be an Inconsiderable Member soe my undertaking Cannot be blamed In the handling it I have avoyded as much as possible all personall Reflections which are not forced on me by the booke I answer Some are unavoydable for it is impossible to confute a sophisme without discovering a fault ether naturall or which is worse voluntary in the Authour nor answer a calumny with out calling it so If I find the Church wrongfully accused prove it call a boate a boate a spade a spade he must be very partiall who blames me What end may be expected of these Disputes I know not seing Passion and Interest fyghts against Truth whilest we cannot without renouncing our Faith recived from Christ his Apostles our Adversaryes will not alter their sentiments It is our duty to pray that Truth may prevayle the God of Truth be glorifyed Let us give eare to Mr. Burnet's Deposition against Papists which he begins with a reall or affected lamentation If reall it will be an an act of Charity to comfort him which is the thing I aime at in this Tract CHAPTER I. G. B. his designe disposition when he writ this Booke of the wickednesse of the world MR. G.B. page 1. He that increaseth knowledge incraseth sorrow is an observation which holdeth true of no part of knowledge so much as of the knowledge of mankind it is some relief to him who knows nothing of foreigne wickednesse to hope there are other nations where in vertu is honoured Religion is in esteeme which allays his regrates when he sees Vice Impiety abound in his country but if by travelling or reading he enlarge his Horizon know mankind better his regrates will grow when he finds the whole world lyes in wickednesse ANSWER We neede not travell or read much to know that the whole world lyes in wickednesse Seing those are the words of the beloyed disciple 1. Jo. 5.19 This is indeed an occasion of sorrow But in the same place the B. Apostle comforts us by saying we know that we are of God Soe that the world there is understood of unbeleivers who are in wickednesse by originall actuall sin for which they haue no lawfull efficacious expiation no Sacrament instituted by Almyghty God lawfully administred But we who are in the tru Church are of God unto whome we are regenerated by Baptisme if by humane frailly we dye to God falling into any greivous sin we have the Holy Sacrament of Pennance to rayse us againe to the life of Grace Yet it is not the Apostles meaning that in the tru members of the Catholick Church there is nothing reprehensible or that in those who are not in it there is nothing Good In Heaven there is nothing but Vertu those Blessed souls having their will soe united to that of God that they cannot offend him In Hell there is nothing but sin the wills of those wretched Spirits being soe obstinate in the love of themselves that they cannot doe any thing which should please God This present life is a meane betwixt those extremes in it there is a mixture of Perfections imperfections of vice vertu Those who are most wicked have something good in those who are most vertuous there are some remainders of Humane frailty for their Humiliation which we ought nether to esteeme nor imitate (a) 1. Kings 21.25 There was none like unto Achab which did sell him self to work wickednesse in the syght of the Lord. Yet he humbled himselfe put on sackcloth fasted S. Paul (b) Act. 9.15 The chosen vessell unto God to beare his name before the Gentils Kings the children of Israel yet (c) 2. Cor. 12.7 there was given to him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him And who can without compassion reade his seventh chapter to the Romans in which he describes the conflict he felt interiourly betwixt the Spirit the flesh Which he concludes with these pathetick words O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death which renew the memory of that torment to which Mezentius the tyrant (d) Virgilius Aeneid 8. condemned his innocent subjects the Hetruscans (e) Aug. l. 4. contra Iul. c. ult exercised uppon their captives binding living bodyes to rotten putrifyed carkasses leaving them soe But the Apostle who describes his paine relates his ease having explicated his sicknesse acquaints us with its Remedy the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. So that if the combat affryghts us by this assistance we may be encouraged comforted Yet though I grant that there is occasion enough to lament on what side soever we cast our eyes on mankind in this state of corrupt nature if we consider how little men use the meanes designed for their improvement in vertu resisting their bad inclinations Yet there is little appearance of greife in your booke which hath more of a Satyre them of a Lamentation your stile being rather bitingly invective then mourningly compassionate you discover more of Diogenes or of Democritus then of Heraclitus Were there no objects of regrate neerer home Doth your owne Church afford you no occasion to shew your Zeale in blaming the faults of her children in order to get them corrected Sure it doth or the world is very much misinformed How comes it then that you neglect her cure of whome your character oblidges you to have a care Search the sores of the Roman Church with which you have nothing to doe Doe you not see that you give us reason to say your Charity is disorderly not beginning at home that (a) Luke 6.42 as the Hypocrit you labour to shew in or take out of anothers eye a mote while you neglect a beame in your owne G. B. pag. 1. It argues a cruell inhumane temper to delyght in beholding Scenes of Horrour misery ANSWER What temper then doth it argue to delyght in representing them that in the most horrible tragicall dismall colours which art and study can invent for what can even the most inventive Imagination fancy more dismall then what you write pag. 2. Indignityes done to God his Son Christ the enemy of mankind triumphing over the world with absolute authority enraged cruelty Satan have a seate when Christs throne should be Christendome fallen from its first love the greatest part of it made shipwrack of its Faith that Church whose Faith was once spoken of throughout the world become Mother of the Fornications of the Earth In fine Falling away mystery of iniquity AntiChrist Babilonish Rome Bewitchings sorceryes what not Adde but obstinacy in these horrid crimes which is a circumstance aggravating them without altring their species the Paynes due to sin which are not horrible if compared with sin we here have a picture of Hell Your temper is very mercifull humane which
