IMPRIMATUR.

WE are now come to the Last of those Notes, by which the Cardinal would perswade us the true Church may be easily known. He had laboured hard to make them up so many; but he was resolved never to leave raising of Notes, till he had his full Complement of Fifteen. And in this he seems to have been put to such a Shift, as some Generals some∣times are; who finding themselves in Streights, draw out their Front to a great Length, and fill up their Ranks with Suttlers Boyes, and other weak Atten∣dants on the Camp, meerly to make a Shew, and a∣muse the Enemy with a vain appearance of Numbers, when they have reason to dread the Issue of the Battel. It is certain no Man before him ever counted up so many Page  366Notes as he has done. Some he tells us make but Two, some Three,* some Four, some Six, some Ten or Eleven, as they please, and one, he thinks, reckons up a Do∣zen; which is the most that any ever durst venture up∣on, till he himself came on the Stage. And then he at last makes a new Discovery, that they were all short in their Account; for that the Notes of the Church are just Fifteen. So that here must be Three at least, pure∣ly his own, that were never heard of before; and for which they that like them must stand for ever obliged to Cardinal Bellarmin's happy Invention. But then what a miserable Condition was the Church in for many Ages! For if there be no Salvation out of their Church, as they of the Romish Persuasion confidently affirm; and if this Church is to be known by certain Notes, as they endeavour to prove; and if these Notes be dubious and arbitrary, and often differing, according to the Fancy of their several Writers, as cannot be denied; then what hopes can there ever be of finding out the true Church, and ending the Controversy this way? And if two or three Notes are sufficient to determine the Matter, as some have thought; to what purpose are we troubled with all the rest? But if the whole Number be judged necessary to make it evident; what a hazardous Estate were Men in, before this great Author had perfected the List? And their danger continued a long time; for they were never acquainted with divers of these Notes, till towards the latter end of the Sixteenth Century.

But the Cardinal himself seems to be sensible of the weakeness of many of them, when he acknowledges That the Moderns commonly assign but Four;* and those ta∣ken out of the Constantinopolitan Creed, where the Church is declared to be One, Holy, Catholick, and Apostolick. And these alone without the help of any other fictitious Page  367supernumerary Notes, are abundantly sufficient to de∣monstrate that any Church, to which they do belong, is not certainly a true Church. And therefore to gain credit to those he has thought fit to add, he tells us they may be some way reduc'd to these Four. But for my part, I do not understand how it can possibly be done. And not to mention any of the rest, I will instance only in this last Note I am about to examine. Temporal Felicity (which he cautiously restrains to Success in War) for ought that I can perceive, is not by any means reduceable to any of the Four. It will not evidence the Ʋnity of the Church; for if this Note be allowed, then Mahomet the Great, Solyman the Magnificent, Gustavus Adolphus, and divers others were all good Catholicks in their time; and instead of One, we must 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 most different Religions. Neither is it any bet∣ter Argument for Sanctity; unless to such as can esteem Gain to be Godliness, and account Turks and Saracens Holy Men. Much less can Catholicism be proved from it; since good Success was never known to attend always upon the same side; and the Catholick Church and Uni∣versal Empire, whatever ambitious Men may dream, are never like to be the same thing. And least of all can we from hence gather any Church to be Apostolical. The Primitive Christians were unacquainted with the Glories of Worldly Triumphs. They subdued the Na∣tions, but it was with Spiritual Weapons: They con∣quered the remotest parts of the Earth, but it was by the Holiness of their Doctrine, the Blamelessness of their Lives, and the greatness of their Sufferings. The Apostles did not march out to convert the World with Crosses on their Breasts, and Javelins in their Hands: Page  368One of them once drew a Sword in his Masters Quarrel, but was presently commanded to put it up again, with a severe Commination. So that I do not see to which of the Four received Notes this of Temporal Felicity can be tolerably reduced. I shall therefore examine it as it stands by it self.

But by the way I cannot but observe how subtilly the Cardinal has endeavoured to secure this Note; which he must 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 heartily, but that they most easily triumph'd over their Enemies. This he very confidently affirms, but without any offer at a Proof: But yet this will furnish him with an Eva∣sion that may be always ready. For whenever any of those Princes, which he calls Catholick, shall be shewn 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 asserted with equal Assurance; and so here is a Controversy started, about a Matter of Fact, which all the Men upon Earth are never able to decide. For the Intentions and inward Dispositions of Mens Minds are discernible to none, but the Searcher of Hearts. And how then can this be pre∣tended to be a Note by which we should know the true Church, when the sole Condition, upon which the Evidence of it is made to depend, is to us altogether im∣possible to be known.

And this alone might be sufficient to evince the vani∣ty of it; but yet I shall endeavour to make it appear fur∣ther, by shewing.

I. That Temporal Felicity cannot be esteemed a Note of the Church.

II. That the Instances 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 prosperous and successful in the World, as any of his Catholicks. If these things may be severally 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 esteemed a Note of the Church seems evident enough, and that principally for these Reasons:

