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
none at all Cornelius Iansenius was a Bishop soe his case is different from the rest for he had jurisdiction Yet why he should be cited amonst the Reformers I know not He hath written severall workes Mars Gallicus Annotations on the Pentateucke the Ghospels Alexipharmacum his Augnstinus His Mars Gallicus is an invective against the french designes His Annotations Augustinus doe not touch the discipline of the Church He contradicts in them some points of the doctrine of the Church defined in the Councill of Trent which drew the censure of Rome on the later worke of his yet without touching his persō who by his will submitted his Augustinus to the censure of Rome in whose communion he always lived did then dye as an obedient son of it To know the opinion he had of your faction reade his Alexipharmacum which he writ against your Brethren at Boyleduc you will see it What reason have you to complaine of sevetity used towards him I know of none His person was never toucht by any censure As for the Disciples of S. Cyran Iansenius I grant there is amongst them a spirit of independantisme And what assembly of men is entirely free from such Yet you cannot glory in them if what Mr. Brevint says in his Preface to Saul Samuel at Endor be tru that they are more dangerous to a Protestant then even Missioners or Iesuits therefore warnes all to avoyde their company Soe that even those who dislike something in us condemne you CHAPTER XXIX Other small objections G.B. pag. 112. Papists make children Bishops allow of pluralityes non-Residences commendams c. which are every day granted at Rome ANSWER Here are acompany of hard words to fryght your Reader from Rome as Birds are fryghte from corne with a rattle there is likewise more noyse then substance in both I have lived in the greatest Catholicks Princes dominions never saw nor heard of what you say is dayly done Our Canons require 30. yeares for a bishop few are made soe young most are promoted to that dignity very ancient Yet this age being determined only by Ecclesiasticall law I will not deny but that on some extraordinary motive some have beene dispensed with If you blame this see how you will excuse S. Paul who made S. Timothy Bishop of Ephesus in his youth 1. Tim. 4.12 If you condemne pluralityes in our Church how will you excuse your owne in which they are practised must the canon law be a cablerop to us a cob web to you If you dislike pluralityes begin with reforming your owne brethren his majestyes Chapplins in ordinary who can find a conscience to keepe two Benefices if they meete with a Prince who will bestow them As for non Residencys (a) Vide Aug. epist 138. I demand whither it be not lawfull for a Bishop to be absent from his Diocese in the circumstances following 1. For the good of the Church as in generall or particular Councils 2. For the good of the nation as in our Parliaments 3. For the good of their Dioceses as when Flavianus Patriarck of Antioch went to Constantinople to preserve his Episcopal seate from being ruined by appeasing Theodosius the greate offended for the throwing downe of this statues 4. For any other reason soe weyghty that evidently it may be equivalent to the good which his residence myght bring No Papists thinks them lawfull but only on such occasions for as for such who do absent themselves ether for ambition or Enuy or pleasure or friend ship or any other unlawfull designe or for some good but soe little as not to countervayle that of their duty to their flock we no lesse blame them then you our cannons for Residence are as severe as can be those often executed with the utmost rigour What doe you more Commendams offend you that is the recommending the meanes of Abbyes to those who are not monks Yet we give them only to clergy-youto mere lay men Secondly we give them only for their lives you give them to their heyres executors administrators assignes 3. We leave the Abby its legall superiors a competent subsistance for othe monks You turne them a begging out of God's Blessing into the warme sun When you have proved that it is more lawfull for you Church to steale a Goose then forours to pluck a quill I shall beleive your procedure legall outs illegall G.B. pag. 112. They struggled hard against the honest attempt of those who laboured to have had residence declared to be of Divine Ryght in the Concil of Trent ANS What myght the Catholick Church doe to please you Had she past that declaration you would have clamoured at your ordinary rate against new definitions of faith now she rejected that Definition she opposed the honest attempt to premote it she must be in the wrong those who oppose her in the ryght what ever shee or they doe because shee is the Church they a discontented paty in her In fine as the Iews proceeded with our Saviour the Bridgroome soe do you with the Bride the Catholick Church her Actions what ever they are are blamed To (a) Luke 7.32 what are the men of this generation like They are like unto children sitting in the market place saying we have piped unto you you have not danced we have mourned unto you you have not wept For doth the Church make a decree you blame her for it doth she not make it you blame her for that too But Wisdome is justifed by all her children A Conclusion of the first Beginning of the second Part. G.B. pag. 116. I have run around that greate circle I proposed to my selfe have examined the designes of Christian Religion have found greate contradiction given to them by the Dodrines of that Church ANSWER You have indeed run a round that so long that you are giddy with it as appeares by your frequent greate falls so evidently against common sense as I have all a long observed yet I have not observed all for that would have been too tedious to the Reader have taken up more time then I can bestow uppon trifles You have skewne no contradiction betwixt doctrine of the Catholick Church the designes of Christianity I have thewne their conformity But your Booke discovers a designe against Charity which is the Hart of Religion it being a heape of rash Judgments evident calumnyes or uncharitable surmizes I say nothing of your faults against reason your incoherentnotions groundlesse Judgments perpetuall sophismes because althô these are greate faults in themselves yet not considerable in presence of those others against Charity And these faults are the greater for being brought to up hold a schisme a designe contrary to Christianity it being a most certaine Truth that noman can have the love of God who withstands the union of all men in one Church Non habet
