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
nether in this world nor in the next Whence it follows that some sins are forgiin the next world Neque enim de quibusdam veraciter diceretur quod non eis remittatur neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro saeculo nisi essent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remittetur in futuro Aug. l. 21. de Civit. Dei cap. 24. Now to Mr. G. B. G.B. p. 55. For Purgatory the proofe from Scripture was only drawne from one wrested place of the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 3.12.13.14.15 ANS How can you say this when amongst the ancients S. Austin uses another text as we have just now seene And Bellarmin hath nineteene texts of Scripture as your Patriark W.L. will tell you p. 353. G. B. The Apostles words containe only a Proverbiall forme of speech to expresse the risque they run The Apostle speakes not only of arisque or hazard but of an effectuall losse He shall fuffer losse Says he verse 15. G. B. p. 55. Many visions apparitions were vouched for the proofe of Purgatory ANS I never saw any vouched for that intent I am sure nether the Councill of Trent nor that of Florence nor Benedict XII vouched any such thing for that intent I think not our divine Faith much concerned in asserting the Truth of any purely humane hystory I think most apparitions to be such Yet because severall Protestants as well as all Atheists utterly reject all such relations I desire them to reade S. Austin l. de Curâ pro mortuis cap. 10. where he says it would be an Impudence to deny them all Impudenter venire videbimur si haec falsa esse responderimus And in his 16. chap. he says he had learnt non incertis rumoribus sed testibus certis not from uncertain rumours but from undoubted withnesses that S. Faelix had appeared both to Citizens strangers during the siege of Nola. Had you the same Faith which was then in the Church you would beleive these things your denying them which the Primitive Church S. Austin beleived shews you to be anitmted with a different Faith CHAPTER XVII Priestly Absolution G.B. pag. 60. Another Art for detracting from the value of Christ death is the Preistly Absolution ANSWER This objection is no product of your owne wit you may find it the Authors of it together with an Answer to in S. Ambrose l. 1. de Poen c. 2. Aiunt Novatianise Domino deferre reverentiam cui soli remittendorum criminum potestatem reservant Imò melli majorem injuriam faciunt quà m qui volunt ejus mandata rescindere Nam cùm ipse in Evangelio dixerit quaecumque ligaveritis quis est qui enm magis honorat utrum qui mandatis ejus obtemperat an qui resistit Ecclesia in utroque servat obedientiam ut peccatum alliget relaxet The Novatians says this Saint pretend to honour God by reserving to him alone the power of forgiving sins But really none are more injurious to him or wrong him more then those who breake his orders For whereas he in the Ghospel sayd whose sins soever you bind Who honours God more he who obeys his commands by using that power or he who resists them Now the Church obeys both the commands to bind loose sins effectually binding loosing them Thus S. Ambrose You see Sir that our Doctrine now was that of the Church in S. Ambrose's time that the Novatians held your doctrine made use of the same pretext as you doe to defend their doctrine The Church for which S. Ambrose pleades was Catholick soe must we be in this seing our doctrine is the same with theirs The Novatians in this were Hereticks what are you Indeed the words with which our B. Saviour (a) Mat. 16.18 first promist secondly (b) Ioan. 20.22.23 actually communicated that power to forgive or retaine sins are soe expresse that it is the greatest disrespect imaginable soe to wrest them as they must to draw them from their naturall sense I desire you to shew your art invent us some speach which in soe few words shall more cleerly expresse this sense the Catholick Church understands them in And as for Fathers see S. Cyprian in many places S. Basil qq brev q. 288. S Leo epist 91. ad Theodorum Greg. hom 26. in Evang. Cyr. Alex. lib. 12. in Joan. but above all S. Chrisostome l. 3. de Sacerd. c. 5. tom 3. edit Savell pag. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those who dwell on earth says he are enabled to dispense the things in Heaven To them a Power is given which nether Angels nor Archangels enjoy for to these it was never sayd what you shall bind Earthly Princes have power to cast into prison but their Power is restrained to Bodyes only Where as the bond we speake of reaches the soul Heaven it self In so much as what Preists doe below God ratifyes above the lord confirmes the sentence of the servant And what is this but to have put into their hands all Power to dispose of Heaven whose sins you forgive are forgiven whose sins you retaine are retained What Power can be greater then this God the Father hath given all Power to Iudge to the son the son hath communicated all that same Power to Preists Thus this Glorious Saint You see sir the grounds of our beleife in this point the cleere words of our Lord (a) Ioan. 20.23 whose soever sins you remit they are remitted unto them You see the Fathers the Primitive Church explicating those words as we doe you see Novatians were held for Hereticks for understanding those words otherwise What ground have you to deny a Truth delivered by Christ to the Apostles from them handed downe to us G. B. pag. 62. It was counted a Blasphemy in Christ when he sayd thy sins are forgiven thee which shews it to be blasphemy in all others it being an invasion of his Prerogative ANS Here we have a blasphemous accusation of the Scribes against Jesus-Christ opposed against the cleere words of Christ the meaning of the whole Church Nay their words althô full of malice convinced of falshood by a miracle are preferd before those of Christ as being made a Rule by which his must be interpreted Thus under-pretence of asserting the authority of Christ you overthro wit as your Brethren ruined their souveraigne under pretence of making him a glorious King But say you Christ cleered himself from the Power was committed to the son of man to forgive sins ANS That same Power given by the son of man to the Apostles their successors doth cleere us G. B. pag. 61. After a sinner hath gon over his sins without any signe of remorse told them to a Preist he enjoins a Pennance without wayting that they obey it he says I absolve thee after this they judge them selves fully cleansed from sins ANS Were there
Dei Charitatem qui Ecclesiae non diligit unitatem Aug. lib. 3. de Baptismo cont Donat. c. 16. And all your pretences of causes given of your separation are but frivolous this taring in peices the mysticall body of Christ is so greate a sacriledge that no pretext can excuse it Apparet sayth S. Austin l. 2. contra Epist Parmeniani c. 11. non esse quicquam gravius sacrilegio schismatis quia praecidendae unitatis nullae est justa necessitas When I saw you reflect on your runing so long round in a circle I hoped you would come out of it was in hopes that ether I mght have beene a spectator of your following course or else that you would have ledde me a more pleasing walke The designe of S. Austin (a) Aug. l. 1. Retract c. 7. came to my mind who represented the Piety of Catholicks the vicious lives of the Manichyes in his two bookes de moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae de moribus Manichaeorum I imagined you myght designe the like in the two parts of this booke I expected you would have given us a Panegyrick of your owne Church after you had spent your Satyricall veine on your invective against ours I thought we should have seene described the Beauty of the Protestant Church the advantages of Communion with it the perfection of its Faith the decency of its ceremonys the Majesty of its Hierarchy the reasonablesse of its canōs the fullnesse of its conducency to Piety in this life Blisse in the next And all these confirmed with examples of the vertuous lives of its devotes But how much have I been mistaken I for casting an eye a little further after some few words in commendation of your Faith I find you throwing dirt againe as fast as before or rather faster as if in the first part you had only essayed what in the second you act in ear nest Doth your Garden the Church Cant. 4.12 is compared to one afford only that one flower Is the soyle so barren or so ill cultivated as none else should be found in it or if there be any other doe they thrive so ill as not to be worth being pointed to Or doth it come from a morosity of nature which inclines you to blame reprehend or from a propensity to entertaine thoughts only of faults imperfections as flyes pitch uppon ulceres some other creatures wallow in mire or from another quality worse then that which turnes all to bad as a foul stomacke turnes all food into peccant humours a spider draws Poyson from that flower whence a Bee draws Hony something of this must be for I will nether say there is nothing reprehensible in the lives of Catholicks it is a propriety of the Triumphant Church to be free from any spot or wrinkle nor that all is bad in Protestant besides their Faith that being the condition of the damned spirits in Hell But I supercede these personal Reflections follow though with little comfort you in the new maze you leade me into CHAPTER XXX Catholick Faith delivered by men divinely inspired Rules to know tru Tradition Faith never changed G.B. pag. 116. The first Character of our Faith is that it was delivered to the world by men sent of God divinely inspired who proved their mission by miracles ANSWER All Divine Faith is built to the veracity of God the men who delivered it at first were but the organs by which God spake their Words were his words When you received the word of God says S. Paul 1. Thess 2.15 Which when you received of us you received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God Hence those men frequently use that phrase Haec dicit Dominus Thus says the Lord. And Faith is no further a Theologicall vertu then it relyes solely only on the truth Veracity of God as on its formall object as with our Divines out of them Dr. Pearson in his learned explication on the Creede teaches And in this even those men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinely inspired proceded as we doe resolving their Faith into the veracity of God as well as we for their faith was univoca of the some nature with ours with this only difference that the formall object was applyed to them cleerely to us only obscurely The assent to such a mystery in Christ was science or vision not soe in any others he myght say (a) Io. 3.11 We know what we speake quod scimus loquimur quod vidimus testamur we testify what we have seene The rest must say (b) 2. Cor. 4.13 credimus propter quod loquimur We beleive therefore we speake In this manner faith was first spreade in the world I say the Catholick faith not your Protestant faith which as it containes your positive negative articles otherwise it is not Protestant was never delivered by any man divinely inspired but invented by your first Reformers who as I have sayd chap. 22. s 1. taking the whole summe of faith revealed topt lopt off it as much as they pleased from them you have not the Christian but the Protestant faith Fides temporum non Evangeliorum a faith of the times not of the Ghospels says Tertul. Were these the men of God divinely inspired assisted by miracles G. B. pag. 116. The doctrines about which we differ can pretend to no such divine Originall ANS You know we hold this not to be tru we receved all by the some authority from the same hand G. B. pag. 117. What man sent of God was the first Authour of the beleife of the corporall presence of the Sacrisice of the Masse of the Popes supremacy of Purgatory of Indulgences of all those innumerable superstitions of which scripture is absolutely silent ANSWER Christ was a man sent of God he was the first Authour of them G. B. Ibidem If these doctrines were not the off spring of Revelations we cannot be oblidged to beleive them as such ANS Your former legerdemain comes again another conviction of your disingenous proceeding This appeares by these Propositions If the Bible were not the off spring of Revelation we should not be bound to beleive it If Christ were not tru God we should not be bound to adore him as such Could you with patience heare a Pagan with such a slyght undermine the authority of the Bible of the honour doe to Christ Prove what you odiously suggest that the things you wrongfully call superstitions are not revealed you will doe something to the purpose But you are too cunning to attempt any such proofe which you know surpasses your strength And there fore you had rather suppose then prove it that being more proportioned to your capacity Religion G. B. Ibidem They vouch Scriptures for proofe to some of these but these are soe far stretched that their sure retreate is in the Sanctuary
