of Discourses of Purity and Charity of Repentance and of seeking the Kingdom of God. Published by Dean Tillotson 8 o. His Second Volume of Discourses on several Practical Subjects 8 o. Sir Thomas Mores Vtopia newly made English by Dr. Burnet 8 o. Mr. Sellers Devout Communicant assisted with Rules Meditations Prayers and Anthems 12. Dr. Towerson of the Sacraments in General Of the Sacrament of Baptism in particular 8 o. The History of the COVNCIL OF TRENT in which besides the ordinary Acts of the Council are declared many notable occurrences which hapned in Christendom for 40 Years and particularly the Practices of the COVRT of ROME to hinder the Râ—formation of their Errors and to maintain Their Greatness Written by Father Paul of the Servi To which is added the Life of the Author and the History of the Inquisition Dr. Bâ—rnets History of the Reformation of the Church of Eng. in 2 Vol Fol. A Collection of sixteen several Tracts and Discourses written in the Years from 16â—8 to 1685. inclusive by Gilbert Barnet D. D. To which is added A Letter written to Dr Barnet giving an Account of Cardinal Pools secret Powers The History of the Powder Treason with a Vindication of the Proceedings thereupon An Impartial Consideration of the Five Jesuits dying Speeches who were Executed for the Popish Pâ—ot 1679. 4 o. A Dissertation concerning the Government of the Ancient Church more particularly of the Encroachments of the Bishops of Rome upon other Sees By WILLIAM CAVE D.D. 8 vo An Answer to Mr. Serjeant's Sure Footing in Christianity concerning the Rule of Fâ—ith With some other Discourses By WILLIAM FALKNER D. D. 4 o. A Vindication of the Ordinations of the Church of England in Anâ—wer to a Paper written by one of the Church of Rome to prove the Nullity of our Orders By GILBERT BVRNET D D. An Abridâ—ment of the History of the Reformation of the Church of England By GILB BVRNET D D. 8 vo The APOLOGY of the Church of England and an Epistle to one Signior Scipio a Venetian Gentleman concerning the Council of Trent Written both in Latin by the Right Reverend Father in God IOHN IEWEL Lord Bishop of Salisbury Made English by a Person of Quality To which is added The Life of the said Bishop Collected and written by the same Hand 8 vo The Life of WILLIAM BEDEL D. D. Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland Together with Certain Letters which passed betwixt him and Iames Waddesworth a late Pensioner of the Holy Inquisition of Sevil in Matters of Religion concerning the General Motives to the Roman Obedience 8 vo The Decree made at ROME the Second of March 1679. condemning some Opinions of the Iesiuts and other Casuists 4 o. A Discourse concerning the Necessity of Reformation with respect to the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome 4 o. First and Second Parts A Discourse concerning the Celebration of Divine Service in an Unknown Tongue 9 o. A Papist no 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 Exceptions of the 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 being an Answer to the First Fifth and Sixth Sheets of the Second Part of the Papist Misrepresented and not Represented and for a further Vindication of the CATECHISM truly Representing the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome 4 o. The Lay-Christian's Obligation to read the Holy Scriptures 4 o. The Plain 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 Salvâ—tion made more generally useful by omitting personal contests but inserting whatsoever concerns the common cause of Protestants or defends the Church of England with an exact Table of Contents and an Addition of some genuine Pieces of Mr. Chillingworths never before Printed viz. against the Infallibility of the Roman Church Transubstantiation 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 touching Transubstantiation Wherein is made appear That according to the Principles of that Church this Doctrine cannot be an Article of Faith 4 o. The Protestants Companion or an Impartial survey and comparison of the Protestant Religion as by Law established with the main Doctrines of Popery Wherein is shewn that Popery is contrary to Scripture Primitive Fathers and Councils and that proved from Holy Writ the Writings of the Ancient Fathers for several hundred Years and the Confession of the most Learned Papists themselves 4 o. The Pillar and Ground of Truth A Treatise shewing that the Roman Church falsly claims to be that Church and the Pillar of that Truth mentioned by S. Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy chap. 3. ver 15.4 o. The Peoples Right to read the Holy Scriptures Asserted 4 o. A short summary of the principal Controversies between the Church of Engl. and the Church of Rome 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 Penal Laws 4 o. A Discourse of the Holy Eucharist in the two great Points of the Real Presence and the Adoration 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. Wake M. A 12 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 London 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. Cressener Schoolmaster in Long-Acre from the Aspersions of A. Pulton Jesuit Schoolmaster 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 it in 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 Discourse concerning Extreme Unction to the Vindicator of the Bishop of Condom The Pamphlet entituled Speculum Ecclesiasticum or an Ecclesiastical Prospective-Glass considered in its False Reasonings and Quotations These are added by way of Preface two further Answers the First to the Defender