IMPRIMATUR Liber cui Titulus A Second Defence of the Exposition of the Church of England H. Maurice Rmo in Christo P. D. Wilhelmo Arciepiscopo Cant. a Sacris Jan. 24. 1687. A SECOND DEFENCE OF THE EXPOSITION of the DOCTRINE OF THE Church of England Against the New EXCEPTIONS Of Monsieur de MEAVX AND HIS VINDICATOR The Second Part. LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCLXXXVIII THE CONTENTS THE ANSWER to the PREFACE What little Cause those of the Church of Rome have to complain of the Evils of Heresie and Schism num 2 3. Whether Papists or Protestants have sought the most advantagious Means for the redressing of them n. 4. The Holy Scripture the only sure Foundation whereon to build our Faith n. 6. How vain the Attempts of those of the Church of Rome have been in their Disputes against us n. 9. Of the several Methods that they have taken in them n. 10. Their Complaints of our Misrepresenting their Doctrines and Practices groundless n. 18. Of the first CONVERSION of the English by AUSTIN the Monk n. 22. 47. That neither did Austin teach nor the British Churches believe or practise as the Church of Rome do's now n. 24. That for a long time after Austin both their Belief and Practice was different from that of the Church of Rome at this day n. 28. Of King HENRY VIIIth EDWARD VIth Q. MARY Q. ELIZABETH and the State of Religion in their days n. 35. That the Papists have been under-hand the Causes of our Divisions n. 42. Of the State of Religion under K. CHARLES Ist n. 45. How far we allow that Salvation is to be had in the Church of Rome n. 48. Of the Original of our CIVIL WARS in K. CHARLES Ist's time n. 51. Of the State of Religion under K. CHARLES IId and K. JAMES IId and what was the occasion of our present Controversies and how they have been carried on n. 52. What use our READERS ought to make of these Discourses n. 60. And the Method of my present DEFENCE n. 64. The Vindicators Apology for their NEW FRIENDS n. 67. And his Presumption why they cannot be supposed to palliate their Doctrine considered and refuted n. 68. The OATH to be taken by a NEW CONVERT at his admission into the Church of Rome n. 77. Introduction THat our Adversaries advance nothing New against us but repeat the same things over and over without taking the least notice of the Answers that have been given to them The ANSWER TO THE First ARTICLE THe VINDICATOR an Instance of this His first Article entirely stolen out of T. G. and confuted by Dr. Stillingfleet above 11 Years since pag. 45. num 1. That the true and genuine Sons of the Church of England have constantly charged those of the Church of Rome with IDOLATRY n. 3. In particular those whom he quotes to the contrary viz. Dr. Jackson n. 5. Dr. Field A. B. Laud. Dr. Heylin Mr. Thorndyke n. 7 8. and Dr. Hammond n. 9. His other little Cavils as to this Point consider'd n. 12. And the Authority of the Book of HOMILIES asserted n. 13. His particular Exceptions against my DEFENCE as to this Article answered And his shuffling exposed n. 19 c. The ANSWER TO THE Second ARTICLE COncerning the Object of Religious VVorship p. 55. That the VINDICATOR has in vain new modelled the B. of MEAUX's Position n. 2. The Scheme which he has laid down to justify the Doctrine and Practice of the Ch. of Rome in giving Religious Worship to others besides God consider'd in some short Reflections upon the several Parts of it The ANSWER TO THE Fourth ARTICLE OF the INVOCATION of SAINTS Of the State of the Question between us and the VINDICATOR's three Positions for the clearing of it pag. 65. n. 1 2. The Sum of this Article reduced to II. General Points I. POINT Whether it be lawful to pray to the Saints to PRAY FOR US Our Adversaries confess it not to be necessary n. 4. That it is unlawful upon the VINDICATOR 's own Principle so to do viz. That we may not give any religious Service strictly and properly so called to any other than God ONLY n. 5 6. That the Act of invoking the Saints is strictly and properly a Religious Act shewn 1st From the very Nature of the Act it self n. 7. It is not an Act of the same kind with that of desiring of our living Brethren to pray for us n. 8. But attributes to the Creature the Perfections proper to God. ib. The Bp of Meaux 's shuffling upon this occasion more particularly laid open n. 11. 2dly From the Circumstances of it n. 15. Of the Time Place and Manner in which the Romanists invoke their Saints n. 16. Of their offering up the Mass to their HONOUR and desiring its Acceptance through their MERITS n. 17 c. Of their making VOWS to the Saints n. 19 c. II. POINT What the true Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome is as to the Point of INVOCATION of SAINTS The Sum of this Part reduced to IV Considerations SECT I. Whether all the Prayers that are made to the Saints by those of the Church of Rome can fairly be reduced to this One Sense PRAY FOR US That they cannot shewn 1st From the Doctrine of the Council of Trent and of its Catechism n. 25. 2dly From the Opinion which those of the Church of Rome have of the State and Power of the Saints departed n. 30. 3dly From the neglect of the Council of Trent and of the Governours of the Church of Rome either to establish any such Interpretation or to Censure those that have taught otherwise n. 33. 4thly From the words of the Prayers themselves which utterly refuse such an Exposition n. 35. And from the other Service which the Church of Rome allows to the Saints and which cannot be reconciled with these Pretences n. 39. 5thly From the Opinions and Practice of some of the greatest Saints in the Roman Calendar and of other Persons of especial Note amongst them n. 40. Examples of all this n. 41 c. That the Holy Scripture is in vain alledged to countenance this Superstition n. 46. SECT II. After what manner it is that the Church of Rome prays to God through the Merits of her SAINTS The VINDICATOR's Pretences n. 49. That the Church of Rome do's truly pray to God for Mercies through the Merits of her Saints n. 51. The VINDICATOR's Excuses for this considered and exploded n. 53. That the Holy Scripture do's by no meanes countenance any such Practice n. 54. SECT III. In which the VINDICATOR's Arguments for the Establishing of this Worship are particularly consider'd and their Weakness laid open pag. 102. That the practice of Invocation of Saints is not to be proved by Holy Scripture n. 55. Nor has it the Antiquity that is pretended shewn in two periods I st PERIOD That the Custome of Praying to Saints
