forwardnesse or slownesse in this cause in titling to Divinity this their delusion with such heats doe they imbrace what was never heard of in Gods Church this fourteene hundred yeares and this doe they extoll to be the height of Reformation 2. All other sects and sorts that discent from them who will not be subject to this spirituall bondage have their bucklers of defence out of Scripture too the measure and judge whereof is their own interpretation they alledge That when two or three are gathered together God is in the midst of them whereas the Fathers say in their Expositions That when two or three of the Church are gathered together for devotion sake God is in the midst of them not that the gathering of two or three together doth make a Church thus in the Son of Gods Word doth swarmes of gnats and flyes play not capable of being governed And though both these Reformations be contrary to each other yet both oppose a third Reformation established by Parliamentary Laws which retained a solemnity of Forme and Ceremony and from its first angry leaving onely to acknowledge the Authority of the Roman Bishop fell by degrees to leave off one thing after another And as it served them to be able to bandy against the Church of Rome complide with those other reformists as they call themselves who in no other thing agreed with them but in disagreeing from it It s owne proper temper stood not upon termes irreconcilable but pretended the cause of new Doctrines received in the Church of Rome to be that which forced their departure the most ingenious and ingenuous owned this Modell whose parts I highly esteem whose persons I honour having had establishment of civill authority decency of Ceremony and Forme of Liturgy I endevoured to observe in the Writings of the chiefe upholders of it their freer and lesse compeld judgement concerning the Church of Rome such as fell from them in the intervals of their calentures heats of contradiction I found the Bishop of Canterbury against M. Fisher acknowledging that if they were another Church from the Church of Rome he would soon return to it Hooker denies to damne them who have been the authors of their salvation Others part stakes betwixt Truth and Faction saying The Church of Rome hath the truth in it as Silver lying hid among Rubbage I have heard a Learned Bishop yet living confesse All the difference was onely in words and termes Thus doe they date their Religion a new from some accidentall thing bringing in new Epochaes and accounts from changes and alterations which they terme Reformatition whereas the firme principle of the Church was ever a pleading an uninterrupted succession of Pastors and Doctrine from the Apostles time to this Saint Cyprian saying in his Epistles He hath not Ecclesiasticall Ordination who keeps not Ecclesiastical union but they have cut this Scepter which whilst whole every one did bow to into contemptible little coyne which are severall parties bearring different impressions which are onely currant with those whose perticular marke and character is set upon it CAP. II. A View of the whole Question betwixt the Church of Rome and the Episcopall party by answering the perticulars of that grand Objection which I repeate in the words of Doctor Bramhal Pag. 29. against Molatair If you seeke to obtrude upon us the Roman Church with its adherents for the Catholique Church excluding three parts of foure of the Christian World from the communion of Christ OR The Opinions thereof for Artikles and Fundamentals of Catholique Faith neither our Reason nor our Religion nor our Charity will suffer us to listen to you Thus doe they Patronize their opposition to the Church of Rome under the challenged protection of Religion Reason and Charity and with as great applause as the naming of these things can afford they celebrate the triumph of error They be few words I confesse but such as govern and constitute all the actings and reasonings of man by their light and influence But to Write over the Doore where the Plague is all the Medicinable names in Physicke will not preserve men from Infection onely the greater danger is that men more easily under the title of good things are deceived into places of mortality And because this Objection seemingly is framed up and upheld by all those things that are worthy of man I will leave pecking at stones in the field and will impartially view the inward strength and force of this building They finde fault that any should obtrude upon them the Roman Church with its adherents for the Catholique Church excluding three parts of foure of the Christian World from the communion of Christ Who is it that would obtrude the Roman Church with its adherents upon you is it onely in this age urged by a Faction Who is an enemy to your most necessary Reformation and for ambition and profit sake will not apply themselves to the innocency and purity of Gods true Religion Is it obtruded onely by those whom you have justly offended warranted thereto by the Laws of God and the Church Is it by those onely who by their erronious tenents makes justifiable your departure from them and