can heare him The Divine Scriptures are hygh majesticall in the sense simple without affectation in word they are plaine yet in them are hygh Hills which no naturall wit can surmount They are perspicuous yet full of mysterious clouds which baffle the most peircing eye They are all Tru yet S. Austin (c) l. 3. cont Faust c. 2. Piè cogitantes tantae auctoritatis eminentiam latère ibi aliquid crediderunt quod petentibus daretur oblatrantibus negaretur takes notice of some seeming contradictions which cannot be reconciled with our recourse to God the Authour of scriptures Lesse is learnt by study then by Prayer if Prayer be accompanyed with humility The (d) Psal 18. or 19. 7. testimony of God is faithfull giving wisdome to the little ones or making wise the simple as the Inglish hath it And the Author of our faith glorifyes his Father (a) Mat. 11.25 for concealing his mysteryes from the learned wise revealing them to little ones S. Gregory furnishes us with a fit comparison (b) Greg. ep ad Leandrum c. 4. Instar fluminis alti plani in quo Agnus ambulet Elephas natet of a shallow deape river in which a lambe may wade an Elephant swimme That is in it the simple humble find ground to stand uppon which the Proud loose by it are lost The words are plaine easy but the sense sublime hard not to be reacht by humane industry but by Divine inspiration which is denyed to those who rely on their owne abilityes given to such as recurre to God No bookes of the Sybills nor oracles of the Divills or other humane writing can equall Divine Scripture in this point Another character of Divine Scriptures is the force which accompanyes them workes uppon the hart of those who are well disposed which insinuates its selfe into the will enflames it with the love of God breakeing in pieces the stony hart of sinners Art (c) Ierem. 23.29 not my words like fire like a hammer that breakes a Rocke No precepts of Pagan Phylosophers had this energy I will not assure you ever perceived ether of these two qualityes in reading of Scripture in your workes there appeares little signes of ether or of the disposition which they suppose CHAPTER VI. Scriptures Supprest G. B. Pag. 13. Scriptures being the Revelation of the whole counsell of God written by plaine simple men as first directed to the use of the rude illitterate vulgar for teaching them the mysterye of Godlinesse the path of life it is a shrewd indication that if any study to kide this lyght under a candlestick to keepe it in an unknowne tongue or forbid the body of Christians the use of it that those must be conscious to themselves of greate deformity to that rule ANSWER Here you begin your charge of AntiChristianisme against your mother-Church as the charge is false soe in your managing it you mingle many Errours with some few truths A bad cause is not capable of a better defence I will take notice of some of your most considerable slips leave the reader to Judge of the rest That Scriptures were written by plaine simple men is not tru Was Moses such who was learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians Was David the swette singer of Israel a plaine simple man What shall we say of Salomon to whose wonderfull knowledge the Scripture it selfe beares witnesse Amos it is true was but Esayas was not nor Daniel nor Samuel And who ever was Author of the Booke of Job he was certainly far from being plaine simple for in him are found in perfection Phylosophy Astrology Divinity as a queene gouverning them if Caussinus the Jesuit may be beleived as compleate Rhetorick as in any whosoever And as to the Authors of the new Testament as long as S. Paul S. Luke S. John are amongst them you will never perswade the learned part of the world that your speech is not rash inconsiderate But suppose it tru that they were all plaine simple men what then Doth it follow that what they writ is easy to the meanest capacity for that you intend if you intend any thing Doe you not know that these men were only the Scribes of the Holy Ghost that in a scribe capacity of understanding is not necessary but only fidelity in writing No greate science is necessary in a Printer who only Prints what is given him by an Author the Same of a Scribe who writes what is dictated unto him Now all Authors of Canonicall bookes are the Scribes of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soe their doctrine is to be calculated according to the Meridian of that Divine Spirit not of their qualitys Take the most plaine simple of them all (a) Amos 1.1 the herd man of Thecue reade him over if you say you understand him quite thorough I will say you have confidence to say any thing G. B. pag. 14. The hardests part of Scripture are the writings of the old Testament yet those were communicated to all ANSWER Some parts of the new are as hard at any of the old viz. the Apocalypse some parts of S. Paul's Epistle are hard to be understood (b) 2. Pet 3.16 Likewise Is it not tru that all the writings of the old Testament were made common to all the Israelits The King (c) Deut. 17.18 was indeed commanded to write to himself a copy of the law out of that which was before the Preists the Levits By which it appeares that even Copyes of the law were not soe ordinary Which may be gatheted also out of the 4. of Kings c. 22. there was such astonishment at the finding reading of the booke of the law newly found in the Temple The tencommandments were common the Pharisys Phylacteryes prove it As for the rest it was divided into Parashots sections read unto the People when they met on the Sabboth as you may see Acts 15.21 And in the second of Esdras cap. 8. And the Same custome is still in the Cat. Church which in her service doth dayly reade some of the new old Testament G. B. pag. 14. What paynes are taken by Papists to detract from the Authority of Scriptures how they quarrel its darknesse its ambiguousnesse the genuinesse of its Originalls ANSWER This is a calumny We all unanimously owne Scripture to be the word of God that no untruth can be found in it Out of its darknesse Ambiguity we shew the necessity of receiving its sense from Tradition not sticking to the bare letter of the Scripture without the sense which is to the letter what a soul is to the body G. B. pag. 15. We complaine of Scripture being too much perused ANSWER Another calumny In all our universitys we have masters of Scriptures who in those I know take place of
