C t~~4>
COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND
ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE
»
LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
3&,
THE
NOTES
0 F
The Church,
As Laid down
By Cardinal BELLARMIN;
Examined and Confuted,
With a Table of the Contents.
IMPRIMATUR,
Ap\ 6- Guil. Needbam.
1687.
LONDON;
Printed for EiCljatH CfjlfmeU, at the Rofe and Crown
in St. PmCs Church-Yard, MDCLXXXVIII.
THE SEVERAL TRACTS
Contained^
IN THIS VOLUME.
i . A Brief Dilcourfe concerning the Notes of the
X"jL Church ; with fbme Reflections on Cardinal
BELLARMIN's Notes.
2. An Examination of BELLARMIN's Firft
Note concerning, [The Name of Catholiek.]
2. - — His Second Note, [Antiquity.]
-
4. —His Third Note, [Duration.]
5. His Fourth Note, [Amplitude or Multitude and
Variety of Believers.]
6. His Fifth Note,. [TheSucceffionofBifiops.]
7. His Sixth Note, [Agreement in Doctrine with
the Primitive Church.]
8. . — -His Seventh Note, [Union of the Members a~
mong themf elves and with
the Head.]
9. —His Eighth Note, [Santfity of Dotfrine.]
10. ■—•His
io.— His Ninth Note, [Efficacy of the Doctrine]
1 1.— -His Tenth Note, [Holinefs of Life.}
1 2.— «His Eleventh Note, [The Glory of Miracles.]
1 3 . — His Twelfth Note, [The Light of Prophecy.]
1 4 . — His Thirteenth Note [Confeflion of Jdverfaries.]
1 5. -—His Fourteenth Note, [The Vnhappy End of the
Church's Enemies.]
16 . - — His Fifteenth Note, [Temporal Felicity.]
17. A Vindication of the Brief Difcourfe concerning
the Notes of the Church ; in Anfwer to a Late
Pamphlet, Intituled [The Vfe and great Moment
of the Notes of the Churchy as delivered by Cardi-
^/Bellarmin (de Notis Ecclefiae) Juftifed.]
18. A Defence of the Confiiter of Bettarmins Second
Note of the Church [Antiquity] againft the
Cavils of the Advifer.
19. A TABLE of the Contents.
A BRIEF
DISCOURSE
Concerning the
NOTES
O F T H E
CHU
With fome REFLECTIONS on
Cardinal Bellarmin's Notes.
LICENSED,
Jpril6. 1687.
JO. BATTEL!.
LONDON',
Printed for ElC. Cfnftoetf, at the Rofe and Crown in
St. Pants Church-Yard. M DC LXXXVII.
( » )
A BRIEF
DISCOURSE
Concerning the
Notes of the Church, &c.
IF Cardinal Bellarmin had not told us, That this
is a mofi profitable Qontroverfiie \ I fhould very controv. r. 2.
much have wondered at that Pains which he £Cffe£ Notls
and fb many other of their great Divines have
taken, to find out the Notes of the Church. For
is not the Catholick Church vifible ? And if we
can fee which is this Church, what need we guefs at it
by Marks and Signs ? and that by fitch Marks and
Signs too, as are matter of difpute themfelves ? Can-
not we diftinguifh between the Christian Church,
and a Turkijb Mofque, or Jewift? Synagogue, or Pagan
Temple ? Cannot we, without all this ado, diftinguifh
a Chriftian from a Turk, or a Jew, or a Pagan I And it:
will be as eafie to find out a Chriftian Church, as it is
to find out Chriftians; for a Chriftian Church is no-
thing elle but a Society of Chriftians united under
Chriftian Paftors^ for the Worfhip of Chrift ; and .
where ever we, find iuch a Society as this, there is a
Chriftian Church, and all flicli Particular or National
Churches all the World over,make up the whole Chri-
ftian Church, or the Univerfal Church of Chrift.
A 2 But
a A Vifceurfe concerning
But this will not do the CardinalVbufinefs; Tho
the Chriftian Church is vifible enough, yet not fuch a
Church as he wants. For fince there are a great many
Chriftian Churches in the^orld, as the Greek, the Ar-
menian, the Abyjfine, the Rffinan Church, he would find
out which of thefe Churches is the Catholick Church ;
which after all their fhuffles they can never make any
better fenfe of, than which of the Parts is the Whole.
Since there are many unhappy Difputes among Chri-
ftians, the ufe of Notes is to find out an Infallible
Church, which muft by an indifputable Authority di-
ctate to all other Churches, what they muft believe,
and what they muft pra&rfe; and to bring all other
Churches into fiibje&ion, they muft find out a Church,
out of whofe Communion there is no pardon of Sin, no
eternal Life to be had. That is,in fhort,the ufe of Notes
is to prove the Church of Rome to be the only Catho-
lick Church, the only Infallible Oracle of Faith, and
final Judg of Controverfies ; and that the Promifes of
Pardon of Sin, and Eternal Life, are made only to the
Church of Rome, and to thofe other Churches which
are in fubje&ion to her. Thus Bellarmin unriddles this
matter, that the ufefulnefs of this Inquiry after the
Notes of the true Church, is, becaufe in the true Church
only there is the true Faith,true remijfion of Sinsjhe true
hope of Eternal Salvation ; which is certainly true, that
CT"tlr'tfe- al* tms 1S t0 be *iac* onty in ^e true Church of Chrift.
JTSS&SpiS For there can be no true Church without the true
tfiveramfidm, Faith ; and no remiflionof Sins, nor hope of Salvation
Sw8£* out of the true Church. But thenall the Churches in the
verm fpfaf*- World, which profefs the true Faith of Chrift, are fuch
htth cetma.. true churches. But this wi Aot do the bufinefs neither;
Bell, de Notts ... , - W^ t ; g^. '
Eccief. cap. i. for it is not enough to know that every true Church
profeffes
the Notes of the Church.
profefles the true Faith \ but we muft find out fuch a
Church, as cannoterr intheFakh, and has Authority
to con-eel: the Faith of all other Churches; and we
inuft allow the pardon of S^p, and Eternal Life, to be
had in no other Church bUt this ; which is the only
thing, which can make fuch a Church the Mi fixe fs of
all other Churches; and this Church muft be the
Church of Rome, or elfe the Cardinal is undone with
all his Notes and Marks of the Church.
The obferving this, gives us the true ftate of this
Controverfie ; which is not, what it is which makes
a Church a true Chrch ;- which is neceflary for all
Chriftians to know, that they may take care, that no-
thing be wanting in their Communion,which is eflen-
tial to a true Church ; which is the only ufe of Notes
that I know of: but the difpute is, how among all the
divifions of Chriftendom, we may find out that only
true Church, which is the Miftrefs of all other Chur-
ches, the only Infallible Guide in Matters of Faith, and
to which alone the promifes of Pardon and Salvation
are made; and by fbme Notes and Characters of fuch
a Church, to prove, that the Church of Rome is that
Church. The firft of thefe is what the Protectants in-
tend in thofe Notes they give of the true Church ;
to (how what it is which is effential to the being and
constitution of a Chriftian Church ; for that, and
none elfe, is a true Church, which has all things effen-
tial to a true Church. The fecond is, what the Papifts
intend by their Notes of a Church; to prove, -hat the
Church of Rome is the only true Church: and fbriie
brief Remarks upon both thefe ways, will abundantly
ferve for an Introduction to a more particular Exami-
nation of Cardinal BelLiYmins Notes of the Church,
which .
£ A Difcourfe concerning
which is the only defign of thele Papers.
It is no wonder, that Papifls and P rot eft ants differ
fo much about the Notes of the true Church, fince
the Queftions which each of them intend to anfwer by
their ieveral Notes, fo vaftly differ. When you ask a
Proteftant, What are the Notes of a true Church ? He
anfwers to that Queftion, What it is which is effential
to a true Churchy or what it is which makes a Church
a true Church; that is, What a true Church is ? 'And
examines the truth of his Church by the effential marks
and properties of a Church. When you ask a Papift for
Notes of a true Church, he anfwers to that Queftion,
Which is a true Church t and thinks to point you out
to a true Church by fbme external Marks and Signs,
without ever inquiring what it is which is effential to
a Church ; and this he muft of neceflity do, according
to his Principles ; for he can know nothing of Religion
till he has found the Church, from which he moll: learn
every thing elfe. Let us confider then which of thefe
is moft reafonable.
Firft, To begin with the Protefiant way of finding
out the Church by the effential Properties of a true
Church ; Such as the profeflion of the true Chriftian
Faith, and the Chriftian Sacraments rightly and duly
adminiftredby Perfons rightly ordained, according to
the Inftitution of our Saviour, and the Apoftolical
Practice. This is effential to a true Church ; for there
can be no true Chriftian Church without the true
Chriftian Faith, and Chriftian Sacraments, which
cannot be rightly adminiftred but by Church-Officers
rightly and duly ordained. The Regular Exercifeof
Difcipline isjnot neceffary to the being of the Church,
but to the Purity and gocd Government of it.
* This
the Notes of the Church.
This is the fum of what the Protefhnts alledg for
the Notes of the true Church, and thefe are as infalli-
ble Notes of a true Church, as Humane Nature is of
a Man ; for they are the Eflential Principles of it.
By this every Man may know whether he be a Mem-
ber of a true Church or not; for where this is, there
is a true Cnurch ; where this is not, there is no true
Church, whatever other Marks of a Church there be.
. And I know no other ufe of Notes, but to find out
what we leek for.
In anfwer to fuch Notes as thefe, Cardinal BelUr--
mm objecls three things.
i. That Notes, whereby we willdiftinguifh things,
mull not be common to other things, but proper and
peculiar to that of which it is a Note. As if you would
defcribe a Man to me, whom I never fawr, fb as that I
may know him when I meet him ; it is not enough to
fay, that he has two Hands, or two Eyes, &c becaufe
this is common to all Men. And this he fays is the
fault of thefe Notes : For as for the fincete preaching
of the Truth, or the Profeffton of the true Chriltian
Faith, this is common to all Se£h, at leaft in their own
Opinion 5 and the fame may be faid of the Sacra-
ments. All Sects and Profeflions of Chrift ians, either
have the true Faith and Sacraments, or at leaf! think
that they havefb; and therefore thefe Marks cannot
vifibly diftinguifh the true Church from any other
Se£t of Chriftians.
Now I muft confefs, thefe Notes, as he wellob-
ferves, are common to all Chriltian Churches, and :
were intended to befb: and if this does not anfwer
his Deiign, we cannot help it, The Protectant
Churches
8 A Dlfcourfe concerning
Churches do not defire to confine the Notes of the
Church to their own private Communions ; but are
very glad, if all the Churches in the World be as
true Churches as themfelves. The whole Catholick
Church, which coniifts of a great many particular
Diocefan, or National Churches, has the fame Nature ;
And when the whole confifts of univocal parts, every
part muft have the fame Nature with the whole :
And therefore as he who would describe a Man, mult
defcribe him by fuch Characters as fit all Mankind ; fb
he who gives the Effential Characters of a Church,
muft give fuch Notes as fit all true Churches in the
World. This indeed does not fit the Church of
Borne y to make it the only Catholick, and the only
true Church, nor do we intend it fhould ; but it fits
all true Churches, where-ever they are, and that is
much better.
To anfwer then his Argument, when we give
Notes, which belong to a whole Species, as we muft
do, when we give the Notes of a true Chriftian
Church; (there being a great many true Churches
in the W orld, which make up the Catholick, or Uni-
verfal Church ) we muft give fuch Notes as belong
to the whole kind ; that is, to all true Chriftian
Churches. And though thefe Notes are common
indeed to all true Chriftian Churches, yet they are
proper and peculiar to a true Chriftian Church ; as
the Elfential Properties of a Man are common to all
Men, but proper to Mankind : And this is neceflary
to make them true Notes ; For fuch Notes of a true
Church, as do not fit all true Churches, cannot be
true Notes.
*
As
the Notes of the Church.
As for what the Cardinal urges, That all Seels
of Christians think themfelves to have the true Faith
and true Sacraments $ I am apt to think they do$
but what then ? If they have not the true Faith, and
true Sacraments, they are not true Churches, what-
ever they think of it $ and yet the true Faith, and
true Sacraments , are certain Notes of a true
Church. A Purchale upon a bad Title, which a
Man thinks a good one, is not a good Eftate , but
yet a Purchafe upon a Title, which is not only
thought to be, but is a good one, is a good E-
ftate. All that can be faid in this cafe, is, That Men
can be no more certain , that they have a true
Church , than they are , that they have a true
Faith , and true Sacraments , and this I readily
grant. But as Mens Miftakes in this matter, does not
prove, that there is no true Faith, nor true Sacra-
ments 3 fo neither does it prove, that a true Faith,
and true Sacraments, are not Notes of the true
Church.
2. The Cardinal's fecond Objection is, That the
Notes of any thing mnft be more known than the
thing it felf 5 which we readily grant. Now fays
he, which is the true Church, is more knowable than
which is the true Faith : and this we deny, and that
for a very plain reafon, becaufe the true Church can-
not be known without knowing the true Faith : for
no Church is a true Church, which does not profcfs
the true Faith. We may as well fay, that we can
know a Horfe, without knowing what the (hape and
figure of a Horfe is, which diftinguifhes it from all
other Creatures, as that we can know a Chriftian
Church, without knowing what the Chriftian Faith
* B is,
10
A Difcourfe concerning
is, which diftinguifties it from all other Churches : or
we we may as well fay, that we can know any thing
without knowing what it is, fince the very Effence of
a true Church confifts in the true Faith, which there-
fore muft be firft known before we can know the true
Church.
But the Cardinal urges, that we cannot know what
true Scripture is, nor what is the true interpretation of
Scripture, but from the Church } and therefore we
muft know the Church before we can know the true
Faith. As for the firft, I readily grant, that at this di-
ftance from the writing the Books of the New Tefta-
ment, there is no way to allure us, that they were
written by the Apoftles, or Apoftolical Men, and
owned for infpired Writings, but the Teftimony of the
Ghurch in all Ages. But herein we do not confider
them as a Church, but as credible WitnelTes. Whe-
ther there be any fuch thing as a Church, or not, we
can know only by the Scriptures : But without know-
ing whether there be a Church or not, if we know,
that for fo many. Hundred Years, thefe Books have
been owned to be written by fuch Men, and have
been received from the Apoftles Days till' now, by all
who call themfelves Chriftians , this is as good an Hi-
ftorical Proof as we can have for any thing 5 and it is
the Authority of an uninterrupted Tradition, not the
Authority of the Church, confidered as a Church,
which moves us to believe them : For fetting afide
the Authority of Tradition, how can the Authority
of a Company of Men, who call themfelves the
Church, before I know whether there be any Church,
move me to believe any thing which was done 1600
years ago ? But there is a Company of Men in the
World,
the 2{otes of the Qmrch.
World, and have been fucceftively for ,1600 years,
( whether they be a Church or not, is nothing to this
queftion ) who allure me, that thefe Books which we
call the Scriptures, were written by fuch infpired Men,
and contain a faithful Account of what Chrift did, and
taught, and fuffered 5 and therefore I believe fuch
Books 5 and from them I learn what that true Faith is
which makes a true Chriftian Church.
As for the true Interpretation of Scripture, that we
cannot underftand what it is, without the Church,
this I alfo deny. The Scriptures are very intelligible
to honeft and diligent Readers, in all things neceffary
to Salvation : and if they be not, I defire to know,
how we (hall find out the Church : for certainly the
Church has no Charter but what is in the Scripture :
and then if we muft believe the Church before we can
believe or underftand the Scriptures, we muft believe
the Church, before we can poffibly know whether
there be a Church or not. If we prove the Church
by the Scripture, we muft believe and underftand the
Scripture, before we can know the Church : If we
believe and underftand the Scriptures upon the Au-
thority and Interpretation of the Church, conlidered
as a Church, then we muft know the Church before
the Scripture. The Scripture cannot be known with-
out the Church, nor the Church without the Scrip-
ture, and yet one of them muft be known firft } and
yet neither of them can be known firft, according to
thefe Principles, which is fuch an Abfurdity, as all the
Art of the World carftever palliate.
3. The Cardinals third Objection is, That the true
Notes of the Church muft be inleparable from' it j
whereas the Churches of Corinth and Gulatia did not
B 2 always
1 1
it A Difcourfe concerning
always teach true Do&rine, fome of the Church of
Corinth denying the Refurre&ion, and the Galatians
warping towards Judaifm $ and the Church of Co-
rinth being guilty of great Mifcarriages in receiving
the Lords-Supper } and yet were owned for true Chur-
ches by the Apoftfes. An Argument which much be-
came the Cardinal to ufe, it being the beft Evidence I
know of for the Church of Rome being a true Church,
that every Corruption in Faith and Sacraments do not
Unchurch 5 but how this proves that true Faith and
true Sacaaments are not aneiTential Note and Character
of a true Church, I cannot guefs, I would defire any
one to tell me for him, whether a corrupt Faith and
falfe Sacraments be the Notes of a true Church ^ or
whether it be no matter as to the Nature of a Church,
what our Faith and Sacraments are }
Secondly, Let us now confider the Cardinal's Way,
by (bme certain Marks and Notes, to find out which
is the true Church, before we know what a true
Church is. To pick out of all the Churches in the
World, one Church, which we muft own for the on-
ly true Church, and rejeft all other Churches, which
do not fubjeffc themfelves to this one Church. To
find out (uch a Church on whofe Authority we muft
rely for the whole Chriftian Faith 5 and in whole
Communion only Pardon of Sin is to be had. That
this is the ufe of Notes in the Church of Rome, I
have already (hewn you $ and truly they are very
pretty things to be proved by Nptes $ as to confider
them particularly :
1. To find out which is the true Church, before we
know what a true Church is. Th;s methinks is not a
natural way for Inquiry, but is like feeking for we know
not
the Notes of the Church.
not what. There _are two Inquiries in order of Nature
before which is the true Churchy viz. Whether there be
a true Church or not, and what n is. The firft of thefe
the Cardinal takes for grauted, that there is a Church ;
but I won't take it for granred, but defire thefe Note-
makers to give me fbme Notes to prove, that there
is a Church. There is indeed a great deal of talk and
noi(e in the World about a Church, but that is no
proof, that there is a Church , and yet it is not a (elf-
evident Propofition that there is a Church 5 and there-
fore it rauft be proved. Now that there is a Church,
muft be proved by Notes, as well as which is this true
Church, or elfe the whole defign of Notes is loft j and
I would gladly fee thofe Notes, which prove that
there is a Church, before we know what a Church is.
To underftand the Myftery of this, we muft briefly
confider the Reafbn and life of Notes in the Church
of Rome 5 according to the Popifh Refolution of Faith
into the Authority of the Church, the firft thing we
muft know, is, which is the True Church 5 for we
muft receive the Scriptures, and the Interpretation of
them, and the whole Chriftian Faith and Worlhip,
from the Church 5 and therefore can know nothing
of Religion, till we have found the Church. Theufe
then of Notes is to find out the Church before, and
without the Scriptures $ for if they adroit of a Scrip-
ture proof, they muft allow that we can know and
underftand the Scriptures without the Authority or In-
terpretation of tkl Church, which undermines the
very Foundation of Popery : Now I firft delire to
know how they will prove, That there is a Church
without the Scripture } That you'l fay is viiible it
felf, for we fee a Chriftian Church in the World }
but.
H
- - ji Difcourfe concerning
but what is it I fee ? T fee a Company of Men who call
themfelves a Church, and this is all that I can fee 3 and
is this feeing a Church } A Church muft have a Divine
Original and Inftitution 3 and therefore there is no fee-
ing a Church without feeing its Charter 3 for there can
be no other Note or Mark of the Being of a Church but
the Inftitution of it.
And this proves, that we cannot know, that there
is a Church 5 without knowing in fome meafure
what this Church is 3 for the Charter which founds
the Church, mud: declare the Nature and Conftitu-
tion of it, what its Faith and Worftiip, and Laws and
Priviledges are. But new thefe eltential Characters
of a Church muft not be reckoned by the Romanics
among the Notes of a Church, for then we muft
find out the true Church by the true Faith, and the
true Worftiip 5 not the true Faith by the true Church 3
which deftroys Popery.
Hence it is, that thefe Note-makers never attempt
to give us any Notes, whereby we (hall know that
there is a Church, or what this Church is 3 for there
are no Notes of thefe, but fuch as they dare not give,
yfo. The Authority of the Scriptures, and every Man s
private Judgment of the Senle and Interpretation of
them 3 for at leaft till we have found a Church, we
muft judg for our felves, and then the Authority ©f
the Church comes too late 3 for we muft firft judg
upon the whole of Religion, if we muft find out a
true Church by the true Faith, bdore we can know
the true Church 3 and we cannot rely on her Autho-
rity, before we know her 3 and therefore they take it
for granted, that there is a Church, which they can
never prove in their way, and attempt to give fome
Notes
the Notes of the Qburch. j e
Notes whereby to know which is the Church 5 and
then learn, what the Church is, from the Church her
(elf , which is like giving Marks whereby to know an
Unicorn, before I know whether there be an Unicorn
or not, or what it is.
2. Another Blunder in this Difpute about Notes i?,
That they give us Notes whereby to find out the true
Catholick Church, before we know what a particu-
lar Church is. For all TSellarmins Notes are intended
6*nly for the Catholick Church , and therefore his
firft Note is the Name Catholic^ whereas the Catho-
lick Church is nothing elfe but all true Chriftian
Churches in the World, united together by one Com-
mon Faith and Worftiip, and fuch Ads of Commu-
nion as diftind Churches are capable of, and obliged
to* Every particular Church which profeiTes the
true Faith and Worfhip of Chrift, is a true Chrifti-
an Church '■> and the Catholick Church is all the true
Chriftian Churches in the World 5. which have all the
fame Nature, and are in fome fenfe of the fame Com-
munion : So that it is impofTible to know what the
Catholick iChurch is, before we know what a particu-
lar Church is, as it is to know what the Sea is, before
we know what Water is : Every true, fingle, parti-
cular Church has the whole and entire Nature of a
Ghurch,and would be a true Church, though there
were no other Church in the World i as the Chriftian
Church at Jerufakm was, before any other Chriftian
Churches were planted : and therefore there can be
no other Notes of a True Church, but what belongs
to every true particular Church, and that can be no-
thing but what iseffential to a Church, and what all
true Chriftian Churches in the World agree in, «r&
The.
A Vifcourfe concerning
The True Faith and WorOiip of Chrift.
Now, lb far as Bel/arwws Notes belong to every
true particular Church, (b far we allow them, and
let the Church of 7fWe make the beft of them She
can 3 for we doubt not to make our Claim to them,,
as good, and much better than hers 3 but he has
named very few fach 3 the 6th, the Agreement and
Confent in Doctrine with the Ancient and Apoftolick
Church, which is the fame with his fecond Note concer-
ning Antiquity, which muft refer to the Antiquity df
its Do&rine 3 for an Ancient Church, tho founded ma-
ny years fince, if it have innovated in Doctrine, cannot
plead Antiquity, and a Church founded but yefterday
which profefles the Ancient Faith may : and the Sth the
Holinels of its Do&rine, are the chief, if not the only
Notes of this Nature 3 and thele we will ftand and fall
by. Many of his other are not properly the Notes of a
true Church, any otherwile than as they are Teftimo-
nies of the Truth of common Chriftianity, which is
profeiTed by all true Churches 3 and if they are Notes
of the Church, fo every true particular Church has a
(hare in them. Such as his 9^, the Efficacy of Doclrine.
The io/£, the Holinefs of the Lives of thefirft Authors
and Fathers of our Religion 3 and I fupofe the Holinels
of Chrift and his Apoftles give Teftimony to the truth
of common Chriftianity, and therefore to all Churches
who prof-Is the common Faith once delivered to the
Saints. The nth the Glory of Miracles, which alfo
proves the truth of Chriftian Religion 3 and I hope a
little better than Popifti Miracles do Tranfubftantiation.
The i2//», is the Spirit of Prophefy, which as far as it is
a good Note,belongs to the Religion, not to the Church.
Other Notes he alfigns, which I doubt will prove no
Notes
the Notes of the £burch. \y
Notes at all, as 1 $, 14, 1 5, becaufethey are not always
true, and at beft uncertain.
His third and fourth Notes are not Notes of a
Church, but God's Promifes made to his Church : as
of a long Duration, that it (hall never fail, and Am-
plitude or Extent, and multitude of Believers. Thefe
Promifes we believe God will fulfil to his Church, but
they can be no Notes, which is the true Church. For
the firft of thefe can never be a Note till the day of
Judgment. That Church which fhall never be deftroyed
is the true Church, but a bare long continuance is no
Mark of a true Church; for an Apoftatical Church
may continue by the patience and forbearance of God
many hundred Years, and be deftroyed at laft; and
then this Argument of a long Duration is confuted :
And as for Amplitude and Extent, that is not to di-
ftinguifh one Chriftian Church from another, that the
moft numerous Church fhould be the trueft ; but to di-
ftinguifh the Chriftian Church from all other Religi-
ons ; and then I doubt this Prophecy has not received
its juft Accomplifhment yet ; for tho we take in all the
Chriftian Churches in the World, and not exclude the
greateft part of them, as the Church of Rome does,
yet they bear but a fmall proportion to the reft of the
World.
And now there are but three of his fifteen Notes of
the Church left. The fitft concerning the Name C*r
tholkk,which makes every Church a Catholick Church,
which will call it felf fo : Tho Catholick does not
declare what a Church is, but in what Communion it
is, and is no Note of a true Church, unlefs it be firft
proved, that they are true Churches, which are in
Communion with each other : For if three parts in
four of all the Churches in the World were very cor-
* C rupt
I g ^ Difcourfe concerning
nipt and degenerate in Faith and Worfhip, and were
in one Communion, this would be the moll: Catholick
Communion, as Catholick fignifies the moft general
and univerfal *, but yet the fourth part, which is fin-
cere, would be the belt, and trueft Church, and the Ca-
tholick Church, as that fignifies the Communion of all
Orthodox and Pure Churches.
His fifth Note is, the Succejfon of Bifhops in the Church
of Rome from the Jpofiles till now. This is a Note of
the Roman Church ; and the Succeflion of Bifhops in
the Greek Church, is as good a Note of the Greek
Church. And any Churches which have been later
planted, who have Bifhops in Succeflion from any of
the Apoftles or Apoftolical Bifhops, by this Note are
as good Churches as they. So that this is a Note com-
mon to all true Churches, and therefore can do the
Church of Rome no Service.
His feventh Note indeed is home to his purpofe :
That that is the only true Church, which is united to
the Bifhop of Rome, as to its Head. If he could prove
this, it muft do his bufinefs without any other Notes,
but that will be examined hereafter. But it is like
the Confidence of a Jefuit, to make that the Note of
the Church, which is the chief Subject of the Difpute.
The Sum is this : There can be no Notes of a true
Church, but what belong to all true Churches : for
tho there is but one Catholick Church, yet there are
a great many true particular Churches, which make up
this Catholick Church, as homogenal Parts, which
have all the fame Nature. But now very few of the
Cardinal's Notes belong to all true Churches ; and thofe
which do lb, fignifie nothing to his -purpofe, becaufe
they are common to more Churches than the Church of
Rome, And as for the Catholick Church ,that is known
only
the Notes of the Qhurch. i o,
only by particular Churches ; for it is nothing elfe,but
the Union of all True Churches in Faith and Worfhip,
and one Communion, as far as diftind Churches at a*
•great diftance from each other are capable of it : And
therefore there is no other way to know which is the
Catholick Church, but by knowing all the true Chur-
ches in the World, which either are in actual Commu-
nion with one another, or are in a Bifpofition for it,
whenever occafion is offered : For it is impoflible that
all true Chriftian Churches all the World over, fhould
ever join in any vifible and external Acts of Commu-
nion : and therefore tho we know and believe, that
there is a Catholick Church, becaufe we are allured
that all true Churches in the World are but one Church,
the one Body and Spoufe of Chrift ; yet it is next to im-
poflible to know all the Parts of the Catholick Church
( without which we cannot know the whole Catholick
.Church ) becaufe we cannot know all the particular
true Churches all the World over. Nor indeed is there
any need we fhould: For we may certainly know
which is a truly Catholick Church, without knowing
the whole Catholick Church. For every Church,
-which profefTes the true Catholick Faith, and impofes
only Catholick Terms of Commuuion, and is ready,
out of the Principles of Brotherly Love and Charity
(that Cement of Catholick Communion) to communi-
cate with oil Churches, and to receive all Churches to
her Communion upon thefe Terms, is a truly Catho-
lick Church, which fhews how ridiculous it is to make
the Catholick Church our firft Inquiry, and to pre-
tend to give Notes to find out the true Catholick
Church by, before we know what a true Particular
Church is. But the Myftery of this will appear more
in what follows.
* C a $/y,For
xo A Difcourfe concerning
%dly, For another Myftery of finding the true
Church by Notes, is to pick out of all theChriflian
Churches in the World one Church, which we muft
own for the only Catholick Church-; and reject all o-
ther Churches as Heretical, or Schifmatical, or Un-ca-
tholick Churches, who refute Obedience and Subjecti-
on to this One Catholick Church. For if this be not
the Intent of it, what will all the Notes of the Church
fignify to prove, that the Church of Rome is the only
true Catholick Church ? And if they do not prove this,
the Cardinal has loft his labour. For tho the Notes he
afligns were the Notes of a true Church, yet they may
and muft belong to all other true Churches, as well
as to the Church of Rome ; unlefs he can prove, that
there is but One true Church, or but One Church,
which is the Miftrefs of all other Churches, and the
only Principle and Center of Catholick Unity. And
this ought to have been proved firft, before he had
thought of the Notes of the Church.
So that there are many things to be proved here, be-
fore we are ready for the Notes of the Church. They
muft firft prove,that there is but one true Church in the
World : for tho we all grant, that there is but One Ca-
tholick Church, yet we fay, there may be, and hope,
nay more than fb, know that there' are many true
Churches, which make up the Catholick Church. Yet
before the Notes of a true Church can do any Service
to the Church of Romey they muft prove, that there
is but one true Church in the World j and then it will
fignify fbmething to prove the Church of Rome to be
that true Church.
They muft prove alfo, that the Catholick Church
does not fignify all the particular true Churches that
are in the World ; but fome one Church, which is the
Fountain
the Notes of the Qkurch.
Fountain of Catholick Unity 5 which all other Churches
are bound to fubmit to, and communicate with, if they
will be Members of the Catholick Church. For tho
all the Churches in the World were in Subjection to
that Church, yet they receive their Catholicifm from
their Communion with that Church ; and therefore
that only is the Catholick Church. It is not meerly the
Communion of all Churches together, which makes
the Catholick Church ; but it is the Subjection of all
Churches to that one Catholick Church, which makes
them Catholick : So that they muft prove, that there is
one particular Church, which is the Catholick Church;
that is, that apart is the whole; that one particular
Church is all the Churches of the World ; for fo the Ca-
tholick Church fignifies in Ancient Writers. This is lb
abfiird, that fbme of our Modern Advocates for the Ca-
tholick Church of Rometdl us, that they do not mean
theparticular Diocefs of Rome by the Catholick Church;
but afl thofe Churches, which are in Communion with
the Church of Rome : But fuppofe this, yet it is only
the Church of Rome which makes all the other Chur-
ches Catholick, and therefore ihe only is the Catholick
Church. And I will prefently make them confefs it to
be fb : For let us fuppofe, that no other Churches fhould
fubmit themfelves to the Church of Rome ( by the
Church of Rome understanding the particular Diocefs
of Rome) would fhe be the Catholick Church or not?
If notwithftanding this fhe would be the Catholick
Church; then it is evident, that they make the parti-
cular Church of Rome the Catholick Church; if fhe
would not,then I cannot fee how Communion with the.
Church of Rome is eflential to the Catholick Church,
Thefe things, I lay, ought to have been proved,before
the Cardinal had given us the Notes of the Church ; . fa
it
21
22
A Difcourfe concerning
it is a hard thing to prove by Notes, that the particular
Church of Rome is the only Cathoiick Church, till it be
proved, that a particular Church may be the Cathoiick
Church, or that there is one particular Church, which
is the Cathoiick Church. This he knew we all deny ;
and it is a ridiculous thing to think to convince us by
Notes, that the Church of Rome is the particular Ca-
thoiick Church ; when we deny that there is any fuch
Church ; and affirm, that it is a Contradiction to own
it ; as great a Contradiction, as it is to lay, that a Par-
ticular Church is the Univerlal Church.
^thfy. But when I confider the farther Defign of thefe
Note- Makers, to find out fuch a Church on whole
Authority we muft rely for the whole Chriftian Faith,
even for the Holy Scriptures themfelves, it makes me
more admire, that they fhould think this could be done
by fbme Notes of a Church; efpecially by fuch Notes
as the Cardinal gives us.
For fuppofe he had given us the Notes of a true Church,
which is the utmoft. he can pretend to ; before we can
hence conclude that this Church is the Infallible Guide,
and uncontroulable Judg of Controverfies, we rauft be
fatisfied, that the true Church is Infallible. This in-
deed Beliarmin attempts to prove in his third Book of
the Church ; and it is not my Concern at prefent to in-
quire how he proves it. But I am fure this can never be
proved but by Scripture ; for unlels Chrift have bellow-
ed Infallibility on the Churchy I know not how we can
prove fhe has it ; and whether Chaift have done it or
not, can never be known but by the Scriptures : So
that a Man muft believe the Scriptures, and ufe his own
Judgment to under/land them, before it can be proved
to him, that there is an Infallible Church ; and there-,
fore thofe who refelve the belief of the Scriptures in-
to
Tl?e ]>{otes of the Q:urcb*
to the Authority of the Church, cannot, without great
Impudence, urge the Authority of- the Scriptures to
prove the Church's Infallibility ; and yet thus they all
do ; nay prove their very Notes of the Church from
Scripture, as the Cardinal does ; and think this is no
Circle neither, became we Hereticks believe the Scrip-
tures without the Authority of their Church, and there-
fore are willing to difpute with them out of the Scrip-
tures. But this is a Fault on our fide, and when we
difpute with them, whatever we do at other times, we
fhould not believe the Scriptures, till they had proved
them to us their way, by the Authority of their
Church ; and then we fhould quickly fee what blened
Work they would make of it. How they would
prove their Church's Infallibility, and what fine Notes,
we fhould have of a Church, when we had rejected all.
their Scripture-proofs, as we ought to do, till they have
firft fatisfied us, that theirs is the only true Infallible
Church, upon whofe Authority we mult believe the
Scriptures, and every thing elfe. I confeis, I would
gladly hear what Notes they would give a Pagan to
find out the true Infallible Church by. V\ , .
- It is certainly a molt fennels thing to refolve all our
Faith into the Authority of the Church,as.if theCkirch
were the firft.QbjecVof our Faith in Religion ; wherer-
asit is demonftrable, that we muff know and believe
moft of the Articles of the Chriftian Faith before we.
can-know whether there be any Church or not. The
order obferved in the Apofties Creed is a plain Evidence >
of this ) for all thole Articles which are before the Holy
Catholick Church, muft in order of Nature be known
before it. That there is a God who jnade the World j .
that Jefus Chrift is the only begotten Son of God, who
was conceived by the Holy Ghbft^ Lfcrn of the Virgin.
Alary y
*?
H JDifcourfe., &c.
Mary, furTered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
dead, and buried, and defcended into Hell, that he
rofe again the third day from the dead, and afcended
into Heaven, and fitteth on the Right-Hand of God the
Father Almighty, and from thence fhall come to judg
the Quick and the Dead; I believe in the Holy Ghoft;
and then we may add the Holy Catholick Church, and
not till then. For the Church is a Society of Men for
the Worfhip of God, through the Faith of Jefus Chrift,
by the Sanclification of the Holy Spirit, which unites
thtm into one Myftical Body : So that we muft know
Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, before we can -know what
the Catholick Church means. And is it not ftrange
then, that our Faith muft be founded on the Authority
of the Church, when we muft firft know all the great
Articles of our Faith, before we can know any thing
about a Church. This inverts the order of our Creed ;
which according to the Principles of the Church of
Rome fhould begin thus. I believe in the Holy Catho-
lick Church, and upon the Authority of that Church,
I believe in God the Father Almighty, and in Jefus
Chrift, and in the Holy Ghoft : and no doubt but the
Apoftles, or thofe Apoftolical Men, who framed the
Creed, would have put it lb, had they thought the
whole Chriftian Faith muft be refolved into the Autho-
rity of the Church.
This fhort Difcourle, I think, is enough in general
concerning the Notes of the Church ; and I fhall leave
the particular Examination of Cardinal BelUrmins
Notes to other Hands,which the Reader may expeft to
follow in their order.
t HE E N D.
( *J )
B e l l a r m i n's Firft Note of the Church
concerning the Name of Catholic^
EXAMINED.
Prima Not a, eft iffnm Catholica Ecclefia & Chriftianorum nomen.
Bel far. cap. 4. de notis Ecclefoe. p. 1477.
IMPRIMATUR,
Apr. 8. 1687. Guil Needham RR. in Chrifto P.
ac D. D. Wilhelmo Archiep.
Cant, a Sacr. Domefi,
THat the fincere Preaching of the Faith or Do-
ctrine of Chrift, as it's laid down in the Scrip-
ture, is the only, fure, Infallible Mark of the
Church of Chrift, is a Truth fo clear in it felf,
fb often and fully prov'd by Learned Men of the Refor-
mation, that it may juftly feem a Wonder, that any
Church, which is not confciousto her felf of any Errors
and Deviations from it, fhould refufe to put her felf
upon that Tryal : This gave Being to the Church of
Chrift at firft, makes it One and makes it Catholick.
According as this fares in any Part or Member of it, is
that Church diftinguifh'd and denominated ; it will be
TrueorFalfe, Pure or Corrupt, Sound or Heretical,
according as the Faith it holds bears a Conformity or Re-
pugnance to the written Doctrine of our Saviour : An
D Ortho-
x 6 The Fir ft Note of the Qmrcb,
Orthodox Faith makes an Orthodox Church, but if her
Faith become Tainted and Heterodox, the Church will
be lb too ; and fhould it happen wholly to Apoftatize
from the Faith of Chrift, it would wholly ceafe to be a
Chrihrian Church. This may feem to be the Reafon,
that the prefent Church of Rome, being notorioufly
warp'd from Truth, declines the being examined and
meafurM by this Rule, (having indeed lome reafon to be
againfr the Scripture that is fo evidently againft her)and
endeavours to fupport her felf with great Names and
Swelling Titles : Hence it is that we fb often hear of
the Name of Catholick, Antiquity, Amplitude, Unity,
Succeffion, Miracles, Prophecy, and feveral others that
their great Cardinal fets down, as fb many perpetual
and never-failing Marks and Characters to find out the
True Church, and to Ailed: his own.
I fhall in this fhortTracl: examin the firft of thefe,
and that I may give it all the fair play imaginable, en-
deavour to reprefent it in its fullForce,and to its beft Ad-
vantage ; Bellarmin makes it thus to fpeak for it felf: The
Apoftlein i Cor. y.^makes it the Sign and Mark ofSchifma-
ticks to be called after the Name of particidtr Menjho of the
Apoftles themf elves, whether 0/Paul or A polios or Cephas :
And in the Writings of ihe ancient Fathers, the Orthodox
Churches were known and difiinguijF d by the name of Cat ho-
lick,andthe Conventicles ofSchifmaticks andHereticksjby the
Names of their firft Authors : And therefore fince- the Church
ofRomeisby all even her bittereft Adverfaries, called Catho-
lick, and the feveral Seels of the Reform d, after the Names
of their particular Dotlors, as Luther, Calvin, Zuinglius,
and the like ', it follows that the Name of Catholick is not
only a f ure undoubted Mark of the true Church, but alfo that
this Church of Rome is that Church : This is his Argu-
ment ', and as much as he values his Church upon it, I
can
concerning the Name o/"Cathglick. 27
can fee no more in it but this,that becaufe Churches pro-
felling the true Orthodox Faith, were anciently flyl'd Ca-
tholick, therefore all that have been ftyled Catholick
fince, be their faith what it will, muft be True and Ortho-
dox Churches : And becaufe the Apoftle forbids Chrifti-
ans to be calPd after the Name of particular Men, tho of
never fo great Eminency in the Church : And thofe men-
tioned in the Works of the Ancients were really Schifma-
ticks and Hereticks, that tverefo calPdps the Valentinians,
Marcionites, Montanifts, and others : Therefore all that in
after- Ages fhall be foniek-nam'd, tho out of Malice and
Ill-will by their Enemies, whilfr. they difbwn it them-
felves,muft go for Schifmaticks and Hereticks. This isfb
weak a Topick,thatI might juftly break offhere, having
expos'd it fufficiently by a bare Reprefenting of it : Yet
for the Reader's farther Information and Satisfaction in
this matter, I fhall proceed to fhew thefe three Things.
I. In what Rejpeti the Name of Catholick was efteemed ly
fome of the Father sin their Time, a Note of a Catho-
lick Church, and in what Reflects * twill ever be a ft an-
ding Note of it.
II. That from the bare Name ^/'Catholick.,/?*? Argument
can be drawn to prove a Church to be Catholick.
III. That the Church of Rome having egregioujly cor-
rupted the true Catholick Faith >ne it her is nor deferves
the Name of a Catholick Church.
I. In what Refpett the Name of Catholick was efteemed
by fome of the Fathers in their Time, a Note of the
Catholick Churchy and 8cc
And this, as evidently appears from their Writings,
and even from thofe Teftimonies cited by Be liar mi ny
D 2 was
% % the Fir ft Note of the (burcb,
was upon the Account of the Catholick Faith; that in
their Time was generally and for the moil part in con-
junction with the Name of Catholick ; and when ever
it is fo, 'twill be an Infallible Note of a Catholick
Church. The Catholick Faith is that which was deli-
ver'd by Chrift himfelf to his Apoftles, and by them to
the Church, contained in thofe Writings, which they
by the extraordinary Direction and Afliftance of the Ho-
ly Ghoft indited, and commended to the Care and Keep-
ing of all the Churches planted by them, as a fure uner-
ring Rule of Faith and Manners ; Called Catholick, both
as it contains all things in it neceflary to Salvation, and
as it was to be preach'd and publifh'd in all Times, and
fucceflively in all Places : According to Vincent. Lirin.
Rule, quodfemper, quod unique, quod ab omnibus creditum
eft : It let out at Jerufalem, but was not to ftop there,
but from thence to fpread it felf into all parts of the
World. The Apoftles were firft to preach to the loft
Sheep of the Houfeof Ifraei, but not to them only ; Go,
teach all Nations, was our Saviour's CommifTion to the
Apoftles ; and,/ will give thee the Heathen for thine Inhe-
ritance, and &c was God's Promife to our Saviour. The
Chriftian Church was not to be confin'd within the Li-
mits of one Nation, like that of the Jews, within the
fmall Territories of Judaa, but to be made up of every
KjnAred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation.
Now in the firft Ages of Chriftianity,before the main
Body of the Church was divided, only fbme few milled
and feduc'd People feparating from it, it being general-
ly true, that they that bore the Name of Catholick, pro-
feft the true Catholick Faith, and thofe that were called
after the Name of particular Men,had deprav'dand cor-
rupted it, the very Name Catholick became a diftingui-
fliing Note of a true Church, and to be call'd after
the
concerning the Name of Catholic k. 2«
the Name of the Author of any Seel, the Mark of an
Heretical and Scifmatical one ; but yet this was not fb
much for the Sake of the bare Names, as for the Things,
the Tenets and Doctrines fignified by them. In this
Senfe are all thofe Fathers to be underftood, quoted by
Bel/armin and others, who feem to lay any ltrefs upon
the Name : 'Twas upon the Account of the true Catho-
lick Faith, that in thofe Times did for the moll part, if
not every where, accompany and go along with the
Name : Thus when St. Cyril of Jerufalem advis'd his Cap. 18
Catechumens,, when they fhould go into any City, to caw*.
enquire for the Catholick Church, he gave this Reafbn
for it, becaufe there the true Catholick Faith is taught, and
in the fame place adds, The Church is therefore catfd Ca-
tholick, becaufe it teaches all thofe Truths all Men are bound
to know in order to Salvation', and upon the fame Account,
Pad anus not unfitly faid, Chriftian is my Name, and Ca~ Epift> ad Syt^
tholick my Sir name ', by the one I am difiinguifhed from pron. de nom
Heathens, by the other from Hereticks and Scifmaticks : be- Cath'
caufe in that Age few or none went by the Name of Ca-
tholick, but thofe that were fb indeed, and profeft the
true Catholick -Faith. And as this is a true Account
of the Original of the Name Catholick, and the weight
that was laid upon it in thofe early Times, fb will the
Name ever continue to be a fure unerring Note of the
Catholick Church, whilft it is infeparably conjoyn'd
with the Profeflion of the Catholick Faith : Where this
is taught and profeft, there's a true Church ; where this
fails in part or in whole, the Church decays, or is loft.
II. No Argument can be drawn from the bare Name of
Catholick to prove a Church to be Catholick.
This is fb clear and evident in it felf, that it neither
needs nor is fcarce capable of a Proof \ The Church of
Rome
Vn Brft Note of the Q^r^>
Rome U caWd Catholick, therefore {he is Catholick ; The
Papilh are caltd Catholicks, therefore they are Catholicks :
This is fuch away ofReafoning, that every Man muft
be afbamM to own, but thofe who have the confidence
to fay any thing,when they are not able to fay any thing
t0 the Purpofe. For,
i .The Chriftian Church was not known by the Name
of Catholick at the beginning, and therefore it can be
no EfTential Note of it. W e find no mention of this Name
in the Writings of the New Teftament : We read,That
the Difciples were calledChrifiians at Jntioch; but the name
Catholick, prinipally refpe&ing the diffufive Nature
of the Church, the Church could not properly be fo cal-
led, till the Chriftian Faith had been more generally and
univerfally preach'd in tr e World : Therefore Pacianu*
in the fore-quoted Place confefles, that the Name Catho-
lick was not us'd in the Church in the Days of the Apo-
ftles ; and from thence fame have concluded, that the
Creed which goes under the Apoftles Name,having this
Denomination of the Church inierted in it, Catholick
Church, was not compos'd by. them, but by fome Holy
Bifhops of a later ftanding in the Church ; yet muft it
be confefs'd that the Name is very ancient and of an early
Date, it being found in the Oriental Creeds, particularly
thofe of Jerusalem and Jlexandria,a.nd in the Infcriptions
ofSt.'Jawes, St. Peter, St. John, and St.Judes Epiftles,
which are all ftyPd General or Catholick Epiftles.
2. Names are oftentimes arbitrarily and at random,
and falfly impos'd on Things, and therefore nothing can
be concluded from them : The Church of Sardis had a
Name to live, but was dead ; the Church of Laodicea
gloried that fhe was rich, but was poor ; many on Earth
are call'd Gods, who are but mortal Men ; Simon Magus
was call'd the great Power of God, but was a Child of
the
concerning the Name of C a t h o l i c k. ? i
the Devil ; Mahomet a great Prophet,but was an Impofior ;
Diana the great Goddefs of the Ephefians ,but was an Idol;
our BleiTed Saviour foretold that many fhould come inhis
Name, each faying, I am Chrifi, but were Deceivers.
Thus, you fee, Things and Perlbns are not always as
they are calPd ; nor do I believe the Papifts are willing
that their Church fhould be thought in reality to be, ac-
cording to the fignification of fbme Names that are too
liberally beftow'd upon her ; the Bifhop of Rome calls
himlelf ChriJPs Vicar, but others, Antichrijl ; the Church •
of Rome ftyles her felf the Cat ho lick Church, but others,
the Whore of Babylon. I do as little juit ify the fattening
fuch odious Names upon them, as approve their arroga-
ting to themfelves the other glorious Titles ; yet this I
am pretty well afTurM of, that a Man of ordinary Abili-
ties may fay as much to prove the Pope, Antichrift, and
the Romifh Church, an Harlot ; as the whole Colledg can
to juftify the pretence of the one to be Chrijfs Vicar, or
of the other, to be his undefiled Spoufe.
5. Names are oftentimes impos'd on things^and fb us'd,
as Marks of Diftin&ion only,without any farther defign
of reprelenting their Natures and Qualities by them ;
thus we call the Romanifts Catholicks, not that we think
they are truly fb, but in Complement, or Irony, in com-
pliance with common ufe, or by way of Diicrimination
from other Chriftians ; and in the fame refpe&s, it may
be fuppos'd, that they call us the Reformed : And if they
think this is a good Argument to prove them Catholicks,
we have the fame, and 'twill hold as ftrong, to prove us
Reformed. They call us the Reformed, therefore we are
Reformed, is as good an Argument as, we call them Ca-
tholicks, therefore they are Catholicks : In this Senfe are
thofe Words of St. Attfiin, cited by Bellarmin, to be un- Contr. Epirt.
derftood \ That fhould a Stranger happen into any City to Fundam. c. 4.
enquire
- 1 The Firfi Hpte of the Qhurcb,
enquire even of an Heretick, where he might go to a Catho-
lick Church \ the Heretick would not dare to fend him to his
own Houfe or Oratory. Not that that Heretick did be-
lieve, that thofe that there were call'd Catholicks, did
hold the true Catholick Doctrine, for then he could not
have believ'd his own J but looking upon it as a bare
Name of Diftinttion,he directed him to that AfTembly
of Chriftians, that were fo called. St. Aufiin feems here
to fuppofe a Cafe, as if a Traveller entring into a City,
where both Popifh and Reform'd Churches were allow-
ed, and fhould chance to meet a Proteftant, and of him
enquire the way to a Catholick Church, and he direcl:
him to a Popifh one ; or a Papilf,and of him enquire the
way to a Reform'd Church, and he direcl: him to a Pro-
teflant one : , It would not therefore follow, that either
the one or the other did believe either Church to anfwer
and correfpond with its Name, that the Popifh was
Catholick, or the Proteftant Reformed ; but that they
were Words of vulgar ufe,whereby they might be known
from one another, but not the true Church from the
falfe.
III. It does not follow, that becaule the Name of
Catholick in that time, when it was for the moff part in
conjunction with the Catholick Faith, was a fure Note
. of a true Church, it muft always be fo, even when the
Name and thing are parted. It was not long before
the Chriftian Church became miferably torn and rent
afunder, divided into many and fome very great Bodies,
all pretending to Catholicifm. By what Mark now is the
, Catholick Church to be known? Not by the Name fure-
ly, when all Parties laid claim to it, and the grofTeh:
Hereticks, fuch as the Manichtans themfelves, as St. Au-
fiin tells us, who had the leaft to ihew for it, coveted
and gloried in it. Have never any Hereticks or Scifma-
t ticks
concerning the Name of C a t h b l I c i£ \s
ticks been ftyled Catholicks ? Nor ever any Orthodox
flyl'd Heredcks ? The Greek Church is calPd Catholick,
and yet the Church of Rome will have her an Heretical
one : The Donatifts appropriated to themfelves that am-
ple Title ; and yet St.Aufiin thought them no better than
Schifmaticks : The Arians caii'd themfelves Catholicks,
and the Orthodox, Homoufians and Athanafians ; but nei-
ther the one was the more, nor the other the lefs Catho-
lick for what they were call'd. Truth is always the
fame, and the Nature of things remains unalterable, let
Men fix on them what Names they pleale : By this Rule
then is the true Church to be known,not becaufe it bears
the Name of Catholickfor that a Church may do,and yet
be guilty ofSchifm and Herefie,but becaufe it profefTes the
true Faith, and then tho it be in name Hcretick, it is in
reality Catholick ; This is LaffantiiMS Rule, todifcern
the true Church by the true Religion ; That Church alone, St/sola 'c*-°
fays he, is Catholick, that retains the true Worfhif of God. tholicaeflqua:
And St.Auftin in hisDifputes with the Donatifts, where Je™ cukum
the true Church was, appeals to the Scripture, as the Non audiamus,
only Infallible Judg : Amongft many others to this pur- hxcdko, hxc
pole, he hath thefe Words, I fay this, and thou fay eft that, ^ ttctdt
but thm faith the Lord. Dominus ; &c
5. Again, does it follow, that becaufe, the being cal- I^Sf™""18
led after the Names of particular Men, in that Age, Epift. "55.de
when all fo call'd were for the moft part corrupt in the unic« Ecd< c 2-
Faith, was a fure Brand of Schifmaticks and Hereticks,
it rauft ever be fo? May not Names and Titles be unjuft-
ly and maliciouflyimpos'd ? If the Churches of the Re-
formed mull: go for Hereticks & Schifmaticks,meerly be-
caufe they are diftinguiih'd by the Names of thofe Men
that were, the nrfr. and molt eminent Inflruments in that
bleffed Work,as of Lutherans, Calvinifls,Zt?ingiliansjk the
like; Is there not the fame Reafbn that the feveral Orders
E in
34
fbeFirfi Note of the Church,
in the Church of Rome9that go under the Names of their
particular Founders, as the Benedictines? Francifcans,
Dominicans.Janfenifts, and Molini(ls find others, be eftee-
medfotoo? If there be any Difference, the advantage
of Reafon is on our Side ; fince the Reformed afTume not
thofe Names to themfelves, and. tho they defervedly ho-
nour the Memories of thofe Men, and with thankful
Hearts embrace the Reformation God was pleas'd by
their Miniftry to make in the Church,yet do they by no
means affed to be calfd after their Names : They own
no Name but Chrifiian or Catholick, when it fignhies
Peribns adhering to the true Catholick faith : The others
are Nick-names fatten d on them by their Adverfaries
out of Scorn or Malice, to reprefent them to the World,
(as far as they are able) as fo many Schifmaticksfrom the
Catholick Church, and as having other Leaders than
Chrift and his Apoftles : But thofe in the Church of
Rome that are denominated from their particular Foun-
ders, give themfelves thofe Appellations, feem to prefer
them before that truly Catholick one of Chriftian,which
while with fome negleft they leave to the Common Peo-
ple they glory and pride themfelves in the other ; fb that
if this Note of an Heretick is valid, it turns with great
Force againft themfelves,who are really guilty of it, and
not againft us, whom they will make guilty of it, but
are not.
III. The Church of Rome having egregioujly corrupted
the Catholick Faith or Religion ^neither is>nor deferves
the Name of a Catholick Church,
Whether fhe is guilty of this or no, will be.beit feea
by comparing her Do&rine in feveral Points with that
delivered^ Chrift?and.kft upon Record by his holy A-
poftles •
concerning the Name o/CAtttoLicx, 15
poftles ; for tho the Church of Rome will not allow the Scriptures
to be the whole and a perfect Rule of Faith and Manners, yet they
acknowledg them to be the Word of God ; and granting that, they
muft acknowledg that all thofe Doctrines and Practices that are
forbidden by them, are Corruptions and Depravations of it. Let us
then bring their Faith to theTouchftone ; How readeft thou ?
M Sot The ScriP£ure %s> fy°* &ah The Church of Rome
vtjcfiof rvorfbip the Lord thy God} and him fays, that Angels and
Religious only /halt thouferve, Mat. 4. 10. Saints are to be wor-
S?' Which Words evidently appro- fhip'd and pray'd unto ;
priate all kinds,and all degrees of Qatech. Rom. par. 3. c.2.
Religious Worlhip unto God, n. 8, 9.
they being an anfwer to the De- Tho with an inferior
viPs Temptation, who requir'd kind of worlhip, not
but the loweft Degree ; the Devil the fame that's given to
acknowledging that the right he God. Ibid.
had of difpofing of the Kingdoms
of the World to be only derivative
not natural, (they were delivered to
me.) At the fame time confefTed
himfelf not to be the Supream
God, and confequently cannot be
fuppos'd to claim the higheft. de-
gree of Worfhip.
cmfiSt The Scripture fays, How (hall The Church of Rome
ctming h- they call on him, in whom they have fays, Ifs good and profi-
Taht™ ^not Sieved ? Making God alone table to pray to Saints and
i634.' the Ob j eel: of Prayer, who is the Angels. Concil. Trid,
only Object of Mens Faith and Self. 25. delnvocat.
Confidence. Rom. 10. 14.
u7m!rS The Scripture fays, There u The Church of Rome
one God, and one Mediator between prays to Saints^/ Inter-
God and Many the Man Chrifi Je- ceffors, and teaches that
fay E 2 God
y£ The Fir ft Hote of the Church.
fa, who gavehimfelf a God beftows many Favours upon
Ranfom for all, i Tim. Men by their Merit, Grace and
2# t}6. Inter cejfion. Cateeh. Rom. par. $<
c. 2. n. 12.
Sttfahtett- Tne Scripture fays, as The Church of Rome requires
Uat'mT lt: IS m tne Second Com- that due Worfhip and Veneration be
Monjimde mandment , Thou (halt given to them, flich as Kjfltng, un-
Meauxw mi mAy ta$y [elf any covering the Heady and falling
of invoc. of graven Image >nor the like- down before them ; and denounces
saints and nen 0fany thingfoc.Thou a Curfe againft thofe that think
3? ° {halt not bow down to them, otherwife. Concil.Trid. Sejf. 25.
M6.' nor worfhip them, Exod. Cateeh. Rom. par. 3. c. 2. #.24.
20.4. Where,wefee,all And then to cover the Shame
ufe of Images in the wor- and Guilt of this, claps the Se-
fhip of God, whether condCommandmentto theFirlt,
Carved or Painted, are and by making it of the fame
exprefly forbidden with- fenfe with that, makes it to have
out any Exception or none of its own, nor of any fig-
Diftinclion. nification.
Stt Tnatife The Scripture com- The Church of Rome allows,
on search mands all Perfons indif- not this Liberty to the Laity, but
ImsMt- ferently,* 0 readjofearch, upon Licence, that is not eafily
As aifo the f0 meditate on the Scrip- to be obtained, and fays that more
g^o'bliJures, that the Word of hurt than good comes by the reading
gationto 'God dwell in them richly of them. Reg. Ind. libr. Prohib.
read the ^allj^ifdomXuk.i6.2Q. Reg. 4. Nay, a Liberty to read
mT' ^hn 5. 39. Ffal. 1.2. them under fuch a Reftriftion
Col. 1 . 16. was thought too much, and there-
fore the Faculty of granting fuch
Licences was by the Order of
Pope Clement the %th quite taken
away. Reg. Ind.libr. Rrohib.AuB.
Sexti 5. & Clem. 8. Obfer, circa 4.-
regul.
T» The
concerning the Name o/CAtnotic k» y;
:$S3* , TheScriptureexpret The Church of Rome ftric%
fe<« ly forbir!s Prayers in an enjoynsfuch and no other, viz.
«*^w»unkiiv>ivn Tongue, as al- ,* the Latin Tongue, and de-
*»I.' t0Sether unprofitable nounces a Curfe againil: thofe,
and unedifying. in the who fay , that Divine Service
Church, i CV.14.2. He ought to be adminiftred only in
that [peaks in an unknown the vulgar Tongue. Coneil. Trident.
Tongue, fpeaketh not unto Seff. 22. c. 8. & Can. 9. Hereby
Men, ver. 11. If I know making the People perform to
not the meaning of the God an unreafonable Service,
Voice ,he that fpeaketh (hall whi.hr. it takes from them the
be a Barbarian unto me. knowledg of the Prayers offered
ver. 16. .If 'thou (halt blefs in their Name, and fiiffers them
withtheSpirit(by the gift not to underff and their; own Dc-
of an unknownTongue) fires.
how (hall he that occupeth .
the room of the unlearned
fay, Amen,at the giving of
thanks, fmce he under-
stands not what thou fay eft?
The Scripture fays, The Church of itowfays,that
Bleffed are the dead which Souls who die in a ftate of Grace,
die in the Lord, they reft but are not fufficiently purged
from their Labours, Rev. from their Sins, go firfi into Pur-
14.13. To Day, faid our gatory, a place oY Torment bor-
Saviour to the repenting dering near upon Hell; from
Thief on the Crofs, (halt which yet their Deliverance may
thou be with me in Para- be expedited by their Suffrages,
dife, Luk.2 $.43. And Pa- that is, Prayers, Jlms,znd Maffes,
radife is acknowledged faid and done by the Faithful
by them to be a place of that are alive, in their behalf.
Peace and Joy. Bellar.de Bellar. de Purgat. i.2.e.6.Catech.
Sanff.BeatJ.i.cl.Teft.^. Rom. par. 1. c. 6. n.^. Qoncil.
Trid. Seff. 2 5 . Decret, de Purgat. .
The Now
The Virji Note of the Church,
Now how this refting from their
Labours, and being in Paradifey
can be confiftent with the Pains
and Fire of Purgatory,which fte/-
Urmin tells us is hotter than Hell
it felf, is paft my Apprehenfion.
The Scripture fays, The Church of R^<> fays,that
that the Blood of Jefus Souls are to continue in Purgato-
Chrifi the Son of God, ry till they have made full fatif-
fa&ion for their Sins, and are
throughly purged from them ;
and that whoever fays, that there
is no Debt of temporal Punifh-
ment to be pay'd either in this
World or in Purgatory, before
they can be admitted into Hea-
ven, is accurfed. Concil. Trid.
Seff. 6. Can. 50.
The Church of Rome fays, the
Cup is not to be adminiftred to
the Laity, and gives many Rea-
Body and fons for it, left the Bloodof Chrift
Sx! de Blood, he commanded it fiould be fpilt ; left the Wine kept
*6%i>' to be adminiftred and for the Sick fhould fret ; left Wine
received in both kinds, may not always be had, or left fo?ne
the Cup as well as the may not be able to bear the fmellor
Bread, faying, Drink ye tafte of it. Whether thefe are
all of this. Mat. 26. 27. fufrlcient Reafons or no, the
Council of Trent enjoyns all to
believe them fb, under an Ana-
thema. Concil. Trid. Seff. 21.
Can. 1. & 2. The Council of
Conftance acknowleges that our
Saviour inftituted the Sacrament
cleanfeth its from all Sin,
1 Joh. 1. 7. And that
God for Chrift's fake
hath forgiven us all our
Trefpaffes, Eph. 4. 32.
Col. 2. 15,
see Dif- The Scripture fays,that
SiSwhen our Saviour infti-
u one kind, tuted the bleffed Sacra-
in anfiver to mmt 0f his Bodv and
Neither were the Difci-
ples any more Priefts
when they took theCu p,
than when they received
theBread;for if they were
made Priefts by our Savi-
our's
concerning the Name of C a ? h o l i c k# to
our's pronouncing thefe in both kinds, and that it fo con-
Words, Do this in Re- tinued in the Church of Rome ma.~
wembranceofme; they be- ny Centuries, and yet, with a
came fo, before they had Notwithftanding to both thefe,
taken, at leaft before it facrilegioufly robs the People'
they had eaten theBread, of the Cup. Concil. Conft* Seff.
as well as before they had i$.
received the Cup ; It not
appearing, that Chrift
made any Paufe betwixt
his faying, Take, eat, This
is my Body, and his faying,
Do this in Remembrance
of me, but fpake them as
it were in a Breath, as
one continued Sentence;
and then upon this ac-
count the whole Sacra-
ment, the Bread as well
as the Wine,muft belong
only to the Priefts.
suUf. The Scripture fays,. The Church of Rome fays,that
faSatm. in theSacrament,even af- rift, by the Priefts pronouncing
16% $. ter Confecration,isBrf4^ thefe Words, Hoc eft corpus meum,
and Wine ft ill, 1 Cor. n. is tranfubftantiated into the na-
26,27. And it ls veiT ev*" tura^ Body, and Blood of Chrift ;
dent, that when our Sa- the Species or Accidents only of
Amber of viour faid, This is my Bo- the Bread and Wine remaining,
rrtfinct, fy-> ne meant ^ onty as and hath made it an Article to be
&c. \nAn-the Reprefentation of believed by all under an Anathe-
^^7° his Body; a manner of ma; Concil. Trid. Sejf. i}. de
jromOx- Speech well underftood Real. Praf. c. 1. Cornel, a Lapidc
ford,i587.bytheJews, who com- tells us, that it was the Opinion
moniy of
4©
77;e Ftrfl TSfote of the Qburch,
the lame of fomeof their grave Divines,
that this Change is made after fo
powerful and effectual manner,
that if Chrift. had notheen incar-
nated before, the force of this
Charm would have incarnated
al in Sacraments', and in- him, and cloath'd him with Hu-
deed effential to them. man Nature.
Adeo patenter & e (fie aciter, ut fi Cbriftus nudum effet incarnatits, ptrb&c verba (hoc eft Cox pus mum)
intarniretur, Cor plaque \mmanum affummt. Cornel, a Lapid. Com. in Efa. c. 7.
-monly faid
thing of the Pafchal
Lamb: They call'd it
the Body of the Paffover,
whenas it was but the
Memorial, a Figure ufu-
The Scripture fays,
that Chrift needed not
daily , ' as thofe High
Priefts, to offer up Sacri-
fce, &C. for this he did
once, when he offer d up
him/elf, Heb. 7. 27. And
that without Blood there
is no Remifjton of Sin,
Heb. 9. 22.
The Church of Rome favs,that
in the Sacrifice of the MafsChrifl
is offered as often as that is cele-
brated; and that tho therein he be
unbloodily ofFer'd, -yet it is a true
propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins
both of the Living and Dead.
Cone. Trid.Seff. 22. Cap. 1. And
declares the Perfbn accurfed that
denies any part of this. Ibid.
In all thefe Particulars, you fee f and feveral other might be inftane'd in)
the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of Rome bears a manifeit repugnance to
the Goipel of Chrift. Now if the Holy Scripture may be allow'd fo much
as to be a Rule of Faith and Manners in thofe things it particularly treats of,
the Churchof Rome contradicting that Rule in thofe things, mult be condem-
ned for a Corrupter of the Chrifrian Faith or Doctrine. And having thus
made it evident that (he holds not the true Catholick Faith, 'tis as evident
that fhe is not,and confequently deferyes not to be called a Catholick Church.
THE END.
LONDON^
Printed by 7 D for Richard ChifweU at the Rofs and Crown in St. Paul's
Church-Yard, 1687.
<4» >
The Second Note of the Church
EXAMINED,
ant Equity.
Secmda Not a eft A NT J QJJ IT A S. Bellar. L. i v. c. V.
de notis Ecclefiaj.
IMPRIMATUR,
^r.5.1687. JO. BATTELT.
IT is a fhrewd fign that a Church is in an ill Cafe,
when the moft learned and witty Defenders of it,
commend it to the World by fuch Marks and
Characters, whereby they fay it may be known ;
as are neither proper to it alone, nor in Truth belong
to it : But more truly and evidently belong to them
whom they oppofe.
That this is the Cafe of the prefent Church of Rome,
in that Famous Note of A N T I QJJ I T Y, which
Bellarmin and others, make a Mark of the true Church,
I will clearly and diftincUy demonftrate, by fhewing
thefe three Things.
I. That the Plea of bare Antiquity, is not proper to
the Church, but common to it with other Societies, of
falfe Religion. F II. That
.z The SecondNote of the Qhurch,
II. That true Antiquity is not on the fide of the tpre-
fent Roman Church. But,
III. That it is truly jon Ours,
I. It is confeffed by all, even by them who make An-
tiquity a Mark of the Church , that the Notes of a Thing
muft be proper to that of which they are a Note, and
not common to it with other Things : Which quite de-
ftroys this Note of Antiquity, upon a double Account.
Firfty Becaufe that which is proper to a Thing is infe-
parable from it, and did ever belong to it fince it had a
Being ', and can at no Time, without the deftru&ion of
its Being, be abfent from it. This every Frefh-Man
in Learning knows ; and by that may know, that Anti-
quity is not a Note proper to the Church, becaufe it did
not always belong to the Church : For there was a Time
when the Church was New. Which was objected to
it by the Adverfaries of our Religion : and the Defenders
of the Church anfwered the very lame to them then,,
that we do to the Romaniits now ; as will appear in
the fecond Thing I have to obferve.
Secondly, That other Societies have laid claim to this
Note, and it could not be denied them ; and therefore
'tis not a proper Note, whereby the true Church may
be certainly known : being common to it, with others
that are not of the Church.
i. For,firft, the Samaritans claim'd it againft the$ewsr
as appears from the Womans Difcourfe with our Saviour,
Joh. iv. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain, &c.
They had done fb, for many Ages before they worfhip-
ped in Jerufalem. For here God appeared unto Abraham,,
who here alfb built an Altar when he came firft out of
€haldeay Gen. xii. 6,7. Here Jacob likewife built an
Altar when he came out of Mefopotamia, Gen, xxxiii.20..
Here
a nt i &u rrr. 4T
Here there was a Santfuary in the Days of Jojbua, who
gave his laft Charge to ifiael, and made a Covenant
with them, in this Place, Chap. xxiv. 25, 26. Here
the Patriarchs were buried, v.\i. Nay, here-abouts
was *S^/7^ (Judg. xxi. 1 9.) where, by the order of Jo-
fhtta, the Tabernacle, and the Ark of God were fetled,
Jong before it was brought to Jerufdem (Jojb.xvm. 1,2.)
which was all this time in the Hands of the Jebafites:
To which Plea the Jews could not make an Anfwer,but
by maintaining this Principle ; That not the Antiquity
of Place j but the Authority of God's Precept, ivas to be
their direction in this Cafe. And God, it appeared by the
Holy Books, had chofen Jerufalem to place his Name
there.
2. Thus the Jews themfelves argued againft Chrift ;
that he did not follow the Tradition of the Elders,
which had been derived to them from ancient Times,
Mark vii. \,&<. and againft Chriitians, whom they
called the Sect of the Nazarens, ASsxxiv. 5. as much
as to fay, Hereticks, newly fprung up from Jeftts of
Nazareth.
j. And tlms the Pagans argued againfr. them both:
particulaily againft the Chriitians, laying to St. Paul&X.
Athens, JViay we know what this New Doctrine, where-
of thou fpeakerf, is P Acts xvii. 19. And in after-times
calling it, a Novel Religion, a Novel Name ; and difpu-
ting that their Religion was the truer, becaufe'they
were ftrengthned and defended by the Authority of Anti-
qtuty.
So we reade in Arnob'ms (4), and in Sy?nmachm (£), Cf) Lib. 2.
and Prudcntim (c), and many others, whom I omit ; ^ T1cie Jj0ef""
contenting my felf with St. Aufiin alone, becaufe he & Arcad.
givesamoft pertinent Anfwer to this poor Pretence ; ^J^m™-
which will aswell lerve us againft the Papijls, as it did tyris.
F 2 him
■a a The Second Hote of the Churchy
himagainfttheP^^ («0. Who contended that what
v!£*&NovoX they held was true, becaufe of its Antiquity. As if, faith
Teftament. Q^he, Antiquity, or ancient Cuftom fhould carry it againft the
sxiv. Truth. Thus Murderers, Adulterers, and all wicked Men
may defend their Crimes ', for they are ancient Prattices^
and began at the beginning of the World. Though front
hence they ought rather to under ft and their Errour ', becaufe
that which is reprehenfible and filthy, is thereby proved to
have been ill begun, &c. nor can it be made honeft and un-
reproveable, by having been done long ago.
But this is a part of the Devil's Craft and Subtilty (as
he excellently obferves in the fame Place) who as he in-
vented thofe falfe Worfhips, and fprinkled fome jugling
Tricks to draw Men into them \ fo he took fnch courjfe, that
in procefs of time the Fallacy was commended, and the filthy
Invention was excufed, by being derived from Antiquity :
For by long Cuftom that began not to feem filthy, which was
fo in it felf. The irrational Vulgar began to worjhip Da-
mons, or dead Men, who appeared to them, as if they had
been Gods : Which Worjhip being drawn down into Cuftom
of long Continuance, thinks thereby to be defended, as if it
were the Truth of Reafon. Whereas the Reafon of Truth
is not from Caftom {which is from Antiquity) but from
God', who is proved to be God, not by long Continuance (or
Antiquity) but by Eternity.
Let this be applied to our prefent Bufinefs, and it is
fufficient to fhew, that bare Antiquity cannot be a Note
of Truth: For there are very ancient Errors. Which
is fb evident, that it is a Wonder fuch a Man as Bellar-
min was, fhould let this pafs the Mufter among the
Notes he reckons up, of the Truth of his Church ;
which he could intend for no more than to make a fhow,
not for any fubftantial Service : Of which this is a De-
moftrationy that he had no fboner named ANTI-
&VITT,
'j nt i nun r. 45
gVITT, as the &wW Note of the Church, but,dif-
cerning it would ftand him in no ftead, he immediately
lets it afide, and cunningly Aides to another thing ;
with which he endeavours to blend and confound it.
For thus he argues, Without doubt the true Church is an~i.iv. dc Ecde-
cienter than the Falfe ; as God was before the Devil : And fw* c* r*
confequently wereade the good Seed was forvn firft before the
Tares,
But who doth not fee,that thefe two things are wide-
ly different, the one from the other ; Antiquity, and
Priority ', that which is Ancient, and that which is Firft ?
Whatfoever is Firft, is undoubtedly true ; but whatfb-
ever is Ancient, is not always fb ; unlefs it be of fuch
Antiquity, that it be alio Firft. There is a double
Antiquity therefore ; one in refpecl: of us ; the other
abfolute and in it felf. This laft fort of Antiquity is the
fame, with what is Firft •' Unto which we are defirous
to go, to which we are willing to ftand, and by which
we would be judged. By the Rule, which Tertuliian # .
lays down in feveral of his Books, * We would fain^;ccon^
bring our Cauie and Church to be trycd ; That is trueH Adv. praxtm.
which was Firtt ; that FirH, which was from the Beginning; «£• ^ g£
that from the Beginning, which was from the Apoflles :
And in like manner, that from the Apoftles, which in the
Churches of the Apoftles was moll Sacredrviz,. That which
they read in their Holy Writings. This is our Antiquity
( as he fpeaks in his famous Apology ) prtftrucla divine
literature '!*, built before upon the Divine Learning. This f Apologia
is the Rule of Faith, which came from Chrift, tranfmitted c xlvii.
to U6 by his Companions ; to whom at thofe who f peak other
ways, will be found to bs of later date.
But to this they of the Church of Rome will by no
means agree ; they do not like to be tryed only by the
Holy Scriptures, which is the true Antiquity ; that is.
un~
46 The Second Note of the Chnnby
undoubtedly FirH, before all other Traditions. A very
bad Sign this ; an Infallible Note all is not right among
them, that they dare not abide by the Scriptures ; but
cry up other Traditions : that is, boaft of what is later,
not what isfirft. And what is after the First, though
it could be proved to be of great Antiquity, cannot
certainly be relied on: Becaule there are Errors and
Herefies fo ancient that they fprung up prefently after
the firft Truth.
Mere Antiquity therefore, is not a good Proof. For
though the Devil be not fir ft, yet he is of great Antiqui-
ty : being the old (o «#£«§; ) that ancient Serpent ; who
was a Liar , as well as a Murderer from the Beginning*
And was fo crafty, as in Procefs of Time, to make ufe
of this Argument, to prove he was the Ancient of Days y
that is, God. And if there had not been fbmething
elfe, whereby he might have been difcovered to be a
Serpent ; who could have contradicted him } Or confu-
ted his Doctrine and Worfhip, if they had been to be
tried by bare Antiquity ? Which is a Proof fo ineffici-
ent, that God Himielf, as ye heard before out of St. Au»
jlint is not proved to be God by Antiquity, but by Eter-
nity.
Truth and Error were born fb near together, tf'at
after a long Tracl of Time, they could not be diftin-
guifhed merely by their Age. No fboner was Man cre-
ated, but this Serpent, by his Subtilty, beguiled Eve.
And immediately after our Redemption, he attemj ~ ed
again to corrupt Mens Minds from the ftmpli&t? that is in
QhriH, 2 Cor. xi. $. 1 TheiT. iii. 5. And accordingly,
as there was a Church of Chrifi, fo there was, together
therewith, a Synagogue of Satan, Rev. iii. 9. There
were Depths of Satanalfo, and a Myftery of Iniquity
(which wrought even in the Apoftles Days) as well as
J NT1 QJll T r. 47
aMvftery ofGod'nefs, and the deep things of God. Which
wicked DodV s running down to Pofterity, made ufe,
at length, of the Plea of Antiquity ', to give them Coun-
tenance and Support. Nor could it be denied, tho it
was proved to be a mere Deceit. For it was refuted by
the Fathers in fuch remarkable Words as thefe (which
give a deadly Blow to the like Plea of the prefent Ro-
man Church) Cuflom without Truth, is but the Antiqui-
ty of Error. And there is a jhort way for Religious and
Simple Minds to find out what is Truth : For if we return
to the Beginning and Original of Divine Tradition, Hu-
man Error ceafes. Thither let us return to our Lord's Ori-
ginal, the Evangelical Beginning,the Apoflolical Tradition:
And hence let the Reafon of our Act arife, from whence Or-
der and the Beginning arofe.
If therefore Chr ill alone is to be heard, we ought not to
regard, what another before us thought fit to be done, but
what Chrifi, who is before all, firjl did. For we ought not
to follow the Cufom of Man ', but the Truth of God ', pnee
God him f elf f peaks thus by the Prophet Ifaiah, In vain do
they worfhip me, teaching the Commandments and Doctrines ' ,EP ., lx'";
of Men. Which very Words our Lord again repeats in the fratrem, &
Gofpel, Te reject the Commandments of God, that ye may lxxiv* ad
efiablijbyour own Tradition. Thus St. Cyprian +. " P0°^m' ^
With whom Tertullian || (whom he was wont to call II l. de Vehnd..
his Mafter) agrees, in many memorable Sayings. NoViri'
body can prefcribe againfl the Truth) neither Space of Times,
nor the Patronages of Perfons, nor the Priviledg of Coun-
tries. From which things indeed, Cuflom having gotten a
Beginning,by Ignorance or Simplicity, and being grown ftrong
by Succefjion, pleads againfl Truth. But our Lord Christ
calls himfelf the TRVTH, not CVSTOM. Nor
doth Novelty fo much confute Herefy, as Truth. Whatfoerver
is again/} Truth^ that will be Herefy, even old Cuflom.
Truth
C, I.
4g The Secmd Hpte of the Qhurch,
truth doth not ft and * in need of old Cuftom to make it
1 xxviif mm' be believed, nor doth Herefy fear the Charge of Novelty.
That which is plainly falfe, is made generous by Antiquity.
For why fhould I not call that falfe, whofe Proof is falfe ?
Why jhould I believe Pythagoras, who tells Lies, that he
may be believed ?
I omit all the reft ; having faid enough to ihew, that
if Antiquity it felf be to be credited, we ought not to
depend upon Antiquity alone; but feek for ancient Truth.
Which leads me to the fecond Thing I undertook to
fhew ; that the prefent Church of Rome vainly pretends
to true Antiquity, /'. c. to ancient Truth.
II. The Antiquity of a Church doth not confift in the
Antiquity of the Place, where it isfeated : For a new
Worfhip may come into an ancient Place of Worfhip ; as
the new Altar of Ahaz, was introduced into the Temple
at Jerufalem, where he facrificed to the Gods of Damas-
cus, iKjngsw'h idhron. xxviii. 23. Nor doth it
confift meerly in the Antiquity of its founders : For the
Apoftles founded many Churches, which had all the
fame Title to Antiquity in this regard ; and yet conti-
nued not fuch Churches as they left them, but decayed
ffome of them) fo faft, that what Truth and Goodnefs
remained among them, was ready to dye, even before
all the Apoftles were dead, Rev. 'in. 2. But it's true,
Antiquity confifts in the Prefervation of the ancient
Truth, entire and uncorrupted ; which it received
from the Apoftles, and which made it, at firft, to be a
Church.
Thofe Things are truly ancient, which perfift in the
fame State, after a long Tra&of Time, wherein they
were at their Beginning. For if they have fuffered any
Change in that which belongs to their Being and Con-
ftitution,
ANTIQUITY.
ftitution, they have loft their Antiquity, and become
another thing, than they were at the firft. Now to
know this, we muft enquire into the Nature of the
Thing it felf, andunderftand (for inftance) what it is,
that makes a Society to be the Church of God. And all
agree it is the Chriftian Truth : In which, if it have
fiiffered Alteration (that is, doth not hold the fame
Chriftian Doctrine it did at the beginning, but hath in-
troduced Errors and Lies under the pretence of ancient
Truth) it is not the fame Church it was at firft ; and
therefore hath not that Mark of true Antiquity, which
will prove it to be fuch as it pretends.
Now that this is the Cafe of the prefent Church of
Rome, is evident by that Alteration they have made in
the ancient Creed .* Unto which they have added as ma-
ny more Articles as there were at the firft, and thereby
made fuch a Change in their Church (for a Change is
made by adding, as well as taking away,) as makes it
not to be the fame ancient Church, which the Apoftles
founded at the beginning.
This Charge they have no way to avoid, nor can by
any other means maintain, that they are fuch an ancient
Church, as Chrift and his Apoftles fetled, but by this
Ratiocination, as Be/Iarmin calls it. That in all great
Changes of Religion, thefe (ix Things may be ever
fhewn ; i . The Author of that Change. 2. The new Do-
ctrine that was brought in. 3. The Time when it began.
4. The Place where. 5. Who oppofed it. 6. And who
joined themfelves to it. None of which can be fhewn in
the Church of Rome, fince the Apoftles times ; and there-
fore there hath been no Change at all made in it,but it re-
mains the fame it was at firft, without any Alteration.
Which is a reafbning built upon grounds fo notorious-
ly falfe, that it fcarce deferves the Name of a poor Piece
ofSophiftry.
G 1. For
4?
The Second flfcte of -'the Qburctt,
i. For firft, it is contrary to all Hiftory and Experi-
ence ', which {hews us there have been great Changes...
the Authors, and the Beginnings, &c. of which cannot
now be known : Tho no Man can doubt there hath
been an Alteration made. For the Body Spiritual and Ci-
vil too, is like the Body Natural : In which as there are
fome Difeafes which make fuch a violent and Hidden Af-
fault, that one may fay, at what moment they began :
So there are other ,which grow ib infenfibly and by fuch
{low Degrees, that none can tell when the firft Alterati-
on was made, and by what Accident, from a good Habit
of Body to a bad. Thus we are fure a Man is in a deep
Confumption, when we fee him worn away to Skin
and Bone, though no Body can tell the precife Time
when, nor by what Means, nor where and in what
Company his Blood began to be tainted. And thus we
are fure there is a Gangrene (as St. Paul calls Herefy)
when we fee it corrode the Body of the Church ; tho ft
crept in fo fecretly at the firft, and fo indifcernably,that
it was not iufpefted, nor can always be traced to its firft
Occafion and Original. No, the Tares in the Field
(which is another Example whereby our Lord bimfelf
illuitrates this matter) had taken Root before they were
efpied *, for they were fown in the Night, while. Men-
ty$p% (and could take no notice of it) fo that all that
£ould be known, was this, that his Enemy had done it :
That is, the Tares were not- from our Saviour,, nor were
fnft fbwn ; but were of a later and quite different Origi-
nal; But by what, particular Inftrument the. Enemy-
lowed them, at what Hour of the Night, by what Hand
and when, did not appear ; for the Matter was carried
lq fecretly and in the dark, that the Servants, who knew ,
of the lowing pf the good Seed in the Field, wondred to
|ee the bad, and ask'd Whence hath it Tares ? They did
&Q% know, that is; how they came there5 no more than
we .
'AKT I &UI7 Y. |
wemaybeablenowtoknow, how Errors came into
the £hurch : But that they were there they knew and
wer'efiire; as we are fu re there are falfe Doftrines in
the Church of Rome, that were not of our Saviour's
planting.
2. Nor do the Examples whereby they illuftrate this
Ratiocination ferve to any purpofe, but to fhew the
falienefs of it. They can name, they fay, the Authors
and Beginnings of all the ancient Herefies ; for inftance,
die Herefy which affirmed there were two Perlbns in
Chrift, was begun by Neflorius in the Year CDXXXI.
Which is not true ; for though then it took its Name
from fb great a Bifhop, who maintained it ; yet the He-
refy had been before,* from an unknown Beginning ; it
being mentioned by St. Ambrofe, in the foregoing Age,
in his Book of the Incarnation. The like may be laid of
the Aridn Herefy ; whofe Beginning they date in the
Year CCCXXIV. but it was born long before among
the GnoftickHereticks ; and only got Reputation by fo
noted a Man as Arius. Nay, fome of the learnedft
Doctors in the prefent Roman Church, have taken a
great deal of pains to make the World believe that TVr-
tullian, and a Number of other ancient Fathers, were
infe&ed with it. So uncertain they are in their Difcour-
fes about thefe Matters.
3. Which if they were true, would uphold the great-
eft Impieties. For what will become of the Chriftian
Religion, if the Traditional Law of the Jews be true ?
And according to this way of Reafoning, it muft pafs
for Truth, that it came from Mount Sinai by word of
Mouth, as the written Law did, for none can fhew its
Original,muchlefs name the Authors of the feveral Tra-
ditions, and who oppofed them, &c. Nay the Worfhip
of the Heathen Gods was fupported by this Argument,
as is excellently obferved by Clemens Ahxand.rinm, who
G 2 tells
- I "The Second Note of the Qkurch,
Admon. adGtn- tells the Gentiles, " That Fables and Time had advanced
us. p. $69 37. « dead ^[en into the Number of the Gods. For Siough
" things prefent, being familiar to us, are negft&ed ;
ic yet thofe which are paft and gone, being out^of the
" reach of Confutation, xpovov ocS^Kicc-, by the obfcurity
" and uncertainty of Times, have honour invented for
u them. By which means thofe that are dead long ago,
" glorying 7» Tn>M<£ 1s -sfAavus xe^'va, m a l°ng tJime of
" Error, are accounted Gods by Pofterity.
The fame may be faid for the lying Oracles among
them ; the Beginnings and firft Authors of which cannot
be traced.
4. But we have an Inftance of this in the Roman
Church it felf; where there is an acknowledged Change,
and yet they themfelves are not able to tell who firft be-
gan it, becaufe it crept in by infenfible Degrees. The
Communion, I mean in one kind, was not ufed for above
athoufand Years ; but being begun in fbme Churches
( they themfelves cannot tell which, nor when ) grew
to be a general Cuftom, not long before the Council of
Confianee in thefe Weftern Parts of the World ; and there
was eftablifhed as a Law. But it did not begin by the
Decree of any Bifhop, nor was carried on by any publick
Order, and if you ask them, who firft fet it on foot ?
they will tell you, that doth not appear.
Therefore the Second alone,of thofe Six Things j-fedng
proved, that new Doctrines and Practices have been
brought in, of which we are very certain, there needs
none of the reft : But we are fure there was a time, and
Authors of them, and People that embraced them, tho
we fhould not be able (for want of ancient Records that
are loft, or becaufe things that come in infenfibly cannot
in every Age be noted and recorded) to tell the very
Time, and Place and Perfbns, when and where, ^nd by
whom they were introduced,
All
A NT I Q^Ul 7 L 5j
All which is not faid by us, becaufe we are not able to
give an account of the other parts of that Ratiocination ;
but only to fbew the Frivoloulhefs of fuch Difcourfes as
thefe, in which they of the Church of Rome place their
main Retreat. For we can tell, nay, their own Authors
have told us, when and by whom many things were
brought into their Church, which were not there in the
Beginning. Polydore Virgil, if I had room to infert his
Words, would furnifh us withfeveral Inftances. But I
fhall content my felf with Two which were at no great
diftance the one from the other.
The Firfi is their grand Article of Faith, about the
Papal Authority. We know, and have often told them,
by what fteps it grew to the height, wherein now it is,
©r would be \ when the Bifhops of Rome began to exceed
their Bounds ; how they were oppofed and fhub'd, who,
(and by whom) was firft declared the Univerfal Bifhop
and Head of the Church. Victor began the Dance ', Zg-
zimus, after fbme others, followed it ; Boniface continu-
ed it ; Celeftine carried it on : Who met with fb fharp a
Rebuke from the African Bifhops for his intrufion into
their Affairs, upon the pretence of a forged Canon of the
Nicene Council, as is funicient to fhew his Ambition and
Craft, was greater than his Authority. The Attempts
of the reft are as notorious, and fb is the Oppofition they
met withal, till at laft Boniface the jd procured to him-
felf from P^f^,the Title of Univerfal BiJbopt&nd to his
Church, the Title, of Head of all Churches. All this We
can juftify out of Authentick Records : but it is not in
their Power to name fb much as one Man that owned
the Univerlal Jurisdiction of the Roman Bifhop over
the whole Church,till that Time ; that is, till above fix
Hundred Tears after our Saviour's Birth. For tho Be/Iar-
min alledges an Epiftle of Juftinians, wherein he calls
the Church of Rome, the Head of all Churches, yet it fig-
nitie^i
, &A The Second Note of the Church,
nifies nothing, but that they are at a lofs for want of
Proofs ; becaufe, as it is with great Reafon fufpe&ed to
be fpurious, fb it can intend no more than Head of -the
Churches of the Weft ; becaufe in an undoubted Edidt
of his, he calls the Church of Conftantinople by the fame
Name, the Head of all other Churches, i. e. Chief of thofe
in the Eaft. Which is fo certain,that their own Pope Gre-
gory, not much above a year before this arrogant Title
was aflumed, moft vehemently difdained it, or rather
thundred againft it. Nor can they name one Man in the
-whole Church for fb long a time, that believed their pre-
fent Definition of the Catholick Church ; much lefs the
Power of the Popetodepofe Kings,which none challen-
ged till Gregory VII, that is, till above a thoufand years
after our bleffed Saviour.Infomuch that their fore-named
\ c. Bttt&in. Champion f being to prove this depofing Power, out of
te(Ute.dsCumm. ancient Authors, is able to fay no more than this, I have
•Poncif. p. 27. aHedged above LXXfamous Writers fome of which flourffid
more than 500 Tears ago. A goodly Bufinefs ! a glorious
Shew of Antiquity ! inftead of the firjl five hundred Years
after Chrift, to refer us to the laft five hundred : Which
is to confefs the Novelty of their moft beloved Doctrines:
And confequently to quit this Note of Antiquity ; as in
Truth he plainly doth,in that Book, where being prefled
with this Argument, That no fuch Power was claimed
11 ib. cap. 3. p. in tne £rft Times of the Church ; he anfwers, l| That he
59. hath not right Conceptions of the Church of Chrifi ywho ad-
mits nothing but what he reads expre/ly written or done in the
ancient Church : For the Church of later time hath Power
not only to explain, and declare, but con flit ute and command
thofe Things which belong to Faith and Manners. Which is
as much as to fay,they need not trouble themfelves about
Antiquity; for they can make Articles of Faith now,
which were not heard of in the Beginning.
2. We have often alfo told them by what fteps Images
* crept
UN7 I QJlITr. 5r
crept into the Church. For they remained at firft only in
private Houfes, for Ornament or for Commemoration,
and not uncenfured : There being above 300 Years part
before they came into any Church, and then not without
Oppofition ; and for this end only to be of an Hiftorical
ufe, to remind People of things pair. Which improved
in 300 Years more, to a Rhetorical ufeQxs we may call it)
to ftir up Devotion in the People. For which purpofe
Gregory the Great fancied they were profitable ; and tho
he by no means allowed them to be worshipped, yet he
thought the People might look upon them, and worfhip
God before them. And this looking upon them to help
Devotion,was improved in the time of the fecond Nicene
Council, into a downright worfhipping of them,which
would not pafs in thefe Weftern Parts for good Doctrine*
■ And when at lad (we know, and have told them by
what fteps) this new Worfhip advanced hither, and
grew to a greater Degree of Religious Refpecl: than that
Nicene Council admitted ; the moil zealous Defenders of f
it could not agree about it, nor do they know what to
make of it to this day.
We could tell them of other Things that are much
newer, for it is but a little more than 100 Years,fince un-
written Traditions were decreed to be a part of the Rule
of Faith, that is, of the Word of God. But this is fufE-
cient to (hew tjiatthey vainly boaft of Antiquity \ which
is only ancient Error, and fbme of it not very ancient
neither. As for ancient Truth, that's on our fide ,
whom they moft injurioufly accufe of following Novel* -
ties,
III. For the Religion of the Church of England , by
Law eftablifhed, is the true Primitive Chriftianity: •
In nothing New, unlefs it be in rejecting all that No-
velty which hath been brought into the Church. But
they are the Caufe of that ; for if they had not Introduced
new- ■
* g The Second Note of the Church ,
new Articles, we fhould not have had occafion for fuch
Articles of Religion as condemn them. Which cannot
indeed be old, becaufe the Doctrines they condemn are
new *, tho the Principle upon which we condemn them
is as old as Chriftianity : we efteeming all to be new,
which was not from the Beginning. For as for our po-
fitive Docirine, Polydore himktf hath given a true Ac-
count of it, and makes it the Reafon why theSecl: called
Evangelick (as he fpeaks) increafed fo marveloufly in a
fhort time 5 becaufe they affirmed that no Law was to be re-
*Lib. vii.c.4; . , j^y AppertAins t0 the Salvation of Souls, but that
de rerum In- "r* , ' ,n li. . n. t j ■ ^
ventoribus. which Chrift or the Apoftles had given *,
And who dare fay that this is a new Religion, which
is as old as Chrift and his Apoftles ? With whom who-
foever agree, they are truly ancient Churches, tho of no
longer (landing than Yefterday : As they that difagree
with them are New, tho they can run up their Pedigree
to the very Apoftles.
• iL.de Pra> Thus Tertu Man t difcourfes; with whofe Words,
cnpt,C,XXM1' fomething contracted, I fhall conclude ; As the Doctrine
of a Church, when it is divers from, or contrary unto that
of the Apoftles, fhewj it not to be an Apoftolick Cfatrch, tho
it pretend to be founded by an Apoftle : So thofe Churches
that Cannot produce any of the Apoftles, or Apoftolical Men
for their Founders (being much later, and newly conftituted)
yet confpiring in the fame Faith, are never thelefs to be ac-
counted Apoflolick Churches, becaufe of the C 0 N S A N-
GVJNirr 0 F DOCTRINE.
THE END.
LONDON,
Printed by J. D. for Richard Chifwell at th« Rcfe and Crown
in St. ?aul\ Church- Yard, 1687.
* ( J7 )
The Third Note of the Church
EXAMINED,
D U R AT I ON
Tenia Not a eft Dnratio diiiturna-) nee unquam intermpa. Bellarm.
L. iv. cvi.
IMPRIMAT U R,
^.30.1687. GVIL. NEED HAM.
HOW far the Church of God is beholden to
the Indufky of fbme Learned Men in the
Church of Rome, for the Notes they give of
a Church, is not my Bufinefs at preient to
examine : But thofe of the Reformed Religion muftac-
knowiedg themfelves obliged to them, for fb frankly
quitting thofe- Characters which are efTential to every
true Church, and for taking up with fuch as either ap-
parently belong not to their Church, or belong to other
Churches as well as theirs ; or, laftly, fuch as may be
found in a falfe Church as well as a true. This might
eafily be proved againft them through the fifteen Notes
which are offered by them to the World : But I fhall
content my felf to give afl Inftance of it, in the Note of
Duration, which is made by them a neceffary Mark of
the true Church.
H In
5 g 1h Third Note of the Church,
In Profecution of which, I fhall confider ;
I. What is to be underftood by the Term, Duration,
II. How far Duration may be laid to be a Note of the
True Church.
III. Whether the Church of Rome hath a fufficient
Title to this Character.
§ I. Duration , according to Bellarmin, is the conti-
nuance of a Church throughout all Times without In-
terruption ; and he adds, That the Catholick Church is
lb called, not only becaufe it always bath been, but alfo be-
came it always will be. So that this Duration doth include
in it thefe Three things :
i. The Being of a Church from the Beginning.
2. The Continuance of that Church to the End.
3. The Continuance of that Church from the Begin-
ning to the End without Interruption.
Let us now fee how he applies it to the Cafe, lis
evident, faith he , That our Church hath continued from
the Beginning of the World hitherto: Or, if '. rve fpeak of
the State of the New Teflament, it hath endured from Chrifl
to this Tear 1557. ( The Year when he wrote this. ) But
for all his Beginning, it's evident, There is no Proof of
what he Affirms, and his Affertion is very infurficient.
1 . That he takes it for granted, That his Church,
and the Chriftian Church, are one and the fame, and
that there is no other True Church but his. It's evi-
dent, our Church, &c.
2. That he has omitted Two main Branches of his
Duration, viz. That part of it which was to the End of
the World, which is as neceffary a part, as that which
was from the Beginning : For if the Church fhall not
continue
D U\ ATI 0 H. $
continue to be as well as it hath been, it's not that
Church which Duration is a Note of.
Again, He hath pafled by that other Property of his
Duration, viz. That it has been without Interruption.
For, if the Church of Rome was from the Beginning*
and hath continued, but notwitbout Interruption^ wants
another Property of Duration ; which always was, is,
and always will be, and was, and will, and muft be*
fuch without Interruption, according to him.
§. II. How far is Duration a Note of the True Church.
We grant, That there fhall always be a Church of ChrmY
upon the Earth, and that the Gates of Hell fhall never
finally prevail againft it, fb as utterly to Extinguifh and
Deftroy it : And this we firmly believe, becaufe Chrifl:
hath promifed and undertaken for it. But though this
is a Promife, and may fupport the Church under the
moft doleful Circumftances, yet it's no Note by which
the True Church is to be found out, and diftinguiflied
from the Falfe. For befides that, this Promife doth be-
long to the Exiftence of a Church, and not to this, or
that Church.
i. The Nature of the Thing will not permit, that it
fhould be a Note. For a Promife refpe&s the Time to
come, but a Note refpe&s the Time prefent. The
Thing promifed may become a Note, when it is actual-
ly fulfill'd, but till it be fulfill'd, it can no more be a
Note, than the future Time, is the prefent. For what
a Promife is to the future, that is a Note to .the prefent,
and doth fuppofe the actual Exiftence of the Thing it is
the Note of. And thus it is in the prefent Cafe : God
hath promifed, That he will be with his Church, and
prefer *e it to the End of the World \ but being the Peri-
od of that Duration is not to be accomplifhed till the end
H 2 of
go The TUrd Note of the Cbttrcb,
of the World, the World muft come to an End before
we can know whether the Church pretending to Dura-
tion be the true Church. Suppofe we for once BelUr-
mins Church to hiave continued (as he faith) for the
Space of 1577 Years after our Saviour , #and that it
could be proved to a Demonstration that it fb long
continued to be the fame without Interruption ; yet
the-tkne paft, is no proof for the time to come ; and if
the World fhould continue 1577 Years -after his time,
and the Church neverthelefs fhould expire before that
Term; the Term of 1577 Years paft, would no more
anfvver this Character of perpetual Duration, than if
it had endured but (even ', for, as he faith, Duration doth
contain in it all Times, and excludes none. And confe-
ejuently, if there was a Time or Cafe w%en that Durati-
on was interrupted (as I fhali fhew it was) and a Time
in which that Church fliall ceafe, to be before Time it
£elf fhall ceafe (as it may for ought they can fay againft
it ) then either their Church would not be the true
Church, or Duration not be the Note of the true
Church. For that Duration including all Times, the
future Time can be no more excluded than the Time parl-
or prefent ; but fince the future is uncapable of Proof,
the true Church cannot be proved by it, nor can Durati-
on be a Note of it.
