vers 18. I said in my Heart concerning the Estate of the Sons of Men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are Beasts A DISCOURSE In which the Author gives his Reasons why he Prefers the Reformed Religion before the Roman YOU have been so kind Generous Aristander not only to suffer but command me to give you a short Account of the Reasons that invite me to separate from the Church of Rome to close with that of the Reform'd 'T is with all my heart I desire to obey you yet not without an Apprehension that my Obedience may not suit with that Respect I owe you I fear my Belief may in some sort appear injurious to yours and that when I confess with the greatest sincerity imaginable my nearest Thoughts to you they may be so displeasing as not to be suffer'd by you You shall have no reason to accuse me of wresting the Sense of the Scripture or interpreting it according to my own Fancy for I will not quote many Passages out of it You shall have no reason to mistrust my Arguments as being nice or subtil not designing to meddle with any Controversie for I 'll leave that to the Schools and Books believing nothing can be said more concerning it I will serve my self of no Rhetorical Colours or Artificial Eloquence intending to make my Discourse as plain and ingenious as my Thoughts are I will entertain you only with those things your Eyes see and your Ears hear every day but Custom hinders you from having a due consideration of ' em First I must needs say that nothing is so amazing to me as to observe the Name of God every day in the mouthes of those who know him not nor indeed will they at all make it their business to do it They discourse of him according to their own Imaginations and invest him with Qualities barely Humane and so become guilty of the same fault with Pagans and Idolaters who made to themselves Gods according to the vain Suggestions of their own Thoughts Some take their Religion by chance and stand up in defence only of what was first imprinted on 'em Others susceptible of all sorts of Opinions follow that only which is the most convenient for ' em Whosoever to this purpose will act only as his Natural Reason dictates to him or believe but what Men like himself perswade him to will be capable of pursuing all Religions one after the other and by consequence will really have none at all If men were to receive no instructions but only from Men they would find it extremely difficult to make a true choice of what might yield solid Quiet and Ease to their Minds Each Sect has its Doctors and Logicians who all believe their own reasonings grounded on Reason it self They neither want Natural or Artificial Logick which they pervert and so raise from it numbers of odd Chimaera's called by them un-erring invincible Arguments which swell 'em with Pride and Vanity and make 'em love rather to appear reasonable than really to be so Truth in their mouths seems to put on all manner of shapes or to speak more properly Bare Probability passes with them for Truth and in this multitude of Opinions he who does not closely adhere to some Principles knows not which to embrace Every one is not able to discern false Teachers by their Doctrine For it being now both subtile and obscure too we may call it a Learned Ignorance that raises more Difficulties than it can resolve and does rather multiply Doubts than clear ' em But however since the great Point in Question is the Service of God to live well and to attain to Salvation it is necessary that those who furnish us with Precepts give us Examples too 'T is necessary that such who are our Guides lead the way 'T is thus they may procure the name of true Pastors and 't is the most certain means by which we are taught by Jesus Christ himself to distinguish and know ' em 'T is true that if Men were to be judged only by their Works there would be found but very few who were not extremely guilty But without doubt Religion is much corrupted since those of the Church are become worse than Lay-men since their vitious and debauch'd lives render 'em intolerable to honest men make 'em abus'd by their own People and deserve to be hated by all the World I have not much wonder'd at the different Opinions of Pagans and their Philosophy but I must confess the Division amongst Jews Christians and Turks has seem'd very strange to me who ought all to be united who had nothing more to wish for when once they had learn'd there was a Divine Word Above all I could not observe without horror and pity so many different Parties amongst Christians themselves and amongst those I am oblig'd to say I found that the Worst which would peremptorily force us to believe is the Best 'T is that Party which seems to have made a collection of all the Errors in the World and from hence only has merited the name of Vniversal 'T is that which is rich only by borrowing not being able to bear with the pure simplicity not to say the Poverty of the Gospel 'T is that which has not been contented to have the name of a Church common to others but would for it self alone set up a Title of Sovereignty pretending no Spiritual things can be dispos'd of but by its Order and thus by a Presumption as ridiculous as insolent calls it self the Absolute Judge of the whole World But 't is that also which is easily known however we observe it either by its Leaders or Followers its Stateliness or Poverty We need no great Learning or Subtilty on this Account so many Controversies are useless since it sufficiently makes it self apparent it at first sight shews it self to any one who will take the least notice of it its Works do plainly enough manifest its Doctrine But if we will yet make a farther discovery of it we need but read the Scriptures and compare the matter of 'em with the Practices of this Spiritual Head and its Party It may be you 'l ask me what I find so strange in it I answer that I meet with what does really astonish me and what in my Opinion should others too as well as my self I observe in it I know not what that does both grieve and fright me that fills me with compassion and strikes a terrour upon me which I ordinarily express by Sighs and Groans I observe I know not what Political Order that subsists by Traffick and the Sale of Spiritual things that uses the Name of God to make the Laws of Men more regarded and to oblige the People willingly to pay such Impositions as are laid on ' em Doubtless there is no Monarch has fairer Pretences to make himself obey'd and his Monarchy Universal But this Scarlet this Purple these Crowns do
