THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 THE 
 
 Catholic Scripturift : 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 PLEA 
 
 OF THE 
 
 .ROMAN CATHOLICS. 
 
 SHEWING 
 
 The Scriptures to hold the Roman 
 Faith in above forty of the chief 
 Controverfies now under debate. 
 
 Rom. XVI. 17. 
 
 Nciv I hefejchyou, Brethren, mark them which 
 caufe dvvifions, and offences % contrary to the 
 Dofirine vchich ye have learned, and avoid 
 them. 
 
 By J. MUMFORD, P. S.J. 
 
 The Fourth Edition, corrected. 
 Printed in the Year of our Lord, 
 
 M.DCCLXYII,
 

 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 Of the A u t h o r. 
 
 NOJV I befeecb you Brethren mark thcfe 
 which caufe divifions, and offences , con- 
 trary to the Do-tlrine which ye have learned, 
 and avoid them, [Rom. xvi. 17,] Thcfe 
 words were the words of God, and of truth, 
 as well in the year 1517 as at this prefent 
 year. Had any good Chriftian fpoken thefe 
 words in that forefaid year 15 17, all who 
 had heard them, could have made no other 
 fenfe of them, but that they were fore- 
 warned by them both to mark and to avoid 
 all Authors of divifions and offences contrary 
 to the Dotlrine which they had learned : Yet, 
 as then, there was not any good Chriftian, 
 unlefs you will account them for fuch, whom 
 you yourfelves acknowledge to have main- 
 tained grofs Herefies, who did not believe, 
 and profefs the Roman Faith. This was 
 the Faith and Doftrine which they had 
 learned. Wherefore, when in that year 
 Luther firft appeared, cattfing divifions and 
 offences, contrary to the DoRnne which they 
 had learned, all were bound by the advice of 
 the Apoftle, to mark, and avoid the faid Lit- 
 tbtr % and all his adherents and followers. ' 
 
 2. B^ 
 
 m 13
 
 iv llie Preface, 
 
 1. But the World then no lefs addicted to 
 old Vices, than to new Doctrines, did fhut 
 their Ears to this advice of the Apoftle, and 
 did open their arms to embrace that which 
 was, in fo very many Points, contrary to the 
 Doclrine which they had learned. And themi- 
 fery is, that all t>ofe new teachers, which en- 
 fued in whole fwarms, though they all taught 
 contrary to ivhat they had learned, yea, and the 
 one contrary to the other, yet all pretended 
 to teach nothing but Scripture rightly un- 
 derftood, which they all affirmed not to 
 have been rfghtly underftood, for the fore- 
 going thoufand years, in fuch points as then 
 they began to queftion : Yet with the fame 
 breath, they faid, that in all thofe feveral 
 Points, in which they contradicted the for- 
 mer doctrine, and by doing focaufed &> great 
 divifions and offences, they did affirm only 
 that to which they were enforced by evident, 
 manifeft, and moft clear Texts of Scripture. 
 Which was to fay that, for the precedent 
 thoufand years, no- body had rightly under- 
 ftood, or at leaft every body had by word 
 and practice contradicted, evident, manifeft, 
 and moft clear Texts of Scripture. 
 
 3. The good Chriftians of thofe Ages, 
 and we who adhere unto them, being in the 
 quiet and peaceable pofTeflion of what we 
 had learned, were bound, according to the 
 advice of the Apoftle, to avoid thofe new 
 teachers ; and it was fufficient for us to 
 fhew they taught contrary to what we had 
 
 learned,
 
 TJie Preface, v 
 
 learned, which they themfelves confcfied to 
 be true, and was too evident to require proof. 
 But becaufe we flood conftantly to maintain 
 what we had learned upon this ground, as 
 the Apoftle did bid us ; our Adverfaries, de- 
 firous to bring us from believing to difpu- 
 ting, would be flil! irnpornmeiy prefling us 
 to prove, Point by Point, every Point, wh-ch 
 we held, by evident, roanifefr, and moft 
 clear Scripture. We well underilojd that 
 it was their parts, who affirmed all former 
 ages, for fome thoufand years at leaft, to 
 have thus grofly erred againft clear Scripture* 
 to mak'i good fo great, and fo fcandalous an 
 accufation by producing Texts, in the Points 
 under queftion, of fo manifefr, undeniable 
 evidence againfr. us, that their Texts, com- 
 pared to ours aliedo-ed in defence of the; 
 fame Points, fhould make the Truth fo 
 clear on their fide, that all might be forced 
 to confefs they had reafon to revolt, as thev 
 did, from all their Ecclefiaftical and Civil 
 JViaginrates, and to frame alfo a new bodv 
 by themfelves, wholly, and entirely, botn 
 in doctrine and discipline, quite different, 
 yea and contrary to all Congregations, as 
 then, upon the face of the Earth. 
 
 4. The exoibitancy of this their proceed- 
 ing will be unjuftinable when I mail here 
 produce fo many, and fo loud-ipeaking 
 Texts, for above forty of thofe Points 
 which they mod mifliked in our Religion ; 
 yea it was our holding thofe Point*, for 
 A 3 which
 
 vi The Preface, 
 
 which, they faid, they were enforced to this 
 fo unfortunate a Divifon. But how weakly 
 they were enforced upon this account, to 
 caufefuch diviftons and offences, will eafily be 
 feen by any impartial eye, which fhall at- 
 tentively perufe on the one fide all the Texts, 
 which I fhall here alledge for forty-five of 
 thofe Points, for which chiefly they have 
 caufed this divifion, and on the other, the 
 few and inconfiderable, and a thoufand- 
 times-anfwcred Texts, which they bring to 
 the contrary. 
 
 5. This then is the Plea of us Roman 
 .Catholics, that we, ever fince our Anceftors 
 in England, were Chriftians, have held the 
 daft tine ivhich zue have learmd^ fl ill avoiding 
 thofe who taught the contrary. For that we 
 have done this in no fewer than fifty Points, 
 in which we are molt accufed of Novelty, 
 hath been demonirrated in a late Book, en- 
 titled England's old Religion out of Bede'j 
 own words. And though Bede had not been, 
 as he was, the moft grave, and fam'd Author 
 which. ever England had ; but had been only 
 a "Jack-flraiv living and writing before the 
 year 731, that is above 900 years ago, yet 
 to fee, in his words then written, thofe fifty 
 Points all held, and all praclifed in our En- 
 gland^ when England's Religion was at the 
 purefr, cannot but abundantly convince, 
 that we Roman Catholics did then hold, and 
 praclife what we hold, and praclife now. 
 What is this, but vivid the faftrine we have 
 
 ieqrwd x
 
 The Preface. vii 
 
 learned y avoiding tb&fe who teach the con- 
 trary ? 
 
 6. Yet this is not our whole Plea ; for 
 we know it will be objected that what we 
 then learnt was contrary to Scripture ; and 
 they mud mean clear and manifelt Scripture, 
 or elfe why did thev go againit the doctrine, 
 and practice which they found agreeing fo> 
 exactly with the doctrine and practice of 
 Old England, as is unanfwerably demon- 
 ftrated in that Book* But we furthermore 
 plead, that in thofe very Points, in whicii 
 contradiction, yea and manifeft contradic- 
 tion to Scripture, is objected againft us, we 
 have Scripture fpeaking fo fully for us, that 
 no one of thofe many Religions now tole- 
 rated in England, can, with any colour of 
 probability, challenge greater evidence of 
 Scripture for their oppofite Tenets, than we 
 here produce for our undoubtedly ancient 
 doctrine, and therefore this our doctrine 
 even in this refpect, ought in all reafon, to 
 be at leaft. as much tolerated as any of thofe 
 Religions lately fprung up in England. The 
 proof of what I fay muft rely upon what 
 fhall appear to be made good by me in each 
 Point of thofe forty-five here enfuing. 
 
 7. It only remains that I advertife the 
 Reader how impoffible it is that I, or any 
 one el'fe, fhould cite all Texts juft in thofe 
 very words in which he will find them in 
 his Englijh Bible ; for you have fo many fe- 
 vera] Tranfhtions of the Englifn Bible, that 
 A 4 whilit
 
 via 7he Preface. 
 
 whilft I oblige myfelf to follow one, I (ball 
 make fure not to follow the other. I con- 
 ceived the beft expedient,, to avoid this diffi- 
 culty would be to follow always either the 
 very words, or the full fenfe of that Englijk 
 Bible which is moft univerfally received. 
 And in this point I have been fo very fcru- 
 pulous, that I continually admonifh my 
 Reader, if at any one time 1 chance to put 
 down any Tingle Text differing in fenfe from 
 the Englijb Bible, which I have made choice 
 of, as the beft Edition of their moft received 
 Bible, which is that which was fet forth at 
 Cambridge 1635, printed by Thomas and 
 "John Buck, Printers to that Univerfity, which 
 Sible King James did caufe to be fet forth 
 out of his deep Judgment, apprehending how 
 convenient it was, that cut of the Original 
 Sacred Tongues, there fljould be a more exacl 
 Tranjlation, as is faid in the Preface of this 
 Tranflation dedicated to his Majefty.
 
 A Note to the Catpiolic Reader. 
 
 T ET the Catholic Reader obferve, That 
 whin we cite the two Books of Samuel, 
 the Text cited will be found in our two firji 
 Books of Kings. And when we cite here 
 their two Books of Kings, the Texts will be 
 found in cur Bibles in the two lajl Books of 
 Kings. For our third is their Firjl, our 
 Fourth their Second : So alfo with them, the 
 Books of Paralrp. be called Chronicles ; the 
 jecond of Efdras they call Nehemiah. In 
 numbring alfo the Plalms they, from the loth 
 Pfalm, differ from us, counting Jl ill one more 
 than we until they come to Pfalm 147, ivhicb y 
 from the 1 \th Verfe includes our Pfalm 147. 
 Jnd thence we go forward with the fame ac- 
 count. And where the Rhemifh Teftament 
 is referred to, it is the Rhemifh Teftament 
 in Folioy or Quarto, with annotations. 
 
 A 5 THE
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 To this Edition. 
 
 IT would be needlefs to employ the ufual 
 topics of modern piiblifhers, to befpea^: 
 the attention of the difcerning unprejudiced 
 part of our countrymen in favour of this 
 performance. The importance of the fub- 
 jecl:, the diftinguifhed character of the Au- 
 thor, and the fuccefs and general approba- 
 tion with which it has already gone through 
 feveral editions, are the only recommenda- 
 tions we fhall offer, as indeed they were 
 the only motives for reprinting it. To teach 
 mankind what alone it imports them tho- 
 roughly to underftand, to try their religious 
 opinions by thefureft teft of truth, to fecure 
 one part of this unhappy nation from the 
 infidious arts and oppreffive weight of legal 
 error, and to perfuade and convince the other 
 part of the fuperior charms and real advan- 
 tages of perfecuted juftice, to advife and pro- 
 mote a fincere reconciliation of both at a 
 time, when the tide of divifion ran higheft, 
 was the avowed defign of our Author in 
 
 this
 
 The Preface. x{ 
 
 this book. That the molt exalted faculties 
 of the human mind cannot aim at a nobler 
 end, will I believe never be denied, and that 
 the means were proportioned to this end has 
 been allowed bv all thofe, who have perufed 
 this treatife with an impartial unbiased de- 
 fire of information. Thefe have always en- 
 tertained a very favourable opinion of Mr. 
 Mumford as an Author, who has left behind 
 him the greatefr. character as a man. As an 
 Author, he has treated his fubjec't in that 
 mafterly manner, has enforced his rea- 
 fonings with that ftrength of argument, and 
 has poured forth that torrent of authority, 
 irom the facred penmen and the earlieft fa- 
 thers of Chriflianity, that he forcibly bears 
 away our aiTent, and triumphs in our con- 
 viction. As a man, he has tempered his 
 zeal for truth with that chearfulnefs and con- 
 defcenfion, with that temper and good breed- 
 ing, that thofe, who were determined not 
 to feem pleafed, could not pretend to be of- 
 fended, and were reduced to the neceflity 
 of being filent, becaufe they could not hope 
 to refute. As a man, he hr.d virtues that 
 did honour to human nature and to the 
 church of which he was a member ; and 
 as an Author, he pleaded the caufe of this 
 Church with fuch eloquence as has reflected 
 a lufrre on his virtues, and rendered them 
 ufcful to pofteritv. 
 
 But the character of the man has no 
 connexion with the publication of this book, 
 
 which
 
 fcii The Preface 
 
 which is the compleateft panegyric of the 
 Author. Enough has already been laid of 
 it to fhew the propriety of prefenting it a- 
 gain to the public ; it remains only now 
 to fay fomething of the manner of its pre- 
 fent appearance. For though it may feein 
 peculiarly adapted to the tafte of the times 
 when it was wrote, yet it is hoped that the 
 modern thirfr of novelty will not be dif- 
 pleafedat this difcovery of fo precious a rem- 
 nant of antiquity, if any thing pofterior to 
 the reformation can poMibly bear the marks 
 of time about it. , 'Tis an original that has 
 not fuffered by age, and furpafTes every thing 
 of the kind that has fince appeared. No great 
 degree of knowledge or difccrnment is necef- 
 iary to inform us that the picture wasde- 
 fjgned for truth, if it may not more properly 
 be faid to be truth itielf. Every feacure, 
 every graceful attitude of the fair original, is 
 fo exactly caught by the (kilful artift, and fo 
 faithfully exprefied by his impartial pencil, 
 that it muft contribute greatly to the enter- 
 tainment of all thofe, who are engaged \n 
 the purfuit of this defirable objecl. As 
 truth is ever unchangeable and ever the fame 
 in all countries anel at all times, fo Mr. 
 Mumford^ has been extremely happy in do- 
 ing it juftice by his colours, which have not 
 faded, but are as lively and as frefti, as when 
 firfl laid. 
 
 The drapery, or the flyle and language in 
 which our Author has drefled &uth, though 
 
 not
 
 The Preface xiij 
 
 not of the mod modern faihion, Is yet 
 fo exremely becoming, that it feemed tore- 
 quire no alteration. It is nervous, clear, and 
 ftrong. In a word, we hope the judicious 
 reader will find this performance fuch, us it 
 has upon the ftricleft examination appeared 
 to the publifhers, very well calculated in e- 
 vcry refpecl for the defign which it was ori- 
 ginally defigned for. A candid explanation 
 of the Catholic Doclrine on the mod impor- 
 tant iubjects, and a fatisfac~rory anfwer to all 
 the cavilsof the reformed enemies of Chriil's 
 church. This hope is grounded on the uni- 
 verfal approbation of Catholics, and the ge- 
 neral filence, or the weak and partial replies 
 of Protefknt Divines. The generality of 
 thefe cannot be fufpecled to want inclination 
 to refent the heavy charge brought againft 
 their fundamental rule of faith, and all of 
 them cannot want abilities to anfwer it, if 
 it could be anfwered : That it cannot, muft 
 be allowed by every one who will take the 
 trouble to look into what has hitherto ap- 
 peared from that quarter. The only thing 
 I have ever been able to meet with of this 
 kind was publifhed from a manufcript of Dr. 
 George Bull*, ~n eminent Divine of the 
 
 * A vindication of t^e chinch of Engl md, &c. by 
 Dr. George Bull, Is '. Lord Biflv p of St. Davids, 
 writ n at the requefi ihe CounMs oF Ntwburgh, 
 U? anfwer to a celebrated Roman Caiholic Tieatife, 
 inii.led, TueCaiboKc Scnpturjh London, printed 
 for E. Curll, in * ,^et Street, 1719. 
 
 church
 
 xiv The Preface. 
 
 church of England. Some notice muft be 
 taken of this great name, and very little will 
 fuffice to convince the world that he has 
 only ftrengthened the hands of his anta- 
 gonift by a groundlefs ill-concerted oppo- 
 sition. 
 
 The fortrefs and citadel of the reforma- 
 tion was attacked by an enemy, who from 
 the unfortunate circumftances of his coun- 
 try had been early trained to arms, and h<id 
 long learnt to defpife thofe reproaches and 
 dangers, that always attend thofe, who en- 
 gage on the fide of truth againft religious 
 error fupported by civil authority. Ail the 
 hopes of the party refted on the conduct of 
 the celebrated Dr. Bull, whom the importu- 
 nity of a female admirer had prevailed on to 
 undertake the defence of their caufe. He 
 was too much interefted in its profperity to 
 be fufpected of any lefs honourable defigns, 
 and his abilities were fuppofed to be equal 
 to the tafk. Inflamed by a natural enmity 
 to the church of Rome the Proteftant Cham- 
 pion refolved to ferve a caufe on which his 
 all depended, and to purlue fuch meafures as 
 feemed mod fuitable to the pretfing exigen- 
 cies of their affairs, But he foon found he 
 had nothing to hope from open force, and 
 could not but be fenfible, that artifice could 
 bring no honour, though attended with fuc- 
 cefs. This however was his lair, and indeed 
 his onlv refource. 
 
 The
 
 The Preface, xv 
 
 The truth is, Dr. Buil y wculd never have 
 broken the filencc fo generally obferved by 
 his brethren, with refpect to the Catholic 
 Scripturiir, if he had not been particularly 
 applied to by a perfon of diftinclion to quiet 
 a confeience greatly alarmed by a ftrong 
 chain of evidence in favour of the old caufe. 
 He does not attempt an anfwer ro the whole, 
 and his reply to the few parts he has under- 
 taken to refute, is fuch as has left them their 
 whole force of proof and demonfrrati'on. He 
 has fper.t fo much of his time in bitternefs 
 and invective againft his antagoniff, whom 
 he endeavours to expofe for a fool, and to 
 brand for a knave, that it is really harder to 
 find any thing in his letter, which has the 
 appearance of an argument, than to point 
 out its fallacy and weaknefs. The bounds 
 of a preface will not permit us to follow this 
 Author through all the artful windings of 
 fophiftry, through which his party-zeal has 
 led him in purfait of error, or to point out 
 half the mifreprefentations by which he has 
 difhonoured his own caufe, and prevented 
 the conviction of his greateft admirers by 
 deftroying charity. A few inflances will fuf- 
 fice to fhew, that he tries in vain to find a 
 colour to juftify what he has advanced with- 
 out proof. He begins his letter by con- 
 demning the practice of corporal aufterities, 
 a practice confecrated by the example of 
 JefusChrift and his ApoftJes, but wifely mi- 
 tigated or hid afide by the indulgent fathers 
 
 of
 
 xv i The Prefate. 
 
 of the Reformation. We will fay no- more 
 on this article, which he looks upon to be 
 quite foreign to the main controverfy. 
 
 The firft thing the Dr. quarrels with is 
 the invocation of Saints. That fcripture 
 alone is not a fufncient rule of faith without 
 the aid of apofrolical tradition, had been 
 proved at large in this book, and is not con- 
 tradicted becaufe proved from fcripture it- 
 felf. From this tacit acknowledgment of 
 fo eiTintial a point one might reafonably ex- 
 peel to find a fair difputant in the Doctor, 
 where he undertakes to oppole the doctrine 
 and overthrow the reafoning of his fcdver- 
 fary. But thefe expectations are foori 
 difappointed, and we find nothing but an 
 abuftve bitternefs, and a laboured mifrepre- 
 fentation of texts and pieces of texts put to- 
 gether as belt fuited his purpofe : In a word, 
 one continued ftream of that fophiffry with 
 which he charges our Author without truth, 
 and of which he himfelf fets the example 
 without remorfe and without fliame. The 
 Catholic Sciipturrft. had proved from innu- 
 merable inltances of Holy Writ both of the 
 old and new Teftament, that the blefled Spi- 
 rits in heaven, deferve our utmoft praife and 
 veneration ; that they are as able as they are 
 willing to aflift us; that they have always 
 been worfhipped by the bed: of men under 
 both difpenfations. This evidence was too 
 lirong not to be perceived by every body, 
 too unexceptionable to be rejected bv Pro- 
 tenants :
 
 The Preface. xvii 
 
 t^ftants ; and yet, if once admitted, there was 
 an end of Proteftantifm. To prevent thefe 
 difmal confequenees, Dr. Bu//, medeftly 
 fupprefles one half of the evidence, and mif- 
 reprefents the other. He fays the proofs 
 are chiefly brought from the old Teftament, 
 that there were no faints in heaven under the 
 old Teftament, and that therefore they can- 
 not warrant our invocation of thofe of the 
 new. But are none of the proofs brought 
 from the new Teftament, none from the 
 Gofpels, none from St. Paul and St. John ? 
 If any one fingle text of clear fcripture be 
 quoted from any of thefe infpired writers, 
 this formidable apparatus of an argument 
 muft neceftarily fall harmlefs to the ground : 
 that there are feveral, will appear to any 
 one, who has not the Time reafon with this 
 Proteftant Divine, for overlooking this part 
 of fo decifive a proof. But let us fuppofe 
 for a moment that the whole evidence be 
 brought from the old Teftament, will it 
 follow from hence that the invocation of 
 Saints is a new and unjuftifiable practice of 
 the Roman Catholic church ? The con- 
 trary is evidently deduced from thefe pre- 
 mifes : the fcripture, according to Prote- 
 ftants, is the only fufficient rule of faith and 
 conduct : This fcripture frequently in- 
 ftances and recommends the worfhip of an- 
 gels and Netted fpirits in heaven : therefore 
 this worfhip is juftified bv the only fufficient 
 rule of chriftian belief and conduct. This
 
 xviii The Preface. 
 
 is an argument ad Homine?n^ the force of 
 which nothing can conceal, but blind preju- 
 dice or a furious party-zeal, nothing elude 
 till the pretended reformers of the church 
 fhall have carried their amendments into the 
 fchools, and {hail have made as much havock 
 in the province of reafon, as their forefa- 
 thers have done in that of religion. 
 
 But there were no faints in heaven, before 
 our Redeemer's death, to worfhip. Let it 
 be fo. There were in heaven created beings 
 fuhordinate, as the faints are, to their great 
 Creator. Thefe were worfhipped, not with 
 a divine honour, but with an inferior relative 
 adoration, which Proteftants on the fame 
 principles mull: allow to be proportionably 
 due to the faints themfelves. This inter- 
 courfe between the church militant on earth 
 and the church triumphant in heaven ex- 
 plains that communion of faints, which is 
 an exprefs article of" the Catholic Faith, but 
 which is utterly unintelligible in the Prote- 
 teftant fvftem. 
 
 Another obfervation I would make on this 
 very fingular method of arguing is this : If 
 Dr. Bull's argument be deemed conclufive* 
 no one law or inilitution of the Chriftian 
 difpenfation can be proved or authorized by 
 the old Tefiament. The coming of the 
 Mefliah, the time and place of his birth, the 
 manner of his death and paiiion, can receive 
 no additional evidence from that part of 
 fcriptuic. For in the old Teftament there 
 
 was
 
 The Preface. xix 
 
 was no Meffiah, no adequate fatisfaclion for 
 the fins of man : and yet it has ever been the 
 practice o'Proteirant as well as Catholic Di- 
 vines to infill: unon the prophecies, and other 
 books of the old Teftament as corroborative 
 proofs of thefe fundamental articles of the 
 Chriftian Faith. But the limitations afiigned 
 by the Catholic Scripturiit to the extent and 
 weight of the different parts of fcripture in 
 this matter had rendered this plea of the Doc- 
 tor as unneceiTary ; as the flighted obferva- 
 tion fhews it to be difingenuous and unfatis- 
 facloty. 
 
 Tired at length of an unfuccefsful plan 
 of defenfive operations, the Doctor now 
 turns aggreffor, and endeavours to difpaxh 
 his adverfary with his own weapons. Not 
 only the Scripture does not juftify, but ex- 
 presfly forbids the worfhip of angels. It 
 will appear a little remarkable, that in fup- 
 purt of this bold affirmation he quotes a text 
 fiom St. Paul brought by the Catholic Scrip- 
 turiit to prove that truly Catholic Practice. 
 What now becomes of the boafted Proteft- 
 Bnt rule of faith, fcripture alone as interpre- 
 ted by private judgment ? Can the fame text 
 be confirmed into a laudable devotion and a 
 ftupid idolatry? Can the fame infpired writer 
 cxpresfly forbid in one place what he mod 
 earneftly recommends in another ? How is 
 private judgment to reconcile thefe differ- 
 ences ? 
 
 But
 
 xx 77?.? Preface, 
 
 But St. Paul forbids fome worfhip of 
 angels. It is granted : and (o do Catholics. 
 The Catholic worfhip of angels is neither 
 forbid by St. Paul, nor can be cenfured by 
 Proteftants, without admitting exceptions, 
 which overthrow their principles. Thefe 
 very principles had proved fo favourable to 
 the Catholic Scripturift, that Dr. Bull^ une- 
 qual to the combat, begins to think of mak- 
 ing a retreat, which he covers by a few 
 random mot from the fkirts of neutral pro- 
 vinces. To find the Proteftant hero quit 
 the field of battle, to fee him abandon his 
 ftrong hold and retire into the unfriendly 
 confines of the fathers, to beg the afliftance 
 of tradition againft plain fcripture, would 
 provoke our laughter in a matter of lefs feri- 
 ous concern, and cannot fail to move the pity 
 of every breaft open to the impreflions of 
 truth and honour. Here he urges with all 
 the pride of triumph a long paflage of Origen 
 againft Ce/fus, to prove that we are not to 
 worfhip angels with divine honour. What 
 then ! To what purpofe does he take fo 
 much pains to prove that the doctrine and 
 practice of the church in Origen's days were 
 the fame with the doclrine and practice of 
 Catholics in ours ? Had Origen any where 
 expresfly condemned the worihipping of 
 angels with an inferior honour, Dr. Bull 
 could not poflibly have gained any advantage 
 over his antagonift, who argued from fcrip- 
 ture alone, the only Proteftant rule of faith : 
 
 thouerr
 
 The Preface. xxt 
 
 tno' he might have hoped to hurt the Catho- 
 Jic caufe by (hewing its oppofition to apofto- 
 lical tradition. But unfortunately for the 
 Doctor, this ancient father has taken care 
 in the fame book to prevent this miflake. 
 For after having refuted that wild and ex- 
 travagant notion of Cclfus, that the Devils 
 themfelves fhould be called upon and ap- 
 peafed by prayers and facrifices, he takes 
 occafion to declare that if Ceifus had meant 
 only that the blefted fpirits were to be ho- 
 noured with an inferior worfhip, he (hould 
 deliver his opinion in very different terms oft 
 it. Not content with this, he proceeds to 
 approve and to advife this holy practice, of 
 which hehimfelf has fet us an example in his 
 firft Homily on Ezekiel by addrefling a moft 
 fervent prayer to the angels and bleiTed fpi- 
 ■rits in heaven. 
 
 The reader is here prefented with this 
 prayer of Origen tranflated by St. Jerome^ 
 and taken from his flrft fermonnpon Ezekiel. 
 After he has premifed that * All thing: are 
 full of angels. Co;;.:, angel, he fays, receive 
 •one concerted by the word from his former er- 
 ror, from thedoclrine of Devils And call 
 
 thee other partners of thy mini fir y, that you 
 may all together injlruc'i t'.ofe in the light 
 
 * Omnia Angt":s fi'enafunt. Feni, Angele t fufcife 
 Germane conx' -jam ab err ere priflino a dotlrina 
 L y # mentor u'n . [<J ad<vica ii hi alios Socics minijierii 
 tui, ut cunfiipariter eos, qui aliquando decepti funt, 
 erudiatii adjidtm. 
 
 faith ,
 
 *xii The Preface. 
 
 faith, who have been formerly deceived. We 
 have here not only the fentiments of Origen i 
 but the approbation of St. jferome, who 
 would never have tranflated this work of 
 Origen without giving fome precaution to his 
 readers* if he had thought the invocation of 
 angels contrary to fcriptureor tradition. The 
 fame is readily concluded from his doctrine 
 againft Figilantius, who denied the intercef- 
 fion of Saints .* If the Apojlles and Mar~ 
 tyrs in their life-time can pray for others^ 
 when they zvere dill to he concerned for them- 
 felves. How much more after their crowns 9 
 viftorieS) and triumphs ? From which one, 
 even Dr. Bull himfelf, may collect, that if 
 one may deiire, their powerful affiftance and 
 pray to them, there will be no difficulty in 
 putting up prayers to the bleffed fpints reign- 
 ing in heaven, for their powerful interceflion. 
 The reader will be the lefs furprifed at the 
 Doctor's afllirance in making Origen fay 
 what he never meant, when he finds that he 
 himfeif cannot mean what he pofitively af- 
 ferts. For however fecure he might think 
 himfelf of not being detected by his noble 
 client, I cannot think it was well judged in 
 his relati n to publifh to the world that fo- 
 lemn promifeof the Doctor, to yield the whole 
 caufe in this controverfy, if out of any writer of 
 
 * Lih. contra Vigilant tuno. Si Apofloli & Martyres 
 adhu: in < rpore cm/Ututi t pojjfjnt or are pro ceteris 
 quando pro fe adhuc debent ejfe joliciti, quanlo magis 
 poj} coronas , victorias et triumphos f 
 
 the
 
 The Preface* xxiii 
 
 the three fir ft ages after Chri/l any one tejti- 
 mony can be produced to the pwpofe, that is not 
 by learned Catholics ackv.owled^ ed to be forged* 
 (Pag. ~8.) This teftimony is produced, and 
 is allowed to be genuine, not only by learned 
 Catholics, but even by Protefrants them- 
 felves. The Centuriators or* Magdeburgh* 
 Origen alfo allowed of the invocation of angels : 
 and again, one ?nay obfirve in the writings of 
 the Doclors of this third age mar.ife/t figns of 
 the invocation of Saints, Melanclhon\, and 
 Dr. Aiiddlcton\, who were never fufpecled 
 of partiality towards the church of Rome, 
 confefs that the invocation of Angels and 
 Saints can be fairly traced up to the third 
 century, or ftill higher. But the Reverend 
 Dr. Bull, had been too liberal in his pro- 
 mifes, to be able to make this reasonable and 
 well-grounded conceflion. To fay that he 
 did not underfland Origen, from whom he 
 produces this long quotation, is entertaining 
 a mean idea of his abilities, which have been. 
 induftrioufly magnified in the courfe of this 
 controverfy. To acquit his underftanding, 
 and charge this glaring inftance of preva- 
 rication to the corruption of his heart, may 
 
 * Cent. 3. Angelas etiam Origenes iwvocandos futa- 
 wii. c. 4. Videas in Dotlo^um hujus tertu cceculi 
 Scriptis non obfeura Ve [iigia\ni:ocationis Sanflcrum. 
 
 t Statimlnitio. Melantthon in C. 13. 1. ad Co- 
 rinth. 
 
 X Dr. Middleton in bis introduclory di[courfe, page 
 
 do
 
 xx iv The Preface. 
 
 do juftice to the Author by blackening the 
 character of the man. 
 
 To pretend that he was driven to thefe 
 (traits by the nature of his caufe, which 
 could not be fupported by any other means, 
 will be coming nearer the truth, however 
 unfavourable to the Author and the man. 
 One of thefe three things muft be faid, and 
 we muft leaveit in the option of the thinking 
 part of Protectants which they will fay, and 
 what confequences they will draw from this 
 extraordinary conduct. 
 
 As willing as the Doctor was to have tra- 
 dition on his fide in this difpute, he cannot 
 deny that the practice of the invocation of 
 Saints was encouraged by the church in the 
 fourth century§. We are the more obliged 
 to him for this proof of his modefty, as we 
 think it a very large conceffion to be made 
 by a man in his circumftances. . For who 
 can reflect that the four firft general councils 
 are allowed to have been compofed of men, 
 who univerfally maintained this practice ; 
 that it was oppofed by none ; without won- 
 dering at the confidence of our modern in- 
 novators, who are not afhamed to quarrel 
 with a Doctrine, which they are forced to 
 date above a thoufand years before the pre- 
 
 § S. Greg.Naz. Orat. 18. T. i.p. 479. Relates 
 tbatS. Juftina, who fuffered about the end of the third 
 age, mofl earnefily begged the ajfijlance of the B. virgin 
 Mary. 
 
 tended
 
 rtjact. xxv 
 
 landed reformation, and what is now called 
 the Proteftant Religion. 
 
 I am forry to dwell (o long on a point 
 quite foreign to the purport of this per- 
 formance. But I hope this deduction will 
 not appear tedious or unneceffary, as it will 
 helptofhew the difmgenuity of the Doclor$ 
 and convince the world, that fuch a defultory 
 manner of treating our Author mud pro- 
 ceed from a confeioufnefs of his inability to 
 fupport the Proteftant fyflem againft the 
 charge, which is brought againft it in this 
 book. 
 
 The next thing, and indeed the laft, 
 which Dr. Bull ventures to oppofe, is Com- 
 munion unfar one kind. But fuch zn oppo- 
 fit'.on, I believe, was never made by a man of. 
 any learning. Inftead of attempting to difprove 
 what had been advanced from the cleareft 
 fcripture to fupport that practice, he contents 
 himfelf with declaring in a magifterial tone, 
 that it is equally anti-fcriptural and anti-tra- 
 ditional. We hope his admirers will par- 
 don our not taking his word for it, till they 
 have proved, that begging the queftion is a 
 fair way of refuting a fohd argument. Till 
 then we mud beg leave to profefs our firm 
 adherence to the facred laws of truth, of rea- 
 son and revelation : of truth undifguifed by 
 fafhionable error : of reafon unbiased by 
 worldly motives : and of revelation unfulJied 
 with the infectious breath of pretended refor- 
 mation. 
 
 The impoffibility of actual replication, or 
 [ a j of
 
 -xxv i The Preface. 
 
 of a body's being in different places at one 
 and the fame time, had long been urged by 
 Proreftants againfl the poiTibiiity of J ran- 
 iubftantiation. In anfwer to this our Author, 
 who argued only from fcripture, has brought 
 a paflage from the Acls of the Apoftles, 
 which makes this not only poiTible but ne- 
 ceflary. The paflage I mean, is the conver- 
 fion of St. Paul, by an appearance from hea- 
 ven. For though this be explained by fome 
 eminent Divines of theCatholic Communion 
 without admitting the neceffity of actual re- 
 plication, yet the argument muft go home 
 to Protectants, who admit no other rule of 
 faith but the written word of God. They 
 have the moft pofitive aiTurance$ from this 
 word, that the body of our Saviour was on 
 his afcenfion into heaven feated at the right 
 hand of his eternal father, there to remain 
 till the day of judgment : And there fitteth 
 until he return to judge men at the laft day, 
 Art. 4, of Edward VI, 1552, The 4th 
 Art. of Elizabeth 1562, in (lead of men, fays 
 all men. And yet how will private judg- 
 ment underftand the voice without the pre- 
 fence of that body to Paul and /lnanias on 
 earth ? Can what was once poffible by 
 length of time become impoilible ? Is God 
 changed, or is his arm fhortened ? 
 
 The impropriety of receiving under one 
 kind only, muft either be deduced from the 
 nature of the thing itfelf, or from fome pre- 
 cept of God, or laflly from tradition and 
 the contrary practice of the purer ages of 
 
 Chrifti-
 
 TJje Preface, xxvii 
 
 Chriftianity. That it cannot be proved 
 from the nature of the thing itfelf, is evident 
 from that chapter of the Catholic Scripturift, 
 where he has made it plainly appear that he 
 who receives under one kind receives the 
 fame thing with him, who receives under 
 both, and is equally made partaker of the 
 promifes of Chrift. This our Author has 
 placed in fo ftrong a light, that the Doctor 
 has not one word to fay againft it. That 
 neither Chrift nor St. Paul has any where 
 commanded us to receive under both kinds is 
 not only barelv fet forth, but alfo proved, 
 by unqueftionable evidence from holy writ, 
 to be true. And yet Dr. Bull y roundly af- 
 ferts the conrrary. We muft Jeave it to be 
 decided by the unprejudiced reader, how far 
 the fimple allegation of this Proteftant Di- 
 vine, in a matter of this confequence, and 
 in anfwer to fuch ftrong arguments and 
 piain texts of Scripture, may be thought fa- 
 trsfaclory. 
 
 That tradition and the practice of the pri- 
 mitive church cannot with any propriety cr 
 fuccefs be urged againft clear fcripture by 
 Proteftants, has been already obferved. But 
 the Doctor was willing to improve every ad- 
 vantage againft his Catholic adverfary. 
 With this view he takes fome pains to prove, 
 what no man ever denied, that it was the 
 practice of the primitive church to receive 
 under both kinds. But did not that church 
 alio on many occafiona allow of Commu- 
 [a 2] niod
 
 xxviii The Preface. 
 
 nion under one kind only ? The Do&or 
 knew it chid, but it was not his intereft to 
 own it. 1 fay he knew it. For I am un- 
 willing to fuppofe, that a man of his reading 
 could be ignorant of what is (o well attefted 
 by St. Cyprian *, Tertullianf , Eufebius X y 
 Bafil §, Jerome ||, Ambrofe *, Leo f , and o. 
 
 * Cum quaedam Arcam fuam in quaSanftum Do- 
 mini fuir, manibusindigiiis tentaflet aperire, igne in- 
 de furgente deterrita eit, ne auderet attingere. Cjpr. 
 de Lap/is. Edit. Fro ben. fag. 225. 
 
 f Non fciet Maritus quid ante omnem cibum 
 gultes, etfi fciveritpanem, non ilium credit effe qui 
 «jicitur. Tert.L.i ad Uxor. Edit. Froben. p. 532. 
 
 X St Denis , Bifbcp of Alexandria, who died Anno 
 266. relates (in a letter apud Eufebium L. 6. c. 44. ex 
 VerfioneVa'efii edit. Pan/. Anton. Vitre p. 246.) that 
 one Serapion beingdehrous toieceivethe holy Fiati- 
 cum in hislaft ficknefs, fent a meflenger to deiirr his 
 Paftor to bring it to him, but that the Pallor not be- 
 ing able to go to him himfelf by reafon of ficknefs, 
 cxiguam Eitchariflia partem puero tradidit, jubens ut 
 in aqua inline! am, Seni in osinjlillaret. Redit igitur 
 puer bucceliam efferent. Buccellam j?itinxit, et in os 
 Senisinfudit, qui eapaulatbn abforpta, continuo ani- 
 mam exhala-vit. 
 
 § llli omnes, qui per eremos vifim monafticam in- 
 ftituunt, ubi copia non fuppetit Sacerdotio, cum ba- 
 beant dooii Communionem, de fuis manibus iliam 
 percipiunt. Aiexandriaeautem et per iEgyptum un- 
 i;fquifque etiam de plebe ut plurimum domi fuae com- 
 municat. Baft in Epif. ad Cafariam Tom. 3. Edit. 
 far if. 1638. pag. 279. 
 
 || Hieron. in Apol. pro Libns contra Jovinianum, 
 TYm. 4. Edit. Martianai, pute. 2. pag. 2.39. 
 
 * Ambro f . deobitu Satyii, Tom. 2. Edit. Parif. 
 p. 143. item-Paulin.in Vita Ambrofii, Edit. Froben, 
 pag. 12. 
 
 tLeoSerm.4. deQnadrag. Edit. Quefnel. p. ic6 
 
 thers
 
 The Preface. xxix 
 
 thers. Here is a crowd of credible wit- 
 nefles, of whofe authority Dr. Bull would 
 moft certainly have availed himfelf, if it 
 could have been brought to favour his pur- 
 pose. As it could not, nothing remained 
 but to takenonotice of it. To be undeceived, 
 and to own himfelf fo, was not his play. 
 He hoped by cunning to varnifh over the 
 unfound parts of a favourite error. He was 
 defirous to make his fair correfpondent im- 
 pute to fuperftition, or fome other unchriftian 
 motive, a practice which had been handed 
 down from the pureft ages of Chriftianity. 
 As I have the Doctor's authority for placing 
 among thefe the third century, fo I am 
 fupported by the confent of Catholic and 
 Proteftant Divines in the affertion, that 
 Communion under one kind was then re- 
 ceived and practiced. We have already 
 produced teftimonies enough from the for- 
 mer ; and for the latter, 1 fhall refer the 
 reader to Mr. Smith's learned work, De 
 Ecckfia Greece? hodierno Statu , [p. 107. 
 108.J where he will find it fairly ac- 
 knowledged. 
 
 I have now done with his argument from 
 tradition. But I muft not forget his quo- 
 tations from the council of" Conjiance. I fhall" 
 wholly pafs by his paffion ?„'id ill language, 
 which one may plainly fee proceeds from 
 a galled and uneafy mind. lie allures the 
 Lady, that this couucil, Sefs. 13. fairly 
 confeiTes that Communion in one kind is 
 [a 3] nei-
 
 xxx The Preface. 
 
 neither grounded on the word of God 
 nor the practice of the primitive church. 
 But the truth is, that the Council * fays no 
 fjch thing, but on the contrary approves 
 and enforcesthis practice, which had been long' 
 received among; the faithful. One would 
 wonder the more at his confidence in af- 
 ferting what every man's eyes will prefent- 
 ly confute -him in, if experience had not 
 fhewn this to be the common artifice of Prote- 
 ftant Controvertifts, when they have no- 
 thing elfe to fay. But he makes a mighty 
 ftir about the decree of this council, which 
 makes Communion under one kind a law 
 of the Catholic church. He declares the 
 practice itfelf antichriftian, and the manner 
 of efrablifhing it quite blafphemous. "The 
 practice, fays he, is antichriftian, becaufe 
 contrary to the words and exprefs command of 
 Chrifi bimfelf. The manner of introducing 
 it is blafphemous, becaufe it is an impious at- 
 tempt of men againft the known will of hea- 
 ven. This is a heavy charge indeed, and if 
 cnce proved, will quite overthrow the au- 
 thority of this reprefentative body of the 
 Catholic church. Let us fee hew he fets 
 about it. 
 
 * Unde cum hujifmodi confuetu:!o ab Ecclefia & 
 fan&ts Patribus raiionabiliter introdu&a, 8c diutiifitne 
 obfeivata fit, habenda eft pro lege, quam non licet 
 reprobare, aut fine Ecclelice Automate pio libito 
 Mnitare. Sefs, 13. Turn. 12. GonciL Lath, fag-' 
 100. 
 
 He
 
 The Preface. xxxi 
 
 He tells us from the council itfclf, that it 
 is there enacled that the faithful {hall receive 
 under one kind o::lv, tiot%uithjiandirgQY\n[\ 
 in the inftitution of this Sacrament has ex- 
 prefsly ordered them to receive under both. 
 He triumphs in the fuppofed blafphemy of 
 the notwithftanding. And blaiphemous in- 
 deed would it be, if ufed in the fenfe, or on 
 the occafion quoted in his letter. But un- 
 happily for him this is not the cafe, but a 
 freih inftance of his fincerity, by which the 
 world may >udge how far he is to be trufied 
 in other matters The Council is not there 
 fpeakingof Communion under one or both 
 kinds, and this formidable notwithjtanding 
 refers only to the time of confecration and 
 the difpofitions of him that receives. Though 
 Chrift inftituied this Sacrament after fupper, 
 fay the Fathers of the Council, and admini- 
 ftred it to his difciples under both kinds, it 
 has notwithftanding been wifely ordained and 
 ejtnblijhed by the prattice of the church that 
 Minifters Jhould not confecrate after flipper, 
 nor adminijier this Sacra?nent to any but juch 
 as arefafting, excepting the caje of ficknefs or 
 necefjity*. 
 
 * Licet Chriftus port ccenam inftituerit et fyis Dif- 
 cipuiis adminiitraverit fub utraque fpecie par-is er vini 
 hoc ver.erabileSacramer.tum, tanien hoc ron pbftante 
 Sacroiuin Canonum Autoritas,!auU3bilis& -^probata 
 confuetudo Ecclefiae fcrvavitet fervat, quod hujufmocfi 
 Stcramentuiii 11011 debet con fie i poit cceia^", neque 
 a fidilibus recipi non jtjunis, niii in cafu infirmitatil 
 aut aiteiius nectflitatis, Sefs. 13. l Ivm, \%. Cjnai.- 
 Labb. p. 100. 
 
 Such
 
 xxii The Preface* 
 
 Such is the tenor, thefe are the very- 
 words of this famous decree. The reader 
 will now judge what advantage Dr. Bull, 
 could hope to reap from it in this difpute. 
 Where is the blafphemy at tvhich he appears 
 to be fhcckt ? Where is the oppofition be- 
 tween the prefent practice of the Catholic 
 church and the primary inftitution of this 
 Sacrament ? Was this practice introduced 
 by the Council of Conftance ? Do not the 
 Fathers exprefsly declare that their appro- 
 bation of it is grounded on the authority of 
 the Canons, and the conftant tradition of the 
 church? Is this Catholic Dccfrine and 
 practice different from that of the reformed 
 churches in general, or of the church of 
 England \n particular ? Was not Dr. Bull, 
 if he ever fincerely fubfcribed the 39 anicles 
 of his own religion, bound to maintain what 
 he {o feverely cenfures and fo loudly con- 
 demns in this letter ? Can a Clergyman of 
 the church of England reafonably find fault 
 with the church of Rome for a practice, 
 which the reformation has not condemned, 
 and which he himielf has fworn to main- 
 tain ? 
 
 It is a truth univerfally acknowledged by 
 every Chriilian church, that though this 
 Sacrament was inftituted by Chrift under 
 both kinds, as a {landing memorial of his 
 death and pafii- n, and the great and only 
 facrifice of the new law, yet the various cir- 
 cumstances that attended this divine inftitu- 
 tion
 
 The Preface. xxxiii 
 
 tion are not recommended to the imitation 
 of all. As Dr. Butt, will fcarce be willing 
 to allow any child or old woman to be as 
 proper a Mini tier of this Sacrament as him- 
 fclfj fo lit mull grant that feveral parti- 
 culars relating to the fubjecl: of it were left 
 to the determination of the church, who 
 under the fecure guidance of the Holy 
 Ghoft, were to direct it to be received under, 
 one or both kinds, in the morning or even- 
 ing, kneeling or fitting, with or without 
 wafliingof feet. This he mutt grant to be 
 the cafe not of this only, but of other Sa- 
 craments. Baptiim, which was defigned to 
 reprefent our regeneration into the new life 
 of divine grace, by which fin is cancelled, 
 was in the pureft ages of the Chriftian Dif- 
 penfation conferred by immerfion. But as 
 this method was not commanded by Chrift 
 as eflential to the validity of this Sacrament, 
 the church for good reafons has ordered it to 
 be given by fprihkling or effufion. And 
 this is the general practice of Protectants, as 
 well as Catholics. Now that we are no 
 more commanded to receive under both 
 kinds, than to baptife by immerfion is what 
 Prcteitants themfelves confefs, when they 
 write without paffion or prejudice If you 
 come to a place, favs Luther*, where they give 
 Bui oth kind, be content with one kind ; if they 
 
 * Luther To. 2. Edit. Germ. Jen. apud Chrift. 
 Rcdinger, f>. 100. B. 
 
 give
 
 xxx iv The Preface, 
 
 give both kinds, receive both, and do not affecl 
 ftr.gularity. The French Proteflants in 
 their Synod at Poitiers, anno 1 560. Of the 
 Lord's Supper f, decree that in Tome cafes 
 the Communion ought to be adminiitered to 
 the faithful under one kind. Where does the 
 fcripture command, fays the learned Prote- 
 ctant Bifhop Montague J, that the peop r e. 
 Jhould receive the Sacrament of the Lord's 
 fupper in both kinds ? — The Scripture 
 teaches no fuch thing, the Scripture does not 
 command it. The church of England §, 
 has alfo ordained that in feme cafes the Com- 
 munion ought to be admin 1 fired to the faith- 
 ful under one kind. Now though a difregard to 
 the teftimony of the ancient fathers in this 
 difpute may not feem a greater crime in Dr. 
 Bull, than in Dr. Middleton, and many o* 
 ther Proteftant Divines ; yet I think he 
 might have been more favourable to the 
 memory of the great Martin Luther, and of 
 thofe eminent Divines, Apoftlcs, and Mar- 
 tyrs of the church by law eftablifhed, Cran- 
 mer, Ridley, Hooper, Latimer, &c. who 
 doubtlefs had the forming of that ftatute of 
 Edward VI. And I cannot eafily believe, 
 that any true Proteflant will fufpeel: thofe 
 fathers of the primitive and pureft age of the 
 reformation, to have authorifed a thing* 
 which Dr. Bull is pleafed to call a facri- 
 
 f Chap, 12. Art. 7. \ Tom. 1. Orig. />. 3 9 6 « 
 § Statut. 1. Edward VI.. See the Marginal nute 
 fellow ing.. 
 
 legions
 
 The Preface.. xxxv 
 
 legions, mutilated, half Communion. The 
 Catholic church has alfo this advantage, 
 that whatever was the opinion of the learn- 
 ed Dr. Bull, it is tranfgrefling the laws of 
 the land, if any one condemns Communion 
 under one kind, as itis exprefsly declared in 
 the ait of parliament, (Edivard VI.) * re- 
 vived 
 
 * In the laft branch of this A3 it is enafted, '* that 
 " the fan] molt blefled Saaament, be hereafter com- 
 '•'monly delivered and admhifhed unto the people 
 "within this church of England and Ireland, and o- 
 " ther the King's dominions under both the kinds, 
 M that is to fay, of bread and wine, Except necejjity 
 u othernjcije require. — Not condemning hereby the 
 " uiage of any church out of the King's Majefties 
 *' Dominions. " (i.Ed. 6. c. :.) This aft of par- 
 liament is very expiefs ; thefe two Piovifoes are ve;y 
 clear ; their tcftour a full confutation of Dr. Bull'% 
 letter on this head to his noble Client. The learned 
 Heyiin, whole z-al for the reformation will not be 
 called in queftion, gives his opinion on the fubjeft and 
 explains the necejjity of adminiftring under one kind 
 in the following manner, Hijiory vf the Reformation, 
 printed 1665, p. 49 circa medium " as in the cafe of 
 * l fuddcii ficknefs and ©ther fuch like extremities, in 
 M which it was not polhble that wine could be pro- 
 " \ided for the ufe of the Sacrament, nor tbefickman 
 " depart this life in peace without it." Here is room 
 to fufpeft that the Sacrament could C\xbf]i\ without 
 wine in Heyi'in's opinion ; and that he took this to be 
 the plain import of the faid aft. Concerning the fe- 
 cond Provfo he fays, ibid. " Thnt the permitting this 
 ** liberty to the people of England and the dominions 
 *' of the lame, fliould not be conftrued (by this aft) 
 " to the condemning of any oth,r church or churches or 
 *' the ufages of them. And here the gentle reader is' 
 defiied, ifhe car have patience, to compare the mo- 
 deration
 
 xxxvi The Preface. 
 
 •vived by Queen Elizabeth, that they do not 
 condemn the ufe of any other churches that 
 are not under his Majefty's dominions. 
 
 Such has been the conduit of this boaft- 
 ed Champion in a difpute, which in the way 
 it has been managed, can reflect no honour 
 on his memory. Such mu't always be the 
 conduct tff thofe, who have a bad caufe to 
 maintain, or a favourite falfhood to defend. 
 They muft Ihuffle, wade, and prevaricate, 
 as he has done. It muft however be owne^l 
 in juftice to this learned Protectant, that he 
 was as little inclined to undertake this talk, 
 as he was little fatisfied with his own per- 
 formance as he advanced in it. 'Tis true, 
 he fets out in the fpleen, and throws out 
 fome ill-humoured reflections on his antago- 
 nifr, whom he haftily charges with a ma- 
 nifeft contradiction in the very title of his 
 TdooIc. Catholics, fays he, in general, and 
 this Author in particular, hold t hat fcripture is 
 not a fuffjcient rule of faith, for fcveral points 
 of which we mujl be beholden to tradition : 
 what then can he mean by calling himfelf a 
 Catholic Scripturifl P This queftion could 
 not be afked feiioufly by a man who had 
 
 deration of the church of England, what is more, of 
 the Englifh parliament wheie both the choich and 
 ftate areaflembled wiih the wild roaring and invectives 
 of Dr. Bu'l, who, without the lean regard to truth or 
 juftice, mifreprefents the Catholic church, and, on the 
 other fide, contrary to law diffembles the fentimaits 
 both of the Englifh church and the Englifh parliament, 
 the eafier to impofe upon his client. 
 
 read
 
 The Preface. xxxvi] 
 
 read thatchapter of this book, where the ne- 
 ceffity of tradition is proved from clear fcrip- 
 ture, fo clealS that the Doctor himfelf has 
 not one word to fay againft it. No good 
 token this in a man who was refolved to 
 quarrel with every thing. 
 
 However in juftrce to Dr. Bull, it muft be 
 faid, that he was neither fo weak as not to 
 fee, nor fo totally void of all fincerity as not 
 i to infmuate the inefficiency of his plea. As 
 the excufes he makes for it could not weaken 
 the arguments of his adverfary, he had re- 
 courfe to a more effectual method in order 
 to prevent the conviction of his flock, by 
 fupprefiing the book itfelf, for his own and 
 for his honourable Client's fake ; for bis 
 own not to face arguments he could not an- 
 swer ; for his client's to prevent truth ma- 
 king a farther impreflion on her mind. Thus 
 he makes it impoffible to compare the argu- 
 ments on both fides of this important 
 queftion, the only fure way of judging of 
 the merits of the caufe, or of the refpective 
 managers. If he thinks it not prudent to 
 ftate the queftion fairly, he charges the de- 
 fect on his own want of memory, to which 
 he would have us believe he trufted entirely 
 in the courfe of this debate. If I forget not, 
 p. 21. If 1 had it by me, p. 22. If I had 
 the book by me, p. i 5. If he is prefTed to fend 
 the book back with his anfwer, he has it 
 not, and is extremely forry it cannot be 
 fou iid . After a curforj perufal of it, I left it 
 [ b ] with
 
 yxxviii The Preface, 
 
 with a friend of mine to be fpeedily returned t a 
 your Ladyjhip with my humble thanks, and by 
 what accident it has been intercepted 1 cannot 
 underjland. p. 15. / am forry I have not 
 the book by me, as your Ladyjhip fuppofeth. p. 
 14. Let Proteftants now judge what con- 
 .,fidence is to be placed in thefe low devifes, 
 thefe little fetches of craft and cunning in 
 their boafted leaders. We are not afraid to 
 put both performances into their hands, and 
 we think nothing more proper to be recom- 
 mended to them than a ferious perufalof 
 both. If they find the fundamental princi- 
 ples of the reformation to be rotten, what 
 muft they think of the fuperftructure. If 
 thefe very principles lead direcllv into the 
 pale of that church, from which their re- 
 forming anceftors have ftraved, what re- 
 mains but to follow thefe principles in the 
 fearch of uner;ing truth ? The light of 
 heaven never will, nor can be wanting to 
 any one,. who takes his falvation earneftly to 
 heart; fears and loves God above all things, 
 and feeks the truth with humility, fervour, 
 and perfeverant prayer ; and that their fteps 
 may be guided by this light alone, is. the 
 i hearty defire of the publifhers of this per- 
 formance.
 
 *3K****#X»OK:3^)e(*££* 
 
 The Firft Point. 
 
 That Scripture alcne cannot be a Rule fuffici- 
 ent to direct us in all necejfary Controver- 
 fics. 
 
 NO Roman Catholic doth deny the 
 Scripture to be a lufficient Rule to 
 direct us in all Controverfies, if we 
 take the Scripture rightly interpreted. And 
 therefore all thofe many Texts which Pro- 
 tectants' bring, to prove the Scripture to be 
 our fole Rule of Faith, are very clearly an- 
 fwered, by laying, that all thole Texts 
 fpealc of the Scripture not taken as the Let- 
 ter founds, for the Letter kills, [2 Cor. iii. 
 6.] but they fpeak of the Scripture as right- 
 ly interpreted. And Proteitants cannot but 
 grant the Scripture rightly interpreted, to be 
 a fufficient Rule of Faith. But what are we 
 the nearer ? For now comes the great Ques- 
 tion of Queftions, Who be thofe that give 
 the right Interpretation to Scripture ? 
 
 2. The verv ground of all Religions, but 
 the Roman, is the Scripture as interpreted by 
 their own felves, after they have carefully 
 conferred one place with another. For I afk, 
 and afk them again and again, by whom 
 Scripture ought to be interpreted ? They 
 will fay, by bcripture conferred with Scrip- 
 A ture.
 
 2 Scripture alone is mt 
 
 ture. Here I muft yet afk them again, By 
 whom the Conference of one Scripture with 
 another can be made fo exactly, that from 
 hence we may come undoubtedly to know 
 the true Interpretation ? This Queftion I 
 will be itill afking them, until they can an- 
 swer it. For I am fure, that if I prefs this 
 Queftion home, they muft be at laft enforced 
 to fay, that the Ground of their whole Re- 
 ligion is, the Scripture interpreted by them- 
 felves, when it hath been carefully conferred 
 by themfelves ; fo that the very ground of 
 their whole Faith is deceitful and fallible, if 
 they themfelves be fallible, either in inter- 
 preting, or in conferring Scripture carefully 
 or fkilfully. If they fay, Their Interpreta- 
 tion thus made, is undoubted and infallible, 
 then they cannot blame us for faying, That 
 the Interpretation of the Church, made with 
 as great care and fkill, ufed by her in the 
 exact conference of one Scripture with ano- 
 ther, is Infallible. 
 
 3. Stay here, dear Reader, and as thou 
 •loveft thy Salvation, before thou goeft any 
 further, ponder attentively how fallible and 
 fubjecl: to a World of Errors the Ground of 
 all fuch Religions muft needs be, which 
 wholly and intirely are found at laft to rely 
 upon a meer human Interpretation, after that 
 a meer human and molt fallible diligence, 
 and fkill hath been employed in conferring 
 one Text with another. Then ponder on 
 the other fide, how incomparably furer and 
 3 more
 
 the Rule of Faith. 3 
 
 more judicable in the fight of God and Man, 
 the Ground of that Faith is, which relieth 
 indeed on the Scripture ; but not on the 
 Scripture as interpreted by private and fallible 
 Interpreters, after their mod fallible exactnefs 
 of conferring Scripture with Scripture ; but 
 which relieth upon Scripture, as interpreted 
 by the Church, after that fhe, with no lefs 
 exaclnefs, hath conferred one Scripture with 
 another in a general Council, having incom- 
 parable greater human Abilities, than thofe 
 of any private Man's be, and having the 
 fpecia! afliftance of the HolyGhoft, leading 
 his Church into all Truth. Of this Infalli- 
 bility we mail fpeak fully, Point 5. 
 
 4. Now the Scripture, as rightly inter- 
 preted by the Church, will fend us, for the 
 clearing of many Doubts, unto the Church, 
 authorized by Chrift to inftrucf, and teach 
 us, as in that fifth Point (hall be evidenced 
 out of Scripture. The difference then be- 
 tween our Adverfaries and us, is, That we 
 affirm the Scripture, as it is rightly inter- 
 preted by the Church, after fhe hath exactly 
 conferred in a general Council, Scripture 
 with Scripture, to be the Rule of Faith, by 
 which fhe decideth all neceflary Controvcr- 
 fies. But our Adverfaries, mifliking the 
 pendance on the Church, will have the Scrip- 
 ture, by it felf alone, to be a Rule fufficient 
 to direcl: each one, who mail carefullv conff-r 
 it, to judge all neceffary Controverfies. This 
 A 2 we
 
 4 Scripture alone is not 
 
 we deny, and though they fay it in words, • 
 yet in very deed they alio come to deny what 
 they fay ; for let a Man mark it well, and 
 he fhall fee, that all thefe Sectaries when 
 they come to the main Controverfy, do not 
 take Scripture alone, as conferred with 
 Scripture only; but they all take Scripture 
 with their own Interpretation, made upon 
 their own conference. And if you tell them 
 they have failed, by not taking due notice of 
 feveral other Texts in Scripture^ which 
 mould have been pondered in their Confer- 
 ence, and would have produced a different 
 Interpretation, .they will fay, Their own Spi- 
 rit tells them the contrary : fo that finally* 
 they, who laugh at the Church for trufting 
 to be fecurely guided by the Holy Ghoit, 
 come to ground their whole Faith upon the 
 Affurance of being truly guided by their own 
 Spirit or Judgment ; but let us come to what 
 we propound., and let us prove by Scripture, 
 that Scripture taken as they take it, cannot 
 be a fufRcient Rule to direct us in all necefia- 
 ry Controverfies. This I prove. 
 
 5. firjf, becaufe to end all Controverfies 
 we mult at leaft Rule our felves by all the 
 Books of Scripture, and we muff be afTured 
 we do fo. This is clear, becaufe by no 
 Text of Scripture it can be proved, that any 
 determined Book, or number of Books, is 
 fufficient to end all Controverfies. But to 
 do this, the whole Number of Books writ- 
 ten by any Scripture- Writer is wholly requi- 
 site,
 
 the Rue of Faith. 
 
 fite, feeing that no Text fpeaks of any one, 
 or any determinate number; but all \\ 
 of all. Now mark to what pais this Opini- 
 on brings you. For, if we be to judge all 
 necefTary Controverfies by all the Books, 
 which ever were written by any Scrip rure- 
 writer, we muft neceflarily have thefe Books 
 amongft us. But we have not in the who]. 
 World extant amongft us divers Books of 
 Sacred Prophetical Scriptures. For no fewer 
 than twenty Books of the Prophetical Pen- 
 men of the Holy Ghoft have quite peri/hed, 
 as the learned Contzcn proved) in his Preface 
 upon the four Gofpels ; and I will prove this 
 as far as is fufficient by thefe following Texts, 
 [Jofi. 10. 13.] Is not this written in t'e Book 
 of Jajher f Again [1 Kings 4. 32.] Solomon 
 fpoke three thou fan d Proverbs , and his Songs 
 were one th ufand and 'five. Again, [1 Chron. 
 29. 29.] The A,:ls of David firjl and laft arc 
 written in the Book of Samuel the Seer, and 
 the B',ok of Nathan the Prophet, and the Book 
 of Gad the Seer. Where be thefe two Pro- 
 phets Books ? Again, [2 Chron. 9. 29.] men- 
 tion is made of the Books of Nathan the Pro- 
 phet, and the Prophecy of Ahijah) and the Vi- 
 fions of Iddo the Seer. And [Chap. 12. 15.] 
 in the Book of Schemaiah the Prophet, and Id- 
 do the Seer, concerning Genealogies : which 
 feems to be a different Book from his Book of 
 Vifions before fpecified. And [Chap. 13. 22.] 
 mention 'is made of theory of the Prophet 
 A 3 Lido.
 
 6 Scripture alone is not 
 
 Jddo. And [Ch. 20. 34.] mention is made 
 of the Book of "Jehu Son of Hanani ; and 
 [Chap. 33. 19.] we find mention of the 
 Works of the Sayi> gs of the Seers. We 
 know then by Scripture that what is faid by- 
 thole Books, is faid by-Prophets : And we 
 alfo know by Scripture, that God fpoke in 
 Tune pajl unto the Fathers by the Prophets, 
 [Heb. i. 1.] Moreover, we know by Scrip- 
 ture, that Prophecy came not in old Time by the 
 Will of Man ; but the Holy Men of Gcd, 
 fpakc as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, [2 
 Pet. i. 21.] Standing therefore to what is 
 known by Scripture, thefe Books, which 
 have perimed, did deliver what was fpoken 
 by the Holy Ghoft, and contained the true 
 Word of God. Whence is proved, that we 
 have not now entirely the whole Word of 
 God written. And this is further proved by 
 the enfuing Texts of St. Paul, [1 Cor. 5. 9.] 
 / wrote to you in one Epiftle. Note, that he 
 faith this in his firft Epiftle to them : Where 
 is this Epiftle which St. Paul wrote to them, 
 before he wrote the firft to them ? / wrote to 
 you. We then fay, Give us all facred Pro- 
 phetical Writings which ever were written, 
 or give us at leaft fome one fingle clear Text, 
 which tells us, that we are to end all neceiTary 
 Controverfies by fuch Books alone as be now 
 extant in the true Canon of Scripture, or elfe 
 be afhamed to fpeak without a Text in this 
 very queftion, in which you affirm, that all 
 our neceflary Controverfies muft be ended by 
 
 only
 
 the Ride of Fulil. ~ 
 
 only clear Scripture. The Controverfy about 
 this verv Queltion is one of the greater! of all 
 Controverfies, and yet you would have th 
 credit you, without being able to bring cl< 
 Scripture for what you fay ; efpeciallv Scrip- 
 ture conferred with theie now cited Texts, 
 of which, I dare fay, you never thought. 
 And though you mould bring me a clear Text 
 to prove what is defired, yet where would you 
 find a clear Text, to fhew me, that all thofe 
 twelve Books, yea, or any one of 'them, 
 "which you have rejected amongft the Apocry- 
 pha, do not belong to the true Cancn of the 
 whole Scripture. Remember I call for a 
 Text as you bid me, and not for a Reafon 
 againft which we have our Reafons -, the 
 Text fays, You muff end all necefTary Con- 
 troverfies. Let then fome Text be brought 
 able to end this, even in your own Judg- 
 ment. 
 
 6. Secondly^ If Scripture only be the Rule 
 to end all necefTary Controverfies, then fome 
 Ages had no fuch Rule at all, but were defli- 
 tute of all afiured Rule to end their neceflary 
 Controverfies, and that for two Thoufand 
 and four Hundred Years together. For Mo~ 
 fes, who was the firft Scripture- Writer, was 
 not born, but after the World had flood two 
 Thoufand and four Hundred Years, as may 
 be made apparent by Scripture, in calculating 
 the Ages of fuch as fucceflively lived one af- 
 ter the other, according to his own Hiftory 
 A 4 of
 
 8 Scripture alone is not 
 
 of Gcnefis : fo long therefore the World was 
 without any Scripture. Scripture then is not 
 the only Rule of true Faith, feeing that Sa- 
 rah, Rebecca, and others of thofe Times 
 had true Faith, though their Faith was only 
 fquared by the Rule of the Tradition of their 
 Church, as we fhall fee in the next Point, 
 N. 2. 
 
 7. Thirdly, The Rule, by which all Men 
 mould be ruled in all neceflary Points, mould 
 be in a Language underftood by all. But it 
 is clear, that moft of the Jeiis, in the Cap- 
 tivity of Babylon, had loft the Knowledge 
 of the Hebrew Tongue, wherein the old 
 Scripture was written. Neither was the Bi- 
 ble tranflated into the Syriac Language, till 
 kiiic Years after our Saviour's Death. Sy- 
 riac differs as much from Hebrew, as Italian 
 from Latin ; and the very Letters differ as 
 much as Greek and Latin. The Jews then 
 for above fourteen Generations underftood 
 the H> breiv, no more than your People now 
 underftand the Bible in Lot in. But of all 
 this I fhall fpeak more fully in Point 15..N. 1. 
 
 8. Fourthly, That cannot be a fufficient 
 Rule to decide all neceflary Controverfies ; 
 which fpeaks not one Word of many neceflary 
 Controverfies, but the Scripture fpeaks not a 
 Word of many neceflary Controverfies : Ergo, 
 And firftjitis neceflary to know which Books 
 of Scripture be Canonical, and which not : Al- 
 fo, whether the Canonical Books we now have, 
 be alone fufficient to guide us in all neceflary 
 
 Controverfies I
 
 the Rule of Faith. g 
 
 Controverfies ? Then whether they can do 
 this, if they be not incorrupt. And how we 
 (hall alluredly know, whether they be incor- 
 rupted, or not? Or, which is the Copy that 
 is uncorrupt ? Again, which is the true 
 Tranflation of this Copy. Again, which 
 is the true Senfe of this Tranflation, and 
 that aiTuredly, with a clear Text for this ai- 
 furance ? Of thefe, and many more particu- 
 lar Controverfies, not a Word in Scripture. 
 Again, ftanding to Scripture alone, the He- 
 refy of Helvldius, denying our BlefTed Lady 
 ever to have remained a Virgin, feemeth ra- 
 ther to have had fome colourable defence, 
 than any clear Judgment given againft it by 
 Scripture only. For [Matth. i. 25.] He 
 knew her not tilljhe brought forth her fi) J} lorn 
 Son. In which Text thefe words, till Jhe 
 brought forth, and thofe others, her fi'fl -born 
 So*i, give fome colour to fay fhe had other 
 Sons afterwards. For which Doctrine Hci- 
 vidius was held an Heretic by St. Augujiine, 
 Haer. 84. and by St. Hierom, contra Helvi- 
 dium. You may lee four and twenty necei- 
 fary Points fet down all at large by Opt at us 
 Duclor, in his Quefl'ion of Quejiions, no one 
 of which are clearly decided in Scripture. 
 
 9. Fifthly, That cannot be a fumcien-t 
 Rule to decide all ncceflary Controvert:, 
 which in fuch Controverfies fpeaks not clear- 
 ly, but is very hard to be underftood as the 
 Scripture is. Whence we fee all Contro- 
 verfies arife about the true Meaning of fuch 
 A s stnd*
 
 10 Scripture alone is not 
 
 and fuch Texts. So [2 Pet. iii. 16.] In the 
 which Epiftles of St. Paul, are certain things 
 hard to be underftood, which the unlearned 
 and unjlable wrejl^ as they do the other 
 Scriptures, unto their own Damnation. 
 Whence it is evident, that damnable Errors 
 may be incurred by miflnterpreting />/#££$■ hard 
 tf> be underjlood^ and fo this hardnefs is found 
 in Points necejfary to Salvation ; for in fuch 
 only, damnable Errors can be incurred. 
 
 10. Sixthly , Chrift did not command any 
 one of the Evengelifts to write his Gofpel. 
 They all did write of themfelves upon par- 
 ticular occafions, exprefTed by Eujebius. St. 
 Luke tells you in his Preface, why he did 
 write uncommanded. Chrift then intended 
 to leave us fome other Rule than this, which 
 he never commanded to be written at all, 
 much lefs to be written fo, as to be to us the 
 only Rule of Faith. 
 
