they indifferently pay to all Men for that which is due to God only whereby they obey God rather than Man so this Obedience was embraced by them before the other For 't is indeed an argument of no little discretion but of a quick and most piercing Judgment if we can discern what Opinion is to be followed and what is rather to be rejected In a word our Lord himself in the Gospel says Beware of them which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are devouring wolves Therefore a watchful Soul and setled Mind are required in order to our discovering the plain simplicity of Sheep or the more hidden malice and greediness of Wolves Whence we may learn what great danger they are in who neglect the study of the Holy Scriptures from which only they can be furnished with such a knowledge and discretion St. Austin has an Expression which makes a great bluster in the World I would not believe the Gospel says he if the Authority of the Catholick Church did not move me to it Upon this the Authority of the Church is magnified above the Authority of the Scriptures But if St. Austin did not intend any such thing where are we then He express'd himself once to this purpose Thou O God hast assur'd me that not they who Aug. Conf. l. 6. c. 5. believ'd thy Books which with so great Authority thou hast establish'd in almost all the World but they who did not were culpable Neither are they to be heard who shall ask me how I know that those Books are given to Men by the Spirit of One most true God. Which shews that he did not altogether rely on the Testimony of the Church which was only outward but chiefly the inward Witness of the Holy Ghost in his Conscience But we may know more of his Mind by more of his Words We says he do not bring a false Ballance that we may make things Idem cont Donat. l. 2. c. 6. weigh what we please and how we please and so give judgment what is light and what heavy But we give you the divine Ballance of the Holy Scriptures the Treasures of the Lord and by that we tell you what is heavy yet not we but the Lord himself who having weighed all things already we tell you from him what is heavy c. And can we think that Great Father ever intended to set up the Authority of the Church above the Scriptures He does not say We tell you from the Church what is light and what heavy but we tell you from the Scriptures And thus again There are says he certain Books of the Id. de unit Eccl. c. 3. Lord to whose Authority we wholly assent which we firmly believe and in all things obey In them let us seek the Church by them let us discuss our Cause Now if St. Austin did really believe the Scriptures on no other account than barely the Churches Testimony why does he say He must find the Church in the Scriptures This would be to run round in an indeterminate circle first to look for the Church in the Scriptures and then to search for the Scriptures in the Church I don't see how these can stand together But let it be as it will we may with more safety give credit to what a Man is constant in than to what he says but once or it may be never at all and so we may assure our selves of the concession of this Holy Father to what we assert That the Scriptures are the supreme Decider of Controversies The only thing needful to be added to what has been already produc'd is That nothing ought to be put to or taken from the Word of God. Bellarmin acknowledges the Scriptures to be a Rule but says 't is only partly so for the Scriptures joyn'd with Traditions make one perfect Rule But we have seen that the Scriptures alone are a perfect Rule and An Infallible Rule says St. Basil ought to be so without addition or diminution And Basil cont Eunom l. 1. Id. Conf. Fid. further That it is a manifest departing from the Faith and an evidence of Pride either to take away any thing from what is written or to add any thing that is not written for our Lord has said My sheep hear my voice And says St. Jerom Whatever does not come from the Jerom. in Matth. 23. Holy Scriptures is as easily condemn'd as approv'd Eusebius tells us That after the Death of the Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 32. Apostles though the Scriptures were extant yet the Church did not long continue an unspotted Virgin but Heresies and Corruptions of the Gospel encreased apace And then I would fain know what method the Orthodox Doctors took to purge and refine the Church again I suppose it may be answer'd that A General Council was to represent the whole Church and to determine the Points in Controversie Granting this the next Question will be which way the Doctors assembled in Council proceeded in this great Affair Did they appeal to the Church The most impious Hereticks would confidently affirm That only they were of the True Church Wou'd they appeal to the Fathers There were many Learned Men who in their Writings maintain'd the worst of Heresies Wou'd they appeal to Apostolical Traditions The Founders of many of the greatest Heresies lived in the Times of the Apostles and on that score had as good a plea for their knowing their Sentiments as any of the Orthodox Fathers could have I am certain the first Nicene Council took no such way but on all occasions urg'd the Scriptures against the Opinions of those Hereticks they were to deal with as might be shewn at large if it was absolutely necessary to our purpose At present let us content our selves with a few Testimonies of the Fathers against such proceedings And first against Appealing to the Churches Custome St Cyprian says a Custome which some have taken up Cypr. ad Pomp. cont Steph. Pap. ought not to prevail against the Truth for Custome without the Truth is but the Ornament of an Error For which Reason let us forsake the Error of such a Custome and follow the Truth And when S. Austin bids us seek the Church in the Scriptures he cannot intend in my Opinion That we should follow the Church in any thing repugnant to the Scriptures But besides A Rule of Faith ought to be Perfect But Origen tells us That as Orig. in Ezech. hom 1. on every Floor there is Chaff as well as Wheat so is the Church on Earth some part Wheat and the rest Chaff And upon Matth. 