you enter not into tentation You (c) Luâ— 18 1. must always pray never faint All places all times are fit for Prayer God limits nether but promises to heare us always Aske you shall receive What soever you shall aske my father in my name he will grant it to you Particularly Remission of sins is annexed to it Heare S. Austin Enchir. c. 71. Dequotidianis brevibus levibusque peccatis sine quibus haec vita non ducitur quotidiana oratio fidelium fatisfacit Eorum est enim dicere Pater noster qui es in coelis qui jam patri tali regenerati sunt ex aquâ Spiritu sancto Delet omninò haec Oratio minima quotidiana peccata Delet illa à quibns vita fidelium sceleratè etiam gesta sed poenitentiâ in melius mutatâ discedit si quemadmodnm veraciter dicitur Dimitte nobis debita nostra Ita veraciter dicatur sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris Idest si fiat quod dicitur The dayly Prayers of the faithfull satisfye for those dayly lyght small sins which are incident to all in this life these we call veniall sins for it belongs properly to those to say Our father which art in Heaven who are regenerated by water the Holy Ghost to such a father This Prayer blots out little sins It hath a vertu also to carry away the guilt of greater sins in those who are repentant of them provided they as truly forgive as they aske to be forgiven that is they doe what they say Sir How different was S. Austin's judgment from yours He thought those Prayers efficacious to blot out veniall even mortall sins you think the prescribing them Ridiculous Saying the Poenitentiall Psalmes is an object of laughter to you Were there any Church discipline amongst you or had your Prelates any tru zeale for any part of devotion you would be forced to change your note the saying the Psalmes being the only part of devotion which you retaine But it seemes writing against Popery hath a vertu to sanctify all Impiety as acting against it did excuse all sacriledge I never heard any man Moved to laughter with reading the Psalmes I have knowne many by them moved to compunction to a new life to the love of God Let S. Austin who experienced it in himself speake l. 9. Confess c. 4. Dulce mihi sit ô Domine confiteritibi quibus internis me stimulis perdomueris quemadmodum me complanaveris humiliatis montibus collibus cogitationum mearum tortuosa mea direxeris aspera lenieris quas tibi Deus meus voces dedi cùm legerem Psalmos David cantica fidelia sonos pietatis excludentes turgidum spiritum Quas tibi voces dabam in Psalmis illis quomodo in te inflammabar ex eis accendebar eos recitare si possem toto orbe terrarum adversus typhum generis humani I take adelyght o my Lord to confesse to thee with what inward goades thou didst subdue me by what meanes thou didst bring me downe levelling the greater lesser mountaines of my thoughts How thou didst streyghten my crookednesse smooth my roughnesse Into what exclamations did I breake out O my God when I reade the Psalmes of David those faithfull canticles those pious sounds which banish all proud spirits How I cryed out in reading them how I was inflamed in the love of thee how I was stirred up to reade them if possible to the whole world as a soveraign antidote against the Pride of mankind Thus S. Austin See what a difference there is betwixt the sentiments of this greate Saint yours Reading the Psalmes moved the Saint to compunction it moves you to laughter It stirred up in the Saint the love of God you are not moved to any good by it The Saint would reade them to all the world you are displeased they are recommended to any He thought Reading them a greate antidote against the Pride of mankind which is the roote of all Evill you say it is ridiculous You have reason to suspect your spirit which is found soe often contrary to the Spirit of God SECTION III. Pilgrimages THis is a third instance of our ridiculous Pennances going to such Churchs say you Which discovers your Ignorance or Impiety For if you know not on what ground Pilgrimages are founded you are very Ignorant If you know it yet blame them you are very Impious The two first geate sins committed after the creation of the world by Adam in eating the forbidden fruite Cain in killing his Brother were Judged by their Creator a greate part of their Pennance prescribed by that Greate Peniteutier was a Pilgrimage or bannishment from the place where the sin was committed Of Adam it is sayd (a) Gen. 3.23 he sent Adam out of the garden of Eden And to Cain (b) Gen. 4.12 A fugitif vagabond shall thou be on the Earth Now Rhabanus Maurus (c) Poenitentialis c. 11. assures that this is the ground why such a Pennance was enjoyned And me thinks the example of God himself may be a sufficient warrant for his Delegates Preists in following such a precedent secure them against your censure Especially seing in the most ancient collections of Penitentiall Canons made by Bede Theodorus Burchardus Ivo Gratian we find Pilgrimages prescribed amongst other Pennances Which shews the unanimous consent of Antiquity And you may much â—â—silier discover you owne weakenesse or lacke of vertu then convince the makers or collectors of those Canons of Folly The reasons for this Pennance are cheisely three first it is a kind of banishment which separates a man for a time from friends acquaintance home country which cannot but be painfull laying a side the incommoditys of travelling And it seemes Just that he who abused those things should be deprived of the comfort of them having scandalized his neyghbours by bad example myght adify them them by undergoing this publicke pennance The second it is a connaturall remedy for such sins to which two or more concurre which proceede many times from the person we converse with or present occasion to remove the sinner from such occasions conversations as all know who deale with consciences Now this is done by Pilgrimages The third reason is that althô God be in all places sees heares us wheresoever weare yet he doth not alike in all places disclose his Power by miracles nor his Iustice by discovering secret sins nor his Goodnesse by coÌ„version of sinners As S. Austin observed long since dayly experience confirmes S. Austin notes such to have beene in his time the tombe of S. Felix at Nola in Campania that of the glorious Martyrs at Milan He refers this to the secret Iudgment of God humbly acknowledging his owne Ignorance Aug. epist 137. Vbique quidem Deus est nullo continetur vel includitur