1 grant indeed, That if Duration be a neceffary Note
of the true Church,, this may be a Note by which thofe
Churches that once were, but are now utterly extin-
guifhed , may be concluded not the true Church :
but this Negative Argument will neither be able to
fliew which is the true Church, when there are feve-
ral pretend to the like Duration : nor can be a Note of
the true Church, for the Reafbn before given, fiiz.
That it refpe&ing the future Succeffion as well as the
paft,
pail, it can be no Note till the time to come; becomes
prefent, and the whole Period of it be accomplifhed.
2. That cannot be a Note of the true Church, which
doth not infeparably belong to the Church in all Sea-
fbnsand Cafes ; for what is anefTential Character of a
thing, belongs to that thing when-ever and where-ever
it is : And if there be any Ssafbn or Cafe in which
that Note belongs not to it, that can be no true Note
of the thing. As for inftance, the Church in one Houfe
or City immediately after our Saviour's Afeenflon, was
as much a Church from the firft day it was fb gathered,
and had all the Qualifications of a Church, as it could
have, had it been the Church of BelUrmin, and been ex-
iftent 1577. And yet that Primitive Church fb con-
ftituted, wanted this Note of Duration ; for it then but
began to be. And if a Perfon had been to enquire for
the true Church by this Character and Token, and had
been taught, that that could be no Church which wan-
ted it, he mu-ft have gone from the upper Room to the
Temple, and have been not a Chriftian, but a Jew. So
that wTe muft conclude, That either the Church at that
time had not all the Marks necefTarily belonging to the
true Church, and fb indeed was no Church ; or elfe,that
Duration is not an infeparable Note of the true Church.
The former Inference is good ; becaufe that which has
not all the Marks effentially belonging to the thing,
cannot be the thing which they are the Marks of; but
if that A poftolical Church had all the Marks effentially
belonging to a true Church, and yet wanted at that time
this Mark of Duration, then Duration cannot be an
effential Note of the true Church, which was the ft-
cond thing inferr'd,
3. That which is a Note, muft be proper to the thing
which it is the Note of, and not common to other
things
fa The Third Note of the Church;
things as* well as that (fo Bellarmin faith, cap. 2.) But
now this Note of Duration is common to other things,
as well as the Church, to falfe Churches as well as the
true, and fo cannot be an ElTential Mark of the True
Church, or a Note by which it's diftinguifhed, and to
be certainly known from the Falfe. Suppofe we, that a
Perfon that has imbibed this Principle, is in queft of the
True Church, and had been living when Luther ap-
pear'd, and had before him the Nefiorians and Eutychi-
arts, the Armenians , Egyptians, and Ethiopians in the
Eaft, the numerous Church of Greece, &c. which pre-
tend to a Duration as good and fufficient as that of
Rome, and the laft of which is acknowledged by the
Bifhop of Bitonto in the Council of Trent, to be the
Concil. Mother of the Latin, and to which the Latin Church owes
Trid. what it hath. How fhall he be able to determine where
Dc verb. Dei he fhall fix ? For to fay (as Bellarmine doth) that they
1. 2. c. ult. are Hereticks or Schifmaticks, and that the Greek Church
for Example, was lawfully Convicted of Here fie and Schifm
in three full Councils', (that is, Councils of the Church
§?dko°2do. 9* of Rome, ) will not make them not to have been, or
that the Note of Duration belongs not to them. Ei-
ther then they muft dilprove the Duration of thofe
Churches, or difcharge it from being the diffinguifhing
Note of the true Church.
LafUy , I may add ; Tf Duration be the ftanding
Note of the True Church, Then thofe could be no True
Churches which have not had that Duration ; and fb
they maft un-Church the Seven Churches of 4f?&\ &:c.
which have now no Exiitence, but are utterly ccin^
guifhed. For, if they had been True Churches, they
would have had Duration ', but having not Duration,
they could not, according to this Dc&nne, have ever
been
D U <^A T I 0 2i. ^i
been, true Churches. But I am not willing thus to
leave the Subject ', and fhall therefore,
§. III. Confider, Whether the Church of Rome, after
all its pretences to Duration, and its Eftablifhment of
this Note of the True Church, has a juft and fuflicient
Claim to it.
When we would know, whether a Church has this
Note of Duration belonging to it, we muft confider,
What there is in a Church that is capable of being tried
by this Character, and that is either as to Place, Perfbns,
Order, or Doctrine : for by thefe is it that the Church
doth Exift, and is made Vifible ; and fb the Church
that puts in a Claim to Duration , muft be able to
fhew fome Evidence for it from hence, as far as fhe
admits them for Inftances of that Duration fhe pleads
for.
i. As to Place. When we hear fb much of the
Church of Rome, it's to be fuppofed, That Rome is
the principal Seat of that Church, as well as the Pope of
Rome is the Head of it. But this they cannot pretend
to Duration in : for if we look backward, we find not
only the City of Rome frequently Sack'd and Deftroy'd,
and wholly Depopulated, as it was by Alaricus, Genfe-
ricus and Totylos ; but even deferted by the Popes them-
felves; who, with their whole Court, refided at Avig-
non for 70 Years together, as is acknowledged. If we Beiiarm. de
look forward, All that BelLrmine dares to offer upon the Pontif: 1# *
Point, That the Chair of St. Peter /hall not be feparated j^ §#
from Rome, is, That it's a Pious and the mop probable Ac fecundum.
Opinion. But if we confult others, they fay Poiitively, Ve " kf .
That Rome jh all depart from the Faith, and (hall be an Ha- in Apoc. ik
bitation of Devils, by reafon of its Wkkednefs and Ido- ">m- 7- §• 4-
htryy and be the Seat of Anttchrijl, in Apocp.175
2. If
&t The Third Note of the Church,
2. If we proceed to Duration, as it refpecls Perfbns,
where fhall we expect that to be intire and uninter-
rupted, if not in the Popes? And yet if we may judg
De Not. 1. 4. of Popes as BelUrmine doth of a Church, and that He-
c. 8. §. dico re(ie doth nullify their Elections and Succeflions as it
fecundo. jQtj1 tne yerjty 0f a Church, there is nothing more
Shattered. For if we look into the Catalogue of them,"
we fhall find Zepherimts a Montanift, Marcellimts facrN
firing to Idols, Liber ius and falix Arrians, Ana^afius
a Neflorian, Honor ius a Monothelite, John 23. deny-
ing a future Life, with many others.
Go we on, and where fhall we find more, or greater
Schifms ? one Pope curfing another, and undoing what
his PredecefTor had done, as was the Cafe ofFormofus,
Romanes, Stephanas, and Sergius. Often two Popes toge-
ther contending for the Chair (as it was for above forty
Years ^at once) and at one time three Popes that had
fuch pretences to the Papacy, that each had Learned
.f j Men for their Patrons, and it could not be eafily judged
c. i£n§. Trt- which of them was the true and lawful Pope, as Bellar-
cefimus fepti- w'tne himfelf acknowledges.
mus* But this belongs to Note five, of which more in its
due place.
3. If we proceed to Order, either in Worfhip or
Difcipline, the Cafe is fb notorious as to the feveral For-
mularies ufed heretofore in that Church, that it needs
not to be infifted upon, and it's impoflible for them to
deny it.
4. Therefore I fhall proceed to Doctrine, which in-
deed is the great Character by which a Church is to be
vij' m* frft difcovered and tried. And here that I may not either
xa jccqx . intrench upon what has been laid before concerning the
Variation of the Church of Rome in this Point from
the Scriptures, and Antiquity, or prevent what may
further
DURATION. 65
further be laid upon Note Nine. I fliall compare the
Church of Rome with it felf, and if I can therein prove,
that it is not now, what it hath been in many main
Points ; it will follow, that it has no pretence to this De Not- l 4;
Note of Duration : for upon this Point of Alteration Ss^S**
doth Bellarmine put the IfTue.
What the Church of Rome What the Church of Komo,
doth hold. hath held.
i. The Church of Rome
is the Mother and Miftrefs
of all Churches, and to be-
lieve her fo to be, is neceffa-
ry to Salvation. Concil.
Trid. Se/f.y. de Bapt. Can.y.
& Bulla Pii 4.
2. The Pope of Rome
is Chrift's Vicar, and hath
the Supream Power over
the whole Church, and
without Subjection to him
as fiichjis no Salvation. Con-
cil. Trid. Seff. 6. Decret.
de Reform, c. 1. & Bulla
Pii. 4.
1 . Before the time of the
Nicene Council, little re-
gard was had to the Church
of Rome. SoPopeP/W 2.
Epijl. -p. 802. And the
Church of Rome calPd
others Apoftolical and Si-
fter-Churches.
2. For one Bifhop to fet
himfelf over the reft, and
to have all the reft in Sub-
jection to him, is the Pride
of Lucifer , and the fore-
running of Antichrift. Pope
Grtgor.i. Epfi. 36.
Apocrypha*
3. The Apocryphal Books $. St.Jerom. (who was
are Canonical, and Tobit a Member of the Latin
and Judithfec. are as much Church ) faith, That tho
the Holy Scripture as Ge- Tobias, Judith, and fflicca-
nefisy I bees,
&$ The Third Note of the Church,
# U %AT 1 0 2{. 6?
and Angels as their Inter- World the Church doth no-
ceflbrs. Trid. Sejf. 2 5. Ca- thing by Invocations of An-
tech. Rom. par. 4. c. 9. gels— but direcleth her
Prayers to God which hath
made All, and calls upon thfi
Name of our Lord Jefm
Qhriffl.
And it feeins not to have
been an Article of Faith in
the Times of Lombard and
Scot us, (as it is now) The
one of which faith, If mot
incredible the Saints do hear
what we fay. And the lat-
ter, lis probable God doth
reveal our Prayers. Lomb.
Images. Sent. lib. 4. D//?. 45. Scot.
in 4. Difi. £^45.
11. Images are not only n. Pope Gregory 1. af-
to be placed in Temples, ter he hath allowed Images
but alfb to be worshipped : in Temples, for informati-
as if the Perfbns thereby re- on of the Ignorant, doth
prefented were prelent. ProfefTedly forbid the Wor-
Trid. Sejf, 25. Catech. Rom. fhip of them. Lib. 7. Epift.
par. 4. c.6. #.4. ioq.adSerenum>&Regiftr*
Sacraments. Epift. I. 9. Ep. 9. &c.
12. There are Seven Sa- 12. Ca/favder,* Member
craments truly and proper- of the Church of Rome ,
ly fo ; and whofbever faith faith, We/hall not likely find
there are more or fewer any before Peter Lombard ,
Inftituted by Chrift, is Ac- (who lived about 113 o J that
curfed, Trid. Sejf.j.Can.i. did define the number of the
Sacraments. Art. i^.^.de
num. Sacr, And particuJar-
Tran- ly
7o
The Third Note of the Church,
Tranfubfiantiatian.
ly Alex. Hales, the famous
Schoolman faith , That
Confirmation was Ordain-
ed to be a Sacrament by
the Meldenfian Council.
Par. 4. fi^Q. M.i.
13. Bread and Wine af- 13. Pope Gelafius faith,
terConfecration,are turn'd That in the Sacrament the
into the Subftance of Subftance or Nature of
Chrift's Body and Blood, Bread ceafeth not,or Per ifh-
without changing the Spe- eth not. Gelaf. cont. Eutych.
cios.Cont.Trid. Gregory 1. faith, That
our Bodies as well as our
Souls, are nouriflied by the
Eucharift. Sacram. i6.Kjil.
Mar. & in 6. PfaLptenit.
14. Pope Gelafius de-
clares, Either let them re-
ceive the whole Sacrament,
or let them be driven from
the whole: for the dividing
of one and the fame Sacra-
ment, cannot be done with-
out great Sacriledg. De
Confecr. Dift. 2. Comperi-
mus.
And Pope Gregory 1 . af-
firms it to be the conftant
practice for the People to
receive in both kinds. Sa-
cram.in- Quadrag. Tr.j. Vid.
Vindication of the Anfwer to
fome Papers, p. 7 5.
15. Anacktits BiOiop of
Rome
Communion in one kind.
14. The People are for-
bidden to receive the Sacra-
ment in both kinds. Trid.
Seff. 21. c. 1.
Solitary Maffes.
15. Solitary MafTes,
where-
V U %( A T I 0 2$.
wherein the Prieft Com- Rome did Decree, That all
municates alone, are appro- prefent fhould Communi-
ved and commended ; and cate , or elfe fhould be
whofoever faith they are turn'd out of the Church,
unlawful and to be abroga- forfo the Apoftles did or-
ted , is Accurfed. Trid. der, and the Holy Church
7*
Sejf. 22. Can. 8.
of Rome obferveth. Par. g .
Dift.i.Epifcop.& 2. per acta.
Gregory i. forbids the
Prieft to celebrate the Eu-
charift alone. Greg. lib.
Capital, cap. J. apud Caff and.
Liturg c. 33.
16. This was neither in
the Time of Pope Gelafius,
Auricular Confcjjion.
16. Without particular
Confeflion of Sins to a
Prieft, is neither Forgive- or Pope Gregory 1 . Vid. Vm-
nefs , nor Salvation to be die 'at ion of the An fiver '.p. 73.
obtained. Trid. Sejf. 14.^ 5.
Can. 6, 7.
Extreme TJnttion.
1 7. Extreme Unclion is 1 7. In Gregory the FirfPs
a Sacrament, and to be Ad- Time, it was ufed in order
miniftred , when Perfons
are in imminent Danger ;
and laft of all to be appli-
ed. Trid. Seff. 14.tr. 1 3.
Priefis Marriage.
18. Thofe that a re in Or-
ders, may not Marry ; and
to Recovery, and the Eu-
charift was to be given af-
ter it. Sacram. p. 253. Vid.
Vindicate of the Anfrv. p.77.
18. To Marry was a
priviledg belonging to the
thofe that are Married, Clergy as well as others
may not be admitted to So Cajfander Confult. Art.
Orders. Cone. Later. 1. 2$, & Polyd.Virg. Invent.
Can.21. & Later. 2. Can.6* I. 5. t. 4.
By
71 7k Third Note of the Church.
By this Parallel thus. far drawn betwixt the Ancient
and Prefent Doctrine of the Church of Rome, we may
be able to judgof the Immutability and Duration of the
Church ; which can no more be Confident with it, than
one part of a Contradiction can be reconciled to ano-
ther ; or than Infallibility , can be confiftent with the
having Actually Err'd. To find Fallible Churches mis-
taken, and atfome times to vary from themfelves, is con-
fiftent with their Nature, and for all which, ( if the
Errors are not Fundamental,) they are Churches ftill ;
but to find Errors and Contradictions in an Infallible
Church, is to confound the Nature of Things, to give
the Infallible Church no advantage over the Fallible ;
and to expofe the Perfons that betake themfelves to that
fhelter,toalltheDifquietudes, Uncertainties, and Difap-
pointments of Ignorance, and Error. For, what is the
ufual Reafbn given for forfaking other Churches, but
becaufe they are Fallible? What is the Reafon why they
go over to the Church of Rome, but becaufe fhe is,
( as they are made to believe ) Infallible ? But if with
her Infallibility fhe has mill: aken ; if with her Certain-
ty file contradicts her felf ; if fhe was one thing in one
Age, and another in another ; then there is the fame
Reafbn to quit the Church of Rome, as there was to im-
brace it ; and fuch perfons rauft either be contented with
a Church that is Fallible, or be of none.
THE END.
LONDON,
Printed by J. Z>. for Richard Chifwel at the Rofe and Crown in
St./Ws Church- Yard, 1687.
The Fourth Note of the Church
EXAMINED,
AMPLITUDE, or Multitude
and Variety of Believers.
Quart a Not a efi Amplitudo^ five Multitudo & Varietas Credctttinnu
Bellarm. L. iv. c. vii. de Notis Ecclefize.
IMPRIMATUR,
Apr. 27. 1687. GVIL. NEEDHJM*
WE could very willingly appeal to our Ad-
verfaries themfelves, were they uncon-
cerned, whether a plainer Proof can be
given of a Baffled Caufe in a Controverfy
relating to any Point of revealed Religion, than for the
Affertors of it to decline maintaining it by thole Books,
which alone can acquaint us with Divine Revelations.
But 'tis Notorious, that the Romanifts are highly charge-
able upon this Account, in their Endeavours to perfuade
the World, That theirs is the only True Church. They
need not be told, that we are beholden to the Holy Scri-
ptures for our having any Notion of fuch a thing as a
Church ; and they, and we are agreed,That,*teonly is the
True ChriJljanChttrch,v/hich profefleththe True thrifii-
K an
7 a Tie Fourth Nate of the Church,
nn Faith : and therefore how is it poflible they fliould
not be aware, that the beft way to be fatisfied whether
thofe, who challenge to themfelves the Title of, the
True andCatholick Church,h2.ve it really belonging to
them, is, to examine their Faith by the Holy Scriptures?
Which 'tis hard to imagine they can think to be fo im-
fcrfeft a Ruleoi Faith, as to believe it a juftifiable thing
to be fo averfe to this Method, as we have ever found
they are. This we of the Reformation have always ftuck
to, and we are defirous of nothing more, than that it
may be tried by the Faith we profefs, whether we are
found Members of the Catholick Chureh,and the found-
nefs of our Faith may be tried by the Scriptures.
But inftead of taking this Courfe, thofe of the Roman
Communion have invented and do infill on a Company
of Notes and Characters of the Church, which are ei-
ther not to be met with, or are far from being plainly
delivered, in Scripture. Had this been our Practice, I
appeal to their own Conferences, whether they could
have imputed it to a better Caufe, than our being con-
icious to our felves of the difagreeablenefs of our Faith
with the Do&rine of Scripture, and our not daring to
have it brought to this Touch-ftone.
Of this fort of Notes Cardinal Bellarmine hath given
us no fewer than Fifteen, among which he could afford
no Place to this Note of ours; though 'tis as evident as
the Light, that this one alone would have fignified
much more tohis.Purpofe, than all that long Bead-roul
put together.
The Defign of this Difcourfe is to examine his Fourth
Note, viz. Amplitude, five Multitudo & Varietas Cre-
Pentium. Amplitude, or Multitude and Variety of Be-
tievers. And how far he makes it to extend, his next
Words inform us, viz. Ecekfia-emmvm Catholic*, nm
folum
A M
and wondrtd to find it f elf turned Arrian \ faith St. Hierom.
And it became a Proverb, Athanafim againft the whole
World : and the whole World againft Athanafius. And
laftly, The Church of Chrift is not to hcthm diftingui-
fhed from the Kingdom of Antichrift. I wifh our Ad-
verfaries could impartially confider, . whofe Note that
of having Power given him over allKjndreds,and Tongues*
Apoc. 13.7- and Nations is moft likely to be : And who it is, that is
Chap. 17.1. delcribed by fitting, as upon feven Hills, fo upon many
Waters : Which Waters are Peoples, and Multitudes,
Ver' I5' and Nat ions j and Tongues.
Thefe things confidered, nothing is more apparent,
than that the True Church is neither to be diftinguifhed
from other Bodies of Men,, or of Profeffors of Chriftia-
nity, by the largenefs of its Extent, or the Numeroufc
nefs of its Members: and therefore that a True Note
there-
AM
e fourth Note of the Chunk
ordiftinguiflifng Character,, of Chrift's True Church.
It is one thing to fay, it belongs thereto as an Attribute ;
and another, that 'tis appropriated to it as a Note. That
may be even Effential to a Thing, which yet is not*
Note of Piftin&ion, or peculiar Property, whereby if
may be known from all other Things. The power of
Sedation is Effential to a Man ; yet for all that? he is
, not diftinguifhable thereby from a Bea/t. But it is evi-
dent from what hath been difcourfed, That the true
Church is not to be diftinguifli'd from the Kingdom of
Sata%7 not of Antichrifi, nor from Erroneous Seffs, by-
Amplitude and Multitude : And that thefe together,
or apart, are not lb much as EiTential to the Church of
Chrift ; fince there was a time when, as hath been faid,
it was without them both.
2. This is fo far from being a Note of the Church,
that 'tis no more than a variable State and Condition
thereof; fince it hath had, from time to time, . its Ebbs
and Flows, and hath had fometimes larger, and other
times ftraiter and narrower Bounds. This the Cardinal
was aware of, and therefore, among other things he
would have to be obferved for the right underftanding
of this his Note, he faith, That, Although the Chttrm
ought not neceffarily to be in all places at the fame time, yet
now it ought neceffarily to he, or to have been, in the grea-
ter part oftht World : For 'tit acknowledged by all, even the
Hereticks themfelves (meaning the Protectants) that the
Church is now in her old Age, and therefore muft be pafi
growing. By the way ; though all his Hereticks, no
doubt, do believe, that the Church hath daily grown el-
der and elder ; yet I know not how many he hath found
afferting, that fhe is now arrived at old Agt. But it
will by no means be granted him, That the Church is
yet grown fb old, as to be paft growing ; or to have a
peri-
J MP L ITU V B, &c. 69
period put to its time of Encreafing. And therefore I
add,
i. That we have great aflurance that the Church
hitherto hath not deferved to be compared with what
it jfhall be before the end of the World, both in refpect
of its Amplitude, and the number of Believers. For
there are very many plain Prophecies from whence this
may certainly be concluded ; which all, that without
prejudice confider them, mult needs be fatisfied, have
not hitherto been accomplifb'd ; Namely, thole which
have reference to the Calling of the Jews, and the bring-
ing in of the fulnefs of the Gentiks, and the mos~i plenti-
ful Effufwn of the Spirit, and perfect reft from Perfection,
and univerfal Peace, with the molt wonderful outward
Profperity of the Ch urch . There are, I fay, abundance
of the plainer! Predictions and Promifes of this Nature,
which the Church hath not as yet experimented the
performance of; and they are exprefTed in fuch Words
as that it may reafbnably be believed, that thofe great
things which God hath heretofore done for his Church,
either Jetvifb or Chriftian, are no better than Types and
Emblems of what he intends to do, in his appointed
Time. Among thofe Predictions and Promifes, the Rea-
der may confuTt thefe following, which are but a few
in companion of the whole Number, viz. in the Old
Teftament, Pfal. 22. 27, to ft. Ifa. 2. iyto6, Chap.11.
throughout. Jer.^2. J7j*#4j< Chap. 33. j,to the end.
Van. 7. 1 3, 14. And in the New Teftament, Mat. 2 4.
14. Rom. Ii. 12. andver. 2^,to }£. 2 Cor. $. 15, 16,
Jpoc. 20. 1, ft> 7. Though the fulfilling of thefe Scrip-
tures hath been deferred for fb many Ages, yet He is
faithful that hath promifed lb gforious an Encreafe of his
Church,, with the other unfpeafcableBleflings now men-
tioned, and will fulfil them when the Time is come
which
The fourth Note of the Church,
which his infinite Wifdom knows to be the fitteft for
that Purpofe.
And thus much may fuffice to be faid, in reference to
the Cardinal's proving this Note by Scripture,
As to thofe Words, in the next place, of Vincenftui
Lyrinenfis, in his Commonitorium, which he produceth
for the Confirming thereof, viz. Eosproprie effe Catholi"
cos, quitenent id quod femper, quod ubique, quod ab omni-
bus creditum eft. Thofe are properly Catholiks, who hold
that which hath been always , every where, and by all believ-
ed. I Anfwer,
i. That Vincenftu* doth not pretend to give us, In
thefe Words, a Note of the Catholick Church, but of
luch a Chriftian. This is evident at firft fight : And fb
is this.
2. Whereas he makes it the Chara£ter of a true Ca-
tholick, to hold what hath been believed femper, ubique
*b omnibus, it cannot be hence inferred, that he believed
Amplitude, or a Multitude of Believers, to be fb much as
an Attribute of the Catholick Church j and therefore
muchlefs a Note.
J. If thefe Words lay down a true Note of a Catho-
lick Chriftian, then no Body of Chriftians can be more
evidently proved to be no true Catholicks, than thofe of
the Roman Communion may, in all thofe Articles of
Faith which are peculiar to themfelves. For, as to Points
of mere Belief, how much more than the Jpoftles Creed
can they fhew us to have been received, always, every
where, and by all Chriftians? But as for that large Addi-
tion of tridentine Articles, annexed to that Creed by
P. Pius the \th. No unbiaffed Perfbn can believe, they
have ever done any thing like proving, that any of them
have been received always, and much lefs every where, and
by all thofe whom themfelves own for Catholick Chrifti-
ms. 4. By
A M
er\ Verfes, in his Book de Ingrafts, viz,
Sedes Roma Petri, qu£ Pafioralis Honoris
Facta Caput Mundo, quicquid non foffidet Armis,
Religione tenet • — — -i. e.
Rome the Seat j. 2. tn°fe Parts> % of GubA and Nerv s?ain> That they had
fcarcely any thing belonging to Chrifiianity, befides the bare
Name of Chrifiians, That they only minded the Name they
received in Baptifm, and not long after forgot that too.
And the former of thele makes this no matter of Won-
der, fince he declares their Converters to be no Letter
Chriftians than thele Converts • And excellently expo-
flulates with them about the horrible Wickednefs of
their
Nov.
c. 1 p.
A M
£, Sec. 9x
are not free from Superftition ; but adds, That with-
out detriment of the Faith it is connived at> becaufe it can't
be remedied^ in regard of many Difficulties : But in
thofe things which belong to the Ejfence of Faith, Per-
fever antes funt & permanentes, they are fixed and un-
alterable. He alfo writes, that Whereas the Oriental ep.i. adeua-
Churches feem to be Reproached for their Ignorance \ deni- &&
Phslofophy and other forts of Learning being gone from '* 5 9'
thence into other Parts, fince they have been Oppreft
with many Miferies by reafon of the Tyranny of the Tur&,
yet they reap no [mall Advantage hereby ; becaufe by
this Means they are unacquainted with thofe Peftifcrom
Queftions, which at this time infect Mens Ears ', and
with the new Moufirous Portentous Doctrines : And 'tis
plain what Do&rines he chiefly meant. He adds,
that They are content with incompta Fides, a plain seethnC1**
undrejl Faith, taught them by the Apofiles and their D^«Sciiljng-
AnceftorSj and herein they perfevere even unto Blood : 9/-$, Greek
That They keep 'op^o^b^av integrant the Faith entirely : church from the
That They fee them] elves bereft of all their Sub (lance, *°™^flmf
their Children fnatctid from their Embraces ', and are u his Learned -
continually brought into the great eft Tribulations, yet it Vindication of
is not grievous to them to fnffer thefe things for the ^Jj * ^
Faith of Chr if, &rc.
So that the Motto which, Minntm Felix made for
the Primitive Chriitians, Non magna Loquimur fed
Vivimm ', Great Things are not Jo much Talk'd as
Lived by as : This Great Prelate (whole Fidelity in ;
this Account is unqueftionable, he being a Perfon-of
as fam'd Piety as Learning) doth allure us is de-
ferved by thefe Greek Chriitians. But for all this,
They muft all be cioom'd to Hell Torments,; as effe-
ctually as the. Church of Rome\ Sentence can do it,
becaufe
The Fourth Note of the Church.
becaufe they will not Truckle under Her, and fb be
made fubjecl: to a double Bondage.
And thus have I fufficiently fhewed, That it
would be for the Intereft of the Reformed Churches,
that Cardinal BelUrmins Fourth Note of the Church
were as true as we have proved it falfe : And that
it would then overthrow inftead of eftablijbing the
Church of Rome's marvellous Pretence of being The
True or Catholick Church.
THE END.
LONDON,
Printed by J, J>. for Richard Chifacl at the Rofe and Crown in
St. 2Ws Church-Yard, 1687.
( 93 )
The Fifth Note of the Church
EXAMINED,
viz,
The SucceJJion of Bijhopf.
Quinta Not a eft Succeffio Fpifcoporum in Romana Ecclefik ab Ap~
ftolii deduct a ufa ad nos. Bellar. L.iv. c. viii.de Notis Ecclefia?.
IMPRIMATUR.
^*im7. JO. BATTELT.
TH E Difputers of the Roman Communion,
boafting in nothing fo much as in the venerable
Name of the Catholick Church, ufing all
means to appropriate it to themfelves, exclu-
fivlyto any others: And it being the moft popular Ar-
gument they flee to, and with which they . commonly*
begin and end all Debates : We are concerned faithfully
and plainly to examine their Title or Claim to fo ho-
nourable a Denomination, and the many vaft Priviled-
ges founded thereupon.
Among the Notes of the Church in Bellar -min (their
chief Champion) the fifth in order, and it may be not
the leaft Plaufible in all his Number, is this of the Sue-
ceffion of Bijhops, the Subject of this fhort Eilay ; in .
which three Inquiries may be made.
N i. How
94 The Fifth Note of the Qhurch,
i . How far this Note may be neceffary to any Church ?
2. Hotv far this may be granted, to the Roman Church ?
3. How infitfficient a Proof it affords to them of any
great Advantage by it f
Inquiry, 1 . In anfwer to the former, it may I prefume be general-
Conceff. i.Iy yielded: That to the compleat Conftitution of the
Church,it will be always needful that there be in it True
and Lawful Paftors, not only for the rightful Admini-
ftration of God'j Word and Sacraments, but alfo for the
due and orderly Government thereof, and the Difpenfa-
tion of wholfom Difcipline to the Flock committed to
their charge : requiring all tender Care, vigilant In-
fpe&ion, and indulgent Provifion from Them : And all
cheerful and humble Submiflion, and ready Subjection
from Thefe. Requifites to any Society, confirmed by
many Precepts and Examples in Scripture.
r*»cefT 1 "We yield this P aft oral Power originally to be from Chrift,
x.omefr z. ^^ Head of h.s church> the chief Bifhop and paftor
of his Flock, and by him immediately conveyed to the
Apoftles, and from them derived by Imposition of
Hands, or Ordination to their Succeffcrs in the feveral
Churches which they planted, and fb to be continued
by a Regular Sueceflion to the End of the World : As
may be proved by the feveral Directions in the Epiftles
to Timothy and Titus, and Examples in the Acts of the
Apoftles, and the following Practice of the Church in
all Ages, and Places, of which we have any Records ex-
Heb. 5. 4. tant : No Man taketh this Honour to himfelf.
Conceff. ? We grant farther, that according to the be ft Evidence
"' of Scripture-Rule or Example, and the conftant Pra&ice
of Chrift's Church, the Power of Ordination is entrufted
with the Bifhops, the chief Governours thereof, and
ordi-
7 be Succe/Jton of Bijhopi. p ^
ordinary Succeflbrs of the Apofrles unto the End of
the World. And we as readily embrace the Canonical
Provifion of the Confiitutions under the name of the A-
poftles by St. Clemens, or the Decree of the ever-renow-
ned frft Council of Nice, That every Bifiop be ordained by
three Bifiops, or two at the leap, &c.
All molt agreeable to the Doctrine and Practice of the
Church of England. Such is our Government and Suc-
ceflion not at all interrupted in the Reformation, what-
ever Difficulties it ftruggled with elfewhere. A fignal
Happinefs,for which we have Reafbn ever to blefs God,
and not peevifhly to endeavour, by wilful &• fchifmatical
Separations, to deprive our felves of that Priviledge,
which may be the chief Eye-fore to our Adverfaries,
and thereby to furnifh them with new and better Ar-
guments than ever yet they found againft us. If their
Succeffion be good, fb is ours ; (for fiire it is not tyed
to one place) whether we derive it through them by
Auguflin the Monk, though ordained in France, or from,
or by the Britifi Bifiops, who had been here feveral A-
ges before his Coming, and by as Regular a Succeffion
from Apoftolical Times without any dependance, as
they profefs, or,as far as we can find, on the See or Bifiop
of Rome.
However it may be noted, that though this Succeflion Obferv. i.
of Bifhops be neceflary to th -ompleat Conftitution of
the Church ; yet it may well ue doubted whether it is in-
difpen fable to the very Being of it, fb as to unchurch eve-
ry Place that wants thefe. For Baptifm alone gives us
Admiflion into the Church, and a Title to the Heaven-
ly Inheritance upon the Performance of our Part of the
Covenant. And although this obliges all Chriftians to
endeavour to provide themfelves with lawful Pallors
for their conftant Supply in all the means of Grace, and
N 2 fb
p 5 The Fifth Note of the Church,
(b to feek them abroad, as far as they can, where they
have them not at home. Yet, in a fuppofed cafe, where
thefe may not be had, or but upon conditions out of
their Power to yield ; or, in the mean time, they who
fuppofe Baptifm to be valid, though in cafe of neceffity
adminiftred by any Chriftian, nay, according to their
Catechifm, by Jew, Infidel, or Heretick, if he but intend
to do what the Church defigns hereby, muft not pre-
fently unchurch any Place, or exclude all Perfbns that
want this full Provifion of all needful Helps and Advan-
tages, though fbme of moft immediate Divine Inftituti-
on. What Allowances God may make for great Ne-
ceflities, -or almoft invincible Difficulties and Prejudices,
where Men are not wilfully and obftinately wanting to
themfelves, we cannot or muft not determine.
Obferv. 2. It is not neceffary that every Church which may
firmly prefume upon this lawful and orderly Succeflion
even from the Apoftles, fhould be able to produce the Re-
cords of its Conveyance through every Age, and in every
flngle Perfon by whom it hath paft. Few Churches of
of long continuance have been fb happy as to preferve
Authentick Regifters of all their Tranfa£lions from
their firft Plantation; which muft not weaken their
Authority, or make cloubtrul the Effect of their Mini-
ftxations, where no pofitive Evidence is brought to the
contrary. The Antients content themfelves in delive-
ring down to us the Succeflion of Bifhops in the greater
Sees and Mother-Cities, not of Rome only, but of A-
lexandria, Antioch, Jerufd/em, and others, (though
Anfw. to jd Bellarmin infinuates the contrary here ) as is moft appa-
cbjtti. rent jn j±ufeHm &c. The Eminence of their Place
and Pcwer, the frequent Refurt of other neighbouring.
Churches to them, from whom they were generally
derived., or as Dependant on their Cities in Civil Ad-
miniftrations.
The Succe/Jion of 'Biftops. ny
ministrations, which the Ecclejtafiical ufually followed ;
thefe and fuch like Reafbns made them more the notice
of all about them, and their Successions more carefully
recorded in Church-Writers : Which poflibly they
might have then done in many of the tester Churches,
had they judged it necesTary, when within a very few
Centuries, and not through very many Perfons, the
older! might have been traced to its firft Original. But
much different is the cafe now after fo many Changes of
Nations and Cities by the violences of War, and other
Commotions, for more than fixteen hundred Years fince
the firft Difperfion of the Church.
Some Irregularities and Uncanonical Proceedings in Obfer-v. £.
Times of great Schifms, or publick Difturbances, have
generally had a very favourable Confirmation to make
up thofe Breaches, not otherwife eafily to be healed,
and fb been interpreted for no Interruption of this Au-
thentical Succeflion. Such as the Allowance of feveral
Schifmatical Ordinations, if not by down-right Here-
ticks, and other violent and tumultuary Proceedings,
which would not beforehand have paiTed without a very
fevere Cenfure, but afterwards have been rather judged
charitably to be connived at, then with extreme force
and danger to be wholly altered. Without a very can-
did Interpretation of many publick Occurrences through
a long Series of time, all Government would be expofed
to endlefs Confufions. The greatest Reafbn, Interest
and Duty oblige all private Perfons not to bufie them-
itlves in prying into, much more not invidioufly to ex-
pofe every Punctilio or fancied Defect, in the leaft For-
mality of the Constitution of thole orderly let over
them, where no direct, encouragement is given to the
moft prcfumptuous and facrilegious Invaiions. Nei-
ther can we think our moft gracious and merciful Re-
deemer
pS The Fifth t{pte of the Qhurch,
deemer will fevervly exact from his humble and obedi-
ent Followers the Failure of their Guides, which it was
not in their power to amend, or deny them the faluta-
rv Benefits of his own Institutions, for want of the moft
exa£fc Regularity of thofe who difpenfe them. In which
cafe I doubt the Romanifis would have as little Security
as any befide.
Inquiry 2. And that brings me to the Second Inquiry. How far
this Succeffion of Bifhops may bte granted to the Roman
Church ? The ufual Succeflion of Perfbns in the Govern-
ment of the Church of Rome from the very Apoftles we
are not concerned to call into queftion, though little we
have left upon record of many among them but only
their bare Names, and that fignifies not much. And
for the fmall knowledg we have of any of the reft at the
Beginning, or of what paft among them for fbme hun-
dred years after St. Clemens, we are beholden to the
Writers of other Churches : This fo famous Church ha-
ving left none for fome considerable time ( that I know
of) except the Decretal Epiftles, as termed, be called in :
Which the moft ingenuous among them, will fcarce
own for any other than fpurious,or doubtful at beftj and
yet what great ftrefs has been laid on them ? And ex-
cepting alio the very little Remains in other Authors.
If they, or others for them, have been more accurate
in pre&rving the Memorials of the lineal Defcent of
their Bifhops than moft Churches (though Learned
Men are not yet agreed neither among themfelves, or
as, about the exacl Order of the very firft of them.) Yet
I fuppofe the other Patriarchal Seats of Conftantinople,
Alexandria and Jntioch, to mention no more,will think
themfelves as fecure of their own Pedigree, and the de-
rivation liable to as few Exceptions.
For
7be Succeffion of Bifiops. 09
For if the Charge of Herefy break the Connection
of this Chain which Bellarmin here objects againft. the
Greeks, It will be as hard for him to clear the like more
notorious Objections againft Liberia*, Vigilius, and
Honorius, to mention nothing of later Popes, whole very
Grofs Errors, if not Blalphemies, if they muft not
come under that Name, yet certainly fbme of them de-
lerve every whit as bad,be*ing as deftructive to all Religi-
on; wherein may be confiilted their own Writers of their
Lives : I take no delight to fearch after fuch Matters.
Not to infift on the foul Depravations of Faith, and
good Practice, we charge upon them for lb long time,
I hope not without great Neceflity and Reafon.
If Schifmatical Intrusions prefently dinolve this or-
derly Succeflion, which the fame Author charges lb De Rom. Pow,
confidently here upon others, He himfelf will own'** f,?»10»
Felix the Second, and Vigilius to have come in lb : And
that to lave any of them, if pomble, from the for-
mer Imputation, and yet nevertheless to fill up the
Number of Lawful Popes, yea of Martyrs or Confefc J
fors too.
To which may be added the leveral Schifms and Tut
mnlts from oppofite Elections, and fometimes Admifli-
ons. As thole at the Choice of Damafus, Symmachtts See piatina oj
theFirft, Boniface the Second, Sergius the Firit, §&***"****
the Thirteenth, Benedict the Fifth, Leo the Eighth,
Gregory the Fifth, Benedict the Ninth, Silvefier the
Third, Benedict the Tenth, Nicholas the Second, Qali-
ftus the Second, Honoriti* the Second, Innocent the Se-
cond, Urban the Sixth ; and that great Schifm when
three Jnti-Popes, Gregory the Twelfth, Benedict the
Thirteenth, and John the Twenty Third, or (as lome
will have it) the Twenty Fourth (after the Death of
Alexander the Fifth) claim'd the Chair of St. Peter &t
the
^ oo 1 be Fiftb Note of tbe Church,
the fame feme. Each had his Followers ; to end which
Contention the Council of Conftance thought fit to de-
pofe them all, and fet up Martin the Fifth. I mention
nothing of that Story, which, before, was no Tale of
the Protectants ; but fbnu have obfer/d it was firft
called in queftion by them. Neither do I infill on the
Popes Seventy Years Refidence at Avignion in France.
Thefe and fuch like Accidents, what ever Difficulties,
to know who had the beft Title, they may afford not
eafy to be cleared from him that had a mind tofeek Ob-
jections : Yet feeming for the main no more than what
the Intricacies, and Perplexities of the Current of Hu-
man Affairs have been ever expofed to, I fhould not
have taken notice of, had not the Foundation of all
Truth or Certainty, and the perpetual duration of the
Church of Chrift been thought only with fafety to be
placed upon the fuppos'd Rock of the Stability of this
Chair, and Indefe&ibility of this Church, and, with
many, the Infallibility of him that prefides therein.
And were they not fb Bold, to fay no more, as to pre-
fcribe very ftrange and extraordinary Rules or Meafures
to the fupream Providence in the Conduct thereof,
whatever becomes of any other, or elfe all mull be
loft.
We acknowledg the wonderful Providence of God
in the prefervation of His Faith, and Church, as much
from the Corruptions of its own Members, as from the
Violence, and Policies of its profefs'd Enemies : But
we dare not be fb prefomptuous as to challenge otfr Sa-
viour with being wanting to his Promife, or complain
we want any needful Security to our Faith, or that there
is any defect in the Authority or Miniftrations of our
Spiritual Guides, if any particular Perfbn or let Num-
ber of them may poflibly be liable to miitake in matters
of
The Succeffion of Bifiops* I o i
of Faith, or determine otherwife than they ought, or
prove falfe to their Truft. It is a very unfafe, and of-
ten fallacious way of arguing, however popular, and
that needs lefs Trouble in Examination, from Perfons
to things, whereas thefe will • continue the fame, but
they are changeable.
i. But then it maybe obferved of the Roman Suc-
ceflion, that the cafe teems fb extremely changed fince the
firfi Times. So great an Alteration there is in the Per-
fons, and in the Office to which the Succeflion is now
come, that it can hardly be look'd on as the continuati-
on of the fame. The Epifcopal Power is all that we can
find for fbme hundred of years laid claim to,and our Note
is only concerned in it, tho in fbme few fingle Acts it
began by degrees to be ftretch'd, fb as to put other Bi-
fhops upon their Guard and Proteftations, as in the cafe
of Appeal* by 'the Africans. Yet were all Bifhops ow-
ned to have an equal fhare in that ; all to be of like Pow-
er and Authority, all alike SuccefTors of the Apoftles-,
whether at Rome or in the meaneft City, as in the
known Teftimonies in St. Cyprian and St. Jcrom, &c.
But the Papal Power now challenged and exercifed is
fb vaftly and widely different from Epifcopacy, that
fcarce any Propriety of Speech can bring them under
the fame Name.
But to come to matter of Fact. Not with {landing
the high Elogiums given by the Antients, on particu-
lar occafions, to the Roman Church or Bifhops, and
the very bold Efforts, and very lofty Afpirings of fome
of thefe, yet he muft have other Eyes, or other Specta-
cles than we can procure, who can efpy any thin^ like
the Supremacy and Authority ctaim'd by the prefent Pa-
pacy in die Principles, or Practice of the Church for
O more
1 0 1 The Fifth Note of the Church ,
more than five hundred Tears, which (as hath been
obferved ) could not but have been as difcernable in
all the Hiftories of thofe Times, as the Reference
to the powci of our Kings, and manner of our Go-
vernment mufr. be in our own Hiftory.
2. Farther indeed there feems no great Reafonfor
them to be much concerned at the Succeffion of Bi-
fhops, that are not very favourable to the very Or-
der. We know what great Oppofition in their Coun-
cil of Trent the Divine Right of Epifcopacy met with
from the chief Favourites of that See, when the
f^0"^™' Determination was fb ftrongly preffed by others.
L 4. c. 24. And the Author of thefe Notes is pleafed to de-
termine the Government of the Church not to be
chiefly in the Bifhops, but properly and intirely Mo-
narchical, in the Pope onlyy and that he derives his
Power immediately from Chrift : But the Bifhops
have theirs from him as to Jurifdi&ion, which is
Government.
3. Moreover they have the lefs reafbn to except a-
gainfr. any Churches for the want of this Apoftolical
Order, when their very Catechifm, that multiplies Or-
ders with much lefs Diftin&ion of Office, makes this
no difiinB Order ; but only a different Degree of the
fame Priefthood, the fupreme Order in their Church,
afcending only gradually from that of a common Prefc
byter to that of Bifhops, Arch-Bifhops, Patriarchs,
and the Pope himfelf. Some of the intermediate we
know admit no diftincl: Ordination : Nay, the pre-
tended plenary Power of the Pope hath fbmetimes by
particular Delegation empowered mitred Abbots, but
meer Presbyters, to fiipply the Place of two of the Bi-
fhops, if but one be prefent even in Ordination it felf,
and
7be Succejjlon of Bifiops. i o i
and that of a Bifhop, as Belhrmine in this very Note
yields. Many other Inftances might be given of their
endeavours to advance the firfb as it were on purpofe
to fence off the danger of a Rival. To what ufeelfe
fhould ferve fo many Priviledges and Exemptions,
long complained of? Their chief Rife hath been upon
the Depreflion of Bifhops, «and robbing them of their
ordinary Power. So quite oppofite is the true cafe
from the Jeloufies of fome about this Primitive Order.
4. Alfo they will have little caufe to glory much in
this pretended uninterrupted Succeflion, when they
confiderhow many Nullities, according to their own
Principles, may duTolve and feparate the clofeft Con-
nexion thereof. For befides confuted Tumultuary,
and Simoniacal Promotions, from which their own Wri-
ters will fcarce free fbme of them, That one Principle
of the Intention of the Priejl, being neceffary to the Ef-
fect of any Sacrament, had need make them fearful of
relying too much upon it. For in cafe this were once
wanting in fbme of the principal Sources, through fb
long a Traft of time, variety of Circumftances, and
different Temper of Perfbns, which many will tjnnk
no hard matter to fuppofe, however can never be cer-
tainly proved otherwife ; by this Rule they cannot be
fecure of any Order, yea fcarce of any true Chriflian
among them.
Sol proceed to the Third Inquiry, How inefficient a
Proof this will afford them or any Great Advantage ? Inquiry J,
Indeed Bellarmin himfelf feems fb Juft, as, in part, to
yield this in his Anfwer to the Fourth Objection a-
bout this Note, He fays an Argument may be brought
that there the Church is not, where there is not this
O 2 Sue-
1 04 The Fifth Note of the Church,
SuccefTion ; but it cannot thence neceffarily be gathered,
that there the Church is, wherefoever this SuccefTion
is : So that it feems no pofitive Proof with him. Where-
fore he thinks fit to exclude the Eafiern Churches y or
break their Succeflion upon pretences of Herefy.
1. For, Firfl, This Succeflion is no fufficient Evi-
vidence of the Truth of tke Doctrine of any Church.
Indeed were Tradition fb infallible a Conveyance of
Truth, asfome Men that talk of nothing below Demon-
ftration, would vouch : Were it impoflible for any new
Opinion to creep into the Church: Were it neceffary
that Men muft believe to Day as they did Yefterday ;
and fo in fhort as it were at one Leap, up to the very
Apoflles, and that the paffage of fixteen hundred years
were able to make as little Alterations in the Memorials,
or Evidences of what Doctrines or Rules of Practice
were firft delivered by word of Mouth, as the laft
Nights fleep does of what pafs'd the Day before; Then
every Church of Apoftoiical Foundation (and flich
were all then Planted) had been, and would ftill con-
tinue as Infallible as the Church of Rome thinks her
felf, and we fliould not have had any difpute about
their Tenets, nor any fuch Exceptions againft their
SuccefTion. What Security theirs hath from the De-
fections which others are charged with, or have been
found liable to ; what Evidence may be produc'd that
any Church, or Company of Men in the Church, may
not add in procefs of Time fome Doctrines and
Ufages very prejudicial to the Common Faith once
delivered to the Saints: And that the Refolution of
our Faith is only with fafety to be made into the Per-
petuity and Infallibility of the Roman Church alone
by it felf, or its Dependants, we are yet to feek : And
much
77;e Succeffion of fttf«* againft the
Do#atifts,imp\y no more to thofe prefumptuous Inclofers
of the 'whole Church within their own narrow Bounds,
and Beginners of it from themfelves, than a Challenge
for them to fhew any thing of the Apoftolical Original
thereof, or after-conveyance like other Churches, and
particularly the Roman wherein St.Auguflin Epift.i6$9
after a Catalogue of the Bifhops thereof, thus clofes, In
hoc ordine fuccejjlonis nullus Donatijia Epifcopm invenitur :
And in all his Difputes with them lays the charge of the
Guilt of their Schifm upon the feparation from all the
Churches, difperfed over the World, according to Pro-
phetical and Evangelical Declarations. No Perfbn or
Place to prejudicate to all others, it follows in the fore-
mentioned, tit cert a fit [pes fidelibi&s qiu non in Homine fed
in Domino collocata. All which and more, to any that
confult the References throughout, rather confirm our
Claim. We have as good Evidences and Conveyances
as our Adverfaries can challenge, we pretend not to any
new Doctrine : But for the main- ours are what them-
felves dare not but own. What we reject among them
are not only as Additions, which none muft make to the
fifft Principles of Religion, but over and above very
dangerous and deftru&ive to the common Faith of both.
For the Proof of fuch Doctrines, or continuance of it, we
need no new Miracles, or new Authority from Heaven,
but
The Succef/ion of Bifhops. 1 09
but an orderly conveyance of the old, and that we flill,
Thanks be to God, retain.
And truly BelUrmins Inference from the mentioned
Citations will carry in it little or no force, but feems
rather to incline the contrary way. If they, fays he,
made fb much of the continued Succeflion of 1 2, 20,
or 40 Bifhops, how much may we of more than 200 ?
Certainly the Argument from SuccefTion here is much
ftronger the nearer it comes to the Original, from which
all the Authority, and Virtue in the following are de-
rived ; the Water may be fuppofed clearer, and more
natural the nearer to the Fountain-Head. There is at
leaft fbme danger from every Remove or Change made.
I am apt to think they themfelves will hardly fuppoie
they have a better Argument from Succeflion, than thofe
had 1 200, or more Years fince. For if it be good now,
be fure it was fb then. But it will not follow alternately,
if then good, it mult hold fb (till. The Cafe may be
prefum'd much different in the Succeflion of Ecclefiafti-
cal Dignities, and Secular ; in this latter it may be fiip-
pos'd the Title gathers flill more ftrength by the length
of its Continuance, is more confirm'd by long PofTefTion,
&■ many fuperinducl:Obligations,but was,it may be,weak-
eflin its Beginnings, as in moft particular Governments,
now, when of a meer Human Original, fb far as we may
with due Modefty and Reverence look that way. But
Spiritual Power in whomfbever, where Legitimate,
can only defcend at firft from an immediate Divine
Commiflion, and that we may fuppofe gains nothing by
pafling through Human Hands, and Infirmities, being
moft ftrong and powerful in its firft rife. Indeed did
the Cardinal only argue for a Temporal and Ecclefiafti-
cal Monarchy, and would he be content to begin it after
P Pope
iid
The Fifth Ityteef the (lurch,
Pope Gregory the Pirfi, and then to rife by degrees for a
while: SuccefHon appears to me the heft Argument
they have.
However it is much eafier to fhew fair Evidences of
the unaltered conveyance of the fame Truth from one to
another, when it hath gone through fb few Hands, and
that the eldeft bears its Date, but a very few Centuries
of (as Iren&m exprefly in the place cited, /. 3. c. 3. and
Efiphan'w Horn. 2j.Carpocrat.p. 104.) than it can be
when they are multiplied to the prefent number, and
the Foot-fteps of its continued Paffage are aimoft worn
out through lb long a tract of Time, and numerous crofs
Accidents.
Yet,to give them their due,the eminent Zeal of feveral
of their firft Bifhops, that Sealed to the Cuftody of the
true Faith with their Blood, being ftill as it were in
view of their Perfecutors ; their general Conftancy
thereto, in which fb many wavered or fell in the time of
the Arian Perfecution ; the Relief, and Refuge they
then, and after, afforded to fuch as fuffered in that, or
like Caufes ; as well as the Prerogative of their Place in
the Imperial City, and the current Tradition of their
Churches firft Foundation, by the joint Labours of thofe
chief ApofHes St. Peter, and St. Parti, thefe gave them
great credit in thofe Ages; and while they tifed their
Power fb well, every one was ready to enlarge it, and
to flee thither for Sanctuary when opprefs'd. In which
cafe Men are very apt to fpeak bountifully of their Pa-
trons. And no marvel, if they fingle out fbmetimes fb
venerable a Name and Authority to oppofe, and even
to bear down the impertinent Obftinacy, and peevifh
Prefumption of every new upftart Schifmatick or Here-
tick, that would dictate to us ftrange and unheard-of
Prin-
7he Succejfon of fBifiopsI
Principles, and unchurch all before, or befide themfelves
and mult begin the Date of it from themfelves : For thus
moft of the Citations mention'd arc plainly Ievell'd. And
in fuch a Cafe we fliould judg the arguing fuiEcient frill
to filence fuch an infblent Boafrer, though we fliould be-
gin the Succeflion no fooner than the time they ended,
and when we own Religion began to decline in fome
parts, but fure not to expire. Nay I could add, though
we fhould rife no higher than the Reformation it felf, as
late as it was \ and how contemptuoufly fbever they are
pleated fometimes to fpeak of the happy Inftruments
thereof.
An extraordinary Providence alfb teems to have at-
tended the Prefer vation of them fb long under the Arun
Gothick Kjngsy and a frrange temporal Felicity in being
frill Gainers in the end by all the Invafions and Calami-
ties incident to fb many Changes of Government, by
which moft befide were Lofers. But I fhould think if
they confulted Scripture, Reafon, and Experience of for-
mer Examples with prefent lenfible Obfervation, more
than any fancied Schemes and Models of their own,
what they would judgbeftto have done: They might
think it not unlikely, at leaftbe more willing to fraud
to the tryal whether it be not fo, that upon fb long a
continued and Hill growing acceflion of Wealth and
Greatnefs to their Church, many and great Corruptions
might creep in : which we charge them with, and have
only removed by the Reformation,withou-t turning them
or our Anceftors»out of the Church before, or our felves
fince.
If the Favours they have fb long enjoyed make them
more induftrious and cautious in the Examination of
themfelves to reform whatever they can find amifs, and
to be more charitably helpful, and beneficial to others,
they
li i
l\l
v>t«
7k Fifth Note of the Qburch,
they will be far better employed than in grafping at ftill
more Power, and juftifying all that they teach, or do,
by the ( oft to us ) unaccountable Succeffes of Provi-
dence ; which the worft Caufes have fled to for fhelter,
and the worft Men, when they had nothing elfe to plead.
God Almighty give us all Grace entirely to devote all
our Studies and Labours to the Service of our Great Ma-
fter,and the beft,and moft certain Benefit of his Church,
in the Furtherance of Sound Faith, and Univerfal Holi-
nefs of Life, in all true Piety, Probity, Charity, and
Peaceable Communion among all that in every place
call on the Name of the Lord, theirs and ours : Which
will afford us a far more comfortable Reckoning at the
great Day of Account, than to bufie our felves in thruft-
mg all befide out of the Church here, and pronouncing
Condemnation againft them for hereafter ; or, on the
other fide, in carrying on ftill unaccountable Prejudices,
and endlefs Separations. The God of Wifdom, Truth,
and Peace will (I hope) at length give us a right Un-
derftanding in all Things.
THE END.
LONDON,
Printed by J. D. for Richard Chifwel at the Rofe and Crown in
St. Paul's Church- Yard, 1687.
-
The Sixth Note- of the Church
EXAMINED,
VIZ,
I *
Agreement in DoBrine with the
Primitive Church.
Sexto, Nota eft Conffiratio in Dottrink cum Ecclejik uintiqui.
Bellar. L.iv. c. 9. de Notis Eccleflae.
IMPRIMATUR.
May 19. 1687. Guil. Needham.
TTT7EE are very willing to own this for a true
V V Mark of the Church, its Agreeing with the
DoBrine of the Primitive Church ; and we are fo far from
confuting Bellarmin for his giving of it, that we do not
doubt but he has hereby confuted himfelf and the whole
Caufe of the Roman Church : for if we may be allowed to
go back to the Primitive Church, and to examine the
Do&rine and Belief of that in order to find out what is
the true Church at prefent, then the pretended Infallibi-
lity of the prefent Church, and the Neceflity of receiv-
ing and believing all that fhe im poles, muft befet hy, till
it appears that ihe requires the fame Doclxine, and no
other, than what was taught and believed by the Primi-
tive Church : For according to this Note-it does not ap-
pear which is the true Church, till it firft appears that
0^ it
1 1 4 7 he Sixth Note of the Church,
it agrees with the Doctrine of the Primitive ; and till it
appears that it is a true Church,, it cannot fure appear to
be an Infallible one : for it cannot be pretended that In-
fallibility belongs to any but the true Church, and there-
fore it muft be firft known that the prefent Church a-
grees with the Primitive, before, it can be known that
fhe is an Infallible Guide or Tocher : So that we mani-
feftlygain this firft by this No-k of the Church, that all
thole big and bluftering Claims to Infallibility muft be
poftpon'd and laid afide, till that of agreeing with the
Doctrine of the Primitive Church be made out, and
when that is done we fhall not have quite fo much realbn
to queftion her Infallibility .We defire nothing more than
to have the matter brought to this IfTue, Whether the
Doctrines of the Reformed or the Romifb Church do a-
gree beft with the Primitive ? Since for Reafbns well
known to themfelves, and very much fufpe&ed by o-
thers, they are lb willing to goe off from Scripture^ and
to decline the Judgment of that as incompetent and inef-
ficient in moft of the Controversies between us, we are
very ready to leave them to be decided by any other in-
different Arbitrator ; for we think it is a little odd and
unreafonable they fhould make themfelves the only Jud-
ges of what is in difference between us ; and therefore
we are very ready to ftand to the Aivardand Umpirage of
the Primitive Church, and we are not in the Ieaft afraid
to- venture our whole Caufe to the fentence and decifion
of;TW •• for tho the Scripture be our only Rule of Faith
and Do&rine neceffary to be believed by us, becaufe we
kjnow of no other Revelation, but that, and nothing but
Revelation makes any Doctrine neceffary to be believed ;;
yet we are very willing to take the fence and meaning
of Scripture both from it felf, and from the Primitive
Church too : lb according to Vincent im Lyrinenfisjo have
the
Jgreement in DoSirine with the Primitive Church. \ \ c
the line of Scriptural Interpretation be directed by the hale f Ut Prophe-
of Ecclefiaftical and Catholic k 'Judgment ', "V that is, to have f^c* ^°~
the Primitive Church direct us in interpreting Scripture precadonis n-
where it ftands in need of it, or there is any Contro- nea foundum
verfy about its meaning ; Let the Scripture therefore as aSfcffe^
fenfed by the Primitive Churchy and not by the private f«s normam
Judgment of any particular Man, be allowed and agreed by m dirl8a?u": rj5"
to be the Rule of our Faith', and let that be accounted the (ontrakxnf.c'z.
true Church, whofe Faith and Doctrine is mojl tonformabh
and agreeable with the Primitive.
We defire nothin * more than to find out the true
Church by the true Faith, and we think this is the true
way to find it out: For Chriftian Faith is prior and antece-
dent to the Chriftian Church ; and that muft be firfc.
known and fiippofed,before we can know any fuch thing
as a Church ; for 'tis the Faith makes the Church,md not
the Church the Faith : and therefore the true Church is
to be known by the true Doctrine, and not the true Dd-
tfrine by the Church, as is lome Folks way.
If a Church then has never fo many other glorious
Marks, yet if ith^s not tht true Faith, according to the
Rule before laid do wn,it cannot be the true Church ; and
if it have never fb true a Succeffion of Paftors deriving
their Power in an uninterrupted Line from the Apoftles,
yet if it have not a true Succeffion of Doclrine too from
them, it is not a true Church : So far indeed as it holds
and profefles the common Chriftian Faith, fb far, for
that very Reafbn,it is a true Church; and fb far we allow
the Roman to be a true Church ; and fb far they cannot
deny us to be one neither,as the fame Faith fe Fundamen-
tals of Chriftianity are received and believed by both of
us : for this Faith being the fame to both ofm, makes tu
bothfo far to be true Churches upon the fame grounds ;
but fo far as we differ in Matters of Faith, whether we
Qj2 or
i\6 The Sixth Note of the Chtircb^
or they be the true Church, is the queftion between us,
and we are willing to have this determined by the Pri-
mitive Church : If the Faitkthen and Do&rine of the
Roman Church, wherein it differs from us, be the fame
with the Faith and Do&rine of the primitive Church ;
then that is the true Church : If it be contrary, and un-
agreeable to the Faith and Do&rine of the Primitive,
then it is not the true Church, but a falfe and erroneous
one.
And here we ought to make a particular enquiry and
examination of all thofe Matters of Faith which are in
controverfie between us, and bring each of them to the
Tejl and Trial, and fee which Church does moft agree in
all thofe difputed Doctrines with the Doctrine of the
Primitive Church; for here we muft be allowed to exa-^
mine particular Doctrines that are in difference between
us ; and every private Chrifiian who is feeking for the
true Church, muff, if he would find it by this Mark of
Bellarmine, be allowed to inquire into and examine the
Doctrines of the prefent Church, and fee whether they
are agreeable to thofe of the Primitive or no ; and this he
muft do by his private Judgment, and by the beft means
and helps he can ufe to this purpofe : for he is not yet
fuppofed to have found out the true Church, but to be
finding it out by this Mark given of it ; and till he has
found it out by this Mark and Direction, he cannot be
under its guidance and conduct, fb that he muft make
ufe of his own Reafon and Judgment at leaft till he has
thus found it ; that is, he muft have the Liberty to fearch
and inquire into the Faith and Doctrines of the Primi-
tive Church, and to judgfor himfelf as well as he can
by his own beft Difcretion, and the beft helps he can ufe,
which Church does beft agree in its Faith and Doctrines
with the Primitive ; and according as he fhall upon his
own
Agreement in Dotlrine with the Primitive Church. 1 1 7
own enquiry and examination find, fb he muft choofe
that Church which he thinks is the truefi ; but he muft
not give himfelf up to theabfolute guidance and directi-
on of any Church, at leaft till he has by this way found
out the true ; which is another manifeft Advantage that
we have by this Note againft our Adverfaries, who are
rather for bearing Men down with the bold pretence of
Infallibility, and the terrible fright of Damnation out of
the true Church, rather than fuffering them according
to this true Method to find it out.
And as he muft thus ufe his own Judgment in an im-
partial fearch into the Doctrines of the Primitive
Church, which will have as many Inconveniences in it,
I fear,as they are apt to object againft fearching, to this
end, into the Scriptures ; fb he muft examine all the
particular Doctrines that are controverted between both
Churches,to fee which are moft agreeable to the Faith of
the Primitive ; for he cannot know this in the Lump and
by the Grofs ; and to tell him,as they fbmetimes 4o,that
'tis impoflible for their Church To have departed from
the Faith of the Primitive, and that the prefent Age
could not alter from the Doctrine of the foregoing, and
fb upward ; this is not to make the Primitive Faith a
Note of the prefent Church, but to prevent all enquiry a-
bout this Note, arid to make it wholly ufelefs and infig-
nificant.
He that will therefore make ufe of this Mark to know
the true Church by, muft be fuppofed and allowed to
inquire into the Do&rine of the Primitive Church about
all thoie particular Controverfies and Matters of Faith
that are in difference between us, and muft not have his
Enquiry ftopt and precluded by any general Pretences of
the Infallibility either of Oral Tradition, or of the pre-
fent Churchy but muft freely and impartially examin the
parti-
nl g Tfce Sixtfc Nate of the Churchy
particular Dc&rines that are controverted, that fb -he
may bring every one of them to the Touchftowe of the
Primitive Faith, and try whether they are agreable to
the fame, or no ; and according as he finds this ; that is,
whatfbever Church he finds to hold the fame Doctrine
with the Primitive in all the particular Points of diffe-
rence, That he muft conclude to be the true Church from
this Note given of it.
Our Adverfaries do not ufually care to enter into par*
ticular Points of Controverfy, wherein they are very
fenfible they fhail be fboner foiled and bafled ; and there-
fore they generally wave thofe which are capable of be-
ing made more plain and evident to moff. Mens Capa-
cities ; and they chufe rather to difpute and wrangle a-
:bout more general and intricate Matters, in which there
is fbme more room to cavil, and to amufe and perplex
themfelves and others withfeeming Difficulties; fb that
tho particular Controverfies may be made very plain,
and it appears often in them as clear almoft as the Light,
on which fide the Truth is ; as, Whether Prayers ought
to be in a known Tongue ? Whether the Communion
ought to be in both kinds? Whether the Scriptures are to
be read by the People? and the like; yet to avoid thofe,
and to prevent the Difadvantage of filch manifeft and
particular Points, they carry the Difpute off to other
things, and run into the general Controverfies of Infal-
libility and Church-Authority, and Resolution of Faith,
and a Judg in Controverfies, and the like ; and here they
think there is more room for Cavil and Sophiff ry, and
they can hereby lead Men if not into Scepticifm and
Doubtfulnefs, yet into a Maze and Labyrinth, where they
fhall not fo eafily get out : Which way of theirs feems to
me, juft as if a Perfbn in a plain Controverfy about
Weight or Meafure which were otherwife eafy to be de-
termined,
Agreement in Voclrlne with the Primitive Church, 119
terrnined, fhould, to avoid that] think fit 1:0 run into the
perplext Difpute, What was the true Standard of
Weights and Meaflires ? or everlaftingly wrangle about
that Queftion, Whether Matter confided of Divifible or
Indivifible Parts ? and becaufe he could raife Difficulties
here,, and keep up a long and intricate Controverfy a-
bout thofe Matters, would not be brought to yield,
that a Pound was heavier than an Ounce, or an Ell lon-
ger than an Inch. I cannot but think that fbme of our
particular Controversies may be almoft as clearly de-
cided as thofe two ; and that the running into fome ge-
neral ones, is as remote and fbphiftical as the other.,
We muft therefore, according to this Note of the
Church,, not be fore-prized or prevented with any ge-
neral and more perplext Difpute, but we muft fairly ex-
amine all the particular Do&rines of the Church, and
fee whether they are agreeable with thofe of the Primi-
tive Church orno,before we can find out the true Church
at prefent ; not that the true Church we are to look for,
is confined to any particular Place or Country, but like
a great Homogenial Body, every Part of which is of the
lame nature with the Whole ; wherever the true Primi-
tive Faith is profeft in all the Parts of it, there is a
True Church ; and all particular Churches being united
together in the fame Bond of Faith, do make up the
Catholick Church over all. the World. If there were
but one Particular Church upon the whole Earth, that
did profefs this True Faith, that alone might be called
the Catholick Church, becaufe that alone had that Catho-
lick Faith, which did properly make and conftitute the
True Church : But this Faith being common to a great
many Particular Churches, this makes them to be all
true, and all Catholick, as to Faith ; but as to Place?
'tis ridiculous to call any one Catholick y and- as abfurd.
as
1 20 Tk-e Sixth Note of the Church,
as to call a Part the Whole ; in that fenfe no Church is
Catholick, in the other every Church is that holds the
Whole Chriftian Faith : We are not therefore to feek for
any Particular Church, that fhall ufurp to it felf the
Name of Catholick, in exclufion to all others; but for
any Church that maintains the true Catholick Faith
profeft by the Primitive, which upon that account is a
True Church,and acknowledged fo by this Mark which
is here given of it.
To find out flich a one, and to diftinguifh it from 0-
thers, we muft very carefully enquire into all the parti-
cular Doctrines and Points of Faith which are held by
it, and fee whether they are agreeable to the Faith and
Doctrine of the Primitive Church ; and according to
this Method, and faving to our felves all the foremen-
tioned Advantages of it, we are very willing to have
the Difference adjufted between us and the Church of
Rome, and to have it decided by this Note, whether we
or they are the True Church ; that is, whether we or
they, in all Matters of Controverfy between us, do moft
agree with the Doctrine of the Primitive Church.
And here is a very large fcope offered to me, and
what has taken up a great many Volumes on both fides ;
fo that to moft People Scripture, one would think,
fhould be a fhorter and an eafier, and therefore a better
way to know the True Church by ; but fince our Ad-
verlaries are not willing to leave the Cafe to that, we
are ready to accept of the Primitive Church to be Judg
between us ; and, as has been often .offered before by
Biihop Jewel and others, we fhall be very willing to
ftand to its award and decifion : for however fbme few
Divines of the Reformation, before they were fb well
acquainted with Antiquity, and when they could not
fo well diftinguifh what was genuine, from what was
fpurious
Jgreemenl in T>oSlrine with the Primitive £hurcb. % i 1
fpurious and corrupted by your Church, were at firfl
efpecially more jealous and diftruftful than they need to
have been of it, and unwilling to venture their Caufe
to any other Sentence but that of Scripture, which had
fb plainly decided for them, and was indeed the moft
proper to be appealed to ; yet the greateft number, and
the moft learned of the Proteftant Writers, have never
declined the Judgment of the Primitive Church, but
next to the inlpired Writings of the Apoftles, have al-
ways efteemed and been willing to be determined by it :
And we 'are well allured, that the Ancient Church, .
even the Roman it felf, as well as the whole Chriftian
befides, is in all material Points on the Proteftant fide ;
and a perfect Stranger, if not an utter Enemy to thofe
new Articles of Faith, and Corruptions of Doctrine,
which have been fince brought into the Weftern
Chufch, and which we have for that Reafon protefied
againft, becaufe they were unknown and contrary to
the Faith and Doctrine of the Primitive Church.
It would too much exceed the let Limits of this Pa-
per, to make this out fb fully as might eafily be done,
by going through the chiefeft Points of Difference be-
tween us ; Bellarmine in his Difcourfe upon this Note,
goes wholly off from it, and chufes rather to purfueL#-
ther and Calvin, and fbme other worthy Reformers,
through all the Paths of Calumny and Slander; but I
fhall not follow him, to take him off foom thofe falfe
and injurious Reprefentations he hath made of their
Doctrines : If any Body has the curiofity to fee the Art
of Mifreprefenting in its greateft perfection, let him but
read that Chapter ; but if he will lee it as perfectly
fhamed and expofed, let him read Bifliop Mortons long
and learned Anfwer to it *. We are examining the Do- apologia Ca-
ctrines, and finding out the Marks of the Church, and^1^-*1'
R not
1 1 % The Sixth Note of the Church,
not of particular Men ; and had Calvin, or others, taught
any fuch Doctrines, as are very falfly there laid to their
Charge, I know none had been concerned in them but
them/elves ', and no Church could have been prejudiced
by them any farther, than it had received them : I fhall
therefore keep more clofe to Bellarmines Note, tho not
f Advice to the to his Method upon it ; and I allure a late Advifer \ ;
confuterofBd-->tis nQt tjie ^efign of confuting him, but letting Men
right in the way to the True Religion, and the True
Church, when others are fo bufy to draw them off by
falfe Marks and Pretences, which is the caufe of this
"Undertaking.
I confers it would be too prolix, as Bellarmine lays,
to produce all the Teftimonies of the Ancients, thereby
to fhew what was the Doctrine of the Primitive
Church, in every particular Point controverted between
us ', I fhall therefore offer only fome plain and brief Re-
marks, by which the fenfe of the Primitive Church
may be undeniably known in moll: of the Controver-
fies, and by which it will appear what was the Doctrine
of the Church then, and how contrary that of the
Church of Rome is now to it.
And here I fhould firft begin with the moft Primi-
tive, that is, with the Apoftolick Church, which truly
and only deferves the Title of being Mother and Miftrefs
of all Chriftian Churches that ever were or fhall be in
the World ; it is as vain as arrogant for any later and
particular Church to alfume that to it felf, which is but
a Sifter- Church at moft, and younger than fome of the
reft; and tho more fine and proud, yet not half fo ho-
ned and uncorrupt. This Apoftolick Church, which
was founded and governed by the Apoftles over all the
World, is the true Standard of the Chriftian Church ;
and as in revealed Religion, That which is frft, is true,
according
Agreement in Dotlrine with the Primitive Church. \ i *
according to Tertullians * Axiom, becaufe it comes nea- * id verum
reft to the firft pure Fountain of Revelation ; (b as he ^ P™J '£
adds, That u firft which is from the Beginnings and from the initio, ab ini-
Apo files. \Ve fbould firft then examine what was the «°quo*&!&&;* OV&&TXH cy over the whole Church, by a Divine
jHxMOTct/?.Conc.Nicen.Can.«5. Right', as is fince pretended and claimed
contrary to all Antiquity. For the next General Coun-
cil appoints the Bijbop of Conftantinople to have Prero^
gatives of Honour, next to the Bifbop of Rome, becaufe
that was New Rome ; f lb that it was the
\y&Mu Kowriw^j Imperial City of Rome which gave the
J&TS£*w^'*^Sl Honour of being the firft Bifhop in* the
Ztio-KO'Trov, J)* rb eivojavrlw Church, and not a Divine Infiitution or a
!T. Vc^°nCil COnftanU" S*£$°» from St- p't" > and when Con-
ftantinople, by the Emperor's removing
thither, became the next great City, the Bifhop par-
took of the Honour of the City ; And in the Fourth
General Council at Calcedon, had ior that Reaibn equal
Pri,
Agreement in DoBrine with the Yrimit'm Qhurch. \ 2 5
Priviledges conferred upon him with the
Bifhop of Old Rome \ || as the Fathers ex- II K' $ ^ fyow f rr^cv-
prefly declare : To which I fliall add the TSfft^S^
famous Cale or Appeals, which was chal- ^aj^cAscn^arTrtV^sr-
lenged about the Year 41 8 by Pope Zofi- &"*> A^ ?W ^Jt^ ****'
mm, over the African Church, not by 9,xa«S«m)W^
Divine Right, but by a pretended Eeclefl- £«* arivauav irf f vkat p«'-
aftical Canon, which was found after- ^^t^rth CmciL
wards to be forged, and the Power of the
Church of Rome to receive Appeals, or to judg the
Caufes of other Churches,, was fully difbwned and dis-
claimed ; * And this with the .Exemption of the *Concii
Churches of Milan, Ravenna, and Aquileia from the Ju- Canhag. i.
rifdiction of the Church of Rome, tho they were fb near
Neighbours to it, even in Italy it felf, is enough to give
full Satisfaction to any reafbnable Man, what a different
Opinion the Primitive Church had of the Church of
Rome, from what it now has of it felf, concerning an
Univerfai Supremacy, and of its being the Mother and
Miftrefs of all Churches.
The next moft/rar//VDo£trine of Popery is Trmfub-
fiantiation, which as it was formerly owned by Valentia(j) De Tran~
(a) and Cufanm (b) and a great many of the School-men ftb- l- 2- c: 7*
Seotm Durandus and others (e) not to have been the Do- $} s^Zl*
Srine of the Primitive Church, fb it has been lately pro- CO *ii Prcf.
ved at large by one of their own Communion (d), tho ^ .Johan-
if for that reafon it may be thrown out from being an (ji\ATrtam
Article of Faith by the Members of the Roman Church, w*$»*f <&
they will leave but very few proper to themfelvesac-^JS^^J
cording to the Principle of that Gentleman, to wit, the touching Tran
making not the prefent but the Primitive Church a Rule^^fb'
of their Faith, which if they will univerfally follow, it
will lead them quite out of the Roman Church as well
as out of that fingle Error of it ; we have fuch excellent
Treatifes
on»e
\ i'6 The Sixth Note of the Churchy
*sttVifcowfi Treat ifes of late, * about this, which prove it beyond
tifrf^l^ Exception,and beyond all Anfwer to be no Doctrine
fi minion no of the Primitive Church, that I fhail add nothing a*
pfmitL'pi? ^mt *r» kllt onty ^ft tw0 Obfervations.
thm! ptDth- Firft, That it appears not by any Liturgy, or Eu'cha-
mmojthi Tr'h v[iYick Form that was ever ufed by the- Church, no not
ffyZitlT' by the Roman Canon it felf, which is much ancienter
(ompud. i.par. than this Dc£trine, and therefore not fo conformed to
it ; That the Church ever ufedany Prayer to this pur-
pofe at the Eucharift, that the Subftance of the Sacra-
mental Elements mould be changed or done away, and
the Flefli and Blood of Chrift fubftituted inftead of
them, under the Species or Accidents, but only, that
they might be made the Body and Blood of Chrift by the
Spirits coming down upon them, fo that it was only a
Spiritual and Sacramental, not a Subftantial Change of
them that was ever prayed for, or ever believed ; for if
the Church had always had this Faith, it would furely
have fometimes prayed in it.
Secondly j I obferve that in thofe Times when this Do-
ctrine came firft into the Church, which was a little be-
fore Berengarius^ it was fo new and raw, that it was not
fully digefted, nor perfectly underftood even by thofe
who then held it, as appears by that blundering Recan-
tation which was drawn up for him after the Examina-
tion of no lefs than three Popes and five Synods,wherein
he is made to fay, That after Confecration the true Body
and Blood of Christ is not only Sacrament ally but fenfibly and
truly handled and broke by the Hands of the Priefts, and
around by the Teeth of the Faithful, f This fenfible and
mtionenTve- true handlings and breaking, and grinding thrift's Bo-
rum Corpus &
Sanguinem Chrifti fsnfaalitcr rson folum Sacramento, fed veritate manibus Sacerdotum traftan,
frangi, & rldelium dentibus acteri. Grat . de Ccnfcc. Ax ft. 2, eap.
dy
Agreement hi Vocinne with the Frhriufte Church. \\y
dy is fb ftran^e and dreadful a thing, that theGloftator
obferves this upon it, That unlefs you do under (land thefe
Word of Berengarius inafoundfenfe, * that is, contrary *NlIi(™?intd-
to what the Words figmry and mean, you will fall into a rfng^niklt
greater Herefy 'than that ^/Berengarius himfelf', by which ionm wM»&
it appears t.iat this Monfter of Tranfubltantiation, as a tX^cTTf
great Man || of their own afterwards calls it, was fo un- || Pen-one. sv*
formed and mifhapen a thing at that time, that it was a tbe ?*<*&**
fign it was then but new come into the World, and had 2$!^^-
need of being farther licked into a better fhape. iy Excbarifi in
If Tranfubftantiarion were then but new, thofe other fw>&faiP*x*>
Doctrines which haTC iffued from it, and are its proper
Production, could not be old ; fuch as Adoration of the Sa-
crament, Communion in one kind. Solitary Maffes, and the
Proper and Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mafs : And there-
fore I (hall not fay any thing of them, fince their Date
will be owned to be as late as that of Tranfubftantiation;
and tho they may not follow from it, yet they cannot be
maintained or believed without it; fo that what has been
laid againft the one, takes away the very Foundation of
the other.
As to the Number of the Sacraments, tho the Council
of Trent has declared this to be exactly Seven, and made
it an Article of Faith to believe fo ; yet no Man fure will
have the confidence to fay, That this Number was de- .
termined by the Primitive Church, when they can bring adverftrios^'
no Author who makes any mention of fuch a Number petere uc o-
till -i ioo Years after Chrift ; and Bellarmin thinks it un- stJi "S in
reafonable we fbould require them tofljew this cither in the Pacribus no-
Scriptures or the Fathers ; + tho if it be an Article of menScPtenacii
Faith, which muft be believed upon pain of Damnation, ^Jum?3"
there ought to be fbmething to fhew for it, one would BeUar. deejfta.
think, out of one of them* Sacmn- L 2-
c 24.
Was
1 18 The Sixth Upte of the Qhurch,
Was the Neceffity of Auricular Confejfion a Doctrine of
* In X i
thcfe Indices very private, and it was only by chance
that we came to the firft knowledg of them. Ouf
Learned James has acquainted the World with the My-
ftery of them, as he calls it, but it is fb plain a Myftery
of Iniquity that it needs nothing to difcover the Fraud
and Villany of it. To raze ancient Records is a Crime
of the higheft nature ; and they who are guilty of it, as
the Church of Rome is in the greateft. degree, by thus
purging and correcting the Fathers, by an Inquifition
the raoft cruel of any other, and that appointed by the
Council of Trent*, need no other proof to convict them
that that Caufe which frauds in need of fuch Arts is
not to be defended without them ; and this is fuch a
Note of a Church, that it brands and ftigmatizes it
with another Mark than that of Antiquity.
2. Befides the correcting, or rather corrupting fb ma-
ny Fathers which were genuine Monuments of Anti-
quity, the counterfeiting fb many falfe ones, and obtru-
ding fb many fpurious Authors upon the World, is a
plain Evidence of the want of true Antiquity. This is
like fuborning of WitnefTes, which is enough to make
all the World fufpecl: that what they are brought for,
and what they depofe, is not true ; it is no other than
forging of old Writings and Inftruments to help out the
known Weaknefs of a crackt Title. Thus the Decretal
Epiftles were counterfeited, to prop up the Pope's Spiri-
tual Power, and Qonfi amine s Donation to eftablifh his
Temporal. The Cheat of the firft was fo evident from
the Style, being fb fordid and fo unlike thofe Ages, arid
yet being fo like it felf in all parts, as fhew'd it to
have throughout but one Author, that tho they were
formerly made ufeof, and did great Service, yet they
are now laid by as too grofs to be owned by mod of the
Learned Men of that Church ; and the other, tho it be
S 2 ftiH
i j i The Sixth Note of tht (lurch,
{till defended by lome of them, yet has fueh marks of
Forgery as makes moft of them confefs it , but great
numbers are there of forged and fpurious Authors,
whofe Teftimonies are ftill produced by thefe Writers
for thofe Doctrines and Opinions which are deftitute of
true Antiquity, a Collection of which is given us by
our James in his Bafiardy of the falfe Fathers, and all
thoie Criticks who have wrote Cenfiires upon the Fa-
thers Works cannot but own it. I cannot charge this
upon any publick Aft of the Church, as that of pur-
ging and correcting the Fathers, but moll of their
Writers who bring fuch large and falfe Mufters of the
Fathers are guilty of it, and particularly fome of their
* Confenfus late Books amongft us.* We have a very great and early
veterum Nu- Inftance of this notorious way of Forgery in the very
b«Teftium. j£edL(} ancj Governours of that Church, and that was ia
falfifying the Nicene Canons, and thrufting in a Ca-
non of a particular Synod among thofe of a General
Council, thereby to claim a Power of Appeals to them-
felves, which was fuch an Impofture as ihows what
fbme Men will do to gain Power and Authority over
other Churches, and what an unfaithful Preferver a
Church may be, that pretends to be infallible, not only
of Oral Tradition, but even of Writings too, for they
had Copies without queftion of the Council of Nice \
•md if the other great Churches of Constantinople, Anti*
ochy and Alexandria had not had authentick and agreeing
Copies to the contrary, the Churches of Africa had
been run down by one of the moft palpable Forgeries in
the World, and the Church of Rome would no doubt
have made a great deal more ufe of it afterwards than
upon that particular occafion. But,
3. Tho Antiquity is to be fbmetimes fuppreil and
itifled that it may fay nothing againftthem, and fome-
times
Agreement In DoBrine with the Primitive Qwch. 1 3 5
times fiiborned and counterfeited that it may bear falfe
Witnefs for them ; and tho they generally make a fair ■
fhow and a great noife with the pretence of it, yet
they cannot but often betray the little Efteem and Re-
gard which they have of it ; thus, to give an Inftance
or two, In the famous Queftion of the Virgin's imma-
culate Conception, tho the Fathers are acknowledged
to be generally againft it, and their own Bifhop Canusf f De San&o-
reckonsup St. Ambrofe, St. Auftin, St.Chryfoftom, and^jf^
a great many more who exprefly affeither being con- Theolog'c. 1.
ceived m Original Sin, and fays, that this k the nnani-Lovan-
mous Opinion of all the Fathers who happen
to make mention of it (a) yet he declares 00 San^ nam°' °mnes,
^1.^1 1 j- £ a ^ qui in ejus rei mentionem inci-
thts to be a very weak and infirm Argument 3ere> uno ore a{rcueraruntj bea-
which is drawn from the Authority of all the cam virginem in Peccato ori-
Fathers , and that notmthfianMng that *he J^SSg£SX»t
contrary Opinion is pioujly and probably main- ib. (/) infirmum tamen ex-
tained and defended in the Church (b), and omnium authoritace argumen-
„ r; p "V > v .1 / , turn ducicur, quin potius con-
Bellarmine lays (c) they are not to be recko- traria fencentia & probabiii-
ned among Catholicksy who are of another tcr & pie in Ecdefd defendi-
Opinion, tho it be contrary it feems to ail *"• rIb- CO Int<;r Cathoiicos
. r . . ' ~. , J . ■ „ non func numerandi. BtUam.
Antiquity. Ihus at other times Eellar- deAmif. graci. 4. c.15.
mine lhifts of? the Authority of St. Cypri-
ah^whcn he plainly oppofes that of the Pope, and
lays, that he mortally erred and offended in fo doing (d); 00 Y«fecar
and concerning Juftin Martyr, IrentM, and others, their jTecSib^gf/-
Opinion, he fays, cannot be defended from great Error (e), l*m. 1. 4. de
when it is againft his own ; thus alfb of St. Hierom, he f^™110 Pon"
was of that Opinion Jmt it is falfe and it (hall be refuted (f). (e) Ec£aa
And to mention no more, tho they ftick not upon ail oc- faMcndam
cafions to flight and contemn Antiquity when it willSJ^0^
not make for them, Baronittsy tme of their greateft re poiiiimus
defendere.
Billam. de beat. §.1. i.c 6. (.f) Videcur Hieronymws in e.i fencentia fuiGfe fed falfa eft 8c
fco loco rtfcllenda, BtUxrm, de Fontif. Rom. 1. 1, c, 8.
Searchers
n-j4, The SixtbNote of the Church,
Searchers into Antiquity, but as great a Corrupter of it,
who had taken that Oath, I fuppofe, prefcribed by Pope
Pirn ^th, not to receive or expound Scripture but ac-
cording to the uniform Content of the Fathers, yet
doth unwarily, but ingenuoufly confefs, that the holy
Fathers, whom for their great Learning we juftly call the
Doctors of the Church, yet the Cathclick (that is, Roman)
Church doth not always follow, nor in all things, the Inter'
aiffimS Pa- fetation of Scripture. * They can go off it feems from
tres, quos Do- their Oath, and from the Fathers too, when they think
aores Eccie- ^ j tjie are not ajwayS bound to keep fo clofe to
fix ob lllorum ' . . J , . J , . r, ,
fubiimem em- Antiquity, as they give out at other times, and pretend
ditionem me- t}iey Jo. gut m the l'aft place ',
rito r.omina- \ . . * • •
mus in Interpretation Scripturarum non temper ac in omnibus Catholica Ecclefia fequicur.
Baron. Annal. Ecclef. an. 34. n. 2 13. p. 238. Colon.
4. The Determinations and Decrees of the prefent
Church are the only things they (tick to, and 'tis the
Authority and Infallibility of that which they relie
. more upon, and a thoufand times more regard than all
Antiquity, or the whole Senieof the Primitive Church.
They pretend indeed not to determine any thing con-
trary either to Scripture, or to the Primitive Church,
but they make themfelves the only Judges of both ; they
tells us they make no new Doctrines, nor no Innovations
in Faith, but they keep to themfelves the Power of de-
claring what Doctrines are new, and what are not ; and
then I can fee little difference between their making,
and their declaring new Articles of Faith, llnce 'tis
their declaring makes them to be believed and received
asfucb* when they were not to be fb before : and how
then does that differ from making them Articles of
Faith ? Bellarmine fpeaks plainly out, tho againft his
own Note, when he (ays, The Church of Utter time
hath Power not only to explain and declare, but conjli-
tutt
Agreement in Dotlrine with the Primitive Church. \i j
tttte and command tbofe things which belong to Faith r\\ f Trad, de
If the prefent Church has a Power to make more Do- P^* Sum'
ctrines and Articles,be believed as necefTary to Salvation
than were believed by the Primitive Church ; then it
may make Additions to the Chriftian Faith, and make
that necefTary to be believed at one time/which was not at
another: if it has not this Power,Iet them declare it, and
not count others Hereticks who receive all the ancient
Creeds, and hold the Faith of all the ancient Councils,
and believe all th ifb Doctrines that the whole Primitive
Church, in all PLces, and at all times, ever held. Here
with LyrinenfiSy we fix and let our Feet, and here we
refolve to ftand and keep our Ground, and not be moved
with every Wind of Doctrine that fhall blow out of a
new Quarter,and that a fmall part of the prefent Church
fhall declare to be an Article of Faith, when It was ne-
ver fb declared by the Primitive. To fay that they
have made no new Articles of Faith in their Church,but
only the fame Articles made Explicit, which were Im-
plicit before in the Primitive Church,is as if they fhould
fay, there are no new Men in the World fince Adam or
Noah, but only the fame Men that were before Implicit
in their Loyns, are now explicitly born into the World.
Thus the Church, tho it be never fo fruitful in produ-
cing Doctrines and Articles of Faith that never were
before in the Church, yet makes nothing new ; and .
however fpurious its Doctrines may be, and however de-
generating from the Faith of our Forefathers, yet it muft
be faid to be of the fame Kind and Species. Faith, it
feems, in the Primitive Church, was but an Embrio,
or like a fmall Seed or Kernel, implicitly containing all.
the Parts entire, but in little; but when it is grown up
and enlarged by the explicit Declaration of the Church,
then it may fwell into a mighty bignefs, and increafe
even
, j 6 Th* Sixth Note of the Qhurch,
even into the larger! Tridevtine Bulk, and be it never Co
unlike the ibrraer',yet it niuft be called the fame ftilL But
if this implicit Faith was fufficient for the Primitive
Church, why may it not be fo for the preterit, and
what need have we of a more explicit Faith to lave us
now, than they had to five them then ? All the eiTential
Articles of Chr-iftian Faith are to be explicitly believed
at all times, and'tis ftrange that we muft be now obliged
to a more explicit Faith, and a more implicit Obedience
than the Primitive Church was ever acquainted with :
But after .all, I hope thole Doctrines that are contrary to
the Doctrines of the Primitive Church, were not then
implicitly believed by it ; and if they were not, I am
fure moft of the Doctrines of the Roman Church, as
different from the Reformed, were not her implicit Do-
ctrines : but unlefs Error may be folded up with Truth,
and one part of a Contradiction may be involved in the
other, the late Corruptions and Decrees of the Roman
Church, in. her Trent Articles, were no way contained
in the quite diiferent Doctrines of the Primitive Church.
And thus, becaufe I have gone too far with this Dif-
courfe, I muft abruptly take leave of Bellarmin, and his
Church, tho I refblve, by God's Grace, to keep always
to this his true Note of the Church, and therefore to
that Church in ^vhich I am, which is the moft agreeable
to the Primitive of any in the World, both as to De-
xtrine and every thing elfe.
THE END.
LONDON,
Printed by J. D. for Richard Chifwcd at the Rofe and Crown ig
St. Paul's Church- Yard, 1 687.
d37)
The Seventh Note of the C h u r c h
EXAMINED,
viz*
The Vnion of the Members among
themselves > and with the Head.
Seftima NotaeJiVnio membrorum CHmCapitejnterfe & cumCafite.
Bellar. L.iv. c. 10. de Notis Ecclefia?.
IMPRIMATUR.
May 26*. 1687. Gml. Needham.
TH E Church as the Cardinal obferves, is called
in the Scriptures, one Body, one Spufe, one
Sheepfold : But he that infers from hence, that
Unity is a proper Mark of the True Church,
ought to be very well allured that the Head and Members
are united no-where but in the Body of Qhrift, and that
the Harlot cannot be One as well as the Spoule, <&t%
But the World has hitherto been perfuaded that bare
Unity is a Character to be found upon Societies of diffe-
rent Natures and contrary Defigns ; that of it felf it in-
fers neither Good nor Evil, and may belong to a Body
of Rebels, no lefs than to an Army of Loyal Subjects.
Unity is then indeed a good Mark, when 'tis a Duty ;
as 'tis a Duty when the Terms of Union are fb. For
which Reafon the Union of the Church is of all others
T the
i j 8 The Seventh Note of the Church,
the molt excellent, becaufe all Men ought to follow that
Truth and Goodnefs which are necehary to Salvation ;
and thefe are beft preferved and maintained by Union a-
mong thofe who follow them : For which Realbns alfo
'tis celebrated in the Gofpel with variety of Expreflions..
But to argue from hence that the Union of Members a-
mong Themfelves, and with their Head, is a proper
Note of the true Church, is juft as if I fhould conclude-
upon feeing a thoufand Men marching in good Order,
and with equal Pace after their Leader, that therefore
of neceflity they rauft be going to fork.
Notwithstanding therefore this Argument from Uni-
ty being attributed to the Church, the Cardinal did not
think fit to leave his Mark fb very loofe and common,
but flips into the mention of thofe things wherein the
Unity of the Church confifts, as he pretends. He tells
us,, that the Head with which the Members are united
is the Pope. And as for their Union among themfelves,
he afterwards proves that all Catholicks muft needs a-
gree in all Points of Faith, fmce they aUfubmit their own
Senfe to the Senfe of one and the fame chief Paftor, guid-
ing the Church from the Chair of Peter, with the advice of
other Pajiors. So that now we know what he means by
the Union of the Members to their Head, and among
themfelves ; that is to fay, the Union of the Members
of the Roman Church to the Pope as to their Head, and
their Union among themfelves in believing all that he
teaches from the Chair of St. Peter y &c.
Which Note does for its part make good what was
obferved at fir ft,, concerning the general Defign of thefe
Nvtes, which is not fb much to defcribe to us the proper
Characters of a true Chriftian Church, as to prove that
theChurcJi.of^w^istheonly True Church. What-
ever the Cardinal infinuated at firfr, he Teemed to be ve-
ry
Ihe Union of the Members among themfefoes, 8cc. 1 1 9
ry fenfible, that the Union of Members with the Head,
and among themfelves, was too large a Note to fit no
other Society but a true ChrifKan Church. Now if in
reftraining his Note he had underftood Chrifi by the
Head; and by the Union of the Members to one another,
an Agreement in the Faith that was once delivered to
the Saints ; this indeed would have ferved for the finding
out of a True Church ; but then this was too large for
the Cardinal's Purpofe, which was to find no other
Church to be True but the Roman. And therefore by
theH^ it was necelTary to underftand the Pope, and
by the Union of the Members, an Agreement in all that
Doctrine which is taught by the Roman Church. For
it was to be hoped that this would mark all the Roman
Communion tfr, but it would moft undoubtedly mark
all other Chriftians out of the only true Church. For
this is the admirable reafoning to which it leads : That
is the true Church which acknowledges the Pope for its
Head, and for its Faith profefles the Doctrine, whatever
it be, that is taught in the Church of Rome. And
from hence it muft needs follow, that the Church of
Rome is the only True Church. Quod erat demon/Iran-
dum.
And if the Cardinal had left the Matter thus in fhort,
he had in my mind done better for his Church, and his
reafoning had been lefs exceptionable than he has made
it in the purfiiance of his Enlargements. When a Man
has to do with an untraceable piece of Matter, it often
happens that the more he ftrives to fafhion it to his own
Purpofe, the farther he is from it. And fb this great
Man by labouring over-much to make this his Mark of
Unity utterly unferviceable to any other Church, has
given it that Figure at laft, which makes it unfit for his
own, as we ihail fee in convenient place.
T 2 For
1 40 7he Seventh Note of the Church,
For I fliall endeavour to make out thefe three things.
I. That the Unity here orTer'd is no true Note of
the Church.
II. That if it were, yet the Roman Church has it
not.
III. That that Unity which is indeed a Note of the
Church we have, and that in a much greater
degree than they.
I. That the Vnity here offered i: no true Note of tht
Church ', which I fhall lhew concerning both his In-
ifancesof it.
And Fir ft, Concerning Union with the Pope as Head
of the Church : That this fhould be a Note of the
Church, is a pretence that hath neither Scripture, Rea-
fon, nor Antiquity for it, but all againft it.
i. For Serif twre \ the Cardinal offers not any proof
from thence of his Prefumption, which yet had been
very requifite to a point of fo vaft a Confluence, if the
Scripture had afforded any Teftimony to his purpofe.
That the Pope fhould be the Head of the Church
and the Center of its Unity, that Union to him fhould
be an effential Character of the Church, and the very
Being of it depend upon him : But that the Scripture
fhould not give us the leaft intimation of it, is a thing
fb perfectly unaccountable^ that the very filence of the
Scripture in a matter of this high nature, is to us a fuf-
ficient Argument, that the Apoflles knew nothing of
any fuch Conftitution,
Efpecially, fince they did not forget to make plain
and frequent mention of another Head of the Church,
to which all the Members are to be united, viz. our
Lord
The Union of the Members among tbemfelves, Sec. 141
Lord Jef/ts Chrift. They tell us, That when God rai- Epfi.L 20,22,
fed him from the dead, he gave him to be HE A D over all
things to the Church, which is HI S B 0 D T. That as
there are many Members in one Body ; fo we being many, are Rom' x11' 4'5'
ONE BO Dr IN CHRIST. That as theBody lCor#xii> |2>
is one and hath many Members fo alfo is C H R 1ST, 27!
i. e. Chrift and the Church, the whole being denomi-
nated from the Head, for we are the BO DT 0 F
CHRIST. We are told, That he is the Head, even Eph* iv' l6'
Chrift, from whom the whole Body is fitly joy ned together &"C. verf. 23.
That he is the Head of the Church, and the Saviour of
theBody: That he is the Head of 'the Body the Church. CoU-18'
And much more to this purpofe might be added. Now
when the Church is fo frequently declared to be one
Body, and to this one Body, one Head is fb frequently
-afligned and no more : What can any Man who is not
pofleit. with prejudice, make of this, but that there is
no other Head of the Church befides him who is fb often
mentioned as fuch, and that by the fame Reafbn that
any Man goes about to add another Head to the Church,
he might if he pleafed find out another Church for the
Head ? Nor does it help at all that they pretend the
Pope to be but the Vicarious and Minifterial Head of the
Church, fince if without Union to him we are out of
the Church, and have no part in Chrift, it was necefc
fary that this pretended Vicarious Head fhould have
been as plainly and frequently expreffed, as we know
the True and Real Head to have been.
