Scurris venerabilis ara Cinaedis Servit honorandae divum Ganymedibus aedes De Calamit Tempor lib. 3. In the last Visitation in Bavaria such frequent Whoredoms were discovered that scarce three or four were found among One hundred Priests which did not either publickly keep Concubines or privately contract Matrimony said the Orator of Albertus Duke of Bavaria in the Council of Trent Chamier de Caelibat Sacerdot lib. 16. cap. 4. Nay their Popes have not been free witness their Platina Onuphrius c. Take two Epitaphs Sixte jaces tandem deflent tua busta Cynaedi Scortaque lenones alea vina venus Again Hoc jacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri filia sponsa nurus The filthiness of the Romish Clergy is so notorious that I forbear to add other Testimonies out of Alvarus Pelagius de Planctu Ecclesiae Nicolaus Clemangis de Corrupto Ecclesiae Statu and many other eminent Authors Hence 't is that not a few of their great Doctors have wished that this Ecclesiastical Constitution might be abrogated and Priests permitted to marry Far be it that this forced should overcome that conjugal chastity and the crime of no fault bring a greater disgrace to the Order What hath brought more evil to Religion more grief to good men than the filthiness of Priests Let the right of publick Matrimony be restor'd to Priests that they may rather live holily than defile themselves with sins against nature Polydor Virgil de Inventor Rerum lib. 5. cap. 4. About the time of the Council of Basil the Emperor Sigismund drew up certain Articles of Reformation in which among many things this is remarkable More evil than good hath come to the Church from the Decree of Calixtus 't is better and more safe for the Soul that liberty be granted unto Clerks to marry according to the custom of the Oriental Church Gerhardus de Minister Ecclesiast And Pope Pius 2. hath left this saying With great reason Marriage was taken from Priests but there 's greater reason why it should be restored Platina in ejus vita Which words are left out out in their later Editions CHAP. XVI Shaven Crowns and Beards THE Pagan Priests shaved the crown of their heads and beards We read Lev. 21. 5 They shall not make baldness upon their head Not a round bare place saith Vatablus Ye shall not make roundness of the hair of your head say the Septuag Radulphus affirms That the Gentile Priests shaved their heads round for they thought that the gods were best pleased with a round figure as the most perfect Cornel. a Lapid Bonfrerius in Synops Criticor Which was the ground of this Prohibition say Divines both Popish and Protestant Again Ezek. 44. 20 Neither shall they shave their heads That they might not appear like the Gentile Priests saith Bellarmine Out of a superstitious imitation of the Heathen who sacrificed to their Idols with shaven heads saith Estius Apuleius describing the Processions of the Gentiles saith These their Priests march forward with their shaven heads c. Metamorph. lib. 11. The Egyptian Priests as Alexander ab Alexandro informs us were by law to shave their heads every third day and with brazen Knives which custom saith he they received from the Sabines whose Priests were shaven with such Instruments In Gen. Dierum lib. 6. cap. 12. Of these Juvenal speaks Sat. 6. Qui grege linigero circumdatus grege calvo And Martial Lib. 12. Epigram 29. Linigeri fugiunt calvi sistrataque turba And Vossius gives us the reason of this Custom Because of all Mortals none should have such purity of Soul of which that of the Body is a Symbol as Priests they ought not to be burden'd with sordid cares which are signified by the hair Besides long hair hurts the head and the hair both of Men and Beasts groweth out of the excrements of food not as if they should stay here but because by this Symbol they might be admonished to study purity De Physiologia Christ. c. lib. 9. cap. 12. And this reason is urged by Plutarch in his Treatise of Isis and Osiris Thus do our Romish Priests shave their heads and beards For this we have the universal Testimony of their greatest Doctors and Schoolmen Bellarm. de Monachis lib. 2. cap. 40. where he urgeth several reasons and the Authority of many Councils Peter Lombard Sentent Lib. 4. Distinct. 24. Estius in Sentent Lib. 4. Distinct. 24. Sect. 7. Durand Ration Divin Officior Lib. 2. cap. 1. And their Polydor Virgil derives this Ceremony from Pagans de Inventor Rerum Lib. 4. cap. 8. Three things saith Durand are here observable viz. the shaving of the Head cropping the hair and the circular Form 1. Three things follow upon the shaving of the Head viz. the conservation of cleanliness deformation and denudation 1. The conservation of cleanliness because from the hair filthiness is contracted in the head 2. Deformation because hair is for an ornament And therefore this shaving signifieth an undefiled and singular life that Clergy-men should have purity of soul within and a singular life that is no exquisite habit without Further the shaving and cutting of the hair denotes the deposition of all temporal things and that they should be content with food and raiment 3. The baring of the upper part of the head shews that there should be nothing betwixt us and God that with open face we may contemplate the Divine Glory Again we shave the head some hair being left below in the form of a Crown because the head signifieth the mind and the hair secular thoughts Therefore as the top of the head is cleansed from hair so the mind whilst it meditateth on heavenly things ought to be cleansed from worldly thoughts But the lower part of the head hath hair because 't is sometimes lawful to think of worldly things without which we cannot live 2. The cropping of the hair denotes That no superfluous thoughts should possess the mind They go with shaven heads and naked ears lest their hair by growing long cover their ears and hinder their sight to signifie that no worldly thoughts should stop the ears or eyes of the Soul And the hair is cut above the ears that the five senses of the head may be ready for the service of God 3. The hair is shaven in a circular form or like a crown for several reasons 1. In imitation of Christ our King who being about to offer up himself upon the Altar of the Cross did wear a Crown of thorns Hence 't is that we desiring to be saved by his Death do wear upon our heads the Sign of Christs passion that is the form of a thorny Crown which he wore in his Sufferings that he might take away the thorns of our sins and to shew that we are ready to suffer derisions and reproaches for him as he was for us 2. The circular form of the hair denotes the vertue of equality every
have spent in Reading their Missals Breviaries Rituals and Authors of chiefest note amongst them and find their Religion and Worship so contrariant to Scripture so absurd and Ridiculous that I must publickly profess an utter detestation of it Yet I think it not a much less sin to make Papists worse than they are than to make Widows more destitute or add Affliction to the afflicted I have intituled this Book An Exact Parallel between Rome-Pagan and Rome-Christian c. And how truly I leave it to any one upon an impartial View to judg Many things are purposely omitted for brevity sake and several Reflexions upon what I have mention'd which perhaps might have made this Discourse more acceptable to some to prevent the imputation of a Railer There are two Positions laid down and not with more Zeal than Policy defended by the Roman Church for I do not see how they could secure their deluded Proselytes without them 1. That 't is not convenient the common People should know much of Religion and therefore they take from them the Key of Knowledg I mean the use of their Bibles Bellarmin saith That Faith is to be defined rather by ignorance than by knowledg De Justificat Lib. 1. cap. 7. Thieves will blow out the Candles for fear of being discover'd I know the common Plea is That Scripture is dark and that the ignorant might be seduced by it But they that speak thus do not only accuse Scripture of obscurity but of untruth also for Scripture bears witness to it self That 't is clear and made to give Light to the Vnderstanding Psal 19. 8 The Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightning the eyes Psal 119. 105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. The Books of the Prophets are of all Scripture the most obscure yet S. Peter saith That they are like a Light shining in a dark place Thus they accuse Scripture of untruth when they accuse it of darkness and with that cast a great reproach upon God as if he had digg'd a pit to make men fall into it in the dark and deliver'd the Doctrine of Salvation in obscure Terms to lead men into errour like one that makes his Will in ambiguous words purposely to occasion Strife among his Heirs Should the Father of Lights study obscurity He that gave his Son to save his Enenemies Should he be envious of the Salvation of his Children If the Scripture must be prohibited to the People lest they fall into Heresie by the same nay by a stronger reason it ought to be prohibited to Bishops and Priests since from them not from the People all Heresies have proceeded Read the Catalogues of ancient Hereticks made by S. Austin Epiphanius and you will find that almost all the Heresiarchs were Clergymen But 'T is no wonder that our Adversaries of Rome find Scripture dark since they cannot find in it what they would For he must needs have piercing Eyes and a reaching Wit that can find in Scripture a Command for Sacrificing the Body of Christ in the Mass or the Invocation of Saints or the Veneration of Images and Reliques or the Popes Succession in S. Peters Primacy c. Doubtless the Scripture is not so dark but these Gentlemen desire that it were a thousand times darker that none might find in it their condemnation The advice which certain Bishops in Bononia gave unto Pope Paul 3. was That no Mortal should be permitted to read more of the Scripture than that little which was wont to be read in the Mass And they give two weighty Reasons for it 1. Because so long as men were content with that little your Affairs succeeded according to desire but quite contrary since so much of the Scriptures was read 2. Because if any one read that Book viz. the Scriptures and observe the Customs and Practices of our Church he will see that there is no agreement betwixt them and that the Doctrine which we Preach is altogether different from and sometimes contrary to that contained in the Bible The Doctrine of an Implicit Faith is of singular Use and admirable Advantage to the Church that delivers it Vnhappy Papists like the Andabatae of Old must wink and fight and are obliged to follow their Guides in spight of Christs Caution given upon the like occasion Mat. 15. 14. Protestant Ministers bespeak their Hearers in the words of S. Paul I speak as to wise men judg what I say 1 Cor. 10. 15. while Popish Priests must if they would speak out say I speak as to Fools believe all that I say A plain sign their Gold is adulterate because they dare not suffer it to come to the Touch-stone And this piece of Policy they seem to have learn'd of the old Pagans who kept the common People in ignorance of their Sacred Mysteries Plutarch in vita Numae p. 58 62. Alexander ab Alexand. in Genial Dier lib. 4. cap. 17. And Tiraquellus in his Annotations upon him saith Sacra seclusa dicebantur Graecis Mysteria quod ea intus oporteat occludere nec cuiquam profano i. e. non sacris initiato explicare There 's nothing feigned saith S. Ambrose nothing is done in the dark as 't is among the Gentiles whose eyes they cover lest the People seeing those Things which they call Sacred might perceive how they are abused with divers Vanities In 1 Cor. cap. 14. And so much for their first Position 2. The second is That unwritten Traditions are of Equal Authority with Scripture and the Rule of Faith and Manners Concil Trident. Sess 4. â—e Canonicis Scripturis Bellarmin â—ffirms That the Scripture is not a â—ufficient Rule of Faith de verbo Dei non script Lib. 4. cap. 12. The Church saith Lindanus was not tyed to Scripture by the will of Christ Panopl Lib. 5. cap. 5. Christ would not have his Church to depend on Scriptures of paper and would not commit his Mysteries to Parchment Costerus Enchirid. cap. 1. p. 43. And Salmeron gives us a Reason why God would not have all the Mysteries of Religion to be written viz. That the Commandment of Christ should be kept Give not holy things unto dogs Tom. 13. disput 8. p. 216. Which Reason is also given by Costerus Enchirid. cap. 1. p. 48. Nay 't is most evident That they have exalted Traditions above Scripture Costerus calleth the Tradition Printed in the Heart of the Church another kind of Scripture The Excellency of that Scripture saith he far surmounteth the Holy Scriptures which the Apostles have left in parchments Enchirid. cap. 1. p. 44. Stapleton affirms That the Church's determination is of greater Authority than the Scripture de Auth. Script Controvers 7. Lib. 12. cap. 15. And in another place he saith That Scripture in it self is not so much the Rule of Faith as the Faith of the Church that is the Tradition of the Roman Church is the Rule of Scripture And they speak more reverently of