of the Speculum the Second to the Half-sheet against the Six Conferences A Second Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England against the new Exceptions of Mons. de Meaux late Bishop of Condom and his Vindicator The FIRST PART In which the Account that has been given of the Bishop of Meaux's Exposition is fully Vindicated the Distinction of Old and New Popery Historically asserted and the Doctrine of the Church of Rome in Point of Image-worship more particularly considered 4 o. A Second Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England against the New Exceptions of Mons. de Meaux late Bishop of Condom and his Vindicator The SECOND PART In which the Romish Doctrines 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 Fuâ— Account of a Conference c. His Remarks and in them his pretended Confutation of what he 〈◊〉 Dr. Tâ—â— Rule of Faith. By Th. Tenison D. D. A Full View of the Doctrine 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 〈…〉 Bâ—ing â— sufficient Confutation of Consensus Veterâ—â— Nâ—bis 〈◊〉 and other late Collections of the Fathers pretending to the Contrary 4 â— An Answer to 〈…〉 Reflections upon the State and View of the Controversy With 〈…〉 Vâ—â—dicator's Fâ—ll Answer shewing that the Vindicator has utterly ruâ—â—â—d the New Design of Expanding and Representing Popery 4 o. An Answer to the Popish Address presented to the Ministers of the Church of England 4 o. Popery not founded in Scripture or the Texts which Papists cite out of the Bible for Proofs of the Points of their Râ—â—iâ—iâ—n examin'd and shew'd to be alledged without Ground In twenty Discourses Four whereof are published the rest will follow weekly in their Order An Abridgment of the Perogative of St. Ann Mother of the Mother of God with the Approbations of the 〈◊〉 of Paris thence done into English with a PREFACE concernining the Oâ—iginâ—l of the Story The â—â—â—â—nitive Fathers no Papiâ—tâ— in Answer to the Nubes Testium to which is added a Discourse concerning Iâ—vâ—cation of Saints in Answer to the Challenge of F. Sabran the Jesuit wherein is shewn that the 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 Celibacy 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 Reflections upon the â—â—oks of the Holy Scripture in order to establish the Truth of the Christian Religion in 3 Parts 8 vo 〈…〉 Dr. Tenisons Sermon of Discretion in giving Alms. 12 o. A Discourse concering the Merits of Good Works The Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome demonstrated in some Observations upon the Life of Ignatius 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. Vid. 2d part of the Vindication of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England (a) De Divin Offic. c. 4. (b) Not. in Martyrolog Rom. p. 3. Edit Paris 1645. (c) Annal. ad an 395. n 20. (d) Hist. Eccl. l. 6. c. 26. (e) Ap. Euseb. Praep. Evang. l. 3. c. 4. Paulo post princip In vita Aedesii prope fin (a) Superstitio error insanus est quos colit violat Quid enim interest utrum Deos neges an infames Epist. 123. (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Superstitione Vid. Histoire de l' Inquisition de Goa chez Hortemels Paris 1688 cum Privilegio ⸫ De la vie de St. Ignac lib. 1. Vid. Orlandin Hist. Soc. Jesu l. 1. num 9. c. * Ibid. †De vita Ignat l. 1. c. 2. * Bouhours l. 1. ‖ Id. ibid. Bouhours l. 1. Maffeius l. 1. c. 2. Vie de St. Ignace l. 2. c. 5. Bouhours l. 2. Bonaventura de vita Fran. cap. 3. Id. cap. 1. Bouhours l. 3. Id. l. 4. Bouhours l. 1. * Ibid. Maffeius l. 1. c. 3. Bouhours l. 1. L. 1. c. 3. (a) L. 1. (b) Cap. 2. Rome 1629. â— vo Maffeius l. 1. c. 3. (a) Hist. Soc. Jesu l. 1. (b) Lib. 3. Philostratus de vit Apoll. â— â— c. 12. Id. l. 3. c. 15. Bonaventura cap. 15.6 †De vita Fr. cap. 14. Bussieres l. 2. c. 16. Philostrat l. 1. c. 15.9 Bonavent cap. 8. Vitelleschi cap. 7. Philostrat l. 1. c. 9. Philostrat l. 7. c. 6. Bonavent cap. 8. (a) L. 3. c. 3. (b) cap. 5. Bouhours l. 2. Id. l. 6. Philostr l. 8. c. 2. Bouhours l. 1. Id. l. 2. Gloria S. Ignatii Rothomagi 1630. cap. 8. Id. c. 14. Ribadeneira in vit ejus Philostrat l. 1. c. 13. l. 7. L. 1. l. 7. Bonaventur c. 7. Golden Legend fol. 262. London 1527. Bouhours l. 1. Id. l. 6. Gloria S. Ignatii cap. 7. Bouhours l. 6. * Vite ejus per Jac. Baccium Romae 1645. Bouhours l. 1. Gloria S. Ignatii cap. 8. * Bouhours l. 6. Vitelleschi c. 20. †Jac. Baccius in Vit. ejus l. 2. c. 19. Vitelleschi c. 19. Bouhours l. 6. *
THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE CHURCH of ROME Imprimatur Liber cui Titulus The Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome Guil. Needham RR. in Christò P. ac D. D. Wilhelno Archiep Cant. a Sacr. Domest Mart. 16. 1687 8. THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE Church of Rome Demonstrated in some OBSERVATIONS UPON THE LIFE OF IGNATIVS LOYOLA LONDON Printed for Ric. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXVIII THE CONTENTS AN irrational Credulity the occasion of Enthusiasm Page 2 The causes of this Credulity p. 1 2 The ill effects of Enthusiasm p. 3 The true remedy of it p. 4 How fatal it is to Christianity p. 5 That Christianity rightly understood cannot be charged with it p. 6 7 That the Church of Rome is most guilty of it p. 7 8 That Learning tends effectually to prevent it p. 6 7 8 9 The Artifices of Enthusiasts p. 9 10 That the constitution of the Body and disposition of the Spirits may very much promote Enthusiasm and these either natural or acquired p. 11 12 13 The mistakes in Religion arising from Enthusiasm p. 13 14 That to promote Enthusiasm is a certain mark of a corrupted Church Page 15 That the Church of England doth not in the least encourage it p. 16 That the Church of Rome doth many ways promote it p. 16 17 18 Especially in her approbation and veneration of Enthusiastick Saints p. 18 19 Particularly of Ignatius Loyola p. 20 Ambition the first necessary quality of an Enthusiast p. 20 21 Ignatius in an eminent manner guilty of it p. 21 c. First induced to undertake a Religious Life by reading Romances and the Lives of Saints p. 22 23 24 His apish imitation of Christ and St. Francis p. 25 His imitation of Romantick Heroes p. 26 27 28 His Dispute with the Moor in his Pilgrimage to Montserrat Page 28 29 His Ambition confessed by the Writers of his Life p. 30 31 That his Conversion proceeding from Ambition could not be the effect of a Divine Operation p. 31 That this Ambition continued after his Conversion p. 32 That an Enthusiastick way of life was an effectual means to procure to him his desired Glory p. 32 33 34 Other Arguments of Ignatius his Ambition p. 34 35 36 His great conceit and boasts of his own Sanctity p. 37 38 Weakness and violent commotions of Body necessary to Enthusiasts and eminent in Ignatius p. 39 40 His Ignorance and weakness of understanding stupidity and hatred of Learning p. 41 42 43 44 The essential Properties of Enthusiasm p. 44 His pretence of Divine Visions p. 45 46 47 48 49 That these Visions were wholly owing to his disturbed Imagination p 50 51 His pretence of internal supernatural Illuminations and infused Knowledge Page 51 52 53 54 His own Account of his Divine Visions Raptures and Illuminations p. 55 56 57 58 59 That these Illuminations were false and fictitious p. 60 61 His pretence of acting by Divine Inspiration and an inward Light p. 61 62 63 64 His requiring a blind obedience and submission from his Disciples p. 64 65 66 His diffidence of his own Reason and irrational expectation of a Divine Direction and Assistance upon all occasions p. 66 67 68 His pretence of a mighty familiarity with God and receiving wonderful internal Consolations p. 68 69 His canting about Spiritual Matters p. 70 71 His irregular Preaching without receiving any Commission from the Church p. 71 73 74 75 76 In imitation of St. Francis p. 72 The ordinary effects of Enthusiasm and that Ignatius was guilty of them p. 76 c. His perpetual praying p. 77 His foolish expectation of extraordinary assistance from God in all difficulties p. 78 Other mistakes in Religion arising from Enthusiasm p. 79 80 The foolish pretence and gross practice of Evangelical Poverty used by Ignatius p. 80 81 82 83 84 His immoderate and irrational Abstinence and Austerities p. 84 85 86 His desire of contempt contumelies and derision p. 87 88 The ridiculous Actions of Enthusiasts p. 89 Of St. Francis p. 89 90 91 Of Ignatius p. 91 92 His denying to pay the usual ceremonies of Civilitiy p. 93 94 The inconstancy and irregular Conduct of Enthusiasts p. 95 Of Ignatius p. 95 96 97 The pretence of fighting with Devils common to the Enthusiasts of the Church of Rome p. 97 98 More especially to Ignatius and St. Francis p. 98 99 That all these Pretences may be justly suspected of falshood p. 100 That the Actions related to Ignatius by the Writers of his Life might give just occasion of suspecting the concurrence of Evil Spirits in them p. 101 102 That the Pope hath erred in affirming him never to have committed any mortal Sin after his Conversion p. 103 That he was most grosly guilty of the Sin of Despair p. 103 104 105 That his blind submission to the Dictates of his Confessor was sinful at least foolish p. 105 106 That he may be justly suspected of many other Vices of entertaining unworthy thoughts of God of revenge and cruelty of lying equivocating and incontinence p. 107 108 109 St. Francis's temptation to Incontinence p. 109 110 That Ignatius may be justly suspected of Imposture p. 110 111 Of Heresie p. 112 113 That both he and Saint Francis were while alive generally esteemed Fools Madmen Impostors and Hereticks p. 113 114 115 Of his Miracles p. 115 c. That it is incredible that God should in these latter Ages exert his power of Miracles so frequently p. 116 117 That the Miracles of Ignatius were forged after his Death p. 118 That by the Confession of the Writers of his Life they are highly uncertain p. 119 120 That they want due attestation many of them depending upon his own single Testimony p. 121 122 Others upon the Testimony of one single credulous Witness p. 122 123 124 That many of his Miracles have nothing extraordinary in them and may be solved by natural Causes p. 124 125 126 That some of them are evidently false proved from the Testimony of the Writers of his Life p. 126 127 128 From the absolute impossibility of them and contradictions included in them p. 128 129 130 131 From their monstrous incredibility p. 131 132 133 134 From their frivolousness and impertinence p. 134 135 136 The Conclusion p. 137 138 139 THE PREFACE AMong other Artifices wherewith the Romish Emissaries recommend their Religion to ignorant and unwary Persons none hath been more specious and successful than the pretence of an excellent Ecclesiastical Policy fitted to preserve Vnion in the Church and prevent the Illusions of a private Spirit The badness of their Cause permits them not to descend into a scrupulous examination of the merits of it Every single Controversie hath been so often handled and so demonstratively determined against them that it would be rash and disadvantageous to resume the debate of those particular Questions It was therefore found necessary to advance some general Considerations which might amuse the Ignorant
