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DISCOU
CONCERNING THE
O F T H E
£l)urcl) of 1&omc,
Elpecially, as compared with thofe of the
CHURCH of ENGLAND
In which it is fhewn,
That whatever the pretend,
there is not fb true Devotion among them, nor fuch
rational Provifion for it, nor Encouragement to
it, as in the Church eftablifhed by Law among us.
LONDON,
Printed for Renj. Took?at he Ship in St. Paul's
Church-Yard, 1685.
A DISCOURSE
Concerning the
DEVOTIONS
OF THE
of 1&ome,
IT is certainly one of the greateft Commendations
that can be given of any Church, or Body of Chri-
ftians, that a man can with Truth affirm of it, that
the Do&rines which they profefs, the Rules and
Orders under which they live, that the Frame
and Conftitution of the Church tendethdire&ly to make
men more pious and devout, more penitent and morti¬
fied, more heavenly minded, and every way of better
Lives than the way and profeffion of other Chriftians:
For to work men up to this holy Frame and Dilpofition
was one of the main defigns of the Gofpel of Chrift,
which intends to govern mens A&ions, and reform their
Temper, as well as to inform their Underftandings, and
diredt their Belief. And in this particular it differs much
from all the Ethicks of the learned Heathen.- For where¬
as they defign'd efpecially to exalt the Paffions, and to
raifeup the Mind above it felf, by commending the high
and pompous Vertues^ thereby to ftir men up to great
Defigns, and to appear bold and braving in the affairs
B of
2
of this Life 5 the Gofpel is mo ft frequent in commenda¬
tion of the humble lowly and mortify ingVertues., which
would reduce the Mind to it felf, and keep Men with¬
in due Bounds, and teach them how to behave them-
felves towards God, and to live in a due regard to ano¬
ther Life.
Now there is (carcely any thing which the Church
of Rome doth more often urge for her fel£ or with grea¬
ter Confidence pretend to excel the Church of England
in, than by endeavouring to perfwade, that the Frame
of their Church is more fitted fir the exciting of Devoti¬
on and a good Life than ours is. And fo they will boaft
of their Seyere^Rulesaud Orders,the Aufteriti^s of their
Fads and Penances, the drift andrnortifyed Lives, the
condancy and inceffancy of Devotions ufed among
them 5 and would thence inferre, that that muft needs
be the bed Religion, or way of fervingGod in which
thefe Praftifes are enjoy n\i and obferved, That the Tree
mufl needs be good by fuck excellent Fruits } and that if all
other Arguments fail,yet they (ay they have this to (how
for themfelves, that in their Communion there is at lead
fbmewhat more like that great Self denial and Mortificati¬
on fo often made neceflary under the Gofpekthan is to be
found in the Reformed Churches, or particularly in the
Church of England.Now laying afide all Difputesconcer-
ning Points ofDoftrine,in controverfie between them and
us,in which it hath been abundantly fhewn,that they err
in matters of Faith $ and that in what they differ from
us, they differ alfo from the Scripture, and the true
Church of Chrid in all the bed Ages 5 I'll confine my
felf to examine their Pretence to Devotion, where I doubt
not but it will fufficiently appear, that they are as much
deficient alfo in Regularity of Pra8ice$ that there is not
that true Foundation laid for fuch Devotion as God
accepts, nor that drift Provifion made for it3 nor that
of the Church of Rome* 3
real Pra&ice of it which they would make us believe?
but that even the bed which they pretend to, is fuch as
doth by no means befit a truly Ctiriftian Spirit,
I'll difcourfe in this Method :
1. Til inftance in the (everal Expreffions of Devoti¬
on, the Motives to it, or Affiftances of it, which the
Church of Rome pretends to, and on which fhe is ufed
to magnifie her (elf.
2. I will alledge thejuft Exceptions which we have a-
gainft (uch their Pretences.
3. And then (how that they arefo far from encouraging
true Devotion, that many things both in their Doftrine
and Difcipline dire&ly tend to the Deftru&ion of it.
4. I'll (hew what excellent Provifion is made in the
Church of England, for the due exercife of all the parts
of Devotion, and what Strefs is laid on it, and on a
good Life among us.
Firft, Though Devotion is properly and chiefly in
the mind, a due (en(e of God and Religion, yet it is not
fufficient if it ftop there: For there are certain outward
A&s which are either in themfelves natural and proper
Expreffions, or elleare ftri&ly required of us by God,
as Duties of Religion, and Evidences of the devout tem¬
per of our Minds 3 and thefe are called ACts of Devoti¬
on. And all the. Commendation that can be given of
any Church, on Account of Devotior, muff: be either,
thatthere is a true Foundation laid forit inmensMinds,
or conftant Provifion made for the due Exercife of it,all
neceffary Encouragement given to it, and a fuitably,
ftrift and regular Practice of it obfervable among them.
And there are (everal things which are not at all infilled
on by us, which they of the Church of Rome boaft of,as
ferving to (ome or all of thefe purpofis, which I (hall re-
prefent as fairly as I can, that we may (ee what there is
in that Church that doth anfwer fuch great pretences.
B 2 For
/
4 Of the Devotions
For it is obferved that they of the Church of Rom
oftentimes inftead of difpute, endeavour to work on
our People, and too often prevail, by appealing to
matters of Pra&ice, vifible to every ones Eye 3 an Ar¬
gument to which men need not ufe their Reafbn, but
their Senfe 5 and this will, (fay they ) fufficiently
convince any of the excellency of our way. " For here
4C are feveral things ufed as Inftances and Expreffionsof
<c Devotion,very acceptable to God,and fuitable to a good
" Chriftian,Temper, which are either not at all ufed in
ct the Church of England, or at leaft not in that De-
greeand Meafure, and yet all thofe that are ufed in the
" Church of England, fay they, are ufed among us:
" For we not only enjoyn, and pra&ife conftant ufe of
" Prayers public and private, together with Reading
" and Preaching of the Word, Sacraments, and what
Cc ever is ufed in the Church of England 5 but we have
cc befides feveral things which are as well proper Expref-
" lions of Devotion, as Helps and Afliftances which are
" not ufed among theProteftants: The Principal things
which they urge are fuch as thefe:
1. They blame the Reformation in general, as well
as the Church of England, for the want of Monafterics
and fuch other Religious Houfes, which are fo nume¬
rous in the Popijh Countries, where Holy Men and Wo¬
men being (hut up, and having bid adieu to the World,
live as in Heaven in conftant Exercife of praifingof God
Night and Day, and of praying to him for the Church
and State, and particular Chriftians, as well as them-
felves^ and who are not only fb beneficial to the World,
by the conftancy of their Prayers^ but alfo by their
Example putting others in mind of Religion, and of
doing likgwije5 and by the feverity of their lives, as to
Diet, Garbe, and other Circumftances, live in a con¬
ftant Pra&ice of that felf-denyal which is commanded
in
of the Church of Rome. 5
in Scripture, and was fo pra&ifed by Holy Men almoft
from the beginning of Chriftianity, and areas it were
conftant Preachers of Holinefs and Mortification, who
tho' they do indeed (lay here in the World below, yet
converfe not in it, but are in fbme Senfe out of it, and
live above it,
2. They fometimes alfo boaft of the extraordinary
Charity, and Liberality to all good and Holy lifts
prefled and pra&ifcd among them, which is butfpa-
ringly uftd, fay they, among the Proteftants 3 Efpecially
their cxceffive Expence and Coft in building and
endowing Monafteries, ere&ing Churches, Chappels
and Croffes, their fo pompous adorning the Places de¬
dicated to the Worfhip of God, befides their Charita¬
ble Affiftance, and relief which they afford to the Bo¬
dies of the Living, and the Souls of the Dead 3 and no
Man can deny but Charity is a certain Evidence, as well
as a great branch and duty of true Religion and Devo¬
tion :
3. Sometimes they glory in the great number of
Saints commemorated in their Church, and dying in
the Communion of it, and urgethem as a forcibleExam-
ple to others, and a mighty incentive to Devotion they
think alfo it redounds much to the Honour, and Com-
mendation of their Church to have had fuch glorious
Members of it, and twit us as they think feverely,
when they ask us what Saints we have of our Church,
and wonder efpecially that we fhould obftrve fo few
Eeftivals and Holidays whereas the very many days ftt
apart in their Church in memory of their ftveral Saints,
they think not only afford proper Occafion?, for all Adts
of Religion 3 but are a fign of their being lefs addi&ed
to this World, when fo great a part of their time is fpent
in the Service of God, and that Piety and Devotion are
a conliderable part of their Bufinefs and Employment,
4. They
6 Of the Devotions
4. They urge alio the multitude of Pi&ures and Ima¬
ges of feveral Famous Men and Women, who have in
an eminent manner ferved and pleafed God, and been
inftrumental in converting the World, as very pro¬
per Affiftances of a Mans Devotion 5 inftruding fome,
they being the Books of the Unlearned, and fenfibly af-
fefting and alluring all to the Imitation of the Perfons
whom they reprefent.
5. Sometimes they commend their Church for theFa-
ftings, and other A&s of Severity and Mortification, ufed
not only by the Monks and Regulars, but by all forts
of Men, according to the Rules of their Church, on fet
days of the Week or Seafons of the Year} as well as
foch Aufterities as are enjoyned by their Confcflbrs, by
way of Penance 5 their going bare-foot and bare-head¬
ed in Procefiions, their whipping and lathing themfelves,
their drawing great Chains and Weights after them, as
great and proper Inftances of Self denial and Devo¬
tion.
6. They place alfo a great Deal of Religion in Pilgri¬
mages, which the more Devout fort take, andfpend their
Eftates, and fometimes their Lives in,to Jerufdlem9Rome9
Loretto^Mount-ferrat?to St. Thomas, at Canterbury St. Wine-
frid's Well,or fome fuch other places where fome extraor¬
dinary Perfon hath lived, or fome ftrange Relique is
left, or where they reckon God hath on fome Occafion
or other wonderfully manifefted himfelf} and they
reckon that the very vifiting or kifTing thefe, are either
an Argument of truly Devout Minds, or that which
will make them fo, And their Manuals or Books
which their.Priefts give into the Peoples Hands, do not
fail by all the art imaginable, to endeavour to forew up
Mens Devotion, even to rapture and extafie in Com¬
mendation ot thefe Pra&ifes and Orders, even as if they
would have us believe that there is no true Religion
of the Church of Rome. 7
and Devotion without thefe, and that where there are
thefe things pra&ifed, it is a certain Sign that the mind
is affeaed°as it ought, arid Piety flouri&eth in the high-
eft Degree.
And befides thefe Matters of Pra&ice, there are alfo
feveral Do&rines, and Opinions peculiar to themfelves,
whichthey reckon do naturally tend to the Advance¬
ment of true Devotion. As,
7. Their Doftrine concerning the Interceffion of
Saints for us, and the Advantage of Invocation or Pray¬
er to them, and that we of the Church of England
want one of the greateft Encouragements to Prayer and
Devotion that can be, who neither own nor make ufe
of thefe Helps, and therefore that we cannot have fuch
hope of Succefs and Bleffing as they have.
8. Their Doctrine concerning the Merit of Good
Works and Supererogation,is of the fame Nature,in their
efteem: For the more Worth you fuppofe in any Aftion,
the greater In courage merit is there to the Performance
of jr^ and therefore furely it muft be a moft irrefiflible
motive to Devotion, to perfwade men that the worth
and value of it is fuch, as that you may by it pur-
chafe Heaven not only for your felves, but for others
alfo.
9. Their belief of Purgatory, and of the validity of
Prayers for the Dead, doth naturally tend to excite
men to Devotion, fay they 5 for here is a greater Scope
and Occafion for our Prayers, we may hope to be in-
ftrumental to more good, more Perfons to be relieved
and helped by our Prayers, than arefuppofed in the De¬
votions of the Church of England.
10. And efpecially their Doftrine and Pra&ice of
Confeflion, Penance and Abfolution, they look on as
fo neceffary to Devotion, that it is a wonder with them
that thefe ftiould be any fliow of it, where thefe are
not
not received and pradfifed ; For a particular Confeffion
of all Sins to a Prieft being fo dridily required, they fay-
is the readied way to bring men to a Senfe of and Ihame
for their Sins 5 and Penance being alfo impofed prefent-
ly on them, will furely make Men to be more afraid of
finning again when they lee it mud cod them fo dear,
and that they may not defpair or defpond, by Reafon
of the Multitude or Weight of their former Sins, but
may be encouraged to drive more earnedly againd Sin
for the future, the Pried gives them Abfolution of what
is palled, at the fame time encouraging their hope, as
well as exciting their fear, and endeavouring by the
lame Method both to allure, to force and to fhame Men
into Amendment.
Ladly they infid much alfo on theValidity of theirOr-
dinations, the Truth and Succeffion Unity and Au¬
thority, of their Church,and the Obedience that is pay¬
ed to the Rules and Orders of it, as mighty Helps and
Afliftances, and Encouragements to Devotion 5 when
they are fo fure of the Sacraments being duly admini-
dred, and all other A&s of Authority rightly performed,
when the Laws of the Church, for the Punilhment of
Offenders are duly executed, and when the Church
hath Power to oblige all to an Uniform and Regular
Pradtice.
All thele things, fay they, do either encourage and
excite men to Devotion, or affid or diredt them in the ex*
ercifeof it,give more room or afford betterOccafions for
it, or elfe (how more fully the Neceflityoffuch and fuch
parts of it then what is received and pradtifed in the
Church otEngland &nd therefore the Church ofEngland
that wantsthefe wantethalfo much ofth eOccafion,Matter,
Opportunities and Arguments for Devotion : fothatlay-
ingafideall difputes concerning Articles of Faith, they
doubt not but it will be readily granted, that at lead,
they
they are a more devout People j whatever their is,
their Pra&iceis more agreable to that Self-denial and
Mortification commanded in Scripture}that God is more
conftantly and reverently ferved among them than he is
among usy that they take more Pains, are at more Coft
and Trouble in the Worfhip of God, which they think
is an Inftance of a good religious mind, and will be
moft fecure of God's Acceptance.
Thele are, I think indeed, the moft that they do urge
for themfelves in this point, and there is fomething of
appearance of Truth in all this. Moft of thefe Inftan-
ces are fuch as may perhaps be very taking at firft fight
withfome people, they having a Ihew of Regularity,
Stri&nefi and Severity, or elfe of being proper Helps
and Affiftances of Devotion: For Men are wont to ad¬
mire any thing that looks odd or big, efpecially ifo-
thers have but the Confidence highly to praift and ex¬
tol it. But if we examine them, we (hall find them to
fall infinitely fhort of fuch fpecious Pretences 5 fbme of
them to be unlawful, and thoft that are good in them-
felves, to be fbme way or other fpoiled in the ufe of
them5 always they err in fome material part or Circum-
ftance; and taken all together, they have nothing in
them which evidence any true devout Temper, either
defigned to be wrought by the Church,or aftually work¬
ing in the People: Much lefs do they befpeak greater
Devotion than is required and praftifed in our Church.