from Earth into Limbus The third when he ascended from thence into Heaven It also signifies the threefold state of those that shall be saved viz. Virgins Continent and Married persons 2. The twelve lighted Candles signifie according to Rabanus Maurus the twelve Patriarchs and Apostles or according to Ivo that the shining and burning light of the Apostles is to be commended 3. The Bishop's thrice smiting of the door with his Pastoral Staff shews that the Powers of Heaven Earth and Hell yield unto him and that Christ hath a threefold right to his Church Again by this threefold smiting of the door with his Staff is understood the preaching of the Gospel And the opening of the door denotes that by the preaching of Pastors Infidels are converted to the Faith The Deacon's Interrogation Who is the King of Glory signifies the peoples ignorance of Christ And the Bishop knocks thrice Because that is the most noted and sacred Number and because without the invocation of the Trinity there is no Sacrament in the Church 4. The door being opened the Bishop enters to note that nothing is able to resist his Office when rightly executed according to that Lord who can resist thy power And he enters the Church with two or three that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word of Consecration may be confirmed or because few were present when Christ in his Transfiguration pray'd for the Church And when the Bishop is entred he saith Peace be to this House because Christ came into the world to make peace between God and Man 5. The Bishop begins at the left corner of the East and goes to the right corner of the West and then at the right corner of the East to the left of the West writing on the Pavement sprinkled with ashes the whole Alphabet in Greek and Latin 1 By the Alphabet we are to understand the first Principles and Rudiments of the Christian Faith according to that of the Apostle Heb. 5. 2. 2. This Alphabet is written in Greek and Latin and not in Hebrew because the Jews departed from the Faith 3. It is written in an oblique after the manner of a Cross and not a direct line Because no man can attain to this holy knowledg who receives not the Mystery of the Cross 4. He goes from the left corner of the East to the right of the West and then from the right corner of the East to the left of the West where we have a two-fold figure 1. Of the Cross signified in such a Scheme 2. The collection both of Jews and Gentiles into one Church And he begins at the left corner of the East to shew that Christ was born of the Jews and goes to the right corner of the West to shew that though Christ was born of the Jews the Doctrine and belief of his Incarnation and Passion was received by the Gentiles And his going from the right corner of the East to the left corner of the West seems to signifie that when the fulness of the Gentiles is come all Israel shall be saved 6. Twelve Crosses are painted on the Walls for three reasons 1. To affright Devils 2. To be Ensigns of Christ's Triumphs 3. To excite Devotion And these Crosses are anointed with Chrism and have Candles burning before them to signifie that the Twelve Apostles who received the first fruits of the Spirit have revealed the Mystery of the Cross to all Nations And so much for the mystical signification of these Ceremonies and the second particular 3. The Heathen beautified their Temples with many noble Gifts and much costly Furniture The Capitol in Rome consecrated to Jupiter Imperator upon Mount Torpeius was adorned with the Statues and Images of all the gods Maiolus mentions a Temple in Vpsalia of such splendor and glory that the Pavement Walls and the very Pillars of it were covered with Gold Dies Canicul p. 405. And Ruffinus speaking of the Temple of Serapis saith that the Walls within were covered with Plates of Gold apud Maiol ibid. The Heathen when in any distress or danger frequently vowed to enrich and adorn the Temples of their gods with magnificent gifts Hinc Augusta nitent sacratis munera Templis Aurea Phoebeis certantia Lumina Templis Manilius apud Rosin Antiq. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 2. Instituit pulchram solidavit robore Templum Caepit perfecit donisque ornavit auxit And a little after he adds Plurima votorum sacravit dona suorum Immensoque pium ditavit munere Templum Corippus Africanus apud cundem Tertullian speaking of the old Romans saith Deum victimis Templum donis honorâstis Ye have honoured God with Sacrifices and beautified the Temple with gifts Apol. cap. 26. Thus do Papists adorn and beautifie their Churches For this their great Doctors urge many Arguments Bellar. de Cultu Sanctor lib. 3. cap. 6. Stapleton Antidota Evangelica in Caput 12. Johannes Durantus de Ritib Eccles lib. 1. cap. 4. And Durandus and Belethus tell us That this adorning consisteth in three things viz. in the decking and trimming of the Church Quire and Altar The Church that is the body of the Church is to be adorned with Curtains and Princely Hangings of Silk and Arras the Quire with Tapistry or Hangings wrought with Pictures of divers colours c. the Altar with rich Coverings Crufixes Phylacteries c. Rational Divin Officior lib. 1. cap. 3. numb 23 Explicat Divin Officior cap. 115. And answerable hereunto is their Practice as all Travellers into those parts where the Roman Religion is established and Historians declare The Palaces of Princes come far short of many of their Churches in splendor and glory How richly and magnificently the Church of Loreto is adorned by Popes Kings and Emperors Turselin gives us a large account Pope Julius 2. beautisi'd this Church with many noble gifts He enriched the high Altar with sacred Ornature viz. an excellent Sute of Cloth of Gold a Silver Cross of Forty pound weight gilt and carved with rare art two Candlesticks a cubit and an half high of twenty six pound weight being of the same substance and work Histor Lauret lib. 2. cap. 12. Francis Cajetan a Noble-man of Rome gave Golden Ornaments for the Altar Cardinal Arigonio other Vestments of Silver and beset with Pearl and the Cardinal of Vrbine most of the Sacred Ornature of his Chappel which was very rich and costly lib. 4. cap. 13. lib 5. cap. 1. 4. The Heathen every year celebrated the Dedication of their Temples which they called the Feast of Dedication Hospinian mentions a famous Fountain in Italy called Juturna from which the Romans fetched water for all their Sacrifices At this Fountain a Temple was built and dedicated to Juturna and the Dedication of it was solemnly observed on the Ides of January De Origine Festor Pagan lib. 2. cap. 8. p. 51. And on the 17 of February or then-about was celebrated the Dedication of the Temple Concordia which Camillus vowed
continued Victorious and Prosperous Did Religion universally prevail and influence the hearts and lives of men then might we beat our Swords into plough-shares and our Spears into pruning-books then every man might sit under his own Vine eating the fruit thereof and none should make him afraid then there would be no leading into Captivity no complaining in our Streets no vexatious Suits no groanings of the oppressed no private injuries no publick Seditions In a word this would make England a Land of desire an heritage of glory even the glory of all Nations And in order to the advance of Religion so advantagious to Mankind let me recommend two Things to your special care and observation 1. The suppression of such Doctrines as subvert Religion particularly those of the Romish Church How dangerous they are to Government and destructive of Vertue you cannot be ignorant and how malepert the Promoters and Professors of them are lately grown is visible to all I am not for your sheathing the Sword of Justice in their Bowels such severity becometh Romanists best yet let them know you have one and that you dare draw it in the defence of that Faith you own which is truly Ancient Catholick and Apostolical 2. The strict Observation of the Christian Sabbath That this day is of Divine Institution and grounded on the fourth Commandment is expresly asserted in the Homily of the Time and Place of Prayer in these words Whatsoever is found in the Commandment appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needful for the setting forth of Gods Glory it ought to be retain'd and kept of all good Christian People and therefore by this Commandment we ought to have a Time as one Day in the week wherein one ought to rest yea from our lawful and needful works For like-as it appeareth by this Commandment That no man in the six days ought to be slothful or idle but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Even so God hath given express charge to all men That upon the Sabbath-day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekly and work-day labour to the intent That like-as God himself wrought six days and rested the â—eventh and blessed and sanctified it Even so Gods obedient People should use the Sunday holily not in Sports and Plays and rest from their common and daily business and also give themselves wholly not an hour or two to heavenly Exercises of Gods true Religion and Service So that God doth not only command the Observation of this Holy-day but also by his own Example doth stir and provoke us to the diligent keeping of the same If we will be the Children of our Heavenly Father we must be careful to keep the Christian Sabbath-day which is the Sunday not only for that it is Gods express Commandment but also to declare our selves to be loving Children in following the Example of our gracious Lord and Father In which words we may observe 1. That by virtue of the fourth Commandment one day in seven is perpetually to be kept holy 2. That the keeping of the Lords-day is grounded upon and commanded in the fourth Commandment This Testimony I have urged to check those who confidently Preach and Print too contrary to their own Subscriptions That our Sabbath hath only the Churches Authority to support it and have no better Name than Judaick Precisians for the strict Observers of it But let me further add and 't is what I mainly intend That the devout and conscientious Observation of this Day is the Support of Religion A great Divine tells us The Commandment for the Sabbath is put in the close of the First and in the beginning of the second Table to denote That the Observation of both Tables depends much upon the sanctification of this Day And another observes That Religion is just as the Sabbath is it decays or grows as the Sabbath is esteemed it flourisheth in a due veneration of the Sabbath and it pines and consumes when the Sabbath is neglected I never knew any Place or Person eminent for Piety that was not careful in the sanctification of this Day My next request therefore Right Honourable and Worshipful is That you would unanimously and zealously endeavour to promote the strict Observation of our Christian Sabbath Let not the notorious Profaners of it escape unpunished I will not further oppress your Patience only crave your Patronage and favourable acceptance of this Treatise and a thankful acknowledgment of the great Obligations you have laid upon me That God would incline your hearts to contribute your utmost endeavours towards the advancement of true Religion and Vertue and Succeed you in them and Reward you for them That he would Confer on you all the Blessings you want and preserve and sanctifie those you have and Crown all with the unconceivable Glories of another World is now and shall be the humble and fervent Prayer of Your most obliged and Devoted Servant Joshua Stopford The Epistle to the Reader IGnorant Persons who know little or nothing of Rome but from the Pamphlets of her Parasites may be induced to fancy it to be no less than a Heavenly Jerusalem and they whose Ears are continually fill'd with the Venerable Expressions of Catholick Faith Holy Fathers General Councils Perpetual Successions S. Peters Chair c. ingeminated by Romanists may saith a late Writer by the very sound of such Words be some-what dispos'd to entertain a favourable Opinion of the Romish-Religion The Design of the following Treatise is to fortifie These against such allurements by representing both the one and the other in their true native Colours And to expose unto publick View such dismal Pieces of their Catholick Doctrine and Worship as whosoever observes them well shall have I hope no great temptation to look over-friendly towards Rome And in Order to this end I have used no arguments but such as all that can read may understand My present intention being only to instruct common Christians and to lead them in a plain way In discovering their Corruptions Superstitions and Idolatry I have used all sincerity urging nothing material to their prejudice but what is found either in their publick Liturgies or their best Authors and as much moderation as the matter in hand was capable of Indeed I am forced sometimes to call Things by their proper Names as lying with another Mans Wife Adultery purloining another mans goods Robbery adoring Stocks and Stones Idolatry And if our Romanists think these Expressions uncivil and instead of confessing themselves guilty of what is most justly charged upon them complain that I reproach them I must answer some-what like Elijah in the like case That they are the only men who have reproached themselves For I only say that which they do and cast nothing upon their Face but what I find in their Bosome and not the hundredth Part of it Some Hours and Days and Weeks I
