Pius the Fourth which doth contain the confirmation of the Council of Trent and gives it all its authority That Bull expresly forbids all sorts of persons of what order or dignity soever they are in the Church the Pope onely excepted to explain the decrees of the Council in whatsoever manner or under whatsoever pretext it may be and doth before hand make void all such explications After this let any one tell us what foundation may be had for what the Bishop of Condom hath explained of these decrees how to be assured that some person of his Communion will not stand up and think he may say of him what he hath said of others that herein he is but a particular Doctor that we ought onely to rest upon the proper terms of the Council or at farthest of the Pope who hath reserved unto himself the explication and that in the mean time they will abate nothing of the decrees of the same Council nor of the opinions received in the Chairs and Universities nor of the general practice what abuse soever be pretended in it However it be We may observe as we pass that the Bishop of Condom doth here silently acknowledge that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome all cleared and all decided 〈◊〉 it was by the Council of Trent is noâ— for all so clear but that it hath yâ—â— need of farther explication which 〈◊〉 most true as to the very ground 〈◊〉 it and they have for this same reasoâ— designedly put their several decrees iâ— general and ambiguous terms to givâ— in appearance the greater satisfaction to people It will now be seen by thâ— sequel if the Bishop of Condom himselâ— will speak plainer on these doubtfâ—â—â— points if he will not contain himself still in general terms or if he will not wholy pass over those points here in silence In the mean time what will become of us The Holy Scripture say they is obscure it appertains unto the Church to explain it according to the unanimous sense of the Fathers the Fathers have their obscurities everyone draws them to their side it will require many years to examin them and it will not be easie to form an unanimous sense They add it belongs to the Council to determin that by their decrees but in these very decrees there are things very ambiguous and that may receive a double and a triple sense the Bishop of Condom doth present us an exposition which he saith is faithful In good time but another Prelate or a Doctor of Sorbon will say that the Bishop of Condom is not sufficiently authorised for that or that he hath need himself to be explained and in the mean while those who are afraid of offending God by a Religious observance of anything which is not God and who desire nothing but to Worship the true God purely according to his Word shall abide as it were suspended betwixt all these uncertainties and shall not be able to yield any acquiescency unto these Lively beams where with this Divine Word hath replenished their Souls This is what the design of the Bishop of Condom's Treatise would Lead us unto But let us proceed unto the Treatise it self and let us see if this exposition such as it is will produce the two effects it promises which are to cause all disputes to vanish or to reduce them unâ—â—â— such terms as according to our owâ— principles have nothing in them whicâ— Wound the foundations of Faith II. The general proposition of the Bishop of Condom that they of the P. R. R. do confess that the Catholick Church do believe all the fundamental Articles of Chri stian Reli gion The Bishop of Condom begins witâ— this general proposition that those 〈◊〉 the Pretended reformed Religion 〈◊〉 avow that the Catholick Church dâ—â— receive all the fundamental Articles of 〈◊〉 Christian Religion here at first it maâ— be seen as also in the Title of thâ— Treatise that by the Catholick Churâ— the Bishop of Condom intends the Râ—mish Church It is an usage whicâ— the Gentlemen of the Romish Churcâ— very much more affect of Late thâ—â— they have been accustomed namely it seems to cover themselves with more authentick Title and to takâ— a kind of advantage in words aboâ—â— all other Christians that is to say thaâ— the name of the Roman Church anâ— the name of the Catholick Churcâ— doth not sufficiently to their mind mean the same thing the one dotâ— seem much more auspicious than thâ— other And moreover this same thinâ— makes evident that the Titles whicâ— Parties or Communions assume unto themselves according as they have more Lustre and Power are not always a certain proof that they do possess in reality what these Titles ascribe to them because it doth appear that in the midst of the dispute and in the very place where this Title of Catholick is in question one party doth claim it for himself in prejudice of all others These Gentlemen do herein like Princes who alway retain the Title of Countreys which they once possessed although they have Lost those Countreys several Ages past It is true that we our selves do some time give them the name of Roman Catholicks or this simply of Catholicks as well therein to accommodate our selves to the stream of the general use as for the advantage of peace being to Live amongst them according as also for these very considerations we give them the name of Fathers of Bishops of Prelates and others the Titles which they give unto themselves although the right by which they pretend to take them be yet in question and it may be the Word Catholick would not have been so urged here above all other if it did not in the beginning cause an ambiguity in the Bishop of Condom proposition which is that we do allow that the Catholick Church doth believe all the fundamental Articles of the Christian Religion for who is it that ever doubted a proposition conceived in those terms We allow in earnest that the Church truely Catholick and universal which we profess in the Apostles Creed which is the body 〈◊〉 the Elect of all Ages not onely always hath held and shall always hold all the fundamental points but that she never did nor ever shall hold any Capital Error which doth intirel 〈◊〉 destroy the foundations and this i 〈◊〉 what we cannot say of the Church o 〈◊〉 Rome We own that she doth receive the fundamental Articles as the Bishop of Condom doth alledge but we do say at the same time as he himself doth instance that she destroys the foundations by contrary Articles and we prove it not onely by the consequences which we draw from the Doctrine of the Church of Rome as the Bishop of Condom avers onely because it pleaseth him so to do P. 8 but directly by the Doctrine it self which she teacheth and openly practices It is true that the Church of Rome doth teach that we ought to Worship one onely God Father Son and
