1. Cor. 13. avayles nothing I could wish our Adversaryes would vouchsafe to reade with attention that Chapter last cited In it they would see the seate due to Charity the queene of vertues which seemes at present hidden from the eyes of those wise prudent men yet is revealed to little ones It is with greate difficulty that I undertake a comparison betwixt the practice of these vertues amongst Catholicks amongst Protestants because all comparisons seeme to be grounded at least on an apparance of equality in the objects which in this matter cannot be Yet something must be sayd to make these presumptuous men know their wants weake nesse that they may seeke to have them supplyed that I may proceede more cleerely I will begin with the definition of Faith Heresy SECTION I. Of Faith DIvine Faith is a firme assent given to an obscure Truth revealed by Almyghty God because it is revealed by him I say an obscure Truth because S. Paul (a) Heb. 11.1 says the same Argumentum non apparentium a declaration of things not seene or knowne by naturall reason This is the materiall object as Divines speake The only Formall object is the veracity of God quia Deus est verax that is can nether be deceaved or mistaken as being omniscient nor deceive us as being all Good To this the testimony of the Church concurres as a witnesse assuring that God delivered such a systeme of Truths Soe that is a condition necessary to apply the revelation to us who have not heard God speake or reveale S. Anthanasius in his Symbole delivers as a condition of Faith that it be retained entire undefiled integra inviolataque For seing all is delivered by the same authority those who beleive not all (b) S. Thom. 2.2 q. s. art 3. oppose that Authority delivering it by consequence even what they beleive they receive not purely uppon their submission to that authority speaking but for their owne Caprichio or Reason or Pleasure That is properly called Heresy which word is dedmed from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tochoose And it signifyes a choice of any things what soever but by common use it is appropriated to that Choice (a) Tertul. l. de Praescript c. 6. Haereses dictae Graeca voce ex Electionis interpretatione quâ quis sivè ad instituendas sivè ad suscipiendas eas utitur Hieron in Tit. 3. Haeresis Graecè ab Electione dicitur quod scilicet unusquisque id sibi eligat quod ei melius esse videatur Vide c. Haeresis 24. q. 3. Vide etiam August epist 162. which is made af Points delivered as of Faith We Catholicks have Faith because we beleive firmely those Truths that God hath revealed because he revealed them to the Church which as a faithfull withnesse gives hitherto will give to the end of the world testimony to that Revelation And we cannot be Hereticks because (b) Tertul. supra Nobis nihil ex arbitrio nostro indutere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis ex arbitrio suo induxerit we never take the liberty to choose ourselves or to admit what others choose But we take Bona fide what it delivered as revealed by the greatest authority imaginable on Earth which is that of the Catholick Church Let an Angel teach us any thing contrary to what is delivered we will pronounce Anathema to him in imitation of the Apostle (c) Gal. 1.18 Here is then the Tenure of our Faith The Father sent his only begotten son consubstantiall to himself into the world (d) Ioan. 15.15 And what he heard of his Father that he made knowne to us The Father son sent the Holy Ghost (a) Io. 16.13 he did not speake of himselfe but what he heard that he spoke The Holy Ghost sent the Apostles they (b) 1. Io. 1.3 declared unto us what they had seene heard The Apostles sent the Hyghest lower Prelates in the Church the rule by which they framed their decrees was Let nothing be altred in the depositum let no innovation be admitted in what is delivered quod (c) Stephanus PP apud Cyprianum epist 74. ad Pompeium traditum est non innovetur By this we are assured that our Faith is that which the Councils received from the Apostles the Apostles from the Holy Ghost soe by the Son to God the Father Where it rests Now to Protestants Their proceeding is far different They heare the whole Systeme of Faith commended by the Church as revealed by God take it into examination And some things displeasing them in it they fall to reforming it cut off at one blow all things not expressely contained in Scaipture Here is one Choice Then Scripture is called to their Barre neere a third part of it condemned lopt off which is a second Choice Thirdly there being still severall things in the remnanr which displease them as understood