Traditions than of the Scripture Did they ever call them a nose of Wax a stumbling Block a dumb Rule an obscure and ambiguous Doctrine as they have too often the Scripture Again sins against these are more severely punished than those committed against the express Law of God Priests and Bishops can give Absolution for Murther Perjury Adultery But the other are often reserved to his Holiness except in the Article of death If a Priest marry to avoid fornication according to the Apostles command he fals into Irregularity and becomes unable to sing Mass but not for keeping a Whore or for being a Sodomite Decret Par. 1. dist 34. cap. 4. Navarrus Manual Confess cap. 27. num 249. Lastly they are a thousand times more careful to instruct the People in these Traditions than in the Doctrine of Salvation contain'd in the Holy Scripture And no wonder that These should be exalted by Romanists above Scripture since they are infinitely more serviceable to them For when Scripture faileth them as often it doth according to the confessions of their own Doctors they have recourse to These How frequently are Traditions urged for the Popes Supremacy Indulgences Purgatory Suffrages for the dead For their Ridiculous and superstitious Ceremonies Some of which are mentioned in the following Discourse In short here the Reader may see the true Original of those Traditions so much admired and confidently urged by Romanists the besotting Nature of Popery and the tremendous judgment of God punishing Errour with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reprobate sense I have but one thing to add That some Authors which I have mention'd as Cited by Others viz. Lib. Sacrar Ceremoniar S. S. Eccles Roman Gregorius Turonensis c. I have procured since the Copy was sent away and find the Citations most true A Catalogue of the Principal Authors produced in the following Discourse with the Place where and the Time when they were Printed ADrianus Junius Nomenclatura Londini 1585. Apuleius de Asino aureo c. Lugd. Batavor Alexander ab Alexandro in Genialium Dierum cum Annotat. Andreae Tiraquelli Lugduni 1586. Arnobius adversus Gentes Basileae 1560. Alfon. Villegas de Vitis Sanctorum 1628. Aquinas Summa totius Theologiae Coloniae Agrippinae 1622. S. Augustinus Basileae 1529. Azorius Institutiones Morales Parisiis 1601. Barnab Brissonius de Formulis Solemnibus Roman Moguntiae 1649. Beda Histor Eccles Lovanii 1566. Baptista Mantuanus de Sacris Diebus Francofordiae 1573. Breviarium sec us Eborum Parisiis 1526. Breviarium Romanum Parisiis 1519. Bellarminus de Controversiis Christianae Fidei Coloniae Agrip. 1628. Baronius Annales Eccles Antverpiae 1589. Baronius Notat in Martyrol Roman Coloniae Agrippinae 1610. Cornelius Agrippa de Vanitate Scientiarum Antverpiae 1530. Clemens Alexandrinus Basileae 1556. Chamierus Panstrat Cathol Genevae 1626. Caelius Rhodiginus Lection Antiquar Basileae 1550. Chemnitius Examen Concil Trident Francofurti 1596. Elias Schedius de Dis Germanis Amstelodami 1648. Escobar Theologia Moralis Lugd. 1659. Eusebius de praeparat Evangelica Basileae 1559. Eusebius Histor Eccles Coloniae Agrippinae 1581. Franciscus Costerus Enchirid. Controversiar Coloniae Agrip. 1589. Filliucius Quaestiones Morales Coloniae Agrip. 1629. Franciscus Suarez Commentar in Aquinat Moguntiae 1604. Franc. Cyprien Heaven opened 1663. Guliel Durandus Rationale Divinor Officior cum Explicat Divin Officior per Johan Belethum Lugduni 1584. Gisbertus Voetius Selectar Disputat pars 3. Ultrajecti 1659. Gregorius Turonensis de Gloria Confessor 1512. Gavantus Thesaurus Sacrorum Rituum Romae 1635. Gabriel Biel super Canon Missae Lugd. 1524. Georgius Cassandrus de Articulis Religionis Consult Lugd. 1608. * Curiae Episc S. Inquisit Concessu And reprinted at Francfurt 1582. Cum Gratia Privilegio Caesar Majest This is added to evidence the great Authority of this Book in the Roman Church Hieronymus Mengus Flagellum Daemonum Bononiae 1580. Horae B. Virginis sec us Sarum Parisiis 1527. Horae B. Virginis sec us Sarum Parisiis 1531. Holinshed's Chronicle London 1586. Henricus Pantaleon Histor de Ordine Johannitar Basileae 1581. Jacobus de Voragine Historia Lombardica Coloniae 1485. Johannes Kirchmannus de Funeribus Romanorum Brunsuigae 1661. Johan Stephan Durantus de Ritibus Eccles Cathol Coloniae Agrip. 1592. Johannes Filesacus Opera varia Parisiis 1621. Johannes Gerhardus Loci Theolog. Genevae 1639. Johannes Wolfius Lection Memorab Lavingae 1600. Innocentius 3. Sermones de tempore Coloniae 1575. Lilius Gregor Gyraldus Historia de Diis Gentium Basileae 1555. Layman Theologia Moralis Antverpiae 1634. Laurentius Beyerlinck Magnum Theatrum Vitae humanae Coloniae Agrippinae 1631. Missale sec us Eborum Rothomagi Missale sec us Sarum Parisiis 1527. Missale sec us Sarum Rothomagi 1509. Missale sec us Sarum Parisiis 1555. Manuale sec us Sarum Londini 1554. Missale parvum pro Sacerdotibus in Anglia Scotia Hibernia itinerantibus 1626. Missale Romanum Reformat Macrobius in Somnium Scipionis Saturnal Lugd. Batavor 1597. Minucius Felix Octav. Cantabrigiae 1643. Natalis Comes Mythologia Venetiis 1600. Navarrus Manuale Confessariorum Wirtzburgi 1586. Nicolaus Serarius Comment in Tobiam Judith c. Moguntiae Ordo Romanus Rabanus Maurus Gemma animae c. apud Hittorpium de Divinis Eccles Cathol Officiis Parisiis 1610. Processionale sec us Sarum 1545. Petrus Thyraeus de Daemoniacis c. Coloniae Agrip. 1594. Polydorus Virgilius de Inventor Rerum Basileae 1557. Pontificale Romanum Clement 8. jussu restitutum Antverpiae 1627. Plutarch's Lives London 1656. Plutarch's Morals London 1657. Philostratus de Vita Apollonii c. Parisiis 1608. Platina de Vitis Pontificum 1529 1626. Rosinus Antiquitat Roman cum Notis Thomae Dempsteri Aureliae Allobrogum 1620. Rivetus Orthod Cathol Lugd. Batav 1630. Rodolphus Hospinianus de Origine Festor Judaeor Graecor Romanor Turcar. Tiguri 1592. Idem de Origine Festor Christianor Tiguri 1593. Idem de Origine Templorum Tiguri 1603. Rituale Romanum Pauli 5. jussu editum Coloniae Agrippinae 1620. Sacrarum Ceremoniarum S. S. Romanae Ecclesiae Libri tres Coloniae Agrippinae 1558. Salmeron Comment in Epistol Coloniae Agrip. 1604. Tileman Heshusius Sexcent Errores Pontific Francofurti 1577. Tertullianus Franakerae 1597. Valerius Maximus cum select Varior Observat Lugd. Batav 1655. Wolfgangus Lazius Comment Reipub Romanae Basileae 1550. The Contents INtroduction Page 1 Canonization of Saints 5 Invocation of Saints 12 Patronage of Saints 26 Particular Offices of Saints 31 Images 52 Festivals 68 Altars 71 Vows 81 Temples 87 Gifts 107 Sacrifices 114 Purgatory 118 Prayers Oblations and Sacrifices for the Dead 125 Consecration of Bells 141 The single Life of Priests 150 Shaven Crowns and Beards 156 Lights in Churches 162 Worshipping towards the East 169 Holy-Water 172 Agnus Dei's 183 Sacred Reliques 191 Exorcisms 211 Observation of Holy Days 231 Mass-Ceremonies 260 Processions 270 Funeral Ceremonies 278 Some other Doctrines and Ceremonies 288 THE Introduction CESAR said of his Wife That she ought to be without suspicion of
and Honourable Women which sung Hymns in praise of the deceased Emperor This being done they took up the Bed and carried it out of the City to the Field of Mars where a Pile of Wood was made in form of a great Tent or Tabernacle with three other lesser Tabernacles one on the top of another the lowest having in it dry combustible matter but on the outside richly adorned with Gold Ivory and painted Tables and in the second Tabernacle was the Effigies placed with great solemnities After this the Nobility and Gentry did ride about the Field several times in order and at last the New Emperor set the pile of Wood on fire with a Torch at which time an Eagle was dismissed from the top of it which was supposed to carry the soul of the deceased Emperor into Heaven and ever after He was reputed and worshipped as a god This form of Consecration is also recorded by Rosinus Antiq. Roman lib. 3. cap. 18. and by Hospinian de Origine Festor Christian p. 20. and by Polydor Virgil de Invent. rerum lib. 3. cap. 10. Thus our Romanists canonize those that were eminent for Vertue Miracles c. which Ceremony is thus described by Maiolus dies Caniculares p. 769 ex Authore sacrarum Ceremon And by Hosp de Orig. Fest Christ c. 6. ex lib. 1. Ceremon Rom. Eccles Bul. Leo. 10. After the fame is spread far and near concerning the excellency of life opinion of sanctity and manifestation of Miracles and the Pope informed by Kings Princes or the people and desired that such a person may be received into the Catalogue of Saints and decreed to be worshipped as a Saint his Holiness maturely debateth the matter with his Brethren and if he shall think fit to proceed to an Inquisition a Commission is given to some Bishops in those parts where the person lived and is buried That they use all means to inform themselves touching those things and make their report to his Holiness If this Relation answer the common fame the Pope propounds it to the sacred Colledg and deliberates with them whether this Information be sufficient to proceed upon or a further enquiry ought to be made If this latter be thought necessary a new Commission is sent to the same or some other Bishops and certain Articles or Interrogatories upon which Witnesses are to be strictly examined touching his sanctity of life purity of faith and working of Miracles and to transmit the depositions under hand and seal unto the Court These being received the Pope commits the examination of them to some Auditors of the Sacred Palace whether they be full and satisfactory When all things are sufficiently proved the Pope decrees the Canonization and appoints a day for it In the mean time great preparations are made as 1. A Stage is built in the Church of that largeness that upon it there may be a Chappel with an Altar a Pontifical Throne c. 2. A great Standard or Ensign is made with the Image of the Saint which must be carried before the Religious or those who procure the Canonization 3. Wax Candles are prepared which must be distributed For the Pope two Candles of white Wax of Twelve pounds a piece for Cardinals of Four pounds Also for the elevation of the Sacrament twelve Wax Tapers every one of Six pounds for the Altar Seven Wax Candles and two for the * This Credentia is a Table to set Vessels upon Credentia of Two pounds Also for the Offertory two great Wax Candles of Twelve pounds which the first Cardinal offereth also three Candles of Six pounds which the Orators or Deputies with three Cardinals must offer And all the foresaid Candles must be white besides Eighty Wax Tapers for the Church 4. There must be prepared Candles of common Wax for Bishops Orators and Noblemen of Two pounds for Officials and Singers of One pound and for the Clergy and others as they please On the day of Canonization the Pope with his Cardinals Bishops and Officials all in their proper Robes and Ornaments goes in procession to the Church In the Camera Paramenti the Candles are distributed and all carry them lighted When the Pope comes to the Porch of Saint Peter he is received by the Clergy of the City after the manner of Supplicants His Holiness enters the Church and ascends the stage with the Cardinals and other Officials but the Clergy stand about it And having prayed before an Altar he makes a Speech in which he gives them an account of what hath been done and relates the Life and Miracles of this Saint This being ended his Holiness exhorts all to pour forth their prayers unto God That he would not suffer his Church to err in this matter Then the Litany is sung c. And then after the Proctor hath earnestly requested the Pope in the name of the Prince or people That he would declare blessed N. to be inrolled in the Calendar of Saints and to be worshipped as a Saint by the faithful of Christ I say then the Pope with a loud voice utters these words To the honour of the holy and undivided Trinity the exaltation of the Catholick Faith and encrease of the Christian Religion by the authority of the same Omnipotent God Father Son and Holy Ghost and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and by our own with the advice of our Brethren we decree and ordain N. of blessed memory to be a Saint and to be received into the Catalogue of Saints and we do admit him into this Catalogue and appoint that every year on such a day his Feast and Office as for a Confessor if he be a Confessor or Martyr if he be a Martyr be devoutly and solemnly celebrated by the Vniversal Church After this the Pope begins Te Deum laudamus and then a Deacon on his right hand saith Pray for us O blessed N. Thus you see how their Saints are canonized where I have omitted several things for brevity sake And as the Heathen gods must be deified before they could receive them for gods as you heard and give any worship and adoration to them So the Saints departed must be canonized by the Pope before they can be publickly prayed unto Bellar. de sanctor Beat. lib. 1. cap. 10. CHAP. II. Invocation of SAINTS 1. THE Heathen invocated their Gods or Demons as Mediators and Intercessors to the Supreme God Thales Pythagoras Plato and other Ethnick Philosophers held only one Supream Eternal Being which they called GOD. Now this chief God was as they supposed at such an infinite distance from poor Mortals and Sinners as that there could be no approach to him or communications of good things from him but by some Mediators or Midling-gods these Middle-gods or Mediators were no other than their great Heroes or persons who had been greatly famous in their Age for some noble Exploits saith Minutius Felix or vertuous acts and after their death were by common consent deified
to thy Cradle to worship thee with Mystical gifts mercifully grant That by the pious Intercessions of these three Kings and Merits thou wouldst afford unto us thy servants that in the journey which we are undertaking with speed joy grace and peace we may come to the places we design to go to in peace and safety and after the dispatch of our business may be able to return safe and sound with all prosperity Who with the Father c. Amen 6 Lastly The Heathen had particular gods for every man in every condition and relation from his conception to his dissolution yea for every thing relating to man So much is affirmed by S. Austin out of Varro De Civit. Dei lib. 6. cap. 9. Varro begins to enumerate the gods from the conception of man in which number Janus is the first and proceeds gradually to old age and concludes the gods appertaining to men with Nenia the goddess of Funerals And then he mentions certain gods for every thing relating to man and shews what their office is and for what every one ought to be supplicated For Students they had Minerva for Lawyers Juno for Physicians Apollo and Aesculapius for Thieves Laverna for Whores Flora c S. Aust. de Civit. Dei Arnobius adv Gent. Gyraldus Rosinus Alexander ab Alexandro c. Thus our Romanists have particular Saints for every Condition and Profession Take a few instances S. Gregory for Scholars This Pope was a great Scholar and the Founder of many Schools and therefore is made the Patron of young Scholars On the Festival of this Saint saith Hospinian Boys were and still are in many places called to the School with certain songs by a suborned Bishop personating S. Gregory De Orig. Festor. Christian p. 42. S. Katharine for Students Hospin de Orig Fest Christ. p. 103. This Saint was eminent for her knowledg in the Tongues Natural Philosophy c. She confuted and converted Fifty Philosophers appointed to dispute with her and therefore is deservedly honoured by Students who by her means receive much knowledg and wisdom from God Al 's Villegas in ejus vita S. Cosma and Damian for Physicians Jacobus de Voragine and Villegas have recorded several Miracles wrought by these Saints in recovering sick persons upon which their Patronage is grounded Mantuan