21. 14. where it is said Id. in Matth. hom 15. That the blind and the lame came into the Temple to Christ and he healed them The Moral Construction of this says he is That in the Church all cannot see neither can all walk Upright but some are Blind and others Lame To which he immediately applies this Remedy as
A LETTER TO A LADY Furnishing her with Scripture Testimonies Against the Principal Points and Doctrines OF POPERY All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is Profitable for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness That the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. The Law of the Lord is Perfect converting the Soul c. Psal 19. 7 8 9 10 11. Search the Scriptures c. John 5. 39. Blessed is he that readeth c. Rev. 1. 3. Licensed July 6. 1688. LONDON Printed for John Taylor at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-Yard M DC LXXX VIII Admonition to the Reader concerning the Authority and Vse of the Holy Scriptures THe following Papers being intended only for a private Satisfaction and not for the publick View are writ in a Stile agreeable to the Sex to which they are dedicated and the few Arguments here and there added either to explain or Illustrate a Text of Scripture are such as are more obvious to a Female Capacity than perhaps the common way of Arguing used by one great Disputant against another is For it was no more my intent than it was my Business in writing to Women who by Reason of their general want of Learning understand nothing of Logical Reasoning and as little of Syllogismal Inferences to endeavour to make a thing plain by rendring it more unintelligible But to make every thing as obvious and plain to the most ordinary Understanding as I might tho' my Words were never so homely And though it is confest The Lady to whom these Papers were especially directed is a Person endued with better Parts and more Learning than others of her Sex generally are yet I considered That many more of her Society or Acquaintance might be concerned in the Reading of them And therefore I thought as a plain Method would not be unpleasant to the Lady her self so it would certainly be both more Acceptable and Profitable to others not loaden with so much Sagacity and Understanding But since in this Undertaking I have wholly relyed on the Testimony of the Scriptures and have drawn all my Arguments from them I think it proper to vindicate my Proceeding that way by giving the Reader a cursory Account of the Supreme Authority of the Sacred Writings consisting in two Particulars The First is Their containing fully all things needful for our Salvation And the Second Their being sufficient to determine Points of Doubt and Controversie In both which I shall still make my Appeal to the Scriptures themselves and likewise intermix a few Testimones of the Fathers not for Confirmation of the Scriptures Authority for that is evident enough in it self but to shew the Opinion of those great Pillars of the Church in a Matter about which there is so great a Disagreement betwixt us and the Church of Rome I begin therefore with the first Evidence of the Supreme Authority of the Scriptures Their containing fully all things needful for our Salvation The Evangelist Joh. 20. 30. tells us That Jesus did many signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book But these says he are written That ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name And Cyril in Praef. in Johan this Gospel by S. John may without Injury be thought to excel the other three says S. Cyril and he gives no weak Reasons for it One of which is That it contains all things pertaining to Truth which the other do also but not in so high a Strain For whereas the rest do most Exquisitely describe the Genealogy of our Saviour either descending from Abraham to Joseph or ascending from Joseph to Adam S. John has not much laboured in these Matters but with an aspiring Mind seems to soar beyond Human Possibility and is not afraid in express Words to set down his Ineffable Generation In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God And so aspires directly to the Foundation of Divine Truth Where by the way it will not be amiss to observe That this Evangelist was the beloved Disciple of our Lord and therefore it cannot reasonably be supposed he would conceal any thing from him that was necessary to be known But on the contrary he revealed more to him than was needful to be set down in some Particulars whereof he was commanded to be Silent as may be seen Rev. 10. 4. But when any thing might be known he is to declare it Chap. 22. 10. and Chap. 1. 3. They are blessed who read and hear the words of this prophecy with an intent to keep those things which are written therein So then though we are ignorant of some things yet by what is written we may sufficiently be acquainted with whatever is necessary for us to know S. Paul Acts 20. after he had told the Ephesians Verse 30 That of their own selves should arise men speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them At the 32 Verse he commends them to God and to the Word of his Grace which he tells them is able to build them up and to give them an inheritance among all them which are sanctified And lest it should be thought that he had broached some unwritten Traditions of his own he professes Chap. 26. 22. That having obtained help of God he still continued witnessing both to small and great but saying no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Accordingly he tells the Romans in his Epistle to them Chap. 1. 16. That he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth And Chap. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through Patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And says S. Chrysostom Wherefore are these things written but that we should In Rom. hom 9. In 2 Cor. hom 13. In synop Athan. learn them For says he The Scriptures are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the most exact Ballance Guide and Rule And according to S. Athanasius they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Anchors and Support of our Faith. And Irenaeus calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. l. 3. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the immoveable Canon of Truth and the Pillar and Foundation of our Faith. And we being sure of what the Apostle says 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. That all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrin for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto Canonem fidei in Prophetarum Apostolorum libris figi atque terminari Aug de C. D. l. 11. c. 41. all good Works may safely conclude with S. Austin
That the Rule of Faith is fixed and terminated in the Books of the Prophets and Apostles It was the constant Opinion of this great Doctor of the Gentiles That the Scriptures were of themselves able to make Men Wise unto Salvation Neither is he alone for St. James assures us That they are able to save our Souls Jam. 1. 21. And therefore St. Peter calls 'em a more sure word of Prophecy than a Voice from Heaven and says That all Men would do well that they take good heed to 'em as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. And our Lord himself in the Parable brings in Abraham telling the Rich Man in Hell That his Brethren had Moses and the Prophets whom let 'em hear says he for if they will not hear them neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the Dead Luk. 16. 29. 31. Upon which words St. Chrysostom's Inference was That we should believe the Scriptures Though the Dead should rise and though Angels should descend from Heaven we must prefer the Testimony of Scriptures before them According to the Apostle Gal. 1. 8. Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed All which I take to be Indications plain enough of the sufficiency of the Scriptures as to all things pertaining to Salvation But besides this I said they were also in themselves sufficient to determin Points of Controversie The Psalmist says of the Word of God That it is a Lamp to his Feet and a Light to his Path Psal 119. 105. And therefore it was that he so often speaks of ordering himself according to this Word and prays so earnestly to God to enable him to do it And thus the Prophet expostulates with the Jews Isa 8. 19 20. When they shall say unto you Seek unto them which have familiar spirits and unto wizards that peep and mutter Should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them It was the way of the Apostles on all occasions to have recourse to the Scriptures Thus St. Peter in his Sermon to Cornelius to confirm his Doctrin of the Messias says To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins Act. 10. 43. And that it was the constant practice of St. Paul no Man can deny that has had the least converse with his Writings especially that great Axiom of his which has never been contradicted That the Scriptures are given by Inspiration of God and are profitable for Doctrin for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness is a more than ordinary instance of his Opinion in this particular And as it is written was the only refuge of those Primitive Builders of the Church And it was the very same method that our Lord himself took to reprove the Tempter Matth. 4. 4. It is written Man shall not live by bread alone c. And Vers 7. It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And Vers 10. It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. And thus he us'd always to bring the Testimonies of Moses and the Prophets against the impious Objections of the Jews very often telling them That he did not speak his own Words but the Word of him that sent him that is the Word of God. And now would it not be a thing to be wonder'd at if the Holy Fathers of the Church should be ignorant of this way of arguing Or if they did know it that they would not chuse to follow his Example whom they pretended to worship and obey But we have no cause to wonder at this but rather at their ignorance or wilful stubbornness who pretend to be acquainted with them and yet seemingly at least assert their Sentiments and Practice in this matter to be contrary to their Predecessors It was usual with Basil thus to express himsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Eustath 80 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Scriptures which are divinely inspir'd be Judge between us For says he Whatsoever Idem Etb. Defin. 80. c. 22. 