Concerning Idolatry in the Church of Rome, Chapter 3

Concerning Idolatry in the Church of Rome · Chapter 3

p. 178CHAP. III. Of the hindrance of a good Life and Devotion in the Roman Church.

The doctrines of the Roman Church prejudicial to Piety. The Sacrament of Pennance, as taught among them, destroys the necessity of a good life. The doctrine of Purgatory takes away the care of it, as appears by the true stating it, and comparing that doctrine with Protestants. How easie it is, according to them, for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Purgatory dreadful to none but poor and friendless. Sincerity of devotion hindred by prayers in an unknown Tongue. The great absurdity of it manifested. The effects of our Ancestors devotion had been as great, if they had said their prayers in English. The language of prayer proved to be no indifferent thing, from St. Pauls arguments. No universal consent for prayers in an unknown tongue, by the confession of their own Writers. Of their doctrine of the efficacy of Sacraments, that it takes away all necessity of devotion in the minds of the receivers. This p. 179complained of by Cassander and Arnaud, but proved against them to be the doctrine of the Roman Church, by the Canons of the Council of Trent. The great easiness of getting Grace by their Sacraments. Of their discouraging the reading the Scriptures. A standing Rule of devotion necessary. None so fit to give it, as God himself: This done by him in the Scriptures. All persons therefore concerned to read them. The arguments against reading the Scriptures, would have held against the publishing them in a language known to the people. The dangers as great then, as ever have been since. The greatest prudence of the Roman Church is wholly to forbid the Scriptures; being acknowledged by their wisest men, to be so contrary to their Interest. The confession of the Cardinals at Bononia to that purpose. The avowed practice of the Roman Church herein directly contrary to that of the Primitive: although the reasons were as great then from the danger of Heresies. This confessed by their own Writers.

§. 1. 2. THe second Reason I gave, why persons run so great a hazard of their salvation in the communion of the Roman Church was, because that Church is guilty of so great corruption of the Christian Religion, by opinions and practices p. 180which are very apt to hinder a good life, which is necessary to salvation. But,

1. This necessity I said,Of the Sacrament of Pen…ance destroying the necessity of a good life. was taken off by their making the Sacrament of Pennance joyned with contrition, sufficient for salvation. Here he saith, That Protestants do make contrition alone, which is less, sufficient for salvation, and our Church allowing confession and absolution (which make the Sacrament of Pennance) in case of trouble of conscience, they being added to contrition, cannot make it of a malignant nature. To this I answer: That contrition alone is not by us made sufficient for salvation. For we believe, that as no man can be saved without true repentance, so that true repentance doth not lye meerly in contrition for sins. For godly sorrow in Scripture, is said, to work repentance to salvation, not to be repented of; 2 Cor. 7. 10.2 Cor 7:10and it cannot be the cause and effect both together. Repentance in Scripture implyes a forsaking of sin, (as it were very easie to prove, if it be thought necessary) and without this we know not what ground any man hath to hope for the pardon of it, although he confess it, and be absolved a thousand times over; and have remorse in his mind for it, when he doth confess it. And therefore I had cause to say, that they of the Church of Rome destroy the necessity of a good life, when they declare a man to be in a state of p. 181salvation, if he hath a bare contrition for his sins, and confess them to the Priest, and be absolved by him. For to what end should a man put himself to the trouble of mortifying his passions and forsaking his sins, if he commits them again, he knows a present remedy, toties quoties; it is but confessing with sorrow, and upon absolution he is as whole, as if he had not sinned. And is it possible to imagine a doctrine that more effectually overthrows the necessity of a good life, than this doth? I cannot but think, if this doctrine were true, all the Precepts of Holiness in the Christian Religion were insignificant things: But this is a doctrine fitted to make all that are bad, and willing to continue so, to be their Proselytes; when so cheap and easie a way of salvation is believed by them: especially if we enquire into the explication of this doctrine among the Doctors of that Church. Diss…asive. p. 1. ch. … p. 81.I cannot better express this, than in the words of Bishop Taylor, whom he deservedly calls an eminent leading man among the Protestants, where after he hath mentioned their doctrines about contrition, The sequel of all (he saith) is this, that if a man live a wicked life for sixty or eighty years together, yet if in the article of his death, sooner than which God (say they) hath not commanded him to repent, by being a little sorrowful for his p. 182sins, then resolving for the present that he will do so no more; and though this sorrow hath in it no love of God, but only a fear of Hell, and a hope that God will pardon him; this, if the Priest absolves him, doth instantly pass him into a state of salvation. The Priest with two Fingers and a Thumb can do his work for him; only he must be greatly prepared and disposed to receive it: greatly we say according to the sense of the Roman Church; for he must be attrite, or it were better, he were contrite; one act of grief, a little one, and that not for one sin more than for another, and this at the end of a wicked long life, at the time of our death will make all sure. Upon these terms, it is a wonder that all wicked men in the world are not Papists, where they may live so merrily, and dye so securely, and are out of all danger, unless peradventure they dye very suddenly, which because so very few do, the venture is esteemed nothing, and it is a thousand to one on the sinners side.

But we dare not flatter men so into eternal misery; we cannot but declare to them the necessity of a sincere repentance and holy life in order to salvation: and that we cannot absolve those, whom God hath declared he will not absolve. Indeed p. 183for the satisfaction of truly penitent sinners, our Church approves of applying the Promises of Pardon in Scripture to the particular case of those persons; which is that we mean by absolution. But if they pretend they can absolve whether God will or no; we must leave God and them to dispute the point.