Fastor lib. 9. S. Leonard for Captives He obtained of Clodoveus King of France lately converted to Christ That all Prisoners visited by him might be released and where-ever he heard of any Captives he posted to them and procured their Liberty Petrus de Natalib lib. 10. cap. 29. God so adorned S. Leonard that whoever being cast into prison invoked his Name his Chains fell off and he was set at liberty without any impediment Hence it came to pass that many in remote Countreys who were freed by him from their chains and imprisonments came to him and brought their irons and fetters with them Hereupon he is made the Patron of Captives and invocated by them Jacob. de Voragine Legenda 150. S. Julian for Pilgrims Mantuan calls him Johanus and gives us this account of him As he was hunting the Hart which he pursued told him that he should kill both his Parents To prevent this he left them and went to a Prince in a remote Countrey where he behaved himself so well that the Prince gave him in marriage a noble Matron This being known to his Parents they came to visit him and though they found their Son from home yet his Wife when she understood who they were received them honourably and lodged them in her own Chamber But early the next morning when she was at her devotions her Husband return'd and going into the Chamber kill'd both his Parents supposing he had found a stranger in bed with his Wife But he was presently convinced of his mistake and told who they were And then it follows Obstupuit facinusque animo deflevit amaro Et placare Deum cupiens discessit ab armis Ac prope torrentis ripas ubi magna solebat Turba inopum ferri rapidoque in flumine mergi Constituit lectum quod praetereuntibus esset Hospitium commune dicuns seque sua tali Officio gratis Festor. lib. 2. Hence 't is that this Saint is called Hospitator one that most courteously entertaineth strangers and in the Roman Church is invoked by Pilgrims for good lodging Hospin Fest. Christ p. 37. S. Agatha for Nurses and hence her Festival is solemnly observed by them So much is affirmed by their Mantuan Fast lib. 2. Gloria Sicaniae gentis pulcherrima Virgo Diva Agatha nonas mensis tua Festa secundi Sacravere Nurus illa votiva serentes Dona die veniunt digitis fulgentibus auro Sericeisque tuas adeunt in vestibus aras S. Mary Magdalen for Whores Very remarkable is that which their Alf. Villegas writes concerning this Saint and though it be something long yet I cannot well pass it over since it may be very serviceable to the Modish Ladies of our times not perfectly instructed in the Roman Religion Moses the great Friend of God hath left written in the Book of Genesis That when God in the beginning created the World he made two great Lights but one bigger than the other and placed them in Heaven The greater was to give light in the day and the lesser to shine in the night These two Lights viz. the Sun and the Moon adorn the Heavens very much Jesus Christ our Lord when he founded his Church put therein two Lights that is the Sun and the Moon The Sun was to give light to them that walked by day and the Moon to illuminate those that travel by night Now let us see who is this Sun in the Church and who is this Moon We may well say This Sun clear resplendent and without any spot or stain is the glorious Virgin Mary for her very great clearness and beauty for that she bore in her Womb Jesus Christ our God who is the true Sun of Jestice and because she is cloathed with the Sun as the Evangelist S. John saith of her in his Revelations I saw a Woman clothed with the Sun whom all the holy Doctors say is the Mother of God But how cometh it to pass that she is said to be the President of the Day and to give light thereunto They are like the clear and bright Day that be in the grace of God because these do works worthy to be seen Of these then is this Sun President and to them giveth light in shewing them the way of Vertue by which men go to Heaven We have found who is the Sun and the greater Light of the Church viz. the religious Virgin Mary Let us now see who is the lesser Light that illuminateth the Church by night This is the Second Mary the B. S. Mary Magdalen and this Name fitteth her very well For as the Moon on one side is dark and on the other side where the Sun beholdeth her clear
Candles and burning Incense before the Images of Saints Sensible lights saith he are a symbol of that material light given by God Burning of Incense signifieth the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and sincere repletion De Ritibus Eccles Cathol lib. 1. cap. 9 n. 11. 3. They pray before their Images This is clear from the prayer used in the consecration of the Image of Jesus Christ the Virgin Mary or any other Saint Almighty Everlasting God we beseech thee vouchsafe to bless ✚ and sancti †fie this Image made to the honour and memory of thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord or of the most blessed Virgin Mary Mother of our Lord Jesu Christ or of blessed N thy Apostle or Martyr or Confessor or Bishop or Virgin and grant that whoever shall endeavour humbly to honour and worship thine only begotten Son or the most blessed Virgin or N. thy most glorious Apostle or Martyr or Confessor or Virgin before this Image he may obtain of thee grace here and eternal glory hereafter Through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Rituale Romanum p. 240. The like Prayer we have in the Consecration of the Image of the Blessed Virgin Pontif. Roman p. 367. And before the Veronica they say this Prayer Hail holy Face impressed in cloath purge us from every spot of Vice and join us to the society of the Blessed Bring us to our Countrey O blessed Figure to behold the undefiled face of Christ Be thou to us we beseech thee a safe help a sweet refreshment and consolation that no hostile displeasure may hurt us but we may enjoy a blessed rest c. Chemnit Exam. Concil Trident. de Imagin Nay there are many prayers to which if said before an Image are granted pardons for many thousand years Whosoever being in the state of Grace shall devoutly say these Seven Prayers with Seven Pater-Nosters and Ave-Maria's before an Image of Piety shall merit a pardon for Fifty six thousand years which was granted by Three Popes viz. Gregory 14 Nicholas 5 and Sixtus 4 Hor. B. Virg. sec us Sar. p. 67. And in the Rosary of the B. Virgin a plenary Indulgence is granted to those of that Arch-Confraternity who not being able by reason of sickness journey imprisonment c. to visit the Altar of the Rosary shall say the Rosary before some devout Picture p. 21. Thus you see that Papists give the very same honour and adoration to the Statues and Images of their Saints which the Pagans did to those of their gods I know it is here objected by our Adversaries That the Heathen worshipped the Statues and Images of their gods absolutely considered the very Images themselves but the honor we give them is refer'd to the Prototype or thing represented insomuch that by the Pictures we kiss or before which we kneel or put off our Hats we adore Christ and reverence the Saints whom these Pictures represent But the weakness of this Objection will appear if we consider these two particulars 1. That the Heathen have often return'd the very Answer They tell us They are not so ignorant but that they know the power and value of the Image before which they fall which is fashion'd and fram'd by a Workman We know say they that the Image is but metal or stone but as it is dedicated to represent such a god or such a vertue of god named Jupiter Apollo Mercurius Juno c. do not think that our reverence and adoration doth terminate there our thoughts direct our Worship to the god and his Attributes which we adore in and by such an Image Arnobius brings in the Heathen uttering these words We worship the gods by these Images And a little after Thou art deceived and grosly mistaken for we the Heathen do not believe the substance of brass or silver or gold or any other thing of which these Statues are made to be in themselves gods but we worship the gods in these Adv. Gent. lib. 6. 2. Their great Doctors and Schoolmen tell us That the very Images are to be reverenced yea and with the same kind of reverence and veneration that is given to the Prototype or person represented Their Angelical Doctor lays down this conclusion That the same reverence is to be given to the Image of Christ and to Christ himself and by consequence since Christ is adored with the adoration of Latria or divine worship that his Image is to be adored with the adoration of Latria Pars 3. Quest 25. Art 3. And Suarez affirms That the Image may and ought to be worshipped with the same Adoration with the Exemplar And this assertion he confirms by the testimony of Cajetan Paludanus Capreolus Ferrariensis Antonius Soto Albertus Ricardus Bonaventura Major Almainus Alex. Ales Marsilius Waldensis Turrianus Albertus Pighius Turrecremata And to these he subjoins the Authority of the Seventh General Synod and of the Council of Trent In Part. 3. Aquinat Quest 25. Art 3. Disput 64. Sect. 4. 'T is the constant opinion of Divines That the Image is to be honoured and worshipped with the same honour and worship which is due to that whereof it is an Image Azorius Instit Moral Tom. 1. lib. 9. cap. 6. Thus 't is evident there 's a perfect agreement between the old Pagans and our Romanists in the adoration of Images Ludovicus Vives a learned Papist confessed That there could no other difference be found of Paganish and Popish Worship before Images but only this That Namâ—s and Titles are changed in S. Aust de Civit. Dei lib. 8. cap. 27. 4. The Hâ—athen placed the Statues and Images of their gods in their Temples This is so clear from all their Historians that I need not cite particular Authors Thus do our Romanists place the Images of their Saints in their Churches Which custom together with the Adoration of them Cornelius Agrippa derives from Ethnicks Hinc caepimus divorum nostrorum muta simulachra in Templa nostra traducere c. Hence we begun to receive the mute Images of our Saints into our Churches and with great veneration to place them on Gods Altar which for a man to approach though the true Image of God we account piacular we bow the head to them kiss them offer lights worship them c. De Vanitate Scientiar cap. 53. The same is affirmed by Polydor Virg. de Inventor Rerum lib. 6. cap. 13. 5. To all these we may add one more viz. That the Heathen at a certain time covered their Images and omitted to burn Incense before them Ovid who gives us a very large and full account of their Customs and Ceremonies saith Fastor lib. 2. Dii quoque templorum foribus caelentur apertis Thure vacent arae stentque sine igne foci Thus do our Romanists in the time of Lent cover their Altars and Images and omit to burn Incense before them Durand Rational Divin Officior lib. 1. cap. 3. num 34. and lib. 6. cap. 32. numb 12. And Gavantus
tells us what kind of vail or covering this must be 1. It must not have any Image or Picture painted on it 2. It must rather be of a violet colour than black but white by no means except it shall be so ordered Thesaurus Sacrorum Rituum Pars 4. Tit. 7. CHAP. VI. FESTIVALS THE Heathen appointed Festivals in honour of their gods As Numa divided the Year into Months saith Macrobius so every Month into Days and these were called either Festi Profesti or Intercisi The Dies Festi called also Feriati and Feriae a feriendo victimas Festival or Holy-days were to be spent in Religious Rites and Ceremonies The Dies Profesti so called quasi procul a festis were spent in the works of their particular Callings and Secular Employments The Dies intercisi ab intercidendo as it were days cut asunder were half Holy-days one part of them being appointed for worldly business and the other for holy and religious exercises Now the first and last of these days were dedicated to their gods the first wholly and the last in part Every god had a Festival appointed for him called by his Name which Ovid mentions in his Fastorum The Saturnalia were Festival-days instituted at Rome in honour of Saturn in the Month of December The Bacchanalia were in honour of Bacchus Carmentalia in honour of Carmenta Evanders Mother Robigalia in honour of Robigus instituted by Numa in the eleventh year of his reign Rosin Antiq. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 8. The Greeks also were very much addicted to the observation of these Festival-days as the Athenians in keeping their Panathenea that were appointed in honour of Minerva And thus other Nations dedicated Festivals in honour of their gods to such as were proper to certain places called Indigetes as also to their Domestick Divinities Thus do our Romanists institute Festivals in honour of their Saints This is most evident from all their Missals and Breviaries where particular Offices are appointed for every day The Church saith Durand doth celebrate the Festivals of Saints for many reasons 1. That we may observe the Law of Retaliation for they celebrate a Feast for us there being joy in Heaven over a repenting sinner 2. Because in honouring them we do our own work 3. That we may have them Intercessors for us 4. That we may imitate them for by their Examples we are drawn to walk as they did 5. For the encrease of our security and confirmation of our hope 6. For the honour of the Divine Majesty which we honoua in honouring them 7. That by beholding their beauty and purity man may be confounded for his own sins and contemn earthly things even as they did 8. And principally for the honour of the Saints and he gives two reasons why they ought to be honoured Rationale divin Offic. lib. 7. cap. 1. Bellarmine affirms That the honour of Festival-days belongeth immediately and terminatively to the Saints even as Invocation it self doth De Cultu Sanctor lib. 3. cap. 16. And as the Pagans had half Holy-days for some of their gods so have Papists for some of their Saints CHAP. VII ALTARS 1. THE Heathen erected Altars to their gods We read of wicked Ahab 1 King 16. 32 that he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he had built in Samaria And of Manasseh 2 King 21. 