go and whither would you have me go Can I look on those People without Pitty who know not what they say when they either pray or sing But above all Can I see so many poor miserable Women who have never done and who believe God is only pleas'd with Numbers and Repetitions Can I without Horror take Notice of their Beads and Altars dedicated to any other than the Holy of Holies where the Creature is placed in the Room of the Creator Can I see on the high Altar that which is called the Blessed Sacrament an ineffectual Object an insignificant Sign Bread which is neither broke given or receiv'd by any one that represents neither the breaking of the Body or the shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ and which is nothing less than the Sacrament Would you have me go every day to observe sacrificing Priests that cannot tell you themselves what they sacrifice and of the Supper of the Lord make a Show only Sometimes they speak with a loud Voice and yet not to be understood and sometimes so foftly and pronounce such Mysterious and Sacred Words that 't is not permitted to those who are by tho' never so devout to hear what is said lest they prophane it They turn to the right hand and to the left in Imitation of what the Heathens called Vertigines and from whence they expect to procure some efficacious and admirable Vertue This is the highest pitch of Superstition They elevate what they hold in their hands to make it adored to which they attribute the Names of God of the Host of the Body of our Lord and of the Sacrament and all these if we may believe them are consistent together without any Contradiction Sure these Men must be of a very easie Belief to imagine that that which they make with their own hands and which they consecrate should be made the God who made them Then not considering that the Supper ought to be a common Meal and therefore must have Company at it or without having Consideration of that Passage which says Stay one for another the Priest for the most part eats alone and sometimes gives it only to some particular Person which from Abuse and Custom they forbear not to call the Communion What is yet worse the taking away of the Cup which cannot upon any Account more at one time than another be justified and that evident Reason of it's Concomitancy tacitly accuse our Saviour of not having well thought what he did do correct or rather violate his Ordinance and so add Sacriledge to Blasphemy Moreover those who have but an ordinary Tincture of Humane Learning very well know from what Invention from what Source have flow'd their Holy Waters some fix'd others running or carryed about Their Ensignes their lighted Tapers at Noon-day their Images of Saints I had almost said Gods To conclude all their Feasts their Processions their shorn crown'd Heads their pontifical Ornaments their pompous Ceremonies that make the Cross of Jesus Christ of no effect do sufficiently of themselves prove that they preserve nothing of the Plainness or Simplicity of the Gospel The principal Heads of the Church of Rome in this truly Universal have been afraid to omit any one single Act of the Religions of this World as if God needed to borrow even from his Enemies new Inventions or other Methods to procure greater Honour to himself Thus Paganism is not quite abolish'd and we may say that there are yet such Remains of Superstition and Idolatry that the Heathens even now do triumph in some Measure over the Christians Here we find nothing pure or compleat nothing that bears any Marks of the first Institution every thing is chang'd and corrupted and to use their own terms there seems to have been in all things a universal Transubstantiation But what would become of the Mystery of Iniquity that was set on Work from the time of St. Paul 2 Thessâ—… 7. and by what would Believers know it if it had not the Marks of Infidels All these Alterations have come to pass for the Promotion of that Kingdom or rather that King who advances himself above all others and who only use the Name of God to authorize his own Laws against those of God himself 'T is with the Head of this Church as with the Church he governs 't is but warily observing him and we may be undeceiv'd He is elected only by political Intrigues and Briberies and his Government is but a Trade for under it Sins are taxed and Pardons to be sold He sets himself up as the absolute Judge of Divine as well as Humane things of the Living as the Dead and disposes even as he pleases of our very Souls sending some to Hell and others to Paradise He bestows on some Ecclesiasticks in great Employments Titles of Vanity and Pride and canonizes only such who defend his Tyranny and Usurpation What a Successor is this of St. Peter How does he imitate Jesus Christ What a Vicar is he to subvert all the Orders of his Lord and who turns his Poverty his Humility and Sufferings into Riches Pomp and Pleasures Yet he has the Multitude on his side the Arm of Flesh and for a Time he is even impower'd to contend against the Saints and overcome ' em These are Ills scarce to be remedy'd because esteem'd Vertues and in which many find all the Conveniences imaginable With these are Hypocrites the Ambitious and Covetous pleas'd and all such who are byass'd by Interest These are agreeable to the timerous the weak the brutish the stupid and to all those