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
can heare him The Divine Scriptures are hygh majesticall in the sense simple without affectation in word they are plaine yet in them are hygh Hills which no naturall wit can surmount They are perspicuous yet full of mysterious clouds which baffle the most peircing eye They are all Tru yet S. Austin (c) l. 3. cont Faust c. 2. Piè cogitantes tantae auctoritatis eminentiam latère ibi aliquid crediderunt quod petentibus daretur oblatrantibus negaretur takes notice of some seeming contradictions which cannot be reconciled with our recourse to God the Authour of scriptures Lesse is learnt by study then by Prayer if Prayer be accompanyed with humility The (d) Psal 18. or 19. 7. testimony of God is faithfull giving wisdome to the little ones or making wise the simple as the Inglish hath it And the Author of our faith glorifyes his Father (a) Mat. 11.25 for concealing his mysteryes from the learned wise revealing them to little ones S. Gregory furnishes us with a fit comparison (b) Greg. ep ad Leandrum c. 4. Instar fluminis alti plani in quo Agnus ambulet Elephas natet of a shallow deape river in which a lambe may wade an Elephant swimme That is in it the simple humble find ground to stand uppon which the Proud loose by it are lost The words are plaine easy but the sense sublime hard not to be reacht by humane industry but by Divine inspiration which is denyed to those who rely on their owne abilityes given to such as recurre to God No bookes of the Sybills nor oracles of the Divills or other humane writing can equall Divine Scripture in this point Another character of Divine Scriptures is the force which accompanyes them workes uppon the hart of those who are well disposed which insinuates its selfe into the will enflames it with the love of God breakeing in pieces the stony hart of sinners Art (c) Ierem. 23.29 not my words like fire like a hammer that breakes a Rocke No precepts of Pagan Phylosophers had this energy I will not assure you ever perceived ether of these two qualityes in reading of Scripture in your workes there appeares little signes of ether or of the disposition which they suppose CHAPTER VI. Scriptures Supprest G. B. Pag. 13. Scriptures being the Revelation of the whole counsell of God written by plaine simple men as first directed to the use of the rude illitterate vulgar for teaching them the mysterye of Godlinesse the path of life it is a shrewd indication that if any study to kide this lyght under a candlestick to keepe it in an unknowne tongue or forbid the body of Christians the use of it that those must be conscious to themselves of greate deformity to that rule ANSWER Here you begin your charge of AntiChristianisme against your mother-Church as the charge is false soe in your managing it you mingle many Errours with some few truths A bad cause is not capable of a better defence I will take notice of some of your most considerable slips leave the reader to Judge of the rest That Scriptures were written by plaine simple men is not tru Was Moses such who was learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians Was David the swette singer of Israel a plaine simple man What shall we say of Salomon to whose wonderfull knowledge the Scripture it selfe beares witnesse Amos it is true was but Esayas was not nor Daniel nor Samuel And who ever was Author of the Booke of Job he was certainly far from being plaine simple for in him are found in perfection Phylosophy Astrology Divinity as a queene gouverning them if Caussinus the Jesuit may be beleived as compleate Rhetorick as in any whosoever And as to the Authors of the new Testament as long as S. Paul S. Luke S. John are amongst them you will never perswade the learned part of the world that your speech is not rash inconsiderate But suppose it tru that they were all plaine simple men what then Doth it follow that what they writ is easy to the meanest capacity for that you intend if you intend any thing Doe you not know that these men were only the Scribes of the Holy Ghost that in a scribe capacity of understanding is not necessary but only fidelity in writing No greate science is necessary in a Printer who only Prints what is given him by an Author the Same of a Scribe who writes what is dictated unto him Now all Authors of Canonicall bookes are the Scribes of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soe their doctrine is to be calculated according to the Meridian of that Divine Spirit not of their qualitys Take the most plaine simple of them all (a) Amos 1.1 the herd man of Thecue reade him over if you say you understand him quite thorough I will say you have confidence to say any thing G. B. pag. 14. The hardests part of Scripture are the writings of the old Testament yet those were communicated to all ANSWER Some parts of the new are as hard at any of the old viz. the