2 3 that he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abominations of the Heathen for he builâ— up the high places and reared up altars for Baal And for all the Host of heaven v. 5. Plutarch mentions a golden Altar of Jupiter Idaeus made by Midas Parallela Roman Graecor p. 743. And he tells us of another erected to Apollo in his Temple at Delos made all of Horns and reckoned among the seven Wonders of the World 802. The Gentiles saith S. Austin built Temples made Altars instituted Priests and offered sacrifice to their gods De Civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 10. The Romans erected Altars by which I understand both Altaria and Arae betwixt which they made a difference to every god as Jupiter Pistor â—esta Minerva c Rosin Antiq. Roman passim Among the Latins Altars were every where erected to their gods and goddesses Elias Schedius de diis German p. 219. Thus do our Romanists erect Altars to their Saints as the Virgin Mary S. Peter S. Paul c. Durand mentions some cases wherein the lesser Altars may and ought to be re consecrated and the second is this If the Repository within the Altar be broken where the Reliques are put and the Letters Testimonial of its consecration ought carefully to be kept containing the Name of the Bishop by whom it was consecrated and the Name of the Saint to whose honour it was dedicated Ration Divin Officior lib. 1. cap. 6. numb 32 33 34. Temples and Altars saith Polydor Virgil are dedicated to the Saints that we may worship both them and God with due veneration De Invent. Rer. lib. 6. cap. 1. And Bellarmine affirms That there is a seven fold honour due to canonized Saints 1. They are put into the Catalogue of Saints 2. They are invocated in the publick Prayers of the Church 3. Temples and Altars are dedicated to them De Sanctor Beat. lib. 1. cap. 7. 2. The Heathen consecrated their Altars before they offered sacrifice on them in which Consecration they used a certain form of words saith Rosinus Antiq. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 2. And we have three of these dedicatory forms recorded by Brissonius de Formul lib. 1. p. 114. Thus our Romanists consecrate their Altars The form and manner of this Consecration is thus prescribed in the Roman Pontifical p. 286. Before the day of consecration the Bishop prepareth Reliques to be laid within the Altar which he putteth in a decent and clean vessel with three grains of Frankincense He putteth also therein this Testimonial in Parchment M. DC XXVII Nov. 9. I N. Bishop of C. have consecrated this Altar to the honour of Saint N and the Reliques of the holy Martyrs N. and N. placed within it and I have granted to all the faithful of Christ this day according to the custom of the Church one year and on the Anniversary day of this Consecration forty days of true Indulgence to all that visit this Altar There are likewise provided in the Church all things necessary to this Consecration viz. Holy Chrism in a little vessel or vial holy Oyl in the like vessel a pound of Frankincense of which the half is to be in grains a Censer with a long Dish and a Spoon a vessel with burning coals a vessel full of water a vessel with ashes a vessel with salt a vessel fill'd with wine an Aspersory made of Hysop Napkins to wipe the Table of the Altar five little Crosses made of Wax-Candles c. In the morning the Bishop comes to the Church in his ordinary habit and having placed himself either
Pagans Indeed Durand derives this dedication or consecration from the practice of the Jews and Gentiles and Durantus urgeth the latter as an argument for it De Ritib Eccles Cath. Lib. 1. cap. 24. First They consecrate the ground where the Church is to be built and the form and manner of it is thus prescribed in the Roman Ritual and Pontifical The Place being appointed by the Bishop where the Church is to be built the day before the first Stone is to be blessed or consecrated the Bishop or some Priest deputed by him fixeth a venerable Cross of wood where the Altar is to be erected The next day the Stone to be laid in the foundation of the Church which must be four square and the Corner stone is consecrated after this manner The Bishop or his Deputy having put on his Robes and standing in the place where the Church is to be built blesseth the Salt and Water and while the Clergy is singing an Antiphona and Psal 83. sprinkles the place where the Cross is set with holy Water The Psalm being ended the Bishop or Deputy turning himself towards the place thus sprinkled prayeth O Lord God though Heaven and Earth cannot contain thee yet thou art pleas'd to have a House upon Earth where thy Name may be always called upon We beseech thee visit this place with the serene aspect of thy Piety the merits of the Blessed Mary ever a Virgin and B. N. naming the Saint in whose Honour and Name the Church shall be built and by the infusion of thy grace purifie it from all defilement and being purified preserve it and thou who didst compleat the devotion of thy beloved David in the work of his Son Solomon vouchsafe to perfect our desires in this work and let all spiritual wickedness fly away Through our c. Amen Then the Bishop or Priest blesseth the first Stone saying O holy Lord Father Almighty Eternal God be pleased to bless ✚ this Stone to be the foundation of the Church in honour of S. N. Through our Lord c. Amen Then he sprinkles the Stone with holy Water and with a Knife makes the sign of the Cross in every part of it saying in the Name of the Fa †ther and of the Son †and of the Holy †Ghost And then this Prayer Bless O Lord this Creature of Stone and grant by the invocation of thy holy Name that whosoever shall with a pure mind assist in the building of this Church may obtain soundness of body and health of soul Through c. And after some other Ceremonies which I omit for brevity sake the Bishop or his Deputy toucheth the Stone and puts it in the foundation saying In the Faith of Jesu Christ we lay this first Stone in this foundation in the Name of the Fa †ther and of the Son †and of the Holy †Ghost that true Faith may flourish here and the fear of God and brotherly love and that this place may be destinated to Prayer c. And when the Mason hath laid the Stone with Mortar the Bishop sprinkles it with holy Water saying Sprinkle me with Hysop O Lord and I shall be clean and wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow After this he sprinkles every part of the place where the Church is to be built if it be not covered but if it be covered then he walks round about sprinkling the foundation of the Church Many other Ceremonies are observed and Prayers added which I must pass over Pontificale Rom. p. 199. Ritual Roman p. 241. And that they cast in silver and gold with the first Stone as the Heathen did Hospinian gives us two Instances out of Bruschius De Origine Templor Lib. 1. cap. 11. Secondly They consecrate the Church after it is built And that their Ceremonies used herein are as superstitious idle and ridiculous as those of Pagans needs no other proof than the meer relation and mystical signification of them And here I will follow their Durandus Rational Divin Officior Lib. 1. cap. 6. and Durantus de Ritibus Eccles Cathol Lib. 1. cap. 24. All being put out the Church except a Deacon who remains shut within the Bishop halloweth the water mixed with Salt before the door of the Church and in the mean time twelve Candles burn within before twelve Crosses painted on the Walls After this the Bishop the Clergy and People following him goes three times about the Church and with a Branch of Hysop sprinkles the Walls with holy Water and every time coming to the door smites it with his Pastoral Staff saying Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of Glory shall come in And the Deacon within answereth Who is this King of Glory To whom the Bishop replies The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battel At the third time the door being opened the Bishop with a few Ministers enters the Church saying Peace be to this house c. Then he begins at the left Corner of the East to write with his Pastoral Staff on the Pavement sprinkled with ashes the Greek Alphabet to the right Corner of the West and again from the right Corner of the East the whole Latin Alphabet to the left Corner of the West viz. in this Form according to the Roman Pontifical p. 222. Then the Bishop makes new Holy-water mixed with Salt Ashes and Wine wherewith he sprinkles the Altar Walls and Pavement of the Church After this he anoints with Chrism the Twelve Crosses painted on the Walls saying Let this Temple be sancti †fied In the Name of the Fa †ther and of the Son †and of the Holy †Ghost Lastly These and other Ceremonies being ended the Bishop celebrates Mass And then follows the mystical signification of these Ceremonies The Holy-water wherewith the Church is sprinkled signifies Baptism because the Church after a certain manner is baptized And the water is mixed with salt to denote our Prudence which is the condiment of all Vertues as Salt is of all Meats Again the threefold sprinkling of the Church within without with this Holy-water signifies the threefold immersion in Baptism And this is done for three reasons 1. For the expulsion of evil Spirits 2. For the purgation and expiation of the Church 3. For the removal of every Malediction For the Earth from the beginning was subject to a curse because man fell by its fruit but the Water was under no curse Hence our Saviour did eat fish and we do not read that he ate flesh except of the Paschal Lamb. And this sprinkling in their going about the Church signifies the care that God hath of his who sends his Angel to guard those that fear him Again the Bishops thrice going about the Church denotes our Saviour's threefold Circuit for the sanctification of the Church The first was when he came from Heaven to Earth The second when he descended
granted this Vivae vocis oraculo to the Rosarists of the Kingdom of Spain 1542 which Pius 5 Gregory 13 Sixtus 5 extend to all other Confraternities of the Rosary throughout the world p. 20. Pope John 22 granted to all that say this following prayer as they pass through any Church-yard or place of Burial so many years of pardon as there are bodies buried in it Hor. B. Virg. sec us Sar. p. 132. God save all faithful souls whose bodies rest here and every where in the dust Our Lord Jesu Christ who redeemed you and us with his most precious blood vouchsafe to free you from punishments and place you in the Quire of his â—ngels and there being mindful of us earnestly pray that we may be join'd to you and crown'd in Heaven with you 2. The Heathen offer'd Gifts for those that were departed as Honey Milk Wine c. Of these Ovid speaks Fastor lib. 2. Est honor tumulis animas placare paternas Parvaque in extruct as munera ferre pyras Parva petunt manes pietas pro divite grata est Munera non avidos Styx habet ima Deos. Tegula porrectis satis est velata coronis Et sparsae fruges parvaque mica salis Inque mero mollita Ceres violaeque solutae Nec habeat media testa relictavia And a little after he informs us who was the Author of this Ceremony Hunc morem Aeneas pietatis idoneus Autor Attulit in terras juste Latine tuas Ille patris Genio solemnia dona ferebat Hinc populi ritus edidicere pios And Homer writes to the same purpose Odys 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thus do our Romanists offer Gifts for the dead Some Monks have taught saith Du Plessis that the Souls which are in Purgatory do leap at the ound of the money when it is cast into the Basin for them De Missal lib. 3. cap. 10. Sometimes bread and wine is offer'd for the dead sometimes silver and gold and sometimes a torch or candle to enlighten those who sit in the darkness of Purgatory saith Durandus Rational Divin Offic. lib. 4. cap. 30. numb 39. This is further clear from their prayers for the dead O Lord we beseech thee graciously look upon the Gifts which we offer unto thee for the soul of thy Servant N. that being purged by heavenly Remedies it may rest in thy piety Through our Lord c. Missale parvum in Missa pro defunctis p. 240. Grant we beseech thee O Lord that these Gifts which we offer before the eyes of thy Majesty for the souls of thy servants whose commemoration we celebrate with special devotion and for whom we are commanded to pray and our Benesactors Kindred familiar friends and all the faithful may be comfortable and they being freed by thy piety from the chains of terrible death may merit to be partakers of eternal happiness Through our Lord c. Missal sec us Sar. Offic. pro defunct 2. The Heathen Offer'd Sacrifices for the dead Hetruria promiseth in the Acherontick Booâ—s saith Arnobius with the blood of certain Animals offer'd unto certain Deities to purge the soâ—ls of men and free them from the Laws of Mortality Advers Gent. lib. 2. The Feralia were instituted to appease the infernal gods in which Sacrifices were offered to them Hospin de Orig. Festor Pagan p. 58. The Argives offer'd sacrifice unto Apollo immediately after the decease of their Parents and after thirty days unto Mercury Nay they were so barbarous as to offer human Victims for the dead Virgil having described the pomp of their Funerals afterwards maketh mention of the Sacrifices they offered for the deceased Aeneid lib. 1. Vinxerat post terga manus quos mitteret umbris Inferiâ—s caeso sparsuros sanguine flammas And the like we have lib. 10. Quaâ—uor hic juvenes totâ—dem quos educat Vsens Viventes rapit inferias quos immolet umbris Captivoque rogi persundat sanguine flammas In both these places Virgil imitates Homer Iliad 23 where Achilles sends twelve Trojans for a sacrifice to the infernal gods for Patroclus his intimate Friend whom Hector slew And he tells us how Aeneas chose eight young Gallants out of the Prisoners he took of the Enemy to sacrifice them to the gods of Hell for the sake of Pallas deceased Many Nations observed this Custom at the Funerals of great persons viz. to kill and burn with them such as had been acceptable to them in their lives and such as were judged able to do them service in the other world Some Commanders took in War as many Prisoners as they could to sacrifice them at this time saith Virgil. That famous Gladiator Spartacus who was so industrious and daring as to raise an Army of Slaves in Italy and to march against the people of Rome did force three hundred of his Prisoners of War to kill themselves in honour of his Captains slain in the fight to procure unto them the favour of the Infernal gods This cruel Ceremony became so ordinary amongst the Romans that scarce any of the Chieftains of the Commonwealth or of the Emperors dy'd but some thousands of Gladiators did follow them Thus you see the Heathen offer'd sacrifices for the dead The dead saith Plato citing Musâ—us and Orpheus are purged by sacrifices De Repub. lib. 2. Thus our Romanists offer an Eucharistical Sacrifice which say they is propitiatory for the dead as well as for the living Gregory the Great relateth an excellent Story which he heard of Felix Bishop of Centum-cellae take it in short thus A Presbyter of Centum-cellae went to the Bath-house to wash himself where he found a man unknown to him but very humble and serviceable And after he had served him several days the Presbyter to requite his kindness brought unto him two consecrated Hosts as a blessing and reward for his service but the man with a sad countenance answered This bread not this body is holy and I am not worthy to eat it I was sometimes Master of this House but now for my sins I am appointed to this servile occupation if thou wouldst do me a kindness offer them to Almighty God as a sacrifice for my sins and believe thou art heard of God when thou canst not find me in this place any more This he did and the man was no more seen Osiander Epit. Histor. Eccles Cent. 6. lib. 4. cap. 19. The souls in Purgatory saith the Council of Trent Ses 25. are thence delivered fidelium suffragiis potissimum vero acceptabili Altaris sacrificio By the suffrages of the faithful but especially by the acceptable sacrifice of the Altar And a little after they give this charge to Bishops Let Bishops take care that the suffrages of the faithful now living that is the sacrifices of Masses Prayers Alms-deeds and other works of Piety which according to the Constitutions of the Church ought to be performed for the