Reader to judge of their Merits and of those of their Father His Works have long since made him so well known in France and in other Nations too where they understood and lov'd the Tongue that 't will be needless to say any thing of 'em to those who have but seen his Eudymion his Letters in Prose his Pastoral of Amarante his Tragedy of the Danaides his Collection of Miscellaneous Poems in which are his incomparable Sonnets especially those called the Christian and his Epigrams of which there are Three Books And this is to give notice to such who may not possibly have met with 'em that there are such Books that they may have the opportunity of having the same knowledge and opinion of 'em that others had Besides he left a Tragicomidy of Cydippe and loose Papers enough to have made a new Collection of Poems especially Sonnets and Epigrams but having fallen into the hands of such who did not well understand those things have not yet seen the Light I could very much enlarge my self upon what concerns the Person and Life of this famous Man but by both the one and the other he had procur'd so large a Reputation in the World that I should inform those who are living of little of him but for the sake of Posterity I will add That John-Oger de Gombaud was a Gentleman of Xaintonge and younger Brother by a fourth Marriage which he would frequently say in Raillery as an excuse that he was not Rich. He was tall well-made of a good Meen and look'd like a Man of Quality His Piety was undissembled his Honesty thoroughly experienc'd his Manners grave and well-regulated He had a Heart as Noble as his Aspect promis'd it a Mind upright and naturally vertuous of an exalted Spirit less fertile than judicious of a violent hot Humour presently provok'd to Anger and yet had a serious and compos'd Look After having finish'd all his Studies under the most celebrated Masters of his time at Bourdeaux he came to Paris at the latter end of the Reign of Henry the Great where he suddenly made himself known and valued too This mighty Monarch being unhappily Assassmated was bewailed by all the French as the Father of his Country and the Poets did adorn his Tomb with mournful Flowers they had gather'd from Parnassus Monsieur de Gombaud tho' young was not the last or least Considerable amongst ' em In the Minority of Louis the Just and in the Regency of the Queen Mary de Medias his Mother he was one that was highly esteem'd by this Great Princess there being no one of his Quality who had so free an access to her or was received with greater kindness She being of a generous and free temper and which she loved to show to deserving Men allow'd considerable Pensions to several Persons of Learning and Ingenuity That of Monsieur de Gombaud was Twelve hundred Crowns which made him always appear in very good Equipage at Court whether at Paris or in Progresses which were in those times frequent And being one who hated all superfluous Expences tho' no one more gentile in making such which were necessary had rais'd a pretty good Stock from what he spar'd out of his large Allowance which was very serviceable to him when that came to be lessen'd when both Civil and Forreign Wars had almost dryed up that Fountain from whence he had had such Plenty He was at first reduc'd from Twelve hundred Crowns to Eight and then from Eight hundred to Four which were continued to him to his Death yet without being paid since the War of Paris but from the friendship of some Great and Generous Persons by whom he had the honour to be known and favour'd amongst which the Duke and Dutchess of Montausier were the principal For some years also he had a Pension under the Great Seal from Monsieur de Seguier Chancellor of France He was always very healthful to which his Frugality and Regular manner of Life did much contribute But walking one day in his Chamber which was usual with him and his foot slipping he fell down and hurt so very much one of his Hips that he was after this unhappy Accident to the end of his Life almost always confin'd to his Bed He liv'd even an whole Age if the time of his Birth writ with his own Hand in one of his Books were true as he had assur'd a Friend of his it was who never spake of it 'till after Monsieur de Gombaud's Death He had been honour'd with the Friendship of the most considerable Persons of both Sexes of three Courts which he had seen viz. That of Henry the Fourth of Louis the Thirteenth and Louis the Fourteenth And in the Regency of two great Queens Mary de Medicis and Anne of Austria no One was more constantly at Court but especially in the time of the former But he did yet with greater diligence and pleasure frequent that infinitely agreeable Company of Quality and Worth who met at the House of Rambouillet which was a lesser Court made up of choice Persons fewer in number but if I durst say it more refin'd than that of the Louvre because not One was admitted to approach this Temple of Honour where Vertue was rever'd under the Name of the Incomparable Artenice who was not worthy of her Approbation and Esteem To conclude Monsieur de Gombaud was both loved and admir'd by all those who as he had offer'd Sacrifices to the Muses and the Graces and I doubt not but succeeding Ages will be juster to him than that in which he lived and that his Excellent Works will procure him an Immortal Name which is the Reward of all Learned Men when they can reach that height to which this Gentleman had arrived The Principal Matters contain'd in this Treatise 1. COnsiderations upon the Christian Religion 2. A Treatise concerning the Eucharist 3. A Discourse in which the Author gives his Reasons why he prefers the Reformed Religion before the Roman Catholick 4. A Letter to a Lord at Court who endeavour'd to perswade him to turn Catholick 5. A Letter to an Officer of the Crown who often discours'd to him of Religion 6. A Letter to Monsieur de la Militiere who desir'd his Opinion in writing on the Books if Controversie he had made 7 A Letter to a Lady who press'd him to go hear the Sermons of some of the Famous Preachers of the Roman Church CONSIDERATIONS UPON THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION CHAP. I. WHEN I first began to have the Use of my Senses and my Reason I could not but frequently meditate on the Beauty of this Great World the admirable Disposition of it's parts those mutual Offices they each render to other as well as those just Laws by which they are eternally conserv'd On these extraordinary Effects I often employ'd my Consideration and yet the constant Custom of doing so did not at all lessen my Wonder of 'em I could not then but
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE PROTESTANT RELIGION Asserted By REASON As well as SCRIPTVRE Written in French by the Famous MONSIEVR de GOMBAVD Made English by SIDNEY LODGE To which is added his Letters to MONSIEVR de MILITIERE And other Personages of the French-Court upon the same Subject LONDON Printed for W. C. M. G. and W. H. and sold by W. Davis in Amen-Corner MDCLXXXII To the Right Honourable BRIDGET COUNTESS OF PLYMOUTH Madam DEdications are usually made to Persons of your Ladiship 's high Character as marks of Gratitude or Respect due to 'em This of mine is of that nature there being no one to whom I owe more Acknowledgments or a greater Honour than to your Ladiship Romances and Playes are generally such Books whose Fronts are honour'd with Names of your Ladiship 's Sex but I have made choice of this Serious and Weighty Subject as believing it most suitable to your Inclinations The Matter of it is Grave and Solid but withal Delightful it being writ in an Eloquent and yet unaffected Style I have endeavour'd to make it not less so in our own Tongue If your Honour finds any Satisfaction in the reading of it I shall believe the Pains I have taken in it sufficiently requited and nothing will more encourage me to Attempts of the like nature than your Ladiship 's Approbation of this Because such Applications as these if tedious are presumptive I 'll only beg leave humbly to assure Your Ladiship that I am Madam Your Honour 's most Obliged and most Humble Servant SIDNEY LODGE TO THE READER THE Preface translated out of French gives you a short account of the LIFE of the celebrated Author I intend by this only to let you know that the ensuing Discourse is