deluded admirers is like those Nurses who wanting Milke entertaine their children with rattles bibs some insignificant nourriture In reality there seemes to be as much difference betwixt the spirituall food souls receive in the Catholick Church that of Protestants as there is betwixt the nourriture a child receives sucking a breast stretched with milke that he gets by sucking a moistned finger Which shall be further shewen in the CHAPTER XXXVII No Houses of devotion nor spirituall Bookes Amongst Protestants G. B. p. 145. A tentation to become Papists is the solitary retired houses among them for leading a devout strict life the excellent bookes of Devotion have beene publisht by many of that communion p. 147. I deny not that is the greatest defect of the reformation t at there are not in it such encouragements to a devout life p. 148. It is not to be denyed to be agreate defect that we want recluse houses But it fixeth no imputation on our Church her doctrine or worship that shee is soe poore as not to be able to mantaine such Seminarys ANSWER This is as pretty a sophisme of non causa pro causâ as I have seene As if the small number of Inglish Catholicks were richer then the whole body of Protestants for we have founded many geate familyes of Religious you with all your industry could never settle one There are reasons for your Churchs being soe unsuccessefull in these attempts without doubt as reall tru as that which you give is false it shall be my worke to lay them out before you The first cheifest reason is a Judgment of God Almyghty uppon you forbreaking up dispersing soe many houses of Piety God was served in those houses he was offended with that sacriledge there fore denyes you that Blessing of which you are unworthy A second each one had rather keepe his meanes to himself then see them passe against his will to another lay family for whome he hath nokindnesse If any give it to God Religion they designe it should continue there which cannot be expected in Ingland as long as the memory is fresh of Henry VIII Elizabeth A third the foundation of your Reformation is inconsistent with a superstructure of Religion or living in community together Men cannot live together without a setled rule or order establisht peculiar to that manner of life proper for it Your Reformation is inconsistent with this it teaching to reject all humane injunctions as contrary to Christian liberty When out of that principle you have taught men to despise all decrees even of generall counsils received by the whole Church confirmed by the practice of many ages how can you hope they should esteeme Rules given by moderne new men A fourth your doctrine denying all merits or Reward due to our actions Hopes of advantage encourages us to labour our industry is dulled assoone as those vanish S. Ambrose thinks the Novatians unreasonable who preacht Pennance denyed the fruit of it l. 1. de Poenit. c. 16. Frustra dicitis vos praedicare Poenitentiam qui tollitis lib. 2. c. 3. Merendi gratia Sacramenti ad precandum impellimur hoc auferre vultis propter quod agitur Poenitentia Tolle gubernatori perveniendi spem in mediis fluctibus incertus errabit Tolle luctatori coronam lentus jacebit in stadio Tolle piscatori capiendi essicaciam desinet jactare retia In hopes of arriving at his Heaven the Pilot steeres his ship the wrastler strives in hope to throw his adversary The fisher casts his nets in hope of catching some fish All these would relent were they perswaded the thing they aimed at were impossible How then doe you expect that men should practice good workes when you teach them to hope for no good from them It were indeede to be wisht that men would serve God for God without regarding any reward But that is a perfection all doe not arrive to And even the best are faine to use some other motives A fifth your clergy is utterly unfit to Direct Instruct such houses our workes have a greater influence on our neyghbour then our words S. Hierome thought it incongruous that a man with a full belly should preach fasting And how can a man preach chastity to others who comes himself from the embraces of his wife if he hath one or hath his head full of Amourettes designes to get one if he be a batchelour It is in vaine therefore that you seeke the advantage of those with-drawing places from the noyse trouble of the world to those Devout Solitudes your lives are not fit for them your doctrine is inconsistent with them your past actions have shut that dore of mercy unto you As for Bookes of Devotion The Authour of the Fiat Lux says you have printed severall such composed by ours under your owne names Soe you hang us cherish our writings as the Jews stoned the Prophets canonized their bookes You owne we have many excellent Bookes All the world sees you have scarce any nor can rationally hope for any For He who writes a spirituall Booke ought to aime at two things the first to instruct the understanding with divine eternall Truths The second to move the will to a hatred of sin a contempt of the world to the love of God above all things The first may be an effect of study but the second cannot be attained unto unlesse the Authour be such himself He must as S. John be (a) Io. 5.35 a Burning shining lyght Burne to God by a tru unfeigned love of him Shine to men by the cleere truths which he delivers He must feele with in himselfe those motions which he endeavours to communicate to his Reader Si vis me flere dolendum est primum ipsi tibi A soul possest with hope with feare with joy with greife with love with hatred in fine with any passion doth expresse not only the thoughts but the passion it selfe with tropes proper by which meanes it not only informes the understanding but also stirs the will of the hearer or reader to like inclinations Reade Seneca's epistles or other morall workes or Cicero's you shall find agreate many excellent Truths Yet I never knew any man the better in his morality for them As they themselves notwithstanding those lyghts were farre from being Good men as you may see in Lactantius l. 3. divin Instit from the 13. Chapter On the contrary the reading of Saint's workes hath a greate force to move us to Good S. Austin l. 8. Confess cap. 6. says some were converted by reading the life of S. Antony severall have have taken serious resolutions of leading a Christian life by reading those Confessions And I have knowne Several moved to love mentall Prayer by Reading S. Teresa's workes to the love of God by using those of S. Francis de Sales This is
future Happinesse then we can be of the Truth of any mathematicall demonstration But it is only Conditionall requiring on our parts a concurrence with his Divine Grace this is always uncertaine by reason of the mutability of our will to evill not withstanding our strongest Resolutions to Good Hence our Hope is mixt with Feare sperando timemus Tertul. l. de cultu faeminarum cap. 2. p. 265. We have a full assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on God's side Who (a) Heb. 6.17.18.19 to shew unto the heyres of promise the immutability of his Counsil confirmed it with an oath that by two things immutable in which it was impossible for God to lye we myght have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold uppon the Hope set before us which Hope we have as an Anker of the souls both sure stedfast On our sides we have always reason to apprehend the mutability of our owne will not withstanding all present Grace from God the strength of his Counsill Hence the Apostle admonishes us (a) 2. Cor. 6.1 not no receive in vaine the Grace of God He sets before our eyes his owne example (b) 1. Cor. 9.27 keeping under his body chastising it bringing it into subjection least having preached to others he myght become hinselfe a reprobate a cast away And consequently warnes us to (c) Philip. 2.12 worke our salvation with feare trembling When this Apostle feares who can presume we may resolve well pray hard act well to day but what assurance have we that to morrow will find us soe well disposed or even not doing the quite contrary that being soe ill prepared death will not surprize us S. Paul the vessell of Election who had beene taken up to the third Heaven feared least he should become a reprobate S. Peter bred up in our B. Saviours schoole resolved to dye for him yet shortly after denyed him If these greare Pillars of the Church shake bend feare breaking or actually Breake what may not such Reedes as G. B. E. W. feare you see what grounds we have to feare from Reason from the example of the Apostles from their Doctrine This is comfortlesse doctrine to G. B. (d) Pag. 54. therefore had rather throw all on Christ perswade himself that Christ's Prayer was sufficient his satisfaction sufficient his merits sufficient We neede nether pray nor suffer nor merit Beleive in him he will doe all Crede firmiter pecca fortiter Compare now this disposition of moderne Catholicks which is the same with that of the Apostles with that of a Protestant their feare with his confidence their trembling with his As surance their Apprehensions with his boldnesse you shall find in Catholicks tru Hope mingled with feare as you may see in Divines I have shewed out of the Apostles in the Protestant no feare consequently no Hope which is accompanyed always by Feare but in Lieu of Hope that vice which is called Presumption which is a sin against the Holy ghost Timor fundamentum salutis est says Tertull. l. de cultu foeminarum c. 2. p. 265. Sperando enim timebimns timendo cavebimus cavendo salvi erimus contra si praesumamns neque timendo neque cavendo difficile salvi erimus Feare is the ground worke foundation of our salvation Our Hope is mingled with Feare this makes us take heede whence proceedes our security of salvation When on the contrary when we presume we grow carelesse run greate hazard of being lost for ever SECTION III. Of Charity or Love CHarity or the Love of God above all things is much more esteemed honoured amongst us then amongst you you rank it contrary to the Apostle even with Faith or seate it on a lower bench where as we with the Apostle (a) 1. Cor. 13.13 believe it to be the (b) Io. 15.12 cōmandment of Christ the (c) Rom. 13.10 fullnesse of the law the (d) Col. 3.14 bond of perfection which divides (e) Aug. betwixt the children of the kingdome those of perdition the nuptiall (f) Matth. 