Gospel was preached not in which they were first written And altho Bellarmine here be positive yet in the same Chapter afterwards he speaks doubtfully of the Latin Tongue d Vt quidam volunt Latine c. They did write the Gospels and Epistles only in Hebrew and Greek and as some will have it in Latin For there are some who conceive that Saint Mark did write his Gospel at Rome in Latin and afterwards translated it into the Greek Tongue And for the proof he first sends us to Pope Damasus his Pontifical his Book of the Lives of all the Popes his Predecessors in the See of Rome where in the Life of Peter we are told e Hic scripsit duas Epistolas quae Canenicae nominantur Evangel Marel c. That Peter wrote two Epistles and the Gospel of Saint Mark for Mark was his Disciple and his adopted S 〈…〉 n his Baptism Now if Peter did write that Gospel as this Testimony asserts how is it call'd the Gospel of S t Mark more then the other two Canonical Epistles And yet so far we have nothing said concerning the Tongue wherein Mark did write his Gospel but it immediatly follows Posi omnem quatuor Evangeliorum â—â—ntem quae ad interrogationem testimonium Petri firmata sunt dum alius Grace alius Hebraice alius I aliue scribentes consonant omnia ejus Testimonio sum firmata A piece of Latin which I cannot make sense of only we may guess the meaning That by Peters Testimony all the four Gospels were confirm'd and confirm'd for the greater confirmation of Peter's supreme Autority the word firmata is without sense twice inserted while one of the Evangelists writing in Greek another in Hebrew another in Latin they all were consonant Now by this wise Enumeration there were but three Evangelists one writing in Greek another in Hebrew and another in Latin in what Tongue the fourth Evangelist did write must be reserved as a secret in due time to be reveled when France or Spain or some other Catholic Prince as they will have it hath attain'd an Universal Monarchy and then the Language of his Country shall be adopted into the Sacred Number Phil. I must confess this passage in the life of Peter is set down somthing imperfectly we may suppose an Error in the Printing Theoph. The whole deserves a deleatur For how could Peter by his supreme Autority confirm the four Evangelists when it is generally acknowledged that John wrote his Gospel long after Peters Martyrdom under Nero even in the Reign of Nerva Emperor of Rome who releas'd him of his banishment in Patmos whither Domitian had condemn'd him John returning to Ephesus upon the perswasion of the Asian Bishops did write his Gospel against Cerinthus and Ebion and other Heretics who denied Christs Divinity a Aug. Tom. 9. Praefatione in Joannem Occiso Domitiano cum permittente Nerva de exilio redâ—sset compulsus ab Episc Asiae c. But in truth this Pontifical is by themselves accounted spurious and falsly ascrib'd to Damasus as Binius asserts in the first Tome of his Edition of the Councils in a Note before Peter's Life b Hujus libri Pontifex Damasus author non est quod in unoquque fere Pontifice pugnantia contineat Damasus is not the Author of this Pontifical for almost in the Life of every Pope it contains thing repugnant one to another And he quotes Bar onius and Possevinus for his Judgment Now we may easily believe Bellarmine was too great a Scholar not to discover the Imposture and the Contradictions of the Book yet after his usual course when a Testimony makes for him he will take it altho himself be not ignorant of the forgery Phil. You find Bellarmine in that place brings other Authors to prove Mark did write his Gospel in Latin Adrianus Finus and Antonius Beuter Theoph. Writers so obscure that I cannot find their Books and Tirinus a Jesuit a in his Index Autorum shews the first to be a Writer of the last Century making no mention of the second Phil. Baronius likewise affirms that Mark wrote his Gospel in Latin and proves it because he was as Jerome calls him Peter's Interpreter and did write for the use and benefit of the Romans as Nazianzen affirms d Nazianzen in carmin de 4. Evangeliis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore probably he wrote in the Latin Tongue Theoph. You may urge the same Argument that Paul did write his Epistle to the Romans in Latin Phil. But Baronius observes likewise some Latin words adopted into the Greek Copy of S t Mark 's Gospel e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 6. ver 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 27. which makes it more then probable that the Greek Copy was translated out of the Latin Theoph. This Criticism will not help him for we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the other Evangelists Matth. 18. 28. Luk. 17. 41. John 6. 7. We find many other Latin Words in the Greek Test 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 19. 12. and yet S t Luke is observ'd of all the sacred Writers to write the purest Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 26. 53. And f In Comment in Epist 1. ad Cor. cap. 10. ver 25. Benedictus Justinianus a Jesuit derides this Argument instancing in many other Words of the like nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Leaving therefore these critical and new Discoveries will you hear what S t Jerome and Augustin c Adrianus Finus Ferrariensis edidit flagellum Judaeorum An. 1537. two Latin Fathers say to this point a Jer. in Praefati in 4. Evangelistas De novo Testam non lequor c. I speak not of the New Testament which without doubt is all Greek except the Gospel of Matthew which be first set forth in Judea in the Hebrew Tongue Augustin affirm's the same b Aug. Tom. 4. l. 1. De consensis Evangelistarum cap. 2. Of these four Evangelists only Matthew is said to write in Hebrew ceteri Graeco eloquio the others in the Greek Tongue To these accord many of their own Writers c Biblioth l. 1. Breve grace sermone scripsit Evangelium Sixtus Senensis saith expresly Mark wrote a brief Gospel in the Greek Tongue And you may observe by this passage and many others how Baronius and Bellarmine two great Pillars of the Roman See little regard the Testimony of the Fathers when it crosseth their great design to advance the reputation of the Church of Rome However I presume it appears by what you have heard that no part of the Holy Scripture was written in Latine originally and therefore the Latine Tongue in that respect is not Sacred and to have the preheminence above others Phil. But in the fore-mention'd place Bellarmine instanceth in other excellencies of the Hebrew Greek and Latine above all others in antiquity amplitude and gravity d Bell. l. 2.
read and believe the Scripture as most true and the infallible Word of God But Men of mature Learning and Judgment should dive into the profound Mystery and meaning of the Scripture you may read his words in the first Page of that Book The same Eusebius wrote three Books as Jerome reports of the Life of Pamphilus his great Friend which are not extant But c Lib. 1. Apol. adversus Ruffinum Script Sanctas non ad leg sed ad habendum tribuebat non solum viris sed feminis Jerome cites this Passage out of the third Book in commendation of Pamphilus Who is vertuous and not a Friend of Pamphilus who supplied food and necessaries to the poor and distributed the Holy Scriptures not only to Men but Women who were desirous to read them for which end he purchased many Bibles d In Psal 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil the Great tells us All Scripture is written by Divine Inspiration and profitable and therefore given by the Holy Ghost that every one of us might choose a proper remedy for his disease as out of a common Apothecaries shop f r his Soul Phil. As the Holy Scriptures have Physic for all Diseases so the Application should be well made by our Spiritual Physicians otherwise the Patient may miscarry and therefore we hold the People should hear and receive the Scripture from the Priests mouth Theoph. This gloss contradicts the Text for the Father saith e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one should choose his proper remedy out of the common Tresury Again f Lib. de Parad. c. 12. Gentiles aut c. Ambrose directs a Gentile who would believe or a Catechumen who would receive farther Instruction unto the living Waters of the Holy Scripture without the corrupt Channels of Interpreters You see the Holy Scripture ought not to be with-held from Unbelievers and Unbaptized But Jerome for the Latine Church and Chrysostom for the Greek speak so fully to this Point that we may supersede all other Testimonies Jerome writes many Epistles to Virgins to Women concerning themselves and the Institution of their Children the Government of their Families and above all commends to them the diligent reading of the Scripture In his Epistle to Laeta a Noble Dame g De Instit filiae nec alibi reperiant nisi in adyto script Prophet Apostolos de spiritualibus sciscitantem c. He gives in charge to inure her beloved Daughter to the study of the Scripture That none should find her in the way of the World amidst the throng and tumult of Play-fellows and Kins-folk but in the recesses of the Holy Scripture consulting the Prophets and Apostles about Spiritual concerns Instead of fine Clothes and Jewels let her love the Book of God let her learn the Psalter and divert her self with those Songs In the Proverbs of Solomon let her learn Morals In the Ecclesiastes to despise the World In Job Patience and Vertue Let her proceed to the Evangelists and never lay them out of her hands so to the Acts of the Apostles and their Epistles and having enrich'd her heart with these Divine Tresures let her commit to memory the Prophets and the Pentateuch c. And at last without danger let her learn the Canticles In another Epistle to a Virgin a Al Demetriadem de Virg. servandâ Spendeounum illud tibi nata deo praeque dominibus unum praedicam repetens c. O thou that art born of God saith he This one thing above all I must give in charge repeating it over and over again That thou possess thy heart with the love of reading the Holy Scripture Love the Bible and wisdom will assuredly love thee In an Epistle to Salvina perswading her to keep her self a Widow he faith b Semper in manibus sit divina Lectio Let the Bible be always in thy hand to read it In an Epistle to Celautia concerning the government of her Family he presseth the same Exhortation c Semper in manibus jugiter in mente volvantur Let the Holy Scripture be always in thy hand and in thy mind In Marcella's Epitaph d Epistola ad Principiam div Script ardor erat incredib semper que cantabat In 〈…〉 rde meo abscondo eloq tua ut non peccem c. he gives this commendation of her She had an incredible thirst after the Holy Scripture and ever sang I have hid thy word within my heart that I might not sin against thee c. and that she became an Oracle to resolve doubts concerning the Scripture I might collect many more such passages out of this Author but I will content my self with one general Exhortation to read the Scripture instead of all e Praefatione in Epistelam ad Ephesies si quiequam est quod in hac vita c. If there be any thing saith the good Father which should make a wise man choose to live and weather out the storms and troubles of our present state it is the knowledge and meditation of the Scripture For whereas as he goes on herein we chiefly differ from other living Creatures that we are rational and can speak and all Reason and Language is contain'd in the Holy Scripture whereby we know God and are not ignorant wherefore we were created I marvel any there should be who either out of sloth and negligence will not learn themselves these excellent things or think others worthy reprehension who do study them And now tell me Have you not enough of Jerome Would he not marvel think you at your new Doctors who as much discourage the People from reading the Scripture as he with all his excellency of Grace and Eloquence doth excite them Phil. I must confess I never look'd to hear so much to this purpose Theoph. Have a little patience and you will find Chrysostom as full and emphatical Like advice he gives to Gaudentius for the Education of Pacatula his Daughter f Let her learn the Psalter by heart and before she f Discat Psalterium memoriter c. comes to maturity of age let her make the Books of Solomon the Evangelists the Apostles and Prophets her chief tresure In his first Tome he tells his hearers a Hom. 10. in Genesin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. We may at home before and after meals taking into our hands the Holy Bible feed our Souls for as the Body doth want corporal nurishment so doth the Soul spiritual we being thereby strengthned against the assaults of the flesh and our restless enemy who sets upon us to captivate our Souls And therefore saith he the Prophet David calls him Blessed who meditates in the Law of the Lord day and night And then he adds This is our salvation this our spiritual wealth this our security If we arm our selves daily by spiritual bearing and reading and discourse we shall never be over come but frustrate all the
or three Years was more then sufficient to qualifie them for the Pulpit and the Press and to vent their extemporary Notions to a deluded People The chief point of their Wisdom appear'd in the choice of such Pygmies as themselves to sight with The Presbyterian Learning was of a just size to match Enthusiasts and Phanarics A Generation hatch'd under their wing and when they were fledg they serv'd to peck out the Eyes of their Dam and make Past-time to the Spectators with their Puppet like Contentions and Disputes But our Adversaries of Rome were too strong for them to wrestle with or rather indeed they were their Friends affording them Principles to justifie Rebellion and Politics to carry on their Design against the common Enemy The genuine Sons of the Church of England Nay unto this day with grief we speak it they both appear to shake hands and set their shoulders on both sides with all their might to unhinge our Settlement and Security From this sad Prospect you may take the Measures of our Disadvantage Insomuch that if one of a thousand against the Genius of the Times did bend his Studies to search after Truth in the Records of Antiquity to read the Primitive Fathers of the Church and furnish himself with Arguments against Romes Innovations upon his first Adventure to appear in public he is beset with numerous Adversaries and Opponents Some Writing against his Book and more against his Person They take their several Parts as their Genius leads them either unto Contumely or Sophistry despairing to give satisfaction to his Arguments they will wound his Reputation and vex his Righteous Soul entangle the Discourse with Subtleties and Fallacies that so the Reader may be at a loss in such Mists which they have cast about him Now it is great pity they should have such leisure to send forth Legions against single Persons were all of my mind we would carve out more work for them Relying upon Divine Assistance and the merits of the Cause let us not fear their numbers but examin their pretensions and we shall have encouragement enough to enter into the Lists For Error is weak and indefensible Let us therefore follow the steps of our Fore-fathers who have brought their deceitful Wares to the Light and weighed their Motives in the Ballance and lo they were as inconsiderable as the dust upon the Ballance They decline very much the Holy Scriptures because they appear against them They brag of Antiquity but in those things wherein we differ fall very short of that account They build upon the Rock of their Churches Infallibility but when we manifest their Errors in many Particulars it will be an accumulative Demonstration against that Fundamental Article Now this is the Design in General of this Conference to bring the Innovations of the Church of Rome unto the Test of Holy Scritpure and of Venerable Antiquity and when the Reader shall find her so much to swerve from the Infallible Rule we will leave him to judg of her Infallible Spirit I have taken Bellarmins Motives principally into consideration because he is esteemed a Pillar and doubtless speaks the sence of his Church as fully as any others and he had a Cardinals Cap for the reward of his Polemics And here I call the great Searcher of Hearts to witness that I have not hitherto neither hereafter will concele from the Reader any Argument which the Cardinal brings either in his own Defence or in opposition to his Adversaries which I judg material for I will not prevarieate in the Cause of God One Word more Gentle Reader touching the form of this Discourse by way of Conference and Dialogue Designing by Gods help to profit my Country-men and keep their feet out of the Snare to write for the benefit of the Vulgar rather then of the Learned who can help themselves I have made choice of this familiar way to insinuate Truths and to invite and recompence the Readers patience with the Pleasure and Divertisement of these Interloculories And so I leave thee by the Blessing of God to reap the Fruit of my Labors G. C. Theophilus and Philodoxus OR A CONFERENCE Between two FRIENDS and NEIGHBORS One A true Son of the Church of England The other Faln off to the Church of Rome Theoph. SIR You have of late declin'd that familiarity we have formerly maintain'd as Friends and Neighbors and I now give you the trouble of this visit to understand the reason Phil. Not for want of good will and affection worthy Theophilus have I sequester'd my self from the sweetness and advantage of your Society nothing less I do assure you then the greatest concern in this World hath for a time confin'd me to my most reserv'd and serious Thoughts and Studies making me neglect the due Ceremonies of Friendship whil'st I have been in pursuit after the Vnum necessarium the only true Religion and way of Gods Worship Theoph Dear Sir You have in few words given full security to my fears lest some discontent had made you a Stranger but now I will easily grant that all other circumstances and business must give place unto the care of Religion Are you therefore now at leisure to give your Friend an account of the success Religious Conferences are more becoming and suitable to our Christian Profession then the accustomed emtiness and vanity of our Communications Phil. Your goodness Theophilus hath given the opportunity which my heart desired to declare what the Lord hath done for my Soul in bringing back the straid Sheep to his Fold and opening to me a door of entrance into the true Church out of which there is no salvation and against which the gates of Hell cannot prevail Theoph. Be pleas'd to be more particular and express that I may understand you Phil. With a very good will I have been long wavering and unsetled and in the studious search of Truth and now I have found the Jewel the wandring Star is fix'd in its proper Sphere and I am become a Convert to the Roman Catholic Church Theoph. It seems by your acknowledgment the Church of Rome is the proper Sphere for wandring Stars for such as waver in the Faith And herein I approve your Judgment for I ever thought it impossible that the thoughts of reasonable Men could be setled on that foundation which Rome hath laid or find any satisfaction in those Arguments which her great Champions do produce to confirm those Points wherein we differ from her Phil. The prejudice Theophilus of your Education is great and doubtless you have not sufficiently consulted your Adversaries as you esteem them otherwise they would have given you sufficient Reasons of their Doctrine and Practice and remov'd the Scruples and Objections you have entertain'd against them Theoph. The holy Scriptures in this case are the best Oracles to be consulted and withal our Learned Writers appear to manifest the full consent of Antiquity Fathers and Councils within the first 600 Years