his humble applications to God bowing to him lifting up his hands to the throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 ro receive thence Mercy then turne to the People to powre it uppon them Thus on Jacobs Ladder the Angells appeared going up downe up to God downe to Jacob a type of what Preists doe when they officiate But he gives them a short Barbariais Benedidiction That Benediction which you a very civilized person disdaine as Barbarous is taken out of Scripture the words of an Angel to Gedeon Judges 6.12 Our Lord be with you Dominus vobiscum Scripture it selfe cannot escape your censure if a Papist use it Your contempt of the language of Angels in this world will scarce make you worthy of their company in the next G. B. page 35. After Adoration the God is to be devoured by the Preist which made the Arabian say Christians were fooles who devoured what they adored ANS Aworthy authority for a King's chaplain in ordinary to build uppon Sir Christ sayd Take eate this is my body Because he says it is his body we adore it because he commands us to take eate it we obey do so But a Turk says it is foolish Let it be soe no Turk's opinion is the rule of my faith Is it of yours Is not this Prodigious that against the expresse words of Christ the practice of the whole Church the authority of a Turk should be brought nay preferred before it this by a minister G. B. pag. 38. Rome enioines severer censures on the violation of these ceremonyes then on the greatest transgressions against either the morall or positive Laws of God ANSWER I know no motive you can have for advancing such notorious untruths but that of Cicero Cum semel limites verecundiae transieris oportet gnaviter esse impudentem You have past those bounds there I leave you CHAPTER XIII Scripture the Church where Of the Resolution of Faith G.B. pag. 41. Papists call the Scriptures a nose of wax the sourse of all Heresyes c. ANS If any Roman Catholick compared Scripture to a nose of wax it is only because the letter may be wrested to different senses made to lookenot that way which the Holy Ghost designed but that which men's Passions leade them to The world affords not amore convincing instance of this flexibility of Scriptures then that of your owne Brethren in the late troubles who brought it to countenance Sedition Rebellion Heresy Murther the horriblest of all Murthers Parricide the killing of the father of the Country Did Scripture of it selfe Looke towards or abet all those crying sins nosure it condemnes them formally It can then be wrested from its owne naturall sense to another meaning contrary to it which is all that is meant by that phrase As for its being a sourse of Heresyes it is not tru that Scriptures doe found heresyes or that heresyesspring out of them but that men draw heresyes out of the words of Scriptures taken in a sense quite contrary to that of the holy Ghost G. B. pag. 41. Papists will have all the authority of the Scriptures to depend on the Church A greate difference is to be made betwixt the testimony of a witnesse the authority of a Iudge The former is not denyed to the Church ANS Here you grant to the Church as much as we desire provided you owne in this witnesse such a veracity as the nature of its Testimony requires to bring us to a certaine undoubted beleife of the Scriptures The Church never tooke uppon her the title of Iudge of Scripture In her Councils she places in the middle of the assembly a hygh Throne as for Christ in it sets the holy Ghospels as his word according to which she Judges of the Doctrine controverted Conc. Calced Act. 1. Soe she judges by Scriptures of the Doctrine of men but doth not Iudge of the Scriptures themselves At the first admission of a writing into the Canon of Scriptures the Church proceding is of another nature A writing is brought to her as writen by a man Divinely assisted of S. Paul for example to the Romans by Phebe or to Philemon by a fugitive servant Onesimus nether as a witnesse give any greate credit to the writing they brought The Pastors of the flocke of Christ consider the writings examin the messengers recurre to God by Prayer to demand the assistance of his Holy Spirit to know whither he were truly the Authour of the writing exhibited If after all these meanes used to discover the Truth they remaine convinced the thing was writen by inspiration of the Holy Ghost they obey it themselve command obedience to it as to the word of God use it as a Rule of Faith manners Soe when an unknowne person brings into a corporation a new Patent as of the King's Majesty presents it to the Major He before he allows the Patentee to act in vertu of it with his Brethen considers the writing the signet the seale the stile c. to know whither it be counterfitte or sincere with a Resolution to obey it himselfe make others doe the same in case it appeare to be truly the Kings The Major cannot be sayd to Judge of the Kings Patents to which as a subject he owes obedience but only to discerne whither an unknowne writing be the Kings Patent or no. You say this makes the authority of Scriptures depend on the Church Which is as rationall as if you should say the authority of the King's Patent depends on the Major of a petty corporation because the Patent is exhibited to him before it be executed If any man hath soe little common sense as not to discerne the difference betwixt these two Propositions to Iudge of the Kings Patent to Iudge whither an unknowne writing be the Kings Patent I am to seeke how to helpe him This authority of the Church to recommend the Scriptures as an undeniable witnesse occasioned that saying of S. Augustin 1. contu Epist Fundam c. 5. Ego Evangelio non crederem nisi me Ecclesiae Catholicae commoveret authoritas I would not beleive the Ghospel did not the authority of the Catholick Church move me to it Which words are cited by all Catholick controvertists as containing an implicit decision of all one controversys they shewing evidently S. Autstin's discourse against the Manichees to be just the same which we use against the moderne Protestants that as we are heyres of that Faith which S. Austin the Church of his time defended against its Opposers the Ancient Hereticks soe are we of the titles by which they enjoyed it the armes with which they defended it I will put downe the whole discourse of S. Austin atlarge that soe we may the better understand his meaning more convincingly shew how much the most understanding of our Adversarys are out of the way in explicating it The thing sought for in that
Mankind 〈◊〉 the closest bonds of Peace freindship charity which it doth tempering our Passions forgiving injuries loving our enemyes teaching obediencâ— to those in authority over us by associating 〈◊〉 into one body called the Church ANSWER This is in deed a designe worthy of Christian Religion but imperfectly explicated by you seing you omite the love of God the God (a) â— Cor. 13.11 of Peace who alone can give us perfect Peace Humane wills are naturally oppoâ—â— to one another they cannot meete but iâ—â— their naturall center God And the love 〈◊〉 our neyghbour is never sincere lasting buâ— when it is grounded on the love of God Thâ— first effect of selfe love is to seperate us from God The second to divide us amongst oâ—â— selves Both are the effects of sin nothing can prevent them linck us together in the bonds of charity but he who can remit sins That Peace then which Christian Religion teaches which the Church recomend to her children which in her Prayers shee demands of God is not an effect of human industry but of Grace It proceedes from the mercy of God it is a sequel of Purity of conscience the Crowne of reall tru Iustice In fine it is the work of the unspotted Lambe (a) 1. Petr. 1.19 at whose birth Peace (b) Luk. 2.14 was announced in his name to the world by the Angells who left Peace (c) 10.14.27 as a legacy to his disciples before his Death who was sacrificed on the Altar of the Crosse to reconcile us to his Heavenly father restore Peace betwixt Heaven Earth which the sin Rebellion of Men had banisht You see sir how insufficient your explication of Peace is for the ends you propose You leave out the Cheife most necessary ingredient for purging our dissensions to use a Prophets comparison (d) Ezeh c. 13.10 you build with untempered Mortar You (e) Ierem. 