in their hart mouth that is to say very neere or easy S. John 1. Jo 5.3 to the same intent sayd the Commandments were lyght with this motive we encourage ours Two things may be answered to this reason first that some of ours have taught that doctrine secondly that some of yours doe not teach it To the first I reply that I ansenius indeed did hold it but was immediatly condemned by the Pope the whole Church soe his doctrine doth not discourage ours And to the second your Church never made any solemne decree against it nay it ownes Communion with those who teach it soe the discouragement lyes with you Secondly your excessive exagerations of faith as all sufficient to salvation your neglect of other vertues good workes may encline to faith but stirres up to no labour for other vertues as being of no necessity no greate use now we place faith in the rank S. Paul assignes it (a) 1. Cor. 12. at the feete of Charity with S. James we teach that (b) Iac. 2.26 with out workes it is dead We owne with the Apostle that without Faith nothing can be done in order to eternall blisse because (c) Heb. 11.6 it impossible to please God without it with it alone nothing considerable is done Hence we teach our People too keepe their Faith as the Apple of their eye but withall to cherish Charity as their Hart. Thirdly Hope of advantage is a greate spurre to vertu this encourages the souldier in his battells the marchant is his voyages the Husband man in his labours whose endeavours would slacken was there no corne no gaine by marchandise nor victory to be hoped for Now we teach that through the Passion of Christ by the promise of God a reward is due to good workes you deny this pretending that nothing is due to the best of them but Hell damnation they being all sins Soe our doctrine encourages to good workes yours dishartens them Fourthly what soever doctrine diminishs the feare of the punishment due to sin is contrary to vertu because that feare is a greate curbe to our Passions Now your doctrine doth diminish that feare for you teach that faith secures to you your act of oblivion your full pardon soe that those who beleive soundly neede feare nothing Faith having a vertu to blot out all sins G. B. pag. 154. We cannot be charged for having taught our People to breake any one Commandment ANSWER You seeme charged for teaching them indirectly to breake them all saying the keeping them is impossible in it selfe fruitlesse if they should be kept their breach not prejudiciall G. B. pag. 160. Bad practices may furnish matter for regret but not for separation ANSWER It is tru when where principles of religion are contrary to such practices But when these bad customes are naturall sequels of the doctrine necessarily flow from it not only the practices are to be detested but likewise the doctrine whence they flow is to be abhorred as pernicious to souls the Church which teaches them as doctrine ether necessary to be beleived or even probable in practice what soever Church it be is to be forsaken as the Chaire of Pestilence Si quid de Tuo Deus meus dictum est agnoscant Tui Si quid de Meo tu ignosce tui Aug. AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS Chapt. 1. MR. G. B. his designe his disposition when be writ this booke of the Wickednesse of the world Pag. 1 Chapt. 2. Of Antichrist Pag. 6 Chapt. 3. The tru designes of Christian Religion Pag. 11 Chapt. 4. G. B.'s explication of the Designes of Religion Pag. 15 Chapt. 5. Of the Characters of Christian Doctrine Pag. 19 Chapt. 6. Scriptures supprest Pag. 23 Chapt. 7. Idolatry of Pagans Pag. 30 Section 1. Pagans thought their Idols to be Gods Pag. 31 Sect. 2. The beginning occasion of Idolatry Pag. 41 Sect. 3. What were the Pagan Gods that the Pagan Gods had been men Pag. 52 Sect. 4. The Roman Grecian Jupiter was not the tru God Pag. 68 Sect. 5. Whither all Pagans beleived one God Pag. 84 Sect. 6. Of the unknowne God at Athens p. 98 Chapt. 8. How G. B. proves Catholicks Idolaters p. 104 Chapt. 9. Of Mediating Spirits p. 107 Chapt. 10. Of the Intercession of Saints p. 116 Chapt. 11. Pretended charmes of Holy-water wax-Candles Agnus Dei's p. 126 Chapt. 12. Of Ceremonyes p. 130 Chapt. 13. Scripture the Church of the Resolution of Faith p. 137 Chapt. 14. Of Merits p. 151 Chapt. 15. Punishments due to sin forgiven p. 153 Chapt. 16. Of Purgatory p. 157 Chapt. 17. Preistly Absolution p. 166 Chapt. 18. Of Pennances p. 171 Sect. 1. Fasting p. 172 Sect. 2. Prayer p. 175 Sect. 3. Pilgrimages p. 178 Sect. 4. Two Objections answered p. 182 Chapt. 19. Sacrifice of the Masse p. 183 Chapt. 20. Regall Office of Christ of Transubstantiation Dispensing in vows c. p. 188 Chapt. 21. Love its two species Repentance mortall veniall sins Attrition Contrition p. 192 Chapt. 22. Theologicall Vertues p. 200 Sect. 1. Of Faith Heresy p. 201 Sect. 2. Of Hope Presumption p. 206 Sect. 3. Of Charity p. 209 Sect. 4. Answer to what G. B. objects p. 212 Chapt. 23. Efficacy of Sacraments p. 215 Chapt. 24. Probable opinions good intentions of the Authour of the Provinciall Letters p. 217 Chapt. 25. Papists doe not allow to breake the commandments p. 225 Chapt. 26. Riches Pride of Churchmen p. 230 Chapt. 27. Vnity of the Church in Faith Sacraments G. B. owne Protestants to be Schisinaticks severity against dissoniers of Hugo Grotius p. 235 Chapt. 28. Zeale of souls in our Bishops Reformers of S. Cyran Arnaud Jansenius p. 241 Chapt. 29. Small Objections Residency commendams p. 254 Conclusion of the first beginning of the second part p. 257 Chapt. 30. Catholick Faith how delivered Rules to know Tradition Faith never changed The dispute betwixt Mr. Arnaud Mr. Claude p. 260 Chapt. 31. Revelations miracles p. 269 Chapt. 32. Whither all Mysterys of Faith Common p. 276 Chapt. 33. Faith not dependant on senses p. 283 Chapt. 34. Mr. G. B. Intention Meekenesse p. 289 Chapt. 35. Reasons why Cat. embrace not the communion of the Protestant Church p. 296 Chapt. 36. Greater exercise of Piety amongst Catholicks then amongst Protestants p. 304 Chapt. 37. No houses of devotion nor spirituall Bookes amongst Protestants p. 310 Chapt. 38. Protestant Doctrines contrary to Piety p. 318 A Catalogue of some Authors whose Pages are cited in this worke with the places where yeares when they where printed I name only those Authors whose Pages I cite by reason that their treatises being long or not divided into Chapters the places I use would not be otherwise easily found Authors Where Printed in what yeare Aristotle Parisiis 1619. Arnobius Parisiis 1666. Athenagoras
ptompts you to make such a map of the fargreatest part of Christianity This will appeare more cleerely when we come to consider your charge in retayle examin your proofes when we see you are forced to seeke them in the obscure withdrawing roomes of man's hart which are inaccessible to all but God of which neverthelesse you speake as confidently as if God had lead you by the hand into them made you partaker of his knowledge Purgatory was invented on designe to enrich the clergy Transubstantiation on designe to make it more esteemed The primacy of the Pope on designe of Grandeur c. And although we vouch Scripture for all these points yet you are pleased to say we doe not ground them on Scripture but on Ambition Avarice Nay you not only faine proofes for our Doctrines but fix on us Doctrines themselves which we disowne as that we teach to breake the Commandments Soe that we may professe that all that is ugly dismall in the Scene of Horrour Misery which you represent comes from your owne pincell is an effect of your owne brayne See what is your temper how much your Reader is oblidged to you CHAPTER II. Of Anti-Christ G. B. pag. 3. Being warned of so much danger to the Christian Religion it is a necessary enquiry to see if this AntiChrist be yet come or if we must looke for another ANSWER Doe you then think it as necessary to know AntiChrist as to know Christ That you expresse your earnestnesse in enquiring after AntiChrist in those words (a) Luk. 7.19 of S. John the Baptist's inquest after the Messias Nay yours are more pressing urgent then those of that greate Saint for he sayd only Art thou he that should come or Looke we for another But you say or must we Looke for another As if it were a more pressing duty to enquire after the AntiChrist then the Messias We are warned indeed of Anti-Christ we are also warned of the danger hanging over the Church from (b) Mar. 13.21.22 false Prophets false Christs Who should say Loe here is Christ Loe he is there All Sectarys pretend to him You will doubtlesse say he is in your Prelaticall Church the Presbyterian says he is in his Assemblyes The independant is for his conventicles the Quaker Claimes him also What shall a Roman Catholike doe what choice shall he make Our Blessed Saviour having forewarned us of the danger armes us against it Ne credideritis beleive none of them but sticke to the old Doctrine the Catholick Church Which I cite as more against you then any thing you can bring against us out of your contemplations on Anti-Christ or the Apocalypse to which you would never recurre had you any cleere grounds against us in Scripture I suspect the cause of any man which to decide a suite-in-law produces obscure dubious for that reason insignificant deedes I should on that score had others beene wanting suspect the cause of the sectaryes millenarians fift-monarky-men the like And that reason is sufficient to make me suspect you who recurre to those obscure Prophecyes of the AntiChrist which at best are extremely obscure as appeares by the errours grounded on it as you acknowledge For you say G.B. pag. 3. Some have stretched the notion of AntiChristiamisme so far that things harmlesse innocent come with in its compasse others have too much contracted it that they