ANTI-HAMAN OR an ANSWER to M.G. BURNET'S MISTERY of INIQUITY UNVAILED Where in is shewed the CONFORMITY of the Doctrine worship Practice of the ROMAN CATHOLICK CHURCH with those of the Purest times The IDOLATRY of the PAGANS is truly stated the Imputation of PAGAN IDOLATRY cleerely confuted And REASONS are given why CATHOLICKS avoyde the Communion of the PROTESTANT CHURCH By W. E. Student in Divinity With Leave of Superiours 1678. PREFACE IN the Infancy of the world nothing was thought Painfull or Afflicting to man but Sicknesse Death now he is Greived if he wants any thing he affects the Riches of nature are Scarce able to content his Desires even whem he hath all things necessary he thinks himself Poore if he wants any thing superfluous Crassus was the Richest of the Romans yet thought himself Poore because there were some riches not his owne soe he past terrible Deserts to make war to Nations whose only crime was their Wealth To Alexander the whole Earth seemed little having conquered it he wept hearing there were other worlds undiscovered Achab King of a greate Kingdome was soe heavy greived that he could not eate because one refused to sell him a small plot of ground to plant herbs in Thus man finds a torment in his felicity when he is most Fortunate he becomes soe tender that althô his Attempts are successefull yet even in them he finds pretexts to complaine his greatest successes are accompanyed with some circumstances which afflict him He is not content with a victory because the Commander of the Enemyes saved himself by flyght did not Loose his life or liberty with his Honour The enemy's navy is beaten yet that satisfyes him not because some of their ships recovered their Haven A towne is taken yet he is troubled that the whole Province with it did not receive the yoke Yet suppose his satisfaction entire in one enterprize that will only stirre him up to new Projects The death of one Desire is the birth of another He uses his Reason only to invent new Tortures to his Hart by proposing new Objects to his Will which deprive him of all contentment in what he hath whilest he prosecutes his designes to obtaine what he hath not His Desire of Honour is no lesse insatiable A scholler thinks the time he spends in studys lost unlesse he be pointed at in the streetes saluted as a Rabby His vertu it selfe seemes not satisfyed with the testimony of a good Conscience unlesse with the Approbation of Heaven he hath the applause of the Earth he thinks himselfe wronged Nay should all generally applaude him if only one detract it spoyles all the Satisfaction he takes in the commendations of the rest To Haman all knees were bent in the whole Empire of Persia except those of Mardochai the trouble of this banisht all the content he found in the submission of the rest He considered the greatenesse of his Riches the Glory of his Authority the number of his children the Queene's kindnesse the King's favour who had raysed him a bove all the rest of the Princes Yet all avayled him nothing as long as he saw Mardochai sitting at the King's gate Hester 5.13 Hence he tooke a Resolution to rid the country of him all his kindred the whole Iewish Nation the only faithfull people visible church of that time The Proceedings of Protestant Ministers in order to Roman Catholicks are not unlike to those of Haman with the Iewes discover as greate as insatiable an Ambition They have turned us out of the churchs we had built founded shut us out of their Courts excluded us out of their Armys barred against us all entry into their Navys by getting us declared incapable of Civill and Military employment of all offices honourable or beneficiall By which meanes no Papist appearing in their ordinary publick meetings all knees are bent to them Yet all this auayles not these meeke men as long as a Papist is seene to walke in the streetes or knowne to breath Inglish ayre Soe the country must be rid of us Thus far the Paralel runs just betwixt Haman the Ministers on the one side the Israelits Catholicks on the other Yet there occurre two differences one that I never Reade that Haman had bin enriched with the spoyles of the Jews the Benefices our Ministers enjoy were founded by Catholycks The other that Haman contented himself with punishing the bodys of the Jews our Ministers doe more over persecute our souls Soe that the Proceedings of these our friends are more uniust in their cause more Inhumane in their effects Mr. Gilbert Burnet gives this verdict for Banishing us in this World Damning us in the next But our Comfort is that there lyes an Appeale from his Sentence to the Tribunal of God as to what concernes the next world to the mercy of the King Equity of the Parliament Judges as to what concernes this We hope they will not by banishing soe many Peeres of the Realme worthy Gentlemen avoyde the disturbance of Mr. Burnet who gives no other motive why we should be banisht then that we disturbe them Let those to whome of Ryght it belongs consider what reward this man's presumption deserves who being borne out of the Kingdome as Haman was Hester 16.10 lately by favour admitted in to it should have the Confidence to pronounce so severe a sentence uppon soe considerable a part of it What may not be expected from his boldnesse when he is deeper rooted in England hath gotten more Credit Haman alleadged against the Iews two points 1. That their Religion was different from that of the State which thing was tru but it was also Innocent 2. Their disobedience to the King's laws which was a Calumny But his maine motive was the stifnesse of Mardochai's knees which he concealed but God revealed And M.B. alleadges two faults against us points of our Religion which are tru but harmelesse Calumnyes as by this Treatise will appeare And there is greate reason to suspect some other motive which in the treatise will shew it self No doubt but Haman pretended greife to find soe much disloyalty amongst the Iews as Mr. G.B. pretends for the wickednesse of the Papists The Holy Ghost hath revealed in scripture the hypocrisy of the one I will leave to the same Divine Spirit the Judgment of the other The paralel running so just betwixt Haman Mr. Burnet the reader sees the reason why I give the name of Anti-Haman to this Pamphlet I declare that I have no intention to offend his person by that name or any thing else in the whole further then the matter I speake of after him forces me In my answer I follow G.B. step by step to shew I doe not alter his sense nor dissemble the strength of his arguments I put them downe in his owne words I divide my worke into
transubstantiation nothing occurres butfrom sense Then you pull downe Faith place sense in her place Tantae molis erat sanctum subvertere dogma The my steryes about God Christ say you are exalted above the reach of our facultyes But reason it selfe teacheth that it must be soe Here Faith is above reason But after wards pag. 134. Our faith rests on the evidences our senses give Here Faith doeshomage to sense Faith (a) Heb. 11.1 is an argument of things which appeare not Soe that it relyes not on senses for its object doth not appeare nor on Reason otherwise it would be science if the reason be evident or opinion if it were uncertaine Soe it relyes only on Gods veracity which consists of two qualityes one that he cannot be deceived being omniscient The other that he cannot deceive being good Nether is possible to God for to be deceived is an error in the understanding to deceive argues malice in the will Soe the assurance we have by Faith is greater then that of our senses which may be baffled greater then that of Reason which sometimes is mistaken in its principles ofter deceived in its deductious from them Thus (a) Rom. 3.4 God is tru every man alyer which later part imports a possibility oferror in our cleerest operations whither of sense or Reason To say that Faith rests on the evidence of senses as you doe p. 134. is soe contrary to the nature of faith that both Divines Phylosophers doubt whither the same object (b) S. Thom. 2.2 q. 1. ar 4. s. can beseene beleived generally speaking deny the possibility of it And to what our B. Savioursaid (c) 10.20.29 because thou hast seene me thou hast beleived