Gospel was preached not in which they were first written And altho Bellarmine here be positive yet in the same Chapter afterwards he speaks doubtfully of the Latin Tongue d Vt quidam volunt Latine c. They did write the Gospels and Epistles only in Hebrew and Greek and as some will have it in Latin For there are some who conceive that Saint Mark did write his Gospel at Rome in Latin and afterwards translated it into the Greek Tongue And for the proof he first sends us to Pope Damasus his Pontifical his Book of the Lives of all the Popes his Predecessors in the See of Rome where in the Life of Peter we are told e Hic scripsit duas Epistolas quae Canenicae nominantur Evangel Marel c. That Peter wrote two Epistles and the Gospel of Saint Mark for Mark was his Disciple and his adopted S 〈…〉 n his Baptism Now if Peter did write that Gospel as this Testimony asserts how is it call'd the Gospel of S t Mark more then the other two Canonical Epistles And yet so far we have nothing said concerning the Tongue wherein Mark did write his Gospel but it immediatly follows Posi omnem quatuor Evangeliorum â—â—ntem quae ad interrogationem testimonium Petri firmata sunt dum alius Grace alius Hebraice alius I aliue scribentes consonant omnia ejus Testimonio sum firmata A piece of Latin which I cannot make sense of only we may guess the meaning That by Peters Testimony all the four Gospels were confirm'd and confirm'd for the greater confirmation of Peter's supreme Autority the word firmata is without sense twice inserted while one of the Evangelists writing in Greek another in Hebrew another in Latin they all were consonant Now by this wise Enumeration there were but three Evangelists one writing in Greek another in Hebrew and another in Latin in what Tongue the fourth Evangelist did write must be reserved as a secret in due time to be reveled when France or Spain or some other Catholic Prince as they will have it hath attain'd an Universal Monarchy and then the Language of his Country shall be adopted into the Sacred Number Phil. I must confess this passage in the life of Peter is set down somthing imperfectly we may suppose an Error in the Printing Theoph. The whole deserves a deleatur For how could Peter by his supreme Autority confirm the four Evangelists when it is generally acknowledged that John wrote his Gospel long after Peters Martyrdom under Nero even in the Reign of Nerva Emperor of Rome who releas'd him of his banishment in Patmos whither Domitian had condemn'd him John returning to Ephesus upon the perswasion of the Asian Bishops did write his Gospel against Cerinthus and Ebion and other Heretics who denied Christs Divinity a Aug. Tom. 9. Praefatione in Joannem Occiso Domitiano cum permittente Nerva de exilio redâ—sset compulsus ab Episc Asiae c. But in truth this Pontifical is by themselves accounted spurious and falsly ascrib'd to Damasus as Binius asserts in the first Tome of his Edition of the Councils in a Note before Peter's Life b Hujus libri Pontifex Damasus author non est quod in unoquque fere Pontifice pugnantia contineat Damasus is not the Author of this Pontifical for almost in the Life of every Pope it contains thing repugnant one to another And he quotes Bar onius and Possevinus for his Judgment Now we may easily believe Bellarmine was too great a Scholar not to discover the Imposture and the Contradictions of the Book yet after his usual course when a Testimony makes for him he will take it altho himself be not ignorant of the forgery Phil. You find Bellarmine in that place brings other Authors to prove Mark did write his Gospel in Latin Adrianus Finus and Antonius Beuter Theoph. Writers so obscure that I cannot find their Books and Tirinus a Jesuit a in his Index Autorum shews the first to be a Writer of the last Century making no mention of the second Phil. Baronius likewise affirms that Mark wrote his Gospel in Latin and proves it because he was as Jerome calls him Peter's Interpreter and did write for the use and benefit of the Romans as Nazianzen affirms d Nazianzen in carmin de 4. Evangeliis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore probably he wrote in the Latin Tongue Theoph. You may urge the same Argument that Paul did write his Epistle to the Romans in Latin Phil. But Baronius observes likewise some Latin words adopted into the Greek Copy of S t Mark 's Gospel e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 6. ver 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 27. which makes it more then probable that the Greek Copy was translated out of the Latin Theoph. This Criticism will not help him for we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the other Evangelists Matth. 18. 28. Luk. 17. 41. John 6. 7. We find many other Latin Words in the Greek Test 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 19. 12. and yet S t Luke is observ'd of all the sacred Writers to write the purest Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 26. 53. And f In Comment in Epist 1. ad Cor. cap. 10. ver 25. Benedictus Justinianus a Jesuit derides this Argument instancing in many other Words of the like nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Leaving therefore these critical and new Discoveries will you hear what S t Jerome and Augustin c Adrianus Finus Ferrariensis edidit flagellum Judaeorum An. 1537. two Latin Fathers say to this point a Jer. in Praefati in 4. Evangelistas De novo Testam non lequor c. I speak not of the New Testament which without doubt is all Greek except the Gospel of Matthew which be first set forth in Judea in the Hebrew Tongue Augustin affirm's the same b Aug. Tom. 4. l. 1. De consensis Evangelistarum cap. 2. Of these four Evangelists only Matthew is said to write in Hebrew ceteri Graeco eloquio the others in the Greek Tongue To these accord many of their own Writers c Biblioth l. 1. Breve grace sermone scripsit Evangelium Sixtus Senensis saith expresly Mark wrote a brief Gospel in the Greek Tongue And you may observe by this passage and many others how Baronius and Bellarmine two great Pillars of the Roman See little regard the Testimony of the Fathers when it crosseth their great design to advance the reputation of the Church of Rome However I presume it appears by what you have heard that no part of the Holy Scripture was written in Latine originally and therefore the Latine Tongue in that respect is not Sacred and to have the preheminence above others Phil. But in the fore-mention'd place Bellarmine instanceth in other excellencies of the Hebrew Greek and Latine above all others in antiquity amplitude and gravity d Bell. l. 2.
