Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
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A63618
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A letter of enquiry to the reverend fathers of the Society of Jesus written in the person of a dissatisfied Roman Catholick.
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Taylor, James, fl. 1687-1689.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing T284; ESTC R10414
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40,744
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50
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Abuses could creep into our Church and much less that any of her Pastors and Teachers would betray their poor ignorant Sheep into those dangers But now God be prais'd I am otherwise convinc'd and that chiefly by reading and considering those very Decrees of Trent together with the Catechism of the Council of Trent now lately also publish'd in English For in many places of those Decrees the Council shews a great fear and so far certainly 'tis highly to be commended least the People should run into Superstition and Idolatry Now I consider that if there was no danger from the Nature or from the Use and Practice of our Worship and Service such a concern as the Council shew'd had been much below the Wisdom of so great an Assembly So that a thinking Man cannot forbear concluding that there was very great danger of the Peoples committing Idolatry and Superstition at least from the very use and performing of the then Worship and Service However I would fain hope that tho' there are some things in this Council that look too like Superstition and Idolatry yet because we magnifie it for so Wise and Holy that it has in Truth Defin'd and Decreed nothing that so much as ministers or tempts to those grievous Sins For since it was in the Council's Power not only to have actually redress'd all Abuses and Corruptions but also to have prevented all future danger of that kind and yet if it can be made appear that it has done neither but rather has still more expos'd Mankind to these Sins I cannot for my life see how it can be acquitted of Hypocrisie and Deceit towards the poor ignorant People which make up I doubt the far greatest part of our Church And that provided the Council might advance the Riches and Grandure of the Church and Clergy it car'd not what became of Mens Souls whom the wise and good GOD thought worth redeeming by the precious Blood of his dear Son. Suffer me Reverend Fathers to give you an instance or two of this Council's seeming Care to keep Men from Superstition and Idolatry and which also first let in some light to my dark and ignorant mind In the 22 Session and the Decree concerning the Celebration of the Mass the Bishops are order'd to take care to prohibit and remove those things which Superstition the false Imitatress of true Piety or Covetousness hath introduced and speak against the Servitude I suppose that is the Worship of Idols And also it is there commanded that a certain number of certain Masses and Candles which was rather invented by a Superstitious Worship than by true Religion should be taken away And again in the 25 Session and the Decree concerning Purgatory the Bishops are commanded not to suffer any thing but to prohibit every thing which tends to Superstition And in her Decree concerning the Invocation of Saints c. she earnestly desires that all Superstition in the Invocation of Saints Worshipping of Relicks and in the Holy Use of Images may be taken away And last of all in the Continuation of her 25 Session she speaks against Superstition and Ignorance Now Reverend Fathers finding this wonderful General Council to speak so plainly against these Crimes of Superstition and Idolatry and also against Ignorance and observing it so much concern'd for the People and to give such great caution and charge to the Bishops about them and our Adversaries continually taxing us with these Sins you cannot surely blame me or be the least offended that I take the best way I can devise not only to preserve my self from them but also others in our Church who I doubt may as much want information and help in these matters And this indeed is one reason why I chuse rather to enquire of you in this publick manner than in a private way for I consider that that Love is not Christian which is confin'd to one's self its Nature being communicative And since Charily to our Neighbour is an indispensible Duty How can it be better exercis'd than about the Soul Pardon Reverend Fathers this necessary Account of that which gave birth to my Letter And because it will consist of things different in their nature permit me for the more clear and orderly proceeding and greater satisfaction to divide it into several Sections as well as Queries And take it not ill that I propose to ye the Difficulties I labour under with that freedom and openness which only becomes a pure lover and searcher of Truth and one that considers nothing but GOD and his own Soul concern'd in the Enquiry And I humbly beg you to give a direct full and clear Answer to every Enquiry in each Section or a good reason why you cannot or will not SECTION I. Quere I. WHat might be the reason Reverend Fathers why the Council of Trent did not define and describe Idolatry and Superstition especially when it so often mentions these Crimes and cautions People against them does not this proceeding make a thinking Man apt to believe that they were conscious that the then Practice and Worship and Doctrines were faulty in that kind and so were afraid of having them discover'd by such an honest dealing but yet were willing to appear to condemn them in general terms for even at that time was it not too gross to have declar'd for down-right Idolatry or Superstition Quere II. What might those things be which the Council in the 22 Session orders Bishops to take care to prohibit and remove and which it observ'd were introduc'd by Superstition and Covetousness But had it not lookt more honest and more becoming Christian Bishops to have told what these things were Quere III. What was that Servitude or Worship of Idols it speaks against in the same Session in the Decree concerning the Things to be observ'd and eschew'd in the Celebration of the Mass Did the Priest or the People Worship Idols when Mass was said Pray Reverend Fathers declare the truth to me in this matter my mind is much perplex'd about it For I find our present Disputers stifly maintain that our Doctrine and Worship is now the very same that it was at the time of the Council of Trent and at that time the same it was from the beginning I profess I tremble as often as I go to Mass and shall do so till I am better satisfied herein Quere IV. What was that certain Number of Masses and Candles which in the same Decree the Council says was rather invented by a Superstitious Worship than by true Religion Are they according to the Council's Command taken away And when and where were they so taken away Quere V. What does the Council mean in her Decree concerning Purgatory by commanding the Bishops not to suffer any thing but to prohibit every thing which tends to Superstition Pray Reverend Fathers what was it which at that time did tend to Superstition in the Peoples Practice and Worship in Praying for the Dead or the
the Church of Rome is as Infallible as GOD with many other Points and Doctrines too long here to be named at this time Quere IV. Pray Reverend Fathers Had the English Bishops and Pastors in Henry the Eighth's Reign and at the time of the Reformation by Virtue of their Ordination c. receiv'd from Rome Power and Authority to Preach and Teach the Truth of the Gospel and Reform all Errors and Corruptions in Faith Doctrines Worship and Manners within their own Jurisdictions Diocesses c. If they had not How were they God's Ambassadors Ministers and Dispensers of the Gospel which is nothing else but Truth and Holiness If they had and that the Reformed Faith Doctrine and Worship is the Truth of the Gospel were not all our Forefathers in Conscience bound to hearken to and obey them and not only for that reason but also because they were their Lawful Bishops and Pastors And for the same reason are not we now bound to hearken to and obey the present Bishops and Pastors of the Church of England who are their lawful and undoubted Successors Quere V. Pray Reverend Fathers What Council or Pope has declar'd and decreed against Rebellion let one's Natural Prince be of what Religion he will and never so contrary to the worldly Policy and Interest of Rome I would fain hope that you can satisfie me in this Enquiry because I have often heard our Church tax'd for a Disloyal Church But further I enquire Whether no Council or Pope has ever declar'd and decreed nor Cardinal or Jesuit writ and maintain'd That in many cases but especially when Princes are not of the Religion and Interests of the Church of Rome it is lawful to cut them off And has there been no Treasons committed nor Rebellions acted not only by the Laity but also by the Clergy and even by the Pope himself in conformity and obedience to such Decrees and Doctrines Quere VI. What is the meaning I beseech you Reverend Fathers of that Book which is Intituled in English The Tax of the Apostolick Chamber for several Sins The Protestants often upbraid us with it and really I know not what to answer because I have enquir'd and find there is such a Book and more that 't is authoriz'd and allow'd by our Church But I am much puzled to find out a good meaning of it Methinks it sounds a little harsh to Christian ears that for any sums of money at all there should be either Indulgence given to commit sins or a pardon procur'd after they are committed and this Publish'd to all the World Does not this look like tempting and inviting men to be wicked Quere VII If it be true Reverend Fathers what the Protestants charge you and the rest of the Guides of our Church with as that you deny men the use of their Sensos and Reason about Religion and so would debase them into the condition of mere Brutes is it not just to esteem you the common Enemies of Mankind For to what end and purpose did God give us these Faculties was it only think ye to govern our selves in worldly affairs And did not the wise and good God likewise endue us with Sense and Reason that we might preserve our selves from being imposed upon and cheated by a false and absurd Religion Now what Design can that Man or Company of Men be rationally thought to have who would rob Mankind of the only means which GOD has given them to preserve themselves from being deceiv'd in so mighty a Concernment as Religion And from being made wretched Slaves to wicked and designing Men And on the contrary Are not the Divines of the Church of England and other Protestant Churches to be highly valued and lov'd because they earnestly invite Men to the Exercise of their Senses and Reason about Religion and propound no Doctrines but what tends to the improvement and perfecting of Human as well as Divine Knowledge and ennobling the Nature of Man which certainly is the Great Design of the Christian Religion Quere VIII Whether your way of conducting Religion and managing Coneroversies by Tricks and Arts and exposing the whole Christian Religion for the sake of some unreasonable Doctrines and Propofitions by making Parallels between the Doctrine of the Trinity and Transubstantiation and making the First to depend only upon the Authority of the Church because the Second has no better Foundation Is it not I say enough to set the Hearts of thinking Men against you Quere IX In the 22 Session Chap. 8. Of the Doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Mass the Council of Trent says That although the Mass contains a large Instruction of a Faithful People yet it is not convenient to be exercis'd publickly in the Vulgar Tongue How Reverend Fathers A large Instruction for the People and yet not convenient to let the People understand it Were not the Good Fathers of the Council a little merry here as well as mysterious But pray be you pleas'd to be serious and tell me What do you think might be the true reason why these Wise and Holy Men thought it inconvenient to have Mass said in the Vulgar Tongue Does it look kind and Christian-Father-like that altho' they confess the Mass was a large Instruction for the People yet that they should at the same time Command to keep the People ignorant of it except only some parcels of it now and then to be dealt out to them This manner of acting from Christian Fathers to their Children appears to me extraordinary and therefore pray satisfie me about it and tell me what were they afraid of And what inconvenience would have follow'd suppose Mass had been publickly said for example in English Why so much Policy and Cunning in our managing of Religion I must needs tell you that I am scandaliz'd at it For when a Man considers the Christian Religion he finds that certainly never was there a more plain simple and inartificial Religion than it And since the wife GOD thought fit so to propound it to Mankind how dare you and the rest of the Pastors c. manage it like the Juggles and Intrigues of a State. Will not a serious Reflection on this make thinking men apt to suspect our Church-Governours and Spiritual Guides and so by consequence the Doctrine and practices of our Church too And do ye think that wise men observing our Religion to be mixt with so much Craft and Worldly Policy and that many of our Doctrines such as Purgatory and Indulgences c. plainly tend to serve Worldly Ends do not furnish them with mighty Prejudices against our Church-men Query X. Whether with wise and honest men it is not Reverend Fathers a vast and just prejudice against our Church and Cause that our Writers of Controversie are so perpetually by the Protestant Divines charg'd with using Suppositious and Spurious Authors and such as the Honest and Learned men of our own Church disallow of And whether on the contrary it is