Mankind 〈◊〉 the closest bonds of Peace freindship charity which it doth tempering our Passions forgiving injuries loving our enemyes teaching obediencâ— to those in authority over us by associating 〈◊〉 into one body called the Church ANSWER This is in deed a designe worthy of Christian Religion but imperfectly explicated by you seing you omite the love of God the God (a) â— Cor. 13.11 of Peace who alone can give us perfect Peace Humane wills are naturally oppoâ—â— to one another they cannot meete but iâ—â— their naturall center God And the love 〈◊〉 our neyghbour is never sincere lasting buâ— when it is grounded on the love of God Thâ— first effect of selfe love is to seperate us from God The second to divide us amongst oâ—â— selves Both are the effects of sin nothing can prevent them linck us together in the bonds of charity but he who can remit sins That Peace then which Christian Religion teaches which the Church recomend to her children which in her Prayers shee demands of God is not an effect of human industry but of Grace It proceedes from the mercy of God it is a sequel of Purity of conscience the Crowne of reall tru Iustice In fine it is the work of the unspotted Lambe (a) 1. Petr. 1.19 at whose birth Peace (b) Luk. 2.14 was announced in his name to the world by the Angells who left Peace (c) 10.14.27 as a legacy to his disciples before his Death who was sacrificed on the Altar of the Crosse to reconcile us to his Heavenly father restore Peace betwixt Heaven Earth which the sin Rebellion of Men had banisht You see sir how insufficient your explication of Peace is for the ends you propose You leave out the Cheife most necessary ingredient for purging our dissensions to use a Prophets comparison (d) Ezeh c. 13.10 you build with untempered Mortar You (e) Ierem. 6.14 heale the hurt of the people slyghtly saying Peace Peace when there is no Peace You hint indeed at a good humane meanes to Peace Obedience to those in Authority It was to prevent schisme (f) Inter Apostolos unus eligitur ut capite consâ—ituto schismatis toll retur occasio Hieron l. 1. adversus Vigilantium c. 54. that God establisht one Apostle over the rest But your endlesse Divisions subdivisions amongst your selves Shew how inefficacious this meanes is in your Reformation And how can it be otherwise when all your People have before their eyes the example of your first Patriarkes who began your Reformation by rejecting all Authority over them breaking the rules of divine worship setled al over the world till that time acknowledged by themselves Cur non licebit Valentiniano quod licuit Valentino de arbitrio suo fidem innovare Tert. l. de praescript Why may not a Lutheran doe what was lawfull to Luther your first Reformers rejected some articles of Faith then universally beleived because they seemed not to be contained in Scripture why may not the same motive authorize their followers to reject some others which you would retaine althô they are as little to be found in Scriptures Why may not a moderne Protestant retrench some unnecessary ceremony used by you at present seing you have cut off soe many others Let others live by that law which you publish think not soe hyghly of your onne authority as to make your dictamens not only the Rule of Actions but of the laws themselves It shall be lawfull to dissent from this article of Faith but not from that other to quit this ceremony not that when the same rule is applicable to both Is not this properly (a) 2. Cor. 1.24 to Lord it over the Faith of the People What wonder you find your layty refractory to your ordinances they are in this directed by your rule encouraged by your example Wherefore Looke no where abroade for the roote of these tares your Reformers planted them they layd the Egge out of which this cockatrice is hatched They eate the sower grapes which set all your Teeth an Edge Nether appeares there any possibility of a remedy while your reformation subsists this principle of Discorde Schisme being sayd in its very foundation consequently it cannot be removed with out the ruin of the whole structure nor retained without perpetuall danger of renting it in Pieces I wish these troublesome schismes endlesse discordes amongst your selves may make you seeke a proper Remedy by a Reunion to the center of union God his Church CHAPTER V. Of the Characters of Christian Doctrine G.B. p. 8. I shall add to this the main distinguishing Characters of our Religion which are four Pag. 8. First its verity Pag. 10. The second its genuine simplicity perspicuity The third its Reasonablenesse the fourth its easinesse Thus you ANSWER Are these the only or even the Cheife Characters of Divine Truths whither you take them as they are delivered in holy writ or as taught in the Church Can you find no other quality peculiar to them not common to others Then humane learning may equall if not surpasse