Nay, it was fbmething more necefTary, fince a very
(lender intimation might have been fufHcient to affure
us that he who is the Image of the Invifible God, by whom Col. i. 15, ift
all things were created, and by whom all things confijl, is afc
fo the Head of the Body the Church : That he in whom we Ver> j .
have redemption through his Blood, who is tlie Saviour of
the
£gi 7he Seventh Note of the Church,
the Body, and for our fakes humbled himfelf to the
Death of the Crofs, fhould be alio the Head of the Body,
and be exalted to be Head over all things unto his Church',
He I fay in whom infinite Power and Goodnefs met.
But that there fhould be another Head given to the
whole Church, to be united to which, was no lefs nece£
fary than Union to Chrift himfelf. And that this Catho-
lick Head fhould be no other than a finful Man, and he
very often none of the beft; this was fb far removed from
{elf-Evidence or even Probability, that it certainly
needed very exprefs mention, if not frequent- inculca-
tion. Now that he fhould be frequently mentioned
as Head of the Church, who in comparifbn needed
not to be mentioned at all ; And that no mention at all
fhould be made of another Head of the Church that
needs it very much, is for them to give an account of
.who make Union to this later Head no lefs necefTary
to a Part in the Body of Chrift, than Union to the for-
mer.
Which account will be much harder to be given, in-
afmuch as there is no mention at all of this pretended
Head, where there was themoft fair and inviting occa-
fion for it, that can be well imagined. Thus St. Paul
flie wing what Gifts ChriH beftowed upon his Church
after his Afcenfion, faith ; He gave fome Jpoftles, and
Lph. iv. ii, £ome j>Yoyhetsy and fome Evange lifts, and fome P aft or s
and Teachers — for the edifying of the Body of Chrift—
and that rve might grow up into him in all things, which is
the Head even Chrift. Now here we do not only find
our Saviour reprefented as the Head of his Church, and
we as the Members of his Body, but that amongft the
feveral fubordinate Members of which his Body con-
fifts, there is no mention of that moft neceffary Mem-
ber of all, ( if I may call it a Member) the Vicarious
Head
'the Union of the Memhers among tbemfehes, dec. i a i
Head of the Church. For it is not faid that he gave
firft Peter to be Head of his Church, and then Apoftles,
&c. But he gave,firft, fome Apoftles, and thofe not as
Heads of his Church neither, but as principal Members
of it. And in the Beginning of thafame Chapter, where
he defcribes the Unity of the Church, he fays, there is
one Body and one Spirit, one Hope of our Calling, one Lord,
one Faith, one Baptifm, one God and Father of all.
Now I would fain know whether the Cardinal
would have omitted here, one vifible Head of the Church,
in which all ought to be united'. And then let any Man
tell me why St. Paul did. He had the like occafion
in another Place, where having faid much concerning
the Unity of the Body of Chrift \ Te are, faith he, the
Body of Chrift y and Members in particular ', And God hath
fet fome in the Church, firfl Apoftles, fecondly Prophets, i Cor.xii. 2.7,
thirdly Teachers &c. Now I lay, if this vifible Headof 28-
Unity had been elfewhere mentioned never ib often,
he ought not to have been omitted in any of thefe three
places ; much- lefs if he were mentioned no where elfe.
But no notice being taken of this Head elfewhere, nor
here neither, is little lefs than a 'Demonltration that
that there was no flich Head to be taken notice of.
When any one fhall pretend to ib high a Prerogative
and vaft a Dependence as this implies, we may in Rea-
ibn expeel: he fhould be able to produce fome very good
Evidence of his Right to it. And therefore the meer
filence of the Scripture is prejudice enough againft the
Pretence. But the filence of the Scripture, in fuch
places as I have produced, is a direct Argument a-
gainft it.
Nay, Laftly, The Scripture is fb far from . giving the
leaft intimation of any fuch Head/hip, where the menti-
on of it was unavoidable, if it had been a Divine Confti-
tution ;
1 44. Ti;e Seventh Note of the Church,
tution ; that it feems exprefly to oppofe it. For St. Paul
{peaking againft thole Contentions which happened, by
one faying I am of Paul, another I am of Jp olios > a third,
I am of Cephas, he does not oppofe Cephas or Peter to the
reft, as if it were lawful for them to lay, I am of Peter,
but not, I am of Paul, &c. but utterly reproves allfuch
Diftindlions, and requires them all to be united in Chrifi,
Is Chrifi divided ? fays he, Was Paul Crucified for you ?
Or, were ye Baptized in the Name of Paul ? Plainly fhewing
that to eftablifh any mortal Man as the Center of Uni-
on in the Chrifilan Church, is in effect: to divide the Au.
thority of Chrifi ; and that if we unite our felves in fiich
a Head, we may as well be baptized in his Name, and
have him for our Saviour too.
2. As little Foundation is there in Reafbn for this
Headfhip of the Pope over the whole Body of Chrifi \
fince it will necefTarily require that all the Chriftian
Churches in the World, eventhofe that are at greateft
Diltance from one another,be reduced under his Govern-
ment, and depend upon his Authority ; the Adminiftra-
t ion of which vaft Power and Truft is incompatible to
any mortal Man. Being vefted in a wife and good
Man,it could be but of little benefit to a Body fb diffufive
as the Catholick Church ; but in the Hands of a weak
er vicious Perfbn, it would become the Inftrument of
Pride, Tyranny, Oppreflion, and Divifions. A fmall
Bifhoprick requires the utmoft Care and Prudence to
manage it aright ; but what Ability, without a Miracle,
could be fufficient for a tolerable discharge of fb great a
Truft, as the Infpedtion and Government of the whole
Church from one end of the Earth to the other ? But the
Temptations to abufe fiich Power would be infinite, and
the Abufes themfelves intolerable, and hardly capable
of Redrefs j as we fee alfb by no finall Experience. 'For
after
The Union of the Members among themfefoes^ &cc. 1 4 5
after that that Power was pretended to at Rome, and
fubmitted to by the Wejlern Church; the Scandals 8c Mi-
feries of this part of Chrifiendom grew to fuch an Extre-
mity, that it could not be diiTembled. Infomuch that
the Cardinals and Prelats appointed by Pope Paul the
Third, to advife concerning the ftate of the Church, a£ ConriI- de
fured him that ine was juft falling head-long into Ruine ', m Richer. /. 4.
and that tjie chief Cauie was, that the Pope's Will and
Pleafiire had been the Rule of all his Doings. And he
that fhall confider what a lewd and filthy place Rome
it felf was grown, by their own confeflion, may obferve
from thence how likely it is that the Government of
the Catholick Church fhould thrive in one Man's hand
after another, who are too bufy to attend upon the Re-
formation of moft fcandalous and crying Difbrders at
home.
3. Neither is there any colour in Antiquity for this
Headfhip of the Pope 5 altho they are the Primitive Fa-
thers upon whole Authority chiefly they would fiipport
this Usurpation. The Teftimonies which the Cardinal
has chofen for his Purpofe, are fb far from it, that one
would wonder to fee fb weighty a Superftru&ure laid
upon fb weak a Foundation. Thus, becaufe S. Irentus
fays that every Church, i. e. the Faithful who are all a-
tout, mufi needs re fort to the Roman Church, becaufe of the
more Powerful Principality ; i. e. becaufe the Imperial
City drew the Bufinefs of the World to it felf, and by
confluence Chriftians in all parts had occafion of re-
courfe to it ; therefore the Bifhop of that City was the
Head of all Churches in the World. Becaufe S. Cyprian
calPd the Roman the Principal Church, from whence the
Unity of the Priefis did arife, and the Matrix and Root of
the Catholick Church : Therefore he could mean nothing
^f but that Union to the Bifhop of Rome is abfolutely
U nccefr
146 The Seventh Note of the Qknrcb,
neceffary to a part in Chrift and his Church : Whereas
it is moft evident, that ellewhere he did freely after t the
Independence of other Bifhops- upon that Bifhop, and
of other Epilcopal Churches upon that Church : And
confequently that he called it the Principal Church, as
being conftituted in the Principal City, (lb Rigalt'ms
acknowledged^ ; and the Spring of Sacerdotal "Unity pw\
the Root of the Catholick Church, becaufe Bifhops having
occafion either to come up to Rome, or to lend thither
from all parts, did by their Unity with the Church there,
manifeftly declare their Union to one another, which
was a convenience accruing to that Church (and to all
others) from the Imperial City in which it was confti-
tuted ; but by no means inferring that other Churches
were more obliged to Union with her, than fhe with
others. Again, becaufe it was lometimes a Mark of an
Orthodox and Catholick Chriftian to be joyn'd in Com-
munion with the Roman Bifhop ; therefore it muft al-
ways be lb, and it can never happen that a Man fhould
be united to the Church, and disjoyn'd from the Pope.
Becaufe St.Hierom referred himlelf to the Chair of
Peter when Damafus late in it ; therefore he would
have done the lame to his PredeceiTor Liberius, after he
had communicated with the Arians. Of the lame kind
is the Argument from Optatus. Finally, becauie St. Jugu-
jlin thought that Cecilian had realbn to value his Com-
munion with the Roman Church, more than the multi-
tude of his Enemies, in as much as the Principality of an
Apofiolical Chair had always flourished there ; therefore
the Bifhop of Pome is Head of the Church : As if there
were no other Apoftolical Chair befides that at Romr,
and as if the Communion of no other Church was to be
cfteemed, when a Bifhop meets with unreafonable Op-
position, but one that is by virtue of her Chair Miftrels
o£
The Union of the Members among themfehes, Sec. ■ \ 47
of all the Reft. For what he fays out of St. Auguflin in
Pfal. contra far tern Donatio it has had its Anfwer />. 107.
Pope Leo indeed fpeaks a little more to the Purpole, but
without any Authority, as being a Witnefs in his own
Caufe. For it was but a few Years before,that Zgfimtts,
Boniface and Celefiin had let up a fmall pretence to an
Univerfal Headfhip, tho nothing was got by it, but a
notable Rebuke from the African Fathers, whereof
St. Auguflin was one, for introducing a worldly Pride
into the Church. But no wonder if thofe Popes that fol-
lowed, frill kept their Eye upon that Power which their
PredecerTors could not as yet compafs.
On the other fide it appears by moft. unqueftionable
Evidence, that the Primitive Fathers knew no greater
neceflity of being united to the Roman, than to any 0-
ther Catholick or Orthodox Bifhop. When Pope Victor
took upon him to excommunicate the Arian Churches,
for not oblerving Eafler as the Roman did, they were fb
far from thinking a Union with him as their Head nece£
fary to their being Members of the Catholick Church,
that they called a Synod of their own, reprehended the
Pope's Arrogance, and refblved to adhere to their own
Cuftom. St. Cyprian, Firmilian and the Africans did the
like, in oppofit ion to Pope Stephen ; Firmilian plainly Apud c pr#
telling him, that while he thought to Excommunicate Ep. 75- h 2*28.
all them from himfelf, he had but excommunicated Ed# 0xon'
himfelf from them. In ancient Times there was no
fhadow of any fuch Headfhip in the Pope, as of late A-
ges has been contended for. He was treated with no
other Titles of RefpeQ: than other Bifhops were, who
were called Popes and Vicars of Chrift no lefsthan he,
as he was by them (riled their Colleague and Brother,no
lefs than they by him. In refpeft of Prefidency over par-
ticular Churches, his JurilcU&ion was confined as well as
U 2 theirs,
148 L The Seventh Note of the Q?urcb,
theirs : in refpecl: of the common Care of the whole
Churchy each of them was deemed to have an Authority
and a Truft no way inferiour to his : All which our Ad-
verfaries do full well underftand, who are but a little
converfant in St. Cyprian, if they would but fpeak what
they know. But becaufe St. Hieroms Complaint to
Damaftts is infilled upon by the Cardinal ; let StHierom
be heard (peaking to this very Point fb clearly, that we
cannot defire he fhould have been more exprefs ;
Hier.adEvagr." "Where-ever, faith he, there is a Bifhop, whether at
Ep. 85. a Rome, or at Eugubium, or Conflantinople, or Rhegiumy
" or Alexandria or Thtmis ; he is of the fame Worth,
" and of the fame Priefthood. The advantage of Wealth,
" and the difad vantage of Poverty, does not make a Bi-
ci fhop to be higher or lower ; but they are all SuccefTors
" of the Apoftles. To conclude this Point, Popes have
been anciently cenfured, condemned and excommunica-
ted, . when they were thought to have deferved it. Ju-
ste Vkdic. of tins was Excommunicated by the Eaftern Bifhops ; Libe-
Anfiv, to font r-lHS Anathematized by St. Hilary \ Vigilitts Excommuni-
&&€?rs? P' cated by the Africans', Honor ins Condemned by the N\th
General Council. Did thefe Fathers take the Pope for
their Common Head, and the Center of Catholick Uni-
on ?
Some Popes have been Hereticks, as the Romanifis
themfelves cannot deny ; and therefore time has been
when it was fb far from being a Note of the Catholick
Church to be united to the Pope, that it was impoflible
fb to be without feparation from the Catholick Church.
But the Cardinal has a very notable Argument to
prove the necefluy of this Union, viz. Experience ; fince
thofe Churches have withered away, that are divided
from this Head the Pope : Witnefs the Afiatick and
African Churches, anciently famous for numerous Coun-
cils y
The Union of the Members among themjehes^ &c. 1 40
cits, for learned and holy Men, but fince their Schifm
from the Roman Church,reduced to obfeurity, and plun-
ged intogrofs Ignorance.
To which it might be enough to anfvver, That al-
though where the Sin is flagrant and beyond contro-
verfy, there the Calamity that befalls the Offender
may without breach of Charity, or impious Intrufi-
on into the Councils of Providence, be well deemed
the effect of God's Juftice : Yet in a Difpute about
Right and Truth, to take advantage from the Afflicti-
ons of a Man, or of a Church, and to make them an
Argument againft the oppreffed fide, is barbaroufly
uncharitable and wicked, and becomes none but thofe
who care not by what means they come to their end.
But not to pry into the Secrets of Divine Providence ;
Might it not have ferved the Cardinal's turn to aflign
the Afflictions artd Ignorance of thole Churches to the
Irruptions of their Enemies upon them, who at length
prevailed, and utterly deftroyed ibme of them, and to
this day hold the reft in Slavery ? If this be not e-
nough ; what if one fhouldadd, that their not uniting
themfelves to the Pope was indeed one caufe of their
Misfortunes, who had much rather fee thofe ancient
and glorious Churches laid waft by Infidels, then faved
by the united Arms of Chriftendom, to make a vigorous
Oppofition to his claim of Supremacy ?
However, it is not more certain that they were
once the moft flourifhing Churches in Cbriftendont,
than that when they were fb, they did not acknowledg
this Union to the Bifhop of Rome as the Head of the
Catholick Church ; nay that they oppofed the Begin-
nings and Preparations to fb unjuft a claim ; and there.-?
fore their denying it at prefent can with no reafon be
alledged as the caufe of their Diftrefs.
One
-i e o Tlx Seyenth Ifyte of the Qburch,
One thing more we have to fay to this doughty Ar-
gument ; that if it may be tr lifted, how comes it to paf>
that we have a contrary experience in Churches nearer
home, which have not fallen into decay, by feparating
from the Pope ? We are apt to think that from the
Reformation to this day, there have been as many Per-
fbns eminent both for Piety and Learning in the Church
of England, as any Age ever produced in any Nation.
That we are not funk intogrofs Ignorance, our Adverfa-
irits know by fbme Experience. And we may fay ^with-
out need of blufhing for the matter, that they have felt
fbme Learning from this Church, which their Union
to the Pope hath of late helped very few of them to.
And if we may conclude any thing from the Exam-
ples of thofe within their own Communion, we fhall
find that the more clofely any of them are united to
this fuppofed Head, their Piety and Learning does not
flourifh one jot the more for it. Let the Learning of
the Gallican Church be compared with that of Spain or
'Italy ; Let the Piety of the Regulars, efpecially of the
Jefuits, be weighed with that of the Secular Clergy ;
and I believe it will appear that this Union is no fuch
excellent advantage either towards Piety or Learning,
that they fhould appeal to Experience to fliew the Ne-
ceffity thereof either to the one or the other. And thus
much for their Union to the Pope*
2. Neither is the Union which they pretend to a-
mong themlelves, as Members, any certain Note of the
Church.
The Cardinal was not content to defcribe their Uni-
on,by thinking the fame concerning all Doctrines of Faith ',
but will have it to exclude alfb Difcord, and DifTenfi-
on, and falling into Se&s and Parties* For fince he de-
nies fuch Union to be found amongft Pagans and Here-
ticks,
Ihe Union of the Members among themfelves, & c. i j i
ticks, he muft be fuppofed to affirm it of the Members
of his Church, if he talks to any purpofe. Now ad-
mitting it were fb:
i. This is no more than what any Society may have
as well as the true Church ;■ and any other Church as
well as the Roman. The Members of every Church
are thus far united, that they all agree in profefling the
common Belief of the Society to which they belong.
But about other Doctrine they either fall into Diffenfi-
on, or not, as it happens. And for fome considerable
time, they may agree very well, and at length fall out.
In which cafe, according to Bellarmins Note, they
would be the true Church while diey agreed, whate-
ver their Faith fhouid be, whicji is m'oft abfurd. It is
not whether Men are united among themlelves in what
they believe, but whether that wherein they are united
be the right Faith, that is to be confidered. Unioitei
a falfe way is a confederacy in Error ;and the more that
Men are united in it, the more wile or prudent they
may fhew themfelves to be, but never the more Ortho-
dox. And though the Cardinal produces that Saying of
our Saviour; Every Kjngdom divided againfi it felf, is ivjactjliX„,
brought to defoliation ', to fhew that Difcord is a Sign of
the Kingdom of the Devil ; yet he has manifestly per-
verted the Place, inafmuch as our Saviour's Difcourfe
there proceeds upon the contrary fuppofition, viz,, that
Satan is not divided again ji himfelf.
2. As there may be this Union out of the true Church,
fb it may not be within it ; which makes it plain that
this is no certain Note of the Church. It is undeniable
that there were Divifions in the firft Apoftolical Church-
es ; and confequently that to be Members of the Catho-
lick Church, it is fufficient that in thofe things where-
in the Unity of die Faith confiils, all fpeak the fame
thing. And
i e % The Seventh Note of the Church,
And if the Cardinal meant that the breaking of a
Church into Parties, and the Rife of Herefies and
Schifms out of it, is a certain Note of a falie Church ;
he might as well have (aid that there never was a true
Church in the World, no not in the Apoftles times.
And if for this Reafbn he would unchurch the Prote-
ftants, he did in effecl: put as good an Argument, as this
againft the Reformation, into the Mouth of a Turk or
a Je w againft Chriftianity, that there is no Truth in it
at all ; and becaufe Chriftians are fb divided one againft
another, therefore none of them are in the right. For
a more particular Confideration of this Argument, I
refer the Reader to the Jpologetical Vindication of the
Church of England, lately publifhed.
Thus much for the firft part of this Difcourfe, which
was to fhew, that the Unity here offered, is not a Note
o£#e Church. I proceed to fhew,
II. That if it were, yet the Roman Church has it not.
Which is probably true of the Firft, and moft cer-
tainly true of thefecond Branch of the Cardinal's
Unity.
i . It is probable that the Roman Church wants the
Firft ; and that there is now no true Pope, nor has been
for many Ages, for that Church to be united to. For
by their own Confeflion, a Pope Simoniacally chofen, a
Pope intruded by Violence, a Heretick, and therefore
fure an Atheift or an Infidel, is no true Pope. And
many fuch there have been of one fort or other'; whofe
Acts therefore in creating Cardinals, &c. being invalid,
it is exceeding probable that the whole Succeflion has
upon this account failed long ago. Befides, there have
been about 2 5 Schifms in the Church of Rome, the laft
of
The Union of the Members among themfelves, Sec. 155
of which continued no lefs than 50 Years, wherein two,
and fbmetimes three Popes pretended to St. Peters
Chair, created Cardinals, had their feveral Parties and
Abettors, &c. During which Schifms, it would be a
inadnefs to fay that the Roman Church was united to
the Pope, as Head, when they were all together by the
Ears, which of the Anti-Popes was the true one ? Now
while there was no certain Pope, there could be no cer-
tainty of the validity of any A£ts neceflary to continue a
SuccefTion of true Popes. But this Cafe having happen'd
lb often, and fbmetimes continued for many years, the
uncertainty muft have at laft grown into an utter im-
probability that they have a Pope, and therefore ( ac-
cording to the Cardinal) that they are a Church ; un-
lets it be all one whether the Church be united with a
Nominal Pope, or a Real Pope ; with a True Head,or a
Falfe Head, or any Head whatfbever. But,
2. It is undoubtedly true, That the Roman Church
has not the fecond Branch of Unity, 'viz,, that Union
of the Members to one another, which the Cardinal
pretends. Whether by it he means an Union in all
points of Doctrine of great Confequence, amongft thofe
who remain in the Communion of his pretended Ca-
tholick Church ; or fuch an Union of their Members
as fhall prevent the breaking away of fbme from the
Communion of the reft.
She has not the former Unity. For if Pbilofophers,
Hereticks^&c. have had their Sects and Parties, and been
at great DilTenfions among themielves ; fb have the
Members of the Roman Church too.
He pretends that all the Sacred Writers of their Church
do wonderfully agree. Now to let pafs his Prefumption,
in fuppofmg the ancient Doctors of the Church to be
one part of thefe their Writers, we will for the prefent
X admit
i 54 T7;e Seventh Kott of the Cbunb,
admit it, and only ask, If they agreed fb wonderfully
with the Fathers, what need there was of an Index Ex-
furgatoritts upon the Fathers to make them and the Fa-
thers of Trent agree fomething better ?
He pretends that the Decrees of their Lawful Councils
4 m omnibus agree in * all Doctrines. Juft lb the Councils ofConftance
Dogmatibus and Bajil decreeing, That all Power, even the Papal,
inter fe conve- wag ^ £y$g£ appertaining to Religion, to be fubjea: to
the Council ; agreed with the Abolition of the Pragma-
tick Sanction, by the Lateran Council, under Leo X, by
which the Council is made to truckle to the Pope. As
to which, and other Inftances of the like fort, no help
is to be had from that Qualification of Lawful Councils ;
E fince what the Jefuits will not own to be a Lawful
Council, is by other Parties in that Church owned to be
lb. And that Church muft needs be at wonderful Unu
ty*within it felf, that cannot fb much as agree what
Councils are Lawful, and what are not. And yet if
they were fb agreed, their Church-Unity is not to be
bragged of, when there are enough amongft them to
make an unlawful Council, and to determin other wife
in a point offo vaft Confequence, as that above-menti-
oned, than they ought to do. For if in the fame Com-
munion, one Council determines one way, and another
the contrary way, that Communion cannot be faid to a-
gree ever the more, for one being a lawful and the other
an unlawful Council.
Whereas he pretends that the Decrees of Popes are al-
io at Unity with one another, one would expecl: that in
the next place Fire and Water fhouldbe brought in for
an Example of Agreement too : For they may be made
to agree, as fbon as the Decrees of many Popes. Leo
BUi 2??4jM2. anc* &&$** condemned receiving in one kind ) Have
there been no Popes fince that condemned the contrary ?
Ni-
Tie Union of the Members among tbemfelves, Sec. 155
Nicholas IVdetermined that Chrifi was a Beggar,and had Extravag. Joh.
Right to nothing ; but John XXII comes not long after Tk* *4' w/r*4'
him, and makes it Heretical fb to lay. It has been fo
frequent a practice for Popes to- overthrow the Decrees
of their Predeceffors, that it were endlefs to recount the
particulars.
As for the Writers which they may juftly claim to
themfelves ; how Bellarmin fhould come to fancy fiich a
wonderful Agreement, is very ftrange, who in his own
Controverfieshas obferved fb many notable Differences a-
mongft them. Was it not BelUrmin that obferved feveral Deconcii.
Catholick Writers to have agreed with the Hereticks, in lib- 2. cap. 14.
afferting the Council to be above the Pope ? and that as & aJlb1,
thofe did not agree with themfelves, fb neither did the
other fide of Canonifts and School-men that afferted the
contrary ? And this is no trifling Queftion neither. Such
Difagreement is noted by the fame Cardinal upon other
material Points, viz,. Concerning the Pope's Temporal
Power ; Whether Vows of fingle Life are difpenfable ?
What Worfhip may be given to Images? Whether Ima-
ges of God may be made or not ? Whether Extream Urt-
&iony and other of their Sacraments were inftituted by
Chrifi ? Whether Intention be neceffary to a Sacrament ?
Whether an exprefs purpofe of forfaking Sin be neceffa-
ry to Contrition ? Whether good Works be truly meri-
torious? And concerning many more Queftions, in
moft of which, fbme or other of themfelves have held as
Proteftants do, againft the reft of their Church.
Not to infift upon theDifputes between the Thomifis,
the- Scotifts and the Occamifis, which were not all about
Trifles;, the Queftion between the Dominicans add
Francrfcans, about the Conception of the Virgin, was
by themfelves efteemed of fueh Confequence, that there
have been Revelations about it againft Revelations, and
X 2 if
I 56 The Seventh Note of the Church,
if we will believe them, Miracles againft Miracles : To
Ste yetcrcs which we may add the flaming Contentions between
VindUat. c. ic. t|ie jAnfenip anci tne Molinifts ', both which grew to
fiich a height, that it has been all along almoft as dange-
rous to the Intereit of the Roman Church to let their
Controverfies go on, as to go about to decide them. I
confefs the Divinity of the New Methodifts, the French
Expofitor,and the English Reprefenter, has as yet occa^
fioned but little difturbance in that Communion, for
which I know a good Reafon. But thisl will fay, that
if their New-Popery can in all Points be received with
Su ^/^-f the Old, I do not fee but from this time forward their
ehLlftbecl. Unity may be inviolable, now that they have got the
of England. Knack of making Contradictions agree with one ano-
* 9°' ther.
But to all fuch Inftances as thefe Bellarmine hath fup-
plied them with a ready Anfwer ; That they differ not
in thofe things that belong to Faith. Upon which cauti-
ous Anfwer, one would be apt to enquire how nearly
a QuefHon in Religion muft be allied to the Faith,befovQ
it may be faid to belong to it.
The Cardinal himfelf tells us now and then of fbme-
thing held by Catholicks that is fere htreticumfis he calls
it, almofi heretical, in which cafe the Queftion fhould
be alfb almofi of Faith, and may be faid to belong to it..
But if he means (imply that they all agree in Matters of
Faith, as he fays afterward ; and that all Catholicks fay
the fame thing about Dottrines of Faith, as we were told
before ; we are willing to hear him. But then we ex-
peel: that the Church of England, the Lutherans and the
Calvinifts fhould be heard too, when to the Papifts char-
ging them with fome Differences, they make die fame
Anfwer, that they have all the fame Faith ; efpecially
fince when they come to prove the Truth of what they
fay,.
The Union of the Members among themfelves, See. 1 j/
fay, they will fhew that the Matters wherein they dif-
fer do not break the Unity of the Catholick Faith :
which is fomething a better Argument than the Cardi-
nal produces for the Unity of his Party in matters of
Faith, viz,, that they dWprofefs to believe that which /ball
be judged neceffary to be believed in the Roman Catholick
Church. For to lay no more to this at prefent ; notwith-
standing this Profeflion, we are very furethat fbmeof
them take thole things to be matters of Faith, which
others do not, if we may believe them ; of which the
Infallibility of the Pope, and the Depofing Doctrine are no-
toi ious and undeniable Inftances.
But now, if by the Union of the Members, fhould be
meant fiich a Union as will hinder the feparation of fbme
from the reft ; then this Note muft not by any means
be pretended to in the Church of Rome, from which ib
many Churches that once were in Communion with
her, have broken away. Indeed he does not exprefly
fay that he means this by the Union of the Members a-
mong themfelves ; but feme fuch thing he muft mean,
or elfe by virtue of this Note he does impertinently run
down the Lutherans as being Hereticks, becaufe they
have begotten fb many Seels, which, as he pretends,
charge each other with Herefy. And then it may as truly
be faid that the Church of Rome,in whofe Communion
we were before the Reformation, wants the Mark of
Unity, becaufe fo many have broken away from her ; as
that any other Churches want it,becaufe fbme have alfb
divided from them. For 'tis very idle to fay, thattho
we were Members of that Church when we firft began
to differ from it, yet that by our Divifions we cut our
felves from her Communion, and therefore that the
Unity of her Communion is not affected by our Depar-
ture. For thus we may as well excufe all the feparations
from
I * g Ik Seventh Note of the Church,
from cursor from any other Church, viz. that by fepa-
rating from us,they no longer belong to us. We are ve-
ry confident that in all Points of Dccfcrine of any great
moment, we of the Church of England do agree much
more together, than thcfe of the Church of Rome ; and
as for them who have gone out from us they as little
break the Unity of the reft whom they are gone from,
as Luther $ departing from the Church of Rome, broke
the Unity of thofe who ftill remained in it. So that
either the Church of Rome muft renounce her pretence
to Unity upon this account, that Se£ts and Parties have
nor broken away from her; or fhe muft fet up this wife
Note of the true Church, .that all her Members are uni-
ted, except thofe that are divided from her ; which is
a Mark that will fit any Society in the World.
But the Cardinal does here offer a difference between
the Divifion of Hereticks from the Church, and a Divi-
sion from Herefy •> " That in their Church they have
u a certain Rule for ending Controverfies, viz,, the Sen-
" tence of the chief Pa ftor,or the Definition of a general
" Council; and therefore DifTenfion does not arife among
. - be
The Union of the Members among themf elves, Sec. 1 6 v
be named and pointed to, which is his own Cafe and
Camfius\ as to this Doftrine.
He reflects upon both of 'em, for ill Loghk in thefe r. 4*8, 41$.
Definitions, and fliews how they deftroy each other. He 428#
cenfures the Followers of Canifius fharply and judiciouf-
ly, and then remarks that tho Bellarmine have greater
Authority amongft Divines, yet Canifius' s Definition is
more generally received ; and that for four Reafons :
becaufe there is more Court-Flattery in it ; becaufe it is
put into Catechifms which the other is not, and (b
fticks by virtue of an early Impreffion, becaufe fbme
Men are mad upon Novelties ; and laftly, others infuf-
ferably Ignorant as to the Holy Scriptures, and (Anci-
ent) Tradition, the Principles of true Theology.
Fourthly, He thinks they have done harm to the
Church, and that for thefe Reafons : (1.) Becaufe,for F' 43°*
want of Logick,they have confounded the Nature of the
Church, with the State of it. (2.) They have neglect-
ed St. PauCs Direct,ion,of not being tolled to and fro, &c.
(3.) Are condemned by Tertu/iian, who bids us adhere
to what isfirft. And, (4.) By Vincent ius Lyrinenfis.
And, (5.) Have given ill Example, by which the Re-
formers can juflify themfelves. And, laftly, Have plain-
ly condemned feveral Popes, and the whole Later an
Council, under Innocent III, as not fumxiently know-
ing what the Church was, fince their Notion of it could
not content thofe which came after them : A great Inju-
ry, and of dangerous Confequence.
Laftly, Upon a Comparifon of one with the other, p &c
and of both with the Antj^nt Doctrine and Difcipline of '
the Church : he looks upon Bel/armins Definition as the
better of the Two, becaufe it may be fb mollified by the
Help of the Word Pracipue . [chiefly] which is in it, as to
admit of a tolerable Reconciliation with the Definition
Y of
i i-i 17;e Seventh ]S(ote of the Qburchy
of the Antients ; which, as he fhews, can noway agree
with that of Canifms.
r. 450, And upon the whole he concludes, That however
Bellarmins might be preferrable, if either of them were
necelTary ; yet it will be hard for Catholicks to make
their Complaints of Innovating, which they heap up-
on Hereticks, to appear juft, fo long as they themfelves
fhall retain fuch a Novel Definition ; and that if Grego-
ry Filths Rule were obferved, viz. That nothing fheuld
be drawn into Example or Authority , which is contrary 1 &
the Fathers ', then even this his Definition, tho it had
been received, yet ought to be rejected. To this pur-
pofe that Accurate Writer , as he is defervedly called by
\\ Letter to Bp.ofW F. Walfh , has argued to the utter confufion of the
Line p. 31$. Cardinal's Argument from Union with the Pope as
Hsad, or of the Members among themfelves.
For how can that be a Note of the True Church
now, which never was thought to belong to the Na-
ture of it for 1 500 Years together, and which their own
mofi Learned Lovers of Antiquity , and Pions Oppofers of
Novelty, do not think efiential to it at this Day ?
And where is the lb much boafted Confent of the
Members amongft themfelves in all Matters of Faith ?
J believe the holy Cathotick Church, is an Article of
Faith. I would know of thofe Gentlemen who are at
fuch perfect agreement amongft themfelves, what this
Church is ? BeHarmine anfwers one thing, Qanifius ano-
ther,fo contrary, that if one fbeaks true, the other muft
needs have told me that which is falfe. And whik the
Definition of the former is fallowed by fame, and that
of the later,which is the worfe, is more generally recei-
ved ) Launoy, and msmy more of the molt. Learned fort,
itick to the Antients, who are as different from both,
as they are from one another. And yet after all we
muft
7 be Union of the Members among tbemfefoes, & c. 1 6 1
muft be told that they are perfe&ly agreed in all matters
of Faith ; and that this invifible unintelligible Union
fhews plainly that the Roman is the true Church. One
would hardly think that they are in earner! ; unlefs
by Union they mean an equal Refblution to ca?ry on
the Difpute as long as they can contend and no longer :
Which kind of Union is to be met with almoft every
Term in Wejlminfter-Ha.ll ; where ono, may fee two
Parties profecuting one another with all imaginable
vigour, who yetrefblve to be quiet, when the Bench
has made them fb. Not that the Party who is caft in
the Suit muft needs change his Opinion of his own Caufe,
becaufe the laft Verdift was againft him ; but that if a
new Trial will not be granted,he is bound to acquiefce in
the Judgment of the Court,becaufe it has a Sheriff J with
the Pojfe ComitAtatyio put it into Execution. Thus they
that make the Sentence of the Pope, and they that make
the Sentence of a Council, the Sentence of the Church,
are united in a Refblution to ftand to the Arbitrement
of the Church ; there being a certain fenfible Obligation
upon them to profefs that they will acquiefce in its De-
termination : But in the mean time they may un-
doubtedly quarrel amongft themfelves, about Queftions
of fuch mighty Importance as that we mentioned even
now, and this without breach of Union amongft them-
felves ; till the Sentence of the Pope, or the Sentence of
a Plenary Council^ or the Sentence of both, comes to part
them : Which yet will be long enough firft, if each fide
of the Queftion be abetted with numerous and able Par-
ties,that are at prefent both of 'em refolved to fubmit ab-
fblutely to the Church ; left one of them upon an unfea-
fbnable Sentence fhould be provoked to change its Refb-
lution. And thus, as we obferved before, the Queftion
about the Immaculate Conception has been left undecided
Y 2 fo
j 64 The Seventh Note of the Church,
folong, left by determining that, a more dangerous
Queftion fhould be raifed by the difobliged Party. But
if it fhould fo happen that the Church cannot well a-
void declaring her felf in fiich a Cafe, this new-fafhion'd
Union goes forward itill, tho fhefpeaks fb ambiguoufly,
that each Party fancies the Sentence to be on its own fide;
which was cjone often at Trent with great Application
and Art : Particularly in the Decrees concerning Grace,
and Affurance of being Juftified, &c. Which being fi-
mftitd,Soto and Vega differed not only as much,but fome-
thing more than they did at firft : for now they had a
new Queilion to debate, viz,, on which fide the Coun-
cil had decreed ; and fo they fell to writing great Books
upon it, againft one another : But for all this they were
admirably agreed, becaufe they agreed in lubmiflion to
the Council. I proceed to fhew,
III. That that Unity which is indeed a Note of the
Church, we have, and that in a much greater degree
than they.
Which Point will, I hope, yield fome Difcourfe,
that will be more ufeful, than barely to difcover Mis-
takes, and expofe Sophiftry . For here I fhall reprefent,
as well as I can, the true Grounds and Notions of Church-
Unity, and then fee who has moft reafon to pretend to
it, they or we.
1 . There is the Vnity of fubmitting to one Head, our
'Lordjefus Chrift ; which is the Foundation of all other
Chriftian Unity, and therefore mentioned by St. Paul,
amongft the principal Reafons why the Church is one
Eph. iv. §. Body, One Lord.
2. There is the Vnity of profefling the Common Faith
that was once delivered to the Saints, which is grounded
upon
77;e Union of the Members among tbemfelves, Sec. \ 6 j
upon the Authority of the Scriptures, and fummarily
expounded- in the Antient Creeds. And therefore to
One Lord, the Apoftle in the forementioned place adds,
one Faith.
j. There is an Unity of Sacraments in the Church,
OneBapifm, by which we are all admitted into the
fame ftate of Duties and of. Priviledges, undertaking the
Conditions of the New Covenant, and gaining a Right
to the Promifes thereof. Thus faith St. Paul, By one i Cor- x& 1 1>
■ Sprit rve are all Baptized into one Body ; And the like U-
nity is inferred from the other Sacraments. We being i Cor. x. 17,
many are one Bread, and one Body, for we are all partakers
■ of that one Bread. And again, we are all made to drink in-
to one Sprit.
4. There is alfo an Unity of Obedience to all the Infti-
tutions and Laws ofChrift, which is an Inftance of U-
nity that ought by no means to be forgotten 3 this being
. no lefs a common Duty than the Profeflion.of the Faith,
.the performance whereof uniteth us effectually to him,
-as to our Head, andmaketh us living Members of his
Body*
5. There is the Unity of Chriftian Affection and bro-
therly Kindnefs, of which our Lord fpake when he laid,
By this [hall all Men know that ye are my Difciples, if ye
love one another. Thus St. Paul, TheMembers jhould have 1 Cor. w*
the fatne care one of another, &c.
6. There is an Unity, of Difcipline and Government;
which is maintained chiefly by retaining for fubftance
the fame Form that was left in the Church by the A po-
tties, by the Bifhops and Paftors confederating together,
as much as may be for the edification of their Flocks ; by
regarding every Regular Aft of Authority in one
Church, as the Act of the whole, and giving no occafion
to breach of Chriftian-Communion, by abufing a lawful, ,
or by claiming an undue Authority, &c, 7. There:
(>(> The Seventh Note of the (hurch,
7. There is likewife an Unity of Communion in the
Service and Worfhipof God, in glorifying God with on*
Mouth, in joining in the fame Religious AiTemblies, for
Prayer and Sacraments, for A&s of common Piety and
Devotion according to the Rules of the Gofpel. I need
not mention any more Inftances of Chriftian Vnity ,fmce
thofe that are more particular, may be eafily deduced
from thefe.
Now to fpeak clearly,there ought to be all thefe kinds
and Inftances of Unity in the Church ; but we fee evi-
dently that they are not all there, I mean in every Part
and Member of the Church. And therefore they are
not all necefTary to the Being of a Church, how necefla-
ry foever they may be, whether to the Wellbeing of it,
or to the Salvation of thofe Perfons whereof the Church
confifts. But fome of them are necefTary to the Being
of the Church ; and they are the acknowledgment of
the one Lord, the ProfefTion of the one Faith, and ad-
mirTion into the ftateof Chriftian Duties and Priviled-
ges by one Baptifm. And this is all that I can find ab-
folutely necefTary to the Being of a Church, inafmuch
as the Apoftle fays, That we are all baptized into one Bo-
dy. And therefore fb far as Vnity in thefe things is
fpreadand obtains in the World, fo far and no farther
is the Body of the Church propagated, becaufe it is one
by this Unity. But then indeed there ought to be a far-
ther Unity, an Unity o£ obferving all the Inftitutions
of our Lord Jefus, an Unity of Chriftian Charity and
goodwill, an Unity of Government and Difcipline, an
Unity of Communion in Religious AfTemblies,to which
I will add alfb that there ought to be an Unity of Care
to keep out of the Communion of Chriftians all dange-
rous Errors and unlawful Practices. And when fiich
begin to appear, much more if they have taken root and
are
The Union of the Members among thcmfelves, &c. 1 67
are grown to a fcandal, to root them out again. But
Unity in thefe things does not run through the whole
Church, or through that Body which is one in the three
former Refpe&s ; and therefore it muftnecefTarily be
granted that the Church is not one Body in thole later
Refpe&s, tho it ought to be lb.
But becaufe thefe are proper Inftances of Church- U-
nity, tho not abiblutely neceffaryto the Being of the
Church, therefore it cannot be denied that thole parti-
cular Churches which keep Unity in thefe Refpefts bet-
ter than others do, have the Mark of Ecclefiaftical U-
nity in a higher Degree than thofe others, inafmuch as
they have not only that Unity which is a Mark of a true
Church, but that alfo which is the Mark of a pure
Church ; and are not only one Body in thole things,
without which they could not be Parts of the Catholick
Church, but one alfo in thole things, wherein all other
Parts of the Church ought to be one with them.
We therefore according to Truth, allow the Church
of Rome to be a Part of the Catholick Church, becaufe
fhe holds that one Lord,tha.t one Faith, that on* Bagtifm,
which we hold,& without which there were no Church,
at all : And thus far fhe maintains Catholick Unity.
But inafmuch as ffee hath violated the Inftitution of
©ur Lord Jefa concerning the other Sacrament, as in
other Refpe&s,fb by withholding the Cup from the Peo-
ple, notwithftanding he faid, Drink ye all of this, and
that the Apoftle laid, We are all made to drink into one
Spirit, even all that belong to the Body of Qhrift ; file
has departed from Catholick Unity, the Unity of Obe-
dience.
Becaufe fhe will not be content to be a Sifter, but
claims to be the Mother and Miftrefc of ail other Cturi-
ftian Churches, and has advanced her Bithop to be
Head
1 6 8 The Seventh Note of the Qhurch,
Head and Monarch of the whole Church, and will have
Com muion with no other Chriftian Society but fuch as
will be content to become her Subjects, and will allow
no Act of Ecclefiaftical Authority to be valid, burin a
State of Dependence upon her, fhe has therefore depar-
ted from the Catholick Unity, of Government andDifci-
pline.
Becaufe file has brought the Sacrifice oftheMafs,Tran-
fubfiantiathn, Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, &c. into
her Creed, and Practices fuitable to fuch falfe Doctrines
into her Worfhip, fhe has departed from that Purity of
profefling the Faith &c . in which all . Churches fhould
be one.
And becaufe fhe will have no Communion with us
but upon thefe Terms, which are impoflible, .fhe
has departed from the Unity of Catholick Commu-
nion.
Finally, Becaufe fhe has purfued all Chriftians that
dare to open their Mouths againft thefe Innovations,
with Anathemas, &x. and facrificed the Lives of innu-
merable Chriftians to her refentments, fhe has depar-
ted from the Unity of Catholick Charity.
With thefe things the Church of England cannot be
charged, nor with any fuch things as thefe, not; truly
a-nd juflly, I am fure. In her Worfhip and Aminiftra-
■tion of the Sacraments, ihe tranfgreffeth not the Infti-
trutions of the Lord ; in her Government fhe encroach-
ed not upon the Liberty of other Churches. To her
Creed fhe hath added.no Novelties : To her Communi-
on flie hath annex'd no unlawful Conditions ; fhe doth.
not unchurch thofe Parts of Chrijiendom that hold the
Unity of the Faith, no not that Church it felf, the
Church of Rome, which has added thereunto fb many
enormous Innovations. She hath not embroiled the.
World.
7 be Union of the Members among themfehes, &c. 1 60
World, nor wafted Countries with violence. Upon
fuch accounts as thefe, fhe hath the Mark of ChriftUn
Unity incomparably more than the other Church.
From fuch diftincl: notions of Vnity as I have laid
down, it is evident that nothing can be more idle than
to leek for a Church by that Mark of Unity which the
Cardinal lays down, which comes to no more than this,
that Men be all of a mind, that there be no Divifions a-
mong them, &c. fince it is not meerly Unity that is a
Mark of the true Church, but Unity in the true Faith ;
nor is Unity the Mark of a pure Cnurch, unlefs it be
upon Terms of Obedience to God, of Charity to one a-
nother, of keeping the Faith unmixed with Errors and
Innovations, and the Worfhipof God free from materi-
al Defects and forbidden Practices.
From hence alio the Folly of that conceit may beeafily
difcerned, that in this divided State of Chrifiendom,
there muftbe one Church which is the only Church of
Chrifi exclufively to all the reft;, that are not in Com-
munion with her : Which is as much as to fay, that
becaufe there is not that Unity amongft Chrifi ians which
there ought to be, therefore there is none at all ; and be-
caufe they are not united in one Communion, therefore
they are not united in one Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm*
That fond Principle now mentioned, is advanced by the
Romanifi, for the fake of this Inference ; that becaufe
we grant the Church to be but one, and withall ac-
knowledg them to be a true Church *, therefore we be-
ing divided from them, can be no true Church our
fclves : That is to fay, becaufe we acknowledge
that they have that one Faith, in which all that
are united belong to the Church, therefore we are
out of the Church our felves who have the Unity
Z of
! y0 Ihe Seventh Note of the Church,
of that Faith too, and moreover the Unity of ob-
ferving all the Inftitutions of Chrift, and the Uni-
-ty of Catholick Terms of Communion, &c. which
they have not.
If fome part of the Church gives juft caufe of
Offence, or if another takes Offence where none is
given, this is indeed contrary to the Duty of the
Members of the Church, but not utterly inconfiftent
with their being Members of it. And if St. Pad was
in the right when he faid. If the Foot (hall fay, becaufe
I am not the Head, I am not of the Body, is it there-
fore not of the Body ? It will be alfb true, that tho
the Foot fhould fay to the Hand, thou art not of the
Body, becaufe thou art not the Foot, the Hand would
be of the Body for all that.
As for the Unity of Communion which they boaft
fb much of in the Church of Rome ; I fay 'tis an
Unity of Communion among themfelves, but 'tis not
the Catholick Unity of Communion, becaufe the Terms
of it are many of them unjuft and unlawful ; where-
as we of the Church of England, having as much
Unity of Communion among our felves as they, have
this alfb to fay, as we have abundantly fhewn, that
the Terms of our Communion are every one of them
juft and lawful, and therefore ours is a Catholick
Unity. If there are fome Proteftants that will not
communicate with us, it is no more our Fault, than
that the Pap (Is refbfe to do fo. And tho in point
of Intereft this tends to weaken, yet in Controverfy
it c?n. n prejudice the common caufe of Reformation.
That rart of the Wefi that has left the Church- of
Rome may labour under Difcords, that affed their
very Communion, while fhe her felf does not, and
yet
7be Union of the Members among tbemfetves, &c. \y i
yet in the Caufe againft her they may be all in the
Right. Where Truth is maintained againft a corrupt
Church, there may yet be Difbbedience to Authori-
ty, overvaluing Queftions of no great moment, a
greater ftrefs laid upon Opinions and Practices than
the Caufe will bear, and this fliali be fufficient to
break Chriftian Communion. And at the lame time
grofs Errors may be maintained, and with one conlent
impoled upon the World by the other Church, and '
all the while, the Differences how weighty fbever
that happen by the bye, may be lb over-ruled by Force
and Power, and the fenfible Interefts of this World,
that they fhall not affect their Communion with one
another. But for the Reaibns already laid down, it
were a fond thing to chufe a Church by the Mark
of fiich Unity.
In fhort, If we would in all Refpe&s keep
within the Unity of the Church, this muft be done
by profeding true Doctrine, by leading good Lives,
by a charitable Spirit and Behaviour towards all
Chriftians, by frequenting Prayers and Sacraments,
and by fiibmitting to the Authority of our lawful
Guides in all things of Indifference and Expedience :
And then we may be fure that whatever others do,
we keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.
And though the Church after all is not that one
Body in all Refpe&s which it ought to be, and
which it would be if all Men did their Duty, yet
that we our felves are fiich Members of that one
Body as we ought to be, and as all others ought to
be likewife. Now all this Unity , we may keep in
the Communion of the Church of England, but we
can-?
1 7 1 The Seventh Note of the Church,
cannot keep it all in the Communion of the Reman
Church, as the Terms thereof now ftand. But if
this Unity be not enough, when once the RomAnifts
can prove that Union to the Pope as Head of the
Church, and Union to the Roman Church in all that
fhe believes and teaches, is alio neceflary to our Be-
ing of the Church, or even to our maintaining
that Unity which ought to be-amongft all Ckriftians; we
will alio acknowledg the Pope's Supremacy, and be-
lieve as the Reman Church believes ; but not till
then*
THE END.
LONDON^
Printed by J. Z>. for Richard Chifwel at the Rofe and Crown in
St. /W's Church- Yard, 1687.
( 1*1 )
The Eighth Note of the C h u r c h
EXAMINED,
San&ity of Do&rine.
Qftava Not a eft Santtitas Doftrin*. Bellar. de Notis Ecclefia?.
L.iv. c. ii.
IMPRIMATUR.
Jtmc 4. i6Sj. Hen. Maurice,
SEeing the New Covenant is the Charter upon
which the Church of Chriit is founded, and all
the Bleflings which this Covenant promifes, are
appropriated to that Sacred Society ; to be in
Communion with it is doubtlefs a matter of vaft impor-
tance to the Souls of Men, and it being fb, it is not to
be imagined but that the blened Jefus (the moft concern-
ed and careful Friend of Souls that ever was) hath been
fufficiently mindful to leave fuch plain, and eafy Dire-
ctions behind him, how we may find his Church, and
fatisfy our feives whether we are in Fellowfhip with it
or no, as that neither the Learned, nor Unlearned may
be left in the dark for refblution in fuch a momentous
Enquiry. But how much the Church of Rome hath
made it her Bufinefs to fnarl and perplex feveral Points
A a of
, y^ 7he Eighth Note of the Church,
of Religion, which our Saviour left plain and obvious e-
nough to all Capacities, is too notorious ; and in nothing
more than in this, how to difcover and find out the true
Church : In order to which her moft Learned Doctors
(and particularly Cardinal Belkrmiri) have given us cer-
tain Notes 5 by which, as they pretend,thetrue Church
may be diftinguifhed, by honeft. and diligent Enquiries,,
from all falfe Churches whatfoever. But how far thefe
Notes are from performing what is promifed for 'em,
hath been fufEciently proved upon a very fair Examina-
tion of the Seven firft of 'em.
I proceed therefore to the Eighth, viz,. Santiity of
Dotfrine : Which I doubt not to make appear, performs
as little as either of the former. In order to which I
fhall endeavour to fhew,
I. What the Cardinal means by Sanctity of Doctrine.
II. That according to his Notion of it, Sanctity of
Doctrine is no certain Note of the true Church.
III. In what Senfe it is a certain Note, by which any
honeft Enquirer may diftinguifh a true Church
from a falfe one.
IV. That neither in this, nor the Cardinal's Notion
of it, the true Church can be found by any honeft
Enquirer, according to the Principles of the
Church of Rome .
L What it is that the Cardinal here means by Sancti-
ty of Doctrine ? To which, in fhort, I anfwer, That
which he means by it, is, theProfeflion of the true Re-
ligion, both as to Doctrine of Faith, and Doctrine of
Manners, without any mixture of Error. For £> lie
txplainas himielf, The true Church is not only Cathelick, and
dp-ojfolick, artdi&m, imt alfo Holy actor ding to the Con-
i ftantinopolitan
Santtity of DoBrine. Xp*
ftantinopolitan Creed ; but its evident the Church is faid
to be Holy, becaufe its Profeffion is Holy, containing nothing
falfe as to DocJrine of Faith, nothing unjufi as to Doctrine
of Manners. And a little after, By this Note, faith he,
ii*s evident that no Church but ours, is a true Church : be-
caufe there is no Sec? either of Pagans or Philofophers or
Jews, or Turks, or Hereticks, which doth not contain fome
Errors that have been exploded, and are manifestly contrary
to right Reafon. By which it's evident that he excludes
all forts of Errors from that Profeffion of Religion, which
he here lets up as a Mark of the true Church/ And
therefore, after he had given a brief Enumeration of
the Errors of all other Sefrs, as well of Pagans, and
Jews, and Mahometans, as of Chriftians : He thus con-
cludes, But as for our Catholick Church it teaches no Error
no Turpitude, nothing againfi Reafon, (no not excepting
Tranfubftantiation) though many things above Reafon ;
therefore Jhe alone is abfolutely Holy, and to her alone apper-
tains what we fay in our Creed, I believe the Holy Church.
In which Words he exprefly points and directs us to his
Catholick Church, by this Mark or Note, That it teaches
no Error, &c. By which it is evident that Santfity of
DoBrine, in the Cardinal's Senfe, confifts in an unerring
profeffion of the true Religion, without any fo much as
the leafb intermixture of Error. Now tho it is certain
that that is the beft and purer! Church, .which hath the
leaft of Error and Corruption in its Doctrine and Difci-
pline, yet it is as certain that that which is the bell
Church, is not the only true Church : For the only true
Church, is the Catholick Church, which confifts of a
great many particular Churches; whereof fome are
more, and fome lefs pure from Error and Corruption,
and yet all pf 'em true Churches : For all particular
Bodies and Societies of Chriftians that are true parts of
A a 2 the
1 7 6 The Eighth Note of the Church,
the Catholick Church, are true Churches, as being Ho-
mogenious Parts of the Catholick Church ; and confe-
quently partaking of the fame common Nature with it.
But when we are difcourfing of the Notes of the true
Church, that which we mean by 'em is, fuch certain
Marks and Characters by which an honeft Enquirer
may diftinguifh fuch Societies of Chriftians as are the
true Churches, of which the true Catholick Church
confifts, from fuch as are not ; and therefore that can be
no true Note of the true Church, which doth not di-
ftinguifh it from all falfe Churches, and whofe contrary
is confident with the being of a true Church. I pro-
ceed therefore,
II. To fhew that Sanctity of Doctrine, according to
Bellarmins Senfe of it, that is a pure profeflion of true
Religion, without any intermixture of Error, is no true
Note, or Mark, or Character, by which any honeft
Enquirer can certainly diftinguifh the true Church from
all falfe Churches. And this I doubt not will evidently
appear, if we confider what are the necefTary Properties
of all true Notes, by which things are to be known and
diftinguifhed ; and they are thefe four.
i . Every true Note ought to be common to all, of the
fame kind with the thing which it notifies.
2. It ought to be proper and peculiar to that kind of
Thing, of which it is a Note, and not common to Things
of another kind.
3. It ought to be more known than the Thing which
it notifies.
4. It ought to be infeparable to it. The three laft of
which BelUrmm himfelf owns to be necefTary Properties
of every true Note, Cap. 2. though the firft he did not
think meet to take notice of for a Reafon beft known to
him-
Santthy of DoBrine. 1 77
hirmelf, if therefore this Note according to Beltarmineh
fenfe of it, hath neither of thefe Properties belonging
to it, it can be no true Note of the true Church ; and
that none of 'em do belong to it, I doubt not but I
(hall make it evidently appear.
i. Firft, Every true Note ought to be common to all
of the fame kind with the thing which it notifies. Thus
every true Note of a true Man, for inftance, ought
to be common to all human kind ; and fb every true
Note of every wile Man ought to be common to all
wife Men ; and by the fame Rule, every true Note of
the true Church ought to be common to all true Chur-
ches: For feeing the true Church is nothing elfe but
only a Collection of all true Churches, whatlbever is
a certain Note of the true Church, muft necefTarily be-
long to all true Churches in the World. And indeed
flnce the end of our enquiry after the true Church is,
that we may communicate with it ; and fince we can
no otherwife communicate with the true Church, but
by communicating with fbme particular Church that is
-a true part of it ; the proper ufe of the Notes of the
true Church is to direct, our Enquirers, whether this or
that Church be a true part of it ? or, which is the fame
thing, whether by communicating with this or that
particular Church we do communicate with the true
Catholick Church ? And therefore unlefs the Notes of
the true Catholick Church are fiich, as do appertain to
all true Churches, they can never give us any certain
direction in what Church we may communicate with
the true Catholick Church : for feeing we can commu-
nicate with the true Catholick. Church in none but a
-true Church, no Note can give us any certain directi-
on where to communicate with the Catholick Church,
•but what directs us to a true Church ; and no Note
can
1 78 The Eighth Note of the Church,
can certainly direct us to a true Church, but what be-
longs to all true Churches. If therefore not to err in
its Profeflion be a certain Note whereby to find the true
Catholick Church, it muft necelTarily belong to all
true Churches, and confequently that can be no true
Church, which in any inftance whatlbever errs in its
Profeflion ; and indeed feeing all the true Churches in
the World, are only fo many fimular parts of the true
Catholick Church, and the true Catholick Church is
only the whole of all thofe fimuular parts, or all true
Churches together, whatlbever the Catholick Church
is befides its being the whole, all the true Churches
muft be of, which it doth confift ; and confequently, if
that be unerring, thefe muft be fb alfb : for how is it
poflible that the whole which confifts of all the parts,
fhould be unerring, unlefs all the parts are unerring ? rf
therefore not to err in its Profeflion, be a true Note of
the true Church, all true Churches muft necelTari-
ly partake of it ; and confequently all thofe muft be
falfe Churches which profefs any Error $ than which
there is fcarce any Propofition in Religion more notori-
oufly falfe. 'Tis true, whatfbever Church errs in any
Fundamental Article of Religion, doth thereby ceafe
from being a true Church, becaufe thofe Articles are
the very Foundations upon which every true Church
ftands 5 and therefore when any Church removes them,
or any of them, it muft neceftarily fink from the very
being of a true Church into a falfe and heretical Com-
munion ; but there are many Errors which do not at
all touch, or in the leaft afreft the Fundamentals of
Religion, and thefe a true Church may poflibly pro-
fefs, and yet maintain her Foundations firm and un-
fhaken ; and fb long as a Church profefTes all thofe
Truths which are neceffary to the being of a true
Church,
SanBity of 'Doftrine. 1 yp
Church, it is Co far a true Church, tho together with
that it fhould profefs contrary to fome other Truths
which are not neceffary to the being of a true Church :
for how can its profeffing any Error which doth not
contradict any Truth which is neceiTary to the being of
a true Church, make it ceafe to be a true Church c or
how can that be a falfe Church upon the account of its
Profeffion, which profeffes all thofe Truths which are
neceffary to the founding and conftituting a true
Church ? If the profeffion of every Error in Religion
be fufficient to deftroy the verity of a Church, then
the profeffion of every Truth muft be neceffary to
found it ; becaufe every true Church being founded
upon Truth, there is no Error can deftroy it, but what •
takes away the Truth which founds ; and therefore un-
lets it be founded upon the Profeffion of every Truth,
it cannot be deftroy ed by the Profeffion of every Error ;
and confequently none can be true Churches but fuchas
profefs every true Propofition in Religion ; which being
admitted, the Profeffion of every true Church mufl:
contain almoft as many Articles, as it felf doth contain
Communicants. And indeed if none can be true Chur-
ches but fiich as profefs no Errors, no two Churches
whatfbever can differ in any Opinion, tho neVer fb in-
confideraHe,but one of the two muft be a falfe Church ;
becaufe where-ever there is a difference in Opinion,
there muft be an Error on one fide or other : as for in-
ftance ; There was a very early difference in Opinion
between the Eaftern and Weftern Churches about the
time of the Celebration of Eafter ; in which, if either
of them were in the right, to be fure the other muft be
erroneous, and if neither, both '. Did then the erring
Church continue a true Church or no, notwithftana-
ing its Error ? if it did, then a true Church may err in
its
x g 0 The Bgkh Note of the (lurch,
its Profeflion and yet be a true Church ftill ; if it did
not, then both were falfe Churches ; becaufe tho each
believed that the other err'd, yet for a great while they
mutually owned each other for true Churches; in
which ( if every Error deftroys the verity of a Church)
they both of 'em err'd, and thereupon both ceafe to be
true Churches. And if we enquire into the Church
of Rome, which now pretends to be the only true
Church in the World, we fhall find that in feveral in-
ftances, it profeffes now, quite contrary to what it pro-
feft heretofore: ViL Note $4, p. 65. Either therefore
the Profeflion of fbme Errors is confiftent with the be-
ing of a true Church, or the Roman Church mult ei-
ther have been a falfe Church heretofore, or be a falfe
Church now ; and feeing the Roman Church now con-
firms of feveral Churches, fome of which profefs con-
trary to one another (as particularly in that celebrated
Queftion, Whether the Pope be Superiour to a General
Council, or a General Council to the Pope ? ) it's cer-
tain, that if either of 'em are in the right, there muft be
an erroneous Profeflion on one fide or other. And if
the Roman Church err in any of its parts, how can it
be unerring in the whole? which is nothing but all the
parts together : for if fhe allow any Church to be a
true Church, or part of the true Church, which pro-
feffes any Error, fhe errs herfelf ( fuppofing an uner-
ring Profeflion to be a true Note of the true Church )
and confequently is herfelf a falfe Church; if fhe
doth not, . then in receiving Churches which differ in
their Profeflion, fhe receives into her Communion fome
that are no true Churches ; which I doubt will go as far
towards the unchurching her, as the Profeflion of moil
Errors whatfoever : In fnort therefore, if not to err in
its Profeflion in any matter, be a Note of the true
Church.
Sanctity of Dotlrme. 1 8 1
Church, all true Churches muft necefTarily partake of
it, and confequently none can be true Churches, which,
in any point whatfbever, profefs erroneoufly : which,
as I have proved, is utterly falfe ; and which, if it
were true, would perhaps as much damnify the Church
of Rome in the Opinion of any fober and honeft En-
quirer, as any one Church now extant in the World.
2. Secondly, Every true Note ought to be proper
and peculiar to that kind of things of which it is a
Note, and not common to things of another kind, o-
therwife it is impoflible that it fhould truly diftinguifh
the one from the other : But this Note of not erring
in its Profeflion is not peculiar to true Churches ; for
feeing there may be a Schifm without any Error in
Faith, or Herefy, we mull: either allow Schifmatical
Societies of Chriftians to be true Churches, ( which the
Church of Rome to be fure will never .admit ) or that
it is by no means peculiar to true Churches not to err
in their Faith. That which may be common to Schifm
matical Communions with the true Church, cannot be
peculiar to the true Church, fiippofing Schifmatical
Communions not to be the true Church, or the true
parts of the true Church : but the Cardinal himfelf
owns that there have been Schifms which did not err
in their Faith, and yet were without the true Church ;
for ib in his forecited Cap. 2. There may be Doctrine
pure, faith he, from all Error in a falfe Church ; forfo pure
•Schtfmaticks, as heretofore the Lucifer ians and DonatiJls>
had in the beginning very found Doctrine among ^ern^and yet
•were without the true Church : Where, by the way, it's
evident the good Man had' quite forgot that Sanctity
of Doctrine was hereafter to be one of his Notes of the
true Church ; for if (as he tells us in this very Chapter)
the Notes of the true Church are fuch as are proper
Bb and
\iz The Eighth Note of the Church,
and peculiar to it, it's plain that his Memory fail'd him,
either when he made Sanctity of Doctrine to be one
of thefe Notes, or when he allowed this Note to
be common to falfe Churches with the true: Seeing
therefore there have been Communities of Chriftians
in the World which have not err'd in their Faith, and
yet were neither the true Church, nor any true parts
of it ; and feeing what hath been may be again, how
is it poflible for any honeft Enquirer after the true
Church,to find any one Church in the World, to which
this Note of not erring is proper and peculiar ? The Ca-
tholicks did not err in their Faith, the Donatifis and Lu-
cifer ians did not err in theirs ; how then is it poflible to
difeoverby this Note of not erring in Faith, which of
the three were the true Church ? feeing that that can
be no true Note of the true Church which is not pecu-
liar to it, and that not erring in Faith was common
to 'em both.
3. Thirdly, Every true Note ought to be more .
known than the thing which it notifies : for how can
we know a thing by that which is as unknown to us
as the thing it felf ? If therefore not to err in any point
whatfbever, be a true Note of the true Church, the
truth of every Article comprized in the Profeflion of
that which is the true Church, rauft be more known,
than that it is the true Church; which, confidering how
very large and extenfive the publick Profeflions of Chur-
ches now are, cannot be fuppofed, without making the
true Church to be one of the darkeft and obfcureft
things in the World. For befides that, according to the
Principle of the Cardinal and his Church, it is the
true Church only can fully ihftrucl: a Man in the truth
of all thofe Points of which the unerring Profeflion of
the true Church confifts ; and therefore a Man mult
have
Sanctity of Doclrine. i g ,
have found the true Church, and been inftructed by it,
before he can be certain that thofe Points are all true,
of which more hereafter : Befides which, I fay, it is to
be confidered, that there are fundry Doctrines now pro-
fefled by mod Churches, of which ordinary Capacities
can make no certain Judgment. I confefs, if the pub-
lick Profeflions of the Churches now in being were con-
fined to the Fundamental Articles of Religion, it were
an eafy matter for an ordinary Enquirer to fatisfy him-
felf concerning the truth of 'em ; becaufe whatfbever
is fundamental is fo plainly revealed, that probity of
Mind, together with found Intellectuals, are the only
Accomplifhments that are requifite to Mens attainment
of the knowledg of it : but feeing the generality of the
publick Profeflions of Churches do, together with fuch
Doctrines as are fundamental, comprehend fuch as are
not, yea, and Ibmetimes fuch as are very remote from
Fundamentals ; and feeing many of thefe are not fb
plainly revealed, but that pro and con they are involved
with fuch difficulties as have perplexed even the moil:
learned and judicious Enquirers ; to fatisfy one's felf
fully that fuch Profeflions as thefe, are in all points true,
without the leaft intermixture of Error, requires great
Sagacity as well as Probity of Mind : For there is fcarce
any one Church now extant in the World, but what
profefles fbme Doctrines which in (bme other Churches
are hotly controverted and bppofarf ; and feeing there
are fundry Churches in the World, which in fundry
Points profels contrary to one another, and there
are fcarce any two Churches which in all Points are a-
greed, it is certain that a great part of 'em muft in one
Point or other be erroneous ; and feeing the Church of
Rome doth in feveral Articles differ from all other Chur-
ches in the World ; either -fe by this Note muft be a
B b 2 faife
1 84 Tin Eighth Note of the Churchy
falfe Church, or there is no true Church in the World
but her felf. Now in the midft of fuch a vaft multi-
plicity of Profeflions, how is it poflible for an ordinary
Enquirer to conclude with any certainty, which of 'em
is true, and which falfe? efpecially confidering that as
to fome of the Points in which they differ, there are
fuch fair probabilities pro and con as are fufficient to
fufpend any modeft Judgment from determining it felf
one way or other : And that others of 'em depend up-
on fuch Scholaftical Niceties, and are defended and op-
pofed by fuch fubtile and metaphyseal Reafbnings, fuch
critical Senfes of Texts and ambiguous Accounts of
Ecclefiaftical Antiquity, as that fcarce one Man in a
thoufand is capable of making any certain judgment
concerning them. If therefore, before I can conclude,
that this or that is a true Church, it muft be more
known and evident to me, that it doth not err in any
Point whatfbever, than that it is a true Church ; doubt-
lefs to determine which is the true Church, is one of
the moft obfeure and difficult Points in the World,
and I muft be a very learned and judicious Divine be-
fore I can modeftly pretend to have found it : To what
a miferable uncertainty then are Mankind abandoned,
when 'tis as much as their Souls are worth to be m the
true Church, and yet are left to feek it by fuch an in-
tricate Note as this, whereby fcarce one Man in a
thoufand is capable of finding it 1
4. And Laftly, Every true Note ought to be infepa-
rable to the Thing which it notifies ; for there is no-
thing can notify or make known a Thing without which
the Thing may be what it is ; and if that which is the
Note of it may be feparated from it, it may be the very
fame Thing which it is, tho it hath not that Note. If
therefore this Note of an unerring Profeflion be not in-
fepa-
Santtity of DoElrme. ^Z*
feparable from the true Church, it may be the true
Church, tho it be not unerring in its Profeflion. Where-
fore, before I can be certain that any Church which pre-
tends to be the true Church, is the true Church ; I muft
be certain that this Note of not erring is infeparable to
it : But before I can be certain that this Note is infepa-
rable to any one Church now extant, I muft be certain
not only that it doth not err now (which,as I have fhew-
ed above, the generality of Men can never be) but alio
that it never hath erred, nor ever will : for, as the Car-
dinal hath ftated the matter, the thing of which we
are to enquire, is not which of the Churches now ex-
tant are true Churches,or parts of the Catholick Church,
but which of 'em are the true Catholick Church. If we
were only to enquire which of 'em are true parts of the
Catholick Church, all that we had to do, was to fatisfy
our felves which of 'em at prefent have the true Notes
of a true part of the Catholick Church ; but as for parti-
cular Churches, it is agreed of all hands that they may
be true parts of the Catholick Church at one time, and
yet not be fo at another ; fb that as to particular Churches,
all that I need to enquire is only this,Whether at prefent
they are true Churches, or, which is the fame thing,
whether they have at prefent the true Notes of true
Churches? But if Ienquire (as the Cardinal doth)which
of all the Churches now extant is the true Catholick
Church ; before I can be fully relblved, I muft not only
be fatisfied which of 'em is a true Church at prefent,
but alfb which of them fhall always continue fb : becaufe
tho particular Churches may ceafe to be true Churches,
yet the Catholick Church cannot, it being founded on
that promife of our Saviour, that the Gates of Hell /ball
not prevail againfi it. And therefore, before I can be
fecure of any prefent Church that it is the true Catho-
lick,
1 35 Tfe Eighth Note of the Church,
lick, I muft have fbme certainty not only that it hath
not erred for the time pair, and that it doth not err at
prefent, but alfo that it will not err for the time to come;
for feeing the true Catholick Church is always to conti-
nue, if not to err in its profeflion be a true Note of it,
it muft always be infeparable to it, as well for the time
to come,as for the time paft and prefent. And therefore
before I can be certain or any Church now extant,that it is
the only true Catholick Church,by this Note of an uner-
ringProfeflionJoughtto have very good afTurancethat it
is infeparable to it,not only for the time paft, and prefent,
but alfb for the time to come. But that it is poflible for
a Church which doth not err now, and did not err
heretofore, to err hereafter, the Church of Rome cannot
deny ; becaufe fhe allows no Church now extant, not
to err, but her felf, and yet owns that there are many
Churches now in being, which once did not err,and for
feveral Ages continued untainted with Error, which yet
have erred fince,and therefore are now no true Churches;
and therefore feeing that in the Nature of the Thing it
is no more impofTible that a Church which doth not en-
no w, may have erred heretofore, and may err again
hereafter, than that a Church which errs now, may not
have erred heretofore, and may not err again hereafter,
T cannot conclude of any Church that becaufe it doth not
err at prefent, therefore it never hath erred, nor ever
will. Suppofethen, that there were only two Churches
in the World, viz. the Roman and Greek, and that the
Roman Church at prefent doth not err, and the Greek
doth; lean frcm hence no more conclude,thst not erring
is infeparable to the Roman Church, than that erring is
infeparable to the Greek.Thc Roman Church doth not err
now, what then? neither did the Greek Church err
once; why then mav not the Greek as well be the true
Church,
SanBlty of T>ottri?ie. 1 87
Church, becaufe once it did not err, as the Roman, be-
caufe now it doth not ? Seeing that not to have erred
heretofore, and not to err now, are only different Re-
flects of the fame thing to different Times, and that the
not erring at one Time doth no more notify the true
Church, than the not erring at auother ; it is not there-
fore fumxient to notify either to be the true Church,
that this Note belonged to it atfuchor fuch a time,whe- ,
ther it be the time part or the time prefent, feeing one
time or other it hath belonged to 'em both, but that of
the two muft be the true Church to which it always be-
longed, and from which it was never feperated. But be-
fore 1 can pretend to be certain that it always belonged
to the Church of Rome, I muft have perufed the Hifto-
ries of the Church, through all times pall: to the prefent
Moment : But alas, thofe Hift ories, as the Learned of
all fides confefs, are fome of 'em fo fhort and imperfect,
others fb partial and infincere, and others fb repugnant
and contradictory to one another, that fiippofing there
were fome Church now in being that never erred, and
that Church were the Roman, it is next to impoflible
for- me to be certain of it ; for even in the Hiftories of
the Church of Rome, which pretends to be the only un-
erring Church, there are fb many (at leaft feeming)
Contradictions of one Pope and General Council to ano-
ther, that it is impoflible for any Man, who is not pre-
porTeft with a ftrong Opinion of her Infallibility, to
pronounce with any degree of certainty, that fhe never
erred. And methinks 'tis fomething hard that I muft
feek the true Church by fuch a Note,whereby it will be
impoflible for me to find it, without fpending a great
part of my Life in laborious refearches of Ecclefiaftical
Hiftory ; wherein after all, in feeking after a Church
that never erred, I doubt I fhall but feek for a Needle
in a Bottle of Hay , But
x {j g The Eighth Note of the Qhurch,
But fuppofe I were fo far fatisfied of the Roman
Church, as to believe that it neither hath err'd for the
time paft, nor doth err at the prefent. Before I can be
certain that this Note is infe parable to her, I muft have
very good affurance that fhe will not err for the time
to come ; and by what Argument can you allure me of
that? Why, hath not our Saviour promifed that the
Gates of Hell fhall never prevail againft his true Church?
And doth not this neceffarily imply that his true Church
fhall never err ? Suppofe it doth; you ought to confide r
that lam now enquiring, whether the Roman Church
be the true Church, or no ? and confequently, whether
this Promife belong to her, or no ? and therefore as yet,
neither this, nor any other Promife can be a fufBcient
Evidence to me, that this Note of not erring isinfepara-
ble to her for the future.The Church of Rome cannot de-
ny but that there arefeveral Churches now extant in the
\Vorld,which for ieveral Ages did not err, &• yet now are
erroneous; and therefore fuppofing that fhe hath not erred
for thefe 1600 Years paft,howcanI thence conclude that
fhe will not err hereafter ? when fhe her felf owns,that
there are Churches now in being, which for 8 or 900
Years did not err, and yet have erred ever fince ? And
what Reafon can you give, why it fhould be more im*
pofTible for a Church to err after 1600 Years profeffion
of the Truth, than after 900 ? Wherefore, before I can
be certain that this Note of not erring is infeparable to
any one Church now in being, I muft have very good
allurance not only that file doth not err at prefent, nor
ever did, but alio that file never will. But before I can
be certain that fhe neither doth err, nor ever did,I muft
be next to infallible my felf, and before I can be certain
that fhe never will, I muft be certain that fhe is infalli-
ble, becaufe if her not erring for the future be a Contin-
gency
Sanftity of DoEirinel
gency that may or may not be, I can never be certain
whether it will be or no. But it is impoffible I fhould
be fure that fhe is an infallible Church, before lam fure
that fhe is the true Church ; becaufe if Infallibility be
granted to any Church, it is agreed of all fides that it is
only to the true Church : And therefore I muft be cer-
tain which is the true Church,before I can be afcertain-
ed which Church is infallible. Seeing therefore, that
every true Note is infeparable to the Thing which it
notifies ; before I can be certain that I have found the
true Church, which Chrift hath promiled to continue
to the end of the World, by this Note of not erring, I
muft have very good aflurance,not only that my Church
doth not err at prefent, but alfo that not to err is always
infeparable to it, both for the time pari, and the time to
come: Seeing therefore there is no one Church now in
being, of which we can be rationally affured as to this
matter, the neceflary Confequence is, that by this
Note no Man can certainly difcover which is the true
Church. And now, having proved that according to.
the true Properties of the Notes of the true Church,this
of SanBity of DoBrme, as Bellarmw explains it, is no
true Note for an honeft Enquirer tofeek the true Church
by, I proceed,
III. To enquire in what Senfe this is a true Note of
the true Church. In fhort, if by Sanctity of Doctrine,
we underftand profefTing all the neceffary and effential
Articles of Chriftian Faith, and admitting all the efTen-
tial parts of Chriftian Worfhip and Discipline, this
wherever it is, is a certain Note of a true'Church : for
nothing can be a certain Note of a true Church, but
what is efTential to it as a true Church : for whatfoever
Cc is
i p 0 The Etgkb Note of the Church,
is accidental to it, is (eparable from it, and what-
soever is feparable from it , it may have, or not
have, and yet be a true Church ; notwithstanding
that therefore* which doth not appertain to it, as it is a
true Church, may appertain to a falfe Church, as well
as a true : But to fay that that is not a true Church,
which hath all the eflentials of a true Church, is a down-
right Contradiction. If therefore we would have fuch
Notes of a true Church, as we may certainly depend
upon, we muft fetch 'em from the Effence of a true
Church ; and confequently we muft firft ftate what a
true Church is, before we can be certain what are the
true Notes of it. Now what it is that is neceffaryto
conftitutea true Chriftian Church,may be eafily collect-
ed, by confidering what is neceflary to make a true
Chriftian ; for a true Chriftian Church, is no-
thing but a Society of true Chriftians. And feeing that
Chriftianityconfifts of Doctrines of Faith, and Laws of
Worfbip and Difcipline, he only is a true Chriftian that
owns and receives Chriftianity in all thefe parts of it *>
that is,who acknowledges all the Eflentials of true Chri^
ftian Faith, Worfhip and Difcipline. A nd confequent-
ly that muft be a true Chriftian Church, or Society of
true Chriftians, which profefles all the EfTential Articles
of Chriftian Faith, and receives all the EfTential parts of
Chriftian Worfhip and Difcipline : whereever therefore
I find a Religious Society of Men profefling all the ne-
ceffary Doctrines of true Chriftian Faith, worfhiping
the one God, through the one Mediator, communica-
ting in the true Chriftian Sacraments, and fubmitting
to the true Chriftian Difcipline, duly adminiftred by
true Chriftian Paftors and Governours j there I am cer-
tain! have found a true Church, if that be a trueChurch
whicli
Sanftky of DoEhrine. i n x
which hath all the EfTentials that conftitute a true
Church. Wherefore before we can know whether this
or that be a true Church, we muft be rightly imformed
what a true Church is ; and before we can Hate what a
true Church is, we muft learn what the true Faith, and
Worfhip, and Discipline is; becaufe thefe are the EfTen-
tial Ingredients of which a true Church is compoled.
And when we have learn'd what thefe are, by them we
may certainly difcover whether this or that be a true
Church or no. If therefore by San&ity of Doctrine,
weunderftand the puWick profeflion and admiflion of
all the EfTentials of Chriftfen Faith, Worfhip, and Dis-
cipline ; it is not only a certain Note of a true Church,
but the only certain Note of it : becaufe there can be no
certain Note of a true Church, but what is EfTential to
it, and there is nothing EfTential to it, but what this
Note comprehends. Where-ever this is, there is the en-
tire EfTence of a true Church; and if there were but one
Church upon Earth that had it, that would be the only-
true Church in the World ; and if there were ten thou-
fand Churches agreeing in it, there would be ten thou-
fand true Churches. So that whereas all other Notes
are feparable from a true Church, and confequently,
may direct us to a falfe Church, inftead of a true ; this
is no more feparable from it, than a true Man is from
the Human Nature : And if I had found a Church, that
hath in it all the other Notes of Bellarmin, excepting
this, I fhould ftill be to feek for a true Church ; as on
the contrary, if I had found a Church that wants all
the reft but this, I fhould neverthelefs fit down fully
latisfied of its Truth, and leek no further.
And thus I have given a brief Account, in what Senfe
San&ity of Doctrine is a certain Note of the true Church,
C c 2 and
I pX Jhe Eighth Note of the Church,
and by this our Church is willing to be tryed by any ho-
neft and ingenuous Enquirer, whole Bufinefs it is to feek
for Truth, and not for Gain and Preferment ; and if up-
on Examination, he. cannot find in it (as I am fure he
may if he examine fairly) all the Eflentials of that Faith,
andWorfhip,and Difcipline which the Scripture teaches,
and the Primitive Ages profefs'd, and embraced,in God's
Name, let him feek farther abroad ; but if after he hath
miffed of it in the Church of England, he fhould happen
to find it in the Church of Rome, it imports him as much
as his Soul is worth to enquire into one Point more, viz.
whether he fought it by his Reafon, or by his Intereft,
And now I proceed,
IV. And Laftly,To fhew, That according to thePrinr
ciples of the Church of Rome, the true Church is not to
be found by this Note,in which-fbever of the two Senfes
we underftand it : for if by Sanctity of Doctrine we mean
with Bellarmw, an unerring profeflion of the Truth,
without any the leaft intermixture of Error, before we
can be certain we have found the true Church by it, we
muft be very well affured concerning the profeflion of
that Church, which we take to be the true Church,
that it is in all particulars true, without any the leafl: Inr
gredientof Error : Or if, by Sanctity of Do&rine, we
only mean the profeflion- of all the Effentials of Chrifti-
an Faith,. Worfhip, and Difcipline, before we can be
certain that we have found the true Church by it, we
muft be very well affured, not only that there are fuch
Eflential Principles, and what they are, but alio that
they are true ; for unlefs we certainly know that there
are fuch Principles, and what they are, we can never
be certain whether any one Church in the World doth
pro-
Sanctify of 'DoRrine. \ p j
profefs 'em or no: for how can we know whether or no
a Church profefTes we know not what ? And unlefs we
certainly know that thefe Principles are true, we can
never be certain whether that be a true Church which
profefTes 'em ; for feeing it is the profeflion of the true
Principles of Religion that makes a true Church, it is
imppflible for us to know whether any Church be a true
Church, till we know whether the Principles it profe£
fes are true. So that before a Man can be fecure
that he hath found the true Church, by this Note,
he mult be certain either that every thing it profefTes
is true, or at leaft that the main and fundamental
Principles of its Profeflion are true *. Neither of which,
he can be certain of according to the Principles of the
C hurch of Rome . For,,
Firft, She decries Mens private Judgment of Difcre-
tion, as utterly infumcient to make any certain
diftinftion of Truth from Falfhood in matters of
Religion.
Secondly, She allows no fiiffieient Rule, without the
true Church,to guide and direcl our private Judg-
ment of Difcretion.
Thirdly, She refblves all Certainty, as to matters of
Faith, into the Authority of the true Church..
Fourthly, She authorizes the true Church to in>
pofe upon us an abfolute neceflity. of believ-
ing fuch Things, as before were, not necefTary. to
be believed.
1 9 4. T/;e Eighth Note of the (}urch,
Fir y?, The Church of flow* decries ^Men's private
Judgment of Difcretion, as utterly infufEcient to make
any certain diftin&ion of Truth from Falfhood, in mat-
ters of Religion. Seeing we are to feek the true Church
by Notes, our certainty that we have found it, muri
-wholly depend upon our certainty that we have found in
it the Notes of the true Church : but tho there is no one
thing in the World of which we are more concerned to
be certain, than that we have found the true Church,and
are in Communion with it, becaufe no lefs than our E-
ternal Salvation depends upon it ; yet it is only our own
private Judgment of Difcretion, that by applying the
Notes of the true Church, canafcertaki us in this Point.:
For while we are in quefr. of the true Church, we have
no other way to find it, but by carrying the Notes of it
-along with us, and by examining and judging, by .our
own private Difcretion, which Church thefe Notes do
belong to ; either our private Difcretion is fufncient to
affertain us in this Matter, or it is not; if it be not, we
can never be certain which is the true Church ; if it be,
it mult be fufHcient to affertain us in all other ncceffary
Points of Religion: becaufe one of the Notes by which
we are to feek the true Church, and that a principal one
too, is Sanctity of Doclrine, or an unerring profeflion of
the true Religion, at Ieaff in all neceffary points. But
before we can be certain which Church this Note be-
longs to, we muff be throughly fatisfied in our own pri-
vate Difcretion, what this unerring Profeflion is, which
-we can never be, till we are certain of the Truth of all
the Particulars of it, and when we are certain of this,
we are certain at leaft as to all neceffary points of true
Religion, which muff all be included in every unerring
: Pro-
Santtity of J>oE}rme. jpr
Profeflion of it. So that before we can be certain of any
Church, that it is the true Church, we muft be certain
that it doth not err in its profeflion ; and before we can
be certain of this, we muft be certain of the Truth of a{I
thofe particular Do&rines whereof its Profeflion is com-
peted ; and of this we have as yet no other way to be
certain , but only by our own private Judgment of
Difcretion ; becaufe till we have found the true Church,
its impofFible we fhould conduct our felves by its Autho-
rity, and in the abfence of the true Churches Authority,
we have nothing to conduct us but our own private Dif-
cretion : either this our private Difcretion therefore, is
fumxient to aflertain us of the Truth of all the particular
Doctrines, whereof an unerring Profeflion of Religion is
compofed, or it is not ; if it be, it muft be fufficient to
aflertain us as to all neceflary points of Religion ; if jjt
be not (as the Church of Rome affirms it is not) it is im-
poflible we fhould ever be certain that weJaave found the
true Church : again either therefore the Cnurch of Rom/
muft allow that certainty in all (at leaft in all neceflary)
'Points of Religion, is attainable by the free and honeft
ufe of our- own private Judgment of Difcretion (which,
as I fhall fhew by and by, fhe can never allow, without
undermining her own Foundations) ; orfhe muft leave
"Men hovering in eternal Uncertainty, as to one of the
moft neceflary Points of Religion, viz. which is th£, .
true Church.
Secondly, The Church of Rome allows no fiih^cient
Rule, without the true Church, to guide and direct
our private Judgment of Difcretion. Seeing the Confti-
tutionof the true Church is not natural, but entirely
bounded upon Divine Inftkution, this Queftion, Which
is
1 96 The Eighth Note of the Church,
is the true Church? is not to be refblved by Principles
of Nature, but by Principles of Revelation ; and there-
fore, without fome revealed Rule, which is every way
fufficient to guide and direct our private Difcretion, we
fliall never be able to find out which is the true Church ;
becaufe without fiich a Rule we have nothing but the
Principles of Nature to go by, which in this Enquiry
are utterly infufHcient to direcl: us. But while we are out
of the Church, we have no other revealed Rule to direct
us in our Enquiry after it, but only that of Scripture ;
for as for Tradition, the Church of Rome teaches that
the true Church is the fole Confervator of it, and that
tho it be a part of Divine Revelation, yet no Man is ob-
liged any farther to believe it, than the true Church hath
defined and declared it. And feeing I can have no cer-
tainty what is a true Tradition, till fuch time as I am
got into the true Church, How can Tradition be a Rule
of Faith to rritj while I am out of it ? Or, How can that
be the Rule of my Faith, whiift I am in queft of the true
Church, which I have no other Obligation to believe,
but only the true Churches Authority? Whiift therefore
I am out of the true Church, the only Rule I have to go
by, in my Enquiries after it, is Scripture : And this the
Church of Rome tells me is infufficient, both becaufe it
is not full enough, and becaufe it is not clear enough.
Which if true, I can never be certain I have found the
true Church, by this Note of an unerring Profef-
fion.
jft. She teaches that the Scripture is not full enough, as
not containing in it all neceflfary Doctrines of Faith, and
Manners ; but that there are certain unwritten Traditi-
ons inthe Church,of equal Authority with it : by which
its defe&s are fupplied . And if fo, How is it poflible I
ihould
Santtity of Dottrine. i pj
fliould find the true Church by the direction of Scripture?
For fince, according to this Note, that can be no true
Church, which doth not unerringly profefs all necefTary
Doctrines of Faith, and Manners ; when I have found
a Church which profefTes all fiich necefTary Doctrines,as
are in Scripture, I cannot be fecure that it is a true
Church, fuppofmg there are other necefTary Doctrines
out of Scripture, viz. in the unwritten Traditions; be- >
caufe then the profeflion of thefe will be altogether as
necelTary to its being a true Church, as the profeflion of
thofe. All that the Scripture can fatisfy me in, is only
this, whether fuch a Church profefs all the necefTary
Doctrines in Scripture? but if there are any necefTary
Doctrines out of Scripture,, it's certain that the profeflion
of them is as necefTary to the being of the true Church,as
the profeflion of thofe that are in it. And therefore, be-
fore I can be certain that it is the true Church, I muft be
fully fatisfied that it profefTeth both, which I can never
be, unlefs I have fbme other Rule to go by befides this
of Scripture.
idly. The Church of Rome teaches, that the Scrip-
ture is no fufficient Rule in refpect of clearneis, the
Senfe of it being fb obfcurely expreft, that we can
never be certain what it is, without the Interpretation
of the true Church : Which if true, it's utterly im-
poflible for one, who is out of the true Church, e-
ver to find it by the direction of Scripture. For
according to this Note, that only is the true Church
which doth not err in its Profeflion, at leaft in any
necefTary Point, either as to Doctrines of Faith, or
Doctrines of Manners. But before I can know whe-
ther any Church doth not err in its Profeflion, I
muft be certainly informed what the true Profeflion is,
Dd or
1 9 8 Tlie Eighth Note of the Church,
or what are thofe Doctrines of Faith, and Manners,
of which this true Profeflion confifts ; as to which the
Scripture can never certainly inform me, if it be not
fufficiently clear. For if I can never be certain what the
true fenfe of Scripture is, without the Interpretation of
the true Church, How is it poflible that while I am
out of the true Church I fhould ever be certain of
its Senfe, as to all the particular Doctrines which the
true Profeflion of Religion contains? So that accor-
ding to this Principle, the Scripture is fo far from
being a fufficient Rule to one that is out of the true
Church, that it is perfectly ufelefs to him in his Enqui-
ry after it : for either it can certainly direct him to the
true Church, or it cannot ; if it can, it muft be fuffici-
ently clear to inform him of its own Senfe (without
the Interpretation of the true Church); concerning
all thofe Doctrines of Faith, and Manners, whereof the
unerring Profeflion of the true Church is compofed ; and
if fb, this Principle of the Roman Church is errone-
ous; if it be nof, to what purpofe doth it ferve,
unlefs it be to lead him into an endlefs Maze of
Uncertainties, wherein the further he wanders, the
more he will lofe himfelf? So that if a Man hath
had the misfortune to be born and bred out of the
true Church, in an Heretical or Schifmatical Com-
munion, and is enquiring his way in, by this Note
of an unerring Profeflion, he hath no other Rule to
inftrucr. and inform him, what this unerring Profef-
fion is, but only that of Scripture; which according
to the Principles of the Church of Rome, is infuni-
cient for his Purpofe, How then is it poilible he
fhould ever be certain, that he hath found the true
Church, when the only Rule he hath, whereby to
ea-
Sanflity of DoSlrine. \nj
enquire what that unerring Profeflion is where-
by he is to feek it, is utterly infufficient to re-
fblve him ?
Thirdly, The Church of Rome refblves all Cer-
tainty, as to matters of Faith, into the Authority
of the true Church, and indeed this is the funda-
mental Principle of Popery, viz,. That the only
ground of Certainty, as to matters of Faith, is the
Authority of the prefent true Church teaching and
propoilng 'em. Till fuch time therefore as we have
found the true Church , and do believe upon the
Authority of its teaching , we cart never have
any true Certainty of the matters which we are
to believe. And yet before we can be certain that we
have found the true Church, by this Note of an uner-
ring Profeflion, we mult have very good certainty
as to all matters of Faith ; for we can never be cer-
tain upon the Authority of any Church, that what
we believe is true, till fuch time as we are certain
that it is the true Church ; nor can we ever be
certain that it is the true Church, until we are
certain that it doth not err in its Profeflion; or
which is the fame thing, that all the matters of
Faith, which it teaches and profefles, are true : So
that the certainty of our Faith, after we have found
the true Church, and do believe upon its Authori-
ty, muft depend upon the certainty of our Faith
while we were feeking it, and did believe without its
Authority : Becaufe before we can believe with any
certainty, upon the Authority of any Church, we
muft be certain that it is the true Church ; but we
can never be certain that it is the true Church, till
Dd 2 we
100 7he Eighth Note of the Church,
we are firft certain that its Profeflion is true, as to
all the matters of Faith contained in it.
To make the matter more plain , I will briefly
reprefent it in a fhort Dialogue between a Proteftant
and a Papift.
Proteft. You tell me I can never be certain, as to
matters of Faith, unlefs I believe upon the Authori-
ty of the true Church.
Pap. I do fb j and upon the Truth of this Propofition
all my Religion is founded.
Vrotefti But I befeech you, May I be certain as
to matters of Faith, if I believe upon the Autho-
rity of any Church, tho I am not certain whether
it be the true Church or no ?
Pap. To what Purpofe do you ask this Queftion ?
Proteft. Becaufe, if I may, then in believing upon
the Authority of the Church of England, which
you fay is a falfe Church, I fhall be as certain as
to matters of Faith, as you who believe on the Au-
thority of the Church of Rome, which you fay is
the only true Church.
Pap, Why then I tell you, you can never be certain
as to matters of Faith, in believing upon the Au-
thority of any Church, unlefs yout are certain it is
the true Church upon whofe Authority you be-
lieve 'em,
Proteft.
SanBityof Dofirine. 201
Proteft. Why fo?
Pap. Becaufe it is not the Authority of a Church
merely that is the true ground of Certainty, but
the Authority of the true Church ; otherwife the
Authority of all Churches, true or falfe, would be
equally a true ground of Certainty: And therefore,
you can never be certain that the Authority of that
Church, upon which you believe, is a true ground
of Certainty, unlefs you are firft certain that it is
the true Church.
Proteft. I do allow your Reafon. But then, pray,
how fhall I be certain that it is the true Church ?
Pap. Why this you muft examine by certain
Notes of the true Church, whereof one (and that
a principal one) is San&ity of Doctrine, or an uner-
ring Profeflion of the true Religion.
Proteft. But, Good Sir, can I not be certain that
it is the true Church, till I am firft certain that it
doth not err in its Profeffion ?
Pap. No.
Proteft. Why then I muft be certain of the
Truth of all thofe matters of Faith, whereof its
Profeflion confifts, before I can be certain that it
is the true Church.
Pap. You muft fo.
Proteft. ,
10l the Eighth Note of the Qburch,
Proteft. But, pray, how fhall I ? If that be true
which you told me juft now, viz,. That there is no
true ground of Certainty, but the Authority of the
true Church: For how is it poflible I mould ever
be truly certain, when as yet I know no true ground
of Certainty ?
Pap. Why have you not the Authority of the
true Church?
Proteft. But as yet I am not certain that the
Church, upon whofe Authority you would have
me believe, is the true Church ; and till I am cer-
tain of this, with what Certainty can I depend up-
on her Authority ? Would you have me be certain
that whatfoever fhe profeffes is true, upon her own
bare Word and Authority , before I am certain
that fhe is the true Church ? If fb why may I
not as well believe any other Church to be the
true Church , feeing there is no other Church
but what will pafs its Word for the Truth of
its own Profeffion , as well as yours ?# If not ,
you muft allow me to have fbme other ground
of Certainty , as to Matters of Faith , befides
the Authority of the true Church. For before I
can fecurely rely upon the Authority of any Church,
as the true ground of Certainty, I mult be cer-
tain that it is the true Church, and my Certain-
ty that fhe is the true Church, muft depend up-
on my Certainty of the Truth of all thole Mat-
ters of Faith comprifed in her Profeffion. So that
before I am certain of the Truth ,of her Profeffi-
on,
Santtity of Do&rine. i0v
on, it is too fbon for me to rely upon her Autho-
rity, as the only ground of Certainty ; and when
I am certain of it, it is too late, becaufe I am cer-
tain already.
Fourthly. And Laftly, The Church of Rome gives
Authority to the true Church, to impofe upon
Mens Minds a neceffity of believing fitch things
as, before, they were not obliged to believe: For
(he makes the Church's Authority not only a
concurrent motive of Faith, but the very formal rea-
fbn of it, fb that we are not only obliged to believe
what the Church declares, but we are therefore
obliged to believe it, becaufe fhe declares it. 'Tis
true, fome of the Roman Doctors tell us that the
Church hath no power to make new Articles of
Faith, but only, that feeing there fbme old Truths
in Scripture, and the unwritten Tradition of the
Church, which the Church hath not yet declared,
and which therefore Men are not yet obliged to be-
lieve; the Church hath Authority when ever fhe
thinks meet to declare 'em, and thereby to oblige
Men, under pain of Damnation- to believe 'em ; but
others of 'em and (particularly Cardinal Bellarmm
de Poteft.Sum. PontifJ tell us, That the Church of la-
ter Ttme not only hath power to explain and declare , -
but alfo to Confiitute a-nd Command thofe Things
which belong to Faith. And indeed the difference
between declaring and conftituting, or making an:
Article of Faith, is only Verbal : For an Article
of Faith is a Truth that is neceiTary to be belie^
ved. And therefore, if the Church by declaring
a Truth which was not' necelfary to be believed,.
makes>
204 The Eighth Note of the Church,
makes it neceflary to be believed, it thereby
makes that Truth an Article of Faith, which
was not an Article of Faith. And fo to declare,
and to make, is the very fame thing. But in this
they are all agreed, that the true Church hath
power to make thofe things necefTary to be be-
lieved which were not io before. And if this be
true, no Man can ever be certain, by this Note
of an unerring Profeffion, that he hath found the
true Church. For before I can be certain of any
Church ( as, for inftance, the Roman ) that it is
the true Church, I muft be certain that that
Church's Profeffion is true ; but when I pro-
ceed to examine the particular Articles of it (as
I muft do before I can be certain of the Truth
of the whole) I fhall find there are feveral of
them , of the Truth of which in the opinion of
feveral (even of her own Doctors) I have no
fufficient ground to be certain, either in Scrip-
ture, or Tradition (which while I am feeking
the true Church, are the only Rule I have
whereby to examine them ) as particularly, Tran-
fubftantiation, Seven Sacraments, Neceflity of Au-
ricular ConfefTion, Roman Purgatory, and Indul-
gences. Vid. Note the Sixth, fag. 125. &c. And
if thefe Roman Doctors pretend to be certain of
them, upon no other Reafon, but becaufe their
Church (which they are fine is the true Church)
hath declared them. How fhall I be certain 0?
them, who am but an Enquirer, whether it be
the true Church or no? And therefore as yet
cannot be fuppofed to be fure that it is ; for with-
out her Declaration, they themfelves confeft , I
have
SanFlity of DoElr'tne. 20 J
have no fufficient ground to be certain of the
Truth of them : And till I am fure fhe is the
true Church, her Declarations are no ground of
Certainty to me. And as I cannot be certain
that thefe Articles are true, till I am fure that
the Church which declare them is the true Church ;
fb fuppoflng that the true Church hath power
to impofe upon me a neceflity of believing fiich
Things, as before I was not obliged to believe,
I cannot be certain that they are falfe ; becaufe
no Authority can be fuppofed to have a right to
impofe upon Men fuch a neceflity of believing,
but what is infallible, and cannot impofe what
is falfe on them ; unlefs it be fuppofed that Men
may be rightfully obliged to believe what is falfe.
