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A46361 A continuation of the accomplishment of the Scripture-prophesies, or, A large deduction of historical evidences proving that the papacy is the real antichristian kingdom to which is added A confirmation of the exposition of the sixteenth chapter of the Revelation concerning the pouring out of the vials / written in French by Peter Jurieu ... faithfully Englished.; Accomplissement des prophéties. Suite. English Jurieu, Pierre, 1637-1713. 1688 (1688) Wing J1200; ESTC R17274 212,359 335

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conformable to the common Rule of all Christians let them not instance in the Unity of one God the adorable Trinity of Persons in the Godhead the Incarnation of the second person in our nature who is call'd J. Christ His death which was the Ransom and Redemption of mankind his Resurrection which hath ascertain'd ours his Ascension which hath open'd Heaven and made way for our admission his sitting at the Right hand of his Father who hath constituted him Lord and King of the Church and of the World his Intercession which procures for Believers all the good that is necessary to their Eternal Blessedness the Efficacy of the Redeemer's blood with respect to men The Life Everlasting the Resurrection of the dead and the last Judgment Let them not I say instance in any of these to prove the agreement of their Religion with the H. Scripture for 't is not to the purpose All that is Christianity and not Popery 't is my Religion as well as theirs We know very well that Christianity hath continued in the Papacy but we know likewise that Paganism hath been built upon it in the Church of Rome and this is that which makes it truly Antichristian Popery is that which constitutes a particular Sect and distinguisheth it from all others and this we assert hath no kind of Conformity to the Law of J. Christ The Sacrisice of the Mass hath no foundation in Scripture Let us instance in the Sacrifice of the Mass a point of very great importance if in any Religion there be any such because it concerns the sacrifice of a God unto God thereby to obtain Eternal Life the remission of sins and all the blessings of Heaven and Earth for mankind Because it treats of establishing a new Priesthood and new Priests and such as in the act of sacrificing are superior to their own God who is but a meer victim Now in making this Sacrifice I assert that they have altogether neglected and slighted the H. Scripture and had no regard at all to the revelation and Law of J. Christ After the establishment of this Sacrifice it was thought fit to search the Scripture for arguments to prove it but antecedent to such an establishment this was not thought of insomuch that the passages brought to prove the Sacrifice of the Mass seem to be collected and produc'd for no other end than to expose the Christian Religion to the scoffs of the Profane and the raillery of Infidels From the old Testament these words in the book of Genesis are quoted Genes 14. 1 Sam. 2.34 that Melchisedeck brought forth or offer'd unto Abraham bread and wine those words of God to Eli I will raise me up a Faithfull Priest who shall do according to that which is in my mind and in my heart And that which the wise man saith in the book of Proverbs Chap. 9.1 Wisdom hath built her an house c. she hath furnished her Table and the words of the Prophet Malachy In every place Incense shall be offer'd unto my name and a pure offering 1. C. 11. From the new Testament are alledged the words of our Lord to his Apostles Do this in Remembrance of me 26. Matth. And these of our Lord to the Samaritan Woman Believe me the hour cometh 4 John 21. when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but they that worship him shall worship him in Spirit and Truth And those words of S. Luke 13 Acts. v. 2. And as they ministred to the Lord and those of S. Paul to the Corinthians You cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devills you cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devills and in another place we have an Altar whereof they could not partake who served at the Tabernacle One would wonder how these Texts should be produc't as Proofs in this case Where is the Victim where is the Priest where are the Ceremonies the Consecration Elevation Adoration and Oblation of the Sacrifice where are the Introitus the Gradual the Canon the Offertory used by the Romanists If the Jews to maintain their worship their Sacrifices and the different orders of their Ministers who serv'd at their Altats their High Priest their Feasts their Pascal Lamb their Continual Sacrifice Morning and Evening their Scape-Goat their Ark their Mercy-seat their Cherubims their Distinction of Meats their Circumcision if I say to justifie these things the Jews had produced such Texts of Scripture and said these contain the Proofs of our Religion this is our Authority for it I 'am confident they would have past for Mad-men and if the World were once cured of their Prejudices they would say as much concerning the Papists This is one great point wherin Popery is not sollicitous to keep any agreement with the Scripture the common Rule of all Christians There is no Scripture Evidence for the Pope There is another Instance no less notorious than the former After the Sacrifice it naturally followes that we consider the Priest now Popery hath an High Priest and Head of the Universal Church a Vicar of J. Christ a Lieutenant of God on Earth This is the binding stone of the Arch 't is the Center of the Union So capital an Affair that there is no salvation without adhereing to this High Priest and must we be put off to Tradition for the proof of such an Article as this what Title is there in the scripture to this great Office what Call to such a Charge This is alledged Thou art