and divert the Inquisitive from the examination of particular Controversies Prejudices have been published against the Reformed Religion and pompous Arguments of external Convenience daily urged in favour of the Church of Rome The principal of these is the pretended excellence of the Constitution of that Church tending to preserve an intire unity of Faith and universal decency of Discipline in the Church and free all private Persons from the danger of entertaining any pernicious Error or at least infusing it into others continuing in the Communion of the Church while every one submits his private Reason to the Iudgment of the Church and with a blind obedience receives directions from the Living Rule of Faith whether Pope or Council This supposed Advantage hath been often and with great ostentation produced in behalf of the Church of Rome and a natural tendency to Disorder Heresie and Schism with great vehemence charged upon the Church of England It is objected that she allows to every man an unlimited power of using his own Reason in deciding matters of Faith that she constitutes every Person a supreme Iudge of the most momentous Controversies from whom lyeth no Appeal to any Visible Iudge on Earth That she subjects the Faith of all private Christians to infinite uncertainty and fluctuation since the Infallible Direction of the Holy Ghost is promised only to the Representative Church and the Iudgments of men may be as various as are their Humours and Vnderstandings That hereby a door is opened to infinite Heresies and Errors and the Christian Religion exposed to the danger of being divided into as many several Systems as it contains Proselytes That by this disorder all Rules of Faith are rendred useless since whatsoever they may propose in their genuine sense men will adapt them to their own pre-conceived Notions and frame to themselves a belief from the Dictates and Inclinations of their private Spirit whereby unity of Faith will be totally destroyed and Religion will degenerate into downright Enthusiasm Indeed the danger of Enthusiasm when rightly understood is so fatal to Christianity and destructive to the Reason of Mankind that we cannot but conclude any Church which is guilty of it to be grosly corrupted and degenerate and shall willingly put the whole Controversy upon this issue But then Enthusiasm consists not in allowing to every private Person the power of judging for himself in matters of Religion For this the Nature as well as Interest of Mankind requireth which received the use of Reason chiefly for this end and even our Adversaries themselves must at last recur to this principle but it consists in pretending to receive the Articles of Faith by extraordinary Illumination and in irrational and extravagant actions of Devotion and Piety which a fond Imagination mistaketh for the Impulses and Dictates of the Divine Spirit Such Pretences and Actions as they are most remote from the Genius and Constitution of the Church of England so they naturally flow from the Principles of the Church of Rome and are fomented and promoted by her This appears upon many accounts but chiefly from the consideration of her most Illustrious Saints whom she admired when living and reverenceth when dead consulted them then as Oracles and proposeth them now to her Followers as Patterns of the most consummate Perfection and by canonization of them and solemnizing their Memories hath set a publick stamp of authority and approbation upon their Life and Conduct The most eminent of these were extravagant Enthusiasts who distinguished themselves from the rest of Mankind by nothing else but the continued exercise of a blind Fanaticism The proof of this Charge is the design of this present Treatise which hath therefore assumed for the Subject of it the Actions of Ignatius Loyola as the greatest and most illustrious of all the latter Romish Saints If our Arguments shall be convictive and the most admired Saints of the Church of Rome shall be found to be in the highest degree guilty of Enthusiasm many considerable Conclusions may be drawn from thence in relation to other Controversies which I shall not here insist to prove The so much boasted Order and Discipline of the Church of Rome will be intirely ruined For if the pretence of a private Impulse be once publickly admitted and countenanced in any Church all Impulses whatsoever must be allowed without distinction whether agreeable or contrary to decency and the established Discipline of the Church which will open a wide door to all licentious Disorders since it is the nature of Enthusiasm ever to affect somewhat extravagant and irregular The certainty of Oral Tradition will be overthrown since if Persons of so great authority and repute as Saints are supposed to be received not the Catholick Faith from any precedent Tradition but from extraordinary Inspiration that is in truth the whimsies of their own Brains and so delivered it to vast multitudes of credulous Hearers Oral Tradition will be interrupted and the grossest Heresie might be easily introduced in the Church But to omit other Consequences prejudicial to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome the Invocation of Saints will hence receive a fatal blow For it would be highly irrational to address our Prayers to any Saint to desire his intercession in Heaven unless we were probably assured that the Saint hath already obtained a place in Heaven But if the Church can so far err in the Canonization of Saints as to bestow that sacred Character