Exomologesis, or, A faithfull narration of the occaision and motives of the conversion unto Catholick unity of Hugh-Paulin de Cressy, lately Deane of Laghlin &c. in Ireland and Prebend of Windsore in England now a second time printed with additions and explications by the same author who now calls himself B. Serenus Cressy, religious priest of the holy order of S. Benedict in the convent of S. Gregory in Doway.

CHAP. XI.

Consent of Fathers against Calvinists and Lutherans.

1. UPon such grounds of Calvinists and Lutherans (if they could possibly appeare to be true) what impudence and folly must we needs impute to all the ancient Fathers and Doctours of the Church, who never fayle in disputing against all sorts of Here∣tiques or Schismatiques to insist unanimously upon this Quere, By what lawfull succession, from what Apostolique Seate their first Teacher derived himselfe? And professing that it was necessary to insist upon the point of succession, as to examine the truth of the Doctrines themselves, according to that Speech of S. Chrysostome (Hom. 11. in Ephes.) Suppose you that it is sufficient

to say they are Orthodox, and in the meane time Ordination is lost and perished? To what purpose is the rest, this being not made good? For wee ought no lesse to contend for it then for the Faith it self.

2. Witnesse hereto S. Ireneus, Lib. 4. cap. 45. Where is it then that a Man shall find such Pastours? S. Paul teacheth us when hee sayes, God hath placed in his Church first of all Apostles, secondarily Prophets, in the third place Doctors. There then where the Gifts of our Lord are placed, in the same place must wee seeke for the truth, among whom the succession of the Church since the Apostles, and the purity of Doctrine is maintained in its integrity. Witnesse S. Cyprian (in Ep ad Magnum.) Whereas some alledge that they acknowledge the same God the Father, the same Sonne Jesus Christ, and the same Holy Ghost; this can nothing availe them (viz. being a Schisme.) For Core, Dathan and Abiron ac∣knowledged the same God that Aaron the High Priest and Moses did, living under the same Law & in the same Religion: They invoked that one and true God who is to be worshipped and praid to: Yet in as much as exceeding the limits of their Ministery they assumed to themselves the licence to sacrifice in oppo∣sition to Aaron the High Priest, who by the ordination of God had before obtained the lawfull Priesthood, they being supernaturally strucken presently received the just punishment of their unlawfull attempts. And againe, Novatianus is not in the Church, neither can be accounted a Bishop, who despising the Evan∣gelicall and Apostolicall Tradition, succeeding to no person has been ordained by himselfe. And againe, How can hee be acknowledged to be a true Pastour, who, (the true Pastour beeing alive, and by a successive Ordination presiding in the Church) without

succeeding to any one, beginns from himselfe. And again (Ep. ad Flor.) Christ sayes to his Apostles, and by them to all Prelates who succeede the Apostles by a substitute ordination (Vicariâ Ordinatione) He that beareth you heareth me Witnes S. Athanasius (de Synod.) How can they be Bishops, if they have received their Ordination from Heretiques, even by their own accusation? Lastly, (to omit infinite passages in Tertullian, S. Augustin Op••atus, &c) Witnesse S. Hierome, who speaking of H lary the Deacon, authour of one of the Sects of the Luciferians (in Dial: cont. Lucifer.) saith, Together with the man his sect likewise is perished, because a Deacon could not ordaine a Clearke to succeede after him. Now it is not a Church which hath no Priests.

3. Were such arguments as those, I would faine know, logicall and efficacious in the third and fourth century of Christianity, and are they of no force now? When was it that they began to lose their vertue? Did all the Ancient Martyrs, Bishops and Doctours of the Church, Champions of Christian Religion, confound all the ancient Heresies by demonstrating that the Authours of them had no personall legitimate, (nor Doctrinall) succession? And shall wee be made believe that such a succession now is not onely not necessary, but that it is rather a prejudice, yea that it is an ar∣gument for Heresy? That it is a proofe of a truely pure Reformation to abjure not only all the ancient Ceremonies of Ordination, but even the Officers, yea the very names of all Ecclesiasticall Orders? For mine own part, I must acknow∣ledge my want of courage: I durst not range

my selfe in such a Congregation, where I should be exposed point blanck to receive all the shot which so many (by all acknowledged) Saints have darted against the ancient Heretiques.