this Truth Papists are accused of superstition agreeing with Idolaters why we more then Iacob or Daniel Iosue or Iesus who taught the same Blame them if you dare or ablolue us for their sakes Whome we follow G. B. pag. 24. This kind of Idolatry was first begun at Babilon where Ninus made à statu of Belus from him all these lesser Gods were called Belim or Baalim ANSWER It is not tru that Baal was held to be alesser God he was adored as the Supreame God as you may see 3. Reg. 18.21 G. B. ibidem From this hint we may guesse why the Apostacy of Rome is shadowed forth under the name of Babilon ANS This is to enlyghten one â—nyght with another wash a spot of dirt out of linnen with Inke You dwell converse much in obscure places which is proper to these who hate the lyght (b) Iean 3.20 because it discovers their deforme features or more deformed actions We have already shewed you that Baal or Bel was held to be the living God which you may see also Dan. 14.5 now we never held any man saint to be God except the fountaine of Sanctity Christ-Iesus CHAPTER X. Of the Intercession of Saints G. B. pag. 25 If we compare with this idolatry the worship of Angels Saints in the Roman Church we shall find the parity just exact ANSWER It is nether just nor exact it differs in many things For. 1. the Pagans held those men they honoured to be tru Gods we beleive the greatest Saints to be our follow servants 2. Even those who owned a Deity above them beleived it to doe nothing in Humane affayres Job 22.14 we believe his Providence reaching all things 3. They stopt in those Spirits we with them make our addresses to God And 4. They offred sacrifices to them we offer none but to God This objection is not new it was made against the Catholick Church above 1300. yeares a goe to which S. Austin answerd l. 20. cont Faustum cap. 21. l. 8. de Civit. D. c. 27. in the later place he hath these words Quis audivit Sacerdotem stantem ad altare etiam super sanctum Corpus Martyris dicere in precibus Offero tibi sacrificum ô Petre vel Paule vel Cypriane cùm apud eorum memorias offeratur Deo Ista non esse sacrificia Martyrum novit qui novit unum quod Deo offertur sacrificium Christianorum Nos itaque Martyres nostros divinis honoribus non colimus nec sacrificia illis offerimus Who ever heard a Preist at the Altar say I offer sacrifice to thee O Peter Paul or Cyprian when uppon their sepulchers it is offred to God Those are not sacrifices of Martyrs as all know who bnow that one sacrifice of Christians which is there offred to God Wherefore we doe not worship Martyrs with divine Adorations nor offer sactifice unto them Out of which words you may learne 1. that Martyrs were worshipt in the primitive Church 2. their Tombes were turned into Altars 3. that the Sacrifice of Christians was offred uppon those tombes 4. that that sacrifice was offred only to the living God not to the Martyrs All which things to this day the Roman Catholick Church doth very religiously observe By which appeares the conformity of the ancient moderne Church in doctrine practice As also the difformity betwixt the ancient Church the Protestant Reformation in which there is nether Martyrs worshipt nor their tombes regarded nor Altars nor sacrifice You still roule stones which fall on your owne head G. B. pag. 25. There was a Saint appointed for every nation S. Andrew for Scotland S. Geerge for Ingland S. Denis for France many more for other nations ANS I desire to learne of you where when by what authority this Appointment was made Appointing is an Act of Iurisdiction soe universal a decree soe religiously obeyed must be a very solemne Act proceede from the supreame Authority acknowledged on Earth Which could not be soe husht up as that no memory of it should appeare Againe the whole Church on Earth never pretended any Jurisdiction over Saints in Heaven nor even over those in Purgatory whome shee endeavours to ease or release not by Judgment but by prayer non absolutione sed solutione say divines Soe none but God hath Jurisdiction over those Blessed souls by him alone that appointement could be made Now by what Revelation have you learnt that Act of God what Catholick Authour authentically recorded it G. B. pag. 27. In the eleventh century numbring Prayers by Beades began ANS They began only in the thirteenth century G. B. pag. 28. Ten Prayers on the Beades to the virgin one to God ANS Beades are used severall ways some say Creedes or the greate ones ether Pater nosters or Gloria Patris on the ltitle ones Against these your objection hath no place And it hath no force against others who by their Prayers to the virgin only pray her to pray to God for them G. B. pag. 28. How many more worship her then do her son ANS Not one for no body worships her but for her son's sake for the vertu shee received from God by the merit 's of her son Soe that her