ver 24. the Jews sent Priests and Levites to ask him Who art thou and that they who were sent were of the Pharisees not that the Scribes and Pharisees sent them And d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril expresly saith That Christ gave the exhortation to search the Scriptures unto the People of the Jews and the 5 th Chapter thro-out sheweth our Saviors discourse was with the People some opposing and others believing him Phil. Stapleton gives another answer to that Text e Christum non constituit generale praeceptum aut necessarium perpet quod omnes semper obliget That it was no general Precept necessary and perpetual which should alwaies oblige all men that it was given by way of indulgence to the Jews now because of their unbelief For he had before stated the f Grassantibus Haeresibus tetam spript permitendam aliquibus Question and granted That when Heresies did abound all the Scripture should be allowed to some Theoph. He was so over-seen in his first answer that he gives the second with very great caution No general Precept necessary and perpetual which should alwaies oblige all Men so many limitations to help him at a dead lift But as to the later part of his Answer if because of their unbelief they were exhorted to search the Scripture and when Heresies prevail and Errors then now certainly as much as ever and they should not envy us the Scripture in our vulgar Tongue who are so hard to believe their new coin'd Articles and therefore by them reputed Heretics Neither should they with-hold the Scripture from their Laity seeing Errors so much abound in the World But leaving these shifts will you hear what Origin saith to this Text. a Homil. 2. in Isaid Vtinam omnes faceremus quod scriptum est Scrut Script I would that all of us would observe and do that which is written Search the Scripture hear also what Basil saith b Lib. 2. de Bapt. cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us bear with our Lord saying Search the Scripture Hear what Augustin c Serm. 45. De verb. Dom. Judaeis dicit caput nostrum quod vobis Corpus Serut Script Christ the Head said to the Jews what his Pody the Church saith unto the Donatists Search the Scripture You see S t Augustin urgeth the Enemies of Truth and of the Church to search the Scripture as the best way to reclaim them You have heard how the Jews were exhorted by Moses and David and by our Blessed Savior to search and read the Scripture In the next place we will consider Believers under the Gospel we shall read Acts 17. 11. how they of Berea were commended in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scripture daily whether those things were so as Paul and Silas taught them The Holy Ghost saith These were more worthy then those of Thessalonica c. Phil. The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more noble Men of better parts and abilities and to such we allow the reading of the Scripture as not being so much in danger to be led by the Word of God into Error Theoph. I had thought the Word of God would lead Men into Truth rather then into Error Phil. Yes sober wise and learned Men but the unlearned wrest the Scripture to their destruction as you have heard Theoph. I have already answered that place of Peter but for your Criticism upon the Original Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men of more eminent Parts and Learning you may observe how the commendation is given to the Synagogue of the Jews at Berea and their eminency was That they did mind Paul's Preaching and compare the Scripture as in truth True Piety is the best Nobility and I may with better color invert your Argument Because they were Men of Eminency and Learning they did search the Scripture say you because they did search the Scripture they were Men of Eminency and Learning say I. But Chrysostom d In locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gives the best Interpretation of the word They were more noble that is more gentle and courteous then those of Thessalonica who as we read verse 5. Being moved with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows and set all the City in an uproar and assaulted the house of Iason and sought to bring Paul and Silas out to the people c. but these of Berea were not of such a persecuring turbulent Spirit and therefore they were more noble Again S t Paul exhorts the Colossâ—tns Col. 3. 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Phil. The Text answers it self Such as must teach and admonish others must be well vers'd in the Scripture but it doth not follow that such should be so who must learn and hear Theoph. This is a meer shift the Original Words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and your vulgar Translation renders it vos metipsos reaching and admonishing your selves or if the scope of the Words favor our Translation Teaching and admonishing one another You see it is mutual and implies the duty of all Christians within their own Sphere to instruct others one Neighbor another in mutual conference Parents their Children Masters their Family And to this end the word of God should dwell in them abundantly Observe what Chrysostom a In Locum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith upon this Text directly against your Interpretation Hear all ye who are immerst in the Affairs of the World and have Wife and Children to take care of how you especially are exhorted to read the Scripture with great diligence Phil. The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather signifies Permission then Exhortation Theoph. And so should you permit secular Men to be conversant in the Scripture but this will not help you for the Exhortation or rather Command runs not by way of permission but of duty In the same Homily b Hom. 16. In Epistolam ad Coloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he tells every one of his hearers That he should not wait for any other Teacher Thou hast saith he the Oracles of God none can instrust thee like them And then it follows c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I beseech you hear ye men of the World Buy you Bibles which are the souls physick if not purchase the New Testament or Pauls Epistles or the Acts of the Apostles or the Gospels Masters that will never intermit Instruction And then he rounds them in the ear d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the cause of all evils not to know the Scripture And lastly in order to their instructing one another he tells them That they ought to help and not leave all the burthen upon him
Canons and Prohibitions to the season as the wisdom of the Church did judg most expedient and when you examine well their Arguments and Reasons perhaps you may be constrain'd to allow of them Theoph. There must be a strange transformation of Mens minds and manners when the Holy Scriptures which were written for our Instruction and to make men wise unto Salvation shall prove pernicious unto their Souls Phil. As wholefom Food unto sick Stomachs Theoph. But the Holy Scriptures are both Food and Physic to the Soul and were certainly written for all times and for all conditions of Men. Phil. I pray have patience to hear their Reasons before you answer them Theoph. I expect first you should return a sober Answer unto the Holy Fathers of the Primitive Church who as you have heard do so seriously recommend the study of the Scripture unto all Men. Phil. I did not expect you should use so many shifts and subterfuges and I am almost perswaded that being conscious to your self of their convincing Evidence therefore you decline to hear their Arguments Theoph. That will appear in due time and place but have you in earnest no Reply to make unto those Exhortations of the Fathers to read the Bible Phil. Your principal Quotations are out of Chrysostom and Bellarmine hath told you He was an Orator and used to speak Hyperbolies to affect his Auditory Theoph. And I have shew'd how this good Father thro-out his Works so frequently recommends the study of the Scripture as a substantial point of Doctrine and Duty which he press'd upon his hearers not as an embellished flower of his Rhetoric But I pray What Answer doth Bellarmine or any other Champions of your Church give unto the other Fathers Phil. I do not find they have taken much notice of the rest they suppose perhaps one Answer will serve them all Theoph. As one Shoe will sit every Mans Foot And this indeed is very observable That Bellarmine in his great reading should omit Jerome and Basil and Origen and the rest and take notice only of Chrysostoms Expressions and thift them off as Rhetorical Flashes and Hyperbolies and not serious Exhortations to read the Scripture His subtilty without doubt promted him to concele the others for the advantage of his Cause least the pregnant Testimonies of so many Fathers should prevail with sober Men to search the Scripture more then all the Prohibitions of their Church and novel Arguments to restrain them from it And it is his Artifice that he might seem Ingenious to take notice of one Father opposing him that so the unwary Reader being not well vers'd in the Fathers might suppose all the others to have been silent or on his side in the Controversie Phil. You are pleasant with your own Conceits but their Arguments will make you work to answer them Theoph. I have great confidence in the merits of the Cause and do not despair of a ready Answer unto all opposition that shall be made against such a mesur'd Truth which we defend Phil. Bellarmine a Lib. 2. De verbo Dei c. 15. shews how the Old Testament was publicly read to the Jews in the Hebrew Tongue when the People did not understand it because in the Captivity the Jews had forgotten their own Language and learn'd the Chaldee and the Syriac And therefore after their return into Judea it is written Nehem. 8. 7 8 9 12. how the Priests and Levites caused the People to understand the Law They did read in the Book distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading Nehemiah and Ezra and the Levites taught the People and all the People made great mirth because they had understood the words that were declared unto them Theoph. Here is not one word to shew the People did not understand the Language wherein the Holy Scriptures were read but that the Priests and Levites gave the sense interpreted to them the Law of God and caused them to understand the meaning of the Words nay it is expresly said ver 2. That Ezra brought the Law before the Congregation both of men and women and all that could hear with understanding And again ver 3. before those that could understand and all the People were attentive unto the Book of the Law Neither may we well suppose that they had forgot their Mother Tongue in the time of their Captivity but only mix'd and corrupted it in some Words Seventy Years is too short a date to change the Language of a People Withal it might be remembred that some Learned Men of the Roman Communion have said That the Jews were not so long Captives in Babylon that from the desolation of Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar burn'd the City and the Temple until Cyrus his command for the Jews return there were but 30. Years And that the term of 70. Years so much spoken of by the Prophet Jeremiah did bear date from the 13 th Year of King Josiah's Reign about the time when Ninevy was destroied and the Assyrian Monarchy was translated to Babylon and those great Neighbors prov'd very terrible and by the Prophet were pointed out to be the destruction of Jerusalem And withal we know the three last Prophets after the return of the Jews from Babylon Haggai Zechariah Malachy encouraging the People to build the Temple and the City spake unto them in the Hebrew Tongue and therefore doubtless the People understood it Nay we read expresly Acts 22. 2. S t Paul spake to the Jews gathered together in a great multitude and tumult in the Hebrew Tongue and therefore for a while heard him with patience when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew Tongue to them they kept the more silence And it is manifest by that which follows ver 21. that they understood him Phil. Bellarmine brings a Confirmation that the Jews did not understand the Hebrew Tongue out of the Gospel of S t John Joh. 7. 49. But this people that know not the Law is cursed Theoph. Both he and you may blush to own such a simple Proof The Scribes and Pharisees there pronounced the multitude that followed Christ accursed not because they know not Hebrew wherein the Law was written but because in their account they mis-applied the Prophesies of the Messiah to Christ And if the Hebrew Tongue was forgotten among the Jews why did Matthew write his Gospel as is supposed in Hebrew for the better Information of his Country-men Phil. Bellarmine likewise shews how even to this day the Jews in their Synagogues have the Scriptures read in Hebrew altho most of them understand it not Theoph. Let the Synagogues of the Jews and the Church of Rome in this regard lay their heads together to justifie their unreasonable practice by the Autority of one another Phil. But what say you to this next Argument which seems demonstrative The Apostles and Disciples preach'd the Gospel unto all People Nations and Languages and yet they did write the Gospels and
their Epistles only in Hebrew and Greek Nay Paul you know wrote his Epistles to the Romans in Greek which was not their vulgar Tongue Theoph. There is a great difference to be observ'd between Preaching the Gospel and committing it to Writing The Apostles were endowed â— See Tirinus his Chronicon â—actum c 〈…〉 â—5 with the gift of Tongues that whither soever they should come they might Preach the Gospel of Salvation unto the People in that Tongue which they understood But being to leave the Records of Holy Scripture unto all succeeding Generations they did write them in that Language which was then most common in the World viz. In Greek that in every Country the Learned who did understand the Greek might Translate the Holy Scriptures into their own Language for the better understanding of the People And without doubt most of the Saints at Rome who believed the Gospel and unto whom Paul did write his Epistle were not Natives and Italians but Strangers and Foreigners either transported by the Conqueror or choosing to follow him into the great Metropolis of the World Many Jews were at Rome when Claudius banish'd them and we may believe more Greeks The names of those Saints whom in the 16 th Chapter he salutes shew they were not Romans but only Saints at Rome And this may be a particular Consideration why Paul did write in Greek to the Saints at Rome for we may probably suppose more of them understood the Greek Tongue then the Latine but as need required Translations were made For a long season the Jews were the only chosen People of God thro-out the World to know his will and they had Moses and the Prophets in their own Tongue but when the time grew nigh that the Gentiles also should be receiv'd into Covenant with God be Fellow-heirs with the Jews and of the same Body and Partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel as the Apostle speaks Epb. 3. 6. to prepare the way for their conversion God stirr'd up the Heart of a Mighty Prince to bring about that famous Translation of the Old Testament into Greek by the 70. Interpreters and other Greek Translations followed and many more into Latine both of the Old and New Testament as Augustine shews a Lib. 2. de Doct. Chris cap. 11. Qui Script ex Hebraeâ— in Graecam vorterunt numerari possunt Latines autem Interpretes millo modo c. We may number those who have Translated the Old Testament out of Hebrew into Greek but the Latine Interpreters are without number Phil. We do not disapprove Translations in Greek or Latine Theoph. And why do you stick at other Languages seeing all was don for the better understanding of the Holy Scriptures by the People in every Country and you have already heard that one Language is not more grave and venerable then another notwithstanding Bellarmine would perswade the contrary And to ballance his great Autority in this case I will give the ample Testimony of a Pope against him b Bin. Concil Tom. 7. parte 1. Epist Johan 8. 247. We find among the multitude of Epistles written by Pope John the 8 th as he is call'd by the Champions of Rome who exclude Pope Joan out of the Catalogue of Popes otherwise Pope John the 9 th One Epistle there is written Stento pulchro glorioso Comiti To a Prince of Moravia whose Subjects did speak the Sclavonian Tongue and be commands they should have the Holy Scripture and their Service in their own Language a Vt in eadem Lin. Christ Dom. nost praeconia opera enarrantur jubemu neque c. Giving his Reasons the same with us For we are required saith he by Sacred Autority to praise God not only in three Tongues but in all Psal 117. O praise the Lord all ye heathen praise him all ye nations And the Apostles in every Tongue did speak the wonderful works of God Acts 2. 11. Hence Paul that celestial Trumpet proclaims Let every Tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 11. of which Tongues he gives his advice manifestly 1 Cor. 14. That all should be done to edification Nor is it any way opposite to Faith or sound Doctrine if Mass be sung in the Sclavonian Tongue or the holy Gospel be read or any other Lessons of the Old or New Testament being well Translated For he that made three principal Tongues the Hebrew Greek and Latine hath created likewise all the rest for his own praise and glory I have set down this ample Testimony at large because it commands what we practice and gives the same reasons as we do to justifie it And we may wonder Bellarmine and all other Creatures of the Popes of Rome should not subscribe thereunto But altho I mention'd only Translations of the Bible into Greek and Latine which you approve we early read of other Languages whereinto the Holy Scriptures were Translated The Old Testament by Onkelos and Jonathan the son of Vzial was Translated into the Chaldee b Socrates Ecclesiast Hist cap. 27. Vlphilas Bishop of the Goths found out the Gothic Letters and translated the Holy Scriptures into that Tongue that the Barbarians should have the Blessed Word of God The Septuagint into the Dalmatie by Jerome The whole Bible by Chrysostom into the Armenian Tongue as Sixtus Senensis c Lib. 4. Bibliothecae Sacrae cum in Cucuzum c. affirms when he was banish'd into Cucuzum a City of Armenia for the benefit of the People that they might the better understand the Holy Scriptures he translated the Old and New Testament into the Armenian Tongue Bellarmin hath the confidence to doubt whether Jerome translated the Septuagint into the Dalmatic the vulgar Tongue of his Country but d Ibid. usque in hanc diem utuntur hujus translationis Lectione summâ cum utilitate Sixtus Senensis tells us that unto this day they make use of the Translation with great benefit And e Lib. 1. cap. 13. Contra Haereses Alphonsus de Castro acknowledgeth it altho a great Adversary against vulgar Translations Theodoret The Learned Bishop of Cyrus f Lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de curand Graecorum affectibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. triumphs over all the obscure Books of the Heathen Philosophers in comparison with the Holy Scriptures because these were universally receiv'd among all Nations and translated into their Language We saith he evidently demonstrate the efficacy and power of Prophetical and Apostolic Doctrine in that every Nation under the Sun is full of the Divine Oracles The Hebrew Tongue i. e. the Old Testament being translated not only into the Greek but into the Roman Egyptian Persian Indian Armenian Scythian Sauromatian Tongues and to sum up all into all the Languages which the Nations thro-out the World do speak Phil. Theodoret here speaks of the Old Testament translated into all Languages but not