If therefore the Roman Church be the true Church,
( as for all I yet know it may ) ; then for all
I yet know it hath Authority from God to im-
pofe upon me a neceflity of believing whatever
fhe declares; and confequently for all I yet know
fhe is Infallible. But as for my felf I know
that I am a fallible Creature, and therefore what-
fbever Infallibility declares to me muft certainly
be true , whatfbever Probabilities, yea, or feem-
ing Demonftrations I may have againft it ; how
then can I be certain that any Article is falfe
which is declared to me by a Church, that for
all I yet know is Infallible? if it be Infalli-
ble, I am fure that whatever it declares is true:
And if it be the true Church, it muft be In-
fallible. Suppofing that the true Church hath Au-
thority to impofe new Neceflities of believing,
but whether it be the true Church or no, is
E e the
1 06 Tlie Eighth Note of the Church,
the Thing I am now enquiring by this Note
of an unerring Profeflion ? But till I am
certain one way or t'other, whether fhe be the
true Church or no ? I can never be certain
whether her Profeflion be true or falfe ; till I
am certain that fhe is the true Church, there
are fome Articles in her Profeflion , of which
( as her own Doctors confefs ) I cannot be cer-
tain that they are true; and till I am certain
that file is not the true Church , I can never
be certain that any one Article in her Profefli-
on is falfe ; and if I cannot be certain whether
flie errs in her Profeflion or no , till I am cer-
tain whether fhe be the true Church or no, to
what purpofe fhould I enquire whether or no fhe
be the true Church , by this Note of an uner-
ring Profeflion ? If fiippofing her to be the true
Church , fhe hath Authority from God to ob-
lige me upon pain of Damnation to believe to
Day that which I was not obliged to believe
Yefterday ; to what end do I enquire whether
thofe things which fhe commands me to believe,
are true or falfe ? If fhe be the true Church,
( as for all I yet know fhe may be ) I am
fure what ever fhe commands me to believe
mufl: be true ; and therefore till I am certain
that fhe is not the true Church, I can never
be certain that any thing fhe commands me to
believe is falfe : For how can I be certain that
any one thing fhe impofes is falfe, when for all
I yet know, fhe is the true Church, which the
God of Truth (who can neither impofe himfelf,
nor authorize any other to impofe on me that
which
Santtity of Do&rine. 207
which is falfe) hath authorized to impofe it? and
if till I am certain that fhe is not the true
Church , I can never be certain that any thing
fhe impofes is falfe ; How can I ever be certain,
by this Note of an unerring Profeffion, whether
fhe be the true Church or no ? For if any thing
fhe profeffes or impofes be falfe, by this Note, fhe
cannot be the true Church; but whether any thing
fhe profeffes be falfe or no, I can never be certain,
till I am firft certain, whether fhe is, or is not
the true Church.
THE END.
ERRATA.
IN the Seventh Note, Pag. 137. the firft cum Capite, in the
Title, is to be blotted out. P. 147. line 17. ioxArian^ r.
Afian. P. 148. 1. 6. f. Complaint, r. CompUmtm*
LONDON,
Printed by J, D. for Richard Chifwel at the Rofe and Crown ia
St. Paul's Church- Yard, 1687.
(20?)
The Ninth Note of the Church
EXAMINED,
The Efficacy of the Doftrine.
Nona Nrta eft Ejficacia Dottrin*. Bellarm. L. iv. c. 12.
de Notis Ecclefla?.
IMPRIMATUR.
Junel. 1687. Je.Battefy.
BY Efficacy of Do&rine, mull: be meant either
that power which the Word of God has in the
Minds of Particular Men to difpoie them to be-
lieve aright, and to live well ; or elfe that fuc-
cels which it has in drawing Multitudes outwardly to
profefs and embrace it. The former of thefe is too in-
ward a thing to be the Note of a true Church. No Man
being able to know what the Word of God has done in
anothers Heart, but inftead of that apt rather to be de-
ceived in what it has done in his own.
The Second (which mull be that the Cardinal means)
can as little be a Note, by reafbn of its Uncertainty ;
and if we cannot be fure of the Note, we fhall be lefs
fo of that, which we are to find out by it. If indeed
F f there
2X0 Jhe Ninth Note of the Church,
there were nothing which could or did move Men to
relinquish Heathenifm, Judaifm or Turcifm for out-
Religion, but the pure Efficacy of the Chriftian Do-
ctrine, it would be a very good Note of the excellence
of the Doctrine it felf ; but, according to the Cardinal's
own Principles, it could be no Note that that were the
true Church which preached it, fince he will not allow
Iib.iv. 2. the fwcere p • etching of Truth to fignify any thing. And
we mall have much lefs reafon to rely on this Note, if
we confider how many other things there are befides
the Efficacy of the Chriftian Doctrine, which have and
may convert whole Nations to it.
Let us therefore at prefent grant in general the mat-
ter of Fact to be true, that fuch Conversions as the
Cardinal fpeaks of were made by the Church of Rome ;
yet how fhall we know that they were made purely by
the Efficacy of its Doctrine, and that no other means,
fuch as Force, &c. were ufed ? Is it enough that he tells
us fo? The Bifliop of Meaux tells us, that in the late
great Converfion in France, not one of the Perfons con-
verted fujfered Violence ', either in his Per/on or Goods •
That they were fo far from f offering Torments, that they
Paflwal utter fad „0f f0 mM\j & heard them mentioned', and that he
*• ?> 4' heard other B/fhops affirm the fame. Now if thole Reve-
rend Prelats were out (as moft people think they were )
in a matter of Fact ,of which they might be Eye- witnet
fes ; why may not the learned Cardinal be fb too in his
Relation of Converfions, made fb many hundred years
fince? If he be out, his Note falls to_the ground : and
if it cannot be made plainly to appear to us, that he was
not out, his Note, as far as it is founded upon thofeHi-
ftories which he produces wants that certainty, which
fhould give us Satisfaction. Hiftorians who wrote in
tliofe obfeure times, and were perhaps themfelves Con-
vertersj.
Efficacy of Dottrine. 2 1 x
Verters, being moil of them Monks, might vain-glori-
oufly afcribe much to the Efficacy of their own Doctrine;
and the Centuriators themfelves, whom he fo often
quotes, might not be very curious to fearch, or accurate
to relate the chief motives of their Converfions, becaufe
they wrote before the Cardinal had made Efficacy of
Dotfrine a Note of the true Church, and little dream't
what odd ufe fome Men would make of their Hiftory.
Butnotwithftandingthefe Neglects and Difad vantages,
I do not doubt, but that if we look'd back into the Wri-
ters of thofe Times, nay even into the Centuriators
themfelves, we fhould find ibme other things befides
Efficacy of Doctrine concurring to the Converfions
which were then wrought. An inftance whereof ( to
pafs by at prefent the particular examination of thofe
mentioned by the Cardinal) we have in thofe Conver-
ons wrought by Charles the Great, to whofe victorious
Arms they were more to be afcribed than to any thingeJfe
befides. For (not to mention that the Clergy were not
then in any great capacity of doing much by the Effica-
cy of their Doctrine, the Bifhops being fb ignorant,
that they were to be commanded to understand the
Lord's Prayer, and could hardly be brought to make
fbme kw exhortations to the People, but inftead of that
turned Souldiers, to fhew that they were willing to do
fomewhat towards the propagating their Religion) fuch
was the Zeal of that Prince rather to defend and increafe
the Kjngdom of Jefus Chritt, than to inlarge his own Em- r^?^\
pre ; that Peace could never be obtained of him upon other tbe Grut.
Terms , than that thofe who were conquered by him, having
left their Idol-mrjhip, Jhould embrace the true, fincere and ^ mSi-o^^^
eternal Religion of Chrifl. And to engage them to con-
tinue firm to it, he fbmetimes took Holt ages of them,
and finding them begin to apoftatize (which they as
Ff 2 often i
z\z
The Ninth Note of the Qhurch,
often did, as they thought themfelves able to make head
againft their Conquerors) he was forc'd to fet up a kind
of Inquifition to keep them in aw, which Mezeray tells
us foftedinWeftphalia till the 15th Century. Now when
the Swords of victorious Princes, as it happened in this
cafe, had made way for the preaching of the Gofpel ;
when the receiving of it was often made one of the
Terms they who were conquered muft neceffarily
fubmit to, the Monks had very eafy work ; what-ever
Doctrine they had preached might have been efficacious
under fuch Circumftances. So that when there is with
the Chriftian Doctrine a concurrence of many other
things which have fo ftrong an influence upon humane
Nature, 'tis hard, nay impoffible for us to know which
of them does the work. When different Medicines
proper for the fame Diftemper are adminiftred at the
fame time, 'tis not eafy to fay which of them works the
Cure.
There is indeed a wonderful Efficacy in the Chrifti-
an Doctrine : but we can never be fure that the Con-
verfion of a Nation is effected by that, when Hopes.,
and Fears, and outward Force, and neceffity are in con-
junction with it.
All which is fb far from detracting from the honour
of our Religion, and the Converfions it made in the
Primitive Times, that it fets in it a better Light, and
makes it fhine the brighter. Men were converted then,
not to a conquering, but perfecuted4Churcb. The Se-
cular Power was againft them that preached this holy
Doctrine : Much might be loft, and nothing in this
World got by it. There were no rewards to encourage
Men to receive it, but a thoufand Difficulties and Dan-
gers to deter them from it. And then indeed the Ef-
ricaev of the Chriftian Doctrine was in its greateft luftre ;
it
Efficacy of Dottrme. 2 1 $
it wrought all alone, and had nothing to put in with it
for a fhare in the Conquefts it made : The flmplicity of
its Preachers cleared them from all fufpicion of Fraud.
The little or no Intereft they had in the Government,
makes it plain, that they could not ufe force ; and eve-
ry thing concurred to demonftrate that 'twas purely
the Efficacy of their Doctrine by which they prevailed.
But, to proceed a little more particularly to anfwer what
the Cardinal has difcourfed upon this Subject,
Firtt, I fhall endeavour to fhew in the general, That
the Prevalency of any Doctrine can be no Note of a true
Church.
Secondly, I fhall inftance in fuch particulars, as do
more particularly affect the Church of Rome in this
matter, and do make it evident that the Prevalency of
the Doctrine, profefTed in that Church, is no Note of
its being a true Church.
Thirdly, I fhall fhew the Infufficiency of thole Argu-
ments, with which the Cardinal endeavours to prove
the contrary.
Ftrft, That the Prevalency of any Doctrine can be
no Note of a true Church, will appear, if we confider,
1. What our Saviour has (aid in this matter.
2. The Nature of Mankind.
3. Matter of Fact.
1 . Altho our Saviour fufficiently underftood how much
his Doctrine was likely to prevail in the World, yet he is
(b far from making this to be a Note of his Church, that
he gives as plain intimations of the Prevalency of Error,
and does often bid us take care how we are impoled up-
on
H4- The Ninth Note of the Church,
on thereby. Take heed, faith he, that no man deceive
Mat. 24. 4, 5. y0U . for many jjj all come in my Name, faying, lam Chrifi,
and deceive many : For there fljall arife falfe Chrifis, and
Vcrfe 24. falfe Prophets, and (hall (hew great Signs and Wonders, in-
fomuch that ( if it were poffible ) they fiall deceive the very
Elect. When he foretells fo general a Defection, he
cannot be fuppofed to have thought the prevalency of a-
ny Doctrine to have been the Character of his true Dis-
ciples. He does indeed compare the preaching of his
Gofpel to a grain of Mufiard-feed, which is the leafi of all
Seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatefi among Herbs,
unto Leaven which leaveneth the whole Lump ; unto a Net
■which gathereth of every hind. All which Companions do
intimate how much his Church would fpread far & near :
but not that fuch its difTufivenefs was to be relied upon as
a Note whereby to find it ; for by that Mark it could not
then have been found when it was but a little Flock.
Befides that, in the fame Chapter, he compares likewife
vcrfe 24, 2 5, the preaching of his Gofpel to a Man which f owed good
26' Seed in his Field ; but while Men flept, his Enemy came and
fowed Tares among the Wheat, and went his way ; but when
the Blade was Jprung up, and brought forth fruit, then ap-
peared the Tares alfo. In which cale if we were to judg
by the growth and Spreading, we might conclude the
Tares to have been the belt. Seed, and not fbwn by an
Enemy. He compares likewife the Minifters of his
Word,to the Servants of a certain King,fent out by him
to call thofe that were bidden to the Wedding, but to no
Mat. 22. 2.&C. pUrp0fe? for tyey an mac[e i}gijt 0f }tm Intimating here-
by, how poflible it is for thofe who are obftinate not to
hearken to the moft efficacious Dcclirine that can be prea-
ched, the moft paflionate and earneft invitations which
can be made them. And in the Parable of the good
Seed, fome of which fell by the way-fide, fome upon
ftony
Efficacy of Doilrine. 2 \ j
ftony places, fome among Thorns, and other upon good Mac. 13. 3, 4.
Ground ; He does plainly fet forth, that let any Doctrine
be never fo good, the reception which it finds in the
World, will be no other than what is agreeable to thofe
Difpofitions of mind which it happens to meet with.
And here alio, if the Rule had been, that that is the true
Doctrine which grows faff eft and out-tops the other,
we muft have given it for the Thorns, which grew up
and choaked the good Seed. Which leads me to fhew,
2. From the confideration of the Temper and
conftitution of Mankind, how weak a proof of a
true Church, the prevalency of any Doctrine is which
it teacheth. For Mens minds are fb uncertain, by reafbn
of the Inconftancy of their Circumftances, which chief-
ly influence them, that often Truth isfhutout, where
Error iinds an eafy admiilion. Humane Nature is fo
weak a thing, fo apt to take impreffions, firft from this
thing,* then from another, that no great heed is to be
given to its changes ; no certain Argument can be drawn
from them. Such indeed is the Power of Truth, that
were Mankind freed from their Prejudices againft it,
were their Minds no way byafTed by Intereft or Paflion,
and at the fame time fully inftructed concerning it, there
is no doubt to be made, but that it would generally ob-
tain. But when Mens Inclinations and Circumftances
are fb various, nothing is more manifeft, than that the
receiving, or rejecting Truth, is a thing too uncertain to
be made an infallible Note of it. When it is argued
on behalf of Chriftianity, that fb many thoufandswere
on the fuddain converted to the Faith : the force of fuch
an Argument does not lie in the bare prevalency of the
Doctrine, but in its prevalency when placed in fuch
Circumftances as it at the firft preaching of theGolpe!
was >and when Men of mean birth aad education (as
has
z 1 6 The Ninth Nate of the Church,
has already been obferved) did without force or fraud
on the fuddain make fb many profelytes to a Religion,
which was ib diredly contrary to thofe Opinions to
which the World had been fo long accuftomed, a Reli-
gion which was likely to bring fuch great Inconvenien-
ces upon thole who embraced it : This indeed was very
remarkable, and could be alcribed to nothing but the
Power of Truth, which was only able to bring about
To wonderful an Effect. In a word, Men being, oftner
. guided by Fancy, Prejudice, and Intereft, than by Rea-
ibn makes them more capable of Error than of Truth ;
and when they have once received it, not only unwil-
ling to part with it, but zealous to propagate it as much
as they can. The Agreeablenefs of any Doctrine to their
wicked Lufts and Affections, is moft likely to win upon
them. The craft and cunning of thofe . who lie in wait
to deceive, may ^ijreafily miflead unliable Minds into
grofs Miftakes before they are aware; mmmm^mm^
Force, the enjoyment of prefent Preferment, or the hopes
of it, may make them profefs what they do not believe
to be true, and then feek for Reafbns to defend it. Since
" then there are (b many things befide Truth, which may
induce Men to admit any Doctrine, the bare admitting
of it, tho never fb univerfally, can be no Note of the
Truth of that, or of the Church that teaches it. God
has endued us with a capacity of finding out Truth, but
at the fame time he has made us fallible Creatures, and
liable to be' impofed upon ; fb that it ftands us in hand
to be aware, how we are deceived ; and the more care
we take in a concern of this Nature, the more we dis-
cover our own Sincerity and Zeal for Truth. But let
there be never fuch clear Difcoveries thereof, it is in
our power wilfully to ihut our Eyes againit them ; nay
when we have adhered to Truth for fbme time, we may
be
Efficacy of Doftrini. 2 1 7
be tempted either wholly to forfake it, or to intermin-
gle grofs Errors with it. So that it is as improper to
conclude rhe prevalency of any Doctrine to be an Argu-
ment of the Truth of it, or of the Church that profe£
feth it} as that any Caufe is juft becaufe fuccefsful. Such
is God's infinite Wifdom and Goodnefs, that as he does
oftentimes blefs with unexpected Succefs an honeft and
juftDefign, and they who are fagacious in tracing the
Footfteps of Providence, do eafily difcover it ; fb does
he likewife frequently exert his Power after an extraor-
dinary manner for the propagation of Truth. But on
the other hand, as he often permits an unjuft Defign to
prevail and profper, fb likewife does he furTer Error to
multiply and increafe. And when he does at any time
exert his Power after an extraordinary manner, for the •
propagation- of Truth, he (till deals with Men as with
. Rational Creatures ; fo that fuch his Power may be re-
filled, nay, may be fb far refitted, as may make him pu-
nifh with Infatuation fuch their Refiftance ; as he ferved
the Pharifees upon the account of their Obftinacy, whofe
Eyes he blinded, and whofe Heart he hardned, that they Jolin I2- 4°»
fbould not fee with their Eyes, nor under [hand with their 4I"
Hearty and be converted. And as happened to thofe
whom the Apoftle. makes mention of, whom becaufe
they received not the love of Truth that they might be fa- 2 Theflf. 2. io,
ved, Godfent ftrong Delufions, that they might believe a lu
Lie. Since therefore fuch is the Temper and Con-,
ftitution of Mankind, as to be daily fubjecl: to Errors, *
and to be liable, by the juft Judgment of God^ to
be; at laft hardened in them, nothing can with any
certainty be determined concerning the Truth of any
Church from the Prevalency of any Doctrine profefTed
in it.
5. Plain Matter of Facl: fbews the Infufficiency of
this Note. For the Hiftories of all Ages make it evi-
G g dent
a x g 7 he Ninth Note of the Church,
dent what an influence Error has often had upon Mens
Minds ; and that altho Truth may have happened fome-
times to have prevailed, yet that it has been as often
refufed, and grofs and moft impious Opinions preferred
before it. How foon were our firft Parents, when their
Minds were in their greateft ftrength and vigor, and
c 5,d. not as yet biafTed by any* Mifapprehenfions of things,
by the cunning Artifices of Satan tempted to believe
a Lie ? After which firft and grand Miftake, how did
their whole Stock degenerate, when every Imagination
Gen* 6, 5, 6. of Mans Heart being evil, it repented the Lord that he
had made Man on the Earth. Afterward God chofe to
himfelf out of the reft of the World a peculiar People,
and to fecure them againft the Idolatry and Superftition
• of thofe who dwelt near them, he gave them particular
Statutes,whichby Threats, and Promifes, and mighty
Wonders which he wrought for them, he obliged them
to obferve. Yet how foon did they forget God, and
turned after Idols ? So that in the time of Ahab, accor-
ding to God's own account, there were but 7000 who
had not bowed unto Baal. If the Efficacy of the Do-
ctrine had been a Note of the true Church, I do not
fee why the Priefts of Baal had not as much reafbn at
that time to have infifted upon it, as the Romijh Priefts
can have now. At our Saviour's coming the Pharifees
had infected the whole Nation with their Traditions,
and fb obftinately did they adhere to them, that not-
withftanding the many Miracles which our Saviour had
wrought for them, notwithstanding the Holinefs of his
Life and Converfation,few believed on him,according to
the Prophefy of Ifaiahyinade mention ofjoh. 12.38. Lord,
who hath believed our Report ? of which our Saviour him-
felf complains John ^.^Aam come in my Father s Name,
and ye receive me not .* if another jhall come in his own
Name^ him ye will receive. And in the 11th of St. Mat-
thrn,
Efficacy of DoStrinel t \ 9
t hetpy ver. 20, &c. he does moft feverely upbraid the Ci-
ties, wherein moft of hit mighty Works were done, becaufe
they repented not : And does openly declare, that it
would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the
day of Judgment, than for them. If any Do&rine
was likely to have been efficacious, one would have
thought the Doctrine of our Saviour, when taught by
himfelf, had been fb ; and yet we find that no Prophet
was ever lefs refpe£ted than he was, even among his
own Country-men. The fame thing happened likewife
to St. Paul, as we read, AcJs 1 3.45. and Aft. 28. 24, &c.
After Chriftianity had for above $00 Years been ftrug-
ling to get ground in the World, how ftrangely did
Arianifm on the Hidden prevail againft it ? One would
have thought, that after People had for fbme time been
confirmed in the Truth, they fhould not have been ea-
fily tempted to embrace fb grofs an Error. But yet
fuch was the Efficacy of this Herefy, that as Theodoret
relates, the Emperour Conftantim in a Difcourfe with
Liberia Bifhop of Rome , urgeth it as an Argument a-
gainft his Interceflion on behalf of Athanaftm ; Pray,
faith he, hotv big a part of the World are you, that you -^ lib
alone pretend to ft and up for a wicked Man ( fb he called Hift.Eccli.itf.
Athanafius ) and to dijlurb the Peace of the whole World ?
Which the Bifhop was fo far from thinking a good Ar-
gument, that he immediately replied. The true Faith
lofeth nothing by my being alone ; for there were formerly Dan. 3. 18.
but three found who reftfted the Kjngs Commandment,
Neither did die fame Herefy prevail only at home
amongft the Orthodox Chriftians, but was likewife
vi&orious abroad amongft the Idolatrous Nations, of
which the fame Author gives us a notable Inftance,
when he tells us that one Vlphilas, a Bifhop of great Au- r/^ ^
thority amongft the Goths, being corrupted by Eudoxitts, c. ufc
Gg 2 per-
/
110
The Ninth Note of the Qkurch,
perfwadecl that whole Nation to embrace it. About
500 Years after fo general a defection from the true
Pttuim jEmyi. paith by Arianifm the Impoftor Mahomet arofe, whole
Franctrum ftlS Doarine, in the fpace of an hundred Years, over-run a
caMf. ch'ro- great part both of the Eaft and South, and did conti-
noi. ab Ann. nue fQ far t0 prevail, that when Brerervood made the
6n\ ll ad An' Computation of fuch as had received it, he reckons
them to be fix parts of thirty (into which he fuppo-
incu'rkf/i ^etn tne wn°le World to be divided ) whereas he allots
n^uines ,I4' but five parts to the whole number of Chriftians, of
what denomination fbever. As to this Particular the
Cardinal urgeth that Mahumetanifm is propagated by
Force of Arms, and not by the Efficacy of its Doctrine.
In anfwer to which AfTertion, ( befides that the World
is not ignorant how little realbn the Cardinal had to
make this Objection, and that Mahomet muft have firfl
converted thofe by his Doctrine, whom he afterwards
made ufe of to convert others by Force ) I fhall fet
down this remarkable Inftance, whereby it will mani-
festly appear how much the Mahometan Miffionaries,
even without the affiftance of any outward Force, may
fometimes prove too hard for the Roman Ones. Bati
King of the Tartars, having wafted the Chriftian Ter-
ritories, returns into Scythia, leaving all Europe in a great
Confirmation. Pope Innocent the 4th in the Year 1 246,
from the Council of Lions, fends a company of Religious
Men a long Journey to him, to exhort him to worfhip
the one living and true God, and his only Son Jefus
Chrift, the Saviour of the World, and to abftain from
fhedding Chrift ian Blood. When the Tartar had heard
the Pope's Requeft, he promifed for five Years not to
Laur.Surii trouble the Chriftians. But as foon as the Pope's Mefc
comment, fengers were gone, fbme Saracens came exhorting the
*2$' Tartars to embrace the Mahometan Seel: rather than
Chrifti-
Efficacy of Dottrine. 1 1 1
Chriftianity,and what they faid had fuch ErTec1:,efpeci-
ally upon the Emperour, that they embrac'd Mahome-
tanifm, and keep to it ftill. In this cafe the two Do-
ctrines had very fair play ; for the Tartars were preju-
dic'd on neither fide, neither could any Force be made
ufe of to compel them to receive one Doctrine more
than the other. If either had the advantage, it was
that of the Romifh Church ; for that had got the frart,
but was foon wholly rejected ; and the other has ever
fince been embraced.
Were not thole Inftances which I have mention'd fuf-
ficient to fhew what little Judgment can be made of the
Truth of any Church from the Reception which its
Doctrine has met with in the World, I might here
add the Converfions wrought by thole of the Greek
Church, whom the Church of Rome accounts Hereticks.
Frumentius, fent by Athanafius, converted the Indians ;
Moyfes, an Alexandrian Monk, the Saracens. And con-
cerning the Converfion of the Mofcovites, Paulusjovi-
us thus fpeaks: Above foe hundred Tears fince, fays he, De Legatione
the Mofcovites worfhifd the Heathen Gods, Jupiter, &c. Mofcovic.
but then were they firfi initiated in the Chriflian Rites,
when the Greek Bijhops out of an inconfiant temper began
to diffent from the Latin Churchy and it fo happened, that
the Mofcovites in the fame fenfe, and with a mofi hearty
Belief followed thofe Religious Rites which they had re-
ceivedfrom their Greek Teachers. I might likewife make
mention of the great Efficacy of the Reformed Doctrine,
which in the fpace of fifty Years, when Bifhop Jewel
let out the Defence of his Apology, notwithilanding the
great Oppofition which had been made againft it, had
over-run whole Nations, and mightily prevailed even D^' ^A^°- '
in thofe Kingdoms where the Princes and Governours 3 *
were ftill Popifh. The diftin&ion which Bellarmin
makes,
221
77;e Ifyitb Note of the Church,
Bell, de Not. makes, that Hereticks do not convert Men to the true
i. 4. c. 12. faitfjy and 'that the Goths were cheated into Arianifm^
That they pervert Catholicks is nothing to the purpofe :
For if by Hereticks Men may be converted or cheated
into what is falfe ; if Catholicks may be fo eafily per-
verted ; then the Effect which any Doctrine has upon
Mens Minds can be no Note of their being Members
of a true Churcli who profefs it. If the Doctrine
which they who are converted have received, be a true
Doctrine, this indeed is a good Note of a true Church,
and we are willing to ftand and fall by it ; but their
bare Converfion is no Note at all, becaufe as to its be-
ing received, or not received, Error has had the fame
fate in the World as Truth it felf has had. And of this
the Cardinal himfelf was enough fenfible, who having
forgot what he had made to be the ninth Note of the
Church, does repeat in an Oration at the end of his
Controverfies this Objection of the Reformifts : How
orat. in is it pojjtble (fay they) that that Doctrine Jhould not be
S?° ^tS^from God, which in fo Jhort time has over -run fo many
2ngoift'.'i$9~j. People, Provinces, and Kjngdoms I And then makes this
Anfwer, If it he lawful to philofophife after this manner,
we (ball have much more reafon to wonder why the Alcoran of
Mahomet in f ogre at apart of the World has fo eafily pre-
vailed.
Having thus in the general fhewn that Efficacy of
Doctrine can be no Note of a true Church, it necefTarily
follows, that the Efficacy of the Doctrine profeffed in
the Church of Rome, can be no Note of its being lb.
But yet, that I may further fhew what little reafon
that Church of all others has to pretend that it is the
Character of its being a true Church ; I defire in the
fecond place, that thefe following Particulars may be
confidered.
1. That
Effictcy of Do&rine. % 1 ,
i. That altho we charge the Church of Rome with,
mnany Errors and Miftakes, yet we allow it to contain '
in it a mixture of Truth. Now this very mixture of
Truth may perhaps be of fufHcient force to make Profe-
lytes ; but then it does not follow, but that fuch Profe-
lytes may likewife have embraced the Errors which are
mixed with it, as well as the Truth it felf. The Indi-
ans (whole Convention to the Romifh Faith I fhall
fpeak of afterwards) were not fb void of Reafbn, but
that if they compared the Religion of their Conquerors
with their own Worfbip, they might be perfwaded to
embrace the former, rather than adhere frill to the latter.
And altho by this means they were but half converted to
the Truthyyet it was better that it fhould be thus, than
that they fhould not have been converted at all ; for by
this means they were much nearer the reception of the
whole Truth than they were formerly, which was a
great advantage ; and therefore we reckon thole but an
ill fort of Proteftants, who would rather have Men
Turks and Infidels than of the Romifh Church. But
at the fame time the Converfion of never fb many to
Church of Rome, is no Argument of its not being a
corrupted Church, as long as we can prove it to main-
tain fuch grofs Errors as it does, altho accompanied
with fuch a mixture of Truth, as may be of great
force to bring over fuch as had before little or no know-
ledg thereof.
2. That the Prevalency of the Doclrine of the
Church of Rome can be no Note of its being a true
Church,becaufe it isfb much alter'd from what it former-
ly was. The Do&rine of the Church of Rome was in the
beginning of Chriftianity, the fame with that which
was deliver'd by Chrift and his Apoftles to the Saints.
Afterwards new Do&rines infenfibly crept into, and
were
2 1+ The Ninth H?te of the Qhurch>
were received by that Church, and at laft Matters came
to be fettled as we now find them in the Council of
Trent . This has been often cleared by Learned Men,
and in fome of thofe Difcourfes which have of late
Barrow of the been writ, fome of the new Doctrines have been traced
metSumm. £ep ^ ^.gp^ ancj tne manner how they came to be re-
^S.Di/f.ceiv'd fetdown ; and in others the Church of Rome
concenkg the nas been compared with her self, and what was deter-
Ifdvmn min'd by the Council of Trent, has been fhown to be
and the Saints, quite another thing from what was held fome Ages
Difc.ofcommun. ag0# jsjow jt [s impoflible that things that are different
%n7J[of the Should be the diftinguifhing Charafter of that which
Anfw. to fome [s always the fame. Since then I fuppofe it will be rea-
ute papersfrc. ^ granted, that the Church of Rome has always been
the true Church, the Efficacy of its Doctrine can be no
Note thereof, fince in fome Ages thofe Doctrines have
prevailed in it, which are directly contrary to thofe
which have prevailed in other.
5. That the Prevalency of any Doctrine can be no
Note of a true Church, where thofe who embrace it
are hundred from thoroughly examining it. For with-
out a thorough Examination it never can be rightly un-
derstood ; and what Efficacy can it have upon his Mind
who does not rightly understand it ? Now the Church
of Rome exacts of the Members of her Communion a
tame Submiilion to, and Compliance with whatever fhe
propofeth to their Belief and Practice : and by forbid-
ding them the ufe of the Scriptures, fhe takes from
them the ufe of that Rule, whereby they are to judg
of the Reafbnablenefs of her Propofals. How then can
the reception of her Doctrine be a Note of her being
a true Church, when perhaps not one amongst a thou-
sand of her Members who receeive it, is capable of un-
derstanding what he is bound to believe ?
4. That
Efficacy of VoEtrine. 2 2 -
4. That the Prevalence of any Doftrine can be no
Note of a true Church, where Art and Force are made
lift of to make it prevail. For it is no difficult matter
for cunning Deceivers to impofe upon unliable Souls ;
and it muft be a great courage and conftancy of Mind
which can make Men for-go Father and Mother'
Houfes and Land, &c. for the fake of Truth. Now
that the Church of Rome has taken this courft to pro-
pagate her Doctrines, we may be allured by lome of her
own Members : There are, faith Erafmm, thofe who after a ErafmfiS in
new Example make Chriftians by force, but whilft they pre- Annot. in
tend the Propagation of Religion ,t hey do in reality ft udy the Mit' 2*'
Inlargement of Riches and Power, Not unlike thefe are
thofe Monks who inveigle others to take upon them their
Order, and do ufe a great deal of cunning to infnare
fuch at are young and unskilful, and who neither under-
hand Themfelves, nor the Nature of true Religion.
And Stapleton declares very freely, Eo fane loco h&refes stapumz-
funt,Stc. Here fie s are come to thatpafs, that their Gordi-^ fref^-
an Kjtots are not to be diffolved by Art and Induflry, but by fie. Edit. Paris
the Sword of Alexander ; and the Club of Hercules is more x&2'
ft to fubdue them than the Harp of Apollo. I might
quote feveral others to the fame purpole ; but the con-
ftant Practices of the Inquifition in thofe places where
it is received, and the extraordinary Methods which
have of late been made ufe of in a Neighbouring Nation
to gain Profelytes, do fufficientljtfhew that the Church
of Rome does more depend upon fbmething elfe, than
upon the Efficacy of her Doctrine for the making of
Converts : Which will more fully appear, if in the
third place we confider the infufficiency of the Car-
dinal's Arguments, which are fetched,
Hh Firft,
1 1 6 Iht Ninth Note of the Church,
Firft, From the Scriptures.
Secondly, From what happened in the beginning of
the Chriftian Church.
Thirdly, From the particular Inftances which he
gives of Converfions wrought by thofe of the
Church of Rome,
Firft; As to the Scriptures which are quoted, Pfi 9.7.
The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the *SW; and
Heb. 4. 1 2. For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and
(harper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the divi-
ding afunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joynts and
Marrow, and is a difcerner of the Thoughts and Intents of
the Heart. It may be anfwer'd,
1. That the latter of thefe is by feveral Expofitors in-
terpreted of the Son of God, and not of his DoQrine.
2. That if they are both interpreted of the Efficacy
of any Doctrine ; yet that the Efficacy which is fpo-
ken of is wholly internal, as we before obferv'd, and
confequently fuch as cannot be accounted a Note of
the true Church. For the Note of a Church muft be
what any one can come to the knowledg of.
3. Suppofe by thefe words was to be underftood the
vifible Prevalency of tfhy Doctrine in the World, yet
it would make nothing to the Cardinal's purpofe. For
that which in thefe SS. is faid to prevail, is, The Word of
God, The Law of the Lord, i. e. the true Do&rine. But
we deny the Do&rine of the Church of Rome to be
fuch; and therefore thefe places are not applicable
thereunto.
4. Were
Efficacy of DoEtrim.
4. Were thefe SS. applicable to the Church of Rome,
as having that true Doctrine which is oftentimes fo
efficacious, yet the Efficacy here exprefled could be no
Note of die true Church ; fince altho (as has already
been fhewn ) the true Do&rine does lometimes pre-
vail, yet it does not follow, that it always fhould : For
it may be perverted, it may be refilled, and Error may
meet with a much kinder Reception in the World than
it does.
As for what Beliarmine faith in the fecond place, con-
cerning the Prevalency of the Chriftian Do£trine in the
beginning of the Church, we allow it all to be true ;
but we do not think the Church of Rome to be more
concerned in it, than any other Chriftian Church what-
fbever. W hat then happened does very much confirm
the Chriftian Doctrine in the general, but does not at all
prove any particular party of Chriftians to be better
than another, much lefs the Church of Rome, whole
Doctrine, altho it was once the fame with the Doctrine
of the Primitive Church, yet what it was in the
Cardinal's days, and what it is now, is quite another
thing from what it was then. The Primitive Chrifti-
ans converted the Heathens from their Idolatry to wor-
fiiip the true God; but the great defign of the Catho-
lick Miffionaries is, to render their Profelytes intirely
fubmiffive to the Pope of Rome in all things.
I might here conclude, did not the Cardinal much in-
fift upon the particular Converfions wrought by thofe
of the Church of Rome, upon fome of which, in the
third place, I fliall make fbme brief Reflections.
Now as to the Converfion of the English by Anguftin
the Monk, it may be replied,
H h 2 1. That
217
% 1 8 The Ninth Note of the Qiurcby
i . That the Centurifts (out of whom he quotes this
and the other Inftances) do exprefly fay, that Augufi'm>
Cent. 6. c. 2. ^ Ecclefias magis deformavit quam retie infiituit.
2. That this was not fuch a general Converfion as
m. still, ori- ^eems t0^e Pretended : f°r (as has been lately cleared by
gin.Britan.c.i. a very learned Man) the Faith was here planted during
the Apoftles times, and in all probability by St. Paul
rather than by St. Peter, or any one elfe. Befides Bede
Bid. 1 1. c.i 7, gives us an account of Germamts, Lupus, and Sever us^
& 21. coming over hither to reclaim the Britains from the
Herefie of Pelagtus feveral Years before the arrival of
Lib. 2. c 2. Augufiin, and that at his coming over feveral Britifo
origin.Brkan. Bi^0pS met hjm at Auguftinfac, and ftoutly refufed all
Submimon, either to the Church of Rome, cue to him.
Laftly, altho he might be very inftrumental towards
the Converfion of the Saxons in Kjnt, yet was he even
Btd.l i.e. 2§. in that Affair mightily affifted by the Authority of a
Chriftian Queen named Bertha, and a Chriftian Bifhop
named Luidhardus. *
Vmdkat. of 3. That the Do&rine which Augufiin taught, being
tmtuVl thc Doftrine of Gregory the Great, is vaftly different
/w.p.vaj&c.from what has been fince taught in the Church of
Rome.
4. That Augufiin s proud carriage towards the Britifh
Bed. l. 2. c 2. Bifliops, and the death of 1 200 Monks of Bangor, oc-
casioned by their denial of Subjection unto him, do
fufficiently fhew of what Temper he was, and that he
Monumet! thought it lawful to make ufe of other means befides
Hift.Brk./.ii.the Efficacy of his Doctrine, to promote what he was
f. 12. & 13. ^£nt jjitijer by the Pope about.
The next Mimon which the Cardinal makes mention
of, is that of Kjlianu* by Pope Conon, who converted
the People of Franconia, whofe chief City was Herbi*
lolky
Efficacy of DoElrme. 120
pits-, or Wirtzburg. Now the account that the Cen-
turiators give of this Kjlianus, and which makes him
not to have had that fuccefs in the Converfion 0 f Peo-
ple as is pretended, is this, viz,. That being a Monk,
and by Nation a Scotifh-man, and not being able to centur. Mag-
do any good amongft his own Country-men with his deb- cent. 7.
preaching up of new Rites and Ceremonies, he paffed *' 5l5,
over into Germany to fee what he could do there ; and
finding that at Wirtzburg the Governour Gosbertus
gave him but little Encouragement, he being one
who, as thofe Hiftorians relate, did abhor thofe Popijb
Ceremonies which Kjlianus taught, he went to Rome,
and got the Pope to make him Bifhop of that City,
hoping that at his return thither with greater Authori-
ty, he fhould be better received ; but.was fbon flain by
his own Auditors,.
The third Inftance is, the Converfion of a great
part of Germany by Vinofrid, otherwife called Boniface,
who feem'd a little to miftruft the Efficacy of his Do-
ftrine, when he thus wrote ; That without the Com- Bonif. Ep. 3.
mand and Awe of the Prince of the Francks, he could not
be able to hinder the Pagan Rites and Idol-Sacrileges in
Germany : and, as the Centuriators tell us, entred the
Country of the Thuringi with an Army, forcing them cent, 8. p. 21,
to take Refuge in a fortified place ; and when upon no an-
other terms they were willing to turn Chriftians, but
upon their being freed from paying Tenths for the
future to the- King of Hungary, gratified them there-
in.
Of the Converfion of the Vandals which he afcribes
to the Monks of Corbie, hear the account that Albert us
Kjantzim gives. The Vandals, fays he, were a Nation
ftngn-
2 j0 The Ninth Note of the Church,
Lib. i. c. i. fmgularly given to the Super fiitiotts Worfhif of their Idols,
till by the Arms of the Kjng of Denmark by Seajby thofe of
the Pomeranian on the Eafi, and thofe of other Chriftian
Princes on the South, they were forced to become Chrijlian^
Saxo Gram. As to the Converfion of the Danes, we are told, that
Hift. DanJ.p. Harald being beaten by Regner, and having no other
Ms8* ' u hopes, fled for help to Ludovicus the Emperour, then at
Mecrop?".t. Mentz, who refufed to afftft him upon any other condi-
c 19. tion, than that of his turning Chriftian, which he and
his People accordingly did. And as for the Bulgarians,
Sclavonians, &c. befides that they were converted by
their Neighbour Greeks, as well as Italians, efpecially
the Bulgarians ( whole difturbance from fome Weftern
Ep. 2. Miflionaries Photius paflionately laments ) it is not a
fign that they were made fo fubjed to the Popes of
Rome, as is pretended; fince, as the Qenturiaiors tell
us, when Pope Nicholas would have obliged the Scla-
Ccnt. 9. c.2,vonians and Polonians, whom Cyrillus and Methodiuc^
col. 18. wn0 converted them, had taught to have their pubhck
Service in their own Tongue, to have it in Latin, they
ftoutly refilled him. So that the Pope, thai he might
keep up his ufurped Authority, was forced ro pretend
that he gave them leave to have it in their own Lan-
guage.
But amongft all his Inftances, the Cardinal had leaft
realbn to have mention'd the Converfion of the Indi-
ans and Jews. For as for the Indians, the unheard-of
Cruelties which even the Popifh Hiftorians relate to
have been ufed towards them, and their grofs Igno-
rance after their Converfion, are a luificient Evidence,
how little they were beholden for it to the Doctrine
which was taught them. One would wonder how it
were poilible for Mankind to be guilty of fuch inhu-
man
Efficacy of Voclrine. 2ji
man Barbarities as Bartolomtus Cafas, who was a Bi-
fhop and lived in India, relates the Spaniards to have
committed. In abhorrence whereof Jcofia has a Di£
courfe on purpofe to fhew the Unreafonablenefs of
making War againft. the Barbarians, upon the account De in/'fakf '
of Religion. He afterwards diicourfes of the Capaci- procur."
ty of the Indians, afferting that they ought to have
better Inftru£tors lent them, That thofe which they
then had, had been of fuch little ufe to them, that
after the Ipace of forty Tears, there were fcarce any
found amongft fo great a number of Converts, who
understood two Articles of the Creed, or had any ap- L 4-c- ?•
prehenfion what Chrift, Eternal Life, or the Eucha- p' s$8'
rift meant. But this concerning the Converfion of the
Indians, has already been mentioned in Note the
fourth.
As for the manner of converting the Jews, I fhall
only make mention of one Inftance, which happened
in the time of Heraclius the Emperour, who writ to
Dagobert the Kjng of France, that he would command
all the Jews in his Dominions, to turn Qhriftians, and ei- Aimoin.iv.22.
ther to banifh or flay thofe who would not \ who accordingly
didfo, banijhiug as many as would not be baftized. Since
Erafmus, who knew thefe matters well enough, has
fb freely declared, that altho their Converfion be a thing
much to be wifhed for ; yet that fuch Courfes were
taken by lome to effect it, that of a wicked Jew, it often Enfm. Anno*
happened there was made a ChrijUan much more wkked™^'2!*
than he was before his Converfion*
Having thus fhewn the weaknefs of the Cardinal's Ar*
guments,all that I fhalladd upon this Subject fhall beonly
this, That the mean Account fbme of our new Converts
have
I j 2 The Ninth Note of the Church.
have given of Themfelves, and the Motives of their
Change looks not very favourable upon this Ninth
Note, and makes it fufpicious, that the Efficacy of
Do&rine was not the only thing that did the work.
But that on the other hand, fince the chiefeft Patrons
of the Romifh Caufe do at this time endeavour to
difguife their Religion with fo much Artifice, and to
reprefent it as like ours as they can ; they do really
think their Do&rine by its own Worth and Excel-
lency, then moft likely to prevail, when it is made
appear to be moft akin to that of the Reformed
Churches.
THE END.
ERRATA.
>Age 2 1 2. line 26. read fets it in.
Page 223. line 22. r.the Church.
LONDON^
Printed by J. D. for Richard Chifwel at the Rofe and Crown in
St. iWs Church- Yard, 1 687.
(*n>
The Tenth Note of the C h u r c h
* EXAMINED,
V I Z,
HOLINESS of LIFE. *:
Decima Nota eft Santtitas Vi^A Auftorum, five frimorum Vatrum
noftrt Religionti. Bellarm. L. iv. c. 13. de Notis Ecclefis.
IMPRIMATUR.
June 22.1687. Jo. Bdttely,
T N this Argument it may fuffice, if it be fhown,
I. What the Notion of Holinefs is.
II. That Holinc fs is not properly a Note of the
true Church,
III. That if it were a Note of the true Church, yet
it would not fo belong to the Roman, as to di-
ftinguifh it from all other Churches ; and to ap-
pear upon it as the Infallible Character of the
only Fold of Chrift.
I. For Holinefs, it is of two kinds; Holinefs of Calling
and Dedication ', of Mind and Manners,
Ii By
2 34 The Tenth Note of the Qhurcb,
By Holinefs of Calling and Dedication, I mean the
Separation of Perfons from the unbelieving and wicked
World ; and the incorporating of them, by Baptifm, in-
to the Spiritual Society of the Chriftian Church : And,
by iuch means, the dedicating of them to the Service of
Chrift, according to the tenour of the Evangelical Co-
venant.
In this Senfe St. Paul told the Members of the Church
(i) i Cor. f.ofCV/'/tf/? (a), that they were ivajFd and fantfifyd', or,
u! by their Chriftian Calling or Dedication, made Sacred
and Holy.
By Holinefs of A//W and Manners, to which Bettor min
here gives the Name of Probity (a Vertue commended
by him, but coldly obey'd) I underftand the habitual,
private and publick Practice of Chriftian Religion, as
it proceeds from the true Principle of it, the Love of
God ; as it is meafur'd by the True Rule of it, Right
Reafon in Conjunction with the Revealed Will of God :
And as it is directed to its proper Ends, the Glory of
God, and the Good of all reasonable Creatures. For
O) i Theff. 5. this kind of Holinefs, St. Paul (b) makes pious Applica-
23' tion to God in behalf of the Thejfalonians, faying, The
very God of Peace fanclify you wholly : and I pray God your
whole Spirit, and Soul, andBody be pre fervedblaw clefs to
the coming of our Lord Jefns Chrift. Now,
II. Neither of thefe kinds of Holinefs can be properly
called a Note of the true Church.
For the firft Kjnd ; It is confefs'd that the Chriftian
Church is Holy, and it was* called Holy in the Creed,
(ey S. cypr. before the Epithet of Catholick was inferted into that
Epift.70. p. Sum of Faith (i). And the Supream Paftor of the
190 cum
dicimus [ h. e. Baptizandis ] credis in vitara zternam, & rermfiionem Peccacorum per
Sanftam Ecclefiam ?
Church
Holinefs of Life. ' 2 * -
Church lov'd it in fuch extraordinary manner, that (J) rdlEl
He gave himfelf for it : that he might fantfify and clean] e 25, 25,^. ' 5'
it with the washing of Water, by the Word, [by Baptifin,
and AfTent to the Doctrine and Conditions of the Ge-
fpel] That he might prefent it to himfelf a glorious Church,
not having fpot or wrinckle, or any fuch thing : [any tiling
which may feem uncomely to Chrift, to whom fhe as
Supream Head is united] That it Jbould be Hofy, and
without blemifi.
This Holinefs of Dedication is elegantly let forth (af-
ter the manner of the Oriental Poefy ) in the Book of
the Canticles, in which is reprefented the Spiritual Mar-
riage of Chrift, and his chalte and unblemifh'd Church.
Though fbme Romanifts have wrefted thefe and other
places, which fpeak of her Dove-like and undefiled Na-
ture, and apply them to that which they pleafe to callp^u^'paT"
the Immaculate Conception of the BlefTed Virgin (e). So V Efcrkuredu
ready are they who upbraid the Reformed with Inter- contenu en ia
preting Scripture out of their own Heads, to do the que. / 1.° 1-
lame thing themfelves, and with a much greater mix-
ture of Extravagance.
That the Church is Holy we daily profefs. Never-
thelefs fuch Holinefs of the Church cannot properly
be called a Note of it, for it appertains to its Eflence
and Constitution, and fhews what a Church is, and be-
longs to every Church, whether Greek, Abyffine, Roman,
orEnglifi; and is not (according to 'Be/Iarmins Senfe
of a Note) an External Mark by which we may dill in-
guifh betwixt Churches, and upon grounds of good
AfTurance, difcern any true One from fuch as are falie.
For the Second kind of Holinefs, that of Mind and
Manners ; neither is That, lb far as Man can take Cog-
nizance of it, a certain Sign by which we may find out
the true Chriftian Society. For,
Ii 2 Firjt,
t , 5 The Tenth Note of the Chunk,
Fir ft, The Officers of the Chriftian Church invite
Men of all Nations and Conditions to come into the
Boibm of it, and admit them upon their Profeflion of the
common Chriftianity, not being able to penetrate into
the Secrets of their Hearts, or to forefee whether they
who are now in good earneft, will perfevere or fall a-
way.. They may, therefore, admit into the true Fold
fuch as are Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing. For NovatUn
himfelf did not deny that Men could be fecretly wicked
before and at Baptifm, tho he was fo rigid as not to
believe the Sins committed after it to be forgiven*
Hence our Saviour compar'd his Church to a Net which
contained in it good and badFifhes. And the bad may
either foon appear, or be long conceal'd under the clofe
Vail of Hy pocrify. So deceitful a mark of Incorruption
in the Monument is the fuperficial Whitenefs and Orna-
ment of it. Bellarmin himfelf does here furnifh us,from
Theodoret, with the Inftance of Nejloriw, who by the
help of a pale Look, fet Speech and grave Apparel,
deceived both the People and the Officers of the Church;
and, by fuch Arts, lifted himfelf into an Epifcopal
Chair. " Now, he is not a Chriftian who is meerly
" one outwardly ; neither is that compleat Baptifm
il which is outward only in the Flefh : But he is a Chri-
" ftian who is, alfo, one inwardly ; And Baptifm is
16 that which is> likewife, inward in the Spirit, whofe
u praiie is not only of Men, but of God.
Bejides, where there is no fuch grofs Hy pocrify, there
may be a fpecious (hew of Holinefs, not uniform and
entire yet proceeding from devout temper, fome Seeds
of natural Reafon, and fome few Principles of Chriftian
Religion, whilftthe reft are not embrac'd. Thus it
was with the Seel: of FrifcilUany who by fome kinds cf
real Stri&nefTes, upbraided the loofenefs of that Age.
Yet
Holinefs of Life. j^
Yet the Catholick Chrifiians did not, from the regularity
oftheir Lives, infer the foundnefs of their Party.
Likewife there are fome Practices which both the
Perfbns and the Spectators judg to be Holy, which are
not fb. Such a Pra&ice was that of Ignatius Loyola (/), (/) Maffcius
who gave an Alms readily to a poor Man, and to all jn vic3 1&at*
the reft, who upon that poor Mans Report, prefs'd ' '•?•74,75•
immediately upon him, till he had emptied all his
Stock, and was forc'd, that Night, to beg Bread for
himfelf. This Charity, how indifcreet fbever it was,
mov'd the poor to cry out with much Admiration • ( as
Storyeth Maffeius} A Saint , a Saint.
Seeing, then, the weak will miftake the very Nature
of Holinefs, and the moil judicious can only lee the ex-
ternal part of it, it is not fafe arguing for the goodnefs
of the Caufe from the feeming goodnefs of the Life. It
is true, we ought to ufe a Judgment of Charity : But, in
a Cafe, where we are proving our Faith, it becomes us
to proceed upon more unqueftionable Grounds.
Secondly, Under the fame Conftitution, People may
live fometimes with more and fbmetimes with lefs Mo-
rality: If, therefore, we fhould prove the State or
Church by the manners of the Members, the fame Con-
ftitution at different Times, would be good and bad,
and vary as Men do. Bellarmin fpeaks of the Holinefs
of Doctrine, and the Efficacy of it; but it is not irre-
fiftibly efficacious : And often we find worfe Men un-
der better Means, and better Men under worfe. Thus
it falls out in Civil Societies, where the Model remain-
ing or being improv'd, the Vermes of the Subjects de-
cline. It did fo towards the latter end of the Roman
Empire, in which, tho the Laws remain'd, the Dregs
of Romulus began to rife again. Thus it was in the
Church of lfrael which was always, as God had fram'd
2j8 The Tenth Note of the Church.
it, a true Church, But if Holinefs of Life had been
made a Note of it,it might,in fbme Junctures, have been
called a Church, but oftner no Church at all : Before
their Captivity, there was a general Corruption of
Manners ; and' their Reformation, upon their Delive-
rance, was imperfect : And the Senfe of God's Goodnefs
to them began to wear off; and tho they did forbear to
adulterate the worfhip of the true God with mixtures of
Idolatry ; yet they admitted of the formal Religion of
the Pharifees which made void real and fblid Piety.
Infomuch that when our Saviour vifited the World he
could fcarce find any Probity in it.
There are many ways, by which Men, under the fame
Conftitution, may lead more or lefs virtuous Lives.
Such are, The good or bad Examples of Great Men ; flrict
or loofe Difcipline ', Affliction or overgrowth in Wealth
and Power ', War or Peace, And the lalt of thefe is too
CO s. cypr. often, tho not the juft Caufe, yet the occafion of Secu-
Ser.de Lapfiir' rity, and of the growing of a kind of flothful Ruff upon
P- I25-^ o*^ a thofe who are at eafe. St. Cyprian (g) fpeaking of the
co'rrupera^- little quiet the African Church had for a few Years
centem fidem (fr0m Sevcrus to Deciui) tho not without fbme trouble
ram°dOTm?e "from the Heathens ; complains of the Corruption which
tancem, &c it bred among Christians.
Thirdly j Add to this, that unlefs a Man do firft un-
derhand the Nature and Doctrine of the Chriftian
Church, he cannot know what SanBity is, and what
that is in the Life of any Man, which he is to take for
the Holinefs of a Chriftian. So that the way to be well
allured about a true Church-, is to take our meafures,
not from the Lives of the Members, but from the Do-
ctrines of their Society. And one might imagine that
OOCard.Perr. Cardinal Perron himfelf (h) in this Argument had more
fames'/ ?? regard to the Do(J?r/w than the L//f, when he alluded
James. .4. . . ^
Holine ft of Life. 2 3 0
to anExpreflioninthe Canticles, in this fanciful man-
ner. ic The Church fings, and will always fing, lam
"black, but! a.m fair : that is to fay, I am black in Man-
" »*/•/, but fair in DoBrwe. Which blacknefs of Man-
ners if he intended as a (pot of Beauty upon his fair Do-
ctrine, he did not lee with Chriftian Eyes. But,
III. Admitting that Holinefs of Life were a Note of
the true Church, the Roman Church would not, from
this Conceflion, derive any great advantage. It is true,
and it is granted,
Fir ft, That at the beginning, the Chriftians at Rome
were famous both for their Faith and Manners. And
no Man, that I know of, afperfeth Linus, the firft Bi-
fhop there, who (as Platina faith) had a mighty Re-
putation for Sanctity, and dy'd a glorious Martyr under
Saturninus the Conful. But the like may be alledged in
favour of the Mother- Church of Hierufalem, and of
St. James the Bifhop of it. In the mean while, it may
be(noted that, in Rome, it being the Imperial City,
there was a very early affectation of fuch Superiority as
Chrift forbad in his Kingdom : And St. Hierom at the:
fame time (/) that he takes notice of the right Faith of CO s- Hieron.
Rome (for then it was contain'd within the limits of the .^J^ a!^*r"
Apoftles Creed) he reproves that Ambition which had-
feated it felf in Purple on the Seven Hills. And this
Leaven had before that time fwell'd the Contentious
Popes, Vitfor and Stephen,
Secondly, It muft be further acknowledged, that in;
the later Ages, there have been Men of that Communi-
on devoutly inclin'd, and of good Morals. But this
Effed has not had Popery for its Caufe, but has been de-
rived from Principles common to all Chriftians. And
it is from the influence of the firft twelve Articles, and
not
240 The Tenth Note of the Church,
not of the Additional ones of Trent, that fuch Men
have been fo pious and fo free from blemifh. In this
number are ufually put Thaulerus and Savanarola. And
it appears by their Words, that mere Romanifm was
not the Spring .from which their Devotions fiow'd.
(JO Thaukr. " There (k) be many (faith Thaulerus)who go under the
in Fcft.de uno " Name of Religious, who take great pains in Set-Fails,
^u^onfeil " Vigils, Orizons, and frequent Confeflions : For they
il believe they may be juftify'd and fav'd merely by fuch
" external Works. For Savanarola his Spirit may be dif-
cerned by fuch Difcourfe as this (/). " I never was de-
RcicSavan. '* lighted with fuch Books as the Revelations of St. Bri-
?. 172,273. " gid, or Abbot Joachim. I never read the former ; and
u the latter very fparingly. — - The reading of the Old
" and New Teftament pleafeth me fo much, that, for
u many Years I have ufed no other Book, difgufting (as
H I may fay) other Writings. Not that I defpife them,
il but that in comparifon of the Scriptures, all fuch fweet
" things tafte, to me, as bitter. Neither,
Thirdly, Have the Reformed fo much of the Pharifee
as to juftify themfelves, and fay, that in all their Field
there has not been a Tare. But the Men have been in
fault, and not the Caufe. God be merciful to us Sinners ;
greater Sinners than lome others upon one account, in-
afmuch as we offend againft clearer Light. Yet it may
be here noted, that Bellarmin has put into his Catalogue
of Sinners, Simon Magus, Valentine^ Marcion, Montanus,
and fuch others as do not at all belong to us ; and that He
and other Pvomanifts mif-reprefent Z^/^r, blackning of
him with flanderous Art, and then expofing him as a per-
fect ALthiofian. He was, indeed, a Man of warm Tem-
per, and uncourtly Language. But ( befides that he
had his Education among Thole who fo vehemently re-
viPd him) it may be confider'd, whether in paffing
9 through
Holinefs of Life. 241
through fo very rough a Sea, it was not next to irnpof-
fihle for him not to beat the infulting Waves till they
foam'd again.
He had his Infirmities, but his are taken notice of,
whilft more Candour is fhew'd to Men of great Name
and well nigh equal Heat. To omit the fierce Words
which pafs'd betwixt St. Chryfofiom and Epiphanim ,
St. Hierom and Ruffnus ; it is manifeft that Lucifer Bi-
fhop of C alar is in Sardinia (who was much efteem'd by
Pope Liber ius, and who is called Holy Lucifer, according
to the ftyle of the time in which he lived ) wrote Books
againft his own Emperor Confi ant ius, which were one en-
tire Inve&ive. And when (for inftance fake) he pleas'd
to call him, Mo ft Impudent Emperor (m),
I fuppofe he had not a better Talent O) Luc. caiar. Ad Conflant. pro
than Luther in the Addrefs of Courts. l^±S±i\ ?efrndc '?'
n-,, 1 r r i • ir- Per«*tor Impudentiflime. p. 20. Fi-
There was, therefore, iomethmg elfe Hus Peftiienti*, &c. p. 102. quife
which fharpned tlieTongues and Pens non foIum raendax fed Homicida.
of many againft Luther : Erafmus tells , < _ ;
us, « That («) he perceiv'd the better ft SSSiKfcwSSS
" any Man was, the more he relifh'd
ci the Writings of Luther, That his very Enemies al-
14 low'd him to be a Man of good Life. That he feem'd
II to him to have in his Breaft certain eminent Evangeli-
and fo forwards
" *4' ' ' for more than an hundred Years. Ba-
Qf) Eellarm. chronol. Ad Ann. ronim fpeaks of Mongers intruded into
1026. P. qz. & de Sacram. l.i.c.B. . __ / JL J , , , c , .
de Gemic coiumbf. p. 192, 208. the Holy bee, and by the help of Mon-
209,352. fters. For fuch were John the Tenth,
CO Genebr. chrcncL Ad Ann. and Theodora who advanced him Bel-
9oi. larmin repreients the Popes of thole
Times as degenerating from the Piety
of their PredecefTors, of which fome had no very great
fhare. And he fays, that in the Weft, and alrnoft all the
World over, (and especially amongft thole who were
called the Faithful) Faith had failed ; and that there
was no fear cf God among them. He mentions the
Vifioncf Pachomim the Abbot, who (it feems) law
Monasteries increafing, and Piety decreafing.. And he
applys the Vifion to his Age 5 and, upon that occafion^
he
Holinefs of Life. 241
he ufeth the Words of the Prophet, Thou haft multiply* d
the Nat ion , but not increafed their 'joy. Genebrard reports
that for almoft 1 50 Years, the*Popes were rather Jpo/la-
tied than Apoftolical. So difmal a ftate of things might
(if he had pleas'd) been reprov'd more fblemnly than
with a Chime of Words. St. Bernard (J) thus la- rf) s. Bern,
ments, and reproves the loofhefs of his Age. li Woe to Senn. ?3% in
u this Generation,becaufe of Hypocrify ; if that may be Cant^' 6l*
" Call'd Hypocrify, which for the abundance of it cannot,
In our own Kjngdom, the Norman Invafion has been, in
great meafure, imputed to the decay of Learning and
Piety in that Age («J, in which, " the Priefts could fcarce £*) G. Mai«f.
"ftammerout Mafs : He was efteemed a Prodigy ini"^*1, l'3'
"Learning who understood Grammar 5 the great Ones
" frequented not the Church ; all forts of People were
si given to fhameful Intemperance. In fum, for many
years together before the Council of Trent (which a&ed
contrary to the defign for which it was, by good Men,
defir'd) no Voices were more frequent and more loud in
the Roman Church than the Cries for Reformation. Bur,
Secondly To pais by general Complaints , we may fur-
nifh our ielves with abundance of Inftances, in the Lives
of particular Men of that Communion, who havebeea
infamous for Impiety. And becaufe Bellarmin is pleas'd
to fend us to the Fathers and Doctors of his Church for
Examples of Holinefs, we will thither go; obferving
three Things by the way. Firft, That he has put the
Patriarchs, Prophets and Apoftles into his Catalogue, tho
they are more Ours than His. Secondly, That he has for-
born the mention of any one Popey left he fliould have
Kk 2 put
144 Tl?e Tenth Note of the Church,
put us upon inquiring after the reft. Thirdly, That He
could not be ignorant of the Hiftory of the Scribes and
Pbarifees who were efteemed great Doctors & Reverend
Fathers in the Jewifh Church, and fate in the Chair of
Mofesy but faid and did not \ and dii honoured that true
Church, but had upon them no Note of real Sanctity by
which they might commend it.
My Bufinefs is notto/ write a Hiftory of the Lives of
Popes , or of the Founders oi Monajlick Orders. I ilia 1 1 con-
tent myfelf with a few Reflections upon two or three of
this, fort of Men, with whom the more the World is ac-
quainted, the lefs Veneration it will have for them,
fw) s Greg i. * w^ not ^e partial, but begin with an eminent Man,
i^p.' i. foi. ' Pope Gregory the Great, who is laid to be the lafi of the
3$*>vn-*$p- good Popes, and the fir ft of the bad. This Man took upon
37'^ E^'iiio'him to give Jujiin the Monk Authority over the Britijh
jam tempore Bijhops^whowzvz Strangers to him, and never under the
S"USuS Yoke eitner of llim or his Predeceffors. He fawn'd up-
adhucdomSijB on the Emperor Mauritius whilft he liv'd and profper'd;
noneras. ancj own'd him as his Patron and the maker of his For-
i*? foi 44?'. L tLines (w)> even before he had made his own. But,as foon
quantas om- as the Emperor and his Family were barbaroufly mur-
^P-^^-theredbythemoft bloody Vaffal and Ufurper Phonos \
quodremoto Gregory infuited over this dead Lyon, and flatter'd this
jugo Triftiriz, living Monfter (jc), and his moft immoral Wife Leontia
t^ortfubTm- 00- He ufed fuch Words at his ufurfd Exaltation, as
periaiibenig- he did at that which he calFd the Converjion of England
nnatis xeftrz ^ . fmg[ag9 profanely, Glory to God in the Highefi
nimus,'e7x Let the Heavens rejoice and the Earth be glad. He exer-
Cf) Ep. 44. 1. cis'd, alfb, his Talent of unchriftian Flattery towards
Qui°lingua,' Brunichild Queen of France (a), who was ftained in the
&i. COEP- Blood of ten Crown'd Heads \ and againft whom Lucp-
53./.c).foi.4gi. 11^ if aiive Could not write a Satyr. If
ad Aug. Epifc. > ' J
Ariel. deConverf.Gentis. Gloria in excelfis, &c. Lib. u.p.441. Ep. 3d. Greg. Fhocje Augufto.
Gloria in excelfis Deo qui, juxta quod Scriptum efr,mutac tempora & transferc Regna,eH.La?ten-
turcoeli&exuket Terra. (>3£.5.Ep.5?./.3?2X}reg,Brun.Exceilenti£ veftra Chriftianiras, &c.
Holinefs of Life. 245
If now, even in the Life of St. Gregory the Great,
we want the Note of fufficient Probity ; at what a lofs
muft we be in the Life of fuch an one as Pope John 1 2th,
who, in a Synod held at Rome (bj, was formally accu- ^xf1!1™**
fed before Otto the Great of thele horrible Crimes : viz,. 6, 7', a, 9, 10.
' The ordaining a Deacon in a Stable ;' the committing P«1S3>«P Js^
* of Adultery and Inceft ; the putting out the Eyes of a
* holy Man ; the drinking a Health to the God of this
' World ; the invoking of Jupiter and Venus when he
' was at Dice, in favour of his Caft. The Synod fate,
'the WitnefTes were ready, his Prelence was urged by
s< the Emperor and the Synod. He refilled to appear ;
4 and iuftead of purging himlelf, he lent this Menace
4 to the Synod ; That if the Fathers depofed him, he
4 would excommunicate all of them, and make them
4 uncapable of ordaining and of celebrating Mais.
This is teftified by Luitprandws, upon whole Word
BelUrmine concludes the Sanctity of Pope Formofus (c) \ CO BelLCron.
and therefore againft him at leaft, he is Author fuffici- ^nn* 8?I* p*
ent for the Wicked nefs of Pope John. *
This furprifeth not thole obferving Men who look
into the Infide of the Confiffory, and lee thole evil
Arts by which Elections are often made; Arts, fbme FP0Ccr,dc
of which the Ceremonial it felf does not diffemble (d). ir,£aas#*ct
... quot fimonia-
caHxrefisTrapezitas, repetitis malleis, cebrifq; Invafionibus fubjacuit. Vide in p. 57. Bull;
Iulii 2. contra fimoniace eleclos, & fimoniace eligcntes.
Touching the Sanctity of Founders of Orders, St. Do-
minick is one of BelUrmine 's great Examples. But he
muft excufe the Reformed World, if it will not take a
blot for an admirable Figure.
Pope Innocent dream't that Dominick was cholen as
a Prop to the Lateran Building, which, without the
aid his Shoulders gave it> would have fallen to the
Ground,
*4* Tenth Note of the Church,
Ground. As if his Holincfs had not been Pillar enough
for the fupporting of it ; for perhaps he was as omni-
potent as he was infallible. Yet, after all this, he
was a Trumpeter in that holy War againfl: the inno-
cent Albigenfes, in which both Swords were ufed to the
Ruine of (6 many Families, and the Lois of fo many
Lives in a very barbarous manner. The Confcienccs of
an.Hift.'i. 6. tn°fe People having mov'd them to bear teffimony a-
ad An. 1 5 50. gainft the Corruptions of Rome (e).
MmiA ^de ^or ^omc otner Orders, every Eye cannot fee that
Reb. Geft. * contempt of the World which is fo much talked of, and
Franc. f0 feldom found. The readier! way, in the Ecdefi-°
aitical State, to grow confiderable in the World, is firft
to enter into ibme of the Orders. And for Example
lake, it was ibmewhile ago the boaft of fome Men,
0) vaktera- tf,at tiie e ^a | keen 0£ ^u ^enedi^fs Order (f) 24 Popes,
111 Anthrop. I. o^>vt 1 .,, v / t r >
2i- p-753- 1 o ^ Cardinals, and 1570 Abbots.
The Aufterities and Mortifications of fuch Orders are
generally mention'd as Proofs of their extraordinary Ho-
linefs. Yet you will find even among the Heathens as
great Rigours, asamongfi the fevereftin their Cloyfrers.
The Jefuits, in their foteVoyage to Siamy have furnifh'd
us withanlnftance, in the Talopins of that Country,
who in fuch ftxiclnefTes, feem not inferiour to S. Bruno
riimfelf. c They have an Eftate of Life, not much un-
Sepd4iS2*.Miketohis> <*Wdnpdfa»a$$, in which they keep
onnepentrien { perpetual filence, and give "themfelves up to theCon-
wir de plus < tern plat ion of Holy Things. The Jefuits allure us that
( they reproach'd the Romans for want of fufflcient vene-
QT) ib.p.4io. c ration of Sacred Images, Holy Writings, and Priefts(7>).
* They tell us that for that which concerns their Manners
* and Conduct of Life, a Chrift ian can teach nothing
* more perfect than that which their Religion prefcribes.
* That it forbids the Impiety of every Thought/ That
' what
Holme fs of Life. '1>AT
4 what are Counfels among Chriftians, are, with Talo-
* pins, indifpenjfable Precepts. That they forbid the life
1 of any Liquor which may intoxicate. That they drink
* no Wine upon any occafion. That they are extreamly
■ fcandaliz'd at Chriftian Priefts for drinking it. That
fthey are charitable to Beafts, and relieve them in their
* needs Q). That they take great pains in preaching and ^p
' educating Youth, in their Monafteries, /having them, 415.414,415'
* putting them on a Habit, caufing them to faft, forbid-
1 ding them to fing or play, or hear Singers, or fee pub-
Mick Spectacles, or ufe Perfumes, or love or touch
' Money, or delight in what they ea&, but to mix fbme-
' thing unpleafant with it (T). They report, further,^ P<4l8#
' concerning the Talopws themfelves, that they obferve
' many Rules of Stricinefs, befides thofe by which their
' Scholars and the Laity are obliged. That they frequent
' their Pagods ; look not on Women, fpeak not to them ;
1 live on Alms, but go not into the Houfes ; expofe
' themfelves to the open Heavens feveral Nights in We-
i bruary in the midft of the Fields ; keep a folemn Faft
' of three Months, preach every day of that feafbn ; re-
' cite a kind of Chapelet : preach fometimes from mor-
' ning to night (each in his turn for fix hours together)
' without wearying die Hearers (/). They caff a Ring ^ Ib# p g>
'into the Sea, and it is calm (if we have Faith to be- 419, 420.422!
' lieve it.) They have places to which great Numbers
'of Pilgrims travel upon the (core of Devotion. They.
* havelmages which they carry abroad for the procuring
' of good Weather.. They have ( they fay ) a Relick
'of their God Sommonokhodom who is afcended, a porti-
' on of his Hair (m). So that if mere monajlick Sancl:i- W'i,J- P412*
'ty be a Note of a true Religious Society, you may find 4,^4I5,4,°-
cout by it fucha Society at Sum.
La/I
248 The Tenth Note of the Qwchy
Laft of all, There are many Things in the Roman Church it felf,
which, by helping forward an ill Lite, do, in pirt, deface this Mark^
of her Sandtity. Such as charming Confecration's, Indulgences, Dif-
penfations, and other abufes of the Seal of the Church ;> Doctrines
about MaiTes, Attrition, Purgatory, and Papal Supremacy. Which
latt is very prejudicial to the Quiet of the World, Specially in the De-
pofing Point \ concerning which, 1 take leave to ufe the W'ords of ano-
(>i)Po(lfcrip 10 ther, with Relation to Bellarmin. c He was (n) himielf a Preacher
Tfanfl. of <• for the League in Paris, during the Rebellion there of K.Henry the $tk.
Maimb. flifl.ofc §ome 0f |lig Principles are thefe following. Pa the Kingdoms of Men,
the League, p. c ^ pomr 0f tyg gj„g is from the People, becaufe the People make the
c King. Obferving that he fays \_in the Kingdoms of Men'] there is no
c doubt but he retrains this Principle to the Subordination of the Pope.
' For his Holme f in that Rebellion, as you have heard, was declared
c Protect or of the League. So that the Pope Hrft exco?nmmicates
1 (which is the Outlawry of the Church) j and, by virtue of this Ex-
c communication, the People are left to their own natural Liberty,and
L may, without further Procefs from Rome, depofe him. Accordingly
' you fee it pra&isM in the fame Inftance. Pope Sixlus firfr thunder-
c fhuck King Henry the 3d and the King oiNavarr. Then the Sorbon
c make Decrees that they have fuccellively forfeited the Crown : The
6 Parliament verities thefe Decrees '•> and the Pope is petition'd to con-
1 rirm the Senfe of the Nation, that is, of the Rebels. But, I have
c related this too favourably for Bellarmin. For we hear him, in ano-
c ther place, pofitively affirming it as Matter of Faith, If any Chriftian
c Prince fl) all depart from the Catholick^Religion, andjhall withdraw
c others from it ; He immediately forfeits all Power and Dignity, even
c before the Pope has pronounced Sentence on him : And his Subjells, in
c cafe they have Power to do it, may, and ought to caft out fuch an He-
< reticle, from his Soveraignty over Chriftiaris.
If, therefore, the Faith of Bellarmin be FaUion^ whatfoever his
Church is in it ielf, it is certain, as he has made it, it can never be
found out, either as The Church, or as A found Church, fo far as
we are to look for it by the Note of Holtnefs.
THE END.
L O N D O N,
Printed by J. D, for Richard Chifwell at the Rofe and Crown in
St. JW'sCharch-Yard, 1687.
The Eleventh Note of the C h u r c h
EXAMINED,
VIZ*
The GLORT of MIRACLES.
Vndecima Notaeft Gloria Mir acalonim. Bellarm. de Notis Ec-
clefia?. L. iv. c. 14.
IMPRIMATUR.
June 28. 1687. Giil. Needham.
HA D not the Cardinal either thought by the
mecr number of his Notes, to have given the
greater fhow to the Argument \ or wrote in
pure Compliance to the Humour and Interefts
of the Age wherein he liv'd, he would hardly have in-
filled upon this of Miracles, efpecially in the method
wherein he hath manag'd it. For by inftancing from
the very Firft Age of the Church, to the Fifteenth, nay
to the Sixteentbfwhei'Qm Himfelf undertook the defence
of it) he hath interefted himfelf, in all the ridiculous
Stories, the Phantaftick Legends, which the Monkifb,
Fabulous Ages have deliver'd, the meer recital of which
(fince he hath efpous'd them)might be a fuffrcient Expo-
f hre of his Argument. And indeed, had the Cardinal's
L 1 Au-
2 * 0 The Eleventh Note of the Qhurch,
Authors but us'd the fame grave Care and Fidelity,
which that great Hiftorian (tho a Gentile), profeft in his
writing the Peloponejian War, he had loft the greateft
part of this Note, and we been excus'd the pains of exa-
Thucydid.i. i. mining it. For that Hiftorian tells us, " He could mul-
P. 16. a. B.C. « tiply Fables as others have done, and they might per-
Kai« fwj^*- u hapS be more divertive to an injudicious Reader, but
S>^*' ei ms regard fhould be to what is true and certain, which
£7tfm&&v " all that have a mind to the certainty of things fhould
titfSSZ " >"dS much more Profitable.
TttiV TiViVOUJi' ■■■ , y t \ » a ' ' \ / i
Ifodct/, «>&/(<* »e*W *W ttfKvvms 'ifc.
However, proceed we to the Examination of this
Note, as the Cardinal hath thought fit to propofe it in
proof of His Church.
" As to this, he premifeth this twofold Foundation,
"(i.) That Miracles are necejfary to evince any new
u Faith, or extraordinary Mijfion.
\$ (2.) That Miracles are efficacious and fufficient. By
"the former (he tells us) may be dedue'd that the-
"Church is not to be found amongft us Proteftants: By
" the latter, that it is moft afluredly amongft them.
00 Exod. iv. " 1 -As to the NeceJJtty of Miracles he quotes Mofes(a),
(b) Macth.x. " St. Matthew (&), and St. John (t}« He further proves
(J) Joh. xv. it it ^y a Similitude of one necefTarily (hewing his Or-
" ders received from his Diocefan, by which he is autho-
" riz'd to Preach ; and by a Quotation from St.. Jujlin,
" and the Conception of Melancthon one of the Reform'd
" Perfiiafion ; all which was needlefc, and the Similitude.
u too weak and inconclufive..
"2. As to the Efficacy and Sufficiency of Miracles ; He
li proves this, partly as they are the Seals and Teftimo-
" nials God ufeth,without whole immediate Power they
« could
7be Glory of Miracles* t * x
* could not be perform'd, and who will by no means
" bear witnefs to a Lye. And therefore, where either
il Turks, or Pagans, Jews, Hereticks, or falfe Prophets,
u have pretended to any extraordinary Feats or Accom-
"plifhments of this kind, either they have appear'd the
" meer Tricks and Delufions of the Devil ; or elfe, in
9 the Attempts they have made, they have been pub-
" lickly difgrac'd and difappointed : So the Prophets of
" Baal, Simon Magus, feveral of the Donati/is, Luther
ic and Calvin. In the Application of the whole, for the
" proof of His Church, and the utter exclufion of Ours
ic from all Title to the Denomination and Benefits of a
" Church, he gives a fummary of Miracles in every di-
" ftincl: Age, by which the Church of Rome and no o-
M ther ( for that is the whole drift of his Argument )
" hath been all along fignaliz d as the True Catholick
c< Church. In the firft Age, he mentions the Miracles
" of the Holy Jefus, and his Apoftles. In the fecond,
raijing the Dead, refioring the
Deaf, the Lame^ and the Blind, &c. All which bore an
excellent proportion to the great defign of redeeming
and faving Mankind. And if at any time there were
any
The Glory of Miracles. 255
any mixture of Severity in the very Ad1:,fuchas ftriking
fbme dead by a Word's fpeaking, or putting others in-
to the immediate PofTeflion of the Devil by the Adt of
Excommunication ; yet was even this done, either in
kindnefs to Pofterity, by fixing, in the firft Inftitution
of things, one or two {landing Pillars of Salt, that
might be for Example and Admonition, to after Ages
againft fbme Practices that might otherwife in time de-
stroy Chriftianity : As in the firft inftance of Ananias
and Sapphira, againft the Sin of Hypocrhy. Orelfe, to
fbme good purpofes for the Perfons themfelves, as in the
laft .Inftance of Excommunication : So the Inceftu-
ous Perfbn was adjudg'd by St. Paul, to deliver fuch an
one to Satan for the DeflruUion of the Flefh, that the Spi-
rit may befaved in the day of the Lord Jefus, 1 Cor. v. 5.
None of thefe Miracles were fuch ulelefs Ludicrous
Actions as the Romijh Authors have fill'd their Hifto-
ries with. Such as that of St. Berinus, who being full
fail for Prance, and half his Voyage over, finding he had
forgot fomething, walks out upon the Sea, and returns
back dry-fhod. Such again, as St. Francis, befpeaking
the Afs in thekindcompellationof Brother y to ft and qui-
et till he had done preaching, and not djfturb the Solemnity*
Such as St. Mochua by his Prayer and Staff hindring the
poor Lambs from fucking their Dams, when they were
running toward them with full Appetite. And S. Fin-
tanut keeping oft" the Calf from the Cow, that they
could neither of them move toward one another. Such »
in a word, as St. Finnianus and St. Ruadanr/s {porting
their Miracles with each other, as if they had the Pow-
er given them for no other end but mere tryal of skill, *.v- ColjJ»-in
or fome pretty diverfion to By-ftanders. * . FhmJC'* &
2.AsthofePrimitiveMiracles were generally very bene-
ficial to human Nature,fb the Defign of them was of the
grea*
25 6 The Eleventh Note of the Church,
greater! importance and (ignificancy imaginable ; and
this both Defign and the Miracles that fhould confirm
it, plainly laid down before-hand in the Prophecies of
the Old Teftament. The Defign was, to bring in and
eftablifh intirely -an excellent Religion, a perfectly
new difpenfation of things ; nay, further to abolifh a
former Model and Conftitution of things, that had
been formerly brought in and eftablifh'd by the very
lame Argument of Miracles. It was not to eftablifh
any one particular Doctrine, that might be either in
fupplement to, or direct Contradiction of what had
been hitherto delivered.: But to fettle one perfect and
entire Standard, that Ihould be the Rule and Meafure
of all that we were to believe and pra&ife to the World's
End.
It is true, the Jewifh Difpenfation as it was fix'd
and modePd wholly at the appointment of God by the
Hands of his Mediator Mofes', fo it was alio enfore'd by
fiich vifible Powers from above that abundantly autho-
rized the Inftitution, and gave it that Confirmation (fb
long as it was fram'd and de fign'd to continue) that there
fhould be no kind of Miracle pretended, but fhould
then have its tryal by this Standard ; and if any thing
fhould be wrought with defign to draw any orT from
their prefent Eftablifhment, the Sign or Wonder fhould
for that reafon be rejected, and the Pretender to it, tho
he had made himfelf fignal in performing it, immedi-
ately condemned. Dent. 1 3. begin. But then, as things
were then fettled for a continuance of time only, and
he change of t he whole Scene was determined on the
appearing of the promised Mejfiabtfo this Change and the
Per/on that fhould erTec~f. it, with all the mighty Works
• he fhould perform, and the vaft fuccefs of theie Mira-
cles accordingly, were all pointed out before-hand by
exprefs
The Glory of SMirachs 157
exprefs Prophecies, utter'd under this very Mofaick Dif-
penfation ; The Lord thy God will raife unto thee a Pro-
phet, from the midH of thee, of thy Brethren, like unto
me, unfo him ye /ball hearken, Deut.wm. 15. To this
Prophecy St. Stephen appeals in the defence he makes for
himfelf, Acts vii. 37. And this is the whole Indicati-
on our Saviour thinks fit to give John the BaptiH, that
himfelf was the Perfbnthat fhould come, viz. The blind
receive their Sight, the Lepers are cleans V, the Deaf hear, Mat* x,# 5'
the Lame walk, the Dead are raifed up, and to the Poor
the Go/pel is preached, as had been prophefied before.
Now if the Cardinal could have fhown, either that a
new Difpenfation of things was to be introduc'd, after
what had. been eftablifh't by Chrift and his Apoftles, or
that what was to be introduc'd, fhould be alfo a frefh
confirm'd by fbme new Endowments of Power from a-
bove,and that accordingly the Church of Rome upon juft
warrant had introduc'd, and by her Miracles had autho-
ris'd this great Revolution : Here indeed had been a
reafbnable Propofal to our Faith. But, as there is no
hint of this in the holy Scriptures, nor no Prediction of
Miracles to confirm it; lb if any fuch things be now pre-
tended in any thing of this kind, they are no warrant
to us to embrace it. There is, I confefs a confiderable
Change foretold, and there is alfo a Prophecy as to thofe
Wonders that fhould be wrought for the juftifying of
this Change \ but then, this Change hath no other de-
nomination than that of Apoftacy or Falling away, and
the Wonders by which it muft be juftifi'd, are to be no
other than lying Wonders, with all deceiveablenefs of un-
righteoufnefs in them that perijh, iThef. ii. 9, 10. And
as to this Change and thefe Wonders, if thofe of the Ro-
man Communion think fit to challenge them to them- -
(elves, we fhall not contend with them in that affair.
M m Here
aj8 The Eleventh Nate of the Church,
Here therefore is the juft foundation upon which thofe
divine Miracles, that were wrought for confirmation
of Chriftianity, do reft ; viz. that the defign of them
was to bring in intirely a new Difpenfation of things,
and that this new difpenfation of things had been pre-
determin'd by God, and the Miracles that were to con-
firm it, when brought in, had their Teftimonials be-
forehand by Phrophecy. A nd this Teftimony S. Peter
builds upon, as having fbmething in it of greater
certainty than the Miracles themfelves, 2 Pet. 1. 16,
19. The Miracles he mentions, when he tells them,
We hive not follow A cunningly devised fable s^ when we
made known unto you the Power and coming of our Lord
Jefzts Chrifi, but were Ey-witnejfesofhis Majejfy ifor he re-
ceived from God the Father Honour, and Glory, when there
came fuch a voice from the Excellent Glory, This is my
beloved Son, &re. And this voice we heard when we were
with him in the Mount : But then the Apoftle adds, We
have a MORE SVRE Word of Prophecy, &c.
And this is that I have propounded to fhew, namely,
that meer Miracles, without any other confederations
at all, are not a fufEcient Note or proof of any Church
or Religion whatever. The word [ Miracles ] I take
in the comprehenfive fenfe, and mean all thofe Signs
or Wonders 9 any prodigious Effects that appear to us
out of the Courfe, and Order, and Power of Nature,
which no one can ordinarily do himfelf, nor aflign any
reafbn in NFature for the doing of them ; fuch things
may certainly be done, and yet be no Proof of the
Truth and* Divinity of that Doctrine they would ad-
vance. It is not queftionable, but there may be fome
Miracles wrought, wherein the Finger of God is fo
plainly difcernible, that it would render thofe that re-
j ect them inexcufable. S!ach as once extorted that Con-
feffion
The Qlory of SMiracles. % * <->
feiTion from the Magicians in Egypt, Exod. viii. 19 ;
and fuch as our Saviour did fb avow, Luke xi. 20. that
from thence he charges the Jews with the unpar-
donable Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, as may be obfer-
ved by comparing Luke xi. from y. 1 5 to 20. with Mat.
xii. from v. 24 to 52. But then, there have been
confiderable Signs fhewnand Wonders done,of which no
Reafons in nature can be given, and yet make no Proof
of their own Divinity, and confequently not of that
they were advanc'd for. Such were thole which Jannes
and Jambres when they withftood Mofes, perform'd in
Pharaohs view : Thefe, thofe of the Church of Rome
with one content, do acknowledg to have been the
meer Delufions of the Devil. Otherwife if the meer
doing fuch great things fhould be a juft Proof of their
being lent from God, what fhall we think of the Feats of
Apolloniws Tyaneus, as they are reported by Philoflratus,
if but the moil, or fome Part of what he in a juft Hifto-
ry of eight Books, tells us, were true : As, that he made
a Tree [peak to him ; that he put to flight an Hobgoblin,
which in the fhape of a beautiful Virgin made love to him :
That he foretold many things, and particularly that
whiles he himfelf was in Ephefus, he declared the Death of
the Emperor Domitian, at that inftant, when they were
alluatly committing it at Rome : "With abundance more
of that Nature, which it were too tedious to recite.
Indeed, it is not improbable, but that Philofiratm was
a right Sophifier in the modern fenfe ; and as very a
Wag at invention for his Apollonitis, as any Monk in
Chriftendom hath been for any of his Saints ', Photius
his cenfitre of him is, that the whole Story is fabulous \ and
having inftanc'd in that PafTage of Apollonms filling fbme
VefTels with Water, and others with Wind, by which
he could by turns water the Earth after a long drought,
Mm 2 and
2^o The Eleventh Note of the Churchy
and blow the Showers off, and dry the Earth again,
he concludes, Such like things as thefe, full ofDelirancy,
and many other things hath he prodigioujly feign d of himy
that the whole ftudy of a vain labour throughout all his
eight Books is loft, and to no purpofe *.
* n^ j»fio,i*t- the Holy Tefus. He queftions the Ve-
M^rV^^^'^ racity or Philojtratus in many tilings,
'677 >* «w Ixe&u c/wfo*s krtii - though he was willing; to allow Apollo-
vm CxKotuMV &c. Eufeb. contra Hie- .5? . .• c n r r
rocKYerfos inkium. mus the reputation of a Perfon of con-
fiderable Wifdom f. However let the
Truth of the matter be what it will, it is reafbnable e-
nough to let thefe Wonders of Apollonim at leaft againft
thole Miracles which the Churcli of Rome boafts of di-
ftincl: from thofe which confirmed our common Religi-
on, becaufe the Authorities feem equal, and the motives
of credibility much of the fame kind.
Again ; What fhould we think of thole Prodigies at
Delphos ,as they are reported by Paufanias in Phocic.That
when Brennm and the Gaules came againft it, and the
People miferably afrighted, had recourfe to the Oracle,
the God there bad them not fear, he aflurd them he would
defend his own. Accordingly there breakout Earth-
quakes, and Thunders and Lightnings, and Apparitions of
fever al of their Heroes formerly dead, all the day long. And
in the night time, unwonted and unfufferable rigors of Cold,
mighty Stones, and tips of the Rock torn from ParnafTus,
and thrown fo furioujly amongft the Barbarians, that not
only one or two, but fome hundreds of Men either as they
fieod upon the guard, or were jleeping together, were fain by
them ;
Ibe (jlory of JMiracks* 16 1
them ; and by thefe means was the whole Army defeated,
dijfi fated and dejiroyd.
And thus indeed, the Fathers all along do not fuppofe
but that very great things may be done by Heathens, or
Hereticksj which yet can be no proof that either of them
are in the right. Origen in his firft Book againft C elf us
takes notice of the Objection Celfus makes about the
Conjurers in &gypt> ci That they could put Demons to
" flight, could blow offDileafes with their breath,cou!d
" call up the Spirits of Heroes, could dreis up the appea-
rance of Tables furnifh't with all manner of Delica-
ic cies, &c. Which things as to matter of fact he does not
feem to deny the truth of, but to invalidate the force of
them from a confideration of the Perfbns that wrought
them, as being Men of no good Lives. And again, in
his fecond Book againft Celfus, he inftances in this com-
panion of Miracles, and gives this note to difcern thole
that are Divine from the Juggle of Impofters, or Cheats
oftheDevd; viz, "Toobferve the lives and manners
" of thofe that perform them, and alio the effects when
" perform'd, that is, whether they bring hurt and da-
" mage to perfbns, or whether they correct their man-
" ners, &c.
* S-. Cyprian difcourfing of fome * Nim & pofhtare, & Dmona
1 1111 rr c l\Jz -*~<\ 1. excludere, & virtHtes magtias interns
that had broken oft from the Church, faa^ fubnmis utift & admh-abiiu m
and yet, fuppofing it pofllble for them eft, non tmmngnm cailejie confiq.'titnr
to fignalize themfelves by Miracles, ^jftffijttfBE
quoting that railage or St. John Ep. tut. Cypr.de Unmt.Ecclef.
1. ch. 2. They went out from us, but
they were not of us, tells us, that though the doing fuch Mi-
racles, is an high and admirable thing, yet if they take not
heed to go in the ]nH and right way ; it gives them no Ti-
tle to the Kjngdom of Heaven : where it is obfervable,
that the retti & jufti itinerU obfervatio, is not to be un-
derftood
2<5i The Eleventh Note q[ the Church,
derftood meerly a good and vertuous Life ; for that is
acknowledged on ail hands, tha*. fome Perfons inward-
ly wicked, but outwardly holding Communio nwith
the true Church, might work -Miracles, as probably
Judas did amongft the other Diiciples. But St. Cyprian
means it of thole that had turn'd out of the right way,
and thro Schifm had broken off from the true Church,
as the tenor of that Difcourfe carries it.
1 , f hen&m tells us of the prodigious
+- nZ^2%^Stt^Z Errors of Marcus the Heretick, and
ciQciccv -r tiyv %rjz^T£t?4 " °f ?&h «« the cup mis with
" Wine, drawing out his Invocations
" to a mighty length, he made the Cup
' i appear of a Purple, or Red Colour >
" and that it fhould leem that that
" Grace that comes from the place
" which is above all things, did by the power of his
" Invocation diftil its own Blood into the Cup, that
" thofe that were prelent fhould vehemently defire to
" tafte of the fame draught , that fb that very Grace
" boafted of by the Magician, might actually flow into
"them too. He further inliances in a Magic Trick
he had of filling a greater Cup with a much lefs, and to
the view of otkers,inipiring ibme of the feducM Women
with the gift ofProphefying, and the like. This pat
fage of Irenaus is quoted ■Verbatim by Epiphanius, who
alfc calls this Marcus, rh .Mxytw Mfcdovi tlUTr&p6,nx.Tov ,
one perfectly skilfd in the Magic Art *.
(b) St. Aufiin diretts thus, " LetnoMan, faith he,
" vend Fables amongft: you. Both Pontius wrought a
" Miracle, and Donatus pray'd, and God aniwer'd him
"from Heaven. Firft, either they are deceived them-
felves,
KKmtcpkvn y*di- *m£ advlrf- H*'
ref.l. i. e.g.
* Epipbun. in
Heref. 34.
Mxrcojii.
(bj Atiguft.
Expofit. in E-
vang. Jobann.
Trattat. 13.
Wfftts finep.
The Qlory of SWiracles. 263
" felves, or elie they deceive others. However, fup-
** pole he could remove Mountains, yet faith the Apo-
" ftle, If I have not Charity I am nothing. Let us fee
*c whether he hath not Charity, I fhould have believed
" it, if he had not divided the Unity [ of the Church ]
"for God hath warned me againft fuch Wonder -Mongers * iflos mirabi-
a if I may fb call them : In the latter Days there fh all arife liarios«
11 falfe Prophets, doing Signs andWondcrs^&c. Mark xiii.
ci Ergo cautos nos fecit fponfus, quia miraculis decipi non de-
" bemus. Therefore hath our Lord warned m, becaufe we
u fljould not be deceived by Miracles. And fb he goes on
" with that which we find in Decret. part. 2. Cauf. i,
"Qutft.i. cap. 56. Teneamm ergo unitatemfratres mei,
(i prater "Onitatem, & qui facit miracula^nihil efi. Let us
^ hold f aft the Vnity, out of this Unity, even he that works
"Miracles is nothing. Peter 'the Ape >flle, faith he, raised
u the Dead, Simon Magus did many things ; there were
u many Chriftians that could do none of thefe things,
e< neither what Peter nor what Simon did, but what
cc did they rejoice in ? That their Names were waitten in
ic Heaven.
This Father hath many other PalTages of this kind in
his Book de V nit ate Ecclefu, ,but they are already fb largely
quoted in that excellent Preface before the School of the
Eucharift lately made Engliih, that I refer the Reader
thither, not only for that, butalfofor the whole Argu-
ment about Miracles, which might juftly have fuperfe-
ded this Difcoui ie upon the Note of Miracles, had it been
fb ordered in its due Place : So that Miracles meerly, we
fee in the Judgment of the Fathers, were never accoun-
ted a full and adequate Note of any true Church. Which^
in Truth, the Cardinal himfelf, after the great Foun-
dation he feem'd to have laid as to the fufficiency of Mi-
racles, does in fbme meafure yield, when he tells us in
this
1 64 4k Eleventh Note of the Qhurch,
Y this very fame Chapter, That the Church is demonfirated
d^oXaturlS £y Miracles, not as to the evidence and certainty of the thing,
Ecclefia, non yut on[y ^ to the evidence and certainty of Credibility,
2am vdceS- Which is as much as to fay, that Miracles .may be a Note
tudTnem rei, of the Church, and they may not be fo, that is fiich a
fed quoad evi- j-mcj 0f j^ote j^y which we may give a goodguefs at the
riSJm ere- true Church, but cannot be certain, For as one of their
dibilitatis. Bel. own Writers exprefleth it, Miracula Deo & D/abolo,
* je/" nexus Chrifio & Antichrifto funt communia *. Miracles are com*
in 2 ad Tim. mon to God and the Devil, to QhriH and Antichrist.
II. If Miracles in general, are no fufficient Note or
Proof of any Church whatever, much lefs are thoie Mi-
racles alledg'd in the Church of Rome in Cc.rmation
of thole particular Doctrines and Practices wherein we
of the Reform'd Church differ from them, much lefs
(I fay) are they any juft Note of their Church, or Evi-
dence of the Truth of thofe Doctrines. There are a
Variety of Miracles orTer'd to us in their Hifiories or in
their Legends in Confirmation of the ieveral Doctrines
of Sacramental ConfeJJion, Adoration of Images and Re~
limes , Invocation of Saints, Purgatory, the bodily Prefence
in the Eucharifi, and the Holinefs of particular Perfbns
that have flourifh'd in their Church. Now as to this,
we are to confider thefe things :
Firjl, That we do not obferve any ground throughout
the whole Scriptures, either of the Old or New Te-
fiament, to expect any Miracle for the Confirmati-
on of any particular Doctrine whatever.
Secondly, That many of thoie Doctrines which thefe
Miracles are aliedg'd in Confirmation of, are id
far from being expreily afleited or warranted in
the Holy Scriptures, that they rather bear a direct
N Contrariety. Thirdly^
Tl?e Glory of SMiwku % 6 j
thirdly, That there is no tolerable ground for Cer-
tainty as to the truth of moft of thofe Mirages
which the Romanifls do make the Glory of their
Church.
F/V/, That we do not obferve any ground throughout
the whole Scriptures either of the Old or New Teftament
to expect any Miracle for the Confirmation of any par-
ticular Doctrine whatever. The Miracles under the
Mofaick Difpenfation,wereto confirm and eftablifh that :
And the Miracles perform'd by Chrift and his Apoftles
(as I have already intimated) were to bring in and efta-
blifh the New Law of Faith. We read nothing through-
out the whole Jewifh State, that may make us fuppofe
that any of the Prophets after the Death of Mofes (tho
they were fbmetimes endu'd with the Power of doing
this or that Miracle) that they ever taught any new
Doclrine which had not been deliver'd by Mofes } ox
which they undertook to confirm by any Miracle. It
is true they fbmetimes wrought a Miracle, as a Creden-
tial for themfelves and their own Character, to fhew
that they were Prophets fent from God. But then, the
whole Errand of their Commiflion, was to explain Mo-
fes*s Law ; to awaken Men to a ftri&er Conformity to
what they had fb provokingly violated ; to denounce
heavy Judgments upon their Difobedience ; to fpeak en-
couraging things.tio a diftrefs'd and perfecnted Church ;
and in a Word, to fore-tell the Events of future Ages,
and particularly point out the Days of the Meffiah, and
Revolutions of Chriftianity. Again, we find that under
the Difpenfation of the Gofpel, the Miracles which our
Saviour and his Apoftles wrought, were to warrant the
N n whole
2 66 The Eleventh Note of the Qhurch,
whole new Oeconomy. And tho one main thing the
Apoftles were empowr'd for, was to bear Tettimony to
the Refurreation of their Matter, yet was this chiefly as
the whole frame of the Gofpel depended wholly upon
the Truth and Evidence of this great Event ; becaufe if
it were not as fully made out that he rofe again, as that
he dy'd,their Preaching had been vain, and their Attempts
to abolifh the Law and Conftitution oiMofes, had been
an unwarrantable Uliirpation.