worship ends in her son or in God This you have beene often told of by others but are resolved never to take notice of it fearing to want this precious argument Which is as frivolous as it is common among your brethren To shew you the opinion and practice of the ancient Christians three authoritys will suffice one of the Latin the rest of the Greeke Church The first is out of S. Austin l. 7. de Baptismo c. 1. Adjuvet nos B. Cyprianus orationibus suis in istius carnis mortalitate tanquam in caliginosâ nube laborantes May Blessed S. Cyprian with his prayers assist us who labour in this corruptible body as in a dark cloud And S. Gregory Nissen Orat. de laudibus Theodori Martyris He says If thy owne Prayers be not efficacions enough If greater more powerfull intercessioÌ„ be necessary call together the quire of thy brethren the Martyrs with them all pray for us Ad monish Peter stir up Paul as also Iohn the beloved Disciple that they may be carefull of the Churches they sounded S. Chrisost hom 1. in Thess ante fin teaches us to pray how we should doe it to Saint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us nether despise the prayers of Saints nor quite rely uppon them least we ether become slouthfull carelesse or loose their helpes But let us pray them to pray for us let us live vertuously that we may attaine to that blisse which is promist to those who love God through the grace of our lord I. Christ No R. Catholick can explicate our doctrine more fignificantly seing he explicates the object Saints the manner not to rely uppon them solely The designe to
revealed Truths to its Tribunall to you I say we leave the search of those depths discovery of those mysterys G. B. pag. 48. I could prove from history that generall Councills have erred that Popes have beene hereticks ANSWER By what you have done we may guesse what you can doe Your learning appeares by your writings as also your Judgment in using it We have seene many proofes of it shall see more in this small tract I will adde to them one instance out of another work of yours observations on the 1. Canon of the Apostles pag. 66. you prove that anciently Preists could administer the Sacrament of Confirmation out of the first Canon of the first Council of Orange When it is evident that that canon doth not give Preists Power to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation but commands them to use Chrisme in Baptisme since when every Divine of the first yeare knows that verticall Chrismation hath beene a ceremony of that first myterious Sacrament Such mistakes as these are incident to such as are bredde in a congregation where Ceremonyes are abrogated G. B. pag. 49. We are not the servants of men nor bound to their Authority for none can be a Iudge but where he hath power totry to coerse Now none but God can search our harts soe none but he can be Judge ANS The Independant Quaker all who endure with regrate Prince Prelate canon civill law under pretence of Evangelicall Liberty will thank you for this CHAPTER XIV Of Merits G. B. pag. 50. If any have derogated from the value of the satisfaction of that Lamb of God they have offred the utmost indignity to the hyghest love committed the crime of the greatest ingratitude imaginable ANSWER Transeat totum what then G. B. Who would requite the most unconcevable love with such a sacrilegious attempt ANS None that I know of But say you how guilty are they of this who would set the ments workes of men in an equality with the Blood of God ANS I know none such If you doe point them out for Punishment No Catholick is concerned in them G. B. pag. 51. It is tru this doctrine of merit is so explained by some of that Church that there remaines no ground of quarelling it except for the Term's sake which is indeed odious improper though early used by the ancients in an innocent sense But many of that Church acknowledge there can be no obligation on God by our workes but that which his owne promise binds upon him ANS Here is one of the malitious slyghts of you your Brethren when you cannot with any colour accuse the doctrine of our Church to pretend it is only the doctrine of some few persons that you may perswade your Disciples the Generality of Catholicks hold the contrary The Council of Trent containes what all Catholicks subscribe to this is the doctrine of that Council in this point Council Trid s 6. c. 16. Benè operantibus usque in finem in Deo sperantibus proponenda est vita aeterna tanquam gratia filiis Dei per Christum Iesum misericorditer promissa tanquam merces ex ipsius Dei promissione bonis ipsorum operibus meritis fideliter reddenda To those who persever in good works even to the end of this life who hope in God life everlasting is proposed both as Grace mercyfully promist to the adopted children of God through Iesus Christ our Lord as al 's as a Reward due in vertu of