his Words so strictly but that for the most part what is written is clear and when we understand not he adviseth us to consult Meanwhile it is very unjust to with-hold such an inestimable Tresure as is Gods Holy Word from the People because some passages are obscure and hard to be understood whereas the far greater part of the Holy Scriptures being Historical or Moral or the plain discovery of Divine Mysteries and fulfilling of Prophesies matters of Faith and matters of Practice is most evident and condescending to the meanest capacities If in some difficult and deep places of Holy Scripture the Elephant may swim i. e. the most Learned may find work enough to fathom them in other places the Lamb may wade i. e. the meanest understanding may apprehend them as Augustin hath made the Allusion Phil. a Lib. 2. De verb. Dei cap. 15. Eo sunt obscuriores quo magis in peregrinis Ling. transferuntur Bellarmin shews How the Scriptures become more obscure by their Translations one Language being not able to express the Idioms of another Theoph. This Argument proves more then he or you would have it even against your Darling vulgar Latine Translation We easily grant the Originals as the Fountain to be most clear unto those who can understand and consult them Yet Translations made with Learning and Judgment and Fidelity give the full sense of Holy Scriptures altho they may come short of some Elegancies and Proprieties of the Originals And unto the People who understand the Language of the Translation the Word of God is certainly more manifest then if it were lock'd up in an unknown Tongue altho it be the Original Phil. a Ibid. Populus non solum non capit fructum è Script sed detrimentum occasionemsc errandi tum in doctr fidei tum praecept vitae Bellarmin in his great Wisdom and Observation looks farther and discovers How the People instead of reaping Fruit usually receive detriment by reading the Scripture easily taking the occasion of Errors both in matters of Faith and Precepts of Life and moral Conversation From reading the Holy Scriptures and not rightly understanding them spring up Heresies and corruption of Mens manners Theoph. b Praefatione in Epistolam ad Rom. Chrysostom in his great Piety and Fidelity assures us the contrary For as I have cited him before upbraiding his hearers with their supine negligence in reading and studying the Holy Scripture he tells them Hence arise myriads of evils even from the ignorance of Gods Word And to cross point-blank Bellarmines division of Corruptions in Doctrine and in Manners from reading the Scripture he tells them That by the neglect of reading and understanding the Scripture have proceeded the pest of many Heresies the neglect of Mens lives and the corruption of their manners Phil. We grant these Evils spring from the ignorance of the Scripture which are Chrysostoms own words c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that may be from the misunderstanding of them and therefore we with-hold them from the People least they should wrest and prevert them Theoph. But this is the plain way to make them altogether ignorant of the Scripture And you will find in that place Chrysostoms complaint was Not that they did misinterpret but that they did neglect to read the Scripture And he had ask'd the Question before with indignation d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. How canst thou understand who wilt not vouchsafe to look into the Scripture And in another place e Homil. 8. in Epistolam ad Hebraeos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he sadly complains for the growth of the Manichecs Heresie and lays it to the charge of his Hearers for negleding the Scripture None of you saith he heed the Scripture for if we did so we should not only keep our selves out of the snare of Deceit and Errors but free others also and draw them out of the pit wherein they were taken Observe I pray the direct opposition between your Doctors and the Primitive Fathers The Peoples reading of the Scripture in the vulgar Tongue is a great cause of Heresie and corruption of Manners say you The neglect of reading the Scripture is the cause say they Phil. 'T is in vain to urge Autority against Experience f Loco cit supra Bellarmin shews how Sects and Heresies have swarmed where the vulgar sort read and study the Scriptures He tells you how David George knew no other Language but the Dutch and yet could prove himself out of the Scripture to be the Messiah and the Son of God And that Aeneas Sylvius who wrote the Bohemian History ascribes the gross Errors of the Thaborites and Orebites and the other Sects among the Bohemians unto the common Peoples studying the Scripture and therefore a Lutherus Scrip. Librum Hereticorum vocavit Luther saith he call'd the Scripture The Book of Heretics Theoph. For David George that Dutch Monster altho I do not understand the Language yet I am perswaded his Mother Tongue never promted him to such horrible Blasphemies neither did the Holy Scripture which he read in his Dutch give the occasion unless by Prophesie and Prohibition Christ had foretold how Deceivers should come in his Name and in his Person Mark 13. 21. That false Christs should arise and men should say Lo here is Christ and there is Christ but go not after them and believe them not You see therefore how the Scripture would have fore-warn'd and fore-arm'd him against such a Blasphemous attemt had he not bin given over to reprobate mind You may as well say our Saviors converse with Judas made him the Traitor As for the Bohemian Heretics as your Doctors commonly call them we know the Court of Rome was much perplex'd with their clamor and demands to have the Scripture in the vulgar Tongue and the Communion in both kinds c. and so bitter things are written against them but when you shall instance in any particulars of their damnable Doctrines as you suppose I will undertake to clear the knowledg and reading of the Holy Scripture from the imputation That they did erre because they knew the Scripture Ye do therefore greatly erre because ye know not the Scripture Mark 12. 24. saith our Blessed Savior to the Sadduces The Bohemians did therefore erre because they did read and know the Scripture say you As for Luther's calling the Scriptures the Book of Heretics Bellarmine cites not the place and if they do not bely him according to their accustomed dealing with him and others we do blame him and think not our selves obliged to justifie the fumes of heat and choler or the infirmities of good Men. But now what will you say if I turn the Scales and shew you how Heresies and damnable Doctrines have bin minted in the Brains of subtle Clerks and not of the simple Laity in comparison Marcion and Arrius were Priests Nestorius Sergius Dioscorus
Scriptures should be obscure in some places least that being evident to all Men they should be cheap and contemtible Theoph. This is in truth an occult cause the usual refuge of such as can give no reason I may call this the mystery of your Church if not the mystery of Iniquity That God design'd some things in his Word and in his Service should be concel'd from the vulgar least they should breed contemt I had thought the Word of God the more it was understood and discovered the more veneration it would procure and so all the Mysteries of the Gospel The Jews indeed had their veils and partitions and into the inner Tabernacle only the High Priest did enter once every Year and into the outward Tabernacle the Priests every day and the People stood in the outward Courts The Holy Ghost thus signifying Heb. 9. 8. That the way into the Holiest of all was not yet mado manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing saith the Apostle But then speaking of their condition under the Gospel he adds Heb. 10. 19 20. But we Brethren have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us When Christ was Crucified the veil of the Temple rent from top to bottom that which was hidden was made manifest Prophesies fulfill'd and Mysteries revel'd The Gospel is the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ the great Light of the World whose property is to discover not to concele and least the Majesty of such glorious Truths and Mysteries revel'd should dazle the Eies of our Understanding lo they are clothed in Scripture with humility of speech And S t Augustin b Tom. 2. Epistola 3. ad Volusianum Invital omnes humili sermone quos non solam manifestâ Pascat sed secretâ exerceat veritate tells us The Holy Scriptures invite all to read and understand them by their great condescention to our capacities feeding all not only with manifest Truths but also with hidden verities Let us therefore never speak of design'd concelements in the Gospel of Christ wherein the mystery which hath bin hid from ages and from generations is now made manifest unto the Saints as S t Paul speaks Coloss 1. 26. And the same Apostle expresly tells us 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not least the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them And now I pray tell me Have you found your Arguments unanswerable never believe the wit of Man can bring Demonstrations against the Truths of God Your great Champion Bellarmine hath not brought a probable Argument against the Peoples reading and hearing the Holy Scripture and Divine Service in the vulgar Tongue which is at present the Controversie between us Phil. If your self be Judge the Question is determined But I have not yet done until I have propos'd two serious Considerations more against publishing the Holy Scriptures in the vulgar Tongue wherewith Peter Sutor a Carthusian hath furnish'd me The first is this a Mulierculae in Lect. Bibl. versantes curam rei domesticae negligent Idiotae huic negotio dediti non curabant c. De tralat Bib. c. 22. p. 96. It will make Laborers Men and Women neglect their business whil'st they spend the time in reading the Scripture which they should imploy about their houshold affairs and necessary occupations Theoph. This is a great Crime tending to the ruine of many Families But alas too general experience proves the contrary that Men and Women are not so easily drawn from the cares and business of the World to mind Heavenly things from idle Communications to the Holy Scriptures You have heard how Chrysostom complains of the contrary That such as had Bibles never look'd into them bound them up in costly Covers and lock'd them up as hidden Treasures and they pretended the Incumbrances of the World for their excuse Our Blessed Savior in the Parable of the Sower sheweth Matth. 13. 22. How the cares of the world like thorns choke the good seed of Gods word And your Monks fear is least reading the Word should hinder the necessary cares and business of Life It seems of late the World is much alter'd for the better that the hearts of Men should be so endear'd unto the Holy Scripture that if they be not with-held from them Men would neglect their Callings But these are fond Imaginations you know the Holy Scriptures strictly enjoin every one to follow his calling 1 Cor. 7. 20. Promise the Blessing of God upon the diligent band Prov. 10. 4. and 12. 24. Command That such as will not labor should not eat 2 Thess 3. 10. And Solomon in the last Chapter of his Proverbs hath set forth a good Housewife so excellently that it is not possible a wise Woman minding that Chapter should neglect her business But what is your Carthusians second Consideration against publishing the Holy Scripture in the vulgar Tongue Phil. It seems you want work and you do so please your self with your conceited Answers that I am unwilling any longer to tickle your humor and to propose any more Objections Theoph. It is high time indeed to draw to a conclusion and therefore I did hasten you to that which you reserv'd and 't is my request it may be your last Proposal Phil. If you will needs hear it it is this If the common People should be permitted constantly to read the Holy Scripture in the vulgar Tongue b Facile plebs nuomuâ—â—bit cum sibi tot onera imponi comperiet praeter Scripturam Pet. Sutor ibâ—â—lem They would murmur against so many Burthens and Impositions of the Church which they find not required in the Book of God and so may become stubborn and disobedient to the commands of the Church Theoph. This hath hit the nail upon the head Never any Man spake more to the purpose in this Point It is a most ingenious confession That if the Scripture were permitted to be read by all sorts farewel to all the intolerable Burthens and superstitious Impositions of Rome As he that doth evil hateth the light so your Church requiring many unwarrantable superstitious things of her Children wisely keeps them from giving heed unto the Word of God which soon would discover her Impostures Phil. I beseech you Theophilus do not end a Controversie with a Quarrel You are my Guest and Friend and after these heats of Disputation it will concern me to divert you with such Civilities and slender Entertainment as the House at present will afford I hope you will resolve to tarry some time with me and give your self and me the opportunity to debate the other Points in difference between us You are as welcome as your Heart can wish A SECOND CONFERENCE CONCERNING The
confirm'd in Grace and Glory the great Favorites of the King of Heaven So proceed your Arguments for the worshipping of their Images we give unto them say ye a relative inferior dependent honor according to the Analogy of Reason he that loves the Person will love his Image But where is the Autority of Holy Scripture God cannot be offended you will say that the Images of his Saints and Servants should be had in honor and what is done to the Image redounds to the honor of the Saint represented by it and of God who hath highly honored him But still you must keep within your Bounds God is jealous of his Honor and will not permit any degree thereof to be communicated to any other whether Saint or Angel much less to their Images For instance Adoration falling down and worshipping the Angel refus'd it and sends the Apostle to give that to God Peter refus'd it the Divel desir'd it upon great promises If thou wilt fall down and worship me or before me a Luke 4. ver 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these things will I give Thee but our Blessed Savior repli'd It appertains only to God Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet this Adoration and Worship ye give to Images ye bow down and worship before them Phil. But this Adoration we give is infinitely inferior to the Worship of God Theoph. This you say but many of your Doctors say otherwise b Part. 3. q. 25. Art 3. Imag. Christi cultu Latr. coli deberi c. Aquinas the great Oracle of the Schools expresly holds That the Image of Christ is to be ador'd with that Worship call'd Latria and he gives the reason because the honor of the Image redounds to the Prototype and according to Aristotle saith he the same motion of the mind tends to the Image as an Image and to the thing represented by it and therefore seeing Christ is worship'd with Divine Adoration so likewise his Image c Art 4. Crux Christi adoranda est adoration Latriae Quia in ca ponimus c. In the next Article he declares the same for the Crucifix It is to be worship'd with the worship due to God and proves it thus Because in the Cross we put our hope of Salvation For upon the Passion-day saith he the Church hath taught us to say All hail O Cross our only hope Increase to the Godly salvation and give pardon to the guilty Phil. One Doctors Opinion signifies but little Theoph. If your Church do not approve it why after so long a time do they not censure it But what do you speak of one Doctor a Lib. 9. Inst Mor. c. 6. Azorius a Jesuit and Casuist shews it is the common Opinion of the Doctors and quotes Aquinas Bonaventure Alexander Hales Richardus Albertus Paludanus Almaine Marsilius Capreolus Cajetan caeteros juniores many others after them And whereas the second Council of Nice hath determin'd That the Image of Christ and the Cross is not to be worship'd Latria with that worship due to God but with such Veneration as is due to the Holy Bible and to Holy Vessels c. It is plain saith he that Council speaks of the Image and the Cross as in themselves they are sacred things and so to be honored as holy Vessels c. but if we consider them as Images representing Christ and his death so we must worship them as we do Christ with the same honor as the thing represented is worship'd And he brings the c Concil Trid. Sess 25. Honos qui iis exhibetur refertur ad prot c. Council of Trent to confirm his Opinion saving The honor given to the Image is refer'd to the Prototype so that by the Images which we salute and before which we uncover the head and fall down we do worship Christ and the Saints And because I am not willing to multiply Quotations I will refer you to d Naclantus Episcopus Clugiensis in Comment in 1 cap. ad Rom. propefinem Representatum est in Imag. sicut in speculo in quo cernitur honoratur c. one of your great Doctors whose Works are dedicated to Pope Pius the fifth He tells us The Prototype is in the Image as in a Looking glass wherein it is both seen and honored and therefore seeing the Image contains the exemplar and doth not only represent it when we speak of the Adoration of an Image as an Image referring unto and containg the thing represented we without any scruple affirm that we ought to worship not only before the Image as some would seem to speak cautiously but to worship the Image it self with the same worship as we do the Prototype In the same place he supposeth the e Respiciebat populus serpentem religiose forte obtulit c. Israelites in the Wilderness did worship the Brazen Serpent and perhaps offer Incense to it and yet without fear of Idolatry because it was a Type of Christ and therefore Moses and the seniors among them who knew the Mystery might fall down and worship it Religiously and be no Idolaters and the People also who knew not the Mystery believing as the Elders believed and resolving their Faith into the Faith of the Elders might without sin worship the Serpent altho they did not understand it to be the Type of Christ Phil. These are School-subtleties arguing from the Image to the Exemplar and from a notion of Aristotle and Naclantus going farther then the rest is but a single Testimony fancying an Image to be a Looking-glass and the thing represented by it to be presentially contain'd in it But you have heard the plain determination of the Nicene Council b Loquitur de Cruce prout est res quaedam sacra non ut refertur ad exemplar was That the Image of Christ and the Cross and so any other Image was not to be worship'd with that worship due to God but with a worship far inferior Theoph. You may perceive by this how much your School-men value Fathers and Councils when they speak not for them But why doth your Church and after Councils permit them to pass without censure and an Index expurgatorius Naclantus dedicates his Book to the Pope and therefore did presume upon his allowance and protection Phil. Baronius excuses the School-men and our Doctors in maintaining the Image of Christ and of the Cross are to be worship'd with the worship call'd Latria because saith he they were mistaken and did suppose with the Council of Francford that the Nicene Council had determin'd Divine Honor to be given to them Theoph. If this were so it manifests your Doctors and School-men to have been grosly ignorant of the Councils And secondly That they are resolv'd to assert whatsoever they believe a Council hath determin'd right or wrong yea altho it be against the dictate of their Conscience and rule of