myght scape free ANSWER It seemes the limits of the notion of AntiChristianisme are very arbitrary soing they are extn ded or contracted according not to Scripture or Tradition but to the fancy caprichio of every pragmaticall Heade When you consider more impartially the things harmelesse Innocent which you blame in us as AntiChristian very probably you will find your selfe to be of the number of those who stretch its notion beyond its nature those limits which God hath designed for it G. B. pag. 3. AntiChristianisme is not only a bare contradiction to some branches or parts of the Ghospel but a designe entire complex of such opinions practices as are contradictory to subversive of the power life of Christianity ANSWER Never did Junior Sophister amongst illiterate Pesants deliver his sentiments or Apollo amongst his deluded Adorers speake his Oracles more magisterially then you deliver your Opinions in controverted matters of Faith for such is this point seing it is delivered in Scripture there are such variety of perswasions concerning it's tru meaning as you your selfe sayd even now You give us a new notion of it what Scripture what Tradition what decree of a Councill what father doe you alleadge for it None Not soe much as any reason offred Is not this to Lord it over the faith of your Reader To beg the thing in question to expect the world should be so stupid as to be taken with such a slyght That you should meete with beleife because you boldly assert To your bare assertion I will oppose my negation why should not my negation be be of as much weyght as your affirmation Especially seing I speake with all those whome you blame for enlarging or contracting too much the notion of AntiChristianisme you stand alone I confirme my negation with Scripture 1. Jo. 4.3 where those are sayd to be AntiChrist who deny Christ's coming in the flesh Which is only one article of Christianity how soever it be of the most fundamentall Yet let us grant what you soe confidently beg that Anti-Christianisme is acomplex of opinions opposed to the power life of Christianity I know none who hath better title to it then your Reformation for the life of Christianity is Faith Charity you have destroyed the first by Heresy the second by Schisme as shall be proved hereafter Children delyght in Edged tooles which serve only to cut their fingers you your brethren use weapons against us which wound your selves Fatall Experience myght have taught you more discretion then to be still mouing that stone which hath once crusht both your Church state to pieces And truly the reproch of Anti-Christian will fall on your Church if proved against ours For say what you please of the ancient Britans the first Apostles of the Inglish who brought us the light of Faith planted the Ghospel amongst us came from Rome The Hierarchy you pretend to came from thence By authority from the Pope my Lord of Canterbury is Primate my Lord of London is his Suffragan By the same authority the Country is divided into Dioceses your Deanes Chapters setled your universityes founded severall degrees instituted in them If the Pope be the AntiChrist both universitys Hierarchy amongst you is AntiChristian More over the Livings you enjoy were for the most part if not altogether given by the pious liberality of Persons who profest that Faith we professe lived dyed in the Communion of
our Church Gratitude to such Benefactors may teach you to Judge lesse severely to suspend your Judgment til you have more convincing arguments to ground it on then your owne bare bold Assertion CHAPTER III. Tru the Designes of Christian Religion THe Designe of God in establishing Religion was that Men should serve him in this world enjoy him in the next that they (a) Psal 12◠3 here sow with teares there reape with Ioy now run (b) 2. Tim. 4.7 8. their race fyght their battle then receive their Crowne Rivers (c) Eccles 1.7 receive their waters from the sea returne to it againe Religion receives its beginning from God runs through all ages to returne to God againe Each man before his creation is Creatrix essentia says S. Anselme from which by creation he is separated by Regeneration the good workes which follow it he returnes to him againe never more to be separated from him The first Action is of God alone the rest are of God man for God (a) Aug. Quite creavit sine te non te salvabit sine te will not compleate the work of our salvation with out the cooperation of man God (b) Subest tibi cùm volueris posse can doe all with out man but will not man (c) Sine me nihil potestis facere 10.15.5 can doe nothing without God from whome he must expect prevenient concomitant subsequent Graces for all every meritorious action That blisse which God prepares for us in the next life containes God himself when enjoyed renders the thrice happy soul like (d) Similes ei erimus 1.10.3 ◠unto God we must attaine to it by meanes proportionable which partake of the resemblance Wherefore our understanding must be like that of God beleiving him our will Loving him the first is Faith the second Charity To which adde Hope to keepe our soul steedy amidst the difficultyes of this life as an anker (e) Heb. 6.19 fixes a ship you have the three vertues called Theologicall because they rely immediatly on Almyghty God Faith on his Veracity or Truth in affirming Hope on his Fidelity in promising Goodnesse as he is our Cheife Good Charity on his Goodnesse in its selfe Which three Virtues containe what is required of us in this life Whatsoever is required to a good life is knowne is we know what to beleive to hope to love Says (a) Aug. Ench. c. 4. Omnia quae requiris proculdubio scies diligenter sciendo quid credi quid sperari debeat quid amari Haec enim maximè imò verò sola in Religione sequenda sunt S. Austin Which are the only things Religion regards as being designed only for these three vertues But are we not oblidged to keepe the commandments Or doe not they advauce towards Heaven who run (b) Psal 119.32 in the paths which God hath traced out And how come these to be omitted ANSWER They are not omitted but are contained in Charity (c) Rom. 13.8.9 He that loveth an other bath fullfilled the law our whole duty to our neyghbour the commandments relating to him being breifly comprehended in this saying Love thy neyghbour as thy selfe As our whole duty to God is contained in that other saying Love God above all things (d) Mat. 22.40 On these two commandments hang all the law the Prophets These are the two rootes (e) Mat. 7.17 of the good tree which brings forth good fruite As love of our selves is the roote of the bad tree which brings forth bad fruite The (f) Aug. serm 44. de temp Radix omnium bonorum est Charitas sicut radix omnium malorum est cupiditas roote of all good is Charity as the roote of all evill is concupiscence Againe (g) Aug. l. de moribus Eccl. c. 25. Nihil aliud est benè vivere quam toto corde totâ animâ totâ mente Deum diligere To live well is to love God with all our hart with all our soul with all our mind I should as easily write out the whole new testament as endeavour to cite all the passages which directly or indirectly commend Charity seing all tend to extinguish in us selfe love to kindle Divine love In it Divine love sometimes is preferred before (a) 1. Cor. 13. the tongues of men Angells before Faith working miracles before knowledge of the greatest mysteryes Almes giving c. It is called (b) Col. 3.14 the bond of perfection the end (c) 1. Tim. 5. or intent of the commandments c. I end with the words of the beloved loving disciple (d) 10.4.16 God is love he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God God in him Wherefore with reason S. Austin (e) Aug. l. de laudibus Charitatis sayd Ille tenet quicquid latet quicquid patet in divinis sermonibus qui servat Charitatem in moribus I should not have beene so long uppon a point of which I thought none could be ignorant who reades the Scriptures or knows the Rudiments of Christianity did I not perceive that you ether never knew it or have forgotten And When (f) Heb. 5.12 for the time your vocation you should be a teacher you have neede that one should teach you which be the first principles af the Oracles of God For how happens it that in relating the designes of Christian Religion there is not one cleere word of the love of God which is the maine designe of it you speake of Purity Ingenuity Patience Generosity some thing of the love of our neyghbour But why are you silent of the love of God which gives vertu to all the rest which without it avayle us nothing (a) 1. Cor. 13. how perfect soever they be in their kind Doe you intend to make that fall under the notion of AntiChristianisme as being with you no part of the Designes of Christianity I shall expect a satisfactory answer to these doubts proceede to CHAPTER IV. G. B. His explication of the Designes of Christianity G. B. pag. 4. The first designe of Christian Religion is to give us ryght apprehensions of the Nature Attributes of God Pag. 5. The second branch is to hold forth the method of mans reconciliation with his Maker You meane that the intent of Christian Religion is to teach us that there is One God One Mediator which are objects of our Faith Pag. 7. The third is to teach the perfectest cleerest most divine rules for advancing of the souls of men to the hyghest perfection of their natures it giving cleerer rules fuller directions then ether morall Philosophers or the old teflament The lessons of Purity chastity ingenuity humility meekenesse patience generosity No◠one word of charity but Generosity I know not whence comes in to take its place Pag. 8. The fourth is to unite
Discourse concerning Idolatry pag. 154. Prayer offred to an invisible being not corporcally present is due only to God Soc that ablind man may not desire hisneygh bour to pray for him because all are invisible to him And Prayers offred to the Dragon Dan 14.23 or any Idols would be no Idolatry seing they could see or be seene were corporeally present And certainly S. Paul was an Idolater when as a distance be desired the Romans to pray for his good Jourey who were nether visible to him nor corporeally present He follows the custume of our Reformers hethrows stones with out ever regarding where they fall But what proofe doth he bring for his Novelty The authority of Dio Martial both Pagans one of them the most filthy or beastly rather of all Poets And can Mr. Whitby judge their authority competent to decide a controversy betwixt Christians condemne the publicke practice of the Catholick Church Have we not reason to except against their being Vmpieres in this dispute Yet to doe Mr. Whitby a pleasure we will admit them as Judges Arbitrators What say them Dio says Caligula was a God when prayed to And Martial says those who pray to Idols make them Gods Suppose all this tru what is it to Visibility or corpore all presente of which they make no mention yet were brought to prove them How wretchedly doth he pleade against us who first appeales to incompetent Judges secondly to such as pronounce nothing in his favour In malâ causâ non possunt aliter Aug. CHAPTER XI Pretended Charmes where Of Holy-Water Waxcandles Agnus Deis c. G.B. pag. 32. All the Euchantements used in Heathenisine are nothing if compared to those of the Roman Church ANSWER Were your Proofes as strong as your Assertions are bold you would be the most formidable enemy