Latin then Iovis And we see that if Iovis was ever in use it was presently layd by as not Latin when the names ending in A. were never changed As here you make Cicero an Ignoramus in Latin p. 309. soe you give the like character of Plato in Greeke in the Etymology of Minerva or Athena which you bring from Neith thus Neith Thien Then Thena Athena Something like this was this Etymology of Hooper from King Pippin thus Hooper Hopper Happer Dapper Diaper Napkin Nipkin Pipkin K. Pippin You have a Talent in finding Etymologys 't is pitty you doe not practice it more You pretend this Minerva or Athena was a name of the tru God whome the citty Sais in Aegypt adored under the name of Neith Arnobius l. 4. pag. 60. will teach you another lesson that she was a Woman native of Sais ex caeno gurgitibns prodita coagulataque limosis composed of the filthy mud of Nilus uppon whosebanks her native Towne stood You will also see there with what disdaine indignation the rest reject the claime of this Dirty Saitick slut to be the daughter of Iupiter Osyris is also raysed to a name of God whome all hystorys speake to have been a man brother to Isis killed by her husband Typho for Incest with her his body cut in peices scattred in severall places That she with the helpe of Anubis the Captaine of her guards or her cheife Hunts man found them all againe except one which Modesty should have hindred het from seeking as well as me from naming Yet the pretēded Goddesse Isis was so desolate for the losse of this part that to comfort her in her sacred rites a Resemblance of them was shewne to her by her Preists as if they had found that part Osyris then was a man such were Venus Iupiter Minerva Wherefore let us say with the Apostle Rom. 1. The Gentills knew God but adored him not All their Religion being taken up in the cult of Dead men P. 451. You say the Roman Capitol was dedicated to the B. Trinity of whome the Poet sayd Trina in Tarpeio fulgent consortia Templo viz. Iupiter Minerva Iuno pag. 454. so it should be which is marked 414. you find another Trinity in Aegypt Eicton Hemphtha Osyris As if by all threes the Pagans understood the Trinity Had the three Graces three Parkes three Gorgons three Furyes three Iudges three Rivers in Hell or three headed Cerberus or three bodyed Gerion occurred you would have given us more markes of your Talent To confute these dreames what I have sayd is enough seing those persons have once beene Men. That the Platonicians knew the mystery of the B. Trinity we learne of S. Austin But that the Divine persons as One in Nature were exposed even by them to publicke veneration I cannot beleive for the Fathers universally deny the Pagans to have adored the tru God In your whole Booke you endeavour to prove that the unity of God was a prime article of the Pagans Creede I am sorry so much labour should be lost as it must be seing the thing is evidently false To what I have sayd c. 7. s 5. I adde these proofes out of Origen who l. 1. cont Cels p. 5. speakes of laws for Idols Polytheisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 28. he says Prophets were given to the Jews to hinder their falling into Pagans Polytheisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And l. 3. p. 155. he says the Wise Men or Phylosophers fell from the cult of one God to Atheisticall or impious Polytheisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. pag. 51. he says Aristotle fled to Chalcis fearing the fate of Socrates from the Athenians least these should twice sin against Phylosophy Yet I am more concerned for your owne sake for what you say pag. 256. then for any thing else For there you assure that Origen expresseth l. 5. cont Cels Greate zeale against Christians using the Word Zeus Iupiter for the tru God as acknowledging some Christians to have used it Whereas he says Christians would rather endure any torments then use it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your other slips seeme to be mistakes but this is a fault against that sincerity for which I commended you Unlesse as I had rather beleive you tooke that Citation uppon the credit of some other The Iansenists have publisht whole bookes of Fathers to make way for some one sentence and written lives of Saints for one passage resembling their condition Some guesse your booke to be of that nature that Atheisme is only a Stalking horse to conveygh you unobserved to your game Popery so your Booke will be like a Pike which is a long piece of wood to give motion to a little piece of Iron which alone doth the feate J rather beleive what you pretend that it really is designed against Atheisme so like a sword each part serves to wound your Adversary I wish you had not with it mingled those points against Popery which may reflect uppon the rest for men are apt to suspect all when they find themselves once deceived Irenaeus l. 2. c. 24. Non oportet universum ebibere mare cum qui vult discere quoniam aqua ejus salsa est Tasting here there of it is a conviction sufficient In Nabuchodonosor's statu there was a little dirt mingled with the Iron brasse silver Gold all strong or precious except that small parcell which notwithstanding its littlenesse occasioned the ruine of all God forbid any such thing should fall on your Work whose arguments against Atheisme are