from page 478 to page 496. Where also you may find them teaching that the Dominion of the blessed Virgin is equal to the Dominion of her Son that all power in Heaven and Earth was given to her that she is constituted over every Creature and whosoever boweth his knee unto Jesus doth fall down also and supplicate unto his Mother so that the glory of the Son may be judged not so much to be common with the Mother Ibid. as to be the very same That the mighty God did as far as he might make his Mother partner of his Divine Majesty and power giving unto her of old the Soveraignty both of Coelestial things and Mortal p. 478. That in the redundance of effusion of Grace upon the Creatures the Lords power and will is so accommodated unto her that she may seem to be the first in that both Diadem and Tribunal p. 481. And that all things are subject to the command of the Virgin even God himself p. 482. They also teach that by sinning after Baptisme men seem to have contemned and despised the Passion of Christ That so no Sinner doth deserve that Christ should any more make Intercession for him to the Father without whose Intercession none can be delivered either from Eternal Punishment or the temporal nor from the fault which he hath voluntarily committed And therefore that it was necessary that Christ should constitute his well-beloved Mother a Mediatrix betwixt us and him And so in this our Pilgrimage there is no other refuge left unto us in our tribulations and adversities but to have recourse unto the Virgin Mary our Mediatrix that she would appease the wrath of her Son Ibid. That as he is ascended into Heaven to appear in the sight of God for men Heb. 9.24 So she ought to ascend thither to appear in the sight of her Son for sinners that so mankind might have alwayes before the face of God a help like unto Christ for the procuring of his Salvation And that she is that throne of Grace p. 484. whereof the Apostle specketh Heb. 4.16 Let us go boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need That she comes before the Throne of Grace not entreating but commanding p. 486. In the Psalter of our Lady we have these Addresses Blessed are they whose hearts do love thee Ps 31. O Virgin Mary their sinns by thee shall be mercifully washed away Have mercy upon me O Lady Ps 50. who art called the Mother of Mercy and according to the bowels of thy Mercies cleanse me from all mine Iniquities Save me Lady by thy name Ps 53. Ps 71. and deliver me from mine unrighteousness Give the King thy judgement O God and thy mercy to the Queen his Mother Oh come let us sing unto our Lady Ps .. 94. Cant ad Virg. M. post Psal Let us make a joyful noise to Mary our Queen that brings Salvation Oh our Omnipotent Lady thou art my Salvation thou hast freed me condemned to death thou art the beginning and the finisher of my Salvation There you may find them teaching that by her Ps 118. Ps 41. Ps 136. De Arcan Ca. thol verit l. 7. c. 10. White p. 357. Sinns are purged by her true satisfaction is made for sinns the Death and Passion of Christ and of the blessed Virgin saith Petrus Galatinus conduced to the redemption of Mankind The Stellarium Coronae beatae Mariae saith she bought us and as Christ Redeemed Mankind by his Flesh and Blood so she redeemed the same with her Soul These Doctrines and many other of the same Blasphemous stamp are taught and held by many Doctors of the Roman Church these books and doctrines are written and licensed by that Church and so have Catholick permission no censure ever passed upon them no Expurgatory Index hath cleansed them from these horrid Blasphemies but it is still left free for any of the Doctors of that Communion to maintain and propagate them and for any of the members of that Church to practise sutably to these conceptions To ascribe all this power and Authority to the Blessed Virgin and all this vertue to her Death to give her the praises of it and accordingly to trust in her to pray unto her for the blessings she hath purchased and for the distribution of those Favours which naturally do result from this advancement and when they address themselves unto her to use the most extravagant expressions contained in the Ladys Psalter and in other books of the like nature with it Whence it will follow 1 That any person who acts according to these Doctrines and puts up these Petitions doth not deviate from that Tradition which the Catholick conceives to be his only rule of Faith id est a person may be guilty of horrid Blasphemy and Idolatry and notwithstanding be a good Roman Catholick 2. It follows that no man ought to be condemned for writing or asserting any of these Tenets or for using any of the formes contained