significant Ceremonyes instituted by the Apostles or at least in Apostolicall times which may be proved out of Tertul S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierosme S. Austin S. Denys you have retrenched all save only the signe of the Crosse And O judicium (a) Exod. 8.19 This is the finger of God the peeuish refractory stubbome children of your Church have wrangled with her about that with the same reasons as shee had done with her mother the Roman Catholick Church soe visibly hath God (b) Mat. 7.2 meeted unto you your measure (c) Sap. 11.17 punisht you by your sin As ours come to the use of reason a new Sacrament expects them Confirmation which is the same mentioned soe frequently in the (d) Act. 8.18 Acts of giving the Holy Ghost by imposition of the Apostles hands which armes them against visible invisible enemyes with the spirit of fortitude to professe their Faith Of this Protestants .... We find in every Church (a) Mat. 1.11 Malachy's Prophesy fullfilled a pure offring made to God masse sayd And in Catholick countryes rich poore even the meanest artisans labourers as Porters water-carryers c will steale soe much time from their almost necessary Rest as to give halfe an your to adore God his son Jesus in the morning hoping they will blesse their labours all the day the better for it O that you did but see with what attention respect they assist at those Divine Mysterys how with their knees on the ground their eyes on the Altar their hart in Heaven they accompany the Preist with him jointly make that oblation to God with what sentiments they adore Christ present desire him to appease his fathers wrath for their sins by the merits of his Passion preserve them from offending anew that day to blesse that days actions What doe protestants As soone as they are up they have their hand in the cup bord in the cup their nose Have any by mortall sin shut against themselves the gates of Heaven which the Passion of Christ opened they stirre up a reall sorrow for that offence of God purpose amendment with these dispositions addresse themselves to a Preist with a resolution to follow his advice performe what he shall enjoine They discover to him all the wounds of their soul their most secret most reprochfull sins as to God himselfe whose vicegerent he is being assured of an inviolable secret itis doubtlesse a perpetuall miracle that amongst soe many thousands of Preists not one should be found faulty in this point They harken to his advice accept his Pennance to fast pray give almes visit Prisoners serve poore in Hospitals or the like according as the condition of the Penitent permits Then receive Absolution in vertu of the power given by our Saviour (a) Io. 20.23 to Preists The effects of this sacrament are Remission of sins past avoyding others making Restitution if any thing hath beene taken as some Inglish in France have experienced In fine a newnesse of life Of all this what is in use among Protestants nothing Are they judged fit to approach the Divine table they doe it with a lively Faith beleiving it is the tru reall substantiall body of Christ With his blood Divinity per concomitantiam Concil Trid. sess 13. cap. 13. by reason of the inseparable union betwixt them with profound humility professing with the Centurion (b) Luc. 7.6 their unworthynesse to receive their lord desiring him to make them worthy And with a Love proportionable to that Christ shewed by instituting this Sacrament What doe Protestants sometimes something for their Ministers distribute a morsell of breade a sup of wine they may expet to meete only with dispositions proportionable to those beggarly elements Amongst us (a) Iac. 5.14.15 Is any sicke He calls for the Preists of the Church they pray over him annointing him with oyle in the name of the Lord that the Prayer of Faith may save the sicke god may rayse him up in case it be for the glory of God the good of the Patient if he have cemmitted sins they may be forgiven him Thus in an Apostles words I have delivered our practice in administring the Sacrament of Extreme-Onction Of which Protestants nothing Besides masse which all heare every day commonly three times a day A Bell rings to mind us of the Incarnation of the son of God move all with an Act of faith to acknowledge it returne God thanks for it of which amongst Protestants nothing I may conclude this comparison betwixt you us as to the practice of Piety with S. Austin's (b) Aug. l. de moribus Ecclesiae cap. 34. words very pat to our purpose Istis Manichaei Protestantes si potest is obsistite istos intuemini istos sine mendacio si audetis cum contumeliâ nominate Istorum jejuniis vestra jejunia castitati castitatem vestitum vestitui epulas epulis modestiam modestiae charitatem charitati quod res maximè postulat praeceptis praecepta conferte I am videbitis quid inter ostentationem sinceritatem inter viam rectam errorem intersit Nunc vos illud admoneo ut aliquando Ecclesiae Catholicae maledicere desinatis vituperando mores hominum quos ipsa condemnat quos quotidie tanquam malos filios corrigere studet Sed quisquis illorum bonâ voluntate Deique auxilio corriguntur quod amiserunt peccando poenitendo recuperant Qui autem voluntate mala in pristinis vitiis perseverant aut addunt graviora prioribus in agro quidem Domini sinuntur esse cum bonis seminibus crescere sed veniet tempus quo zizania separentur Considering them well see whither without offending against Truth you can reproach any thing Compare yourfasts with ours your chastity your modesty cheifly your doctrine with ours You will presently perceive what difference there is betwixt vaine boasting sincerity going the stryght way wandring At present I advise you to cease from detracting from the Catholick Church blaming the lives of men whome shee condemnes whome shee dayly endeavours to correct as naughty children If any of them with the helpe of God's grace are converted they recover in the Catholick Church by repentance what they lost by sin If any notwithstanding all these helpes to Piety continue obstinate in their wickednesse or adde more grevious sins to those they have committed they are indeed tolerated in the feild of God the Church untill the time come designed for the separation of the cockle from the good corne Thus S. Austin Glory then as much as you please with the lukewarme Laodicean Angel That you are rich èncreased in Goods want nothing Yet assure yourselfe that as he soe you are poore wretched miserable blind naked Your boasting of the advantages of your instructions discipline amongst your
ANTI-HAMAN OR an ANSWER to M.G. BURNET'S MISTERY of INIQUITY UNVAILED Where in is shewed the CONFORMITY of the Doctrine worship Practice of the ROMAN CATHOLICK CHURCH with those of the Purest times The IDOLATRY of the PAGANS is truly stated the Imputation of PAGAN IDOLATRY cleerely confuted And REASONS are given why CATHOLICKS avoyde the Communion of the PROTESTANT CHURCH By W. E. Student in Divinity With Leave of Superiours 1678. PREFACE IN the Infancy of the world nothing was thought Painfull or Afflicting to man but Sicknesse Death now he is Greived if he wants any thing he affects the Riches of nature are Scarce able to content his Desires even whem he hath all things necessary he thinks himself Poore if he wants any thing superfluous Crassus was the Richest of the Romans yet thought himself Poore because there were some riches not his owne soe he past terrible Deserts to make war to Nations whose only crime was their Wealth To Alexander the whole Earth seemed little having conquered it he wept hearing there were other worlds undiscovered Achab King of a greate Kingdome was soe heavy greived that he could not eate because one refused to sell him a small plot of ground to plant herbs in Thus man finds a torment in his felicity when he is most Fortunate he becomes soe tender that althô his Attempts are successefull yet even in them he finds pretexts to complaine his greatest successes are accompanyed with some circumstances which afflict him He is not content with a victory because the Commander of the Enemyes saved himself by flyght did not Loose his life or liberty with his Honour The enemy's navy is beaten yet that satisfyes him not because some of their ships recovered their Haven A towne is taken yet he is troubled that the whole Province with it did not receive the yoke Yet suppose his satisfaction entire in one enterprize that will only stirre him up to new Projects The death of one Desire is the birth of another He uses his Reason only to invent new Tortures to his Hart by proposing new Objects to his Will which deprive him of all contentment in what he hath whilest he prosecutes his designes to obtaine what he hath not His Desire of Honour is no lesse insatiable A scholler thinks the time he spends in studys lost unlesse he be pointed at in the streetes saluted as a Rabby His vertu it selfe seemes not satisfyed with the testimony of a good Conscience unlesse with the Approbation of Heaven he hath the applause of the Earth he thinks himselfe wronged Nay should all generally applaude him if only one detract it spoyles all the Satisfaction he takes in the commendations of the rest To Haman all knees were bent in the whole Empire of Persia except those of Mardochai the trouble of this banisht all the content he found in the submission of the rest He considered the greatenesse of his Riches the Glory of his Authority the number of his children the Queene's kindnesse the King's favour who had raysed him a bove all the rest of the Princes Yet all avayled him nothing as long as he saw Mardochai sitting at the King's gate Hester 5.13 Hence he tooke a Resolution to rid the country of him all his kindred the whole Iewish Nation the only faithfull people visible