by the Church they reject that interpretation six on it such an one as pleases them most Soe that even what sense they retaine they doe it uppon this their haeresis or Choice What evidence can convince a man to be a Chooser in Faith that is A Heretick if these men be not sufficiently by this proceeding proved such For a further confirmation of this consider the severall ways of Catholicks Protestants in entertaining Propositions of Faith A Catholick hearing from the Church our Saviours words with the sense that is the compleate Scripture for the bare word without the sense is no more scripture then a body without a soul or life is a man presently beleives them what Reason soever may appeare to the contrary he silences it submits his understanding to Faith let the words seeme harsh the sense unconceivable yet the Truth of God triumphs overall those petty oppositions A Protestant heares the same presently consults his Reason till he hath its verdict suspends his Judgment If that say with the Pharisie (a) Io. 3.9 How can these things be or with the Capharnaits (b) Io. 6. This is a hard saying who can heare it The Protestant immediatly renounces it Soe we submit our Reason to faith you set yours above it we frame our Reason according to the dictamens of Revelation you shape Revelation by your reason In fine you set your Reason on a throne to Judge of that word by which one day you are to be Judged You may as easily prove the Pharisees Chapharnaits to be better Christians then the Apostles as that your proceedure in receiving faith is better then that of the Catholick Church SECTION II. Of Hope HOpe is an expectation of future Blisse promist by our B. Saviour to those who love him keepe his commandments It is built on a promise of God which cannot fayle And had that promise beene absolute we myght have beene more assuredly certaine of our
nether in this world nor in the next Whence it follows that some sins are forgiin the next world Neque enim de quibusdam veraciter diceretur quod non eis remittatur neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro saeculo nisi essent quibus etsi non in isto tamen remittetur in futuro Aug. l. 21. de Civit. Dei cap. 24. Now to Mr. G. B. G.B. p. 55. For Purgatory the proofe from Scripture was only drawne from one wrested place of the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 3.12.13.14.15 ANS How can you say this when amongst the ancients S. Austin uses another text as we have just now seene And Bellarmin hath nineteene texts of Scripture as your Patriark W.L. will tell you p. 353. G. B. The Apostles words containe only a Proverbiall forme of speech to expresse the risque they run The Apostle speakes not only of arisque or hazard but of an effectuall losse He shall fuffer losse Says he verse 15. G. B. p. 55. Many visions apparitions were vouched for the proofe of Purgatory ANS I never saw any vouched for that intent I am sure nether the Councill of Trent nor that of Florence nor Benedict XII vouched any such thing for that intent I think not our divine Faith much concerned in asserting the Truth of any purely humane hystory I think most apparitions to be such Yet because severall Protestants as well as all Atheists utterly reject all such relations I desire them to reade S. Austin l. de Curâ pro mortuis cap. 10. where he says it would be an Impudence to deny them all Impudenter venire videbimur si haec falsa esse responderimus And in his 16. chap. he says he had learnt non incertis rumoribus sed testibus certis not from uncertain rumours but from undoubted withnesses that S. Faelix had appeared both to Citizens strangers during the siege of Nola. Had you the same Faith which was then in the Church you would beleive these things your denying them which the Primitive Church S. Austin beleived shews you to be anitmted with a different Faith CHAPTER XVII Priestly Absolution G.B. pag. 60. Another Art for detracting from the value of Christ death is the Preistly Absolution ANSWER This objection is no product of your owne wit you may find it the Authors of it together with an Answer to in S. Ambrose l. 1. de Poen c. 2. Aiunt Novatianise Domino deferre reverentiam cui soli remittendorum criminum potestatem reservant Imò melli majorem injuriam faciunt quà m qui volunt ejus mandata rescindere Nam cùm ipse in Evangelio dixerit quaecumque ligaveritis quis est qui enm magis honorat utrum qui mandatis ejus obtemperat an qui resistit Ecclesia in utroque servat obedientiam ut peccatum alliget relaxet The Novatians says this Saint pretend to honour God by reserving to him alone the power of forgiving sins But really none are