Theophilus and Philodoxus OR SEVERAL CONFERENCES BETWEEN TWO FRIENDS The one A true Son of the Church of England The other Faln off to the Church of Rome Concerning 1. Praier in an unknown Tongue 2. The Half Communion 3. The Worshipping of Images 4. The Invocation of Saints By GILBERT COLES D. D. Fellow of Winchester College At the THEATER in Oxford MDCLXXIV Imprimatur RA. BATHVRST Vice-Cancel OXON Julii 10. 1674. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD GEORGE Lord Bishop of WINCHESTER Right Reuerend and my very good Lord I Am bold to entitle these First-fruits unto your Lordships Favor and Protection as being conscious how much they need it to shield them from this Censorious Age wherein impotent Men who ought to learn and become Disciples and reap the Fruits of others Labors usurp the Chair and sit as Judges most severely to censure and condemn A Generation furnish'd only with Principles destructive to pull down and not to edifie to except against what is Written and superciliously smile at the Authors folly as they have concluded whil'st they are wise in their own Conceits and secure themselves from public Censure by doing nothing that would become a public Spirit thro detestable Ignorance or Idleness betraying the Truth unto their Industrious Adversaries yielding up a Righteous Cause to the Lusts of Men for want of Zeal or Courage to defend it Now we must needs acknowledg your Lordships great Example and Encouragement hath not bin wanting to the contrary Your Clergy of this Diocess might have learn'd from you to Preach and Speak boldly in the Defence of Truth to reason with and convince Gain-sayers And for mine own particular having had the favour somtimes to stand before you and hear your familiar Communications in great humility and condescention with such as were far inferior and subject to you I declare That from your Lordships occasional Intimation and Discourse I took the Cue and Invitation to write in the Defence of the Church of England against her Adversaries of Rome having reason to distrust my self in so great an Undertaking I was confident to commit these poor Endeavors unto your Censure and lo thro your Tenderness and Indulgence they are improv'd into a favorable acceptance and Approbation Whereupon I am encouraged to present them unto public view and humbly beg They may pass into the World under the Wing of your Autority and Veneration and then no doubt the malevolent will be sober That Almighty God would lengthen your date of Life to rule his Church and do much good in an evil Generation and finally Crown your Piety with Immortality and Glory is the Praier of Your Lordships Most humble and obedient Servant Gilbert Coles THE PREFACE To the READER I Make no other Apology Christian Reader for my committing these Papers to the Press but this The Love of Truth constreined me and a just indignation against those Emissaries of Rome who lately swarm'd among us and have not yet we fear taken their slight notwithstanding the Law hath banish'd them But the Laws of Princes oblige not them against the Mission of their Superiors hither they will come and here they will abide compassing Sea and Land to make Proselytes They flatter themselves or at least the simple with expectation of great Success of their Labors Observing our sad Divisions and great Corruptions they find good Fishing in Troubled Waters and conclude The general Debauchery of Mens lives will dispose them to entertain a Religion suited to their Vitious Inclinations wherein they may have Indulgencies and Pardons and perfect Absolution upon easie terms They well know That only our Sins can bring such a Judgment upon this Island which God avert as to let in Popery and as they see our Iniquities abound so their Hopes and Confidences improve to make us corrupt in our Religion as in our Lives But we hope better things from a Gracious God and Invincible Truth That the Church of England shall stand against all Vnderminers at home and abroad Only let such as love the Lord hate evil and let the Truths of God be more pretious in our Eyes then to be Sacrificed unto the Lusts of Men. And when we shall observe such Industrious Designs set on foot to bring in Errors Good God! How earnestly should we contend to keep them out Formerly we had Stout and Learned Champions of the Reformed Religion who put our Adversaries well-nigh to silence by the advantage of their Cause their indefatigable Industry and Piety But however it comes to pass the Scene is alter'd The Envious one sows his Tares and few appear to weed them out the Truths of God are contradicted and we are filent Since a Puritan Faction made the Schism disturbing the Peace of Church and State approving themselves better skil'd at their Weapons then their Arguments instead of Writing against their Adversaries Fighting against their Friends Since the Venerable Fathers of our Church were driven from their Habitations bereft of their Libraries and of their Lively-hoods forc'd to seek for succors many of them in Foreign Parts Since the Presbyterian and Independent Chaplains had learn'd the Merchandize of Plundred Books selling whole Libraries upon easie terms unto Popish Factors Since our Universities were Garrison'd and Reform'd All the Fellows and Students of Colleges thrust out to seek their Fortunes a Generation of Seekers and puny Discipies succeeding I say since the year 1642. there hath bin a sad long Vacation in England from studious Reading and Writing of Books and thereout our Adversaries of Rome have suck'd no small advantage They are bold in Challenges and Disputes and Controversial Pamphlets whereunto the true Sons of the Church of England could not rejoin for want of necessaries and Books the Presbyterians for want of Learning Since His Majesties miraculous and happy Return The Church hath had time to breath and all things move in their own Sphere But Learning and Judgment come not in per saltum the Intercision of twnety Years is sadly sensible and to be lamented Our old Divines thro desuetude and the infirmities of Age are indispos'd to enter into the List of Controversies our yong Divines are unfurnish'd with Materials Thirteen Years since His Majesty warm'd the drooping Genius of this Nation with his nearer Influence and Protection being too short a term for men to traverse the Cycle of the Arts and Sciences to revolve the Learned Volumes of the Fathers to be vers'd in the Councils and Histories of the Church and to wind themselves out of the Labyrinth of the Schools And there are very few of the middle sort For when the Glory of the Land was departed and the Virgin Daughter of Sion did sit in the dust our military Schismatics committed an horrible Rape upon Religion and Learning all things were prostituted to their Interests and Lusts our new model'd Universities studied nothing but Politics and Pamphlets compendious Systems of New Philosophy and Divinity so that the Institution of two
de verba Dei cap. 15. Omnium consensis hae alâ—is praestant antiquitate amplitudine gravitate Theoph. For the Antiquity of the Roman Language let the Grammarians discourse it For the amplitude and universality thereof I acknowledg that it did spread far with the Roman Conquests especially in the Western Empire which was call'd Orbis Latinus so that it became the vulgar Tongue unto many Nations In Africa we have those Noble Orators Tertullian and Cyprian living in Carthage writing Tracts and Epistles in Latine unto all sorts unto Men and Women Lay and Clergy which shews that Language was then vulgarly understood Tertullian wrote two Books to his Wife in Latine A third De habitu muliebri A fourth De cultu seminarum unto Women A fifth to Virgins Develand Virginibus Cyprian writes his familiar Epistles to the Martyrs and divers others many of them of the common people Augustin Bishop of Hippo in Africa made all his Homilies and Lectures unto the people of his Congregation in Latine and therefore that Language was commonly understood for your self acknowledged that we ought to Preach in a known Language to the People nay he expresly tells us e Lib. 1. Retract cap. 20. Volens causam Donatistarum ad ipsius humillimi vulgi imperitorum at que idiotarum nobitiam pervenire psalmum qui ab â—is canttur latinas literas feci Ipse psalmus habetur Tom. 1. cap. 1. That being willing the Donatists cause might be understood even by the unlearned and vulgar sort of People be composed a Psalm according to the Latine Alphabet to be sung by all the people wherein the choice Heads of their Schismatical pretentions were contain'd The Psalm begins thus a Ipse Psalmus habetur Tom. 7. cap. 1. Omnes qui gaudetis c. The Latine Tongue therefore was become as the vulgar in Africa and so the Learned shew of many Countries in Europe by reason of the Roman Conquests and Colonies which for brevity I omit But in after Ages thro the Incursions of the Goths and Vandals and Lombards Gauls and Sarazens into the Western Empire there arose a great change and variety of Languages insomuch that neither in Italy it self nor in any other Country did the people understand the Latine Tongue and therefore the Argument of Universality for that Tongue now ceaseth For the Gravity of the Latine Tongue wherein that consists I do not understand and when Kemnitius urg'd as we do that the Latine was neither more sacred nor venerable then other Tongues b Non dicimus eam graviorem aut sanctioram si â—ererba spectemus sed hoc ipse esse gratiorem magis venerandam quod nonsit vulgaris Lib. 2. de ver Dei cap. 15. ad sinem Bellarmine acknowledges it to be true if we consider the words themselves but the Latine is more grave and venerable because it is not the vulgar Tongue Which answer of Bellarmine if it hath any shew of Truth and Reason doth as well prove the English Tongue to be more grave and venerable in France and Spain c. then their own proper Tongues because unto them it is not the vulgar Tongue And yet this is one of his special Arguments which he urgeth why the Majesty of Divine Service and public Offices should be in the Latine Tongue which is not understood because it requires a more grave venerable Language then are the vulgar Tongues of every Country c Ibidem Videtur omnino majestas divin offic requirere linguam â—agis gravem venerandam quam sunt illae quibus vnlgo utimur We see wise and learned Men in the defence of palpable Errors somtimes are put to shifts and urge Arguments