so Rational Pithy and full of Sense that it will sufficiently recommend it self and withall to beg you to read it with a due Attention and Candour For my own part I dare confidently say I have been very faithful to the Original having taken no more liberty than what a Translator may justly claim and yet I hope I may without being thought Arrogant affirm that I have given it so much the proper Idiom of the English that you 'll find it easie smooth and Natural and as pleasing as 't is useful for such a Mixture being most grateful ought to be aimed at by those who write The Follies the Superstition the Idolatry the Tyrannical Usurpation of the Church of Rome are here represented in such lively and yet deform'd Colours that no man who pretends to be reasonable but will endeavour to avoid ' em Can any one imagine himself safe under that Religion where the Name of God is onely made use of as a Pretext and instead of that Interest set up and really worshipped Religion is both reveal'd and Natural to instruct us fully In the former God has been graciously pleas'd to give us his Word but the Romanists have inhumanely forbid the reading it To attain to a perfect knowledge of the latter he has endu'd us with Reason but that is enslav'd by their positive Determinations nay they rob us of our Senses too by their establish'd Principle of Transubstantiation so that indeed the Peoples Religion does wholly consist in a blind obedience to a Pretended-Infallible-Priest How happy then are we who are under a Government where the reading of the Scriptures the Rule of Faith is not only allowed but commanded by the Church A Church free from the Extremities on one hand of Idolatry and on the other of Enthusiasm so that here we have the Opportunities of improving both our Religion and our Reason not being forbid the free Exercise of the one or oblig'd to do violence to the other of being both good Christians and Philosophers for the one may be consistent with the other which is clearly demonstrated by this short Treatise which I hope will meet with a kind Entertainment in the World THE PREFACE FROM THE FRENCH THOSE who are acquainted with Monsieur de Gombaud know that he set a greater value on his Discourses concerning Religion than on any of his other Works He was invited to write of that Subject upon a pure charitable design of making the Truth known to such who were yet under the darkness of Error and to confirm those in the true Faith who were either born in or had embraced it He frequently complain'd of two things the one was that those who writ concerning Religion were too Voluminous urging Proof upon Proof and Authority upon Authority without being careful to observe a due Order and clearness in their Discourses The other was that many perswaded themselves the true Doctrine was not consistent with an Elegant Style To shew how they were deceived in this particular he compos'd his Considerations on the Christian Religion when he was yet young and in the Vigour of his Age and in this has really demonstrated that an Author may be both strong and perspicuous short and full solid and elegant Having communicated this Piece to many of his Friends and even to some of the Roman Communion it was so well esteem'd by all of 'em that he was encouraged after that to make a Treatise on the Eucharist and then another which he presented to one of his Friends under the Name of Aristander Most of his Letters were writ in a much fuller Age. Throughout his Works the strength and admirable ingenuity of his Mind his extraordinary faculty of thinking of and expressing things will be discover'd I will say nothing of the Reasons that oblig'd him to keep these excellent Writings private I am sure he passionately desir'd to have publish'd 'em believing they would be of great use and it may be there has not yet been any Secular Man known in the World who was more zealous for the Glory of God or had a greater or a more sincere Love for his Neighbour than he had But when the heat and earnestness with which he writes shall be observ'd and withal it shall be consider'd that all he had to subsist on did absolutely depend on Court it will not be thought strange that he did not make 'em Publick in his Life-time That the World might not be depriv'd of 'em after his Death which it might if they had fallen into the hands of any who were not of his Religion he put 'em in his latter days into those of a good Friend whose Fidelity and Kindness he had experienc'd whom he oblig'd to promise him to keep 'em safe till a convenient Opportunity offer'd it self to publish ' em This Friend always design'd to perform these Desires and his own Promise but besides the difficulty of Printing things of this Nature in the Kingdom he met with many other Impediments At length after divers Attempts and Delays he resolved to make the dear Children of his Friend change their Climate in hopes that when they return'd home tho' in a strange Garb they would be own'd as truly French I leave the
they at least so act that their Idolatry be not apparent But if you press this Argument home upon 'em you touch 'em to the Quick you discover the Poyson within 'em and so far provoke 'em that they 'll not suffer you to say more and thus do they discover their Hypocrisie 'T is not say they a hundred Years since you were not at all you are Schismaticks Why did you forsake the Church But besotted as they are they should add to this You will not worship what is elevated on the Altar or believe that God can be made of a little Morsel of Bread You will not prostrate your selves before the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven or in Earth and you are scandaliz'd that the People pay such a submissive Respect to Images and Reliques with Songs of Praise and Devotion You presume so far as fully to receive the Sacrament in both kinds as Jesus Christ has instituted and will not be contented with that part only the Church allows you You will understand the Scriptures the Prayers you make to God and all the religious Service you are obliged to render to him In a word you will not submit to the Authority of the Learned after the Example of Princes and Governours or be enslaved either by Tradition or Custom Certainly they believe Religion does principally consist in the Succession of Persons and not in the Doctrine of the Gospel I can only say of 'em that they own the Truth but by bare Humane Reason that they are zealous neither for one Party or other but close with that which is most to their Advantage not considering that the Scripture does condemn the Luke-warm as well as Murderers and Adulterers I am obliged here to confess my own Weakness in accusing theirs and to acknowledge that I sometimes look on 'em with Pity at others with Anger and then with Indifference but I cannot think on such who have forsaken the Faith without Horror as being the worst of men the lively Images of the first and chief Apostate These men betray their very Brethren sell their Religion are a Scandal to the whole World making it more their Business to enrich than to save themselves Give 'em the Purse and they 'll continue with you as Judas who foresaw not as these that in selling his Master he bought his own Despair Having never had any real Inclinations to the gain of Knowledge they have always neglected the procuring it whilst they have made an outward Profession of the true Religion but having alter'd their Belief