and Practices that aggrieve us are at best but private opinions that may be laid aside This is it they ordinarily discourse to us to make us inclinable to themselves and this is in particular the sense and Soul of the Bishop of Condoms Treatise more openly indeed and more expresly in the Manuscript Copy and what hath been cited of the first Edition but yet clearly enough in the second On the other side the profession of Faith declares in so many words that we must believe and receive all the traditions all the institutions all the customs of the Roman Church which doth comprise generally all that is known and that is not known It saith yet more expresly that we ought to pray unto Saints to Worship their relicks have Images of Jesus Christ of the Virgin and of all the Saints and render them the honour and the Worship due unto them admit of Seven true Sacraments and embrace all the Council of Trent hath said and decided touching justification and by consequence the merit of Works satisfactions Purgatory and all the Doctrine of Indulgences believe the conversion of all the substance of the Bread into the body of Jesus Christ and the conversion of all the substance of the Wine into his bloud which is called Transubstantiation and that all Jesus Christ is intirely received and the true Sacrament under the one and the other of the two species Lastly that we are to believe that the Church of Rome is the Mistress of all other Churches to swear intire obedience unto the Pope of Rome and generally to receive all other things whatsoever that are taught by the Councillâ— and particularly by the Council of Treâ—â— which doth comprise generally whâ—â— a man will all that is in dispute Tâ—â—â— is what is formally required of thâ—â—â— that present themselves before the Câ—rate the Bishop or the great peâ—tentiary now let all these Articles 〈◊〉 Faith be compared with the stile 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Condoms Treatise and afterwards Let it be maturely judged if this be one and the same Doctrine For our parts being very far from aggravating the difference there is betwixt the one and the other or from having a mind to make a greater distance betwixt us and the Church of Rome than there is indeed We believe that there is nothing more to be desired for the good of Christian Religion and by little and little to bring mens Spirits mutually nearer that that all those of the Roman Church generally would at least accommodate themselves freely openly unto these sort of sweetnings that the Bishop of Condom doth and that instead of heightning the differences that there may be between his exposition and the Doctrine which they commonly profess they would Write on the contrary in the same sense that he doth and clearer and fuller yet than he hath Written that Lastly they would all say at least as he doth that this is alone the true Doctrine of the Roman Church Religion at least would find it self discharged and freed of a great many Doctrines and practises which do nothing but burthen consciences this would be in sundry points as one of those insensible changes which have come into the Church but a change for the better and an happy beginning of Reformation that might have much more happy consequences The BULL of our moâ—… Holy Lord Lord PIUâ— by Divine Providencâ— Pope the IV. of thaâ— Name Touching thâ— Form of the Oath 〈◊〉 Profession of Faith Translated out of Latine PIUS Bishop Servant of the Seâ—vants of God ad perpetuam 〈◊〉 memoriam for a perpetual record THE duty of our Apostoliâ— Charge which lies upon 〈◊〉 requires that those things which the Lord Almighty for the prudent guidance of his Church has vouchsafed from Heaven to inspire in the Holy Fathers assembled in his Name we make hast to put in execution without delay for his praise and glory Whereâ— therefore according to the Order of the Council of Trent all whom it shall henceforth happen to be set over Cathedral or Superiour Churches or to be provided for by any dignities or Canonries of the same or any other whatsoever Ecclesiastical benefices having cure of Souls are bound to make publick profession of the Orthodox Faith and to engage and swear that they will continue in obedience to the Roman Church We willing also that the same be observed by all whosoever shall be disposed of in Monasteries Convents Religious houses or other places whatsoever of whatsoever Regular Orders even of the Military ones by whatsoever name or Title and to this purpose that what concerns our care may not be the least wanting to any that a profession of one and the same faith may be uniformly exibited by all and that one certain form of it may be known unto all do by power Apostolick strictly injoyn and command by the tenour of these presents that this very form annexed to these presents be published and that it be received and observed all the World over by those by whom according to the decrees of the said Council it does belong and by all other persons aforesaid and that under the penalties by the said Council enacted against offenders in this case the aforesaid Profession be Solemnly made according to this and no other form in this tenor IN. Do with firm Faith believe and profess all and every things and thing which are contained in the Symbol of Faith which the Holy Roman Church useth viz. Articles of Faith taken out of the Symbols of Nice and Con stantinople I believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God and brought forth of his Father before all Ages God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made who for us men and our Salvation came down from Heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and made man was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilat suffered and was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended into Heaven sitteth at the right hand of the Father and shall come again with Glory to judge both the quick and the dead of whose Kingdom there shall be no end And in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of Life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And one Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins and I look for the Resurrection of the dead and the Life of the World to come Amen The Apostolical and Ecclesiastical Traditions and the other observations Articles of Faith touching the matters in Cotroversie which the Romish Church hath added to the Antient and constitutions of the same
and that by consequence they acknowledge thereby in some sort that a Reformation is useful and necessary VI. Of justfication THE THIRD PART The method which the Bishop of Condom hath observed requires that after the Worship of Saints c. we examine his Doctrine concerning Justification the merit of Works of Satisfactions Purgatory and of Indulgences It is true as the Bishop of Condom saith that the Article of Justification is one of the chief things which gave occasion of reformation to our Fathers Very few are Ignorant what was the state of the Latin church at that time On one hand presented it selfe the Doctrin of the merit of works the necessity of satisfying Gods Justice in this life or endureing the fire of Purgatory after death to compleat what was wanting of this satisfaction on the other hand was to be seen an extraordinary irregulatity in the life and manners as well of the Clergy as of the people and by consequence no likelihood of salvation neither by works nor by those satisfactions and in fine there appeared no other Object before the eyes of men but Purgatory or Hell In this state of the Church the Pope opens the Treasures of his Indulgencies distributes his Agnus's his Beads and Reliques and prescribes certain numbers of Pater nosters and Ave Mary's of Stations of Visits of Churches of Pilgrimages Fasts Pennances of macerations and mortifications with which and with the help of Pardons Dispensations and Indulgences which were purchased at a dear rate those who had them were not onely justified themselves but helped to justifie others delivering souls out of Purgatory and acquiring for them a greater degree of blessednesse or an augmentation of glory as the Councill