in those books for Oral Tradition cannot be conceived to condemn what is allowed and practised without censure in the Church of Rome 3. Hence evident it is that private Catholicks may unavoidably be subject to these evil practises for seeing in these matters they cannot have the judgement of the Church and must not be permitted to act according to their private judgements what remains but that they follow the judgement of their Priest which as we have seen is often impious and Blasphemous 4. Hence evident it is that neither these opinions nor practises can ever be condemned by the Church of Rome for to make the contrary Tenets pass into Tradition or to make them Articles of Faith is to empower the Church to coyn new Articles and to pretend Tradition where it is not to be had So that all these Blesphemous and Idolatrous Devotions must be as lasting as the Church of Rome Secondly I have observed this method in my whole discourse 1. To confirm the propositions which I have laid down by Scripture and by reason and then to introduce the Judgement of the Fathers Whereas T. G. is very sparing both as to Scripture and Reason and doth endeavor to supply his want of Reason and of Scripture by some impertinent citations from the Fathers This I conceive to be a very weak and disingenious way of arguing for if the Testimonies of some few Fathers be not sufficient to confirm an Article of Faith and to give us the true sense of any text of Scripture he must confess that what he thus discourseth is weak and infufficient to prove what he hath undertaken to demonstrate but if he shall assert this method to be good and cogent then it will clearly follow 1. That the Doctrine of the Trent Council must be false for they have certainly decreed that Doctrine which was asserted by Pope
Spiritus morâ—norum August in Psal 108. Enar. 1. p. 276 A. whether at all or how far or after what manner the Spirits of the dead could know the things that are done here is a great question And the like doubt we find in Nazianzen in his Rhetorical Apostrophe's for in his invective against Julian he speaks thus (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 2. Ed. Eton. Hear O thou soul of great Constantius if thou hast any understanding of these things and as many souls of the Kings before him as loved Christ Where the Greek Scholiast upon that Parenthesis nutteth this Note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He speaketh according to the manner of Isocrates meaning if thou hast any power to hear the things that are here And therein he saith rightly for Isocrates useth the same form of speech both in his Evagoras and in his Aegineticus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If they which be dead have sense of the things which are done here The like limitation is used by the same Nazianzen toward the end of the funeral Oration which he made upon his Sister Gorgonia where he speaketh thus unto her (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazian Orat. 2. in Gorgon If thou hast any care of the things done by us and holy souls receive this honour from God that they have any feeling of such things as these receive this Oration of ours instead of many and before many funeral obsequies Whence it is evident that the Foundation of this Doctrine was doubted by them And then it follows that the thing it self was in those times only a doubtful or a disputable point and therefore that it was not delivered to them by tradition or confirmed by Scripture and cannot be required as the Condition of Communion without Schisme 2. Hence we have just reason to suspect that in those other passages we meet with of like Nature these words If thou hast any sense or apprehension of these things when they are not expressed may very well be understood and that this is the genuine import of their Rhetorical Petitions § 4. Observe that the afore mentioned Fathers did often speak to their deceased Friends in such a manner as if they did suppose them present although they did not think them so to be thus * Tom. 1. p. 314. B. Nazianzen when ready to conclude his Funeral Oration upon his Father speaketh thus What saist thou Father is this sufficient And †l. 1. contra Julian c. 6. Austin speaks to Chrysostom who had been dead some years before Enter St. John enter and sit together with thy brethren And ‖ Tom. 1. in Psal 50. p. 703. l. 27. Chrysostom to David thus What is it thou desirest David thy sins are pardoned what wouldst thou more Oh David go give God thanks and ever glorifie him And again why art thou troubled David let me know This * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 19. ed. Eton. Nazianzen doth acknowledge to be the