the promise of God to their good workes merits What can you say against this doctrine Is it not that very doctrine which you say is Innocent that there is no ground of quarrelling it we doe not beleive the greatest good we can produce can bind God Without 1. his owne Promise 2. the merits of Christ why may not this suffice you But the terme is odious say you Why soe seing by ancient Fathers moderne Divines by the primitive present Church it is used in an innocent sense why may not the Catholick Church using that word in a good sense qualify the odium correct it what if not only in fathers or Councills but inscripture it self that terme be found at least equivalently will not that reconcile you to this terme Now soe it is for Merit Reward are correlatives (a) Rom. 11.6 which cannot be separated according to Philosophy Now a Reward is promist in Scripture (b) Mat. 5.12 to those who are reviled persecuted calumniated as we are by you your Brethren in such sly malignant hints wherefore we do merit in suffring such calumnies And S. Paul c assures a Reward was due to him self for preaching willingly His willingly preaching was then meritorious When the Reader saw those Tragicall Declamations no doubt but he expected nolesse then some doctrine destructive of Christianity that Religion lay gasping Parturiunt montes natus est ridiculus mus All the fryght you were in was raysed from one word which you your selfe say hath an Innocent sense And we say that that very sense is what the R. Caholick Church intends by it Soe you have a remedy for your groundlesse apprehension CHAPTER XV. Of temporall Punishment due to sin forgiven G.B. pag. 54. Adde the distinction of the temporary eternall punishment sin deserves the later is removed by the Blood of Christ the former must be expiated by our selves ether by suffrings in this life or in Purgatory ANSWER We hold indeed a temporall paine due to sin after it is remitted sometimes not always For when sin is remitted by Baptisme or by a perfect Act of Contrition we beleive all paine to be remitted with the sin But not ordinarily And for this reason the Church at all times made a difference betwixt those whose sins were expiated by the Sacrament of Baptisme of Pennance for shee never imposed any Penal workes on baptised persons never omitted imposing them on Penitents Which short bint points out such a cloud of witnesses testifying this Truth that it covers the whole face of the primitive Church soe covers it as to discover its doctrine to be the same with ours Nothing can be more cleere to confirme this Catholick doctrine then that a temporall penalty was inflicted on David (a) 2. Reg. 12.14 for that sin which uppon his crying Peccavi had beene removed putaway or forgiven A Penalty therefore or Pennance may be inflicted for a sin forgiven consequently a paine is due sometimes to it Indeed were it not soe why did our fore fathers impose large Pennances after by vertu of the keyes the sins were remitted why doe you blame us for imposing small Pennances when there is as you say here none at all due G. B. pag. 54. This is contrary to the value we set on the blood of Christ Ephes 2.15.16 By Christ Peace is made we are reconciled to God he presents
nether in this world nor in the next Whence it follows that some sins are forgiin the next world Neque enim de quibusdam veraciter diceretur quod non eis remittatur neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro saeculo nisi essent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remittetur in futuro Aug. l. 21. de Civit. Dei cap. 24. Now to Mr. G. B. G.B. p. 55. For Purgatory the proofe from Scripture was only drawne from one wrested place of the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 3.12.13.14.15 ANS How can you say this when amongst the ancients S. Austin uses another text as we have just now seene And Bellarmin hath nineteene texts of Scripture as your Patriark W.L. will tell you p. 353. G. B. The Apostles words containe only a Proverbiall forme of speech to expresse the risque they run The Apostle speakes not only of arisque or hazard but of an effectuall losse He shall fuffer losse Says he verse 15. G. B. p. 55. Many visions apparitions were vouched for the proofe of Purgatory ANS I never saw any vouched for that intent I am sure nether the Councill of Trent nor that of Florence nor Benedict XII vouched any such thing for that intent I think not our divine Faith much concerned in asserting the Truth of any purely humane hystory I think most apparitions to be such Yet because severall Protestants as well as all Atheists utterly reject all such relations I desire them to reade S. Austin l. de Curâ pro mortuis cap. 10. where he says it would be an Impudence to deny them all Impudenter venire videbimur si haec falsa esse responderimus And in his 16. chap. he says he had learnt non