speaks Our Fathers did believe that there was an abuse in all these things and that this Doctrine which possessed the minds of the people and that made up the greatest part of their piety did overthrow the Foundation of Religion which doth essentially consist in placing our chiefest confidence in the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ and farther in serving God according to his will and not according to the commandments of men It is also true that since the Reformation the Church of Rome it self doth seem to be a little more reserved than she was before as well as to expressions in regard of her Doctrines as in regard of the practice and the very use of Indulgences and they are beholding to us for it which doth very much serve for the justification of our first Reformers but the abuses are yet too great in one and the other for the corrupting of piety and scandalizing of true Christians Those who onely consider the controversie of Justification at a distance or transiently without searching into the grounds and consequences will not it may be at first think it so important as it is but it is of so great moment what herein is the judgment of those who are well informed amongst us that as to the contrary we should not stick here to maintain that the difference of Belief which doth separate us from the Church of Rome as to this point is of so great consequence unto Religion that there is scarce any greater Let us therefore be permitted according to the liberty that Dispute doth require to deny here formally what the Bishop of Condom doth aver in something an uncertain manner That there are but few learned men of our side as he speaks but do confess that we ought not to separate from the Church of Rome about this point and that this difficulty is not any longer considered as much material by the most intelligent persons amongst us The Bishop of Condom doth not cite one of those learned men nor one of those intelligent persons unto whom he imputes these sorts of Sentiments as the importance of the business doth require The Confession of Faith of our Churches which contains the General Belief of those of our Communion explains it self to the contrary upon this point as throughly as may be it confirms the very Doctrine which the first Reformers taught declaring in express terms That how little soever we swerve from this Foundation we can never finde any ease but that we shall be continually tossed with inquietude The Council of Trent it self acknowledged the importance of this Controversie First in that it takes notice of it from the first as one of the principal causes of the Schism and which did most deserve the care of the said Council And in the second place by the prodigious length of its Decree and by the vast number of its Canons and Anathema's much greater upon this point than upon any other In summe it may be said that it is not onely a principal point but it is one of them which are most such The others for the most part do onely regard some part of Religion Errour doth corrupt but that part and doth not influence the others if we may so speak The worshipping the Host for example is without doubt one of the most essential points in which it is impossible to finde any mean because the question is whether it ought to be worshiped or not worshipped which is the first and greatest Act of Religion Nevertheless this is but a particular point a capital errour indeed for them who are deceived in it but which doth nothing or changeth nothing in all the other Fundamental Points But who speaks of Justification speaks of the means of our Salvation that is to say the Mystery of our Redemption there is nothing more important than not to be deceived in the choice of such a matter because if a man fails to take the right way he falls from errour to errour and the very true essence of Religion is changed and altered This truth will plainly appear by the bare comparing of our Doctrine with that of the Church of Rome We do believe that our Justification doth alone consist herein that having deserved death Jesus Christ dyed for us and satisfied the Justice of God the Father for us who for the love of his Son pardoneth all our sins in general uniting us unto him by a true and lively faith and imputing his righteousness and obedience unto us that is to say the merit of his Death it self as though we had suffered it in our own persons We believe that it is God himself that doth beget and strengthen this Faith in our hearts by the inward operation of his Holy Spirit and by the outward Ministry of his Word and Sacraments as shall be explained in what follows upon the subject of the Sacraments that this Faith is not a dead or idle Faith but a living Faith and working by love and by all sorts of good works and that these works are very acceptable to God and necessary to Salvation as an inseparable consequent of that Faith which justifies us but that it is onely of pure Grace and by the alone merit of the death of Jâ—sus Christ that
Holy Ghost which is the first and most fundamental Article of the Christian Religion but at the very same instant She doth teach another Article which is quite contrary according to us when She saith that we ought to Worship and when she doth indeed Worship that which according to us is not God The Church of Rome receives as we do the first Commandment of the Law which forbids having any other God than the Mighty and Jealous God Yet at the same time She calleth upon the Saints which is a Religious worship by their own Confession and according to us it is a kind or part of that worship which we ought not to give but to God onely not to speak here of the excess which is seen in that worship The Church of Rome receives the second Commandment which doth particularly forbid the making Images of any thing that is in Heaven or in the Earth to worship them but at the same time She doth make Images of the very persons of the Trinity and of all the Saints Shee kneels down before them and doth serve them Religiously against the express terms of the Commandment and it is also well known to what excess She hath advanced this worship in the practice The Church of Rome receives as we do the Apostles Creed which is â—n Abridgment of the fundamental Doctrine of the Gospel for those who are well instructed in it and that do understand it in the full force of its expressions But therein it self we do agree no wise touching that which the Bishop of Condom doth suppose that the Church of Rome hath the pure and true understanding of the Creed We pretend that to believe in God the Creator and in Jesus Christ doth mean so to believe in God as to matter of Religion as not to have the Least confidence in any thing else and we believe that the Worshipping of Saints of Relicks of the Cross and of Images especially in the excess and inevitable abuse which follows however the matter is sweetned in disputation is a degree of a Religious confidence in the creature which thereby doth become sharer in what we owe only unto the Creator The Church of Rome with us believes that Jesus Christ is ascended into Heaven that he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father and that it is he who shall come from thence to judge both the quick and the dead but she believes at the same time that our Lord Jesus Christ is also every day corporally upon earth though in an invisible State and different