A REVISION OF DOCTOR GEORGE MORLEI'S IVDGMENT IN MATTERS OF RELIGION OR AN ANSWER TO SEVERAL TREATISES WRITTEN BY HIM VPON SEVERAL OCCASIONS CONCERNING THE CHVRCH OF ROME AND MOST OF THE DOCTRINES CONTROVERTED BETWIXT HER , AND THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND . TO WHICH IS ANNEXT A TREATISE OF PAGAN IDOLATRY BY. L. W.

SEing my Lord of Winton is pleased to wipe off that odious aspersion of his being a Papist [ which myght in the late conjuncture haue cost him his civil , & endangered his natural life ] by declaring not only his judgment in matters of Religion ; but also the grounds , on which it relyes , contained in severall treatises , long since compounded , but never till now made publick : I presume he will not be offended , that with the respect due to his quality of Peere of the Realme , these be reviewed . Reviewed , I say , for althô Appellations lye only to hygher , Revisions are committed to equal , or even inferiour courts .

He protests , he is no Papist : & I think so too . I wish it were as easy to cleere him of Calvinisme : of which he ownes pag. XII . that he hath beene suspected , & to it he seemes enclined when he says , that God by Miracles promoted the Jdelatrous worship of the Pictures , & Relickes of Saints . This I think in reality is to make God the Authour of sin : Which Blasphemy I do not beleiue the Church of England will owne , thô it be a choice flower in Calvin's garden .

He declares his loyalty to the government establisht , & the Royal Family , &c. And J beleiue him in this also : nay I judge as favourably of the greatest part of his rank , & moreover , that they are loyal not only for their Interest ; but for conscience , & out of a sense of their duty to God , their soveraigne , & their country : & that he , & they , will oppose , to their Power , Schisme in the Church & Faction in the State . Yet I think all their endeavours will be ineffectual to prevent ether , considering the constitution of the Protestant Church , & qualifications of its Clergy . For as in some natural Bodyes there is a defect , which maugre all care of Physitians , cuts the thred of life , before it be spun to its ordinary length ; so in some Bodyes Politick , that of the English Protestant Church , in particular . Here are some reasons to proue this .

2. The first . Protestancy is a Schisme , & those who liue in it , liue in a Schisme . It is a Schisme , because it is a party separated from the whole Catholick Church . Luther was a Schismatick , so was Calvin , so was Zuinglius , so was each Patriark of your Reformation : for each of these at their first breaking forth , left the Whole Catholick Church , or Congregation of Christians , of what denomination soever , not any one single Person in the whole world , to whome he ( or they ) did joine himself . So that if ever any man was truly Schismatick , each one of these was such . Wherefore all who joined to them , as all Protestants did , were Schismaticks . Now it is not probable that God will giue that greate Blessing of Ecclesiasticall Peace , to Schismaticks , who hate it , & oppose it .

My 2. is : Protestants are Hereticks , that is Choosers of the points , which they beleiue . For the Catholick Church delivered to her children not only , what they beleiue ; but also many articles which they reject . Each Protestant takes this complex , examins it , & finding some Articles not to please him , he casts them out of his creede . Hence one rejects the Real presence , another Free will ; A third Merits ; a fourth the Possibility of keeping God's Commandments , &c. Each one culling out what Articles he pleases , & composing of them not a Catholick ; but a Protestant Faith : not a Faith of the Ghospels ; but of this time , & their Phancyes . What more evident signes of Hereticks ? Now if they be such , can we think them fit instruments to oppose Heresy , who did introduce , & do still defend it ? This shall be further confirmed , by my fifth Reason .

My 3. Protestants are a Cadmean broode , they sprung out of the Earth armed : & no sooner did their soveraigne Lords see their faces , but they felt their Jron hands . Witnesse Germany , France , Hungary , Bohemia , Scotland , swethland , Denmark , the Low countryes , & Geneva . Our English Protestants say , they are not concerned in these Rebellions : but that is not tru , for by approving , & applauding them , they make them their owne , & encourage the Practice , by commending the precedent . With what force can they teach Obedience to his Majesty , who praise Rebellion against other ? Or divert men from Treason , who transforme Traitors into Heroes , & canonize Regicides ?