incertis rumoribus sed testibus certis not from uncertain rumours but from undoubted withnesses that S. Faelix had appeared both to Citizens strangers during the siege of Nola. Had you the same Faith which was then in the Church you would beleive these things your denying them which the Primitive Church S. Austin beleived shews you to be anitmted with a different Faith CHAPTER XVII Priestly Absolution G.B. pag. 60. Another Art for detracting from the value of Christ death is the Preistly Absolution ANSWER This objection is no product of your owne wit you may find it the Authors of it together with an Answer to in S. Ambrose l. 1. de Poen c. 2. Aiunt Novatianise Domino deferre reverentiam cui soli remittendorum criminum potestatem reservant Imò melli majorem injuriam faciunt quà m qui volunt ejus mandata rescindere Nam cùm ipse in Evangelio dixerit quaecumque ligaveritis quis est qui enm magis honorat utrum qui mandatis ejus obtemperat an qui resistit Ecclesia in utroque servat obedientiam ut peccatum alliget relaxet The Novatians says this Saint pretend to honour God by reserving to him alone the power of forgiving sins But really none are more injurious to him or wrong him more then those who breake his orders For whereas he in the Ghospel sayd whose sins soever you bind Who honours God more he who obeys his commands by using that power or he who resists them Now the Church obeys both the commands to bind loose sins effectually binding loosing them Thus S. Ambrose You see Sir that our Doctrine now was that of the Church in S. Ambrose's time that the Novatians held your doctrine made use of the same pretext as you doe to defend their doctrine The Church for which S. Ambrose pleades was Catholick soe must we be in this seing our doctrine is the same with theirs The Novatians in this were Hereticks what are you Indeed the words with which our B. Saviour (a) Mat. 16.18 first promist secondly (b) Ioan. 20.22.23 actually communicated that power to forgive or retaine sins are soe expresse that it is the greatest disrespect imaginable soe to wrest them as they must to draw them from their naturall sense I desire you to shew your art invent us some speach which in soe few words shall more cleerly expresse this sense the Catholick Church understands them in And as for Fathers see S. Cyprian in many places S. Basil qq brev q. 288. S Leo epist 91. ad Theodorum Greg. hom 26. in Evang. Cyr. Alex. lib. 12. in Joan. but above all S. Chrisostome l. 3. de Sacerd. c. 5. tom 3. edit Savell pag. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those who dwell on earth says he are enabled to dispense the things in Heaven To them a Power is given which nether Angels nor Archangels enjoy for to these it was never sayd what you shall bind Earthly Princes have power to cast into prison but their Power is restrained to Bodyes only Where as the bond we speake of reaches the soul Heaven it self In so much as what Preists doe below God ratifyes above the lord confirmes the sentence of the servant And what is this but to have put into their hands all Power to dispose of Heaven whose sins you forgive are forgiven whose sins you retaine are retained What Power can be greater then this God the Father hath given all Power to Iudge to the son the son hath communicated all that same Power to Preists Thus this Glorious Saint You see sir the grounds of our beleife in this point the cleere words of our Lord (a) Ioan. 20.23 whose soever sins you remit they are remitted unto them You see the Fathers the Primitive Church explicating those words as we doe you see Novatians were held for Hereticks for understanding those words otherwise What ground have you to deny a Truth delivered by Christ to the Apostles from them handed downe to us G. B. pag. 62. It was counted a Blasphemy in Christ when he sayd thy sins are forgiven thee which shews it to be blasphemy in all others it being an invasion of his Prerogative ANS Here we have a blasphemous accusation of the Scribes against Jesus-Christ opposed against the cleere words of Christ the meaning of the whole Church Nay their words althô full of malice convinced of falshood by a miracle are preferd before those of Christ as being made a Rule by which his must be interpreted Thus under-pretence of asserting the authority of Christ you overthro wit as your Brethren ruined their souveraigne under pretence of making him a glorious King But say you Christ cleered himself from the Power was committed to the son of man to forgive sins ANS That same Power given by the son of man to the Apostles their successors doth cleere us G. B. pag. 61. After a sinner hath gon over his sins without any signe of remorse told them to a Preist he enjoins a Pennance without wayting that they obey it he says I absolve thee after this they judge them selves fully cleansed from sins ANS Were there
