The primitive rule of reformation delivered in a sermon before His Maiesty at Whitehall, Feb. 1, 1662 in vindication of our Church against the novelties of Rome by Tho. Pierce.

TO THE High and Mighty Monarch Charles the II^d: By the Grace of God, KING of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith.

Most Gratious and Dread Soveraign,

THat which never had been ex∣pos'd unto a wittily-mista∣king and crooked world, but in a dutiful submission to Your Command; may at least for This, if for no other reason, be justly offer'd to Your Protection. And this is done with a steady, though humble confidence of

success; because THE DEFENDER OF THE FAITH* 1.1 which was once deliver'd unto the Saints, cannot pos∣sibly chuse but be so to him, who does ear∣nestly contend for the very same, be∣cause for no other Faith then That which was from the Beginning.* 1.2 If for This I have contended with as much earnestness from the Pulpit, as The Romanists from the Press do contend against it; I have not only the* 1.3 Exhor∣tation and Authority of a Text, but the Exigence of the Time to excuse me in it.

Now as the Romans in the Time of the second Punick War, could not think of a fitter way for the driving of Hanibal out of Italy, then Scipio's mar∣ching with an Army out of Italy into Afrique, giving Hanibal a Necessity to go from Rome, for the raising of the Siege which was laid to Carthage; So could I not think of a fitter Course to dis∣appoint the Pontificians in their At∣tempts

on Our Church, then thus by ma∣king it their Task to view the Infirmities of their own. To which effect I was excited to spend my self,* 1.4 and to be spent, (if I may speak in the phrase of our Great Apo∣stle,) not from an arrogant Opinion of any sufficiency in my self, (who am one of the least among the Regular Sons of the Church of England;) But as relying on the sufficiency of the Cause I took in hand, & especially on the Help of the All-sufficient,* 1.5 who often loves to make use of the weakest Instruments,* 1.6 to effect the bringing down of the strongest Holds.

I suppose my Discourse, however inno∣cent in it self, will yet be likely to meet with many, not onely learned and subtil, but restless enemies; Men of pleasant Insi∣nuations, and very plausible▪ Snares; nay, such as are apt (where they have Power) to* 1.7 confute their Opponents by Fire and Faggot. But when I consider how well my Margin does lend Protecti∣on

on to my Text, (for I reckon that my Citations, which I could not with Pru∣dence represent out of a Pulpit, are the usefullest part of my whole Performance, because the Evidence and VVarrant of all the rest;) I cannot fearfully appre∣hend, what VVit or Language (or ill us'd Learning) can do against it, so far forth as it is arm'd with Notoriety of Fact in its Vindication; and hath the published Confessions of those their Ablest Hyperaspistae, who cannot cer∣tainly by them of their own perswasion, with honor, or safety, be contradicted.

If they are guilty in their Writings, it is rather their own, then their Readers Fault; Nor is it their Readers, but Their misfortune, if they are found So to be by their own Concessions. Nor can they rationally be angry at their Rea∣der's Necessity to believe them; especi∣ally when they write with so becoming a proof of Impartiality, as that by which

they asperse and accuse Themselves. If it finally shall appear, They are* 1.8 con∣demn'd out of their mouthes, (as Go∣liah's Head was cut off by David,* 1.9 not with David's, but with Goliah's own Sword,) and that I am not so severe in taking Notice of their Confessions, as They have been unto Themselves in the Printing of them, (for I cannot be said to have revealed any secrets, by meerly shewing before the Sun, what They have sent into the Light,) I think, how∣ever They may have Appetite, They cannot have Reason to complain.

I have intreated of many Subjects within the Compass of an hour, on each of which it would be easie to spend a year. But I have spoken most at large of the Su∣premacy of the Pope; as well because it is a Point wherein the Honor and Safe∣ty of Your Majesties Dominions are most concern'd, as because it is the chief,

if not only Hinge, (I have* 1.10 Bellar∣mines assertion for what I say,) on which does hang the whole stress of the Papal Fabrick.

If herein, as I have obey'd, I shall also be found to have serv'd Your Ma∣jesty, The sole Discharge of my Duty will be abundantly my Reward; because I am not more by Conscience and Ob∣ligations of Gratitude, then by the Vo∣luntary Bent and Inclinations of my Soul,

Your Majesties most devo∣ted and most Dutiful Subject and Chaplain, THOMAS PIERCE.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iud 3.
• * 1.2

  Matth 19. 8.
• * 1.3

  Iude. 2, 3.
• * 1.4

  2 Cor. 12. 15.
• * 1.5

  1 Cor. 1. 27.
• * 1.6

  2 Cor. 10. 4.
• * 1.7

  Eo sanè loco Haere∣ses sunt, ut non tan•• arte & Industriâ, quàm Alexandri gla∣d••o, earum Gordius Nodus dissoivi posse, quas••{que} Herculis cla∣vâ feriendae, quàm Apoll••nis Lyrà m••ti∣gandae videantur, Sta••l. ton. in Epist. De∣dic. operis de Iuslis. sub fia••m.
• * 1.8

  Luke 19. 22.
• * 1.9

  1 Sam. 17. 51.
• * 1.10

  Etenim de quâ re agitur cùm de Prima∣tu Pontificis agitur? brevissimè dicam, de Summâ rei Christianae, id enim quaeritur, de∣beatne Ecclesia diuti∣ùs consistere, an verò dissolvi, & concidere. Bellarm. in Praes. ad li∣bros de Rom. Pontif.