 1 1 . Seventhly , By Reading the Ceremo- 
 nial Law, given by God to Mofes fo clearly, 
 fo diftindtly, and fo clofe together, in the 
 compafs of no great Book, I evidently infer, 
 That if the felf-fame moft prudent Law-ma- 
 ker had intended, in the Books of Canoni- 
 cal Scripture, to have delivered unto us the 
 fole Rule of Faith, and which alone we 
 were to follow ; he would not only have 
 clearly told us fo, but he would with no lefs, 
 but rather with more clarity and diftindtion, 
 and in a far lefs Compais, have fet down 
 unto us this Rule, entirely and completely 
 
 together
 
 the Rule of Faith. n 
 
 together in fome one Part of the Canonical 
 Scripture, diftinclly expreflingall thofe Points, 
 the Belief of which he exacteth of us under 
 pain of damnation. For this did much more 
 import to be done thus plainly and diftmc~tl) r , 
 than the fetting down of the Jav:Jh Cere- 
 monies : For it is likely, that the fame God 
 who prefcribed unneceflary Ceremonies to be 
 fo clearly and diftinc~rly fet down in a few 
 Leaves, to direct the Jewifh Church, which 
 is but the Hand-Maid, would not, for the 
 Church of Chrift, which is the Miftrefs, 
 give as clear a direction in Points wholly ne- 
 cefTary to Salvation ; but would fend every- 
 one of her Children to read over the whole 
 Bible, and to pick out here one place, and 
 there another, as Proteftants fay, God fends 
 us to feek even the moft necefTary Points of 
 our Belief, which he requires of us under 
 pain of Damnation, now in this Place of fo 
 vaft a Volume as the Bible is, now in ano- 
 ther place hard by, now in another a great 
 way off ; and fo to go feeking from the be- 
 ginning of Genefis, to the End of the Jpo- 
 caiypfe : And this, though the Number of 
 Points necefTary to Salvation be but fmall, 
 a<> Proteftants all agree ; I cannot therefore 
 think it was God's intention to leave us to 
 the Bible onlv 5 as to the fole Rule of Faith. 
 
 The
 
 [ 12 ] 
 
 The Second Point. 
 
 Tradition, he fides Scripture, muji dire ft us 
 in many necejjary Controverfies. 
 
 77 / R S 7; the Word of God may be 
 •* notified either by Tradition, without 
 Writing ; or by Scripture, or Writing. It 
 is undoubted, that the Word of God 
 written, or unwritten, is the Rule of Faith ; 
 wherefore, feeing it hath been proved, in 
 the former point, that the written Word of 
 God is not our only Rule of Faith, it evi- 
 dently followeth, that God's unwritten 
 Word, notified by Tradition, muft be taken 
 as part of this Rule. 
 
 2. Secondly, Mofes was the firft Scripture- 
 Writer, and he, according to his own Story, 
 did not write till the World had continued 
 above two Thoufand and four Hundred 
 Years : fo long then all the Faithful in the 
 World were truly faithful without any Scrip- 
 ture. All this long Time then, the un- 
 written Word of God, that is, Tradition, 
 was the only Rule of Faith : For even then 
 many had that Faith which is defined by S. 
 Paul \_Hebr. xi. I.] which I prove, becaufe 
 in that very place he numbers Abel, Enoch, 
 Noah, Abraham and Sarah, all having the 
 Faith he there defcribed ; and yet San h 
 cannot be fhewed to have had her Faith 
 grounded' on any other Word of God, but 
 3 that
 
 the Rule- of Faith. 1 3 
 
 that which was delivered by the Tradition 
 of the Church in her Times. And ge- 
 nerally then, the Faith of all true Believers 
 was grounded upon Tradition only. By 
 this Tradition they knew that God blejjed 
 the feventh Day, and fanclified it [Gen. ii. 3] 
 and (o all held themfelves obliged to keep 
 the Sabbath. By this Tradition they knew 
 the diftinction of Beads, clean and unclean^ 
 \Qst\\. vii. 2.] By this Tradition they knew 
 themfelves obliged, net to eat the Flefh with 
 the Bloody [Gen. ix. 4.] fo likewife, that the 
 Tithes were to be paid to the Prieft, [Gen. 
 xiv. 20. J By only Tradition they knew the 
 Fall of Adam ; their future Salvation by the 
 Mejfias to come ; their Remedy from Sin 
 by Penance and Repentance ; their Reward 
 of Good, and Punifhment of Evil, Again, 
 from Alraham until the written Law, that 
 is, for fome four hundred Years, they knew 
 by Tradition only, that this is the Covenant 
 which ye Jhall keep between me and you, All 
 Mankind ft) all he circumcifed, an Infant of 
 eight Days, [Gen. xvii. 10.] Now give me 
 one Text if you can, which bids us not 
 to take Tradition for a Rule of Faith after 
 the writing of Scripture. 
 
 3. Thirdly, Even after the writing of 
 Scripture, the Gentiles had not the Scrip- 
 ture, yet by Tradition only many of them, 
 as appears by the Book of J- / ' « ;etained 
 true Faith. And even among ^ Jews, 
 after they had the Scripture, feveral necefTary 
 
 Points
 
 14. Tradition part of 
 
 Points were left to be known by Tradition 
 only ; As the Remedy for Original Sin be- 
 fore the eighth Day, and for Women Chil- 
 dren both before and after ; As alfo by only 
 Tradition they knew, that all the Virtue 
 that Sacrifices had to take away Sin, was 
 from the Blood of their Redeemer to come. 
 The obferving of all thefe Traditions was 
 not any unlawful Addition to the written 
 Word of God ; whence you may under- 
 ftand the clear Meaning of thofe Words (o 
 often objected againft us, [Deut. iv. 2. J 
 Toujhall not add to the Word I command you, 
 neither Jhall you diminijh ought from it. For 
 here is only forbidden to add contrary to the 
 Law. So that other Place, [Ch. xii. 32. J 
 IVhatfaever I command you y obferve, thou 
 Jhall not add thereunto, nor diminijh from it.. 
 For this Place is meant only of not offering 
 any other Sacrifices, befides thofe which were 
 in the Law prefcribed : But it was ever law- 
 ful, for lawful Superiors, to add more Pre- 
 cepts agreeable to the Law. So [2 Chron. 
 xxx. 21.] after the Children of Jfrael, ac- 
 cording to Law, had kept the Solemnity of 
 Jzymes (even Days, [v. 23.] the whole Af 
 fembly took good Counjel to keep other feven 
 Days. And [v. 27.] Their Prayer came to 
 the holy Habitation of Heaven. This Addi- 
 tion then did not difpleafe God. Again, 
 [E/lher ^2*7 •] The J civs ordained, and 
 took upo$\ em and their Seed, and upon all 
 that would be joined with them, fo as it fnould 
 
 not
 
 the Rule of Faith. 15 
 
 not fail that they keep thefe two Days, and 
 that thefe Days foouldbe kept throughout every 
 Generation, every Family : Behold here ano- 
 ther Addition. And behold alfo another 
 again of the Dedication of the Altar ', made 
 for eight Days from Tear to Year [1 Mace. 
 iv. 56, 59.] And that you may know that 
 this Book is Scripture, or at leaft, that a 
 Feaft is to be kept not appointed in Scrip- 
 ture, our Saviour himfelf did keep this Feafr, 
 [John x. 22.] as I {hall fhew Point 38. 
 Again, the change of the Sabbath into the 
 Sunday is only clearly known by Tradition : 
 Yea, the Manner of keeping it is contrary 
 to ail Scripture we have -, for Scripture faith, 
 [Levit. xxiii. 32.] From Even unto Even Jhall 
 you celebrate your Sabbath. Yet we do not 
 begin the Sunday the Even before, neither 
 dare we work after the Even upon Sunday, 
 Who taught us this ? Tradition only. 
 
 4. Fourthly, Tradition is, and therefore 
 is truly to be held, the Word of God, 
 making us fully afTured of what is not writ- 
 ten. For Example, For fome Years after 
 the Death of our Saviour, his Glorification 
 after Death v/as not written fo as to exprefs, 
 that Jefus was that Chrift whom God had 
 glorified ; and yet before this was written 
 S. Peter faid truly, [Aclsn. 36.] Therefore 
 let all the Houfe of Ifrael know affuredly 
 (mark the Word affuredly) that God hath 
 made the fame Jefus, whom you have crucified, 
 both Lord and Chrift, We may then have 
 
 an
 
 1 6 Tradition part of 
 
 -an infallible Faith of what is not written, 
 yea, we are forbidden to believe otherwile 
 than was delivered by Tradition, [2 ThefT. 
 ii. 15.] Therefore Brethrenjland and hold the 
 Traditions you have been taught, whether by 
 Worc^ or by our Epiflh. For what he 
 taught by his Tongue only was as truly the 
 Word of God, as what he did alfo write 
 with his Pen. Yea, this which I call Tra- 
 dition is the Epiftle of Chrift, [2 Cor, iii. 3.] 
 You are the Epiftle of Chrijl, not written 
 with Ink, but with the Spirit of the Living 
 God. This Epiftle written with the Spirit of 
 the Living God is no lefs true, nor of lefs 
 Credit than what is written with Ink in 
 Papers. Wherefore molt of the Apoftles 
 did give their Converts no other Form of 
 Belief, but what, by their preaching, they 
 had written in their Hearts, not with Ink, 
 but with the Spirit of the Living God. For 
 the proper Subject to receive and retain the 
 Word of God, is not Paper, but the Hearts 
 of the Faithful. Whence S. Irenaus, [lib. 
 3. cap. 4.] What if the Jpojlles had aljo left 
 no Scripture ! Ought not we to follow the 
 Order of Tradition which they de ivered to 
 them, to ivtom they committed the Churches P 
 To zuhi.h Ordinance, many Nations of thcfe 
 barbarous People, who had believed in Chrijt, 
 do confent without Letter or Ink, having Sal- 
 vation, (that is, Soul-faving Doctrine,) writ- 
 ten in their Hearts. For a World of the . 
 iirft Believers did never fo much as fee all 
 
 Scripture.
 
 the Rule of Faith. I y 
 
 Scripture. It was the Year 99. before S« 
 John wrote his Gofpel : And when the 
 Canon of Scripture was fully enJed, there is 
 no mention made even of the leaft Care 
 taken by the Apoftles, to divulge the Scrip- 
 ture in barbarous Languages j No, nor to 
 divulge it in Latin itfelf, as you mult needs 
 fay, who deny primitive Antiquity to all 
 Latin Editions. All this clearly proves, that 
 Tradition was relied upon, as upon the 
 Word of God itfelf. Whence S. Paul did 
 not only counfel, but alio commanded the 
 TheJJalonians to withdraw themfelves from 
 all who walked not after the Tradition they 
 had received of their Paftors, [2 Theff. iii. 6. J 
 Now, faid he, we command you Brethren in 
 the Name of our Lord, that ye withdraw 
 your • [elves from every Brother that walketh 
 diforderiy, and not after the Tradition which 
 he received of us. 
 
 5. It was for the keeping this Tradition, 
 and form of Faith, why he praifed the 
 Romany [Ch. vi. 17.] You have obeyed from 
 your Heart the Form of DoSirine which was 
 delivered you. This Form could not be a 
 Form contained in the whole Canon of 
 Scripture, for the whole Canon was not 
 finimed when S. Paul did write this. It 
 was therefore the Form of Uniform Tradition 
 delivered in each Church, which taught by 
 Word of Mouth all Things neceiTary : For 
 this he praifed the Corinthians, [1 Cor. 
 xi. 2. J Now I praife you Brethren, that you 
 
 keep
 
 l2 Tradition part of 
 
 keep the Traditions (Co you put it in the Mar- 
 gent ; but in the Text you read, Ordi- 
 nances) as I delivered them to you. This 
 Form, thefe Traditions, thefe Ordinances are 
 inculcated again and again, [i Tim. vi. 2C.] 
 O Timothy, keep that vobich is committed to 
 thy Truji ; And, [v. 3.] If am one teach 
 ctherwife, he is proud, knowing nothing. 
 Again, [2 Tim. i. 13.] Hold f aft the Form 
 of good Words which thou haft heard of me : 
 That good Thing which was committed to thee, 
 keep by the Holy Ghft. Again, [CL iii. 14.] 
 But thou continue in thofe Things which thou 
 haft learned, and been ajfured of knowing of 
 whom thou haft learned them ; Learned I fay v 
 by Word of Mouth, for by Writing he had 
 received but little. So alfo, when as yet by 
 Writing he had taught the Romans nothing, 
 he, in his firft and only Epiftle to them,, 
 wrote thus, [Rom. xvi. 17.] Now I bejeech 
 you, Brethren, mark them which caufe Divi- 
 fions and Offences, contrary to the Doclrine 
 which you have learned. Likewife, when as 
 yet he had written nothing to the Galatians, 
 for where is any fuch Writing ? He be- 
 gins thus, [Gal. i. 6.] / marvel that fo 
 Joon you are removed from him, ivho called 
 you into the Grace of Chrift unto another Gof- 
 pel, I fay, removed, that is, changed from 
 the Form of Faith which I delivered, which 
 was a true, though not a written Gofpel, 
 into another Gofpel taught by thefe new 
 otherwife Teachers ; yet faith he with all ear- 
 
 neftnefs,
 
 the Rule of Faith. 19 
 
 nefmeh, Although we, o-" an Angel from 
 Heaven, preach any ether Go/pel unto you 
 than that ye have received, let them be oc- 
 cur fed, [v. 8.] S. Paul as yet had preached 
 nothing to them in Writing, but they had 
 received all by Oral Tradition, and yet not- 
 withstanding once again more vehemently, 
 [v. 9.] As we have f aid before, fo I fay new 
 again, If any Man preach any other Gofpel 
 unto yen than that you have received, be he ac- 
 curfed. Note, the Word Received, inti- 
 ' mateth that they had all by Tradition. For 
 what, as then, had they received from him 
 in Writing ? And he faith no more than 
 other Apoftles, who did write nothing, but 
 delivered all by Oral Tradition, might truly 
 have faid of the Gofpel fo delivered by them. 
 Neither did S. Paul fpeak of what they 
 fhould receive many Years after, but of what 
 they had as then received; for that was as 
 true as any Thing they mould receive by 
 Writing. And therefore for their forfaking 
 of what they had received thus, he moft de- 
 fervedly faith unto them, O foolijh Galatians, 
 who hath bewitched you? [Ch. iii. 1.] For 
 indeed they feem bewitched out of their 
 Senfes, who, to follow the private Judg- 
 ment of fome other ivife Teachers, reject what 
 they had received by the full, and ftill-con- 
 tinued Report of all Chriftianity from the 
 firft Teachers of the Faith. 
 
 6. They object Tradition to be the Worcf 
 of Men i but all thefe Arguments fhew this 
 
 Apoftolical
 
 20 Tradition part, &c. 
 
 Apoftolical Tradition, for which only we 
 now contend, to be the Word of God ; A 
 Form of found Words. And [ I Theff. it 13.] 
 Ye received the Word Gf God which ye heard 
 of us, ye received it not as the Word of Men y 
 but (as it is in Truth) the Word of God. 
 Behold, what was heard by them only by 
 Word of Mouth, was in Truth the Word of 
 God. Therefore a fit Rule of Faith, even 
 before it was written. 
 
 7. They afk, How we know a true Apof- 
 tolical Tradition from a falfe one, which is 
 the Tradition of Men. I anfwer, that a 
 true Apoftolical Tradition cometh down 
 handed by a full unanimous Report of all 
 Catholic Nations in all Ages, attefted by 
 their univerfal Practice and uniform Doc- 
 trine, what is thus delivered is the Doc- 
 trine of the Church diffufed, and therefore 
 Infallible ; upon this Ground, for other in- 
 fallible Grounds you have none, you receive 
 only fuch and fuch Scripture for Canonical, 
 and fuch and fuch Copies of the Scripture for 
 Authentical. We can therefore, to the full, 
 as well diftinguifh true Traditions from 
 falfe ones, or Apoftolical Traditions from 
 Traditions of Ordinary Men, as you can 
 diftinguim the Authentical Copy of their 
 Writings from fuch as are forged or cor- 
 rupted ; for you muft nrft diftinguim the 
 Truth of the Tradition which recommends 
 fuch Books unto you from all falfe Tradi- 
 tions. The
 
 C « J 
 
 The Third Point 
 
 Of the never Failing of the Church, which 
 being perpetual can preferve perpetual Tra- 
 ditions. Alfo of fuccejfion of true Pajiors 
 and Profefors. 
 
 T F the Church of Chrift could fail, or 
 ^ ceafe to be, it is evident Tradition 
 might fail, and not be preferved in its purity. 
 ThetrueChurch is both infallible, as long as 
 (he lafts, (of which fee Point 5.) and is alfo 
 fure to laft to the End of the World. Yea, 
 me is allured all this Time to have a lawful 
 Succeflion of true Pallors, and under them 
 true Profeflbrs of the Faith in a vaft Num- 
 ber j find any fuch Church befides the Ro- 
 man, if you can, and I give you leave to 
 call that the true Church. And left perhaps 
 the great Number of powerful Texts, which 
 we are to cite, mould work fmall efFecl: with 
 Minds prepofTeft with one or two Objections 
 to the contrary, we will firft clear them, and 
 then pafs to the manifold clear Texts which 
 demonftrate the true Church at no Time to 
 be in a lurking Invifibility. 
 
 2. The prime Objection is fromthewords 
 of E lias, [1 Kings xviii. 22.] /, even /, only 
 remain a Prophet of our Lord. And in the 
 next Chap, [v 10.] /, even I. only am left, 
 which again he repeats [v. 14.] I anfwer, 
 
 That
 
 22 The Church Jl ill to continue 
 
 That at lead, he is told prefently by God, 
 [v. 1 8.] That there zvere left in Ifrael /even 
 Thoufand Men, zvhofe Knees had not been 
 bowed before Baal. And in the former Chap- 
 ter it is manifeft, he knew of an hundred 
 Prophets. For, [v. 13.] Abdias told him, 
 / hid of the Prophets of our Lord, an hundred 
 Men, by fifty and fifty, in Caves. Where- 
 fore he well knew, that there were many 
 Faithful, amongft whom fo many Prophets 
 were known to him ; yea, hence it is clear 
 that he was not the only Prophet left. Where- 
 fore thofe Words, /, only I, remain a Pro- 
 phet of cur Lord, are to be understood thus: 
 I, only I, remain a Prophet, {landing open- 
 ly to oppofe their fury amongft the Apoftated 
 Tribes of Ifrael. For Eli as knew full well, 
 that not all the Children of Ifrael, but only 
 ten Tribes were fallen from God, [ 1 Kings 
 12.] He knew alfo that the ftill faithful 
 Tribe of Judah, including Benjamin, afforded 
 Rehoboam an Hundred and fourj "core Thoufand 
 chofen Men, tonight againft the other revolted 
 ten Tribes, [v. 21.] which is again repeated 
 [2 Chron. 11.] with a notable declaration 
 how much the true Church even then flou- 
 rifhed in Judah and Benjamin. Rehoboam 
 himfelf building fifteen Cities inclofed with 
 Walls: And [v. 13.] The Priefls and Le- 
 vites that zvere in all Ifrael reforted to him cut 
 of all their Coajls. And [v. 16.] Of all the 
 Tribes of Ifrael, whofoever had given their 
 Hearts to feek their Lord God of Ifrael, came 
 
 into
 
 with Laivful Paftors, 23 
 
 into Jerufalem to facrifice, and they Jlrength- 
 tned the Kingdom of Judah. All this Ellas 
 knew very well, and alfo that which follows, 
 to wit, that A fa reigned over all "Judah in 
 all Piety and Peace, [2 Chron. 14.] And, he 
 bu'ut other fenced Cities in Judah. And, [v. 
 8.] Afa had of Judah an A. my of 300000, 
 and of Benjamin two Hundred and eighty 
 Thoufand. And he defeated ten Hundred 
 Thoufand Ethiopians. And [2 Chron. 17. J 
 Jofaphat, who lived in the Days of Elias y 
 v/as yet greater than Afa his Father, both 
 in Piety -and Power. For [v. 10.] The Dread 
 of our Lord came about all the Kingdoms of the 
 Lands that were ah out Judah, neither durjl 
 they make haitle againjl Jofaphat. And he 
 built many flrong Cities, and ftupendous was 
 the Number of his Forces, [v. 14 ] of Ju- 
 dah under Abnath three Hundred Thoufand; 
 and two Hundred eighty Thoufand under 
 Johanan : and two Hundred Thoufand 
 under Amafia ; and two Hundred Thoufand 
 under Eliada -, and one Hundred eighty 
 Thoufand under Jofabad. All thefe make 
 eleven Hundred Thoufand, and fixty Thou- 
 fand Soldiers : And yet the Scripture faith, 
 All thefe were at the Hand of the King, be- 
 fules others whom he had put in zvalled Cities 
 in Judah. Behold the Jewifh Church, even 
 at her lowed ebb. Chrift's Church is the 
 Miftrefs, and of higher dignity : Where- 
 fore at all Times after her beginning, you 
 muft find me at leaft as many vifible Pro- 
 
 fefibrs
 
 24 The Church Jlill to continue 
 
 feffors of her D^ftrine, as the Jewifh Church 
 had in her meaneft condition, For the New 
 Te/lament is ejlablifliedinfar better Promifts y 
 [Heb. viii. 6 ] As alio appears by the Texts 
 which here fhall be cited. All which Texts 
 convince fuch a perpetual confpicuous, and 
 yifibly flouriflnng flate at all Times, that no 
 Church differing from the Roman can be 
 fhewed to have had any thing like it. 
 
 3. The other only confiderable Objection 
 is, That perhaps thefe Promifes, made to 
 God by his Church, concerning his always 
 protecting her, were made upon this condi- 
 tion, that he would do this, if fhe mould 
 perfevere to keep his Commandments, for fo 
 all his Promifes to David and Solomon are 
 made. I anfwer, That it is evident that fome 
 Promifes which feem made to them and their 
 Pofterity, are not to be literally underftood 
 of their Pofterity according to the Flefh ; 
 but as they by Grace be Sons of Chrift, who 
 was the Son of David. And divers of thefe 
 Promifes are made fo abfolutely, that abfo- 
 lutely they admit of no fuch condition. Take 
 for proof hereof that convincing Text, 
 [Pfal. Ixxxix. 4.] I have made a Covenant 
 with ivy chofen, I have /worn to David mv 
 Servant , t! y feed will I ejlablifofor evcr^ end 
 I zvill build up thy Throne to all Generations. 
 All which is only verified in Chrift ; Who, 
 in his Church, hath given him the Seat of 
 David his Father , and he Jhall reign in the 
 Houfe of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom 
 
 there
 
 ivith lawful Pallors: 25 
 
 there /ball be no End. As the Angel faid, 
 [Luke i. 32.] After this Promife of everlaft- 
 ing perpetuity to his Church, left any one 
 ihould think his Promifes might be made 
 void by any fins of hers, or to be made only 
 upon Condition of their walking in his Com- 
 mandments, he addeth in the fame Pfalm, 
 [v. 27.] And 1 will put him the firfl Begotten 
 high above the Kings of the Earth, I will 
 keep my Mercy unto him for ever, and my Tefla- 
 ment faithful unto him. I will put his Seed 
 for ever and ever, and his Throne as the Days 
 of Heaven. But if his Children Jhall for fake 
 my Law (this cannot be poflibly in your 
 Doctrine fpoken of the Elect) and will not 
 voalk in my Judgments. If they will pro- 
 phane my Juflices, and not keep my Com- 
 mandments, I will vifit their Iniquities with 
 a Rod, and their fins with Jlripes ; But my 
 loving-kindnefs I will not take owayfrom him, 
 nor fujfer my faithfulnefs to fail. My Cove- 
 nant will I not break, nor the Thing which is 
 gone out of my Lips. Once I have J worn in 
 my Holinefs, if 1 lye to David, his S. cd Jhall 
 continue for ever, and his '7 hrone as the Sun 
 in my fight, and as the Moon perfeS? for ever. 
 This Text fpeaks home to prove what I in- 
 tend, to wit, that thefc Promifes be made 
 upon Chrift, the Son of David, the Son of A- 
 braham, [Matth. i. 1.] and as St. Pcultczch- 
 eth, that only thofe who believe in Chrift. 
 be the true Children of Ifrael and Abraham, 
 fo they only be the true Children of David ; 
 B and
 
 2 6 The Church ji'ill to continue 
 
 ur.d concerning them is verified the Promife, ! 
 which, as is here faid, for no . fins, of theirs | 
 ihall ever be fruftrated. Not as though the 
 Word of God had taken no ejfeft, but they that . 
 are the ChilcWen of the Promife are counted for 
 the Seed) [Rom. ix. 6. J 
 
 4. And in this fenfe the Sacred Text 
 fpeaks, [2 Sam. vii. 16.] And' thine Houfe 
 and thy Kingdom Jhall be ejlablifl.ed for ever, be- 
 fore thee, thy Throne jhall be e/lab'ijhfd for ever. \ 
 According to all thefe Words did Nathan [peak 
 to David. So [Pfal. Ixxii. 5.] The? Jhall fear 
 thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure, 
 throughout all generations. He, Jhall have do- 
 minion afo from Sea to Sea, and from the Ri- 
 ver to the Ends of the Earth. In whom can 
 thefe Texts of Scripture be verified but in 
 Chrift, ever reigning in his Church difFufed, 
 even in a flourifhing Condition, over the 
 Face of the Earth. According to what is 
 faid, [Luke i. 32.] The Lord God fljall give 
 him tee Throne of his Father David j and he 
 Jhall reign over the Houje of fa cob for ever 9 
 (by having ftnl the Kingdom of his Church, 
 confifting of thofe true Ifraelites of whom 
 St. Paul fpoke) and of his Kingdom, (or 
 Church) there Jhall be no End. 
 
 5. IJaias every where is very full to this 
 purpofe [Chap. xlix. v. 14.] And Sion faid, 
 Our Lord hath forfaken me, and our Lord 
 hath forgotten ?ne. Why, can a Woman J or- 
 get her Infant, thatflje will not have pity on 
 the Son of her Womb? AndifJheJJiouldfor-
 
 with Lawful Pa/Iors. z j 
 
 get, yet 1 ivill not forget thee. Behold, I 
 have written thee in my Hands. And again, 
 [Chap. liv. v. 9.] /Is in the Days of Noah is 
 this thing tome, to whom I Jwo'e I zvould 
 bring in no more the Waters of Noah upon ihe 
 Earth, fo have I fworn not to be angry with 
 thee, nor to rebuke thee. For the Mountains 
 foall (fooner) be m.ved, and Hills trem le : 
 But tny Mercy ftall ot depa t from thee, and 
 the Covenant of my Peace Jhall not be ?noved y 
 faid our Lord, thy Miferator. Poor little one, 
 Jhaken with Tempejl, vuithout all comfort^ be- 
 hold I will lay thy Stones in order, and will 
 found thee in Saphires, and I will put the J f- 
 par Stone fr thy munitions. And again, 
 [Chap. lx. v. 15.] 1 will make thee the pride 
 of worlds, a Joy unto generation and generation. 
 [V. 18.] Iniquity fall be no more heard in 
 thy Land, wa/fe and dejlruction in thy borders, 
 and Salvation Jhall occupy thy walls, and Praife 
 thy gates. Thouft?alt have no more the Sun by 
 Day, neither Jhall the Brightnefs of the Moan 
 inlighten thee (thefe are too mean Lights for 
 thee ;] but the Lord Jhall be t$ thee an ever- 
 lajltng light, and thy Lord God for thy glory. 
 Thy Sun Jhall go down no more, and thy Moon 
 Jhall not be diminijhed, becaufe the Lord ft' a 11 
 be unto thee an everlafl'mg light, and the Days 
 of thy Mourning ft all be ended. Again, [Ch. 
 lxi. 6.] You Jhall cat the Jlrength of Gen- 
 tiles, and in their glory you Jhall be proud, ever- 
 lafling Joy fli a II be to them. I ivill give their 
 work in truth, and make a perpetual Covenant 
 B 2 with
 
 28 The Church ft ill to continue 
 
 with them, and they Jhall know their Seed in 
 the Gentiles : J 11 that Jhall fee them Jhall know 
 that thefe are the Seed which the Lord hath 
 bleffcd. Again, [62. 3.] Thou Jhult he a 
 Crown of Glory in the Hand of our Lord, 
 and the Diadem of a Kingdom in the Hand 
 of thy God. Thou Jhalt no more he called for - 
 faken, and thy Land Jhall be called no more de- 
 folate ; hut thou jhalt he called my will in her, 
 end thy Land Inhabited, becaufe it hath well 
 pleafed cur Lord in thee, and thy Land Jhall be 
 Inhabited. Thy God Jhall rejoice upon thee, up- 
 on thy walls Jerufalem I t have placed Watch- 
 men all tbe Day, and all the Night ; for ever 
 they [ball not hold their peace. See here the 
 continual Vifibility of the Church in her 
 Watchmen and Paftors, of which confe- 
 quently there rauft be a perpetual fucceflion. 
 And, [v. 8.] Our Lord hath fworn by his 
 right Hand, and bv the Arm of his Strength , 
 If 1 Jhall give thy Wheat any more to be Meat 
 to thy Enemies, and if the Jlrange Children . 
 fhall drink thy Wine. And he concludeth, 
 [v. 12.] Thou Jhalt be called a City fought for 
 and notforfaken. That the true Church alfo 
 fhall have a perpetual fucceflion of Priefts 
 and Levites, is clearly exprefled in the laft 
 Chapter of Ifaias, in which after the Pro- 
 phet had named Africa, Lydia, Italy, Greece, 
 and the Iflands afar off, he addeth, [v. 21.] 
 And I will take of them to be Priejls and Le- 
 vites, faith our Lord; for as the new Heavens 
 
 f ' and
 
 with Lawful Paflors. 29 
 
 and the new Earthy which I make to ftand 
 before me, fo /hall /land the Seed of your Name. 
 Note, thefe Levites be now not by birth, 
 but by election ordained to be fuch out of 
 feveral Countries, Italy, Greece and other 
 Iflands, which names your Bible avoids to 
 translate. 
 
 6. St. Jeremy is nolefs copious, [Ch. xxx. 
 v. 1 1. J Though I make a full end of ail Na- 
 tions, yet I will not make a full End of thee-, 
 lut I will correct thee in Meafure. The 
 Church indeed may be chaftifed for a While 
 but never be brought to confummation. 
 For [Ch. xxxi. 35.] Thus faith our Lord, 
 that giveth the Sun for the Light of the Day, 
 the order of the Moon and the Stars for the 
 Light of the Night, &c. If thefc Laws 
 /hall fail before me ( faith our Lord) then alfo 
 the Seed of Ifrael /hall fail from being a Na- 
 tion before me for ever. If the Heavens above 
 /hall be able to be meafured, and the Foundati- 
 ons of the Earth tobe fear ched out, I alfo will 
 cajl away all the Seed of Ifrael. Again, [Ch. 
 xxxii. 38.] And they /hall be my People, and 
 I will be their God ; and I will give them one 
 Heart, andoneJVay, that they may fear me 
 all their Days, and it may be well with them, 
 and with their Children after them ; and I will 
 not ceafe to do them good. And I will make 
 an everlajling Covenant with them ; and I 
 will give my fear in their Heart, that they 
 may not revolt from me. Again, [Ch. xxxiiL 
 14.] Behold the days will come, faith our Lord, 
 B 3 and
 
 30 The Church Jl ill to continue 
 
 and I will raife up the goodWord, that I have 
 jp:ken to the Houfe of Ifrael ; in that Time I 
 will make the fpring of Jufiice to bud forth un- 
 to David, and he /hall do Judgment and Jufiice 
 on the Earth. This faith our Lord, There Jh all 
 not fail of David a Man to fit upon the throne 
 of the Houfe of Ifrael, (Chrift muft fuccef- 
 iively have his Vicar or Vicegerent in all 
 Ages) and of the Priefls and Levites there 
 Jhail not fail before my Face a Man to offer 
 Holocaujis, and to burn Sacrifices, and to kill 
 Victims all D <ys. Behold a fucceffion of 
 lawful Priefls flill offering Sacrifices, expref- 
 fed by the Priefls, and Sacrifices as were then 
 only known. Again it followeth, And the 
 Hod was nnde to Jeremy, faying, If my 
 Covenant with the Day can be made void, alfo 
 my Covenant may be made void with David my 
 Servant, that there may not be of him a ton 
 (a Vicar, or Vicegerent) to reign in h';s Throne, 
 and the Levites and Priefls my Minijlers ; yea, 
 [v. 22.] Even as the Stars in Heaven cannot 
 be mnnbred, and the Sand of the Sea be mea- 
 fured, fo will I multiply the Seed of David my 
 Servant, and the Levites my Minijlers. 
 Whence it is evident, that the Number of 
 lawful Priefls, by lawful Million and Ordi- 
 nation, jfhall not only never fail, but alfo ne- 
 ver fail to be a great Number. There follow- 
 eth again in the fame Chapter the former Co- 
 venant repeated once more. , 
 
 7. Eze-
 
 with Lawful Pa ft on. 31 
 
 7. Ezekiel alfo fpeaks very home, [Ch. 
 xxxiv. 22.] / will fnve my Flock, and it 
 ft)all he no more a Spoil, and I will raife up 
 ever them one Pajlor, who /ball lead them ; my 
 Servant David hejhall feed them, and bijhafl 
 be their Pallor ; and I the Lord will In- their 
 ■ Cod, and my Servant"Ozv\<\ the Princ 
 . And [v. 20.] Arid they pall be no more a 
 ti the Gentiles. Again, [Ch. xxxvii. v. 23.] 
 Neither /hall they be polluted any more b\ their 
 Idols, and I will cleanfe them, and they flail 
 be my People, and I their God, and my Servant 
 David King over them, and there ft) all he one 
 Pa/lor over them all, 7 hey fljall walk in my 
 'Judgments', and they /hall keep my Command- 
 ments, and they flo 11 do them, and they flail 
 dwell on the Land zvhich I gave to my Servant 
 Jacob, themfe'ves and their Children, and their 
 Ch-ldrens Children, even for ever, and David 
 my Servant a Prince fo ■ ever. And I will 
 make a Peace to them, an everlafting Covenant 
 jl)all be to them, and I will found them, and 
 multiply th m, and will give my fanclif cation 
 in the mid J of them for ever, &c And the 
 very laft Verfe of the laft Chapter, The Nam* 
 of the City from that Da , Our Lord^ikre. 
 " 8. Clearly alfo Daniel, [Ch. \\fvr 44.] 
 In the Days ofthofl Kingdoms the God of Hea- 
 ven flail raife us a Kingdom that /hall not be 
 diffipated for ever ; (but ftill continue in the 
 Quality of a Kingdom) and this K';?ig.-om 
 fhallntbe delivered to another People, and it 
 J hall cmfume all the (Idolatrous) Kingdoms, 
 B 4 and
 
 32 The Church Jl ill to continue 
 
 and it /hall Jiand for ever, in quality of a 
 
 Kingdom. 
 
 There is little need to pafs to the New 
 Teftament, the Old fufficing, if any thing 
 will fuffice. Of drift's Gofpel St. Paul 
 fays, [2 Cor. iv. 3.] If our Gofpel he hid, it 
 is hid to them that are loft. Either you muft 
 confefs your felves loft Men, or you muft fay 
 that at no Time Chrift's Gofpel lay hid fo as 
 you could not tell who profefTed it. I infift 
 not in the known Places, as that the Church, 
 [Matt. xvi. 18.] Is built upon a Rock, and 
 that the Gates oj Hell Jhall not prevail againjt 
 it. Again, it is evident that fhe muft ftill 
 be vifible in all Ages, that we may ftill 
 at any Time Tell the Church, and hear her 9 
 [Matth. xviii. 17.] and be ftill fed by her 
 Doctrine and Sacraments. For thefe be the 
 two efTential Marks of a true Church, as 
 Proteibnts fay. Hence [Ephef Ch. iv. 11. J 
 He gaze fome Apoftles, fome Prophets, and 
 other form Paflors and Doflors, &c. until zve 
 meet all in the Unity of Faith, which will 
 net be till the World's end. Thefe be the 
 Light of the World, fill jet upon the Can- 
 die fries-, mver hid wider a Bujhel, [Matth. 
 v. 14,] /I City upon a Hill, ftill to be feen. 
 And though the Muftard-feed was the leaft 
 at the Beginning, yet in the Growing it 
 proves a Tree, and all Fowls repair to it, 
 [Matth. xiii. 32.] Yea, this muft be a 
 Church perpetually continuing in fuch reve- 
 rence to our BlefFed Lady, that her Words 
 
 muft
 
 with Lawful Paftors. 33 
 
 muft be fulfilled, [Luke i. 48.] All Genera- 
 tions/hall call me blejfed. And [v. 33.] Her 
 Son ft? all reign in the Houfe of Jacob for ever, 
 and of bis Kingdom there. [hall be no End. 
 And (o himfelf faith to his Apoftles, [Matt., 
 xxviii. 20.] Behold I am with you all Days, 
 even to the Confummation of the World. His 
 Apoftles were not to be in the World even 
 to the End of the World. The Promife 
 therefore is, to be with them in the Perfon 
 of fuch as fhould fucceed them in teaching 
 and preaching, &c. Again, in the like 
 Senfe he faith, [John xiv. 16.]: And he will 
 give another Paraclete,, that he may abide with' 
 you for ever. 
 
 All thefe Texts demonstrate what we have 
 undertaken to prove. And hence it doth un- 
 avoidably follow, that the Church muft in 
 all Ages have a continual Succeftion of true 
 Preachers of the Word of Godi, and true ad- 
 mini fixation of Saciaments ; : for thefe two 
 Things (even according to the 39 Articles of 
 the Church of England) are the two efTential 
 Signs or Notes of a true Church, which 
 muft ever accompany her in all Ages. And 
 if a Church be (as St. Cypnan faith) Afiozk 
 adhering to their Shepherd, then as in all 
 Ages there is a flock of Chrrft, i'o there muft 
 be a Shepherd, to whom this Flock may and 
 muft adhere. And therefore a lawful Suc- 
 cefiion of true Paftors muft needs in. ail Ages 
 be found in the Church, at leaft without ^nv 
 confiderable irtferruption ; and this is expref- 
 B 5 fed/
 
 34 Of ti 7e Univerfality and 
 
 fed in feveral Texts here cited. Now pon- 
 der, that this is to be found in no Church, 
 but the Roman. See more in the next 
 Point. 
 
 The Fourth Point. 
 
 Of the Univerfality arid vaft extent of this per- 
 petual Churchy which aljo muft be the Con- 
 verter of Gentiles. This no Church differ- 
 ing from the Roman, ever was. 
 
 TF the Church were to remain perpetually 
 -*• in any very fmall extent, or bignefs, per- 
 haps we might hear little News of her in 
 fome Ages. But the true perpetual Church, 
 foretold to be in all Ages in the Texts now 
 cited, is likewife in Scripture, no lefs clearly 
 foretold to be in all Ages, fo univerfally 
 fpread, and fo vifibly numerous, that the 
 very recital of thefe Texts is enough to put 
 quite out of countenance any other Church* 
 but the Roman, efpecially being that this 
 true Church is fo manifeftly faid to gain this 
 her vaft extent by the Multitude of Gen- 
 tiles, which fhe is to convert to her. A 
 Thing which evidently muft be verified in 
 the true Church, and yet it is evident, that 
 
 f this
 
 vajl Extent of the Church, Ire. 35 
 this only is verified in the Roman Church ; 
 that is, no Church, but fuch as was joined 
 to her in Communion, ever converted anv 
 one Parim of Gentiles, 
 
 2. The Texts which evidence this vail 
 extent of the true Church, are [Gen. xiii. 
 16.] 1 will make tly Seed as the Dujl of the 
 Earth. And [Ch. xv. 5.] L.ook up to Hea- 
 ven, and number the Stars if thou canfl. And 
 he faid to him, fo Jhall thy Seed he. Again, 
 [Cb. xxii. 16.] By my own Self I have 
 fworn, faith the Lord, I zvill blefs thee, and 
 I will multiply thy Seed a% the Stars of Hca~ 
 vim, and as the Sand that is by the Sea. 
 And in thy Seed Jhall be blefj.d all Nations of 
 the Earth. Now S. Paul tells us, [Rom. 
 ix. 8.] Not they ibdt are the Children of the 
 FUJb (of Abraham) they are the Children of 
 God ; but thy that are the Children of Pro- 
 mife are ejleemed for the Seed. And if frill 
 you contend, that thefe Texts are only for 
 the Jewifh Church, you mull alfo remem- 
 ber that Chrift's Church is the Miftrefs, fhe 
 the Hand-maid, and that as S. Paul fays, 
 The New Tejlament is e/lablijlied in far better 
 Promifesy [Heb. viii. 6.] And until flourifh 
 far more than ever the Jewifh Synagogue 
 did.- Hence [Apoc. vii. 9.] S. John, after 
 twelve Thousand of every 5 ribe of Ifrael were 
 Jigned, fmu a great Multitude zvhich ro Man 
 could number of all Nations, Tribes-, Peoples, 
 and Tongues. Rut let us go on.. 
 
 3, David
 
 36 Of the Univerfality and 
 
 3. David [Pfal. 11. 8.] Afk of me and I 
 will give thee the Gentiles for thy Inheritance, 
 and thy PoJfeJJi:n to the End of the Earth. 
 [Pfal. xxii. 27.] All the Ends of the Earth 
 /hall remember and be converted to our Lord. 
 All the Kindreds of the Nations ftjall adore in 
 his Sight. Again, [Pfal. lxxii. 7.] In his 
 (Chrift's) Days Jhall the righteous flourijh fo 
 long as the Moon endureth. And he /hall rule 
 from Sea to Sea, and from the River even to 
 the Ends of the round World. Tea all the 
 Kings of the Earth Jhall adore him ; and all 
 Nations Jhall ferve him. [Pfal.xcviii. 3.] All 
 the End* of the Earth have feen the Salvation 
 of our God. Of what Church is this true 
 befides the Roman ? 
 
 4. In this Point of the Multitude of 
 Gentiles to be converted none more eloquent 
 and copious than the Prophet Ifaiah, [chap* 
 ii. 2.] And in the latter Days (the New 
 Teftament is called the laft Hour, [1 J oh. 
 ii. 1 8. J the Mountain of the Houfe of our 
 Lord Jhall be prepared in the Top of Moun- 
 tains, and all Nations Jhall flow unto it : And 
 he Jhall judge the Gentiles, &V. Again, 
 [ch. xlix. 1.] Lijlen, O you Iflands, and at- 
 tend you People from afar. And then [v. 6.] 
 It is a Jmall Thing that thou Jhouldjl be my 
 Servant to raife up the Tribes of Jacob, and 
 to convert the Dregs of lfrael : (it is too too 
 poor a Thing for Chrift to be Author of fo 
 imall a Church as the Jewifh Church was) 
 Behold I have given thee to the Light of the 
 
 Gentiles^
 
 vafl Extent of the Church, &c. 37 
 Gentiles, that thou mayefl be Salvation even 
 to the farthejl part of the Earth ; Kings fn all 
 fee, and Princes arife, and adore for our 
 Lord's fake. Behold thefe Jhall come from 
 far, and behold :hey from the North,, and the 
 Sea ; and theje from the South Country. Lift 
 up thy Eyes round about and fee all thefe are 
 gathered together*^ they are come to thee. And 
 [v. 19.] c Lhy Defart, and thy folitary Places, 
 (in which no body before ferv.ed God) and 
 the Land of thy Ruin JJ)all noiv be fir ait, by 
 reafon of the Inhabitants. And yet Jliali the 
 Children of the Barrennefs fay in thine Ears. 
 The Place is fir ait for me, make me Space to 
 dvuelL Then [v. 22.] Behold I will lift up 
 my Hands to the Gentiles, and to the People I 
 will exalt my figns*. And ihey J})all carry thy 
 Sons In their Arms, and thy Daughters upon 
 their Should* rs^ And Kings Jhall be thy 
 nurfing Fathers, and Sheens thy Nurfes*. 
 With a Countenance cafl down to the Ground: 
 they Jhall adore thee r and they Jhall lick up the 
 Dujl of thy Feet. (Kings proftrating them— 
 felves at the Feet of Chrift's Vicar, and kif- 
 fing them.) Again, [Ch. liv. 2.] Enlarge 
 the Place of thy Tents, and fir etch out the 
 Skins of thy Tabernacle y for thou Jhalt pene- 
 trate to the right Hand, and the left. And 
 thy Seed Jhall inherit the Gentiles, and Jhall 
 inhabit the defolate Cities. Here Note, that 
 thefe things were fpoken to the Jewifh Church,, 
 telling her how much the future Glory of 
 Chrift's Church fhould exceed her, and To to 
 
 her
 
 38 Of the Umvrfality ad 
 
 her the Prophet faid in the nrft Verfe : Praife, 
 O birren Woman which barcjl not^fing praife 
 and make joyful hJoife, b cau/e many are the 
 Children of the Dejclate, (Gentiles) more than 
 of her that hith a Hvfband. To wit, the 
 Synagogue to which he had been fo long 
 efpoufed. So that it is flatly againft Scrip- 
 ture to make the Church of Chrifr. at any 
 Time fo barren, as the Synagogue was in the 
 Days of Eb. as. Although even then fhe 
 had in the Field far above Eleven Hundred 
 Thoufand Men, befides many Thousands of 
 Soldiers in her walled Cities, as we fhewed 
 *Point 3. n. 2. Much more is it againft Scrip- 
 ture to make her fo little as not to be vifible, 
 or known. And therefore again, [Ch. Ix. 
 I.J Arife, be Illuminated, Jerusalem, be- 
 caufe thy Light is come, and the Glory of our 
 Lord is rifen upon thee. Gentiles j hall walk 
 In thy Lights and Kings in the Brightnefs of 
 thy Rifng. Lift up thine Eyes and fee round 
 about : All thefe are gathered together, they 
 are come to t'.ee. Thy Sons fhall come frc?n 
 afar, and thy Daughters ft) all rife from thy 
 fide. Then fait thcu fee, and abound, and 
 thy Heart f ball be enlarged, when the Multi- 
 tude of the Sea foall be converted to thee. The 
 Jlrength of the Gentiles jhall come to thee, the 
 inundation of Camels fhall cover thee. [v. 10. J 
 The Children of Strangers fhall build thy 
 Walls a*d 'heir Kings f ball mini ft er to thee y 
 and thy Gates fhall be open continually, (never 
 £halt thou be invifibk, for) Day and Night 
 
 they
 
 vajf Extent of the Chimb, ts\\ 39 
 they Jhall not be Jhut, that the Strength of the 
 Gentiles may be brought to thee, for the No* 
 tions and the Kingdoms that frail not j'ervc thee 
 fiall periJJj. What Nations can ferve (yea, 
 and be bound, under pain of Perifhing, to 
 ferve) an invifible Church? Again, [y. 15. J 
 / will make thee an eternal Excellency, a joy 
 unto Generation and Generation, and t 
 /bait fuck the Milk of Gentiles, and thou Jloalt 
 be nourified with the Teats of Kings. Again, 
 [Ch. lxii. v. 2.] And the Gentiles Jhall fee thy 
 Righteoujnefs, and all the Kings thy G 
 
 5. Jeremy alfo every where fully, [Chap, 
 xxx. 19.] I will multiply them, and they jhall 
 not befezv, and I will glorify them, and they 
 Jhall not be f mall. ChriitV Church ftill fhall 
 ever contain a vaft Number of People. 
 Again. 31. 34.] And a Man Jhall -no more 
 teach his Neighbour, and a Man his Brother, 
 faying, know our Lord, for all Jhall know me- 
 from the leajl of them to the greatefl, faith our 
 Lord: Thus faith our Lord, that gives the Sun for 
 the Light of the Day, the Order of the Moon 
 and Stars for the Light of the Night. If 
 thefe Laws Jhall fail before me faith our Lord, 
 then alfo the Seed of Ilrael Jhall fail that it be 
 not a Nation for ever before me, This Text 
 cometh convincingly home to prove that this 
 univerfality fhall be perpetual, and no more 
 fail in any Age than the Light of the Sun 
 and Moon. As long as they laft, this 
 Church (hall be a flourifhing Nat ion fore: a-. 
 For again, [v. 37.] Thus faith our Lord, if 
 
 the
 
 40 Of the Univerfality ana* 
 
 the Heavens Jhall be able to be meafured, and' 
 the Foundations of the Earth beneath to be 
 fearched out, 1 alfowillcaji away all the Seed of 
 Ifrael. And then in a Metaphor of a City- 
 built upon Hills, far diftant from one another, 
 he fays, this fo vaftly extended City Jhall not 
 be plucked up, and it Jhall no more be dejlroyed 
 for ever, which is a gallant Expreflion of 
 the perpetual Univerfality of the Church, 
 for ever retaining a vaft great Extent in any 
 Ages whatfoever. The fame follows, [Ch. 
 xxxiii. 20.] Thus faith our Lord: If my 
 Covenant with the Day can be void, and my 
 Covenant with the Night, that there be no 
 Day nor Night in their Time ; alfo my Cove- 
 nant may be made void with David my Servant, 
 that there be not a Son of him to reign in his 
 Throne, and Levites and Priejls my Minijlers* 
 Even as the Stars of Heaven cannot be num- 
 bred, and the J and of the Sea be meafured, fo 
 will I multiply the feed of David my Servant y 
 and the Levites my Miniflers, Now if the 
 Number of Priefts, Paftors, and Teachers, 
 fhall be fo great at all Times ; how great at 
 all Times, and how exceeding vifible muft 
 be the Number of the People who are vifibly 
 to be ruled, fed, and taught ? And yet again. 
 [v. 25.] If I ha' 'e not fet my Covenant between 
 Night and Day, and Laws to Heaven and, 
 Earth ; furely I will alfo cajl off the Seed of 
 Jacob, and of David my Servant, that I take 
 not of his Seed Princes of the Seed of Abra- 
 ham, Laac, and Jacob. Thefe Levites and 
 
 Priefts
 
 vafl Extent of the Church, 13 c. '41 
 Priefts fhall not be fo by Birth, but they 
 mall be taken out of Italians, Africans, 
 Grecians, the Iflands, as Ifaias faith in his 
 lair. Chapter, [v. 21.] though your Bible did 
 not interpret the Hebrew names of the 
 Countries. Theie Texts ,then manifeftly 
 tell the perpetual fucceflion of Priefts and 
 Pallors in Chrift's Church, fo that we are 
 no lefs allured of having lawful Princes 'in 
 the Church lawfully, ftill governing the 
 fame ; than we are allured of having Night 
 and Day, and the Heavens moving above 
 us, and the Earth Handing under us. A 
 Point much to be noted ; yet we may con- 
 fidently fay, No Church, no Church, but 
 the Roman, can do this. 
 
 6. Ezekiel, [Ch. xvii. 22.] Thus faith our 
 .Lord: And I will take the Marrow of the 
 high Cedar, and ivillfet it, and will plant it 
 . upon a Mountain, a Mountain high and emi- 
 nent. On the high Mountains of Ifrael will I 
 plant it, and iijhall shoot forth into a Bud, and 
 Jhqll yield fruit, and it /ball be into a great Cedar, 
 and all Birds, and every Fowl Jljall dwell un- 
 der thejhadow of the Boughs thereof, andjhall 
 there make their Nejls. Behold Chrift's 
 Church, which in her beginning, was but a 
 fmall grain of Muftard-feed, now grown up 
 to the greatnefs of fuch a Cedar as this is. 
 And not grown, and grown, until at laft 
 fh? was grown quite invifible. Memorable 
 is that Text, [Ch. xxxvi. 25.] And I will 
 
 pour
 
 42 Of the Vniverfality and 
 
 pour out upon you clear Water, and you Jhall 
 be cleanfed from all your contaminations, and 
 from all your Idols will I cleanfe you, and give 
 you a new Heart, and will put a new Spirit 
 in the ?nid/l cf you, and will (by my Grace) 
 make that you JJiall walk in my Precepts, and 
 keep my Judgfhems, and do thtm. (Before we j 
 go farther I pray take fpecial notice, that the 
 Church by the Grace of Chrift is freed from 
 fear of being abandoned, becaufe (he did not 
 at any Time grow to forfake God's Judg- 
 ment, for he will ftill give her Grace to keep 
 them.) In that Day that I jh all cleanfe you 
 from all your Iniquities, and Jhall make the 
 Cities to be inhabited^ and Jhall repair the ru- 
 bious places and the Defer t Land Jhall be Tilled '> 
 and they Jh all fay This Land unfilled is become 
 a Garden of Pleafure. And, [v. 37.] / will 
 increafe them with Men like a Flock, as tie 
 Flock of Jerufalem in her folcmn Feajls ; (in 
 which Feafts many Thoufand Men, gathered 
 out of every houfhold of that Nation, did 
 ufe to go up to ferufalem) fo Jhall the Defert 
 Cities be full of Flocks of Men. How can 
 univerfality, and a moft vifible numerofity 
 be more fully expreffed ; when even the De- 
 fart places fhall be filled, as ferufalem was 
 thronged and crcwdel in the Solemnities 
 thereof? Daniel, [Ch. ii. 35.] makes the 
 Church of a little Stone grown into a Moun- 
 tain, filling the whole Earth ; how ridicu- 
 loufly then do you tell me, you can fcaro." 
 fee it for this 1 000 Years before Luther ? 
 
 7. Mich.
 
 vaft Extent of the Church, &c. 43 
 
 7. Mich. [Ch. iv. I.] And it ft) all be in 
 the latter End of the Days, (1 Joh. ii. 18. 
 The Time of the New Teftament is called 
 the laft Hour) there Jh all be the Mount of the 
 Houje of our Lord prepared in the Top of 
 Mountains, and high above all the Hills, 
 (what more vifible ?) and People Jh all flow 
 unto it, and many Nations fball hajlen, and 
 
 Jhall fay, Come, let us go up to the Mountain 
 of our Lord, and to the Houfe of the God of 
 Jacob, &c 9 And [v. 7.] / will make her 
 that labours into a mighty Nation, and cur 
 Lord will reign over them from thisTime, now 
 and for ever. So that from this Time, now 
 and for ever, the Church was promifed frill 
 for all Ages to be a mighty or ftrong Nation* 
 Never a frnall invifible unknown Company. 
 
 8. Zach. [Ch. xiv. 8.] And it Jhall be in 
 that Day, living Waters Jhall ijfue forth of 
 Jerufalem ; half of them to the Eaft Sea, and 
 half of them to the laft Sea ; in Summer and 
 Winter Jhall they be, and our Lord God Jhall 
 be King over all the Earth : and in that Day 
 Jhall be one Lord, and his Name Jhall be one. 
 And by and by he tells us at large, even to 
 the End of the Chapter, how all Nations 
 (hall be accurfed that come not up to adore 
 in his Church, A manifest Sign of her per- 
 petual purity in Doctrine. For how wculd 
 God lay iueh curfes and plagues upon Men, 
 for refuting to follow the Church erring. 
 
 9. Malach. [Ch. i. 11] tells us, the 
 Church fhaJl be extended as far as the Sun 
 
 ams
 
 44- Of the Univerfality &c. 
 
 beams among the Gentiles. From the rifng 
 of the Sun, even to the going down thereof 
 great is my Name among the Gentiles; and in 
 every place there is facrificing, and there is of- 
 fered a dean oblation, becaufe my Name is 
 great among the Gentiles, faith the Lord of 
 Hofts. Behold the true Church, all the 
 World over, offering a pure and grateful.] 
 Sacrifice. 
 
 io. The Places of the New Teftament.; 
 are more known, as that the Church by j 
 reafon of her continual Univerfality, is A 
 City upon a Hill, ftill to be feen from all pla- 
 ces. A Candle upon a Candleftic, as well 
 feen to the whole World, as a Candle to the 
 whole Room in which it burns. The Apo- 
 ftles are fent to preach to all Nations, The 
 little Mufiard feed grows to be the biggeft of 
 all Plants, like the Cedar in Exekiel, [Ch. 
 xvii. 22. j S. Peters Net is even broken with 
 the taking of Fifh, &e* But becaufe the 
 New Teftament writes no farther than the 
 Acts of the Apoftles, and contained but a 
 fmall Part of them, the fubfequent Conver- 
 fion of the Multitude of Nations, of the 
 Strength of Gentiles, and .of all the Kings 
 of the Earth, as the abovecited Texts de- 
 clare, is to be taken out of Hiftory, in 
 which manifeftly the Truth of all that was 
 foretold doth appear. But ' all this wholly 
 and intirely, was performed by the Roman 
 Church only, that is, by fuch as have been 
 .known to have joined in Communion with 
 
 he r
 
 Of the Infallibility, fcrV. 45 
 
 her. If you fay, the Roman is not the 
 true Church, here foretold by the Prophets; 
 then I pray ponder well, how impoflible it is 
 for you upon Earth to find any other Church, 
 to which thofe manifold Prophecies, with 
 any fhew of probability, can be applied. 
 
 The Fifth Point. 
 
 Of the Infallibility of the Church, and con- 
 fequently of her fitnefs to be Judge of Con- 
 troverfies. 
 
 N 
 
 OTE, that in two Manners or Ways, 
 Things of Belief and Practice, may be 
 delivered by a Community : The firft is, 
 When fuch Things once received by the faid 
 Community, are perpetually retained by 
 the fame in all Places by the Public Prac- 
 tice ; and alfo, upon all Occalions, taught 
 by Word of Mouth, and exprened in writ- 
 ten Books. Thus our common Law in 
 England, though never written by any Law- 
 maker, is notwithftanding by daily Practice 
 1 mod faithfully kept, and hath been fo for 
 fo many hundred Years by the whole Nation 
 diffufed. And in this Manner the Church 
 diffufed keepeth in perpetual Practice, and 
 delivereth to her Children as infallible Truth, 
 
 what
 
 4.6 Of the Infallibility 
 
 what was firft delivered unto her, by Com- 
 miilion from God, either in Writing, or by 
 Word of Mouth. The other Way of ma- 
 king and delivering Laws, is to call toge- 
 ther the reprefentative Body of the Commu- 
 nity. • So here in England our Statute Laws 
 are made, not only by the King, nor only 
 bv the Parliament, but by the Order both of 
 King and Parliament. And what is thus 
 enacted is the Decree of the Nation Repre- , 
 Tentative. Now as the Reprefentative of our 
 Nation is the King and Parliament : fo the 
 Church Reprefentative is the chief Paftor 
 thereof, together with a lawful general 
 Council. And the Definitions and Decrees 
 fet forth by their Authority, be called the 
 Definitions and the Decrees of the Church 
 Reprefentative. All fuch Definitions we 
 Roman Catholics hold Infallible. Whether 
 the Definition of a Council alone, defining 
 without their chief Paftor, or the Definiti- 
 ons of the- chief Paftor alone, defining with- 
 out a Council, be Infallible, or no, there 
 be feveral Opinions amongft us ; in which 
 we do and may vary without any Prejudice 
 to our Faith, which is not built upon what 
 is yet under Opinion, but upon that which 
 is delivered as Infallible ; and we all unani- 
 moufly hold that to be fo, which the univer- 
 fal Church Reprefentative, confifting jointly 
 of the chief Paftor of the faid Church voting 
 in, and with a general Council; not that 
 thi§ Reprefentative made wholly of Men, is 
 
 not,
 
 Of the Church, te'c. 47 
 
 not, of its own nature, • fubjecT: to Error. 
 1 or this we never affirm* And fo o.r Ad- 
 ies fay nothing at all to the purpofe, 
 jjfhilit they labour to prove this. Let th m 
 ■prove, if the. can, and that out of Scrip- 
 ture alone, that which we fay, to wi f , That 
 ms Church Reprefentative is Infallible 
 peerly, and purely by the fpeciaJ Ailiftance 
 Jof the Divine Providence, alwa-v s afFordino- 
 to his Church a fumcient Meafure of the 
 spirit of Truth, to lead her into all Truth. 
 And that he is ever fo furely refolved to do 
 this, that no Sins of his Church fhal! ever 
 hinder him from doing of it, as is moft ex- 
 prefly delivered by God himfelf; Pfalm 
 lxxxix. in the Words cited by me at laro-e 
 Point 3. A 7 . 3. Which Place the Reader 
 (hall find mod convincing to prove, that 
 notwithstanding all the Sins that fhall ever 
 happen in his Church, the Sua and Moon 
 fhall fooner fail, than God will fail to pro- 
 vide a SucceiTor in Chrift's Throne, to go- 
 vern his Church in the Profeffion of Truth, 
 B as his faith julnef Jhall not fail, or none of 
 his J fords be fruflrattd ; which you fhall fee 
 delivered again and again in the enfuino- 
 Places of Scripture. All which, to the num- 
 ber of 30, I gather fo fully, becaufe the 
 Protcftants exclaim againft nothing more, 
 than the Church's claim to Infallibilitv, 
 which D. Feme calls, The very Bane of 
 Chriftcndim, though it be the very Ground- 
 Work of Chriftianity. For all the Interpre- 
 tation
 
 48 Of the Infallibility 
 
 tation of Scripture is fallible, if the Interpre- 
 tation of the Church be fallible, even then 
 when fhe hath carefully conferred Scripture 
 with Scripture. 
 
 2. And to avoid Confufion, I will divide 
 thefe 30 Texts into thefe three feveral Sorts. 
 The firft Sort fhall contain either fuch as 
 command us abfolutely to follow, and obey 
 the Church in fuch a manner, as would 
 wholly mif-befeem God to command us, if 
 fhe could thruft Errors upon us for divine 
 Verities ; or fuch Texts as teach us to rely 
 more upon the Church than could prudently 
 be done, if fhe could teach Error. The fe- 
 cond Sort (hall contain a Multitude of fuch 
 glorious ExprefTions made every where of 
 the Church, as would be moft empty and 
 truthlefs if the Church mould ever prove a 
 Miftrefs of Errors, and prefs them on her 
 Children for divine Verities. The third and 
 laft Sort, fhall be fuch Texts as plainly af- 
 firm Truth to be ftill taught in the Church, 
 and to be entailed upon her, promifing fhe 
 fhall not revolt from it, but ft and ftill a true 
 Pillar and ground of Truth. 
 
 3. Of the firji firt of Texts, we have 
 thefe by which either* God commands us 
 univerfally to follow his Church, or fpcaks 
 that of his Church which could not be deli- 
 vered as it is, if this Church could err. For 
 Example, How could God glory in the 
 Multitude of fuch as follow his Church, if, 
 by fo doing, they fhould be led into Error. 
 
 And
 
 Of the Church, &c. 49 
 
 And yet IJaias ii. God feems to glory in the 
 Multitude of thofe who confidently rei'ort to 
 the Church, as to a Miftrefs of aflured 
 Truth, to be inftrucled by her, faying. 
 [v. 3.] Let us go up to the Mountain of our 
 Lord, and he will teach us his I Fays, a^d we 
 fnallwalk in his Paths, and he Jhall judge among 
 the Nations. Behold Chriff. erecting a 
 Court or Tribunal in his Church, to judge 
 among Nations, and decide all their Contro- 
 verfies ; which mull needs fuppofe obedience 
 to be yielded to his Judgment. Yea, the 
 fame Prophet adds, [Ch.p. liv. 17.] that 
 No Weapon that is formed againft thee JJmll 
 profper : and every Tongue refijling thee in 
 "Judgment thcu Jhall condemn. And the Pro- 
 phet there from the beginning manifeffly 
 fpeaks of ChriiPs Church. Thirdly, Ifaias 
 [Ch. lx. 12.] The Nation and King do > ■ that 
 will not ferve thee, jhall peri jh Untter Pain 
 of perilhing the Church muft be obeyed. 
 Whence, F.urthly, Ezech. [ch. xiiv. 23 ] 
 Tiny (that is, the Priefts) Jhall teach the Peo- 
 ple vjhat is between a holy Thing, and a Thing 
 polluted, and the Difference bctvJisn clean a> d 
 unclean. They fljail Jhcw them, and u 
 there fnall be ControjcrJj, they Jbad jla> 
 Judgment, and /hall judge accord; g to my 
 Judgments. Tiiis being their Office, the 
 Peoples Office muff, needs be, not to j 
 them, but obey them. 
 
 4. Whence, Fifthly, Chrift [Matt, xviii. 
 17.] commands all to obey the C 
 
 C under
 
 , 5 o Of the Infallibility . 
 
 under Pain of being held here on Earth, as 
 Publicans and Heathens, and of having this 
 Sentence ratified in Heaven. Tell the 
 Church, faith he, and if he ivill not hear the 
 Church let him be unto thee as a Heathen, and 
 a Publican. Amen, / fay unto you whatfo- 
 ever )ou ftmll bind on Earth, Jhall be bound in, 
 Heai- en, and what fo ever you Jhall loo fe upon 
 Earth, Jhall be ho fed alfo in Heaven. Here 
 you fee Obedience to be yielded under Pain 
 of being held as a Publican cr an Heathen, 
 and this Sentence to be ratified in Heaven. 
 Now if the Church could err in teaching, 
 for Example, that Chrift is truly prefent in 
 the Sacrament, and hence oblige all to adore 
 him therein, as much as they adore him in 
 Heaven ; and could oblige them to this un- 
 der Pain of being held as Publicans and Hea- 
 thens, and held fo as well in Heaven, as 
 upon E^rth, furely this cannot be an Error. 
 For then in Heaven this Sentence would 
 never be ratified. And tell me not, that this 
 Text fpeaks of private Differences between 
 Brother and Brother, though I deny not but 
 this is alfo true, in fuch Differences as be- 
 long to the Court or Tribunal of the 
 Church : Yet hence it evidently follows, 
 That this Text doth much more concern 
 thofe Differences in Point of Religion, be- 
 tween Brother and Brother. Both becaufe 
 thefe do more properly belong to the Court 
 of the Church, and to her Tribunal : As 
 sdfo becaufe when Scandal, and Offence is 
 
 given
 
 Of the Church, &c. 51 
 
 given to our Brother in Point cf Herefy, 
 tending to the Seduction of his Soui ; our 
 Brother feeing this Soul-murdering Sin 
 broached to his own Ruin, and to the eter- 
 nal Ruin of his Brother, hath far greater 
 Reafon in this Cafe, than in any other, to 
 tell the Church his Mother, to whom, in this 
 Difference, above all other Differences, it 
 properly belongeth to look to the Safety of 
 her Children. For this is an Offence, and 
 Scandal to the whole Brotherhood of allChri- 
 fHanity. Therefore, in theie Points of higheft 
 Concernment, we are moft bound to hear 
 the Church under Pain of being accounted 
 Publicans and Heathens, and of having this 
 heavy Sentence ratified in Heaven. 
 
 5. Sixthly, [Matt, xxiii. 1.] Then Jefus 
 fpake to the Multitude, and to his Difci- 
 ples, faying, Upon the Chair of Moles have 
 
 fitten the Scribes a7id Phar if ees (by which fitting 
 with lawful Succeftion, they as wicked as 
 they were, are known to be lawfully au- 
 thorized Prelates) all therefore wbafjoever 
 they/hall fay unto ycu, obferve and do. Behold 
 here a Precept of obeying in all whatfoever. 
 And therefore behold a Precept, which could 
 not be given, if that, which is delivered by 
 Public Authority of the Church, were not 
 fecured from Error in all zvbatfoever. 
 
 6. Seventhly, The firft and beft Chriftians 
 did practically acknowledge their belief of 
 the Infallibility of the Church. For, to have a 
 dccifion of the moft important Controvcrfies 
 
 C 2 lAas
 
 52 Of the Infallibility 
 
 Acls xv. 2.] They appointed Paul and Barna- 
 bas to go up, and certain others of the re/l, to 
 the Apojlles, and Priefls, unto Jerufale?n upon 
 this £hte/Uo>i. And the Church affembled 
 the firft Council, in which,- though this 
 Council were affifted with the Holy Ghoft; 
 yet there was made a great Difputation [v.'].'] 
 And then the definition of the Church came 
 forth in thefe words, it fee met h good to the 
 Holy Ghojl, and us. [v. 28.] Other Lawful 
 Councils, knowing the Holy Ghoft alfo 
 promifed to them, do ufe to fet forth their 
 definitions with the fame words, and this 
 moft agreeable to Scripture. For [John xv. 
 26.] When the Paraclete cometh, whom I 
 Jha II fend from my Father, the Spirit of Truth, 
 he fhall give tejlimony of me, and you /hall 
 give tejllmony. Mark this conjunction of He 
 and you ; He the Spirit of Truth, and Tou 
 Governors of my Church ; fo that you in giv- 
 ing teftimony may freely jay, itfeemeth good 
 to the Holy Ghojl, and us. 
 
 7. Eighthly, It is clear out of Scripture, 
 That the firft. Chriftians were fo fully pof- 
 fefTed with the belief of the Infallibility of 
 the Church, that the) would believe nothing 
 but what they knew conformable to her Doc- 
 trine. St. Paul was a Scripture-writer, and 
 fo great an Apo&le, and yet he faith of him- 
 felf, [Gal. ii. 1.] Then after fourteen Years I 
 went to Jerufalem again : (not meerly to fa- 
 tisfy a vain fancy of fome particular Men ; 
 but) I went up according to revelation, and 
 conferred with them the Gofptl 3 which I preach 
 
 among
 
 of the Church, &c. 53 
 
 among the Gentiles. But (I conferred ) f eve- 
 rally ^or apart) with them that feemed to be 
 fomething, left perhaps I Jhould run, or had 
 run in vain. So that he thought all his four- 
 teen Years preaching, and alio his future 
 preaching might come to be in vain, 
 unlefs, even his Doctrine were made 
 known to be "approved by the Church, as 
 wholly conformable to the Church. So much 
 in thefe golden Days, were the firfl Chrifti- 
 ans taught to rely upon the Church ; which 
 had been imprudence, if me had been falli- 
 ble. Yet we muft not think that then they 
 did apprehend, that the approbation of the 
 Church did add any degree of truth to his 
 Doctrine, as it doth not add any degree of 
 truth to the Scripture ; or pretend to have 
 power to change, or correct true Scripture. 
 And fo S. Paul faith, [ver.6.] For to me^ they 
 that feemed to be fomething, added nothing. 
 For as the touchftone adds no value to the 
 Gold, but only evidently manifefteth which 
 is true Gold, which not : So the Church, as 
 then, did only manifeft infallibly the truth 
 of what he had preached. So alfo the 
 Church, as now, doth only manifeft to us, 
 that fuch, and fuch Books be the true Word 
 of God, fuch and fuch be not ; fuch be true 
 Copies, fuch not, &c. But the Word of 
 God hath its true worth from itfelf, and not 
 from the Church, as the Gold hath its 
 being true Gold from itfelf and not 
 from the touchftone. So when Catholics 
 fay with S. Aug. cont. Epifi. fundam. [c. 5.]
 