that ever we had But that strength of proofes is wanting Those Creatures which barke Lowde seldome bite hard In bold affirmations none more positive then women children the ignorantest of schollers Wise Learned Man are more wary reserved who never are very positive althô they seeme sometimes to have reason on their side because they are conscious of the uncertainty of their discourses whose fallacys they discover in others in themselves too In this place you would easily have discovered your error had you looked over your proofes For what more weake then those G.B. pag. 32. Can any thing looke liker a tharme then the worshipping of God in an unknowne tongue ANS What say you to reading your Inglish service to such Irish as understand it not Is that a charme for what ever you say in vindication of your common Prayer will serve to answer you in this reproach To whome can I compare the men of this generation (a) Iuke 7.31 to whome are they like They are like unto children pettish children whome nether laughing nor weeping will please Soe you are resolved never to be content with what Papists doe Is their service kept in Latin It resembles a Charme Doth it appeare in Inglish as it lately did at London And Hannibal ad port as of such a fearfull Nature are your brethren that what everdresse our service appeares in it fryghtens them As the signe of the Crosse the name of Iesus did the Divils in Iulian's time But are you soe much astranger to the world as not to know that no living language cōtinues long the same that men's phansys of words change as well as those of fashions That sometimes they lay aside some words take in others sometimes retaine the word but alter its sense by use If all this be true supposea change be made in a vulgar language doe you think the Church oblidged presently to change her service If you doe shew me the ground of that obligation If you can shew no command for such a perpetuall change in the Lyturgy condemne our Church no more for not doing what you cannot shew she is bound to doe G.B. pag. 33. Shall I here tell of the charming of water of salt of waxcandles of Roses Agnus Deis medalls the like ANS It is not easy to conjecture what you blame in these things nor for what reason unlesse it be that Papists use them that is enough to draw your censure Doe the things themselves displease you They are the creatures of God all creatures of God are good 1. Tim. 4.4 nothing ought to be rejected which is received with thanks giving as I assure you Papists use those things Or are you offended that they are blest That is unreasonable seing that gives a kind of Sanctity to them They are sanctifyed by the word of God Prayer says S. Paul in the place above cited Soe that I think the practice of Blessing severall things comes from Apostolicall Tradition that it is grounded on that text of S. Paul And I desire you to fix the time when you think they began I am perswaded I can shew them to be ancienter then any time since the two firstages determinable if not all yet some of them soe as by those which can be shewed from the beginning the rest by lawfull consequence may be deduced as not unlawfull or Enchantments See Baronius ad an D. 57.58 132. in which places he shews the use of them to be so anciēt that if you pretend those Blessings to be Popery you must owne the purest Antiquity to be Papist And as for water-Blest by holy men it is soe for from being a diabolicall charme that it is an efficacious remedy against charmes of the Divill You will find the vertu of it confirmed by miracles in Epiph. ber 30. When it was used by Iosephus a Count under Constantin the greate In S. Hierome in vitâ Hilarionis that this Saint by use of it destroyed the charmes of Marnas or Jupiter adored at Gaza In Theodoret 1.5 hyst c. 21. that S. Marcellus Bishop of Apamea withit chaced away Iupiter Apamenus who hindred the burning of his Temple And in Bede l. 1. hyst Angl. c. 17. that S. German bishop of Auxerre with it allayed a Tempest Which you may see in Baron ad An. D. 132. what will you say to those things As the Pharysyes that all this was done in the Divills name That you cannot for then you must owne that one Divill cast out another his Kingdome is divided which is by our Sayiour prest against the Pharisyes as absurd incredible consequently cannot be sayd by a Christian Nay althô you deny all credit to these holy learned Men which in a matter of fact is in a manner impudent yet will you not be quit of this argument for at least these fathers thought water soe blest a fit instrument to worke those stupendious workes otherwise they would never have beleived those storyes nether would they have related them without beleiving them Hence you may see how different your Faith is from
never mentioned Manichaeus ergo the Church on whose word he received the Ghospel was that of his time not that of the Apostles When therefore E. S. pag. 220. says It is plain S. Austin meanes not the Iudgment of the present Church but of the Catholick Church as taking in all ages places he evidently contradicts the very text of S. Ausstin whence I conclude that ether he speakes against his conscience which I am unwilling to beleive or else which is more excusable that he had not reade the text which he understakes to explicate A third yet more improbable explication is delivered by W.L. pag. 82. He speakes it ether of Novices or doubters in the Faith or else of such as were in part Infidels Mr. Fisher the Iesuit at the conference would needs have it that S. Austinspake it even of the faithfull which I cannot yet thinke For he speakes to the Manichees they had a greate part of the Infidell in them And the words immediatly before these are If thou shouldst find one qui Evangelio non credit which did not beleive the Ghospel what wouldest thou doe to make him beleive Thus W. L. This is like wise plainly fals for S. Austin was nether a Novice nor a doubter in the faith nor in part an infidel when he writ that Booke for he writ it after he was made Bishop as you may see l. 2. retract c. 2. But he speakes of himselfe describes the ground of his owne faith ergo he doth not speake of Novices Doubters or halfe Infidels nor describes the ground of their fath but of those who are firme beleivers I prove that S. Austin speakes of his owne Faith shews the ground on which it relyed For first he says I would not beleive the Ghospel without the authority of Catholicks commending them Secondly he says If you weaken the authority of Catholicks I will reject the Ghospel This I beleive Mr. Stillingf saw therefore sayd pag. 220. If you extend this beyond Novices weaklings I shall not oppose you in it And I cannot think that W.L. had reade that place at least with attention when he writ he could not think S. Austin spake of the faithfull Stillingf pag. 220. Nether you nor any Catholick Author is able to prove that S. Austin by these words ever dreamt of any infallible authority in the present Church Answer seing S. Austin expressely says he would renounce the Ghospel if the authority of Catholicks were weakened in him by discovering they had delivered any one lye he must ether think them exempt from all possibility of lying or else he adhered very loosely to the Ghospel I hope E.S. will not assert the later part wherefore he must grant that S. Austin thought the Church free from all possibility of errour Let us returne to Mr. G. B. G. B. pag. 43. Christ's prophetick office is invaded by the pretence of the Churches Infallibility in expounding Scriptures And why Good Sir should the infallibility in expounding Scriptures be an invasion of the prophetick office of Christ seing infallibility in writing them was no such thing Certainly it is more to compose a writing them to understand it as many can understand Cicero's speech pro Milone who cannot compose such an one And your old women pretend to understand severall parts of Scripture which yet I think will scarce undertake to pen the like By this Say you the whole anthority is devolved on the Church No more then it was on S. John when he writ his Ghospel or S. Paul composing his Epistles Nor soe much nether seing these were so assisted as to compose Holy Scripture when the Church only pretends to expound the word of God How doth such an assistance of the divine Spirit derogate from the infallibility of God from which it is derived But her exposition must be admitted say you though contrary to the sense As if Infallibility did not exclude all possibility of such a wrested exposition The infallibility of the Church may slyght your attempts whilest you are armed only with such straws We have seene you arguments Let us see your Answers to ours G. B. pag. 44. The Gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church Mat. 16.18 Proves not the pretence of infallibility Why not learned Sir Not a word for that but as if you had forgotten what you were about your fall uppon the Inglish Translation of that text which you say deserres amendment And I will leave you to be taught better manners by your fellow Ministers or your mother the kirk of Scotland G. B. pag. 45 The spirit leading into all truth Joan. 16.13 advances not the cause a whit since that promise relates to all beleivers Here is another assertion without proofe as if we were bound to take your word Those words are part of the sermon after the last supper at which only the Apostles were present which was directed immediatly to them You should then give some reason why they relate to all beleivers althô spoken to only the Apostles G. B. The Church's being built on the Rocke Peter proves nothing for a series of Bishops of Rome seing the other Apostles were also foundations ANS If it proves all Bishops together Infallible firme in faith as a Rock it confounds your Reformation which is condemned by them all G. B. The keys of the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 16.19 import no more then that Peter was to open the Ghospel When you shall give in a proofe we will consider it Till then I will beleive not you but Christ who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addes the office of the Keys to open shut not the Ghospel but Heaven by loosing binding sins G. B. pag. 46. It is certaine that vice as well as errpr os destrictove of Religion If then there be no authority for repressing of vice but that same of the discipline of the Church it is not incongruous there be no other authority for suppressing of error but that same of the discipline of the Church ANS It is certaine that both in the old new law severall persons have beene secured against Error who were subject to sin S. Peter was truly reprehensible (a) Gal. 2.11 for a thing he did not for any thing he writ or preacht The same of David of Salomon c. For this reason our Blessed Saviour commanded (b) Mat. 23.23 all to follow the Doctrine of the Scribes Pharisys because they sate on the chaire of Moyses but not their example Soe your question why God should provide more against error in faith then against vice in manners can find no place amongst Catholicks who are taught to adore God's holy will even when they understand it not to Bring (c) 2. Cor. 10.5 into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ To you who think it absurd to deny a man the use of his Reason in judging discerning all things submit even Divinely