1. Because God has no where promised it in all the holy Gospel; and it is no better than vain Arrogance, and a fond kind of Presumption to make that a Mark of the Church, which is neither essential to the Con∣stitution of it, nor yet inseparably annexed to it by virtue of any Divine Promise. The Jews indeed were encouraged in their Obedience by the Proposal of ma∣ny Temporal Blessings; and if they did faithfully and conscientiously observe the Law, they were assur'd of great and miraculous Victories over their Enemies. Five of you shall chase an hundred,* and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight. But Christianity which is a more Spiritual Religion, that is established upon better Promises, and has more full and express Revela∣tions of everlasting Happiness than they had, has no ground at all to flatter it self with the foolish Hopes of external Felicities and worldly Glories. I cannot find one word in all the New Testament, upon which such an idle Imagination can be probably grounded. Nay, on the contrary, Distress and Afflictions seem to be the most ordinary Portion that our blessed Lord has been pleased to allot the best of his Followers in this Life. Page  370He told his Disciples,* In the World ye shall have Tribu∣lation. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus▪ shall suffer Persecution. The Expressions are plain; and many more might be brought to the same purpose: And if they could all be warrantably restrained to some certain Persons and Times, yet they would afford but a very feeble Argument to prove that Temporal Fe∣licity was a Note of the Church; and if any better can be produced, it is more than the Cardinal has done. His Error in this is very like that of the Jews, who anciently did, and still do expect a Triumphant World∣ly Kingdom in the days of their Messias. But they are far the more excusable; for, as I said, they had some Promises of Temporal Blessings, and so might have some colour for such a Mistake: But it is hard to frame any Apology for one, who professes to believe in a Cruci∣fied Saviour, that shall distinguish his Church by the same Character which they did, without the least shew of a Promise to support it. It is to be fear'd, when he invented this, that his eyes might be something dazled with Purple Robes, and Red Hats; or his Fan∣cy intoxicated with the false Glories of extirpating He∣reticks by force of Arms.

2. But be that as it will; this Note must fail him again, because for several Ages together the Church could not pretend to any such thing as Temporal Feli∣city. Three hundred years at least, were passed over in nothing almost but continual Persecutions. Chri∣stianity was made the common Object of the Hatred and Fury of the People; and wicked and inhumane Princes spent most of their Rage and Cruelty upon it. They rack'd their Inventions to find out new and exquisit ways of Torture. The Prisons were throng'd with Crowds of Confessors, and the Theaters, and Page  371places of publick Execution were sprinkled with the Blood, and strewed with the Ashes of the holy Martyrs. And a long time it was that these lamen∣table Spactacles were very frequent; and when they happened to have any little intermission, it was ra∣ther a Refreshment, than a Rest; nothing but a space of taking Breath, that they might gather strength, and prepare themselves for another Encounter. And all this while to be sure the Christians could obtain no other Victory over their Adversaries, but by convincing their Infidelity by their patient suffering. Before Con∣stantine shewed them what it was, they were great strangers to Temporal Felicity; and how often they have had it interrupted since 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 flourished divers Ages, in the greatest Purity without it.

3. And if this be not Proof enough, yet the unspeaka∣ble Miseries which the Church of God must endure in the Days of Antichrist, is an undeniable Demonstration that this Note cannot be allowed. The Cardinal himself con∣fesses,* and I think all the Writers of his Communion do generally agree, that the Antichristian Tyranny shall far exceed all the Cruelties that were inflicted by the worst of the Heathen Emperours. This others believe as well as they; but then they conceive that some of these grievous Calamities may be already past in the sharp and lingring Torments, the many dreadful Mas∣sacres, and the cruel and promiscuous Slaughters of la∣ter times; which can scarce be parallel'd by any thing the Christians suffered of old under Pagan Idolaters. But Bellarmine, and the rest of the Church of Rome, for some Reasons do imagine that all this is still to come. Page  372But be it past or future, it quite overthrows the credit of this Fifteenth Note. For the State, which by his own Confession the Church must be in during that Antichristian Persecution, is very inconsistent with Tem∣poral Felicity. There is no stress therefore to be laid upon this; no Promise can be pretended for it, and the time has certainly once been, when it was not, and it is frankly acknowledged that the time shall come again when it will not be a Note of the Church.

II. This might be sufficient to put an end to this Dis∣pute: But because the only way the Cardinal has taken to confirm his Opinion, is by collecting some Historical Passages, which he thinks make for his purpose; I shall briefly examine several of them, and make it appear that the Instances he brings do not prove what he in∣tends.

And as for all those taken out of the Old Testament, they were particular and signal Successes conferred by Almighty God upon his Faithful People, according to some special Promises formerly made them, as I have in∣timated before; and they might be accounted subsequent signs of their Obedience, but not of their being the true Church; for so they were in all Conditions; as well when they were oppressed by the Philistines, as when they drove the Canaanites out of the Land; as well in Babylon, as in Palestine; no less in the midst of their most grievous Afflictions, than in their most prosperous and flourishing Estate. And after Jeroboam had made the Separation, the two Tribes were the true Church still, and the Ten were the Schismaticks; notwithstan∣ding the various Events of their Wars, and that the Vi∣ctory inclined sometimes to the one side, and sometimes to the other.

To what he says of Constantine and Theodosius, and some other of the Antients, it might be Reply enough to tell him, that their Successes, supposing his Note to be true, would make nothing to the purpose he contends for: Because, as has been often proved, those Times were not infected with any of those gross Errors which the Modern Church of Rome has been guilty of.