Divine Take for example some principles naturally knowne as Two two make four or The whole body is greater then any part of it These are Tru it is impossible they should be false They are Perspicuous Easy no man can doubt of them who understands the termes They are Reasonable for what more reasonable then to assent to Evident Truth Nay of we compare then with supernaturall Truths as to their Perspicuity Verity in order to us the advantage seemes greater on the side of naturall Truths 1. o For no man ever doubted of the Truth of these having once understood their termes many have doe doubt of faith althô sufficiently proposed And 2. o no man ever dissented from those Principles when he had once admitted them many have Apostatized from their Faith Soe that all the Prayses you give to Faith belong more to naturall Sciences then to it Such a stranger are you to its tru Prerogatives The reason of this stupendious blindnesse in searching the scriptures is that you reade them as a master not as a disciple you intend not to learne from them what to beleive but to shape them to what you think you have the word but reject the sense which is to the word what the soul is to the body it gives it life motion The (a) 1. Cor. 2.14 naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him nether can be know them because they are spiritually discerned You see fir that some may reade or have the word of God yet not comprehend its meaning nay that it may seeme folly unto them The words may be words of (b) Iohn 6.61 lise everlasting yet they cry Durus est hic sermo this word is hard who
sir to shew out of Plato or Apuleius or any of those writers these words or any others equivalent Hercules pray to thy father Iupiter for me or us Romulus intercede for us So that the greatest part of the Heathens did not dreame of this Mediation those who did assert it treated neverthelesse with those Mediators as with tru Gods Wherefore should I grant that all Pagans held the souls of men to mediate yet there would be a vast difference betwixt their sentiments those of the Roman Catholick Church concerning our saints More errors will appeare out of the following discourse I think it impossible to give one Idea of what the Pagans taught of spirits or incorporeall substances as this name doth comprehend the supreame of all the subordinate or coordinate immateriall Beings souls separated from their Bodys Thales (a) In Athenogor leg pro Christ p. 25. sayd there were of three sortes Gods Demons Heròes that God was the soul of the world Demons spirituall Beings Heroes the souls of men who were good or bad according to the life they ledde in this word Hesiodus (b) In Theodoret l. 8. de Cur. Graec. Affect p. 602. thought that the souls of golden men who lived well were turned into Demons after his life received a charge of humane affaires Iulian the Apostata (c) In S. Cyril Alex. l. 4. p. 115. taught that they were tru Gods to whome the Supreame God committed the care of the severall parts of this World that the God (d) Ibidem p. 141. of the Iews Christians whome Moyses preached was one of the inferiour gods Nay he says (e) Ibidem l. 5. p. 155. that Moyses his God was the worst of all the rest as being Jealous Envious Vindicative c. For which Blasphemy alone he myght have deserved his reprochfull surname Plato (f) in S. Austin l. 8. de Civit. Dei c. 14. seemes to agree in substance with Thales for he distinguishes three sortes of spirituall substances Gods Men Demons The Gods he places in the Heavens Daemons in the Ayre Men on Earth Apuleius (g) S. Austin l. 9. cap. 11. holds all souls of men to be Daemons but assignes three sortes of them Lares are those which are certainly good Lemures or Larvae which are certainly knowne to be bad when 't is doubted whither they begood of bad they are called Dii Manes When you have considered these things you will see 1. how imperfectly nay how falsly you have represented the sentiments of the Pagans 2. How hard a thing you undertake when you designe a Parallel betwixt Pagan Idolatry our Worshipping of Saints for seing all depends on their holding men's souls to be mediating spirits which can never be proved or that those who were good were used only to present men's requests to the Supreame God which is the Tenet of the Catholick Church concerning Saints which is also evidently untru we may ranke this Parallel with Squaring Circles the Philosophers stone expect to see the World made happy with these three rarityes together As to the mediation of Angels Athenagoras (a) Legat. pro Christ pag. 11. says indeed that the Christian opinion was that God created severall orders of Angels had committed to their care the government of the Elements Heavens the whole world not that any one Angel is Governour of the world which the scripture seemes to deny Job 34 14. Heb. 1.14 but that severall Angels have the administration of the severall parts of it I know no Decree of the Catholick Church oblidging us to beleive this therefore I should not dare to censure any man who should say the contrary Yet that opinion hath so much ground in Scripture that I do not apprehend all Mr. G. B. can say to disprove it Josue 5.15 an Angel is sayd to be the Captaine of the Lord's host He seemes the same who Dan. 12.1 is called Michael And Dan. 10.20 there are others mentioned viz the Princes of Persia Greece And why may not these be the Angels who presided over those Countryes we are sure that all Angels are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be beyres of salvation Heb. 1.14 The little ones have Angels who in Heaven always see the face of God Mat. 18.10 And that severall Angels ascended descended on Iacobs Ladder Gen. 28.12 was