1. Cor. 13. avayles nothing I could wish our Adversaryes would vouchsafe to reade with attention that Chapter last cited In it they would see the seate due to Charity the queene of vertues which seemes at present hidden from the eyes of those wise prudent men yet is revealed to little ones It is with greate difficulty that I undertake a comparison betwixt the practice of these vertues amongst Catholicks amongst Protestants because all comparisons seeme to be grounded at least on an apparance of equality in the objects which in this matter cannot be Yet something must be sayd to make these presumptuous men know their wants weake nesse that they may seeke to have them supplyed that I may proceede more cleerely I will begin with the definition of Faith Heresy SECTION I. Of Faith DIvine Faith is a firme assent given to an obscure Truth revealed by Almyghty God because it is revealed by him I say an obscure Truth because S. Paul (a) Heb. 11.1 says the same Argumentum non apparentium a declaration of things not seene or knowne by naturall reason This is the materiall object as Divines speake The only Formall object is the veracity of God quia Deus est verax that is can nether be deceaved or mistaken as being omniscient nor deceive us as being all Good To this the testimony of the Church concurres as a witnesse assuring that God delivered such a systeme of Truths Soe that is a condition necessary to apply the revelation to us who have not heard God speake or reveale S. Anthanasius in his Symbole delivers as a condition of Faith that it be retained entire undefiled integra inviolataque For seing all is delivered by the same authority those who beleive not all (b) S. Thom. 2.2 q. s. art 3. oppose that Authority delivering it by consequence even what they beleive they receive not purely uppon their submission to that authority speaking but for their owne Caprichio or Reason or Pleasure That is properly called Heresy which word is dedmed from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tochoose And it signifyes a choice of any things what soever but by common use it is appropriated to that Choice (a) Tertul. l. de Praescript c. 6. Haereses dictae Graeca voce ex Electionis interpretatione quâ quis sivè ad instituendas sivè ad suscipiendas eas utitur Hieron in Tit. 3. Haeresis Graecè ab Electione dicitur quod scilicet unusquisque id sibi eligat quod ei melius esse videatur Vide c. Haeresis 24. q. 3. Vide etiam August epist 162. which is made af Points delivered as of Faith We Catholicks have Faith because we beleive firmely those Truths that God hath revealed because he revealed them to the Church which as a faithfull withnesse gives hitherto will give to the end of the world testimony to that Revelation And we cannot be Hereticks because (b) Tertul. supra Nobis nihil ex arbitrio nostro indutere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis ex arbitrio suo induxerit we never take the liberty to choose ourselves or to admit what others choose But we take Bona fide what it delivered as revealed by the greatest authority imaginable on Earth which is that of the Catholick Church Let an Angel teach us any thing contrary to what is delivered we will pronounce Anathema to him in imitation of the Apostle (c) Gal. 1.18 Here is then the Tenure of our Faith The Father sent his only begotten son consubstantiall to himself into the world (d) Ioan. 15.15 And what he heard of his Father that he made knowne to us The Father son sent the Holy Ghost (a) Io. 16.13 he did not speake of himselfe but what he heard that he spoke The Holy Ghost sent the Apostles they (b) 1. Io. 1.3 declared unto us what they had seene heard The Apostles sent the Hyghest lower Prelates in the Church the rule by which they framed their decrees was Let nothing be altred in the depositum let no innovation be admitted in what is delivered quod (c) Stephanus PP apud Cyprianum epist 74. ad Pompeium traditum est non innovetur By this we are assured that our Faith is that which the Councils received from the Apostles the Apostles from the Holy Ghost soe by the Son to God the Father Where it rests Now to Protestants Their proceeding is far different They heare the whole Systeme of Faith commended by the Church as revealed by God take it into examination And some things displeasing them in it they fall to reforming it cut off at one blow all things not expressely contained in Scaipture Here is one Choice Then Scripture is called to their Barre neere a third part of it condemned lopt off which is a second Choice Thirdly there being still severall things in the remnanr which displease them as understood by the Church they reject that interpretation six on it such an one as pleases them most Soe that even what sense they retaine they doe it uppon this their haeresis or Choice What evidence can convince a man to be a Chooser in Faith that is A Heretick if these men be not sufficiently by this proceeding proved such For a further confirmation of this consider the severall ways of Catholicks Protestants in entertaining Propositions of Faith A Catholick hearing from the Church our Saviours words with the sense that is the compleate Scripture for the bare word without the sense is no more scripture then a body without a soul or life is a man presently beleives them what Reason soever may appeare to the contrary he silences it submits his understanding to Faith let the words seeme harsh the sense unconceivable yet the Truth of God triumphs overall those petty oppositions A Protestant heares the same presently consults his Reason till he hath its verdict suspends his Judgment If that say with the Pharisie (a) Io. 3.9 How can these things be or with the Capharnaits (b) Io. 6. This is a hard saying who can heare it The Protestant immediatly renounces it Soe we submit our Reason to faith you set yours above it we frame our Reason according to the dictamens of Revelation you shape Revelation by your reason In fine you set your Reason on a throne to Judge of that word by which one day you are to be Judged You may as easily prove the Pharisees Chapharnaits to be better Christians then the Apostles as that your proceedure in receiving faith is better then that of the Catholick Church SECTION II. Of Hope HOpe is an expectation of future Blisse promist by our B. Saviour to those who love him keepe his commandments It is built on a promise of God which cannot fayle And had that promise beene absolute we myght have beene more assuredly certaine of our
future Happinesse then we can be of the Truth of any mathematicall demonstration But it is only Conditionall requiring on our parts a concurrence with his Divine Grace this is always uncertaine by reason of the mutability of our will to evill not withstanding our strongest Resolutions to Good Hence our Hope is mixt with Feare sperando timemus Tertul. l. de cultu faeminarum cap. 2. p. 265. We have a full assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on God's side Who (a) Heb. 6.17.18.19 to shew unto the heyres of promise the immutability of his Counsil confirmed it with an oath that by two things immutable in which it was impossible for God to lye we myght have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold uppon the Hope set before us which Hope we have as an Anker of the souls both sure stedfast On our sides we have always reason to apprehend the mutability of our owne will not withstanding all present Grace from God the strength of his Counsill Hence the Apostle admonishes us (a) 2. Cor. 6.1 not no receive in vaine the Grace of God He sets before our eyes his owne example (b) 1. Cor. 9.27 keeping under his body chastising it bringing it into subjection least having preached to others he myght become hinselfe a reprobate a cast away And consequently warnes us to (c) Philip. 2.12 worke our salvation with feare trembling When this Apostle feares who can presume we may resolve well pray hard act well to day but what assurance have we that to morrow will find us soe well disposed or even not doing the quite contrary that being soe ill prepared death will not surprize us S. Paul the vessell of Election who had beene taken up to the third Heaven feared least he should become a reprobate S. Peter bred up in our B. Saviours schoole resolved to dye for him yet shortly after denyed him If these greare Pillars of the Church shake bend feare breaking or actually Breake what may not such Reedes as G. B. E. W. feare you see what grounds we have to feare from Reason from the example of the Apostles from their Doctrine This is comfortlesse doctrine to G. B. (d) Pag. 54. therefore had rather throw all on Christ perswade himself that Christ's Prayer was sufficient his satisfaction sufficient his merits sufficient We neede nether pray nor suffer nor merit Beleive in him he will doe all Crede firmiter pecca fortiter Compare now this disposition of moderne Catholicks which is the same with that of the Apostles with that of a Protestant their feare with his confidence their trembling with his As surance their Apprehensions with his boldnesse you shall find in Catholicks tru Hope mingled with feare as you may see in Divines I have shewed out of the Apostles in the Protestant no feare consequently no Hope which is accompanyed always by Feare but in Lieu of Hope that vice which is called Presumption which is a sin against the Holy ghost Timor fundamentum salutis est says Tertull. l. de cultu foeminarum c. 2. p. 265. Sperando enim timebimns timendo cavebimus cavendo salvi erimus contra si praesumamns neque timendo neque cavendo difficile salvi erimus Feare is the ground worke foundation of our salvation Our Hope is mingled with Feare this makes us take heede whence proceedes our security of salvation When on the contrary when we presume we grow carelesse run greate hazard of being lost for ever SECTION III. Of Charity or Love CHarity or the Love of God above all things is much more esteemed honoured amongst us then amongst you you rank it contrary to the Apostle even with Faith or seate it on a lower bench where as we with the Apostle (a) 1. Cor. 13.13 believe it to be the (b) Io. 15.12 cōmandment of Christ the (c) Rom. 13.10 fullnesse of the law the (d) Col. 3.14 bond of perfection which divides (e) Aug. betwixt the children of the kingdome those of perdition the nuptiall (f) Matth. 22.11.12 garment with which we must enter into the wedding That is the forme of vertues (g) Concil Trid. that without it all other vertues (h) 1. Cor. 13. gift of tongues power of working miracles knowledge of mysteries nay even Faith Hope are nothing avayle nothing are no more to be regarded then sounding Brasse a tinkling cimball c. In fine althô with Divines we are perswaded that these two greate vertus may be separated yet we hold their separation to be their ruin that as Charity is but superficiall not reall without the lyght of Faith soe Faith is cold without the warmth of Charity He who knows God without loving him is impious he who loves without knowing him aryght is Blind A Beleiver without Love is Ungratefull a Lover without knowledge is senselesse soe these two vertus must assist one another we must aime to have a Living Faith which workes by loue Galat. 5.6 Love is the proper worke of Faith Opus Fidei dilectio Aug. tr 10. in epist Jo. Love both gives to receives strength from Faith Charitas robur Fidei Fides fortitudo Charitatis S. Leoserm 7. in Quadrag In Heaven there is Love without Faith 1. Cor. 13.8.10 In Hell Faith without Love Jac. 2.19 Christians in this life must have both for Love without Faith is the Love of Pagans Faith without Love is the Faith of Devils But Faith with Charity is the Faith of the children of God in this life Fides quae per dilectionem operatur ipsa est Fides quae fideles Dei separat ab immundis daemonibus Aug. de gratiâ lib. arbit cap. 7. Thus we joyne together those two greate vertues this we beleive this we teach of Charity whilest you out of ill grounded opinion of your Fac totum Faith relying on it for Remission of sins Iustification Perseverance Salvation exhaust your Rhetorick soe much in commendation of that your darling that you have no roome to commend Charity or Good workes Our Practice as much surpasses yours as to nourishing Charity as our doctrine doth for scing the love of God Love of our selves are opposit the one withers as the others thrives their practice must be most proper to nourish charity which aimes most at mortifyng selve-love on the contrary those who foster selfe-love must annihilate Charity Now what practice can you shew for the mortification of the body the quelling our Passions the renouncing of our will what documents doe you give for these what examples can you shew since your reformation of them you have never beene able to find in the three kingdomes a dozen persons of ethersex who for soe many yeares would sequester themselves from the enjoyments of the world to serve God in voluntary Poverty