But yet to shew what Partiality he uses in the choice of these Instances, I will enquire a little into one of them. He tells us that a vast Army of the Goths of more than a hundred thousand was totally defeated, in one Battel, and Rhadagaisus their King, together with his Son, taken and slain, and not so much as one of the Romans killed or wound∣ed. Thus he from St. Austin relates it.* Others say there was no Battel, but that this huge Multitude of above two hundred thousand Men, or, as some make them, double that number, being inclosed among the barren Mountains of Fesula, were so extreamly weak∣ened with Famine; that Rhadagaisus endeavoured to make his Escape alone, but being taken Prisoner, was put to Death, and the rest became an easy Prey to their Enemies. This the Cardinal mentions as the Felicity of Honorius; and it was indeed a very wonderful Success; but then it is almost the only thing that happened well in all his time. And, notwithstanding this miraculous Victory, he was one of the most unfortunate Emperors of them all.* He suffered the Capital City of the World to be taken by Alaric the Goth, without ever daring at∣tempt to relieve it; tho the Siege lasted about two years. But he was all that while very wisely diverting himself, and feeding his Poultrey at Ravenna: And his Mind was so intent upon his Business, that when one of his Officers brought him the News that Rome was lost, he had not a Thought of that antient, and formerly glorious Page  374Seat of the Empire, but imagined it had been nothing but a Cock he had of the same Name; and was much troubled, and mightily surprized that the poor Bird should be dead so soon, that took Meat out of his Impe∣rial Hand but a very little before.* Besides this fatal blow at the Head, that was so lightly regarded, many other Cities and Towns were utterly destroyed, the Country laid wholly waste, such Multitudes of the People most miserably Butchered all Italy over, that it was but thinly inhabited for some Ages after, and this and other Incur∣sions of the Barbarous Nations in those days had so sha∣ken the State of it, that we must begin to date the Ruine of the Western Empire from the Reign of Honorius; 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 shall pass over the rest of his Instances, till he comes to the Holy War: And there he takes notice how the Christians being then about Antioch, with a small number, and those in great dispair and a very languishing Condition for want of necessary Provisions, and the Enemy at hand with a potent numerous Army; and when they were in this distress, it was at length seasonably revealed to some Body where the Holy Lance was, which was brought into the Field in the nick of time and carried before the Souldiers, and three Holy Men appeared in the Clouds fighting for them; and by this means they unexpectedly got an entire Victory, with the slaughter of an hundred thousand of the Turks. I will not question the Truth of any part of the Story; but let any Man consider the various Successes of that War, and that it was concluded to the advantage of the Infi∣dels, who remained Masters of all at last, after so much Blood and Treasure expended, and so many of the bra∣vest Spirits of Europe thrown away upon those tedious Page  375and fruitless Expeditions; and he will be apt to suspect that here the Cardinal did manifestly prevaricate, and that he had a real design to betray his own Church, and give up the Cause to Mahomet.

After this he boasts of a notable Victory over the Al∣bigenses; where a hundred thousand of the Hereticks were totally routed by his Catholicks, that were not the tenth part of their number. It is true the Histories of those times do generally mention a very great Overthrow given those poor People, in a Battel, by a very inconsiderable handful of Men under the Command or Simon Mount∣fort: and that Peter King of Arragon, who came to their Assistance, was slain on the Place, and Raymond Earl of Thoulouse forced to fly. And upon this occasion, to strengthen the Cardinal's Argument, as much as is possible, I think it will not be amiss to call to mind some other of their glorious Victories over these Albigenses. These we must know were a sort of Hereticks, that were spread far and near, and had a long time infected the Church;* some say they had continued ever since the days of the Apostles. Pope Innocent the Third very de∣sirous to find a Remedy for this Inveterate Evil, ap∣points divers eminent Preachers to go into the parts where they were thought to be the most numerous, and teach nothing there but the pure Doctrine of the Church of Rome; and endeavour by this means to convince them of their supposed Errors. But this way not suc∣ceeding; the Hereticks remaining obstinate still, not∣withstanding the Diligence of the Missionaries; he be∣thinks himself of a more effectual Expedient. Since Perswasions will not prevail, he is resolved to try whe∣ther Terror and Force may not have a greater Power of Conviction, than Argument. Therefore he publishes a Crusado against the Hereticks, as had been formerly Page  376done against the Infidels in the East; and sets forth his Bull of Plenary Indulgence to all that should engage in this Sacred Militia, and makes them as sure of Heaven, as those were that should be sent 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 themselves, and him that put them on that pious Work. In one City they put threescore thousand to the Sword, sparing neither Sex nor Age. And when the tender-hearted Souldiers found there were some Catholicks in the Place, they desire to know, whether these might not be ad∣mitted to Quarter. The Pope's Legat, that was attend∣ing the Action, commands them to make no Distinction; for fear a Heretick might escape under that pretence: And he excuses the Severity of the Order with a Scrip∣ture Expression: The Lord knoweth who are His. This beginning was enough to strike Terror into all that heard it; and then they go on valiantly still doing great Execution wherever they come. Whenever any Town, or Castle was surrender'd, it was always upon these Articles; they that would be converted had their Lives; they that refused, were Hanged, or Burnt. After they had proceeded a while in this manner, Simon Mountfort, a stout Zealot, is by common consent chosen General of the Pilgrims, (for so they were called) and appointed Commander in chief for this new kind of Holy War; with a Promise of the Government of what had already been, or should happen hereafter to be taken from the Hereticks. He, armed with a sufficient Power, quick∣ly forces Raimund of Tholouse out of his Dominions. The poor ejected Prince flyes to the great Lateran Coun∣cil for Relief; they, as if the question had been about a Page  377Matter of Faith, suffer the Debate to come before them, and depriving Raimund, constitute Simon E. of Tholouse. Raimund hereupon retires into Spain; Simon's new Sub∣jects suddenly revolt, and force him to go himself, and send his Wife to several Courts to beg such Supplies as might be sufficient to reduce them to Obedience. But before that could be done, he is crushed to pieces with a great Stone out of an Engine, as he lay before Tholouse. Soon after, his Younger Son Guy is likewise slain at ano∣ther Town; Almaric the Elder, and Heir to his Father, highly inraged with these Misfortunes that fell so thick upon his Family, swears desperately that he would ne∣ver remove the Seige till he was Master of the Place. But notwithstanding this insolent Bravado, he is con∣strained to go away in a Disgrace, aggravated with the Guilt of a presumptious foolish Oath. Before this, Rai∣mund was returned, and entered again upon his Legal In∣heritance, and died at last in Possession of it, and left the Sucession to his Son; when Almaric was fain to wander up and down the World, earnestly entreating all that pleased to pitty his Condition, to afford him some Succours, that he might be enabled to endeavour the Recovery of what had been lately usurped by his Father. And now upon a Review of the Successes on both Sides thus far, the Hereticks seem 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 preservation of those distressed Albi∣genses; that could never be destroyed by the many po∣tent Combinations that have been made against them, and the violent Persecutions they have endured within these last five hundred Years; but in spight of all the Malice of their Enemies, the Remains of them, at this Day, are enough to exercise the Valour of another Page  378Mountfort; if any unhappy Age should chance to pro∣duce one.