6.14 heale the hurt of the people slyghtly saying Peace Peace when there is no Peace You hint indeed at a good humane meanes to Peace Obedience to those in Authority It was to prevent schisme (f) Inter Apostolos unus eligitur ut capite consâ—ituto schismatis toll retur occasio Hieron l. 1. adversus Vigilantium c. 54. that God establisht one Apostle over the rest But your endlesse Divisions subdivisions amongst your selves Shew how inefficacious this meanes is in your Reformation And how can it be otherwise when all your People have before their eyes the example of your first Patriarkes who began your Reformation by rejecting all Authority over them breaking the rules of divine worship setled al over the world till that time acknowledged by themselves Cur non licebit Valentiniano quod licuit Valentino de arbitrio suo fidem innovare Tert. l. de praescript Why may not a Lutheran doe what was lawfull to Luther your first Reformers rejected some articles of Faith then universally beleived because they seemed not to be contained in Scripture why may not the same motive authorize their followers to reject some others which you would retaine althô they are as little to be found in Scriptures Why may not a moderne Protestant retrench some unnecessary ceremony used by you at present seing you have cut off soe many others Let others live by that law which you publish think not soe hyghly of your onne authority as to make your dictamens not only the Rule of Actions but of the laws themselves It shall be lawfull to dissent from this article of Faith but not from that other to quit this ceremony not that when the same rule is applicable to both Is not this properly (a) 2. Cor. 1.24 to Lord it over the Faith of the People What wonder you find your layty refractory to your ordinances they are in this directed by your rule encouraged by your example Wherefore Looke no where abroade for the roote of these tares your Reformers planted them they layd the Egge out of which this cockatrice is hatched They eate the sower grapes which set all your Teeth an Edge Nether appeares there any possibility of a remedy while your reformation subsists this principle of Discorde Schisme being sayd in its very foundation consequently it cannot be removed with out the ruin of the whole structure nor retained without perpetuall danger of renting it in Pieces I wish these troublesome schismes endlesse discordes amongst your selves may make you seeke a proper Remedy by a Reunion to the center of union God his Church CHAPTER V. Of the Characters of Christian Doctrine G.B. p. 8. I shall add to this the main distinguishing Characters of our Religion which are four Pag. 8. First its verity Pag. 10. The second its genuine simplicity perspicuity The third its Reasonablenesse the fourth its easinesse Thus you ANSWER Are these the only or even the Cheife Characters of Divine Truths whither you take them as they are delivered in holy writ or as taught in the Church Can you find no other quality peculiar to them not common to others Then humane learning may equall if not surpasse Divine Take for example some principles naturally knowne as Two two make four or The whole body is greater then any part of it These are Tru it is impossible they should be false They are Perspicuous Easy no man can doubt of them who understands the termes They are Reasonable for what more reasonable then to assent to Evident Truth Nay of we compare then with supernaturall Truths as to their Perspicuity Verity in order to us the advantage seemes greater on the side of naturall Truths 1. o For no man ever doubted of the Truth of these having once understood their termes many have doe doubt of faith althô sufficiently proposed And 2. o no man ever dissented from those Principles when he had once admitted them many have Apostatized from their Faith Soe that all the Prayses you give to Faith belong more to naturall Sciences then to it Such a stranger are you to its tru Prerogatives The reason of this stupendious blindnesse in searching the scriptures is that you reade them as a master not as a disciple you intend not to learne from them what to beleive but to shape them to what you think you have the word but reject the sense which is to the word what the soul is to the body it gives it life motion The (a) 1. Cor. 2.14 naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him nether can be know them because they are spiritually discerned You see fir that some may reade or have the word of God yet not comprehend its meaning nay that it may seeme folly unto them The words may be words of (b) Iohn 6.61 lise everlasting yet they cry Durus est hic sermo this word is hard who
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
us to the Father without spot wrinkle c which declare how plenary his satisfaction was nothing being left undone by him for removing the guilt of sin Thus you As if nothing could be required on man's side in order to apply the satisfaction of Christ without derogating from its plenitude Christ satisfaction was plenary soe was his Prayer his Greife his suffring Yet we must pray for our selves (a) Mat. 6.12 for one another (b) Iac. 5.16 althô he prayed for us all And we must be sorry for our sins the whole course of the Ghospell requires it of us we must suffer for with him For as in order of nature that action of the Prime cause by which it concurs with creatures is sufficient of it selfe to produce the whole effect yet nothing is done without the concourse of secondary causes which apply the action of the first soe the satisfaction of Christ is sufficient for all yet doth not remit our sins actually without it be applyed to us ether by Baptisme or Penitentiall workes And the necessity of this application by faith is owned by all your Reformers And if this is consistent with that fullnesse why not application by Faith Charity You say This is a comfortlesse Doctrine ANS It is our duty to take the doctrine of Christ as we find it in holy writ to teach others what we take thence being assured that whither it be or be not confortable it is holesome unto everlasting life And such is that Doctrine which makes us punish in our selves our offences by that meanes prevent those punishments which God would otherwise inflict uppon us it makes us worke our salvation (a) Philip. 