a great defect in all our Protestant writers I will instance in two who seeme each in his kind to overtop his Confreres quantum lenta solentinter viburna Cupressi The one Bishop Andrews who by divisions subdivisions instructs well only sometimes verborum minutiis rerum pondera frangit The other is the Authour of the whole duty of man who hath many excellent Truths very practicall as well as the first yet seeme not to move the will because of their cold way of treating their doctrines They Shine but they doe not Burne This heate is not to be attained unto but by Prayer Which inflames our hart with the love of God In meditatione meâ exardescet ignis Psal 38.4 It is this love which vnites us to God this union makes us capable of doing greate things For an instrument must be in the hand of the work man to doe compleatly what is intended if it be distant from him and not held but by a small thred the work will be difficult imperfect if there can be any We are all the instruments of God in order to all good workes especially in writing spirituall bookes in which if there is any thing good it must come from God the fountaine of all good The Apostles after the Ascension expecting the coming of the Holy Ghost (a) Act. 1.14 continued with one accord in Prayer S. John Baptiste althô sanctifyed in his mothers womb designed for the office of Precursor by consequence fitted from above for that office yet He was (b) Luc. 1.80 in the desert till the days of his shewing to Israel sequestring himself from the company of men coÌ„versing only with God his Angels the far greatest part of his life And the word Incarnate not for any neede of his owne but to give us example past 40. (c) Mat. 4.8 days in fasting prayer in a desert before he began to preach And when he had begun he past the days with men the nygâ—ts (d) Luc. 6.12 Erat pernoctans in oratione Dei in Prayer with his heavenly father Species tibi datur forma tibi praescribitur quam debeas aemulari says S. Ambr. lib. 6. in Luc. This was the practice of S. Gregory Naz. S. Basil S. Chrysostome And in later times Ignatius de Loyola before he began the Society past a retreate in a cave at Manresa Godalone is in peculiar manner the father of lyghts all is darknesse but what is received from him The greatest spiritualists that ever held a pen even the writers of Scripture at the same time they taught us received their lesson from the Holy Ghost first the eares of their hart were open to (a) Psal 84.9 heare what God spoke to them then they opened their mouth to speake out (b) Mat. 12.34 of the aboundance of their hart to us Now what yeares what months what weekes or at least days doe you of the ministry passe in solitude in Prayer I find little footsteps of it in any of your workes when you fall uppon those things you discover you are strangers to them for you advance like one who groapes to find his way in the darke you have some termes of Scripture of communication with the lord walking with God the like which you use on all occasions which are in themselves very significant but insignificant to you because not understood by you I never found any who could practically explicate them soe as to be tollerably understood In deed there are inscripture many things not to be understood but by Prayer Such is that Saying of our Saviour (c) Io. 12.25 He that hateth his soul which S. Francis Xaverius used to say was darke in study but cleere as noone day in Prayer Humility is necessary in a spirituall man God being pleased (d) Mat. 11.15 To reveale his myst erys to the little ones when he conceales them from the Proud wise Theyr are those instruments which God cheifely uses For (a) 1. Cor. 1. God chooses the weake things to confound the strong the foolish things to confound the wise the base and contemptible things to confound the proud presumptuous that no flesh should glory in his presence Now this vertu is a flower scarce to be found in your garden CHAPTER XXXVIII Protestant Doctrines contrary to Piety FRom your p. 149. till the end you make an elogium of your Church you describe an Utopian Congregation rather then it or if it you speake rather what you wish it were then what it is You except indeed from the common rule some persons whose lives contradict your assertion say their bad lives ought not or eflect on your opinions p. 153. What ever the practices of too many amongst us be yet there is no ground to quarrell our doctrines I joine issue with you as to owning this truth that in the feild the Church there is cockle wi th corne in the Barne-floore chaffe with wheate in the net bad as well as good fishes foolish virgins as well as wise That as S. Austin (a) August Epist 137. observes we cannot hope that in any Congregation consisting of many persons all should be greate Saints seing in the Ark of Noe of eyght persons one Cham was accurst that out of