of no weight and consequence to amuse only Children and Fools For ought therefore that hath bin offer'd to prove it the Latine Tongue appears not to be more grave and venerable then others Phil. Here hath been a long digression to no purpose Theoph. Confer notes and you will find it pertinent to the present business and it will be useful to other purposes hereafter Phil. I cannot divine what will be your future intendments neither can you deny the Latine Tongue to be the common Language in Europe better understood then any other at least by the Learned so that with that Tongue you may travel into all parts and meet with many who understand it Theoph. It is believed of late the French Tongue will carry us farther then the Latine but what Inference will you make if we grant your Postulatum that the Latine is the most communicating Language understood by the Learned in every Country Phil. It is most agreeable to the Communion of Saints in all parts of the World that public Praier should be made in lingua communissima as Bellarmine speaks a Ibidem Alias tolletur communicatio Ecclesiarum c. In that Language which will most communicate with other Nations and Churches that when Strangers and Travellers come among us some of them may understand our Service and join with us therein otherwise neither the learned nor unlearned will ever come to Church but in their own Country Theoph. This is an Argument of great charity towards Foreigners and of little regard to Natives that the Service of the Church should be at home in an unknown Language in Latine to the end that Strangers when they travel in any Country may understand some of them the Service and so be encouraged to come to Church And in truth this Argument concludes for us that public Praier should alwaies be in known and vulgar Tongues for if Foreigners will not come to Church if they understand not the Service for the same reason our Country-men will not come to Church if the Service should be perform'd in an unknown Tongue Phil. However the Latine Tongue hath had long possession thro-out the Western Church in the Divine Service of every Country until some new Masters and Reformers in divers places did thrust it out and the general practice of the Church should much prevail with sober Men. b Epistola 118. Si quid herum per â—rbem frequentat Ecclesia quin ita sit faciendum disputare insolentis insania S t Augustin saith It is most insolent madness to dispute whether that should be don which the Church thro-out the whole World doth practice Theoph. I have shew'd you how the Service of God in an unknown Tongue is contrary to Gods Word c Si divinae scrip praescribii autcritas non est disputandum c. And Augustin in the same Epistle immediatly before this Quotation of yours had concluded That if the Holy Scriptures have prescrib'd what is to be don it is not to be doubted but we must do as we read and are directed Again I have shew'd how the Service in an unknown Tongue is contrary to the great end of public Praier wherein all the People of God should join with heart and affection and
read and believe the Scripture as most true and the infallible Word of God But Men of mature Learning and Judgment should dive into the profound Mystery and meaning of the Scripture you may read his words in the first Page of that Book The same Eusebius wrote three Books as Jerome reports of the Life of Pamphilus his great Friend which are not extant But c Lib. 1. Apol. adversus Ruffinum Script Sanctas non ad leg sed ad habendum tribuebat non solum viris sed feminis Jerome cites this Passage out of the third Book in commendation of Pamphilus Who is vertuous and not a Friend of Pamphilus who supplied food and necessaries to the poor and distributed the Holy Scriptures not only to Men but Women who were desirous to read them for which end he purchased many Bibles d In Psal 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil the Great tells us All Scripture is written by Divine Inspiration and profitable and therefore given by the Holy Ghost that every one of us might choose a proper remedy for his disease as out of a common Apothecaries shop f r his Soul Phil. As the Holy Scriptures have Physic for all Diseases so the Application should be well made by our Spiritual Physicians otherwise the Patient may miscarry and therefore we hold the People should hear and receive the Scripture from the Priests mouth Theoph. This gloss contradicts the Text for the Father saith e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one should choose his proper remedy out of the common Tresury Again f Lib. de Parad. c. 12. Gentiles aut c. Ambrose directs a Gentile who would believe or a Catechumen who would receive farther Instruction unto the living Waters of the Holy Scripture without the corrupt Channels of Interpreters You see the Holy Scripture ought not to be with-held from Unbelievers and Unbaptized But Jerome for the Latine Church and Chrysostom for the Greek speak so fully to this Point that we may supersede all other Testimonies Jerome writes many Epistles to Virgins to Women concerning themselves and the Institution of their Children the Government of their Families and above all commends to them the diligent reading of the Scripture In his Epistle to Laeta a Noble Dame g De Instit filiae nec alibi reperiant nisi in adyto script Prophet Apostolos de spiritualibus sciscitantem c. He gives in charge to inure her beloved Daughter to the study of the Scripture That none should find her in the way of the World amidst the throng and tumult of Play-fellows and Kins-folk but in the recesses of the Holy Scripture consulting the Prophets and Apostles about Spiritual concerns Instead of fine Clothes and Jewels let her love the Book of God let her learn the Psalter and divert her self with those Songs In the Proverbs of Solomon let her learn Morals In the Ecclesiastes to despise the World In Job Patience and Vertue Let her proceed to the Evangelists and never lay them out of her hands so to the Acts of the Apostles and their Epistles and having enrich'd her heart with these Divine Tresures let her commit to memory the Prophets and the Pentateuch c. And at last without danger let her learn the Canticles In another Epistle to a Virgin a Al Demetriadem de Virg. servandâ Spendeounum illud tibi nata deo praeque dominibus unum praedicam repetens c. O thou that art born of God saith he This one thing above all I must give in charge repeating it over and over again That thou possess thy heart with the love of reading the Holy Scripture Love the Bible and wisdom will assuredly love thee In an Epistle to Salvina perswading her to keep her self a Widow he faith b Semper in manibus sit divina Lectio Let the Bible be always in thy hand to read it In an Epistle to Celautia concerning the government of her Family he presseth the same Exhortation c Semper in manibus jugiter in mente volvantur Let the Holy Scripture be always in thy hand and in thy mind In Marcella's Epitaph d Epistola ad Principiam div Script ardor erat incredib semper que cantabat In 〈…〉 rde meo abscondo eloq tua ut non peccem c. he gives this commendation of her She had an incredible thirst after the Holy Scripture and ever sang I have hid thy word within my heart that I might not sin against thee c. and that she became an Oracle to resolve doubts concerning the Scripture I might collect many more such passages out of this Author but I will content my self with one general Exhortation to read the Scripture instead of all e Praefatione in Epistelam ad Ephesies si quiequam est quod in hac vita c. If there be any thing saith the good Father which should make a wise man choose to live and weather out the storms and troubles of our present state it is the knowledge and meditation of the Scripture For whereas as he goes on herein we chiefly differ from other living Creatures that we are rational and can speak and all Reason and Language is contain'd in the Holy Scripture whereby we know God and are not ignorant wherefore we were created I marvel any there should be who either out of sloth and negligence will not learn themselves these excellent things or think others worthy reprehension who do study them And now tell me Have you not enough of Jerome Would he not marvel think you at your new Doctors who as much discourage the People from reading the Scripture as he with all his excellency of Grace and Eloquence doth excite them Phil. I must confess I never look'd to hear so much to this purpose Theoph. Have a little patience and you will find Chrysostom as full and emphatical Like advice he gives to Gaudentius for the Education of Pacatula his Daughter f Let her learn the Psalter by heart and before she f Discat Psalterium memoriter c. comes to maturity of age let her make the Books of Solomon the Evangelists the Apostles and Prophets her chief tresure In his first Tome he tells his hearers a Hom. 10. in Genesin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We may at home before and after meals taking into our hands the Holy Bible feed our Souls for as the Body doth want corporal nurishment so doth the Soul spiritual we being thereby strengthned against the assaults of the flesh and our restless enemy who sets upon us to captivate our Souls And therefore saith he the Prophet David calls him Blessed who meditates in the Law of the Lord day and night And then he adds This is our salvation this our spiritual wealth this our security If we arm our selves daily by spiritual bearing and reading and discourse we shall never be over come but frustrate all the