unanswerable I have such an esteeme of labours against that hyghest Impiety that I should think my time well spent in secking citations or playing the scribe for the workemen But seing my condition doth not permit that I will give you this advice the only helpe withim my power that you consider in the first place whither a thing be tru then what use may be made of it in order to other Truths Non indiget Deus nostro mendacio ut pro illo loquamur dolos says Job 13.7 And S. Greg. l. 11. mor. c. 15. Veritas fulciri non quaerit auxilio falsitatis You thought doubtlesse it would be a greate conviction of Atheists that all Religions publicke laws had establisht the contrary Truth Now this being untru gives an advantage to an Atheist seing you build your assertion on such a quicksand The Argument it more convincing when drawne from that greate Truth delivered by Fathers that all men have a naturall knowledge of one God that so deepely engraven in them that maugre all the strength of laws the rigour of torments the force of bad education the Sophismes of Phylosophers the industry of wickedmen desirous to ease themselves of the remorse of conscience feare of a future Judge the wiles of the Devil it persevered shewed it selfe in certaine occasions so possest the hart as to force the mouth to speake out of its aboundance Certainely this voice of nature triumphing over all the force Art of Men Devils is a cleerer Testimony of one God preserving his possession in over his creatures controuling all adjectitious Notions then any Demonstration man's wit can invent especially some Atheists pretending to invalidate this reason from the notion we have of a God by saying it comes not from Nature but Education Humane Laws which Plea is evidently defeated by this Truth that Laws Religion Custome were once against that Idea of one God all concurring to establish the contrary opinion of many Gods which yet prevailed over them all So the dirt of untruths mingled with the Gold of many greate precious Truths doth in reality weaken those which would be more convincingly drawne from establisht uppon our Principles I wish you good successe in attemps uppon Atheisme as long as you confound not with it any Catholick Truth being Yours as much as Truth will permit W. E. Decemb. 29. 1678.
our Church Gratitude to such Benefactors may teach you to Judge lesse severely to suspend your Judgment til you have more convincing arguments to ground it on then your owne bare bold Assertion CHAPTER III. Tru the Designes of Christian Religion THe Designe of God in establishing Religion was that Men should serve him in this world enjoy him in the next that they (a) Psal 12◠3 here sow with teares there reape with Ioy now run (b) 2. Tim. 4.7 8. their race fyght their battle then receive their Crowne Rivers (c) Eccles 1.7 receive their waters from the sea returne to it againe Religion receives its beginning from God runs through all ages to returne to God againe Each man before his creation is Creatrix essentia says S. Anselme from which by creation he is separated by Regeneration the good workes which follow it he returnes to him againe never more to be separated from him The first Action is of God alone the rest are of God man for God (a) Aug. Quite creavit sine te non te salvabit sine te will not compleate the work of our salvation with out the cooperation of man God (b) Subest tibi cùm volueris posse can doe all with out man but will not man (c) Sine me nihil potestis facere 10.15.5 can doe nothing without God from whome he must expect prevenient concomitant subsequent Graces for all every meritorious action That blisse which God prepares for us in the next life containes God himself when enjoyed renders the thrice happy soul like (d) Similes ei erimus 1.10.3 ◠unto God we must attaine to it by meanes proportionable which partake of the resemblance Wherefore our understanding must be like that of God beleiving him our will Loving him the first is Faith the second Charity To which adde Hope to keepe our soul steedy amidst the difficultyes of this life as an anker (e) Heb. 6.19 fixes a ship you have the three vertues called Theologicall because they rely immediatly on Almyghty God Faith on his Veracity or Truth in affirming Hope on his Fidelity in promising Goodnesse as he is our Cheife Good Charity on his Goodnesse in its selfe Which three Virtues containe what is required of us in this life Whatsoever is required to a good life is knowne is we know what to beleive to hope to love Says (a) Aug. Ench. c. 4. Omnia quae requiris proculdubio scies diligenter sciendo quid credi quid sperari debeat quid amari Haec enim maximè imò verò sola in Religione sequenda sunt S. Austin Which are the only things Religion regards as being designed only for these three vertues But are we not oblidged to keepe the commandments Or doe not they advauce towards Heaven who run (b) Psal 119.32 in the paths which God hath traced out And how come these to be omitted ANSWER They are not omitted but are contained in Charity (c) Rom. 13.8.9 He that loveth an other bath fullfilled the law our whole duty to our neyghbour the commandments relating to him being breifly comprehended in this saying Love thy neyghbour as thy selfe As our whole duty to God is contained in that other saying Love God above all