Peter and on this Rock will I build my Church and what thou hast bound on earth shall be bound in Heaven feed my sheep I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not All this is spoken by our Ld. to the Apostle Peter and this is the establishment of the office and Imployment of High Priest which the Pope claims as his peculiar I would that a meer Turk who is not prepossest with the sentiments of a particular sect might be our judge in this case Let him look upon the Infallible man at Rome with his Triple Crown on his head who pretends to be the Judge the King the Spiritual Soveraign of all Christians even of Kings themselves and examin those passages cited out of our Law in savour of his Pretentions 'T is manifest that this Turk would believe you mockt him Where is there any thing here would he say of the City of Rome where are the Cardinals where is there any appointment of this Soveraign Tribunal to which all the World must appeal If those words bestow any special priviledge upon S. Peter is it said he must have a Successor in those Prerogatives and if he was to have a Successor is there any one syllable that should make us imagine that this Successor must have his Seat at Rome 'T is certain they may say that S. Peter was at Rome that He did
an absolute and totall Apostacy from the Christian Religion 'T is sufficient if it Symbolize with Paganism and very much resemble it This is also signified by what is said 13th chapter of the Revel that the Beast which was struck dead should revive again This Beast is the Roman Empire as Pagan There were two things considerable in that Beast His Kingdom and his Paganism the first had been struck dead by the Goths the other the Paganism had receiv'd a mortal Wound from the time of Constantine untill that of Theodosius but both must revive and recover again The Empire of the Beast in the Papal Domination and the Paganism in the Papal Religion The Papacy ressembles Paganism First in General because its Worship is neither Spirituall nor Rational as neither was the Religion of the Heathens Secondly in particular that the doctrines and worship of the Papacy are an imitation of the Pagan Religion by these two Articles of Conformity between Popery and Paganism I intend to prove the Paganism of the Romish Religion And in the first place I 'le prove that the Worship of the Papacy hath this in common with that of the Gentiles that it is neither Spiritual nor Reasonable The two Characters of Christian Worship are that it is Spiritual and National This is undeniable that the two great Characters of the Service and Worship of the Christian Religion are these two That it is Spiritual and that it is Rational By Spiritual I understand a Service freed from Ceremonies and bodily Observances By Reasonable I understand a Worship that is holy in its Institution full of Wisdom and Reason and proper to impress a lively sense of its Divinity by elevating the Soul unto God. Our Lord Jesus told the Samaritan Woman Woman believe me the hour Cometh John 4. c. v. 21 22 23 24. and now is that neither in this Mountain nor at Jerusalem shall ye worship the Father The true Worshippers are they who worship in Spirit and in Truth God is a Spirit and they who worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth c. 'T is plain that the Spirit and a Spiritual Service are there appos'd to the Carnal Bodily Ceremonial Service of the Ancient Church S. Paul speaks in like manner to the Romans I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that you present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your Reasonable Service That is the other Character of the worship of Christian Religion 'T is true Judaism had a corporal worship bodily exercise but it was reasonable being full of deep mysteries of types and lessons of piety but the worship of the Heathens had neither Spirituality nor reason Christian worship is altogether both Spiritual and Rational Nothing can be more Rational than to pray to God to sing his praise to offer him thanksgivings to hear his word and preach it to keep his commandments to receive the sign of our washing in Baptism and of our Spiritual nourishment in the Sacrament of the Eucharist In the Popish Religion there is just as much of Spirituality and of Reason as there is of Christianity therfore we find there prayers to God and Thanksgivings and Sacraments But so far forth as Popery hath made additions to Christianity there is nothing that is either Spiritual or Rational Popish worship neither Spiritual nor Reasonable First their worship is covered under an unknown Language a dead and barbarous one which the People understand not and that alone were enough to take away all the reason and spirituality of any such worship For tho all that is contain'd under that language convered under that va●l should be Spirit and Reason to the highest degree tho all should be devout pious full of unction and able to raise the soul to the third Heaven of what use could it be to what purpose could it serve we could perceive but the outside a frightfull carnal bark and cover that were only for the eye wherin even the ear can have no part but with respect to the symphony and Harmony of sounds Secondly All that we see is meerly corporeal viz. Churches adorn'd with extraordinary pride and pomp wherin is a glimmering Light mixt with darkness but inlightned with Lamps and candles with niches in the walls where we see Images of a Curious sculpture in rich and magnifick habits They who serve at their Altars have extraordinary garments both for matter and form and sometimes for cost too the service is not said but sung with Musick and the Masses of Great and Festival days accompanied with instrumental and vocal Musick The Body of the Clergy with all the People march often in great pomp a Cross lifted up and banners