Abuses could creep into our Church and much less that any of her Pastors and Teachers would betray their poor ignorant Sheep into those dangers But now God be prais'd I am otherwise convinc'd and that chiefly by reading and considering those very Decrees of Trent together with the Catechism of the Council of Trent now lately also publish'd in English For in many places of those Decrees the Council shews a great fear and so far certainly 'tis highly to be commended least the People should run into Superstition and Idolatry Now I consider that if there was no danger from the Nature or from the Use and Practice of our Worship and Service such a concern as the Council shew'd had been much below the Wisdom of so great an Assembly So that a thinking Man cannot forbear concluding that there was very great danger of the Peoples committing Idolatry and Superstition at least from the very use and performing of the then Worship and Service However I would fain hope that tho' there are some things in this Council that look too like Superstition and Idolatry yet because we magnifie it for so Wise and Holy that it has in Truth Defin'd and Decreed nothing that so much as ministers or tempts to those grievous Sins For since it was in the Council's Power not only to have actually redress'd all Abuses and Corruptions but also to have prevented all future danger of that kind and yet if it can be made appear that it has done neither but rather has still more expos'd Mankind to these Sins I cannot for my life see how it can be acquitted of Hypocrisie and Deceit towards the poor ignorant People which make up I doubt the far greatest part of our Church And that provided the Council might advance the Riches and Grandure of the Church and Clergy it car'd not what became of Mens Souls whom the wise and good GOD thought worth redeeming by the precious Blood of his dear Son. Suffer me Reverend Fathers to give you an instance or two of this Council's seeming Care to keep Men from Superstition and Idolatry and which also first let in some light to my dark and ignorant mind In the 22 Session and the Decree concerning the Celebration of the Mass the Bishops are order'd to take care to prohibit and remove those things which Superstition the false Imitatress of true Piety or Covetousness hath introduced and speak against the Servitude I suppose that is the Worship of Idols And also it is there commanded that a certain number of certain Masses and Candles which was rather invented by a Superstitious Worship than by true Religion should be taken away And again in the 25 Session and the Decree concerning Purgatory the Bishops are commanded not to suffer any thing but to prohibit every thing which tends to Superstition And in her Decree concerning the Invocation of Saints c. she earnestly desires that all Superstition in the Invocation of Saints Worshipping of Relicks and in the Holy Use of Images may be taken away And last of all in the Continuation of her 25 Session she speaks against Superstition and Ignorance Now Reverend Fathers finding this wonderful General Council to speak so plainly against these Crimes of Superstition and Idolatry and also against Ignorance and observing it so much concern'd for the People and to give such great caution and charge to the Bishops about them and our Adversaries continually taxing us with these Sins you cannot surely blame me or be the least offended that I take the best way I can devise not only to preserve my self from them but also others in our Church who I doubt may as much want information and help in these matters And this indeed is one reason why I chuse rather to enquire of you in this publick manner than in a private way for I consider that that Love is not Christian which is confin'd to one's self its Nature being communicative And since Charily to our Neighbour is an indispensible Duty How can it be better exercis'd than about the Soul Pardon Reverend Fathers this necessary Account of that which gave birth to my Letter And because it will consist of things different in their nature permit me for the more clear and orderly proceeding and greater satisfaction to divide it into several Sections as well as Queries And take it not ill that I propose to ye the Difficulties I labour under with that freedom and openness which only becomes a pure lover and searcher of Truth and one that considers nothing but GOD and his own Soul concern'd in the Enquiry And I humbly beg you to give a direct full and clear Answer to every Enquiry in each Section or a good reason why you cannot or will not SECTION I. Quere I. WHat might be the reason Reverend Fathers why the Council of Trent did not define and describe Idolatry and Superstition especially when it so often mentions these Crimes and cautions People against them does not this proceeding make a thinking Man apt to believe that they were conscious that the then Practice and Worship and Doctrines were faulty in that kind and so were afraid of having them discover'd by such an honest dealing but yet were willing to appear to condemn them in general terms for even at that time was it not too gross to have declar'd for down-right Idolatry or Superstition Quere II. What might those things be which the Council in the 22 Session orders Bishops to take care to prohibit and remove and which it observ'd were introduc'd by Superstition and Covetousness But had it not lookt more honest and more becoming Christian Bishops to have told what these things were Quere III. What was that Servitude or Worship of Idols it speaks against in the same Session in the Decree concerning the Things to be observ'd and eschew'd in the Celebration of the Mass Did the Priest or the People Worship Idols when Mass was said Pray Reverend Fathers declare the truth to me in this matter my mind is much perplex'd about it For I find our present Disputers stifly maintain that our Doctrine and Worship is now the very same that it was at the time of the Council of Trent and at that time the same it was from the beginning I profess I tremble as often as I go to Mass and shall do so till I am better satisfied herein Quere IV. What was that certain Number of Masses and Candles which in the same Decree the Council says was rather invented by a Superstitious Worship than by true Religion Are they according to the Council's Command taken away And when and where were they so taken away Quere V. What does the Council mean in her Decree concerning Purgatory by commanding the Bishops not to suffer any thing but to prohibit every thing which tends to Superstition Pray Reverend Fathers what was it which at that time did tend to Superstition in the Peoples Practice and Worship in Praying for the Dead or the
that believes he has a Soul to be saved she has not a vast advantage of our Church since 't is so manifest that even the Fathers of the Council of Trent were sensible and confest that there were then Superstitious and Idolatrous Practices in our Church and that the Members of it might very easily and without extraordinary care of the Bishops and Pastors fall into Superstition and Idolatry Quere XII Pray Reverend Fathers What Original Treatise Book of Directions or Sermon is there set out by our Church to preserve our People from Idolatry and Superstition Some such thing seems to me to be extream necessary after what the Fathers of the Council of Trent have said of the danger of the Peoples falling into these Sins by their use of our Service and Worship Unless you can give some good reason why the People of our Communion in this Age are wiser then in the Age of the Council of Trent Quere XIII But to conclude this Section I humbly enquire of you Reverend Fathers What is the true Definition of Idolatry and Superstition Pray give me such an one of each distinctly and severally as you 'll abide by and answer to our Learned Adversaries and be content that all our Doctrines and Worship and Practice shall be try'd by Also such an one as is exactly agreeable to the Holy Scriptures and Definitions of the Fathers and Doctors of the Ancient Church For I consider that the nature of Idolatry and Superstition is the same now as it was then Be pleas'd likewise to let your Definition be so full clear and certain as may infallibly which sure I may request from the Priests of an Infallible Church guide and direct me in my Thoughts Worship and Adoration of the