hence saith God I have given thee a forehead more hard than their foreheads The Clapper which striking on both sides of the Bell makes the sound denotes the Doctors tongue which is adorned with knowledg and publisheth both the Testaments A Prelate therefore without abilities to preach is like a bell without a clapper And the striking of the clapper on both sides the bell signifies that a Preacher ought first to smite Vice in himself by correction and afterwards proceed to reprove it in others The band wherewith the clapper is ti'd to the bell denotes the moderation wherewith the tongue is temper'd The Wood in which the bell hangeth signifies the wood of the Cross of Christ The Iron ligatures which tye and fasten the bell to the wood denote Charity by which the Preacher being inseparably conjoin'd to the Cross glorieth saying Far be it from me to glory except in the Cross of our Lord. The wheel by which the bell is toll'd signifies the right mind of the Preacher which being wholly addicted to the Divine Laws he presseth them upon the people by continual preaching The rope wherewith the bell is tolled denotes the humility or life of the Preacher Again the rope is ty'd to the wood in which the bell hangeth to signifie that the Scripture descendeth from the wood of the holy Cross and as the Rope is made of three cords so the Scripture consisteth of a Trinity viz. History Allegory and Morality And the rope descending from the wood in the Priests hand is the Scripture descending from the mystery of the Cross in the mouth of the Preacher and it comes to his hand because the Scripture should produce good works The rising and falling of the Rope in tolling or ringing the bell denotes that the holy Scripture sometimes speaks of high and sometimes of low matters or that the Minister sometimes preacheth mysteriously and sometimes plainly according to the capacity of the people Again the Priest pulls the Rope downward when he descends from contemplation to action and upward when the Scripture is exalted in contemplation Lastly He pulls it downward when the Scripture is expounded literally upward when it is expounded spiritually Ration divin Offic. lib. 1. cap. 4. CHAP. XV. The single Life of Priests POPE Syricius speaking of the marriage of Priests saith Let this reproach be taken away which Gentilism doth accuse Epist 4 whence it is clear for we must not question the Popes unerring faculty That Marriage was prohibited Pagan Priests Clemens Alexandrinus tells us That the ancient Hereticks took occasion to condemn Marriage from the Precepts and Practices of Pagan Philosophers Strom. lib. 3. The Athenian Hierophanta's saith S. Hierome to this day by supping the broth of Hemlock make themselves chast being forbidden Marriage before they were admitted into Sacred Orders or advanced to Prelatical Dignity And discoursing of the Lives of the ancient Priests of Egypt out of Chaeremon the Stoick he faith That they never mingled themselves with women never would see their Relations and Neighbours no not their Children from the time that they were consecrated and they abstain'd from flesh and wine to suppress all lustful thoughts and desires Adver Jovinian lib. 1 in fine lib. 2. And the Priests of Cybele saith Alexander ab Alexandro did castrate themselves that they might be chast And he further adds in the same place Those who performed their greatest solemnities or their chief Priests that they might continue in chast Religion and escape the contagion of Women did emasculate themselves with certain Herbs and lost their manliness And this saith he was commanded by their Pontisical Law which runs thus Ad divos adeunto casti pietatem adhibento opes amovento qui secus faxit Deus ipse vindex erit And Euripides testifieth That in Crete those whom they called the Prophets of Jupiter do not only abstain from flesh but also from all savoury meat And the like did the Indian Magi who were advanced to the Priesthood of the Sun Alexander ab Alexandro in Genial Dier lib. 4. cap. 17. And among the Assyrians the Priests of Diana Ecbatana liv'd in perpetual Virginity Idem lib. 5. cap. 12. To add more Testimonies is unnecessary since this is generally confessed by our Romanists and urged by Medina as an unanswerable Argument against the Marriage of Priests Chamier de Caelibat Sacerdot lib. 17. cap. 7. 2. Pagan Priests defiled themselves with strange Women Arnobius describing the single life of Priests amongst the Gentiles saith Where are Whoredoms more committed by Priests than in the Temples even by the Altars Where are Bawdries more practised and Adulteries more meditated Lastly Burning lust is more frequently discharged in Chancels than Brothel-houses Adver Gent. lib. 8. Thus do our Romanists forbid their Priests to marry The Council of Trent denounceth an Anathema against all those who shall say That Clerks in Holy Orders may contract Matrimony and that such a Contract is valid notwithstanding the Laws and Constitutions of the Church Ses 24. Can. 9. Costerus undertakes to prove That Marriage is repugnant to the Evangelical Priesthood in the very nature of it De Coelib Sacerdot Others as Major in Sentent Clichtovaeus de Continent Sacerdot c. plead for a Divine Law But their great Bellarmine is forced to confess that this prohibition is not grounded upon any Divine Law De Cler. lib. 1. cap. 18. So Aquinas 22 Quest. 88 Art 11 and this is the most received Opinion among them And yet with them 't is a greater Crime for a Priest to have one Wife than many Whores which is expresly prohibited by the Law of God 'T is lawful with them for Priests to keep Concubines paying so much yearly to the Official and the price is set down in their Taxa Camerae Apostolicae but for a lawful Wife no dispensation will be granted Nay 't was one of the German Grievances That such Priests as were dispos'd to live chastly and abhorr'd this sin of uncleanness were compelled to take dispensations to keep Concubines They are not ashamed to confess That no Priest is to be depos'd for the cause of Fornication if he confine himself to one Woman Decret Dist 34. c. 4. And Can. 7 we have these comfortable words Though there be many things which the Authority of Canonical Sublimity may command in these cases yet because of the defection of our times in which not only the merits but also the bodies of men have failed this severity must be remitted And they generally affirm That a Priest sinneth more grievously in contracting Matrimony than in committing Fornication 2. Our Roman Priests defile themselves with strange Women This is most clear from the Testimony of their own Authors Mantuan speaking of the filthiness of the Romish Clergy saith Nulla hic arcana revelo Non ignota loquor liceat vulgata referre Sic Vrbes populique ferunt ea fama per omnem Jam vetus Europam mores extirpat honestos Sanctus ager
way agreeable to reason For then temporal things are rightly meditated on when they are consonant to reason 3. A circular Figure is made because this Figure hath neither beginning nor end by which we are given to understand that Clerks are the Ministers of God who had no beginning and shall have no end 4. This figure hath no corner by which is signified that Clergy-men ought not to have a spot in their lives and that they should have truth in their Doctrine because Truth loves not corners 5. Because this figure of all figures is most beautiful Hence in this God made the celestial creatures by which is signified that Clerks ought to have beauty within in the Soul and without in the conversation 6. Because this figure is the most simple For according to S. Austin no figure is constituted of one line only except a circular by which is intimated that Clergy-men should have a Dove-like simplicity according to that be ye simple as Doves 7. A Crown shews that Clerks are in a peculiar respect the Kingdom of God These are the doughty Reasons given by Durand and others for this circular form which my designed brevity will not suffer me to make some pleasant remarks upon And then he proceeds to the shaving of their beards where also this acute Doctor discovers as great Mysteries as in the former The reason of hair on the Beard saith he is the superfluity of humors in the stomack this denotes That we should cut off those vices and sins which are superfluous in us We shave our Beards that by Innocence and Humility we may appear pure and undefiled and be like unto the Angels which are always fresh and youthful Yet in times of fasting we suffer five hairs to grow because all thoughts which are not against God as to build a Church till the ground and such-like which we use to have in times of Abstinence should not be prohibited I wish this great Mythologist had explicated these last words that the reason might have been more convincing to poor Hereticks And for the more solemn performance of this Ceremony our Masters at Rome have appointed a particular Office Pontif. Roman p. 511. Ordo Romanus p. 94. CHAP. XVII Lights in Churches 1. THE Heathen had lighted-Candles and Tapers in their Temples when they offer'd sacrifice Baruch 6. 18. Ceres the Mother of Proserpina was called Taedifera because they lighted Tapers and Torches though it were at noon-day when they offered Sacrifice unto her Illic accendit geminas pro lampade pinus Hinc Cereris sacris nunc quoque taeda datur Ovid. Fastor lib. 4. Natalis Comes discoursing of the Sacrifices of the Superior gods tells us That they used lights by which saith he they did demonstrate the purity of those gods Mythol lib. 1. cap. 10. And Macrobius informs us That the Altars of Saturn were garnished with burning Candles Saturnal lib. 1. cap. 7. Alexander ab Alexandro affirms That this Ceremony was anciently observed by Pagans viz. to have burning Torches In Genial Dierum lib. 4. cap. 17. And Andreas Tyraquellus in his Annotations upon him confirms this Assertion by the Testimonies of Gyraldus Cornelius Dion Halicarnassaeus and Herodotus Let them burn Candles and Tapers daily that are without light saith Tertullian de Idololatria cap. 15. And Lactantius declaims against this Heathenish custom Institut lib. 6. cap. 2. Thus do Papists burn Candles and Tapers in their Churches when they celebrate Mass and perform other Religious solemnities This practice is so general and well known that I need not cite Authors for it Light saith Baily apud Rivet is the symbol of Evangelical brightness of a lively faith of inward joy of flaming charity in a word of the Divinity which is nothing else but immortal fire and a most pure act 2. The Heathen changed these Lights every year viz. on the Calends of March Hospin de Orig. Fastor Pagan cap. 12. On the first day of this Month saith Macrobius they made a new fire on the Vestal Altars that they might begin the new year with new fire Saturn lib. 1. cap. 12. This Ceremony is more fully described by Ovid Fastor lib. 3. Non dubites primae fuerint quin ante Calendae Martis ad haec animum signa referre potes Laurea flaminibus quae toto perstitit anno Tollitur frondes sunt in honore novae Janua tunc regis posita viret arbore Phoebi Ante tuas itidem curia prisca fores Vesta quoque ut folio niteat velata recenti Caedit ab Iliacis laurea cana focis Adde quod arcana fiere novus ignis in aede Dicitur vires flamma refecta capit Thus do our Romanists change their Lights every year viz. three days before Easter This Ceremony is fully described by Durand with all its mystical significations The Lights are put out to denote that Christ the true Light lay three days in the Sepulcher Some light 72 Candles some 24 some 12 some 9 some 7 and with some the number is not certain yet all are not without a Mystery The 72 Candles that are extinguished denote the 72 Disciples whose preaching was almost extinct in the death of Christ they also signifie that our Lord lay 72 hours in the Sepulcher which must be synechdochically understood or so many Candles are lighted for the 72 Nations and kinds of Languages Twenty four Candles are lighted 1. Because the Sun that enlightens the World 24 hours signifies Christ the true Sun 2. The day of which Christ is the greater light and the night of which the Church is the lesser light are the Apostles and other Apostolical men which as the 24 hours serve Christ the Day and the Church the Night 3. Four and twenty Candles denote the Gloria Patri which is to be said 24 times in the Nocturns of Festivals Fifteen Candles signifie the twelve Apostles and the three Maries which followed our Lord. Or fourteen of those Candles signifie the fourteen Articles of the Christian Faith and the extinguishing of them denotes the extinction of the Faith in the flight of the Apostles but the putting out of the last Candle signifies the death of Christ Twelve Candles burning represent the twelve Apostles and they are put out to shew that the Apostles were then silent and fled and the Faith almost extinct in them Nine Candles signifie Mankind which by sin had excluded themselves from the Nine Orders of Angels and from the true Light Seven Candles signifie the seven-fold grace of the Spirit which was almost extinguished in the hearts of the Disciples Lastly Where a certain number of Candles is not observed there they signifie the Prophets and other holy Fathers who foretelling Christ our Light and preaching the Doctrine of Salvation are now dead being tormented with divers punishments Further All the Candles are not put out together but one after another because the Disciples left Christ successively and not all at once Some extinguish a Candle