Abraham's family Ismael was cast that in Isaac's family Esau was hated in Jacob's Ruben defiled his father's bed In David's one son committed incest another turned Rebell Amongst the Apostles there was one Iudas In the earthly Paradice Adam fell in Heaven the Angels sinned Hence it is no reproach to any Congregation to have some bad livers sometimes discovered in it provided its establisht laws doe not abette the evill nor its doctrine encline to it J ownesome ill livers in the Catholick Church as well as in yours But we have many greate Saints who appease God's wrath you have none We must see whither doctrines foster Impiety you say ours I have I think convinced y our errour we say yours thus we prove it First nothing is embraced or aimed at by our will but what is good possible to be obtained It is not credible that any man in his wits will seriously set himself to make a ladder to reach the moone or bootes to wade from Ingland to Jamaica both being Looked on as impossible considering the heygth of the moorce the bredth depth of those seas Wherefore Protestant doctrine teaching that the commandments of God are impossible is destructive to all serious endeavours to keepe them How contrary to this was the discourse of Moyses (a) Deut. 30.11 when he perswaded the Israelits to the observance of the commandments because they were not difficult the things commanded being nether in Heaven nor within the Earth nor in remote regions that is to say nether soe hygh nor soe low nor soe remote as to be out of their reach but that they were
in their hart mouth that is to say very neere or easy S. John 1. Jo 5.3 to the same intent sayd the Commandments were lyght with this motive we encourage ours Two things may be answered to this reason first that some of ours have taught that doctrine secondly that some of yours doe not teach it To the first I reply that I ansenius indeed did hold it but was immediatly condemned by the Pope the whole Church soe his doctrine doth not discourage ours And to the second your Church never made any solemne decree against it nay it ownes Communion with those who teach it soe the discouragement lyes with you Secondly your excessive exagerations of faith as all sufficient to salvation your neglect of other vertues good workes may encline to faith but stirres up to no labour for other vertues as being of no necessity no greate use now we place faith in the rank S. Paul assignes it (a) 1. Cor. 12. at the feete of Charity with S. James we teach that (b) Iac. 2.26 with out workes it is dead We owne with the Apostle that without Faith nothing can be done in order to eternall blisse because (c) Heb. 11.6 it impossible to please God without it with it alone nothing considerable is done Hence we teach our People too keepe their Faith as the Apple of their eye but withall to cherish Charity as their Hart. Thirdly Hope of advantage is a greate spurre to vertu this encourages the souldier in his battells the marchant is his voyages the Husband man in his labours whose endeavours would slacken was there no corne no gaine by marchandise nor victory to be hoped for Now we teach that through the Passion of Christ by the promise of God a reward is due to good workes you deny this pretending that nothing is due to the best of them but Hell damnation they being all sins Soe our doctrine encourages to good workes yours dishartens them Fourthly what soever doctrine diminishs the feare of the punishment due to sin is contrary to vertu because that feare is a greate curbe to our Passions Now your doctrine doth diminish that feare for you teach that faith secures to you your act of oblivion your full pardon soe that those who beleive soundly neede feare nothing Faith having a vertu to blot out all sins G. B. pag. 154. We cannot be charged for having taught our People to breake any one Commandment ANSWER You seeme charged for teaching them indirectly to breake them all saying the keeping them is impossible in it selfe fruitlesse if they should be kept their breach not prejudiciall G. B. pag. 160. Bad practices may furnish matter for regret but not for separation ANSWER It is tru when where principles of religion are contrary to such practices But when these bad customes are naturall sequels of the doctrine necessarily flow from it not only the practices are to be detested but likewise the doctrine whence they flow is to be abhorred as pernicious to souls the Church which teaches them as doctrine ether necessary to be beleived or even probable in practice what soever Church it be is to be forsaken as the Chaire of Pestilence Si quid de Tuo Deus meus dictum est agnoscant Tui Si quid de Meo tu ignosce tui Aug. AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS Chapt. 1. MR. G. B. his designe his disposition when be writ this booke of the Wickednesse of the world Pag. 1 Chapt. 