My 4. There nether is , nor ever was any Authority vnder the Heavens better grounded than that of the Catholick Clergy consisting of the Pope , & Bishops , was before the Reformation . It was establisht by Christ , setled by the Apostles , ratifyed by general , & particular Councils , confirmed by an vninterrupted Possession of almost fifteene hundred yeares , backt by all Laws Ecclesiastical , & Civil , & acknowledged by all Christians then aliue . What gentleman can say so much for his estate ? What officer , for his Authority ? What King , for his crowne ? What Parson for his Tith ? What Protestant Bishop for his miter ? When a Calvin , a Luther , &c. to say no more , private men , starte vp , declame against that Clergy , as a humane invention & an Antichristian establishment ; & you applaude them , & with them trample vnder feete , the whole sacred Order , & teach your followers , no submission , no obedience is due to it . When you haue taught them to breake such cables , can you expect to bind them to their duty with single threds ?

The English Protestant pretence to Bishops doth no satisfy , 1. Because in reality they had no canonical ordination . as we say , & proue . 2. Althô they had imposition of hands , & were real Bishops [ which we deny . See Anti-Haman Chapt. xxxv . ] yet They entred not by the doore ; but climed vp some other way , Iohn X. 1. Were not promoted according to any canonical forme ether ancient , or moderne . Wherefore what can we judge of them , but according to Christ's words , Loco citato ? 3. Your first Protestants promoted their Religion , & Spreade their noveltyes contrary to all even English Bishops , & in contempt of them , first in Henry VIII . his time , Tindale , & others . Secondly in Q. Elizabeths time , when all the Bishops aliue detested your Reformation , & were for that stript of their jurisdiction , deposed from their seates , & confined . What wonder then your followers doe not regard that Crosier , which you haue broken , nor honour the Miter , which they haue seene you trample vnder your feate ? Lastly suppose your Bishops wereas validly , & canonically consecrated , as any ever were , can you say , that their Authority is better grounded , than that of all the Catholick Clergy ? Sure you cannot pretend to better grounds for your Authority , than our Clergy had . As it was than lawfull & laudable to three , or four private men to contradict our whole Clergy then in being , why may not some private men amongst you , withstand yours ? What reason can you alleadge against a Tub preacher ? Some texts of scripture ? Canons of Councils ? Tradition of the Church ? Laws of the Realme ? All these stood in favour of our Clergy against the first Reformers , as , & more , evidtntly than for you against your dissenters . So your Schisme & Reformation hath deprived you of all meanes to preserue the Peace of the Church .

My 5. Is taken from the manner of your Reformation . From Rome our Ancesters had received by the same hands a systeme of Faith , a body of Ceremonys , & some Ecclesiastical Laws . The whole Faith as necessary to be beleived , the Ceremonys as decent to entertaine devotion . The laws as convenient to government , & order . And your first Reformers changed all . Jn Faith they first rejected the whole vnwritten word , Tradition : & a greate part of the written , scripture . They secondly perverted many places of this , by new interpretations , retaining the word without its sense . The Ceremonys , & laws were treated as licentiously , throwing out of dores whatsoever they pleased . Now why may not another imitate these your Patriarks ? Cur non licebit Valentiniano , quod licuit Valentino , de arbitrio suo fidem innovare ? What was lawfull to Luther , is sure lawfull to a Lutheran : & what was laudable in the sixteenth , is not a sin in the seventeenth age , to giue new interpretations to scripture , abolish other ceremonys , repeale more Canons . Especially the motiues of reforming being common . Which is

