strike good Purposes deeper into our Hearts why should it be misliked The wiser of your Brethren in France acknowledge and bewail the want of them so will you if you consider it well Catholics have an unquestionable Ordination for if we have none yours must fall to the ground you having received yours from us Yours is not only questionable but questioned actually and with seeming probability denied by Catholics 1. For want of a due Minister a Bishop 2. For want of due Matter and Form. 3. For want of due Intention for your Bishops owning no Sacrifice of the new Law could not intend to confer a Power to offer Sacrifice which is essential to Priesthood They were confirmed in their opinions of your want of Ordination by your owning Communion with those Reformed Churches in France and Holland which have no lawful Ordination according to your Principles your directing yours to their Churches advising them to receive the Sacraments from them and admitting those Ministers to the Ministry among you without any new Ordination This is confirmed by the constant Practice of the Church of Rome to Ordain all such Ministers of the Church of England as being admitted to the Communion of the Catholic Church desire to enter into Holy Orders She the Church of Rome condemns Re-ordination as a Sacrilege and never practised it Hence the Priests of the Greek Armenian and Cophtic Communion renouncing their several Errors are admitted to Officiate without any new Imposition of Hands in the Church of Rome because Orders are validly conferred in those several Churches The Protestants would be in a like manner admitted had there not been a certainty from the beginning of the invalidity or nullity of their Orders To conclude they had those same Motives to continue in the Communion of the Catholic Church which S. Austin had which he relates lib. contra Epist Fundam cap. 4. Tenet consensio populorum gentium tenet auctoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa Sede Petri cui pascendas oves post Resurrectionem Dominus commendavit usque ad praesentem Episcopatum successio Sacerdotum Tenet postremò ipsum Catholicae nomen quod non sine causâ inter tam multas haereses sic ista Ecclesia sola obtinuit ut Apud vos autem ubi nihil horum est sola personat veritatis pollicitatio I am retained in the Catholic Church by the Consent of Nations by an Authority begun with Miracles nourished with Hope encreased by Charity established by Antiquity I am retained by a Succession of Priests beginning from S. Peter to whom our Lord after his Resurrection commended the Feeding of his Sheep until this present Pope Innocent XI Lastly I am retained by the very Name of Catholic which with great reason amongst so many Sects this Church alone obtains What have you to oppose against such strong Motives Scripture and the Gospel which if clear for you ought without doubt to be preferred before all those other Motives But they found this very Gospel this Scripture pronounce in their favor and against you This is my Body says the Scripture It is not Christ's Body say you The Commandments of God are not heavy says the Scripture The Commandments of God are impossible say you A reward is due to our good works says the Scripture No works of ours are meritorious nay the best are sins say you Faith without works is dead says the Scripture and you commend Faith so as to make all good works be neglected I grant some amongst you of late do not so crudely teach some of these Doctrins being ashamed of their deformity But you cannot deny but that they were taught by the first Reformers Which was sufficient to convince the World that Scripture gave no evident Verdict for them and make all afraid of their Reformation who had a care of their Souls CHAP. XXXVI Greater Exercise of Piety amongst Catholics than Protestants BAptism is given validly in both Churches but with this difference that we retain the ancient significant Ceremonies instituted by the Apostles or at least in Apostolical Times which may be proved out of Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Jerom S. Austin and S. Denys you have retrenched all save only the Sign of the Cross And O judicium This is the Finger of God Exod. 8.19 the peevish refractory stubborn Children of your Church have wrangled with her about that and with the same Reasons as she had done with her Mother the Roman Catholic Church so visibly hath God meted unto you your measure Mat. 7.2 and punished you by your sin Sap. 11.17 As ours come to the use of Reason a new Sacrament expects them Confirmation which is the same mentioned so frequently in the Acts of giving the Holy Ghost by Imposition of the Apostles Hands Acts 8.17 which arms them against visible and invisible Enemies with the Spirit of Fortitude to profess their Faith. Of this Protestants We find in every Church Malachy's Prophecy fulfilled Mal. 1.11 a pure Offering made to God Mass said And in Catholic Countries Rich and Poor even the meanest Artisans and Laborers as Porters Water-carriers c. will steal so much time from their almost necessary Rest as to give half an hour to adore God and his Son Jesus in the Morning hoping they will bless their Labors all the Day the better for it O that you did but see with what Attention and Respect they assist at those Divine Mysteries how with their Knees on the Ground their Eyes on the Altar their Heart in Heaven they accompany the Priest and with him jointly make that Oblation to God with what Sentiments they adore Christ present and desire him to appease his Father's Wrath for their Sins by the Merits of his Passion and preserve them from offending anew that Day and to bless that Days Actions What do Protestants