we forgive And as betwixt the two brothers in Rebecca's Wombe soe betwixt these two loves there is a combate within our breast For (a) Gal. 5.17 the spirit covets against the flesh the flesh against the spirit these are contrary to one another And this is that perpetuall combate which we undergoe by reason of which this life is termed (b) Job 7.1 Militia est vita hominis super terram a warfare And (c) Aug. l. 11. de Civit. Dei c. 28. Bonum est homini ut illo prosiciente quo benè vivimus elle desiciat quo malè viv imus donec ad persectum sanetur in bonum commutetur omne quod vivimus we are conquered when selfe love prevailes over the love of God but we conquer when the love of God gets the better Wherein then doth consist the perfection of a Christian In a hart pure from bad love not yeilding consent to the motions of selfe love but resisting them a hart filled with the love of God following in all things the motions of Divine Grace the guidance of the Holy Spirit And (d) Aug. in Psal 64. Interroget se quisque quid amet inveniet undè sit civis could we certainly discover which of the two loves rules in our hart we should certainly know the state of our soul Supposing these principles let us attend Mr. G. B. G. B. pag. 76. Religion elevates the souls of mn to a participation of Divine nature where by they being inwardly purifyed the outward cōversation reguluted the world may be restored to its primitive Innocence men admitted to an inward intimate fellowship with their maker ANS What you say of participation (a) 2. Pet. 1.4 of Divine nature is out of Scripture likewise our souls being inwardly purifyed our inward fellowship with God All which is tru althô you nether tell what they meane nor understand it your selfe But that by Christianity the outward conversation should be regulated or primitive Innocence restored is aliene or untru That by Christianity outward conversation is regulated is aliene Orderly conversation being a meere externe naturall quality many times as excellent in Infidels as Christians Certainly the perfection of Christianity may be found in Anchorets preserved in a desert Whence a good conversation appeares not to be a very materiall ingredient of perfection And that Christianity should aime at restoring the world to its primitive Innocence it absolutely false for that Innocence cannot be attained unto nether in this life nor the next not in this in which the greatest Saints have their (b) Rom. 7. combats from which man in state of primitive Innocence was free not in the next the state of glory being above that of Innocency Soe nether of these is the end of Christianity G. B. pag. 76. What devices are found out to enervate Repentance sins must be divided into mortall veniall ANS From the beginning there hath always beene observed an inequality of sins I will omit moderne Divines which you doe not understand Councils which you regard not Bede in c. 5. Jac. distinguishes them the māner to expiate them which in the Greeke Church is still in use That same is observed by S. Austin Enchir. c. 71. cited above Chapt. 18. sect ◠The Beloved Disciple (a) 1. Io. 5.16.17 speakes of sin unto death others not such S. Paul (b) 1. Cor. 6.9.10 should discove rthe Plot what Was Christ concerned in this device who distinguishes sins against the holy Ghost from others whither will these men Leade us or goe themselves or what can besecure from those tongues which spare no more the doctrine delivered by Christ by the Apostles or the primitive Fathers then that of moderne Divines I know all sins are offences of God yet I doe not with the Stoicks think all sins equall or him as greate a sinner who speakes an Idle word as him who kills his owne father The contrary Paradoxes may find place And be admired in Calvin by his deluded followers but certainly no sober man can approve them G. B. p. 77. Their asserting that simple attrition qualifies men for the Sacrament ANS You doe more for you think Attrition sufficient to justify without the Sacrament Pag. 76. having sayd that Repentance remission were always united you explicate Repentance to be a horrour of sin uppon the sense of its native deformity contrariety to the law of God which makes the soul apprehend the hazard it hath incurred by it so as to study by all meanes possible to avoyde it in all time coming This is all you say which any divine knows to be only Attrition as not expressing cleerely the only motive of tru Contrition love of God above all things for his only goodnesse Give Glory to God Is it not tru that yov had heard of a dispute beyond seas betwixt Iansenists their Enemyes about the sufficiency of Attrition to justify with the Sacrament And you never would take the paines to examin the sentiments of ether part or their motives but relyed suppon the first apprehension which occurred to you Your writings give a probable ground for this conjecture G. B. p. 76. All the severitys enjoyned by Papists for Pennances doe but tend to nourish the life of sin ANS You may as well say the severity of the laws against Robbers murtherers the Axe Halter tend only to nourish inclinations to rob kill Sure your common sense is far different from that of others else you would never advance these Paradoxes Nether will it serve your turne if you recurre to the pecuniary mulcts enjoyned to some for first you cannot blame those without blaming Scripture which recemends Almes giving as a (a) Dan. 4.24 meanes to redeeme sins Secondly because worldly men are not soe willing to part with their mony how generous soever you are were you to give a crowne for every untruth you print you would by that pecuniary mulct not be encouraged to write as you doe CHAPTER XXII Theologicall Vertues G. B. pag. 78. That which is next pressed in the Ghospel for uniting souls of mankind to God is that Noble ternary of Graces Faith Hope Love ANS You can never speake soe much in commendation of the Theologicall vertues as they deserve for their merits surpasse all we can say And if you compare the least of them with those called morall vertues it will out shine velut inter stellas Luna minores Yet Faith and Hope must doe Homage to Charity or Love at to their soveraigne as to the end to which they are designed to the fountaine of their life cause of their value This I have sayd above yet I againe repeate it for their sakes who soe set up the merits of Faith as to neglect Good workes (a) Iac. 2.17 without which Faith is dead to place is after Charity without which Faith (b)