Plots Persecutions and such like 2. The Means of Fraud and Deceit your false Expositions and Misrepresentations of your Doctrine to deceive the ignorant and unwary till you get them into your Nets 3. The Means of Confidence and Vncharitableness your bold Anathema's and vain thundrings of Damnation against all that differ from you your assuming the Name and Priviledges of the Church Catholick to your single Communion and excluding all others out of it as Schismaticks and Hereticks And lastly to mention no more the Means of gross Ignorance and blind Obedience by depriving Men of their liberty of reading the Holy Scripture by keeping your Service in an unknown Tongue by teaching Men to depend intirely upon your Churches Dictates and not to depart from them tho Sense Reason Scripture all be contrary to them These are I confess some of those peculiar Means whereby you have sought to procure Christian Peace and Experience tells you that they are indeed the most advantageous of any to the Cause you have to defend And if these be the Means which you say we have opposed I hope we shall always continue so to do and rather bear all the Evils of these Divisions than either buy Peace upon such Terms or pursue it by such Means as these 5. Ad p. 2 3. To what I observed from the late Methods that had been taken up in our Neighbour Country to avoid the entring upon particular Disputes which I said you were sensible had been the least favourable of any to your Cause you reply That you have never declined fighting with us at any Weapon which how true it is the account before given of your managing the present Controversie with us sufficiently declares And indeed you seem in some sort to have been sensible of it and therefore recur to your Antient Authors for proof of your Assertion The Sum of what you say is this 6. Reply That there have been three sorts of Protestants since the Reformation 1. Some who appealed to Scripture only neither would they admit of Primitive Fathers nor Councils 2. Others who perceived that they could not maintain several Tenets and Practices of their own by the bare words of Scripture and despairing of Fathers and Councils of latter Ages pretended at least to admit of the first four General Councils and of the Fathers of the first three or four hundred Years 3. Others finally who ventured to name Tradition as a useful Means to arrive at the true Faith. And all these you say you have convinced of their Errors 7. Answ It has always been your way to multiply Sects and Divisions among Protestants as much as ever you were able and then to complain against us upon the account of them and here you have given us a notable Instance of it The three Opinions you have drawn out as so many different Parties amongst us do all resolve into the very same Principle That the Holy Scripture is the only perfect and sufficient Rule of Faith So that all other Authorities whether of Fathers or Councils or unwritten Tradition are to be examined by it and no farther to be admitted by us than they agree with it This is in effect the common belief of all Protestants whatsoever as appears from their several Confessions and might easily be shewn out of the Writings of our first Reformers and the most eminent of those who have lived since and built their Faith upon the same Foundation It is true indeed there have been some who the better to maintain their Separation from the Church of England have from this sound Principle That nothing is to be received by us as a Matter of Faith but what is either plainly expressed in the Holy Scripture or can evidently be proved by it drawn a very ill Consequence viz. That nothing might lawfully be done or used in the Worship of God unless there were some Command or Example for it in Scripture and have by this means run themselves into great Inconveniences But the Rule of Faith which an uninterrupted Tradition by the common consent of all Parties of Christians however otherwise disagreeing in other Points has brought down to us and delivered into our hands as the Word of God this has among all Protestants been ever the same viz. The Holy Scripture And if for the farther proof of the Truth of our Doctrine we have at any time put the issue of our Cause to the decision of the Church of the first three or four hundred Years it is not because we suppose that those Fathers who then lived have any more right to judg us or determine our Faith than those that follow'd after but because upon examination we find them to have yet continued at least as to the common Belief received and establish'd amongst them in their Purity and that what was generally establish'd and practised by them was indeed conformable both to their and our Rule the Word of God. 8. This then is our Common Principle and this you cannot deny to be most reasonable For whatsoever Authority you would have us give to those Holy Fathers yet it cannot be doubted but that 1st Being * Durandus l. 4. Sent. d. 7. q. 4. de S. Gregorio Nescio cur non possit dici quòd Gregorius cum fuerit Homo non Deus potuerit Errare Men subject to the same Infirmities with our selves they were by consequence obnoxious to Errors as well as we and therefore may not without all examination be securely follow'd by us Especially if we consider 2dly That we are expresly forbid in Holy Scripture to rely on any Persons whatsoever without enquiry whether what they teach be true or not Dearly Beloved says St. John believe not every Spirit 1 John 4.1 but try the Spirits whether they be of God or no. The same is St. Paul's Doctrine To prove all things and then hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 St. Peter exhorts all Christians to be ready to give a reason of the Hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3.15 And our Blessed Saviour himself once gave the same encouragement of examining even his own Doctrine And why says he of your selves do you not judg that which is right Luke 12 57. Nay but 3dly these Holy Fathers were not only capable of Erring but in many things they actually did Err and are forsaken by you upon that account The Millenary Opinion was generally received in the first Ages of the Church They derived it from St. John to Papias from him to Justin Martyr Irenaeus Melito Tertullian c. Yet is this Opinion now rejected by you The Doctrine of the necessity of Communicating Infants was the Common Doctrine of the Fathers in S. Austin's Time and is confess'd by your most Learned Men Cardinal Perron and Others to have been generally practised in the Church for the first six hundred Years Concil Trid. Sess 21. Can. 4. Yet have you Anathematized those who shall now assert with