displaid and so walk thro the streets and sometimes the fields with this equipage The shrine of a Saint is sometimes carried in this manner before which one cries that all must kneel and all the people are presently on their knees Every year The God made by a Priest is carried in great pomp all the streets eccho with joy all places thro which they pass with this Ceremony are adorn'd with Tapistry and Pictures and the streets covered with Flowers nothing can be more like the pomp of Isis a part whereof is described by Apuleius Is this a spiritual and Rational worship Is not this like the Heathen worship who carried their Gods in procession upon sacred Chariots which they called Thensae Deorum Is not this to make Religion a meer spectacle a kind of Comedie In short all the devotion of the People comes to this to look upon Processions the shrines and Reliques of Saints the Ciborium where they put the H. Sacrament Altars Ornaments Tapistrys Pictures Images Crucifixes Priests Habits Canopies and the magnificence of the Train which follows according to Ceremony The Imagination and the Heart likewise are fill'd with this glittering outside and gawdy show which is so far from elevating the soul to God as is pretended that it stops and hinders it from mounting higher than to what is meerly external and earthly They pretend that this worship of theirs is very spiritual and full of Mysteries The Priest puts the Amict upon his head which is the name of his hood this signifies they tell us the Divinity of Jesus Christ which was hidden and concealed under his Passion He puts on the Albe or white surplice over his other cloaths because it is written thy garments shall be white and this to denote the Innocence of those who serve at the Altar The Subdeacon in some places kisses the right hand of the Priest who doth officiate because the right hand of the most High hath done valiantly The Priest or the Bishop doth sit down after the prayer in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ's fitting in the Temple to dispute with the Doctors of the Law. In a word there is not the most minute and trifling Ceremony of their worship but hath its
of Piety which are no other than liberal Contributions to Convents and Priests They fail not to urge the advice of Daniel to the King of Babylon to very good Purpose Redeem they sins by Alms-deeds Lastly that arrogant piece of new Divinity which exalts the Clergy so far above the rest of mankind is of great use to serve a Covetous design The Pope must be the first and principal Monarch of the world the Cardinals must be the Princes of the Church and Arch-Bishops and Bishops must be Lords and Peers and consequently very rich to support their Dignity No wonder therfore that the Church exacts Tribute from the whole Earth and hath got possession of one half of the Wealth of Christendom To this purpose doth Cardinal Pallavicini argue in his History of the Council of Trent By this we see how the Popish Theology turns altogether to the side of a dishonest Gain let us see whether their Practice be not answerable Prodigious Riches of the Papacy First let us consider the Extraordinary Riches of the Papacy There is no Empire upon earth which can equal it The City of Rome and a very great part of Italy is intirely their own The Kingdom of Naples is held Feudatory from the Pope He is the temporal Lord of very considerable Lands and large Revenues as the Cities of Liege with the Country that depends upon it Cologne Treves Mentz He did once possess all those great Bishopsticks of Germany Saltsburg Munster Osnabrug Magdeburg Paderborn and several others whose Bishops are Soveraign Princes and many Abbies whose Abbots are Princes and members of the Empire The Papacy had all this some part of it 't is true is lost but they yet retain a very considerable share How large are the revenues of the Church in France There are Lordships and Dutchies and Peerages and Bishopricks of a vast revenue wealthy Abbies and great Commendoms 'T is the same in Spain where all the Prelates are more Potent than the King even at this day England formerly was altogether the Territory of the Court of Rome All the rest of Europe was almost in the same condition In a word we may say truly that the Papacy in its height and glory was Master of more than half the Riches of Europe To speak plainly is this the Character of Jesus Christ or of Antichrist of Jesus Christ who had not where to lay his head and foretold his Disciples that they must look for Poverty and Tribulation Distress and Suffering How blind and sottish must we be not to perceive that this prodigious Power and Riches is Antichristian exalting it self upon the ruin both of true Christianity and of Christian Princes Unlawful ways us'd by the Papacy to get Riches Let us see by what methods the Papacy hath attain'd to this height of Power and Riches It was by unjust and unlawful Means by Impieties so horrible that we must be altogether insensible stupid and of a seared Conscience not to take notice of the working of the Man of Sin. The Reader would do well to peruse the treatise of Father Paul concerning Benefices God permitted that in these latter days it should be drawn out of Darkness to open the eyes of the most blind in this matter 'T is wrote in a grave stile by a learned Pen without discovering any other design than to speak the Truth 'T is properly an History of the Roman Church who made use of one Knavery after another to draw the Riches of Europe into their Net. He had good reason to begin the History of Benefices with the Instance of Judas who carried the Purse of the Apostolical Colledge and for Lucre of Money sold his Master for he was the true Forerunner of the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy and of the carriage of the Church of Rome There we see the Tricks and Cheats which