22.11.12 garment with which we must enter into the wedding That is the forme of vertues (g) Concil Trid. that without it all other vertues (h) 1. Cor. 13. gift of tongues power of working miracles knowledge of mysteries nay even Faith Hope are nothing avayle nothing are no more to be regarded then sounding Brasse a tinkling cimball c. In fine althô with Divines we are perswaded that these two greate vertus may be separated yet we hold their separation to be their ruin that as Charity is but superficiall not reall without the lyght of Faith soe Faith is cold without the warmth of Charity He who knows God without loving him is impious he who loves without knowing him aryght is Blind A Beleiver without Love is Ungratefull a Lover without knowledge is senselesse soe these two vertus must assist one another we must aime to have a Living Faith which workes by loue Galat. 5.6 Love is the proper worke of Faith Opus Fidei dilectio Aug. tr 10. in epist Jo. Love both gives to receives strength from Faith Charitas robur Fidei Fides fortitudo Charitatis S. Leoserm 7. in Quadrag In Heaven there is Love without Faith 1. Cor. 13.8.10 In Hell Faith without Love Jac. 2.19 Christians in this life must have both for Love without Faith is the Love of Pagans Faith without Love is the Faith of Devils But Faith with Charity is the Faith of the children of God in this life Fides quae per dilectionem operatur ipsa est Fides quae fideles Dei separat ab immundis daemonibus Aug. de gratiâ lib. arbit cap. 7. Thus we joyne together those two greate vertues this we beleive this we teach of Charity whilest you out of ill grounded opinion of your Fac totum Faith relying on it for Remission of sins Iustification Perseverance Salvation exhaust your Rhetorick soe much in commendation of that your darling that you have no roome to commend Charity or Good workes Our Practice as much surpasses yours as to nourishing Charity as our doctrine doth for scing the love of God Love of our selves are opposit the one withers as the others thrives their practice must be most proper to nourish charity which aimes most at mortifyng selve-love on the contrary those who foster selfe-love must annihilate Charity Now what practice can you shew for the mortification of the body the quelling our Passions the renouncing of our will what documents doe you give for these what examples can you shew since your reformation of them you have never beene able to find in the three kingdomes a dozen persons of ethersex who for soe many yeares would sequester themselves from the enjoyments of the world to serve God in voluntary Poverty
our Church Gratitude to such Benefactors may teach you to Judge lesse severely to suspend your Judgment til you have more convincing arguments to ground it on then your owne bare bold Assertion CHAPTER III. Tru the Designes of Christian Religion THe Designe of God in establishing Religion was that Men should serve him in this world enjoy him in the next that they (a) Psal 12◠3 here sow with teares there reape with Ioy now run (b) 2. Tim. 4.7 8. their race fyght their battle then receive their Crowne Rivers (c) Eccles 1.7 receive their waters from the sea returne to it againe Religion receives its beginning from God runs through all ages to returne to God againe Each man before his creation is Creatrix essentia says S. Anselme from which by creation he is separated by Regeneration the good workes which follow it he returnes to him againe never more to be separated from him The first Action is of God alone the rest are of God man for God (a) Aug. Quite creavit sine te non te salvabit sine te will not compleate the work of our salvation with out the cooperation of man God (b) Subest tibi cùm volueris posse can doe all with out man but will not man (c) Sine me nihil potestis facere 10.15.5 can doe nothing without God from whome he must expect prevenient concomitant subsequent Graces for all every meritorious action That blisse which God prepares for us in the next life containes God himself when enjoyed renders the thrice happy soul like (d) Similes ei erimus 1.10.3 ◠unto God we must attaine to it by meanes proportionable which partake of the resemblance Wherefore our understanding must be like that of God beleiving him our will Loving him the first is Faith the second Charity To which adde Hope to keepe our soul steedy amidst the difficultyes of this life as an anker (e) Heb. 6.19 fixes a ship you have the three vertues called Theologicall because they rely immediatly on Almyghty God Faith on his Veracity or Truth in affirming Hope on his Fidelity in promising Goodnesse as he is our Cheife Good Charity on his Goodnesse in its selfe Which three Virtues containe what is required of us in this life Whatsoever is required to a good life is knowne is we know what to beleive to hope to love Says (a) Aug. Ench. c. 4. Omnia quae requiris proculdubio scies diligenter sciendo quid credi quid sperari debeat quid amari Haec enim maximè imò verò sola in Religione sequenda sunt S. Austin Which are the only things Religion regards as being designed only for these three vertues But are we not oblidged to keepe the commandments Or doe not they advauce towards Heaven who run (b) Psal 119.32 in the paths which God hath traced out And how come these to be omitted ANSWER They are not omitted but are contained in Charity (c) Rom. 13.8.9 He that loveth an other bath fullfilled the law our whole duty to our neyghbour the commandments relating to him being breifly comprehended in this saying Love thy neyghbour as thy selfe As our whole duty to God is contained in that other saying Love God above all things (d) Mat. 22.40 On these two commandments hang all the law the Prophets These are the two rootes (e) Mat. 7.17 of the good tree which brings forth good fruite As love of our selves is the roote of the bad tree which brings forth bad fruite The (f) Aug. serm 44. de temp Radix omnium bonorum est Charitas sicut radix omnium malorum est cupiditas roote of all good is Charity as the roote of all evill is concupiscence Againe (g) Aug. l. de moribus Eccl. c. 25. Nihil aliud est benè vivere quam toto corde totâ animâ totâ mente Deum diligere To live well is to love God with all our hart with all our soul with all our mind I should as easily write out the whole new testament as endeavour to cite all the passages which directly or indirectly commend Charity seing all tend to extinguish in us selfe love to kindle Divine love In it Divine love sometimes is preferred before (a) 1. Cor. 13. the tongues of men Angells before Faith working miracles before knowledge of the greatest mysteryes Almes giving c. It is called (b) Col. 3.14 the bond of perfection the end (c) 1. Tim. 5. or intent of the commandments c. I end with the words of the beloved loving disciple (d) 10.4.16 God is love he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God God in him Wherefore with reason S. Austin (e) Aug. l. de laudibus Charitatis sayd Ille tenet quicquid latet quicquid patet in divinis sermonibus qui servat Charitatem in moribus I should not have beene so long uppon a point of which I thought none could be ignorant who reades the Scriptures or knows the Rudiments of Christianity did I not perceive that you ether never knew it or have forgotten And When (f) Heb. 5.12 for the time your vocation you should be a teacher you have neede that one should teach you which be the first principles af the Oracles of God For how happens it that in relating the designes of Christian Religion there is not one cleere word of the love of God which is the maine designe of it you speake of Purity Ingenuity Patience Generosity some thing of the love of our neyghbour But why are you silent of the love of God which gives vertu to all the rest which without it avayle us nothing (a) 1. Cor. 13. how perfect soever they be in their kind Doe you intend to make that fall under the notion of AntiChristianisme as being with you no part of the Designes of Christianity I shall expect a satisfactory answer to these doubts proceede to CHAPTER IV. G. B. His explication of the Designes of Christianity G. B. pag. 4. The first designe of Christian Religion is to give us ryght apprehensions of the Nature Attributes of God Pag. 5. The second branch is to hold forth the method of mans reconciliation with his Maker You meane that the intent of Christian Religion is to teach us that there is One God One Mediator which are objects of our Faith Pag. 7. The third is to teach the perfectest cleerest most divine rules for advancing of the souls of men to the hyghest perfection of their natures it giving cleerer rules fuller directions then ether morall Philosophers or the old teflament The lessons of Purity chastity ingenuity humility meekenesse patience generosity No◠one word of charity but Generosity I know not whence comes in to take its place Pag. 8. The fourth is to unite
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
Chastity Obedience Whence comes this but from selve-love which abounds in them the lacke of the love of God which myght cement their harts together Whence comes that insupportable Pride which makes your Proselits soe refractory to God his vicars their spirituall temporall superiors that they are soe tenacious of their extravagant phancyes soe stubborne in their uncouth Resolutions soe intractable in their manners so humour some in all their actions conversations but a latent Pride the proper of-spring of selve-love the bane of Charity Looke into the 13. Chapter of the first to the Corinthians you shall there find a description of charity its qualityes Charity suffreth long is kind Charity envieth not Charity vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed up Doth not behave it selfe unseemely Seeketh not her owne is not easily provoked thinketh no evill Reioyceth not in iniquity but Rejoyceth in the truth Beareth all things beleiveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Should I now examin the life of generally all who deliver themselves to your direction uppon these heades shew how little of this appeares in your manners how much there is quite contrary to it the picture if sincere would fryght you or confound you how greate soever your confidence be In fine the words of our Saviour to the Angel of Laodicea may be very fitly applyed to you (a) Apoc. 3.17 Thou sayst I am rich