more injurious to him or wrong him more then those who breake his orders For whereas he in the Ghospel sayd whose sins soever you bind Who honours God more he who obeys his commands by using that power or he who resists them Now the Church obeys both the commands to bind loose sins effectually binding loosing them Thus S. Ambrose You see Sir that our Doctrine now was that of the Church in S. Ambrose's time that the Novatians held your doctrine made use of the same pretext as you doe to defend their doctrine The Church for which S. Ambrose pleades was Catholick soe must we be in this seing our doctrine is the same with theirs The Novatians in this were Hereticks what are you Indeed the words with which our B. Saviour (a) Mat. 16.18 first promist secondly (b) Ioan. 20.22.23 actually communicated that power to forgive or retaine sins are soe expresse that it is the greatest disrespect imaginable soe to wrest them as they must to draw them from their naturall sense I desire you to shew your art invent us some speach which in soe few words shall more cleerly expresse this sense the Catholick Church understands them in And as for Fathers see S. Cyprian in many places S. Basil qq brev q. 288. S Leo epist 91. ad Theodorum Greg. hom 26. in Evang. Cyr. Alex. lib. 12. in Joan. but above all S. Chrisostome l. 3. de Sacerd. c. 5. tom 3. edit Savell pag. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those who dwell on earth says he are enabled to dispense the things in Heaven To them a Power is given which nether Angels nor Archangels enjoy for to these it was never sayd what you shall bind Earthly Princes have power to cast into prison but their Power is restrained to Bodyes only Where as the bond we speake of reaches the soul Heaven it self In so much as what Preists doe below God ratifyes above the lord confirmes the sentence of the servant And what is this but to have put into their hands all Power to dispose of Heaven whose sins you forgive are forgiven whose sins you retaine are retained What Power can be greater then this God the Father hath given all Power to Iudge to the son the son hath communicated all that same Power to Preists Thus this Glorious Saint You see sir the grounds of our beleife in this point the cleere words of our Lord (a) Ioan. 20.23 whose soever sins you remit they are remitted unto them You see the Fathers the Primitive Church explicating those words as we doe you see Novatians were held for Hereticks for understanding those words otherwise What ground have you to deny a Truth delivered by Christ to the Apostles from them handed downe to us G. B. pag. 62. It was counted a Blasphemy in Christ when he sayd thy sins are forgiven thee which shews it to be blasphemy in all others it being an invasion of his Prerogative ANS Here we have a blasphemous accusation of the Scribes against Jesus-Christ opposed against the cleere words of Christ the meaning of the whole Church Nay their words althô full of malice convinced of falshood by a miracle are preferd before those of Christ as being made a Rule by which his must be interpreted Thus under-pretence of asserting the authority of Christ you overthro wit as your Brethren ruined their souveraigne under pretence of making him a glorious King But say you Christ cleered himself from the Power was committed to the son of man to forgive sins ANS That same Power given by the son of man to the Apostles their successors doth cleere us G. B. pag. 61. After a sinner hath gon over his sins without any signe of remorse told them to a Preist he enjoins a Pennance without wayting that they obey it he says I absolve thee after this they judge them selves fully cleansed from sins ANS Were there
Dei Charitatem qui Ecclesiae non diligit unitatem Aug. lib. 3. de Baptismo cont Donat. c. 16. And all your pretences of causes given of your separation are but frivolous this taring in peices the mysticall body of Christ is so greate a sacriledge that no pretext can excuse it Apparet sayth S. Austin l. 2. contra Epist Parmeniani c. 11. non esse quicquam gravius sacrilegio schismatis quia praecidendae unitatis nullae est justa necessitas When I saw you reflect on your runing so long round in a circle I hoped you would come out of it was in hopes that ether I mght have beene a spectator of your following course or else that you would have ledde me a more pleasing walke The designe of S. Austin (a) Aug. l. 1. Retract c. 7. came to my mind who represented the Piety of Catholicks the vicious lives of the Manichyes in his two bookes de moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae de moribus Manichaeorum I imagined