Canons and Prohibitions to the season as the wisdom of the Church did judg most expedient and when you examine well their Arguments and Reasons perhaps you may be constrain'd to allow of them Theoph. There must be a strange transformation of Mens minds and manners when the Holy Scriptures which were written for our Instruction and to make men wise unto Salvation shall prove pernicious unto their Souls Phil. As wholefom Food unto sick Stomachs Theoph. But the Holy Scriptures are both Food and Physic to the Soul and were certainly written for all times and for all conditions of Men. Phil. I pray have patience to hear their Reasons before you answer them Theoph. I expect first you should return a sober Answer unto the Holy Fathers of the Primitive Church who as you have heard do so seriously recommend the study of the Scripture unto all Men. Phil. I did not expect you should use so many shifts and subterfuges and I am almost perswaded that being conscious to your self of their convincing Evidence therefore you decline to hear their Arguments Theoph. That will appear in due time and place but have you in earnest no Reply to make unto those Exhortations of the Fathers to read the Bible Phil. Your principal Quotations are out of Chrysostom and Bellarmine hath told you He was an Orator and used to speak Hyperbolies to affect his Auditory Theoph. And I have shew'd how this good Father thro-out his Works so frequently recommends the study of the Scripture as a substantial point of Doctrine and Duty which he press'd upon his hearers not as an embellished flower of his Rhetoric But I pray What Answer doth Bellarmine or any other Champions of your Church give unto the other Fathers Phil. I do not find they have taken much notice of the rest they suppose perhaps one Answer will serve them all Theoph. As one Shoe will sit every Mans Foot And this indeed is very observable That Bellarmine in his great reading should omit Jerome and Basil and Origen and the rest and take notice only of Chrysostoms Expressions and thift them off as Rhetorical Flashes and Hyperbolies and not serious Exhortations to read the Scripture His subtilty without doubt promted him to concele the others for the advantage of his Cause least the pregnant Testimonies of so many Fathers should prevail with sober Men to search the Scripture more then all the Prohibitions of their Church and novel Arguments to restrain them from it And it is his Artifice that he might seem Ingenious to take notice of one Father opposing him that so the unwary Reader being not well vers'd in the Fathers might suppose all the others to have been silent or on his side in the Controversie Phil. You are pleasant with your own Conceits but their Arguments will make you work to answer them Theoph. I have great confidence in the merits of the Cause and do not despair of a ready Answer unto all opposition that shall be made against such a mesur'd Truth which we defend Phil. Bellarmine a Lib. 2. De verbo Dei c. 15. shews how the Old Testament was publicly read to the Jews in the Hebrew Tongue when the People did not understand it because in the Captivity the Jews had forgotten their own Language and learn'd the Chaldee and the Syriac And therefore after their return into Judea it is written Nehem. 8. 7 8 9 12. how the Priests and Levites caused the People to understand the Law They did read in the Book distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading Nehemiah and Ezra and the Levites taught the People and all the People made great mirth because they had understood the words that were declared unto them Theoph. Here is not one word to shew the People did not understand the Language wherein the Holy Scriptures were read but that the Priests and Levites gave the sense interpreted to them the Law of God and caused them to understand the meaning of the Words nay it is expresly said ver 2. That Ezra brought the Law before the Congregation both of men and women and all that could hear with understanding And again ver 3. before those that could understand and all the People were attentive unto the Book of the Law Neither may we well suppose that they had forgot their Mother Tongue in the time of their Captivity but only mix'd and corrupted it in some Words Seventy Years is too short a date to change the Language of a People Withal it might be remembred that some Learned Men of the Roman Communion have said That the Jews were not so long Captives in Babylon that from the desolation of Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar burn'd the City and the Temple until Cyrus his command for the Jews return there were but 30. Years And that the term of 70. Years so much spoken of by the Prophet Jeremiah did bear date from the 13 th Year of King Josiah's Reign about the time when Ninevy was destroied and the Assyrian Monarchy was translated to Babylon and those great Neighbors prov'd very terrible and by the Prophet were pointed out to be the destruction of Jerusalem And withal we know the three last Prophets after the return of the Jews from Babylon Haggai Zechariah Malachy encouraging the People to build the Temple and the City spake unto them in the Hebrew Tongue and therefore doubtless the People understood it Nay we read expresly Acts 22. 2. S t Paul spake to the Jews gathered together in a great multitude and tumult in the Hebrew Tongue and therefore for a while heard him with patience when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew Tongue to them they kept the more silence And it is manifest by that which follows ver 21. that they understood him Phil. Bellarmine brings a Confirmation that the Jews did not understand the Hebrew Tongue out of the Gospel of S t John Joh. 7. 49. But this people that know not the Law is cursed Theoph. Both he and you may blush to own such a simple Proof The Scribes and Pharisees there pronounced the multitude that followed Christ accursed not because they know not Hebrew wherein the Law was written but because in their account they mis-applied the Prophesies of the Messiah to Christ And if the Hebrew Tongue was forgotten among the Jews why did Matthew write his Gospel as is supposed in Hebrew for the better Information of his Country-men Phil. Bellarmine likewise shews how even to this day the Jews in their Synagogues have the Scriptures read in Hebrew altho most of them understand it not Theoph. Let the Synagogues of the Jews and the Church of Rome in this regard lay their heads together to justifie their unreasonable practice by the Autority of one another Phil. But what say you to this next Argument which seems demonstrative The Apostles and Disciples preach'd the Gospel unto all People Nations and Languages and yet they did write the Gospels and
of the New Theoph. If one we may suppose the other where the New Testament being written in Greek was not understood doubtless it was translated seeing Moses and the Prophets Writings were communicated in all Languages unto the World principally to give testimony unto the Gospel But not to heap up Quotations in vain your own Friends acknowledge it a Lib. 6. Biblioth Annotat. 152. Ad id quod haeretici contendunt c. Sixtus Senensis gives a reason why such Transtations useful before should now be prohibited for their inconvenience When Heretics urge that the Holy Scriptures should be translated into the Mother Tongue of every Nation because heretofore they were so to the great benefit of the Church I answer This is a foolish Argument for many other things were formerly instituted which afterwards were abrogated for their inconvenience So pleads Alphonsus de Castro loco citato Phil. I have several times intimated this Plea That the Church because of inconveniences discovered hath as great reason now to with-hold the Scriptures from the Peoples reading and to forbid vulgar Translations as the former times had to encourage them Theoph. This is your only Sanctuary to fly unto in this and many other Controversies between us That the Wisdom of the Church is the best Judge of times and seasons and upon due considerations hath power to alter and change the state of things even against the Primitive Rule and the Primitive Practice And because I will not interrupt our present Discourse I will reserve this Point unto another season and now expect you should produce your due Considerations and Reasons against vulgar Translations of the Holy Scriptures and the Peoples reading them I must tell you they had need be demonstrative to conclude against the Testimony of the Holy Scripture of the Holy Fathers and against the practice of the Church for nine hundred Years for that Declaration I produc'd of Pope John the 9 th was in the end of the 9 th Century Phil. When you hear them you may judge b Lib. 2. De verbo Dei cap. 15. Vt publicus usus Script sit in lingua communiss Bellarmine shews it necessary unto Church Communion and Unity thro-out the World That the public use and reading of the Scripture should be in the most common Language in the World that Churches may communicate one with another For this cause the Holy Scriptures were first written in Greek which then was the most universal Language whereunto the Latine Tongue now succeeds as being understood by the Learned of every Nation By this means General Councils are held wherein generally they understand and speak Latine Theoph. We deny not that the Scripture should be read in Greek or Latine by those that understand them mean while for the benefit of the common People in every Country they may have the Scripture in their vulgar Tongue and never obstruct Catholic Communion or General Councils And withal we know the Bishops of the Greek and Latine Churches have held many Councils together their diversity of Tongues not impeding where they did not mutually understand one another they had Interpreters But I grant in such General Learned Assemblies the most common Language is most useful Phil. But a Ibid. populus non intelligeret Proph. Psal c. Bellarmin reasons farther That vulgar Translations for the Peoples reading the Scripture would not be beneficial to them because when translated the People cannot understand them without Interpreters for we who understand the Latine are often forc'd to consult learn'd Expositors saith he Theoph. This indeed is one Artifice of your Church whereby she satisfies her Children without the Divine Food of Gods Word and makes them be content without the Holy Scripture in their own Tongue You perswade the People they cannot read the Scriptures and understand them unless they be minâ—'d and carv'd to them by the Nursing Fathers of the Church their Priests and Pastors As Mothers chew the Bread and Meat they give to little Children not commiting to them the whole morsel b Matres dant infant panem dissect praemansum non integrum solidum Lib. 2. de Verb. Dei cap. 16. And thus you hold them alwaies in their Infancy as Children and Babes in Christ and feed them neither with strong Meat nor the Milk of Gods Word except they draw it out of the Churches Breasts for they must not read the Holy Scriptures where they are plain and easie to be understood because of some hard places which they may misunderstand Now we approve that the Word of God should be rightly divided unto the People by the Ministers of the Gospel and withal according to the Tenor of Holy Scriptures and the Holy Fathers we exhort the People to search study the Scriptures themselves and draw Waters out of the Wells of Salvation to drink the Waters of Life out of the Fountain as well as thro the Conduit of Preaching and Interpretation But c Tom. 5. Homil. 