church of that time The Proceedings of Protestant Ministers in order to Roman Catholicks are not unlike to those of Haman with the Iewes discover as greate as insatiable an Ambition They have turned us out of the churchs we had built founded shut us out of their Courts excluded us out of their Armys barred against us all entry into their Navys by getting us declared incapable of Civill and Military employment of all offices honourable or beneficiall By which meanes no Papist appearing in their ordinary publick meetings all knees are bent to them Yet all this auayles not these meeke men as long as a Papist is seene to walke in the streetes or knowne to breath Inglish ayre Soe the country must be rid of us Thus far the Paralel runs just betwixt Haman the Ministers on the one side the Israelits Catholicks on the other Yet there occurre two differences one that I never Reade that Haman had bin enriched with the spoyles of the Jews the Benefices our Ministers enjoy were founded by Catholycks The other that Haman contented himself with punishing the bodys of the Jews our Ministers doe more over persecute our souls Soe that the Proceedings of these our friends are more uniust in their cause more Inhumane in their effects Mr. Gilbert Burnet gives this verdict for Banishing us in this World Damning us in the next But our Comfort is that there lyes an Appeale from his Sentence to the Tribunal of God as to what concernes the next world to the mercy of the King Equity of the Parliament Judges as to what concernes this We hope they will not by banishing soe many Peeres of the Realme worthy Gentlemen avoyde the disturbance of Mr. Burnet who gives no other motive why we should be banisht then that we disturbe them Let those to whome of Ryght it belongs consider what reward this man's presumption deserves who being borne out of the Kingdome as Haman was Hester 16.10 lately by favour admitted in to it should have the Confidence to pronounce so severe a sentence uppon soe considerable a part of it What may not be expected from his boldnesse when he is deeper rooted in England hath gotten more Credit Haman alleadged against the Iews two points 1. That their Religion was different from that of the State which thing was tru but it was also Innocent 2. Their disobedience to the King's laws which was a Calumny But his maine motive was the stifnesse of Mardochai's knees which he concealed but God revealed And M.B. alleadges two faults against us points of our Religion which are tru but harmelesse Calumnyes as by this Treatise will appeare And there is greate reason to suspect some other motive which in the treatise will shew it self No doubt but Haman pretended greife to find soe much disloyalty amongst the Iews as Mr. G.B. pretends for the wickednesse of the Papists The Holy Ghost hath revealed in scripture the hypocrisy of the one I will leave to the same Divine Spirit the Judgment of the other The paralel running so just betwixt Haman Mr. Burnet the reader sees the reason why I give the name of Anti-Haman to this Pamphlet I declare that I have no intention to offend his person by that name or any thing else in the whole further then the matter I speake of after him forces me In my answer I follow G.B. step by step to shew I doe not alter his sense nor dissemble the strength of his arguments I put them downe in his owne words I divide my worke into
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
113. Illa causa est maxima impietatis insame quod plus valet in affectibus miserorum similis viventi forma quae sibi efficit supplicari quam quod cam mamfestum est nonesse viventem ut debeat à vivente contemni Plus enim valent ad curvandam infaelicem animam quod os habent oculos habent aures habent quà m ad corrigendam quod non loquentur non videbunt non audient Illa causa The greatest cause of this mad senselesse impiety is that the likenesse of a living man workes more strongly uppon the affection of those wretches then an evident conviction that being dead they should be despised by the living For the shape of eyes eares mouth nose hands feete are more prevalent to bend downe before them a miserable soul then their not speaking hearing seing smelling touching or walking is to correct the error Says S. Austin Probably this may be the reason wherefore althô by God's command statues (b) Exodi 25.18 of Cherubins were made to be placed with the Ark in the Sanctuary where none but Preists came yet in the courts of the temple ether those of the Jews or Gentills there were none To leave norhing in the syght of that stiffe neckt Rebellious Adulterous people which myght be (b) Exodi 25.18 Astumbling blocke to their souls a snare to their feete And such would those statues have beene to the Jews as they had beene to the Gentills The Protestants cannot blame the Catholick Church for having statues exposing them to the people openly without blaming their owne Church in which statues are in like manner made exposed as I have heard of severall of their Cathedralls namely that of Canterbury where upon the font are those of Christ his twleve Apostles We think our people secured from the danger of Idolatry first by being taught that the statues are only representations of saints not saints themselves much lesse Gods Secondly because that Religious respect which we give to Images doth by them end ultimatè in God for why doe we respect the Image or Statue For the Saint it represents And why doe we reverence the Saint Merely because he was the Temple of God instrument of the Holy Ghost Soe that all our worship of Images ends in God his Christ with the Holy Ghost one God Blesse◠for ever more Thus we instructing the people stop their inclinations to the evill Idolatry by owning all we have all the Saint had that is good from God we hope we neede not feare that dreadfull Blindnesse Folly in to which the men wise according to this world were permitted to humble confound them to fall through a penall but a very Iust Iugdment of God The last occasion of this Idolatry was the Devill insinuating himself into the statues in amanner dwelling in them answering to questions proposed to them causing sicknesses healing them telling things which hapned at a distance pretending to foretell things to come althô in this unlesse they were very cautions in delivering their oracles in obscure termes their Ignorance in future things was easily discovered Of this see S. Austin (a) Aug. l. 8. de Civit. c. 23. Justinus (b) Iustin Mart. dialog cum Triphone Origenes (c) Origenes l. 1. contra Celsum Minutius Felix (d) Minutius Felix in Octavio Prudent (e) Prudent in Apotheosi Cyprian (f) Cypr. l. ad Demetrianum Arrobius Lactantius c. I. end with the convinting testimony of Athenagoras p. 29. The things sayd he which gave names to Idols were men those which take names of them are Divils For this reason Tertull. l. de testim Animae propè finem sayd Thou o soul didst abhor Divils yet thondidst Adore them I must not omit another kind of Idolatry of those who adored as God severall creatures ether for their beauty or the benefit they received by them such as are the fire some elements of the Earth or the sun moone or stars Vaine (g) Sap. 13.1 are all men by nature who are ignorant of God could not out of the good things seene know him that is nether by considering his workes did acknowledge the workemaster But deemed either fire or the circle of the stars or the lygks of Heaven to be Gods which governe the world with whose beauty if they being delyghted tooke them to be Gods let them know how much better the lord of them is But if they were astonisht a their power vertu let them understand by them how much myghtyerhe is who made them There is yet a nother species of Idolatry of such who Deifyed adored all creature◠Which was grounded on that opinion of the stoicks that God was the soul of the word which is exprest by Virgil Spiritus intus alit totamque infusaper artus Mens agitat molem magno se corpore miscer But nothing about this occurring in Scripture not much in Fathers I let in passe These are the severall species of Idolatry which doe occurre are most conspicuous amongst Pagans All were absolutely in excusable for leaving the Creator for the Creature Yet amongst all me thinks the cause of those who adored the sun was some what lesse in excusable then the rest for althô Reason teaches it evidently not to be a God yet experience shews it to have one Propertye of God for the sun gives lyght life to all that have eye hart it gives without interest it never appeares but as a common good besides its visible effects produces many other by hidden influences These considerations doe not excuse but they somewhat diminish the guilt of those who adored that wonderfull instrument the worke of the most hygh Ecclesiastici 43.2 To summe up what we have sayd we find that even the wisest men have beene guilty of the greatest folly that can enter into any man's head how weake soever to take for a God a thing soe much inferiour to them in nature That they expected helpe of a thing helpelesse direction from what is sentelesse To this they were disposed by the humane shape striking their fancy they were moved to it by love of a dead master feare of a living Tyrant flattery to one on whome their fortune depended these altogether heygthned by the Illusion of the Divill Sometimes Gratitude to beneficiall creatures enclined men to renounce the greate Benefactor Yet these motives how powerfull soever could never have made men soe prodigiously to renounce the use of Reason had they not by former sins soe far left God as to deserve to beleft by him not that they received no grace at all from him but that they had not such graces as would keepe them in what was good prevent their fall into those senselesse errors SECTION III. What were the Gods of the Pagans or What things were represented by their Idols Where it is proved