the Clergy used to persuade the Laity to alienate their Lands and Revenues to put them into the possession of the Church How the Clergy understood the knack of getting money by Excommunications Interdicts Holy-wars and the Fewds of Germany and the Contentions between the Popes and Emperors the Divisions of Italy the Weakness of some Princes and the Superstition of others therby to attain to this Prodigious Wealth When we see a beggar one that was such become of a sudden immensly rich we need no other proof of his being a Cheat and a Robber and we may therupon charge him with it without Injustice for such excessive Riches cannot be got by honest means To consider the Prodigious Wealth of the Papacy is sufficient to assure us that they did not honestly come by it but by Rapine Fraud and Violence The Church was poor and had neither Gold nor Silver in those days when she open'd the eyes of the Blind and made the lame to Walk the Liberality of Christian Princes drew her out of this Indigence but it was to her unhappiness and loss for as soon as she became Rich she became Covetous Luxurious and Wicked and because those Riches which she got by the bounty of Princes and the well-meant tho mistaken Piety of others could not satisfie her greedy desire of more no shamefull and dishonest means have been unattempted to acquire larger Revenues than she had before and to add more to what she had already The Simony of the Papacy She then set her self to work upon the Living and the Dying and to scare and frighten 'em that they might part with their Goods in favour of those whom they intrusted with the care of their Souls that is the Monks and Priests By plain and down-right Usurpations without other mystery the Popes and Prelats have seiz'd divers Kingdoms and the most considerable lands of Europe and to enrich themselves have made use of the most execrable Simony which hath risen to that degree as would make an honest Heathen tremble These are but small matters in comparison the Sale of Benefices Reunions Commendams Degrees Reservations Expectatives Preventions Provisions Resignations Rescriptions Dignum Arbitramur Rescriptions in common form and of the lesser one signing the Grace of First-fruits Translations Erections Cathedrals Subrogations Dispensations for Non-residence Dispensations for Defects of Body for Defect of Age c. These I say are but little things and trivial in comparison with some others Who can read without Horror the Sale of the most enormous Crimes Incest Parricide Buggery Sodomy and Murder of the nearest Relations set at a certain price so much for Buggery or Sodomy so much for a Nun who suffers her self to be known by a man several times within and without her Convent with a capacity again for any dignity of the Order even that of being Abbess so much for a Woman who hath kill'd her child in the Womb so much for having destroyed Infants by Inchantments so much for having murder'd a Father or a Mother c. Can we read without trembling the Robberies which several Popes have
new Temples and Chappels are every day built to her Honour How those have far'd who condemn'd this Excess It may yet be said that there are some in the Church of Rome who condemn this excess Mr. Arnaud in his Apology for the Catholicks cites his good Friend the Bishop of Castoria M. Pavillon the Bishop of Alet and some others and above all we have the Advice of the H. Virgin to her Indiscreet Votaries which takes away all These abuses But these sorts of writings which are but a few are so far from convincing us that this Idolatry is past that it teaches us the contrary that it is yet in vigor At that very time when that little Book came forth there were those who said That a man might be assur'd of his salvation tho he liv'd in Sin if he did but bear any devotion to the Virgin that God could not damn those who had any external Devotion to the Virgin that Devotion to the Virgin was a sign of Predestination that the virgin brought back her votaries from Hell to give 'em space to repent that a man might be saved without the Love of God if he apply'd himself to our Lady that a man might render all Honours to the Virgin tho he forgot that which was due unto God that the Virgin is more merciful than J. Christ that the Virgin is an Inferior Divinity without whom there can be no access to God that she is the Mediatrix of Mankind and hath a great deal of Merit which she never receiv'd from her Son that she is the Joynt-Redeemer and Saviour of the World with J. Christ that we may appeal from God's Tribunal to hers that she hath an Empire and Kingdom distinct from that of the Father that she may be plac't parallell with her Son that Mercy belongs to her but Justice to Christ that we may apply our selves only to her and neglect her Son that Devotion to the Virgin may be prefer'd to the Love of God and trust in him that we may put our confidence in Images and that a difference is to be made between the several Images of the virgin as to efficacy and vertue and consequently that there must be a difference in our Devotion to ' em If those wicked and abominable Extravagancies are past and forgotten this modern Author was much to blame to give so particular an account of them in order to his charge against them that could be of nouse but to revive ' em But for the fuller conviction that these Impieties are still the Religion of the Papacy we must consider how that Book The Advice of the Virgin c. Was receiv'd viz. as an Heretical Book Father Crasset a famous Jesuite wrote an answer to it he treats the Author in his Preface as one that deserv'd the Inquisition and 't is certain had he been in the hands of the Spanish Inquisitors they would have burnt him as a Lutheran In a word Father Crasset confutes him and establisheth all those Impieties which the other had condemn'd he doth I say