on earth to see his miracles and hear his doctrin the same is also to bâ—… said of the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles Now to bar the Vulgar from this is to hinder them to hear and see Christ and his Apostles as if that were a Priviledge restricted to Church-men What shall be then said of these who call the Scriptures a Nose of Wax the Sourse of all Heresies a Book written not on Design but upon particular Emergents and do assert its incompleatness unless made up by the Traditions of the Church Is not this to add to the Words of that Book and to accuse the faithful Witness of unfaithfulness But worse than all this is held by these who will have all the Authority of the Scriptures to depend on the Church which must be believed in the first place But here a great difference is to be made betwixt the testimony of a Witness and the authority of a Iudge the former is not denied to the Church and so the Iews had the Oracles of God committed to them but that doth not prove the Authority of their Sanhedrim infallible or superiour to Scripture and in this case more cannot be ascribed to the Christian Church than was proper to the Jewish in our Saviours time But further if the Scripture be to be believed on the testimony of the Church then upon what account is the Church first believed It cannot be said because of any testimony in Scripture for if it give authority to the Scriptures it cannot receive its authority from their testimony How then shall it be proved that the Church must be believed or must it be taken from their own word and yet no other reason can be given to prove the Church infallible For to say that they have continued in a Succession of Bishops from the Apostles days concludes nothing unless it be first proved that the Doctrine of the Apostles was of God otherwise the Mahometan Religion is as much to be believed since for many Ages a Succession of Priests have believed it Further the Greek Churches drive up the Series of their Bishops to the Apostles days as well as the Roman why then should not their Authority be likewise acknowledged infallible In fine must the Vulgar go and examine the Successions of the Bishops and judge about all the dubious Elections whether the Conveyance have been interrupted or not Certainly were this to be done it were an impossible Atchievement and harder than the study of the Originals of both Testaments Therefore the Vulgar must simply believe the Authority of the Church on her own testimony which is the most absurd thing imaginable and this to every individual will resolve into the testimony of their Priest Behold then a goodly Foundation for building our Faith upon Christ Prophetick Office is also invaded by the pretence of the Churches Infallibility in expounding Scriptures for if this be granted the whole Authority will be devolved on the Church for by this Doctrine she may teach what she will and were the Scripture evidence never so full to the contrary yet whatever wrested Exposition she offer though visibly contrary to the plain meaning of the words must be believed But with whom this Power and Authority is lodged is not agreed to among themselves some yielding it to the High Priest of the Church when in his Chair others to the great Sanhedrim of Christendom in a General Council others to both jointly but all this is asserted without proof for that of Christs of telling the Church Mat. 18. 17. so often repeated by them is meant of particular offences and so is restricted to the case of differences among Brethren and relates not to points of Doctrine Besides the Context of these Words doth clearly shew them applicable to every Parochiaâ—… Church and yet their Infallibility cannot be asserted So it is clear that Christ doth only speak of a jurisdiction for quieting of differences among the Brethren That of the gates of Hell their not prevailing against the Church Mat. 16. 18. proves not the pretence of Infallibility And indeed the Translation of that place deserves Amendment and instead of hell that Word is tâ—… be rendred grave so that the meaning of the Phrase is Death which is the mouth and gate through which we pass â—…nto the Grave and is so used by Greek Writers shall never prevail against the Church that is the Church shall never die Neither will that of the Spirit of truth leading out into all truth Joh. 16. 13. advance the Cause a whit since that promise relates to all Believers and it is a part of the happiness of the new Dispensation that all in it shall be taught of God And the promise of founding the Church on St. Peter Matth. 16. saith as â—…ittle for suppose the Rock on whom the Church were to be built were St. Peter himself which I shall not much contravert that is not peculiar unto him since we are all built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and on the twelve foundations of the new Ierusalem are written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb but what will that prove for a series of the Bishops of Rome And finally for the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 16. 