testimony of his greate Patriark W.L. who in his Relatiâ—â— pag. 77. cites with greate esteeme of them thâ— words of Minutius Felix very judiciousâ— observes that it is not credible the tru Goâ— should be forced out of his possession Mud lesse that he be constrained to utter alye owne himself to be a foule seducing Dive Can any man think that God can deny himself to such a degree Credat Iudaeus Appelld non ego I scarce wonder at the extravagâ—â— opinions of the Pagans seing E. S. G. B. can believe that Were there not some other more powerfull tye then only imaginary or pretended incredibility I should hope to see both believe Transubstantiation seing they can beleive that God can deny himselfe tell a lye professe himselfe a Divel O Blasphemy But althô in a bad humour E. S. should refuse to subscribe to his quondam Primate yet I can have recourse to a person very neere unto him even his owne deare selfe for he Orig. Sac. l. 1. c. 2. p. 32. speaking of SaÌ„coniathon says That which of all seemes the clearest in this Theology is the open owning the Originall of Idolatry to have beene from the consecration of some eminent persons after their Death who had found out some use full things for the world whilst they were living which the subtiller Greekes would not admit of viz that the Persons they worshipped were once men which made them turne all into Allegoryes mysticall senses to blind that Idolatry they were quilty of the better amongst the IgnoraÌ„t And l. 3. c. 5. he says that Saturne Iupiter Mercury Neptune Vulcan Iuno Minerva Ceres Bacchus others had beene men women He could not have given a cleerer fuller testimony of the truth of what we say the fals hood of what he delivers then is contained in those two places To what can we attribute this change in E.S. that what was before the certaine position of Idolatry should now be fals but to a desire to charge that hainouâ—sin uppon the Roman Cat. Church which falls of it selfe to the ground if Pagans Idolatry be ryghtly represented Tantae molis eratâ—â— to make Rome seeme Idolater in the eyes of his ignorant admirers Philo Biblius had reason to blame those Allegoryes to which the subtiller Greekes had recourse which made a cleere new Religion by changing the object Adored as God from some man eminent for power or vertu to Elements much inferiour to the least ost men or any living Creatures for this yeilded the cause condemned the whole Idolatrous world So Minutius Felix in Octavio pag. 16. Zenon interpretando Iunonem Area Iovem Coelum Neptunum mare ignem esse Vulcanum coeteros similiter vulgi Deos Elementaesse monstrando publicum arguit graviter revincit arrorem SECTION IV. That the Iupiter O.M. of the Greekes Romans was not the tru God MY first cheife proofe is taken from what is already sayd out of H. Scripture Fathers Protestants Pagans For those universall Propositions containe all every God of Paganisme v. C. What are the Propositions of Scripture All the Gods of the Gentils are Divels And. The Pagans sacrificed to Divels not to God What are the Propositions of E.S. One God of the Pagans was the tru God no Divel Item The sacrifices of the Pagans were offred to the tru God not to the Divel If the Logicke of E. S. can reconcile with truth two contradictions it is a rare one Till he teach us how they can stand together we will stick to the common received Axiome of Sophistes that both cannot be tru So one of these propositions must befals ether that of Scripture or that of E. S. now I desire him to declare whither he takes to be tru and whither the Lyar God or himselfe Againe Gal. 4.8 the Galatians knowing not God served those who by nature were not Gods Which are the words of the Apostle And E.S. says The Galatians knew Iupiter served him who was the tru God Wherein he directly contradicts the Scripture The like arguments myght be brought from the authoritys cited out of Fathers Protestants Pagans who assuring universally that all the Pagan Deityes were raysed from men exclude all possibility of Iupiter's being otherwise he being one of them Indeed no body ever reproached the Catholick Roman Church that it did not adore the tru God althô many pretended the adoration of the Saints to be like to that of the Pagan Idolaters adoring of their secundary Gods why then should the Pagans be absolutely sayd not to adore the tru God if they did adore him althô they joined others in alike degree of worship with him But seing E. S. G.B. pretend Iupiter to be the name of the tru God Blessed for ever more amongst the Pagans I will shew that Iupiter according to Fathers Poets Protestants was a man as well as the rest I will confirme all with E.S. his owne testimony My next proofe is taken from those who confound iupiter with the rest of the Gods Saturne Neptune Pluto c. as well as of the other Gods We have heard Tertullian assure that Saturne was the ancientest of their Gods that the rest ought their being to him thence inferred that he being a man all the rest must have beenesoe too See also Lactan. Firm. who says l. 1. c. 15. It is evident all the gods were men See Tertul. c. 10. p. 39. His words are cited above sec 3. note that Vossiusl 1. Idol c. 18 p. 139 thinks this an invincible argument to prove that by Saturne the Pagans understond Adam Now if Saturne was the ancientest of all the Pagans Gods Iupiter who is on of them is not ab aeterno eternall consequently not the tru God See Minutius Felix p 23. where Iupiter is sayd to be cast out of possest body as well as Saturne Serapis as having nothing peculiar above the rest W.L. indeed puts an emphasis uppon his name Iupiter himselfe when he translates those words which is not in the Authour at least as we have him which shews only that the Pagans had a greater veneration for Jupiter then for the rest yet without taking him out of the number of those Heathen Gods who were subject to Christians exorcismes My third proofe is from such fathers who relate his country birth death Minutius Felix pag. 17. The birth Countryes sepulchers of the Gods are shewne Dictaei Iovis Of Iupiter on the mountaine Dicte S. Cyp. l. de Idol vanit p. 204. Antrum Iovis in Creta visitur sepulchrum ejus ostenditur ab eo Saturnum fugatum esse emanifestum est You many see Iupiter's cave in Candy his sepulcher is there shewne it is undeniable that he chaced thence Saturne his father Lactantius Firmianus l. 1. div instit cap. 11. p. 39. says this Epitaph was written on his tombe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iupiter Saturni S. Cyril of
Discourse concerning Idolatry pag. 154. Prayer offred to an invisible being not corporcally present is due only to God Soc that ablind man may not desire hisneygh bour to pray for him because all are invisible to him And Prayers offred to the Dragon Dan 14.23 or any Idols would be no Idolatry seing they could see or be seene were corporeally present And certainly S. Paul was an Idolater when as a distance be desired the Romans to pray for his good Jourey who were nether visible to him nor corporeally present He follows the custume of our Reformers hethrows stones with out ever regarding where they fall But what proofe doth he bring for his Novelty The authority of Dio Martial both Pagans one of them the most filthy or beastly rather of all Poets And can Mr. Whitby judge their authority competent to decide a controversy betwixt Christians condemne the publicke practice of the Catholick Church Have we not reason to except against their being Vmpieres in this dispute Yet to doe Mr. Whitby a pleasure we will admit them as Judges Arbitrators What say them Dio says Caligula was a God when prayed to And Martial says those who pray to Idols make them Gods Suppose all this tru what is it to Visibility or corpore all presente of which they make no mention yet were brought to prove them How wretchedly doth he pleade against us who first appeales to incompetent Judges secondly to such as pronounce nothing in his favour In malâ causâ non possunt aliter Aug. CHAPTER XI Pretended Charmes where Of Holy-Water Waxcandles Agnus Deis c. G.B. pag. 32. All the Euchantements used in Heathenisine are nothing if compared to those of the Roman Church ANSWER Were your Proofes as strong as your Assertions are bold you would be the most formidable enemy that ever we had But that strength of proofes is wanting Those Creatures which barke Lowde seldome bite hard In bold affirmations none more positive then women children the ignorantest of schollers Wise Learned Man are more wary reserved who never are very positive althô they seeme sometimes to have reason on their side because they are conscious of the uncertainty of their discourses whose fallacys they discover in others in themselves too In this place you would easily have discovered your error had you looked over your proofes For what more weake then those G.B. pag. 32. Can any thing looke liker a tharme then the worshipping of God in an unknowne tongue ANS What say you to reading your Inglish service to such Irish as understand it not Is that a charme for what ever you say in vindication of your common Prayer will serve to answer you in this reproach To whome can I compare the men of this generation (a) Iuke 7.31 to whome are they like They are like unto children pettish children whome nether laughing nor weeping will please Soe you are resolved never to be content with what Papists doe Is their service kept in Latin It resembles a Charme Doth it appeare in Inglish as it lately did at London And Hannibal ad port as of such a fearfull Nature are your brethren that what everdresse our service appeares in it fryghtens them As the signe of the Crosse