establish and confirm 'em one after another proving the truth of 'em and the Piety of the practice of these things supporting his own Opinion by the testimony many hundred Authors which he thinks of great weight and this Book is printed with Approbation and Priviledge and sold publickly throughout all France On the contrary the Book of The Advice c. and other such pieces are disperst very secretly concealing the Authors names and with evident tokens of being dislik't and discountenanc't 'T was not long ago that the Cordeliers of Rheims caus'd this Inscription to be put upon the Frontispiece of their Convent Deo Homini Beato Francisco Utrique Crucifixo To God-man and to S. Francis who were both Crucified Some or other abhorring this Blasphemy wrote against it but was forc't to hide himself under the name of S. Saviour and to print his paper with great Secrecy Few at this day dare openly condemn these extravagances In the mean while it may be said that there are great numbers of Papists in France cur'd of these Follies I grant and believe it and 't is that which makes me hope that Popery will ere long be banisht out of France but it must be observed that those very men who in their hearts it may be condemn those foolish Devotions to the Saints do yet practice 'em to appear Good Catholicks in the eyes of the World. We gave an instance in the late Marshal de Faber who was of all men the least taken with these Fooleries and perfectly despis'd the Roman Religion And yet after his death among his Papers were found Bulis and Letters of Filiation that he had procur'd to have a part in the merits of the Monks we also mention'd the Example of the Arch-Bishop of Rheims one of those who would be thought to be free and disingag'd from the Errors of the vulgar and yet hath caus'd the Confrairies of S. Sebastian to be set up in his Metropolitan City with all kinds of Indulgence annext plenary fuller and most full Lastly we have given the Relation of a matter of Fact which all Paris is witness to and whereof the Narrative hath been printed 'T is the Translation of the Reliques which the Princesse Palatine bequeath'd to the Abbey of S. Germain des Pres. The Ceremony was perform'd by the Arch-Bishop of Paris with all the Impiety and Idolatry that could have been practis'd in an age of the grossest Ignorance Nevertheless this Arch-Bishop of Paris is in all appearance one of the moderate men of the Religion of Mr. Arnaud and the Bishop of Meaux who condemn the Devotions of the Monks To all these Examples I will add another 't is of Father Mascaron as Formerly he was call'd but now Bishop of Agen. A Benedictine Monk named Dom Gabriel Preacht at Duras on the day of our Lady in March 1686. in his sermon he vented all the Impieties and Extravagances wherof we have given some Instances in the foregoing Chapters This made a great noise the new Converts complain'd of it the Bishop was wrote to about it who sends Dom Gabriel the following Letter From Reole 4. Aug. 1686. YEsterday Sir I had a Letter imparted to me which I judged you would be glad to read a copy of the subject of it was this A Benedictine Father of the Convent in this City who preacht the last Lent at Duras made a sermon on the day of our Lady in March wherein he made use of several very bold and extravagant Expressions concerning the veneration due to the H. Virgin in so much that not only New Converts but many of the ancient Catholicks were scandaliz'd at it among others that were offended were the Curate and the First Consul of the City who sent their complaints to this Preacher to have had him repair that fault in his next sermon But as he resus'd to do so every one on either side took
care to give an account to Monsieur the Bishop of Agen formerly Bishop of Tulle and known under the name of Father Mascaron About 8 or 10 days after the preaching of the first sermon this Father at the close of another told the people that having understood that some had been offended without cause at his Sermon on our Ladies day he had given the Bishop an account of it who did perfectly approve all that he had said Whereupon the Curate replied with a loud voice in the presence of the whole Assembly that it was not so and that he himself could produce Letters to the contrary Here is the copy of a Lr. which that Prelate writ to this Preacher who calls himself Father Dom Gabriel The Bishop of Agen to the Reverend Father Dom Gabrië I Am troubled my Father at that which hath lately past at Duras and I could have wisht that as good and catholick soever as your sermon might be and I doubt not but it was that nevertheless you had not preacht it J. Christ told his Apostles multa habeo vobis dicenda sed non potestis portare modò I have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them yet For the present we must keep to the just bounds which the sixth Council hath set us concerning the Invocation of Saints that it is good and profitable to invoke them that they hear our Prayers and that we receive many Favors by their Intercession But we ought to stop there When the new converts shall be better setled and establisht in this Faith of the Church they will not stumble or be startled at certain Expressions which now they are afraid of Make a peaceable end of this affair my Father and without any affectation endeavor to mollifie and temper the business Return my Lr. if it please you assoon as may be to M. the Curate and make my excuses to Father de la Mercy if I do not answer him I am so opprest with business that I can scarce find a time to breath I desire to be recommended to your Prayers and am with all my heart Your most humble and most affectionate Servant Julius Bishop and Count of Agen. And by a Postscript I am just now inform'd by L rs receiv'd this day that you should have said that I gave you order to preach this Proposition