As soon as they are up they have their Hand in the Cupbord in the Cup their Nose Have any by mortal Sins shut against themselves the Gates of Heaven which the Passion of Christ opened they stir up a real Sorrow for that Offence of God purpose Amendment and with these Dispositions address themselves to a Priest with a Resolution to follow his Advice and perform what he shall enjoyn They discover to him all the wounds of their Soul their most secret and most reproachful Sins as to God himself whose Vicegerent he is being assured of an inviolable Secret and it is doubtless a perpetual Miracle that amongst so many thousands of Priests not one should be found faulty in this Point They hearken to his Advice accept his Penance to Fast Pray give Alms visit Prisoners serve Poor in Hospitals or the like according as the Condition of the Penitent permits Then receive Absolution in vertue of the Power given by our Saviour to Priests Joh. 20.23 The Effects of this Sacrament are Remission of Sins past avoiding others making Restitution if
be apply'd to make good their Charge against it I will endeavour to clear the Mist and represent things in their own shape to the end the difference betwixt Catholicks and Idolaters may the better appear Something hath been already said to the same intent in the Preface which I desire may be here remembred SECTION I. That Pagans thought their Idols to be Gods. MY first Reason is taken from several places of Scripture Fathers and Pagans where they are expresly called Gods. Exod. 32.4 These are thy Gods O Israel Speaking of the Calf And Micah having newly made an Idol prepared a place to put it in (a) Judg. 17.5 He set apart a little house to the God. Or as the English Translation hath it Micah had a house of Gods. And the Danits having robbed him of his Idol he bemoans his loss with these Words (a) Judg. 18.24 My Gods which I made me you have taken away Dan. 14.15 Doth not Bell seem to thee a living God And the Psalmist (b) Psal 96. 95. 5. All the gods of the Nations are Idols the Latin hath it otherwise Omnes dii Gentium daemonia but the English Protestants cannot except against their own Edition Lastly the same is expresly tho' more obscurely delivered in the Book of Wisdom (c) Sap. 14.21 Where he says The Pagans had given the Incommunicable name to Stocks and Stones And what was that Incommunicable name but that of the True God All other Names are communicable as signifying things common to many even that of Gods by Participation Gods by resemblance (d) Psal 81. 82. 6. I have said you are Gods and children of the most high And (e) 1 Car. 8.5 There are many Gods and many Lords Wherefore the true meaning of that place is that the Pagans affixt the Proper Name of God to their Idols This may be gather'd from the Profession of Pagans themselves (f) Jupiter Tragoedus Lucian relating an Assembly of their Gods called by the great Jupiter on occasion of Atheism which then bare faced walked amongst the Philosophers to deliberate how to oppose it he makes Jupiter give a Commission to Mercury to entertain them and place them orderly according to their several Dignities by reason of their Matter or Art. On the first Rank he should place those of Gold on the second those of Silver on the third those of Ivory on the fourth those of Brass or Stone And amongst these he should give the Precedency to those which were the Master-pieces of famous Workmen such as Phidias Alcumenes Myron Euphranor c. There Neptune sees with disdain and Indignation Anubis with his dogs face take place of him because he was compos'd of more rich matter Then there is a Dispute what place to assign to the Colossus of Rhodes which although it was only of Brass yet for the bulk of it surpast the price of most of the golden Gods. In fine the whole Discourse evidently demonstrates that the material Status or Idols were believed to be Gods by the Pagans whom Lucian there derides As for Fathers and Primitive Christians out of their Works whole Volumes might be composed in Confirmation of this Truth See Justinus M. Epist ad Diognetum pag. 492. Consider the matter and form of those things which you call Gods and judge them to be such Are not some of them Stones like to those we tread on Are not others of Brass like to that which is apply'd to ordinary uses Others of Wood and that worm eaten Others of Silver which must be watched least they be stolen Other of Clay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these you call Gods you serve you adore these and at last become entirely like them Tertul. Apolog. cap. 40. Si quid adversi accidit urbibus eaedem clades templorum quae moenium fuerunt ut jam hoc revincam non a Deis evenire quia ipsis evenit If any Calamity befalls your Towns their Temples and their Walls perish alike whence I prove that your Gods do not inflict it seeing they suffer as much as the Walls S. Cyprian l. ad Fortunatum de Exhortat Martyrii cap. 1. Proves against the Pagans Quod Idola Dii non sunt That Idols are not Gods. A very superfluous Task if what E. S. says be true that no Body thought them so More Fathers shall be cited in my following Reasons So that E. S. will have no occasion to make himself merry with a Covy of three Fathers as he did with that of one Partridge See also S. Ambrose l. 2. de Virgin. ante finem Another Reason is taken from the Reproach ordinarily made in Scripture to Idolaters David (a) Psal 105. 