the name of Iesus did the Divils in Iulian's time But are you soe much astranger to the world as not to know that no living language cōtinues long the same that men's phansys of words change as well as those of fashions That sometimes they lay aside some words take in others sometimes retaine the word but alter its sense by use If all this be true supposea change be made in a vulgar language doe you think the Church oblidged presently to change her service If you doe shew me the ground of that obligation If you can shew no command for such a perpetuall change in the Lyturgy condemne our Church no more for not doing what you cannot shew she is bound to doe G.B. pag. 33. Shall I here tell of the charming of water of salt of waxcandles of Roses Agnus Deis medalls the like ANS It is not easy to conjecture what you blame in these things nor for what reason unlesse it be that Papists use them that is enough to draw your censure Doe the things themselves displease you They are the creatures of God all creatures of God are good 1. Tim. 4.4 nothing ought to be rejected which is received with thanks giving as I assure you Papists use those things Or are you offended that they are blest That is unreasonable seing that gives a kind of Sanctity to them They are sanctifyed by the word of God Prayer says S. Paul in the place above cited Soe that I think the practice of Blessing severall things comes from Apostolicall Tradition that it is grounded on that text of S. Paul And I desire you to fix the time when you think they began I am perswaded I can shew them to be ancienter then any time since the two firstages determinable if not all yet some of them soe as by those which can be shewed from the beginning the rest by lawfull consequence may be deduced as not unlawfull or Enchantments See Baronius ad an D. 57.58 132. in which places he shews the use of them to be so anciēt that if you pretend those Blessings to be Popery you must owne the purest Antiquity to be Papist And as for water-Blest by holy men it is soe for from being a diabolicall charme that it is an efficacious remedy against charmes of the Divill You will find the vertu of it confirmed by miracles in Epiph. ber 30. When it was used by Iosephus a Count under Constantin the greate In S. Hierome in vitâ Hilarionis that this Saint by use of it destroyed the charmes of Marnas or Jupiter adored at Gaza In Theodoret 1.5 hyst c. 21. that S. Marcellus Bishop of Apamea withit chaced away Iupiter Apamenus who hindred the burning of his Temple And in Bede l. 1. hyst Angl. c. 17. that S. German bishop of Auxerre with it allayed a Tempest Which you may see in Baron ad An. D. 132. what will you say to those things As the Pharysyes that all this was done in the Divills name That you cannot for then you must owne that one Divill cast out another his Kingdome is divided which is by our Sayiour prest against the Pharisyes as absurd incredible consequently cannot be sayd by a Christian Nay althô you deny all credit to these holy learned Men which in a matter of fact is in a manner impudent yet will you not be quit of this argument for at least these fathers thought water soe blest a fit instrument to worke those stupendious workes otherwise they would never have beleived those storyes nether would they have related them without beleiving them Hence you may see how different your Faith is from
are soe hard to please as to be satisfyed with none but those of your communion See W. L. pag. 305. where he ownes a commemorative sacrifice to be instituted by Christ Montagu in his Appeale 2. p. c. 29. acknowledges Representative Commemorative Spirituall Sacrifice And your Bishop of Ely Resp ad Apolog. Bellar. p. 184. admits likewise a Commemorative sacrifice G. B. d. 6. 65. To imagine that the Preists going through the Office of the Masse his receiving the consecrated elements can have a vertu to expiate the sins of others especialy of the dead is a thing so contrary to most common impressions that it will puzzle a mans beleif to think any can credit it ANSWER Your common impressions differ very much from those of other men soe you have much reason to suspect that they are only common in name but in reality they are only private conceipts of your owne head The Catholick Church beleives what you think none beleives S. Austin beleived it all Catholicks professe it our Councils define it our Catechismes teach it our pulpits preach it our Pastors proclaime it Yet you would faine perswade the world no body beleives it that the thing is incredibile As if you knew better whas passes in our harts then we our selves But if this be not an honest way it is at least cunning to take for granted what you cannot prove it is casyer to find a slyght to steale into your weake readers opinions then to gaine it by a substantiall reason G. B. Ibidem The Preists receiving the consecrated Elements cannot avayle another ANSWER We doe not beleive the Passion of Christ to be applyed by the Preists taking the Host but by the essentiall part of the sacrifice which consists in another action G. B. pag. 65. It is absurd to think one man's action can be derived to another ANS An article of our Faith must then be absurd viz the Communion of Saints which imports a mutuall communication of good workes amongst the members of the Church the the mysticall body of Christ See Pearson in exposit Symboli p. 714. where he proves it out of 1. Jo. l. 7. If we walk in the lyght we have fellowship with one another The Greeke says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communication with one another And out of col 2.19 Holding the head from which all the body by joints bands having nourishment ministred knit together encreaseth with the encrease of God Soe that as in a naturall body all parts doe communicate to one another their nourishment in the Philosophy of the Apostle soe in his Divinity all parts of the mysticall body the Church communicate their good workes What say you sir how like you your censure which involves an article of the Apostles creede two Apostles Have I not reason to admonish you to regard where you shoote your bolts throw your stones for that they can scarce lyght on any place of our doctrine or on us without hitting the Apostles the Holy ghost many times those points of faith which you your self admit G. B. pag. 65. It clearly appeares from the Institution of the Lords supper that its end was the joint communicating of Beleivers ANS It clearly appeares that you little regard what you say The Primary end of its institution indeed that which only is specifyed by our Saviour is to be a commemoration of his Passion the Sacrifice of the Crosse Doe this in memory of me As for the joint communion it can only be a secondary intention of the institution the first cheife being our union with Christ out of which flows the second our union amongst our selves As lines in a circle meete in the center soe knit together CHAPTER XX. Regall Office of Christ Where Of Transubstantiation Dispensing in vows c. G. B. pag. 66. I advance to the opposition made to the Regall office of Christ first how far is it from his Glory in Heaven to beleive that five words muttred by a Preist should put him under the Elements This is a new kind of humiliation ANSWER You are very much mistaken if you think Humiliations in consistent with the the Regall office of Christ (a) Heb. 1.7 When God brought his first begotten into the world he sayd And let all the Angels of God worship him Yet he was then humbled to the condition of a man a private obscure man and even below it Ps 21.7 Opprobrium hominum abjectio plebis Certainly there is more shew of Majesty as he is placed on our Altars envitoned with lyghts adored by the People Prelates Princes the greatest Monarks laying their crownes the greatest Bishops their Croziers Miters at his feete then as he was in the little cottage of his reputed father a Carpenter picking Chips at his mothers command or following his fathers trade to get a subsistāce knowne to none regarded by none slyghted by all as is ordinary to men of that humble calling And what shall I say of the death of the crosse when his very disciples disowned him G. B. p 67. What low thoughts of his person must it breade in such minds as are capble of beleiving this contrivance ANS You speake like a Pagan to whome the Crosse of Christ is folly 1. Cor. 1.23 rather then like a Christian to whome Christ crucifyed that is under the greatest Humiliation is the vertu wisdome of God We who have learnt to looke or him as God Blessed for evermore even when on the Crosse dying we can take out of all his Humiliations occasion to admire his love adore his goodnesse to us but not to disesteeme his person or diminish our thoughts of his Majesty And let me tell you you are the first Christian I know of who ever made such unchristian reflections on the Humiliations of the son of God G. B. p. 67.68.69 70. In these you charge us with three crimes 1. With adding to the laws of Christ 2. Dispensing with the laws of God 3. Commanding things indifferent contrary to Christian liberty I Answer to the first third the Apostles did the same a forbidding strangled meate Blood which were things indifferent not forbidden by the law of Christ And as to your objection that this entrenches uppon Christian liberty I answer out a person very deare to you even your selfe in your vindication confer 2. p. 172. Christian liberty is stated in an exemption from the laws of Moyses Shew that we impose the law of Moyses you will say something to the purpose fo our entrenching uppon Christian liberty As for Dispensing in Divine laws when you prove what you object I will consider what to answer Your instances are not sufficient For first as for dispensing of vows there is an Epirkia in them as in laws which is an interpretation of some circumstances in which they doe not oblidge for example A man vows to fast next