19. their being given to St. Peter that saith no more but that he was to open the Gospel which is usually called the Kingdom of God or of Heaven in the New Testament Now the use of keys being to open the door this was peculiar St. Peters honour who did first publish the Gospel both to Jews and Gentiles and in particular did first receive the Gentiles into the new Dispensation But this hath no relation to the Bishops of Rome nor to the pretended infallibility of that See That which hath the fairest appearance of reason is that if there be no absolute unerring Court on earth for deciding of controversies there shall be no end of them but every private man may upon the pretence of some ill understood place of Scripture break the unity of the Church and so the peace of the Church is in hazard of being irrecoverably lost But how specious soever this may appear it hath no weight in it For it is certain that vice as well as errour is destructive of Religion and it will be no â—…mputation on our Religion that the one be no more guarded against than the other is if then there be no authority for repressing Vice but the outward discipline of the Church it is not incongruous there be no other authority for â—…uppressing of errour but that same of the Discipline of the Church It is certainly a peece of humility for a man to suspect his own thoughts when they lye â—…ross to the Sentiments of the guides and â—…eaders of the Church But withal a man ought to be in all he does fully perwaded in his own mind and we are commanded to try the spirits and not to believe very spirit 1
affection kissing the hem of their Garments And if through the tricks of the Priest the Image seem to nod or smile on them which is not unfrequent with what joy do they go away as if some Angel had saluted them from Heaven And here it were too long to reckon up the Abominations of this Saint-worship which are offered to the Virgin with the Blasphemous Titles given her and Prayers made to her as if she were more merciful and gentle to sinners than her blessed Son What shall I tell of the whole Psalms turned to her The words of Goddess and Lady being put in the place of God and Lord And that from the eleventh Century in which the form of the numbering their Prayers by Beads was begun ten Go to the Virgin for one to God How many more Worship her then do her Son How many more Churches are built to her than to her Son And how many Pilgrimages are made to her Shrines and Reliques And thus I think little doubting will remain that the worship of the Baalim begun at Babylon is now set up in the Christian Rome Now how contrary this is to the Divine Nature common reason may suggest as also to the exaltation of the Person of Christ Isa. 42. 8. God is a jealous God and will not give his glory to another We have but one Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. who by his most precious blood shed for us purchased the honour of being Mediatour betwixt God and Man And therefore Christians ought only to make mention of his Name Beside the great evil of Idolatry is that it debases the soul of the profane worshiper for like them are all theâ—… that trust in them Psal. 115. 8. I leads away the mind from that inward free and spiritual converse and fellowship with God to which the Gospel invites us and carries it out into an external sensible and dead Religion It stifles the power of true Piety making it die out in formal and stupifying superstition And the Plagues which Heaven pours out on those ungodly worshipers are heavy and great A black Roll of them in the end of the first Chap. to the Romans which were the Consectaries on their not glorifying of God as God which is branched out into the two kinds I have discoursed of The first is v. 23. they changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man c. And the second is v. 25. Who worshipped and served the Creature more than or besides the Creator And it would raise horrour in sober minds to tell how much the sin of the flesh particularly the sin of Sodom which is first reckoned in that dismal Catalogue abounds with these of this spiritual Babylon And will the poor distinctions of Dulia and Latria save them from this guilt Alas these are parts of the Mystery by which they would vail their Abominations but their nakedness is not hid with this thin vail For we see how simply all religious Worship offered to Creatures displeased God Neither did the Prophets tell the Israelites that a kind of Worship called Dulia or Service might be payed to Creatures but the Latria or Adoration was only proper to God indeed they dreamed not of this subtilty and when St. John offered to fall down before the Angel he forewarns him not to do it as being not only his fellow-creature but his fellow-servant Revel 19. 