106 .20 says they changed their glory into the likeness of a calf or ox eating grass because they abandoned God to adore a Statue shaped like an Ox that is they left God not for an Ox nor for the likeness of God but for the likeness or resemblance of a Calf What the Royal Prophet reproaches to his Ancestors in the Wilderness the blessed S. Paul (b) Rom. 1.13 charges upon all Idolaters They changed says he the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man and to birds and fourfooted beasts and creeping things S. Hierom objects the same l. 2. Comment in c. 15. Matt. Ignorantes Creaetorem adorantes lapidem Being ignorant of the Creator and adoring a stone A third Reason is taken from those places of Scripture or Fathers where Gods are said to be made by Men. We are first forbid to make them (a) Exod. 20.2 Ye shall not make Gods of silver neither shall you make unto you Gods of gold And the Israelites were threatned (b) Deut. 4.28 in case of Disobedience to Gods Commandments that for a Punishment they should serve Gods the work of mens hands wood and stone which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell And in the Book of Wisdom (c) Sap. 13.10 Their hope is amongst the dead who call Gods the work of mens hands In fine S. Paul (d) Actor 19.26 was accused by Demetrius the Silver-smith for teaching that they be no Gods which are made with hands Wherefore it was his and the common opinion that they were Gods which were made with hands Justinus Mar. Apol. 2. O stupidity you adore those as Gods which are made by wicked men And in St. Austin (e) l. 8. de Civ Dei c. 23. 24. Mercurius Trismegistus avows some Gods to be made by men to wit those in Temples altho he owned that this proceeded from the Ignorance of the true Worship of God. This receives a great light from Isaias (a) Isay 44. d v. 9. ad 20. A carpenter says he in your English Translation plants an Ash and the rain doth nourish it He burneth part thereof in the fire with part thereof be makes a God. Again (b) Isa 46.6 7. They lavish gold
your Doctrin and made use of the same pretext as you do to defend their Doctrin The Church for which S. Ambrose pleads was Catholic so must we be in this seeing our Doctrin is the same with theirs The Novatians in this were Heretics what are you Indeed the words with which our Blessed Saviour (a) Mat. 16.18 first promis'd secondly (b) Joan. 20.22 23. actually communicated that power to forgive or retain sins are so express that it is the greatest disrespect imaginable so to wrest them as they must to draw them from their natural sense I desire you to shew your Art and invent some Speech which in so few words shall more clearly express this sense the Catholic Church understands them in And as for Fathers see S. Cyprian in many places S. Basil qq brev q. 288. S. Leo Epist 91. ad Theodorum Greg. Hom 26. in Evang. Cyril Alex. lib. 12. in Joan. But above all S. Chrysost lib. 3. de Sacerd. c. 5. Tom. 3. Edit Savell p. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those who dwell on Earth says he are enabled to dispense the things in Heaven To them a Power is given which neither Angels nor Archangels enjoy for to these it was never said What you shall bind Earthly Princes have power to cast into Prison but their Power is restrained to Bodies only Whereas the Bond we speak of reaches the Soul and Heaven it self insomuch as what Priests do below God ratifies above and the Lord confirms the Sentence of the Servant And what is this but to have put into their hands all Power to dispose of Heaven whose sins you forgive are forgiven and whose sins you retain are retained What Power can be greater than this God the Father hath given all Power to Judge to the Son and the Son hath communicated all that same Power to Priests Thus the glorious Saint You see Sir the Grounds of our Belief in this Point the clear words of our Lord (a) Joan. 20.23 Whose soever sins you remit they are remitted unto them You see the Fathers and the Primitive Church Explicating those words as we do You see Novatians were held for Heretics for understanding those words otherwise What ground have you to deny a Truth delivered by Christ to the Apostles and from them handed down to us G. B. pag. 62. It was counted a Blasphemy in Christ when he said Thy sins are forgiven thee which shews it to be Blasphemy in all others it being an invasion of his Prerogative Answ Here we have a blasphemous Accusation of the Scribes against Jesus Christ opposed against the clear words of Christ and the meaning of the whole Church Nay their words althô full of malice and convinced of Falshood by a Miracle are preferred before those of Christ as being made a Rule by which his must be interpreted Thus under pretence of asserting the Authority of Christ you overthrow it as your Brethren ruined their Sovereign under pretence of making him a glorious King. But say you Christ cleared himself from the Power was committed to the Son of Man to forgive sins Answ That same Power given by the Son of Man to the Apostles and their Successors doth clear us G. B. pag. 61. After a Sinner hath gone over his Sins without any sign of remorse and told them to a Priest he enjoyns a Penance and without waiting that they obey it he says I absolve thee and after this they judge them selves fully cleansed from Sins Answ Were there Benefices or Preferments established for such as invent Stories without any ground I know none in a fairer way to them than your self You cannot but know that we hold Contrition to be an essential part of the Sacrament and that he who Confesses without Sorrow is so far from obtaining Pardon for the sins past that we judge him guilty of a new Sacrilege Consider a little what you say if not for Conscience and the Fear of God which you seem not to regard at least for your Credit G. B. pag. 61 62. What can take off more from the value of the Death of Christ than to believe it in the power of a Priest to absolve