Wise and Learned men of the World does not terrifie 'em and oblige 'em to quit their own Doctrine But they think so arrogantly of themselves that they look on those with pity not to say rage who dare contradict 'em or in the least doubt of their Infallibility Yet as a just punishment on 'em they are so blinded as to be ignorant of and suffer others to be so too what it has pleas'd God to reveal unto Babes Matth. 11. 25. to the confounding of the greatest part of the Mighty of the Noble and the Learned themselves 1 Cor. 1. 26. All sorts of Reason teaches us that he spake only to be understood that he caus'd his Word to be written that it might be read and hid it not but from those who are lost If he condemns a wilful and brutish Ignorance he disapproves of a haughty and vain Knowledge the Spring from whence arise so many Disputes which do infinitely more hurt than good and which maintain not so much the Truth as the first received Opinion He believes He follows Christ who persecutes him He believes himself of the number of the Faithful whose whole Faith consists but in an indiscreet Zeal in the strength of Errour and in being positive and obdurate The men of the Age acquaint not themselves with this Truth or if they do 't is from those of their own party who confirm 'em in their belief and neither the one or the other allow of any Religion which agrees not with their Conveniencies If any of 'em have a sense of their Disease it is agreeable to 'em they take such pleasure in it that they 'l not endeavour after any cure But to conclude all I will maintain that men have no surer sign of their Election than their love of the Word of God and that those shall not be saved who have not loved it more than Honour Riches and the most amiable things in the World A LETTER to an Officer of the Crown that often discours'd to him of Religion MY LORD WHEN Your Lordship does me the Honour to discourse to me of Religion my Respect will not give me leave to answer you but only to listen to you yet if I am longer silent I fear you may judge me insensible of what I have the most lively Sense 'T is this makes me take the Confidence of entertaining Your Lordship with a few Lines concerning my Belief and not without wonder that others are not of the same Opinion with me As soon as my Sense and Reason began to be serviceable to me I with great Care and Diligence search'd the Holy Scriptures and I have no other Religion but what I learn'd from thence I never believed that some dark and abstruse Passages were contrary to others that were clear and evident and I have found most of 'em sufficiently plain fully to inform me of what I ought to believe I never thought that God would speak to his Children only to deceive 'em or not to be understood by ' em Those who have good Inclinations never read the Scriptures but they profit by ' em If those whom Curiosity it may be has invited once to read 'em don't continually persevere in doing so 't is a shrewd Sign they have had no Operation on ' em 'T is not the meek or humble the plain men of the World or even the ignorant that promote Heresies those who do this and then maintain 'em must be both malicious and learned too 'T was no disheartening to me to see the true Professors of the Gospel bear a certain Character that made the World despise 'em and they the World They are dejected as if out of their Element and did but out of Complaisance participate of others Joys Above all in the Exercise of their Religion they abhor all manner of Superstition and believe that 't is an Abuse and a high Crime to mix the Inventions of men with the Ordinances of God If our good Intentions were capable of making our Vows and Offerings equally acceptable all Religions would be good ones But the Jealousie of the Eternal Exod. 20. 5. will not suffer us to profane holy Things or sanctifie profane ones or to speak yet more fully to consecrate Sacriledges Let the most rational men read and read again the Scriptures and let 'em frame a Religion according to the Rules they prescribe without presuming beyond what is written 1 Cor. 4 6. and I am confident they cannot make any other than that which I profess and by the Grace of God will do the same all my Life A LETTER to Monsieur de la Militiere who begged his Opinion in Writing upon the Books of Controversie he had made SIR I Don't pretend to answer in one Letter so many Books which your Revolt has occasion'd you to write in Opposition to that Religion you have forsaken and in the Defence of that you have closed with I must only say I could never with all the Sense and Reason Heaven has been pleas'd to bestow on me reconcile what I see in the Church of Rome to what I read in the Holy Scriptures I have ever consulted both Parties I have read the Writings both of the one and the other that I might the better know 'em by their Words and their Actions But I find that your Doctors serve themselves of too much Art and Cunning to be believ'd their Divinity is so refin'd that they undo themselves by their own Subtilty They mix with it I know not what Leaven of which our Saviour bids us beware and which indeed has not the taste of true Bread or the heavenly Manna Those of the Reform'd Religion on the contrary act with greater Sincerity adhere to the Rule of the Scriptures which do more enlighten our Understandings and give greater Tranquillity to our Minds Let who please imagine he has clearer Illuminations than I have such as I have I find in their Doctrine as full Satisfaction as a reasonable Soul can wish for in the Search of the Truth Why then all this Controversie If we have never so little Knowledge of the Will of God or how jealous he is of his Commandments we cannot see the Church of Rome without condemning it We are extreamly in the Wrong to call those Christians who have no sign of true Christianity who speak not in the style of Jesus Christ or the Gospel to whom the Words of Eternal Life are strange and uncouth If we mistake any one Word in their Hearing 't is enough to make us pronounc'd Hereticks they look a skew on us and 't is very likely we shall pass for Strangers even in our own Country Instead of this they discourse only of the Prayer-book of our Lady and the Office of the Blessed Virgin of their praying by Beads of their devoting themselves to St. Francis or St. Roch and those defective Instructions shew that those who instruct them thus must needs be very bad Masters What Sir would you have me