Holy Sacrament or Host and of the Angels and Saints and of the Cross and Relicks that so I may be safe from all danger of committing or falling into these grievous Sins or any degree of them For I infinitely desire to have a right Notion of GOD and his Worship and would not offend and affront him while I think I am pleasing and doing him honour SECT II. Quere I. THE Catechism of the Council of Trent now lately Publish'd in English p. 344 says That there is an Honour which is due to GOD alone and is not to be given to an Angel and p. 464 there is a great Charge given That what is proper to GOD be not given to any besides him Now to me it seems not a little strange that in so weighty a matter and wherein both GOD and Mankind is so much concern'd that neither the Council of Trent nor this Catechism when they had so fair occasions should not I say freely and plainly tell what that Honour and Worship is which is proper and due to GOD alone and wherein it consists and by what it is signified and express'd This omission is apt to create no very honourable thoughts either of the Catechism or Council but since neither the Fathers of the Council nor the Composers of the Catechism thought convenient to do so just and honest a piece of Service to the Christian World suffer me here Reverend Fathers humbly to enquire of you What is that Honour and Worship which is proper and due to God only Wherein does it consist And by what Words and Acts is it signified and express'd Quere II. How and in what does that Religious Worship which by our Church we are commanded and which we do give to the Angels and Saints and particularly to the B. Virgin differ from that Worship which is proper to GOD alone Quere III. How and in what does that Honour Worship or Veneration which we give to Angels and Saints and particularly to the B. Virgin differ from that Honour Respect or Reverence we pay to Kings and Princes and good Men upon Earth By what Words Acts or Signs do you distinguish this from that Quere IV. Whether the ground and reason of our Worship of GOD he not his Divine his Infinite and Incommunicable Attributes and Perfections such as his Omnipotence his Omniscience and Omnipresence c. Quere V. Whether Prayer or Religious Invocation has not been always lookt on as and is not an essential part of that Worship which is due to GOD alone Insomuch that Prayer is usually put for the whole and the publick Place of GOD's Worship from hence is by GOD himself in Scripture call'd The House of Prayer Quere VI. If Religious Worship is due only to GOD and that upon the account 〈◊〉 his Infinite and Incommunicable Perfections are not all Kinds and Degrees also of Religious Worship for the same reason peculiar and due to GOD alone unless there be some other Being besides GOD who has those Infinite Attributes and Perfections But if all Kinds and Degrees of Religious Worship be not due to GOD alone I consider that our Saviour's Answer to the Devil in the 4 Chapter and 10 Verse of St. Matthew had been very imperfect For when the Devil would have been adored by him to what purpose was that Answer of the Holy Jesus It is written the Lord thy God shalt thou adore and him only shalt thou serve unless our B. Saviour had intended by it and by using of those two words adore and serve which I am told in the Original Greek signifie and comprehend the meanest and lowest as well as the highest kind and degree of Honour and Service to include and appropriate all manner parts and degrees of Religious Worship to GOD For who can imagine but that the Devil would have been content and very glad if our Saviour would but have worshipp'd him in any kind and with the most inferiour degree of Worship Quere VII But besides Reverend Fathers I farther enquire of you that if our Blessed Saviour had not by this Answer of his to the Devil also intended to exclude all the Worship of good as well as bad Spirits whether 't is not rational to think he would have answer'd the Devil thus The Lord thy God and good Spirits shalt thou adore and them only shalt thou serve And whether our Saviour's not mentioning of good Spirits either Angels or Saints or the B. Virgin but on the contrary confining Religious Worship and Service to GOD Only is not an unanswerable Objection and Argument against our Worshipping of Saints and Angels together with GOD and so makes us guilty of Idolatry For till you oblige me with a perfect Definition of Idolatry and convince me of an Error at present I humbly conceive Idolatry does not consist meerly in forsaking the Worship of the Supreme GOD but also in Worshipping any Being or thing else together with the Supreme GOD or while we continue to Worship the Supreme GOD. But if what I have now discours'd from this Answer of our Saviour be not the true meaning I beg you then to give me the true sence of it and prove your Interpretation by Vincentius Lirinensis's Rule Quere VIII If
the Church of Rome is as Infallible as GOD with many other Points and Doctrines too long here to be named at this time Quere IV. Pray Reverend Fathers Had the English Bishops and Pastors in Henry the Eighth's Reign and at the time of the Reformation by Virtue of their Ordination c. receiv'd from Rome Power and Authority to Preach and Teach the Truth of the Gospel and Reform all Errors and Corruptions in Faith Doctrines Worship and Manners within their own Jurisdictions Diocesses c. If they had not How were they God's Ambassadors Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel which is nothing else but Truth and Holiness If they had and that the Reformed Faith Doctrine and Worship is the Truth of the Gospel were not all our Forefathers in Conscience bound to hearken to and obey them and not only for that reason but also because they were their Lawful Bishops and Pastors And for the same reason are not we now bound to hearken to and obey the present Bishops and Pastors of the Church of England who are their lawful and undoubted Successors Quere V. Pray Reverend Fathers What Council or Pope has declar'd and decreed against Rebellion let one's Natural Prince be of what Religion he will and never so contrary to the worldly Policy and Interest of Rome I would fain hope that you can satisfie me in this Enquiry because I have often heard our Church tax'd for a Disloyal Church But further I enquire Whether no Council or Pope has ever declar'd and decreed nor Cardinal or Jesuit writ and maintain'd That in many cases but especially when Princes are not of the Religion and Interests of the Church of Rome it is lawful to cut them off And has there been no Treasons committed nor Rebellions acted not only by the Laity but also by the Clergy and even by the Pope himself in conformity and obedience to such Decrees and Doctrines Quere VI. What is the meaning I beseech you Reverend Fathers of that Book which is Intituled in English The Tax of the Apostolick Chamber for several Sins The Protestants often upbraid us with it and really I know not what to answer because I have enquir'd and find there is such a Book and more that 't is authoriz'd and allow'd by our Church But I am much puzled to find out a good meaning of it Methinks it sounds a little harsh to Christian ears that for any sums of money at all there should be either Indulgence given to commit sins or a pardon procur'd after they are committed and this Publish'd to all the World Does not this look like tempting and inviting men to be wicked Quere VII If it be true Reverend Fathers what the Protestants charge you and the rest of the Guides of our Church with as that you deny men the use of their Sensos and Reason about Religion and so would debase them into the condition of mere Brutes is it not just to esteem you the common Enemies of Mankind For to what end and purpose did God give us these Faculties was it only think ye to govern our selves in worldly affairs And did not the wise and good God likewise endue us with Sense and Reason that we might preserve our selves from being imposed upon and cheated by a false and absurd Religion Now what Design can that Man or Company of Men be rationally thought to have who would rob Mankind of the only means which GOD has given them to preserve themselves from being deceiv'd in so mighty a Concernment as Religion And from being made wretched Slaves to wicked and designing Men And on the contrary Are not the Divines of the Church of