from sin Answ That cannot take from the value of that Sacred Passion upon which it is built By Baptism sins are remitted without derogating from the value of the Death of Christ The same of Absolution Because in both these Sacraments the Merits of the Passion are applied to cleanse our Souls in such a manner as Christ hath ordained and by Authority derived from him In Civil Matters as no Man can lawfully take upon himself the Authority and exercise the Function of a Judge without a Commission from the King So it is no less unlawful to refuse due Obedience to Judges lawfully Commissionated We have a lawful Commission in the Gospel and we stick to that till we see better Grounds to vacate it than such frivolous Reasons as you bring CHAP. XVIII Of Penances Fasting Prayer and Pilgrimages G. B. p. 62. ADD the Scorn put on Religion by the Penances enjoyned for sin abstaining from Flesh pattering over Prayers repeating the Penitential Psalms going to such Churches and Altars with other ridiculous Observances like these which cannot but kill the Vitals of true Religion And who can have any sad apprehensions of sin who is taught such an easie way of punishment Answ Experience shews us whether Practice preserves more the Vitals of Religion yours or ours And I am persaaded I shall have occasion before we part to give you a Prospect not very pleasing of the Piety of your Proselytes who as S. Paul said 2 Tim. 3.13 Proficiunt in pejus have waxed worse and worse ever since your Brethren have had the Direction of them But what are these Observances which move you to Laughter Fastings Prayers and Pilgrimages so much recommended and even commanded in both old and new Law sometimes in Scripture often in Councils and Fathers and confirmed by the Practice of the Church thrô all Ages These things seem ridiculous to this Democritus a new Man as much a Stranger to true Piety as his Education hath been to Prayers Fasting and Pilgrimages as far as appears by his Works That he should thus deride all Penitential Works designed either to punish our past offences or prevent those to come to reconcile us to our Creator or to rivet us to him when St. Paul the chosen Vessel the Temple of the Holy Ghost the Doctor of the Gentiles separated from his mothers womb and called unto Grace (a) Gal. 1.15 when he I say chastized his Body and brought it under subjection (b) 1 Cor. 9.27 lest Preaching to others he became himself a Reprobate What means did he use for his security to mortifie his Body but those this good Man counts Ridiculous Observances viz. Fasting and Prayer and the like We are sure he was animated with the Spirit of God what Spirit animates you SECTION I. Fasting AS
for Fasting our Blessed Saviour Fasted (c) Mat. 4.2 forty days and forty nights He foretells his Disciples (d) Mar. 2 20. fasting when the Bridegroom should be taken from them that is after his Ascension He directs us how to Fast and promises a Reward (e) Mat. 6.17 to our Fastings when duly performed He teaches that Fasting (f) Mat. 17.20 Mar. 9.29 gives us a power over the Devils When any Work of great moment was to be done Fasting was used (g) Acts 13.2 As the Disciples or Apostles ministred to the Lord and Fasted the Holy Ghost said With Fasting (h) Acts 14.23 and Prayer S. Paul and S. Barnabas were Consecrated A postles These with Fasting and Prayers (i) 2 Cor. 6.5 ordained Bishops in every Church And S. Paul several times speaks of his Fastings (k) 2 Cor. 11.27 In watchings in fastings Again In hunger and thirst in fastings often What was the Practice of the Christians of the Second Age Tertllian will teach us Apolog. pag. 40. cap. 71 where having reproached the Pagans with their Feastings in Times of Public Calamities he represents the contrary Life of Christians Nos verò jejuniis aridi omni continentiâ expressi ab omni vitae fruge delati in sacco cinere volutantes invidiâ coelum tundimus Deum tangimus cùm misericordiam extorserimus Jupiter honoratur You Feast says he but we dried up with Fasting living in perfect Continency abstaining from all Contents of this Life prostrate in Sackcloth and Ashes charge Heaven with the Odium of afflicting Persons so much afflicted and when we have by these Penitential Works forced God to take pity of the World Jupiter is honored by you For the third Age see what Moses Maximus and other Confessors required of Penitents Jejunio extenuari that they should grow lean with Fasting All the subsequent Ages give as many Testimonies to the Duty and Advantages of Fasting as there are are of any Work of Piety This the Fathers teach in their Sermons the Bishops commanded in their Canons the faithful Practise in their Lives and all recommend by their Example Nay Protestants themselves own this Truth The Author of the Duty of Man Sunday 5. n. 34. To this Duty of Repentance says he Fasting is very proper to be annexed the Scripture usually joyns them together If you desire to know the Fruits of Fasting S. Thom. 2.2 q. 147. a. 1. names three 1. To mortifie and curb our Bodies 2. To raise our Mind to Heavenly things 3. To punish in our selves the ill use of some Creatures by depriving our selves of the use of others A fourth Reason is to increase Merit Grace and Glory Virtutem largiris praemia says the Church in Praef. Quad. SECTION II. Prayer PRayer being a raising of our Souls to God it exposes our Understanding to the Divine Light and places our Will in the warmth of Divine Love Wherefore nothing can be more efficacious to clear our Mind from its Ignorance and Darkness nor to purge our Will from its depraved Affections and Passions It is a Key which opens the Treasure of God's Mercy and opens our Heart to receive its