Male de te loquuntur sed mali men speake evill of thee but evill men was the comfort of a wise man which I must not be intituled to whom you can discommend you for whom ever silenc'd enmity studies commendations they who cannot approve your judgement admire your knowledge say you have a greater Library in you then you have lost yet have you lost a greater Library then the County which you inrich with your selfe a Panoply of knowledge can glory in I could not bewaâ—le but rather congratulate such a losse For should the hot zeale of some Iack Straw of Reformation raise a combustion might fire halfe of our Anglican Libraries nay was ev'n your Roman Vatican in a flame with halfe of the worlds Libraries which by kindling the flames of contention by disordering the Vniverse seem to antidate its combustion if a teare could quench the fire I should number it among my sinnes at the expense of so much water to redeeme them Error is of a teeming Constitution this Hydra's heads multiply by amputation there is no end of writing of Bookes the wisest of men dead said and the wisest of men living lament Study is a wearinesss to the flesh I wish most mens studies were not onely a wearines to their own but all flesh the effect of few mens wit most mens idlenesse while there is nothing new under the Sun not onely bookes but men are transcribed men are liv'd ore againe the Pythagorean Metempsychy is verified the revolution of planets reduce the same constitutions same errors hence Learning is in the circle and not in the Progresse error hath alter'd her modes and garbs with times someties more gaudy better painted trim'd and drest to become more tempting but still hath carried her old rotten body through all her veils and disguises dâ—scoverable to a curious inquirie That which sends occasion to opinion to proclaim most men knowing administers to me no infrequent suspition of their ignorance multitude of bookes variety of notions like to Cadmus Souldiers by mutuall quarrells destroy each other Light and darkenesse both met in the Chaos but it was a worke of omnipotency to separate them I cannot bee induc'd to beleeve either the greatest reader or writer the best Clerk-men write much of little because they know not how to comprehend much in little a fly buzzes more about nothing then a Bee with all her honey most write much to instruct the world they know little the Iliads of their labours may be compris'd within a nutshell and that nutshell crackt found without a kernel Uoluminous Tostati dilude the mountains of our hopes with a ridiculous mouse who plac'd in competition with a single sheeted Mercury may be orevalued while in floods of words scarce occurs a drop of reason and these by malice onely impostum'd Authors betray their owne corruption or their tumid bodies of controversies are onely symptoms of a drscracy and show an Hydropsick constitution in Religion But while these scrap-gatherers pick reversions from common places and poore truth imprisoned for her plaine dealing fed at the Almes basket of vncharitable times is scarce kept from famishing for you a reputed treasurie of knowldge to cast no mite into her treasury while these standing pools retaine corruption you who are an ambulatory Library not to stream with excellence like the Philosophers Elixir have as some say the price of al things in Epitome yet you your selfe know no value this is a miracle which may refute yours and their adversaries who can beleeve miracles have a cessation But lest you Sir should be lost in your Laborynth of your own praises as the world in admiration of your intricate excellence be pleas'd to know Sir that the opinion of what you know cannot make you speake wisely of what you know not and the Prerogative of greatnesse is no priviledge for unworthinesse he may be evill himselfe who speaks good of another upon knowledge but he can never be good himselfe who speakes evill upon suspition of any one though you are pleas'd to say I make a jest of Religion yet produce one jest which did not give an earnest of truth I must confess I have not lov'd a solemnity in folly or serious Ildenesse like children to contend with a passions vehemency for cock pins and hobbyhorses if I have admitted that noâ—i bonum ludere cum sanctis it was onely when they were dress'd like unto Bartholmew Faire babies in a garbe onely to be made sport with honour their ashes which have been temples of the Holy Ghost treasuries of knowledge Cundit pipes of salvation and neither my pen nor tongue shal bedrible their ashes which to speake Philosophically may retaine some perfume of their sanctities I am not ignorant of the stories of Gervase Montanus Babylas nor all the names which sanctifie your year or with their owne bloods are writ in the Rubrick of the Church But yet I must beleeve Honorandi sunt Charitate non servitute and that best honour we can do them is to imitate their vertues and not bely their ashes and make banquets for the serpent the father of lies which thus may be said to have food out of the dust which not to administer cannot intitle me to your livery viz. A Heretick in Divinity a Heretick in Philosophy and in Physick but not to a Physitians religion which you can please your selfe by calling Atheism but if you were acquainted with much felicity as to be intituled to the knowledge of Dr Brownes Religio Medici you might bee induced to beleeve a Physitian still may prove an Evangelist and I hope I shall not prove besse by bringing you the good tydings of the Religion you have lost and though it be true as you say I am none of the young men who see visions yet I am content to give you the honour of an old man who dreameth dreams not that you have truth reveal'd to you sleeping but are content to snore in your errours and please your self with thâ— imaginations of truth Chymera's of your owne distracted phancy or the dreame of melancholy Monks if I recede from any it shall be by their receding from themselves and as Apostacy is but a recession and Heresie which you inculcate an election I am content with S. Paul after the way you call here sie to worship God by election of truth without supposing it taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Thyestiles expugnatio civitatis but more especially the holy city of God his holy Catholique and Apostolik Church militant on earth and triumphant in Heaven yet I may that which is patient in the purgatory of your errors And though you are suppos'd a Goliaâ—h able to defy a whole host of Israels ye a poore contemptible boy whose best company hath been sheepe silly creatures in a wildernesse of errour if when a Lyon roar'd on him one of yours E. S. I. who like a Lyon goeth about seeking whom he may devoure he tooke him and
God grant I may for futurity learn to doe something rather then hear others talk about nothing which if they bring not into the premunire with the fool in the Psalmist who said in his heart there was no God yet I have said in my heart with the Psalmist all men are lyars and every one deceiveth his neighbour I must believe as in Epiphanius time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pietie or impiety must onely distinguish Orthodox or Pseudodox we glory and are inflated with the names of Churches while we lose the power of godlinesse soul of Religion and prerogative of Christians Christs Legacy Charity Sect 31. Faith may lay a Foundation but wee may hope in vain for that building which is made without hands if charity here laies not her hand to make a superstruction those Babel-builders who think to reach Heaven by another way produce nothing but confusion of languages impenitent confidence will shipwrack in an Ocean of infirmity when penitent despair which expected to bee ingulph'd into an Abysse of miseries wasted with gales of sighes and Seas of tears may arrive at a Port of everlasting security the Scripture saies Heaven is taken by violence but 't is a strange phancy the world takes up that it may be taken with impudence fronti nulla â—ides may admit a double sence though a Judas may veil impiety with kisses yet if a timely repentance prevents not he may break in two and discover his black soul naked I cannot believe that Faith justifies works justifie or both yet we are justified by faith by works by both the conditions not causes of our justification and the conditions not perform'd it is impossible without this righteousnesse to see God I will not say Christ cannot save though the Scripture saies Christ could do no miracles in his own Country not because hee was less potent but they were more incapable where impenitence keeps the door mercy cannot enter it is not materiall whose Communion they boast of or disclaim who have fellowship with the unfruitfâ—ll works of darknesse since Idolaters drunkards liers Adulterers no dogs and unclean person shall enter into the City of God or be partaker of the benefits of his holy Church Sect 33. Of all graces the Apostle makes the greatest of charity and the world least of that charity which antidates Christs presence here in his members and outdates the other graces in futurity when faith and hope shall bee swallowed up in an abysse of ravishing realties that which was but a Lamp here will be then a star inlightned by the Sun of righteousnesse a Lamp here with the oyl of faith and light of good works converting sinners from the darker waies of iniquity shall shine like the stars in glory hereafter and not such who compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte and make him worse then themselves who tith mint and annise boggle at trifling formalities and forget the greater mysteries of salvation Sect 34. Self-interest opens the floodgates of dissention to drown the humble vallies of peace men esteem opinions because their own all adore the Chimaera's of their own private brains call light darknesse and darknesse light presume they have the most glorious stars for their Conductors when they are onely ignes fatui which misguide to a precipice of flames Gods fire gave light and burned Hells fire burns without light who leave the light of truth heat of charity to live in flames of contention deserve that fire without light even the best Apostles dissented knowledge nor piety can amputate all differences but wisdom and charity must prevent their prejudices Sect 35. Not every light and aery error in disputable Doctrine and points of curious speculation can be a just cause of separation in that admirable body of Christ his Church or of one member from another He gave his naturall body to be torn on the crosse