2.12 with feare trembling it causes sorrow according to God which brings forth Pennance unto (b) 2. cor 7.10 salvation which is stable It is a Doctrine proportioned to the present state of man this being a state of Bannishment Pennance where feare trembling sighes teares fasting Prayer watches are his lot must ground his security as to the maine chance which is the only thing can give him reall substanciall comfort in this vale of miseryes He must conforme to his patterne Jesus suffring follow his (c) 1. Pet. 2.21 foot steps He carryed his Crosse invite us to take up ours follow him (d) Mat. 16.24 but doth not advise us to leave it as if his carrying his owne were sufficient for both him us In fine not withstanding all the suffring of Christ for us we must here sow with teares (e) Psal 125.6 if we will there reape with Ioy. Christ him selfe was to suffer (f) Luc. 24.26 soe to enter into his Glory And We must suffer with him (a) 2. Tim. 2.12 if we expect to raygne with him (b) 2. Tim. 2.12 This this is the doctrine of Christ the spirit of the Ghospel which teachs us to hope in the merits of Christ but not to neglect good workes it shews us not to presume on his Satisfaction nor despayre of his Mercy to walke in hope of his goodnesse feare of our owne faults frailtyes to be thanckfull for the merits of Christ which give all their value to ours which of themselves are nothing In fine soe to honour the fullnesse of our Redemption as not to foster negligence in our selves but to stirre up our selves to imitate our Redeemer in doing suffring that soe we myght be stedfast immoveable in good (c) 1. Cor. 25.58 abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that our labour is not in vaine CHAPTER XVI Of Purgatory G. B. p. 55. begins to treate of Purgatory doth it soe lyghtly as if he feared to burne his fingers Yet if he shews lesse Reading he shews more Cunning then his Brethren E.S. or W.L. who give greater advantages to an Adversary by fixing a time for the kindling of that Purging fire which was lyghted long before any determinate time they can fix uppon Mr. Stillingf pag. 654. Not one of the fathers affirmed your doctrine of Purgatory before Gregory I. Yet W. L. allows it a much greater antiquity pag. 353. We can find says he a beginning of this doctrine a Beginner too namely Origen Thus they differ amongt themselves as little agree each with himself for p. 348. W. L. had sayd Scarce any father within the first three hundred yeares ever thought of it Which assertion is contradiction to what he says of Origen's being the Beginner of it it is moreover very rash for doth he think that all the fathers of the first three ages writ downe all their thoughts or that all they writ is preserved till our days or that he hath seene all that is soe preserved or remembers all that he hath ever seene But let us leave these men to reconcile together their owne thoughts which will be no small nor short labour And examin the thing it self to come to it I passe over severall slips of our adversarys v.c. Wil Lawd pag. 348. says that the first Definition of Purgatory to beleived as a divine truth was made by the Councill of Florence In which he is mistaken for Benedict XII long before that had defined the same I prove that the primitive Church believed a Purgatory in the most pure times out of the testimony of three Fathers S. Hilary S. Gregory Nissen S. Austin S. Hilary (a) Hil. in ps 118.20 Ille indefessus ignis obeundus est subeunda sunt illa expiāda a peccatis animae supplicia That restlesse fire is to be endured those punishments to be borne which may purge our soul from sins S. Greg. Nissen (b) Greg. orat de mortliis as cited by W. L. p. 351 Men must be purged ether by Prayers or by the furnace of Purgatory fire after this life Againe A man cannot be partaker of the divine nature unlesse the purging fire doth take a way the staines that are in his soul Againe After this life a Purgatory fire takes away the blots propensity to evill W. L. considering these words ingenuously confesses they seeme plaine Yet he holds out one buckler against these two Arrows drawne out of the quivers of those fathers that they speake of a Purgation of sins in the Roman Church we are taught to beleive only a Purgation of the paine due to sins already forgiven Now this avayles little 1. because the debt of paine may be often is taken for sin on which it is grounded metonimicè 2. He seemes not to understand our doctrine for there is no definition of our church oblidging us to beleive that there remaine no veniall sins in Purgatory Hence Dr. Kellison (c) Kellis in 3. p. tom 2. p. 611. late President of the Inglish Colledge of Doway proves Purgatory to be prepared first for those who dye with only veniall sins Secondly for those
who dye without any sin but only without having satisfyed fully for the paines due to sins forgivē The same reasons are alleadged by D. Silvius (a) Sylvius in 3. p. Suppl q. 100. p. 350. where he treates the same question And before these Benedict us XII in his Decree Benedict us Deus hath these words Decernimus animas decedentes cum veniali aliquo peccato purgari post mortem post purgationem ante resumptionem suorum corporum judicium generale post Ascensionem Christi Domini fuisse esse futuras esse in caelo We doe declare that souls dying in veniall sin beind purged after their death before the generall Resurrection are translated to Heaven Which Decree you many find in magno Bullario in Alphons de Castro verbo Beatitudo You see fir that there is nothing in the Purgatory described by those Saints inconsistent with what we are tought to beleive of ours Soe W. L. or his squire E. S. must study for another evasion W. L. cites indeed the Councill of Florence to confirme his answer But that place helpes only to convince the world how perfunctoriously he read inconsiderately framed his Judgment uppon reading for in the place cited by him the Council speakes of souls dying in the state of Grace or Charity si in Charitate decesserint But of their not having any veniall sins not one word unlesse he thinks that all souls in Grace are free from veniall sins which will be another proofe of his abilityes in Divinity My next proofe is taken from S. Augustin in Enchir. cap. 110. Neque negandum est defunctorum animas pietate suorum viventium relevari cùm pro illis sacrificium mediatoris offertur vel Eleemosynae in Ecclesiâ fiunt sed iis haec prosunt qui cùm viverent ut haec sibi postea prodesse possent meruerunt Est enim quidam vivendi modus nec tam bonus ut non requirat ista post mortem nec tam malus ut ei non prosint ista post mortem Est verò talis in bono ut ista non requirat est rursus talis in malo ut nec his valeat cùm ex hac vitâ transierit adjuvari Similia habentur l. 21. de Civ Dei c. 24. It ought not to be denyed that souls departed are eased by the Piety of their surviving friends When the Sacrifice of our Mediator is offred for them or almes given in the Church But those are releived by these helpes wholived soe as to deserve the benefit of them after their death for there is a kind of life nether soe good as not to neede them nor soe bad as not to receive ease by them There is another soe good as not to want them a third soe bad as to be incapable of helpe even from them Thus S. Austin Where you see he distinguishes three places for the souls departed as cleerely as Bellarmin or the Councill of Trent One of those soe good as not to neede helpe by the suffrages of the Church such are the Blessed souls in Heaven Another soe bad as to be incapable or unworthy of releife by the suffrages such are the wretched souls in Hell A third needing them incapable of Ease from them such are souls in Purgatory You see secondly cleere mention of the Sacrifice of our Mediator offred by the Church in his days What is this but our masse which you may find againe l. 10. de Civ Dei c. 20. You see thirdly this sacrifice offred for the Deade And lastly you see Almes