bandying against them to returne to them again were to forfit your zeale in Gods cause to betray your Reason Religion and Charity but if on the contrary it prove onely a perverse proceeding to maintaine a Scisme if it be onely your calumny and ill dealing with your Mother from whose lap peevishly and without reason you have withdrawne your selves if it be you onely who take scandal at the Church which can be none to you though they may be to it Tunc alta ruunt subductis tâ—cta columnis then have you Passion for Zeale Opinion for Faith and confusion for the effects St. Iraeneus who lived in the second age in his Booke against Heresies reckons up a succession of the Bishops of Rome from St. Peter to the Pope then present and pronounces it necessary for all Churches to hold communion with those that adhere to the Church of Rome Ad hanc enim Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire Ecclesiam hoc est omnes qui sunt undique fideles in quâ semper ab his qui sunt undique conservata est ea quae sit ab Apostolis traditio fundamentis igitur Ecclesiam Apostoli Lino Episcopatum c. then were they plain and positive in the declaring the duty of all to desert all perticular Churches which did not adhere and hold communion with the Sea of Rome Tertullian of the same Age De prescriptione Hereticorum si autem Italiae adjaces habes Romam unde nobis auctoritas praesto est St. Ambrose of the fourth Age or century of the Church How happy is that Church upon which the Apostles have poured out all Doctrine with their bloods Saint Jerom of the same time upon the first Epistle to Timothy The
A DISCOVRSE touching Choyce of RELIGION By Sr. RICHARD TEMPEST Baronet Antiquam exquirite matrem Virgil. Judge yee what I say Acts Apostles To the Lady TEMPEST Madam IT is my Duty to give you an account of spending my Houres whose vertuous directions hath still enjoyned me the imployment of them in the best things and there can be no endevour comparable to the Inquest after Truth Happy are Mens early imbraces of that most worthy mistres of Mans soule when the Son of their Judgement rises free from those Clouds and Mists which otherwayes by long ascending time and endevour they would be but hardly able to expell I must acknowledge my weakenesses and errors knowing it is the Victory of Christianity to conquer the Pride of a Man 's owne understanding and whose vigor is shewed in our lowest submissions The World is like that Nymph which still destroyed those to whom she most seemed faire And Men in the short course of life heape up to themselves a sort of Opinions and Passions and make them the faithlesse guides of their lives of which though they highly esteeme yet doe they but dwell under those barren Hills which are never without Clouds and Showres discending thence And who would for the love of that which in a moment perishes refuse to professe that which will bestow on him Eternity and in a confusion of all humane things will render him a felicity solid and durable I shall shew you what Port my Thoughts have arrived at to escape the stormes of Error and from thence to despise the severall Winds of Doctrine with which Men are much tost but never Saile and through the diversity of Opinions halfe of them Pray for those Winds whereby the rest are Drowned The name of Rome but once Named some Mens minds become surcharged with the apprehensions of Superstition Conspiracy and what evills throng not into their conquerd Imagination whereas they being got out of the Magicke Circle of parties where their minds are Conjured with the Devill of Faction they finde that to be the place which did commend to the whole World The Faith of the Romans And where Christian Profession hath with infinite sufferings and persecutions triumphed over the Armed Power of its Adversaries and foure hundred Heresies that have sprung up before Luther such high displeasures Men have entertained against those Names which they looking directly on with the Eye of Reason would perceive ingraven the well-drawne Lines of Truth they by going on one side looking with the Eye of Passion draw the same Figures and Lines by a deceit of the Eye to beare an unhandsome proportion We intertaine Christian Profession and the Sacred Word of God the Records of it delivered over to us upon a Divine infallible testimony which is that of the holy Catholique Church to which he hath promised his holy spirit to the Worlds end Wherefore if Men would inlarge their thoughts and take a free and open view of all the parts of the Fabricke of Christianity and shall consider of that power which he hath left to his Church of his injunctions to heare his Church of his promises to assist his Church The Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it to remaine as a Light upon a Hill How great comfort must it needs rayse in the Hearts of Christians to finde this made good in a constant un-interrupted succession of Bishops from Saint Peter Let God be true and every man a lyar The Church of Rome locally is but a particular Church but let them not offer affront to the Divine goodnesse through abuse of Wit or Logicall trifle