chapters that I myght be the better understood to avoyde tedious Repetitions of the same things which S. Cyril reproached to Julian the Apostata l. 2. initio may with as much reason be reproached to Mr. B. seing he objects our saying Prayers in Latin pag. 32. 35. 80. 115. 121. 131. The like of Attrition Prayers to Saints Idolatry Masse Indulgences c. which are always at hand to fill up a Period encrease the bulke of his booke which would dwindle to an inconsiderable bignesse if that repetition were auoyded The Booke hath very little new it renews commonly the old objections which have bin often baffled by our controvertists Trita haereticorum arma colligit S. Prosper which proceedes not from want of wit or Study in both he abounds but from the nature of his cause which is capable of no better Defence For this reason I may be excused if I am short in my replyes Yet sometimes I shall enlarge where ether the difficulty it self or the manner of urging it is singular Such is the reproach of Idolatry which is old having bin objected to the Cat. Church by the ancient Iconoclasts by the first of our late Reformers yet it appeares of late in such adresse as it may seeme quite new Heretofore all acknoledged the Pagan Idolatry to have consisted in the worship of Idols or Divils Calvin sayd * Calvinus l. 1. Instit c. 11. n. 9. Deum aeternum Iudaei unum verumque caeli terra Dominū sub simulachris suis persuast erant se colere Gentel suos licet falsos Deos quos tamen in coelo habitare fingerent the Pagans were perswaded that in their Idols they adored their false Gods which they thought resided in Heaven He thought then they were false Gods The same was the opinion of those who followed till of late that some new men pretend that the Iupiter of the Pagans was the tru God all others were only names of his Attributes or Mediating Spirits I find none of this opinion before Mr. Stillingfleete nether hath he long bin of it for an 1663. when he printed his Origenes Sacrae he held the contrary as I will shew hereafter Till he shews his Authour we may call this the Stillingfleetian error Magnum Stillingfleeti Incrementum And I Desire him to shew any Christian who ever sayd I adore the Pagan Iupiter Did ever any Martyr professe that he beleived in adored Iupiter as well as his Judges or the Emperors did but refused only to adore his statues because he himfelf by his law Exodi 20.4 had forbidden it Or sayd the reason why they refused to Sacrifice Beasts or offer incense to Iupiter was because he Iupiter himself required of them other sortes of Adoration No certainly Yet those are the thoughts which would naturally have occurred had both partyes agreed in professing the same one tru God had only differred about the manner of worshipping him This is my first reason against E.S. his Paradox A Second is that the Controversy betwixt Christians Pagans had bin quite altred had what he says bin tru We sind them disputing about the pretended Divinity of Iupiter the like of their other Gods the Pagans affirming him to be the tru God the Christians proving him to have bin a man son of Saturne Rhea borne in Crete◠buryed there to be personated by a fowle seducing Divil as W.L. renders their words Now this Point could never have bin disputed had both partyes agreed that the thing signifyed by the Name Iupiter had bin the one tru God all the difference had bin about that name As de facto no Christian ever disputed with the Turkes about the Being of one only God because they call him not as we doe Deus or God but Alla. This hint gives us a fayre prospect into the sentiments of Christian Antiquity for all Disputants both Christians Pagans must have spoken nothing to the purpose if what E. S. says be tru A third reason the strongest of all is that as E. S. States the Controverly Pagans were in the ryght Christians in the wrong For what sayd the Christians Iupiter was a vicious man is a filthy Divil What sayd the Pagans Iupiter is the tru God Now what is the reall truth according to E. S. Iupiter in the tru God blessed for evermore By which words he gives-in Evidence for the Pagans against the Apostles who in oposition to Iupiter the whole rabble of such like fictitious Divinitys planted the Christian Faith against the Glorious Martyrs who watred it with their blood against the ancient Fathers who defended it with their writings against the Primitive Church which profest it amidst the greatest Persecutions against God himself who by invisible Graces visible Miracles confirmed it lastly against that very Iupiter for whome he pleades who owned himself to be a filthy Divil What censure can be toe severe for so rash a verdict Seing by it the Pagans are absolved the Christians condemned this by a pretended Professor of Christianity an Assertor of its primitive Purity Imagin your self to E. S. I speake to be brought into agreate Assembly where all the Faithfull souls of the three firstages were met where on the oneside were placed the glorious Martyrs in scarlet robes deyed in their owne blood on the other Renowned Doctors Fathers in white shining garments symbols of the lyght of their Doctrine which directs the Ignorant to Heaven at the upper end the Apostles Evangelists neere them the 72. Disciples all the rest stood in the middle Think that