you myght designe the like in the two parts of this booke I expected you would have given us a Panegyrick of your owne Church after you had spent your Satyricall veine on your invective against ours I thought we should have seene described the Beauty of the Protestant Church the advantages of Communion with it the perfection of its Faith the decency of its ceremonys the Majesty of its Hierarchy the reasonablesse of its canōs the fullnesse of its conducency to Piety in this life Blisse in the next And all these confirmed with examples of the vertuous lives of its devotes But how much have I been mistaken I for casting an eye a little further after some few words in commendation of your Faith I find you throwing dirt againe as fast as before or rather faster as if in the first part you had only essayed what in the second you act in ear nest Doth your Garden the Church Cant. 4.12 is compared to one afford only that one flower Is the soyle so barren or so ill cultivated as none else should be found in it or if there be any other doe they thrive so ill as not to be worth being pointed to Or doth it come from a morosity of nature which inclines you to blame reprehend or from a propensity to entertaine thoughts only of faults imperfections as flyes pitch uppon ulceres some other creatures wallow in mire or from another quality worse then that which turnes all to bad as a foul stomacke turnes all food into peccant humours a spider draws Poyson from that flower whence a Bee draws Hony something of this must be for I will nether say there is nothing reprehensible in the lives of Catholicks it is a propriety of the Triumphant Church to be free from any spot or wrinkle nor that all is bad in Protestant besides their Faith that being the condition of the damned spirits in Hell But I supercede these personal Reflections follow though with little comfort you in the new maze you leade me into CHAPTER XXX Catholick Faith delivered by men divinely inspired Rules to know tru Tradition Faith never changed G.B. pag. 116. The first Character of our Faith is that it was delivered to the world by men sent of God divinely inspired who proved their mission by miracles ANSWER All Divine Faith is built to the veracity of God the men who delivered it at first were but the organs by which God spake their Words were his words When you received the word of God says S. Paul 1. Thess 2.15 Which when you received of us you received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God Hence those men frequently use that phrase Haec dicit Dominus Thus says the Lord. And Faith is no further a Theologicall vertu then it relyes solely only on the truth Veracity of God as on its formall object as with our Divines out of them Dr. Pearson in his learned explication on the Creede teaches And in this even those men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinely inspired proceded as we doe resolving their Faith into the veracity of God as well as we for their faith was univoca of the some nature with ours with this only difference that the formall object was applyed to them cleerely to us only obscurely The assent to such a mystery in Christ was science or vision not soe in any others he myght say (a) Io. 3.11 We know what we speake quod scimus loquimur quod vidimus testamur we testify what we have seene The rest must say (b) 2. Cor. 4.13 credimus propter quod loquimur We beleive therefore we speake In this manner faith was first spreade in the world I say the Catholick faith not your Protestant faith which as it containes your positive negative articles otherwise it is not Protestant was never delivered by any man divinely inspired but invented by your first Reformers who as I have sayd chap. 22. s 1. taking the whole summe of faith revealed topt lopt off it as much as they pleased from them you have not the Christian but the Protestant faith Fides temporum non Evangeliorum a faith of the times not of the Ghospels says Tertul. Were these the men of God divinely inspired assisted by miracles G. B. pag. 116. The doctrines about which we differ can pretend to no such divine Originall ANS You know we hold this not to be tru we receved all by the some authority from the same hand G. B. pag. 117. What man sent of God was the first Authour of the beleife of the corporall presence of the Sacrisice of the Masse of the Popes supremacy of Purgatory of Indulgences of all those innumerable superstitions of which scripture is absolutely silent ANSWER Christ was a man sent of God he was the first Authour of them G. B. Ibidem If these doctrines were not the off spring of Revelations we cannot be oblidged