§. 2. 2. I said the care of a good life was taken off among them,The doctrine of Purgatory takes away the care of a good life. by supposing an expiation of sin (by the prayers of the living) after death. No, saith he, it is rather apt to increase it, because of the temporal pains the sinner is to sustain after death, if there be not a perfect expiation of sin in this life by works of pennance; and although he be ascertained by faith, that he may be holpen by the charitable suffrages of the faithful living, yet this is no more encouragement to him to sin, than it would be to a Spend-thrift to run into debt and to be cast into prison, because he knows he may be relieved by the charity of his friends. If he were sure there were no prison for him, that would be an encouragement indeed to play the Spend-thrift, and this he saith, is the case of the Protestants in denyal of Purgatory. One would think by this answer, we Protestants had a very pleasant Religion, and that we held nothing could affright a sinner from continuing in his sins, because we destroy Purgatory: but we p. 184had thought there had been something more dreadful in the torments of Hell, than in the flames of Purgatory. But if our plain doctrine, that every impenitent sinner must expect no less than eternal vengeance in another world, will not prevail upon men to leave their sins, and lead a good life, can we …magine a groundless fiction of Purgatory should ever do it? Especially, considering the true stating of the doctrine of Purgatory among them, by which we shall easily discern what obligation it layes upon men to Holiness of life. There are (say they) two sorts of sins which men are guilty of, some of which are in their own nature venial, and so do not deserve eternal punishment, and for these a general and vertual repentance is sufficient: but there are other which they call mortal sins, which have a debt and obligation to eternal punishment belonging to them; but this eternal punishment is changed into temporal, by the Sacrament of Pennance; but still this temporal punishment, must be undergone either in this life, or that to come; if a man do not satisfie in this life, and cannot get help enough out of the stock of the Church to do it for him; there is no remedy, to Purgatory he must go: and if he be not helped by his Friends on earth, God knows how long he may stay there; p. 185but then he is to blame that he took no more care for his soul when he lived, if not by a holy life, yet by leaving no more to those whose Office it should be, to procure him a deliverance thence. Judge now Madam, if this be not a very frightful doctrine, especially to those, who are poor and friendless. But in case a man be rich enough to provide Masses to be said for his soul, and that he hath a good stock of Indulgences before hand, for some thousands of years, he may make a pretty tolerable shift in Purgatory, especially in these last Ages of the world; wherein it is probable, it may not be near so long to the day of judgement (when the final sentence is to be pronounced) as he hath got years of Indulgences already. I pray what need a person be afraid of, that lives a very bad life, according to these principles? Must he suffer for his Original sin? No, that, guilt and punishment, and all is clear done away in Baptism. Must he suffer for his Venial sins? That were strange, if he had never any general repentance for them. Need he be afraid of the dreadful sentence of the day of judgement, Go ye cursed into everlasting flames? He is a Fool indeed, that by a little present contrition and confession, will not obtain absolution from a Priest, and in a trice the eternal flames are extinguished, p. 186and only some temporal punishment succeeds in the room of them. But it would seem somewhat hard to a voluptuous man however to be put to severe pennances; is there no remedy in this case? Yes, there is a stock in the Church, and if he will not procure help for himself thence by some plenary Indulgences, if he will not bear it here, he must in another world. What then? Is he past all hope of remedy there? That is according to his Purse and Friends. How easie is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God? But we have no such easie way of escaping the miseries of another life: we dare not tell men they may be relieved there by Masses and Sacrifices, and I know not what: our doctrine is plain and agreeable to the most obvious and easie sense of the Gospel, if men be good here, they shall be happy afterwards; if they be bad, and continue so, they shall be certainly miserable, and unavoidably so. But for those who are neither good nor bad, (if any such can be) neither sincere nor hypocrites, neither penitent nor impenitent, we leave them to take care of them: our Saviour hath only declared, that those who are good, sincere, and penitent, shall be happy; those who are otherwise, must be miserable: if they have found out some wayes for them to escape notwithstanding, at their peril be it, who relye upon them. p. 187But for others, we understand no more how punishment in another life should remain after the guilt of sin is pardoned, than how a shadow should continue, when the body is gone: for punishment follows guilt, as the shadow the body. And if pardon of sin signifies any thing, it is taking away the punishment we were obnoxious to by reason of sin. But how that man should be said to have his debt forgiven, who is cast into Prison for it, only whereas he might have lain and rotted there, his Creditor tells him, he shall endure the same misery, but he shall escape at last, is a thing no man would believe, who suffered in such a case. He might indeed say, that he did not exercise the utmost rigour of Iustice, but would hardly be brought to magnifie the infinite clemency and kindness of his Creditor. But we that desire to understand the way of salvation as it is delivered by our Lord Iesus Christ, and to be saved in that way, cannot for our hearts understand any more by his doctrine, but that men shall be saved, if they believe and obey his doctrine, and shall be condemned, if they do it not. We find nothing of half saving and half damning men, such as the state of Purgatory is believed to be in the Church of Rome. For the pains of person therein are said to be as great as the damned in Hell, and yet all this while God p. 188is their Friend, and they are sure to be saved. They had need in such a case call in the help of their Friends on earth, if God be so ill a Friend in Heaven.

And can he not believe, that it is a far greater encouragement to a Spend-thrift to be told indeed of a dreadful Prison, but such as if he leaves but money behind him to imploy his friends in begging his pardon, he shall be surely delivered; than to be assured if he continues his folly, there will be no redemption or hopes of deliverance, when he is once cast into it. I dare appeal to any one who can but understand what we speak of, whether of these two, is the more probable way of reclaiming a man from riotous courses? but that which is beyond this, is, that the one is most certainly true, the other but a meer figment of the brains of men, who have contrived a way to bring wicked men to Heaven at last, although somewhat the farther way about, and it must cost them dear, for their Friends to help them through.

§. 3. 3. After I had shewed how much the necessity and care of a good life were obstructed by the principles of the Roman Church, Sincerity of devotion hindered by prayers in an unknown Tongue.I proceeded to shew, how the sincerity of devotion was hindered among them by several particulars.

1. By prayers in a language which many p. 189understand not. To this he answers, If I speak of private prayers, all Catholicks are taught to say them in their Mother Tongue: If of the publick prayers of the Church, he understands not why it may not be done with as much sincerity of devotion, the people joyning their intention and particular prayers with the Priest, as their Embassadour to God, as if they understood him; he is sure the effects of a sincere devotion for nine hundred years together, which this manner of worship produced in this Nation, were much different from those we have seen since the reducing the publick Liturgy into English: for which he instances in building and endowing Churches, Colledges, Religious Houses, and the conversion of several Nations by English Missionaries. But this, he saith, is a matter of Discipline, and not to be regulated by the fancies of private men, but the judgement of the Church: and withal is confessed by some Protestants,Preface to the Polyglott Bible▪ 1655. that most Sects of Christians have the Scriptures, Liturgies and Rituals in a Tongue unknown but to the Learned; and therefore according to St. Austin, it is insolent madness to dispute that which is frequented by the whole Church through the world. For our more distinct proceeding in answer to this, three things are to be considered: 1. Whether praying in a known or unknown tongue, do more conduce to devotion? 2. Whether this whole matter p. 190be a thing left in the power of the Church to determine? 3. Whether prayers in an unknown tongue, be universally received in all other parts of the Christian world.

1. Whether of these conduce more to devotion, is our main enquiry. And if praying in an unknown tongue doth so, I wonder he tells us, that all Catholicks are taught to say them in their Mother-tongue: Why so I pray? Is it that by understanding what they speak, their minds might be more attentive, and their affections more raised in the desires of the things they pray for? And will not the same arguments more hold for publick prayer, wherein all the Congregation are to joyn together? So that their private prayers condemn their publick, unless Latin in the Church be of greater force, than uttered in a Closet. But can it enter into the minds of any men, who consider what the end of meeting together to pray is, that such an end should as much or more be attained, where people know not what they say, as where they do? If all the business of Christian worship were only to patter over a few words (as if there were no difference between prayers and charms) what he saith, were to some purpose: but that is so dishonourable a thing to Christian Religion, that it is hard to say, whether they have more corrupted the doctrine or the devotion p. 191of the Christian Church. If I saw a company of Indians met together with their Priest among them, using many antick gestures and Mimical postures, and speaking many words which the people muttered after him, but understood not what they said▪ I might probably suspect they were conjuring, but should hardly believe them, if they called that praying. I could not but enquire of them, what they meant by praying? If they told me, saying so many hard words, which they understood not, I had done with them, but should shrewdly suspect the knavery of their Priests. If they told me, by praying they meant, expressing their desires of the things they stood in need of to the God they worshipped, I could not but ask of them, whether it were not necessary for them to know what it was they asked, or how could they desire they knew not what? Or whether the God they worshipped, understood only that one tongue, and so they were fain to speak to him, in his own language? This I confess, were a sufficient reason, and in that case the people were to be pittied, if they could not learn that tongue themselves. But supposing all languages equally known to him we make our addresses to, why should not the people use that, which they understand themselves? Are their prayers like counterfeit Iewels, that the less they p. 192understand them, the better they like them? It may justly give men some suspicion, that there are not fair dealings, where so little light is allowed to judge by: and that devotion commended most, which Ignorance is the Mother of. We think it as unreasonable to desire the people to say Amen to prayers they know not the meaning of, as for men to set their hands to Petitions without reading what is contained in them. It is a great chance if they do not mistake to their own great prejudice, and do what they repent of afterwards. We declare, that our meeting together to worship God, is to joyn together our hearty prayers, which the more the people understand, the better their minds are satisfied in what they desire, and the more fervent will their supplications be. If it be enough for some to understand them, it may as well be enough for some to pray them; if their prayers who understand them, prevail for those who do not, then it is no matter at all whether they be present or no, unless the efficacy of the others prayers be confined within the walls where they meet. And if their prayers be most prevalent who understand most, then it were ten times better, if all the people understood what they prayed for: and it must necessarily follow, that praying in an unknown tongue, is a great obstructer of the devotion of the people, and p. 193that which hinders the efficacy of their prayers. If it be enough for the people to be present, and to pray their own private prayers there in publick, to what End is there any publick Liturgy at all? Why should not all of them be at their private prayers together? Why should the Priest with his Iargon of hard words interrupt them? for it can be no more to them who know not what he saith; and why may they not as well say their private prayers at the chiming of Bells, as at the words of a Priest, for they understand both alike, and both seem to sound as such wise people will have them.

