the Church of Rome is as Infallible as GOD with many other Points and Doctrines too long here to be named at this time Quere IV. Pray Reverend Fathers Had the English Bishops and Pastors in Henry the Eighth's Reign and at the time of the Reformation by Virtue of their Ordination c. receiv'd from Rome Power and Authority to Preach and Teach the Truth of the Gospel and Reform all Errors and Corruptions in Faith Doctrines Worship and Manners within their own Jurisdictions Diocesses c. If they had not How were they God's Ambassadors Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel which is nothing else but Truth and Holiness If they had and that the Reformed Faith Doctrine and Worship is the Truth of the Gospel were not all our Forefathers in Conscience bound to hearken to and obey them and not only for that reason but also because they were their Lawful Bishops and Pastors And for the same reason are not we now bound to hearken to and obey the present Bishops and Pastors of the Church of England who are their lawful and undoubted Successors Quere V. Pray Reverend Fathers What Council or Pope has declar'd and decreed against Rebellion let one's Natural Prince be of what Religion he will and never so contrary to the worldly Policy and Interest of Rome I would fain hope that you can satisfie me in this Enquiry because I have often heard our Church tax'd for a Disloyal Church But further I enquire Whether no Council or Pope has ever declar'd and decreed nor Cardinal or Jesuit writ and maintain'd That in many cases but especially when Princes are not of the Religion and Interests of the Church of Rome it is lawful to cut them off And has there been no Treasons committed nor Rebellions acted not only by the Laity but also by the Clergy and even by the Pope himself in conformity and obedience to such Decrees and Doctrines Quere VI. What is the meaning I beseech you Reverend Fathers of that Book which is Intituled in English The Tax of the Apostolick Chamber for several Sins The Protestants often upbraid us with it and really I know not what to answer because I have enquir'd and find there is such a Book and more that 't is authoriz'd and allow'd by our Church But I am much puzled to find out a good meaning of it Methinks it sounds a little harsh to Christian ears that for any sums of money at all there should be either Indulgence given to commit sins or a pardon procur'd after they are committed and this Publish'd to all the World Does not this look like tempting and inviting men to be wicked Quere VII If it be true Reverend Fathers what the Protestants charge you and the rest of the Guides of our Church with as that you deny men the use of their Sensos and Reason about Religion and so would debase them into the condition of mere Brutes is it not just to esteem you the common Enemies of Mankind For to what end and purpose did God give us these Faculties was it only think ye to govern our selves in worldly affairs And did not the wise and good God likewise endue us with Sense and Reason that we might preserve our selves from being imposed upon and cheated by a false and absurd Religion Now what Design can that Man or Company of Men be rationally thought to have who would rob Mankind of the only means which GOD has given them to preserve themselves from being deceiv'd in so mighty a Concernment as Religion And from being made wretched Slaves to wicked and designing Men And on the contrary Are not the Divines of the Church of England and other Protestant Churches to be highly valued and lov'd because they earnestly invite Men to the Exercise of their Senses and Reason about Religion and propound no Doctrines but what tends to the improvement and perfecting of Human as well as Divine Knowledge and ennobling the Nature of Man which certainly is the Great Design of the Christian Religion Quere VIII Whether your way of conducting Religion and managing Coneroversies by Tricks and Arts and exposing the whole Christian Religion for the sake of some unreasonable Doctrines and Propofitions by making Parallels between the Doctrine of the Trinity and Transubstantiation and making the First to depend only upon the Authority of the Church because the Second has no better Foundation Is it not I say enough to set the Hearts of thinking Men against you Quere IX In the 22 Session Chap. 8. Of the Doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Mass the Council of Trent says That although the Mass contains a large Instruction of a Faithful People yet it is not convenient to be exercis'd publickly in the Vulgar Tongue How Reverend Fathers A large Instruction for the People and yet not convenient to let the People understand it Were not the Good Fathers of the Council a little merry here as well as mysterious But pray be you pleas'd to be serious and tell me What do you think might be the true reason why these Wise and Holy Men thought it inconvenient to have Mass said in the Vulgar