or other considerable Boone when freely given the hard usage which some of your tenants complaine of from their Ecclesiasticall landlords proves sufficiently that you are not insensible to the allurements of the attractive metall Were Church men such as they ought to be the layty would have little reason to repine at their riches althô much greater then they are If they were Treasurers of the Poore Fathers to the Orphans Helps to widdows Hosts to strangers Protectors to the Oppressed common Sanctuaryes to all necessitous persons such as some are in Catholick Church s whome I know many of whome we reade To such as these Riches are no hindrance to their function they give them only occasion of doing much good practicing their Charity If you think this to be blame worthy althô Riches be soe imployed prove what you say out of Scripture excuse your owne Bishops from that crime eris mihi magnus Apollo Voluntary reall Poverty is much commended in the (a) Mat. 19.21 Ghospel we have thousands in our Church who professe it live in it you could never get ten of your communion to embrace it There is another Poverty called of Spirit commended (b) Mat. 5.3 nay (c) Mat. 19.24 commanded in the Scripture how greate soever a stranger you are to spirituall things yet you will not say that this Poverty of hart is inconsistant with effectuall riches otherwise it would be impossible for arich man to be saved A man may be a begger yet be far from that Poverty of Spirit which gives him a ryght to the kingdome of Heaven because his hart is fixt uppon things he hath not And on the contrary another man may be master of agreate part of the world yet have his hart as free from it as if he was not in the world to use the Apostles phrayse (d) 1. Cor. 7.31 use the world as if he used it not Of this sort of poore of spirit there are many in the Church always have beene Heare S. Austin l. de moribus Ecclesiae c. 35. Sunt in Ecclesiâ Catholicâ innumer abiles fideles qui hoc mundo non utuntur sunt qui utuntur tanquam non utentes there are innumerable faithfull in the Church who make no use of the world there are others who use it of if they used it not What hath the Protestant Church to say here Pride Ambition are personall vices soe belong not to this treatise Yet I will say that there have beene both Ancient Moderne Popes who have given greater examples of humility then any your Church can shew who have made appeare that their title servant of the servants of God is no compliment Sixtus V. would not owne his mother when she was brought to him in rich clothes sayng his mothers was a poore woman who never wore silkes in her life shee was ashepe heards wife The next day she being brought to him in Rags he presently acknowledged her Some of them have asserted the Priviledges of their chaire against such as in trenched on their Ryghts which may be done without any Pride at all seing they require it as due not to their owne persons but to their chair to its founders S. Peter to his superiour Christ Iesus I never heard S. Ambrose suspected of Pride for refusing to admit Theodosius the greate into the Church before his Pennance for the slaughter at Thessalonica or for excluding him the cancells after it It was a Zeale of the glory of God the good of the Church which moved him the Emperour him selfe understood it so As for precious ornaments of the Church I will owne ours to be too costly when you shall have proved that any thing is too good for God's service not till then The infinite Majesty of God is ground sufficient to oblidge us to beare him the greatest respect interiourly expresse our duty to our Creator our gratitude to soe greate a benefactour by returning to him in the best manner we can an acknowledgement of his most bountifull gifts This serves also to stirre up in the auditory submission respect adoration which otherwise would fayle CHAPTER XXVII Vnity of the Church in Faith Sacraments G.B. ownes that Protestants are Schismaticks of severity against dissenters of Hugo Grotius G.B. pag. 100. A fourth designe of Christian Religion was to unite man kind under one head into one body not by love pardoning injurys only but also by associating the faithfull into one body the Church which was to be united by bonds of love Governed by Pastors Teachers cemented with the ligaments of the Sacraments ANSWER You say something though discorderly but not all for 1. you omit Faith by which we are inserted into the body of Christ 2. You put Charity which doth not make us parts but living parts of that body whose parts we are by Faith 3. You adde Sacraments which are only exteriour signes of interiour communication 4. You confound Charity Sacraments as equally concurring to the Vnity of the Church yet there is a vast difference betwixt them the one formally quickning the members of the Church interiourly the other only effecting it interiourly testifying it exteriourly 5. Betwixt the Sacraments there is a vast difference as to this you confound them for Baptisme being our Regeneration in Christ is an efficient cause of our union with him makes us his members the others are designed only to nourish those who are already united to in him When you speake of being governed by Pastors I hope the Pope may find place amongst them he being the prime Pastor G. B. pag. 101. The Ghospel pronounceth us free no more servants of men but of God ANSW Free from the ceremoniall law of Moyses not from that of the Ghospel obedience to the Governours of the Church How changeable are your sentiments In the forgoing page 100. the Church was to be governed by Pastors Teachers now she is to obey none but God if any man pretend to command he changeth the authority of the Church into a tyrancall yoke Soe we must have Governours without authority to command subjects without any duty to obey A new model of Government G. B. pag. 101. Those things for which we withdrew from the Church are additions to our Faith Shee added to Scriptures Traditions to God Images to Christ Saints to Heaven Hell Purgatory to two Sacrament five more to the spirituall presence of Christ his corporall presence ANS Never man spake more proved lesse then you who offer not one word in proofe of these disputed points which we declare to be evident untruths Is not this a poore begging of the thing in question But they are say you additions to your Faith Did we adde to your Faith or you cut off from ours that of the whole Christian world before your deformation How
publicke concerne 3. In case he be involved in common or private sufferings he ought to beare it patiently expect the turne of the Tyde 4. He may reforme his owne life actions according to the severest laws of state cannons of the Church provided he become not by that trouble some to his neyghbours over whome he hath no authority or dangerous to superiors whose authority over him is establitht by God or disturb the publicke Peace which is to be preferd before all advantages which can be hoped from those petty Reformers or their Reformations 5. Having done that he ought to content himself presse lawfull superiors no further assuring himself he hath fully complyed with the utmost of his duty by acquainting his Rulers with what he thinks is for the publick good by correcting himself And he may suppose that if these doe not follow his advice ether they see the thing not feasible or fore see other inconveniences or expect some fitter conjuncture Where as by further urging he cannot but offend for to communicate his dislikes to others to draw them first to joyne in Petitioning with a seeming submission then by a reall violence to force superiors to what they pretend to unsettle the present Government to aime at setting up a new one under pretence of reforming the old is in the state Sedition in the Church Schisme as greate crimes against both as any except Rebellion Heresy to which they dispose Soe that this Reforming humour in particulars is the daughter of Pride mother of Heresy Rebellion Which makes it be suspected by all lawfull superiors in all establisht Governments till they know all the particulars of which it consists Absalon (a) 2. Reg. 15. alleadged plausible reasons for altring the Government of Israel Oza (b) 2. Reg. 6. for upholding the Arke with his hand The first that the state was abandoned no body looking to the administration of Justice The second that the Arke was in danger of being overturned Both greviously offended exceeding the bounds assigned them by God not withstanding their specious pretences Now to the subject of your complaint The Roman Catholick Church holding her Faith by Tradition of all ages from the Apostles never admitting the least alteration in it from which she is preserved by the helpe of the Holy Ghost promist to her by (c) Heb. 12.2 the Author finisher of it In this shee knows there can be no occasion for it by any errour As to her discipline shee acknowledges some alterations hath no difficulty to admit of a Reformation provided things be done according to order This appeares first by her Councils even that of Trent severall celebrated in France Germany in this last age Secondly by the practice of several Prelates S. Charles Borromeus in Italy S. Francis de Sales in France others elsewhere Thirdly by those of a lower rank as of S. Philip Nerius who establisht the Congregation of the Oratory in Italy Pere Berule after wards Cardinal who establisht that in France Pere Vincent de Paul who founded the Preists of the Mission all Congregations of Clergy living in common under the obedience of their severall superiours Lastly did you regard what they are not what they are sayd to be as much consult the Rules Lives of the Iesuits in themselves as you doe in the writings of their profest enemyes whose testimony for that reason you ought to suspect you would be forced to owne that S. Ignatius de Loyola hath reformed the Clergy establishing a Congregation of Clergy-men