My 6. Your first reformers rejected some Articles of Faith , as being delivered by fallible men : some Ceremonys as men's inventions , & some laws as contrary to Evangelical liberty . Now all this holds as strongly against what they Keepe in , as what they leaue out : for all Canons were imposed by men , all Ceremonys prescribed by men , & scripture it self brought to you , & continued amongst you by fallible men , as much as the real presence . Now as you blot this out of your creede , why may not another strike out Baptisme , a third the Trinity , a fourth the Incarnation , afifth the vnity of God , a sixth the Deity it self ? & so farewell all Faith . What reason is there , to say , that our Roman Missioners sent by S. Gregory were infallible in delivering the mysterys of the Trinity or Incarnation , & fallible , in speaking of Purgatory , or the Real presence ? They say they pared away these Articles , because they were not from the beginning & were abuses . But will not a Monothelit alleadge the same against the distinction of wills in Christ , an Eutychian , against the distinction of natures , a Nestorian , against the vnity of Person in him , a Macedonian , against the Divinity of the Holy ghost , an Arrian , against that of the son , a Manichean , against the vnity of the Divine nature , a Iew , against the new Testament , & a Libertin , and Atheist , against both old , & new , & God himself ? These are not wyre drawne conclusions , by obscure mediums , & far fetched illations ; but natural , & obvious sequels of the fundamental principles of your Reformation , which are inconsistent with any constancy in Faith , and settlement in Church government . So I must conclude , that your Church building is such , as no principles can beare ; & your principles are such , as can beare no building . By which we may guesse , from whome your reformers had their vocation , from Abaddon , Apollion , the Destroyer , seing their principles are good only to Destroy Churchs ; not at all to Build them .

In fine , a prudent man , without casting a figure , might haue seene the fate of the late troubles , in their principles , which were inconsistent with any setled forme of civil gouvernment & would ruin them all successively , as they did , without any hopes of rest , vnlesse these were layd aside , & the just , & ancient government restored . The like conjecture may be made of Protestantisme , its principles being inconsistent with any setled forme of Faith , & Church government , will destroy them all by Schisme & Heresyes , & no probability of a settlement vnlesse these be renounced , & the Ancient , Catholick , & Apostolical Faith , & Government restored . For a further proofe of this , I appeale to experience , ( which is a demonstration A posteriori , as the former is A priori ) which is

My 7. Experience shews , that t is much easier to destroy , than to settle a government ether in Church , or State . Nothing of Art , or Power was wanting to the establishment of the Prelatical Church in England . She appeared first with the plausible colours of an Apostolical Reformation , was cherisht by Royal favour , armed the severest laws imaginable . Yet one age had not past over her head , when the peccant humours bread within her , layd her in the dust , & the crowne it self with her , which it was hoped , she would vp hold . Both were againe restored : yet how soone was the joy of that over , & both brought againe into a like danger ? Seeke no where abroade the spring of these mischeifes , they rise from the Reformation , & are inseparable from the Protestant Church .

My 8. And last reason is drawne from the Protestant Clergy , it self , which as it is modelled , & principled , can never sufficiently influence the Nation to preserue its vnion in the Worship of God , & its duty to the King : to prevent Schisme in the Church , & Faction in the State . This appeares by experience . The reasons I reserue till some further occasion be given .

3. D. M. ( so we shall hereafter call my Lord of Winton ) says in his Preface pag. 11. A french Iesuit called Mainbourg publisht something as writen by her late R. H. & he repeates afterwards four times in the Preface & once in his post script Mainbourg the Iusuit : when it was Mainbourg the secular Preist who printed it . Which that booke of his tells all the world , so did the publike Gazets , containing his dismission out of the society . His superiors did never permit him to print it , whilest he was a Iesuit , knowing how sacred the secrets of Princes ought to be . So that paper crept about only in written copyes , seene by few , & of these not many beleiving it to be hers , whose name it beares . Now D. M. hath spreade it , & the rumor of her Change in Religion , for his owne vindication , & so prejudiced his mother the Church of England : for I doubt not but her R. H. example will moue more Powerfully to leaue that Church , than D. M. S. judgment , to retaine men in it .

He questions the Conference betwixt her R. H. & the Bishop : which being a matter of Fact , must rely on the deposition of witnesses , & their credit , & interest . She is positiue , he conjectural : she had no motiue , but Truth ; he concerned for the honour of his Church , & his owne . His topick is , if the Bishop answered so , he was nether so Learned , nor Conscientious , nor Prudent , as he ought to be . Which many will easier grant , then that her R. H. in a matter of fact would wittingly tell an vntruth .

He relates many things in his Preface to little purpose . v. c. His coming out of England with 130. l. & returning with as much , ( as if he had the blessing of the Israelits , in the desert whose cloths did not weare out ) his serving his Majesty , & the Q. of Bohemia , without putting them to any charge , but his diet , his catechising their servants , & preaching to them , his journy to Collen , & returne to the Hague : &c. what is the publick concerned in all this ? Vnlesse it be to helpe an Hystorian to write his life . But of heroical men even the Cradles , Rattles , & Hobby horses are venerable .