that our whole Heart must be given to Mary to make a Temple for her and that the Eternal Father consulted with the Virgin about the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ that no Evil can befall us without the permission of Mary that she made the Rocks to cleave asunder by her Sorrow They add that you gave your Auditory to understand that there were four Persons in the Trinity and that the Virgin made the fourth I know very well that a good construction may be made of all this but you cannot acquit your self from the greatest indiscretion to start such kind of Questions among the New Converts who ought to be dealt with very tenderly as those that are weak in the Faith. I have undertaken to send Father Meladon a Jesuite to moderate and reconcile matters and to reduce both parties to that just medium from whence you have swerv'd by your Passions and I beseech you to yield to the Truth and to ask pardon of God for your great Imprudence for 't is inexcusable must an whole Church be put into a Combustion because you made such a Sermon This is not according to Order Remember that in strictness and rigor of Faith as to particular persons the Invocation of Saints and of the H. Virgin ought necessarily to be approv'd but the exercise and practice is not of necessity for every Individual and when they are at service they ought not to separate from those who pray to Saints or disapprove their Prayers The Character of this Bishop is well known that of all men in the Kingdom he hath the greatest contempt and scorn for the monkish Devotions and yet you see how he talks how he saith that the Impious Expressions of that Monk had and might have a very good sense He doth not require of the Monk to retract those Blasphemies he would only that they should be reserv'd till another more convenient Time that these things should be kept for thorough pac'd Catholicks who have been instructed in all their Mysteries What is the import and meaning of this Caution and conduct it plainly signifies thus much that these Devotions are still the Religion of the People in the Papacy that they would not have 'em scandaliz'd by disapproving them and that they durst not oppose the Monks who have the multitude as yet on their side In a word we must reckon that all Spain all Italy and all the States of Germany under the Emperor and all the Ignorant Devout People in France are still of this mind And consequently that the Papacy stands convicted of Idolatry by the testimony of all the wise and Intelligent men of her own Communion as many of the most considerable of 'em have freely owned to me before several witnesses CHAPTER XVI The Tenth Character of Antichristianism found in the Papacy that it is a reviv'd Paganism built upon Christianity whose Worship is neither Spiritual nor Rational According to the Prophecies the Kingdom of Antichrist is to be Idolatrous 'T Is certain that according to the Idea which the Prophets give us of the Antichristian Kingdom that it must not be a sort of Judaism as the Papists suppose without the least proof but a reviv'd Paganism This is manifest by the preceding Character that of Idolatry Pagan and Idolatrous are one and the same that which partakes of Paganism partakes of Idolatry but without making use of Consequences we have an express Text which tells us that Antichristianism is to be a sort of Paganism Apoc. 11. c. v. 2. Apoc. chap. 11. v. 2. But the court that is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths The term of Forty Two Moneths makes it evident that he speaks of the Antichristian Kingdom for all Interpreters of the one Communion and th' other do agree that the three years and half so often mention'd in the Apocalypse under the names of forty two moneths and 1260. days are the duration of the Kingdom of Antichrist Now this Empire of 42 months is given to the Gentiles to the Pagans Antichristianism then must be a sort of Heathenism not pure Paganism but such a one as is erected upon Christianity and not separated from it For those Gentiles are to tread under foot the Holy City They must then possess it how else can they tread it under foot This is that which is also foretold expresly by the Apostle Paul that the Man of Sin shall sit in the Temple of God. Antichristianism therfore is not to be a pure and simple Paganism
the holiness of a Church comes from the holiness of the Relique 'T was never heard of among the old Pagans that a dead mans bones were kept for a show were carryed about in State that men sell down before them gave them worship The heathen did not worship the ashes of the dead expected miracles from them and exposed them to be adored by the people This is the madness of superstition and was reserved for revived Paganism for the beast who was wounded to death and recovered The Soul and not the body was the object of all the services that the heathens did in honour of the dead They believed that the souls or at least the Ghosts as they call'd them had a particular kindness for the places where their bodies were buryed And 't was for the repose and satisfaction of these Ghosts that they built emty tombs when they had not the bodies to bury 't was for them that they poured out wine and warm milk on the ashes of the corps and in these services they cry'd aloud to the departed soul saying to it Accept these funeral sacrifices which I offer to thee come and drink the blood which we offer to thee But the Papists address not their devotions to the departed souls only they adore the ashes the carkasses of the dead and pay them divine honours Nay their folly is such that they adore the very shirts and linnen the slippers the ropes the girdles the hair and nailes of the dead an extravagance that was never seen among the Pagans Conformity in the worship of images between Popery and Paganism I come to the fifth