England and other Protestant Churches to be highly valued and lov'd because they earnestly invite Men to the Exercise of their Senses and Reason about Religion and propound no Doctrines but what tends to the improvement and perfecting of Human as well as Divine Knowledge and ennobling the Nature of Man which certainly is the Great Design of the Christian Religion Quere VIII Whether your way of conducting Religion and managing Coneroversies by Tricks and Arts and exposing the whole Christian Religion for the sake of some unreasonable Doctrines and Propofitions by making Parallels between the Doctrine of the Trinity and Transubstantiation and making the First to depend only upon the Authority of the Church because the Second has no better Foundation Is it not I say enough to set the Hearts of thinking Men against you Quere IX In the 22 Session Chap. 8. Of the Doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Mass the Council of Trent says That although the Mass contains a large Instruction of a Faithful People yet it is not convenient to be exercis'd publickly in the Vulgar Tongue How Reverend Fathers A large Instruction for the People and yet not convenient to let the People understand it Were not the Good Fathers of the Council a little merry here as well as mysterious But pray be you pleas'd to be serious and tell me What do you think might be the true reason why these Wise and Holy Men thought it inconvenient to have Mass said in the Vulgar Tongue Does it look kind and Christian-Father-like that altho' they confess the Mass was a large Instruction for the People yet that they should at the same time Command to keep the People ignorant of it except only some parcels of it now and then to be dealt out to them This manner of acting from Christian Fathers to their Children appears to me extraordinary and therefore pray satisfie me about it and tell me what were they afraid of And what inconvenience would have follow'd suppose Mass had been publickly said for example in English Why so much Policy and Cunning in our managing of Religion I must needs tell you that I am scandaliz'd at it For when a Man considers the Christian Religion he finds that certainly never was there a more plain simple and inartificial Religion than it And since the wife GOD thought fit so to propound it to Mankind how dare you and the rest of the Pastors c. manage it like the Juggles and Intrigues of a State. Will not a serious Reflection on this make thinking men apt to suspect our Church-Governours and Spiritual Guides and so by consequence the Doctrine and practices of our Church too And do ye think that wise men observing our Religion to be mixt with so much Craft and Worldly Policy and that many of our Doctrines such as Purgatory and Indulgences c. plainly tend to serve Worldly Ends do not furnish them with mighty Prejudices against our Church-men Query X. Whether with wise and honest men it is not Reverend Fathers a vast and just prejudice against our Church and Cause that our Writers of Controversie are so perpetually by the Protestant Divines charg'd with using Suppositious and Spurious Authors and such as the Honest and Learned men of our own Church disallow of And whether on the contrary it is
A LETTER OF ENQUIRY TO The Reverend Fathers OF THE Society of Iesus Written in the Person of a Dissatisfied Roman Catholick Imprimatur Hen. Wharton Rmo in Christo P. ac D.D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. a Sacris Domest Octob. 26. 1688. LONDON Printed for William Rogers at the Sun in Fleet-street and Samuel Smith at the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIX Advertisement COuld I believe it fit to Lye for GOD or that Truth needed the service of Falshood I might have been tempted to imitate the Tricks and Deceiving Arts of the Romish Factors for in Charity we must suppose some of them at least to believe what they say to be Truth and that their Cause is that of GOD and boldly have sent this Letter abroad as really writ by a Romanist But as I am a Member of a Church whose Superstructures as well as her Foundation is the pure Truth and one that is resolv'd to follow Truth and Charity wherever they lead me so I should think that I deserv'd the severe punishment of being depriv'd of the happiness of her Communion if I endeavour'd to serve her Interests by any means so contrary to her Nature and Manner of dealing with Mankind But as 't is no improbable supposition that there should be some Dissatisfied or Doubting or Inquisitive Person in the Romish Communion so neither can it I hope be injurious or offensive to any openly to declare That I who make these Enquiries am a Layman of the Church of England and that I make them in the Person of a Roman Catholick is for no other reason but only to preserve a better Decorum and the more to affect the Persons for whose sake I chiefly Publish this Letter And with all the Charity and Good-will that one Christian owes to another I do humbly beseech every Roman Catholick that believes he has a Soul to be sav'd and values its Salvation above being of this or that Party or serving a Cause or the greatest worldly Interest seriously for once to suppose himself this Dissatisfied or Doubting or Inquiring Person and let him in the Name of GOD lay his Hand upon his Heart and consider whether these Enquiries are not pertinent and rational and if they be I beg him impartially and as he will answer it at the Great Day to weigh the Answers that may by his Party be return'd to them whether he be really and fully satisfied that they are just and rational I confess Dissatisfied Doubting and Inquisitive Persons cannot be so frequent in a Church where they are taught solely and blindly to rely upon their Pastors and Spiritual Guides and generally speaking do so as in a Church which gives a modest liberty of trying the Spirits and of examining and enquiring into the reason and truth of things But yet for all that my Conversation with Persons of that Communion is not so little as to suffer me to believe but that there are a great many whose Vnderstandings are not so muffled nor so far enslav'd but that sometimes they entertain serious Thoughts and take a free View of Religion and the nature of it and reflect with what artifice and fraud it is manag'd in the Church of Rome and that they do believe when they think soberly that the Reformation is not an effect of Pride or Folly or Worldly Interest as their crafty designing Priests would perswade them This granted me such Persons then may reasonably be presum'd that if either they would give themselves the trouble or durst to think it necessary thus to Address themselves to the Jesuits who have assum'd to themselves the Reputation of the best Spiritual Guides Reverend Fathers SINCE 't is thought by a great many that you are the only Oracles of Learning and Knowledge of any Order in our Church it will not be wondred at that I particularly Address this Letter of Enquiry to you Faith no more then Love can be forc'd they are both free Agents I am dissatisfied doubt and am at a stand about many Points in our Religion I have a just reverence for the Antiquity of our Church but yet I know Error is older than she and Truth than either of them I have no worldly Interest to serve by being of this or that Party or Church But if I had I hope I should prefer the Happiness of a Life that is Eternal before that of a short and uncertain stay here For this reason 't is possible I may want one great and moving Argument which at this Juncture especially many have for 't is not this World's Riches or Honours that I look after so that if I were even at Rome itself the great and splendid Allurements there would not operate upon me No Reverend Fathers 't is pure Truth and Holiness which I am in search of for I am strongly perswaded that without the possession of these it is a most unreasonable confidence for any Man to hope to see GOD who is Truth and Holiness itself and therefore their Contraries must needs be odious to his Divine Majesty In a word Reverend Fathers my whole Design here in this World is first to know God's Will and then to obey and please him that through the Merits of my dear Saviour I may be admitted into some degree of his Glories hereafter Now if you can remove my Doubts and satisfie me by a just Answer to every Enquiry in this my Letter I shall rejoyce to remain where I