from that estate he is in in Heaven Here it might be proved that in effect all these Doctrines of the Roman Church and several others are directly contrary to the fundamental Doctrine of the Gospel but that would be useless in this part of the question where it sufficeth to intimate that we do so believe what follows will shew the reasons which we have to believe so p. 9 a. 1 The Bishop of Condom doth here make the objection against us which is usually made against us touching the Lutherans that the consequences which we draw from their Doctrine do not hinder but that we admit them into our Communion although these consequences do seem to destroy the foundation But there is a great deal of difference betwixt the Lutherans and the Roman-Catholicks in reference unto us in effect we agree that always heed is not to be taken of the consequences which may be drawn from a Doctrin Doubtless we ought to distinguish the consequences contested by him that doth teach the Doctrine and which do not produce any effect in the intention nor Worship from those which are granted by the very persons which teach the Doctrin and which are followed by a sort of Worship which is thought to be evil It is true that Mr. Daille saith of the Lutherans as the Bishop of Condom doth instance that they have an opinion which according unto us doth infer as well as that of the Roman Church the destruction of the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ but it is also very certain that this consequence as Mr. Daille doth add cannot be without great injustice imputed unto them because they do formally deny it and that besides they have nothing in their Worship which doth establish or suppose this consequence This is the reason of this expression of Monsieur Dailles which hath been so urged of late times and which the Bishop of Condom doth here again urge that the opinion of the Lutherans has no venim in it which is notwithstanding a natural expressiâ—n and proper to the Subject for it imports nothing else but what is said bâ—fore that the Lutherans denying the consequences of their Doctrin and believing the humanity of Jesus Christ as it is certain they do their errour touching the Eucharist although it may be gross according unto us may nevertheless be charitably born with for the advantage of Peace and Union But as to the Church of Rome it is not onely by consequences but by a positive Doctrin and by a constant practice as we pretend whatsoever she saith that she doth not sufficiently acknowledge the Soveraignty which is due unto God nor the quality of Saviour and Mediator in our Lord Jesus Christ nor the superabundant fulness of his merits because it appears plainly unto us that she gives unto the creature the Worship which is onely due unto the Creator and that she doth make to concur the satisfactions and merits of men with the satisfaction and merit of Jesus Christ It cannot with justice be said that the Lutherans do not believe the humanity of Jesus Christ but it is no calumny to say that the Church of Rome doth Worship the host and that she doth give a Religious Worship to Saints to their relicks to Images and unto the Cross c. these are not consequences contested but positive Doctrin confirmed by practice The Bishop of Condom having a mind to cover the contrariety we conceive between the fundamental Articles which the Church of Rome holds and those other Worships that we reject passeth over here in silence what should have been spoken touching the adoration of the Host which point alone most openly shews this contrariety He thinks to reconcile all by his Second proposition III. Second proâ—â—ion general of the Bishop of Condom This the Catho Church doth teach that the Religious worshipping of Saints and Images c. terminates it self in God only Mat. 4.10 that the Church of Rome doth teach that all Religions worship ought to terminate it self on God We say more simply and more naturally that all Religious Worship ought to addresse it self unto God because indeed Religion should regard nothing but God and should have only him for its object All Religious Worship should begin with him continue in him and end on him This is it to which only all the Doctrin of the Old and New Testaments doth tend there cannot be shewed in
all its parts he tells us not one Word which says that God hath thus ordained it as if Religion were only an human Discipline and that God would be honoured and served according to our thoughts Deut 12 32 Is 1 12 Mâ—t 5.9 and not after his own institution Look into the Decrees of the Council the Catechism made by its authority the Commandments of the Church of Rome they never tell us upon this matter no more than on many others God Wills we Pray unto Saints or God bids we Pray unto Saints but the Church doth teach or the Council doth teach the Council Ordains and pronounceth Anathema This stile is very different from that of the Prophets and Apostles the former begins and almost ever ends Thus saith the Lord Exod. 5.1 1 Câ—â— 23 â—1 and the others We have received of the Lord what we haâ—e also delivered unto you It will be said that the Church of Rome and the Council of Trent are the Instruments of God and that it is God himself which speaketh by their mouth But this is to say a thing that is in question and very much in question this is to multiply questions whereas the Bishop of Condom pretends to diminish them The truth is that neither the Church of Rome noâ— the Council of Trent nor the Bishop of Condom who explains their Doctrinâ— are able to find one single passage it all the Scripture of the Old and new Testament which says that God wills the invocation of Saints nay what is far from that we do alledge in this case a great number which say the contrary The First thing which the Church of Rome doth teach is that is profitable to call upon the Saints and it is certain that as to this part the Council doth speak in these terms The Bishop of Condom doth a Little more sweetten the matter in adding that the Council is content to teach the Faithful that this practice is good and useful for them without saying any thing more and that so the meaning of the Church is to condemn those who reject this practise through scorn or errour This doth manifestly enough declare that those which are already in the Roman Communion might very well abstain from all Invocation of the Saints doing it with good intention as for example not to Pray but unto God alone or not believe the invocation of Saints to be absolutely necessary provided they do not despise nor condemn it that is to say that the Bishops are obliged to Preach the Invocation of Saints as the Council doth very expresly ordain that we are bound to hearken unto them and believe also what they teach but not to do what they teach From whence it appears to be a strange Doctrin and a Communion very extraordinary if it be true that some may practice a Religious Worship and others may refuse it This doth sufficiently make evident that our belief and our practise is safe and that we do follow the securer Way in that regard for if this Worship be but useful if the Council is contented also to teach it so without saying any farther we who openly profess that we do not reject it through scorn but only through the belief which we have that we ought not to address our vows and Prayers but to God only in appearance are not in any danger of incurring Gods