3. in Lazarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysostom hath long since answer'd your Objection To whom are not all things in the Gospel manifest saith he Who when he hears That blessed are the meek the merciful the pure in heart and the like needs an Interpreter and withal the signs and miracles and the hisiories of Holy Scripture are they not obvious to every understanding and therefore it is a meer excuse and cloak of your Idleness to say You cannot understand and therefore you do not read the Scriptures Dost thou not understand what is written How canst thou when thou wilt not look into the Bible Take the Book of God into your hands and read and make use of what thou understandest and that which is obscure will follow or if thou canst not find out the meaning of any place by the context and often reading repair to one more Learned ask thy Teacher communicate with the Guide of thy Soul about such things shew much diligence to find the Truth and God will not despise thy watchfulness and care and if man should not interpret right God himself would revele the Truth And so he proceeds in the Exhortation and gives an instance in the Eunuch who even in his Journey in his Chariot did read the Prophet and God sent him an Interpreter And now I pray observe the difference between the Fathers of the Primitive Church and of yours They exhort earnestly all sorts and conditions diligently to read the Scripture that they may get Wisdom and Understanding and assure them That God will Crown their diligence with knowledge You altogether discourage and forbid the People to read the Scripture perswading them that they cannot understand and profit themselves thereby Phil. Do you believe that all things written in the Gospels are plain and easie as you bring Chrysostom to affirm By this you may judg of his Hyperbolical Expressions which I before observ'd out of Bellarmin Theoph. You must not take
his Words so strictly but that for the most part what is written is clear and when we understand not he adviseth us to consult Meanwhile it is very unjust to with-hold such an inestimable Tresure as is Gods Holy Word from the People because some passages are obscure and hard to be understood whereas the far greater part of the Holy Scriptures being Historical or Moral or the plain discovery of Divine Mysteries and fulfilling of Prophesies matters of Faith and matters of Practice is most evident and condescending to the meanest capacities If in some difficult and deep places of Holy Scripture the Elephant may swim i. e. the most Learned may find work enough to fathom them in other places the Lamb may wade i. e. the meanest understanding may apprehend them as Augustin hath made the Allusion Phil. a Lib. 2. De verb. Dei cap. 15. Eo sunt obscuriores quo magis in peregrinis Ling. transferuntur Bellarmin shews How the Scriptures become more obscure by their Translations one Language being not able to express the Idioms of another Theoph. This Argument proves more then he or you would have it even against your Darling vulgar Latine Translation We easily grant the Originals as the Fountain to be most clear unto those who can understand and consult them Yet Translations made with Learning and Judgment and Fidelity give the full sense of Holy Scriptures altho they may come short of some Elegancies and Proprieties of the Originals And unto the People who understand the Language of the Translation the Word of God is certainly more manifest then if it were lock'd up in an unknown Tongue altho it be the Original Phil. a Ibid. Populus non solum non capit fructum è Script sed detrimentum occasionemsc errandi tum in doctr fidei tum praecept vitae Bellarmin in his great Wisdom and Observation looks farther and discovers How the People instead of reaping Fruit usually receive detriment by reading the Scripture easily taking the occasion of Errors both in matters of Faith and Precepts of Life and moral Conversation From reading the Holy Scriptures and not rightly understanding them spring up Heresies and corruption of Mens manners Theoph. b Praefatione in Epistolam ad Rom. Chrysostom in his great Piety and Fidelity assures us the contrary For as I have cited him before upbraiding his hearers with their supine negligence in reading and studying the Holy Scripture he tells them Hence arise myriads of evils even from the ignorance of Gods Word And to cross point-blank Bellarmines division of Corruptions in Doctrine and in Manners from reading the Scripture he tells them That by the neglect of reading and understanding the Scripture have proceeded the pest of many Heresies the neglect of Mens lives and the corruption of their manners Phil. We grant these Evils spring from the ignorance of the Scripture which are Chrysostoms own words c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that may be from the misunderstanding of them and therefore we with-hold them from the People least they should wrest and prevert them Theoph. But this is the plain way to make them altogether ignorant of the Scripture And you will find in that place Chrysostoms complaint was Not that they did misinterpret but that they did neglect to read the Scripture And he had ask'd the Question before with indignation d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. How canst thou understand who wilt not vouchsafe to look into the Scripture And in another place e Homil. 8. in Epistolam ad Hebraeos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he sadly complains for the growth of the Manichecs Heresie and lays it to the charge of his Hearers for negleding the Scripture None of you saith he heed the Scripture for if we did so we should not only keep our selves out of the snare of Deceit and Errors but free others also and draw them out of the pit wherein they were taken Observe I pray the direct opposition between your Doctors and the Primitive Fathers The Peoples reading of the Scripture in the vulgar Tongue is a great cause of Heresie and corruption of Manners say you The neglect of reading the Scripture is the cause say they Phil. 'T is in vain to urge Autority against Experience f Loco cit supra Bellarmin shews how Sects and Heresies have swarmed where the vulgar sort read and study the Scriptures He tells you how David George knew no other Language but the Dutch and yet could prove himself out of the Scripture to be the Messiah and the Son of God And that Aeneas Sylvius who wrote the Bohemian History ascribes the gross Errors of the Thaborites and Orebites and the other Sects among the Bohemians unto the common Peoples studying the Scripture and therefore a Lutherus Scrip. Librum Hereticorum vocavit Luther saith he call'd the Scripture The Book of Heretics Theoph. For David George that Dutch Monster altho I do not understand the Language yet I am perswaded his Mother Tongue never promted him to such horrible Blasphemies neither did the Holy Scripture which he read in his Dutch give the occasion unless by Prophesie and Prohibition Christ had foretold how Deceivers should come in his Name and in his Person Mark 13. 21. That false Christs should arise and men should say Lo here is Christ and there is Christ but go not after them and believe them not You see therefore how the Scripture would have fore-warn'd and fore-arm'd him against such a Blasphemous attemt had he not bin given over to reprobate mind You may as well say our Saviors converse with Judas made him the Traitor As for the Bohemian Heretics as your Doctors commonly call them we know the Court of Rome was much perplex'd with their clamor and demands to have the Scripture in the vulgar Tongue and the Communion in both kinds c. and so bitter things are written against them but when you shall instance in any particulars of their damnable Doctrines as you suppose I will undertake to clear the knowledg and reading of the Holy Scripture from the imputation That they did erre because they knew the Scripture Ye do therefore greatly erre because ye know not the Scripture Mark 12. 24. saith our Blessed Savior to the Sadduces The Bohemians did therefore erre because they did read and know the Scripture say you As for Luther's calling the Scriptures the Book of Heretics Bellarmine cites not the place and if they do not bely him according to their accustomed dealing with him and others we do blame him and think not our selves obliged to justifie the fumes of heat and choler or the infirmities of good Men. But now what will you say if I turn the Scales and shew you how Heresies and damnable Doctrines have bin minted in the Brains of subtle Clerks and not of the simple Laity in comparison Marcion and Arrius were Priests Nestorius Sergius Dioscorus