to shew they mediated betwixt God who was at the top man who lay at the botton of the Ladder Now if particular Angels have a care or charge of particular persons why may not some others have a larger district a more extended charge This you will say is taken from Paganisme And I will answer the Pagans tooke it from the Israelits not these from them And it seemes very probable that when the Arch-Devil who tooke the name of Iupiter had so far prevayled with men as to be by them advanced to the throne of God his next attempt was to get his wicked spirits acknowlged for Gouvernours of the World under him inlieu of those Blessed spirits who were the lawfull Gouvernours appointed by God himself That order of God was not to be abrogated with the old law of which it was no part it being an establishment for the more connaturall Government of the world from the beginning to the end of it I know God can governe all things by himselfe immediately without the assistance of men or Angels that nether the Greatenesse of Businesse can mate him not its number confound him nor its variety distract him nor its intricacy deceive him nor its obscurity hide it from his all seing Eye That having Created the whole World with a word he can governe it so too yet he uses Men (a) Rom. 13.1 he can call all to belevie in him as he did Saul (b) Act. 9. yet he employed an Angel to convert the Centurion (c) Act. 10. vouchsafes to be Fellow-Labourer (d) Mat. 16.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Men whome he honours with that employment he can justify those whome he calls with out the concourse of any creature yet he will have us use water and as to the worke of the first day the creation of all things visible invisible God required the assistance of no creature soe the whole work of the last day myght be performed by him alone yet he will use the voice of an Archangel to proclaime it (e) 1. Thessal 4.16 the Angels shall gather together those who are raysed againe to life (f) Mat. 24.31 they shall sever the wicked from the just cast them in to the furnac eof fire (a) Mat. 13.49.50 Thus the Law Prophets Christ his Apostles the old new Testament attest this Truth that Angels concurre to carrying on the worke of our salvation have a commission from God to direct us Now for beleiving
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
lent with breade water before that time falls sicke continues soe why may not the Church declare his vow not to oblidge or change it into something else Item he vows a Pilgrimage his wife family affayres require his presence at home If this doth not satisfy you call to mind the procedings of your first Reformers who opened all Cloisters dispensed with soe many vows at one time Is it not strange that you should charge us with dispensing with some vows when you annull all Secondly disolving wedlock bond I know none who practice dissolving consummated marriages If you doe accuse them if you doe not aske pardon for this false accusation Thirdly allowing marriages in for fidden degrees The degrees hindring marriage were contained in the ceremoniall law which expired with Christ the end of that law Those which now bind are establisht by canon law which was made doth depend on the Church Fourthly the communion under one kind or the Chalice taken from the people contrary to the command of Christ You can never prove that command to all to drink of the Cup. G. B. pag. 71. Another invasion of the Regall Power is the Popes pretence to be universall Bishop which is termed by S. Gregory the greate to be Antichristian ANS I know no Pope who pretends to it I know none who give it them If there be any such let them answer for themselves Now I desire you to make good sense of something you say first p. 67. Christ hath delivered us from the bondage of corruption How is this done already when the Apostle whose words those are Rom. 8.21 promises it only after the Resurrection Secondly pag. 68. Anathema is the mildest of the spirituall censures we thunder against such as comply not with our tyranny What spirituall censure Is more severe I think that the severest of all as we beleive after Tertul. Apolog. cap. 39. p. 68. Thirdly pag. 69. No authority besides Christ can reach the conscience S. Paul was of a different opinion when he enjoines obedience to the commands of Princes not only for wrath but for Conscience CHAPTER XXI Of love its two species Repentance mortall veniall sins Attrition Contrition G. B. p. 75. I proceede to the third part of my Inquiry which is the opposition made to the greate designe of Christian Religion for elevating souls of men into a participation of the Divine nature ANSWER I never knew a man promise more performe lesse then you Your words phrases are greate hygh your Reason sense low little yet that delivered with soe much considence as may perswade your Ignorant Credulous Reader you have reason on your side when you are to seeke in the first principles of the matter you discourse on You may with a homely yet a very proper metaphore be compared to a flying Oxe whose wings stretcht out promise a flyght but his heavy body keepes him on the ground his dull spirits serve only for a slow motion there For let a man reade your booke observe your disesteeme of others your insulting over them he shall think you Eagle like to be to wring above the clouds whence you with disdaine looke downe on us poore Ignoramuses Yet your heygth is discernable without the helpe of a Telescope for after all your striving straining endeavours we still find you on the ground equall nay inferiour to many whome you insult over without any thing extraordinary but your boldnesse to print in soe learned an Age as this is of things you understand not If what I have written already what I shall write doth not make this cleere I will give you leave to apply that comarison to me I have already spoken Chap. 3. 