they become mighty Disputants and cunning in the Defence of their Change To this purpose they serve themselves of all the Reasons that can be thought of though in their Consciences they know they have none but the weakness of their Judgment the natural Depravity of their Minds or the difficulty they have to reconcile their Ambition and Covetousness with the Disgrace and Poverty of Jesus Christ Then the Promises and Favours of great men have irresistable Charms with which these men of mercenary Tempers easily comply whilst those who us'd to command now court 'em their very Masters caress and flatter ' em In a word the greatest part of Mankind seem born to Slavery to which though never so full of Hardship if bound to it by golden Chains they submit nay prefer it before the Christian Liberty They are ready even to adore those by whom they enrich themselves or where they meet with Honour and Respect and as the Heathens own no other Gods but their Benefactors CHAP. X. AMongst so many bewitch'd or crazed Persons the wilfully blind and Slaves of the World I have sought for some in whom I might confess to have found such a Purity of Mind and such marks of their Election that I might have joyn'd with 'em in the Communion of the Spirit and by that Bond of Perfection which makes 'em inseparable from their Creator and their Neighbour For what Satisfaction or Comfort could I find with the men of the Age before whom we must never it being indecent from whence I know not to discourse of Religion they either talk not at all of Divine things or if they do 't is after a Humane way What Pleasure could I have in their Friendship who heartily differed from me in that which ought to be the chief end of all our Desires and our Hopes I endeavour'd to know the Children of Heaven from those of the Earth and the meeting one of the Faithful would have been as an Angel to me But amongst such Numbers of men I could not meet with one though I earnestly labour'd after it being without doubt less discerning than Elijah who saw not one in all Israel where yet there were many I happen'd in an Age in which the men of it did even already degenerate from the first Simplicity and late Reformation in which those who styled themselves of the Reform'd Religion follow'd their very steps who have destroy'd the most flourishing Churches For they used the same liberty in their Words and Actions the same superfluous Vanity in their Cloaths the same luxurious way of living which scandaliz'd the Emperour Julian and confirm'd him in his Apostacy Matth. 24. 12. Iniquity did so abound that the love of many waxed cold And to judge of 'em by their outward Behaviour those who were false Christians could not be distinguish'd from the true I thought no where so proper to find those I sought for as in the most lawful Assemblies but I could not discover the Church even in the Church that being frequented by certain Persons whose highest Devotion consists in their Looks who never think the Sermon too long or their Meetings too often who would look upon Religion as too cold did it not in some Acts imitate even Superstition It is indeed too much fill'd with those who come only for Company 't is their Education or Chance that draws 'em thither rather than any hearty desire of improving themselves in the knowledge of the Truth Hither they come only to see the World from whence the World in some sort ought to be banish'd where they behave themselves with so little Respect that 't would be Injustice to call 'em Hypocrites since there is no manner of Appearance either of their Zeal or Devotion Their only Aim is to be seen in the most known and publick Places instead of giving God Thanks that he is pleas'd to permit 'em to be in the Company of Saints amongst whom it ought to be of sufficient Satisfaction to 'em without pretending to other Advantages that they have room enough only to kneel There are some who make the day of rest a day of Labour and perform the most necessary and just Duties as burthensom and uneasie Tasks There are others so deprav'd that they hear Sermons only to find fault with 'em to wrest their Sense or scoffingly to repeat 'em to the Enemies of the Reformation Many have lost the very Sence
Neighbour Exod. 24. 16. by this is meant those are to be called Hereticks who embrace no other Religion but what is prescrib'd by the Word of God Then when 't is said speaking of the Communion As often as you shall eat of this Bread 1 Cor. 11. 26. The Sence of this is That you shall eat no Bread And when 't is said Tarry one for another 1 Cor. 11. 33. The meaning of this is That Masses shall be said without Communicants And thus of the rest They render the Scripture intricate and difficult only that they may be consulted as Oracles and their Authority absolutely depended on If Philosophy was so necessary for men to discharge their Duty to God the mean and ordinary people of the World could never know any thing of it against that place of Scripture which says That he hath hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and has revealed 'em unto Babes Matth. 11. 25. It is not to be hoped that a well establish'd Couference can either clear or dissipate this Darkness since most men design only the maintaining the first Opinion they have receiv'd or setting a Value and Reputation on their Profession Disputes indeed are dangerous for those who manage 'em ordinarily grow passionate and sharp or ambitious of Conquest at least of not being overcome I have never observ'd those of the Church of Rome to deal with Sincerity their Religion has so little of Religion in it that it scarce ever suffers 'em to act in any thing without consulting their Humane Interest or without having studied all manner of Tricks and Cunning As the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of light Luke 16. 8. They are assured of the Victory before the Combat They are certain they shall be countenan'd by those who preside and be applauded by the Voice of the Multitude They are assur'd of him on whose Account the Dispute is made and to have the better by any way whatever unless that of Reason Otherwise they amuse the Standers by and lose the time in repeating long Quotations and will always speak thrice as much at least as their Adversaries They will not dispute with equal Strength or Arms they will be both Party and Judges and pretending a Sovereign Jurisdiction over all things that belong to Religion will not be determined but by themselves they will admit of no Advice or allow any Councils but what are made up of men all obliged to the same Interest They will resolve nothing but after their own Way their own Policy their own Customs or Prejudices which confirm their Errors instead of removing of ' em But if they were well assur'd that Truth was of their side it being certainly the strongest tho' the least known yet ought they to be so charitable to us as to say Assemble the learned'st of your Men together and we on our parts will do the same We 'll receive your Reasons in Writing signed with your hands and we 'll return you ours with the same Freedom But these Hypocrites these self-interessed Men of seared Consciences will not run the Risque of ruining at once both their Religion and their Fortunes 'T is not their design to draw men to their Party by the Power of Truth they know no way to do it but by Corruption by Liberty and fair Promises They make it their business to find