meaning of his addresses to Constantius when he believed he did enjoy the vision of God for thus he speaks What was the matter oh divinest King and greatest lover of our Lord for I am moved to find fault as if thou wast here present and didst hear me though I do know thee to be now with God and in possession of his Glory And this way of speaking they borrowed from the Heathen Orators and Poets whom we find speaking thus O M. Drusius I appeal to thee O †Audisne haec Amâ—â—hiarie sub terram abdite Tuscul Qu. l. 2 p. 147. Amphiarius who art now buried in the Earth hearest thou this ‖ Quid dicemâ—â— Câ—eanthe num in illa re mali nihil fuisse Tusc Quaest l. 3. p. 163. Ed. Paris 1555. What shall we say Cleanthes is this a wicked thing § 5. The very same Authors do many of them make the like Apostrophe's to insensate Creatures and use Expressions which contain as formal and direct petitions as any which are used in the places cited by the Roman Doctors St. * Nazianz. Orat. Decima quarta p. 214. Nazianzen invokes peace thus Oh friendly Peace who art that good which all men praise but few observe where hast thou so long left us and when wilst thou return unto us And unto Easter he speaks thus †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O at 42. p. 696. Oh great and holy Passover who art the reconciliation of both the Worlds For I will speak to thee as unto one endued with life In his invective against Julian he speaks thus Hear O Heavens and perceive O Earth Hear all ye Nations perceive all you that dwell upon the Earth For to you all I speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 1. Hear you who live at present and hereafter shall be born St. Ambrose speaks unto the Water thus * Ambros l. 10. in Luc. c. 22. Oh Water which hast obtained to be the Sacrament of Christ which washest all things and art not washed thy self thou dost begin the first and dost compleat the perfect Mysteries In the like manner we find * De Vir. Constantim l. 5 Eusebius calling upon Piety and †Optat. l. 6. p 98. Optatus upon Water and this they did agreeably to the Example of the ‖ Vos vos Albani â—umuli atque luci vos inquam iâ—ploro aâ—qu obtestor vosque A â—banorum obruâ—ae arae c. Orat. pro Milone p. 558. Ed. Pâ—ris Orator who doth implore and doth beseech the broken Altars of the Albans and puts up his Petition to their Tombs and Gâ—oveâ— and to the frequent custome of the sacred Writers who cry out * Isa 1.2 Hear O Heaven and perceive oh Earth Hear ye O Mountains the Lords controversie and ye strong Foundations of the Earth †Micah 6.2 Praise the Lord from the Earth ye Dragons and all Deeps ‖ Psal 148.7 8 9. Fire and hail snow and vapor stormy wind fulfilling his word Mountains and all Hills fruitful Trees and all Cedars Which form of Compellation is still retained in our Liturgy And yet I hope T. G. will not infer that the Jews of old did and English Protestants do at present properly invoke and intercede to those insensate Creatures Lastly we find in Lipoman one speaking to the girdle of the Blessed Virgin in this manner O venerable girdle make us Heirs of eternal and blessed Life and preserve us in this our present life from perdition O undefiled Girdle preserve thy people from pollution If this and such like speeches of the Church of Rome must be acknowledged to be figurative why may we not assert the same of such Expressions of the Fathers as are used to those Saints departed of whom they do assert that what is spoken to them because they do not hear it is as if it had been spoken to insensate Creatures 6. Observe Sect. 6. there is great difference
on the diseased Christians if then in all those Miracles we cannot find one instance which was not made apparent to the senses of mankind what reason have we to esteem this so Besides is not a Miracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a sign sure I am the Scripture often calls it so and is not every sign declared by St. * Signum est res praeter speciem quam ingerit sensibus aliud aliquid ex se faciens in cogitationem venire De Doctrina Christiana l. 2. c. 1. Austin to be something sensible whereby we do perceive what is not sensible what therefore is no object of the sence can be no sign or Miracle Secondly we cannot possibly obtain a greater evidence that any Revelation is Divine than is the evidence of sence whence it doth follow that we can have no reason to believe a Revelation more than we do our sences as T. G. asserts for all the certainty we have of any object of our Faith depends on our assurance that the deliverers of it were infallibly assisted by the Divine Wisdom in that delivery and is not this attested by the Miracles they wrought the Prophesies