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE PROTESTANT RELIGION Asserted By REASON As well as SCRIPTVRE Written in French by the Famous MONSIEVR de GOMBAVD Made English by SIDNEY LODGE To which is added his Letters to MONSIEVR de MILITIERE And other Personages of the French-Court upon the same Subject LONDON Printed for W. C. M. G. and W. H. and sold by W. Davis in Amen-Corner MDCLXXXII To the Right Honourable BRIDGET COUNTESS OF PLYMOUTH Madam DEdications are usually made to Persons of your Ladiship 's high Character as marks of Gratitude or Respect due to 'em This of mine is of that nature there being no one to whom I owe more Acknowledgments or a greater Honour than to your Ladiship Romances and Playes are generally such Books whose Fronts are honour'd with Names of your Ladiship 's Sex but I have made choice of this Serious and Weighty Subject as believing it most suitable to your Inclinations The Matter of it is Grave and Solid but withal Delightful it being writ in an Eloquent and yet unaffected Style I have endeavour'd to make it not less so in our own Tongue If your Honour finds any Satisfaction in the reading of it I shall believe the Pains I have taken in it sufficiently requited and nothing will more encourage me to Attempts of the like nature than your Ladiship 's Approbation of this Because such Applications as these if tedious are presumptive I 'll only beg leave humbly to assure Your Ladiship that I am Madam Your Honour 's most Obliged and most Humble Servant SIDNEY LODGE TO THE READER THE Preface translated out of French gives you a short account of the LIFE of the celebrated Author I intend by this only to let you know that the ensuing Discourse is so Rational Pithy and full of Sense that it will sufficiently recommend it self and withall to beg you to read it with a due Attention and Candour For my own part I dare confidently say I have been very faithful to the Original having taken no more liberty than what a Translator may justly claim and yet I hope I may without being thought Arrogant affirm that I have given it so much the proper Idiom of the English that you 'll find it easie smooth and Natural and as pleasing as 't is useful for such a Mixture being most grateful ought to be aimed at by those who write The Follies the Superstition the Idolatry the Tyrannical Usurpation of the Church of Rome are here represented in such lively and yet deform'd Colours that no man who pretends to be reasonable but will endeavour to avoid ' em Can any one imagine himself safe under that Religion where the Name of God is onely made use of as a Pretext and instead of that Interest set up and really worshipped Religion is both reveal'd and Natural to instruct us fully In the former God has been graciously pleas'd to give us his Word but the Romanists have inhumanely forbid the reading it To attain to a perfect knowledge of the latter he has endu'd us with Reason but that is enslav'd by their positive Determinations nay they rob us of our Senses too by their establish'd Principle of Transubstantiation so that indeed the Peoples Religion does wholly consist in a blind obedience to a Pretended-Infallible-Priest How happy then are we who are under a Government where the reading of the Scriptures the Rule of Faith is not only allowed but commanded by the Church A Church free from the Extremities on one hand of Idolatry and on the other of Enthusiasm so that here we have the Opportunities of improving both our Religion and our Reason not being forbid the free Exercise of the one or oblig'd to do violence to the other of being both good Christians and Philosophers for the one may be consistent with the other which is clearly demonstrated by this short Treatise which I hope will meet with a kind Entertainment in the World THE PREFACE FROM THE FRENCH THOSE who are acquainted with Monsieur de Gombaud know that he set a greater value on his Discourses concerning Religion than on any of his other Works He was invited to write of that Subject upon a pure charitable design of making the Truth known to such who were yet under the darkness of Error and to confirm those in the true Faith who were either born in or had embraced it He frequently complain'd of two things the one was that those who writ concerning Religion were too Voluminous urging Proof upon Proof and Authority upon Authority without being careful to observe a due Order and clearness in their Discourses The other was that many perswaded themselves the true Doctrine was not consistent with an Elegant Style To shew how they were deceived in this particular he compos'd his Considerations on the Christian Religion when he was yet young and in the Vigour of his Age and in this has really demonstrated that an Author may be both strong and perspicuous short and full solid and elegant Having communicated this Piece to many of his Friends and even to some of the Roman Communion it was so well esteem'd by all of 'em that he was encouraged after that to make a Treatise on the Eucharist and then another which he presented to one of his Friends under the Name of Aristander Most of his Letters were writ in a much fuller Age. Throughout his Works the strength and admirable ingenuity of his Mind his extraordinary faculty of thinking of and expressing things will be discover'd I will say nothing of the Reasons that oblig'd him to keep these excellent Writings private I am sure he passionately desir'd to have publish'd 'em believing they would be of great use and it may be there has not yet been any Secular Man known in the World who was more zealous for the Glory of God or had a greater or a more sincere Love for his Neighbour than he had But when the heat and earnestness with which he writes shall be observ'd and withal it shall be consider'd that all he had to subsist on did absolutely depend on Court it will not be thought strange that he did not make 'em Publick in his Life-time That the World might not be depriv'd of 'em after his Death which it might if they had fallen into the hands of any who were not of his Religion he put 'em in his latter days into those of a good Friend whose Fidelity and Kindness he had experienc'd whom he oblig'd to promise him to keep 'em safe till a convenient Opportunity offer'd it self to publish ' em This Friend always design'd to perform these Desires and his own Promise but besides the difficulty of Printing things of this Nature in the Kingdom he met with many other Impediments At length after divers Attempts and Delays he resolved to make the dear Children of his Friend change their Climate in hopes that when they return'd home tho' in a strange Garb they would be own'd as truly French I leave the