given in the Church for the releife ease of deceased friends How many points of our Reformers Catechisme doth this one place confute Truly one may think ether that they invented these doctrines to spite S. Austin or that this greate Saint writ that Chapter with a Prophetick spirit to convince the world that your sentiments are no lesse opposit to the ancient then to the moderne Church which both agree in holding out the same tenets in Faith E. Still pag. 642. S. Austin delivers his Iudgment with such feare hisitancy that any me may easily see that he was far from making it an article of Faith He may as well say that the Councill of Trent spoke with hesitancy He addes That in S. Austin's time many favoured Origenes his opinion of the finall saluation of all at least who dyed in the Communion of the Church But what is this to S. Austin who condemnes that hereticall opinion as he says may be seene l. 21. de Civ Dei c. 24. in the whole booke de fide operibus But says E. S. Augustin speakes doubtfully l. de fide operibus cap. 16. Enchir. cap. 69. But he should have taken notice that he speakes in those places not of Purgatory in it selfe but of a particular paine which we no lesse then he doubt of The matter he treates Enchir. c. 68. is the Greife which men feele fer the losse of such things which they Loved inordinately by that meanes offended God althô their love to creatures were not soe greate as to withdraw them from the foundation Christ Vrit eum rerum dolor quas dilexcrat amissarum sed non subvertit fundamenti stabilitate munitum Such a man is burnt and tormented with the losse of those things which he loved yet he is not quite consumed because the foundation stands fast viz his love to Christ whome he would sticke to althô with losse of other things Then follows c. 69. where he doubts whither such a purging fire or paine as this is shall accompagny them in the next world that is whither souls departed retaine any disorderly affection to their possessions in this world by reason of which the want of them may be a torment to them as it were burne them In alike manner l. de fide operibus cap. 16. Sivè ergò in hac vita tantum homines ista patiuntur says he sivè post hanc vitam talia quadam judicia subsequuntur Whither men suffer such things only in this life or the same rorments accompagny them into the next world Which is a thing moderne Catholicks as much doubt of as S. Austin yet he as well as we myght beleive most certainly what he soe positively affirmed in his Manuall chap. CX In vaine therefore doth E. Still alleadge p. 653. the blotting out of those words Constat animas post hanc vitam purgari It is evident that souls are purged after this life There is enough left in S. Austin's undoubted workes to confute his errour Soe the successe of that reformer was like that of Marcion with his sponge who blotted out some parts of Scripture yet what remained confuted his heresy As for holy Scripture I think the argument which S. Austin uses l. 21. de Civ Dei cap. 23. very convincing for Purgatory It is taken out of the words of our Saviour Mathaei 12.32 It shall be forgivē
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
future Happinesse then we can be of the Truth of any mathematicall demonstration But it is only Conditionall requiring on our parts a concurrence with his Divine Grace this is always uncertaine by reason of the mutability of our will to evill not withstanding our strongest Resolutions to Good Hence our Hope is mixt with Feare sperando timemus Tertul. l. de cultu faeminarum cap. 2. p. 265. We have a full assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on God's side Who (a) Heb. 6.17.18.19 to shew unto the heyres of promise the immutability of his Counsil confirmed it with an oath that by two things immutable in which it was impossible for God to lye we myght have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold uppon the Hope set before us which Hope we have as an Anker of the souls both sure stedfast On our sides we have always reason to apprehend the mutability of our owne will not withstanding all present Grace from God the strength of his Counsill Hence the Apostle admonishes us (a) 2. Cor. 6.1 not no receive in vaine the Grace of God He sets before our eyes his owne example (b) 1. Cor. 9.27 keeping under his body chastising it bringing it into subjection least having preached to others he myght become hinselfe a reprobate a cast away And consequently warnes us to (c) Philip. 2.12 worke our salvation with feare trembling When this Apostle feares who can presume we may resolve well pray hard act well to day but what assurance have we that to morrow will find us soe well disposed or even not doing the quite contrary that being soe ill prepared death will not surprize us S. Paul the vessell of Election who had beene taken up to the third Heaven feared least he should become a reprobate S. Peter bred up in our B. Saviours schoole resolved to dye for him yet shortly after denyed him If these greare Pillars of the Church shake bend feare breaking or actually Breake what may not such Reedes as G. B. E. W. feare you see what grounds we have to feare from Reason from the example of the Apostles from their Doctrine This is comfortlesse doctrine to G. B. (d) Pag. 54. therefore had rather throw all on Christ perswade himself that Christ's Prayer was sufficient his satisfaction sufficient his merits sufficient We neede nether pray nor suffer nor merit Beleive in him he will doe all Crede firmiter pecca fortiter Compare now this disposition of moderne Catholicks which is the same with that of the Apostles with that of a Protestant their feare with his confidence their trembling with his As surance their Apprehensions with his boldnesse you shall find in Catholicks tru Hope mingled with feare as you may see in Divines I have shewed out of the Apostles in the Protestant no feare consequently no Hope which is accompanyed always by Feare but in Lieu of Hope that vice which is called Presumption which is a sin against the Holy ghost Timor fundamentum salutis est says Tertull. l. de cultu foeminarum c. 2. p. 265. Sperando enim timebimns timendo cavebimus cavendo salvi erimus contra si praesumamns neque timendo neque cavendo difficile salvi erimus Feare is the ground worke foundation of our salvation Our Hope is mingled with Feare this makes us take heede whence proceedes our security of salvation When on the contrary when we presume we grow carelesse run greate hazard of being lost for ever SECTION III. Of Charity or Love CHarity or the Love of God above all things is much more esteemed honoured amongst us then amongst you you rank it contrary to the Apostle even with Faith or seate it on a lower bench where as we with the Apostle (a) 1. Cor. 13.13 believe it to be the (b) Io. 15.12 cōmandment of Christ the (c) Rom. 13.10 fullnesse of the law the (d) Col. 3.14 bond of perfection which divides (e) Aug. betwixt the children of the kingdome those of perdition the nuptiall (f) Matth. 