that his mysticall should be one and as Saint Austin he is no partaker of divine charitie that is enemy to this unity All these divisions are disguises of charity and vizards of factions a pageantry of pompous folly or preposterously inflated knowledgâ— and though they mask in the names of Papists Protestants Reformists sub-Reformists Aâ—omist Familist Brownist c. the Church of God can have no musick to set out such discords My name is Christian and my sirname is Catholick by the one I am known from Infidells by the other from hereticks and schismatickâ— the name of Catholick congregates what is homogeneous and dissipates what is heterogeneous both in the Court of heaven and in the Court of the Church He cannot put on the garments of Christ who rends and divides his Church Catholick is every where the same that which is trusted to thee not thatâ— which invented by thee which thou hast received not imagined a matter not of wit but doctrine in which thou art not to be Author but a retainer not to lead but follow that which the whole Church holds not instituted by Councells but retained is rightly believ'd Apostolicall tradition such as the Creed Sacraments c. The antient consent of holy Fathers is not in all questions of Divine Law but onely in the rule of Faith by us with exact study to be sifted out and followed there are some things in which the best defenders of the rule Salva fidei compage agree not but one thinks better and truer then another Every error denies not Christ the foundation or makes Christ deny it and thrust it from the foundation not every error in those things which are of faith is either infidelity or heresie if men differ it is no more then they have done ever pious men even in differences may preserve charity intire â—concord which is the effect of charity est unâ—o voluntatum non opinionum Some Churches build after the Italian fashion with a flat top others with wide windowes to let in the air and catch the applause of the world some build Babel-like and will have their head reach Heaven and if their confusion of languages impeded not might be near allyed others of the Synagogue fashion will admit nothing but round and limit Heaven in their narrow conventicles it could bee wish'd that all would bee what the Apostle exhores of one mind but it is not to be hoped whâ—ile the Church is triumphant over humane fragilities which here hang thick and close about her the want of peace and unity even where Religion is pretended proceeds from men and humours rather then things and errors to be found in them Episcopacy squares with Monarchy Presbyterie with Aristocracy independency with Democracy men made Religion lackey to self-interest and State policy the great Turk walking in his Garden with a Bashaw who wonder'd hee would suffer the Christians distracted in Sects to orespread his Empire asked how he liked his Garden answering it was admirable for the variety reply'd
if it be confirmed by the Pope it cannot be confirm'd till finish'd if finish'd it hath err'd or not err'd if err'd the Pope ought not to confirm falshood if not err'd it was truth before he confirm'd it and at best his assent is but signum pro causa or a Councell must be either infallible by the means or the prophetick part the conclusion the means humane learning fallible meanes may have fallible effects or if by the conclusion the spirit makes no use of meanes they must either make means uselesse or open a gap for Enthusiasts to ruffle the Church Where two or three are conven'd Christ is in the midst of them to concede what he shall think fit for them not they fit for themselves a generall Councell may bee supposed not to erre led by the spirit of truth in Scripture and not presuming to lead both spirit and Scripture no Father having to deal with Hereticks intitled Councels infallible The letters of Bishops according to Saint Austine may bee disputed by more learn'd Bishops nationall Councells by plenary and even plenary may be amended the former by the later that onely which is found in Scripture may be neither doubted nor disputed The comforter shall abide with them and lead them into all truth viz. the Holy Ghost that lead the Catholick Church not into all curious truths in or about the faith but all truth necessary to salvation in which the Catholike Church can't erre for if it could erre it could not bee holy Sect. 67. Now let us peruse a little of the Elixir of the Fathers which some Pontificians sure rightly understood would turn al into Catholike Gold in which we may believe them but never that it is able to convert one intelligent man to be a Papist Illa Ecclesia quae fuit omnium gentium jam non est periit apostavit hoc dicunt qui in illa non sunt O impudentem vocem illa non est quia tu in illa non es vide ne tu ideo non sis nam illa erit etiamsi tu non sis O vocem abominabilem detestabilem c. hanc praevidit spiritus Dei ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad Consuminationem seculi Sed forte ista civitas quae mundum tenuit universum aliquando evertetur absit Deus enim fundavit in aeternum si Deus fundavit in aeternum quid times ne cadat Portae inferorum non praevalebunt contra eam quod si non credâ—s verbo ipsis operibus crede Multo facilâ—us mâ—hi persuaderem Christo non esse credendum quam de illo quidquam nisi ab his per quos credidissem esse credendum Deus posuâ—t in sole tabernaculum suum qui contra Lucernam in candelabro positam oculos claudunt quid amplius dicturus sum quam caecos esse Quomodo impurâ—ssâ—me Diabole Ecclesiam te posse putas deâ—jcere adulterari non potestâ— sponsa Christi incorrupta est Pudica est domum unam novit unius cubiculi Sanctitatem casto pudore custodit Hoc Ecclesiae proprium est ut tum vincat cum laeditur tum intelligatur cum arguitur tum obtineat cum de seritur Haec ergo navis Ecclesia est quae si quotidie saeculum istud tanquam aliquod pelagus fortiter infestum nunquam elidâ—tur ad saxum nunquam mergitur ad profundum super petram fundata Ecclesia nullâ tempestate Concutitur nullo turbine ventisque subruitur Quorsum haec what a flood of Fathers is here without a drop of reason who ever deny'd God would have a Church spread ore the face of the Earth yet this implies that the Roman is only Catholick a Monopoly of heaven and mercy by usurpation of the name or because the Rivers of life shall not cease while time flowes to stream in the Citty of God his holy Catholick Church they lose their current if they stream not in the channells of Romish phancies Who would not with Saint Austin rather believe nothing of Christ then the Gospell of Peter Bartholomew Nicodemus the Acts of Paul and Tecla c. ridiculous figments of giddy heresie where the Devill in an Angell of lights shape would have brought darknesse in fashion this implies not sure we must not believe the true Gospell without it is maâ—gin'd with Pontifician notes and fenc'd with profit-angling baits of phanatick interpreters Gods Tabernacle is in the Sun and he hath a Church like the Sun shining with light and eminent in vertues who see not this light in a candlestick or so great a mountain as Gods Church Christianity more eminent then all other Religions with the Father I could call them no lesse then blind I should think them hallucinate could not see through the disfigurements of truth and veils of ceremonies a face of Religion in the Romish Church but desperately blind could see no other and after he had received the phantasticall garb would shut his eyes and think it immodesty to view poor truth naked I may believe with Saint Cyprian the Devill cann't deject the spouse who leaves not Christs bed to lie with Adonis or exchanges Christianity for Paganism the joyes of his Spirit for the salt waters of Mundan complacencies or the pure streamâ— of life for polluted puddles of phanatick interpretations I can assent to Saint Hilary Persecution is the Churches seed to Saint Ambrose the Church is a Ship secure in storms to Saint Hierom a Rock which windes nor waves move Yet believe these sayings have no other relation to the Roman Church then the Roman hath relation to the Catholick Church by being part of the whole body of Christianity of which Christ is the head Sect. 68. Papists while they bring in the Fathers in vizards may terrifie some weak ones but the vizards once pluckt off from the faces of the Fathers the children whom they have afrighted dare play with them and wise men conclude the cause not honest which needs a disguise since the confines of truth is to be naked Ignatius called the Roman Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most chast and Metropolis of the Region of the Romans and wishes those things may be firm which they teach May the Roman Church be firme to what it then taught and then may all firmly believe what she teaches and though not in a power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Ignatius was ignorant of but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he mentions be President Polycarp communicated with the Roman Church though disagreed about Easter was content to passe over rather a trifling formality then renounce his charity who instructs us nothing of their Roman power may instruct us in the power of Godlinesse not to relinquish Christian communion for triviall observances Irenaeus praises the Roman faith succeeding with Episcopacy yet oppugns Victor sure he dream'd not of Pontificiall infallibility Saint Cyprian saies the Romans are such to whom