of a Vniversall particular for the Church of Rome hath ever defended the Catholique cause and antiquity hath ascribed unto it a more powerfull principality calling Her The Mother of Churches though the Holy Catholique church is ever the same like the Ocean which as it beats upon severall Countries with its Waves begets severall Names being now called the French Sea then the Spanish Those Madam who are possest with prejudice against the Sea of Rome have all different wayes of maintaining their opposition neither will they agree to the judgement of any one Tribunall the same Arguments have not the same effects with its different enemies but like Wards in a Key they are to be fitted to the diversity of parties and capacities to unlocke their judgements fast bound with error It being truely said That not the perfection of Reason but the proportion doth prevaile Some retain still something in the bottome of the Box and will not let it see the Light by conference lest it fly away accounting it the surest tenure of Truth to stick with obstinacy in the quicksands of error and esteeme it their best title to it to refuse to dispute it Another Measures Truth by the temper of indifferency and esteemes it to be the safest way to be freed from Error to be willing to capitulate A third frames his own principles and by Reasons and deductions drawne thence makes all their Discourse agree well enough with it selfe As Astronomers some of them making the Earth to move some the Heavens and by both Doctrines according to their principles layd downe make up their Phainomena and appearances but tell them of Antiquity Fathers and the Councels they will answer you with that Merchant that hung out for his Signe Books set on fire so that if any desired to have been Trusted or to have come in his Bookes He answered them That they were burned so if you would get any beleife from them from Libraries and Bookes their Zeale hath already Burnt them Another sort are wittily placed betwixt a Puritan and a Priest If the Priest urge Councels and Fathers they turne to the Puritan and steale the Bible out of his pocket to confute him with And if the Puritan urge the Bible then he turns to the Priest and borrowes of him the Decrees and Councels to defend himselfe with Children saith Aristotle call every one Mother but comming to the use of Reason they then acknowledge onely their true Mother Thus doe Men beare their spirituall Allegiance drest up in severall garbes and formes and apply to themselves the benefits of that stupendous Mistery of our Redemption by the severall Conduits and Channels of their owne Fancies but God is both the Way the Meanes and the End He hath made compleat the designations of his Grace and Men will be found to be more in love with the Meanes then the End and to empty all their Zeales and Devotions into some new Mode in Religion or particular Opinion whereby they are differenced from others They hold such a course that doe make them seem to be desirous to take our Saviour by the Hand over the backe of his Church whereas he hath said of his Embassadors which were to continue to the Worlds End Who heares not you heares not me But Madam it s more agreeable to you and more contentfull to cast the Lines of ones
Thoughts into the smooth and pleasant waters of Devotion which wash the beautifull Walls of Sion rather then into the boysterous Sea of Controversie for which my Barke is too little and I ever returning thence Sea-sicke but onely induced Madam to give your selfe and some other of my worthy Friends satisfaction In the performance of which I shall little value the Censure of those who suffer themselves to be carried away with that easie fault of Fault-finding And doe beseech your Ladyship to give me your Blessing Your Ladyships most humble and most obedient Son R. T. The Contents CAP. I. COnsideration of Religion under the Notion of Reformations Wherein is discourst of severall of their Tempers and Opinions and perticularly of the Church of England CAP. II. Pag. 29. against Melatair An Answer to the particulars of that grand Objection repeated in the Words of Doctor Bramhal If you seeke to obtrude upon us the Roman Church with its Adherents for the Catholique Church excluding three parts of foure of the Christian World from the Communion of Christ Or the Opinions thereof for Articles and Fundamentals of Catholique Faith neither our Reason nor our Religion nor our Charity will suffer us to listen to you 1. Wherein is related the Opinion of Antiquity Of the necessity of keeping communion with the Church of Rome 2. How Protestants agree and how they exclude one another 3. The Catholique Church excludes none but whom their owne errors exclude 4. Of the use of Reason in the Election of Religion CAP. III. A View of some of the chiefe Doctrines pretended to be the cause of their departure 1. Transubstantiation 2. Praying to Saints 3. Vse of Images 4. Praying for the Dead and Purgatory 5. Confession and Satisfaction 6. Of Fre-will CAP. IV. The falling away from the Church under the Notion of Reformation the cause of troubles of State and from the same