Man and his redemtion by Christ and other Mysteries which were made known unto them saith the Apostle in the Churches by the Ministery of the Gospel See Estius in 4. Sent. dist 46. Paragr 19. p. 294. And so while your Doctors without any warrant of Scripture generally lay this for a Foundation That the Saints in Heaven do know our state and bear our Praiers when they come to the proof and confirmation every one abounds in his own sense and they easily confute one anothers Reasons and Opinions and manifest unto their Readers upon due consideration that they are full of uncertainties in the Point which they take for granted and can urge only fallible Arguments to confirm that which they would have receiv'd by all Men as a mesur'd Truth but we have not learn'd to subscribe to Mens Dictates And you acknowledg your Doctor makes not proof of his Assertion which is a great defect this being the main Hinge whereupon the Controversie turns We conclude therefore there is no reason we should call upon the Saints when they do not hear us as a Child doth not ask his Fathers Blessing when he is out of hearing Now you assert with Bellarmin That the Saints in Heaven out of doubt do hear us but you know not how It is probable say you that in the Face of God they see and know all things that concern them but give no reason of that probability and is it fit that a Doctrine of your Church which takes up in that part the Devotion of all Gods People should be grounded only upon such a probability whereof you can give no reason How can I call upon the Saints with Faith and Comfort when I have no assurance that they can hear me I may with as much reason daily beg the Praiers of pious Friends who live far from me and say It is probable God will revele to them that I desire the assistance of their Praiers Phil. Your Instance runs not parallel Our condition here is a state of ignorance their 's a state of comprehension They can see the Face of God and live for ever they certainly know all things which tend to their consummation in Bliss for they are arriv'd at the state of Perfection and perfect Knowledge is the foundation of their Happiness Theoph. The perfect knowledg of God is so Here we know in part saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. ver 12. but there we shall know as we are known i. e. fully perfectly and this knowledg and Vision of God is Beatifical But how doth this prove their knowledg of the necessities and Praiers of us poor Mortals here on Earth whom they have leâ—t behind them in the vale of Misery we may rather suppose the wisdom of God hath excluded them from the knowledg of their Friends and Relations and of miserable Man here beneath least it should prove a diminution of their Joy and Bliss Your Angelical Doctor holds o Aqu. part 1. qu. 12. Art 8. ad 4. Cognoscere singularia cogitata aut facta c. non est de perfect It belongs not unto the perfection of a created Intellect to know particulars the thoughts or actions of Men. If God only be seen it sufficeth to make men happy As S t Augustin â— He is happy who knoweth Thee altho he have nothing else In a word Cardinals Cajetane was a Learned Advocate of your Church and had studied the Point in hand much and he concludes at last That we have no assurance that the Saints know when we pray to them altho we piously believe it Phil. I well perceive you have a Spirit of contradiction and please your self much in eluding such Arguments which our Doctors urge from Scripture and reason to prove the Doctrine of our Church touching the Invocation of Saints I will therefore take a more convincing way unto such refractory persons and plainly shew by matter of Fact and express Testimony of the Antients That this Doctrine hath bin receiv'd in the Church Catholic from the beginning Theoph. I presume you mean not from the beginning of Christianity you have heard how the attemt of your Doctors to prove it out of Gods Word hath been altogether unsuccessful and some of your Doctors have confes'd that it is delivered in Holy Scripture very obscurely and others have shew'd the reason even the humility and modesty of the Apostles which with-held them from publishing this Doctrine least they should appear to make themselves as Gods after their decease by requiring the People of God to make their Praiers and Supplications to them Seeing therefore your Doctrine is not sounded in the Holy Scripture I could give a short Answer unto your pretended usage of the Church and Testimony of the Ancient That which S t Augustin gave to Cresconius urging the Autority of Cyprian r I am not bound to the Autority of this Epistle for I do not hold the Writings of Cyprian as Canonical but judg of them by the Canonical Scripture and whatsoever is consonant to the Holy Scripture I receive with praise what agrees not with his leave 〈…〉 eject If you could prove what you have urg'd out of the Canonical Books of the Apostles and Prophets I would not contradict but seeing what you haue is not Canonical with that liberty whereunto God hath called us I do not receive his Testimony whose due Praise I can never equal with whose Writings I dare not compare mine own whose Learning I embrace whose 〈…〉 y I admire whose Martyrdom is venerable Again S t Augustin to the same effect elsewhere It is not sufficient unto the Autority of Faith and of the Dostrines of the Church to say Thus Esay or thou faist or he saith 〈◊〉 Thus saith the Lord. So the Blessed Martyr Gyprian himself We must not been what any one hath done before us but what He who is before all Ages hath taught or communded to be don Once more I could answer you out of Gratian t A Custom without the Word of God to back it is not â— B 〈…〉 quâ— T 〈…〉 scit etiamsi alia n 〈…〉 t. 〈…〉 sec 〈…〉 secundie â—hem qn 88. Art 5. Certaratione nescimus an Sancti vota 〈…〉 se 〈…〉 2. contr Cresconium c. 32. Ego hujus Epistolae c. 〈…〉 do sine verbo Lei non esse veritatem sed vetustatem erroris Truth but the Antiquity of Error The Council of Cartbage resolved thus â— The Lord said in the Gospel I am Truth He said not I am Castom Phil. Can you so easily trample upon the Autority of the Fathers You have formerly pretended much honor to the venerable Testimony of Antiquity where you conceiv'd it consonant unto your Principles and now you would decline that Touch-stone because you know full well it is against you in this Point of the Invocation of Saints Theoph. These Sentences I have produc'd are of the Fathers and seeing the Word of God doth not establish your Doctrine
They were sheep and must be fed but they were not brute Beasts but a rational Flock e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and might so learn as in due time even to instruct their neighbors And so I hope this holy Father hath fully answered you Phil. f Lib. 2. de verb. Dei c. 16. Chrysost amplificat in concionibus utebatur Bellarmine and others observe Chrysostom to have bin a great Orator and to use Hyperbolies and Amplifications according to the occasion and he gives an instance pertinent to your purpose out of another place where he saith g It is impossible any one should obtain salvation unless he be alwaies conversant in reading Spiritual Books which you know cannot be true in a strict sense for many that cannot read may be saved Th. The Father speaks of Men that can read and by their neglect exclude themselves from a possibility of Salvation and that others who cannot read might be diligent to hear others reading the Scripture in the Church and in their Families And if this be your way to answer the Fathers when they fully declare against you to say They speak not Doctrinally but like Orators by way of Amplification you must needs carry all before you Put you will find in the Homily upon Lazarus how Chrysostom makes it his great business to exhort all his Congregation in the Preface to study the Scripture This saith he I Preach in public and this I exhort in private and will never desist from so doing b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That not only in the Church but also in your houses ye should diligently read the Scripture c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I hate saith he that frigid answer and worthy all condemnation That because ye have Trades and worldly Business and Wife and Children therefore ye cannot be so well vers'd in the Scripture And that in your Opinion I should rather give this charge to study the Scripture unto Men separate from the World unto Monks and Hermits and the Clergy What saiest thou man as the Father goes on Is it not thy business to attend unto the Scripture because thou art incumbred with myriads of worldly affairs I tell thee for this very reason thou shouldst apply thy self to the Scripture more then such who are free from cares for amidst thy multiplicity of business thou dost want the help and conduct of the Scripture more then they who are secluded from the world Thy Wife may vex thee thy Children grieve thee thy Servant anger thee thy Friend envy thee thy Enemy beset thee with snares the Judge oppress thee thy Neighbor curse thee and against all these and other assaults how necessary will be the Panoply of the Scripture the only Physic against all the maladies of the World After all this judge whether Bellarmines shift will serve his turn touching Chrysostom ' s Oratory and Amplifications No it was the good Fathers business and principal part of Doctrine in many Homilies to recommend the study of the Scripture unto his Congregation Phil. But you may read another answer Bellarmine gives to these vehement Exhortations of Chrysostom d Quoniam dediti erant homines tâ—â—atris spect aliisque 〈◊〉 script divinas nunquam legebant Because the People of that great City Constantinople were much given to Plaies and Sights and other trisling Divertisements and such as were sit and able did not look into the Bible therefore he was so solicitous to quicken them a Hom. 3. in Lazarum Tom. 5. c. Theoph. Doth not the same Cause ever inforce the same Exhortation Are not Men too much addicted to the Vanities and Lusts and Cares of the World and therefore need these sacred Divertisements But by these whiffling Answers you may perceive how your great Bellarmin is a Trifler and so are all his Seconds who have the confidence without shew of reason to shift off Arguments and Texts of Scripture which are as clear as the Sun against them But such weak Answers fortifie our Objections and do in truth manifest They are so convincing that Men must be frivolous or silent in their Solutions Phil. I ascribe this Triumph before the Victory and this insulting over your Adversaries unto the partiality of your Judgment in your own cause Theoph. To decline this Imputation I shall choose to submit all to the impartial Reader and pass from the testimony of Holy Scripture unto the testimony of the Holy Fathers of the Church who exhort all Christians to the search and study of the Scripture And altho we meet with great variety of Testimonies collected by learned Protestants out of the ancient Fathers yet for brevity sake I will produce only such as I have had the opportunity to read my self and if occasion serves will hereafter be ready to produce the rest a Lib. de spectaculis ad finem Script sacris incumbat Christianus fidelis ibi inveniet condigna fidei spectacula Cyprian willing to withdraw Christians from the Roman Theaters and Sports having condemn'd them for their Idolatry and Impurities he directs Christians to the contemplation of Gods Works in the excellent frame and beauty and order of the Creation and more especially to read the Scripture Let the Believing Christian saith he make the holy Scripture his study where he shall find excellent discoveries agreeable to his pretious Faith Phil. This Testimony of Cyprian justifies Bellarmins former Answer That because the People were much given to frequent the Theaters and Scenes full of obscenity and vice therefore for that season Chrysostom did divert them by a better imploiment exhorting them to study the Scripture But this proves not that they should be alwaies read by the common people but only upon such special Considerations Theoph. When such Motives and Considerations are wanting let Men and Women lay aside their Bibles but as long as we live in a wicked World there will be alwaies need of the light and conduct of Gods Holy Word to lead us out of the works of Darkness and way of Unrighteousness But I pray hear others b Homil 9. in Levit. Oplamus ut operam detis non selum in Ecclesia c. Origen tells his hearers We do heartily wish that ye would labor not only in the Church to hear Gods word but also in your houses to be exercised in his Law day and night And he proceeds In vain do ye complain that the flesh is weak while ye neglect to nurish and fortifie the spirit by reading the Holy Scripture and by Praier and hearing the instruction of the Word And elsewhere as you have heard before he passionatly wisheth a Homil. 2. in Isaia Would God we all would follow that which is written Search the Scriptures b Lib. 12. de praepar Evang. Eusebius Caesariensis assigns the reading of the Holy Scriptures both unto Babes in Christ and unto strong Men with this difference The first sort must simply
devices of the evil Spirit and obtain the kingdom of Heaven Again speaking of the Holy Scriptures he tells them b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They are spiritual food the nerves and sinews of Ratiocination making the soul vigorous and in tune and more Philosophical not suffering her to be carried away with brutish passions giving her a swift wing and translating her as I may so speak into Heaven Wherefore I beseech you let us not deprive our selves of such advantages but in our own houses let us give all diligence in reading the Holy Scripture In his Tom. 2. c Hom. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He upbraids them of not minding the Scripture And who is there saith he of this great Congregation that being requir'd can say one of Davids Psalms or any other part of Scripture d Hom. 2. in Matt. ad finem And what do ye plead for your excuse I an no Monk I have a Wife and Children and the care of a Family c. Phil. He justly reproves such who out of supine negligence had learn'd none of Davids Psalms or other parts of the Scriptures but our Church recommends the Penitential Psalms and many others to be learn'd by heart Theoph. That which follows expresly mentions reading the Bible e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This mars all saith â—e that ye think it belongs only to Monks to read the Word of God when as ye want the comfort of the Scripture more then they such as are conversant in secular affairs and every day receive wounds do most stand in need of Physic And he goes on to tell them f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That if there be a sin greater then the neglect of reading Gods Word it is this To be perswaded we need not read the Scripture This is the studied suggestion of the devil whereas Paul tells us These things were written for our instruction 1 Cor. 10. 