4. of the designes of God in delivering Christian Religion that it was to teach men to serve God in this life enjoy him in the next That this service consisted cheifely in Faith Hope Charity yet soe as Charity gives a value to the other In sine that the end of the Ghospel was to unite us to God by Charity in this world by Glory which is the last perfection of Charity in the other Love is the roote of all our Actions As weyght (a) Aug. l. 13. confess c. 9. Amor meus pondus meum eò feror quocumque feror Aug. l. 11. de Civit. Dei c. 28. Sicut corpus pondere ita animus amore fertur quocumque fertur in Bodyes gives them their motion towards their center soe love in men but with this difference that weyght is restrained to locall motion an action of one species but love as partaking of the nature of the soul whose it is reaches to severall those of an opposit nature for all we doe proceedes from some love All our Passions are only love in a severall disguise (b) Aug. l. 14. de Civ Dei c. 7. Is the thing we love absent the love of it is called Desire Is it in danger to be post it is feare are we in aprobability of attaining it it is Hope it is looked on as irrevocable it is despayre are we stirred up to overcome th difficultyes opposing us is it Anger Doe we possesse it it is Joy doe we loose it love is changed into Greife or sadnesse c. The same love putting on these severall dresses and transforming it selfe Proteus like conformable to the nature condition of its object Soe that it would be impossible to reekon all its species Which are reduced to some heads both by Philosophers Divines Philosophers draw it to three species according to three sorts of Good Honour Profit Pleasure But much more the our purpose is the distinction of love used by Divines which in order to a morall life in this world eternall life in the next divides all mankind viz the love of God the love of our selves commonly called selfe-love We received the love of ourselves from Adam the love of God from Christ that is an effect of corrupt nature this of repayring Grace from that spring out the workes of the flesh from this grow those of the spirit That ends in death this is the seede of life By these two loves two cittyes are built (a) Aug. l. 14. de Civit. Dei c. 28. Fecerunt Civitates duas amores duo terrenam scilicet amor sui usque ad contemptum Dei caelestem verò amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui Hierusalem Babylon Heaven Hell In the next world these loves are pure for in Heaven raygnes the love of God without any selfe-love in Hell selfe-love rages without any curbe from the love of God In this life they are commonly mingled nether soe absolutely possessing the hart of man as to suppresse all motion of its corrivall For ever the greatest sinners feele some motions to good the greatest Saints must say Dimitte nobis Forgive us our sins are
Power to dispense with them as to fathers Husbands over those of their children wives G.B. Ibidem The Breach of the fourth keeping the Sabbath is not denyed it being usually amongst them a day of mercating dancing foolish Iollity ANS What you charge ou us here not keeping the Sabbath was charged on our Saviour his Apostles by the Scribes Pharisyes is reproached to Protestants by the Puritans I doe not deny but many are defective in this observance that as other commands soe this hath suffred Yet I think I could as easily find instances for the very things you reproch to us amongst you as you amongst us I will nor excuse all that is done amongst Catholicks beleive you would find it hard enough to justisy all that is done by yours Yet I will tell you that unlesse you will condemne Christ his Disciples iustify the slaunders of the Scribes Pharisyes against them you must acknowledge that there is a precisenesse of Duty not intended by Alm. God And it is very remarkable that several accusations of the Breach of the Sabbath having beene brought to our Saviour by the Scribes Pharisyes Christ always blamed their blind indiscreete Zeale retorted the accusations alleadging severall of their customes undefenfable but never seconded the accusation quite contrary ether confounded the accusers by minding them of their owne faults or excused the fact from guilt Which is a sufficient proofe that the law of God doth not require that superstitious observance which the Scribes the Puritans you require for want of which you blame us are your selfe blamed by others Yet I will not excuse all that is done by Catholicks in this matter which cannot be charged on the Church because shee condemnes censures it I must take notice here of a craft you use in this place to mingle tru false things together For example pag. 85. That children may lawfully intend killing their Parents Is false that they may marry without their consent is doubted by none I think as to the validity of the marriage unlesse there be some municipall laws providing against it Item pag. 86. They barre the chergy the use of marriage is true that they allow concubinate is false By which petty art you surprise your Reader puzzle one who undertakes an Answer Were I minded to imitate you in giving a prospect of your garden that without offending Truth as you have done I could shew matter enough for your confusion or for your zeale if it be reall I never was with in it I thank God the greatest part of my life I have past at a distance almost out of syght of it yet fame hath brought enough to make a wofull description of it It is not needfull to pierce (a) Ezech. 