they delivered the Doctrine they taught and that by sence should any of them be questioned must not we recur unto the sences of the Primitive Christians to confirm them and must they not then be the ultimate foundation of our Faith and our Traditions must we not be surer of the proof than of the thing proved And consequently of the evidence of sense than that of Faith which deriveth from it if not why Secondly doth our Lord pronounce them rather Blessed who believe and have not seen 20 Joh. 29 than Thomas who first saw and felt and then believed is it not because they do it upon lesser though sufficient evidence and so their Faith is more illustrious and praise worthy Thirdly should it be otherwise how cometh it to pass that men are equally assured of what equally they see but have not the like fulness of perswasion in what they believe That being once assured of the objects of sence they can admit of no greater certainty whereas after all our boasts of a Plerophory of Faith we have still need to strive and labour to encrease it Since then the certainty of Faith is proved inferior to that of sence It is not possible we should have greater reason to believe a Revelation or any matter of our Faith than to believe our sences as T. G. suggests hence also it doth follow that we can have no greater reason to believe that these four words this is my body are contained in Scripture or that they do assert the Sacrament to be Christs Body than that assurance which the sences of all Christians do afford us that it remaineth Bread And Thirdly hence it follows that we can have no greater reason to profess the Christian Faith than we have to reject the Figment of Transubstantiation Answer 3. As for that vain pretence that Christ hath said this is his Body and therefore we stand bound to think that he doth work a Miracle to make it so although it be against the sence and reason of mankind that he should do it This will oblige us also to believe that by some other like prodigious Miracle before his Incarnation he was Transubstantiated into the Rock which ministred water to the Jews during their Travels in the Wilderness for of that it is expresly said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10.4 or that Rock was Christ 2. This will oblige us to believe that Christ hath neither Flesh nor Blood because the Scripture doth assure us that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 which yet Christ Jesus doth inherit We unbelieving Protestants perhaps might think it strange that Christ should have neither Flesh nor Blood yet the Sacrament should be his very Flesh and Blood but as for you you know the danger of not believing God more than your sences and your reasons and therefore this and many thousand contradictions of like nature can be no reason why you should not embrace the Letter 3. This will oblige us to be Anthropomorphites and to confess that all the arguments which have been urged against that Tenet by the Church of Christ are vain and ineffectual for Scripture hath not only said that man was made after the likeness and similitude of God but also doth in very many places attribute unto him the parts and members of an humane body what then will you oppose against them sence and reason T. G. will give this answer for them that they well know the danger of not believing Holy Scripture more than their sences or their reason Will you confute them by a Text of Scripture which seems to contradict their Doctrine alas that which is often stiled Bread must not be thought to be so because Christ hath once said it is his body and can we be so vain as to imagine that one ambiguous passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred God makes or searcheth God loves or seeks the Spirit 4 Joh. 24. should carry it against so many which more expresly do ascribe unto him the members of an humane body or shall we fly unto Tradition alas is it not that which is derived from the sences of those men which in the matter of Transubstantiation have been all constantly deceived and if their hearing be a sufficient ground of Faith against the Doctrine of the Anthropomorphites must not their eyes and tast and smell and feeling be as cogent against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation Fourthly This must oblige us to believe what is the greatest Blasphemy viz. That Christ by all the Miracles he wrought among them gave no sufficient motive to the Jews to own him for the true Messiah for all his Miracles were only motives to believe that Law should be abolished which God hath often said should last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for ever Doth nor he tell them that the things he