2. Of Antichrist Pag. 6 Chapt. 3. The tru designes of Christian Religion Pag. 11 Chapt. 4. G. B.'s explication of the Designes of Religion Pag. 15 Chapt. 5. Of the Characters of Christian Doctrine Pag. 19 Chapt. 6. Scriptures supprest Pag. 23 Chapt. 7. Idolatry of Pagans Pag. 30 Section 1. Pagans thought their Idols to be Gods Pag. 31 Sect. 2. The beginning occasion of Idolatry Pag. 41 Sect. 3. What were the Pagan Gods that the Pagan Gods had been men Pag. 52 Sect. 4. The Roman Grecian Jupiter was not the tru God Pag. 68 Sect. 5. Whither all Pagans beleived one God Pag. 84 Sect. 6. Of the unknowne God at Athens p. 98 Chapt. 8. How G. B. proves Catholicks Idolaters p. 104 Chapt. 9. Of Mediating Spirits p. 107 Chapt. 10. Of the Intercession of Saints p. 116 Chapt. 11. Pretended charmes of Holy-water wax-Candles Agnus Dei's p. 126 Chapt. 12. Of Ceremonyes p. 130 Chapt. 13. Scripture the Church of the Resolution of Faith p. 137 Chapt. 14. Of Merits p. 151 Chapt. 15. Punishments due to sin forgiven p. 153 Chapt. 16. Of Purgatory p. 157 Chapt. 17. Preistly Absolution p. 166 Chapt. 18. Of Pennances p. 171 Sect. 1. Fasting p. 172 Sect. 2. Prayer p. 175 Sect. 3. Pilgrimages p. 178 Sect. 4. Two Objections answered p. 182 Chapt. 19. Sacrifice of the Masse p. 183 Chapt. 20. Regall Office of Christ of Transubstantiation Dispensing in vows c. p. 188 Chapt. 21. Love its two species Repentance mortall veniall sins Attrition Contrition p. 192 Chapt. 22. Theologicall Vertues p. 200 Sect. 1. Of Faith Heresy p. 201 Sect. 2. Of Hope Presumption p. 206 Sect. 3. Of Charity p. 209 Sect. 4. Answer to what G. B. objects p. 212 Chapt. 23. Efficacy of Sacraments p. 215 Chapt. 24. Probable opinions good intentions of the Authour of the Provinciall Letters p. 217 Chapt. 25. Papists doe not allow to breake the commandments p. 225 Chapt. 26. Riches Pride of Churchmen p. 230 Chapt. 27. Vnity of the Church in Faith Sacraments G. B. owne Protestants to be Schisinaticks severity against dissoniers of Hugo Grotius p. 235 Chapt. 28. Zeale of souls in our Bishops Reformers of S. Cyran Arnaud Jansenius p. 241 Chapt. 29. Small Objections Residency commendams p. 254 Conclusion of the first beginning of the second part p. 257 Chapt. 30. Catholick Faith how delivered Rules to know Tradition Faith never changed The dispute betwixt Mr. Arnaud Mr. Claude p. 260 Chapt. 31. Revelations miracles p. 269 Chapt. 32. Whither all Mysterys of Faith Common p. 276 Chapt. 33. Faith not dependant on senses p. 283 Chapt. 34. Mr. G. B. Intention Meekenesse p. 289 Chapt. 35. Reasons why Cat. embrace not the communion of the Protestant Church p. 296 Chapt. 36. Greater exercise of Piety amongst Catholicks then amongst Protestants p. 304 Chapt. 37. No houses of devotion nor spirituall Bookes amongst Protestants p. 310 Chapt. 38. Protestant Doctrines contrary to Piety p. 318 A Catalogue of some Authors whose Pages are cited in this worke with the places where yeares when they where printed I name only those Authors whose Pages I cite by reason that their treatises being long or not divided into Chapters the places I use would not be otherwise easily found Authors Where Printed in what yeare Aristotle Parisiis 1619. Arnobius Parisiis 1666. Athenagoras
spirituality did not answer to the time of her conversion A like conclusion may be drawne from a reproach made to the ancient converted Jews (a) Heb. 5.12 When for the time ye ought to be teachers you have neede that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the oracles of God are become such as have neede of Milke not of strong meate For every one that useth Milke is unskilfull in the word of Ryghteous nesse for he is a babe But strong meate belongs to those that are of full age those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discerne good evill Thus the Apostle dealt with Babes in Christ But to Proficients he discovered greater mysteryes (b) 1. Cor. ◠6 We speake wisdome amongst the Perfect And because he thought the Thessalonians were such he prayed hard dayly that he myght see them againe that (a) 1. Thess 3.10 he myght compleate what was lacking in their Faith Now whither this compleating was intensivè or extensivè by adding new mysteryes of faith or a more ample explication of what they knew before is not materiall This will helpe us to understand the meaning of another place of the Apostle (b) Rom. 12. I say through the Grace given unto me to every man that is amongst you not to think of himself more hyghly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the MEASVRE of faith For as we have many members in one body all members have not the same office soe we being many are one body in Christ every one members of another Having then Gifts according to the grace which is given us whither Prophecy ministry c. Faith is distributed you see to all the Church yet not to each member