22.11.12 garment with which we must enter into the wedding That is the forme of vertues (g) Concil Trid. that without it all other vertues (h) 1. Cor. 13. gift of tongues power of working miracles knowledge of mysteries nay even Faith Hope are nothing avayle nothing are no more to be regarded then sounding Brasse a tinkling cimball c. In fine althô with Divines we are perswaded that these two greate vertus may be separated yet we hold their separation to be their ruin that as Charity is but superficiall not reall without the lyght of Faith soe Faith is cold without the warmth of Charity He who knows God without loving him is impious he who loves without knowing him aryght is Blind A Beleiver without Love is Ungratefull a Lover without knowledge is senselesse soe these two vertus must assist one another we must aime to have a Living Faith which workes by loue Galat. 5.6 Love is the proper worke of Faith Opus Fidei dilectio Aug. tr 10. in epist Jo. Love both gives to receives strength from Faith Charitas robur Fidei Fides fortitudo Charitatis S. Leoserm 7. in Quadrag In Heaven there is Love without Faith 1. Cor. 13.8.10 In Hell Faith without Love Jac. 2.19 Christians in this life must have both for Love without Faith is the Love of Pagans Faith without Love is the Faith of Devils But Faith with Charity is the Faith of the children of God in this life Fides quae per dilectionem operatur ipsa est Fides quae fideles Dei separat ab immundis daemonibus Aug. de gratiâ lib. arbit cap. 7. Thus we joyne together those two greate vertues this we beleive this we teach of Charity whilest you out of ill grounded opinion of your Fac totum Faith relying on it for Remission of sins Iustification Perseverance Salvation exhaust your Rhetorick soe much in commendation of that your darling that you have no roome to commend Charity or Good workes Our Practice as much surpasses yours as to nourishing Charity as our doctrine doth for scing the love of God Love of our selves are opposit the one withers as the others thrives their practice must be most proper to nourish charity which aimes most at mortifyng selve-love on the contrary those who foster selfe-love must annihilate Charity Now what practice can you shew for the mortification of the body the quelling our Passions the renouncing of our will what documents doe you give for these what examples can you shew since your reformation of them you have never beene able to find in the three kingdomes a dozen persons of ethersex who for soe many yeares would sequester themselves from the enjoyments of the world to serve God in voluntary Poverty
Chastity Obedience Whence comes this but from selve-love which abounds in them the lacke of the love of God which myght cement their harts together Whence comes that insupportable Pride which makes your Proselits soe refractory to God his vicars their spirituall temporall superiors that they are soe tenacious of their extravagant phancyes soe stubborne in their uncouth Resolutions soe intractable in their manners so humour some in all their actions conversations but a latent Pride the proper of-spring of selve-love the bane of Charity Looke into the 13. Chapter of the first to the Corinthians you shall there find a description of charity its qualityes Charity suffreth long is kind Charity envieth not Charity vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed up Doth not behave it selfe unseemely Seeketh not her owne is not easily provoked thinketh no evill Reioyceth not in iniquity but Rejoyceth in the truth Beareth all things beleiveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Should I now examin the life of generally all who deliver themselves to your direction uppon these heades shew how little of this appeares in your manners how much there is quite contrary to it the picture if sincere would fryght you or confound you how greate soever your confidence be In fine the words of our Saviour to the Angel of Laodicea may be very fitly applyed to you (a) Apoc. 3.17 Thou sayst I am rich encreased with goods have neede of nothing And knowest not that thou art wretched miserable poore blind naked God open the eyes of your hart to see this that soe you may be moved to seeke for gold tryed spirituall riches where it is to be found in the tru Church SECTION IV. An Answer to what G. B. objects G. B. pag. 78. Are Papists not taught to conside more in the virgin or their Tutelar Saints them in the Holyest of all ANSWER No we are taught no such thing G. B. Ibidem Doth not the feare of Purgatory damp the hopes of future Blessednesse ANS It doth not G. B. p. 79. What impious doctrine hath beene printed in that Church of the degree of love we owe to God ANS I know of no such doctrine of the degrees of love due to God I know that all Catholicks applaude that saying of S. Bernard Modus amandi Deum est amare sine modo I know that divines require as well as S. Thomas a mediocry in all vertues except Charity that all vertues are betwixt two vices where of one offends by exceeding the other by not reaching its due mesure And this they assure even of Hope which is betwixt presumption and despayre of faith which is betwixt a lyghtnesse of hart beleiving all things a hardnesse to beleive any thing love cannot be too greate soe hath only one vice contrary to it by defect loving too little Is this doctrine Impious Hence what you say Some mincing it so as if they were afrayde of his being too much beloved This I say is an untruth I challenge you to produce your Authors or to be held a Calumniator G. B. Ibidem Some blasphemously teach that we are not at all bound to love him ANSW This is also untru All acknowledge a precept to love God But this being a positive precept which oblidges only for some determinate time some Authours have enquired when that time is And in resolving this obscure undecided question there have beene some variety of sentiments without any difference as to the substance of the precept If God hath revealed to you a decision of this intricate question blesse the world with that information prove well what you say I assure you we will not blame you for it G. B. Ibidem There is an Impiety in the moralls of some of that Church particularly amongst the disciples of Loyola beyond what ever was taught amongst the worst of Heathen Philosophers ANSWER 1. You are no competent Judge in matter of Piety as being acquainted nether with the practice nor Theory of it ANSWER 2. You are not sufficiently informed of the cause in which you presume to Judge having no knowledge at all of one side but a very superficiall knowledge of the other By shooting your bolt soe lyghtly you will easier convince the world that you are inconsiderate rash then that those you call the disciples of Loyola are impious CHAPTER XXIII Efficacy of Sacraments G. B. pag. 80. The doctrine of the efficacy of the Sacraments for conveying of Grace by the work wrought Lookes like adesigne against all serious preparation for the worthy receiving of them ANSWER Many alive still remember when the Godly could find out Plots dangerous Plots Popish Plots in every innocent recreation of the Persons whome they misliked You imitate exactly those factious sectarys in fancying the like dangerous contrivances Is Attrition with the Sacrament sayd to suffice for Justification It is on a designe to destroy Piety Are Prayers sayd in Latin It is on a designe against Piety Are probable opinions allowed of There lyes a designe against Piety Are we taught to do our workes with a good intention A Popish designe against Piety Are Sacraments connected with Grace sayd to be efficacious signes of it It lookes like a designe against Piety And what soever we doe these People suspect a Designe against Piety As of the Jews Isayas (a) Isayes 8.12 sayd whatsoever the People speakes of is confederacy Omnia quae loquitur populus iste conjuratio est Soe much were they fryghted then with the Apprehension of the union betwixt the two kings of Israel Syria soe struck are you likewise with the apprehensions of Popery The Jews surmized A Confederacy out of a reall feare The factious old Parlimentarians out of a pretended Feare What moves you a reall or only pretended Feare or doe you speake out of Ignorance of our Tenets or ill will to our persons ether may easilier be suspected then any reall feare or concerne for Piety We have beene taught to acknowledge some vertu in the Sacraments of the new law in vertu of Christ's institution because they are the instruments to apply the merits of his Passion to our soul which was not in the Saments of the old law nor in any ceremony of humane institution for S. Paul (a) Galat. 