Article of the Conformity between the Pagans and Papists as to the object of worship viz. their Images And here the Conformity is so sensible that we need only explain it to make it evident to all The Churches of Christians are at this day fill'd with pictures and images as well as the Pagan Temples were Instead of thundring Jupiter they place a Crucifix on their Altars Instead of Juno the Queen of heaven they have the Virgin the Mother of God the Queen of Paradise Instead of the twelve Dij consentes or consentientes i. e. the Councellors of the supreme God they have the twelve Apostles Instead of the Heroes that were deifyed one for first planting vines another for inventing the Art of Physick they have the founders of the Monkish Orders and the Inventors of modern superstitions Their Images relate unto objects that differ from those of Paganism but are of the same materials of wood of brass of stone of gold of silver of ivory they have mouthes but speak not ears but hear not hands but handle not feet but walk not eyes but see not They are likewise serv'd after the same manner the Pagans fell down before their images smok'd them with incense carryed them in processions kiss'd adorn'd them set them in such places where all might see and worship them The Papists do exactly the same to their Images This is a thing that perplexeth those Papists who have kept any thing of Conscience Therefore they attemt a thousand wayes to make a distinction between themselves and the Pagans some on the one hand extenuate the worship that is given to Images on the other hand some aggravate the Idolatry of the Pagans with respect to their images The first say 't is false that we adore images we worship them not God forbid we only make use of them to raise our minds to their Originals This is a pitiful Evasion a ruinous intrenchment out of which the Papists have been beaten a hundred times It hath been proved to 'em The Papists re●lly worsh●p images that their Councils in express terms enjoyn the adoration of images that their Doctors do downright plead for it that their Practice doth undenyably prove it and that their boldness in this dispute is like that of those who while they beat a man almost to death yet at the same time protest that they do not touch him They worship not images but they fall down before them they kiss 'em they burn incense to 'em they cloth 'em they carry 'em in procession they go on long pilgrimages to visit and pay homages to ' em They may call this what they please but we will speak the language of men and of common sense therefore we will always call this the giving Adoration to Images They adore not images say they because they give 'em not that supreme worship that is due to the Soveraign Lord of the world or because they give 'em not the internal worship which they give to creatures that have life sense and reason In earnest we are obliged to them for this fair dealing but at this rate where shall we find any Idolaters Had the Pagans other sentiments of their Images than the Papists have of theirs The Pagans did not worship their Images as Gods. The Doctors of the Roman Church to shew what a distance there is between them and the Pagans in this affair do suppose that these did worship their Images as Gods because they said to a stock thou art my Father and to a stone thou hast brought me forth And because the Israelites said to their Calf these are thy Gods O Israel that brought thee out of the land of Egypt We must say that these Gentlemen have very little respect for the Reason of men and for Truth That they may justify themselves they make the wisest among the Pagans to be madmen and fools For must not that man have lost his senses who can believe that a statue but the other day cast or graven is a very God an infinitely perfect eternal Almighty Being If one should ascribe this sentiment to the brutish vulgar perhaps we might believe that some vulgar Pagans might be guilty of this sottish stupidity But we cannot without the worst injustice and insincerity charge the Heathen Priests with such an opinion We must therefore know that the Heathens had the same sentiments of their Images that the Papists have of theirs They call'd them the signs or symbols the emblems the portraits the memorials and at most the dwellings of the immortal Gods. Among the Pagans many despised Images To understand how exact the Conformity is between Popery and Paganism in the point of Images we must know that the sentiments and expressions about it were different under Paganism of old as they are at this day under Popery First there are persons of the Roman Communion who very much despise Images who believe that Religion might very well spare them yea are willing with all their hearts to have them quite destroyed There are but few who dare speak thus but many think it The wisest among the Pagans had the very same thoughts of their Images S. Augustin citeth the words of Varro Lib. 1. cap. 31. de C. D. That the Romans would have worshipt the Gods much more purely if they had continued