But he tells us, The effects of this devotion were admirable in the charitable and pious works of our Ancestors, who used this way so many Ages together. I pray Madam, ask him, whether he really thinks, they would have done none of those things, if they had said their prayers in English? If they would not, I do much admire the force of the Latin Tongue: If they would, then that was not the cause, and so these things do not prove what they were intended for. And so Tenterden Steeple was not the cause of Goodwin Sands. We do not go about to disparage our Ancestors, we bless God for the good they did; but do not think that doth oblige us to think them p. 194infallible in their opinions, or without fault in all their practices: But our true Ancestors in Religion▪ are Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Church, and all these are yielded to be of our side, by the most zealous Adversaries we have; and give us leave to think their examples ought to have more force with us, than any other whatsoever. We pretend not to be wiser than they were, nor to know what is more expedient for devotion than they; we are content to be condemned for error with those who are allowed to be infallible, and to want devotion, where we follow the examples of the most holy persons the world ever had. If the practice of the Primitive Church in this point were not given us for the first six hundred years and more, it were an easie matter to evince it by express testimonies: but that is not the thing insisted on, but that this is a matter of Discipline, and the Church hath the power to determine it in one Age as well as another.

§. 4. Which is the next thing to be considered.The languag… of prayer, no m…tter of discipline. Here I shall desire but two principles to resolve this by. 1. That the Churches power is only to edification and not to destruction; for this was as much as the Apostles challenged to themselves,2 Cor 10. 82 Cor 10:8 and I hope none dare challenge more: but this is a principle of natural reason, that no power in a society ought to be extended p. 195beyond the benefit of it, or to contradict the end or design of it. 2. That the Apostles were the most competent Judges of what made for the Edification of the Church; and what they declared did tend to that end, no succeeding persons ought to condemn as contrary to it. This depends upon that infallible Spirit which the Apostles had, and the mighty care in them of the Churches good, which we cannot think any since them can exceed them in. These things being supposed, we are only to consider, whether the Apostle hath not delivered his sense in our present subject, viz. that prayers in an unknown tongue are contrary to the Edification of the Church? It seems somewhat hard to us to be put to prove a matter so evident from St. Pauls discourse, 1 Cor. 14. and we could not imagine, any would go about to reconcile prayers in an unknown tongue, to 1 Cor. 14. but those who think they can reconcile the worship of Images to the second Commandment. The abuse St. Paul corrects with so much sharpness in the Church of Corinth, was an impertinent use of the gift of Tongues; such I mean as did not tend to the Edification of the Church: as for Instance, one man made a long Harangue in Hebrew, and pleased himself mightily in the sound of the words, when not a person there, it may be, understood a word that he p. 196said, another of a sudden begins a Hymn in Syriack or Chaldee, another falls a praying in Ethiopick, but all this while, no man interprets what these several men said: to what purpose is all this, saith the Apostle, only for by-standers,1 Cor. 14. 20, 23.1 Cor 14:201 Cor 14:23 to think they were Children or mad men: could they imagine God gave them these gifts of tongues, to make uncouth and insignificant sounds with, where the people were met together for the worship of God? If they were so much tickled with the noise, they might make that at home,V. 28. and not in the Church of God, where all things ought to be done to Edification. V. 26.For they met together as a company of reasonable men to receive some benefit that might be common to them all;V. 2, 3, 4, 5, &c. and therefore the gift of tongues in a society of Christians could be of no use without an Interpreter. But lest all this should seem to be spoken only of instruction of the people, and not of prayer to God, and that the case were not alike in both these, he adds, If I pray in an unknown tongue, V. 14.my Spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. i. e. I may exercise my gift, but it is to no use at all in the Church. How so? One of the Roman Church might have told St. Paul, when I see him pray, and know what he is doing, may I not joyn my intention of praying with his, as our Embassadour, and pray my own private p. 197prayers at the same time that he doth? I know the substance of what he designs to pray for; and although I do not know his meaning, God knows mine: and therefore I can see no hinderance of devotion at all in this, that when one begins a prayer in an unknown tongue; all the people fall upon their knees, and pray too: This is the plain answer they must give St. Paul who justifies prayers in an unknown tongue. But we are content with St. Pauls judgement in this case, and the reason of it, that the acts belonging to the worship of God in the Church ought to be of so common concernment, that all may have a share in them, and receive the benefit by them: Or else they were far better hold their peace. It is very impertinent to say, that the Apostle speaks only of extraordinary gifts, and not of the settled and ordinary devotions of the Church. For the case is the same, where the language is not understood, whether it be spoken by a Miracle or not: And the Apostle layes down a general rule from this particular case, that all things must be done to edifying, which it appears he judges the use of an unknown language not to be. And if after all this, it be in the Churches power to reverse the Apostles decree as to praying in an unknown language, they may use the very same p. 198power, as to all other Offices of Religion, and may command preaching to be in a tongue as unknown as praying; that so the people may meet together, and pray, and hear Sermons, and understand never a word, for their great edification. Unless among us God should put it into their hearts to speak English, whether they would or no, as was once said by an ignorant person on the like occasion. If all that is intended in the prayers of the people, be only an intention to pray, whatever the words be, Abracadabra might serve to pray with, as well as Ave Maria, and the old Womans saying of it, Avi Mari gratia plinam dams ticum, beneditta tu in mulabs yeth Benedictus frictus frentris tui, sweet Iesus, Amen; was as effectual a prayer if she meant it so, as could be uttered by the most skilful Priest.

