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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	pray_v	sing_v	understanding_n	6,386	5	10.0280	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88669	The ancient doctrine of the Church of England maintained in its primitive purity. Containing a justification of the XXXIX. articles of the Church of England, against papists and schismaticks The similitude and harmony betwixt the Romane Catholick, and the heretick, with a discovery of their abuses of the fathers, in the first XVI ages, and the many heresies introduced by the Roman Church. Together with a vindication of the antiquity and universality of the ancient Protestant faith. Written long since by that eminent and learned divine Daniel Featly D.D. Seasonable for these times.	Lynde, Humphrey, Sir.; Featley, Daniel, 1582-1645.	1660 (1660)	Wing L3564B; ESTC R230720	398,492	686

Cor. 14. chapter through the whole out of which wee thus argue if it be better in the Church to speake five words with understanding that by our voyce wee may teach others then a thousand words in an unknowne tongue then certainly the publike Service of the Church ought to be in a knowne tongue but it is better in the Church to speake five words with understanding to instruct others thereby then a thousand words in an unknowne tongue v. 19. Therefore the publike Service of the Church ought to bee in a knowne tongue If all things ought to be done in the Church to edification then ought the publike Service to bee in a knowne tongue for hee that speaketh in an unknowne tongue edifieth not v. 5. but in the Church all things ought to bee done to edification v. 26. Ergo the publike Service ought to bee in a knowne tongue If in the prayers of the Church the people are to joyne with the Priest and testifie their consent with him by saying Amen to his prayers and giving of thankes then ought the publike Service to be in a knowne tongue But in the prayers of the Church the people ought to joyne with the Priest and testifie their consent by saying Amen to his prayers and giving of thankes Ergo the publike Service ought to bee in a knowne tongue If in the Church prayers wee ought to pray and sing with understanding then ought Church service to bee in a knowne tongue for if wee pray in an unknowne tongue our spirit prayeth but our understanding is unfruitfull v. 14. But in the prayers of the Church wee ought to pray and sing with understanding v. 15. Ergo the publike Service ought to bee in a knowne tongue Neither can the Iesuit shift off these passages with a wish saying that S. Paul indeed adviseth and wisheth that when any prayer is made in an unknowne tongue there should bee some to interpret but that hee requireth no such thing to bee observed as a divine precept for v. 37. hee addeth if any man thinke himselfe a prophet or spirituall let him know that the things which I write unto you are the commandements of God To conclude when S. Iames commandeth that whosoever prayeth Iames 1.6 aske in faith nothing doubting but that hee shall receive what he asketh hee necessarily implieth that wee ought to pray to God in a knowne tongue For how can hee beleeve that hee shall receive what he prayeth for if he knoweth not what himselfe saith in his prayers or what an other prayeth for him to whose prayers hee saith Amen To the Iesuits second quaere where prayer in an unknowne knowne tongue is forbidden I answer Esay 29.13 and Marke the 7.10 Well Esay prophesied of you hypocrites this people honoureth mee with their lips but their heart is farre from mee and 1 Cor. 14. where the Apostle professedly disputeth against speaking in the Church in an unknowne tongue But the Iesuit excepteth that S. Paul in that chapter condemneth not simply prayers in an unknowne tongue though hee preferreth prophecie By which his ignorant exception it should seeme that hee read that chapter in an unknowne tongue for hee speaketh so wide from the matter as if hee understood never a word in it It is true that the Apostle in that chapter comparing the gift of tongues and prophecie together condemneth neither of them but preferreth the gift of prophecie and in prosecution of the comparison falleth upon those who used the gift of tongues in publike prayers in the Church and hee expresly condemneth that practise of them because they that prayed in such sort uttering words that were not understood spake not to men because no man understood them v. 2. spake into the ayre v. 5. edified not by those prayers v. 12.17 because others could not joyne with them in their prayers nor say Amen to their thankes v. 15. Now if the Apostle reproved the use of the miraculous gift of tongues which redounded so much to the honour of God in the Church without an interpreter v. 28. saying if there bee no interpreter let them keepe silence in the Church How much more may wee conceive would he have sorbidden the use of an unknowne tongue acquired by humane industrie To his third quaere what authoritie we can bring for our selves or example I answer that the Knight hath brought the authoritie and example of the catholique Christian Church for 700. yeares at the least and because he calleth upō us to name any Father who teacheth as we do that the service of the Church ought to bee in a knowne tongue Exposit in psal 18. vult ut quod conamus intelligamus ac humana ratione non quasi avium voce canamus nam psittaci corvi picae hujusmodi volucres saepè abhominibus docentur sonate quod nesciunt sciunter autem cantare naturae hominis divina bonitate concessum est I name S. Chrysostome who in his Commentarie upon the 14. chapter of the first to the Corinthians saith that the Apostle teacheth that we ought to speak with our tongues and withall to minde what is spoken that wee may understand it and S. Austine willeth that wee understand what wee sing like men indued with reason and not chatter like birds for ousels parrats crowes pies and such other birds are often taught by men to sound out that which they know not but to know what they sing or sing with knowledge and understanding is by Gods will peculiarly given unto man I name also Iustine Martyre and S. Basil and many other ancient Doctours whose testimonies are plentifully alledged by Bishop Iewell Article the third and Bilson of Supremacie part the fourth and not yet answered by any Papist to my knowledge To the thirteenth The observation of Cardinall Bellarmine concerning the different custome of the ancient Church and the present Roman maketh rather against the Iesuits then for them For who will not attribute more to the uniforme practise of the primitive Church then to the heteroclyte practise of later Churches assuredly the practise of the primitive Church wherein the people answered the Priests and not the Clarke only is most agreeable to the doctrine of S. Paul and consonant to reason For publike prayers were instituted especially for three ends first for the most solemne worship of God when thousands of hands are at once lifted up to him and as many tongues confesse his name secondly for the stirring up of greater devotion when many hundreds praying and blessing and singing together like so many coales on the same hearth kindle one the other and increase the flame Thirdly for more prevalencie with God when we offer violence as it were to heaven and send up our united devotions like a vollie of shotte to batter the walls of it They who pray in a tongue which the people understand not and therefore cannot joyne with them in their prayer faile of all these ends Yet to sodder

may be saved in one Religion yet so as he must die in another This is a new conceite never heard of before that a man may be saved in a Religion but so as not to die of it To conclude since Protestant Doctors make no doubt but we may be saved in our faith and no Doctour of ours saith so of your faith it is out of doubt the safer way to embrace ours The force of which argument the Knight goeth not about to avoid otherwise then by denying that to be the opinion of learned Potestants which being proved to be so manifestly the argument still hath his force and the more because he cannot answer it The Hammer IN the former Chapters the Knight brandished his sword but in this he holdeth up his Buckler to beare off a blow wherewith some Professors especially of the Female Sex are said to have beene wounded to death For thus they whet their sword and shape it on the Protestant anvile Protestants confesse at least many of them that there may be salvation in the Roman Church but Papists absolutely deny that there may be any salvation in our Churches Fisher relation of a 3. conference therefore it is safer to come to theirs then to stay in ours to be where almost all grant salvation then where the greatest part of the world deny it Hereunto the Knight truely and solidly answers First that our Protestant Tenents are of that nature that the Papists themselves cannot pretend with any probability that there is any danger in them but rather in the contrary as he maketh it evident by eight remarkeable instances Secondly that our Religion is not to be accounted the worse but rather the better for our charitable opinion of our Adversaries for true piety is ever joyned with compassionate charity Thirdly Rom. 14.4 What have I to doe to judge another mans servant seeing he standeth or falleth to his owne master that though we leave the persons of Papists to their and our judge not pronouncing damnation on them as they doe on us yet we proclaime confidently to all the world that their doctrine is not safe Fourthly he distinguisheth also the persons of Papists some are invincibly ignorant who are compelled to resigne up their own eye-sight and to look through such Spectacles as their Priests and Pastors have tempered for them for these poore soules if they make as good use as they can of the publike and private means afforded them for saving knowledge and hold fast the Articles of the Apostles Creed without opposition to any ground of Christian Religion and furthermore have a minde and purpose to obay God and keepe his Commandements according to that measure of knowledge and grace which they have received and live for outward things in the unity of the Church where they dwell much may be said other live under Princes and States who as Gods true Watchmen and Shepherds desire they should be better informed and take care that they may have meanes to be instructed in the true saving knowledge of Christ such Papists shutting their eyes against Gods light and persisting in their ignorance and saying in effect Wee will not the knowledge of thy wayes Iob 21.14 goe not safely out of the world How the Iesuit refuteth these answers wee shall see in the examination of his particular exceptions To the first That cannot be farre from the Knights purpose which agreeth with the title of his whole Booke Via tuta The safe Way this safe way hee proves to be the Protestants way by divers instances in which the Papists affirmation is dangerous but our Negation cannot but be safe For example there is apparant danger in maintaining the adoration of Images and the creatures of Bread and Wine in the Sacrament because it is expressely forbidden under many fearfull curses to offer Sacrifice burne Incense or exhibit any Divine Worship to any save God onely Psalm 97.7 Confounded be all they that worship graven Images and boast themselves of Idolls but there can be no danger in not Worshipping the Creature insteed of the Creatour who is blessed for ever Rom. 1.25 They are in danger of a curse that forbid Marriage and hold it in some persons to be unlawfull and uncleane which Saint Paul calleth The Doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 3. But there can be no danger in not prohibiting Marriage in any which is Honorable in all and the bed undefiled Heb. 13.4 They are in danger who equall Traditions with Scripture because it is written Cursed be hee that addeth or taketh away from the words of the Law or the Gospell Deut. 4.2 Apoc. 22.18 There is danger in confidence in our owne merits because Cursed is hee that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arme Ier. 17.5 but there can be no danger in not relying upon our owne merits for Blessed are they that trust in Christ and him onely Psalm 2.12 for that the Cardinall himselfe confesseth to be Tutissimum There is danger in taking away the Cup from the Laity for it is a violation of Christs institution for Jesus said unto them Iohn 6.53 Except yee eate the flesh of the Son of man and drinke his blood yee have no life in you but there can be no danger in not taking away the Cup from the Laity but reaching it to them for Whosoever eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his blood hath eternall life vers 54. There is danger in keeping the Scriptures from the Laity for The people perish for want of knowledge Hos 4.6 and God powreth his wrath upon the people that know not his name Psal 79.6 but there can be no danger in permitting them to Search the Scriptures for in them they have eternall life Ioh. 5.39 and Blessed are they whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and that exercise themselves in that Law both day and night Psal 1.2 There is danger in praying in an unknowne tongue for they which doe so Worship they know not what draw neere to God with their lips but their hearts is farre from him but there can be no danger in Service in a knowne tongue for the Apostle saith I will pray with the spirit I will pray with understanding also I will sing with the spirit I will sing with understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 It was a curse inflicted upon the builders of Babel that they understood not what was spoken and the gift of tongues hath beene ever esteem'd a singular blessing conferred upon the Church whereby the people of all Nations and Countries understood the Apostles and their Successors preaching to them and praying for them To the second I reply that all his answers are refuted in my Animadversions upon the former Chapters onely some Cavils hee addeth which I will answer in a word Flood I presume his Father had some Apprentise bound not to marry during his Apprentiship I would then know of him whether his Father in that case did forbid marriage

properly a Communion but where some people are partakers of the same sacrifice with the Priest And lastly Iohannes Hoffmisterus not only speaketh plainly but cryeth out against your private Masses The thing it selfe doth speake and cry alowd that both in the Greeke and the Latine Church not only the sacrificing Priest but the other Priests and Deacons and the rest of the people or at least some part of the people did communicate together and how this custome ceased it is to bee wondered and wee ought to endeavour that it may bee restored againe in the Church Yea but saith the Iesuit Bellarmine and Durand prove by manifest authoritie that in the Easterne Church in the time of S. Ambrose S. Austine and Chrysostome the people did communicate but once a yeare and yet S. Chrysostome even there where hee complaineth of the peoples coldnesse saith of himselfe that hee celebrated every day though there were none to communicate with him I answer that the publike and solemne time at which all were bound to communicate in the Easterne Church was but once a yeare to wit at Easter yet did the people in those dayes both at other times and especially when they lay on their death-bed receive the Communion which was therefore called Viaticum morientium As for S. Chrysostome 't is true that he much complaineth of the backwardnesse of the people in comming to the Communion and professeth for his owne part that hee neglected not his dutie to celebrate the holy Sacrament though hee were much discouraged therein by the paucitie and raritie of those who presented themselves at the Lords Table yet I find not that he any where saith that he celebrated the Communion when there was none to participate with him For though it may bee at some time especially on the weeke dayes none of the people did communicate with him yet alwayes some of the Clergie who assisted that action communicated with him and therefore the Iesuits inference that by our doctrine the Priest must not say Masse once in seven yeares unlesse the people bee so devout as to receive with him is most absurd For in all Colledges and Cathedrall Churches the Priests and Deacons communicate every moneth at the least though none of the people sometimes receive with them But in parish Churches it were a prophanation and a meere mockerie to administer the Communion without some of the people to say Take eate and drinke you all of this when there is none to eate or drinke but the Priest himselfe none I say neither Layk nor Clergie man To the sixt The Canon of the Councell of Nants is mounted against solitarie Masses and what are solitarie Masses but private Masses the Fathers in that Councell account it a ridiculous superstition in a Priest to say the Lord bee with you and lift up your hearts and wee give thankes unto the Lord or let us pray when there is none to make answer Concil Nan. c. 30. Cassand p. 83. or present whom hee inviteth to pray with him and is it not altogether as absurd and ridiculous for the Priest to say as hee doth in all private Masses Take eate De myster missae c. 15. piè credendum est quòd Angeli dei comites assistant orantibus and drinke yee all of this when there is none to eate or drinke with him Neither will Innocentius evasion serve the turne that wee are piously to beleeve that though there are no men present yet that the Angels accompanie them that pray for neither can the Angels joyne in such formes of prayer as are used looke upon our infirmities and deliver us from fornication and other deadly sinnes neither is it agreeable to sound Divinitie or Philosophie to bid Angels that are spirits receive the body and bloud of our Saviour Here for want of better answer the Iesuit picketh a quarrell with the Knight for not citing the Councell of Nants out of any originall but out of Cassander Flood p. 197. beyond whom and one or two more such fellowes saith he it seemeth his learning did not stretch I will repay him in his owne coyne For the Iesuit himselfe citeth not the Councell of Nants out of any originall but out of Bellarmine and Burchard beyond whom P. 197 l. 27. and one or two more such fellowes it seemeth his learning did not stretch Is it no disparagement for Flood a professor in Divinitie and writer of Controversies to cite a Canon of a Councell out of Bellarmine his fellow-Iesuit and is it a disparagement for a Knight no professed Divine to cite a Canon of a Councell out of Cassander a most learned Doctour and great Antiquarie in high esteeme when hee lived in the Roman Church If the Iesuit answer that hee could not cite the originall because that Decree is not now extant in any Councell of Nants that wee have with one and the same answer hee justifieth the Knight as well as himselfe It is no argument of Ignorance but rather of faithfulnesse and sinceritie when a man cannot come to the sight of a record himselfe to transcribe it out of others verbatim who have seene it and avouch them for it To the seventh The Councell of Trent like Satyrus in the Poet bloweth out of the same mouth hot and cold 3. V. 11. or like the fountaine in S. Iames sendeth forth at the same place sweet water and bitter c. 6. can 8. optaret quidem sacro-sancta synodus ut populus qui astat communicaret quòd hujus sanctissimi sacrificij fructus uberior proveniret for the Councell accurseth them who say private Masses are unlawfull and yet wisheth that there might bee no private Masses It is true that it is one thing to wish that the people would communicate because to heare Masse and receive withall will bee more profitable another to say if there bee none to communicate the Priest must not say Masse or that such Masse is unlawfull yet there is such affinitie betweene these two sayings that a good argument may bee drawne from the one to the other For hee that wisheth a reformation in private Masses or which is all one that of private Masses they were made publike Communions consequently acknowledgeth that private Masses are faultie or defective and if faulty so farre as they are faulty unlawfull And thus the indifferent reader may see that the water of this Flood wants ashes and soap to bee mingled with it lavat enim non perluit for it washeth but scowreth not nor fetcheth out foule staines in the Masse-priests linnen Having refuted his sophismes Loemel spong feles unguentorum fragrantiâ Tigres pulsu tympanorum in rabiens aguntur I come now to retort his Sarcasmes Tigers if they heare a drum grow madde in this section the Knight sounded an alarum and caused the drum to beate hard at the sound whereof the Iesuit his adversarie after the manner of the Tiger groweth starke madde and snappeth at

dead by the hand of God In another place hee saith that the alteration was brought in by Pope Vitalian about the year 666. which cannot well agree with his former observation for Honorius the first was the sixt Pope before Vitalian by which computation the alteration must have beene fourescore or a hundred yeares before Vitalian The Hammer AMong the knowne errours of the Roman Church there is none more grosse or palpably absurd then this concerning Prayers in an unknowne tongue For as Velleius the Epicure in Tully goeth about to maintaine by reason that it had beene better a man had not beene indued with reason then with it so in this argument our Adversaries in good earnest strive cum ratione insanire to prove by reasons that it is best to exhibit to God an unreasonable service to speake understandingly for speech without understanding and that in the publike worship of God to perswade civill men that in their prayers the Priest ought to bee a Barbarian to the people and the people to the Priest In a word to enforce the people instead of offering the calves of their lippes to God to offer to him the lippes of calves bellowing without understanding The Knight therefore upon very just reason taketh the Church of Rome to taske for this unsufferable abuse and undeniable aberration from the Primitive and catholique Church Wherein he confoundeth all Papists not only with pregnant testimonies of Scripture and ancient Fathers but also with the confession of the learnedest of their side Yea but Flood the Iesuit maketh great brags that he will reckon with him for it and reckon he doth according to his best skill in Arithmeticke but to halves for the Knight presseth the Romanists with the historie of the Councell of Trent and the contradictions of their Bishops there and other passages of moment which the Iesuit lisently passeth by being willing to charge himselfe with no more then he thought he was fairely able to put off What he saith either by way of objection against the practise of the reformed Churches or in answer to our arguments shall be particularly discussed in my replie to his particular heads To the first The Knight saith not that the Councell of Trent approveth in expresse and direct words the practise of our Church Concil Trent Sess 22. c. 8. but that by consequence it doth so in saying the Masse containeth great instruction for the common people and commanding that the Masse Priest or some other should frequently expound or declare unto them the mysteries of the Masse for if the Masse containe as the Councell saith great instruction for the people and for that end ought to bee expounded unto them by the same reason it ought to be translated into the mother-tongue and so read unto them Unlesse they will say that the people receive as much instruction form that they understand not as from that they understand Which none will say but he that were a degree below S. Pauls idiot In 1. ad Cor. c. 14. melius ad edificationem ecclesiae est orationes publicas quae audiente populo dicuntur dici lingua communi clericis populo quam dicilatinâ .. Contar. in catec interrogat ult populus linguâ non intellect â orans caret eo fructu quem perciperet siorationes eas quas ore proferunt etiam intelligerent nam speciatim intenderent animum mentem in deum ut ab eo impetrarent etiam speciatim ea quae ore petunt magis aedificarentur ex sensu pio earum oraftonum quas ore proferunt Doubtless that which was written and appointed to bee read before the people for their instruction and edification ought to be delivered unto them in a language which they understand but the Masse was written and appointed to beeread before the people for their edification and instruction as the Councell agnizeth therefore it ought to be celebrated in a knowne tongue This reason alone prevailed so far with two Roman Cardinals Cajetan and Contarenus that they subscribed to the doctrine of the reformed Church in this point The former his subscription is in these words It were better for the edification of the Church that the publique prayers which are made in the audience of the people should bee said in a tongue common to the Priest and people then that they should bee said in Latine The other in these words The people that prayeth in an unknowne tongue wanteth that fruit which they might reape if they understood those things which they pronounce with their lips for they would in a speciall manner apply their mind to God that they might obtaine of him those things which they pray for especially and they would bee more edified by a godly feeling of those prayers which they utter with their mouth To the second The generall practise and custome of the Westerne Church having their publike service in Latine and of the Easterne Churches having their service in Greeke maketh for us not against us For the Latine service was generally understood in the Westerne Church and the Greeke in the Easterne when and where it was not so generally understood they had their service in their Mother-tongue as namely among the Syrians Armenians Russians Egyptians Aethiopians While the Roman Empire flourished and the Imperiall lawes bare the sway as namely in It alie Spaine France Germanie England Africa and wheresoever the divine service was celebrated in the Latine tongue the people generally understood the Latine If the Iesuit speake of later times after the inundation of Gothes and Vandals when the Latine tongue was corrupted and degenerated into severall languages as Italian Spanish and French in such sort that the people in those parts underdood not the Latine God stirred up in these Westerne parts many religious and learned men who turned the Bible and the common prayers into the vulgar tongue and the Bishops of Rome were very much to blame who commanded not the like to be done throughout all their jurisdiction and it is worth the observation that Irenaeus teacheth L. 5. c. 30. that the number 666. containeth the name latinus and that in that very yeare of our Lord Pope Vitalian commanded the Latine service generally to be received in the Westerne Church though at that time in most parts few of the people understood it To the third We are not so much to regard uniformitie in the Church service as conformitie to the will and word of God which requireth that all things in the Church bee done to edification 1 Cor. 14.15 16.26 that we pray with the spirit and with understanding also that the people joyne with the Priest in all parts as well prayers as giving of thankes and testfie it by saying Amen Which cannot be done if prayers be said in a tongue which people understand not Moreover as diversitie of instrumentstuned together marreth not the musicke but maketh it sweeter so diversitie of languages in which the

in some sort more sure for a man that would be contentious may deny Christ to sit at the right hand of his Father because his Father hath neither right hand nor left There is no more fafety in the Protestant doctrine of Iustification than the Romane For Catholikes trust wholy in God attributing no more to their owne good workes than that they cooperate to Iustification meriting grace and glorie and on the contrarie Protestants teach vaine confidence in most of these points as that a man must assure himselfe that his sinnes are forgiven that hee must assure himselfe of his salvation and that he cannot fall from grace and the like which ground supposed how can hee worke out his salvation with feare and trembling Though some Catholikes say that there is more perfection of the Sacrament which consisteth in the representation in both kinds than in one yet there is the same safety and fruit in one and in both kinds Though the sacrifice of the Masse is more profitable when the people comnunicate with the Priest as the Knight proveth out of the Councell of Trent Harding and Bellarmine yet hee proveth not that there is any danger in private Masses or that it is unlawfull for the Priest to say Masse without hee have some to communicate with him which is the Controversie between Catholikes and Protestants Aeneas Sylvius Cassander and Panormitan are of opinion indeed that Priests should have libertie to marry yet they would not have them marry against the law standing in force but they would have the law taken away which is a farre different Doctrine from that of Protestants Howsoever it is safer to follow the judgement of all other Doctours of the Catholike Church all other Fathers and Councels teaching the contrarie of all which there is abundant proofe in Bellarmine and which was never contradicted by any but knowne wicked men Though publike Prayers in Latine may not be so profitable to the people yet they are lawfull and safe and the fruit of refection of the understanding by Prayer in a knowne tengue whereof Aquinas speaketh will not countervaile the tenth part of the inconvenience which may happen by having publike Prayers in a knowne tongue The inconveniences are vanitie curiositie contempt of Superiours disputes schismes prophanation and divulgation of secret Mysteries besides the very ignorance of the Latine tongue and consequently of all learning which would follow thereof onely in Clergie men is ten hundred times more harme than that fruit in the Laitie is good Cajetan was greatly mistaken when hee expoundeth the fourteenth chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corynthians of publike Prayers in the Church and hee is also mistaken in the very end of Prayer which is not edification or instruction of the people but the honour of God immediately Gabriel Biel speaketh not of Prayer in a knowne tongue nor of publike Prayers but onely of mentall Prayer and vocall and giveth those seven reasons which the Knight alleageth to shew that besides mentall Prayer it is convenient to use vocall There is no danger in worshipping Images or praying to Saints and Erasmus Cassander and Chemnitius who teach the contrary are of none authoritie Neither Bernard nor Waldensis nor Bellarmine contradict the Doctrine of the Romish Church in the point of Merit For Catholikes acknowledge with Bernard that there is no safe rest or securitie for a weake soule but in the wounds of our Saviour which doth not hinder but a man may say God rewardeth the good workes of his servants out of his justice and fidelitie which out of his mercie he gave them grace to doe and though Waldensis and some other Divines approve not of the word of Merit especially De condigno yet in the thing it selfe they all agree to wit that eternall life is given to men as the reward of their good workes which is all that others meane by condigne Merit The Doctrine of Bellarmine to wit that it is most safe to trust wholly in the Merits of Christ is as well the Catholike Doctrine as the Protestants who condemne not Protestants for not trusting in their workes or trusting wholly in Christ if so be they deny not the necessitie and efficacie of good workes for purchasing grace and glorie The Hammer AS Asia Minor is called by some Geographers Asia Asiae and the field of Agrigentum Sicilia Siciliae and Attica Graecia Graeciae and the Ball or Apple in the eye the eye of the eye so this Chapter of the Knight may be not unfitly termed via viae the safest path in his safe way other Chapters tend to the proofe of his title Via Tuta but this is full upon it For here he proves by many remarkable instances that our rocke is much more sure then theirs our very adversaries being judges his instances are prayers in a knowne tongue communicating in both kindes partaking of the Sacrament with the Priest immediate addresse to God by Christ adoring the Creator onely resolution of our faith upon Gods word relying wholly upon his Grace and mercy and renouncing mans merit And whose understanding apprehendeth not that it is safest to pray to God with understanding whose spirituall senses tell him not that it is more comfortable and profitable to communicate with a Priest then to looke on and to receive the Sacrament in both kindes then in one onely whose reason perswadeth him not that it is safer to worship God in spirit then by an Image to adore Christ in Heaven then in a pe●ece of bread to expect ayde from God then Saints to trust in Gods word then in mans in his Grace then our will and in Christs merits then our owne yet as restie jades stumble in faire way so the Iesuit in this fairest rode of the safe way stumbleth often and tumbleth also as the Reader may observe in the severall annotations at his particular slips or rather downefalls in this Chapter To the first The Knight doth not conclude out of any one particular but maketh an induction out of many particulars in this manner The Protestant faith by the best learned among Papists in the point of Communion in both kindes of Prayer in a knowne tongue justification by Faith alone et sic de ceteris is safer then the Roman ergo simply and generally it is safer Though Silurus his Son could breake every Arrow by it selfe which his Father gave him yet he could not in like manner the bundle or sheafe of Arrowes which he put in his hand and bid him assay to breake them if he could nam vis unita fortior Et quae non prosunt singula multa juvant but the Iesuit hath not beene able to breake any one of the single Arrowes shot by the Knight in the former Sections how then will he be able to breake the sheafe in this To the second By the uncharitable censure of the Iesuit he sheweth of what spirit he is The searcher of all hearts knoweth that we