Divisie uninus ejusdem myst c. Pope Gelasius seconds the Decree We have heard saith he That some receiving the Body of Christ in the Sacrament forbear the Cup I know not upon what superstitious ground but let those either take the Sacrament intirely i. e. in both kinds or let them be excluded altogether And he gives a reason most observable The division of one and the same Sacrament cannot be without grand Sacrilege Phil. Bellarmin shews out of Gratian That this Order was made only for the Priests who are oblig'd to receive in both kinds Theoph. He might with more reason say It was made for the Turks who with the Manichees abhor Wine Can it be supposed That Manichees could be Priests of the Catholic Church and so be commanded to communicate in both kinds no it was made for their discoveries when they thrust in among the People and would appear as Catholics Phil. It appears by this Passage that the Church then gave the Sacrament without the Cup otherwise how could the Manichees hope to counterfeit Church Communion because refusing the Cup must needs betray them Theoph. By this we prove the contrary For how could they be discovered by refusing the Cup if it were not given to the People Phil. Those two Popes decree the Cup should be given at that time on purpose to discover these Heretics Theoph. No such thing The Decrees were made for stricter prohibition and observation perhaps some negligent Priests before might let them pass without the Cup or they might take down none of the Wine when the Cup was brought to them only put it to their Lips or the like But how do you answer Pope Gelasius his reason of the Decree and free your selves from grand Sacrilege One and the same Sacrament cannot be divided without grand Sacrilege Phil. I must confess in that place Bellarmin takes not any notice of that considerable passage of the Decree Theoph. Because it was unanswerable This is the first time I have found him silent and so I may the better proceed without interruption In the Year 589. in the third Council of Toledo we read how the pious King Reccaerdus held a Council of all the Bishops of Spain and Gallicia when Pelagius the second was Pope principally that the Goths in his Dominions might abjure the Arrian Heresie Among other things the King gives direction to the Bishops That after the Oriental Custom all the People should reherse the Articles of their Belief a Bin. Tom. 4. Pag. 501. Ei sic corda fide purif ad Christi corp sang percip exhibeant That so their hearts purified by Faith might receive the Body and Blood of Christ Phil. If they received in one kind they received the Body and Blood of Christ Theoph. Alas your Doctrine of concomitancy was never heard or thought of in those Pious Times In the next Council of Toledo Anno 633. when Honorius was Pope Sisimundus being King it is ordered in the 18 th Canon b Bin. p. 587. Conjunctio panis Calicis That after the Lords Prayer and the Bread and Cup join'd a blessing shall be pronounc'd upon the People and then the Sacrament received by all in their several places first the Priest and Deacon at the Altar the other Clergy in the Quire the People without the Quire You see therefore the Sacrament was given in both kinds to all the People by the Decree of these Councils in all the Dominions of Spain And because the Consecration of the Bread and Wine as we may conceive is call'd in the Canon Conjunctio panis calicis The conjunction of the Bread and the Cup. I might observe from this Expression they should not be separated In the Year 736. a Bin. Tom. 5. pag. 511. Epistola 2. ad Leonem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pope Gregory the second writing to Leo Isaurus the Emperor who was called Iconomachus for his zeal against Images he thews the Emperor the Church discipline towards Offenders such as had given scandal to the Church First we prescribe Watching and Fasting and when they are chastised with hunger and severe exercises the Priests give unto them the venerable Body of our Lord and make them to drink of his holy Blood This is a Testimony without Exception because of a Pope and it prevents the usual Answer of Concomitancy for it mentions the Body and Blood given asunder and it shews the practice of the Western Church This also is manifest by the Roman Order of the Mass there we read b Vid. Cassandri Liturgica When the Pope gives the Body the Arch-deacon confirms i. e. gives the Cup and when the Bishops or Priests communicate the Deacons follow and confirm And there is express mention made of the Sacrament c Descendet pontifex commun principes matres familias eorum c. given to Princes and their Ladies and to all the People The same we find and more in another Ritual call'd Ordo Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiae Romanae d In Epistolam 1 ad Cor. c. 10. Calix dicitur Communicatio sang quia omnes ex illo uno participant Haymo Bishop of Halberstate saies The Cup is call'd the Communication of his Blood because all do partake of that one Cup. e In 1 Epist ad Cor. c. 11. Theophylact Arch-Bishop of Balgaria saith This dreadful Cup is equally communicated to all f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Oecumenius upon the same Chapter The Lord exhibits equally to thee and to the poor man the Table and the Chalice of Christs pretious Body and Blood These in the 11 th Century In the next Algerus a Monk when Berengarius was question'd for his Opinion against the Real Presence g Vt panis dum dentibus teritur carnem Christi in pass attritam dum vinum in ora fidelium funditur sang de Christi latere fusum signaret and recanted This Learned Monk wrote three Books of the Sacrament and in the second Book cap. 8. he shews how the custom of communicating in both kinds held in the Church from Christ That the Bread being macerated with the Teeth might represent his Flesh torn in his Passion and the Wine pour'd into the mouths of the Faithful signifie his Blood-shedding c. with many such passages in that Chapter and so by good Autorities out of the several Ages of Christianity I have shew'd the practice of the Church to give the Communion in both kinds to the People Phil. Altho Bellarmin and other Doctors except against some and answer others of your Testimonies yet I have not interrupted you in most because those Answers unto some which I have brought already will suit the rest Theoph. You have an excellent Art to make one Almanack serve for every Meridian under Heaven You have one or two Catholic Distinctions to help at a dead lift Concomitancy is a great Pillar of your Church wheresoever the
committing scandalous Offences should be degraded and lie under the severities of Church Discipline and Penance proportionable to their demerrit and if at all they are restored to the Communion of the Church they should be as Lay-men and not restored to the Priests Office they should receive the Sacrament without the Quire with the common People b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Phil. a Lib. 4. c. 24. de Sacramento Euch. Nulla distinctio notari potest c. Bellarmin makes sport at this ridiculous Answer Saith he This punishment was somtimes so inflicted that persons offending should not be reconcil'd and admitted to this Laic Communion but in peril of Death nay not then neither as you have heard in the second Canon of the Council of Sardica Now to sick Men upon their Death-bed what distinction can there be of place or what preheminence can a Priest have more then a Lay-man and so Communio Laica no punishment Theoph. This is Wrangling not Disputing We say as b Epistola 52. Communicet ut Laicus non usurpet locum Sacerdotis Cyprian A Priest so offending let him become a Lay-man and in that quality admitted after repentance unto the Communion whether in the Church or in his House but let him not return unto the Priests Office One of your French Bishops Gabriel Albaspinus hath sufficiently confuted Bellarmin and all his Disciples in this Point shewing this Communio Laica implied the condition of a Lay-person and not any difference from a Priest in receiving the Sacrament only in one kind c Lib. 1. Observat c. 4. de Communione Laicâ Tempore Concil quibus de Laica Commun fit mentio c. For saith he in Cyprian ' s time and when these Canons fore-mentioned were made the Communion was given to the People in both kinds He brings many Instances to prove it Phil. d Ibid. constat ab annis plus octingentis usum in quibusd Ecclestis communiionis sub una specie in publico coetu fidelium Et constat Graecos nunquam hoc Latinis objecisse Bellarmin brings another Argument drawn from the consent and testimony of the later Ages of the Church That it is evident for more then 800 Years That in some Churches in the public Assemblies the use was to give the Sacrament in one kind And the Greek Church saith he never objected this as an Error to the Latin Church which is an Argument they accounted it lawful for otherwise they were willing and quick-sighted to discover all our faults Theoph. This shews Bellarmins confidence To assert stoutly and prove faintly How doth he make good the use of 800. Years Phil. The Councils of Constance and Basil say It had been in use for some long time as you have heard before And so Th. of Aquin. before this Council tells us That in some Churches it was well observed to with-hold the Cup from the People for the greater reverence and caution Theoph. These proofs fall short by more then half of 800 years Aquinas liv'd in the 13 th Century and then the Communion in one kind had got but little footing only in some Churches as he acknowledgeth the Councils followed in the 14 th Century We acknowledg the with-holding of the Cup from the People began after 1200 Years after Christianity in the Western Church but never in the Eastern Church Bellarmin offers at another proof of a longer date in Bernards time related in the History of his Life written by one of his Contemporaries one William an Abbot but those Books of his Life are so full of Legends that I would not choose to rake in such a Dung-hill They make Bernard to work as many Miracles as our Blessed Savior Phil. It is your securest way of answering our Autorities by slighting them But I have one considerable Argument more out of Bellarmin to prove the Antiquity of giving the Sacrament in one kind in the public Administration thereof out of the a Ordo Romanus Roman Ritual which is conceiv'd to have bin compos'd by Alcquine Tutor to Charles the Great above 800 years since Theoph. Out of which Ritual we have expresly proved the contrary already Phil. Hereby you may judg how slightly you examine things and Books for in the Ordo Romanus you will find That the Wine is consecrated in a little Chalice and the Pope drinks of it and afterwards the Arch-Deacon pours out some of the Consecrated Wine into a great Flagon or Cup of other Wine and Water and so it is Sanctified for the Peoples drinking but not Consecrated Theoph. This Passage proves the People did drink of the Cup but the Pope it seems must have some preheminence above them and for the distinction of the Wine Sanctified but not Consecrated I understand it not b Ordo Rom. vinum etiam non consecratum sed sang Domini commixtum c. The Ritual saith enough for the Cup which was given to the People The Wine not Consecrated but mix'd with the Blood of Christ out of the first Chalice is Sanctified to all effects And Bellarmin acknowledgeth it was call'd The Cup of the Lords Blood Phil. I come now to shew the Motives which induc'd the Church to with-hold the Cup. Theoph. I wish'd long since you would come to this Chapter for I did suppose your Proofs and Testimonies out of Antiquity would be insignificant but if there be sufficient reason for the practice it might excuse in part altho in truth no human Reason should prevail against Christs Institution in such things as are the Sacraments meerly of Instituted Worship Phil. Gerson the Famous Chancellor of Paris eminent for his Books full of Piety and Learning was present at the Council of Constance and hath written in defence thereof and of their Act in prohibiting the Cup unto the Clergy and he gives the reason of the prohibition First c Casâ—aliquo profundi potuit circumgestari sine periculo nequit out of great Reverence to Christs pretious Blood which if communicated to many might be easily spilt upon the Earth by the Deacons stumbling who should carry it to the People d Aliqui Latcorum barbas habent Aliqui Paralytici sunt It might stick upon their Beards and a Palsie hand might shake and spill it Theoph. These Inconveniencies are accidental and if involuntary God will not impure Sin to them As for the Lay-mens Beards the Priests are not such Shavelings but that they may be liable unto the same Objection And the Disciples of Christ at Supper with him are pictur'd with very grave Beards And withal these Inconveniencies may follow the Bread Consecrated It may stick in their Teeth and the crumbs may fall to the ground and you know your Doctors teach that whole Christ Divinity Soul and Body are contain'd in every minute Particle of the Host Out of such pretended Reverence me thinks you might be as solicitous That the Pretious Body and Blood of Christ should