CHARITY Commended OR A Catholick Christian Soberly Instructed By J. C. M. D. Quicquid deficiunt alia unica supplet charitatis gratia quae in aeternum non deficiet St. Ber. LONDON Printed and are to be sold at most Book-Sellers Shops 1667. TO THE READER PAper Kites on all sides fly high born up with the air of popular applause and wind off phancy to the admiration of plebeian heads thoâ—gh the prayer-toyes of idle children while they misuse paper and mispend time are of as great value as the elaborate pieces of most polemicks whose books are the disguises of faction and diseases of Charity by irreligious disputes of what they miscall religion drawing that blood which should quicken the heart of Religion from mens hearts into their heads leaving their hearts destitute of zeal to God and mutuall dilection and filling their hearts with choler which produces that phrantick zeal which discomposes the world or stuffing them with phâ—egm which lulls them into a Lethargy of indifferency in religion or raising those melancholy vapors which cause these Epileptick paroxisms in quaking enthusiasts Hence comes this morris dance of religions the glorious body of Christianity minced into factions makes but an Olio distastefull to Jew or Gentile and it would be a wonder to have a Iew converted to Christianity to what sect soever he was converted the other would condemn him and this might not seem a way to come to God but a path to Belial even amougst Christians I have known not a few whose too forward zeal to find out religion hath carried them out of all religion when their fiery zeal had made a blaze it went out in the stench of Atheism The specious name of Catholick hath biassed no lesser numbers to Rome but the spiders web of papall infallibility spun fine by school wits not strong enough to hold them finding the lines drawn from bowels poysoned with self-interest breaking this Cobweb net they disdain all religions as religations to insnare and believe religion not above a state trick or a vizard to fright Children and cheat the world since the world varies dssguises as frequently as it changes interests A giddy minorage instructed me to make prodigious sallies joyn with these Babell builders to try if I could elix truth out of so great a confusion of Languages but the fruits of my curiosity prov'd not above the Apples of Sodom I was discompos'd by the noise rather then edify'd by the tongues and taught with Octavian to cry out utinam nescissem literas to wish often that I had been ignorant of letters since they could not furnish me with the knowledge of Christs Cross I retir'd within to seek that at home which I could not find abroad and having anatomized others in vain I now dissect my self rather then be inexperienced here I find not those antipathies which I meet in others I seem constellated for all Countries and could live peaceably under any national Church though I would not joyn with any schism which is made to colour over a rebellion while a monstrous zeal player-like takes a vizard which hee rejects his part once acted for this indifferency though Erasmus-like I am hung up betwixt Heaven and Hell renounced of all Communions yet Conscientiae satisfeci nihil in famam laborati sequatur vel mala dum bene mereor By being charitable to all I cannot deserve evill of any and I hope no national Church so ill but may deserve my charity the first sally of my pen intended nothing beside an Apologeticall Epistle and by an autopsâ—e or self-unravelling to satifie my self and a Romanist of him of whom he had talk'd much and knew little proposing neither order or method it being my Province to unravel the mysteries of riddling nature rather then the disguises of Antick Polemicks but my glib penne found it easier to ingage then to retreat and while the multitude of my own thoughts oppress'd me the fear of my own disability would not suffer me to betray the succours which reason offer'd even the whole militant Church lending the weapons of Antagonists and offering the Canons of the Church against them which I shall bring in with the flag of defiance to no Christian Communion neitheir make use of the forces to gratifie any faction for all carry the Angels motro glory be to God on high and goodwil towards men I introduce Charity neither maim'd nor mutilated Since she is inrich'd with a plenteous offspring which she holds within the arms of Christian Communion I would not deprive herof any of her Children whom none can truly expresse it they do not describe her with her arms full and although the Papist terme it it is mistaken yet mistaken charity is to bee preferr'd before none and should heady and shallow Enthusiasts misconstrue it yet the learn'd and more refin'd spirit who is more blear-ey'd with prejudice or squints to self-interest will afford me that charity which I afford all to whom as Vespasian to Aâ—ollonius I conclude with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To a Learnd Romanist APologies serve onely to multiply Discourses and the itch of dispute becomes the Scab of the Church Controversies being either the Ebullitions of indigested Idleness symptomes of distemper'd zeale or inebriations of Passion while men in distractions ly idle seriously foolish or drunke with dispute forget the Holy Ghost to talke of an holy Church and by relinquishing their Charity lose the Communion of Saints most Polemick Divines being no more to be beleev'd then Lawyers who have least right to that they pleade for and doe it onely for the fees of promotion while the people are wrung by the eares they easily remitt their ear-rings to reare a golden Calfe to worship or forge one out of silver each Country being as able as Ephesus from a silver forge to produce a Diana Who phancy profit raise Idols of their Phancy gaine profits by maintaining Prophets to maintain them And no coyne can be so adulterate as not to passe currant if it bee but stamp'd with the face of Religion I would not act high treason against heav'n by adulterating my Kings Coyne or by an uncharitable clipping of it take away the Crowne and obscure the Image of my Redeemer or by a pruriginous affectation of scribling increase the Scab of Church or State or that the Luxury of my phancy should like the ranknes of other's wanton out into weeds in the garden of the Spouse If errour would not triumph over tacit truth silence argues no assent and introduces no supposition of guilt though all may accuse the sallies of a prodigious curiosity none should the excursions of a rasher pen the spitle cast on me from inane and jejune noddles should only mortifie my quick silver and it heale the itch of my curiosity the inke which I have tooke from the pens of all ages be appli'd to cure the tetters of my own dilating vanity and not profus'd on others
rent with his owne arguments shall he not dare to encounter you out of the slender scrip of his owne reason and with pebbles drawn from a brooke of clearer testimonies aime at your forehead that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pontificiall infallibility in the head of your Church and then amputate it by the two edg'd sword of verity and the whole host of delusion your Catholique body of error cui fumus pro fundamento shall evaporate yet by wrinkling and shrinking truth I shall not bring the Church in that narrow compasse to give private spirits leave to ruffle her or make her lesse Catholick or not infallible which could she be she might cease to be holy nor could I be perswaded that the pontificiall robes carried holiness to the Lord that Vrim and Thuminim perfection and light were relative to the Miter and the lips of that high Priest onely carried knowledge I could fly the bosom of the common mother but since from distemper'd parents we exuge poyson not nutriment you must give leave to decline those breasts which flow not with the sincere milk of the word and believe the body distemper'd and of a richetty constitution whose head so exceeds the proportion had infallibilitie a tie above the intention of a Priest in Collation of orders to the proof of which though I cannot expresse the exactnesse of pedantism in quotation yet I shall not be warp'd from that may expresse ingenuity and satisfie a pretender to it in a rural retirement having no book but one of an imperfect edition forc'd to read my self ubi multa desiderantur à desunt nonnulla but nothing that may inform of truth though I can make use onely of some confus'd notes for the engraphical part of memory yet in the agraphical part I shall not show so great a deficiency in the Mnenonâ—cal Art as may render truth suspected truth shal be my aim I may fly high rove yet never farre from the mark and perhaps escape the faâ—lts of most Polemicks who resemble a piece of Arras where there is much in representation and nothing in reality or Plutarchs heartlesse fish with a sword assimilating body want both vigor and acutenesse the discourses of umbraticall Doctors on all sides like bodies bred in the shade cannot endure the Sun or a shower in their more serious retirements affecting nothing beyond Domitians humour of catching of flies which I shall without torture inforce them to confesse Could you but dispossesse your self of prejudicacy truth is a garment that time can wear who pretend to grey-headed error rather dâ—scredit it then patronize it Lay aside those great names of Seraphick and Angelick Doctors look not on any Religion through the opticks of blear-ey'd prejudice as I am confident you make not yours squint to self-interest I have neither giv'n up my name to regall or papall supremacy neither protested covenanted or ingag'd to any faction hee who aims at truth by the Roman or any other bias wiâ—l never come nere the mark the fire of self-love as it is kindled by the breath of the Father of lies so it partaketh of the quality of his flames to be without light since it keepeth us in darknesse to our selves an imperception of the true dimensions of others This liking or disliking of others is but the spurious issue of philautie which undervalues al meets not in a compliance with the humour some natures as Seneca observes are so shady as they think every thing turbulent and stormy that is even in a meridian lâ—ght Some like to old rusticks are content to meet in the Church porch of tradition to talk of mundan a affairs which care not to enter into the Church to serve God in his Ordinances others resemble young Novices which creep into the Church by holes to angle and ring the bells backward neglecting the key of tradâ—tion others by curious inquiries are put into a wheeâ— and are circled so long betwixt proving the Scripture by tradition and tradition by Scripture till the Devill find a means to dispute them into infidelity and make them believe neither Most mens lips and pens open wide like to a monilesse purse nothing comes out of this and what is worth nothing out of them yet this nothing must be plac'd in competition with nothing lesse then salvation the tradition of the Church must be a satisfactory proof to believe by Divine faith if we may believe a Papist Scripture Gods word If wee ask why we must believe it is replied because the Church is infallibly govern'd by the holy Ghost if we inquire how they run to revelation guilty of enthusiasm which they object to others or if they offer to prove it by Scripture as most do it is an acknowledgement that the Scripture is of higher proof then the Churches tradition thus these impertinents touch neâ—ther Heaven nor Earth in their discourses they open an entry into a room but shut it presently Some elate tradition above Divinity the principles of any conclusion must be of more