upon publickly address Prayers to and exhort the People in their private Devotions to desire the intercession of such foolish Enthusiasts as are utterly unworthy the lowest seat in Heaven and perhaps never got so far as Purgatory then Invocation of Saints altho we should grant it to be lawful in the Theory cannot but be infinitely unsafe in the practice of it If the imputation of Enthusiasm renders the Invocation of these Saints unsafe and dangerous much more will the evidence of some notorious Crime unrepented of incapacitate other Romish Saints from receiving our Addresses That there have been such the Examples of St. Thomas Becket and St. Dominick put past all dispute the first of which violently opposed the lawful power of his Prince over the Clergy the last employed his whole life in inciting Armies of holy Pilgrims to the slaughter of the innocent Albigenses But what if after all great numbers of Saints placed in the Roman Calendar and invoked in the publick Offices of the Church had never any existence and are the meer Inventions of Romantick Legends A Learned Person hath lately instanced in some few of them as St. George St. Sebastian St. Longinus St. Viarius c. to which perhaps some hundreds might be added I will instance but in one but him most remarkable and not yet observed by any as being such a Monster of a Saint as Pagan Superstition would have never thought of and which may perhaps at the first sight seem incredible The Church of Rome hath
taken the Almanack into the number of the Saints and canonized it under the name of St. Almachius solemnizeth its memory on the first day of January and giveth to it an illustrious Character in the Martyrology This probably proceeded from the mistake of some ignorant Monk about the seventh or eighth Age who finding the word S. Almanacum Sanctum Almanacum written in the front of the Calendar and not knowing what to make of that barbarous term with which he was before unacquainted imagined it to be some ancient obscure Saint who took up the first place in the Calendar Being possessed with this Error it was no hard matter to make S. Almachius of S. Almanacum written in the old way of Abbreviation Having thus framed the Saint out of good manners he placed him after the Circumcision of our Lord the memory of which is celebrated upon the same day but yet to keep the former Order as much as possible immediately after it as it now continueth in the Roman Martyrology This unhappy mistake was thence transcribed into many other Copies and so encreased the Rabble of the Romish Saints with the addition of St. Almanack Afterwards a goodly Story was framed of him that he suffered Martyrdom at Rome under the Presecture of Alipius where reprehending the Gladiators in the Amphitheater for their bloody sports he was killed by them That my Conjecture is just manifestly appears from the constant silence of all ancient Writers concerning any such Martyr None makes mention of him before Alcuinus and he doth it in such a manner as sheweth that he knew not what to make of him For as for the Martyrologies of Beda Usuardus and Ado they have received so many Interpolations from latter hands that no Arguments can be drawn from them Baronius is grievously perplexed about this S. Almachius One while he makes him to have suffered under Honorius another while under Theodosius and supposeth him to have been the same with the Martyr Telemachus of whom Theodoret makes mention But so prodigious a change of Telemachus into Almachius is somewhat incredible and that Telemachus was stoned whereas Almachius is said to have been stabbed Add to this universal silence of the Ancients that S. Almachius is placed exactly in the beginning of the Calendar on the first of January immediately after the Circumcision of Christ and the matter will be rendred highly probable The only Objection which with any shew of reason can be opposed is that the word Almanacum seems not to have been so ancient as the time of Alcuinus as being received from the Arabians But this is no other than a vulgar Error For Porphyry used the word 1400. years since where speaking of the many different Horoscopes he saith of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose names are contained in the Almanacks which may also give a probable reason how the letter h crept into Almachius For as anciently in spelling words derived from the Greek they kept much more closely to the Greek Orthography than we now do it is not unlikely that when this word was first adopted by the Latins it was writ Almanachum These Arguments will at least create a probability of my Assertion that this fictitious Saint arose from the unhappy mistake of some ignorant Writer If our Adversaries of the Church of Rome shall yet persist to defend the honour and truth of their Calendar it will concern them to produce better Arguments for the existence of St. Almachius than I have now proposed against it But to return from St. Almanack to St. Ignatius it cannot be pretended by our Adversaries that the Character of Enthusiasm or Falsity which I have affixed to him and the Miracles attributed to him may equally be fastned on the Actions and Miracles of Christ and his Apostles altho both Ignatius and St. Francis in acting their Extravagances flattered themselves with the thoughts of a perfect imitation of Christ. As for the reception of the Faith by extraordinary Illumination and in many cases acting by Divine Impulse that in the first propagation of Christianity when it was both necessary and convenient was no argument or character of Enthusiasm