Nor do we find that- tho in a following Age or two
the Church was probably blefs'd with thofe miraculous
Powers, till the Gofpel was diffufively enough propa-
gated ; yet do we not find that they wrought any one
Miracle for the eftablifhment of any one particular Do-
ctrine, much lefs any Doctrine that had not been deli-
vered by the Apoftles before them, nor enter'd into the
Subftance and Fundamentals of the Gofpel. Which leads
to the next thing, viz,.
Secondly ■, That many of thofe Doctrines, which thefe
Miracles are alledg'd in Confirmation of, are fo far from
being ex-prefly afferted or warranted in the Holy Scrip-
tures, that they rather bear a direct Contrariety. E.g.
The Doctrine of Tranfubjlantiation, upon which is fiiper-
ftructedthe Adoration of the Hofl, which Adoration (fup-
pofing the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation not to be fun-
damentally true} is, by the Gonfeflion of feveral x)f
their own Authors, down-right Idolatry. Again ; the
Doctrine of worshipping Images we cannot but think to
be againft the exprefs Law of God. The Doctrine of
praying te Saints departed kerns immediately to intrench
upon the Office of the Holy Jefus as he is our alone Me-
diator,
The Glory of Mr ackf. 2
Now thefe are the Doctrines wherein the Glory of
the Roman Miracles have been generally concern'd. So
long therefore as we think we have fo much in the Holv
Scriptures in bar againft the Doctrines themfelves, we
cannot but think we have moil: j uft prejudices againft the
Miracles by which the truth of thefe Doftrines are advan-
ced or fupported: We are directed by the Apoftk,to prove
all things, and to hold f aft that which is good, I ThelT.v.21.
And not to believe every Spirit, but to try the Spirits whe-
ther they be of God, i - Joh. iv. i . By the ty/W/^doubtleis
muft be meant no other than thofe that pretended to Pro-
phefying, to Revelations, and to the Power of fbme Mi-
racles. Now it is very true, m that firft Age wherein
this Apoftle wrote, among the diverfity of Gifts, there
was this of difcerning of Spirits, that adorn'd ibme Men,
i Cor. xii. io. It is not probable that the Apoftle cau-
tioned thefe againft falfe Spirits, for they were em-
powr'd to difcern them : But the Warning belongs to
the whole Rank of Chriftians, as appears by the plain
Rule he gives to try them by , Ver. 2. Hereby know ye
the Spirit of God ', every Spirit that confeffeth that Jefus
Chrifl is come in the Flejh, is of God, &c. This leems to
point at a fort of Gnofticks in that Age, that would be
allegorizing the whole Hiftory of our Saviour's Life and
N n 2 Death,
ggg 7k Efcnntb T^ote of the Quirch,
Death, and Refurre&ion, and make it no real thing,
but purely Myftical and Figurative. Whoever therefore
would pretend to the Gift of Prophecy or Miracle, and
yet deliver this kind of Divinity, he muft .be rejected
notwithstanding all the fhew he might make. So in
proportion full are we warranted to try the Spirits, to
judge of any Powers of Miracle that are prcduc'd in
Confirmation of a Doctrine that may intrench upon the
great Offices of the BlefTed Jefus, or look new and for-
reign to thofe Revelations which himfelf and his A po-
ttles have deliver'd to us as the fum and upfhot of Chri-
ftianity. Tho rve (faith the Apoftlej or an Angel from
Heaven preach any other Gofpel unto you, than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be accurfed, Gal. i. 8,
" Tho we, the Apoftles that are veiled with fo vifible a
w Power of Miracles, nay tho an Angel from Heaven (and
" certainly if an Angel fiiould come, he might be capa-
il ble of doing things beyond the order or courle of Na-
" ture, as to us at leaft, as hath been often feen by
"what Devils have perform'd) tho fuch an one fhould
" be propagating other Doctrines , and that , by
" all the moft powerful Methods that fuch fpiritual
u Beings are capable of ufing, they are to be held
" accurfed.
Our Saviour gives the Caution to all his Followers in
every Age, That there fhaUarife falfe Chrifts, and falfe
Prophets, and fh all fhew great Signs and Wonders, info-
much that if it were pojpble, they fhaH deceive the very
Eleff. Behold I have told you before, Matth. xxiv. 24,2 5.
I fhall only add the great Criterion of Miracles in the old
Teframent. Deut. xiii. i? 2, 3. If there arife among
you a Prophet, or a Dreamer of Dreams^ and giveth thee
7he Glory of Miracles..
a Sign or Wonder, and the Sign or the Wonder come topafs,
whereof he [pake unto thee, faying, Let us go after other
Gods (which thou haft not known) and let us ferve them ',
thou /halt not hearken to the Words of that Prophet, or
that Dreamer of Dreams : for the Lord your God prove th
you,to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your
Heart, and with all your Soul. So long therefore as the
Doctrines which thefe fort of Miracles are brought to
confirm, are in difpute betwixt us, and after all the im-
partial Enquiry we can make, we think that feve-
.ral of them do war directly againft the received Do-
ctrines of our Faith, this Glory of Miracles is vainly
urg'd to us as a Note of the true Church, when we
are warn'd even againft Miracles themfelves, where
they are pleaded to eltablifh them. All this upon
fuppofal that all thefe pretended Miracles were actu-
ally true, But then,:
Thirdly, There is no tolerable ground of Certaintyr
as to matter of Fact, of moft of thofe Miracles, which
the Rowanijls do make the Glory of their Church. The
firft inftance of any Miracle wrought by the Relicks of
a Martyr, is that Story of the Bones of Baby las. That
Martyr having been Interr'd in Daphne a Suburb of An-
tioch, when Julian the Apoftate came to confult Apollo s
Oracle in that place, near an hundred Years after this
Martyr's Interment, he could procure no Anfwer.
Upon this, the Oracle was conjur'd at leaft to give a
reafon of this Silence ; accordingly it anfwered, Becaufe
the Bones of Baby las lay fo near his Temple, I do not
find this Story call'd much into Queftion by the gravefl
Authors, nor indeed can we much wonder that the De-
vil fhould for once give lb open a Deference to the Re-
main*
i;o The Eleventh Note of the Church,
mains of an Holy Man, when by one fuch an A& he
hath (6 effectually emprov'd his Interefts and Kingdom
to (b great an advance of Superftition afterward, in all
thofe fond Devotions that have been fince pay'd to the
Rcliques of pretended Saints, and all thofe lew'd Fables
of innumerable Miracles a£ted at their Shrines, which
probably have been coyn'd upon this firft occafion of
Baby/as.
There is another Story almoft of as ancient a
Date ; and that is of St. Ambrofe having by Vifion re-
veal'd to him where the Bones of Gervafus and Protafws
the Martyrs lay,which he took up,and after confiderable
Miracles wrought, fuch as curing a blind Butcher, &c.
lie repos'd the Venerable Reliques under the Altar of a
new Church which he had then built and dedicated. I
am not willing to bring a Queftion upon this neither,
as to the truth of it, becaufe I find it not rejected by the
beft Writers, as well as told by St. Ambrofe himfelf,
and the Reafon of fbme Miracles of that time might be
' in Vindication of the Catholick Faith againft thePefti-
lence of ArUnifm that rag'd fo fiercely at that time.
Yet there are fome Circumftances that render it fbme-
thing fulpicious ; as, why that Holy Man fhould think
of not building or dedicating a new Church, unlefs he
could be furnifh'd with fome Reliques ? There feems a
good pretty tang of Superftition in the very Thought ;
and then, the bulk of thofe Bodies when they were
found : They feem of a Gygantick Race, few of which
I pre fume were ever of a Constitution for Martyrdom.
*Ambr.Epift. Invemmus mir herein, too much indulging th em f elves, } or
* Sot™1 f^e ordinary fort of Believer s, whom they fuffos' d not only
poiTumusv'vos ready to believe, but alfo vehement ly de fir ous of fuch Mira-
aiiquandc . gra- ff£y ■*. And of the Legends, he declares he could not to-
Mick can. ' this day meet with one Story that he could allow. This was
Loc.TbiciA. the Opinion and Efteem the wifer Authors in the
Church of Rome have left behind them of fuch Stories
as thele , however Father Crejfy in his Church-Htftory,
in this very Age of ours , and in a Nation where
there feems no Inclination to fiich unreafbnable Cre-
dulity, hath thought fit to lick up the Spittle of the
idleft Monks, and to avow the abfiirdeft of all their
Fi&ions.
The Centuriators have taken pains for feveral Centu-
ries, both to reckon up the Doctrines which the Church
of Rome hath brought in, and alio in every Age to af-
fix the particular Miracles that are pretended to jufti-
fy thofe Doctrines. It might create an infinite Naufea,
in the Reader, fhould I follow that Method, or indeed
examine thofe Perfbns and their Miracles, whom the
Cardinal hath rang'd in order from the feventh to the
fixteenth Age.
However (i.) as to the Perfbns whom he makes
fo famous for Miracles, I fhall examine one or two,
to give you a tafte of the uncertainty of all the
reft.
And ( 2.) as to the Doctrines ; becaufe the Car-
dinal hath inftanced in fbme, particularly in Confirma-
tion of Chrijfs bodily Prefence in the Eucharift, I ihall
•examine one or two of them too.
i. As
The Glory of SMiracks 273
1. As to the Perfbns. In the twelfth Age,(V) the Car- 00 Btitam. eft
dinal brings in S. Bernard) who ( as he tells us ) was the ^cEc^f' l
Father of the Monks > and mofl devoutly addicted to the See Romank Ponti*
of Rome ; that he was famous for more Miracles, than anytabm add^
r 1 n • 1 r 1 ■ r itti JmK> plmhus
of the faints who] e Lives are at prejent extant. Whereas Mraculis ehiru-
if we eonfult St. Bernard himfelf, he is comforting him- k qumnUus
felf and others, under the defect of Miracles in his Ase. *tf°um JOt
* He tells us, that Mracles are not Jo properly Meritoriotis, t* njlant.
as the Indications of good Men. Who ( iaith he ) now ca- *Be™rd.
fiethout Devils, fpeakethwith Tongues, dejlroys Serpents, e AfcmfonL '
Sec. N ay feems to account the great Work wrought up- nm tm merit*
on the Hearts of Believers, wherein he and others were^^*^^
made the blefled Inftruments, to be equivalent to Mi- Qua dcemmiaT.
racles. " The flrn: Work, faith he, of that Faith ^ %*»»»-
" which worketh by Love, is the Compun&ion of thepmuiStlitc.
" Heart, by which, without doubt, Devils are caft^»«ww«i«o-
" out, when Sin is rooted out of the Heart. And then, {^j £*
" thole that believe in Chrilt, fpeak with Tongues too, rmk wdk
" when the old things are vanifh't from their Lips, »*/>*«#*» efi9
« they do not fpeak for the future with the old Tongue 5£ftS!
" of their firfr. Parents, who declined into Words of »**,«» «Ww*.
" Wickednefs. So when by Compunftion of Heart ^/^*£<-
"and Confeflionof the Mouth, former Sins are blot- ubi fUpr.'
" ted out, they muft neceiTarily deftroy Serpents, that
cc is, extinguifh the venomous Suggeftions, &c. And
thus he goes on in that allufive way, accommodating
the whole Chriftian Life to lomething of thofe mira-
culous Ads in the Primitive Days. But let the inge-
nuous Reader judg now ; Is it not probable that had
St. Bernard been fo very illuftrious for Miracles,
beyond all the Saints, whofe Lives had been ever writ-
ten, inftead of apologizing for the defect of Mira-
cles, or drawing the equivalent between the Conver-
O o fion
274 The Eleventh Note of the Church,
fisn of a Sinner, and cafting out Devils, or (peaking
with Tongues, he would not have put in a word or
two here, of what great things God had enabled
him to do?
Again ; it is obfervable of St. John Damafcen, concern-
ing whom they tell us , that his Hand having been
cut off by the Saracens for the Profetfion of the Faith ;
he praying before the Image of the Bleffed Virgin,
and falling afleep, upon his awaking found his Hand
reftor'd , only a Seam of Blood vifible where it was
cut off and joyn'd again. Now, if we confuk him-
felf, he tells us of the Doctors and Paftors of the
Church , that fucceeded the Apoftles in their Grace
and Dignity, that they having obtain'd theenlight-
ning Grace of God's Spirit , did both by the Power
of Miracles and Eloquence of Speech enlighten blind
Men , and reduce the Wanderer into the way ,
* Damafcen. * ^as JV yjrdi r%v Oau/xafTOVj &x. But we (faith he) who
OKhodox.Fid. y^ ^.ther fhe G.f. ^ Mirade mr of Speech^ ^ js
d . this fpoken like a Man of Miracle. || His Commentator
lUaifc*io e* indeed would bring him off, as if it were his Mcdefty
chriftianodig- 10 fpeak thusof himfelf, and gives the inliance of S.Paul,
t fdpfot-te confeffing himfelf leaft of all the Apoftles : But certain-
c^kur e. Pa- ly were he never fb modeft, he would not lie for the
tcr Damafce- matter by any means, efpecially when he made menti-
on of the Miracles that former Ages had produce!. St.
Paul (as humbly as he thought and fpoke of himfelf)
made no fcrupleupon occafion to mention the mighty
Powers that God had endu'd him with ; and (b did St.
Peter too : Nor was it other than their Duty fometimes
to do it, both to own the Gift with Thankfulnefs, and
to make ufe of it as an Argument to enforce their Do-
ctrines
The Qlory of SWiracks. \ 7 j
ctrines upon thofe they had to deal with. Tims much
fcr the Perfons.
2. FV>r the Doctrines : It would be too tedious to
run through the various Heads of Doctrine, which
they boaft of as confirmed by Miracles, many of which
are fb monftroufly ridiculous, fb highly improbable,
fb confefTedly fabulous, fo perfectly needlefs and to no
purpofe, that they are not worth one minute's regard
either to examin or expofe them. The Legends of the
Saints, and the ScJjooI of the Eucharifl lately pub-
lished in Englifh ; I may add, Father Creffis Church
Hiflory, will abundantly furnifh the Reader, that is at
leifure to dip into that way of Learning. Howe-
ver, becaule our Cardinal hath thought fit to make
this of Miracles his lafi Argument for the Proof of
Chrift's bodily Pretence in the holy Sacranent ; and,
befides pointing at great numbers, hath himfelf in-
filled upon fix or {even which he thought of the
ereatefr weight (e ) : I fhiall examine one or two of CO v- Eellai>
tIiem' diar./.g.c. 8.
It is a very confiderablc Miracle the Cardinal
mentions from Paulas Diacortus in the Life of Saint
Gregory, which I rather pick out, becaufe I find
our Putney Convert very fond of it. It is of a Wo-
man that lawgh'd while in the distribution of the
Sacramental Bread, fhe heard it call'd the Body of our SS^^*
Lord, u when fhe knew fhe had made it with her
" own Hands. Upon this St. Gregory prayedj and
" the outward fpecies of Bread was turned into vifible
" Flefh, by which the Woman was recovered to the
" true Faith , and the whole AiTembly mightily con-
" firmed. Oo 2 This
2 7 6 Th* Eleventh Note of the Church,
This were a good fignificant Proof of Tranfubftan.
tiation indeed , if it were but true. Though here
alfb a Man might as juftly queftion his Senfes at the
fight of fuch a Change, as he muft always renounce
them in the belief of the thing it felf. But there are
confiderable difficulties before the truth of the Story
will go down with Vs Unbelievers.
For ( i . ) It is a very unlucky thing that never any
fuch Miracle was yet wrought in view of any of thofe
Churches that do profeffedly deny this Doctrine. In
the lecond Council of Nice JcJio y. Therafius the Pre-
fident puts this grave Queftion, What is the caufe that
Miracles are not wrought by any of our Images ? and
^as gravely anfwers it himfelf, Becanfe Miracles are not
given to them that believe ; but to them that believe wot.
xiv k- *s mcked what St. Paul intimates concerning the
' Gift of Tongues , which moft Interpreters apply to
all other Miracles. We are the Perfons to whom this
Ocular Demonftration fhould be made j and becaufe
it hath not yet upon any Occafion or Challenge
whatever, been made amongft us, we may reafbnably
queftion the truth of this, or anyotlter Story of this
kind which they tell amongft themfelves.
Befides ( 2. ) this Story was writ by Paulas Diaco*-
cus about two hundred years after the Death of this
Gregory y and in an Age as Fabulous as any hath yet
been.
I add, laftly, That the very Do&rine of Tranfub-
ftantiation had hardly got the leaft . footftep in the
Church
The (jlory of SMiracks. %jj
Church in the days of St. Gregory ; it cannot be pick'd
out of any of his Writings , no not in that paffage
which Mr. Sclater hath quoted from him *, which, I * r^fen ^ ve"
prefume, is the beft that his Friend BelUrmine could terum* 9'
direct him to , and which hath nothing further in
it, than a pretty high Flight which feveral of the
Fathers would take when they mention the Holy Sa-
crament, and what may be well enough defended by
thofe that reje£fc Tranfubftantiation to the uttermoft.
The Cardinal gives us another Miracle from Pa-
fcbafiits. de Corpore Dom. c. 14. which our late lear- 1| confenf. ve-
ned Reafoner is very fond of too || . " The Story terum.?. 97.
U is of a certain Godly Prieft, that was in great di-
" ftrefs to fee with his bodily Eyes the Shape of
" him, whom he certainly believ a actually prefent
" under the Species of Bread and Wine* At length
" he obtain'd what he fb long defir'd, and beheld
" the Body of Chrift in Human Shape, but in the
" Figure of a Child, which he had alio moft vehe-
ll mently defired.
Now as to this, befide the Authority of the Book
out of which this is taken, let us confider to what
purpofe this Miracle was wrought, or the Story of
it told in this place. The Cardinal is upon the
Proof of Chrift's Bodily Prefence in the Sacrament,
and this Bodily Pre feme is fo receiv'd by thofe of the Ro±
mm Communion,that they believe that very Body,which
was flain upon the Crofs, was buried, was rais'd again,
and wenr up into Heaven, that that very mtmericalBody
is fubftwtially and intirely under the Species of Bread and
Wine, the Subftance of which is perfectly vanifh'd. Let
me
Iji 7 he Eleventh Note of the Church,
me therefore ask Mr. Sclater of Putney, becaufe his
Friend the Cardinal cannot -now anfwer for himlelf ;
Did our BlefTed Saviour die an Infant, and rife again an
Infant, and does he now fit at the Right Hand of
God in the Figure of a Child, or in his Infant-
ftate ? If not (and I hope he will fay it is biaf-
phemcus to think fo) how then did this Godly
Prefbyter fee the Body of Chrift, as he fuppofed it
tranfubftantiated under the Species of Bread and
Wine? The Subftance of the Bread* and Wine was
gone into that Body that had been crucified. What !
was there Tranfubftantiation upon Tranfubftantiati-
on, and the proper Body of our Saviour gone into
the Subftance of a Child's Body ? It may be this
made him in love with thofe Liturgies he quotes, f
+ Confenf. Ve- wherein the Priefi is blejfing God for vouch fafing by
3 ' him to change the immaculate Body of Chrijl and his
precious Blood, &re. To change it into what ? per-
haps from that of a grown Man, to that of a Child
or Infant. Well, but the • Cardinal is fomething
more wary in the Story than the venturefbm Gen-
tleman of Putney. For he tells us the Priefi had
defird to fee him in this Shape. If fo, and if he was
thus far indulged, what kind of Argument is this
for Tranfubftantiation ? What Conviction is this,
that the very felf-fame Body that hung upon the
Crols, and is at the right Hand of God, is brought
down under the Species of Bread and Wine ? But
the Author adds in Bellarmin, That it pleafeth God
to work Miracles upon a twofold account ; [onetimes
* Eellarm. At to confirm the doubting , and fometimes for the Confo-
ubffoprf ^ I***0* °f tkofe that fervently love him *. This we
are to fuppofe then was not to confirm the Godly
Priefi
77;? Qloryof J/Miracles, ryy
Prie/l in his Faith , lie needed not that , bit to
give" him great Confolation. But what ? Are we
to flippofe fo Godly a Prefbyter as this was, to be
more ravifh'd in the view of his Saviour under
the fhape of a fmiling, playing Babe , than in that
very Form wherein he finifh'd the great work of
our Salvation upon the Oofs , and wherein he is
now triumphing Above, in the Accomplifhment of
what he undertook ? Let him believe it that can
make the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation the Reafon
of his Conversion from the Church of England to
that of Rome , and can ftrengthen his Faith in itfConfenfus
more firmly from fome Rabbinical Prophecies, and fuch Veter- P- 2 r>
a Story as this is 1-. Sr^*
I would have examined a Third Story of St. An-
thony of Padua , but I find this done lb learnedly
and fo effectually to my Hands by a molf. ingenious
Pen (a), that I had rather refer the Reader thither, (ajReftffions
than needlefly fwell the bulk of this Note. Qon(\-0'lthlKm'Dl'
dering therefore how little likelihood of Truth there %™&}26*
is in many Stories of this kind ; or where, (as to
matter of Facl: ) fome of them may have been pqffi-
bly true , yet how reafbnably they may be account-
ed the Tricks and Impoftures of Evil Spirits ; I can-
not but clofe this Head with an ExprefTion of St.
Auftin to the Donatijis upon the fame Pretenfions
they had to Miracles , Remove ntur ifta vel Omenta * A«gnft. di
j 1 , r it • r • • Vnttati Bctkf.
mendacmm hominum , vet portent a fattacmm Jptrttuum. c. 16.
Away with thefe , either Fiffions • of Lying Men , or
IHuJions of deceiving Spirits. For certainly, they are
neither the Note , nor can be the Glory of any true
Church. And therefore,
III. Laftly ;
% So The Eleventh Note of the Qhurch,
III. Laftly ; We of the Reformed Religion ,
as we do not pretend to the working of Miracles in
our Age , fo if we did , we could pretend to prove
nothing by them but what hath been already fuffi-
ciently prov'd by the Miracles of Chrift and his A-
poftles.
We molt humbly and thankfully adore the great
Condefcentions of Divine Grace , that hath been
pleas'd in his firfl planting of Chriftianity, fb fully
and fo unqttefiionably to confirm all the neceffary
Articles of our Belief , with fuch fining and
convincing Miracles. The Report of thefe Miracles
we mofl: firmly believe : We do without the leaft
haefitancy own the Almighty Power of God in them,
and entirely embrace all that Faith which they
were defign'd to confirm and effablifh. We know
of no other Doctrines that we have any Obligation
to receive, than what are deliver'd to us in the
Holy Scriptures, and fo effectually feal'd to us. We
have nothing new to put off or back with the pre-
tence of Miracles , but are always ready to reject
both the Doctrines when they are propos'd, and
the Miracles when they are offer'd in Defence of
them. We have no need to follow cunningly devis*d
Fables , fince we have a more fure Word of Prophecy,
to which , by God's Grace , we will take heed. And
therefore all Miracles at this time of the Day are
fuperfluous to us: for if the Doctrine be not pro-
pos'd to us before-hand in the written Word , ten
thoufand Miracles could not warrant it ; if it be
to be found there, they may fave the trouble of a
Mi-
The tyory of Miracles'. 1 8 1
Miracle , becaufe that Word of God hath been fuf-
ficiently confirmed in that Way already. This Word
of God is the fure Rule of our Faith , the great
Character of our Hopes , and if the hearty Belief
of this , and humble Conformity of Life to it ,
will not fecure us at laft, we are contented to
lofe all the Rewards which this Gojpel hath made
us to expect.
And therefore, fince Matters ftand thus with
us , the Cardinal fhew'd himfelf either a very per-
verfe Difputer, or was dropt afleep when he makes
Luther in vain attempting to reftore a drcwn'd
Man to Life ; or when he tells a much lewder
Story of Calvin out of Bolfec. " He reprefents him Bellarm. dt
u as hiring a poor Man to feign himfelf Dead, that »** Sccllf-
" fo he might have the Reputation of an Holy and ' lv' c' I4'
*' Glorious Prophet of God. The poor Man takes the
" Hire , feigns himfelf dead. Calvin comes to him,
" prays over him , and then takes him by the
" Hand , commands him once and again , in the
" face of a great AfTembly , in the Name of God
H to rife ; but the poor Wretch was beyond the
u reach of his Voice , for he was dead indeed ,
" and all this Pageantry of his, by the fevere Judg-
" ment of God , turned into fad earneft. This
he tells , and much more at length , with moft
particular Circumftances ; and yet, in the very
next Paragraph but one after this
Story * the Cardinal himfelf quotes **«?*• fjf- *efpond«
Calvin and others ot trie Keiormati- Nos inpiam eis facere, qudd ab
On, pleading in Defence of them- eis Miracula exigimus, cum ipfi
f^ltrp-c TUat thfiir Adver Caries do not DoArinam antiquam, & innamcris
lelves, Xhat their jtaverj aries ao not MlracuIis ab Apoftolis & Manyriba
deal fairly with them , to call for confirmatam prsdicenc.
Miracles from them , when they pub-
Pp Ufb
181 *Iht Eleventh Note of the Church,
lijh no other than the JNC I ENT Doctrine, ton*
-firmed by innumerable Miracles of old hy the Apoftles
and Martyrs. What I Do they openly declare that
they neither pretend to Miracles , nor need them
in Confirmation of that Do&rine which they preach,
becaufe fo Ancient and fo well confirm'd already,
by innumerable Miracles wrought by Apoftles and
Martyrs themfelves , and yet fhall it be threapt
upon them that they betake themfelves to fuch lit-
tle Arts of hiring poor Wretches to difTemble their
Death, that thefe may have the Vain-Glory of
raifing them ? Either the Cardinal fhould not have
told this Tale , or he fhould not have reported the
Anfwer which Calvin and others have oifer'd in De-
fence of themfelves.
; To Conclude ; We are To afTur'd of the xvjhole
fum of our Faith, that it is what our BlefTed
Lord and his Apoftles have delivered to us , and
we lb firmly believe the Truth of thofe Miracles
which they wrought to fupport and juftify it , that
we efteem it perfectly needlefs and fuperfluous to
pretend to them now. Nay let me add , that we
cannot but think that our very Contempt of thofe
Miracles which the late fabulous Ages have vended
in the World , confirms us more effectually in the
Belief of thofe which the firft Publifhers of the Go-
ipel wrought. Becaufe, it feems the great Artifice
of that father of Lies , when he faw he could
not at firft either defeat the Power of thofe Mira-
cles by imitating them himfelf, or liipprefs the
notice and conveyance of them to the World, he
would by an after-Game in a more lazy and ftu-
pid Age, advance lome Wonders of his own fra-
ming,
The Glory of Miracles! 28 j
ming, fbme of them very abfurd, and ridiculous,
all of them very remarkable for their Superftition ,
and fb bring the thinking and confidering Man to
fufpecl: , that if thofe Miracles have the fame Foun-
dation, and were carryed on with the fame De-
figns, as thofe by which Chrift and his Apoftles
confirm^ Chriftianity , that then , they may be all
equally fubjetl: to Difpute and Queftion. And it is
well for thofe Countries where thefe Miracles are
moft boafted of, and feemingly believ'd; if they
don't find a very fenfible growth of Atheifra and
Irreligion amongft them.
THE END.
The Reader is requeued to correSi (among fome few others of mere
eajy Obfervation) thefe following Miftakes.
PAg. 250. L. 10. Marg. r. Tnt^xMaittV. P. 2 $ 1. L 19. r. Antoninus. P.2 $5.
1. 30. r. the Change. P. 258. 1. 8. r. Prophecy. P. 260. 1. 4. Marg. r. jgw
v&KuTVf. L. 5. Marg.r. mir. L. 8. Marg. r. JlewoUs. ¥.261. 1. 18.^ r. Jte-
foftorSf P. 252. 1. 2. Marg. r. T£pa-77D/«fX5i^" L. 3. Marg. r. sv;£*e have alfo a more fure Word of Prophecy, to which ye do
well that ye take heedy as unto a Light thatfhineth in a dark
Place^ until the Day dawn, and the Day-Jlar arife in your
Hearts. Where it is evident that St. Peter fpeaks of
that Teftimony which was given to the Chriftian Reli-
gion, by the accomplifhment of Prophecies, fuppofing
it to be fb clear and ftrong a Teftimony, that it would
remove all Doubts, if any remained, concerning the
Divine Authority of the Gofpel.
The Light of Prophecy in the former Senfe, is the
Ifenowledgof future Contingencies communicated to the
Prophets; the Light of Prophecy in the latter Senfe, is
that Teftimony which by the accomplifhment of their
PredicHons, is given to others long after, for the Con-
firmation of their Faith.
Had the Cardinal clearly diftinguifhed between thefe.
two Notions, his Reader might eafily have feen how far
the Light of Prophecy may be faid to be a Mark by
which to know the True Church, viz. fb far as to do
Ham and his Caufe no manner of Service.
For
The Light of Prophecy. i S 7
For in the latter Senfe it may be admitted to be fuch
a Mark ; inafmuch as the accomplifhment of thofe Pro*
phecies, which concerned Chrift, fhew'd that Jefus
was He, and that his Doctrine was of God. But then
this Light of Prophecy comes no other way to be a Mark
of the True Church, than as 'tis an Argument, or if you
will call it fb, a Mark of that Doctrine, the Profeffion
whereof makes the Church. So that when we have
made the beft we can of this Note, the Church is ftill
to be known by the Religion it profefTeth, tho that Re-
ligion is known to be Divine, as by other Arguments
and Teftimonies, fo alfo by the accomplifhment of Pro-
phecies.
And yet even here we muft be fomething cautious in
laying down the fulfilling of Predictions, as an Argu*
ment to prove the Truth of Chriftianity. For there
are fbme Prophecies both in the Old and New Tefta-
ment, that in part have been, and will in time be fully
accomplifhed by fuch Perfbns whole Doctrine we are
by no means to follow. For Antichrift was foretold as
well as Chrift; and when he comes and fulfils all that has
been laid concerning him fo long before ; the accom-
plifhment of thofe Predictions is a Mark upon him, not
that we fhould receive, but that we fhould reject him
and his Doctrine. So that 'tis not barely the fulfilling of
Prophecies, but of fuch Prophecies only as defcribed
the Characters of that Perfon whom we were bound to
hearken to and to obey in all Things, that is an Argu-
ment of True Doctrine. And in this Senfe we are not
unwilling, to admit the Light of Prophecy to be a Mark of
the True Church, tho it be a very improper way of
fpeaking: Since the Doctrine it felf which is demon-
ftrated to be a Divine Doctrine comes to be the proper
Note of the Church ; and the Light of Prophecy is left to
Q^cj 2 be
3 88 Tk T«*# 2fye of the (lurch,
be one of thofe Arguments by which the Do&rine is de-
monftrated to be Divine. But this way of marking for
the Church, is very uncomfortable to the Cardinal's
Friends, becaufe it will force them toacknowledg that
'tis not the Church that makes the Religion, but the
Religion that makes the Church.
He therefore finding no advantage to his Caufe by
this Notion of Prophetick Light ; wholly infifts upon
the former, and makes the Gift of foretelling things to
come to be one Note of the Church \ and doubts not but
to (hew it in his own, and will not allow it to be in any
other.
So that thefe two Things muft come under Exami-
nation.
I. Whether it be a Note of the Church?
II. If it be, Whether he has lufficiently proved that
they of the Roman Church have it, and no others.
1. Whether it be a Note of the True Church ?
The Cardinal offers to prove that it is, by three Ar-
guments huddled up together, which being diftinguifh-
cd, are thefe.
i . That as Chrift promifed the Gift of Miracles, fo
lie alfb promifed the Gift of Prophecy to the Church.
2. That none knows Future Contingencies but God
only.
3. That it is a certain Note of Falfe DotTrine, if a
Prophet foretells any thing,and it does not come to pafs.
Let us now fee what all this will amount to.
1 . Chrijl promifed the Gift of Prophecy to the Church
no lefs than the Gift of Miracles. To which it might
be fumcient to lay, that as Miracles, not with {landing
fuch a Promife,are no Note of the Church j fb neither is
Pro-
7he Light of Prophecy. 2 g p
Prophecy fiich a Note, meerly becaule it was alfb promi-
fed. And there is the lame Reafbn for the one as there
is for the other, for neither the one nor the other was
promifed to laft always in the Church. And we have
been told fufficiently that the Notes of the Church, ac-
cording to Bellarmin himfelf, muft be Characters that
are inleparable from it. Now the place by him produ-
ced, is lb far from proving that the Gift of Prophecy
Ihould flourifh in every Age, that there arc pregnant
Intimations in it of the contrary. He refers us to the
Predi&ionof Joel applied by St. Peter to the Church. Joel ii. is.
And becaule he refers us to it, thither we will go, and Aftsii' l5,
not as he does, take Things for granted which ought
to be dilcourled, but bring forth the Text and lee what
Argument it will afford . The Apoftles, as the Chapter
Ihews, [pake with Tongues to the amazement of all the
Strangers that heard them : But the Unbelieving Jews
mocked, and laid they were Drunk. Upon which Peter
lightly palling by that abfurd Reproach, told them that
this was that which wasfpoken by the Prophet Joel. And it
{hall come topafs in the lajl Days, faith God, I will pour out
of my Spirit upon all Flep, and, your Sons and your Daugh-
ters /hall Prophefy, and your young Men {hall fee Vifwns,
and your old Men , he. And again, I will pour out in
thofe Days of my Spirit, and they {hall Prophefy. Now
tho Prophecy in the Uriel Senfe lignifies foretelling
Things to come, yet it is here put for Supernatural
Gifts in General, and particularly for fpeaking Divine
Things by Infpiration,, and likewile for Ipeaking with
new Tongues ; which is undeniably evident from hence
that the Apoftle's Ipeaking of the wonderful Things of
God in Tongues they had never learn'd, was by St.Peter
affirm'd to be foretold in this Prediction of Joel. So that
the Cardinal ought to have been, very much afraid to-
make
2^0 the Twelfth Note of the Church,
make what was promifed in Joel a Note of the Church;
for by this means he has made it unavoidably neceflary
fer thole of his Communion, the Young Men, and the
Old Men, &c. to fpeak with Tongues by Infpiration ;
which is in effect to unchurch his own Party. And
therefore I imagin his Followers will not follow him
in this, nor advance the Promife in Joel'mto a Note of
the Church, but will rather fay, that the fulfilling of it
in the firft Age of the Church was a Teftimony to the
Truth of Chriftianity ; and that the Prediction of Joel
was accomplifhed, tho the fame extraordinary Gifts
were not continued in every Age afterward.
2. He fays, That none knows Future Contingencies but
God only ; which if it fhould prove that a Church is
there, where the Gift of Prophecy is, yet it does not
prove that there is no Church where that Gift is not,
unlefs it be an infeparable Mark of the Church to have
all thofe future Events made known to one or other in
it, which God only knows. Our Saviour laid, of
that Day and Hour, when Himfelf fhould come to judg
the World, no Man knoweth, but the Father only. Does
it therefore follow that God rauft have revealed it to
one or other in the Church? If becaufe God only
knows Future Contingencies, it follows, that the
Church muft know them too by Revelation from him ;
then it follows alfo that the Church muft know all
things that are to happen hereafter, becaufe it is
God only that can communicate fitch Knowledg.' If
he meant that thofe who have any degree of it muft
neceffarily belong to the Church , becaufe God only
can give* it ; neither is this true, as I fhall prefently
fhew : Nor, if it were, could the Gift of foretelling
fome Things be for this Reafbn a Note of the Church,
unlefs alfo the want of this Gift fhould be a demon-
ftration
The Light of Trophecy. xoi
flration againft any Communion, that it is not a True
Church, which I am fiire can never be proved from
hence that none but God can beftow it.
$. He adds that in Deut. 18. it is laid down for
4 Note of Falfe Doctrine, If a Prophet foretells any thing,
and it does not come to pafs. Now,
Firft, This Argument is very impertinent, unlefs as
lying Prophecy is laid to be a Note of Falfe DoQrine,
to Falfe. Do&rine be alfo fuppofed a Note of a Falfe
Church ; which is a very dangerous Suppofition to a
Church> that had rather be tried by any other Note
than that of the Truth of her Doctrine : for it feems
if we can clearly prove by any Good Argument, that
file profefFeth Falfe Doclxine, it follows without more
to do, that fhe is no True Church. But,
Secondly, It is not faid in the place cited by the Car-
dinal, that Falfe Prophecy is a Note of Falfe Doctrine ;
but that 'tis a Note, or rather an Argument, that the
Prophet had no Commiflionfrom God to fay that fuch an
Event fhould come to pafs. Nor does it follow from
hence that the Falfe Prophet mutt needs be a Heretick,
unlefs it be impoffible for a Catholickov an Orthodox Pro-
feflbr to tell a Lye, which I think no Man will be fb
hardy as to fay.
Thirdly, Much lefs is it faid that a Prophet's fore-
telling rightly a future contingent Event is a Note of
True Doctrine, which had been neceffary to make True
Prophecy a Note of the True Church. Nay, on the
other Hand,there is exprefs Caution given not long be-
fore againft being feduced into Idolatry by true Predicti-
ons. Jf there arife among you a Prophet, or a Dreamer of
Dreams, and giveth thee a Sign or a Wonder ; and the
Sign or the Wonder comes to pafs whereof he fpake unto
thet, faying, Let u$ go after other Gods — Thoujbalt not ^cut' *** '»
hearken
x o i The Twelfth Note of the Churchy
hearken unto the Words of that Prophet — For the Lord
your Godproveth you, &c.
Which fhews the Confidence of the Cardinal in pro-
nouncing fo peremptorily, that there have been no true
Predictions -'amongst Heathens and Hereticksy unlefs perhaps
for a Teftimony to our Faith. For this Warning plainly
Tuppofed that fuch Predictions there would be, not to
confirm Believers in the Truths but to prove their Conftan-
cy under a Temptation to Error. They muff indeed be
. Falfe Prophets ,as that fignifies Falfe Teachers, who fhould
endeavour to gain Authority to Impious Doctrines and
to Idolatrous Practices, by appealing to the Truth of
their own Predictions : But yet they were to be True
Prophets in refpect of the Events which they would
foretell. And therefore to pretend that Heathens and
Hereticks never foretold any Contingency which came
topafs, but when Providence defigneda farther Tefii-
mony to confirm us in the Faith, is, to fpeak gently, a
wretched Miftake : And there is no more Difficulty in
this Point, than whether we are to believe God or Bel-
larmin.
But if there had been no true Prophecies amongft
Heathens, befides thofe which were defigned for a Te-
ftimony to the Chrijlian Faith ; yet even thefe are a
manifeft Argument that the Gift of Prophecy is no cer-
tain Note of the Church, nay they prove it more evi-
dently than any other Prophecies could do ; becaufe
thofe Predictions furely have the moft unqueftionable
Truth which were made for a Tefiimony to True Do-
ctrine. Of which kind that there had been feveral a-
mongft the Gentiles, feems very probable from thofe
Remains thereof which we meet with in Virgil and
Eciog. 4. Tacitus. Not to infift upon that famous Acroflic of Sy-
De Divin. 2. ^ Erythraa in Laclantius and Eufeb'wt, which it is cer-
tain
KX.lv-
The Light of Prophecy. 2 6 j
tain that Cicero had feen ; nor what Juftin Martyr, and Apol. 2,
Clemens Alexandrines fay of the Books G?Hyftafpe$ ; I ~UQm- l €*
fhall only note what St. Aitftin fays of this Matter, viz. oj' t!'
That C/>r//? nw not foretold in Ifrael only, but in other Pe civit. Dei
Nations alfo ; And that Predictions concerning Chrifl may **' l8,c° 47'
be met with in the Books of thofe who are Strangers to
Ifrael, and that it is not incongruous to believe that this
My fiery was revealed to Men of other Nations. Which
Things y faith he, may be mentioned as Advantages on our
fide over and above what is necejfary. Now will any Man
fay that thefe Predictions did lefs fhew a Prophetic
Light amongft the Gentiles, became they were true ?
With what Conference therefore could Bellarmin fhuffle
off thofe famous Predictions of Balaam a Heathen Sooth- Numb.
fayer, concerning Chrift, (to which he adds thofe of the 15, ^
Sybills) by faying that they were a Teftimony to our
Faith ? As if the Argument were not fb much the
ftronger, that the Gift of True Prophecy is not confined
within the Communion of the Church. Surely he
could not be ignorant that the Old Teftament it felf is
called the Word of Prophecy, and that the main Predi- 2 Pet. i. i4 We Twelfth Note of the Qhurch,
of Prophecy neither be always in the Church, nor never
amongft thofe that are out of it.
But when he tells us, That Hereticks are deceived as of-
ten as they would foretell any thing, and that this appears
from the Falfe Prophets in the Old Tefiament ', it is a piti-
ful thing that fuch a Man fhould think it enough to
prove a Conclufion fo general by a particular Iriftance.
He refers us to i Kjngs 22. where we find that Ahab\
Prophets fpake by a Lying Spirit. But does this prove
that Hereticks never prophecy truly ? There were fome
Falfe Prophets amongft the Ten Tribes upon their Re-
volt, therefore there never were any True Ones. >How
came it then to pafs that there were fb many of tne
1 King.xvm.4. Lorcj5s pr0pnets amongft them, that at one time Obadiah
hid an hundred of them ? There were fbme Falfe Pro-
phets amongft the Jews ', were all the Jewijh Prophets
therefore deceived, when they pretended to foretell any
thing ? We find that God charged the Prophets ofHieru-
falem, no lefs than thofe of 'Samaria, with Impofture ;
T . x\ "" with running before they were fent, and prophefying when
i^zi'^H &c. God I/ad not fpoken to them, and with prophefying Lyes in
his Name, and a great deal more to this purpofe.
Therefore, by the Cardinal's Logick, it appears by the
Falfe Prophets in the Old Tefiament, that Catholicks are
deceived as often as they would foretell any thing.
To conclude this Matter, fince the Cardinal feemed
to take a particular delight in proving his Notes of the
Church out of die Old Teftament ; I fhall leave this one
Argument out of the Old Teftament, againft his prefent
Note of Prophet ick Light. To make it a Note of the
Church it is neceffary that there fhould have been no
True Prophecy but in the Church, which is notorioufly
Falfe, becaufe Balaam who was but a Heathen Diviner,
prophe-
Ihe Light of (Prophecy. 205
prophefied truly of Chrifi. It is neceiTary alfo that this
Gift ftiould always have continued in the Church
which is alike Falfe ; becaufe there was no Prophet a-
mongft the Jews between Malachi, and Zjchary the Fa-
ther of John the Baptift, that is for about 400 Years"*
together.
And thus much concerning the firft Inquiry, Whether
Prophetick Light be a Note of the Church. I come now
to the Second.
II. If it be fuch a Note, Whether the Cardinal hath
fufficiently proved that they of the Roman Church have it*
and no others ?
He pretends to prove that there have been Prophets in
the Catholick Church^wtiioh. no Body denies. But you mull
know that the Catholick Church is a Term of Art, which
thefe Matters to the Abufe of Names and Words, as
well as of Things and Perfbns, are refolved fhall fignify
the Roman Church, Weil ; let the Roman Church be
their Catholick Church ; with us 'tis but the Roman :
And now that we underftand one another, How does
he prove that there have been Prophets amongrt them ?
Why, he produces the Prophets of the Old Teftament,
and thofe that prophefied for 500 Years after Chrift ',
Agabm for Inftance, who is mentioned in the Jcfs, chap.
11, &c. Now by this I perceive that it was warily
done of the Cardinal, and not in courle to call his
Church the Catholick Church \ for if he had produced the
Prophets of the Old Teftament, and Agabtis with the
Prophets of the New, to prove that the Roman Church
has had Prophets, ithadlook'd fbfimply, that the Car-
dinal himfelf could not have born it. But this is one of
their old Fetches, that when they would get any Credit
R r 2 by
% 9 6 The Twelfth Note of the Qhurch,
by the Prophets and the Apoftles, they call themfelves-
the Catholick Church ', and then becaufe the Prophets and
Apoftles belonged to the Catholick Church, they muft
belong to them, and to no Chriftians of any Communi-
on but theirs. But how I pray comes it to pafs that we
have lefs Intereft in the Prophets, the Apoftles, and the
Primitive Chriftians, than tl e Roman Church has, nay
that we have none, and they have all? One thing I am
lure of that if our Doctrines and theirs be feverally com-
pared with the Writings of thofe Renowned Antients,
it will not be hard to fay who are their Children, they
or we and that they are our PredecelTors and Parents,
and not theirs in all thofe Points wherein we differ from
them. And therefore fince 'tis in behalf of thofe parti-
culars wherein we have left the Church of Rome, that
the Prophetic Light of the Old and New Teftament is
produced as an Argument that the Roman Church has
had Prophets; we have lome reafbn to think that the
Cardinalby producing the Prophets of both Teftaments
in this Caufe, has given us a terrible Weapon againft
himfelf, and by their Profhetick Light difcovered, that
if the Roman Church and ours, cannot be parts of the
fame Church, then we who have the Prophets and A-
poftles with us in the Dodrine we maintain, are a True
Church exclufively to them, and not they to us.
In the next place we are told of Gregory Thaumaturgmy
and Anthony, and John the Anchoret, whole Predicti-
ons are related by St. Bajil% Athanafius and Aufiin. Now
Gregory was Bifhop of C&farea, Anthony an Mgypian
Monk, and John an Anchoret ina certain Wildernefs of
jEgypt. But how all this proves that there have been
Prophets in the Roman Church, is never to be made out
other wife than by fuppofing the Greek and the Egyptian
Churches to fignify the Roman Church, by the lame
Figure
The Light of Prophecy, in?
Figure that the Catholick Church, and that of Rome are
all one.
The exprefs Testimonies he brings are concerning
St. Benedict, St. Bernard, and St. Francis. St. Benedict
told Totila that hefbould reign nine Years, and dye the
Tenth, which as Gregory faith happened accordingly.
St. Bernard foretold the Converfion of four unlikely Per-
fbns : And which was very admirable, as Bellarmin af-
firms, when he was defired to pray for the Converfion
of a certain Nobleman ; fear not, fays he, / /ball bury
him a perfect Monk in this very place of Clar avail. Upon
which the Cardinal cries out, How many Prophecies are
there in this one Sentence ? For that he fhould one Day be a
Monk, and perf even therein to the Death, and end his
Days in a holy fort, and that before St. Bernards Deaths
and this in Claravall, and that he fhould be buried by
St. Bernard'* own Hands ; are fix diftincl Prophecies j and
all of them not without God's fingular Providence fulfilled.
As for St. Francis, He admonifhed the Generals of the
Chriftian Army, not to fight upon fuch a Day with the
Saracens, for God had revealed to him that upon that Day
they would be beaten. But they contemning the Admoni-
tion of Bleffed Francis, fought, and were overthrown
with a miferable Slaughter. And many more things of
the fame kind, the Cardinal affures us, might be added.
And if he had none of a better kind than thefe,he ought
to have produced his many more, and at leaf! given us
Number for Weight.
Now tho I could very willingly give him all his
three Stories, yet I am loth to be thought fb filly, as to
take every thing of this kind for Gofpel, which we are
told by Bonaventure, that wrote the Life of St. Francis,
or by Gofrid that wrote that part of St. Bernard's Life,
where the Cardinal finds him a Prophet, no nor by
Gregory
2 o S The 7^'/^ Note of the Church,
Gregory himfelf, in the fecond Book of his Dialogues,
concerning the Life and Miracles of Benedict the Abbot.
The Story of the Blackbird that went off with the Sign
Dial. lib. 2. o£. tjie Crofs? anci that other of the little Black-Boy in-
C**': vifible to all till Benedict ikw him, that drew away the.
idle Monk from, his Prayers; with many more fuch
rank Fables as thefe are, do plainly fhew that Pope
Gregory had Credulity enough to have lived in the Age
of Go fr id, or in that which next followed of Bonaventure,
who is never to be forgotten for his Devotion to the
Virgin.
But allowing thefe Stories to be well attefted, let us
fee how the Cardinal proves by them that the Church
of Rome has the Gift of Prophecy. Why he tells us
that thefe Monafticks were addicted to the Pope. Now
how much Benedict was addicted to the Pope is not worth
Enquiry ; fince his Prophetick Gift will do the Church
of Rome no Service now that fhe is fo vaftly altered
from what Hie was in Pope Gregorys Days, who wrote
vindication ofthe Abbot's Life,as has lately been proved beyond pofli-
Anfiver to form bility of Confutation. As for St. Bernard ,hQ was certain-
un papm. p. ly v^y far from being addi&eci t0 the Pope) ^ho be-
De confider. fldes his fharp Reproofs of Eugenius, told him in plain
ad Eugen. 1. 3. -permS) that he was not a Lord ofthe Bijhops, but one of
them. So that if hisProphefies too muff, go for the Credit
of that Communion that agrees moil with him in Do-
ctrine, we fhall put hard to get the Prophet on our fide,
by fhewing that there was good reafbn to put him into
the Catalogm Teftium Veritatis. But for St. Francis' we
are very willing to let the Church of Rome take him,
and his Prophecy, and to make the Deft of it they can.
It is fo very trifling a Bufinefe ; that the Cardinal's ma-
king ufe of fuch Stories to fupport fo magnificent a Pre-
tence, as that of 'Prophetick Light in his Church, plainly
fhews
The Light of Prophecy. 2 0p
/Lews that either he was, or ought at leaft to have been
troubled that he had no better.
He ihould have remembred the juft Exceptions he
brought againft the Heathen Oracles ; and 'fince he ap-
pealed to the Old Teftament for this his Note of the
Church, he had done well to confider the vaft difference
between the Predictions of the Prophets there on the
one fide, and not only between thofe Oracles, but thefe
his petty Predi&ions alfb on the other. And then cer-
tainly he would have been afhamed of thefe Proofs of
a Gift of Prophecy amongft thofe of his own Party which
he brings when he would apply this Note to his
Church.
I grant that the Predictions of the Holy Scriptures are
not all of a fize, and tho all the Prophets fpake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghoft, yet fbme of their Pre-
dictions had incomparably more clear and unqueftiona-
ble Characters of Divinity upon them than others had.
And thofe were the Predictions defigned to give Tefti-
mony to our Faith, of which kind thofe of the Old Te-
ftament made it to be the Word of Prophecy. For there
we find that divers matters of Fa£r. were foretold many
Ages, and fbme of them thoufands of Years before the
Event : that the time when fuch and fuch things fhould
happen is defcribed by the Fall of Empires, no! then be-
gun when the Prophet fpake, nor to begin for fbme hun-
dreds of Years after ; that fuch Circumflances were at
Jo vaft a diftance of time foretold, that it was impofTible
for any created Underftanding fo much as to guefs at
them fb long before they came to pafs ; in a word that
the feveral Things which the Prophets at fundry times
foretold concerning Chrift, mzt'mjefus, and confpired
in bearing witnefs to him ; the Evidence of that Tefti-
mony being unanfwerable when all things were laid to-
gether :
j oo The Twelfth Note of the Church,
getlier : For this was the method our Saviour took to
confirm his two doubting Difciples, He began at Mofes
and ALL the Prophets, and expounded to them in ALL
Lukexxiv.27. tjje Scriptures, the things concerning himfe If.
Not that there were no illuftrious Predictions before
Chrifi but fuch as were to be fulfilled in him ; . for many
there were that received their Accomplifhment before :
Such as that of the Birth of Jofias by Name, three hun-
2j[|Jj|Sxxm?'dred Tears before he was born, and his burning upon
1 6. the Altar at Bethel the Priefts Bones that had offered
1ia.xiiv.28. incenfe there. And that of reftoring the Jews by
Ezra!'. 1. Cyrus the Perfian, tho neither he nor the Perfian Empire
was yet in being, no nor the Captivity begun from
which he was to releafe them. The fulfilling of fuch
Predictions as thefe, was a fort of Teflimony to the
Truth of the Prophecies concerning Chrift, till the time
came when the anfwerablenefs of the Event fhould
above all things fhew that they alfb were Divine.
If a Man would make the Gift of Prophecy a Note
of the Church, and then apply it to his own, one
would expect that he rhould bring forth fome fuch Pre-
dictions as thofe of the Scriptures which are beyond all
Exception Divine, for the carrying on of his pur-
pofe. But inftead of that, to bring two or three thin
Stories, one of which is a Prediction of an Event that
was to happen the fame Day, is to expofe a Man's
Caufe to the contempt of a Heathen if he were here,
who could out of good Authorities produce more nota-
ble Predictions of Sooth-fayers, Augurs, and Pagan
Priefts, that came to pais. 'Tis a fhame to fee what
pains the Cardinal took to fplit St. Bernard's Prediction
concerning the Nobleman's turning Monk, into fix fe-
veral Prophecies , after honeft Gofrid could find but two
there. If this were a place to make Sport, it would
be
The Light of Tropbecyl 301
be no unpleafant work to be a little levere in calling up
the Account again. But certainly if a Heathen were
to read this Twelfth Note of the Cardinal, and there
find the Gift of Prophecy made a mark of the Society
that is united by True Religion, as he would guefs
the Church means, he would be apt to think that Chri-
ftians could produce no better Prophecies than thefe of
Bellarmins collecting, to prove there has been a Prophe-
tick Light in the Church ; which if it were true of the
Catholick Church in all Ages, would be no little dis-
paragement to it ; and being true of the Roman Church,
is no left a difparagement to that, if the Gift of Pro-
phecy be a Note: For if the Cardinal had better, why
did he not produce them ?
I do not by any means deny that fbme Predictions
may be truly Divine, which yet are far from having the
unqueftionable Characters of Divinity upon them.
One Man may by his skill in thofe Affairs forefee the
lofs of a Battel which no Man but himfelf compre-
hends the reafbn of. Another may boldly and at all ad-
venture foretell it without reafbn, and pretend a Reve-
lation for it. And yet Micaiah in the cafe of Ahab
foretold fuch a thing by Divine Revelation. But
then they are not fuch Predictions as thefe, that will of
themlelves ferve a Man's turn to prove the Gift of Pro-
phecy to be in his Communion. In conjunction with
others that are unqueftionably Divine, they may be
brought into the Argument, but not alone ; becaufe it
is fo very difficult to diftinguifh them from Predictions
tha<- are not Divine, when they are abftracted from
other Confiderations.
Sf I
3 oi The Twelfth Note of the Church,
I am alfb as willing to grant that fince the un-
questionably Divine Predictions of the Old and New
Teftament, when God poured out the Spirit of Pro-
phecy upon his Servants , there have been now and
then in the Church fome fprinklings of it, and that
feveral Perfbns have foretold Things by Divine Re-
velation, which had no Evidence of it comparable
to what the great ftrokes of Scripture-Prophecy have.
Such a Prediction I would allow that of Benedict to
be which the Cardinal cites , if one had good rea-
fbn to believe it. And I would not much quarrel
with that which Gofrid tells of St. Bernard, though
I have .no great Opinion of it. But for St. fyancis
I defire to be wholly excufed. Which I do not fay
as if there were any danger of granting that there
has been fomething of this lower degree of Prophe-
cy amongft fome in the Roman Communion : for
if Propbetick Light were a Note of the Church, 'tis
not the foretelling of a few Events that happen not
long after the Prediction, which will amount to it,
tho there may be more reafon, upon the account of
the Holinefs of the Perfon, or fome fuch other Con-
sideration, to afcribe it to a Divine Revela'tion, than
to any other Caufe. As there are fome Divine Mi-
racles that have the Finger of God, while others are
hard to be diftinguifhed from Delufions and Lying
Wonders ; So fome Divine Predictions there are which
have the Characters of God's Omnifcience upon them,
while others are capable of being refblved into other
Caules : But he muft be at a great lofs for Church-
Marks, that would mark his Church by Prophetick
Light without the former.
As
Ihe Light of Prophecy. l°l
As for the latter, I have faid once already, and I
fay it again, that they may, nay I am apt to think
that they have had fbme fiich in the Roman Com-
munion. But the Cardinal is very unlucky in his
Inftances, as fbme others of that Church are whom
I have confulted. I cannot fee why fuch a-doe Should
be made about the Predictions of Philtypus Neriiis
the Florentine, that care miift be taken to preferve
the Atteftations of them. When he could not per-
fwade a Jew to pray to Cbrifi for himfelf, he defi-*^1^'
red the Standers-by to pray for him, promifing them
that he would be converted ; which came to pafs, as
we are told, in a few Days. Again, when one of his p
Converts had lent a fum of Mony to a Banker, he ' I0C
made him go and fetch it back before Night, tho
he knew not the Man ; and within a few Days the
Banker broke. Sometimes he foretold that fuch a Sick
Man would dye, and fbmetimes that fuch an one
would recover. Which Predictions are as modeft as
may be; but no other reafbncan be given, I think,
why Nerius muft for fuch Things as thefe pafs for
a Prophet , but that they cannot write the Lives of
their Saints, without ftufnng them as with Miracles,
and Vifions, and Extafies, fb fometimes with Pro-
phecies too, and then they muft be content with
fuch as can be had. The Good Writer of St. Rofts s - f
Life took great pains to make her a Prophetefs notcX8.*
long before her Death : For fhe, forfooth, knew by
Divine Infpiration that a Convent of St. Catherine of
Siena would be built , and this, ten Years before the
Foundation was laid ; fhe had it fhewn fometimes
by Signs and Figures, fometimes in the exad Fafhi-
on and Model, and would talk of it as if fhe had
* Sf2 it
Vita
i 64 ^he iMlfth Note of the Church,
it before her Eyes ; fhe drew it out upon a Paper,
and fhe could tell who would be the firft Abbefs
there, knew her by Bace, and after a fort confe-
crated her by a Kifs, infomuch that fome thought
fhe was mad.
It is as hard to believe that the Spirit of Prophe-
cy fhould be given to a Maid, for no other end as
it fhould feem by this Story, but to get her the
Fame of a Prophetefs, as that the Ludicrous Mira-
cles, that do no manner of Good, are the Marks of
Divine Power.
It may be realbnable to believe that fome meafure
of this Gift is imparted, when not only the Event
anfwers the Prediction, but when the End aimed at
is Great and Good, and of General Uie, as when
God fent Prophets to his People to bring them back
to the Law. I fhould therefore make no Difficulty
to allow that Hteronjmm Savonarola a very Religi-
ous Friar in Florence, was fometimes enlightned
with Prophetick Knowledg, becaufe he did not on-
ly foretell feveral Things that happened , fome in
his Life- time , fome after his Death , and others
that are yet to come to pafs; but his Bufinefs was
plainly this, to awaken Men to Repentance, and
to forewarn the Great Ones themfelves of the Judg-
ments of God hanging over them, if they would
not do their parts to reftore good Difcipline and
good Manners to the Church. Thus, as Philip de
chron.duRoy, Qomminees tells us, he afTured Charles the VIII that
%!v&. 2$' ^e ft1011^ be very profperous in his Voyage into
Italy, and this that he might reform the corrupt
State of the Church, which if he {hould neglect to
do,
Tl?e Light of Prophecy. j o j
do , he fhould return with Difhonour, and God
would referve that Work for another ; and fo it hap-
pened. He was a Man of lingular Vertue and Pi-
ety, and obtain'd the Reputation of a Prophet, not
only with + the greateft part of the People, but f Guicciard.
with fuch Men as Philip de Committees, who knew Hifh lib> iL
him well; and that Noble Earl Jo. Francifcus P/-P'42'
cm, who wrote his Life. To which we may add
that he was ferved as God's Prophets fometimes have
been, being put to Death at the Inftigation of the
Pope. And for what reafbn do we think ? but be-
caufe he prophefied againft the Simony, Whore-
doms, and Prophanenefs that reigned in the Church ;
for which he was accus'd of Preaching fcarudaloufly
againft the Manners of the Clergy and Court of Lib.iii. p.>4«
Rome. In fhort, he was filenced by Pope Alex an-
der the YIth, and at length upon the Pope's Procefs
againft him, he with two of his Companions were
tormented, and all to make him deny that he had
received thofe things from God which he had faid, vita Ssymht.-.
and after horrible Tortures, which he endured with
great Patience, he and they were at once hanged
and burned ; to the everlafting Infamy of fome-body,
and no left to their Confufion, who will needs have
it believed that there have been Prophets in the Ro-
man Communion. ,
Savonarola was put to Death in the Year 1498,
a little before the Reformation. It was about an
150 Years before that, that Joannes de Rape Scijfa,
fuch an other Man as Savonarola , and a Monk ,
prophefied to the fame purpofe that he did after-
him, foretelling feveral Things that happened af-
. terwards
jo6 The Twelfth T^pte of the (lurch,
terwards in the Kingdom of France; but running
out into the Reproof of the Luxury 'and Vices of
the Pope and the Great Church-men, Pope Innocent
Froffard. ja^ i10id on him, and kept him in Prifcn, as Froj-
chron. om.iy^ acquaints us, who relates thefe Things at large.
If there were room for it, I believe lome more In-
stances of this kind might be added, to fhew that
which BelLrmin has aimed at, but failed of doing, 'viz.
That they have had in their Communion fome Per-
fbns who cannot reaibnably be denied to have had
the Revelation of fome Future Events. But let the
Inftance of Savonarola be by no means forgotten,
for 'tis the cleared of any that I ever yet met with
for that purpole, and which is fbmething more, his
Story ftands upon better Authorities by far than that
of Gofridj or that of Benaventure. And thus having
found out Prophets for them, let the Cardinal's Fol-
lowers make the beft on't.
For what remains'; the Cardinal's proof that Luther
had nothing of the Gift of Prophecy is very infuiE-
cient, allowing CochlettSs Story, that Luther laid the
Pope and Cardinals, &c. would all vanifh if himfelf
fhould go on to preach two Years longer. It does by
no means appear that he fpake this with a pretence
to the Spirit of Prophecy, but it is rather evident
that he did not, fince his belief of this Succefs was
grounded upon the Suppofition of his preaching fb
much longer. Nor was it very much to be admired,
if a Man of his fervent Spirit, who had in fb little
time drawn off fuch Multitudes from their dependence
upon the Roman See, fhould promife himfelf in fb
good a Caufe that the Papacy would in a fhort time
be
The Light of Prophecy. j 07
be generally forfaken. The Event indeed was not
anfwerable to his Aflurance, and this fhewed that he
was miftaken in his Opinion ; but there was nothing
of the Falfe Prophet in the Cafe.
Melancton, who may be believed concerning Luther •, vita Lutheri
as well as Bonaventure concerning St. Francis, tells us aMeI-
of feveral Things that Luther foretold ; others fay
the fame for Melancton. The Prediction of JohnHufs,
that an hundred years after, they that burned him
fhould have to do with a Swan that would find them
woik; and the Event proving accordingly, is known
by All. Thefe are Things we think fit to obferve :
kit we are of a Church that does not put us upon
that hard Service, as to make a Note out of them.
For that Church that has the True Notes, does not
need any Falfe Ones.
THE END.
LONDON^
Printed bv 7. D. for Richard Chifarell at the Rofe and Crown in
printed oy j. ^ ^^ church_Yardj , 687<
( J°9 )
The Thirteenth Note of the C h u r c h
EXAMINED,
viz*
The Confejpon of Adversaries.
Decima tenia Nota eft Confejfto AAverfariomm. Bellarm. L. iv.
c. 15. de Notis Ecclefla?.
IMPRIMATUR.
Jftly 18. 1687. Guil. Needham.
TH E Subftance of what the Cardinal contends
for in this Chapter amounts to no more than
this, That the force of Truth is fb great that
the Enemies of it are conftrained to bear witnefs to it.
And whereas Catholicks (by which he means the Chri-
ftians of the Roman Communion ) neither praile nor
approve either the Doctrine, or Life of Heathens or
Hereticks, but affirm them all to err, who follow not
their Doctrine ; yet Pagans and Jews, Turks and Here-
ticks fpeak well of them. This he accounts an Argu-
ment that they are in the right, the Qonfejfion of Ene-
mies being very confiderable in this Cafe. And that
their Enemies do bear this Teftimony, he attempts to
prove by an induction of Particulars from the Writings
* . Tt of
* ! o The Thirteenth Note of the Church,
ofPaoa»s,Jen>s9&c. which (hall be confidered in due
place? For the clearing of this whole matter I fhall
do thefe things:
I. Enquire whether this ConfiJJion of Enemies be in-
deed a Note of the Church, or not.
I I. If that fliould be granted, the next Enquiry-
will be, Whether or not the Particulars produced by
the Cardinal do evince that this Note is peculiar to
the Roman Church exclufively to other Chriftians
that are not of her Communion.
III. I fhall examine the Queftion a little further,
and more especially the Teftimony of the Jews.
I. Enquire whether t\m Confefflon of Enemies be in-
deed a Note of the Church, or not.
If it be no Note, the Cardinal might have fpared the
pains of this Chapter. And that it is none, I make
no doubt to make appear beyond all exception : And
here I appeal to the Cardinal himfelf ; nor fhall I need
any other Argument to prove it to be none than what
I borrow from him. He hath told us what things are
Cap' l' required to conftitute Notes of the Church ; and I am
well content in this matter to be concluded by him.
He tells us, amongft other things, that true Notes are
in fep arable from the true Church. In this we are agreed,
and fhall eafily allow this Qonfeffion of Adverfaries to be
a true Note, if it be infeparable from the true Church.
But if the true Church may be without it, it can be
no true Note of it. For that can never bring me to
the certain knowledge of a thing which may or may
not belong to it, and is fo far from being efTential to it,
that the thing may not only be without it, but muft be
before this can belong to it? and will continue to be
tho
Ihe Qonfefsion of Jdverfarks, j 1 1
tho this fliould not beat all. This is plainly the Cafe :
The Church of Rome muft be the true Church (as the
Cardinal pretends) becaufe Jews, Vtews and Turks ',&c.
bear witnefs to her. But this Coafeilion of her Ad~
verfaries is effential, and an infeparable Mark of this
Church, or it is not. If it be not, ic can ' tip true
Note. And if it be, then the true Chu .: irinot be
without it, and we could not have known it to be a true
Church, if it had not happened that Jews and Pa-
gans, dre. had born their Teftimony to her ; fo that
upon the matter the Ciurch is much beholden to her
Enemies for this Note ; for had not they chanced to
have fpoken well of her, this Note had been quite
loft : and yet 'tis abfiird to fuppofe file could be with-
out a Nvte, which is, according to the Cardinal, fbme-
tfriflg that is infeparable. Certainly the True Church
mult be before fhe had any Enemies, and might have
continued a True Church, if thefe Enemies had not
fpoken well of her at all, and therefore it is very ab-
furd to make this Confeilion of her Adversaries an in-
feparable Note that fhe is a True Church when if fhe
ever were a True Church fhe muft be fb before thefe
Ad verfaries did teftify of her.
There was a Time, in the Infancy of the Chriftian
Church, when the Chur'i^vas everywhere fpoken a- A&t 28>22#
gainft, and when the whole Chriftian Religion was by with OnsquA,
its Adversaries called Here/) : A Time there was before 5> M-
the Adverfaries of th.j Church, Pagans and Here-
ticks, e/rc. had made this Confeffion. The Church at
that time was no true Gh'ufch, or elfe this Confeffion of
Adverfaries is no infeparabie Note of it. ^ Either
there was no true Church in that Primitive Time, or
elfe this Confeflion of Enemies muft be difcharged from
being a Note.
Tt 2 But
j ti The Thirteenth Note of the (lurch,
But this Confeflion is a Note of the Cardinal's ma-
king. Jefa Chrift the Head of the Church, never made
it one. So far was he from making this a Note of the
true Church, that he rather makes it a Sign of the con-
Luk. 6^6. trary. Wo unto you ( fays he ) when all Men fhall (peak
well of yon ; for fo did their Fathers to the falfe Prophets.
Mat. $.n. Our Lord calls them Blejfed (and certainly he (peaks
not of them that were out of the true Church ) that
are reviled and have all manner of Evil laid againft.
Lak.5. 22, 23. them. He pronounceth them Blejfed who are reproached,
and whole Name is cafi out as Evil ; he bids them re-
joyce in that day and be exceeding glad. St. Peter reckons
1 Jpec 4. 14. the Reproaches for the Name of Chrift a Glory and Happi-
nefs. And Simeon foretold of Jelus, that he was (ht
£uk. 2. 34. for a Sign which Jhall be fpoken againft. And we preach
Cor 1.23. Chrift crucified, unto the Jews a Stumbling-block, and un-
to the Greeks Foolifinefs, fays the great Apoftle of the
Gentiles.
So far is this ConfeJJion of Adverfaries from being a Note
of a true Church, as the Cardinal would make it, that
the Reproaches and Scoffs of Enemies is no Reflexion
upon the true Church of Chrift. The worft of Men do
not ufe to treat the beft things well ; and when thefe
bad Men are Enemies they do no Prejudice with wife
. . fck Men by their Invedives and Reproaches. Tertullian
jS^MelH- concludes the Chriftian Religion good, becaufe Nero,
gerc poteft one 0f the worft of Men, bent his Force againft. it.
Stonum The Church will want nothing that is required though
grandeaNe- Jews and Pagans fhould with one Confent perpetually
ronedamna-^ deciaim againft her.
"™L In a word, this Qonfejfion of Adverfaries, of what ufe
foever it may be, can be no Note ; for it is contingent
and arbitrary, and lies at the pleafure of thofe who are
not only out of the Church, but Enemies to it \ and in
the
The Qonftfion of Mverfaries. <> i j
the Infancy of Chriftianity the Church was without
this Note ; and if that be allowed to be a true Church,
this can be no true Note of it.
II. But if it fhould be granted that this is a true
Note, the next Enquiry will be, whether or not the
Particulars produced by the Cardinal do evince that this
Note is peculiar to the Roman Church exclusively to o-
ther Christians that are not of her Communion ?
'Tis certain that by the true Church (the Notes
whereof the Cardinal attempts to give us) he means
only the Church of Rome. And what in the Begin- v. c. vi. &c.
ning of his Book he calls the true Church, he calls after- ix. & c.' xi.
wards our Church, and makes them both one and the
lame: At lift it comes to our Catholick Church with
him.
So that this Note of his which he calls the Confejfion
of 'Enemies, muft belong peculiarly to the Roman Church,
or elfe 'twill do him no Service. For this is a Rule which
the Cardinal hath laid down, that Notes muji be proper C' IL
and not common. For (fays he) if I would defcribe a
certain Man to one who knows him not, I muft not fay
he is one that hath two' Eyes and Hands, &c. becaufe
thefe are common things, and he will never find him
by fuch common Deferiptions as thefe. According to
this Account we may juftly expect that when the Car-
dinal produceth the Confejjion of Adverfaries in behalf
of the Church,he fhaild produce WitnefTes who fpeakof
that very Church oF which he makes this Confeffion a
Notej elfethefe WitnefTes prove nothing to his purpofe.
If they fhould chance only to fpeak fome favourable
words of ChriftianitVjOr of fome few Chriftians,this will
be fhort of what they are produced for in this Place. And
what ever good ufe may be made of their Confeffion,
yet
a | ^ The Thirteenth Note of the Church,
yet 'twill not belong peculiarly to the Church of Rome.
They mull: fpeak to the Church of Rome, and in her
behalf, or elle the Cardinal had better have fpa red
them : They'l do him no fervice, if they do not make
good his Note ; and that cannot be done if they wit-
nefs not in behalf of the Roman Church. 'Tis time
row to call the Witneffes, and hear what they have
to fay in behalf of the Church of Rome.
And here, not to invert that Order which the Cardi-
nal hath "taken, we will begin with the Pagans, and
fee what they have to fay in behalf of the Church of
Rome. The Cardinal begins with Pliny the Second :
He in his Epiftle to the Emperor Trajan gives this
Teilimony in behalf of Chrifiians, viz. that they detefied
all Vices y lived mofi holily, and were blamable on this ac-
count only, that they were too forward to fart with their
hives for their God ; and they rofe up before day to fing
fraifes to Chrift. But what is all this to the Church
of Rome , efpecially as it is now conftituted, and di-
/linguimed from -other Chrifiians which are not of her
Communion, and do not own themfelves fubje£t to the
Bifhop of that Church ? He fpeaks well oi Chrifiians,
and we allow that thofe of the Church o^: Rome at that
time werefuch : We have no quarrel with the Chrifiians
of the Roman Church who lived in the days of Trajan.
Pliny fpeaks well of them ; He does fo indeed : Buf
what does he fay ? Does he fay that they worfhipj _d
Images, or that they -adored the Hofj: ? That they pray-
ed to Saints, and made ufe of Several Interce^: rs ?
That they deferved Favour, becaufe they ca me [q near
the Pagans in thefe things ? He fays no .fueh thing.
He tells us that they lived well, and detefted Vices ;
that they fang praifes to Jefus, and were willing to die
for God. Did we ever find fault with any of the
Church
The Confefiion of Jdverfaries. 1 1 e
Church of Rome for their good Lives, or the Hymns
of Praife which they fing to Chrift ? Have we ever
quarrelled with them for deterring Vices, or expoiing
their Lives for the Honour of the true God ? He com-
mends the Chriitians that lived then, but not for any
thing which they either believed or pra&ifed, winch is
now a matter of Controverfy between us and the pre-
fent Church of Rome. Pliny commends the ancient
Chriftians : Be it fo : Why muft this be reft rained to
the Church of Rome ? Were there no Chriitians bat
what were in Communion with, and were fubjecl to
the Roman Church ? He commends the Chriftians of
that Time : But will this juftify them who afterwards
fhall call themfelves by that Name ? He commends
them for their good Lives, their Love to God, and
Gratitude to their Saviour : Will this juftify the prefent
Church of Rome ? Will it ferve to defend the Worfhip
of Images, or Prayers to the BlelTed Virgin, and Invoca-
tion of Saints ? Does it appear that there were no Chri-
ftians in the World but thole of the Church of Rome, and
that that Church was then what it is now ?
What the Cardinal produceth afterwards, hath no
greater Force than this Teftimony of Pliny. Tertuliian
tells us that the Heathens would not hear the Caufe of
Chriftians, whom they Jkiew to be guilders, but con-
demned it at all Adventures ; and that the beft Empe-
rors favoured Chriftianity, and that 'twas perfecuted by
the worft. All this, however it may ferve the com-
mon Chriftianity, does not make for the purpofe for
which the Cardinal does produce it.
The fame may be faid as to what he mentions of the
Efficacy of the Prayers of the Chriftian Souldiers from
the Epiftle of M. Aureliws ; and if St. Antony ■, St. Hi-
lar ion, and St. Martin were reverenced by the Pagans \
I
->\6 The Thirteenth Note of the Churchy
I do not fo much as imagine what Service this will be
to the Caufe the Cardinal hath undertaken to defend,
or what Prejudice 'twill be to ours. So that hitherto
here is nothing faid to the purpofe in hand, nothing (aid
but what the Proteftants may as well apply to themfelves
as the Church of Rome.
His next Set of WitnefTes are Jews ; if we examine
them we flhall only find that he hath wifely made choice
of two great Names, but that neither of them fpeak
one Word to the purpofe : His Authors are Jofephus
the Hiftorian, and Philo Jud^us, two incomparable
Authors they are, and by no means to be excepted a-
gainft. Here's the JVlifchief, that neither of them have
a Syllable that makes for the Defence of the Church
of Rome, or the Prejudice of the Reformed. Howe-
ver let us hear them fpeak : And firft let us hear what
Jofephus, the eider of the two, hath to fay : It is this,
Tofeph. Antiq. tnat Jefm was a Wlfe Man, if it be lawful to call him a
Jud.l. 18.C.6. Man ; that he was the Etfetfo? of wondrous Works, &c.
and that he was the Chrifi or Mejfias. By the way the
Cardinal makes Jofephus fpeak Non-fenfe, as he reports
his Teftimony : For he fays, not only that Jofephus
does affirm Chrifi to be more than a Man, but that he
was truly the MeJJlas : Now Jofephus would never
fpeak at this rate ; to affirm that Chrift is the Meffias,
is to affirm that Chrifi is Chrifi, for the Meffias and
Chrifi are the fame. Jofephus affirms that Jefus lived
at that time which he mentions, and that Jefus was
the Chri/l or Meffias. But to let this pafs ; I grant that
Jofephus affirms that Jefus was the Chrifi ; what is this
to the Church of Rome any farther than it concerns
our common Chriftianity ? I would fain know why
the Cardinal produceth this in behalf of his Church,
or what reafbn can beaffigned why Proteftants may
not
The Confeffion of Jdverfarks. j 1 7
not as well apply it to their own. The common Chri-
ftianity is concerned in fiich a Teftimony, and fbfar the
Roman Church is alfo. But fet a fide that Confideration,
and take the Church of Rome as the Cardinal does, as
diftincl; from, and oppofed to other Chriftians that are
not of her Communion, and I dare fay I will produce
Teftimonies as pertinent as this of Jofephm out of any
Page of Homer s Iliads, or the Commentaries of 'Julius
C{pte of the Qurchy
Philo defcribes them, muft therefore the Church of
Rome be the Catholick Church ?
The next Witncfles which the Cardinal produceth
are Turks \ He tells us that in the Alcoran 'tis faid that
Chrifians are laved, that Chrift was the greateft of
Prophets,and had the Soul of God; and that the Sultan
of Egypt reverenced St. Francis whom he knew to be a
Chriftian and a Catholick. To what purpofe all this is
produced I do not underftand : I am lure it cannot ferve
that of the Church of Rome as fhe Hands feparated from
other Chriftians. And if it be a Teftimcny in behalf of
our common Chriftianity, then all Chriftians are con-
cerned in it as well as that of the Church of Rome.
The Alcoran will do the Cardinal no Service, unlefs he
could have produced fome Teftimony peculiar to the
Roman Church, or that might have justified the Worfliip
of Images, Adoration of the Hoft, the Doctrine of
Tranfubftantiation, or iomeof thofe Doctrines and Pra-
ctices peculiar to that Church.
The laft Set of Witnefles produced by the Cardinal
he calls Hereticks. A Man would think the cafe very
defperate that needs iuch WitnefTes. But yet I find the
Church of Rome does not difdain fiich as thele,when they
fpeak of her fide. But in the prefent Queftion we fhall
find they do that Church no Service : The Subftance of
what the Cardinal alledgeth is what folio ws yviz. That
an Arian King honoured St. Benedict a Catholick', That
Luther, when an Heretick, owned that in the Papacy
were many good Things, nay all that was good, e.g.
The true Scripture, Baptifm, &c. That Calvin calls
Bernard a pious W riter,and yet he was a Papift. That
another Protejlant acknowledged Bernard, Dominic,
and Francis to be Holy Men ', To which he adds a Pat
fafe of CochUw, who reports an Article of Agreement
wherein
The Confeffion of Mverfanes, 3 \ p
wherein the Frotefiant Helvetians write that they would
difrnifs their Confederates Quiet, as to their true, un-
doubted, and their Catholick Faith.
From all which I fee not what he can collecT: for the
Intereft of the Church of Rome. We do honour every
Man that is good in the Church of Rome, but this does
not infer that we juftify all her Do£trines. We own
that they have the true Scripture and Sacraments, but
this does not juftify their addition of Apocryphal Books
to the Canon of the Scriptures, nor of more Sacraments
than were owned to beftri&ly fb in the Antient Church
We will allow that there have been pious and holy Men,
of that Church, and are not fcrupulous in calling them
by the Name by which they are commonly known and
diftinguifhed from others. Much good may do them
with fiich WitnefTes as Calvin and Luther , who did to
thelaft bear Teftimony againft the Corruptions and
Innovations of that Church.
III. I fhall examin the Queftion a little farther, and
more elpecially the Teftimony of the Jews.
I might make many Remarks upon what the Cardi-
nal affirms, that whereas Catholicks neither praife nor
approve the Doctrine or Life of Heathens or Hereticksy
yet thefe (peak well of them. I do not think the Ro-
manics the more Catholick for this, that they (peak well
of none but of themfelves, and will allow Salvation to
none but thole of her own Communion. I could name
a certain Lord of this Kingdom, who was upon his
Death-Bed urged to declare himfelf of the Church of
Rome, from this Argument of Bellarmin, viz. That they
of the Church of Rome denounced Damnation to ail
out of her Communion ; whereas we Prote/htnts al-
lowed Salvation as poflible to fome of them. But he
Uu 2 an-
<>lo 7 he thirteenth Note of the Church,
anfwered the Prieft that urged this, That he thought it
fafefi to dye in the Communion of that Church that was mofi
Charitable. A Man would think that Charity, which
is an infeparable Note of a Chriftian, and made fo by our
Joh. 13-55. BleiTed Saviour, might have been allowed to have beer?
a Mark of the true Chinch alfo.
That they do not commend Heathens the Cardinal
affirms roundly, and yet 'twere no hard matter to prove
that many Catholicks have done it, and that they might
very well do it. For why may not Heathens be com-
mended for their Juftice, then Fortitude, their Tem-
perance, Gratitude, &c.
He tells us likewife the fame of Hereticks> that the
Catholicks neither commend their Life or Doclrine.
Indeed they have little Reafon to expect it from them,
who are refblved to fpeak well of none but thofe of
their own Party and Way. And yet becaufe the Car-
dinal lays fb great a ftrefs upon the Confeffion of Adver-
faries, and condefcends to receive the Teftimony of He-
reticles (as he is pleated to call us) when it makes for his
purpofe, I ihall at leaft produce on our own behalf as
many Confeflions from thole he calls Catholicks, as he
hath produced of ours on the behalf of his Church,
and thofe alfo both with refpe£bto our Lives and
Doctrines.
And tho it be true that they of the Church of Rome
have blackned Luther, and the other firft Reformers, as
Men of flagitious Lives '7 yet there will be found a-
mong them fbnie who have given a better account of
them.
I might give in a very fair account of J. Hufs and
H. of Prague, from a Contemporary of their own.
Church, who knew them well, and converted with
them before they died.. For Martin Luther, whatever
the
The Confefjhn of Afoerfmes. j x r
the Romanifts fay of himriow,yet certain it is chat Eraf
««*,who I hope will pals with C. BelUrmin for a Catho-
lick,who lived in his time, gives a better account of him.
In his Letter to the Card, of' ¥ork,-f peaking of Luther, Ju^^
he fays : Hominis vita magno omnium confenfu probatur ',
jam id non leve fr judicium eft, t infant ejfe monim inteori-
tatem, ut nee hoftes reperiant quod calumnicntur » His Life
was then approved hy all Men, and fo entire were his Man-
ners that his Enemies could findnothing to reproach him with. EP^ *■ v* EP«
Again in a Letter to Ph. MelancJhon ; Martini Luther i 5§'
vitam apud nos nemo non probat ; i. e. All Men Among us
(fays he) approve the Life of Martin Luther. The
fame Erafmus fays of Oecolampaditts, that he meditated EP- tmER
of nothing but of heavenly things. Maldonat the Jefuit, 43[ , , .
an allowed Catholick, and fierce Enemy to the Calvi- Mac, VijUiL
*//?/, fays of them, that there appeared nothing in their
Actions, but Alms , Temperance, and Modefty.
But their DoBrine is of greateft Concernment in
this prefent Queftion. Let us fee if any of our Ad-
verfaries of the Church of Rome have made any Con-
feflion in favour of our Doctrine. And here I will not
enlarge ; 'twill be enough to produce a few more Te-
ftimonies, and thofe more pertinent than what the Car-
dinal hath produced on the other fide.
The Doctrine which our firft Reformers preached,
was not fb abfurd as 'tis by fbme reprefented : Many
of the Church of Rome have fpoken much in favour of
our Doctrines. Erafmm did fb of many of thofe Do-
ctrines which Luther taught; The Things, fays he, EpW£l;xxtii
which Luther urgeth, if they were -moderately handled^ in EP* IQ«ibid'
my Opinion, come nearer to the Evangelical Vigor. And
fpeaking of the Eucharift, he adds, that were he not mo-
ved by fo great a Confent of the Church, he could embrace
the Opinion of Oecolampadius : He adds that he
found
r,l i The Thirteenth Note of the Church,
found no place in the Holy Scriptures where the Apoflles Are
[aid to have confecrated Bread and Wine into the Flefi and
'Blood of the Lord. The fame Erafmns elfe where does
profefs that he wijheth that what Luther writes of the
Tyranny fiovetoufnefs , and Filthinefs of the Court of Romey
. had been falfe.
TrencT"? Cardinal Mattheo Langi, Archbifhop of Salzburg told
every one that the Reformation of the Mafs was honeft,
the Liberty of Meats convenient, and a juft Demand
to be difcharged of fb many Commandments of Men ;
but that a poor Monk fhould reform all was intolera-
ble. The Doctrine was not fo obnoxious as to offend
the moft moderate and confidering Men of the Roman
Church ; many of them have upon occaflon frankly de-
clared on our fide.
It hath been proved that St. Gregory the Great was
no Friend to private MaiTes or Traniiibftantiation ; and
'tis well known that he renounced that Title of Vni-
verfal Bifhop, which is now claimed by the Popes of
see Bp. mot- Rome. A learned Writer of our Church hath long ago
tm'sAffeaU.1 produced many WitnefTes of the Church of Rome that
have born Teltimony to the Doctrine of Proteftants.
E. g. The Doctrine of Purgatory was not for a long
time univerfally believed in the Church, fays Polydore
Virgil. Some before Luther taught that Papal Indul-
gences were but a kind of Godly Cheat, fays Gregory
de V dentin : The Worfhip of Images was condemned
by almoft all the Fathers, fays the fame Polydore Vir-
gil, The Authority of a Council is fuperior to that of
the Pope, fay the Councils of Confiance and Bafil :
Marriage of Priefts is not prohibited by Legal, or E-
vangelical Authority, but by Ecclefiaftical, fays Gra-
tian. Venerable Bede owns two Sacraments on which
the Church is founded : For many other things difpu-
ted
7be Confeffeon of Mverfaries. ^ x ^
ted between us and them, we appeal to the Learned
and Moderate Men amongft them, and doubt not to
defend our Do&rines by Confeflions of thofe of their
own Church. Such are they of the number of Sacra-
ments, the Primacy of the Bifhop of Rome, &c. We
make no doubt but to produce many Catholick Authors
fpeaking on our fide.
For Communion in both kinds,we have the Teftimo-
ny of the Council of Conftance and Trent that 'twas the
ancient Practice.
For the Dodrine of Tranfubftantiation, one of the Sse a Treat'lfi °f
Communion of the Church of Rome hath given us an uS^Utin
Account lately ; he proves from many Do&ors of the commmionlj
Church of Rome, that it is not ancient, viz. from tht ch"rcH
Peter Lombard, from Suarez, Scot us, the Bifhop of ,™7e;Pnnced
Cambray, Cardinal Cufanus, Erafmut, Atyhonfus a Qaftro,
Tonfiall, and Cajfander. And that 'tis not taught in the
holy Scriptures, he proves from the Teftimonies of
Scotns, Ockam, Gabriel Biel and Cardinal Cajetan ; and
after all that it was not the Do&rine of the Fathers of
the Church.
It would have been very fit I fhould here have
made an end, having confidered every thing which
the Cardinal hath offered as to this Note of the
Church. But there is a late Writer ( I will not
call him Author) hath taken the Confidence to pro- Mr. star's
duce theTeftimony of the Jewifh Writers in behalf confenf. Yet.
of the Church of Rome ; and, which is moft furpri-
fmg of all, he quotes the Rabbins in Defence of the
Doctrine of Tranfiibftantiation, which they are as far
from averting as he is from understanding them. The
Cardinal was too learned and modeft to attempt any
thing of this Nature ; but this Gentleman advanceth
higher than he thought fit to do : What he offers fpeaks
nothing
314 7 he Thirteenth Note of the Church,
nothing fo lowdly as the Writers Effrontery and Igno-
rance, "not to fay fomething worfe. Tho he thought
fit to defert his Mother the Church of England, yet it
little became him to fly in her Face, and fuborn a Rout
of Jews againft her. His Difcourfe is fo weak, that I
fhall bellow very little time and pains about it .3 I fhall
however fay fomething to it that he may not think any
Part of his Pamphlet unanfwered, and do heartily wifli
him Repentance for his Folly, and that he may learn
Modefty for the future.
Andfor my better proceeding in thismatter,I fhall do
thefe things:
Fir ft, I will briefly fhew the true life and value of
the Teftimony of Jews as to the ChrifHan Religion.
Secondly, I fhall fhew the grofs Ignorance (not to
fay Difhonefty) of this Writer in this Matter.
Thirdly, I fhall prove that the Jewifli Writers are fb
far from ferving the Church of Rome, that they bear
witnefs againft it, and that alfb in this very matter of
Tranfubftantiation.
Fir fty I fhall confider how far the Teftimony of the
Jews is ufeful to Chriftianity. And feveral fuch there
are that ferve the common Chriftianity.
1 . The Jews as to matter of Facl: confefs that there
was fiich a Man as Jefus, that he wrought wonderful
Works. They do in their Talmud and elfewhere men-
tion feveral of thofe Names which are mentioned in
the New Teftament, and are there mentioned to have
been at the fame time in which they are placed there.
This is an ufeful Teftimony, and ferves the common
Chriftianity, and faves us the labour in our Books a-
gainft the Jews of proving thefe Matters of Facl:.
2. They
Tl?e Q>nfeflfion of \Adverfarie$. <% \ *
2. They are alfo good Witneftes as to the Number
of the Canonical Books of the Old Teftament,. which
were depoficed in their Hands. This is owned by Car-
dinal Cajetan, who affirms that this is one Advantage
we receive from the Obftinacy of the Jews, that tho cajetan in
they believe not in Chrift themlelves, yet they approve Rom- »»t.ii.
the Books of the Old Teftament, and therefore thofe
Books cannot be fuppoled to have been invented by the
Chriftians toJiave ferved their turn. This Teftimony
of theirs ferves indeed the common Chriftianity, but
is fb far from ferving the Church of Rome, that it is a
good Evidence againft the Council of Trent, who
have receiv'd thofe Books for Canonical which the Jews
never received into the Canon of Scripture.
$. They are good WitnefTes of the Vromife of a,
*Meflias, which is reckoned among the Fundamental
Articles of the Jewifh Faith. And this is an other
Advantage that Chriftians receive (as Cxjetan wellob-
fervesin the Place mentioned before) from the Obfti- AbrayeneLc.
nacy of the Jews. They agree that fuch a Promife was
made, and that therefore it cannot be fuppofed either a
Forgery of the Chriftians, or a vain Belief peculiar on-
ly to them.
4. They are good WitnefTes where they interpret
thofe Texts of the Old Teftament of the MeJJUs, which
belong to that matter, and which are by the Writers
of the New Teftament applied to that purpofe : And
the more ancient Jews do thus. The Chaldee Para-
phrafts, and other of the more ancient Jewifh Doctors
do apply thofe Texts to him, which the Chriftians alfo
underftand to be fpoken of him : Of which, were it
not too great a Digreffion, it would be eafy to produce
very many Proofs : This ferves the common Chriftiani-
X x tv
j 1 6 The Thirteenth Note of the Church,
ty greatly, and in our Difputes againft the Jews, affords
us very great Advantages.
5. Nor do I deny but that fome of the Catholick Do-
ctrines of the Chriftian Religion (I mean fuch as have
been always believed from the firft Beginning of Chri-
ftianity) may receive fome Confirmation from the
Writings of the inoft antient Jewifh Doctors. But to
produce them as Witneffes, as this Writer does, to a
Doctrine never received by the antient Church, is the
moil: extravagant thing imaginable.
Secondly, I. fhall fhew the grofs Ignorance ( not to fay
Difhonefty) of this Writer in this matter.
His Author, from whom he borrows all his Rabbini-
a*/ Learning, is Galatinm s He tells (if we will believe
Prtfau to Con- him) that he was always accounted a very learned zMan :
fcnf. vecemm. jt wouy have been more t0 his purpofe to have vouched
for his Honefty. After this he falls into a Fit of Devoti-
on j he is of a Hidden tranfported with Admiration, that
the Hebrew Writers long before Chrijfs time (take Mr.
Sclaters word for that) (hould have fuch Notions \ But
the Wind bloweth were it lifttth, &x. He mipht have ftaid
till he had been fure of the matter of F^ct, and then
^twould have been time enough to admire at it. But the
Reader is to know that Mr. Sclater was mightily incli-
ned to believe in this matter with the Church of Rome,
or elfe Galatinm could never by his Arguments have pre-
vailed upon him. This appears from his own Words
p' 2?; after he had drawn up his Evidence from Galatinm ; he
tells his Reader' that Galatinm thought (and I'leafTure
you 'tis hard to fay what a Jew that profelTeth himfelf a
Convert to the Church of Rome does really think) theft
Prophecies and Inter fret at ions (he might have called
them Dreams and Figments ) argumentative, not only a-
gainfi
The Qonfefsion of ddverfaries. 327
gainft the Jews, but a Confirmation alfo of the Chrijlian
Religion againfl all Hereticks, Sec. But if you ask Mr.
Sclater what confirms him in this Belief, you'le find him
not hard to believe : I am confirmed (lays he) by the
Title-page of his Book. Of fo great force is the Title-page
of Gdatinu* his Book with Mr. Sclater of Putney.
This Gd&tinm was born a Jew, he was afterwards a
Convert to the Church of Rome, and a Fryar ; and pre-
tends to difcover fbmething in the Hebrew Doctors to
juftify the Do&rines of the Roman Church, to which
he had betaken himfelf. 'Tis certain that learned Men
have reprefented him as a Man of no Sincerity, and have
taken notice of his Falfity, and the Forgeries of his Book.
Johannes Mercer us, a. Man of fingular Learning, and J- . Mercer, in
Scaliger, a great Judg, give this Account of him. And J°
lb alio many others, and (bme of the more learned Men a^^^^'
of the Church of Rome have done. Sixtus Senenfis repre-
hends him for belying Pope Clement 5. Jofeph de Voifm, *lbIloch' St' u
aPrieft of the Church of Rome, taxeth him of Ignorance j." voifin The*
of the Do&rine of the Jews. The beft Character I find ol°g- Juda:o-
of him is that he was a Plagiary or Thief: Heftole what rum p" 2J7*
is good out of the Pugh Fidei of Raimnndus. For other >c. Mauflkci
things in his Book they are Figments and Forgeries, Tri- pjff™' m
fles and ridiculous things. His Teftimonies out of Gale
Razeiah and Zgbar are of no credit. Jac. Maufacus, and
the above-named J of. de Voifin, Authors agamft whom
Mr. Sclater cannot except, will give the Reader this Ac- rerat^nProl
count of him. In a word he was a Converted Jew (and am
what kind of Men they have proved I need not tell, nor
can I think of that matter without fbrrow) he is one that
Cardinal Bellarmin thought not fit to quote in behalf of
their Church, one that is condemned and fKgmatized by
the learned Men of the Church of Rome. But yet this
* Xx 2 Author
3 18 The Thirteenth Note of the Church,
Author hath lb great force with Mr. Sclaterof Putney,
that he is confirmed by the very Title-page of his Book*
I fhould be Vain if after this I fhould be operofe in ex-
amining the Teftimonies produced ; and yet I cannot
but reflect a little farther upon the ftupid Ignorance or
a. Sol. in 72. Infincerity of this Writer. He quotes R. Solomon for
l6r the Proot of Tranfubftantiation. All that R. Solomon
lays to his purpofe, is that the LXXII Pfalm is wholly
meant of the Meflias, and that many of their Rabbins
„3S interpreted that which we render Handful ofCompt cer-
, tain Sweet-meats or Dainties in the Days of Meflias. It
^m^dernmrd ls veiT we^ known tnat tne Jews fondly expe£r. great
probably fm feafling in the Days of the Meffias, and no wonder that
the Greek. Word many 0f the Rabbins fhould interpret thefe Words of
yhvM.25. ftians of Crqffing themlelves when it Thunders; the
TitiTih Chriftemng of Bells > the marine of the necefllty of the
196. ' _ ' Cselibacy of Priefts, the vowed Caelibacy of Monks and
R.ifaac chizuk ^juns^ as well as the receiving of JpocryphalBooks into
muna.p.345. ^ (-anon 0£ Scripture, and other Opinions and Practi-
ces in the Chriftian Church.
And for the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, as it is a-
gainft the common Senfe of Mankind, and deftroys the
certainty of every thing elle, fo -the Jews upon all occa-
fions object againft it. We have a Witnefs beyond Ex-
ception, even of the Roman Church, who brings in the
Fde^iTd Jeivs objecting againft this Doctrine, and reprefenting
Anno i5rf. the unreafonablenefs and abfurdity of it from fourteen
feveral
The Confefsion of Adver furies \ yii*
feveral Heads of Argument, which I may not here repre-
fent to the Reader, becaufe it would be too great a Dl-
greffion. Nor do I find this Learned Author ( who
writes in Defence of the Roman Church, and attempts
to anfwer thefe Objections) alledging that this was the
Doctrine which was taught by the Hebrew Doctors.
The Jews have fb far abhorred this Doctrine, and fo far
detefted Chriftians upon this account, that they were Gregor. /. v
wont, when they made ufe of Chriftian Nurfes, toTit.vi. cap.S$
force them to throw away their Milk for three Days to- ^ep^usau"
gether, before they gave fuck, when it happened that
at Rafter thefe Nurfes had received the Body and Blood
ofJefusChrift. This Pope Gregory complains of, and
decrees upon it that Chriftians mould not for the future
be Servants to the Jews. And J of "ephus A Ibo difputes a- J.Alboikka-
gainff. this Doctrine of Traniubitantiation very vigo- rim\
roufly ; And fo do many others, in their Books agahift *J^dum'
Chriftians •' And many more Tefti monies might be pro- Lipman. re-
duced, were not moft of their Books printed in Italy, Zachon- h x l>
where it is not fafe for them to be too plain. And
Learned Men do very well know that the PalTage in
Jofeph Albo againft this Doctrine of the Roman Church
hath been expunged in one Edition of that Author. .
'Tis very well known that all the later Jews are againfl:
this Doctrine. And that Trypho the Jew, and the moft
ancient Writers have not objected it againfl: Chriftians, .
is only an Argument that this Doctrine was not fo old
ast' •: time in which they lived. This Doctrine the
Jews are certain cannot be true, becaufe if they are not
certain of the Falfity of this, they have no Certainty of
their own Religion, nor can ever be convinced of the
Truth ofours.The Truth is,this is one great occafion of
hardening them againfl: Chriftianityj and we are never
like.
J j i The Thirteenth Note of the (%urcyh,
like to fee them come into the Christian Church, till
this Do&rine of Tranfubftantiation, and the Worfhip
of Images be removed out of it. But then thePra&ice
annexed to the Doctrine of TranfubfiantUtion^ of wor-
fhipping a Creature, is fb dangerous, that even they
who own the Doctrine, confefi, if that be not true,
they cannot be excufed from Idolatry.