out amongst those of the Reform'd Religion and especially the Pastors a Judas who may be prevailed on to sell himself to betray their Master and Brethren But to what purpose these Perswasions or these Compulsions To what end this Dispute or rather this insufferable Wrangling Is it not only to prove to us that those who prostrate themselves before Images are not Idolaters Is it not to perswade us to go every day before the Altar to observe the going forward and backward the Gestures the mysterious Ornaments of a Priest that turns his Back upon us and to oblige the People to say Amen to several repeated Words and murmuring Noise of a Tongue which for the most part they understand not 'T is for this they make so much Disorder in the World 't is for this they promise they threaten and persecute the Saints even to over-come 'em as far as 't is possible for 'em and make the very Stars fall from Heaven 'T is this which does afflict us and this which does often amaze us 'T is this would make us sink under our Fear and Sorrows but on this account the Holy Trinity comes to our Assistance the Holy Ghost does comfort and withal assure us That the Son shall not lose one of those whom the Father has given him Joh. 17. 12. and 18. 9. Moreover Providence and Truth are so gloriously triumphant over their Enemies that they find themselves caught in those Snares they laid for others Whoever shall attentively read the Books of Controversie so refin'd as they are at this Time will perceive that those of the Reform'd Religion do apparently surpass all others and that there are only such who are contentious stupid or harden'd and given up even to a reprobate Sense that receive not from 'em as full Satisfaction as Reason it self can offer To conclude Aristander I am forc'd to tell you that I find not so much as one remaining Spark of the pure Gospel any shadow of true Christianity in all this Roman Hierarchy 'T is a Body labouring under an irrecoverable Leprosie an Hydropick Body puffed up with it's ill Humours 'T is sick of a Lethargy that sleeps the Sleep of Death from which no Voice is strong or loud enough to awaken it On the contrary I am fully satisfy'd with the Profession of the Reformed Churches which instruct me in the Divine Commands without any Mixture of Humane Inventions I find there preached the pure and plain Truth of a Jesus Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. who brings healing under his Wings Mal. 4. 2. who makes the Deaf to hear and the Blind to see and in a Word even the Dead to rise again Matt. 11. 5. to enjoy the for-ever-blessed Life of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost who lives and reigns eternally Amen A LETTER to a Lord at Court who would have perswaded him to turn Catholick MY LORD SInce the Care you are pleas'd to have of me in all my Concerns extends it self even to the Salvation of my Soul I humbly beg your Lordships leave to give you my Opinion on this Subject and 't would be an extreme Pleasure to me was it not contrary to yours 'T is not without Astonishment that I have observ'd in the World so many different Religions which are all maintain'd by their Patrons with an equal Positiveness one believing he has as much Reason on his side as the other But 't was yet greater Amazement to me to see that God does so manifestly make himself known to men that will not listen to him and who are so obdurate not
to meditate either on what they hear or read and perceive not what they even see I can hardly look on those without Contempt or Indignation who have no Religion but from their Education or Chance on whom Custom is abundantly more prevalent than Reason it self They lazily adhere to what they first meet with and betraying themselves dread nothing more than to know the Truth for fear of being oblig'd to embrace it I believ'd then my Lord that to preserve our selves from these Errors 't was highly necessary to have recourse to Principles and therefore I diligently search'd the Scriptures which are said and with reason to be Divinely inspir'd 2 Tim. 3. 16. and in which are found the Words of Eternal life John 6. 68. From hence I first learn'd that God would be acknowledg'd the sole Author as well as the only Object of Religion and that he is so jealous of his Commandments that whoever presumes to add to or retrench from 'em is guilty of Sacrilege These Holy Oracles by so many evident Proofs confirm the Faith of the Gospel and the Truth of Christianity that 't is impossible for any one unless stupid or hardned in Wickedness to doubt of ' em The best things that have been said by Philosophers are here urg'd with more Power and Efficacy There is nothing wanting in 'em either for regulating our Manners or the Worship of God or the Comfort of our Souls But in these we find not any of those new words which 't was necessary to invent to express their new Doctrines These acquaint us with what is sufficient to know of our Sovereign Good and what they declare not was not necessary to be said We must not imagine that they are to be interpreted as we please They are sufficiently explain'd by themselves to be understood by those who sincerely desire it and perfectly to inform 'em of what true Christians ought not to be ignorant of If the Mysteries in 'em are obscure the Precepts are clear but neither the Darkness of the one or the Clearness of the other allow men to contribute any thing to 'em but their Obedience I read 'em then My Lord not out of bare Curiosity with design to contradict 'em or that I may be look'd on as more learned by it but that I may enjoy the Comforts of this present Life and acquaint my self with those of a future I dispute not of Grace but earnestly ask it I dive not into the Secret of Predestination but I look after and endeavour all possible ways to find my self concern'd in it I don't believe that God is obliged to give me an Account of what he is pleas'd to do from his Justice or his Mercy All these nice Questions belong to the Great Doctors of the Age who allow themselves this Priviledge who so much abound in their own Sense and who are so full of Pride and Presumption that they will not humble themselves even at the Voice of the Almighty to which would they yield that respect and Submission as they ought was of it self alone sufficient to reconcile all the Differences of the World The Impressions which the Word of God makes on those who read it with Care and Attention do enlighten 'em to distinguish between the true Religion and the false and to reject all those Traditions which are not coherent with its Doctrine or confirm'd by its Authority Who doubts but that the Primitive Christians the more calmly to introduce themselves in the World have been forc'd to allow of many things which have been made use of as degrees to Superstition and which at length have been establish'd as inviolable Laws Men have been always vain in their imaginations have sought out many inventions Eccl. 7. 29. and I know not by what Science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6. 20. have fram'd to themselves some fantastick Chimera's and Notions which they have plac'd in the room of Truth They can't relish the wholesome Doctrine they desire something to please the eye they entertain themselves with colours and sounds or with some mysterious Appearances the subject of their Admiration and Amazement The plainness of the Gospel suits well with their temper they are so far from following the steps of our Saviour to go forth from the Camp bearing his Reproach Heb. 13. 