against any desire That the Faithfull living should assist us with their praiers Theoph. You should not join together the Mediation Intercession of Christ and of the Saints whether in Heaven or Earth And you may observe the Father speaks of k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intercessors in the plural as of many Implying That one is our Mediator between God and men even the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. And withall the Testimony is sufficient against that fond conceit That we are unworthy to draw neer to God in our own persons but by others Intercession Phil. You will draw out your discourse in infinitum by your rejoinders and remarks but I hast to an end The second Greek Father I propos'd was Theodoret a Learned Bishop of Cyprus who in his History of the Lives of Holy Fathers concludes each Life after this manner l Huic narrationi finem imponens rogo ut per horum intercess div cons cuxil I putting a period to this relation and history do pray and beseech that by the Intercession of these Saints I may obtaine Divine assistance Theoph. It is not here exprest that he did pray unto these Saints but we rather suppose to God upon the opinion of their Intercession That he might reap the benefit therof withall he was infected with the hereâ—y of Nestorius and wrote bitterly against Cyrill of Alexanria his twelve Theses and that work of his was condemn'd in the fift general Council and himself thro the violence of oppositions was compell'd against his judgment to pronounce Nestorius accurs'd yet we honor his great Learning and let his memory be precious Phil. I am glad to discover your moderation for there is another most considerable testimony out of him full to the point of Saints Invocation m Libro 8. De curandis Graec affectibus The Temples of the Martyrs are magnificent beautifull in them we often keep festivals such as enjoy health pray to the Martyrs to preserve it such as are sick desire health of them Men and Women who are unfruitfull ask of them Children Such as go a journey desire their conduct and after their safe return they pay their thanks to them owing their security to their favour Now saies he they do not pray to these Martyrs as to God but as unto Holy men whose Intercession they desire and that they often obtain'd their requests the numerous gifts devoted to these Martyrs do testify hanging up in the Martyrs Temples the pictures of theirs eyes and hands and legs in gold which their votaries recover'd by their merits and praiers and Intercession Theoph. These are high things and great assignments unto the Martyrs Methinks there should of right have bin som reflexions upon God in these deliverances and cures sure there was somthing in the wind that Bellarmin only refers to this passage and doth not set it down in full length being so full to his purpose in the 18 th chap. he hath part of this quotations but not the whole Perhaps the Cardinal was not fully satisfied with the person of Theodoret or rather with the book it self which n Niceph. l. 44 c. 54. Nicephorus doth not reckon up among Theodoret's Works when he gives an account of all his books these 8 books De curandis Graecorum affectibus are not mentioned o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Those which he wrote are these c. And withall your Learned Cardinal knew well That what Theodoret if this book were his did build with one hand he pull'd down with another as to this point of Invocation of Saints or Angels For in his Commentary upon the 2 d chap. of S t Paul to the Colossians vers 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels I say Theodoret in his Commentary upon this place cuts off the sinews and foundation of Saints and Angels Invocation He shews how some Jewish Christians in Phrygia and Pisidia being zelous of the Laws did worship Angels by whom the Law was given and build Temples to S t Michael and others and that this course continued long among them p Bin. Concil Lacd Tom. 1. can 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And therfore that in the 4 th Century a Council of Bishops in Laodicea the Metropolis of Phrygia neer neighbor to Colosse did expresly forbid the worship of Angels calling it Idolatrie That Christians ought not to leave the Church of God and depart and call upon the Angels and make assemblies and if any be found to be conversant in this hidden Idolatrie let him be accursed Now this voluntary humility which S t Paul mentions refers to that humble pretence That sinners are not worthy to draw neer to God themselves but by the Intercession of Saints Angels Intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up in his fleshly mind saith the Apostle That is saith Theodoret a Propriis utens rationibus cogitationibus using his own reason and imaginations c. now saith he the b Synodus volens veteri illi morbo mederi cavit ne precarentur Angelos Synod of Laodicea desiring to cure this old dicease forbids them to pray unto Angels And you will grant if we must not pray to Angels neither to the Saints For you have deriv'd cheifly the Invocation of Saints from that of Angels Phil. c Ibid. cap. 20. Bellarmin hath answer'd this passage of Theodoret and of the Council of Laodicea and the Text of the Apostle together Namely d Apostolum damnare haeresin Simenis Magi qui decuit Angelos quasi minres c. That the Apostle condemns the heresie of Simon Magus who taught like Plato that the Angels should be worships as lesser Deities and that none could please the invisible God but by the Angels And he tells us That the Council e Concilium non damnat quamvis venerationem Ang. sed quae Deo propria did not condemn all worship of Angels but only such veneration as is proper to God Theoph. Observe the incongruity of this Answer as to several particulars He saith the Council condemns not all Veneration of Angels but only such as is proper to God the supreme Deity and yet according to his own relation Simon Magas and the Jewish Christians that worshipt Angels did not worship them as the Supreme Deity but only as subordinate Intercessors And S t Paul and the Councel of Laoduea condemns this That in voluntary humility they should deprive them selves of that priviledg to come to God themselves and so make way unto him by the Intercession of Angels The Apostle therefore and the Council sorbid this inferior worship as Theodoret observes f Ne precarentur Angelos That they should not pray to the Angels to make way for them unto the Great God And in the next chap. of S. Paul to the Colossians vers 17. the Apostle
b Eodem Deo invocato in auxilium The same Lord being call'd upon for our assistance Mark it God being call'd upon for his assistance that we may imitate the Martyrs Virtues c Lib. 20. Centra faustum Manich. c. 21. Quod offertur Deo offertur c. Again he tells us That which is offer'd at the Shrines and Memories of the Martyrs is offered to God Phil. This is true as to Sacrifices which belong only to God but not as to our Praiers Theoph. Our Praiers are Christian Sacrifices ascending up like the Incense and the Evening Sacrifice Psal 142. 2. Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most highest and call upon me in the time of trouble saith the Prophet David Psal 50. 14 15. So Tertullian Phraseth it d Lib. Ad Scapulam Sacrificamus Deo pro salute Imperat. sed prece pura We sacrifice unto God for the health of the Emperor but with pure Praier And in his Apology for Christians Chap. 30. e Offero opimam majorem Hostiam orationem de carne pudica c. I offer to God saith he a more excellent Sacrifice even Praier proceeding out of pure lips and an innocent heart and from the Holy Ghost So Clemens Alexandrinus Lib. 7. Stromatum f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We honor God by Praier and send up this best and most holy Sacrifice Our Praiers therefore are the most acceptable Sacrifices from us to God Of your transcendent Sacrifice of the Mass we may God willing treat hereafter Again in his first Tom. Lib. De ver a Relig cap. ult he tells us That the service of the Body may be due to Princes the service of the Soul to God He tells us farther g Ecce unum Deum colo quisquis Angel diligit hunc Deum certus sum c. Behold I worship one God the Fountain of all things and the Angels that love God I am sure they love me Whosoever abides in him and can hear the Praiers of Men in him he heareth me and in him he helps me h Religat ergo nos Religio uni Omnipotenti Deo Religion therefore binds me to one Omnipotent God The good Father often tells us That the Blessed Saints and Angels expect no such service from us but expresly saith he they direct us to pray to God i Psal 96. Tom. 8. Omnes Sancti Angeli c. Ad ejus cultum c. All the Saints and Angels seek his glory whom they love and they study to draw all whom they love to his Worship and to his Contemplation and to pray to him To this effect elsewhere he tells us a Lib. de Pastoribus c. 8. Sunt montes boni sc autores divin script The Authors of Holy Scripture are good hills and when we look unto them they will send you back to God in whom standeth your help b Si in iis spem posueris contristabuntur If you put confidence in them they will grieve The Angel saith he that related many Mysteries to John being worship'd by him he calls him back to God c Tanquam levantem oculos ad Montem revocat ad Deum as one that did lift up his eyes to the hills saying See thou do it not worship God I am thy Fellow-servant d Enar. upon Psal 64. 