10. by which all that Prostration for worship is declared unlawful and what can be called Adoration if to offer Prayers to make Vows to sing Hymns to observeâ—… Days and to build Churches be not such These nice distinctions which the Schoolmen have devised will serve in no stead in the great day when Gods jealousie shall burn like firâ—… against all that have dishonoured him by this profane worshipping of Creatures And it is certain that however some speculative People may have distinct Notions of these kinds of Worship yet the Vulgar in their Practice make no difference at all but place all their trust in them fly to them in their troubles as to their refuge and strong hold whereby that faith and confidence which is only due to God and his Son is abated so much of it being bestowed on Creatures And what a baseness of Mind doth it discover for Men to whom God hath revealed so much of the Riches of his Grace and hath allowed constant and free access to his Throne with the largest encouragements and assurances of being heard and accepted by him and who hath given Mankind a Mediator who in the likeness of our flesh did express the greatest and freest love imaginable dying for us and being now our Advocate and Intercessor with his Father that instead of conversing immediately with God and Christ in the Exercises of Devotion we should betake our solves to a dead and liveless in vocating of those of whose hearing us we can have no assurance and in which there can be no comfort nor true joy found So much of the Object of Worship the Manner of it is next to be considered We observed before that God called us in the Gospel to a lively and spiritual Worship and this was first in opposition to the sorceries of the Gentile Worship and next to the heavy yoke of the Jewish Bondage How much of Sorcery and Enchantments was used in Heathenism every one that gives account of their Forms do mention but indeed all they used was nothing if compared to the Enchantments of the Roman Church and first of all can any thing look likeâ—… a Charm than the worshipping God in an unknown Tongue in which the Worshipper is capable of no converse with God by these parts of Worship which he doth not understand Next the muttering so large portions of thâ—… Worship chiefly in the Office of the Mass what doth it look like but the mumbling of Charm But shall I here tell of the charming of Water of Salt of Wax-candles for driving away of Devils Shall I next tell of the christening of Bells the hallowing of Oyl the touching of Beads the touching of little Pebbles which shall have a virtue against Sickness of all kinds Thunders and Lightnings and Tentations of the Devil Shall I next tell of the consecrating of Roses Agnus Dei's Medals and the like Or shall I tell of their Exorcisms and Charms for driving out Devils with all the strange actions used in them Shall I mention the Reliques and all the virtues believed to be in them yea and derived from them Shall I mention their priviledged Altars their Iubilees the Prayers upon which Indulgences are granted their solemn Processions together with all the small tricks are used in every part of their Worship All this should be endless These things cannot but eat out the power of Religion and introduce a dry and empty skellet of enchanted Actions instead of that lively Image of God which the Christian Religion designs to restore in us In a
the Popes charity we be secured or delivered from them Now how contrary this is to the value we are taught to set on the Blood of Christ all may judge Ephes. 2. 15 16. By Christ peace is made we are reconciled to God he presents us to the Father without spot and wrinkle And much more of this nature meeting us in Scripture declares how plenary his satisfaction was nothing being left undone by him for removing the guilt and demerit of sin And what comfortless Doctrine this is we may soon apprehend how it takes away that joy in God at the approaches of death Since there is such a hazard of direful miseries following Now this was no small part of the mystery by which the World was brought under their dominion and therefore great pains was taken for rooting the belief of it deep â—…n all mens hearts many Visions and Apparitions were vouched for its proof and all the Lives of the Saints that were written for divers Ages were full of such faâ—…ulous narrations some Souls were said â—…o be seen standing in burning brimstone â—…o the knees some to the middle some to â—…he chin others swimming in caldrons of â—…elted Metal and Devils pouring the Metal down their throats with many â—…uch affrighting Stories But for all this the proof from Scripture was only drawn from one wrested â—…lace of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 3. 12 13 â—…4 15. who saith That in the day of the Lord such as built upon the foundation of Christ superstructures of wood hay and stubble â—…ould be saved because they kept the foundaâ—…ion yet so as by fire But this was only a â—…roverbial form of speech to express the â—…isque they run to be such as of one that â—…scapes out of a fire such proverbial â—…eeches being usual in Scripture as that of the Prophet Zach. 3. 