Mat. 23.2 were commanded to obey at the same time that they were warned to avoyed their actions And that I may give you an instance proportionable to your objection of an irrationall creature to an unreasonable doubt what say you to Balaams Asse was he ether Saint or Divine He (a) 2. Pet. 2.16 rebuked his master for his iniquity speaking with man's voice forbad the madnesse of the Prophet God grant he cure all amisse in you Know Sir that jurisdiction gift of Miracles tongues Prophecy and all those graces which are called gratis datae regard the sanctification of others not of the person to whome they are given S. Thom. 1.2 q. 11 1. a. 1. have no connection with any personall sanctity in their subject CHAPTER XXXIV Mr. G. B. his intention in his booke his meekenesse to Catholicks G. B. pag. 140. Thus far I have pursued my designe in the tract where of I have not beene void of a great deal of paine sorrow for what pleasure can any find by discovering so much wickednesse God is my witnesse how these thoughts have entertained me with horrour regret all the while I have considered them it is not without the greatest Antipathy to my nature imaginable that I have payd this duty to Truth ANS Here you give a very artificiall confirmation of all you had sayd before that you tinder tooke this taske with greate reluctance carryed it on with greife sorrow vouch God as witnesse of he truth of this suspecting I suppose as you had reason your bare word would scarce be received whilest soe many pregnant proofes stand for the contrary For first your Religion doth not inspire such a spirit of mortification as to engage her children in paine full sorrowfull actions for any time at all much lesse for soe long a time as is necessary for composing a booke of soe various matter And for your person I doe not heare that you seeke soe much occasions of Greife Secondly those who with sorrow unwillingly think of others faults avoyde those usually entertaine others of their vertues Content is the thing all men commonly seeke even in their greife They decline contristating objects sometimes seeke a freedome from them by a cessation of all rationall operations preferring the sottish stupid senslesse condition of a beast before the rationall but Irksome thoughts of displeasing objects as is too common in Ingland if I am not mistaken But that a man who may divertise himself or find employments pleasing should trouble himselfe with what passes in Iamaica or China or Rome which concernes him not is very unusuall almost incredible Thirdly those who are truly sorry for their neyghbours faults doe not easily entertaine false reports of them are unwilling without pregnant proofes to harbour any bad opinion of them or give credit to bad reports concerning them In fine shew in their actions the truth of that saying (a) 1. Cor. 13.5 Charitas noncogitat malum Charity thinks no evill You on the contrary take all malicious reports against us as tru althô you ether knew already or with a little labour myght have knowne the wrong done us in them for as for the greatest part of your difficultys they are such as have beene answered over over Fourthly you faine things yourselfe which no body ever dream't of are in themselves most untru As what you say pag. 133. The subject of our sermons studys are matters of interest not the laws of God Nay when the things themselves are not blame worthy you calumniate our intentions seeking into our harts for matter to fixe a calumny on And can any body perswade himself our errours faults afflict you when you labour so hard to find them And faine them your selfe rather then misse of them I cannot tell to what better to compare this proceeding if your greise were reall then to children who having drest up a Puppet fancy it sicke then dead then fall a crying as if it really were soe Fiftly your manner of writing is too artificiall for Greife it is not soe serious grave as those are which that Passion dictates It is sarcasticall insulting sharpe biting in a word satyricall no signe of mercy compassion be moanings bewaylings c But only when you call to mind your text or strive to get your Readers favour by pretending to greive for our faults Soe that did you not tell us of it we should rather guesse any other passion predominant in you then Greife We find many cleere signes of pride emulation hatred contempt anger disdaine jealousy feare c but few of sorrow Lastly this very protestation gives an occasion to suspect your innocency according to the Rule of the law Excusatio non petita accusatio manifesta An excuse not demanded is an evident accusation An Apology is al ways an answer to some reproach of a crime when no witnesse appeares abroad who made that reproach it is certainly suspected to be objected by the best witnesse the man 's owne conscience Hence I feare most indifferent Readers will think that you never gave greater ground to suspect your ingenuity then now It is a weaknesse to attend to good wordes when we see bad actions to regard Iacobs voice when we feele Esau's hands You very religiously call God to witnesse but I beleive he will searce confirme your deposition with a miracle But intentions are secret knowne only to the searcher of Harts it is a rashnesse for any to pretend to know them even by conjectures And althô you presume to discover the designes of mē dead many ages ago yet I will not imitate you in that Rashnesse by pretēding an Insyght into your hart how greate soever may the ground be for a guesse I will not returne evill for evill I will be as civill favorable to you as I can I admit you thought you sayd Tru when you writ this that if you deceive us it is after being deceived your self soe althô you spoke an untruth as these alleadged Reasons do prove yet you did not tell a lye which consists in a will to deceive others As for untruths the honestest man in the world may tell them no Honesty exempting him from mistaking things of him selfe or being misinformed from others soe he may telan untruth with out prejudice to his Reputation Now this possibility of mistakes errour reaches to our harts which are hidden not only from our neyghbours but even from our selves whilest we take thoughts for resolutions transitory purposes for set led designes S. Greg. l. 1. Pastor c. 9. Saepe sibi de se mens ipsa mentitur fitque ut aliud in imis intentio supprimat aliud tractantis animo superficies cogitationis ostendat singit de bono opere amare quod non amat de mundi autem gloriâ non amare quod amat Our soul is often deceived by her selfe says S.