encreased with goods have neede of nothing And knowest not that thou art wretched miserable poore blind naked God open the eyes of your hart to see this that soe you may be moved to seeke for gold tryed spirituall riches where it is to be found in the tru Church SECTION IV. An Answer to what G. B. objects G. B. pag. 78. Are Papists not taught to conside more in the virgin or their Tutelar Saints them in the Holyest of all ANSWER No we are taught no such thing G. B. Ibidem Doth not the feare of Purgatory damp the hopes of future Blessednesse ANS It doth not G. B. p. 79. What impious doctrine hath beene printed in that Church of the degree of love we owe to God ANS I know of no such doctrine of the degrees of love due to God I know that all Catholicks applaude that saying of S. Bernard Modus amandi Deum est amare sine modo I know that divines require as well as S. Thomas a mediocry in all vertues except Charity that all vertues are betwixt two vices where of one offends by exceeding the other by not reaching its due mesure And this they assure even of Hope which is betwixt presumption and despayre of faith which is betwixt a lyghtnesse of hart beleiving all things a hardnesse to beleive any thing love cannot be too greate soe hath only one vice contrary to it by defect loving too little Is this doctrine Impious Hence what you say Some mincing it so as if they were afrayde of his being too much beloved This I say is an untruth I challenge you to produce your Authors or to be held a Calumniator G. B. Ibidem Some blasphemously teach that we are not at all bound to love him ANSW This is also untru All acknowledge a precept to love God But this being a positive precept which oblidges only for some determinate time some Authours have enquired when that time is And in resolving this obscure undecided question there have beene some variety of sentiments without any difference as to the substance of the precept If God hath revealed to you a decision of this intricate question blesse the world with that information prove well what you say I assure you we will not blame you for it G. B. Ibidem There is an Impiety in the moralls of some of that Church particularly amongst the disciples of Loyola beyond what ever was taught amongst the worst of Heathen Philosophers ANSWER 1. You are no competent Judge in matter of Piety as being acquainted nether with the practice nor Theory of it ANSWER 2. You are not sufficiently informed of the cause in which you presume to Judge having no knowledge at all of one side but a very superficiall knowledge of the other By shooting your bolt soe lyghtly you will easier convince the world that you are inconsiderate rash then that those you call the disciples of Loyola are impious CHAPTER XXIII Efficacy of Sacraments G. B. pag. 80. The doctrine of the efficacy of the Sacraments for conveying of Grace by the work wrought Lookes like adesigne against all serious preparation for the worthy receiving of them ANSWER Many alive still remember when the Godly could find out Plots dangerous Plots Popish Plots in every innocent recreation of the Persons whome they misliked You imitate exactly those factious sectarys in fancying the like dangerous contrivances Is Attrition with the Sacrament sayd to suffice for Justification It is on a designe to destroy Piety Are Prayers sayd in Latin It is on a designe against Piety Are probable opinions allowed of There lyes a designe against Piety Are we taught to do our workes with a good intention A Popish designe against Piety Are Sacraments connected with Grace sayd to be efficacious signes of it It lookes like a designe against Piety And what soever we doe these People suspect a Designe against Piety As of the Jews Isayas (a) Isayes 8.12 sayd whatsoever the People speakes of is confederacy Omnia quae loquitur populus iste conjuratio est Soe much were they fryghted then with the Apprehension of the union betwixt the two kings of Israel Syria soe struck are you likewise with the apprehensions of Popery The Jews surmized A Confederacy out of a reall feare The factious old Parlimentarians out of a pretended Feare What moves you a reall or only pretended Feare or doe you speake out of Ignorance of our Tenets or ill will to our persons ether may easilier be suspected then any reall feare or concerne for Piety We have beene taught to acknowledge some vertu in the Sacraments of the new law in vertu of Christ's institution because they are the instruments to apply the merits of his Passion to our soul which was not in the Saments of the old law nor in any ceremony of humane institution for S. Paul (a) Galat. 4.9 calls the Sacraments of the old law weake beggarly Elements in comparison doubtlesse of those of the new These then are more efficacious stronger richer Yet the others could stirre up the receiver to an in ward disposition for Grace nay a ceremony of meere humane institution may have that force Wherefore the Sacraments of the new law must by the worke wrought doe more then to stirre up the receiver to good Workes G. B. pag. 81. By this Doctrine be a man never soe ill prepared yet he is sure of the efficacy of the Sacrament ANS Here you discover your