but only in subsequent times after the Faith had been once published and an ordinary Rule whether Scripture or Tradition was fixed which by natural means might divulge the knowledge of it Nothing childish or ridiculous can be discovered in the Actions of Christ and his Apostles none of those frantick Motions or irrational Extravagances which are so eminently conspicuous in the whole Conduct of Ignatius At least none of their Miracles are subject to those Objections which intirely ruine the credit of those ascribed to Ignatius They were all well attested performed before whole multitudes of Enemies as well as Friends delivered to us by Eye-witnesses and that without any fluctuation or mutual repugnance of their Testimony were not destructive of the Laws of Corporeal Beings nor included any contradiction contained nothing monstrous or indecent in them and were in all respects intirely conformable to the Majesty of that God who wrought them and the gravity of that Religion which was confirmed by them It will perhaps be pretended with greater shew of reason that the actions and Histories of many famous Monks and Anchorets of the Ancient Church give no small countenance to the Conduct of Ignatius and by the authority of their Examples rescue it from the force of our Objections that consequently the Ancient Church is no less subject to the Charge of Enthusiasm than the Church of Rome and both equally concerned in it Altho the deformity of Enthusiasm cannot be palliated by any Authority whatsoever yet the regard which I have to Truth and the great reverence which the Church of England not unjustly beareth to the more pure and ancient times of Christianity obligeth me to remove this prejudice and preclude the force of any such Objection before I dismiss the Reader First then however it cannot be denied that many Persons who obtained to themselves an extraordinary repute of sanctity in the Ancient Church committed many gross irregularities in the conduct of their Devotion practised immoderate Austerities and were sometimes guilty of ridiculous Actions yet the Ancient Vniversal Church is not in the least concerned in all this nor receiveth any prejudice from the indiscreet Zeal of these private Bigots She gave no countenance to their Extravagances never recommended them to the practise or imitation of her Children much less approved them by any solemn and publick Act. Whereas the Church of Rome hath in the highest and most solemn manner espoused the Follies and Whimsies of her Enthusiastick Saints by canonizing them celebrating their Memories with Festivals and pompous Ceremonies invoking them in her publick Offices and recommending their Examples to the World as the best and greatest Patterns of Christian Perfection This alone might suffice to overthrow all pretence of Antiquity in this case Yet to clear the matter somewhat
aim at an extraordinary perfection and purity propose to themselves long pilgrimages terrible austerities continual prayer and a thousand other ridiculous actions which their deluded fancy suggests to be meritorious They employ their thoughts in the perpetual meditation of these imaginary perfections and in their extasies and raptures are amused with them and form pleasing Ideas of them arising from the apprehension of any exceeding merit or veneration to be obtained by the practice of them In this religious phrensy they imagine to have received the Divine approbation of them mistaking a foolish satisfaction of a deluded judgment for the suffrage and voice of the Holy Spirit acting in them and at last proceed so far as to fancy the reception of a Divine Command for the commission of these extravagancies No wonder then if after such a false perswasion they proceed to act all the whimsies and follies which a disturbed brain and violent imagination can suggest if they put off all sense of shame and modesty and setting no bounds to their extravagance deliver themselves up to the conduct and direction of an irrational fancy which inciteth them to commit such follies and trifles as are beneath the dignity of a rational Being and contrary to the dictates of common sense such ridiculous fopperies and elaborate extravagance as may justly provoke the laughter of sober Heathens and indignation of wiser Christians Such ridiculous Fanaticism is the utmost degeneracy of Christian Religion than which nothing can be more contrary to its Genius and destructive of its Principles Christianity was intended to exalt and perfect the Reason of mankind to create true notions of the nature of all moral and religious Actions and introduce the practice of a manly and rational Piety Whereas this Enthusiasm debaseth the Reason and Understanding of mankind introduceth false Ideas of Religion and Piety and exposeth both to the scorn and derision of the more judicious and intelligent World as if none but Fools and Ideots could be perfect Christians and the highest degree of madness were the most certain mark of piety Such absurd Opinions cannot but scandalize all considering Persons and cause them to conclude that either these absurdities are gross corruptions and deviations from Christianity or else Christianity it self is a grand Imposture unworthy the belief and veneration or even attention of mankind The former is not easily discernible by those who have no other notions of Christianity than what they receive from the general practice and currant opinions of their Countrey and are from their infancy prepossest that there is no true Christian Society besides their own where if such Fanaticism be