things (d) Mat. 22.40 On these two commandments hang all the law the Prophets These are the two rootes (e) Mat. 7.17 of the good tree which brings forth good fruite As love of our selves is the roote of the bad tree which brings forth bad fruite The (f) Aug. serm 44. de temp Radix omnium bonorum est Charitas sicut radix omnium malorum est cupiditas roote of all good is Charity as the roote of all evill is concupiscence Againe (g) Aug. l. de moribus Eccl. c. 25. Nihil aliud est benè vivere quam toto corde totâ animâ totâ mente Deum diligere To live well is to love God with all our hart with all our soul with all our mind I should as easily write out the whole new testament as endeavour to cite all the passages which directly or indirectly commend Charity seing all tend to extinguish in us selfe love to kindle Divine love In it Divine love sometimes is preferred before (a) 1. Cor. 13. the tongues of men Angells before Faith working miracles before knowledge of the greatest mysteryes Almes giving c. It is called (b) Col. 3.14 the bond of perfection the end (c) 1. Tim. 5. or intent of the commandments c. I end with the words of the beloved loving disciple (d) 10.4.16 God is love he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God God in him Wherefore with reason S. Austin (e) Aug. l. de laudibus Charitatis sayd Ille tenet quicquid latet quicquid patet in divinis sermonibus qui servat Charitatem in moribus I should not have beene so long uppon a point of which I thought none could be ignorant who reades the Scriptures or knows the Rudiments of Christianity did I not perceive that you ether never knew it or have forgotten And When (f) Heb. 5.12 for the time your vocation you should be a teacher you have neede that one should teach you which be the first principles af the Oracles of God For how happens it that in relating the designes of Christian Religion there is not one cleere word of the love of God which is the maine designe of it you speake of Purity Ingenuity Patience Generosity some thing of the love of our neyghbour But why are you silent of the love of God which gives vertu to all the rest which without it avayle us nothing (a) 1. Cor. 13. how perfect soever they be in their kind Doe you intend to make that fall under the notion of AntiChristianisme as being with you no part of the Designes of Christianity I shall expect a satisfactory answer to these doubts proceede to CHAPTER IV. G. B. His explication of the Designes of Christianity G. B. pag. 4. The first designe of Christian Religion is to give us ryght apprehensions of the Nature Attributes of God Pag. 5. The second branch is to hold forth the method of mans reconciliation with his Maker You meane that the intent of Christian Religion is to teach us that there is One God One Mediator which are objects of our Faith Pag. 7. The third is to teach the perfectest cleerest most divine rules for advancing of the souls of men to the hyghest perfection of their natures it giving cleerer rules fuller directions then ether morall Philosophers or the old teflament The lessons of Purity chastity ingenuity humility meekenesse patience generosity No◠one word of charity but Generosity I know not whence comes in to take its place Pag. 8. The fourth is to unite
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 satisfaction was plenary soe was his Prayer his Greife his suffring Yet we must pray for our selves (a) Mat. 6.12 for one another (b) Iac. 5.16 althô he prayed for us all And we must be sorry for our sins the whole course of the Ghospell requires it of us we must suffer for with him For as in order of nature that action of the Prime cause by which it concurs with creatures is sufficient of it selfe to produce the whole effect yet nothing is done without the concourse of secondary causes which apply the action of the first soe the satisfaction of Christ is sufficient for all yet doth not remit our sins actually without it be applyed to us ether by Baptisme or Penitentiall workes And the necessity of this application by faith is owned by all your Reformers And if this is consistent with that fullnesse why not application by Faith Charity You say This is a comfortlesse Doctrine ANS It is our duty to take the doctrine of Christ as we find it in holy writ to teach others what we take thence being assured that whither it be or be not confortable it is holesome unto everlasting life And such is that Doctrine which makes us punish in our selves our offences by that meanes prevent those punishments which God would otherwise inflict uppon us it makes us worke our salvation (a) Philip. 