13. that they will admit of no Religion but what is glorious and splendid and consequently of none but what â—s conformable to the Kingdom of this World They have their Religious men and what is worse Women too who look askew on those â—hat believe not as they do and who on the credit of some Impostor or on the testimony of one Party alone condemn the other to forfeit all his Happiness They often put me in mind of those honourable Women who did so persecute those two Apostles St. Paul and St. Barnabas and were never at ease till they had forc'd 'em out of Antioch Observe then How not only vain and useless Devotion is but pernicious too when it is not inspir'd by the Spirit of Discretion or the Knowledge of the Truth Many of 'em impose on themselves Laws which God never instituted and are as those concerning which 't is said Who hath required this at your hands Isa 1. 12. From hence have the People been corrupted become Superstitious and from Superstition proceeded to Idolatry 'T is from hence so many Judgments remain yet amongst us from hence is God's Anger kindled against men from hence are they provok'd one against another and to compleat their misery 't is from hence they rather harden their hearts than strive to reform ' em For my part my Lord I joyn with those who constantly adhere to the Scriptures who turn not from 'em either to the right hand or to the left who exhort us to the reading of 'em and who desire their Sermons may be try'd by this Touch-stone When we see 'em deal thus fairly I cannot doubt but that their Calling is lawful and that they make a part of the Universal Church But I beware as much as 't is possible for me of the Leaven of the Pharisees of the Age who would have the Ordinances of men be equal to those of Divine Institution whose Religion is but a Pretence to make 'em the more easily procure what their Ambition or Avarice prompt 'em to I confess I can't but wonder that they reflect not on those words of Jesus Christ But in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men Matth. 15. 9. and that they believe not that many even when they design to Honour displease him Who are these men Not Kings Nobles or Magistrates that are intrusted with the management of Temporal things it must be those then who are charged with the government of Spiritual ones who abusing the credulity of the People and the name of God himself make themselves obey'd even as God I am amaz'd that what he says in another place so expresly against the
Wise and Learned men of the World does not terrifie 'em and oblige 'em to quit their own Doctrine But they think so arrogantly of themselves that they look on those with pity not to say rage who dare contradict 'em or in the least doubt of their Infallibility Yet as a just punishment on 'em they are so blinded as to be ignorant of and suffer others to be so too what it has pleas'd God to reveal unto Babes Matth. 11. 25. to the confounding of the greatest part of the Mighty of the Noble and the Learned themselves 1 Cor. 1. 26. All sorts of Reason teaches us that he spake only to be understood that he caus'd his Word to be written that it might be read and hid it not but from those who are lost If he condemns a wilful and brutish Ignorance he disapproves of a haughty and vain Knowledge the Spring from whence arise so many Disputes which do infinitely more hurt than good and which maintain not so much the Truth as the first received Opinion He believes He follows Christ who persecutes him He believes himself of the number of the Faithful whose whole Faith consists but in an indiscreet Zeal in the strength of Errour and in being positive and obdurate The men of the Age acquaint not themselves with this Truth or if they do 't is from those of their own party who confirm 'em in their belief and neither the one or the other allow of any Religion which agrees not with their Conveniencies If any of 'em have a sense of their Disease it is agreeable to 'em they take such pleasure in it that they 'l not endeavour after any cure But to conclude all I will maintain that men have no surer sign of their Election than their love of the Word of God and that those shall not be saved who have not loved it more than Honour Riches and the most amiable things in the World A LETTER to an Officer of the Crown that often discours'd to him of Religion MY LORD WHEN Your Lordship does me the Honour to discourse to me of Religion my Respect will not give me leave to answer you but only to listen to you yet if I am longer silent I fear you may judge me insensible of what I have the most lively Sense 'T is this makes me take the Confidence of entertaining Your Lordship with a few Lines concerning my Belief and not without wonder that others are not of the same Opinion with me As soon as my Sense and Reason began to be serviceable to me I with great Care and Diligence search'd the Holy Scriptures and I have no other Religion but what I learn'd from thence I never believed that some dark and abstruse Passages were contrary to others that were clear and evident and I have found most of 'em sufficiently plain fully to inform me of what I ought to believe I never thought that God would speak to his Children only to deceive 'em or not to be understood by ' em Those who have good Inclinations never read the Scriptures but they profit by ' em If those whom Curiosity it may be has invited once to read 'em don't continually persevere in doing so 't is a shrewd Sign they have had no Operation on ' em 'T is not the meek or humble the plain men of the World or even the ignorant that promote Heresies those who do this and then maintain 'em must be both malicious and learned too 'T was no disheartening to me to see the true Professors of the Gospel bear a certain Character that made the World despise 'em and they the World They are dejected as if out of their Element and did but out of Complaisance participate of others Joys Above all in the Exercise of their Religion they abhor all manner of Superstition and believe that 't is an Abuse and a high Crime to mix the Inventions of men with the Ordinances of God If our good Intentions were capable of making our Vows and Offerings equally acceptable all Religions would be good ones But the Jealousie of the Eternal Exod. 20. 