They answer with S. Gregory Aliud vidit aliud credidit He saw man beleived him to be God To what purpose then are miracles if Faith doth not rely on them ANS To dispose our understanding to receive with attention submissiō the word of God by shewing it was God who spoke And when Christ appeales to his workes If (a) 10.10.38 I donot the workes of my father doe not beleive me but if I doe them if you will not beleive me beleive the workes he assignes only the out ward motive of Beleife by which his hearers were ether drawne to beleive or made inexcusable if they persistedin their incredulity Now it is the grossest errour imaginable to think that faith rests on all those things which dispose to it otherwise it would rest on the skill in tongues which is necessary to understand the originall Scriptures item on the masters who teach them on the stationer who prints them c. But what if the man who confirmes his mission by evident miracles teach things contrary to sense or Reason ANS Our duty is to silence both these harken to him (b) 2 Cor. 10. The Armes of our warfare are not carnall but myghty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds casting downe imaginations every hygh thing that exalts its selfe against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity every thought Who says every thought cōprehend's both those grounded on sense others more speculative But to say as you doe that Reason must be subject to Faith but not senses is very preposterously to put reason the mistresse under faith sense the servant above it You declame against Catholicks for acknowledging in the whole Church an authority in order to the word of God much lesse then that which you give to the senses of every particular man What an occasion doe you give us to returne uppon you all your declamations G.B. p. 134. We cannot really doubt but things are as they appeare to us for we cannot beleive it midnyght when we see cleerely the sun in our meridian ANS We should not doubt of what God says who we are sure cannot tell a lye We perceive dayly the Halluzinations of our understanding J am sure sometimes my senses are mistaken my reason corrects them All man is a Lyar every knowing faculty in him is subject to Deceite God cannot tell me it is midnyght when it is noone day because he cannot tell a lye But if God should tell me it is midnyght my eyes should represent to me a luminous body in the meridian perfectly like the sun I should suspect my eyes or guesse I saw a meteor or that I dreamed or raved or were yet in a worse condition The least last of my thoughts would be that God told a lye which is the first thought you suggest G.B. p. 135. Senses unvitiated fixing on aproper object through a due meane are infallible ANS Are they more infallible then God Are we infallibly certain all those conditions concurre may there not be more ways to delude oursenses then are discovered may there not be some latent defect in the Organ unperperceived by us or some want in the meane Answer to these questions withall tell me whiter you have as greate certainty of your answer to these queryes as you have of the veracity of God With more colour another may say that faith cannot be against Reason with Socinus refuse to beleive any thing contrary to discourse soe turne Antitrinitarian I think my self as assuredly certain of that metaphysicall Principle eadem uni tertio sunt idem inter se as of any thing I know by senses yet knowing what Christ hath taught concerning the Blessed Trinity I beleive that explicate that principle as I can why should we not proceede in like manner with oursenses when they seeme to contradict what Christ hath taught we are commanded to (a) Mat. 18.8.9 put out an eye cut off a hand or foote if it draws us to sin What shall we doe if they draw us to Infidelity or doe you think it unlawfull to keepe them yet lawfull to follow their suggestions deny our Faith in obedience to their depositions Heape up then your absurdityes your impossibilityes your incredibilityes your sophismes against Transubstantiation to as greate a bulke as your little studyes lesse diseretion will permit you will only multiply proofes of the insolency folly of the Reason of man which dares enter the lists against the Truth of God G.B. pag. 136. It is little lesse unconcevable to imagin that a man of no eximious sanctity nor extraordinary skill in Divinity should have the Holy Ghost at his command that his decrees must be the dictates of the spirit ANSWER I passe that disrespectfull expression having the Holy Ghost at his command No Catholick everspoke so Doe you think the assistance of the Holy Ghost whence flows all jurisdiction both spirituall temporall is restrained to only saints learned clerks doth Prelate Prince loose their jurisdictiō by every mortall sin Was Amos the sheepe heard a greate divine were Salomon Cayphas greatesaints were the Scribes Pharisyes such whose words all
significant Ceremonyes instituted by the Apostles or at least in Apostolicall times which may be proved out of Tertul S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Hierosme S. Austin S. Denys you have retrenched all save only the signe of the Crosse And O judicium (a) Exod. 8.19 This is the finger of God the peeuish refractory stubbome children of your Church have wrangled with her about that with the same reasons as shee had done with her mother the Roman Catholick Church soe visibly hath God (b) Mat. 7.2 meeted unto you your measure (c) Sap. 11.17 punisht you by your sin As ours come to the use of reason a new Sacrament expects them Confirmation which is the same mentioned soe frequently in the (d) Act. 8.18 Acts of giving the Holy Ghost by imposition of the Apostles hands which armes them against visible invisible enemyes with the spirit of fortitude to professe their Faith Of this Protestants .... We find in every Church (a) Mat. 1.11 Malachy's Prophesy fullfilled a pure offring made to God masse sayd And in Catholick countryes rich poore even the meanest artisans labourers as Porters water-carryers c will steale soe much time from their almost necessary Rest as to give halfe an your to adore God his son Jesus in the morning hoping they will blesse their labours all the day the better for it O that you did but see with what attention respect they assist at those Divine Mysterys how with their knees on the ground their eyes on the Altar their hart in Heaven they accompany the Preist with him jointly make that oblation to God with what sentiments they adore Christ present desire him to appease his fathers wrath for their sins by the merits of his Passion preserve them from offending anew that day to blesse that days actions What doe protestants As soone as they are up they have their hand in the cup bord in the cup their nose Have any by mortall sin shut against themselves the gates of Heaven which the Passion of Christ opened they stirre up a reall sorrow for that offence of God purpose amendment with these dispositions addresse themselves to a Preist with a resolution to follow his advice performe what he shall enjoine They discover to him all the wounds of their soul their most secret most reprochfull sins as to God himselfe whose vicegerent he is being assured of an inviolable secret itis doubtlesse a perpetuall miracle that amongst