For his Catholick Victories in Switzerland and the Low-Countries, if the Cardinal had been pleased to ac∣quaint us what they were, perhaps they might be ea∣sily ballanced. However, for ought I can learn, the Protestant Cantons are in as good Condition as the o∣ther. I am sure the Confederate Provinces of the Ne∣therlands are grown a very rich and potent Common∣wealth, and if they have thrived only by their Losses, then they may plead Miracles in Confirmation of their Religion; which he makes a Note of the true Church, as well as Success in warlike Adventures.

He just mentions a Victory of Charles the fifth over the Lutherans, 1547; obtained, as he says, by a Divine Miracle. I suppose he means at the Battle in Mulberg, where the Forces of John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, were overthrown, and himself taken Prisoner. And I confess, it was a considerable Victory, but I cannot understand the Miracle of it. But grant there were one, yet it must be remembred, that afterwards Charles himself 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 steep and slippery Mountains, carried in a Horse-litter by reason of his Illness. And when he had with great Labour and Hazzard overcome the Difficulty of the Passage, and was gotten pretty well out of dan∣ger, the Fright had made such Impression upon him, that he still conceited Maurice was at his heels: Inso∣much that when he was met by the Venetian Ambassa∣dour, with a Body of Horse, sent by the Senate for the Security of his Person, he was afraid of his own Suc∣cours, and could hardly be perswaded that they were Page  379not some of the Enemies Troops. He was indeed a gallant and generous Prince, adorned with many He∣roical Vertues, becoming the Greatness of the Chara∣cter he bore, and had been often crowned with a Suc∣cess answerable to the Resolution and Bravery of his Mind; but this hasty and lamentable Flight lost him the Fruit, and did something eclipse the Glory of his former Victories, and made him frequently complain of the Change of his Fortune. And being by this and some other Misadventures he met with, made sensible of the Vanity, and grown weary of the Incumbrances of the World, he resigned the Empire, and his other Dominions betwixt Devotion and Discontent, and re∣tired into a Monastery 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 professed himself a Member, was therefore the only true Church. Or if it were so, as the Cardinal thinks, when he took Frederick; it was certainly otherwise, when he ran away from Maurice. And here I might conclude the Examination of this Note, for since he attempts to prove it no other way, but by an Inducti∣on of Particulars; if he had failed but in one Instance, as I have shewn he has done in many, the whole Ar∣gument could be of no force.

III. But to illustrate and confirm the Matter farther, I shall bring some Examples of Infidels, and such as he esteems Hereticks, who have been as prosperous and successful in the World, and gained as signal Victo∣ries, as any of his Catholicks.

When Ʋladislaus King of Poland and Hungary had concluded a Peace with Amurath the second, and so∣lemnly confirmed it with an Oath;* Eugenius the fourth writes him word that the League being made with the Enemies of the Christian Faith, without his Consent, could not be valid. Julian the Legate absolves the King and the rest from the Oath they had taken, and with many specious Pretences perswades them to break with the Turk, and enter into an actual War. Amurath, who was now withdrawn into Asia, hearing what had hap∣pened, and being informed of the Preparations that were making against him, returns unexpectedly with a mighty Force, and meets with the Christians not far from Varna; where was begun a most bloody and obsti∣nate Fight, which lasted, as they report, for three days with dubious Success. Amurath at length up∣on the Sight of the Picture of our Saviour on the Cross, that was painted in some of the Christian Banners, passionately prays him to avenge the Injury done to his Name by those his faithless Followers who had so late∣ly sworn the League, and so basely and perfidiously broken it, without any Provocation. In the end, the Christians are put to the Rout, Ʋladislaus is slain, the brave Huniades hardly escapes, the treacherous Legate, who had drawn them all into this Distress, is found up∣on the Ground stript and wounded, and ready to ex∣pire, many other great Prelates and Nobles are killed on the Place, and a miserable Slaughter made of about thirty thousand of the common Men. A remarkable Instance to shew that Success does not always attend the Papal Benediction.

The unfortunate Battel of Mohatz was almost paral∣lel to this in some Circumstances.* For Solyman the Turkish Emperour,* invading Hungary with a potent Page  381Army, Paul Tomoree, first a Souldier, afterwards a Monk, and then an Arch-Bishop, is chosen General against him, under Lewis the young King. He hastily engages the Enemy, and is utterly defeated, himself slain in the Field, with many more eminent Church-men, and other Persons of the best Quality. His Head is fixed upon a Pole, and carried about the Turkish Army in a scornful and ridiculous kind of Triumph. Lewis, a Prince of great Hopes, scarce yet come to the Flower of his Youth, is drowned in a Ditch, and found stic∣king in the Mudd, above a Month after the Fight. I might add many more the like Successes of the Turks and Saracens against those that have defended the Church, which the Cardinal esteems the only true One. But I think these two may suffice.