5. will not suffer us to profane holy Things or sanctifie profane ones or to speak yet more fully to consecrate Sacriledges Let the most rational men read and read again the Scriptures and let 'em frame a Religion according to the Rules they prescribe without presuming beyond what is written 1 Cor. 4 6. and I am confident they cannot make any other than that which I profess and by the Grace of God will do the same all my Life A LETTER to Monsieur de la Militiere who begged his Opinion in Writing upon the Books of Controversie he had made SIR I Don't pretend to answer in one Letter so many Books which your Revolt has occasion'd you to write in Opposition to that Religion you have forsaken and in the Defence of that you have closed with I must only say I could never with all the Sense and Reason Heaven has been pleas'd to bestow on me reconcile what I see in the Church of Rome to what I read in the Holy Scriptures I have ever consulted both Parties I have read the Writings both of the one and the other that I might the better know 'em by their Words and their Actions But I find that your Doctors serve themselves of too much Art and Cunning to be believ'd their Divinity is so refin'd that they undo themselves by their own Subtilty They mix with it I know not what Leaven of which our Saviour bids us beware and which indeed has not the taste of true Bread or the heavenly Manna Those of the Reform'd Religion on the contrary act with greater Sincerity adhere to the Rule of the Scriptures which do more enlighten our Understandings and give greater Tranquillity to our Minds Let who please imagine he has clearer Illuminations than I have such as I have I find in their Doctrine as full Satisfaction as a reasonable Soul can wish for in the Search of the Truth Why then all this Controversie If we have never so little Knowledge of the Will of God or how jealous he is of his Commandments we cannot see the Church of Rome without condemning it We are extreamly in the Wrong to call those Christians who have no sign of true Christianity who speak not in the style of Jesus Christ or the Gospel to whom the Words of Eternal Life are strange and uncouth If we mistake any one Word in their Hearing 't is enough to make us pronounc'd Hereticks they look a skew on us and 't is very likely we shall pass for Strangers even in our own Country Instead of this they discourse only of the Prayer-book of our Lady and the Office of the Blessed Virgin of their praying by Beads of their devoting themselves to St. Francis or St. Roch and those defective Instructions shew that those who instruct them thus must needs be very bad Masters What Sir would you have me
go and whither would you have me go Can I look on those People without Pitty who know not what they say when they either pray or sing But above all Can I see so many poor miserable Women who have never done and who believe God is only pleas'd with Numbers and Repetitions Can I without Horror take Notice of their Beads and Altars dedicated to any other than the Holy of Holies where the Creature is placed in the Room of the Creator Can I see on the high Altar that which is called the Blessed Sacrament an ineffectual Object an insignificant Sign Bread which is neither broke given or receiv'd by any one that represents neither the breaking of the Body or the shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ and which is nothing less than the Sacrament Would you have me go every day to observe sacrificing Priests that cannot tell you themselves what they sacrifice and of the Supper of the Lord make a Show only Sometimes they speak with a loud Voice and yet not to be understood and sometimes so foftly and pronounce such Mysterious and Sacred Words that 't is not permitted to those who are by tho' never so devout to hear what is said lest they prophane it They turn to the right hand and to the left in Imitation of what the Heathens called Vertigines and from whence they expect to procure some efficacious and admirable Vertue This is the highest pitch of Superstition They elevate what they hold in their hands to make it adored to which they attribute the Names of God of the Host of the Body of our Lord and of the Sacrament and all these if we may believe them are consistent together without any Contradiction Sure these Men must be of a very easie Belief to imagine that that which they make with their own hands and which they consecrate should be made the God who made them Then not considering that the Supper ought to be a common Meal and therefore must have Company at it or without having Consideration of that Passage which says Stay one for another the Priest for the most part eats alone and sometimes gives it only to some particular Person which from Abuse and Custom they forbear not to call the Communion What is yet worse the taking away of the Cup which cannot upon any Account more at one time than another be justified and that evident Reason of it's Concomitancy tacitly accuse our Saviour of not having well thought what he did do correct or rather violate his Ordinance and so add Sacriledge to Blasphemy Moreover those who have but an ordinary Tincture of Humane Learning very well know from what Invention from what Source have flow'd their Holy Waters some fix'd others running or carryed about Their Ensignes their lighted Tapers at Noon-day their Images of Saints I had almost said Gods To conclude all their Feasts their Processions their shorn crown'd Heads their pontifical Ornaments their pompous Ceremonies that make the Cross of Jesus Christ of no effect do sufficiently of themselves prove that they preserve nothing of the Plainness or Simplicity of the Gospel The principal Heads of the Church of Rome in this truly Universal have been afraid to omit any one single Act of the Religions of this World as if God needed to borrow even from his Enemies new Inventions or other Methods to procure greater Honour to himself Thus Paganism is not quite abolish'd and we may say that there are yet such Remains of Superstition and Idolatry that the Heathens even now do triumph in some Measure over the Christians Here we find nothing pure or compleat nothing that bears any Marks of the first Institution every thing is chang'd and corrupted and to use their own terms there seems to have been in all things a universal Transubstantiation But what would become of the Mystery of Iniquity that was set on Work from the time of St. Paul 2 Thessâ—… 7. and by what would Believers know it if it had not the Marks of Infidels All these Alterations have come to pass for the Promotion of that Kingdom or rather that King who advances himself above all others and who only use the Name of God to authorize his own Laws against those of God himself 'T is with the Head of this Church as with the Church he governs 't is but warily observing him and we may be undeceiv'd He is elected only by political Intrigues and Briberies and his Government is but a Trade for under it Sins are taxed and Pardons to be sold He sets himself up as the absolute Judge of Divine as well as Humane things of the Living as the Dead and disposes even as he pleases of our very Souls sending some to Hell and others to Paradise He bestows on some Ecclesiasticks in great Employments Titles of Vanity and Pride and canonizes only such who defend his Tyranny and Usurpation What a Successor is this of St. Peter How does he imitate Jesus Christ What a Vicar is he to subvert all the Orders of his Lord and who turns his Poverty his Humility and Sufferings into Riches Pomp and Pleasures Yet he has the Multitude on his side the Arm of Flesh and for a Time he is even impower'd to contend against the Saints and overcome ' em These are Ills scarce to be remedy'd because esteem'd Vertues and in which many find all the Conveniences imaginable With these are Hypocrites the Ambitious and Covetous pleas'd and all such who are byass'd by Interest These are agreeable to the timerous the weak the brutish the stupid and to all those who are harden'd by Custom The Antiquity of these Errors is sufficient to make 'em valu'd as Sacred Laws in the Opinion of the Vulgar Even many of the Fathers by suiting themselves too much to the present time and not fore-seeing what might come to pass have confirm'd 'em by conniving at ' em To cite their Testimony on this Account is not to defend our own Cause but accuse theirs 't is to have Recourse to Authority for want of Reason They themselves owâ—… that they are not infallible and in this matter that their best Thoughts are very imperfect if not altogether consonant to the Scripture The Doctrine of the true Church is purely Canonical Divine and not to be authoriz'd by that which is not so These famous Preachers which you desire so much I should hear are Accessories to all these Abuses and deal very unfairly unless they undeceive the People There is no Religion but may be eloquently discoursâ—… nay there are those which preach up Moâ—…y admirably well but we may say of Eloquence as of Beauty that 't is a gift of Heaven bestow'd as well on the Wicked as the Good The Business of the greatest part of 'em is indeed to set forth themselves and to procure some spiritual Preferments which now exceed the Secular Is it to preach Jesus Christ to conceal the â—…ost important and chief part of his Commands