soe many thousands of Preists not one should be found faulty in this point They harken to his advice accept his Pennance to fast pray give almes visit Prisoners serve poore in Hospitals or the like according as the condition of the Penitent permits Then receive Absolution in vertu of the power given by our Saviour (a) Io. 20.23 to Preists The effects of this sacrament are Remission of sins past avoyding others making Restitution if any thing hath beene taken as some Inglish in France have experienced In fine a newnesse of life Of all this what is in use among Protestants nothing Are they judged fit to approach the Divine table they doe it with a lively Faith beleiving it is the tru reall substantiall body of Christ With his blood Divinity per concomitantiam Concil Trid. sess 13. cap. 13. by reason of the inseparable union betwixt them with profound humility professing with the Centurion (b) Luc. 7.6 their unworthynesse to receive their lord desiring him to make them worthy And with a Love proportionable to that Christ shewed by instituting this Sacrament What doe Protestants sometimes something for their Ministers distribute a morsell of breade a sup of wine they may expet to meete only with dispositions proportionable to those beggarly elements Amongst us (a) Iac. 5.14.15 Is any sicke He calls for the Preists of the Church they pray over him annointing him with oyle in the name of the Lord that the Prayer of Faith may save the sicke god may rayse him up in case it be for the glory of God the good of the Patient if he have cemmitted sins they may be forgiven him Thus in an Apostles words I have delivered our practice in administring the Sacrament of Extreme-Onction Of which Protestants nothing Besides masse which all heare every day commonly three times a day A Bell rings to mind us of the Incarnation of the son of God move all with an Act of faith to acknowledge it returne God thanks for it of which amongst Protestants nothing I may conclude this comparison betwixt you us as to the practice of Piety with S. Austin's (b) Aug. l. de moribus Ecclesiae cap. 34. words very pat to our purpose Istis Manichaei Protestantes si potest is obsistite istos intuemini istos sine mendacio si audetis cum contumeliâ nominate Istorum jejuniis vestra jejunia castitati castitatem vestitum vestitui epulas epulis modestiam modestiae charitatem charitati quod res maximè postulat praeceptis praecepta conferte I am videbitis quid inter ostentationem sinceritatem inter viam rectam errorem intersit Nunc vos illud admoneo ut aliquando Ecclesiae Catholicae maledicere desinatis vituperando mores hominum quos ipsa condemnat quos quotidie tanquam malos filios corrigere studet Sed quisquis illorum bonâ voluntate Deique auxilio corriguntur quod amiserunt peccando poenitendo recuperant Qui autem voluntate mala in pristinis vitiis perseverant aut addunt graviora prioribus in agro quidem Domini sinuntur esse cum bonis seminibus crescere sed veniet tempus quo zizania separentur Considering them well see whither without offending against Truth you can reproach any thing Compare yourfasts with ours your chastity your modesty cheifly your doctrine with ours You will presently perceive what difference there is betwixt vaine boasting sincerity going the stryght way wandring At present I advise you to cease from detracting from the Catholick Church blaming the lives of men whome shee condemnes whome shee dayly endeavours to correct as naughty children If any of them with the helpe of God's grace are converted they recover in the Catholick Church by repentance what they lost by sin If any notwithstanding all these helpes to Piety continue obstinate in their wickednesse or adde more grevious sins to those they have committed they are indeed tolerated in the feild of God the Church untill the time come designed for the separation of the cockle from the good corne Thus S. Austin Glory then as much as you please with the lukewarme Laodicean Angel That you are rich èncreased in Goods want nothing Yet assure yourselfe that as he soe you are poore wretched miserable blind naked Your boasting of the advantages of your instructions discipline amongst your
sir to shew out of Plato or Apuleius or any of those writers these words or any others equivalent Hercules pray to thy father Iupiter for me or us Romulus intercede for us So that the greatest part of the Heathens did not dreame of this Mediation those who did assert it treated neverthelesse with those Mediators as with tru Gods Wherefore should I grant that all Pagans held the souls of men to mediate yet there would be a vast difference betwixt their sentiments those of the Roman Catholick Church concerning our saints More errors will appeare out of the following discourse I think it impossible to give one Idea of what the Pagans taught of spirits or incorporeall substances as this name doth comprehend the supreame of all the subordinate or coordinate immateriall Beings souls separated from their Bodys Thales (a) In Athenogor leg pro Christ p. 25. sayd there were of three sortes Gods Demons Heròes that God was the soul of the world Demons spirituall Beings Heroes the souls of men who were good or bad according to the life they ledde in this word Hesiodus (b) In Theodoret l. 8. de Cur. Graec. Affect p. 602. thought that the souls of golden men who lived well were turned into Demons after his life received a charge of humane affaires Iulian the Apostata (c) In S. Cyril Alex. l. 4. p. 115. taught that they were tru Gods to whome the Supreame God committed the care of the severall parts of this World that the God (d) Ibidem p. 141. of the Iews Christians whome Moyses preached was one of the inferiour gods Nay he says (e) Ibidem l. 5. p. 155. that Moyses his God was the worst of all the rest as being Jealous Envious Vindicative c. For which Blasphemy alone he myght have deserved his reprochfull surname Plato (f) in S. Austin l. 8. de Civit. Dei c. 14. seemes to agree in substance with Thales for he distinguishes three sortes of spirituall substances Gods Men Demons The Gods he places in the Heavens Daemons in the Ayre Men on Earth Apuleius (g) S. Austin l. 9. cap. 11. holds all souls of men to be Daemons but assignes three sortes of them Lares are those which are certainly good Lemures or Larvae which are certainly knowne to be bad when 't is doubted whither they begood of bad they are called Dii Manes When you have considered these things you will see 1. how imperfectly nay how falsly you have represented the sentiments of the Pagans 2. How hard a thing you undertake when you designe a Parallel betwixt Pagan Idolatry our Worshipping of Saints for seing all depends on their holding men's souls to be mediating spirits which can never be proved or that those who were good were used only to present men's requests to the Supreame God which is the Tenet of the Catholick Church concerning Saints which is also evidently untru we may ranke this Parallel with Squaring Circles the Philosophers stone expect to see the World made happy with these three rarityes together As to the mediation of Angels Athenagoras (a) Legat. pro Christ pag. 11. says indeed that the Christian opinion was that God created severall orders of Angels had committed to their care the government of the Elements Heavens the whole world