displeasure in that behalf especially having neither Commâ—ndment as to this matter nor example in his word to oblige us therâ—uâ—â—◠〈◊〉 whereas the Church of Rome may well fear the jealousie of God if it be true as we believe that this Worship is contrary to his Will And it is Likely that we who reject this Worship because we are perswaded that God alone should be invoked are in as much safety at Least as those who are in the Roman Communion who have their Liberty to forbear it for it is a much less fault in Religion not to do a thing when one thinks it not to be good than not to do it when one believes it to be good and useful But on the other side how shall we reconcile the expressions of the Council of Trent and of the Bishop of Condom either with the profession of Faith which the Roman Catechism doth prescribe by authority of the said Council or with the opinions of the greatest Doctors of the Roman Church and with the general practice of all those of their Communion For the profession of Faith doth say in express terms not that it is good and useful to pray unto the Saints but purely and simply that we ought to Pray unto the Answ Answ to the repl of the King of Great Britain Page 872 Saints pronouncing Anathema against all those which do not receive this Doctrine And the Cardinal Du Peron of whom every one knows how his judgment is followed in the Roman Church saith in express Terms that the invocation of Saints is not onely useful and lawful but that it is necessary though by a conditional necessity which he doth not explain clearly However he pretends to prove this necessity by the authority of St. Ambrose and St. Hilary In sum how can it be said of such a Religious Worship as this that it is but useful as if in Religion all true Worship were not a true duty and by consequence a thing necessary especially a Worship which it is seen doth take up above half the time of the Ceremonies and services of the Roman Religion And when the Bishops have orders as in the matter now in hand In primis Counc Trent Sess 26. de invoc c. to teach above all things that the Saints who Reign with our Lord Jesus Christ do pray for us and that it is good and useful to render unto them a Religious honour and to fly unto their aid and succour is not this to say that we ought to do it But if any amongst them would forbear in this matter either because they do not think it absolutely necessary or because they will not address their Prayers unto any but God himself how can they assist at all the publick services where Saints are every hour called upon without saying Amen as others do or without being as it were a Sect separate in the midst of those of their Communion It is therefore most certain that these sorts of expressions of the Bishop of Condom are only sweetnings in terms to draw us unto a Religious service which he knows we believe to be truly evil It is but for the present the Gentlemen of the Roman Church give us to understand that if we would joyn with them we should not pray unto the Saints if we pleased but when once men are engaged we call to witness those who desert us if they do not oblige them to swear amongst other things that men ought to pray unto Saints as it is contained in the profession of Faith made by thâ— Council However it be useful or necessary
We do not Pray unto Saints sâ— they but in a Spirit of charity aâ— Communion as we do pray our Brethrâ—â— that are living to pray for us and thâ— one doth not more derogate from thâ— Glory of God than the other But the Scripture is full of examples and precepts which oblige us tâ— pray one for another we are assure that our brethren who are Living dâ— understand us and there is so greaâ— a difference betwixt what we thinâ— of them and of God that these sort of charitable Offices which we render to another were never Lookeâ— upon but as actions purely human and never making up any part of Religious Worship Whereas on thâ— one hand we have no Command foâ— Praying unto Saints nor certaiâ— knowledge that the Saints understanâ— our vows and our Prayers and oâ— the other hand the Idea which wâ— form of the Saints Reigning in Glory with Jesus Christ the honours much more than human rendred unto them the benefits and succours demanded of them however any endeavour to sweeten the matter in dispute make them approach so near unto God that it is too apparent the people regard the Saints as Divi or Gods which also is the name that several Catholick Authors give them The Prayers which we make to our Brethren alive consist but in a Word and do not any wise divert our hearts from the Religious Worship of God but the Worship of Saints doth alone make a Long exercise of Religion Bellar. lib 3 Sanct. beat cap 9 Lips in virg Bonav in Psalt Beat virg and while it shall do nothing else but imploy and often fix heart and thoughts on men is not this to divert them for that time from their true object which is God The Church of Rome thinks to excuse this Worship by the difference which she pretends to put betwixt the Prayer she makes unto God and that she makes unto Saints but it is all along Prayer and according to us Religious Prayer what ever the matter or end may be is always a part of that Worship and honour which we owe God onely Anâ— moreover it is not true that they only Pray unto the Saints to pray foâ— them They of the Roman Churcâ— beseech of them redress of their evils deliverance from dangers in a worâ— all things temporal and spiritual of St. Paul or St. Nicholas to saâ—â— them from Shipwrack of St. Roc 〈◊〉 preserve them from the Plague of Sâ— Peter to open unto them the Gates oâ— Heaven of the Virgin that she would defend them from the enemy which is the Devil that she would receive them at the hour of death that she would have mercy upon them which is precisely what we beseech of God himself In the Litany's of the Virg. Parce nobis Domina c. Domina mundi cum filio tuo sanctissimo miserere nobis and that which they would have to make the difference betwixâ— God and the Saints And what is very remarkable it is not particulaâ— persons that make these sorts of requests by a missled Devotion theâ— are publick and solemn Prayers inserted in the Offices and rituals 〈◊〉 they speak authorised by the Roman Church and generally practiseâ— by all those of its Communion Yes Say they farther But in what terms soever it is that these Prayers are conceived the intention of the Church is to reduce the sense to Pray the saints onely to intercede for us and to obtain of God all those good things which they beseech But what then is it that the Bishop of Condom doth here understand by the Church if it be not the body of all those who make it up which are the same persons who make these Prayers of whom it was said that they reduce the sense of Prayer to the Saints to Pray the Saints to intercede for us Is not this to apply the name of Church unto all things as if it were a remedy for all diseases The people demand of the Saints all good things Temporal and Spiritual these people do make up the Church and they tell us that the intention of the Church doth reduce their demands unto a simple request of Prayer that is that the people do say in Prayer another thing than they would and that the intention doth here explain the words whereas otherwise it is the words that are the Interpreters of the intentions Besides wherefore are they noâ— willing that God should be jealouâ— of our words as he is of our thoughts For our tongue is Gods as well 〈◊〉 our heart and it is the words whicâ— do declare the honour outwardly 〈◊〉 it is the intention which doth rule thâ— inward thoughts and God will nâ— give his Glory to another But when we shall understand 〈◊〉 the Church whose intention it 〈◊〉 said is to reduce the invocation 〈◊〉 Saints unto a simple request to Prâ— for us when I say we shall therebâ— understand the Council of Trent oâ— the sense of the Roman Church in Gâ—neral as it doth seem he would haâ— us to understand by it it is wâ— known that the intention of those wiâ— Pray doth follow the natural sense the expressions they use and that thâ— do not go to seek after any other iâ—tention of the Council or of tâ— Church in General and the intâ—â—tion of those who Pray doth 〈◊〉 onely not go beyond what is here supposed but it is impossible it should be otherwise The nature of man is such that not onely it inclines but also doth evermore fix it self unto some Religious object proposed to it which hath some resemblance unto the sense and Nature of man what care soever is taken to direct the intention and the more grosse and proportioned to its weakness this object shall be the better will humane Nature accommodate it self thereto It is the constant default of the Roman Communion that they make not sufficient reflexion on the one hand upon the Nature of God and the true Worship which he requires of us and on the other upon the Nature of man himself God Great infinite Jealous of his Glory a pure Spirit did not seem heretofore to be otherwise pleased with sacrifices and ceremonies in the infancy of the world or under the rudiments of the Law than that he onely might temperate himself unto the dulness of people and of the Jews in particular These poor people had nothing dearer unto them than their flocks the fruits 〈◊〉 their lands and the commodities oâ— this Life God required of them sâ—crifices of their flocks and offerings oâ— their fruits as the most assured pledgâ— which they could give of their Lovâ— and obedience But since it hatâ— pleased God to increase the Lights oâ—â—eason by a Longer use of reason iâ— self and to joyn unto these Lights thâ— Light of the Gospel which hath raised and purified our thoughts and ouâ— affections God would no Longer have any offering nor Sacrifice but thâ— hearts of men their Love their feaâ— and their Religious
Devotions which are tyed more tâ— one place than another This is what hath been alreadâ— touched upon the Worship of Sainâ— in general The Church of Roâ— may as long as she pleases tell uâ— they put no confidence in Images and that they believe no other virtâ— in them but onely to stir up the remembrance of the Originals That 〈◊〉 not the question whether it must bâ— believed or not believed that there 〈◊〉 virtue in Images but whether a religious Worship ought to be given unto them The general practice of the people doth manifestly contradict this profession and the people do not onely fix their confidence upon Images but the experience of all Ages doth manifestly shew that it is impossible but that they should naturally incline thereto A publick mark of this confidence that the people do believe something more than humane in Images is that though the better sort of the Roman Church themselves condemn openly the excessiue Worship which is given unto many Images of the Blessed Virgin as for instance unto those which have been or are yet to be seen in the Streets at Paris In Goos-street near the Capuchins c St. Honore's street c At the Capuchins in St. Honore's street and unto others yet more famous in Forreign Parts whereunto the people do flock in great numbers yet we have seen one Image amongst others which they durst not remove out of the peoples sight but onely to transport it into the adjacent Chappel and it seemeth they much less dare take away the others because it is known that the hearts of the people are fastned untâ— them To omit that the Church of Româ— is so far from having contained hâ—â—self in the worshipping of Saints sincâ— the Council of Trent that it appeaâ— on the contrary That whereas the Council doth onely authorise in express terms the Image of Jesus Chriâ— as man of the Virgin and of thâ— Saints and at the farthest only somâ— representation of some History of thâ— Scripture or some action of the Dâ—vinity there is to be seen in sundrâ— places in the Churches Images sâ— up not onely of Angels in formeâ— young Children with wings buâ— also of God the Father in likeness oâ— an old man and of the Holy Ghosâ— in form of a Dove against what thâ— Apostle expresly says of those Deut. 4.12.15.16 Isa 40.18 Acts 17.29 whâ— change the glory of the immortal God into the likeness of a mortal man anâ— of Birds c. against the prohibition of the Law so often repeated and iâ— fine against the Judgment of thâ— second Council of Nice it self and 〈◊〉 the first and most zealous Patriots of Images who at the least would not that there should be any image made of the Trinity But what is yet most stange of all is that this usage is not onely established by the general practice of the Roman Church but also maintained expresly by the Catechism of the Roman Church which was made by the order and authority of the Council The onely thing that the same Catechism doth alledge to authorise Rom. Catech. part 3. de cultu Sanctorum in some sort the use of Images and the Worship given unto them is saith he that God did command that two Cherubims should be placed upon the Ark and that the brasen Serpent should be lifted up before the people True but you say it your selves God commanded it upon occasion and for reasons all particular which it is plain you cannot argue from except you had had some special order in this behalf The Cherubims were nothing else but a meer ornament for the propitiatory and were onely in the most Holy Place where none entred but onely the High Priest once a year and the brasen Serpent was onely a Type of Jesus Christ instituted by God to heal the Israelites of the bitings of the Serpents of the Wilderness as Jesus Christ doth heal us of the bitings of the old Serpent They did not kneel down before the Cherubims nor before the brasen Serpent they did not worship them at all Ezekias brake the brasen Serpent as soon as he saw that the people offered incense unto it and the Scripture doth expresly declare 2 Kings ch 18. that this was a matter acceptable to God We agree all of the one and the other Communion that the Gospel iâ— onely the accomplishment of the Law we have not yet at this day any other rule than the Jews either for our duties unto God or our duties unto men All the differencâ— there is betwixt the Jews and us iâ— that the figures of the Law have given place unto the truths of the Gospel in stead of sacrifices and ceremonies of the ancient Covenant we have Jesus Christ which hath offered himself upon the Cross and in stead of the Passeover and Circumcision the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper This is properly and onely the true Christian Religion why then should they adjoin hereto the Worship of Images which is nothing else but an imitation of Pagans and which laies an insuperable obstacle to the communion of the Jews and of the Turks who are half Jews Images Concil Trid. Sess 25. de invoc SS say they do serve to instruct the people in the mysteries of Religion and to maintain