of such foul crimes during our life To Heaven Blasphemy accompanyed with finall Impenitency cannot enter it To the Ayre our sins would defile it To the Earth we are un worthy to treade uppon it Hell Hell is the only fit place for us if yet Hell it self hath any torments proportioned to so hainous offences What reply can you make to this with what eyes can you looke on them Should he thence passe into an Assembly of Pagan Idolaters Iupiter the Arch-Divil or Lucifer presiding over them with what Acclamations would he be received How would they rejoice for so noted a Proselite How would the President renew his hopes of recovering that throne by the helpe of so able a man which he affected from the beginning in the sides of the north Isay 14.13 whence he was beaten by the Spirit of God working in with the Primitive Christians That Satan was for a time to be bound after Loosed againe we reade Apoc. 20.3 Such Doctrine as this that he is the tru God gives a greate blow to his chaine And what dispositions there are at present to entertaine him all know Libertinisme Blasphemy all Impiety walking bare-faced men glorying in them seeme to provoke our Just God to punish these sins by that other Paganisme the multitudes flocking to such Conventicles as have little of Christianity more then the name discover how loosely many of the people are united to Christ that there are greate dispositions to a generall Apostasy which I am perswaded E.S. would be as sorry to see happen in his days as any other Yet least althô against his will he should promote see greate a mischeife I wish he renounce this Paradox otherwise that it be writ uppon his Tombe Here Lyeth a Champion of the Reformed Church of Ingland who Beleived in Adored no other God but the Pagan Iupiter I designe no formall answer to his Defence of the Discourse of Idolatry His able Antagonist needes no helpe from my Weakenesse so I let him end the dispute he hath so happily managed hitherto Yet if I am not mistaken I shall lay such principles as may serve for an answer to that booke For seing the manner of handling the matter is new I have taken the liberty to be Longer in it then elsewhere It may be he will having reade what I say find a reason to change his Judgment of us that we can say nothing but out of Bellarmin or Coccius It is no hard matter to satisfy any indifferent man in that point it being so cleere in Antiquity that if we reade Iustinus M. or Athenagoras Tertullian or S. Cyprian Minutius Felix or Arnobius S. Austin or S. Hierome we shall every where find convincing proofes of the falshood of that Errour It may be some may take the paynes to publish some of those Greate men's treatises in Inglish for the publick good to shew the World Mr. Stil 's Ingenuity in handling Controversy Now if he hath the Confidence to falsify so cleere a matter of fact testifyed by Scripture by Fathers by History by Pagans by the Divils them selves and acknowledged by those of his owne Communion how can he be relyed on in Points of Doctrine which are more disputable as being more obnoxious to mistakes not capable of so cleere disproofes He could not possibly have given greater cause to suspect all he writes then by such a Paradox so evidently false so confidently asserted One thing I desire of our adversaryes for their owne sakes that they regard a little what write not fill their bookes with every thing that occurres tru or false I shall take notice of Mr. B. in the tract Mr. Whithy in the title Page of his booke cites as Scotus his Opinion an Objection which he makes answers He myght with like reason have cited him all Divines for Atheisme seing all put some Objections against the Being of a God all Protestant writers of controversy for Popery seing out of them Papist objections may be taken Again pag. 242. he says no ancient Father takes notice of any Heathen objecting to Christians their Prayers to Saints which is an assurance says he there was no such practice Yet S. Augustin twice takes notice of that objection l. 8. de Civit. Dei c. 27. l. 20. contra Faust c. 21. As also S. Hierome ep 53. ad Riparium lib. cont Jovinian c. 2. Againe in the same page he assures there was no mention of canonizing Saints till the 7. century Yet the schisme of the Donatists was in the beginning of the 4. century a greate cause of this schisme was the malice spyght of Lucilla a factious proud exceeding rich woman who was reprehended by Caecilianus then a Deacon for honouring the bone of a Martyr before he was Canonized Os Martyris nondum vindicati says Optatus Milevit l. 1. may be seene in S. Aug. l. 1. cont Parmenian cap. 3. epist 162. Moreover out of the Iliberitan Council can 60. S. Austin Brevic. collat die 3. c. 13. is gathered that the African Spanish Churchs would not admit into the number of Martyrs which was their Canonizing them such as lost their lives having provoked the Persecutors to kill them Soe in the third age there was the custome of Canonizing for the Council of Eliberis or Elvira Optatus speake of it as of a custome establisht This being soe cleere soe obvious I cannot guesse what should ground Mr. Whitby's mistake of no custome to Canonize before the 7. century unlesse it was that he found in Bellar. l. 1. de Sanct. Beatit or in Surius his life of S. Swithbert that this Saint was the first of whose solemne Canonization any records are extant Which yet is far from what Mr. Whitby affirmes of no mention of the custome of Canonizing till the 7. Century Such grosse errours beare the character of a Minister fryghted with Popery writing against it none else are capable of them I have reade very little in that worke for opening it accidentally in that place where those two greate untruths are so confidently advanced that brought to my mind the words of the wise man Prov. 29.20 So I thought I myght spend my time better then on him One word to preuent misinterpretations In the following treatise I put W. L. for Will. Lawd late Lord Primate of Ingland as also E. S. for D. Stillingfleete G.B. for Mr. Burnet not out of any disesteeme of his personall Endowments or want of Respect for his publicke character but only for brevity's sake Which none can be offended with who knows we cite in alike manner Bellarmin Baronius Perron Cayetan without their titles notwithstanding their Ecclesiasticall dignity Selfe defence is of the law of nature is never lesse obnoxious to Censure then when least personall And such is my case whose only endeauour is to pleade for the Cat. Church of which I have the happinesse to