who live more conformably to the most ancient Canons to the Ecclesiasticks of the primitive Church then any your whole reformation hath or shall be ever able to shew Which you would perceive did you reflect that the numerous bitter Enemyes which they have had never doe alleadg any things against their lives or Rules which is a convincing proofe they are irreprochable Now a word to those whome you commend for endeavouring à Reformation of the R.C. Iean du Verger Abbot of S. Cyran was only a private Preist not a Doctor of Divinity nor recomended by any other degree which myght distinguish him from the meanest having no Jurisdiction even over the Abby of which hebore the title But his personall endowments other to good or evill were exceeding greate A large comprehensive phancy a tenacious memory a Judgment to use all his learning seasonably Deepe melancholy abounding with adust choler was his temper the first fitted him for the labour of hard studyes the second emboldened him to write whatsoever be fancyed without any regard to persons how greate soever Those who particularly knew him say that no history shews a man of a more intriguing wit fitter to head a faction For using too much this faculty he was by the King's authority cast into prison being accused by a Bishop whome he had before invehgled who discovered his designes through horrour of them Cardinal de Richelieu being solicited to release him R.S. late Bishop of Calcedon answerd You Lordship doth not know the man you speake for Had our fathers dealt soe with Calvin France had enjoyed Peace Now I would know of Mr. B. whither it be tolerable for a private man to caball in his owne Church to frame a party in it besides contrary to the orders of its lawfull superiors oppose all establisht order to unsettle old customes introduce new ones to make for a new Government If you approve this in S. Cyran how can you blame it in your Phanaticks Antony Arnaud was once a Doctor of the Faculty of Paris but was cast out of it degraded by the other Doctors for his odde sentiments in matters of Grace which he obstinately defended even after they were censured by Rome France his owne Faculty And why myght not that faculty retrench from its body members who refuse to submit to the major part as by the law of nature all are bound to doe where there appeares no sin I know of no other persecution he ever endured As to his booke of the frequent Communion it tended not the reforming but to the destroying the Sacrament of Pennance as is seene by its effects where it prevayles I will not say he designed soe much I leave intentions to God the (a) Hieremy 17.10 Searcher of harts Many times a Buke is shot as a man is killed How ever it was unexcusable in him to endeavour to change the customes laws establisht by the Church in force His title of Doctor could entitle him only to explicate the laws received conforme to them not to abrogate reforme them for a Doctor as such hath no jurisdiction without which no laws can be made or unmade The least Bishop nay the meaest Curate of a Parish hath greater Power as to laws then the greatest Doctor as such seing those have some jurisdiction this hath
the schooles who opposed it the Hussits what Councill commanded it condemne its opposers that of Constance Which confirmes our Rule that when none of this appeares there hath beene no change G. B. Pag. 121. All once worshipt in their mother tongue but after by the over throw of the empire the latin tongue decayed the barbarous worship was obtruded on the world ANS This proves a change in the People whose language was spoyled with the mixture of Barbarous termes not in the service which the continued the same it continving in latin as it was before that inundation of Barbarians G. B. p. 122. We know that for the first seven Centuryes the Christians world abhorred Images ANS In what age did S. Gregory the Greate live sure with in the first seven Centuryes And he l. 7. ep 109. l. 9 ep 8. rebuked Serenus Bishop of Marseilles for casting them out of the Church Was not S. Austin with in the first seven Centuryes he l. 1. consens Evang. c. 10. speakes of the pictures of Christ the Holy Apostles S. Peter S. Paul Thus I have past your three instances to prove a change in the faith of the Church which you us sherin with that emphaticall terme WEKNOW If you have many other such points of KNOWLEDGE for the divertisment of the learned world I wish you to publish them I am perswaded few besides your self know such things most know them to be false CHAPTER XXXI Revelations Miracles G. B. pag. 123. The Papist Church pretends to revelations for some of her most doubtfull opinions which are the visions extraordinary inspirations of some of their Saints from which they vouch a Divine confirmation to their doctrine ANS If you know of any decree made in matter of faith uppon a private revelation shew it Till you doe so I will not beleive it S. Thomas 1. p. q. 1. a. 8. ad 2. absolutely excludes all private revelations from grounding Faith Innititur Fides nostra revelationl factae Apostolis Prophet is non autem revelationi si qua fuit aliis Doctoribus factae Out faith relyes on revelations made to the Apostles Prophetes not on such as are made to other Doctors G. B. pag. 124. Saint Paul being put to glory of visions revelations was to run backe 14. yeares for one ANS S. Paul says that he had 14. yeares before that greate revelation but he never sayd he had noe others ether before or after And that Revelations were not soe extraordinary in his days as you think not only amongst the Apostles but ever amongst ordinary Christians you many learne out of S. Paul 1. Cor. 14.30.32 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his Peace for you may all Prophecy one by one that you may all learne all be conforted And the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets And can you think the Apostle should have no Revelation for soe many yeares when the meanest Christians had them even in the middle of their publick assemblyes where they met with soe many distractions What will you say to excuse your Ignorance If other Revelations made to S. Paul be recorded in Scripture now soe it is for first Amacedonian (a) Act. 16.9 appeared to him 2. Our Lord (b) Act. 18.9 spoke to Paul in a vision Nay the very place you cite to prove your errour confutes it for he says (c) 1. Cor. 12.7 least I should be exalted above measure through the aboundance of revelations there was given He had then REVELATIONS nay Aboudance of Revelations See how carelessely you reade how ill you understand how negligently you write out of Scriptures for you are certainly convinced that when S. Paul spoke of that one he did it not because he had beene favoured with no other but because that was a singular favour as such esteemed But I dispute seriously against a man who regards not what he writes G. B. pag. 124. Are they not credible storyes of Christ's appearing to some of their shee Saints kissing them being marryed to them c. ANSWER I doubt not but you your brethren think this folly S. Paul says as much of such as you 1. Cor. 2.14 Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei stultitia est enim illi non potest intelligere quiaspiritualiter examinatur The naturall man received not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him nether can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Of such as the Inglish Ministers S. Paul speakes who are by him declared incapable to Judge yet will be still Judging of the secret workings of the Holy Ghost in those souls which he makes his temples in whome he lives they in him which things seeme folly to you because you have no experience of them probably never made an hour of mentall Prayer in all your life nor know how to make it Hence You (a) Iude v. 18. speak evill of things you know not It would be more to your credit to omit those things then by speaking of them discover so shamefull an Ignorance The best advice I can give you is that of Job (a) Iob. 13.5 to his friends To be silent that you may seeme wise But Christ kist them marryed them This scandalizes your chast Brethren who cannot heare of marriage Mr. Brevint surmized God knows what uncleane spirits I cannot appeale to the conscience experience of any of the whole ministry for the reality of what you deride for I think there never was granted to any of you such favours Yet to free you from feare of illusions in those visits from bad spirits know I wonder any one who reades the scripture can be Ignorant of it that there is a spirituall contract betwixt Christ the Church Item betwixt him every Pious soul that this contract is called a marriage that on this score sins of such souls against their spouse are called Adulterys themselves Adulteresses If you have any Remembrance these hints will bring to mind a number of Texts of Scripture which deliver what you scoffe at The whole Bookes of Canticles or Salomons song celebrates that adorable nuptiall solemnity The very first words of it are (b) Cant. 1.1 Osculetur me osculo oris sui Let him or may he kisse me with a kisse of his mouth The Church every pious soul demanding as a singular favour of her spouse that Blessing which when granted to some scandalizes you modest man soe different are your sentimēts in spirituall things from those of the Holy Ghost who says (a) Cant. 8.1 that the soul should receive that favour shee at first demanded yet not be despised you despise them all as forgeryes dreames effects of melancoly or hystericall distempers What is blasphemy if this be not O Lord forgive you for you know
not what you say G.B. p. 124. The inspirations of Holy writers on whome we found our faith was proved by miracles ANS We build not our Faith on any of their Revelations you speake of so this hint is nothing to rhe purpose If we did Miracles are not here wanting viz the change of men's lives ether from good to better or at least from bad to Good Which sufficiently proves the goodnesse of the Spirit appearing above all your frivolous exceptions And if other miracles are necessary those are many times granted too G. B. p. 126. Was it not aworthy peice of the Angelicall ministration for Angels to go trotting over sea Land with a Loade of Timber Stones of the Virgins House to Loretto ANS Whither they trotted or ambled I doubt not but that peice of ministration was more pleasing to those B. Spirits then to attend the protection of men who spend their strengh of body mind in offending God by impugning know nè Truth Sin I know they abhorre other things are indifferent to them all are welcome when commanded G. B. pag. 128. The Miracles of Rome are not heard of till some ages at least yeares be past ANS This is not tru They are all very strictly immediatly examined by authority from the ordinary then publisht See that done at Gant uppon D. Mary minshall approved by the Bishop shortly after it past G. B Ibidem It is the interest of Rome to have them all beleived without once questioning them ANS Rome has no interest but that Truth find place God by glorifyed If you consider how strictly those of the Portuguese nun were examined how sincerely the cheate was publisht you will acknowledge that our church doth not countenance any deceipt in this nor think it her interest that all should be beleived G. B. Ibidem How comes it that in hereticall countryes where there is more neede of those miracles