§. 5. 3. But the universal consent of the Christian Church is pleaded for this practice, No universal consent for prayers in …n unknown tongue.only Protestants excepted, and therefore it is insolent madness in them to oppose it, as St. Austin saith: but we had however rather follow St. Paul, who saith it were madness to practise it. But I assure you, Madam, we are not to take all things for granted which are told us by them concerning the opinions and practices of the Eastern Churches: (as I may in time discover) but in this; he saith▪ our own Protestant p. 199Authors of the Bible of many languages Lond. A. D. 1655. do confess that in most of the Sects of the Christians, they have not only the Scriptures: but also the Liturgies and Rituals in a tongue unknown but to the learned: from which he concludes this to be an universal practice both in the Primitive Greek and Latin Churches, and in these latter Sects of Eastern Christians. It were a very pleasant enquiry, how in the Primitive Greek and Latin Churches the service could be in an unknown language, when Greek and Latin were the Mother Tongues of those Churches? Doth he think they did not understand their own Mother Tongues? How many of their own Writers have confessed, that in the Primitive Churches all publick Offices of Religion were performed in the proper language of every Countrey, which in express words is affirmed by Origen against Celsus: Orig. c. Col. l. 8. p 402.and some of the Church of Rome have been so ingenuous to confess, it were much better that custome were restored again.Cassandr. consult. art. 24. So Cassander affirms of Cajetan, and that being reproved for it, he said, he learned this) doctrine from St. Paul, 1 Cor. 14. and the Title of the twenty eighth Chapter of Cassander his Liturgicks is, That the Antients read the Canonical Prayer and the consecration of the Eucharist, so as the people did understand it and say Amen.Lyra … 1 Cor. …. Lyra saith, p. 200That all publick Offices of Religion were in the Primitive Church performed in the Vulgar Tongue. So that it was not upon the account of any sanctity in the Greek or Latin, that they were more used, but because they were more generally understood. On which account Pope Innocent the third gave strict command, that where people of different languages did inhabit, care should be taken to provide men able to administer Sacraments, and instruct them in their several tongues; which decree of his is inserted in the Canon Law; and was not intended out of honour to the Greek and Latin Tongues only, but the advantage of the people. So likewise Iohn the eighth yielded to the Prince of Moravia, to have their Liturgy in the Sclavonian Tongue, because St. Paul saith, Let every Tongue praise the Lord: which is the reason given by the Pope in his Letter extant in Baronius, Baron. Tom. 10. A. 880. n. 16.and not meerly on the account of a present necessity for want of Priests who could read Latin, as Bellarmin conjectures, for he appoints it should be first read in the Sclavonian tongue. If this were then a Catholick practice, these Popes were hugely to blame to give way to the breach of it.Walafrid Strabo de reb. Eccles. c. 7.Eccl 7 And Walafridus Strabo saith in his time, among the Scythians, the divine Offices were performed in the German Tongue; which was common to them and the Germans. p. 201But our own Protestant Writers, he saith, own this to be in use in the most Sects of Christians. I have endeavoured to find this confession in the Preface cited by him, but I cannot meet with it, and the learned Bishop who writ it, understood these things, better than to write so. It is true he saith (not in the Preface, but Proleg. 13. n. 19.) that the Syriack Tongue is the Tongue of the learned among the Christians throughout the East, as appears by the Liturgies and divine Offices, which are almost every where performed in this language, although it be the Mother-tongue now only to a few about Mount Libanus: but any one who enquires into a Catholick practice, must not meerly give an account of the most Eastern Christians of whom he here speaks. For there are many considerable Churches besides these, which do to this day use their own language in their Liturgies, as their own Writers attest: but I need not go about to prove this, since Bellarmin confesseth, That the Armenians, Aethiopians, Aegyptians, Russians and others do it, but he saith, he is no more moved by these, than by the practice of Protestants: but we cannot but be moved so far by it, as thereby to see that the practice of the Church of Rome is no more a Catholick practice, than it is founded either on Scripture or Reason.

p. 202§. 6. 2. I said the sincerity of devotion was obstructed by making the efficacy of Sacraments to depend on the bare administration whether our minds be prepared for them or not. Of their doctrine of the efficacy of Sacraments.This, he saith, he had rather look upon as a mistake, than a calumny, having never read any Council wherein this doctrine is defined, and as to the Sacrament of Pennance (which he supposeth I chiefly mean) the Council of Trent hath determined it to be a calumny for any to say, that according to their doctrine it doth confer grace without the good motion of the receiver. Madam, I either expected he should have understood the doctrine of his own party better, or been more ingenuous in confessing it. For my quarrel had no particular respect to the Sacrament of Pennance, more than to any other Sacrament of theirs; and if I can make it appear, that it is their doctrine, that the efficacy of Sacraments doth not depend upon the preparation of the receiver, but the bare administration, or the external work done, I need not add much to shew how much this doth obstruct the sincerity of devotion. It had been an opinion long received in the Schools, although with different wayes of explication, that the Sacraments of the new Law differed from those of the old in this, that the efficacy of those of the old Law in conferring grace, did depend upon what they p. 203called opus operantis, i. e. the faith and devotion of the receiver of them; but that the Sacraments of the new Law did confer grace ex opere operato, i. e. by the thing it self, without any dependence therein upon the internal motion or preparation of mind in him that did partake of them. This doctrine began to be in a particular manner applyed to the Mass, because that contained Christ in a more especial way than any other Sacrament, thence it was believed and asserted, that it did produce saving effects, as remission of sins and true grace, although we should suppose an impossible thing,Gabr. Biel sup. Canon. Miss…e lect. 26. lit. 6. that no man in the world had any true Grace; as Baptism takes away original sin, and gives grace to the Infant baptized, whatever the sins of men are. These are the expressions of one of their profound Doctors. And therefore they distinguished the efficacy of the work done, not barely from the dignity of the Priest, and the merit of the receiver, but from the devotion and preparation of mind which the receiver came with.Bell. de effecta Sacram. l. 2. c. 1. Which Bellarmin himself cannot deny, only two things he saith to take off the odium of it. One is, That they do not wholly exclude them, but only from the efficacy of Sacraments; which, he saith, is effectually proved by the case of Infants, that it doth not depend upon any quality of the receiver: the Other, that though the Mass as p. 204a Sacrament, may not profit those who are not duly prepared, yet as a Sacrifice it may. By which these things are evident: 1. That the efficacy of the Sacraments in conferring grace, doth not at all depend upon the qualification of the receiver. 2. That although upon other accounts some dispositions are required in adult persons to receive the benefit of them as Sacraments, yet the effect of the Mass as a Sacrifice, is not at all hindered by want of them. If it were a thing possible, I would willingly understand what they mean by Sacraments conferring grace ex opere operato (which are not only the express terms of the Council of Trent, Concil. Trident. Sess. 7. Can. 8.but an Anathema is denounced against any one who denyes it.) For the manner of it is declared by themselves to be unintelligible, and no wonder, for they suppose Grace to be contained in the Sacrament (and it is defined with an Anathema by the Council of Trent) and by the Sacrament of it self it is conveyed into the heart of a man;Can. 6. but whether it be contained as in an univocal cause, as in an instrument, or as in a sign; Whether it be conferred by the Sacraments as Physical, or as Moral Causes, whether by a power inherent in the Sacraments themselves; or a power assistent concurring with the Sacraments; whether it be conveyed as Physick in a Cup, or as Heat to Water by a red hot p. 205Iron, or as healing to the person who touched the hemm of our Saviours Garment; whether they produce only a next disposition to grace, or not the grace it self, but the union of grace with the soul, or (which is the most common opinion) that Physical action whereby grace is produced which doth truly, really and physically depend upon the Sacraments (meaning thereby the external action of administring them) These are looked on as great Riddles among them, and so they ought to be; but these things, say they, need not be determined, nor the manner of the thing be understood, no more than those who were miraculously healed, did the manner of the cure; a very proper instance, if the matter of fact were as evident in one, as it is the other. But if I should say, that the wearing a Cap of a certain figure would certainly convey wit and understanding into a man, and the meer putting it on was enough to produce the effect: and a person should tell me it was an unintelligible thing, were it enough think you, as Bellarmin doth in this case, to run to other mysteries of faith and nature which are as hard as that? By this consequence no man ought to be charged with believing absurd and unreasonable things, and the Trinity and resurrection shall serve to justifie the Fables of the Alcoran as well as p. 206the doctrine of Transubstantiation and the efficacy of the Sacraments ex opere operato. We could easily dispense with the barbarous terms and ungrammaticalness of them, if there were any thing under them, that were capable of being understood; but that is not the greatest quarrel I have with this doctrine; for I say, still notwithstanding all the tricks and arts which have been used to palliate it, it doth obstruct the sincerity of devotion, by making the exercise of it by the preparation of our minds for the use of Sacraments to be unnecessary. For if Grace be effectually conferred by the force of the bare external action, which is acknowledged by them all, what need can there be of a due preparation of mind by the exercise of faith, prayer, repentance, &c. in order to the receiving the benefit of them? Yes, say they, the internal disposition of the mind is necessary to remove impediments, and to make a subject capable of receiving it: as driness in Wood to make it burn: but what do they mean by this internal disposition of mind? the exercise of the graces and duties I mentioned? by no means: but that there be no mortal sin unconfessed, that there be no actual opposition in the Will to the Sacrament, as for Instance, if a man when he is going to be baptized, resolves with himself that he will not be baptized; or while he is baptizing, p. 207that he will not believe in Father, Son and Holy Ghost; nor renounce the Devil and all his works. This indeed they say hinders the efficacy of Sacraments, but not the bare want of devotion; and if want of devotion doth not hinder Grace being received, what arguments can men use to perswade persons to it? Who will undergo so strict an examination of himself, and endeavour to raise his mind to a due preparation for the participation of Sacraments, if he knows before hand that he shall certainly receive Grace by the Sacraments without it? And surely they will not say, but what doth obstruct the exercise of these things, doth very much hinder devotion. If men had a mind to banish it out of the world, they could never do it under a fairer pretence, than that Grace, and consequently the effects of it may be obtained without it: and I do not question but this doctrine hath been one of the great causes of the corrupt lives of those who believe it? From hence the trade of saying Masses hath proved so gainful, and such multitudes of them have been procured for the benefit of particular persons, this being a much easier way of procuring Grace and Salvation, than fervent prayer, constant endeavours after a Holy Life, Mortification, Watchfulness and other things we make necessary to enjoy the benefit of what Christ p. 208hath done and suffered for us.