who are harden'd by Custom The Antiquity of these Errors is sufficient to make 'em valu'd as Sacred Laws in the Opinion of the Vulgar Even many of the Fathers by suiting themselves too much to the present time and not fore-seeing what might come to pass have confirm'd 'em by conniving at ' em To cite their Testimony on this Account is not to defend our own Cause but accuse theirs 't is to have Recourse to Authority for want of Reason They themselves owâ—… that they are not infallible and in this matter that their best Thoughts are very imperfect if not altogether consonant to the Scripture The Doctrine of the true Church is purely Canonical Divine and not to be authoriz'd by that which is not so These famous Preachers which you desire so much I should hear are Accessories to all these Abuses and deal very unfairly unless they undeceive the People There is no Religion but may be eloquently discoursâ—… nay there are those which preach up Moâ—…y admirably well but we may say of Eloquence as of Beauty that 't is a gift of Heaven bestow'd as well on the Wicked as the Good The Business of the greatest part of 'em is indeed to set forth themselves and to procure some spiritual Preferments which now exceed the Secular Is it to preach Jesus Christ to conceal the â—…ost important and chief part of his Commands
the external Profession which taking up either from their Birth or Custom they easily forsake what their perverse Humours forbid 'em to love or know and if they have been initiated in good Principles they end in bad ones Thus the Purity of the Gospel in whatever Town or Province it has been received has scarce proceeded to the third Generation and the Apostles themselves lived only in those Churches they founded Errour insensibly creeping into the place of Truth God already threatned them to extinguish their-Light or to transfer it letting 'em see that Faith was not a particular Priviledge to one Place Family or People and that the Church being Catholick could not be subjected to the Power of one King or the Government of one Priest It is in vain Men pretend to settle a durable State or find a lasting Sovereign good in this Life they cannot long endure even Prosperity it self and the alone way to ruine 'em is to grant 'em even their own Desires If our first Parents placed in Innocence amidst the Fruit and Flowers of a delightful Garden could not withstand the Persuasions of the Evil Spirit though he took on him only the form of a Serpent and offer'd 'em but an Apple to tempt 'em how then shall they who are Sinners by Nature resist him when he appears as an Angel of Light and offers them all the Advantages they can possibly desire 'T is certain that the Devil for the most part does seduce men by a Paradise of Pleasures to cast 'em into the bottomless Abyss of Hell and 't is by a Hell of Pains and Afflictions that God does usually try men to exalt 'em to the Glory of Paradise Riches are of so great Disadvantage to their Possessors that they keep 'em as a weighty Burthen from ascending to Heaven They are so incoherent with the Profession of the Gospel that he who had the Command of all and could have employ'd 'em without Abuse voluntarily makes himself poor to procure us eternal Salvation and to make us rich by his Poverty In effect what History asserts is acknowledg'd by all good men that the great Presents of Emperours and the vast Gifts of Lords and Ladies have been the most dangerous and fatal Poyson that could have been spread in the Church for from hence Piety began to grow cold and to yield to the Business of the Age and all Christian Vertues were soon stifled by Luxury and Abundance These Benefactors who are so highly magnifyed do sufficiently prove that they were unacquainted with the Will of Jesus Christ and with the Calling of his Ministers since they bestow on 'em such mighty temporal Riches as to make 'em Sharers of the Kingdom of this World Wealth on a sudden encreasing so much made those who were true Believers plainly foresee that none but the ambitious and covetous none but ill men would be advanc'd to Preferment in the Church and that it would be brought to the unhappy Extremity of being govern'd only by it's Enemies Since then I know not by what Permission of Heaven Corruption has been so rife that the Ecclesiasticks are become worse than Seculars They have receiv'd their Authority from men which they ought to have had alone from God in so religious a Profession and if they have been concern'd in spiritual Affairs it has been rather to command than serve to raise themselves to great Honours and to make themselves Bishops over the rest of Bishops They have imitated him who not satisfy'd with the Joys of his Fellow-Angels boldly aspired to the utmost height of Pride saying in his Heart I will raise my Throne above the Stars and shall be made like to the Almighty Instead of a due Observation of that Worship and Service God himself has appointed they have despis'd it's Simplicity affecting Pomp and Bravery in their Devotions and as they say themselves sanctifying the Ceremonies of Paganism by introducing of 'em into the Church Not being able to endure the Purity of Doctrine without altering and disguising of it into a thousand Shapes they have to this purpose made choice of Preachers after their own fashion who raising nice and scrupulous