where they myght be more irrefragably proved if tru none of these myghty workes doe shew themselves forth ANS How comes it that when the Scribes Pharisyes demanded a signe from Heaven our Saviour refused it (a) Mat. 12.39 An evill adulterous generation seeketh after a signe there shall no signe be given to it It is presumptuous for you or anyother to prescribe rules to God Almyghty's Providence which is never wanting in what is necessary we ought not to expect things unnecessary to pleasure our curiosity ether in nature or Grace which he grants when he pleases but not always Now miracles are very essicacious meanes but not the only motives to bring us to faith by consequence not absolutely necessary The Apostle had a Power to work miracles had a greate proportion of learning yet he used nether for conversion of the world when worldly men demanded it 1. Cor. 1.22 Iudaei signa petunt Graeci sapientiam quaerunt Nos autem praedicamus Christū Crucifixum Iudaeis quidem scandalum Gentibus autem stultitiā The Iews require a signe the Greekes seeke after wisdome did he worke miracles to satisfy the one or use humane wisdome to worke on the other No but we preach Christ crucifyed ascandall to the Iews folly to the Greekes Both tempted God as the Scribes did you do nether obtained what they demanded In deed those that will shut their eyes to all other motives would easily baffle the conviction of miracles ether saying they are naturall workes or attribute them to Magicke You see how the cure of the blind man (a) 10.9 borne soe was tossed how casting out Devils (b) Luc. 11.15 was attributed to to their Prince Beelzebub G. B. p. 130. My greatest quarrell at these forgeryes of miracles is that the People are taught to beleive them the miracles of the Ghospel with an equall certainty ANS If this be only ground of your quarrell we shall quickly agree for I doe not beleive them with equall certainty We are bound to beleive with divine faith each miracle related in the Ghospel but not soe those contained in Ecclesiasticall hystory how authenticall soever CHAPTER XXXII Whither all Mysterys of Faith ought to be common G. B. pag. 131. There are no secret doctrines in our Faith which must be kept from the vulgary where by the Pastors of Christendome may have possession over their souls ANS Here you smell another Popish designe of which none but your party ever dreamed of which we cannot be accused suppose it were tru without reproach to the Apostles whose example we follow in this if we practice it Which in some sort seemes unavoyable considering the weakenesse of men with which we must comply as much as we can without withdrawing any saving Truth Our body by certain degrees grows up from the dimensions is is borne with to its full stature our mind from its native ignorance successively passes to knowledge Give Archimedes his workes to anovice in mathematicks he will not be the better form them He must be first prepared to receive benefit by them by passing Euclide's elements The same of other sciences one may learne to reade Hebrew-without-points without learning his Aleph Beth as well as may learne the abstruer conclusions of any Science without learning its Rudiments Faith differs from all other sciences in its object that is God's veracity but agrees with them that it requires some time to be brought to its full perfection It containes many assents to severall mysteryes or Articles to whose understanding we cannot attaine at one hearing Nay each article requires some time soe that as the materiall sun chaces away the obscurity of the nyght by degrees rising on our horison soe doth the sun of Iustice successively enlyghten our soul This encrease of Faith the Apostles (a) Luc. 17.5 demanded of our Saviour To this the Prince of the Apostles exhortes (b) 1. Pet. 2. desire the sincere Milk that in you may may grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as your Inglish translation hath it that you may grow thereby as if our Growth were only by Faith in other things when it is in Faith it selfe Milke is frequently taken in Scripture by a naturall very proper metaphor for the first rudiments or necessary principles of Faith communicated to Catechumens or beginners who being young at is were infants in Christ were not capable of more abstruse mysteryes which are called solid meate Soe to Babes Milke is given til by use of it they get strength to digest solid meate This method the Apostles used 1. Cor. 3.1.2 I Brethen could not speake unto you as unto spirituall but as unto carnall even as Babes in Christ I have fed you with Milke not with meate for you were not able to beare it nether yet now are ye able for you are yet carnal Here you see sir a whole Church a noble Church kept for a long time to her Milke because her progresse in
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
transubstantiation nothing occurres butfrom sense Then you pull downe Faith place sense in her place Tantae molis erat sanctum subvertere dogma The my steryes about God Christ say you are exalted above the reach of our facultyes But reason it selfe teacheth that it must be soe Here Faith is above reason But after wards pag. 134. Our faith rests on the evidences our senses give Here Faith doeshomage to sense Faith (a) Heb. 11.1 is an argument of things which appeare not Soe that it relyes not on senses for its object doth not appeare nor on Reason otherwise it would be science if the reason be evident or opinion if it were uncertaine Soe it relyes only on Gods veracity which consists of two qualityes one that he cannot be deceived being omniscient The other that he cannot deceive being good Nether is possible to God for to be deceived is an error in the understanding to deceive argues malice in the will Soe the assurance we have by Faith is greater then that of our senses which may be baffled greater then that of Reason which sometimes is mistaken in its principles ofter deceived in its deductious from them Thus (a) Rom. 3.4 God is tru every man alyer which later part imports a possibility oferror in our cleerest operations whither of sense or Reason To say that Faith rests on the evidence of senses as you doe p. 134. is soe contrary to the nature of faith that both Divines Phylosophers doubt whither the same object (b) S. Thom. 2.2 q. 1. ar 4. s. can beseene beleived generally speaking deny the possibility of it And to what our B. Savioursaid (c) 10.20.29 because thou hast seene me thou hast beleived They answer with S. Gregory Aliud vidit aliud credidit He saw man beleived him to be God To what purpose then are miracles if Faith doth not rely on them ANS To dispose our understanding to receive with attention submissiō the word of God by shewing it was God who spoke And when Christ appeales to his workes If (a) 10.10.38 I donot the workes of my father doe not beleive me but if I doe them if you will not beleive me beleive the workes he assignes only the out ward motive of Beleife by which his hearers were ether drawne to beleive or made inexcusable if they persistedin their incredulity Now it is the grossest errour imaginable to think that faith rests on all those things which dispose to it otherwise it would rest on the skill in tongues which is necessary to understand the originall Scriptures item on the masters who teach them on the stationer who prints them c. But what if the man who confirmes his mission by evident miracles teach things contrary to sense or Reason ANS Our duty is to silence both these harken to him (b) 2 Cor. 10. The Armes of our warfare are not carnall but myghty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds casting downe imaginations every hygh thing that exalts its selfe against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity every thought Who says every thought cōprehend's both those grounded on sense others more speculative But to say as you doe that Reason must be subject to Faith but not senses is very preposterously to put reason the mistresse under faith sense the servant above it You declame against Catholicks for acknowledging in the whole Church an authority in order to the word of God much lesse then that which you give to the senses of every particular man What an occasion doe you give us to returne uppon you all your declamations G.B. p. 134. We cannot really doubt but things are as they appeare to us for we cannot beleive it midnyght when we see cleerely the sun in our meridian ANS We should not doubt of what God says who we are sure cannot tell a lye We perceive dayly the Halluzinations of our understanding J am sure sometimes my senses are mistaken my reason corrects them All man is a Lyar every knowing faculty in him is subject to Deceite God cannot tell me it is midnyght when it is noone day because he cannot tell a lye But if God should tell me it is midnyght my eyes should represent to me a luminous body in the meridian perfectly like the sun I should suspect my eyes or guesse I saw a meteor or that I dreamed or raved or were yet in a worse condition The least last of my thoughts would be that God told a lye which is the first thought you suggest G.B. p. 135. Senses unvitiated fixing on aproper object through a due meane are infallible ANS Are they more infallible then God Are we infallibly certain all those conditions concurre may there not be more ways to delude oursenses then are discovered may there not be some latent defect in the Organ unperperceived by us or some want in the meane Answer to these questions withall tell me whiter you have as greate certainty of your answer to these queryes as you have of the veracity of God With more colour another may say that faith cannot be against Reason with Socinus refuse to beleive any thing contrary to discourse soe turne Antitrinitarian I think my self as assuredly certain of that metaphysicall Principle eadem uni tertio sunt idem inter se as of any thing I know by senses yet knowing what Christ hath taught concerning the Blessed Trinity I beleive that explicate that principle as I can why should we not proceede in like manner with oursenses when they seeme to contradict what Christ hath taught we are commanded to (a) Mat. 18.8.9 put out an eye cut off a hand or foote if it draws us to sin What shall we doe if they draw us to Infidelity or doe you think it unlawfull to keepe them yet lawfull to follow their suggestions deny our Faith in obedience to their depositions Heape up then your absurdityes your impossibilityes your incredibilityes your sophismes against Transubstantiation to as greate a bulke as your little studyes lesse diseretion will permit you will only multiply proofes of the insolency folly of the Reason of man which dares enter the lists against the Truth of God G.B. pag. 136. It is little lesse unconcevable to imagin that a man of no eximious sanctity nor extraordinary skill in Divinity should have the Holy Ghost at his command that his decrees must be the dictates of the spirit ANSWER I passe that disrespectfull expression having the Holy Ghost at his command No Catholick everspoke so Doe you think the assistance of the Holy Ghost whence flows all jurisdiction both spirituall temporall is restrained to only saints learned clerks doth Prelate Prince loose their jurisdictiō by every mortall sin Was Amos the sheepe heard a greate divine were Salomon Cayphas greatesaints were the Scribes Pharisyes such whose words all