afterwards worship the Sun the Moon the whole Host of Heaven or of Hell There is no Religion so extravagant which he does not favour nor is there any one displeasing to him but the true He hath first added Gods to Gods carry'd their Idols to the Holy place and then hath found out wayes of opposing the Scripture by Scripture and by untrue Interpretations on it created false Beliefs He hath served himself of the Light only to dazle and of Truth to disguise falshood the better to put off his Impostures He has his Learned men to teach and dispute his Professors of Religion to give Examples of living well his Priests his Prophets Martyrs and Confessors And yet men are not sensible by what Spirit they are led so obdurate are they and given up to Satan they are so fully possess'd with and infatuated by him that they scarce think that he is They are so profane and presumptuous have so mighty an Opinion of their own Natural Reason that they pretend to reform the Works of their Maker and to judge of the Word of God as if barely Humane They content not themselves with what they learn from Divinity without the aid of Philosophy and confound both the one and the other and thus insensibly forsaking the Profession of Christians become as Heathens They employ themselves in the search of nice and curious Questions and not regarding what is clear and evident take a pride in raising Doubts and Scruples and in a collection of Contradictions and affected Difficulties pervert themselves and others from the knowledge of the Truth They take when they please figurative Expressions literally they make the worst Interpretations on those things that are obscure and doubtful and when they meet with Words of a double Sense they be sure take that which suits best with their Interest and Designs They puzzle each other with specious Reasons and their Judgment is so weak as to allow that two Contradictories may be maintain'd by equal Proofs One would believe they learn that they may be more ignorant and that they study to be Scepticks and by these means they make Knowledge of less Value than Ignorance it self In Effect if Humane Knowledge was grounded on any Certainty those who pretend so perfectly to understand the Art of reasoning well would be all of the same Belief but if their Opinions are so very different and divided and yet that there is but one Truth in what can they be so understanding in a certain crabbed knotty artificial Divinity only full of Metaphysical Terms which neither the Prophets or Apostles judg'd necessary to Salvation or rather have not at all known and of which according to their Example 't is much better to be ignorant than knowing In Humane Inventions in Chimaera's and odd Pictures and indeed in all things capable of producing Errors and of destroying Reason by its own subtilty you meet with some who are always vainly prating eternal Disputants that employ their whole study in contradicting others and who are concern'd more for a false Syllogism than for the Peace of the Church or the Happiness of the World They never engage in any Conference but with a resolution not to yield in the least for the love of the Truth but only to endeavour either to seduce their Adversaries by all manner of perswasions and promises or at least to supplant 'em by Artificial Stratagems They fear nothing so much as granting one Point lest then they should be obliged to allow all If any of 'em does in the least yield he loses all his Credit with his Party and if sincere but in one act 't will be look'd on by 'em as an unpardonable fault They are alwayes armed with the fallacious Arguments of the Schools and Proofs grounded on certain Maxims which they lay down and oblige them to maintain as Principles of unquestionable Truth which must admit of no Doubt or endure any Examination and on these depend the infallible consequence of what they believe or what they endeavour to perswade us to For though their Impostures are apparent yet they so disguise 'em as to make 'em plausible that they may keep the People by their pious Cheats in their impious Devotions They know how to take the advantage of the Enemy they are well skill'd in shifting the most formal Assertions they subtilly refine the very substance of the Matter and the state of the Question they have their Sophistical Distinctions their set Comments their Evasions and Defeats and thus every one in their Disputes as in War aims only at Conquest Execrable Souls who regard more the defence of their Honour and Interest than their Religion it self and who look after what they are to object or answer rather than what they ought to believe who value not their want of Faith provided they appear not to be void of Reason Why should we hope from these men for a candid and faithful Interpretation of the most hidden things who only endeavour to render more obscure those which are clear and evident and who so change the Ordinances of God that 't is easie to discover it for with the assistance even of common sence our Eyes alone may be just Judges of it But we are not to expect other fruits from their Animosity or Obdurateness who are only free and sociable with those who suffer themselves to be instructed or wholly govern'd by 'em For they are not capable of knowing more having as they presume learn't all they can and proposing to themselves only the teaching of others are pleas'd to be rather esteem'd the Masters of Error than the Disciples of Truth But 't will be asked me if in a Consideration of so great weight as this I can pretend without Presumption that my Opinion herein is infallible or at least more enlighten'd than that of the Learned themselves I answer that I profess to embrace no other than what is establish'd on the clear Evidence of Scripture intelligible by the meanest of men and which it has pleas'd God to reveal to the humble and hide from the proud No other than that by which I am taught that no one ought to presume beyond what is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. That 't is absolutely forbid either to add or take from it that those who promote God's Honour and Service barely by humane Doctrines do it in vain and by their Traditions make the Law of no effect No other than that which presses me to avoid profane Questions vain and impertinent Disputes and unreasonable Contradictions of a Knowledge falsly so called which 't is difficult to pursue without erring from the Faith and becoming even impious Besides I answer that these Demands cannot be justly propos'd to those who serve themselves only of their Sense and Reason to know the Voice of their Lord and Father to receive his Commands and obey him who presume not boldly to intermine their own idle Conceits with his Ordinances and who expound the