Apocalypse some parts of S. Paul's Epistle are hard to be understood (b) 2. Pet 3.16 Likewise Is it not tru that all the writings of the old Testament were made common to all the Israelits The King (c) Deut. 17.18 was indeed commanded to write to himself a copy of the law out of that which was before the Preists the Levits By which it appeares that even Copyes of the law were not soe ordinary Which may be gatheted also out of the 4. of Kings c. 22. there was such astonishment at the finding reading of the booke of the law newly found in the Temple The tencommandments were common the Pharisys Phylacteryes prove it As for the rest it was divided into Parashots sections read unto the People when they met on the Sabboth as you may see Acts 15.21 And in the second of Esdras cap. 8. And the Same custome is still in the Cat. Church which in her service doth dayly reade some of the new old Testament G. B. pag. 14. What paynes are taken by Papists to detract from the Authority of Scriptures how they quarrel its darknesse its ambiguousnesse the genuinesse of its Originalls ANSWER This is a calumny We all unanimously owne Scripture to be the word of God that no untruth can be found in it Out of its darknesse Ambiguity we shew the necessity of receiving its sense from Tradition not sticking to the bare letter of the Scripture without the sense which is to the letter what a soul is to the body G. B. pag. 15. We complaine of Scripture being too much perused ANSWER Another calumny In all our universitys we have masters of Scriptures who in those I know take place of
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
we forgive And as betwixt the two brothers in Rebecca's Wombe soe betwixt these two loves there is a combate within our breast For (a) Gal. 5.17 the spirit covets against the flesh the flesh against the spirit these are contrary to one another And this is that perpetuall combate which we undergoe by reason of which this life is termed (b) Job 7.1 Militia est vita hominis super terram a warfare And (c) Aug. l. 11. de Civit. Dei c. 28. Bonum est homini ut illo prosiciente quo benè vivimus elle desiciat quo malè viv imus donec ad persectum sanetur in bonum commutetur omne quod vivimus we are conquered when selfe love prevailes over the love of God but we conquer when the love of God gets the better Wherein then doth consist the perfection of a Christian In a hart pure from bad love not yeilding consent to the motions of selfe love but resisting them a hart filled with the love of God following in all things the motions of Divine Grace the guidance of the Holy Spirit And (d) Aug. in Psal 64. Interroget se quisque quid amet inveniet undè sit civis could we certainly discover which of the two loves rules in our hart we should certainly know the state of our soul Supposing these principles let us attend Mr. G. B. G. B. pag. 76. Religion elevates the souls of mn to a participation of Divine nature where by they being inwardly purifyed the outward cōversation reguluted the world may be restored to its primitive Innocence men admitted to an inward intimate fellowship with their maker ANS What you say of participation (a) 2. Pet. 1.4 of Divine nature is out of Scripture likewise our souls being inwardly purifyed our inward fellowship with God All which is tru althô you nether tell what they meane nor understand it your selfe But that by Christianity the outward conversation should be regulated or primitive Innocence restored is aliene or untru That by Christianity outward conversation is regulated is aliene Orderly conversation being a meere externe naturall quality many times as excellent in Infidels as Christians Certainly the perfection of Christianity may be found in Anchorets preserved in a desert Whence a good conversation appeares not to be a very materiall ingredient of perfection And that Christianity should aime at restoring the world to its primitive Innocence it absolutely false for that Innocence cannot be attained unto nether in this life nor the next not in this in which the greatest Saints have their (b) Rom. 7. combats from which man in state of primitive Innocence was free not in the next the state of glory being above that of Innocency Soe nether of these is the end of Christianity G. B. pag. 76. What devices are found out to enervate Repentance sins must be divided into mortall veniall ANS From the beginning there hath always beene observed an inequality of sins I will omit moderne Divines which you doe not understand Councils which you regard not Bede in c. 5. Jac. distinguishes them the māner to expiate them which in the Greeke Church is still in use That same is observed by S. Austin Enchir. c. 71. cited above Chapt. 