credâ—â— then the conclusion it self the Articles of Faith the Trinity Resurrection and Communion if the conclusions by which they are proveable is Ecclesiastical tradâ—tion it must follow that the Churches tradition is of more credit when the Faith of the Articles must be finally resolv'd into the veracity of the Churches testimony Others depresse tradition even below humanity are so far from equalizing it with rational dâ—scourses as they prefer the dreams of phanaticks before the Churches tradition without which a rayling Song thrust upon an evil air is not worse musick then the confused notes which some intitle the harmony of Scriptures and if they know Gods Law by heart they have no heart to his Law and after all these pretences of Knowledge and illumination like to the Egyptian sages can produce nothing but frogs and blood Nor doe the Exotique Seminaries furnish us better then the weeds which the ranknesse of our own soil hath cast up Apostolicall pruging-hookes are exchang'd for Sanguinary instruments involving the world in blood and staining their own lives at theâ—r deaths leaving nothing behind but a memorial of some hideous impietie while with styles solemnly religious and even Seraphical devotions we find more principl'd in Caesar Borgia and Nicholas the Florentine then Elemented in Religion not erecting a Spiritual Kingdome for Christ but a temporal for the Pope which he honest good man solemnly vows and protests against for all the Bishops of Rome at their Creation make a solemn vow and confess to observe inviolably all Ordinances made in the first eight generall Councells in which is provided that all Causes be determined by the Bishop of the same Province where they are begun This might check the exorbitancy of the Roman See and confine Tibur within her own limits if sober men having neither the inebriations of passion or self-interest might be judges Neither might that impertinent question of triflers
trouble the world Where was your Religion before Luther retorted ingeniously by S. H. Wotton to a pragmatical Monk where yours is not to be found now in the word of God But I may modestly and charitably averre where yours was if you have any and where much of what you call fundamentall in yours now is not to be found in the word of God Ecclesia non in parietitibus Consistit sed in dogmatum veritate Ecclesia est ibi ubi fides vera one impertinent question is not ill required with another when a Romanist is ask'd where the Churches visibility and their judges infallibility was Cum ingemuit totus orbis Arrianum se esse miratus est and even the infallible Guide Liberius even a Pope decoy'd into Arrâ—anâ—sm or while he was intainted if a Pope was what you would have him an infallâ—ble Iudge is he not to be believed when he answers the Emperor with an esto quod solus sum non tamen fidei causa periclitatur olim tres soli sunt reperti qui regis mandata resisterent If a particular Nation doe what the whole world did sigh and wonder at her self so soon turn'd Leper it need not be the wonder of a wise man they who sacrifice their Religion to successes must set up Fortune for a deity which I believe is the World Idol who Persian-like adore the rising Sun and not like Israelites they will not believe God as much in the Cloud as in the Pillar though the one is the more glorious object Can an intelligent man suppose religion dead in the Primitive persecutions because buried alive in the Caves or ours lost because some of ours are necessitated to imitate them and you if you have any Religion in this Kingdom yet this meeting with weak judgements and strong passions against the time hath gain'd not a few Proselytes to Rome and some seemingly learn'd whose error like that of Origen Tertullian magna suit in ecclesiâ dei tentatios While the Priest which should bee the lungs of the Church to receive in the influences of Heaven and temper the heart of Religion sucking in the contagious air of popular phancies are tainted and have brought an hectick fever in the body Ecclesiastick subjecting it to continuall heats by the exasperation of malignant humours through the obstructions of self-interest ignorance and the grosse matter of ambition but I shall endeavour to trie these lungs and let out the purulent matter which occasions the heat of disputes and cold fits of Charitie infallible Symptoms of a Consumptiâ—n in the body of Religion and though there may be Physitians more experienc'd yet the Domestick Doctor is alwaies call'd into Consultation as best acquainted with the Constitution there may be perfumes which may deceive those who converse with putrid lungs at usuall distances yet I who have been intimately Conversant with Priest and Parson and even protostickler of Schisms which have attriv'd florent an Age with Civil Warrs dissected men living as well as dead having read both men and books may prescribe opposite remedies having those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mollifying praeparations which Hippocrates requires his Phisitian to have upon all occasions And though I have arriv'd at Knowledge by prodigious curiosities yet if we believe Alchymists he who can fix quick-silver may make gold and I doubt not God of his mercy will fix me volatile as Mercury and produce that Elixir which by its fluxion may convert the most obdurate metall into Gold and having wandred long out of the Ark not knowing where ' to rest my foot for the deluge of errors I may from the tops of the Mountains the holy Fahers return with the Olive branch of peace to the Ark Gods holy Catholicke and Apostolick Church from which onely Ravens fly those birds of prey whose delight is in ruine and 〈◊〉 devour mankind which is far from him who is a friend to all and yours by an inviscerate dilection J. C. Medici Catholicon Sect. 1. MOst Polemick Divines Comet-like rise out of indigested matter from the vapour of History tenter'd Scripture and fragments of Fathers these exhalations blaze and become portentous to Common-wealths by their apparitions it is the art of Scripture which every one challenges to himself and the body of Religion which every Mountebank dares dissect and those nobler parts whose discovery should be to the melioration of mankind are slash'd and Cauteriz'd by cruell ignorance and similar parts which should exact a gentle and well experienc'd hand anatomiz'd by the hand of self-conceit and blinded passion are so mangled and disproportioned that there is nothing opened above their own follies who pretend to anatomize others An Anatomist must be able to discover the order situation substance temper relations and confederate entercourses of parts contained and continent the different Cells and different bowels how roof'd and how partitioned know all the wheels and Clockworks of the heart the mystique causes what pullies close and what dilate what secret engines tune the pulse when by a well order'd chiming it showes what time health keeps in the body Can demonstrate all the Maeanders and by-paths of sporting nature where obstructions have lodg'd where maladies bred and by such patterns instruct how to remove the accretion of malign humours by prescribing opposite remedies for prevention of such ensuing inconveniences and rectifying the present purging those impurer humors which convert the food of life into poyson restoring those windy constitutions which are inflated with their own emptinesse â—ccasion'd by weaknesse and the obstructions of ignorance vent nothing above noise and stench curing the Hydrophodia in those who fear to look in the waters of life by teaching to delight in the Scriptures and healing the sting of the old Serpent which Tarantula-like produces giddinesse onely curable by harmony of Fathers Councels Scriptures in the Church And not having glean'd up a few simples in the garden of times where weeds and flowers spring up together poyson as well as physick observing neither quantity nor quality suppose he is inrich'd with Panaces and Catholicons can cure the distemperatures of constitutions that he understands not having weigh'd his compositions in the deceitfull ballance of his own lighter phancy where there is no grain of wit though some unnecessary scruples may intermix with the composition of folly which may make it seemingly oreballance truth and passe currant with the multitude and weigh all by their owne lead and easily are induc'd to swallow the most bitter pill when gilded ore with profit and seeming complacencies The people like the Planet Mercury are good in conjunction with the good and bad with bad but to nothing resembling better then to wheels who by turning round continually are fit to carry on all designes if an Hâ—â—resiarch whose head hath some gingling phancies lead the way forehorse-like others as brainlesse as horses follow the wheels are drawn glibly on while they are well greas'd when they want the
theirs must have sworn vassalage to the Papacy Sect. 20. Or that communion of Saints was an article of levelling taken up pro necessitate temporum since Saint Cyprian takes no notice of it in his time and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praising God and having all things common was the Saints communion May we all be members of one body while we show a mutuall sympathy partake of the same head by obeying Christs directions cemented together with his blood and knit by the unity of his spirit though every part may conduce to the good of the other none can so supererogate as the other may be uselesse similar nor dissimilar breeds no contrarietie but all parts comply to the service of the whole no dissimilitude of site motion ceremony divide but the gangreen of sin only enforces an amputation ne pars sincera trahatur The eyes are not incensed against the feet for not seeeng nor doth the ear commence a quarrell with the hands for not hearing or the back parts about the faces uncovering since decency of one part is the indecency of another every part not made for it self but for others all to the captivity of the head in compliance of whose dictates we must expect an unity in the body But an uniformity would prove a monster above a sober expectation above the chymaera's or phantasms of Enthusiasts who damn all the world that weather-cock-like turns not round with their own vertiginous heads Scimus quosdam quod semelimbiberint nolle deponere nec proposituÌ„ suum facile mutare sed salvo inter collegas pacis concordiae vinculo quaedam propria apud se semel usurpata retinere nec nos vim cuique facimus nec legem damus was the opinion of Saint Cyprian I could