And these things have been complained of,This proved to be … doctrine of the Roman Church. Cassand. Consult. art. 24. by persons of their own communion who have had any zeal for devotion, and the practice of true Goodness. Cassander, although he denyes the doctrine of the efficacy of the Sacraments without the devotion of the receiver, to be the received doctrine of the Roman Church, yet cannot deny, but such a Pharisaical opinion (as he calls it) had possessed the minds of many of those who did celebrate Masses, and were present at them: and that too just an occasion was given to those who upbraid them with that opinion, because of the multitude of Masses which were celebrated by impure and wicked Priests meerly for gain, at which those who are present, think they depart from them with a great deal of sanctity, although they never once resolve to change their lives, but return from thence immediately to their former sins. Arnald. de freq. Commun. prefat. Sect. 2.Mons. Arnauld in his Book of frequent communion (written upon that occasion) confesseth, that some in the Roman Church by their doctrine and instructions given to persons did destroy all preparations as unnecessary to the partaking the benefits of the Eucharist, Part. 3. c. 7. p. 554.and that the worst persons might come without fear to it. And that the most required as necessary by them, is only the Sacrament of Penance to recover Grace by, which he p. 209saith, they reduce to bare confession; and that this by them is not made necessary neither by the more probable opinion, but only being at that time free from the guilt of mortal sin. It is not to be denyed that Mons▪ Arnauld hath proved sufficiently the other opinion to be most consonant to Scripture and Fathers, and the rules of a Christian life; but when that is granted, the other opinion is yet more agreeable to the doctrine of the Roman Church. For although Cassander produce some particular testimonies against it of persons in that Church; yet we must appeal for the sense of their Church, to the decrees of the Council of Trent; which are so contrived, as not to condemn the grossest doctrine of the opus operatum. For when it doth determine, That whosoever shall say, that the Sacraments do not confer grace ex opere operato shall be Anathema, it cannot be interpreted according to the sense of Cassander and those he mentions, that the efficacy of Sacraments doth not depend upon the worth of the Priest: For the twelfth Canon relates to that, Whosoever shall say, that the Minister being in mortal sin, although he useth all the essentials to a Sacrament, yet doth not celebrate a Sacrament, let him be Anathema. Those reverend Fathers were not sure so prodigal of their Anathema's, to bestow two of them upon the same p. 210thing: Their meaning then in the eighth Canon must be distinct from the twelfth, and if it be so, the opus operatum cannot have respect to the worth of the Priest, but the devotion of the receiver, and it is there opposed to the faith of the divine promise. This will appear more plain by the account given of it in the History of that Council. The History of the Council of Trent, l. 2. p. 237.After, they treated of condemning those, who deny Sacraments do confer grace to him that putteth not a barr, or do not confess, that Grace is contained in the Sacraments, and conferred, not by vertue of faith, but ex opere operato, but coming to expound how it is contained, and their causality, every one did agree, that grace is gained by all those actions that excite devotion, which proceedeth not from the force of the work it self, but from the vertue of devotion, which is in the worker, and these are said in the Schools to cause grace ex opere operantis. There are other actions which cause grace, not by the devotion of him that worketh, or him that receiveth the work, but by vertue of the work it self; such are the Christian Sacraments, by which grace is received, so that there be no barr of mortal sin to exclude it, though there be not any devotion. So by the work of Baptism, grace is given to the Infant, whose p. 211mind is not moved towards it, and to one born a Fool, because there is no impediment of sin. The Sacrament of Chrisme doth the like, and that of extream Vnction, though the sick man hath lost his memory. But he that hath mortal sin, and doth persevere actually or habitually, cannot receive grace by reason of the contrariety, not because the Sacrament hath not vertue to produce it ex opere operato, but because the receiver is not capable, being possessed with a contrary quality. I dare now appeal to the most indifferent Judge, Whether what I objected to them concerning the efficacy of Sacraments, whether the minds of the receivers of them be prepared or no, were not so far from being a calum…y, that there is not so much as the least mistake in it: if the doctrine of the Council of Trent be embraced by them. And any one who shall consider their number of Sacraments, and the admirable effects of every one of them, may very well wonder how any man among them should want Grace, or have any Devotion? For Grace being conferred by the Sacraments at so many convenient seasons of his life, whether he hath any devotion or no, he is sure of Grace, if he doth but partake of their Sacraments, and need p. 212need not trouble himself much about devotion, since his work may be done without it. Never any doctrine was certainly better contrived for the satisfaction of impenitent sinners than theirs is. Our Saviour seems very churlish and severe when he calls sinners to repentance, that they may be saved; but they have found out a much easier and smoother passage, like that of a man in a Boat, that may sleep all the while, and land safe at last. Not so much as the use of reason is required for the effect of that blessed Sacrament of extream Vnction, by which like a Ship for a long Voyage, a person is pitched and calked for eternity. Surely, it is the hardest thing that may be, for any one to want Grace among them, if they do but suffer the Vse of Sacraments upon them, and they are the gentlest givers of it imaginable, for all they desire of their Patients for Grace, is only for them to lye still; but if they should chance to be unruly, and kick away the Priests, or their rites of Chrisme, I know not then what may become of them. Yet the Church of Rome hath been so indulgent in this case,Rituale Roman. de Sacram. ext. Unct. that supposing men under a delirium, or wholly insensible, if before it be but probable they desired it, or gave any signs of contrition,Lutet. Paris. 1665. it ought not to be omitted; alwayes provided, that those who are mad p. 213do nothing against the reverence of the Sacrament. That being secured, their work is done; and if any sins have remained upon them; they are taken off by vertue of this sacred Vnction; and being thus anointed like the Athletae of old they are prepared to wrestle with all the powers of the Air, who can then fasten no hold upon them. Yet to be just to them, the Roman Ritual saith, that impenitent persons, and those who dye in mortal sin and excommunicate and unbaptized are to be denyed extream Vnction. A hard case for those who dye in mortal sin! for if they could but express any sign of contrition, by the motion of an Eye or a Finger, all were well enough? And for the impenitent, we are not to imagine them so cruel to account any so, but such who refuse the Sacrament of Pennance; the summ of it then is, if a man when he is like to live, and therefore to sin no longer, doth but probably express some signs of contrition, and doth not refuse the Sacrament of Pennance, if time and the condition of the Patient permit the using it, then he is to have grace conferred on him by this last Sacrament which he is sure to receive, although he be no more sensible what they are doing about him, than if he were dead already. So that upon the whole matter, I begin to wonder how any sort of men in the Church of Rome can be p. 214afraid of falling so low as Purgatory: I had thought so much Grace as is given them by every Sacrament (where there are so many, and some of them so often used) might have served to carry one to Heaven; they receive a stock of Grace in Baptism, before they could think of it; if they lose any in Childhood, that is supplyed again by the Sacrament of Chrisme or Confirmation; if they fall into actual sins, and so lose it, it is but confessing to the Priest and receiving absolution, and they are set up again with a new stock: and it is a hard case, if that be not increased by frequent Masses, at every one of which he receives more; and although Priests want the comfortable Grace that is to be received by the Sacrament of Matrimony, yet they may easily make it up by the number of Masses: and to make all sure at last, the extream Vnction very sweetly conveyes Grace into them whether they be sensible or not. But all this while, what becomes of Purgatory? That is like to be left very desolate; if the interest of that opinion were not greater, than the evidence for the Sacraments conferring grace ex opere operato. Let them seek to reconcile them if they can, it is sufficient for our purpose, that both of them tend to destroy the sincerity of devotion, and the necessity of a good life.