not that any one Angel is Governour of the world which the scripture seemes to deny Job 34 14. Heb. 1.14 but that severall Angels have the administration of the severall parts of it I know no Decree of the Catholick Church oblidging us to beleive this therefore I should not dare to censure any man who should say the contrary Yet that opinion hath so much ground in Scripture that I do not apprehend all Mr. G. B. can say to disprove it Josue 5.15 an Angel is sayd to be the Captaine of the Lord's host He seemes the same who Dan. 12.1 is called Michael And Dan. 10.20 there are others mentioned viz the Princes of Persia Greece And why may not these be the Angels who presided over those Countryes we are sure that all Angels are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be beyres of salvation Heb. 1.14 The little ones have Angels who in Heaven always see the face of God Mat. 18.10 And that severall Angels ascended descended on Iacobs Ladder Gen. 28.12 was to shew they mediated betwixt God who was at the top man who lay at the botton of the Ladder Now if particular Angels have a care or charge of particular persons why may not some others have a larger district a more extended charge This you will say is taken from Paganisme And I will answer the Pagans tooke it from the Israelits not these from them And it seemes very probable that when the Arch-Devil who tooke the name of Iupiter had so far prevayled with men as to be by them advanced to the throne of God his next attempt was to get his wicked spirits acknowlged for Gouvernours of the World under him inlieu of those Blessed spirits who were the lawfull Gouvernours appointed by God himself That order of God was not to be abrogated with the old law of which it was no part it being an establishment for the more connaturall Government of the world from the beginning to the end of it I know God can governe all things by himselfe immediately without the assistance of men or Angels that nether the Greatenesse of Businesse can mate him not its number confound him nor its variety distract him nor its intricacy deceive him nor its obscurity hide it from his all seing Eye That having Created the whole World with a word he can governe it so too yet he uses Men (a) Rom. 13.1 he can call all to belevie in him as he did Saul (b) Act. 9. yet he employed an Angel to convert the Centurion (c) Act. 10. vouchsafes to be Fellow-Labourer (d) Mat. 16.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Men whome he honours with that employment he can justify those whome he calls with out the concourse of any creature yet he will have us use water and as to the worke of the first day the creation of all things visible invisible God required the assistance of no creature soe the whole work of the last day myght be performed by him alone yet he will use the voice of an Archangel to proclaime it (e) 1. Thessal 4.16 the Angels shall gather together those who are raysed againe to life (f) Mat. 24.31 they shall sever the wicked from the just cast them in to the furnac eof fire (a) Mat. 13.49.50 Thus the Law Prophets Christ his Apostles the old new Testament attest this Truth that Angels concurre to carrying on the worke of our salvation have a commission from God to direct us Now for beleiving
never mentioned Manichaeus ergo the Church on whose word he received the Ghospel was that of his time not that of the Apostles When therefore E. S. pag. 220. says It is plain S. Austin meanes not the Iudgment of the present Church but of the Catholick Church as taking in all ages places he evidently contradicts the very text of S. Ausstin whence I conclude that ether he speakes against his conscience which I am unwilling to beleive or else which is more excusable that he had not reade the text which he understakes to explicate A third yet more improbable explication is delivered by W.L. pag. 82. He speakes it ether of Novices or doubters in the Faith or else of such as were in part Infidels Mr. Fisher the Iesuit at the conference would needs have it that S. Austinspake it even of the faithfull which I cannot yet thinke For he speakes to the Manichees they had a greate part of the Infidell in them And the words immediatly before these are If thou shouldst find one qui Evangelio non credit which did not beleive the Ghospel what wouldest thou doe to make him beleive Thus W. L. This is like wise plainly fals for S. Austin was nether a Novice nor a doubter in the faith nor in part an infidel when he writ that Booke for he writ it after he was made Bishop as you may see l. 2. retract c. 2. But he speakes of himselfe describes the ground of his owne faith ergo he doth not speake of Novices Doubters or halfe Infidels nor describes the ground of their fath but of those who are firme beleivers I prove that S. Austin speakes of his owne Faith shews the ground on which it relyed For first he says I would not beleive the Ghospel without the authority of Catholicks commending them Secondly he says If you weaken the authority of Catholicks I will reject the Ghospel This I beleive Mr. Stillingf saw therefore sayd pag. 220. If you extend this beyond Novices weaklings I shall not oppose you in it And I cannot think that W.L. had reade that place at least with attention when he writ he could not think S. Austin spake of the faithfull Stillingf pag. 220. Nether you nor any Catholick Author is able to prove that S. Austin by these words ever dreamt of any infallible authority in the present Church Answer seing S. Austin expressely says he would renounce the Ghospel if the authority of Catholicks were weakened in him by discovering they had delivered any one lye he must ether think them exempt from all possibility of lying or else he adhered very loosely to the Ghospel I hope E.S. will not assert the later part wherefore he must grant that S. Austin thought the Church free from all possibility of errour Let us returne to Mr. G. B. G. B. pag. 43. Christ's prophetick office is invaded by the pretence of the Churches Infallibility in expounding Scriptures And why Good Sir should the infallibility in expounding Scriptures be an invasion of the prophetick office of Christ seing infallibility in writing them was no such thing Certainly it is more to compose a writing them to understand it as many can understand Cicero's speech pro Milone who cannot compose such an one And your old women pretend to understand severall parts of Scripture which yet I think will scarce undertake to pen the like By this Say you the whole anthority is devolved on the Church No more then it was on S. John when he writ his Ghospel or S. Paul composing his Epistles Nor soe much nether seing these were so assisted as to compose Holy Scripture when the Church only pretends to expound the word of God How doth such an assistance of the divine Spirit derogate from the infallibility of God from which it is derived But her exposition must be admitted say you though contrary to the sense As if Infallibility did not exclude all possibility of such a wrested exposition The infallibility of the Church may slyght your attempts whilest you are armed only with such straws We have seene you arguments Let us see your Answers to ours G. B. pag. 44. The Gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church Mat. 16.18 Proves not the