4.9 calls the Sacraments of the old law weake beggarly Elements in comparison doubtlesse of those of the new These then are more efficacious stronger richer Yet the others could stirre up the receiver to an in ward disposition for Grace nay a ceremony of meere humane institution may have that force Wherefore the Sacraments of the new law must by the worke wrought doe more then to stirre up the receiver to good Workes G. B. pag. 81. By this Doctrine be a man never soe ill prepared yet he is sure of the efficacy of the Sacrament ANS Here you discover your
the schooles who opposed it the Hussits what Councill commanded it condemne its opposers that of Constance Which confirmes our Rule that when none of this appeares there hath beene no change G. B. Pag. 121. All once worshipt in their mother tongue but after by the over throw of the empire the latin tongue decayed the barbarous worship was obtruded on the world ANS This proves a change in the People whose language was spoyled with the mixture of Barbarous termes not in the service which the continued the same it continving in latin as it was before that inundation of Barbarians G. B. p. 122. We know that for the first seven Centuryes the Christians world abhorred Images ANS In what age did S. Gregory the Greate live sure with in the first seven Centuryes And he l. 7. ep 109. l. 9 ep 8. rebuked Serenus Bishop of Marseilles for casting them out of the Church Was not S. Austin with in the first seven Centuryes he l. 1. consens Evang. c. 10. speakes of the pictures of Christ the Holy Apostles S. Peter S. Paul Thus I have past your three instances to prove a change in the faith of the Church which you us sherin with that emphaticall terme WEKNOW If you have many other such points of KNOWLEDGE for the divertisment of the learned world I wish you to publish them I am perswaded few besides your self know such things most know them to be false CHAPTER XXXI Revelations Miracles G. B. pag. 123. The Papist Church pretends to revelations for some of her most doubtfull opinions which are the visions extraordinary inspirations of some of their Saints from which they vouch a Divine confirmation to their doctrine ANS If you know of any decree made in matter of faith uppon a private revelation shew it Till you doe so I will not beleive it S. Thomas 1. p. q. 1. a. 8. ad 2. absolutely excludes all private revelations from grounding Faith Innititur Fides nostra revelationl factae Apostolis Prophet is non autem revelationi si qua fuit aliis Doctoribus factae Out faith relyes on revelations made to the Apostles Prophetes not on such as are made to other Doctors G. B. pag. 124. Saint Paul being put to glory of visions revelations was to run backe 14. yeares for one ANS S. Paul says that he had 14. yeares before that greate revelation but he never sayd he had noe others ether before or after And that Revelations were not soe extraordinary in his days as you think not only amongst the Apostles but ever amongst ordinary Christians you many learne out of S. Paul 1. Cor. 14.30.32 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his Peace for you may all Prophecy one by one that you may all learne all be conforted And the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets And can you think the Apostle should have no Revelation for soe many yeares when the meanest Christians had them even in the middle of their publick assemblyes where they met with soe many distractions What will you say to excuse your Ignorance If other Revelations made to S. Paul be recorded in Scripture now soe it is for first Amacedonian (a) Act. 16.9 appeared to him 2. Our Lord (b) Act. 18.9 spoke to Paul in a vision Nay the very place you cite to prove your errour confutes it for he says (c) 1. Cor. 12.7 least I should be exalted above measure through the aboundance of revelations there was given He had then REVELATIONS nay Aboudance of Revelations See how carelessely you reade how ill you understand how negligently you write out of Scriptures for you are certainly convinced that when S. Paul spoke of that one he did it not because he had beene favoured with no other but because that was a singular favour as such esteemed But I dispute seriously against a man who regards not what he writes G. B. pag. 124. Are they not credible storyes of Christ's appearing to some of their shee Saints kissing them being marryed to them c. ANSWER I doubt not but you your brethren think this folly S. Paul says as much of such as you 1. Cor. 2.14 Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei stultitia est enim illi non potest intelligere quiaspiritualiter examinatur The naturall man received not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him nether can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Of such as the Inglish Ministers S. Paul speakes who are by him declared incapable to Judge yet will be still Judging of the secret workings of the Holy Ghost in those souls which he makes his temples in whome he lives they in him which things seeme folly to you because you have no experience of them probably never made an hour of mentall Prayer in all your life nor know how to make it Hence You (a) Iude v. 18. speak evill of things you know not It would be more to your credit to omit those things then by speaking of them discover so shamefull an Ignorance The best advice I can give you is that of Job (a) Iob. 13.5 to his friends To be silent that you may seeme wise But Christ kist them marryed them This scandalizes your chast Brethren who cannot heare of marriage Mr. Brevint surmized God knows what uncleane spirits I cannot appeale to the conscience experience of any of the whole ministry for the reality of what you deride for I think there never was granted to any of you such favours Yet to free you from feare of illusions in those visits from bad spirits know I wonder any one who reades the scripture can be Ignorant of it that there is a spirituall contract betwixt Christ the Church Item betwixt him every Pious soul that this contract is called a marriage that on this score sins of such souls against their spouse are called Adulterys themselves Adulteresses If you have any Remembrance these hints will bring to mind a number of Texts of Scripture which deliver what you scoffe at The whole Bookes of Canticles or Salomons song celebrates that adorable nuptiall solemnity The very first words of it are (b) Cant. 1.1 Osculetur me osculo oris sui Let him or may he kisse me with a kisse of his mouth The Church every pious soul demanding as a singular favour of her spouse that Blessing which when granted to some scandalizes you modest man soe different are your sentimēts in spirituall things from those of the Holy Ghost who says (a) Cant. 8.1 that the soul should receive that favour shee at first demanded yet not be despised you despise them all as forgeryes dreames effects of melancoly or hystericall distempers What is blasphemy if this be not O Lord forgive you for you know