publickly practised or countenanced it cannot but create in them a detestation of all Christianity But as for those who are convinced of the truth of Christianity in general and enquire after the true Doctrines of it among so many divided Communions of the Christian World they may rationally and infallibly conclude that particular Church which favours or promotes this Superstitious Enthusiasm to be infinitely corrupted and degenerate from the true Spirit and Principles of Christianity If we view the several Churches and Communions of the Christian World we shall find no Society of Christians more free from Fanaticism than the Church of England or more guilty of it than the Church of Rome It hath been the peculiar happiness of the Church of England to create a right sense of Religion and Piety in all her Communicants and secure to them the practice of a rational Devotion She makes no pretensions to private Inspirations and extraordinary Illuminations of the Holy Ghost and all her Children are more apt to deride than admire the follies and extasies of Enthusiasts If any of her Members have at any time through ambition or ignorance embraced Fanaticism they have at the same time departed from the Communion of the Church and becoming Schismaticks proclaimed themselves her Enemies Yet so far hath the sober and judicious practice and example of the Church of England influenced even their conduct that the most extravagant among them have been less Fanatical than the most admired Saints of the Church of Rome and whensoever the sense of their Duty and Providence of God shall induce them to return to the bosome of the Church which we heartily wish they can do it no otherwise than by deserting even all Reliques of Fanaticism Not so the Church of Rome which in all her Offices and publick Ceremonies promotes and foments it hath on many occasions given publick applause and approbation to it and oweth the greatest part of her peculiar Doctrines and present prosperity to the Enthusiasm of her Followers If we consult the publick Offices of that Church we shall find nothing intelligible directly proposed to the common People but the Prayers performed in an unknown Tongue and their Senses in the mean while amused with antick Gestures Images Processions and pompous Representations The first enforceth the minds of ignorant Persons to betake themselves to the entertainment of their own thoughts and direct their Devotion according to their own crude and indigested Ideas and then the latter inspires them with childish and absurd notions of Religion and Divine Matters and both together cause them to form wild and Enthusiastick Apprehensions of Religious Actions and direct their Conduct according to those Apprehensions If we examine the peculiar Doctrines of the Church of Rome we shall find many of them to derive their original from Enthusiastick Visions and Revelations I will instance only in Purgatory and Transubstantiation whereof the former however at this day defended was at first set a foot upon the sole Authority of these Fanatick Visions which imaginary Visions of this kind were so frequent among the Enthusiastick Monks of the sixth seventh eighth and tenth Ages that large Volumes might be compiled of them as indeed I have seen several voluminous Collections of them in Manuscript composed before the Reformation in proof of Purgatory As for Transubstantiation as it was first forged in the Cell of a Visionary Monk so it chiefly gained credit and belief in the World from the pretended Visions of supposed Saints for whose sake God divested the Sacramental Elements of their usual Accidents and offered them to their sight under the very Species of an Humane Body Scarce a Monkish Saint of any eminence after the ninth Age can be found in whose life such a Vision is not related Lastly if we view the Religious Orders of the Church of Rome where Religion and Piety is supposed to flourish in its utmost perfection and which are esteemed the grand Patterns of refined Christianity we shall find them to be so many Societies of Fanatical Enthusiasts who if we except vicious and irreligious Persons among them wholly busie themselves in wild Imaginations and ridiculous Ceremonies If any religious Persons among them escape this contagion and surmount this imperfection it is owing to the excellency of their Genius and advantage of their
When St. Francis one Night earnestly desired to hear some Musick a Concert of Angels appeared to him and played most melodiously While Ignatius writ his Constitutions He often heard not only in his Imagination but with his outward Ears most sweet Lessons of the heavenly Musick And when his Body was exposed after Death divers Stars were seen upon his Sepulchre and a very harmonious Concert of Musick was heard about it for two whole days together But St. Dunstan was more modest in procuring to himself this miraculous Musick He scorned to put the Angels to any trouble and therefore his Harp usually played of its own accord as it hung upon the Wall. Such are the Miracles which in former Ages advanced the Doctrines of the Church of Rome and at this day continue to be none of the least Arguments of their truth to credulous and injudicious Persons Upon these is founded the honour of their Saints and upon their truth depends one of the most glorious Notes of their Church From the Miracles of Saint Francis alone Surius pretends that whatsoever Hereticks may prate it is abundantly proved that the departed Saints know our Concerns on Earth and hear our Petitions Thus the Controversie of the Invocation of Saints