2.12 with feare trembling it causes sorrow according to God which brings forth Pennance unto (b) 2. cor 7.10 salvation which is stable It is a Doctrine proportioned to the present state of man this being a state of Bannishment Pennance where feare trembling sighes teares fasting Prayer watches are his lot must ground his security as to the maine chance which is the only thing can give him reall substanciall comfort in this vale of miseryes He must conforme to his patterne Jesus suffring follow his (c) 1. Pet. 2.21 foot steps He carryed his Crosse invite us to take up ours follow him (d) Mat. 16.24 but doth not advise us to leave it as if his carrying his owne were sufficient for both him us In fine not withstanding all the suffring of Christ for us we must here sow with teares (e) Psal 125.6 if we will there reape with Ioy. Christ him selfe was to suffer (f) Luc. 24.26 soe to enter into his Glory And We must suffer with him (a) 2. Tim. 2.12 if we expect to raygne with him (b) 2. Tim. 2.12 This this is the doctrine of Christ the spirit of the Ghospel which teachs us to hope in the merits of Christ but not to neglect good workes it shews us not to presume on his Satisfaction nor despayre of his Mercy to walke in hope of his goodnesse feare of our owne faults frailtyes to be thanckfull for the merits of Christ which give all their value to ours which of themselves are nothing In fine soe to honour the fullnesse of our Redemption as not to foster negligence in our selves but to stirre up our selves to imitate our Redeemer in doing suffring that soe we myght be stedfast immoveable in good (c) 1. Cor. 25.58 abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that our labour is not in vaine CHAPTER XVI Of Purgatory G. B. p. 55. begins to treate of Purgatory doth it soe lyghtly as if he feared to burne his fingers Yet if he shews lesse Reading he shews more Cunning then his Brethren E.S. or W.L. who give greater advantages to an Adversary by fixing a time for the kindling of that Purging fire which was lyghted long before any determinate time they can fix uppon Mr. Stillingf pag. 654. Not one of the fathers affirmed your doctrine of Purgatory before Gregory I. Yet W. L. allows it a much greater antiquity pag. 353. We can find says he a beginning of this doctrine a Beginner too namely Origen Thus they differ amongt themselves as little agree each with himself for p. 348. W. L. had sayd Scarce any father within the first three hundred yeares ever thought of it Which assertion is contradiction to what he says of Origen's being the Beginner of it it is moreover very rash for doth he think that all the fathers of the first three ages writ downe all their thoughts or that all they writ is preserved till our days or that he hath seene all that is soe preserved or remembers all that he hath ever seene But let us leave these men to reconcile together their owne thoughts which will be no small nor short labour And examin the thing it self to come to it I passe over severall slips of our adversarys v.c. Wil Lawd pag. 348. says that the first Definition of Purgatory to beleived as a divine truth was made by the Councill of Florence In which he is mistaken for Benedict XII long before that had defined the same I prove that the primitive Church believed a Purgatory in the most pure times out of the testimony of three Fathers S. Hilary S. Gregory Nissen S. Austin S. Hilary (a) Hil. in ps 118.20 Ille indefessus ignis obeundus est subeunda sunt illa expiāda a peccatis animae supplicia That restlesse fire is to be endured those punishments to be borne which may purge our soul from sins S. Greg. Nissen (b) Greg. orat de mortliis as cited by W. L. p. 351 Men must be purged ether by Prayers or by the furnace of Purgatory fire after this life Againe A man cannot be partaker of the divine nature unlesse the purging fire doth take a way the staines that are in his soul Againe After this life a Purgatory fire takes away the blots propensity to evill W. L. considering these words ingenuously confesses they seeme plaine Yet he holds out one buckler against these two Arrows drawne out of the quivers of those fathers that they speake of a Purgation of sins in the Roman Church we are taught to beleive only a Purgation of the paine due to sins already forgiven Now this avayles little 1. because the debt of paine may be often is taken for sin on which it is grounded metonimicè 2. He seemes not to understand our doctrine for there is no definition of our church oblidging us to beleive that there remaine no veniall sins in Purgatory Hence Dr. Kellison (c) Kellis in 3. p. tom 2. p. 611. late President of the Inglish Colledge of Doway proves Purgatory to be prepared first for those who dye with only veniall sins Secondly for those
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
we forgive And as betwixt the two brothers in Rebecca's Wombe soe betwixt these two loves there is a combate within our breast For (a) Gal. 5.17 the spirit covets against the flesh the flesh against the spirit these are contrary to one another And this is that perpetuall combate which we undergoe by reason of which this life is termed (b) Job 7.1 Militia est vita hominis super terram a warfare And (c) Aug. l. 11. de Civit. Dei c. 28. Bonum est homini ut illo prosiciente quo benè vivimus elle desiciat quo malè viv imus donec ad persectum sanetur in bonum commutetur omne quod vivimus we are conquered when selfe love prevailes over the love of God but we conquer when the love of God gets the better Wherein then doth consist the perfection of a Christian In a hart pure from bad love not yeilding consent to the motions of selfe love but resisting them a hart filled with the love of God following in all things the motions of Divine Grace the guidance of the Holy Spirit And (d) Aug. in Psal 64. Interroget se quisque quid amet inveniet undè sit civis could we certainly discover which of the two loves rules in our hart we should certainly know the state of our soul Supposing