had revealed belonged to them and to their Children for ever Deut. 29.29 Exod. 12.17 that they might do all the things of this Law Doth not he call the Passover an everlasting Statute Hath not he said the Law of their first fruits shall be a Statute for ever throughout their Generations 23 Lev. 14 And if you answer that this word Gnolam doth not alwayes signifie an infinite duration but is sometimes used for such duration as admits a period and so must not be urged against so great conviction of their sence and reason Will not this answer justifie the Protestants when they produce so many instances to shew that when a thing in Scripture is stiled this or that the meaning only is that it doth signifie what it is said to be for to omit those passages so often cited 40 Gen. 12. 41 Gen. 26. 7 Dan. 38. 8 Luk. 11. 13 Mat. 38 39.
That when the Encratitae held it unlawful to drink Wine the Fathers did confute them by this very Argument That Christ himself drank Wine and did appoint it to be received in the Sacrament Wherefore did he not drink Water after his Resurrection but Wine saith Chrysostom that he might pull up by the Roots another wicked Heresie for because there are some who in the Mysteries use Water declaring that when he delivered the Mysteries he delivered Wine and that when he rose and spread a Common Table without the Mysteries he used Wine he saith I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine Now the Vine produceth Wine not Water Chrysost Hom. in Mattheum 12. p. 511. l. 12. Edit Eton. g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Paedag. l. 2. c. 2. p. 158. B. Ed. Paris 1641. Be ye sure saith Clemens to the Encratitae he also did drink Wine for he blessed Wine when he said take drink this is my Blood the Blood of the Vine but that the thing which had been Blessed was Wine he shewed again saying to his Disciples I will not drink of the fruit of this Vine till I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom h Illud quod lex dicit quia sanguis est anima esse positum dicimus sicut alia multa paenè â—mnia Scripturarum illarum Sacramenta lignis â—guris N. B. plena sunt suthrae pradicationis quae jam per Donm â—â—strum Jesu dâ—clatate est Contr. Adiman Coy 12. Sic est enim sanguis anima quo modo Petta erat Christus sicut dicit Apostolus bibehant enim de spirituali sequence eos Petra Petra autem erat Christus Notum est autem filâ—s Israel Petra percussa bibisse aquam in cremo de quibus loquebatur Apostolus cum haec diceres nec tamen ait Petra significabat Châ—istum â—sed ait Petra erat Christus quz rursus ne Garnaliter accipererur spiritualem illam vocat Ib. Cap. 12. Now had not the Sacramental Cup been truly Wine this Argument would have been frivolous and vain Had not they held as the Church of England their answer must have been a contradiction to the Doctrine of the Church of Christ Secondly The Manichees to prove the contradiction betwixt the Gospel and the Law opposed to that saying of our Saviour that none was able to cause the Soul to perish that of Moses that the Blood was the Soul To this St. Austin answers those words may be expounded thus the Blood is that is it signifies the Soul this he confirms 1. by this general assertion that almost all the Sacraments of those Scriptures are full of signs and figures of the future Preaching which is now declared by Christ and I am apt to think they were such signs and figures as were not properly converted into what they signified Seconly this he illustrates by a double instance †So is Blood the Soul as the Rock was Christ they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ he said not the Rock signified Christ but the Rock was Christ 2. I may expound it thus saith he * Blood is the Soul that is it signifies the Soul because our Saviour did not doubt to say this is my body when he gave the sign of his body since then as the Rock is Christ and as the signs and figures of the Old Testament are what thâ—â— Typified in the New so is the Bread Christs Boâ—â— It is wonderfully evident that in St. Austin's Judgment it is Christs Body not by conversion into Christs real Body but by signification of it k Nam ex â—o quod sâ—riptum est sanguinem pecoris animam ejus esse possum interpretaâ—i preceptum illud in signo esse positum non enim Dominus dubitavit dicere hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret sui corporis bl yea by such signification as excludes Christs body from being corporally present under the accidents of Bread for else the Manichees might have replyed upon St. Austin and given him the baffle thus as the sign not only signified Christs real Body but contained it too so must the Blood not only signifie but