who are both their Accusers and Judges unjust and inconsiderate Judges who continually pronounce against 'em this short sentence inspir'd into 'em by truly infernal Furies you are damn'd you are damn'd Inhumane and Diabolical saying which against the Prohibition of our Saviour himself rashly judges anothers Servants and those who are not under their jurisdiction These are the strongest arguments the softest remonstrances and the most charitable words they put into the mouths of their people who bark and rail at their Brethren instead of gently discovering their Errour to 'em or hearing their Justification How great is the injustice of Men And how do most of 'em deserve that Condemnation they pronounce against their Neighbours Such as these upbraid me with my Religion who are unacquainted with their own and know nothing of mine but from its Enemies They condemn me upon the bare report of my Adversaries without hearing either my Advocate or my self But pray tell me Gentlemen and Ladies who are they for whom you have so great an Aversion to whom do you talk with that Sharpness and Anger Are they not those who ground all their Religion on the Holy Scripture who read meditate on love and admire it who learn it by heart and who are so far from accusing it of insufficiency that in that alone they find the Words of Eternal Life sufficient for their perfect Instruction and Comfort Are they not those whose Charity recalls you to that first Estate in which you were When no Images were yet set up in your Churches when you own'd no other Purgatory than the Blood of Jesus Christ when going to Mass or taking the Cup from the People was not so much as talked of but meeting together for the breaking of Bread which was not elevated to make it ador'd They certainly have not the Spirit of God who hate such as love his Word and only covet to impart to you that Light and those Joyes they receive from it It must be acknowledg'd these are strange Hereticks and are mightily in the wrong to stick to Principles not to presume beyond what is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. and not to turn to the right hand or to the left Josh 23. 6. They are to blame not to consent to the adding of other Commands to the Law or other Articles to the Faith which is prescrib'd ' em In a word they do very ill that they mix not profane things with Holy Indeed I consent with all my Soul to their Profession let what name they please be given 'em I had much rather be one of those Hereticks than one of the Catholicks of the Age. For in effect who are they whose Doctrine we ought so very much fear Is it that of Kings and Princes who are chiefly intrusted with the care of Secular things Is it that of Magistrates who decide Differences between men Is it that of the People who are employ'd in Mechanical Arts or in Trading Nothing less 'T is that of the Great Doctors of the Church and whose Leaven ought to be suspected by us as that of the Pharisees They are those who do what they please by the Priviledge and Authority of that Character they bear who under the name of Doctors or Fathers preach Errour effectually and who the more they are fill'd with Frenzy and Enthusiasm the more would they perswade us they are inlighten'd They are those who have such an extraordinary Opinion of their own Strength that they brag that they are not only able to fulfill but to surpass the Law And though that obliges us to love God with all our Hearts and our Neighbours as our selves it is not sufficient to bear testimony of their Faith or to magnifie their Works To this must be added Councils which it comprehends not and which transport men beyond that perfect Love which it obliges us to Several Traditions must be observ'd which tho' instituted by Pagans and Infidels are become Sacred since admitted into the Church and called Apostolical To conclude Many amongst 'em do so abound in doing Good Works that they have some to spare to impart to those who do none at all and in order too to their obtaining Eternal Life It is not to be wonder'd at that the Evil Spirit has prevail'd on men to forbid the reading of the Holy Scripture for 't is impossible that those impressions it makes on pious minds which are seriously industrious in the search of Salvation can consist with the Doctrine and Religion of the Times It has often recover'd me from a Lethargy into which I was insensibly plunged by the Errours of the World By it I have learn'd to know both my Beginning and my End It has infus'd into me both a Love and Fear of my Creator it has made me fear his Judgments adore his Goodness and lay claim to his Mercy It has caus'd me to observe such various and so many proofs of his Providence that I had no room left to doubt of it I never read it but I became better'd by it yet not with that Perseverance as I could have wish'd Therefore I thought 't was necessary for me to begin it often and never to leave it off I met with so many Truths in it from one end to the other that I have not follow'd their Example who only seek after Contradictions in it who will not distinguish Times or consider the different respects why things have been said It is not dangerous to such who have good desires it ought not to be mistrusted by 'em it does inlighten 'em instruct 'em and shews 'em the way that leads to Eternal Life It is impossible that He who suspends his Judgment who is not sway'd by Passion Custome or Prejudice who is only govern'd by Reason and seeks after the Truth should not find it by this way and thus to search after it comes from the Spirit of God What shall I say more He must not expect to be saved who does not love this Word above all things and who does not evidence the love he has for it by frequent reading of it For many will say with their Mouths they love that which indeed they do not They in vain pretend to excuse themselves upon the Credit of their Teachers in saying that 't is not intelligible by all that every one expounds it to his own Advantage If they are to be believ'd God spake to his Children only to deceive 'em and not to be understood by ' em Thus there is no way left either to read or know any thing Every passage hath its different Sense whereupon we must refer our selves to our Masters Even those which seem most Evident are most obscure and oftentimes signifie the contrary of what they seem to signifie As for Example when 't is said Thou shalt not make to thy self any likeness Exod. 20. vers 4. this signifies we must fill our Churches with Images when 't is said Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy