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
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
of such foul crimes during our life To Heaven Blasphemy accompanyed with finall Impenitency cannot enter it To the Ayre our sins would defile it To the Earth we are un worthy to treade uppon it Hell Hell is the only fit place for us if yet Hell it self hath any torments proportioned to so hainous offences What reply can you make to this with what eyes can you looke on them Should he thence passe into an Assembly of Pagan Idolaters Iupiter the Arch-Divil or Lucifer presiding over them with what Acclamations would he be received How would they rejoice for so noted a Proselite How would the President renew his hopes of recovering that throne by the helpe of so able a man which he affected from the beginning in the sides of the north Isay 14.13 whence he was beaten by the Spirit of God working in with the Primitive Christians That Satan was for a time to be bound after Loosed againe we reade Apoc. 20.3 Such Doctrine as this that he is the tru God gives a greate blow to his chaine And what dispositions there are at present to entertaine him all know Libertinisme Blasphemy all Impiety walking bare-faced men glorying in them seeme to provoke our Just God to punish these sins by that other Paganisme the multitudes flocking to such Conventicles as have little of Christianity more then the name discover how loosely many of the people are united to Christ that there are greate dispositions to a generall Apostasy which I am perswaded E.S. would be as sorry to see happen in his days as any other Yet least althô against his will he should promote see greate a mischeife I wish he renounce this Paradox otherwise that it be writ uppon his Tombe Here Lyeth a Champion of the Reformed Church of Ingland who Beleived in Adored no other God but the Pagan Iupiter I designe no formall answer to his Defence of the Discourse of Idolatry His able Antagonist needes no helpe from my Weakenesse so I let him end the dispute he hath so happily managed hitherto Yet if I am not mistaken I shall lay such principles as may serve for an answer to that booke For seing the manner of handling the matter is new I have taken the liberty to be Longer in it then elsewhere It may be he will having reade what I say find a reason to change his Judgment of us that we can say nothing but out of Bellarmin or Coccius It is no hard matter to satisfy any indifferent man in that point it being so cleere in Antiquity that if we reade Iustinus M. or Athenagoras Tertullian or S. Cyprian Minutius Felix or Arnobius S. Austin or S. Hierome we shall every where find convincing proofes of the falshood of that Errour It may be some may take the paynes to publish some of those Greate men's treatises in Inglish for the publick good to shew the World Mr. Stil 's Ingenuity in handling Controversy Now if he hath the Confidence to falsify so cleere a matter of fact testifyed by Scripture by Fathers by History by Pagans by the Divils them selves and acknowledged by those of his owne Communion how can he be relyed on in Points of Doctrine which are more disputable as being more obnoxious to mistakes not capable of so cleere disproofes He could not possibly have given greater cause to suspect all he writes then by such a Paradox so evidently false so confidently asserted One thing I desire of our adversaryes for their owne sakes that they regard a little what write not fill their bookes with every thing that occurres tru or false I shall take notice of Mr. B. in the tract Mr. Whithy in the title Page of his booke cites as Scotus his Opinion an Objection which he makes answers He myght with like reason have cited him all Divines for Atheisme seing all put some Objections against the Being of a God all Protestant writers of controversy for Popery seing out of them Papist objections may be taken Again pag. 242. he says no ancient Father takes notice of any Heathen objecting to Christians their Prayers to Saints which is an assurance says he there was no such practice Yet S. Augustin twice takes notice of that objection l. 8. de Civit. Dei c. 27. l. 20. contra Faust c. 21. As also S. Hierome ep 53. ad Riparium lib. cont Jovinian c. 2. Againe in the same page he assures there was no mention of canonizing Saints till the 7. century Yet the schisme of the Donatists was in the beginning of the 4. century a greate cause of this schisme was the malice spyght of Lucilla a factious proud exceeding rich woman who was reprehended by Caecilianus then a Deacon for honouring the bone of a Martyr before he was Canonized Os Martyris nondum vindicati says Optatus Milevit l. 1. may be seene in S. Aug. l. 1. cont Parmenian cap. 3. epist 162. Moreover out of the Iliberitan Council can 60. S. Austin Brevic. collat die 3. c. 13. is gathered that the African Spanish Churchs would not admit into the number of Martyrs which was their Canonizing them such as lost their lives having provoked the Persecutors to kill them Soe in the third age there was the custome of Canonizing for the Council of Eliberis or Elvira Optatus speake of it as of a custome establisht This being soe cleere soe obvious I cannot guesse what should ground Mr. Whitby's mistake of no custome to Canonize before the 7. century unlesse it was that he found in Bellar. l. 1. de Sanct. Beatit or in Surius his life of S. Swithbert that this Saint was the first of whose solemne Canonization any records are extant Which yet is far from what Mr. Whitby affirmes of no mention of the custome of Canonizing till the 7. Century Such grosse errours beare the character of a Minister fryghted with Popery writing against it none else are capable of them I have reade very little in that worke for opening it accidentally in that place where those two greate untruths are so confidently advanced that brought to my mind the words of the wise man Prov. 29.20 So I thought I myght spend my time better then on him One word to preuent misinterpretations In the following treatise I put W. L. for Will. Lawd late Lord Primate of Ingland as also E. S. for D. Stillingfleete G.B. for Mr. Burnet not out of any disesteeme of his personall Endowments or want of Respect for his publicke character but only for brevity's sake Which none can be offended with who knows we cite in alike manner Bellarmin Baronius Perron Cayetan without their titles notwithstanding their Ecclesiasticall dignity Selfe defence is of the law of nature is never lesse obnoxious to Censure then when least personall And such is my case whose only endeauour is to pleade for the Cat. Church of which I have the happinesse to
be an Inconsiderable Member soe my undertaking Cannot be blamed In the handling it I have avoyded as much as possible all personall Reflections which are not forced on me by the booke I answer Some are unavoydable for it is impossible to confute a sophisme without discovering a fault ether naturall or which is worse voluntary in the Authour nor answer a calumny with out calling it so If I find the Church wrongfully accused prove it call a boate a boate a spade a spade he must be very partiall who blames me What end may be expected of these Disputes I know not seing Passion and Interest fyghts against Truth whilest we cannot without renouncing our Faith recived from Christ his Apostles our Adversaryes will not alter their sentiments It is our duty to pray that Truth may prevayle the God of Truth be glorifyed Let us give eare to Mr. Burnet's Deposition against Papists which he begins with a reall or affected lamentation If reall it will be an an act of Charity to comfort him which is the thing I aime at in this Tract CHAPTER I. G. B. his designe disposition when he writ this Booke of the wickednesse of the world MR. G.B. page 1. He that increaseth knowledge incraseth sorrow is an observation which holdeth true of no part of knowledge so much as of the knowledge of mankind it is some relief to him who knows nothing of foreigne wickednesse to hope there are other nations where in vertu is honoured Religion is in esteeme which allays his regrates when he sees Vice Impiety abound in his country but if by travelling or reading he enlarge his Horizon know mankind better his regrates will grow when he finds the whole world lyes in wickednesse ANSWER We neede not travell or read much to know that the whole world lyes in wickednesse Seing those are the words of the beloyed disciple 1. Jo. 5.19 This is indeed an occasion of sorrow But in the same place the B. Apostle comforts us by saying we know that we are of God Soe that the world there is understood of unbeleivers who are in wickednesse by originall actuall sin for which they haue no lawfull efficacious expiation no Sacrament instituted by Almyghty God lawfully administred But we who are in the tru Church are of God unto whome we are regenerated by Baptisme if by humane frailly we dye to God falling into any greivous sin we have the Holy Sacrament of Pennance to rayse us againe to the life of Grace Yet it is not the Apostles meaning that in the tru members of the Catholick Church there is nothing reprehensible or that in those who are not in it there is nothing Good In Heaven there is nothing but Vertu those Blessed souls having their will soe united to that of God that they cannot offend him In Hell there is nothing but sin the wills of those wretched Spirits being soe obstinate in the love of themselves that they cannot doe any thing which should please God This present life is a meane betwixt those extremes in it there is a mixture of Perfections imperfections of vice vertu Those who are most wicked have something good in those who are most vertuous there are some remainders of Humane frailty for their Humiliation which we ought nether to esteeme nor imitate (a) 1. Kings 21.25 There was none like unto Achab which did sell him self to work wickednesse in the syght of the Lord. Yet he humbled himselfe put on sackcloth fasted S. Paul (b) Act. 9.15 The chosen vessell unto God to beare his name before the Gentils Kings the children of Israel yet (c) 2. Cor. 12.7 there was given to him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him And who can without compassion reade his seventh chapter to the Romans in which he describes the conflict he felt interiourly betwixt the Spirit the flesh Which he concludes with these pathetick words O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death which renew the memory of that torment to which Mezentius the tyrant (d) Virgilius Aeneid 8. condemned his innocent subjects the Hetruscans (e) Aug. l. 4. contra Iul. c. ult exercised uppon their captives binding living bodyes to rotten putrifyed carkasses leaving them soe But the Apostle who describes his paine relates his ease having explicated his sicknesse acquaints us with its Remedy the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. So that if the combat affryghts us by this assistance we may be encouraged comforted Yet though I grant that there is occasion enough to lament on what side soever we cast our eyes on mankind in this state of corrupt nature if we consider how little men use the meanes designed for their improvement in vertu resisting their bad inclinations Yet there is little appearance of greife in your booke which hath more of a Satyre them of a Lamentation your stile being rather bitingly invective then mourningly compassionate you discover more of Diogenes or of Democritus then of Heraclitus Were there no objects of regrate neerer home Doth your owne Church afford you no occasion to shew your Zeale in blaming the faults of her children in order to get them corrected Sure it doth or the world is very much misinformed How comes it then that you neglect her cure of whome your character oblidges you to have a care Search the sores of the Roman Church with which you have nothing to doe Doe you not see that you give us reason to say your Charity is disorderly not beginning at home that (a) Luke 6.42 as the Hypocrit you labour to shew in or take out of anothers eye a mote while you neglect a beame in your owne G. B. pag. 1. It argues a cruell inhumane temper to delyght in beholding Scenes of Horrour misery ANSWER What temper then doth it argue to delyght in representing them that in the most horrible tragicall dismall colours which art and study can invent for what can even the most inventive Imagination fancy more dismall then what you write pag. 2. Indignityes done to God his Son Christ the enemy of mankind triumphing over the world with absolute authority enraged cruelty Satan have a seate when Christs throne should be Christendome fallen from its first love the greatest part of it made shipwrack of its Faith that Church whose Faith was once spoken of throughout the world become Mother of the Fornications of the Earth In fine Falling away mystery of iniquity AntiChrist Babilonish Rome Bewitchings sorceryes what not Adde but obstinacy in these horrid crimes which is a circumstance aggravating them without altring their species the Paynes due to sin which are not horrible if compared with sin we here have a picture of Hell Your temper is very mercifull humane which
sir to shew out of Plato or Apuleius or any of those writers these words or any others equivalent Hercules pray to thy father Iupiter for me or us Romulus intercede for us So that the greatest part of the Heathens did not dreame of this Mediation those who did assert it treated neverthelesse with those Mediators as with tru Gods Wherefore should I grant that all Pagans held the souls of men to mediate yet there would be a vast difference betwixt their sentiments those of the Roman Catholick Church concerning our saints More errors will appeare out of the following discourse I think it impossible to give one Idea of what the Pagans taught of spirits or incorporeall substances as this name doth comprehend the supreame of all the subordinate or coordinate immateriall Beings souls separated from their Bodys Thales (a) In Athenogor leg pro Christ p. 25. sayd there were of three sortes Gods Demons Heròes that God was the soul of the world Demons spirituall Beings Heroes the souls of men who were good or bad according to the life they ledde in this word Hesiodus (b) In Theodoret l. 8. de Cur. Graec. Affect p. 602. thought that the souls of golden men who lived well were turned into Demons after his life received a charge of humane affaires Iulian the Apostata (c) In S. Cyril Alex. l. 4. p. 115. taught that they were tru Gods to whome the Supreame God committed the care of the severall parts of this World that the God (d) Ibidem p. 141. of the Iews Christians whome Moyses preached was one of the inferiour gods Nay he says (e) Ibidem l. 5. p. 155. that Moyses his God was the worst of all the rest as being Jealous Envious Vindicative c. For which Blasphemy alone he myght have deserved his reprochfull surname Plato (f) in S. Austin l. 8. de Civit. Dei c. 14. seemes to agree in substance with Thales for he distinguishes three sortes of spirituall substances Gods Men Demons The Gods he places in the Heavens Daemons in the Ayre Men on Earth Apuleius (g) S. Austin l. 9. cap. 11. holds all souls of men to be Daemons but assignes three sortes of them Lares are those which are certainly good Lemures or Larvae which are certainly knowne to be bad when 't is doubted whither they begood of bad they are called Dii Manes When you have considered these things you will see 1. how imperfectly nay how falsly you have represented the sentiments of the Pagans 2. How hard a thing you undertake when you designe a Parallel betwixt Pagan Idolatry our Worshipping of Saints for seing all depends on their holding men's souls to be mediating spirits which can never be proved or that those who were good were used only to present men's requests to the Supreame God which is the Tenet of the Catholick Church concerning Saints which is also evidently untru we may ranke this Parallel with Squaring Circles the Philosophers stone expect to see the World made happy with these three rarityes together As to the mediation of Angels Athenagoras (a) Legat. pro Christ pag. 11. says indeed that the Christian opinion was that God created severall orders of Angels had committed to their care the government of the Elements Heavens the whole world not that any one Angel is Governour of the world which the scripture seemes to deny Job 34 14. Heb. 1.14 but that severall Angels have the administration of the severall parts of it I know no Decree of the Catholick Church oblidging us to beleive this therefore I should not dare to censure any man who should say the contrary Yet that opinion hath so much ground in Scripture that I do not apprehend all Mr. G. B. can say to disprove it Josue 5.15 an Angel is sayd to be the Captaine of the Lord's host He seemes the same who Dan. 12.1 is called Michael And Dan. 10.20 there are others mentioned viz the Princes of Persia Greece And why may not these be the Angels who presided over those Countryes we are sure that all Angels are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be beyres of salvation Heb. 1.14 The little ones have Angels who in Heaven always see the face of God Mat. 18.10 And that severall Angels ascended descended on Iacobs Ladder Gen. 28.12 was to shew they mediated betwixt God who was at the top man who lay at the botton of the Ladder Now if particular Angels have a care or charge of particular persons why may not some others have a larger district a more extended charge This you will say is taken from Paganisme And I will answer the Pagans tooke it from the Israelits not these from them And it seemes very probable that when the Arch-Devil who tooke the name of Iupiter had so far prevayled with men as to be by them advanced to the throne of God his next attempt was to get his wicked spirits acknowlged for Gouvernours of the World under him inlieu of those Blessed spirits who were the lawfull Gouvernours appointed by God himself That order of God was not to be abrogated with the old law of which it was no part it being an establishment for the more connaturall Government of the world from the beginning to the end of it I know God can governe all things by himselfe immediately without the assistance of men or Angels that nether the Greatenesse of Businesse can mate him not its number confound him nor its variety distract him nor its intricacy deceive him nor its obscurity hide it from his all seing Eye That having Created the whole World with a word he can governe it so too yet he uses Men (a) Rom. 13.1 he can call all to belevie in him as he did Saul (b) Act. 9. yet he employed an Angel to convert the Centurion (c) Act. 10. vouchsafes to be Fellow-Labourer (d) Mat. 16.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Men whome he honours with that employment he can justify those whome he calls with out the concourse of any creature yet he will have us use water and as to the worke of the first day the creation of all things visible invisible God required the assistance of no creature soe the whole work of the last day myght be performed by him alone yet he will use the voice of an Archangel to proclaime it (e) 1. Thessal 4.16 the Angels shall gather together those who are raysed againe to life (f) Mat. 24.31 they shall sever the wicked from the just cast them in to the furnac eof fire (a) Mat. 13.49.50 Thus the Law Prophets Christ his Apostles the old new Testament attest this Truth that Angels concurre to carrying on the worke of our salvation have a commission from God to direct us Now for beleiving
never mentioned Manichaeus ergo the Church on whose word he received the Ghospel was that of his time not that of the Apostles When therefore E. S. pag. 220. says It is plain S. Austin meanes not the Iudgment of the present Church but of the Catholick Church as taking in all ages places he evidently contradicts the very text of S. Ausstin whence I conclude that ether he speakes against his conscience which I am unwilling to beleive or else which is more excusable that he had not reade the text which he understakes to explicate A third yet more improbable explication is delivered by W.L. pag. 82. He speakes it ether of Novices or doubters in the Faith or else of such as were in part Infidels Mr. Fisher the Iesuit at the conference would needs have it that S. Austinspake it even of the faithfull which I cannot yet thinke For he speakes to the Manichees they had a greate part of the Infidell in them And the words immediatly before these are If thou shouldst find one qui Evangelio non credit which did not beleive the Ghospel what wouldest thou doe to make him beleive Thus W. L. This is like wise plainly fals for S. Austin was nether a Novice nor a doubter in the faith nor in part an infidel when he writ that Booke for he writ it after he was made Bishop as you may see l. 2. retract c. 2. But he speakes of himselfe describes the ground of his owne faith ergo he doth not speake of Novices Doubters or halfe Infidels nor describes the ground of their fath but of those who are firme beleivers I prove that S. Austin speakes of his owne Faith shews the ground on which it relyed For first he says I would not beleive the Ghospel without the authority of Catholicks commending them Secondly he says If you weaken the authority of Catholicks I will reject the Ghospel This I beleive Mr. Stillingf saw therefore sayd pag. 220. If you extend this beyond Novices weaklings I shall not oppose you in it And I cannot think that W.L. had reade that place at least with attention when he writ he could not think S. Austin spake of the faithfull Stillingf pag. 220. Nether you nor any Catholick Author is able to prove that S. Austin by these words ever dreamt of any infallible authority in the present Church Answer seing S. Austin expressely says he would renounce the Ghospel if the authority of Catholicks were weakened in him by discovering they had delivered any one lye he must ether think them exempt from all possibility of lying or else he adhered very loosely to the Ghospel I hope E.S. will not assert the later part wherefore he must grant that S. Austin thought the Church free from all possibility of errour Let us returne to Mr. G. B. G. B. pag. 43. Christ's prophetick office is invaded by the pretence of the Churches Infallibility in expounding Scriptures And why Good Sir should the infallibility in expounding Scriptures be an invasion of the prophetick office of Christ seing infallibility in writing them was no such thing Certainly it is more to compose a writing them to understand it as many can understand Cicero's speech pro Milone who cannot compose such an one And your old women pretend to understand severall parts of Scripture which yet I think will scarce undertake to pen the like By this Say you the whole anthority is devolved on the Church No more then it was on S. John when he writ his Ghospel or S. Paul composing his Epistles Nor soe much nether seing these were so assisted as to compose Holy Scripture when the Church only pretends to expound the word of God How doth such an assistance of the divine Spirit derogate from the infallibility of God from which it is derived But her exposition must be admitted say you though contrary to the sense As if Infallibility did not exclude all possibility of such a wrested exposition The infallibility of the Church may slyght your attempts whilest you are armed only with such straws We have seene you arguments Let us see your Answers to ours G. B. pag. 44. The Gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church Mat. 16.18 Proves not the pretence of infallibility Why not learned Sir Not a word for that but as if you had forgotten what you were about your fall uppon the Inglish Translation of that text which you say deserres amendment And I will leave you to be taught better manners by your fellow Ministers or your mother the kirk of Scotland G. B. pag. 45 The spirit leading into all truth Joan. 16.13 advances not the cause a whit since that promise relates to all beleivers Here is another assertion without proofe as if we were bound to take your word Those words are part of the sermon after the last supper at which only the Apostles were present which was directed immediatly to them You should then give some reason why they relate to all beleivers althô spoken to only the Apostles G. B. The Church's being built on the Rocke Peter proves nothing for a series of Bishops of Rome seing the other