Mankind 〈◊〉 the closest bonds of Peace freindship charity which it doth tempering our Passions forgiving injuries loving our enemyes teaching obediencâ— to those in authority over us by associating 〈◊〉 into one body called the Church ANSWER This is in deed a designe worthy of Christian Religion but imperfectly explicated by you seing you omite the love of God the God (a) â— Cor. 13.11 of Peace who alone can give us perfect Peace Humane wills are naturally oppoâ—â— to one another they cannot meete but iâ—â— their naturall center God And the love 〈◊〉 our neyghbour is never sincere lasting buâ— when it is grounded on the love of God Thâ— first effect of selfe love is to seperate us from God The second to divide us amongst oâ—â— selves Both are the effects of sin nothing can prevent them linck us together in the bonds of charity but he who can remit sins That Peace then which Christian Religion teaches which the Church recomend to her children which in her Prayers shee demands of God is not an effect of human industry but of Grace It proceedes from the mercy of God it is a sequel of Purity of conscience the Crowne of reall tru Iustice In fine it is the work of the unspotted Lambe (a) 1. Petr. 1.19 at whose birth Peace (b) Luk. 2.14 was announced in his name to the world by the Angells who left Peace (c) 10.14.27 as a legacy to his disciples before his Death who was sacrificed on the Altar of the Crosse to reconcile us to his Heavenly father restore Peace betwixt Heaven Earth which the sin Rebellion of Men had banisht You see sir how insufficient your explication of Peace is for the ends you propose You leave out the Cheife most necessary ingredient for purging our dissensions to use a Prophets comparison (d) Ezeh c. 13.10 you build with untempered Mortar You (e) Ierem. 6.14 heale the hurt of the people slyghtly saying Peace Peace when there is no Peace You hint indeed at a good humane meanes to Peace Obedience to those in Authority It was to prevent schisme (f) Inter Apostolos unus eligitur ut capite consâ—ituto schismatis toll retur occasio Hieron l. 1. adversus Vigilantium c. 54. that God establisht one Apostle over the rest But your endlesse Divisions subdivisions amongst your selves Shew how inefficacious this meanes is in your Reformation And how can it be otherwise when all your People have before their eyes the example of your first Patriarkes who began your Reformation by rejecting all Authority over them breaking the rules of divine worship setled al over the world till that time acknowledged by themselves Cur non licebit Valentiniano quod licuit Valentino de arbitrio suo fidem innovare Tert. l. de praescript Why may not a Lutheran doe what was lawfull to Luther your first Reformers rejected some articles of Faith then universally beleived because they seemed not to be contained in Scripture why may not the same motive authorize their followers to reject some others which you would retaine althô they are as little to be found in Scriptures Why may not a moderne Protestant retrench some unnecessary ceremony used by you at present seing you have cut off soe many others Let others live by that law which you publish think not soe hyghly of your onne authority as to make your dictamens not only the Rule of Actions but of the laws themselves It shall be lawfull to dissent from this article of Faith but not from that other to quit this ceremony not that when the same rule is applicable to both Is not this properly (a) 2. Cor. 1.24 to Lord it over the Faith of the People What wonder you find your layty refractory to your ordinances they are in this directed by your rule encouraged by your example Wherefore Looke no where abroade for the roote of these tares your Reformers planted them they layd the Egge out of which this cockatrice is hatched They eate the sower grapes which set all your Teeth an Edge Nether appeares there any possibility of a remedy while your reformation subsists this principle of Discorde Schisme being sayd in its very foundation consequently it cannot be removed with out the ruin of the whole structure nor retained without perpetuall danger of renting it in Pieces I wish these troublesome schismes endlesse discordes amongst your selves may make you seeke a proper Remedy by a Reunion to the center of union God his Church CHAPTER V. Of the Characters of Christian Doctrine G.B. p. 8. I shall add to this the main distinguishing Characters of our Religion which are four Pag. 8. First its verity Pag. 10. The second its genuine simplicity perspicuity The third its Reasonablenesse the fourth its easinesse Thus you ANSWER Are these the only or even the Cheife Characters of Divine Truths whither you take them as they are delivered in holy writ or as taught in the Church Can you find no other quality peculiar to them not common to others Then humane learning may equall if not surpasse Divine Take for example some principles naturally knowne as Two two make four or The whole body is greater then any part of it These are Tru it is impossible they should be false They are Perspicuous Easy no man can doubt of them who understands the termes They are Reasonable for what more reasonable then to assent to Evident Truth Nay of we compare then with supernaturall Truths as to their Perspicuity Verity in order to us the advantage seemes greater on the side of naturall Truths 1. o For no man ever doubted of the Truth of these having once understood their termes many have doe doubt of faith althô sufficiently proposed And 2. o no man ever dissented from those Principles when he had once admitted them many have Apostatized from their Faith Soe that all the Prayses you give to Faith belong more to naturall Sciences then to it Such a stranger are you to its tru Prerogatives The reason of this stupendious blindnesse in searching the scriptures is that you reade them as a master not as a disciple you intend not to learne from them what to beleive but to shape them to what you think you have the word but reject the sense which is to the word what the soul is to the body it gives it life motion The (a) 1. Cor. 2.14 naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him nether can be know them because they are spiritually discerned You see fir that some may reade or have the word of God yet not comprehend its meaning nay that it may seeme folly unto them The words may be words of (b) Iohn 6.61 lise everlasting yet they cry Durus est hic sermo this word is hard who