the external Profession which taking up either from their Birth or Custom they easily forsake what their perverse Humours forbid 'em to love or know and if they have been initiated in good Principles they end in bad ones Thus the Purity of the Gospel in whatever Town or Province it has been received has scarce proceeded to the third Generation and the Apostles themselves lived only in those Churches they founded Errour insensibly creeping into the place of Truth God already threatned them to extinguish their-Light or to transfer it letting 'em see that Faith was not a particular Priviledge to one Place Family or People and that the Church being Catholick could not be subjected to the Power of one King or the Government of one Priest It is in vain Men pretend to settle a durable State or find a lasting Sovereign good in this Life they cannot long endure even Prosperity it self and the alone way to ruine 'em is to grant 'em even their own Desires If our first Parents placed in Innocence amidst the Fruit and Flowers of a delightful Garden could not withstand the Persuasions of the Evil Spirit though he took on him only the form of a Serpent and offer'd 'em but an Apple to tempt 'em how then shall they who are Sinners by Nature resist him when he appears as an Angel of Light and offers them all the Advantages they can possibly desire 'T is certain that the Devil for the most part does seduce men by a Paradise of Pleasures to cast 'em into the bottomless Abyss of Hell and 't is by a Hell of Pains and Afflictions that God does usually try men to exalt 'em to the Glory of Paradise Riches are of so great Disadvantage to their Possessors that they keep 'em as a weighty Burthen from ascending to Heaven They are so incoherent with the Profession of the Gospel that he who had the Command of all and could have employ'd 'em without Abuse voluntarily makes himself poor to procure us eternal Salvation and to make us rich by his Poverty In effect what History asserts is acknowledg'd by all good men that the great Presents of Emperours and the vast Gifts of Lords and Ladies have been the most dangerous and fatal Poyson that could have been spread in the Church for from hence Piety began to grow cold and to yield to the Business of the Age and all Christian Vertues were soon stifled by Luxury and Abundance These Benefactors who are so highly magnifyed do sufficiently prove that they were unacquainted with the Will of Jesus Christ and with the Calling of his Ministers since they bestow on 'em such mighty temporal Riches as to make 'em Sharers of the Kingdom of this World Wealth on a sudden encreasing so much made those who were true Believers plainly foresee that none but the ambitious and covetous none but ill men would be advanc'd to Preferment in the Church and that it would be brought to the unhappy Extremity of being govern'd only by it's Enemies Since then I know not by what Permission of Heaven Corruption has been so rife that the Ecclesiasticks are become worse than Seculars They have receiv'd their Authority from men which they ought to have had alone from God in so religious a Profession and if they have been concern'd in spiritual Affairs it has been rather to command than serve to raise themselves to great Honours and to make themselves Bishops over the rest of Bishops They have imitated him who not satisfy'd with the Joys of his Fellow-Angels boldly aspired to the utmost height of Pride saying in his Heart I will raise my Throne above the Stars and shall be made like to the Almighty Instead of a due Observation of that Worship and Service God himself has appointed they have despis'd it's Simplicity affecting Pomp and Bravery in their Devotions and as they say themselves sanctifying the Ceremonies of Paganism by introducing of 'em into the Church Not being able to endure the Purity of Doctrine without altering and disguising of it into a thousand Shapes they have to this purpose made choice of Preachers after their own fashion who raising nice and scrupulous Questions have understood 'em as little as their Hearers and whatever Colour of Sense they may bear being pronounc'd in elegant and florid Words they both seem equally satisfy'd We have seen that poor Worms just risen from the Dust and ready to return thither again have insolently taken upon them the Title of Gods and commanded the very Angels as their Guards and have dispos'd of Heaven and Hell at their Pleasure as of their Estates But what likelyhood is there that those who are rais'd only by Corruptions by Bribery by Threats Promises or private Bargains should be the infallible Dispensers of God's Will and Judges of Men's Faith What Patience would not be tyred to see those who are alone guided by the Spirit of Interest who make the Church an House of Trade and Den of Thieves transported to such heights of Impiety as to make the Holy Ghost an Accomplice of all their Crimes Their Pretences of having Power in Heaven makes 'em seem to affect less the Good of the Earth that we may believe that the Divine Authority and theirs are equal But as they are Lyons in Cruelty so are they Horse-leeches for Covetousness being always finding out new Methods of laying numberless Impositions on the People For to pass by their several Excommunications Injunctions transferring of Causes and Exactions under pretence of War against the Enemies of Christianity there is no end of their first Fruits Bulls Indulgences Canons Cases of Conscience Pardons for Faults and Penances and superabundant Satisfactions All these Inventions make Sins venial so far as they are vendible for they set to sale their Prayers Sacrifices and prostitute even Heaven and God himself so that he that offers most has the Bargain Horrid Inventions that transform Simon Peter into Simon Magus who make as much as in their Power Jesus Christ a Tyrant and his Apostles Mercenary Hucksters What Divinity That those who are but able to pay for it shall in a Moment be deliver'd from the Torments of Hell at least from those of Purgatory tho' the Sins they have committed are never so enormous whilst others remain there thousands of Years unless perchance Poverty either voluntary or forc'd or Fastings even to the murdering of themselves or some other sort of Severities of Nakedness or whipping do redeem ' em But besides this spiritual Merchandize and exposing things sacred to Sale by what divine Inspiration do they absolve Subjects of their Oaths of Fidelity and dispense with their Allegiance to their lawful Princes whom they endeavour rather to terrifie than reform and that dreadful Inquisition which renders 'em deaf to the just Remonstrances of those who breath after Reformation only is it an Imitation of the Meekness and Clemency of Jesus Christ or of the barbarous Cruelty of Herod who put to Death so many Innocents