have been born and bred But if you cannot I hope I shall despise the hard and unjust Thoughts and Censures of Men and so far overcome the Power and Prejudices of Education and Custom as to search for and embrace Truth in what Communion soever I find her in spight of all temptations and hinderances Our Representer says That every Man must work out his own Salvation with fear and trembling if so Reverend Fathers you must pardon me if hereafter I take a more particular care of mine even to the forsaking of your Communion in case I cannot meet with satisfaction in it and by following the clear Commands of Holy Scripture the Dictates of right Reason and the assistances of the honest and knowing Guides of another Church But before I come to the main business of my Letter give me leave Reverend Fathers to acquaint you with the ground and occasion of it and that was my reading the English Translation of the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent lately by some of our Church set out here For indeed till then and as I had not the perfect use of the Latin Tongue and always living in a blind and stupid obedience and reliance upon the honesty and learning of my Guides I was ignorant of many necessary things and thought our Church never had nor never could have any thing in her Doctrines Worship and Service either Idolatrous or Superstitious or that any of her Children ever was or ever could possibly be guilty of either or that any Errors or
Souls in Purgatory and is it taken away and have we nothing yet remaining and in use among us and in our present Practice that is either Superstitious or tends to it Quere VI. What was that Superstition in the Invocation of Saints Worshipping of Relicks and in the Holy Use of Images which the Council in Session 25 so earnestly desir'd might be taken away And is that Superstition taken away Can none of our Communion be guilty of this Sin now Is there now no danger for us in these matters What assurance can you Reverend Fathers give us Quere VII But Reverend Fathers If there was no danger from the very Nature of the Service and Worship then in use in our Churches why did that wise Council shew such a needless concern and fear But if there was danger and the Council says there was why did it not declare plainly and openly wherein particularly the danger lay Doubtless the Council knew it and since it has not told us particularly wherein and in what manner the danger of Superstition lay How is it possible for any Man to acquit the Council from Hypocrisie and Deceit towards poor ignorant Souls which it pretended and was certainly bound to take care of How does this Council's care of Souls appear since the People are now as much in the dark about the nature of Superstition and Idolatry and wherein the danger lies in the Invocation of Saints and Worshipping Relicks and Images and Prayers for the Dead as before the Council met because it only cautions them in general against such Sins but never particularly tells them how they should know or avoid them which yet methinks had been the honester course Quere VIII Again Reverend Fathers the Council of Trent seems very sensible that the People in the then current Worship and Service of the Church were guilty of Idolatry and Superstition and reprov'd them for it and commanded a Reformation Now Reverend Fathers I humbly enquire Is our Worship and Service the same now as it was at the time of the Council of Trent if it is then pray where is our obedience to that Council and our care of Souls Are not we now as Idolatrous and Superstitious as the People were then Why then is not our Worship and Service reform'd Why are we let alone in an Idolatrous and Superstitious Worship But if our Service and Worship be altered and purg'd from those gross Crimes which were in it at the time of the Council of Trent then I desire to know of you Reverend Fathers Whether the Protestants may not fairly conclude these following things against us 1. That our Service and Worship even by the confession of the Council of Trent was then Idolatrous and Superstitious 2. That this confession justifies at least the first Reformers and also the present Professors of the Reform'd Churches unless we can make appear that our Service and Worship is now free from Superstition and Idolatry in their Charge against our Church and their leaving our Communion 3. That our Church is not now the same in her Service and Worship and Doctrines as she was at the time of the Council of Trent and then pray Reverend Fathers where are all our Boasts of the Inerrability of our Church and the Infallibility of Tradition and ever continuing the same in her Doctrines and Worship from Father to Son since our Saviour's and his Apostles time Is not this a terrible instance to our Adversaries of our Innovations and Corruptions And beyond all Reply does it not justifie all their Complaints and Outcries against us for these things Quere IX In the same Decree concerning the Celebration of the Mass the Council of Trent complains to this effect That there were several Innovations Errors and Corruptions crept in by the Vice of Times or carelesness and dishonesty of Men about the Sacrifice of the Mass Now I humbly desire to know of you Reverend Fathers the precise Time when and the very Persons by whom these Abuses and Corruptions crept into the Mass The famous Patrons of Oral Tradition and the Maintainers of a perpetual and no ways erring Church assert That it is absolutely impossible for any Errors and Corruptions ever to creep into our Doctrine and Worship But I am rather inclin'd to believe the Council of Trent who owns that the very Sacrifice of the Mass which I think we look upon as the greatest Mystery and of the greatest concern in all our Religion was then horribly corrupted But Reverend Fathers if you cannot inform me of the precise Times when and the Persons by whom the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was so abus'd as I have some reason to fear you cannot in that case I desire to know Why we should require that of the Protestants for the Errors and Corruptions which they say are crept into our Doctrines and Practice which yet we out selves cannot shew for those Errors and Abuses which nevertheless we acknowledge to have come in And why the Vice of Times or the carelesness and dishonesty of Men may not be allow'd of for a good general account how Abuses and Corruptions might creep into Religion from the Protestants as well as from the Fathers of the Council of Trent I humbly desire to know of you Quere X. Whether the generality of Mankind is not naturally inclin'd to Superstition and Idolatry And whether from these passages of the Council of Trent which I have quoted it does not appear that the bent and inclination of the People of our Communion was at that time extreamly towards Superstition and Idolatry And whether the Fathers of that Council have well and honestly taken care to secure the People from falling into these Sins by their Decrees and Canons about Worshipping the Host Angels and Saints with their Images and Relicks And whether in human probability the not enjoyning these things but direct prohibiting of them had not been a more likely and a more honest way not only to draw the People off from their then present Superstitious and Idolatrous Inclinations and Practice but also to preserve them from all future danger and guilt of Superstition and Idolatry And whether there could have been invented by the subtilty of the Devil any thing except returning to down-right Paganism more effectually to draw and betray Mankind into these Sins of Superstition and Idolatry and if there could I desire you Reverend Fathers for mine and others satisfaction to name it Quere XI Has the Church of England any thing in her Doctrines or Practice in her Liturgy or Worship which is either Superstitious or Idolatrous or any way really sinful or that does but tend to lead her Members into them And if she has not as I am apt to believe she has not because I have never heard that any of our Priests or Writers of Controversie ever charg'd that upon her then pray Reverend Fathers tell me freely Whether upon this very account which ought to be well consider'd by every Person