speake as though he were able to under stand These two Bookes are held to be Apocrypha by Protestants of which I will not treate at present yet why they should deny them credit in a matter offact I know no reason But because they regard not what is reasonable in their controversys but what serves their turne I will shew the substance of all this in bookes of unquestionable authority (a) Isayas 44.17 The residue of the Ash be maketh a God he falleth downe unto it adores it prayes unto it sayth deliver me for thou art my God The sayings of the other Bookes are only ampliations of this Soe they cannot be denyed without rejecting this nor this admitted without retaining of those A fifth reason is that the Idolaters were really perswaded that their Idols did helpethem Hieremy (b) Hier. 2.27 Saying to a stocke thou art my father to astone thou hast begotten me Certainly those who could beleive that they ought their Being the greatest of all gifts to their statues or Idols of stone or woode would much easier believe they owed to them other goods of an inferiour nature Certainly the Jews (c) Hier. 44.8 ascribed their past felicity in Hierusalem to their sacrifices offred to the queene of Heaven their then present miseryes to their ceasing from those sacrifices But the most publick owning of singular benefits from Idols is that of the Israelits (d) Exo. 32.4 These are thy Gods o Israel which brought thee our of the land of Aegypt Which words S. Cyril of Alex. l. 9. contra Julianum p. 308. B. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understands to be sayd to that very calfe which Aaron had cast If Mr. Still think not this reason cleared enough out of Scripture I shall desire him to reade what is written by the Greekes of the Palladium of Troy what the Romans thought of it of their Ancilia what Macroblus writes of some Nations who chained the Gods Protectors of their Cittys fearing they should forsake them Let him at least reade S. Austin l. 1. de Civit. c. 3. And if he be not convinced that the Pagans had confidence in their statues or Idols I say he shuts the eyes of his understanding soe close as to exclude al lyght but what pleases him serves his turne Adde to his Saint Cyprian l. ad Demetrianum Pudeat te eos colere quos ipse defendis pudeat tutelam de iis sperare quos tu ipse tueris Be ashamed to worship those whome you defend to expect protection from those who themselves neede yours I have two authorityes more to confirme this reason Jeremy (a) Hier. 10.5 affords the first They must be carryed because they cannot goe Wherefore Feare them not for they can nether doe hurt nor good To what intent could this reason be alleadged unlesse it were to confound that opinion that the statues themselves could helpe or hinder The Pagans then were possest with that opinion My other is out of David (a) Psal 113.8 or Ps 115.8 who having sayd that the Idols of the Gentils were silver gold the worke of mens hands that they had eyes could not see eares could not heare- c He concludes his elegant induction with these words May every one who makes them be like unto them also all who trust in them There was then a Trust a confidence a relyance on those Idols which could not be grounded but on an opinion that they did Good Adde to this what R. Majmonides says as he is rendred by Dionysius Vossius p. 8. Ab his simulacris bona mala omnia provenire indicabant universis proinde summo jure coli metui And Athenagoras in his Embasly for Christians p. 25. Ownes the same but attributes the effects to spirits dwelling in them My last reason is taken from the severall arguments produced in scripture against Idolatry that they were made by men that care must be taken they did not fall (b) supra that they have no motion (c) Sap. 13.15 Bar. 6.26 Cannot defend themselves from wormes or birds fire or theives or even from the sacriledges of their owne Adorers as S. Ambrose (d) Bar. 6. Psal 115.5 Ier. 10.5 observes out of the example of Dionysius the Tyrant (e) lib 2. de Virginibus ante finem You will say Pagans were wise men how could they then be capable of soe grosse an Errour ANSWER This is that weakenesse of the understanding incident to some who in matters of fact require demonstrations soe a Philosopher denyed locall Motion because he could not answer the reasons against it deserved no other confutation but by this question Foole what doe I now proposed by a man who walked It is cleere out of what I have sayd that the Pagans de facto did beleive their Idols to be Gods why should we give eare to a speculative reason against an evident hystoricall Truth As if man left to himself did nothing but rationally or did not many times soe far darken his understanding as to shew little use of it in his greatest concernes It was the greatest folly imaginable I grant it yet that is incident to man when he is abandoned of God And this the Ingratitude of Phylosophers deserved For whem (a) Rom. 1.21 they knew God they glorifyed him not as God nether were thank full but became vaine in their imaginations their foolish hart was darkned professing them selves to be wise they became Fooles And changed the glory of an In curruptible God into an Image Thus S. Paul If you reply you see who you will dispute against viz the Fathers S. Paul Hieremy Isayas the Holy Ghost If you still think the Paralel just betwixt the Idolatry of Pagans the worship given in the Catholick Church to Images skew your Art in sophistry prove that we hold our Images to be Gods that we put our Confidence in them expect good or feare Evill from a stocke How pittifull would your discourse be should you dispute against us in this manner a Crosse is made by a man ergo it is not a representation of our Saviours death The statu of our B. Lady cannot move without the helpe of man ergo we are not to hope for any thing from God though her intercession In fine ether what Fathers what Scripture containes against the Idols of the Gentills is to no purpose all their Reasons are frivolous or our doctrine of Images differs from theirs of Idols the first is blasphemy therefore you must subscribe to the second SECTION II. The Beginning Occasions of Idolatry CAlvinus lib. 1. Instit c. 11. l. 8. says Idolatry began almost with the world Omnibus ferè à mundo condito saeculis But he nether gives any reason for this assertion nor determins its Authour nor time R. Majmonides says it began by Enos the son of Seth Grandson to
Alex. l. 10. contra Julianum p. 342. speakes of Iupiter's tombe says that Pythagoras visited it writ uppon it this Epitapht 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here lyes Iupiter And Porphyrius boggling about the truth of this story which ruins the Divinity of his greate God S. Cyril addes That Pythagoras had written the plaine truth that the greatest of the Pagan Gods was dead that his countrimen the Cretans had built him a tombe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julius Firmicus p. 4. says that Jupiter was King of Candy or Creete that Bacchus or Dyonisus was his unlawfull son whome in her husband's absence Iuno caused to be killed by the gards who devoured his body but Minerva preserved his hart presented it to her Father as his returne c. Commodianus cap. 4. Saturnus Rex erat in terris in monte natus Olympo Non Divinus erat sed Deum sese dicebat Venit inops animi lapidem pro filio sorpsit Sic Deus evasit dicitur modò Iupiter ille Saturne was a King who out of feare of his owne children devoured them But one of them was saved a stone in lieu of him being given to the father which he swallowed Soe this infant grew up to be a God is called Iupiter My fourth proofe is from those fathers who absolutely refuse to acknowledge the Divinity of Iupiter Origen l. 1. cont Celsum p. 19. Assoone as we heare the name of Iupiter we understand the son of Saturne Ops Iuno's husband Neptune's brother l. 5. p. 262. We will rather endure any torments then acknowledge Iupiter to be God Lactantius Firmianus called commonly by the Fathers the Christian Cicero whome Photius judges to be the most learned eloquent of his age who for his capacity was chosen by the Emperour Constantin the greare to be Tutour to his son Crispus He I say l. 1. Instit Divin cap. 11. p. 38. says Iovem illum esse qui ex Ope Saturnoque natus sit negari non potest Vana igitur est persuasio eorum qui nomen Iovis summo Deo tribuunt Solent enim quidant errores suos hac excusatione defendere qui convicti de unto Deo cùm id negare non possunt ipsum se colere affirmant verum hoc sibi placere ut Iupiter nominetur Quo quid absurdius Iupiter enim sine contubernio conjugis siliaeque coli non solet Vnde quid sit apparet nec fas est id nomen eò transferri ubi nec Minerva est ulla nec Iuno It cannot be denyed that Iupiter was borne of Ops Saturne wherefore it is a vaine or foolish perswasion of those who would give the name of Iupiter to the supreme God Observe this Mr. E. S. For some are wont in that manner to excuse their Errors when they had beene convinced of one God so as they could not contradict it by saying that themselves adored him called him Iupiter Then which what can be more absurd Seing Iupiter is not worshipt without the partnership of his wife daughter Whence it plainly appeares when this Iupiter is that the name ought not to be transferred thither where there is no Minerva nor Iuno Thus this learned man Whose words are so cleere that if he were now alive intended to reject E. S. his new error he could not do it more convincingly My fift proofe is taken from the confessions of the Iupiter himself as you may see in Tertul. S. Cyprian Iulius Firmious Minutius Felix above cited Adde to these Prudentius i◠Apotheosi Torquetur Apollo Nomine percussus Christi nec fulmina verbi Ferre potest agitant miserum tot verbera lingu◠Quot laudata Deiresonant miracula Christi Intonat Antistes Domini fuge callide serpens Exue te membris spiras solve latentes Mancipium Christi fur corruptissime vexas Desine Christus adest humani corporis ultor Non licet ut spolium rapias cui Christus inhaesitexi◠Pulsus abi ventose liquor christus jubet Has inter voces medias Cyllenius ardens Ejulat notos suspirat Jupiter ignes Out of which verses E. S may learne first the forme of our Exorcismes which to this day are made after that manner trampling the Proud spirit under our feete with disdainfull language E. S. may learne secondly the force of them which by invisible stripes did scourge those pretended Gods till they forced them out o◠their possession Nec fulmina verbi ferre potest agitant miserum tot verberalinguae quot laudate Dei miracula resonant He may learne thirdly that not only the lesser Gods but even Iupiter himself was subject to the whips torments inflicted byour exorcists My sixth proofe is drawne from the opinion of the Pagans See Natalis Comes l. 2. mithol c. 1. sequent Where you find many cited Lucian in Iove Tragaedo says that Damis an Atheist having objected to one who defended the Divinity of the Gods that Iupiter the cheife of them was dead as also his sepulcher which was extant a Pillerneere it testifying the truth of that death Iupiter he says grew Pale dismayed hearing it being conscious of the truth that truth tended to roote up the opinion of his Divinity My seventh proofe is grounded on what the Fathers write of him viz 1. ò that he was not a God 2º But that he was a man 3. ò That we as a wicked man subject to such vices as would make any civill man blush Justinus M. Paraen pag. 2. shews him to have bewayled like a woman the death of Sarpedon His insatiable lust both after women boys is noted by all so is his Ambition which shewed it selfe by his Rebellion against his owne Father Now how can the Fathers be excused from horrible Blasphemy in accusing the Pagan Iupiter of these crimes if he be the tru God I conclude this proofe with an invincible reason taken from S. Austin l. 1. de consensu Evangelistarum c. 26. None of all the Gods adored by Pagans opposed the adoration of any other Diana Minerva never exprest any dislike of men adoring of Venus Priapus Saturne was willing his rebellious son Iupiter should be adored Vulcan very quietly endured the company of Venus his wanton Wise of Mars whome he had found in flagranti with her And Iupiter never checked his daughter Venus for those filthy faults which would have made her unfit company for civill men or women Whence the saint concludes them all Iupitu too to have beene Divels who aimed only at the courruption of manners This be confirmes from the law of the tru living God who for bad them all to be adored commanded all their statues to be pulled downe all their rites ceremonyes sacrifices to be abolished By which Satis ostendit illos falsos atque fallaces se esse verum ac veracē Deums he convinces sufficiently that false opinion newly broached by E. S. My
Why did Plato feare the same fate for that reason deliver his sentiments so obscurely about that one God There occurres to me only one tolerable objection against what I here assert viz that Faustus the Manichaean reproches to Christians that they teceived the Opinion of Monarchy that is the Beleife of one God from the Pagans whence it follows that the Pagans beleived but one God To which I answer 1. It is certaine we received that dogme not from Pagans but from God So Faustus is most certainly mistaken in that And why may we not suspect his testimony as to the other part of the opinion of Pagans concerning one God I answer 2. with S. Austin l. 20. contra Faust c. 19. that the Pagans were not to such a degree blinded with their false Gods tru Devils Arts as to have entirely lost the Image of one tru God received at their creation though for their Ingratitude to their Creator they were permitted to fall to the Adoration of the Creature Idols Devils Thus S. Austin Certainly their Wise men through the mist of pompous ceremonys could see the fondnesse of men who invented them the wickednesse of Devils who promoted the. Nay I willingly grant that all learned Pagans blamed the Poeticall Fables of their Gods 〈◊〉 acknowledge with Tertullian Apol. c. 46. p. 75. that the Philosophers impugned them were for this applauded honoured by the rest Yet after all this what those same Philosophers taught concerning the God is pittifull and worse as you may see in Tertul. Iustinus M. Athenagoras The Epicureans fancyed him so odly as if they designed to make him ridiculous Dees jocandi causâ induxit Epicurus pellucidos at que perflatiles Cicero Tuscul qq 5. see Seneca l. 4. de beneficiis c. 19. The Stoicks promise to make their wiseman as happy as the Gods Philosophia mihi promittit ut me parem Du faciat Seneca epist 49. does not so much rayse him as abase them Yet in reality that similitude which they promist was no greate perfection or advantage seing they thought the whole world to be God Quid est Deus sayd Seneca l. 1. natur qq quod vides totum quod non vides All things visible invisible are God And Origenes l. 5. cont Celsum p. 235. says the stoicks thought the world to be the first God the Platonists allowed it to be the second God some others pulled it downe to the third ranke The Platonicians are thought to have written the most divinely of the Divinity yet if we credit Tertullian (a) Apolog. c. 47. they gave it a body Aristotle the most exact in other things of all Phylosophers nayles God to the hyghest Heaven l. 8. Phys c. 10. t. 84. although he had the disposall of superlunary bodys yet all sublunary things were out of his reach jurisdiction being subject to fate as Theodoret l. 5. de cur Graec. affection p. 551. else where assures Nay Aristotle seemes to owne no kn owledge in God For l. 2. Magnor moral 15. p. 193. he says God knows nothing distinct from himself otherwise that thing would be better then God Nether doth he know himself for we think those rave or are mad who entertaine their thoughts about themselves What shall I say of his Intelligences which whilest he makes necessary Beings selfe-existent endowed with infinit Power c. he seemes to Deify Which I doe not relate with any intention to insult over those greate men for their Errors (b) Hieron l. de erroribus Orig. Absit eorum insultare erroribus quorum miror ingenia whose wits I admire whose labours have beene very beneficiall even to me but only to shew E. S the learned person whose workes pag. 6. he promises or threatens us with what little solid Truth concerning the Divinity is to be found in Pagans writings to the end we may glorify the one greate God who with his one Divine Word made flesh confuted all the others long discourses voluminous errours To the end we many be thankfull to the Father of lyghts for having given us his saving truth freed us from those darke wandrings intricate labyrinths of Humane wits SECTION VI. Of the unknowne God at Athens THe greatest difficulty against what I have sayd sect 4. about the Pagan Iupiter not being the tru God but first a man then a Divel is taken from Act. 17.23 I found an Altar says the B. Apostle with this inscription TO THE VNKNOWNE GOD. whome therefore yet ignorantly worship him I declare unto you This E. S. pretends to be meant of Iupiter confirmes it very artificially out of Aratus out of whome S. Paul cites some peieos of verses And S. Paul saying he preacht him it will follow that he preacht Iupiter so Iupiter must be a name of the tru God for certainly S. Paul never preacht any other Thus E. S. p. 7. How his learned adversary T. G. hath managed this debated point I cannot tell but doubtlesse his workes if I had them would give me greate lyght And what I say I shall willingly reforme according to his in case it be materially different I think it certaine that the unknowne God was not Iupiter To prove this I may bring all those Authors Pagans Christians who speake of the occasion of dedicating this Altar Againe Iupiter could not be sayd to be an unknowne God in Athens for they knew his country his birth his life death his sepulcher his gests his parents c. Their Theaters their Tribunalls their Temples didring with his name Thirdly they had Altars erected to his honour in their Forum their Corners-of-Streetes even in their private houses whereas there was only one Altar erected to this unknowne God Fourthly had S. Paul declared Iupiter to them he would at least en passant have rejected those absurd fables which were told of him of his birth death of his Rebellion filthy lust c. which are much more unbeseeming a god as being more dangerous to morality then the things the Apostle speakes of At which the Apostle doth not hint in the least manner Hence it followeth that S. Paul did not preach Iupiter This is evident out of what I have sayd the Apostles words Quem ignorantes colitis hunc ego annuncio Whome you ignorantly worship him I declare Soc that he speakes cleerely of the unknowne God who was not Iupiter What shall we then say to Aratus who cleerely speakes of Iuptier ANSWER What he sayd of god was tru conformable to that naturall Idaea which as is abovesayd we all have of God but he erroneously applyed to Iupiter the Arch-Divel Now S. Paultakes his thoughts which were tru applyes them to that self existent Being to whome alone they belong as if a crowne by Rebells set uppon a subjects head should be taken off it set on the Kings to whome of ryght it belongs