Questions have understood 'em as little as their Hearers and whatever Colour of Sense they may bear being pronounc'd in elegant and florid Words they both seem equally satisfy'd We have seen that poor Worms just risen from the Dust and ready to return thither again have insolently taken upon them the Title of Gods and commanded the very Angels as their Guards and have dispos'd of Heaven and Hell at their Pleasure as of their Estates But what likelyhood is there that those who are rais'd only by Corruptions by Bribery by Threats Promises or private Bargains should be the infallible Dispensers of God's Will and Judges of Men's Faith What Patience would not be tyred to see those who are alone guided by the Spirit of Interest who make the Church an House of Trade and Den of Thieves transported to such heights of Impiety as to make the Holy Ghost an Accomplice of all their Crimes Their Pretences of having Power in Heaven makes 'em seem to affect less the Good of the Earth that we may believe that the Divine Authority and theirs are equal But as they are Lyons in Cruelty so are they Horse-leeches for Covetousness being always finding out new Methods of laying numberless Impositions on the People For to pass by their several Excommunications Injunctions transferring of Causes and Exactions under pretence of War against the Enemies of Christianity there is no end of their first Fruits Bulls Indulgences Canons Cases of Conscience Pardons for Faults and Penances and superabundant Satisfactions All these Inventions make Sins venial so far as they are vendible for they set to sale their Prayers Sacrifices and prostitute even Heaven and God himself so that he that offers most has the Bargain Horrid Inventions that transform Simon Peter into Simon Magus who make as much as in their Power Jesus Christ a Tyrant and his Apostles Mercenary Hucksters What Divinity That those who are but able to pay for it shall in a Moment be deliver'd from the Torments of Hell at least from those of Purgatory tho' the Sins they have committed are never so enormous whilst others remain there thousands of Years unless perchance Poverty either voluntary or forc'd or Fastings even to the murdering of themselves or some other sort of Severities of Nakedness or whipping do redeem ' em But besides this spiritual Merchandize and exposing things sacred to Sale by what divine Inspiration do they absolve Subjects of their Oaths of Fidelity and dispense with their Allegiance to their lawful Princes whom they endeavour rather to terrifie than reform and that dreadful Inquisition which renders 'em deaf to the just Remonstrances of those who breath after Reformation only is it an Imitation of the Meekness and Clemency of Jesus Christ or of the barbarous Cruelty of Herod who put to Death so many Innocents
they at least so act that their Idolatry be not apparent But if you press this Argument home upon 'em you touch 'em to the Quick you discover the Poyson within 'em and so far provoke 'em that they 'll not suffer you to say more and thus do they discover their Hypocrisie 'T is not say they a hundred Years since you were not at all you are Schismaticks Why did you forsake the Church But besotted as they are they should add to this You will not worship what is elevated on the Altar or believe that God can be made of a little Morsel of Bread You will not prostrate your selves before the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven or in Earth and you are scandaliz'd that the People pay such a submissive Respect to Images and Reliques with Songs of Praise and Devotion You presume so far as fully to receive the Sacrament in both kinds as Jesus Christ has instituted and will not be contented with that part only the Church allows you You will understand the Scriptures the Prayers you make to God and all the religious Service you are obliged to render to him In a word you will not submit to the Authority of the Learned after the Example of Princes and Governours or be enslaved either by Tradition or Custom Certainly they believe Religion does principally consist in the Succession of Persons and not in the Doctrine of the Gospel I can only say of 'em that they own the Truth but by bare Humane Reason that they are zealous neither for one Party or other but close with that which is most to their Advantage not considering that the Scripture does condemn the Luke-warm as well as Murderers and Adulterers I am obliged here to confess my own Weakness in accusing theirs and to acknowledge that I sometimes look on 'em with Pity at others with Anger and then with Indifference but I cannot think on such who have forsaken the Faith without Horror as being the worst of men the lively Images of the first and chief Apostate These men betray their very Brethren sell their Religion are a Scandal to the whole World making it more their Business to enrich than to save themselves Give 'em the Purse and they 'll continue with you as Judas who foresaw not as these that in selling his Master he bought his own Despair Having never had any real Inclinations to the gain of Knowledge they have always neglected the procuring it whilst they have made an outward Profession of the true Religion but having alter'd their Belief they become mighty Disputants and cunning in the Defence of their Change To this purpose they serve themselves