pretence of infallibility Why not learned Sir Not a word for that but as if you had forgotten what you were about your fall uppon the Inglish Translation of that text which you say deserres amendment And I will leave you to be taught better manners by your fellow Ministers or your mother the kirk of Scotland G. B. pag. 45 The spirit leading into all truth Joan. 16.13 advances not the cause a whit since that promise relates to all beleivers Here is another assertion without proofe as if we were bound to take your word Those words are part of the sermon after the last supper at which only the Apostles were present which was directed immediatly to them You should then give some reason why they relate to all beleivers althô spoken to only the Apostles G. B. The Church's being built on the Rocke Peter proves nothing for a series of Bishops of Rome seing the other Apostles were also foundations ANS If it proves all Bishops together Infallible firme in faith as a Rock it confounds your Reformation which is condemned by them all G. B. The keys of the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 16.19 import no more then that Peter was to open the Ghospel When you shall give in a proofe we will consider it Till then I will beleive not you but Christ who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addes the office of the Keys to open shut not the Ghospel but Heaven by loosing binding sins G. B. pag. 46. It is certaine that vice as well as errpr os destrictove of Religion If then there be no authority for repressing of vice but that same of the discipline of the Church it is not incongruous there be no other authority for suppressing of error but that same of the discipline of the Church ANS It is certaine that both in the old new law severall persons have beene secured against Error who were subject to sin S. Peter was truly reprehensible (a) Gal. 2.11 for a thing he did not for any thing he writ or preacht The same of David of Salomon c. For this reason our Blessed Saviour commanded (b) Mat. 23.23 all to follow the Doctrine of the Scribes Pharisys because they sate on the chaire of Moyses but not their example Soe your question why God should provide more against error in faith then against vice in manners can find no place amongst Catholicks who are taught to adore God's holy will even when they understand it not to Bring (c) 2. Cor. 10.5 into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ To you who think it absurd to deny a man the use of his Reason in judging discerning all things submit even Divinely
or other considerable Boone when freely given the hard usage which some of your tenants complaine of from their Ecclesiasticall landlords proves sufficiently that you are not insensible to the allurements of the attractive metall Were Church men such as they ought to be the layty would have little reason to repine at their riches althô much greater then they are If they were Treasurers of the Poore Fathers to the Orphans Helps to widdows Hosts to strangers Protectors to the Oppressed common Sanctuaryes to all necessitous persons such as some are in Catholick Church s whome I know many of whome we reade To such as these Riches are no hindrance to their function they give them only occasion of doing much good practicing their Charity If you think this to be blame worthy althô Riches be soe imployed prove what you say out of Scripture excuse your owne Bishops from that crime eris mihi magnus Apollo Voluntary reall Poverty is much commended in the (a) Mat. 19.21 Ghospel we have thousands in our Church who professe it live in it you could never get ten of your communion to embrace it There is another Poverty called of Spirit commended (b) Mat. 5.3 nay (c) Mat. 19.24 commanded in the Scripture how greate soever a stranger you are to spirituall things yet you will not say that this Poverty of hart is inconsistant with effectuall riches otherwise it would be impossible for arich man to be saved A man may be a begger yet be far from that Poverty of Spirit which gives him a ryght to the kingdome of Heaven because his hart is fixt uppon things he hath not And on the contrary another man may be master of agreate part of the world yet have his hart as free from it as if he was not in the world to use the Apostles phrayse (d) 1. Cor. 7.31 use the world as if he used it not Of this sort of poore of spirit there are many in the Church always have beene Heare S. Austin l. de moribus Ecclesiae c. 35. Sunt in Ecclesiâ Catholicâ innumer abiles fideles qui hoc mundo non utuntur sunt qui utuntur tanquam non utentes there are innumerable faithfull in the Church who make no use of the world there are others who use it of if they used it not What hath the Protestant Church to say here Pride Ambition are personall vices soe belong not to this treatise Yet I will say that there have beene both Ancient Moderne Popes who have given greater examples of humility then any your Church can shew who have made appeare that their title servant of the servants of God is no compliment Sixtus V. would not owne his mother when she was brought to him in rich clothes sayng his mothers was a poore woman who never wore silkes in her life shee was ashepe heards wife The next day she being brought to him in Rags he presently acknowledged her Some of them have asserted the Priviledges of their chaire against such as in trenched on their Ryghts which may be done without any Pride at all seing they require it as due not to their owne persons but to their chair to its founders S. Peter to his superiour Christ Iesus I never heard S. Ambrose suspected of Pride for refusing to admit Theodosius the greate into the Church before his Pennance for the slaughter at Thessalonica or for excluding him the cancells after it It was a Zeale of the glory of God the good of the Church which moved him the Emperour him selfe understood it so As for precious ornaments of the Church I will owne ours to be too costly when you shall have proved that any thing is too good for God's service not till then The infinite Majesty of God is ground sufficient to oblidge us to beare him the greatest respect interiourly expresse our duty to our Creator our gratitude to soe greate a benefactour by returning to him in the best manner we can an acknowledgement of his most bountifull gifts This serves also to stirre up in the auditory submission respect adoration which otherwise would fayle CHAPTER XXVII Vnity of the Church in Faith Sacraments G.B. ownes that Protestants are Schismaticks of severity against dissenters of Hugo Grotius G.B. pag. 100. A fourth designe of Christian Religion was to unite man kind under one head into one body not by love pardoning injurys only but also by associating the faithfull into one body the Church which was to be united by bonds of love Governed by Pastors Teachers cemented with the ligaments of the Sacraments ANSWER You say something though discorderly but not all for 1. you omit Faith by which we are inserted into the body of Christ 2. You put Charity which doth not make us parts but living parts of that body whose parts we are by Faith 3. You adde Sacraments which are only exteriour signes of interiour communication 4. You confound Charity Sacraments as equally concurring to the Vnity of the Church yet there is a vast difference