grounds they build their opinions on arises the grounds of the disturbance of Governments 1. Wherein is declared the ill and unfortunate ends of those who in severall Ages and Kingdomes opposed the jurisdiction of the Sea of Rome 2. True Religion no Enemy to Governments CAP. V. An Invitation of Wits to the Study of Arts and to leave opposing the Church wherein 1. Of the excellency of the Fruits of Piety 2. That they proceed onely from true Religion CAP. I. Consideration of Religion under the Notion of Reformations THe esteeme and value men put on the finding of what is Truth makes all men so plausibly vent their perticular Opinions under the Notion of Reformation so that by the gate and entrance of that word mens understandings are delivered into an inextricable labyrinth of error and no sooner men withdraw their wary steps from one deluding path but they are insensibly conveyed into another and doe but still by the variety of falshoods tend to the Center of those Maeanders nor is there any way to get out of those toyles till by a neglect of all those artificiall fences that each party inclose their opinions with despising the Laws of their mazes men redeeme themselves into the liberty of a dis-interested judgement which neither the name of Calvin or any perticular opinion or nationall alterations hath shut up with prejudice There are sufficient Alarums to hearken to that precept of trying all things and as it is said by one of the Fathers the Church shall never be free from two sorts of persecution outward affliction to try mens affections to God and errors in faith to try their right knowing him but I perceived men subject and tide to any party or to men of perticular opinions rise to no further acknowledgements then of such Tenents and Articles which those men are Patrons of who cry up the Champions of them and are wholly frozen in charity towards those who using the freedom of their reasons make a retreat from their precipices Grotius the glory of his Country and Learning eminent through a universal knowledge and who drew his experience of the state of Christendom at the Fountain head of great affairs imployed all his Junior endevours for reconciling Protestants and bringing them under one band of government yet in the later deliveries of his judgement acknowledges that an impossibility and that there was a necessity to return to Catholique obedience or to communion with the Church of Rome as a Rock against which hitherto all Heresies had beat themselves into froath He made me with more equall eye look upon the ingenuous retractions of Doctor Vaine and Doctor Cressey against whom notwithstanding I had an edge for deserting that which as I thought should have centred all judgements and devotions but after finding them fetch from deep search of antiquity their resolutions of returning to that Church from which the ill accidents and obliquity of late times had misled men with reluctancy I found their testimonies true and my most rebelling understanding their reasons most imperiously brought to capitulate finding that though men professe to become ready captives of Truth yet they are unwilling to think but that they are in its fetters allready wherefore I obtained of my selfe to discharge all pre-ingaged affections all byas of Faction and interest resolving to pay that Homage to my Creator which I should finde he required of me knowing that when he commands a Sacrifice nature must sleep affections be silent I found this likewise a great deale more plausible to my selfe than easie with faithfulnesse to put in practice I perceived that a constant and steddy Judgement was required to enter upon the quarrellings of Polemick Discourses where were used so much subtilty in arguing partiall proceeding ingenious diversion where wits were imployd for conquest ayded with the advantages of Language and Science not for to be rewarded with the triumph of Truth but to beare the Lawrell for having conquered men with words though not satisfied them with reason Wherefore I considered the difference between what may be said what should be thought and therefore to discharge that duty which a man owes his own reason for the utmost examination and scrutiny of Truth I consider'd the Foundations and Authorities upon which severall parties at the same time did challenge mens devotions 1. The Presbyterians who acknowledging and ingeniously professing to be more convinced by then tyde to the Fathers or Antiquity equall their owne Interpretations and Preachings to the dignity and verity of the Text extolling and crying up their imaginary discipline to the meanes of setting up of which they sacrifice all Morall Civill Ecclesiasticall obligations counting it want of Zeale in Gods service to be true in any relation when for the promotion of the Covenant it is expedient to be failing in them this is their invention to which they ascribe an Apotheosis they dresse it up and adorne it with Scripture Phrase making the two Attributes of Gods Mercy and Justice all the threats and promises of either but to damn and crown mens