lest he should miss of him who was Innocence it self O God! How long wilt thou suffer the Children of Pride to reign who make Religion but a Masque and use thy Name only to render the People willingly tributary How long wilt thou endure that horrible Scandal these men give to the Gentiles who have yet some shadow of Respect for the Law thou thy self hast pronounced and seeing the Objects of thy Jealousie carved Images in the Churches and the Festivals with which they are honour'd the religious Offices paid to 'em believe this is by the Command of thy Christ and that Christians do worship as many Men as the Heathens did Gods When wilt thou by the Breath of thy Mouth destroy those who with as much Insolence as Hypocrisie abuse the People by their Impostures which even the Jews and Atheists discover and from thence believe Religion a Trick since it 's proved only by false and counterfeit Miracles Upon this account we must have Recourse to thy Sovereign Power for we endeavour but in vain to convince 'em having so extraordinary an Opinion of themselves pretending to a Knowledge from Heaven it self that they believe their Sense is far beyond that of other men that their Thoughts are the immediate Dictates of Reason and that whatever Impressions they receive is from the mouth of Truth it self If the Heathens did with that Violence resist the Gospel and the Knowledge of the true God offer'd to 'em those who had no other Gods but such as Men made what Opposition is to be expected from those who shrowd themselves under the Authority of God himself who believe themselves possess'd of all Right both humane and divine and that to the end of the World all Power is given 'em both in Heaven and Earth and who under the empty Title of a Church make their Errors seem fair and plausible and thus too unpunish'd pass their Deceits upon the World Princes who at first might have prevented these Abuses have by I don't know what irreligious Prudence suffer'd them whether from want of a Knowledge of 'em or from some weighty Cares of State found themselves obliged to dissemble that Knowledge or that they were constrain'd to yield to the Appointment of Heaven and could not but in vain oppose the fulfilling of the Prophecies Prophecies which having long since represented to us things as we now see 'em leave in-excusable so many learned men whom Fear or Hope has made silent and who by their unfaithful silence have strengthned what by a just Contradiction they might have render'd weak and invalid or who rather indeed have with too great Ingenuity defended Error which they ought to have buried under an eternal Condemnation CHAP. VIII THERE is no greater Tyrant in the World or that makes himself more obey'd than Custom especially in Matters of Religion and that which makes it the more absolute is the Obligations it layes on mens Consciences which for fear of erring are oblig'd to pursue those Rules it at first prescribed This makes it plain to us that notwithstanding the vain presumption of men and the good Opinion they have of their own Parts they are yet so naturally weak and infirm that it seems to us that their Soul came not from Heaven but is purely Sensual and that all the Perfection which they have attained to is only an Effect of what they have learn'd They lay so great stress upon their Birth Education or Chance it self that that which first takes with 'em does so strongly engage 'em that they are made incapable of believing any thing but that of which they were first persuaded Upon this account I have endeavour'd as much as possible to dispossess my self of those impressions were made on me in my Youth to look on 'em as altogether foreign that the Truth might be the sole Object of my Faith and that Custom might not tyrannically prevail over my Reason Then I have always thought that he ought not to be truly valued as Man who was byass'd by the course of the World who was not in some sort infinitely above the Advice that is commonly given him who was so weak and mean-spirited as to abandon his own Judgment and suffer himself to be enslav'd by Popular Error But men approving for the most part of such things only to which they have been us'd and judging according to their customary Practice have contracted so ill an habit that to remedy it is extreamly difficult the very faculties of the Mind being seized which should be employed to deliver 'em from it they have certain Notions so deeply imprinted on 'em that they become natural and pass for Reason it self they know nothing else they understand no other Language and without changing their very Nature they cannot alter their Belief They are not sensible that instead of maintaining the Truth they defend only the first Opinion they have receiv'd without examining whether it be as true as pleasing to 'em whether grounded on Prejudice on specious Pretences probable Guesses or wordly Considerations They consider not that all Sects whatever claim the same Advantage that all Heresies have some who take their part and with equal Passion promote 'em have their learned Patrons who think they ought not to yield the one to the other either in Opinion or Knowledge They reflect not how strangely they are transported with a fond Love of themselves that persuades 'em they mightily differ from their own kind that they have a much better Conception of things than others that they are enlightened by some Divine Power whilst others have scarce Humane Understanding Then they proceed Nothing is so true or to be so easily comprehended as what they believe The proof of it is clear and it's Demonstration infallible He that perceives not this knows nothing Reason is constantly on their side but Error and Obstinacy on that of their Adversaries What unaccustom'd madness and blind Rage or what Pride keeps 'em from seeing that even those whom they wonder at look on them with Amazement and that they are ridiculous to those they laugh at and that they only seem to pity those who have a real pity and compassion on them Ought they not observing the great Uncertainty of things and the frailty of mens Parts apply themselves to universal Principles and firmly adhere to the Commands of the sovereign Law-giver who expressly forbids us to turn either to the right or to the left But they are so far prepossess'd with what the World presents 'em the Concerns of this Life have so blinded their Judgment that they take no Care to inform themselves better or do they consider that neither Time or Country or any thing whatever can proscribe against the Truth besides this they are captivated with the Belief of their Parents their Examples at home with the multitude and Antiquity it self which we cannot but attribute to Error which has so insensibly crept in amongst us and has been advanc'd from Time