good Intention to stop the Course of Heresy in that Country Upon this he dismiss'd them but from that time began seriously to apply himself to read the Holy Scriptures telling them that he would no longer trust his Salvation to Men who defended their Religion by such pious Frauds so they called them but which were indeed Diabolical Inventions And in a short time after both himself and his whole House made open Profession of the Reformed Religion Anno 1564. And thus much be said in Answer to your IVth Article FINIS Books lately Printed for Richard Chiswell A Discourse concerning the Celebration of Divine Service in an Unknown Tongue Quarto A Papist not Misrepresented by Protestants Being a Reply to the Reflections upon the Answer to A Papist Misrepresented and Represented Quarto An Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England in the several Articles proposed by the late BISHOP of CONDOM in his Exposition of the Doctrine of the Catholick Church Quarto A Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England against the Exceptions of Monsieur de Meaux late Bishop of Condom and his Vindicator 4o. A CATECHISM explaining the Doctrine and Practices of the Church of Rome With an Answer thereunto By a Protestant of the Church of England 8o. A Papist Represented and not Misrepresented being an Answer to the First Second Fifth and Sixth Sheets of the Second Part of the Papist Misrepresented and Represented and for a further Vindication of the CATECHISM Quarto The Lay-Christian's Obligation to read the Holy Scriptures Quarto The Plain Man's Reply to the Catholick Missionaries 24o. An Answer to THREE PAPERS lately printed concerning the Authority of the Catholick Church in Matters of Faith and the Reformation of the Church of England Quarto A Vindication of the Answer to THREE PAPERS concerning the Unity and Authority of the Catholick Church and the Reformation of the Church of England 4o. Mr. Chillingworth's Book called The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation made more generally useful by omitting Personal Contests but inserting whatsoever concerns the common Cause of Protestants or defends the Church of England with an exact Table of Contents and an Addition of some genuine Pieces of Mr. Chillingworth's never before Printed viz. against the Infallibility of the Roman Church Transubstantiation Tradition c. And an Account of what moved the Author to turn Papist with his Confutation of the said Motives An Historical Treatise written by an AUTHOR of the Communion of the CHVRCH of ROME touching Transubstantiation Wherein is made appear That according to the Principles of THAT CHVRCH This Doctrine cannot be an Article of Faith. 4o. The Protestant's Companion Or an Impartial Survey and Comparison of the Protestant Religion as by Law established with the main Doctrines of Popery Wherein is shewed that Popery is contrary to Scripture Primitive Fathers and Councils and that proved from Holy Writ the Writings of the Ancient Fathers for several hundred Years and the Confession of the most Learned Papists themselves 4o. A Sermon preached upon St. Peter's day By a Divine of the Church of England Printed with some Enlargements The Pillar and Ground of Truth A Treatise shewing that the Roman Church falsly claims to be That Church and the Pillar of That Truth mentioned by S. Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy Chap. 3. Vers 15. 4o. The Peoples Right to read the Holy Scripture Asserted 4o. A Short Summary of the principal Controversies between the Church of England and the Church of Rome being a Vindication of several Protestant Doctrines in Answer to a Late Pamphlet Intituled Protestancy destitute of Scripture Proofs 4o. An Answer to a Late Pamphlet Intituled The Judgment and Doctrine of the Clergy of the Church of England concerning one Special Branch of the King's Prerogative viz. In dispensing with the Penal Laws 4o. A Discourse of the Holy Eucharist in the two great Points of the Real Presence and the Adoration of the Host in Answer to the Two Discourses lately Printed at Oxford on this Subject To which is perfixed a Large Historical Preface relating to the same Argument Two Discourses Of Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead The Fifteen Notes of the Church as laid down by Cardinal Bellarmin examined and confuted 4o. With a Table of the Contents Preparation for Death Being a Letter sent to a young Gentlewoman in France in a dangerous Distemper of which she died By W. W. M. A. 12o. The Difference between the Church of England and the Church of Rome in opposition to a late Book Intituled An Agreement between the Church of England and Church of Rome A PRIVATE PRAYER to be used in Difficult Times A True Account of a Conference held about Religion at London Sept. 29 1687 between A. Pulton Jesuit and Tho. Tenison D. D. as also of that which led to it and followed after it 4o. The Vindication of A. Cressener Schoolmaster in Long-Acre from the Aspersions of A. Pulton Jesuit Schoolmaster in the Savoy together with some Account of his Discourse with Mr. Meredith A Discourse shewing that Protestants are on the safer Side notwithstanding the uncharitable Judgment of their Adversaries and that Their Religion is the surest Way to Heaven 4o. Six Conferences concerning the Eucharist wherein is shewed that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation overthrows the Proofs of Christian Religions A Discourse concerning the pretended Sacrament of Extreme Vnction with an account of the Occasions and Beginnings of it in the Western Church In Three Parts With a Letter to the Vindicator of the Bishop of Condom The Pamphlet entituled Speculum Ecclesiasticum or an Ecclesiastical Prospective-Glass considered in its False Reasonings and Quotations There are added by way of Preface two further Answers the First to the Defender of the Speculum the Second to the Half-sheet against the Six 〈◊〉 A Second Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England against the new Exceptions of Mons de Meaux late Bishop of Condom and his Vindicator The FIRST PART In which the Account that has been given of the Bishop of Meaux's Exposition is fully Vindicated the Distinction of Old and New Popery Historically asserted and the Doctrine of the Church of Rome in Point of Image-worship more particularly considered 4o. The Incurable Scepticism of the Church of Rome By the Author of the Six Conferences concerning the Eucharist 4o. Mr. Pulton Considered in his Sincerity Reasonings Authorities Or a Just Answer to what he hath hitherto Published in his True Account his True and full Account of a Conference c. His Remarks and in them his pretended Confutation of what he calls Dr. T 's Rule of Faith. By Tho. Tenison D. D. A Full View of the Doctrines and Practices of the Antient Church relating to the Eucharist wholly different from those of the Present Roman Church and inconsistent with the belief of Transubstantiation Being a sufficient Confutation of CONSENSVS VETERVM NVBES TESTIVM and other Late Collections of the Fathers pretending to the Contrary 4o. An Answer to the Representer's Reflections upon the State and View of the Controversy With a Reply to the Vindicator's Full Answer shewing that the Vindicator has utterly ruin'd the New Design of Expounding and Representing Popery