Effects It is a River of Benediction whose Waters cleanse our Soul from its Imperfections moisten our Heart make our good Purposes bud forth and flourish and fill our Will with the Fruits of Vertue It is often recommended in Scripture See (a) Mar. 13.33 watch and pray Pray (b) Mat. 26.41 that you enter not into tentation (c) Luc. 16.8 You must always pray and never faint All Places and all Times are fit for Prayer God limits neither but promises to hear us always Ask and you shall receive Whatsoever you shall ask my Father in my name he will grant it you Particularly Remission of Sins is annexed to it Hear S. Austin Enchir. c. 71. De quotidianis brevibus levibusque peccatis sine quibus haec vita non ducitur quotidiana oratio fidelium satisfacit Eorum est enim dicere Pater noster qui es in coelis qui jam Patri tali regenerati sunt ex aquâ Spiritu sancto Delet omninò haec Oratio minima quotidiana peccata Delet illa à quibus vita fidelium sceleratè etiam gesta sed poenitentiâ in melius mutatâ discedit si quemadmodum veraciter dicitur Dimitte nobis debita nostra Ita veraciter dicatur sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris Id est si fiat quod dicitur The daily Prayers of the Faithful satisfie for those daily light and small sins which are incident to all in this Life these we call Venial Sins for it belongs properly to those to say Our Father which art in Heaven who are regenerated by Water and the Holy Ghost to such a Father This Prayer blots out little sins It hath a vertue also to carry away the guilt of greater sins in those who are repentant of them provided they as truly forgive as they ask to be forgiven that is they do what they say Sir how different was S. Austin's Judgment from yours He thought those Prayers efficacious to blot out venial and even mortal sins and you think the prescribing them Ridiculous Saying the Penitential Psalms is an Object of Laughter to you Were there any Church Discipline among you or had your Prelates any true Zeal for any part of Devotion you would be forced to change your note the saying the Psalms being the only part of Devotion which you retain But it seems Writing against Popery hath a Vertue to sanctifie all Impiety as acting against it did excuse all Sacrilege I never heard any Man moved to Laughter with reading the Psalms and I have known many moved by them to Compunction to a new Life and to the Love of God. Let S. Austin who experienced it himself speak lib. 9. Confess cap. 4. Dulce mihi sit ô Domine confiteri tibi quibus internis me stimulis perdomueris quemadmodum me complanaveris humiliatis montibus collibus cogitationum mearum tortuosa mea direxeris aspera lenieris quas tibi Deus meus voces dedi cùm legerem Psalmos David cantica fidelia sonos pietatis excludentes turgidum spiritum Quas tibi voces dabam in Psalmis illis quomodo in te inflammabar ex eis accendebar eos recitare si possem toto orbe terrarum adversus typhum generis humani I take a delight O my Lord to confess to thee with what inward Goads thou didst subdue me and by what Means thou didst bring me down levelling the greater and lesser Mountains of my Thoughts How thou didst streighten my crookedness and smooth my roughness Into what Exclamations did I break out O my God when I read the Psalms of David those faithful Canticles those pious Sounds which banish all proud Spirits How I cried out in reading them How I was inflamed in the love of thee how I
Duke d'Alva did in a short time cut down Thirty six thousand Answ Grotius was an eminent Man for several 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 been discovered by a Ferry-man by that ignorance he was so noted for it So I should not wonder that he were mistaken in his Calculation of so many thousands Secondly It is probable he reckons into the number of those butchered such as perished in the Boors War in Germany and Wars of the Low-Countries whose Death must be put to the Account of their Rebellion not to that of Religion Thirdly he writ in favor and defence of the States Cause to whose vindication it was necessary that the Motives of their taking Arms against their Sovereign 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 disparagement to the rest There never before had been a King who less deserved such a Title yet no doubt had that usurped Government continued Stories would have been invented to prove it and those concerned in the Rebellion would have believed them as you do Grotius Lastly Suppose all Grotius says true it follows only that it was the Misfortune of those great Princes to have many Offenders in that kind in their time provoke the Sword of Justice As if in England a Spirit of Thieving should spread it self amongst the People for which in the time of the best of Kings many suffer yet without reflecting on the Honor of the King or Equity of the Laws These are not Crimes of the Government but Misfortunes for which Princes are to be pitied not reproched with them CHAP. XXVIII Zeal of Souls in our Bishops And concerning Reformers Where of S. Cyran Arnaud and Jansenius G. B. p. 111. WHAT do Popes about Feeding of Souls When do they Preach the Gospel or Dispence the Sacraments Answ They do it daily by all those Persons who by Authority derived from them do it As our Kings Administer Justice by their Judges And did you enquire of those who have been at Rome you would hear that Popes do Administer Sacraments in Person Ibidem Cardinals Bishops and Abbots imitate their Holy Father abandoning wholly the Work of the Gospel Answ You cannot discover better who is your Master and what a Proficient you are in his School than by venting such palpable Untruths Cardinal Barbarin Dean of the Sacred