It were not difficult neither to collect numerous Ex∣amples of those he calls Hereticks who have often put his Catholicks to the worst: I shall name but one, which, for the Multiplicity of good Fortune, may well serve instead of many; and that is Queen Elizabeth, whose Memory will always be honourable, when En∣vy and Detraction have done their utmost. At her coming to the Crown she found her self involved in War with two potent Neighbours, Scotland and France. She was destitute of Allies abroad, and not secured of the Affections of her People at home. The many and great Revolutions, that had been in Matters of Re∣ligion especially, in the three foregoing Reigns, had created such violent Animosities, and so very different Interests in the Nation, that they seemed to threaten her Government with perpetual Faction and Disorder. But all these Difficulties that might be thought insupe∣rable, were happily overcome, or wisely composed; and her long Reign of more than four and fourty years, Page  382passed over with such a constant Series and Tenour of Success, that my Lord Bacon, who was intimately ac∣quainted with the Proceedings of those Times, and ad∣mirably well qualified to judg, has left us a particular Treatise of the Felicities of Queen Elizabeth.* Among these I shall not now number the many Escapes she had out of the Hands of desperate Villains, who frequently attempted to assassinate her sacred Person, but only take notice of some other Conspiracies and Rebellions, and that famous Invasion of Eighty eight.

The first open Rebellion was begun in the North, and carried on by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland,* who having gotten together betwixt four and five, Catena says twelve thousand Men, they declare, That they took Arms only to restore the Catholick Religion, and the antient Laws of the Realm. But up∣on the Approach of seventeen hundred of the Queens Forces, and the Report of more that were to follow, they suddenly disperse, and fly into Scotland, where Northumberland remaining,* is delivered up, and behead∣ed at York; Westmorland gets over into Flanders, is al∣lowed a small Pension from the King of Spain, lives miserably all the rest of his days,* and at last dies in Exile.

The many Insurrections in Ireland, in which the Cause of the Cardinal's Church was always pretended, which were encouraged by the Pope, and often streng∣thened with foreign Assistance, were all of them hap∣pily suppressed.* The last was the longest and most dan∣gerous of all; but a few Months before her Death she received the joyful News of the Defeat and Submissi∣on of the Rebels, and so left both her Kingdoms in a settled and peaceable Condition.

But among all the remarkable Successes of that great Queen, the timely Detection of the grand Design against her Life and Government must not be forgotten, tho it never came to the Decision of a Battel. Pius the fifth, who was resolved by all means to work her Ruine, in a furious kind of Zeal,* which by some is highly com∣mended, by his Declaratory Sentence deprives her of all her Dominions, absolves her Subjects from their Allegi∣ance, and puts her and her Adherents under an Anathema. These was one Ridolfi a Florentine Gentleman,* who had long resided at London upon pretence of Trade; to him he sends to prosecute his Business diligently, and stir up all the discontented Spirits of the Kingdom against her; which he did with great Industry, and too much Effect. Spain is heartily engaged in the Plot, and the Duke of Norfolk, a Person highly favoured by the People, is con∣stituted Head of the Holy Conspiracy, as some of them call it.* Pius is so heartily bent upon the Execution of the Design, that besides large Sums of Money already re∣mitted, he promises, if need were, to pawn all that the Apostolick See was worth, Chalices, Crosses, and the very Cloaths to his Back; nay, to come himself in Per∣son into England too: A very unusual, Kindness, and such an Honour as never had been done this Nation be∣fore. But while the Matter was thus zealously carrying on, and all things in a readiness, and Philip and he had swallowed the whole Kingdom in Conceit, on a sudden all their Hopes are most unluckily dashed; the whole Treaty is unexpectedly discovered by an unknown Hand from beyond the Seas; the Duke is taken, and receives the ordinary and just Reward of a Traytor. How his Holiness was affected with this Miscarriage, may be ea∣sily guessed; the King of Spain lamented it mightily to Cardinal Alessandrino the Pope's Nephew; he thought Page  384there never was a neater, and better begun Plot in the World; and that the Queen might have been surprized with a few Men from Flanders, and the Business gone beyond Recovery, before the News could get into France. But the greater, and nearer the Danger was, the greater must her Happiness be that so narrowly es∣caped it.