betwixt them the one formally quickning the members of the Church interiourly the other only effecting it interiourly testifying it exteriourly 5. Betwixt the Sacraments there is a vast difference as to this you confound them for Baptisme being our Regeneration in Christ is an efficient cause of our union with him makes us his members the others are designed only to nourish those who are already united to in him When you speake of being governed by Pastors I hope the Pope may find place amongst them he being the prime Pastor G. B. pag. 101. The Ghospel pronounceth us free no more servants of men but of God ANSW Free from the ceremoniall law of Moyses not from that of the Ghospel obedience to the Governours of the Church How changeable are your sentiments In the forgoing page 100. the Church was to be governed by Pastors Teachers now she is to obey none but God if any man pretend to command he changeth the authority of the Church into a tyrancall yoke Soe we must have Governours without authority to command subjects without any duty to obey A new model of Government G. B. pag. 101. Those things for which we withdrew from the Church are additions to our Faith Shee added to Scriptures Traditions to God Images to Christ Saints to Heaven Hell Purgatory to two Sacrament five more to the spirituall presence of Christ his corporall presence ANS Never man spake more proved lesse then you who offer not one word in proofe of these disputed points which we declare to be evident untruths Is not this a poore begging of the thing in question But they are say you additions to your Faith Did we adde to your Faith or you cut off from ours that of the whole Christian world before your deformation How
Gregory What swimmes on the surface of the mind is far different from what lyes hiddeÌ„ at the bottoÌ„ of the hart which hath the maine part in our actions some are entirely possest with the love of the vanity of this world who think they love God Soe that God alone knows amongst all those Affections we have in our wills which is predominant as for our selves we are often mistaken as Thomas à Kempis says think we are moved with zeale it is ouly passion which transports us Saep passione movemur zelum putamus You had then two Passions in your soul when you writ this booke the one swimming on the surface of your mind as S. Gregory speakes of greife for the supposed errours of the Cutholick Church The other hidden at the bottome of your hart of Hatred of Papists The first enabled you to make your protestation the second except in some very few places governed your intention Now to your Meekenesse G. B. Pag. 141. I am none of those who justify rage or bitternesse against those in errours And p. 155. We abhor the doctrine of cruel persecuting of any for their consciences The outmost we allow â—if or desire of that nature being the driving from us those who doe so disturb us ANS Wonderfull meeke sweete charitable As if BannisbmeÌ„t from our native Country Ingland of such a number as embrace the communion of the Catholick Church of all conditions wore an inconsiderable Punishment If you deale soe with those whome you pitty what will you doe with those for whome you have some Bitternesse But why must all who professe the Catholick Religion be banisht Because say you they disturbe you It seemes a dangerous businesse to disturbe a Scottish Minister which deserves banishment of all yeomans Gentlemen Squires Knyghts Baronets Barous Vicounts Earles others who are Catholicks What will be your verdict against me in case you think this booke disturbe your what tormeÌ„ts will be sharpe enough what gibet hygh enough to satisfy for this crime on an obscure man when for the like so many illustrious persons are sentenced to banishment G.B. pag. 142. My designe is to provoke pitty rather then wrath teares more then flames towards those deceived multitudes that we may pray for them rather then rayle at them ANSWER If soe never was designe worse handled G. B. p. 143. I shall not search into the depths of the mercys of God how far they may reach any of that CoÌ„munion None alive is more willing to stretch his invention for sinding out grounds to fix his Charity on then my self But all I can devise falls short ANS Your meekenesse discovers it selfe more more Before you proposed our Banishment from the Country which God appointed us for this life by ordring in it our birth now you banish us from Heaven our tru Country Soe that in the midst of your kindnesse you designe us the Punishment of Cain in this world that of the Devils in the next Is this all the effect of your stretched invention to find grounds for you Charity what destiny would you have reade us if you had not stretched it out Seing you give this occasion if your protetestation be sincere you cannot be offended that I helpe your invention by shewing a ground for your Charity to fix on by alleadging those vere probable reasons why Catholicks doe not embrace your communion CHAPTER XXXV Reasons why Catholicks doe not embrace the communion of the Protestant Church OUr B. Saviour (a) Mat. 7.15 warnes us to beware of those who come to us in sheepes clothing but are interiourly ravenous wolues gives us a signe to know them by their workes Catholickes considered the workes of the first Reformers by them Judged of their persons whither they were sheepe or wolues Imprimis they had a greate motive to suspect the whole Reformation because the occasion opf it was evidently reprochfull In Germany Luther's motive was emulation betwixt his order the Dominicans Enuy that these later should have the preaching of the Jubily In Ingland lust begun it under Henry VIII Avarice Pride compleated it under Edward VI. By whome was is most hotly embraced promoted By Apostatas in whome the flesh prevailed over the spirit the first step they made was shaking of the yoke of obedience to their lawfull superiors to become independants This is one sacriledge which was accompanyed with two others breaking their vows of Chastity Poverty What motives did they use to draw People to joyne with them Propose Liberty from all Ecclesiasticall laws that were any way burthersome or contrary to sensuality as fasting praying on certaine days Pennances c. freeing men from the obligation of Divine laws by teaching they were impossible rejecting some of them in particular as that for Confession Indulging sensualitys trampling on all that seemed burthensome under pretence of Christian liberty What effects followed the Reformation A neglect of god's counsels an insensibility of his Inspirations a contempt of Religion an unwillingnesse to be ruled Rebellion in Church state a loosing of the spirit of Prayer a slyghting of all good workes anentire abandoning theÌ„selves to bad ones The lyght of the Ghospel promist that darkned with irreligious interpretations the word of God held forth a greate part of it cut off A Reformation pretended in the Church the Church robbed of its revenues the Church worship purged the cheife action of it Sacrifice abolisht the glory of God promist his sacred name by blasphemy prophaned Faith soe commended as by it Hope was destroyed by Presumption Charity by Schisme In fine if any thing like zeale appeared in the first times of Reformation it shewed it selfe by Avarice Rapine Sacriledge Pride