part the Parabolicall the Figurative expressions the Naturall the Originals of the Old and New Testaments the Hebrew and the Greeke with the Antient Greeke and Latin Glosses If Hystory may prevaile Eusebius shall bring testimony Palladius Sezemen Socrates Ruffin shall be witnesses St. Bede St. Jerom shall tell what was the practises in the first times of Christianity If the pious Decrees of those Popes which themselves beleeve to be Saints in Heaven shall be heard Catholique Doctors have viewed all their Decrees both before the Councell of Nice and after If conquest by the Arts of Disputation be pretended to they have enterd into the nicest differences and have been cutters of a Commin Seed and are throughly acquainted with all the most retired advantages of Wit and Learning There have been many and great challenges to the foure first Generall Councels Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedon but many Catholiques have not onely read from the first of Nice to the last of Trent but also all other approved Provinciall Councels If the Fathers Doctors and men famous in all Ages be consulted with they will appeare to be all of the same holy Catholique Church St. Basill St. Athanasius Gregory Nazianzen St. Gregory Nessen St. Gregory the great Iraeneus Cyprian Fulgentius Pamphilus the Martyr Palladius Theodoret Ruffinus Lactantius Vincentius Lyrenensis Dionisius the Areopagite Schollar to Saint Paul St. Ignatius St. Polycarpus St. Clement St. Augustine Hierome St. Ambrose Papias Schollar of St. John the Evangelist c. Who will not then put their foot into the same Barke with so excellent company to sayle to happinesse in but remaine in the Cock-Boars of their owne private opinions to be tost with every wave of Doctrine and to suffer Shipwracke The Hebrew and Greek Scriptures are preserved by the Roman Church defendors of the Catholique cause Its Doctrines whether writ or delivered by mouth Historians deliver the same to be with what Popes have maintained Decrees confirmed Expositions cleared Councels declared Schooles taught and Fathers delivered And their practice is demonstrated by all Ancient Laws of England Imperiall Nationall of Forraigne Countries and former times by confession of Enemies Mahumetans Jews Pagans and all those Scismatickes who confesse Antiquity is not for them I shall for those opinions that are pretended to be cause of their departure and the hinderance of their not returning againe to the Church of Rome give you a taste of the Fathers in severall Centuries and withall shew what fruits of piety charity and comfort they have contain'd in them Of the Eucharist Altars Sacrifice The word Transubstantiation must not be indured they say it is but a late word The verity of its Doctrine since the Councell of Laterane onely used hence they impute novelty to the Artikles of the Church they acknowledge the Church hath a power given it to decide controversies and the truth of the reall presence being called in question with subtile interpretation of words the Church must use some words of art to oppose them and secure the truth against their nimble turning of the sence of words so that to quarrell at the word is indeed to quarrell at the exercise of the Churches power moderne rebellions against the Tenents of holy Church forceth it to use some words to hinder the evasions of its enemies which they professe to signifie no more by then what was taught by This is my body The word Trinity was not used till Councels found it necessary to oppose certain Heresies of those times by framing that word But what a sinister laying hold of all occasions is there by those who once undertake to defend a party Ingenuity is fled passion is the Pilot whilst they are tost upon those faithles Seas of error Transelementation is as hard a word and M. Mountague allowes that The Greeks use a word to of the same signification yet no offence taken at it Heare the Fathers severall expressions as well as late Councels St. Ambrose in the fourth Age after Christ by the benediction nature it selfe is changed the change is not made by Faith alone but really saith St. Chrysostome Not every bread but that which receives the benediction is made the body of Christ Saint Augustine in the fifth Age. In answer to Melateiâ— The Bishop of Derry doth ingenuously confesse That Antiquity hath used the expressions of seeing Christ touching Christ in the Sacrament of fastning our teeth in his flesh c. What satisfaction can prevaile with a moderate ingenuity which one shall not meet with in later Schoole-men and Councels Clypeus Tridentinus saith Beleeve Transubstantiation but the manner of Transubstantiating you need not Schoole termes oblidge not whether by adduction or assumption or any other words of Art they may argue but not disturb the Faith of the Church How Christ is present in the Sacrament can neither be perceived by sense nor imagination St. Thomas of Aquin. Jeremias Patriarcha in Greece saith By the power of the omnipotent spirit the bread is changed into the very body of Christ wine into the very blood The Councell of Trent declares that in this Sacrament Jesus Christ true God and true Man is