18. sect ◠The Beloved Disciple (a) 1. Io. 5.16.17 speakes of sin unto death others not such S. Paul (b) 1. Cor. 6.9.10 should discove rthe Plot what Was Christ concerned in this device who distinguishes sins against the holy Ghost from others whither will these men Leade us or goe themselves or what can besecure from those tongues which spare no more the doctrine delivered by Christ by the Apostles or the primitive Fathers then that of moderne Divines I know all sins are offences of God yet I doe not with the Stoicks think all sins equall or him as greate a sinner who speakes an Idle word as him who kills his owne father The contrary Paradoxes may find place And be admired in Calvin by his deluded followers but certainly no sober man can approve them G. B. p. 77. Their asserting that simple attrition qualifies men for the Sacrament ANS You doe more for you think Attrition sufficient to justify without the Sacrament Pag. 76. having sayd that Repentance remission were always united you explicate Repentance to be a horrour of sin uppon the sense of its native deformity contrariety to the law of God which makes the soul apprehend the hazard it hath incurred by it so as to study by all meanes possible to avoyde it in all time coming This is all you say which any divine knows to be only Attrition as not expressing cleerely the only motive of tru Contrition love of God above all things for his only goodnesse Give Glory to God Is it not tru that yov had heard of a dispute beyond seas betwixt Iansenists their Enemyes about the sufficiency of Attrition to justify with the Sacrament And you never would take the paines to examin the sentiments of ether part or their motives but relyed suppon the first apprehension which occurred to you Your writings give a probable ground for this conjecture G. B. p. 76. All the severitys enjoyned by Papists for Pennances doe but tend to nourish the life of sin ANS You may as well say the severity of the laws against Robbers murtherers the Axe Halter tend only to nourish inclinations to rob kill Sure your common sense is far different from that of others else you would never advance these Paradoxes Nether will it serve your turne if you recurre to the pecuniary mulcts enjoyned to some for first you cannot blame those without blaming Scripture which recemends Almes giving as a (a) Dan. 4.24 meanes to redeeme sins Secondly because worldly men are not soe willing to part with their mony how generous soever you are were you to give a crowne for every untruth you print you would by that pecuniary mulct not be encouraged to write as you doe CHAPTER XXII Theologicall Vertues G. B. pag. 78. That which is next pressed in the Ghospel for uniting souls of mankind to God is that Noble ternary of Graces Faith Hope Love ANS You can never speake soe much in commendation of the Theologicall vertues as they deserve for their merits surpasse all we can say And if you compare the least of them with those called morall vertues it will out shine velut inter stellas Luna minores Yet Faith and Hope must doe Homage to Charity or Love at to their soveraigne as to the end to which they are designed to the fountaine of their life cause of their value This I have sayd above yet I againe repeate it for their sakes who soe set up the merits of Faith as to neglect Good workes (a) Iac. 2.17 without which Faith is dead to place is after Charity without which Faith (b)
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
spirituality did not answer to the time of her conversion A like conclusion may be drawne from a reproach made to the ancient converted Jews (a) Heb. 5.12 When for the time ye ought to be teachers you have neede that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the oracles of God are become such as have neede of Milke not of strong meate For every one that useth Milke is unskilfull in the word of Ryghteous nesse for he is a babe But strong meate belongs to those that are of full age those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discerne good evill Thus the Apostle dealt with Babes in Christ But to Proficients he discovered greater mysteryes (b) 1. Cor. ◠6 We speake wisdome amongst the Perfect And because he thought the Thessalonians were such he prayed hard dayly that he myght see them againe that (a) 1. Thess 3.10 he myght compleate what was lacking in their Faith Now whither this compleating was intensivè or extensivè by adding new mysteryes of faith or a more ample explication of what they knew before is not materiall This will helpe us to understand the meaning of another place of the Apostle (b) Rom. 12. I say through the Grace given unto me to every man that is amongst you not to think of himself more hyghly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the MEASVRE of faith For as we have many members in one body all members have not the same office soe we being many are one body in Christ every one members of another Having then Gifts according to the grace which is given us whither Prophecy ministry c. Faith is distributed you see to all the