Power to dispense with them as to fathers Husbands over those of their children wives G.B. Ibidem The Breach of the fourth keeping the Sabbath is not denyed it being usually amongst them a day of mercating dancing foolish Iollity ANS What you charge ou us here not keeping the Sabbath was charged on our Saviour his Apostles by the Scribes Pharisyes is reproached to Protestants by the Puritans I doe not deny but many are defective in this observance that as other commands soe this hath suffred Yet I think I could as easily find instances for the very things you reproch to us amongst you as you amongst us I will nor excuse all that is done amongst Catholicks beleive you would find it hard enough to justisy all that is done by yours Yet I will tell you that unlesse you will condemne Christ his Disciples iustify the slaunders of the Scribes Pharisyes against them you must acknowledge that there is a precisenesse of Duty not intended by Alm. God And it is very remarkable that several accusations of the Breach of the Sabbath having beene brought to our Saviour by the Scribes Pharisyes Christ always blamed their blind indiscreete Zeale retorted the accusations alleadging severall of their customes undefenfable but never seconded the accusation quite contrary ether confounded the accusers by minding them of their owne faults or excused the fact from guilt Which is a sufficient proofe that the law of God doth not require that superstitious observance which the Scribes the Puritans you require for want of which you blame us are your selfe blamed by others Yet I will not excuse all that is done by Catholicks in this matter which cannot be charged on the Church because shee condemnes censures it I must take notice here of a craft you use in this place to mingle tru false things together For example pag. 85. That children may lawfully intend killing their Parents Is false that they may marry without their consent is doubted by none I think as to the validity of the marriage unlesse there be some municipall laws providing against it Item pag. 86. They barre the chergy the use of marriage is true that they allow concubinate is false By which petty art you surprise your Reader puzzle one who undertakes an Answer Were I minded to imitate you in giving a prospect of your garden that without offending Truth as you have done I could shew matter enough for your confusion or for your zeale if it be reall I never was with in it I thank God the greatest part of my life I have past at a distance almost out of syght of it yet fame hath brought enough to make a wofull description of it It is not needfull to pierce (a) Ezech. 8.8.9 your walls to discover wicked abominations only looking over them with a perspective glasse a man may discover weeds thornes cockle what not They are uncleane creatures who delyght to wallow in dirt or stirre about filth which of it selfe yeilds an ungratefull smell much more when moved An ancient Heretick (b) Tertul. lib. contra Hermogenem c. 1. p. 411. thought it a signe of a good conscience to speake ill of every body You may with the ignorant multitude much easyer obtaine the esteeme of Piety Zeale by speaking ill of others then doing well your selfe by blaming others lives then correcting your owne A secret malignity in nature prompts some to detract from the good name of their neyghbours disposes the Hearers to receive with pleasure the detractions Both Calumniator his Hearers follow in this the vicious inclinations of corrupt nature But these must be overcome when tru vertu is aimed at that is hard You follow the easier course the most taking with men whome you affect to please But how your conscience at present God here after will approve of this I leave to your more serious consideration Maledicimur benedicimus says the Apostle (a) 1. Cor. 4.12 We are spoken ill of we speake well or being reviled we blesse Truly I had rather find matter for a Panegyrick then for a Satyre should be more willing to write some good of you then otherwise if there were any such belonging to you as Protestants But knowing no such thing I will supply that part by Prayers that God will put you into away of being soe by bringing you to his Faith which now you impugne I wish it were (b) 1. Tim. 1.13 ignorans in incredulitate through Ignorance or meere want of Instruction your sin world be lesse your conversion not so desperate CHAPTER XXVI Riches Pride of Churchmen FRom p. 91. titt 100. we have a long enumeration of the Riches Pride Ambition of Popes Cardinals Bishops Abbots all Churchmen You blame the sumptuousnesse of our Church ornaments the solemnity of our Processions the majesty of our Ceremonys c. which things being not of Faith I think my selfe notoblidged to answer further then by shewing a good use may be made of them I grant that Christ founded his Church in reall Poverly he sent his Apostles to preach with order to live (a) Luc. 10 8. uppon what they found in the places whither they went be content with what was given them He gave them a ryght to a subsistance declaring that (b) Mat. 10.10 a worke man deserves his diet And that (c) 1. Cor. 9.13 he who serves the Altar ought to live of it And althô S. Paul wat pleased not to make use of this Ryght commonly for a very good reason yet the rest did he myght lawfully have done every where actually did it at Philippi Philip 4.15 Yet I doe not find that ever our B. Saviour stinted the Apostles soe as if any thing were freely given beyond what was meerely necessary they should be oblidged to refuse it or restore the overplus to the donors Nether doe I find your Brethren in the ministry commend very much your first Reformers for retrenching some of your Bishop's lands althô they left enough for not only a competent but a noble subsistance nay your moderne (d) W. L. Heylin writers accuse them of sacrilege And I doe not heare that your richer Bishops doe breake their shins with hast to restore the surplus of their Revenues to the heyres of the donors which they were bound to restore if it were not lawfull for Churchmen to enjoy more then what is necessary Since the fall of Religion indeed the Protestant Church hath not much encreased her revenues which rather proceedes form lack of charity in your layty who give you nothing or because the wife children sweepe away what remaines by each incumbent at his death then to your love of Poverty for which vertu you have refused it when offred I have heard at least of none who would refuse a mannor
have seene France or Flanders can contradict Inquire of the life of the present Lord Bishop of Gant of severall in France if you have one ounce of good blood in your body some of it will appeare on your face G. B. pag. 112. I deny not but not even these last ages have produced greate men amongst the Papists who seeme to have designed the reviving of the ancient discipline both among the Clergy the people But as these instances are rare so they were hated persecuted witnesse Arnold's booke of the frequent communion Iansenius S. Cyran ANSWER There is no pretence more dangerous or even fatall to both Church state then that of reforming abuses reviving antiquated laws which serves every Pragmaticall head assoone as he hath reade the ancient statutes or Canons though the understands the sense of nether to detract from the present governmēt if by meeting others as rash as himself he is enabled for such awork to endeavour the change of it under the specious pretext of Reformation You must owne the truth of this unlesse you will justify the late rebellion in Ingland which was begun carryed on finisht under that colour The opinions of men are as different as their faces scarce ever two alike educatiō diet company freinds businesse other extrinsick occasions alter our Judgment of things many more have influence on our Judgment of Governments But most of all love hatred have an imperceptible yet unresistible force over our understanding soe that one the same action will to one seeme to deserve a Panegyrick which to another shall be the subject of a Satyre merely because they are variously affected to the person who acts Some in fine are soe wayward homour some peeuish as to be displeased with what ever is done by others who can agree with no body not because every body gives but because they take from every body occasions of offences It it a greate error to think that every one who blames another hath Reason for it Noman over was soe holy soe perfect soe wise as to satisfy every body find no Momus who blamed him S. Paul was held a blasphemer an enemy not only to the Ephesian (a) Act. 9. Diana but also to the Temple (b) Act. 24. of Hierusalem What lesse guilty then the Apostles yet some thought to doe God (c) Ioan. 16.2 good service in killing them What more innocent then Iesus newly borne yet he was forced (d) Mat. 2.13 to aflyght to save his life What lesse reprehensible then his doctrine his mannes his miracles his person yet his doctrine (e) Mat. 26.65 hath beene accused of blasphemy his manners (f) Mat. 11.19 of Gluttony his (g) Luc. 11.15 miracles of magick his person (h) Mar. 3.31 of being beside him self None ever had a mission from Heaven with more convincing proofes of Miracles then Moyles Christ yet both had their Schismaticks Moyses not only Core his fellows bur also Aaron Mary Christ had the Capharnaits Scribes Pharisyes one of his Apostles And if we doe not shut our eares we shall heare God himself by horrid blasphemys censured for bad governing the world even for not creating it well man by a presomptuous folly preferring his owne dimme lyghts before the (a) 1. Tim. 6.16 inaccessible lyght of God before whome even man's (b) 1. Cor. 3.19 greatest widome is folly It is therefore a greate folly for any one to hope to give satisfaction to all or even to avoyde censure of some That is a good fortune not granted to Saints Martyrs Apostles or even Christ himself (c) Rom. 9.1 God Blessed for ever more with what probability can any man hope for it Our endeavours must be to give no ground for detraction soe to behave our selves as nothing may be reproacht us with Truth Governments are more obnoxious to censures as including greater variety of Actions designes in which more persons are concerned as Acting in or suffring by them This makes a vast diversity of Iudgments of Iudgments in severall persons according as they fancy themselves regarded or neglected advanced or kept backe benefitted or prejudiced by them according as they hope or feare from them A private man possest with an opinion of his owne abilitye which no body sees but himselfe nor he nether but through selfe-love shall think him self as fit to fit at the Helme as those who doe finding his preferment not to answer the opinion he hath of his owne capacity thinks him selfe wronged by those who are advanced before him To revenge this imaginary wrong he commits a reallone by blaspheming hygher lower Powers calumniating their Actions censuring their commands judging their judgments Erecting within himself through a criminall rashnesse ridiculous Ambition a Tribunall over those to whome by Publick Authority he is subject This man by some weaker then himself shall be looked on as a wise man a Zealot of the publick good a good Patriot when in reality not Prudence but Passion governes his tongue Which only vents some indigested choler I grant that in all governments there are some inconveniences which we may wish were corrected The Passions of some the weakenesse of others cause disorders which may be punisht but not prevented Those who governe are not always at their owne disposall sometimes to pleasure their friends sometimes to accoyde displeasing others they are in a manner forced to some things which were they left to themselves they would not doe They must sometimes give way to a lesser evill to avoyde greater In which they deserve rather compassion then Blame more over they are indeed greater then others yet not Gods but men not omniscient but ignorant of many things which passe in their government it may be are acted in their name by their authority yet contrary to their intentions which are supposed to be always for the publicke good It may be they know the thing dislike it but know not how to remedy it without some other inconvenience the avoyding of all faults is reserved for Heaven Amongst men he is best who hath fewest faults not he who hath none such an one is a thymera small ones may be connived at in consideration of greate vertues Thus every private man ought to suppose that the supreme magistrate ether doth not know the faults of those he employes or thinks them not considerable or knows not how to remedy them without incurring others as greate or greater What is the duty then of a private man who sees these miscarriages 1. To pray God to mend all or at least to prevent bad consequences 2. If they have occasion abilityes to acquaint those who may redresse things with what he thinks a misse suggest if he can a proper remedy yet to leave the applying that remedy to those who are charged with the
Latin then Iovis And we see that if Iovis was ever in use it was presently layd by as not Latin when the names ending in A. were never changed As here you make Cicero an Ignoramus in Latin p. 309. soe you give the like character of Plato in Greeke in the Etymology of Minerva or Athena which you bring from Neith thus Neith Thien Then Thena Athena Something like this was this Etymology of Hooper from King Pippin thus Hooper Hopper Happer Dapper Diaper Napkin Nipkin Pipkin K. Pippin You have a Talent in finding Etymologys 't is pitty you doe not practice it more You pretend this Minerva or Athena was a name of the tru God whome the citty Sais in Aegypt adored under the name of Neith Arnobius l. 4. pag. 60. will teach you another lesson that she was a Woman native of Sais ex caeno gurgitibns prodita coagulataque limosis composed of the filthy mud of Nilus uppon whosebanks her native Towne stood You will also see there with what disdaine indignation the rest reject the claime of this Dirty Saitick slut to be the daughter of Iupiter Osyris is also raysed to a name of God whome all hystorys speake to have been a man brother to Isis killed by her husband Typho for Incest with her his body cut in peices scattred in severall places That she with the helpe of Anubis the Captaine of her guards or her cheife Hunts man found them all againe except one which Modesty should have hindred het from seeking as well as me from naming Yet the pretēded Goddesse Isis was so desolate for the losse of this part that to comfort her in her sacred rites a Resemblance of them was shewne to her by her Preists as if they had found that part Osyris then was a man such were Venus Iupiter Minerva Wherefore let us say with the Apostle Rom. 1. The Gentills knew God but adored him not All their Religion being taken up in the cult of Dead men P. 451. You say the Roman Capitol was dedicated to the B. Trinity of whome the Poet sayd Trina in Tarpeio fulgent consortia Templo viz. Iupiter Minerva Iuno pag. 454. so it should be which is marked 414. you find another Trinity in Aegypt Eicton Hemphtha Osyris As if by all threes the Pagans understood the Trinity Had the three Graces three Parkes three Gorgons three Furyes three Iudges three Rivers in Hell or three headed Cerberus or three bodyed Gerion occurred you would have given us more markes of your Talent To confute these dreames what I have sayd is enough seing those persons have once beene Men. That the Platonicians knew the mystery of the B. Trinity we learne of S. Austin But that the Divine persons as One in Nature were exposed even by them to publicke veneration I cannot beleive for the Fathers universally deny the Pagans to have adored the tru God In your whole Booke you endeavour to prove that the unity of God was a prime article of the Pagans Creede I am sorry so much labour should be lost as it must be seing the thing is evidently false To what I have sayd c. 7. s 5. I adde these proofes out of Origen who l. 1. cont Cels p. 5. speakes of laws for Idols Polytheisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 28. he says Prophets were given to the Jews to hinder their falling into Pagans Polytheisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And l. 3. p. 155. he says the Wise Men or Phylosophers fell from the cult of one God to Atheisticall or impious Polytheisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. pag. 51. he says Aristotle fled to Chalcis fearing the fate of Socrates from the Athenians least these should twice sin against Phylosophy Yet I am more concerned for your owne sake for what you say pag. 256. then for any thing else For there you assure that Origen expresseth l. 5. cont Cels Greate zeale against Christians using the Word Zeus Iupiter for the tru God as acknowledging some Christians to have used it Whereas he says Christians would rather endure any torments then use it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your other slips seeme to be mistakes but this is a fault against that sincerity for which I commended you Unlesse as I had rather beleive you tooke that Citation uppon the credit of some other The Iansenists have publisht whole bookes of Fathers to make way for some one sentence and written lives of Saints for one passage resembling their condition Some guesse your booke to be of that nature that Atheisme is only a Stalking horse to conveygh you unobserved to your game Popery so your Booke will be like a Pike which is a long piece of wood to give motion to a little piece of Iron which alone doth the feate J rather beleive what you pretend that it really is designed against Atheisme so like a sword each part serves to wound your Adversary I wish you had not with it mingled those points against Popery which may reflect uppon the rest for men are apt to suspect all when they find themselves once deceived Irenaeus l. 2. c. 24. Non oportet universum ebibere mare cum qui vult discere quoniam aqua ejus salsa est Tasting here there of it is a conviction sufficient In Nabuchodonosor's statu there was a little dirt mingled with the Iron brasse silver Gold all strong or precious except that small parcell which notwithstanding its littlenesse occasioned the ruine of all God forbid any such thing should fall on your Work whose arguments against Atheisme are unanswerable I have such an esteeme of labours against that hyghest Impiety that I should think my time well spent in secking citations or playing the scribe for the workemen But seing my condition doth not permit that I will give you this advice the only helpe withim my power that you consider in the first place whither a thing be tru then what use may be made of it in order to other Truths Non indiget Deus nostro mendacio ut pro illo loquamur dolos says Job 13.7 And S. Greg. l. 11. mor. c. 15. Veritas fulciri non quaerit auxilio falsitatis You thought doubtlesse it would be a greate conviction of Atheists that all Religions publicke laws had establisht the contrary Truth Now this being untru gives an advantage to an Atheist seing you build your assertion on such a quicksand The Argument it more convincing when drawne from that greate Truth delivered by Fathers that all men have a naturall knowledge of one God that so deepely engraven in them that maugre all the strength of laws the rigour of torments the force of bad education the Sophismes of Phylosophers the industry of wickedmen desirous to ease themselves of the remorse of conscience feare of a future Judge the wiles of the Devil it persevered shewed it selfe in certaine occasions so possest the hart as to force the mouth to speake out of its aboundance Certainely this voice of nature triumphing over all the force Art of Men Devils is a cleerer Testimony of one God preserving his possession in over his creatures controuling all adjectitious Notions then any Demonstration man's wit can invent especially some Atheists pretending to invalidate this reason from the notion we have of a God by saying it comes not from Nature but Education Humane Laws which Plea is evidently defeated by this Truth that Laws Religion Custome were once against that Idea of one God all concurring to establish the contrary opinion of many Gods which yet prevailed over them all So the dirt of untruths mingled with the Gold of many greate precious Truths doth in reality weaken those which would be more convincingly drawne from establisht uppon our Principles I wish you good successe in attemps uppon Atheisme as long as you confound not with it any Catholick Truth being Yours as much as Truth will permit W. E. Decemb. 29. 1678.