8.8.9 your walls to discover wicked abominations only looking over them with a perspective glasse a man may discover weeds thornes cockle what not They are uncleane creatures who delyght to wallow in dirt or stirre about filth which of it selfe yeilds an ungratefull smell much more when moved An ancient Heretick (b) Tertul. lib. contra Hermogenem c. 1. p. 411. thought it a signe of a good conscience to speake ill of every body You may with the ignorant multitude much easyer obtaine the esteeme of Piety Zeale by speaking ill of others then doing well your selfe by blaming others lives then correcting your owne A secret malignity in nature prompts some to detract from the good name of their neyghbours disposes the Hearers to receive with pleasure the detractions Both Calumniator his Hearers follow in this the vicious inclinations of corrupt nature But these must be overcome when tru vertu is aimed at that is hard You follow the easier course the most taking with men whome you affect to please But how your conscience at present God here after will approve of this I leave to your more serious consideration Maledicimur benedicimus says the Apostle (a) 1. Cor. 4.12 We are spoken ill of we speake well or being reviled we blesse Truly I had rather find matter for a Panegyrick then for a Satyre should be more willing to write some good of you then otherwise if there were any such belonging to you as Protestants But knowing no such thing I will supply that part by Prayers that God will put you into away of being soe by bringing you to his Faith which now you impugne I wish it were (b) 1. Tim. 1.13 ignorans in incredulitate through Ignorance or meere want of Instruction your sin world be lesse your conversion not so desperate CHAPTER XXVI Riches Pride of Churchmen FRom p. 91. titt 100. we have a long enumeration of the Riches Pride Ambition of Popes Cardinals Bishops Abbots all Churchmen You blame the sumptuousnesse of our Church ornaments the solemnity of our Processions the majesty of our Ceremonys c. which things being not of Faith I think my selfe notoblidged to answer further then by shewing a good use may be made of them I grant that Christ founded his Church in reall Poverly he sent his Apostles to preach with order to live (a) Luc. 10 8. uppon what they found in the places whither they went be content with what was given them He gave them a ryght to a subsistance declaring that (b) Mat. 10.10 a worke man deserves his diet And that (c) 1. Cor. 9.13 he who serves the Altar ought to live of it And althô S. Paul wat pleased not to make use of this Ryght commonly for a very good reason yet the rest did he myght lawfully have done every where actually did it at Philippi Philip 4.15 Yet I doe not find that ever our B. Saviour stinted the Apostles soe as if any thing were freely given beyond what was meerely necessary they should be oblidged to refuse it or restore the overplus to the donors Nether doe I find your Brethren in the ministry commend very much your first Reformers for retrenching some of your Bishop's lands althô they left enough for not only a competent but a noble subsistance nay your moderne (d) W. L. Heylin writers accuse them of sacrilege And I doe not heare that your richer Bishops doe breake their shins with hast to restore the surplus of their Revenues to the heyres of the donors which they were bound to restore if it were not lawfull for Churchmen to enjoy more then what is necessary Since the fall of Religion indeed the Protestant Church hath not much encreased her revenues which rather proceedes form lack of charity in your layty who give you nothing or because the wife children sweepe away what remaines by each incumbent at his death then to your love of Poverty for which vertu you have refused it when offred I have heard at least of none who would refuse a mannor
could we adde those things to your Faith when they were in peacable possession all over the Christian world as you owne your selves many ages before Protestancy was thought on You have here only one truth viz. that you withdrew from the Church Which convincingly proves the guilt of Schisme to lye at your dore G. B. pag. 105. If a Society of Christians visible swerve from Christ soe that communion cannot be retained with it without departing from Christ then the departing from the corruptions hrought in can be no departing from the Church If then it appeare that the Roman Church hath departed from the truth of the Ghospel those who separated from her cannot be sayd to separate from the tru Church ANSWER Here we have a Paralogisme which myght better become a Iunior Sophister then a Chaplaine in ordinary to his Majesty You will see it in these instances The communion of that Church ought to be renounced which oblidgeth her Children to Mahometisme If then the Inglish Protestant Church oblidge hers to that her communion ought to be renounced Another That man deserves the greatest contempt who writes controversy hath nothing to write but calumnyes Sophismes If then Mr. G. B. hath nothing else but such stuffe to fill his bookes with he knows his deserts What think you Sir of such arguments which serve only to delude an unwary reader into an assent of what you would but cannot prove There is no Logician but knows that conditionall Propositions signify only the connextion betwixt two things under such a condition but they assert nothing absolutely unlesse the condition be proved For example If a man slyes he hath wings If the Heavens fall we shall catch larkes These I say are granted to be trn althô the condition be impossible Yet those who grant them doe not expect those wings to goe a Journy nor rely on those larkes for a supper In like