truely really and substantially contained under the species of those sensible things yet nor according to a naturall manner of existing but Sacramentally He was the Word that spake it And what that word did make it I doe beleeve and take it All the Ancients use constantly without flashes of Rhetoricke or translation of words the word sacrifice and not onely to note giving of thanks but propitiation oblation and offering likewise are used by the Fathers of the Councell of Nice Dialog 4.58 This sacrifice singularly saves the soule from Eternall destruction which doth repaire unto us by mistery the death of the onely begotten who although rising from the dead dyes not and death shall have no further power over him notwithstanding in himselfe immortally and incorruptibly living is againe sacrificed for us in the mistery of this holy oblation Fathers in all Ages have spoke and held this Cardinal Perron calls it a sacrifice applicative of a sacrifice Thus doe the enemies of Catholique Doctrines and words by their opposition of them make that which should be the band of Unity the flag of dissention And for the name of Altars St. Ambrose saith He is upon the Altar who suffered for all those under the Altar the bodies of Martyrs who are Redeemed by his Passion St. Augustine saith the sacrifice it selfe is the body of Christ which is not offered to the Martyrs because they themselves are that also The piety and fruits is brings The word Transubstantiaon truely understood affords us the comfort of asserting the truth of Gods promises For the severall modes and manners which those out of the Church fancy to themselves touching the presence of Christ if there were words of Art to expresse how detractive would they be found from the verity certainty and
against the day of wrath for without doubt these satisfactory punishments doe greatly recall us from sin and as it were with a certaine bridle restraine us and make penitents more cautious for the future they cure likewise the reliques of sin they take likewise away ill habits got by vitious living but contrary acts of vertues nor at any time is there a surer way in Gods Church to remove punishments then that men frequent these works with true griefe of mind and it draws to this that whilst we by satisfying suffer for our sins we are made conformable to Christ Jesus who satisfied for our sins enjoying also the most certaine earnest that if we suffer together with him we shall likewise be glorified together with him Neither is this our satisfaction such which we pay for our sins that it is not made by Christ Jesus for we who of our selves as of our selves can doe nothing yet he co-operating who strengthens us we can doe all things so man hath not whence he may glory but all our glorying is in Christ in whom we live and merit in whom we satisfie doing worthy fruits of pennance which have their force from him and are offer'd from him to the Father and by him are accepted of the Father It was ever held in the Church of God the ordinary means of the forgivenesse of sins and is so farre from being a cause to drive men from the Catholique Church that to enjoy the benefit of it they should come with humble minds and teares in their eyes to beg the comfort of this onely approved sure way for their pardon St. Augustine in his Enchirid. saith God hath given liberty to none to sin though by his pittying of us he blot out our sins if sitting satisfaction be not neglected How wholesome must it be for our minds Fruits Piety to discharge themselves to ayre our minds by confession to have the state of our soules judged of all men being partiall censurers of themselves and thence fitting Physicke prescribed after his inspection of our inward complexion what comforts are conveyed into our breasts in liew of all vitious affections or acts we part with thence in Confessions our pardon is confirmed in Heaven as it is granted here on Earth How many thicke and foggy selfe-delusions false opinions desperate feares ill grounded doubts doe all vanish from that soule that hath dispersed those clouds by clearenesse of Confession What recruits of graces spirituall satisfactions healthfull directions are acquired here is exercised an act of that most acceptable humility in throwing your selfe down at the Feet of Gods Embassador in detestation of your selfe exercising your Faith likewise in beleeving that Whose Sins they remit they are remitted this being the second table after shipwracke Purgatory and Praying for the Dead It is the generall confession of those who call themselves the Reformed that Prayer for the Dead was anciently used some few testimonies of which I le shew you St. Augustine in his Booke pro Mortuis writes That if no where it should be read in the Old Testament yet the authority of the Vniversall Church is not small which is so cleare in the custome of this where in the Prayers which the Priests poure out to their Lord God at the Altar a recommending of the dead hath place also And the same Father ad Laurentium in the Enchiridion There is a certaine manner of living saith he not so good that it doth not require