confess'd by the principal Authors of the Church of Rome it self n. 97. IIdly Q. How this may be done by them Two ways proposed from what has before been said viz. 1st By worshipping the true God after an Idolatrous manner n. 101. 2dly By giving Divine Worship to any other besides Him n. 103. II. POINT That the Church of Rome in the Worship of Images is truly and properly guilty of IDOLATRY This shewn according to the VINDICATOR's desire in two different respects I st With reference to those who hold that Images are to be worshipped with the same Worship as the things which they represent n. 108. IIdly As it concerns their Opinions who denying this yet allow an inferiour Honour to them n. 113. Of RELIQUES Two things proposed to be proved in answer to the VINDICATOR's Exceptions I st That those of the Church of Rome do truly and properly worship the RELIQUES of their Saints For their Expressions it is undeniable n. 121. That their Practice is agreeable to their Words shewn 1st In the instance of that Worship which they give to the Wood of the true Cross n. 122. 2dly To all the other RELIQUES that have ever touch'd our Saviour Christ n. 124. 3dly From their allow'd practice of swearing by them n. 125. A famous Story of S. GURIA for the illustrating of this matter n. 126. 4thly From their other Practices especially their carrying of them in Procession an instance whereof is given from the Roman Pontifical n. 127 c. IIdly That they do seek to them for Help and Assistance My Interpretation of the Council of Trent in reference to this Point made good against the new Pretences of the VINDICATOR n. 129. The thing it self justified from the Publick Prayers of that Church n. 130. And from a memorable Instance of a Prince of the Family of the Dukes of Radzevil with which the whole is concluded ERRATA PAge 3. of the Contents for Fourth Article read Third Article P. 6. num 9. line 4. r. our Schism P. 8. n. 14. l. 5. r. Err. P. 11. n. 21. l. 3. uncertain r. unsincere P. 18. n. 35. l. 17. r. Their Vsurpations P. 25. l. 9. r. were now P. 32. n. 57. l. 7. del after all P. 48. n. 9. l. 6. Images r. Angels P. 87. l. 1. r. recising P. 114. Marg. Expos r. Def. of the Expos P. 120. Marg. r. lib. Carol. P. 127. Marg. r. Reg. Moral 80. P. 133. l. 27. For and I del and. P. 137. n. 154. l. 5. r. Moliri Pervicaciâ P. 138. l. 4. r. Curarum P. 167. l. ult for V. r. VIth Cent. P. 187. n. 119. l. 3. r. upon a verbal P. 190. n. 124. l. 15. Cloth with which P. 194. l. 25. and only del and. P. 196. n. 132. l. 1. r. Radzevil The Pages are interrupted in two places pag. 60. and p. 160. AN ANSWER TO THE PREFACE THE Design of your Preface seems reducible to these two Points viz. I. Of the State of the Controversy between the Papists and Protestants in general And II. Of the Disputes that have heretofore been and are at this day managed against you by Vs of this Church in particular 2. Ad pag. 1. The former of these you introduce with a short harangue of the Mischief which Heresie and Schism bring along with them not only to the individual Persons that are guilty of them but also to the Nations in which they are propagated You represent to us the miserable Broils and other worse Consequences that have attended these Controversies of Religion in this and the last Age And from thence you conclude how much they are to be commended who labour to establish Truth and Vnity and those to be condemned who seek all means possible to obscure the one and obstruct the other 3. Answ To all which I have only this to reply that we need no Arguments to convince us of these things There are none more sensible of the Mischiefs of Schism and Heresie than we are or that do more truly lament the Divisions that are in the Church or would more heartily contribute what in us lies to the closing of them But then as we have good cause to believe both from the Authority of Holy Scripture and from the Nature of Mankind that whilst there is a Devil in Hell and Men of Interest and Designs upon Earth there shall also be Heresies 1 Cor. xi 19. that they who are approved may be made manifest So we cannot but complain that those should be the most forward to charge us both with the Guilt and Mischief of them at whose doors the Crime and therefore the Evil Consequences of it will one day be found to lie The former of these it will be the business of the following Discourse to make good And for the latter whosoever shall impartially consider the Origen of those Broils with which the World has you say been agitated in this and the last Age upon the account of Religion not to mention those other Mischiefs of Treasons Plots Massacres Persecutions and the like will soon be convinced who they are that have cause to complain of these Evils For what you add 4. Ibid. That they who will but impartially consider matters will find that Catholicks have upon all occasions sought the most Advantageous Means to procure this Christian Peace tho to their grief they have still been hindred from effecting this Good Work. Answ I do not well know what you design by it If by the most Advantageous Means you understand those Means of Knowledg which God has given us whereby to come to discern the Truth of Religion such as 1. A diligent reading of the Holy Scriptures the using of all imaginable Assistances for the understanding the sense of them by studying the Original Languages in which they were written searching of Antiquity collating parallel places and the like 2. The divesting of our selves of our Prejudices and forming in our Minds an impartial desire to find out the Truth with an honest readiness to embrace it on what side soever it lies And lastly to all this add our earnest Prayer to God for his Grace to bless and prosper our Endeavours these I confess are the best Means to discover Christian Truth and to exhort all others to the use of them the most advantageous way to promote it But then I cannot imagine why you should seem to appropriate these Means to your selves as if you only sought Truth and Peace by them seeing it cannot be deny'd but that We have employ'd all these with as great diligence as you can pretend to have done it But now some other Means indeed there are which you have pursu'd and which it may be you understand by this Expression and then We neither deny your Assertion nor envy you the Glory of being singular in your Endeavours of procuring Peace by them Such are 1. The Means of Force and Violence your Holy Leagues and private Treacheries your Inquisitions