2. Is not this brand plucked out of the fire Or of the Apostle Iude 23. Some save with fear pullinâ—… them out of the fire And any considerinâ—… person will at first view see how slendeâ—… a foundation this was for the supeâ—… structure built upon it But the way was contrived for preseâ—… ving Souls from or rescuing them out 〈◊〉 Purgatory will discover what were thâ—… inducements of advancing the belief 〈◊〉 it with such zeal which was thus frâ—… med It is believed by that Church thâ—… beside the Commands that necessarily oâ—… lige all Christians there are many Couâ—… sels in the Gospel in order to the attaiâ—… ing a higher pitch of perfection such a the counsels of poverty and chastity oâ—… the like and they teach that such as dâ—… not obey these cannot be said to have siâ—… ned but on the other hand those whâ—… have obeyed them shall not want a râ—… ward by their so supererrogating beyonâ—… what was strictly bound upon them anâ—… the reward of them is their meritinâ—… both for themselves and others an exemption from the pains of Purgatory And of all these Merits there is a common treasure of the Church wherein for good manners sake the Merit of Christ is the chief Stock and this is committed to the Successors of St. Peter to whom the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are believed to be given who can communicate of that spiritual Treasure as they will either for preserving Souls from Purgatory or for delivering them out of it This could not but work wonders for the exaltation of the Papal Dignity when he was conceited to be honoured of God with so high a trust This was also made an engin for advancing all the Papal Designs for upon any quarrel he had with any Prince the Popes proclamed a Croisade promising exemption from Purgatory to all who hazarded their Lives for the Service of the holy Church And the contrivance of Purgatory being universally believed this could not fail to draw great numbers about his Standards And by this means he brought most Princes into that servile subjection to him under which they groaned for many Ages Another practise yet more base and sordiâ—… was the selling of Indulgences and Pardons for money certainly here was Simon 's crime committed by the pretendeâ—… Successors of him who had of old accused him that thought the gift of God mighâ—… be purchased with money and thereupon diâ—… cast him out of the Church It were endless to tell the base Arts and blasphemous Discourses of the Monks whâ—… were sent through the World to selâ—… these Indulgences which in the end proved fatal to that Church since the excessive magnifying of them did first provoke Luther to examine their corruptions It is true they will not hear of thâ—… harsh word of selling Indulgences but disguise it with their giving them to such as will offer Alms to the Church but really this whole contrivance is so baseâ—… so carnal and so unlike the Spirit of Christianity that to repeat it is to refute it Here was a brave device for enriching the Church when the making great Donations to it was judged so effectual foâ—… delivering out of Purgatory Who would not out of love to his Friends Soul â—…f he believed him frying in these flames give liberally of his Goods but much â—…ather would a man give all that he had for his own security especially when on his death-bed he were beset with persons who were confounding him with dismal apprehensions and thus trafficking with him for the exchange of the Soul Hence â—…prung the enriching of Abbeys and Churches for every Religious Order hath â—…ts own peculiar Merits which they can communicate to one of their Fraternity â—…f then a dying man had gained their â—…avour so much that he was received inâ—…o their Order and died wrapped in one of their Frocks then was his Soul secure from the grim Tormentors below And what an endless heap of Fables had â—…hey of Souls being on the brink or in â—…he midst of the flames and of a sudden â—…natched out But now all this Trade hath quite faiâ—…ed them therefore Indulgences are fallen â—…n their Rates and in stead of them there are Prayers to be used and especially to be said before priviledged Altars oâ—… at such times or before such Reliques that it is no hard work for any among them to ransome the Souls of others oâ—… to preserve their own In a word doth not all this debase the Spirit of true Religion and expose it to the jealousie oâ—… Atheists as if it were a contrivance foâ—… advancing base and secular Designs Anâ—… doth it not eat out the sense of true Piety when the Vulgar see the Guides of Souâ—… making such shameful Merchandise oâ—… them and doing it with such respect oâ—… persons that if a man be rich enough he iâ—… secure whereby our Lords blessing of the poorâ—… and passing a woe on the rich is reverseâ—… But above all what indignity is by thiâ—… done to the Blood of the Son of Godâ—… And how are the People carried froâ—… their dependance on Him and theâ—… value of His Sufferings by