manner suppose we should grant your conditionall illation yet the guilt of schisme would lye on our consciences because you nether doe nor can prove the condition uppon which your excuse relyes G. B. pag. 106. The cruelty of Papists extended it self to as much bloody barbarous rage as ever sprung from Hell ANSW You meane the laws made against Hereticks which being made by the secular Power not by Churchmen I think my selfe not oblidged to vindicate them Yet seing the most severe of them all the faggot was til of late as I am informed in force in Ingland hath beene actually executed uppon some since the Reformation I leave you to Answer to our Honourable Judges for your Pragmaticall boldnesse in censuring them soe severely Another would take notice of the laws in force against Papists But I let that passe It is enough to vindicate our Churchmen that they never made those laws they never condemned any man to them All they doe is to Judge of the matter of fact whither a person be guilty of Heresy if they find him soe to leave him to the secular Power This is the most that ever the Inquisition did as far as I ever heard G. B. p. 108. Grotius says that in Charles the V.'s time more then one hundred thousand were butchered on the account of Religion And in his son Philip's time the D. d ' Alva did in a short time cut downe 36000. ANSWER Grotius was an eminent man for severall things but not renowned for his skill in Arithmetick I have heard from one well acquainted with him that he could not count ten that he knew not the ordinary currant mony of his country that when he escaped out of prison he had like to have beene discovered by a ferry man by that ignorance he was soe noted for it Soe I should not wonder that he were mistaken in his calculation of soe many thousands Secondly it is probable hereckons into the number of those butchered such as perished in the Boores war in Germany wars of the low countrys whose death must be put to the account of their Rebellion not to that of Religion Thirdly he writ in favour defence of the States cause to whose vindication it was necessary that the motives of their taking armes against their Soveraine should be aggravated to the utmost We all remember the infamous inscription put over the Niche where the statue of the late King of Happy memory stood all the world knows that without any disparagemēt to the rest there never before had beene a king who lesse deserved such a title yet no doubt had that usurped Government continued storyes would have beene invented to prove it those concerned in the Rebellion would have beleived them as you doe Grotius Lastly suppose all Grotius says tru It follows only that it was the misfortune of those greate Princes to have many offenders in that kind in their time provoke the sword of Justice As if in Ingland a spirit of theiving should spreade it selfe amongst the People for which in the time of the best of Kings many may suffer yet without reflecting on the honour of the King or equity of the laws These are not crimes of the Government but misfortunes for which Princes are to be pittyed not reproached with them CHAPTER XXVIII Zeale of souls in our Bishops And concerning Reformers Where of S. Cyran Arnaud Jansenius G.B. p. 111. What doe Popes about feeding of souls when doe they preach the Ghospel or dispence the Sacraments ANSWER They doe it dayly by all those persons who by authority derived from them doe it As our Kings administer Justice by their Judges And did you enquire of those who have beene at Rome you would heare that Popes doe administer Sacraments in person Ibidem Cardinals Bishops Abbots imitats their Holy father abandoning wholy the worke of the Ghospel ANSWER You cannot discover better who is your master what a proficient you are in his schoole then by venting such palpable untruths Cardinal Barbarin Deane of the Sacred Colledge hath beene knowne to accompany many times malefactors to the Gallows heard their confessions moved them to a detestation of the sins which brought the in to that punishment raysed them up to hopes of pardon through the merits of our b. Saviour comfort them with hopes of a happy life after that tragicall end of this I name him in particular because he is knowne to many of our Nation who have doe acknowledge his civilitye to to them althô of a different perswasion In time of the greate Plague under Alexander VII he visited in person places infected inquired after the wants informed of the diligence of the Officers appointed for the releife of the sicke provided according as occasions required both for soul body S. Charles Borromeus a Cardinal Arch Bishop gave soe greate examples of Pastorall Vigilancy Apostolicall Zeale that none of our Reformed Prelates ever will imitate them Your confidence is admirable in relating such evident untruths which all who
have seene France or Flanders can contradict Inquire of the life of the present Lord Bishop of Gant of severall in France if you have one ounce of good blood in your body some of it will appeare on your face G. B. pag. 112. I deny not but not even these last ages have produced greate men amongst the Papists who seeme to have designed the reviving of the ancient discipline both among the Clergy the people But as these instances are rare so they were hated persecuted witnesse Arnold's booke of the frequent communion Iansenius S. Cyran ANSWER There is no pretence more dangerous or even fatall to both Church state then that of reforming abuses reviving antiquated laws which serves every Pragmaticall head assoone as he hath reade the ancient statutes or Canons though the understands the sense of nether to detract from the present governmēt if by meeting others