to Time to the height of Power that it's Enemies in opposing of it have been utterly foyl'd or at least very much baffl'd 'T is very difficult without doubt to condemn our Country or our Prince to speak against our Ancestors our nearest Friends or Relations nay even against those who have taught us but the Business is we must strive to disingage our selves from the Falshood of mens vain Imaginations to justifie Truth against the Testimony of it's many Enemies to repair the Decays of an almost-spent Life to seek after our chief Good and Happiness to give our Assents to the Words of him that says Those who love Father or Mother or any thing else better than him are not worthy of him But for all this they persist in their Resolutions of following the Example of those worthy men whose Authority they urge not considering that even the Turks can at least say thus much for themselves and the Heathens more But they choose to stick to these false Principles rather than to give themselves the Pains of examining into the best Doctrine can be proposed to ' em Then they are as it were listed and enslav'd to live and dye and submit to the Tyrannical Power of certain Guides who tell 'em they cannot err that the Spirit of God does necessarily assist in their Assemblies and Determinations that their Power is absolute and besides all this can reconcile Religion with the Advantages of the World Oft thus they very easily suffer themselves to be persuaded it being most agreeable to their Inclinations and for the accomplishment of their Designs They are pleas'd to hear others slander'd and hug themselves to see those convicted of Error who talk to 'em of Truth She is suspected by 'em they dare scarce look on her lest being conquer'd by her Beauty they find themselves obliged to court her or to suffer some just Displeasures on her Account which they are unwilling to submit to The Truth of it is they are wilfully ignorant of those Principles they will not put in Practice finding a certain Satisfaction and Quiet in their Ignorance that Law though never so just which restrains their Liberty is uneasie to ' em It is enough that Afflictions being a necessary part of the Gospel-Dispensation to deter those of this World from it's Profession They rather yield to the violent Stream that hurries 'em on than strive against it they had rather be lull'd into a soft Sleep attended by agreeable Dreams than hear the troublesome Voice of those who waken 'em only to disturb ' em O Brutish Stupidity O Apparent Hardness Must Vice and Error because grown common loose their Name and be call'd Vertue and Wisdom Must Custom be so prevalent as to hinder men from being reasonable But 't is not to be doubted but that those whom the Scripture stiles Drunk are so great Strangers to their own Senses so deprav'd in their Understandings as to take that for true which is false and that they see not indeed what they see And 't is not to be question'd but that they resemble those who had so long us'd themselves to the eating of Poyson that at length it was even Meat and Nourishment to ' em In the mean while they have plac'd all sort of Religion in humane Traditions and Superstition they have not consulted either with Sense or Reason and I don't know from whence it is that the greatest part of Men the most exquisitely curious in other things make no Search at all after that which is most necessary Their Knowledge of God is as that of the Barbarians obscure barren and insignificant and had they been born amongst the Turks they would have believ'd as they do because they have but one Faith called Acquired depending on Tradition that never saved any one This is that of the Wicked as well as theirs nay that of the Devils themselves who as these own a God and that he is Almighty that he created the World and sent his Son who believe the great Mystery of his Birth of his Life and of his Death and who yet must not pretend to have a share in his Kingdom or Glory To observe the inconsiderate Zeal of a People who when they pray are ignorant of what they say is a thing claims both our Pitty and Horror too who satisfie themselves with bare Shews and are led away by such Preachers who rather thirst after the Blood of their Neighbours than desire their Salvation A People abus'd with Vanities imagining God is better pleas'd in one place than another and who searches amongst Strangers for what he may find equally amongst his own An ignorant and unwise People who see not that under the Gospel they raise without thinking of it Judaism again against what is said in Scripture That the time is come that those who will worship God truly must do it in Spirit and in Truth And how do either Places or Pilgrimages serve in order to this How do those Acts of Devotions contribute to it which are looked upon only from their Quantity and not Quality which are not recommended either from their Faith or Piety but by certain Tasks they impose on themselves and by some odd Numbers in which they believe great Vertue and which they vainly affect as the Magicians did of old Superstitious Devotions full of dark and scrupulous Doubts as if they were afraid to know the Truth and that the very Light was offensive to 'em who apprehend nothing of the True Religion but what is said of it by their Enemies and therefore hate and speak reproachfully of it and always represent it after the most dreadful manner they can imagine It cannot certainly be difficult to perswade those to what we will whom we have once brought under a blind Obedience to which they yield with as much Ease and poorness of Spirit as if they said we will be stupid we will be senceless For if if they once say that they 'll follow the Church they contradict themselves and confess they embrace what they know but what more than an ordinary Knowledge is requir'd to discern betwixt what is true and what is false But why must they be blindly obedient whom God has endu'd with Reason and given his Precepts to 'em with this express Command That Fathers instruct their Children in 'em and that all search the Scriptures the alone means to direct us to the Kingdom of Heaven But how can they inform others who are themselves so ignorant who as a just Punishment on 'em for adoring Images are so besotted as to ask their Advise and Counsel this is to consult even Stones and Marble Ye blind perceive ye not that ye become insensible by paying a Veneration to things that are so Understand ye not that even Reason tells you that you are beneath what you worship and yet your depraved Inclinations have made you less valuable than the works of your own hands Be not thus childish but leave these