wish those who pretend most to be of his opinion would challenge a little of his charity Sect 22. For forgivenesse of sins I as little believe a Solifidian as a Romish Priest that attrition by absolution becomes contrition the one while he deceives himselfe by a lie or the other while he imposeth upon others secure neither from being deceived they may send to the father of lies but lying will scarce bring to the God of truth since none can be implanted in the death of Christ who bring not forth the fruit of this tree of life nor partake of the resurrection to life everlasting He that will be saved must keep the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound in faith and free from reproach in conversation holy as well as whole and so his holinesse himselfe may be prov'd the most fallible and though they violate the sense of the word while they render it inviolate yet God grant that they may keep it inviolate no more writh and wrench it to rivet in their own ambitious designes and we may keep it so undefiled that Momus himselfe may not carp at our lives since Christs death is mention'd for our regeneration birth for mortification resurrection for our rising in newnesse of life that we may enjoy the communion of Saints remission of sinnes and resurrection of our bodies to eternall life Sect. 23. There are but a few credenda petenda and agenda where I cannot avoid an Anathema non credendo non opponendo I will seek security embrace verities all hold if I cannot those wherein they differ though sometimes enterlacing discords graces the best Musick yet a quiet error is rarely not to be preferred before an unruly truth and crochets and quavers prove unseasonable when they disturb the plain songs of peace and it is better a son of the Church should be unknown then what they report of the viper he should make his way through the bowells of his Mother or a Milstone hung about his neck and he buried in the depth of his imaginations rather then they soar in the narrow way and keep weak brethren from heaven It shall not trouble me with Delrio whether the old Serpent was a Viper with Bonaventure and Comestor a Dragon or with Eugubinus a Basilisk or with others a common Snake it shall trouble me rather to continue the delusion of the Serpent by endeavours of propagating error that Adam tasted forbidden fruit may trouble me what fruit shall not I shall number it among the foâ—bidden fruits of knowledge which so many wiser heads have made disquisitions after and would have truth satisfied by the relish of their palats Sect 25. Whether our Saviours Crown was made of Paliurus or a piece of it visited Glassenburie and the precursor of his death turns an Angel of his Nativity blooming every Christmas day is not worth a disquisition I could make a Rose by moistning dilate and by rendring again insucâ—ous close may I rather avoid those thorns the curse of my sins which may render me incapable of both Whether Durantes distick of the Crosse be true need be no part of my creed Pes Cedrus est truncus Cupressus oliva supremum Palmaque transversum Christi sunt in cruce signum May I partake of no corruption like the Cedar in mourning for sin resemble the Cypresse by fertility in goodnesse assimilate the Olive so shall I flourish like a Palm even in the storms and pressures of this world mount upward by taking up the Crosse and following be partaker of him who was crucified Prudent symbols and pious applications may have an influence upon ingenious conceivers which may elevate devotion but on the mad rabble melancholy Monks and ignorant Priests they have no other efficacy beside warping to Magicall applications and miraculous expectancies It shall not trouble me whether the soul of Christ in triduo mortis went into Hell really as Thomas Aquinas believes or virtually and by effects only as Durand or whether the soul of Christ did descend really and in essence into the lowest pit of hell and place of the damned or really only into the place or region of hell called limbum Patrum and then but vertually from thence into the lower hell The Father to him who ask'd what God did before he made the world answe'rd Provide hell for such curious scrutinists as you are Non per difficiles Deus ad be atam vitam quaestiones vocat c. in absoluto nobis facili est aeternitas Jesum suscitatum à mortuis credere ipsum esse Dominum confiteri I will not procure a certain purgatory to my selfe here to make stranger guesses of an incertain one hereafter or whether the inventor of it Origens purgatory which could even purifie Devills reform them to Angels of light or the differing purgatory of S. Gregory Nissen St. Cyprian or St. Austin carry a greater probability or the Roman purgatory which took a platform from neither I can believe I may find a way to heaven without taking purgatory in my way or else the Fathers before Gregory the great might mistake never any one was directed that way with above an ut
wouldst thou deny me that in my Empire thou admirest in a Garden am not I Emperor of them all Sect. 36. I can joyn prayers with a Papist if his be offensive to God mine may bee pleasing can hear a French Hugonot with his hat on uncover'd receive with a Dutchman kneeling while he uses the irreverence of his breech yet separated in my charity from neither nor would I be in my mode rather then scandalize any it is no lesse then phrensey for the misposition of a trencher to refuse a banquet or be ingrateful to an Host. Nay I could take an Host with a Romanist as well as a Wafer with a Calvinist If he believes a reall body I believe not lesse in energy a Communion of the body and blood of Christ a participation by every reception of his merits and passion and the virtues really communicated to a worthy receiver Sect. 2. It hath been ever thought convenient saith Saint Gregory that there should bee in unitate fideid versa Consuetudo that eating of meaâ—s offer'd to Idols totally restrained the Churches of Syria and Cilicia seem'd permitted to the Church of Corinth if no man challeng'd it and that which was urg'd upon the Corâ—nthians was not impos'd upon the Galatians to show every one is oblig'd to observe the rites of his own Church lest they come under the Anathema of contentious and turbulent yet this inhibited not that Saint Paul might become all to all that he might gain some and who will gain any to Christianity must not play at petty games in Religion adhere to Bonatus his humor confine truth to places as if she loved corners or as if the Church which resembles the Moon could like Mahomets Moon be brought down to show tricks in a sleeve the good Monica Saint Austines Mother who bath'd the Leprosie of her Son in a Jordan of tears ut non potuit perire tantarum lachrymarum filius was content to relinquish her African customes at Milan They who have gigg'd to Geneva for platforms and Rome for Trinchets have brought home matter to fewel-contention none to kindle zeal May none follow exotick forms here a Spanish garb is ridiculous with us and the English mode reputed an affront in Spain No wise man will be angry if in his travells he meets modes not corresponding with his humour and he is mad who returning will keep none company without they pluck down their house and rebuild them to the modell of his phancy who taylor-like travells to dresse Apes Sect 38. The Religion of our Souls must imitate the reason of our bodies which in the processe of years may evolve and explicate their numbers but the bodies are one and the same there is nothing produc'd in the maturity of age which did not latitate in the minority of children yet who would endeavour to fit the clothes and shooes of puerility to a gygantick foot or body The apparell of Christs Spouse is her rites time and place may produce as great a variety in her fashions as in the worlds garb of clothes and modes of the world though some may adorn more none alters the constitution of the body it would be a mad humour in the Spaniard to commence a quarrell because the shorter wiskers of another Nation upbraided his mustachio's Or the French with the Spanish 'cause the constancy of their habits might seem in derision of their levity or both with a Nation which was servile to the phancy of neither Those great Calciners of Religion and reducers to the Primitive patterns need nothing above their own examples to condemn them They must joyn with the Levellers in a Communion baptize in Rivers with the Anabaptist make life a pennilesse pererration with the Franciscan may spend both oyl and labour dawb but not cure bodies like the Apostles have regard to washing of feet yet continually be defiled in their waies Confine themselves to Sandals say who use shooes are shod with iniquity and walk in the footsteps of the ungodly since they recede from the primitive pattern and call this recession Apostacy or lean upon one the other at the Lords Supper and lie down at the Table and take it after Supper The same things are not decent at all times babes milk is unfit for ripeâ—age and the nurses Gibrish an undecent cialect for a Tutor the stones of the foundation unfit for roof or walls Our Master builder Christ employed tongues Prophets Prophetesses Evangelists his not still employing bids us acquiesce while his silence exacts ours which not assented to introduces nothing but a profitlesse clamour causelesse malice and endlesse contention The Apostles which were forbid to carry mony in their girdles had afterward a Judas with a bag and the prohibition of clubs and staves was not so strict a rule but that a Peter was found with a sword Howsoever the Novati an Bishops â—rr'd they could not erre in the Canon of indifferency for if Anselm is to be believ'd the multitude of ceremonies is so farre from infringing as they commend the unity of the Church while all believe in one Christ. In the Primitive Church somefasted one day some two some more other forty howers computing day and night In Italy some abstain'd forty daies others us'd abstinence twenty others seven daies in relation to the creation and some forty houres in relation to the forty daies our Saviour fasted And if Socrates is to be believed nor Gospels nor Apostles impos'd observation of daies but the liberty was referred to the Church The Church of Rome and the African distributed Sacramentall bread the Alexandrian Church permitted the people to take it Africk and Rome mixt wine with water and colder Regions drank it pure See the contentions about Easter till the Roman victor overcame all but never could subdue the opinion of a proud Prelate and a disturber of the Churches tranquillity Some lifted up their hands to heaven as if they intended a pious violence some their feet quast in coelum podibus ire others threw themselves prostrate as if they intended a rebound some cast their eyes up as if through those windowes they would let our their souls unto their Redeemer some fix'd their eyes upon the ground by contemplation of earth to have an introspection into their own unworthinesse some beat their breasts as if they would dislodge sin and open a dore to their hearts for the King of glory to enter Since the love of God is linked with our neighbour he who uncharitably condemns him may lose the link of his own salvation May none that pretend to the name of Christians through the faintnesse of the constitution of their Religion moulder into sects or through the brittlenesse of their phancies crumble into division and then like a heard of silly animals make a noise and please themselves with the noise they make yet know no reason why they make it But