11. I must needs declare to you Philodoxus It makes my heart even to bleed to think how such saâ—anical suggestions as Chrysostom justly call'd them should now become the avowed Doctrine of a Christian Church if I may in Charity be allow'd to call her so Phil. Your Zeal Theophilus transports you beyond all reason g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Theoph. I would to God I had no reason for this Zeal and Indignation but I have much more to produce out of this Father In another Homily he gives advice that a Hom. 5. Matth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They should not immediatly fall upon worldly business after a Sermon but call their Wives and Children together and take the Bible and make them partake of those things he had heard Phil. This we approve well that such as come to Church should heed what is taught them and carry it with them and in their Families repeat and instruct those that were absent Theoph. But there is somthing more then you allow b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That they should have Bibles in their Houses and take and read to their Wives and Children at home the Text and Proofs c. Again in the same Tome c Hom. 32. in Johan ad finem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. from the example of the Woman of Samaria enquiring of our Blessed Savior about the true Worship of God c. he condemns his hearers of negligence and indifferency in matters of Religion And then he proposeth the Question Which of you being in his house will take into his band the Book of Christianity d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and search what is contain'd therein You shall find Dice in every House but the Bible in few and such as have the Scriptures are as tho they had them not They clasp them up and lock them in their Chests and are solicitous for the finest Paper and the fairest Letter but not to read them They boast they have the Bible in Golden Letters and know nothing of the Contents But the Scriptures were not given that we should have them in our Books but engraven in our hearts I speak not this saith he forbidding you to have Bibles e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I exhort and earnestly beg you would procure them but I desire also the sense and words of Holy Scripture should be carried in your minds And if the Devil dares not enter into an house where there is a Bible much less will he draw near to a soul that is fraught with Sentences of Scripture neither sin nor the evil Spirit will attemt a mind so well furnish'd f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sanctifie therefore thy Mind and sanctifie thy Body having the Holy Scripture alwaies in thy Heart and in thy Mouth In his third Tome g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in his Preface to the Epistle to the Romans he grieves his hearers were not better acquainted with Paul and his Epistles and tells them If they would with alacrity give themselves to reading the Scripture they should want no other thing or if I mistake him not no other Interpreter For the promise of Christ shall never fail seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Soon after he tells them h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. From hence dospring up myriads of evils even from the ignorance of the Scripture from hence pernicious Heresies neglected lives and labor in vain For as they who are destitute of the light cannot make strait paths so such as do not take along with them the light of Gods Word in many things necessarily do off end and stumble as walking in utter darkness But more then all this we may read in his fifth Tome in the third Homily upon Lazarus and I have already instanc'd in several passages of that Sermon where he also tells us That as Work-men cannot be without their Tools so neither a Christian without the Holy Scripture And he concludes the Preface of that Homily wherein all these passages are to be found with this asseveration a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is impossible I say it is impossible that any one who gives himself up to read the Holy Scripture with due observation should lose his labor And now after such full and frequent Exhortations of the Holy Scripture and of the Holy Fathers made unto all sorts and conditions of Men to search and hear and read the Scriptures and to be conversant in them Would you think it possible a new Generation of Doctors should arise and discourage and forbid the People to study the Scriptures urging Arguments to shew the great and many Inconveniencies of so doing as much as they can restraining the Translations of the Bible into the vulgar Tongue of every Country Phil. What the sad experience of later Times had taught them they have reason to declare and to suit their
of the New Theoph. If one we may suppose the other where the New Testament being written in Greek was not understood doubtless it was translated seeing Moses and the Prophets Writings were communicated in all Languages unto the World principally to give testimony unto the Gospel But not to heap up Quotations in vain your own Friends acknowledge it a Lib. 6. Biblioth Annotat. 152. Ad id quod haeretici contendunt c. Sixtus Senensis gives a reason why such Transtations useful before should now be prohibited for their inconvenience When Heretics urge that the Holy Scriptures should be translated into the Mother Tongue of every Nation because heretofore they were so to the great benefit of the Church I answer This is a foolish Argument for many other things were formerly instituted which afterwards were abrogated for their inconvenience So pleads Alphonsus de Castro loco citato Phil. I have several times intimated this Plea That the Church because of inconveniences discovered hath as great reason now to with-hold the Scriptures from the Peoples reading and to forbid vulgar Translations as the former times had to encourage them Theoph. This is your only Sanctuary to fly unto in this and many other Controversies between us That the Wisdom of the Church is the best Judge of times and seasons and upon due considerations hath power to alter and change the state of things even against the Primitive Rule and the Primitive Practice And because I will not interrupt our present Discourse I will reserve this Point unto another season and now expect you should produce your due Considerations and Reasons against vulgar Translations of the Holy Scriptures and the Peoples reading them I must tell you they had need be demonstrative to conclude against the Testimony of the Holy Scripture of the Holy Fathers and against the practice of the Church for nine hundred Years for that Declaration I produc'd of Pope John the 9 th was in the end of the 9 th Century Phil. When you hear them you may judge b Lib. 2. De verbo Dei cap. 15. Vt publicus usus Script sit in lingua communiss Bellarmine shews it necessary unto Church Communion and Unity thro-out the World That the public use and reading of the Scripture should be in the most common Language in the World that Churches may communicate one with another For this cause the Holy Scriptures were first written in Greek which then was the most universal Language whereunto the Latine Tongue now succeeds as being understood by the Learned of every Nation By this means General Councils are held wherein generally they understand and speak Latine Theoph. We deny not that the Scripture should be read in Greek or Latine by those that understand them mean while for the benefit of the common People in every Country they may have the Scripture in their vulgar Tongue and never obstruct Catholic Communion or General Councils And withal we know the Bishops of the Greek and Latine Churches have held many Councils together their diversity of Tongues not impeding where they did not mutually understand one another they had Interpreters But I grant in such General Learned Assemblies the most common Language is most useful Phil. But a Ibid. populus non intelligeret Proph. Psal c. Bellarmin reasons farther That vulgar Translations for the Peoples reading the Scripture would not be beneficial to them because when translated the People cannot understand them without Interpreters for we who understand the Latine are often forc'd to consult learn'd Expositors saith he Theoph. This indeed is one Artifice of your Church whereby she satisfies her Children without the Divine Food of Gods Word and makes them be content without the Holy Scripture in their own Tongue You perswade the People they cannot read the Scriptures and understand them unless they be minâ—'d and carv'd to them by the Nursing Fathers of the Church their Priests and Pastors As Mothers chew the Bread and Meat they give to little Children not commiting to them the whole morsel b Matres dant infant panem dissect praemansum non integrum solidum Lib. 2. de Verb. Dei cap. 16. And thus you hold them alwaies in their Infancy as Children and Babes in Christ and feed them neither with strong Meat nor the Milk of Gods Word except they draw it out of the Churches Breasts for they must not read the Holy Scriptures where they are plain and easie to be understood because of some hard places which they may misunderstand Now we approve that the Word of God should be rightly divided unto the People by the Ministers of the Gospel and withal according to the Tenor of Holy Scriptures and the Holy Fathers we exhort the People to search study the Scriptures themselves and draw Waters out of the Wells of Salvation to drink the Waters of Life out of the Fountain as well as thro the Conduit of Preaching and Interpretation But c Tom. 5. Homil. 3. in Lazarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysostom hath long since answer'd your Objection To whom are not all things in the Gospel manifest saith he Who when he hears That blessed are the meek the merciful the pure in heart and the like needs an Interpreter and withal the signs and miracles and the hisiories of Holy Scripture are they not obvious to every understanding and therefore it is a meer excuse and cloak of your Idleness to say You cannot understand and therefore you do not read the Scriptures Dost thou not understand what is written How canst thou when thou wilt not look into the Bible Take the Book of God into your hands and read and make use of what thou understandest and that which is obscure will follow or if thou canst not find out the meaning of any place by the context and often reading repair to one more Learned ask thy Teacher communicate with the Guide of thy Soul about such things shew much diligence to find the Truth and God will not despise thy watchfulness and care and if man should not interpret right God himself would revele the Truth And so he proceeds in the Exhortation and gives an instance in the Eunuch who even in his Journey in his Chariot did read the Prophet and God sent him an Interpreter And now I pray observe the difference between the Fathers of the Primitive Church and of yours They exhort earnestly all sorts and conditions diligently to read the Scripture that they may get Wisdom and Understanding and assure them That God will Crown their diligence with knowledge You altogether discourage and forbid the People to read the Scripture perswading them that they cannot understand and profit themselves thereby Phil. Do you believe that all things written in the Gospels are plain and easie as you bring Chrysostom to affirm By this you may judg of his Hyperbolical Expressions which I before observ'd out of Bellarmin Theoph. You must not take
Patriarchs and Prelates Eutyches an Abbot and all these Broachers of Heresie And such Men of Learning and Reputation are likely to do much more mischief in seducing the People then some obscure and simple Phanatics And we have cause to fear that some Mercurial Wits beyond the Seas have laid the Scenes and come over Incognito in the mist of our Distractions and Troubles to act their parts and give Life and Motion to the Phlegmatic Humors of our Separatists who whil'st they dream of Popery and mightily declaim and fight against it are led by many of the Principals and Priests of the Church of Rome upon your account therefore wise Men should with-hold the Scripture rather from the Learned who are able to do most mischief then from the multitude But we affirm neither one nor the other That either Clerks or Pesants should be restrain'd from reading the Bible for their Instruction and Salvation out of a panic fear they should wrest and pervert them to their own destruction and others Every thing that is most useful may become pernicious Will you keep no Fire in your Chimney for fear you should burn your House Phil. a Loco praedict Bellarmine gives another considerable Argument That in the Holy Scriptures there are many seeming Contradictions which if the common People in reading should observe not knowing how to reconcile them they may be apt to question the Infallibility and Truth of the Scripture Theoph. These seeming Contradictions do not easily fall within the Observation of the vulgar but of the Learned and withal they ought to read the Holy Scriptures with veneration and due acknowledgment that they are the infallible Word of God and dictates of his Holy Spirit who cannot lye nor contradict himself and upon this ground when we apprehend any contradiction in Gods Word we must distrust our own Judgment and not question the truth of Holy Scripture in any place but our own apprehension and apply our selves to the Learned for reconciliation and better satisfaction But as to the other part of Bellarmines Assertion Is it possible any should conceive that the Holy Word of God should contribute to the corruption of Mens manners and debauch the Lives of such as study it Phil. Yes of the unwary Reader For he instanceth in that passage of the Canticles Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth And in another place Cant. 8. 3. His left hand should be under my head and his right hand should embrace me He instances in Davids Adultery and Thamars Incest in the Patriarchs Concubines Now the ruder sort may make ill use of such Expressions and Examples Theoph. And so may a carnal Priest Tit. 1. 15. For unto them that are defiled saith the Apostle nothing is pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled But unto the pure all things are pure And therefore in such cases evil unto him that thinks evil We ought to give unto Spiritual Songs a Spiritual sense and not a sensual Psal 51. Davids Adultery is recorded and his most signal Repentance the Vices of the Patriarchs together with their Virtues to shew they were Men of like Passions with us and subject to Infirmities And the whole design of Scripture tends unto our Sanctification and holiness of Life and therefore one would think may prove a sufficient Antidote against the Infection of such Examples and withal many who never read the Scripture may hear these Stories and not be so well fortified against them Bellarmine I know made himself mirth with a Story related as he saith by a credible Person a Loco cit supra audivi ab homine fide digno c. That a Calvinistical Minister of the Church of England reading the 25 th Chapter of Ecclesiasticus in the vulgar Tongue where much is spoken of the malice and wickedness of a Woman one of his hearers a Woman rose up and said Is this the word of God nay rather of the divel Whereunto I answer That perhaps the poor Wretch before the happy Reformation in England being kept more Romano in great ignorance of the Scriptures thought it strange to hear such passages against her Sex and was promted to Blaspheme whereas had she bin conversant in the Word of God she would have learn'd to Bless and nor Blaspheme to govern her Passion and rule her Tongue and to keep silence at the Church the Apostle not permitting her there to speak c Leo decimus qui dissolute respondit Cardinali Bembo Quantum nobis profuit haec fabula Christi satis est omnibus seculis notum Job Balaeus centuriâ 8 va illustrium scriptorum Britanniae pag 636. And withal the Pope who call'd the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ a Fable was the more notorious Blasphemer As for his taunt of a Calvinistical Minister of the Church of England he knew well that our worthy Reformers chose not Calvin for their Master We are bound to honor him for his great Learning and Labor in the Work of the Lord but not to subscribe in all Points unto his Doctrine or Discipline and yet without doubt John Calvin compar'd with Ignatius Loiola the Father of Bellarmines Order was a Saint Phil. These are Impertinencies to vent your spleen But what say you to Bellarmines next Consideration That if vulgar Translations be permitted they must be changed every Age with the Language of the Country and so there would never be an end of Translating and fit Men to undertake that great Work may probably be wanting Theoph. I say that Bellarmine wanted Modesty and Consideration to assert that which the Experience of all Ages contradicts namely That the vulgar Tongue of every Country changeth for the most part in the compass of an hundred Years whereas his most part must be contracted into some few Words and Phrases every Age refining but not changing or destroying the Language of a People Phil. The last Argument of Bellarmine is this That the Majesty of Divine Service and we may add of the Holy Scripture requires a more grave and venerable Language then is the vulgar And this part of his Argument I have already proposd but that which follows is considerable d Loco citato praesertim cum in Sacris Mysteriis multa sint quae fecreta esse debeant Especially seeing in Holy Mysteries many things there are which should be concel'd from vulgar apprehensions And this Pope Gregory the 7 th urgeth as a reason of his denial unto the request of the Duke of Bohemia that his Subjects might enjoy their public Service b Istudne est verbum Dei imo potius diaboli in the Sclavonian i. e. the vulgar Tongue a Ex hoc nempe saepe volventibus liquet non immerito sacram script omnipotenti Deo placuisse c. Bin. con Tom. 7. part 1. Ep. Greg. l. 7. Epist 11. Vpon due consideration saith he I have observ'd that Almighty God was pleased that the Holy