6. is contrary to them is not of Faith and therefore sinful Every Word or Cause ought to be tried and confirm'd by the Holy Scriptures Neither does St. Cyprian come behind him in this Cypr. ad Pomp. cont Steph. Pap. particular If says he the Pipes through which Water is conveyed into the City should be suddenly deficient should we not go presently to the Spring that thence we may know the cause of the defect whether the Spring it self is dry or whether the Pipes are stopt by any thing which may hinder the course of the Water And so the Pipes being clear'd the City may be supplied with Water as before So ought the Ministers of the Gospel to do In matters of Doubt they should go to our Lord and his Apostles that they may model their Actions by their Doctrin as the Fountain and Original of Divine Truth Tertullian likewise would accept of no Argument that was not drawn from the Scriptures And by this Tertul. de carne Christ Idem de Resur mort he confuted the Hereticks of his time For says he take away the Sophistry of the Heathen Philosophers which the Hereticks make use of and when they come to argue from the Scriptures they will not be able to stand St. Chrysostom says That if any thing is asserted without the authority of the Scriptures to back it on it leaves Chrys in Psalm 95. the Hearers in doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Clemens Alexandrinus We say nothing against the Scriptures Cl. Al. de Pet. Strom. lib. 6. Theod. dial 1. cap. 6. Id. Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. And Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I confide in the Scriptures only To which we may add his Testimony of the Saying of Constantine the Great That the Books of the Evangelists and Apostles and the Oracles of the the ancient Prophets do evidently teach us what we are to think of the Divine Power Therefore in every seditious Controversie let us discuss the Point in question by the Testimony of those divinely inspir'd Writings Whence we may see that all the Fathers are not against us in this matter I think Origen may come in for one on our side For in his Comment upon the Sixteenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans having explained those Admonitions of the Apostle vers 17 18. and coming to vers 19. where the Apostle tells the Romans That their Obedience is come abroad unto all Men And that he is therefore glad on their behalf The Apostle says he therefore rejoyces over those that were obedient being sure that as he had taught them not to use that general Obedience which
the most effectual They says he who are sensible of their own Blindness since there is no other way to be rid of it but by the Word of God they should apply themselves to that and they cannot miss of a Cure. Which is enough to prove the Insufficiency of the Churches Customes or Authority as to Matters of Faith at least Secondly Neither will the Testimonies of the Fathers be of any Force in this Particular For a Rule of Faith must be full of Knowledge and sufficiently able to instruct us But what says S. Austin of himself I am Aug. ep 119. not only ignorant says he in many other Things but even in the Holy Scriptures themselves I am yet to learn more than I know already And thus he elsewhere Ep. ad Hiâ—â— expresses himself To the Books of the Scriptures only which are called Canonical do I owe this Honour that I firmly believe That none of their Pen-Men have err'd in any thing they have written But I esteem other Writers according to their Sanctity and Learning I do not think any thing true meerly because it was their Opinion Which very well agrees with that Axiom of Tertullian If says he a Bishop Tertul. de praescr haeret or Deacon if a Widow or Maid if a Doctor or even a Martyr should err from the Rule would the Error be e'r the Truer or Better for their Sakes We do not prove the Faith by the Persons but the Persons by the Faith. And the Acknowledgment of Biel is to the Bieâ— sup Can. Miss l. 41. same purpose That the Authority of the Fathers compells no Man to assent to their Sayings unless they build on the Holy Scriptures or Divine Revelation On this account therefore S. Austin might well cry out Aug. in Psal 57. Let our Writings be withdrawn that the Book of God may be introduced And as for Apostolical Traditions let the Testimony Iren. l. 3. c. 1. of Irenaeus serve for all By the Apostles says he the Gospel came down to us which they then preached and afterward by the Will of God they delivered to us in the Scriptures what was to be the future Foundation and Pillar of our Faith. Now if neither the Customes of the Church nor the Judgment of the Fathers nor Tradition can be a perfect Rule of Faith no more can all these united in a General Council be so For a Rule must be in every respect perfect But we have seen That the Church is in many respects Defective and the Fathers subject to Ignorance and Error And if Irenaeus may be credited The Apostles preached nothing contrary to what they have left us in Writing and therefore there can be no Place for Apostolical Traditions So that a Rule which is Imperfect and Defective in every Part must needs be so in the whole And Bellarmin himself has proved Bellarm. de Concil l. 2. c. 12. That the Decrees of General Councils cannot be a perfect Rule because they cannot pretend to immediate Divine Revelation That they may Err in some things and in many of their Definitions they conclude only Probably But a Rule of Faith ought to be every way Perfect and to conclude necessarily And such an absolute Perfect Rule the Scriptures appear to be not only from their own Testimony but from Testimonies of the greatest Pillars of the Church in the Second Third Fourth and Fifth Centuries And therefore if any Man's Interest has led him to a contrary Judgment in the later Ages of the Church his Opinions ought not to be set up as a Standard against Antiquity joyn'd with Truth From hence then we may infer what has been already asserted That the Scriptures being of themselves a perfect and Un-erring Rule nothing must be put to or taken from them To which purpose besides what has been produced already the Reader may give himself the trouble of Perusing the following Texts Deut. 12. 