I will only add to this the wonderful Success of Eigh∣ty Eight.* The Spaniards had all the Advantages ima∣ginable on their side; they exceeded us much both in the Bulk and Number of their Ships, and all manner of Naval Provisions; they prided themselves in the Mul∣titude, Experience and Hardiness of their Souldi∣ers. But yet when their Invincible Armada, as they vainly called it, came to be engaged, they are worsted by the English in several Encounters, and at length af∣ter the loss of many of their principal Vessels of War, and a great slaughter of Men, they are forced to fly, and take their Course through the rough Northern Seas, at a very unseasonable time of the Year, where many more perish by Tempest. And when the poor Remains of this Mighty Fleet were arrived at last shattered and torn on the Coast of Spain, many of those that had esca∣ped the fury of the Waves, and the Shot of the Enemy, are taken away by a great Mortality, (occasioned pro∣bably, * by Grief, or Shame, or the Hardships they en∣dured in this miserable Expedition) almost as soon as they were come a-Shoar; in nothing more fortunate than their Companions, that had been buried in the O∣cean, but only that they found a Grave in their own Countrey. Cardinal Bentivoglio having given a full Relation of the whole Matter, reflects very sensibly up∣on it, and tells us that there have been few other Designs that were ever longer in the projecting, few carried on with Page  385greater Preparations, and it may be not any after all more unhappy in the Execution. Historians of all sides are perfectly agreed as to the Event. But those that are unwilling to give the English Valour and Conduct any part of its just Commendation, impute the Victory to the Winds and Weather only, and it is readily granted that the Catholick Armada suffered very much by them. But that, and the Death of Sancta Cruz, and some o∣ther Occurrences that might be named, are an undenia∣ble Argument that the Divine Providence appeared vi∣sibly for the preservation of the Protestant Religion. For this was looked upon as a Holy War, and many offered themselves to serve in it upon that account. Sixtus Quintus then Pope promoted it vigorously, and talked or paying vast Sums of Money towards it; but all the Importunity that could be used, could never persuade him to part with one Farthing by way of Advance. Yet, to shew his Good Will, he as∣sisted very freely in another way. He renewed the Sentence his Predecessours had passed against the Queen, deposed her from her Royal Dignity and Estate, cursed Her, and all that should dare to be obedient unto her, and very kindly gave away all her Domi∣nions at once. And in Prosecution of his noble De∣signs, he sent Dr. Allen a Cardinal's Cap, and intended to make him his Legat here in England to settle all, and reconcile the Nation to the Church of Rome. These things were so well known, that Strada the Jesuit, after a Narrative of this lamentable Over∣throw, for fear it should be made use of to the disad∣vantage of his Catholick Cause, as if Almighty God had manifestly favoured the Hereticks, in the conclu∣sion of all, effectually confutes this last Note of Bel∣larmin's. Page  386For when he had intimated what an Un∣happiness 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 most lovingly designed;* he tells us that the English could not therefore boast they were the more Holy, because they had been the more Fortunate: unless perhaps they should think the Misbelief of the Saracens and Turks were to be preferred before the Christian Religion, because in many successful En∣gagements, they had often defeated the Forces, which the Christians had with much labour brought together. To this we willingly agree, and are glad that our Cause does not stand in need of such weak Supports. But then if good Success will not be allowed to make for us, when it is on our Side; there can be no reason it should be brought as an Argument against us, when it happens to be on Theirs.

After this it would be superfluous to reckon up any more of Queen Elizabeth's Felicities; he that would undertake to recount them all, must write the History of her Reign. And whoever is acquainted with that, will find it true what Anne D'est Dutchess of Guise and Nemours (to whose House the Queen had been no Friend) was wont ingenuously to acknowledg, That she was the most Glorious and Fortunate Woman that ever swayed a Scepter.* This Testimony which was given her by so great a Person, that could not possibly be suspected of Flattery, is very considerable; but the Character that was bestowed upon her by King James the First, some time before he succeeded her in the Throne, is greater than this, and more to be valued, because of the Impartiality, and Wisdom of the Royal Author. His Words concerning her are these: Page  387There is a LAWFƲL QƲEEN there [in England] presently reigning,* who hath so long with so great Wis∣dom and Felicity governed her Kingdoms, as (I must in trew Sincerity confess) the like hath not been read nor heard, either in our Time, or since the Days of the Roman Emperour Augustus. The Authority of so great and wise a Prince may be enough not only to secure her Memory from the malicious Attempts of envious trifling Pens, but to put the Happiness and Prospe∣rity of her Government out of question. And if Bel∣larmin's Note of Temporal Felicity might be suffered to take place, her Example alone would be sufficient to prove the Church of England the true Church; and the Imputations of Heresy and Schism, which are wont to be urged with so much Clamour, must by Consequence be retorted upon His.

But I hope I have shewed that this can be no Note; that if it were, the Instances he has brought do not prove what he would have; and that others, may be pleaded as plausibly for the contrary side. And indeed any that considers it must needs won∣der, that the Cardinal's Mind should be so blinded with Worldly Success, and Greatness, or whatever it were, as to cause him in the last Place, where we might have expected his greatest Strength, to put in such a frivolous Note, that may be easily turned a thousand several ways; that will fit the Alcoran; as well as the Council of Trent; and at best makes his Church altogether as various; and un∣certain, as the Fortune of War.

I should here have made an end, but that I have met with a late Writer that undertakes to shew the Ʋse and great Moment of the Notes of the Church, &c. And he tells us, that Cardinal Bellarmine (after others) hath,* to very good purpose, lent his helping Hand, to shew us the City on a Hill, and hath given us Marks which one would think carry Majesty in their Faces. And a while after he imagines that the Author of the Discourse con∣cerning the Notes of the Church,* durst not let them pass by us in their Majestick Train, lest his Reader with Saba's Queen should be daz'led at the Glory, transported, as she was, that there was no Life in her. For, says he, they seem to a single, not malignant Eye, even triumphant Notes of the militant Church. And then he leads them out in great State,* as he thinks. As first; Let me have leave to reckon them: Ay, with all my Heart; well then: The Name Catholick, how sacred to all those who own any of the three Creeds really and veritably! The Se∣cond, its Antiquity: How indubitable, and above all sus∣pition of Novelty! And so he goes on, and shews them all in good Order, till he comes to the three last, and there he draws the Curtain, as if he were afraid any Body should see their Majestick Faces.* To say no∣thing concerning the Confession of Adversaries, and un∣happy Exit of the Churches Enemies. Here are two of the Number, which he does but just give us a little glimpse of, and then pops 'em away pre∣sently out of sight. But poor Temporal Felicity is served worst of all; it has not the Honour to be so much as named, he has not bestowed one Syllable upon it; though I take it to be as Trium∣phant a Note, as any of the rest. But for all that, it Page  389was cunningly done to drop it; for he could not choose but be aware that the Hereticks might sometimes pre∣tend to a share of it. Now when he had given us such a view of the Majestick Train, as he thought fit, he concludes the Paragraph with an artificial E∣piphonema, adorned with a very Pathetical Ingemina∣tion: These, These are the NOTES, which (like a Bill in Parliament) deserve (what?) a second Reading. Parturiunt Montes: O the virtue of Butler's Rheto∣rick! But really I am afraid that These, These NOTES, These Triumphant NOTES, as they are by him drawn up, would be so far from being thought worthy of a second Reading, that they would certainly be thrown out of the House. However I have look'd steadily upon them, more than once, as they are represented by him, and as they are laid down in the Cardinal's Original; and I have not yet been able to discover the Majesty one would think they carry in their Faces; but in my Opinion some of their Faces would have been a great deal better, if they had had any Fore∣heads. I have carefully beheld their Majestick Train in its full length, and yet never fell in a Swoon, with Sa∣ba's Queen; nay, I have not had so much as the least Qualm of Fear or Admiration upon me; and my Eyes were so 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∣sure them very hardly for it; and think they are a sort of malignant Cavaleerish Eyes. I can't help that: but whatever Eyes they be, since I have been able to hold them open so long against the glaring ima∣ginary Splendor of These, These Triumphant NOTES, I will venture to draw out the whole Train once Page  390more, and give a little Remark upon every one of them, as they pass by.