de Peregrin Relig. ergo 2. They translate them from one place to another in great pomp Thomas Hertford a most holy Monk dy'd in Caelosyria and being a stranger there they laid him in the common Sepulcher for Strangers and laid many others upon him but afterwards God willing to honour his servant his Body kept the highest place and by a certain Divine Power was separated from the other Bodies The Beholders of this Miracle told it to Euphemius their Bishop of which when he was convinced he translated the Body in great pomp to Antioch Laurentius Beyerlinck Magnum Theatrum lib. 15. p. 275. Prince Albertus commanded the bones of Albertus Martyr and Bishop of Liege to be taken out of the Church of Remes where they had lien 400 years and carried them upon his shoulders in solemn procession to a Church in Brussels Idem p. 277. Pope Paul the first having congregated the Clergy and all the people of Rome translated the Body of B. Petronella the Daughter of S. Peter together with her Marble Sepulcher from the Appian Gate via Appia to the Vatican the Priests singing and people rejoycing and placed it in the highest part of the Quire in St. Peter's Church Platina in ejus vita In a sacred Expedition to Jerusalem Anno 1098 the Genuenses obtained in Myra a City of Lycia the holy Ashes of S. John the Baptist which they brought to Genua where they are worshipped with great devotion to this day Sigonius lib. 9. Regni Ital. 3. They light Candles and set up Tapers before them which S. Jerome calls insignia idolatriae Ensigns of Idolatry Bellarm. de Sanctor Beatitud lib. 2. cap. 3. Costerus Enchirid. de Sanctor Reliquiis Suaâ—â—â— c. 4. In their solemn Oaths they touch not only the Bible but the Reliques also as the Heathen did and so divide the Religion of an Oath which is a principal part of Gods worship betwixt God and them Filliucius Quest. Moral Tom. 2. Tract 25. cap. 3. Num. 83. 5. Lastly whereas in former times when Superstition was in its Infancy they placed the Reliques of Saints under the Altar yet now as Cassander observes contrary to the ancient Custom their Practice is to place the Bodies of Saints upon the Altar which place is only proper for the Body of Christ Consult de Reliquiis 3. The Heathen placed much confidence in the Reliques of their deceased Worthies Hence 't was that they frequently removed their Gods from one place to another sometimes for the removal and sometimes for the prevention of publick Calamities Aelian writes That the Oracle told Aristandrus after the Body of Alexander the great was found that in whatever Country that Body should remain it should be free from all hostile devastations And hence arose a sharp dispute amongst his Successors every one endeavouring to translate the Body into his own Country as a pledg of the stability of his Empire and safety of his Kingdom In varia Histor Lib. 12. cap. 64. For the conquering of Hannibal and enlarging the Roman Empire the great Mother of the Gods was fetcht out of Phrygia and brought to Rome and honoured with a magnificent Temple and the like is storied of many other gods Among the old Romans every one had Reliques Bones and Ashes in his house which he looked upon and reverenced as his protectors tanquam tutelares patronos Lares atque penates as Servius observeth in many places In short the Heathen thought themselves secured against all hostile Invasions and other wasting Judgments because they fancied themselves to be under the particular tutelage and protection of that Demon or Hero whose Reliques they enjoyed supposing also that a kind of Divine Power and Virtue resided in them Thus do our Romanists place much confidence in the Reliques of their Saints They look upon them as the Trojans did upon their Palladium being assured of the Patronage of that Saint whose Reliques are lodged with them and which they carry about with so much joy and triumph in their solemn Processions In the description of that Procession called Processio Iubilaei granted by Pope Vrban 8. to the German nation and as 't was solemnized at Cologne we have these words Upon mature deliberation it seemed good in this grievous calamity and perilous time of War when the Enemies of the Church endeavour to oppress and trample upon it to invoke these Saints which rest in this holy City because they are Patrons of it and being instant in our sighs and groans to God and these Saints to deprecate these most deserved judgments And a little after follows this Hymn Gaude faelix Agrippina Sanctaque Colonia Sanctitatis tua bina Gerens testimonia Postquam sidem suscepisti Civitas praenobilis Recidiva non fuisti Sed in fide stabilis Gereonis cum bis nonis Trecentena concio Et maurorum trecentorum Sexaginta passio Te tinxerunt et sanxerunt Virginumque millia Vndenarum te decorum Exornant martyria c. Apud Voetium Select disput pars 3. de processionibus And do not these words fully discover how much they trusted to the aid and assistance defence and protection of those Saints whose Bodies were buried in that City or whose Reliques they were blessed with The Council of Trent does not only anathematize those that refuse to give Worship and Adoration to Reliques in any respect but those also who do not resort unto them opis impetrandae causâ to obtain help from them Sess 25. de Reliquiis which shews what trust and confidence they repose in them And hence 't is that many Towns and Cities have had fierce contentions about and been at great cost and pains to procure the Reliques of some eminent Saint When the Saracens had taken Sardinia whither the Bones of S. Austin had been translated from Hippo 250 years before Luitprandus King of the Lombards sent his Ambassadors thither to purchase them for which they pay'd 100 Talents of silver and a Talent of Gold Laurent Beyerlinck magn Theat Lib. 15. A great sum was likewise given for the Arm of St. Bartholomew and not less for the precious Arm of St. Samson Walls and Bulwarks and Armies are reputed a sorry defence in comparison of these sacred Reliques Quasi quaedam turres contra Adversariorum incursum refugium exhibent Durantus de Ritibus Eccles p. 219. And he further tells us that whosoever toucheth the Bones of a Martyr is for the Grace inherent in them after a certain manner thereby sanctified ibid. But Costerus speaks more positively habent sanctitatem et vim contactu suo sanctificandi they have sanctity and a power of sanctifying by their touch Enchiridion de venerat Reliquiar p. 414. And the foresaid Author viz. Durant informs us from others That by the Reliques of Protasius and Gervasius many have been dispossessed of Devils That at the sacred Reliques of S. Andrew Luke and Timothy Devils roar and make a noise De Ritib Eccles lib. 1. cap. 25. p. 221. Others tell
done to the honour of the Virgin and what was before done to the honour of Proserpina is now done to the praise of Mary Innocent 3. in Fest Purif Serm. 1. And Durandus Jacobus de Voragine c. tell us That these Ceremonies are still observed being changed to the better which Institution some attribute to Pope Vigilius others to Sergius and others to Gregory the Great but others think That this Feast was instituted by Vigilius adorn'd with Candles by Sergius and with Processions by Gregory Ration Divin Offic. lib. 7. cap. 7. Anselm Ryd apud Hospin Fest Christ p. 35. I will give the Reader a brief account of the Ceremonies with which our Romanists solemnize this Festival and then leave him to judg whether they be not as idle and superstitious as those observ'd by the Heathen Certainly if there be any thing more than a change of the Name 't is from the better to the worse Here three things are to be considered 1. The Benediction of these Candles 2. The Distribution of them 3. Their Processions 1. The Benediction of these Candles The Priest having dispatch'd so much of the Office for the day proceeds to bless the Candles placed before the Altar saying over them several Prayers of which take one or two O Lord Jesu Christ who inlightnest every one that cometh into the World pour out thy Bene †diction upon these Candles and sancti †fie them with the Light of thy Grace and propitiously grant That as these Lights kindled with visible Fire expel nocturnal darkness so inlighten our Hearts with invisible Fire that is the Splendor of the Holy Spirit that we may discern the things that are pleasing to thee and profitable to our Salvation Through Jesus Christ c. Amen Missale sec usum Ebor. in Fest Purificat Holy Lord Father Almighty Everlasting God who hast created all things of Nothing and by the Labour of Bees caused this Liquor to come to the perfection of a Wax-Candle We humbly beseech thee That by the Invocation of thy most Holy Name and by the Intercession of the B. Virgin ever a Virgin whose Festivals are this Day devoutly Celebrated and by the Prayers of all thy Saints thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless †and sancti †fie these Candles to the Use of Men and to the Health both of their Bodies and Souls And hear from Heaven the Prayers of this People who desire to carry these Candles devoutly in their Hands and to Praise thee in Hymns And be propitious to all that call upon thee whom thou hast redeem'd with the precious Blood of thy Son Who with Thee Amen Missale parvum in Fest Purisicat B. Mariae Then the Priest sprinkles the Candles thrice with Holy-Water saying this Antiphona Sprinkle me with c. And perfumes them thrice with Incense Gavantus Pars 4. Tit. 14. And that they attribute no less Power and Virtue to these Consecrated Candles than the old Pagans did to their Tapers and Torches is clear from what Naogeorgus writes of them Mira est candelis illis magna potestas Nam tempestates creduntur tollere diras Accensae simul sedare tonitrua coeli c. Apud Hospin Fest Christ p. 35. But lest they should question the Testimony of this Author I will subjoin one of their Consecratory Prayers which implies no less O Lord Jesu Christ Bless †this Creature of Wax to us thy Suppliants and infuse into it by the Virtue of the Holy Cross thy heavenly Benediction that in whatsoever places it shall be lighted or put the Devil may depart and tremble and fly away with all his Ministers from those Habitations and not presume any more to disturb them Manuale sec us Sarum p. 13. And in the Ordo Romanus we have this Benediction I bless thee O Wax in the Name of the Holy Trinity That thou may'st be in every place the Ejection of Satan and Subversion of all his Companions c. Purificat S. Mariae 2. Let us consider the Distribution of them After the aforesaid Ceremonies of Consecration are over the chiefest Priest goes to the Altar and he that officiates receives a Candle from him afterwards that Priest standing before the Altar towards the People distributes the Candles first to the Priest from whom he received a Candle then to others in order all kneeling except Bishops and kissing the Candle and the Priests Hand who delivers it And when he begins to distribute the Candles they sing this Antiphona A Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel Missale parvum in Fest Purificat B. Mariae Gavantus Pars 4. Tit. 14. Perhaps some squeamish Heretick will say Why must these Candles be receiv'd with so much Reverence Ans 1. This Scruple alone bespeaks the Infelicity of those Persons who cannot resolve their Faith into the Church's Determinations But 2. Let him consider the great Sanctity of them the rare Virtues communicated to them and the excellent Mysteries which their great Doctors have discover'd in them There are three things saith Jacobus de Voragine in a Wax-Candle viz. The Wax the Week and Fire And these represent these three things in Christ The Wax signifies the Flesh of Christ which was born of the Virgin Mary without carnal corruption as the Bees make Wax without any commixtion or copulation The Week hid in the Wax signifies the pure Soul of Christ which lay hid in the Flesh The Fire or Light signifies the Divinity because our God is a consuming Fire Hence one saith Accipe per ceram carnem de Virgine veram Per lumen numen Majestatisque cacumen Lychnus est anima sub carne latens opimâ Legend 37. de Purificat Virgin 3. When these Candles are distributed a solemn Procession is made in which one carries a Censer another a Crucifix and the rest burning Candles in their Hands Rituale Roman p. 267. Gavantus Thesaurus Pars 4. Tit. 14. And the rudeness and disorders in their Processions are as great as those of Pagans See how their Mantuan speaks of them Fastor lib. 2. Ecce sacerdotum cera flagrante coruscant Agmina quae turbam faculas jaculantur in omnem Irruit undatim vulgus puerique frequentes Ad sacra porrectis manibus munuscula currunt Saepius accensis pubes villatica ceris Lascivire solet per rustica templa quod olim Me memini vidisse faces immittere certant Alter in alterius crines fumumque ciere Ludo incomposito tetris nidoribus aras Insiciunt risuque levi delubra profanant Sacrorum sic lapsus honor sic sancta recessit Relligio The Feast of S. Martin The old Romans had their Vinalia and the Greeks their Pithaegia Certain Festivals which they Solemniz'd with great Disorders and Extravagancies for then they first Broached their new Wine and having offer'd a certain quantity thereof to the gods and devoutly pray'd that the use of this Medicinal Drink might be healthful and not hurtful unto