32. Josh 1. 7. Prov. 30. 6. Gal. 1. 8. and 3. 15. Rev. 22. 18 19. And let him learn the Danger of Adding or Taking away that is Doing any thing contrary to the Scriptures From these Lev. 10. 2. Isai 1. 12 13 14 and 66. 3. Hos 9. 15. Matth. 15. 6 9. Mark 7. 9. Gal. 4. 10. From all which Texts will evidently appear the Invalidity of any thing that is not built upon the true Foundation and the danger of being led away by such Vanities And so I hope I have sufficiently vindicated my Relyance on the Testimony of the Scriptures in the Business of the following Undertaking I shall only trouble the Reader with two or three necessary Cautions concerning the right Use and Understanding of those Sacred Writings and then give him his Liberty to proceed I. If any Man will make choice of the Scriptures for his Guide in matters that concern his Well-being here and hereafter he must have a care of believing every Spirit We must not take things of such Moment on Trust meerly because they are asserted by one that Pretends to great Learning or Inspiration for we are to look on the Gentlemen of these Times as such as will make the best they can of every Word when they meet with one of an ordinary Capacity Therefore II. It behoveth every Man that hath any regard to his own Safety to search into these things himself to read the Holy Scriptures diligently that so he may learn from them whether such things are true or no. But as I am now Writing to those of the meanest Rank in Learning lat east It is necessary that I caution such Readers of the Scriptures against laying too much stress on the literal Interpretation of a Text For the Holy Ghost very often makes use of Metaphors and other Obscurities wherein the Sense is not obvious to every Eye And tho' as S. Austin says There is nothing so obscure in one Place which in another is not made plain Yet it is not supposed that an ordinary Reader knows how to find that Place out or if he does that he has Judgment enough to satisfie himself For the Scriptures consist of a Soul and a Body The Body is the Letter and the Soul is the true Interpretation Every Man therefore says Origen that De princip lib. 4. desires to come to the Knowledge of the Truth must have his Eye on every Word for every Nation has a different way of speaking let him therefore mind rather what is signified than with what Words it is expressed For there are some things which no Human Words can explain but they are only conceivable in an honest Vnderstanding By which Rule also we come to the Knowledge and Vnderstanding of the Holy Scriptures that what we read is not to be understood according to the Letter but according to the Divinity of that Holy Spirit which inspired it Wherefore the Honest Reader will do well to take care That he is not drawn by the Letter out of the right
though the sence of the Text may be hid in a Figure But he that can assert the Doctrine of Purgatory from such a Text as this may as well say that the Apostle was a Mason or Carpenter because he calls himself a Builder or that he Preach'd to Houses and Walls because he calls the Corinthians God's Building or that our Saviour himself was a Stone because he is expresly call'd the head stone of the corner But whither wou'd such absurdities hurry us I assure you Madam 't is very unreasonable to suppose the Doctrine from such a Text as this and I think they can find none plainer than one of these two Which being made thus plain to the contrary I shall only briefly hint a few Texts against the particular Doctrine of Purgatory and so conclude this Point Eccl. 11. 3. If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon the Earth and if the tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place where the tree falleth there it shall lie This Text is a Metaphorical intimation of the state of the Soul after this life As a Tree that is falling must fall one way either to the South or to the North c. So the Soul when it leaves the Body must go to some certain place and as the Tree shall remain in the place where it fell so the Soul must abide in the place whither she first goes when she leaves the Body But the Preacher is more plain to the purpose Chap. 12. 7. where he says The Dust that is Man's Body shall return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return to God who gave it And the Prophet says Isai 57. 3. The Righteous shall enter into Peace Now according to the Practice of the Church of Rome in this particular unless the special favour of the Bishop of Rome intervene all both good and bad must pass through Purgatory in order to their Perfection tho' according to the Doctrine of the first Query they may be more than perfect before they come thither But what then becomes of the many Promises made to the Godly both in the Old and New Testaments if before they can enjoy the Rewards promis'd they must undergo so severe a Punishment by the way Revel 14. 13. And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth And if there is any such place as Purgatory wherein the best of Men must endure Torment for a Time how can the Blood of Christ be said to cleanse any from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 7 Certainly God does not require that his Servants shou'd pass through the Fire to purify 'em and make 'em fit for Heaven after they are wash'd in the Blood of his Son. We are taught by the Apostle Heb. 9. 