Colledge hath been known to accompany many times Malefactors to the Gallows heard their Confessions moved them to a detestation of the Sins which brought them to that Punishment raised them up to hopes of pardon thrô the Merits of our Blessed Saviour and comfort them with hopes of a happy Life after that tragical end of this I name him in particular because he is known to many of our Nation who have and do acknowledge his Civility to them althô of a different Persuasion In time of the great Plague under Alexander VII he visited in Person Places Infected enquired after the Wants informed of the Diligence of the Officers appointed for the Relief of the Sick and provided according as Occasions required both for Soul and Body S. Charles Borromeus a Cardinal and Archbishop gave so great Examples of Pastoral Vigilancy and Apostolical Zeal that none of our Reformed Prelates ever will imitate them Your Confidence is admirable in relating such evident Untruths which all who have seen France or Flanders can contradict Enquire of the Life of the present Lord Bishop of Gant of several in France and if you have one ounce of good Blood in your Body some of it will appear on your Face G. B. pag. 112. I deny not but even these last Ages have produced great Men amongst the Papists who seem to have designed the reviving of the ancient Discipline both among the Clergy and the People But as these Instances are rare so they were hated and persecuted witness Arnaud 's Book of the frequent Communion Jansenius and S. Cyran Answ There is no Pretence more dangerous or even fatal both to Church and State than that of Reforming Abuses and Reviving antiquated Laws which serves every Pragmatical Head assoon as he hath read the ancient Statutes or Canons thô he understands the Sense of neither to detract from the present Government and if by meeting others as rash as himself he is enabled for such a Work to endeavor the change of it under the specious Pretext of Reformation You must own the truth of this unless you will justifie the late Rebellion in England which was begun carried on and finished under that Colour The Opinions Men are as different as their Faces scarce ever two alike Education Diet Company Friends Business and other extrinsick Occasions alter our Judgment of things many more have influence on our Judgment of Governments but most of all Love and Hatred have an imperceptible yet unresistible force over our Understanding so that one and the same Action will to one seem to deserve a Panegyrick which to another shall be the Subject of a Satyr meerly because they are variously affected to the Person who acts Some in fine are so wayward humorsom and peevish as to be displeased with whatever 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 is a great error to think that every one who blames another hath reason for it No Man ever was so holy so persect so wise as to satisfie every body and find no Momus who blamed him S. Paul was held a Blasphemer and an Enemy not only to the Ephesian Diana Act. 9. but also to the Temple of Jerusalem Act. 24. What less guilty than the Apostles yet some thought to do God good service in killing them Joh. 16.2 What more innocent than Jesus newly born yet he was forced to a Flight to save his Life Mat. 2.13 What less reprehensible than his Doctrin his Manners his Miracles his Person yet his Doctrin hath been accused of Blasphemy Mat. 26.65 his Manners of Gluttony Mat. 11.19 his Miracles of Magick Luc. 11.15 and his Person of being beside himself Mar. 3.31 None ever had a Mission from Heaven with more convincing Proofs of Miracles than Moses and Christ yet both had their Schismaticks Moses not only Core and his Fellows but also Aaron and Mary and Christ had the Capharnaits Scribes and Pharisees and one of his Apostles And if we do not shut our Ears we shall hear God himself by horrid Blasphemies censured for bad Governing the World and even for not Creating it well Man by a presumptuous Folly preferring his own dim Lights before the inaccessible Light of God
or S. Paul composing his Epistles nor so much neither seeing these were so assisted as to Compose Holy Scripture when the Church only pretends to Expound the Word of God. How doth such an Assistance of the Divine Spirit derogate from the Infallibility of God from which it is derived But Her Exposition must be admitted say you though contrary to the Sense As if Infallibility did not exclude all possibility of such a wrested Exposition The Infallibility of the Church may slight your Attempts whilst you are armed only with such Straws We have seen your Arguments let us see your Answers to ours G. B. pag. 44. The Gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church Mat. 16.18 proves not the pretence of Infallibility Why not Learned Sir Not a word of that but as if you had forgotten what you were about you fall upon the English Translation of that Text which you say deserves amendment and I will leave you to be taught better Manners by your Fellow Ministers or your Mother the Kirk of Scotland G. B. pag. 45. The Spirit leading into all truth Joan. 16.13 advances not the Cause a whit since that Promise relates to all Believers Here is another Assertion without Proof as if we were bound to take your word Those words are part of the Sermon after the last Supper at which only the Apostles were present and which was directed immediately to them You should then give some Reason why they relate to all Believers althô spoken only to the Apostles G. B. The Church's being built on the Rock Peter proves nothing for a Series of Bishops of Rome seeing the other Apostles were also Foundations Answ If it prove all Bishops together Infallible firm in Faith as a Rock it confounds your Reformation which is condemned by them all G. B. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 16.19 import no more than that Peter was to open the Gospel When you shall give in a Proof we will consider it till then I will believe not you but Christ who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adds the Office of the Keys to open and shut not the Gospel but Heaven by loosing and binding Sins G. B. pag. 46. It is certain that Vice as well as Error is destructive of Religion If then there be no Authority for suppressing of Vice but that same of the Discipline of the Church it is not incongruous there be no other Authority for suppressing of Error but that same of the Discipline of the Church Answ It is certain that both in the old and new Law several Persons have been secured against Error who were subject to Sin. S. Peter was truly reprehensible (a) Gal. 2.11 for a thing he did not for any thing he writ or preached The same of David of Salomon c. For this reason our Blessed Saviour commanded (b) Mat. 23.23 all to follow the Doctrin of the Scribes and Pharisees because they sat on the Chair of Moyses but not their Example So your Question why God should provide more against Error in Faith than against Vice in Manners can find no place amongst Catholics who are taught to adore God's holy Will even when they understand it not and to (c) 2 Cor. 10.5 Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ To you who think it absurd to deny a Man the use of his Reason in Judging and Diseerning all things and submit even Divinely revealed Truths to its Tribunal to you I say we leave the search of those Depths and discovery of those Mysteries G. B. pag. 48. I could prove from History that General Councils have erred that Popes have been Heretics Answ By what you have done we may guess what you can do Your Learning appears by your Writings as also your Judgment in using it We have seen many Proofs of it and shall see more in this small Tract I will add to them one Instance out of another Work of yours Observations on the First Canon of the Apostles pag. 66. You prove that anciently Priests could Administer the Sacrament of Confirmation out of the First Canon of the First Council of Orange When it is evident that That Canon doth not give Priests power to Administer the Sacrament of Confirmation but commands them to use Chrism in Baptism since when every Divine of the First Year knows that Vertical Chrismation hath been a Ceremony of that First and mysterious Sacrament Such Mistakes as these are incident to such as are bred in a Congregation where Ceremonies are abrogated G. B. pag. 49. We are not the Servants of Men nor bound to their Authority for none can be a Judge but where he hath Power to Try and to Coerce Now none but God can search our Hearts so none but he can be Judge Answ The Independent and Quaker and all who endure with regret Prince and Prelate Canon and Civil Law under pretence of Evangelical Liberty will thank you for this CHAP. XIV Of Merits G. B. p. 50. IF any have derogated from the value of the Satisfaction of that Lamb of God they have offered the utmost Indignity to the highest Love and committed the Crime of the greatest Ingratitude imaginable Answ Transeat totum what then G. B. Who would requite the most unconceivable Love with such a sacrilegious Attempt Answ None that I know of But say you how guilty are they of this who would set the Merits and Works of Men in an equality with the Blood of God Answ I know none such if you do point them out for Punishment no Catholic is concerned in them G. B. pag. 51. It is true this Doctrin of Merit is so explained by some of that Church that there remains no ground of quarrelling it except for the Terms sake which is indeed odious and improper thô early used by the Ancients in an innocent Sense But many of that Church acknowledge there can be no Obligation on God by our Works but that which his own Promise binds upon him Answ Here is one of the malicious Sleights of you and your Brethren when you cannot with any colour accuse the Doctrin of our Church to pretend it is only the Doctrin of some few Persons that you may persuade your Disciples the generality of Catholics hold the contrary The Council of Trent contains what all Catholics Subscribe to and this is the Doctrin of that Council in this Point Concil Trid. Sess 6. cap. 16. Benè operantibus usque in finem in Deo sperantibus proponenda est vita aeterna tanquam gratia filiis Dei per Christum Jesum misericorditer promissa tanquem merces ex ipsius Dei promissione bonis ipsorum operibus meritis fideliter reddenda To those who persevere in good Works even to the end of this Life and who hope in God Life everlasting is proposed both as Grace mercifully promised to the adopted Children of God through Jesus Christ our Lord as also as a Reward due in vertue