were deprived of their Bishopricks and the three first imprison'd A very few of the inferiour Clergy suffered in the same manner and all after much provocation This was the very utmost of what you call Persecution and soon after we meet other kind of Trials For this King dying 39. Ibid. Reply You tell us The Catholick Religion began again to bud forth under Q. Mary Answ And then as if you were afraid of burning your Fingers in those Fires which Her * See Dr. Burnet's Cont. of his Refl on Varillas p. 4 5. Persecution kindled against us you immediately pass to Her Sister's Succession And to whose Reign I will so far comply with you as to pass without one word of reflection which you know I might here have occasion enough to make 40. Ibid. Reply But that Bud being early nipped by her Death Queen Elizabeth by the Advice of the new Council which she chose and to secure her self in the Throne resolved to destroy the Catholick Interest and set up a Prelatick Protestancy which might have the Face of a Church But other pretended Reformers opposed her Prelats and call'd their Orders Anti-christian and would needs have the Rags and Remnants of Popery as they called them taken away Telling them that if the Word of God was to be the sole Rule of Reformation such things as were not to be found in that Rule were certainly to be rejected Answ The Method by which Queen Elizabeth proceeded in her Reformation was such as will sufficiently justify both her Piety and Prudence in the choice of it Never was more care taken that nothing should be done out of Interest or Passion but all things be establish'd upon the best and surest Foundations And had not some misguided Zealots out of a too great Affection to those Models they had seen abroad run into unreasonable Oppositions at Home the Church of England had at this day been the most flourishing as it is the most Primitive Church in the World. 41. But though this then be a Matter justly to be lamented by Us yet certainly you have no cause to complain of that great Queen's proceedings towards you It is well known how many Years pass'd before any severe Laws were made against Recusants and how the Attempts of the Pope and the King of Spain from Abroad and of your Brethren in compliance with them at Home forced her to that Severity which was afterwards but with great Moderation used against you Bonner though infamous for his Cruelties in Queen Mary's days was yet suffered to go in safety now Heath lived not only in great security but even in favour with the Queen her self Tonstal and Thirleby found a Retreat with the Arch-Bishop at Lambeth The rest of the Bishops continued in quiet amongst us only three chose to retire beyond Sea. When the High Commission was establish'd for visiting the Churches of England they were expresly ordered by her Majesty's Injunctions to reserve Pensions for those that refused to continue in their Benefices And the Reformation it self appear'd so reasonable to them that of nine thousand four hundred beneficed Men in England there were but fourteen Bishops six Abbots twelve Deans twelve Arch-Deacons fifteen Heads of Colledges fifteen Prebendaries and eighty Rectors of Parishes that left their Benefices upon the account of Religion Consider Sir this procedure and then compare it with that of the Queen her Sister or if these things be too far out of your reach look upon the Methods that have been used in our Neighbour Country and that not in the severe Accounts of any particular Persons but in the publick Edicts in the Report which one of your own Party Monsieur le Fevre has publish'd with the King's Permission and then say freely which has most in it of the true Spirit of Christianity the meekness whereby this Princess establish'd the Truth in her Kingdoms or that furious Zeal which has been employ'd to root it out of this Other 42. Ad Pag. 9. Reply From that time you say the Nation has been variously agitated with Disputes Answ And give me leave to tell you we are in great measure to thank you for it They were your Brethren that creeping into Chambers and Conventicles under pretence of a purer Reformation endeavoured to divide us among our selves and especially to draw as many as they could from the Establish'd Religion which you have ever the most hated Such was Faithfull Commin in the 9th Year * See Foxes Firebrands Part 1 2. Father Heath in the 10th of that Queen's Reign and both discover'd to be Priests in Masquerade And it was in this very Year †See Camden ' s Eliz. ad Annum 1568. 1568 that the Puritans chiefly began to appear And the Heads of them which our Historians mention Hallingham Coleman and Benson are named in a Letter that dropt out of Father Heath's Pocket Foxes and Firebrands Part 1. p. 37. Ed. 80. See A.B. Bramhall's Letter to A. B. Usher p. 611. to have been some of your Emissaries How far the same Policies have kept open our Divisions since it is now no longer a Mystery We know how Provision has been made to tutor up Scholars not only in Learning but in Handy-craft Trades too in Italy France Germany and Spain How they have been taught twice a Week regularly to dispute pro and con concerning Presbytery Independency Anabaptism Atheism every one to take his part among us according as his Fancy or Genius leads him Foxes and Firebrands Part 1. p. 7. Who was it but a St. Omer's Jesuit that confess'd as we are credibly informed that they were twenty Years in hammering out the Sect of the Quakers And indeed the Principle they go upon to refuse all Oaths is a neat Contrivance for Priests and Jesuits to avoid the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy without a possibility of being discover'd But this may suffice to shew how unreasonable you are to complain of those Divisions which your selves have in great measure been the Authors of amongst us and shall I hope make us hereafter better understand one another than to give you any longer the opportunity of keeping up these Differences amongst us and then I am sure we need not much fear whatever you can do in your own Shapes to ruin us 43. Ibid. During this Time you say all things were carried to an Extremity against you so furious was our rage against the Truth Answ But certainly you here again make History and do not report things as they truly pass'd in those Days I am sure if we may conclude any thing either from the Writings or Actions of those Times nothing can be more moderate than we shall find them both to have been It was then our XXXIX Articles were drawn up and in which I am confident you will not have the face to say that things were carried to any undue excess against you And if the Homilies in some Particulars may seem
your Friend T. G. supposes That Actions must necessarily go whither they are intended yet I think both he and you ought by this time to be satisfied of the falseness of that Maxim And therefore should we allow your Intention to be only to worship Christ and not the Cross yet it do's not thence follow that all your worship must by the Interpretation of Gods Law terminate upon him But now 2. I have shown that for all your Pretences it is not your Intention that your Worship should so terminate upon Christ as not to terminate also upon the Cross together with him 3. If it were yet for all your intention you would nevertheless be far from Honouring Christ seeing that to worship Christ by an Image is a prohibited Act and God cannot be Honour'd in the very same Act in which he is disobey'd And though an intention to dishonour Christ by abusing his Image is sufficient to do it as in all other Cases one ill Circumstance will make the whole Action to be Evil yet a good intention alone is not sufficient to make an Act good nor by consequence for the glory of God unless that Intention it self be also govern'd by the Rules of His Commandments For otherwise a man might do the worst things with a Good intention and that should be sufficient to sanctify all his Villanies So far have you hitherto been from producing the least shadow of an Answer to overthrow the force of my Allegations My Last Instance was 65. Fourthly From the Hymns of your Church Reply p. 39. In which I shewed that you address your selves to the Cross and beg spiritual Graces of it and that you could not say the Cross was here put by a Figure to signify Christ crucified upon it because the very words of the Hymns shew that 't is the Material Cross as distinguish'd from Christ of which they speak 66. And here you are in a great distress you catch at every thing that comes near you but for the most part without considering whether it be to any purpose or no. As for instance You observe First That I am brisk and confident and have a mind to ' expose your Literature as well as your Idolatry But Sir may I beg leave to ask you on this Occasion the very same Question that you do Me. Who is it you mean when you say Ib. p. 40. I have a mind to expose YOVR Literature If you understand that of your Party I must tell you I am so far from exposing it that I shall presently shew you that they are the most Learned Men of your Church whom I follow in the Application of that Hymn I alledged But if by YOVR Literature you meant your own you have then made a most unlucky piece of Work of it in joining your Literature and your Churches Idolatry together and I doubt your Brethren will have but little cause to applaud the Comparison For do but grant it to be as easie to Prove the One as it is to Expose the Other and I will never desire a fairer Advantage against both than you have here offer'd to Me. For 67. Secondly You say I must confess that your Churches Hymns were made by Poets unless I will be so great a Hypocrite as to deny that Prudentius and Fortunatus were Poets I suppose Prudentius and Fortunatus clubb'd together to make the Hymn that I refer to Only the mischef is that the One lived in the End of the IVth the other not till about the middle of the Vth Century Nay but what now if neither of these were Author of that Hymn I am sure Gretser a very inquisitive Man in these matters speaks very doubtfully of it Lib. 1. de Cruce c. 35. and leaves it in Question whether Venantius Fortunatus or Theodulphus Bishop of Orleans was the Author of it and He lived yet later about the beginning of the IXth Century But to let this pass and consider 68. Thirdly How you prove these Men to be Poets for indeed it is very remarkable You tell me that if I will but look into the Corpus Poetarum I shall find them to have had a place among the Poets A most undoubted way this to find out whether an Author were a Poet or a Schoolman And I dare say you were beholden to no man's Literature but your own for this Remark 69. Well but to grant that which I perceive you do not know very well how to go about to prove that the Author of this Hymn whoever he was was a Poet what will follow Why then you say Fourthly I shall presently find the Figure he there uses his Title being not Of the CROSS but of the PASSION of our LORD And then you take a great deal of pains to prove what no man ever deni'd that the Cross in Holy Scripture is oftentime put to signify the Force Effects and Merits of Christ's Death and Passion Now if this be any thing to the purpose as all that drops from a Person of your Literature must be supposed to be then I must conclude that seeing the Title of that Hymn is ' Of the Passion of our Lord whereever I meet the word CROSS in it I am to understand it not of the Material Cross but of Christ's PASSION This you must mean or else all this ado is meer Reverie and Impertinence Now then let us see what mad work we shall according to this new Exposition make of that Hymn The PASSION of our King comes forth The mystery of the PASSION shines upon which PASSION the Maker of our Flesh was hanged in the Flesh Beautiful and bright PASSION Adorned with the purple of a King. Chosen of a fit Stock to touch such sacred Members Blessed PASSION upon whose Arms the price of the World hung Hail O Passion our only Hope In this time of the PASSION increase righteousness in the Godly and give pardon to the Guilty 70. Now this I am confident a man of so much Literature as you are will not allow to be a proper paraphrase of this Hymn And if instead of the Passion you put Christ for the Cross this will yet more increase the Nonsense and Confusion In short If all the Corpus Poetarum were alive and should lay their Heads together with you they could not find out any of their Figures that would do the business but must have some new Ecclesiastical Figure found out to make the Cross signify Christ and his Passion at the same time and in the same place in which it distinguishes both from the Cross And such a Figure I do say would be as Great a Mystery in Verse as Transubstantiation is in Prose And I desire you if you can to give me but one parallel Text of Scripture in which the Cross is at once taken both literally for that Cross on which Christ suffer'd and figuratively for Christ and his Sufferings upon it 71. In the mean time it shall suffice me Once more to