all fix their eyes on you doubtlesse from Heaven they do so as on the first man who retaining the name of a Christian asserted the Error they overthrew opposed the Truth they upheld viz that Iupiter was not God but ether a wicked man or a filthy Divil Imagin they say unto you How happens it that our cause which for so many ages triumpht over Impiety should now fall under it being arraigned at the Bar of your Iudgment there found Guilty How chances it that we the Martyrs should have spilt our blood we the Doctors have employed our wit studyes utmost industry we the Apostles Disciples have spent our labours whole liues we the faithfull exposed our selves to the greatest torments to destroy the Kingdome of Iupiter who you say was the tru God What excuse can you alleadge for this fact of which you find us guilty viz first of denying the tru God secondly of accusing him of Incest Adultery Rapes Sodomy Rebellion Parricide what not all which we charged on Iupiter by an unparallelled Blasphemy if he be God And which aggravates our crime we all continued obstinate in asserting these Blasphemys even to our last gaspe breathed out our souls in finall Impenitency To what place will you sentence us after our death whome you find quilty
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
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
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
none at all Cornelius Iansenius was a Bishop soe his case is different from the rest for he had jurisdiction Yet why he should be cited amonst the Reformers I know not He hath written severall workes Mars Gallicus Annotations on the Pentateucke the Ghospels Alexipharmacum his Augnstinus His Mars Gallicus is an invective against the french designes His Annotations Augustinus doe not touch the discipline of the Church He contradicts in them some points of the doctrine of the Church defined in the Councill of Trent which drew the censure of Rome on the later worke of his yet without touching his persō who by his will submitted his Augustinus to the censure of Rome in whose communion he always lived did then dye as an obedient son of it To know the opinion he had of your faction reade his Alexipharmacum which he writ against your Brethren at Boyleduc you will see it What reason have you to complaine of sevetity used towards him I know of none His person was never toucht by any censure As for the Disciples of S. Cyran Iansenius I grant there is amongst them a spirit of independantisme And what assembly of men is entirely free from such Yet you cannot glory in them if what Mr. Brevint says in his Preface to Saul Samuel at Endor be tru that they are more dangerous to a Protestant then even Missioners or Iesuits therefore warnes all to avoyde their company Soe that even those who dislike something in us condemne you CHAPTER XXIX Other small objections G.B. pag. 112. Papists make children Bishops allow of pluralityes non-Residences commendams c. which are every day granted at Rome ANSWER Here are acompany of hard words to fryght your Reader from Rome as Birds are fryghte from corne with a rattle there is likewise more noyse then substance in both I have lived in the greatest Catholicks Princes dominions never saw nor heard of what you say is dayly done Our Canons require 30. yeares for a bishop few are made soe young most are promoted to that dignity very ancient Yet this age being determined only by Ecclesiasticall law I will not deny but that on some extraordinary motive some have beene dispensed with If you blame this see how you will excuse S. Paul who made S. Timothy Bishop of Ephesus in his youth 1. Tim. 4.12 If you condemne pluralityes in our Church how will you excuse your owne in which they are practised must the canon law be a cablerop to us a cob web to you If you dislike pluralityes begin with reforming your owne brethren his majestyes Chapplins in ordinary who can find a conscience to keepe two Benefices if they meete with a Prince who will bestow them As for non Residencys (a) Vide Aug. epist 138. I demand whither it be not lawfull for a Bishop to be absent from his Diocese in the circumstances following 1. For the good of the Church as in generall or particular Councils 2. For the good of the nation as in our Parliaments 3. For the good of their Dioceses as when Flavianus Patriarck of Antioch went to Constantinople to preserve his Episcopal seate from being ruined by appeasing Theodosius the greate offended for the throwing downe of this statues 4. For any other reason soe weyghty that evidently it may be equivalent to the good which his residence myght bring No Papists thinks them lawfull but only on such occasions for as for such who do absent themselves ether for ambition or Enuy or pleasure or friend ship or any other unlawfull designe or for some good but soe little as not to countervayle that of their duty to their flock we no lesse blame them then you our cannons for Residence are as severe as can be those often executed with the utmost rigour What doe you more Commendams offend you that is the recommending the meanes of Abbyes to those who are not monks Yet we give them only to clergy-youto mere lay men Secondly we give them only for their lives you give them to their heyres executors administrators