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
us to the Father without spot wrinkle c which declare how plenary his satisfaction was nothing being left undone by him for removing the guilt of sin Thus you As if nothing could be required on man's side in order to apply the satisfaction of Christ without derogating from its plenitude Christ satisfaction was plenary soe was his Prayer his Greife his suffring Yet we must pray for our selves (a) Mat. 6.12 for one another (b) Iac. 5.16 althô he prayed for us all And we must be sorry for our sins the whole course of the Ghospell requires it of us we must suffer for with him For as in order of nature that action of the Prime cause by which it concurs with creatures is sufficient of it selfe to produce the whole effect yet nothing is done without the concourse of secondary causes which apply the action of the first soe the satisfaction of Christ is sufficient for all yet doth not remit our sins actually without it be applyed to us ether by Baptisme or Penitentiall workes And the necessity of this application by faith is owned by all your Reformers And if this is consistent with that fullnesse why not application by Faith Charity You say This is a comfortlesse Doctrine ANS It is our duty to take the doctrine of Christ as we find it in holy writ to teach others what we take thence being assured that whither it be or be not confortable it is holesome unto everlasting life And such is that Doctrine which makes us punish in our selves our offences by that meanes prevent those punishments which God would otherwise inflict uppon us it makes us worke our salvation (a) Philip. 2.12 with feare trembling it causes sorrow according to God which brings forth Pennance unto (b) 2. cor 7.10 salvation which is stable It is a Doctrine proportioned to the present state of man this being a state of Bannishment Pennance where feare trembling sighes teares fasting Prayer watches are his lot must ground his security as to the maine chance which is the only thing can give him reall substanciall comfort in this vale of miseryes He must conforme to his patterne Jesus suffring follow his (c) 1. Pet. 2.21 foot steps He carryed his Crosse invite us to take up ours follow him (d) Mat. 16.24 but doth not advise us to leave it as if his carrying his owne were sufficient for both him us In fine not withstanding all the suffring of Christ for us we must here sow with teares (e) Psal 125.6 if we will there reape with Ioy. Christ him selfe was to suffer (f) Luc. 24.26 soe to enter into his Glory And We must suffer with him (a) 2. Tim. 2.12 if we expect to raygne with him (b) 2. Tim. 2.12 This this is the doctrine of Christ the spirit of the Ghospel which teachs us to hope in the merits of Christ but not to neglect good workes it shews us not to presume on his Satisfaction nor despayre of his Mercy to walke in hope of his goodnesse feare of our owne faults frailtyes to be thanckfull for the merits of Christ which give all their value to ours which of themselves are nothing In fine soe to honour the fullnesse of our Redemption as not to foster negligence in our selves but to stirre up our selves to imitate our Redeemer in doing suffring that soe we myght be stedfast immoveable in good (c) 1. Cor. 25.58 abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that our labour is not in vaine CHAPTER XVI Of Purgatory G. B. p. 55. begins to treate of Purgatory doth it soe lyghtly as if he feared to burne his fingers Yet if he shews lesse Reading he shews more Cunning then his Brethren E.S. or W.L. who give greater advantages to an Adversary by fixing a time for the kindling of that Purging fire which was lyghted long before any determinate time they can fix uppon Mr. Stillingf pag. 654. Not one of the fathers affirmed your doctrine of Purgatory before Gregory I. Yet W. L. allows it a much greater antiquity pag. 353. We can find says he a beginning of this doctrine a Beginner too namely Origen Thus they differ amongt themselves as little agree each with himself for p. 348. W. L. had sayd Scarce any father within the first three hundred yeares ever thought of it Which assertion is contradiction to what he says of Origen's being the Beginner of it it is moreover very rash for doth he think that all the fathers of the first three ages writ downe all their thoughts or that all they writ is preserved till our days or that he hath seene all that is soe preserved or remembers all that he hath ever seene But let us leave these men to reconcile together their owne thoughts which will be no small nor short labour And examin the thing it self to come to it I passe over severall slips of our adversarys v.c. Wil Lawd pag. 348. says that the first Definition of Purgatory to beleived as a divine truth was made by the Councill of Florence In which he is mistaken for Benedict XII long before that had defined the same I prove that the primitive Church believed a Purgatory in the most pure times out of the testimony of three Fathers S. Hilary S. Gregory Nissen S. Austin S. Hilary (a) Hil. in ps 118.20 Ille indefessus ignis obeundus est subeunda sunt illa expiāda a peccatis animae supplicia That restlesse fire is to be endured those punishments to be borne which may purge our soul from sins S. Greg. Nissen (b) Greg. orat de mortliis as cited by W. L. p. 351 Men must be purged ether by Prayers or by the furnace of Purgatory fire after this life Againe A man cannot be partaker of the divine nature unlesse the purging fire doth take a way the staines that are in his soul Againe After this life a Purgatory fire takes away the blots propensity to evill W. L. considering these words ingenuously confesses they seeme plaine Yet he holds out one buckler against these two Arrows drawne out of the quivers of those fathers that they speake of a Purgation of sins in the Roman Church we are taught to beleive only a Purgation of the paine due to sins already forgiven Now this avayles little 1. because the debt of paine may be often is taken for sin on which it is grounded metonimicè 2. He seemes not to understand our doctrine for there is no definition of our church oblidging us to beleive that there remaine no veniall sins in Purgatory Hence Dr. Kellison (c) Kellis in 3. p. tom 2. p. 611. late President of the Inglish Colledge of Doway proves Purgatory to be prepared first for those who dye with only veniall sins Secondly for those