§. 8. 3. I said the sincerity of devotion p. 215is much obstructed by discouraging tdiscourahe reading of the Scriptures,Of their discouraging the reading the Scriptures. which is our most certain Rule of faith and life. To this he answers two wayes: 1. That their Churches prudential dispensing the reading the Scriptures to persons whom she judges fit and disposed for it, and not to such whom she judges in a condition to receive or do harm by it, is no discouraging the reading of them; any more than a Father may be said to discourage his Child, because he will not put a Knife or a Sword into his hands, when he foresees he will do mischief with it to himself or others; and the Scriptures, he saith, are no other in the hands of one who doth not submit his judgement in the interpretation of it to that of the Church; the doing of which he makes the character of a meek and humble soul, and the contrary of an arrogant and presumptuous spirit. 2. That the ill consequences of permitting the promiscuous reading of Scripture were complained of by Henry the eighth, who was the first that gave way to it; and if his judgement ought not to be followed in after times, let the dire effects of so many Sects and Fanaticisms as have risen in England from the reading of it, bear witness. For all Heresies arise, saith St. Austin, from misunderstanding the Scriptures; and therefore the Scripture being left as among Protestants to the private interpretation of every fanciful Spirit, cannot be a most certain p. 216rule of faith and life. In which answer are three things to be discussed: 1. Whether that prudential dispensing the Scriptures as he calls it, be any hinderance to devotion or no? 2. Whether the reading of the Scriptures be the cause of the numbers of Sects and Fanaticisms which have been in England? 3. Whether our opinion concerning the reading and interpreting Scripture, doth hinder it from being a most certain rule of faith and life?

1. Whether that prudential dispensing the Scriptures used in the Church of Rome, doth hinder devotion or no? This prudential dispensing I suppose he means, the allowing no persons to read the Scriptures in their own tongue, without licence under the hand of the Bishop or Inquisitor, by the advice of the Priest or Confessor concerning the persons fitness for it; and whosoever presumes to do otherwise, is to be denyed absolution. For this is the express Command in the fourth Rule of the Index published by order of the Council of Trent, and set forth by the authority of Pius the fourth, and since by Clement the eighth,Index libror. prohibit. Alexand. 7. and now lately inlarged by Alexander the seventh. And whether this tends to the promoting or discouraging the sincerity of devotion will appear,Romae. A. D 1665. by considering these things. 1. That it is agreed on both sides, that the Scriptures do contain in them the unquestionable p. 217Will of that God whom we are bound to serve. And it being the end of devotion (as it ought to be of our lives) to serve him; what is there the mind of any one who sincerely desires to do it, can be more inquisitive after, or satisfied in, than the rules God himself hath given for his own service? Because it is so easie a matter for men to mistake in the wayes they choose to serve him in; I see the world divided more scarce about any thing than this. Some think God ought to be worshipped by offering up Sacrifices to him of those things we receive from his bounty: Others, that we ought to offer up none to him now, but our selves in a holy life and actions. Some, that God is pleased by abstaining from flesh or any living creature; and others, that he is much better pleased with eating Fish than Flesh, and that a full meal of one is at some times mortification and fasting; and eating temperately of the other, is luxury and irreligion. Some think, no sight more pleasing to God, than to see men lash and whip themselves for their sins, till the blood comes; others that he is as well pleased at least, with hearty repentance, and sincere obedience without this. Some, that frequent crossing themselves, going in Pilgrimage to the Images of Saints, baptizing Bells, being sprinckled with holy water, p. 218and buried in a Monks habit, are great acts of devotion; and others, that they are superstitious fooleries. Some think that unless they make confession of their sins to a Priest, they cannot be pardoned; others, that sincere confession to God, is sufficient, and the other never necessary to the pardon of sin, though it may be sometimes useful to the ease of the sinner. Some, that they honour God by setting up Images of him, and worshipping them for his sake, by addressing themselves to Saints and Angels to be Intercessors with him; and others, that they cannot dishonour God more, than by these things. Some, that they may pray for what they do not understand, as well as what they do; others, that since men expect to be answered in their prayers, they ought to understand what they say in them. Since these and other disputes are in the world, not barely between Christians and those of other Religions, but among Christians themselves, what course should a person take, who desires to be satisfied? For he finds the several parties divided about them. Can any man imagine a better way, if it could be hoped for, than that God himself should interpose, and declare his own mind according to what way they ought to serve him? And this is acknowledged to be done already by all Christians in the Scriptures; p. 219and after all this, must not all persons concerned, be allowed to enquire into that which is owned to be the will of God? Or do they think that ordinary people, that understand not Latin or Greek, ought not to be concerned what becomes of their souls? If they be and do in good earnest desire to know how to please God, and to serve him; what directions will they give him? If they tell him, they must do as they are bidden; true, say they, if we were to worship you for Gods, we would do as you bid us, for we think it fitting to serve God in his own way. But we would know, whether that God whom we serve, hath given us any rules for his worship or no? Yes, say the Priests of the Roman Church, he hath done so, but it is not fit for you to see them. To what end, say the people then, were they given, if they may not be seen? How shall we know whether we keep them or no, or will you take upon you the guilt of our sins in disobeying his Will, since you will not let us know what it is? This seems to be a very just and reasonable request, and I fear it will one day fall heavy upon those, who conceal that which they confess to be the Will of God from the knowledge of the people. And it hath been ingenuously acknowledged by some in the Roman Church, that the people would never be kept to that way of devotion they are in there, if p. 220they were suffered to read the Scriptures; but the more shame the mean time for those who impose such things upon them under a pretence of devotion which are so repugnant to the Will of God. But the same reason which hath made them leave out the second Commandment in their offices of devotion, hath brought them to so severe a prohibition of reading the Scriptures in a known language, but where themselves are already so secure of the persons that they dare to give way to it: and that is, lest their consciences should start and boggle at the breaking a command of God, when they pretended to serve him.