God give us a juft Sence of thefe things, that we may
not hereafter have, befides our own Sins, which will be
load great enough, the Obftinacy of the Jews in great
meafiire toanfwer for.
THE END.
LONDON^
Printed by J. D. for Richard Chifmll at the Rofe and Crown in
St. Fmtfs Church-Yard, 1687.
The Fourteenth Note of the C h u a c h
EXAMINED,
The unhappy End of the Church's Enemies
Decima quarto, Not a eji Infclix exitut, feu finis eorum qui Eccleji-
am oflugnant. Bellarm. L. iv. c. 17. de Notis Ecclefk.
IMPRIMATUR.
JtUy 27. 1687. GuiL Needham.
IF he be an unwife Builder, who pulls down what he
intends to build up ; then Cardinal Bellarmin (tho
one of the Mate-Builders of the Church of Rome)
deferves not to be reckon'd one of the wifeft : For he
mult fhut his Eyesclofe, who does not plainly fee, that
he frequently defeats his own De'fign ; by giving Notes,
which conclude that Church to be falfe, which he de-
fign'd to prove was the only true one. Such,for inftance,
is that, which is now to be confider'd, as fhall in the
Sequel of this Difcourfe be made appear.
The Confutation of which cannot be difficult, flnce I
find nothing in the whole Chapter that hath fb much
as the fhew of an Argument. Whereas fbme of his
Notes are guarded, with a pretence, at leaft, of Scrip-
Y y ture,
, *a The Fourteenth Note of the Churchy
ture, Reafon and Antiquity ; this is expofed naked to
the AiTaults of its Adverfaries, without fb much as a
Paper Shield t© protect it. He tells us indeed many
Tragical Stories of unhappy Deaths, fome of which are
true, fome doubtful, and others falfe ; fome of Perfbns
who were deadly Enemies, other of Perfbns who were
zealous Defenders of the true Church : But had the Sto-
ries been all certainly true, and had the Perfbns who
thus died been all of them implacable Enemies of the
Church of Rome ; yet what does it fignify, unlefs he
had alfo proved, That when a Perfon dies an unnatural
Death, the meaning of it is, That that Church of which
he profeffed himfelf a Member,is falfe \ and the Church
he oppofed, the only true one ? But how unwife fbever
he was in the choice of his Note, he was fo wife, as not
to attempt the proof of this, unlefs the Citation of this
Scripture may pals for a Proof, Praife his People, 0 ye
Nations, for he will avenge the Blood of his Servants, and
{jl) eu^243 ^ Ycn^eY yengemce t0 })is Enemies (a). God will avenge
the Blood of his Servants: therefore if a Proteftant die an
unhappy Death, the Church of Rome is the only true
Church.
But why did the Cardinal fend out this Note, fb for-
lorn ? For a good Reafbn : becaufe no Defence could be
found for it. But why did he then bring^it into the
Field ? Becaufe he knew it was PopuIar,and might ferve
the Caufe better than another, that was never fb well
fenc'd. For will not he dread to oppofe the Church of
Rowe, whoisperfiiaded, that God will let a Note of
Vengeance upon thofe that do fb ? Will not he fledfaft-
ly adhere to it, who believes, that that is a certain way
to an happy Death ? In flhort, whofbever can be per-
fuaded to believe, that the Church of Rome is by this
Notediitinguifh'd from all other Churches, he will as
much
Tf?e Unhappy End of the Churches Enemies. iu
much dread to turn Proteftant, as he does to die the
molt prodigious fort of Death.
But the Mifchief is, That however ferviceable this
pretended Note may be to them among weak and undifc
cerning Perlbns, it will do there as much differvice a-
mongthofe who are judicious and able to examine it:
For when they fhall once fee, what a palpable Cheat it
is ; and in cafe, that it were a Note of the true Church,
that the Church of Rome hath the leafb Reafbn of any
Church in the World to pretend to it, they will be
thereby difpofed to brejkorT from the Communion of
that Church which contradicts its own Marks, and be-
take themfelves to fbme other Church, which hath a
better Title to them. For the effe&ing of which,I fhall
proceed in this Method.
1. 1 fhall premife fome Things as preparatory to what
follows.
II. Shew, that this can be no Note of the true
Church.
III. That in cafe it were, the Proteftant Church
would be the true Church, rather than the Church
of Rome.
I. I fhall premife thefe five Things as preparatory to
what follows.
i . That by an unhappy End, BclLrmin means, That
which is fb in outward Appearance, to the Eye of Senfe,
or according to the Judgment of the World. Such as a
violent, or fudden, or infamous, or any kind of frrange
or unufual Death ; efpecially fuch in which there is an
appearance of the Divine Vengeance. As to be devour'd
by Dogs, or eaten up of Vermin, to be flea'd or burnt
alive \ for a Man to kill himfelf, or to be kill'd by his
vy 2 Ser-
5 -i 6 The Fourteenth Note of the Church,
Servants, to be f mitten by a Thunderbolt, &c. In a
word, any fuch End, as either in its Nature, or in its
Circumftances, is not the ufual or common End of
Men.
2. Be liar mi n meant this, not barely for the Note of a
Church, but of that which is the'W/y true Church.
For fince,befides the common Faith, in which all Chri-
stians agree, there are many points in which they dif-
fer, and by which thsy are divided among themielves
into feveral Parties, he fuppofing that no more than one
ofthefe can be a true Church, and therefore that that
one muft be the only true Church, his work was to fur-
nifhuswith fuch Notes, by which this one Church
might be known and diftinguifli'd from all the reft. And
therefore,
3. The Inftances he produces of Unhappy Deaths are
for the greater part impertinent, becaufe the Perfbns
were fuch as were Enemies not to this or that Chriftian
Church as diftinguifhed from another, but to Christia-
nity it felf, and endeavoured the total extirpation of it
out of the World. So did the Emperors, Nero, Domi-
tun, Dioclefian, the Apoftate Jutim* &c. And thole
Hereticks, Simon Magics, Manichaus, &c. were not
more oppofite to the Church of Rome, than to any other
Ghriftian Church. There is nothing therefore in thefe
Inftances by which one Chriftian Church may bediftin-
guifh'd from another ; nothing by which the Church
of Rome may be marked out for the true Church, rather
than the Church of Antioch or Alexandria.
And as thofe direful Deaths of the Heathen Perfecutors,
and Apoftate Chriftians, gave no peculiar advantage to
the Church of Rome then ', fb they make much againft
the Church of Rome now : For if they Signified (as Bel-
larmin would have thsm) that Church to be the true
Church
7be Unhappy End of the QhurcVs Enemies. 2 1 7
Church which was then oppofed by them, it^ pkmly
follows that the Church of Rome now, is not a true
Church, and that the Church of England is ; beeaufe
the Church of Rome now is not the fame Church it was
then : it hath new another Faith, by which it is become
another Church ; whereas the Church of England is
the fame now it was at firft, yea the fame now that the
Church of Rome was then ; it having purged her felf
from thofe Corruptions, which have been fince introdu-
ced by the Church of Rome, and reduced it felf to the
Primitive Faith. Thofe other Examples of Tragical
Deaths, which if they had been true, would have been
more to the purpofe, fhall be anon confidered.
4. Obferve, tnat the unhappy End of thofe who de-
fend it, muff be a Note of a falfe Church, if the un-
happy End of thofe who oppofe it be a Note of the
true. The Reafon is plain ; beeaufe thofe who defend
it, in doing fo, they muff oppofe that Church that op-
pofes it ; if they theiefore have an unhappy End, the
oppofite Church will have this Note of the only true
Church, and by Confequence, that Church they de-
fend in oppofition to it, muft be a falfe Church.
5. Obferve that from God's Judgments againft par-
ticular Perfbns, nothing can be concluded againft that
Church of which they are Members. The Reafon is
manifeft, beeaufe God's Judgments upon particular
Perfbns are ufually inflicted for particular perfonal
Crimes, as in the cafe of Nadab and Ablhuy Ananias
and Sapphira. Thefe things being premifed, I proceed
to fhew,
II. That this can be no Note of the true Church ;
which I might prove at large, by (hewing that it is
deftkute of all thofe Conditions which Cardinal Per-
ron '
^ j 8 T/;e Fourteenth Note of the Church,
(b') Reply to k. ron (b) and Bellarmin himfelf (c) makes neceffary to e-
^rOD^NQt'. very true Note. But becaufe this Method hath been
Eccicf. c. 2. Q* already obferved in the Examination of fbme of the
foregoing Marks, I fhall therefore wave the Advanta-
ges it would afford me ; nor do I indeed Hand in need
of them, becaufe the Vanity and Falfity of it will be
otherwife fufBciently manifeft, both by Scripture, Ex-
perience and Reafbn :
Firft, By Scripture. And,
i. By all thofe Scriptures which declare, that all
things come alike to all Men : That in the common courle
of Providence, there is no difference put between the
Righteous and the Wicked, between him that facrifceth
and him that facrificeth not (J) ', and by a plain Parity
j^^^6'9' of Reafbn, he that per fecutes the true Religion, and
he that defends it ; he that worfhips God aright, and
he that worfhips him amifs, or not at all, as to out-
ward Events, hath frequently the fame Lot ; As King
Jojiaby the Reftorer and Maintainer of the true Reli-
gion, and who ferved the Lord with all his Heart, di-
ed the fame unnatural Death that Ah ah did, who ferved
Baal, and provoked the Lord to Anger more than all
the Kings of Ifrael that were before him. Nor was
this promifcuous Difpenfation of Events taken notice
of only by wife Solomon, but we find it long before af-
firmed by Job, that God defiroys both the F erf eel and the
(.0 Job 9. 22. Wicked (e) : Righteous Abel, the firft Man that ever di-
ed, was a Proof of it ; he whofe Sacrifice was by God
accepted, fell himfelf a Sacrifice to his wicked Brother's
Envy.
Nor was it thus, only before the Law, and under
the Law, but it continues fo frill now under the Gofpel
The Tares and the Wheat, though low n by different
t Hands,
The unhappy end of the Churches Enemies. 3 j p
Hands, the one by the Son of Man, the other by the
Devil, yet as they grow up together in the fame Field,
lb they are gathered and cut down by the fame Reapers,
by the fame Sickle, and are not fever'd, the one for
the Fire, and the other for the Barn, till the End of the
World.
Yea in plain Contradiction to this Note, the Scrip-
ture tells us, That there are jufl Men to whom it happeneth
according to the work of the Wicked, and there are wicked
Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the
Righteous (f). And that not only in the Courfe of (QEccl.8.14.
their Lives, but when they die too. For there is a jufl
Man that perifbeth in his Right eoufnefs, and there is a
wicked Man that prolongeth his Days in his Wickednefs (g). /v)eccI.7.i<.
The good Man is fbmetimes cut off by an early Death,
becaufe he is better than others ; and the Wicked,whofe
Sins cry aloud for Vengeance, prolongs his Days in his
Wickednefs ; and after a long and profperous Life,
hath an honourable Death and Burial ; for I farv, fays
Solomon, the Wicked buried (h) ; that is (as Cardinal Qa~ (V) Ecdef. 8.
jet an expounds the Words) in flich a pompous Sepul- 10#
chre, as tranfmits an honourable Memory of them to
Pofterity.
I grant, that the Notes of Divine Vengeance are in
fbme Mens Deaths fairly legible. But then, as I have
before obferved, from God's Judgments againft this or
that Perfon, nothing can be concluded againft that
Church of which they are Members.
2. Befides thefe general Declarations, the Scripture
further allures us by a particular Inftance, that a true
Church may be without this Mark, and that the Ene-
mies of the true Church may have it. Thus the Church
of lfrael was without it, and the uncircumcifed Phili-
ftins had it, when the High Prieft fell backward and
brake.
n^o Tk Fourteenth Note of the Qburch,
brake his Neck, and his two Sons Hophni and Pbineas
with thirty thoufand of the Israelites fell in one day by
s tne Sword of the Philifiins(i). Again, when Zsdekiab
CO i m. 3. ^ Defen(ier of the true Church, was taken, his No-
bles flaughtcred, his Sons flain before his Eyes, his
Eyes then put out, and he carried Captive to Babylon,
and put in Prifon till" the day of his Death : If this was
then a Note of the "Church, the Babylonians were the
only true Church of God, for their Enemies had then
the moil unhappy Ends : So contrary is this Note to
•what we find in Scipture.
Secondly ■, Nor is it lefs repugnant to daily Obfervati-
on, and the Hiitory of foregoing Ages, For,
1. All the World can terrify that the fame kind of
Death happens to Men of different, yea of oppofitc
Churches. That as dies the Chrilf ian, Co dies the Jew ;
as. dies the Catholick, fo dies theHeretick. That the
Proteftant and Papift lie down ALIK^E in the Dufi9
,.(£)Job2i. to ufe Job's Phralef/'j. That as they often agree in
26. their Deaths, who while they lived, were of different
Churches ; fo they often widely differ, who were uni-
ted in the lame. One hath a natural, another a vio-
lent Death 5 one falls by the. Hand of God, another by
the Hand of his Neighbour; one goes off gently in a
Calm, another is hurried away in a Storm; one lives
out the Term of Nature, another is cut off in the midll
of his Days ; one dies leifurely, another is (hatched a-
way fuddenly ; one finds a Grave in the Earth, another
in the-Sea, another finds none at all, butisexpofed as a
Prey to Beafts and Birds. This is fb obvious, that it is
neediefs to produce Inftances for the Confirmation of
it.
2. Whofbeverhasany Acquaintance with the Hiflory
of
The Unhappy End of the Church's Enemies^, j 4 1
of the Chriftian Church, knows, that for feveral of
the firft Ages at leaft, thebeft Men had generally the
word Deaths : That the Apoftles of our blefled Lord
were fet forth as a Spectacle to the World, fuftered the
Deaths of the bafeft Malefactors ; that St. Peter and
St. Andrew were crucified, St. James the Juft ftoned, and
his Brains knocked out with a Club, St. Bartholomew
Head alive : That not one of the Apoftles can be named,
who did not end his Life by an unnatural Death,
except only St. John, who efcaped it by Miracle, for
he was call into a Cau dron of boiling Oil.
That the firft Bifhops (their SuccefTors) followed
them in the like Tragical Deaths : That St. Clemens
Bifhop of Rome was thrown into the Bottom of the
Sea ; St. Simeon Bifhop of Jerufalem crucified 5 St. Ig-
natius Bifhop of Antioch expofed to the Lions ; St. Pa-
lycarp Bifhop of Smyrna burnt at a Stake : Yea that
the Chriftians for the moft part for three hundred Years
together, met with the moft horrid Deaths : One was
torn in pieces by wild Beafts, another wasroaftedon
a Spit, another was broiled on a Gridiron, another had
his Flefh fcraped off to the Bones with fharp Shells,
and Salt and Vinegar poured into his green Wounds ;
and for one of their bloody Perfecutors, an hundred
Chriftians may be found who died a terrible Death.
Thefe were the happy Ends that the firft and beft Chri-
ftians were blefTed with \ happy indeed if we refpedt
the Caufe for which they died, and the blefTed Reward
they were, crowned with ; but none ever more unhap-
py in the Eye of the World. As they had been of all
Men the moft miferable, had they had Hope in this
Life only ; fb, if this Note be true, their Hope could
not have reached beyond it.
Zz 3. Nor
j a i . The Fourteenth Note of the Church,
3. Nor is this Note more repugnant to Scripture
and Experience, than it is to Reafbn. One prime fun-
damental Principle of Reafon is, That Contradictions
cannot be true ; or, that the fame thing, cannot be, and
not be. This we are as fure of, as that we our felves
are, or that any thing elfe is ; whatfbever therefore it
be from whence it plainly follows, that Contradictions
may be true, we are as fure that it is falfe ; and there-
fore that the Note now under confideration is fb, be-
caufe if it be true, the molt, palpable Contradictions
will be true alfo. Of thofe many that offer themfelves,
I fhall mention a few. As,
1. That that was a falfe Church, which was moft
certainly the true Church. For if the burning alive
of Vdens the Arian Emperor was a certain Sign that
the Arian Faith is falfe ; the burning alive of many of
the firft Chriftians is as certain a Note that the Primi-
tive Faith is falfe. If it follows, that Manichtus was
a damnable Heretick becaufe he was flead alive, muft
we not conclude that St. Bartholomew was as bad (and
by confequence all the holy Apoftles) becaufe he fuffe-
red the fame kind of Death ?
2. That a Church remaining the fame, without any
Change in Do&rine, Worfhip or Dilcipline, may be
to day a falfe Church, to morrow the only true Church.
So the Church of Ifrael was a falfe one, when the High
Prieft fell backward and brake his Neck ; within a few
days after, when the Hand of the Lord was again ft
the Philijlines, and they were fmitten with a foul Dif-
eafe, of which they miferably died, it was a true
Church again. Thus the Church of Rome in the Year
1656, when a dreadful Peftilence (for that is one of
BelUrmins unhappy Ends) fwept away three hundred
thoufands in three Months time, in the Kingdom of
Naples,
The Unhappy End of the Church's Enemies* ^45
Naples, and made great havock at Rome and Genoa -\, f AthanaC Kir-
was a falfe Church ; but in the Year 1665, when thA^SS
like dreadful Peftilence raged in London ^it became a true Contag. Luis
Church again. Yea, 3°jfdlpicur,
j. That there is no one Church in the World, but "' 1S' *42
by this Note, it may be, and it may not be the true
Church; becaufe the Oppofers and the Defenders of any-
one and the fame Church, may have both of them un-
happy, and both of them happy Ends. Now as the
Oppofers have unhappy Ends, it is a true Church; as the
Defenders have unhappy Ends it is (by the fourth thine
premifed) a falfe one. Again, as the Oppofers have an
ha'ppy End, it is a falfe Church ; as the Defenders have
an happy End, it is a true one. Thus for Example,the
Church of England is both a true Church and a falfe;
Queen Elizabeth lived and died happily, the Spaniards,
her and its great Enemies in 88, died unfortunately,
therefore it is the only true Church : King Charles the
Firft of BlefTed Memory, had an unhappy End, the
Ufurper died quietly in his Bed, therefore it is a falfe
Church. I bring the Church of England only for an In-
france, the fame is as true of the Church of Rome, and,
I doubt not, of any other Divifion of Chriftians of what
Denomination fbever.
And is not this now a fine Note, to find out the true
Church by ? when no falfe Church can be found, that
will not by it be the only true one ; and on the contra-
ry, no true Church can be mention'd, that will not be
a falfe one. Yea, (which is more) when that which is
indeed the only true Church, (the Church Catholicl^)
will by this Note be no Church ; for not only its Ene-
mies,but its Friends,too do often die unfortunately ; and
its Enemies as well as its Friends, have frequently fuch
Deaths, as in the Eye of the World are moft 'happy,
Zz 2 Where-
j 44 The Fourteenth Hpte of the Church,
4. Whereas it is a Contradiction to fay,That the only
true Church can be more than one, if this Note ftand
good, it will be many ', fo many different Churches as
there are in the World, fo many only true Churches will
there be, one only excepted. So when a Pope dies mi*
ferably (as all the World knows, the Popes have fre-
quently done), then every Church in the World, the
Roman only excepted, is the only true Church ; becaufe
the Pope is an Adversary to every one of them (and this,
as appeared by the third thing premifed, is made by Bel-
larmin the Note of the only true Church). Yea,
5. Thofe very Proteftant Churches which Bellarmin
defign'd to mark out for falfe, will by this Note be true
Churches, and that which he would conclude the only
true Church, will be a falfe one.
1 . The Lutherans and Calvinifls, he lays, are not
true Churches, becaufe Luther and Calvin died mifera-
bly (that they fo died, I fhall prefently fhew is falfe).
But be it ttue, what follows ? If Luther died miferably,
then the Calvinifis are the true Church : Vi Calvin died
miferably, then the Lutherans are the true Church ;
for Luther and Calvin oppofed each other, as well as
both of them the Church of Rome.
2. That the Church of Rome that he would make to
be the only true Church, will by this Note be concluded
a falfe one, I fhall fhew in fpeaking to the next Head,
and therefore now pais it. I think by this time not on-
ly the Vanity, but the Falfhood of this Note is fumxi-
ently manifeft.
III. Let us now fuppofe it a Note of the true
Church, and fee who will have the beft on't. The ad-
vantage will lye fo clearly on the Proteftant fide, that
the Romanifis themfelves will be found to confefsit.
7be Unhappy End of the Church's Enemies* 1 4 r
I grant, That thofe horrid Deaths, which have by
the Church of Rome been inflicted upon thofe who have
oppofed her Errors, are a Mark by which fhe is made
as vifible, as her City feated upon the (even Hills ;
thofe who have thus died are more than can be number-
ed, and their Deaths were many of them, both for Na-
ture and Circumfhnces the moft monftrous : But this,
I trow, does not mark her out for the Spoufe ofChrift,
but for that Woman that is drunken with the Blood of the
Saint s,^ and with the Blood of the Martyrs of J efts ; She
is not therefore, I think, ambitious of this Mark, but
would rather hide it, tho it is fb deeply branded upon
her, that fhe will never be able to rub it out. If there-
fore thefe be fet afide, which I am confident the Church
of Rome is very willing they fhould be, and would be
glad if all Hiftories were burnt too, in which their Burn-
ings are left on Record ; let us fee whether Church, the
Roman or the Proteftant, hath the faireft Plea to this
Note. This will be fbon determin'd,by comparing the
Deaths of their Prime Members, and Zealous Champi-
ons, and then considering on which fide we find the
greater number of fuch as are unnatural, and not com-
mon to Men.
1. For the Proteftants. The chief Affertors of the
Proteftant Intereft, are either their Bifhops and other
eminent Paftors and Teachers ; or thofe Secular Princes
who have under God, been the great Defenders and Pro-
tectors of the Proteftant Faith.
As for their Bifhops, and other eminent Paftors and
Teachers, they are without number who have died the
moft happy Deaths, fuch as Jewel, Whitaker, Vjber, Hall,
Morton, Jackfon, Melanclhon, Bucer, Mufculus, Zjncfy9
Farelltts, Bez,a, Vrfimis, Gryn&us, &c. whole Deaths
were not only placid and pious, but attended with thofe
lively
J 46 The Fourteenth Note of the Church ,
lively Hopes of a BlefTed Immortality, as recommended
their Religion to its Adverfaries.
But it is not lb much my bufinefs to tell you whole
Deaths were happy, as out of that number, to felect
thole that were unhappy. And I think we may take
it for granted, that the number of thele is very finall,
in that their profefs'd Adverfary who labour'd to make
the moft of every thing againft them, hath mention'd
no more than Five, Qviz,. Luther, Zuinglius, Oecolam-
padius, Caroloftadius, and Calvin.) Now iiippofe it true,
That all thele died as miferably as BelUrmin would have
the World believe : yet what are five to that numberlefs
number, who have had the moft aufpicious Deaths ?
Will not the Argument for the Truth of their Church
from thofe that died happily, as much exceed that a-
gainft it, from thofe that died miferably, as the num-
ber of the one, exceeds that of the other ? So that if
the true Church be concluded by this Argument, it is
ten thoufand to one, but the Proteftant Church is the
only true Church.
But what fhall we fay if the Deaths of all but One of
thefe five be mifreprefented ? And what he fays of that
one, and two of the other (if it were true) be no Ar-
gument of an unappy Death ? Whether it be Co, cr no,
I fhail now briefly examin.
He begins with Luther. He (lays the Cardinal) died
fuddenly, for whereas in the Evening he was merry and in
. 1 -u tfethlh and had provoked all that were prefent to Laughter j
morterepen- by his Jeffs, the fame Night he was found dead Q).
tma fubiarus Grant this were true: A fudden Death is not always,
^et-pen op^'a" and t0 al1 Persons unhappy. But fuppole it were, it ill
ram c*nam
fumpfiflet l^tus & farms, &/acetiis fuis omnes ad rifum provocaflet, cadem nofle mortuus
eft. BdLm.
becomes
The Unhappy End of the Qhurctis Enemies. J 47
becomes a Papift to object it ; fince it is no more than
what hath been the Lot of many of their Popes : For fo O) ubi
died Pope Nicholas III (V), and Pope Clemens VI (V), id.f_m **«&*
as their own Writers wknefs. . continenuffi-S
mus, iubita
tamen morte correptus, &c. Plrt. in \it. Nic. III. (_n) Vergente hoc eodem anno
Clemens, cum Apoftolicum folium annos decern menfes feptem cenuiflet, praxipiti morbo ex
humanisereptuseft. Raynald. ad an. 1352. n. 21,
But Luther had eat a lujly Supper, and wo* merry and
jocular the Evening before. And fb had feveral of their
Popes, the next Evening before they died. Pope PaulII,
after he had fupp'd molt jollily, and perfwaded himfelf
that he had many Years to live, the lame Night died of
an Apoplexy 00. PopeL^X, led conftantly a merry CO ■ — &
Life, but his Death happen'd in the higher!: excefs of pluHmos" vive*
Feafting, Mirth, and Jollity ; and fb fuddenly, that re r'bi Perfaa-
there was not time afforded for Abfolution,and Extreme J^ a^rx
Un&ion (p). And if Luther jetted the Day before he 1471. v.Kai.'
died, methinks it might have pafTed without any fevere ^ugurti, hora
Cenfure, fmcz Sir Tho. More (the Pope's Martyr) was cum^ die li-
ft fportful upon the Scaffold, and died with a Jeft in his tum coniiftori-
Mouth um habuiiI"cc>
me camadet,
Apoplexia correptus, vicam cum morte mutavit. Johan. Suit. Anno 1454. p. 262.
Q~) Ex hujus vi&oria? nuncio Leonem Pontificem ingenti diflfulum gaudio referunt, in qua
Apcplexia correptus, nullis perceptis Sacramentis, sctatis annoquadrageilmofextonondum cx-
a&o, deceflit inopina morte. Raynald. ad an. 1521. n. 108.
• Die infequenti laetitia? pompam fua morte claufit, inopina quidem adeo,ut ne Sacramea?
tis quidem munkus fuerk. N. 109.
But what credit is to be given to his Enemies, we
may learn from thofe monftrous Tales they fpread con-
cerning his Death, not only after, but long before it :
Such as that horrible Miracle wrought at his Funeral for '**■
the Conviction of Hereticks, which he confuted with
bis own Hand. And it is not unpleafant to read, how
they
3 48 The Fourteenth Note of the Church,
they contradict one another. One fays, That he purg-
ed out his Entrails, like Arm ; Another, That his
Mouth was diftorted, and his whole right Side turned
to a duskifh Colour. But above all,commend me to Thy-
r tjiat jie was njs Friend, and therefore as
little to be credited as his Enemies.
Hear therefore what many Learned Men of the
Church of Rome fay, who cannot be fufpe&ed of any
partiality in Favour of him. the Fathers in Trent, (faith
Father Raul ) and the Court of Rome, conceived great
hope, feeing that fo potent an Inftrument, to contradict the
Doctrine and Rites of the Church of Rome, was dead, Sec.
and the rather becaufe that Death was divulged throughout
Italy, with many prodigious and fabulous Circumfiances,
which were afcribed to Miracle, and the Vengeance of God,
t tho
Tke-unhappy end of the Church's Enemies: j4p
tho there were but the ufual accidents, which do ordinarily
happen in the Deaths of Men of fixty three Tears of Age[t). clnt of TrZ.
So that in Father Pants judgment, there was nothing in 1 2- P- Mo-
llis Death, but what was common. Yea, that the very
worft Circumftances were no other than fuch Accidents
which happen aljo many times to VE RT GOO D C HR I- r
STUNS, is acknowledged by a late Adverfary (». B&tS?"
who hath written a Book on purpofe to difparage him! p* I04-
Yea, that he died in great Honour, as well as pioufly *
another hath informed us. After Supper ffoysThuanus)
immediately before the Night in which he departed, when he
was aslzd, Whether in the Eternal Life we /ball know one a-
ther ? he f aid, that wefbould, and confirmed it by Teflimo-
nies of Scripture, As many firove who fhould befi exprefs
their Love to him while he lived, fo neither by Death could
they be drawn from loving him. The Citizens of Mans-
field contended that he ought to be buried with them, becaufe
that was his Native Soil ; but the Authority 0/ Frederick,
the Prince Elector, prevailed, that he fhould be carried to
Wittenberg, and there honourably Interred fw.J And in- 0?) Porter-
deed the tranfeendent Honour that was done to his anteS?"16
Memory, feems to be that winch chiefly provoked his qua decern?,
Enemies, to fet their Inventions on work to defame cum rosare"
u.m tur, r.uaiinil-
mui* a fempkerna
alterumagnituri, itaeffe aiebat, 8c Scripture teftimoniis confirmabat. Ut ccrcatim eum-vi-
vum, &c. Tbuan. ffijl. 1. 2.
The Cardinal's next Inftance of an unhappy End is
Z^tinglius. And why is his Death reckon'd unhappy ?
Becaufe he wasjlain in a War againft Cat ho licks (x). But . C^ Zuingiius
is it a ftrange thing for a Man to be kill'd inaWar ?SSSS
Does every one that fo ends his Days, die miferably ? If cidac«s eft.
fo, How many Millions hath the Pope brought to a mi- Bdhm'
ferable End, in fending them to the Wars againit Sara-
A a a cens
V r © The Fourteenth Note of the Church,
cens and Hereticks ? O, that they'l fay is a glorious Death,
that merits the brighter!: Crown in Heaven ! But Z^ing-
iitss was kill'd in a War againft Catholicks.
But fray, the Cardinal makes them Catholicks too
foon, he fuppofes them Catholicks before Zginglius was
kill'd, whereas he was to prove them Catholicks by his
being kill'd, for his unhappy Death is the Note now
under debate, by which they were to be known to be
of the true Church.
But that his Death could be no Argument that God
difapproved the caufe in which he died, is evident ;
becaufeto the great grief of our Adverfaries the Refor-
med Religion which they hoped would have died toge-
ther with him, made a greater Progrefs after his Death,
than it had done before. I fhall fpeak but a word to
the two next, becaufe the Cardinal's Spite is chiefly a-
gainfl Cahin who brings up the rear.
Oecolampadius (fays Bellarmin) in the Evening went
Cj) Oecolam- ^ f gj a j ^ (fje Morninv was, by his Wife, found
padiuscumve- , , . , . » , N ^ \ • \r V J -Vi , ,
fperi fanuscu- dead w hi* Bed (y). tor this alio he quotes CochUw,
bicum iviflet, though he fays not that he went well to Bed. And
SuxoTe5 f°far is it from being true, that he had for a long time
mortuusin been ill, and for fifteen days before confin'd to his Bed :
Leflo. Beiiar. gut grant it true, I have faid enough before in anfwer
to it, in the Vindication of Luther. I fhall only add ;
That before the Cardinal had brought this for an In-
ftance of an unhappy Death in Proteftants, he fhould
(X) Andream have prov'd, that Papifls are not as fubjecl: to Apoplex-
Caroioftadium ies, or any other Difeafe which caufes a fudden flop-
iK?fcaumeiS- Pa§e °^ tne Circulation in the Heart, as Proteftants are.
niftri Bafiieen- For Carolojladius, the Minifiers of Bafil ( he tells us )
fesfcnbunt, in }n an £pjile theypublijFt concerning his Deathy write that
ejfderuntW he w<** kilPd by the Devil {£). He has not told us where
morce Caroio- this Epiftle is, and I defpair of ever finding it. I fhall
ftadii. aftm. therefore
The Unhappy End of the Churches Enemiesl * c 1
th erefore fend the Reader to Betrus Boqmnus, a Student
at Bajil when Carolofiadius died, and attended his Fune-
ral, who hath given an account of his Death, and ex-
pofed this impudent Forgery ; as I find him quoted by
Mclchior Adams (a). W ^ vi« ca-
I am now come to the fifth and laft A£k of this Tra-
gedy, which is ,1b lewd a Calumny, that any Man but
an Advocate for their Church, might be afhamed to
own it, viz. John Calvin was eaten up of Worms, as
Antiochus, Herod, Maximinus and Hunricus were ; and
not only fb, but invoking the Devils, he died blajpheming
and curfwg (£). But what Authority has the Cardinal
for this ? the TefKmony of Bolfec, a Man of fo profti- (j,) Joannes
tuted a Fame, and whofe Lies are fb grofs, that many Caivinus ver-
Popifh Writers who have ftudied to blacken Calvin, SSL*^
have been almmed to own him. > ravk, ut An-
tiochus, Hero-
des, Maximinus & Hunricus, teftatur Hieronymus Bolfecus in ejus vita. Qui etiam addic, eum
Dxaionibus invocatis, blafphemantem & execrantem obiiiie. Bellam.
The Charge is twofold : 1. That he was eaten up
of Worms. 2. That invoking the Devils , he died
blafpheming and curfing : both which are as falfe, as
any thing ever forged by the Father of Lies.
1. That he was eaten up of Worms, r\** ,^,. n
, 1 • 1 • 1 1 /- T- m \S) Sed ad Calvinum noltrum, &
by Which IS meant the lowly Evil, as ad graviflimos ejus, variofq; morbos
may be feen by Bolfec 's Words quoted 3uibus mifere ad extremnm ufque
in the Mircrin ( r^ NW were flik SPlritum excruciatus fuic ; reverca-
in tne margin [c j. i\ow weie tins mur) quem prxter eos quos Bcza
true, yet if We may believe a Learned refcrentecommemoravimus,eo quo-
Man Of the Church of Rome (who que m°rbi genc^e afflidum iconffcit,
r „ , . , . ..>,_, quo ;ulto Dei judicio, quofdam ma-
Was oneol Lalvin s irreconcilable L- nifeftos, & spates Dei hoftes, qui
nemies) it is not to be look'd upon as diyinum HdnoreoutqjGloriamia-
fo ftrange a thing ; for he has underta- J^g&}K5y5S!
ken to prove that nothing is more na- Nam 8c hi Vermes, &c. Vita Joan.
tural, than for the Body of Man to Cllv- c* 22'
Aaa 2 breed
} 5 i ' The Fourteenth Note of the Church,
breed Vermine and Lice, and produc'd many famous
(d) vafleur Men who have died of this Difeafe (J). It mult in*
*Y(acdehd'~ ^ee ^e acknowledged, tnat tne lowfy-Evil, is not ai-
de Noyon! p. ways a Sympton meerly natural, but a vindicative Ef-
'720, 721. fe£t of the Almighty, when, without any Reafon in the
Humours or ftate of the Body fufficient to caufe that
loathfbm Difeafe, it appears to the Deftruction of fome
notorious Sinner. Yet it is certain that this Diftemper
is naturally incident to humane Bodies, fince Lice do
feem to confift (chiefly) of that Salt, which, together
with other Humours does copioufly breath through their
Pores. This Truth may be reafbnably gathered from
the Chymical Refblution of Lice, and from their medi-
cinal Powers and Effects in fome Diftempers. Befides
that, I have been allured by a Learned Gentleman
(much addicted to Phyfical Experiments ) that he for-
merly having three or four days together vifited Glafs-
furnaces, attending on fome Experiments there made,
has taken from the Backs of the Glafs-makers (after
they had fweated profufely in the fame Shirts three days
together) a great quantity of dry Salt, which was
caked on the outfide of their Shirts, and that this Salt
being put into a Glafs, and fet two or three days in a
funny Window, did all become a body of little creeping
things like Lice. If therefore the Salt which exhales
through the Pores of Mans Body be the matter of Lice,
the confidering Phifician may give good Reafon, why
and how the Difeafe may be produced, as it often hap-
pens to be, in Bodies firfi decayed, and difpofed to fuch
a Malady by other Difeafes, where th& Putrefaction of
Humours, and the Refolution of the animal Salts be-
ing very great, and the internal Heat and Motion,
which fnould carry them through the Pores, being too
little, this unctuous and faline matter flops in them,
and
7he Unhappy End of the Qhurctts Enemiesl , <
and there flays long enough to be animated into Lice
which as fbon as unlivened creep forth in abundance
and are fucceffively followed by dreadful numbers of
the fame Generation, fb long as the Patient lives. But
I fhall fay no more of the natural Caufes from whence
this Evil may fometimes proceed ; but fuppofing it now
to be as certain a Token of the Divine Vengeance as
Bellarmine would have it, I fhall ihew thefe two things :
i . That Calvin did not die of this Difeafe.
2. In cafe he did, the Church of Rome hath no rea-
fon to triumph in it.
i. That Calvin did not die of this Difeafe. This
will I think be manifefl : i . By reflecting upon the
firfl Author of this Story. 2. By confidering whato-
thers, both Papifls and Proteftants (of unqueftiona-
ble Authority) have written concerning Calvin s iSifc
eafes and Death.
1. By reflecting upon the firfl Author of this Story.
Bolfec was the Man who firfl told this Tale to the World *
and not till thirteen years after Calvin s Death. All
the reft, Surim, Lingeut, Leffiw, &x. are beholden to
him for it. Nor do I wonder that they licked up his
Vomit : but it may feem more (irange that Cardinal
Bellarmint fhould, if we confider thefe two things :
1. That he was CW-zz/Vs mortal Enemy. 2. That
many Papifls who have made it their Study to defame
Calvin, are afhamed of him.
1. That he was Calvin s mortal Enemy, One main
occafion of his Enmity was this : Bolfec, having quitted
his Habit (for he was a Carmelite Frier at Bar is) turn'd
Quack, and came to Geneva, where finding himfelf in
no efteem among the learned Phyficians, he refolved to
fet
im The Fourteenth Note of the Church,
let up for a Divine ; for fbmething he delivered about
Predeftination, he was firfi: gently reproved by Calvin ;
but he more boldly infilling again upon it, he was then
confuted by him openly in the Congregation, expofed
to publick Shame, and by the Magiftrate committed to
Cuftody as a (editious Perfon, and not long after by the
Senate banifhed the City. This publick Difgrace he
would never forgive Calvin, but ever after bore a mor-
tal Hatred againft him, though he durft not openly
proclaim it, till after Calvin was removed into another
World, and out of a capacity of confuting his Calum-
nies. This alone is enough, the Roman ifis themfelves
being Judges, to overthrow the Credit of this Story.
I might alfo add, that Bolfec was a neceffitous indigent
Perfon, and a Man of debauch'd Morals, and fo every
way qualified for the feigning of a Story, which he was
well arTured would be amply rewarded.
2. So grofs are his Impoftures, that many Learned
Papifts, who have made it their ftudy to defame Cal-
vin, are afhaincl to quote them. Florimond de Re Unhappy End of the Church's Enemies. i 5 7
and proclaimed him to the World for an impudent Im-
poftor : Efpecially thofe who were Calvin s Enemies,
would have noiled it abroad : Whereas not one, either
great or fmall was found, who contradicted one Word
of it.
2. But we need not the TefHmony of Beza> or any
other Proteftant ; the Papifts themfelves, even thofe
who have written much more than is. true to defame
him, fhall be his Compurgators ; For if they take no
notice of this Difeafe, who, could they have found any
colour for it, would have made the World ring with it,
'tis certain they took it for a Fable.
Now whofbever will take the pains to perufe the
Book quoted in the Margin (/;), he will find many of (h) u Defcn«
thefe collected to his Hands : But becaufe the Book is fed? cfvm
not in a Language that every one understands, I fliallr^efaka9^"
touch upon two or three of them. Florimond when he mancire, &c.
reckons up his Difeafes, gives not the leaft intimation DrdSouS
of this(i), Jaques Defmay infifts vehemently on thofe Q) La Nai'f-
Difeafes Calvin was affli&ed with toward the end of his ^"ce ^iHe*
Life, as Imfoftumes, Hemorrhoids, Stone, Gout, in fhort p. 8SS.7*C**°*
no lels than a dozen, and then infiilts over him, making
diem as vifible Tokens of God's Vengeance upon him,
as his fruiting the Philijlins in the hinder parts, and
putting them to a perpetual Shame. Now can it be **
imagined that he would have omitted this, could he
have found the leaft fhew of Truth for it , fince this
would have flood him in more ftead than all the reft ?
I fhall add but one more, viz. Jaques le Vaffeur, who is
fb far from forgetting any thing that might be to Calvin s
difadvantage, that he tells many filly ridiculous Tales
onpurpofe to difgrace him, and yet hath not one word
B b b .of
7 j 8 The Fourteenth Js[pte of tht Qburcb,
of this loathfom Difeafe*, or any thing like it. I think
I need fay no more to vindicate Calvin from this ugly
Afperfion.
2. But let us now fuppofe it true, and fee what the
Romanifis will get by it. Had indeed this Difeafe fal-
len upon Calvin,but never upon any Man of the Church
of Rome, they might then feemto have had fomething
whereof to glory ; but if for one Calvin, we can name
many greater Men of the Roman Communion who have
had this Diftemper, they were then ill-advifed in obje-
cting this againft Proteftants. I fhall at prefent name
three only, an Emperor, a King,and a Pope. The Em-
. . peror is Arnulphus, the Natural Son of Charles the,
$p^S Great (*). The King is Philip II, King of Spain (/;, a
bus, quos pc- Zealous Perfecutor of the Proteftants. The Pope is
•affliftus fpiri- ;■'•■>■•'- „•
turn reddidit. Fertur autem, quod prasfan vermes adeo fcatunrent, ut nullis medicorum cu-
ris minui potent Luicpr. de reb. Imperat 8c Reg. 1. 1. c. p._
Arnulphus, autem — ut Dei nutu pediculari morbo brevi confumptus fit. Plat, in vita Formos.
Demum Imperator Arnulphus longainfirmitatetabefa&us, nulla arte medicabili poterat ad-
iuvari, qui a pediculis confumeretur. Mart. Polon. 1.4. p.318.
CIJ Herode, leEmpereur Arnoul,Fils naturel de Charlemagne, Acaftus Fils de Pelias, Cali-
fthines d' Olinchien, Sylla, Clement 7 & Philip 2. Roy deEfpagne fixrent mangez des pons.
Mr. Chevreau. le Tab de la Fortune. 1. 3. c. 5.
. Q,,os (fc.Abfceffus} pravohumore fe per totum corpus ditfundente, pediculorum tanta
eluvio fecuta eft, ut vix indufio exui, & a quatuor hominibus paulum fufpenfo in linteo corpore
quantum per infirmitatem licebat, a duobus aliis per vices detergi poflet. Demum port tercia-
nam febrem heftica Temper eum conficiente, & accedentibus ad earn plagofis in raanibus & pedi-
bus ulceribus, dyfenteria, tenefmo, & hydropfi jam manifefta, & verminante femper ilia pe-
diculorum Eluvie, &c. Jacob. Aug. Thuan. Hift. 120.
(«Q Mr. Chevreau. ibid.
2. I fhould now proceed to the other part of the
Charge, which is blacker and more frightful, viz. That
Calvin invoking the Devils, died blafpheming and cttrfwg.
But
The Unhappy End of the Churctis Enemies. 5 jp
But I need not infift upon it, becaufe nothing hath been
(aid to expofe the falfhood of the former,, but what is as
truly applicable to this alfo. If therefore the Reader
pleafe to recoiled what hath been already deliver'd, he
will find this equally confuted by it. Tho I might have
added feveral other convincing Arguments, had I not
already exceeded the bounds alotted to this Difcourfe.
But the Truth is, the Calumny is fb broad and naked,
that it confutes it felf.
I think it is now evident enough, that the Church of
Rome can have no advantage againft the Proteftants,
from the unhappy Deaths of their prime Paftors and
Teachers. For, as Bellarmin himfelf pretends but to
fivefuch; fo I have made it appear, that the Stories
he tells of thefe, are all of them, either plainly falfe,or
impertinent. Happy Proteftants ! So happy in this re-
fped, that if it might pais for a Note of the true
Church, they need defire to be tried by no other.
And fince Bellarmin in the next Chapter, boafts of the
miraculous Succefs of the Papifls againft Hereticks ; I
defire them to confider, whether it was not at leafi:
next to a Miracle, that one Luther, who oppofed him-
felf to ail the united Forces of the Papacy, fhould live
fb long, and at laft come to his Grave in Peace. It may
(as I faid before) feern ftrange to fbme that Cardinal
Bellarmin fhould abufe the World by fuch feign'd Sto-
ries as he does; but let it be remember'd, that he was a
Jefrtit, and the Wonder will then be the lefs.
Among all thofe Princes, and other Secular Powers,
who have (under God) been the great Defenders of the
Proteftant Faith, the Cardinal has told us of no unhap-
Bbb 2 py
*^0 The Fourteenth Note of the Church,
py Ends ; we may guefs at the Reafon, for if he could,
we cannot imagine he would have fpared them, fince
thefe would have been much more to his purpofe, than
Pharaoh, Antiochm, Herod, Nero, Domitian, Maximi-
nu4, Julian, and Tome others, which he has imperti-
nently enough alledged. Tho had he produced many
Examples of this fort,-**** Queen Elizabeth would have
been enough to have put in the Ballance againft them all.
Having fhew'd how much the Proteftants are beholden
to Bellarmin for this Note,
2. Let us now fee whether the Church of Rome can
make as fair a Claim to it. Or rather, whether fhe,
which will needs be the only Church, will not by this
Character be unchurch'd. To begin with her Church-
Men.
I might infift upon the difmal Ends of Cardinal WoU
fey, Charles Caraffa, Cafar Borgia, Angelot, and many
other Cardinals. But becaufe if any Rank of Men a-
fnong them be exempted from this fad Fate, we may in
reafon expect it fhould be the Bifhops of Rome, who
by their Flatterers are made, not only equal to, but in
many things foperiour to the Angels, who cannot die ',
I fhall therefore more efpecially reflect upon them : For
if we find that the Popes themfelves, not only die like
Men, but have had many of them, the moil: unhappy
Deaths, we may fafely conclude, that die Church of
Rome will never be able by this Mark to prove her
(elf the true Church.
We have already heard the unhappy Deaths of Pope
Nicholas llly PmIH, Clemens Yl? LeoX, and Clemens
VII J
}6i
i5o.
3^3-
Marc,
334-
7he Unhappy End of the Qiurch's Enemies.
VII ; to which I fhall add a few more, cut of many
that might be mention'd.
Pope Clemens II ( q ) , and Victor
III, (r), were poifon'd. Pope John
X (j), and Benedict VI (*), were
both ftrangled in Prifbn. Pope John
XXII , when he promis'd himlelf a
long Life , was fuddenly crufh'd to
Death, by the fall of his Bed-Chamber,
in his Palace at V it erbium («). John
XII, wasfmitten (fays Luitprand!) by
die Devil, in the very Aft of Adultery,
and died of the Wound within eight
Days (V). Stella tells us , that he
was Stabb'd by the Husband of the A-
dulterefs (jc). Martin, that he died in
Adultery fuddenly without Repen-
tance (y) : In this they all agree, that
he receiv'd his Death's Wound in the
very aft of Lewdnefs ; the Devil well
rewarded him, for the honour he was
wont to do him , in drinking his
Health (*). Pope Boniface VII (4),
and Boniface VIII (£), both died as
fhamefully, as they lived wickedly.
Benedict IX (the Writers of his Life tell us) was feen
after Death in a monftrous Likenefs ; and being asked
(after he had told who he was) why he appeared in fiich
a horrid fhape ? he anfwered,Becaufe I lived like a Beafty
without Law and Reafon?it is the Will of God, and of
St. Peter, that I fhould bear the fhape of a BeafT rather grs ?kt M„
than of a Man (/). I fhould not have mention'd this, Polon. Stella. '
had I not found it confirm'd by Cardinal Baron ins Cd) : / O. Baron.
vi ?i Anila^n.io54
WhOn.54,55.. 54
Cq) Plac in Vifc
(r) Jo. Stella, p.
Polon. Chron. L4. p.
(/) Mart. Polon. I 4. p
(t~) Mart. Polon. p. 341.
(*) Papir. Maflbn. fol. 188.
(vf) Luitprand de Reb Imperats
&Reg. 1.6. c. if, Quadam no-
fte extra Romam, dum fe cum cu-
jufdam viri uxore obleftaret, in
temporibus adeo a Diabolo eft per-
cuffus, ut intra dierum ofto fpatiura
eodem fit vulnere mortuus.
(x) Stella ad an. 958. p. 1 33*.
CyJ Chron. 1. 4. p. 353,
CO Luitprand. 1. 6. c.7*
(J) Plat. & Stella.
(JO Mart. Polon. I.
Stella, an.. 1291. Plat.
4. p. 439,
j 6 1 The Fourteenth Note of the Church ,
Who alio gives the Reafbns from Petrm Damiani, why
he appeared in the compounded fhape of a Bear and
an Afs ; and adds the reafon himfelf, why he appeared
CO ibid. n.55. by a Mill (ey ■ jnCXAnfcr VI, by the miftake of his
Cup-bsarer, drank himfelf that deadly Wine, which
he I ad prepared for the poi'fbning of his Cardinals,
r/jPapir. and died forthwith {fj. PauIlVj went off fhe
Matron. Kd. gragC ^^ as much Infamy.,- as his Enemies , could
Richer^Hift. defire ; fcarce was the Breath out of his Body, when
cotc. general. tne pe0pie. mad witn Fury, ran through the City
v%4%* *', to deftroy whatfoever had been done by him, cur-
fed the Memory of the Pope , and of all Carafaes
(the Name of the Pope's Family ) burnt the new
Prifbn of the Inquifition , he had made for Here-
ticks— Then running to the Capitol , demolifh'd
his Marble Statue, drew the Head of it through the
Streets of the City, and after many Contumelies
threw it into Tiber. In fine, an Edict was pro-
mulgated, by which all were commanded u. der the
heavieft Penalty, to deface the Arms of the Qaraffian
ih vi?.nUphr* Family? m wnat place foever of the City they were
found (g). This may I think fufBce for Popes.
. It were eafy to obferve feveral Circumftances , in
the Deaths of Morgan, Gardiner, Sanders and others,
which. Men would be apt to conclude, were fpecial
Indications of God's Difpleafure againfl: the Caufe ;
but it is needlefs becaufe the advantage of tht Pro-
tectants, as to their Church-Men, is already liiiicient-
\y manifeff.
I might now proceed to Secular Perfbns, and fliew
that their advantage is as great,with refpecl: to them. It
f was
7he Unhappy End of the Church's Enemies. ^62
was before obferv'd , that the Cardinal has not pro-
duced fb much as one unhappy Death of a Proteftant
Prince. There has been one indeed, here in Eng-
land fince the Cardinal's Death (I mean King Charles I.)
But what is one, to the many (that might be men-
tion'd ) of Popifh Princes ? In France alone within
the fpace of threefcore Years, we meet with no fewer
than five, immediately fucceeding one the other, with-
out lb much as one happy Death between, viz. Hen. II,
Francis II, Charles IX, Hen. Ill, and Hen. IV. I now
leave the Romanifts themfelves, to make the Conclu-
sion which moft naturally follows from the Premifes ;
And for a Conclufion of this Difcourfe, defire them to
obferve the difference between Bellarmins Authorities
and mine : Whereas what he reports of the unhappy
Deaths of Proteftants, he has taken it from Papifts,
and from fuch Papifts who were their moft implacable
Enemies : I have not faid a Word of the unhappy Ends
of Cardinals, Popes and Popifh Princes, but what I
have borrow'd from their own Writers.
THE END.
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LONDON,
Printed by J. D. for Richard Chifwell at the Rofe and Crown in
St. Pari and dpoftolfck.
And thefe alone without the help- of any other n&rious
fuper-
Temporal Felicity. •*£-
fupernumerary Notes, are abundantly fufficient to de-
mon/Irate that any Church, to which they do belong,
is not certainly a true Church. And therefore to gain
credit to thofe he has thought fit to add, he tells us they
may be fome way reducd to thefe Four. But for my part,
I do not underftand how it can poffibly.be done. And
not to mention any of the reft, I will inftance only in
th is laft N ote I am about to examine. Temporal Felicity
(which he cautioufly reftrains to Succefs in War ) for
ought that I can perceive, is not by any means reduceable
to any of the Four. It will not evidence the Vnity of
the Church } for if this Note be allowed, then Mahomet
the Great, Solyman the Magnificent, Guftavus Adolphut,
and divers others were all good Catholicks in their time;
and inftead of One, we muft have as many Churches,as.
there have been Fortunate and Victorious Princes in the
World, that have fought for the propagation, or defence
of the moft different Religions. Neither is it any bet-
ter Argument for Sanctity y unlefs tofuch as can efteem
Gain to be Godlinefs, and account Turks and Saracens
Holy Men. Much lefs can Qatholicifm be proved from
it; fince good Succefs was never known to attend always
upon the fame fide ; and the Catholick Church and Uni-
verfal Empire, whatever ambitious Men may dream,
are never like to be the fame thing. And lean: of all can
we from hence gather any Church to be Jpojiolical.
The Primitive Chriftians were unacquainted with the
Glories of Worldly Triumphs. They fubdued the Na-
tions, but it was with Spiritual Weapons : They con-
quered the remoteft parts of the Earth, but it was by
the Holinefs of their Doctrine, the Blamelefsnefs of
their Lives, and the greatnefs of their Sufferings. The
Jpofiles did not march out to convert the World with
Croffes on their Breafts, and Javelins in their Hands :
* C cc 2 One
\6% The Fifteenth Not* tfthe Church,
One of them once drew a Sword in his Matters Quarrel,
but was presently commanded to put it up again, with
a fevere Commination. So that I do not fee to which of
the Four received Notes this of Temporal Felicity can be
tolerably reduced. I fhall therefore examine it as it
irands by it felf.
But by the way I cannot but obferve how fubtilly the
Cardinal has endeavoured to fecure this Note; which he
muft needs know was very liable to many material Ex-
ceptions. And at once to prevent them all, he tells us
roundly, That Catholick Princes never adhered unto God
heart ily^hut that they mofi eajily triumph'' d over theirEnemies,
This he very confidently affirms, but without any offer
at a Proof: But yet this will furnifli him with an Eva-
ion that may be always ready. For whenever any of
thofe Princes, which he calls Catholick,fhall be fhewn to
have been unfortunate in their Adventures ; it may be
quickly replied,that they did not then heartily adhere un-
to God. And the contrary may be afferted with equal
Af?urance; and fo here is a Controverfy ftarted, about
a Matter of Fad!:, which all the Men upon Earth are
never able to decide. For the Intentions and inward
Difpofitions of Mens Minds are difcernible to none, but
the Searcher of Hearts. And how then can this be pre-
tended to be a Note by which we mould know the true
Church, when the lole Condition, upon which the
Evidence of it is made to depend^ is to us altogether im-
poffrble to be known.
And this alone might be fufrlcient to evince the vani-
ty of it ; but yet I fhall endeavour to make it appear fur-
ther* by fhewing.
I. That Temporal Felicity cannot be efteemed a Note
of the Church.
II. Thar
Temporal Telicity. *£«-,
II. That the Inftances the Cardinal brings, do not
prove it.
III. And that there are many Examples of Infidels
and Hereticks, as he accounts them, who have been as
proiperous and fuccefsful in the World, as any of his
Catholicks. If thefe things may be feveraliy made out
then the Church of Rome is like to get but little Advan^
tage by this fifteenth Note.
I. And that Temporal Felicity, cannot be efreemed a
Note of the Church feems evident enough, and that
principally for thefe Reafons :
i. BecaufeGod has no where promifed it in all the
holy Gofpel ; and it is no better than vain Arrogance,
and a fond kind of Prefumption to make that a Mark
of the Church, which is neither elfential to the Con-
fHtution of it, nor yet infeparably annexed to it by
virtue of any Divine Promife. The Jews indeed were
encouraged in their Obedience by the Propofal of ma-
ny Temporal Bleflings ; and if they did faithfully and
confcientioufly obferve the Law, they were aiTui'd
of great and miraculous Victories over their Enemies.
Five of you /hall chafe an hundred, and an hundred of yon. Uv. a&.&..
{ball put ten thoufand to flight. But ChrifHanity which
is a more Spiritual Religion, that is eftablifhed upon
better Promifes, and has more full and exprefs Revela-
tions of everlafting Happinefs than they had, has no
ground at all to flatter it lelf with the foolifh Hopes of
external Felicities and worldly Glories. I cannot find
one word in all the New Teftament, upon which fiich
an idle Imagination can be probably grounded. Nay,
on the contrary, Diftrels and Afflictions feem to be the
nioft ordinary Portion that our blehed Lord has been
pleafe.d to allot thebeft of his Followers in this Life.
He
j7o The Fifteenth Note of the Qkurcb,
Toh 1 6 2.3. ^e t0^ ms Difc:ples, In the World ye {hall have Trifa-
2 Tim. 3. 12. lation. Tea, and all that will live godly in ChriB Jefu^,
(ball fuffer Perfection. The Expreflions are plain ;
and many more might be brought to the fame purpofe:
And if they could all be warrantably reftrained to
fome certain Perfons and Times, yet they would afford
but a very feeble Argument to prove that Temporal Fe~
licit y was a Note of the Church ; and if any better
can be produced, it is more than the Cardinal has done,
His Eeror in this is very like that of the Jews, who
anciently did, and ftill do ex pe£t a Triumphant World-
ly Kingdom in the days of their Meffias. But they are
far the more excufable ; for, as I laid, they had fome
Promifes of Temporal Blefftngs, and fo might have fome
colour for fuch a Miftake : But it is hard to frame any
Apology for one, who profeffes to believe in a Cruci-
fied Saviour, that (hall diftinguifh his Church by the
fame Character which they did, without the leaft Ihew
of a Promife to fupport it. It is to be fear'd, when
he invented this , that his eyes might be fbmething
dazled with Purple Robes, and Red Hats ; or his Fan-
cy intoxicated with the falfe Glories of extirpating He-
reticks by force of Arms.
2. But be that as it will ; this Note muft fail him
again, becaule for feveral Ages together the Church
could not pretend to any fuch thing as Temporal Feli-
city. Three hundred years at leaft, were paiTed over
in nothing almoft but continual Perfecutions. Chri-
stianity was made the common Ob je£b of the Hatred
and Fury of the People ; and wicked and inhumane
Princes fpent moll- of their Rage and Cruelty upon
it. They rack'd their Inventions to find out new and
exquifit ways of Torture. The Prifbns were throng'd
with Crowds of ConfelTors , and the Theater*, and
places
Temporal felicity. r7l
places of publick Execution were fprinkled with
the Blood , and ftrewed with the A (lies of the holy
Martyrs. And a long time it was that thefe lamen-
table Spa&acles were very frequent ; and when they
happened to have any little intermiflion, it was ra-
ther a Refrefhment, than a Reft ; nothing but a fpace
of taking Breath , that they might gather ftrength,
and prepare themfeives for another Encounter. And'
all this while to be fure the Chriftians could obtain no
other Victory over their Adverfaries, but by convincing
their Infidelity by their patient fuftering. Before Con-
ftantine fhewed them what it was, they were great
ftrangers to Temporal Felicity ; and how often they have
had it interrupted fince that, I will not now enquire :
but whatever this may be of the Roman, it is not a
Note of the true Catholick Church ;. for that we know
flourifhed divers Ages, in the greateft Purity without
it.
5. And if this be not Proof enough, yet the unfpeaka-
ble Miferies which the Church of God rauft endure in the
•Days ofcAntichrifl, is an undeniable Demonstration that
this Note cannot be allowed. The Cardinal himfelf con*
feffes, and I think all the Writers of his Communion Beii.de Ronv
do generally agree, that the AntichriftUn Tyranny fhall l^' 3' c* 4*
far exceed all the Cruelties that were inflifted by.theCorn'aLap.in
worn: of the Heathen Emperours. This others believe APocaL caP> 3°
as well as they ; but then they conceive that fome of
thefe grievous Calamities may be already pair in the
fharp and lingring Torments, the many dreadful Mat
facres, and the cruel and promifcuous Slaughters of la-
ter times ; which can fcarce be paralleled by anything
the Chriftians fuffered of old under Pagan Idolaters.^
But Bellarmine, and the reft of the Church of Rome, for
fome Realbns do imagine that all this is itill to come.
But
~7% Tl>e Fifteenth 2$ote of tU Qnrch,
But be it paft or future, it quite overthrows the credit
of this Fifteenth Note. For the State, which by his
own Confeflion the Church muft be in during that
AntichriftUn Perfecution, is very inconfiftent with Tem-
poral Felicity. There is no ftrefs therefore to be laid
upon this ; no Promife can be pretended for it, and the
time has certainly once been, when it was not, and it is
frankly acknowledged that the time lhall come agaia
when it will not be a Note of the Church.
II. This might be fufficient to put an end to thisDifc
pute : But becaufe the only way the Cardinal has taken
to confirm his Opinion, is by collecting (bme Hiftorical
PafTages, which he thinks make for his purpofe ; I fhall
briefly examine feveral of them, and make it appear
that the Inftances he brings do not prove what he in-
tends.
And as for all thofe taken out of the Old Teftament,
they were particular and fignal SuccefTes conferred by
Almighty God upon his Faithful People, according to
fome fpecial Promifes formerly made them, as I have in-
timated before; and they might be accounted fubfequent
figns of their Obedience, but not of their being the true
Church ; for fb they were in all Conditions ; as well
when they were oppreffed by the Ph Hi (lines, as when
they drove the Canaanites out of the Land ; as well in
Baby lon.> as in Pdeftine ; no lefs in the midft of their
moft grievous Afflictions, than in their moil profperous
and flourifhing Eftate. And after Jeroboam had made
the Separation, die two Tribes were the true Church
frill, and the Ten were the Schifmaticks; notwithftan-
ding the various Events of their Wars, and that the Vi-
ctory inclined fbmetimes to the one Mq9 and fbmetimes
to the other.
i To
Temporal Felicity. 375
To what he fays of Conftantine and Theodofius, and
fbme other of the Antients, it might be Reply enough
to tell him, that their SuccefFes, fuppofing his Note to
be true, would make nothing to the purpofe he contends
for : Becaufe, as has been often proved, thofe Times
were not infecled with any of thofe grofs Errors which
the Modern Church of Rome has been guilty of.
But yet to fhew what Partiality he ufes in the choice
of thefelnftances,l will enquire a little into one of them.
He tells us that a vaft Army of the Goths of mere than a
hundred thoufand was totally defeated, in one Battel, and
Rhadagaifus their Kjng, together with his Son, taken and
fain, and not fo much as one of the Romans killed or wound-
ed. Thus he from St. Aufiin relates it. Others fay De civic- Dei-
there was no Battel, but that this huge Multitude of 0rofJib?7.
above two hundred thoufand Men, or, as fbme make cap. 26.
them, double that number, being inclofed among the pauiDiacon.
barren Mountains of Fefula, were fb extreamly weak-
ened with Famine ; that Rhadagaifus endeavoured to
make his Efcape alone, but being taken Prifoner, was
put to Death, and the reft became an eafy Prey to their
Enemies. This the Cardinal mentions as the felicity of
Honorius ; and it was indeed a very wonderful Succefs ;
but then it is almoft the only thing that happened well
in all his time. And, notwithstanding this miraculous
Victory, he was one of the moft unfortunate Emperors
of them all. He furTered the Capital City of the World *l*"™?'
to be taken by Marie the Goth, without ever daring at-
tempt to relieve it ; tho the Siege lafted about two years.
But he was all that while very wifely diverting himfelf,
and feeding his Poultrey at Ravenna: And Lis Mind
was fo intent upon his Bufmefs, that when one of his
Officers brought him the News that Rome was loft, he
had not a Thought of that antient, and formerly glorious
* Ddd Seat
j 74 Hie fifteenth Note of the Chunk,
Seat of the Empire, but imagined it had been nothing
but a Cockhe had of the fame Name ; and was much
troubled, and mightily furprized that the poor Bird
jhould be dead fo loon, that took Meat out of his Impe-
Procop. ib. rial Hand but a very little before. Befides this fatal blow
at the Head, that was fo lightly regarded, many other
Cities and Towns were utterly deftroyed, the Country
laid wholly wafte, fuch Multitudes of the People moft
miferably Butchered all Italy over, that it was but thinly
inhabited for fome Age's after, and this and other Incur-
fions of the Barbarous Nations in thofe days had fb fha-
ken the State of it, that we muft begin to date the Ruine
of the Weftern Empire from the Reign of Honoritts ;
and he that can produce him for an Example of Temporal
Felicity, may be fit to believe that 'tis a Note of the
Church.
I fhall pais over the refb of hislnfrances, till he comes
to the Holy War : And there he takes notice how the
Chrifiians being then about Antioch, with a [mall number y
and, thofe in great difpair and a very languishing Condition
for want ofnecejfary Provifions, and the Enemy at hand
with a potent numerous Army ; and when they were in this
diftrefsy it was at length feafonably revealed to fome Body
where the Holy Lance was, which was brought into the Field
in the nicfaof time and carried before the Souldiersyand three
Holy Men appeared in the Clouds fighting for them \ and by
this means they unexpectedly got an entire Victory ', with the
flaughter of an hundred thou f and of the Turks. I will
not queftion the Truth of any part of the Story ; but
let any Man confider the various SuccefTes of that War,
and that it was concluded to the advantage of the Infi-
dels, who remained Matters of all at laft, after fb much
Blood and Treafure expended, and fo many ofthebra-
veft Spirits of Europe thrown away upon thofe tedious
and
Temporal felicity. j y 5
and fruitlefs Expeditions ; and he will be apt to flifpe A
that here the Cardinal did manifeftly prevaricate, and
that he had a real defign to betray his own Church, and
give up the Caufe to Mahomet.
After this he boafts of a notable Victory over the At-
bigenfes ', where a hundred, thoufand of the Hereticks were
totally routed by his Catholicks, that were not the tenth fart
of their number. It is true the Hiftories of thofe times
do generally mention a very great Overthrow given
thole poor People, in a Battel, by a very inconfiderable
handful of Men under the Command of Simon Mount-
fort : and that Peter King of Jrragon, who came to
their Afliftance, was (lain on the Place, and Raymond
Earl of Thouloufe forced to fly. And upon this occaflon,
to ftrengthen the Cardinal's Argument, as much as is
poflible, I think it will not be amifs to call to mind lome
other of their glorious Victories over thele Albigenfes.
Thefe we muft know were a fort of Hereticks ,that were
Ipread far and near, and had a long time infected the
Church ; fome fay they had continued ever fince the see uflier, de
days of the Apoftles. Pope Innocent the Third very de- chrift- Ecd*
firous to find a Remedy for this Inveterate Evil, ap- ^t^a!'
points divers eminent Preachers to go into the parts 23,24. &c.
wThere they,, were thought to be the moil numerous, and
teach nothing there but the pureDoclrme of the Church
of Rome? and endeavour by this means to convince
them of their fuppofed Errors. But this way not fuc-
ceeding ; the Hereticks remaining obflinate ftill, not-
withstanding the Diligence of the Miifionaries ; he be-
thinks himfelf of a more effectual Expedient. Since
Perfwafions will not prevail, he is refolved to try whe-
ther Terror and Force may not have a greater Power of
Conviction, than Argument. Therefore he publifhes
a Crufado againft the Hereticks, as had been formerly
* D d d 2 done
j 7 6 The fifteenth Note of the Qhurch,
dtone againft the Infidels in the Eaft ; and fets forth his
BnU of Plenary Indulgence to all that fhould engage in
this Sacred Militia,, and makes them as fure of Heaven,
as thofe were that fhould be fent on his Errand to the
Holy Land. Upon this extraordinary encouragement,
great Multitudes flock together from all parts, and full
of Zeal and Rage they march on, and perform many
notable Exploits to the Eternal Honour of themfelves,
and him that put them on that pious Work. In one
City they put threefcore thoufand to theSword, fparing
neither Sex nor Age. And when the tender-hearted
Souldiers found there were ibme Catholicks in the Place,
they defire to know, whether thefe might not be ad-
mitted to Quarter. The Pope's Legat, that was attend-
ing the Action, commands them to make noDiftinction;
for fear a Heretick might efcape under that pretence :
And he excufes the Severity of the Order with a Scrip-
ture Expredion : The Lord knoweth who are His. This
beginning was enough to ftrike Terror into all that
heard it ; and then they go on valiantly ft ill doing great
Execution wherever they come. Whenever any Town,
or Caftle was furrender'd, it was always upon thefe
Articles ; they that would be converted had their Lives;
they that refuted, were Hanged, or Burnt. After they
had proceeded a while in this manner, Simon Mountfort^
a ftout Zealot, is by common confent chofen General
of the Pilgrims, (for fb they were called) and appointed
Commander in chief for this new kind of Holy War ;
with a Promife of the Government of what had already
been, or fhould happen hereafter to be taken from the
Hjreticks, He, anned with a iliificient Power, quick-
ly forces Kaimund of Tholoufe out of his Dominions.
The poor ejected Prince flyes to the great Later an Coun-
cil for Relief; they, as if the queftion had been about a
Matter
Temporal Velicity. *yj
Matter of Faith, furTer the Debate to come before them
and depriving jR4/*w»W,conftitute Simon E. ofTboloufe.
Ratmund hereupon retires into Spain ; Simons new Sub-
jects fuddenly revolt, and force him to go himfelf, and
fend his Wife to feveral Courts to beg fuch Supplies as
might be fufhxient to reduce them to Obedience. But
before that could be done, he is crufhed to pieces with a
great Stone out of an Engine, as he lay before Tholoufe.
Soon after, his Younger Son Guy is like wife flain at ano-
ther Town ; Almaric the Elder, and Heir to his Father
highly inraged with thefe Misfortunes that fell fo thick
upon his Family, fwears defperately that he would ne-
ver remove the Seige till he was Matter of the Place.
But notwithstanding this infblent Bravado, he is con-
ftrained to go away in a Difgrace, aggravated with the
Guilt of a prefumptious foolifh Oath. Before this, Rai-
mund was returned,and entered again upon his Legal In-
heritance, and died at laft in Poifeflion of it, and left
the Suceflion to his Son ; when Almaric was fain to
wander up and down the. World, earneftly entreating all
that pleafed to pitty his Condition, to afford him fome •
Succours, that he might be enabled to endeavour the
Recovery of what had been lately ufurped by his Father.
And now upon a Review of the Succelfes on both Sides
thus far, the Hereticks feem clearly to have the Advan-
tage. And for what followed after this, it is an Argu-
ment of the particular care the Divine Providence has
always had in the prefervation of thofe diftrelTed Alhi-
genfes ; that could never be deftroyed by the many po-
tent Combinations that have been made againft them,
and the violent Per (editions they have endured within
thefe laft five hund.ed Years ; but in fpight of all the
Malice of their Enemies, the Remains of them, at this
Day, are enough to exercife the Valour of another
Mount*
g The Fifteenth Note of the Clmrch,
Mowtfort ', if any unhappy Age fhould chance to pro-
duce one.
For his Catholic k Victories in Switzerland and the
how-Countries j if the Cardinal had been pleafed to ac-
quaint us what they were, perhaps they might be ea-
fily ballanced. However, for ought I can learn, the
Proteftant Cantons are in as good Condition as the o-
ther. I am fure the Confederate Provinces of the Ne-
therlands are grown a very rich and potent Common-
wealth, and if they have thrived only by their LofTes,
then they may plead Miracles in Confirmation of their
Religion 5 which he makes a Note of the true Church,
as well as Succefs in wanlike Adventures.
He juft mentions a Vi&ory of Charles the fifth over
the Luther an sy 1 $47 ; obtained, as he fays, by a Divine
^Miracle. I fuppofe he means at the Battle in Mulberg,
where the Forces of John Frederick y Elector of Saxony,
were overthrown, and himfelf taken Prifbner. And I
confefs, it was a confiderable Victory, but I cannot
underftand the Miracle of it. But grant there weue
. one, yet it muft be remembred, that afterwards Charles
Thuan.Ub.io.hirnfelf Was driven out of Germany by a Lutheran
Prince, and forced to clamber over the Alps by Torch-
light, in a dark and rainy Night, among craggy Rocks,
and fteep and flippery Mountains, carried in a Horfe-
litter by reafon of his Illnefs. And when he had with
great Labour and Hazzard overcome the Difficulty
of the PafTage, and was gotten pretty well out of dan-
ger, the Fright had made fuch Impreffion upon him,
that he ftill conceited Maurice was at his heels : Info-
much that when he was met by the Venetian Ambafla-
dour, with a Body of Horfe, fent by the Senate for the
Security of his Perfbn, he was afraid of his own Suc-
cours, aad could hardly be perfwaded that they were
not
Temporal Velicity. + - g
not feme of the Enemies Troops. He was indeed a
gallant and generous Prince, adorned with many He-
roical Vermes, becoming the Greatnefs of the Chara-
cter he bore, and had been often crowned with a Suc-
cefs anfwerable to the Refolution and Bravery of his
Mind ; but this hafty and lamentable Flight loft him
the Fruit, and did fbmething ecliple the Glory of his
former Victories, and made him frequently complain
of the Change of his Fortune. And being by this and
fbme other Mifadventures he met with, made fenfible
of the Vanity, and grown weary of the Incumbrances
of the World, he religned the Empire, and his other
Dominions betwixt Devotion and Difcontent, and re- ■
tired into a Monaftery in Spain, where he ended his
Days. And this I hope might prepare him for an eter-
nal, but it is no part of his Temporal Felicity ; nor can
it ever from hence be prov'd that that of which he
profefled himfelf a Member, was therefore the only
true Church. Or if it were fb, as the Cardinal thinks,
when he took Frederick ; it was certainly otherwife,
when he ran away from Maurice. And here I might
conclude the Examination of this Note, for fince he
attempts to prove it no other way, but by an Inducti-
on of Particulars ? if he had failed but in one Inftance,
as I have fhewn he has done.in many, the whole Ar-
gument could be of no force.
III. But to illuftrate and confirm the Matter farther,
I fhall bring fbme Examples of Infidels, and Rich as he
efteems Hereticks, who have been as profperous and
fuccefsfui in the World, and gained as Rgnal Victo-
ries, as any of his Catholicks,
When
380 the Fifteenth Note of the Church,
When Vladiflam King of Poland and Hungary had
concluded a Peace with Amtirath the tecond, and 16-
eufpinian in lemnly confirmed it with an Oath ; Eugenius the fourth
Amurach. 20. writes him word that the League being made with the
Enemies of the Chriftian Faith, without his Content,
could not be valid. Julian the Legate abfolves the King -
and the reft from the Oath they had taken, and with
many fpecious Pretences perfwades them to break with
the Turk, and enter into an actual War. Amurath, who
was now withdrawn into JJia, hearing what had hap-
pened, and being informed of the Preparations that
were making againft him, returns unexpectedly with
a mighty Force, and meets with the Chriftians not far
from Varna ) where was begun a molt bloody and obfti-
nate Fight, which lafted, as they report, for three
days with dubious Succefs. Amurath at length up-
on the Sight of the Picture of our Saviour on the Crofs,
that was painted in fome of the Chriftian Banners,
paflionately prays him to avenge the Injury done to his
Name by thote his faithlefs Followers who had fo late-
ly fworn the League, and fo bafely and perfidioufly
broken it, without any Provocation. In the end, the
Chriftians are put to the Rout, Vladijlam is flain, the
brave Huniades hardly efcapes, the treacherous Legate,
who had drawn them all into this Diftrefs, is found up-
on the Ground ftript and wounded, and ready to ex-
pire, many other great Prelates and Nobles are killed
on the Place, and a miterable Slaughter made of about
thirty thoufand of the common Men. A remarkable
Inftance to fhew that Succefs does not always attend the
.ft Papal Benediction.
Hungar?Book ' The unfortunate Battel of Mohatz, was almoft paral-
1. g lei to this in fome Circumftances. For Solyman the
pStrepc.°rat 'Turkifh Emperour, invading Hungary with a potent
Army,
Temporal Felicity. ^%t
Army, Paul Tomoreefirft a Souldier,afterwards a Monk,
and then an Arch-Bifhop, is chofen General againft
him, under Lewis the young King. He hafvily engages
the Enemy, and is utterly defeated, himfelf flam^m
the Field, with many more eminent Church-men, and
other Perfons of the belt. Quality. His Head is fixed
upon a Pole, and carried about the ' Turkifh Army in a
feornful and ridiculous kind of Triumph. Lewis ) a
Prince of great Hopes, fcarce yet come to the Flower
of his Youth, is drowned in a Ditch, and found flic-
king in the Mudd, above a Month after the- Fight. I
might add many more the like SuccefTes of the Turks
and Saracens againft thole that have defended the
Church, which the. Cardinal efteems the only true
One. But I think thefe two may fuffice.
It were not difficult neither to collect numerous Ex-
amples of thofe he calls Hereticks who have often put
his Catholicks to the worft : I fhall name but one,
which, for the Multiplicity of good Fortune, may well
ferve inftead of many ; and that is Queen Elizabeth,
whole Memory will always be honourable, when En-
vy and Detraction have done their utmoft. At her
coming to the Crown fhe found her felf involved in
War with two potent Neighbours, Scotland and France.
She was deftitute of Allies abroad, and not fecured
of the ArTe&ions of her People at home. The many
and great Revolutions, that had been in Matters of Re-
ligion efpecially, in the three foregoing Reigns, had
created fuch violent Animofities, and fo very different
Interefts in the Nation, that they feemed to threaten
her Government with perpetual Faction and Difbrder.
But all thefe Difficulties that might be thought infupe-
rable, were happily overcome, or wifely compofed ; and
her long Reign of more than four and fourty years,
E e e palled
j 8 1 The Fifteenth Note of the Churchy
palled over with fuch a conftant Series and Tenouc of
Succefs, that my J-ord Bacon, who was intimately ac-
quainted with the Proceedings of thofe Times, and ad-
mirably well qualified tojudg, has left us a particular
flfSTiff Treatife °f the felicities of Queen Elizabeth. Among
"'■"*' thefe I fhall not now number the many Efcapes fhe had
out of the Hands of defperate Villains, who frequently
attempted to afTaflinate her facred Perfbn, but only take
notice of fome other Confpiracies and Rebellions, and
that famous Invafion of Eighty eight.
The firft open Rebellion was begun in the North ,
Giroiam. Ca- anc* carried on by the Earls of Northumberland and
ten vka del' Weflmoreland, who having gotten together betwixt
Gionofifs.Papa four ancj gve> QAtem fayS twelve thoufand Men, they
remecter la declare, that they took Arms only to refiore the Catholick
Religion Ca- Religion, and the antient Laws of the Realm. But up-
thohca &cp. Qn tge Approach 0f feventeen hundred of the Queens
cambd. £li\. Forces, and the Report of more that were to follow,
An. i $69. tnev fuddenly difperfe, and fly into Scotland, where
1 572. Northumberland remaining, is delivered up, and behead-
ed at Tork ', Wefimorland gets over into Flanders, is al-
lowed a fmall Penfion from the King of Spain, lives
miferably all the- reft of his days> and atlaft dies in
,584> Exile.
The many Infurre&ions in Ireland, in which the
Caufe of the Cardinal's Church was always pretended,
which were encouraged by the Pope, and often ftreng-
thened with foreign Afliftance, were all of them hap-
cambden. An. pity fuppreffed. The Iaft was the longeft and moil cfan-
io#2. gerous of all ; but a few Months before her Death fhe
received the joyful News of the Defeat and Suhmiffi-
on of the Rebels, and fb left both her Kingdoms in a
fettled and peaceable Condition.
0
But
Temporal Felicity. >g>
But among all the remarkable Succefles of that great
Queen, the timely Detection of the grand Defign againfl
her Life and Government muft not be forgotten, fcho
it never came to the Decifion of a Battel. Pius the fifth
who was refolved by all means to work her Ruine in
a furious kind of Zeal, which by fbme is highly com-
mended, by his Declaratory Sentence deprives her of all * ' An' X*7°'
her Dominions, abfolves her Subjects from their Alle^i-
ance,and puts her and her Adherents under an Anathema.
There was one Ridolfi a Florentine Gentleman, who had GiraiamoCa-
long refided at London upon pretence of Trade; to him p™ oit,di
he fends to profecute his Bufinefs diligently, and Air up &c'5 ' p,II?'
all the difcontented Spirits of the Kingdom againit her; Gabuc* de vit*
which he did with great Induftry, and too much Effect, pii^u*.
Spain is heartily engaged in the Plot, and the Duke of aP'*
Norfolk, a Perfon highly favoured by the People, is con-
flicted Head of the Holy Confpiracy, as fbme of them call capo ddla
it. Pius is fb heartily bent upon the Execution of the San« conjura.
Defign, that befides large Sums of Monev alreadv re- Cal^n- pi^
• °i i t t j ! ,\ . * . confpiranti-
mitted, he promiies, if need were, to pawn all that the urn. Gabuc.
Apoftolick See was worth, Chalices, CrofTes, and the
very Cloaths to his Back ; nay, to come himfelf in Per-
fon into England too : A very unufual Kindneft, and
fuch an Honour as never had been done this Nation be-
fore. But while the Matter was thus zealoufly carrying
on, and all things in a readinefs, and Philip and he had
fwallowed the whole Kingdom in Conceit, on a fudden
all their Hopes are moft unluckily dafhed ; the whole
Treaty is unexpectedly difcovered by an unknown Hand
from beyond the Seas ; the Duke is taken, and receives
the .ordinary and juft Reward of a Traytor. How his
Holinefs was affected with thisMifcarriage, may be ea-
fily guefled ; theKingof^/^lamentedlt mightily to
Cardinal Aleffandrino the Pope's Nephew ; he thought
* Eee 2 there
384 T^ Fifteenth Note of the Church,
there never was a neater, and better begun Plot in the
World ; and that the Queen might have been furprized
with a few Men from Flanders, and the Bufinefs gone
beyond Recovery, before the News could get into
France. But the greater, and nearer the Danger was,
the greater mufther Happinefs be that fb narrowly es-
caped it.
camb. An. I will only add to this the wonderful Succefs of Eigh-
Grot8Hift dety Eight. The Spaniards had all the Advantages ima-
reb?Beig.Hb,i.ginable on their fide; they exceeded us much both in
Thuan lib. 89. the Bulk and Number of their Ships, and all manner of
mTp?' DeC'2' Naval Provifions ; they prided themfelves in the Mul-
Bendvogiio titude , Experience and Hardinefs of their Souldi-
d'ClF' mf"* ei s* ^ut yet wnen tneir Invincible Armada, as they
parte 2. lib. 4. vainly called it, came to be engaged, they are worried
by the Englijh in feveral Encounters, and at length af-
ter the lofs of many of their principal VerTeJs of War,
and a great flaughter of Men, they are forced to fly,
and take their Courfe through the rough Northern Seas,
at a very unfeafonable time of the Year, where many
more perifh by Tempeft. And when the poor Remains
of this Mighty Fleet were arrived at laft fhattered and
torn on the Coaft of Spain, many of thofe that had efca-
ped the fury of the Waves, and the Shot of the Enemy,
are taken away by a great Mortality, (occafioned pro-
Poche akre bakly, by Grief, or Shame, or the Hardfhips they en-
imprefefurono dured in this miferable Expedition^ almoft as fbon 'as
maipiuiunga-they werecomea_shoar ; in nothing more fortunate
diute. PPhoce tnan tneir Companions, that had been buried in the O-
ahre con piucean, but only that they found a Grave in their own
fecchbdXof- Countrey. Cardinal Bentivoglio having given a full
te ; e niuna Relation of the whole Matter, reflects very fenfibly up-
forfe con infe- on jr? anc[ te}ls us tnat t\)Cre fjAve yeen ferv 0pfjer Defians
pokfcguite?re^^^" were ever longer in the projecting, few carried on with
greater
Temporal Felicity. j 8 f.
greater Preparations, and it may be not any after all more
unhappy in the Execution. Hiftorians of all fides are
perfectly agreed as to the Event. But thofe that are
unwilling to give the English Valour and Conduct any
part of its juft Commendation, impute the Victory to
the Winds and Weather only, and it is readily granted
that the Catholick Jrrnada fiiffered very much by them.
But that, and the Death of Sancta Cruz,, and fbme o-
ther Occurrences that might be named, are an undenia-
ble Argument that the Divine Providence appeared vi-
fibly for the prefervation of the Protectant Religion.
For this was looked upon as a Holy War, and many
offered themfelves to ferve in it upon that account.
Sixtm Quint us then Pope promoted it vigoroufly, and
talked of paying vaft Sums of Money towards it ;
but all the Importunity that could be ufed , could
never perfuade him to part with one Farthing by
way of Advance. Yet, to fhew his Good Will, he al-
fifted very freely in another way. He renewed the
Sentence his Predeceffours had palled againft the
Queen, depofed her from her Royal Dignity and Eftate,
curfed Her, and all that fhould dare to be obedient
unto her, and very kindly gave away all her Domi-
nions at once. And in Profeaition of his noble De-
figns, he fcnt Dr. Allen axGajjdinal^Cap, and intended
to make him his Legat here in England to fettle all,
and reconcile the Nation to the Church of Rome.
Thefe things were fo well known, that Strada the
Jefiiit, after a Narrative of this lamentable Over-
throw, for fear it fhould be made ule of to the difad-
vantage of his Catholick Caufe, as if Almighty God
had manifeftly favoured the Hereticks, in the conclu-
fion of all, effectually confutes this laft Note of Bel- -
larmins.
3 & 6 The Fifteenth Note of the (hurchy
larmiris. For when he had intimated what an Un-
happinefs it was to the Queen and Her Subjects, that
they had not the good Luck to be conquered, as the
Pope and the Spaniard had moft lovingly deflgned ;
Nequcfema-he tells us that the Englifh could not therefore boafi
gis pios vendi- t}3ey were tfoe more Holy, becaufe they had been the more
"u7a SS fortunate : unlefi perhaps they jbould think the Misbelief
orcsfutre-, of the Saracens and Turks were to be preferred before
mfi forte, *c.^ Chrijlian Religion, becaufe in many fuccefsful En-
gagements, they had often defeated the Forces, which the
Chrifiians had with much labour brought together. To
this we willingly agree, and are glad that our Caufe
does not ftand in need of fuch weak Supports. But
then if good Succefs will not be allowed to make for
us, when it is on our Side ; there can be no reafon it
fhould be brought as an Argument againft us, when it
happens to be on Theirs.
After this it would be fuperfluous to reckon up any
more of Queen Elizabeths Felicities ; he that would
undertake to recount them all, muft write the Hiftory
of her Reign. And whoever is acquainted with that,
will find it true what Anne Wefi Dutchefs of Guife
and Nemours ( to whofe Houfe the Queen had been
no Friend) was wontJngenuoufly to acknowledg,
That (he was the mofl Glorious and Fortunate Woman
uan. i .129. ^^ ^^ ftvayed a Scepter. This Teftimony which
was given her by fb great a Perfbn, that could not
poflibly be fufpecled of Flattery, is very considerable;
but the Character that was beftowed upon her by
King James the Firft , fbme time before he fucceeded
her in the Throne, is greater than this, and more to
be valued, becaufe of the Impartiality, and Wifciom of
the Royal Author. His Words concerning her are thefe :
There
Temporal Velicity. *g-
There U a LAWFVL £VEEN there [in England]
prefently reigning, who hath fo long with fo great Wif-^;^mtihU
dom and Felicity governed her Kjngdoms, as ( I mufk P-1-?'
in trew Sincerity confefs ) the like hath not been read
nor heard, either in our Time, or fince the Days of the
Roman Emperour Auguftus. The Authority of fo great
and wife a Prince may be enough not only to fecure
her Memory from the malicious Attempts of envious
trifling Pens, but to put the Happinefs and Profpe-
rity of her Government out of queftion. And if Bel-
larmms Note of Temporal Felicity might be fuffer.ed
to take place, her Example alone would be fuflicient
to prove the Church of England the true Church;
and the Imputations of Herefy and. Schifm, which are
wont to be urged with fb much Clamour, muff by.
Confequence be retorted upon His.
But I hope I have fhewed that this can be no
Note ; that if it were, the Inftances he has brought
do not prove what he would have ; and that others,
may be pleaded as plaufibly for the contrary fide!
And indeed any that confiders it muft needs won-
der, that the Cardinal's Mind fhould be lb blinded
with Worldly Succefs, and Greatnefs, or whatever
it were , as to caufe him in the laft Place, where
we might have expeded his greateft Strength, to
put in fuch a frivolous Note, that may be eafily
turned a thoufand feveral ways ; that will fit the
Alcoran, as well as the Council of Trent ; and at
beft makes his Church altogether as various, and un-
certain, as the Fortune of War.
I:
Pag- 3.
The Fifteenth Upte of the Qbnrch,
I fhould here have made an end, but that I have
met with a late Writer triat undertakes to. fhew the
Vfe and great Moment of the Notes of the Church, &:c.
And he tells us, that Cardinal Bellarmine (after others)
Pag- 1. hath, to very good purpofe, lent hit helping Hand, to fhew
m the City on a Hill-, and hath given us Marks which one
would think carry Majejly in their Faces. And a while
after he imagines that the Author of the Difco >rfe con-
cerning^ the Notes of the Church, d/rft not let them pafs
by us in their Majeftick Train, lejl iris Reader with SabaV
Queen fhould be dazzled at the Glory, tranfported, as fhe
was, that there was no Life in her. For, lays he, they
feern to a fingle, not malignant Eye, even triumphant
Notes of the militant Church. And then he leads them
^g*^ out in great State, as he thinks. As firfi ; Let me h&ve
leave to reckon them : Ay, with all my Heart ; well
then : The Name Catholick, how f acred to all thofe who
own any of the three Creeds really and veritably ! The Se~
cond, its Antiquity : How indubitable, and above all fuf-
pition of Novelty ! And fo he goes on, and fhews them
all in good Order, till he comes to the three laft, and
there he draws the Curtain, as if he were afraid any
Pag. 5. Body fhould fee their Majeftick Faces. To fay .20-
thing concerning the Confeffion of Adverfaries, and nn*
happy Exit of the Churches Enemies. Here are two
of the Number, which he does but juft give us
a little glimpfe of, and then pops 'em away pre-
iently out of fight. But poor Temporal felicity is
ferved worft of all ; it has not the Honour to
be fb much as named, he has not beftowed one
Syllable upon it ; though I take it to be as Trium-
phant a Note j as any of the reft. But for all that, it
was
+
Temporal Felicity. j 8 (>
was cunningly done to drop it ; for he could not choofe
but be aware that the Hereticks might fometimes pre-
tend to a fhare of it. Now when he had given us
fuch a view of the Majeflick Train, as he thought
lit, he concludes the Paragraph with an artificial £-
piphonema, adorned with a very Pathetical Ingemina-
tion : Thefe, Thefe are the NOTES, which (like a Bill
in Parliament ) deferve ( what ? ) a fecond* Reading.
Parturiunt Montes : O the virtue of Butler's Rhcto-
rick ! But really I am afraid that Thefe, Thefe NOTES,
Thefe Triumphant NOTES, as they are by him drawn
up, would be fb far from being thought worthy of a
fecond Reading, that they would certainly be thrown
out of the Houfe. However I have look'd fteadily
upon them, more than once, as they are reprefented
by him, and as they are laid down in the Cardinal's
Original ; and I have not yet been able to difcover
the Majefty one would think they carry in their Faces',
but in my Opinion fbme of their Faces would have
been a great deal better, if they had had any Fore-
heads. I have carefully beheld their Majejlick Train in
its full length, and yet never fell in a Swoon, with Sa-
ba s Queen ; nay, I have not had fo much as the leafr.
Qualm of Fear or Admiration upon me ; and my
Eyes were fo far from being dazled at the Sight, that
they were no more affected, than if I had looked
on a Piece of Green Silk. But I doubt he will cen-
fure them very hardly for it ; and think they are a
fort of malignant Cavaleerifh Eyes. I can't help that :
but whatever Eyes they be, fince I have been able
to hold them open fb long againft the glaring ima-
ginary Splendor of Thefe, Thefe Triumphant NOTES,
I will venture to draw out the whole Train once
F f f more,
5 o. o Tfo Fifteenth Note of the Church,
more, and give a little Remark upon every one of
them, & they pafs by.
i. The Name of Catholick: This is a Note which
may be eafily ufurped by every bold Pretender; but
till it can be proved that it is joyned with thePro-
feflion of the true Faith, the Name alone is nothing
but an empty and infignificant Sound.
2. Antiquity : I fhall not here mention the Anti-
quity of fbme Errors, nor that there were many
Churches in the World before there was any at Rome ;
but will freely confers that that had been ancient e-
nough, if it had prelerved that Do&rine in its Pu-
lity, which it received at the firlr. But it is well
known, that the Additions fhe has made unto that
concerning Infallibility, Images, Purgatory, and the
like, cannot be pretended to be of Antient and A-
poftolical Tradition.. Nay many of their prefent
Tenents were never declared necelTary till the laft
Age ; and the Church of Rome, as it is now con-»
ftituted, can be efteemed no older than the Council
of Trent ; that is, about fourty Years younger than
the Reformation.
3. Duration •' By this the Cardinal would per-
fwade us, that his true Church has been from the
Beginning, and fhall continue to the End of Chri-
stianity : The firft we deny ; the fecond can never
be proved till the Day of Judgment. We are fure
the Church of Rome has been changed already from
what it was ; and we hope and believe that it will be
changed again from what it is. And then what would
become
7anporal Felicity. * 9 ,
become of the Duration they boaft of, if they fhould
ever reform themfelves from thole Errors and A-
bufes which have crept in among them ; as has been
often attempted, and a long time mod earnestly
defired by many of the bell: and moft impartial
of their own Communion ? So that granting this
to be a Note, it would make againrf them both
ways. For what is paft, we know what Alterati-
ons have been made by them ; and they can ne-
ver be fecured againft. others that may happen here-
after.
4, Amplitude, or Multitude and Variety of Belie-
vers. This can by no means be made a Note of
the Church ; for the time was once that ChrifFs
Flock was a little Flock ; and the number of the Aasr. 1$.
Names together were but about an hundred and twen-
ty. And afterwards the Arrian Herefy had almoft
overfpread the Face of Chriftendom ; infbmuch that
the whole World was thought to be againfl: Atha-
nafiH4y and Athanajins againfl: the whole World. Or
fhould we let it pais for a Note, they could gain
but little by it. For they are infinitely exceeded
in Multitude, not only by Heathens and Mahometans,
but by Chriltians of other Denominations.
5. Succefjion of Bijbops. How far this may be ne-
ceffary to the Being of a Church, I need not dis-
pute. But the uninterrupted Succeffion they of Rome
are wont to glory in, is manifeftly falfe : For be-
fides the long Vacances that have fbmetimes hap-
pened, and the many Schifms they have had, when
two or more have pretended to the Papacy, and no
Fff2 Man
ipi The Fifteenth Note of the Church,
Man could determine who had the Right, which
muft make it dubious ; the confeffed Hereticks that
have pofleffed themfelves of the Infallible Chair ,
muft quite cut off, at leaft interrupt the Succeffion.
Or if they have it, notwithstanding this, or any o-
ther Objection that might be made. We of the
Church of England can plead the fame.
6. Agreement in Doctrine with the Primitive Church,
This is a good Note indeed, if they mean the tru-
ly Primitive Church ; for that agreed with the Scrip-
ture and Doctrine of the Apoftles. But then I hope
they will not have the Confidence to affirm that
their Prayers in an Unknown Tongue, their Half-
Communion, their Adoration of the Hoft, and ma-
ny other things which they now receive, are agree-
able to the Practice and Belief of that Primitive
Church.
7. The Union of the Members among themfelves ,
and with the Head. Of this they are continually
making their Brags ', but the many and violent
Contentions that have often been betwixt the feve-
ral Pretenders to the Papal Dignity : and the end-
lefs Feuds and Animofities that are kept up amongft
them about many Controverted Points, do fufficient-
ly declare that their Church has been rent and torn
with Factions and Jnteftine Divifions , as much as
any other Society. Or if they were as firmly Uni-
ted, as they pretend, it is no more than other Com-
binations of Men have been in known and wicked
Errors.
0. San-
Temporal Felicity. + Q .
8. Sanctity of Dotfrine : For they generally a/Terr
as the Cardinal does here, that the Roman Church
maintains nothing that is Falfe, either in Matter
of Faith, or Manners. If they were able to prove
this, there might be lome Reafbn indeed that their
Church fhould be elteemed the Mother and Mijtrefs
of all Churches , as fhe has been wont, of late, to
ftile her felf. But fince the Power of depoilng
Princes has been openly aflumed , and frequently
praclifed , and never yet condemned by any either
Pope or Council ; fince the Doctrine of ^Equivocation,
and many other abfurd and impious Opinions , are
taught by their Cafuifts , and made ufe of by their
ConfefTors, in directing the Conferences of their Pe-
nitents ; and fince thefe, and many more very dan-
gerous Errors, do not only efcape without a Cen-
fure, but are approved of, and incouraged by their
Governours 3 I do not fee how they , and their
Church can poflibly be excufed from the Guilt of
them.
9. The Efficacy of Doctrine. Here we are told of
the wonderful Succefs they have had in the Propa-
gation of their Faith, and the Converfions that have
been made of whole Nations. And fuppofing it
were as they fay ; yet Herefy and Infidelity has of-
ten had as great, and fwift a Progrefs in the
World, as any that their Doctrine can boaft of; and
confidering the Pravity and Corruption of Human
Nature, it is not ftrange, that the moft grofs and
pernicious Errors fhould be more readily received,
and fpread themfelves fafter, than the moft divine ,
and facred Truths.
10. HbU-
,p.4 The Fifteenth Note of the Qiurch,
io. Holinefs'of Life. This is indeed the mod
real Commendation of a Chriftian ; and I will not
go about to rob them of the Glory of it. But then
it cannot be denied , but meer Philofophers , and
fome of the Antient, and many of thofe whom they
account Modern Hereticks, have been of a very find
and unblamable Converfation ; and dive-rs ot their
Popes, and other Ecclefia flicks of the greateft Emi-
nency of Place, have been very infamous for all
forts of Wickednefs, and Debauchery ; and their ve-
ry Religious Orders have been often complained of,
for the neglect of their Difcipline , and loofhefs of
their Lives ; as is abundantly teftified by their own
Authors.
ii. The Glory of Miracles. Thefe alone were never
a Note of the true Church. And thofe extraordi-
nary Gifts which were beftowed at firft, for the Con-
firmation of Chriftian ity, we think they are ceafed
long ago. But we are forewarned of Falfe Chrijls,
Mat. 24. «4. Ant^ falfe Prophets, which jhould fhew great Signs and
Wonders\ which me-thinks fhould make a Church
very careful how they made any pretenfion to Mi-
racles. But the Church of Rome is refblved to do it,
and would fain perfwade us that there are many
great Ones wrought among them to this very Day,
and, as they believe, always will be. But we
know, and they will not deny it, that many of the
Miracles, they have talked of, are meer Forgeries,
and Delufions ; others altogether incredible, and but
weakly attefted, and wholly unworthy of the Stri-
oufnefs and Gravity of the Chriftian Religion ;
moft
Temporal Felicity. -r^e
moft of them fait! to be done in Corners , and
are never to be {qcli , but among themfelves :
When they pleafe to oblige us Proteftants, with the
fight of a few of them, they may then deferve to
be farther confidered ', till that be done, they muft
give us leave to think, that their Church is redu-
ced to great Streights, when it (hall ftand in need
of fuch flight Artifices, as thefe, to fupport it.