of all the Reasons that can be thought of though in their Consciences they know they have none but the weakness of their Judgment the natural Depravity of their Minds or the difficulty they have to reconcile their Ambition and Covetousness with the Disgrace and Poverty of Jesus Christ Then the Promises and Favours of great men have irresistable Charms with which these men of mercenary Tempers easily comply whilst those who us'd to command now court 'em their very Masters caress and flatter ' em In a word the greatest part of Mankind seem born to Slavery to which though never so full of Hardship if bound to it by golden Chains they submit nay prefer it before the Christian Liberty They are ready even to adore those by whom they enrich themselves or where they meet with Honour and Respect and as the Heathens own no other Gods but their Benefactors CHAP. X. AMongst so many bewitch'd or crazed Persons the wilfully blind and Slaves of the World I have sought for some in whom I might confess to have found such a Purity of Mind and such marks of their Election that I might have joyn'd with 'em in the Communion of the Spirit and by that Bond of Perfection which makes 'em inseparable from their Creator and their Neighbour For what Satisfaction or Comfort could I find with the men of the Age before whom we must never it being indecent from whence I know not to discourse of Religion they either talk not at all of Divine things or if they do 't is after a Humane way What Pleasure could I have in their Friendship who heartily differed from me in that which ought to be the chief end of all our Desires and our Hopes I endeavour'd to know the Children of Heaven from those of the Earth and the meeting one of the Faithful would have been as an Angel to me But amongst such Numbers of men I could not meet with one though I earnestly labour'd after it being without doubt less discerning than Elijah who saw not one in all Israel where yet there were many I happen'd in an Age in which the men of it did even already degenerate from the first Simplicity and late Reformation in which those who styled themselves of the Reform'd Religion follow'd their very steps who have destroy'd the most flourishing Churches For they used the same liberty in their Words and Actions the same superfluous Vanity in their Cloaths the same luxurious way of living which scandaliz'd the Emperour Julian and confirm'd him in his Apostacy Matth. 24. 12. Iniquity did so abound that the love of many waxed cold And to judge of 'em by their outward Behaviour those who were false Christians could not be distinguish'd from the true I thought no where so proper to find those I sought for as in the most lawful Assemblies but I could not discover the Church even in the Church that being frequented by certain Persons whose highest Devotion consists in their Looks who never think the Sermon too long or their Meetings too often who would look upon Religion as too cold did it not in some Acts imitate even Superstition It is indeed too much fill'd with those who come only for Company 't is their Education or Chance that draws 'em thither rather than any hearty desire of improving themselves in the knowledge of the Truth Hither they come only to see the World from whence the World in some sort ought to be banish'd where they behave themselves with so little Respect that 't would be Injustice to call 'em Hypocrites since there is no manner of Appearance either of their Zeal or Devotion Their only Aim is to be seen in the most known and publick Places instead of giving God Thanks that he is pleas'd to permit 'em to be in the Company of Saints amongst whom it ought to be of sufficient Satisfaction to 'em without pretending to other Advantages that they have room enough only to kneel There are some who make the day of rest a day of Labour and perform the most necessary and just Duties as burthensom and uneasie Tasks There are others so deprav'd that they hear Sermons only to find fault with 'em to wrest their Sense or scoffingly to repeat 'em to the Enemies of the Reformation Many have lost the very Sence
who are both their Accusers and Judges unjust and inconsiderate Judges who continually pronounce against 'em this short sentence inspir'd into 'em by truly infernal Furies you are damn'd you are damn'd Inhumane and Diabolical saying which against the Prohibition of our Saviour himself rashly judges anothers Servants and those who are not under their jurisdiction These are the strongest arguments the softest remonstrances and the most charitable words they put into the mouths of their people who bark and rail at their Brethren instead of gently discovering their Errour to 'em or hearing their Justification How great is the injustice of Men And how do most of 'em deserve that Condemnation they pronounce against their Neighbours Such as these upbraid me with my Religion who are unacquainted with their own and know nothing of mine but from its Enemies They condemn me upon the bare report of my Adversaries without hearing either my Advocate or my self But pray tell me Gentlemen and Ladies who are they for whom you have so great an Aversion to whom do you talk with that Sharpness and Anger Are they not those who ground all their Religion on the Holy Scripture who read meditate on love and admire it who learn it by heart and