of the Promise of God to their good Works and Merits What can you say against this Doctrin Is it not that very Doctrin which you say is Innocent and that there is no ground of quarrelling it We do not believe the greatest Good we can produce can bind God without 1. His own Promise 2. The Merits of Christ Why may not this suffice you But the Term is odious say you Why so Seeing by ancient Fathers and modern Divines by the Primitive and present Church it is used in an innocent Sense why may not the Catholic Church using that word in a good Sense qualifie the Odium and correct it What if not only in Fathers or Councils but in Scripture it self that Term be found at least equivalently will not that reconcile you to this Term Now so it is for Merit and Reward are Correlatives (a) Rom. 11.6 which cannot be separated according to Philosophy Now a Reward is promised in Scripture (b) Mat. 5.12 to those who are reviled and persecuted and calumniated as we are by you and your Brethren in such sly malignant Hints wherefore we do merit in suffering such Calumnies And S. Paul assures a Reward (c) 1 Cor. 9.17 was due to himself for Preaching willingly His willingly Preaching was then meritorious When the Reader saw those Tragical Declamations no doubt but he expected no less than some Doctrin destructive of Christianity and that Religion lay gasping Parturiunt montes natus est ridiculus mus All the fright you were in was raised from one word which you your self say hath an innocent Sense And we say that That very Sense is what the R. Catholic Church intends by it So you have a Remedy for your groundless Apprehension CHAP. XV. Of temporal Punishment due to Sin forgiven G. B. p. 54. ADD the Distinction of the temporal and eternal Punishment Sin deserves the later is removed by the Blood of Christ the former must be expiated by our selves either by Sufferings in this Life or in Purgatory Answ We hold indeed a temporal Pain due to Sin after it is remitted sometimes not always For when Sin is remitted by Baptism or by a perfect Act of Contrition we believe all Pain to be remitted with the Sin but not ordinarily And for this reason the Church at all times made a difference betwixt those whose Sins were expiated by the Sacrament of Baptism and of Penance for she never imposed any Penal Works on Baptized Persons and never omitted imposing them on Penitents Which short hint points out such a cloud of Witnesses testifying this Truth that it covers the whole Face of the Primitive Church and so covers it as to discover its Doctrin to be the same with ours Nothing can be more clear to confirm this Catholic Doctrin then that a temporal Penalty was inflicted on David (a) 2. Reg. 12.14 for that Sin which upon his crying Peccavi had been removed put away or forgiven A Penalty therefore or Penance may be inflicted for a Sin forgiven and consequently a Pain is due sometimes to it Indeed were it not so why did our Forefathers impose large Penances after by vertue of the Keys the Sins were remitted why do you blame us for imposing small Penances when there is as you say here none at all due G. B. pag. 54. This is contrary to the value we set on the Blood of Christ Ephes 2.15 16. By Christ Peace is made we are reconciled to God he presents us to the Father without spot wrinkle c. which declare how plenary his Satisfaction was nothing being left undone by him for removing the guilt of sin Thus you As if nothing could be required on Man's side in order to apply the Satisfaction of Christ without derogating from its plenitude Christ's Satisfaction was plenary so was his Prayer his Grief his Suffering Yet we must pray for our selves (a) Matt. 6.12 and for one another (b) Jac. 5.16 althô he prayed for us all And we must be sorry for our Sins the whole course of the Gospel requires it of us and we must suffer for and with him For as in order of Nature that Action of the prime Cause by which it concurs with Creatures is sufficient of it self to produce the whole Effect yet nothing is done without the concourse of secondary Causes which apply the Action of the first so the Satisfaction of Christ is sufficient for all yet doth not remit our sins actually without it be applied to us either by Baptism or Penitential Works And the necessity of this Application by Faith is owned by all your Reformers And if this is consistent with that Fulness why not Application by Faith and Charity You say This is a comfortless Doctrin Answ It is our Duty to take the Doctrin of Christ as we find it in holy Writ and to teach others what we take thence being assured that whether it he or be not comfortable it is wholsom unto everlasting Life And such is that Doctrin which makes us punish in our selves our offences and by that means prevent those punishments which God would otherwise inflict upon us it makes us work our salvation with (a) Phil. 2.12 fear and trembling it causes sorrow according to God which brings forth Penance unto (b) 2 Cor. 7.10 salvation which is stable It is a Doctrin proportioned to the present state of Man this being a state of Banishment and Penance where fear and trembling and sighs and tears and fasting and prayer and watches are his lot and must ground his security as to the main chance which is the only thing can give him real and substantial comfort in this vale of miseries He must conform to his pattern Jesus suffering and (c) 1 S. Pet. 2.21 follow his footsteps He carried his cross and invites us to take up ours and follow him (d) Mat. 16.24 but doth not advise us to leave it as if carrying his own were sufficient for both him and us In fine notwithstanding all the suffering of Christ for us we must here sow with tears (e) Psal 125.6 if we will there reap with joy Christ himself was to suffer (f) Luc. 24.26 and so to enter into his Glory And we must suffer with him (g) 2 Tim. 2.12 if we expect to reign with him This this is the Doctrin of Christ and the Spirit of the Gospel which teaches us to hope in the Merits of Christ but not to neglect good works It shews us not to presume on his Satisfaction nor despair of his Mercy to walk in hope of his goodness and fear of our own faults and frailties to be thankful for the Merits of Christ which give all their value to ours which of themselves are nothing In fine so to honor the fulness of our Redemption as not to foster negligence in our selves but to stir up our selves to imitate our Redeemer in doing and suffering that so we might be stedfast