these things after death nor yet so ill that these things may not profit him after death Aerias was condemned of the whole Church for condemning this One may perceive by the constant practice of the Church how these Texts in Scripture are to be understood of being neither pardoned in this World nor in the World to come And that other place concerning those who build hay and stuble upon the Foundation they shall be saved yet as by Fire Martyrdome saith Clemens Alexandrinus is a purgation of sinnes with glory And St. Augustine saith That the recitall of the names of Martyrs at the Altar is more that they may pray for us then that we may pray for them For the pains in Purgatory one cannot conceive how there should be a Purgatory without suffering pain Heare what Boethius saith a thousand yeares since But I pray saith he remaine there no punishments after this life yes great certainly saith he for some saith he I take to be exercised with bitter punishments Liber 4. others with element purgations The fruits pietie To a Skoffer there shall never want matter but as he saith Cave sed fiat nè Jocus iste Focus When St. Paul mentions tryall by fire it s blowne away with a hundred light Interpretations an Atheisticall spirit would quarrell with that expression of the damned gnashing their teeth which they say is an effect rather of cold then of fire But as a Father saith Heresie is not from the Scripture but from the sence of Scripture which the Church by the providence of God safely preserves It must rayse no small comforts in the minds of those who have parted with what were their joy here to be able by devout Prayers to recommend them to a more advanced state of Joy It doth inlarge the subject of our charity whilst death it selfe doth but quicken our devotion for our Friends parting with them as men not without hope It sweetens our passage hence being not out of the pertaking of the benefit of Prayers Almes and the good Works of those we leave behind the Communion of Saints and for the effects that the opinions of postumous and after suffering must have upon the minds of men it must needs tend to the making the soule disgust these inferiour appetites and affections which breathe upon the soule an earthy vapor and foulenesse which it must be cleansed from with penall purgation before it can be admitted into those purer joyes to see God which only is granted to them that are cleane of heart The perverting and disordering the dispensation and application of Gods grace who though Gods merits be all-sufficient and our Redemption compleat and the Divine Promises large yet thinke that notwithstanding all their life time their judgements have been abused with the too great esteeme of the empty delights and glories of the world their wills following the impulse of carnall pleasures nor any Celestiall sparke ever kindling their affections yet by a swimming fancy in the head that Christ hath dyed for them thinke they shall presently jumpe into Paradise It is a merry conceit so was it of that Foole That thought that all the ships that came into the Harbor were his owne If we suffer together with him we shall likewise be glorified with him was held to be the surest earnest of Everlasting Joy Of Free-will He who hath made you without your selfe will not save you without your selfe saith a Father God is the way means and end all
is from him and to him but how much more noble thought have they of the Deity who conceive him to deale with man as endowed with free operations then with us as with stockes and stones that are meerly patient It is the meere grace of God that gives good works their force and value yet no such necessity that any thing is done whether man will or no Apolig Epist For who could either prayse or discommend that who can imagine such actions to be rewarded or punished or that soule to be immortall and performe Religion which should want free and reasonable actions the arguments and pledges of immortality but we are to admire the wisedome of Gods Church which agreeth the aeternall prescience of God with the temporall co-operation of man that it leaves the first infallible and yet proveth the temporall action appetite and delight or consent to any thing to be voluntary free and in the power of man to be effected or omitted rewarded and punished Of the use and Veneration of Pictures and Images Upon this is waged a perpetuall warre Hic illius arma hic currus fuit The Reformists generally take it for Idolatry and what ever is spoken against Idolatry in Scripture they presse and urge upon the use of Pictures But before they tax our Mother with so odious a crime they might please to consider the nature of the objection and how farre the extent of it is and withall they might consult the opinion of ancient devout Fathers who would rather have lost a thousand lives then have committed Idolatry touching it and withall they might have considered the use of them before they should be frighted from their Mothers bosome a place of protection into wandrings and errors where are layd the snares of the enemy Church story informes us That the ancient