12. The Light of Prophecy. This, if they had
it , can bring no more Advantage to their Caufe,
than the other. The Church of God anciently, when
extraordinary Revelations were more common, had
not always Prophets in it. And when any appear-
ed, the Prophet was to be tryed by the Faith of
the Church, and not the Church by the Predicti-
ons of the Prophet. And we are frill commanded to
try the Spirits whether they are of God : Becaufe.. many 1 Jch° 4- *«
falfe Prophets are gone out into the World.
i}. The Confejfion of Adversaries : This, if the
Cardinal's Instances were pertinent , would yet be
but of little Confluence; for if fome Proteftants
have fpoken favourably of his Catholicks , fbme of
his Catholicks have fpoken favourably of Protectants,
Or if we fhould be willing to, hope well of fame
of them, as we. are; and they mould adjudge us
every one to Eternal Damnation, as they generally
do ; this would be but an ill fign that their Church
muft therefore be the truer, becaufe it is mo;e Cea-
forious, and Uncharitable than Oiiri..
14. „rk'
t 6 The Fifteenth Note of the Churchy
14. The Unhappy End of the Churches Enemies-: A
wife Man would be fomething afraid of palling this
into a Note, before he washimfelf fafe in his Grave.
Eel. 9. 2. For all things come alike to all : there is one Event to
the Right eousy and to the Wicked. Many of the moft
Zealous Patrons of the Romim Perfuafion, have met
with as Tragical and Unfortunate Ends, as the moft
accurfed Heretick that ever was devoured by Ver-
min, or burnt at a Stake.
15. Temporal Felicity. This may be placed in the
fame Rank with the former ; it is altogether as va-
riable, and inconftant as that ; no certain Judgment
can be made upon it. They are not to learn that
the Enemies of their Church have been often fuc-
cefsful : and that Victory has not always waited up-
on their Catholick Arms; no, not in their moft
Holy Wars *, when Religion has been the only ground
of the Quarrel.
Thus upon a Review of all the Notes in order,
as they are muttered up by the great Cardinal , it
may appear to any unprejudiced Enquirer, that he
has miffed of his Aim : For that they are either
no Notes of a Chwch at all, or not proper to that
of Rome.
And now after the higheft Pretences of an Infal-
lible Church, and the abfolute Deference and Sub-
miflion which they fay is due unto it, any Man,
that mall ferioufly confider the Matter, muft needs
wonder, they fhould have no furer means at Jaft to
find
t
Temporal Velicity. j o y
find it out, than a few flight and improbable, nay
fbme of them very vain, falfe, and extravagant Con-
jectures. The Protectants, whom they will not al-
low to be certain of any thing, have far better E-
videnees than thefe, and as good Aflurances of the
Truth of their Church as can be defired. For we
think the True Faith, True Worfhip, and a Right
Adminiftration of the Sacraments do unqueftionably
make a True Church. Thefe the Romanifts them-
felves cannot deny to be the great and neceflary
Notes ; and if the Controverfy betwixt us come to
be, determined by thefe , it will fbon appear which
Communion we ought to prefer.
We make Profeflion of the whole Catholick Apo-
ftolick Faith, as it is contained in the Holy Scrip-
tures, and briefly comprized in the three Creeds ;
which is all that was ever received in the Primitive
Church : They have made large Additions to the
Antient Belief, and increafed the number of the Ar-
ticles from Twelve to Four and Twenty ; many of
which were not fb much as heard of in the Firft
Ages, and never made neceflary to be believed, till
above fifteen hundred Years after the Publication of
the Gofpel.
We Worfhip Almighty God, and none but him ;
and unto him we Pray in a Language we under-
Hand, through Jefus Chrift our only Mediator, in
whole Name when we ask, we are lure to be heard:
They have a kind of Worfhip which they give to
Saints and Images, which as to all External A£b>
of Adoration , is the very fame they pay to God
G g g him-
i p g The Fifteenth t{pte of the Qhnrchr
himfelf ; and when their AddrefTes are directed un .
to Him, all their Publick Service is in an unknown
Tongue ; and they fet up to thernfelves many Me-
diatours of Interceflion, when they cannot tell whe-
ther they hear them ; but it is mod certain that
God has never promifed to hear them for their
Sakes.
We receive the two Sacraments which Chrift or-
dained in his Church, and adminifter them both in
fuch Manner and Form as he has appointed : They
without any Divine Authority , have made Seven
Sacraments^ and in the Lord's Supper they believe
that there is offered up a proper Propitiatory Sacri-
fice for the Living and the Dead ; they adore the
Elements which they think are Tranfubftantiated
into the Body and Blood of our Saviour ; and fuf-
fer the Laity to communicate but in one kind ,
robbing them of the Cup, contrary to the plain
Inftitution , and exprefs Command of our BlefTed
Lord.
And fince we have the True Faith, True Wor-
fhip, and the Sacraments rightly Adminiftred, it is
evident that we are not deficient in any thing that
is neceflary to the Constitution of a True Church.
But They will never be able to prove thernfelves
fuch a One, by the late Additions they have made
to the Creed, and their many Deviations from the
Primitive Rule. And yet they will be continually
vaunting that they are not only a True Church,
but the only True Church in the World ; and up-
on this Prefumption they thunder out their Ana-
thema's
Temporal Felicity. jpp
thema's upon all Chriftendom befides, and confident-
ly condemn them for a Company of Heretical and
Schifmatical Conventicles. But they cannot juftify
that rafli and uncharitable Sentence, nor make good
any part of this heavy Charge. For we that hear-
tily believe all the Antient Creeds, cannot be accu-
sed of Herefy; neither are we guilty of Schifm,
becaufe we only Reformed thole Errors and Corrup-
tions which they had introduced, and wanted not
fuificient Authority for what was done. But if they
are frill abiblutely refblved to ftand to the Cenfure
they have palled, and allow no True Church upon
Earth, but their Own ; ic is not Cardinal Bellarmms-
Fifteen Notes that will ever prove it.
FINIS.
ERRATA
Pag. 367. 1. 3. for not r. moft. P. 37 1. Matg. 1. ulc. for cap. 3.T. 1 3.
LONDON^
Printed by 7. Z>. for Richard QbifweU at the Rofe and Crowft in 1
St. Paul's Churchward, 1 687.
BOOKS lately printed for Richard Chifwelt:
THE Pillar and Ground of Truth. A Treatife (hewing that
the Roman Church falfly claims to be That Church, and the
Pillar of That Truth mentioned by St. Paul in his Firft Epiftle to
Timothy, Chap. 3. Verf.i$. 40.
The Peoples Right to read the Holy Scripture Aflerted. 40.
A Short Summary of the Principal Controvevfies between the
Church of England and the»Church of Rome i being a Vindication
of feveral Proteftant Doctrines, in Anfwer to a Late Pamphlet,
Intituled, [Proteflancy defiitute of Scrip ure Proofs. ] 40,
Two Difcourfes ; of Purgatory, and Prayers for the Dead,
An Anfwer to a late Pamphlet, Intituled [The Judgment and
Doftrine of the Clergy of the Church of England, concerning one
Special Branch of the King's Prerogative, viz. In diftenfing with the
Vmal Lam."} 40.
A PRIVATE PRATER to be ufed in Difficult Times.
VINDICATION
O F T H E
BRIEF DISCOURSE
Concerning the
j^otes of tfje C&ttrclj-
In Anfwer to a Late Pamphlet,
ENTITuLED,
The life and Great Moment of the Notes of the
Church, as delivered by Cardinal Bella rmin,
De Notts EcclefiAy Juftified.
IMPRIMATUR,
J%-11- Gail Needham.
IOOJ.
LONDON
Printed for EtcfjattJ Ct)tfu)ell, at the Rofe and Crown
in St. Paufs Church-yard, MDCLXXX VII.
( « )
^Vindication of the Brief Dif
conrfe concerning the Notes of the
Church.
WHen we are almoft tired with grave and
ferious Difputes, it is very comfortable
to meet with a pleafant and diverting
Adverfary, who ferves inftead of a Pre-
varicator, or Terr* Filim, to refrefh and recruit our Spi-
rits with a Scene of Mirth. And though this Jufti-
fer of Bellarmins Notes looks very demurely, and ar-
gues very Logically, and Teems to be in very good
Earned, yet a Merry Andrew will be a Merry Andrew
ftill, though he be dreft up in the Habit of a Philo-
lopher ; and therefore I muft beg my Readers Pardon,
if I cannot forbear Smiling lometimes, though to pay
due refpecl: to my Adverfary, and to maintain a jufl
Decorum, I will do it very gravely too.
He begins very movingly. The World is come to a nenJfeand
fne pafs, when it [hall as good as deny Chrifs One great Moment-
Holy Catholick Church. This is very wicked indeed ! °f NoUs> P*1,
But who are thefe iVlifcreants, that dare do fuch a
Thing ? A Company of Senfelefs Wretches, who de-
ny ChrilFs Church, and yet confefs, that there is no
remiffwn of Sins) or Eternal Salvation out of it. Then
I fuppo:e, they are Men, who don't care much for
Salvation, nor Sence : for to deny a Church, out of
* A 2 which
2 J Vindication of the Difcourfe
which they confefs there is no Salvation, is to refblve
to be damned ; and to fay, that Salvation is not to be
had out of the Church, and yet that Chrift has no
fuch Church, deferves Damnation, as much as Non-
fence does. And therefore I fuppofe by as goodliQ
does not mean, that they altogether deny it, but do
lomething as good, or rather as bad as that ; but what
this fhould be, I cannot guefs, unlefs it be to deny
the Roman-C 'atholick Church to be this One Holy Catho-
lic k Church of Chrift, and that indeed is a very fad
thing too. And they feekto baffle thofe, who by Prayer
and Guidance of God's good Spirit, fearch to find it out,
i. e. they confute Bellarmins Notes of a Church,
and that muft be confefled to be a very fad thing
alfb, and as gocd as denying Chrijfs One Holy Catho-
lick Church.
Well ! Cardinal Bellarmin (after others) hath to very
good purpofe lent his helping Hand, to {hew us the City
built on a HUL But it had been better he had lent
us his Eyes ; for Proteftants fee with their Eyes, and
not with their Hands ; and notwithftanding his point-
ing to it, we cannot fee what he would fhew us,
unlefs it be the Church built on Seven Hills.
Pag. 2. But this is all to little purpofe with the Obfiinate,
who will not agree, neither what the Church is, no nor
what a Note may be. This is unpardonable Obftina-
cy, that we defire the Cardinal or any one for him,
firft to tell us, what a true Church is, before he
tells us, which is the true Church, to explain the
Nature before he gives us the External Notes and
Marks of a Church, which is as unreafbnable as to
ask, what a Hind, and a Panther is, before we ask,
of what Colour they are, whether White or Spotted :
and
concerning the Notes of the Church.
and who would think any one fhould be fb pervcrfe, a$
to ask what a Note is, which our Author will give us
a learned Definition of prefently.
The Difcourfer had faid, fag. 3. That a Church is a
Society of Chriflians united under Chrijlian Pa/lors for
the Worfhif of Chrifi, and wherever we find fuch a Soci-
ety as this, there is a Chrijlian Church, and all fuch parti-
cular or national Churches all the World over, make up the
whole Chrijlian Church, or the Vniverjal Church of Chrifi.
That is (fays the Juftifier, fag. 2.) whatfoever there-
fore is the Denomination of believers, Abafline or Ar-
menian, Greek, Roman, let us add ', Lutheran, Calvi-
nift, with a wide, & C. they are each of them Churches of
Chrift (fuppofe this, of which more prefently, and if
we allow the Roman, they may modeftly allow all the
reft) and the Church Vniverfal is nothing elfe but th>e
-Aggregate j or omnium gatherum (very elegantly!) of
all fuch Profejfwns. And what then ? The Church
Univerfal is made up of all particular Churches. What
then do you fay? Why pray, confider, whoever thou art,
good Reader, the Church Catholick confifting of all Nations,
Jew and Gentile, and therefore frimarily called Catholick,
(and therefore not from their Union to the Bifhop of
Rome, as the Head of Catholick Unity ) had its Plan-
tation by our bleffed Lord and his Afoftles, in one Fahh,
and one Communion, antecedently to all fuch Divifions
that now or then were made by the Craft and Policy of
Satan. A notable Obfervation this ! That the Faith
* and Communion of the Church was one, before it was
divided : What then ? And therefore far is the Vniver-
fal Church from being an Aggregate of all fuch Breaches
of Faith and Charity. An Aggregate of Breaches, an
Union of Divifions may poflibly be as good a Church
as
*
A Vindication of the Difcourfe
as it is fenfe. But though Breaches cannot very well
be aggregated, it is poflible that two divided Churches
may both belong to the one Body of Chrift, as quar-
relling Brethren may ftill be the Children of the fame
Father, and owned by him too, though corrected and
punifhed for their Quarrels. Churches confift of Men,
who are liable to Miftakes and Paflions, and therefore
may quarrel and feparate from each other, while they
are both united to Chrift in Faith and Worfhip. For
though the Bifhops, and Paftors, and Members, of
diftincl: and coordinate Churches ought to maintain
a Brotherly Correfpondence, and exercife all A£ts of
Communion, that diftant Churches are capable of
with each other ; upon account of that common Rela-
tion they all have to Chrift, in whom they are united
into one Body ; and our common Head will exact a fe-
vere Account of thofe who caufe Divifions ; yet if fuch
Divisions happen, as feparate us from each other, but
do not divide us from Chrift, each Church may conti-.
nue a true Church ftill, and belong to the one Myfti-
cal Body of Chrift, though there may be fome fcanda^
lous Breaches and Divifions among them. What is it
then that unites any Church to Chrift but the true
Faith and Worfhip of Chrift ? And if contending Chur-
ches may both retain the true Chriftian Faith and
Worfhip, at leaft in fuch a degree, as not to be unchur-
ched, the external Peace of the Church is broken,
which is a very great Crime, and will fall heavy upon
the Authors of it, yet if they both belong to Chrift,
this Aggregate of Breaches, and omnium gatherum of
Profeffions, as our Author very wittily fpeaks, may
be united in Thrift's Myftical Body. Fur though they
fling one another out of the Church, our common
Saviour
concerning the Notes of the Church.
Saviour may chaftife their Follies, bat own them
both, as in filch a divided State of Chriftendom, we
have great reafon to hope he will.
But let us hear what our Author fays is the Catho-
lick Church. 'T# only a Comprehension of all thofe
Churches which keep to the Unity of the Faith, and
perfifi in their firfi undivided Efiate in the Bond of
Vniverfal Peace. By the Unity of the Faith, I hope
he means, that one Faith, in which, as he tells us,
Chrift and his Apoftles planted the Church \ and then
I doubt this will fall hard upon the Church of Rome,
which rejects all other Churches, who do retain this
One Apoftolick Faith, if they difbwn the new Ar-
ticles of the Trent Creed : and the firfi undivided
Efiate of the Church was fettled in an Equality and
Brotherly AfTociation of Bifhops and Churches, not
in the Empire of one over all the reft, and then this is
more fevere upon the Church of Rome, than Proteftants
defire ; for fhe has deftroyed this firft undivided State
by challenging fuch a Supremacy, as enflaves all other
Churches to her, and therefore is fb far from being the
One Catholick Church, that if this Definition be true,
fhe is no part of it. And as for the Bond of Uni-
verfal Peace, what Claim file can lay to that, let the
cruel Perfecutions of thofe innocent Chriftians, whom
fhe calls Hereticks, the Excommunication of whole
Churches, the depoflng of Princes, and all the Blood,
that has been fhed in Chriftendom under the. Banners of
Holy Church, witnefs for her.
And thus we come to the Notion of a Note or Mark,
which he fays is clear by its Definition, page $. and
therefore I hope he will give us fuch a Definition,
as is felf-evident, or which all Mankind agree in ;
< for
J. Vindication of the Difcourfe
for a Definition, which the contending Parties do not
a pree in, can clear nothing. Let us then hear his
Definition : That it is a mofi fenfible Appearance in or
about the Siib]:tt enquired after, whereby we are led, toward
the Kjiowledg of the prefent Exigence or EJfence of the
(aid Sub]etf. And from hence he concludes ; ''Tis ma-
nifefl then, that a Note of a Thing muft be extra-effenti-
al of it felf, becaufe by it, and the Light from theme,
we arrive to the Kjiowledg of the EJfence. And he
adds, upon which Grounds you fee the reafonable Demands
of thofe, who challenge, frft, That a diftinttive
Mark or Note muft be more known than the Thing no-
tified. Secondly, That a Note mujl be in Conjunction at
leafi, in fome meafure proper, not common or indiffe-
rent to many fmgulars, much lefs to contraries.
Now all that I can pick out of this, is, i. That
the Exiftence or EiTence of things muft be known
by Notes. 2. That fuch Notes whereby we difco-
ver the Exiftence or EiTence of things muft be extra-
effential, or not belong to the EiTence of it. And
yet, 3. That thefe Notes muft not be common, but
proper to the thing, of which it is a Note. Which
are as pretty Notions as a Man fhall ordinarily meet
with, and therefore I fhall briefly examine them.
Firft, That the Exiftence or EfTence of things muft
be known by Notes. For if the Exiftence and E£
fence of things may be known without Notes, this
Difpute about Notes is to no purpofe. And yet how
many things are there, whofe Exiftence and EiTence
are known without Notes ? Who defires any Note to
know the Sun by ? to know what Light, or Tafte,
or Sounds, Pain, or Pleafure is } The Prefence of
ihefe
concerning the Notes of the Church.
thefe Objects , and the notice our Senfes give us of
. them , that is , the things themfelves are the onely
Notes of themfelves. The ufe of Signs or Notes, is
only to diicover the Exiftence of fuch things, as are
abfent, vifible, or future ; but what is prefent and
vifible, expoied to the notice of Senfe or Reafbn, is
beft known by it Mf, and can be rightly known no
other way : and therefore fince all the difpute is about
Marks of the Church, he ought to prove, that the
Church is fuch a Society as can be known only by
Notes, and then it mull either be abfent, invifible,
or future ; for all other things may be known by
themfelves without Notes.
Secondly, Efpecially ilnce he will allow nothing to
be a Note but what is extra-efTential , or does not
belong to the effence of the thing ; which feems to
me a very extraordinary way of rinding out the Ex-
iftence or Hffence ef things by fuch Notes as do not
belong tp their EjTence ; and then I think they can-
not prove their iixiftence. For how can I find out
anything, without knowing in feme meafure what
it is I find ? or, how cm I know what the EiTence of
any thing is by fuch Notes as are not eflential ? There
are but two forts of Notes, or Signs, rhat I know of,
natural, or initkuted ; and they both fuppofe that we
fcnow the thing, and the Note and Sign of it, before
we can find it out by Signs or Notes. As for Na-
tural Signs, the moft certain Signs we hive are
Caufesand Effl&s, but we mult know both the Cau-
fes and Effects, before the one can be a Sign of the
other. Thus Smoke is a Sign of Fire, but it is no
Sign of Fire to my Man, who does not know what
E Fire
g J Vindication of the Vifcourfe
Fire h, and that it will caule a Smoak, when it fei.
feson combuftible Matter, and that nothing elfe can
caufe a Smoak but Fire. Thus in univocal Effects,
the Effect declares the Nature of the Caufe ; as we
know, that a Man had a Man to his Father, but then
we muft firft know what a Man is, and that a Man
begets in his own Likenefs. But this I fuppofe is not
our Author's meaning, that the Notes of the Church
are Natural Caufes and Effects, or Natural Concomi-
tants or Adjuncts, becauie the Church is not a Na-
tural, but a Myftical Body, and therefore can have no
Natural Notes'.
Let us then confider inftituted Signs, and they we
grant muft be extra-eflential ; but then there never
was, and never can be an inftituted Sign to difeo-
ver the EfTence and Exiftence of what we did not
know before : The Ufe of fuch Signs is to diftin-
guiih Places or Perfbns, by different Names, or
Habits, or Colours, &c. or to ferve mftead of Words,
as the Sound of the Trumpet, or the Beat of the
Drum, or to be for Legal Contracts and Securities,
and the like ; but inftituted Signs are no Signs till
we know the thing of which they are Signs ; which
fhews how ridiculous it is to talk of fuch extra-
efTential Notes, as fhall difcover the Exiftence and
EfTence of things, which we knew not before ; for
if we muft firft know the Church, before we can
find it out by Notes, thefe extra-efTential Notes may
be {pared. To be fure this fhews how far this De-
finition of a Note is from being clear, fince it does
ijiot fuit any kind of Notes which Mankind are ac-
quainted with ; and if the Notes of the Church are
a peculiar, fort of Notes, by themfelves, he ftiould
not
concerning the Notes of the Church
not have appealed to the common Notion and De-
finition of Signs and Notes, becaufe there are no other
Notes like them.
Thirdly, He adds, that thefe Notes mufl not be
common to other things, but proper to the thing
of which it is a Note. Now I defie him to fhew
any fuch extra-efTential Notes in Nature, which are
not common to other things ; for what in Logick we
call Propria, do immediately refiilt from the Nature of
things, and therefore are not extra-effential ^otes,
nay are no Notes at all to find out the EfTence or
Exiftence of things by, for we muft firft know what
the Nature and EfTence of things is, before we can
know their effential Properties ; and as for infepa-
rable Accidents, how infeparable fbever they are
from fuch a thing, yet they may be common to o-
ther things, and then by his own Rule cannot be
Notes.
But this is not the Cafe, as I obferved before,
for the Church is not a Natural, but a Myffical
Body, and therefore its Nature depends upon its
Inftitution ; and though in Natural Beings we may
diftinguifti between the EfTence and the effential
Properties, yet where Inftitution alone is Nature,
whatever is made proper, necefTary, and infepara-
ble by Inftitution, is of the Nature of it ; and there
is no Diftin&ion that I know of between the Ef-
fence and efTential Properre , In natural Beings we
call that the Nature, and Form, and EfTence of the
thing, by which every thing is what it is, and with-
out which it would ceale ro be that kind of Being,
which now it is, as Rationality is -of the EfTence
* B 2 of
i o A Vindication of the Difcourfe
of a Man, for Man is a reafbnable Creature, and
without a Principle of Reafbn he cannot be a Man.
Now in alluiion to Natural Beings, we apply the
lame Terms to matters of Inftitution, and call that
the Nature and EiTence of a Church, without
which according to the Laws of its Inftitution it
would not be a Church. And therefore whatever
by Inftitution is fb proper, peculiar to, and infepa-
rable from a Church, that without it, it cannot be
a Church, is of the Nature and EfTence of the
Church, and not an extra-effential Property, which-
indeed is Non-fence. The obferving this one di-
ftin&ion between Nature and Inftitution, will con-
found this whole Do&rine of the Notes of the
Church. For,
i. There can be no Notes of an Inftitution but
the Inftitution it felf : Notes muft fignify either by
Nature or Inftitution : There can be no Natural
Notes of an Inftitution, which is not the EffecT: of
Nature, but of the Divine Will ; and therefore if
there be any, they muft be inftituted Notes, that
is, the Inftitution of the Church muft be the Mark
or Note, whereby to know it ; unlefs we will fay,
that there muft be a fecond Inftitution to be the
Notes of the firft, and by the fame Reafbn there muft
be a third to be the Notes of the fecond, and there
will be no place to ftop at, unlefs we ftop at the
firft Inftitution, which needs no other Notes to prove
it. felf by.
2. That in matters of Inftitution there is no di-
ftin&ion between Nature and Properties. In natural
Beings indeed there is a Diftinftion between the Na-
ture
concerning the Notes of the Chnrcb.
ture and Properties of things, becaufe there are
fome Properties, which by a natural Caufality fpring
from Nature, as Vifibility from Rationality. But
now in Matters of Inftitution one part of the In-
ftitution is not the natural Caufe of the other, but
the wliole Inftitution and every part of it immedi-
ately depends upon the Will and Pleafure of God :
and therefore there can be no extra-effential Proper-
ties of a Church, but whatever is proper and infe-
parable by a Divine Inftitution, is the EfTence of
the Church ; for it has no other Nature and EiTence
but its Inftitution.
3. Hence it evidently follows, that there can be
no extra-effential Notes of a Church ; that nothing
can be a Note of a Church, but what is effential
to it by Inftitution ; for whatever Inftitution makes
proper and riecefTary, it makes effential. I confeft,
this is a very improper way of fpeaking, to call the
Nature and EfTence of any thing the Note of it ;
for a Note or Sign ought to be different and diftincl:
from the thing fhown or /ignified by it ; and thus
we ought roundly to deny, that there are any Notes
of a Church, or that the Church can be found out
by Notes ; but the Proteftants in compliance with the
Popifh way of fpeaking, called that the Notes of the
Church, which is not properly Notes and Signs, but
the Rule and Standard of the Church, by which all
Societies of Men, which pretend to be Chriftia'n
Churches, are to be tried. And it is certain there
can be no other Rule or Standard of the Church,
but its Inftitution, as to Faith, and Worfhip, and
Government. Common fenfe will tell us that there
is no way to try an inftituted Society, but by the
Rules
II
12 A Vindication of the Vifcourfe
Rules of its InJlitution : That Church which con-
forms to the original Rule and Standard of its Infti-
tution, is a true Church, and every Church is more
or lefs corrupt, as it varies from it : And here we
ought to fix the Controverfy, that the Church is not
to be found out by Notes, but to be tried by the
Rule of its Inititution ; and then farewel to Cardi-
nal Bellarmi^s Notes, which, I believe, he himfelf^
though a Jefuit, would not have had Confidence
to fay, that they belonged to the Inftitution of a
Church.
In the next Place he fays, I have reckoned up the
Cardinal1 s Notes } now here, now there y piece -meal, but
durft not let them pafs by in their Majeftick Train,
left the Reader with Saba's Queen fhould be dazfd at
the Glory, tranfforted as fie was, that there was no
Life in her. If Rhetorick would do the Bufinefs,
we were certainly undone, and fhould have no more
Life left than the Queen of Sheba : But the truth is,
the Cardinal's Notes may poflibly lofe fomething of
their Majefty when they are fhown by Hereticks,
and there is no help for that : but as for their Train,
to fupply the Defects of the Difcourfer, they have
been fince fhewn in very good Order, and we live
frill : But whether they be Triumphant Notes frill
of the Church-militant, as he calls them, is fbmewhat
doubtful; and indeed it feems fbmewhat unreafona-
ble that the Notes fhould be triumphant, while the
Church is militant ; tho triumph it feems they do over
fome flavifh and fervile Minds ; but their Triumph
would be very fhort, were not the Church fb milt*
tant as it is.
But
1
1
concerning the Notes of the Church.
But as if there were fome Charm in this Majefiick pag. 4.
Train, nothing will ferve him, but to reckon them up
in their Order ; and I mult confefs, he has given fuch a
new Grace and Majefty to them, that I believe Bellar-
min himfelf could not know them again.
ift. The Name Catholick how f acred to all thofe, who
own any of the Three Creeds, really and 'veritably ! O,
how facred indeed ! for Hereticks themfelves own and
challenge the Name.
idly. Its Antiquity, how indubitable, and above all
fufpicion of Novelty. Yes, yes! Antiquity is not No-
velty, but a pretence to Antiquity may: for how old
is the Council of Trent ? which is the true Antiquity
of many Popifh Articles of Faith.
idly. Perpetual Duration, out-lafling all earthly Em-
pires and Kjngdoms. For it plucks them down as fait
as it can.
tyhly. Amplitude ', being a great Body according to
Prophecy. But not fb big as Paganifm yet.
t^thly. Succejjion Apoflolical, the very Jews conf effing it',
as they do Tranfiibftantiation. How ftrong, invincible,
dear, and undeniable by Gainfayers ! Then I fuppofe it
has no Gam-fayers, if they do not deny it.
6thly. Primitive confent, how great and how manifeft
to thofe good Men, who enquire I Year how great in-
deed ! for no Body can find it but the Vicar of Putney,
Witnefs the Mill itudes that return to the Catholick
Church upon that account. Mcniieur de Meaux\ French
Converts, I fuppofe, who never heard of the Dragoons.
ythly. Intimate Union with their Head Chrifl, and
with one Another : But Bellarmins vihble Head of
Unity is the Pope, not Chriif. ; fb that this is a
new Note> and it feems the Churches Union with
ChriJfc
x a J Vindication of the Vifcourfe
Chrift is extra-effential alfo, or elfe it could be no
Note.
Sthly. S anility of Doctrine, as revealed by God, in
whom is Light, and no Darknefs at all. in teaching
Men to break Faith with Hereticks ; to depofe Here-
tical Princes, and abfblve their Subjects from their
Oaths of Allegiance, and arm them againft their Leige
Lord ; to prefer the Csslibacy of Priefts (tho the mani-
fest Caufe of fb many Adulteries and Fornications) as
a more Holy State than Matrimony; and fuch like
Do&rines, wherein is Darknefs, but no Light at all.
qthly. Efficacy upon Infidels. Witneis the Spanijh Con-
verts in the Golden Indies, But why not upon Here-
ticks as well as Infidels ? I fear the Converfions in
England are fo flow, that he dares not yet make that
a Mark of the Church.
lothly. The Holinefs of the Fathers. Whof L'-ves
we wijb to be Legends, (though unqueftionably true) fthen
we fee, how far they have out -don? t&. Ay ! that makes
Hereticks call them Legends.
1 1 thly. The Glory of Miracles, which a Man would he
wary of contradicting for fear of Blafphemy and finning
againft the Holy Ghoft : Especially when they are fuch
Miracles as no Body ever faw, but the Monk who re-
lates them ; or Miracles to prove botii parts of a Con-
tradiction to be true ; as for Inftance, that the Virgin
Mary, was, and was not conceived in Original Sin.
But if ever they had fuffered poor Jetzer's Fate, they
would rather h&reafter believe, than feel fuch Miracles.
Still continued, and denied by none but Scef ticks, in dif-
poffeffion of Devils : I fuppofe, he means the Boy of Bil-
fon, and curing the Struma, the Kings-Evil, but this is a
Proteftant, as well as Popifh Miracle, and is a Jtter
proof,
f
concernmg the Notes of the Church. \ j
proof, tliat the King, than that the Pope, is the Head
of the C lurch.
12. The Gift of P ophecy. Witnefs the Maid of
Kjnt. 7 o fay nothing concerning the Confejjion of Ad-
verfaries, and unhappy Exit of the Churches Enemies.
Which may very well be Ipared ', for there have been
Confeflions, and unhappy Exits on both fides. Tho
Hen. 8. Queen Elizabeth, and King Jsmes^ii were no
Examples of fuch unhappy Exits. Thefe, Thefe are the
Notes, which {like a Bill in Parliament) deferve afecond
Reading, and then to be thrown out, though I hope
they will never come in there.
The way being thus prepared, the Court fat, and the
Jury of Notes empannell'd, which I fuppofe is the rea-
fon why he calls but 1 2 of Bellarmins 1 5, the reft being
Supernumeraries, the Difcourfer is fummoned to make
his Appearance. Enter Difcourfer. Which, I can afc
fure you, put him into a fright on the fudden, fearing aS* S'
it might be tiie Inquifition ; but he recollected himfelf,
and thus began his Plea.
Is not the Catholick Church vifible ? And if we can feey
which is the Church, what need we guefs at it by Marks
and Signs ? (and that by fuch Marks and Signs too, as are
matter ofdifpute themfelves ? cannot ws diftinguiflj between D;fc
the Chrifiian Church, and a Turkiflt Mofque, and a Jewiflj
Synagogue?) cannot we without all this adoe difiinguijh a
Chrifiian from a Turk, or a Jew, or a Pagan ? And it will
he as eajy to find out a Chrifiian Church, as it will be to find
out Chrifiians. And what now is the hurt of this ? Oh !
fays the Juftifier, What Spirit is that which envies the
Chrifiian the Felicity of finding the true Church, and cafts
an evil Eye upon the Notes conducing to it, let any Chrifiian
judg ? A very Evil Spirit doubtlefs ! But does the Dif-
C courier
p. i.
x 5 A Vindication of the Difcourfe
courfer do this ? Who fays, that the Church is vifible^
and may be known without difputable Notes? for
Notes are only to difcover things abfent and invifible,
but what is vifible is beft known by it felf. Tes, for
whereas he pretends 'tis vifible (befides that he flatly denies
it after, p. 14 J Nay fay I, not among Counterfeits ; Is it
vifible at Sea, which is the Royal Navy, when the Enemy
flits up the Englijh Colours ?
Firft,then,letus reconcile the Difcourfer with himfelf.
He asks, whether the Church be not vifible ? and there-
in appeals to the Confefiion of his Adverfaries, that the
Church is vifible, and wonders, what need there is of
Notes, of difputable Notes, to find out a vifible
Church, in Pag. 14. He defires to know, How they
will prove, that there is a Church without the Scripture,
He anfwers for them, that the Church is vifible, for we
fee a Chriftian Church in the World ; but fays he, What
is it I fee? I fee a Company of Men, who call them f elves a
Church, and this is all, that I can fee, and is this fee-
ing a Church ? A Church mufl have a divine Original and
Injlitution, and therefore there is no feeing a Church
without feeing its Charter, and is this to deny the Visi-
bility of the Church, becaufe it cannot be feen or
known without its Charter, when it Charter is as
vifible as the Society, which calls its felf the Church ?
And furely that Church is vifible enough, whofe Society
and Charter are both vifible, tho the Church cannot be
known without its Charter.
But now the Anfwerer will not allow the Church to
be vifible among Counterfeits, and then it has not been
vifible this hundred Years at leafl ; and then what be-
comes of Bellarmins Notes, which are none, if the
f Church
concerning the Notes of the Qhurch.
Church be not vifible, for they are Notes not of atf in-
vifible, but of a vifible Church. But the Companion
whereby he proves this, is an eternal Confutation of
fuch extra-effential Notes. Is it vifible at Sea which is
the Royal N'avy, when the Enemy puts up the Englifij Co-
lours ? Which fhows how fallible Notes are ; for Co-
lours are Notes of the Royal Navy, and thefe may de-
ceive us ; but if you go aboard and fee the Ships and
the Company and their Commifiions, you cannot be
miflaken. The Natures of things cannot be counter-
feited, but Notes may.
The Difcourfer fays, A Chrifiian Church is nothing
elfe but a Society of Chrifiians united under Chrifiian Pa-
(tors for the Worfhip of Chrifi. This the Juflifier
thinks a very flight way of fpeaking, nothing elfe But !
and if he does not underfland Engliflh, I cannot help
that. But CHRISTIAN PASTORS for a
need will take in Presbyters, who renounce Epifcopacy, nay
Congregational, who renounce Presbytery ; It takes in in-
deed all Chrifiian Pafiors be they what they will. Whe-
ther Presbyterian and Independent Miniflers are Chrifii-
an Pafiors, the Difcourfer was not concerned to deter-
mine ; for he did not undertake to tell in particular,
which are true Chrifiian Churches, but what is the
general Notion of a Chrifiian Church ; who are true
Pallors, but that the Union of Chrifiians under true
Chrifiian Pafiors makes a Church : Tho the P aft ores
Ecclefia in the ancient Language ilgnified only Bifnops,
who had the care of the Flock, and the government of
the inferiour Presbyters. Thus the Worfhip of Chrifi,
iie fays, may fignify ivith Liturgy, or without it, with
the Apo files Creed, or without it, &c. And fb it may
if both vritbwA without be the true Worfhip of Chrill.
C 2 What,
\7
J. ^indication of the TUfcourfe
What a long Definition muft the Difcourfer have gi-
ven of a Chriftian Church, had he been directed
by this Author, and ftated all the Controverfies
about Epifcopacy and Presbytery, and the feveral
Kinds and Modes of Worfhip in his Definition ;
which, when he had done it, had been nothing at
all to his purpofe.
The Difcourfer proceeds. All fuch particular or
National Churches all the World over, make up the
whole Chrifiian Church, or Vniverfal Church of Chrifi.
Tes (fays the Juftifier, pag. 6.) and all fuch Churches
of Chrifi ( if they could meet ) would be like the Men
in the Market-place, one crying out one thing, and a-
nother another, and no Authority could fend them home
peaceably to their Dwellings. I confefc, I am of ano-
ther Mind, that could all the Churches in the
World meet, how much fbever they differ at a di-
ftance, they would agree better before they parted ;
and this I think, all thofe fhould believe, who
have any Reverence for General Councils, which cer-
tainly fuch a Meeting as this would be in a proper
lenfe.
Well ! But there is Schifm lies in the Word Nati-
onal Church. How fo, good Sir ? as if Nations here
were at their own difpofal. And pray, why may not
all the Churches in a Nation unite into one Nati-
onal Communion ; And how is this a Schifm, if they
maintain Brotherly Communion with othtr Chrifti-
an Churches ? Or as if Chrifi begged leave of the Po-
tentates of the Earth to plant his Truth among them.
Why fb? Cannot there be a National Church with-
out ChriJPs begging leave of Potentates to plant his
Qofiel among them ? Suppoie there be Churches plan-
ted
concerning the Notes of the Church, , <->
ted in a Nation without the leave of the Potentates,
may not ail thefe Churches unite into a National
Communion without the leave of Potentates too ?
And is not fuch a National Union of Churches
a National Church ? Suppofe Princes voluntarily fub-
mit their Scepters to thrift, and encourage and
protect the Chriftian Churches in their Dominions,
and unite them all into one National Church ; is
there any need of Chrift's asking leave of fuch Po-
tentates, who willingly devote themfelves to his Ser-
vire ? But he fays, the greater Mi/take is, that thefe
Churches all put together make up the Vmverfal Church
of Chrift. But are not all the Churches the Uni-
verial Church? What. then is the Univerfal Church
but All ? Yes, he fays, Univerfal enough, I confefs,
but where is the Unity ? Why, is it impoilibie that
all Churches fhould be united in one Communion?
If it be, then Unity is not necelTary, or the Uni-
verfal Church does not include all Churches : If it
be not, then all Churches may be the Univerfal,
the One Catholick Church of Chrift. We ( fays
he ) look for Vnity, they fbew us Multitude and Divi*
fan. Is Multitude and Divifion the fame thing ?
Or is Unity inconfiftent with Multitude ? How then
could the churches of Jerufaiem, of Antioch, of Co-
rinth, of Ephefus, of Rome, be one Church ? We de-
fire Unity, they {hew us Univerfality : As if there
could not be Unity in Univerfality ? I wifh this Au-
thor would firft learn Grammar and Logick, or,
which I fear is harder to teach him, common fenfe,
before he pretends again to difpute in Divinity : but
now we have him, we muft make the beft of him
we can.
And.
lo A Vindication of the Difcourfe
And here the Anfwerer fpends feveral Pages in
proving that the Church muft be One, which no bo-
dy that I know of denies, and which he may find
truly ftated in anfwer to Cardinal BelUrmwis feventh
Note. But what is this to the Difcourfer, who was
not concerned to (rate this Point? He gives fuch a
Definition of a Church, as belongs to all true par-
ticular Churches, as every Man ought to do, who
gives the Definition of a Church ; for a particular
Church has the entire Nature and Eflence of a
Church ', and there can be no true Definition of a
Church, but what belongs to a particular Church.
He fays indeed, that the Univerfal Church confifts
of all true particular Churches, and fo moft certain-
ly it does ', No, fays the Anfwerer, all particular
Churches are not at Unity, and therefore they can-
not be the One Catholick, or Univerfal Church.
But fuppofe this, is there any other Notion of the
Univerfal Church, but that it is made up of all
true particular Churches, which is all that the Dif-
courler afferted, without confiderin^ how all parti-
cular Churches muft be united to make the One
Catholick Church, which was nothing to his pur^
pofe. In fiich a divided State of Chriftendom as
this, meer external Unity and Communion cannot
be the Mark of a true Church, becaufe all Chur-
ches are divided from each other. If we are not at
Unity with the Church of Rome, no more is the
Church of Rome at Unity with us ; and if meer
Unity be the Mark of the true Church, neither
part of -the Divifion can, pretend to it. And there*
fore either fome Churches may be true Churches,
which
concerning the Notes of the Church.
which are not at Unity with all others, or there is
no true Church in the World. And therefore though
Cardinal Bellarmine makes Unity the Mark of a
true Church, yet not the Unity of all Churches
with each other, for he knew, there was no fucli
thing in his Days in the World, and I fear is not
likely to be again in hafte ; but the Unity of Churches
to the Bifhop of Rome, who is the vifible Head of the
Church: And thus the Catholick Church fignifies all
thofe Churches which are united to the Bifhop of
Rome, as the Center of Unity. But this is fuch an
Unity as the Scripture fays nothing of, and which Pro-
teftants dilbwn, and which this Anfwerer has not faid
one word to prove; for this is the Unity of Subjecti-
on, not the Unity of Love and Charity, which Chrifr.
and his Apoftlesfb vehemently prefs us to. Now if
the Unity of the Catholick Church does not confifl
in Subjection to a vifible Head, and all other exter-
nal Communion is broken and divided, we muft con-
tent our felves to know, what it is that makes a par-
ticular National Church, a true, found and pure
Church '7 for whatever Divifions there are in the World
every true Church is part of Chrift's one Catholick
Church. And whatever Unity there be among other
Churches, if they be not true Churches, they are no
Parts of thrift's Catholick Church. And this was all
the Difcourfer intended, or was obliged to in purfuit of
his Defign.
And thus I might pafs over what he talks about
Church- Unity , but that he has fbme very peculiar Marks
which are worth our notice.
He fays, pag. 7. Protectants falve the Unity of the
Church, mainly beeaufe Chrijtendom is divided and fepara-
ted
21
z% J Vindication of the Difcourfe
ted from Heathenifm (which I wifh heartily all Chri-
ftendom perfectly were^) not confidering Jo much the
Unity with it J elf. But fray who told him, chat Pro-
tectants do not place the Unity of the Church in Unity,
but in Separation ? AH true Chriftian ;Churches are li-
nked in the mod eflential things : They have one He pe,
one Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm, one God and Fa-
1 ther of all, and this makes them one Body animated
by the fame Holy Spirit, which dwells in the whole
Chriftian Church; Ephef 4. 4, 5, 6. But ftill they
are not one entire Communion, but divide and fe-
parate from each other: This we will grant is a ve-
ry great Fault, but yet if they communicate in fuch
things, as makes one Church, whatever their other
Divifions are, they are one Church ftill ; theirQuar-
rels and Divifions may hurt themfelves, but cannot
deftroy the Unity of the Church ; for the Church
is one Body, not meerly by the Unity and Agree-
ment of Chriftians among themfelves ; but by the
Appointment and Inftitution < of Chrift, who has
made all thofe who profefs the true Faith, and
are united in the fame Sacraments, to belong to
the fame Body, to be his One Body. And there-
fore Chriftians are never exhorted to be one Body ;
for that they are if they be Chriftians, as the
Apoftle exprefly aflerts, that Chriftians are but
one Body ; but they are exhorted to live in U-
nity and Concord, becaufe they are but one Body :
I therefore the Prifoner of the Lord, befeech you, that
ye walk worthy of the Vocation, wherewith yon are cal-
led, with all Lowlinefs and Meeknefs, with Long-fuffe-
EpheC 4. 1, 2, f'mg^ forbearing one another in hove : Endeavouring to
keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of .Peace. There
is
concerning the Notes of the Church. 2 *
is One Body, anyone Sprit. Becaufe there is but
one Body and one Sprit, therefore they muft endeavour
to preferve the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of
Peace. Which fuppofes the Chriftian Church to be
one Body by Inftitution, though the external Peace of
the Church be broken by Schifms and Factions ; be-
caufe our Obligation to preferve the Peace of the
Church, and the Unity of Ecclefiaftical Com- •
munion, remits from this Unity of Body j which
makes Schifm a very great Evil, and very deftru-
£tive to Mens Souls, as all other Vices are; but the
Church, which has but one Hope, one Lord, one
Faith, one Baptifm, one God and Father of all, is
but one Church ftill, though Chriftians quarrel with
each other. Thus St. Paul afTerts, that as the Body
is one, and hath many Members, and all the Members U&t.12'12*
of that one Body being many, are one Body ; fo alfo is
thrift. But how do all Chriftians come to be one
Body in Chrift ? That he anfwers, for by one Spirit
are we all baptized into one Body and have been
made to drink into one Spirit. And from hence he
fhews, what Tendernefs all Chriftians ought to ex-
prefs for each other, as being Members of each o-
ther. Pag. 25. That there fbould be no Schifm in
the Body, but that the Members fbould have the fame
care one for another. But fuppofe Chriftians have not
this mutual care one of another, do they ceafe to
be Members of the fame Body ? No fuch matter :
thefe Quarrels between the Members of the fame
Body are very unnatural, but they are the fame Body
ftill. Pag. 15, 16. If the Foot (ball fay, becaufe I
am not the Hand, I am not of the Body, is it there-
fore not of the Body ? And if the Ear (hall fay, be-
D cattfe
24 A Vindication of the Difcourfe
caufe I am not the Eye, I am not of the Body, is it
therefore not of the Body ? That is, though the Mem-
bers of the fame Body out of Difcontent, -and linvy,
and Emulation, fhould feparate from each other,
and deny that they belong to the fame Body, yet
they are of the Body frill. For we muft confider,
that the Schifms in the Church of Corinth wereoc-
cafioned by an Emulation of Spiritual Gifts, and
unlefs- every one of them could be an Eye or an
Hand, that is, have the mofr eminent Gifts, they
envied and divided from each other, as if they did
not belong to the fam; Body ; which the Apoftle
tells them, was as abfurd, as if the Eye and the
Hand and the Foot fhould deny their Relation to
the fame Natural Body, becaufe they differed in
their Ufe and Honour : however if fuch a thing
\tere poflible in the Natural Body, they would all
belong to the fame Body ffill ; and fo it is in the
Chriftian Church. Which Biews-, that the whole
Chriftian Church is the one Myftical Body of drift,
united to him by Faith and Baptifm, notwithstand-
ing all the Divifions of Chrirrendom.
For let us confider, what the Divifions of Chriften-
dom are, and whether they be fuch, as wholly deftroy
the Unity of the Bod v. All the Churches in the World
are divided from the Church of Romeby difbwning the
Authority of the Pope, as the vifible Head of theCatho-
Hck Church ; but this does not deftroy the Unity of the.
Body, becaufe the Unity of the Body does not confift in
the Union of all Churches to one vifible Head, but in
their Union to Chrift, who is the one Lord of the
Church. Some Churches are divided in Faith ; not but
that they agree in the neceflary Articles of the Chriftian
Faith,
concerning the Notes of the Church. % *
Faith, (for to renounce any efTential Article of the Chri-
stian Faith does fb fat unchurch) bu: fjme Churches
believe only what Chrift and his Apoftles taught,
others together with the true Faith of Chrift teach He-
retical Do&rines, contrary to that form of found Words
once delivered to the Saints. And though this muft of
necellity divide Communions, for if any Church cor-
rupt the Chriftian Faith, with new and perverfe Do-
ctrinesof her own, other Orthodox Chriftians are not
bound to believe as they do ; yet both of them are true
Chriftian Churches ftill 3 for the true Faith makes a
true Church ; but only with this difference, that thole
who profefs the trueFaith of Chrifr. without any corrupt
Mixtures, are Sound and Orthodox Churches ; other
Churches are more or lefs pure according to the various
Corruptions of their Faith. And thus it is with re-
fpecl: to the Chriftian Sacraments, and Chriftian Wor-
fhip; every Church which obferves the Inftitutions of
our Saviour, and worlhips God the Father through our
Lord Jefus Chrift,is a true Church ; but thofe Churches
which corrupt this Worfhip, though they are true,
are corrupt Churches ; as the Church of Rome does
in the Worfhip of Saints and Angels, and the Virgin
Mary, and the Adoration of the Hoft, and the Sacrifice
of the Mais, drc. And in this cafe, though what
they retain of the EfTentials of Chriftian Worfhip is
fu. ^cient to denominate them true Churches, yet other
Churches are not bound to Communicate with them in
their Corruptions,
The plain ftate then of the cafe is this. All Churches
which profefs the trueFaith and Worfhip of Chrift,
though incemuxui w ith great Corruptions, belong to
the one Body of Chrift ; and to know whether any
D 2 Chuich
%6 A Vindication of the Vifcourfe
Church be a true Church, we muft not fb much enquire,-
whom they communicate with, or feparate from, but
what their Faith and Worfhip is. That external Unity
is fb far from being the Mark of a true Church, that
we may be bound not to communicate with true
Churches, which are corrupt ', becaufe we are not
bound to communicate in a corrupt Faith or Worfhip :
And that in this cafe the guilt of Separation lies on that
fide where the Corruptions are. And yet all the
Chriftian Churches in the World, that retain the
true Faith and Worfhip of Chrift, though they are
divided from each other upon the Difputes of Faith
or Worfhip or Difcipline, are yet the One Church
of Chrift, as being united in the EfTentials of Faith
and Worfhip, which by the Inftitution of Chrift
makes them his one Myftical Body, and one Church. .
Some Lines after he has a very notable Remark
about the Unity of the Church. That the Church
admits not, but cafis out fome, though they profefs Qhri-
fiiamtyy Schifmaticks, Hereticks ; which being cafi out,
if you mark it well, {he is united with her felf, And
I affure you, it is worth marking ;* for if you mark it
well, every Conventicle in Chriftendom is thus united
with it felf. But is this the Unity of the Catholick
Church, to caft all out of our Communion, who are
not of our Mind, and then call our felves the Ca-
tholick Church, when there are a great many other
Churches which profefs the Faith of Chrift as truly
and fincerely as we do, and are as much united a-
mong themfelves, as we are ? Why may not the
Church of England upon this Principle call her felf
the Catholick Church ? For fhe has more Unity in
this way, than the Church of Rome has. When all
Here-
concerning the Notes of the Church i?
Hereticks and Schifmaticks are caft out, fhe is united
with her felf; and if this Unity be a Mark of the
Catholick Church, all the Churches and Conventicles
of Chriftendom are the Catholick Church, for they
are all united with themfelves. But then the diffi-
culty will be, how all thefe Churches, which are
united with themfelves, but fepara ted from one ano-
ther, make one Catholick Church ? or, which of thefe
Churches, which are thus united with themfelves
(which it feemsis Catholick Unity) is the One Church?
for every one of them have this Mark of the Catho-
lick Church, that they are united with themfelves.
He proves (Pag. 8.) that Schifmaticks are not of the
Churchy one Holy entire Church, from their very Name,
which fignifies rending and tearing, not the Seamlefs Coat
alone , 'but the bleffed Body of our Lord. And I muft con-
fefs, the Name Schifmatick is as good a Mark of a
Schifmatical Church, as the Name Catholick is of the
Catholick Church : But we muft confider, who are the
God-Fathers, and whether they have given proper
Names or not. Now the Churcli of Rome is the com-
mon God-Mother, which Chriftens her felf Catholick ■-,
and all other Churches Schifmaticks, but whether fhe
be infallible in giving Names, ought to be confidered.
But Schifm fignifies rending and tearing', and yet a
Schifmatical Church fignifies a Church too, and how
they are a Church without belonging to the One
Church, when there is but One Church, is fbmewhat
myfterious. And therefore Schifm is not tearing off
a part of the Church, but one part dividing from
the other in external Communion, which fuppofes
tiiat both parts ftill belong to the fame Church, or
elfe the Church is not divided. For Apoftacy and
Schifm
% g J indication of the Difcourfe
Schifmare two different things; Apoftates ceafe to be
of the Church, Schifmaticks are of the Church ftill,
though they difturb the Peace of the Church, and
divide the external Communion of it i which differ
as forfaking the Church, and going out of it (which
no Man does, who does not renounce the Faith of
Chrift) and raifing Qaarrels and Contentions in it, to
the alienating of Chriltians from each other.
But that Schifmaticks are not of the Church, he proves
from St. Paul1* rebuking his fiding Corinthians with thk
quick Interrogatory : Is Chrift faith he (he means his C a-
tholick Church) divided? How! nothing more abfurdy
than to grant division in the Church, An excellent Pa-
ragraph 1 does St.'Paul, who reproves thefe Corinthians
for their Schifms, fhut them out of the Church for them
too? does he deny them to belong to the Church, when
he directs his Epiftle to the Church of God at Corinth ?
Is it fb very abfurd, to grant that there are Divifions in
the Church, when St. Paul rebukes them for their Di-
vifions, which furely fuppofes that they were divided ?
And is it abfurd to fuppofe that to be, which u the fame
time we confefs to be ? To fay that Chrift is divided,
or that there are more Chrifts than one, would be
very abfurd indeed ; to fay, that the Church of Chrift is
divided, is no Adfurdity, becaufe it is true ; but the
Abfurdity or Unreafonablenefs, and Indecency, which
St. Paul charges them witfe, is the Abfurdity in Pra-
£lice,that when there is but one Chrift,one Lord, whom
they all worfhip, that the Difciples of the fame Lord
fhould divide from each other, as if they fervedand
worfhippeu different Mailers.
But he has a very choice Note about the Unity of the
Church, (Pag. 9.) That it is the Unity of a Body, a
living
concerning the Notes of the Church. 20
living animate Body ; but not I hope of a Natural, but
a Myftical Body, animated by that Divine Spirit which
dwells in the whole, and in every part of it, and
therefore nothing can cut us off from the Unity of this
Body, but that which divides us totally from the
quickning and animating Influences of this Spirit ,
which it is certain all external Dlvifions do not. Well!
but it is not the Unity of a Mathematical Body which
is divifibile infemper divijibilia, but animate. This I be-
lieve every Body will grant him, that the Church is
not a Mathematical Body ; but what hurt is there in
Mathematical Unity ? Oh ! that is divifible without
end, and that I confefs is an ill kind of Unity : But
I hope it is one, till it be divided, and I fear a li-
ving animate Body is divifible too ; and if that can-
not be one, which is divifible, I fear there is no
fuch thing as Unity in Nature, excepting in God ;
and then it is not fufficient to prove the Cathoiick
Church to be one, becaufe it is united, unlefs he
can prove, that it is not divifible. But indeed he is
a little out in applying his Axiom, for as much as
he defpifes this Mathematical Unity, he can find this
indivifible Unity only in a Mathematical Point; and
poffibly this may be theReafbn, why the Church of
Rome makes the Pop l- the Center of Cathoiick Unity,
which is as near a Mathematical Point, as it well can be.
In the fame place he very gravely asks ; If the
Church of God be diftinguijhed even from the H-retick
and the Schifmaticky which of the Churches is like to be
mofl Cathoiick ? That which maintains its Unity againfl
Hercfy and Schifm, or that which is mofl favourable to
the Separation ? No doubt, Sir, fthfti which oppofes
Herefy and Schifm is the mofl Cathoiick Church ; but
I
«,0 J Vindication of the Difcourfe
1 thought the Queftion had been not about the Moft,
but the One Catholick Church. For one Church
may be more Catholick than another, by more ftricl:-
ly adhering to the Catholick Faith and Worfhip,
and yet both of them belong to the fame Catholick
jChurch. Well, but what then ? Truly I cannot
guefs, he fays, the Dijfenter fcarce owns any fuch Di~
ftinttions , or very rarely what ? Do they never talk
• of Herefy and Schifm? nor own that there are any
Herefies and Schifms ? But they pronounce no Anathe-
mas, except one perhaps. Againft the Church of Rome
I fuppofe he means. But Anathema^ are proper on-
ly for General Councils ; and this is a new Note of
the Catholick Church, which Bellarmine did not think
of, viz,. Pronouncing Anathema s, in which the Church
f of Rome has outdone all Churches in the World ,
' and therefore is the moft. Catholick Church. But
they would have Dijfenter s looked upon as Members of the
Aggregate Church, notwithfianding their Diffenfions as
well as others. Who are thefe They ? the Church of
England : Then they are kinder to DifTenters than the
Church of Rome, notwithftanding all the good Words
they have lately given them. But what then ? What
then do you fay ? There is a terrible Then. For
this Kindnefs of the perfecuting Church of England
to the DifTenters proves her to be a Harlot. For "'tis
the famous Cafe brought before Kjng Solomon, Catho-
licks like the honefi Woman would have the whole Child ;
the Harlot would have the Child divided. Was ever
fiich Stuff put together ? Catholicks are for fhutting
all out of the Church, and being the whole Church
themfelves, therefore they are/w the whole Child, when
they have cut off three parts of it, and divided it in-
1" to
concerning the Notes of the Church. i \
to a whole, united with it [elf. Others are fb chari-
table as far as it is poflible, to make a whole Churchy
the One Catholick Church, of all the divided Commu-
nions of Chriftendom, and they, like the Harlot, would
have the Child divided. What a Blefling is Ignorance
and Stupidity ! The firft to find out fuch Arguments,
as all the Wit and Learning in the World could ne-
ver have difcovered; and the fecond to make Men
believe them, and publifh them without blufhing.
But here is enough in all ConfcienGc*of this ; let us
now try if we can pick out any thing, that may de-
ferve an Anfwer. And that the Reader may the bet-
ter judg between us, I fhall take a Review of the
Brief Difcourfe concerning the Notes of the Church in
the Method wherein it lies, and confider, what this
Anfwerer and Juftifier of Bellarmine^s Notes has to fay
againft it.
I oblerved then that the true State of this Contro-
versy about the Notes of the Church, as it is ma-
naged by Cardinal Bellarmine, is not, what it is which
makes a Church a true Church ', but how among all DT
the Divijions of Chrijlendom, we may find out that on- '
ly true Church, which is the Mijirefs of all other Churches ,
the only Infallible Guide in matters of Faith, and to
which alone the Promifes of Pardon and Salvation are
made. Now the Anfwerer grants, that this is the
Controverfy between us, and (ays the Rowan-Catholicks
put the Queftion right.. And no doubt but they have
Chriftian Liberty to put what Queftions they pleafe ;
all that I there obferved was, that Proteftants in the
Notes they gave of a Church, anfwer to that Quefti-
on, What a true Church is, that Papifts give Notes,
whereby to know which is the True Church, and
E which
. x A Vindication of the Ttifcourfe
which is the moft reafonable way ? fhall be examined
prefently.
I began with the Proteftant Way, To find4 out a
Church by the effcntial Properties of the Church , fuch as
the ProfeJJion of the true Chriftian Faith, and the Chri-
f d. fli*fl Sacraments rightly and duly admin ift red by Perfons
rightly ordained, according to the Jnfiitution of our Savi-
our, and the Apoftolical Practice. Here he complains
that we give but {poor wo) Notes of a Chriftian Church
{pag. 12.) But if two be all, they are a great deal
better than fuch fifteen Notes, as are none. And here
I confidered what Cardinal Bellarmine objects againft
thefe Notes.
i. That Notes whereby we mil diftinguifh things, muft
not be common to other things, but proper and peculiar
to that of which it is a Note. Now I muft confeft
thefe Notes, as he obferves, are common to all Chriftian
Churches, and were intended to be fo. -The Prote-
ftant Churches do not deftre to confine the Notes of the
Church to their own private Communion, but are very
glad, if all the Churches in the World be as true Chur-
ches as themfelves. And this, fays the Anfwerer, let
me tell him, will be eaftly granted, tarn, quam, one e-
very whit as good as another. And this, I wiim. he
could make good, for the fake of his own Church.
But. will he call this Anfwering ? He cites a place
out of Tertullian, which he durfr not tranflate, for
fear every Englifh Reader fhould fee that it was to no
purpofe : That Hereticks, tho they differed from each
other, yet did all confpire to oppole the Truth ; which
is an admirable Argument againfl: all Churches con-
fpiring in the fame Faith. But this he fays, [up-
pofes all Churches to be alike pure} equally Catholtck,
equally
concerning the Notes of the Qmrcb . 2 i
equally Jpoftolick. Juft as much as to fay, that a Man
is a reafonable Creature, fuppofes all Men to be equal-
ly wife, and equally honeft. The true Faith, and
true Sacraments, I hope, may be eflential to all true
Churches, as Reafbn is to Humane Nature, and ytt
all true Churches may not retain the Chriftian Faith
and Sacraments in equal Purity, no more than every
Man, who has Reafon, reafbns equally well and tru-
ly. And therefore the Church of England can di-
ftinguifh her felf ftill both fromPapiils and Fanaticks
notwithstanding thefe Notes.
His next Argument, why thefe cannot be the Notes
of the Church, is, becaufe the true Faith, and true Sa-
craments, are ejfential to the Church, and therefore can
be no Notes of Difcovery, (pag.i^.) according to his
former wife Obfervation, that a Note mufr. be extra-
ejfential, which has been examined already. For
lays he, the Quejlion is which is the true Church ? But
Proteftants think the firft Queftion ought to be, What
a true Church is? and then we can know without any
other Notes, which is a true Church ; as when we
know what a Man is, we can eafily find out a Man.
But how {hall I know half this Effence, true Faith ? &c.
We mnjl either fay by confent with Scripture, or confent
with the Primitive Church, and then we fhall (tumble up-
on the Cardinafs Notes, or fomewhat like />. They I
confefs will be in danger of a very fatal Stumble, if
they ("tumble either upon Scripture or Antiquity ; but
we dare venture both. Let them but great, that
true Faith is the Note of a true Church, and we will
refer the Trial of our Faith to Scripture, and Antiqui-
ty, when they pleafe : Tho Cardinal Bel/.rmin had ib
much Wit, as not to refer the Trial of the Churches
Faith to Scripture. E 2 I
*
H J Vindication of the THfcourfe
I added, That when we give Notes, which belong t*
a whole Species , as we muft do, when we give the Notes
of a true Chriftian Church, we muft give fuch Notes, as
belong to the whole kind, that is, to all true Chriftian Chur-
ches. And though thefe Notes are common indeed tc all
- true Chriftian Churches, yet they are proper and peculiar
to a true Chriftian Church. As the ejfential Properties of
a Man are common to all Men, but proper to Mankind :
and this is necejfary to make them true Notes ; for fuch
Notes of a Church, as do not fit all true Churches, cannot
be true Notes. But this which is the true Anfwer to
Bellarmine*s Argument, he wifely drops.
As for what the Cardinal urges that all Sorts of Chri-
ftians think themf elves to have the True Faith, and True
Sacraments: I anfwered ; I am apt to think they do ', but
what then .? If they have not the True Faith, and True
Sacraments, they are not True Churches, whatever they
Difcp. $. think of it, and yet the True Faith and True Sacraments
are certain Notes of the True Church. A Pur chafe upon
a bad Title, which a *Man thinks a good one, is not a good
Eftate ', but yet a Pur chafe upon a Title, which is not only
thought to be, but is a good one, is a good Eftate.
To this he anfwers. This is the fame Error again :
for a good Title, I hope, is ejfential ', ^tis no Note of a
good Eftate. Oh the Wit of fbme Difputers ! What
other Note is there of a good Eftate, but a good Title?
But he fays there are other Notes, which lead to the Dif-
covery of a good Title ; what then ? they are the Notes
of the Title, not of the Eftate; they prove a good Ti-
tle, and a good Title makes a good Eftate. And yet,
that the Land be not praengaged, be free from all Incum-
brances, that there be no flaw in the Demife, I take to
be eflential to a good Title, and therefore according, to
our
concerning the Notes of the Church. <* e
our Authors Logick, cannot be Notes neither.
But what is all this to the purpofe? Bellarmin proves,
That the true Faith cannot be the Note of. a true
Church, becaufe all Sefts of Chriltians pretend to it.
I anfwer, that though thofe who pretend to the true
Faith, and have it not, are not true Churches, yet
thole, who have the true Faith, are true Churches.
As a Purchafe upon a bad Title, which a Man thinks
a good one, is not a good Eftate, but yet a Purchafe
upon a good Title is a good Eftate. To this the
Juftifier of Bellarmin anfwers, That a good, Title is ef
fentialj and therefore is no Note of a good Eftate.
Whereas the Difpute here is not about effential, or
extra-effential Notes, but whether the true Faith can-
not be a Note of the true Church, becaufe fbme Men
pretend to the true Faith, who have it not. But want
of Underftanding is neceflary to make fbme Men An-
fwerers of Books, which Men of Underftanding know
they cannot anfwer.
The Cardinal's fecond Objection againft the Prote- Difc<
ftant Notes of a Church is, That the Notes of any thing * ' P* 9*
muft be more known than the thing it felf', tnis I granted,
Now fays hey which is the true Church, is more know ablet)
than which is the true Faith : and this I denied, for this
plain reafon, becaufe the true Church cannot be known with-
out knowing the true Faith : For no Church is a true
Church, which does not frofefs the true Faith. Now
fays our Anfwerer, This being denied, we prove it
thus, &c. (Pag. 15.) Butmethinks, he fhould fi'rft have
anfwered the Argument,befcre he had gone to proving ;
but that it teems is not his Talent. Well,but how does
lie prove, that the true Church may be known before
we know the true Faith ? Admirably I affure you ! If
the
*<$ A Vindication of the Difcaurfe
the Chursh be the 'Pittar of Truth, raifed up aloft, that it
may be con factious to all Men, it ' mufi be mere manifft
than the Truth. This Pillar raifed. aloft: is a new Noti-
on, which! fuppofe he learnt from the Monument at
London-Br/dg, which indeed is very vifible ; but other
wifer Writers by the Pillar and Ground of Truth, prove,
that the Church is the Foundation, whereon Truth is
'built ; but that would not ferve his purpofe, to make
the ?
fore I know their Faith, Ergo, the true Church muft
be known before the true Faith. He is a very hard-
hear ted Man, who will not allow this for Demonstra-
tion-; but he is a very good-natured Man, who will' -
allow it to be Senfe. )
Well! But he has a Diftin&ion, that will do the
Bufinefs. AIM not i us nobis & aliud natura, i. e.
Some things are more knowable in themfelves, and
fbme things are more knowable to us : But we are-
enquiring which is moll knowable to us, the true
Faith, or the true Church.
He grants then, that True Faith being a Constitu-
ent, of, or cffential to the Church, 'may- be [aid to be
Natura. riofior, fir ft known- in the Order of Nature.
But we would not have thefe Methods confounded : For
if Faith be effential, *ffi the lefs known to us for that
'very reafon \ becaufc the- firft Conftituents of a Com-
ppund are loft known, except to the- Maker. ^T is more
manifest to ds, thai we are Flefh and Blood; though
God, knows, that we are Duft and Jfhes. How happy
is the Age*,J drat has produced fo great a Schoolman
a's 'this, to whom the great Aquinas himfelf is but
a meer Novice ! The Church is a compound Body,
in which. Faith is mixed and blended, as the four
Elements are in Natural Bodies : And there .-ore as
we can more eafily know what a Stone or a Tree
is, than fee the four Elements in it, Fire and Air
and Water and Earth, of which it is compounded,
and which are fb mixt together, as to become in-
visible in their own Natures; fo the Church is more
knowable than the true Faith, which is fb com-
pounded with the Church, as to become invisible
it
7 8 A Vindication of the Difcourfe
it felf : Nay to be as much changed and transform-
ed in the Compofition, as Duft and Afhes i s into
Flefh and Blood : And thus I confefs, he has hit
upon the true Reafbn, why the true Church muft be
known before the true Faith, becaufe the Church of
Rowe (which is his true Church) has fb changed
and transformed the Faith, that uniefs the Faith can
be known by the Church, the Church can never
be known by the Faith. How much is one grain
of common Senfe, better than all thefe Philofophical
Subtilties ? For indeed the Church is not a com-
pound Body, but a Society of Men profefling the
Faith of Chrift, and the only difference between
them and other Societies is the Chriftian Faith,
and therefore the Chriftian Faith is the only thing
whereby the Church is to be known, and to be
diftinguifhed from other Bodies of Men ; and there-
fore the Church cannot be known without the
Faith ; uniefs I can know any thing without know-
ing that, by which alone it is what it is : And
when there are feveral Churches in the World, and
a Difpute arifes, which is the true Church, there
is no other poflible way of deciding it without know-
ing the true Faith ; for it is the true Faith, which
makes a true Church, not as Duft and Jjhes make
F/efi and Bloody but as a true Faith makes true Be-
lievers, and true Believers a true Church; and tho
that Society of Men, which is the Church is vifi-
ble, yet the true Church is no more vifible than
the true Faith ; for to lee a Church is to fee a So-
ciety of Men who profefs the true Faith, and how
to lee that without feeing the true Faith, is paft my
Underftanding.
+ Jn
concerning the Notes of the Church. qp
In the next place the Cardin.il urges. That we cannot kn:vo
what true Scripture is, nor what is the true' Interpretation Difc. p. i«.
of Scripture, hut from the Church ; and therefore we mufl
know the Church, before we can knew the true Faith. To
this I anfwered, As for the firft , I readily grant , that
at this di fiance from the writing the Books of the New Te-
flament, there is no way to affure us, that they were writ-
ten by the Apoflles , or Apoftolical men, and owned for in-
Jpired Writings , but the Teftimony of the Church in all
Ages. And our Anfwerer faies , / begin now to anfwer
honeflly, (p. 17.) and I am very glad lean pleafe him.
But it Teems, I had pleafed him better^ if I would have
called it an Infallible Tradition ; but that Infallible is a
word we Proteftants are not much ufed to, when appli-
ed to Tradition ; it fatisfies us , if it be a very credible
Tradition , the Truth of which we have no reafon to
fufpeel:. But I have loft our Anfwerers favour for ever,
by adding, But herein we don:t confider them as a Church,
but as credible Witneffes. This makes him figh to think,
how loth men are to own the Church. For thefe company of
men fo atte fling, were Christians, not Vagrants, or idle
F raters of strange news in ridiculous Stories, (J hope not,
for then they could not be credible Witnefles) but were
agreed in the Attestation of fuch a Divine Volume, not on-
ly as a Book ( which would do very little Service in-
deed) but as a Rule, as an Oracle. All this I granted ,♦
but ftill the queftion is , whether that Teftimony they
give to the Scriptures , relies upon their Authority ,
confidered as a Church , or confidered only as credible
Witnefles. And when this Author (hall think fit to An-
fwer what I there urge to prove , that they mud not
be confidered as a Church, but as credible Witnefles , I
ihall think of a Reply, or (hall yield the caufe. But this
F Anfwerer
40 A Vindication of the Difcourfe,
Anfwerer is a moil unmerciful man at companions. For,
faies he, to tell us we cannot know the Church, hut by the
Scripture y is to tell us that we cannot know a piece of Gold
without a pair of Scales. The weight of Gold, i fuppofe he
means, and then it is pretty right; and if we mufl
weigh Gold after our Father, I fuppofe, we may weigh
it arter the Church too , tho She be our Mother. Or
that a Child cannot know his Father, till he comes to read
Philofophy, and. under {land the Secrets of Generation : And
it is well, if he can know him then : This, I confefs, is
exceeding appofite ,• for a Child mud be a Traditionary
Believer, and take his Mothers word (as Papifts believe
the Mother Church) who is his Father.
That we could not under/land the true Interpretation of
Scripture neither, without the Church. This I alio denied,
and gave my reafons for it, which cur Anfwerer, accord-
ing to his method of anfwering Books,takes no notice of,
but gives his Reafons on the other fide. I affirmed, That
the Scriptures are very intelligible in all things neceffary
to Salvation, to honejl and diligent Readers. Inltead of this,
he faies I affirm , That every honefl and diligent Reader
knows the Senfe (of Scripture, it mud bej in all things
neceffary to Salvation; which differ as much, as being
intelligible, and being actually underftood , tho I will
excufe him fo far, that I verily believe he had no diiho-
neft Intention in changing my Words, but did not un-
derftand the difference between them : But , fays he,
did not St. Peter write to honefl and diligent Readers, when
he warns them of wrefiing feme places in St. Paul to their
own Dejlruclion, as others alfo did. As they did other
Scriptures alfo, St. Peter faies ; but he faies too, that they
were the unlearned and r the unflable, who did thus. And
tho the Scriptures be intelligible, fuch men need a guide,
not
concerning the Notes of the Church. 4 1
not to dictate to them, but to expound Scripture, and
help them to underftand it s but does St. Peter, there-
fore warn them againft reading the Scriptures, or di-
rect them to receive the Senfe of Scripture only from
the Church ? Or fay, that honed and dik'gent Readers
cannot underftand them without the Authority of the
Church? But it feems, there are feveral Articles very
neceflary to Salvation, which men cannot agree about,
no not all Proteftants, as the Divinity of the Son of God,
the necejfity of gncd Works, the diflintlion of Sins mortal,
and lefs mortal (which is a new diftinction x unlefs by
lefs mortal, lie means Venial, that is, not mortal at all)
the necejfity of keeping the Lords day, and uflng the Lords
Prayer. Now thefe points are either intelligibly taught
in the Scripture, or they are not,- if not, how does he
know they are in the Scripture? If they be, why can-
not an honeft and diligent Reader underftand that
which is intelligible ? That all men do not agree about
the Senfe of Scripture in all points , is no better argu-
ment to prove that the Scriptures are not intelligible,than
that Reafon it felf is not intelligible ; for all men do not
agree about that neither.
Well, but he will allow, That honeft Readers may arrive
tf the underflanding of that part of Scripture \vohich the light
of nature fuggefts : That we muft not fieal, defraud ; we
muft do as we will he done by , (p. 19.)- But he little
thinks what he hath done in granting this ; for then,
if the Church fliould expound Scripture againft the light
of Nature, honeft Readers may underftand the Scrip-
ture otherwife; and if the Church mould be found trip--
ping in fuch matters, honeft Readers might be apt- to
qucilion her Infallibility in other cafes; lor thofe who
once miftake, can never be Infallible : And yet this light
Fi of
4 2 A Vindication of the Vifco?irfe,
of Nature teaches a great many ftirewd things ; and the
Scripture teaches them too; and therefore, in thefe
matters., honeft and diligent Readers may under/land
the Scriptures , tho it be againft the Exposition of the
Church; as, That Divine Worihip muft be given to none
but God : That God, who is an invifible Spirit, mull not
be worihipped by material and vifible Images : That pub-
lick Prayers ought to be in a Language which is under-
stood by the People: That Marriage is honourable among
all Men ; That Faith is to be kept with all Men ; That
every Soul, muft be fubject to the higher Powers : That
none can judicially forgive Sins, but only God: That
to forgive Sin , is not to punifh it , and therefore God
does not punim for thole Sins which he has wholly
pardoned : And other fuch like things, are taught by the
light of Nature, as well as Scripture ; and we thank him
heartily, that he will give us leave to underftand thefe
things. But he proceeds , 'Tis the Revelation part , the
Myfterious part, which is properly called the holy Script ure^
which is not fo perfpicuous. What, are not the words per-
fpicuous and intelligible > To what purpofe then were
they writ ? Or, is it the thing which is above our Com-
prehenfion ? but that does not hinder, but we may un-
derftand what the Scripture teaches, tho we do not ful-
ly comprehend it. For I would know , whether they
fully comprehend the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity and
Incarnation, the Natures and Perfon ot Chrift , which
were the Subject of the Arian^ ISfe/lorian, and Eutychiw
Herefks ; when the Church teaches thefe things, I fUp-
pofe they will not fay they do ; and yet they will own
that they can underftand what the Church teaches
about them : And then, tho they cannot comprehend
thefe myfteries ; yet they may as well underftand what
the
concerning the Notes of the Church. 43
the Scripture, as what the Church teaches about them.
Now, faies our Author , to fay the Scripture is plain to
every bene ft private Reader in tbefe Arcana, is to deny
and caff ate all Church Hiflory ; make Oecumenical Councils
ridiculous, run down all Synods and Convocations , that
ever were or fhallhe. Why fo, I pray? Does Church-*
Hi/lory, or Oecumenical Councils, all Convocations
and Synods declare, That the Scriptures are not intelli-
gible in thefe matters ? Or that a private honefl diligent
Reader cannot underftand them ? How came they then
to determine them for Articles of Faith, by their own
Authority, or by the Authority of Scripture? Should
Synods and Convocations, and Oecumenical Councils,
determine that for an Article of Faith, which is not
plain and intelligible in Scripture , they were ridi-
culous indeed , and there were an end of their Autho-
rity.
And here he appeals to the Testimonies produced by
the Cardinal, out of Irenaus, Tertullian, and St. Aunt-
fin; which have been fo often anfwered already, that I
do not think it worth the while to engage with this An-
fwerer about them ; let the Reader, if he pleafes, confute
fome late Books to this purpofe; as that Learned Vindi-
cation of the Anfwer to the Royal Papers about Church
Authority ; and the Pillar and ground of Truth. But I
cannot pais on without taking notice of his unanfwera-
ble Argument to prove , That the Church of Rome un-
derstands St. Paul'* Epifife to the Romans , and bv confe*
quence the Articles of J unification, whether by haith alone
or Works, better than all the Lay-Readers of the Reformati-
0»,viz.becaufe he can never be perfwaded ' thjt any private
man jhmld under ft and an Epiftle of St Paul, better than
the Church to which it was written. How unworthy is it to
opine.
it A Vindication of the Vifcourfe
cphe the contrary? And how filly is it to think, that
thole inufl neceiTanly underfhnd an E pi file be ft , to
v, he m it Was written ? But if thofe Cnriltians at Rome,
to whom «Sh. Paul wrote (for he takes no notice of any
formed and fetled Church there, at the writing of his
■ Epiille, and therefore does net dired it to the Church,
as he.does in other Epiflles, but to the Saints that are
at Rome. I fay, if thofe Chriftians) might be fuppofed
at that time, (when the ftate of the Controversy among
them was. generally known) tounderftand this Epiftle
better than we can now, yet what is this to the Church
of Rome, at fvx'teen hundred years diftance? However,
by this Rule, we may undeftand all St. Paul's other Epi-
flles, as well as the Church of Rome, and that will ferve
our purpofe : And yet methinjvs , if the Churches to
which the Epiftles were fent, are the only Authentic!*
Expofitors of fuch Epiftles, all thofe Churches to whom
St. Paul wrote, fhould have been prefer ved to this day,
to have expounded thofe Epiftles to us. and yet not one
of them is now in being, excepting the Church of Rome;
and therefore, at leaf! we muft make what fhift we can
to expound them our felves, for the Church of Rome can
pretend no greater right in them than the Church of
England.
And thus I came in the fecond place to ccnfider the
Cardinals ufe of Notes, and found feveral faults with
them .• i. That he gives Notes to find out which is the true
Church, before we know what a true Church is ; whereas
there are two Inquiries in^ order of nature lefore this, viz.
Whether there he a true Church, or not ; and what it is ;
And though the Cardinal takes it for granted, that there
is a Church, I demanded a proof of it, that they would
give me fome Notes whereby to prove thai there is a true
Church.
Dtfc p 13.
concerning the Notes of the Church. 45
Church. This demand amazes our Anfwerer, and makes
himcrofs himfelfand fall to his Beads,// and finds out
fome promifes which he fays are Notes of the Church •
I mall not examine that, becaufe it is nothing to'
the
52 A Vindication of the Vifccurfe
the purpofe ; for if there he feme Promifes which
are not Notes of the Church , T am fafe ; for
I did not fay, that no Promifes could be Notes, but
that thefe were not Notes, but Promifes, and gave
my reafons for it, why thefe particular Promifes
could not be Notes. As for the third, A long dura-
ti n, that it /ha// n?ver fail ; I faid, this could never
he a Note till the day of judgment. A fine time, he
fays, to chufe our Religion in the mean while ; but
thanks be to God, we have other Notes of a Church
than this, and therefore need not wait till the day
of Judgment, to know the true Church. But it is
certain, the duration of the Church till the end of
the World is fuch a mark of the Church as cannot
be known till the end of the World. The fourth,
Amplitude and extent is not to diflinguifb one Chriflian
Church from another, but to diflinguifb the Chriflian
Church from other Religions; and then I doubt this Pro*
phefie has not received its jufl accomplrfhment yet, for
all the Chriflian Churches together bear but a fmall
proportion to the reH of the world. And if this promife
be not yet accomplished, it cannot be a Note of the
Church. But the Reader may fee all this fairly Hated
in the examination of thefe Notes.
His fifth Note, The Succefiion ofBifhops in the Church
o/Rome, from the Apoflles time till now, 1 grant, is a
Note of the Roman Church ; and the SucceJ/ion of Bi-
Jhops in the Greek Church , is as good a Note of the
Greek Church ; and any Churches, which have been la-
ter planted ,, who have Bifb ps in Succefflon from any
of the Apffl?esi or Apoflolick Bi flops , by this Note are
as good Churches as they. This he very honeftly
grants,
concerning the Notes of the Church. 53
grants, and thereby confefles, that this Note will not
prove the Church of Rome to be the one Catholick
Church, which the Cardinal intended by it. Now
becaufe I fa id , This Note is common to all true
Churches , and therefore can do the Church of Rome
no Service. He takes me up, All true Churches I
then where is your Communion with Luther'j or Cal-
vinV Difciples ? They do not fo much .as pretend to
Succeffion. ' Nor is this the Difpute" now , whether
thofe Churches which have not a Succeffion of Bi-
fhops , are true Churches ; but if he will allow a
Succeffion of Bifhops to be a Note of a true Church,
all thofe Churches are true Churches, which have
this Succeffion, as the Greek Church, and the Church
of England have ; and therefore , this Note can do
no Service to the Church of Rome , as not being pe-
culiar to it. But as for what he fays , That Succeffi-
on of Doclrine , without Succeffion of Office , is a poor
Plea. I muft needs tell him , I think it is a much
better Plea then Succeffion of Office, without Suc-
ceffion of Doclrine. For I am fure , that is not a
fafe Communion , where there is not a Succeffion of
Apoftolical Dodine ; but whether the want of a
Succeffion of Bifhops, will in all Cafes Unchurch,
will admit of a greater Difpute : I am fure a true
Faith in Chrift, with a true Gofpel Converfation ,
will fave men ; and fome Learned Romanifls defend joan< Laun
that old Definition of the Church, that it is Cat us Epift. Vol. 8.
Fidelium, the company of the Faithful, and will not 5P" .,5' N,co1'
admit Bifhops or Paftors into ^the Definition of a
Church.
His
54 A. Vindication of the Difcourfe
His feventh Note , I own, is home to his purpofey
That that is the only true Churchy which is united to the
Bijhop of Rome, as to its Head. If he could prove
this, it muft dp his Bufinefs without any other Notes. — *
But it is like the Confidence of a Jefuit , to make that
the Note of the Church , which is the chief SuhfeB of
the Difpute, Very well, fays our Anfwerer, fi Ire-
imis, Jo St. Cyprian, St. Ambrofe. St. Hierom, C ta-
tus, St. Auflin, are anfwered, for none of thefe can turn
the Scale. Nor did any of thefe Fathers i\ . r fay,
That the Bifhop of Rome is the Head of the Church.
This is the Difpute Hill, and will be the Difpute till
the Church of Rome quit her abfurd claims to it: 3ut
he fays, We of the Church of England fbquld, confide?^
that not above ioo years ago, we communicated with
the Apoftolick See. And does that make the Churc'i
of Rome , the Head of the Church ? But have we
grounds enough for fuch a Breach, as we have made ? It
is ground enough lure, to Renounce our Subjection
to the Bilhop ot Rome, if he have no right to claim it.
But Tranfubftantiation, and the Worfhip of Images,
and Addrefles to Saints , he thinks very harmlefs
things. But the mifchief is, we do no think them fo.
But this is not a place to difpute thefe matters.
His fir ft Note concerning the name Cathol/ck, ob-
ferved, makes every Church a Cathol/ck Church, which
will call it f elf fo. And here he learnedly disputes a-
bout fome indelible names, which the providence of
God orders to be fo for great Ends. St. Paul directs his
Episfle to the Romans, i.e. he hopes to the Roman Ca-
tholicks, p.34. But a Roman GzthoVick was an unknown
name in thofe days, and many Ages after. But at
that
co?tcer?ii?7g the Notes cf the Church. 55
that time the world in the Apostles phrafe was in Com-
munion with her. Where has the Apoftle any iuch
Phrafe ? And yet we are now a difputing not about
Catholkk Communion, but about the name Roman*
Catholic k Church. Whereas it does not appear, that the
Romans had at that time fo much as the Name of
the Church, as I obferved before,- and the very Name
of the Catholick Church cannot be proved fa Ancient
as that time: And her 'Faith being fpoken of, which
he interprets, her being admired throughout the whole
World : whatever it proves, does not prove that She
had then the Name of the Catholick Church. He
adds, It is not without fomething of God, that She keeps
the name ft ill: But how does She keep it? She will
call her felf Catholick , when no Body elfe will al-
low her to be fo,- and thus any Church may keep
this Name , which did Originally belong to all
true Orthodox Churches: As for Hereticks, they
have challenged the Name , and kept it too among
themfelves, as the Church of Rome does, tho it
belonged no more to them , than it does to her.
His other indelible names of Times and Places , he
may make the beffc of he can. But let all concern-
ed in Black-fry ars and Auftin-fryars , and the Houfe
oUchartreux, which has fo miraculoufly preferved its
Name , look to it ; for he feems to hope , that
thefe indelible Names are preferved for fome good
purpofe.
I added, The name Catholick does not declare what D neat ho lick Churches , who refu'e Obedience and
Subjection to this one Catholick Church. For if this
be not the intent of it , what do all the Notes of
the Church fignifie to prove , that the Church of
Rome is the only true Cathalick Church? And if
they do not prove this, the Cardinal has loH his Labour.
Now I obferved , That there are many things to be
proved here , before we are ready for the Notes of
the Church. They mufl firft prove , that there is but
me true Church in the World. Or, as I had expref-
fed it before, One Church, which is the Miftrefs of
all other Churches , and the only Principle and Cen-
ter of Catholick Vnity. To this he Anfwers, (p. 37.)
That there is but one true Churchy ought to be proved;
(Credo imam Sanctam , doth, it feems , not prove
it) but if there were as many Churches, as Provinces,
if they are true, they are one , as hath been explained*
Nor (lands it with the very Injlitution of the Creed,
to fay , / believe many true Churches ; no more than
to fay , / believe in many true Faiths; (which I fup-
pofe there is fome new Inftitution for alfo, belie-
ving in the true Faith) for if they be true, fay
/, they are one (_Harp not therefore any more on
that jarring String.^) It is really a miferable cafe
for a Church , which- is able to fpeak fomewhat
better for her felf, to be expofed by fuch Advocates,
as do not underftand her own Principles. For
will any learned Romaniff deny , that there are fe-
veral particular true Churches ? Or, will any Prote-
ftant deny , that all true Churches are one Catho-
lick Church , which we profefs in our Creed ? But
the Controverfy between us and the Cardinal, is
quite
concerning the Notes of the Church. 5^
quite of a different nature,, not whether there are
any particular true Churches, ncr whether all the
true Churches in the World make one Gatbblick
Church ; but whether the Church of Rome (which
confidered in it ielf is but a particular Church) be
the only true Catholick Church, the center of Ga-
tholick Unity ? ^o that no Church is a true Church
but only by communion with, and fubjedtion to the
Church of Rome. Now this he#can never prove by
the Notes of a true Church, unlefs he firft prove, that
there is but one particular Church, the communion
with, and fubje&ion to which makes all other
Churches true Churches : For if there be more true
Churches than one, which owe fubjection to no
other Church , but only a friendly and brotherly,
correfpondence ; then though his Notes of a Church
could frove the Church of Rome to be a true Church ,
yet they could not prove, that all other Churches
mud be fubjecl: to the Church of Rome. The Church
of England may be a true Church ftill, though file-
renounce obedience to the Biihop of Rome.
But he undertakes to prove the Church of Rome^
not to be the Mitfrefs, which as it may be conflrued \
is invidious (though ilie challenges all the authority
of a Miflrefs) hut the Mother of other Churches,
And if he could do it, it were nothing to the pre-
fent argument, which is not, Whether the Church
of Rome be the Miflrefs or Mother (which he plea-
fes) of all other Churches, but whether the bare
Notes of a true Church can prove this prerogative
of the Church of Rome, when there are other true
Churches.
g0 A Vindication of the Vifcourfe
Churches befides her felf. But yet Jus arguments to
prove this are very considerable :
ifi. Becaufe the Church of Rome is acknowledged
to he fo by all in communion with her, (P.37.) which is
indeed unanfwerable : The Church of Rome her felf,
and all in communion with her, fay, ilie is the Mo-
Mother of all other Churches, and therefore ihe is
fo.
idly, The Learned King James the Fir ft, did not
flick to own her. Did King James the Firft own the
Pope's Supremacy ?
3 . To us in England 'tis paft denial, our Mother
and Nurfe too. Our Hep- mother we will own her,
and nothing more. But 'tis her authority that keeps
up in England, above all other Reformed Churches, our
Bifhops, our Liturgy, our Cathedrals ; by her Records,
her Evidences, they ftand the Jhock of Antithriftian
Adverfaries. This is ftrange news I We are indeed
then more beholden to the Church of Rome, than
we thought for ; but does the Church of Rome al-
low our Bifhops, or our Liturgy ? how then does
her Authority keep them up ? truly only becaufe me
cannot pull them down, and I pray God fhe may
never be able to do it. She is not our Principle, as
he fpeaks, and never mail be our Center again. His
fourth Argument is from Vitruvius (which I believe
is the firft time it was ufed) from the fituation of
Rome for the Empire of the World, which he thinks
holds as well for the Empire of the Church. And
fo he concludes with our Lords Elogies of St. Peter's
Chair, which I could never meet with yet. This is
a formidable man, efpecially confidering how many
fuch Writers the Church of Rome is furniflied
with. I added,
concerning the Notes of the Church. 6 i
I added, That they muft prove, that the Caihovi\s
Church does not fignifie all the particular true Churches
that are in the Worlds but feme one Church, which is
the fountain of Catholick Vnity : That is, fays he, he
Jhould fay, not only fignijie all, hut alfo fome one, P. 39^
No, Sir, I fay, not fignifie all , but fome one. The
Cardinal propofes to find out by his Notes the one
true Catholick Church among all the Communions
of Chriftendom ; and to prove that the Church of
Rome is this Catholick Church. Now I fay, this is
a fenfelefs undertaking, unlefs he can prove, that
the Catholick Church does not fignifie all the parti-
cular true Churches, which make the one Church
and Body of Chrifl, but fome one Church, which is
the fountain of Catholick Unity, and Communion
with which, gives the denomination of Citholick
Churches to all others. Now what has our Anfwe-
rer to fay to this,befides his Criticifm of all, and fome
one # Truly he fairly grants it, and fays, that other
Churches, as daughters of the Mother-church, are for-
mally Catholick ; but take the Mother by her felf, and
fhe is fundamentally Catholick. But this I fay, ought
to have been proved, that there is any one Church
which alone is the Catholick Church, as the founda-
tion of Catholick Unity ; which the Cardinal's
Notes cannot prove. That the Catholick Church' be-
gan in one fingle Church, (as he fays) I readily
grant, and became Catholick by fpreading it felf all
over the World ; but thus the Church at Jerufalem,
not at Rome, was the Matrix, as he fpeaks, of the
Catholick Church, which yet gave the Church of
Jerufalem no preheminency or authority over all o-
ther Churches. But the Church of Rome docs not
pretend her felf to be fundamentally Catholick in this.
fcnfe-,
62 'A Vindication of the Vifcourfe
fenfe, that (he was the firit Ghurch, but that by vir-
tue of Saint Peters Chair, the -Soveraign Authority
of the Church is feated in her, and none can belong
to the Catholick Church,1 but thofe who embrace
her Communion, and fubmit to her authority. Which
{hows how well our Anfwerer underftood this Con-
troverfie, when he fays, {fag. 40.) Time was when
the Church of Jerufalem mas fo, (that is, the Catho-
lick Church, as it was the firil and only Church,
and the Matrix of all other Churches) or the ( hurch
of Antioch, (which never was fo) then why not the
Church of Rome ? What think you> in the fenfe given ?
The Church of Rome does not challenge to be the
Catholick Church in the (m{c now given, i.e. as the
firft and original Church ; and if ihe did , all the
World knows, fhe was not ; and the fenfe now gi-
ven will not prove the Church of Rome to be the
Catholick Church, in the knfe in which ihe claims
it. But this is intolerable to difpute with men,, who
do not underfland what they difpute about. To ha-
flen then to a conclufion ; for if my Reader, as I
fufpeel:, is by this time fick of Reading, he may ea-
fily guefs, how fick I am of Writing.
The laft thing I objected againft Bellarmtns Notes
was, That they pretend to find out an infallible Church
' p" by Notes, on whofe authority we mufl relie for the whole
Chrijlian Faith, even for the Holy Scriptures them-
felves. For fuppofe he had given us the Notes of a
true Church — before we can hence conclude, that this
Church is the infallible Guide, and uncontroulable Judg
of Controverfies , we mufi be fatisfied that the Church
is infallible.*— This can never be proved but by
Scripture-,
concerning the Notes of the Church. 6%
Scripture ; for unlefs Chrijl have hefloived Infallibili-
ty on the Church , / know not how we can prove jhe
has it ; and whether Chrift have done it or not, can
never be proved but by the Scriptures : So that a
man mufl read the Scriptures , and ufe his awn
judgment to underfland them , before it can be
proved to him, that there is an Infallible Church ;
and therefore thofe who refolve the belief of the
Scripture into the Authority of the Church, cannot
without great impudence , urge the Authority of the
Scriptures to prove the Churches Infallibility 5 and
yet thus they all do ; nay, prove their Notes of the
Church from Scripture, as the Cardinal does. To
which our Adverfary anfwers : Infallibility and
Tranjubftantiation ; God forgive all the flirs that have
heen made upon their account. Amen, fay I, and fo
far we are agreed.
He makes fome little offers at proving an Infalli-
ble Judg, or at lead a Judg which muff have the
final decifion of Controverfies , whether Infallible
or not ; this is not the prefent difpute, but how we
ihall know whether the Church be Infallible or not ?
Jf by the Scriptures, how we fhall know them with-
out the Church ?
To avoid a Circle here of proving the Church by
the Scriptures, and the> Scriptures, by the Church,
he fays, There are other conviclions whereby the Word
of God fir ft pointed at by the Church, makes out its
Divine original* But let him anfvver plainly, Whe-
ther we can know the Scriptures to be the Word
of God, and underfland the true fenfe of them, with*
I out
^4 A Vindication of the Tfifcourfe
out the Infallible authority of the Church ? If he
will fay we can, we are agreed, and then we will
grant, that we may find out the Church by the
Scripture ; but then he muft not require us after-
wards to receive the Scripture and interpretation of
it upon the authority of the Church ; And fo farewell
to Popery.
As for that advice I gave Proteflants , Where
they difpute with Papifls, whatever they do at other
times , not to own the belief of the Scriptures, till
they had proved them in their way ly the authority
of the Church : and then we flwuld quickly fee, what
bleffed work they would make of it : Hmv they would
prove their Churches Infallibility, and what fine Notes
we fhould have of a Church, when we had rejefchd all
their Scripture-proofs, as we ought to do, till they have
*firft fatisfied us, that theirs is the only true Infalli-
ble Church, upon whofe authority we mufl believe the
Scriptures, and every thing elfe. He fays, it is ve-
ry freakifh, to fay no worje -*-Efpeci-ally when I
grant Qe my ccjf) that we come to the knowledg of
the Scripture by the uninterrupted tradition of credit
ble witnejfes , though' I will not fay, tradition of the'
Church. But if he underfland no difference between
the authority of an Infallible Judg; and of a Wit-
nefs, he is not fit to be difputed with.
As for what I (aid, That I would gladly hear what
Notes they wmld give a Pagan to find out the true In-
fallible Church by ; he honeftly confefles, There can
be no place for fuch Notes, when the authcrity of the
Scripture is denied. Which is a plain confeflion,
how vain thefe Notes are, till men believe -the
Scrip-
concerning the Notes of the Church. £$
Scriptures ; and when they believe the Scriptures,
they may find more eflential Notes of a Church
than thefe, v&L that true Evangelical Faith and
Worihip , which makes a Church ,• but thefe
Notes the Cardinal rejects , becaufe we cannot
know the true Faith, and the Scriptures, without
the Church ; and the Juflifier of Bellarmin fays,
that there can be no place for the Notes of the
Church, when the Authority of the Scripture is
denied : and therefore they mufl firfl agree this
matter , before I can fay any thing more to
them.
But yet he fays, If the Church Jhould fay to a
Pagan, We have fome Books Sacred with us , which
we reckon are Oracles of God , tranfmitted to us
from generation to generation , for almofl feventeen
hundred years , which we and our forefathers have
been verfed in hy daily Explications^ Homilies, Ser-
mons. However you accord not with the Contents
of the Book , yet we juftly take our felves to he
the left Judges and Expounders of thofe Oracles.
The Pagan would fay , the Church fpoke reafon,
Pag. 44. But nothing to the purpofe. For the
queftion is , What Notes of a Church you will
give to a Pagan , to convince him , which is
the true Church, before he believes the Scripture ;
and here you fuppofe a Pagan would grant, that
you were the bell Interpreters of Books that you
accounted Divine, and had been verfed' in near feven-
teen hundred years. But would this make a Pagan be-
lieve the. Scripture? Or take your words for fuch Notes
of a Church , as you pretended to produce out of
I z Scripture ?
66 A Vindication of the Difcourfe
Scripture > efpecially if he knew that there were
other Chriftians , who pretended to the Scriptures
and the interpretation of them , as well as your
felves ; and the only way you had to defend your
felves againft them, was without the authority of
Scripture, to make your felves Judges both of the
Scriptures and the Interpretation of them.
But he knows none that are fo fenfelefs to refolve
all their Faith into the authority of the Church. I
perceive he does not know Cardinal Eellarmin ,
whom he undertakes to juftifle , as any one
would guefs by his way of juftifying him : let but
the Romanifls quit this Plea , that our Faith mull
be refolded into the Authority of the Church, and
I fliall not defpair to fee our other Dilputes fairly
ended.