Apostles were also foundations ANS If it proves all Bishops together Infallible firme in faith as a Rock it confounds your Reformation which is condemned by them all G. B. The keys of the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 16.19 import no more then that Peter was to open the Ghospel When you shall give in a proofe we will consider it Till then I will beleive not you but Christ who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addes the office of the Keys to open shut not the Ghospel but Heaven by loosing binding sins G. B. pag. 46. It is certaine that vice as well as errpr os destrictove of Religion If then there be no authority for repressing of vice but that same of the discipline of the Church it is not incongruous there be no other authority for suppressing of error but that same of the discipline of the Church ANS It is certaine that both in the old new law severall persons have beene secured against Error who were subject to sin S. Peter was truly reprehensible (a) Gal. 2.11 for a thing he did not for any thing he writ or preacht The same of David of Salomon c. For this reason our Blessed Saviour commanded (b) Mat. 23.23 all to follow the Doctrine of the Scribes Pharisys because they sate on the chaire of Moyses but not their example Soe your question why God should provide more against error in faith then against vice in manners can find no place amongst Catholicks who are taught to adore God's holy will even when they understand it not to Bring (c) 2. Cor. 10.5 into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ To you who think it absurd to deny a man the use of his Reason in judging discerning all things submit even Divinely
you enter not into tentation You (c) Luâ— 18 1. must always pray never faint All places all times are fit for Prayer God limits nether but promises to heare us always Aske you shall receive What soever you shall aske my father in my name he will grant it to you Particularly Remission of sins is annexed to it Heare S. Austin Enchir. c. 71. Dequotidianis brevibus levibusque peccatis sine quibus haec vita non ducitur quotidiana oratio fidelium fatisfacit Eorum est enim dicere Pater noster qui es in coelis qui jam patri tali regenerati sunt ex aquâ Spiritu sancto Delet omninò haec Oratio minima quotidiana peccata Delet illa à quibns vita fidelium sceleratè etiam gesta sed poenitentiâ in melius mutatâ discedit si quemadmodnm veraciter dicitur Dimitte nobis debita nostra Ita veraciter dicatur sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris Idest si fiat quod dicitur The dayly Prayers of the faithfull satisfye for those dayly lyght small sins which are incident to all in this life these we call veniall sins for it belongs properly to those to say Our father which art in Heaven who are regenerated by water the Holy Ghost to such a father This Prayer blots out little sins It hath a vertu also to carry away the guilt of greater sins in those who are repentant of them provided they as truly forgive as they aske to be forgiven that is they doe what they say Sir How different was S. Austin's judgment from yours He thought those Prayers efficacious to blot out veniall even mortall sins you think the prescribing them Ridiculous Saying the Poenitentiall Psalmes is an object of laughter to you Were there any Church discipline amongst you or had your Prelates any tru zeale for any part of devotion you would be forced to change your note the saying the Psalmes being the only part of devotion which you retaine But it seemes writing against Popery hath a vertu to sanctify all Impiety as acting against it did excuse all sacriledge I never heard any man Moved to laughter with reading the Psalmes I have knowne many by them moved to compunction to a new life to the love of God Let S. Austin who experienced it in himself speake l. 9. Confess c. 4. Dulce mihi sit ô Domine confiteritibi quibus internis me stimulis perdomueris quemadmodum me complanaveris humiliatis montibus collibus cogitationum mearum tortuosa mea direxeris aspera lenieris quas tibi Deus meus voces dedi cùm legerem Psalmos David cantica fidelia sonos pietatis excludentes turgidum spiritum Quas tibi voces dabam in Psalmis illis quomodo in te inflammabar ex eis accendebar eos recitare si possem toto orbe terrarum adversus typhum generis humani I take adelyght o my Lord to confesse to thee with what inward goades thou didst subdue me by what meanes thou didst bring me downe levelling the greater lesser mountaines of my thoughts How thou didst streyghten my crookednesse smooth my roughnesse Into what exclamations did I breake out O my God when I reade the Psalmes of David those faithfull canticles those pious sounds which banish all proud spirits How I cryed out in reading them how I was inflamed in the love of thee how I was stirred up to reade them if possible to the whole world as a soveraign antidote against the Pride of mankind Thus S. Austin See what a difference there is betwixt the sentiments of this greate Saint yours Reading the Psalmes moved the Saint to compunction it moves you to laughter It stirred up in the Saint the love of God you are not moved to any good by it The Saint would reade them to all the world you are displeased they are recommended to any He thought Reading them a greate antidote against the Pride of mankind which is the roote of all Evill you say it is ridiculous You have reason to suspect your spirit which is found soe often contrary to the Spirit of God SECTION III. Pilgrimages THis is a third instance of our ridiculous Pennances going to such Churchs say you Which discovers your Ignorance or Impiety For if you know not on what ground Pilgrimages are founded you are very Ignorant If you know it yet blame them you are very Impious The two first geate sins committed after the creation of the world by Adam in eating the forbidden fruite Cain in killing his Brother were Judged by their Creator a greate part of their Pennance prescribed by that Greate Peniteutier was a Pilgrimage or bannishment from the place where the sin was committed Of Adam it is sayd (a) Gen. 3.23 he sent Adam out of the garden of Eden And to Cain (b) Gen. 4.12 A fugitif vagabond shall thou be on the Earth Now Rhabanus Maurus (c) Poenitentialis c. 11. assures that this is the ground why such a Pennance was enjoyned And me thinks the example of God himself may be a sufficient warrant for his Delegates Preists in following such a precedent secure them against your censure Especially seing in the most ancient collections of Penitentiall Canons made by Bede Theodorus Burchardus Ivo Gratian we find Pilgrimages prescribed amongst other Pennances Which shews the unanimous consent of Antiquity And you may much â—â—silier discover you owne weakenesse or lacke of vertu then convince the makers or collectors of those Canons of Folly The reasons for this Pennance are cheisely three first it is a kind of banishment which separates a man for a time from friends acquaintance home country which cannot but be painfull laying a side the incommoditys of travelling And it seemes Just that he who abused those things should be deprived of the comfort of them having scandalized his neyghbours by bad example myght adify them them by undergoing this publicke pennance The second it is a connaturall remedy for such sins to which two or more concurre which proceede many times from the person we converse with or present occasion to remove the sinner from such occasions conversations as all know who deale with consciences Now this is done by Pilgrimages The third reason is that althô God be in all places sees heares us wheresoever weare yet he doth not alike in all places disclose his Power by miracles nor his Iustice by discovering secret sins nor his Goodnesse by coÌ„version of sinners As S. Austin observed long since dayly experience confirmes S. Austin notes such to have beene in his time the tombe of S. Felix at Nola in Campania that of the glorious Martyrs at Milan He refers this to the secret Iudgment of God humbly acknowledging his owne Ignorance Aug. epist 137. Vbique quidem Deus est nullo continetur vel includitur
significant Ceremonyes instituted by the Apostles or at least in Apostolicall times which may be proved out of Tertul S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierosme S. Austin S. Denys you have retrenched all save only the signe of the Crosse And O judicium (a) Exod. 8.19 This is the finger of God the peeuish refractory stubbome children of your Church have wrangled with her about that with the same reasons as shee had done with her mother the Roman Catholick Church soe visibly hath God (b) Mat. 7.2 meeted unto you your measure (c) Sap. 11.17 punisht you by your sin As ours come to the use of reason a new Sacrament expects them Confirmation which is the same mentioned soe frequently in the (d) Act. 8.18 Acts of giving the Holy Ghost by imposition of the Apostles hands which armes them against visible invisible enemyes with the spirit of fortitude to professe their Faith Of this Protestants .... We find in every Church (a) Mat. 1.11 Malachy's Prophesy fullfilled a pure offring made to God masse sayd And in Catholick countryes rich poore even the meanest artisans labourers as Porters water-carryers c will steale soe much time from their almost necessary Rest as to give halfe an your to adore God his son Jesus in the morning hoping they will blesse their labours all the day the better for it O that you did but see with what attention respect they assist at those Divine Mysterys how with their knees on the ground their eyes on the Altar their hart in Heaven they accompany the Preist with him jointly make that oblation to God with what sentiments they adore Christ present desire him to appease his fathers wrath for their