these principles let us attend Mr. G. B. G. B. pag. 76. Religion elevates the souls of mn to a participation of Divine nature where by they being inwardly purifyed the outward cōversation reguluted the world may be restored to its primitive Innocence men admitted to an inward intimate fellowship with their maker ANS What you say of participation (a) 2. Pet. 1.4 of Divine nature is out of Scripture likewise our souls being inwardly purifyed our inward fellowship with God All which is tru althô you nether tell what they meane nor understand it your selfe But that by Christianity the outward conversation should be regulated or primitive Innocence restored is aliene or untru That by Christianity outward conversation is regulated is aliene Orderly conversation being a meere externe naturall quality many times as excellent in Infidels as Christians Certainly the perfection of Christianity may be found in Anchorets preserved in a desert Whence a good conversation appeares not to be a very materiall ingredient of perfection And that Christianity should aime at restoring the world to its primitive Innocence it absolutely false for that Innocence cannot be attained unto nether in this life nor the next not in this in which the greatest Saints have their (b) Rom. 7. combats from which man in state of primitive Innocence was free not in the next the state of glory being above that of Innocency Soe nether of these is the end of Christianity G. B. pag. 76. What devices are found out to enervate Repentance sins must be divided into mortall veniall ANS From the beginning there hath always beene observed an inequality of sins I will omit moderne Divines which you doe not understand Councils which you regard not Bede in c. 5. Jac. distinguishes them the māner to expiate them which in the Greeke Church is still in use That same is observed by S. Austin Enchir. c. 71. cited above Chapt. 18. sect ◠The Beloved Disciple (a) 1. Io. 5.16.17 speakes of sin unto death others not such S. Paul (b) 1. Cor. 6.9.10 should discove rthe Plot what Was Christ concerned in this device who distinguishes sins against the holy Ghost from others whither will these men Leade us or goe themselves or what can besecure from those tongues which spare no more the doctrine delivered by Christ by the Apostles or the primitive Fathers then that of moderne Divines I know all sins are offences of God yet I doe not with the Stoicks think all sins equall or him as greate a sinner who speakes an Idle word as him who kills his owne father The contrary Paradoxes may find place And be admired in Calvin by his deluded followers but certainly no sober man can approve them G. B. p. 77. Their asserting that simple attrition qualifies men for the Sacrament ANS You doe more for you think Attrition sufficient to justify without the Sacrament Pag. 76. having sayd that Repentance remission were always united you explicate Repentance to be a horrour of sin uppon the sense of its native deformity contrariety to the law of God which makes the soul apprehend the hazard it hath incurred by it so as to study by all meanes possible to avoyde it in all time coming This is all you say which any divine knows to be only Attrition as not expressing cleerely the only motive of tru Contrition love of God above all things for his only goodnesse Give Glory to God Is it not tru that yov had heard of a dispute beyond seas betwixt Iansenists their Enemyes about the sufficiency of Attrition to justify with the Sacrament And you never would take the paines to examin the sentiments of ether part or their motives but relyed suppon the first apprehension which occurred to you Your writings give a probable ground for this conjecture G. B. p. 76. All the severitys enjoyned by Papists for Pennances doe but tend to nourish the life of sin ANS You may as well say the severity of the laws against Robbers murtherers the Axe Halter tend only to nourish inclinations to rob kill Sure your common sense is far different from that of others else you would never advance these Paradoxes Nether will it serve your turne if you recurre to the pecuniary mulcts enjoyned to some for first you cannot blame those without blaming Scripture which recemends Almes giving as a (a) Dan. 4.24 meanes to redeeme sins Secondly because worldly men are not soe willing to part with their mony how generous soever you are were you to give a crowne for every untruth you print you would by that pecuniary mulct not be encouraged to write as you doe CHAPTER XXII Theologicall Vertues G. B. pag. 78. That which is next pressed in the Ghospel for uniting souls of mankind to God is that Noble ternary of Graces Faith Hope Love ANS You can never speake soe much in commendation of the Theologicall vertues as they deserve for their merits surpasse all we can say And if you compare the least of them with those called morall vertues it will out shine velut inter stellas Luna minores Yet Faith and Hope must doe Homage to Charity or Love at to their soveraigne as to the end to which they are designed to the fountaine of their life cause of their value This I have sayd above yet I againe repeate it for their sakes who soe set up the merits of Faith as to neglect Good workes (a) Iac. 2.17 without which Faith is dead to place is after Charity without which Faith (b)