• For the Conclufion of the whole, I obferved,
That it is a mofl fenfelefs thing to refolve all our
Faith into the authority of the Church. Whereas
tt is demonflrable , that we mufi knew , and believe
mofl of the Articles of the Chrijiian Faith, before
we can know , whether there he any Church or not.
The order obferved in the Apoflles Creed is a
plain evidence of this : for all thofe Articles which
are before the Holy Cat ho lick Churchy mufi in or-
der of nature be known before it.
This he grants, that in order of Nature alt thefe
Articles of the Creed concerning Father, Son, and
Holy Ghoft, mufi be known, before we can know
a Church , but to us the Church h mofl known :
Which
concerning the Notes of tt)e Church. £j
Which is plain and down-right non-fenfe ; if by
mofl known , he means firft known , which is the
prefent difpute ; for whatever by the order of na-
ture muft be known firft , mufl be firft known
without any diftinction. For we fpeak now not
of the Methods of Learning , but of refolving our
Faith into its firft Principles , and that furely
muft follow the order of nature. If the belief of
the Churches Authority be not in order of nature
before the belief of Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, it
is a fenfelefs thing to"refolve our Faith into that,
which though we mould grant were the firft caufe
of knowing thefe , yet is not the firft principle in
order of nature, into which Faith muft be refol-
ved. Children indeed, as he obferves, muft receive
their Creed upon the Authority of their Parents >
or of the Church , which is more known to
them , than their Creed ,* as aH other Scholars
muft receive the firft Principles of any Art or
Science upon the authority of their Mafters. But
will you fay , that the Latin Tongue is refolved
into the authority of the School-mafter , becaufe
his Scholars in learning the Latin Tongue rely
on his authority ? which yet is juft as good fenfe
as to fay , that our Faith muft be refolded into
the authority of the Church , becaufe the Church
teaches Catechumens their Gatechifm , and they
receive it upon the authority of their Parents , or
Priefts. And hence indeed he may conclude, that
a young Catechumen knows his Teachers before
he knows his Creed ; but to conclude that he
knows a Church firft , as that fignifies a bleffeet So-
ciety , where Salvation is to be had-, is a little
too,
£8 A Vindication of the Vifcourfe
vtoo much ; for that fuppofes that he knows the
Church before he has learnt Vnam Sanclam Eccle-
fiam> that is, before he has found the Church
in the Creed ; which is great forwardnefs in-
deed.
If he does not fpeak of Children , but of Men-
Catechumens , for -fuch there were in the Primi-
tive Church , and fuch he feems to fpeak of,
when he fays , // is plain , that the Catechumen
knew there was a Church , a bleffed Society y where
Salvation was to he had . hefore he would enter
himfelf to he Catechifed in the Faith. I do not
doubt, but fuch men did know the Church , be-
fore they fubmitted to the inftructions of it ,• but
they knew Chrifl too, and believed in him , be-
fore they knew the Church. For they firft be-
lieved in Chrifl , and then joyned themfelves to
that Society , which profefled the Chriftian Faith,
that they might be the better inftrucled in the
Doctrines of Chriflianity ; that they might learn
from the Church , what the Chriftian Faith is,
and the reafons of it ; not that they would wholly
refolve their Faith into Church-authority.
But I find by our Author , that the Creed
was made only for Catechumens : For he fays,
The firfl perfon ufed at the beginning of the Creed,
I believe, fignifies /, who defire to he made a mem-
ber of the Church , by the Holy Sacrament of Ini-
tiation , do believe what hath been propofed to me
firft, and then comprehended in that Fundamental
Breviate.
What he defigns by this, I cannot guefs ; for
flill the Catechumen proferfes to believe in Fa-
ther,
concerning the Notes of the Church. 6?
ther, Son, and Holy Ghoft, before he believes the
Holy Catholick Church. But pray, what does /
fignifie, when a Biftiop, or Pried, or the Pope him-
felf repeats the Creed ?
If, as he concludes, We muft believe Father, Son,
and Holy Ghoft, before we can compleatly determine
the Church, and its definition ; he mould have faid,
before we can know whether there be a Church
or not, much lefs believe upon its authority, then
indeed, as he fays, the Creed muft begin with I be-
lieve in God. But if our Faith muft be refolved
into the authority of the Church , as the Church
of Rome teaches ; and as thefe laborious endea-
vours of finding out a Church by extra-eflential
Notes fuppofes; then the Creed, as I faid, ought
to begin with , / believe in the Holy Catholick
Church, and upon the authority of this Church , I be-
lieve in God the Father Almighty , and in Jefus Chrift,
and in the Holy Ghoft.
Thus I have with invincible patience particu-
larly anfwered one of the mod {enMe(s Pamphlets
that ever I read ; and I hope it will not be
wholly ufelefs ; for fometimes it is as neceflary to
expofe non-fenfe as to anfwer the moil plaufible
Arguments ; though notwithstanding the mirth of
it, I do not defire to be often fo employed.
FINIS*
DEFENCE
OF THE
CONFUTER
O F
BELLA RMlN's Second Note of the Church,
ANTIQUITY,
AGAINST THE
CAVILS of the ADVISER.
IMPRIMATUR,
May g I. 1687.
HEN. MAVRICE.
LONDON:
Printed for ttttc* Ci)tftt)eU, at the Rofe and Crom in
St. Paul's Churchy aret, M DC LXXXVH.
11 I* 'i 1 «■ »
(*)
A Defence of the Confuter of Bellarmins Second
Note of the Church-, Antiquity, (Sfc.
I Apprehend by this Author's Genius , that 'tis much
eafier for fome Men to write Farce than Controverfy :
And tho I cannot fay whether or no any man ever
undertook the Confutation of Bellarmin over a Tot,
as our Author elegantly begins his Advice ; yet he
feems to me, by his ludicrous Behaviour, to have engaged
in his Defence in that fort of humour. He may think it
Vanity, if he pleafes, in the Reverend and Learned Author
of the Piece he attaques, to aflail the Roman Champion him-
felf ; yet even I, who never enter'd the Field of Controverfy
before,fhall prefume to engage with fuch a Smatterer in the
Noble Science, as his Second.
And yet, immediately after this fit of Rhetorick, he do's
not pretend, that the TV-qualifications are the cafe of him
who has undertaken to anfwer Bellarmin'j- Marks .of the
Church. No, Why then do's he commence his Advice with
fuch a Suggeflion ? Did he think fit to publifh to the World,
that he had a mind to be impertinent ? An humour, efpe-
cially in Conjunction with Buffoonry in ferious Affairs , I
would advife him againfl for the future, if the powerful In-
fluence of an ill hahit has not totally over-rul'd his Liberty
in the matter.
And thus, after the witty Introdu&ion to his little good
Will; little enough, I dare fay; we come now to receive
the Advice of this grave controverfial Counfellor, in the
Cafe depending.
Firft, Then he pretends , ( for Tie relate his Advice in
ihort-hand, as much as I can, till I find fortiething worth
A z the
the tranfcribing) that Bellarm'm never meant what his Ad-
verfary undertakes to prove, that the Plea of hare Antiqui-
ty is proper to the Church :. No ! but this Gentleman mufl
own that he did , when I have told him only, that by bare
Antiquity, his Adverfary understands Antiquity abftra&ed
from the Confederation of Truth , thofe Ancient Truths
deliver'd in the Scriptures. Now, I prefume, he will not
fay,, that Bellarmin any where exprefly in his Book of
Notes, muchLefs in this Chapter, makes the confent of
Doctrines with the written Word, which is not hare, but
true Antiquity, a Note of the Church ; tho indeed,'- fuch is
the force of Truth, he can hardly keep off of that Argu-
ment. In his ninth Chapter , he makes agreement in
Dc&rine with the Ancient Church , a fixth Note of the
Church : Ancient, he farther explains by Apoflolic ; telling
us likewife out of fertullian, that a Church is fo call'd,as for
other Reafons , fo for her confpiring with the Apoftles in
their. Do&rines ,• and yet, after all, mofl pitifully Hides off
to quite another thing, as will appear to any one who fhall
examine that Chapter.
But it may be almoft worth a man's while to read the
Advifer's Comment upon Bellarmin 's Text, tho I hate tran-
fcribing. He fays, indeed, fays my Author , that whoever
at this time will find cut the Catholick Church , profefsd in
the Creed, amongfl fo many pretenders , mufl not apply him-
filf to any upflart Congregation , which was never vifihle in
the World, hut of late years ; hut to fuch a Church which has
been of as long /landing , as ever Jince Chrifl and the Apo-
ftles days , and confequently fuch a Church to which Antiquity,
•f neceffity at this time belongs, This Bellarmin aflerts.
Where I obferve, Firft, that, by thi-s lafl Exprefiion, he
Reprefents his own flourifhing Glofs, as Bellarmin s Words,
which they are not ; a thing that looks a little towards a
defign of putting a trick upon his Readers, zly, That we
5sre here ihrewdly directed to find out the Catholick
Church .
( 3 >
Church by finding out a particular, to which we muftftick
witliout farther enquiry. 3/y, That this Man pailes a yr
ne*e ad genus, from Antiquity to Vifibility, which the bet-
ter Logick of his Mafter Eellarmin would not probably have
fufTer'd him to have done. And laftly, after all, that he
unluckily fays the fame thing in fubftance , with what he
difproves in bis Adverfary; for what do's all his Glofs a^
mount to, but to this; That he who would find out the
true Church, mult overlook all fuch as boaft not of Anti-
quity at all adventures, without any regard had to the true
Antiquity of their Doctrines, or any thing.elfe they pretend
to;and pitch upon that,without any mere acfo,ata& has heen
of as longftand/ng, (of as long (landing barely, without any
farther refpecV) as ever fince Chrift and the Apoftles days >
And what is fuch a /landing as this, but bare Antiquity ?
Unlefs he can prove a neceflary entail of Truth upon a
long Succeffion, which all the World can never do. And
therefore , hoping he may be a little more happy in fol-
lowing, than in giving Advice, I prefent him with his
own,and the fecond he gives; That when he would confute
his Adverfary, he fay not the fame thing that he do's ; and
withal , defirehim to attend, for the future, more diligent-
ly to theSenfe, than to the Exprefiion of a Period.
But wherein do's the Confuter of Eellarmin thus unlucki-
ly jump with him ? Why, in explicating and proving the
fame Antiquity to be a Note of the Church, which Eellarmin
affirms to be fuch. To which I anfwer, firfl,. that itBellar*
min by Antiquity meantfuch as his Confuter explains, p. 45-.
as is pretended, then he underllood by that word, an agree-
ment in Doctrine with Chrift and his Apoftles , for fo 'tis
plain his Adverfary meant ; but we have ihown before, that
that could not be Bellarmins Intention, xly, That if the
Cardinals Difcourfe upon this Note do's really tend to prove,
not Antiquity^ (but as the Confuter compendioufly diftinr
guifhes,, Priority) to belong to the Church , as it feems
to ,
(4)
to do f, then 'tis demonftrable to me, that he prefently grew
weary of his Note, which he could not manage without
blending and confounding it with another more proper and
pertinent to his bufinefs, tho befides hisdefign.
The third Inconfiitency which he thinks he has found in
the Con futer of Bellarmin, is this, That having prov'd Anti-
quity not to be a proper Note of the Church, becaufe it did
not always belong to it , as a proper Chara&eriftick of a
thing ought to do, there being a time when the Church was
new, p. 42. He ihould, nothwiflanding, in the 45^. aflert
that the holy Scriptures are the true Antiquity , there being
a time when they were new likewife ; and here he thinks he
has undoubtedly caught him. But alas, his Pen was more
nimble than his thoughts were deep. If indeed Bellarmtns
Adverfary in this point had advanc'd this Proportion, That
Antiquity is a proper Note , or infe par able T roper ty of the
Scriptures, or written Word, and had after this undertaken
to prove , that Antiquity could not be fuch a Note of the
Church, becaufe the Church was once new; the Argument
would with equal force have recoifd upon that fame Aher-
tion of his in relation to the Scriptures. Or if Bell, had af-
flrm'd only that the Church is truely Ancient •, and his Adver-
fary had denied it upon the Score of its former newnefs ; he
could not neither, if his own Objection were good , have
rightly affirm'd that the Ss. are the true Antiquity : But who
can difcover the leaf! repugnancy betwixt thefe two Aflerti-
ons,that Antiquity is a Note of the Church,and coniequently,
as the Confuter well argues,proper to it,and infeparable from
it, which yet cannot be true, if the Church was once new •
and this,that the Scriptures are the true Ant iquity ;i.e.that the
Doctrines deliver d in the Scripures or written Word,are the
oldeft and trueft Doctrines in the Chriftian Church. Thus
I have often obferv'd, that a few plain Words will unriddle
great Myfteries in appearance; and that fomeMen are un-
happily apt to run away with a bare jingle of Words, inflead
of hai mony in Senfe. In
(5 )
In the fourth Remark we meet with no kCs a charge
than that of a contradi&ion ; and that's a bad bufinefs in-
deed in fo narrow a compafs of Pages ; but where has thki
flarter of difficulties efpied it, for 'tis not eafily difcernable ?
Why, the Confuter of Bellarmin has averted absolutely ', 0.42.
That Antiquity is not a proper note of the Church/where-
as p. 45:. He has found out an Antiquity that is proper to the
Church. In good time! Bellarmin ufes the word equivocally,
either for that which is ancient, or for that which is firjl ,•
the former his Confuter fays, p. 42,. is not a Note proper
to the Church ; but that the latter, which Bellarmin did
not originally mean by his Note of Antiquity, the he was
fore'd to run into it, belongs to the Church. And is this
now ad idem > and if not, where's the contradiction ? If,
difcourfing with this Gentleman, I iliould own my felf a
Member of the Catholick Church, and finding afterwards
that, according to their ufual and prefumptuous blunder,
by the Catholick Church he meant the Roman Catholick
Church , I iliould deny my felf to be a Member of it,
ihould I be guilty of a Contradiction .* for fhame what tri-
fling is this ? I thought fome fort of People had better un-
derflood the dubious import of Words ufed equivocally.
His fifth Remark wants nothing but Truth to make it a
very good one; and is this, That the Confuter of Bellar-
min has produced a Citation out of St. Cyprian, which is fo
far from favouring his own Caufe, that it really f up ports his
Adverfaries, and is the very ground of what they maintain,
and he oppofes. And in earnelt then, amongfl fuch great
variety, he was very unhappy in his choice. But how
does the Advifer make this appear ? why, by two or three
pert Interogations, and that's all. To which if I oppofed
only as many more, I might reafonably feem to have gi-
ven him a juft Anfwer. For the place is fo extremely per-
tinent to the Argument the Confuter was upon, that, for
my own part, I can fcarce perfwade my felf the Advifer
was.
( o
was- in earnefi-when he made his Remark, if he knew what
he was about. The Confuter was lliowing, that bare Anti-
quity, as before explained, could not be a proper Criterion
to judge of the true Church by, for that, amongft other
Reafons, wicked Doctrines running down to Pofterity, e-
ven from the Infancy of the Gofpel, made ufe at length of
the Plea of Antiquity to give them countenance and fup-
port ; -which pretence, fays he, was notwithstanding refu-
ted by the Fathers in feveral remarkable Words. Amongft
others of which he alledges that pailage in St. Cyprians E-
piflle to Pompeius. Cuflom without truth is but Antiquity of
error — and there is a fhvt way of Religious and Jimp k minds
to find out what- is truth ; for if we return to the beginning
and original of Divine Tradition, Humane Error ceafes— Thi-
ther let us return to our L wds Original y the Evangelical Be-
ginning, the Apcjlolical Tradition, &c. Is not now our Lord's
Original, the Evangelical Beginning (terms fynonimous with
Apofiolical Tradition) that ancient Truth the Confuter de-
fires to appeal to ? Or, is this, as the Advifer farther boafts,
That fet ting up the very Tradition which Catholic ks appeal to ?
Yes, fays he. But why fo ? for no other reafon doubtlefs
but becaufe he luckily efpied the Word Tradition in that
fentence, and perhaps found it under that head in his Com-
mon-place Book. Now ferioufly, if this Gentleman plcafes,
fie produce him half an hundred Inflances out of the An-
cient Fathers, Irenaus, Tertullian, Cyprian, &c. where Tra-
dition is ufed by them for the Scriptures, or written Word
of God. If he had but confulted that other Epiftle to Ca-
ciliusy Cited by the Confuter in his Margent, he would have
found it taken there five or fix times in that very fenfe ;
and that 'tis really fo in the place now before us, is fo de-
monftrably evident from the Epiftle whence it is cited,
that none who had ever confulted the Original, could with
the lead modefty, or judgment, have alledged it in Defence
of Tradition, as ftated in the Church of Rome . For the
Holy
(7)
Holy Martyr refuting here what Pope Stephen had replied to
him in a Letter concerning the Baptifm of Hereticks, repeats
feveral Pafjages of it. Of which this is one, Si quis emp
a quacmqut Harefi vener'tt ad nos, nihil innovetur nifi quod Tra-
dition eft, ut manus illi imponatur in pcenitentiam. To which
St. Cyprian immediately replies, Whence is this traditions does
it defend from the Authority of our Lord and the Gofpel5 or from
the Injunctions and Epiftles of the Apoftles f For God teftifies,
That thofe things are to be done which are written. If therefore
it he commanded either in the Gofpel, or in the Epiftles of the
Apoftles, or in the Ails, that they who come from any Here fie
over to the Church, he not Baptized, hut only have impofifion of
hands for repentance ; let this Divine and Holy Tradition he oh-
ferved. But if, &c. And now what thinks our Advifer of
St. Cyprians Apoftolical Tradition, which pleafed him fo won-
derfully at firfl fight, and I dare fay he never look'd farther >
Are the Gofpels, the Epiftles, and the Ails, the only Tradition
which Catholicks appeal to > Let him remember his Trent-
Creed, and then tell me.
We come now, in the next place, to his Remarks and Ad-
vice in relation to the Confuter's fecond Proportion, That the
prefent Church of Rome vainly pretends to true Antiquity,
/. e. ancient Truth. And here we find him all on a fudden ta-
ken with a very ftrong fit of the Gentleman ; he's upon his
Punctilio's, and teaching his Adverfary letter manners than to
charge the Church of Rome with Lyes ; and yet this Mailer
of Controversial Ceremonies is off of his breeding within two
Pages after, where we have him ranking the Divines andDif-
putants of the Church of England with honeft Cohlers and Tink-
ers, as if they were really at a Club together over the Tot he
fpeaks of in his Introduction, for the Confutation of Bellarmin ;
and, to inftance no farther in this fulfome kind, what elfe is
his whole fcribble but one continued breach of Good Manners
and common Civiliey, unlefs he thinks it the part of the Gen-
tleman to Boffbon a whole Church, and all her Clergy ? I iliall
B not
( 8 )
not farther recriminate, though I juflly might, from feveral of
their late Papers, were it worth the while. I fhall only there-
fare tell him, that Bellarmin in that very Chapter we are now
upon, gives his Adverfaries the Lye twice very roundly ; and
why ihould he be angry with a man for copying after fuch
an Original ? And that I could wifli fome People were not fo
deeply concern'd in the Character of thofe who, in the Apo-
ftle's homely Phrafe, mail in the latter times fpeak Lyes in Hy-
pocrifie [i Tim. 4. 2.] and by lying Wonders [2 TheiT 2. 9.]
impofe upon the People, as to deferve fuch plain Englifh. But
the Lye deferves a Stab , they fay , and therefore we may
now expect a keen Pen, when pointed with fuch generous
Refentments.
In the fecond place therefore he pretends, that the Confu-
te^ in kicking down the Church of Rome, has overthrown his own
at the fame blow. For he having aflerted, p. 49. [not, as the
Advifer words it,That the addition of Articles to the ancient
Creed, takes of all claim to the ancient Truth, as if a Church
that coins new and falfe Articles of Faith, does thereby for-
feit her Title to thofe true and ancient ones fhe before retain'd,
though not impugn'd by thefe new ones, as the Advifer would
fuggeit, but] that the prefent Church of Rome, having fuper-
added feveral Articles of her own, contrary to feveral of thofe
Chriftian Truths upon which fhe was originally founded, be-
comes another Church from what me was then, and cannot
plead Antiquity for her prefent Conftitution ; the Advifer iub-
fumes, that neither then can the Church of England be the
ancient Church, who befides the Nicene and Athanafian Creeds,
has another of a later date, of nine and thirty Articles, befides
another ? lot-Creed call'd the Teft. Sure this Man wrote only to
make People merry. Or, is he really not able to diflinguim
betwixt Articles of the Chriflian Faith, of necefiity to be be*
liev'd in order to Salvation, and fuch he cannot but know
the Church of Rome accounts all the Articles of the new
Trent Creed, and thofe of Communion and external agreement,
which,
(?)
which, tho ancient Truths , (and if we cannot give better
proofs of their true Antiquity than they can do of their ne-
ceflary Articles, wee'l be content to lofe them) are yet of q*i
inferior Nature. And as to our Plot- Creed in particular, Tie
fet another Plot-Creed with a Witnefs againfl it ; and that is,
the depofing Power, by Law eftabliJFd, by a Law that's a Creed
in the flri&eft Senfe to them , the Definition of a General
Council ,• and had it not been for this , and other Plot-Creeds
of abfolving Subjects from their Allegiance, and the like, I am
apt to believe they had never been troubled with ours.
In the next Paragraph the Advifer leads us fuch a Dance ,
there's no keeping Pace with him. He frisks and frolicks it fo
in his Field of Crontroverfy, that he puts me in mind of the Di-
verfion of another fort of Animal, lately come into a good Pa-
flure, and in a warm Sun. I was in defpair for fome time of
finding out his meaning in his long Ramble of two Pages, but
beating about, for it laid in a very narrow compafs , I found
it at laft in a Corner of the Field of Controversy ; and 'tis in
fhort, this, That the Confuter's Argumentation, which fee
p. 50. &c. do's not prove that when a Change or Alteration in
Religion begins publickly to be abetted, maintained and propa-
gated, &cc.~That then fuch an Alteration in Religion could fpread
it felf over the whole Chriftian World, and yet the Authors ,
Promoters, Abetters, and Embracers of it, not be known, and ta-
ken notice of This being a popular, tho very weak refuge in-
filled upon by greater men than the Advifer , I iliall give it
a more diftind:, tho ihort, Anfwer.
Firft, then I fay,That the Confuter, p. $z. has given himfbne
particular Inftance of an acknowledgd Change, of which they
themfelves cannot yet aflign the Author by whom,nor the time
when, it was introduc'd ; and that he has farther, p. 53, &c. as
much as his defign'd Brevity would admit , evinc'd the Rife
and Progrefs of two notorious changes in Religion, eftablifh'd
in the Church of Romepnd the Oppofition they met with,and
could at his; pleafure have farther enlarg'd upon this Subject.
B 2 Now
( io )
Now either of thefe Ratiocinations are a fufEcient Confuta-
tion of Bellarmins , adopted by the Advifer ; And how little
te has replied to his Inftances, we fliall fee by and by.
ii/y,He is mightily out in his Computation, unlefs the old
blunder of the Roman being the Catholick Church, run flill in
his Head ; if he thinks all thofe Doctrines of theirs, which we
charge with the want of true Antiquity, were ever univerfal-
ly receiv'd over the whole Chriflian World ', as he flourishes to
exaggerate the Matter ; What thinks he of one of the Con-
hater's inftances, the Papal Authority, to go no further > But
I hope his better Knowledg in this point will fuperfede me the
labour of enlarging upon lb copious an Argument.
-idly, I muft tell the Advifer, that the Dodhines we com-
plain of,being generally fuch as are calcuted for the Meridian of
Rome, the greater Veneration, Wealth,and Grandeur of the Pope
and his Clergy ; 'tis no wonder at all that we hear not of fo
much Buftle and Noife about them in the Weflern World , as
we might otherwife have expected. And if he asks me, as
he's good at fuch filly queftions, Where the Church of England
was all this time^ and why She did not Preach, and make Laws
againft fuch Corruptions and their Abetters ; I prefume to ask
his Wifdom again , Where She was under the late Reign of
Cromivel, and why She did not Preach and make Laws againft
him and his Abetters.
Why truly She was, in both Cafes, under the invincible Ty-
ranny of an Ufurper ; and therefore, methinks, the general
Anfwer of the Houlholder to his Servants, asking him whence
cailiethe tares, that an Enemy had Sown them, might fatisfle
in this Anti-tipe of the Parable likewife; efpecially, fincewe
find neither Mafter nor Servants any farther follicitous in par-
ticular Enquiries about them , even when they grew up , and
were confequently feen and difcernd ; for ill weeds to be fure
grow faft enough. And I fhall only in this place, defire the
Gentlemen, who are fo ready to boaft of the prefent Continu-
ance of the difcriminating Doctrines of the Church of Rome ,
not with-
( II )
notwithftanding the Opposition they have met with, to make
this farther Remark with me upon the Parable of the Tares,
That they were fufferd to grew up with the Wheat until the Har-
veft, and let them recoiled; what became of them then.
^thly, Were there no other method for 'Errors to fpread in
the Church, than by what the Advifer feems to Dream of, by
appearing in open Contraditlion and Defiance to the true Churchy
condemning its Doffrine, and oppofing the Articles of her Faith,
as Erroneous and Heretical , as he tragically exprefles it; then
his inference might probably hold good, unlefs we willfuppofe
fuch Errors to have appear 'd in a very dark and fupine Age in-
deed, and even in a more cautious, 'tis poffible Records might
be loft; but alas, fince they ufally grow up and advance after
a quite different manner, pedetentim , by little and little , as
Fifher Bifliop olRochefter owns the Doctrine of Purgatory did ;
or, it may be under the Colour of greater Piety and Devotion,
or the like, as the Doctrines of Image and Saint-worfhip, and
thereby draw in the Paflors of the Church thernfelves for their
Maintainers and Abetters \ his Argumentation falls to the
Ground.
$thfy, He ought to diflinguiili betwixt fuch Errors, as im-
mediately confront the prime Foundations of the Chriflian
Faith, and that Apoftafy the Spirit hath foretold mould be
brought in by fuch as fpeak lies in Hypocrify, [i Tim. 4. 1, 2.]
of the flrft fort were the early Herefies, concerning the Perfon
of our Saviour, His Divinity and Humanity, The Refurrecl-i-
on of the Body , and the like ; fuch as thefe indeed did not,
nor cannot well be fuppos'd to appear in the Church without
a mark upon the time of their rife, their Authors and open Em-
bracers. The other is a myftery of Iniquity, and may be ad-
vane'd by fpecious and ahnoil imperceptible methods , as is
hinted above, without any great itir or din. about them.
6thly, To the fingle Inftance of the Confuter concerning nn
acknowledg'd change, the rife whereof they thernfelves cannot
account for, the half Communion, I mall add two more, the
Doctrines
( 12 )
Doctrines of Purgatory and Indulgences, both own'd by Fi/her
Bifhop of Rochefter , and Cardinal Cdjetan, to be of uncertain
Original ; thereby acknowledging them not to be of the num-
ber of thofe Ancient Truths we contend for, and yet are not
able to tell who firfl brought them in. To his two Tnftances
of Alteration in Religion, the Papal Authority, and the wor-
fhip of Images , which we can account for according to the
Advifer's Directions,! add one more ; The great Burning Arti-
cle of Tranfubftantiation ; whole Rife, Progrefs and Op|5 ofers,
they have lately been told of, \_See Difc. againfl Tranfuhft.~] re-
mitting the Advifer to Polydore Virgil for farther Inftruction
in this matter,if he defires it. After all which, I mull farther pre-
fume briefly to remind him of the feveral new Definitions of the
Trent Council, and of others, which from Doctrines formerly
taught, fprang up prefently, in that prolifick Soil of Religion,
into Articles of Faith ,• and fure 'tis a considerable Alteration in
Religion , to make the belief of Points neceilary to Salva-
tion, which were not fo before. And yet I hope we are able
to name the who, the where, and the when, of thofe Alterations.
But
Laflly, I muft tell the Advifer , that, tho out of complai-
fance to him and his Betters, I have fo far enlarg'd upon this
Argument; yet , as ftated by himfelf, with reference to the
puhlick Appearance of Corruptions ; 'tis anfwer'd in one word,
by the fame curt Ratiocination as it was before, when confi-
der'd with Relation to their firfl rife only. For, tho we could
give no account of the open Maintainers, Embracers and Abet-
ters, nor of the Oppofers of any Doctrine or Practice prevailing
in the prefent Church of Rome ; yet, if we are able to demon-
flrate that fuch Doctrine or Practice manifeftly differs from
what was at firfl: eiTabliih'd in the Church by Chrift and his
Apoflles ; or going yet farther , can fhow out of unqueftiona-
ble Records, that no fuch thing, as for inflance, the prefent
Papal Authority, was ever own'd in the Church for fuch a
time, 600 years for example ; do's it not inevitably follow ,
That
( 4 )
That a change however has been made, both from the true
Antiquity, the Scriptures, and the fubordinate Antiquity of fo
many Centuries of the Church, tho we could not name the
place where, the time when, and the Perfons by whom, fuch
Corruptions were publickly maintained and abetted > I can
fcarce, for my own part, believe that men are in earneft, when
they oppofe fuch a wretched piece of Sophiftry to the' unan-
fwerable argument of matter of Fadt, and the plained expe-
rience in the World.
We come now to his Remark upon tlje Confuter's imlance
of Communion in one kind, and his advice to him here is, to
prove in his next, Thai a diver ftty of pratlife is an alteration
in Religion ; and efpecially of fuch a 'pratlife, which Chrifl left
indifferent in refpeil of the Laity, and without any pofifive com-
mand of their receiving it in both kinds. But fince he has not
thought fit to prove this at all, which was his proper pro-
vince in this place, unlefs by two or three frivolous Citations,
of which afterwards ; I ihall itill take the contrary for grant-
ed, being well allured, firft, That he can mow no pofitive
command to the Clergy to receive it in both kinds, which
does not equally include the Laiety ; and, fecondly, That they,
being equally interefted with the Clergy in the benefits that
accrue to mankind from the effufion of our Saviour's Blood,
and the Sacrament of the Eucharifr, being infl ituted in Com-
memoration of this effufion of his Blood, as well as of the
breaking of his Body.; the drinking of the Cup, as well as the
eating of the Bread, becomes as necehary a part of this Sacra-
ment, in relation to the Laiety, as it is to the Clergy ; they
who equally partake of the benefits of both,being equally con-
cern'd in the Commemoration of both. And a thoufand years
conftant practice accordingly, is a good expofition ofourSa>
viour's Defign in the inflitution ,- and can then the refufing the
Cup to the Laiety be called a diver fity of Pratlice only of ad-
minijlring it to them ? Or, is the abolijhing of a practice (of
fuch Divine Authority, and of fo long a continuance in the
Universal
( i4 )
Univeflal Church) in relation to fuch Myriads of People, on-
ly a differing modus of exercifing it ? A familiar Initance will
illuffoate the matter, though itieems fuificiently to difcover
it felf by its own natural abiurdity. Suppofe then fome- friend
c : the Advifers mould, by his iail Will and Teftament, leave
fo much Beer, and fo much Bread, to be diftributed every
Week, for inilance, to the Poor of the Parifh where he had
lived ; and the Advifer, his Executor, iliould, for a long time,
take care to have both the Beer and the Bread faithfully diftri-
buted according to the Teftator's Will ; but yet, at lafl, for
fame private reafon of his own, iliould deprive them of their
portion of Beer, and confine them to Bread only ; does he
imagine he could iliam off the Wotld, and the Poor People
concern'd, with this piece of Sophiftry, That what he did was
only a diverfity of Practice in fulfilling the Will of the Deceaf-
ed, and no alteration of the Will it felf > Who {ees not, at
firfl light, the illufion of fuch an evafion ? But now becaufe
the Advifer counfels the Confuter to prove- in his next, That
a diverfity of Practice , as he pleafantly ' calls the denial of
the Cup, is an alteration in Religion ; He endeavour to do it
for him, in as few words as I can, now that I am upon the fpot,
and fave him the labour. For, if the Sacrament of the Eucha-
rift be a part of the Chriflian Religion, and I hope 'twill be
granted to be a very confiderable one, and the Cup an eflen-
tial part of that Sacrament ,• then they who deprive theLai-
ety of the Cup, the diverfity of Prattice here fpoke of, make
thereby an alteration in Religion ; but, &c. And Tie make
good this Argumentation to him when he pleafes. The cuitom
of adminifhing the Cup with Water only inftead of Wine, was
not, J hope, fo. great a diverfity of Pr alike, as not admini-
llring the Cup at all to the Laiety, who were at that time par-
takers of the Cup, fuch as it was ; and yet it were worth his
while to read what flrefs St. Cyprian, in his 63 Ep. to Cacilius,
lays upon the praftice of our Lord in his Inflitution of this Sa-
crament, And, in a word, fo far is this defrauding the Laiety
of
( '5 )'
of the Cup, from being no alteration in Religion, that, befides
what has been faid, it opens wide the Door to the greatcft al-
terations imaginable. For, if the Church, najkr, what is worfe,
the Church of Rome in particular, can, by her own tranlcen-
dent Prerogative, alter and acSt contrary to this pofitive Law
and Inflitution of Chrift, fhe may, by the fame reafon, difpence
with, or formally abrogate any of the other at her pleafure.
As for his Quotations out of Luther ^nd Melantthon, 1 have not
been able to find, upon a pretty diligent fearch, as much as
the very Tract and Epiftles from whence he cites them, and
therefore am apt to imagine, that taking them up at fecond
hand, he, or his Author, made a miftake in them. However
it be, it matters not much ,• for his fecond Citation out of Lu-
ther appears, at firfl fight, fo forreign to his purpofe, that
by it we may guefs at the reft. But above all, recommend
me to the Skull which could Cite that place of Spalaten-
fis, 1. ^. c. 6. for the refufal of the Cup ; or conclude, that
becaufe private Perfons , upon extraordinary occafions , as
want of Wine, antipathy to it, or the like, mentioned by this
very Author, may lawfully receive in one kind, the Church
may make an univerfal ftanding Law againfl the Laiety's re-
ceiving in both. Give me leave but juft to continue the words
of Spalaten fts, where the Ad vifer leaves of, and you will be
fufKciently able to pronounce of either the judgment or in-
genuity of this Author, without any farther defcant upon him.
After having told us then in the general, in what cafes the Sa-
crament may be lawfully received under the fpecies of Bread
alone, he proceeds, Though in fuch a cafe, fays he, the Sacra-
ment is not truly and properly whole. Wine may either he want-
ing, or the Per/on abflemious ; or, it may he more convenient to re-
cieve at home, than in the Church, upon a lawful caufe, in which
cafe a man may carry the Bread along with him, tho not fo conveni-
ently the-Wine, as old examples teach us (a practice perhaps not
altogether warrantable in the Church) But the Church neither
couldy nor can, by an univerfal Law deprive the Laiety of the Cup,
C whether
( 16 )
whether they will or no, upon no neceffity at all ; for what ChriH
granted to all men, is in vain denied by the Church ; and where
the whole Sacrament may and ought to be exhibited, it cannot be
mutilated and Mfed without the greatefl injuftlce ; and this is
exprejly prohibited under an Anathema by Gelafius in a Canon of
the Church.
In the next Paragraph , the Advifer is all upon the ramble
again, and you fcarce know where to have him ,• Tie pickup
the fenfe tho' he has dropt here and there , and digeft it for
him as well as I can. Firft , Then he is angry with the Con-
futer for dateing the rife of the Papal Authority he fpeaks of,
lb far back as Pope Piclor ; and his reafon is, becaufe the Church
of Rome is Generally believdto have been in thofe days pure and
uncorrupt. Here wants nothing but a good confequence. The
Faith of the Church of Rome was then found and Orthodox,
and therefore one of her Biihops could not be of a warm, pa£
fionate, or afluming temper, as Africans generally are, of
which Country he was ; and , by an unwarrantable a&ion,
undefignedly perhaps, lay the firtf Foundation of a future en-
croachment'and ufurpation. This is the whole Logic of the
Bufmefs. But, the practifes the Confuter cenfures, were ownd
by the Chriftians of thofe days. I wonder then he did not Ihow
the vanity of what the Confuter alledges concerning the re-
primand that Celeftine met with from the African Biihops up-
on his intrufion into their Affairs ; or, to go farther back, did
the Advifer never hear of the buflle that Victor's excommuni-
cating the Afiatic Biihops made in the Church > Or was no
Body ever fo kind as to tell him how ill that action was refent-
ed by Biihops of the Latin Church it felf ; as may appear from
a fragment of a Letter of Irenseus, BilTiop of Lyons, to Vitlor
upon this occafion? [ fccEufeb. Hid. 1. 5^.24.] But, Se-
condly , Pope Vittws practife could be no other than an
Apoflolical truth, becaufe he lived in the Second Century. I
thought we mould have him upon the Argument of bare An-
tiquity, for all his former indignation at the Confuter for tel-
ling
ling him 'twas Be/Jarmins fecond Note. of the Church; and
here again is nothing but the poor bufineis of a little Logic,and
conclufivenefs wanting. For the argument proves too much,
and fo proves nothing at all to his purpofe, being that which
a fortiori will juftifie the Treachery of Judas, and all the He-
retical Doctrines that were broach'd before Fichr\ time. But
I need not farther expofe its abfurdity, the Confuter having
done it fo excellently well in his firil particular. His third ap-
pearance of reafon, is, that the Popes the Confuter mentions
as beginners of the prefent Innovation of the Papal Authority,
living before or in the time of the four firft General Coun-
cils, if what is pretended were true, thofe Councils would
have taken notice of it. Now becaufe he confines his ob-
fervation to thofe Councils only , fo mall I do my anfwer,
which need be no other than this, That the Innovation was
then perfectly in its Infancy ; the Tares as yet, according to
his own diilinction , in the dark and under ground , not
grown up, and overtopping the Corn, as they did afterwards,
and therefore difficultly perceptible, at leaf! in their future fa-
tal tendency and event; and asfuch might,confequently,eafily
efcape the fevere and' folemn Animadverfion of a general
Council. But can the Advifer imagin, that if the Bifhops of
Rome had , in thofe days , prefumed to have broke down all
the ancient mounds and boundaries of Jurifdiction, the ii if
K&UiQn of the Council of Nice, and had, in a word, but offend
at fuch an audacious attempt as an univerfal Monarchy over,
the whole Church of Chrift, that they would not have been
taken notice of by thofe Councils, as they were by others after-
wards, and by the African BifhojSs during that time > Yes, he
may allure himfelf we mould have had a brand of Infamy fet
upon them, that would have laded to all Poller] tv, if any but
the Church of Rome had the keeping of the Records. But
there's fomething behind ftill in this Paragraph, which looks,
as if he were fond of it;& therefore we muft do it the civility
of a remark ; and that is, that the ancient Fathers urge the con-
C 2 tinned
( i8 )
tinned fuccefwn of thefe very Bijhops o/Rome, as an Argument
of the True Orthodox Faith and Religion profeffed in that
Church. Ergo, What ? What you pleafe. I have told this Gen.
tleman before,that theOrthodoxy of the Faith of the Church of
Rome in thofe days is no way concern'd in the prefent debate;for
the Church over which the Bifliops we fpeak of, prefided,might
be found in the Faith ; for the Pope's univerfal Jurifdi&ion was
then no Article of it;and yet they,through paffionanadvertency,
or perhaps natural ambition, lay the firft Foundation of that
monftrous Fabric of Papal power, that after-Ages built upon
it. I fhall not here enter upon a Difcourfe concerning the
proof of the Truth of Doctrines by fucceiTion of Bifhops,
becaufe the Advifer ufes it only as a Medium to prove , tho'
poor man he has made but bad ufe of it, that no Biihop of Rome
could by any means fow thofe Seeds , which might be after-
wards improv'd into dangerous innovations ,• yet, I mull tell
him that, after all, thofe Fathers ultimately-refolve the truth of
all Doctrines into their harmony and agreement with the Apo-
flolic writings. The ridiculous BufToonry that fills up the reft
of the Paragraph jfufficiently expofes its Author,of it felf ; only
whereas he tells us, we have no other 'way to look fair, than
by blackmng the Church of Rome ; I muft tell him in return,
That, in my Mind, they are equally impertinent who would
wafh an Ethiopian white, and who would paint him blacker
than he is.
. • In the next Paragraph about Imagc-worfhip, he palliates very
finely, as if Paint and Varnifh were ftill as requisite to a Dif-
courfe upon that indefenfibl'e SubjecT:, as to the Subject it felf.
TheConfuter hinting briefly to him by what advances Image-
worihip crept up to that height, wherein 'tis now taught and
pra&ic'd in the Church of Rome, begins as he ought, from the
very flrft Steps, or unhappy Occafions only, of that religious
Worfliip that was afterwards given them ; viz. the Hiftorical
uk of them 300 years after Chrift,improv'd into theRhetorical,
us he well exprefles it, in 300 years more after that. Now upon
this-
this fallens the Advifer , without ever taking notice of the
Religious Adoration that is paid them, that great Alteration of
Religion the Confuter complains of, and of which the former
ufes of them were only unhappily Introductory ; but flurs it
over in the general terms- of other Reafons ; others with a wit-
nefs , for which the Confuter condemns the Church of Rome of
Innovation in Religion. Is this Ingenuity ? Is this Arguing ? But
alas, 'tis as good as the Caufe will bear. How then is -the
Church of England laid upon her back by the Alteration in Religi-
on, which the Confuter in this place charges upon the Church
of Rome ? Do's the Church of England worihip Images ? If not,
She can never be in the fame Condemnation, for not worfhip-
ping, with that Church, which cloth worfhip them. But here
perhaps lies the Myftery ; Mr. Mountague, in the 2,1. Chap. or.
his Appeal to Cafar, approves of the giving them [Civil] Re-
fpecl and Reverence, as was done ly Pope Gregory in Rememo-
ration , and more effectual Reprefentment of the Prototype ; all
which amounts to no more, even in his own Expofition in that
Chap, than to a bare Hiflorical ufe of them ; And what of all
this ? Do's it hence follow that the whole Church of England is
equally laid en her Back with the Church of 'Rome, that religi-
oufly worlhips them ? Is there no difference betwixt Mr. Moun-
tague s private Opinion , and the Doctrine of the Church of
England? No difference betwixt a meer Hiflorical, and that
Religious ufe that is made of them in the Church of Rome ?
Well,but Mr. Mountague confefies that the Hiflorical and Rheto-
rical ufes of them, are allow 'd by the Church of England. And
fuppofe fo for oncejwhat becomes of the poor Confequence ftill,
for that's what I am concern'd for > The Church of England al-
lows an ufe of Images harmlefs in it felf, and therefore She is
equally culpable with a Church that allows, nay commands, an
ufe of them, finful in it felf. Confquences fo big with Abfurdi-
ty, that a man needs but name them, to expofe them. But after
all, the Church of England 'has no fuch Doctrine that I know of,
nor do's Mr. Mountague fay fo. He fays indeed, Chap,zo. that we
( 20 )
do not account the Papifts Idolatrous for thefe Hiilorical and
Rhetorical ufes of them; and inj:he fame Chap, that it is not the
Doctrine of the Church of England to have departed from the
Church of Rente about this point, if She had gone no farther in
Practice nor Precept than what St. Gregory recommended ;
and that he, for his part, could have actually gone thus far along
with them : But- he arlirms no fuch thing of the Church of Eng-
land as the Advifer would make him. But, fince he has been
pieas'd to make ufe of Mr. Mount agues Name, as a fort of an
Abetter of their Doctrine in this Point: I think I cannot do
Him, nor the Reader, greater Juftice, than here to give a Spe-
cimen of his Senfe of this Dotlrine and Praclice of the Church
of Rome. Thus, then, fays he in the 19. Chap, one of thofe ci-
ted by our Author. / do not, I cannot^ 1 will not deny that Idola-
try is gmjly committed in the Church of Rome. The ruder fort at
leafl are not excufable, who go to it with down-right Idolatry, with-
out any relative Adorafion,worJhipping that which they heboid with
their Eyes. This Idolatry is Ancient in their Schools, as he there
iliews ; not amongft the Vulgar only.
The little Flourishes which follow, are not worth a remark ;
for who fays, That fuch an ufe of Images, as he there fpeaks of,
leaves the Church of Rome without all title to Antiquity, or, that
it Vnchurches her? This I am fure is a Rhetorical ufe of words,
inflead of a Logical one,\\hich obliges a Difputant to keep to his
terms ; a ftrictnefs, alas, that will never agree with thin Senfe,
and a bad Caufe. The Confutation of hib Companion betwixt
rhe Introduction of the worfhip of hnages,and Lawn-JIeeves,&cc!
I leave to the Laughter or Indignation of every Reader, as he is
in Humour, when he meets with it ; for he who wTould vouch-
fafe fuch ftuffany other Reply, might juftly be thought guilty
of as great trifling in refuting, as he in advancing it.
His Remarks upon the Confuter's Conclufion, are a pure
Declamation, and I have no great appetite to encounter a
School-Boys Exercife. He tells us, He cannot poftbly make fenfe
of what the Coniuter fays in reference to tiie Church of Eng-
land,
( 21 )
land^That her Religion, hy Law eftahlifhed, is the true Primitive
Chri/lianityfor fo run hlsWord^and what then? Is the Confuter
bound to find him in underflandfng ? He might have enough
'to do at that rate. I thought he had explain'd himfelf in the
next Page, and that very pertinently too", by telling him, That
our Religion is as old as Chrifl and his Apoilles, with whom
whofoever agrees, they are truly ancient Churches, thoofno
longer Handing than yeflerday : As they that difagree with
them,' are new, tho they can run up their Pedigree to the very
Apoflles;and this he farther confirms hy Tertulliaris Authority.
Now if theAdvifer had had a mind,or ability,to have fpoke per-
tinently to the matter in hand, he mould have endeavour'd to
havefhewn, either, that Conformity with Primitive and Apo-
ltolic Doctrine does not. make a Church truly Ancient and
Apoflolic ; or, that the Doctrines of the Church of Engl, have-
no fuch Conformity ^ for if they have, 'twill be found that
Chrifl and his Apoflles have a greater hand m the Conflituti-
on of this Church, than in that of Rome, notwithstanding his
trifling harangue to the contrary. The World knows very well ,
he tells us, when this Church was fir/1 eftablijtid hy Law ; and
fo does the World know too, when Chriflianity was firfl fear-
ed in the Throne, and protected by thefecular arm, and yet
I believe the Chriflians of thofe days thought no worfe of
their Religion for that ; nor, I believe, would the Advifer think
worfe of his, if the Laws were on its fide. But where this
Church was before 'twas eftahli/Fd hy Law, that is not fo eafie
to tell Why , truly in my mind , 'twas much in the
fame ilate with the Jewifh Church under the Dominion of
Pharoah in Mgy.Pt ; the one being born down and enflaved
by a Temporal Tyranny ,- the other by both a Tem-
poral and Spiritual Ufurpation • till God was plea fed, as to
refcuethc one, fo the other too, out of the Hoi; (I of Bonds
After this, he whiffles and plays about the fepar-atian arid no-
velty of this Church. To which I fhall only return ; That if he
pleafes to be but fo kind to himfelf and to us, as to lay alide
the
( 22 )
the Buffoon and Deckmator for a while, and condefcend , for
once, to fpeak to the purpofe, upon that, or any other fubjecl ;■
he needs not fear a fuitahle reply from fome or other. In the la ft
place, he is for finding out the Confuter fome work, in Rela-
tion to the proof of our adequate belief of the Creed, and m the
fame fenfe, in which it was] taught by the ApcjrLs, and prof e (fed
by the Primitive Church. No man,' who knows the Reverend
and Learned Confuter, can doubt of his Abilities for a much
harder Task than what the Adyifer would fet him ; but I pre-
sume he knows how to difpofe of his time much better than to
lay it out in refuting the Suggeftions of every incompetent
Adverfary ; and fince he has thought fit to fling out this Sur-
mife about the belief of the Church of England; in my Ap-
prehenfion 'twould much more become him to make it out
in the firft place, and then, perhaps he may hear of the Con-
futer, if he chances to write any thing worth his Confuta-
tion.
He tells us,in one place,of the forwardnefs of the leardlefs Di-
vines of 'the Church of England. I mufl confefs I know not whe-
ther the Down is ftill upon his own Chin, or no ; but if not, I
muft needs tell him, that for ought I find in hisfriendly half
Sheet of Paper , the Beard contibutes no more to the making of
the Divine, than it do's to the making of the Philofopher ; and
therefore, I mall conclude with one piece of Advice to him, and
that Which may do him more true Service than all he has given
the Confuter can ever do him, and that is, That, if it be really
his hard fate not to be able to write more to the purpofe, than
what he has hitherto done, he would give over writing in this
kind, and for the future follow the bent of his Genius, which
feems to lead him rather to the Comical Humour of the Stage,
than into the Field of Controversy.
FINIS. ,«ft
THE
CONTENTS
Of the following
NOTES.
Th
! .
—
*-
he Introduction to the
Notes of the Church.
THE Visibility of the
Catholick Church takes
away the Necejfity of
finding out Notes to diftinguifh it
by, ejpe daily of fuch Notes as are
matter of D iff ate themf elves, p.3.
The Vfe of Notes to find out
an Infallible Church, .and thefe
appropriated by the Cardinal to
the Chitrch of Rome only. p. 4.
What Proteftants intend in
thofe Notes they give of the true
Church-, and what the Papifts by
their Notes of a Chuwh. p. 5.
The Protectant Way of finding
out the Church by the cjfential
Properties of a trtfe Church, p. 6.
Three things objetttdic this by
the Cardinal, and Anfwers retur-
ned, p. 7,8,9, 10, 1 1, 12.
The Cardinal's Way confidered
and examined-)
1 ft. To find out which is the
True Church before we know
what a True Church is. p.i 3.
Two Enquiries in order of Na-
ture before which is the
True Church, whether there
be a True Church or not f and
what it is. ibid.
No Notes of thefe, but fuch
as they dare not givey viz.
the Authority of the Scrip-
tures and every Man's pri-
vate Judgment of the Senfe
and Interpretation of them.
p. 14,
2 1 y 8 She gives us Notes where-
by to find out the True Ca-
tholick Church
A
before we
know
The CONTENTS.
kjnow what a particular Church
is. p. 15*
Impoffible to know what the Ca-
tholick Church is, before we
kgow what a particularChurch
is. ibid.
No other Notes of a True
Church, but what belongs to
every True particular Church,
and that can be nothing but
what is effential to a Churchy
and what all Churches do a-
gree in, vi2*> the true Faith
and Worjhip of Chrifl. p. 1 6.
The 6th (which is the fame
with the 2d) and the 8th are
the chief, if not the only Notes
of this Nature, and here our
Claim is as good, if not better
than theirs. ibid.
Mis 9th, i oth, 1 1 th,and 1 2th
not properly Notes of a True
Church, any otherwife than
as they are Tefiimonies of the
common Chrijiianity, which
is profeffed by all true Chur-
ches, ibid.
The 13th, 14th, 15th, no
Notes at all, becaufe they are
not always true. ibid.
His 3d and 4th Notes are not
Notes of a Church, but only
God's Promifes made- to his
Church. p. 17.
His 1 ft Note dcth net declare
what a Church is, but in what
Communion it is. and is no
Note of a true Churchy unlefs
it be frrft proved, that they
untrue Churches, which are
in Communion with each other.
ibid.
Mis 5th, common to-the Greek,
and any other Church, who
have Eljhops in SucceJJionfrom
the Apoftles, or Apojiolical
Bijh»ps.. p. 18.
The 7th Note ferves topurpofs
the Cardinal's Defign, and
doth his Bufinefs without any
other Note. ibid.
3dly. Another Mypery in for-
ming thefe Notes, is 10 pick,
out of all the Chrifiian Chur-
ches in the World ope Church,
which we muft ownfw the Ca-
tholick Church, and rejebl all
others, as Heretical, or Schif-
tnatical, or Vncatholich Chur-
ches,who refufe Obedience and
Subjetlion to this one Catho-
lick Church. p. 19.
That there is but one True
Church in the Wor ld,and that
the Cathdlick Church doth not
fignify all the particular True
Churches , but fome one
Church, which all others are
bound to fubmit to, and com-
municate with, if they will be
Members of the Catholitk^
Church: this necejfary to be pro*-
vedbefore theC ordinal had gi-
ven us thefeNotes of a Church.
p. 20, 21.
4thly. Another Defign in ma-
king thefe Notes, is to find
out fuch a Church on whofe
Authority we muft rely for
the whole Chriftian Faith, e-
ve.n
The CONTENTS.
ven for the Holy Scriptures
themfelves. p. 22.
But here roe muft firft be fatif-
fied that the True Church is
Infallible -, this can never be
proved but by Scripture , which
41 Man muft firft believe, be-
fore it can be proved to hint.
that there is m 1* fallible
Church. p« 23.
The Church is not the frft Ob-
jeft: of our Faith in Religion,
fince we ought to know and be-
lieve moft of the Articles of
the Chriftian Edith] before
we can know whether there be
any Church or no. p. 23, 24.
The Contents of the Firft Note,
CATHOLICK.
THE fincere Preaching of the
Faith or DotTrine of Chrift,
as it is laid down in the Scripture,
is the only fure and infallible Mark,
of the Church of Chrift. p. 2 5.
The Church of Rome declines
being examined by this Rule.
p. 26.
Bellarmin'j Argument for the
Name Catholick being an un-
doubted true Aiark of a True
Church. p. 26.
The Weaknefs of the Cardinal's
Argument expo fed in three Parti-
culars.
I. In what refpeSl the Name Ca-
tholick was efleemed by fame
of the Fathers in their Time,
a Note of a Catholick Church,
and in what refpeUs '■ 'twill ever
be a ftanding Note of it. p.27.
This jhewn to be upon the account
of the Catholick Faith, and
therefore in their time is join-
ed with the Word Catholick^
p. 28/
What the Catholick Faith, and
why called CathelickJ ibid.
None in the firft Ages of Chri-
ft ianity went by the Name of
Catholick-, but thofe who pro-
feft the true Catholick. Faith:
p. 29.
II. No Argument can be drawn
from the bare Name of Catho-
lick. t$ prove a Church t» be
Catholic^. p. 29.
1 . The Chrift ian Church was
not known by the Name Ca-
tholick^ at the Beginning,
though of an antient and
early Date, and therefore
no effential Note tf it. p. 30.
A 2 2, Names
The CONTENTS.
2* Names are oft times arbi- ]
trary, and at random, and
falfly impofed on things, and
therefore nothing can be con-
cluded from them. ibid.
3 . Names are oft times imp-
fed on things as Marks of
Diftinttion only, without a-
ny farther Defign of lejfe-
ning theirNatures and Qua-
lities by them. p. 3 1 •
a. It dies not follow, that be-
caufe the N/ime.'C atholick in
that tune' when it was for
the mofi fart conjoined with
the Cathoiick Faith, was a
fure Note of a true Church,
it mufi always be fo even
when , the Name and the
Thing are farted, p. 32.
The worft of Hereticks laid claim
to it. p.. 3 3 •
The Rule to know the True
Church by, proved from Lac-
tantius and St. Auftin.
ibid.
5. It doth not follow, that be-
caufe the being called after
the Names of particular
Men in that Age, when all
fo called were for the rnoji
part corrupt in the Faith,
was a fure Hand of Schif-
tnaticksand Hereticks, that
it mufi always be fo..
P- 33,34-
III. The Church 0/ Rome having
egregioujly corrupted the Catho-
lic^ Faith or Religion, neither
is, nor deftrvesthe Name of a
Catholick^Church. p. 34.
This jufitfied by comparing her
Doctrine in feveral Points,
with that delivered byChrifi
andhis Afojlles. p. 35.
For Infiance, that Angels and
Saints are to be prayed unto
and worf sipped^ this contrary
to Scripture. ibid.
The worfhipping of Images con-
trary to the fecond Command-
ment, which they make the
fame with the first, p. 36.
The Script are commands aK Per-
fans indifferently to read the
Scriptures, the Church of
Rome allows not this Liberty
to the Laity, but upon Licenfc
ibid-
The Scriptures forbid Prayers in
an unknown Tongue, and the
Church of Rome enjoins fueh
and no other. p. 37,
Purgatory comrary to Scripture.
ibid.
The denying the Cup to the Laity
contrary to the exprefs Inflt-
fitution of our Saviour.
P- 38.
Ths Scripture faith that the
Bread and Wine in the Sacra-
ment, even after Confecrati-
on, is Bread and Wine ; the
Church of Rome fays the
Bread and Wine is Tranfub-
flantiated into the natural
Bcdy and. Blood of Christ.
. P- 3-9-
The Propitiatory Sacrifice of the
Mafs according to the Scrip-
ture
The CONTENTS.
tun derogatory to Chrifi^s own
Prieftly Oblation, whereby he
once offered himfelf a com-
pleat Sacrifice of Expiation.
p, 40.
In all thefe Particulars the
Church of Rome, a Corrup-
ter of the Chrifiian Faith
and Dotlrine, and confe-
quently deferves not the name
of Catholick. ibid
The Second Note.,
A N T I QJ1 I T Y.
THis Mark^ and Character
of a true Church is not
proper to the Church of Rome
alone, nor in truth doth it belong
tv it. To prove this three things
are here offered.
L That the Flea of bare Anti-
quity is not proper to the Churchy
but common to it with other
Societies, of falfe Religion.
p. 41.
The Notes of a thing muff be
proper to that of which they
are a Note, and not common
to it with ether things, p. 42.
1. B ec au fc what is proper to a
thing is infeparable from it,
and did ever belong to it
fince it had a being, and
can at no time be abfent
from it. ibid.
2. Other Societies have laid
1 hum to this Note, and it
coitld not be denied them.
and therefore no proper Note
of a Church. ibid.
This jhews that bare Anti-
quity cannot be a Note of
Truth. p. 44.
Antiquity and Priority widely
different. P- 4J.
A twofold Antiquity \ one in
refpecl of w, the other abfo-
lute and in it felf. ibid.
The Church of Rome will not
be tried only by the Scriptures,
which is the true Ami- '
q*ity> p. 45.
Error almofl as ancient as Truth
for which reafon fever al wic-
ked DoEtrines^ running down
to Poflerity, have made ufe
of the plea of Antiquity,
to give them countenance and
fupport. p. 47.
II. The prefcat Church of Pvome
Viinly pretends to true Anti-
quity, i.e. to ancient Truth.
P. 48.
Where ?v
The CONTENTS,
Wherin true Antiquity doth \
conftfl. ibid.
.. The prefent Church of Rome
not ancient, by r effort of that
alteration they have made in
the ancient Creed. P-49-
i Cardinal Bellarmin'j Ratiocina-
tion againfi this charge con-
fining of 6 things to be ob-
ferved in all Changes of Re-
ligion, none of which ( he
fays ) can be Jliewn in the
Church of Rome, fnce the
Apojlles time. ibid.
His reafoning built upon very
falfe grounds, this confdered
and largely anfwered in four
V articular s. p. 50.
1. As being contrary to all
Hiftory and Experience,
there having been great
Changes in Religion, the
Authors and the begin-
ningsy &c. of which can-
not be known. p. 50.
2. Neither do the Examples
they alledg for this their
reafoning ferve to no other
purpofe but to Jhew the
falfenefs of it, as in the
cafe of the Neftorian and
Arrian Herefies. p. 51.
3. Suppofing them true, they
would uphold the greateft
Impieties. ibid.
The Heathen Gods and their
Oracles fupported by this
Argument. p. 52.
4. The Roman Church tt felf
an infiance of this, there be-
ing an acknowledged change
in it, and yet they cannot tell
who firft began it, viz. Com-
munion in one kind- ibid.
Two inftances out of Polydore
Virgil, when and by whom
they were brought into the
Church of Rome. p. 53.
1. Their grand Article of
Faith the Papal Authority,
brought in by Victor, and
carried on by the following
Bifljops. ibid.
The prefent Definitions of the
Catholic!^ Church, and the
Tower of the Tope to de-
pofe Kings not challenged
till Gregory VII. i.e. icoo
Tears after Chrift. ibid.
2. It is known when Images
crept into the Church, p. 55.
A little more than \ 00 Tears
fmce unwritten Traditions
were decreed to be apart of
the Rule of Faith, i. e. of
the Word of God. ibid.
III. That the Religion of the
Church of England by Law
eftablifhed, is the true Primi-
tive Ckrijlianity. p. 56.
Tb
The CONTENTS.
' The Third Note,
DURATION.
THree things are here con-
fidered.
I. What is to be underjlood by the
term Duration. p. 58-
Duration includes 3 things.
1 . A Being of a Church^
from the beginning.
2. The continuance of
that Church to the end.
3. The continuance of * *'
that Church from the
beginning to the end
without interruption.
Bellarmine'j Application of the
fir(l of thefe to the Church
of Rome^t deficient in the
latter Branches. p. 5 p.
II. How far Duration is a Note
of the true Church. p. 59.
This is no Note by which a true
Church is to be found out or
diftinguifljedfrom the falfe.ib.
For four Reafons.
1 . The nature of the thing will
not permit that it jhould be
a Note. p. 60.
2 . That cannot be a Note of
the true Church which doth
not infeparably belong to the
Church in all feafons and
cafes. p. 6 1 .
3. That which is a Note mufi
be proper to the thing, which
it is the Note of, and not
common to other things as
well as thatt. p. 6 1 , 62.
Common to falfe Churches
as well as true. ibid.
4. If it be a Note of a true
Church, then thofe could not
be true Churches, which have
not not had that Duration A).
This unchurches the 7 Churches
of Afia. p. 62,63.
III. The Church of Rome hath
nojuft andfufficient title to this
Character. p. 63.
f 1 . Place " thefe
7 his proved) 2. Verfons [Jbeing
as to So,. Order Cthe
C 4, Doctrine yhmgs^
by which a Church doth exifi
and is made vifible. p. 65, 64.
Rome not always the principal
Seat of the Church. p. 53 .
Avignon was for 70 Tears where-
the Pope and the whole
Court redded. ibid.
Several Popes Here ticks, p. 64.
Two Popes at once contending for
the Chair, and this for above
40 Tears together; and at
one time 3 Popes. p. 64.
The
The CONTENTS;
The Church of Rome compared
xvith it j "elf in reference to
fever at Doctrines, p. 65.
What the Church ef Rome novo
holds , and what the Church of
Rome hat h held. ibid .
Her being the Mother-Church,
arid the Tope being Chri\~Vs
Vicar. ibid.
Concerning the apocryphal Books.
ibid.
Scripture and Tradition, p. 66.
Scripture in unknown Tongues.
ibid.
Merits p«67-
Indulgences. ibid.
Purgatory. p. 68.
Prayers in an untyown Tongue.
ibid.
Praying to Saints. p. 68, 69.
Image-worjhip. p. 69.
Sacraments^ he Number of them.
ibid.
Tranfubflantiation. p. 70.
Communion in one kind. ibid.
Solitary Maffes. p. 70, 7 r .
Auricular Confeffon. p. 7 1 .
Extream Vnttion. ibid.
Priefts Marriage. ibid.
In all thefeP articular sRomz is
not now what it hath been.
The Fourth Note,
Amplitude., or Multitude., and
Variety of Believers.
THE Scriptures fir ft gave
us the Notion of a Church.
P- 73-
A true Chriflian Church pro-
fejjes the true Chriflian Faith.
p. 74.
Inflead of this the Church of
Rome have invented fever alNotes
and Characters of a Church,
which are not to be met with, or
are not plainly delivered in Scrip-
ture, ibid.
Of which this Amplitude, or
Multitude, &c. is one. ibid.
What Bsllarmine under flands
by this Note. P* 7 5 •
In Anfvcer to him.
I. It is fliewed this cannot be a
Note of the true Church, ibid.
( 1 . ) Whether you confider the
Members thereof under ei-
ther the Notion of a great
Multitude, or (2.) a great
Multitude of Believers.
ibid.
Satan's
The CONTENTS.
Satan's Kingdom more numerous
than the Kingdom of Christ.
ibid.
The IVorfliippers of Mahomet
exceed the Members of Chrift's
true Church in number, fmce
the Romanifts make them-
felves the only Catholicks.
p. 76.
The Kingdom of Christ not to
he diftinguifoed from the
Kingdom of Antichrist by
this Note. ibid.
This Note therefore no true Cha-
racter of a Church. p. 77.
The fever al Places of Scripture
whence Bellarmine pretends
he fetches this Note of his.
ibid.
This is fo far from being a Note
of the Church, that it is no
more than the variable State
and C ondition of it. p. 7 8 .
This acknowledged by the Cardi-
nal him f elf in his Explication
of this Note. ibid*
The prefent State of the Church
not to be compared with what
it Jkall be before the End of
the World. p. 79.
Many plain Prophecies brought
for the Proof of this. ibid.
The Cardinal's Citation ofV'm-
centius Lirinenfis for the
confirming this Note confide-
red. p. 80, 8 1 .
II. Suppofing this to be a true Note
of the Catholic!^ Churchy it
doth not advantage the Church
of Rome, as to that her pre-
tention of being the true Car
tholick Church. ibid.82,to 85.
III. Suppofing again this Note to
be true, it doth the Reformed
Churches a very great Service
indemonfirating them to be true
Parts of the Catholick Church.
p. 85.
This demonflrated by two Argu-
ments, p. 86, 87.
1 . That in the first Ages of
Chriftianity t the Catholic!^
Church then was more ours,
than now it is the Roma-
nifts. p.86.
That there is a great Agreement
between the antient Church
of Rome, and the prefent
Church of England, ibid.
This is evident by comparing the
Dotlrine and Workup of each
together. ibid.
2. That upon computation the
Churches fubjelt to the Ro-
man See exceed not the Re-
formed Churches in Ampli-
tude, or Multitude of Mem-
bers, p. 87, to 91.
The Conclufion. p. 92.
B
The
The CONTENTS.
The Fifth Note,
Succeffionof BISHOPS.
N ' Examination of this Note)
Three Things are inquired in-
I
to.
I. How far this Note may be ne-
cejfary to any Church, p. 94.
True and Lawful Pafiors necef-
fary to the Confiitution of the
Church , and this Pafioral
Power Originally from Chrift.
ibid.
Tower of Ordination entrufied
with BifiopSy the chief Go-
vernors of the Church, and
ordinary Succeffors of the A-
poftles. p-94'95-
The Government of theChurch of
England by Bifiops, and its
Succejfion, not interrupted in
the Reformation. ibid.
1 .Obf. ThoSucceJfion ofBifijops
be necefifary to the compleat
confiitution of a Church, yet
it may be doubted, whether
it is indifpenfable to the ve-
ry being of it, fo as to un-
church every place that wants
thefe.
2 . Obf, It is not necejfary for
every Churchy which firmly
pre fumes upon this Lawful
and Orderly Succeffion even
from the dpoftles-, fiwuld be
able to produce the Records
of its conveyance thro"* every
Age, and in every fingle Per-
fon by whom it hath pajl .
p. 95.
The Antients contented tkem-
felves in delivering down to us
the Succeffion ofBijhops in the
greater Sees and Mother-Ci-
ties : As o/Rome, Alexan-
dria, Antioch, Jerufalem,
&c> ibid.
3. Obf. Some irregularities,
and uncanonical proceedings
in times of great Schifms, or
pubiickDifiurbance have been
interpreted for no interrup-
tion of this Authentical Sue-
ceffion. ]>• 97.
II. How far the Succeffion of Bi-
fiwps may be granted to the
Church of 'Rome. p. 98.
Little left upon Record ef many
ofthefirflBijhopsinthe Church
of Rome, excepting their bare
Names. ibid.
If Here fie breaks the Succeffion,
this is chargeable upon th»
Church of Rome. p. 99.
If Schifmatical Intrufions can
diffolve the order of Succejfi-
on} this chargeable likewife on
the
The CONTENTS.
the Bifiops of that Church,
v/2.Fdix the 2. and Vigilius.
ibid.
I. The Cafe of the Roman
Succeffion extreamly changed
fmce the fir ft time, p . i o i .
No Supremacy to be found in
the Church of Rome, for
more than the fir ft 500 Tears.
p. 1 01, 102^
2. The Church of Rome not
very favourable to the Or-
der ofBtjhops. ibid.
The Divine Right of Epifcopacy
difputed in the Council of
Trent. • ibid.
3. Their Catechifm makes this
no dijiinEl Order, but only a
different degree of the fame
Priefthood. p. 103.
III. How infufficknt a proof this
■will afford them of any great
advantage I ibid.
1 . Succeffion is no fuffcient e-
vidence of the Truth of the
Doblrine of> any Church,
p. 104, 105.
2. An unintterrupted Succeffion
of Bifhops is no warrantable
ground of the Claim of Supe-
riority over another Church,
which hath not fo clear evi-
dences thereof, p. 105-5 1 06.
The Cardinals Teftimonies out of
St. Auguftine, Irenaeus,
Tertullian,W Epiphanius,
examined. p. 107, 108.
His Inference from thefe citati-
ons about Succeffion confidered.
p« 1 09, r 1 o.
The Conclufion.
The Sixth Note,
Agreement in Do&rine with the
Primitive Church.
THis is acknowledged a True
Mark^of a Church, p. 113.
The Infallibility of the prefent
Church is to be laid afide till
it be fir ft krtown, whether it a-
grees with the Primitive
Church or not. p. 1 14.
The True Chuch only to be dis-
covered by the True Faith.
p. 1 1 5.
Thofe matters of Faith in Con-
troverfie betwixt m are to be
determined by the Doctrines
and Pr all ices -df -the Primi-
tive Church. p. 1 16.
The Church of Pvome waving
B 2 Par-
The CONTENTS.
Particular Controverfies that
?nay be made plain and evi-
dent to mofi capacities, de-
lights rather to run out into
General Controverfies of In-
fallibility^Church'-Amhority,
and refolution of Faith and
Judge of Controverfies , &c
p. 119.
The Reformation never did de-
cline the Judgment of the Pri-
mitive Churchy for its Jufii-
fi cation. p. 120, 121.
Luther W Calvin mifrepre fen-
ted by Cardinal Bellarmine.
p. 122.
The Apofiolick Church, founded
and governed by the Apofiles
over all the World, is the true
Standard of the Chriflian
Church. ibid.
The Scriptures the only Authm-
tickRecords of the Apofiolick^
Church, and the only certain
account we have of the Faith
and Doctrine of the mofi Pri-
mitive Church, p. 123.
Several Doctrines Examined by
Antiquity.
1 . Supremacy not allowed of by
the fir fi Council 0/ Nice, nor
that o/Conftantinople, nor
Chalcedon. p. 125.
2. Tranfubfiantiation acknow-
ledged by many of the School-
men, not to have been the
Doclrine of the Primitive
Church. ibid.
This Doctrine brought into the
Church a little before Beren-
garius, and not throughly
underwood even then by thofe
who held it. p. 126.
Berengarius his Recantation,
and the Glofs upon it. p. 1 27.
The Number of the Sacraments
not declared to be f even by the
Primitive Church, nor men-
tioned by any Author till 1 1 00
Tears after Chrift. ibid.
Neceffity of Auricular Confeffion
queftioned by Learned Men
in the times of Peter Lom-
bard, p. 128:
Purgatory not mentioned by any
Ant tent Writers, p. 1285129.
Indulgences received very late in-
to the Church. ibid.
Prayers and Oblations for the
Dead^ an Antient Practice^
but no Doclrine of the Primi-
tive Church. ibid.
Prayers in an unknown Tongue^
never the Practice any where
of the Primitive Church, ib.
Worfhip of Saints and Angels,
and of Images, of no Antient
date in the Church. ibid.
All thefe Doctrines of the Ro-
man Church, which difiinguifii it
from the Reformed, that they were
not Doctrines of the Primitive
Church \ is further proved.
1. From their Expurgatory
Indices. p. 130.
2. From the Correcting, or ra-
ther
The CONTENTS.
the r Corrupting the Fathers,
and the counterfeiting fo ma-
ny falfe ones, and obtruding
Spurious Authors upon the
World. p. 131, 132.
. From that little ejleem and
regard they too often have
for Antiquity, when ever it
makes againfl them, p. 133.
. From the Determinations
and Decrees of the Prefent
Church, which are the only
things they flick to, andwhich
they prefer a thoufand times
before Antiquity, or the
whole fence of the primitive
Church.
The Seventh Note,
The Union of the Members among them-
Hvcs, and with the Head.
UNity no proper Character of
a true Church, becaufe
found upon Societies of different
natures, and contrary defignes.
p. 137.
It is a good mark^, when "'tis a
duty, as 'tis a duty when the
terms of Union are fo. ibid.
Wherein this Vnity confifis ac-
cording to Bellarmine. p.i 38.
Hereupon three things are en-
deavoured.
I. That the Vnity here offered is
no true Note of the Church,
forafmuch as Vnion with the
Pope, as Head of the Church,
hath no Foundation in Scripture,
Reafon, or Antiquity, p, 1 40.
1. Scripture, p. 141,142,143.
2. No Foundation of it from
Reafon. p. 144, 145.
3. Nor any Colour from Anti-
quity, p. 145, to 149.
The Cardinals Argument for the
neceffity of this Vnion, from
Experience confidered. p. 1 4^.
2. The Vnion, which they pre-
tend to among themfelves, as
Members, no certain Note
of the Church. p.^ 50.
1 . This is no more than what
any Society may have as well
as the true Church, and any
other Church as well as the
Roman. p. 151.
2. As there may be this Vnion
out of the true Church, fo it
ibid.
II. //
may mt be within it.
The CONTENTS.
II. If Vnity were a true Note of
the Church, yet the Roman
Church hath it not ', which is
probably true of the firft, and
tnbji certainly true of the fecond
branch of the Cardinals Vni-
ty. p. 152.
1 . It is probable that there is
not now, nor hath been for
many Ages^any true Pope for
the Church to be Vnited to.
ibid.
2. Neither is there that Uni-
on in all points of Doftrine
amongft the Papifts, or fuch
aVmon of their Members ,
as fliall prevent the breaking
away of fomefrom the Com-
munion of the refl. p. 153.
Net that wonderful agreement -,
as the Cardinal pretends in
the Sacred Writers of their
Church, nor in the Decrees
of their Lawful Councils^
nor in thofe of their Popes.
p. 154-
Several Difiputes between the
Canonifts and Schoolmen in
many rnaterial points of Do-
Urine, between the Tbomifts,
the Scotifts and Occamifts :
between the Francifcans and
Dominicans, about the con-
ce^tion of the Blejfed Virgin,
the Janfienifts and Molimfis.
p. 155, 156.
Cellar mm'* Anfwer to all this,
viz. They differ not in thofe
things that belong to Faith,
confidered. p. 156, 157.
The Cardinals difference between
the drvifion of Hereticks from
the Church, and a divifion
from Here fie, Confidered.
p. 158
// there be vi the Church of
Rome a certain rule for end-
ing C ontr over fie sy viz. The
Sentence of the chief Paftor-y
or a definition of a General
Council. ibid.
1. Why were not thefe the
means of compofing thofe
Controverfies that carried us
away from them ? ibid.
2. How could thole be certain
means of compefing Contro-
versies, concerning which e-
ven in their ownChurchjhere
were the great eft Controver-
fies of all ? p. 1 59.
This largely Jhewn from the
Learned Launoys Epifile to
Nicholas Gatinxus upon this
Queftion. p. 160,161,162,
163.
III. That that Vnity, which is
indeed a Note of the Church,
we Proteftants have-, and that
in a much greater degree than
they. p. 1 64.
The true Grounds and Notions of
Church - Vnity reprefented.
ibid.
1 . Vnity of Submijjion to one
Headjour Lord J efts Chrift.
ibid.
2. Vnity of profit jfing the Com'
mon
The CONTENTS.
5'
6.
tnon Faith once delivered to
to the Saints grounded upon
the Authority of Scriptures,
ar.dfimmarily expounded in
the Antient Creed, p. 165.
. Vnity of Sacraments in the
Church. ibid.
. "Unity of Obedience to all
Inftitutions and Laws of
Chrifl. p. 165.
Vnity ofChrifiian Affection
and Brotherly kindnefs. ibid.
Vnity of Discipline and Go-
vernment, ibid.
7. Vnity of Communion in the
Service and Worfhip of God.
p. 166.
Some, tho* not allofthefe, necef-
fary to the being of a Church,
viz. The acknowledgment of
our Lord, the profeffion of one
Faith, and admijfion into the
jlate of Chriflian Duties and
Priviledges by one Baptifm.
ibid.
Thofe particular Churches, which
keep Unity in all thefe refpetls
better than others do, have
the mark of Ecclefiaflical
Vnity in a higher degree, than
thofe other shave. p. \6-j.
The Church of Rome as fie
holds, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptifm, is part of the
Catholick Church, and fo far
maintains Catholic^ Vnity.
ibid.
Wherein fie departs from Catho-
UckJJnity, purity and Chari-
ty, fi ewe d in fever al infiances.
p. id7, 168.
The Church of England not
chargeable on the fame account.
ibid. 168, i6p.
Vnity of Communion in the
Church of ftome, is Vnity of
Communion amongthe mfelves,
but not Catholicity Vnity of
Communi9n,becaufe the terms
of it are many of them unlaw-
ful, and unjufi. p. 1 70.
The Contrary to which, the true
Cafe of the Church of Eng-
land, ibid. 171.
The Conclufion. p. 171,172.
The Eighth Note,
Sandity of Do&rine.
T
Hat this Note, as well as the
others, is far from ptr form-
ing what is promifed for it
by the Cardinal, is fujfeient-
ly made evident by four Par-
ticulars, p. 173.
I. What is here meant foi Santtity •
The CONTENTS.
of Doctrine t p. 1 74.
Tho that is the b eft and pur eft
Church, which hath the leafi
of Error and Corruption in
its Doctrine and Dtfcipline,
yet that, which is the beft, is
■ not the only true Church.
p. 157.
II. Thut Sanctity of Doctrine,
i. e. a pure profeffion of true
Religion, without any mixture
of Error, is no true Note or
Charatter whereby a man may
difiinguijli the true Church from
all falfe Churches, p. 175.
That this can be no true Note of
the true Church, made evi-
dently appear from the confi-
deration ofthofe neceffary Pro-
perties of all true Notes, by
which Things are to be known
and diftinguijhed- p. 177.
Thefe are Four.
1 . Every true Note ought to be
common to all, of the fame
kind with the thing which it
notifies. p. 177, to 180.
2. Every true Note ought to be
proper and peculiar to that
kind of things ofwhUh it is
a Note, and not common to
Things of another l$ind.
p. tii.
3 . Every true Note ought to be
more known, than the Thing
which it notifies, p. 1 8 2, 1 83 .
4. Every true Note ought to be
infep arable to the Thing
which it notifies, p. 184,
to 188.
III. In what fenfe this may be *
Note of the true Church, p. 1 89*
That is a true Church, which
profejfes all the Effential Ar-
ticles ofChrifiian Faith -, and
receives all the EJJential parts
ofChrifiian Worfinp and Dif-
cipline. p. 190.
The Church of England willing
to be tried by this. p. 1 pi .
I V. According to the Principles
of the Church of Rome, the
true Church is not to be found
by this Note, in which foever of
the two Senfes we underftand
&• ibid.
This clearly made out in Four
Particulars.
1 . The Church 0/Rome decryes
mens private judgment of
Difcretion as utterly inef-
ficient to make any certain
diftinttion of Truth from
Falfhosd in matters of Reli-
gion, p. i94.
2. She e allows mfujficient Rule,
without the true Church, to
guide and direct our private
Judgment of Difcretion.
p. 195.
Which is the true Church, not to
be refolved by Principles of
Nature, but thofe of Revela-
tion, p. 195.
No other Rule, while we are out
of the Churchi to direct hs in
this
The CON
this Enquiry, but only that of
Scripture. ibid.
This the Church o/Rome tells us
is infufficient, and that for two
Reafons.
X. Becaufe the Scripture is not
full enough, as to all Do-
ftrines of Faith and Man-
ners ." And therefore there
are certain unwritten Tradi-
tions in the Church of equal
Authority with it, by which its
defects are fuelled, p. 197.
2. Becaufe it is not clear enough,
the Stnfe of it being fo ob-
fcurely exprejfed, that we
can never be certain what it-
is, without the interpretation
TENTS.
of the true Church, p. 1 9 8.
ihefe confidered and anfweredr
3. Tlte Church of Rome re-
folves all certainty, as to mat-
ters of Faith, into the Autho-
rity of the true Church,which
indeed is the Fmdamental
Principle of Popery, p. 199.
Ajhort Dialogue upon this Argu-
ment between a Papift and
Proteftant. p. 200, to 20 1.
4. The Church of Rome gives
Authority to the true Church
to impofe upon us a necefftty
of believing fuch Things, as
before they were not obliged
to believe. * p. 203. to the
End.
The Ninth Note,
Efficacy of Do&rine.
BT Efficacy of DoUrine, Two
things underftood.
Either ( 1 . ) The power which
the Word of God hath in the
hearts of particular men, to
difpofe them to believe aright,
and to live well : Or, (iJThat
Succefs which it hath in
drawing Multitudes outw.rrdly
to profejs and embrace it.
p. 2C9.
The fir ft too inward, and the fe-.
cond (which is that which the
Cardinal underftands by it)
too uncertain a thing to be a
Note of a True Church, ibid.
Many other things be fides EfficA-
cy of Dotlrine, which have
and may convert whole Nati-
ons to the Chriftian Religion,
fuch as hopes and fears, out-
ward force & nccelfuy.-p.l 10.
C ' An
The CONTENTS.
An Instance hereof in theConver-
fions wrought by Charles the
Great. p. 211.
The difference between fitch Con-
verfions, and thofe which were
made in the firfi Ages of the
Church* p. 2 1 2.
In anjweqfo the Cardinal upon this
Note, Three things laid down.
I. That the prevalency of any Do-
Urine can be no Note of a True
Church. p. 213.
This appears.
1 . From what our Saviour hath
faidin this matter .ibid. 21 4.
2. From the Confideration of
the Temper and Conflitu-
tion of Mankind, p. 2 1 5. to
217.
3. From plain matter of Fall.
p. 218,219.
Error hath fuch an influence of-
ten Hp.n mens minds, that they
have re jelled Truth, and pre-
ferred the mofi grofs and im-
pious Opinions before it. ibid.
This apparent from the Hiftories
of all Ages, ibid.
More particularly in the Cafe of
Ariamfm. p. 2 1 9.
And in that of Mahomitanifm.
p. 220.
The Converfions wrought by thofe
of the Greek Church whom
the Church 0/Rome accounts
Hereti kj. p. 221.
The Efficacy of the Reformed
Dctlrine. \ ibid.
1 1. That the Trevalency of the
Doclrine profejfed in the
Church of Rome, is no Note
of its being a True Church.
p. 222.
And that for thefe reafons.
1. Bccaufe of that great mix-
ture of Errors which there is
with the Truth, which it
. profeffes. p. 223.
2. Becaufe the Dottrine of the
Church of Rome is fo much
altered from what it former-
ly was. ibid.
3 . Becaufe it hinders thofe whs-
embrace it from throughly
examining it. . p. 224.
• 4. Becaufe Art and Force have
fometimes been made ufe of
to make tt prevail, p. 2 2 5.
II I. The Arguments, the Car-
dinal makes ufe of to prove this
to be a Note of the TrmChurch,
proved to be Inefficient, p. 2 2 6.
1. His Arguments from ths
Scriptures confidered ibid.
2. His Arguments from the
prevalency of the Chrifiian
Doclrine in the beginning of
the Church, examined, p. 2 2 7.
3 .His Arguments from the par-
ticular Inflames which he
gives of Converfions wrought
by thofe of the Church of
Rome, reflecled on. p. 227.
1 . The Convcrflon of the En-
glim by Auftin the Monk,
confidered. p; 228.
Four
The CONTENTS.
Four Things alledgeA in an-
fwer to it. ibid.
2. The Converfion of the Peo-
pie o/Franconia by Kilia-
nu ^replied to. ^.22%, 22^.
3. The Conversion of a great
fart of Germany by Vi-
nofrid, otherwife called
Boniface, conftdered. ibid.
The Converfion of the Vandals,
of the Danes, of the Bulga-
rians Slavonians, &c. A-
fcribedto other Caufes, than
the naked Efficacy of the
ChrifH.in Dottrine. ibid.
The Barbarous Cruelties that
were nfed by the Spaniards in
the Converfion of the Indians.
p. 23c
The hiftance of Henclius the
Emperors Letter to Dagobert
King of France, concerning
the method he made, ufe of for
the Converfion of the Jews.
p. 23 1.
Ihe Conclufion.
The Tenth Note,
Holinefs of LIFE.
IN this Argument it is [hewn.
I. What the Notion of Holinefs
is. p. 233.
Holinefs is of Two kinds.
1 . Holinefs of Calling and De-
dication : What meant by
it? p. 234.
2 . Holinefs of Mind and Man-
ners : What Hnderftood by
it. ibid.
II. Neither ofthefe kinds of Ho-
linefs, can be properly called a
Note of the True Church, ibid.
Not the firft, becaiife it apper-
tains to its E (fence and Con-
fi it ut ion fhews what a Churchy
island belongs to every Church
whether Greek, Abyffine,
Roman, or Englifh. p. 235.
Not the Second kind, and that
for Three Reafons.
1. Becaiife of that general ad-
mi ffi on of men of all Nations
and Conditions, upon their
profeffion of the common
Chrijiianity into the bofome
of the Chrifiian Church.
p. 235.
2. oecaufe many men live fome-
times with more3 andfome-
C 2 times
The CONTENTS.
times with lefs Morality.
p. 237.
3. Becaufe a man waft fir ft un-
derhand the Nature and
DoUrine of the Chrifitan
Church, or he cannot know
what Santtity is, and what
that is in the Life of any
man, which he is to take for
the Holinefs of a Chriftian.
p. 238..
II I. // Holinefs of Life were a
Note of the true Church, the
Roman Church would nor from
this conceffion derive any great
advantage. p. 239.
Other Churches as famous as
that o/Rome for their Faith
and manners. ibid.
In latter Ages, the goodnefs of
Morals in feveral of that
Communisn to be afcribed,no$
fo much to Popery as its caufe,
but to thofePrinciples that are
common to all Chriftians..
p. 240.
The "Reformation rnot free from
bad Men, tho this proceeds
from the Men, not from the
Caufe. ibid.
Luther herein mifreprefented by
Beliarmine and others.
p. 24 1.
Or eat complaints of Corruptions
(in the Romifts Writers) in
the Latin Church, p. 242.
Many in the Romifh Church In-
famous-for their Impieties.
p. 243.
Reflexions on Tope Gregory the
Great [who is faid to be the
lasl of 'the good, and the fir ft
of the bad.~\ p. 244.
On Pope John the XII. p. 245.
On St. Dominick. ibid.
On the Aufttrities and Mortifi-
cations of their feveral Or-
ders, p. 246..
Many- things in the Roman
Church, which by helping for-
ward an ill life do in part de-
face this mark^of Sanlfity.
p.248.*
The Eleventh Note,
The Glory of Miracles.
BEllarmins Explication of this
Note, and the grounds upon
which he builds it. p . 2 5 o .
In anfwer to this, Three things
are laid down.
I. that meer Miracles^ withou
an
The CONTENTS.
any other confideration, are not
a Sufficient Note of any Church
or Religion whatever, p. 252.
The Miracles of the Primitive
Church compared with thofe
that are more peculiarly ap-
propriated to the Church of
Rom:. p. 253.
The fever al Ctrcumflances confi-
dered, which recommend the
Primitive Miracles ; viz.
1 . That they were highly bene-
ficial to Human Nature.
■ P- 254.
The Miracles of the Church cf
Rome (very many of them)
defective herein. p. 2 5 5.
2. The Primitive Miracles of
great importance andfignifi-
cancy, andthe dtfign of them
plainly laid down before-
hand in the Prophecies of the
r.T. p. 255.
This applied to thofe of the
Church 0/Rome. p. 2 57.
Miracles in the most comprehen-
five fenfe of the Word, are no
proof of the Truth and Divi-
nity of that Dollrine they
would advance. p. 258.
This Inflanced in thofe of J a li-
nes WJambres, andofA-
polIoniusTyaneu?. p. 259.
PllOtius his C en fure of thofe of
Apollonius Tyaneus.p.260.
Miracles, whether fuppoftd in a
Heathen or a Heretick^not ac-
knowledged by theFathers to be
a good proof that either of them
are in the right. p. 2tf 1 .
c5t.Origen.ibid.
Ibis apparent \St. Cyprian, ib.
from Ss.lremetis.p.162.
(^.Auftin.p.263.
II. Miracles of the Church of
Rome no proof or confirmation
of thofe Dottrwes & Practices
wherein the Reformed Church
differs from them. p. 2*54.
Here three Things are confidered.
1. That there is no ground
throughout the whole Scrip-
tures, to expect any Mira-
cle for the Confirmation of
any particular Doblrine
whatever. p. 16%.
This evident from the Mofaic
difpenfation. ibid.
The Chriflian Infhitution. p. 266.
The following Ages of the Church.
ibid.
2. Many of thofe Doctrines,
for which thefe Miracles are
alledged, atefo far from be-
ing affertcd, or warranted in
the Holy Scriptures, that
they are rather contrary to
them. ibid.
This Inflanced in
Tranfubflantiation.
Adoration of the Hofi.
Worflnpping of Images.
Praying to Saints depar-
ted.
Purgatory, &c
I.P- 26 6t
Miracles
The CONTENTS.
Miracles for the advance or
fupport of thofe DoUrines
' juftly fufpeUed. p. 268.
3. No ground of certainty, as
to matter of Fact, of mofi of
thofe miracles which the
Romaniils make the Glory
of their Church. p. 269.
The Story of the Bones of Baby-
las confidered. ibid.
Thofe 0/Gervatius and Proat-
fms revealed by VifiontoSt.
Ambrofe refletled on.p.210.
The fabulous Stories of late* A-
ges amongft them, condemned
by feveral Writers of the
Church o/Rome. p. 27 1.
si
St. Bernard
refletled on.
p. 273.
^.274.
ip^w5f/JohnDa
r mafcen.
Some Miracles wrought in con-
firmation ofTranfubftantiati-
on confidered. p. 273, &C.
III. We of the Reformed Religion,
as we do not pretend to the
Working of Miracles in our
Age, fo if we did, we could
pretend to prove nothing by
them, but what hath been al-
ready fuffciently proved by the
Miracles of Chrtfl and his A-
pofiles. p. 280.
The Twelfth Note,
The Light of Prophecy.
T
WO Things to be underflood
by the Light of Prophecy.
1. That Divine Revelation
whereby a man is enabled to
foretel fuch or fuch contin-
gent Events will come topafs.
p. 285.
2. Or the Teftimony that is gi-
ven by the fulfilling of Pro-
phecies to fame Dotlrine that
was defigned to be confirmed
by it. p. 286.
In the Utter fenfe it may be ad-
mitted as a mark^ or rather
an Argument of that DoBrine
the Profeffion whereof makes
the Church. p. 287.
Great caution mufi be ufed in
laying down the fulfilling the
Predictions as an Argument to
prove the Truth of Chriftia-
nity. ibid.
Two Things hen Examined.
I. Whether this be a Note of the
Church ?
The
The CONTENTS.
The Cardinal offers three Argu- \
ments to prove it. p. 288. !
The fir fi of them difproved, and j
the Prophecy of Joel applied I
by St. Peter ( Arts 2. 16.)
to the Churchy explained and
vindicated. p. 28p. I
His fee on d Argument , that none
knows future Contingences \
but God only, confidered.
p. 290.
His third Argument from the
1 8th 0/ Deut. examined and
overthrown. p. 25? 1.
The foretelling of a future con-
tingent Event , no certain
Note of true Doclrine. ibid.
There have been true Prophecies
among Heathens \ the famous
Acrofiic of the Sybilla Ery-
throea, the Books of Hyitaf-
Y>ts,the prediction of 'Balaam,
which jhem the gift of Pro-
phecy not to be confined within
the Communion of the Church.
p. 2P2, 2553.
Light of Prophecy no Note of the
Churchjoecaufe fep arable from
it^ there having been true Pro-
phecy out of the Churchy and
becaufe it hath not alwayes
continued in the Church.
P- 2SM-
1 1. Jf it was a Note, the Cardi-
nal hath not fiifficiently proved
it belongs to'his Church } and
no others. p. 2>5»
His Inflance o/Ajabus, and the
Old Prophet s^ may ferve any
Chriftian Church as vceU, if
not better than his. ibid.
His lnfiar.ee e/Gregory Thau-
mat. Bijhop of Cxfaria, of
Anthony an /Egyptian-
Monkff John an Anchorite,
are nothing at all to his pur-
pofe. p. 296. ■
Neither a*e the Tefiimcnies con-
ci?r/7//^J>f. Benedict, St. Ber-
nard, and St. Francis.
p. 2ks. ibid.
Their Tefiimony as to the Cano-
nical Books of the Old Tefta-
nerit, as to the promife of the
Meilias 5
Meffias; and as to the Inter-
pretation of thofe Texts ap-
propriated to the Meffias.
p. 325.
Mr, Slaters Ignorance of the
The CONTENTS.
Jewfth Writers difcovere'dy
from p. 326 to 330.
The Jewifh Writers, great Ene-
mies to the New Dottrines of
the Roman Church, p. 13 3.
The Fourteenth Note,
The unhappy End of the Churches
Enemies.
WHat Bellarnine means by
an unhappy end. p. 3 3 5 .
This intended by him not barely
as a Note of a Church, but of
that which is the only true
Church. P-33^'
The Inftances he produces cf un-
happy Deaths, are for the
greater part of them Imperti-
nent, ibid.
The unhappy end of thofe who
defend it mutt be a Note
of a falfe Church, if the un-
happy end cf thofe who eppefe
it be a Note of the True.
P- 337-
From Cod?s Judfmsnts a?ain(l
particular Per fens, nothing
can be concluded againfl that
Church of which they are
Members. ibid.
This therefore no Note of the
True Churchy as being con-
trary, 1. To Script wf,p-338,
339- t
2. To Daily Obfervation, and
tm Hiflory of the foregoing
Ages. p. 340, 341.
3. To the Principles of Re af on,
p. 342.
This proved in five particulars.
P- 342, 343,344-
Suppofing it to be a Note of the
true Church, the Protefiant
will be found to be the True
Church rather than the
Church tf/Rome. p. 344.
This mill be evident by comparing
the Deaths of their prime
Members and Zealous Cham-
pions and then confidering on
which fide we find the greater
number cf finch as are unnatu-
ral and not common to men.
p. 345.
Protcflant Bifiiops and other E-
mintnt Pajiors amongfl them
without number? have died
1 he m fi happy Deaths, ibid.
D Tht
The CONTENTS.
The number of thofe who have
met with unhappy ends very
few. p. 346.
Five only mentioned by our Ad-
verfary : Luther, Zuinglius,
Oecolampadius, Carolofta-
dius, and Calvin. ibid.
The Death of Luther mifrepre-
fented by them. p. 347.
Sleidans Account of it, and Far
ther Pauls, Thuanus, quite
different from that of his bit-
ter Enemies, p. 348) 349.
Zuinglius his Death, another
Inflame of Bellarmines.
p. 35°-
Oecolampadius his Death faljly
reUtedby the Carding ibid.
And Caroloftadius hW being
killed by the Devil, expofedas
a notorious Forgery by Petrus
Roquinus. p. 351.
The Story of Calvin'.* . Death
largely confidered, and proved
to be fo lewd a Calumny, that
any man but an Advocate for
their Church might be aflia-
medto 0n?#*Y.p.35i to 359.
No mention made by the Cardi-
nal, of any unhappy Ends of
thofe Princes and Secular
Towers, who have been great
Defenders of the Proteftant
Faith. p. 360.
Several difmal Ends of Cardi-
nals in the Church of Rome,
but efpecially of their Popes.
p. 36o,3<5i,362.
The unhappy Deaths of fever al
of their Princes, particularly
five Succejfively together in
France. p. 363.
The Advantage therefore on this
account on the Prot eft ant fide.
ibid.
Qonclufion. .
The
The CONTENTS.
The Fifteenth Note,
Temporal Felicity.
THis Note, even in the Car-
dinal's Opinion, liable to
-many exceptions ; and therefore,
at once to prevent them all, he tells
w roundly, that C atholickJPrinces
never adhered unto Cod heartily,
but that they moFteafily triumphed
over their Enemies. p. 368.
I . This cannot be efieemed a Note
of the Church.
1 . Becaufe God hath no where
promifed it in all the Holy
Gofpel. p«36p.
2. Becaufe for fever al Ages
together the Church could
not pretend to any fuch thing
as Temporal Felicity.
p. 370.
3. Becaufe of thofe miferies
which the Church of God
nwft end: ire in the Dayes of
Antichrifl, p. 371.
II. The Hijiorical Pajfages which
the Cardinal produces for this
Note, do not prove what he
intends. p. 372.
Great Partiality made ufe of in
the choice of thefe Inftar.ccs.
P*373-
The Story 0/ Rhadagaifus W
his Son1 s Death-, the. defeat
of the numerous Army of the
Goths by Honorius, confide-
red. ibid.
The various Succejfes of the
Holy -War, did at lafi con-
clude to the Advantages of
theJnfdels. p. 374.
The Story of the Albigenfes, and
the fucceffes of both fides im-
partially related , wherein
thefe Hereticks feem clearly
to have the advantage.
P-375i 376, 377-
The Victory of Charles the V.
no fuch mighty Miracle as
pretended. p'378.
Many Examples of Infidels and
Hereticks alledged, who have
been as profperous andfuccef-
ful in the World, as any Ca-
tholicity can pretend to.
P-379-
The Htflory of Uladiflaus King
of Poland and Hungary, up-
on lots rupture of the Peace
with Amurath the Second.
p. 380.
The Vnfo.tunate Battel of ^Ao-
hz\l related. p. 381.
D 2 Ths
The CONTENTS.
The Trofperous Reign ef Queen
Elizabeth , notm'thftanding
all the attempts both of For-
reign and Dome flickJEnemies.
p. 381.10387.
The Anther of the ufe mdgreat
moment of the Notes of th$
Churchy reflected upon.
p. 388. 389J
The Recapitulation and Conclu-
fwn to the whole Worh^
P-390-
FINIS.
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Dr. f~* Avfa Lives of the Primitive Fathers, in 2 Vol. Folio.
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A Papift not Mifreprefented by Frcteftants. Being a Reply to the Reffoftioa
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Mr. Chillingworth\ Book, called: [The Religion oj Protefiants a fafe way to Salvation']
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