rather belong to Emperours and Terrestrial Princes than to the Ministers of Jesus Christ who has assured us that his Kingdom is not of this World John 18. 36. Which is a certain Argument that under the name of Spiritual this Temporal Power is but a Tyrannical Usurpation much more grounded on the Predictions of the Revelations than the Precepts of the Gospel 'T is an Empire whose Princes are as so many Slaves to Ambition and Covetousness whose Votes are to be bought and who in the Election of a Head that has no Power but what he attributes to himself do bear a part even with Kings who are scared without reason by his imaginary Thunder What likelihood is there that the Truth of God or rather God himself can be found amongst so much corruption and Bribery which fills the Conclave That Holiness cannot be fix'd in its Throne but by the mercenary suffrages of these Men That St. Peter cannot preserve his Chair safe but by secret and unjust Contrivances What likelihood that men led by Interest which doubtless is the greatest God they own and men whose manners are so impure and depraved can any long time agree with the purity of the Gospel And by what Vices could they more justly fall into a Reprobate sense 'T is really a very strange thing to me that the Doctors of the Roman Church imagine themselves upon an ill-grounded Presumption to be the most reasonable of all men and perceive not that they may err as well as those who cry'd out The Temple the Temple Jer. 7. 4. as they do now the Church the Church If it be so that it cannot err why could not St. Peter from whom it receives this great Privilege bestow it on that of Antioch What could his Death contribute more to it than his Life What signifie Places which have not had any particular Promises or Seats which are not more ancient than others In what have the Errors of Asia out-done those of Europe What Holy Oracles have ever fore-told that Rome should be the Jerusalem of the Universe What an unhappiness has it been to other Churches that they have not been able to continue even one Age without their Impurities when the Church of Rome alone has been for fifteen free from Error If she must persevere in the Faith even to the end what did St. Paul think when he plac'd her amongst the wild Branches grafted on the Olive tree and consequently more liable to be cut off than its own natural ones and why would he pronounce a threatning upon her which was never likely to come to pass Those certainly who have design'd to build her up have ruin'd her and those who have enrich'd have destroy'd her 'T is extremely hard to make a just agreement between the love of the things of the Earth and those of Heaven Or can Faith Piety or Virtue subsist long amidst Luxury and Abundance Corruption generally begins with our Manners which when once so perverted as to arrive to their height they have no manner of Respect for those things that are Sacred nothing then so Holy or Religious which they turn not into Profaneness 'T is then men cannot away with the pure Doctrine 't is then they make Doctors after their own fashion that those are invested with Authority who least deserve it and who insolently violate the Divine Commands 'T is then their Preachers become fearful and cowardly holding many things as indifferent which are indeed very pernicious and thus at length they allow what at first 't was uneasie to 'em even to connive at The Romish Religion has been too long consistent with the Power of the World the Princes and Nobility the Magistrates and People side with it and have for many Ages supported its Authority This is a sign of it s not being the true Church since that frequently needs Tryals of Affliction and whose greatest Enemy is the World it self I must confess that sometimes the Preaching of the Gospel does convert whole Towns and Provinces nay even Kingdoms but they continue not long without disturbance the Jealousie of their Neighbours the Treachery of their own People and Servants set on foot by the Church of Rome and what is worst of all their abuse of Gods blessings and their prosperous Condition which is generally attended by a corruption of Manners do in a little time create to 'em Crosses and Disquiets Their Tranquillity and Peace would be extraordinary and wonderful if it lasted one Age but this Terrestrial resting-place is not appointed for their Happiness How long has the Reign of Jesus Christ been that of this World how long have the Nobles the Learned and the People submitted to the Jurisdiction of the Church How long has it been that true Christians have not been persecuted How long since Servants are become greater than their Masters And by what new Gospel have they made even Caesars and the Princes of the Earth Tributary No no there is no Society of men let 'em be what they will can have the name of a Church by any Temporal Estate but by the alone Profession of Embracing and of teaching the incorrupted Doctrine and the Truth Thus the Doctors of the Age with an insufferable Confidence brag that they have not in the least alter'd either the Commandments of the Law or the Articles of Faith but that they have closely adhered to the very foundation of ' em But is it not to break the Law which God pronounc'd with his own Mouth and writ with his own Hand sometimes to accuse it of being insufficient and then of superfluity and to retrench such words from it as they like not when they deliver it to the people Is it not to violate the Faith to apply themselves to any other Mediators than Jesus Christ and to subvert that Order he has appointed both for a Form of Prayers and that of Sacraments Those who have but an indifferent knowledge of the Pagan Religion must own that three parts of what they see practis'd in the Celebration of the Mass as to their Habits their Gestures or Ceremonies were the invention of and established by Numa Pompilius King of the Romans Yet no one has so much as thought of making him pass for a Prophet or a Messenger sent by God seven hundred years before the coming of Jesus Christ to declare what sort of Worship and Religion that of the Christians should be But hereupon to satisfie you they give you fine words telling you that these Ceremonies of the Heathens by introducing of 'em into the Church are sanctify'd By the same reason those things that were borrow'd by the Jews of Idolatrous Nations and which they brought into the Temple should have been sanctify'd even by the Temple But neither Priests or Prophets ever imagined they could appease the jealousie and anger of the Eternal by a specious excuse so well devis'd 'T is unseasonable to use the flowers of Rhetorick and to entertain those with glittering
