Inquiry into Grounds for the Infallibility of the Pope and Church of Rome, Title page – Dedication
A Brief ENQUIRY INTO THE Grounds and Reaſons, Whereupon the INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE and CHVRCH OF ROME Is ſaid to be Founded.
By Edward Bagſhawe St. of Ch. Church.
Luk. 19. Why do you not of your ſelves judge … is right?
Eph. 5. Let no Man deceive you with … words.
LONDON, Printed by A.M. and are to be ſold by the Book ….
To the Right Honourable the Earl of ANGLESEY, one of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Councell.
Right Honourable,
I Believe your Lordſhip in your Search and Survey of the Myſteries of Providence, with which you entertain your Privacy, have often with great amazement conſidered, how many ſtrange and admirable Effects, do daily proceed from ſmall and ignoble Cauſes; for not only Thunder, Rain, Lightning, and other common Phaenomena, which do aſtoniſh the World, have their whole Make and Compoſition, from a ſeemingly caſuall and undeſigned Concourſe, of Light and Fleeting Clouds; but likewiſe largeſt Rivers are fed by ſecret and concealed Springs; and the World it ſelf, if traced and reſolved into its moſt viſible Originall, is framed of Atomes; and the Earth, which is vulgarly conceived to be the Baſis and Center of the Univerſe, is, as God himſelf is pleaſed to expreſs it, hung upon Nothing; and yet, by that Almighty Hand which fixed it, it is made ſtable and firm enough, to endure unmoved all that Hurry and Variety of Mutation, wherewith the rolling Motion of the Heavens, do daily threaten it.
What wonder your Lordſhips Contemplation, hath begot in viewing the Works of Nature, I doubt not but hath been continued, when you deſcended from them to behold the Works of Art; eſpecially the Civil Policies of States and Kingdomes; in which, as your Lordſhip hath been alwayes moſt knowingly converſant, ſo you can from the deepeſt and beſt grounded Experience evince, that though Earthly Empires, (I mean ſuch as are not guided by Chriſtian and truly-Religious Principles) have an Outward Semblance of a Subſtantiall and Laſting Greatneſs, yet the Baſis which doth ſupport the whole Politicall Frame, is but ſome State-trick or other, ſome little Expedients found out to amuſe the Vulgar, whoſe Folly muſt be pleaſed, or elſe they will never be governed.
But how far the Wit of man, can advance it ſelf, to imitate the Works of God, even thoſe of a Creative Power, the making Something out of Nothing, is in no Policy more diſcernible, than in that deep and wiſe contrivance of ſubtle men, the Papacy; the Body of which hath a pleaſing Aſpect, and is ſet out with a very ſpecious Gloſs; all the Parts do ſeem extreamly well-proportioned; there is a ſtrange Linking and Confederacy of all its Principles; and to the Eye of a Superficiall Beholder, it preſents nothing but a beautifull and comely Outſide. But if any be ſo curious, as to look beyond its Varniſh and firſt Appearance; ſhould we pry into the Foundation of this Goodly Structure, we ſhall find it, like the Iſland of Delos, alwayes Floating; or rather, like the Earth, to hang upon nothing; For the Pope's Infallibility, or the Churches Authority, or ſome ſuch fond Chimera, is all the Baſis which doth under-prop this Building. Things that are ſo confidently aſſerted, and yet upon triall ſo ſhamefully begged, that were not the world, in Gods juſt Judgement, given over to a vicious and Lazy Credulity, all that is built upon ſuch thin and empty Fallacies would not ſubſiſt one moment; but for the preſent, the Arts of planting a devout Ignorance, have ſo farre prevailed, that the world doth hugge its Bondage; and men finding a great deal of eaſe in being quietly deceived, they are content to worſhip the Beaſt, and are angry that any ſhould fright them from embracing a Religion, which hath made the way to Heaven ſo very plaine and eaſie, that, whatſoever becomes of the Seeing, they that are Blind enough ſhall be ſure never to miſſe of it.