who are so far from accusing it of insufficiency that in that alone they find the Words of Eternal Life sufficient for their perfect Instruction and Comfort Are they not those whose Charity recalls you to that first Estate in which you were When no Images were yet set up in your Churches when you own'd no other Purgatory than the Blood of Jesus Christ when going to Mass or taking the Cup from the People was not so much as talked of but meeting together for the breaking of Bread which was not elevated to make it ador'd They certainly have not the Spirit of God who hate such as love his Word and only covet to impart to you that Light and those Joyes they receive from it It must be acknowledg'd these are strange Hereticks and are mightily in the wrong to stick to Principles not to presume beyond what is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. and not to turn to the right hand or to the left Josh 23. 6. They are to blame not to consent to the adding of other Commands to the Law or other Articles to the Faith which is prescrib'd ' em In a word they do very ill that they mix not profane things with Holy Indeed I consent with all my Soul to their Profession let what name they please be given 'em I had much rather be one of those Hereticks than one of the Catholicks of the Age. For in effect who are they whose Doctrine we ought so very much fear Is it that of Kings and Princes who are chiefly intrusted with the care of Secular things Is it that of Magistrates who decide Differences between men Is it that of the People who are employ'd in Mechanical Arts or in Trading Nothing less 'T is that of the Great Doctors of the Church and whose Leaven ought to be suspected by us as that of the Pharisees They are those who do what they please by the Priviledge and Authority of that Character they bear who under the name of Doctors or Fathers preach Errour effectually and who the more they are fill'd with Frenzy and Enthusiasm the more would they perswade us they are inlighten'd They are those who have such an extraordinary Opinion of their own Strength that they brag that they are not only able to fulfill but to surpass the Law And though that obliges us to love God with all our Hearts and our Neighbours as our selves it is not sufficient to bear testimony of their Faith or to magnifie their Works To this must be added Councils which it comprehends not and which transport men beyond that perfect Love which it obliges us to Several Traditions must be observ'd which tho' instituted by Pagans and Infidels are become Sacred since admitted into the Church and called Apostolical To conclude Many amongst 'em do so abound in doing Good Works that they have some to spare to impart to those who do none at all and in order too to their obtaining Eternal Life It is not to be wonder'd at that the Evil Spirit has prevail'd on men to forbid the reading of the Holy Scripture for 't is impossible that those impressions it makes on pious minds which are seriously industrious in the search of Salvation can consist with the Doctrine and Religion of the Times It has often recover'd me from a Lethargy into which I was insensibly plunged by the Errours of the World By it I have learn'd to know both my Beginning and my End It has infus'd into me both a Love and Fear of my Creator it has made me fear his Judgments adore his Goodness and lay claim to his Mercy It has caus'd me to observe such various and so many proofs of his Providence that I had no room left to doubt of it I never read it but I became better'd by it yet not with that Perseverance as I could have wish'd Therefore I thought 't was necessary for me to begin it often and never to leave it off I met with so many Truths in it from one end to the other that I have not follow'd their Example who only seek after Contradictions in it who will not distinguish Times or consider the different respects why things have been said It is not dangerous to such who have good desires it ought not to be mistrusted by 'em it does inlighten 'em instruct 'em and shews 'em the way that leads to Eternal Life It is impossible that He who suspends his Judgment who is not sway'd by Passion Custome or Prejudice who is only govern'd by Reason and seeks after the Truth should not find it by this way and thus to search after it comes from the Spirit of God What shall I say more He must not expect to be saved who does not love this Word above all things and who does not evidence the love he has for it by frequent reading of it For many will say with their Mouths they love that which indeed they do not They in vain pretend to excuse themselves upon the Credit of their Teachers in saying that 't is not intelligible by all that every one expounds it to his own Advantage If they are to be believ'd God spake to his Children only to deceive 'em and not to be understood by ' em Thus there is no way left either to read or know any thing Every passage hath its different Sense whereupon we must refer our selves to our Masters Even those which seem most Evident are most obscure and oftentimes signifie the contrary of what they seem to signifie As for Example when 't is said Thou shalt not make to thy self any likeness Exod. 20. vers 4. this signifies we must fill our Churches with Images when 't is said Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy