Opinions of the Jesuits and other Casuits 4 o. A Discourse concerning the Necessity of Reformation with respect to the Errors aâ—… Corruptions of the Church of Rome 4 o. First and Second Parts A Discourse concerning the Celebration of divine Service in an Unknown Tongue 4 o. A Papist not Misrepresented by Protestants Being a Reply to the Reflections upon the Answer to A Papist Misrepresented and Represented 4 o. An Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England in the several Articles proposed by the late BISHOP of CONDOM in his Exposition of the Doctrine of the Catholick Church 4 o. Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England against the Exception of Mons de Meaux late Bishop of Condom and his Vindicator 4 o. A CATECHISM explaining the Doctrine and Practices of the Church of Rome With an Answer thereunto By a Protestant of the Church of England 8 vo A Papist Represented and not Misrepresented 〈…〉 Answer to the First Fifth and Sixth 〈◊〉 of the Second Part of the Papist Misrepresented and not Represented and for a further Vindication of the CATECHISM truly Representing the Doctrine and Practices of the Church of Rome 4 o. The Lay-Christian's Obligation to read the Holy Scriptures 4 o. The Plâ—… Man's Reply to the Catholick Missionaries 24 o. An Answer to THREE PAPERS lately printed concerning the Authority of the Catholick Church in matters of Faith and the Reformation of the Church of England 4 o. A Vindication of the Answer to the said THREE PAPERS 4 o. Mr. Chillingworths Book called The Religion of Protestants a safe way to Salvation made more generally 〈◊〉 by omitting personal Contests but inserting whatsoever 〈◊〉 the common Cause of Protestants or defends the Church of England with an exact Table of Contents and an Addition of some genuine Piâ—… of Mr. Chillingâ—…'s 〈◊〉 before Priâ—…d viz. against the Infallibility of the Râ—… Châ—… 〈◊〉 Tradition c. And an Account of what moved the Author to turn Papist with his Confutation of the said motives An Historical Treatise written by an Author of the Communion of the Church of Rome 〈…〉 Wherein is made appear That according to the Princâ—… of 〈◊〉 Church this Dâ—… cannot be an Article of Faith. 4 o. The Protestants 〈◊〉 and Comparison of the Protestant Religion 〈◊〉 by Law 〈…〉 of Popery Wherein is shewn that 〈…〉 Fathers and Councils and that proved from Holy Writ the Wâ—… of the ancient Fathers for several hundred Years 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 Papists themselves 4 o. The Pillar and 〈◊〉 of Truth A Treatise shewing that the Roman Church 〈…〉 to be 〈…〉 and the Pillar of that Truth mentioned by S. Paul in his first Epistle to Tâ—…y chap. 3. ver 15. 4 o. The Peoples Right 〈◊〉 read the holy Scriptures Asserted 4 o. A short Summary of 〈◊〉 principall Controversies between the Church of England and the Church of 〈◊〉 being a Vindication of several Protestant Doctrines in Answer to a late Pamphlet intituled Protestancy destitute of Scripture Proofs 4 o. An Answer to a late Pamphlet intituled The Judgment and Doctrine of the Clergy of the Church of England concerning one special Branch of the Kings Prerogative viz. In dispensing with the Peâ—…l Laws 4 o. Books lately Printed for Richard Chiswell A Discourse of the Holy Eucharist in the two great Points of the Real Presence and the Adâ—…tion of the Host in Answer to the Two Discourses lately Printed at Oxford on this Subject To which is prefixed a large Historical Preface relating to the same Argument Two Discourses of Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead The Fifteen Notes of the Church as laid down by Cardinal Bellarmin examined and confuted 4 o. With a Table to the Whole Preparation for Death Being a Letter sent to a young Gentlewoman in France in a dangerous Distemper of which she died By W. Wâ—… M.A. â—… o. The Difference between the Church of England and the Church of Rome in opposition to a late Book Intituled An Agreement between the Church of England and Church of Rome A Private Prayer to be used in difficult Times A True Account of a Conference held about Religion at Lond. Sept. 29. 1687. between A. Pulton Jesuit and Th. Tenison D.D. as also of that which led to it and followed after it 4 o. The Vindication of A. Crâ—ssener School-master in Long-Acre from the Aspersions of A. Pulton Jesuit School-master in the Savoy together with some Account of his Discourse with Mr. Meredith A Discourse shewing that Protestants are on the safer Side notwithstanding the uncharitable Judgment of Adversaries and that Their Religion is the surest Way to Heaven 4 o. Six Conferences concerning the Eucharist wherein is shewed that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation overthrows the Proofs of Christian Religion A Discourse concerning the pretended Sacrament of Extreme Vnction with an Account of the Occasions and Beginnings of 〈…〉 the Western Church In Three Parts With a Letter to the Vindicator of the Bishop of Condom A Second Letter from the Author of the Disâ—…â—…ing Extreme Vnction to the Vindicator of the Bishop of Condom The Pamphlet entituled Speculum Ecclesiastiâ—… or 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastical Prospective-Glass considered in its false Reasonings and 〈◊〉 There are added by way of Preface Two further Answers the First 〈…〉 â—…fender of the Speculum the Second to the Half-sheet against the Six 〈◊〉 A Second Defence of the Exposition of the Dâ—… 〈…〉 of England against the new Exceptions of Mons de Meaux late Bishop of 〈◊〉 and his Vindicator The FIRST PART In which the 〈…〉 been given of the Bishop of Meaux's Exposition is fully vindicated the Dâ—…tion of Old and New Popery â—…ically asserted and the Doctrine 〈…〉 of Rome in Point of Image-worship more particularly considâ—…â—… A Second Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrins of the Châ—… 〈◊〉 England against the New Exceptions of Mons de Meaux late Bishop of 〈◊〉 and his Vindicator The SECOND PART In which the Romish â—…ines concerning the Nature and Object of Religious Worship of the Invocation of Saints and Worship of Images and Relicks are considered and the Charge of Idolatry against the Church of Rome upon the account of them made good 4 o. The Incurable Scepticism of the Church of Rome By the Author of the Six Conferences concerning the Eucharist 4 o. Mr. Pulton Considered in his Sincerity Reasonings Authorities Or a just Answer to what he hath hitherto published in his True Account his True and Full Account of a Conference c. His Remarks and in them his pretended Confutation of what he calls Dr. T 's Rule of Faith. By Th. Tenison D.D. A Full View of the Doctrines and Practices of the Ancient Church relating to the Eucharist wholly different from those of the Present Roman Church and inconsistent with the belief of Transubstantiation Being a sufficient Confutation of Consensus Veterâ—… 〈◊〉 Testium and other late Câ—… of the Fathers pretâ—…ding to the contrary 4 o. An Answer to the Representer's Reflections upon the State and View of the Controversy With a Reply to the Vindicator's Full Answer shewing that the Vindicator has utterly ruin'd the New Design of Expounding and Representing Popery 4 o. An Answer to the Popish Address presented to the Ministers of the Church of England 4 o. An Abridgment of the Prerogatives of St. Ann Mother of the Mother of God with the Approbations of the Doctors of Paris thence done into English with a PREFACE concerning the Original of the Story The Primitive Fathers no Papists in answer to the Vindication of the Nubes Testium to which is added a Discourse concerning Invocation of Saints in Answer to the Challenge of F. Sabran the Jesuit wherein is shewn That Invocation of Saints was so far from being the Practice that it was expresly against the Doctrine of the Primitive Fathers 4 o. An Answer to a Discourse concerning the Coelibacy of the Clergy lately Printed at Oxford 4 o. The Virgin Mary Misrepresented by the Roman Church in the Traditions of that Church concerning her Life and Glory and in the Devotions paid to her as the Mother of God. Both shewed out of the Offices of that Church the Lessons on her Festivals and from their allowed Authors Dr. Tenisons Sermon of Discretion in giving Alms. 12 o. A Discourse concerning the Merits of Good Works The â—…sm of the Church of Rome demonstrated in some Observations upon the Life of 〈◊〉 Loyala Founder of the Order of Jesus A Vindication of the Answer to the Popish Address presented to the Ministers of the Church of England 4 o. Reflections upon the Books of the Holy Scripture in order to establish the Truth of the Christian Religion in 3 Parts 8 vo In the Press The Texts which the Papists cite out of the Bible for Proof of the Points of their Religion Examined and shew'd to be alledged without Ground In several distinct Discourses Five whereof are published viz. Popery not founded in Scripture The Introduction Texts concerning the Obscurity of Holy Scriptures Of the Insufficiency of Scripture and Necessity of Tradition Of the Supremacy of St. Peter and the Pope over the whole Church In Two Parts Of Infallibility The Rest will follow Weekly in their Order FINIS
quod scire nequis ne divinare labora Incassum That is The Virgin lacks no praise not Hybla yields More Flowers nor Ears of Corn in Libyan Fields So fair and thick as her true Vertues rise Think not to grace her then with specious Lyes Nor give her those perfections by fond guess Thou ne'er canst find and only make her less Herein indeed lies one great difference betwixt us and them That we observing that it is the plain design of the Holy Writers in the particular account they give of the wonderous Birth and Life Death and Resurrection of Jesus to engage all Men to believe That he is the Christ b Joh. 20.31 the Son of God that our eternal Life depends upon our knowing him who is the only true God c Joh. 17.3 and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent that there is no Salvation in any other nor no other name d Act. 4.12 under Heaven given among Men but his whereby we must be saved and that having the power of Judging all the World committed to him all Men are bound e Joh. 5.22,23 to honour the Son even as they honour the Father we I say finding this to be the great concern and scope of the Gospel are well satisfied with those few words of Truth and soberness we meet with there that relate to the B. Virgin his Mother and are not needlesly curious to enquire any farther It 's plain it was him they designed to advance and not her Even the Holy Spirit 's over-shadowing her Virgin Womb was rather intended to proclaim the Glory and Majesty of his Incarnation than of her Conception The Scripture mentions some other instances of her Faith and Piety wherein it places her chief Happiness as St. Austin's known saying expresses it f Tom. 6. lib. de Sanct. Virgin. Beatior ergo Maria percipiendo fidem Christi quam concipiendo carnem Christi Mary was more blessed in receiving the Faith of Christ than by Conceiving the Flesh of Christ For Materna propâ—nquitas nihil Mariae profuisset nisi felicius Christum corde quam carne gestasset Her nearness to him as a Mother had not profited her if she had not been more happy in bearing Christ in her Heart than in her Womb. Which also our Saviour confirms in that saying of his g Luc. 11.28 Yea rather blessed are they which hear the Word of God and keep it As for other matters concerning her where the Scriptures have not gone before us we are contented to remain in the dark concluding that we are not one way or other much concerned in them for if we had God would no doubt have declared them to us We think it necessary for the honour of our Lord to believe that his Mother remained a Virgin till she bare him and brought him forth We think it highly probable too that the Honour of our Lord preserved her a Virgin ever after and we detest the bad Spirit of Helvidius that made a contest of it and brought it into dispute in the Church But yet we are of the great S. Basil's mind h Homil. de humana Christi generatione that if she had not remained a Virgin afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctrine according to Godliness would not have suffered by it and therefore we lay not such stress upon it as upon the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We leave it without anxious inquiry about it But 〈◊〉 this Church having as much business with the Virgin as with Christ himself and making indeed more stir about her the modesty of the first Faith and the silence of the Scripture give them but little comfort if they cannot find in the old Gospel enough to proclaim her a fit object of Mens worship and to engage their Religious addresses to her rather than fail of this which they are resolved upon they will make a new Gospel which the Apostles never Preached and venture the Curse that is threatned to them that do so Gal. 1.8 First indeed the words of the Scripture must be Wire-drawn and Every Syllable of it that relates to her stretched and set upon the Tenters but still they find that the Bed is shorter than that a Man can stretch himself on it and the Covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it i Esa 28 20. They are therefore resolved to add where that is defective and to feign those privileges for her which they cannot find there To shew a little their fine way of proceeding in this Matter They have laid down this for an undoubted Rule as any Aphorism in Hippocrates that Mensura perfectionum B. Verginis est maternitas Dei. Her being the Mother of God is the measure of the Perfections of the Blessed Virgin. Not to dispute at present the Truth of it which may be granted in a sober Sence let us see what Conclusions they draw from it Aquinas k P. 1. qu. 25. art 6. ad 4tum infers That the Blessed Virgin because she is the Mother of God has a kind of infinite Dignity belonging to her from that infinite good which is God and that in this respect nothing better than she could be created as there can be nothing better than God. Ant. Spiâ—…lus the Jesuit says l Maria Deip. thronus Dei c. 5. s 4. From this Motherhood of God that Maxim owned by all Divines is drawn viz. That there is no gift of Grace that was ever granted to any pure Creature which was not bestowed upon the Virgin in a like or more perfect manner unless it were repugnant to her Sex. Wherefore all the Graces Vertues and Privileges divided among other Saints are found collected in her alone And they are very fond of that saying of S. Bernard m Epist ad Can. Lugdun Quod itaque vel paucis mortalium constat fuisse collatum fas certe non est suspicari tantae Virgini esse negatum Whatsoever has been granted to other Saints though but to a few we are not to suspect that it has been denied to so glorious a Virgin. Aquinas n Part. 3. qu. 27. art 1. 4 5. in another place from these principles has deduced her Sanctification before she was Born the Privilege never to have committed any Sin mortal or venial and a fulness of all Graces above all others This one would judge is pretty fair but a daring Jesuit o J. Baptista Poza Elucidar l. 3. tr 16. p. 1050. resolving to enlarge the Charter of her Privileges has advanced this position That all true Theology does require That in those things that belong to the greater glory of Jesus and his Mother if the Church does not prohibit it and they are sure it will not interpose to the hindrance of the Mother at least we are not to look what Two or Three Five or Ten Doctors have said in the Case but what will best defend and secure the Honour of Mary and Jesus
other can imagine her to be And if the one Party apprehends a Wound to be given to the Honour of the Blessed Virgin by the Supposition of her being under that Sin it is healed you see by the other in far less time than the twinkling of an Eye or the quickness of the swiftest Thought And yet after all I assure you it is morally certain that these Two Parties will never be pieced together but eternally quarrel Fresh Combatants appear every day upon the Stage and they charge one another so furiously and engage the People in such Numbers in the Quarrel that neither General Council nor Pope whom both sides acknowledge only capable of doing it dare decide this doughty Matter for fear of worse Consequences to ensue thereupon So that all things considered never was a juster Censure than that severe one which a Poet of their own e Mantuan in S. Fest Decembr has passed upon them both Duae veniunt ista in certamina Sâ—ctae Non unquam magno implentes subsellia risu Aequanimes autem volamus si vera fateri Vanus uterque labor pieras temeraria praeceps Religio levitas velata scientiae amictu Nec Natura potest illuc extendere visum Nec Deus hoc docuit nec re dependet ab ista Nostra saluâ— Quae nos igitur dementia torquet Vt studeamus in his consumere litibus annos That is Whilst these Two Sects in furious Combats chafe Their pleas'd Spectators only louder laugh For if we 'll freely say the Truth 't is plain Their Piety is rash both strive in vain All the Religious Zeal they seem t' express Is only Folly cloath'd in skilful Dress Natures short Sight cannot so far extend What God ne'er taught on that can ne'er depend Our Happiness What Madness then t' engage Or in such Fruitless Quarrels spend our Age Since therefore we are made Spectators of this Combat and need not as they have stated the Question trouble our selves much about it it may not be amiss to take a View how they have listed themselves and with what Weapons Offensive and Defensive they come appointed into the Field The Maculists tho their Infantry be not so numerous yet they are no ways daunted as having they judge a better Cause and more experienced Leaders f 260 Famous Doctors are named and their Words cited by Vinc. de Bandelis in tract de sing purit praerog concept J. Christi and Old Commanders on their Side The Fathers tho you take S. Bernard into the Number are wholly theirs g M. Canus Loc. The. l. 7. c. 1. Sancti omnes uno ore asseverant c. So Pet. Cellensis Sententiae omnium retro Sanctorum lib. 6. Epist 23. so are also the most ancient Schoolmen and those of greatest Note They think they are sure of the Master of the Sentences h Estius l. 3. dist 3. Sect. 3. and their Claim is not questioned to the Great Albertus and Alexander Alensis to Bonaventure Durandus S. Antoninus and a little Army of other Chieftanes mentioned by Vasquez i Ibid. disp 117. c. 1. But there are Two especially whom they glory in and who spirit the whole Party the one a School-man and the other a Father Aquinas k Part. 3. qu. 27. art 2. in corp ad 2. 3 4. of the first sort with his vast Train of Thomists must needs make a formidable Appearance to the Enemy when they cannot deny that Christ gave Approbation to his Writings in that fam'd saying Bene de me scripsisti Thoma Thomas thou hast written well of me And that Evasion is only to be laugh'd at which a Jesuit l Barth de Scobar conc 1. de concept B. Virg. p. 27. being sensible of the Force of it has given Forte dixit de me c. Perhaps he said on purpose those Words Of me by way of Restriction and Limitation lest any one should take Occasion to think that Christ approved whatsoever he wrote of Mary The Father I mentioned is S. Austin m 14 Places are cited out of him by Bandelis lib. citat part 1. c. 9. who may well stand for a great many because in his Writings against the Pelagians he had Occasion particularly to take Notice of it and always resolves it the same way making it the Privilege of Christ only to have no Original Sin but involving his Mother by Name in it To mention a few of the Places In his 5th Book against Julianus n C 9. thus he says Quod si dementis est dicere sine dubio caro christi non est caro peccati sed facilis carni peccati c. If it be undoubted and madness to affirm the Contrary that Christs Flesh is not sinful Flesh but like to sinful Flesh what can we conceive further but that excepting this all other human Flesh is of Sin And hence it appears that that Concupiscence by which Christ would not be conceived did cause in Mankind an evil Off-spring and altho the Body of Mary came from thence yet she did not transmit it into the Body which did not conceive from thence Now from hence it is that the Body of Christ is said to be in the Likeness of sinful Flesh because all other Flesh of Men is sinful Whoso denies this and so compares the Flesh of Christ with the Flesh of other Men that are born as to assert that both are of equal Purity he is found to be a detestable Heretick And elsewhere o De genes ad lit l. 10. c. 18. Virginis caro etiamsi de peccati propagatione venit c. The Flesh of the Virgin tho it came of a sinful Stock yet she did not conceive Christ from the Stock of Sin. Therefore the Body of Christ tho it was assumed from the Flesh of a Woman who was conceived of that Stock of sinful Flesh yet because his Body was not conceived in her as she was conceived neither was his Flesh sinful Flesh but the likeness of sinful Flesh In another place p De peccat merit remis l. 2. c. 24. Solus ergo ille homo factus manens Deus peccatum nullum habuit unquam nec sumpsit carnem peccati quamvis de natura carnis peccati alia Lect. Quamvis de materna carne peccati i. e. Therefore he alone who remaining God was made Man had never any Sin nor did he take sinful Flesh tho it was of the nature of sinful Flesh or tho it was of his Mothers sinful Flesh And again q In Psal 34. conc 2. Maria ex Adam mortua c. Mary deriving from Adam died because of Sin Adam dyed because of Sin and the Flesh of our Lord derived from Mary died to take away Sin. Saint Bernard also speaks the same Sence in his Words which were cited before p. 37. If their Adversaries were not convinced that the ancient Church knew no such Doctrine they need not trouble
of leaping into cold Water Not to invalidate this Miracle I say but to let it pass I shall only oppose the foregoing Story of the Leg of Thomas de Bohemia which also may be opposed against that other fam'd Miracle of restoring the Leg to the Youth of Zaragosa and yet not one Thomist does believe upon it that immaculate Conception to which the Cure is owing though we shall be as bad as Infidels if that Hand and Leg do not make us fall down and worship the Blessed Virgin or if we do not almost adore Virginity when we read of S. Euphemia y Speculum exempl dist 9. exempl 20. that she to avoid Marriage cut off her Nose and Lips and had them restored afterwards by the Blessed Virgin. Methinks therefore we should have a little better Quarter notwithstanding this Argument especially when we see how kind they are to themselves in not pressing it too hard where they are themselves concerned For Gr. de Valentia z Analys fidei l. 1. c. 6. tells you That Miracles of themselves i. e. without the Church do not cause infallible Certainty of the truth of a Doctrine and therefore he calls them afterwards a prudent Motive And Bellarmine says a De Eccles l. 4. c. 14. Before the Approbation of the Church it is not evident or certain with a certainty of Faith of any Miracle that it is a true Miracle And another Jesuit b Raynaudus Diptych Mar. p. 139. more fully Neither Miracles nor Revelations are a Motive sufficient of themselves to oblige all the Faithful to believe a thing with a Divine Catholick Faith as he calls it though a Relation may oblige him to whom it is made to believe with a Divine private Faith And so a Miracle I suppose may oblige his private Faith upon whom it is wrought yet it is not to be denyed that both of them are very fit Motives and may be look'd upon to have a kind of Sprinkling of divine Authority upon them Divina authoritate aliquatenus perfusum The plain Meaning of which is That God cannot deliver his Mind fully to us so as to engage us peremptorily to believe him though it may be prudent to do so unless he deliver his Mind by the Pope And that there may be no Mistake of his Sence we have it all out in another Place c Raynaudus in defens scapular Marian. p. 291. I say that the Argument fetch'd from Miracles does not clearly and unquestionably ineluctabiliter convince that Truth to be confirmed by the Testimony of God speaking by a Miracle as it were by his own Mouth Which is strange that when the Miracle speaks such a thing and nothing else and is acknowledged to be such a Miracle as God only can Work that it should not confirm that thing to be true as if he spake it A Man might swear that he is not urging us with this Argument of Miracles but intends this as a Favour somewhere else as the Words following do inform us For says he if it were so then it must be granted that the Proposition affirming the Blessed Virgin 's Conception to have been Immaculate has the Certainty of Faith for it which it's plain cannot be we affirmed because of the Silence of the Church that is with a Jesuit of the Pope in this matter And he adds That he does very piously who from hence gives a from Assent to it sed infra certitudinem divinae fidei but short of the Certainty of Divine Faith. Those Words then of pious Assent and prudential Motives and such like are Tricks and only Words of Course for one of the Church may believe in this Case either way and has free Leave to do it without being condemned So that God may do what Miracles he pleases on one side and yet a Man may safely be on the other side till the Pope contradicts it So that it is He plainly that can only oblige him to believe to Purpose Which gives me occasion to reflect upon a Second good Use that the former Considerations of Miracles and Revelations will afford us viz. A plain Discovery of the Restiveness of their unerring Guide infallible Judge and Determiner of Controversies in some Cases For those Miracles c. have but little to say to any but him and he when he pleases has nothing to say notwithstanding them If one should be so bold to question the Pope after S. Paul's manner Dost thou believe Miracles and Revelations in this Affair of the Blessed Virgin I doubt the Answer could not be returned so easily I know thou believest He is not so quickly understood I assure you nor his Mind so easily known He has often put on several Faces and by his various Appearances given Occasion to complain Quo teneam vultus mutantem Protea nodo Yet methinks we have some good hold of him and shall not easily let it go Here slippery Proteus thou art caught at last Change all thy Shapes this Knot will hold thee fast For either the Pope believes those Miracles Visions and Revelations for the Proof of the Immaculate Conception to instance only in those or he does not If he does not believe them surely we are fairly excused from being concerned about them since he has greater Opportunities than we can have to find out their Cheat if they be forged and if they were true his Faith should be the forwardest But if he does believe them then the Matter is worse considering the Place he sits in for he pretends to be the unerring Guide as I said of Faith the Judge and Determiner of Controversies It is boasted as a Privilege of his Church that its Differences can never be endless though those of other Churches may for here is one appointed to decide them and his Decision liable to no Mistake Very good And why is not this Controversy then determined It has been a Controversy in his Church of Four hundred Years standing and yet every Judge in Succession that has sate in this Chair has been dumb and his Infallibility lain by and no Body has been the better for it It cannot be pleaded on his behalf That the thing is not weighty enough to be determined and to become an Article of Catholick Faith for whatsoever we may think of it yet he dares not own that he thinks so when it is about a glorious Privilege of the Blessed Virgin and when he is now supposed to believe the Revelations and Miracles to be Divine that do attest it for God surely does not use to interpose in that manner about Trifles He cannot be excused neither for hiding this precious Talent of his and not employing it for want of a sufficient Call thereto For besides that loud one of Miracles c. which he is quick enough of hearing when he has a mind to canonize a Saint or institute a Festival he has been loudly summoned to exercise his judging Faculty by the Crys and Beseechings of all
sorts both high and low to pity the divided Church and heal its Breaches to becalm the boysterous Tempest that has threatned to sink the Ship of the Church by one powerful Word of his but all in vain He lies as one in a dead Sleep and nothing can awaken him What Applications have been made to him the following Story shows SECT IV. The History of the Embassie from Two Kings of Spain to Rome to obtain a Decision of the Controversy about the Immaculate Conception UPON occasion of what I said last how the Pope has been loudly importun'd to put an End to Controversies I cannot well pass over that famous History of the Embassy from Philip III. and IV. Kings of Spain to Pope Paul V. and Pope Gregory XV. for deciding this Controversy about the Conception of the Virgin which is given us by Luc. Wadding a Franciscan a Legatio Philippi 3. Ph. 4. ad paul 5. Greg. 15. Lovan 1624. per Luc. Waddingum out of whom I shall give the summ of it At the beginning almost of his Story he acknowledges that though heretofore the Maculists might freely and without Offence have declared their Opinion P. 3. yet now adays the contrary Opinion has so possessed Mens Minds that neither the Rabble nor the sober People the noted Doctors or grave Bishops can endure to hear it This Devotion to the Virgin he says prevailed wonderfully in Spain about Eight Years before and was chiefly excited by one Francis à san Jago a Franciscan who was fore-admonished by the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupa a Place in Spain where she has a famous Image of the Increase of the Veneration and Worship of her immaculate Conception within a few Years though not without Contradiction and Tumult and for a Sign of the Truth of this she bestowed upon him a Ring P. 4. Upon this he became a zealous Promoter of this Mystery and the People especially of Boetica applauded it setting up Trophies of the Virgin 's Victory over original Sin causing this Inscription to be fixed on the Corners of Streets High-ways and on the Fronts of Churches Mary was conceived without original Sin. But the Maculists were not idle in promoting their own P. 6. and opposing and exposing the received and common Doctrine calling it heterodox and abominable reviling those that dissented from them and following them with unsufferable Injuries who being thus provoked prepare Revenge and War so that with this Dissention all Spain was on a Flame which occasioned Pope Paul V. to send forth his Apostolick Letters dated July 6. 1616. P. 7. wherein he renewed the Constitution of Sixtus IV. which forbad the condemning the Opinion of the immaculate Conception for Heresy as also the 〈◊〉 of Trent and Pius V. had done prohibiting any to preach about this Controversy before a promiscuous Muâ—… or to write concerning it in the vulgar Tongue either way Although permitting learned Men in publick Disputations of the Universities and of general or provincial Chapters where they were present that could understand the Matter and no occasion of Scandal likely to be given to discuss that Question and by Arguments to assert or oppose either Part so that neither were asserted to be Erroneous c. Threatning Penalties against the Transgressors till the Controversy were decided by the Pope After this the Catholick King moved by the Complaints of the People consults with the Pope's Legate and other learned Prelates whether these Constitutions of the Pope did sufficiently extinguish this Flame who gave in their Judgment in the Negative The Catholick King resolves therefore to petition the Pope for a more effectual Remedy and sends Placidus de Tosantes sometimes General of the Benedictines in Spain with Two others to Rome about it P. 14. These obtained this Decree of the Inquisition confirmed by his Holiness Aug. 31. 1617. That the Opinion of the Maculists which occasioned so much Scandal Strife and Dissention among Christian People should in no wise be any longer asserted in publick Sermons Lectures Conclusions or any other publick Acts affirming that the Blessed Virgin was conceived in original Sin Notwithstanding it was strictly and severely cautioned also That their Opinion should not be impugned by others no nor so much as named or mentioned in the aforesaid publick Acts because his Holiness did not intend hereby to reprobate that Opinion or to do it any Prejudice but left it in the same State and Terms that he found it This was received with great Joy in Spain by the People who favoured the immaculate Conception they feasted and entertained themselves with Plays and Shows judging that their Business was sufficiently doâ—… But others that were wiser foretold the contrary and that it would give Occasion to greater Scandals And so it proved for the Maculists raised new Tumults and the Disorders were increased and both Parties broke out into cruel and â—ailing Invectives against each other The King therefore by the Advice of his Council determined to send a new Embassy to the Pope to move him that he would command the Maculists wholly to be silent till he had decided the Controversy P. 22. Whilst he was preparing and consulting about the Person that should carry this Embassy the King receives a Letter from the Pope wherein he desires him to forbear urging him farther for a Decision of the Controversy subscribing with his own hand That he had done what was expedient in the last Decree and all that he could do totum quod potâ—it in this matter The King thereupon thinking to desist he is so alarm'd afresh with the News of Tumults from divers Cities and Kingdoms that he resolved upon a new Embassy and chuses for it Amonius de Treio sometimes General of the Franciscans whom he chose to be Bishop of Sosa who came with the King's Letters to Rome dated 24 Sept. 1618. P. 30. Together with which he delivered several other Pacquets of the same Import with the Kings folliciting the Decision viz. A Pacquet from the Kingdom of Portugal another of Spain Letters of the Arch-Bishop of Tokicum and his suffragan Bishops Letters of the Arch-Bishop of Compostaâ—… and his Suffragans Another Bundle of Letters from all the Universities of Spain another from the Fathers Confessors to the King and Prince and other learned Doctors of the Order of the Prâ—cticants with other Three Bundles of Letters from the Praefects and Provincials of all the Orders except one To all which the Pope after he had commended the Piety of the King and the Devotion of the Kingdoms to the Blessed Virgin answered P. 31. That he could do no more than he had done in this Controversy and that the Matter required more nature Consideration than he could afford it On the same Day he visited and delivered the King's Letters to several Cardinals and Embassadors of Princes declaring the King's Desires and begging their Assistance in this Matter that concerned the Honour