Dissensions Schismes Rebellious Incontinences Drunkennesse in a word Libertinisme Which the sincerer part of your communion deplore with tru teares not with such as you shee l for our errours If these are the workes of sheepe what are the workes of wolues And if by workes we must Iudge of men what could they say of these Reformers Letus lay aside what is past looke on what is present Is it not tru that though you talke much of Christianity yet all markes of it seeme blotted out of the lives of your flock That therenever was more impurity in marriages more corruption in familyes more debauchery in youth more ambition amongst the rich more Pride amongst the Gentry more Dishonesty in commerce more sophistication in marchandises more deceipt amongst tradesmeÌ„ more intemperance amongst all That fornication is thought a peccadillo adultery good fortune Chastity a reproach te the sex cheating treachery court vertu Impiety libertinisme strength of wit Oathes blasphemys or naments of our language perpetuall gaming a lawfull divertisment for men contempt of their husbands neglect of the Education of their children of the care of their familys a
Parisis 1636. S. Chrisostome Etonae 1613. Commodianus Parisiis 1666. S. Cyprian Parisiis 1666. S. Cyril Alexan. Parisiis 1638. S. Hierome Antwerpiae 1578. Julius Firmicus Parisiis 1666. Justinus M. Parisiis 1636. Minutius Felix Parisiis 1666. Origen c. Celsū Cantabrig 1658. Tertullian Rotomagi 1662. Theodoret Parisiis 1642. Ger. Jo. Vossius Francofurti 1668. Faults escaped in the Printing I intend only to correct those which are considerable may alter the sense The rest I leave to the courteous Reader In the eyght page of the Preface line 26. Iupiter in Reade Iupiter is Pag. 5. l. 7. When r. Where p. 11. l. 13. Tru the r. the tru p. 13. l. 31. c. 20. r. c. 25. p. 18. l. 9. deprescript r. depraescrip c. 40. p. 338. p. 19. l. 9. sayd r. layd p. 32. l. 24. who where r. which were p. 38. l. 4. sayd to r. sayd of p. 41. l. 12. though r. through p. 44. l. 19. make r. made p. 51. l. 10. sentelesse r. senselesse p. 53. l. 12. addicted the ro r. addicted to Item l. 26. say the r. say then p. 54 l. 23. God nations r. God of nations p. 68. l. 1. sals r. fals p. 75. l. 29. wife r. wife p. 78 l. 14. place Ovid's r. place in Ovid's Item l. 16. mode r. made p. 79 l. 18. Phiny r. Pliny p. 84. l. 3. for r. far p. 86. l. 13. beaty r. beauty p. 88. l. 28 43. r. 47. p. 90. l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 99 l. 4. many r. may Item l. 17. yet r. yee p. 100. l. 18. then r. them p. 104. l. 21. If r. It. p. 117 l. 10. bnow r. know p. 118. l 29. or the r. on the p. 131. l. 1. wherely r. whereby p. 146. l. 8. fath r. faith p. 148. l. 6. your fall r. you fall p. 159 l. 4. expianda r. expiandae p. 162. l. 5. incapable r. capable p. 179. l. 28. adify r edify p. 189. p. 189. l. 29. or him r. on him p. 190. l. 13. a r. Act. 15.29 Item l. 27. epickia r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 191. l. 16. for idden r. forbidden p. 194. l. 22. post r. lost p. 195. l. 27. ever r. even p. 196. l. 2. are r. as p. 201. l. 4. place is r. place it p. 202. l. 28. dedmed r. deduced p 213. l. 14 mediocry r. mediocrity p. 219. l. 27. this r. his p. 221. l. 6. breahes r. breaches p. 226. l 26. hill r. kill p. 231. l. 7. Poverly r. Poverty Item l. 14 war r. was p. 239. l 4. our r. your p. 243. l. 4. but not even r. but even p. 244. l. 22. mannes r. manners p. 247. l. 28. they r. he p. 251. l. 22 him R. S. r. him by R. S. Item l. 21. to make r. to make way p. 154. l. 13. fryghte r. fryghted p. 255. l. 19. this r. his p. 256. l. 12. you r. your p. 263. l. 4. doe r. due p. 266. l. 14. sound r. found Item l. 28. the r. he p. 267. l. 13. buffled r. baffled p. 269. l. 4 us sherin r. Usher in p. 273. l. 12. their r. those p. 276. l. 14. vulgary r. vulgar p. 277. l. 4. form r. for p. 279. toke r. tobe p. 295. l. 23. you r. your p. 297. l. 7. burther some r. burthensome p. 305. l. 10. your r. hour A LETTER TO MR. R. CUDWORTH D. D. SIR I had finisht this treatise before I saw your learned worke against Atheisme I seldome read any booke with greater desire to learne from it Your Candour discovered in your Preface by owning correcting a mistake encreased my opinion of your abylityes my hopes of new lyghts in obscure matters from so greate labour accompanyed with such sincerity The first lesson of wisedome is to speake of nothing but what we understand perfectly The second is to correct Willingly what is unadvisedly spoken S. Aug. epist 7. having sayd that Cicero would never recall any thing he had once spoken says that he thinks that no signe of a Wise-man Haec laus quamvis praeclarissima videatur tamen credibilior est de nimium fatuo quà m de sapiente perfecto Nam illi quos Moriones vocant quantò magis à sensu communi dissonant magisque absurdi insulsi sunt tantò magis nullum verbum emittunt quod revocare velint quia dicti mali stulti vel incommodi poenitere utique Cordatorum est We must earnestly contend for that Faith which was once delivered to the saints Jud. v. 3. which from them hath beene handed downe to us by the Church Here we must be immoveable as Rockes But as for other doctrinall Points whither grounded on Hystory or naturall Discourse we ought not to take them for better for worse to have to hold till Death us depart or sticke to them longer then they appeare conformable to Truth I think the best qualification of an Authour is that Docile Disposition which the best of all purely humane Authours S. Austin expresses l. 1. de Trin. c. 3. Quisquis haec legit says he ubi pariter certus est pergat mecum ubi pariter haesitat quaerat mecum ubi errorem suum observat redeat ad me ubi meum revocet me ita ingrediamur simul charitatis viam tendentes ad Deum Et hoc placitum pinm atque tutum cum omnibus inire volo qu◠ea quae scribo legunt ........ You have given a pledge of that good quality so I am confident these objections against some points treated in your Booke will not be unwelcome to you You owne some very few Philosophers to have thought God to be corporall viz Epicurus Strato but that the major part beleived him a pure spirit adored the only tru God under the names Iupiter Minerva Osyris or Venus I sayd with the ancient Fathers Primitive Christians that althô all Pagans nay all men had naturally a knowledge of the tru God yet those they adored were Men. To the proofes alleadged above I adde now four 1. Taken from the diversity of their sexes 2. From their Generation 3. From their Death 4. From their Rites 1. The different sexes of the Pagan Deitys is a convincing proofe that they were not spirits but Men women or at least Males Females by consequence corporall This reason takes up a greate part of Arnobius's third booke from pag. 46. where he begins with these words Adduci primum hoc ut credamus non possumus immortalem illam praestantissimamque naturam divisame esse per sexus And he says that Cicero having ingenuously profest his dislike of this the Pagans designed to get his workes abolisht by the Senate as confirming Christian Religion destroying ancient tru Paganisme Oportere statui per Senatum aboleantur ut haec scripta quibus Christiana comprobetur vetustatis opprimatur auctoritas So essentiall to Paganisme was this diversity of sexes Which being only designed for carnall