Thomas Morton (bishop) - Works

Works

He gained a reputation as a Protestant controversialist, and published numerous works against Roman Catholicism, prominent among them being the Apologia catholica (1605) and A Catholicke Appeale (1609).

Morton's major works were:

• ‘Apologia Catholica, ex meris Jesuitarum contradictionibus conflata,’ &c., part 1, London . John Donne may have assisted him in this work.
• ‘An Exact Discoverie of Romish Doctrine in the case of Conspiracie and Rebellion,’ &c., 1605.
• ‘Apologiæ Catholicæ, in qua parodoxa, hæreses, blasphemiæ, scelera, quæ Jesuitæ et Pontificii alii Protestantibus impingunt, fere omnia, ex ipsorum Pontificiorum testimoniis apertis diluuntur, libri duo. De notis Ecclesiæ Editio castigatior,’ 2pts. London, 1606.
• ‘A Full Satisfaction concerning a Double Romish Iniquitie, hainous Rebellion, and more than heathenish Æquivocation. Containing three parts,’ London, 1606.
• ‘A Preamble unto an Incounter with P. R., the Author of the deceitfull Treatise of Mitigation: concerning the Romish Doctrine both in question of Rebellion and of Aequivocation,’ London, 1608.
• ‘A Catholic Appeal for Protestants, out of the Confessions of the Romane Doctors; particularly answering the mis-named Catholike Apologie for the Romane Faith, out of the Protestants ,’ London, 1610.
• A Direct Answer unto the scandalous Exceptions which T. Higgons hath lately objected against D. Morton . In which there is principally discussed two of the most notorious Objections used by the Romanists, viz.: (1) Martin Luther's Conference with the Divell; and (2) The Sence of the Article of Christ, His Discension into Hell (Animadversions), London, 1609. Against Theophilus Higgons. Higgons was writing at this time from a Catholic point of view; the work was an animadversion on a passage of his. Where Higgons argued that the Descensus controversy was more important than matter of clerical dress for which nonconformists were deprived, Morton argued that Catholic teaching on that matter was unclear, as based on scripture or patristics.
• ‘The Encounter against M. Parsons, by a Review of his last Sober Reckoning and his Exceptions urged in the Treatise of his Mitigation …,’ London, 1610.
• A Defence of the Innocencie of the Three Ceremonies of the Church of England, viz., the Surplice, Crosse after Baptisme, and Kneeling at the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament, London, 1618. This work arose out of Morton's diocesan dealings with Puritans, and in it Morton argued that deprivals of nonconforming clergy only took place for obstinate and public opposition to church doctrine over extended periods.William Hinde argued that the surplice was not Biblical, and that ceremonies should be matters indifferent. Robert Nicholls of Wrenbury had written a treatise against kneeling for Morton, printed later in 1660. Kneeling had formed one of the matters over which clergy of the diocese of Lincoln had petitioned the king in 1604 for change in the Book of Common Prayer in 1604; an abridged form of the petition was circulating in 1617 as a book printed covertly in Leiden by William Jones.
• ‘Causa Regia, sive De Authoritate et Dignitate principum Christianorum adversus R. Bellarminum,’ 1620.
• ‘The Grand Imposture of the (now) Church of Rome manifested in this one Article of the new Romane Creede, viz., “The Holy Catholike and Apostolike Romane Church, Mother and Mistresse of all other Churches, without which there is no salvation.” The second edition, revised … with … Additions,’ London, 1628.
• ‘Of the Institution of the Sacrament of the Blessed Bodie and Blood of Christ,’ &c., 2 pts., London, 1631; 2nd edit. ‘enlarged … with particular answers,’ London, 1635
• ‘A Discharge of Five Imputations of Mis-Allegations falsely charged upon the Bishop of Duresme by an English Baron (Arundell of Wardour),’ London, 1633.
• ‘Sacris ordinibus non rite initiati tenentur ad eos ritus ineundos. Non datur purgatorium Pontificium aut Platonicum’ (in verse), Cambridge, 1633.
• ‘Antidotum adversus Ecclesiæ Romanæ de merito proprie dicto ex condigno venenum,’ Cantabr. 1637.
• ‘De Eucharistia Controversiæ Decisio,’ Cantabr. 1640.
• ‘The Opinion of … T. Morton … concerning the peace of the Church,’ 1641; a Latin version appeared in 1688.
• ‘The Necessity of Christian Subjection demonstrated … Also a Tract intituled “Christus Dei,”’ &c., 1643; posthumously printed.
• ‘Ezekiel's Wheels: a Treatise concerning Divine Providence,’ London, 1653.
• ‘Episkopos Apostolikos, or the Episcopacy of the Church of England justified to be Apostolical. … Before which is prefixed a preface … by Sir H. Yelverton,’ London, 1670.

Other works of the 1590s which have been ascribed to this Thomas Morton were the works of another Thomas Morton, of Berwick and Christ's College, Cambridge.