right of the People to the Sacrament c. and your answer supposeth an offence whereupon the right may be taken away But Bellarmin speaks absolutly Jus Laicorum c. The right the People have to the Sacrament is from the Priests concession I thought it had bin from Christs Institution and command And Bellarmins Inference is insufferable that as the Church and the â—ishops have power to keep Offenders from the Sacrament altogether so can they dispose of and give the Sacrament under one kind or both as they think fit And the absurdity appears herein Christ hath given power to his Church to Excommunicate Offenders but not to alter his Institution of the Sacrament If we had not found it written we could not believe a Man of Learning should make such Inferences absurd and irreligious Phil. If you like not this Answer you may his second Thoughts c Ib. Habuissent certe ex censuet illius temp ergo cum sit contr consuet introducta non habent amplius jus illud That if in Cyprians time the people had a right to demand the Cup they had it certainly from the custom of that time and therefore seeing now another Custom is introduc'd and a Law made for the Sacrament in one kind they have no claim or right to the other Theoph. 'T is horrible insolence in Bellarmin to assert That if the People had a right to claim the Cup certainly they deriv'd it from Custom and to take no notice at all of Christs Institution and the Apostles Tradition and Practice And that he should presume to ballance the custom of so many former Ages of the Church with a custom not many Ages introduc'd and withal not to allow one grain unto all we read of both kinds in the Holy Scripture to turn the Scale And why doth he take so great pains to answer the Testimonies which we bring out of the Fathers for the giving of the Sacrament in both kinds seeing he might cut all off with this stupendious Solution It was the custom of so many Ages to receive the Communion in both kinds it is our custom to receive the Communion in one kind But notwithstanding this compendious answer of your Doctor I will go on to prove the practice of the Church to give the Cup and then I will make the Inference a Hom. 6. in Numeros dicam vobis quis sit Pop. qui in usu habet sang bibere non solum Sacr. ritu c. Origen gives a full Testimony on our side I will shew you who are the People who are accustomed to drink Blood not only in the Sacrament but in hearing the word of God Phil. b Ib. In usu habet non praecepto Bellarmines answer to this Testimony is short and full They are accustomed but not commanded Theoph. c De Caena Domini Lex prohibet ejus sang Evangelium praecipit ut bibatur Cyprian shews the Precept as well as the use The Law saith he forbids to eat with the Blood but the Gospel commands that we should drink it Phil. d Praecipit ut bibatur at non ab omnibus Bellarmin answers The Gospel commands that the Blood of Christ should be drank but not by all Theoph. Christs words are Drink ye all of this And e Qu. 17. in Levit. ad bibendum sang omnes exhortantur qui volunt habere vitam Augustin saith All are exhorted to drink this Blood who will have life In the fourth Century the Fathers of the Greek and Latin Church are all for us f Epist 289. ad Patriciam Caesariam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil the Great writing to a great Lady tells her It is good to Communicate every day and to partake of the holy Body and Blood g Regulâ— 80. c. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Again elsewhere he puts the Quest What is proper for a Christian And he gives the Answer To cleanse himself from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and perfect Holiness in the fear of the Lord and so to eat the Body of Christ and drink his Blood h Oratione 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Greg. Nazianzen gives advice Without doubting eat the Body and drink the Blood if thou desirest Life i Homil. 18. in 2. ad Cornith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysostom hath a memorable Passage to our purpose I can shew you saith he where the Priest differs not from the People when we enjoy the dreadful Mysteries for we are all alike vouchsaf'd them One Body and one Cup propos'd to all Phil. k Bellarmin shews how Chrysostom understands the thing that is Communicated and not the Signs and so all receive whole Christ altho under the Species of Bread Theoph. Seeing there is express mention made of one Cup offered to all you cannot understand thereby receiving Christs Blood only by Ib. Rom Sacramenti c. concomitancy with the Body of Christ under the Species of Bread And whereas Bellarmin faith Both the Priest and People did eat of the same Sacrifice under the Law and therefore the difference between us under the Gospel and them could not herein consist That as well the People as the Priest equally share in the Sacrament I answer that in the Peace-offering he that brought it had his part as the Priest his but they were different heterogenial parts the wave-breast and heave-shoulder were the Priests share Lev. 7. 34. whereof he that brought the Offering did not eat And so the Shew-bread belong'd to the Priest to eat and not to the People Now at the Lords Table there is a clear parity between Priest and People alike partaking of homogenial things eating the same Bread and drinking the same Cup. And this was Chrysostoms design to shew in these words a Ib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Not as under the Law the Priest eat some things and the People other and it was not lawful for the People to partake of those things which were assign'd to the Priest Phil. b Ib. Manifeste patet c. Bellarmin shews plainly the custom in Chrysostoms time to receive in one kind by a miraculous Instance related out of Sozomens History Lib. 8. Of an heretical Woman who would dissemble Catholic Communion and received the Bread in Chrysostoms Church but kept it by her and eat common Bread which her Maid brought with her and it became a stone in her mouth Now saith Bellarmin If she must also have receiv'd the Cup How could her first jugling about the Bread concele her Theoph. Such Legends as these prove little If truth she might think in the throng to escape the Cup or else set her lips to the Cup and drink nothing and so Bellarmins manifeste patet is manifeste latet in a sinking Cause he laieth hold of every Reed to support it Other Testimonies we have out of Chrysostom c Hom. 23. in I ad Cor. 〈◊〉
Holy Scripture or Fathers speak of receiving Christs pretious Body and Blood for remission of Sins and the nurishment of our Souls you answer In one kind whole Christ is received and all his Benefits by a Concomitancy If we go further and prove the Elements were receiv'd distinctly by the People in the Apostles time and for so many Ages after You answer Vsu non praecepto they receiv'd it so by Custom and not by Precept Phil. Yes And upon this account we are not troubled with all your proofs of both kinds administred to the People so many Ages of the Church seeing afterwards that Custom generally ceas'd in the Western Church and the contrary Custom was introduc'd and confirm'd by three General Councils Constance Basil and Trent Theoph. 'T is truth in the 13 th Century giving the Cup unto the Laity began to grow out of use a Part. 3. Quaest 80. Art 12. Ex parte Sacramenti convenit ut utrumque sumutur c. Aquinas moves the Question Whether it be lawful to receive Christs Body without the Blood And concludes That in regard unto the Sacrament it self it was convenient that both kinds should be received because the perfection of the Sacrament consists in both but in regard unto the Receivers reverence and caution was required and that therefore in some Churches it was well observ'd not to give the Cup unto the People And yet before the same Aquinas had determin'd b Quaest 74. Art 1. Quantum ad effect in unoquoque sumentium Saeâ—â—mentum hoc vales ad tuicionem c. As to the effect of every Receiver the Sacrament secures both Body and Soul and therefore the Body of Christ is offer'd for the salvation of the Body and the Blood under the Species of Wine for the Soul Phil. He saith 't is offer'd to wit by the Priest but not communicated to the People Theoph. Put the Proposition together it is this Bread and Wine are the Materials of the Sacrament requir'd in regard of the benefit and effect in every Communicate for the preservation of his Body and Soul by the Body and Blood of Christ Well Aquinas he starts the Question Whether it was lawful to receive in one kind and determins the Point very tenderly But after this Angelical Doctor as they call him the School-men follow the Cry with full Mouth That there is no Precept to receive in both and no prohibition to receive in one kind That upon many Considerations it is expedient to with-hold the Cup from the Laity That the Church hath power to order things of this nature and That after the express determination of the Church in some General Councils it is even become necessary to with-hold the Cup and an Heresie to dispute against it Now to prepare the World for this new practice of receiving only in one kind that so it might be entertain'd in some places and get ground and afford some plea of a Custom in the Church the School-men started some preliminary Questions and concluded That whole Christ was received under each kind and he that received only the Body of Christ received likewise his Blood and Soul and Divinity by a concomitancy 2 sy That the whole intent of the Sacrament as to the People all the Essentials thereof were communicated under the Species of Bread with the Body of Christ. 3 sy That he who received in both kinds had no advantage of those who receiv'd only in one kind Altho we find this last Thesis not so generally admitted among themselves yet such as oppose must not be peremtory least the People should be sensible of some injury don them in being depriv'd of that benefit which should be exhibited more in both kinds then in one Phil. By your own relation you give us opportunity to observe how they proceeded upon good grounds and in a rational way to make good their Thesis and their practice of the Communion in one kind Theoph. It was necessary they should say somthing to endere the People unto a compliance designing to cheat them of one half of the Sacrament they would impose upon their credulity and tell them the other half which they receiv'd was as beneficial as the whole Phil. You are not ignorant how they shew many good Causes and Considerations for their with-holding the Cup and notwithstanding your pretensions and claim to the practice of the Church for so many Ages on your side our Doctors shew it was always free to communicate in one kind or in both and shew the early practice of the Church for this half Communion as you call it and I hope you will now give me leave to put in their Plea Theoph. Content And if you can ballance those Autorities which I have brought I will yield the Cause Phil. I am glad to see in you some hopes of Moderation and that you will be rul'd by Reason and Autority Theoph. Taking Christs Institution and the Holy Scripture along with us Phil. 'T is suppos'd there is no express Precept of Christ to determine the Church in all Ages to give the Communion in both kinds and where the Church is left free she may use her liberty and determin as occasion serves Theoph. You beg the Question and we have urg'd Christs Institution and Example in giving the Sacrament in both kinds and his Command to them to do likewise We have urg'd the Traditions of St. Paul the practice of the Apostolical Tunes Phil. You have urged and we have answered and let the impartial Reader judg between us but besides these Instances of the Sacrament in one kind out of the Holy Scripture Luke 24. Acts 2. 42. and 20. 7. we have also Testimonies of the Primitive Church which speak on our side Theoph. We have prov'd our way abundantly by the practice of so many Ages do you so yours and then I will grant we are left free in this case every one to do as seemeth good in his eyes Phil. Not so neither when the Church hath restrain'd this liberty and forbid the Cup. Theoph. Whether your Church hath done better in the restraint then the Church for so many Ages before in allowing that Christian Liberty which you pretend for to receive in one or both kinds let the World judg but we deny any such liberty taken by the Church or allow'd by Christ to communicate in one or both kinds as the Church should please and we desire your proof Phil. First Bellarmin proves it lawful to communicate in one kind because the Church never condemn'd it Theoph. You should prove that they allow'd it But how should they condemn that which was not practic'd Could they divine a new Generation of Monks and Fryars should arise and perswade the People by subtlety and craft to lose their Spiritual Birth-right half the Legacy of Christ or rather the whole in a maim'd and undue Administration And moreover you have heard when the Manichees and other Heretics would have brought up this
not doubt but stedfastly believe That whole Christ his Body and Blood is contain'd under either Species of the Sacrament And therefore such a custom of giving the Sacrament in one kind introduc'd by the Church and the Holy Fathers and observ'd for a most long time let it be taken for a Law Theoph. The first part is warily penn'd c Tam sub Specie panis quam sub specie vini veraciter contineri We must stedfastly believe that whole Christ is verily contain'd as well under one Species as the other So it may be if it be in neither and so we hold Christ is contain'd in neither singly but he is signified and Sacramentally represented and really and spiritually exhibited by the Sacrament in both kinds unto the Faithful Receiver His Body that was broken for us is signified by breaking of Bread and his Blood shed by the Wine poured out of the Cup and separated from the Bread in the Sacrament and therefore at present we will dismiss this School nicety and by the Councils leave not take it for granted That whole Christ Body and Soul is in either Species Quod nullus Presbyter sub poena Excommunicat communicet Populum sub utraque Specie But the principal motive follows Seeing such a custom of giving the Sacrament in one kind hath been introduc'd and most long observ'd by the Church and Fathers we Decree it shall be taken for a Law which shall not be changed or reprobated without the Autority of the Church b Bin. Tom. 8. Concil Basil Sess 30. Sub qualibet Specie est integer totus Christus landab quoque consuet commun Laices c. The Council of Basil makes and confirms the same Decree upon the same Motives Whole and intire Christ is under either kind and the laudable custom of Communicating the Laity under one kind induc'd by Church and Fathers and hither to most long observ'd and approv'd by Doctors skilful in Gods Law and in the Holy Scripture and in Church Canons long since Let it be a Law c. Phil. Yes The Custom and Practice of the Church should prevail with sober Men not given to Faction especially when confirm'd by General Conncils Theoph. Why should not then the Custom and Practice of the Church which we have prov'd for so many Ages prevail for administring the Sacrament in both kinds especially being exactly conformable unto Christs Institution and Command and Apostolical Tradition Phil. Stay there We absolutely deny any command of Christ or of his Apostles or of the Church representative in a General Council to administer the Sacrament in both kinds and we shew two Councils forbidding it Theoph. You deny but the Scriptures affirm And the reason why no General Council determin'd the Sacrament to be in both kinds was because the Institution of Christ and the Tradition of the Apostles and the practice of the whole Church was so full and express for it It was never put to the Question as I can find until the 13 th Century and from that time when the School-men began to swarm most of them being sworn Champions of the See of Rome The laudable Custom as the Council speaks approv'd by Holy Fathers viz. Monks and Friers crept insensibly into the Church And this must be made a ground of Canons to establish the Communion in one kind and forbid the Cup and declare a Curse upon all those that shall dispute it And now when I shall declare the reason I hope your goodness will excuse that great trouble to my self and you in those numerous Quotations and Testimonies I have brought to prove the practice of the Church for 1200 Years in giving the Sacrament unto the People in both kinds It was chiefly upon this design to manifest the gross absurdity of those two Councils Constance and Basil who as you have heard do ground their Decree for one kind upon the laudable custom of the Church taken up not above 100 Years before against the Institution of Christ and the conformable practice of the Church for 1200 Years And withal to manifest their impudence in calling that a custom rationally introduc'd when such a Diutissime obs trifling Motives are brought to establish it And in saying it was diutissime observata for a long time observ'd when they cannot shew one clear Instance save in the Age immediatly before That the Sacrament was administred in public in one kind in any Christian Church Phil. It doth not become your Prudence and Moderation so to undervalue General Councils Theoph. Alass Those two pitiful Councils of Constance and Easil you may call them Oecumenical but you give no more Autority to them then you think fit As far as their Decrees suit the Genius of the Court of Rome they are confirm'd and no farther a Part. 2. Tom. 7. pag. 1134. Exparte Approbatum in iis quae consra Wicclesum c. Binius in his Notes upon the Council of Constance tells us It was approv'd in part in those Decrees against Wicliff Husse and Jerome of Prague But in the determination of the Autority of a General Council above the Pope it was abrogated by two General Councils of Florence and the Lateran b Bin. Tom. 8. Sâ—ss 34. Câ—nâ— Basil Tan suum Simâ—niacum perjurum incorig Scismaticum fide devium injurium bonarum Ecclesiâ—e pâ—â—ditorâ—m So the Council of Basil deposing Eugenius the 4 th from his Papacy As a Simoniacal and perâ— jur'd Man an incorrigible Schismatic erring from the Faith injurious and betraying the Goods of the Church And choosing Amadeus Duke of Savoy Pope called Felix the fifth and Declaring That a Council is above the Pope and hath its Power immediatly from Christ Alas for these things this poor Council is hist off the Stage of the World c Sess 11. Bin in notis in Concil â—asil p. 526. Conciliabulum Schismat c. And in the Lateran General Council under Leo the 10 th It is call'd a Schismatical and Seditious Conventicle and altogether of no Autority And yet these are the Councils upon whose Aurority you so much depend to establish your half Communion and pronounce us all Heretical and Contumacious for not submitting our Reason and our Consciences thereunto even against the Scripture and against the Fathers of the Church Phil. But the General Council of Trent hath no Exception being held 18 years and confirm'd by Pope Pius the fourth and subscrib'd by his Cardinals as appears by the Bull of Confirmation See the Council of Trent set forth in Latin by John Gallemart D. D. and Professor at Douey Theoph. Of the Council of Trent read the History of Father Paul a Frier at Venice a Man of Learning Judgment and Piety beyond compare and there you will find what just cause the World â—ath to decline the Autority and Decrees of that Cabal That great Ecclesiastical Body whose Soul and Spirit was at Rome receiving day by day Orders and Directions and
Scriptures might behold many Historical passages of Scripture carv'd and limn'd and represented to the Eye As to see in a Picture our Blessed Savior wrap'd in Swadling-clothes and lying in a Manger and the Wise-men worshipping and presenting Gifts So his Circumcision his Baptism his Scourging and Crucifixion effectually represented in Pictures may more sensibly affect the Heart then bare reading the Histories in the Gospel Theoph. But what is this to the Historical Image of God Christs Picture is taken as he is Man Phil. Bellarmin explains himself as to that In that Historical passage of Gods appearing to Adam and Eve in the midst of the Garden Gen. 3. after they had eaten of the forbidden Fruit to paint a Man walking in amidst the Trees of Paradice and our first Parents hiding from his presence is to represent God Historically Theoph. Or rather falsly and unwarrantably For the Text saith not that God did appear in an humane Shape but only That Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day and bid themselves ver 8. How God was pleased to manifest himself to them is not express'd they must draw the Image of a voice to represent aright that History Phil. But there is another instance more opposite of those three Men who appeared to Abraham at his Tent door in the plain of Mambre Gen. 18. It is expresly said in the first verse The Lord appeared to Abraham as he sat at the Tent door God therefore was represented by one of these three Men who afterwards as we read ver 17. staid and communed with Abraham when the other two went to Sodom Now to draw three waifering Men turning in to Abraham's Tent and entertain'd by him whereof two departed towards Sodom and the third communed with Abraham would be Historically to represent God under the Image of a Man Theoph. We deny not that three Men may be drawn coming towards Abraham and all the sequel of the Story but we deny that either of these thus pictur'd would be the Image of God representing him God afterwards manifested himself to Abraham in communication in means unknown to us whereas under the similitude of a Man he was altogether unknown to the Blessed Patriarch You may as well say a Cloud is Gods Image because he appeared to Moses and the Israelites in a thick Cloud upon Mount Sinai Exod. 19. 9. The same reason holds for the Holy Ghost descending upon Christ in the shape of a Dove the Dove was no Image of the Holy Ghost had no similitude or representation of the third Person of the Blessed Trinity who is the Eternal Spirit and cannot be represented by Picture If you saw the Picture of a Dove you would not say This is the similitude or Image of the Holy Ghost Phil. The whole Scene of Christs Baptism being represented in a Table and among the rest a Dove descending upon Christ it would put us in mind of the Holy Ghosts descent upon him Theoph. So the Rain-bow in the Clouds puts us in mind of Gods gracious Promise never to drown the World a second time These are Signs but not Similitudes or Images Answer me this Question Would you worship one of them as God If we saw the Baptism of Christ represented in Images would you worship the Dove pictur'd therein or would you worship the shape of fiery Tongues in Picture descending upon the Apostles Phil. I am not concern'd to give an Answer to such Impertinencies Theoph. Well if you will not be put out of your road proceed and shew what Bellarmin means by an Analogical Picture of God Phil. He tells us a Vt supra Potest aliquid pingi ad explicand c. That things may be represented and painted and their nature explicated not by an immediate and proper similitude but by Analogy or a Metaphorical and Mystical representation Theoph. Alas with how much difficulty doth your great Doctor express himself Fain he would say somwhat to the purpose but knows not what and therefore he involves himself in a cloud of mystical terms and notions very well suited doubtless to the capacity and for the Instruction of the People I must needs acknowledg I comprehend him not and much doubt whether he understood himself Phil. Your doubts and no understanding must be no rule to us Bellarmine well explains himself by following Instances As we picture Angels saith he with youthful and fair Countenances and with wings to shew their speed in Gods service and their flourishing state alwaies in the spring of youth as Christ is pictur'd in the form of a Lamb to represent innocency and meekness after this Analogical way Man is the Image of God even extra historiam and we may picture God under an humane shape Theoph. Your Doctor deriv'd this deep Theology from the Pythagoreans or rather from the old Idolatrous Egyptian Priests who were much taken with Hieroglyphics But I pray observe how his Instance in Man as the Analogical Image of God is the worst chosen of all the rest For all Lambs are meek and patient and so may Hieroglyphically represent the patience and meekness of Christ But most Men are evil like the Beasts that perish as Lions and Tigers and Wolves devouring one another as Swine and Goats for Lust and so are become rather Images of the Devil And notwithstanding all this must the single Image and Figure of a Man without any other thing to determin it represent God and become his Analogical Picture and let me observe to you how they deal worse with God then with the Angels for these they picture fair and youthful to represent their florid incorruptible state but they picture God as the ancient of days whom we read of in the Prophet Dan. 7. 9. with a grey Beard and antique Countenance as if he had one foot in the Grave Phil. That form sitly represents Gods Eternity Theoph. Any thing that shall please the fancy where there is no ground in Reason or Religion to determine it The Heathen Poets made prodigious Deities and so do Christian Painters But what Analogy can there be between the Divine Nature and an Image the one is Infinite the other finite the one a Spirit the other altogether material An Hieroglyphic or Image which represents God in one respect must be infinitely defective in many other The Egyptians Analogically represented the great Deity of the World by the Hieroglyphic of an Eye to signifie his All-seeing Providence But alas the Eye seeth but doth not fore-see It is the Mind that is provident not the Eye And then where is the Power and Justice and Mercy of God represented by that Emblem If all were an Eye where is the Body saith the Apostle And if an Eye shall be the Image of God where is the Hand of Power and the Scepter of Government and the Scale of Justice and Thunderbolt of his Wrath Put all the Emblems in the World together and
they were not expos'd to public view Phil. a Lib. de Pudicitia c. 7. 10. Procedant ipsae Picturae Calicum vestrarum Ib. Paâ—tor quem in Calice depingis Tertullian shews they had Pictures in the Church early Let the Pictures saith he engraven in your Chalices be produc'd Again The good Shepheard whom you Picture in your Chalice He relates to the good Shepheard bringing back the lost Sheep upon his shoulders which Parable was engraven upon the Eucharistical Cup. Theoph. These are pitiful proofs for Images in Churches and their Worship a Parable engraven upon a Goblet not visible at any distance unto the People so as to become the object of Adoration Phil. There is an account given by Nicephorus Simeon Metaphrastes and others how our Blessed Savior sent the Picture of his Face in a Linnen cloth to Agabarus King of Edessa who hearing of our Savior and his Miracles sent a Painter to take his Picture but his Eyes were dazzled with the Glory of our Saviors Countenance and his Art fail'd him Whereupon our Savior calls for a Napkin and wip'd his Face and left his Picture therein to be convey'd to the King and thereby Miracles were wrought Theoph. We may conclude this to be a Fable as from the Fabulous Authors so likewise because b Euseb l. 1. Hist Ecclesiast Prope finem Eusebius makes no mention thereof and yet gives an account how this King of Edessa did send a Letter to our Savior intreating him to come and heal him of his Disease and that our Savior return'd an Answer Phil. But the same Eusebius lib. 7. c. 18. speaking of the City Paneas of Caesarea Philippi mentions a report That the Woman of the Gospel who was cured of her Bloody Issue was honorable and rich in that City and in memory of that Cure caus'd her own Image to be made in Brass kneeling towards another Statue of a Man in Brass stretching forth his hand to touch her And at the pedestal of the Statue there did spring up an Herb which arising unto the hem of the Coat engraven had virtue to heal Diseases and this Image was by all the Inhabitants reported to be the Statue of Christ And Eusebius gives credit to the Relation shewing it was the Custom of the Heathen People to honor with Statues those whom they accounted Saviors and tells us himself had seen the Pictures of Christ and of Peter and Paul Theoph. You may observe he saith It was the custom of the Heathen to honor so their Benefactors and therefore Christians derive this practice from the Heathen Phil. But Divine Providence hath set his Seal unto it in those miraculous Cures which the Herb wrought that grew at the foot of Christs Statue And Sozomen relates farther lib. 5. c. 20. That the Apostate Julian in scorn took down this Statue and in the place set up his own which was struck with Lightning from Heaven and broke into many pieces Theoph. These things came to pass by a special Providence not to justifie the making of Christs Statue but in the sight of the Heathen to attest the Truth of those great Things which Fame had delivered of Christ whom they knew that Statue represented And to vindicate that Affront the Apostate Julian design'd to put upon our Savior Phil. We find they had the Pictures of Christ and the Apostles very frequent in S t Augustins time For some Enemies of the Gospel entitled Magic Books unto our Savior as by him written to his principal Disciples Peter and Paul Now Augustin observes how Paul was no Disciple of Christ in the days of his Flesh and so the Imposture was easily discover'd But because saith he they had often seen the Picture of Christ and of these two chief Apostles drawn together they concluded them to have bin his most beloved Disciples and so were induc'd to bring in Christ as communicating his Secrets and Mysteries of the Art of Magic to them Theoph. Bellarmin should have given you S t Augustins observation upon this passage a Lib. 1. c. 10. De cons Evangelist sic omnino errare meruerunt qui Christum Apostolos non in Sacris Codicibus c. So altogether they deserv'd to be mistaken and err who look upon Christ and his Apostles on painted Walls and not in the Holy Scriptures and it is no wonder to see such as are Forgers to be deceived by Painters Phil. The second Council of Nice as Bellarmin shews brings many other Testimonies of the Fathers occasionally in their Books making mention of the Pictures of Christ and of the Saints usual in their times Theoph. In the series of Discourse you have led us unto that Council and I shall chuse to accept your Appeal and thither we will go But first I will prepare the way and let you know That we do not declare against Images in themselves but as they are occasions of Superstitious Worship Men prize ancient Pieces representing Famous Men Suppose Julius Caesar or Tully or the Ancestors of their Family and much more should we value Pictures of Holy Men and Women or of our Blessed Savior But you must then shew they be true Resemblances and Copies of their Countenance Pictures very like them whom they represent whereas now in the Images of the Saints there is no regard had to their likeness but only to set up an Image that shall signifie and not represent An old Man with a Sword stands for Paul with Keys for Peter with a Cross decussat for Andrew so in our Saviors Pictures you shall observe as many Forms as there are Faces or Fancies of Men. If a Painter designing to draw our Ladies Picture should take a Beautiful Courtizan for his pattern it would serve Now such Pictures which have no likeness to the persons represented deserve no regard neither are they useful for Commemoration Should any one send you your Grand-fathers Picture much unlike him and drawn at all adventures you would not honor it so much as to hang it up in your Hall or Parlor But you and I both have been led out of the way by those who write upon this subject of Images instancing in some who have altogether rejected them and in others who have approved them whereas our chief Design is to shew the unlawfulness of Image Worship to allow no other use of Pictures then to put us in mind either of Things or Persons or for ornament of places If you are content herewith the dispute shall end between us always excepting against any Image of God whether Historical or Analogical or by what term soever you may distinguish Phil. If you see the Picture of Christ will you not worship him Theoph. When by occasion of his PIcture I am put in mind of my Savior my heart must honor and worship him as at any other time when I apply my self unto him in Meditation without a Picture to help the memory But we allow no Worship or Adoration due
this Canon as of the sixth general Council when he could not be ignorant how that Council made no Canons only he was willing to found the Doctrine of Saints Invocation upon the Autority of general Councils and you see how shamefully he hath pretended to them If this be the way to uphold their Church Let not my soul enter into their Councils Your Doctor cites likewise the next general Council the second Council of Nice of which I have given you formerly an Historical large account It instituted the worship of Images and did allow the Invocation of Saints but this was held 800 Years after Christ about which time this Superstitious Worship of the Saints was publicly avowed From the general Bellarmin proceeds to the Testimony of six Provincial Councils which speak not to his purpose They appoint the Litanies of their Churches to be solemnly used in the times allotted for them now because the Saints are praied to in their new Litanies therefore your Cardinal supposeth they were so in the old and wheresoever he finds a command for the use of Litanies there he infers Invocation of Saints commanded And the Council of c Bin. Tom 6. Concil Moguntinum c. 32. Adrogandum Deum c. Mentz is one of them which your Cardinal quotes and that Council held under Charles the Great Anno 813. tells us That Litanies or Rogations are solemnly appointed to beseech the Lord and implore his mercy viz. when some diresul Calamities are eminent not one word of calling upon the Saints Phil. Bellarmin in this place shews how Walfridus Strabo in the 8 th Book of Ecclesiastical Affairs chap. 28. declaring what these Litanies were mention'd in these Councils saith a Litaniam de qua agitur in bis Conciliis esse Sanctorum Invocationem They were the Invocation of Saints Theoph. Turn to the place and you will not find it so First Strabo gives an account of the original and use of Litanies and then for their matter he saith They are not only Invocations of Saints for help b In adiutorium â—um infirmitatis cuncta quae fiunt Orationibus but any Supplications to God are Litanies He adds farther That the Invocation of Saints was brought into the Litany after S t Jeromes days but how soon after he asserts not neither that those Councils which Bellarmin quoted did include the Invocation of Saints you have heard how the Council of Mentz did rather exclude them And therefore I pray now judg upon a sober recollection of the Cardinals proofs from Councils they are in part false in part impertinent It is almost incredible that in less then one page he should manifest unto as many as shall examin him so much deceit and imprudence but we impute all to his desperate cause which can be no otherwise maintain'd then by imposing upon the unwary Reader Farewel therefore unto the Testimony of Holy Scripture and the Testimony of any Council for more then 700 Years after Christianity unto your Doctrine of Saints Invocation Phil. I presume Bellarmin relied not much upon these Councils as you observe he hudled them up in few lines but his Testimony from the Fathers are numerous and significant Theoph. I presume he well knew there was little in those Councils for his purpose yet he was willing to make his credulous Reader believe he had the Autority of all these Councils on his side and I am much satisfied for my great trouble and pains in the full discovery of the contrary being destitute of any proof from Scripture and Councils be pleas'd to produce his Allegations from the Fathers of the Church for the Invocation of Saints departed Phil. He cites a full Testimony of Dionysius the Areopagyte who lived in the Apostles daies c Ecclesiast Hierarch c. 7. That as he who puts out his eyes in vain desires the light of the Sun d Sic qui Sanctorum preces flagitat c. so in vain do we desire the Praiers of the Saints whilst we live and act contrary to their purity Theoph. The passage refers rather to the Praiers of the Saints living then of the Saints deceas'd such as neglect holiness of Life shall not be benefited by others Praiers And he instanceth in Samuels Praying for Saul and the design of that Chapter principally concerns the Rites of Burial in the Church to shew how our Praiers for the living or for the dead at their Burial avail nothing except the Persons for whom we pray are worthy And for a second answer I must tell you this Book is falsly ascrib'd to Dionysius it discovers it self to be written after the Nicene Council as I may have occasion to prove hereafter Phil. However Bellarmin takes his next Argument to be most evident It is taken from the early Testimony of Ireneus a Lih. 4. c. 19. ut Virginis Evae Virgo Marin fieret Alvocata As Eve was temted to turn from God so Mary was well perswaded to obey him That the Virgin Mary might prove the Advocate of the Virgin Eve b Quidclarius What is more evident to the Point then this saith the Cardinal Theoph. It is his Artifice to set out a weak Argument with the greatest confidence for this place doth not prove the Point He should prove the Invocation of the blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints and he attemts to shew her Advocation Phil. If she be our Advocate we ought to implore her Intercession Theoph. Not so neither as you have bin often told the Saints in Heaven may pray for the Church in general the Blessed Virgin for the Generations of Adam and Eve and yet not hear our Praiers in particular or be sensible of our condition However this Passage out of Ireneus proves not so much That the Virgin Mary is the Advocate of the Virgin Eve as the Fathers words seem to declare for the Blessed Virgin was not in being until thousands of Years after Eve was a Virgin Neither can you conceive that now she makes Intercession for the Mother of all living None of your Doctors can be so cruel as to keep our Mother Eve so long in Purgatory Ireneus his plain meaning is this That as by the prevarication of the Virgin Eve all her Posterity did suffer so by the obedience of the Blessed Virgin to the Angels Message and by the Blessed Fruit of her Womb all Man kind is comforted and relieved We have not Ireneus his Works in Greek as they were first written Suppose his word he made use of was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you know that signifies as well a Comforter as an Advocate The Virgin Mary hath made amends for the transgression of her Sex in our Mother Eve This is the sense of that comparison in the Father Phil. What sense you will fix upon his Words I see must pass for currant Bellarmin brings the Testimony of Pope Cornelius in the third Century between whom and S t Cyprian there past many Letters
of Christianity against the Innovations of the Church of Rome But seeing your self have receiv'd such satisfaction from their Books and from their Priests as to become a Proselyte to Rome I pray be ingenious and free to communicate and impart your new discoveries unto your Friend Phil. The rule of Friendship and of Charity obliging I am much devoted to this good service and most willing to lead such a Friend and Neighbor in the way of Truth and Holiness Theoph. You suppose the new way wherein you have lately chose to walk to be the right and it will much concern you to make it plain and remove those stumbling-blocks and rocks of Scandal which lye therein before you can expect that I should follow you Phil. Engage Theophilus that you will not stumble at straws and I will undertake to remove all other Obstacles out of your way Theoph. I shall not design to trifle in a serious Discourse and therefore will propose only such Objections against your new way as I judg material Phil. Upon this condition I am ready to answer Theoph. I will first give you in such Exceptions which are obvious unto the meanest Understanding and wherewith your self was much dis-satisfied before your new discoveries viz. 1. With the Latin Service of the Church of Rome 2. With her half Communion 3. With her worshipping of Images Phil. I must confess these things gave great offence unto me before I was better inform'd but now I can give a reason of the Churches practice and answer your Objections against it Theoph. We will therefore take them in their order into consideration First The Church of Rome where she hath Autority requires the public Offices of Praier and of the Sacraments to be performed in the Latin Tongue altho it be unknown and nor understood by the common people and this is contrary unto the reveled will of God in Holy Scripture and to the great end of public Praier Phil. Make your Arguments and Prooss and I will answer them Theoph. S t Paul in that known passage to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 14. speaks expresly to this point that in the Church and public Assemblies of the Saints All things should be don to edification ver 12. and that he that preacheth or prophesieth should utter words easie to be understood by the hearers that it may be known what is spoken otherwise he speaketh into the air ver 9. and if I know not the meaning of the voice saith the Apostle I shall be unto him that speaketh a Barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian unto me ver 11. Phil. We grant that Homilies and Sermons should be made to the People in a known Tongue that they may understand and receive instruction Theoph. The same reason holds for Praiers and Spiritual Hymns and Benedictions that the People who are oblig'd to be present and to hold Communion in the Praiers of the Church should understand them For S t Paul in the same Chapter saith expresly He that praieth in an unknown tongue that is unknown to himself his understanding is unfruitful ver 14. and therefore saith he I will pray and sing with the spirit and with understanding also ver 15. and he immediatly adds when thou shalt bless with the spirit that is with such a Tongue as the Holy Ghost hath by an extraordinary gift enabled thee to speak how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified ver 16 17. and therefore he declares That altho he had the gift of Tongues more then they all yet in the Church he had rather speak five words with his understanding that by his voice be might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknown Tongue Phil. You are not ignorant how the Learned have sufficiently answered all these Arguments taken out of this Chapter Theoph. That they have not sufficiently answered them I know full well and that it is impossible they should I pray impart that satisfaction which they have given you Phil. Bellarmine Tom. 1. Lib. 2. De verbo Dei cap. 16. plainly shews That the Apostle in this Chapter doth not speak of the common Forms of Praier and Hymns of praise but of some particular Praiers and Benedictions which by the gift of the Spirit by immediate Inspiration some were enabled to speak in a Tongue unknown to most of the hearers and somtimes not understood by themselves Theoph. How doth he prove the first part of his Answer that the Apostle in that Chapter doth not speak of public Praiers and Benedictions and reading of the Scriptures For these are his words Vera sententia est Apostolum hoc loco non agere de divinis Offici is nec de publica Scripturarum Lectione Phil. He proves it thus Because saith he out of doubt the Corinthians had the Scriptures read in the Church in Greek and the Divine Service in the same Tongue which they understood Scripturae sine dubio legebantur Graece Divina Officiaâ—fiebant graece in Graecia Ibid de verbo Dei cap 16. Theoph. This we readily grant and make no more doubt of it then himself Corinth was an eminent City in Greece and the Greek was the vulgar Tongue with them and therefore doubtless all their public Service was in that Tongue understood by all And because the Apostle would alwaies have it so in this Chapter he forbids everyone to disturb that good edifying way of the Church That none should pray or bless in public or speak in an unknown Tongue because thereby the People who did not understand the Language could not be edified But that which Bellarmine puts out of all doubt and we easily grant That the Corinthians had their public offices of Praier and reading of the Scriptures in Greek I pray observe well how he proves it Graece in Graecia therefore they had their Service in Greek because they were Grecians And the Argument concludes alike for every Country that doubtless they had their public Service and Worship of God in their own Language Graece in Graecia and Anglice in Anglia because they were Grecians they had theirs in Greek and because we are Englishmen we have ours in English and so every Country in their own Tongue For set aside the reason of this Chapter That S t Paul requires the public Service should be in the vulgar Tongue to the end that all the People may understand and be edified and be able to say Amen and Bellarmine could never prove what he takes for granted That the Corinthians had their Divine Service in Greek by his leave the Chapter shall serve our turn as well as theirs That according to the Apostles general rule in England we should serve God in English Phil. But you will find how Bellarmine puts a vast difference between the first Age of Christianity and those which
Divisie uninus ejusdem myst c. Pope Gelasius seconds the Decree We have heard saith he That some receiving the Body of Christ in the Sacrament forbear the Cup I know not upon what superstitious ground but let those either take the Sacrament intirely i. e. in both kinds or let them be excluded altogether And he gives a reason most observable The division of one and the same Sacrament cannot be without grand Sacrilege Phil. Bellarmin shews out of Gratian That this Order was made only for the Priests who are oblig'd to receive in both kinds Theoph. He might with more reason say It was made for the Turks who with the Manichees abhor Wine Can it be supposed That Manichees could be Priests of the Catholic Church and so be commanded to communicate in both kinds no it was made for their discoveries when they thrust in among the People and would appear as Catholics Phil. It appears by this Passage that the Church then gave the Sacrament without the Cup otherwise how could the Manichees hope to counterfeit Church Communion because refusing the Cup must needs betray them Theoph. By this we prove the contrary For how could they be discovered by refusing the Cup if it were not given to the People Phil. Those two Popes decree the Cup should be given at that time on purpose to discover these Heretics Theoph. No such thing The Decrees were made for stricter prohibition and observation perhaps some negligent Priests before might let them pass without the Cup or they might take down none of the Wine when the Cup was brought to them only put it to their Lips or the like But how do you answer Pope Gelasius his reason of the Decree and free your selves from grand Sacrilege One and the same Sacrament cannot be divided without grand Sacrilege Phil. I must confess in that place Bellarmin takes not any notice of that considerable passage of the Decree Theoph. Because it was unanswerable This is the first time I have found him silent and so I may the better proceed without interruption In the Year 589. in the third Council of Toledo we read how the pious King Reccaerdus held a Council of all the Bishops of Spain and Gallicia when Pelagius the second was Pope principally that the Goths in his Dominions might abjure the Arrian Heresie Among other things the King gives direction to the Bishops That after the Oriental Custom all the People should reherse the Articles of their Belief a Bin. Tom. 4. Pag. 501. Ei sic corda fide purif ad Christi corp sang percip exhibeant That so their hearts purified by Faith might receive the Body and Blood of Christ Phil. If they received in one kind they received the Body and Blood of Christ Theoph. Alas your Doctrine of concomitancy was never heard or thought of in those Pious Times In the next Council of Toledo Anno 633. when Honorius was Pope Sisimundus being King it is ordered in the 18 th Canon b Bin. p. 587. Conjunctio panis Calicis That after the Lords Prayer and the Bread and Cup join'd a blessing shall be pronounc'd upon the People and then the Sacrament received by all in their several places first the Priest and Deacon at the Altar the other Clergy in the Quire the People without the Quire You see therefore the Sacrament was given in both kinds to all the People by the Decree of these Councils in all the Dominions of Spain And because the Consecration of the Bread and Wine as we may conceive is call'd in the Canon Conjunctio panis calicis The conjunction of the Bread and the Cup. I might observe from this Expression they should not be separated In the Year 736. a Bin. Tom. 5. pag. 511. Epistola 2. ad Leonem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pope Gregory the second writing to Leo Isaurus the Emperor who was called Iconomachus for his zeal against Images he thews the Emperor the Church discipline towards Offenders such as had given scandal to the Church First we prescribe Watching and Fasting and when they are chastised with hunger and severe exercises the Priests give unto them the venerable Body of our Lord and make them to drink of his holy Blood This is a Testimony without Exception because of a Pope and it prevents the usual Answer of Concomitancy for it mentions the Body and Blood given asunder and it shews the practice of the Western Church This also is manifest by the Roman Order of the Mass there we read b Vid. Cassandri Liturgica When the Pope gives the Body the Arch-deacon confirms i. e. gives the Cup and when the Bishops or Priests communicate the Deacons follow and confirm And there is express mention made of the Sacrament c Descendet pontifex commun principes matres familias eorum c. given to Princes and their Ladies and to all the People The same we find and more in another Ritual call'd Ordo Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiae Romanae d In Epistolam 1 ad Cor. c. 10. Calix dicitur Communicatio sang quia omnes ex illo uno participant Haymo Bishop of Halberstate saies The Cup is call'd the Communication of his Blood because all do partake of that one Cup. e In 1 Epist ad Cor. c. 11. Theophylact Arch-Bishop of Balgaria saith This dreadful Cup is equally communicated to all f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Oecumenius upon the same Chapter The Lord exhibits equally to thee and to the poor man the Table and the Chalice of Christs pretious Body and Blood These in the 11 th Century In the next Algerus a Monk when Berengarius was question'd for his Opinion against the Real Presence g Vt panis dum dentibus teritur carnem Christi in pass attritam dum vinum in ora fidelium funditur sang de Christi latere fusum signaret and recanted This Learned Monk wrote three Books of the Sacrament and in the second Book cap. 8. he shews how the custom of communicating in both kinds held in the Church from Christ That the Bread being macerated with the Teeth might represent his Flesh torn in his Passion and the Wine pour'd into the mouths of the Faithful signifie his Blood-shedding c. with many such passages in that Chapter and so by good Autorities out of the several Ages of Christianity I have shew'd the practice of the Church to give the Communion in both kinds to the People Phil. Altho Bellarmin and other Doctors except against some and answer others of your Testimonies yet I have not interrupted you in most because those Answers unto some which I have brought already will suit the rest Theoph. You have an excellent Art to make one Almanack serve for every Meridian under Heaven You have one or two Catholic Distinctions to help at a dead lift Concomitancy is a great Pillar of your Church wheresoever the
Distinctions not intelligible to the Hearer or Reader Phil. You will find the same Tertullian shews a Lib. 2. Contra Marcionem c. 22. Tanquam simplex ornamentum c. The end of the second Commandment was to prevent Idolatrous Worship of Images as it follows in the Commandment Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them And that God commanding the Cherubins to be made for Ornament and Furniture of the Tabernacle it was no contradiction to his Law having not in them the causes of Idolatry for which the making of Images were prohibited Such an answer he likewise gives for the brazen Serpent It was made for cure to heal the People who were stung with Fiery Serpents in the Wilderness and for a Type of Christ healing the Nations as our Savior himself hath applied it and a Type likewise of the Old Serpent the Devil hang'd and crucified upon Christs Cross These things therefore were not against the Commandment because they were not made to be ador'd and worshipp'd Theoph. You have led me whether I desir'd We do not conceive all Images or the making of them to be forbidden by the second Comment but only such as are made for Religious Worship b Non sit nobis religio humanorum operum cultus Let not the worship of things made with hands become any part of our Religion And again saith St. Augustin c Aug De vera Rel c. 5◠Tom. 〈◊〉 non sit nobis Rel. cultus hominum mortuorum Let it be no part of our Religion to worship Men that are dead for if they liv'd godly saith he they will never desire or seek after such honors d Honorandi sont propter Imitationem non Adorandi propter Religionem They are to be honor'd for our imitation not adored as to Religion But alas your Doctors have left the old innocent Plea for Images whether in Churches or other places That they may be useful for Ornament for Instruction for an honorable Commemoration of holy Persons and for Imitation All this will not suffice but you will have Veneration and Adoration and what not be given unto them and so you have given occasion of Scandal to the Godly and of great Superstition and Idolatry to the more ignorant sort among your selves who cannot perplex themselves with such nice Distinctions wherewith your Leaders think to fence themselves against the charge of Idolatry But we shall proceed to shew this by degrees Mean while least you should make too much use of my Concession concerning Images made for such innocent uses as have been mention'd That they are not against the second Commandment I must here put in a solemn caveat against your Images of God which against all Reason and Religion you make and adore Phil. a Bell. Tom. 2. l. 2. de Ecclesiâ triumph c. 8. Non esse tam cereum in Ecclesiâ an sunt fuciendae Imag. Dei c. Bellarmin doth acknowledge That it is not so certain in the Church whether the Image of God and of the Trinity should be made as whether the Image of Christ and of the Saints Theoph. And yet in the same Paragraph he asserts positively b Licere pi 〈…〉 ere etiam Imag Dei Fatris in ferm 〈…〉 is senis Spiritum Sanctum inf columbae That it is lawful to picture God the Father in the shape of an old Man and God the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove and cites many of your Doctors to confirm his Opinion and so your general practice doth maintain it Now I will first urge the Holy Scripture against this Doctrine and Practice of your Church and then leave you to defend it Moses gives a great charge unto the People of Israel Deut. 4 15 16 c. Take good heed unto your selves least ye corrupt and make you a graven Image the similitude of any figure the likeness of male or female the likeness of any beast or winged soul the likeness of any creeping thing upon the ground or of any fish in the waters and least thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven and when thou 〈◊〉 the host of heaven shouldst be driven to worship them and serve them Phil. This charge is level'd against the Idolatry of the Gentiles and those Nations whom God cast out of Canaan who did worship graven Images of Men and Women and Beasts and creeping things for Gods Theoph. The Clause and Parenthesis in the first Verse of this charge For ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb I say this Clause manifests That God gave the charge lest by any thing after mention'd they should attemt to represent him It is truth that the Heathen did represent their false Gods in and by such Shapes and Images and did worship them And the Almighty God by a full enumeration of Creatures forbids any similitude to be made to represent and to worship him under it And to this effect the Propher Isaiah expostulates with an Idolatrous People To whom will ye liken Gods or what likeness will ye compare unto him Isa 40. 18. The best Image of God is Man an Image of the Lords own making that this likeness and similitude of God consists in the Soul of Man with her noble Faculties of Free-will and Understanding and dominion over the Creatures in that original rectitude and holiness where with he was created but these things cannot be represented by the linea 〈…〉 of a P 〈…〉 or an Image which only represent the dimensions and features of a Body and therefore by the Image of a Man God cannot be represented and much less by any inferior Creature God is Infinite and Invisible and Spiritual and all Images are finite and material and terminated by visible dimensions and therefore one cannot resemble another Phil. To this Bellarmin answers a Vbi supra Tribus modis potest aliquid pingi c. That God cannot be represented essentially by an Image but Historically and Analogically he may Theoph. Your Doctors have vented new and dangerous Doctrines and you may observe what a fine Web they spin of nice and subtle Distinctions to catch the unwary People in the Snare What a rumbling noise this makes in a Country-mans ear enough to put him in a Sound God cannot be represented by an Image Essentially yet Historically and Analogically he may Phil. Our Church takes care that the Priests should instruct the ignorant People and explain these and the like distinctions to them and so doth Bellarmin explain himself in this Chapter Theoph. It were the nearer and far easier way of Instruction to leave the People to keep the Commandment without any worship of Images and without the labyrinth of your perplex'd Distinctions But I pray shew what Bellarmin means by the Historical and Analogical Pictures of God Phil. You know Gregory the Great call'd Pictures The Books of Lay-men Such as could not read or study the