who dye without any sin but only without having satisfyed fully for the paines due to sins forgivē The same reasons are alleadged by D. Silvius (a) Sylvius in 3. p. Suppl q. 100. p. 350. where he treates the same question And before these Benedict us XII in his Decree Benedict us Deus hath these words Decernimus animas decedentes cum veniali aliquo peccato purgari post mortem post purgationem ante resumptionem suorum corporum judicium generale post Ascensionem Christi Domini fuisse esse futuras esse in caelo We doe declare that souls dying in veniall sin beind purged after their death before the generall Resurrection are translated to Heaven Which Decree you many find in magno Bullario in Alphons de Castro verbo Beatitudo You see fir that there is nothing in the Purgatory described by those Saints inconsistent with what we are tought to beleive of ours Soe W. L. or his squire E. S. must study for another evasion W. L. cites indeed the Councill of Florence to confirme his answer But that place helpes only to convince the world how perfunctoriously he read inconsiderately framed his Judgment uppon reading for in the place cited by him the Council speakes of souls dying in the state of Grace or Charity si in Charitate decesserint But of their not having any veniall sins not one word unlesse he thinks that all souls in Grace are free from veniall sins which will be another proofe of his abilityes in Divinity My next proofe is taken from S. Augustin in Enchir. cap. 110. Neque negandum est defunctorum animas pietate suorum viventium relevari cùm pro illis sacrificium mediatoris offertur vel Eleemosynae in Ecclesiâ fiunt sed iis haec prosunt qui cùm viverent ut haec sibi postea prodesse possent meruerunt Est enim quidam vivendi modus nec tam bonus ut non requirat ista post mortem nec tam malus ut ei non prosint ista post mortem Est verò talis in bono ut ista non requirat est rursus talis in malo ut nec his valeat cùm ex hac vitâ transierit adjuvari Similia habentur l. 21. de Civ Dei c. 24. It ought not to be denyed that souls departed are eased by the Piety of their surviving friends When the Sacrifice of our Mediator is offred for them or almes given in the Church But those are releived by these helpes wholived soe as to deserve the benefit of them after their death for there is a kind of life nether soe good as not to neede them nor soe bad as not to receive ease by them There is another soe good as not to want them a third soe bad as to be incapable of helpe even from them Thus S. Austin Where you see he distinguishes three places for the souls departed as cleerely as Bellarmin or the Councill of Trent One of those soe good as not to neede helpe by the suffrages of the Church such are the Blessed souls in Heaven Another soe bad as to be incapable or unworthy of releife by the suffrages such are the wretched souls in Hell A third needing them incapable of Ease from them such are souls in Purgatory You see secondly cleere mention of the Sacrifice of our Mediator offred by the Church in his days What is this but our masse which you may find againe l. 10. de Civ Dei c. 20. You see thirdly this sacrifice offred for the Deade And lastly you see Almes given in the Church for the releife ease of deceased friends How many points of our Reformers Catechisme doth this one place confute Truly one may think ether that they invented these doctrines to spite S. Austin or that this greate Saint writ that Chapter with a Prophetick spirit to convince the world that your sentiments are no lesse opposit to the ancient then to the moderne Church which both agree in holding out the same tenets in Faith E. Still pag. 642. S. Austin delivers his Iudgment with such feare hisitancy that any me may easily see that he was far from making it an article of Faith He may as well say that the Councill of Trent spoke with hesitancy He addes That in S. Austin's time many favoured Origenes his opinion of the finall saluation of all at least who dyed in the Communion of the Church But what is this to S. Austin who condemnes that hereticall opinion as he says may be seene l. 21. de Civ Dei c. 24. in the whole booke de fide operibus But says E. S. Augustin speakes doubtfully l. de fide operibus cap. 16. Enchir. cap. 69. But he should have taken notice that he speakes in those places not of Purgatory in it selfe but of a particular paine which we no lesse then he doubt of The matter he treates Enchir. c. 68. is the Greife which men feele fer the losse of such things which they Loved inordinately by that meanes offended God althô their love to creatures were not soe greate as to withdraw them from the foundation Christ Vrit eum rerum dolor quas dilexcrat amissarum sed non subvertit fundamenti stabilitate munitum Such a man is burnt and tormented with the losse of those things which he loved yet he is not quite consumed because the foundation stands fast viz his love to Christ whome he would sticke to althô with losse of other things Then follows c. 69. where he doubts whither such a purging fire or paine as this is shall accompagny them in the next world that is whither souls departed retaine any disorderly affection to their possessions in this world by reason of which the want of them may be a torment to them as it were burne them In alike manner l. de fide operibus cap. 16. Sivè ergò in hac vita tantum homines ista patiuntur says he sivè post hanc vitam talia quadam judicia subsequuntur Whither men suffer such things only in this life or the same rorments accompagny them into the next world Which is a thing moderne Catholicks as much doubt of as S. Austin yet he as well as we myght beleive most certainly what he soe positively affirmed in his Manuall chap. CX In vaine therefore doth E. Still alleadge p. 653. the blotting out of those words Constat animas post hanc vitam purgari It is evident that souls are purged after this life There is enough left in S. Austin's undoubted workes to confute his errour Soe the successe of that reformer was like that of Marcion with his sponge who blotted out some parts of Scripture yet what remained confuted his heresy As for holy Scripture I think the argument which S. Austin uses l. 21. de Civ Dei cap. 23. very convincing for Purgatory It is taken out of the words of our Saviour Mathaei 12.32 It shall be forgivē
loco qui omnia condidt Verum tamen adista quae hominibus nota sunt quis potest ejus consilium perscrutari quare in aliis locis haec miracula siant in aliis non siant And I am content to acknowledge my ignorance in imitation of him when nothing appeares in the place it self as sometimes there doth For if any man who hath any lively Faith within him should enter Hierusalem see the place where the Lamb of God was sacrificed the price of our Redemption Payd Innocency condemned the Divine wisdome derided for folly the King of Glory crowned with thornes the Creator scoft scorned by his creatures God dying dying that painfull ignominious death of the Crosse When he should think here his flesh was torne with stripes here his head was crowned with thornes here those hands which wrought soe many miracles were perced with nayles here those feete soe often wearyed in see king the lost sheepe were fixt to the Crosse Here that tongue which had command over the Elements death Hell was imbued with vinager Gall here his side was opened the last drop of Blood spilt the life of the world dyed to rayse to life the world When he considers this with all that his owne sins had soe greate a share in requiring this most aboundant Redemption will not the very place suggesting these more thoughts fixe his Imagination quicken his fancy detaine his understanding stirre up his will to a hatred of sin the cause of all this severe Judgement uppon the unspotted Lamb to confusion for having contributed soe much to it by his owne offences to love God above all things who hath loved us soe much Hereafter before you throw such hard stones at our heades consider whither there be not with us mingled by a communion of sentiments some persons to whome you must owne greate respect to be due I have brought you here into an Assembly of the cheifest Preachers Prelates of all ages all teaching commanding or practising these workes which you deride The Apostles take up the first rank over all Iesus-Christ God Blessed for evermore presiding giving Example suppase in the name of all these S. Basil S. Austin or S. Paul the Apostle should thus speake unto you How comes it to passe that you presume to censure in those of your days that which they practice only in Imitation of us How dare you say that our exercises should kill the vitalls of Religion dull the apprehensions of sin That what Christ did himself what is done by others following his footsteps should leade from Christ hinder the earnest applications to him What answer can you make to these tru Reproaches Think a little sadly on this it will bring you to a temper more be seeming your coat then when you writ what I have here answered SECTION IV. Two objections answered G. B. pag. 63. This is an easy way of escaping punishment ANSWER Can you never settle your Judgment will you let it ever be moved round with every blast of wind Here our way to expiate sins is too easy Pag. 144. it is a heavy yoake a racke to souls When you have experienced them fasting with breade water foe many days a weeke sayd devoutly every day some prayers gon long Pilgrimages on foote taken disciplines worne hayreshirts chaines served the sicke in Hospitalls the Prisoners in Goales given Almes to the Poore watched c. When I say you have tryed these for some months if you continu in your opinion that our way of expiating sins is Easyer then yours I shall think your common sense equall to your Piety admire both alike G. B. Ibidem The Papists endeavour to give a pleasant tast to their Pennances wherefore to the grave melancholy we give of one sort to the fiety sullen of another to the Ioviall a third c. ANSWER Here you deliver a dreame as a certaine Truth Cite the Council name the Authour of such à practice If you can name none as I am sure you cannot owne your selfe the inventer of this which is to say a Calumniator CHAPTER XIX Sacrifice of the Masse G. B. p. 64. Another opposition made to the Preistly office of Christ is their conceipt of the sacrifice of the Masse which they beleive is a formall expiation of sins both for the living dead who are in Purgatory ANSWER You fall soe often that it would tire any man to take you up always It is not tru that Catholicks hold masse to be a formall expiation of sins unica causa formalis the only formall cause of our justification says the Council of Trent sess 6. c. 7. is the justice of God by which he makes us just That is it is habituall grace or Charity But let that passe We say with the fathers that Masse is an Expiatory Sacrifice S. Austin Enchir. c. 110. following his distinction of souls deceased into three classes those in Heaven those in Purgatory those in Hell he says that Masses for for the first are thanks givings for the second Expiations Propitiationes sunt for the third not ease to the dead but some comfort to their living friends Pro valdè bonis gratiarum actiones sunt pro non valdè malis propitiationes sunt pro valdè malis etsi nulla adjumenta mortuorum qualescumque vivorum consolationes sunt Enchir. cap. 110. To cleere yet more this point of the Sacrifice of Masse of Christ offred offring himself in it heare S. Austin l. 10. de Civit. Dei cap. 20. Verus ille Mediator in quantum forman servi accipiens mediator effectus est Dei hominum homo Christus Iesus cùm informâ Deisacrificium cum Patre sumat cum quo unus Deus est tamen in formâ servi sacrificium maluit esse quà m sumere ne vel hac occasione quisquā existimaret cuilibet sacrificandum esse creaturae Per hoc Sacerdos est ipse offerens ipse oblatio Cujus rei Sacramentum quotidianum esse voluit Ecclesiae sacrificium The tru Mediator by taking uppon himself the shape of a servant being made Mediator betwixt God men the man Christ Iesus who together with his father with whome he is one God as God receives sacrifice but as man will have no sacrifice offred to himself to cut off all pretence of sacrificing to any but God In this sacrifice he is the Preist he is the Sacrificer he is himself the sacrifice Or he is the person who offers he is the oblation And he hath ordred the sacrifice of the Church as a dayly commemoration or Sacrament of that sacrifice of the Crosse Thus he Where you see a sacrifice of the Church as a dayly commemoration of that of the Crosse That Christ offers it that he himself is offred in it all this to God no sacrifice being offred to any else If you
lent with breade water before that time falls sicke continues soe why may not the Church declare his vow not to oblidge or change it into something else Item he vows a Pilgrimage his wife family affayres require his presence at home If this doth not satisfy you call to mind the procedings of your first Reformers who opened all Cloisters dispensed with soe many vows at one time Is it not strange that you should charge us with dispensing with some vows when you annull all Secondly disolving wedlock bond I know none who practice dissolving consummated marriages If you doe accuse them if you doe not aske pardon for this false accusation Thirdly allowing marriages in for fidden degrees The degrees hindring marriage were contained in the ceremoniall law which expired with Christ the end of that law Those which now bind are establisht by canon law which was made doth depend on the Church Fourthly the communion under one kind or the Chalice taken from the people contrary to the command of Christ You can never prove that command to all to drink of the Cup. G. B. pag. 71. Another invasion of the Regall Power is the Popes pretence to be universall Bishop which is termed by S. Gregory the greate to be Antichristian ANS I know no Pope who pretends to it I know none who give it them If there be any such let them answer for themselves Now I desire you to make good sense of something you say first p. 67. Christ hath delivered us from the bondage of corruption How is this done already when the Apostle whose words those are Rom. 8.21 promises it only after the Resurrection Secondly pag. 68. Anathema is the mildest of the spirituall censures we thunder against such as comply not with our tyranny What spirituall censure Is more severe I think that the severest of all as we beleive after Tertul. Apolog. cap. 39. p. 68. Thirdly pag. 69. No authority besides Christ can reach the conscience S. Paul was of a different opinion when he enjoines obedience to the commands of Princes not only for wrath but for Conscience CHAPTER XXI Of love its two species Repentance mortall veniall sins Attrition Contrition G. B. p. 75. I proceede to the third part of my Inquiry which is the opposition made to the greate designe of Christian Religion for elevating souls of men into a participation of the Divine nature ANSWER I never knew a man promise more performe lesse then you Your words phrases are greate hygh your Reason sense low little yet that delivered with soe much considence as may perswade your Ignorant Credulous Reader you have reason on your side when you are to seeke in the first principles of the matter you discourse on You may with a homely yet a very proper metaphore be compared to a flying Oxe whose wings stretcht out promise a flyght but his heavy body keepes him on the ground his dull spirits serve only for a slow motion there For let a man reade your booke observe your disesteeme of others your insulting over them he shall think you Eagle like to be to wring above the clouds whence you with disdaine looke downe on us poore Ignoramuses Yet your heygth is discernable without the helpe of a Telescope for after all your striving straining endeavours we still find you on the ground equall nay inferiour to many whome you insult over without any thing extraordinary but your boldnesse to print in soe learned an Age as this is of things you understand not If what I have written already what I shall write doth not make this cleere I will give you leave to apply that comarison to me I have already spoken Chap. 3. 4. of the designes of God in delivering Christian Religion that it was to teach men to serve God in this life enjoy him in the next That this service consisted cheifely in Faith Hope Charity yet soe as Charity gives a value to the other In sine that the end of the Ghospel was to unite us to God by Charity in this world by Glory which is the last perfection of Charity in the other Love is the roote of all our Actions As weyght (a) Aug. l. 13. confess c. 9. Amor meus pondus meum eò feror quocumque feror Aug. l. 11. de Civit. Dei c. 28. Sicut corpus pondere ita animus amore fertur quocumque fertur in Bodyes gives them their motion towards their center soe love in men but with this difference that weyght is restrained to locall motion an action of one species but love as partaking of the nature of the soul whose it is reaches to severall those of an opposit nature for all we doe proceedes from some love All our Passions are only love in a severall disguise (b) Aug. l. 14. de Civ Dei c. 7. Is the thing we love absent the love of it is called Desire Is it in danger to be post it is feare are we in aprobability of attaining it it is Hope it is looked on as irrevocable it is despayre are we stirred up to overcome th difficultyes opposing us is it Anger Doe we possesse it it is Joy doe we loose it love is changed into Greife or sadnesse c. The same love putting on these severall dresses and transforming it selfe Proteus like conformable to the nature condition of its object Soe that it would be impossible to reekon all its species Which are reduced to some heads both by Philosophers Divines Philosophers draw it to three species according to three sorts of Good Honour Profit Pleasure But much more the our purpose is the distinction of love used by Divines which in order to a morall life in this world eternall life in the next divides all mankind viz the love of God the love of our selves commonly called selfe-love We received the love of ourselves from Adam the love of God from Christ that is an effect of corrupt nature this of repayring Grace from that spring out the workes of the flesh from this grow those of the spirit That ends in death this is the seede of life By these two loves two cittyes are built (a) Aug. l. 14. de Civit. Dei c. 28. Fecerunt Civitates duas amores duo terrenam scilicet amor sui usque ad contemptum Dei caelestem verò amor Dei usque ad contemptum sui Hierusalem Babylon Heaven Hell In the next world these loves are pure for in Heaven raygnes the love of God without any selfe-love in Hell selfe-love rages without any curbe from the love of God In this life they are commonly mingled nether soe absolutely possessing the hart of man as to suppresse all motion of its corrivall For ever the greatest sinners feele some motions to good the greatest Saints must say Dimitte nobis Forgive us our sins are
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
in their hart mouth that is to say very neere or easy S. John 1. Jo 5.3 to the same intent sayd the Commandments were lyght with this motive we encourage ours Two things may be answered to this reason first that some of ours have taught that doctrine secondly that some of yours doe not teach it To the first I reply that I ansenius indeed did hold it but was immediatly condemned by the Pope the whole Church soe his doctrine doth not discourage ours And to the second your Church never made any solemne decree against it nay it ownes Communion with those who teach it soe the discouragement lyes with you Secondly your excessive exagerations of faith as all sufficient to salvation your neglect of other vertues good workes may encline to faith but stirres up to no labour for other vertues as being of no necessity no greate use now we place faith in the rank S. Paul assignes it (a) 1. Cor. 12. at the feete of Charity with S. James we teach that (b) Iac. 2.26 with out workes it is dead We owne with the Apostle that without Faith nothing can be done in order to eternall blisse because (c) Heb. 11.6 it impossible to please God without it with it alone nothing considerable is done Hence we teach our People too keepe their Faith as the Apple of their eye but withall to cherish Charity as their Hart. Thirdly Hope of advantage is a greate spurre to vertu this encourages the souldier in his battells the marchant is his voyages the Husband man in his labours whose endeavours would slacken was there no corne no gaine by marchandise nor victory to be hoped for Now we teach that through the Passion of Christ by the promise of God a reward is due to good workes you deny this pretending that nothing is due to the best of them but Hell damnation they being all sins Soe our doctrine encourages to good workes yours dishartens them Fourthly what soever doctrine diminishs the feare of the punishment due to sin is contrary to vertu because that feare is a greate curbe to our Passions Now your doctrine doth diminish that feare for you teach that faith secures to you your act of oblivion your full pardon soe that those who beleive soundly neede feare nothing Faith having a vertu to blot out all sins G. B. pag. 154. We cannot be charged for having taught our People to breake any one Commandment ANSWER You seeme charged for teaching them indirectly to breake them all saying the keeping them is impossible in it selfe fruitlesse if they should be kept their breach not prejudiciall G. B. pag. 160. Bad practices may furnish matter for regret but not for separation ANSWER It is tru when where principles of religion are contrary to such practices But when these bad customes are naturall sequels of the doctrine necessarily flow from it not only the practices are to be detested but likewise the doctrine whence they flow is to be abhorred as pernicious to souls the Church which teaches them as doctrine ether necessary to be beleived or even probable in practice what soever Church it be is to be forsaken as the Chaire of Pestilence Si quid de Tuo Deus meus dictum est agnoscant Tui Si quid de Meo tu ignosce tui Aug. AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS Chapt. 1. MR. G. B. his designe his disposition when be writ this booke of the Wickednesse of the world Pag. 1 Chapt. 2. Of Antichrist Pag. 6 Chapt. 3. The tru designes of Christian Religion Pag. 11 Chapt. 4. G. B.'s explication of the Designes of Religion Pag. 15 Chapt. 5. Of the Characters of Christian Doctrine Pag. 19 Chapt. 6. Scriptures supprest Pag. 23 Chapt. 7. Idolatry of Pagans Pag. 30 Section 1. Pagans thought their Idols to be Gods Pag. 31 Sect. 2. The beginning occasion of Idolatry Pag. 41 Sect. 3. What were the Pagan Gods that the Pagan Gods had been men Pag. 52 Sect. 4. The Roman Grecian Jupiter was not the tru God Pag. 68 Sect. 5. Whither all Pagans beleived one God Pag. 84 Sect. 6. Of the unknowne God at Athens p. 98 Chapt. 8. How G. B. proves Catholicks Idolaters p. 104 Chapt. 9. Of Mediating Spirits p. 107 Chapt. 10. Of the Intercession of Saints p. 116 Chapt. 11. Pretended charmes of Holy-water wax-Candles Agnus Dei's p. 126 Chapt. 12. Of Ceremonyes p. 130 Chapt. 13. Scripture the Church of the Resolution of Faith p. 137 Chapt. 14. Of Merits p. 151 Chapt. 15. Punishments due to sin forgiven p. 153 Chapt. 16. Of Purgatory p. 157 Chapt. 17. Preistly Absolution p. 166 Chapt. 18. Of Pennances p. 171 Sect. 1. Fasting p. 172 Sect. 2. Prayer p. 175 Sect. 3. Pilgrimages p. 178 Sect. 4. Two Objections answered p. 182 Chapt. 19. Sacrifice of the Masse p. 183 Chapt. 20. Regall Office of Christ of Transubstantiation Dispensing in vows c. p. 188 Chapt. 21. Love its two species Repentance mortall veniall sins Attrition Contrition p. 192 Chapt. 22. Theologicall Vertues p. 200 Sect. 1. Of Faith Heresy p. 201 Sect. 2. Of Hope Presumption p. 206 Sect. 3. Of Charity p. 209 Sect. 4. Answer to what G. B. objects p. 212 Chapt. 23. Efficacy of Sacraments p. 215 Chapt. 24. Probable opinions good intentions of the Authour of the Provinciall Letters p. 217 Chapt. 25. Papists doe not allow to breake the commandments p. 225 Chapt. 26. Riches Pride of Churchmen p. 230 Chapt. 27. Vnity of the Church in Faith Sacraments G. B. owne Protestants to be Schisinaticks severity against dissoniers of Hugo Grotius p. 235 Chapt. 28. Zeale of souls in our Bishops Reformers of S. Cyran Arnaud Jansenius p. 241 Chapt. 29. Small Objections Residency commendams p. 254 Conclusion of the first beginning of the second part p. 257 Chapt. 30. Catholick Faith how delivered Rules to know Tradition Faith never changed The dispute betwixt Mr. Arnaud Mr. Claude p. 260 Chapt. 31. Revelations miracles p. 269 Chapt. 32. Whither all Mysterys of Faith Common p. 276 Chapt. 33. Faith not dependant on senses p. 283 Chapt. 34. Mr. G. B. Intention Meekenesse p. 289 Chapt. 35. Reasons why Cat. embrace not the communion of the Protestant Church p. 296 Chapt. 36. Greater exercise of Piety amongst Catholicks then amongst Protestants p. 304 Chapt. 37. No houses of devotion nor spirituall Bookes amongst Protestants p. 310 Chapt. 38. Protestant Doctrines contrary to Piety p. 318 A Catalogue of some Authors whose Pages are cited in this worke with the places where yeares when they where printed I name only those Authors whose Pages I cite by reason that their treatises being long or not divided into Chapters the places I use would not be otherwise easily found Authors Where Printed in what yeare Aristotle Parisiis 1619. Arnobius Parisiis 1666. Athenagoras