It is now, My Lord, ſome ſcores of Yeares ſince we of this Nation have by Scripture-Light diſcovered all the Frauds and Cheats of this Miſtery of Iniquity; and yet it ſeems all mens eyes are not opened, for ſome of late have pleaded for Popery, and for that which is the chief Bulwark of it, the Popes Authority, with as good a grace (if Railing and needleſſe Rhetorick may deſerve that name) as if they had never been anſwered. Ruſhworth Dial. 1.One in his great heat of zeal, or ſomething worth, doth tell us, That Queſtions about the Popes Authority over Biſhops, of Biſhops over Prieſts, and of Prieſts over the Laity, are of no ſmall moment. But he that goes about to destroy this Hierarchy, aimeth at nothing leſse then an Utter overthrow of Religion. Which are but Bellarmines words in Engliſh, Bellar. Praef.and, if in ſtead of the word Religion they had ſaid Popery, they had ſpoke nothing but the Truth, ſince that is bottomed onelyonly in the Popes Authority. Fiat Lux—dedicated to the Counteſs of Arundell, and twice Printed.Which a late nameleſſe Author ſo farre cryes up, that he ventures to ſpeake words, which no ſober man would owne. In my Judgement, ſaith he, Chriſt our Lord hath no leſſe ſhowne his Divinity and Power, in the Pope, than in himſelf. And again, All things conſidered I may truly ſay that Chriſt in the Pope and Church, Pag. 376, 377, &c.is more miraculous than in his own Perſon. And yet farther, as if thoſe expreſſions were too modeſt Blaſphemy, and not barefaced enough, he goes on, The firſt great Fundamentall of Chriſtian Religion, which is the Truth and Divinity of Chriſt, had it not been for the Pope, had failed long agoe in the world. Whereupon enlarging himſelfe, he addes whence I may truly ſay, that Chriſt is the Popes God, for if the Pope had not been, and proved ſo reſolute an Aſſertour, Chriſt had not been taken for any ſuch perſon as he is believed this day. And ſo in a boaſte concludes, This I will boldly ſay and am aſſured of, that if the Pope be not an Unerring Guide in affaires of Religion, all is loſt. For a man once rid of the Controll of his Authority, may as eaſily deride and as ſolidly confute the Incarnation, as the ſprinkling of Holy-water, nor could the reaſon of the world confute them. While I relate ſuch kind of Paſſages as theſe which I tremble to mention, I hope your Lordſhip will pardon my zeal, if I complaine a little, that Treatiſes of a farre more innocent Nature, are ſharply cenſured, while theſe open Impieties doe ſcape unpuniſhed; as if our Lawes were keen onelyonly againſt the Aſſerters of Chriſtian Liberty, but had no edge at all againſt the Broachers of Antichriſtian Blaſphemy.
Since then the Pope's Infallibility, is that Name of Blaſphemy, which makes all its Patrons ſo bold and Irreligious; ſince that is the Bottomleſſe Pit, out of which all this Deadly ſmoke doth iſſue: I have here, according to your Lordſhips commands, endeavoured to ſhow the Vanity and Ridiculouſneſſe, as well as Impiety of that opinion. In which if I have not anſwered your Lordſhips expectation, as to the exactneſſe of my ſtile and ſtrict manner of my Reaſoning, I ſhall not wonder: ſince no Induſtry of mine can be ſufficient to ſatisfie your Lordſhips accurate and unequalled ability in Judging: But if I have ſhowed my diligence, and left no Argument unanſwered, how plainly and inelegantly ſoever, I hope then your Lordſhip will let my willingneſſe to obey, compound for the failings in my Obedience; ſince, if the Enemy be killed, it is all one, as to the truth of the Victory, whether it was done by a Rough Stone, or by a Poliſhed Sword; nor was David's conqueſt the leſſe eſteemed, becauſe he vanquiſhed Goliah onelyonly with a ſling.
And now, My Lord, before I conclude, I ſhould crave leave to tell the world, how Good, as well as how Great, you are. I ſhould borrow ſo much Language from Common Fame, and the Generall Voice as to declare that for Wiſdome, to Direct; for Eloquence, to Expreſſe; for Diligence, to Execute; very few equall, and none exceed your Lordſhip. But ſince what is truth in it ſelf, and would be Juſtice in others, in me, becauſe of my Relation, may be eſteemed flattery; I ſhall turne my Praiſes of, into Prayers for you, that your Lordſhip may be alwayes fixed upon the Rocke of Ages, and in all your walkings acknowledg that God, who onelyonly is Infallible; That Chriſtianity may ever ſteere your actions, and all your other Politicall and Morall excellencies may ſtill vail and doe Homage unto a knowing Piety; that with your truly Religious and Excellent Lady, together with your moſt Hopefull and Virtuous Children, you may be long preſerved a Good and Great Example, is and ſhall be the conſtant Prayer of
My Lord, Your Lordſhips moſt Obliged and moſt Obedient Servant and Chaplain Edward Bagſhawe. Drury-Lane April 19th. 1662.