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
future Happinesse then we can be of the Truth of any mathematicall demonstration But it is only Conditionall requiring on our parts a concurrence with his Divine Grace this is always uncertaine by reason of the mutability of our will to evill not withstanding our strongest Resolutions to Good Hence our Hope is mixt with Feare sperando timemus Tertul. l. de cultu faeminarum cap. 2. p. 265. We have a full assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on God's side Who (a) Heb. 6.17.18.19 to shew unto the heyres of promise the immutability of his Counsil confirmed it with an oath that by two things immutable in which it was impossible for God to lye we myght have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold uppon the Hope set before us which Hope we have as an Anker of the souls both sure stedfast On our sides we have always reason to apprehend the mutability of our owne will not withstanding all present Grace from God the strength of his Counsill Hence the Apostle admonishes us (a) 2. Cor. 6.1 not no receive in vaine the Grace of God He sets before our eyes his owne example (b) 1. Cor. 9.27 keeping under his body chastising it bringing it into subjection least having preached to others he myght become hinselfe a reprobate a cast away And consequently warnes us to (c) Philip. 2.12 worke our salvation with feare trembling When this Apostle feares who can presume we may resolve well pray hard act well to day but what assurance have we that to morrow will find us soe well disposed or even not doing the quite contrary that being soe ill prepared death will not surprize us S. Paul the vessell of Election who had beene taken up to the third Heaven feared least he should become a reprobate S. Peter bred up in our B. Saviours schoole resolved to dye for him yet shortly after denyed him If these greare Pillars of the Church shake bend feare breaking or actually Breake what may not such Reedes as G. B. E. W. feare you see what grounds we have to feare from Reason from the example of the Apostles from their Doctrine This is comfortlesse doctrine to G. B. (d) Pag. 54. therefore had rather throw all on Christ perswade himself that Christ's Prayer was sufficient his satisfaction sufficient his merits sufficient We neede nether pray nor suffer nor merit Beleive in him he will doe all Crede firmiter pecca fortiter Compare now this disposition of moderne Catholicks which is the same with that of the Apostles with that of a Protestant their feare with his confidence their trembling with his As surance their Apprehensions with his boldnesse you shall find in Catholicks tru Hope mingled with feare as you may see in Divines I have shewed out of the Apostles in the Protestant no feare consequently no Hope which is accompanyed always by Feare but in Lieu of Hope that vice which is called Presumption which is a sin against the Holy ghost Timor fundamentum salutis est says Tertull. l. de cultu foeminarum c. 2. p. 265. Sperando enim timebimns timendo cavebimus cavendo salvi erimus contra si praesumamns neque timendo neque cavendo difficile salvi erimus Feare is the ground worke foundation of our salvation Our Hope is mingled with Feare this makes us take heede whence proceedes our security of salvation When on the contrary when we presume we grow carelesse run greate hazard of being lost for ever SECTION III. Of Charity or Love CHarity or the Love of God above all things is much more esteemed honoured amongst us then amongst you you rank it contrary to the Apostle even with Faith or seate it on a lower bench where as we with the Apostle (a) 1. Cor. 13.13 believe it to be the (b) Io. 15.12 cōmandment of Christ the (c) Rom. 13.10 fullnesse of the law the (d) Col. 3.14 bond of perfection which divides (e) Aug. betwixt the children of the kingdome those of perdition the nuptiall (f) Matth. 22.11.12 garment with which we must enter into the wedding That is the forme of vertues (g) Concil Trid. that without it all other vertues (h) 1. Cor. 13. gift of tongues power of working miracles knowledge of mysteries nay even Faith Hope are nothing avayle nothing are no more to be regarded then sounding Brasse a tinkling cimball c. In fine althô with Divines we are perswaded that these two greate vertus may be separated yet we hold their separation to be their ruin that as Charity is but superficiall not reall without the lyght of Faith soe Faith is cold without the warmth of Charity He who knows God without loving him is impious he who loves without knowing him aryght is Blind A Beleiver without Love is Ungratefull a Lover without knowledge is senselesse soe these two vertus must assist one another we must aime to have a Living Faith which workes by loue Galat. 5.6 Love is the proper worke of Faith Opus Fidei dilectio Aug. tr 10. in epist Jo. Love both gives to receives strength from Faith Charitas robur Fidei Fides fortitudo Charitatis S. Leoserm 7. in Quadrag In Heaven there is Love without Faith 1. Cor. 13.8.10 In Hell Faith without Love Jac. 2.19 Christians in this life must have both for Love without Faith is the Love of Pagans Faith without Love is the Faith of Devils But Faith with Charity is the Faith of the children of God in this life Fides quae per dilectionem operatur ipsa est Fides quae fideles Dei separat ab immundis daemonibus Aug. de gratiâ lib. arbit cap. 7. Thus we joyne together those two greate vertues this we beleive this we teach of Charity whilest you out of ill grounded opinion of your Fac totum Faith relying on it for Remission of sins Iustification Perseverance Salvation exhaust your Rhetorick soe much in commendation of that your darling that you have no roome to commend Charity or Good workes Our Practice as much surpasses yours as to nourishing Charity as our doctrine doth for scing the love of God Love of our selves are opposit the one withers as the others thrives their practice must be most proper to nourish charity which aimes most at mortifyng selve-love on the contrary those who foster selfe-love must annihilate Charity Now what practice can you shew for the mortification of the body the quelling our Passions the renouncing of our will what documents doe you give for these what examples can you shew since your reformation of them you have never beene able to find in the three kingdomes a dozen persons of ethersex who for soe many yeares would sequester themselves from the enjoyments of the world to serve God in voluntary Poverty
make what resistance they could on that day Which Resolution was grounded on a probable opinion for on the one side was the let er of the law prohibiting all labour on that day then they myght think God would protect them whilst they kept his law as he (b) Exod. 34.24 conserved their goods whilst they went thrice a yeare to the Temple if he did not please to defend them miraculously they myght think it was his will that they should glorify him by giving their lives rather then breake his commandment which perswasion possest the greatest part of Chriltians neere the Apostles times as may be seene in Tert. Apologetick On the other side they considered the law of nature oblidging to seeke selfe-preservation that to expect a miracle was to tempt God c. Hence they concluded that it was lawfull to labour for selfe defence even on the Sabboth To make an Opinion probable Suarez (c) Suarez dis 12. de bonit malit requires that it be nether contrary to the sense of the Church nor to any opinions commonly received that it be grounded on Authority Reason greate above exception All Divines even the largest require a wayghty motive a strong reason that even cōpayring it with the contrary motives otherwise they agree that the Opinion will not be probable but dangerous rash improbable See two large treatises composed by R. F. Antony Teril agreate ornament of the Society an honour to our Nation in defence of this Rule of conscience You will find in him a solide discourse well grounded gravely handled as Truth should be delivered without any of that Booffonnerye which accompagnyes the Authour of the Provinciall Letters which may be tolerable in a Comedy but not in a treatise of Divinity This I think cannot be doubted of in Thesi or in generall I will not deny but in hypothesi in particular doubts or questions some men have not stucke soe close to the letter of the law as they should as Fr. Teril doth deplore But those men's assertions doe not take away what we have sayd for their private sentiments not well grounded deserve not the name of probable Opinions The last classe of Actions are those called indifferent as not being mentioned in any law These must draw all the morality they have Ex intentione sive voluntate operantis In those a good intention of the man who produces them or his will to doe them for the love of God gives them a good morality which of themselves they have not as on the contrary a bad intention gives them the nature of fin Hence what you say that our doctrine is any sin may be committed innocently by directing our intention is a greate untruth as greate a calumny No intention can justify a bad Action but a bad intention may vitiate the best action as to give an Almes (a) Mat. 6.2 for vanity Bonum ex integrâ causâ malum ex quocumque defectu is a maxime never more true then in morall actions We are taught in the Catholick Church not only to doe good things but to doe them well not only to doe juste things but to dothem justly nor pious things but piously non tantùm bona justa pia verum etiam benè justè piè Nay a pious moderne Authour says that God regards more the