ever since and take a little rest after so many violent motions in removing And 't is very probable that it will never be removed from thence for since the time of Luther and Calvin the Angels are not so forward as heretofore to work such kind of Miracles in favor of Mary That you may not imagin this to be a Fable you must know that the people of Recanati who were ignorant whence this wonderful House should come were duely informed of the truth of all these Miracles by a devout person whom the Virgin obliged with a particular Revelation of the whole matter that the B. Virgin might not fail of being devoutly worshipt in this place But because the people were incredulous and had not faith enough to credit the story of the old man they sent sixteen Ambassadors grave pious and credible persons from Recanati to Nazareth with the exact measures of the House and there they Discovered the Foundations of an House that had been built there perfectly corresponding to the measures they had brought with them and which is more considerable near the place they found an Inscription which certified that there had been such a Church formerly there but it was miraculously translated After all this who can in the least question the truth of this History especially since it is ingraven on Tables of Brass which are hung up in the House it self The Jesuite Tursellin hath related the whole History in very good Latin and adorned it with many curious Circumstances which for the sake of brevity we omit and hath inlarged it by the account of very many Miracles wrought by the Virgin in favor of her House and Image The whole confirmed by the Priviledge and Approbation of Pope Clement VIII and fortified with the Testimony of the gravest Authors of the Roman Church such as Rainaldus Bzovius and Spondanus who have not forgot to mention this memorable History in their Annals and for a larger account of it refer us to Tursellin as an Author of such exactness and fidelity that none can be supposed to question his Authority in Italy especially in the Neighbourhood of Recanati To speak seriously was there ever any thing so ridiculous absurd and silly imposed upon the world the Metamorphoses of Ovid and the Book of Palephatus contain nothing so foolish and incredible But they got their End by it which was to promote the Worship of the Virgin to establish the Doctrine of Devils i. e. Demons these Fables are invented to this very intent exactly as S Paul fore-told Several Imp●ous and Ri●●ulous Miracles wrought by the Virgin. To finish the History let us see some of the Miracles which these wretched Idolaters pretend to be wrought by the Virgin in the composition of these Fables they not only seem to have lost all Shame but to have renounc't common Sense as if they designed to render Christianity the most ridiculous of all Religious for Example can any thing be more enormous and abominable than what they make the Virgin do in favor of one Beatrix who had the charge of the Keys of a certaine Convent she was debaucht by a Priest and Privately left the Convent and for fifteen years frequented the Stews and the most infamous places during all which time the H. Virgin supplied her place in the Convent and was Door-keeper in her room that it might not be observed that she was absent Insomuch that at her return she reassum'd her former Offices and Imploy without the least blemish to her Reputation This was because she was extremely devoted to the Virgin. Because an Abbess of another Convent was one of her Votaries she suffered no damage for being with child by the Steward of the House the Bishop had notice of it and was preparing to punish her but the Virgin gave Commission to two Angels to transport the Abbess unto a private place where she was safely delivered and then restored her Virginity to her so that when the Bishop caused her to be searcht her Accusers were put to shame and confuted and the Bishop was fore't to crave her pardon Is there any thing more horrible than what the Annals of the Jacobins say of the Virgin They make her to be married to Dominick their founder she comes to him and discourses him after this manner Dominick my son my dear Husband Alanus Redivivus because by the inspiration of Jesus thou hast strenuously contested against the Enemies of the faith behold I am come to thy succor I whom thou hast so often invok't then the Virgin receives him into her Virginal Bosome kisses him with the most Amorous tenderness and having open'd to him her breasts gives him to tast of her Milk a●● perfectly cures him If I had not related the very words of the Author I could not expect to find credit in the recital of so horrid a Passage The same Alanus who reports this of S. Dominick would be thought to have had the same Honour no matter tho the B. Virgin be made guilty of Polygamy by it she must it seems have several Husbands The Virgin then espoused Alain de la Roche in the presence of I Christ divers of the Saints who assisted at the wedding she gave him the ring of her Virginity made of her Virginal Hair. After this the Sweet Lady kiss'd him and let him suck her Breasts Can such things as these be read without Horror and Trembling 'T is incredible how many several Husbands this Holy Virgin is said to have espoused how pure a Virgin soever she be The Legend of Surius relates the History of one Herman surnamed Joseph because he was married to the Virgin. Mary comes with two Angels to demand Marriage of him the poor Fellow was astonisht at such a demand Incitabat amor retinebat pudor Love prompted him to accept but shame and bashfulness kept him back Caesarius tells the History of a certain Soldier who was in love with his Captains Wife The Virgin to divert him from so criminal an Amour presents her self to him as a most Charming Beauty and tells him I will be thy Wife give me a Kiss and constrain'd him to it Are there any worse impurities to be found in the Chronicle of Venus among the Fables of the Heathen We may see how the fire of lust discover'd it self in the impure Fancies of these wicked Monks who composed these Legends To what purpose is all this 't is to persuade the World that the Virgin doth passionately desire to be ador'd and worshipt for all these favors are granted to such as were her special Votaries The design of the Legendaries is to promote the Adoration of the Virgin. 'T is with the same design that those wretched Annalists of the Virgin would make us believe that there is no danger from which the Virgin doth not deliver those who devoutly worship her and give her the preference to all others Father Crasset hath lately made an whole book