For it hath been well obferved by the judicious Sir
Edwin Sandys, that the Church of Rome hath fo contri¬
ved its Rules and Orders^ as rather to comply with,and
fit every Temper and Inclination good or bad, than to
work any real good effeffc on any. And therefore as it
hath feveral things which openly agree with, and pleafe
the profane and aebauch'd 5 fo it muft be granted, that
it hath fomewhat alfo to fuit with ana gratifie the
C melan-
io Of the Devotions
mtlancholly Temper, where the devoutly dilpofed may
find fomewhat an agreeable Retreat.- And therefore
one would be apt to lufpeft that the moft ftrift and fe-
vere of their Orders, were kept up rather out of a poli¬
tick end, to pleafe and quiet the People, than really to
advance true Piety to God and Devotion. But however
it is plain, that taking the whole Frame of that Church
together, it doth not defign to promote lerious and
true Devotion 5 but only to make a Noile, and to ap¬
pear lo to do. For when I lee the lame Church, tho'
fometimes leeming to countenance the utmoft Severi¬
ty as neceffary, yet at other times to give all Liberty,
and let the Reins loole to all kind or" Debauchery, I
have juft realbn to fear they are not in earneft for Reli- -
gion: For all luch irregular Heats, are a fign of bad
Principles, or a diftemper'd Conftitution. Juft as if I
fhould lee the fame peifon fometimes delperately diflo-
lute and debauch'd, and at other times intolerably ftrift
andlevere, and this interchangeably and often, I fhali
much queftion his ftriftnels, whether it be fincere •• If
his Senle of Piety were real, it would be more lafting
and uniform^ and therefore without Breach of Charity,
I thinklmay look on him in his greateft Severity,rather
to aft a part on a Stage, and to ferve a prelent Turn
and Occalion, than to be really in his mind what foch
Striftnels would reprefent him. And therefore what¬
ever true Devotion is in any of that Communion,ought
to be afcrib'd to fomewhat elle, than to the Conftituti¬
on of that Church: For even thole things which they
are uled to boaft moft of, which I have mentioned al¬
ready, we lhalleafily find to have little that is truly com¬
mendable, much that is greatly faulty in them 5 and if
their beft things are no better, what are their worft? If
the Subjeft of their Glory is fiamful, what will become
of the reft .<?
2. And
of the Church Rome. 11
2. And therefore I'll now fbew what we have jufHj
to accept againft their fore-mentioned pretences to De¬
votion.
i. As for Monkery in general,which they boaft fo much
of, calling it Statu* Perfetiionis & religiofus, as if befides
the State of Men in Holy Orders, that were a State of
Perfection, and nothing elfe worthy the Name of Reli¬
gious. We confefi, that fcarcely as to any thing concern¬
ing the Externals of Religion, doth the Church of Eng¬
land diftinguifh it felffrom the Romifh Church fb much,
as that there is not any Provifion made, or fo much as a
Suppofition of fuch Monafteries, or religious Houfes,
or publick places of Retirement for devout Peo'
pie, as they are called, being again ever fetled among
us. For tho* we are not fo rath as utterly to abhor and
throw away every thing that at any time had been abu-
fed to Superftition, yet we are very well contented that
Monafteries fhould never be rebuilt among us. For we do
not look on the Life of Monks as any great help to De¬
votion,or aninltance of true Religion prevailing where
they are found3 much lefs that they are neceffary in the
Chriftian Church.
For it is evident that the firft and pureft Ages of the
Church did not know any thing of them: Almoft three
Centuries paffed without any mention ofthem in Eccle-
Gaftical Hiftory. Antony and Paul in the Dioclefian Per-
fecution, being taken notice of as the firft of that Way.
We read indeed offome that did lead a more than ordi¬
nary fevere Courfe, and denied themfelves much of
the (perhaps) lawful Pleafures of this Life, in refpeft to
Religion and the other Life 5 but thefe were not Monks,
or the modern Afcetickf 5 tho' it hath been the way of
the Church of Rome in more inftances than this
to impofe fome new thing on the World upon the Re¬
putation of fome good and reverend Old Name: For
C 2 the
§
the Lives of the ancient Afceticks.ox mortified Men, dif¬
fered much from the prefent Monks of the Church of
Rome. We find not that they engaged themfelves in afo-
lemn Vow,diftinft from, or above that of their Baptifrm
For whatever their general Courfe of Life was, they
would take the Liberty to break their Rule fometimesm
order to extraordinary Charity,or when an occafion offer¬
ed it felf of doing more good, as is recorded particularly
concerning Spiridion a Bifhop in Cyprus. Nor do we find
that they always continued in the fame State of Life 5 but
took fuch a fevere courfe on themfelves at fome parti¬
cular times, and on fbme fpecial occafions, ("as the Na~
zarites of old did) to humble, and bring their Bodies
under, and as St. Paul advifeth the married y but not
to continue always fb, left Satan (hould tempt them 5
and they reckoned it in an higher degree praife-worthy
for every Aft of Mortification to be voluntary, than
that they fhould once for all force themfelves to it: And
thereforeftill retained a Power to themfelves,and did va¬
ry from this Method fometimes, and on occaofin would
indulge themfelves a greater, tho'ftill a lawful Liberty.
They took not on them the Vow of Poverty, nor pla¬
ced Perfeftion in Beggery, but reckoned every Crea¬
ture of God to be good 5 and even the outward good
things of this Life to be the Gift and Grace of God, if
they be well employed* According to 1 Pet. 4. 10. and
/emembredthat Saying of our Blefled Saviour,^#/ 20,35.
It is more blejfed to give than to receive. Nor did they vow
what the Church of Rome now calls Chaflity, but reckon*
ed themfelves as chafte in Wedlock} and as for Obedi-
ence, the third part of the Monk* Vow, they thought it
fufficient to obey the Commands of God, and knew not
of any other Obedience due from them, but only to
their Governours in Church and State, whofe lawful
Commands they reckoned themfelves obliged to, in or¬
der
of the Church of Rome. 13
der to the more regular Adminiftration of Affairs, and
the more peaceable Government of the World} much lefi
had they any diftinft Rules to be fet up in Competition
with the Laws of God, and urged as neceffary to Salva¬
tion,making even the Commandments of God of none ef-
fe<ft5 as many of the Monks Rules apparently do5 as might
be eafily made to appear.Such religious Men as theft,there
were in the firft Ages, who pra&ifed a ftri&er Devo¬
tion than others, that God's Name might be the more
hallowed by them5the more it was profaned by the reft
of the World, and who were more than ordinary inftant
and conftant in Prayers for a Bleffing on the Church
and State, of which they were Members} and by the
Striftnefs and Severity of their Lives, made fome amends
for the Negligence and Vicioufnefs of the Age in which
they lived.
And many fuch as thefe, we doubt not, are now
among us, who yet utterly diflike thePopi/h Mankery.
And if by the Monaftick Life all this were done,and no¬
thing elft defigned, it were juftlytobe commended
For let Men deny themfelves as much as they will, and
ufe their Chriftian Liberty to the Reftraint of themfelves
by a voluntary Self denial and Mortification, to keep
their Bodies under, and thereby get a better Temper of
Mind. But all this will not fuffice in the Church of
Rowe: For it is not enough for a man to live fb
ftrift and holy a Life, unlefs he enter into a Vow
particularly to this purpofe. Nay, though a man
do take on him all theft Vows of Chaflity, Poverty and
Obedience} and tho' they be made to his Bifhop or
Confeflor, who one would think were the propereft
perfons in the Cafe, yet ftill it is not fufficient }
he cannot be laid to be in this religious St ate, unlefs he
vow Obedience to another kind of Spiritual Jurifdkftion.
So that it is neither the living fo ftriftly, nor vowing
to-
14 Of the Devotions
to live ftri&ly, as the mod levere ; but it is their
being of a particular Order, and living under fuch and
luch Rule, that is lo meritorious; lo that by Monkery
indeed, Monkery is encouraged, and fome politick and
Secular Defigns anfwered; but the Advancement of
Piety and Devotion is not principally defigned or in¬
tended. But to dilcourfe more diftin&ly of it ;
InaMonaftick Life thefe three things are efpecially
remarkable,
Fir ft, The fecluded, and perhapsEremetical way of
living which they lead.
Secondly, The Conftanqy and Regularity of Devoti¬
ons practifed there.
Thirdly, The Severity of their Rules, and Aufterity
of their Lives.
But I muft needs lay, that there is little of true De¬
votion, that I can difcovcr in any of thefe:
Firfi, Their being (hut up from the World, or li¬
ving in Defarts, is no very proper Inftance of their De¬
votion, or agreeable to the Defign of Chriftianity.
For a man (hould converle in the World, elle he can¬
not fo well underftand it, what is amifs, or wanting in
it, nor how even to apply and place the Emphafis of his
Prayers.
A man that lives in a Wildernefs, or (hut up always
in a Monaftery, it is poffible that he may keep himlelf
free from the Defilements of the World, but yet it muft
be looked on as much more noble and commendable to
converle in the World, and yet to avoid the Pollution
of it.
And tho' by fuch a lecluded Life he may elcape one
kind of Temptation, yet ftill he will be at leaft as liable
to the two others, that arife from the ,or his own
Flejh and Temper as ever. And if he avoid lbme Sins,
yet ftill he will be more fubjed to others, Sowernefs,
Morole-
of the Church of Rome. 15
Morofenefs,Melancholly, Cenforioufnels, fpiritual Pride,
and other Sins of as high a Nature as thofe, which by being
fhut up from the World he pretends to avoid. And yet fiich
as theft are generally legible and obfervable in the very
Looks, Conversion and Carriage of nd Hermits.
Indeed Retirednels fometimes is an excellent help
to the Mind, by giving it time to recoiled: it ftl£
and to refled on its former Mifcarriages, and the
better to prepare it felf for its future Encounters in
the World. But a man may exceed in the Mea-
fures arid Degrees of this, as well as of other Conveni¬
ens arid lawful Enjoyments j and fo it may become a
Snare and an Evil to him: For the mind will naturally
be as much tir'd with Solitude as with Bufinefs .-Befides,
that the Devil is always moft bufie when men are idle,
arid Diverfion and Recreation is as neceffary to moft
Temper's, as Health and Cheerfulnefs are5 and fitsaman
even for the Duties of Religion. For the keeping the
Mind in a conftarit Bent, tho' of Devotion, will in a
Ihorttime weaken its Spring and dull its Edgej and the
Ads of Devotion in fuch a mind, will, it's to be feared,
be rather a formal piece of Drudgery than areafonable
Service. And though we fhould grant, that by being
confined to a Monaftery, a man might better efcape the
Defilements of any kind of Sin j yet it mult be granted,
that he cannot be in fo much capacity of doing good in
the World as if he converfed freely with it:
And Sozomen quotes it as a moft remarkable '•'•c-
Saying of fbme of the firft Monks, That he
that abftainsfromEvil,but doth noGood,ought to be efte-
med a very bad Man 5 and fo theCommands of Scriptnre
erijoyri us to take Care to do Good.as well as to abftain
from Evil, elfe we (hall be reckoned among the unprofi¬
table Servants. We are fure that publick Service ought
to'be prefeWfed before private, the Glory of God, and
the
a 6 Of the Devotions
the Good of Men being more advanced by it 3 and there¬
fore, though that man that lives in a Wildernefs, and
fervcs God there when he is forced to it by Perfecuti-
on, may hope for a Bleffing, tho' he be alone, and
neither worfhippeth God in Publick, nor gives a good
Example to the World 3 yet he that runs into a Wilder-
nefs to be wondred at and admired, and negle&s the
ordinary and moft ufeful way of ferving God, there is
too much reafon to fear he hath his Reward. At leafthow
farfoever it may pleafe God to pardon his blind Zeal,
and want of Difcretion, yet certainly this Example of
his ought not to be recommended to all, as a Rule for
them to walk by. The firft Monks we grant, were ve¬
ry good and pious Men, and were compelled to forfake
their Houfes, and live in Solitude 3 but it is very unrea-
fonable to make their manner of Life a Pattern to be
Followed in the quiet and peaceable Ages of the Church.
For this would be to (hew our felves infenfible of the
goodnefs of God to us, in giving us the Liberty of fer¬
ving him freely and openly, and that we dare pro-
fefs our Religion without fear oflofing our Lives. And
for the fame reafon we fhould ftill chufe to celebrate the
Sacrament in an upper Room, becaufe our Bleffed Savi¬
our, and his Holy Apoftles did (03 and fhould haveour
religious Aflemblies in Crypts and Vaults under Ground,
becaufe the firft Chriftians, in times of Difficulty and
Perfecution, often durft ufe no other.
And as the Solitude of a Monaftick Life is no proper At
fiftnce orExpreffionof true Devotion, was not knownin
thefirft Ages of the Church, and afterwards was nottaken
up of Choice, but by Neceflity.- So alfo in the laji place,
I obferve, that the.Gofpel of Chrift, and the Rules of
Living, which are given us by himfelf, and his Holy
Apoftles, never enjoyn or fuppofe any fuch thing. We
are always fuppofed to live in Company and Society 3
of the Church of Rome. 17
and accorpingly the Precepts of cur Saviour and the A-
poftlesare adapted to the common Cafes of Men, and the
Concerns of fuch as converfe freely in the World. And
therefore I muft needs fay, that it hath been very wife¬
ly ordered, that there fhould be new and diftinft Rules
made for thofe that delight in this folitafy and Mona-
ftick way of Life: For they are fuch a kind of men as
the Gofpel of Chrift hath no proper Rules for.
Secondly, And I am afraid that there is as little true
Devotion in their fo frequent and conftant Pray¬
ers enjoyned and praftifed in their Monafteries, though
this be confeffedly what is moll commendable in their
wayofLife,andistheonly wayby which they themfelves
can pretend to do any Good in the World. (If I except
thofe,whicharebut very few,that workwith theirHands.)
Praife and Prayer is therefore acceptable with
God, as it is in the volunrary Expreffion of our
Souls, a Free-wiil Offering and Sacrifice which we
offer to God, in confideration of his infinite Ex¬
cellencies and Perfeftions in himfelf, his former un-
deferved Goodnefs to us, and our Liablenefs to him.