to beleive them as such ANS Your former legerdemain comes again another conviction of your disingenous proceeding This appeares by these Propositions If the Bible were not the off spring of Revelation we should not be bound to beleive it If Christ were not tru God we should not be bound to adore him as such Could you with patience heare a Pagan with such a slyght undermine the authority of the Bible of the honour doe to Christ Prove what you odiously suggest that the things you wrongfully call superstitions are not revealed you will doe something to the purpose But you are too cunning to attempt any such proofe which you know surpasses your strength And there fore you had rather suppose then prove it that being more proportioned to your capacity Religion G. B. Ibidem They vouch Scriptures for proofe to some of these but these are soe far stretched that their sure retreate is in the Sanctuary
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
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
us to the Father without spot wrinkle c which declare how plenary his satisfaction was nothing being left undone by him for removing the guilt of sin Thus you As if nothing could be required on man's side in order to apply the satisfaction of Christ without derogating from its plenitude Christ satisfaction was plenary soe was his Prayer his Greife his suffring Yet we must pray for our selves (a) Mat. 6.12 for one another (b) Iac. 5.16 althô he prayed for us all And we must be sorry for our sins the whole course of the Ghospell requires it of us we must suffer for with him For as in order of nature that action of the Prime cause by which it concurs with creatures is sufficient of it selfe to produce the whole effect yet nothing is done without the concourse of secondary causes which apply the action of the first soe the satisfaction of Christ is sufficient for all yet doth not remit our sins actually without it be applyed to us ether by Baptisme or Penitentiall workes And the necessity of this application by faith is owned by all your Reformers And if this is consistent with that fullnesse why not application by Faith Charity You say This is a comfortlesse Doctrine ANS It is our duty to take the doctrine of Christ as we find it in holy writ to teach others what we take thence being assured that whither it be or be not confortable it is holesome unto everlasting life And such is that Doctrine which makes us punish in our selves our offences by that meanes prevent those punishments which God would otherwise inflict uppon us it makes us worke our salvation (a) Philip. 2.12 with feare trembling it causes sorrow according to God which brings forth Pennance unto (b) 2. cor 7.10 salvation which is stable It is a Doctrine proportioned to the present state of man this being a state of Bannishment Pennance where feare trembling sighes teares fasting Prayer watches are his lot must ground his security as to the maine chance which is the only thing can give him reall substanciall comfort in this vale of miseryes He must conforme to his patterne Jesus suffring follow his (c) 1. Pet. 2.21 foot steps He carryed his Crosse invite us to take up ours follow him (d) Mat. 16.24 but doth not advise us to leave it as if his carrying his owne were sufficient for both him us In fine not withstanding all the suffring of Christ for us we must here sow with teares (e) Psal 125.6 if we will there reape with Ioy. Christ him selfe was to suffer (f) Luc. 24.26 soe to enter into his Glory And We must suffer with him (a) 2. Tim. 2.12 if we expect to raygne with him (b) 2. Tim. 2.12 This this is the doctrine of Christ the spirit of the Ghospel which teachs us to hope in the merits of Christ but not to neglect good workes it shews us not to presume on his Satisfaction nor despayre of his Mercy to walke in hope of his goodnesse feare of our owne faults frailtyes to be thanckfull for the merits of Christ which give all their value to ours which of themselves are nothing In fine soe to honour the fullnesse of our Redemption as not to foster negligence in our selves but to stirre up our selves to imitate our Redeemer in doing suffring that soe we myght be stedfast immoveable in good (c) 1. Cor. 25.58 abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that our labour is not in vaine CHAPTER XVI Of Purgatory G. B. p. 55. begins to treate of Purgatory doth it soe lyghtly as if he feared to burne his fingers Yet if he shews lesse Reading he shews more Cunning then his Brethren E.S. or W.L. who give greater advantages to an Adversary by fixing a time for the kindling of that Purging fire which was