defisting from fruitlesse and hellfuelling clamors may we all with the good Polycarpus day and night with a still voice like the breathing of Gods Spirit humbly invoke Gods mercy for the peace of all Churches spread over the face of the universe And in our sehismes neminem judicantes aut a jure communionis si diversum senser it amoventes entertaining the charity of holy S. Cyprian nor judging nor excommunicating our brethren because they will not permit their reason to be overweigh'd perhaps with some unnecessary scruples in the fallacious ballances of lighter imaginations calling our Brother Racha witlesse or vain for dissenting and thou fool belch'd out so often in virulency may endanger judgment and hell In vain we may repair to the Altar use outward forms and ceremonies and neglect love which is the perfection of the Law Sect. 39. Christs spouse is an Army with Banners as order to an Army so is discipline to a Church Though Troops do not move according to the discipline of Warre it is not lesse an Army Confusion may prejudice the successe it cannot the name Though discipline is as an hedge to a Vinyard or resembles the wall to a City or proportion to a body yet a Vinyard is not lesse a Vinyard for the defect of an hedge nor the wall makes a City or some misproportion or dislocation of parts bring the body under the notion of incorporeall I shall not cavill at what we want to the complement of my desires but praise God for what we have that may conduce to his glory Sect. 40 I love to see Lent the spring-time of sanctified resolutions and times houre-glasse fil'd with the dust of mortified concupiscence flow in lectures of mortality and repentance while every good Christian verifies what 's feigned of the Phoenix in a bed of spices in odours of devotion kindled by the declining beams of the true Sun of Righteousnesse can quicken out of ashes an acceptable sacrifice to the Father of all lights Yet if my absteining from flesh will raise an evill spirit in my brother I will abstain even from that abstinence may starve his soule and not neglect that devotion which may feed my own Sect. 41. Church musick would elevate my devotion and make my ravish'd soul in an extasie treat with the God of harmony and in my opinion Religion like a modest Matron may make use of those ornaments which vice misuses and their zeal is strangely out of tune this can distemper which if the stories of Hippocrates Terpander and Timotheus are to be credited in the extremities of phranticks could once do miracles but if that musick which can appease an evill spirit in a Saul can raise it in another we must be content without the Kingly Prophets Harp Lute and Organ relinquish that musick which can unâ—une a Brother and think no harmony good enterlac'd with such dilcords as the ill disposing of him for whom Christ dyed Sect. 42. I have no prejudice by Surplice Cope Hood all the Priests garment may be enterwoven with holinesse to the Lord putting on of these may consist with the putting on of the new man and the Breast-plate of righteousnesse externall glory with internall holinesse A Surplice to me can emblematize innocence and the keeping the supervesture of my flesh unspotted that cloathed with virgin purity here I may keep those virgins company which in long white robes of innocence follow the Lamb. Yet I think of these ceremonies as Augustus of the Roman Senator's Glasses who condemned a slave to his fish-ponds for breaking one of them whom Cesar rescued and broke the rest saying They are fine things yet not worth a man Yet I have observed none are so ready to take offence as they who are most proclive to give it imperious petulant and envious sciolists and to fear to offend them is not to have respect to the weak in faith but strong in passions Sect. 43. At the glories of the Church I am apt with Bonaventure astonish'd at the sight of the French Queen to cry out If an earthly Queen be so glorious how glorious is the Queen of heaven Or with the Father at Rome If an earthly Cities glories be such how great are the glories of the celestiall Jerusalem The splendor of these instructing my thoughts to think of him who is inter'd into the holy of holies and could not easily believe him to be of any Religion who could spoyl the glory of houses consecrated to Gods service to inrich his own and could wish they who seem so much to abhor Idols would not commit sacriledge and fear that Eagle-like snatching coales from the Altar they will fire their own nests Yet golden Priests with wooden Chalices are to be preferr'd before wooden Priests with golden All who cannot have the convenience of outward Ordinances may they have regard to inward holynesse adorn themselves with graces fitting the Temples of the Holy Ghost from the Altars of their hearts send up the Incense of their Prayers to him that dwells in a house not made with hands And we who agree not about a Terrestriall meeting may meet in a Celestiall while all worship him whose dwelling is in the heavens And yet where two or three meet together in his name he will not fail who cannot fail of his promise to be with them on earth Yet I could wish that those who even appear before men with fear and trembling would not appear before their Maker like mountains nor any would rush into Churches like to swine into a sty there gruntle and make a noise and run out again to wallow in a puddle of impurities nor any like idle boyes when they should be learning a lesson in Christs school get books they understand not and look on gayes make devotion by pictures The people on both sides may be bells of good mettall but are so miserably rung out of tune that they give notice of nothing but combustion some oreburden Gods service and others leave it naked as if because one man had swelter'd himselfe to death by too many cloths another was priviledged to starve himself to death with nakedness God of his mercy grant the rabble may no more ring changes but all chime in to his worship Sect. 44. I know Episcopacy the primitive pattern even the Antagonists by contradicting affirme it what by their own concessions dilated it selfe over the universall face of Religion envy not mussitating or calumny daring to detract in the beginning or about the middle of the second centurie must necessarily imply it then no innovation without we will imagine all the world sopite in error and those holyer flames of zeal which could transport the Martyrs with fervent desires of being carried in fiery chariots of persecuting adversaries to Heaven and administer no light to guide them upon Earth and truth had wanted Champions if some like the Fox who had lost his tail should not have perswaded beasts to a
Church within her head in Laud too crabbed a piece to be ever brought to square with the Romish building Sect. 46. Preaching brought Religion in and hath carried it out of the world some think all Religion in the ears and none in the hands to see Christ in the flesh Jerusalem in her glory and an Augustine in a Pulpet was esteem'd a wish of a pious transcâ—ndency may we feel Christ in the spirit see Jerusalem the holy City of his Church in her glory whose walls are of precious stones piety chastity meeknesse and temperancy c. adorn'd with all the glories of Celestiall virtues and I could be content without satisfying the itch of my ear though with a Saint Austine A Boniface could be a traytor to his Prince a coal of Hell an incendiary of mischief by blowing the flames of contention and raising a combustion in his Country yet neither the beams of light effluxions of piety streaming from this great luminary nor the living water issuing from this great Fountain in Gods Church could quench the flames of ambition or kindle zeal in his so passâ—onate an Auditor A master would think that servant distracted who would desire to hear his will often and alwaies do his own yet such is the madnesse of the world if they hear an Embassador from Heaven patiently though they list themselves to serve the world flesh and devill they oblige God and unserviceable to these Heaven must entertain them when perhaps instead of a Celestiall Embassador they have onely heard schisms trumpeter Sect. 47. Yet such an Orator as a Saint Austin or Saint Chrysostome migh represent vice so formidable that frighted at the horror of her own shape the Camelion vanity which changes into all shapes but white may renounce all for the Candor of innocene the lust-scorch'd Amorist may feel an Icy chilnesse steal through all the veins a Magdalens legion may depart with all Hell flames though shee keep her passion may change her object and Heaven have a Temple where Hell had a brothel the wind and Waves may still obey Christs voice while ebullitions of rage and storms of passions hearing Gods word in his Ministers are calm'd into obedience Avarice may scatter her Idol-Gold to entertain the Image of her Saviour Cast her bread upon the waters not that they may return but bring him who is the bread and water of life Good resolutions might be thus confirm'd vice eradicated devotion elevated and zeal infus'd by the ear may give it a durable consistence in the Soul make it so enamor'd with the Manna of Gods word that it might not languish after the flesh-pots of Aegypt and carnall concupiscences This was the custome of the Jewish Church in the Christian intimated by a word of exhortation in the Acts to meeknesse continence and all the virtues which bracelet-like must adorn Christianity which the defects of the Auditory the times or propriety of Text suggested and not to raise