3. Solus ibi ex his qui carnem c. Again he sheweth How Christ is our High Priest enter'd within the veil who only of all that lived in the flesh there doth make Intercession for us And this saith he was shadowed under the Law for in the first Temple only the High Priest enter'd into the Holiest of all and offer'd Sacrifice for the People standing without Once more in the 10 th Book of his Confessions chap. 42. S t Augustin speaks fully against Invocation of Angels e Quem invenirem qui me reconciliaret Tibi Whom may I find saith he to reconcile me to thee O God! Shall I go to the Angels With what Praier with what Sacraments Many desirous to return to Thee and distrusting themselves as I hear have tried this way and have fallen into the curiosity of Visions and became meet for Delusions And now after all that you have heard out of S t Augustin I pray judg whether Bellarmin had reason to appeal to him for the confirmation of the Invocation of Saints Phil. Notwithstanding all your insulting Triumphs what hath bin brought by Bellarmin out of S t Augustin hath not bin impertinent But you forget one notable passage which Bellarmin quotes out of S t Augustin in his 18 th Chapter of this Book and Controversie you promis'd to take these Testimonies into consideration in your own season but you have forgotten it f Aljuvet nos Cypr. Orationibus suis Lib. 7. de Baptism Contra Donatist c. 10. It is a formal Invocation Let Cyprian help us with his Praiers Theoph. 'T is no Invocation of Cyprian but S t Augustins desire put up to God That the Blessed Martyr Cyprians Praiers might benefit him It implies the Supplication of the Saints in Heaven for the People of God in general and his Praier to God That he with others might reap the fruit of their Praiers Phil. I will conclude with Bellarmins last Argument the Miracles that have attested this Doctrine whereby the Saints and Martyrs have demonstrated That they do hear our Praiers and can help us Theoph. For a general Answer hereunto we have already shew'd out of S t Augustin That Miracles may be done at the Monuments of the Saints and themselves may appear unto Votaries in their Temples and yet know nothing neither of the Miracle or the Apparition God by the ministery of Angels working Miracles and Cures at their Shrines for a Testimony unto the Faith for which these Martyrs died Phil. This general Answer will not serve For the Learned Cardinal proves out of the 3 d Book of S t Bernard's Life That the Holy Father Preaching at Tholouse against such who denied the Invocation of Saints before all the Congregation blessed Loaves of Bread with the Sign of the Cross and offer'd this trial of his Doctrine That if it were true all who had Diseases in the great City eating of these Loaves should be healed And so multitudes were healed of their Infirmities Here you see God did attest the Doctrine of Invocation of Saints by Miracle Theoph. Bernard liv'd in the 12 th Century and so the Testimony runs low But withal the Abbot who wrote those four Books as a Legend of Bernards Life suited the fabulous credulous humors of these Times he makes him a Wonder-worker thro-out I well remember That above 30 Years since being a Novice in the University and reading this account of S t Bernards Life I could not choose but abhor the notorious Forgeries of the Writer I pray read and judg Phil. I see you will not be convinc'd and therefore
Heaven upon the sons of men but thro the hands and conveyance of the Blessed Virgin Lay all this together and you will soon perceive how by a strange emulation of her Votaries the superstition is improv'd even into the highest degree of blasphemy Phil. Our Church is not concern'd in these follies of private persons and superstitious Votaries Theoph. You have past a just Censure upon them yet you will find they deriv'd their imaginations from others before them of great Autority in your Church You may turn Canisius the Jesuits Catechism set forth in a large Folio under the licence of Pope Pius the fift In his second chap. of the Lords Praier and the Angel Gabriel's Salutation quaest 18 among others he cites out of Damascen Bernard and Anselm these passages b Domina peccatoris orationem accipe To solum gaudii spem habentis c. O Lady receive the praier of a sinner who doth fervently love and worship thee as his only hope and joy and pledg of Salvation Shake off the burden of my sins and subdue temptations and guide me in holiness that by thy conduct I may obtain eternal bliss c Invituperabilem Deipara spem tuam c. Omnipotens auxtlium tuum I shall be sav'd under thine irreprovable hope having your protection as a brestplate and your omnipotent assistance Blessed Mother of God open unto us the Gate of mercy that trusting in thee we may not err and may be freed from all evil d Tu enimes salus generis humani For thou art the Salvation of Mankind e Omnem spem meam in Te repono Mater luminis I put my whole trust in thee ô Mother of Light This he cites out of Damascen Out of Bernard he brings these passages f Praecessit nos Regina nostra praecessit ut fiducialiter sequantur Dominam c. Our Quen is gon before receiv'd into her glory that we her servants may call after her Draw us that we may run after Thee because of the savour of thine Ointments Cant. 1. The Blessed Virgin ascending up on high even she will give gifts unto men For what should hinder seeing neither power nor a will is wanting She is the mercifull Queen of Heaven and the Mother of Gods only Son Let him forbear to magnify thy mercy who hath found thee wanting when he call'd upon thee O thou Blessed who can take the length and breadth and height and depth of thy mercy Out of Anselm this g Peripsam gratiam quâ Te De us omnipotens exaltavit omnia Tibi c. We beseech thee ô Lady by that grace whereby almighty God hath highly exalted thee and given to thee together with himself all things possible that Thou wouldst obtaine for us such fulness of grace which thou hast deserv'd to bring us to Glory Do thou only will our Salvation and we shall be sav'd help us therefore most benigne Lady and not remembring the multitude of our sins incline thy heart to pity us Again if your Church doth not approve how come your Superiors to licence such books why does your Sacred Colledg of Inquisitors strein at Gnats in other'd mens writings swallow these Camels If your Doctors did abhor such blasphemies they would expunge them they would bend their interests and their studies against them But the naked truth is That the Orders of the Franciscan's and the Jesuits most of them have so vehemently espous'd the honor of our Lady that nothing comes amiss to advance it and these having the greatest influence upon the Court of Rome have in a manner silenc'd all such as among your selves would have contradicted For Instance in that great Question about the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin in her Mothers womb the Dominicans were Orthodox and in the negative maintaining well That all who descended from the loins of Adam by natural generation were conceiv'd in sin infected with original corruption That only Christ was without sin and therefore his Blessed Mother was not free at least from original sin That if Christ was her God and Saviour as she acknowledges in the first verse of her Magnificat therefore she was a sinner For he was therefore call'd Jesus or Saviour because he should save his People from their sins But the other party effected that by power and interest which they could not make good by Argument by plurality of votes they prevail'd in the a Concil Trid. sess 5. Declarat tum haec sancta Synodus non esse suae c. Council of Trent That the Virgin Mother should not be included within the Canon of original sin but the Constitutions of Sixtus 4 tus the Pope should be observed The same faction had before prevail'd upon the Pope and Court to establish a Solemn Feast in memory of her Immaculate Conception they procur'd the Edict of Pope Xystus quartus that none should write or dispute against it and so the opinion of the Immaculate Conception is fairly made a Doctrine of the Church seeing the Feast is solemniz'd by the Authority of the Pope For Pope Sixtus an o 1476 publisheth his Bull b Vid. Bin. tom 8. pag. 1051 1052. to establish the Feast with great Indulgences to all such as should devoutly keep the Feast and be present at the solemn Offices and Services of it and seven years after he sets forth another Bull severely forbidding any one to speak or write against the Immaculate Conception and the Council of Trent Confirms that Decree of Xystus You see therefore how matters are carried by favour and affection under shew of piety devotion honour towards the Mother of God they have introduc'd heretical opinions and presumtious blasphemies whereof I have given some instances Phil. I pray forbear your railing keep close to the point of Saints Invocation and bring your exceptions against the public practise of the Church if any you have and trouble not your self and me with personal extravagancies and phancies Theoph. I thought a Popes Bull for the Celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the confirmation thereof by your darling Synod the famous Council of Trent had bin no personal extravagance Phil. What is that to the Invocation of Saints the Virgin Mother speak to the point or else conclude Theoph. Yes the Bull of Sixtus the fourth confirms much such extravagancies For in that Decree the Virgin Mary is stiled a Bin tom 8. p. 1051. Kegina Coeli Stella matutina via misericord c. Queen of Heaven the morning Star the way of mercy Mother of grace and the comforter of Mankind Phil. Leave these digressions speak to the point of Saints Invocation Theoph. I am perswaded as you do not approve so you cannot justify such passages and expressions and therefore you have not patience to hear of them but I will follow your direction and contract my observations within the public Offices and Breviaries