Adverbes then the nounes or verbes for example A Judge heares attentively a cause pleaded before him in order to give sentence secundùm allegata probata the action of it selfe is good yet his intention may mend or marre it Doth he that for his lawfull allowance it is of small merit Regards he his duty to his Prince country it is better If for God it is best of all But doth he intend by it to pleasure a freind or practice Revenge on an enemy althô his sentence be just yet he is unjust in pronouncing it to satisfy his owne passions of love or hatred This is our doctrine this we teach this we practice which you understand not your perpetuall fault is to speake (a) Iude v. 10. evill of things which you know not If you desire further information of our doctrine in this point see S. Franc. de Sales l. 11. de Amore Dei c. 13. CHAPTER XXV Whither Papists allow to Breake the Commandments FRom page 83. titt 91. you charge Catholicks with teaching to breake the cōmandments produce severall cases for proofe of it To which what I have already sayd may be a sufficient returne satisfactory Answer For if the Resolutions of those persons be not well grounded on solid reason I renounce them soe doth the Church If they be justifiable why should you or we condemne them Wo (b) I say 1.20 unto them who call evill good good evill that put bitter for sweete sweete for litter Soe that those are to blame who call good evill as well as those who call evill good The law-giver may make what laws he please our duty is to Judge according to the law he gives us when the case is cleere when it is obscure to guesse at it as neere as we can And amongst the cleere laws I reckon that not to Judge other men who are (a) Rom. 14.4 God's servants by his Judgment alone must stand or fall This generall answer myght suffice considering I write not here a treatise of morall divinity Yet I will run over some of the particular cases specifyed by you consequently which may seeme to be with you of greater force G. B. pag. 84. Against the first commandment they worship Angels Saints with Acts due only to God The second is violated by Image Worship ANSWER Here are your boiled Cabbadge over over againe Both parts are false as is above sayd G.B. Ididem The thrid is made voyde by the Popes dispensing with oaths ANS I have spoken to this already (b) Chapter 20. I suppose you will not deny that when an oath is unlawfull v. c. the covenant it may be dispensed with Item if it become impossible as of a Pilgrimage to Hierusalem on foote the man become Lame Item if the thing become dangerous or inconvenient as to lend a sword when you heare for certaine the man designes to hill his enemy with it Or if you promist to keepe another company after discover he would carry you to fyght a Duell take a purse or to a naughty house What think you are you or any other bound to keepe dangerous inconvenient impossible unlawfull oathes If not why may there not be a power in the Church to declare for the ease of timorous consciences when those Oathes cease to oblidge And why may not this Power be acknowledged in the Pope as well as in others But is the dispensing with Oathes a Prerogative of God sure it is not Seing God who declared their force (a) Exod. 20. Leaves (b) Num. 39. to some a
or other considerable Boone when freely given the hard usage which some of your tenants complaine of from their Ecclesiasticall landlords proves sufficiently that you are not insensible to the allurements of the attractive metall Were Church men such as they ought to be the layty would have little reason to repine at their riches althô much greater then they are If they were Treasurers of the Poore Fathers to the Orphans Helps to widdows Hosts to strangers Protectors to the Oppressed common Sanctuaryes to all necessitous persons such as some are in Catholick Church s whome I know many of whome we reade To such as these Riches are no hindrance to their function they give them only occasion of doing much good practicing their Charity If you think this to be blame worthy althô Riches be soe imployed prove what you say out of Scripture excuse your owne Bishops from that crime eris mihi magnus Apollo Voluntary reall Poverty is much commended in the (a) Mat. 19.21 Ghospel we have thousands in our Church who professe it live in it you could never get ten of your communion to embrace it There is another Poverty called of Spirit commended (b) Mat. 5.3 nay (c) Mat. 19.24 commanded in the Scripture how greate soever a stranger you are to spirituall things yet you will not say that this Poverty of hart is inconsistant with effectuall riches otherwise it would be impossible for arich man to be saved A man may be a begger yet be far from that Poverty of Spirit which gives him a ryght to the kingdome of Heaven because his hart is fixt uppon things he hath not And on the contrary another man may be master of agreate part of the world yet have his hart as free from it as if he was not in the world to use the Apostles phrayse (d) 1. Cor. 7.31 use the world as if he used it not Of this sort of poore of spirit there are many in the Church always have beene Heare S. Austin l. de moribus Ecclesiae c. 35. Sunt in Ecclesiâ Catholicâ innumer abiles fideles qui hoc mundo non utuntur sunt qui utuntur tanquam non utentes there are innumerable faithfull in the Church who make no use of the world there are others who use it of if they used it not What hath the Protestant Church to say here Pride Ambition are personall vices soe belong not to this treatise Yet I will say that there have beene both Ancient Moderne Popes who have given greater examples of humility then any your Church can shew who have made appeare that their title servant of the servants of God is no compliment Sixtus V. would not owne his mother when she was brought to him in rich clothes sayng his mothers was a poore woman who never wore silkes in her life shee was ashepe heards wife The next day she being brought to him in Rags he presently acknowledged her Some of them have asserted the Priviledges of their chaire against such as in trenched on their Ryghts which may be done without any Pride at all seing they require it as due not to their owne persons but to their chair to its founders S. Peter to his superiour Christ Iesus I never heard S. Ambrose suspected of Pride for refusing to admit Theodosius the greate into the Church before his Pennance for the slaughter at Thessalonica or for excluding him the cancells after it It was a Zeale of the glory of God the good of the Church which moved him the Emperour him selfe understood it so As for precious ornaments of the Church I will owne ours to be too costly when you shall have proved that any thing is too good for God's service not till then The infinite Majesty of God is ground sufficient to oblidge us to beare him the greatest respect interiourly expresse our duty to our Creator our gratitude to soe greate a benefactour by returning to him in the best manner we can an acknowledgement of his most bountifull gifts This serves also to stirre up in the auditory submission respect adoration which otherwise would fayle CHAPTER XXVII Vnity of the Church in Faith Sacraments G.B. ownes that Protestants are Schismaticks of severity against dissenters of Hugo Grotius G.B. pag. 100. A fourth designe of Christian Religion was to unite man kind under one head into one body not by love pardoning injurys only but also by associating the faithfull into one body the Church which was to be united by bonds of love Governed by Pastors Teachers cemented with the ligaments of the Sacraments ANSWER You say something though discorderly but not all for 1. you omit Faith by which we are inserted into the body of Christ 2. You put Charity which doth not make us parts but living parts of that body whose parts we are by Faith 3. You adde Sacraments which are only exteriour signes of interiour communication 4. You confound Charity Sacraments as equally concurring to the Vnity of the Church yet there is a vast difference betwixt them the one formally quickning the members of the Church interiourly the other only effecting it interiourly testifying it exteriourly 5. Betwixt the Sacraments there is a vast difference as to this you confound them for Baptisme being our Regeneration in Christ is an efficient cause of our union with him makes us his members the others are designed only to nourish those who are already united to in him When you speake of being governed by Pastors I hope the Pope may find place amongst them he being the prime Pastor G. B. pag. 101. The Ghospel pronounceth us free no more servants of men but of God ANSW Free from the ceremoniall law of Moyses not from that of the Ghospel obedience to the Governours of the Church How changeable are your sentiments In the forgoing page 100. the Church was to be governed by Pastors Teachers now she is to obey none but God if any man pretend to command he changeth the authority of the Church into a tyrancall yoke Soe we must have Governours without authority to command subjects without any duty to obey A new model of Government G. B. pag. 101. Those things for which we withdrew from the Church are additions to our Faith Shee added to Scriptures Traditions to God Images to Christ Saints to Heaven Hell Purgatory to two Sacrament five more to the spirituall presence of Christ his corporall presence ANS Never man spake more proved lesse then you who offer not one word in proofe of these disputed points which we declare to be evident untruths Is not this a poore begging of the thing in question But they are say you additions to your Faith Did we adde to your Faith or you cut off from ours that of the whole Christian world before your deformation How