Now the conftant Prayers ufed in their Monafteries,
in more particulars than one,comefhort of that true De¬
votion due from Men to their Maker: For firft,they are
as much as can be forced on a rational Being,and on that
acccount muft needs lofe much of their Worth and Ac-
ceptablenefs. The Monks are obliged by the Rules of
their feveral Orders to fay fuch and fuch Prayers, and
juft at fuch and fuch times, whatever Devotion or In¬
tention of Mind they have*} and they are feverely pu-
nifhed if they fail of them. Exa&ly at Midnight,
at two or three a Clock in the Morning, fo very
often, and at fo very unfeafonable times, that ma¬
ny have confeffed this ftri&nefs of their Devotions,
to be of all the greateft Burden of their Lives 5
D And
I" . ;
18 Of the Devotions
And yet this they mnd do in Imitation of fbme
holy Man of Old, who is recorded to have pray'd
at thefe Houres 5 whereas thefe Mens Devotions
is not warm enough to keep them awake when
they are at Prayer. And therefore thefe Prayers
not being the free Emanations of their own mind,
methinks the praife of them is not fo much due to the
Monks themfelves, as to the head and founder of their
Order, who obliged them to fuch Rules.
And their Devotion is little more praife-worthy than
that of the Jews at Avignon, and feveral other Places,
who are once in a Week forced to go to Church and
hear a Sermon, fas thefe Monks are) at lead to fit there
whilft a Sermon is preached, and return home as good
Chriftiansasthey went thither.
But then they are not only thus dri&ly obliged to
fuch Hours of Prayer, for that were fomewhat tolerable,
they might poffibly be intent on their Prayers, notwith-
danding. But they are at the fame time taught, that
they need only fay the Words with their Mouths 5 it is
not abfblutely neccffary that their mind ftiould go along
with them, and this together with the other muft needs
fpoyl all true Devotion. The frequency and unfeafo:
nabJenefs of their Prayers, will make it very difficult
for them to attend as they ought,and their Doftrine con¬
cerning theNo-neceflity of attention at Prayers, will
certainly make them to yield to thefe difficulties, and
fo there may be abundance of Words faid, but no Devo¬
tion performed.
Befides all this, they have a way of being eafed of
this trouble of the Prayers, for according to their Cafu-
ifts, it is allowable for a man to get or hire another
to fay his Prayers for him. At lead he may be dilpenfed
with by his Superiour,and thisDifpenfation is good,whe-
ther there be a jud Reafbn or Occafion for it or no, ac¬
cord-
of the Church of Rome. 19
cording to an excellent Maxim of theirs, Ncn ad Valo
rem, fed ad Juflitiam requiritur Cauja.
And if after all this, Men ftill will be more than they
need ftrid in their Prayers, according to the Rules of
their Orders, they almoft conftantly offend in the End,
and Defign of their Devotions. For they do them not
fb much to benefit the World, or work themfelves up
to a better temper of Mind 5 But to perform a task im-
pofed on them, and which they have vowed to perform,
or efpecially to merit by their works. For they do not
fo much as pretend that this ftri&nefs in Devotion
is abfolutely Neceffary for their Salvation, (for elfe why
do they not enjoyn it toall, feeing all have the fame need
of Salvation? ) and therefore thefole end of all this
ftriftnefs and conftancy in Prayers, is only to get Hea¬
ven for others. Which Opinion, befides that it will
mightily difcourage Men of an ordinary Charity, from
being very intent on what they do, when they
are fenfible they Labour only for another 3 It coun-
tenanceth alfo afalfe and dangerous Doftrineconcerning
the Merit of good Works, and incourageth all vicious
pra&ifes in other Men, who will hope to be faved, tho
not by their own Prayers, yet by the Prayers of thefe ho¬
ly Monks {aid for them.
So that on many accounts, there is little of true Devoti¬
on to be found in that conftant courfe of Prayers, (aid
fo regularly by the Monks and Hermits3 Not to menti¬
on feveral other particulars, concerning the Frame and
Language of their Prayers, the Objeff or Perfons wor-
fhipped or prayed to, the Perfons prayed for, and the
like, which I may have Occafion to mention afterwards,
which being put together, do abundantly fhow the
impropriety, and the worthlefsnefs of fuch Devotions.
Thirdly5 And as to the Aufierities of the Lives of their
Monks and Nuns, the Punifhments which they infiift
D 2 on
2o Of the Devotion?
on themfelves, as they profefs for the fake of Religion,
by coarfe and uneafie Garments, fcanty Food and Fare,
long and tedious Watching*, frequent and cruel Whippings,
and Lafhings, and other fhch Courfe and Harfh Treat¬
ments, which they ufe towards their own Bodies. I
confefs I pity them, but can difcern little or no true
Chriftian Devotion in them.
For all Severity to our Bodies is not Devotion, or any
part of that Self-denial which the Gofpel requires, nor
is this of theirs, though they pretend it to be for the fake
of Religion 5 but their infilling fo ftri&ly on it, and va¬
luing themfelves fb much on it, is of very badConfequence
to Religion.
All Punijkment which men inflidl on themfelves is not
Religion, nor commendable, nor is the patient bearing
of it always a Sign of a true Chriftian Temper. Chrift
hath no where told us, that he that can faft longeft, or
endure moft Lafhesisthebeft Man 5 but he that govern-
eth himfelf and his Life bed. We have ftrange fnftan-
ces of this Infenfiblenefs of Pain in many of the worft
Principles and moft profligate Confidences; The De¬
vil hath his Martyrs as well as God 5 and if the volunta¬
rily inflifting Puniftiment on themfelves be a Sign of De¬
votion, thePriefts of Baal, 1 Kings iS.mufthave been a
very devout Generation of Men. Therefore it is not a-
ny religious Commendation of a Man, that he canftcut-
ly whip, or lafh himfelf, or bear it from another without
flinching.- Such a man might have made a good Gladia¬
tor, but feems not fo well qualified for a Chriftian■.
Nor is all Punifhment which Men inflift on themfelves,
and fay they do it for the fake of God and Religion, always
a Sign of true Devotion : For in other Cafes, it is not
Mens Saying that they defign well, which will make
their A&ions acceptable with God 5 but it is their do-
ipg what he hath commanded,, and for the ends which
ha
of the Church of Rome. 21
he defigned and intended,with which he is well pleafed*
And it too often happens, that mendo Aftions having a
Ihow of San&ity, and of great Self-denial, which yet
are received by God only, with a who hath required
this at your hands ?
Self-denial indeed is commanded in Scripture, and is
neceffary alfo to many and excellent Purpofes,tolubdue a
mans Paffions and Affe&ions, and to bring him to a
right underftanding of himfelf $ to put a man in mind
of leaving the pleafant things of this World, fenfibly to
affedl: him with the Condition of thofe that are in Mifery
and always want them,and to inure him to bear patient¬
ly the adverfe things, or whatever it fhall pleafe God to
lay upon him. It is neceffary that a man fliould have a
mind always ready and prepared tolofe all for Chrifhand
therefore he ought often to deny himfelf fomewhat for
the Sake of Chrift, that he may give full proof to him¬
felf, that his mind is affe&ed as it ought to be : And by
voluntary Aftsof this Nature he preferves a Power over
himfelf^and is much the more fitted for all the Accidents
of Life, and for the Exercife of Devotion.
But let a man have a care that he keep within due
Bounds :He may exceed and tranfgrefs both in the Mea-
fure, and in the End and Defign of fuch Mortification.
He exceeds in the Meafun of it, when he inflifts foch
Severity on himfelf as fhall render him unfit for the Ser¬
vice of God, and ufelefs in his Place. God delights not
in the Punifhmentof his Creatures, but defires their
Good here as far as it is confident with their greater
Good hereafter. And though he requires Self-denial of
us, it is only in fiich a meafure as is for our Good,in or¬
der to the bettering of our Temper, and to cutoff the
Occafionsof Sin in us. And therefore it is a great fault
in any man on this pretence to render his Life fo unea-
fie to himfelf, as that he fhall not be able to ferve God
7 coil*-
V
22 Of the Devotions
contentedly, cheerfully, and without Diftradion : As a
Man may be to blame alfo for his Charity, when with¬
out a juft Occafion he throws, or gives away all 5 For if
this Courfe were allowed or followed, the word Peo¬
ple,and they that know lead how to ufe an Eftate well,
would be the richeft and Owners of all,and the only per-
fons in Authority and Power,
And he tranfgrefieth alfo in the End and Defign offuch
Severity, when he pretends to merit by it, and hopes
to buy Heaven (which is the Gift of God J with a few
La flies, or a little Money.
And I have too much reafon to undervalue and dif-
like the Severity of the Monks on both thefe Accounts,
They often tie themfelves up to fuch Degrees of Strid-
nefi as are above the Meafures of a man,and confequently
not to the purpofe of Religion and Devotion. And they
always defign to purchafe Heaven for themfelves or other,
by the Merits of fuch Sufferings: At the fame time
undervaluing the Sufferings of Chrift, and over-valuing
their own 5 and yet making them of lefs worth in God's
Efteem than elfe they would be, by their own letting fo
high a price upon them.
And befides all this, their infifting fb ftridly on thefe
pieces of Aufterity,and placing fuch Religion and Perfe-
dion in them,is of very illConfequence toother purpofes.
It makes men to acquiefce in the means as the end^ to
content themfelves with having performed their Fafts,
their Number of Prayers and Ladies, without ever aim¬
ing at any Reformation and Change of Temper and Pra-
difes, than which nothing can be more abfurd in it felf^
or more contrary to the Defign of Chriftianity.
It makes men alfo to efteem this or that kind of Meat
andDrinke, Condition or Courfe of Life, to be unlaw¬
ful or finful,which really is not $ which doth much harm,
even to Religion: For it difparageth Gods Creation
and
of the C hurchof Rome. 2 3
and brings awevil Report upon the Land. It neceflarily
makes Men querulous and cenforious} and is the very
thing which our Saviour took fuch pains to corredt, and
did fo often rebuke the Pharifees of his Time for.
And this extraordinary pretence to Severity, brings
the Perfons of fuch Men into Efteem, whatever their
Principles, Opinions and Practices otherwife are, and
fo injures Religion. For fo Ecclefiaftical Hiftory tells us,
That thofe Beretickf that have mod hurt the Churchy
were fuch kind of pretended mortified Men, as Mont*-
nus^ Pelagius5 &c. So that what do thefe more than
others .<? Do not even the Publicans fo ?
And therefore however praife-worthy the Monaflick
Life may have been formerly, and what ever good may
have been done, by fome of that Order : Yet this is no
Plea for the Monks at this time. For the Ancients were
very Inftrumental in converting many to Chriftianity 5
but thefe only live on the fpoil of Chriftians already
made fo. And confidering the prefect pofture of Af¬
fairs in the World, this Monkifi way of living is very
improper, and the abufes that are made of it in the
Church of Rome, are plainly intolerable. Where Men
are taught to place Religion in a certain Way and
Trade of Life, rather than in a truly Chriftian Conver-
fation. It ftrikes at the very Foundation of our Religi-
on, for Men to be made to believe, that the living or
dying in the Habit of this or that fevere Order of Monks ^
will have an Influence on the Soul, and give it a better
Title to Heaven. And yet it is too notorious that thefe
things are confidently taught and believed among them.
In Ihort, let Men deny themfelves'as much as they
will, for the fake of God and of Religion, to humble
themfelves for their Sins, and to keep their Bodies and
Paffions under. Let them ufe their Chriftian Liberty
to the reftraint of themfelves? by a voluntary felf-deny-
al
V
>
24 Of the Devotions
a), as far as they find it necefiary or expedient; But
for this to be brought into a trade, is the mod prepo-
fterous thing in the World. Efpecially, let them have
a Care of cenluring and judging others, who tread not
exafrly in their Steps, or of over-valuing themfelves,
on account of this fevere and ftri&courfe of Life. For
it is evident that for the moft part it is not Religion
brings them thither, or any extraordinary love of De¬
votion 5 but their Parents fend them thither as a pretty
cheap way of providing for their younger Children,
that fo they may beablethemore honourably to difpofe
of the reft agreeably to the Grandeur of the Family.
Therefore if they will commend the Inftitution of
Monafteries, as a good and frugal way of breeding up of
Youth, or of providing for a fpare Child or two, let
them do what they will. But it is not to be fuffered,
that when they ferve efpecially, or onlytofuch Politick
ends 5 yet that they fhould be boafted of as the beft,
or only Chriftian and Religious way of Life, as if
the Perlons in them were the only , and
all others were fecular, and in fome Meafure Profane.
Befides it is very mreafonable for Perfons to be (hut
up in Monafteries, fo as they are, when they are young,
and before they can have fully confidered what Temp¬
tations they may have, or how they {hall be able to
bear and withftand them} and yet if they have but once,
though of a fudden, through their own Melancholly,or
the Infinuation of others, take the vow on themfelves,
there is ordinarily no revoking or drawing back for ever.
It is very cruel alfo for Perfons to be put there, with¬
out any Confideration of their feveral Tempers, and
Circumftances. For inftead of benefiting the Publick,
which they pretend, it robbeth the World of many an
one that would have been ufeful to it in an Attive Life
and Station. And fome by their Tempers do not need
of the Church of Rome. 2 ?
r
uch Mortification, as the melancholly and deje&ed. O-
thers cannot bear the Striftnefs and Confinement, the
weak and fickly. And now to force this fame courfe of
Life on all,or fuch a number of Men,indifferently, is like
the Cruelty of that Tyrant that would make all men of
the fame length : And the beft that can be faid in the
cafe, is, that the Perfons who thus confine and fhut up
their Children and Relations,are like to the Perfecutors,
who in the like manner fhut up St. Cyprian, which cer¬
tainly was Cruelty in them, tho by fo doing, they gave
him a greater Opportunity for private Devotion." So
that in truth I look on the Monafteries, as they are now
ordered, to be rather a kind ofPrifons,and places of Pu-
nifhment, than convenient places of Retirement in or¬
der to the freer and more undifturbed Exercife of Reli¬
gion and Devotion. And if I am not miftaken, the
Church of Rome her felf, whatever fhe pretends, really
thinks fo of them: For the worft Punifhment that fhe
infli&s on a Prieft for one of the worft of Offences, viz.
for his violating the Seat of Confeffion, is, that he fhall
be condemned to be fhut up in a Monaftery} and Idare
fay, that he and I agree in thinking that to be a fevere
Punifhment, rather than an Helpto Devotion.
Secondly, And if the Multitude of Monafteries in the
Church of Rome is no certain Sign of Devotion flourifh-
ing among them,they have little reafon to boaft of their
works of Charity: For it is mold plain, that the biggeft
part of their Charity is turned this way, to the build¬
ing and endowing Monafteries, and to the Encourage¬
ment of the Monaftick way of living.
But befides this, though I am very loth to find fault
with any pretence to Charity, yet I have too much rea¬
fon on many accounts to think very meanly of all that
which is pra&ifed in the Church of Rome: For whate¬
ver hath been given to that Church under the Name of
E
26 Of the Devotions
Charity, and is now enjoyed by it, hath for the moft
part been ill gotten, and is as ill employed.