Saints they only say We fly to the Assistance of the Saints that are in Heaven to whom also that Prayers are to be made has been held so certain in the Church of GOD that to pious Men there can arise no doubt Now Reverend Fathers I humbly enquire of you that if either in this place or in the 344 p. where they also treated of this matter they could have produced any direct proofs either from Scripture or the Light of Nature is it imaginable that they would have omitted them here and have contented themselves with only saying That Prayers to Saints has been held so certain in the Church of GOD that to pious Men there can be no doubt And whether this ample proof of theirs for Prayer to GOD and their no proof for Prayer to Saints is not a loud confession of our Church that we cannot prove Invocation of Saints lawful especially too when a Man considers that the very best proof and argument the great Council of Trent was able to produce was only this That it is good and profitable but not a word that it is either commanded by GOD or dictated to us by the Light of Nature Will not any man that believes it to be of vast moment to have a right Object of Worship consider these things Quere XIV When our B. Lord set us a pattern how to Pray he directs us only to say Our Father c. and to present our Petitions to GOD alone Now if Christ would have had us pray to Saints and Angels also I humbly enquire of you Reverend Fathers Whether so mean a thought can enter into any sober Man's Head as to think that our B. Saviour would have conceal'd or omitted That or any thing else in so important a matter as Prayer which either had been our Duty or had been but good and profitable to us in our way to Heaven And whether our Lord 's not having done this i. e. not advis'd us to pray to Saints and Angels as well as to GOD is not a good negative Argument against our Practice Quere XV. Farther I enquire of you Reverend Fathers Whether GOD intended by the coming of Christ to root Idolatry out of the World If he did as I hope you 'll say he did Whether 't is possible for a rational Man to think that as one effectual means to that end our Saviour ever design'd to set up the Religious Worship of Saints and Angels and praying before Images and Pictures Can I say a rational man be of so extravagant Faith as to believe that the Blessed Jesus who came to destroy all Creature-Worship then so much practis'd in the Heathen World intended to set up a new kind of Creature and Image-Worship only rectifying Mens Notions and Opinions about it and changing their Country Gods into Heavenly Saints and Angels and the B. Virgin and giving new Names to their Statues and Images If a man I say can once bring himself to believe that our Saviour intended by this means to cure mens inclinations towards Idolatry I desire to know of you Reverend Fathers what can come amiss to such a Man's Faith Quere XVI Again Reverend Fathers I read in the 344. p. of our Trent Catechism that the Holy Spirit says Honour and Glory be to GOD only But pray then How comes it to pass that many of our Authors of Devotion and particularly a late one that has set forth the Contemplations on the Life and Glory of Holy Mary c. say Glory be to Jesus and Mary Methinks Reverend Fathers this joyning the Blessed Virgin with the Holy Jesus and Saviour of the World and giving her equal Praise Honour and Glory with GOD at best looks a little disobedient to the Holy Spirit and is very undecent But if Glory c. be due to GOD only as you own the Holy Spirit itself says What bold blasphemous Wretches are we then to give it to a Creature And this Author I observe makes no difference between Jesus and Mary in his giving Honour and Glory must not any one conclude then that the same Honour and Glory is given to Mary as to Jesus The horrour of which makes me tremble Quere XVII But further I enquire of you Reverend Fathers Whether Religious Praise as well as Prayer is not an essential part of the Worship of GOD And whether by it we poor Creatures do not pay that Homage which is proper and due to the Divine Majesty only And whether this Hymn of Glory be c. has not from the very first Ages always been us'd as a peculiar Form of giving Praise Honour and Glory to GOD and the Holy Trinity And if so Whether by our saying Glory be to Jesus and Mary we do not equally Worship Her with Jesus Give equal Glory and Honour and Praise to a Creature as to GOD the Almighty Creator and one of the Persons of the B. Trinity And whether this is not both downright Sacriledge and Idolatry Quere XVIII But Reverend Fathers upon a Friend of mine with whom I often confer about these matters and who is as much dissatisfied as myself I say upon his Englishing to me this Versicle in the Office for the Festival of St. Mar. ad Nives viz. Make me worthy to praise thee O Holy Virgin and also out of the same Office this Prayer or Lesson which is said upon the Second Day of the Octave of the Nativity of the B. Virgin viz. O B. Mary who can sufficiently give thee Praise and Thanks who by thy singular assent didst succour the World when it was undone What Praises sufficient can frail Mankind pay unto thee who has found a way of recovery only by thy commerce with GOD We therefore pray thee receive our Thanksgivings how mean soever they be and unequal to thy Merits I say I yet farther enquire of you Whether Religious Praise has not always been counted the Sacrifice of a Christian And if Sacrifice which the Bishop of Meaux acknowledges to be a * Exposition Sect. 3. p. 4. principal part of that interiour Adoration which is due to GOD and cannot be offer'd to any but to him because by it we make a publick Acknowledgment and a solemn Protestation of GOD's Soveraignty and our absolute dependance How can we without being guilty of Blasphemy and Idolatry by this Prayer and that Hymn before mention'd viz. Glory be to c. which by all other Christians at least except us was ever us'd as a peculiar and appropriated Form of Praising GOD and the Holy Trinity offer up this Sacrifice of Praise c. to the Virgin Mary who is confessedly but a Creature But besides Reverend Fathers Pray How comes it to pass that in this Prayer we attribute to the Virgin Mary the finding out the Recovery of lost Mankind I profess I always thought that we Christians at least made the Holy Trinity the sole Contriver of the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind Is not so mighty a Work a
Chysostom and by the Mozarabical Office us'd in Spain that whereas we now Pray To the Christians then Pray'd For the Souls of the Patriarchs Prophets Martyrs Confessors Preachers Evangelists and Apostles and all the Souls of the Just which died in the Faith but chiefly for the Holy Glorious and Perpetual Virgin Mary the Mother of GOD. Now I desire to know of you Whether any Protestant Writer has done this or whether it is true or false But if these things are true and can be made appear as I am pretty sure they can then I desire to know Whether the Protestants cannot with great Truth and Justice make these Conclusions upon us 1. That our Church and People now prays and makes their Confession To those very departed Souls For which the ancient Christians pray'd 2. That the Prayers which were then in use were for such Persons as by the confession even of our selves never were in Purgatory for who among us dare say that the Soul of the B. Virgin ever was in Purgatory 3. That the Ancients Practice of praying for the Dead does not at all prove their belief of a Purgatory and that there may be Prayers for the Dead and yet no Purgatory 4. That the Christians of those Times did not believe the Saints departed enjoy'd Beatifical Vision and so to be sure did not pray to them For is it not a little too gross to think of them that if they had believ'd the Saints enjoy'd Beatifical Vision they would still pray for them And if they had believ'd that the Saints did not enjoy Beatifical Vision is it not to treat them like Mad-folks to think they would pray to them And 5. and lastly May not all this be allow'd to make up a Demonstration that at least in these Articles of Invocation of Saints and the belief of Purgatory c. our Faith Doctrines and Practice are quite contrary to the First Christians SECT IV. Quere I. PRay Reverend Fathers What is that lawful Use of and due Honour and Veneration which the Council of Trent Session 25 says Ought and is to be given to the Images and Relicks of Christ and the Saints Wherein does it consist And by what acts words and signs is it to be signify'd and