none at all Cornelius Iansenius was a Bishop soe his case is different from the rest for he had jurisdiction Yet why he should be cited amonst the Reformers I know not He hath written severall workes Mars Gallicus Annotations on the Pentateucke the Ghospels Alexipharmacum his Augnstinus His Mars Gallicus is an invective against the french designes His Annotations Augustinus doe not touch the discipline of the Church He contradicts in them some points of the doctrine of the Church defined in the Councill of Trent which drew the censure of Rome on the later worke of his yet without touching his persō who by his will submitted his Augustinus to the censure of Rome in whose communion he always lived did then dye as an obedient son of it To know the opinion he had of your faction reade his Alexipharmacum which he writ against your Brethren at Boyleduc you will see it What reason have you to complaine of sevetity used towards him I know of none His person was never toucht by any censure As for the Disciples of S. Cyran Iansenius I grant there is amongst them a spirit of independantisme And what assembly of men is entirely free from such Yet you cannot glory in them if what Mr. Brevint says in his Preface to Saul Samuel at Endor be tru that they are more dangerous to a Protestant then even Missioners or Iesuits therefore warnes all to avoyde their company Soe that even those who dislike something in us condemne you CHAPTER XXIX Other small objections G.B. pag. 112. Papists make children Bishops allow of pluralityes non-Residences commendams c. which are every day granted at Rome ANSWER Here are acompany of hard words to fryght your Reader from Rome as Birds are fryghte from corne with a rattle there is likewise more noyse then substance in both I have lived in the greatest Catholicks Princes dominions never saw nor heard of what you say is dayly done Our Canons require 30. yeares for a bishop few are made soe young most are promoted to that dignity very ancient Yet this age being determined only by Ecclesiasticall law I will not deny but that on some extraordinary motive some have beene dispensed with If you blame this see how you will excuse S. Paul who made S. Timothy Bishop of Ephesus in his youth 1. Tim. 4.12 If you condemne pluralityes in our Church how will you excuse your owne in which they are practised must the canon law be a cablerop to us a cob web to you If you dislike pluralityes begin with reforming your owne brethren his majestyes Chapplins in ordinary who can find a conscience to keepe two Benefices if they meete with a Prince who will bestow them As for non Residencys (a) Vide Aug. epist 138. I demand whither it be not lawfull for a Bishop to be absent from his Diocese in the circumstances following 1. For the good of the Church as in generall or particular Councils 2. For the good of the nation as in our Parliaments 3. For the good of their Dioceses as when Flavianus Patriarck of Antioch went to Constantinople to preserve his Episcopal seate from being ruined by appeasing Theodosius the greate offended for the throwing downe of this statues 4. For any other reason soe weyghty that evidently it may be equivalent to the good which his residence myght bring No Papists thinks them lawfull but only on such occasions for as for such who do absent themselves ether for ambition or Enuy or pleasure or friend ship or any other unlawfull designe or for some good but soe little as not to countervayle that of their duty to their flock we no lesse blame them then you our cannons for Residence are as severe as can be those often executed with the utmost rigour What doe you more Commendams offend you that is the recommending the meanes of Abbyes to those who are not monks Yet we give them only to clergy-youto mere lay men Secondly we give them only for their lives you give them to their heyres executors administrators assignes 3. We leave the Abby its legall superiors a competent subsistance for othe monks You turne them a begging out of God's Blessing into the warme sun When you have proved that it is more lawfull for you Church to steale a Goose then forours to pluck a quill I shall beleive your procedure legall outs illegall G.B. pag. 112. They struggled hard against the honest attempt of those who laboured to have had residence declared to be of Divine Ryght in the Concil of Trent ANS What myght the Catholick Church doe to please you Had she past that declaration you would have clamoured at your ordinary rate against new definitions of faith now she rejected that Definition she opposed the honest attempt to premote it she must be in the wrong those who oppose her in the ryght what ever shee or they doe because shee is the Church they a discontented paty in her In fine as the Iews proceeded with our Saviour the Bridgroome soe do you with the Bride the Catholick Church her Actions what ever they are are blamed To (a) Luke 7.32 what are the men of this generation like They are like unto children sitting in the market place saying we have piped unto you you have not danced we have mourned unto you you have not wept For doth the Church make a decree you blame her for it doth she not make it you blame her for that too But Wisdome is justifed by all her children A Conclusion of the first Beginning of the second Part. G.B. pag. 116. I have run around that greate circle I proposed to my selfe have examined the designes of Christian Religion have found greate contradiction given to them by the Dodrines of that Church ANSWER You have indeed run a round that so long that you are giddy with it as appeares by your frequent greate falls so evidently against common sense as I have all a long observed yet I have not observed all for that would have been too tedious to the Reader have taken up more time then I can bestow uppon trifles You have skewne no contradiction betwixt doctrine of the Catholick Church the designes of Christianity I have thewne their conformity But your Booke discovers a designe against Charity which is the Hart of Religion it being a heape of rash Judgments evident calumnyes or uncharitable surmizes I say nothing of your faults against reason your incoherentnotions groundlesse Judgments perpetuall sophismes because althô these are greate faults in themselves yet not considerable in presence of those others against Charity And these faults are the greater for being brought to up hold a schisme a designe contrary to Christianity it being a most certaine Truth that noman can have the love of God who withstands the union of all men in one Church Non habet
spirituality did not answer to the time of her conversion A like conclusion may be drawne from a reproach made to the ancient converted Jews (a) Heb. 5.12 When for the time ye ought to be teachers you have neede that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the oracles of God are become such as have neede of Milke not of strong meate For every one that useth Milke is unskilfull in the word of Ryghteous nesse for he is a babe But strong meate belongs to those that are of full age those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discerne good evill Thus the Apostle dealt with Babes in Christ But to Proficients he discovered greater mysteryes (b) 1. Cor. ◠6 We speake wisdome amongst the Perfect And because he thought the Thessalonians were such he prayed hard dayly that he myght see them againe that (a) 1. Thess 3.10 he myght compleate what was lacking in their Faith Now whither this compleating was intensivè or extensivè by adding new mysteryes of faith or a more ample explication of what they knew before is not materiall This will helpe us to understand the meaning of another place of the Apostle (b) Rom. 12. I say through the Grace given unto me to every man that is amongst you not to think of himself more hyghly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the MEASVRE of faith For as we have many members in one body all members have not the same office soe we being many are one body in Christ every one members of another Having then Gifts according to the grace which is given us whither Prophecy ministry c. Faith is distributed you see to all the Church yet not to each member of it alike but to each one HIS MEASVRE proportionable to his capacity the place or function he is called to Which similitude he uses in alike sense 1. Cor 12. Ephes 4.7 And had you taught your Disciples as the Apostles did theirs toke content with their mesure of faith there had not beene soe many sects in the world who pretending to the fullnesse of faith of which they are not capable have lost both Faith Charity You see Sir whose example we follow in this viz that of the Apostles Soe if there be any designe of Ambition to ground it the Apostles are guilty of it not we Origenes con Cels l. 1. p. 7. says all Christians were not acquainted with all revealed Truths only the most necessary points were communicated to all And l. 3. p. 122. he confirmes that practice with the example of Christ who spoke in Parables to the multitude explicated them to his Disciples Mat. 13.11 S. Basil l. de Spir. S. c. 27. discoursing of the institutions of Christianity divides them into two parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first myght be familiarly preached to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the others were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not commonly to be divulged Tertullian l. de praescript c. 25. p. 335 blames some heretickes who pretended to ground their errors on Traditions obscurely delivered by the Apostles on that occasion seemes to disowne any doctrine taught in private But in the following chapt 26. p. 336. he explicates his meaning which was to reject only such clancular Traditions as should be contrary to the Word or Doctrine publickly