devotion and piety But in the first place as to instruction if they will own the truth the people is no where worse instructed in the true mysteries of Salvation than in those places where the Worship of Images is most urged as in Muscovia They have reason to say that Images are the Books of the ignorant that is a pernicious mean which the slothfulness or ignorance of those who ought to instruct the people themselves have substituted in the place of true and sound instructions Every one may see that our Reformed People who have no Images nor other exercise but our Prayers our singing of Psalms our Sermons the reading of the Holy Scriptures and the Sacraments administred in the same simplicity that our Lord did institute them are not less instructed than those of the Roman Church with their Images The Bishop of Condom knows as well as any man that in truth it is by preaching that there should be formed in the hearts of men the lively Images of Jesus Christ who died for us and if we will have them the Images of the life and death of holy men who have sealed the Truth with their bloud and the Holiness of their life And as to matter of devotion the same is also seen that the people which use Images and all the other ceremonies where with Religion is incumbred have it may be more of the outward appearances of zeal but not therefore a more solid piety towards God and on the contrary all their devotion is turned towards these outward things Concil Trid. Sess 25. de invoc Sanct. Populum Plebi indoctae and towards the Images themselves That is in a word
Hu. Menard in Conc. regular pa. 564. Cardinal Cajetan in his commentary upon the Epistle of Saint James Doctours of the Roman Church do agree They exhort us unto reconciliation they in effect reconcile us They exhort us generally to restore the Goods we do unjustly retain and those who are honest and sufficient do thereupon really restore them 6. Even in health it self we are invited to have recourse to the wholesome advice and consolations of our Pastours and Guides and those under their charge who are afflicted with any considerable perplexity whether as to Faith or as to any great sinnes whereunto they find themselves inclined are to have recourse unto them and so really have 7. To conclude upon occasion of any publick sins which moved us to enter upon this subject when any one hath committed any crime or notorious sin whether it be for that he was born according to us in a bad Religion or that he has been so weak as to forsake the true Religion or that he is convinced to have sinned against the Commandments of the First or second Table or to have given scandal to his Neighbour he is summoned or he comes first of his own accord before the Assembly of Ministers and Elders where he makes a particular confession of his sins he is then severely censured according to the quality of his sin and at the same time prayers are made with him and for him to obtain of God forgiveness of his sin If his sin be great he is interdicted the communion of the Holy Sacraments to humble him if he hath scandalized the whole Church he is then enjoined to make a publick confession before the whole congregation and when all this is done and that he hath given evidences of his Repentance the Ministers of the Church announce also unto him the remission of his sins but always under the condition of Faith Repentance and a true amendment of life In this manner is it that the power which Jesus Christ hath given unto his Ministers is exercised amongst us which is what we call the Discipline of our Churches thus far is it tht we extend it in this regard and not any farther to set up a Tribunal for our Guides wherein they should exercise an absolute dominion over the consciences of men Those who are but the least versed in Ecclesiastical History may easily see if this be not as meerly as can be the ancient usage of the Church whether for ordinary Sinners or publick Offenders except it be that the corruption of the times hath caused but too great a relaxation of the rigour of this Discipline which thing is the cause that the censures and punishments are nothing near so grievous and so long as they were and as there was a necessity they should be at the first establishing of Christianity for the better perswading the people of the Holiness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ In which behalf the Gentlemen of the Roman Church are so far from having any thing to reproach us of that they very well know they have not any resemblance of this publick pennance of the Ancients as hath been shewed we have for they have changed all into this other kind of Pennance or into this private confession to the Priest even of sins which are most notorious and which give most scandal But this private confession adds the Bishop of Condom is so necessary a curb of licentiousness so fruitful a spring of wise Counsels so sensible a consolation of troubled souls when Absolution is not onely declared unto them in general terms as the Ministers practice but that they are effectually absolved by the authority of Jesus Christ after a particular examination and with cognisance of the cause that we cannot believe that our Adversaries can behold the so great benefits hereof without regret for the loss of them and without some shame of a Reformation that hath taken away a practice so wholesome and holy This is the second conceipt in which it was said that the Bishop of Condom had wrapt up himâ—elf In the first place it was just now shewed that it is not true that we have taken away this practice nor lost the benefits and fruites of the Counsels and comforts which may be thence expected we have taken away the Evil which is almost alwayes in the abuse and excess of the best things wherefore God be praised we have no cause of regret nor shame in this regard If the Priest or the Minister were our absolute Judge if it were so with him that he had truly the right or power to condemn or to absolve us it were to be acknowledged in this case we ought to render him an exact account of all the circumstances of our lives but it is God alone who is the true Judge who knowes our hearts and our most secret thoughts even when we say nothing unto him of them And as to what concerns the benefits and fruits of Confession which the Bishop of Condom thought fit onely to touch in general terms as we are sincere as there are but few Doctrines so bad that have not some good in them in some regard we ingenuously acknowledge that private confession of sins may sometimes produce some good effects either to cause restitutions to be made of what is unjustly detained or to beget a greater shame in sinners for their miscarriages and sins therefore also it hath been shewed that we are very far from condemning or rejecting all sorts of Confessions We onely say that we cannot sustain with good conscience this Tribunal or rather this Yoke which is imposed upon conscience it self this Article of Faith and this absolute necessity to tell all a mans sins by particulars without which the Roman Church is so bold as to teach that the Faithful cannot obtain pardon of their sins whatever bitter sorrow they feel for them and whatever firm belief they have in the death of our Saviour for even this also the Council of Trent teacheth Sess 14 de Sacram Paeniâ— cap. 6. can 4. In summe in exchange of what benefits may accrue by the Sacramental Confession of the Roman Church we call to witness the sincere persons of her communion if it be not true that this Confession is also the original of infinite Evils If any shall not be pleased to agree hereunto we have the experience of all times on this matter and the testimony of their * Cassand Art 11. of his Consult Beatus Rhen. in his Preface upon Tertullian's Book of Repentance own Authours some of whom doe openly enough acknowledge that things are come to that pass that auricular Confession such as is practised in the Church of Rame cannot any longer be of any good use In plain truth instead of being only a curb unto licentiousness men accustome themselves to sin upon the confidence they have that their sins shall be blotted out by this ordinary and easie way of Confession or by