really contain the Soul Therefore it is apparent that in St. Austin's time the words of Christ were so interpreted by the Orthodox as to exclude Transubstantiation and to confirm the exposition of the Protestants Thirdly The Nestorians and Eutichians asserted that Christs humane nature was absorpt and changed into the Deity this some of them affirmed to be done after his Resurrection and Ascension only but others that it was thus changed at his Conception whence they affirm that whilst he lived on Earth he had the form and shape of man but not his proper nature For Illustration and Confirmation of these Heresies they urge †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΟΡΘ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΕΡΑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΟΡΘ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΕΡΑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΟΡΘ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΕΡΑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΟΡΘ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. To. 4. Dial. 2. p. 84 85. the Doctrine of Transubstantiation and had the Bread and Wine by Consecration lost their natures had they been really changed into Christs Flesh and Blood no greater Confirmation of their Heresie no fitter illustration of their Tenet could be well imagined for thus the similitude would run First That as in the Eucharist there is only the outward shape and form of Bread and not the real substance even so in Christ there was the shape and form of Flesh but not the very nature Secondly Even as in the Eucharist the essential form and material substance of Bread and Wine are swallowed up and converted into the Body and blood of Christ so likewise after Christs ascension the humane nature is absorpt and converted into the Deity What is it therefore that the Fathers answer do they confess the thing and say Transubstantiation was the Tradition of the Church and was the Doctrine of the Scriptures but that no like Tradition nor evidence from Scripture can be produced in favour of the Doctrine of the Eutichians and Nestorians which is the only thing that can be answered by men of T. G's principles No they expresly say and that in words as plain full as any Protestant could use that this similitude doth overthrow the Doctrine it was brought to justisie * Certe imago similitudo corporis sanguinis Christi in actione Mysteriorum celebrantur satis ergo nobis evidenter ostenditur hoc nobis in ipso Christo Domino sentiendum quod in ejus imagine profitemur celebramus sumus Ut sicut in hance scilicet in divinam transeant Sacramenta Sancto Spiritu perficiente substantiam permanentes tamen in suae proprietate-naturae sic illud ipsum mysterium principale cujus nobis effâ—eientiam virtutemque veraciter representant Gelasius de duabus naturis in Christo contra Euthich
This answer gives us some shew of reason why this Invocation was not enjoyned in Scripture but it affords not the least shadow of a reason why it was not practised 2. Either this Invocation was practised by the Church in the Apostles time or not if not Quem seuâ—per Ecclesia Catholica adhibuit Câ—t Rom. p. 3 c. 2. Sect. 8. then the Trent Council and the Roman Catechism falsly do assert that this was the perpetual and Apostolick practice of the Church of Christ if it was practised then that practice must give rise unto the same Objection viz. that the Disciples of Christ had brought into the world this custom on purpose to advance their honour and to procure worship to themselves 3. This doctrine had it been consistent with the Christian Faith ought more especially to have been often preached to the Jews to reconcile them to that Faith by giving them assurance that they might have recourse unto the prayers of Father Abraham and their beloved Moses and that Noah Job and Daniel Elijah Samuel and all the blessed Patriarchs and Prophets who were so powerful with God on Earth would upon their request be ready to procure for them the greatest Temporal and Spiritual blessings since therefore we have no such Revelation in any of these Writings or Epistles which are especially directed to them and were designed for their conversion and satisfaction it may be well concluded this was no doctrine of the Christian faith 2. Some others do assert That the Apostles did abstain from giving any precept or example of this Invocation lest Heathens should conceive that for the multitude of Heathen * Nondum erat tempus in ipsius fidei exordiis eam mundo doctrinam divulgandi ne Gentiles arbitrarentur plures nos Deos colere Alanus Copus Dial. 3. f. 239. Eckius ubi supra Deities they worshipped the Christians only