deluded admirers is like those Nurses who wanting Milke entertaine their children with rattles bibs some insignificant nourriture In reality there seemes to be as much difference betwixt the spirituall food souls receive in the Catholick Church that of Protestants as there is betwixt the nourriture a child receives sucking a breast stretched with milke that he gets by sucking a moistned finger Which shall be further shewen in the CHAPTER XXXVII No Houses of devotion nor spirituall Bookes Amongst Protestants G. B. p. 145. A tentation to become Papists is the solitary retired houses among them for leading a devout strict life the excellent bookes of Devotion have beene publisht by many of that communion p. 147. I deny not that is the greatest defect of the reformation t at there are not in it such encouragements to a devout life p. 148. It is not to be denyed to be agreate defect that we want recluse houses But it fixeth no imputation on our Church her doctrine or worship that shee is soe poore as not to be able to mantaine such Seminarys ANSWER This is as pretty a sophisme of non causa pro causâ as I have seene As if the small number of Inglish Catholicks were richer then the whole body of Protestants for we have founded many geate familyes of Religious you with all your industry could never settle one There are reasons for your Churchs being soe unsuccessefull in these attempts without doubt as reall tru as that which you give is false it shall be my worke to lay them out before you The first cheifest reason is a Judgment of God Almyghty uppon you forbreaking up dispersing soe many houses of Piety God was served in those houses he was offended with that sacriledge there fore denyes you that Blessing of which you are unworthy A second each one had rather keepe his meanes to himself then see them passe against his will to another lay family for whome he hath nokindnesse If any give it to God Religion they designe it should continue there which cannot be expected in Ingland as long as the memory is fresh of Henry VIII Elizabeth A third the foundation of your Reformation is inconsistent with a superstructure of Religion or living in community together Men cannot live together without a setled rule or order establisht peculiar to that manner of life proper for it Your Reformation is inconsistent with this it teaching to reject all humane injunctions as contrary to Christian liberty When out of that principle you have taught men to despise all decrees even of generall counsils received by the whole Church confirmed by the practice of many ages how can you hope they should esteeme Rules given by moderne new men A fourth your doctrine denying all merits or Reward due to our actions Hopes of advantage encourages us to labour our industry is dulled assoone as those vanish S. Ambrose thinks the Novatians unreasonable who preacht Pennance denyed the fruit of it l. 1. de Poenit. c. 16. Frustra dicitis vos praedicare Poenitentiam qui tollitis lib. 2. c. 3. Merendi gratia Sacramenti ad precandum impellimur hoc auferre vultis propter quod agitur Poenitentia Tolle gubernatori perveniendi spem in mediis fluctibus incertus errabit Tolle luctatori coronam lentus jacebit in stadio Tolle piscatori capiendi essicaciam desinet jactare retia In hopes of arriving at his Heaven the Pilot steeres his ship the wrastler strives in hope to throw his adversary The fisher casts his nets in hope of catching some fish All these would relent were they perswaded the thing they aimed at were impossible How then doe you expect that men should practice good workes when you teach them to hope for no good from them It were indeede to be wisht that men would serve God for God without regarding any reward But that is a perfection all doe not arrive to And even the best are faine to use some other motives A fifth your clergy is utterly unfit to Direct Instruct such houses our workes have a greater influence on our neyghbour then our words S. Hierome thought it incongruous that a man with a full belly should preach fasting And how can a man preach chastity to others who comes himself from the embraces of his wife if he hath one or hath his head full of Amourettes designes to get one if he be a batchelour It is in vaine therefore that you seeke the advantage of those with-drawing places from the noyse trouble of the world to those Devout Solitudes your lives are not fit for them your doctrine is inconsistent with them your past actions have shut that dore of mercy unto you As for Bookes of Devotion The Authour of the Fiat Lux says you have printed severall such composed by ours under your owne names Soe you hang us cherish our writings as the Jews stoned the Prophets canonized their bookes You owne we have many excellent Bookes All the world sees you have scarce any nor can rationally hope for any For He who writes a spirituall Booke ought to aime at two things the first to instruct the understanding with divine eternall Truths The second to move the will to a hatred of sin a contempt of the world to the love of God above all things The first may be an effect of study but the second cannot be attained unto unlesse the Authour be such himself He must as S. John be (a) Io. 5.35 a Burning shining lyght Burne to God by a tru unfeigned love of him Shine to men by the cleere truths which he delivers He must feele with in himselfe those motions which he endeavours to communicate to his Reader Si vis me flere dolendum est primum ipsi tibi A soul possest with hope with feare with joy with greife with love with hatred in fine with any passion doth expresse not only the thoughts but the passion it selfe with tropes proper by which meanes it not only informes the understanding but also stirs the will of the hearer or reader to like inclinations Reade Seneca's epistles or other morall workes or Cicero's you shall find agreate many excellent Truths Yet I never knew any man the better in his morality for them As they themselves notwithstanding those lyghts were farre from being Good men as you may see in Lactantius l. 3. divin Instit from the 13. Chapter On the contrary the reading of Saint's workes hath a greate force to move us to Good S. Austin l. 8. Confess cap. 6. says some were converted by reading the life of S. Antony severall have have taken serious resolutions of leading a Christian life by reading those Confessions And I have knowne Several moved to love mentall Prayer by Reading S. Teresa's workes to the love of God by using those of S. Francis de Sales This is
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