1. The Name of Catholick: This is a Note which may be easily usurped by every bold Pretender; but till it can be proved that it is joyned with the Pro∣fession of the true Faith, the Name alone is nothing but an empty and insignificant Sound.

2. Antiquity: I shall not here mention the Anti∣quity of some Errors, nor that there were many Churches in the World before there was any at Rome; but will freely confess that that had been ancient e∣nough, if it had preserved that Doctrine in its Pu∣rity, which it received at the first. But it is well known, that the Additions she has made unto that concerning Infallibility, Images, Purgatory, and the like, cannot be pretended to be of Antient and A∣postolical Tradition. Nay many of their present Tenents were never declared necessary till the last Age; and the Church of Rome, as it is now con∣stituted, can be esteemed no older than the Council of Trent; that is, about fourty Years younger than the Reformation.

3. Duration: By this the Cardinal would per∣swade us, that his true Church has been from the Beginning, and shall continue to the End of Chri∣stianity: The first we deny; the second can never be proved till the Day of Judgment. We are sure 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 Page  391become of the Duration they boast of, if they should ever reform themselves from those Errors and A∣buses which have crept in among them; as has been often attempted, and a long time most earnestly desired by many of the best and most impartial of their own Communion? So that granting this to be a Note, it would make against them both ways. For what is past, we know what Alterati∣ons have been made by them; and they can ne∣ver be secured against 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 Christ's Flock was a little Flock;* and the number of the Names together were but about an hundred and twen∣ty. And afterwards the Arrian Heresy had almost overspread the Face of Christendom; insomuch that the whole World was thought to be against Atha∣nasius, and Athanasius against the whole World. Or should we let it pass 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 Christians of other Denominations.

5. Succession of Bishops. How far this may be ne∣cessary to the Being of a Church, I need not dis∣pute. But the uninterrupted Succession they of Rome are wont to glory in, is manifestly false: For be∣sides the long Vacances that have sometimes hap∣pened, and the many Schisms they have had, when two or more have pretended to the Papacy, and no Page  392Man could determine who had the Right, which must make it dubious; the confessed Hereticks that have possessed themselves of the Infallible Chair, must quite cut off, at least interrupt the Succession. 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 same.

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 Apostles. 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 Host, and ma∣ny other things which they now receive, are agree∣able to the Practice and Belief of that Primitive Church.

7. The Ʋnion of the Members among themselves, and with the Head. Of this they are continually making their Brags; but the many and violent Contentions that have often been betwixt the seve∣ral Pretenders to the Papal Dignity: and the end∣less Feuds and Animosities that are kept up amongst them about many Controverted Points, do sufficient∣ly declare that their Church has been rent and torn with Factions and Intestine Divisions, as much as any other Society. Or if they were as firmly Ʋni∣ted, as they pretend, it is no more than other Com∣binations of Men have been in known and wicked Errors.

8. Sanctity of Doctrine: For they generally assert, as the Cardinal does here, that the Roman Church maintains nothing that is False, either in Matter of Faith, or Manners. If they were able to prove this, there might be some Reason indeed that their Church should be esteemed the Mother and Mistress of all Churches, as she has been wont, of late, to stile her self. But since the Power of deposing Princes has been openly assumed, and frequently practised, and never yet condemned by any either Pope or Council; since the Doctrine of Aequivocation, and many other absurd and impious Opinions, are taught by their Casuists, and made use of by their Confessors, in directing the Consciences of their Pe∣nitents; and since these, and many more very dan∣gerous Errors, do not only escape without a Cen∣sure, but are approved of, and incouraged by their Governours; I do not see how they, and their Church can possibly be excused from the Guilt of them.

9. The Efficacy of Doctrine. Here we are told of the wonderful Success they have had in the Propa∣gation of their Faith, and the Conversions that have been made of whole Nations. And supposing it were as they say; yet Heresy and Infidelity has of∣ten had as great, and swift a Progress in the World, as any that their Doctrine can boast of; and considering the Pravity and Corruption of Human Nature, it is not strange, that the most gross and pernicious Errors should be more readily received, and spread themselves faster, than the most divine, and sacred Truths.