Tongue Does it look kind and Christian-Father-like that altho' they confess the Mass was a large Instruction for the People yet that they should at the same time Command to keep the People ignorant of it except only some parcels of it now and then to be dealt out to them This manner of acting from Christian Fathers to their Children appears to me extraordinary and therefore pray satisfie me about it and tell me what were they afraid of And what inconvenience would have follow'd suppose Mass had been publickly said for example in English Why so much Policy and Cunning in our managing of Religion I must needs tell you that I am scandaliz'd at it For when a Man considers the Christian Religion he finds that certainly never was there a more plain simple and inartificial Religion than it And since the wife GOD thought fit so to propound it to Mankind how dare you and the rest of the Pastors c. manage it like the Juggles and Intrigues of a State. Will not a serious Reflection on this make thinking men apt to suspect our Church-Governours and Spiritual Guides and so by consequence the Doctrine and practices of our Church too And do ye think that wise men observing our Religion to be mixt with so much Craft and Worldly Policy and that many of our Doctrines such as Purgatory and Indulgences c. plainly tend to serve Worldly Ends do not furnish them with mighty Prejudices against our Church-men Query X. Whether with wise and honest men it is not Reverend Fathers a vast and just prejudice against our Church and Cause that our Writers of Controversie are so perpetually by the Protestant Divines charg'd with using Suppositious and Spurious Authors and such as the Honest and Learned men of our own Church disallow of And whether on the contrary it is
A LETTER OF ENQUIRY TO The Reverend Fathers OF THE Society of Iesus Written in the Person of a Dissatisfied Roman Catholick Imprimatur Hen. Wharton Rmo in Christo P. ac D.D. Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. a Sacris Domest Octob. 26. 1688. LONDON Printed for William Rogers at the Sun in Fleet-street and Samuel Smith at the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIX Advertisement COuld I believe it fit to Lye for GOD or that Truth needed the service of Falshood I might have been tempted to imitate the Tricks and Deceiving Arts of the Romish Factors for in Charity we must suppose some of them at least to believe what they say to be Truth and that their Cause is that of GOD and boldly have sent this Letter abroad as really writ by a Romanist But as I am a Member of a Church whose Superstructures as well as her Foundation is the pure Truth and one that is resolv'd to follow Truth and Charity wherever they lead me so I should think that I deserv'd the severe punishment of being depriv'd of the happiness of her Communion if I endeavour'd to serve her Interests by any means so contrary to her Nature and Manner of dealing with Mankind But as 't is no improbable supposition that there should be some Dissatisfied or Doubting or Inquisitive Person in the Romish Communion so neither can it I hope be injurious or offensive to any openly to declare That I who make these Enquiries am a Layman of the Church of England and that I make them in the Person of a Roman Catholick is for no other reason but only to preserve a better Decorum and the more to affect the Persons for whose sake I chiefly Publish this Letter And with all the Charity and Good-will that one Christian owes to another I do humbly beseech every Roman Catholick that believes he has a Soul to be sav'd and values its Salvation above being of this or that Party or serving a Cause or the greatest worldly Interest seriously for once to suppose himself this Dissatisfied or Doubting or Inquiring Person and let him in the Name of GOD lay his Hand upon his Heart and consider whether these Enquiries are not pertinent and rational and if they be I beg him impartially and as he will answer it at the Great Day to weigh the Answers that may by his Party be return'd to them whether he be really and fully satisfied that they are just and rational I confess Dissatisfied Doubting and Inquisitive Persons cannot be so frequent in a Church where they are taught solely and blindly to rely upon their Pastors and Spiritual Guides and generally speaking do so as in a Church which gives a modest liberty of trying the Spirits and of examining and enquiring into the reason and truth of things But yet for all that my Conversation with Persons of that Communion is not so little as to suffer me to believe but that there are a great many whose Vnderstandings are not so muffled nor so far enslav'd but that sometimes they entertain serious Thoughts and take a free View of Religion and the nature of it and reflect with what artifice and fraud it is manag'd in the Church of Rome and that they do believe when they think soberly that the Reformation is not an effect of Pride or Folly or Worldly