preached And we say the same G. B. p. 132. These are practises far different from the methode of the Apostles in preaching the Ghospel who with held nothing of the counsell of God from the People ANSWER Those words are taken out of that speach of S. Paul to the Elders of the Church of lester Asia (a) Act. 20.27 which you by a grosse mistake say were the People as if the Holy Ghost had made the People Bishops to governe the Church of God Now if the People governe who are governed You are hard put to it to find reasons against us when you are forced to such wretched shifts Know then which I wōder any one who reades with attention that place can be ignorant of that those to whome S. Paul spake there were Bishops to whome by reason of their office a larger mesure of faith was due to them the whole counsel of God was made knowne to be communicated to others not promiscuously to all but to faithfull men who myght be able to teach others 2. Tim. 2.2 Now though according to the practice of the Apostles the People amongst us are not made Teachers Pastors Prophets Apostles yet all even to the meanest Artisan have instructions necessary to salvation What they are bound to beleive what they are to hope for what to doe what neede of more If any amongst us will undergo the labour of Studys the greatest mysteryes of our Faith are obvious to him our Scriptures our Councils our Decretalls our Fathers our Ecclesiasticall Prophane Hystorys our Divines our Philosophers are extant in our Stationers shops as well for the use of the meanest Christian as of the Pope Cardinalls or Bihops What is then concealed from them which may ground your Accusation Our procedure in this is so connaturall that I am perswaded it cannot but be your owne practice The Inglish Church hath drawne to some few heades those points of Faith which shee thinks necessary to salvation delivers them to all in her Catechisme As for the others contained ether in the Bible or in the Nicene Athanasian Creedes or in the four first Generall Councills she Leaves it to her Children to seeke them out themselves if they have will convenience or to receivethem from their Ministers I do not see how any Gouvernours of a Church can proceede otherwise Dare you blame this in your Mother Church why then should you condemne us for it G. B. pag. 133. Matters of interest are the constant subject of their studyes sermons whereas others of the greatest laws of God are seldome minded ANs If you could write this untruth with out blushing you have no blood in your body To confute you it will be enough to open any one booke of Devotion heare or reade a sermon In malâ non possunt aliter Aug. Your cause must be very bad which requires such untruths to up hold it ours very good seing you have no Truth to alleadge against it CHAPTER XXXIII Faith not dependant on senses G. B. pag. 133. God hath sitted faith framed our souls soe harmoniously that they are congenial one to another ANS I find you in this point very much to seeke how to owne agreate Truth yet to establish a contrary falshood which is very deare to your whole party That Faith is above naturall reason much more above sense is unquestionable This you owne soe place Faith on a throne Yet something must behad against
deluded admirers is like those Nurses who wanting Milke entertaine their children with rattles bibs some insignificant nourriture In reality there seemes to be as much difference betwixt the spirituall food souls receive in the Catholick Church that of Protestants as there is betwixt the nourriture a child receives sucking a breast stretched with milke that he gets by sucking a moistned finger Which shall be further shewen in the CHAPTER XXXVII No Houses of devotion nor spirituall Bookes Amongst Protestants G. B. p. 145. A tentation to become Papists is the solitary retired houses among them for leading a devout strict life the excellent bookes of Devotion have beene publisht by many of that communion p. 147. I deny not that is the greatest defect of the reformation t at there are not in it such encouragements to a devout life p. 148. It is not to be denyed to be agreate defect that we want recluse houses But it fixeth no imputation on our Church her doctrine or worship that shee is soe poore as not to be able to mantaine such Seminarys ANSWER This is as pretty a sophisme of non causa pro causâ as I have seene As if the small number of Inglish Catholicks were richer then the whole body of Protestants for we have founded many geate familyes of Religious you with all your industry could never settle one There are reasons for your Churchs being soe unsuccessefull in these attempts without doubt as reall tru as that which you give is false it shall be my worke to lay them out before you The first cheifest reason is a Judgment of God Almyghty uppon you forbreaking up dispersing soe many houses of Piety God was served in those houses he was offended with that sacriledge there fore denyes you that Blessing of which you are unworthy A second each one had rather keepe his meanes to himself then see them passe against his will to another lay family for whome he hath nokindnesse If any give it to God Religion they designe it should continue there which cannot be expected in Ingland as long as the memory is fresh of Henry VIII Elizabeth A third the foundation of your Reformation is inconsistent with a superstructure of Religion or living in community together Men cannot live together without a setled rule or order establisht peculiar to that manner of life proper for it Your Reformation is inconsistent with this it teaching to reject all humane injunctions as contrary to Christian liberty When out of that principle you have taught men to despise all decrees even of generall counsils received by the whole Church confirmed by the practice of many ages how can you hope they should esteeme Rules given by moderne new men A fourth your doctrine denying all merits or Reward due to our actions Hopes of advantage encourages us to labour our industry is dulled assoone as those vanish S. Ambrose thinks the Novatians unreasonable who preacht Pennance denyed the fruit of it l. 1. de Poenit. c. 16. Frustra dicitis vos praedicare Poenitentiam qui tollitis lib. 2. c. 3. Merendi gratia Sacramenti ad precandum impellimur hoc auferre vultis propter quod agitur Poenitentia Tolle gubernatori perveniendi spem in mediis fluctibus incertus errabit Tolle luctatori coronam lentus jacebit in stadio Tolle piscatori capiendi essicaciam desinet jactare retia In hopes of arriving at his Heaven the Pilot steeres his ship the wrastler strives in hope to throw his adversary The fisher casts his nets in hope of catching some fish All these would relent were they perswaded the thing they aimed at were impossible How then doe you expect that men should practice good workes when you teach them to hope for no good from them It were indeede to be wisht that men would serve God for God without regarding any reward But that is a perfection all doe not arrive to And even the best are faine to use some other motives A fifth your clergy is utterly unfit to Direct Instruct such houses our workes have a greater influence on our neyghbour then our words S. Hierome thought it incongruous that a man with a full belly should preach fasting And how can a man preach chastity to others who comes himself from the embraces of his wife if he hath one or hath his head full of Amourettes designes to get one if he be a batchelour It is in vaine therefore that you seeke the advantage of those with-drawing places from the noyse trouble of the world to those Devout Solitudes your lives are not fit for them your doctrine is inconsistent with them your past actions have shut that dore of mercy unto you As for Bookes of Devotion The Authour of the Fiat Lux says you have printed severall such composed by ours under your owne names Soe you hang us cherish our writings as the Jews stoned the Prophets canonized their bookes You owne we have many excellent Bookes All the world sees you have scarce any nor can rationally hope for any For He who writes a spirituall Booke ought to aime at two things the first to instruct the understanding with divine eternall Truths The second to move the will to a hatred of sin a contempt of the world to the love of God above all things The first may be an effect of study but the second cannot be attained unto unlesse the Authour be such himself He must as S. John be (a) Io. 5.35 a Burning shining lyght Burne to God by a tru unfeigned love of him Shine to men by the cleere truths which he delivers He must feele with in himselfe those motions which he endeavours to communicate to his Reader Si vis me flere dolendum est primum ipsi tibi A soul possest with hope with feare with joy with greife with love with hatred in fine with any passion doth expresse not only the thoughts but the passion it selfe with tropes proper by which meanes it not only informes the understanding but also stirs the will of the hearer or reader to like inclinations Reade Seneca's epistles or other morall workes or Cicero's you shall find agreate many excellent Truths Yet I never knew any man the better in his morality for them As they themselves notwithstanding those lyghts were farre from being Good men as you may see in Lactantius l. 3. divin Instit from the 13. Chapter On the contrary the reading of Saint's workes hath a greate force to move us to Good S. Austin l. 8. Confess cap. 6. says some were converted by reading the life of S. Antony severall have have taken serious resolutions of leading a Christian life by reading those Confessions And I have knowne Several moved to love mentall Prayer by Reading S. Teresa's workes to the love of God by using those of S. Francis de Sales This is