express'd Is it the same that is due to Christ and the Saints or is it some other different from that Whether these words of the Council Lawful and Due does not necessarily imply that the People may be guilty of giving an unlawful and an undue Honour and Veneration and if so Wherein does that consist And how may I know it to avoid it Why was not the Council so kind and so honest to tell us poor ignorant People what was lawful and due and what was not Whether in your Conscience you do not think that in those Countries where Catholicks have their full swing and have a full liberty of Worship and no body to oppose and disturb them with questions as in Spain Italy c. a great many ignorant People do not exceed in their Vse Honour and Veneration of Images and Relicks and really give them what is unlawful and undue And if so may not a Man reasonably doubt especially too when he considers that the Fathers of this Council own'd that great Abuses were then crept into these Matters and gave such strict Charge to the Bishops to Instruct the People least they should fall into dangerous Errors that this Doctrine and this Piece of Devotion of our Church does very greatly tempt ignorant Men and Women to Idolatry and Superstition Besides I think Reverend Fathers you grant that it is not a Duty commanded by GOD Why then since there is apparent danger in it for and great Abuses and Cheats practis'd by those of our Communion and that it is a very great Block of Offence to the Reformed Churches and hindrance to their being re-united to us were it not infinitely better and wiser of our Church if she entirely abolish'd it Quere II. Whether more Respect c. is not due to the Person of the meanest Beggar than to all the Images c. of Christ and his Apostles or ten thousand Saints because 't is thought that the Poor are indeed the true Image of Jesus Christ Quere III. Whether it can be deny'd that there have been Images and Pictures made to counterfeit Tears Words and Gestures Is it not highly suspitious that the Churches connivance at them at least was to induce filly People to believe there was something of Divine in them and to procure secular Honour and Advantage to the Pastors c. If this was not the reason I desire to know Why so long they were conniv'd at and suffer'd in many Places and Countries And whether the multitude of fictitious and false Relicks the suppositious Saints the Images of a false stamp and the pretended New Miracles make it not highly reasonable for us Catholicks carefully to enquire into the truth of these things before we admit and believe them And since the Council of Trent in the same Session speaks of these kind of Abuses and gives charge about them I desire of you Reverend Fathers to know by what Infallible Rule we People must examine these matters so as that we cannot possibly be deceiv'd with Counterfeits And I humbly intreat you sincerely to tell me Whether these Tricks Abuses and Cheats were not at first brought in and practised upon the Credulity of the poor ignorant and superstitious People and afterwards kept and nourisht by the Clergy for dishonest and base gain as the aforesaid Decree speaks And whether in these days we have not as much reason to question the truth of Relicks Images Miracles c. and dishonest Practises and Designs as they had in former times And if we have not I desire you to assign me good substantial Reasons for it Quere IV. I am told Reverend Fathers that since the Council of Trent there 's a new Pontifical and in that a Form for a Solemn Consecration of Images c. Now I humbly enquire for the true reason Why you Consecrate and make Prayers in the Consecration of Images and the Crucifix Is not this a very fair way to induce silly and superstitious People to believe there 's after that some sort of Divinity in them or some more than ordinary Presence or Operation in or by them Else pray tell me Why many of us have a greater opinion of one Image than of another of the same Person and in one Place rather than in another For instance the Image of the Virgin Mary Why is it not as effectual and meritorious to Worship her before her Image at Montserat as at Mont-Aigu and near at Home as at Lorretto Why do we go long and painful Pilgrimages to certain Images at certain Places if it is not at least in hopes of being better heard and finding more sure relief for praying to and worshipping of her there Would not a wise Man be apt to think
not both a good sign as well as a mighty credit and advantage for the Reformation that its Defenders are never charg'd by us with alledging and quoting false and counterfeit Authors but can maintain their Cause against us by true and genuine Authors and Writings Is not this a plain Confession that either our Writers of Controversie are grosly ignorant and know not which are genuine and which are counterfeit Authors or very dishonest if they do know them and yet use them and impose them upon the World and that the points in difference cannot otherwise on our side be defended Query XI Whether the Pope's pretensions to Infallibility and Supremacy instead of being a means to obtain and preserve Vnity is not one of the greatest Impediments and Obstacles that ever stood in the way of the Peace and Vnity of the Catholick Church And also are not these pretensions of the Pope the true Root and Cause of all the Schrisms Wars Bloudy Massacres acted by our people upon the poor Protestants and the Miseries and Confusions that have been in the Church and State in this and other Countries for these many hundred years And whether according to all humane and rational Probability we might not far sooner hope to see Vnity and Concord Peace and Love in the Church Vniversal and between one National Church and one Christian man and another if this great Block of Offence were remov'd And in a word Whether there can be any rational hopes of Vnity or Peace either in Church or State till the Court of Rome is destroy'd and the Pope reduced both to the Name and Condition of a Primitive Bishop of Rome But Reverend Fathers I am come to the intended limits and a conclusion of my Letter before I have near finish'd my Enquiries For a multitude of other troublesome Thoughts Doubts and Scruples in very important matters crowd in upon me and press for room here But I must bear with their company till a fairer occasion It may be they shall be the subject of a Second Letter of Enquiry But I humbly beg you to give me a speedy Answer to this For pray consider how uneasie 't is to dwell with a dissatisfied Conscience Besides I must needs tell you that since your great Prudence has thought it for the advantage of our Church and Cause which nevertheless some wise men wonder how you could to publish in the Vulgar Tongue our Canons c. and the Catechism of the Council of Trent and that I am now convinc'd Ignorance is not such a rare and commendable Virtue nor so great a Friend to Devotion as some of you have endeavour'd to make me and others believe I say I am now resolv'd not only diligently to râ—â—d over these Canons c. but also our Representer's Pieces and the Answers to them and also as many as I can of other of the best esteem'd Books of Controversie writ by both Churches For I now think it both a most unjust and foolish method and course to read only the Books of the side If Judges should do so what mad Justice should we have And is our Eternal Happiness of less concern than worldly matters But to conclude I hape Reverend Fathers nothing has dropt from my Pen for which I need beg your Pardon but if there should I doubt not but your great Charity will give it the most favourable construction and excuse it Much less need I apologize that I have not writ this Letter and made my Enquiries in an exact method and order and like a Scholar and an Artist since you know I pretend to be none If I have deliver'd my Thoughts so plain and clear as to be well understood by my unlearned Brethren and that they are edify'd by them I have gain'd my ends and what I passionately desire But indeed I must needs confess that if I had had all the Qualifications of a perfect Scholar I believe I should have proceeded in the same manner For I look upon a plain and inartificial Dress the most agreeable to Truth and Honesty And as far as these permit me I am Reverend Fathers Your most Obedient Servant A. B. September the 21th and St. Matthew's day 1688.
little too big for a Creature to devise SECT III. Quere I. REverend Fathers as I am excessively dissatisfy'd in my Conscience about this Invocation of the Virgin Mary and other Saints so I cannot leave off making larger Enquiries into the matter my next therefore shall be Whether we Catholicks do not exceed the Bounds and Rules which the Catechism of the Council of Trent and other Books set out or allow'd by our Church does prescribe us about Praying to Saints c. Now I humbly conceive the Truth in this matter will be best discover'd First by seeing how far Authority says we may go and Secondly how far we do actually go in this Practice The Catechism p. 464. says We do not pray to GOD and to the Saints after the same manner To God we pray either to give us the good things we want or to deliver us from evil But to the Saints we pray because they are in favour with GOD to undertake our Patronage and to beg of GOD those things we want Hence we have two ways of Praying differing in the manner for we properly say to GOD Have mercy upon us hear us but to the Saints Pray for us and it adds That we must take heed that what is proper to GOD we give not to any besides him And the Bishop of Meaux who by some of us is thought to have given the true sence of our Church in the Advertisement of his Exposition p. 11. says That we pray to them with the same mind we pray to our Brethren who are upon Earth with us that is to pray with us and for us to our Common Master in the Name of our Common Mediator who is Jesus Christ. And in his Exposition Sect. 4. he says That the Church teaches us to pray to the Saints in the same Spirit of Charity and according to the same Order of Fraternal Society which moves us to demand assistance of our Brethren living upon Earth And our Representer p. 4 5. says That as almost every sick Man desires the Congregation to be his Mediators i. e. to be remembred in their Prayers so he desires the Blessed in Heaven to be his Mediators that is that they would pray to GOD for him And is not this Reverend Fathers and the utmost that by our Church we are allow'd to do Shall we now see whether neither many of our Pastors and Guides Teach nor our People and Church itself Practice a great deal more in their Devotions to the Saints and principally to the B. Virgin And will not this be best known by our Publick Offices and other allow'd Books of Devotion I begin then with the Offices of our Church which I hope will be allow'd of as an Authentick Proof for if they may not be admitted to prove our Worship and Practice I know not how it can be done but by being present with every individual Man when he is at his Prayers and Devotion which I humbly conceive is next to impossible In the Office then of St. Mar. ad Nives in the Second Day of the Octave of her Nativity my aforesaid Friend English'd to me this Expression out of the Lesson or Prayer to the B. Virgin O admit our Prayers within the Sanctuary of thy Audience And out of the Offic. Parv. B. Mariae this Prayer of our Church to her We fly unto thy Protection and Safe-guard O Holy Mother of GOD despise not our Prayers in our Necessities but always deliver us from all dangers O Glorious and B. Virgin. Likewise out of the Office B. M. in Sabbato c. and the Hymn which begins Ave Maris Stella this Prayer Hail Star of the World c. Loose the Bonds of guilty Sinners enlighten the eyes of the Blind drive away all Sins from us make us humble and chast and free from the Bonds of our Sins give us purity of Life and grant us a safe passage into the next World. And in the aforesaid Office Parv. B. M. this Prayer Protect us from the Enemy and receive us at the hour of Death Likewise out of the Brev. Rom. he English'd to me this Lesson or Prayer to the B. Virgin Accept that we offer give that we ask and pardon that we fear because thou art the Only hope of Sinners We hope for the pardon of our Sins by thee and in thee is the most blessed expectation of our Reward And in the proper Mass of her Seven Sorrows and the Solemn Hymn which begins Stabat Mater dolorosa this other strange Prayer Make our Hearts to burn with the Love of Christ Defend us in the Day of Judgment And grant that when our Souls depart from our Bodies they may go into the Glory of Paradice By my Friend's help I could have produced several other Prayers and Expressions to the B. V. and other Saints in as high strains as these but I suppose these may suffice for my purpose Let me now Reverend Fathers see what some of our eminent and allow'd of Writers and Guides teach our People I begin with Cardinal Bonaventure and who is also a Canoniz'd Saint Out of the Office he has compos'd call'd Coroná B. V. the Grown of the B. Virgin which is found in his Sixth Tome and the Edition of Rome 1588 my Friend English'd to me this Orizon O Empress and our most kind Lady by the Authority of a Mother Command thy most beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ that he would vouchsafe to lift up our minds c. And in his 35 Psalm of his Lady's Psalter he hath these Words Incline the Countenance of GOD upon us Compel him to have Mercy upon us Sinners The next I shall produce is a Little Book which I have by me and which till of late that my Understanding is a little better inform'd I constantly us'd it is call'd The Psalter of the B. Virgin it was Compos'd first in French by a Father of your Society and after in the Year 1624 Translated into English and Printed with Allowance the Translator assures the Lady to whom he Dedicated it that it was well approv'd of by the better sort of Catholicks and was presented to one of the greatest Queens in Europe in the French Tongue In the First Petition there are these Expressions O Glorious Virgin grant me Grace that I may receive pardon for my Sins I have this only Refuge to cast myself under the Shadow of your Wings Give my Soul entrance into Paradice when it shall leave the Body And let all that is due unto me for my Sins be cancell'd by your Merits Let the greatness of your Mercy blot out the multitude of mine Offences supplying by your Merits what in Justice I dare not demand Turn not your Face away from me for I put my Trust in you I will humble my heart before you for I know that the Proud shall not be entertain'd near unto your Sacred Majesty In the Second Petition these As soon as you extend your Hand upon
Reverend Fathers What signifies it with the Bishop of Meaux in the Fourth Section of his Exposition to say That in what Terms soever those Prayers which we Address to Saints are couch'd it is the Intention of the Church and of her Faithful to reduce them always to this form Pray for us Can the Intention of the Church and of her Faithful alter the nature of things and the universal meaning of plain words or is any such declaration of Intention to be admitted against the plain literal and grammatical Sence of the Prayers But if the Sence and Intention of the Church be no more than to Pray for us then why are not the Prayers and Hymns in our Publik Offices Breviaries c. at least alter'd to the Sence and Intention of our Church And why are any other Books of Devotion suffer'd to come out contrary to the Sence and Intention of the Church What a ridiculous proceeding to say no worse of it is this of our Church both to compose and set out Prayers to the Saints herself and also permit others to do so too couch'd and express'd in such Words Titles and Phrases as all sensible Mankind make use of to express their Thoughts and Desires in their Prayers to GOD and the Holy Trinity and then cry out That in what terms soevâ—â— those Prayers which we make to the Saints are couch'd it is the Intention of the Church c. Is the Latin Tongue or any Vulgar Language so barren of Words that when our Church would Invocate the Saints and Angels c. she can do it in no other manner words or terms than such in which she constantly and properly addresses herself to GOD and the Holy Trinity Are there not in every Language and particularly in ours apt and proper words and terms in which to express our Souls to GOD and the Holy Trinity And likewise when we would desire the Saints and Angels to Pray for us What folly as well as wickedness is it then to confound these Objects so infinitly different in the same terms and words and to use those to the Saints and Angels which are proper to GOD only Again Reverend Fathers Do not Men generally understand words as they sound and usually signifie And does not the very natural sence of words raise proper and suitable Ideas in Mens minds Now I would fain know of you Reverend Fathers What Thoughts or Idea's a Man can be suppos'd to have who after this manner and for these things thus addresses himself to the Virgin Mary Sacred Majesty Mother of Unlimited Power the only hope of Sinners ador'd and call'd upon by the whole Universe and who by innumerable Titles claim the Utmost Duty of every Christian as a Proper Homage to your Greatness Let the greatness of your Mercy blot out the multitude of mine Offences and deliver me from all Dangers I entrust you with whatever I am have do or hope in Life and Death and through all Eternity I own my self in your Presence and that you survey the present state of my Soul all my Thoughts and Projects and every tract of my Conversation and therefore I put my self wholly under your Protection and will observe you as my Soveraign Lady relying on your Bowels of Mercy in all my Wants of Body and Mind Protect me from the Enemy and when my Soul departs from my Body receive it into the Glory of Paradice c. Now do ye think Reverend Fathers that Invocating the Virgin Mary in such words as these would not make any Men and Women very apt to entertain such an Idea of her as is only fit and proper to be thought of GOD Would not the continual use of such a Prayer make a man insensibly to forget especially in the act and heat of Devotion that she is but a Creature and fancy that he is a praying to some Being of Divine Excellency and Perfections Would not the interior Sentiments of his Mind think ye grow like his exterior Words and Expressions when in any Publick Place of Divine Worship or but in his Closet he is upon his Knees with Hands and Eyes lifted up and in a perfect posture of Adoration But if such a Man should not insensibly by the meer force of using such Words and Expressions fall into the thoughts of her being a GOD and so be guilty of flat Idolatry yet can you deny that he is upon the very brink of that Danger And must it not be esteem'd a Miracle if such a Person is preserv'd from falling into that Precipice Quere II. But Reverend Fathers I am not ignorant that our Disputers think they sufficiently clear their hands of such Writers as the Author of the Contemplation c. Father Crasset Cardinals Bona and Bonaventure Bernardin de Busts c. by saying that such things as they teach and such Prayers and Expressions as they compose and publish are not the Doctrines and Practices of our Church but the extravagant Sayings and Flights of Devotion of some particular Men. Now that this Plea has no place and is of no force against such Prayers as are found in the Offices Breviaries Missals c. of our Church I humbly conceive you 'll easily grant and therefore all such Prayers and that strange Language and Expressions found in them must unavoidably be charg'd upon our Church But then concerning these others I humbly enquire Why the Church if your Order Reverend Fathers be a part of the Church allows and permits such in particular the Contemplations c. and Father Crasset's Book and the same I might ask concerning the other Authors I have but now nam'd for I am told they are all publish'd by the Authority of the Church or by the permission of those appointed by the Church And does not such permission amount to the Churches approbation And does the Church use to approve of any thing that is not the Doctrine of the Church And if it be the Doctrine of our Church Why do ye not speak out and declare so and prove it to be the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles But if you still deny it to be the Doctrine of our Church then pray Why are not the Books call'd in censur'd and forbid to be read and the Men who writ them punisht for False Teachers and Deceivers Again Reverend Fathers if such be not the Doctrine of our Church as I would now fain hope for a very material reason it is not then pray Reverend Fathers let me humbly ask you again Why are these Books let alone to deceive our poor ignorant People into such gross Errors And here also it will be pertinent to enquire of you Reverend Fathers Why such Books as corrupt the Doctrines of Repentance and destroy the necessity of a Holy Life speaking Truth and doing Justice and in a word all the Moral Duties and Practice of a Christian are permitted to walk freely and boldly abroad in the World and debauch Mens Principles and Practices
Why are they not I say call'd in or forbid or the Doctrines by the highest Authority condemn'd and the Authors who are alive severely punisht A Collection of these Doctrines I am told is made by one or more of the Doctors of Sorbonne who are esteem'd by most wise and good Men as Orthodon Catholicks as any and is Entituled The Morals of your Society Now Reverend Fathers to a Man that is never so little touch'd with the true spirit of a Christian must it not needs be a sad consideration to think how many poor ignorant People in our Communion fall into the misery of such Guides And ought not this to make all us Catholicks very careful and cautious about the choice of our Spiritual Guides and Ghostly Fathers since it seems there are so many in our Church that if we follow'd them would lead us into such pernitious and damnable Errors And here upon this consideration I cannot omit in this place enquiring of you and I humbly beg you to give me a particular answer to it What signifies it to us ignorant Lay People whether the Pope or a General Council or both together be Infallible if the Parish Priest Fryar or Jesuit who has the management of our Souls be not Infallible also For since he is our immediate Teacher and not the General Council nor the Pope is it not plain that if he should be either a Fool or a Knave he may either through ignorance or to serve some carnal and worldly Interest lead us into damnable Errors I could be much larger in my Thoughts on this Enquiry but I consider that I may have a fitter occasion for it and therefore shall make no further digression Quere III. But Reverend Fathers I must needs yet be plainer with you and tell you That whether such things as Cardinal Bonaventare and others have taught about the Virgin Mary be or be not the Doctrine of our Church I am nevertheless infinitely disturb'd in my mind If what Bonaventure has writ be not the Doctrine of our Church then I am infinitely scandaliz'd that our Church should Canonize for a Saint a Person guilty of such horrid and blasphemous Doctrine And then again suppose you could satisfie me which I fear you cannot that our Church has actually condemn'd these Books and Writings of his and others yet certainly is it not a most dangerous thing to be in our Communion where such Spiritual Guides are so frequent Lord say I to myself what a deal of mischief may they do and how many Souls may they poyson and ruin eternally before their damnable Errors and pernicious Doctrines are discover'd and condemn'd Whatever you may think on 't Reverend Fathers I do profess that I am deeply sensible that we Catholicks run a desperate hazard in the choice and use of our Spiritual Guides And does not this frequency of False Teachers among us make it highly reasonable and necessary that we People should have the liberty to examine their Doctrines whether true or false And if we must examine them as I do not see but we are bound unless you can prove that we must blindly follow our Guides then I desire to know of you By what Rule and by what Means and Faculties Surely there is not only some certain Rule but some certain means to use that Rule by in our Church for us Lay People or else to what purpose is the liberty you give us of examining and trying your Doctrines But I fancy I may have room to make a particular Enquiry concerning this matter and therefore shall step no farther from my present subject Quere IV. But Reverend Fathers the two words Command and Compel which our Cardinal and Saint Bonaventure us'd in his Orizon to the Virgin Mary and quoted in the First Query of this Section are so excessive harsh and horrid that I could not forbear enquiring of you Whether these Words do not with a witness elevate the Virgin Mary above the condition of a Creature Exposition Sect. 4. p. 7. which yet the Bishop of Meanx is so modest to say our Church does not And does it not only make her equal but also set her infinitly above GOD her Creator Unless that Person who Commands and Compels be inferior to the Person Commanded and Compelld Quere V. If I mistake not Reverend Fathers we account the Rosary a special Piece of Devotion and great things are said of its effects by many of our Eminent Writers and Guides in Devotion Now I will not at present enquire into these things nor into the great Mysteries said to be in it but will only humbly ask you 1. What Antiquity or what Reason can you shew for turning the Angel's Salutation of the Virgin Mary into a direct Prayer to her Did the Angel Gabriel say Holy Mother of GOD pray for us Sinners now and in the Hour of Death if the Angel did not How comes it to be pertinent for us to do it But 2. What is the true reason that in the Rosary we are to say Ten Ave Maries to One Pater Noster I have often askt this Question of some of our Priests but could never get a satisfactory Answer Now if in this matter I had Courage enough to follow my Reason I profess I think I should say Ten Pater Nosters to One Ave Marie For seriously Reverend Fathers has not GOD given us incomparably far greater Evidence both of his Love and Power than ever the Virgin Mary did 3. Why do our Preachers immediately before their Sermons say an Ave Marie Why do they address themselves to the Virgin Mary upon that occasion Is she the Fountain and Giver of all good and perfect Gifts Does Wisdom and Eloquence come from her Would it not think ye be far more decent and reasonable to address to GOD or to the Holy Ghost at such a time But after all What Reason or Antiquity can you produce for this strange Practice Quere VI. Can you Reverend Fathers prove by Vincentius Lirinensis's Rule that departed Souls do enjoy Beatifical Vision before the Day of Judgment If you can I humbly beg you would do it As also that the Saints departed do certainly hear our Prayers You perceive well enough I doubt not why I make this Enquiry For if the departed Saints neither enjoy Beatifical Vision nor hear our Prayers Is it not yet more absurd for us to pray to them Quere VII I think that we assert that all Certainty in Matters of Religion must be Infallible or else it is nothing worth because we can never rely upon it Now pray Reverend Fathers What Infallible Assurance have we Catholicks that all those who are Canoniz'd Saints by his Holiness are indeed Saints and in Heaven If we have not Infallible Assurance what reason have we Religiously to Invocate them Quere VIII Our Representer p. 4. distinguishes between Mediators of Redemption and Mediators of Intercession of this last he says He does not at all doubt but 't