§. 9. 2. That no objection can be now made against the peoples reading the Scriptures, The arguments against reading the Scriptures would have held against the publishing them in a language known to the People.but would have held against the publishing them in a language to be understood by the people. For were the people less ignorant and heady, less presumptuous and opinionative then, than they are now? Was not there the same danger of mistaking their sense at that time? Was not the people of Israel as refractory and disobedient as any have been since? Were they not as apt to quarrel with divine Laws and the authority God had set up among them? Did not they fall into Sects and divers opinions by misunderstanding the Law? yet were these reasons then thought sufficient for God not to make known his Law p. 221to all the people; but to commit it only to Aaron and the Priests for them prudentially to dispense it to them? No; so far from it, that strict care was taken to make the people understand it, particular commands given for this very end, and the Law on purpose declared to be easie and intelligible, that they might not make its obscurity a pretence for their Ignorance. Was not this Law given them as a rule to direct themselves by? Were not all sent to this to learn to govern their actions?Psal. 119. 9.Ps 119:9 Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his wayes, by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Is not this Law said to convert the soul, Psal. 19. 7.Ps 19:7and to make wise the simple? and was that done by not understanding it? Was it not the delight, exercise, and continual Meditation of those who were truly devout among them? But how comes our case to be so much worse under Christianity? Is the Law of Christ so much more difficult and obscure than the Law of Moses? Is not his Sermon on the Mount, wherein he delivers the rules of a Christian Life, as plain as any Chapter in Leviticus? What doth the Gospel teach men, but to be and to do good, to love all men, and to love God above all, to believe in Christ and to obey his commands, to repent of sins past and to live no longer in them, and in short, so to live in this world as they hope to live p. 222with God in happiness hereafter? And are these things so hard to be understood, that the people ought not to be made acquainted with them in their own language? Or is there any danger they should know them too well? Was ever the Law of Moses more perverted by false interpretations than in our Saviours time by the Scribes and Pharisees? Why doth not he then take some other care for his own Law to prevent this for the future, if that had been judged by him the proper way of cure? But thereby we see the mistakes of the people are owing to their Teachers, and there can be no means to prevent errours in the people but by stopping them at the fountain heads from whence they run down among them. For the common people might have had a better notion of Religion, if their minds had not been corrupted by the traditions and Glosses of the Pharisees. Therefore methinks they have not gone the wisest way to work in the Church of Rome; instead of this prudential dispensing the Scriptures, their only way had been to have destroyed them, as Dioclesian their predecessour in this kind of prudence once designed. For let them assure themselves, they who understand Greek and Latin are the persons they have ten times more cause to fear than the common people. And considering the advantage they once had p. 223by the horrible Ignorance of Priests and people, it must be imputed only to the watchful eye of Divine Providence, that the Scriptures (being of so little use in the Roman Church) have been preserved entire to our dayes. There had been no such means in the world to have prevented a Reformation as this; for they are not out when they take the Scripture so much for their enemy, as appears by the force and restraint they put upon it, and the fear and jealousie they are in about it continually. If it had not been for this, would any one have compared the Scriptures, in the hands of the common people as my Adversary doth, to a Sword in a mad mans hand? Is it of so destructive a Nature, and framed for no other use than a sword is? which nothing but discretion keeps a man from doing mischief by; and all the way a man hath (though never so meek and humble) to defend himself by it, is by destroying his enemy with it, if he continues his assault. These expressions do not argue any kindness to the Scripture, nor an apprehension of any great good comes to the world by it; but that really men might have been more at ease and fewer differences in Religion had happened, if all the Copies of the Bible had been lost assoon as the Pope had placed himself in his infallible Chair. This design was once attempted, as I shall shew afterwards, p. 224but failed of success: and I know not how far the principles of this prudence may carry them, if ever such a season should fall into their hands again; having found so much trouble to them from the Scriptures and so little benefit by them, their Church being once owned as infallible. For I would fain know whether the Scripture hath not done more mischief according to them in the hands of the Reformers, than it can be supposed to do in the hands of the common people. If it must be a sword in a mad mans hand, whether the more strength and cunning such a one hath, he be not capable of doing so much the more mischief by it? And if it were possible to get it out of such a mans hands, whether it were not the highest prudence, and care of the publick safety to do it? It can be then nothing but the impossibility of the thing, which makes them suffer the Scripture to be in the hands of any who are capable of doing mischief by it; and the more mischief they may do, the more desirable and prudential it is to take it from them. But all men see none are so capable of doing mischief thereby, as men of the greatest wit and learning, and that have the fairest appearance of piety to the world: the consequence then of this doctrine is, if pursued to the true design of it, that the Scripture should be kept if possible out p. 225of the hands of the most subtle, learned and pious men above all others, if they be not true to the interests of the Roman Church? It is but a meer shew to pretend only to keep the people in order, (for when are they otherwise but when cunning men have the managing of them?) the true meaning of this principle is, that it will never be well with the World till the Books of Scripture are all burnt which are abroad, and that only one Original be preserved in the Vatican to justifie the Popes title to Infallibility, and that (as the Sybilline Oracles of old,) never to be consulted but in cases of great extremity, and that under the inspection of some very trusty officers, nor to be interpreted but by the Pope himself. If I were of the Church of Rome, and owned the principles of it, I must needs have condemned the great men of it in former times for want of Prudence in this matter; That would have served their turn much better than forging so many decretal Epistles, falsifying so many testimonies, perverting so many Texts of Scripture to maintain the dignity of the Papal Chair. There was only one small circumstance wanting, (their good will we have no cause to question) and that was the possibility of it; for although the Roman Church called it self Catholick, they were wise enough p. 226to know, there were many considerable Churches in the world besides theirs, where the Scriptures were preserved, and from whence copies might be procured by persons who would be so much the more inquisitive, the more they were forbidden to get it. Therefore they pitched upon an easier way, and finding the people under a very competent degree of Ignorance, they indulged them and soothed them up in it, and told them they could never miss the way to Heaven, though never so narrow, in the dark. Their only danger was too much light, for then probably they might be in a great dispute, whether the broad way was not the true; for there they saw most of their Friends and Leaders. And while they kept the people in this profound Ignorance and superstition, they jogged on in their opinion, as securely to Heaven, as Ignatius Loyola's Mule did to Mount-serrat, Orlandin. hist. Societ. Iesu l. 1. n. 17.when he laid his Bridle on his neck, to see whether he would take the way to pursue the Moor, Maffeius vit. Ignat. l. 1. c. 3.which was the more beaten track, or the more craggy and untrodden way to that place of devotion, and by a mighty providence, (and I suppose a little help of the Rider) the Beast took the more narrow way. But when persons began to be awakened by learning, and thereby grew inquisitive in all matters and so by degrees in those of Religion, they then p. 227espied their errour in letting such a Book lye abroad in so many hands, from whence so many irresistible arguments were drawn against the Doctrine and practices of the Roman Church. This I assure my self, is the true ground of the quarrels against the Reading the Scriptures; but that being now irremediable, they betake themselves to smaller arts, and endeavour to hinder any one particular person whom they have the least suspicion of, from meddling with a Book so dangerous to their Church and Religion.