of it who yet both Know and Worship the One true God II. How such Persons may become Guilty of it I. Whether according to the Scripture-Notion of Idolatry those may not be guilty of it who yet both Know and Worship the One true God 79. And here it is not my design to enter on any large Discourse about the general Nature of Idolatry but still remembring the particular Point before me to prove it only in such Instances as are more immediately applicable to it And such are especially these two 1st The Idolatry of the Golden Calf 2dly Of the Calves of Dan and Bethel Reasons for Abrog the Test p. 85. 80. As to the former of these it has of late been suggested That it was made by Aaron as the Symbol of the Egyptian Apis or Osyris and to whose Idolatry the Israelites now return'd in the Worship of it But this is indeed a very weak Suggestion and whosoever will but consider the Circumstances of what was done by that People on this occasion will presently see that they design'd that Calf to be the Symbol not of any Egyptian Deity but of the true God whom accordingly they worshipp'd in presence of it And this will appear 81. 1st From the occasion of this Idolatry which was not any Infidelity as to the true God or that they had now any better Reasons given them for the Worship of others besides him but because Moses delayed to come down from the Mount Exod. XXXII therefore they urged Aaron to make them a God that might go before them They had now rested a long time in that place and were impatient to go on towards the Land of Promise But having now no Moses to enquire of Gods Pleasure they wanted an Oracle to consult upon these Occasions And therefore they cri'd out unto Aaron Vp make us Gods that shall go before us for as for this Moses the man that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt we wot not what is become of him 82. Now that this was all they intended by it will appear 2dly From the Character which the People presently gave to the Calf as soon as it was made This is thy God Ibid. ver 4. or as the Chaldee Paraphrast renders it This is thy Fear O Israel which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt For sure the People were not so stupid as to think it was either that Image which had brought them up out of Egypt or that the Gods of Egypt had plagued their own People for their sakes and with a high hand deliver'd them out of their Power No doubtless they understood by it their God Exod. XX. who but just before at the delivery of the Law had assumed this as his own peculiar Character I am the LORD thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the house of Bondage And this naturally Suggests to me a third Evidence of this Truth 83. From the Title which Aaron himself gave to that God of which this Calf was the Symbol Ver. 5. And when Aaron saw it Ibid 5. he built an Altar before it and Aaron made Proclamation and said To morrow is a feast unto the LORD This was the peculiar and incommunicable name of the God of Israel which he assumed unto himself Exod. VI. 2. when he renew'd his Covenant with them and we do not find any one place in all the Holy Scripture where it has ever been attributed to any other 84. 4thly Had the People hereby designed this to be the Symbol of the Egyptian Deities how comes it to pass that as we read in the next Verse they offer'd Burnt-offerings Ver. 6. and Peace-offerings unto it For this both the Scripture tells us Reasons for Abr. the Test p. 114 c. was an Abomination to the Egyptians and a late Advocate for you freely confesses that they esteem'd Bullocks and Rams to be Sacred Animals and therefore never offer'd any of them to their Gods. 85. Lastly The Scripture plainly distinguishes this Idolatry from that of the Egyptians and makes the one to have been the Punishment of the other It is confess'd or rather contended for by the Author I but now mentioned that the Egyptian Idolatry consisted in worshipping the Sun Moon and Stars as the Supreme Deity Now this St. Stephen tells us that God afterwards permitted them to fall into and therefore it must have been some other Idolatry which in this Case they were Guilty of For speaking of their setting up the Golden Calf Acts VII 41. He thus goes on ver 42. THEN God turned and gave them up to worship the Host of Heaven 86. As for the other Instance I proposed to consider The Calves of Dan and Bethel the Occasion of their making was this When the ten Tribes had thrown off Rehoboam from being their King and had chosen Jeroboam to Reign over them This new Usurper fearing lest if the People went up at the yearly Sacrifices to Jerusalem where Rehoboam still Reigned over the other two Tribes it might in time occasion their falling away from him set up two Calves in Dan and Bethel and made Altars before them and perswaded the People 1 Kings XII 28. saying It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem Behold thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt 87. Now that Jeroboam intended these Calves to be Symbols of the God of Israel appears 1st From most of those Reflections I before made He gives them the same Character by which they constantly understood the God of Israel Behold says he thy God that brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt He offer'd Sacrifies before them and consecrated the Priests that Ministred unto them with a young Bullock and seven Rams 2 Chron XIII 9. All which is exactly agreeable to what God required of them but was utterly inconsistent with the Idolatry of Egypt But 88. 2dly We have some more peculiar Proofs of this matter I speak not now of the readiness of the People in complying with him which it is not imaginable they would so easily have done had he intended to lead them to the Worship of strange Gods. Nor will I insist upon the danger which so sudden an Innovation might have brought to this new King and who was not so little a Polititian as to attempt such an Alteration at a time when he was hardly yet well establish'd in his new Vsurpation These are indeed great Probabilities but such as this Cause needs not seeing it has the Evidence of Holy Scripture fully confirming it It being certain that the Idolatry of these Calves did not take them off from the Service of the true God. Let us examine all along the History of the Kings of Israel we shall find them constantly worshipping the Jehovah the God of Israel Jehu was zealous for him he destroy'd the Idolatry of Baal out of his concern for
appears that you are in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or self-condemned If you believe this Worship to be lawful and yet deny it of Hypocrisy towards us if you think it to be Idolatrous and yet comply with it of a great Sin towards God. 115. And that which yet farther confirms me in this is to consider what wretched Evasions you make use of to excuse your selves in these Particulars Can any thing be more pitiful than the Expositions you have here offer'd of your Consecrating of Crosses of your Good-friday-Service and of the Hymns of your Church which I had alledged as Instances of that Worship you give to Images Do not these plainly shew a desperate Cause and that you are but too sensible that your old Practices are not to be reconciled with your new Pretences 116. If while I am endeavouring to convince you of Idolatry I do by the way discover your Insincerity 't is what I cannot help But all the use I shall make at present of these Remarks shall be to observe that even those among you who pretend the most to deny a Divine Worship to Images yet must allow such Acts of it as these I have here recounted Now that even this will involve you in this Guilt is evident from the Scripture-Notion of Idolatry before establish'd For I desire you to tell me if you can what did those Israelites do when they worshipped the Golden Calf that you do not at this day practise in the very same manner Was it 1. that they worshipped God by an Image But if this be Idolatry you cannot deny but that you do the very same Or was it 2. that they did not refer their Worship finally to God but terminated their Adoration upon the very Image it self Nay but Aaron in express terms proclaim'd a Feast unto the Lord and to whom can we suppose that they offer'd their Burnt-offerings and their Peace-offerings but to the same LORD to whom the Feast it self was proclaim'd 117. To conclude There is nothing in that whole History to make us doubt but that they design'd that Calf only as a Symbol of the God of Israel And their Idolatry by Consequence was no other than what the most moderate Men of your Church must confess themselves to be guilty of viz. That contrary to God s express Command you set up Graven Images as Representations of our Saviour Christ and the Holy Trinity and worship the infinite and incomprehensible God in a Figure made like unto a Mortal Man Which God himself has warranted us by his holy Word to call Idolatry 118. It remains therefore upon the whole that either you must shew us to be mistaken in our Notion of Idolatry or you will never be able to acquit your selves of the Charge of it And when you have done this we shall then only tell you that you commit a Sin in this Service that you violate God's holy Law which forbids it but for the denomination of it we shall leave it to you whose Sin it is to give it what particular Name you your selves think fit Of RELIQUES 119. IN the Point of Reliques you offer only two things in answer to all that I had said upon that Subject Repl◠p. 42. c. viz. Reply First That the whole of my Discourse proceeded upon verbal Dispute what we are to call that Honour which you give to them and which you deny to be properly Worship Secondly You once more egregiously cavil about the Translation of that Part of the Council of Trent which concerns this Subject and deny that you seek to the sacred Monuments or Reliques of the Saints for the obtaining of THEIR Help and Assistance 120. Answ For answer to which Pretences because I as little love to prolong Disputes at any time Reply ibid. as you do when you have no more to say in order to the carrying of them on I will lay aside words and bring the Issue to the things themselves and shew how miserably you have prevaricated in this Point too as wellas in the foregoing by proving I. That you do properly worship the Reliques of your Saints II. That you do seek to them for Help and Assistance And when this is done I shall not need say any thing to prove that you here also commit Idolatry seeing you allow the Cases of Images and Reliques to be the same Reply p. 44. and the Council of Trent makes this to be the very difference between the Heathens and them and that by which they hope to escape the Censure of Idolatry viz. That they do not believe any Divinity or Virtue in Images for which they ought to be worshipped or that any thing is to be asked of them or any trust to be put in them Tho how truly they declare this the account I have before given of your consecrating both of Crosses and Agnus Dei's will sufficiently show I. That you do truly and properly worship the Reliques of your Saints 121. This is a Point that in any other Age or Country but ours would have needed no Proof And it is not the least Argument of an innovating Spirit in you that no Words or Expressions are of any value with you as often as you are minded to give us what you call the Churches Sense Let your Writers use never so many Phrases to assure to us their Opinion that Reliques are to be worshipp'd all this signifies nothing they meant no more by it than an Honour or Veneration due to the sacred Remains of those Saints who were once the Temples of the Living God Reply p. 42. and not a Worship or Adoration taken in its strict Sense There is hardly an Expression that can signifie a proper Worship which your own Authors have not made use of to declare the Service they thought due to them I ADORE WORSHIP embrace the Reliques of the Saints said one in the second Council of Nice and the whole Assembly resolved Act. IV. That their Bones Ashes Raggs Blood and Sepulchres should be ADORED only Men should not offer Sacrifice unto them Card. Baronius speaks of it as an Honour done Him by Pope Clement VIIIth Annal. ad Ann. 821. §. 14. that tho most unworthy of so great an undertaking he was yet sent by him to examine and ADORE the venerable Body of S. Cecilia And though the cautious Synod of Trent said only that Reliques should be VENERATED yet seeing it neither condemned the Opinions of those who taught they were to be worshipped but rather allow'd the Acts of proper Divine Service to be paid to them What can we conclude but that they made use of a loose Expression to satisfy the more moderate Party of your Communion at the same time that they resolved by their practice to favour the Superstition of those who properly adored them 122. Now that this was truly the Case will appear First From what I have before said concerning the Holy CROSS which is consider'd by