10. Holiness of Life. This is indeed the most real Commendation of a Christian; and I will not go about to rob them of the Glory of it. But then it cannot be denied, but meet Philosophers, and some of the Antient, and many of those whom they account Modern Hereticks, have been of a very strict and unblamable Conversation; and divers of their Popes, and other Ecclesiasticks of the greatest Emi∣nency of Place, have been very infamous for all sorts of Wickedness, and Debauchery; and their ve∣ry Religious Orders have been often complained of, for the neglect of their Discipline, and loosness of their Lives; as is abundantly testified by their own Authors.

11. The Glory of Miracles. These alone were never a Note of the true Church. And those extraordi∣nary Gifts which were bestowed at first, for the Con∣firmation of Christianity, we think they are ceased long ago. But we are forewarned of False Christs, and false Prophets,* which should shew great Signs and Wonders; which me-thinks should make a Church very careful how they made any pretension to Mi∣racles. But the Church of Rome is resolved to do it, and would fain perswade 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 Delusions; others altogether incredible, and but weakly attested, and wholly unworthy of the Seri∣ousness and Gravity of the Christian Religion; Page  395most of them said to be done in Corners, and are never to be seen, but among themselves: When they please to oblige us Protestants, with the sight of a few of them, they may then deserve to be farther considered; till that be done, they must give us leave to think, that their Church is redu∣ced to great Streights, when it shall stand in need of such slight Artifices, as these, to support it.

12. The Light of Prophecy. This, if they had it, can bring no more Advantage to their Cause, 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 still commanded to try the Spirits whether they are of God:* Because many false Prophets are gone out into the World.

13. The Confession of Adversaries: This, if the Cardinal's Instances were pertinent, would yet be but of little Consequence; for if some Protestants have spoken favourably of his Catholicks, some of his Catholicks have spoken favourably of Protestants. Or if we should be willing to hope well of some of them, as we are; and they should adjudge us every one to Eternal Damnation, as they generally do; this would be but an ill sign that their Church must therefore be the truer, because it is more Cen∣sorious, and Uncharitable than Ours.

14. The Ʋnhappy End of the Church's Enemies: A wise Man would be something afraid of passing this into a Note, before he was himself safe in his Grave. For all things come alike to all:* there is one Event to the Righteous, and to the Wicked. Many of the most Zealous Patrons of the Romish Persuasion, have met with as Tragical and Unfortunate Ends, as the most accursed Heretick that ever was devoured by Ver∣min, or burnt at a Stake.

15. Temporal Felicity. This may be placed in the same Rank with the former; it is altogether as va∣riable, and inconstant as that; no certain Judgment can be made upon it. They are not to learn that the Enemies of their Church have been often suc∣cessful: and that Victory has not always waited up∣on their Catholick Arms; no, not in their most 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 mustered up by the great Cardinal, it may appear to any unprejudiced Enquirer, that he has missed of his Aim: For that they are either no Notes of a Church at all, or not proper to that of Rome.

And now after the highest Pretences of an Infal∣lible Church, and the absolute Deference and Sub∣mission which they say is due unto it, any Man, that shall seriously consider the Matter, must needs wonder, they should have no surer means at last to Page  397find it out, than a few slight and improbable, nay some of them very vain, false, and extravagant Con∣jectures. The Protestants, whom they will not al∣low to be certain of any thing, have far better E∣vidences than these, and as good Assurances of the Truth of their Church as can be desired. For we think the True Faith, True Worship, and a Right Administration of the Sacraments do unquestionably make a True Church. These the Romanists them∣selves cannot deny to be the great and necessary Notes; and if the Controversy betwixt us come to be determined by these, it will soon appear which Communion we ought to prefer.

We make Profession of the whole Catholick Apo∣stolick 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 increased the number of the Ar∣ticles from Twelve to Four and Twenty; many of which were not so much as heard of in the First Ages, and never made necessary to be believed, till above fifteen hundred Years after the Publication of the Gospel.

We Worship Almighty God, and none but him; and unto him we Pray in a Language we under∣stand, through Jesus Christ our only Mediator, in whose Name when we ask, we are sure to be heard: They have a kind of Worship which they give to Saints and Images, which as to all External Acts of Adoration, is the very same they pay to God Page  398himself; and when their Addresses are directed un∣to Him, all their Publick Service is in an unknown Tongue; and they set up to themselves many Me∣diatours of Intercession, when they cannot tell whe∣ther they hear them; but it is most certain that God has never promised to hear them for their Sakes.

We receive the two Sacraments which Christ or∣dained in his Church, and administer them both in such 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 Transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of our Saviour; and suf∣fer the Laity to communicate but in one kind, robbing them of the Cup, contrary to the plain Institution, and express Command of our Blessed Lord.

And since we have the True Faith, True Wor∣ship, and the Sacraments rightly Administred, it is evident that we are not deficient in any thing that is necessary to the Constitution of a True Church. But They will never be able to prove themselves such 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 Presumption they thunder out their Ana∣thema's Page  399upon all Christendom besides, and confident∣ly condemn them for a Company of Heretical and Schismatical Conventicles. But they cannot justify that rash 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 Heresy; neither are we guilty of Schism, because we only Reformed those Errors and Corrup∣tions which they had introduced, and wanted not sufficient Authority for what was done. But if they are still absolutely resolved to stand to the Censure they have passed, and allow no True Church upon Earth, but their Own; it is not Cardinal Bellarmin's Fifteen Notes that will ever prove it.

ERRATA. Pag. 367. l. 3. for not r. most. P. 371. Marg. l. ult. for cap. 3. r. 13.

LONDON, Printed by J. D. for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1687.