lyghted long before any determinate time they can fix uppon Mr. Stillingf pag. 654. Not one of the fathers affirmed your doctrine of Purgatory before Gregory I. Yet W. L. allows it a much greater antiquity pag. 353. We can find says he a beginning of this doctrine a Beginner too namely Origen Thus they differ amongt themselves as little agree each with himself for p. 348. W. L. had sayd Scarce any father within the first three hundred yeares ever thought of it Which assertion is contradiction to what he says of Origen's being the Beginner of it it is moreover very rash for doth he think that all the fathers of the first three ages writ downe all their thoughts or that all they writ is preserved till our days or that he hath seene all that is soe preserved or remembers all that he hath ever seene But let us leave these men to reconcile together their owne thoughts which will be no small nor short labour And examin the thing it self to come to it I passe over severall slips of our adversarys v.c. Wil Lawd pag. 348. says that the first Definition of Purgatory to beleived as a divine truth was made by the Councill of Florence In which he is mistaken for Benedict XII long before that had defined the same I prove that the primitive Church believed a Purgatory in the most pure times out of the testimony of three Fathers S. Hilary S. Gregory Nissen S. Austin S. Hilary (a) Hil. in ps 118.20 Ille indefessus ignis obeundus est subeunda sunt illa expiāda a peccatis animae supplicia That restlesse fire is to be endured those punishments to be borne which may purge our soul from sins S. Greg. Nissen (b) Greg. orat de mortliis as cited by W. L. p. 351 Men must be purged ether by Prayers or by the furnace of Purgatory fire after this life Againe A man cannot be partaker of the divine nature unlesse the purging fire doth take a way the staines that are in his soul Againe After this life a Purgatory fire takes away the blots propensity to evill W. L. considering these words ingenuously confesses they seeme plaine Yet he holds out one buckler against these two Arrows drawne out of the quivers of those fathers that they speake of a Purgation of sins in the Roman Church we are taught to beleive only a Purgation of the paine due to sins already forgiven Now this avayles little 1. because the debt of paine may be often is taken for sin on which it is grounded metonimicè 2. He seemes not to understand our doctrine for there is no definition of our church oblidging us to beleive that there remaine no veniall sins in Purgatory Hence Dr. Kellison (c) Kellis in 3. p. tom 2. p. 611. late President of the Inglish Colledge of Doway proves Purgatory to be prepared first for those who dye with only veniall sins Secondly for those
deluded admirers is like those Nurses who wanting Milke entertaine their children with rattles bibs some insignificant nourriture In reality there seemes to be as much difference betwixt the spirituall food souls receive in the Catholick Church that of Protestants as there is betwixt the nourriture a child receives sucking a breast stretched with milke that he gets by sucking a moistned finger Which shall be further shewen in the CHAPTER XXXVII No Houses of devotion nor spirituall Bookes Amongst Protestants G. B. p. 145. A tentation to become Papists is the solitary retired houses among them for leading a devout strict life the excellent bookes of Devotion have beene publisht by many of that communion p. 147. I deny not that is the greatest defect of the reformation t at there are not in it such encouragements to a devout life p. 148. It is not to be denyed to be agreate defect that we want recluse houses But it fixeth no imputation on our Church her doctrine or worship that shee is soe poore as not to be able to mantaine such Seminarys ANSWER This is as pretty a sophisme of non causa pro causâ as I have seene As if the small number of Inglish Catholicks were richer then the whole body of Protestants for we have founded many geate familyes of Religious you with all your industry could never settle one There are reasons for your Churchs being soe unsuccessefull in these attempts without doubt as reall tru as that which you give is false it shall be my worke to lay them out before you The first cheifest reason is a Judgment of God Almyghty uppon you forbreaking up dispersing soe many houses of Piety God was served in those houses he was offended with that sacriledge there fore denyes you that Blessing of which you are unworthy A second each one had rather keepe his meanes to himself then see them passe against his will to another lay family for whome he hath