And here I will not treat of the temporal Power of the
Pope himfelf, and of the feveral Principalities which he
Stands pofleffed of in Italy and France ; for they can¬
not be ranged under the Head of , according to
my acception of the Word ; though it might be eafily
made to appear, that they have generally been gotten
by unjuft and unlawful, or at belt by harlh and cruel
Means,and fuch as one would not expeft from theSuccefo
for ofSt. Peter. But I concern my felf with fmaller and
more private Benefactions and Gifts, though thefe
are fo confiderable, that generally a third part, often
half the Lands of a Country are the Propriety of the
Church, Now all this is gotten chiefly from men
that are dying, who can keep their Riches no longer,
and therefore who do not fo much give this from them-
felves as from their Heirs ; and is efpecially,as it were, to
buy Heaven ; and a man muft have a moft defpicable e-
fteem of Heaven, who will not give all the good things
of this Life, when he can no longer ufe or enjoy them,
for the Puvchafe of it: And what is given from fo bad a
Principle, is commonly applied to as bad a purpofe. It
is a common Obfervation, that in all the Popifh Coun-
treys the Poor are the moft miferablein the World 5 and
theirSecular Priefts too are generally in a fad Condition,
notwithstanding the infinite Riches of that Church:
And fo the Regulars only have any confiderable advan¬
tage by them ; and they alfo, as it were, club together
to fet up one great Man as Cardinal,or Head of their Or¬
der, in mighty Pomp and State; and heap Riches and
Preferments on him till he can hardly bear them. So
that one can fearcely fuppofe fo great Riches as that
Church is in common endowed with, to be gotten into
fewer Hands, or do left Good than it doth amongft
them.
of the Church of Rome. 27
them. Let them not therefore boaft of their Charity, whilft
amidft fo great Plenty, they (uffer the Poor to want fo ex-
treamly$ and yet to make a Show build a fineHofpitalin
two or three of their chief Towns: For perhaps no
where in the World do the Rich more exalt themfclves,
and tyrannize over the Poor, no where is there a grea¬
ter inequality of Conditions $ no where is there fo much
given to the Church and Charity, and no where is the
Eftate of the Church engrofled into fo few Hands, to
maintain Grandeur, rather than to be a Relief to Po¬
verty. For the Cardinals above Seventy in number are
maintained out of the Church-Revenues5 and yet are
by their Creation equal to Kings, and fuperior to Prin¬
ces. Now if this be Charity to have a prodigious Re¬
venue for the Maintenance of the Church and Poor5and
yet to employ this to the Luxury of a few, and to let
the reft perifh, I will acknowledge the Church of Rome
to be the moft charitable Church in the World. And
if it be faid that a great deal indeed hath been given to
good and truly charitable ufes, but is now perhaps mi£
employed: I anfwer, it is poffible it may be fo, yet ftill
I have fbme reafon to queftionit^ For their Do&rines
of Merit, and of buying Souls out of Purgatory,
are enough to fpoil their works of Charity, and make
them to be rather efteem'd a Bargain of Sale than a free
Gift. And yet their Donations run commonly in this
Form, I give this tofitch a Monastery for the good of my
Soul, or of the Souls of other perfons deceafed, or for the
Honour of fuch a Saint5 but feldom for the good of the
Poor, the Maintenance and Support of true Piety and
Religion $ or for the Glory and Honour of God ; And
yet in my Opinion fuch as thefe are the only ends for
which a Gift ought to be efteemed charitable, or will be
accepted by God as fuch.
E 2 But
1% Of the Devotions
But now on the other fide,though the Church of Eng~
land own not either Purgatory,v or any other of their
Pick-pocket Dodlrines,yet Charity urged by us from tru¬
ly Chrifiian Principles, hath had more force, and done
more good than all their Tricks and Devices put toge¬
ther: For fo Dr. WiUet hath in part (hewn 3 and it might
be more fully demonftrated, that in thefe laft 120, or
130 Years, fincethe fettling of the Reformation among
us, there hath been more and greater Churches, Schools
and Hofpitals built and endowed5better Provifionmade
for the Poor 3 more and better care taken, not only for
the Maintenance, but efpecially for the Inftru&ion of
the ignorant and meaner fort of People 5 In fhort, all
parts of Charity more fully exercifed, than can be fhewn
in any the like number of Years fince Chriftianity came
into this Countrey. Indeed the general Strain of our
Peoples Charity runs to the doing of more good, and is
more properly expreffed than theirs is. The Papijls
build Monafteries, in which Provifion is made for a few
people to live in Idlenefs arid Luxury under pretence of
Devotion'and Retirement: Ours relieve the Sick and
Needy (tho not Regulars) and think it better Charity
to preferve a poor Family from ftarving (of which fo
many thoufands die in PopifhCountreys) than to main¬
tain an idle Monh^ or Nun, or to make a Prefent to the
Lady at Loretto^ or offer Candles and Tapers to the I-
mage, or Saint of the Town in which we live. We, by
fo beftowing our Charity, both honour God, and do good
to Men. They do neither, but do Homage to a Saint
that neither knows them, nor receives any Good by the
Honour which they give them.
It is indeed confeffed, that our Churches are not fo
adorned as they ought fometimes: But that is no Fault
of our Church, but of the Iniquity of the Times, and
of thofe Difientions which they raife among us 3 but ge¬
nerally
of the Church of Rome. 29
nerally they are decently grave, and as well fitted to af-
fift a devout mind without Diftraftion as can be. We
love to have our Churches neat and handfom , to
fhew we do not grudge whatever may be required to
make them in fome meafure a fit place for Divine Wor-
fhip 5 but we fee not any neceffity of having them fo
fplendidly rich and fine, we think it would rather di¬
vert mens minds from the Bufinefs of tire Place5 than af-
fift them in the Duties of it.
In fhort, in no part of Charity can they pretend to
exceed us, confidering our Circumftances, unlefs it be
in that of Prayer for the Dead, when they hire fb ma¬
ny Mattes to be laid for them y but we think not this (b
much Charity to the perfon deceafed, as to the Prieft$
for he doubtlefs receives mod: Benefit from it.
Thirdly, And whatever they pretend, the great num¬
ber of Saints canonized and commemorated among them,
is neither a Sign of their g6od State and Condition
of their Church, nor is their keeping fo many Holy days
in remembrance of them any inftance of true Devoti¬
on.
As for many of the Saints which they commemorate
we own as well as they,and can pretend as good a right
in them as they can, becaufe we own, and will fubmrt
to whatever can be urged from them 5 fiach are the Blef-
fed Virgin, the Apoftlesand Evangelifts ,and after them
alfo the Bilhops, Martyrs and Confeffors in the Primi¬
tive Church: But we confefs that we have not the fame
efteem of many whom they commemorate as Saints,and
utterly difallow of their Canonizingor Saintingofthem:
For .many of them (I believe) never had any Being, but
in the Fancy of thefe Saint-makers, who yet are com¬
memorated, and prayed to as well as any others. Such
are St. Longinu*, under which name they have made a
Man of the Spear which pierced our Saviour's Bleffed
Bodya
50 Of the Devotions
Body. St. Almachhts, on Jan. 1.which only comes from
the Corruption of AlmanackA St. who was
only St. Albans Cloak; St. Vrfula, and her 11000 Vir¬
gins, of whom no Foot-fteps can be found in true Hi-
ftory. Many of them, I fear, it had been better thatthey
had never been, as being notorioufly vicious and fcan-
dalous in their Lives. And others, though more inno¬
cent, yet if we believe what is written in their Lives,
were fo prodigioufly ridiculous, that a wife and religi¬
ous man would be afham'd of fuch Company. To hear
Men in an Extafie of Devotion to talk Non fence, or to
preach to Birds and Beafts,to run naked, to wander vo¬
luntarily in Defarts, &c. is more likely with fober men,
to bring their Perfbns and A&ions into Contempt and
Scorn, than to affeft them with any quick Senfe of Re¬
ligion^ beft it will excite Men only to that extaticaland
enthufiaftical kind of Devotion, which was in vogue a-
mong the Heathens, whole Priefts were befides them-
felves, when they fpake in the Name of their Godsjand
their moft celebrated Exercifes of Religion were fuch
kind of irrational Aftions; but there is nothing of this
at all countenanced under Chriftianity.- For theGofpel
would make us wife as well as devout; and it is not re¬
quired that we put off the Man, but the Old Man and
its Vices when we become Chriftians.
And though we are fenfible of many among us
that have been very exemplary for Vertue and Pi¬
ety, and have no reafbn to doubt of their Salvation;
but have as full Affurance of it, at leaft, as they have of
their Saints; yet we are very fhy of canonizing or faint¬
ing of them, becaufe we know not Mens Hearts, nor
dare we to prefume to difpofe fo abfolutely of Heaven
as the Pope doth. We thank God for thofe that have
lived and died well among us, and exhort our people
to imitate all the Good which Ihewed it felfin them;
but
of the Church of Rome. 3*1
but we know not to what purpofe Canonization is. If
it be only to recommend their Vertues to Example, the
Canonization of them will fignifie no more than the bare
Hiftory of their good Lives faithfully recorded would do$
but if it be in order to praying to them we utterly con¬
demn it. And it is too plain, that this is the end of their
being canonized: For from that time folemn Prayer and
Invocation is allowed and offered up to them. And this
I believe hath been an occafion of their falling from
the Truth of Chriftian Doftrine as well as Pra&ifer
For they taking fuch a man to be a Saint, think them-
felves obliged to follow and vindicate whatever he ei¬
ther did or faid, as holy and true, not confldering that
thebeftof meerMen havebeen guilty of Miftakesand Im~
perfe&ions} and then much more may we fufpeft thejudg-
mentand Underftanding,theVertueand Piety of many of
thofe that fill up the bigger part of the Rotnijh Kalendar.
And for the fame reafon we think there is not much
Religion or Devotion exprefled in the keeping up the
Memory of fuch Saints, by fo many Holydays obferved
among them.
If they commend their Holydays for the opportunities
afforded in them of ferving God in publick, we have
fuch Conveniences in many places every day.
If they commend them as days fet apart to Reft and
ldlenefs,weare not altogether of their mind/or we think
we have as many as our Poor can well fpare y and are fure
that they have more Holydays than their Poor can af¬
ford to obferve. So that their Holydays are no Advantage
to any.TheRich need them not$becaufeifthey have Abili¬
ties,they may be idle and luxurious every day :But they are
a great Evil and Burthen to the Poor,when they are forced
to lofe fo many days from their Work, by which they
fhould maintain themfelvesand theirFamilies.And though
the Popes, by reafon of this Cry of the Poor, have been
prevailed
3 2 Of the Devotions
prevailed with to cut off many of thofe days of Idlenefe,
yet hill in moft places the Number of them is intole¬
rable.
Fourthly, As for Images,! fhouldhave thought it more
proper to range them among the Hinderances cf Devo¬
tion , did I not fee the Men of Rome to plead earneftly
for them, as Helps and Ajfifiances, and to blame us for
not ufing them, and paying no refpect to them.
I confefs my felf not acute enough to difcern how they
can any ways advance Devotion: For their paying fuch
Honour and Refpedt to them as they do own and acknow¬
ledge, muft needs be a great Diftraftion 5 it diverting
the Mind, and making Men fpend their religious Reve¬
rence on that which is expofed to their View : but their
paying fuch Worfhip to them as they do pay, hut areajha-
jned to ownj is flatly deftru&ive to all true Devotion.
They indeed plead the Ignorance of the People for
the neceflity of Images, and call them the Books of the
Unlearned : But they muft firji fuppofe their People in-
fufferably ignorant to need fuch Helps as thefe are. And
to give the Priefts their due, if any Ignorance would
fuffice to juftifie fuch a Praftife, they take careto heep
their People in Ignorance fufEcient; And then if they
are fo ignorant that they cannot worfhip God without
an Image, the Church cannot be fecure, but thefe fo fil¬
ly People may worfhip the Image for God or Chrift 5 or
at leaft as having fome extraordinary Vertue in it, and
fo make an Idol of it, efpecially when they fee the Eyes
and Hands ofthe Image to move,and fee Miracles wrought
by the Touch of it* as is frequently pretended and be¬
lieved to be done: So that either there is no need of I-
mages,or great danger in the ufeof them.
I confefs, I am not of Mr. Baxters Mind, who thinks
that they may be properly or fafely ufed to excite De¬
motion 5 at leaft I muft confefs my felf of a different tem-
per
per from htm. Methinks I reprefent Gad in greater Ma-
jefty to my felt, when I confider him in his Works of
Creation and Providence, than to fee him pidured, as
in the Cloud?, though with Thunder in his Hand. And
my Saviour appears more lovely to my mind and thoughts
when I confider him as coming into the World and dy¬
ing for us, than when I fee him pidured and carved on
a Crucifix. For it is more ufeful to fee him with the Ej e
of Faith thanofSenfe, and it is not the Proportion of
his Body reprefented to my Eyes, but the Dignity of his
Nature, the Love that he bore me, and the Paffions of
his Soul for me, that I admire mod, and which no Pen¬
cil can draw.
Befides, a Pidure or Image tells me nothing but what
I knew before j and it is by what I knew before that I
can make fenfe or any devout ufe of this Pidure 5 for
elfe I might take it for another profane and idle Story.
And I would fain know whether the reading confide-
rately the 26, and 27^. Chapters ofS will not
afled any pious Heart much more than the feeing and
contemplating a Pidure. Certainly if this will affed the
Senfe and bodily Paffions, the other will more work on
our Reafon, and that will be to better purpofe. Nay,
the feeing of any Pidure often will naturally make it
familiar, and not at all affeding to us.
5. And if the feverity of the Monks to their Bodies
is not any great Sign of Devotion, much lefscan theAu-
fterities ufed by the common People turn to any great
Commendation of the Church. It is true, they are for¬
ced to keep Fafts, but it would make a Man laugh to
read how their Cafuids have defined concerning the mo¬
dus, the Meafure and End of Fading. Efcobar hath
refblved it, " That no Drink breaks a Fad, be it Wine
" or Chocolate and becaufe it is not wholefom to drink
<c without eating, you may eat two Ounces of Bread :
F " For
34 Of the Devotions
" For that is but a quarter of a Meal; and if a man fhould
" chance tobreakhisVowofFaftingthus, he is not bound
" to faft: another day for it, unlels on a new Obligation:
" And if all this be too hard,you may be difpenfed with
" for your whole Life,and that whether there be any juft
«c cauie for it or no. Nay, Servants, tho they eat ne-
" ver Co gluttonoufly of the Scraps, they break no Faft.