Church yet not to each member of it alike but to each one HIS MEASVRE proportionable to his capacity the place or function he is called to Which similitude he uses in alike sense 1. Cor 12. Ephes 4.7 And had you taught your Disciples as the Apostles did theirs toke content with their mesure of faith there had not beene soe many sects in the world who pretending to the fullnesse of faith of which they are not capable have lost both Faith Charity You see Sir whose example we follow in this viz that of the Apostles Soe if there be any designe of Ambition to ground it the Apostles are guilty of it not we Origenes con Cels l. 1. p. 7. says all Christians were not acquainted with all revealed Truths only the most necessary points were communicated to all And l. 3. p. 122. he confirmes that practice with the example of Christ who spoke in Parables to the multitude explicated them to his Disciples Mat. 13.11 S. Basil l. de Spir. S. c. 27. discoursing of the institutions of Christianity divides them into two parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first myght be familiarly preached to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the others were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not commonly to be divulged Tertullian l. de praescript c. 25. p. 335 blames some heretickes who pretended to ground their errors on Traditions obscurely delivered by the Apostles on that occasion seemes to disowne any doctrine taught in private But in the following chapt 26. p. 336. he explicates his meaning which was to reject only such clancular Traditions as should be contrary to the Word or Doctrine publickly preached And we say the same G. B. p. 132. These are practises far different from the methode of the Apostles in preaching the Ghospel who with held nothing of the counsell of God from the People ANSWER Those words are taken out of that speach of S. Paul to the Elders of the Church of lester Asia (a) Act. 20.27 which you by a grosse mistake say were the People as if the Holy Ghost had made the People Bishops to governe the Church of God Now if the People governe who are governed You are hard put to it to find reasons against us when you are forced to such wretched shifts Know then which I wōder any one who reades with attention that place can be ignorant of that those to whome S. Paul spake there were Bishops to whome by reason of their office a larger mesure of faith was due to them the whole counsel of God was made knowne to be communicated to others not promiscuously to all but to faithfull men who myght be able to teach others 2. Tim. 2.2 Now though according to the practice of the Apostles the People amongst us are not made Teachers Pastors Prophets Apostles yet all even to the meanest Artisan have instructions necessary to salvation What they are bound to beleive what they are to hope for what to doe what neede of more If any amongst us will undergo the labour of Studys the greatest mysteryes of our Faith are obvious to him our Scriptures our Councils our Decretalls our Fathers our Ecclesiasticall Prophane Hystorys our Divines our Philosophers are extant in our Stationers shops as well for the use of the meanest Christian as of the Pope Cardinalls or Bihops What is then concealed from them which may ground your Accusation Our procedure in this is so connaturall that I am perswaded it cannot but be your owne practice The Inglish Church hath drawne to some few heades those points of Faith which shee thinks necessary to salvation delivers them to all in her Catechisme As for the others contained ether in the Bible or in the Nicene Athanasian Creedes or in the four first Generall Councills she Leaves it to her Children to seeke them out themselves if they have will convenience or to receivethem from their Ministers I do not see how any Gouvernours of a Church can proceede otherwise Dare you blame this in your Mother Church why then should you condemne us for it G. B. pag. 133. Matters of interest are the constant subject of their studyes sermons whereas others of the greatest laws of God are seldome minded ANs If you could write this untruth with out blushing you have no blood in your body To confute you it will be enough to open any one booke of Devotion heare or reade a sermon In malâ non possunt aliter Aug. Your cause must be very bad which requires such untruths to up hold it ours very good seing you have no Truth to alleadge against it CHAPTER XXXIII Faith not dependant on senses G. B. pag. 133. God hath sitted faith framed our souls soe harmoniously that they are congenial one to another ANS I find you in this point very much to seeke how to owne agreate Truth yet to establish a contrary falshood which is very deare to your whole party That Faith is above naturall reason much more above sense is unquestionable This you owne soe place Faith on a throne Yet something must behad against