as rash as himself he is enabled for such awork to endeavour the change of it under the specious pretext of Reformation You must owne the truth of this unlesse you will justify the late rebellion in Ingland which was begun carryed on finisht under that colour The opinions of men are as different as their faces scarce ever two alike educatiō diet company freinds businesse other extrinsick occasions alter our Judgment of things many more have influence on our Judgment of Governments But most of all love hatred have an imperceptible yet unresistible force over our understanding soe that one the same action will to one seeme to deserve a Panegyrick which to another shall be the subject of a Satyre merely because they are variously affected to the person who acts Some in fine are soe wayward homour some peeuish as to be displeased with what ever is done by others who can agree with no body not because every body gives but because they take from every body occasions of offences It it a greate error to think that every one who blames another hath Reason for it Noman over was soe holy soe perfect soe wise as to satisfy every body find no Momus who blamed him S. Paul was held a blasphemer an enemy not only to the Ephesian (a) Act. 9. Diana but also to the Temple (b) Act. 24. of Hierusalem What lesse guilty then the Apostles yet some thought to doe God (c) Ioan. 16.2 good service in killing them What more innocent then Iesus newly borne yet he was forced (d) Mat. 2.13 to aflyght to save his life What lesse reprehensible then his doctrine his mannes his miracles his person yet his doctrine (e) Mat. 26.65 hath beene accused of blasphemy his manners (f) Mat. 11.19 of Gluttony his (g) Luc. 11.15 miracles of magick his person (h) Mar. 3.31 of being beside him self None ever had a mission from Heaven with more convincing proofes of Miracles then Moyles Christ yet both had their Schismaticks Moyses not only Core his fellows bur also Aaron Mary Christ had the Capharnaits Scribes Pharisyes one of his Apostles And if we doe not shut our eares we shall heare God himself by horrid blasphemys censured for bad governing the world even for not creating it well man by a presomptuous folly preferring his owne dimme lyghts before the (a) 1. Tim. 6.16 inaccessible lyght of God before whome even man's (b) 1. Cor. 3.19 greatest widome is folly It is therefore a greate folly for any one to hope to give satisfaction to all or even to avoyde censure of some That is a good fortune not granted to Saints Martyrs Apostles or even Christ himself (c) Rom. 9.1 God Blessed for ever more with what probability can any man hope for it Our endeavours must be to give no ground for detraction soe to behave our selves as nothing may be reproacht us with Truth Governments are more obnoxious to censures as including greater variety of Actions designes in which more persons are concerned as Acting in or suffring by them This makes a vast diversity of Iudgments of Iudgments in severall persons according as they fancy themselves regarded or neglected advanced or kept backe benefitted or prejudiced by them according as they hope or feare from them A private man possest with an opinion of his owne abilitye which no body sees but himselfe nor he nether but through selfe-love shall think him self as fit to fit at the Helme as those who doe finding his preferment not to answer the opinion he hath of his owne capacity thinks him selfe wronged by those who are advanced before him To revenge this imaginary wrong he commits a reallone by blaspheming hygher lower Powers calumniating their Actions censuring their commands judging their judgments Erecting within himself through a criminall rashnesse ridiculous Ambition a Tribunall over those to whome by Publick Authority he is subject This man by some weaker then himself shall be looked on as a wise man a Zealot of the publick good a good Patriot when in reality not Prudence but Passion governes his tongue Which only vents some indigested choler I grant that in all governments there are some inconveniences which we may wish were corrected The Passions of some the weakenesse of others cause disorders which may be punisht but not prevented Those who governe are not always at their owne disposall sometimes to pleasure their friends sometimes to accoyde displeasing others they are in a manner forced to some things which were they left to themselves they would not doe They must sometimes give way to a lesser evill to avoyde greater In which they deserve rather compassion then Blame more over they are indeed greater then others yet not Gods but men not omniscient but ignorant of many things which passe in their government it may be are acted in their name by their authority yet contrary to their intentions which are supposed to be always for the publicke good It may be they know the thing dislike it but know not how to remedy it without some other inconvenience the avoyding of all faults is reserved for Heaven Amongst men he is best who hath fewest faults not he who hath none such an one is a thymera small ones may be connived at in consideration of greate vertues Thus every private man ought to suppose that the supreme magistrate ether doth not know the faults of those he employes or thinks them not considerable or knows not how to remedy them without incurring others as greate or greater What is the duty then of a private man who sees these miscarriages 1. To pray God to mend all or at least to prevent bad consequences 2. If they have occasion abilityes to acquaint those who may redresse things with what he thinks a misse suggest if he can a proper remedy yet to leave the applying that remedy to those who are charged with the