The Safe Way Leading All Christians, Section 16
Sect. 16. Our Aduerſaries obiection drawne from the Teſtimomonies of pretended Martyrs of their Religion: anſwered.
BVt obſerue the cunning and policie of theſe men, they are not contented to claime an intereſt in all ancient and orthodoxe Authors, in behalfe of their Church, but they would ſeeme to confirme the truth of their doctrine by the ſufferings of Saints, and teſtimonies of holy Martyrs.Camp. Rat. 10 Let vsus aſcend into Heauen by imagination (ſaith Campian) and there we ſhall find ſuch as through martyrdome are as ruddie as the Roſe, and alſo ſuch as for their innocencie while they liued, do gliſter as beautifully as the white Lillies, there may we ſee three and thirtie Biſhops of Rome, which for their faith were immediatly murdered one after another. Thou ſhalt find that they liued here, and dyed members of the Catholike Church. I confeſſe the name of Martyrdome carries ſome ſhew in honor of the Church of Rome, but the truth being weighed in the ballance of ſinceritie, it will appeare but a braggeful of froth & vaine glorie; for if thoſe Martyrs and Biſhops neither ſuffered for that faith at the time of their deaths, nor in all their liues receiued that faith which is now publiſhed with Anathema to all them that beleeue it not: ſurely thoſe Saints and Martyrs will neuer bee found to hauehave liued and died members of their Church, although they died Martyrs in the ancient Romane Church. Let vsus examine ſome particulars: did euer any Martyr die vponupon confidence of his owne merits? or dare any Romaniſt ſuffer death in iuſtification of his owne righteouſneſſe? was there any of thoſe three and thirtie Biſhops canonized a Saint for his adoration giuen to Images? Did euer any Martyr take it vpō his death, or dare any Romiſh prieſt die vponupon this confidence, that he hath abſolute power to remit ſinnes, to diſpenſe with oaths, to create in the Sacrament the Creator of heauen and earth? Did euer any ancient Martyr teach that the Scripture was vnperfect, without the helpe of Traditions, or dare any Romaniſt take it vponupon his death, that all the vnwritten verities now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome, are of equall authoritie with the Scripture? Did euer any Martyr take it vponupon his death, or dare any Romiſh Prieſt die vponupon confidence, that the conſecrated bread depending vponupon the Intention of the Prieſt, is the corporall and reall fleſh of Chriſt? It was the caſe of certaine Maſſe prieſts, now or lately liuing, and in particular of F. Garnet, who beeing demanded whether if hee were to conſecrate the Sacramēt that morning he ſhould ſuffer death, durſt after conſecration pronounce openly ouer the Cup:B. Andrewes reſp. ad Apolog Bellar. …. 1 p. 7. If this wine in the Cup whoſe accidents you ſee, bee not the very bloud of Chriſt, which flowed from his ſide as he hung vponupon the croſſe, let mee hauehave no part either in the bloud of Chriſt, or with Chriſt hereafter. F. Garnet as a man perplexed made anſwer, It might iuſtly bee doubted, neither did he conceiue that any one was bound raſhly to endanger his ſaluation by aſſuming vponupon his death, that any Indiuiduall Prieſt at a time certaine did tranſubſtantiat the bread into the bodie of Chriſt, but peraduenture in generall and indefinitely (ſaith he) it may bee reſolued that Tranſubſtantiation is made: Ab aliquo, Alicubi, Aliquandò: By ſome Prieſt, in ſome place, at ſometime. And as concerning the Saints and Martyrs of the ancient Church, it is vndoubtedly true, that they could not die in that faith, nor for that Religion which was altogether vnknowne to their Church: The doctrine of Priuate Maſſe, the Communion in one kinde, the Prayer in an vnknowne tongue, the works of Supererogation, the peremptorie number of ſeuen Sacraments, the power of Indulgences, the worſhip of Images and the like; theſe are fundamentall points, and moſt of them taught and receiued for Articles of faith, yet by our Aduerſaries manifold confeſſions were vnknowne to former ages, and how thoſe Biſhops and Martyrs could ſuffer and die in that faith, which was not receiued in the ancient Church, is a miſterie vnſearchable and a Martyrdome paſt finding out.
Thus our aduerſaries hauehave compaſſed ſea & land, and by Imagination aſcended into Heauen to ſeeke for members of their Church, yet their doctrine of faith which they claime from the Primitiue Church, is but an Imaginary faith, their Martyrs which they challenge and aſſume into the Catalogue of thoſe Saints, are but Imaginarie perſons: their Miracles which they ſo much magnifie, are but Imaginarie and falſe; and laſtly, the Heauen which they claime as a common appendant to their Church, is the Ieſuites heauen but by Imagination.