is decided Add to this the Visions of Ignatius and devotion of Saint Francis's Lamb and Transubstantiation will be irrefragably demonstrated and so in all other Articles peculiar to the Church of Rome Miracles will not be wanting to demonstrate their truth And indeed Miracles are now become the only refuge to which our Adversaries can recur when Reason and Learning runs so low among them and their Arguments have been so often baffled But by an unhappy incredulity we are no more inclined to believe their Miracles than Doctrines the latter we imagine to be false but the former both false and foolish It remains therefore that we receive a conviction of the truth of the Romish Religion as Ignatius did by supernatural Illumination and extraordinary Impulse which may be hoped for when God shall lose his Attribute of Immutability and Christianity cease to be Rational But to pass by that From what hath been hitherto said it appears that the Church of Rome is in the highest degree guilty of Enthusiasm and that Ignatius and whom he imitated Saint Francis were the greatest and most foolish Enthusiasts of any Age Persons so far unworthy the Glories of Heaven and Society of Angels that they deserved rather to be excluded from the number of rational Beings and upon that account be placed one degree beneath Fools and Madmen Yet to these are publick Prayers addressed in the Church of Rome Festivals celebrated Churches dedicated and Vows directed and as if all this were not sufficient God must be desired to save us through their Merits Thus Bonaventure concludes the Life of Saint Francis in these words May Iesus Christ bring us unto Heaven by the Merits of his Servant Francis and the Golden Legend thus Let us pray to Saint Francis that he would aid and assist us that by his Merits we may come to everlasting life And that somewhat more than humane may be conceived of them we are told of Ignatius that only by his Name writ in a piece of Paper he did more Miracles than Moses and not fewer than the Apostles that the Founders indeed of other Religious Orders were formerly sent by God for the benefit of the Church but that after all in these last days God hath spoken to us by his Son Ignatius whom he hath made Heir of all things and to whom nothing else was wanting to the utmost perfection but the following Attribute By whom also he made the World. This was spoken of Ignatius before he was yet Canonized I know not whether his Canonization qualified him to receive that Attribute but I am sure it excused not his Memory from the just imputation of Folly and Enthusiasm nor the Church of Rome from the Charge of a most deplorable Fanaticism in celebrating his Memory and applauding his Folly. FINIS ERRATA PAge 1. l. 9. for convinceth r. convince p. 14. l. 11. for any r. an p. 39. l. 21. in marg for Vite r. Vita p. 24. l. 9. for first r. last p. 39. l. ult for Swound r. Swoon p. 79. l. 22. for Cap. grave r. Capgrave p. 105. l. 21. for do r. doth Books Printed for Richard Chiswell Dr. CAve's Lives of the Primitive Fathers in 2. Vol. Folio Dr. Cary's Chronological Account of Ancient Time. fol. Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity fol. Sir. Iâ—hn Buâ—lâ—ce's History of the Irish Rebellion fol. The Laws of this Realm concerning Jesuits Seminary Priests Recusants the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance explained by divers Judgments and Resolutions of the Iudges with other Observations thereupon By Willian Cawley Esq. fol. Dr. Towerson's Explication on the Creed the Commandments and Lords Prayer in 3 Vol. fol. Bishop Nicholson on the Church-Catechism Mr. Iohn Cave's seven occasional Sermons 4 to Bishop Wilkins Natural Religion 8 o. His Fifteen Sermons 8 o. Mr. Tanners Primordia Or the Rise and Growth of the first Church of God described 8 o. Spaniards Conspiracy against the State of Venice 8 o. Dr. Caves Primitive Christianity in three parts 8 o. Certain genuine Remains of the Lord Bacon in Arguments Civil Moral Natural c. with a large account of all his Works By Dr. Tho. Tenison 8 o. Dr. Henry Bagshaws Discourses on select Texts 8 o. Mr. Sâ—liers State of the Church in the three first Centuries Dr. Burnets Account of the Life and Death of the Earl of Rochester 8 o. History of the Rights of Princes in the disposing of Ecclesiastical Benefices Church-lands 8 o. Relation of the present state of the difference between the French King and the Court of Rome to which is added the Popes Brief to the Assembly of the Clergy and their Protestation published by Dr. Burnet 8 o. Dr. Combers Companion to the Altar 8 o. Dr. Sherâ—ocks Practical Discourse of Religious Assemblies 8 o. Defence of Dr. Stillingfleets Unreasonabless of Separation 8 o. A Vindication of the Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet in answer to Mr. Baxter and Mr. Lob about Catholick Communion 8 o. Sir Rob. Filmers Patriarcha or natural Power of Kings 8 o. Bishop Wettenhalls method and order for private devotion 24 o. Valentines private devotions 4 o. Dr. Spencer de Legibus Hebrâ—orum Ritualibus earum Rationibus fol. Dr. Iohn Lightfoots Works in English in 2 Vol fol. Sir Tho. Browns Vulgar Errors with all the rest of his Works fol. Patris Simoniâ— Dâ—squisitiones Criticae de Variis per diversa Loca Tempora Bibliorum Editionibus Accedunt Castig Opusc. IJ. Vossii de Sybil. Orac. 4 o. The Case of Lay-Communion with the Church of England considered 4 o. Two Letters betwixt Mr. R Smith and Dr. Hen. Hammond about Christs descent into Hell 8 o. Dean Stratfords Disswasive from Revenge 8 o. Dr. Hez Burtons first Volume