of it alike but to each one HIS MEASVRE proportionable to his capacity the place or function he is called to Which similitude he uses in alike sense 1. Cor 12. Ephes 4.7 And had you taught your Disciples as the Apostles did theirs toke content with their mesure of faith there had not beene soe many sects in the world who pretending to the fullnesse of faith of which they are not capable have lost both Faith Charity You see Sir whose example we follow in this viz that of the Apostles Soe if there be any designe of Ambition to ground it the Apostles are guilty of it not we Origenes con Cels l. 1. p. 7. says all Christians were not acquainted with all revealed Truths only the most necessary points were communicated to all And l. 3. p. 122. he confirmes that practice with the example of Christ who spoke in Parables to the multitude explicated them to his Disciples Mat. 13.11 S. Basil l. de Spir. S. c. 27. discoursing of the institutions of Christianity divides them into two parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first myght be familiarly preached to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the others were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not commonly to be divulged Tertullian l. de praescript c. 25. p. 335 blames some heretickes who pretended to ground their errors on Traditions obscurely delivered by the Apostles on that occasion seemes to disowne any doctrine taught in private But in the following chapt 26. p. 336. he explicates his meaning which was to reject only such clancular Traditions as should be contrary to the Word or Doctrine publickly preached And we say the same G. B. p. 132. These are practises far different from the methode of the Apostles in preaching the Ghospel who with held nothing of the counsell of God from the People ANSWER Those words are taken out of that speach of S. Paul to the Elders of the Church of lester Asia (a) Act. 20.27 which you by a grosse mistake say were the People as if the Holy Ghost had made the People Bishops to governe the Church of God Now if the People governe who are governed You are hard put to it to find reasons against us when you are forced to such wretched shifts Know then which I wōder any one who reades with attention that place can be ignorant of that those to whome S. Paul spake there were Bishops to whome by reason of their office a larger mesure of faith was due to them the whole counsel of God was made knowne to be communicated to others not promiscuously to all but to faithfull men who myght be able to teach others 2. Tim. 2.2 Now though according to the practice of the Apostles the People amongst us are not made Teachers Pastors Prophets Apostles yet all even to the meanest Artisan have instructions necessary to salvation What they are bound to beleive what they are to hope for what to doe what neede of more If any amongst us will undergo the labour of Studys the greatest mysteryes of our Faith are obvious to him our Scriptures our Councils our Decretalls our Fathers our Ecclesiasticall Prophane Hystorys our Divines our Philosophers are extant in our Stationers shops as well for the use of the meanest Christian as of the Pope Cardinalls or Bihops What is then concealed from them which may ground your Accusation Our procedure in this is so connaturall that I am perswaded it cannot but be your owne practice The Inglish Church hath drawne to some few heades those points of Faith which shee thinks necessary to salvation delivers them to all in her Catechisme As for the others contained ether in the Bible or in the Nicene Athanasian Creedes or in the four first Generall Councills she Leaves it to her Children to seeke them out themselves if they have will convenience or to receivethem from their Ministers I do not see how any Gouvernours of a Church can proceede otherwise Dare you blame this in your Mother Church why then should you condemne us for it G. B. pag. 133. Matters of interest are the constant subject of their studyes sermons whereas others of the greatest laws of God are seldome minded ANs If you could write this untruth with out blushing you have no blood in your body To confute you it will be enough to open any one booke of Devotion heare or reade a sermon In malâ non possunt aliter Aug. Your cause must be very bad which requires such untruths to up hold it ours very good seing you have no Truth to alleadge against it CHAPTER XXXIII Faith not dependant on senses G. B. pag. 133. God hath sitted faith framed our souls soe harmoniously that they are congenial one to another ANS I find you in this point very much to seeke how to owne agreate Truth yet to establish a contrary falshood which is very deare to your whole party That Faith is above naturall reason much more above sense is unquestionable This you owne soe place Faith on a throne Yet something must behad against