doctrinall points according to the whimzies of every Cockbrain Sciolist who 's seven year at an Academy hath like Pharoahs dream produc'd nothing but seven years famine or having sented Doway St. Thomas or some Romish fair where having purchas'd a few trinkets and a little gibrish may by order tuâ—â— Hocus Pocus juggle or make a Puppit-show in Religion introducing superfluous definitions which fewell contention excite rebellions hatred animosities calumnies contempt of superiors disseminating error and infusing prejudice tantum religio potuit suadereâ— Preachers like winds have influence on the people compar'd to waters May none think salviâ—icall preaching consists in state-invectives but in teaching their auditors decline the Islands of sin and thrust into the fair havens of grace and glory Sect. 49. Prayer is that sacred negotiation man hath with God the art of imparadising our souls the Iacobs Ladder by which we may bring down Angells and wrestle till they blesse us We may hear God speak in a Preacher we speak to him in our Prayers It cannot be obedience to hear our Masters command but do his will Thus with Enoch we may walk in Paradise and if we cast aside the mantle of mundan employments with Elias mount up in a fiery chariot to heaven Gods house should be called a house of prayer but most make it a den of theeves Not taking heaven by violence in prayer but offer violence on earth Gods word is rob'd of its efficacy and the Priests by that advantage turn'd mony-changers and expose Doves to sale Gods innocent children in the Temple as if these Doves could not mount up towards heaven unlesse they were sealed they are blinded in an unknown tongue or intitle Gods spirit to blasphemy or battologie or ready to offer the sacrifice of fooles or make fooles a sacrifice Sect. 50. I have no prejudice to publick Liturgy because the name may import sacrifice and Nature have some affinities with the Letanies in Masse I could wish they might not challenge a greater affinity by an ite missa est a period and the Roman by an ite missá est ignorantiae pars might challenge a greater affinity to what was ours while Physicians have their Catholicons Panchymagogy and Panaces Souldiers their Magazines and Panoplies that spirituall Physicians should be unprovided and Christs souldiers unarmed to resist the wounds of sin or wounded want balm in Gilead Could it be inconsistent with faith it could not with reason this might cement the body of the Church preserve the communion of Saints obstruct vanity by sealing up the fountains of impurities taking away the leisure which may administer occasions to sin But if we cannot all agree in uniformity in Gods service yet God grant we may introduce no deformity into his worship but agree all with one minde to serve him none make long prayers to devour Widdowes houses or Gods house a Widow while with zeal unlike Davids the zeal of Gods houses â—ats them not up but their zeal eats up Gods houses Sect. 51. I shall not deny a confession may be sometimes necessary to man as well as God If some sores have fester'd by rash exposures others have wrankled by unhappy concealments There may be good Samaritans who when we fall among theeves sins which rob us of Gods mercies may comfort us with the wine of Gods Word and powre the oyle of his Holy Spirit into our wounds which they cannot if they be not opened But these traders in indulgencies and picklocks of state instead of curing us of our wounds have rob'd us of our clothes the garment of Christs righteousnesse by teaching us relinquish our own and then have expos'd our nakednesse to the cold air of an uncharitable world Though we have Priests that passe by carelesly Levites which only shake their heads may we rely on that good Samaritan who when we had fallen among theeves powred the oyle of his precious blood into our wounds and left us two pence his two Testaments for our security in the Inne of this
perfidia cannot have successe which scarce will imply error in faith or misbeliefe but malitious falsitie in matter of trust and action such as Faelicissimus and his complices hasted to Rome with against Saint Cyprian Saint Hieroms orbis Major urbe may dismisse him and his zeal to Presbyterie confirm no friend to Papal glory For Saint Austin he is quoted to call himselfe rash detestable and strangely imprudent in a Councell to resist them with whom Christ could only be to the consummation of the age Saint Cyprian in a schism is pack'd to hell se judice macula istanec sanguine abluitur nec pasâ—ione purgatur inexpâ—abilis culpa non erit fidei corona sed perfidiae poena He oppos'd Pope Stephen and Saint Austin and he being both of the African Church dyed excommunicate from the Roman and if a Saint Greoories prayers brought them not from hell with Trajan to bear him company we may misdoubt a bene esse to those Romanists invoke as Grandees in the Court of heaven if extra Ecclesia parietes Romanae non sit salus But God be praised a Saint Hierom comes to their rescue with a non altera Romanae urbâ—s Ecclesia alteratotius orbis aestimanda est Gallia Bithynia c. unum Christum adorant unam observant regulam veritatis si authoritas quaeritur orbis major est urbe ubicunque fuerit Episcopus sive Regio ejusdem meriti est ejusdem sacerdotii potentiae divitiarum potestatis gradus paupertatis humâ—litas sublimiorem vel inferiorem Episcopum non faciunt omnes Apostolorum successores sunt Sect. 69. If the Roman Church be a branch she cannot be the Root though an elder sister she can be but a co-heir we need not cry out with Esau Hast thou but one blesâ—â—ng O my father Nor is it the essence of the Church nor the representative part in a synod but the vertuall power in the Pope and his Cardinalls which are the Elixir by whose vertue the name of Catholick is derivative To be blanch'd with Innocence or gul'd with Martyrdome to carry the Enfigns of the Lamb are nothing worth without the crosse keyes of Saint Peter the Purple of Christ invaluable should we deny the Cardinals scarlet Robe Who mock'd Christ more then the Jewes who cloth'd him in it with a hail King while the exorbitancy of their power takes away his plants Thorns in Christianity and buffets him in his members who by uncharitable censures have not only separated Protestants from their communion but Russian African Asiatick Graecian Churches where some praise God in the flames while these lasciviating in the sunshine of Gods mercies have kick'd against Divinity and retiring into the shade bellowing like mad beasts have preferred forms and shadowes before the light and glory of Religion yet if we will believe what their Bulls roar ten times their number is damned for not being Catholicks for sooth since every Christian under pain of damnation must be subject to the Roman Bishop Who taught us Our Father which art in heaven forbids us an inclosure and he who intends a Monopoly will leave out Christ with his brother The name of Catholick in the Creed plac'd in opposition to the Jewish inclosure of mercy it will be strange if universall should now turn particular and by not retaining the phancy of a particular Church a man could not be of the universall and yet every Church hath a particular phancy and it is probable all generally phancy by an audi Ecclesiam and in the Commission dic Ecclesiae what Christ never intended If thy brother trespasse against thee tell the Church viz. a company of Christians and if he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as an heathen or a publican cite him before the Gentiles tribunall as thou wouldst an heathen or a publican It is true there is but one true Faith one true Church but both Faith and Church is the Catholâ—ck Christian not the particular Roman and this Catholick Christian Church he who will not both hear and obey the particular Church where he lives so far as it dissents not with the universall in my opinion is worse then pagan or publican Sect. 70. The Catholick Church is Gods house all Nationall Churches are in this universall house as so many daughters to whom as Christs Vicegerents the care of the houshold is commited by God the Father and the Catholick Church the mother of all Christians If sisters disagree in a family will the Father and the Mother God and the Church eject one child because that an other is petulant waspish or hath Christ given power to Rome because she is an elder sister that she or her steward the Bishop should cast out of the family which she pleaseth of the children of the family for telling stories of an elder sisters or stewards enormities Romana Ecclesia particularis according to Bellarmine and without there be two Roman Churches there cannot be both a particular Roman Church and a Catholick No sense will admit the Roman Catholick she is not universall so not Catholick in extent not entire in Doctrine in things belonging to the foundation so not Catholick in beliefe nor the prime Mother Church Jerusalem was that so not Catholick as fountain head or root of the Catholick Sect. 71. Catholica autem quae diffusaper universum orbem That Catholick Church which all Nations shall flow unto Kings and Queens shall be nursing Fathers and Mothers shall suck the milk of Gentiles this is the way which the fool cannot erre when the wisest may mistake there 's universality antiquity succession and unity here are unquestionable while all agree if not in manner yet matter of beliefe have the same limbs of Christian warfare that Constantines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Arke of the Covenant holy City fructiferous Vine direct way sole Dove excelse mountain celestiall Kingdome spouse and body of Chirst the house of God gate of Heaven a pillar and firmament of verity a light in a Candlestick a Tabernacle in the Sun a ship secure in storms a rock which though the winds of schism arise and waves of heresy beat cannot be moved here the sayings of Fathers writhed by Papists to rivet Saint Peters tattering chair are all verified that which was the Church of all ages is apostated perish'd this they say who are not in her see lest thou may not be she will be though thou art not in vain he sayes he hath God for his Father who will not acknowledge the holy Catholick Church for his Mother since in the expans'd arms of her charity she entertains the whole body of Christiâ—nity Be wise my soul lay thee a foundation here so though storms arise and waves beat thou shalt not be moved the quicksandâ— of heresie shall no more swallow thee up the waves of schism warp â—hee to irreâ—lâ—gion or byasse thee toward Atheisme Sect. 72.