some corporal or pecuniary pennances imposed upon them Therefore also it hath often been observed in our Churches that the least regular persons are most subject to forsake our Communion because that whilest they continue in their sin amongst us they find nothing that may assure them of the pardon and absolution which they hope for of a Confessor And if it be true that the Confessors or Directors of conscience as they are termed often give wise counsels it is but too true also that the Counsellors themselves very often take occasion thereby to corrupt themselves or to insinuate themselves in all publick affairs of State or in the particular affairs of private Families and History is but too full of the Evils which have hapned unto the publick and to particular persons The very consolation also which they give Sinners in pronouncing their absolution doth turn into security and to conclude as hath already been openly declared upon another subject it cannot be made appear that they who live in the practice of auricular Confession are better people than those who confess themselves chiefly unto God The Council here joines Extreme Unction unto Repentance Extreme Vnction There is this difference betwixt the precedent Article and this that this latter is nothing near of so great consequence This is nothing in a manner but an useless ceremony and an evil custom whereof the errour may be tolerable in it self if it were not of dangerous influence in introducing into Religion lesser matters which might by little and little turn away the soul and heart from solid piety We might upon better grounds call this ceremony a Sacrament than Pennance Marriage or Orders which follow this because at least the Oyl may there hold the place of a visible Sign as the Council and the Bishop of Condom doe not fail to give to understand But after all this pretended Sacrament hath this common with pennance and the others which we admit not as Sacraments that the Institution made by the Church of Rome herein is onely founded upon some custom practised on particular occasions which are now ceased St. James speaking of the virtue of Prayer saith and that onely once in concluding his Epistle Is any sick amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with Oyl in the name of the Lord And the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he hath committed sins they shall be forgiven him The Roman Catechism cannot deny but that these words have allusion unto what was said before of the Apostles who being departed from our Saviour preached that men should repent S. Mark cap. 6.12 13. that they cast out many Devils anointing with Oyl many that were sick healed them because indeed the Apostles and their Disciples who had the gift of Miracles did then heal many either by anointing them or onely by laying their hands upon them which caused also that one of the greatest men of the Church of Rome speaking more fully than the Catechism doth openly acknowledge that these words of St. James are to be understood of an anointing exercised by the Disciples of Jesus Christ upon the Sick Cardinal Cajetan upon S. Jam. 5. such as is related in the Gospel and not of the Extreme Unction which is practised in the Roman Church In the mean time this is all the Foundation or all the pretext which the Council and the Bishop of Condom have for the instituting of such a Sacrament What is worst of all is that the Church of Rome doth not doe the thing it self according to the words and the intention of St. James St. James testifies that it was to heal the Sick and which is very remarkable the other words of the Evangelist unto which these of St. James allude as the Roman Catechisme doth agree speak onely indeed of healing the Sick unto which it is true that St. James adds that if the Sick hath committed sins they shall be forgiven him which is principally to be understood of those sins that may have drawn the chastisement of sickness upon the sick person The Roman Church doth on the contrary make Extreme Unction to be a Sacrament of Remission of sins as Baptism and regards little or nothing the health of the body acknowledging that it hath not now the miraculous gift of healing the sick Therefore also it is that whereas St. James speaks of the sick in general in what estate soever they be the Church of Rome doth for the most part understand that they must be at the extremity before this Unction be carried unto them and she never gives it unto little children This is as much as to say that in all things even of the least moment she must invent or add something of her own if it were but onely to shew her authority The Bishop of Condom speaks onely one word here of Marriage and he saith nothing but what we would very easily consent unto We acknowledge as he doth that Marriage is one of the most sacred Bands of civil Society but we do not agree with the Church of Rome that Marriage is a true Sacrament nor that it should not be permitted unto them that are in Orders as they speak to marry as if there ought to be a kind of incompatibility betwixt two divers Sacraments of the Gospel neither Lastly do we agree unto many other maxime of the Church of Rome touching Marriage whereof we do not find any track in Scripture nor in the practice of the ancient Church But seeing the Bishop of Condom enters not upon these Questions we will forbear speaking of them here We will onely observe that the Council could not better set forth the reasons that it had to make so many Decrees and so many Canons touching Marriage which is nevertheless naturally a civil contract than by the first and the last of these same Canons which comprehend all the rest The first doth pronounce Anathema against all those who do not believe that Marriage is a true Sacrament and the last against all those who will not believe that all causes concerning Marriage do belong to the Church that is to say that these two Canons were made the one for the other Every one at the first sight may see the great consequences of this Doctrine and the great advantages which do arise unto the Court of Rome whether it be for the authority in examination of Matrimonial causes or for the income of Dispensations It was necessary that the Church of Rome might take cognisance of causes Matrimonial for the great advantages which accrue unto her thereby and to bring it to pass that she might have cognizance of them it was necessary to make Marriage a Sacrament as also she would have had cognizance of all other civil affairs under pretext of the Oath which was inserted in contracts if the just jealousie of the Parliaments of