Indeed there need be no Rules let down concerning the
Poor Peoples obferving Fafting Days: They are kept
low enough without them: And as for the Rich, their
Fafting is Mock-fafting, to faft to Luxury, with Wine,
and Fifh, and Sweet-meats. Is not this great Self-de¬
nial? If any therefore are ftill truly mortified, when
they can thus help it, I muft rather commend their own
Piety, and devout Temper, than the Rules and Ordeis
of their Church, which give fo much Liberty, that a
man muft have a very crols-grain'd Appetite, or be in
the higheft degree fenfual, not to be willing to comply
with it. We find then no Fault with Fafting being en¬
joy n'd, and at let Seafons: For we our felves commend
and pra&ile it; but let it not be to play tricks, but for
true and real Mortification, and for the proper Ends of
Mortification, to humble the Body to the Soul, and to
bring the Mind to a better Temper; and to thele
ends is Fafting commanded by our Church; but not
as if we looked on this or that kind of Meat to be
unholy, or defign'd to purchafe Heaven by our Abfti-
nence,as the Church o CRomedoth.
6. And as for their Pilgrimages, and Worfhip of Re-
liques, they muft needs have lefs pretence to Religion :
For their Fafts, and other Aufterities lomewhat refera¬
ble true Chriftian Duties; but thele have no Show that
way. If Pilgrimage be enjoynd for ,then there is
so Thanks due to the Perlbn performing it.
If
of the Church Rome. 55
Ifitbe voluntary, there is no true Devotion in it:
For the Worth of it muft confift in fome of thefe Rea-
fons, viz. either, Firft, That God is more prefent, or
Secondly, more propitious in one publick place of Wor-
fliip than another.- both which are contrary either to
the Nature of God, or his Declaration in Scripture, when
he (ays,/« every place a pure Offering /hall be offered to him,
Mai. r. 11. And fVhereever two or three are gathered toge-
in ChrjJis Name5 he is in the midjl of them* Matt. 18.20.
And the teaching otherwife is in fome meafure to revive
Judaifm, which allowed God,as to fome cafes,to be ferv-
ed acceptably only in one place * or Thirdly, That the
Saint is more prefent or propitious here than any where
elfe: But we are fpeaking of Devotion to God, not to
the Saint , or Fourthly, That it is their punijhing them-
felves that is fo acceptable} but that hath been fufficient-
ly difcarded already: Or, Fifthly, That going fo far,
and taking fuch pains is a Sign of their Love: But a man
may (hew his Love to God,and to his Saint too by more
proper Inftances, and do more good by it, which God,
to be fure, will better accept, and the Saint, if he be
a Saint, will like as well. And therefore the making
fuch account of Pilgrimages, feems rather to favour the
Mahometan, than the Chrifiian Religion : For the go¬
ing on Pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the five indilpen-
fable points of the Mahometan Superftition.
And as for the Veneration of Reliques, all the World
knows,what a Cheat is put on Men, in vending any old
rotten Bone, or piece of Cloth, &c. for a Relique of
this or that Saint :So that according to a moderate Com¬
putation, I fappofe fcarcely one in a hundred is true:
And (bme have pleaded they need not be true. Now
whatever Devotion is performed to, or on occasion of thefe
Reliques, can be commendable only in regard of the
Mind and devout Temper of the Perfen } which I think
F 2 migh
Of the Devotions
might as acceptably (hew it felf in any other proper time
and place: And there is required a long Series of Conle-
quences before the Sight of S Axe, or any fuch
other of their Reliques,can be pretended to raifea man s
Devotion. But it being the chief Trade at Rome tofell
feigned pieces of Antiquity, and other fuch worthlefs
Trinkets at a high rate, I the lefs wonder, that they
have fuchanEfteem for Reliques; for it is for their pro¬
fit to keep up the Value of them, they being the prin¬
cipal Commodities of the place.
7. And the Bel ief which they have of the Saints hear*
ing them, and their Praetife of praying to them, is no pro¬
per Encouragement or Inftance of true Devotion.* For
all Devotion is properly towards God ; and therefore
the making Addrelies to any other cannot poffibly have
any direft Tendency to exalt our Devotion to him, but
is really a great hindrance ; For it takes mens Minds
off from God, and fets them on his Creature: And the
fame time that is fpent in Prayer to them, furely is bet-
ter fpent in praying to God, who is more prefent with
us, hears us better, and loves us more. And Men's go¬
ing to Saints when God is prefent, naturally tends to
provoke God's JealouJie: For he declares himfelf jealous
as to his Worfhip particularly, to let them up in Com¬
petition with God, and to create in Men an Opinion,
that they are more eafily entreated, and readier to do
us a Kindnefs than he is. And therefore though Men
may fear God more, yet they will rather love the Saint;
and Love is the trueft Motive to luch Devotion, as will
be beft accepted with God. And yet in this plainly con-
fifis all that Court which they make to the Virgin
ry, that (he would pacifie the Anger of God the Father,
or of the Son towards Men; they are reprefented levere,
and almoft cruel, to render her more amiable to thepeo-
pie in her interceding for them: So they frequently in
their
of the Church of Rome. 37
their printed allowed Books of Devotion,call her Foun¬
tain of Mercy, and Pity,and other Names of the like Im¬
portance. Now all the aflurance they have of her be¬
ing fo tender and compaffionate, is only becaufe (he is
a Woman 5 but they are allured of God's Mercy, both
from his Nature and his Word: They have no Aflu¬
rance that fhe, or any other Saint hears them 5 nor can
they (hew how the Saint can be rationally fuppofed to
know every thing that we do or fay } but they are well
aflured that God hears them: For he is ftiled The God
that heareth Prayer 3 which Prerogative of his, by every
Prayer, to a Saint^ they may at leaft fufpe<S that they
intrench on. They are not aflured that the Saint can
help them$ but they maybe fully fatisfied of his Help,
who is Almighty. They have no Encouragement from
Scripture for praying to Saints: For though the Angels
rejoyce at the Repentance of a Sinner, it doth not fol¬
low that therefore every concern of Men is known, or
Prayer heard by them } much lefi that we may pray to
them for the Gift of Repentance, or any other Grace.
And Prayer being fo confiderable a part of Divine Wor-
fhip,we need not doubt but the Angels and Saints would
refufe it: For fo St. John was' rebuked for offering to
worfhip the Angela though fuppofed immediately and
vifibly with him, Worfhip God, Rev. 19. 20.
So that if they prayed to Saints and Angels only to
mediate and intercede for them to God, it is more than
they have any Warrant or Allowance for. Chrift being
alwaysreprefented astheMediator betweenGod and man}
andthefettinguphis Servants in his Office, is as far as is
poflible a dtpofing of him. Nor is it in this cafe, asitisin
Courts on Earth(which is their common Excufe) where
a Favourite is made ufe of to reprefent our Caufe and
our Requeft to the King: For this is done becaufe our
Kings do* not know our Perfons,nor underftancl our Ca(e5
nor
38 Of the Devotions
nor can they be prefent in all places, and hear all Can-
fts themfelves: So that it is often neceffary that Princes
ihould employ and truft other than their own Eyes and
Ears. Many things they think below them to enquire par¬
ticularly into, and fometimes they will do that at the Ro
queft of a Favorite, which they would not do for the fake
of a Perfon that is not particularly known to them. But
there is no Room nor Occafion for this in the Court of
Heaven: For God is not only intimately known, but
is immediately prefent to all his Creatures 5 as he hath
declared himfelf no Refpe&erof Perfons,but to love all,
and therefore there is no need of any Interceflbr for us,
except the Lord Jefus 5 he affefts not empty Pomp and
State, but his Providence extends to every particular
Concern of the meaneftof all his Creatures 5 and though
he may give fome undeftrved Favours, as longer Lives,
and further Opportunities of Amendment, &c. for the
fake of others Prayers, yet no Man is fo far his Favou¬
rite, as to be able to perfwade him to reverfe his own
Laws, and to (ave a wicked Perfon that continues in his
Wickedneft. On all which Accounts there is no Occa¬
fion of praying to the Saints fo much as to intercede for
us, as the Church of Rome pretends. But to pray to
them to blejs us> and give us this or that Temporal or
Spiritual Good, as they of the Church of Rome praftife,
and to fuppofe them to have Power to help us in this or
that particular Difficulty and Diftemper is plainly intol-
lerable: For this is in a great meafure to revive Hea-
thenifm, by which Men worfbipped this or that God
for this or that particular Cafe. They muft grant the
Saint to have, though not an Original, yet a mod cer¬
tain and derivative Power, according to which he will
not fail to affift them that worfhip him 5 and in all fuch
Prayer, methinks they even terminate their Worfhip
on the Saint: For if I pray to a Saint to help me in this
or
of the Church of Rome. 3 9
or that Difficulty, with a full aflurance that this Saint
hath fufficient Power to help me, though I thould grant
that this Saint received this Power from God, yet my
Prayers terminate on the Saint. Indeed the Saint is ob¬
liged to God for that Power 3 but I Heem to own my
felf only obliged to the Saint, for his applying this his
general Power to my particular Cafe: Juft as I am ob¬
liged to a man for giving me an Eftate, though he is be¬
holden to the Government and Laws, that either he en¬
joyed that Eftate himfelf, or was empowered to give
it to another.
Befides that they often pray to Saints for fuch things,
which, if they be only Creatures,they can have no pow¬
er to give, or to be even fb much as the Inftruments of
conveying to usand yet it is notorious, they pray
fometimes to the Saints for Grace,for Pardon of and
Jirength againft them. So in Bonaven-
ture's .P/i/fer,tran(lated into Italian,and Salmi di S. Bonav.
pablifocd for ,he ufc of .be people, ££
tho the Tranflator and Publifher (ays, tifta Pinello. inGe-
that he had purged it from the Biaf- n03> Anno l6°6'
phemies which were in the former E-
ditionsj yet we find fuch pafiages as thefe to the Virgin
Mary, Pfal. 7. Come to her all ye that are heavy laden, and.
fie fiall give Reji and Refrefhment to your Souls. Pfal. 40.
Cleanfe my Heart. Pfal. 41. Thou art the beginning and the
end of my Salvation. Pfal. 44. By thy Holinefs my fins
arc purged, and by thy Integrity, Incorruptibility is given to
me. Pfal. 104- Eternal Salvation is in thy Hand,0 ,
and he that worthily honoureth thee fiall obtain it $ and many
more Sayings of this nature, or worfe, if poffible. Now
can any man fay, that fuch Prayers as thefe are fit to be
offered up to a Creature, or that they are Inftances of
the Devotion of a Chriftian, when they are fo offered
I am fure that we charge the Heathen with giving Di-
vins
40 Of the Devotions
vine Worfhip to Men-, though we can hardly find any
Expreffions or Prayers to their Gods, which arefo high,
and argue their terminating their Worfhip on them fo
fully as thefe, and other fiucb, which are commonly u-
fed by thofe of the Church oC to Saints, and spe¬
cially to the Virgin Mary.
8. And whatever they pretend, the conftant Trade
which they make of Confejfions and , and their
Doftrine concerning them, is fo far from encouraging
Devotion, that it is enough to remove all true Devo¬
tion out of the World, if the Providence of God did
not miraculoufly interpofe.
For though they be very conftant in their Confeffi-
ons of all their Sins to a Prieft, yet the frequency of it
in themfelves and others, makes them not fo much as a-
lhamed of themfelves; and though they may be more
afraid of angring their Priefts, yet they have no rea-
fon to abhor themfelves, or their Sins in the Sight of
God any more for it.
And when they have thus confefled, their Confeffor
may enjoyn what Penance he pleafeth,or elfe may leave
it to the Penitent's own Choice, as Efcobar from Snarez,
affirms; and men are not ufed to be very cruel to their
own Bodies,or lay a very fevere Penance on themfelves,
when a lighter will ferve.- Or elfe the Confeffor may fay
thus, " I impofe on thee for Penance whatever good
" thing thou haft done, or {halt do this Day, or this
cc Week, or whatever Evil thou haft, or fhalt fuffer.
And Cardinal Tolet is of the fame mind too. Now will
not this make a man mightily afraid of finning any more,
when his ordinary courfe of Converfation, and the un¬
avoidable Cafoalties of Life fhall be turned into a fuffi-
cient Penance, Satisfa&ion, and Punifhment for his Sin?
And if the Confeffor enjoyn no Penance at all, indeed
he is to blame, fays Efcobar j but ftill it is a Sacrament
for
of the Church of Rome. 41
for all that, becaufe a fatisfa&ory penance is not an
ejfential part of the Sacrament, but an Integral.
But if after all this the Confe&or will impofea Penance,
the Penitent may perform what he will of it: For, fays
Tolet, if he doth not perform his Penance, his Abfoluti-
on (lands good, only when hecomesto Confeffion next,
he muft confefs that he did not perform his penance, and
fo his Non-performance of penance will pais away in the
Crowd of his other Sins, and there is an end of it. And
if this pleafe them not,there is an eafier way ftill, if need
be: For you may get another man to do your penance
for you. Is not this a fine eafie way to Heaven, when
the faftingandfta rving of the Poor may be madetoferve
for a fatisfaftion for the Sins and Debauchery of the
Rich.<? Indeed Efcobar from Suarez, fays, There ought
to be a jufl Caufe for one's performing penance for ano¬
ther: But here the other Diftin&ion will help th
ad valorem. Jed ad jufiitiam requintur caufa, the penance
is valid, though there be no juft Caufe. And whether
there be a Caufe or no, it is not doubted, fays Efcobar9
but one may perform the penance for another, if the Con-
fejfor will give leave : And it is to be hoped there are fome
good natut'd Confeffors to be found: But good
Cardinal * Tolet is more free and generous than *Toletin-
EJcobar himfelf in this point: For he tells the
Confeffor, That he muft impofe a lighter Penance, 3.C. u.
if he fees the Penitent will not perform a harder,
without ever telling the Penitent, that this lighter will
not ferve his turn, or without ever putting him in mind
of his Danger, or of the neceffity of a harder penance 3
and wholly commits it to the prudence of one Priefk to
diminifla the penance which another had impofed,with¬
out fo much as once telling him,that perhaps this penance
will not fuffice. So that in plain terms, by Confequence,
he refolves it all into the power of the Prieft 3 and nei-
G ther
42 Of the Devotions
ther Confeflor nor Penitent are any further accountable
that I perceive, if too flight a penance be enjoyned,
the Sin is pardoned notwiihftanding. And laftiy, he
goes on,'and {hews,that though the Penitent be enjoyn¬
ed to perform his penance in his own perfon,yet he may
transfer this to another, without his Qonfejfors leave $ and
yet he (hall obtain the fatisfa&orj pzxt of penance,though
not the meritorious, that is, he ffjallbe excused from fujfer-
ing evil 5 but (hall not merit much at God's Hands by
luch penance. And indeed I think he is very unreafbnable
if he exped more : And befides all this, the defign of all
penance being only to (atisfie the Debt of Temporal
punilhment due to their Sins,there are feveral eafie ways
provided by their Chuich for the difcharge of it,befides
the feverepenance, as e.g. feveral fhort Prayers, to the
faying of which fome (cores of thoufands of years pardon
are annexed, totks quoties 3 there are large Indulgences
granted at Jubilees, and at feveral other good Times 5
and may at any time be had for a good Sum of Money 3
And if a man take no Care of himfelf all his Life, yet if
he can purchafe Prayersto be (aid for him after his death,
it will ferve as well. And though the Penance be never
fa eafie, and be performed as triflingly, yet the Abfo-
lotion, by which they fuppofe the Debt of eternal pu-
nifhment is difcharged, muft be as compleat and full as
poflible: For fo the afore-named Cardinal, with a great
deal of Concern., takes Care that the Abfolution be not
pronounced conditionally, as e. g. on condition that you
amend your Life, or perform your penance, &c. but it muft
be pronounced abfblutely, without any if or and, thus,
I abfolve thee, &c.
Now would not any one thinks that the Church of
Rome, by this Method of Confeffions and Penances fb
taught and pra&ifed among them, rather defigns to find
out the Temper and Inclinations of people3and to dive
into
of the Church of Rome. 45
into the Councils of great Men, or to anfwer fome other
fuch politick End, than to advance piety towards God,
or Amendment of Life in the Penitent? I am fare they
can have no hearty refpeft for Devotion, when they are
taught to look on their Prayers to God, as a levere Pe¬
nance $ and yet which they may be releafed from by
winning a Game at Cards, as is too commonly
known.
9. And their Do&rirre concerning the Merit of good
Works and Supererogation, as it is falfe, fo we cannot
look on it as any Encouragement to Devotion 5for God
will not be ferved with a Lye.
I confefs, if what is required of Men in their Confeflt-
on and Penances be enough to fave their Souls, they may
very eafily do more than is required: For they cannot
do Iefs, if they do any thing, though indeed one would
wonder, that any that confider the Nature of the Go-
fpel, or the Words of our Saviour, fhould ever pretend
to fupererogate.
But fuppofing their Do&rine to be true in thefe points,
they cannot be thought to ad vance Devotion,but rather
hinder it: For feeing it is fomewhat natural for a Man
to love his own Eafe, every one will be apt to argue
with htmfelf, that fo many have nterited already, that
there is no need of what he can do. Nay, it is Folly
for him to attempt it: For what need he endeavour to
add to a Stock of Merit, which is already infinite, as
fome have thought ?
And indeed it had need be infinite,elfe it is to be fear¬
ed, it is almoft, if not quite fpent, efpecially confider-
ing the vaft Expence of thefe Merits in frequent Jubilees^
and other Indulgences,the Multitude of Sinners, and the
little extraordinary Vertue and Piety found among them
at this day, to add to their Store; So that methinks it
may juftly be queftion'd whether they are not bankrupt
G 2 before
44 Of the Devotions
before now, their Disburfement Co much exceeding their
Receipts} and the Credit of their Bank (eems to depend
wholly on their OldJloch^oC Merit which the Ancients
laid up (or them, and yet they grant that this was ra¬
ther cafual, than out of Defign or good Nature; For
the Saints defign'd only to make fure of doing enough
for themfelves, and it feems that lefs ferved their turns
than they thought of, and the reft was laid by for the
ufe of (uch rich Sinners as the Church would fell it to.
So that all this Stock of Merit, which the Church of
Rome hath fo great occafion for, and of which there is
made fo prodigious an Expence, is at the beft but a
Chance and fpare-heap,which they cannot tell how they
came by (for every Bifhop hath the (ame Title to fuch
Treafure-trove that the Bilhop of Rome hath,) nay, they
have reafon to fear there was never any fuch Treafure :
(For I doubt not but the Saints in Heaven will thank¬
fully own, that they have received more from God
than they deferred, or could challenge;) to be fure,
they knew not how much there was ever laid up, nor
whether the Stock be fpent 5 and yet they fpend as free¬
ly now, as if they had been only laying up till this time,
and that the Treafure were now firft opened.
Many other fuch Abfurdities and unanfwerable Diffi¬
culties there are in their Doftrine of Merit, and in their
prattife of applying thefe Merits to the ufe of others.
And is it not a diftnal thing, that the Priefts of the
Church of Rome fliould teach men to truft in, and as to
Salvation,depend affuredly on thefe,of which they them-
ftlves have no manner of Affurance nor Ground to hope.
Is not this to play with Men's Souls and Eternal Salva¬
tion? And efpecially can this be urged as an Encourage¬
ment of Devotion, when, if it were as true as it is falfe,
it tends direftly to make Men vicious, and to ncgledfc
Devotion:, For fo a Man will think if there be fuch a
Stock
of the Church of Rome. 45
Stock in the Church, why Ihould not he have a Share
of it as well as another ? And if one can merit for ano¬
ther, why (hould not he depend on others, as well as,
they on his Merits? And feeing Merits may be bought
as the Roman Cafuifts have adjudged, he may think it
very reafonable that other's Merits fhould be given him
in exchange for his Money. So the Refiilt of all is this,ac¬
cording to this Do<drine,and the foppofed Church-floe^
only onething is needful,and that is Moneys and this will
fully make up all lack of Piety and Devotion.
10. And the belief of Purgatory,and of the validity of
Prayers for the dead, is no proper Encouragement of true
DevotiomFor true Devotion is fuch as we perform to God,
agreeably to his Will, when we know what we do,and for
what ends,and have a promife or hope ofSuccefs^but when
a man prays to God to deliver a Soul out of Purgatory,
he rauft fuppofe as true feveral things, which are ei¬
ther falfe, or at lead very uncertain 5 fo that he can
never pray in Faith, or without great perplexity and
diftraftion of mind 5 for he knows not whether there
be any fuch place or date as Purgatory: For Scripture
fays nothing of it, nor the Fathers of the three or four
fird Centuries. He knows not whether the Soul that
he prays for be in Purgatory ( if there fhould be fuch
a place ) for it may be in Heaven or in Hell, for ought
he can tell. And if the Soul be in Purgatory^ he knows
not whether it be tKeful or Lawful to pray for it 5 for
God hath given us neither Command, nor Encourage¬
ment, nor Liberty fo to do, Nay, there are feveral
particulars which they themfelves cannot agree on con¬
cerning Purgatory, viz. What Sins are promifed there ?
How the Sou! without its Body can be tormented there
with a material Fire? Who are Gods Indruments in pu-
mlhingthe Souls there? For the Devils are not 5 and.
how the Pope by his Indulgences can apply the Satisfa¬
ctions
4 6 Of the Devotions
ftions of Cbrift and of the Saints fo as to deliver any
Soul out of Purgatory > And if there be fuch a place,
the Pope himfelf by his Example doth enough to dif-
hearten all Men from endeavouring to deliver the Souls
of their Friends from thence: For it is not doubted but
he can deliver all out of Purgatory, he having the Com¬
mand of theTreafure of the Church. And it muft needs
be a wonderful Dilcouragement to a Devout Mind, that
among fb many hundred Popes, there fhould not be one
found fo Charitable as to releafe fo many thoulands of
poor Souls that lye under intolerable pains, and fo
muft lye till thelaft day, or til! the debt of their tempo¬
ral punifhment be paid. If the Pope can do fb much
with fo little Charge or Trouble tohimfelfj and yet will
not do it, fureiy I have left Reafon to do any
thing.
Nor doth it follow, that becaufe it is a part of ac¬
ceptable Devotion^ for one Man to pray for another,
whilft living here on Earth 3 that therefore it is as plea-
fing to God, for us to pray for Souls departed For
our Prayers for others on Earth, are either for Tempo¬
ral Bleffings, or for the means of Grace. We pretend
not to defire God to reverfe his own Laws, and five
fuch a Man, let him be as bad as he will 5 but to make
him Holyfirft, and then to make him Happy : And to
Pray any otherwife for another Man, naturally tends to
reprefent it as feafible to reconcile a wicked Life with
the hopes of Heaven 3 but when a Man is dead he can
Work no more, nor make any ufe of the means ofGrace9
and therefore there is no room for this Prayer to God
for him, he is not capable of Repentance, and Glory, and
Amendment, and of being made fit for Heaven.
Lafily, If they boaft of the validity of the Orders of
their Bifhops and Priefts, as an Encouragement to De¬
votion, the validity of the Sacraments dependnig fo
much
of the Church of Rome. 47
much on the Legality of the Miniftry 5 We anfwer
that we have a Clergy as properly and truly of Chrifts
fending as any Church in the World 5 againft whole
Ordination and Miffion nothing can be objected .• We
deriving the Suceeffion of our Bifhops, not only from
their own Auftm , but from the Britift) BiChops before
his time, which is the only Regular way of Miffion,
that we know of, except that of an extraordinary Com-
miffion from Heav'nas St. Paul had. And 1 would not
that there were that to be objected againft us, that is
juftly objected againft them, as to the Suceeffion of their
Popes even fince the Reformation began. For the Ele¬
ction of Sixtus V. wasmoft notoriously Simomacal, and
yet one that comes by Simony into the Popedom, is by
their own Canon Law, by the Bull or Conftitution of
Julim II. approved in the Council of Later an,An. 1513.
to be locked on as a Magician, Heathen, Publican, and ptimi
Arch-Heretick, and his Eleffion can never be made valid Decree^
by any after A3, and yet feveral of the Popes fince-, were
either made Cardinals by this Sixtus V. or received
that Dignity from thofe that received it from him ^
which is the very Cafe of this prefent Pope Innocent
Eleventh.
As for their Unity2 it is plain that they have more
divifions among themfelves, then they can charge us
with. For they have not only fuch as openly difient
and feparate from them, but great and violent distenti¬
ons among their own Members, and fuch as live in the
Communion of their Church, one againft another, and
each party pleads the Doftrine of the Church, and De-
cifions of its Councils. And yet the Pope himfelf^ not-
withftanding his Infallibility and Authority,either cannot
or dare not determine which is in the Right, or which
Opinion is True.
So
48 Of the Devotions
So that whatever Power and Authority their Church
hath, it hath no good effeCt to (uch ends and purpofes,
to which Church-Power is defigned to ferve, the en¬
couragement of Holinefs and Vertue, and the difcoun-
tenancing of Vice, the Prefervation of the DoCtrine in
Purity, and of the Members at peace one with ano¬
ther. It is true they are more able to lee the Laws of
their Church Duly executed 5 but it is to their dilpa-
ragement to have fo much Power, and yet to do lb lit¬
tle good with it. As for us, we had rather delerve more
then we have, then that it fhould be faid that we have
more power then we deferve. And whatever Power
our Church wants, and whatever lols Religion fuffers
by this means, we juftly Charge the Church of Rom
with the guilt of it, who have made all Princes jealous,
and affraid of all Church-Power, by their invading
their temporal Rights under pretence of a Spiritual Ju¬
risdiction.
In fhort, though lomewhat may be faid for the worft
thing, and a very bad Caufe may have a great deal plea¬
ded in its Vindication, as we have feen in all the fore¬
going Helps and Inftances of Devotion,which the Church
of Rome boaftsof} yet if we confider them, they all
in fome refpeCt or other come fhort of what they pre¬
tend to 5 feveral of them being very improper, many
plainly Nonfenfical and Ridiculous 5 they proceed from
bad Principles, are done in an undue Manner and Mea-
lure, or to ferve fome bad end or defign, or fome fuch
other way offend 5 even the moft fecure Practices,which
moft relemble true Self-denial, are countenanced or en-
joyned rather to make a (how, or to gratifie IbmeTem-
pers, then to advance Devotion 5 for excefles and over-
aCtings are often Infirmities, and the efFe&s of Weak-
ne(s$ fteddinefs being the moft certain fign of Strength,
as the fhaking Palfy is a Difeafe and Sign of Weaknels,
as well as the Dead one. 3. I
of the Church Rome. 4^
3. I now come to confider fuch things in the Do*
cfrine and Difcipline of the Church of Rome, as tend
dire&ly to promote Debauchery of Manners, and Care-
lefsnefs in Devotion,
rJl infift only on thefe few, among very many*
Firjl, The unlimited Power which they afcribe to the
Church, or to the Pope as Head or Monarch of it ;
For the People are taught that he can make null Duties
that were made neceffary by God, and make necefiary
what was not fb before. The Confequence of which
Doftrine is plainly this, that a Man may fafely difbbey
and negled the ferving of God, if he pay but his due
refpefts to the Pope. And yet their Cafuifts have defi¬
ned that the Pope can difpenfe with Sins, or give leave
to do things forbidden by the law of God, as well as
pardon them when committed, as in the Difpenfations
with unlawful Marriages. And on the other fide he can
excufe them from doing what they are by their Duty
to God bound to do, as in his Difpenfations with Vows
though made never fo folemnly to God himfelf. That
is, he can bind where God hath left us loofe, and he can
loofe where God has bound us. Nay, a Superiour can
give a Difpenfation even when he doubteth whether it
be lawful or no $ becaufe in a doubtful cafe the milder fide
is to betaken. And if the Reafon ceafeth for which the
Difpenfation was given, yet the Difpenfation doth not
ceafe: Nay, a Difpenfation may be granted where there
is no Reafon or Caufe for it 5 and yet the Difpenfation
is valid notwithftanding. And not the Pope only, but
every Bifhop and Prieft hath his Share of this Power,
only there are fome referved and more profitable Cafes,
which his Holinefs only can difpenfe in. And though I
cannot tell what they thinks yet I am fure their Cafuifts
are very (by offaying, that there is any Cafe in which
H there
there may not be a Difpenfation granted for the doing of
it, or a Pardon for it when it is done.
And all Indulgences are dire&ly defigned to hinder
Devotion, for they are given to free Men from the Ne-
ceffity of Mortification, frequent Alms and Prayers,
which elfe would have been enjoy ned as Penance ; and
yet we know that thefe are the chiefeft parts of Devo¬
tion.
And as their general Do&rine concerning the validi¬
ty of Pardons and Indulgences is very deftru&ive of all
true Piety and Religion: So,
Seco ndly,Their conftant Practice ofgiving -
fore Penance js in a more efpecial manner influential to that
purpofe. For the People are taught to believe, that
by thePriefts faying, I abfolve thee, See. the Sin is actu¬
ally pardoned by God .• And though indeed their
Guides of Confeflors advife that Abfolution fhould not
be given till Penance be impofed and accepted 3 yet
when the Confeflor thinks that the Penitent will accept
of the Penance, he may abfolve him firft .* That is, the
Perfon may be abfojved before he accept the Penance,
or even promife to perform it 5 but it is their conftant
Method to abfolve him before Penance be a&ually per-
form'd.
Now if their Abfolution be of force, the Perfon is
free from his Sin, and fure enough of Heaven, whether
he perform any Penance or no : Which Praftice gives
all imaginable Encouragement and Licenfe to Sin 3 the
. fear of Penance being the only reftraint from Sin which
they pretend to 3 but if the Sin be fully pardoned be¬
fore Penance be accepted or performed: I lee not why
a man fhould trouble himfelf much for the performance
of his Penance y he fees plainly that it is only an Appen¬
dix that is ufed to be annext to Abfolution, but is nei¬
ther neceflary in it felf nor for Abfolution 3 the Sin is
pardon'd
of the Church of Rome. 51
pardon'd already, and at the worft there is only fome
temporal Punifhment to be fatisfied tor, which he may
get rid of feveral other ways.
Nay indeed the true and ancient Notion of Penance
is utterly deftroyed, by its being impoled and perform¬
ed after Abfolution. For Penance according to the
Primitive u(e of it, was a fevere courfe of Life prefcri-
bed to a Perfon that had grievioufly offended, as a pro*
per Method for him, at the fame time to teftifie his own
Ibrrow for his Sin, and abhorrence of it, and to create
in him an Averfation to the Like for the time to come 5
and alio to fatisfie the Church of all this, that fo he
might be admitted to Abfolution and the Communion :
And therefore their Penances were always publick, and
indeed it is by publick Penance only that all thefe fo
good ends can poffibly be anfwered But now in the
Church of Rome, the Offender is pardoned without a-
ny thing of this, he is not put to any grief for his Sin
before he be abfolved. It is left wholly to his own Ho-
nefty and Generofity whether he will perform any Pe¬
nance for his Sin. Nay indeed fo loath are they to ap¬
pear fevere againft Sin, or Cruel to the Sinner 3 that
when in the Council of Trent fome would have revi¬
ved this Difcipline, by enafting publick. Penance, they
were violently oppofed and over-ruled 3 tho St. Grego¬
ry a Pope of Rome had held it to be of Divine Right :
and their Cafuifts fince teach that a Confeffor cannot,
or ought not to enjoyn a publick, Penance: So that by this
means a Man is not fo much as to be put to the blufii
for his Sins 3 for no fuch Penance muff be impofed by
which the Sin may be known, and he is fure that the
Confeffor to fave a Kingdom dare not reveal or difco-
ver it.
Thirdly,Their Do&rine concerning the Nature of feveral
Sins, is fuch as muft needs rather incourage Men to con-
H 2 tinue
52 Of the Devotions
tinue in Sin, than deliver us from it} and will fpoii all
true Devotion to God, and that due regard that we
ought to have to his Commandments.
Efcobar They tell us th^rre is a vaft number of Sills in their
Trad. own Nature Venial^ which are Co very inconfiderable
X" an infinite number of them altogether will not de¬
prive a man of the Grace and Favour of God, or make
up one Mortal Sin, and for the Pardon of which there
is no need or occafion for the Mercy of God : And yet
they have no certain Fades to difcover whether a Sin be
Mortal or Venial^ fo that men are in wonderful danger of
being cheated in a matter offo great Moment as their E-
ternal Salvation.
Efcobar They tell us alfo, that an Habitual Sin, is only a Stain
Trad. 2. It ft by former voluntary Sins, and a Deprivation of
^P;1' habitual Goodneft} but hath nothing tile that is evil in
it. From which Dodrineit neceffatily follows that a
man is guilty only of thofe Sins which created this Ha¬
bit, and that there is not an habitual Repentance, or
Courfe of Life required to get pardon for habitual Sins}
but a few or perhaps one fingle Ad of Contrition will
ferve. So that the more a Man finneth the better
he may, and it is a piece of true Prudence to get an Ha¬
bit of all Sin betimes } for a Man is accountable only
for thofe Sins which preceded the Habit 5 all the Sins
which follow it will pafs under the name of Inadver¬
tencies.> and as fuch can be efteemed only as a kind of
Venial Sins.
And they not only allow the Church Power to com¬
mand what doth not belong to her in many Cafes 5 but
give fuch Authority to her Commands, as to make the
Difobedience to them the greateft of all Sins, and make
way for the breaking of the Laws of God,that they may
keep thofe of the Church. So Marriage hath been ad¬
judged a greater Sin in a Prieftthan Fornicat /<w,becaufe
of the Church of Rome. 5^
the Priefts are obliged to Celibacy by the Laws of the
Church,and their own Vow 3 as if they were not by the
Laws of God, and their Vow of Baptifm more obliged
to abftain from Fornication 3 and accordingly for Mar¬
riage, a Prieft is excommunicated or depofed 3 but for
Fornication, he is only obliged to confefs it fecretly a-
mong his other Sins 3 and the Guilt and Irregularity of
it is done away by Abfblution. Indeed they bring al-
moft all Sins under the Head of Difcipline, not only by
pretending to give Pardon and Difpenfations for molt
Sins that can be committed 3 but alfo when they com¬
pare Sins, they are always moft earneft againft fuch as
tranlgrefs the Commands of the Church. So v.g. when
Efcobar asks the Queftion, What if I communicate unwor-
thily df Eafler? He anfwers,, That by fo doings I fulfil the
Command of the Church, which is what I am immediately
bound to: And pafieth over the Duty of Self examinati¬
on and Preparation fo ftriftly enjoyned by St. Paul, as
not worthy to be confidered: And fo in innumerable o-
ther Cafes 3 by which means indeed they create a great
Veneration for the Church, or for that which they call
the Church 3 but thereby make the Commands of God
of none efieft.
Fourthly0 Their very Doftrine concerning their Pray¬
ers and Devotions, and their Praftife confequent on itr
is fuch as is altogether inconfiftent with the Nature of
true Devotion: For, according to the Church of Romey
the outward Aft will fuffice in many Cafes, though no¬
thing of the Mind go along with it 3 particularly as to
Prayers Efcobar from Coninch and Durandus affirms, that
neither an aftual, rior vertual Attention is required
when a man prayeth 5 and they give an excellent Reafon
for what they fay, viz• Becauje theChurchhath no Power
in hidden Cafes, but only in the Cafe of Auricular ConfeJJion:
As if in Prayer only the power of the Church,and Obe¬
dience
54 the Devotions
dience to its Commands were to be regarded.- And he
confirmeth his Affertion with this other moft cogent
Comparifon, That an outward Aft of Devotion, or
Prayer only with the Mouth, is a true Aft of Prayer,
tbo without the Intention, as an outward Aft of Ado¬
ration of an Idol, though without the Intention,is a true
Aft of Idolatry.So that for a man to mind what he doth
when he is at Prayers, or to be earneft in his Defires of
that which he prayeth for, though it may poffibly be a
Commendation, and Accomplilhment, yet it is not ne-
ceffary either to the pleafing of God, or fatisfying of
his Duty according to the Church of Rome. Nay, it is
a praifeforaman to draw nigh with the honour
him with the Lips, though the Heart he far from God, not-
withftanding that our Saviour, after the Prophet Ifaiah
blamed the Jews for fo doing. Indeed luch a kind of fo-
perficial Chriftians will this Doftrine make, that a Pha-
rifee would have been an excellent Man, if he had lived
in thefe days.
And purfuant to this Doftrine of the No neceffity of
Attention at Prayers,they take care that the people fliall
not be able to attend to what is donej and therefore pro¬
vide that th epuhlichPrayersand th it lelf {hall be
only in a Language xnktioivn to the people,andare fo defpe-
ratelyfondof thisDeviceofkeeping the people ignorant
of what is prayed for, that their Cafuifts have defined,
that a Man may fay his Office privately in other Langua¬
ges befides the Latin, as in or Gree%, but not in
the Vulgar Language} at the lame time keeping the peo¬
ple in Ignorance, and difoouraging them in their De¬
votions, and exercifing their Authority over them in the
moft dangerous manner that can be.
6. Their afcribing fpiritual Effefts to foveral things
which are purely of their own Invention, is much to the
Difcouragement of true Devotion towards God. And
yet
of the Church of Rome. 55
yet they have very many things of this Nature; As Ho¬
ly Waterway the being fprinkled with which,they believe
the Devil (hall have le(s power over them; Agnus Deis5
Swords and Medals which they wear to preferve them
from Dangers 3 which being confecrated according to
the Rules of their Church-, have through the Devoti¬
on of the Perfons, and the power of the Church, a
wonderful good effed5 though indeed God never pro-
mifed any fuch thing.
To this Head I may refer alfo, their Rofary, which is
nothing elfe but an odd Combination of Pater-nojlers
and Ave Marys. Several Jhort Prayers to the faying of
which thoufands of years of pardon of Sins are annext:
Their carrying the Image of St. Genovefa in Proceflion
at Pariand other Images in other Places to obtain
Rain, &c. and innumerable other fuch like Pradices,
on which Men are taught to relie, and to exped great
good by, though they have neither any natural force
or efficacy that way 5 nor any aflurance from God that
fuch effeds fhall follow. Nay even the Sacraments
themfelves according to the Dodrineof the Church of
Rome are only fuch a kind of Charms 3 for they are fup-
pofed to work effedually on the Perfon, without any
Devotion or Vertuous Difpofition being required of him
in order to it.
Now whatever effed they promife above what the
natural efficacy of the thing is apt and able to produce,
they muft have expreft Authority from God, or ehe
they fadly delude and cheat thole poor Souls that depend
upon them. And at the beft they ai£ fuppofed only a
(horter cut to Heaven, an eafier way of pleafing God
and getting his Bleffing, and are invented only to eafe
a Man of the fatigue and trouble of the common and
ordinaryrode of ferving him by a conftancy and regu¬
larity of Devotions.
Seventhly
Seventhly, Their Manuals and Books of Devotion
which they give their People to read, inftead of the
Scripture which they forbid to be ufed, though they
may defign them as jHelps,yet I muft range them among
the Hindrances of Devotion.
For the beft of them are lo full of Tautologies and
vain Repetitions, that they muft needs come under the
Cenfure of our bleffed Saviour, Matt. 6. though they
ule his own holy Name. For fo in the Pfalter, at
the end of the Manual of Prayers and Litanies Printed
at Paris in Englijh, An. 1682. in a Litany of fifteen Pe¬
titions, the Name Jefu is repeated over above 130
times. And in the fame Book , in the Litany of
tke bleffed Virgin, they pray to her by 40 feveral Names,
being only fo many diftina prailes ofher. And the like
is obfervable in all their Books of Devotion which lever
law. Now their laying the lame thing (o often over, is
not contrived to help and alfift Attention, or prevent
Diftra&ion, or as a Repetition of what is more then or¬
dinarily important,or for any other good and prudent
Realon, but out of pure Vanity and Oftentation, or as
it were even to flatter our bleffed Saviour or the Saint
which they pray to.
But moft of the Books and Legends which they put
into the hands of their People to excite their Devotion,
and by which the People take an eftimate of the Chri-
ftian Religion, are luch wretched plain Forgeries, and
fo pitifully contrived Fables, as can never be believed
by Men of Senle, and if they could be believed, are
proper indeed tp make Men Mad and Enthufiaftical$
but not to advance true Devotion 5 and he that reads
only luch Books is qualified indeed to tell Stories and
to believe Lies, but no ferious truth will ftick to him
or be valued by him. So that fuch Books as thele are
fo far from doing good,that they do much harm to Re¬
ligion
Iioli
of the Chnrch of Rome. 57
lig'ton 5 for they Imprint a wrong Notion of Religion
on Mens Minds 5 would make a Man believe that God
is Jikea Child pleafed with Trifles, that Religion and
the Method of our Salvation is only a Charm and Trick,
which the Priefts have gotten the receit of; but that
there is nothing in Chriftianity fit to make a man wife
and manly in his Worfhip of God, or in the manage¬
ment of himfelf and pra&ice of Devotion. Nay the
Stories which are told in the Lives of their Saints," and
believed by the Common People, are enough even to
deprave the natural Sentiments of Mankind concerning
God and Religion, fo that perhaps it were much bet¬
ter to leave Men to the natural effluxes of their own
minds, than to pretend to affift them with fitch Helps
as thefe. That a little Water or a Bell (hould
(care the Devil, or St. Francis's rope charm and bind
him, would make a Man have little fear of fuch an Ene¬
my, or a prodigious Veneration for fuch a Saint; but
how it (hould render a Man more pioufly affe&ed to¬
ward God, more relying on his Providence, or more
Religioufly Careful over himfelf,I fee not; And thefe Sto¬
ries though fo apparently falfe, yet being affirm'd with
fuch Confidence, ftrike at the very Foundation of our
Religion; For it is apt to make Men believe that Chri-
ftianity it felf was at firft propagated among a fad dull
ftupid and credulous Generation of Men ; ( when as
really it firft appeared in an Age as (harp-fighted, as a-
ny Age before or fince, which is much for its Vindica¬
tion. ) It would tempt a Man to defpife a Religion in
which foch Men are Saints, and fuch Pra&ifes commen¬
ded ; And will fet Chriftianity but on the feme level
with modern Judaifntand Maho; For the Jews
have juft as much to fey for their Cabbala, and the Turks
for their incredible Fables; for they are reported on
the feme Credit, are juft fo credible in themfelves, and
I juft
5B Of the Devotions
juft as edifying of the People that attend to them: The
Miracles which they relate being often Juft fo ufeful,
as that pretended to be wrought in the Temple of Apol¬
lo $ when a Man coming out of the Temple, it was ob-
ferved that his body did not caft any (hadow, by which
thing however ftrange in it felf, the Man was not much
the better, nor the World wifer.
But many of their Books of Devotion are worfe
than ridiculous 5 for there are frequently fuch paffages
and prayers as I cannot tell how to vindicate from Blaf-
phemy and Idolatry. Saint Bonaventures Pfalter both in
Latin, and Italian I mentioned before, in which there
are I believe a thoufand fuch Prayers to her, or ExpreP
fions concerning her, which I confefi I could not with a
fafe Confidence fay* of any Creature. And Albertus
Magnus the Mailer of St Thomas Aquinas hath not only
12 Books of thePraifesof the Tar gin Mary, but alfoa
diftind Book called Biblia Mariana 5 in which he ap¬
plies feveral places of Scripture to the Virgin Mary 5 as
if (he were prefigured in feveral pafTages of the Old
Teftament as well as her Son : So Gen. 1. 1. that Jhe was
that Heaven that God made. Gen. 1. 3. She was the Light
which God there mack $ and fo on through almoft the
whole Scripture; And however Cautious they are in the
Books which they Print in Englifh for the ufe of their
Converts here : yet in them we find often fuch fayings
to or of the Virgin Mary as I cannot reconcile with
Chriftianity 5 for fo in the Manual quoted before, in
the Prayers for Women with Child they Ong thus to
■her, 1 • , .■ \? jv
Hail to the §)uetn who Reigns abover
Mother of Ckmencie and Love, fkc.
ddf'b^aa] ibnt loi
Elfewhere they pray thus to her, pag.196. Oblefled
Mother
of the Church o Rome. 59
Mother ajjzfl my Weaknefs in all my Dangers and Necejji-
ties, in all Temptations to Sin9 and in the hour of my Death,
that through thy Prote&ion I may be fafe in the Lord.