§. 10. For if this were not it,The practice of the Roman Church herein directly contrary to that of the Primitive Church. what makes them to be more jealous of the use of the Scriptures, than ever the Christians were in former Ages? Was there not much more danger of misunderstanding the Doctrine of the Gospel at first than ever after? Nay were there not very many who were false Apostles and great and dangerous Hereticks, presumptuous and arrogant, if ever any were? But did Christ or his Apostles for all this, think it unfit to communicate the doctrine of the Gospel to the people; or were the Books containing it written in Languages not to be understood by them? no, they chose the most popular languages of that time, most largely spread and generally understood. The Apostles never told their Disciples of the danger of reading the Divine Writings that were among p. 228them, when they were first spread abroad; and never so proper a season to give them caution as then. But instead of that,2 Pet. 1. 19.2 Pet 1:19 they advise them to take heed to the sure word of Prophecy, and that they did well therein,Rom. 15. 4.Rom 15:4 that the Scriptures were written for their instruction and comfort, 2 Tim▪ 3. 15, 16.2 Tim 3:152 Tim 3:16that being divinely inspired they were able to make them wise unto salvation. What, did the Apostles never imagine all this while the ill use that might be made of them by men of perverse minds? yes, they knew it as well as any, and did foretell Schismes and Heresies that should be in the Church, and saw them in their own dayes; and yet poor men, wanted that exquisite prudence of the Roman Church, to prevent them, by so happy an expedient as when they had written Epistles to several Churches, to forbid the promiscuous reading of them. But it may be, it was the awe of the Apostles and their infallible Spirit in interpreting Scripture, made this prohibition not so necessary in their own time; did the Church then find it necessary to restrain the people after their Decease? We have an occasion soon after given, wherein to see the opinion of the Church at that time; the Church of Corinth fell into a grievous Schisme and opposition to their spiritual Governours: upon this Clemens writes his Epistle to them, wherein he is so far from forbidding the use of Scripture p. 229to them to preserve unity, that he bidds them look diligently into the Scriptures,Clement. Epistol. ad Corinth. p. 58. which are the true Oracles of the Holy Ghost: and afterwards, take St. Pauls Epistle into your hands, P. 61.and consider what he saith and commends them very much for being skilled in the Scriptures: P. 68.Beloved, saith he, ye have known, and very well known the holy Scriptures, and ye have throughly looked into the Oracles of God, therefore call them to mind. Which language is as far different from that of the Roman Church, as the Church of that Age is from theirs. Nay the counterfeit Clemens (whom they can make use of upon other occasions) is as express in this matter as the true. For he perswades private Christians to continual meditation in the Scriptures, Constit. Clement. l. 1. c. 4.which he calls the Oracles of Christ; and that this is the best imployment of their retirements. But we need not use his testimony in this matter, nor the old Edition of Ignatius, wherein Parents are bid to instruct their Children in the Holy Scriptures, Ignat. ep. ad Philadelph.nor that saying of Polycarp to the Philippians out of the old Latin Edition, I am confident you are well studied in the Scriptures; for in the Greek yet preserved, he exhorts them to the reading of St. Pauls Epistles that they might be built up in the faith. Polycarp. Ep. ad Philipp. p. 16. ed. Usser.So little did these holy men dream of such a prudent dispensing the Scriptures among them, for fear of mischief they p. 230might do themselves or others by them. Clemens Alexandrinus mentions the reading the Scriptures among Christians before their Meales, Clem. Alexandr. Strom. 7. p. 728.and Psalmes and Hymns at them; and Tertullian mentions the same custome.Tertul. de anim. c. 9. Origen. Origen in the Greek Commentaries lately published, perswades Christians by all means, Comment. in Matthaeum. p. 320.by attending to Reading, Prayer, Teaching, Meditation therein day and night, to lay up in their hearts not only the new Oracles of the Gospell, Apostles and Apocalypse, but the old ones too of the Law and the Prophets. And elsewhere tells his hearers,Comment. in Ios. p. 27. they ought not to be discouraged if they met with difficulties in reading the Scriptures: for there was great benefit to be had by them. But lest it should be thought he speaks here only of publick reading the Scriptures, in his Homilies on Leviticus he speaks plainly, that he would not only have them hear the Word of God in publick, Homil. in Levit. 9.Lev 9but to be exercised and meditate therein in their houses night and day; For Christ is every where present, and therefore they are commanded in the Law, to meditate therein upon their journeys, and when they sit in their houses, and when they lye down and rise up. But had not the Church yet experience enough of the mischief of permitting the Scriptures to the people? Were there ever greater and more notorious heresies than in those first ages of the Church, and those arising p. 231from perverting the words and designes of the Scriptures? But did the Church yet afterwards grow wiser in the sense of the Roman Church? In the time of the four General Councils they had tryal enough of the mischief of Heresies, but did the Fathers of the Church forbid the reading the Scriptures on that account? No, but instead of that they commend the Scriptures to all, as the best remedy for all passions of the mind, so St. Basil, Basil. in Psal. 1. Hieron. prefat. com. in ep. ad Ephes.Ps 1and St. Hierome call it, and this latter commends nothing more to the Women he instructed in devotion, than constant reading the Scriptures; and withall they say that infinite evils do arise from ignorance of the Scriptures; S. Chrys. prefat. in Epist. ad Rom.from hence most part of Heresies have come, from hence a negligent and careless life; and unfruitful labours. Nay so frequent, so earnest and vehement is St. Chrysostome in this matter of recommending the reading of Scriptures, that those of the Roman Church have no other way to answer him, but by saying he speaks hyperbolically; which in plain English is, he speaks too much of it. But how far different were the opinions of the wise men of the Church in those times, from what those have thought who understood the interest of the Roman Church best? We may see what the opinion of the latter is, by the counsel given to Iulius 3. by the Bishops met at Bononia for that end, p. 232to give the best advice they could for restoring the dignity of the Roman See, Consil. de stabiliendâ Rom. sede. p. 6.that which was the greatest and weightiest of all, they said, they reserved to the last, which was that by all means as little of the Gospel as might be especially in the vulgar tongue, be read in the Cities under his jurisdiction; and that little which was in the Mass ought to be sufficient; neither should it be permitted to any mortal to read more. For as long as men were contented with that little, all things went well with them, but quite otherwise since more was commonly read. For this, in short, is that Book, say they, which above all others hath raised those Tempests and Whirlewinds, which we are almost carryed away with: And in truth, if any one diligently considers it, and compares it with what is done in our Churches, will find them very contrary to each other; and our very doctrine not only to be different from it but repugnant to it. A very fair and ingenuos confession! and if self-condemned persons be Hereticks, there can be none greater than those of the Roman Church, especially the prudential men in it, such as these certainly were, whom the Pope singled out to give advice in these matters. But how different is the wisdom of the Children of this world from that of the Children of Light! We have already seen p. 233what another kind of judgement the ancient Fathers had of the usefulness of Scriptures to the people, than they have in the Roman Church: but we need not more to prove it, since it is acknowledged by those who are against the reading the Scriptures by the people, that it was otherwise in the Primitive Church; so Alphonsus à Castro and Sixtus Senensis confess.Alphons. à Castro advers. haer…. l 1. c. 13. Espencaeus quotes many plain places from St. Austin and St. Chrysostom to prove,Sixti Senens. Biblioth. l. 6. that the people ought to be very diligent in reading the Scriptures in their own houses, and that nothing should excuse them from it:Annot. 152. Espencaeus in Tit. c. 2. p. 517.Titus 2 and confesseth that St. Pauls precept, Colos. 3. let the word of God dwell richly in you was intended for the people, and that they ought to have it among them not only sufficiently but abundantly. The sum of this argument is, that the reasons now urged against the peoples Reading the Scriptures would have held against the publishing of them in a language to be understood by the people; that they saw the same inconveniencies which are objected now, and yet commended the reading the Scriptures to all, that in all the primitive Church, the practice was not only retained but vehemently urged, after all the Heresies which had risen in the Church in p. 234their time; and therefore for the Church of Rome to account it wisdome to keep the people from it, is to charge not only the Fathers of the Church with folly, but the Apostles, and our Saviour, and God himself.