shadows forms of Religion while we lose the essence of it which is Charity May every one abound in his own sense and God of his mercy give every one sense to abound to his glory May blindnesse bee the mother of devotion in the Papists and though pious frauds are us'd to induce zeal may they be zealous without fraud May light occasion no darknesse in the Reformists and peeping into the Ark not strike them with the Leprosie of evill works May the Motto of both be non loquimur sed vivimus contend in nothing but who shall most glorifie God and our light may so shine before men that they who are without may be brought to glorifie our Father in Heaven by being brought into his Church the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth May all hunger and thâ—â—st after righteousnesse and even Enemies by administring thy blessings one to the other heap coals on each others head till they melt into mutuall affection and obsequiousnesse to thy Law May none without think worse of Christ because his Coat is divided embrace those truths all hold and all hold nothing to differ one from another may all within seek rather grounds of aquiescence then excuses of dissatisfaction truth in differences like Gold in oar wheat with chaffe none may neglect Gold because ther 's drosse or grain for the intermixture of offâ—ll but all united into the same body may become one with thee who art the bread of life and refin'd from the drosse of mundan corruption by the fire of this holy spirit bear the Image of our King May he who boasts of the Church remember no unclean thâ—ng can enter into the Kâ—ngdom of Heaven and he that bâ—eaketh the least of the Commandements shal be the least in the Kâ—ngdom of Heaven of little repute in his Church May they who cry who shall lay any thing to the chaâ—ge of Gods Elect live so that no body may have any thing to lay to their charge and while they boast they are above all law by sin come not under the premunâ—re of any while they are Kings as they preteÌ„d whose hearts are in Gods hands may they not be slaves to their own lusts the Devils servants may the CoÌ„monalty be no more an Oglio of knaves and fools and tools to the Polititian nor he the Devils quilted Anvile on which he frames all sin but both may be instruments of Gods glory finally may the Gentry have an use for estates above gilding their imperfections and Papists abov an annuall Composition for their folliesâ— and not love to their purses make their Antagonists irreconcilable with their persons and may I have no emnity with any thing but my self who though I have not found what I may define friend I know not what I may truely cal Enemy beside my self by the rules of Christian warfare I am oblig'd to fight agaâ—nst the World the flesh and the Devill I find a world in my self and a Devill in my flesh which if I could but conquer I could look down on those petty acquisitions of the nicknam'd worthies which were kneaded up with dirt and blood as something below my self Legion is not onely renew'd in me but Legions of Devils as if they had not a lesser world to conquer and colonize are entred into me I find a Lapland Finland Gothland and the storms they raise there in my passions the various shapes in which they familiarise with their votaries do but resemble the disguises of my curiosities vy'd with which the Mythologies of Paganism in an Achelous Proteus Polypus Cameleon may seem sober verities Nor could I bee lesse then a world in whom all the Monsters of Africa have conven'd and all the African tincture in my blacker impieties I have had the blindnesse of America to sacrifice to the Devill ne noceat by complying with aberrances having with Asia lost a reall Paradise by Euthymy could challenge affinity with Mahometism and dream of a Paradise in carnall concupiscencies Nor hath any part of Europe been defective to the complement of this Microcosm Papist Reformist Subreformist Familist Atomist all the phancies which crumble into factions and mince into divisions while old time is forc'd to chew the cud and raise up the stubble and chaffe of whimzies swallowed fourteen ages past have concentred in me and met in this Masse of antipathies I carry about me Lord teach me to know my self so I shall not dâ—sire to exchange wisdom with a Solomon lend me the auxiliaries of thy holy spirit to subdue my self and I shall be more a Conqueror then Alexander by hating my self instruct me how I shall love thee and by loving thee I shall be sure not to hate my brother FINIS S. Hieâ— in Psal. 133. S. Hier. ad Lucif post med tom 2. Thâ—od l. 2. Hist. Eccl. dialog inter Constant Imper Lib. pap 16. Vinâ— Lir. Cont. Haer. c. 23. 24. S. Beâ— Ser. de resurr Euseb. l. 5. Hist. Eccl. c. 26. Socrat. l. 5. Hist. c. 22. S. Aug. Cont. Bon. de Bapt. e. 4. Contr. Fund c. 4. Ibid. c. 4. Papal infallibility sifted Alphonsus contra hae lib. 1. c. 4. A Martin in Chron. cen 17. H. Blond dec 1. lib. 9 Bergomensis Martin in Chron. Sabel Naucl. Marian Scot. stella Palmerio Platina Blondus Vincentius Henricus de Erfordia impurities Blondus lib. 3. dec 2. Antoâ—ius 1. 16. c. 1. ex Iohanne de Colâ—a mina Sabellicus Naâ—clerus Platina Ranulphus l. 5. c. 3â— Baleus Cent. 2. c. 30. c. 3. 10. Volateranus Martinus in Chronico Marianus Scotus Sigeb Platina Bergomensis c. Martinus Polorues in Chronico Platina Petrus Demiâ—nus Benedict 9. Silvesteâ— 3. Gregorius 6. Cent. 11. Spelman Conc. an 705. Malin lib. 1. de gest Paul Aâ—glor Math. Paris An. 1246. B. Bilson In Apol. 2. Cont. Triphon Eâ—seb lib. 5. c 26. Euseb. lib. 4. c. 23. lib. 5. c. 16. Lib. 5. c. 3. Lib. 5. c. 23. S. Greg. lib. 4. Ep. 76. 83. Ep. 78. L. Her Hist. H. 8. Ter. de praej vincen Lir. de Haer. Eiph l. 1. adv Carpar l. 4. c. 6. pros de prom produe impren c. 5. Sab. Ennead lib. 72. Euseb. in Chr. pr. 10. Nicronis 14. Ignat. epist. ad Tract Gaffarâ— mon. curiosâ— 152. Euseb. l. 2. cap. 12. Arnob. adver Gent. lib. 2. Iust. mart Ap. 1. Irenaeus Philaster Epiphanius Theodoret Thes. 1. 5. 2. Euseb. lib. 3. c. 18. * Seleucus Nicanor Antiochus Soter Anto. Theos Seleucus Callinicus Ptolomaeus Evergetes Seleucus Ceraunus Antiochus Magnus Ptolomaeus Philopator Antiochus Eâ—piphanes Whit. in thesi pro posit defens in Cant. die Comitiorum D. in vit Pontif. 33. Stella Platina Test. Blonâ— dec 1. lib. 9 Martinus in Chronicâ— Platina Liber pontificalis Cent. 78. 480. Sigebert Marianus Scotus Guliel Nubrigensis l. 2. c. 6. Cent. xij Cambdens remains Vid. Iohn Stella Diaconus Plat. Onuphrius Platina dec Platina Câ—nt Ma. Cent. xi p. 5. 20. Of the Creed Mat. 12. v.