14 that the Blood of Christ purges our Consciences from dead Works but we quite destroy the belief of this if we admit the least thought of any other Purgation Our Saviour tells us Joh. 3. 18. that He that believeth on him is not condemned And if God does not condemn 't is hard to think he 'll punish which he must do if the best of Men must pass through Purgatory before they can come to Heaven But we can meet with no such place in the Scriptures We find but two ways mention'd a narrow and a broad a strait gate and a wide into one of which we must enter And the Apostle says expresly All shall appear before the Judgment 2 Cor. 5. 10. seat of Christ there to receive according to what we have done in the Body and then certainly if there is any such place as Purgatory God must be thought unjust in calling Men to account for their Sins when they are purg'd from ' em But 't is much safer to believe there is no such place Virgil indeed tells us of some such kind of place in the Sixth Book of his Aeneas in his Account of Aeneas's Progress into the infernal World to visit his Father When he came to the Stygian shore he saw Old Charon about his wonted Bus'ness plying the Oars to carry such over as came thither for Passage But he saw some miserable Ghosts on the Banks and in dark Woods thereabouts to whom the old Ferry-man was very surly and deny'd 'em Passage tho' without doubt they 'd have paid him as well for his pains as others did Aeneas as we may suppose was amaz'd at this partiality and ask'd his Guide What was the meaning of Charon ' s rough behaviour to those poor Souls To which she answers Those you see him take into his Boat are buried and by that means challenge his Service But those he beats away are not None must pass these Streams 'till the Ceremonies of their Funeral are perform'd but they must abide in these dismal Shades on this side the River an Hundred years unless they are buried sooner and then I suppose buried or not buried they obtain their Passage Then the Poet sets down a Dialogue between Aeneas and his old Pilot Palinurus who being unfortunately cast away was kill'd in Italy and by the cruel Murtherers left unburied for which reason he must be confin'd to this Purgatory 'till those People mov'd by Prodigious Omnes shou'd Solemnize his Funeral Now not to make a Parallel between this Fiction of the Poet and the Purgatory of the Church of Rome I shall only tell you that I have seen the place represented by them of that Church not much unlike it They have a River in which many are plung'd up to the Neck and labouring very hard to get out at one side of the River is Hell's mouth open to terrifie the poor Souls and over their heads Heaven for their Encouragement Whether they intend this River for Styx or Acheron is not to the purpose 't is enough to suppose the Doctrine of Purgatory very ancient because in vogue with the ancient Romans before Christ's coming into the World tho' of late years it has got a Name which it wanted before and as it was formerly known by the Stygian shore Black shades c. now Purgatory is the Proper name of the place and is therefore deservedly written with a Capital P. 6. The Sixth Enquiry proposed was Whether the Mass is a Sacrifice for the Quick and Dead This Doctrine is built upon the other of Purgatory and 't is to be deliver'd from that place that Men are so willing to trade for Masses and Indulgences which has added so much to the Revenue of the Church that it can now very hardly be laid aside But I have often thought it strange that Men professing Christianity shou'd be so far bewitch'd to Gain as to deny the Efficacy of Christ's Sufferings For if Indulgences will make amends for Sin and the Mass atone for unrighteousness what becomes of the All-sufficiency of Christ's Merits the Satisfaction made by his Death What need have Men to go
so far about for Mercy and Forgiveness when they may have it nearer home Here 's a Merchant has Indulgences to sell at reasonable Rates by virtue of which a Man may gratifie the Lusts of his Flesh here and when he Dies a small Matter towards Building or Repairing some religious Conventicle will purchase Masses enough to deliver him out of Purgatory and then let any judge if such a Man is not far wiser than a sneaking Heretick who lives in ignorance of these Catholick Helps and Salvo's But for all that if we may be allow'd to believe the Scriptures we have no such by-ways to Heaven the way that leads thither is strait as well as narrow So then let others trust to Indulgences and so be cheated of their Souls and Money too while we tread in the Path which is made plain before us and tho' we may want a little Elbow-room yet t is better travelling so in a clean and safe way than by rambling out of it for more liberty to trust to the Promise of a false Guide that we shall come into it again and so follow him through Boggs and Rivers in danger of Drowning every step of the way 'T is evident enough that the Son of God is our only Sacrifice for the Apostle says 1 Cor. â—â— 7 Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us And the Scriptures sufficiently testifie that by one Oblation of himself once offer'd he made sufficient Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World. And then what need have we of farther Sacrifices nay what warrant can be brought from the Word of God to justifie the Sacrifice of the Mass which is the only new one contended for The Apostle Rom. 12. 