Christians would fall downe before the Statues of the Emperors which was then the manner and posture used to doe reverence as sometime to be bare before the Cloath of State doth signifie the like though they would rather dye then salute so the Images of the false gods But for the like postures to be forbid to be used to the Pictures of Saints or of our blessed Saviour none can shew a prohibition for those outward signes of honour signified by gesture are indeed common towards God Grotius Angels and Men no perticular one being set a part or commanded to be peculiarly used to signifie onely Divine Worship when we frame a thought of that good Shepheard in our minds if we would deliver it in writing why might we not write it in Hyreogliphies as well as Letters which are not so ancient no other thing is so worthy as the mind of Man but if the Image of our Saviour Crucified be there drawne and viewed by the understanding why may not our corporall Eye behold it drawn on Paper or other materiall since they doe but serve to recall and revive those former Ideas in the mind which other objects might distract or steale away And by severall Persons the severall Attributes of God may be signified as a King for Royalty c. St. Augustin saith in the Visitation of the sicke There is added upon the Crosse the Image of a Man humbly imbrace this and weekely venerate it The honour done to the Image is refer'd to whose Image it is saith Basil and Chrisostome I know these things are proposed in vain to those who will admit of no other Tribunall then their own breasts who exercise an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall power over the Consciences of their followers whom an imaginary exposition of some dark prophesie of Anti-Christ doth unhinge their minds and judgements from off what they ought to turn on which is obedience to the Church whose sacred Authority ought to binde in the luxuriant and forward imaginations of mens owne braines But I have onely instanced in these few perticulars without using any illaqueation of Arguments or finnesse of discourse Thus are all the Churches Doctrines Practises and Ceremonies advancements and meanes to Salvation and Piety the establishment of its regiment on Earth of Pope Patriarchs Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests Deacons sub-Deacons Exorcists Lectors where the mistery of our Redemption is so esteemed and remembred that no Holy day no part of Divine Service is celebrated but represents to us one benefit or another no Ceremony in the holy Sacrifice no action of the Priest no Ornament or Attire he weareth no Benediction he gives no Signe of the Crosse he makes but hath its religious signification and Preacheth to us and speaks nothing but Christ Crucified therefore though the great worke of our redemption may be thought not to be hindred by opposing things of an inferiour nature yet it is no small matter the opposing the Authority of the Church tending to the dissolving that power Richworths dialogue by which the greatest things are maintained Common-wealths punish with death a small stealth because it s an offence against the nature of Government Heretofore men proved Doctrines to be true from the authority of holy Church and now they would annull her authority from her Tenents and from her Articles would throw durt in her Face as if she had lost her being for being the faithfull Keeper of what was committed to her and had forfeited her breasts the Scriptures for feeding us with their milke CAP. IIII. The falling away from the Church under the Notion of Reformation the cause of troubles of State and from the same grounds they build their opinions on arises the grounds of the disturbance of Governments THe Church being Divinely Founded as it hath survived all the malices and practises of the greatest Tyrants its enemies so have those who breaking of that Ecclesiasticall league which kept them in the limits of the practice and beleefe of the same things mist of that inlargement and lastingnesse of commands which they expected by altering the sight and mark they took their ayme by they have straide the most from what they chiefly took their ayme at whilst they sought a perticular prosperity seperated from the peace of the Church against which the musterd forces of mens malice and Hells fury became ever weake and impotent The blood of the first Bishops of Rome was the fruitfull compost of the Church their Ashes were Generative all the furious conflagrations sackings and spoylings of the City of Rome by the Goths Huns Visegoths Halaricus were like stormy winds whose Gole and end was onely to dye and expire while Rome triumphed over their spoyles in the continuance of that never fayling Church I will not name Attila nor Limprandus the one retiring from Rome by Saint Leos means the other by Pope Zacharies strangely and miraculously Those barbarous Saracens whose rage was glutted with the conquest of the Eastern Emperor the glory of whose armes and conquest of Candy increased who made Africa feele the effects of the advancement of their Armies and strucke terror into a great part of