Neighbour Exod. 24. 16. by this is meant those are to be called Hereticks who embrace no other Religion but what is prescrib'd by the Word of God Then when 't is said speaking of the Communion As often as you shall eat of this Bread 1 Cor. 11. 26. The Sence of this is That you shall eat no Bread And when 't is said Tarry one for another 1 Cor. 11. 33. The meaning of this is That Masses shall be said without Communicants And thus of the rest They render the Scripture intricate and difficult only that they may be consulted as Oracles and their Authority absolutely depended on If Philosophy was so necessary for men to discharge their Duty to God the mean and ordinary people of the World could never know any thing of it against that place of Scripture which says That he hath hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and has revealed 'em unto Babes Matth. 11. 25. It is not to be hoped that a well establish'd Couference can either clear or dissipate this Darkness since most men design only the maintaining the first Opinion they have receiv'd or setting a Value and Reputation on their Profession Disputes indeed are dangerous for those who manage 'em ordinarily grow passionate and sharp or ambitious of Conquest at least of not being overcome I have never observ'd those of the Church of Rome to deal with Sincerity their Religion has so little of Religion in it that it scarce ever suffers 'em to act in any thing without consulting their Humane Interest or without having studied all manner of Tricks and Cunning As the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of light Luke 16. 8. They are assured of the Victory before the Combat They are certain they shall be countenan'd by those who preside and be applauded by the Voice of the Multitude They are assur'd of him on whose Account the Dispute is made and to have the better by any way whatever unless that of Reason Otherwise they amuse the Standers by and lose the time in repeating long Quotations and will always speak thrice as much at least as their Adversaries They will not dispute with equal Strength or Arms they will be both Party and Judges and pretending a Sovereign Jurisdiction over all things that belong to Religion will not be determined but by themselves they will admit of no Advice or allow any Councils but what are made up of men all obliged to the same Interest They will resolve nothing but after their own Way their own Policy their own Customs or Prejudices which confirm their Errors instead of removing of ' em But if they were well assur'd that Truth was of their side it being certainly the strongest tho' the least known yet ought they to be so charitable to us as to say Assemble the learned'st of your Men together and we on our parts will do the same We 'll receive your Reasons in Writing signed with your hands and we 'll return you ours with the same Freedom But these Hypocrites these self-interessed Men of seared Consciences will not run the Risque of ruining at once both their Religion and their Fortunes 'T is not their design to draw men to their Party by the Power of Truth they know no way to do it but by Corruption by Liberty and fair Promises They make it their business to find out amongst those of the Reform'd Religion and especially the Pastors a Judas who may be prevailed on to sell himself to betray their Master and Brethren But to what purpose these Perswasions or these Compulsions To what end this Dispute or rather this insufferable Wrangling Is it not only to prove to us that those who prostrate themselves before Images are not Idolaters Is it not to perswade us to go every day before the Altar to observe the going forward and backward the Gestures the mysterious Ornaments of a Priest that turns his Back upon us and to oblige the People to say Amen to several repeated Words and murmuring Noise of a Tongue which for the most part they understand not 'T is for this they make so much Disorder in the World 't is for this they promise they threaten and persecute the Saints even to over-come 'em as far as 't is possible for 'em and make the very Stars fall from Heaven 'T is this which does afflict us and this which does often amaze us 'T is this would make us sink under our Fear and Sorrows but on this account the Holy Trinity comes to our Assistance the Holy Ghost does comfort and withal assure us That the Son shall not lose one of those whom the Father has given him Joh. 17. 12. and 18. 9. Moreover Providence and Truth are so gloriously triumphant over their Enemies that they find themselves caught in those Snares they laid for others Whoever shall attentively read the Books of Controversie so refin'd as they are at this Time will perceive that those of the Reform'd Religion do apparently surpass all others and that there are only such who are contentious stupid or harden'd and given up even to a reprobate Sense that receive not from 'em as full Satisfaction as Reason it self can offer To conclude Aristander I am forc'd to tell you that I find not so much as one remaining Spark of the pure Gospel any shadow of true Christianity in all this Roman Hierarchy 'T is a Body labouring under an irrecoverable Leprosie an Hydropick Body puffed up with it's ill Humours 'T is sick of a Lethargy that sleeps the Sleep of Death from which no Voice is strong or loud enough to awaken it On the contrary I am fully satisfy'd with the Profession of the Reformed Churches which instruct me in the Divine Commands without any Mixture of Humane Inventions I find there preached the pure and plain Truth of a Jesus Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. who brings healing under his Wings Mal. 4. 2. who makes the Deaf to hear and the Blind to see and in a Word even the Dead to rise again Matt. 11. 5. to enjoy the for-ever-blessed Life of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost who lives and reigns eternally Amen A LETTER to a Lord at Court who would have perswaded him to turn Catholick MY LORD SInce the Care you are pleas'd to have of me in all my Concerns extends it self even to the Salvation of my Soul I humbly beg your Lordships leave to give you my Opinion on this Subject and 't would be an extreme Pleasure to me was it not contrary to yours 'T is not without Astonishment that I have observ'd in the World so many different Religions which are all maintain'd by their Patrons with an equal Positiveness one believing he has as much Reason on his side as the other But 't was yet greater Amazement to me to see that God does so manifestly make himself known to men that will not listen to him and who are so obdurate not