1 Exhorts us to present our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God as our reasonable Service Which Text Bellarmin thinks sufficient to the purpose and thus he argues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Sacrifice properly so call'd that is an External Oblation made only to God wherein by a lawful Minister some sensible Substance is by Mystical rites consecrated and so chang'd or in reference to what it was before destroy'd But Christians have no such Sacrifice to offer to God but the Mass Neither are the Romans here commanded to Kill themselves for that wou'd be an heinous Sin. Therefore the Mass must be the Sacrifice here spoken of And farther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word here used by the Apostle is that Sacrifice which is offer'd by a lawful Minister But no Sacrifice is among Christians offer'd by the Minister but the Mass Therefore the Mass is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a proper Sacrifice Now not to say the Mass is no sensible Substance which he makes the main condition of a Sacrifice I shall at present thus examine the Argument 1. The Apostle does not speak here of the office of a Minister but the Duty of the Ministers and People both All are to present their Bodies a living Sacrifice I beseech you therefore Brethren c. 2. Therefore supposing the Mass was a sensible Substance yet the Apostle can't intend that because that is to be offer'd by the Minister only 3. Granting all he wou'd have in reference to the Mass's being a Sacrifice yet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as properly us'd by the Apostle in reference to the Sacrifice of a Man's Body as of the Mass For 't is confess'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Oblation made to God only wherein some sensible Substance is by mystical Rites consecrated and so chang'd or in reference to what it was before destroy'd Accordingly the Apostle advises us to present our Bodies a living Sacrifice unto God and in the next Verse Be not conformed to this World where by our renouncing the World we consecrate our Bodies to God's Service and so as the Apostle farther exhorts us we are transform'd or chang'd by the renewing of our Mind and our Bodies in reference to what they were before corrupted and polluted by Sin are destroy'd 4. So then the Apostle here makes use of a Metaphor to express a reasonable Duty as a Sacrifice is laid on the Altar kill'd and cut in pieces so we must die to sin and mortifie our Members which are upon the Earth cut off all Affections to this World keep our Bodies under and bring 'em into subjection to the Will of God and so being transformed from what we were before Servants and Sacrifices to Sin we become holy Sacrifices and acceptable to God. Whence 5. Let us enquire what are the proper Sacrifices of Christians because he says that they have no other but the Mass St. Peter 1 Ep. c. 2. v. 5 says we as lively Stones are built upon a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And what those spiritual Sacrifices are we may be inform'd by other places of Scripture The Psalmist Psal 4. 5. advises us to offer to God the Sacrifices of Righteousness And Psal 50. 23 Whoso offereth Praise glorifieth God. And 51. 17 19 The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit and the Lord will be pleas'd with Sacrifices of Righteousness And Psal 141. 2 Let my Prayer be set before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice These are great Expressions from one under the Law when the Morning and Evening Sacrifices were so absolutely necessary But what have we from those that were under the Gospel Our Blessed Saviour of right challenges the first place who in his own Person blames the Pharisees for not knowing the meaning of this I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Matth. 12. 7. The Apostle is very plain to the purpose Phil. 4. 15 c. Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the Gospel when I departed from Macedonia no Church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye only For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity Not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account But I have all and abound I am full having receiv'd of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God. From all which the Sacrifices of Christians are Mercy Alms-Deeds Prayer Praise Contrition and all Christian Duties And these are the Sacrifices which are to be offer'd up to God by every living Christian for himself But I can find no such Sacrifice as the Mass nor indeed any other than those above-mention'd For Christ Jesus is the Sacrifice for all Christians in general and these are Sacrifices which every Christian must offer to God for himself in particular And thus I have briefly given my Opinion of the Mass which amounts to this in the general that Christ being our Sacrifice and Propitiation we have no reason to think of any other and he having offer'd himself once to God for all
Heaven and sat on the right hand of God. And there St. Stephen afterwards saw him Acts 7. 56. In which place as St. Peter testifies Acts 3. 21. he must remain till the times of the restitution of all things When and not before he shall so come in like manner as he was seen to go into Heaven Acts 1. 11. Now I suppose you know the last shift they that believe this Doctrine are fain to fly to is God's Omnipotency and this they know we dare not contradict But we know that though God is able to do any thing yet 't is evident in many things he does not apply his Will to his Ability And on this account though John Baptist told the Jews Matth. 3. 9. That God was able of the Stones of the Earth to raise up Children unto Abraham we must not presently make the Fable of Deucalion and Pyrrha an Article of our Faith. For if this wou'd do the bus'ness how soon wou'd the World be fill'd with Absurdities and yet all pass for Miracles But if we consult the Sacred Writings we shall find that though God is sufficiently declar'd to be Omnipotent yet he never acted any thing contrary to himself his Power never appear'd contrary to his Will. Now in the present case if we believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God and that his Will is declar'd in his Word it sufficiently appears that Christ must be Corporally present in Heaven 'till the end of the World and then to say that he is Corporally present on Earth too and in so many Thousand places at the same time because nothing is impossible with God is to say in effect that God to shew his Power does some things which are repugnant to his Will and to preserve the Prerogative of his Omnipotence inviolate will upon occasion contradict his own Word But the Apostles had no such thoughts some of 'em saw Christ ascend Bodily into Heaven and others as St. Stephen and St. Paul afterwards saw him Bodily present there Accordingly St. Paul tells the Hebrews Chap. 8. Verse 1. that he is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens And Chap. 10. Verse 12. After he had offer'd one Sacrifice for Sins for ever he sat down on the Right Hand of God. Where be pleas'd to observe two Errors confuted in one Text The Sacrifice of the Mass in that Christ has offer'd one Sacrifice for Sins for ever and the Doctrine of Transubstantiation in that after he had offer'd the Sacrifice he sat down on the Right Hand of God. Therefore his Advice to the Colossians Chap. 3. Verse 1. is If they are risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the Right Hand of God. For Phil. 3. 20. our Conversation says he is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore Madam I think the Counsel of our Lord himself is best to be follow'd Matth. 24. 23. If any Man shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe it not Secondly Another Argument deducible from Scripture against this Doctrine I told you was That we eat the Body and drink the Blood of Christ only by Faith. John 6. 47 c. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath Everlasting Life I am that Bread of Life Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven that a Man may eat thereof and not die I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven If any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever And the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World. Where we are to consider First That Faith in Christ is made the Condition of having Everlasting Life Verse 47. Secondly The Bread of Life which Verse 51. is call'd his Flesh is only that Spiritual Nourishment of the Soul which comes by that Faith in Christ And therefore he says that if any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever Whence I think it plainly appears that eating Christ's Flesh and believing on him are only terms used promiscuously one for t'other and so make nothing at all for Transubstantiation But the chief of the Argument is to come Verse 52 c. The Jews therefore strove among themselves saying How can this Man give us his Flesh to eat Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Whoso eateth my Flesh and Drinketh my Blood hath Eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last Day For my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him As the Living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me This is that Bread which came down from Heaven not as your Fathers did eat Manna and are dead He that eateth of this Bread shall live for ever Perhaps you may think Madam that these reiterated expressions are Indications plain enough that our Saviour here intends Transubstantiation But I assure you they mean nothing less For first he says Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you And on the contrary Whoso eateth his Flesh and drinketh his Blood hath Eternal Life and he will raise him up at the last Day Now if our Saviour speaks all this of his natural Flesh and Blood with which he was cloathed and which was nail'd to the Cross and split on the Ground and lastly which he carried with him into Heaven and if according to the Doctrine of Transubstantiation his natural Flesh and Blood are as really eaten and drunk in the Lord's Supper Then all Men bad as well as good nay any living Creature that is but capable of eating and drinking may be in as fair a way to Heaven as the devoutest Professor of Christianity For if eating the Flesh of Christ will carry one to Heaven give a Dog a piece of the Transubstantiated Bread and why may not he by eating it go thither too However to seclude Beasts it wou'd be a blessed World certainly if the worst of Men were in as sure a way to Salvation as the best which must be if the Doctrine of Transubstantiation and our Saviour's Words hold together For he says his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood is Drink indeed And Transubstantiation gives all Men the real Flesh and Blood of Christ and by eating and drinking them we get Salvation which is here call'd Eternal Life But Secondly He that eateth Christ's Flesh and drinketh his Blood dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him Now can Christ dwell in a Wicked Man or Unbeliever What fellowship hath Christ with