nokindnesse If any give it to God Religion they designe it should continue there which cannot be expected in Ingland as long as the memory is fresh of Henry VIII Elizabeth A third the foundation of your Reformation is inconsistent with a superstructure of Religion or living in community together Men cannot live together without a setled rule or order establisht peculiar to that manner of life proper for it Your Reformation is inconsistent with this it teaching to reject all humane injunctions as contrary to Christian liberty When out of that principle you have taught men to despise all decrees even of generall counsils received by the whole Church confirmed by the practice of many ages how can you hope they should esteeme Rules given by moderne new men A fourth your doctrine denying all merits or Reward due to our actions Hopes of advantage encourages us to labour our industry is dulled assoone as those vanish S. Ambrose thinks the Novatians unreasonable who preacht Pennance denyed the fruit of it l. 1. de Poenit. c. 16. Frustra dicitis vos praedicare Poenitentiam qui tollitis lib. 2. c. 3. Merendi gratia Sacramenti ad precandum impellimur hoc auferre vultis propter quod agitur Poenitentia Tolle gubernatori perveniendi spem in mediis fluctibus incertus errabit Tolle luctatori coronam lentus jacebit in stadio Tolle piscatori capiendi essicaciam desinet jactare retia In hopes of arriving at his Heaven the Pilot steeres his ship the wrastler strives in hope to throw his adversary The fisher casts his nets in hope of catching some fish All these would relent were they perswaded the thing they aimed at were impossible How then doe you expect that men should practice good workes when you teach them to hope for no good from them It were indeede to be wisht that men would serve God for God without regarding any reward But that is a perfection all doe not arrive to And even the best are faine to use some other motives A fifth your clergy is utterly unfit to Direct Instruct such houses our workes have a greater influence on our neyghbour then our words S. Hierome thought it incongruous that a man with a full belly should preach fasting And how can a man preach chastity to others who comes himself from the embraces of his wife if he hath one or hath his head full of Amourettes designes to get one if he be a batchelour It is in vaine therefore that you seeke the advantage of those with-drawing places from the noyse trouble of the world to those Devout Solitudes your lives are not fit for them your doctrine is inconsistent with them your past actions have shut that dore of mercy unto you As for Bookes of Devotion The Authour of the Fiat Lux says you have printed severall such composed by ours under your owne names Soe you hang us cherish our writings as the Jews stoned the Prophets canonized their bookes You owne we have many excellent Bookes All the world sees you have scarce any nor can rationally hope for any For He who writes a spirituall Booke ought to aime at two things the first to instruct the understanding with divine eternall Truths The second to move the will to a hatred of sin a contempt of the world to the love of God above all things The first may be an effect of study but the second cannot be attained unto unlesse the Authour be such himself He must as S. John be (a) Io. 5.35 a Burning shining lyght Burne to God by a tru unfeigned love of him Shine to men by the cleere truths which he delivers He must feele with in himselfe those motions which he endeavours to communicate to his Reader Si vis me flere dolendum est primum ipsi tibi A soul possest with hope with feare with joy with greife with love with hatred in fine with any passion doth expresse not only the thoughts but the passion it selfe with tropes proper by which meanes it not only informes the understanding but also stirs the will of the hearer or reader to like inclinations Reade Seneca's epistles or other morall workes or Cicero's you shall find agreate many excellent Truths Yet I never knew any man the better in his morality for them As they themselves notwithstanding those lyghts were farre from being Good men as you may see in Lactantius l. 3. divin Instit from the 13. Chapter On the contrary the reading of Saint's workes hath a greate force to move us to Good S. Austin l. 8. Confess cap. 6. says some were converted by reading the life of S. Antony severall have have taken serious resolutions of leading a Christian life by reading those Confessions And I have knowne Several moved to love mentall Prayer by Reading S. Teresa's workes to the love of God by using those of S. Francis de Sales This is