introduced a multitude of Christian Gods Repl. 1. This evasion is a meer conjecture of which we have not the least hint in any of the Ancient Fathers or the Church Historians which is sufficient to crack the credit of it for that such a change should happen in the worship of the whole Church of Christ without the notice or observation of any single person is incredible Besides this figment thwarts that declaration of St. Paul that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and that profession that he with-held not from them any useful Doctrine Act. 20.20 it thwarts that Doctrine and Assertion of the Church of Rome that this hath been the constant custom of the Church of God including the Apostles time Besides the reasons of abstaining from this practice must continue as long as there were Heathenâ— to be converted to the Christian Faith and so beyond the time of Constantine Now albeit it be a certain truth that Christians till after the days of Constantine abstained from this practice yet cannot that Assertion consist with the pretences of the Church of Rome for Apostolical Tradition and derivation of these Doctrines which they obtrude upon us from the Apostles of our Lord. 4. Either these Primitive Professors were not well advised to let this fear of Scandal deter them from the publication of a truth so pious and profitable to the Church of Christ or else the Roman Doctors are not so cautious in their attempts to propagate the Gospel as they ought to be as not concealing from the †8. Dali. de cultu Latin To. 1. l. 3. cap. 25. p. 493. Pagans whom they endeavour to convert this so suspicious practice of their Church In a word if the Apostles and the Church of Christ which was converted by and flourished under them had no such practice certain it is we have no reason now to do what they did never practise or command for all instructions we embrace as from them must be what they did teach or practise but if they did admit this practice then could not Jews and Heathens want the knowledge of it seeing the number of Apostates and hypocritical Professors was so great and there were many who took upon them the profession of the Christian Faith Cal 2 4. Phil. 1.16 only to spy out what they practised 3. If it be said they might abstain by reason of some precept which forbad this Invocation I reply that which Gods wisdom doth forbid us to give unto the noblest of his Creatures he by so doing doth declare that he reserves unto himself and when we act against his precept we may be certain that he will not reveal or manifest that supplication which he hath forbidden and therefore they that tender to these Blessed Spirits this forbidden worship must ascribe unto them that knowledge which agrees to God alone and that honour which he will not give unto another and so be guilty of Idolatry To conclude If this Invocation were so beneficial to mankind and was not derogatory to Gods honour it might be well presumed that Christ and his Apostles would have been careful to instruct us in it for they neither wanted knowledge to perceive the benefit or love sufficient to engage them to acquaint us with it Lastly P. 420. Whereas T. G. objects That it is certain by many and great Miracles wrought by God upon addresses made to the Saints that those who call upon them are heard and obtain what they desire and that therefore it cannot be unlawful or Idololatrical to desire their intercession Answ This is an Argument in which the Romanists much triumph but it is only what their Brother Donatists had urged long before L. de unitate Ecc. contra Petâ—liani Donatistae Epistolam and what St. Austin hath admirably answered And first I say It is but a Translation of that Argument which formerly was used by the Donatists in confirmation of their Schism for thus St. Austin propoundeth their Objection * Non dicat verum est quâ—a hoc 〈◊〉 dico aut quia hoc dixit ille Collega meus aut illi Collegae mei aut illi Episcepi vel Clerici vel Laici nosiri aut ideo verum est quia illa illa Mirabilia fecit Donatus vel Pontius velquilibet alius aut quia homines ad memorias mortuorum nostrorum orant exaudiuntur aut quia illa illa ibi contingunt aut quia ille Frater noster aut illa Seror nostra tale visum vigilans vidit vel tale visun dormiens somniavit removeantur isâ—a vel figmenta mendacium hominum vel portenta fall icium Spirituum aut enim non sunt vera quae dicuntur aut si Haereticorum aliqua mira sunt facta magis cavere debemus quod cum dixisset Dominus quesdum futuros esse falleces qui nonnuâ—la signa faciendo etiam Electos si fieri posset fallerent adjecit vehementer commendans dit ecce praedixi vebis unde Aposiclus admenens Spiritus autem manifesâ—e decet