conclude this with the words of their Polydor Virgil ' The Sportful Youth of both Sexes goes into the Fields and brings back the green Branches of Trees with Songs Dances These things seem to be taken from the old Romans by whom Flora the Goddess of all Fruits was lasciviously worshipped De Inventor Rerum lib. 5. cap. 2. These Instances are sufficient to prove this Assertion That the Roman Church doth symbolize with the old Pagans in the Observation of their Festivals wherein they follow the Counsel and Advice of Gregory the Great to Mellitus Beda Histor Eccles lib. 1. cap. 30. CHAP. XXIV MASSE-CEREMONIES THE Pagan Priests observed several Ceremonies in their Sacrifices and solemn Ministrations and that herein they are imitated by our Romanists in the Mass will appear in these following Particulars 1. The Pagan Priests used many Turnings in their Sacrifices and these had their mystical significations Dempster in Rosin de Antiq. Roman p. 324. Gyraldus de Diis Gent. Syntag. 17. p. 499. Alexander ab Alexand in Genial dier lib. 4. cap. 17. Tiraquellus Annot. in eund Atque aliquis modo trux visâ jam vertitur arâ Vinaque dat tepidis farraque salsa focis Ovid Fastor lib. 3. Cumque manus puras fontanâ perluit undâ Vertitur Ovid. Fastor lib. 3. And that they turned on their right Hand is affirmed by Gyraldus Syntag. 17. p. 502. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Brissonius de Formul lib. 1. p. 35. And Dempster produceth the Testimony of Valerius Flaccus Setinus Inde ubi sacrificas cum conjuge venis ad aras Aesonides unà que adeunt unà que precari Incipiunt ignem Pollux undamque jugalem Praetulit ut dextrum vertantur in orbem To this he adds many other Testimonies Take only that of Plautus Quo me vertam nescio Si Deos adoras dextrovorsum censeo These Ceremonies are exactly observed by our Romish Priests in the Mass The Priest saith Durand turns himself five times at the Altar which denote the five Apparitions of Christ to his Disciples on the Day of his Resurrection And he turneth on the Right Hand 1. To signifie That the Angel sate on the Right Hand in the Sepulchre of our Lord. 2. That the Priest hath a Right Intention for himself and the People to the Heavenly Country which is signified by the Right Hand according to that in the Canticles His right hand shall embrace me 3. That the People are to pray for things Eternal which are signified by the Right Hand hence Christ is said to sit at the Right Hand of his Father Rationale Divin Officior Here the Reader may see what a rare Faculty Romanists have in expounding and applying Scripture lib. 4. cap. 14. num 10 11. 2. The Heathen taught That the Gods delighted in an odd Number Numero Deus impare gaudet Virgil. And this was so constantly observed in their Sacrifices that 't was known by the Number unto what God they were offer'd whether Celestial or Infernal for to the latter the Number is equal and to the former unequal Gyraldus de diis Gentium Syntag. 17. And the Number Three was the Prince of all the unequal Numbers So much is confessed by Virgil Tibul Ovid Natalis Comes c. Idem ter socios purâ circumtulit undâ Virgil. Aeneid lib. 6. Et digitis tria thura tribus sub limine ponit Ovid Fastor lib. 2. And the Number Seven was sometimes observ'd Apuleius de Asino Aureo lib. 11. This Number was consecrated to Minerva by the Pythagoreans Natal Comes Mythol lib. 4. cap. 5. p. 296. That our Romanists observe constantly an odd Number in their Prayers and Mass-Collects is so notorious that it needs not any proof Because God delighteth in an odd Number * Observe 't is grounded on Virgil's Maxim which discovers the Original of this Custom saith Durand they say odd Prayers in the Mass viz. either One Three Five or Seven One to signifie the Unity of Faith or Sacrament of Unity Three to signifie the Mystery of the Trinity Rare Mysteries and such as a dull Protestant could never have discovered and because Christ prayed three times in his Passion saying Father if it be possible let this Cup pass away from me Five to denote the Five Wounds of Christ or that his Passion was divided into Five Seven to signifie the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost Rationale divin Officior lib. 4. cap. 15. num 15. Durantus de Ritib Eccles lib. 2. cap. 16. num 9. But Two they must not say according to the judgment of Pope Innocent since the Number of Two is infamous for God hateth Division and Discord Hence when God blessed the Works of the other Days we do not read that he blessed those of the Second because the Number Two first departed from Unity and from it all other divisible Numbers have their Original Durandus Durantus ibid. A most admirable Reason and fit only for a Romanist to urge 3. The Pagan Priests washed their Hands often in their Sacrifices Gyraldus de diis Gentium Syntag. 17. Alexander ab Alex. in Genial dierum lib. 4. cap. 17. Natalis Comes Mythol lib. 1. cap. 10. His Dea placanda est haec tu conversus ad aras Dic quater vivo perlue rore manus Ovid. Fastor lib. 4. Thus do Popish Priests wash their Hands three times at the Mass The first precedeth the Mass in reverence of so great a Sacrament and that the Action may be spiritually purify'd Durandus Rational lib. 4. cap. 3. num 4. Gavantus Thesaurus Sacror Rit pars 2. Tit. 1. p. 115. And Durantus grounds this Ceremony upon the Practice of the Heathen De Rit Eccles lib. 2. cap. 28. num 6. The second Washing is after the Offertory and here they wash only their Thumbs and First-fingers that they may more worthily touch their God Gavantus pars 2. tit 7. p. 188. The Priest going about saith Durantus to offer the Sacrifice washeth his Hands again as if according to Albertus Magnus there needeth a further and fuller Purification even from Venial Sins and the Relicks of all Sins saying with the Psalmist I will wash my hands among the innocent De Ritib Eccles lib. 2. cap. 28. num 1. After the second Thurification saith Durand the Priest washeth his Hands again that being more and more cleansed he may offer an immaculate Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God and that he may not be guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord according to that My hands are clean from the blood of this man And he washeth at the Right Corner of the Altar the Right Hand signifying Prosperity and the Left Adversity because we offend more in Prosperity than Adversity Rationale divin Offic. lib. 4. cap. 28. num 1 2 3. The third Washing is after the Mass then the Priest saith the same Author washeth his Fingers lest any thing of the Sacrament should stick to them not that any Pollution is contracted thereby but
Theat lib. 3. p. 69. Durantus Rational divin Officior lib. 5. cap. 1. num 6. CONCLVSION I Could easily give you many other Instances of this Conformity and Agreement between Rome-Pagan and Rome-Christian which hath been as you heard confessed by many and defended by some of their greatest Doctors But I have already exceeded my Bounds and therefore will conclude with one Inference from the preceding Discourse Hence it appears How extremely hazardouâ— 'tis to live and dye in the Roman Communion For what Blasphemy Superstition and Idolatry is disfused through all the Veins of their Worship and Religion Antichrist 〈◊〉 Man of Sin is called the Son of Perdition 2 Thes â— 3 and so he is both actively and passively he is damned himself and the cause of the damnation of others Read v. 9 10 11 12 of that Chapter His coming is after the working of Satan with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lâ—e that they all might be damned And they whom the Whore of Babylon hath made drunk with the Wine of her Fornication shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God Rev. 14. 9 10. The only doubt is Whether the Pope be Antichrist which seem'd so probable to the famous Lord Bacon that being asked by King James Whether he thought him so to be 'T was not less truly than wittily answered by him That if an Hue and Cry should come after Antichrist which should describe him by those Characters by which he is decyphered in the Bible he would certainly apprehend the Pope for him And whosoever will but peruse with an impartial eye the Authors on both sides that have treated of this Subject will I doubt not conclude the notorious weakness of their Answers to our Allegations to be at least an high Presumption of the Truth of our Assertion if not sufficient to put an end to all further Doubtings Quest Is not then Salvation possible in the Roman Church Or may not a man who lives and dyes in the Communion of that Church be saved Answ Many of our Divines have answered this Question Affirmatively with some limitations Which charitable Concession is grosly abused by our Adversaries of Rome When they meet with some weak and ignorant Persons whom they endeavour to proselyte the medium which they commonly use is this That their Religion is the safer And they prove it thus By our Confession Salvation may be had in their Church but their Doctors absolutely deny the possibility of Salvation This Objection hath been most solidly confuted by the learned Dr. Tillotson Dean of Canterbury in ours and therefore by the Confession of both Parties they may be safe but of us there 's a great question for none but our selves say that we can be saved That I may give the Reader the true state of and return a full Answer to the Question propounded I will lay down these following Propositions 1. That we have great reason to think That many of the Laity in the Romish Church if not the greatest number of them do not cordially embrace many of their Corruptions in Doctrinals nor the most dangerous of them 2. That these are commonly tainted with so much of their Corruptions as renders their Salvation extreamly hazardous 1 Cor. 3. 12 15. If any man build on this foundation wood hay stubble He shall be saved yet so as by fire This Phrase so as by fire is Proverbial and notes the extream danger a man is in and yet escapes They are not saved with less danger than the Seven Thousand were among the Idolatry of the Ten Tribes 1 King 19. 18 or the Corites in the Tents of Corah their Father Num. 26. 11. 'T was an extraordinary Mercy that preserved the one and I cannot tell how rescued the other 3. That a Protestant leaving the Communion of our Church doth incur a greater guilt and consequently run a greater hazard than one who was bred up in the Communion of the Church of Rome and continues therein by invincible ignorance For a Protestant is suppos'd to have sufficient Convictions of the Errors of the Roman Church or is guilty of wilful Ignorance if he hath not And although we know not what allowance God will make for invincible Ignorance and the impresses of Birth and Education yet we are sure that wilful Ignorance or chusing a worse Church before a better is a damnable Sin and unrepented of destroys Salvation 4. When we say That Salvation may be had in the Roman Church 't is grounded on the hopes we conceive of their Repentance and not the goodness of their Religion 5. That man who embraceth Popery in its latitude that is the Canons of the Tridentine Council and as they are explicated by many of their greatest Doctors and whose practices exactly correspond therewith cannot be saved 1. Because he embraceth damnable Errors as worshipping of Images and the Host in the Sacrament 2. Because a Reprobate may do nay often doth as much and more than many of their chiefest Doctors have placed among the Agenda of that Church for the attainment of eternal life I grant that damnable Errors do no more than damnable Practices as Whoredom Drunkenness actually damn men when sincere Repentance intervenes this will obtain from God a Pardon of the one as well as of the other But the Repentance prescribed by their Doctors falls so far short of that required by God in his word that if a man rest in it and I fear too many do he adds Impenitency to his other Crimes and consequently is excluded from all hopes of Salvation This will appear if we remark the nature of that Repentance which say they is sufficient to obtain remission of sin In the new Law saith Lay-man after the commission of a mortal sin true Contrition is not necessary to a man who is about to receive the Sacrament of Penance but Attrition is sufficient though he know it to be no more And when 't is said That of Attrite by vertue of the Sacrament a man is made Contrite it is not to be understood as if the act of Attrition did pass into an act of Contrition but that the sinner by Attrition with the Sacrament of Penance is as well justified as by Contrition without it Theol. Moral lib. 5. tract 6. cap. 2. And Fillincius starting this Question Whether Attrition in the Article of Death be sufficient with the Sacrament or a man ought to have Contrition Answers That according to Divine Justice a man that 's attrite with the Sacrament is not obliged to be contrite in the Article of Death and he gives this reason Because the opinion of the sufficiency of Attrition with the Sacrament is practically certain according to the Council of Trent Quaest Mor. Tom. 1. Tract 6. cap. 8. num 197. And Escobar affirms That this is the received opinion of their School-men and Casuists Theol. Moral Tract â— Exam. 4. cap. 7. Reader My hearty prayer is That God would give thee a right understanding in all things that concern Religion and thy Salvation and to those of the Romish Perswasion Repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth that they may recover themselves from the snare of the Devil FINIS To the READER SEveral Errata's have past in this Impression by reason of the Authors distance from the Press which the Candid Reader is desired to pardon and amend with his Pen.