Interest as their crafty designing Priests would perswade them This granted me such Persons then may reasonably be presum'd that if either they would give themselves the trouble or durst to think it necessary thus to Address themselves to the Jesuits who have assum'd to themselves the Reputation of the best Spiritual Guides Reverend Fathers SINCE 't is thought by a great many that you are the only Oracles of Learning and Knowledge of any Order in our Church it will not be wondred at that I particularly Address this Letter of Enquiry to you Faith no more then Love can be forc'd they are both free Agents I am dissatisfied doubt and am at a stand about many Points in our Religion I have a just reverence for the Antiquity of our Church but yet I know Error is older than she and Truth than either of them I have no worldly Interest to serve by being of this or that Party or Church But if I had I hope I should prefer the Happiness of a Life that is Eternal before that of a short and uncertain stay here For this reason 't is possible I may want one great and moving Argument which at this Juncture especially many have for 't is not this World's Riches or Honours that I look after so that if I were even at Rome itself the great and splendid Allurements there would not operate upon me No Reverend Fathers 't is pure Truth and Holiness which I am in search of for I am strongly perswaded that without the possession of these it is a most unreasonable confidence for any Man to hope to see GOD who is Truth and Holiness itself and therefore their Contraries must needs be odious to his Divine Majesty In a word Reverend Fathers my whole Design here in this World is first to know God's Will and then to obey and please him that through the Merits of my dear Saviour I may be admitted into some degree of his Glories hereafter Now if you can remove my Doubts and satisfie me by a just Answer to every Enquiry in this my Letter I shall rejoyce to remain where I have been born and bred But if you cannot I hope I shall despise the hard and unjust Thoughts and Censures of Men and so far overcome the Power and Prejudices of Education and Custom as to search for and embrace Truth in what Communion soever I find her in spight of all temptations and hinderances Our Representer says That every Man must work out his own Salvation with fear and trembling if so Reverend Fathers you must pardon me if hereafter I take a more particular care of mine even to the forsaking of your Communion in case I cannot meet with satisfaction in it and by following the clear Commands of Holy Scripture the Dictates of right Reason and the assistances of the honest and knowing Guides of another Church But before I come to the main business of my Letter give me leave Reverend Fathers to acquaint you with the ground and occasion of it and that was my reading the English Translation of the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent lately by some of our Church set out here For indeed till then and as I had not the perfect use of the Latin Tongue and always living in a blind and stupid obedience and reliance upon the honesty and learning of my Guides I was ignorant of many necessary things and thought our Church never had nor never could have any thing in her Doctrines Worship and Service either Idolatrous or Superstitious or that any of her Children ever was or ever could possibly be guilty of either or that any Errors or
Souls in Purgatory and is it taken away and have we nothing yet remaining and in use among us and in our present Practice that is either Superstitious or tends to it Quere VI. What was that Superstition in the Invocation of Saints Worshipping of Relicks and in the Holy Use of Images which the Council in Session 25 so earnestly desir'd might be taken away And is that Superstition taken away Can none of our Communion be guilty of this Sin now Is there now no danger for us in these matters What assurance can you Reverend Fathers give us Quere VII But Reverend Fathers If there was no danger from the very Nature of the Service and Worship then in use in our Churches why did that wise Council shew such a needless concern and fear But if there was danger and the Council says there was why did it not declare plainly and openly wherein particularly the danger lay Doubtless the Council knew it and since it has not told us particularly wherein and in what manner the danger of Superstition lay How is it possible for any Man to acquit the Council from Hypocrisie and Deceit towards poor ignorant Souls which it pretended and was certainly bound to take care of How does this Council's care of Souls appear since the People are now as much in the dark about the nature of Superstition and Idolatry and wherein the danger lies in the Invocation of Saints and Worshipping Relicks and Images and Prayers for the Dead as before the Council met because it only cautions them in general against such Sins but never particularly tells them how they should know or avoid them which yet methinks had been the honester course Quere VIII Again Reverend Fathers the Council of Trent seems very sensible that the People in the then current Worship and Service of the Church were guilty of Idolatry and Superstition and reprov'd them for it and commanded a Reformation Now Reverend Fathers I humbly enquire Is our Worship and Service the same now as it was at the time of the Council of Trent if it is then pray where is our obedience to that Council and our care of Souls Are not we now as Idolatrous and Superstitious as the People were then Why then is not our Worship and Service reform'd Why are we let alone in an Idolatrous and Superstitious Worship But if our Service and Worship be altered and purg'd from those gross Crimes which were in it at the time of the Council of Trent then I desire to know of you Reverend Fathers Whether the Protestants may not fairly conclude these following things against us 1. That our Service and Worship even by the confession of the Council of Trent was then Idolatrous and Superstitious 2. That this confession justifies at least the first Reformers and also the present Professors of the Reform'd Churches unless we can make appear that our Service and Worship is now free from Superstition and Idolatry in their Charge against our Church and their leaving our Communion 3. That our Church is not now the same in her Service and Worship and Doctrines as she was at the time of the Council of Trent and then pray Reverend Fathers where are all our Boasts of the Inerrability of our Church and the Infallibility of Tradition and ever continuing the same in her Doctrines and Worship from Father to Son since our Saviour's and his Apostles time Is not this a terrible instance to our Adversaries of our Innovations and Corruptions And beyond all Reply does it not justifie all their Complaints and Outcries against us for these things Quere IX In the same Decree concerning the Celebration of the Mass the Council of Trent complains to this effect That there were several Innovations Errors and Corruptions crept in by the Vice of Times or carelesness and dishonesty of Men about the Sacrifice of the Mass Now I humbly desire to know of you Reverend Fathers the precise Time when and the very Persons by whom these Abuses and Corruptions crept into the Mass The famous Patrons of Oral Tradition and the Maintainers of a perpetual and no ways erring Church assert That it is absolutely impossible for any Errors and Corruptions ever to creep into our Doctrine and Worship But I am rather inclin'd to believe the Council of Trent who owns that the very Sacrifice of the Mass which I think we look upon as the greatest Mystery and of the greatest concern in all our Religion was then horribly corrupted But Reverend Fathers if you cannot inform me of the precise Times when and the Persons by whom the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was so abus'd as I have some reason to fear you cannot in that case I desire to know Why we should require that of the Protestants for the Errors and Corruptions which they say are crept into our Doctrines and Practice which yet we out selves cannot shew for those Errors and Abuses which nevertheless we acknowledge to have come in And why the Vice of Times or the carelesness and dishonesty of Men may not be allow'd of for a good general account how Abuses and Corruptions might creep into Religion from the Protestants as well as from the Fathers of the Council of Trent I humbly desire to know of you Quere X. Whether the generality of Mankind is not naturally inclin'd to Superstition and Idolatry And whether from these passages of the Council of Trent which I have quoted it does not appear that the bent and inclination of the People of our Communion was at that time extreamly towards Superstition and Idolatry And whether the Fathers of that Council have well and honestly taken care to secure the People from falling into these Sins by their Decrees and Canons about Worshipping the Host Angels and Saints with their Images and Relicks And whether in human probability the not enjoyning these things but direct prohibiting of them had not been a more likely and a more honest way not only to draw the People off from their then present Superstitious and Idolatrous Inclinations and Practice but also to preserve them from all future danger and guilt of Superstition and Idolatry And whether there could have been invented by the subtilty of the Devil any thing except returning to down-right Paganism more effectually to draw and betray Mankind into these Sins of Superstition and Idolatry and if there could I desire you Reverend Fathers for mine and others satisfaction to name it Quere XI Has the Church of England any thing in her Doctrines or Practice in her Liturgy or Worship which is either Superstitious or Idolatrous or any way really sinful or that does but tend to lead her Members into them And if she has not as I am apt to believe she has not because I have never heard that any of our Priests or Writers of Controversie ever charg'd that upon her then pray Reverend Fathers tell me freely Whether upon this very account which ought to be well consider'd by every Person
Reverend Fathers What signifies it with the Bishop of Meaux in the Fourth Section of his Exposition to say That in what Terms soever those Prayers which we Address to Saints are couch'd it is the Intention of the Church and of her Faithful to reduce them always to this form Pray for us Can the Intention of the Church and of her Faithful alter the nature of things and the universal meaning of plain words or is any such declaration of Intention to be admitted against the plain literal and grammatical Sence of the Prayers But if the Sence and Intention of the Church be no more than to Pray for us then why are not the Prayers and Hymns in our Publik Offices Breviaries c. at least alter'd to the Sence and Intention of our Church And why are any other Books of Devotion suffer'd to come out contrary to the Sence and Intention of the Church What a ridiculous proceeding to say no worse of it is this of our Church both to compose and set out Prayers to the Saints herself and also permit others to do so too couch'd and express'd in such Words Titles and Phrases as all sensible Mankind make use of to express their Thoughts and Desires in their Prayers to GOD and the Holy Trinity and then cry out That in what terms soevâ—â— those Prayers which we make to the Saints are couch'd it is the Intention of the Church c. Is the Latin Tongue or any Vulgar Language so barren of Words that when our Church would Invocate the Saints and Angels c. she can do it in no other manner words or terms than such in which she constantly and properly addresses herself to GOD and the Holy Trinity Are there not in every Language and particularly in ours apt and proper words and terms in which to express our Souls to GOD and the Holy Trinity And likewise when we would desire the Saints and Angels to Pray for us What folly as well as wickedness is it then to confound these Objects so infinitly different in the same terms and words and to use those to the Saints and Angels which are proper to GOD only Again Reverend Fathers Do not Men generally understand words as they sound and usually signifie And does not the very natural sence of words raise proper and suitable Ideas in Mens minds Now I would fain know of you Reverend Fathers What Thoughts or Idea's a Man can be suppos'd to have who after this manner and for these things thus addresses himself to the Virgin Mary Sacred Majesty Mother of Unlimited Power the only hope of Sinners ador'd and call'd upon by the whole Universe and who by innumerable Titles claim the Utmost Duty of every Christian as a Proper Homage to your Greatness Let the greatness of your Mercy blot out the multitude of mine Offences and deliver me from all Dangers I entrust you with whatever I am have do or hope in Life and Death and through all Eternity I own my self in your Presence and that you survey the present state of my Soul all my Thoughts and Projects and every tract of my Conversation and therefore I put my self wholly under your Protection and will observe you as my Soveraign Lady relying on your Bowels of Mercy in all my Wants of Body and Mind Protect me from the Enemy and when my Soul departs from my Body receive it into the Glory of Paradice c. Now do ye think Reverend Fathers that Invocating the Virgin Mary in such words as these would not make any Men and Women very apt to entertain such an Idea of her as is only fit and proper to be thought of GOD Would not the continual use of such a Prayer make a man insensibly to forget especially in the act and heat of Devotion that she is but a Creature and fancy that he is a praying to some Being of Divine Excellency and Perfections Would not the interior Sentiments of his Mind think ye grow like his exterior Words and Expressions when in any Publick Place of Divine Worship or but in his Closet he is upon his Knees with Hands and Eyes lifted up and in a perfect posture of Adoration But if such a Man should not insensibly by the meer force of using such Words and Expressions fall into the thoughts of her being a GOD and so be guilty of flat Idolatry yet can you deny that he is upon the very brink of that Danger And must it not be esteem'd a Miracle if such a Person is preserv'd from falling into that Precipice Quere II. But Reverend Fathers I am not ignorant that our Disputers think they sufficiently clear their hands of such Writers as the Author of the Contemplation c. Father Crasset Cardinals Bona and Bonaventure Bernardin de Busts c. by saying that such things as they teach and such Prayers and Expressions as they compose and publish are not the Doctrines and Practices of our Church but the extravagant Sayings and Flights of Devotion of some particular Men. Now that this Plea has no place and is of no force against such Prayers as are found in the Offices Breviaries Missals c. of our Church I humbly conceive you 'll easily grant and therefore all such Prayers and that strange Language and Expressions found in them must unavoidably be charg'd upon our Church But then concerning these others I humbly enquire Why the Church if your Order Reverend Fathers be a part of the Church allows and permits such in particular the Contemplations c. and Father Crasset's Book and the same I might ask concerning the other Authors I have but now nam'd for I am told they are all publish'd by the Authority of the Church or by the permission of those appointed by the Church And does not such permission amount to the Churches approbation And does the Church use to approve of any thing that is not the Doctrine of the Church And if it be the Doctrine of our Church Why do ye not speak out and declare so and prove it to be the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles But if you still deny it to be the Doctrine of our Church then pray Why are not the Books call'd in censur'd and forbid to be read and the Men who writ them punisht for False Teachers and Deceivers Again Reverend Fathers if such be not the Doctrine of our Church as I would now fain hope for a very material reason it is not then pray Reverend Fathers let me humbly ask you again Why are these Books let alone to deceive our poor ignorant People into such gross Errors And here also it will be pertinent to enquire of you Reverend Fathers Why such Books as corrupt the Doctrines of Repentance and destroy the necessity of a Holy Life speaking Truth and doing Justice and in a word all the Moral Duties and Practice of a Christian are permitted to walk freely and boldly abroad in the World and debauch Mens Principles and Practices
Why are they not I say call'd in or forbid or the Doctrines by the highest Authority condemn'd and the Authors who are alive severely punisht A Collection of these Doctrines I am told is made by one or more of the Doctors of Sorbonne who are esteem'd by most wise and good Men as Orthodon Catholicks as any and is Entituled The Morals of your Society Now Reverend Fathers to a Man that is never so little touch'd with the true spirit of a Christian must it not needs be a sad consideration to think how many poor ignorant People in our Communion fall into the misery of such Guides And ought not this to make all us Catholicks very careful and cautious about the choice of our Spiritual Guides and Ghostly Fathers since it seems there are so many in our Church that if we follow'd them would lead us into such pernitious and damnable Errors And here upon this consideration I cannot omit in this place enquiring of you and I humbly beg you to give me a particular answer to it What signifies it to us ignorant Lay People whether the Pope or a General Council or both together be Infallible if the Parish Priest Fryar or Jesuit who has the management of our Souls be not Infallible also For since he is our immediate Teacher and not the General Council nor the Pope is it not plain that if he should be either a Fool or a Knave he may either through ignorance or to serve some carnal and worldly Interest lead us into damnable Errors I could be much larger in my Thoughts on this Enquiry but I consider that I may have a fitter occasion for it and therefore shall make no further digression Quere III. But Reverend Fathers I must needs yet be plainer with you and tell you That whether such things as Cardinal Bonaventare and others have taught about the Virgin Mary be or be not the Doctrine of our Church I am nevertheless infinitely disturb'd in my mind If what Bonaventure has writ be not the Doctrine of our Church then I am infinitely scandaliz'd that our Church should Canonize for a Saint a Person guilty of such horrid and blasphemous Doctrine And then again suppose you could satisfie me which I fear you cannot that our Church has actually condemn'd these Books and Writings of his and others yet certainly is it not a most dangerous thing to be in our Communion where such Spiritual Guides are so frequent Lord say I to myself what a deal of mischief may they do and how many Souls may they poyson and ruin eternally before their damnable Errors and pernicious Doctrines are discover'd and condemn'd Whatever you may think on 't Reverend Fathers I do profess that I am deeply sensible that we Catholicks run a desperate hazard in the choice and use of our Spiritual Guides And does not this frequency of False Teachers among us make it highly reasonable and necessary that we People should have the liberty to examine their Doctrines whether true or false And if we must examine them as I do not see but we are bound unless you can prove that we must blindly follow our Guides then I desire to know of you By what Rule and by what Means and Faculties Surely there is not only some certain Rule but some certain means to use that Rule by in our Church for us Lay People or else to what purpose is the liberty you give us of examining and trying your Doctrines But I fancy I may have room to make a particular Enquiry concerning this matter and therefore shall step no farther from my present subject Quere IV. But Reverend Fathers the two words Command and Compel which our Cardinal and Saint Bonaventure us'd in his Orizon to the Virgin Mary and quoted in the First Query of this Section are so excessive harsh and horrid that I could not forbear enquiring of you Whether these Words do not with a witness elevate the Virgin Mary above the condition of a Creature Exposition Sect. 4. p. 7. which yet the Bishop of Meanx is so modest to say our Church does not And does it not only make her equal but also set her infinitly above GOD her Creator Unless that Person who Commands and Compels be inferior to the Person Commanded and Compelld Quere V. If I mistake not Reverend Fathers we account the Rosary a special Piece of Devotion and great things are said of its effects by many of our Eminent Writers and Guides in Devotion Now I will not at present enquire into these things nor into the great Mysteries said to be in it but will only humbly ask you 1. What Antiquity or what Reason can you shew for turning the Angel's Salutation of the Virgin Mary into a direct Prayer to her Did the Angel Gabriel say Holy Mother of GOD pray for us Sinners now and in the Hour of Death if the Angel did not How comes it to be pertinent for us to do it But 2. What is the true reason that in the Rosary we are to say Ten Ave Maries to One Pater Noster I have often askt this Question of some of our Priests but could never get a satisfactory Answer Now if in this matter I had Courage enough to follow my Reason I profess I think I should say Ten Pater Nosters to One Ave Marie For seriously Reverend Fathers has not GOD given us incomparably far greater Evidence both of his Love and Power than ever the Virgin Mary did 3. Why do our Preachers immediately before their Sermons say an Ave Marie Why do they address themselves to the Virgin Mary upon that occasion Is she the Fountain and Giver of all good and perfect Gifts Does Wisdom and Eloquence come from her Would it not think ye be far more decent and reasonable to address to GOD or to the Holy Ghost at such a time But after all What Reason or Antiquity can you produce for this strange Practice Quere VI. Can you Reverend Fathers prove by Vincentius Lirinensis's Rule that departed Souls do enjoy Beatifical Vision before the Day of Judgment If you can I humbly beg you would do it As also that the Saints departed do certainly hear our Prayers You perceive well enough I doubt not why I make this Enquiry For if the departed Saints neither enjoy Beatifical Vision nor hear our Prayers Is it not yet more absurd for us to pray to them Quere VII I think that we assert that all Certainty in Matters of Religion must be Infallible or else it is nothing worth because we can never rely upon it Now pray Reverend Fathers What Infallible Assurance have we Catholicks that all those who are Canoniz'd Saints by his Holiness are indeed Saints and in Heaven If we have not Infallible Assurance what reason have we Religiously to Invocate them Quere VIII Our Representer p. 4. distinguishes between Mediators of Redemption and Mediators of Intercession of this last he says He does not at all doubt but 't
here 's something of Trick and Artifice in this Doctrine and Practice But I humbly enquire of you What is the true and honest account and reason of this whole Matter What proof from Scripture or what authority from prime Antiquity for this Practice Quere V. Pray Reverend Fathers What 's the meaning of that Prayer which the Bishop uses in Blessing and Consecrating a New Cross found in the Pontifical viz. We pray thee O Lord c. that thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless this Wood of thy Cross that it may be a wholsome Remedy to Mankind a stability of Faith an increase of Good Works the Redemption of Souls a comfort protection and defence against the evil Darts of the Enemies through our Lord c. And also of that Hymn or Prayer found in the Brev. Sab. ante Domin Pass Fest invent Crucis Hail O Cross our only hope increase Grace in the Godly and blot out the Sins of the Guilty I profess Reverend Fathers these two Prayers infinitely trouble my mind for I cannot for my life understand but that we make the material Wooden Cross an Object of Divine Worship and directly pray unto it or else that these Prayers are perfect nonfence But be pleas'd to let me ask you a few Questions After the Bishop has pray'd Bless this Wood is the Cross still natural Wood and the same it was before or is its nature chang'd and alter'd and is there some Virtue and Excellency communicated to it Else What means these Words Bless this Wood Do we pray unto and Worship this