Pag. viii . He says , he did not convene with the french Hugonots , because if They did not encourage , yet they did not , at least had not , condemned the rebellious proceedings of their Presbiterian brethren in England against the K. & Church . Which implyes only their being idle spectators of that Tragedy , in which many think they were Actors for the worse side : & many English women in Geneva who followed their husbands thither at the end of the wars , were proofe enough . I will relate here what I find in Grotius his Discussio Rivetiani Apostolici pag. 88. & 89. where having sayd , that the publick Peace is disturbed by that Doctrine : Licita esse pro Religione subditorum in Reges arma , he adds : Hoc vir nobilissimus Plessiacus Mornaeus , tanquam pietati consentaneum , testamento etiam suo inseruit . Hinc ille motus Ambaxianus , cum Reformatus Renauderius quosdam sui similes in privatum conclave convocasset , & dedisset eis potestatem Ordinum Regni . Hinc Beze conciones pro classico . Hinc Rupellensis Conventus impudentia ; qui omnes in Regno Pontificios , deinde etiam Reformatos , Regis auctoritatem sequentes , declaravit ab honoribus omnibus , muneribusque publicis dimovendos : praefecturas autem per omne Regnum distribuit , quibus voluit● talium consiliorum auctorem sibi fuisse PETRVM MOLINEVM testatur Theophilus Mileterius , vir nobilis , & illis , qui reformatos se dicunt , optimè volens . Thus he . This booke hath beene printed neere these forty yeares : & never any thing alleadged against these matters of fact , that I could heare of . How will Monsieur du Moulin Prebend of Canterbury reconcile with this Counsil of his Father , that letter , which he printed in his fathers name ?

4. These treatises , having beene composed on emergent occasions , without any setled designe , haue no other order than that of the time , they were composed in , amongst those of the same language . J designed once to draw the matters handled in them , into some method , which would helpe to their vnderstanding . But because that would make my Answer to D. M. lesse satisfactory ( a thing mainly aimed at ) I tooke the easier way , to follow my Authour , as he leades me , step by step , without omitting any thing material . I omit in my Revision the letters of the Regular Preist , as not grounding the judgment , in matters of Religion , of D. M. as also D. M. his letter to Trigland , as containing nothing to our purpose . For it treates only two points : the 1. of Fact , that his majesty really was a Protestant . To which no answer is necessary . The second of Policy , that his Majesty was to be restored to his Crowne by an Army of the states . To this I cannot answer , as never having commenced Batchelour in Policy . Yet J will say , that God himself found a way to restore his Majesty & put an end to the troubles of the State , without Armes ( contrary to the expectation of D. M. ) And J hope [ at least it long hath beene , is , & shall be my constant Prayer ] that the God of Peace put an end to these contentious disputes in the Church ; that we all may come to compose but One sheepefold , vnder One sheperd . John X. 16. I thought once to omit his letter against F. Cressey , as being cheifly personal : yet finding besides a too severe charg on him , some Reflections vpon his whole holy Order , I tooke leaue to review the grounds of both , yet past it lyghtly , as entring vpon it vnwillingly .

That the Reader may with lesse trouble see what the Doctor says , & to what J answer , I giue his owne words , commonly at large , at least their full sense : & J marke the page , where they are to be found . This makes my Revision somewhat longer : but that is compensated with the ease of discovering the Truth , which both sides pretend to , but only one side contends for sincerely , the other opposes with all his Power . God grant to all a sincere loue of Peace , & Church vnion : & then all these disputes will cease .

Post script . What is contained in my fourth Booke , pag. 111. that Factious men were prosicients in the Art of promoting mischeife , was written in march last , 1683. I little dreamed to see my conjecture confirmed so soone in such a notorious manner , as it was by The Rye Plot , & Blunderbusses . God hath miraculously both disappointed , & discovered those Ruffians : J beseech him , to grant , that the Roote , [ at least the pretext , or occasion ] of all these traiterous Practices , The hatred of jnnocent men , & loyal subjects , may cease .