assignes 3. We leave the Abby its legall superiors a competent subsistance for othe monks You turne them a begging out of God's Blessing into the warme sun When you have proved that it is more lawfull for you Church to steale a Goose then forours to pluck a quill I shall beleive your procedure legall outs illegall G.B. pag. 112. They struggled hard against the honest attempt of those who laboured to have had residence declared to be of Divine Ryght in the Concil of Trent ANS What myght the Catholick Church doe to please you Had she past that declaration you would have clamoured at your ordinary rate against new definitions of faith now she rejected that Definition she opposed the honest attempt to premote it she must be in the wrong those who oppose her in the ryght what ever shee or they doe because shee is the Church they a discontented paty in her In fine as the Iews proceeded with our Saviour the Bridgroome soe do you with the Bride the Catholick Church her Actions what ever they are are blamed To (a) Luke 7.32 what are the men of this generation like They are like unto children sitting in the market place saying we have piped unto you you have not danced we have mourned unto you you have not wept For doth the Church make a decree you blame her for it doth she not make it you blame her for that too But Wisdome is justifed by all her children A Conclusion of the first Beginning of the second Part. G.B. pag. 116. I have run around that greate circle I proposed to my selfe have examined the designes of Christian Religion have found greate contradiction given to them by the Dodrines of that Church ANSWER You have indeed run a round that so long that you are giddy with it as appeares by your frequent greate falls so evidently against common sense as I have all a long observed yet I have not observed all for that would have been too tedious to the Reader have taken up more time then I can bestow uppon trifles You have skewne no contradiction betwixt doctrine of the Catholick Church the designes of Christianity I have thewne their conformity But your Booke discovers a designe against Charity which is the Hart of Religion it being a heape of rash Judgments evident calumnyes or uncharitable surmizes I say nothing of your faults against reason your incoherentnotions groundlesse Judgments perpetuall sophismes because althô these are greate faults in themselves yet not considerable in presence of those others against Charity And these faults are the greater for being brought to up hold a schisme a designe contrary to Christianity it being a most certaine Truth that noman can have the love of God who withstands the union of all men in one Church Non habet
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
significant Ceremonyes instituted by the Apostles or at least in Apostolicall times which may be proved out of Tertul S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierosme S. Austin S. Denys you have retrenched all save only the signe of the Crosse And O judicium (a) Exod. 8.19 This is the finger of God the peeuish refractory stubbome children of your Church have wrangled with her about that with the same reasons as shee had done with her mother the Roman Catholick Church soe visibly hath God (b) Mat. 7.2 meeted unto you your measure (c) Sap. 11.17 punisht you by your sin As ours come to the use of reason a new Sacrament expects them Confirmation which is the same mentioned soe frequently in the (d) Act. 8.18 Acts of giving the Holy Ghost by imposition of the Apostles hands which armes them against visible invisible enemyes with the spirit of fortitude to professe their Faith Of this Protestants .... We find in every Church (a) Mat. 1.11 Malachy's Prophesy fullfilled a pure offring made to God masse sayd And in Catholick countryes rich poore even the meanest artisans labourers as Porters water-carryers c will steale soe much time from their almost necessary Rest as to give halfe an your to adore God his son Jesus in the morning hoping they will blesse their labours all the day the better for it O that you did but see with what attention respect they assist at those Divine Mysterys how with their knees on the ground their eyes on the Altar their hart in Heaven they accompany the Preist with him jointly make that oblation to God with what sentiments they adore Christ present desire him to appease his fathers wrath for their sins by the merits of his Passion preserve them from offending anew that day to blesse that days actions What doe protestants As soone as they are up they have their hand in the cup bord in the cup their nose Have any by mortall sin shut against themselves the gates of Heaven which the Passion of Christ opened they stirre up a reall sorrow for that offence of God purpose amendment with these dispositions addresse themselves to a Preist with a resolution to follow his advice performe what he shall enjoine They discover to him all the wounds of their soul their most secret most reprochfull sins as to God himselfe whose vicegerent he is being assured of an inviolable secret itis doubtlesse a perpetuall miracle that amongst soe many thousands of Preists not one should be found faulty in this point They harken to his advice accept his Pennance to fast pray give almes visit Prisoners serve poore in Hospitals or the like according as the condition of the Penitent permits Then receive Absolution in vertu of the power given by our Saviour (a) Io. 20.23 to Preists The effects of this sacrament are Remission of sins past avoyding others making Restitution if any thing hath beene taken as some Inglish in France have experienced In fine a newnesse of life Of all this what is in use among Protestants nothing Are they judged fit to approach the Divine table they doe it with a lively Faith beleiving it is the tru reall substantiall body of Christ With his blood Divinity per concomitantiam Concil Trid. sess 13. cap. 13. by reason of the inseparable union betwixt them with profound humility professing with the Centurion (b) Luc. 7.6 their unworthynesse to receive their lord desiring him to make them worthy And with a Love proportionable to that Christ shewed by instituting this Sacrament What doe Protestants sometimes something for their Ministers distribute a morsell of breade a sup of wine they may expet to meete only with dispositions proportionable to those beggarly elements Amongst us (a) Iac. 5.14.15 Is any sicke He calls for the Preists of the Church they pray over him annointing him with oyle in the name of the Lord that the Prayer of Faith may save the sicke god may rayse him up in case it be for the glory of God the good of the Patient if he have cemmitted sins they may be forgiven him Thus in an Apostles words I have delivered our practice in administring the Sacrament of Extreme-Onction Of which Protestants nothing Besides masse which all heare every day commonly three times a day A Bell rings to mind us of the Incarnation of the son of God move all with an Act of faith to acknowledge it returne God thanks for it of which amongst Protestants nothing I may conclude this comparison betwixt you us as to the practice of Piety with S. Austin's (b) Aug. l. de moribus Ecclesiae cap. 34. words very pat to our purpose Istis Manichaei Protestantes si potest is obsistite istos intuemini istos sine mendacio si audetis cum contumeliâ nominate Istorum jejuniis vestra jejunia castitati castitatem vestitum vestitui epulas epulis modestiam modestiae charitatem charitati quod res maximè postulat praeceptis praecepta conferte I am videbitis quid inter ostentationem sinceritatem inter viam rectam errorem intersit Nunc vos illud admoneo ut aliquando Ecclesiae Catholicae maledicere desinatis vituperando mores hominum quos ipsa condemnat quos quotidie tanquam malos filios corrigere studet Sed quisquis illorum bonâ voluntate Deique auxilio corriguntur quod amiserunt peccando poenitendo recuperant Qui autem voluntate mala in pristinis vitiis perseverant aut addunt graviora prioribus in agro quidem Domini sinuntur esse cum bonis seminibus crescere sed veniet tempus quo zizania separentur Considering them well see whither without offending against Truth you can reproach any thing Compare yourfasts with ours your chastity your modesty cheifly your doctrine with ours You will presently perceive what difference there is betwixt vaine boasting sincerity going the stryght way wandring At present I advise you to cease from detracting from the Catholick Church blaming the lives of men whome shee condemnes whome shee dayly endeavours to correct as naughty children If any of them with the helpe of God's grace are converted they recover in the Catholick Church by repentance what they lost by sin If any notwithstanding all these helpes to Piety continue obstinate in their wickednesse or adde more grevious sins to those they have committed they are indeed tolerated in the feild of God the Church untill the time come designed for the separation of the cockle from the good corne Thus S. Austin Glory then as much as you please with the lukewarme Laodicean Angel That you are rich èncreased in Goods want nothing Yet assure yourselfe that as he soe you are poore wretched miserable blind naked Your boasting of the advantages of your instructions discipline amongst your
of Traditions ANS You speake as dogmatically as if it were ex Tripode Here is an Assertion without any proofe soe is a convincing proofe that you have none Tradition is indeede our Sanctuary to which you have no claime By it we received 1. Scriptures 2. the sense of Scriptures which is their soul Now when Scriptures are doubtfull in any point or as you phrase it seeme not to reach home without Stretching can we have better assurance of their tru meaning then by the authority of the Church which is cleerely commended us in Scriptures themselves And in following her sense we are certain we follow Scriptures which is the discourse of S. Aug. l. 1. contra Crescon cap. penult Quamvis hujus rel de Scripturis Canonicis non proferatur exemplum Scripturarum etiam in hac re à nobis tenetur veritas cum hoc facimus quod universae jam placuit Ecclesiae quam ipsarum Scripturarum commendat auctoritas ut quoniam Sacra Scriptura fallere nonpotest quisquis falli metuit hujus obscuritate quostionis Ecclesiam de illâ consulat quam sin◠allâ ambiguitate sancta Scriptura demonstrat G. B. Ibidem Till it be proved that an errour could not creepe into the world that way we must be excused from beleiving ANS Unlesse you prove that errours have crept in that way you are inexcusable