sins by the merits of his Passion preserve them from offending anew that day to blesse that days actions What doe protestants As soone as they are up they have their hand in the cup bord in the cup their nose Have any by mortall sin shut against themselves the gates of Heaven which the Passion of Christ opened they stirre up a reall sorrow for that offence of God purpose amendment with these dispositions addresse themselves to a Preist with a resolution to follow his advice performe what he shall enjoine They discover to him all the wounds of their soul their most secret most reprochfull sins as to God himselfe whose vicegerent he is being assured of an inviolable secret itis doubtlesse a perpetuall miracle that amongst soe many thousands of Preists not one should be found faulty in this point They harken to his advice accept his Pennance to fast pray give almes visit Prisoners serve poore in Hospitals or the like according as the condition of the Penitent permits Then receive Absolution in vertu of the power given by our Saviour (a) Io. 20.23 to Preists The effects of this sacrament are Remission of sins past avoyding others making Restitution if any thing hath beene taken as some Inglish in France have experienced In fine a newnesse of life Of all this what is in use among Protestants nothing Are they judged fit to approach the Divine table they doe it with a lively Faith beleiving it is the tru reall substantiall body of Christ With his blood Divinity per concomitantiam Concil Trid. sess 13. cap. 13. by reason of the inseparable union betwixt them with profound humility professing with the Centurion (b) Luc. 7.6 their unworthynesse to receive their lord desiring him to make them worthy And with a Love proportionable to that Christ shewed by instituting this Sacrament What doe Protestants sometimes something for their Ministers distribute a morsell of breade a sup of wine they may expet to meete only with dispositions proportionable to those beggarly elements Amongst us (a) Iac. 5.14.15 Is any sicke He calls for the Preists of the Church they pray over him annointing him with oyle in the name of the Lord that the Prayer of Faith may save the sicke god may rayse him up in case it be for the glory of God the good of the Patient if he have cemmitted sins they may be forgiven him Thus in an Apostles words I have delivered our practice in administring the Sacrament of Extreme-Onction Of which Protestants nothing Besides masse which all heare every day commonly three times a day A Bell rings to mind us of the Incarnation of the son of God move all with an Act of faith to acknowledge it returne God thanks for it of which amongst Protestants nothing I may conclude this comparison betwixt you us as to the practice of Piety with S. Austin's (b) Aug. l. de moribus Ecclesiae cap. 34. words very pat to our purpose Istis Manichaei Protestantes si potest is obsistite istos intuemini istos sine mendacio si audetis cum contumeliâ nominate Istorum jejuniis vestra jejunia castitati castitatem vestitum vestitui epulas epulis modestiam modestiae charitatem charitati quod res maximè postulat praeceptis praecepta conferte I am videbitis quid inter ostentationem sinceritatem inter viam rectam errorem intersit Nunc vos illud admoneo ut aliquando Ecclesiae Catholicae maledicere desinatis vituperando mores hominum quos ipsa condemnat quos quotidie tanquam malos filios corrigere studet Sed quisquis illorum bonâ voluntate Deique auxilio corriguntur quod amiserunt peccando poenitendo recuperant Qui autem voluntate mala in pristinis vitiis perseverant aut addunt graviora prioribus in agro quidem Domini sinuntur esse cum bonis seminibus crescere sed veniet tempus quo zizania separentur Considering them well see whither without offending against Truth you can reproach any thing Compare yourfasts with ours your chastity your modesty cheifly your doctrine with ours You will presently perceive what difference there is betwixt vaine boasting sincerity going the stryght way wandring At present I advise you to cease from detracting from the Catholick Church blaming the lives of men whome shee condemnes whome shee dayly endeavours to correct as naughty children If any of them with the helpe of God's grace are converted they recover in the Catholick Church by repentance what they lost by sin If any notwithstanding all these helpes to Piety continue obstinate in their wickednesse or adde more grevious sins to those they have committed they are indeed tolerated in the feild of God the Church untill the time come designed for the separation of the cockle from the good corne Thus S. Austin Glory then as much as you please with the lukewarme Laodicean Angel That you are rich èncreased in Goods want nothing Yet assure yourselfe that as he soe you are poore wretched miserable blind naked Your boasting of the advantages of your instructions discipline amongst your