Where the Lord indeed is mentioned, out of Comple¬
ment, and for Faftiions fake, but they had firft begged
of the Lady as much as they wanted or could defire .•
and pag. 80. they call her Spoufe of the Holy Ghoft, Pro-
mife of the Prophets, Expe&ation of the Patriarchs, gfueen
of the Angels, Teacher of the Apojlles, Strengthner of Mar¬
tyr /, Faithful Comforter of the Living and Dead. Now
if they Print fuch things in Englifh, what do they Print
in Spanijh ? If they do fuch things in a Green Tree, what
fhall be done in the dry > And I fear that even their ni-
ceft Cafuifts give too much Countenance to this fo grofs
Practice: For they have determined that Honours above
Civil, cult us Hyperduli<e are due to the Virgin Mary, that
is in plain Englifla, Divine Honours muft be paid to her.
For it muft be a very Metaphyfical Head, that can in this
Senfe apprehend a kind of Honour above Civil, and yet
not Divine 5 it muft be fomewhat like his, that would
pretend to find a mean between Creator and Creature, be¬
tween Finite and Infinite.
Laftly, this is moft notorious, that they enjoyn afts
to beufed, and propofe Objefts of Worfhip which they
themfelves cannot deny but there is danger of offending
in them, and even of falling into that Idolatry 3 and yet
take little or no care of giving caution concerning them 5
and if the groffeft abufe fhould happen, there is fcarcely
any poffibility of redrefs.
Indeed wherever they fpeak of Veneration due to Re-
liques and Images, of worfhipping of Saints, and efpe-
cially the Virgin Mary, they always feem as if they ca¬
red not how much Honour were paid to them 5 only
they muft make as if they put fome Reftri&ion on it,
for the fake of the reformed who would exclaim againft
I 2 them
60 Of the Devotions
them: And therefore their Command for the worfhip-
ping of them is general and ab(b!ute$ but the Limitati¬
ons are fo nice and forced, that one may eafiiy fee that
they very unwillingly deny any Worlhip to be paid to
them. For fo the wary Council o(Trent (peaking of I-
mages, fays, They are to be kgpt^ and due Honour and
Veneration paid to them: And though by and by they feem
as if they would limit this Honour, yet prefently they
put in fuch words as make that pretended Limitation to
fignifie nothing : For they tell you, That whatever Ho¬
nor jm pay to the Image? gees to the perfon reprtfented^v. g.
to our Saviour) it feems the Honor is paid to himwhe-
ther we intend fo or no: And hence you may eafiiy ga¬
ther what Honor is due to the Image of our Saviour,
and how little fear there is of paying too much Honour
to it: For I fuppofe we are all agreed there is no fear of
paying too much Honour to our Bkfled Saviour} and
whatever Honour is paid to his Image, is paid to him, if
we can believe thefe Gentlemen. And agreeably here¬
unto, it is very rare to hear of any perfon cenfured or
blamed for paying too much Honour to Images, though
furely it is as poffible for men to be Idolaters now as in
the former Ages 5 and I fuppofe that neither the com¬
mon people, nor all the Priefts are Men of fuch extra¬
ordinary llnderftanding and Learning, as to be altoge¬
ther free from the like Temptation. Nav, the Caution
which is given (eems only to concern, Imagines falji dog-
mat is ^ & Rudihm periculoji Errork Occajionem prtfbentes 5
but there is not one word concerning the abufe -which
may be made of the Image of Chrift, or of a true Saint:
There is no Provifion made that Men be warned not to
perform too much Devotion in their Minds to a good I-
mage.
And by what this Council fays thePrieft underftands
well enough what it intends, and therefore fcarcely ever
dare
of the Church of Rome.
dare preach againft the excels and abufe of Images, Re-
liques, &c. tho they cannot but fee it a&ually commit¬
ted every day.
And now if there (hould happen to be any Idolatrous
Worfhip pay'd to an Image, tho the BiChop hath pow¬
er indeed to fet the Image up, yet he hath not power to
pull it down, or to corredt any abufe concerning it 5
without the leave of the Archbifhop and other Bifhops
of the Province, and even of the Pope htmlelf. So
unwilling do they (eem that any Provifion fhould be
made for redreffingabufcs in (b great and common a Cafe
as the excels in Worfhip of Images muft needs be, v. Con-
cil.Trid. SejJ\ 25.
Laflly, as we have feen how deficient and very faulty
the Church of Rome is in her pretences to Devotion,
wee'il now confiaer what Provifion is made for the due
Exercife of Devotion among our (lives ^ that we may
thank God for our being fettled in the Communion of
the Church of England*, and may learn to be confcienti-
oufly find and regular in our own, as well as to defpife
the Rcm;fh Devotions. And in order hereunto, I rec¬
kon that thefe four things arc elpecially to be re¬
garded.
Firfi^ That among us none but the true Obj.dt: of
Devotion is propofed to be worfhipped. God the Fa¬
ther Son and Holy Ghoft, none of the moft blefied An¬
gels, or Saints in Heaven being ever invoked, or ado¬
red by us. For we look on them only as our Brethren,
and Members of the fame Church with us, triumphing
indeed whilft we are here below ftiil in our Warfare.
We thank God for them, and keep Feafts in the Memo¬
ry of them, at the fame time praifingGod for his Good-
ne(s and Grace beftowed on them, and Chining forth ia
them, and alfo ftirring op our (elves by fueh Comme¬
morations to follow their good Example^ and this we
think
6i Of the Devotions
think is as much as is due from us to our fellow Creatures,
arid believe that neither God allows, nor do they expert
more from us. •
Secondly, Only proper ExpreJJion of Devotion are com¬
manded or allowed by our Church. For the matter of
them they are fiich as God himfelf hath required to be
firved by, are fignificant of that difpolition of Mind
which we know God accepts, and have an aptnefs to
the producing of that temper in us which God intends
to work us up to by them .• We ufe all the Inftances of
Devotion which they of the Church of , if they
be either neceffary or fit} though indeed often to other
and better purpofe. We pray conftantly, but only for
the living} for we look on the Dead as paft the means
of Grace, and confequently paft the benefit of our Pray¬
ers. We praife God for his Excellencies in himfelf, and
thanks him for his Goodnefs to others as well as to our
felves : We praftife Confejjion of Sins to God in pub-
lick, and in private, and advife it to be made alfb to the
Minifters of Gods Word, when it is neceffary for Ghoft-
3y Counfei and Advice, for the fatisfying of their Con¬
fidences, and the removal of Scruple, and Doubtfulnefi:
but we cannot fay it is neceffary to be made to Men in
order to the Pardon of God : We reckon it rather as
a priviledg or advantage than a Duty? And if Men will
not make ufe of this priviledg, as often as there is Oc-
cafion unlefs we tell a lye to advance the credit of it, we
cannot help that: We enjoyn and difallow not
of Penances, but advife People to take an holy revenge
on themfelves when they have finned} but not as the
Papifts do to Jatisfie for their Sins, or merit at Gods
hand, but to {hew the fincerity of their Repentance,
and to ftrengthen their Refolutions of amendment} for
it is our amendment, and not our punifhment which
God is pleafed with. And we take care that all thefe
things
of the Church of Rome. 63
things be performed in a due meafare, proportionably
to the ftrength of the Perfon, and the Nature and De-
fign of the Duty 5 but are afraid of draining them too
high, left men fhould be altogether deterred from them,
or acquiefce only in the outward A<ftion5 or render our
ielves and our Caufe ridiculous by an imprudent man¬
agement. We have the Sacraments duly adminiftred,
as our Saviour commanded them 5 we reckon our Bap-
tifin with Water perfect without Oyl or Spittle .* We
grutch not the Cup to the Laity, nor celebrate (binary
Communions, nor admire whifpering to God in the
Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Chrift$ but as
we have received from Chrift, fo we teach and ad-
minifter, without Addition or Diminution of any thing
eflential or material. In fhort, in the holy Offices them-
felves, and the behaviour which our Church requires
they be celebrated with, there is always a great proprie¬
ty obfervable, agreeable to the Command of God in
Scripture, and the Praftice of the Apoftles and firft A-
gesof the Church, proper to the ftveral parts of di¬
vine Worfhip, expreffive of our Senfe, confbnant to
Reafon, and the ufeof the World, efpecially refpeft be¬
ing always had to the exciting of Piety and Devotion in
the minds and carriage of our People.
Thirdly, All ufeful Helps, Motives and Occalions are
here plentifully afforded and preffed on Men. For we
not only have all our Service in a Language which the
meaneft People underftand, but have it fo contrived by
frequent Refponfes5 that every Peffbn bears a part in that
Worfhip which he is fo much concerned in, and doth
not only hear the Prieft fpeak toGod Almighty,but prays
for himfelf, arid is required to joyn his affent to every
fhort Prayer by a diftinflr Atiwn. With us thdame Ser¬
vice arid Rules of Life are enjoyned to all, dH Men ha-*
ving the fame Concern in arioffier life however differ¬
ent
64
Of the Devotions
ent their Circumflances and Concerns are in this Life.
We have confhnt Prayers in every Parifh weekly at
leaft, inmanydayly, with the blell'ed Sacrament of the
Body and Biood of Chrift frequently adminiftred, nay
every Sunday, not only in Cathedrals, but in feveral
Colledges and private Parilh Churches. And we ap¬
peal to"all Men whether there be any where more practi¬
cal Sermons, fitted to the Cafes of Men, without Vani¬
ty and Superftition, than among us 5 Whether good and
free Learning beany where more encouraged, or where
better care is taken for the due Inftruftion of the Peo¬
ple : The Scriptures being in every one's hands, with
us, and other excellent Books made according to the
Do&rine of the Holy Scriptures, inftead of Legends and
Lives of Saints, Sr. Bonaventure's Pfalter, and other fuch
Books which are really Libels againft Chriftianity, and
yet are the principal Books which the Priefts of the
Church of Rom commend to their People.* For as for
the Bible, if any one of them hath happened to read
in it, who is not licenfed to that purpofe, he muft
own it as a Sin to his Prieft at his next Confefe
fion.
And as there are fuch bleffed Opportunities afforded
ib conftantly, and fuch Prudent Provifion made for all
Cafes Ordinary and Extraordinary, fol thank God, we
can fay that our People are generally very diligent in
the ufe of thefe Means; ("or would be more fo, were it
not for the Divifions which they of the Church of
elpecially raife among us.) For they may eafily per¬
ceive that we urge no more on them than their own
good, and the commands of God require of themjthough
our Church knows her Power very well, yet (he makes
ufe of it only to enforce the Laws of God, to explain,
illuftrate and apply them to particular Cafes, but never
to fet up her own Commands inOppofition to them, as
the
of the Church of Rome. 65
the Church of Rome doth ; and therefore though we
teach our People to dread an Excommunication, it be¬
ing fummumfuturijudicii Praju, as Tertullian calls
it, a foretaft or forestalling of the laft Judgment; and not
for a World to lye under it, though it were infli&ed
only for Contempt; yet we warn them in the firfl: place
to avoid the Caufe and Occafion of Excommunication,
and therefore not to value what Cenfores of the Church
of Rome we are under, they being fo very uniuft and
Groundlefs.
Fourthly, and lajlly, as only the true OhjeB of Devo¬
tion is here worlhipped, only proallowed,
all ufefit I Helps afforded 5 fo alfo the greateji Jlrefs is laid
on the PraChfe of it, agreeable to the true Nature, End
and Defign of it. The Principal ends of Devotion are
to pay a Homage to God our great Creator and Bene-
faftor, to get his Blefling, and to work our felves up to
a better temper of Mind : And to this end we are in our
Service importunate without Vanity or Impertinency,
long without Tedioufnefs, or Idle Repetitions 5 f Only
we ufe the Lord's Prayer often, that no part of our Ser¬
vice may be without that perfect form, and alfo in Con-
fideration of the great Comprehenfivenefs of it, and of
the Diftra&ion ofMen'sMinds which feldom can attend
to the full Senfe of it all at one time. ) And we teach
oar People that every Man muft work for himlelf, for
he.that prays only by a Proxy, it is very juft that he
fhould be rewarded only by a Proxy too5 we put our
People in mind that an unfeigned Repentance is abfo-
lutely Neceffary, and not a Verbal one only .• That it
is out of our power, and of any Man's in the World to
turn Attrition into Contrition. We pretend not to di-
fpenfe With any for not obeying the Command of God.
We haven oTaxitCamera by which thePapifts are (hown
K how
66 Of the Devotions
how all Sins are fined in their Church} for in that Book
Men fee at what Charge they may kill a Father, or co-
mit Inceft with their Sifters .• But we affure all, that the
Wages of Sin is Death, Death Eternal, if indulged and
not moft earneftly repented of. And we tell all that
Devotion is neceffary for all, though the Church of
R?me hath ways of gratifying every Inclination, fo as
they that will not lead a ftridt Life, need not, and yet
may have hopes of Salvation .* We own their Policy in
this Contrivance, but do not fo much admire their Re¬
ligious regard to the Salvation of Mens Souls.
And to conclude, though we thus forcibly prefs all
Chriftian Duties on all Men} yet at the fame time we
warn them not to pretend to Merit Heaven at God's
Hand } but after they have done their beft, to confefs
they are unprofitable Servants* Werfay of our Charity
or whatever elfe we do in Obedience to God, that of
his own vce give to hint^ and we are bound to thank him
both for the Will and the Ability to give. The moft
that we pretend to, is only to make a fmall Acknow¬
ledgment by way of Sacrifice for what we have recei¬
ved } we beg of God to accept it as a Teftimony of a
grateful Mind, and we know that hisGoodnefs isfo
great, that he will abundantly reward anhoneft and fin-
cere Servant, though he hath done no more than was
his Duty.- And we hope that what we offer though
mingled with many Imperfe&ions, he will be pleated
to accept for the firice of Ghrift as if it were
perfeft.
Thete are the Grounds that we go on in our Devo¬
tions, and whatever we do for the Honour of God}and
thus defigning and thus afting and perfifting, we need
not doubt but the good Providence of God which watch-
etha
of the Church of Rome. 67
eth over his whole Churchy will in an efpecial manner
watch over this which is (o pure a Member of it 3 that
he will accept of the Devotions which are offered to
him in it, and hear the Prayers that are made unto
him for it, and defend it againft all its Enemies
on every fide 3 which God of his Infinite Mercy
grant for the fake of Jefus Chrift our Lord.
finis.
E R R A T A.
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