You actually rejected those things as errours which were in possession all over the world unlesse you prove them to be such your fact is criminall G. B. Ibidem It is not possible to know what Traditions came from the Apostles ANS Habemus hic confitentem reum For if it be impossible to know what Traditions were Apostolicall your Reformers act in rejecting soe many was rash inconsiderate They had beene better advised to retaine all as they found them in the Church them to cut them off But your proceedure is as different in this as in the rest from S. Austin For was any thing doubted of this Saint's methode was to consult the Church adhere to what shee beleived or practised as you see in his discourse above you consult the Church too but it is only to reject her practice condemne her sentiments The weyght of the authority of the Church may be sufficient to convince which are Apostolicall Traditions as it convinces which are Apostolicall writings Yet we have other signes I will instance in two one taken from S. Austin l. 4. de Bapt. contra Donat. cap. 24. Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec à Conciliis institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi Apostolicâ traditum auctoritate rectissimè creditur We ought to beleive those things to have come from the Apostles which the whole Church holds were not introduced by Councills but were always in use To prove this it is enough that the first persons who mention them speake of them not as of things newly begun but which were of ancient practice The second rule is taken out of Tertullian l. de praescript c. 28. Age nunc omnes erraverint deceptus sit Apostolus de testimonio reddendo quibusdam nullam respexerit Spiritus sanctus uti eam in veritatem induceret ad hoc missus est à Christo ad hoc postulatus de Patre ut esset Doctor veritatis neglexerit officium Dei villicus Christi vicarius sinens Ecclesias aliter in terris intelligere aliter credere quà m ipse per Apostolos praedicabat Ecquid verisimile est ut tot ac tantae Ecclesiae in unā fidem erraverint Nullus inter multos eventus est unus exitus variasse debuerat error doctrinae Ecclesiarum Coeterùm quod apud multos unum invenitur non est erratum sed traditum Suppose says he that all churchs have erred that the Apostle was deceived in the testimony he gave to some the holy Ghost looked to none to leade it into truth to which intent he was sent by the son demanded of the father to be the Doctor of truth let the steward of God the Vicar of Christ neglect his duty permit the Churchs to understand beleive otherwise then he had taught by his Apostles Is it probable that all Churchs should by error fall into one the same opinion when there are soe many by ways those who loose the hygh way wonld scarce wander into the same error Soe that certainly what is sound one the same in many Churchs is no ertor newly invented but it is faith of old delivered Thus Tertullian Answer you to his discourse if you can G. B. pag. 108. A late ingenious writer whose sincere zeale had drawne censures on himself his booke tooke away to repayre his reputation by a new method of proving Popish doctrines that they had them from their Ancestors they from theirs But this pretence hath beene baffled by Mr. Claud as all know who have beene soe happy as to reade his workes ANSWER I am perswaded that your Prelates will scarce think it sincere zeale in Monsr Arnaud of him you speake that the stood out solong against his spirituall temporall Superiors But let that passe You discover your ignorance in saying that Method was new or that Arnaud invented it Mr. Tho. White had it before Arnaud Mr. Fisher a Jesuit before T. W. Bellarmin before him S. Austin S. Stephen Pope Tertullian before them all I have reade Mr. Claude's workes was far from finding soe much satisfaction as you promise your Reader I beleive rather uppon heare say then on your owne experience Nay I have from one of the eminentest wits of the french Hugenots that Claud was not much esteemed a mongst his owne for those workes which would have beene neglected had not Arnaud's enemys commended them You say Claud Bussled him others are of a different opinion I confesse Mr. Arnaud though very learned yet seemed not qualifyed to manage a controversy in defence of Church-Authority Tradition having as much as lay in him weakened both by his writings practice during the time he stood out against the Censure the Formula Which gave such advantage to Mr. Claude who industriously gathered together cunningly returned uppon him his owne arguments that some thought he foyled his adversary Yet without any prejudice to the Catholick cause which is not concerned in Mr. Arnaud's personall faylings Let us now heare what you can alleadge against the authority of Tradition to prove a change unobserved in our Faith G. B. p. 121. Weknow the chalice was taken from the people 250. yeares agoe ANS 1 ò You are mistaken in your epocha S. Th. 3. p. q. 8o a. 12. assures it was in his time taken away in many places he lived 400 yaeres ago from the beginning some persons on some occasions received but one species 2. This is an argument that changes cannot happen without some notice taken of them As in this we know when it begun with
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