Cross or that on which our B. Saviour was Crucified But let it be which it will Is it not gross Idolatry to make either of them the Object of Adoration and directly to pray to either of them If we say that we do not pray to either of them nor make either of them the Object of Adoration but Jesus Christ who suffre'd upon the Cross then where 's the sence of this Prayer Bless this Wood c. and Hail O Cross c. What an unhappiness is this And would not any rational Man think the Composers of our Prayers and the Church too were both of them constantly infatuated to make choice of such Words and Expressions in their Prayers to GOD and our B. Saviour that to take and understand them in the sence and meaning of the Composers and of the Church we must do violence to all the Rules of Grammer and to the plain and natural and generally receiv'd sence and meaning of Words and Speech Quere VI. I enquire Reverend Fathers Whether our distinguishing and saying we do not give Divine Worship terminatively but relatively and transiently to a Crucifix or to Images c. will save us from Idolatry any more than it did the Heathens in their Worship of the Sun and wooden Images And whether the same Plea if it will excuse us from gross Idolatry might not as well excuse them viz. That we do not Worship that Crucifix or that Image c. which we see and pray before but him who suffer'd on 't or him whom it represents so they We do not Worship the Sun or this Image or Statue but him who Created the Sun and the Great GOD by this Image and this Statue SECT V. Quere I. PRay Reverend Fathers What is the reason why anciently the People of our Church us'd to pray thus Grant unto us O Lord that this Oblation may profit the Soul of thy Servant Leo And that afterwards this contrary Form was us'd Grant unto us O Lord that by the Interest of thy Servant Leo this Oblation may profit us Was Leo one of our Popes and a Saint in Purgatory when the first Form was us'd And was he out of Purgatory and in Heaven when the Second Form was us'd What Infallible Assurance have we that any Soul is releas'd out of Purgatory and in particular that he is now out of Purgatory And if we have not How come we to use this last Form of Prayer But pray Reverend Fathers deal ingenuously with me Do Glorious Saints Canoniz'd and Reigning in Heaven use to pass through Purgatory fire Was St. Monica St. Austin's Mother in Purgatory Can ye prove she was there Or do ye think and can ye prove that St. Austin believ'd her there when he pray'd for her And if she was not in Purgatory Does it not prove that the Ancients us'd to pray for the Dead which yet they did not believe in Purgatory Why then do we pray for none but those we believe in Purgatory Where is our Conformity to the Belief and Practice of the Ancients in this matter Quere II. Does our Church Reverend Fathers teach That all Souls none excepted who are so happy to be saved must and do pass through the Fire of Purgatory If she does and likewise that our Prayers c. do help them How can we in Charity justifie our constant Custom of not praying for the Departed Souls of Protestants Do we believe that the Protestants living and dying such are not finally saved but damn'd Does not this sound harsh to Christian Charity And does not this our neglect of offering up Prayers and saying Masses for their Souls openly declare to the World our uncharitableness And that we believe the Soul of every Person living and dying in the Reform'd Religion is damn'd since we never fail of offering up Prayers and Masses for those Souls of whom we have the least hope of Salvation Quere III. Do not you Reverend Fathers reckon the Reformed Religion to be Christian Why then do ye teach us to think and call it a New Religion Are the Three Creeds the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament New And yet I am pretty well assur'd these are the Foundation and contain the whole of their Religion Why then do ye ask them and teach us to do so Where was your Religion before Luther Where 's the Justice and the Truth of this Is it not plain that GOD and our B. Saviour are the Authors of this Religion But Reverend Fathers What if they should ask us as sometime I have been askt without being able to answer a word Where was your Religion before the Council of Trent what should I say For my part I have lookt till my eyes are weary and cannot find a word either in the Three Creeds the Ten Commandments the Lord's Prayer or the Holy Scriptures that our Saviour has forbid us to Receive the Communion in Both Kinds that the Bread and Wine by Virtue of the Priest's saying Hoc est c. is transubstantiated into the very natural Flesh Blood Bones and Sinews and the Soul and Divinity of our Dear Saviour that we must Pray to GOD in a Language we understand not that Saints and Angels are to be Worshipp'd with Religious Worship that Mens Souls go to Purgatory before they go to Heaven that the Pope of Rome is Christ's Vicar and that