King. 12. 23. the good and right way. Fear our Lord and serve him in truth, and from your whole heart. But if you shall persevere in malice, both you, and your King shall perish together. Again, Samuel said to SAUL, Thou hast not kept the 1. King. 13. 31. Commandments of our Lord thy God, which he commanded thee, which if thou hadst done, even now had our Lord prepared thy kingdom over Israel for ever, but thy kingdom shall no further arise. So MOSES saith, Deut. 29. 19 When he shall hear the words of this oath (of the Covenant between God and man) he blessed himself in his heart, saying: I shall have place, and walk in the privity of my heart, etc. then (shall) Gods fury most specially fume, and his zeal against that man, and all the curses sit upon him, that be written in deuteronomy, and our Lord will abolish his name under heaven. Which we see by experience to have been verified of late years, upon two of the greatest Monarches that were in Christendom, Henry the eight King of England, & Henry the second King of France: Henry the eight was the first beginner of these Statutes: Henry the second went in person with thirty thousand men, to aid the Protestants of Germany, as witnesseth Serres in his life: Henry the eight had five or six wives, and five or six children: and Henry the second had five sons, yet we see that both their names are abolished from under heaven, their Kingdoms or Reigns ended, and not a man of them left to piss against the wall; according to the words of God. And amongst the many temporal maledictions, which God promiseth to send upon that Nation which shall forsake his Word and Law, to follow humane inventions, and policies for Religion: this is one, That the stranger that liveth with thee in the Land (a fornicator Deut. 28. 43. after man's inventions as thyself) shall ascend over thee, and shallbe higher, and thou shalt descend downward, and be inferior. He shallbe as the head, and thou shalt be as the tail. Whereupon the children of Israel, after they had embraced jeroboams policies for Religion, were delivered into the hand of the spoilers, until God threw them away from his face, even now from that time 3. King. 17. when Israel was rend from the house of David, and made jeroboam the son of Nabat their King, for jeroboam separated Israel from our Lord, and made them to sin a great sin, etc. And Israel was transported out of their Land, unto 4. King. 15. 19 the Assyrians, and made slaves and tails unto those Idolaters, with whom, not long before, they had made covenants of association and defence. So the whole people of the jews renouncing our Saviour, the Messiah, are as we see by experience, even until this day, the tail of all people, and under all, and above none. Many people and Nations forsaking the Catholic Roman Faith, to embrace Arianism, became tail to the barbarous Goathes: Africa infected with the Heresy of Donatus, was conquered by the Vandals. The East Church, which whiles it was Christian Catholic, held the Empire of the world, now for her Schism is become slave and tail to the Turk: and many Kingdoms in Asia and Africa, which heretofore have flourished under the Catholic Roman Faith, by forsaking it, either became base, vile, and contemptible, or quite extinct, to the verifying of the words of God, saying: Whosoever shall glorify me, I will glorify him; and they 1. King 2. 30. that contemn me shelbe base. And who is able to express the present maledictions which are fallen upon Germany, by forsaking in this our age the Catholic Roman Faith? Since before it flourished both in dominion and prosperity above all the Nations of the West, which now is punished with all the plagues of God, as Famine, Pestilence, Sects, Civil war, and in danger to be swallowed up by the Turk. And if before the rising of Luther, there ever were any Christians, that made profession of the Religion now publicly professed in England, as some of your Protestant Ministers would seem to affirm; we see by experience that they were the tail, dross, and refuse of all people, so lodened with the curses and maledictions of God, as that there resteth no more memory of them, then if they never had been; to the verifying of the Prophecies, saying: The enemies of our Lord, forthwith Psal. 36. 20. as they shallbe honoured, and exalted, vanishing shall vanish as smoke. Again, I have seen the impious lightly Psal. 36. 35. exalted, and advanced as the Cedars of Libanus. And I passed by, and behold he was not: and I sought him, and Psal. 36. 38. his place was not found. Again, the unjust shall perish together, the remains of the impious shall perish. God Almighty having created all creatures, and given to every creature whatsoever good it hath, and to certain Kingdoms and people, particular divine favours and graces, above other people; as the Faith planted upon earth by his only Son, by the practice whereof, they may live upon earth, like Citizens of Saints, and domesticals of God, and even in this life, taste of the comforts and consolations of divine pleasures: when this people in stead of gratitude, shall become so base and vile, as to forsake this Faith, to follow the crafty inventions and politic devices of men: Then saith MOSES, Our Lord will not forgive him: Deut. 30. 19 but then his fury will most specially fume, and his zeal against that man, and all the curses sit upon him written in deuteronomy. And the generation following shall say; and the children that shallbe borne from henceforth, and the stranger that shall come from a fare. And all the Nations seeing the plagues of that Land, shall say: Why hath the Lord done this to this Land? And they shall answer: Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord, which he made with their Fathers, therefore the fury of the Lord was wrath against this Land, to bring upon it all the curses written in deuteronomy. That the just may see and Deut. 28. fear, and say; Behold the man, that hath not put God for Psal. 51. 8. his helper: Behold, they that make them fare from thee, Psal. 72. shall perish: thou hast destroyed all that Fornicate from thee. Fiftly, they are Laws and Statutes made against all Law, and the grounds of Law: for that Protestants would not be content, that the Catholic Kings of France or Polony, who have many Protestant subjects, should make Protestantisme treason or felony: yet as our Saviour saith: Whatsoever you will that men do to you, Matth. 7. 12. do you also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. And to conclude, the precedent of making or approving such Laws followed, will serve to make any thing Felony or Treason, or to change the Monarchy into a Commonwealth, or to set up any Intender, or Usurper: whereof your Highness ought to have especial care, both for the good of your Person, Posterity, and Kingdoms; over which, God of his goodness grant, that your Majesty and your Posterity may most happily Reign, in the estate of Monarches and absolute Kings, unto the world's end. FINIS. The faults escaped I leave to the courteous Reader to correct.