 54 Of the Infallibility 
 
 I would not believe the Gofpelunlefs the Autho- 
 rity of the Church moved me ; they do not 
 mean, that the Church can add, or take a- 
 way from the truth of any true Scripture ; 
 but they mean, that, by her definition, as 
 by a fure Touchfrone, it is now manifefllv v 
 aiFured unto them, that fuch a Book is true 
 Scripture, and fuch not. And as the Oral 
 preaching (even of fuch an Apoftle as had 
 been a Scripture-writer) might have been in 
 vain, without this approbation ; fo alfo might 
 his Writings have been in vain. Whence 
 we fee that his Epiftle unto the Hebrews was 
 not known or acknowledged as God's Word, 
 until the Church approved it. If the Scrip- 
 ture-writer himfelf teacheth in vain, with- 
 out this approbation, much more will his 
 Writings teach in vain. 
 
 8. Ninthly, The Church is to be follow- 
 ed by us as an affured approver or reprover 
 of Spirits, and confequently as infallible, 
 [l Jo. i. 4.] My dear ejiy believe not every Spi- 
 rit , but prove the Spirits if they be of God ; 
 then [verfe 6.] JVe are of God ; he that 
 knows God hears us (Paftors of the 
 Church) he that is not of God hears us not. 
 In this we know the Spirit of Truth, and the 
 Spirit of Error. Here S. John exprefly 
 means to give to Poiterity a /landing Rule to 
 know a true Spirit from- a falfe one. To 
 wit : By the hearing of us, or not hearing of 
 us. This could not be a Rule to us, who 
 live after the Apoftles, if by hearing us he 
 enly meant the Apoftles, and not their Sue-
 
 of the Churchy C5 'c. 55 
 
 ceflbrs. Yea, he could not mean only the 
 Apoftles ; for the other Apoftles were all 
 dead when he wrote this. Wherefore, the 
 true {en(Q of S. John is : In this we know the 
 Spirit cf Truths and the Spirit of Error, if 
 they hear tts. Paftors and Governors of the 
 Church. Not that each one of thefe Paftors 
 and Governors apart can fay to any one 
 bear me, unlefs he teach that which all the 
 reft are fufficiently known to teach, but they 
 in a General Council may moir trulv fay, 
 Hear us. He that knoweth God heareth us. 
 
 9. Tcnthly, In declaring the true meaning 
 of the true Scriptures, the Practice and 
 Doctrine of the Church is neceffary to be 
 followed as a certain Guide. For Example, 
 When Chrift faid, Do this in remembrance of 
 me. He did impofe, faith the Church, a 
 true command to do fo. Yet, though Chrift 
 no lefs clearly, faid [John xiii. 14.] Tliat we 
 ought to wajh one anothers Feet ; for I have 
 given you an Example, that as I have done 9 
 fo you alfo Jhould do. He did not impofe, 
 
 faith the Church, any command obliging us 
 to wafh one anothers Feet. For though he 
 faid, We ought to wajh one anothers Feet ; yet 
 by the Practice and Doctrine of the Church, 
 it is afluredly declared to us, that thefe words 
 of Chrift contain no precept ; though the 
 former do, 
 
 10. Eleventhly , The fame Apoftle in his 
 firft Epiftlc, [Ch. ii. 19] after that, concern- 
 
 ' icic tics, he had faid, They went out ft ovi 
 fcj,He turns his fpeech to thole, who ftill 
 
 C 4 mained
 
 56 Of the Infallibility 
 
 mained in the Church, fubjecl: and obedient 
 to it, and of them he faith, But you have the 
 Unffion from the -Holy One, and knew all 
 things. To wit, the Spirit of Truth, rea- 
 ding in the Church, to teach her all truth, 
 maketh you, who are guided by the Church, 
 to know all things ncefTary for your informa- 
 tion and inftrudtion. 
 
 1 1. Twsiftbly, It is grounded in this infal- 
 libility of the Church, that her Prelates may 
 exac~t obedience of her Children, in capti- 
 vating their underftanding to the Faith, 
 which fhe, by commiiiion from Chrift, de- 
 li vereth unto them. [2 Cor. x. 4] For the 
 Weapons of our warfare are not carnal^ but 
 mighty, through God, cajling down Imagina- 
 tions, or ReafoningSy and every thing that ex- 
 alts itfeif a gain ft the knowledge, and bring- 
 ing into Captivity all under/landing unto the 
 obedience of Chrift, and having in a readinejs 
 to revenge all difobedience. So S. Paul. But 
 it is moil irrational to fay, God fhould im- 
 power his Church to force Men to follow a 
 Church, which being infallible, muft needs 
 confefs that fhe may deceive you, and en- 
 force you to follow Errors. Yet, this in a 
 Church having the infallible affiftance of the 
 Holy Ghofr, is moft rational. For there you 
 are, to your apparent good, enforced to fol- 
 low Truth in place of fuch Error, as might 
 be moil: hurtful to you. 
 
 Tbirteenthly, The fame St. Paul tells us, 
 that God out of an Exprefs intention which 
 
 he
 
 */ the Church, &t> 57 
 
 he had to keep us from all wavering, and tin- 
 fettlement in Faith, refolved ib to affift the 
 Governors of his Church, that we might 
 fecurelv rely upon them. For, [Ephef. iv. 
 II.] He gave fon^ Apoftles, and fame Prophets- 
 end other fome Evangelijls, and ether fome 
 Pafors and Teachers ; for the perfecting of 
 the Saints, for the Work of the Mini/try ; 
 for the edifying of the Body of Chri/i, until 
 we all come into the Unity of Faith. To 
 what end all this ? to the End that we hence- 
 forth be no more Children, toffed to and fro, 
 an) carried about with every ivind of Doclrine 
 by the flight of Men, and cunning craftinefs, 
 from which his Providence had not thus fe- 
 cured us, unlefs thefe our Teachers had been 
 infallible, when defining in a lawful Council 
 or propofing what is univerfally taught by 
 them. 
 
 12. The fecond fort of Texts proving theln- 
 fallibility of the Church, contains fuch glori- 
 ous Titles given her, or fuch admirable things 
 fpoke by God's own Mouth of her, as mult 
 needs be vain, empty, and truthlefs Words, if 
 the Church ever prove to be a Miftrefs of Er- 
 rors, obtruding them to her Children for divine 
 Verities. Firjl, [Pfal. exxxii. 13 ] Our Lord 
 hath chofen Sion, he hath chofen it for an Ha- 
 bitation unto himfelf. This is my re/lfor ever, 
 and ever ; here will I dwell, becaufe I have 
 chofen it. Now Chrift's dwelling-place as S. 
 Paul tells us, is his vifible Church. [1 Tim. 
 iii. 15.] That thou may eft know how to cenverfe 
 C 5 in
 
 5 8 Of the Infallibility 
 
 in the Houfe of God : the Church of the liv- 
 ing God. He could not be taught how to 
 converfe in an invifible Church : He fpeaks 
 then of the Church vifible. Far be it from 
 this Houfe, to be a Store-houfe of Errors. 
 For how then could it be ChrifVs defirable 
 Habitation, and his reft for ever and ever. 
 
 13. Again, [Ifa. liv. 4.] Fear not, for thou 
 Jhalt not be afhamed: neither be thou confound- 
 ed, for thou [halt not be put to faame. What 
 greater fhame or confufion to a Church, 
 which fhould be the Pillar and ground of 
 Truth, to fee herfelf grown now to profefs 
 open Superftition, Idolatry, and other per- 
 nicious Errors in whole fwarms ? How then 
 
 , is that true which follows ? 
 
 14. Thirdly, [Ifa. lx. 15.] / will make 
 thee an eternal Excellency, a joy of many Ge • 
 nerations. Fourthly, [ver. 18.] Thou Jhalt 
 call thy Walls Salvation, our Lordjhall he un- 
 to thee an everlajling light. Thy Sun /ball go 
 down no more, and thy Moon Jhall be no more 
 diminijhed, becaufe our Lord Jhall be thine 
 everlajling light. Words manifeftly fpoken, 
 not of the Ekcl, but of the vifible Church 
 on Earth, even from the beginning of the 
 Chapter; for [ver. 10.] he tells how Kings 
 Jhould minifter to her, and how he had ft ruck 
 her (when me was the Synagogue) in his in- 
 dignation. Which words cannot be under- 
 ftood of the Elect, or the invifible Church. 
 And fo he goes frill on fpeaking. 1 
 
 15. Fifthly,
 
 cf the Churchy tsc. 59 
 
 15. Fifthly* In the like ienfe, [Ch. Ixii. 
 3.] Thou Jim It be a Crown of Glory, thou 
 /halt be no m:re called for faken (as thou wert 
 when thou wert the Synagogue) but thou 
 Jhalt be called mf delight in her. And Jixthly, 
 to fecure her from all Error contrary to his 
 will; he adds, [ver. 6.] Upon thy Wa Us Jeru- 
 falem / have appointed IVatchmcn. And how 
 carelefs foever they be by their own Nature, 
 yet by my continual affiftance, all the Day 
 and all the Night for ever, they Jim 11 not hold 
 their peace. To wit, by crying down Er- 
 rors. For they had better have held their 
 peace, that preached publicly Errors every 
 where. And [ver. 12.] Thou Jlmlt be called a 
 City fought for, and not for faken. And yet 
 Proteftants fay, they did laudibly forfake 
 every vifible Church upon Earth, by adher- 
 ing to Luther and his followers, who did 
 feparate themfelves from all Churches vifible' 
 in the wholeWorld, openly prcfeiimg, that as 
 then there was rio one Church on Earth worth 
 feeking for : and fo they did not join them- 
 felves in Communion with any Church then 
 upon Earth : but pretended to return to the 
 Primitive Church, as it was above a thoufand 
 Years before ; which is to fw, that, for this 
 whole laft Thoufand Wars, the Church 
 was a City forfaken, and that, for fo long, 
 her Communion was not to bf ffug/jtfar. 
 
 16. Seventhly, There is a very convincing 
 Text, to prove the Church to be by divine 
 Providence afluredly provided of faithful 
 
 C 6 Parlors
 
 60 Of the Infallibility 
 
 Parlors and Governors. [Jerem. xxxiii. 25 ] 
 If I have not put my Covenant to Night and 
 Day, and laws to the Heaven and Earth ; 
 then will I caji away the Seed of Jacob, and 
 David my Servant, that I do not take from 
 bis Seed Princes to be Riders over the Seed of 
 Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob. So that we 
 fhall be as fure not to fail of faithful Princes 
 and Governors in the Church (for none but 
 fuch as are truly faithful, can be truly faid 
 to be the true Sons of Jacob and David. ) 
 As we are fure to have Night and Day ; the 
 Heaven turning over us, and the Earth Hand- 
 ing ftill under us. 
 
 17. Eighthly, The Prophet Ezech. [Ch. 
 xxxiv. 22. J / will fave my flock, and it Jh all 
 be no more into fpoil. But what fpoil would 
 that Scab of Error make over all Chrift's 
 flock, if it fo infected it all, as Proteftants 
 fay it did ; yea, they win have even Idolatry 
 itfelf, the moft deadly Murrain, to have in- 
 fected the whole Church this laft thoufand 
 years and more. 
 
 18. The third and laft fort of Texts to 
 prove this Infallibility, contains fuch as 
 plainly fay, that God will ftill direct his 
 Church to follow truth, or that it mall not 
 revolt from the Truth, but be a moft direct: 
 way to the Truth : that the Spirit of Truth 
 (hall be, as it were, entailed upon the Doc- 
 trine of the Church, with which Church 
 this Spirit fhall ever abide, teaching her all 
 Truth. So firft, [Ifa. lxi. 8.] / will direel 
 
 their
 
 of the Churchy Is'c. 6r 
 
 their work in Truth, end I zvill mate an ever- 
 lafling Covenant with them, of preierving this 
 never-failing Truth. Secondly \ Behold how 
 plain and diredt a way to Truth is promi'ed 
 the Church of Chriii. [Ifa. xxxv. 5.] Then 
 Jhall the Eyes of the Blind be opened, &c. And 
 a High-way Jhall he there, and it Jhall he call- 
 ed the tuay of Holinefs (the Holy Catholic 
 Church ; ) the way -faring Men, thd > Fools 
 Jl)ali not err therein. It is therefore a way 
 Infallibly leading to Truth. Thirdly, The 
 fame Prophet, [Ch. lix. 20.] There Jhall 
 come a Redeemer to Sion, and to them that 
 JJjall return fro?n Iniquity in Jacob, fa th cur 
 Lord, As for vie, this is my Covenant with 
 them \ my Spirit that is in thee, and my JVords 
 that 1 have put in thy Mouth, Jha/l not dtp art 
 out of thy Mouth, nor out of the Mouth of 
 thy Seed, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds 
 Seed, from this Prefent and for ever. With 
 what clearer words could the Spirit of Truth 
 be entailed upon the Church prefent in each 
 Age ? or be more clearly faid to refide ever in 
 her Mouth, with which fhe ^delivers all her ( 
 Doctrine ? 
 
 19. Fourthly, Mod: clearly, [Jer. xxxii. 
 39.] / will give them one Heart, and one Way, 
 that they may fear me for ever : I will make 
 an everlajiing Covenant with thetn, that I will 
 not turn them away from them ; hut will put 
 my J 'ear in their Hearts, that they Jhall not de- 
 part from me. Note, I pray, thefe words, / 
 will put my fear in their Hearts, that they 
 
 (ball
 
 62 Of the Infallibility 
 
 fl)all not depart from me. Wherefore they 
 did not revolt from him ; they did not depart 
 from him. Fifthly, No lefs fully fpeaks the 
 Prophet Ezekiel, [xxxvii 24.] My Servant 
 David King over them, ana there Jhall he one 
 Shepherd over them all. . They Jhall walk in 
 my Judgment^ and obfeive my Statutes, and 
 do them. Moreover, I will make a Covenant 
 of Peace with them ; it Jhall he an everlafting 
 Covenant witty them ; and I vjill fet my Sane- 
 tuary in the midfl of them for evermore. How 
 fully is all this fpoken of a vifible Church, 
 having one Shepterd over all. Yea, the very 
 Heathens fhall know who they be, as there 
 is faid. Sixthly, That according to the 
 Prophet Micah, [Ch. iv. 5. J All People will 
 walk every one in the Name of his God, and 
 we will walk in the Name of our Lord God 
 for ever and ever. Which they do not, who 
 walk in a labyrinth of grofs Errors for a thou- 
 sand Years together ; it followeth, / will 
 make her who was cafl off a fir on g Nation, 
 and the Lord jl) all reign over thee from hence- 
 forth and for ever. 
 
 20. Seventhly, [Matth. xvi. 18.] TheGates 
 of Hell Jhall not prevail a gainji it. If Hell 
 could ever come to make the Church a Mif- 
 trefs of Errors, fo as to hold them forth for 
 divine Verities fo many Ages together, the 
 Gates of Hell fhould highly prevail againft 
 her. Now I pray Note, That for many 
 Ages there were noChriftians which were not 
 
 either
 
 of the Church \ &c. 63 
 
 either manifeit Plenties, ani held Co by the 
 Froteftants themfelves, or which did not, a* 
 all Roman Catholics now do, wormip and 
 adore ChriiT, us much under the fhape of 
 Bread in the Euchariit, as they worfhip him 
 fitting at the Pvio;ht Hand of his Father. If 
 this be Idolatry, the Gates of Hell have 
 prevailed againft the Roman Church, yea, 
 and againft the Churches in Greece, in Ar- 
 menia, in Ethiopia, Zs'c. who all, ever lince 
 they were Chrillians, have held this our 
 Doctrine, and do (till hold it, though they 
 add a World of other Errors. Where 
 then fhall the 1 Bints find Chrift a 
 Church, againfr. w: h the Gates of Hell 
 have not a vaft long Time together prevailed? 
 They rmift either be forced to make Chrift 
 falfe in this his Doctrine, or to confefs our 
 Doctrine true. If it be not, how was this 
 Covenant everlaiting, as hath been fo often 
 faid in the now cited Texts ; and aifo in the 
 Text following, in which Chrift mad .he 
 everlajling Covenant, formerly promifed to be 
 made ? 
 
 Eighthly, S.Jebn, [Ch, xiv. 16.] And he 
 will give you another Paraclete that may abide 
 with you for ever, the Spirit of Truth, whom 
 the World knows not ; but you know him, be- 
 caufe he dwells with you, and pall be in you. 
 Now the Apoftles not being to be for ever, 
 and the Spirit of Truth being promifed for 
 ever -, we cannot but fay, that the promife 
 
 of
 
 64 Of the Infantility 
 
 of this Spirit of Truth is made alfo to the 
 Succeiibrs of the Apoftles, the Governors 
 of Chriit's Church, to abide in them, and 
 be in them, as the Spirit of Truths directly 
 oppofire to the Spirit of Error. So Ninthly , 
 [John xvi. 12.] Many Things I have to fay 
 unto you, but you cannot bear them now t 
 (hence appears how weighty thofe things 
 were) but when the Spirit of Truth comet h, 
 he will guide you into all Truth. To private 
 perfons the Holy Ghoit is given as the Spirit 
 of San edification ; but to the Church he is 
 given as the Spirit of Truth, guiding her in- 
 to all Truth, and fo directly excluding all 
 Error from her. 
 
 22 Tcnthly, That convincing place of S. 
 P .ui fhall end all thefe Texts, [i Tirii. iii. 
 15 ] where fpeaking of the vifible Church, 
 in which he teacheth Timothy how to con- 
 verfe j he fpeaks thus, That thou mayefl know 
 how to behaie thy f elf in the Houfe of God, 
 which is the Church of the living God, the Pil- 
 lar and ground of Truth. Can I lean more 
 afliiredly than upon the Pillar of Truth ? 
 Can I even wifh to have a furer ground than 
 the ground of Truth ? And yet fuch a ground 
 is the Church acknowledged in this Text, if 
 it be not perverted by fuch Interpretations as 
 be the Inventions of Men ; but of Men un- 
 able to confirm their Interpretation by any 
 Text clearer than this. Here then behold 
 we have produced no fewer than thirty 7e:;ts 
 
 for
 
 of the Church, is'c. 65 
 
 for the Infallibility of the Church; whereas 
 not half fo many, nor half fo convincing 
 Texts can be alledged again!! it. And yet 
 grant this, and you muft grant all. Note, 
 that befides thefe 30 Texts here allcdgcd, I 
 have alio all thole numerous and molt full u 
 Texts, related at large Point 3. For vvhat- 
 foever proves that the true Church cannot 
 fail to be a true Church, proves alfo her Infalli- 
 bility. For truth of Doctrine is effential to 
 a true Church. If therefore bv being fallible 
 and erring, the whole Church could recede 
 from the true doctrine of Chrift, it mahi- 
 fcftly follows, that the whole Church could 
 fail to be a true Church, contrary to thefe 
 moft exprefs Scriptures there plentifully al- 
 ledged. 
 
 23. Moft impertinent is the diftinclion 
 which our Adverfaries ufe, to avoid the force 
 of thefe Texts. They fay, that the Church 
 may be taken in two ways : Firft, for the 
 vifible Church, containing all Believers, as 
 well reprobate, as elect ; and this Church 
 they fay may err. Secondly, for the invifi- 
 ble Church, which only contains the Elecl:; 
 and this they fay cannot err. But this is a 
 palpable Contradiction, if well noted. For 
 this invifible Church of the Elect, which as 
 you fay, cannot err, is contained in the vi- 
 fible Church ; in which, as you fay, both 
 Reprobate and Elect are contained. VVhich. 
 vifible Church you alio fav, may wholly err- 
 But if the whole vifible Church wholly err, 
 then alio the Elee~t, contained in it, may err ; 
 
 or
 
 66 That the Roman Churchy 
 
 or if they cannot err, then many in the v-i- 
 fible Church cannot err. And yet you can- 
 not nnd many in any Church vifible upon 
 Earth, whom you can fhew on the one 
 fide to have differed from the belief of the 
 Roman Church, and on the other to have 
 been guarded from Error, as thoie who make j 
 the true Church muft be. Again, I have ; 
 fhewed*, that many Texts here by me cited 
 fpeak clearly of the vifible Church. 
 
 The Sixth Point. 
 
 That the Roman Church is this infallible 
 Churchy and our Judge in all Points of 
 Controverfy. 
 
 # T i HouGH this Queftion feems to import 
 "*• as much as the certain decifion of all our 
 Controverfies, yet having been fo long in the 
 former Point, we are able to give in a word 
 full fatisfaclion in this. For no Man will 
 deny the Church, which is proved to be in- 
 fallible, to be the moft commodious decider 
 of all Controverfies. For what can a Man 
 wifli more to the right decifion of his Con- 
 troverfy, than a clear Sentence delivered 
 therein by an infallible Authority ? 
 
 2. AH
 
 is the I fallible Church, 67 
 
 2. All that can be imagined againft 
 what hath been faitl, is this, That we have 
 not as yet proved the Roman Church to be 
 infallible. We have indeed proved the true 
 Church to be fo, but there feems a vaft la- 
 bour to remain to prove the Roman Church 
 to be this true infallible Church, and confe- 
 quently the decider of all Controverfies. I 
 molt earneftly therefore beg of my Pleader 
 to note well this one fhort Demcnftration, 
 and he will fee how evidently convincing it 
 is to prove home our full intent, even in a 
 Word. 
 
 3. My Demonstration is this, no Church 
 can be the true infallible Church, and deci- 
 der of all Controverfies, which teacheth her 
 felf to be fallible. For if any fuch Church 
 be infallible in all that fhe teacheth, (he is 
 infallible alfo in teaching herfelf to be fallible. 
 And hence it followeth that infallibly fuch a 
 Church is fallible : But every Church in the 
 World but the Roman, teacheth herfelf to 
 be fallible ; wherefore, by evident Demon- 
 stration, no other Church, upon Earth, can 
 be infallible. But the true Church is infal- 
 lible ; as hath been proved by no fewer than 
 thirty Texts, therefore by evident confequence 
 the Roman Church, by all thofe Texts, is 
 proved the only true Church, and our Judge 
 in all our Controverfies. 
 
 The
 
 C6S ) 
 The Seventh Point; 
 
 That the chief P aft or cf this Church is the 
 SucceJ/or to St. Peter. 
 
 'TPHE Old Teftament helps us thus far In 
 A this Point that it teacheth ; firft, that 
 amongft the Priefcs of the old Law one was 
 chofen fucceflivel y, to be the high eft and chief 
 Prielt, [Num. iii. 32.] The Prince of Princes 
 rf the Levites Eleazar the Son of Aaron the 
 Pr>eJ}. And, [Num. xxvii. 21.] If any 
 thing be t; be done (for Jofhua their Gover- 
 nor) Eleazar the Prieft fhall confult our Lord, 
 Jt his Words fhall he (Jofhua) go out, and 
 gs in, and all the reft of the Children of Ifrael 
 zvith him. By goi"g in, and going out, all 
 the principal actions are ufuaHy underfrood 
 in Scripture. In thofe Actions therefore 
 God would have Jofhua, and all the People 
 to depend on the high Prieft. When then 
 we read [Jofh. iii. 8.] that Jojhua did com- 
 mand the'Priefts, and that [Chap, v.] he ap- 
 pointed Circumcifion to be miniftred, and 
 that [Chap, xxiv.] he renewed God's Co- 
 venant, &c. he is to be fuppofed therein, as 
 in all his principal Actions, to have pro- 
 ceeded according to the above-cited Text, 
 only executing that, which God, by Ele- 
 
 azir
 
 The Succejcr of S. Pe cr, &t. 69 
 
 azar the Priefr, had ordained him to do. 
 For Example : To command the Priefti to 
 go with the Ark into Jordan, to adminifter 
 Circumcilu-n, to renew the Covenant with 
 God «5cc. Again, when Princes are alio Pro- 
 phets [a$ J of hue, Davids Solomon, and ibme 
 jothers were] they Alight have ibme extraordi- 
 nary Commifficn to do, and order feveral 
 [things, which belong not to the ordinary Jurif- 
 jdi&ion of temporal Princes. So, [1 Kings ii. 
 .27.] Solomon call out Abiati.er, that he fhou.'d 
 \not be the Prisjl of cur Lord : Yet this was 
 done, that the Word of our Lord might be 
 fulfilled^ which he fpake concerning the Houfe 
 of He lie. Solomon ilk) as a Prophet, by ex- 
 traordinary CommiiTion, [-v. 3 5. J Placed Sa- 
 doc the Prieji for Abiathar. 
 
 Secondly, We have clearly in the Old 
 Teftament the diftinction of the chief Eccle- 
 fiaftical and chief Secular Power [2 Chr. xix. 
 II.] And behold Amariah, the chef Prieji, is 
 cvr you in all matters of the Lord, that is, ec- 
 clefiaftical Affairs. Then for Temporal, or 
 Secular Affairs, Zebediah the Ruler of the hcufe 
 cf'fudah for all the King's matters ; whence 
 it is clear that the former caufes are not 
 matters which appertain to the Kings, 
 
 3. Ihirdlyi We have the Old Law, [Dent. 
 xvii. 8.] commanding all fuch caufes, as are 
 Ecclefiaftical caufes, to be brought to the 
 Tribunal of the High Prieft, and his Sentence 
 to be obeyed even under pain of death. I 
 call them Ecclefiaftical caufes, becaufe the 
 
 former
 
 jo The Succef/lr of St. Peter is 
 former Text faith, they be matters of the 
 Lord, and diftinct | from matters of the 
 King. 
 
 4. Fourth!) ; We have out of the New 
 Teflament this unanfa erable Text concern- 
 ing the High Priefts, even of the Old Law, 
 [Matth. xxiii. 2.] Upon the Chair of Mofes 
 have f:it en the Scribes and Pharifees-, oil there- 
 fore whatfoevcr they /ha!! fay unto you, obferve 
 and do it. No wickednefs of the High-Priefr. 
 his perfon mail excufe your obedience, if he 
 fit upon the Chair of Mofes, Mcfes was 
 not only a fccular Prince, but alfo the firft 
 High-priefr. amongft the Jews, Mofes ay d 
 Aaron amongft his Priefts, [Pfal. xcix. 6.] 
 " Now thofe who fucceeded Mofes as he was 
 High-Prieft, are faid to fit upon the Chair of 
 Mofes ; for as he was the fecular Prince of 
 the People, Jefhua in that dignity did fucceed 
 him. But he had but part of his Glory, fo 
 [Numb, xxvii, 18.] Takejcjhua the Son of 
 N:a;, a Man in whom is the Spirit, and put 
 t ; :'.' 1 ? I upon him, zvho /ha!! f land before E- 
 leaz.ir the Prieft, and thou (0 Mofes) /bait 
 fktfome of thine Honour upon him. Now 
 the one part of Alofes's Honour was to be 
 a fecular Prince, and Commander in chief. 
 In this dignity Joflma did fucceed him. But 
 in Lcvii. [ch. 8.] God commanded Mofes to 
 invefl Aaron with the other part of his dig- 
 nity, which was to be High-Prieft. But 
 when A?.: on now came to dye, God faid to 
 Mofes [Numb. xx. 26.] Take Aaron and his 
 f Son
 
 the chief Pafto't of the Church. yj 
 Sm with him, and when thou haft devefted 
 the Father of his v jliture, thou ji--.lt re: 
 therewith Eleazar Lis Son: Mofes did as cur 
 Lord commanded him. And thus fucceffively 
 God provided his Church of Kigh-Priefts. 
 Neither, for the wickednefs of any of them, 
 did he ceafe to govern his Church by them, 
 even by heavenly and fupernatural ailiflance. 
 As bad as Caiaphas was, yet. becaufe hewas 
 the High-Prieft, he did Prophefy, [Jo. xi. 
 51.] He /aid not this of him [elf, hut beitog the 
 Higb : Prieft of that Tear, he prqphefnd that 
 Jejus Jhculd dye for the Natioji. 
 
 5. The Old Law being now transferred 
 to the New, it was neceilaiy that the Prieft- 
 hood alio mould be transferred, thefe two go- 
 ing together, (Keb. vii. 12.) wherefore the 
 New Law being the Lady, the Old the 
 Handmaid, as St. Paul fpeaks ; the New 
 Law alfo, according to him, being eftablifl/d 
 upon better Promifes, (Heb. viii. 6.) we may, 
 with all ground in Scripture, expc£f to fee 
 Chrift's Church ever provided of fuch High- 
 Priefts, as mall, by his bounty, have many 
 advantages above the High-Priefts of the 
 Old Law. Chrift then intending to build 
 his New Church, he called to him even a- 
 mongfl the firft of his Apoftles Simon, and 
 prefently changed his Name into Cephas, 
 which is interpreted Peter, a Reck, [John i. 
 42.] To this Simon, (Matth. xvi. 18.) he 
 faith, Thou art Peter, which in that language 
 which Chriir. fpoke, is as much as to fay : 
 
 Thou
 
 72 loe cuccejfor of St. Peter /> 
 
 Thou art a Rocky and upon this Rock I will 
 build my Church. The wifeft of Men defigr.s 
 a lure Rock for the everlafting Building of 
 his Church, in the midft of all Winds and 
 Waves, and if any one fay that Chrift him- 
 felf is a Rock, fo as not to communicate 
 this Rock-like nrmity of his alfo to St. Peter, 
 he flatly contradicls Chrift's faying, Thou art 
 a Rock, and upon this Rock I will build my 
 Church. If any Man fhould take a fair Stone 
 in his Hand, and fay, Thou art a fair goodly 
 [olid Stone, and upon this Stone I intend to 
 raije a Chappel : Who would conceive this 
 Man in the lait part of his Speech to point 
 at any other Stone than that whieh he had 
 in his Hand ? True it is, that Chrift is the 
 Foundation ; yet without any difhonour to 
 him, nay to the increafe of his Honour, he 
 communicateth that very title of Foundation 
 to others. So, (Eph. ii. 20.) we are faid ; 
 Built upon the Foundation of the Apoftles and 
 Prophets : frfus Chrift being the chief corner 
 Sto?ie. Chrift then is tr^e chief Rock of an 
 everlafting perpetuity, and this by his own 
 virtue. St. Peter is a Rock ftanding firm 
 everlaftingly, not by his own virtue, but by 
 the virtue of Chrift, and made thus not for 
 his own fake, but for Chrift's Churches fake, 
 Chrift intending that this his Church fhould 
 ftand for ever, as I proved Point 3. Whence 
 Chrift adds, Upon this Rock I ivill build my 
 Church. We willingly grant that the Church 
 was to be built, not upon the Shoulders of S. 
 f Peter^
 
 the chief Faft.r of the Church. 73 
 Peter 9 but upon his Faith ; yet his Faith 
 
 muff not be taken as feparated from his Per- 
 fon, but it muft be taken as the Thing 
 chiefly regarded in his peiTon ; for which to 
 him perfonally this dignity was given j yet 
 given chiefly for the .perpetual good of the 
 Church to be built upon him. Wherefore 
 left the Building; fnould be mattered at his 
 Death, this firm perpetuity of a Rock, that is, 
 this Faith of his which Chrift praycdjbo'dd never 
 fail, (Luke xxii. 32.) was to be derived to 
 his lawful Succefibrs ; as the chair of Mo- 
 fes ever had the Succeficrs of Mofes fitting 
 in it ; for no well ordered common-wealth 
 is deftitute of fumcient means, frill to pro- 
 vide her of her lawful Heads and Governors 
 appointed her fucceflively. And as it is net 
 enough to fay, Chrijl is King of JK in^s and 
 Lord of Lords^ therefore the civil Common- 
 wealth needs no other King or Lord. So 
 it feems far greater Nonfenfe to fay, that be- 
 caufe Chrift is the chief Head and Prieft of 
 the Church, therefore we, upon earth, need 
 no other head to govern fuch a Common- 
 wealth as the Church is, containing Co many 
 feveral People, of fo many Nations. Natures, 
 Cuftcms and difpofitions, as be found from 
 the rifing of the Sun to the going down of 
 the fame, though this fo far fpread Common- 
 wealth were intended, from the beginning, 
 to laft as long as the Sun and Moon. It 
 was then for this, his Church's fake, that 
 fume one was ever to be firit and chief in it. 
 D 6. Now
 
 74 The Succejfor of St. Feter is 
 
 6. Now faith St. Afh:hew, numbering 
 the Apoftles (Princes of the Church) The 
 names of the tw< he Apo files be thefe ; Thefirji 
 Simon^ who is called Peter. [Mat. x. 2 ] And 
 fo in all places where the Apoftles are 
 counted, as Judas is always the laft, fo St. 
 Peter is counted firft : And as it was faid of 
 Elcazar, That he was the Prince of Princes 
 of the Levites. [Num. iii. 32.] fo amongft 
 the fpiritual Princes of ChrifVs Church, St. 
 Matthew doth not only count him firft, but 
 plainly fays he was thefirji ; Thefirji, Simon 
 who is called Peter. He was neither the fir Ji 
 in order of calling to the Apoftlefhip, nor in 
 Age ; for his brother Andrew was before him 
 in both thefe, [John i.] Again, to fignify 
 that he was the Head and Chief in ordinary, 
 Chriftfaid to him. [Matt. xvi. 19.] And to 
 thee will I give the Keys of the Kingdom of 
 Heaven. For though the power of loofing 
 and binding was afterward given to the other 
 Apoftles, [John xx. 23.] yet the Keys of the 
 Kingdom of Heaven are never in Scripture, 
 faid to be given to any but to St. Peter. The 
 giving of the Keys is well known to fignify 
 naturally the fupreme Rule in a City or Fa- 
 mily. Hence the Keys of the City are of- 
 fered to the chief Governors at their en- 
 trance. So alfo the Key of the Houfe of Da- 
 vid is given to Chrift, being to reign in the 
 Houfe of David for ever. Here Chrift giveth 
 the Keys to St. Peter as to his Succeffor in 
 the Houfe of God y which is the Church of the 
 
 living
 
 the c K ief Pa ft or of the Church. 75 
 
 living God, [1 Tim. iii. 15.] By thefcKeys 
 is iignified the plenitude of higheft power. 
 
 7. Again, ["John xxi. 15.] Simon of John 
 lovejl thou me more than thcfc P Feed my 
 Lambs. And yet again, [ver. 17.] Feed my 
 Sheep. Note, that he would not have re- 
 quired greater love in Pete*- rather than in 
 any of the reft, nor have faid, Lovcfl thou 
 me more than thefe f if he had not here in- 
 tended to give him higher dignity in Paftor- 
 fhip than to the reft. If every one of the 
 other Apoftles be Sheep of Chrift, St. Peter 
 is here made Paftor to everyone of them, for 
 he is commanded to feed them. Note again, 
 (and principally) that the whole flock of 
 Chrift his La?nbs, his Sheep, his Subjects 
 and their Rulers, did not confift of thofe on- 
 ly men who then lived, but much more of 
 all fuch faithful men as were to be ofthe flock 
 and Church of Chrift, even from his days to 
 the end of the world. Wherefore this high 
 Paftorfhip being, as we faid, chiefly infti- 
 tuted by Chrift, out of his love and care to 
 his flock, and not meerly out of the deiire 
 of honouring St. Peter, was by ordinary 
 courfe of fuccefiion to be devolved to all pos- 
 terity. 
 
 8. And that no man foould fay that this 
 fucceflion mail ever fail, thus faith our Lord, 
 [Jer. xxxiii. 17.] David /ball never want a 
 man to fit upon the throne of the houfe of If 
 raely and of the Priefts and Levites there Jhall 
 not fail a man, is\: And he adds. That bis 
 
 D 2 Cove m
 
 76 The Chief Pajlor or Pope 
 
 Covenant Jhould fooncr be made void with the 
 day and night, than his Covenant Jhould be 
 n>ade void with David his jervant. That 
 there be not of him a Son to reign in his throne , 
 and Levites and Prie/is his Minijfers. And 
 the Prophet Ifaiah in his laft Chapter tells us, 
 that in the new Law thefe Leviies mall not 
 be born Levites of the Tribe of Levi, or any 
 particular Tribe or Nation, but by Election, 
 they fhall be chofen to be Levites out of fe- 
 veral Nations, particularly of Italians, Gre- 
 cians, Africans, and the Iflands afar off; 
 though the Englijh Bible doth not tranflate 
 thefe names, I will take, (faith he) of them 
 to be Priells and Levites, But {hall there 
 not ftill be one chief Paftor of thefe never 
 decaying races of Priefts and Levites ? yes 
 there fhall. And they Jhall have one Shepherd, 
 or Pajlor over them all. [Ezech. xxxvii. 24.] 
 
 The Eighth Point. 
 
 That this our chief Pa/lor or Pope is not An* 
 tichrijL 
 
 BEcaufe there is never a Pulpit in 
 England in which the Pope hath 
 not been preached, by all our Miniflers, to 
 be not only Antichrift, but alfo the Anti- 
 chrifl, who is fo much fpoken of and de- 
 tected in Scriptures ; I thought fit to make 
 my dear Countrymen fee with their own eyes 
 how unconfeionably thefe their Miniflers io 
 
 uni-
 
 is not Antichrift. 77 
 
 universally deal with them in this point, in 
 which they cannot but fee, if indeed they 
 read and will underftand how flatly and point 
 blank this Doctr/ne is againft moil manifeft 
 Scripture. 
 
 2. Fir ft i The Scripture teacheth clearly, 
 that Antichrift is one particular determinate 
 man, and not any rank of feveral diftincl; 
 men fuccefnvely living one after the other, as 
 Popes do. Hence, [2 Theft, ii. 3.] Anti- 
 chrift is called, That man of 'fin , the Son of 
 perdition; the Adverfary. And, [Apoc. xiii. 
 14.] An Image fhall be made of this parti- 
 cular Perfon, whereas no fuch Image can re- 
 prefent thofe hundreds of Popes who have 
 fat in St. Peter's chair. Again there it fol- 
 loweth, that this particular man {hall have a 
 fpecial Name, and fuch a peculiar number 
 fhall exprefs this Name : For it is the num- 
 ber of a Man. A Man, I fay, and not 
 many men fucceeding one another, as Popes 
 are. Whence it followeth, The number of him 
 is Six hundred fixty fix. Of that Him, whom 
 Chrift alfo infinuated to be one particular 
 Man, when he faid, [John v. 43.] If ano- 
 ther ftjall come in his Name, him you will re- 
 ceive. Whereas no one of the Popes was 
 yet received by the Jews. W T herefore of 
 the Pope it is falfe to fay, the Jezvs have re- 
 ceived him. And this is the fecond Reafon 
 why the Pope, according to Scripture, is 
 not Antichrift. 
 
 D 3 3, Thirdly,
 
 78 The Chief P aft or or Pope 
 
 3. Thirdly? This one particular Man fhall 
 not come until we be clofe bordering upon 
 the very laft end of the World. [Markxiiu 
 24.] But in thcfe days after that tribulation 
 (of Antichrift) the Sun Jhall be darkened. 
 Popes have been ever fince St. Peter's days ; 
 and that which you all call Popery, hath 
 been, as you confefs, above thefe thoufand 
 years, and yet the Sun fhinesupon the World 
 as clearly as ever. 
 
 4. Fourthly? This one fpecial Man 'fhall 
 reign but a fhort time; whereas thefe Popes, 
 upholders of confefled Popery, have reigned 
 thefe many Ages. Antichrift mail reign 
 but three years and an half, a time? and times > 
 and half a time? [Dan. vii. 25.] And Apoc. 
 xii. 14.] Hence, [Dan. xii. 1 1.] this time is 
 further expounded to be a thoufand two hun- 
 dred and ninety days. And the Church a lit- 
 tle after this Perfecution begins, fhall fly into 
 the wildernefs/ir a thoufand two hundred ar.d 
 fxty days. And for this time of 1260 days 
 the two Witnejfes /hall prophefy? [Apoc. xi. 3.] 
 For the perfecution of Antichrift fhall laft 
 but two and forty months? as is there ex- 
 prefsly faid. And, [Apoc. xiii. 5.] Power 
 was given (to the Bea/t) to cotttinue two and 
 
 forty Months. The time therefore of Anti- 
 chrift's Reign fhall be fhort. For the Elctt 
 the days jhail be ftortened? [Matt. xxiv. 22.] 
 So, [Jpoc. xx. 3.] it is faid, that the Devil 
 fhall be let loofe for the fhort time of Anti- 
 chrift's reign. After thefe things he mujl be 
 
 loafed
 
 is not Antichrift, 79 
 
 loo fed a little time. That is, after Chrift hath 
 bound up the Devil, during the long time of 
 the New Teftament, defcribed there by the 
 complete and perfect number of a thoufand 
 years, he fhall be let loofe for the fhort 
 time of the reign of Antichrift. 
 
 5. Fifthly, All the Miniftersin England, 
 or out of Englanl, can never be able to 
 fhew, that the Pope did ever kill two fuch 
 Witnefles as Antichrift is clearly faid to kill, 
 [s/poc, xi. 3, 6.] That is, tzuo lVitneffes,who 
 Jhall prophefy One thoufand two hundred and 
 Jixty days c.'oat'.edin Sackcloth, who Jhall have 
 power- to Jhut the Heavens that it may net rain 
 in the days of their prophecy, and power of the 
 waters, to turn them into Blood', andtoflrike 
 the Earth with all plagues as often as they 
 will. If your Minifters will prove the Pope 
 to be Antichrift, they muft not only prove 
 that he did kill two fuch Witnefles as they 
 are: for the true Antichrift muft do this; 
 but alfo they muft prove that the Pope did 
 kill two fuch Witnefles in ferufalem, leaving 
 their bodies lying in the ftreets thereof. For 
 this alfo the true Antichrift muft do, be- 
 caufe it followeth, [w'r. 7,8.] The Biaft 
 ftjall kill them ; and their Bodies jhall lye in the 
 fheets w' ere the Lord was crucified, that is, 
 in Jerufalem, 
 
 6. Sixthly, Hence appears that the chief 
 Seat of Antichrift fhall be at Jerufalcrn, 
 where he fhall moft fhew his power and glo- 
 ry, whence it was alfo faid before that the 
 jcivs fhculd receive him; and the holy Fa- 
 D 4 thers
 
 So The Chief Pojlcr or Pope &V. 
 thcrs commonly fay, he (ball be born a 7*zi> 
 of the Tribe of Dan, which is the caufewhy 
 that tribe was not numbered with the reft, 
 [Jpoc. vii.] neither could the Jews receive 
 him if he were not born a yew. None of 
 thefe things agree to the Pope, and yet they 
 all agree to Antichrift. 
 
 7. Seventhly ■, The Peaft which mall fet 
 up the power of Antichrift, Jhall make fire 
 come down from Heaven on Earth in the fight 
 of Men, [Apoc. xiii. 13.] Tell me what 
 fetter up of the Popes power did ever do this? 
 
 8. Eighthly , There alfo, [ver. 17.] it is 
 faid, that he alfo fhall effect, that no man 
 fall buy or felly but he that hath the Cha v 'acler 
 or name of the Beaft, or ymmber of his name. 
 In what Pope's days was this verified ? 
 
 9. Ninthly, and laftly, [2 Thtff. ii. 4.] 
 That one fpecial man (who is called that 
 Man of fin ) is extolled above all that is called 
 God, or (all) that is worfijipped. Now, who- 
 foever is extolled above all that is God, is not 
 only extolled above Judges and Kings, fome- 
 times called Gods, as all juft men are, but 
 to be extolled above all that is call d Gcd, he 
 muft be extolled above God himfelf, who, in 
 the very n* rft place, is called God. So he that 
 is extolled above all that is wor flipped, muft 
 be extolled not only above Princes and 
 Kings, but above Saints and Angels, and 
 Cod himfelf. Now neither doth the Pope 
 extol himfelf, or is extolled by any of his 
 Adherents above the Apoftles or Angels, 
 
 and
 
 Of the Sacraments. C3V. Si 
 
 and much lefs above God himfelf, JJjewing 
 himfelf that he is God, as their faid Anti- 
 chrift fhall do. 
 
 The Ninth Point, 
 
 Of the Sacraments of the Church, and of the 
 Ceremonies zuhich the Church ufeth in admi- 
 ni firing thefe Sacraments, as alfo in other 
 cccafions* 
 
 HAving treated of the Church, and her 
 chief Paftor, it followeth to treat of 
 the Sacraments of this Church. And be- 
 caufe our Church ufeth feveral ceremonies 
 in the administration of thefe Sacraments, 
 and efpecially in the facrifice of the Mafs, as 
 alfo in other feveral occafions, a thing much 
 fcoffed at by our Adverfaries. We will 
 here alfo treat of thefe Ceremonies. 
 
 2. Firft then concerning Sacraments in 
 general, before we come to treat of every 
 particular Sacrament, to prevent miftakes, 
 I define a facrament to be An outward fign 
 injUtuted by Chri/l, fegnifying the inward 
 Grace which it confer s, vjhen duly received. 
 And here it muft be exactly noted, that every 
 fuch outward Sign, or holy Ceremony, by 
 the applying of which, inward Grace is in- 
 fallibly conferred, when it is duly received, 
 muft needs be a fign or ceremony inftituted 
 D 5 by
 
 8 2 Of the Sacraments of the Churchy 
 by Chrift. For no body but Chrift. could 
 annex the infallible gift of inward Grace to 
 the applying of fuch an outward fign. 
 
 3. Now if any one w T ill ftand contending 
 to prove, that a Sacrament is fomething elfe, 
 and ought to be defined otherwise; all that 
 I need to fay in confutation of him, is, that 
 I will find in Scripture feven fuch holy Signs 
 or Ceremonies, to the due application of 
 which the gift of inward Grace is infallibly 
 annexed. And for this Reafon, I fay, that 
 thefe be either feven true Sacraments, or 
 elfe feven things much better than thofe 
 which your definition will allow to be Sa- 
 craments. * For by thefe feven, that divine 
 quality of heavenly Grace is conferred ; by 
 yours it is not. But before I come to fhew 
 our feven Sacraments in particular, to be 
 fuch holy Signs or Ceremonies inftituted by 
 Chrift, from whom all Grace is derived, I 
 
 - will in the fecond place, treat of the Cere- 
 monies of the Church which Proteftants are 
 pleafed to account foolilh, childifh, apifh, 
 comical, tsV. 
 
 4. I fay then, that the light of Reafon* 
 teaches us in all actions, which we defire to 
 raiie above the rank of vulgar Actions, to 
 devife fome Ceremonies to fet that Action 
 forth in fuch a manner, that all (hall, by the 
 very fight of it, be flirred up to apprehend 
 fuch an Action to be far furpaffing ordinary 
 things. So in the folemn Inauguration of 
 great Princes, in the Coronation of Kings, 
 
 in
 
 and of her Ceremonies. 83 
 
 in their going to fit in Parliament, yea, in 
 their carrying to their Graves and Inter- 
 ment, great choice is made of exquifite Ce- 
 remonies to fet forth thefe Actions, fo that 
 they may be raifed much above the ftrain 
 of vulgar Actions : Wherefore feeing no 
 Actions deferve moreefteem, or to be raifed 
 to a higher degree of reverence and venera- 
 tion amongft the Chriftian People, than the 
 chief actions of our Religion, it was wholly 
 convenient that the Adminiftration of the 
 Sacraments, being the chiefeft of thefe Ac- 
 tions, mould chiefly of all other Actions be 
 graced and fet forth with fome kind of Ce- 
 remonies fuch as the Church mould think 
 ritteft, that fo all the vulgar, by the very 
 fight of thofe Actions may be excited to con- 
 ceive a facred efteem of thofe Actions, fet 
 forth fo myitically in a manner quite different 
 from ordinary and vulgar actions. By this 
 Argument, and not by any text of Scripture, 
 you mufr. juflify your Minister's Surplice. 
 
 The Lav/ of Nature, which was before the 
 ceremonial Law, did teach the holieft men of 
 that Law thus, to raife the mofr. pious Actions 
 they folemnly performed by addition of cer- 
 tain Ceremonies. So holy "Jacob, [Gen.xxviu, 
 18.] Arifing in the morning, took the done 
 that he had laid under his Head, and erecled 
 it for a title {or monument) and poured out 
 oil upon the top of it. A ceremony fo far 
 from being fuperftitious, that [Gen. xxxi. 
 13.] God approves this fact, appearing to 
 Jacob, and faying, I am the God of Bethel^ 
 
 tuber*
 
 84 Of the Sacraments of the Church*, 
 where thou didjl anoint the Jlone, and didji 
 v:.w ihy vozv to me. 
 
 5. And becaufe our Adverfaries feoff at 
 Ceremonies as, if they were ridiculous things, 
 we deiire them to refie£c, whether a Heathen 
 may not as well feoff at the jnuijh Cere- 
 monies appointed by God himfelf; as in- 
 deed the J ws, both by the Greeks, and the 
 old Romans, were held for the moft fuper- 
 flkious People of the world upon that ac- 
 count. And though the Jewijb Ceremonies 
 appointed by God do now ceafe, yet it is 
 now Blafphemy to fay any one of them were 
 fcoliih, apifh comical geftures : Yet looked 
 upon with carnal eyes, they may to the full, 
 as. much appear to have been fo 7 as the Ce- 
 remonies of the Church now appear to you. 
 For Example, What a mimical Action would 
 you account it in us, if we mould in the 
 Confecration of the Pope appoint, that the 
 Tip of his right Ear, and the thumb and g> eat 
 toe of his rigfyt band and ri; bt foot fhould be 
 the parts particularly anointed, and yet God 
 himfelf commanded, [Exsd. xxix. 20.} 
 That in tl C Ulceration of Aaron and his 
 Sons, Thou j", I f the blood of a Ram 9 
 
 and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aa- 
 ron and of his Sor:s> end upon the tlumbs and 
 great toes cf th ir rigi i hand and foot. A 
 number of as ftrange Ceremonies as thefe 
 are both in this Book of Exodus, and par- 
 ticularly in Leviticus, and yet all fet down 
 
 by
 
 and of her Ceremonies. 85 
 
 by God's own appointment. And it is now 
 Blafphemy to fay, they were ridiculous. 
 
 6. But let us pais to the new Law, tho' 
 in this all Jewifh Ceremonies be abolifhed, 
 yet is it no where faid, that we mould ferve 
 God without all Ceremonies, which no Na- 
 tion under Heaven ever did, as thofe who 
 are fkilled in Antiquity know. Yea, Chrift 
 himfelf was pleafed to fet forth fome more 
 myftical Cures, which he did, with fuch 
 ceremonies as you would fcorF at them, if 
 cur Church, in far more myitical Actions, 
 had .made ufeof them. So [Mark vii. 32.] 
 in the Cure of a deaf and dumb Man. Firlt, 
 He took him from the multitude apart. Se- 
 condly, He put his Fingers into his ears, 
 Thirdly, fph.ing, hi touched Lis tongue. 
 Fourthly, He looked up to Heaven. Fifthly, 
 He groaned. Sixthly, He ujed a word de- 
 f 'r-vingjpecial interp< etation, faying, £pheta 9 
 that is v be opened. So alio [John viii. 6 ] in 
 pardoning theAdultrefs hetwice bowing him- 
 Jelfzvroie in the earth, God knows what. And 
 in the 9th Chapter, curing a man blind from 
 his Nativity, [ver. 6.]Hefpit on the ground^ 
 and made a clod of his fpittle-, then he jpread 
 the clay upon his eyes. Laftly, He faid unto 
 him, Go wajh in the Pool Siloe, which is 
 interpreted, Sent. Thus teaching his Church 
 to ufe Ceremonies in fuch myfterious 
 Actions as are ordained to cure our fpi- 
 ritual Deafnefs, fpiritual Dumbnefs, and fpi- 
 ritual Blindnefs. So we {hall fee it to be 
 Scripture, that fprinkling of Water muft be 
 t ufed
 
 86 Of the Sacraments of the Churchy 
 
 ufed in Baptifm, Impofition of Hands in 
 Confirmation and Ordination, anointing 
 with Oil in Extreme Un&ion. Before 
 our Lord gave the Eucharift to his Difciples, 
 he [Mark xiv.) made choice of a Room very 
 fpacious and adorned. He firft wa/hed his 
 Difciples Feet, then fitting down he took 
 Bread, gave Thanks, bleffed it, brake it, &c. 
 When he gave his Difciples Power to ab- 
 folve and to adminifter- the Sacrament of 
 Confeffion, [J oh. xx. 21. J He firft faid to 
 them, As my Father fent me, fo 1 fend you -, 
 when he had faid this he breathed upon them, 
 and faid to them, Receive the Holy Ghcfl, tvhofe 
 Sins ye fall forgive, are forgiven, &c. When 
 the Paftors of our Church ufe the Infufflaticn 
 or Breathing upon any, for the.like myftical 
 Signification, you cry aloud, Superitition, 
 Superftition, an apifh mimical action, C5c. 
 
 7. There is alfo one very great Commo- 
 dity in the Church's prescribing fuch and 
 fuch particular Ceremonies in fuch and 
 fuch Actions, that hence it enfues, that all 
 her Priefts perform all thefe facred Rites in 
 adminiftering Sacraments, offering Sacrifice, 
 £sV. after juft one and the felf fame manner 
 all the World over 5 which is a moft comely 
 and orderly thing, and could not have hap- 
 pened, had not fuch and fuch peculiar Rights 
 been prefcribed to all. 
 
 8. But now, if after that we have proved 
 Ceremonies to be reafonab]e, you afk why 
 the Church did prefcribe juft thefe particu- 
 lar
 
 Of Baptifm. Sj 
 
 lar Ceremonies, nnd no other ? Firft, I an- 
 fwer, that either thefe particular Ceremo- 
 nies are more proper and feemly, and, 
 as it were, more connatural to fuch an 
 Action ; or fecondiy, they are fitteft for fome- 
 myftical Mgniiication. Laftly, I fay, that 
 our unfatisfied Adverfkries would have afked 
 the felf fame Queftion of any other parti- 
 cular Ceremonies, if the Church had pecu- 
 liarly appointed them. Even as fome Men 
 will curioufly be afking, why did God make 
 the World juft at fuch a particular Time, 
 and not fooner or later ? For as St. Anguf 
 tine wittily anfwers : Had God made choice 
 of any other time to make the World, you 
 would ftill have been afking the very ferf 
 fame wife Queftion, JVhy jujl ?jow, and not 
 fooner, or later ? Even fo you would as wife- 
 ly have been faying, IVJiy juji fuch a Cere- 
 mony , and not as zu ell fuch or fuch an one? 
 Let this fuffice for trie Juftification of our 
 Ceremonies. 
 
 The Tenth Point. 
 
 Of Baptifm which is the firfl Sacrament* 
 
 J Will firft fhew Baptifm to be a Holy 
 
 Sign or Ceremony, fignifying and caufing 
 
 grace in thofe who duly receive it, [Ezech. 
 
 xxxvi.
 
 8S Of Baptifm. 
 
 xxxvi. 25.] And I will pour irpon you clean 
 Water, and you /ball be cleanfedfrom all your 
 Contaminations. Behold an outward pour- 
 ing of Water, cleanfing inwardly from all 
 Contaminations. The Baptifm of St. John 
 was an outward pouring of Water, with a 
 folemn Profefiion of doing Penance towards 
 the cleanfino- of the Soul ; but no grace was 
 given by it to cleanfe the Soul. So [Matth. 
 iii. J'l.j faith St. John Baptift, / have bap- 
 tized you with Water ', but he (Chriji) fball 
 baptize you with the Holy Ghojl. His Baptifm 
 fhall give this Soul-cleanfmg grace. Again, 
 [Act. ii. 38.] Be every one of you baptized 
 for Remijfion of your Sins, and you fiall re- 
 ceive the Holy Ghofl. Again, [Act xxii. 
 16.] Rife up and be baptifed, and ivafn away 
 thy Sins. Nothing can cleanfe from Conta- 
 mination, give RemiHion of Sins, warn away 
 Sins, but that which gives grace. Again, 
 [Gal. iii. 27.] As many of you as are bap- 
 tized in Chri/l, have put on Chrifi. Hence 
 Baptifm is called [Tit. iii. v.] Thewafnng of 
 Regeneration, and by it Man is born of the 
 Spirit. Whence [Jon. iii. 5.] Unlefs a Man be 
 born again of Water and of the Holy Ghofl he 
 cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That 
 is to fay, Baptifm fo breeds our fpiritual 
 birth in God, as our carnal birth caufeth 
 our life into the World. 
 
 Wherefore even the Children of the Juft 
 need Baptifm. For [Rom. v. 12.] Unto 
 all Mm Death didpafs y in whom all finned. 
 
 Whence
 
 Of Confirmation, 89 
 
 Whence David [Pfal. li. 5.] And in Sin did 
 my Mother conceive me. And therefore ««- 
 le'fs fuch a one be born again of Water and the 
 Holy Ghojl, he /hall not enter into the King* 
 dom of God. For of every one it is faid, 
 [Eph. ii. 3.] We w 'ere by Nature Children of 
 Wraths as alfo the rejl. 
 
 The Eleventh Point. 
 
 Of Confirmation. 
 
 (^ Confirmation is approved fuch a Sacra- 
 ^ ment, [A6ts. viii. 14.] And when the 
 Apoftles that were in Jerufalem had heard 
 that Samaria had received the Word of God 9 
 they fent unto them Peter and John, who 
 when they were come, prayed for them that 
 they might receive the Holy Ghoji. For he 
 was not come upon any of them, but they were 
 only baptifid in the Name of cur Lord J ejus. 
 Then did they impofe their Hands upon the?n 
 (behold the outward Sign) and they received 
 the Holy Ghofi. Behold the inward Grace, 
 given to thofe, who though they had been 
 baptifed, yet they had not received this par- 
 ticular Strength, and Confirmation offpecial 
 Grace which the coming of the Holy Ghoft 
 in this Sacrament did bring unto them. It 
 is alfo moil agreeable to Scripture that this 
 
 Sacra-
 
 go Of Confirmation. 
 
 Sacrament be given not by inferior Priefts, 
 but by Bifhops. Whence Bede excellently 
 noteth that it was not Philip the Apoftle, 
 who is here faid to have converted Samaria, 
 but Philip one of the feven Deacons. And 
 fo though he could baptize them, yet he 
 could not give them this Sacrament, and 
 therefore the Apoftles fent Peter and John to 
 Samaria ; not to baptize them again, but to 
 confirm them. And though here be no 
 mention of Oil, yet it followeth not that no 
 Oil is to be ufed in this Sacrament. For 
 fo in the Scripture there is no mention of 
 Water in that very Text which mentions 
 the Institution of Baptifm, as Matthew the 
 laft, Teach all Nations, haptifmg them in the 
 Name of the Father, the Son, and Holy 
 Ghojl. Yet the practice of the Church, tef- 
 tified by all Antiquity, Sufficiently teacheth 
 the ufc of Oil, or Koly Chrifm in this Sa- 
 crament. See the Rhemijh Teftament upon 
 the Place of the Acls now cited. There 
 alfo you fhall find this memorable Note, 
 That none ever, but known Heretics, condemned 
 this Sacrament of Chrifm. Again [Ads xix. 
 5.] They were baptifed, and when Paul had 
 impofed Hands on them, the Holy Ghojl came 
 upon them. And whereas fome fay, the 
 Text I alledged for this Sacrament, to prove 
 only the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, in order 
 to fpeak feveral Languages, I remit them 
 to St. Auflin [TracX vi. in Ep. Joh.] Is 
 there any Alan (faith he) of fo perverfe a 
 
 Heart
 
 Of the Holy Eucharifl. 91 
 
 Heart as to deny thefe Children, on ivhotn tve 
 now impofed Hands, to have received the Holy 
 Ghofl, becaufe they [peak not with Tongues ? 
 Out of which Words alfo you may obierve 
 how anciently they then impofed Hands and 
 confirmed Children when they were of years 
 of Difcretion, and could fpeak. wifely, tho' 
 not in any Tongue but their own. This 
 is (till our practice. 
 
 The Twelfth Point. 
 
 Of the Holy Eucharijl. 
 
 T^ I R S T, this Holy Sacrament under vi- 
 fible figns of Bread and Wine fignifying 
 nourifhment, doth invifibly contain the Body 
 and Blood of our Lord, which nourifhes up 
 our Souls with his Grace to life everlaiting, 
 [Joh. vi. 48.] / am the Bread of Life, your 
 Fathers did eat Manna in the Defert, and 
 they died. This is the Bread that defcendeth 
 from Heaven, that if any Man eat of it he 
 die not. I am the living Bread that came 
 down from Heaven. If any Man eat of this 
 Bread, he /hall live for ever. Behold here 
 the invifible Grace. And the Bread which I 
 wiU give you is my Flcjh, the Life of the 
 World. Behold the outward viable Sign 
 truly containing his Peribn who gives the 
 
 Grace,
 
 92 Of the Holy Eucharljl. 
 
 Grace. And tell me not, that it is faid of 
 his Flefh : The Flefh profits nothing. For 
 it is blafphemy to fay fo of his Flefh, of 
 which he faith here, My Flefh is the Life of 
 the World. A carnal grofs manner of un- 
 derstanding, that his Flefh was, to this ef- 
 fect, to be eaten in its own kind, like Flefh 
 in the Shambles, doth indeed put upon us 
 a Senfe in which it is true that his Flsjh pro- 
 fits nothing. Neither doth his Flefh taken, 
 a? they took it, that is, as the Flefh of one 
 who was only Man, profit any thing. But 
 thefe his Words are Spirit and Life. For 
 they fhould raife us in Spirit to believe this 
 Flefh to be joined to the Divinity which is 
 fo able to give this Flefh to be eaten, that, 
 by really feeding upon it they may be nou- 
 rifhed to eternal Life. 
 
 2. Here then fecondly comes in our Be- 
 lief of the real Prefence of Chnft in the Sa- 
 crament, which we all profefs to be his true 
 Body, and confequently not to be Bread, 
 but iiving Bread, as St. John calls it, whence 
 followeth Tranfubfiantiation or change of the 
 Subffance of dead Bread into the true Body 
 of Chrifc, which we all fay to be as truly in 
 the Sacrament, as he is in PIcaven at the 
 Right Hand of his Father. And therefore 
 Adoration is no lefs due to him here in the 
 Sacrament, than there in Heaven, as rca- 
 fon perfwades, if we can fhetv that the felf 
 fame Body is really prefent in the Sacrament. 
 Let the firft Proof hereof be taken from the 
 
 clear,
 
 Of the Hdy Eucharifi. 93 
 
 clear, and fo often repeated Words, even 
 word for word, in theGofpelofSt. Matthew^ 
 St. Mar)i r St. Luke, and St. Paul, [ 1 Cor. 
 xi. 24.] This is my Body, this is my Blood, 
 and in St. John in the Words now cited, if 
 I can fhew that thefe Places be not to be 
 taken figuratively, but literally, my Bufinefs 
 is at an End. I think I can make this evi- 
 dent by this Demonuration. 
 
 If thefe Texts are to be underftood figu- 
 ratively, as you Protectants fay, then quef- 
 tionlefs the Apofiles and their SuccefTors did 
 tell the firir. Chrirrians, that it was fo, and 
 together with their firft Faith they received 
 that Doctrine, and they with that Faith de- 
 livered it to their SuccefTors. And thus all 
 believed for fome time. But then you muffc 
 come to fome other time, in which fome 
 one Man began firffc to teach, that thofe 
 Texts are to be underflood. literally, as they 
 found, and that one Man taught that Chrifr. 
 was really prefent in the Sacrament, and 
 being fo, was alfo to be adored. Now 
 when this one Man began this Doctrine 
 firft, for fome one Man mull have been at 
 full the Beginner, it could n6t but feem 
 new, as being never heard before; it could 
 not but feem fufpected of Falfity, as being 
 notorioufly then contrary to what all true 
 Believers in the World believed. It could 
 not but be manifeflly accounted of all un- 
 derhand ing Men to be Idolatrous, as teach- 
 ing that to be adored for God, which all, 
 
 in-
 
 94 Of the Holy Eucharljl. 
 
 inftructed by the Apoftles and their Suceef- 
 fors, taught to be nothing elfe but Bread 
 and Wine. It could not be accounted a 
 Doctrine incredible, which muft needs teach 
 the great Fody of a Man to be wholly con- 
 tained in a fmall Quantity of a little Piece 
 of Bread. And which muft needs teach, one 
 and the felf fame Body to be really prefent 
 at a thoufand feveral Places, and to be eaten 
 there, and yet to be ftill prefent here ; which 
 alio muft needs teach, that there fhould not 
 be Bread and Wine where our own Senfes 
 tell us there was nothing elfe but Bread and 
 Wine j yea, where, as then, Faith itfelf 
 told them the felf fame thing. This being 
 fo, I afk this unanfwerable Queftion ? How 
 could this one Man, who muft firft begin 
 to broach this new Doctrine, be able to fet 
 it forth fo plaufibly, that it being a Doctrine 
 fo againft all Reafon, all Senfe, all Expe- 
 perience, and all Faith of all Men, at that 
 Time, and alfo a thing fo hard to perfuade 
 Men of Piety and of underftanding for fear 
 of open Idolatry, and plain Innovation in 
 Religion. So hard to perfuade bad and 
 weak underftanding Perfons, who, for no 
 kind of gain or benefit, were to be made to go 
 directly, not only againft their ancient Faith, 
 but to go flatly againft their own under- 
 ftanding and common Senfe ? How could, I 
 fay, this one Man be able to perfuade this 
 ftrange, new. unprofitable, hard Doctrine, 
 not to one Town only or City, or to one 
 
 Country
 
 Of the Holy Eucharlj}. 95 
 
 Country or Nation only, but to the whole 
 multitude of ChriiHans from the rifingofthe 
 Sun even to the going down thereof? And 
 this io, that no one s known to have either 
 by word of Mouth, or Writing oppofed his 
 Doctrine, but all to have fo readily, and 
 peaceably, and io unanimoufly embraced it ; 
 that no kind of mention mould be made in 
 any Hiftory of the leaft flop it had, or of the 
 leaft Contradiction made anv where againft 
 it, or of the leaft taxing it either of Novelty, 
 or of Strangenefs ; yea, no mention is made 
 in any one Country, though there be fo 
 many Countries in Chriftianity, when, or 
 where, or by whom this ftrange new Doc- 
 trine was begun. But behold on the fudden 
 all Chriftianity, for fo it was as all learned 
 Men know, all Chriftianity, I fay, both in 
 the Eaft and the Weft, both amongft thofe 
 who hold with the Roman Church, and 
 thofe who flood in Defiance of it, either 
 amongft the Grecians, Georgians, Abyffynes, 
 ^Ethiopians ; All, I fay again, all of them 
 who would be called Chriftians, every where 
 firmly believing, every where profefling, and 
 confemng the real prefence of Chrift in the 
 Sacrament, and falling on their Knees to 
 adore him. Is it poflible that in a Point fo 
 hard as this is, fo many, fo differing in 
 Cuftoms, Languages, Manners, Educations, 
 Interefts, Opinions, and Beliefs, fo diftant 
 from one another in Place and Affections, 
 in Dichmens and Practices, fhould all be 
 
 found 
 *
 
 96 Of the Holy Eucharift. 
 
 found at once, and no body can tell at what 
 time firft, to confent moft unanimoufly ? 
 Could fo great a thing as this be done upon 
 the perfuaiion of one Man, and done fo 
 filently, that no one fingle Writer fhould 
 be found to record who that Omnipotent 
 Man was. or by what means he could pof- 
 fibiy effect a Tiling fo incredible all Chriiti- 
 anity over, without finding any where, a r 
 mongft good or bad, learned or unlearned, 
 any confiderable Oppcfition ? This feems to 
 me a thing fo incredible, that all you can 
 fay againft our Faith in this Point, is no- 
 thing fohard to believe as this alone. Where- 
 fore if this cannot be fo, as furely it cannot, 
 ' you muft all be forced to confefs, that when 
 the Faith was firft preached by the Apoftles, 
 and their Succeflbrs, they did not teach your 
 Doctrine concerning this Sacrament, but 
 they taught and delivered our Doctrine. And 
 then you will foon underftand that all the 
 Difficulties here mentioned be eafy to be 
 anfwered. For hence you will eafily under- 
 ftand, how no other Beginning than that of 
 our firft Chriftianity could be found of this 
 Doctrine, becaufe fuch a Doctrine, as this 
 is, found fo univerfally fpread over all Chrift- 
 endom, and never recorded to have been ac- 
 counted new, or to have had any particular 
 Author, or Oppofer, could not poffibly have 
 had any other beginning ; or if it had, more 
 notice would have been taken of it. But 
 coming in with firft Chriftianity, you can- 
 not
 
 Of the holy Eucharifl. 97 
 
 not wonder to fee all Chriftianity found em- 
 bracing it. And though it be a Doctrine 
 containing To many difficulties, yet being 
 propofed as a part of that Chriftian Doctrine, 
 with all thofe powerful Motives, which firft 
 moved all Chriftians to be Chriftians, you 
 cannot wonder to fee thofe who received 
 Christianity, to receive alfo this Chriftian 
 Belief. Whereas if they all had at firft re- 
 ceived the contrary Belief; furely at the firft 
 propofing of this known Novelty, fome body 
 or other, in fome one place of Chriftianity 
 or other, would have opened his mouth and 
 {aid, IVe cannot adore that for God which the 
 whole torrent of Antiquity, from Chriji to us 9 
 bath taught to be Bread, as alfo our finfes tell us. 
 Had it been to be adored, the JpojHes and thofe 
 who were taught by them, would have taught us 
 fo, or at hajl jomewhere fome body or other would 
 have heard fome news of this Doclrine before 
 now. But that which you fay is too new to be 
 true, it is too contrary to all peoples faith, to all 
 practice, to all reafon and common fenfe. Can 
 any man imagine, that in all Chriftianity there 
 was neither grace nor wit enough to fay this. 
 And certainly, at that time the vefy faying 
 of this mult needs have quite overthrown 
 that new Paradox, or at leait have withdrawn 
 thoufands in all Nations from following of 
 it with fo great facility. For, againft a No- 
 veltv fo notorious and fo abflird, fo much 
 would have been faitf, fo much would have 
 been written, fo much would have been 
 a&ed in Councils, either general, or nati- 
 E anal
 
 9 8 Of the Holy Eucharift. 
 
 onal, or provincial, that Tome fmall mention 
 of all this would have come to notice of 
 Pofterity, as we fee things of a thoufand 
 times lefler concernment have done. Even 
 by your own backwardnefs to believe Tran- 
 fubitantiation, and by your great wondring 
 at us for believing it, and by the many and 
 great difficulties which you may clearly fee, 
 how evidently true all that is which I have 
 here fo fully let down, becaufe it imports fo 
 much. 
 
 3. Let us go on now: When [John vL 
 48, fcff.] Chrift faid, lam the Bread of life, 
 fhe Bread which I will give you is my Flejh* 
 for the life of the World. The Jews, there- 
 fore fir ove among Jl themf elves, faying (as you 
 Proteftants fay) How can this man give us 
 his fiejh to eat f Jefm therefore faid unto them, 
 J men, Jmen, I fay to you, unlefs you eat the 
 flejh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood* 
 youjhall not have life in you. My Flejh is 
 meat indeed, and my Blood is drink indeed. 
 Tbefe things he faid, teaching in the Synagogue. 
 And he was fo far from declaring himfelf to 
 fpeak figuratively, that by all he was con- 
 ceived fo manifeftly to mean literally, that 
 many of his Difciples, and not only ill-af- 
 fected perfons, hearing, fold, This faying is 
 hard, and who can believe it ? And all this 
 happened though even then he told them, 
 that the words he f poke to them werefpirit and 
 life. Becaufe, as I faid, thefe words ought 
 to have raifed up their Spirits to believe this 
 
 Flefli
 
 Of the Holy EuchariJ}. 99 
 
 "Flefh of his not to be meer Man's flefh, but 
 to be joined with the Divinity, which was 
 able, by virtue of its Qrnnipctency, to give 
 them his Flefh to eat like Bread, and his 
 Blood to drink like Wine; yet there being 
 not Faith enough for this high Point, From 
 that time many even of his Difciples zuent back 
 and walked no more wiih him. [ver. 66. J 
 That you may evidently fee, how hard this 
 Doclxine would have founded at firft broach- 
 ing of it in the Church, if Chrrft had not 
 delivered it, feeing that, at that very time 
 when it came firft, even from his mouthy it 
 found fo fmall acceptance even amongft ma- 
 ny of his Difciples, Jefus therefore faid to 
 the Twelve^ will ycu alfo de-part? Peter an- 
 fweredy We believe and know thou art the Son 
 of God; And fo art able by that thy Divi- 
 nity, to which thy flefh is joined, to give us 
 thy flefh to eat like bread. Now to what 
 end had either this been faid, or Chrifl, the 
 lover of Souls, permitted all thofe many Dif- 
 ciples to go back to their ruin, and now to 
 walk no more with him; to what end this, 
 if he might have faved them all by declaring 
 in a word, that he only intended to give a 
 fign, or figure of his Body to eat ? This one 
 word would have faved both them, and 
 would alfo have faved thofe Millions and 
 Millions which afterwards believed thefe 
 words to be literally meant, as I expounded 
 them; and St. Peter feems to have under- 
 ftood them, when to make them appear cre- 
 E 2 dible,
 
 ioo Of the Holy Eucharijf. 
 
 dible, he faid, We believe and know thou art 
 the Son of God: And confequently that thou 
 canft make good thy word, which had been 
 a very eafy matter, if he only fpoke of giving 
 his flefh to be eaten in a meer fign or figure 
 of it: Had St. Peter thought this, I dare fay 
 he would have pulled the other Difciples 
 back, faying, Our Mnjl er only f peaks of giving 
 a fign of his Body. Had this been fo, then 
 alio undoubtedly the other Evangelifts, when 
 they had come to write of this Myftery, 
 which had fcandalized fo many before their 
 writing, would not have increafed the Scan- 
 dal by writing fo unanimoufly of this Sacra- 
 ment, in words founding fo loud a literal 
 fenfe as thefe do, 7 his is my Body, this is my 
 Blcod: But they would rather have leflened 
 the difficulty by declaring it only to be a fi- 
 gure,which they might have done in a word. 
 St- Paul was fo far from declaring it to be fo, 
 that [i Cor. xi. 27.] he flatly faith, There- 
 fore who fever Jhall eat this Breads and drink 
 the Chalice of our Lord unworthily , he Jhall 
 be guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord, 
 Which could not be, unlefs he received the 
 Body and Blood truly, and not in a figure 
 only. To eat a Paper-piclure of Chrift 
 makes no fuch heinous guilt, though it be 
 done by a Sinner, and it be alfo a figure of 
 his Body. 
 
 4. St. Luke alfo had been particularly to 
 blame in increafing the fcandal by expref- 
 firg fo clearly aliteral fenfe, [chap. xxii. 19.] 
 
 Thi s
 
 Of the Holy Eucharijl. ro-I 
 
 T is is my Body which is given for you. 77;/; cup 
 is the new Te [lament in my Blood, which Cha- 
 lice Jhall be jhed for you. I fay, which Cha- 
 lice, that is, that which is contained in the 
 C-alice {hall be fhed for you. Now Wine 
 was. not fried for us, but his true BJood. 
 His true Blood therefore was the thing con- 
 tained in the Chalice. For though by the 
 Latin or Englifh words, we cannot tell whe- 
 ther Chrifr. faid, his Blood fhould be fhed for 
 them, or the Chalice, or Cup; yet St. Luke 
 writing in Greek, makes it evident to all 
 who know that language, that he faid the 
 Chalice jhouid be jhed for us, for he fpeaks 
 in the nominative cafe, by a word which 
 cannot agree with the Blood, which in Greek 
 is the dative. Now thus having proved that 
 Chrift literally faid, This is my Body, I have 
 proved alfo, that this is not Bread: For it is 
 his Body : which is as good a confequence as 
 this, this is a /lone, therefore// is not bread. 
 Or, this is not bread, for it is a ft one. 
 
 5. Coming now out of Scripture to an- 
 fwer the chief objections, I begin with one 
 which affords me a new ftrong a:gum?nt. 
 Iliey obje<St then Idolatry to us for adoring 
 that which is Bread. I anfwer, that a co d- 
 ing to Scripture, Idolatry cannot be found 
 in the only vifible Church of Chrift, for 
 Scripture faith clearly of this Churc'i, 
 [I fa. ii. 18.] Jnd Idols jhall be utterly aboliflje I. 
 Again, [Lzech. xxxvi. 25.] And I will pou • 
 E 3 upjn
 
 102 Of the Holy Euchariji. 
 
 upon you dean wster, &c. and from all your- 
 Idols will I clcanfe you K And in the next 
 chap. [ver. 23. J Neither /ball they defile them- 
 f elves any 'more in their Idols, Again, 
 [Michav. 13.] Tlwuftjalt no more adore the 
 works of thy Hands. Again [Zachar. xiii, i.J 
 In that day /hall be a fountain lying open to the 
 houfe of David. And it Jhall be in that day 9 
 faith the Lord of Hofls y 1 zvill cafl off the 
 names of Idols out of the Land, and they /hall 
 be remembrcd no more. Hence I argue thus : 
 In the whole vifible Church there continued, 
 and doth ftill continue adoration of the Sa- 
 crament, but Idolatry did not continue in. 
 the whole Church vifible ; therefore adora- 
 tion of the holy Sacrament is not Idolatry. 
 Moreover if worfhipping this holy Sacrament 
 were Idolatry, all Chriitianity, for many 
 ages pracliifing this adoration, had committed 
 Idolatry, and Chrift's Church, for fo many- 
 ages had quite failed, as is clear out of the 
 third and. fourth point. For Chrift had no 
 other Church for many ages but that which, 
 every were pradtifed this Idolatry, as you 
 mif-call it. Or, tell me if you can, what 
 other vifible Church Chrift had upon Earth 
 difFerent from the Roman in Faith and Wor- 
 fhip for the thoufand years before Luther. If 
 this be the only vifible Church Chrift had 
 upon Earth, then I have proved it could not 
 be guilty of Idolatry. 
 
 6, A^ainft Rich a torrent of Scripture as 
 weha.ye.fQr us, you ground yQurfdves not 
 
 in
 
 Of the Holy Eucharift. 103 
 
 in Scripture, but in Philofophy, which 
 tried by Scripture, will be found to fail you 
 in all your objections. Firft then you object 
 that an accident cannot be without a fub- 
 flance. We anfwerout of [Gen. i. 3.] God 
 faid) Be light made, and light was made. 
 Light is a quality or accident. Yet hence 
 S. Bafily S. Greg. Naz. and Theodoret are of 
 opinion, that light was without any fubject 
 at all: for the Scripture fpecifies no fubjedt 
 in which it was put* Whence follows that 
 at leaf! they muft needs think it poflible that 
 light mould be without a fubjecl:. Secondly, 
 you object that the fame Body of Chi ill can- 
 not be multiplied (o often over. We an- 
 fwer again out of Gen. [ii. 21.] Our Lord 
 God ea/l a dead Jleep upon Adam, and when 
 he was fa (I a/Ieep he took one of his Ribs^ and 
 filled up flcfl) for it. And our Lord Gcd built 
 the Rib which he took cf Adam into Woman. 
 I afk how many times over muft this one 
 Rib be multiplied, before a whole woman, 
 of a comely, proper ftature, could be made 
 up of it ? After the fame manner God can of 
 one ordinary Brick make a Pillar of many 
 P'oot high by multiplying that one Brick. 
 In the like manner our Saviour multiplied 
 thofe five Barley loaves with zvhich he fid 
 above five thoufand, [Joh. vi. 9.] For if he 
 made new loaves, he did not i'ced them with 
 thofe five, but with thofe many hundred 
 new loaves which he made, and yet the Scrip- 
 ture faith [ver, 12, 13.] After they were filled 
 E 4 they
 
 104 Of the Holy Eucharijh 
 
 they gathered the remnants and filled twelve 
 bafkets with the fragments of the five barley 
 loaves, and not of any new loaves created 
 by Chrift: To that the Bread which was eaten 
 remained ftill to be eaten. And it is worth 
 our noting that our Saviour did this mira- 
 cle immediately before he did firft declare 
 this ftrange doctrine of giving his flefh to be 
 eaten like Bread by every one, that fo when 
 he fhould prefently declare this ft range doc- 
 trine., they fhould have no reafon to difbe- 
 lieve the poflibility thereof. For his Difci- 
 ples feeing that he had done that moft pro- 
 digious miracle fo very lately, ought not 
 prefently to have faid, 'This is hard, and who, 
 can bear it? Neither ought they fo foon to 
 have walked apart from him, as there St. 
 fohn faith they did, but rather they ought 
 to have faid with St. Peter, We believe and 
 know thou art the Son of God, able to make 
 thy words good, as thou wert able fo to mul- 
 tiply fo few loaves. 
 
 7. Hence appears a folution of that which 
 alfo they ftill object : one Body cannot be 
 in two places at once. For if whole Eve 
 were made of one Rib of Adam, as the 
 Scripture teftifieth, furely the whole fubftance 
 of that Rib muft have been in many places, 
 or elfe Eve would have been a very little 
 Woman, or Adam muft have had very great 
 R.ibs. Again, our Proteftants commonly 
 read thus, [Aft. iii. 21.] Whom the Heavens 
 truly mufii contain (we read, receive) until the 
 
 time
 
 Of the Holy Euchari/1. 105 
 
 time of Reflitution of all things. Hence they 
 infer, That after Chrift's Afcenfion the Hea- 
 vens at all times muft contain his Body. 
 Therefore, fay they, after his Afcenfion his 
 Body cannot be on Earth. This their own 
 Text fhall refute them thus. The Heavens 
 muft at all times, after his Afcenfion contain 
 his Body. But after his Afcenfion the Earth 
 alfo did contain his Body. Therefore his 
 Body can be contained in two diftant places. 
 And, if in two, why not in three and more? 
 Make the Scripture J udge of this Point, and 
 it will clearly caft you ; for did not Chrift 
 after his Afcenfion appear in his true body 
 to St. Paul? [Aft. ix. 5.] Who faid, who 
 art thou, Lord? And he anjwered, I am 
 Jefits, And [ver. 17.] Ananias faith to him, 
 The Lord, even J ejus that appeared unto thee 
 in the way that thou camejl. That he appeared 
 in his own true Body I prove by evident 
 Scripture. For, by reafon of this his appa- 
 rition, St. Paul numbers himfelf amongft 
 thofe who with their own eyes had feen 
 Chrift, ri fen again in his true body. For 
 labouring to prove Chrift's Refurrection in a 
 true, and not in a phantaftical Body, as fome 
 Heretics will have it, he proves it by Eye- 
 witnefTes, who all muft have ktn Chrift now 
 rifen in his true Body, or elfe theirteftimony. 
 is vainly brought to prove a true Refurrec- 
 tion of the flefh; he then bringing Eye-wit- 
 nefies, who had feen Chrift now rifen in 
 his true Body 3 makes himfelf as true aaEye- 
 E 5 witnefs
 
 106 Of the Holy EucharijT.. 
 
 witnefs of this as any other. For thus he 
 fpeaks [i Cor. xv. 4. tffc] He r of e again and 
 was feen of Cephas, after that of the eleven, 
 "Then he was feen of more than five hundred 
 Brethren together: Moreover he was feen of 
 James r then of all the Apoflles. And lajl 
 of all he was feen alfo of me. To wit, in 
 his true Body, or elfe all others may be 
 faid to have feen him in a phantaftical Body;: 
 and alfo becaufe any other manner of feeing 
 him, had been to no purpofe to prove the 
 true Refurrec"Hon of dead Bodies, which is 
 here his drift. Where fuppofing himfelf,, 
 by thefe Eye-witnefTes* to have proved this, 
 he prefently faith, [ver. 12.] How do certain 
 amongjf you fay that there is no refurreclion of 
 the dead? Yet again, [ Acl. xx'n. 14.] But 
 he (Ananias) faid to St. Paul, the God of 
 cur Fathers had pre-ordained thee, that thou 
 fnouldft know his will, and fee that Jufl One y , 
 and hear the voice of his mouth. Therefore 
 he appeared in a true Body which had a 
 voice and a mouth of flefh. But as Chrift 
 faith, [Luke xxiv. 39.] A fpirit hath noflejh 
 and hones as you fee me have. Yet again 
 [Acl xxiii. 10.] St. Paul feeth Chrift on 
 Earth, for when there was made a great 
 diffention, the Tribune fearing lefl Paul 
 Jhould be torn in pieces by them, commanded the 
 Soldiers to go down and take him out of the 
 midjl of them, and to bring him into the Cafile. 
 And the night following, the Lord flood by him 
 and faid '; Be conjlant^ for as thou haji tejlijied
 
 Of the Holy Euchariji. 107 
 
 of me in Jerufalem, fo muft thou tejlif) of me 
 at Rome alfo. Here we have that very Lord 
 of whom S. Paul did teftify, flanding byhimm 
 the Caftle far diftant from Heaven, by which 
 it is evident in how diftant places Chrift's 
 Body may be. To difprove fo many clear 
 Texts give me but one, if you can, that S. 
 Paul did not fee Chrift after his Afcenfion, 
 in his true Body, upon our Earth ; if you 
 cannot do this, you are caft by Scripture in 
 this point, which proveth that one Eody can 
 be at the fame Time in two diftant places. 
 
 8. Laftly they object, that fo great a Body 
 as Chrift's Body is, cannot be in fo fmall a 
 Compafs as a little bit of Bread. We ftill 
 anfwer out of Scripture. Firft [Matth. xix. 
 26.] where fpeech is of making the great 
 Body of a Camel pafs through a Needle's 
 Eye, Chrift faith, with Men this is impojfible. 
 Where note, that Chrift here, according to 
 the three Evangelifts, fpeaks of fuch a paf- 
 fage through a Needle's Eye, as is impojjible 
 with Men ; fo that though with Men there 
 is no fuch thing poftible as penetration of the 
 feveral parts of the fame great Camel's Body, 
 brought into fo fmall a compafs as is> a Nee- 
 dle's Eye, yet not fo with God ; IVitb God 
 all things are poffibk. Secondly, God can 
 put two different bodies fo, as to take up 
 only the place of one Body ; therefore he 
 can put all the p-a rts of one Body (o, as to 
 take up only the^ room c f the leaft Part with 
 which he can £ ^ettate all the reft. Thus 
 
 [Job.
 
 io8 Of Communion under one kind. 
 [Joh. xx. 19.] When the Doors were JhuU 
 where the Difciples were gathered together* 
 for fear of 7 he Jews, Jefus came and flood in 
 the Middle. So that, as, at his birth, his 
 Body penetrated through his Mother's Womb, 
 at his Refurre&ion, through the great Stone 
 of his Monument, and as, at his Afcenfion, 
 he did not make a hole through the Body of 
 the Heavens, but his Body was penetrated 
 with thofe heavenly Bodies, To here it pene- 
 trated through the fhut door, or wall ; and 
 io two Bodies were in one place at once ; by 
 which alfo we prove that one Body may as 
 eafily, by his power, be in two places at 
 once. Wherefore it is to you, who againft 
 Scripture thus ftand ftill alledgingPhilofophy,. 
 that we muft fay with S. /W, [Col. ii. 8.] 
 Beware left any Man deceive you by Phiiofophy 
 and vain fallacy, according to the Tradition of 
 Men, and the Elements of the Worlds and 
 not according to Ch> ift, againft whom you cite 
 Ariflotle. 
 
 '"he Thirteenth Point; 
 
 Of Commnnim .under one kind. 
 
 PRoteftants complain we take half of the 
 Sacrament from them. We complain 
 they have taken five Sacraments from us^ and 
 
 6 grace
 
 OfCcmmunion under one kind. 109 
 grace from all feven. And as for this Sa- 
 crament they have taken both the Body and 
 . Blood of our Saviour from it, and left only 
 Bread and Wine. If we had taken Wine 
 away, no great hurt, Wine being nothing 
 but Wine. To the Purpoie we have a full, 
 compleat, and perfect Sacrament, when we 
 have fuch an outward fign as fignifieth, and 
 containeth inviflble grace. The confecrated 
 Bread alone doth this ; in this therefore we 
 have a full, compleat, and perfect Sacrament. 
 Chrift fpeaks this clearly, [Joh. vi. 48.] / 
 am the Bread of life ; your Fathers did eat 
 Manna in the Defart, and they died. This 
 is the Bread that defcendeth from Heaven, 
 that if any Man eat of it he dye not. I am 
 the living Bread, that came down from Hea- 
 ven, If any Man eat of this Bread, he Jhall 
 live for ever. Behold as full an effect of the 
 Sacrament as is any where promifed to both 
 kinds. And he being living Bread, you 
 have all him in it, and fo you are deprived 
 of nothing. He gave us his Body, not his 
 Carkafs without Blood. In his Body we 
 have all, both Body and. Blood. You take 
 both from us ; we give both. Agreeable to 
 this, faith S. Paul, [1 Cor. xi. 27.] There* 
 fire, whofoever fliall eat this Bread, or drink 
 this Chalice of our Lord unworthily, he is 
 guilty of the Body and Blood of our Lord, 
 which he could not be, if he did not receive 
 both Body and Blood , fo that by either eat- 
 t ing
 
 TIO Of Communion under one hind. 
 ing or drinking both are received. Again, 
 [Luke xxiv. 30.] And it came to pajs while 
 he Jat at Table with them (the two Difciples 
 in Emaus) he took Bread, and blefj'ed, and 
 brake, and did reach to them. Twice Chriit 
 with his own Hands gave the Communion. 
 Firft, at the laft Supper under both kinds. 
 Secondly, here at Emaus, under one kind 
 only. For many Holy Fathers, without 
 ever fcrupulizing at the giving only one kind, 
 absolutely fay, Chrift here gave them the 
 Communion. And the Text infinuates as 
 much, by the ufe of thofe Sacramental 
 words, of taking, blefling, breaking, reach- 
 ing, with the enluing effect of opening their 
 Eyes to know him to be the fame Chrift, who 
 at his laft Supper had done the fame action. 
 So that it is the more probable that he did 
 adminifter the Communion under one kind, 
 than that he did not. How then dare you 
 abfolutely condemn this ? They object:, 
 Dririk ye all of this, [Matth. xxvi. 27.] But 
 this Command was only given to all then 
 prefent, and was fulfilled ; And they all drank 
 cf it, [Mark xiv. 23.] So when he com- 
 manded, Do this, he did not command Lay- 
 men to do what he did. Their other Ob- 
 jections are excellently anfwered by the 
 Scriptures, alledged in the Council of Trent, 
 [Scff xxi. c. i.] in thefe notable words, he 
 that iaid, Unlefs you eat the Ftejh of the Son 
 cf Alan, and drink his Blood, you Jh all not 
 have life in you , hath alfo faid, If any one 
 
 tat
 
 Of the Mafs. ' rrr 
 
 eat of this Bread, he fljall live far ever. And 
 he that faid, He that eateth ?ny Flejb, and 
 drinketh my Bloody hath life everla/tir.g ; hath 
 aJfo faid, The Bread which I ivill give you is 
 my Flejhy for the life of the World. He that 
 faid, Whofo eateth my Flejh, and drinketh my 
 Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him ; hath 
 likewhe faid, He that eateth this Bread JJjall 
 live for ever. What need we more than to 
 live for ever. 
 
 The Fourteenth Point, 
 
 Of the Mafs y or of the Holy Eucharif, as 
 it is a Sacrifice: 
 
 CHrist, in his laft Supper, faid,. [Luke 
 xxii. 19.] Do this in remembrance of 
 me. We muft fee then what Chrift did, that 
 we may know what is commanded here to 
 be done. If he did offer his Body and Blood 
 then in Sacrifice, the Church alio is bound 
 to have fome Minifters, doing that in remem~ 
 brance of him. We fay then, that ChrifT: 
 did then offer his Body and Blood in Sacri- 
 fice ; and we fay, that the doing this is the 
 very effence of our Mafs. I know, as foon 
 as Proteftants hear the word Remembrance, 
 they will object, that Chrift cannot be really 
 
 offered
 
 112 Of the Ma fs. 
 
 offered there, where the Offering is done to 
 his Remembrance. I anfwer, that S. Paul 
 tells us, what it is to do this in remembrance 
 of Chrift, [i Cor. xi 24, 26. J 7his do ye in 
 Remembrance of me, for as often as ye /ball 
 eat this Bread, and drink this Chalice, you 
 Jhall/hew the death of cur Lord until he come. 
 Chrift here is remembred by us to have died 
 for us, yet he doth not here really die again 
 bloodily, but this unbloody Sacrifice is done 
 in remembrance of his real bloody Death. 
 It is not only in Remembrance of him that we 
 do this ; but we do this in remembrance of hity 
 dying for us a bloody Death upon the Crofs. 
 Now his being truly Prefent, maketh the 
 Remembrance not lefs, but more lively and 
 perfect. For if a Prince, who had gained 
 a great Battle with much lofs of his Blood, 
 would have yearly fome action or reprefen- 
 tation exhibited in remembrance of it ; would 
 in Perfon be prefent w T ith his Wounds acting 
 his own part, the reprefentation would not 
 ceafe to be a Remembrance, but it would 
 rather be a far more lively Remembrance, as 
 often as the King fhould act his own part. 
 And the Year he mould not do this, the re- 
 membrance would be lefs lively, the lefs Re- 
 prefentative : fo, he. How perfectly in this 
 Sacrifice is ChrifVs Death reprefented, whilft 
 by the force of thefe Words, 7his is my Bo- 
 dy, only his Body is put in fhape of Bread 
 in one place, wholly different from that o- 
 ther place, in which, by force of thofe words, 
 <, This
 
 Of the Mafs. 1 1 3 
 
 This is my Bloody his Blood in a liquid fhape 
 of Wine, like Blood lately fhed, is put in 
 the Chalice apart from his Body. 
 
 2. Now I will fhew, that Chrift did truly 
 Sacrifice, and offer up his Body and Blood 
 under the forms of Bread and Wine. Firft, 
 out of the Old Teftament, [Pfal. ex. 5.] it 
 is faid of Chrift, Our Lord fzvore, and it 
 Jhall not repent him, Thou art a Prieji for 
 ever, of the order of Melchifedec ', which 
 words S. Paul, [Heb. v. 11.] faith to have 
 been fpoke of Chrift, and of this his Prieft- 
 hood. We have great fpeech (faith he) and 
 inexplicable to utter, becaufe you are weak to 
 hear. You muft look therefore for a My- 
 ftery, not eafily understood by new Chrifti- 
 ans. The famous Priefthood in the old Law 
 was fettled in Aaron and his Sons, [Levit. 
 viii.] they offered bloody Sacrifices ; and yet 
 our Saviour is not faid a Prieft according to 
 the Order of Aaron, but of Melchifedec, 
 who was notfo much as a Jew. He wkofe 
 defcent is not counted from them, took Tithe of 
 Abraham, and blrffed him that had the pro- 
 mifes. [Heb. vii. 6.] which fheweth, he was 
 a Prieft of higher degree than Abraham, as S. 
 Paul here proves. Let us fee now all that 
 the Old Teftament faith of Melchfedec, and 
 his Priefthood ; and you fhall find it to be 
 only that which is written, [Gen. xiv. 18.] 
 But Melchifedec King of Salem bringeth forth 
 Bread and limine. And he ivas the Prieft of 
 
 the
 
 II 4 Of the Ma fs. 
 
 the mojl high God. . ind he blejfed him (Abra- 
 ham) and he gave him Tithes of all. So una- 
 nimous is the confent of all the Holy Fathers,, 
 who did write either upon this Text of G*« 
 nefis, or on that of S. Paul, or that of the 
 Pfalm, that the Priefthood of Melchifedec 
 did confift in offering Bread and Wine by 
 way of Sacrifice to God, and that Chrift 
 being a Prieft according to his Order, did 
 confift in his offering up and facrificing his 
 Body and his Blood for us, under the forms 
 of Bread and Wine, that to deny this is to 
 crofs all Antiquity. See the Rhemifts upon; 
 thefe two laft Texts. Now, becaufe Chrift 
 to the end of the World, offereth ftill this 
 Sacrifice by his Vicars, or Minifters Hands, 
 in the Sacrifice of the Mafs, He is faid to be 
 a Priejl for ever, according to the Order of 
 Melchifedec. For by force of thefe Words,. 
 This is my Body, his Body is put under the 
 fpecies of Bread ; and then in a place apart 
 from that Body of his, He, by force of thefe 
 Words, This is my Blood, doth put his Blood 
 in the Chalice, under the fhape of Wine 
 like Blood, poured forth and feparated from 
 the Body. 
 
 3. Again, [Jen. xxxiii. 17-] There Jha'l 
 notfailofDdv'id a Man to fit upon the Throne 
 of the Houfe of Ifrael. And of the Prieft s 
 and Levites there Jhall not fail from before my 
 Face, a Man to offer Offerings, and to^ kindle 
 Meat-offerings, and to do Sacrifice continually. 
 By fuch Sacrifices as then were known, God 
 
 exprefied
 
 Of the Ma fs, 115 
 
 expreiTed the continuance of true Sacrifice 
 in this Church ; there muft not then fail now 
 Priefts and Levitcs offering a true Sacri- 
 fice. 
 
 4. Now God fpeaks thus exprefsly to the 
 Priefts of the Old Law.,. I have no will in you 
 faith the Lord of Ho/Is, and an offering I 
 will not receive of your Hands, [Malac. i. 
 10.] So that the former Text muft needs be 
 underftood of Priefts offering continually 
 Sacrifices in the New Teftament. But now 
 a clean Sacrifice, not a bloody one ; there- 
 fore here in the next Verfe it followeth, For 
 from the rifing of the Sun, even to the going 
 doivn, great is my Name among the Gentiles* 
 And in every -place Incenfe Jhall be offered to my 
 Name* and a pure Offering; to wit, the 
 pure Offering and clean Oblation of Chrift's 
 Body, under the fweet and lovely mape of 
 Bread and Wine, into which all thofe Holo- 
 caufts, Burnt- Offerings, and killing of Vic- 
 tims, were turned; though Jeremy ufed thefe 
 terms, becaufe they, as then, knew no o- 
 ther Priefts and Levites, but fuch as were 
 killers of Victims in a bloody manner. But 
 it is very obfervable, that the fame Prophet 
 MAachy fpeaking in the third Chapter of the 
 coming of the Meffias (and the Lord whom 
 ye fcek, ver. 1.) doth alio tell us clearly this,. 
 then /hall the offer i?igs of Judah and Jerufa- 
 lem be pleafant unto the Lord, [ver. 4.] al- 
 though before he had (o flatly faid to the 
 
 Priefts
 
 Il6 Of the Mo fi. 
 
 Priefts of Judah and Jerufalem, I have nt 
 will in you, and offerings I will not receive at 
 your Hand, Whence it is evident, that by 
 the pleafmg Sacrifice of Judah and Jerufalem, 
 he meaiKth not the carnal, but the fpiritual 
 Judah and Jerufalem, that is, Chrift's 
 Churchy where Sacrifice is to be done conti- 
 nually, as we dicl now fay out of J*ri« 
 my. 
 
 5. In the very laft Years of the World, 
 Antichrift, knowing the chief Worfhip of 
 God to confift in this Sacrifice, fhall fo 
 mightily labour to abolifh it, that he mail 
 feem, for a very fhort Time, to have pre- 
 vailed. [Dan. ix. 27.] And in the half of 
 the Week Jhall the Hoft and the Sacrifice fail, 
 and there Jhall he in the Ttmple abomination of 
 Deflation. Which laft words our Saviour 
 himfelf expoundeth to be underftood of the 
 end of the World, [Matth. xxiv. 3.] IVhat 
 fign of thy coming, and of the Confummation 
 of the World-, find the Apoftles to him. Our 
 Lord telling many other figns, at laft faith, 
 [yer. 14.] This Gofpel Jhall he preached in the 
 •whole World, and then /hall come the Confum- 
 mation thereof-, Therefore when you Jhall fee the 
 abomination of deflation which is fpoken of by 
 Daniel the Prophet, &c. This then mall 
 not happen until the World is even come to 
 the end, and the Gofpel mail have been 
 preached every where. 
 
 6. According therefore to the practice of 
 the Law of Nature in the Time of Mtlchi- 
 
 fedec,
 
 Of the Ma fs. 117 
 
 fedct, and according to the practice and ma- 
 nifeft Prophecies in the written Law, exte- 
 rior Sacrifice, which from the beginning of 
 the World was ever held the Chief, and pe- 
 culiar Worfhip due to God, is alfo to be 
 found in the Church of Chrift, fro?n the ri- 
 fmg of the Sun, to the going down, even till 
 the World's end, when Antichrift for a 
 fhort Time (hall in great part abolifh it. Let 
 us then fee the Sacrifice that Chrift, a Prieft 
 for ever, according to the order of Melchife- 
 idec, did inftitute in his Church, [Luke xxli. 
 19.] This is my Body, which is given for you. 
 Now given -in this very prefent Time, and 
 now by me offered in an unbloody manner ; 
 He faith not to you, but for you, that is, for 
 your fins, which Body prefently after I will 
 offer in a bloody Sacrifice upon the Crofs. 
 Behold here a Sacrifice, and a propitiatory 
 Sacrifice ; For what is offered for us, and of- 
 fered for remiffion of Sins, is a propitiatory 
 Offering, applying plentifully the fatisfac~Hon 
 of Chrift's Paflion to us ; not derogating 
 from that Sacrifice, but deriving the Fruits 
 thereof to us. Thus his Body is properly faid, 
 given for us ; but when it is given in the Sa- 
 crament, it is faid given to us, not for us. 
 This Sacrifice the Apoftles were offering to 
 our Lord, [Afts xiii. 2.] when they are faid 
 to have been miniftring to our Lord, Had 
 they been miniftring the Word of God, or 
 ciiniftring the Sacrament, they had mini- 
 fired
 
 Il8 Of the Mafs. 
 
 ftred to the People. But they had been 
 minijlring to our Lord, that is, offering fome- 
 thing to him. In the Greek Text it is, they 
 being offering Sacrifice to our Lord. And fo 
 Erajmus translates it. 
 
 7. This Sacrifice is plainly infinuated in 
 St. Paul, [1 Cor. x.] if his difcourfe be well 
 noted. He there difcourfing of the Jetvifh 
 and heathenifh Sacrifice doth conclude, that 
 all fuch perfons as will be partakers of thefe 
 Sacrifices, cannot be made partakers of the 
 chriftian Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of 
 our Saviour. Firft then, [ver. 14.] he bids 
 them Jiy from ferving Idols, by either facri- 
 fking to them, or eating of that which 
 hath been facriflced to them. If they will 
 do this, he tells them of a far better Sa- 
 crifice, of which they may be made partakers 
 at our Altars: For, faith he, [ver. 16.] the 
 Chalice of Benediction which we do blefs, is 
 it not the Communication of the Blood of Chrifl ? 
 And the Bread which we break, is it not the 
 participation of the Body of our Lord? And 
 having thus taught them, that by virtue of the 
 PrienVs Benediction or Confecration, the true 
 Body and Blood of Chrift are made commu- 
 nicable upon our Altars, under the fhapes 
 of Bread and Wine; he goeth on to tell 
 them, they cannot be partakers of this Sacri- 
 fice, if they will continue ftill to partake of 
 either Jewifh or heathenifh Sacrifices, of 
 which they truly make themfelves partakers, 
 
 if
 
 Of the ?■■ 119 
 
 if they will ftili eat of that which is facri- 
 hced by them. For behold Ifrae-l, faith he, 
 [ver. 18.] they that eat of the facrificed Hojis, 
 ere they not partakers of the Altar ? For by 
 doing thus they communicate with thole 
 that facririce. And having thus fpoken of 
 the Jewifh Sacrifices, he fpeaks to them of 
 the Gentile Sacrifices, But the things which 
 Heathens do fieri fee, to Devils they facrifce y 
 and not to God. And I will not have you to 
 have fellowjhlp with the Devils, as you 
 will, if you eat or partake of what is im- 
 molated to them, and will drink the Liba- 
 ments offered out of their Cup. For, faith 
 he, you cannot be partakers of the Table of our 
 Lord, and of the Table of the Devils. The 
 Reafon why we cite and expound this place 
 fo fully is, becaufe we defire exceedingly 
 to have it noted, how that here our Chalice y 
 our Bread, our Table and Altar, the parti- 
 cipation of our Hojl, and Oblation, are, point 
 by point, in all conditions, effects, and pro- 
 prieties, compared to the Altar, Hofts, Sa- 
 crifices, and Oblations ofthe Jews and Gen- 
 tiles, and as he calls their Chalice the Cha- 
 lice of the Devils, for no other reafon, but 
 becaufe it contains Liquor facrificed to him : 
 fo he muft be faid to call our Chalice, the 
 Chalice of our Lord, becaufe it contains the 
 Liquor of Chrift's Blood facrificed to our 
 Lord. For by force of thefe words, This 
 is my Blood, his blood under a liquid fpe- 
 cies is put in the Chalice, as it were, apart 
 
 from
 
 120 Of the Mafs. 
 
 from that Body, which before he had put 
 under the fhape of Bread. All which dif- 
 courfe had been very ineffectual, if this had 
 not been the proper Sacrifice among the 
 Chriftians, as thofe others were the known 
 Sacrifices of the Jews and Gentiles. 
 
 8. Again, the fame S. Paul faith, [Heb. 
 xiii. 10 ] We have an Altar, of which they 
 have no right to eat who ferve the Tabernacle j 
 flill preffing the Jews, that they cannot par- 
 take of the Sacrifice of our Altar, if they 
 will flick faft to their old Sacrifices. And 
 Note, that which he called before the Table 
 of our Lord, he now calleth an Altar, truly 
 and properly ordained for Sacrifice, and fo he 
 terms it Thyfiajlerion, that is, Sacrificatorium y 
 an Altar to facrifice upon. And by that 
 word always the Altars of the Jews, ordain- 
 ed for Sacrifice, are ftill out of the Hebrew 
 interpreted in Greek. Well then, we have 
 an Altar built purpofely to offer Sacrifice up- 
 on, therefore we have a true Sacrifice, not 
 of Bread and Wine, for in no Man's Opi- 
 nion we facrifice thefe, but of the Body and 
 Blood of our Saviour, under the fhape of 
 Bread and Wine, and this was the reafon, 
 why in the Primitive Church the Heathens 
 would fometimes fay, we worfhipped Bac- 
 chus, the God of Wine, and Ceres, the 
 Goddefs of Corn. Sometimes they traduced 
 us as feeders on Man's Flejh, for eating the 
 Flefh of our Saviour \\\ this Sacrifice,
 
 Of faying Maffe^ 13 c. 12 1 
 
 9. I conclude, That had not this marine i" 
 of Sacrificing in the Mats been delivered to 
 us with our hrft Faith, from the ApolMcs, i c 
 could never, without Notice being taken or 
 the rirft Author, and of the' Time, &c. have 
 been univerfally received, without oppofition 
 of any, or without being ever taxed by any 
 one of Novelty, yea, and be received alio to 
 univerfally, that if before Luther's Days you 
 look into all Parifhes of Chriftianity, where 
 confelTed Heretics did not domineer, you 
 will, in every Parifh thereof, find no other 
 Common Service ufed publicly in that Parifh, 
 but the faying and celebrating Mafs, with 
 offering that which they all adored for the 
 true Body and Blood of Chrift, under the 
 fhape of Bread and W ine. A Proof unan- 
 fwerable. See what wc faid before, Point 1 2. 
 N. 2. 
 
 The Fifteenth Point. 
 
 Of faying Majfes, and other public Prayers 
 in the Latin Tongue. 
 
 T N S. Matth. [Ch. i. 17.] All the Genera- 
 X tions from the Trayf migration of Babylon 
 unto Chrift fourteen Generations, a very long 
 Time* And yet all this Time the Jewifh 
 F Church,
 
 122 Of faying Maffes, and 
 
 Church, the only true Church in the World, 
 had all her Scriptures, and all her public 
 Service, and Prayer, which was all taken 
 cut of the Pfalms, the Law, and the Pro- 
 phets, in that very Language in which they 
 were written, to wit, inpld Hebrew; that 
 is, in a Language well known indeed to the 
 common People of the Jews, before their 
 Tranfcnigration into Babylon j but in their 
 Captivity at Babylon they loft the knowledge 
 of their old Hebrew Language, in which all 
 their Scriptures were written, and did not 
 perfectly learn the Chaldean, or Babylonian 
 Language ; whence they made a mixture of 
 both thofe Languages, which was called the 
 Syriac Language. The very Letters and 
 Characters of this Language differ as much 
 as the Greek Letters differ from the Latin ; 
 fo that thofe who can perfectly read the one, 
 cannot fo much as read the other. Neither 
 do they underftand one another, more than 
 the Italians can underftand Latin, which 
 was their ancient Native Tongue. The 
 Scriptures were not at this Time, but fome 
 good Time after Chrift, translated into Syri- 
 afi as your great Doctors, who now at 
 London have let forth your famous Bible of 
 fo many Languages, do profefs in their Pre- 
 face to their Bible. And, by the way, they 
 alfp, in the fame Preface, plainly and open- 
 ly confefs, that in no Parim in Chriftendom 
 they could in any of thofe Nations, which 
 they have caufed to be fearched for old Co- 
 pies,
 
 Public Prayer in Latin. 123 
 
 pics, find fo much as one ancient Service- 
 hook written in a Language understood by 
 the vulgar or common People of the Place. 
 A Teftimbny to their own condemnation 
 and confuiion. The knowledge then of the 
 old Hebrew Tongue, in which all the Scrip- 
 tures were written, being fo much loft in the 
 Captivity of Babylon, they had all their 
 Scriptures and public Service, which was ta- 
 ken out of the Law and the Prophets, and 
 Pfalms, read in a Language unknown to all 
 the common People, and this was done for 
 fourteen Generations. 
 
 2. Hence prefently after their Captivity, 
 when thev firft returned into their Country, 
 Efdras was forced by himfelf and others, to 
 make the Law be interpreted unto them, 
 [Nehem. viii. 13.] So when our Saviour 
 upon the Crofs did, in the eld Hebrezv words 
 of the Pfalm, fay as it was firft written, Eli 
 Eli Lama fab atthani) [Mat. xxvii. 46. j St. 
 Adatthtw, who did write his Gofpel in that 
 new kind of Hebrew, or Syriac, w hich was 
 vulgarly fpoken by the jews in Chrift's Days, 
 is forced to interpret thefe words, faying, 
 which is interpreted, My God, my God, zvhy 
 hajl thou for Jaken me? For this reafon alio 
 he interpreted feveral other liebmv words. 
 A mamfeft Sign they could not be under- 
 flood by the J ews, in whofe Language he 
 did write, without interpretation. And ao 
 he who writes Englijb % fhould ridiculoufty 
 F X interpret
 
 124 Qf fay'in* Majfes, and 
 
 Interpret Engltjh ; fo if thofe words of the 
 Pfalm had been written by David in the 
 fame Language in which S. Matthew did 
 write, it had been ridiculous for him to add 
 their Interpretation. Jofephus the Jew telis 
 you, what a World of Schools there were 
 \i\jf, rufalem for Children to learn the Law and 
 Prophets, they being written in a Language 
 otherwife unknown. Well then, as thofe 
 who have not been now at our Latin Schools, 
 understand not our Latin Eible and Service : 
 fo then, the Vulgar fort understood not their 
 Scriptures, nor their Common Service taken 
 out of them, and read in their Synagogue 
 before their Sermons and Exhortations, which 
 S. Paul calls, The Leffon of the Law and 
 Prophets, [Acts xiii. 15.] Neither after the 
 Captivity did the Vulgar understand the 
 words of Mofes, Who of old Times hath in 
 every City thofe, who preach him in the Syn- 
 agogue, where he is read every Sabbath, [ Acts 
 xv. 21.] Read, I fay, but not, as then, un- 
 derstood by the Vulgar. This practice was 
 practifed before the Eyes of Chrifr, and his 
 Apoftles, and they never did the leaft repre- 
 hend it, or give order to have the Bible turn- 
 ed into the Syriac Language, that the Vul- 
 gar might understand it. Why then mult 
 we be blamed for ufing either Scriptures, or 
 Divine Service, in a Language not under- 
 stood by the People ? 
 
 3. Secondly,
 
 public Prayit in Latin. 125 
 
 3. Secondly, I afk what you fa\- to that 
 place of Lrcit. [xvi. 1 ;.] Let no Man be in 
 the Tabernacle when the High- Prieft goeth in- 
 to the Sanftuary to prey for bimfelf and kis 
 Houfi 9 and for the whole Ajjemlly of Ifrael, 
 until he come forth : See you not here public 
 Prayer made exprefly for the whole /iffemb!y> 
 and yet no one of the aflembly permitted to 
 hear or fee, what there was done by the 
 Prieft, to God for them, even then, when 
 the Prieft made an atonement for himfelf, 
 for his Houfnold, and for all the Congre- 
 gation of lfraeU Again, [Lukei. 10.] All 
 the Multitude of the People zvjs preying ivith- 
 cut at the Hoar cf bicenfe. The Prieft was 
 doing his duty within, where he could nei- 
 ther be fcen nor heard by the People withoirt, 
 yet theyaflifting at the PrieiVs function, done 
 for them, were not lefs partakers of the be- 
 nefit thereof, though they could neither fee 
 him, nor hear him : 10 prayer made and of- 
 fered up for the People in a low Voice, or in 
 an unknown Language, is available to them 
 who know not the particular meaning of the 
 Words faid for them. It is fufficient then 
 they know they contain a particular praife of 
 God, and a fpecial Worfhip of him, and 
 a peculiar recommending of our necef- 
 fities unto him. And that they be, as 
 moft pious Prayers approved by the Church, 
 and recommended by all the learned Men 
 thereof, who very well undeiftand them. 
 Now a Petition well made, even when it's 
 prelented by a Petitioner, who underftands 
 F 3 not
 
 126 Of faying Mafs and 
 
 not the Language in which the Petition is 
 made, obtains of the King or Emperor, who 
 Uiiderftandsit, as much 2s if the Petitioner 
 had perfectly underlTcod every word of it. 
 When the Children, [Matt. xxi. 15, 16 ] 
 cried in the Temple O lamia to the Son of D4- 
 vid\ though they knew not what they iaid, 
 yet Chrifl called it zpeifeel praife* laying, 
 That out of the mouth cj Infants and Suck- 
 lings thou haji perfected praije. A rich Jewel 
 in the hands of an Infant or Clown, who 
 knows not to penetrate the value of it, doth 
 not, for that caufe, cer.fe to be truly of as 
 great value 23 when it is in the hands of a 
 Jeweller. So Latin prayers in the mouths 
 of the vulgar, be as precious in the fight of 
 God, when they be faid with equal devotion, 
 as when they are in the mouths of great Scho- 
 lars. You, who fcorned to ufe Latin Ser- 
 vice, foon came to fee your Englifh Service 
 with all (cornful contempt banifhed out of 
 almoft all your Churches.' And your peo- 
 ple did foon grow to like no Service at all, 
 fince diey miiliked the Latin Service. 
 
 4. I will now examine our Adverfaries 
 chief ground in Scripture, which is out of 
 the firft of the Corinthians, [ch. xiv.l Where 
 I would have the Reader to note, that until 
 verfe 14. St. Paul enly (peaks of uling an 
 unknown Language in preaching, exhorting, 
 interpreting, and teaching, in all which Ex- 
 ercifes we ftill ufe the vulgar Tongue: So 
 that hitherto lie hath nothing again ft us. 
 
 * " From
 
 Prayer in Latin. 127 
 
 From the 14th verfe he begins indeed to 
 fpeak.of praying, but not of public divine 
 ice, but of fuch extempore prayer as is 
 mad -.- before all, that all may join with it; 
 ( and he fpeaks there, not of the ufe of any 
 fet Form of Prayer, pracrifed by the Church, ,' 
 a- the Liturgy is, but he manifeftly fpeaks 
 only againft the u(a of an unknown and 
 barbarous Tongue, in the making of fuch 
 Hymns and Canticles and Prayers, as many 
 then did ufe to make by divine Infpi ration, 
 in the prcfence of the whole Congregation, 
 to edify the Brethren afTembled ; and to ex- 
 cite them to love, :o honour and praife God; 
 not intending chiefly to pray to God for the 
 people, as we do in our Liturgy, of which 
 kind of fet form of Prayer St. Paul cannot 
 be laid to fpeak. For it is apparent, that 
 among the Corinthians y to whom he writ, 
 there was no ufe at all of an unknown or 
 barbarous Language in the Liturgy or di- 
 vine Service; wherefore of this St. Paul 
 could not complain, for their Liturgy was 
 undoubtedly in Greek, which was the known 
 Language among them; and in which he 
 did write this very Epiftlc to them. Alfo in 
 which they had their fet Forms of Prayer. 
 Now then St. jPtfw/fpeaketh not at all againft 
 the ufe of an unknown Tongue in either 
 the Liturgy, or in any other ufual fet Form 
 of public Prayer, for there was no abufe at 
 all in that kind, but he only--fpcaks againft 
 that ui'c. practiied by fome in thofe extern- 
 F 4 pore
 
 128 Of faying Mafs and 
 
 pore Canticles, Prayers and Hymns, which 
 then divers ufed, yet of luch kind of Prayers 
 alfo, though made in unknown and barba- 
 rous Tongues, he faith, [ver. 14.] If J pray 
 in an unknown To?igue, ?ny Spirit prayeth^ and k 
 this great good I have by my prayer, but my 
 underjlanding is without fruit \ trvat is, with- 
 out the fruit of inftru&ioii or edifying others* 
 A fruit which ought to be fought for by 
 thofe, to whom God had 10 particularly 
 given that miraculous gift of fpeaking in 
 feveral tongues, purpofely that they might 
 excite and firr up the People of feveral 
 Tongues and Nations to the knowledge, 
 praife, honour and love of God; and there- 
 fore he addeth, J will pray in Spirit^ 1 will 
 pray alfo in under/landings that in thofe prayers 
 I may not deprive the ftanders by of that 
 fruit. But you mult knew that neither 
 the Mafs nor the fet Forms of Prayer in 
 our Liturgy, be ordained for this end t)f in- 
 ftru6tina; others. Becaufe for this we have 
 other Exercifes of catechifing, expounding, 
 exhorting, preaching, tffc. But chiefly thofe 
 JPrayers be appointed to the Prieft, who well 
 underftands them, to offer them up to God 
 for the People. The Epiftles and Gofpels 
 which contain inftruclions, be interpreted 
 and largely declared unto the People in our 
 Churches upon thofe days on which they 
 are bound to be afTembled, and to refort to 
 Mafs. The other chief parts of the Mafs 
 be in all Mafles the felf-fame. And being 
 
 fo
 
 public Prayer in Latin. 129 
 
 fa often ufed, and therefore upon oceafions 
 fo often declared to the people, they mutt in- 
 deed be very Idiots, if they know not when 
 to fay Amen, when to kneel, to adore, to 
 knock their breads, when to rife, when to 
 iland, or to do any thing elfe that concerns 
 Mem, or is proper for them to do. There- 
 fore it cannot be faid againft our Mafs, 
 which you ufe to object out of ver. 16. 
 Elfe when thou fnalt blefs with the fpirit, how 
 /hall he that cccupieth the room of the unlearned 
 fay /1mm, at the giving of thanks, feeing he 
 under/lands not what thou fayejh This, as I 
 (aid, cannot be faid of our fo well known 
 i'et P'orm of Prayer and Service, which we 
 all knowing to be approved by the Church, 
 and to be underftood, and fo highlvefteemej 
 bv our learnedlt men, fear not to fay Amen y 
 or to join our intention with any part of it ; 
 neither doth i:s approbation depend on our 
 Amen, I anfwer therefore that St. Paul 
 fpoke of thole extemporal Bleffings, Can- 
 ticles and Lauds, or fuch like infpired prayers 
 of private perfons, which he recommends to 
 be faid in the vulgar Language, yet the con- 
 trary is not ill, though it be leis perfect. 
 For even to him who doth the contrary it 
 is faid, fvcr. 17.] Thou verily givejl thanks 
 ■well, and not foolilhly, or fuperftitioully. 
 But the other is not edified, which fruit and 
 end thou fhouldefr. chiefly have intended, 
 God having to this end given thee this gift. 
 And therefore in fuch exercifes of devotion 
 F 5 / will
 
 *3° Of f a y' in g Mafi and 
 
 I will '/peak Jive words with my under/landing 
 rather than ten thoufand words in a Tongue^ 
 that is a barbarous Tongue, ftrange to the 
 Hearers, becaufe the chief end of thefe ex- 
 ercifes is to edify, and excite the people to 
 praife God; whereas the chief end of the- Li- 
 turgy is to pray to God for the people. 
 
 5. I alfo note that St. Paul doth not fo 
 much as mean here to exclude the ufe of 
 fuch well known Tongues as the Greejc and 
 Latin were, that is, fuch as were the Lan- 
 guages well known to all the better bred 
 fort of molt. Nations ; fo that here is nothing 
 againfr. the Mais faid in Latin through the 
 Latin Churches, or in all thofe weftern Parts 
 where all knowing and undemanding Men 
 very commonly know this Language. I 
 v prove this manifestly : For if St. P<W mould 
 call this praying in a Tongue, your Bible 
 puts in a different Letter, the word unk nown, 
 fo a r . to make fuch a Tongue as this unfit 
 for public Service in thefe Countries, he him* 
 ielf had notably tranfgrelTed in this matter, 
 who being to write to the Romans- writes 
 to them in Greek, knowing well that they 
 fpoke Latin ^nly, and that the vulgar knew 
 no other Language Yet he did thus write 
 to them a very large EpifUe in Greek now 
 divided into fixteen Chapters. And although 
 he did write this chiefly for their Jnftruclion 
 and edification: Behold this was done even 
 by him, who faid before,/ had rathtr /peak 
 five words with iny nxderjfanding, that my 
 
 voice
 
 pUbUc Prayer in Latin. T31 
 
 f::c: might teach ethers, than ten thoufand 
 words in an unknown tongue. You muft not 
 then call fpeaking in an unknown Tongue, the 
 fpeaking in fuch Languages as are well known 
 to the learneder fort ofthofe people, to whom 
 vou (peak. Wherefore you muft not fay he 
 did fpeak in a Tongue, or an unknown Tongue 
 to the Romans, when he did write in the 
 Greek Tongue to them, though he was not 
 underftood by the vulgar of them, but only 
 bv the learneder fort: Now then, as he can- 
 not be faid to have fpoken i'n an unknown 
 Tongue to the Romans, when he did write 
 
 Epiftleto them in Greek, becaufe Greek 
 js not a barbarous Tongue, wholly unknown 
 to the better fort: So a Roman Pried: faying 
 Mafs in Latin in the weftern Parts, doth not 
 fay Mafs, or fpeak in a Tongue that is a 
 Tongue wholly unknown to the better fort: 
 Wherefore as the Greek Tongue was not 
 judged a Tongue unfit for St. Paul writing 
 to the Romans, even when their Inftruition 
 was chiefly to be regarded: fo it is not unfit 
 when not Inftru£Hon, but making Prayer for 
 
 People to God, is chiefly intended, as in 
 the Ma:-;. Read the Rbemijh Teftament, 
 handling this Chapter very well. 
 
 6. And obierve alio, that the Service cf 
 the Catholic or Univerial Church, is beft 
 
 ijiatedbv a Catholic or Univerial Tongue, 
 fuch as Greek is in the Eaft; Latin in the 
 Weft; Tongues, not fubjccl: to fuch altera- 
 tions and peril of changes, in fubftantial 
 
 words,
 
 132 Of faying Mafs, tfc. 
 
 words, as vulgar Languages are, and there^ 
 fore lefs fit for the everlaiiing perpetuity vanct 
 universality of the Church. If at our Con- 
 verfion we had had our Adafs in the old Bri- 
 tifh or old Englifh Language, who would 
 now have underftood it? Yea, who doth not 
 laugh at all Englifh he reads, which is much 
 above an hundred years {landing? Tt was 
 moff unfit the Liturgy fhould be fo often 
 chopped and changed, as vulgar Languages 
 alter. Or that it mould ufually be fo often 
 turned into feveral Tongues, not underftood 
 by the Church- reprefentative. So that fhe 
 could not pafs her Judgment, whether there 
 were any grofs Corruptions crept into this 
 moft divine Service. Therefore in refpecl of 
 D'njverfality, both of all Ages, for which 
 the Church was to laft, and of Univerfality 
 of all Nations, through which fhe was to be 
 fpread, no Language more fit for her public 
 confrant Service, than Hebrew, Greek, and 
 Latin. God regarded Unity in Worfhip fo 
 much, that he would have the whole Na- 
 tion of the Jews, for a thoufand and fix hun- 
 dred years, only to facrifice in one place; 
 though it might be objected, that this much 
 hindred the many and frequent Sacrifices 
 which would otherwife have been offered, if 
 in any place they might facrifice. To keep- 
 unity in Religion, it is moft rationally or- 
 dered, that Sacrifice mould be celebrated 
 with Prayers. in one and the fame Language 
 over one and the fame Church. Moreover, 
 
 it
 
 Of Confejfion. T& 
 
 it is well known, that a distance from what 
 is ordinary and vulgar, breeds refpecf. and 
 reverence. And contrariwife, you yourfelves 
 found, that public Service in EngUJh was foon 
 vilified and contemned by the vulgar Englijh, 
 and at laft, with all exprefTion; of contempt 
 and derifion, quite exploded and abolifhed. 
 Caft Pearls before Swine, and the Scripture 
 tells vol: how they will behave themfelves to- 
 wards them. 
 
 j. Loftly, (hew me but one Service-Book 
 in all the fifteen hundred years before Lu- 
 therm anyone vulgar Tongue, whichagreeth 
 with your Service-Book, and for that one 
 Book's fake we will all come to your Ser- 
 vice. 
 
 The Sixteenth Point. 
 
 Of the Sacrament of Penance, or Confef- 
 fton. 
 
 EV E N in the old Law fome particular 
 Confeilion of particular Sins was under 
 Precept appointed to the Jews, [Numb. v. 
 6.] Speak to the Children of Ifrael ; Man or 
 Woman, when they Jhall do any of all the Sins 
 that are wont to chance to Men, and by- neg- 
 ligence have tranfgrejfed the Commandment of 
 their Lord, and have off<ndtd-> they jhall con-
 
 134 Of ConfeJJion. 
 
 fefs their Sin. And (if their Sin were In 
 point of wronging their Neighbour) they 
 flmll reflore the principal itfelf and the fifth 
 fart over to him againji whom they finned. 
 Behold Confeffion, behold Reftitution ; and 
 for fatisfaclion, the fifth part over and above 
 to be given. And, befides that, Sacrifice to 
 be offered to God, fo to repair the difhonour 
 done him. 
 
 2. The new Law, perfecting the old, 
 Confefnon was elevated by Chrift to a Sa- 
 crament, giving Grace, [Job. xx. 23.] He 
 
 faid to them. Receive the Holy Ghoji ; whofe 
 Sins you forgive , they are forgiven, and whofe 
 Sins you retain, they are retained, But Tho- 
 mas was not with them when Je/us came ; 
 yet no Man can deny, that this power was 
 alfo given to Thomas. Whence appears, that 
 it was not given only to thofe who then were 
 prefent, as a grant given meerly for their 
 fakes, and to increafe their Authority ; but 
 this Grace was given for the fake of all be- 
 longing to Chrift' s Flock, of which Flock 
 the far greater number lived after the Times 
 of the Apoftles. 
 
 3. That this Text is literally to be under- 
 stood, as I have interpreted it, may be de- 
 monitrativcly proved by the fame Argument 
 by which we proved that Text, Ibis is my 
 Body, to be literally underftood, {Point 12. 
 N. 2.) For if the Apoftles, with the firft 
 Faith did not deliver this literal fenfe, but 
 only taught this power to end with them ? 
 and that no Man after their Days, either had 
 
 power
 
 Of Confeffion. 135 
 
 power to forgive Sins, or flood obliged to 
 confefs them; then you mud fay, that in 
 •fome after- Age, fome one Man began firft, 
 for always one begins at hrft, to vent abroad 
 thefe two ftrange things : Firft, That all 
 Prie/ls had poivcr to forgive Sins. Secondly, 
 That all Cbri/lians, guilty of Sin, were hound 
 under pain cf damnation, to confefs their Sins 
 to the Prirjis, though they were never fo fou/ 9 
 or never Jo fee ret. But fhall any one Man 
 make me believe, that this {ingle Man's Doc- 
 trine, fo new and fo hard, could prefently, 
 without contradiction, grow to be fo gene- 
 rally received and practifed, not in one, but 
 in all parts of Catholic Chriftianitvr And 
 that no Hiftory mould tell us who this Man 
 was ? Where, or when he broached this 
 Doctrine ? Or how he could fo bewitch all, 
 that no Man mould contradict him, or that 
 no one mould have Grace or Wit to fay j 
 If Pr iefts had this poivcr ; cr if a/I Chri/Vans 
 had this ftricl Obligation, furely the Jpoftles 
 and ih. ir Succeffbrs would have made this 
 known, and they would have made both Pricjls 
 and Cbri/lians to do their duty in this kind? 
 For their only faying this, would have, then, 
 betn enough to have flopped this man's 
 mouth. -Neither is the Doctrine of Confef- 
 fion, or th2 Practice of it fo cafy to be 
 brought in, that it could poffibly be thus 
 ndy and fpeedtly entertained, yea, and en- 
 tertained all the Chriltian World over, with- 
 out contradiction or oppofition, even fo much 
 
 as
 
 t$b Of Confeffion. 
 
 as in any one Tingle place, for we no where 
 hear of any fuch contradiction. 
 
 14. I know, after Confeffion was every, 
 where pra&lfed, that the Novatian Heretics 
 did oppofe it, faying, that it was a d /honour 
 to God that Man Jhoitld forgive fins. But all 
 Catholics hold this to be an Herefy in them. 
 And St. Ambroje faith to them; Why Jhould it 
 be more a dijhonour to God, or be ?nore inconve- 
 nient, that ?nan fjould forgive fins by Penance 
 than by Baptijm, feeing it is the Holy Gbofi 
 who in both cafes doth it by the miniflry of the 
 Prie/fs : So he. In Baptifm the Prieft fays ; 
 I laptife thee; that is, / wajh thee. I afk 
 from what? furely from fin; according to 
 that [A7 xxii. 16.] Rife up. and be buptifed 
 andwajh away thy fins. 1 afk again, Can 
 your Priefts or Minifters waflifm away? You 
 will anfwer, that they can adminifter. the Sa- 
 crament, which wafheth fin away, and fo 
 they wafh away fin, not by their own power, 
 but as Minifters of Chrift's Sacraments. Juft 
 fo each Prieft faith, I abfolve thee; yet our 
 Priefts abfolve not by their own power, but 
 as Minifters of Chrift they adminifter the 
 Sacrament of Abfolution, which cancels all 
 fins. Laftly, I obferve, that when Chrift 
 did forgive the Paralytic his fins, the multi- 
 tude was fo far from faying this was a difho- 
 nour to God, that the multitude glorified God, 
 who gave fuch power unto men, [Matt. ix. 8. J 
 
 The
 
 ( i37 ) 
 
 The Seventeenth Point. 
 
 Of the Sacrament of Extreme Unci ion. 
 
 TH E very name of this Sacrament is 
 grown even unheard of to us here in 
 England, who boaft fo much of the Word 
 of God. And yet, according to the Word of 
 God there is not any Sacrament at all, which 
 can be more manifeftly proved a true 
 Sacrament, than this, both in regard of the 
 outward or vifible Sign, or in regard of the 
 invifible Grace. This vifible Sign is proved 
 evidently by our Saviour, becaufe no body 
 but he could annex the gift of invifible 
 Grace to this vifible Sign; to which Sign 
 moft clear Scripture doth teftify this grace to 
 be annexed: For fowe read, [Jam. v. 14.] 
 Is any manfick aming you ? Let him bring in 
 the Priefis of the Churchy and let them pray 
 over him, anointing him with Oil In the name 
 of our Lord. Behold the vifible outward Sign 
 of this Sacrament. And, in the next words, 
 behold the invifible Grace annexed there- 
 unto: And if he be in fins, they Jhall be re- 
 mitted him. Now, good Proteftant, give 
 me leave to afk thee this one Queftion, Is 
 there any time in which it more imports a 
 man to have fo good a warrant as God's 
 word is for the remiflion of his fins, than in 
 the time of his departure out of this World? 
 Behold then here a means to obtain this JRe- 
 
 mifiion,.
 
 138 Of Extreme Uriel i. n> 
 
 million, even at this very time; and this 
 means warranted by the very Word of God. 
 And yet without any ground at all, in God's 
 Word, you have rejected a thing fo import- 
 ing all Chriftians, though you found the 
 practice of all Chriftianity to be conforma- 
 ble to the words as they found; How dorh 
 this ftand with your pretence of reforming 
 our Errors by the Rule of Scripture ? You 
 go fo flatly contrary to clear Scripture, even 
 in a Point of abcliihing a Sacrament, which 
 was ufed by all the Catholic Church before 
 your Reformation, and having fo clear a Text 
 for it, and no one fingle Text againft it. 
 
 2. To take away the force of this Text; 
 firft, in place of Priejls you are pleafed, 
 againft all Antiquity, to read Elders, be- 
 caufe the Greek word that fignifieth Priefis, 
 in vulgar ufe fignifieth Eldery. Now this is 
 as ridiculous, as if one would fay, The Big- 
 ger of the City, in place of faying, the Ma- 
 jor of the City, becaufe the word Major fig- 
 nifieth the Bigger ; or as if, for the like 
 caufe, you would call a Doftor of Phyfic, 
 2l Teacher ofPhyfu, whereas a Doclor is well 
 known to fignify fuch a degree: As alfo a 
 Major is notorioufly known to fignify a fe- 
 cular Office or Dignity in a City: fo the 
 name put in Greek for a Piieft, Prefb.ieros, 
 is as notorioufly known to fignify a Prieji 
 endued with a prieftly order, office, and 
 funclion in the Church of God. Whence 
 this, name is improperly tranflated Elder, 
 
 when
 
 Of Extreme U?:elicn. 1 39 
 
 when fpcech is manifeftly of Church affairs, 
 as here fpcech is of fome Mmiitry or other, 
 at which fins are forgiven. 
 
 3. I know that thole who grant, that here 
 is a Command, for Councils you will have 
 
 \ to ufe anointing of the fick. w T ith true 
 preten 1 that this was commanded to be 
 done only for obtaining; a miraculous Cure. 
 A Doarine full of Abfurdities. The/r/? 
 of which is novelty. The jecor.d is flat con- 
 tradiction to the Text, exprefling the chief 
 effect, to be fought for, not to be the health 
 of the Body, but of the Soul, and if he be 
 in fins , they Jh all be forgiven him. The third 
 Abfurdity is to fay, there was in the Church, 
 for a time, a command to any one fick among 
 us, to feek fur a miraculous Cure, The 
 fourth is to fay, that any Prieil or Elder what- 
 lccver, might be called in to work this mira- 
 culous Cure. Upon what authority of Scrip- 
 ture or Hiflory is this faid? Give me leave 
 in the laff. place to afk, if ever you did read 
 or hear, that at the ufe of any Element, 
 which was not facramcntal . fins were pro- 
 mifed to be forgiven by anv one, even of 
 ChrifVs Apoftles. 
 
 4. Other of your Doclors will have 
 this anointing with Oil, to be only the Oil 
 of devout Prayers, or Charity. But firft, 
 where have vou that, at your Elders, or 
 
 fs Prayer? it will follow, that if the feck 
 man be infens, they flail be forgiven him. Do 
 not you feoff at Priefls forgiving fins, and 
 
 will
 
 140 Of the Sacrament of Holy Order. 
 will you now allow a fure Warrant attefted 
 "by God's own Word, that at the Prieft* 
 Prayer, yea, at the Elders, the Tick man's 
 fins mall be forgiven? Again, this free li- 
 cence of interpreting Oil to be Prayer or Cha- 
 rity, opens a gap to interpret all that is faid 
 of applying water in Baptifm, to be under - 
 ilood only of applying the clear and cleanfing 
 ftreams of heavenly Doctrine, teaching them 
 to believe in the Name of the Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghoft, without ever carting Wa- 
 ter on them. Again, did ever any holy Fa-- 
 therthus interpret this place of St. James? 
 Shall I, upon your never heard of Interpreta- 
 tion, go and forfake a Remec 1 ; taught me by 
 the practice of all the Church, and by fo 
 clear a Text, upon which Remedy the for- 
 givenefs of my iins at the hour of my death, 
 and confequently my eternal Salvation may 
 depend? God give me my Wits, and I will 
 never do it. 
 
 The Eighteenth Point. 
 
 Of the Sacrament of Holy Order. 
 
 HERE alfo Scripture teacheth an out- 
 ward vifible Sign, to which the giving 
 of inward Grace is annexed. [1 Tim. iv. 14.] 
 Neglect not the gift which is in thee. Here 
 you have the inward Grace given, with the 
 
 laving
 
 Of the Sacrament of Alatrlmony 141 
 
 hying on of the hands of the Presbyters. 
 Here you have the outward Sign by which 
 it is given. Again, [2 Tim. i. 6.] I put thee 
 in remembranec, that thou /fir up the gift of 
 God which is in thee. Behold the inward 
 Grace, by the putting on of my hands. Be- 
 hold the outward Sign, at putting of which 
 that inward Grace was conferred. Note 
 that though St. Paul were called from Hea- 
 ven, and had received the true Spirit of God, 
 yet he was ordained by Impofition of Hands, 
 [Ads xiii. 3.] 
 
 2. Now I pray you, u here have you one 
 Text in Scripture to prove Holy Order not 
 to be a Sacrament? And fo I fay of Matri- 
 mony, Confirmation, Penance, Extreme 
 Unction. 
 
 The Nineteenth Point. 
 
 Of the Sacrament of Matrimony. 
 
 W'HEN [Gen. ii. 22.] our Lord had 
 built the Rib which he took of Ada?n 
 into a Woman, and brought her to Adam ; 
 Adam f aid, This now is the flejh of my fefi 9 
 wherefore manfiall leave his father and mo- 
 ther, andfiall cleave to his wife, and they 
 Jhall be one flejh. In the New Teftament 
 [Matth* xix 5. Mar. x. 7.] our Saviour re- 
 peats
 
 142 Of the Sacrament of Matrbnony. 
 
 peats fhofe words, and hence inferreth ; There- 
 fore they are not two, bid one fiejh. Then of 
 himfelf he adds, That therefore which God 
 hath joined together, let not man feparate. 
 Nov/ St. Paul repeating part of our Saviour's 
 words here cited, faith, This is a great ?n\f- 
 tery, we read Sacrament; but I fpeak in Chri/f, 
 and in the Church, [Eph. v. 31.] Although 
 St. Paul applieth here the very name of Sa- 
 crament to Matrimony, which name is not 
 once in all Scripture applied to any of the 
 other Sacraments, yet it is not from hence 
 we infer Matrimony to be a Sacrament, for 
 by that word, in this place, we know he 
 only means a Myftery ; yet a facramental 
 Myltery. But we infer out of. his difcourfe, 
 that this Myftery is now elevated by Chrift, 
 to be a Sacrament, becaufe St.- Paul citeth 
 the words of Chriir, fpoken, as we have feen 
 out of St. Matthew, when he did abrogate 
 /the Law of Mofcs, which Law permitted in 
 feveral cafes, Kufband and Wife to be fepa- 
 rated, and fpoken alfo when he declared cx- 
 preily that he would have this contract made 
 hereafter infeparable; faying, That which 
 God hath joined together, let 710 man feparate. 
 ChrifT. then marrying to his Church for ever 
 would elevate this chief contract, that is in 
 mankind, which he made from that time to 
 bean infeparable contract, to fignify this moft 
 facred My fiery, and therefore he faith : This 
 is a great Sacrament or Myflery^ fo much and 
 
 fo
 
 Of the Sacrament of Matrimony, 143 
 
 fo nearly concerning Ckrijl and the Churchy as 
 St Paul tells us. 
 
 2. We may here note the impiety of them, 
 who knowing by St. Paul, that Chrift. thus 
 infepirably had wedded his Church, donot- 
 withftandins: prefume to call this his beloved 
 Spoufe a Where and a Harlot, for her Su- 
 perftiticn and Idolatry. But to proceed^ 
 marriage being elevated by Chrift, to be a 
 great Sacrament, or faored Myftery, and to 
 fignify the infeparable Conjunction between 
 him and his Church, a fignification fo far 
 beyond its own nature, which was only to 
 be a civil contract, he made it a fit Ceremo- 
 nv, to which now he might annex his grace 
 given, to the parties joined by this Sacra- 
 ment, to obferve matrimonial Continency. 
 That every one may knew to poJJ'efs his veffel 
 in fan el if cation and honour, and not in pajfion 
 of lujl, as Gentiles, [1 Thefl". iv. 4.] They 
 therefore having this grnce, given to this end, 
 are thereby enabled more fitly to exprefs in 
 their mutual fidelity and arrec~tion, the mu- 
 tual fidelity and afFtclion which mould be for 
 ever between Chrift and his Church. This 
 is the proper effecT: of the grace given in Ma- 
 trimony. 
 
 3. By this our Doctrine of Matrimony, 
 let any impartial man judge, whether we or 
 our Adverfaries honour it more; they having 
 taken this chief honour of being n cacra- 
 ment from it, which we allow to it, ai : e now 
 come to celebrate it in profane houfes, before 
 
 Juftices
 
 144- Of *£>* fingl e Life °f P r **ft s » 
 Juftices, and this only for civil ends intended 
 by the Commonwealth. Neither have they 
 one Text of Scripture to prove that their 
 IVIinifters ought always to join others in 
 Matrimony. 
 
 The Twentieth Point. 
 
 Of thefmgle Life of Priejls. 
 
 MAtrimony being a Sacrament, and giv- 
 ing grace, it may feem to fome that 
 all mould do better to make themfelves par- 
 takers of this grace. I anfwer, That the 
 want of this one grace is more than abun- 
 dantly recompenfed by thofe many great and 
 often received graces, of which a fingle life 
 makes us far more capable, as of receiving 
 more frequently and worthily the Sacrament 
 of Sacraments, the Body and Blood of our 
 Lord, which Priefts daily do, with great in- 
 creafe of greater graces; very fingular graces 
 alfo are obtained by prayer, to which Chaf- 
 tity doth exceedingly conduce, as Scriptures 
 teach. 
 
 2. Let us -hear the Scripture, [Lukei. 23.] 
 And it came to pafs that after the days of his 
 office were expired, he (Zacharias the PrieftJ 
 departed into his houfe: And after thefe days 
 
 Elizabeth
 
 Of the fngle Life of Priejls. 145 
 Elizabeth his wife conceived. Hence it ap- 
 pears to be true, which St. Jerom faith contra 
 Jovian, [/. i. c. 19. and Ep. 50. c. 3.] That 
 even in the old Law, the Prieils, who offered 
 the Holy Hoft for the people, did not fo 
 much as {lay in their own houfes ; but 
 were purified, and fo feparated, for that time 
 from their Wives. Whence the Scripture 
 faith, After the days of his office, he departed 
 into his houfe ; and, after thofe days his Wife 
 conceived. Our Priefts of the new Law being 
 to offer daily Sacrifice, are daily to obferve 
 virginal purity. 
 
 3. Again even in married Laymen, S. Paul 
 approves abftaining from their Wives, For a 
 time, that they may give thcmfelves to prayer , 
 [1 Cor. vii. 5, 35.] And this, faith he, / 
 
 fpeak to your profit^ not to ca/l a Jnare upon 
 you, but for that which is comely. And that 
 you may attend upon the Lord without diftrac- 
 tion. Priefts, therefore, who daily mould 
 be attending upon our Lord, and prayino- 
 for themfelves and the people, and fo often 
 alfo facrificing, mould daily abftain from Wo- ' 
 men, as St. Jerom argueth. 
 
 4. Thirdly [1 Cor. vii. 32.] He that is 
 without a Wife is careful of the things that per- 
 tain to cur Lord, how to pleafe God: But he 
 that is with a Ifffe, is careful of things that 
 pertain to the World. Priefts mould {till be 
 in a ftate moil capable of being careful of 
 things that pertain to God, and how to pleafe 
 him. Therefore they mould not have 
 
 G Wives,
 
 ./eh 
 
 1 46 Cy the Jingle Life of Priejl . 
 Wives, For he that is with a Wife is careful 
 cf things that pertain to the Worlds which 
 Priefts fhould not be. But if any men, furely 
 Priefts, chiefly fhould be the men, uho make 
 themffhes Eunuchs for the Kingdom cf Hea- 
 ven, [Matth xix. 12.] 
 
 5. Fourthly, No man being a Soldier to 
 God> intangleth himfelf in the Affairs of this 
 life, that they may pleafe him who hath chofen 
 him to be a Soldier, [2 Tim. ii. 4.] Of all 
 men, Clergymen fhould take care to pleafe 
 him, who hath chofen them to be Soldiers 
 to him, and therefore they, of all men, 
 fhould not entangle themfehes ivith fecular 
 bufineffes, and worldly Affairs. And yet if 
 they be married, neceflity enforceth them to 
 entangle themfelves in them above all other 
 married men. Fcr the greatefl part of other 
 married men have a fettled eftate left them 
 to leave their Children. But the greater 
 part of Clergymen live wholly upon the Be- 
 nefices which they can get. And being 
 ell bred, and made fit company for the 
 chief of the Parifh, they alio and their 
 Wives, and their Children look high, and 
 mult be highly maintained. To maintain 
 them thus, only by the benefit of a Benefice, 
 enjoyable at the furtheft during life, and per- 
 haps to be taken away far fooner, there is a 
 kind of neceffity for them to make Hay 
 apace whilft the Sun fhines; they not know- 
 \jlg how little while that may be, and know- 
 ing
 
 Of thefmgle Life of Priefls. 147 
 
 mg that it cannot hi long. But let us pro- 
 ceed. 
 
 6. Fifthly, // behovetb therefore, a Bijhop 
 to be the Husband of one Wife, [1 Tim. iii. 2. J 
 In the nrfr Birth of Chriitianity, Virginity 
 was i'o rare both among Jews and Gentiles, 
 that it was not pofhble to find men endued 
 therewith, who were both of fufficient ma- 
 turity in years and knowledge, and expe- 
 rience in Affairs, as is requiiite in Bifhops 
 and Priefls. Yet, even then, the Apoiiies 
 would have this at leafr. obferved, that no 
 man, who married a fecond Wife, mould b.« 
 made a Bifhop ; no, nor a Deacon : And 
 therefore not a Prieft. And thus this place 
 is underftood by the Councils and Fathers 
 unanimoufly. See the Rhemijh Teilament 
 on this place. But as for marrying after 
 Priefrhcod received, it is a thing wholly un- 
 heard of in God's Church. Neither is there 
 one authentic Example thereof in the whole 
 World, as the fame Rhemi/is fay. St. Paul 
 adds yet further: Let the Deacons be the 
 Husbands cf one Wife, [ver. 12.] 
 
 7. Ridiculous is the Interpretation of 
 thole who fay "t. FeuJ would only have fucii 
 made Deacons, Pridls, Bifnops, who have- 
 but one Wife at once. For this is to re- 
 quire no more than he requires of all Chrii- 
 tians. If you fay, he yet requires of them 
 that they never had at one and at the fame 
 time more Wrve.^ than one before their Con- 
 vcrfion, this is ihevved evidently not to ex- 
 G 2 pic/,
 
 1 48 Of the fingle Life of Pr lefts. 
 
 prels the meaning of thefe words; for he 
 ufethj uft the fame words and the like ex- 
 prefTion, when he could have noiuch mean- 
 ing. For, [chap. v. 9.] where he fpeaketh 
 of choofing a Widow, for the end there in- 
 tended, he in like manner faith, She Jhould 
 he a Widow, having been the Wife of one 
 Man. How ridiculous is it to fay that 
 here, where there is juft the fame expref- 
 fion, the meaning is, that only fuch fhould 
 be chufen to be Widows, for the end here 
 appointed, who had had but one Hufband 
 at one time before her Converfion. For 
 neither Jews nor Gentiles did ever permit 
 Women to have more Husbands than one 
 at once. It had been therefore ridiculous to 
 require that which could not but be. 
 
 8. Your chief objection, againft all this, 
 a- alfo againft vowed Virginity, is that you 
 conceive St. Paul, [i Tim. iv. 1.3.] to teach 
 that this is the Doclrine of Devils forbidding 
 to marry. I anfwer that St. Paul fpeaks only 
 againft the Doctrine of Heretics, cited by 
 the Rhemijls here, to which add the Mani- 
 chcans and others, who taught, that the ufe 
 of marriage came from a bad God or De- 
 vil. As for us, we honour marriage more 
 than you, for we hold it to be a Sacra- 
 ment,' which you do not. Neither can 
 you fay that we abfolutely forbid marri- 
 age, becaufe we forbid, or rather declare 
 marriage to be by God forbidden, to 
 thole perfons only, who wittingly and wil- 
 lingly
 
 Of thefingJc Life cf Prtefl'Sk J 49 
 
 Imglv have cither vowed Virginity, when 
 they might have married if they pkafed, or 
 who wittingly and willingly, when they 
 might as freely have married, undertook holy 
 Orders, to which Hate they knew none were 
 admitted but fuch as would voluntarily and 
 freelv profefs Virginity. For the Church 
 now abounding with very fuflicient choice of 
 worthy perfons, who will voluntarily make 
 fuch Vows, and undertake freely fuch a pro- 
 icflion, will admit no others to holy Orders, 
 becaufe fhe is taught, in all the Texts I 
 cited in the Beginning, that thefe be the 
 fitteft. With us, therefore, there is no man 
 or woman, who might not have married if 
 they would. And therefore we cannot be 
 faid to forbid marriage, unlefs you will fay 
 that St. Paul did forbid marriage, when he 
 forbad Bifhops, Deacons and vowed Widows 
 to pafs to fecond marriage. This is only to 
 forbid breaking of Vows to fuch as volunta- 
 rily would make them, when they might 
 freely have married. 
 
 9. Your other ob'eclions are foul corrup- 
 tions of Scripture. The firftof them is this, 
 [i Cor. ix. 5.] Have we net power to lead 
 about a Woman, a Sijler, as alfo the re/1 of 
 the Apoflles, and our Lord s Brother, and Ce- 
 phas. Here in place of a JTonian, your Bi- 
 bles read a Wife, making the Holy Ghofr. 
 retrain the word Gynaika to a Wife, tho 
 it is known that this word is ufually put for 
 a Womau 3 whether Wife or not Wife. Here 
 G 3 the-
 
 150 Of the fingle Life of Priefs. 
 the Rhemijh Teftament mews how Anti- 
 quity ever expounded this place of leading 
 about fuch devout Women as followed Chrift 
 to minijhr to him, [Matt, xxvii 55 ] I could, 
 thus have maintained myfelf, faith St. Paul, 
 by partaking of your temporal Goods, to 
 whom I give fpiritual Goods. But to bur- 
 den no body, I, being a Tradefman, have 
 made it my glory to maintain mvfelf by the 
 labour of my own Hands. Yea your own 
 Bible but two Chapters before tranflated the 
 felf-fame Greek word, for fuch a Woman 
 as could not be a Wife. [1 Cor. vii. 1.] It is 
 good for a Man not to touch a Woman. Tranf- 
 latc, if vou dare, It is good for a Man not 
 to touch a Wife, Gynaika. 
 
 10. The i'econd corrupt Text you object 
 is, [Hel>. xiii. 4.] For where we read vord 
 for word out of the Greek, Marriage honou- 
 rable in all, you read, Marriage is honourable 
 in all Men, adding the Verb Is, and the Noun 
 Men; yet your beft Bibles have not this 
 Noun (Men) and they print this Verb (is) 
 in a different letter. As alfo in the former 
 Text they did print the word Woman in the 
 JMargin. This juggling the vulgar perceives 
 not. And the Bibles ufed it to make them 
 take for the true text, that which is but their 
 interpretation of it. But if a Man would 
 prefume to add a Verb, which mould come 
 as near as may be, to the mind of the Apot- 
 tle, then he fhould put the Verb in the Im- 
 perative Mood thus, Let Marriage be ho- 
 nourable
 
 Of the fingle Life of Pri<jh. I X T 
 
 nourable in all. For St. Paul ufeth this 
 Mood in the firfl Verfe, Let Brotherly L 
 continue ; and in the fecond, Be not unmind- 
 ful, &c. And in the third verfe, Remember 
 them in bonds. The fourth Vede being that 
 we fpeak of, fhould be likewife exprefled by 
 a Verb in that Mood, efpecially feeing he 
 flill goeth on in that Mood in the fifth 
 verfe, Let your Converfation be \ cove- 
 
 toufnefs. The ApoOJe's fenfe then feerrs 
 clearly to be, Let Marriage, be honourable in 
 all: That is, let no man diihonour his mar- 
 riage-bed with either unfaithfulnefs to his 
 Spoufe, or with unnatural or brutifli luft ; 
 and fo his next words very fitly are, Fir 
 God will judge Fornicators and Adulterers. 
 But your Bible bv a double impofture mak^s 
 a quite different fenfe. The firft is to put 
 the Verb in the Indicative Mood, Mar- 
 riage is honourable: and becaufe this alone 
 helped not much, vou ufed a fecond impof- 
 ture in the words following, which in Greek 
 are, en paf, in Latin in omnibus. And in 
 both Lan£uao-es all Scholars fee that there 
 is doubt whether this fhould figniry in all 
 men, taking the Adjective in the Mafculine 
 Gender, or in all things, taking it in the 
 Neuter Gender. Our Bibles leave it as they 
 find it in all. But your Bible undertakes ab- 
 folutely to determine the fenfe of the Holy 
 Ghoft, and make him fay roundly, Mar- 
 riage is honourable among all nun Thus 
 your Bible, Anno 1577. Yea, Inter quo/- 
 
 G 4 wV,
 
 J 5 2 Of the Jingle Life of fuch as 
 
 vis, faith Beza, 1565, that is, Marriage is 
 honourable among any kind of perfons. Out 
 of which new Scripture the people eafily in- 
 fer, Marriage is honourable among thofe 
 who have received Holy Orders, or have 
 made Vows of Virginity: And the Text 
 being'thus ftretched, they might add, Among 
 Brothers and Sijiers, Father and Daughter* 
 But we mall, in the next Point, n. 5. fhew 
 how flatly this Confequence is contrary to 
 St, Paul, who plainly denounceth damna- 
 tion to fuch as have married after they vowed 
 Chaftity. Your objection is fufficiently an- 
 fwered by having mewed a double corrup- 
 tion in the Text alledged, as many of you 
 do sllcdgQ it. 
 
 The Twenty-firft Point. 
 
 Of the fingle Life of fuch as have vowed per •» 
 peiual Chajiity. 
 
 HO W commendable works of Supere- 
 rogation arc, by which we voluntarily 
 do what we are not commanded, and ob- 
 fa-ve that which is of Counfel, and not of 
 Precept, we mall fee in the next point. Yet 
 here we cannot but fpeak fomething, to 
 mew how much the Vowing of Chaftity is 
 counil-llcd and recommended - y and fhew alio 
 
 how
 
 have vowed perpetual ChaJIiiy, 153 
 how ftri&ly thole who vow Chaftity are 
 obliged to keep their Vows, which volunta- 
 rily they made. [Numb, xxx. ii.] If any man' 
 make a Vow to our Lord, to bind hinifelfhy 
 an Oath, he JJjall not make his word frujh ate, 
 hut all that he promifcdhe Jhall fulfil. Whence 
 St. Aug. [Q. 56. in Num.] He that voweth 
 abfiinence from a thing lawful, maketh it un- 
 lawful to hhnfelf by his Voiv. New that you 
 may evidently lee, that the Scripture fpeak- 
 eth here of Vows made in matters not com- 
 manded; it followeth,. If a woman vow tray 
 thing, and bind herfelf with an Oath, /he that 
 is in her Father s houfe, and as yet in Maidens 
 age\ if her Father know the vow Jhe prcmifd, 
 and the oath wherewith Jhe bound her foul, and 
 held his peace, Jhe Jhall be bound to the vow', 
 what forcer jhe promifed- and fware, Jhe Jhall 
 fulfil indeed. But if immediately as he hears 
 it, her FatJter doth gainfay it, both her vows 
 and her oath Jlmll be frujlraie, neither* Jhall Jbe 
 be bound to the promife. The fame he faith 
 of the Vows of a Wife, that they fhall hold 
 if her Hufband hold his peace; but if he gain- 
 fay it, he Jhall make her Vow fruftrate. Who ■ 
 fees not, that it could not be either in the 
 power of the Father to make his Daughter s 
 vows void, or of the Hufband to frujirate and 
 annul the vows of his wife, if they had vowed 
 things which they flood obliged to perform 
 by commandments from God ? For exam- 
 ple, If fhe mould vow to fail in the Feaft 
 of Expiation, her Hufband could not have 
 G 5 made
 
 154 Of the Jingle Life of fuch as 
 made void her Vow by gainfaying it. For 
 the Law obligeth her, faying, [Levit. xxiik 
 29.] Every Soid that is not afficled, that is, 
 which fafteth not this dav, Jhall perijh out of 
 his people. By this you fee, that the Scrip- 
 ture here fpeaketh of Vows made to do that 
 to which they were not otherwife obliged. 
 But after the Vow, they ftand now obliged 
 to fulfil in deed what they promifed by word. 
 2. Take a further evident proof of this; 
 [Deut. xxiii. 21.] When thou hajl vowed a 
 Vow to our Lord thy God, thoujhalt not Jlack 
 to pay it, beeauje our Lord thy God will re-> 
 quire it\ and if thou delay, it Jhall be imputed 
 unto thee for Jin. If thou wilt not promife, 
 thoujhalt be without fin i But that which is 
 once gone out of thy lips thoujhalt obferve, and 
 Jhalt do) as thou hajl promifed to our Lord thy 
 God, and hajl fpoken with thy proper will and 
 thy own Mouth. What could be faid more 
 manifefr. to prove, that where there was no 
 kind of fin or breach of obligation before^ 
 now there is a fin by the breach of a moifc 
 ftrait obligation arifing from this Vow. 
 Again, [Ecdef v. 4.] Whatfoever thou hajl 
 vowed, pay it. And it is- ?nuch better not to 
 vow, than after a vow not to perform the 
 thing promifed. For this is a fin, as hath 
 been proved by the former unanfwerable 
 Text. 
 
 3. As for the particular Vow of Chaftityj 
 we have our Saviour's own words, [Matt.xix.* 
 12.] And there be Eunuchs who have madt 
 
 them-'
 
 have vowed perpetual Chafity. 155 
 
 themf elves Eunuchs for- the Kingdom of He a- 
 Thofe cajlrate themj 'elves for the King- 
 dom of Heaven i who vow Ckaflity, faith St. 
 Aug. [de Virg. ch. 23.] For by Vow they 
 make themfelves as it were impotent for 
 Marriage. And the doing this for the King- 
 dom of Haven is a clear projf, that this {late 
 doth much further towaiils obtaining Hea- 
 ven. Again, both voluntary Poverty and 
 Chaftitv are particularly rewarded by our 
 Lord, [Luc. xviii. 29 ] There is no man vjho 
 hath left either houfe, parents, or wife for the 
 Kingdo?n of God, fNote ftill howChatritv 
 furthers towards the Kingdom of God) 
 who fo all not receive man'fold more at this pre- 
 fent time, and in the world to come life ever- 
 la fling. Here I find a reward for leaving a 
 Wife; mew me a reward for marrying one. 
 4. St. Paulh mod clear, [1 Cor. vii. 25.] 
 As concerning Virgins, a command of our L^rd 
 I have not, yet 1 give my judgment or counfl, 
 (can you give better counfel or judgment, 
 which is) Art thou loofed from a wife, leek 
 not a wife. Why fo? It follows, [ver. 32.] 
 He that is without a wife is careful of the 
 thifjgs that pertain to our Lord, how he may 
 pleafe God. (Note ftill how Chaftitv con- 
 duces to the gaining Heaven) But he that is 
 with a wife, is careful of the. things that per- 
 tain to the ivorld. The Virgin thinketh of 
 ihings that pertain to our Lord, that Jhe may 
 he holy both in body and Jpirit. But fhe that 
 is married, thinketh of things that pertain to 
 3 the
 
 156 Of the Jingle Life of fuch as 
 the world. And [ver. 38.] He that joineth 
 not his Virgin in Matrimony doth better. And 
 [ver. 40.] Butjhe is happier , if fie fo abide 
 after ?ny judgment. 
 
 5. Again, [1 Tim. v. 9.] Let a IFidow 
 be ehofen, ivhicb hath been the wife of one 
 Husband. Here he fpeaks of the choice of 
 fuch Widows as then were deputed to the 
 fervice of the Church, in afliftingto prepare 
 Women Catechumens to Bantifm, as alio to 
 ferve the Sick, to adminiiter to the Poor, 
 efpecially of their own fex. And this they 
 did, living under the charge of the Deacons, 
 whence they were called DiaccniJJce. St. 
 Paul here faith, he would have none chofen, 
 or taken to this kind of Hate, who had been 
 married more than to one man. Neither 
 doth he permit them, after they have once 
 undertaken this ftate, to marry again. That 
 hence you may fee evidently, how far he 
 was from permitting Priefts to marry again 
 after the flate of Priefthood undertaken. 
 Hear his difcourfe, [ver. 11.] Younger wi- 
 dows avoid (in this choice)yi?r when they have 
 begun to wax wanton againft Chriji (that is, 
 w T ell fed by Church Goods offered to Chrift, 
 as thofe Widows were) they will marry, hav- 
 ing damnation ; becaufe they have cajl off their 
 firjl Faith. Behold here their Marriage 
 and their Damnation joined together, and 
 the reafon given why they have incurred 
 Kryma, Damnation, or Judgment to their 
 Condemnation i to wit, becaufe they have 
 
 caft
 
 have vowed perpetual Chafitty. 157* 
 
 cad off their/;;// Faith. This fir ft Faiih 
 is their Vow of keeping perpetual Widow-^ 
 hood, according to ail Fathers Greek and 
 Latin, whoever did write upon this place, 
 faith the Rhemijh Teftament, here citing ; Jib- 
 St. Auguftine, who together with two hun- 
 dred and fifteen Fathers in the fourth Council 
 of" 'Carthage, [Can. 104.] fpeaketh thus: <; If 
 * ; aniyW idows h ave vowed themfel ves to God, 
 " and left their laical habit; and under the 
 " teftimony of the Bifhop, or Church, have 
 " appeared in religious weed, and after- 
 " wards go an)' more to fecular Marriage, 
 " according to the Apoftles Sentence, they 
 « fhall be damned, becaufe they were fo 
 " bold as to make void the faith, or pro- 
 " mife of Chaftity, which they vowed to 
 <* our Lord. And as St. Augujiine faith. 
 [Here/. 82.] Jovinian the Heretic zvas the 
 fir ft who induced vowed Virgins to ?nari y. 
 And [L. 3. Retr. c. 22.] for this his -new 
 • Doclrme he calls him a Monjler. 
 
 6. Let us go on with St. Paul, [ver. 14^ 
 15.] I will therefore have the younger to marry 
 (fuc'h as be frail) to give no occafion to the Ad~ 
 vn-faries to /peak evil}, for fome are already 
 turned afide after Satan. Whence it is evi- 
 dent that breach of Vows is damnable, even 
 in thefe younger Widows, who, by reafon 
 of that breach, are faid to have turned afide 
 or gone after Satan y thus making their firji 
 Faith void, 
 
 3 7- l
 
 1 5.3 Of t 'e Works ef Cattn Jel 
 
 7. I end with that Praife given to Vir- 
 gins, [j4poe. xiv. 4.] Thefe are they which 
 follow the Lamb witherfoever be goeth. 
 
 The Twenty- fecond Point. 
 
 Of the JVotks of Counfel and Supererogation, 
 
 PRoteftants deny all Works of Superero- 
 gation, that is, Works which we of our 
 own felves fuperadcHo our bounden duty ; 
 and confequently they will have no good 
 Work to be only counfelled unto us ; but 
 they fay, we are commanded to do all the 
 good we can. Againft this Error be almofr. 
 all the Texts: in the former Point, and par- 
 ticularly the Text I there cited, [N. 1.] cut 
 of ' the Book of Numbers, ;:nd what I cited 
 [N, 4. J out of St. Paul, flatly faying, Con- 
 cerning Virgins, a command of cur Lord ' I 
 have not) but Counfel I g-i ! e. u And "again, 
 A>t thou loofed from a Wife? ^Seck not a 
 Wife. Is this a Command? Woe then to 
 Minifters marrying when they were free 
 men. If it be no command, what can it he 
 but a Counfel ? And again, He that joineth 
 not his Virgin in Matrimony doth better; to 
 wit, by doing fomething which you dare not 
 fay he is commanded, but which St. Paul 
 
 once
 
 and Supererogation. 159 
 
 once before told you, fhe was only coun- 
 selled. And he tells you alfo once more, 
 that it is only a Counlel. More happy, faith 
 he, Jhailjhe be, if Jht remain fo, according to 
 my Judgment and CounfeL Is thine better.? 
 To the proof of this point make all thole 
 manifold Texts, which in the next Point we 
 (hall bring, to prove how commendable vo- 
 luntary Aufterities be, for none of thofe Auf- 
 terities be by any Precept commanded, but 
 only commended to us ; and fo they be not 
 of Precept but of Counfel, fuperadded to 
 what we are commanded, and therefore they 
 be works of Supererogation. See all thofe 
 Texts, for they muft be moft convincing. 
 
 2. In the Law of Nature, I find Jacob 
 freely, without being commanded, vowing 
 to build a Church, [den. xxvtii. 20.] And he 
 vowed a vno, faying, 1/Godjhatl keep me in 
 the way 9 and I jhall be returned projperoujly 
 to my Father's hcufe, ihts /lone which J have 
 
 fit for a Pillar Jhall be God's Moufe. Which 
 he being fafely returned did fulfil, [Ch. xxxv. 
 6.] Jacob came to Luz, furnamed Bethel, and 
 he built there an Altar, and called that place 
 the Houje of God. 
 
 3. In the Law of Mofes God himfelf 
 giveth a Rule, [Numb. vi. 2.] To man and 
 woman who Jhall fiparate thewfelves to vow a 
 vow, tofeparate themfehes to our Lord. For 
 thofe I fay, who fhall feparate or confecrate 
 themfelves ; which manner of fpeech fhewr 
 cth, that they were obliged by no Precept: 
 
 But
 
 1 60 Of the Works of Counfel 
 
 But as long as they would be feparated or 
 confecrated, God obligcth them not to drink 
 Wine, nor eat Grape or Raifcn. Yea, \ffe- 
 remyxxxv. 6.] Jonadab the Son of Reciab 
 moft commendably, though he were not 
 commanded, did give theie Laws to himfelf 
 and his Sons. Youftjall not drink Wine, you 
 and your children for ever, though Wine were 
 as common drink with that Nation, as Beer 
 with us. And you /hall not build houfes, and 
 you Jkall not fow feed) 'and you Jhall not plant 
 vineyards, nor have any. But you Jhall dwell 
 in Tabernacles all your days. JVe obeyed the 
 voice of Jonadab our Father. Wherefore to 
 them by Jeremy, [ver. 18.] Thus faith the 
 Lord) becaufe you have obeyed the command- 
 ment of fonadab your father, and hove done 
 all things that he commanded you. Therefore 
 thus faith the Lord, There Jhall not went a 
 man of the flock of Jonadab the Son cf Re- 
 chab /landing in my fight, all davs, or to ft and 
 before me for ever. As your Bibles have it. 
 This is true: for the Sons of Prom if e, tho' 
 not the Sons of Flefh, to the Re c ha bites, be^ 
 our P.elisious, of which from the time of the 
 Apoflles to the laft day, there (hall not fail 
 to be many devout men, ftiil ftanding in 
 God's fight. Let Proteftants fhew any fuch 
 amongft them, who can be efteemed of the 
 Stock of Jonadab, or a Rechabite. They are 
 fo far from this, that they rail at us for being 
 followers of fuperilitious Inventions of men, 
 when we follow the giver of fo holy Rules 
 
 as
 
 and Supererogation, 1 6 I 
 
 as Jvnadab gave to his Son, fo praifed and fo 
 rewarded by Gcd for following them. Let 
 them tell us, if they can, how abibhgft 
 them it is true, there jh all not want a man of 
 tbe Stock of Jonadab. 
 
 4. Suppofe the Book of Jud'th, if you 
 pleafe, to be only a true Hilrory, which you 
 do not deny, from thence then we have a 
 true Relation, how pioufly Judith lived with- 
 out any Precept, who [Ch. viii. 3.] having 
 but lived three years and an half with her 
 Hufband, he dying, fie in the higher part of 
 her h:ufe, made herfelf a fecret Cka?nber, in 
 wh>ch flje abode i /hut up with her Maids; and 
 having clo:h of Hair upon her loins, Jhe fajled 
 all the days of her life, but Sabbaths, and the 
 Feajls of the houfe of Ifrael: And this though 
 her Hufband left her much riches, and a great 
 family. And [Ch. xvi. 21.] 'There was alfo 
 Chajlity joined to her Virtue, fo that fhe knew 
 not man all the days of her life, after that Ma-> 
 naffes her hufband was dead. And fhe cbode 
 in her hujband's houfe an hundred and 
 five years-, fo that fhe, fo fair and fo rich, 
 lived a Widow about y/*ry nine years in Chaf- 
 tity, in Prayer, in a perpetual Fait, and Hair- 
 cloth. Who commanded her this, or who 
 required it at her hands? Love of ferving 
 God more perfjiftly. 
 
 5. Wherefore in the Gofpel to the young 
 man whom our Saviour loved, becaufe he 
 truly, for he loves not lying boafters, did 
 lay, that he hid kept the Commandments firm 
 
 his
 
 l6a Of the mrks of Ccunfr', &c 
 his youth, [Mark x. 20.] Chrift notwith- 
 ftanding laid, One thing thou lackeft ; Go thy 
 way, go fell what). ever thou haft, and thou 
 /halt have Treafure in Heaven. This one 
 thing was not wanting to any duty, which 
 he was hound to perform, to he laved For 
 to enter into life,. Chrift did only bid him 
 keep the Commandments, [Matth. xix. 1 7 - J 
 But faith our Lord, [ver. 21.] If thou w'Ut 
 ie perfeti, go fell the things thou ha/l, and 
 give to the Poor, and thou /halt have Treafure 
 in Heaven, and come and follow me. This 
 then is that one thing which thou lackeft : 
 I fay, thou lackeft this one thing, not to the 
 ftate of Salvation, for keeping the Command- 
 ments doth fnffice to the irate of Salvation, 
 but thou lackeft this, to the ftate of Perfecti- 
 on, if thou wilt be perfect. For this one 
 thing contains all the three evangelical Coun- 
 fels. Firft, Poverty, to fell alt and give to 
 the Poor. Secondly, Chaftity ; for him 
 whom he counfelleth to fell all, and give to 
 the Poor, he muft needs counfel not to take 
 a VVife with charge of Family and Children, 
 for elfe fomething were to be kept for them. 
 Thirdly, Obedience, Come and follow me \ 
 under the obedience of thofe whom I fhall 
 place over thee in lawful Authority; for our 
 Saviour in perfon was not to live but a very 
 fhort Time after this. See all that followeth 
 in the next Point. 
 
 The
 
 ( ih ) 
 
 The Twenty-third Point. 
 
 Of voluntary Auflerity of Life. 
 
 T Handle this Point apart, becaufe there 
 **• being fuch daily Practice of thefe kinds 
 of works in our Religion, and fo little in our 
 Adverfaries, they fcofling at all we do, or 
 fuffer, in this point, we will fhew whether 
 they feoff not at trie Practice of Virtue, re- 
 commended by Scripture. 
 
 2. Fjrft then, obferve all that hath been 
 faid in the laft Point doth recommend Au- 
 sterity of Life,, by counfelling a chafte Life, 
 which cannot be maintained unlefs the Flefn 
 be tamed by fome aufterities ; neither is 
 Chaftity itfelf a fmall aufferity. Note alfo, 
 that they who in the old Law, [Numb, vi.] 
 Had a will to feparate them] "elves to God y had 
 alfo a will to choofe an auftere life, abstain- 
 ing from Wine, the ufual drink of that Coun- 
 try. How great and voluntary was the au- 
 fte rity of the Rechabhes, or Sons of Jonadab y 
 who neither did drink JVlnr, nor built Houfes r 
 but lodged abroad in Tabernacles, nor pof- 
 J'fvi Vineyards, nor jowed Corn ^ or any Seed. 
 And yet how doth God praife and reward 
 
 them.
 
 164 Of voluntary Auflerity of Life. 
 
 them for it? [Jer. xxxv. 18.] How great 
 and how voluntary was the auilerity of 'Ju- 
 dith, livingjixty nine Tears in Chaff ity, in 
 upper Rooms, retired from the World, al- • 
 molt in continual faft, continual hair-cloth, 
 mod frequent prayer, fhe being fo rich, and, 
 when fhe began this courfe, fo young and 
 fo beautiful ? Chrift alio counfelled no fmall * 
 voluntary auflerity, to him whom he advifed 
 for greater perfection to fell all, for Money 
 being the price of all Commodities, the want 
 of it brings all incommodities. He was ad- 
 vifed alfo to follow him, who had not a hole 
 tofhroud his Head in. What auflerity is here 
 counfelled ? 
 
 3. Much like this was the voluntary au- 
 flerity of the firfl Chriflians, forfaking Mo^ 
 ney, the price both of all delights, and alfo 
 of all convenient accommodation : And yet 
 [Ads iv. 34.] As many as were owners of 
 Lands, or Houfs, fold and brought the Pi ices 
 of thofe Things which they foil, and carried 
 them before the Feet of the Apoflles. Who 
 commanded this ? Love of ferving God more 
 perfectly : For if we fpeak of any obligation, 
 they had no other than we have. Hence S. 
 Peter to Ananias, [Ch. v. 4.] Whilfl it re- 
 mained was it not thy own, and after it zvas 
 fold, in thy own Powe>- ? That is, thou ha Ift 
 power to keep it wholly to thy felf, or to yow , 
 it wholly to God, after which vow thou 
 haft no farther power to keep it, according 
 
 to
 
 :itary Auflerity of Life. 165 
 to what we proved fully out of Scripture, 
 (Point 21. N. 1, 2.) 
 
 4. But to fpeak more particularly of that 
 which we call Auflerity of life, fuch as that 
 o£ 'Judith was, both great and voluntary, as 
 alio that of Rechabiies, or Sons of Jonadab; 
 How great and voluntary was the Auflerity 
 of Holy David, though a King ? His Knees 
 were weak through Jajl'ing, [Plal. cix. 24. J 
 I am weary with my groaning. All the Night 
 make I my Bed to jw'un. I water my Couch 
 with my Tears, [Pfal. vi. 6.] By reafon of 
 the Voice of my gx oanin;, my Bones have cleai- 
 gd to my S&in. [Pfal. cii. 5. 9.] I have eaten 
 Ajhes like Bread, and mingled my Drink with 
 zv. eping. His Prayers alio far exceeded any 
 command given him, [Pial. cxix. 148.] Mine 
 Eyes have prevented the Nighi-zvatckes, that 
 J might mtdit,te thy word. I prevented the 
 dawning of the Morning, and cried. And 
 [ver. 62.] At Midnight I will rife to give 
 thanks to thee. And [ver. 97.] Thy Law is 
 my meditation all Day. And [ver. 164.] 
 Seven times a Day I do praife thee. Daniel, 
 [Ch. ix. 3.] of himfelf faith, / did put my 
 Face to ?ny Lord God, to hejeech and pray him 
 in Fajiings, Sackcloth and Ajhes. And 
 [Nehemiah ix. 1.] The Children of lfrael 
 came tcgc:her in Fajling and Sackcloths, and 
 Earth upon them. What the Nincvites did, 
 is well known. Of Jacob, .as wealthy as he 
 was, the Scripture tells us, how Sleeping on 
 the Ground, he ufed a Stone for his Pillow^ 
 
 and
 
 i66 Of voluntary Auflcrity of Life. 
 and fo was favoured with that heavenly Vi- 
 fion, [Gen. xxviii. 12.] fo all Ifrael is faid 
 [Joel ii. 12.] Turn ye to me with all ycur 
 Hearty with Fajling, with Weeping, and 
 with Mou mng. 
 
 5. Now in the New Teftament, ChrifVs 
 Doctrine would have made the great finners 
 of Tyre and Si don do Penance in Sackcloth 
 and Afhes. [Matth. xi. 21.] He faith to 
 all, He that will come after me, let him take 
 up his Crofs. Great and voluntary was the 
 Aufterity of St. John B apt if I : He /hall he 
 great hefo e our Lord. Wine and Cyder (or 
 Jbong Drink) he fall not drink, [Luke i. 
 15.] The Ch: Id grew, and waxed in Spirit, 
 a^d was in the Defart unt I the Day oj his 
 tnanfeftation, or /hewing in Ifrael, [ver. 80.] 
 That is, from his Childhood until he was 
 above thirty Years old. He was cl.athed 
 with Camels hair, ar.d a Girdle of Skin about 
 his loins, and he did eat Lo< ufls and wild 
 Honex. [Mark i. 6.] And he did eat fo fpa- 
 ringly, that of him Chrift faith, John came 
 neither eating no> drinking, (Matth. xi. 18.) 
 Of his Difciplcs often fajl'vig we read, 
 (Matth. ix. 14.) And they were inftrucled 
 by him, of whom Chrift faid, Amongjl the 
 C ildren of Women there hath not rij en a great- 
 er than John Bapi/l. Chrift alfo promiled 
 there, that his Difciples mould do as John'* 
 did, that is, fa/t often, when the Bridegroom 
 /hculdbe taken from them. 
 
 6. They
 
 Of voluntary Auflerity of Life. 167 
 
 6. They did but what St. Paul taught, 
 (2 Cor. vi. 4.) In all things approving our- 
 {Ives as the Minijhrs of God, in much pati- 
 ence, in tribulations, in nee ejfi ties, in diftre[/es, 
 injiripes, in prijons, in /editions. To thele 
 which all perhaps were not voluntary, he ex- 
 horts us voluntarily to add, in tabou> s, in 
 tuatchings, infajting^ in pu) enefs or chajlity. 
 tor as we fl.all be partakers of his fijfe rings, 
 fo frail we be of his conflation. ^Vlortfy 
 your Memb.rs which ate u;o.i Earth, (Col. 
 iii. 5.) But before I pals hence, I mult ob- 
 serve what is faid of Holy y/w, (Luke ii. 
 37.) Shi was a ll'id.w until eighty and four 
 Tears, living even until that age, Jhe d part- 
 ed not fom the temple, ty railing and 
 Prayers, ferving God Night and Day. Be- 
 hold by what exercifes God is ferved. Who 
 commanded her this ? The delire of ferving 
 God more perfecdy. 
 
 7. Hear St. Paul of himfelf, (1 Cor. ix. 
 27.) I keep wider ?ny Body, and bring it into 
 
 fubjeclion, lejl perhaps whilfl 1 preach to others^ 
 m y ft If ?na y become a cajl-away, or reprobate. 
 Who commanded him ? Defire of fecuring 
 his falvation. A^ain, (Col. i. 24.) / Paul 
 who now rejoice in juffering for you, and do 
 accompli/}), or fill up that which is behind, or 
 thefe things which vjant, of the affitlion cf 
 Cbriji in my Flejh, for his Body which is the 
 Church. Behold another rcafon, which was 
 to fufFer, thereby to iatisiy for the fms of 
 others, of which. Text more, when wc (hall 
 
 ipeak
 
 1 68 Of voluntary Aujlerity of Life. 
 
 fpeak of fatisfac~tory good Works in the 
 next Point, N. 6. 
 
 8. St. Timothy, Difciple to St. Paul, ha- 
 ving great weaknefs of Stomach, and frequent 
 Infirmities in the midft of fo great Labours, 
 did notwithstanding fo continually drink 
 Water, at all his Meals, that St. Paul 
 thought it neceffary to write to him thus, (i 
 Tim. v. 23.) Drink not yet Water, but ufe a 
 little Wine for thy Stomach, and thy often 
 Infirmities, So you fee, that before he did 
 not fo much as drink a little Wine, though 
 it were the common drink of that Country, 
 and though he were fo weakned by ficknefs 
 and labour: Thus voluntarily abftaining 
 from Wine, fo good a Creature of God. 
 Who commanded him this abftinence r Love 
 of Perfection. 
 
 The Twenty-fourth Point. 
 
 Of fatisfaclory good Works, 
 
 THESE voluntary Aufterities, of 
 which we fpoke in the former Point, 
 and all fuch painful and laborious good 
 Works, when they are performed in ftate of 
 Grace, are held by us Catholics to have a 
 great fatisfactory virtue, by which the pain 
 
 due
 
 Of fat'ufafiory good Works. 1 69 
 
 tlue to our fin is forgiven, and is more or 
 lefs cancelled, as the Works are more or lcfs 
 perfect. For we teach, that after the fin it- 
 felf is forgiven, by our true Repentance and 
 humble Confeflion, there yet remains the 
 guilt of temporal pain, to which that fin 
 makes us ftill liable, as I fhall prove in the 
 next point, which, if you pleaie, you may 
 read before this. Proteftants think they 
 much magnify the PafEon of our Saviour by 
 faying, that by virtue of that alone all fins, 
 and all pain due to all fins, are quite for- 
 given. But firft, I afk them, If nothing 
 elfe be required on our parts ? They are forced 
 to confefs fomething elfe required: for they 
 are conftrained to acknowledge, Fir ft, That 
 we muft be baptized. Secondly, That we 
 mull lay hold of the Pafiion of Chrift, by 
 the hand of Faith. Thirdly, That befides 
 this Faith, we muft have true Repentance. 
 Fourthly, They muft needs fay, that atfo you 
 muft have a wfll to receive the Body and 
 Blood of Chrift. Unlefs you eat the fie jh of 
 the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you /hall 
 not have life in you, [John vi. 53.] Fifthly, 
 They muft needs alfo fay, That either the 
 obfervation of the Commandments is necef- 
 fary (as wc fhall fhew Point 36.) or atleaft a 
 a good will, and ferious endeavour to keep 
 them. He was made to all that obey him the 
 caufe of eternnl Salvation, [Heb. v. 9.] So 
 that obeying him is required on our parts, to 
 H have
 
 1 7 o Of fatisfattory good IVorks, 
 
 have him be effectually to us, the caufe of 
 eternal Saivatitn. 
 
 2. By this difcourfe it is evident, that tho* 
 the Paffion of Chrift in itfelf be of a fuificient 
 worth and value, to fatisfy for all the fins of 
 the World, yea of a Million of Worlds, and 
 alfo for all the pain that is, or can be due to 
 thofefinsj yet Chrift, out of his Prudence 
 and Juftice, thought fit to order fo, that this 
 full fruit of his Paffion mould not be applied 
 to any, but fuch as fhould perform feveral 
 things which he requires at their hands for 
 this effect. Not that there is need of this 
 to fupply any want of value in his Paffion, 
 but there is need to do all this, to fulfil, on 
 our parts, the Covenant and Conditions upon 
 which this benefit is granted. As you mud: 
 fay of all thofe five feveral things, which you 
 yourfelves require to be fuperadded by us on 
 our part, that we may enjoy the full fruit of 
 his Paffion. To thefe five things we Ro- 
 man-Catholics add a fixth, anj we have Scrip- 
 ture for this fixth as well as you have for the 
 other five. That fixth thing is, that Chrift 
 requires of us feveral penal and laborious 
 works, which though in themfelves, and as 
 they meerly proceed from us, they have no 
 fufficient proportion to cancel the pains due 
 unto our fins, as alfo you mult confefs all 
 that is done by us in Baptifm, or in believing, 
 or in repenting, or in receiving his body, or 
 in endeavouring to keep his Law, hath alfo 
 no fuch proportion, yet each of them have 
 
 virtue
 
 Of fatisfaftory good Works. 171 
 
 virtue to this effect: But this virtue is meer- 
 ly from the virtue of the Paffion of our Sa- 
 viour, which is communicated to us by the 
 performance of thefe things. For we fo mag- 
 nify the virtue of our Saviour's Paffion, that 
 we fay a moil fatisfaclory virtue, or a fpecial 
 efficacy to cancel pain due to fins, is not only 
 communicated by it to Faith, but the like 
 efficacy, in order to this effect, is by the 
 fame Pafiion communicated to our painful 
 and laborious works of Failing, Hair-cloth, 
 Watching, Praying, Alms-deeds; and there- 
 fore this our doctrine is fo far from derogating 
 to our Saviour's Paffion, that it honoureth 
 it more than yours, which doth deny the 
 Paffion of our Saviour this praife, of being 
 fufficient to elevate and raife our poor en- 
 deavours of fatisfying to any ability of mak- 
 ing real Satisfaction. 
 
 3. The force and virtue of thefe actions 
 was well known to holy David, who did 
 praclife them fo much, as I fhewed in the 
 laft Point, n. 4. His knees were weakened 
 with fafting, he laboured in fighing, he 
 every night warned his Bed, and watered, his 
 Couch with his tears. The voice of his per- 
 petual groaning for his fins, with other Auf- 
 tcrities joined therewith, made his bones' 
 cleave to his fkin, he being meerly fkin and 
 bones; for he did eat afhes as bread, and 
 mingle his drink with his moft frequent 
 Tears, he gave himfelf to prayer night ?nd 
 day. Every night wafhing his bed with 
 H 2 Tears
 
 1 72 Of ' fatisfaclory good Works, 
 
 tears, rifing at midnight to confefs toour Lord> 
 and then preventing the dawning of the day, 
 by the cry of his morning prayers. Seven 
 times in the day he faid praife to God, all 
 this he did, being a King. Alms-deeds may 
 feem lefs wonderful in a royal perfon; yet 
 his bountiful Alms, confidering the charge 
 of fo continual Wars, were even incredible. 
 Towards the building of the Temple, [r 
 Chron xxii. 14.] Behold, faith he, /, in my 
 trouble, pr (pared the charges of the houfe of 
 our Lord, Of Gold a hundred thoufand ta- 
 lents , and of Silver a thoufand thoufand ta- 
 lents, and of Brafs and of Iron without 
 weight, for the number is furpaffed by the 
 greatnejs : Timber and Stones I have prepared 
 to all the charges. To all this in [Ch. xxix. 3.] 
 Above all thefe things which I have offered 
 into the houfe of my God, I give of my own pe- 
 culiar goods Gold and Silver unto the Temple 
 of my God, befides thofe things which I have 
 prepared for the holy Houfe, Three thoufand 
 talents of the Gold of Ophir, and J even thou- 
 fand talents of mofl approved Silver, Thus 
 he excelled in all the three fatisfaclory works, 
 Fajling, Prayer, and Alms-deeds, to which 
 three all other fatisfactory works are reduced. 
 Who commanded David this ? the excellency 
 Jlis Charity to God. 
 
 4. In like manner Job of himfelf, I ab- 
 hor myfelf and repent in dujl and ajhes % 
 {Job. xlii. 6.] And as for Alms, [ch. xxxi. 
 j 7.] If I have eaten my morfds alone, and the 
 ' ' pupil 

 
 Of fatis fail ory good IVorkt. 173 
 
 pupil bath not eaten ivith me. If his fides 
 have not bleffedme\ and he xv as not warmed 
 With the fleeces of my Jheep. The ft ranger 
 tarried not without; my door was open to the 
 wayfaring man. If I have l.een afraid of a 
 very great multitude. In another place, He 
 was an eye to the blind, a ft off to the *ame, C5V. 
 Of holy Judith's actions we fpoke in the 
 former point. Hear what is faid to that 
 wicked King by Daniel, [iv. 27.] Where- 
 fore, King, let my counfelbc acceptable ts 
 thee, break off thy fv.s by rigbteoufnefs, and 
 thy iniquiies by Jhewing mercy to the pocr. 
 Behold the fins even of Ncbuchadnazer might 
 be cancelled by alms. For [Prov. xvi. 6.] 
 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged [Joel ii. 
 12.] turn to me with all your heart in fajling 
 and in weeping and in mourning, and rer.t your 
 ht arts and not your garments. [Jonas iii. 5.] 
 The m-n of Nineveh pro da ?ned a faff, and 
 were cloathed ivith fackchth, &c. And God 
 faw their works, and had mercy, l3'c. Why ? 
 He faw their works. 
 
 5. In the new Teftament we are exhorted 
 to approve ourfelves Minijlers of God in la- 
 bours, in watching, in fafiirg, in Chaftity^ 
 [2 Cor. vi. 4.] We have St. John Baptift 
 neither eating nor drinking, [Matt. xi. 18.] 
 His Difciplesy<7/?/^ often, Chrift prcmifmg 
 that after his death, his alfo fhould faft as St. 
 John's did, that is, fhiuld fa/} often, [Matt. ix. 
 14.] We have St. Ann by fa/ling and prayers 
 frving night and day, [Luke ii. 37.] St. 
 H 3 Paul
 
 174 Of Jatisfaclory good Worh: 
 Paul chaftizing his body, his Difciple Timothy 
 drinking Ji III ivater. And as for Alms, after 
 fo many woes denounced to the moft unclean 
 Scribes and Pharifees, Chrift himfelf faith, 
 But yet of zvhat rernaincib, give Alms, and 
 behold allthings are cleanfeduntoycu, [Luke xi. 
 41.] So that to cleanfe them by his blood, he 
 would have their alms joined with the vir- 
 tue of his blood, which blood gave thiscleanf- 
 ing power to their Alms. And St. Paul 
 promiieth us [Rom. viii. 17.] That we may bt 
 Heirs of God. and joint Heirs with Chrift, 
 if fo be we fujfer with him, that we may alfo 
 be glorified zviih ~hhn. Note the condition, 
 if jo be that we fuffer : Though Chrift's fuf- 
 fering of its own felf be more than enough, 
 yet he will have ours joined, upon thefe terms 
 he covenants to communicate the full fruit 
 of his Paflion to us, and therefore unlefs this 
 be done on our part, fomething is faid to be 
 wanting to the Paffionof Chrift in order to 
 its full efFecl:. 
 
 6. This is clear out of [Co!, i. 24.] I Paul, 
 who now rejoice in fuffering for you, and do fill 
 up zvhat is behind of the afflictions of Chrift 
 in my f.ejh, jor his body which is the Church. 
 Notwithftanding Chrift' s Paffion [as I de- 
 clared n. 1. and 2. J fome fcores are .left be- 
 hind, Jo that jome things are wanting, not 
 wanting on Chrift's part, but Chrift requires 
 them to be done on our part, for they be 
 our fcores, which be thus behind, until we 
 fliall have done all that he hath ordained 
 
 that
 
 Of fa t i. fa dory good Work; . 175 
 
 that we fhould do, to be partakers of the 
 full fruit of his Paffion, in-order to the can- 
 celling of pains due for our fins. And we 
 muff, either by ourfelves fill up what is behind, 
 or accompli Jh ihejc things which want of the 
 PaJJion of Chrijf to this effect, or our chari- 
 table Brothers muft, by their fullering for us, 
 help us out, as St. Paid here faith he did 
 help out the Colcffans by his fuffering for 
 them. So that, if we he fellows in- bis Pa/- 
 fion, we Jhall be fellows in his Refurreclion 
 and glory. 
 
 7. The obtaining of this remifilon of all 
 fins, and of all pains due to thefe fins, which 
 are committed after Baptifm, is not done 
 with that facility and eafinefs, with which 
 all this was done in Baptifm, but it is a 
 thingrequires much labour and pain. [Heb.x, 
 26.] For, if we fin willingly after the know- 
 ledge of truth received, there is not left an 
 Hoji for fins. Wherefore though it be moft 
 true, which was there faid, [ver. 14.] By 
 one oblation he hath perfected for ever them 
 that are fanclified. Yet the true meaning of 
 that Text is, That he hath done this in that 
 manner which he, in his prudence andjuf- 
 tice, hath thought fit, that is, he hath, by 
 that one oblation fo perfected them for ever 9 
 that they, to be partakers of this confummated 
 perfection, compleated on his part, muft do 
 all things which he exacts to be done on their 
 parts ; that is, believe, repeat, refolve to keep, 
 cr endeavour to keep the Commandments. If 
 H 4 thus
 
 I j 6 Of fail $ f aft or y good works. 
 thus difpofed they fuperadd Baptifm, all fo 
 ferffled, wholly fuppofing their perfeve- 
 rance. But if we fin after this Baptifm, in 
 which we profefs the knowledge of the truth 
 received, there is now not an Hojifor Jin; that 
 is, the Hoft of Chri ft crucified, which is the 
 illation ccnfummating them for ever, As not left 
 to wit, it is not left to cancel, and cleanfe 
 our fins fo eafily as before. For none can 
 again be baptized in cold water, but we muft 
 be rebaptifed in the hot Water of our Tears, 
 in the baptifm of Penance, for fo the Scrip- 
 ture calls Penance, in Failing, Sack-cloth, 
 Watching, Praying, Almfdeeds, or elfe we 
 muft fmart in Purgatory, as by Scripture we 
 fhall now prove. 
 
 The Twenty-fifth Point. 
 
 Of Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead, 
 
 COME are fo ignorant in the underftand- 
 ^ ing of Scripture, that if they find not 
 there the Name of Purgatory, they prefently 
 conclude, that according to Scripture, there 
 is no fuch thing as Purgatory. This is as 
 great fimplicity, as it would be to deny the 
 moft blefled Trinity, becaufe this name can- 
 not be found in all the Scripture old or new. 
 huch Men are to be taught, that any thing 
 is fufficiently proved out of Scripture, if th© 
 Scripture can be (hewed to contain fuch prin- 
 ciples
 
 Of Purgatory &c. 177 
 
 ciples as cannot be true, unlefs it be true alfo 
 that there is a Purgatory. 
 
 2. I fay then the Scripture holds forth 
 unto us three fever al Principles ; all which 
 three mufl be falfe, unlefs we grant a Purga- 
 tory. For firft, if any Scripture teach, that 
 although our fins be forgiven us, whenfoever 
 we truly repent, but yet that they are only 
 forgiven fo, that all the pains due to them 
 be not always forgiven them, together with 
 thefe fins ; then that very Scripture teacheth 
 us alfo, that there is a Purgatory ; bccaufe it 
 may often happen, that he, to whom all 
 fins were forgiven, did depart this life before 
 that all the pains, due to thofe his fins, were 
 remitted. Thefe pains being due by divine 
 Juftice, and not being cancelled by any fa- 
 tisfa&ion made for them in this World, it 
 evidently follows, that divine Juftice muft 
 exact the payment of them in the next 
 World ; but not in Hell, bccaufe no Man 
 is condemned to Hell, who did truly repent 
 for his fins. Therefore fome other place, o* 
 ftate, muft needs be granted, in which fuch 
 a Soul is to pay thofe temporal punilhments, 
 which are yet due to her by divine Juftice. 
 This place or ftate, is that which we call. 
 Pur^atorv. 
 
 3. Secondly. If any Scripture teach us, 
 that we may live and dye with fuch fins, as 
 be not damnable, but only deferve temporal 
 Punilhment, and not eternal ; that Scripture 
 alfo muft needs teach us Purgatory, which 
 
 H 5 ;s
 
 1 78 Of Purgatory 1 and 
 
 is nothing elfe but a place in which Souls 
 
 departed iuffer only for a Time, and not for 
 
 Eternity. 
 
 4. Thirdly, if any Scripture teach us to 
 pray for the Dead, that very Scripture teach- 
 eth us a Purgatory. For Prayers for the 
 Dead are unneceffary to thofe who are in 
 Heaven, and unprofitable to fuch as are in 
 Hell. Thofe Dead then, who can receive 
 help and relief by our Prayers, mull neither 
 be in Heaven nor in Hell ; but in a third 
 place, which we call Purgatory. My work 
 then is done, if I can mew, That thefe three 
 principles be held forth unto us in holy Scripture, 
 Yet fourthly, we mall add feveral other Texts 
 in proof of Purgatory. 
 
 5. Let us now begin with theory? Principle^ 
 and let us (hew how the Scripture teacheth 
 us, that full often, after the fin itfelf is for- 
 given, there do remain fome pains yet due 
 even to that fin. We are all born in original 
 fin. This fin is quite forgiven to many Chil- 
 dren, whether it be by the faith of their Pa- 
 rents as in the Law of Nature, or by Circum- 
 cifion, as in the old Law, or by Baptifm, as in 
 the New. And yet thofe very Infants, to 
 whom this fin is forgiven, do notwithftand- 
 ing for the felf-fame forgiven fin, fufFer the 
 punifhment of Death due unto them for no 
 other caufe, but for that very original fin, 
 which was forgiven them. This is taught 
 by St. Paul, [Rom. v. 12. J As by one Man 
 
 fin enUnd into the Worlds and by Sin Death-, 
 
 A 
 t
 
 Prayer for the Dead. 179 
 
 fo unto all Death did pafs : yea truly unto all 
 did Death pafs, even to thofe innocent Chil- 
 dren who have not committed the lean: offence 
 in the World. 
 
 6. In the Book of Numbers, [ch. xiv. 20.] 
 The people grievoufly offended God by mur- 
 muring: But Mof s praying earneftly for 
 them, our Lord faid, / have forgiven it ac- 
 cording to my word. But yet all the men that 
 have jeen the Jigns that I have done in &gypt 
 and in the Wildernefs, they Jhall not fee the 
 Land) for which I fware to their Fathers. In 
 this wilder ncfs fljall your Carcaffes lie. Your 
 Car cafes f: all he in the wildernefs : Tour Chil- 
 dren Jhall zvander in the defer t forty years, and 
 Jhall bear ycur fornication, until the Carcaffes 
 of their Fathers be confumcd in the Defart. 
 And forty years Jliall yo:t bear your Iniquities. 
 For as I have fpoken fo will I do. Note here, 
 that God with his own mouth faid, he had 
 forgiven the fin, and yet he with the fame 
 mouth and breath, as I may fay, tells them, 
 there fhall be ftill a juft punilhment under- 
 gone for this very fin, for which, though 
 forgiven, they fljall die in the Wildernefs, and 
 for forty years their very Children Jhall bear 
 their fornication ; and they fhall fuffer all the 
 incommodities of wandring in a wildernefs. 
 ^Can then any man wonder, if they diem- 
 felves, who had their pardon on thefe terms, 
 and then were (lain the very next day by 
 their Enemies, mould for a time, yea, per- 
 haps for forty years, fuffer fome punilhment 
 after death ? Eternal punilhment, the old fin 
 
 being
 
 180 Of Pur gat or )\ and 
 
 being forgiven, they could not furTer, if they 
 did no new one ; yet manifeftly fome punifti- 
 ment after death could not but be due to them 
 feeing that fo great a punifhment was fo 
 juftly laid upon their Children, for their fake 
 for forty whole years. 
 
 7. Let us go on, [2 Sam. Ch. xii. 13.} 
 upon David's great Repentance for his great 
 fins of Murder and Adultery, God by the 
 Prophet Nathan told him, Our Lordalfo hath 
 taken away thy fin. Howbeit, becaufe by this 
 deed thou haji given great occafion to the ene- 
 mies of the Lord to blafpheme, the Child that is 
 born unto thee Jhall fur ely die. Behold the fin> 
 taken away, and yet behold a punifhment 
 flill due, even for this deed. Yea for this 
 deed, the Sword Jhall not depart from thy houfe 
 for ever. I will take thy wives and give them 
 to thy neighbours-, and they Jhall feep with thy 
 wives in the fight of the Sun y [ver. 10, LI.] 
 All which great punifhments, even after this 
 forgiven fin, did befal David and his Family. 
 His Son died [ver. 18.] Three more of his. 
 own Sons were flain : Ammon in the next Chap- 
 ter j Abjolom, [Chap, xviii.] Adonias, [ 1 
 Kings ii.] Yea, Abjolom before his death did 
 raife an Army againft David his Father, and 
 enforced him to fly ; Jerusalem being taken, 
 they pitched a Tent for Abjolom in the Houfe- 
 top, the Leads of the place, And he went to 
 his Father's Concubines before all Jfrael y 
 [2 Sam. xvi. 22.] Thus in the Sight of the 
 Sun, lying with his own Father's Wives, 
 called here Concubines, becaufe they were 
 
 not
 
 Prayer for the Dead. l&J 
 
 not admitted to the Title of Queens. 
 
 8. Our Lord /aid to Mofes and Aaron> 
 [Num. xx. 12.] becaufe you have not believed 
 me, you Jhall not bring this People into the 
 Land which I will give them. And [ver. 24. J 
 Aaron Jhall be gathered to his People, that is, 
 fhall die, for he Jhall not enter into the Land, 
 which I have given to the Children of Iirael, 
 becaufe he rebelled again/} my Word, and 
 [ver. 28.] Jar on died there in the top of the 
 Mountain, and [Ch. xxvii. 13,] Godfaid to 
 Mofes, when thou hajl feen it, the Land of 
 Promife, thou alfo Jhalt be gathered unto thy 
 People, as Aaron thy Brother was gathered', 
 For ye rebelled again/} my Commandment. Thus 
 you fee thefe two great Saints both punifhed 
 with a moll: fpeedy death : For that very fin,, 
 of which they being admonimed by Godhim- 
 felf, queftionlefs did repent. Whence after 
 this fin committed God did fo familiarly con- 
 verfe with Mofes, from Chap. xx. to xxvii. 
 By all thefe r and a world of other fuch Ex- 
 amples, it is made evident, that upon the 
 true Repentance of the Delinquent, though 
 the pain of eternal death be always forgiven 
 him, yet often the Delinquent remains liable 
 to fufrer temporal punimments : even as in 
 this World, though upon the repentance of 
 a Delinquent deferving death, the punifti- 
 ment of death be forgiven him, yet he is 
 juftly made liable to fuffer Imprifonment, or 
 condemned to pay fuch a Fine. 
 
 9. Out of this Principle it clearly fol- 
 loweth, that there is a Purgatory j for feeing 
 
 that
 
 182 Of Purgatory, and 
 
 that a man may die before he hath fuffsred, 
 or fatisfied for the punifhment due by divine 
 juftice unto him ; it doth neceffarily follow, 
 that this punifhment, according to the fame 
 juftice, muft be given him in the World to 
 come ; not in Hell, becaufe the fin is forgiven 
 him: But yet- in the Prifon of Purgatory, 
 out of which he mall not go until he hath 
 paid the laft farthing, [Matt. v. 26.] It re- 
 mains then proved, that this principle, fo 
 well grounded in Scripture, cannot be true, 
 unlefs it be alfo true, that there is a Purgatory. 
 
 10. I pafs to the fecond Principle, teach- 
 ing, that fome fins are only venial, deferving 
 indeed fome punifhment, but not eternal. 
 For as he were a Tyrant, who would punifh 
 every Offence, though it deferves but whip- 
 ping, with a cruel death : fo we fhould have 
 too hard opinion of God's Juftice, if we 
 believed, that for every merry lie, for every 
 idle word, or pafilonate fpeech, for every 
 trifling away of a fmall time unprofitably, 
 for every vain or lazy action, he fhould pu- 
 nifh the Delinquent with death everlafting, 
 and the endlefs and unfpeakable torments of 
 Hell-fire, if the perfon dieth without repent- 
 ance, as thoufands muft needs do, who die fud- 
 denly,or outof their fenfes, orintheirfleep,£5V. 
 
 11. That there be fuch venial fins, or 
 fmaller offences, as thefe are, which be 
 truly fins yet not mortal or damnable is clear 
 out of Scripture, [Exod. i. 17. J But the Mid- 
 wives of Egypt feared God and preferved the 
 men Children, contrary to the command of 
 
 the
 
 Prayers for the Dead. 183 
 
 the King; who queftioning them for break- 
 ing his Commandment, they anfwered, The 
 Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian wo- 
 men ; for they have the knowledge to play the 
 Midwife themfelves, and before we come to 
 them they are delivered. God therefore did 
 well to the Midwives-, and becaufe they feared 
 God, he built them houfes. Here you lee the 
 Midwives telling an officious Lie, which is a 
 fin; yet this fin did not take from them the 
 love of God, or made God hate them : but 
 they even then feared God, as the Scripture 
 faith, and he for this their fear, exercifed 
 not in this Lie, but in their Chanty and 
 Mercy, highly rewarded them. Yet this 
 Lying being a fin, divine Juftice could not 
 but referve fome punifhment for it, though 
 not eternal. 
 
 12. Even fo [Joflma ii. 2.] the Spies fent 
 by Jojhua, entered the houfe of Rahab. And 
 it was told the King of fericho. He fent ta 
 Rahab) faying. Bring forth the Men that 
 came to thee, for they be Spies : And the zvo~ 
 ?na?i taking the Men hid them, and faid, I 
 confefs they came to me when the Gate was a 
 /butting in the dark, and they withal went 
 out; I know not whither they be gone, purfue 
 quickly, and you Jhcdl overtake them. But fne 
 made the men go up to the Roof of her houfe* 
 and covered them with the Jlalks of Flax zvhich 
 was there. Here you have another officious 
 Lie, but only a venial, not a damnable fin. 
 By lying (he finned venially; but by that acl 
 
 of
 
 f 84 Of Purgatory*^ ana 
 
 of charitably hiding the Spies fhe pleafed 
 God : For St. Paul faith, By Faith Rahab 
 perijhed not, receiving the Spies with Peace, 
 [Heb. xi. 31.] And St. James, [ii. 25] Ra- 
 hab was Jhe not jujiified by works, receiving 
 the Meffengers, and putting them forth another 
 way, after that Jhe had firji hid them-, Of 
 thefe kind of venial fins the Scripture alfo 
 faith, Seven times Jhall the juji fall and rife 
 again, [Prov. xxiv. 16.] For thefe fmaller 
 fins caft us not out of God's favour, where- 
 fore by his Grace we foon get pardon again . 
 And hence thefe fins are called venial, fuch 
 as eafily have pardon. 
 
 1 3. Whence our Saviour himfelf doth dif- 
 tinguifh feveral fins, and affirms fome of 
 them to deferve punifhment, but not Hell- 
 fire, [Matt. v. 22.] Whofoever is angry (for fo 
 the Proteftant Bibles read) with his Brother, 
 Jhall be in danger of Judgment. And whofoever 
 Jhall fay to his Brother Racha, Jhall be in danger 
 cf Council: And whofoever Jhall fay, thou fool, 
 Jhall be in danger of Hell-fire. Of which only 
 eternal punifhment, the two former fins did 
 not endanger us, they being but venial. 
 Hence it is evident, that there be fome fins 
 which God judgeth* worthy of punifhment, 
 and yet not to deferve Hell-fir e\ and he fpeaks 
 of the punifhment of the next life, as of 
 Hell, isfc. Again, [Matt. xii. 36] Ifayunf 
 you that every idle word that man Jhall fpeak, he 
 Jhall render an account thereof in the day of 
 Judgment, The words of letter anger de- 
 ferred
 
 "Prayer for the Dead, 1 85 
 
 fcrved notHell-fire, as the former Text taught 
 us, yet they being worfe than meer idle 
 words, fome punifhment is due to them. 
 For here this Text faith, Some account muft 
 he rendered even for every idle word; but a 
 lefler account than for angry words,, and 
 therefore they will not alone make us liable 
 to Hell -fire. Again, [Matt.vn. 3.] fome 
 fins be called Beams, fome only Motes; which 
 name Chrift, hating deadly fin to death, 
 would never give to any fin that were dam- 
 nable. Neither would he, if thefe lefler 
 fins were damnable, fpeak of them as he 
 doth, [Matt, xxiii. 23.] You tithe Mint and 
 Anife, &c blind guides, thatjlrain at a Gnat y 
 and fwalloiv a Camel. Behold fome fins only 
 like Gnats, and the doing of them compared 
 to the fault, that would be in omitting to pay 
 Tithe for Mint and Anife. Yet becaufe all 
 venial fins do fomething pollute the Soul, 
 this ftain muft be purged or cleanfed. Often 
 this is not done in this world ; for we fee 
 daily men continue in doing thefe fins to 
 the laft, lofing all fenfe and life alfo, before 
 they repent them: Some account then in 
 Judgment, following after death immediately, 
 will be given of them: Not in Hell, for they 
 deferve it not; therefore in Purgatory. 
 
 14. Agreeable to this is that which our 
 
 Saviour faith, [Luke xii. 47.] That Servant 
 
 who knoweth the zcill of his Lord, and doth not 
 
 according to his zuill, Jhall be beaten with many 
 
 Jlripes ; but he that knoweth it not, and doth 
 
 things
 
 2 86 Of Purgatory, and 
 
 things worthy of ftripes, Jhall be beaten with 
 few firipes. Hence it is evident, that there 
 be fome men, who do things worthy of 
 ftripes, which they mail not efcape -> but yet 
 they Jhall be beaten tuith few firipes. But if 
 thefe ftripes be to be laid on for all eternity, 
 as all ftripes be which are paid in Hell, they 
 will not be few ; becaufe being everlafting, 
 the number of them will be without number. 
 Will then any one call thefe ftripes few? Or 
 can any man perfuade himfeif, that a God, 
 who is all mercy, will in this unmerciful 
 manner puniih the fpeakingofone idle word: 
 Yet Chrift himfeif faith, that we {hall be ac- 
 countable for every idle word we fpeak, 
 [Matt, xii.] Wherefore we mull be liable to 
 fome punifhment for every idle word: fo that 
 if a man of full Age converted from Idola- 
 try be baptized, and by and by after be killed 
 before he commit any other fin, than the 
 fpeakingof any one idle word only; Shall this 
 man be tormented for ever and ever, fo long 
 as God mall be God ? And mail the Father 
 of Mercies give this unmerciful Sentence ? 
 Doubtlefs if any man can do a thing worthy 
 of firipes, and for doing it deferve only to 
 be beaten with few ftripes, this man may 
 hope for this mercy. But for greater than 
 this he cannot hope, feeing that Chrift faith, 
 that feme account is to be given for that idle 
 word. Some puniihment, therefore, he muft 
 fuffer, but not eternal ; and confequently not 
 in Hell, but in Purgatory: For he muft be 
 
 beaten
 
 Prayer for the Dead. 187 
 
 beaten with few ftripes, not with many, or 
 cverlafting flripes. If this principle, fo well 
 grounded in Scripture, be true, then it can- 
 not but be true, that there is a Purgatory. 
 
 15. The third Principle, clearly alfo con- 
 tained in Scripture, is, that Prayer may pro- 
 fitably be made for the dead. This is proved 
 as well out of the Old as New Teftament* 
 In the old Teftament, [2 Mace, xii. 43.] 
 where after divers of the Soldiers of Judas 
 Maccabeus had been (lain in the Battle, He 
 makinga gathering ftnt twelve thoufand drachms 
 of Silver to Jerufalem^U have Sacrifice offered 
 for the fins (of the dead) well and reiigicufy 
 thinking of the refurreclicn. For unlefs he 
 hoped, that they who were flain Jhould rife 
 again^ it Jhould feem fuperfuous and vain to 
 pray for the dead. It is therefore a holy and 
 healthful cogitation to pray fcr the dead, that 
 they may be loofedfrcm their fins. Your Eng • 
 lifh Bibles fo mangle the ienfe here, that I 
 would not follow them. 
 
 I know Proteftants will fay thefe Books 
 be not Canonical, though ill the third Coun- 
 cil of Carthage, held Anno 39 7. [Can. 47.] 
 they be regiitrcd in the Canon. Yet not to 
 difpute this matter, I take that which is 
 granted without all difputc; that is, that 
 thefe Books be written by a true and faith- 
 ful writer of the ancient Church Hiftory; 
 or elfe why do you place them in the Bible? 
 And without difputc alfo, they were written 
 before our Saviour's time. So that by the 
 » mofl
 
 1 88 Of Purgatory, and 
 
 moft grave teflimony of (o ancient a Wri- 
 ter of Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, we have firft, 
 that Judas Maccabeus, who then was High- 
 Prieft, andalfo chief Commander of the Jews, 
 Cxod's only true people, did hold prayer for 
 the Dead to be laudable. Secondly, That 
 this was not his private Opinion, bur a thing 
 done conformably to the cuftom of the Jewifh 
 Church, which to this very day ufes Praver 
 for the Dead. Thirdly, All the Soldiers be- 
 ing men, who had devoted their lives for 
 the defence of the true belief, concurred, 
 by contributing to this aft of Piety, That 
 Sacrifice might be offered for the dead. Fourthly, 
 The Priefts of Jcrufafan, who beft knew 
 their Church's cuftom in Sacrifices for the 
 Dead, which were the fame that were for 
 fin, are never faid to have fcrupulized at the 
 matter. Fifthly, This moft ancient Hifto- 
 rian recommends this cuftom as holy. All 
 thefe things not being fingular in thofe men 
 alone, and happening not full two hundred 
 Years before Chrift, and flill lading to this 
 day among the Jews, there could not but 
 be many, who pra&ifed this, fo common a 
 thing, in his and his Apoftles times. And 
 yet you never read the leaft reprehenfion 
 given them for it. 
 
 1 6. Out of the New Teftament we have 
 two places: Firft, St. Paul, [i Cor. xv. 29.] 
 IVhatJhall they do who are baptifed for the 
 dead? If the dead do not rife at all y to what 
 tnd are they baptized for them ? As if he 
 
 fhould
 
 Prayer for the Dead. 189 
 
 (hould fay, to what end do men do penane-e 
 for the dead? To what end is this done, if 
 there be no Refurreclion, and the Soul do 
 not ftill furvive, expecting to be re-united 
 to the Body ? St. Paul can fpealc here of no 
 other Baptifm which can profit the dead, 
 but the Baptifm of Penance; for fo St. Mark 
 and fo St. Luke fpeaks. And certain it is, 
 that St. Paul takes his Argument from that, 
 which with profit to the Dead, can be per- 
 formed for them. Otherwife, when he 
 prefleth fo hotly thofe words, To what end 
 are they baptized for them? One might eafily 
 anfwer, To no end. True then it is, that 
 to a very good end we undertake this pain- 
 ful Baptifm of Penance for the dead, fo tak- 
 ing upon us part of their fiery Baptifm in 
 Purgatory. This is the language of holy 
 Fathers, expounding Scripture, as Bellarmin 
 fheweth (I. 1. de Pwgatorio, cap. 4.) out of 
 S. Hierom, S. Bafl y and Bede, all expound- 
 ing thofe words, Hejhall baptize you in the 
 HolyGhoJl and Fire •, [Matt. iii. II.] That 
 is (fay they) with the Holy Ghojl fiall he bap* 
 tize in this world, and with Fire in the world 
 to come. To the fameeffecT: he cites S. Gre- 
 gory Naz. calling Purgatory Fire the lajl 
 Baptifm. 
 
 17. The fecond Text is, [1 Jo. v. 16.] 
 If any man fee his Brother to fin a fin not to 
 deaths let him ask, and life Jfsall be given for 
 them that fin not to death. There is a fin to 
 death, committed by irrepentent fmners, I 
 
 do
 
 190 Of Purgatory, and 
 
 do not fay that he fhall pray for it. And fo ' 
 we never pray for thofe, whom we know to 
 die unrepentant. This is the true fenfe of 
 this place, and hence it is clear, that there 
 bejins to death, and fins not to death. The 
 meaning is not, that there be fins mortal, 
 and fins venial, neither according to our In- 
 terpreters, or according to yours, who deny 
 all venial fins. As for us, we all hold Prayer 
 lawfully and fruitfully made for any fin 
 whatfoever, during the life of the finner. 
 Wherefore 2. fin to death is to leave faith, 
 working by Charity even to death: As St. 
 Auftin faith, [de Correp, & Gra. c. 12.] 
 Whence it followeth contrarywife, that a 
 Jin not to deaths is that which a man com- 
 mitteth, but doth not perfevere in it until he 
 be dead. St. John therefore encourageth us 
 with confidence to pray for any, whom we 
 do not know to be departed in deadly fin un- 
 repented. For it is evident, that St. "John 
 fpeaks here of praying for the Dead. Firft, 
 Becaufe before the death of any finner, we 
 may pray for pardon of his fins, whatfoever 
 they be^ and our prayer may be heard. But 
 St. John fpeaks of a finner now placed infuch 
 a ftate, that prayer for him will not be avail- 
 able; therefore he fpeaks of praying for mi- 
 ners who are dead. And of thofe, fome are 
 dead in their fins without repentance, for 
 thefe he bids us not pray. Others of them 
 are dead after they duly repented of their fins ; 
 and for thefe he encourageth us to pray. I 
 
 prove
 
 Prayer for the Dead. igi 
 
 prove this fccondly, Becaufe he fpeaks of 
 their praver, who know their Brother to fin 
 ?ioi to death, that is, to have given iigns of 
 true Repentance. For any fuch, let him ask y 
 and life, of glory, Jhall be given %im, finning 
 not to death. Now if this principle of pray~ 
 ing for the Dead be true, it cannot but be 
 true, that there is a Purgatary, feeing that 
 prayer brings no relief to any that are either 
 in Heaven or Hell. 
 
 1 8. To thefe three Principles, we may 
 yet add feveral Texts to the fame efFec"t, as 
 [Apoc. xxi. 27.] There fljall in no wife enter 
 into it (Heaven) any thing that defileth. Ma- 
 ny die polluted with multitudes of venial fins 
 unrepented. This pollution muft be purged 
 before they enter Heaven. Many alfo die 
 before they have fully fatisfied for all pain 
 due to their mortal fins forgiven them. This 
 full fatisfaclion muft be made before they en- 
 ter into Heaven. But where? In that Pri- 
 fon, of which it is (aid, [Matt. v. 26.] Amen, 
 I Jay unto you, thou Jhalt not go out from 
 thence, until thou payeji the lajl Farthhig. 
 Upon which place S. Hierom, Tins is that 
 .which he faith, Thou Jlmlt not go out of Pri- 
 fon, until thou fialt pay even to thy little fins : 
 And fo S. Cyprian. Now that after the pay- 
 ing of the lalt farthing, there is going out, 
 and forgivenefs in the world to come, Chrift 
 himfelf doth teach, ]Matt. xii. 32.] faying, 
 It Jhall not be forgive?! thee, neither in this 
 world, nor in the world to come. For it is 
 
 nonfenfe
 
 j<)% Of Purgatory, &c. 
 
 nonfenfe to fay, I will neither marry in this 
 world, nor in the world to come; becaufe in 
 that world there is no marrying: The like 
 nonfenfe would be in ChrifVs words, if there 
 were no forgivenefs in the next world. I 
 conclude with St. Paul, [i Cor. in. 15.] 
 If any i nan's workjhallbe burnt, as wood, hay, 
 andftubble will do (by which letter fins are 
 fignified) hejhall fuffer lofs: But he himfelf 
 {hall be favcd, yet fo as by fire. Which St. 
 Ambroje, [Serm. 20. in Pfalm 118.] ex- 
 pounds thus, " Whereas St. Paul faith, yet 
 u fo as by fire, he fheweth indeed that he 
 « fhall be faved, but yet fhall fuffer the pu- 
 " ment of fire; that being purged by fire, he 
 " maybe faved, and not tormented for ever, 
 M as Infidels are, by everlafting fire. 
 
 19. All thefe proofs we have out of Scrip- 
 ture, though they be fo little noted by our 
 Adverfaries, who daily read Scripture. Yet 
 they are to know, that if they will do what 
 they pretend, they fhould by clear Scripture, 
 before they deny Purgatory, fhew us mani- 
 feftly, that there is no Purgatory. For their 
 prime pretence of juft feparation from us, is, 
 tha.: they were inforced thereunto for fuch 
 Errors, as they can manifeftly by only Scrip- 
 ture demonftrate to be damnable. Let them 
 fhew this of Purgatory, and wc have done. 
 
 The 

 
 ( i93 ) 
 The Twenty-Sixth Point. 
 
 Of Indulgences. 
 
 TO underftand this Point well, which 
 is mifunderftood by a world of People, 
 Note firft, what we proved in the former 
 Point* That full often, after that God hath 
 pardoned the guilt of fin, he doth not pardon. 
 the guilt of all that pain to which the finner, 
 according to Juftice, is frill liable for the fin 
 forgiven. Note fecondly, That we are moil 
 grofly belied by our Adverfaries, who fiy 
 that our Doctrine is, That the Pope can for- 
 give us our fins by granting Indulgences . 
 us. Whereas no Catholic Doctor can ever 
 be fhewcd to have taught this Doctrine. We 
 all unanimoufly teach, that the Pope by no 
 Indulgence can forgive any one fingle Mortal 
 or Venial Sin. For our Faith tells us, that 
 thofe fins are only forgiven us by true con- 
 trition, or due forrow in the Sacrament of 
 Confeflion, joined always with a fincere pur- 
 pofe of offending no more. That which is 
 forgiven by an Indulgence is not the guilt 
 of any fin, either Mortal or Venial; but it 
 is only the pardoning of part, or of all that 
 pain, which yet, according to God's Juf-' 
 tice, we ftand liable to pay for the Sins al- 
 ready forgiven. Neither doth any Catholic 
 Doctor teach that the Pope can forgive any 
 I Si,
 
 194 Of Indulgences. 
 
 Sinner this Pain at his Pleafure, "by grant- 
 ing him a plenary Indulgence. But, if our 
 Doctrine be truly underftocd, we all require 
 more for gaining Pardon, even of the leaft 
 part of the pain, frill due to our very leaf! 
 Sins, than Proteftants require to the full 
 forgivenefs of all the greateft fms that are, 
 or can be, taken all together with all the 
 pain which can be due unto them ; which 
 is a Point exceedingly to be noted, it being 
 apparently true. 
 
 2. For the firft thing which we require to 
 gain any part, even of the leaft Indulgence, 
 is. to have true Faith producing true Re- 
 pentance for our fin. This alone with Pro- 
 teftants fufnees to remit the guilt of all fins 
 whatfoever, and all pains due to all fins of 
 which any man can be guilty. Doth it 
 do fo with us ? No, it is far from it. We 
 fay that after this, Firft, he muft make a 
 true entire Confeffion. Secondly, he muft 
 moreover ftand obliged to make perfect re- 
 ftitution of any thing to which he is bound. 
 Thirdly, He ftands obliged to perform the 
 Penance enjoined him. Fourthly, If this 
 Penance fall fhort of fatisfying the divine 
 Juftice for the pains yet due to the fins for- 
 given; the linner ftands ftill obliged to fa- 
 tisfy the divine Juftice by other penal Works. 
 Now all that we fay is, that this pain may 
 be pardoned him by Indulgences; though not 
 by Indulgences granted meerly at the Pope's 
 Pleafure j but by Indulgences granted by 
 
 him
 
 Of Indulgences. 195 
 
 him upon fufficient caufes, which caufes he 
 mult carefully examine. And after the grant 
 of Indulgences, upon due caufes, you muft 
 not think any thing is done until we, on our 
 parts, have done what is required. What 
 is that ? It is, that after fuch humble Re- 
 pentance, and after fuch an entire Confeflion 
 and Reftitution, as I faid, we perform the 
 things cxprefled in the grant of the Indul- 
 gence. And when all is done, the moft that 
 we obtain, is, to have pardon due to fuch fins, 
 the guilt of which is already forgiven by our 
 Repentance and Confefuon. But the Pro- 
 tectants teach, That Faith alone quite frees 
 men for ever of all their fins, and of all the 
 pain that was due for their fins, though ne- 
 ver fo many or fo great: for after this Faith, 
 God imputes their fins no longer to them. 
 
 3. Before I prove, that the Pope hath 
 power by Indulgences, granted upon juft 
 fe, to pardon fuch as duly perform what 
 ii enjoined; I further note, That the Blood 
 of Chrift was of that infinite value, that the 
 fhedding of one drop thereof was able to fa- 
 tisfy divine Juftice for all the fins of the 
 World, yea, of a Million of Worlds; and 
 able to fatisfy a'ifo for all the pain that could 
 be due for all thofe fins. Wherefore, feeing 
 Chrift did not fhed his Blood for us by drops, 
 but by mowers; hence it follov/eth evidently 
 that the fatisfaciions of Chrift alone be, in 
 a moft high degree, fupcrabundant. Tell 
 me now, Is the moft precious Treafurc of 
 I 2 all
 
 196 Of Indulgences. 
 
 all this fuperabundancy of Satisfactions, in 
 order to cancel the Pain due to our fins, ib 
 wholly loft, that even the living Members 
 of Chrift's Body can receive no benefit by 
 this fuperabundancy? God forbid. They be 
 not Treafures wrapped up in a Napkin. 
 Wherefore there muft be a power on Earth 
 to difpenfe this rich Treafure; but yet to 
 difpenfe it fo, as becomes a prudent difpenfer 
 of the Myfteries of God. Now, who is the 
 highcft and chiefeft in this dignity of dif- 
 penfing, but he, whom we have proved to 
 be the Head and Chief Paftor of Chrift's 
 Church, to whom it was faid, To thee I will 
 give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven , 
 [Matt. xvi. 19.] Feed my Sheep, [Joh. xxi. 
 16.] See the feventh Point. 
 
 4. That fuch Indulgences as here de- 
 fcribed, may be granted, I prove firft, be- 
 caufe to give thus the Keys of the Kingdom of 
 Heaven to St. Peter, and to his SuccelTors, 
 as is there proved, is to give power of re- 
 moving any bar that may mut us out of 
 Heaven j whether this bar be the fin itfelf, 
 which excludes us eternally, if not removed, 
 or whether it be the guilt of Pain for our fins 
 forgiven, which excludeth us only until fuch 
 time as due fatisfa£tion is made for that pain. 
 Satisfaction may be made for this Pain either 
 by ourfelves, performing fufficiently for this 
 efr'ecT: fuch fatisfac~tory Works as we fpoke of 
 [Point 9. n. 24.] Or which may be per- 
 formed for us by others. For, as I may pay 
 
 my
 
 Of Indulgences. 197 
 
 mv Debts by myfelf, To I may pay them by 
 a Friend. 
 
 5. And the Proof of this is, a fecond 
 Proof of Indulgences out of [Col. i. 24.] 
 / Paul who. now rejoice in fujfering for you, 
 and do accomplijh thofe things which want if 
 the Pajfionof Chrift in ?v.y flcfu, for his Body 
 which is the Church. Of which Text, fee 
 what I faid [Point 24. n. 6.] whence it ap- 
 pears, that notwithstanding the fulneis and 
 iuperabundance of ChriiVs Paflion in itfeif; 
 yet in order to our being made ccmpleatlv par- 
 takers of the feveral fruits thereof, fomething 
 may be, and often is, wanting on our part. 
 What is this? It is the adjoining of thofe 
 fatisfactory Works, which, in that Point, 
 we have at large fhewed Chrift to ex peel: at 
 our hands. And, until fuch works be per- 
 formed, either by us in perfon, or for us in 
 the perfon of fome other, we ftill Hand 
 liable to the pain due to our fins forgiven. 
 Now that another may offer fuch works for 
 us is made evident by the Text we cited out 
 of St. Paul, affirming that he rejoiced in 
 doing this deed of Charity, which confuted 
 in fufFering, that is, in doing a work moft 
 factory, for them, and by it to make up 
 or t: ijh in his flejh that which was 
 
 yet behind, or as yet wanted of the Pajfionof 
 Chrift \ that is, what was wanting, not on 
 Chriit's part, but on the part of his Bo , 
 which is the Church. Now as St. Paul, as 
 then confirmed in Grace, had few fins, and 
 I 3 many
 
 198 Of Indulgences. 
 
 many fufferings, which he could well fpare, 
 and give away to pay his Brother's debt: 
 To had St. John B apt if; fo had our Lady;. 
 10 the Apoftles ; fo the holy Martyrs, and 
 many others. But above all, ChrihVs fuf- 
 ferings alone had an inexhauftible fuper- 
 abundance, v/hich fufferings, although Chri ft 
 by his ordinary courfe of Providence doth 
 not apply to the full cleanfmg; of our fins, 
 and of the pain due to our fins ; unlefs we 
 do what is required on our part: Yet he 
 hath left power to his Vicar on Earth, upon 
 juft caufes and with due circumfpection, to 
 impart, by way of fpecial favour or Indul- 
 gence, thofe fuperabundant fatisfac"tions of 
 Chrift arid his Saints unto us, that by his 
 faperabundancy, our wants may be fupplied, 
 if we duly difpofe ourfelves by his grace to 
 be partakers of that great favour. 
 
 6. A third proof of Indulgences out of 
 Scripture is to fhew St. Paul exercifing in 
 the perfon of ChHfl this fpecial favour or 
 Indulgence towards the inceftuous Corin- 
 thian. 'vVliom, in his firft Epiftle to the 
 Corinthians, he had given over to Satan by 
 £• communication, But afterwards moved 
 to be more favourable unto him by his great 
 Repentance, he doth not only abfolve him 
 from the fin, and from the Excommunica- 
 tion; but having enjoined him a moft fevere 
 public Penance, which was to havelafted for 
 a r.Tcattimc before the pains due to his enor- 
 mous offence would have been fully can- 
 celled.,
 
 Of Indulgences. 199 
 
 celled, he notwith {landing out of the pleni- 
 tude of his apoftolical power gracioufly par- 
 dons the remnant of his Penance. Now this 
 pardon would have been no favour nor grace, 
 unlefs, at the fame time, he had pardoned 
 the remnant of the pain lull due, according 
 to divine Juftice. Therefore he declares ex- 
 prcfly, that he doth it in the power of Chi iff; 
 fo he faith [2 Cor. ii. 10.] Towhorhyou for- 
 give any things I forgive a! jo in . on of 
 Chrifl ; that is, by Chrift's Commiiiion I 
 give this Pardon, Chrifl: ratifying the Pardon 
 or Indulgence which I give to one fo well 
 difpofed, as I fee this delinquent to be. 
 
 7. And hence comes in a fourth proof 
 [John xx. 23.] Receive the Holy Gho/l, whofe 
 fins you /hall remit, they are forgiven, and 
 whoje fms you Jhall retain, they are retained. 
 Behold power in the Church not only to for- 
 give the remnant of the Pain due to the fins 
 forgiven, which is all that is done by In- 
 dulgences, but alfo behold a power to for- 
 give the very fin itfclf, and confequently to 
 take quite away the very eternity of pain, 
 which before was due to the fin. See Point 
 16. Whence you cannot wonder to fee 
 power of taking away only temporal pain 
 due to fin, when fuch conditions be fid filled, 
 as we did exprefs here, n. 2. 
 
 I 4 The
 
 [ 200 ] 
 
 The Twenty-Seventh Point. 
 
 That Faith alone doth not Juflify. 
 
 THIS is a Point, point blank againft 
 the very prime Point of Proteftant 
 Religion, as their grand Reformers call it, 
 who define this faith to be, an affured' con- 
 fidence that their fins arc forgiven them wholly 
 by ChrifY s P affion : And yet in all Scripture 
 they will not find one fingle Text to prove 
 that ever yet any one fingle man was jufti- 
 fiedby this fpecial Faith, as they call it; I 
 fay, by this fpecial Faith, which breeds in 
 them an aifured confidence, that their fins 
 in particular are pardoned them for Chrift's 
 fake. We afk only for one fuch Text: And 
 yet though the belief of this the Proteftant 
 belief, be chiefly grounded in this Point, they 
 have not fo much as one fimple clear Text ; 
 fo groundlefs is their very ground. Look 
 upon the Faith of Abraham, who is called 
 the Father of all that believe, and fee what 
 Faith was counted to him for his righteouf- 
 nefs, [Rom. iv. 3.] And you fhail find that 
 verfe taken out of [Gen. xv. 6.] where, 
 when God had told him, he would multiply 
 his feed like the flars, Abraham believed 
 God, and he ccunted it to him for righteoufnefs. 
 Why*fo? For his believing promptly that 
 which God had revealed in a matter fo hard 
 to his underftanding, as is oprefly faid, 
 [Rem. iv. 21, 22.] Hence I argue thus: 
 Here is no mention of his allured confidence 
 that his fins were forgiven him by (Thrift's 
 
 PafTion,
 
 That Faiths &c. 201 
 
 Paflion, but here is mention of juftifying 
 Faith, or of Faith counted or imputed to man 
 'for righteoufnefs^ therefore Juftifying Faith 
 is no fuch matter as this fpecial Faith, or 
 confidence. How this Faith of Abraham 
 came to juftify, St. James tells us, That it 
 was by being a Faith effective of good works. 
 For he lb firmly believed what God had faid, 
 that he feared not to fee that faying made 
 null and void, though he mould offer upon 
 the Altar that very fen of his, upon whom, 
 by name, all God's fair promifes feemed 
 grounded. For was not Abraham our Fa- 
 ther jujlified by works ) when he had offered 
 Ifaac his Son upon the Altar f [Jam. ii. 21.] 
 
 2. We fay then, that Faith alone doth 
 not juftify, but that Faith, working by Cha- 
 rity, compleats Juftification. [Luke y'u. 47.] 
 Many fins are forgiven her, beeaufe f!)c loved 
 much. So [Matt. xxii. 11.] He that was 
 called to the Marriage Feaft, and came to 
 it, and entered in, and fat down, could not 
 do this but by faith entering the Church, yet 
 beeaufe he was not attired in a wedding gar- 
 ment of Charity, he was caft out, and for 
 his fake it was faid Many are called, but few 
 are chofen, 
 
 3. St. Paul alfo inculcates this, [1 Cor. xiii. 
 2.] If I Jhould have all Faith, fo that I 
 
 Jhouldmoi >; tains, and have no Ch< , 
 
 / am nothing. Note the word all Faith. 
 Again, [ver. 13.] The greater of thefe three 
 is Charity. And again, [Col. iii. 14.] 
 above all things have Charity y which is' the 
 I 5 • bond
 
 202 That Faith alone 
 
 bond of perfection. For [Matt, xxii. 40. J 
 On thcfe tzvo Commandments (of Charity) de- 
 pendetb the whole Law, and the Prophets. 
 Yet again, [Gal. v. 6.] Neither Circumcifion 
 availeth any thing, nor XJncircumcifwn y but 
 Faith which ivorketh by Charity or Love. Be- 
 hold that very Faith which our very Doc- 
 trine requires, that is, Faith working by Cha- 
 rity, which alio before he called, Faith cb- 
 ferving the Commandments of God, [1 Cor. vii. 
 19.] Where it is faid, Circumcl/ion is no- 
 thing, and uncircumtifion is nothing, but the 
 keeping the Commandments of God. Again,. 
 [Gal. vi. 15.] Neither Circumcifion availeth 
 any thing, nor Uncircumcifon, but a new 
 Creature formed by Charity, according to 
 God's Commandments. Again [Eph. i. 
 iv.] He hath chofen us before the conjtitu- 
 tion of the World, that we Jhould be Holy* 
 and without blame, before him in Love or 
 Charity. Note how that which makes us 
 Holy, and without blame before him, is Cha- 
 rity. Again, [Eph.;iii. 17.] Chrijl dwells by 
 ' Faith in the heart rooted in Charity. Again 
 [Heb. v. 9.] He became the Author of eter- 
 nal Salvation to all that obey him. He was 
 not made the Author of this Salvation to 
 any but fiich as did obey him. For as is faid, 
 f I John i. vii.] If we walk in the light (Lex 
 Lux) the Blood of Jefus Chrifl cleanfeth us 
 from all fin. Where read you that it doth fo, 
 if we walk not in the light ^ or do not obey him? 
 
 4. Note*
 
 doth not Jt{/l:fy. 203 
 
 4 Note, that befides other Texts, I have 
 cited here eight out of St. Paul, becaufe our 
 adverfaries chiefly ground themfelves in thofe 
 his words, [Rom. iii. 28.] A ' ?nanis jujlified 
 by Faith without the Works of the Law. 
 Where his meaning only is, that neither the 
 works cf the written Law, done by the Jew,, 
 nor the works of the Law of Nature, done 
 by the Gentile, before either of them be- 
 lieve in Chrilt, can, without Faith in Chriit, 
 juftify any one. For neither Jew nor Gen- 
 tile is juftified by any one of thofe works ; 
 but they are juflified by that Faith, which 
 he told you in the former Texts, to work by 
 Charity, and to be a Faith observing the Com- 
 mandments of God, making us a new Crea- 
 ture, rooted in Charity, and obeying him. 
 Thus St. Paul is explicated by St. Aug. upon 
 this place. Yea he is explicated by St. 
 'fames in many places of his fecond Chapter, 
 as [ver. 14.] 1 hough a man, faith he, bath 
 Faith and have not JVorks, can Faith javt 
 him ? Note here firft that St. fames fuppofeth 
 this may happen, that a man may have Faith 
 but not IForks, and that, in this cafe, bit 
 Faith will not free him, which is that which 
 St. Paul alfo laid before, If 1 have all Faith 
 
 have not Charity, / am nothing. St. 
 James goes on, [ver. 21.] Abraham, was he 
 
 ■i.'lifitd by V/orks, offering Ifaac? $ 
 
 Faith wrought wit/? his II ~:?ks, 
 y J Verbs was Faith mad-: perj '.\7. VI 
 tbts Faith had juflified before any Works 
 proceeded from it, it had been perfected be- 
 fore
 
 204 "J unification is inherent in us. 
 
 fore any fuch Works. Yet it is faid, Tf:a% 
 by JForksthls Faith was maJeperfecl. Whence 
 followeth, [ver. 24.] Te fee then how that by 
 Works a man is jujVified, and not by Faith on- 
 ly. This then is our demonstration, if 
 Faith juftifieth alone, it juftifieth without 
 Works, but St. James faith it doth not juf- 
 tify without Works, therefore it doth not 
 juftify alone. For by Works ^ and not by Faith 
 alone a man is jujiified. What more clear? 
 
 The Twenty-Eighth Point. 
 
 Whether our Justification be any thing inherent 
 in us. 
 
 OU R Adverfaries Doctrine is, That we 
 are only juft, becaufe God is pleafed to 
 repute us fo, in regard of Chrift's Juftice 
 imputed to us, and thus he doth only co- 
 ver our fins, thefe fins ftill remaining in us, 
 but God doth not impute them to us, be- 
 caufe we having once laid hold of Chrift's 
 Juftice by the hands of Faith, this Juftice 
 is made ours, and by Chrift's merits we mall 
 undoubtedly be faved. Our Doctrine, op- 
 pofite in all points, fhall be, point after 
 point, proved out of Scripture. 
 
 2. Firjl then we fay our Juftice is a qua- 
 lity truly inherent in us, [Ezech. xxxvi. 26.] 
 A new heart alfo I will give you y and a new 
 Jpirit I will put within you* And caufe you 
 
 H
 
 Ju/lificathon is Inherent in us. 205 
 
 to walk in myjlaiutcs. And ye Jh all keep my 
 "judgments, and' do them* I need fpeak no 
 clearer. So [Rom. v. 5. The Charity of 
 God is poured forth in our Hearts by the Holy 
 ?, whidk is given us, by the infufion of 
 this Charity into us, in us is framed the 
 new Creature, [Gal. vi. 15.] And this new 
 inward man is laid, [Col. i'ri. 12.] to be put 
 on by us by fuch virtues as are inherent. 
 As by the bowels of mercies, kindnefs, humble- 
 nefs of mind, meeknefs. And [ver. 14. J 
 Above all thefe by Charity, which is the bond 
 of perfeclion: Behold the parts of this in- 
 ward new man, of which again he faith, 
 \Eph. iv. 23.] Be renewed in the fpirit of 
 your mind, and put on the new man, which 
 after God is created in righteoufnefs and true 
 holinefs, which be qualities moft inherent. 
 And [Eph. i. 4.] He hath chofen us before the 
 foundation of the world, that we Jhould be 
 holy without blame in his fight in Charity, 
 which Charity is an inward quality. 
 
 3. Secondly, We fay that by this quality 
 we are not only reputed jufl, but we arejuft 
 verily, and really. And becaufe we verily 
 are fo, we truly are to be reputed fo, we 
 being holy before him in Charity. For, as 
 was faiJ in the former Texts, we have in 
 us, a new heart, a new fpirit by Charity y 
 poured forth in our very hearts, transforming 
 us inwardly into new creatures, and new 
 men, being truly renewed in fpirit. Whence 
 [1 John iii. 1.] JVc are not only called the 
 
 Sens
 
 ic6 c fuJ?ificaticn is inherent in us.- 
 
 Sons of God; But now zve are the Sons cfGod. 
 So when you read, that Abraham's Faith, 
 working by Charity, was imputed to him to 
 Right eoufnefs, and he was called the Friend of 
 God. [Jam. ii. 23.] You fhall note that he 
 therefore was reputed juft, and therefore 
 called the Friend of God, becaufe truly he 
 was jufl, and was truly God* s friend, having 
 Faith quickened by Charity in him. So 
 [Luke i. 6.] of Zachary and Elizabeth, They 
 were both righteous before God (whofe eyes 
 fee what is the moft covered) walking in all 
 the Commandments and Ordinances of our Lo*d 
 without blame. They therefore were jufr, 
 even before God's eyes. And this true Juf- 
 tice in the eyes of God, is, in the fame 
 Chapter, promiied to us, by the Grace of 
 the Saviour there foretold, that we may 
 ferve him in holinefs, righteoufnefs, and ju/- 
 tice before him ad cur days, '[ver. 75.] Note 
 this Holinefs before him, which is to be holy 
 in his fight. Hence God to Kcah, [Gen. vii. 
 I.] / have feen thy right eoufnefs before me* 
 Hence alio [Col., i. 10.] 7 hat you may walk 
 worthy of the Lord, unto all pleafing, frucli- 
 fying in all good works. Giving thanks to the 
 Father who hath made us met t to be partakers 
 of the inheritance of the faints. So [Jpoc. iii. 
 4.] Thcu ha J I a fw names in Sardis, which 
 have not defiled their garments, and they Jlall 
 walk withn.e in white, becaufe they be worthy. 
 \nd [1 John iii. 7.] Little Children, let no 
 ■tan ded ive you : He that doth righteoufnefs ^ 
 
 is
 
 Jujl if cation is inherent in us. 207 
 is righteous, even as he is righteous. Note 
 thefe words, even as he (that is God) is righte- 
 ous. For God is righteous not by imputa- 
 tive, but true interior Juftice, of which in- 
 ward Juftice Chrift faith, [Matt. v. 20.] / 
 fay unto you, unlejs your righteoufnefs Jhull ex- 
 ceed that of Scribes and Pharijees, you /hall 
 not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.. For 
 if there be not righteoufneis in us,, exceed- 
 ing Scribes and Pharifees, we fhaJl be con- 
 demned, and no righteoufnefs fhall be im- 
 puted^to us. For as is faid, [Rc?n. ii. 2.] 
 IVe are fur e that the judgment of God is ac- 
 cording to truth. It were not verity but fal- 
 fity to repute him juft, who in very truth is< 
 not j lift, but is (till a firmer. Hence [Prov.xvu.. 
 15.] He that jujiifieth the impious, and he 
 that condem>ieth the juft , both are abominable 
 before God.. Dare you fay that God doth 
 that which is abominable? He reputes things 
 to be as they truly are in themfelves. So 
 [Rem. ii. 9.] Wrath and Indignation, Tribu- 
 lation and Anguijh upon every Soul of man that 
 worketh evil. He imputes juftice to no fin- 
 ncr, until he leaves oft' to be fo, by true re- 
 turning to works of Juftice. Thofe whom 
 he reputes clean, truly are clean. And you 
 are clean, [John. xiii. 10.] 
 
 4. Thirdly, Hence we fay that our fins be 
 not only covered, but wholly taken away. 
 For we by virtue of God's inward grace 
 given for Chrift, are cleanfed, made white, 
 and glittering. For Cbrifi is the Lamb of 
 
 God
 
 lo8 fujiification inherent in ttss 
 God who taketh away the fins of the Worlds 
 [John i. 29.] He doth not only cover them, 
 but takes them quite away. And lb [PjaL 
 xvxii 2.] when David faith, BleJJed is the man 
 to zvhom the Lord doth not impute iniquity-} and 
 whofe fins are cove> ed. It followeth, there is 
 no guile in his fpirit. Ancl becaufe there is 
 no guile, therefore no iniquity can be im- 
 puted to him. Proteftants flill cite the former 
 words, but leave out thefe latter, which 
 words teach us excellently, that what is co- 
 vered from God's eyes, mull not be at all, 
 and therefore his fin now not being at all, 
 cannot now at all be feen. For as the fame 
 David tells you, [Pfial. ciii. 12 ] As far as 
 the Eaft is from the Weft, fio far hath he re- 
 moved our tranfgrejfion from «;. This expref- 
 fion, though it may be thought very full, yet 
 really our fins forgiven, are as far from us, 
 as that w 7 hich is not now, is diftant from 
 that which is now, which is a greater dis- 
 tance than Eaft from JVefi, though that be 
 far enough to declare a true perfect remiilion 
 by quite abolifhing the fm forgiven by in- 
 fufed grace, accordingto [Ezech. xxxvi. 25.] 
 I zvillfprinkle clean water up:n you, and ye 
 Jloall be clean from all your filth inefs. And 
 [1 Johni. 7.] And the Blood of Chrijl clean feth 
 us from all fin*. So that by this his blood, 
 the body of fin is deftroyed, [Rom. vi 6. J, 
 And thus, he will eaft all cur fins into the 
 depths of the Sea, [Mich. vii. 19.] 
 
 The
 
 ( 20 9 ) 
 
 The Twenty-Ninth Point. 
 
 JFheiher our Jujiif cation may not be lofl. 
 
 THE heart is deceitful above all things > 
 who can know it f [Jer. xvii. q.] Yet 
 Protectants placing JufHfication in fuch a 
 Fpecial Faith, as afliires each man of his Sal- 
 vation by the merits of Chrift, are hence 
 enforced to teach two Jlrange Paradoxes. 
 The firji is, That this fpecial Faith breeds a 
 full ailurance, grounded in a real truth, 
 wherefore we need net fear our Salvation. 
 The fecond, which is contained in the for- 
 mer, or thence clearly deduced, is, that this 
 Juftification of ours cannot be loft, forelfe, 
 that afTurance might have had a lye for its 
 ground and fole foundation. 
 
 2. We teacher/? that no man, without a 
 fpecial Revelation, is allured to be faved, 
 and fo all ought to zuork their Salvation with 
 fear and trembling. St. Paul every where 
 proveth pur doctrine : Thou by faith dojl 
 f.^id, be not high-mnded, but fear, [Rom. xi. 
 20.] Again, [i Cor, iv. 4.] he faith, he 
 knew nothing by himfelf (concerning any 
 guilt) but J am not jufiified herein. But he 
 that judgeth ?ne is our Led: I dare not judge 
 my f elf, though I knew nothing by myfef\ how 
 then dareft thou? Again, [1 Cor. ix. 27.J 
 But I keep under my body, and bring it into 
 
 fu.jec-li:n+
 
 210 J unification may he loft. 
 
 fubjeSiion, left that by any means whilft I 
 preach to others, I my f elf may become a cafl- 
 away, or reprobate. Again, [Ch. x. I2.J 
 Therefore he who thinketh himjelf to ftand 9 
 (as Protectants do) let him take heed left he fall. 
 Again [Phil. iii. u.] If by any means I might 
 attain to the rejurrettion of the dead. He 
 found no fecurity in that fpecial Faith you 
 fpeak of : Therefore he faid, [Phil. ii. 12.] 
 Work your own faivation with fear and trou- 
 bling. [Apoc. iii. II-] Hold that fajl which 
 thou hajt, that no man take thy crovjn. For 
 [Luke viii. 13.] There be thofe who for a time 
 believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 
 
 3. Secondly, conformably to all the Texts 
 we fay, that thofe who were juft, may come 
 finally to be damned. For [Exod. xxxii. 
 33*] Who fo ever hath finnsd againjl me-, him 
 will I blot out of my Book. Thofe who are 
 baptized are born again of water and the Holy 
 Ghoft, [John iii. 5.] Yet how many thou- 
 fands of thefe, once regenerated men, fin af- 
 terwards, and never rife again; and truth 
 faith of him who rifeth not again, lubofocver 
 hath finned againjl me^ him will I blot out of 
 my book: Out of which he could not be 
 dafhed, unlefs his name had once been en- 
 rolled in it. Solamon his Salvation is much- 
 doubted of by holy Fathers, yet there could 
 be no doubt thereof, if your opinion were 
 true ; for God himfelf faith he once was juft,, 
 [1 Chron. xxviii. 7.] I will eft ablijh his king- 
 dom far ever, if he be conftant to my Com- 
 mandments
 
 J ' lift i fie at ton may he loft. 211 
 
 ?nandmcnts and Judgments as at this day. At 
 that day then he wr.s in a flate pleating to 
 God, and yet you fee doubt of his perfe- 
 verance is even here intimated. Yea, by and 
 by Dav : dhh Father tells him; But if you 
 forfake hi?:?, be Will caft thee off for ever 9 
 [ver. 9.] David did not judge Solomon to be 
 at this time out of God's favour, yet his 
 words (hew he feared that he might hereaf- 
 ter come to lofe God's favour. What So* 
 hmon after did, the Scripture tetfs us, 
 [1 Kings xi. 3.] JV.7ncn turned av:ay his 
 heart. And when he was now old, his TVices 
 turned awr.y his heart to other Gods. He wor~ 
 /hipped Ajlarthee the Goddefs of the Sidonians 
 and Moloch the Idol of the Ammonites: He 
 built a Temple to Camos toe Idol of Moah^ and 
 in this manner he did to all his Wives, who 
 ivere Jlrangers. Therefore our Lord was an- 
 gry zuith Solomon, hecaufe his heart was turned 
 from the Lord. Did he not ceafe to be juft 
 when bit heart was iu ved away from our 
 Lord? David faith, [Pfa ! . v. 5.] Thou hateji 
 all workers of iniquity. God then did hate 
 Solomon. I difpute not whether he repented 
 or no, whether he we're faved or no; but 
 without all difpute, he once loft his former 
 Juiticc, bis heart a-,d m'md bci-ng turned away 
 from God, and our Lord therefore, /earing wrath 
 againjl him, and hating him. Let us proceed. 
 4. The Apoftles, [Ael vi. 3.] Commanded 
 feven men full of the Holy Gho/l to be made 
 Deacons. One of them was Nicholas, a 
 ftrangtr of Antioch. Thefe they fet in the 
 
 prefence
 
 212 y unification may be loft. 
 
 prefence of the Apoftles, and praying, they 
 impofed hands upon them. Yet this Nicho- 
 las did fall finally into Herefy, and began the 
 Herefy of thofe who, from his name, are 
 called Nicolaites, [Apoc. ii. 6.] St. Paul 
 alio, [Heb. vi. 4, 6.] tells us the fad condi- 
 tion of thofe, who were made partakers of the 
 Holy Ghofl, if they Jhall fall away, which is 
 manifeftly to fuppofe that even fuch men 
 may fall away. So the foil ft) Galatians hav- 
 ing begun with the fpirit, ended with the 
 'fiejh, [Gal. iii. 3.] It is therefore faid to 
 them, You did run we /, who hi ride ■ ed you, not 
 to obey the truth? [Gal. v. 7.] Behold they 
 came not to obey the truth, who before, did 
 not only walk well, but alfo run well. 
 Hence alfo it is that the Scripture ufeth to 
 fpeak thus fearfully, and conditionally con- 
 cerning our perfeverancc in Juftice. [Joh. xv. 
 6.] If a man abide net in me, he is c -ft forth. 
 And [Rom. xi. 22.] If thou continue in his 
 goodnefs, otherwife thou -alfo /halt be cut off. 
 And [2 John 8.] Look to your [elves that we 
 lofe not t'.cfe things which we have ivrought. 
 Evident therefore is our Doctrine thus deli- 
 vered by Ezekiel, [xxxiii. 12.] The righteouf- 
 nefs of the righteous ft: all not deliver him in 
 the day of his tranfrcffim. Neither fall he 
 righteous be able to live for 'is righ'eoujnefs in 
 the day that he finneth. All his righteoufnefs 
 Jhall not be remembered : But for his iniquity, 
 which he hath committed, be Jhc 11 die for it.- 
 He then may die for iniquity who once was 
 
 juft.
 
 The Commandments, oV. 213 
 
 juft. Hence he taught his juft Apoflles to 
 pray, Lead us not into temptation, for fear of 
 falling into it. Let us therefore when we 
 have Faith, Hold faith a> cLa good confcience, 
 which fame having put away 9 concerning faith 
 have made Shipwre.k, [1 Tim. i. 19. j 
 
 The Thirtieth Point. 
 
 To f/f if cation it is r.eceffary to keep the 
 Com?nandments. This is pojfible. 
 
 ISay firft, that it is poflible to keep the 
 Commandments by the help and ailiftance 
 of God's grace, fufticiently afforded us to 
 that end, [Dad. v. i.j Mojes called all If 
 rael, and f aid to tucm, hear, Ifrael, the fa- 
 tutcs which I [peak in your ears this day. 
 Learn them a; d keep and do them. And then, in 
 the fixth verfe, he begins to tell all the Ten 
 Commandments, which God would have 
 them learn, and keep, and do. But God will 
 exacl of no v man to keep, and do that which 
 is impoffible ; Ergo, this by his grace is pof- 
 fible. / will g^ve my Law in their Bowels. 
 And in their heart 1 will write it, [Jcr. xxxi. 
 33.]. The law of God is in his heart, none 
 of his flops fh all fide, [Pfal. xxxvii. 31.] 
 And [Rom. viii. \.~\God fending his i'i7«,oV.] 
 That the Jujlif.cation of the Law might be 
 
 fulfilled
 
 214 The Commandments may he kept* 
 fulfilled in us. All thefe Texts prove that, 
 bv God's grace, we may fulfil his Law. And 
 therefore as St. Z^0 excellently faith (Serm. 16. 
 de PaJJione) "Jufll Deus inflat pracepto, gut 
 prcecurril auxilio. Godju/ily prejjetb upon us 
 the doing of that, to performance of which , he 
 offereth us his grace. 
 
 2. And becaufe fome Proteftants fay, that 
 the Commandment of loving God with all our 
 heart and foul, is the Commandment impof- 
 fible to us all in this life, I will fhew this to 
 be flatly againft Scripture. For of David, 
 [i Kings xiv. 8.] it is faid, He kept my Com- 
 mandments, and followed me in all his heart. 
 So of Jofas, [2 Kings xxiii. 25.] He re- 
 turned to our Lord with all his heart, and 
 with all his foul, and with all his might. 
 What more is commanded any where? With 
 my whole heart have I fought thee, [Pfal. cxix. 
 SO.] He who hath commanded us to do 
 this, hath promifed grace enabling us to 
 perform his Command. [Deut. xxx. 6 ►] Our 
 Lord thy God will circumcife thy heart, and 
 the heart of thy fed, to love our Lord thy God 
 with all thy heart, and with all thy foul. 
 And [ver. ii.~\7 bis Commandment that I com- 
 mand thee, this day is not far off : It is not 
 in Heaven (where Proteftants fay it mail only 
 be fulfilled) that thou mayfi fay which of us is 
 able to afcend to Heaven to bring it to us, that 
 we may hear it and do it, (as God required in 
 the firi'l Text) nelthi r is it beyond the Sea 9 
 that thou Jhouldejl fay, who Jhould go over the
 
 The Commandments may be kept. 215 
 
 Sea for us, an I briv.g it unto us, that we may 
 hear it, and do it. But the word is very nigh 
 unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that 
 thou mayeft do it, do it, I fay, by the help 
 of my grace, making this poffible even in the 
 old Lav/. So [PjaL cxix. 55.] I have kept 
 thy Law. 
 
 3. And this Grace makes this really done 
 and performed far more in the New Tefta- 
 ment. God laying, [Ezek. xxxvi. 26.] / 
 will give you a new heart, andivill put within 
 you a new fpirit, and caufe you to walk in my 
 Jlatutes, and ye Jhall keep my judgments, and 
 do them. And [Ch. xxxvii. 24.] They jhall 
 wah in my judgments, and obferve my Jlatutes 
 end do them. This then can be done. Like- 
 wife this was done by Xachary and Elizabeth , 
 [Luke i. 6.] Ihey %v ere both righteous before 
 God, walking in all his Commandments and Or- 
 dinances of our Lord blamehfs, or without 
 blame. Alio [Matt. xix. 20.] 1 he young man 
 faith to him (Chrift) All theft have I kept 
 from my youth ; and [Mark x. 20.] All theje 
 things I have obferved from my youth. And 
 Jefus beholding him, loved him, which he 
 would not have done, if he had been a liar 
 in what he faid. This young man then was 
 not a liar. But he that faith he knoweth G d 
 and kecpeth not his Commandments, he is a liar 
 and the truth is not in hi::., [1 John ii. 4.] 
 For as it is faid there, Hereby we do know 
 that we know him, if we keep his Command- 
 ments. Again [John xvii. 6.] And they have 
 
 kept
 
 2 1 6 The Commandments may he kept. 
 
 kept thy word. And yet further, [i John Hi. 
 22. J JVhatfoever we Jhall ask, we Jhall re- 
 ceive of hi?n, becaufe we keep his Command- 
 ?nents, and do thofe things which are pleafing 
 in his fight. Again, [Apoc. xiv. I2.J Here 
 are they that keep the Commandments of God, 
 It is the. faying of Chrift himfelf, If thou wilt 
 e titer into life, keep the Commandments^ 
 [Matt. xix. 17. Mark x. 20. Luke x. 28. 
 and John xiv. 15.] If ye love me, keep my 
 Commandments, And [ver. 21.] He that hath 
 my Commandments, and keeps them, he it is 
 that loveth me. They may therefore be kept. 
 Yea, Chrift himfelf, [Matt. xi. 30.] My 
 yoke is. eafy and my burden is light. For 
 [1 John v. 3.] This is the love of God, that 
 we keep his Commandments : And his Com- 
 mandments are not grievous. Note alfo, that 
 all the enfuing Texts, which prove keeping 
 of the Commandments in thofe who are of 
 Age, to be necefiary to our Juftification, do 
 prove alfo that they are poffible to be kept: 
 For no impoflible thing can be necefTary to 
 our falvation. 
 
 4. Secondly, Then I fay to all, who have 
 the ufe of Reafon, keeping of the Com- 
 mandments is necefTary to Salvation, and 
 confequently to Juftification. This is taught 
 in a number of Texts which I cited, [Point 
 27.] to prove that Faith alone doth not juf- 
 tify, but chiefly requires Charity. And St. 
 John faith, [1 John v. 3.] This is the love 
 of God that we keep his Commandmetits. And 
 
 [Matth.
 
 How ftill we have free-will^ &c. 2 J 7 
 
 [Matt. xxii. 40 ] On thofe two Command- 
 mints (of Chrift) bang all the Law and Pro- 
 phets. Our Juffification therefore canr.ot 
 but depend upon thofe two Commandments. 
 5. Hence fct, Paul, [1 Cor. vii. 19.] Cir- 
 atmctfion is nothing, and Unciranncijion is no- 
 thing, but the observation of the Commandment 
 of God. So that if this be nothing, or a 
 thing impoilible, all comes to be nothing. 
 Again, what we cited in the 27 Point n. 4. 
 evidently proves works to be necefiary to fal • 
 vation. But no works are more neceflary 
 than thofe that are commanded ; thefe there- 
 fore are chiefly neceffary to Justification. 
 
 The Thirty-firfl Point. 
 
 How fill we have free zvill to do good, or evil. 
 
 WE are foully flandrred by thofe, who 
 make us to teach, that it is in our 
 power to do that which is able to advance us 
 towards Heaven; as if we faid this, without 
 adding, or at lcafl underftanding, that this 
 is in our power only by the help of God firjl 
 moving and exciting us\ and then lending us 
 his helping hand, even all the while that we are 
 doing any ivo rk which can advance us towards 
 Heaven* By this help we fay, our free-will 
 K is
 
 2 1 8 How Jilll we have free- will 
 
 is ftill enabled to do good, or avoid evil ; and 
 that, by this help, it is in our power alfo, ei- 
 ther to omit our duty, or to do it, a fuffi- 
 ciency of this Grace being ftill afforded us, 
 according to that [2 Cor. xii. 9.] My grace 
 is fufficient for thee. Hence [2 Tim. ii. 21.] 
 If a man furge himfelf he /ball be a vejj'el 
 unto honour. By virtue of this grace it is in 
 our power to approach to God, [Jam. iv. 8.] 
 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to 
 you. Clcanfe your hands i ye finners, and pu- 
 rify your heart. We may alfo by the free- 
 will we have to refill this grace, harden our 
 hearts. 
 
 2. Hence Pharaoh's obduration is afcribed 
 often to his free-will, [Exod. viii. -15.] And 
 Pharaoh feeing this, he hardened his heart. 
 And [1 Sam. vi. 6.] TVhy do ycu harden your 
 hearts as JEgypt and Pharcah did harden their 
 heart. And fo David crieth to us all. Har- 
 den not your hearts, [Pfal. xcv. 8.] And 
 [Ezek. xviii. 31.] Cafi away from you all 
 your tranfgrejfions, and make you a new heart 
 and new fpirit, for why will you die, houfe 
 of Ifraelf for I have no pleafure in the death 
 of him that dieth, faith the Lord God : Where- 
 fore turn yourfclves, and live ye. 
 
 3. Behold how God himfelf declares, that 
 by the Grace he offers us, we may make our- 
 fe'lvcs a new heart, a nezu fpirit \ turn our- 
 fi Ives and live. God fpeaks clearly in [Deut. 
 xi. 26.] Behold I fit forth in your fight this 
 ias Bcmdiclhn and Malediction: Bcneditlion, 
 
 if
 
 to do a oca or evil, 219 
 
 u obey the Commandments of our Lcrd> 
 
 JMalediclion, if you obey not, but revolt from 
 
 tie Way which now I jbcw you. Again, 
 
 [Deut. xxx. 15.] See, J have fet before thee 
 
 this day life and good Jand contrariwifc) 
 
 death and evil. And [ver. 19.] / call for Ve- 
 
 e or d this day, Heaven and Earth. 1 have fet 
 
 before you life and death, bkjfing and curling : 
 
 Chujing therefore life. See here the choice 
 
 left to our free will. So f Joih. xxiv. 15. J 
 
 Chufe this day whom you willjerve. [2 Sam. 
 
 xxiv. 12.] Choice is given thee of three things-, 
 
 chufe one of them which thou wilt. And 
 
 [Philem. 14.] Without thy mind I would do 
 
 nothing, that thy benefits jhould ?iot be as it 
 
 were ofncceffity\ but willingly. And[i Cor. 
 
 vii. 37.] He that jlandethjledfajl in his heart* 
 
 having no neceffity, but hath power over his 
 
 cwn will doth well. 
 
 4. Behold we have power over our own 
 will, to do that which islefs perfect, or that 
 which is more perfect. For, as it is there 
 laid, He who giveth in marriage doth well, 
 he that giveth not doth better. And we have 
 power over our own will to do either. Yea, 
 God's Grace fo enables our power, that 
 [John i. 12.] As many as received hi?n,to them 
 gave he power to become the Sons of God. By 
 this his power we cleanfe our hands, purify 
 our hearts, cleanfe our whole felves; We 
 [Matt. xii. 33.] make the tree and fruit good. 
 And as it is laid, [1 Johniii. 3.] Everyman 
 K 2 that
 
 220 How this free- will isjiill help ed,&c. 
 
 that hath this hope in him, purifieth himfelf 
 Hitherto of free-will in doing good. 
 
 5. How free-will comes to lead us to all 
 our evil, St. James tells us, [Ch. i. 14.] 
 Every one is tempted, when he is drawn azvay 
 of his own fafl, and enticed (hitherto no iin) 
 hut then; when? (I pray note this) then, 
 when lufi hath conceived, it bringeth forth fin. 
 Then iin, and only then \& hatched, when 
 free-will yields herfelf to Concupiicence fc, 
 as to content to what is fuggefted. Ye did 
 not hear, ye did ckufe that wherein I de- 
 lighted not, [Ifa. lxv. 12.] The Texts alfo 
 in the following Point confirm free-will. 
 
 The Thirty-Second Point. 
 
 How this free-will isjiill helped ivith fufficient 
 Grace. 
 
 IF God gave us not always that Grace 
 which is of fufficient force to excite us to 
 the effectual performance of all the good 
 which we are bound to do, or to the avoid- 
 ing of all the evil which we are bound to 
 avoid, our free-will could neither do the one 
 nor avoid the other. All the former Texts 
 then which fo clearly prove, that we, by 
 God's help, can, if we will, do what we 
 
 are
 
 with fufficient Grace. ill 
 
 are bound to do, and can avoid what we arc 
 bound to avoid, do consequently prove, that 
 God always gives fuch grace to both effects, 
 as wants nothing of perfect fufficicncy to 
 produce them, but our free confent. Hence 
 St. Paul thus exhorts us, [2 Cor. vi. I.] If'e 
 then, as workers together with him, befeech ycu 
 alfo that you receive not the Grace of God in 
 vain. Excellently the Rhemijis upon this 
 Text : It lieth in maris power and free-will 
 to fruflrate, or to follow this motion of God, 
 as this Text plainly proveth, which really 
 is the very felf fame that the Council of 
 Trent faith, [Serf, vi. 5.] That by God's ex- 
 citing and helping Grace, we arc difpofed to 
 convert ourf elves by freely affenting and co-ope- 
 rating to the fame Grace: jo that God, touch- 
 ing the heart of man by the illumination of the 
 Holy Ghoft, man is neither void of all ae?ion 9 
 he receiving that inspiration; for he receives 
 it fo, as having it in his power to cafiit away* 
 Neither can he without the Grace of God 
 move himfelf. And therefore it followeth 
 in the fourth Canon ; If any one Jhall fay, 
 Tljat the free-zvill of man, moved and excited 
 by God, doth co-operate nothing at all, by giv- 
 ing her confent to God, exciting and calling, 
 by which he may difpofe himfelf to the Grace of 
 fiijtifi cation, and that he cannot dijfent if he 
 will, let him be Anathema. Let thofe hearken 
 to this, who hearken fo much to the Jan- 
 fentfls. And let us go on to fpeak of this 
 fufficient Grace, which, in the next Point, 
 K 3 we
 
 222 H:w this free-will is JIM helped 
 we \vj]l mew more fully to be offered to alL 
 Of this Grace, [Ifai. v. 4.] What coulihavd 
 be c n done nwe to ?ny J r ineyard, that I have 
 not done fait? For [Prov. i. 24.] / (ailed 
 you, and you refufed. And that you may not 
 fay he only called, and did not flretch forth 
 his hand to help you to come, the next 
 words are r I ftretched forth my hand, and no 
 man regarded: But ye have fet at nought all 
 my counfel. And [Ifa. Ixv. 12.] When I 
 called, ye did not anfwer, when I Jpoke ye did 
 not hear, and did chufe that wherein I delghted 
 not. Though they did chufe thus againft 
 GodVcall, yet this his call was fo fumcient 
 to have moved them, that God tells Ezekiel 
 [Ch. iii. 6.1 that if he had fent him with 
 ib ftrong and powerful preaching to barba- 
 rous and unknown People, They Jure ly would 
 have heard thi e. But the houfe of Ifrael will 
 7iot hear thee, for all the houfe of Ifael are 
 impudent and hard-hearted. They will not 
 be moved bv thofe calls which would move 
 others. And becaufe they anfwered like 
 Proteftants, [Ch. xxxiii. 10.] If cur tranf- 
 grejjions and our fins be upon us, and we pine 
 in them, how Jhould we then live. God com- 
 mands the Catholic Doctrine to be thus de- 
 livered : Say unto them, As I live, faith the 
 Lord, I have no plea fur e in the death of the 
 wicked, but that the wicked turn fro?n his 
 way and live. Turn ye. turn ye from your 
 wicked way's, and why will you die, O hwje 
 of Ifrael? Note, how ftfll he faith, he ex- 
 citer
 
 with fujpusKt Grace. 223 
 
 them fufficieiu**. , otherwife vai/ily ha ': 
 he faid, Why will you d'n\ hrufc of ljroel? 
 For they, migllt replv, We cannot but die, be- 
 caufe thou give:} us not the Grace to .. 
 
 2. And as God faid of E%ek e"b preach- 
 ing, that it was iiiiHcient to have c 
 Barbarians, though the Jews would not be 
 moved by it. So [Matt. xi. 20.] of Chrifi it 
 is laid, He legan to upbraid the Cities ivhirein 
 were done the mojl of his miracles, for that 
 they had not done penance. Woe be to thee, Co- 
 razin, woe be to thee, Beth faida : for if in 
 Tyre and Sidoi had ieen wrought the mira- 
 cles that were wrought in thee, they had done 
 penance in ha ; r cloth and afljes long ago. 
 Though the Jews would not repent, yet 
 hence I am fare, that Chrifr. did iumaent 
 for that end. Hence that moil juft expro- 
 bation both here and [Matt, xxiii. 37.] Je- 
 rufalem, ferufalem, how often would I have 
 gathered together thy Children, as the Hen 
 gathereth together her Chickens, and then 
 w-uldejl net. I would, thou wouldeji not% 
 therefore, juftly it follows, Behold your houfe 
 jhall be left defer t. Again, [Rom, x. 21.] 
 All the day long I have Jlr etched forth my 
 hands wito a dij obedient and gainfaying peo- 
 ple. Again, [Apoc. iii. 20.] Behold I ft and 
 at the door arid knock : If any man been my 
 vice arid open the door, 1 will come in to him. 
 Whence again, [1 Tim. ii. 4.] //'/. will's, h 
 all men to be javed, and come to the know- 
 ledge cf Truth. And therefore the fame 
 K 4 Apoftle,
 
 224 Chrlft dying for alt ', 
 
 Apoftle, [Rom. ii. 4.] 'Dc/l thou ccnUnm th g 
 riches of his goodnejs, patience^ longanimit\ \ 
 hid according to the hardnefs rf thy heart thou 
 heipeji v.p to thyfelf wrath. Behold a free- 
 will, able to contemn the very riches of God's 
 goodnefs in ftill giving Graces, and with fo 
 much patience and longanimity expecting the 
 effect of them, ftill, by man's voluntary ma- 
 lice, made fruitlefs. Of fuch a foul it is 
 jaid, [Apoc. ii. 21.] I gave her fpace to re- 
 pent of her form 'cation , and Jhe repeated not* 
 You cannot blame a poor man for not dining 
 becaufe you gave, him fpace to dine, unlefs 
 you alfo give him meat wherewith to dine: 
 ib God could not complain of our not re- 
 penting, becaufe we had time, unlefs alfo he 
 offered us Grace to repent. 
 
 The Thirty-third Point. 
 
 This fufficient Grace is denied to none 9 Chriji 
 dying even for Reprobates. 
 
 ' T is evident in Scripture, that no Grace 
 "*■ is given to any but by the Merits of 
 Chriit, confummated with his death. He 
 hath blcfjed us with all fpiritual hlcjfings in 
 heavenly things in Chriji [Eph. i. 3.] So 
 that if you fee (Point 30) Grace sriven to 
 K 5 all
 
 obtained Jnfficicnt Grace for all. 11 5 
 
 all, to make the keeping of the Command- 
 ments poflible to all ; if you fee (Point 31.) 
 that our free-Will is null by God's Grace able 
 to do good , if you fee (Point 32.) this free- 
 will ltill helped by fufficient Grace to avoid 
 evil and do good; youmuft needs by ail this 
 fee, that this grace can come only from 
 Chrift's death; and therefore this grace, being 
 fo often proved to be offered to all, by the 
 fame Texts it is alfo proved, that Chrift: 
 died for all*. Call to mind how many (ac- 
 cording to what was proved Point 29.) do 
 become Reprobates, who by virtue of Chrift's 
 death, once received the gift of heavenly 
 grace in Baptifrri. The like Grace was by 
 Chrift's death given to that juft man, of 
 whom E-zckiel cited there, n. 5. faith That 
 his JujfticeS /bah b: fornotteriy becaufe he per-* 
 fevered not, ar.d in his Iniquity he Jhall diel 
 He therefore became a Reprobate. And 
 thus it is true which God faid to Abraham, 
 [Gen. xii. 3.] In thee jhall all the Families of 
 the earth be biefrd. And [Gen. xxii. i8.~] 
 /;/ thy feed jhall be bkfftd all the Nations of the 
 earth. Now as St. PWfaith, [Gal. hi. 14. J 
 The blejjing of Ahraham comes on the Gentiles 
 through Chrift fefui. There is none there- 
 fore to be excepted from being partaker or* 
 this Blefting, feeing that all the Families of 
 the earth, and all the Nations of the earth 
 do enjoy it. Yet it is evident that many 
 among thefe Families and Nations be Re- 
 l rebates. Reprobates, therefore, enjoy ma ay 
 3 bleffing?
 
 226 Chid dying for all, 
 
 bleflings by ChrifYs death, which could not 
 be if Chrift did not die for them. By the 
 merits of Chrift's death many are called ^ yet 
 of thefe many, few are chofen, [Matt. xxii. 
 14.] Hence [Ezek, xviii. 23.] Why? Is 
 the death of a firmer my wilt ; , faith our Lord 
 God, and not that he convert from his ways, 
 and live? Which without Grace from Chrift 
 he could not do. Again, [Ch. xxxiii. 11.] 
 I will not the death of the impious, but that 
 the impious convert from his zuay and live^ 
 Why will you d'e, O houfe of Ifraell And fo 
 [Prov. i. 24.] to thofe to whom he faid, / 
 have called, and you have refu/ed; I hava 
 jlreiched out my hand, and you have not re- 
 garded. He mail fay likewife , / will laugh 
 when your delhuftion cometh as a Whirl-wind, 
 [ver. 27.] They therefore fhail be deftroyed 
 and perifh, who by Chrift's death and me- 
 rits, had many graces, helps, and callings 
 given them. Note, that in Chrift, the will 
 with which he called them was a ferious will, 
 of which [1 Tim. ii. 4.] He will have ail 
 men to be faved, and to come to the knowledge 
 of truth. See in the former Point, the many 
 evident Texts cited to this effect. Hence 
 it is faid, [Ronu ii. 4.] He (hewed the riches 
 of his goodnefs to thofe who defpifed it, trea- 
 furing up wrath to themfelves. Who be 
 .thofe but the Reprobate ? Again [2 Pet. iii. 
 9.] Willing that none jhould perijl). And 
 [Rom. v. 6.] Cbriji died for the impious, or 
 ungodly. And moft clearly, [r John ii. 2.] 
 
 Ht
 
 obtained fufficient Grace for all. 22 y 
 He is the propitiation for our fns : And not 
 ft r curs oniv, but alfo fir the whole world. 
 The whole world comprehends more Repro- 
 b.ite than Elect He then who died for the 
 whole world, did alio die for the Reprobate. 
 Wherefore St. Paul more than once warns 
 us not to be the occafion of damnation to 
 thofe for whom Chrift died. So (Rom. xiv. 
 15.) Dc/lroy not him with thy meat, for whom 
 Chrijl died. He therefoi-e for whom Chrift 
 died, mav be deflroyed and perifh eternally- 
 Again, (1 Cor. viii. 11.) Through thy know- 
 ledge thai! thy weak Brother perifh for whom 
 Ch'iil died? And again, (2 Pet. ii. 1.) Fa/fi 
 Teachers, bringing in damnable Herefies, even 
 denying the Lord who fought them, and bring- 
 ing upon 'them/elves fwift dejlruetion. Hence 
 you fee, that even thofe who have brought 
 upon themfelves deihuction, have done this 
 by denying him who bought them at the 
 price of his Blood and Death. He there- 
 fore even died for thofe Children of Perdi- 
 tion. Whence holy Fathers often lav, that 
 Son of Pcrditi:n, Judas, did fhed that blood 
 with which he was redeemed. Let us then 
 all be, as is laid, (2 Cor. v. 14.) Judging 
 this, that if one died for all, then ail were 
 dead. St. Paul had not proved by ChrifF.s 
 dying tor all, that all were dead, if any man 
 could be found for whom Chriil did not die. 
 And, that no one mould prefume to- fay, 
 that any fuch man could be found. St. 
 Paul's next words are, Chrifl died Jar ail. 
 
 The
 
 228 Chriji dying for all, 
 
 The Council of Trent, [Sell vi. c. 3.] citing 
 thefe words faith: « But tho* he died for all, 
 <c yet ail receive not the benefit of his death, 
 '* but only thofe to whom the merit of 
 <6 his paffion is communicated. " Hence 
 it is faid, [Tim. iv. 10.] We truji in the 
 living God, who is the Saviour of all wen, ef 
 pecially of thofe who believe. A Saviour he 
 is to all men, by giving what fumceth to 
 fave all men; but this fufHciency is effectual 
 to falvation only in the truly Faithful, whofe 
 Works anfwered to their Belief, and there- 
 fore chiefly he is their Saviour. Yet it is 
 true, that fpeaking generally of us all, 
 [1 Cor x. 13.] God is faithful, who will not 
 -permit you to be tempted above what you are 
 able. But now it is moft evident, that God 
 doth daily permit us to be tempted beyond 
 our own power, becaufe no power we have 
 ©f ourfelves, as of ourfelves, is able or fuf- 
 ficient to refill: thofe temptations, which 
 daily fet upon us. Seeing therefore it is 
 clear Scripture, That God will not fuffer us to 
 v be tempted above what we are able, it hence 
 demonftratively followeth, that God's Grace 
 fufficiently enables all men to refill any temp- 
 tation whatfoever falls upon them. This is 
 that which we properly call giving jvffcient 
 Grace to all men, though all will not refift 
 the temptations, which they were able to 
 refift. Even as he fufficiently by nature 
 enables moft men to lift their hand up to 
 
 their
 
 dbta'ned fujfcient Graci for all. 229 
 their head, though fome for lazinefs will not 
 do it. Now the Grace fufficientlv enabl- 
 ing all to refill all kind of Temptations, 
 is given them through the Merits of Chriit 
 dying for them. 
 
 The Thirty-fourth Point. 
 
 How our good Works done in Grace, and by- 
 the hip of Chr'iJTs Grace, be meritorious,, 
 and merit Life everla/ting* 
 
 THIS is a Point In which our Adver- 
 faries are pleafed to be much fcanda- 
 lized, becaufe many of their Teachers have 
 notably belyed us : infomuch that you (hall 
 find few who are not apt to think, that we 
 hide our Doctrine,, as afhamed of it. Where- 
 as we do pjainly and clearly tell them, that 
 none of our Works deferves any heavenly- 
 Reward, as it is the work, and even the very 
 belt work of man, done only by our natu- 
 ral free-will. But we all, and every one 
 of us teach, That thofe only good Works 
 are meritorious, which are done firfr. by a. 
 Soul dignified with God's Grace inherent 
 in her (according to the 28 Point) and we 
 fay, that the value of this Action, making 
 it meritorious, proceeds from this Grace, 
 Secondly, we fay, no Man can do any 
 
 fuch
 
 230 How good Works be meritorious, 
 fuch meritorious Action, without the actual 
 Grace of God exciting him thereunto. 
 Thirdly, we fay, The Grace of God mull: 
 be aiding and affrfting him all the time he 
 doth any fuch meritorious Action. All this 
 is taught by the Council of Trent, [SefT. vi. 
 Chap. xvi.J We add, That even toTuch Ac- 
 tions done in this manner, God, if fo he 
 had pleafed, might have given no Reward. 
 But he was pleafed to promife, and to give 
 this heavenly Reward out of his free gra- 
 cious Goodnefs, he being moved by the; 
 Merits and Paffion of Chriir, from which 
 all the fore-faid Graces flow, to accept, for 
 his fake, all thofe works as rewardable ; the 
 iaid Works, by his Grace, being made wor-. 
 thy to be accepted of fo, as to be recOm- 
 penced by that heavenly Reward, which 
 God hath mercifully promifed to them. This 
 is our Doctrine. 
 
 2. And in the very beginning of the 
 World, God taught this Doctrine, faying 
 to Cain, [Gen. iv. 7.] If thou do well, /halt 
 thou not be accepted? When Abraham was 
 ready to offer Ifaac, God by an Angel 
 faid to him, [Gen. xxii. 16.] By my own 
 felf have I fworn, faith the Lord, becaufe thou 
 hajt done this thing, I will blefs thee, &c* 
 Behold a large Blefling for doing this thing. 
 David alio, (Pfal. xviii.. 20.) The Lord r*- 
 warded me according to my Righteoufncfs : 
 According to the cleanncfs of my Hands hath 
 he recompensed me. And (Pfal. xix 11.) 
 
 Ibat
 
 How good Works be meritorious,. 231 
 
 That in keeping God's Precepts there is great 
 Reward. And his Son Solomon faith, [1. 
 Kings viii 32.] Gad is jujiifying the Righte- 
 ous, to give him according to his Righteouf- 
 nefs. And that zealous Prophet fpcaks thus : 
 [2. Chron. xv. 7.] Be you Jlrong therefore^ 
 and let not your Hands be weak, for your work 
 Jhall be rewarded. 
 
 3, How often hath St. Matthew this 
 Doctrine ? Firft, [Chap. v. 12.] Be glad 
 and rejoice, for your Reward is great in 
 Heaven. Here the word which, both irt 
 Greek and Latin, is put for Reward, doth 
 properly fignify the very wages, or hire 
 due to the Work. Secondly, in feveral 
 places of the fixth Chapter thrift exhorts 
 us to the fecret performance both of our 
 Fajls, our Alms-deeds, and of our Praters ; 
 and he tell us, that otherwife we hfe our 
 Reward : But if we do them in fecret, thy 
 Father which feeth in fecret will repay thee, 
 Thirdly, [Chap. vi. 20.] Lay up for y:ur- 
 felues Treafurcs in Heaven. Fourthly, [Chap., 
 xvi. 27.] He Jhall reward every Man ac- 
 cording to his Works. He faith not accord- 
 ing to his Mercy, but according to their 
 Works. Fifthly, (Chap. xix. 27.] We have 
 left all, and followed thee, what therefore 
 fijali zve have ? To them, thus expecting 
 a Reward, Chrilt gives no check, but makes 
 them a promife of having upon the account 
 of their Work j, an hundred fold in the Pre- 
 ferity and Life ever lofting in the future Life. 
 
 Sixthly,
 
 232 How good Works be merit irious. 
 Sixthly, [Chap. xxv. 23.] Becaufe thou haft 
 been faithful over a few things, I /hall place 
 thee over many things. Enter into the joy of 
 our Lord. Note here, many things given 
 in Heaven, becaufe fuch a Man lived faith- 
 fully. So Seventhly, [Chap. xxv. 34..] 
 Come ye bleffcd of my Father, poffefs, &c. 
 For I was hungry, ibirfty y &c. And you 
 gave me to eat, drink, &c. Note the word 
 For, that is, For this very cauje come pofjefs 
 the Kingdom, So if a Prince, taken by his 
 Enemies in War, mould be refcued by a 
 common Soldier, whom he prefently prefer- 
 ring to be a Colonel, mould fay, / make 
 you a Cclonel, for I was taken, and you 
 freed me \ who can doubt, but that theft words 
 clearly affirm the caufe of this great reward, - 
 to be the Soldier's great merit ? So contrary- 
 wife, where in that Chapter, it followeth, 
 Get you away ye cur fed into fi*y. everlafling : 
 Fori was hungry, and you did not feed me^ 
 &c. Every one will confefs, that the Particle 
 For, manifeftly fignifies the Caufe. My 
 Eighth and laft Text is ofStMafth. [Chap. 
 x. 42.] IPliofoever jhall give to one of thefe 
 little ones a Cup of cold Water, only in the 
 name of a Difciple; Amen I fay unto you, he 
 Jhall not lefe his Reward. Other Texts 
 might be alledged out of other Evangeliits, 
 as [Mark x. 21.] Go fellwhatfoever thou hft 9 
 and thou Jh alt have tr ea fur e in Heaven. And 
 again, [Joh. v. 29.] They that have done 
 good things Jhall go forth into the Rtfurrettion
 
 I-Jgw good Works be meritorious. 23^ 
 ef Life. Behold the reward of good Works. 
 And again, [Luke xiv. 14.] For f,ajiing 
 t'. e poor, recommence Jhall be made in the Re- 
 fur reel ion. 
 
 4. But to proceed : How often alfo doth 
 St. Paul inculcate this Doctrine ? As fir ft, 
 [1 Cor. iii. 8.] Every one Jhall receive bis 
 own reward^ accordi g to his own labours. 
 Secondly, [2 Cor. %v. 17.] For our light 
 effl tlion, which is bit for a moment, worhetb 
 Jor us an eternal weight of glory. Note the 
 wond worketh, which really fignifieth the 
 Cauie. Thirdly, [2 Cor. ix 6.] He that 
 J wetb fparingly, Jhall reap alfo fparing.'y ; 
 A^.d he that foiveth bountifully Jho 11 reap boun- 
 t fully. Note here, Alms-deeds made the 
 Seed of glory. Fourthly, There again [ver. 
 9.] As is is written, he diflributed, he gave 
 to the poor, (But with what effecl: r) his 
 Right eoufit-fs remaincth for ever. Fifthly, 
 [Gal. vi. 9.] Be not weary in well-doing ; 
 why fo, For in due feafon we fljall reap, if 
 we faint not. Sixthly, Eph. vi. 8. Know- 
 ing that zuhat good foever every one Jhall do y 
 that Jhall he receive of our Lord. Seventhly, 
 He leeks in his Converts the doing of good 
 Works, by reafon of the reward they fhall 
 receive for them. So [Philip, iv. 16.] Te 
 fent once end again to my ncceffity ; not be- 
 cause I defire tie gift : Bui I defire the fruit 
 that may abound to your account. Beheld St. 
 Paul dcfired the increafe of their Merit. 
 FiJuhly, [1 Tim. vi. 17.] Charge them 
 
 that
 
 "2'34- How g°°d /Torts he meritorious, 
 that are rich, that they do good, that they be 
 rich in good 'JVorks, ready to dijlrilute. Lay- 
 ing up Jl ore for thcmfelves, a good foundati- 
 on againji the time to come, that they may lay 
 hold of an eternal Life. Ninthly, [2 Tim. 
 iv. 8. J There is laid up for me a Croivn of 
 Righteoufnefs. which our Lord a juji Judge, 
 will render to me in that Day, and not only to 
 me, hut, &c. It is his mercy to promife 
 Heaven to our good Works ; it is his mercy 
 to give us that Grace which confers all the 
 meritorious value upon thefe Works ; jt is 
 his mercy to excite us by actual Grace to 
 perform fuch Works, and to accompany and 
 affift us whilft we work. But it is his JuJ- 
 tice and Righteoufnefs to give that reward, 
 which his mercy made' thefe Works able to 
 deferve. So that now as a juji fudge he re- 
 wards our merits, though they be his gifts. 
 Tenthly, [Heb. xi. 24.] Mofes refufed to be. 
 called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter, chuf- 
 ing to be affiitled with the People of God, 
 ejlee?ning the reproach of Chrijl greater riches 
 than the Treafures in Eg\pt. For he had 
 refpccl unto the recompence of reward. Be- 
 hold how much Mofes valued the recompence 
 of the reward, due to fo meritorious an acl 
 as that was. And Eleventhly, [Heb. x. 35.] 
 Caji not away your confidence, which hath 
 recompence of great reiuard. I might end all 
 thefe Texts with that of the Apocalypfe, 
 [xxii. 12.] My reward is with me, to give 
 every one according as his work /hall be. 
 
 5. But
 
 How good Works be meritorious, 235 
 
 5. But I thought fit to add, that we 
 Roman Catholics do fo extol the dignity of 
 goods Works, in regard of that value given 
 them bv the Grace of Chrift, merited for us 
 by his Paffion, that we lay thefe Works, 
 thus dignified, make us worthy of heavenly 
 Mils. And this we prove by Scripture. St. 
 
 I [Col. i. 12.] Who hath made us ntett 
 to be partakers of the inheritance cf Saints. 
 And [Apoc. iii. 4.] But thou haft a few 
 names in Sardis, which have not defiled their 
 Garnunts, and they jhall walk with me in 
 white, becaufe they are worthy. Hence, [Pfal. 
 xviii. 20.] The Lord jhall reward me after 
 my righteous doings. According to the clean- 
 r.efs of my Hands J])all he recompence me, 
 See Point 28. n 2, 3. 
 
 6. Againfr. fo many and fo clear Texts 
 our Adverfaries chiefly object : Firjl, that 
 the Scripture fays, [Ifa. lxiv.6.]//v are alias 
 an unclean thing, and all ur Right eoufnefs 
 as filthy rags. I anfwer, this is faid of us, 
 and our works done meerly by us, as \vc 
 are left to ourfelves, born and grown up in 
 fin, and not aided, nor eleanfed and digni- 
 fied by God's Grace. And it is a ftrange 
 inference of our Adverfaries, to draw from 
 hence, that our bell: works done in grace, 
 and by the help of God's Grace, be all 
 deadly fins. For fo in the Texts cited, 
 David could not be rewarded after bis Righ- 
 teoufoffsy and according to the cltanntfs of his 
 lianas. Neither fhould there be any of fo 
 
 mulefiled
 
 236 How good Works be meritorious. 
 
 undefiled Garments, as to walk in ivhite be" 
 caufe tbex are ivortby ; Again how faith 6« 
 James, [Chap. ii. 21.] was not Abraham 
 jujlifed by works, offering IJaac P S>eji thou 
 not how faith wrought with his works, and 
 by works was made p erf eel ? How fo, if 
 both his faith and his works were deadly fins ? 
 What ? doth God thus reward deadly fin ? 
 Or could fuch a fin be a work jujiifying A- 
 hraham? In the Texts, n. 6. It is faid 
 that God will repay us for fa fling, praying \ 
 giving Alms in jecnt. How is this true, if 
 all theie works be deadly fins in us ? Tell 
 me how it is poffible by heaping up deadly 
 fins to do what Chrift bids us, that is, To 
 heap up treafures in Heaven. The young 
 man, of whom I fpoke, was told that by 
 felling all, he mould purehafe a treafure in 
 Heaven. How then r was this felling all 
 a deadly Sin ? If felling all be a dead- 
 ly fin, then to fay, If. thou wilt be per- 
 fect, go and fell all, is to fay, go and do a 
 deadly fin, if thou wilt be perfecl. Is that 
 the one thing that was wanting unto him ? 
 And thus I might argue out of moil: of the 
 above cited Texts. I am fure Chrift faith, 
 [Mat. iii. 10.] Every Tree that brings not 
 forth good Fruit, is hewn down and caji inta 
 the Fire^ If the Fruit of no Tree be good, 
 then every Tree muft be burned, [St. James 
 i. 25.] Of the doer of the ivork, faith, This 
 Man Jhall be bleffed in his Deed. And St. 
 Paul, [Phil. iv. 18.] calls the Alms fen* 
 to him, an Odour of a jweet fmcll, a Sacri- 
 
 fi"
 
 How good TVovks be meritorious. 237 
 , fee acceptable, well plea fing to God. Thefe 
 Alms- deeds then were not filthy rags. 
 
 7. Secondly, They object out of [Luke 
 xvii. 10.] tvbtn you have done all that you 
 are commanded, fa:, IFe are unprofitable Ser- 
 vants. I r.nfwer, This is true, that by all 
 we do, or can do, even by God's Grace, 
 we are Servants unprofitable to God : For 
 all we do, or can do, profits him nothing. 
 But we are Servants profitable to ouri elves. 
 For heaping up trea/ure in Heaven, and mak- 
 ing friends of Mammon to receive us into 
 the eternal tabernacles, are things very pro- 
 fitable unto us, as alfo to be good and faithful 
 Servants, and therefore to be placed over 
 much, and enter into the joy of our Lord. St. 
 iWfaid, [iCor. xiii. 3.] If IJball diftrU 
 bute all my goods to be meat to the Poor, and 
 have not Charity, it doth profit me nothing. 
 Ergo, with Charity it profits me much. Yea, 
 though faithful Sen-ants be thus unprofitable 
 to God, yet in regard of the fervice they do 
 him, he faith, [John xv. 14.] Ye are my 
 friends, if ye do whatfoever I command you ; 
 a thing of no fmall profit and honour. Again, 
 is it not, think: you, any profit to have an 
 hundred fold here in this world, and life ever- 
 laying in the next, for leaving what they 
 had for his fake ? Is it no profit to us to 
 fay truly with St. Pan', [Col. i. 12.] He 
 hath made us meet to be partakers of tie inhe- 
 ritance of the Saints, and to walk with him 
 in white y becaufe we are worthy, [Apoc. iii. 
 
 (4-
 
 238 It is laudable to do good Works. 
 4.] Had he no profit by overcoming to 
 whom it was laid, He that fljall overcome 
 and keep my works until the end, I will give 
 him (in Heaven) power over the nations , and 
 be Jhall rule them with a rod of Iron f [Apoc. 
 ii. 26.] He that fia 11 overcome, 1 will give 
 to fit with me in my throne, [Apoc. iii. 21.] 
 Do we not then by overcoming, .profit ouf 
 ielves in a high degree. 
 
 The Thirty-fifth Point. 
 
 // is laudable to do good Works for reward, 
 
 AS Charity towards our neighbour is a 
 mod commendable virtue, ib Charity 
 towards ourfelves cannot but be molt, com- 
 mendable. Wherefore feeing thefe s;ood 
 works do profit us fo very much, as we have 
 feen in the lail Point, and laft Number, I 
 cannot pofiibly undcrftand that Paradox of 
 our Adverfaries, faying, They do ill, who do 
 well out of a defire to gain Heaven. True 
 it is, a man may do well out of a more com- 
 mendable motive, that is to honour and pleafe 
 God. But becaufe fomething is better than 
 doing good for hope of reward, the doing 
 good, out of that hope, doth not ceafe to 
 bz good. You fay Faith alone is fo good, 
 that it doth ju/lijy a man : And yet Scrip- 
 ture tells you, that of" thefe three, Faith, 
 
 Hope.-,
 
 It is laudable to do good Works* 239 
 
 Hope, and Charity, the greater (and better) 
 of thefe is Charity, [1 Cor. xiii. 1?.] Faith 
 is verv good and commendable. Whence 
 appears that nothing ceafes to be good, be- 
 caufe another act is better. 
 
 2. The Scriptures cited in the lafr. Point, 
 evidently exhort us in our fufferings, to be 
 gl id and rejoice, becaufe our rcivard is great 
 in Haven, and to do our good Work in jeer w, 
 net to ioje cur reward, but to heap up to our- 
 J elves treafure in Heaven, and to fell all to 
 purchafetreafure there, and in doing goo d Works 
 not to fail, for in due time ue /hall reap not 
 failing. May we not fow in hope of Har- 
 veft ? Did not St. Paul feek the fir/1 abound- 
 ing on this account, to thofe who had fent^ 
 to his ufe. Did he not bid us, not to lofe" 
 our confidence, becaufe it hath a great reward ? 
 [Heb. x. 35.] Andnot to fow jparingly, that 
 we may reap plentifully, [2 Cor. ix. 6. J 
 Did not Chrifr. himfelf fay, Make friends of 
 the Matnmcn of Iniquity, [Luke. xvi. 9.] 
 To what end this ? To the end, that they 
 rmy receive you into the eternal Tabernacles. 
 But what can be more clear than that which 
 I therecited out of [Heb. xi.24.] Mofes denied 
 h'nnfclf to be the Son of Pharaoh his Daugh- 
 ter, chufing to be affiled with the People of 
 God\ e/heming the reproach of Chrifl greater 
 riches, than the treafure of the /Egyptians. 
 For he locked to the reward; or (according to 
 your Bibles) for the regard, or refpetl, he 
 had to the reward. No lefs clear is David y 
 
 [Pfalm 
 3
 
 240 We laudably Wcrftip^ 
 
 [ Pfalm Cxviii. 112.] I have inclined my heart 
 to do thy fujlif cations for ever for reward. 
 And for this reward he indined his heart to do 
 their. , faith St. Augujline in this place, read- 
 ing it as we do. And fo (as we read it) it is 
 fo faithfully tranflated by the Septuagint, 
 Out of the Hebrew, and fo your Tranflators 
 might have tranflated it, if they had pleafed, 
 but they willfully chofe another ienfe, though 
 they fo much profefs to, follow the Septua- 
 gint. 
 
 The Thirty-fixth Point. 
 
 We laudably wor/hip Angels and Saints. 
 
 FO R the ground of this queftion I lay 
 this Foundation out of Scripture, that 
 as the Angels are in Heaven, fo the Souls 
 of the Saints go directly from hence to Hea- 
 ven, unlefs they have feme few offences to 
 clear in Purgatory. Our Souls fleep not un- 
 til Doomefday. Chrift faid to the good 
 Thief, This cuy thou Jl)alt be with me in Pa- 
 radife. And therefore St. Paul defired to 
 be difflvcd, that he might he with Chrift* 
 And again, [2 Cor. v. 8.] We are wiling 
 rather to be abfent from the body, and to be 
 frefini with our Lord : Therefore we may 
 come to beprefent zuith our Lord, even whiift 
 
 cur
 
 Saints and Angels. 241 
 
 our Souls are abfent from our body. Neither 
 do our Englifo Protcftants deny this. 
 
 2. This fuppofed, our Doctrine is, that 
 great reverence and worfhip is due to the 
 Angels, and Saints with God. Secondly, that 
 they can hear our Prayers. Thirdly, that 
 they can, and will help us, and therefore it 
 is laudable to pray to them, and that this 
 doth not derogate from Chrift's Honour. 
 Fourthly, That among the Saints it is moft 
 laudable to pray to our Lady. And here we 
 fhall fpeak of the Beads faid to her Honour. 
 Fifthly, we laudably worfhip Images of 
 Chrift, and his Saints. Sixthly, that we 
 laudably worfhip their Relics, and infhrine 
 them richly, and place them as honourably 
 as we can. Seventhly^ that fome places are 
 more holy than others, fanctified by m the 
 prefence of thofe Relics, or by fpecial 
 Graces given there. And for this reaton we 
 laudably make Proceflions and Pilgrimages 
 to thefe Places with all Devotion. Eighthly, 
 that we laudably keep Feafts or Holy Days, 
 as alfo Fafts in the honour of Chrift and his 
 faints. La/lly, in thefe our Fafts we lauda- 
 bly abftain from certain Meats. All, and 
 every one of thefe nine things fhall have 
 their particular proofs, in fo many feveral 
 Points next following in the order here de- 
 fined . 
 
 3. And Firjl for the worfhip of Angels 
 or Saints, note that the very felf-fame out- 
 ward worfhip, yea and Adoration itfelf, may 
 
 L outwaidly
 
 242 We laudahly worjhip 
 
 outwardly be given either as a civil reverence^ 
 to Perfons of Refpect and great Eminency, 
 or it may be given to them out of a re.ig^ous 
 refpecl^ in regard of the great Sanctity and 
 heavenly Dignity in fuch a Perfoh, or la/tly 
 given in regard of Div'.ne Perfections and 
 infinite worth. When this refpecl: is given 
 thus outwardly, there pafleth inwardly an 
 act in our undemanding apprehending the 
 excellency which we honour, to be either 
 human, as in civil honour, or to be an ex- 
 cellency of firigular, though limited, hea- 
 venly Eminency, as in the worfhip of Saints, 
 which we call Dulia, or laftly we judge 
 that there is a divine and infinite excellency 
 in that Perfon, as it happens in the wor- 
 fhip of God only, which we call Lairia. 
 Another act pafleth in our will, anfwerable 
 to that which was in our understanding, 
 by which we have a will to make this out- 
 ward Worfhip or Adoration, to be either 
 a civil honour only, fuch as is due to Men 
 of higheft human Dignity, or to make it aRe- 
 ligious Worfhip, though far from Divine, 
 fuch as is given to Perfons of eminent 
 Sanctity, or endowed with great heavenly 
 Gifts : or laftly we intend to make it an 
 act of divine Worfhip, as when we do it 
 to God. Whence it is evident, that by 
 doing of the outward act, it cannot be known 
 whether the honour we do, be meerly Civil 
 or Religious or Divine. 
 
 4. With
 
 Saints and Angels. 243 
 
 4. With only civil Adoration, Abraham 
 r r fe up and adored the People of the Land^ 
 [Gen. xxiii. 7. J 'Jacob commg into the 
 prefence of his elder Brother Ejau, [Gen. 
 xxxiii. 4.] Going forward adored profirate to 
 the G round f even times. And [ver. 7.] Leah with 
 her Children adored in like manner, and Wily, 
 Jofeph and Rachel adored. And [Gen. xliii. 
 26.] Jcfph's Brethren offered him Prefenis, 
 holding them in their Hands, end they adored 
 prcftrate to the Ground. And again, [Gen. 1. 
 18.] And Jofeph' s Brethren t^^ieto him, and. 
 adoring pro/Irate on the ground. All thefe Texts 
 are thus read in the Douay Bible 4°t. Edit. But 
 the Protectant Bibles refufmg to put the word 
 Adore, put either bowing down, cr f... 
 dovun on their face. We do no more out- 
 wardly when we worfhip Saints, or adore 
 God. Wherefore, to prove what I have 
 undertaken, you fee I need go no farther 
 than Genefis, but I thought fit to add one 
 very fit pafTage of [1 Chroii. xxix. 20.] All 
 the affe.hb'.y bowed thernf elves dnvn., arid wor- 
 flupped the Lord, and the King. Exteriourly 
 the bowing was both alike to the ground, but 
 the inward ac~t. made this bowing as dene to 
 the King, to be civil honour, only; and the 
 like bowing, as done to God, to be divine 
 honour or worjhip, and true 1 in 
 
 the moil rigorous fenfe. It is very ilrange 
 to obferve how cunningly your Bibles ilill 
 avoid the word Adore even when it is applied 
 to God, which feems i'o often omitted by 
 L 2 them,
 
 244 W" e laudably wor/hip 
 
 them, becaufe the fame word fignifying to 
 adore, is fo often applied to Creatures j you 
 cannot then blame us, if when we reverence 
 Saints, or pray to them, we bow, kneel, 
 or proftrate ourfelves to the ground, even 
 /even times. For if civil Worfhip, for this 
 word the laft Text hath, may pafs fo far, 
 without robbing God of his honour, why 
 may not an inferior religious Worfhip do 
 the like ? 
 
 5. But of this adoring for religious Wor- 
 fhip, we have clear Scripture. [JoJ/jua v. 14.] 
 being told by an Angel, that this Angel was 
 but A Captain of the Ho/is of our Lord, Jojhua 
 fell on hi* face to the earthy and did worfrAp, 
 Behold, before we had JVorfnip given by the 
 People to the King, here we have wor/hip 
 done to an Angel, known to be an Jngel. 
 By and by, in the Apocalypfe, we fhal! fee 
 this very word otWorjhip, to fignify the Re- 
 verence which is to be given to God. Now 
 I go on, and I cbferve that the Angel was 
 not only willing to admit of this honour, 
 but commanded him alfo to fhew reverence 
 to the very place made Holy by his prefence. 
 Looje, faith he, thy JJ)oes from thy feet, for 
 the place wherein thou dojl f?and is Holy. If 
 any reply, that we may with religious Wor- 
 fhip, adore Angels, as fojhua did, but not 
 Saints, behold the Scripture fhevveth this 
 Religious Worfhip or Adoration, due to fpi- 
 iituki excellency, to be laudably given even 
 to thofe who excel in fanctity, even in this 
 
 World.
 
 Saints and Angels. 245 
 
 World. So[i Kings xviii. 7.] Abdias, go- 
 vernor of the houfe of Ac' ab, King of Ifrael, 
 meeting v/ith (poor) Ellas the Prophet, when 
 he knew him, fell on his face, and fa : d, My 
 Lord, art not thou Ellas? And [2 Kings ii. 
 15.] The Children of the Prophets feeing 
 Elizeus, fald, the Jpirit of Ellas hath rejlei 
 upon him, and coming to ?neet him, adored him 
 fat to the ground, or (as you read) They 
 bowed themfelves to the ground before him. 
 See you not here that it was not for any 
 worldly excellency, but meerly in regard 
 of his fpiritual excellency, that they thus 
 towed themfelves to the ground before him? 
 This fpiritual excellency is incomparably 
 more eminent in thofe who are now made 
 Coheirs to .Chrifr. himfelf, in the participa- 
 tion of all heavenly gifts and glory. To 
 them therefore Religious bowing, or wor- 
 fhip, is far more due : and we are commanded 
 by St. Paul, [Rom xiii. 7.] To render to all 
 their due, to whom honour, honour. Owe to 
 no man any thing which you do not pay him. 
 This I ftaid upon, becaufe our Adverfaries 
 often afk for a precept commanding us to 
 honour Saints. Behold I have given you 
 one, which is a precept grounded in the 
 very Law of nature and equity, command- 
 ing us to render to each one what is due to 
 him. 
 
 6. Again, [Apoc. iii. 9.] Behold 1 ivill ??iake 
 them come, and wor/hip before thy feet : words 
 fpoken to the An del of Philadelphia. If 
 
 "l 3 br
 
 246 Wt laudably worjhip 
 
 by this Angel you fay, the Bifhop of Phila- 
 delphia is underilood, then we prove firit, 
 that (a fortiori) we may worlhip before the 
 feet of the chief Bifhop of the Church. Se- 
 condly, we much more (a fortiori) infer, 
 that we may worfhip before the feet of thofe, 
 who have a far greater excellency in virtue, 
 grace, glory, as Saints have above all men on 
 Earth. For [Matt. xi. u.J He that is the 
 leajl in the kingdom of Heaven, is greater 
 man he* that is, is greater than the great St. 
 John Baptift was upon Earth, though of him 
 Chrifr. hi rnfelf faid; There had not rifen a 
 gf-eater among the Sons of Women. St. John 
 the Evangeli.fi then knowing it to be true 
 which he himfelf had written, that Chriji 
 would make ?nen come, and worjhip before the 
 feet of the Angel of Philadelphia, thought it 
 his duty to adore before the feet of any An- 
 gel, and hence he faith of himfelf, [Apoc. xix. 
 10.] And I fell at his feet to worjhip him, 
 (the Angel) and again, [ch. xxii. 8.] I fell 
 doivn to worjhip before the feet of the Angel y 
 which jh ewe d me the fe things, 
 
 7. Our adverfaries object, that at each of 
 thefe adorations the Angel checked St. John 
 for them, faying at each time: See thou do 
 not', lam thy fellow Servant', worjhip God, 
 Our anfwer is, that if the firft adoration, 
 ufed by St. John, had been of its own nature 
 idolatrous and finful, which is incredible, it 
 proceeding from fo great a Prophet, and fo 
 fublime a Scripture writer, yet at lealt being 
 
 told
 
 Angels and Saints. 247 
 
 told fo, and indru&ed by the Angel to the 
 contrary, as you fay he was, he would ne- 
 ver the iecond time have done that idolatrous 
 and damnable ftnful act, both wittingly and 
 willingly : and this fo very foon after he had 
 been warned not to do it. It was not then 
 by reafon of any unlavvfulnefs in this action, 
 that the Angel willed him not to adore or 
 worfnip: But the Angel refufed at both 
 times this honour, upon fome other confi- 
 deration, to wit, out of fingular refpecl unto 
 him, whom he knew to have been at the 
 laft Supper, admitted to lie on Chrift's brealr, 
 and fo he v/ould not permit him to lie now 
 proftrate at his feet, whom he alfo knew to 
 be fo highly favoured by God, with fo many 
 admirable heavenly vifions: Moreover to be 
 a Virgin ; to be a Prieft, an Apoftle, and to 
 be that very Difciple whom Jefus fo Angu- 
 larly loved ; to be alfo a Prophet and an Evan- 
 gelifl. Therefore he would not admit of 
 fuch profound refpecl: at his hands, but hum- 
 bly faying unto him, I pray do it not, for 1 
 am thy fellow Servant, and thou either now 
 art greater in God's fight than I am, or foon 
 mayefr. come to be far greater. Worjhip and 
 adore God, wh© hath fo magnified thee. 
 Yet St. Johns humility working itill upon 
 him more, by feeing an Angel fo humble, 
 and producing in him a mean conceit of him- 
 felf, by itill reflecting on what he was as of 
 himfelr, and knowing what his Mafler laid, 
 That even the lejjer in the Kingdom of Heave?! 
 L 4
 
 248 We laudably wor/bip 
 
 was greater than the great St. John Baptijl, 
 to wit, according to the prefent ftate, he 
 therefore did the fecond time fhew the An- 
 gel the honour he knew due to him. See 
 above how Jojhua worfhipped an Angel, 
 which honour notwithfTanding was alfo re- 
 fufed by the Angel in this place, both for 
 the former reafons, and for that he knew full 
 well how much this great humility of his had 
 advanced him yet higher. 
 
 8. Their fecond objection is that of St. 
 
 Paul, [Col. ii. 18.] Let no -man beguile ycu 
 
 in worjbipping of Angels* To anfwer this 
 
 objection, note that the former paflage of 
 
 St. John happened to him, when he was in 
 
 hanifhment in the ifland called Patmos, 
 
 f Apoc. i.] whence it is manifeft that St. 
 
 John in his Apocalypfe, now cited, ufed 
 
 both thefe two feveral adorations, tv/ice wor- 
 
 fhipping the Angel, long after St. Paul had 
 
 written thefe words, forbidding the worjhip 
 
 of Angels, which words St. John underftood 
 
 cither much better, or at leaft full as well, 
 
 as our Proteftants underhand them. And 
 
 therefore he knew very well that in adoring 
 
 or worshipping the Angel, two feveral times, 
 
 he in neither of thefe times, was f educed in 
 
 the worjhip of Angels. We therefore may 
 
 adore Angels, as St. John did, and yet not 
 
 be beguiled in this worjhip of Angels, as St. 
 
 John was not. Thofe then are rather fe- 
 
 duced by wilful miftake, of what this wor 
 
 Jhip of Angels is, who, to make us guilty of 
 
 ii
 
 AngeU and Saints. 249 
 
 it, define it to be fuch a worfhip, as mull: 
 make St. John as guilty as they would make 
 us. Therefore this Text is fondly alledged 
 againft us, for holding only and maintaining 
 fuch worfnip of Angels as bt. yohn ufed twice, 
 and that long after he knew what St. Paul 
 had written. This then ferves our turn, 
 that in what fenfe foever St. Paul is to be 
 underftood, he cannot be understood in a 
 fenfe forbidding any thing contrary to that 
 which St. John did, and which we, with 
 him, do practife. The truth is, St. Paul 
 fpeaks only of fuch religious wormip of An- 
 gels, as had been taught among the Jews, 
 by Simon Magus, who would have Sacrifice 
 offered to all Angels, as well evil as good. 
 [Eplph. Hceref. 25. Chryfojlom^ Horn. 7. in 
 hunc locu/n.] And this is that which is con- 
 demned in the Council of Laodicea, [c. 35.] 
 9. There is another very pertinent £xpo- 
 fition of this Text in Tertid. [1. 5. centra 
 Marcionem.~] That is, That the Apoftle la- 
 boureth in that place to prove, that the new 
 Christians mould not keep the old Judaical 
 Law; and for this end he faith, Let no man 
 beguile you in the ivorfhip of Angels, by faying, 
 That we owe fo much refpecr. to the Angels, 
 that although Chriir. hathaboliihed the whole 
 Law, yet becaufe that Oid Law was given 
 them by the Miniftry of Angels \Acls vii. 
 53.] it ought iti'l to be kept out of refpecr. 
 to the Angels, by whofc Mini dry it was given. 
 Again, Some then taught that this, as a hea- 
 venly verity, had been revealed by feme of die 
 L 5 Angels.
 
 2$0 We laudably worfi/p 
 
 Angels. But the Angels, Revealers of 
 i Doclrrine, being Angels of Darknefs, 
 S. Ptf«/calleth the Judaical obfervation of 
 Meats, maintained by thefe Chriftians out of 
 this Principle, the Dottrine of D evils ^ 
 [iTimiv. i.] Such alfo is the wor/hip of 
 Angels ^ given them by fuch obfervances. 
 And it is to be noted, that immediately before 
 thefe words, he exprefly fpoke againft the 
 Judaical obfervation of Meats, faying, Let 
 no man judge you in fneat^ [Col. ii. 16.] Of 
 which Text fee more, [Point 45. n. 5, 6. J 
 
 The Thirty-feventh Point. 
 
 The Angels and Saints can hear our Prayers* 
 
 PRoteftants undertaking to reform all 
 our pretended Errors out of Scripture, 
 can with no ground pretend to reform our 
 Error in believing Saints to hear us, unlefs 
 they can fhew fome clear Text to prove that 
 Saints cannot hear us. It is enough for us, 
 to go on ft ill believing what we ever be- 
 lieved, unlefs they can fhew us Scripture to 
 the contrary. They produce but one poor 
 Text, falling far fhort of any clear Proof. 
 It is [Ifa. lxiii. 16.] Thou art our Father^ 
 though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Ifrael 
 acknowledge us not, Thou } O Lord, art our 
 
 Father^
 
 Angels and Saints 25 r 
 
 Father, our Redeemer. I anfwer, that the 
 Jews confidering how enormoufly they had 
 continually fwerved from the life, example, 
 and inftruction of Abraham and Jacob, did 
 with great rcafon fear that they would not 
 look upon them as their Children, as that 
 word acknowledge doth exprefs. Wherefore 
 knowing God's mercy to be infinitely greater 
 than that of the greateif Saints, they hoped 
 that he llill would look upon them. They 
 did not fay Abraham and "Jacob knew not 
 their ftate or condition ; but they conceived 
 that they for their fins, well known to them, 
 had all reafon not to own them as Children* 
 and to fay, we know you not-, as Chrift ftiall 
 one day,. to the reprobate. 
 
 2. Again, though we fhould grant that 
 Abraham and "Jacob did not know the ftate 
 of the Jews then, when Abraham and Jacob 
 were ftill in Limbo Pair urn, it doth not fol- 
 low that the Saints, now prefent with God, 
 enlightened with the light of beatifical glory, 
 cannot, by virtue of that light, know all 
 that pafleth on Earth, as far, at leaft, as any 
 thing maketh to their felicity. For it is a 
 part of Happinefs to know how things pals 
 with our dearly beloved Friends, especially 
 when we are in a Condition to help them 
 eafily, as the Saints are. Yet it is alio falfe that 
 Abraham, even in Limbo knew not what 
 palled among the Jews after his death. For 
 he could tell Dives, that his five Brethren had 
 Mofes and the Prophets, [Luke xvi. 28. J 
 
 though.
 
 252 The Angels and Saints 
 
 though Mofes and the Prophets lived long 
 
 after his Death. See n« 4. 
 
 3. As our Adverfaries have but this one 
 poor Proof out of Scripture againft us, fo 
 we have many for us. "Jacob calls upon an 
 Angel to blefs his Children. No Man would 
 call upon one, who could not hear. The 
 Text is [Gen. xlviii. 16.] I fhall fpeak largely 
 of it in the next Point, n. 2. Again, [1 Sam. 
 xxviii.] The Witch whom Saul confulted, 
 calling by her Charms upon the Devil, in- 
 ftantly was heard by him : for prefently ihe 
 did that, which, without help of fome ill 
 Spirit, could not be done. Shall Devils hear 
 Witches prefently, and fhall Saints want 
 Power to hear their Suppliants? See what 
 I here fay, n. 7. Raphel, one of the Seven 
 which affifl before our Lord, [Tob. xii. 15.] 
 Although he be there affifting, yet he truly 
 told Toby, [ver. 12.] JVhen thou did/} pray 
 with Tears, and did/i bury the Dead by Night, 
 I offered thy Prayer 10 our Lord. If this be 
 not Canonical Scripture, yet at leafr. it is a 
 moft antient eccclefiaftical Hiftory, and of 
 fuch Credit, that St. Cyprian, Ambrofe, Aujlin, 
 Hierom, Gregory, the third Council of Car- 
 thage, and many more, held it Scripture, 
 and confequently they thought it as true as- 
 Scripture, that Saints could hear our Prayers. 
 And you muft bring fomething more than 
 your own imagination to difcredit it on this 
 account. Eliphaz. in Job. [ch. v* i ] fpoke 
 thus to him, Call now if there be any that 
 
 will
 
 can hear our Prayers. 253 
 
 will anfwer thee, and to which of the Saints 
 wilt thou turn? This fheweth the common 
 Practice of invocating Angels in that time, 
 for as then, no Saints but Angels were in 
 Heaven. Whence the Septuagint, whom 
 you ufed to extol, do here interpret the 
 Saints to be the holy Angels. David fuppofed 
 the Angels to hear him, when he fung 
 Pfalms, whence he faith, before the Gods, 
 (we truly read the Angels) Iwillfmg Praife 
 unto thee. [Pfalm exxxviii. I.] No man will 
 fay, I' I! ftng ?ny fo?ig in the hearing of deaf 
 Men, The Angels then could hear his 
 Song. Of the Letters of Elias I will fpeak 
 by and by, n. 5. And there I fhall fhew 
 that Elias after his Death, knew what 
 paiL J . and took care for the People of God. 
 4. In the new Teftament [Luke xv. 10.] 
 There Jhall be joy before the Angels of God, 
 upon one Sinner having done Penance. No 
 acl: is more interior, and pafTeth more pro- 
 perly in the bottom of the Heart, than the 
 Converfion of a Sinner. Weeping, Sighing, 
 Groaning, knocking of the Breafts, maybe 
 done by Hypocrites. The Angels, then, 
 who joy at the Converfion of a Sinner, mull 
 know this Converfion, which they cannot 
 know, unlefs they know the bottom of the 
 heart by divine Revelation. Again, \_Luke 
 xvi. 26.] Though there was a great Gulph 
 fixed between the Souls of Abraham and Di- 
 ves, yet God gave them fome means to hear 
 what each of them faid. Can he then find 
 
 no
 
 254 ^M Angels and Saints 
 no means for Saints to hear us ? Do not you 
 Proteftants fay, Abrahams Soul was then in 
 Heaven. Could he hear Dives from hell, 
 and can he not hear from Earth thofe who 
 pray to him ? Again there [ver. 29.] Abra r 
 hamfaidto him (Dives) they have Mofes and 
 the Prophets. Mofes and the Prophets lived 
 many a year after Abraham was dead, and yet 
 you fee Abraha?n knew there were fuch men, 
 who left fuch books to the Jews. Secondly, 
 He knew their books were yet extant. 
 Thirdly that thefe Writings of theirs were 
 of no lefs efficacy to convert Dives's five 
 Brothers, than the preaching of a man rifen 
 from the dead would be. If you fay, this 
 is but a Parable, I anfwer, that in Parables 
 the Interlocutors mufr. be made to fpeak 
 fenfe, and not ncnfenfe, as it would be in 
 one of Lucian's Dialogues, to make Julius 
 Gczfar jdifcourfing with Alexander about what 
 they had {een in Charles the Fifth, who lived 
 £o long after their time. 
 
 5. But I have referved one paffage of the 
 Old Teftament, to declare in this place how 
 Saints, even then, knew what palled. Ellas 
 departed out of this life, whither God knows, 
 the eighteenth year of King Jofaphat, 
 «. [2 Kings ii. 11.] Now Jofaphat reigned five 
 and twenty years, [2 Chron. xx. 31.] So that 
 feven years oVJofaphat's reign pafled after the 
 departure of Ellas'. 'Then Joram his Son reigned 
 for him, [2 Chron. xxi. I.] After fome time 
 of this Joram's reign, [ver. I2-] There came 
 
 a writing
 
 can hear our Prayers. 25^ 
 
 a writing to him fro?n Elias the Prophet, fay- 
 ing, Thus faith cur Lord, becaufe thou hajl 
 not walked in the ways of Jcjaphat thy Fa- 
 ther, \5c. And then he tells him many par- 
 ticular wicked acts of his, all dene after 
 Elias was dead. Elias therefore being de- 
 parted, knew what pafFed, and fhewed his 
 great care to help God's People his Brethren, 
 in writing this Letter after his departure. 
 
 6. When Saints come to Heaven, they 
 fee far more by the light of Glory than we 
 can eafilv conceive. Fornotu [1 Cor. xiii. 9.] 
 in part ice know, and in part" we prophefy : 
 But when that which is perfeel is come, then 
 that Jhall he done azuay which is in part* 
 Hence S. Jug. (1. 22 deChit. c. 7.1.) proveth „ 
 that the Saints in Heaven have more perfect 
 knowledge of what pafTeth here, than we 
 have. The light of Glory far exceedeth 
 the light of Prophecy, and yet by that Pro- 
 phets knew many fecrets of the hearts, and 
 things far out of their fight. Samuel faith 
 to Saul, (1 Sam. ix. 19.) All that is in thy 
 heart, I will tell thee* And (2 Kings v. 26.) 
 Elizeus faid to Giezi,JVent not my heart with 
 thee, zuhen the man turned again from off his 
 Chariot to meet thee? So (A&s v. 4.) St. Pe- 
 ter did fee the deceitful heart of Ananias 
 faying to him, Why hajl thou conceived this 
 thing in thy heart? Note, that as the light 
 of Prophecy is not a glorious glittering with- 
 out, but a quality inwardly inherent in the 
 understanding, elevating it ; even [q the light 
 
 of-
 
 256 The Angels and Saints 
 
 of glory is no fuch exterior brightnefs, as 
 fome rriay apprehend, but it is 'an interior 
 noble quality, and the nobleft of all quali- 
 ties, inherent to the underftanding, elevating, 
 corroborating, and enabling it to a wonder- 
 ful perfection in knowledge: So that it is 
 able perfectly to fee God himfelf. We 
 blind Worms very rafhly make thofe blefTed 
 Souls ignorant of our low Affairs. 
 
 7. Hear further, to what Authority over 
 the Affairs of this world God raifeth his 
 Saints, that hence you may fee, how much 
 it belongs to this their Authority to knowhow 
 things pafs here below. (Apoc. ii. 26.) He 
 that Jliall overcome ; and keep my works unto 
 the end) I will give him power over the Na- 
 tions, and he Jhall rule them with a rod of 
 Iron. And as a vejfelof the Potter they (who 
 flight them) Jhall be broken. He is a blind 
 Ruler over Nations, who knows not what 
 paffeth even in the fpiritual affairs of Nations, 
 which be thofe affairs that belong to his 
 ruling power. Again, (Ch. iii. 21.) He 
 that Jhall overcome, I will give unto him to 
 fit- zvithme in my Throne, as I alfo have over- 
 come, a?id have fitten with my Father in his 
 Throne. Do you think Saints, raifed by 
 God fo high, have no means to know what 
 we do below? Is it not faid of the Devil, 
 (Apoc. xii. 10.) That he accufeth our Bre- 
 thren night and day, which he cannot do un- 
 lefs he flrft knows in what to accufe us. A 
 fhameful thing it is to deny this knowledge 
 
 to
 
 can hear our Prayers. 257 
 
 to Angels, which we grark to Devils. See 
 in the next Point, n. 7. two evident Texts 
 out of the Apocalypfc, fhewing the Angela 
 and Saints to offer, and confequently to know 
 our Prayers. And note, that all I have uiid 
 from the fourth Number to this place, proves 
 the felf-fame. The former Texts fpeak in- 
 deed only of Angels; but you fee Saints raifed 
 to as highlight of glory as thofe Angels; 
 befides, they living fo mixt with them, and 
 4 till enjoying their converfation, it cannot 
 but feem fh«iige, that all the Angels fhould 
 rejoice at the Converfion of a (inner, and 
 the Saints fhould know nothing of it. Again, 
 It being proved that Angels can hear us, you 
 cannot, upon that account, deny Prayers to 
 Angels to be lawful, feeing that they hear 
 us as well as the Saints living upon Earth, 
 whole Prayers we may lawfully crave. If 
 you fay, that we are not commanded to pray 
 to them: I anfwer, So we are not com- 
 manded to beg one another's Prayers. 'Tis 
 fuificient, that as our fpiritual neceffities 
 command us to do this, fo they command us 
 much more to do that. But of this in the next 
 Point, n. 1. See there n. 7. two more Texts 
 out of the Apocalypfc, fhewing Saints to hear 
 our Prayers. For the twenty-four Seniors 
 were Saints, and not Angels, yet they knew 
 and prefented our Prayers made here on 
 Earth. 
 
 Th Q
 
 258 That Saints can 
 
 The Thirty-eighth Point. 
 
 a' 
 
 The Saints can, and will help us, and there- 
 fore it is laudable to pray to them. 
 
 FIRST, Proteftants often ask us, 
 Where we have a command to pray to 
 Angels, or Saints? I anfwer, that if there be 
 many advantages accruing to us by the de- 
 vout Invocation of Saints, then it is appa- 
 rent that prudence and charity to ourfelves 
 ought to excite us thereunto, as it doth to 
 feek fhelter when it rains, without being 
 called to go under fhelter by the Crier's 
 Voice, as they fay fome fimple people are. 
 It is as fimple to exact a command in a thing 
 of greater benefit. I fay moreover, that if 
 there be a command to beg the Prayers of 
 Saints living on Earth, that command (a 
 fortiori) urgeth us to beg the Prayers of 
 Saints living in Heaven, they being more 
 willing and more able to help us. If there 
 be no fuch command, yet we may without 
 any command praclile that laudably : fo alfo 
 may we laudably pra£Hfe this without a com- 
 mand, feeing that they hear us, as well as 
 the Saints living with us. Why then may 
 we not fay to Saints in Heaven, that which 
 St. Paul faid to Saints on Earth, Brethren, 
 pi-ay for us, Job's Friends were commanded 
 to go to Job to pray for them, as we fhall 
 
 fhew
 
 and ivill help us. 259 
 
 fhcw mere fully ;/. 9. You all keep the 
 Sunday. Where is that commanded to 
 you? You anfwer, It is fufneient to fee 
 Examples of it among the firft Chris- 
 tians. So fay I, It is fumciern: we fhew 
 you Examples in Scripture of fuch as prayed 
 to Angels. For of praying to Saints the 
 Old Teib.ment could not write, no Saints 
 being as then in Keaven. The four Gof- 
 pels writ no farther than the Afcenfion of 
 Chrift to Heaven, before which no Saint alfo 
 was in Heaven. Wherefore you need not 
 wonder, that in the four Gofpels you fee 
 no mention of praying to Saints in Heaven. 
 In St. Paul's Epifties you find him begging 
 Prayers of Saints on Earth. So [Heb. xiii. 
 18.] Pray for us. Seeing then that Prayer 
 to Saints in Heaven is more beneficial to us, 
 it is alfo, by manireit confequence, more to 
 be ufed by us. And as often as the Scrip- 
 ture exhorts us to promote our Salvation 
 and fpiritual good by all means we can, fo 
 often doth it exhort us to ufe this means as 
 much, or more, than begging the Prayers 
 of others upon Earth. In fine, when a 
 thing hath many fpiricual goods in it, we 
 are fufHciently invited thereunto without a 
 command: So no bodv commanded Timothy, 
 Jlill to drink water y St. 'John to drink no 
 wine, and to come neither eating nor drink- 
 ing, nor his Difciples to fajl often. (See 
 Point 22.) It is fufikient, that we obtain 
 much good thereby. 
 
 2. That
 
 260 That Saints can 
 
 2. That by praying to Saints we obtain 
 much good, I prove, by proving that Saints 
 can p and will help us, which all they fup- 
 pofed who called upon them, as [Gen. xlviii. 
 15.] And 'Jacob bleffed the Sons of Jofeph, 
 and/aid, God before whom my Fathers walked^ 
 the Angel that delivered (or redee?ned) me from 
 all evi^ blefs the Lads. He calls firffc upon 
 God, and then upon his good Angel, to 
 help thofe Children. And he tells you, that 
 this Angel delivered him from fever a I evils. 
 How Jacob prayed this Angel is expreiTed 
 [Hof. xii. 4.] Jacob prevailed againjl the An- 
 
 fel, and he wept, and made fuppli cation unto 
 im. So Job's Friend, following the prac- 
 tice of thofe times, did bid him call upon 
 fome Saint or Angel, as I mewed laft 
 Point, n. 3. How well the Angels wifh, us, 
 their joy for the converfionof finners teftirleth. 
 And if the evil Angels are fo reftlefs in 
 circling about to fee whom they can devour^ and 
 accufe our Brethren night and day, as I mewed 
 in the former Point, n. 7. The good An- 
 gels are no lefs careful to feek whom they 
 can defend, help, and fave. 
 
 3. Hence that earner!: Prayer of that An- 
 gel, [Zach. i. 12.] And the Angel of our 
 Lord /aid, Lord of Ho/Is, how long wilt 
 thou not have mercy on Jerufalem, and on the 
 Cities of Judah, againjl which thou hafl had 
 indignation thefe threefcore and ten years* 
 What call you praying, if this be not ? Now 
 hear with what efrecl: this Angel prayed for 
 
 them:
 
 and will hi Ip us. 26 j 
 
 them : And our Lord anfwerect the Angel 
 good words, comfortable words. Behold here 
 this Angel would and could help our Ne- 
 ceflities. And of St. Michael in particular, 
 Dan-el faith, [Chap. x. 21.] There is none 
 that holdeth with me in theft things, but Mi- 
 chael your Prince* [Chap. xii. i.] At that 
 time Jhall /land up Michael the great Prince, 
 who jlandeth for the Children of thy People, 
 In what doth St. Michael ftand for God's 
 People, if he doth not fo much as pray for 
 them ? 
 
 4. That by the Merits of Saints we may 
 beg and obtain Favours, I prove alfo thus. 
 [1 Kings, xv. 4.] When wicked Alias , reign- 
 ed in fudah, for David's fake, our Lord his 
 God gave him a Lamp in ferufalem, that 
 we might raife up his Son after him, and ef- 
 tablifb ferufacm, becaufe David had done 
 right in the Eyes of our Lord. When an 
 Hundred eighty five Thousand AjTyrians 
 came to befiege Je? ujalem, God by his Pro- 
 phet faid to Ezechias, I w'dl p:o:ecl this Ci- 
 ty, that I may fave it for my own fak , and 
 for David's fake my Servant, [Ifa. xxxvii. 
 35.] That is, fay the Protcftants, for my 
 Promife made to David. But we fay, if 
 they feck over all Scripture, they will find 
 no fuch Promife made to David, of defend- 
 ing or protecting ferufalem. Yea, we prove 
 there could be no fuch Promife, becaufe fe- 
 rufalem, in the Captivity, was not protected 
 but ruinated. 
 
 * <. The
 
 262 That Saints can, 
 
 5. The Power which the Prayers of Saints 
 have, and that they ufe carefully to pray for 
 us, is often exprefled in Scripture. [Jeremy 
 xv. i.] Though Mofes and Samuel flood be- 
 fore me, yet my Mind could not be toward the 
 Pe pie. By which manner of Speech it ap- 
 pears that Mofes and Samuel, long finceDead, 
 were, after their Death, ufed to Pray for the 
 People, and that their Prayers were moft 
 Powerful. So a King may fay, though my 
 Mother mall come to me and Pray, I will 
 not hear hen You mail fee Daniel of like 
 Merit and Power with God in jufr. fuch ano- 
 ther Text. [Ezecb. xiv. 13.] I will kill 
 cut of the Laud, Man and Beajl. And if 
 thefe three Men Jhall be in the midji thereof 
 Noah, Daniel, and Job, they, by their Juf- 
 tice, Jhall deliver their own Souls. Yet, though 
 thefe three Men were in it, faiih our Lrd, 
 they fljo.ll deliver neither Sons nor Daughters^ 
 but themj elves alone foall be delivered. Which 
 he repeats again, [ver. 20.] This joining 
 of Daniel, a Saint then living, with Noah 
 and Jo'), dead fo many hundred Years be- 
 fore, fheweth, that thefe Men by their Pray- 
 ers, no lefs powerfully interpofed themfelves, 
 than Daniel Living. Of E/ias's Care to af- 
 iift his People after his Death, we gave you 
 a memorable Tellimony in the former Point, 
 n. 5. In the famous Vifion of Judas Afac- 
 cabeus [2 Mace. xv. 12.] Firft Oriias, who 
 had been the High Prieft, but was now 
 Dead, Jlretching forth his Hands y Prayed 
 
 for
 
 will help us. 26 -> 
 
 for (ill the People of the Jews. Jfter this 
 there ' aifo another A'lan, marvellous 
 
 for Age and Glory, and for the Pert of great 
 Dignity about him. And Onias [aid, this is 
 the Lover of lis Brethren. This is he who 
 praycth ir.uJ) for the People and the whole 
 City, Jeremy the Prophet of God. And he 
 gave to Judas a Sword of Gold, faying, Take 
 the 1 . a gift from God, wherewith 
 
 thou Jbalt overthrefa) the Jd: crfarics of my 
 People. The event confirmed the truth of 
 this Vifioii. Qrigen (Tom. 18. in Joan.) 
 ; on this place faith. It appear eth 
 that Saints depart d from this Lfe, have care 
 of the People j as it is written (faith he) in 
 the ads cf the Maccabees, many years after 
 the Deat' cf Jeremy. This is Jeremy the 
 Prophet, zvho prase h much for the People. 
 So that though the Hooks of Maccabees be 
 admitted not as Scripture, but only as a 
 true Ecclellaftical Hiftory, we have from 
 thence, that the mod: Holy High Pried, and 
 chief of God's only People, believed that 
 Saints prayed for us, and helped us, and that 
 all the People, who were faid to be encourag- 
 ed by this ['if on, were of the fame Belief. 
 How far then is this from all Novelty, which 
 can be proved to have been pra&iied before 
 the Days of the Apoftles ; and this by an 
 Authority far greater than that of Jofephus, 
 or any fuch Hiilorian, to. whom you would 
 fcorn to give a place in your Bible, as you 
 do to the Hiitory of the Maccabees, 
 
 6. Let
 
 264 That Saints can, 
 
 6. Let us now come to the New Tefta- 
 ment. What motive foever moved Dives , 
 [Luke xvi 27.] to pray to -Abraham, faying, 
 / would befeech thee, that thou wouldtft fend 
 to my Father's Hcufe, for I have five Bre- 
 thren, to teftifie to them, left they alfo come to 
 this place of Torment, > The very fame Mo- 
 tive will work far more upon the heart of 
 departed Saints to help us, their poor Bre- 
 thren from that place of Torments, and pro- 
 mote us to thofe eternal Tabernacles, of 
 which Chrift faid, [Luke xvi. 9.] Make unto 
 yourf elves friends of the Mammon of Iniquity, 
 that vjhen you fail, they may receive you Into 
 everlafting Habitations. Again, [Apoc. ii. 26.] 
 He that Jhall overcome, and Keep my words to 
 the end, I will give him Power over the Na- 
 tions; and he Jhall rule them with a Rod of 
 Irpn. The Saints having Authority to rule 
 Nations fo powerfully, as is here expreiTed 
 by a Rod or Scepter of Iron, they exercife 
 this their power, chiefly by making Inter- 
 ceflion fo powerfully to God for us, as to 
 obtain for us fuch Graces as we ftand moft 
 in need of, this their power being given to 
 a fpiritual end. 
 
 7. And as God, who is Goodnefs and 
 Mercy itfelf in an infinite degree, doth 
 notwithstanding not fo fhew this his Mercy 
 and Bounty towards thofe, who never pray , 
 to him, as he doth to thofe who are incef- 
 fantly begging his help. So Saints chiefly 
 are moved to aid thofe who are ftill begging 
 
 their
 
 and will help us. 265 
 
 their affiftance, yet true it is that they are 
 of their own accord helping us. So Raphael 
 offered the Prayers made to God by Toby, 
 as we have feen in the former Point, n. 3. 
 5o [Apoc. v. 8.] The four Bcafts, and four 
 and twenty Elders fell before the Lamb, hav- 
 ing every one Harps and golden Vials full cf 
 odours, which are the Prayers of Saints ; 
 which Prayers, made by Saints on Earth, 
 thefe Saints in Heaven did know and hear, 
 for they prefented them in Golden Vials. 
 And [Chap. viii. 3.] Another A .gel came 
 and Jl cod at the Altar y having a golden Cenfer. 
 And there was given to him much Incenf, 
 that he Jhould offer it with the Prayers of all 
 the Saints upon the Altar of Gold, which is 
 before the TJjrone of God, and the fmoke of the 
 Incenfe, which came with the Prayers of the 
 Saints, afcended up before Gad out of the An- 
 gels Hand. Note, that the Angel being 
 before the Throne of God, did there hear 
 the Prayers of Saints in Earth. Secondly, 
 He did not only hear their Prayers, but alio, 
 cff^r them up before the TJjrone of God in a 
 golden Cenfer ; which he could not do, if he 
 had not known them. Thirdly, Thefe Pray- 
 ers of the Saints on Earth, by being thus 
 jointly offered up by the more fervent Prayers 
 of the Saints in Heaven, or Holy Angels, 
 did become more acceptable to God. For 
 hence the fmoke of the Incenfe with theft Pray- 
 ers afcended, more fweetly and plcafantly 
 to God, from the hand of the Angel. God 
 M indeed
 
 266 That Saints can, 
 
 indeed knows our Prayers before the Saints 
 or Angels offer- them ; but he knows that 
 they mount up lefs powerfully, when they be 
 not .feconded with their Interceflion. So God 
 knew before hand, that all the People an- 
 fwered Mops, faying to him, All things that 
 our L r >rd bath fpoken, we will do. [Exod. 
 xix. 8.] And yet the very next words are, 
 And Mofes returned the words of the People 
 to our Lord. Which words were well-known 
 to God before that Mofes did return them, 
 yet by returning them, he did make, by his 
 joint Mediation, this chearful offer of the 
 People more pleafing to God. 
 
 8. And becaufe he did this to their greater 
 advantage, Mofes himfelf faith, [Dent. v. 
 5.] I flood between the Lord and you at that 
 time. This I note to anfwer the Objection 
 of our Adverfaries, faying, It is injurious 
 to Chrift to take any other Mediator : For 
 one is our Mediator. To be a Mediator is 
 nothing but to ftand between God and us, 
 mediating for us. In this proper fenfe Mofes 
 was a Mediator between God and his Peo- 
 ple. The fame, in the fame (enCe, may be 
 faid of other Saints ; yet in that fenfe that 
 Chrift is faid to be our only Mediator, we 
 make no other Mediator : For he is called 
 Mediator, becaufe he is fo by his own 
 worth, and by his Merits offered for us, 
 fully fatisfying God's Anger, and capable 
 of no repulfe. / did know that thou dofi al- 
 ways hear me\ faid Chrift to his Eternal Fa- 
 ther,
 
 and will help us. 267 
 
 trier, (John xi. 42.) He is heard far the 
 Reverence due to him, as St. Paul fpeaks. In 
 this fenfe we make no Saint Mediator for 
 us. We only beg of them to pray for us, 
 as we beg of living Saints, whom by their 
 Prayers we defire to mediate for us. St. 
 Paul in this feme defired Jthe Theffalonians 
 to mediate for him to God. Brethren pi ay 
 for US) [1 ThefT. v. 25.] And to the He- % 
 brews, .[Chap. xiii. 18.] Pray fir us. And 
 God himfelf bids Job's Friends ufe the me- 
 diation or interceflion of Job, promifing to 
 hear the Prayers of this their Mediator made 
 for them; but no where promifing to hear 
 their Prayers made without his Mediation. 
 Yea, rather intimating, that he would not 
 hear their Prayers, unlefs Job mediated for 
 them, as I fha.ll now fhew. 
 
 9. If you fay it derogates from Ch rift's 
 honour, that any other mould help to fave 
 us. I aniwer, That Saints, yet living up- 
 on Earth, help to fave us. And fo [Job 
 xlii. 7.] God tells Job's three Friends: My 
 -Wrath is kindled againjl thee. Take therefore 
 unto you feven Oxen and /even Rams, and 
 go to my Servant Job, and offer up for your 
 f elves a Burnt -offering. And my Servant Job 
 Jljall pray for you; him I will accept, that is, 
 his mediation fhall avail to your pardon. 
 Neither do we difhonour, but we rather 
 honour our Saviour, when we defire Saints 
 to pray for us. For by this we fhew the 
 dignity of his Merits to be fo great, 
 that by his Merits, Saints are advanced 
 M 2 ; to
 
 268 'That Saints can, 
 
 to fo great favour with God, that their 
 Prayers hence come to be fo effectual, as 
 were thoie of a Mojes, who living yet on 
 Earth, could obtain fo often pardon for the 
 whole People of If r a el. From whence al- 
 fo it proceeds, that the Saints in Heaven, as 
 well as the Saints here living, are in Scrip- 
 ture faid to fave others. Hence St. Paul, 
 [i Tim. iv. 1 6.] For in doing this , thou 
 foalt both fave thy fclf, and them that hear 
 thee. And St. James, [Chap. v. 20.] He 
 which converteth a Sinner from the error of 
 his way, /hall fave a Soul from Death. 
 
 io. Neither laitly, do we act againft that 
 Precept of Chrift, faying, Come ye all to 
 me. As St. Paul did not act againft the 
 faid Precept, when, after our Saviour had faid 
 thefe words, he himfelf went begging the 
 Prayers of the Thefjalonians and Hebrews, in 
 his Epiftles to them. For there be two 
 ways of going to Chrifl. The firft imme- 
 diately by ourfelves, approaching reverently 
 in Prayer to him. The fecond, and more 
 powerful way, is, when we, humbly ac- 
 knowledging our unworthinefs, and the 
 meannefs of our poor Prayers, do procure 
 the Intercefiion of Chrift's greateft Friends, 
 to accompany with their jovnt Mediation, 
 our humble Petitions. And thus, though 
 the Centurion did not perfonally come to 
 Chrifl, yet he is faid by St. Matthew truly 
 to have come to Chrift : There came to him 
 a Centurion, [Matt. viii. 5.] And yet St. 
 
 Luke
 
 and will help us. 269 
 
 Luke faid he did not come to him , for [Luke 
 vii. 3.] only, he fent unto him the Elders of 
 the "Jews, to intercede, g him that he 
 
 would come. And again, When he was now 
 not far from the Hcufe. the Centurion fent 
 Friends to him, faying, I am not ivorthy that 
 thou fnouldjl enter under my Roof. And Chri/i 
 ?nar veiling 1 faid, Neither in Ifrael have I 
 found fuch Faith. Behold this more humble 
 way of coming to Chjifl: by our Mediators 
 and Interceflbrs Supplying our unworthinefs, 
 far preferred before the former way, and that 
 even for the Faith of the perfon Co approach- 
 ing: I have not found fo great Faith % no not 
 in IfraeL Ponder well this Paflage. 
 
 The Thirty-ninth Point. 
 
 That among the Saints, it is mo ft laudable to 
 pray to our Lady. And of the Beads faid 
 to her honour, 
 
 AS we are far from honouring our Lady- 
 more than her Son, becaufe we know 
 that all the Grace (he hath, and all her pow- 
 er in the Court of Heaven, is wholly and 
 intirely by her Son ; fo are we alfo far from 
 equalizing any Saint in grace or power, to 
 the moil Bleiled Mother of God, who, even 
 M 3 before
 
 2/0 . Of Prayers to our Lady 9 
 
 before me was his Mother, was by the Arch- 
 Angel pronounced full of Grace, [Luke i. 
 28.] The highefr. Saints in Heaven are only 
 Itiied Servants of God. But our Lady is truly 
 ftiled God's Mother. Whence is this to me, 
 that the Mother of my Lord jhould come to me? 
 [Luke i. 43.] In all well-ordered Families, 
 the power of the Lord's Mother incompar- 
 ably exceeds the power of all his Servants. 
 God, who hath commanded us in a fpecial 
 Commandment to honour our Parents, can- 
 not, without Impiety, be thought not to 
 yield a fpecial honour to his Mother. All 
 Generations fiall call her bleffed : Becaufe he 
 that is mighty hath done great things to her. 
 [Luke i. 48.] 
 
 2. Two things chiefly concur to eminent 
 Sanctity: Exteriour advantages to improve 
 ourfelves in Grace, and interiour afliftahce 
 of the Holy Ghoft, to make the beft ufe of 
 thofe advantages. Our Lady in the exteriour 
 occafions of improving herielf in Grace, had 
 the greater! advantages that ever any Crea- 
 ture had, even after me was declared full of 
 Grace. She had our Saviour lodging in her 
 Womb nine Months. And {he knew who he 
 was, and what Graces he could beftow up- 
 on her, if flic neglecfed not to beg them. She 
 did fee the humility of his Birth, and beheld 
 all that then happened. But Mary kept all 
 thefe faying s, ar.d pondered them in her heart, 
 [Luke ii. 19.] All that we read of our Lord 
 until he was thirty years old is, that he lived 
 
 fubjefi
 
 and the Beads. 27 r 
 
 fubjecl to his Parents. And his Mother kept 
 all thefe jlyings in her hearty [Luke ii. 51.] 
 She then had for thirty Years together the 
 benefit of his example to inform her, the 
 benefit of his Converfation to move her, the 
 benefit of his Inftru&ion to teach her, all 
 fhe could defire to learn, or he defire to im- 
 part to her. When her Son began to preach 
 to the World, and the People all laid, Ne- 
 ver man did /peak as he did, who can doubt 
 but a Mother, To dearly affecting fuch a 
 Son, did hear him more frequently, and de- 
 voutly, than any other, jlill keeping and 
 pondering all in her heart. But her fpecial 
 Harvejl was in the time of his Paffion, which 
 her Companion made alfo to be hers. Mo- 
 thers will underftand fomewhat of the 
 Martyrdom fhe then fuffered : But no body- 
 can underftand how much after his Death 
 and Afcenfion, her Soul daily was improved 
 by continual Meditation of what fhe had 
 feen, and alfo by the devout feeding upon 
 the Body of our Lord, which fhe made her 
 daily Bread. Now as for the interior affift- 
 ance of the Holy Ghoft, exciting her to 
 make the belt, advantages of all thefe occa- 
 fions, we know that all fuch excitations and 
 graces are difpenfed by the hands of her 
 own Son. Is not fhe then the liklieft, to 
 have th fharc in all thefe graces ? 
 
 which graces, her Son alfo, had infiruefxd 
 her to ufe lo well to her bcii: advantage, 
 M 4 and
 
 272 Of Prayers to our Lady, 
 
 and to their hourly increafe and improve- 
 ment. 
 
 3. Hence it is, that as fhe jfurpafTed all 
 in the practice of virtue, fo fhe is raifed 
 above all in fupereminency of heavenly glory. 
 Whence it followeth that both love to God, 
 and love to her Neighbour being mofl per- 
 fect in her, fhe, by them both, is mofl pow- 
 erfully moved to afford to all fuch, as de- 
 voutly call upon her, all the afliftance fhe is 
 able. Wherefore feeing her power is far fur- 
 paffing that of other Saints, we have all 
 reafon to believe her intercefHon to be moft 
 available for us. 
 
 4. Among other devotions which we ufe 
 to procure this her fo acivantagious intercef- 
 fion, one is to fay the Rofary or Beads to 
 her honour. Not that our Church com- 
 mands any one to fay theie Beads, but that 
 fhe holds this to be a very commendable thing, 
 which fhe knoweth full well to be but a late 
 practice of piety, as alio many other Prayers 
 are moil pious, which were made long fince 
 the Apoftles time. For you cannot prove 
 that in their time any one prayer, which is 
 in your Common- Prayer Book was ufed, ex- 
 cept the Pater Nojler and Creed. Will you 
 fay then that the ufe of them is not laud- 
 able ? Let us then go on. 
 
 5. As the Pfalter confifts of a hundred 
 and fifty Pfalms, fo in imitation of that, 
 the whole Rofary confifts of a hundred and 
 fifty Ave Marie:. And as the inftrument 
 
 to
 
 and the Beads. 273 
 
 to which David did fing his Pfalms, was an 
 inftrument of ten firings, \Pfal. xxxiii 2.] 
 So we diiHnguifh thefe hundred and fifty 
 Jvc Maries, into feveral tens, that is, in- 
 to fifteen tens, if we fay the whole Rofary, 
 or into five tens, if we fay but the third 
 part of it, as we do, when our leifure or 
 devotion reacheth not at once to the whole 
 Rofary. Every ten is diftinguifhed with a 
 Pater Nojier, faid in the beginning thereof. 
 For before we call upon our Lady, we think 
 it lit to call upon our Lord, from whom all 
 the Graces of our Lady did proceed; and 
 from whom all mull be given, which we 
 beg of her to obtain. For we do not ac- 
 knowledge our Lady to be the giver of any 
 graces, though her intercemon be mofr. pow- 
 erful to obtain them to be given by her Son. 
 When we ufe this devotion, we do indeed 
 fay ten Ave Maries for one Pater Nofier. 
 But the realbn of this is not, that we honour 
 our Lady more than our Lord; for we are 
 fo far from equalizing her to him, that we 
 confefs her infinitely inferiour to him. But 
 the reafon is, that it is fit we mould fet 
 fome time apart to honour her, or elfe we 
 mould honour her at no time. Now, as 
 when we are bufied in honouring our Mo- 
 ther, we are not at that time bufied in ho- 
 nouring our Father : So when we bellow 
 this parcel of time in honouring our Lady ; 
 we only at this time honour our Lord fo 
 far, a* ail the honour we do to his Mother, 
 M 5 «
 
 274 Of Pray**" to our Lady. 
 
 is done out of the refpecl: we bear to her, 
 becaufe fhe is his Mother. We referve other 
 devotions to our Lord, which contain an 
 honour of an incomparably higher (train, 
 than any honour we give to our Lady. For, 
 becaufe our Lord died on the Friday, we, 
 to ' his honour, fair, all Fridays; becaufe he 
 remained dead all Saturday, we honour him 
 for it, by abftinence from flefh all Saturdays. 
 JBecaufe he did rife again on the Sunday, 
 we honour his Refurrection by folemnizing 
 all Sundays. Becaufe he fafted forty days 
 for us, we, to his honour, yearly fail the forty 
 Days of Lent. No fuch honour is done by 
 us to our Lady. Our Adverfaries will afk 
 us firfti what Authority we have for the 
 Ave Mar), Secondly, why we ufe this prayer 
 juft fo often reiterated, and how we bufy 
 our minds in the mean time ? You will foon 
 know what to anfwer by the enfuing dif- 
 courfe. 
 
 6. We fay then the firft part of the Ave 
 Mary was made by an Angel j and he, as 
 AmbafTador from God, ufed fuch words as 
 he knew to be to God's mind, faying to 
 our Lady : Hail full of Grace, our Lord is 
 with thee, . blejfed art thou among Women. 
 [Luke i. 28.] The fecond Part came alfo 
 from God :For[ver. 41.] Elizabeth was filled 
 with the Holy Ghoft, and /he fpake out with a 
 loud voice, and /aid; blejfed art thou among 
 fVomcn : And blejfed is the fruit of thy zvomb : 
 The Holy Church addeth, Holy Mary Mother
 
 and the Beads. 275 
 
 of God, (for fhe is in the next verfe called 
 Mother of our Lord) pray for us firmer s y 
 now, and at the hour of ou*- death, Amen. 
 Which words are moft full of piety, fup- 
 pofing, what we have proved, prayer to 
 Saints to be pious ; for if we may pray to 
 our Lord's Servants, we may pray to his 
 Mother. Behold the whole Ave Mary, 
 
 Secondly, We ufe ju(t the number of a hun- 
 dred and fifty Ave Maries in the whole Ro- 
 , becaufe we would fay a whole Pfalter 
 to her honour. If thefe had been a hun- 
 dred and fifty feveral Prayers, as there be 
 a hundred and fifty Pfalms, who would have 
 remembred them ? But now, they being all 
 but the fame prayer fo often repeated, and 
 this prayer alfo fo well known, any fimple 
 perfon, though he cannot read, can fay this 
 whole Pfalter to our Lady without Book. 
 And it was made chiefly for a devout enter- 
 tainment for thofe ignorant people who can- 
 not read, though it be alfo an excellent en- 
 tertainment even for the moil learned, when 
 either they have hot light to read, or when 
 being wearied out with contemplation, or 
 lefs difpofed thereunto, they defire to walk, 
 or pafs the time devoutly without any over- 
 much tiring exercife. If any one adds an 
 Ave Mary more or lefs, than this number, 
 he doth no other hurt than he, who iiuend- 
 to fay the whole Pfalter, mould fay one 
 Ptalm lefs, or repeat one twice. Thefe 
 hundred and fifty Ave Maries are moft con- 
 veniently.
 
 276 Of Prayer to our Lady 
 
 veniently divided into fifteen tens, to help us 
 at every feveral ten, to call to our memory 
 and devout confideration, a feveral Myftery 
 of the life of Chrift and our Lady. For 
 the prime Myfteries of their lives be reduc- 
 ed very fitly and orderly, into fifteen Myf- 
 teries, of which five be joyful, five be forrow- 
 ful, and five be glorious. To the honour 
 of all thefe fifteen Myfteries, we fay the 
 fifteen Tens, when we fay the whole Ro- 
 fary. If we have not will or leifure to fay 
 the whole Rofary at once, then we fay only 
 the Beads of five tens, honouring, or pon- 
 dering, either the five joyful, or the five 
 forrowful, or the five glorious Myfteries. 
 When I fay the firft five tens, at each ten I 
 will honour, and attentively ponder with 
 devotion one of the five joyful Myjleries* 
 As firfl, the Annunciation of our Lady, when 
 the Angel announced unto her, that God 
 would become man, and fhe mould be ex- 
 alted to be his Mother. Secondly, her Vifi- 
 tation, when vifiting her Coufin Elizabeth. 
 Js foon as Elizabeth heard the falutation of 
 Mary, the Infant did leap in her Womb, 
 and Elizabeth was replenijhed with the Holy 
 Ghojl, and cried out, BleJJed art thou, &'c» 
 [Luke i. 41.] Thirdly the Nativity of our 
 Lord. A joy that Jhall be to all People, be- 
 caufe this day was born to them a Saviour. 
 [ Luke ii. 10.] Her joy was greateft who was 
 the Mother in this joyful Birth. Fourthly, 
 her Purification, when Simeon, in whom 
 
 the
 
 and the Beads . 277 
 
 the Holy Ghoft was, came in Spirit into the 
 Temple, and took the Child into his Ar?ns> 
 fhewing him to all publicly in the Temple* 
 and declaring him to be a light to lighten the 
 Gentiles y and the Glory of the People fi/Ifraei, 
 [Luke ii. 32.] Fifth ly> her finding the Ujl 
 Child difputing with the Dollars in the Temple , 
 where they all were a/lomfhed that heard him* 
 upon his Wtfdom and Anfwers. [Luke ii. 47.] 
 And he went dozen with his Mother, and lived 
 fubjeel unto her, even till he was thirty Years 
 old, and Jbe kept all his words in her Heart* 
 [var. 51.] 
 
 8. When I come to fay the fecond five 
 Tens, I will honour and ponder the five 
 forrowful Myjleries, Firft* Chri/l's Prayer 
 in the Garden. Secondly, his whipping at the 
 Pillar. Thirdly, his Crowning with Thorns* 
 Fourthly, his carrying of the Crofs. Fifthly , 
 his being Crucified^ and dying upon the Crofs* 
 All which as Chrift felt them moll fenfibly 
 in his Body, fo our Lady, next to Chrift, 
 had a moft tender feeling of them in her own 
 Soul. And her own Soul the Szvord of Grief 
 did pierce. As Holy Simeon Prophefied of 
 her. [Luke ii. 35.] When I come to fay 
 the third five Tens, I will fpend the time 
 in faying each of them by meditating upon 
 and fo honouring, each of the five glorious 
 Myfleries. Firjl, the Refurrctlion of our 
 Saviour. Secondly, his Ajcenfion to heaven- 
 ly Glory. Thirdly, his fending the Holy Ghofi* 
 Fourthly, the AJfumption of our Lady : When 
 
 as
 
 2 7$ Of P ya y er t0 our Lady, 
 
 as many Holy Fathers have taught, that 
 Body of hers, in which Chrift took Flefh, 
 was foon after its Burial, not made. Meat 
 of Worms, but with far greater reafon, 
 made Partaker of her Son's Refurre&ion, 
 then were thoje many Saints, of whom St. 
 Matth. [Chap, xxvii. 53.] faith, their Graves 
 were opened, and they roje. And they going 
 forth out of their Graves after his Refur- 
 reclion, came into the Holy City, and appear- 
 ed to. ?nany. Fifthly, and laftly I will, to 
 her honour, confider her Coronation, im- 
 porting her fpecial State in that Heavenly 
 Glory, in which fhe is looked upon, and 
 reverenced by all Saints and Angels, as their 
 Queen, fhe being the Mother of the King 
 of Glory. The Mother of my Lord. [Luke 
 
 *• 430 
 
 9. The intent of the Holy Church, re- 
 commending this Devotion, is to teach all 
 that ufe it, efpecially the more ignorant 
 who cannot ufe Books, how to employ their 
 Minds fruitfully in a moil commendable 
 Medication, of Myfteries molt glorious to 
 Chrift, and his Mother, and moll benefi- 
 cial to our Souls, whilft their Lips are moft 
 devoutly bufied in reciting words ib pleafing 
 to the Mother of God ; to which end the 
 Teachers of our Church, both by words, 
 and by writing, ftill are inculcating this 
 true ufe of the Beads. 
 
 10. Now this number of fifteen Tens,, 
 or of five Tens, ferving fo fitly for the 
 
 orderly 
 
 i
 
 end the Beads. 279 
 
 orderly practice of To eafy a devotion, can- 
 not be more ealily obferved, than by letting 
 one Bead fall at each Ave Mary ; And the 
 beginning of the next Ten, can no way be 
 more cafily notified than to begin the laid 
 Ten with a Bead of fo different a bignefs, 
 that it may eafily be noted, even in the Dark 
 without any Diilraition. And the fame dif- 
 ferent Bead ferves alfo to mind us of paffing 
 to the Confide ration of a different Myftery, 
 unlefs perhaps our Soul hath other predomi- 
 nant pious thoughts or affections, which, 
 tending to a very beneficial Meditation, are 
 better continued than interrupted. Now, 
 though many iimple People ufe not thefe 
 Confiderations, but attend only to the words 
 they fay, yet thofe words be lb excellent, 
 that this Entertainment proves molt virtuous, 
 by their ufing the recital of them to honour 
 Chrift and his blefled Mother. 
 
 11. Neither is the often repeating of the 
 fame Prayers or Prayer, a thing blame-wor- 
 thy. For if, after the faying of one Ave 
 Alary, we mould ufe a lefs excellent Prayer* 
 yea, or no Prayer at all, you could not 
 blame us. How then grow we to be blame- 
 worthy for ufing this fo excellent Prayer r 
 He, who mould every Hour fay our Lord's- 
 Prayer, although he mould do it three times 
 each Hour, is not be blamed, but com- 
 mended. How then is he to be blamed, who 
 faith t^ie Lord's-Prayer three or fourfcore 
 times in one Hour ? Next unto our Lord V 
 
 Prayer,
 
 280 Of Prayer to our Lady, 
 
 Prayer, no Prayer hath greater Authority or 
 Excellency, than the Ave Mary, Why 
 then be we blamed for ufing it fo often, in 
 fo fhort a fpace, whilft, as you think, you 
 remain without blame, who ufe it fo feldom ? 
 Our Saviour had the rareft Invention that 
 ever Man had, and, if we may make bold 
 to account any of his Prayers more excellent 
 than another, his Prayer in the Garden may 
 feem to have been moil excellent. And yet 
 even then, as rare an Invention as he had, 
 He prayed the third time ufing the fame words, 
 [Matth. xxvi. 44.] And not inventing any 
 new form. So likewife thofe four blefled 
 fix- winged Creatures, [Apoc. iv. 8.] Bad 
 not refi Day and Nighty faying, Holy, Holy, 
 Holy, Lord God Omnipotent. The oftener 
 they faid this one Prayer over, and over, 
 the more Fervour appears, even in fo rare 
 inventive Spirits. All the Publican's Prayer 
 was ; God be Merciful to me a Sinner. [Luke 
 xviii. 13.] And [ver. 38.] all the Prayer 
 of the Blind Man was, to cry again and 
 again faying; Jefa Son of David, have 
 Mercy upon me. And when they rebuked 
 him to hold his Peace, he cryed much more, 
 Son of David have Mercy upon me. And 
 thus he, by Perfeverance in the fame Prayer, 
 obtained his requeft. Who doth not fee a 
 fpecial Power to ftir up a great feeling of 
 God's Mercies, in the Pfalm one Hundred 
 and thirty fix, which containeth but twenty 
 feven Verfes, and yet it doth twenty feven 
 
 times
 
 // is laudable, iffc. 28 1 
 
 times repeat thofe words. For his mercy en- 
 durcthfor ever. 
 
 The Fortieth Point. 
 
 It is laudable to worfrnp the Images of Saints, 
 
 IT is laudable, I fay, to worfhip the 
 Saints Images in that Senfe, in winch we 
 Roman Catholics w orihip Images. The very- 
 Saints themfelvcs we worfhip not with divine 
 Honour, as I laid and largely declared Point 
 36. n. \, 4, 5. And therefore it is araoft 
 unconfcionable Slander, which our Adver- 
 faries lay upon us, faying that we give di- 
 vine honour to Images. No, we give no 
 fuch honour to the Saints themfclves, much 
 lefs do we give it to their Images ; unleft 
 you think we worfhip the Images more than 
 the Perfon reprefented by the Images. All 
 that we Roman Catholics hold, as a Point 
 of Faith may be read by all men in the 
 Council of Trent. [Sc/fl 25.] where this 
 Council teacheth, due honour and 'veneration 
 to be given to the Images of Chrijl and his 
 Saints, not that there is believed to be in them 
 any Divinity or Virtue, for which they are to 
 be worjhipped, or that any thing is to be asked 
 of them, or that any Confidence is to be placed 
 in the Images, as anciently was done by tbt 
 
 Gentiles,
 
 282 It is laudable 
 
 Gentiles , who did put their hope in their Idols* 
 [Pfalm cxv. 8.] But becaufe the honour which 
 is given to the Images, is referred to the Per- 
 
 fons reprefented by the Images, fo that by, or 
 through the Images ivhich we kifs, and before 
 which we uncover our Head, or lie pro/Irate^ 
 
 . we adore Chrijl^ and reverence the Saint s y 
 whom thefe Images reprefent. Behold the 
 Belief of -our Church, teaching, that all 
 the reverence done before Images, I pray 
 note well this manner of Speech, all the 
 Honour, I fay, that is mewed before the Pic- 
 ture, refteth not in the Image, but pafleth 
 through it, and refteth in the Perfon repre- 
 fented to me by this Picture. He that abufeth 
 King Charles's Picture or Statue, neither in- 
 tendeth to fhew, nor meweth any anger or 
 difrefpecl to Paper, or to Stock or Stone. All 
 the abufe, by all men's Judgment, is given 
 to King Charles, reprefented by his Picture 
 in Paper, or engraven in Wood or Stone. 
 A further, and an evident Proof of all this 
 is that yourfelves on the one fide believe the 
 Sacrament to be only a Sign, or figure of 
 Chrift's body, and yet on the other fide, 
 you count it no Idolatry to kneel before 
 this Sacrament at the receiving of it, be- 
 caufe that worfhip is done to the Perfon fig- 
 nified by this Sign. But that which prefleth 
 you far more is that St. Paul faith, He that 
 eatcth and drinketh unworthily is guilty cf the 
 Body a?id Blood of Chrijl. [1 Cor. xi. 27.] 
 Now, of this being guilty of Chrift's Body 
 
 and
 
 to worfnip Images. 283 
 
 and Blood, it is impolTible for you to give 
 any other reafon, but that the abufing of 
 the Sign or Figure of Chriil's Body, is a high 
 abufe done to the Body itfeif. *The fame is 
 proved out of [2 Sam. vi. 16.] where, of 
 David's dancing before the Ark, it is 
 iaid, Michel Jaw David dancing before our 
 Lord. You fee the honour thus done as 
 much to the Ark, as our bowing or kneel- 
 ing, or proft rating, is done to the Images, 
 is referred not to the Ark, but to our Lord, 
 and is laid to be done before him. 
 
 2. Firft then, I fey, we neither are nor 
 can be accounted guilty of Idolatry upon 
 this account. No underftanding man can 
 deny, but this hath been the practice of 
 the only true vifible Church for a thoufand 
 years at leaft ; therefore no Idolatry can be 
 in this practice: For Idolatry deftroyeth the 
 very eflence of a true Church, Moreover, 
 the Scripture manifefrly tells us, that all 
 Idols, after the coming of our Saviour mail 
 be quite abolifhed in his known and vifible 
 Church. For how can otherwife be under- 
 ftood that [I/a. ii. 18.] Idols /ha 11 he utterly 
 abolijh. That of \E%ek. xxxyi. 25.] I will 
 pour upon yon clean water: Ana from all your 
 Idols^ I will:. . And [Chap, xxwii. 
 
 23.] Neither ]/hall tbi any 
 
 more in their Id: Is. And therefore Micaby 
 [Ch. v. 13.] Thy gravo: Images a If I will 
 cut off, and thy /landing Images out of the 
 midji of thee. Therefore in Guilt's Church 
 
 there
 
 284 It is laudable 
 
 there cannot be found the ufe of fuch Images 
 as were unlawful, that is, of fuch as mould 
 be made to be adored as Gods ; whence the 
 next words are, And thou Jhalt no more wor- 
 Jhip the work of thine Hands. Now all thofe 
 words are evidently fpoken, of what fhould 
 happen after the coming of the Meflias ; 
 for in the beginning of this Chapter is the 
 famous Text, prophefyingthat Chrift fhould 
 be born in Beth/em. And then he prophe- 
 fieth the enfuing benefits of his birth. Za- 
 charias alfo (peaking, [Ch. xiii. i.J of this 
 time, faith* In that day fljall be a fountain 
 lying open to tbe houfe of David, and it jhall 
 be in that day, faith the Lord of Ho/is, I 
 will cut off the Names of Idols out of the Earthy 
 and they Jhall be remembered no more. And 
 yet what a remembrance of Idols would it 
 be, to fee all Churches in the whole vifible 
 Church filled full of Statues, Images, and 
 Pictures, expofed to all to be worfhipped, 
 if the worfhip ufed in thefe Churches be 
 idolatrous? A moft urging Argument and 
 clear demonftration. Yea, among the Jews, 
 as prone as they were to Idolatry, there was, 
 by God's appointment a religious ufe of 
 Images. 
 
 3. Thus God to Mofes, Thou Jhalt make 
 a Mercy-feat of pure Gold. Two Cherubins 
 alfo thou Jhalt make of beaten Gold, on the two 
 ends of the Mercy-feat. Let one Cherub be on 
 the one end, and the other on the other end. 
 And the Cherubins Jhall fir etch forth their 
 
 wing*
 
 to wor/hip Images. 285 
 
 wings on high, covering the Mercy-feat with 
 their wings* [Exod. xxv. 17.] And thus Mc~ 
 fes by the command of God made the propi- 
 tiatory, that is, the Oracle or Mercy-feat of 
 the pure!} Gold. Two Cherubins a/Jo of 
 beaten Gold on either Jide of the Propitiatories, 
 even to the Mercy -feat ward were the faces of 
 the Cherubim , [Exod. xxxvii. 9.] It is no 
 1m all lign of honour, that thefe Cherubin's 
 Pictures were made of Gold, as alfo that 
 thev were placed before the Oracle itielf; 
 The Holy of Holies. Hence St. Paul faith, 
 [Heb. ix. 5.] Over it were the Cherub ins of 
 Glory Jhadowing the Mercy- feat. When this 
 Tabernacle came to be placed in God's Tern* 
 pie, The Temple itfelf had graven Cherubs 
 in the JValls. And in the mofl holy houfe he 
 made tiuo Cheruhins of Image-work, and their 
 faces vjerc tavards the houfe. So that the 
 People adored towards them, He made the 
 veil of blue and purple-Crimfon, and vjr ought 
 Cht ritbins thereon. Note here, how all the 
 people kneeled immdiately before thefe Pic- 
 tures when they prayed, yea graven Cheru- 
 hins were in the walls (as 1 (aid) placed be- 
 fore them, which way foever they turned. 
 [2 Chron. iii. 7, 10, 13, 14.] 
 
 4. There is alfo a memorable paflage of 
 Hofea the Prophet, [Chap. iii. 4.] where la- 
 menting the great defolation of the Temple, 
 he particularly alfo laments the want of that 
 religious ufe of Images in God's Temple. 
 Becaufe, faith he, many days Jhall abide, many 
 
 days
 
 286 It is laudable 
 
 days fit. without King, without Prince, with- 
 out Sacrifice, and without an Image (or Sta- 
 tue) and without Teraphim, that is, without 
 Images \ which word of Images fome of your 
 Bibles have : fome put the word Teraphim, 
 which properly fignifies a Statue, Image, or Si- 
 militude, either of indifferent ufe, as the Sta- 
 tue which Michol put in David's Bed, 
 [i Sam* xix. 16.] is called Teraphim, or of 
 an idolatrous ufe, as [Gen. xxxi. 19.] Ra- 
 chel Hole the Teraphim, (Idols) of her Father; 
 or of religious ufe, as in this place of Ho- 
 Jea., where the want of Teraphim is bewailed 
 with the want of Sacrifice and Altar. And 
 hence the antient Rabbies proved, that Images 
 of Angels are not contrary to the Decalogue. 
 The fame we may fay of the Images of 
 Saints, not then ufed, becaufe as then, the 
 Saints were not in Heaven. But their 
 Images now mav fo much the more be al- 
 lowed, becaufe they can be pictured in their 
 own true likenefs and fhape, which Cheru- 
 bins and Angels could not, no more than 
 God. Where, for fimple people, you may 
 note, that it little imports whether the Pic- 
 ture be juft like the perfon pictured. It is 
 fufficient it ferves perfectly to reprefent him ; 
 as the Cherubins and Angels were repre- 
 fented perfectly enough to our Imaginations, 
 by their Images or Statues, which were no- 
 thing like them. 
 
 5. A further proof for Images is out of 
 St. Paul, [Phil. ii. 10.] He hath given him 
 
 a name
 
 to worjhip Images. 287 
 
 ei name above all names, that at the Name of 
 
 ?\ try knee Jrould bciv. We have from 
 :e, that becaufe this Name is above all 
 . s, therefore every knee is to bow at 
 it. Why Co ? Becaufe it is a name repre- 
 fenting Chrift by our Ears, as his Image re- ' 
 prefents him to our Eyes, only the Image 
 being a more lively representation, efpecially 
 to thofe who know not the perfon, is the 
 far more noble Remembrance of the two. 
 And as to bow at the Name of J ejus, was, 
 and is commanded the Englifh reformed 
 Church by their Canons; fo to bow at the 
 more perfect Reprefentation of Jefus, can- 
 not be but as lawful an act of Reverence to 
 his perfon. The Jews out of Reverence to 
 God, dared not to pronounce his moft fa- 
 cred Name of Jehovah, for fo you are nleafed 
 to read this Name, now as the honour done 
 to the Name of any perfon, fo the honour 
 done the Image of fuch a perfon, redounds 
 to the honour of that perfon. 
 
 6. But becaufe our Adverfaries much 
 blame us for uling this honour before infen- 
 fible Creatures, let us fee whether fuch ho- 
 nour is not ufed in Scripture before things 
 wholly infenfible of anv honour. Yet be- 
 hold, before I look into the Bible, and 
 whilft I only ftay looking upon it, I fee Pro- 
 teitants cover their Bibles with curious co- 
 vers, and placing them in decent places, and 
 taking it very ill if any one fhoulJ trample 
 them under foot, or icornfully tear them in 
 
 pieces.
 
 288 It is laudable 
 
 pieces. And all this is done by reafon of 
 the relation which the Word of God hath 
 to God himfelf. You know, and we fhall 
 tell you in the next Point, what honour was 
 given to the Ark, by reafon of the Relation 
 it had to God, in regard that from thence 
 he gave his Oracles to the Priefts. And 
 [2 Sam. vi. 16.] it is faid, Michol Jaw Da- 
 vid dancing before our Lord. Becaufe he 
 danced before the Ark, he is faid to do this 
 before our Lord, So when he kneeled or 
 adored before it, it may alfo be properly faid : 
 David kneeled and adored before our Lord. 
 And in this fenfe, when we kneel before 
 any Image of our Lady or Saint, we may be 
 faid to kneel before our Lady, or before fuch 
 a Saint. This manner of fpeaking, which 
 you account ridiculous and fuperftitious, is, 
 as you fee, the very Phrafe of Scripture in 
 like occafion. Yea, Adoration itfelf was 
 ufed before the Ark. David [Pfa], xcix. 5.] 
 faith, JVcrfip at his foot-Jlool^for he is Holy, 
 Mark, that the reafon why Worfhip is to be 
 made at his foot-flool, is the Relation which 
 this Foot-ftool hath to him whofe Foot-ftool 
 it is, for he is Holy, that is, for it is the 
 Foot-flool of him who deferves that Wor- 
 fhip ihould be dpne even at his Foot-ftool. 
 7. Our Adversaries will make us believe, 
 that thiy can call to mind Chrift and his Paf- 
 fion, as well and as frequently, without 
 feeing a Crucifix, as by feeing it, which is 
 contrary to all common Experience. And 
 * the
 
 to vovrjhip Images. 289 
 
 the Scriptures teach our weaknefs and dul- 
 nefs to be much helped towards ftirring up 
 pious A&s, by the outward uie of thefe ma- 
 terial figns, [Numb. xv. 38.] Speak to the 
 Children of Ifrael, to make themfelves fringes 
 in the borders of their garments. And it /hall 
 be to you a fringe, that ye may look upon it, that 
 ye may remember all the Commandments of 
 tur Lord. Thefe Fringes were thofe Phy- 
 lacteries, [Matt, xxiii. 5.] We fee that to 
 help their dulnefsin remembring God's Com- 
 mandments, this command is given them : 
 i'o [Deut. vi. 9.] Thou fialt write them upon 
 the pofts of thy houfe, and on the gates. And 
 you Proteftants ulually, for this reafon, write 
 them in great Letters in your Churches. 
 Give us then leave by Images of our Saviour 
 to excite the memory of him. Now to 
 their Objections. 
 
 8. You firft object, [Exod. xx. 4.] Thou 
 
 fnalt not make to thee a graven thing (you read 
 
 Image) nor any fijiiilitudc . But I pray go on ; 
 
 Thoujhalt not bow down thy f elf to them, nor 
 
 ferve them. I anfwer, Thefe laft words do 
 
 tell you the fenfe of this Commandment : 
 
 That is, we are not to make any graven 
 
 thing to adore it, crfcrve it. And this is the 
 
 fenfe infmuated in thefe words, Thou Jlmlt 
 
 not make to thee ; that is, to be adored as 
 
 God, by thee, or ferved by thee. We neither 
 
 bow to them, with intention to adore them 
 
 as Gods, nor do we hold them fo much as 
 
 capable of being ferved by Us. Again, the 
 
 N Hebrev?
 
 290 _ It is laudable 
 
 Hebrewword PeJ, el doth only fignify a graven 
 thing, though you did tranflate this word, as 
 if it had determinately fignified a Graven 
 Image. This you did purpofely to make us 
 appear Idolaters. Certainly, if God had 
 declared it unlawful to make Graven Images, 
 he would never have caufed the Images of 
 Cherubins to be made in the Ark, before 
 whofe only prefence Idols could not ftand, 
 as we fee [1 Sam. v. 7.] by D agony fo often 
 caft down before it. Neither would Solomon 
 having prefumed to place round about the 
 Walls of God's Temple Images of Cherubins. 
 Wherefore in this command Idols only are 
 forbidden, and not fuch Images as are not 
 ufed as Idols. Whence the Septuagint, 
 whom you pretend to follow, hath the very 
 word Eidolon, that is, Idols; why then 
 tranflate you Graven Images? If our Images 
 be Idols, God hath not fulfilled his Pro- 
 mife; to take out of his Church the wor- 
 fhip of Idols, as I faid, n. 2. 
 
 9. Your other and only objection to any 
 purpofe is [Exod. xxxii. I.] To anfwer 
 which, I mufr. note fome things before I put 
 it. Firjly the People being aflembled againft 
 Aaron, faid, Arifey ?nake us Gods, that they 
 may go before us. Secondly -, Aaron knowing 
 that they meant fuch Gods as they had fecn 
 worfhipped in Egypty made them a Molten 
 Calf neither can you think of any other 
 rcafon why he made rather # Calf than any 
 other thing, but pnly becaufe the Egyptians 
 
 worfhipped
 
 to w or/hip Images. 291 
 
 worshipped their God Apis or Serapis, in the 
 fhape of a black Calf with white Spots, as 
 St. Augujllne teftifieth, [/. 18. de Chit. c. 5.] 
 Thirdly, this Calf being molten, they faid, 
 Thefe by thy Gods, O Ifrael, which have 
 brought thee out of the Land of Egypt : which 
 when Aaron had feen, he built an Altar before 
 it, and by the Cryer s voice procla'uned, faying^ 
 To-morrow is the Feajl of our Lo'd. Here 
 comes your objection. The word which 
 Aaron ufeth here, for the Lord is the name 
 Adonai or Jehovah, as your Protectants will 
 have it, a name proper to the God of Ifrael : 
 So that it feems they only worfhipped the 
 God of Ifrael. Neither is it, fay our Ad- 
 verfaries, credible, that Aaron would do 
 otherwise, or that he could call the Egyp- 
 tian God, by the moft facred name of all 
 names, a name fo efpecially appropriated to 
 the God of Ifrael. Whence, fay they, you 
 commit Idolatry, if through the Images you 
 worfhip the Perfon it reprefents. For the 
 Ifraelites, when they committed Idolatry, did 
 only through that Calf worfhip the God of 
 Ifrael, reprefented by it. And this feems 
 ftrongly confirmed. For Jeroboam renewed 
 the felf-fame Idolatry, by making molten 
 Calves to the houfe of Ifrael, yet, through 
 thefe Calves he only worfhipped the God of 
 Ifrael, calling him Baali, as appears by thefr 
 words of Hofea, [ch. ii. 16.] And'it jlmll be 
 in that day, faith our Lord, that thou Jhalt 
 call me no more Baali. Where you fee the 
 N 2 God
 
 292 // is laudable 
 
 God of Ifrael faith, they called him Baali. 
 Him therefore, the Iiraelites worfhipped, 
 calling him Baali. And fo through Baali 
 they worfhipped him. I anfwer, that they 
 did not in this their Idolatry worfhip the true 
 God, but falfe Gods. The people them- 
 felves defired Gods to be made them by Aaron* 
 as is thrice, in that Chapter of Exodus, ex- 
 prefled. And Aaron knowing that they 
 meant fuch Gods as they had feen wor- 
 fhipped by the Egyptians, did, for that rea- 
 fon, make a Calf, as I faid. To this Calf, 
 or, if you will, to the Egyptian God Apis 
 through this Calf, they did offer Sacrifice. 
 Hence God faid to Mofes, They have made 
 them a molten Calf, and have worfhipped it, 
 and facrificed thereunto. And/aid, thefe are 
 the Gods of Ifrael, who have brought thee out 
 of the Land of Egypt. You fee God him- 
 felf faith they have worjhipped it and facri- 
 ficed thereunto ; that is> to the very Calf, and 
 not to the true God. And they did not 
 acknowledge that the true God had delivered 
 them from Egypt, but they did attribute their 
 delivery to the Gods, to wit, the Egyptian 
 Gods. Wherefore the true God faid, in 
 that place of Exodus juft now cited, They 
 have quickly revolted, forgetting me who fo 
 very lately did fo many wonders to deliver 
 them, all which they now afcribe to the Egyp- 
 tian Gods, And that you may fee, I fay, this 
 moft groundedly, I (hew the fame exprelly 
 laid in other Scriptures, Mofes > fpeaking of 
 
 this
 
 to worfhip Images, 2.93 
 
 this very a£fc of Idolatry here commit: 
 faith. [Dent xxxii. 16.] They provoked him 
 with Jhange Gods. The God of Ifrael can- 
 not be called zfirange God. And the next 
 words are, They facrificed to Devils, not U 
 God. And yet you fay they facrificed to 
 the true God, which alfo is exprefly con- 
 trary to the next word:- : They facrificed to neiv 
 Gods, that came newly up, to Gods whom they 
 knew not. To Gods whom their Fathers feared 
 net. What more clear? David alfo mani- 
 festly, [Pfalm cvi. 19.] They have made a 
 Calf in Horeb, and they worshipped the molten 
 Image, they forgot their Saviour who had done 
 great things in Egypt. A ftrange thing in- 
 deed it was that all thofe ftrange wonders 
 fhould be fo foon forgot. But it is that v 
 thing for which Gcd fo often blameth them. 
 So that Mojes, with great reafon, wondered 
 how Aaron could be brought to be partaker 
 in this fin, and as a'tonifhed he asked him, 
 \Exocl. xxxii. 21.] JVhat hath this people done 
 to thee (for I am fure they mull have ufed 
 great violence and force to bring thee to 
 this) that thou Jhouldeft bring upon them an 
 heinous fin? Aaron, for his excufe, alledgeth 
 the violence offered to him. Now whereas 
 Aaron proclaimed this Solemnity as the fo-\ 
 lemnity of the Lord of Ifrael, he did fo be- 
 caufe he denounced that the very felf-fame 
 honour fhould to-morrow be folemnly given 
 to this Idol, which was formerly given 
 to the God of Ifrael. And feeing that they 
 N 3 refolved
 
 294 & iS laudable 
 
 refolved to give to this new God all other ho- 
 nours, they would alfo give him the ho- 
 nour of the high eft name Jehovah', a name 
 yet famous among them. So you might 
 lately fee a Quaker fay to James Naylor, 
 Thou art my Chrift, as St. Paul faid of the 
 Gentiles, [Rom. i. 21.] That whereas they 
 blew God, yet they did "not glorify him as God, 
 And they changed the glory of the incorrupti- 
 ble God into afimilitude of a corruptible four- 
 footed beajl. So might we fay of thefe Jews. 
 Now I anfwer what was added of Jeroboam's 
 renewing this Idolatry. For he alfo did 
 worfhip falfe and ftrange Gods, as appears 
 by what God fpoke by his Prophet Ahias y 
 [i Kings xiv. 9.] Thou haft gone and made 
 thee other Gods, and cajl me behind thy back : 
 So that he did not honour, for of him thefc 
 words are faid, the God of Ifrael in thofe 
 Idols, but cafting him off, he honoured other 
 Gods: Yea, in [Chap. xii. 32.] He facri- 
 ficed unto the Calves that he had made. But 
 how then, fay you, did they call the God 
 of Ifrael Baali? I anfwer, that as a Quaker 
 calling James Naylor Jefus Chrift, doth make 
 Chrift to be no better man than James Nay- 
 lor, and fo doth as good as call Chrift James 
 Naylor. Even fo thefe Jews taking Baali 
 for their true God, did fay, that in effect 
 their true God was no better than Baali, 
 and fo they vilified him as much as if they 
 had called him Baali, giving all honour to 
 Baali that was due to God, yea even the 
 
 honour
 
 It is laudable to worfhip ^ &c. 295 
 honour of being their chief God, as we faid 
 of Aaron. 
 
 10. Thus I have anfwered at large this 
 their beft argument, upon which chiefly they 
 muft build their uncharitable and heinous 
 accufation of the whole vifible Church to 
 have been guilty of the higheft of Crimes, 
 that is, of Idolatry itfelf. Alas! how far 
 fhort doth this objection come of making 
 good ib foul an accufation, which is molt 
 injurioufly made, if it cannot be better proved 
 than by this weak Argument. 
 
 The -Forty-firft Point. 
 
 // is laudable to worfhip the Relics of Saints* 
 
 AL L the worfhip we give to the Re- 
 lics of Saints, is only fuch refpect as 
 infenfible Creatures are capable of, as to be 
 killed, coftly infhrined, touched, worn, and 
 ufed with reverence, t5c. And all this is 
 mcerly for the relpcct we bear unto the per- 
 ion, whofe Relics they be. By the worfhip 
 done to the Ark, we fhall fitly both prove and 
 declare the honour, of which fuch infenfible 
 holy things arc capable. The Ark of God 
 was only that portable little Chappel, in 
 which God was pleafed to fpeak and impart 
 N 4 his
 
 296 It is laudable to worftAp 
 
 •his mind to the High-Prieft, confulting hirft 
 with due Ceremonies. And yet, fee I pray, 
 what honour God would have done to this 
 Ark, though it were a Creature infenfible 
 of Honour, and only capable of being ho- 
 noured for his fake to whom it had relation. 
 And this relative honour was exceeding 
 great, and extended to manifold ftrange ex- 
 preflions of Reverence. Yet all thefe ho- 
 nours were far from being Idolatrous : Yea 
 God by this fo much worftiipped Ark con- 
 founded Idolatry. For [1 Sam. v. 4.] Da- 
 go?i fell upon his Face unto the Earth before 
 it. Let us fee what reverence God de- 
 clared due to the Ark. When, without 
 refpecl:, they had looked on the Ark of our 
 Lord he f mote of the People fifty thoufur t «' s 
 [Chap. vi. 19.] And [2 Sam. y*. 6.] Be- 
 caufe Uzzah put forth his Hand to the Ark 
 of God, and took hold of it. For the Oxsn 
 Jhook it. God fmote him for his error, and 
 he died by the Ark. Whence David fearing 
 want of due piety <in himfelf, faid, h:w Jhall 
 the Ark of our Lord come to me ? And fo he 
 can fed it to turn into the houfe of Obededon, 
 where it was three Months. And our Lord 
 bleffed him and all his Houfe. We may then 
 hope for bleffings by wearing Relics, by hav- 
 ing Saints Bodies buried in our Cities, C5V. 
 And when Solomon placed the Ark in the 
 Temple, [2 Chron. v. 2, 6.] He gathered 
 tegether all the Ancients of Jfrael, and all the 
 Princes of the heads of families of the Chil- 
 dren
 
 the Relics cf Saints. 297 
 
 dren of Ifrael into Jerufalem, to bring th* 
 Ark from the City of David, which is 
 Sion. See here this moft. ftatefy and goodly 
 Proceflion to bring the Ark. And all that 
 were gathered before the Ark facrifued Jheep 
 and Oxen j which could not be told nor num- 
 bered for multitude. And God graced this 
 Proceffion and Tranflation of the Ark by a 
 miraculous Cloud, filling the Houfe of our 
 Lord, fo that the Prie/ls could not jland to 
 minijler by reafon of the Cloud, [ver. 14.] 
 Laugh not then at our Procefiions made in 
 Translations of Relics, this being done for 
 the Ark. Now of other Relics, [2 Kingt 
 ii. ver. 14.] Elizeus took the Mantle of Eli as, 
 he fmote the waters the fecond time, and tbey 
 were divided th:s ivay and that way, and E- 
 lizeus faffed over. Do you not fee how Eli- 
 zeus, yea rather how God honoured by a 
 ftupendous Miracle, the Cloak of Ellas P No 
 wonder then Saints Bodies mould be more 
 graced with Miracles than their Garments. 
 Read whatfolloweth there, [Chap. xiii. 20.] 
 Elizeus therefore d ed, and they buri d hi;;;. 
 An I the Bands of the Moabites invaded the 
 Land the fa -he year. And it came to pafs as 
 they were burying a Ma':, behold they fpied a 
 Band of Men,' and they cafl the Man into the 
 Sepulchre of Elizeus (anciently they buried 
 in the open field, making Caves, and Grottoes ' 
 capable of more Bodies) A d when the m n 
 was let dowi, and touched the Bones of Eli- 
 Zeus, he revived, and Jlocd upon his Feet. 
 
 And 
 N 5
 
 298 It is laudable to worjhip 
 
 And will you be ftill fcofKng at us for devout 
 touching of Saints Bo- es, when fo cafu'al a 
 touch caufed fo great and fiupendous a good 
 to that Man as was the reftoring of his 
 Life ? Note alfo how God honoured Elizeus 
 his Bones by fo miraculous an accident. 
 
 2. Now to join the New Teftament with 
 the Old : I find that for keeping with all 
 Reverence, and rich inftirining of Relics we 
 read thus, [Heb. ix. 4.] In the which (Ark) 
 was a Golden Pot, having Manna, and the 
 Rod of Jar on that had budded, and the Ta- 
 bles of the Covenant. All thefe Relics, fo 
 honourably placed in Gold and in the Ark, 
 were by cenfequence all hid by Jeremy with 
 it, and in it. And fo after the Captivity 
 thus being rniraculoufly found, were, with 
 all Pomp, placed in the Temple, which was 
 reitored by Zcrobabel, and amplified by He- 
 rod; and there they remained till ferufalem y 
 under Titus end Vefpofian, was deftroyed, 
 and had not left a ftone upon a ftone. This 
 is moll to be noted, becaufe Proteftants fcofF 
 fo much at us for believing the wood of the 
 Holy Crofs, and many fuch Relics to be 
 preferved for fo many Years uncorrupt. In- 
 deed, tho' this be no part of our faith, the 
 probability of it is hence invincibly confirm- 
 ed. For the Tabernacle, and all things 
 pertaining to it, was finimed about the Year 
 of the World 2485. Now Chrift was born 
 after the year of the World 4000. He liv- 
 ed thirty three years, and forty years after
 
 the Relics of Saints. 299 
 
 his Death Jerufalem was overthrown; fo 
 that the Ark and Tabernacle with their 
 Veils and Curtains, and other appurtenances, 
 lafted well near 2000 years uncorrupt, and 
 fo the Rod of Aaron, fo much inferior to 
 the Crofs, and the Table of the Law, yea 
 and the Manna itfelf though fo corruptible 
 by Nature, that, what was gathered one 
 Day, would grow full of Worms the next 
 Day, unlefs it were the Sabbath. No won- 
 der then many Relics mould keep, and be 
 reverently kept fince ChrifVs time, which is 
 far fhorter than the fpace which thefe Relics 
 were kept, as appears by St. Paul. Let us 
 go on. 
 
 3. What Relic meaner than the latchet 
 of a Shoe ? and yet St. John Baptift, the 
 greatefr, Prophet which had rifen, faid truly, 
 [John \. 27.] JVhofe flyces latchet I am not, 
 vjorthy to unloof'. For the relation it had 
 to Chrift. With what reverence think you, 
 would a St. John Baptiil have touched that 
 poor leather thong ? Hence that devout 
 Woman, [Matt. ix. 21.] If 1 ?nay but 
 touch his Garment I Jhall he whole. And 
 J e fits turning him, arid feeing her, faith $ 
 Thy faith hath made thee whole. The faith, 
 therefore, in this devout touch, was not 
 Superit-itious. Note here how the cure was 
 wrought by this exterior touch, with inte- 
 rior faith, fee [Ma kv. 30. Luke\\\\. 46. j 
 who, [vi. 19.] faith, The whole multitude 
 fought to touch him. For virtue came out
 
 300 // is laudable to worjhip 
 of him, and cured all. We indeed touch 
 the Relics with Faith and Reverence, but 
 the virtue, by which any favour is granted, 
 comes from the Saint whofe Relics we touch, 
 God giving him power to affift us for our 
 devout recourfe to him. Hence \_Apoc, ii. 
 26.] He thai fl)all overcome, and keep my 
 words to the end, I will give hi?n power over 
 the nations. He fhall have power to help even 
 whole nations, but he fhall have this power 
 given by me, / will give him, t5c. 
 
 4. Note alfo that the very manner of ap- 
 plying other things to touch Saints Bodies, 
 and, after they have touched them, to apply 
 them with devotion, a thing moft jeered at 
 by our Adverfaries, is notwithftanding a 
 thing recommended unto us in Scripture, 
 propofing the Fxample of the firft and beft 
 , Chriltians in this point, [d<2s xix. 12.] 
 There were alfo brought from his (Paul's) 
 body Napkins, or Handkei chiefs upon the ftck y 
 and the dife'ifes departed from them, and the 
 wicked fpir its went out. Do not then blame 
 us for hoping to obtain feme bleflings by 
 wearing Saints blood or bones, or other 
 Relics which commonly have a far greater 
 Relation to them than thofe Napkins or 
 Handkerchiefs had to St. Paul, meerly in 
 refpect. of a fimple touch of. his Body, un- 
 lefs you dare venture to fay that it is more 
 to touch a Saint's Body, when his Soul liv- 
 eth in it, than when his Soul lives with 
 God in Heaven. I pray tell me what hath 
 
 a
 
 the Relics of Saints. 30 1 
 
 a thinner relation to man, than his fhadow ? 
 Or what Apprentice-Painter of one day's 
 Handing, will not be able to make a better 
 Image of fuch a man than his fhadow is ? 
 And yet the firft and pureft Chriftians did 
 hold the very fhadow of Saints in great 
 veneration, either becaufe it was a kind of 
 Picture of them, or had fome fmall relation 
 at lead to them. And God confirmed their 
 devotion by a world of Miracles, \_Acls v. 
 15.] Infomucb that they did bring forth their 
 fick into the Jlreets, and laid them in Beds 9 
 and Couches 1 that at leaji the Jhadow of Peter 
 pajfing by y might over-fiadew fome of them. 
 Our Bibles have, that they all might be de- 
 livered from their infir??iities. Which it feems 
 they mould not have been, though they had 
 been nearer to him on the other fide, 011 
 which the c'un mined. Note here that there 
 being fo great a refort of all, and all being 
 cured, finely many came devoutly from re- 
 moter parts to enjoy this favour. Blame 
 not then our Pilgrimages to his Body itfelf 
 at Rome where he is interred, being the 
 Scripture fheweth many to have come to his 
 very fhadow to obtain help. 
 
 5. The Point following hath fo great con- 
 nexion with this preient Point, that as we 
 defire the Reader to note all here faid for 
 proof of that Point, fo we defire him, for 
 further proof of this Point, to have recourfe 
 to what mall be faid in the Point following. 
 And particularly in both thefe Points we 
 
 earneftly
 
 302 Some places more Holy than others : 
 
 carneftly intreat our Adverfaries to obferve 
 how many, and how ftrong Texts we bring 
 for our Doctrine in thefe Points, and how 
 few, and how weak Proofs they can bring 
 out of Scripture to the contrary. It is a 
 fhame to them to appeal to Scripture in thefe 
 Points, or to fay they will reform our Errors 
 in them by clear Scripture, which is here 
 fo clear againft them. 
 
 The Forty-Second Point. 
 
 Some places are more Holy than others^ we 
 the ef ore laudably ?mke Pilgrimages and 
 Proceffions to fuch Holy Places. 
 
 OU T of Holy Scripture it is evident, 
 fome places were more Holy than others, 
 and for that refpecl: choice was made of fuch 
 places to perform the beft acts of devotion. 
 The great Patriarch Abraham had digged a 
 Well, and there called upon God by that 
 folemn Oath which he made to Abimelech^ 
 [Gen. xxii. 31.] Wherefore he called that 
 place Beerjheba, that is the Well of the Oath. 
 This is the place of which it is faid, [Gen, 
 xxvi. 23.] And he (Ifaac) wet up from 
 thence to Beerjheba. And the Lord appeared 
 to him that Nighty faying^ I am the God of 
 
 Abraham^
 
 Of Pilgrimages to them. 303 
 
 Abraham, I will blefs thee, and multiply thy 
 Seed for my (dead J Servant Abrahams fake. 
 Hence the Well was accounted a fanclified 
 place. And you fhall find in the xlvi. Chap, 
 ver i. that Jacob (or Ifrael) many years af- 
 ter taking his Journey with all things that he 
 hud (towards ./Egypt) came to the Well of the 
 O.th, and offering there Sacrifices to the God 
 cf his Father ifaac (who there, as I faid, 
 appeared to Ifaac) he heard God by a vifion in 
 the night, calling him, &c. You fee Jacob 
 with all his Children beginning his Jour- 
 ney with a Pilgrimage to this Holy Place ; 
 you fee that purpofely he makes choice of 
 this place to offer there Sacrifice. You fee 
 God in this Holy Place favouring him 
 with a heavenly Vifion, as he had done his 
 Holy P^ather Ifaac in the fame place. Doth 
 not then God make choice of fome par- 
 ticular place rather than of others . ? 
 
 2 The place where God appeared, is to 
 be called, and held Hcly. So [Exod. iii. 5.] 
 God out of the burning Bum to Mofes y 
 faith, Draw net nigh hither, loofe off thy 
 fnces from thy feet. For the place wherein 
 thou Jiandejl i; 1'oly Ground \ to wit, made 
 Holy, and fan&if.cd by the prefence of God, 
 or rather of an Angel, fent as God's Am- 
 baflador. For [Afis vii. 30.] St. Stephen 
 faith, There appeared to A.ofes an Angel in 
 the fire of the fame of a bufh, faying, loofe off 
 thy Jhoe, for the place wherein thou JiandeJ} 
 is Holy Ground. Whence it was the tran- 
 
 fitory
 
 304 Some places more Holy than others * 
 
 fitory prefence of an Angel appearing for 
 that fo fhort a time, which did ianctify this 
 place, and makerefpecT: and reverence due to it 
 upon that account. Therefore, by good 
 confequence, the permanent abode of a Saint's 
 Body, refting in fuch a monument, may do 
 the like j that is, may fanctify this place. 
 This is alfo made evident by the Mouth 
 of that Angel who exacted reverence to be 
 *done in the place where he appeared, \_JoJh. 
 v. 15.] faying, to Jojhua, I am the Captain 
 of the Hojls of our Lord y loofe thy Jhoe from 
 thy feet. For the place wherein thou d oft ft and 
 is Holy. The ordinary common field of 
 Jericho was, by the Angel's prefence, made 
 fo Holy that it was indecent to tread upon 
 it with a fhoe. Wherefore thofe who come 
 bare-foot to. the Bodies of Saints commit no 
 fuperftitious excels in devotion. 
 
 3. Moreover fome places are far .more 
 Holy than others. There was a place in 
 which the Propitiatory or Mercy-feat flood, 
 called Soncla Sanclorum, the Ho y of Holies, 
 Or the Hoiieil of all ; to which place, for 
 reverence to it, none approached hut the 
 High-Prieft alone once a year, not without 
 blood, [Mb. ix. 7.] Thus offering Sacrifice 
 always when he entered this fo Holy a place, 
 which is the higheft. act of worfhip. And, 
 becaufe Sacrifice was the higheft acl: of wor- 
 fhip, God would not permit that to be per- 
 formed in any ordinary Holy Place. But 
 he thus commanded the People of Ifrael, 
 
 [Deut. 
 
 I
 
 Of Pilgrimages to them, 305 
 
 [Deut. xii. 5.] To the place which the Lord 
 your God Jhall choofe out of your Tribes t» 
 put his name there, even unto his habitation 
 Jhall you jeek, and thither Jhall you come, thi- 
 ther J))all you bring your burnt offerings and 
 Sacrifices, where I note that this place is 
 called his habitation, or dwelling place. In 
 which fenfe fome Catholics may fay, our 
 Lady dwells at Sichem or Loretto, for the 
 choice God hath made of thofe places in 
 order to beftow favours and graces to fuch as 
 there implored our Lady's aid. Note alfo 
 that verfe 26. How far oft' foever they liv- 
 ed, God commands the things Sacrificed 
 end vowed to our Lord to be all offered here. 
 So that Pilgrimage to this Holv Place, did 
 always accompany this Holy Offering. His 
 command doth jultify the Holinels thereof. 
 4. Yea becaule the Temple of Solomon, 
 which was the place chofen, was the place 
 thus Sanctified, and made fo peculiarly H ly, 
 the very ordinary prayers which men made, 
 when they came in Pilgrimage to this place, 
 and made them there, were upon that ac- 
 count more pleafing to God, and fooncr 
 heard by him. For [2 Chron. vi. 20.] His 
 eyes be open upon this houfe night and day, 
 upon the place whereof thou haft faid that 
 thou wouldejl put thy name there to hearken to 
 the prayer which thy Servant pra\eth towards 
 this Place: II a) ken to the fupplication of 
 the people made towards this Place. And 
 the next verfes are all full of Bleflings 
 
 begged
 
 306 Some places more Holy, than others : 
 
 begged for them, who fhall Pray, or make 
 Application, or fpread forth his Hands in 
 this Houfe. Wherefore for eafier obtaining 
 of all thefe Bleflings, a Pilgrimage to this 
 Place was ufually undertaken. For a Pil- 
 grimage is nothing elfe, but only a going 
 to fome Holy Places for Devotion. Thofe 
 who could not go to the Temple or Jeru- 
 falem, would at leaft turn themfelves to- 
 ward thefe Places when they Prayed, as 
 we fhall prefently fee Daniel did. 
 
 5. At the firfl bringing of the Ark in- 
 to the Temple there was a moft folemn Pro- 
 ceflion made [2 Chron. v.] by the King, So* 
 lomon himfelf gathring all the Ancients of 
 Ifrael, and all the Princes of the Tribes, 
 and the heads of the Families of the Chil- 
 dren of Ifrael to bring the Ark of the Cove- 
 nant from the City of David. From that 
 place then the Proceflion began, the Priefts 
 and Levites carrying the venels of the San- 
 ctuary, and at the People in Mount Mori a 
 the Proceffion ended, with Sacrifices with- 
 out number. 
 
 6. Pilgrimages to this Place, and Pro- 
 cefiions at the fame time were ufed by the 
 moft Holy Kings of the yews. So [2 Chrow 
 xx. 3.] The mo jl pious King J ofaphat feared, 
 and fet himfelf to feek our Lord, and pro- 
 claimed a fajl through all Juda. And Juda 
 gathered themfelves together to afk help of our 
 Lord. Then [ver. 13] All J ada flood before 
 the Lord with their little ones, their Wives, 
 
 and
 
 Of Pilgrimages to them 4 $3 J 
 
 and their Children.Forwhh them theyallcame 
 up in Pilgrimage to this Place, here mak- 
 ing this fo iblemn fupplication. And God 
 uporl the very place, prophefied Victory to 
 them. And Jofapbat the next day caufed a 
 Proceflion of Singers to the Lord to go 
 before his Army iinging that Pfalm, Praife 
 the Lord. And when they began to fing 
 Praifs, our Lord turned the Ambujhments 
 upon them/elves. Lo here the Pious Pro- 
 ccilion favoured from Heaven with a ftu- 
 pendous Victory. For they not fighting 
 one ftroke, their Enemies by their own 
 Swords lay dead, in fo great a number, 
 that for three days they could not take away 
 the f po'ils for the grcatnefs of the Prey, Verfe 
 25. And Verfe 28. The fourth day they 
 entered into Jerufalem with Pfalteries^ and 
 Harps, and Trumpets, into the hoitfe of our 
 Lord. Thus by a Pilgrimage and Procef- 
 fion, returning thanks for fo great a Victory 
 got purely by a Pilgrimage, and Proceflion 
 accompanied with Failing and Prayer, as we 
 ufually accompany our Pilgrimages and Pro- 
 ccflions. How often do Proteftants read 
 thefe places, and for want of practice in 
 thefe Devotions, never undcrftand them, or 
 note them ? 
 
 7. Again, What mail, or can they fay 
 to that pious fa£t of Naarr.an, general Cap- 
 tain of Syria, clearrfed from his Leprofy by 
 warning feven times in the River 'Jordan, 
 God prefcribed the Waters of the Holy 
 
 Land
 
 jo8 So?m places more Holy than others : 
 Land for his Cure, though he had better 
 in his Country, as he faid, [2 Kings v. 
 12.] But it is for a far other reafon why I 
 fpeak of Naaman : It is becaufc being heartily 
 converted by this Miracle, and refolved to 
 ferve only the God of Ifrael, he faid to 
 Elizeus, [ver. 17.] Shall not then, I pray 
 thee, to thy Servant be given two Mules 
 burden of Earth, For thy Servant hence- 
 forth will offer neither Burnt offering nor Sa- 
 crifice, hut unto the Lord. Where I obferve, 
 that he apprehending how hard it was for 
 one of his quality to come in Pilgrimage to 
 Jerufalem, and Sacrifice there ; and know- 
 ing himfelf, becaufe he was a Stranger, to 
 be licenfed to Sacrifice elfewhere, would 
 notwithflanding carry the Earth of that Ho- 
 ly Land, a Land chofen by God for his 
 Service, that upon the Holy Earth he might 
 raife an Altar, and fo do his Devotions in 
 a Holy place, as well as circumftances per- 
 mitted. Yet how do Our Adverfaries feoff 
 at us, if we bring a little Earth from about 
 our Lord's Sepulchre, or Mount Calvary, 
 upon which he fhed his Blood, more fanc"ti- 
 fying that Earth than ever Earth was fancli- 
 £ed ? When Daniel was Captive, and could 
 not go to the Temple to pray, yet His win- 
 dows being open in his Chamber towards Je- 
 rufalem, he kneeled upon h!s knees thrice a 
 day, and prayed, and gave thanks to his God, 
 as he did aforetime, [Dan. vi. 10.] Behold, 
 this was his ufual Devotion, to turn towards 
 
 2
 
 Of Pilgrimages to them. 309 
 
 a Holy place and pray, when in body he 
 could not go thither. 
 
 8.- In the New Teflament you have, 
 [Matth. ii.] the three Sages or Kings, com- 
 ing an exceeding long Pilgrimage to adore, 
 in perfonal prefence, our new-born Saviour, 
 although thev knew full-well that he did as 
 
 O J 
 
 well fee and hear all the refpecl:, and devout 
 Prayers performed to him by them in their 
 own Countries, as far oft as they were ; 
 yet they perfonally would fhew their ref- 
 pecl:, by waiting on him in perfon. So we 
 Catholics perfonally will honour St. Peter in 
 prefence of his Body at Rome, by going 
 to that end fo long a Pilgrimage : although 
 we full-well know he could hear our Pray- 
 ers made at our own Houfes, yet we know 
 thofe Prayers to be more acceptable to him, 
 as hath been formerly (hewed concerning 
 Prayers made in Holy places, efpecially when 
 thofe Prayers receive fo great force from fo 
 painful and devout a Pilgrimage. Again, 
 in the New Teflament you have alfo, [John 
 xii. 20.] That there were certain Greeks^ 
 who came up to worfl)ip at the Feajh. Thefe 
 Greeks were not obliged to the Jewifh. 
 Law; but their Devotion exhorted them to 
 this long Pilgrimage. And though they 
 were by Birth defcending from the Gentiles, 
 yet their coming to Worfhip makes it evi- 
 dent that they were true Believers. Now, 
 that this their Pilgrimage was grateful to 
 our Saviour, it appears by his divine Pro- 
 vidence,
 
 5 10 Some places more Holy than ethers : 
 vidence, ordering things fo that they mould 
 be introduced in, to fee him at fuch a time 
 as a Voice came from Heaven, faying, I 
 have glorified it (thy name) and again 1 will 
 glorifie it, [ver. 28.] Likewife Philip by 
 God's fpecial Providence was fent to inftrucT:, 
 convert and baptize that noble Eunuch of 
 Candace, Queen of ^Ethiopia, who was come 
 to Jerufalem to adore, though he lived as 
 far off as Mthiopia. A grateful Pilgrimage 
 to God, though not commanded him by 
 God. See [Afts viii. 26.] Evident there- 
 fore it is, that fome places are to be held 
 more Holy than others, and upon that ac- 
 count we do laudably go in Pilgrimages to 
 them ; that is, we go to them for Devoti- 
 on's fake, to do our beft duty to God in 
 thofe places. Again, becaufe our Saviour 
 was transfigured on Mount Tabor. St. Peter 
 calls that Mount a Holy Mount, [2 Pet. i. 
 18.] When we were with him in the Holy 
 Mount. So fay I, becaufe our Saviour was 
 fo disfigured at Mount Calvary, and all 
 befprinkled that place with his Sacred Blood, 
 that is alfo a Holy Mount. And far more 
 grateful to God be all the Devotions which 
 are made in that Holy place. 
 
 9. There is a memorable paflage of John, 
 [Ch. v. 2.] to confirm all that hath been 
 laid, or that is believed or pradtifed among 
 us in this Point. For there is in Jerufalem 
 by the Sheep-market, a Pool having five 
 Perches^ inthefe lay a great Multitude of per- 
 
 fons
 
 Of Pilgrimages to th/m. 311 
 
 fons, blind, lame, withered, expecling the 
 Jlirring of the water. And an Angel of our 
 Lord defended at a certain time into the Pond, 
 and the water was flirred-, and he that had 
 gone down firjl into the Pond after the Jlirring 
 of the water 1 was made whole of what Infir- 
 mity foever. Interpreters affirm this great 
 and conftant Miracle, which was true, tho' 
 the former Scriptures never did fet it down, 
 to have therefore been given to the Water 
 of this Pond, which made fo great recourfc 
 of Pilgrims to that Place, becaufe the Car- 
 cafes of the Sheep facrificed in the Temple 
 were warned in this Pond, or elfe becaufe 
 the Blood of them did run into it. Shall 
 not the Blood of Martyrs, facrificed for 
 Chrifr, more fanctify any place where it was 
 fhed, than the Blood of Sheep facrificed in 
 his honour? Scarce any .Relic hath lefs Re- 
 lation to the perfon whofe Relic it is, than 
 this miraculous Pond had to that great Lord, 
 to whofe honour thefe Beafts were facrificed. 
 Yet this Pond had an Angel of God deputed 
 to look after it. The Miracle was conftant 
 and infallible ; and fo no wonder a great 
 Multitude of Perfons came from remote 
 places in Pilgrimage to this place: fo alfo 
 many came or were brought even to St. Pe- 
 ter's Shadow, as we noted in the former 
 Point, n. 5. His Hones and other Relics 
 have a far ftricler relation to him, than his 
 Shadow. 
 
 10, Let
 
 *T2 Of Feafls and Holidays. 
 
 io. Let no man think that Miracles now 
 ceafe. All England knows that our Kings, 
 by touching with certain Ceremonies, cured 
 The Kings Evil-, and all France knows their 
 Kings do fo to this day : The firft for St. Ed- 
 ward's fake, the other for St. Lewis. Our Sa- 
 viour fpeaks home when he faith, and he faith 
 it without limitingany time, He that believeth 
 in me, the works that I do hejhall alfo do, and 
 greater than thefe jhall he do, [Johnxiv. 12.] 
 Believe to find no true Belief, where there are 
 no true Miracles. Chrift himfelf, of himfelf, 
 faith [John xv. 24.] If I had not done among 
 them works which no other man did, they had 
 not had fin. To wit, the fin of Incredulity. 
 No fin therefore it is to reject Luther and 
 Calvin, and all fuch new Teachers, as ne- 
 ver did Miracle. 
 
 The Forty-third Point. 
 
 That we laudably keep Feafls in the honour of 
 Saints. 
 
 THESE Feafts to many fcem to have 
 no ground in Scripture, and therefore 
 not to be kept, but to be efteemed unwar- 
 rantable. Yet we fay firft, The Apoftles 
 may have inftituted feveral Feafts of our 
 Lord, and our Lady, though they thought 
 
 that
 
 Of Feajlsand Holidays. 313 
 
 that they fufficicntly recommended them to 
 poitenty upon the warrant of Tradition, 
 only. For they knew, that upon Tradition 
 only the Sabbath had been kept from the be- 
 ginning or the World until /Wofes, that is 
 for 2400 Years. After which time Mofes 
 did firft fet down in writing this Command. 
 Yet at the very beginning of the World, 
 [Gen. ii. 3.] God blejfed the /event b day, and 
 /anil 1 fed it. See the fecond Point, n. 2. 
 And thus we know, by Tradition only, that 
 we are not any longer to keep the feventh. 
 day, tho' God had fanctified it ; but that we 
 are to keep the Sunday in honour of his Re- 
 furrc&ion, which is the eighth, and not the 
 feventh day. 
 
 2. Now, it is a flrange thing that we 
 fhould be appointed by the Apoftles, to keep 
 weekly a Feail in honour of that day of the 
 week on which Chrift did rife, and ycL 
 {hould not be appointed to keep the Feaft 
 or the Refurrection itfelf. The Jews kept 
 their Pentecofi^ for having received God's 
 Law in written Tables. And (hall not 
 Chriftians keep a PcntccoJ}, for having re- 
 ceived the Law of Grace firft divulged, and 
 written in Mens hearts at the coming of 
 the Holy Ghoft. If the Refutrcclion of 
 Chrift be a Myftery fo great, that one day in 
 every week {hould be kept thro* the whole 
 year Holiday in honour of it ; (hall Chrift's 
 Afceniion be fo far inferior, that no one day 
 in a vear (and confequently no one in an 
 O Age}
 
 3 1 4 Of the Feajls and Holidays. 
 
 Age) is to be kept in memory of it? Had 
 the Jews reafon to keep the Feaft of Taber- 
 nacles, becaufe God preferved them living 
 in Tabernacles forty years in the Wildernefs 
 (a benefit belonging only to their Father?.) 
 And hath not the Church reafon to inftitute 
 a Feaft in the honour of Chrift coming to 
 live in the Tabernacle of our Flefh at his 
 Nativity ? And another Feaft in memory of 
 his giving us, under the fhape of Bread, his 
 Body to remain in all the Tabernacles of 
 our Churches, and to enter fo often into the 
 Tabernacles of our Breads ; both inefrimable 
 Benefits to us perfonally, and alfo to all our 
 Pofterity ? Had the Jews all reafon to keep 
 a Feaft of Afiembly, or Colle&ion, in gra- 
 titude for the peaceable PofTeilion of the 
 Land of Promife, and have we not more 
 reafon to keep the folemnity of all Saints 
 (our moft holy Fathers) who now are in 
 peaceable PoiTdlion of the Land of the Liv- 
 ing and the inheritance of Chri/i, and from 
 thence afford us help and afiiftance to come 
 thither ? Had the Jews fufficient reafon to 
 keep the Feaji of Trumpets, [Numb. xxix. 
 6.] in grateful memory that their Father 
 Ifaac was freed from being facrificed by 
 Abraham, God fending a Ram to be facri- 
 ficed in his place, and therefore they always 
 offered a Ram in that Feaft r And hath not 
 the Church fufficient reafon to keep a lefs 
 folemn Feaft in grateful memory that our 
 chief Patriarchy and Head of our Church, 
 
 St.
 
 Of Feafis and Holidays, 3 r 5 
 
 St. Peter was freed, when Herod intended 
 bloodily to faerifice him to the good pleafure 
 of the Jews, and when Prayer was* made to 
 God, without interm'ffion by the Chut ch for 
 him [A£k$ xii. 5.] An Angel of our Lord was 
 fent the Night before Herod would have 
 brought him forth to deliver him, as well as 
 to deliver Ifaac, now upon the Point of 
 being (lain. This I bring, becaufe many 
 wonder that we keep a Feaft, tho' lefs fo- 
 lemn, of St. Peter's Chains, and of his De- 
 livery from them. As for the Feafts of 
 Martyrs, becaufe to them it is a greater be- 
 nefit to fuft\-r all torments, and confummate 
 ti m by death itfeif than to be freed by Mi- 
 racle from them, the Church hath all reafon 
 to folemnife the Days upon which God glo- 
 rified thefe bleffed Martyrs, by enabling 
 them, firft to undergo fuch exceflive tor- 
 ments fo courageoully, and then crowned 
 them with immortal Blifs after their Vic- 
 tory. The Jews a'fo, befides thefe So- 
 lemnities here mentioned, and befides their 
 weekly Sabbath, had divers other Feafis ; 
 yea, every New Moon brought them at 
 Jeaft one Solemnity. And will you think 
 that God's Church can have no reafon nor 
 authority to appoint any other Fed than 
 the Sunday ? 
 
 3. I will therefore fhew you farther out 
 of Scripture, that befides the Feafts appoint- 
 ed by God in Scripture, other Fcaits have 
 been fuperadded laudably by the authority 
 O2 of
 
 3 1 6 Of Feafis and He I i fay s. 
 
 of the Church. By which her authority to 
 do this will appear, when fhe judges it ex- 
 pedient. The Law prefcribed the Solemn- 
 ity of Jzimes, or unleavened Bread, to be 
 kept but feven days. Yet upon a peculiar 
 occafion it feemed expedient to the Church, 
 then aiTembied to add (q\qh more, fo fays 
 the fcripture, [2 Chron. xxx. 23.] The 
 whole Affembly took counfel to keep other [even 
 days, and they kepi other feven days. And 
 the Scripture adds [v. 27. J in commenda- 
 tion of this great piety : and the Priefis and 
 Levites blejfing the People, their voice zvas 
 beards and their Prayer came up to his holy 
 Habitation of Heaven. For as in holy 
 Places, fo in holy Times Prayers are more 
 effectual, as here they were in a Time made 
 holy, or fet apart for God's fervice, by the 
 authority of the Church only. 
 
 4. Again, [Either, ix. 20.] upon the 
 like authority it pleafed the Jews, to eftablif) 
 this among/1 them that they Jhould keep tho 
 fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the 
 fifteenth day of the fame yearly. As the days 
 wherein the Jews re/led from their enemies, 
 and the month which was turned to them from 
 forrow to joy. And the Jews undertook to 
 do this. .And verfe 27, the Jews ordained, 
 and took upon them, and upon their feed, and 
 upon allfuch as joined themfelves to them ; fo 
 as it Jhould not fail, that they ivould keep thefe 
 two days according to their appointed Tin.e 
 every year* Why? Did any Scripture com- 
 mand
 
 Of Fea/Is and Holidays. 317 
 
 mand this? No; but the Church laid this 
 obligation upon itfelf. The Jews, fays the 
 Scripture, took upon them f elves and their Jecd. 
 Chriit's Church has no lefs authority in 
 this kind, than the jewifli Church had, to 
 impofc an obligation upon itfelf, and her 
 feed, and upon all that will be joined to her 
 Religion. We read alfo, that becaufe the 
 Church fo judged it expedient, a perpetual 
 Feaft with an o£tave, that is, Jailing for 
 
 it days, was indituted, [Macch. iv. 56.] 
 Without any peculiar warrant from Scripture, 
 be fides the common warrant of holding that 
 warrantable which the Church appointed. 
 Now if the Books of Ma.chabees be not true 
 Scripture, as we hold them to be, yet at 
 leaft, according; to our adverfaries, they 
 contain a faithful ecclefiafcical Hiilory, in 
 which it is recorded in the place cited, that 
 they kept the dedication of their Altar eight 
 days. Moreover, Judas, then High-prie(r, 
 and his brethren, with the whole Congregation- 
 
 Jfrael, ordaim /, that the days of the De- 
 dication of the Altar jbauld he kept in their 
 Je.for?, f om year to year, by the [pace of eight 
 days, fom toe twenty fifth of the month Cafeu 9 
 that is November, [v. 59. j This Feaft was 
 kept by the Jewifh Church until our Sa- 
 viour's time, and that without warrant of 
 Scripture. Yea, our Saviour himfeif ob- 
 served it. For fo we read, [John x 22.]/ind 
 the Feaft of the Dedication was in *Jer:<Jalem y 
 and it was winter. I know thcFeaft of the 
 O 3 Dedication
 
 3 1 8 Of Feajfs and Holidays. 
 
 Dedication of the Temple reftored, [2 Efd. 
 vi. ] was in February, and therefore in win- 
 ter. But this being the winter before his 
 death, it could not be in that part of winter 
 which was fpent as far as February ; becaufe 
 our Saviour is there by St. John, and by 
 the other Evangelifb, faid to have done 
 more than coul'd be done between February 
 and the25th ofMarcb>upon which hefuffeied 
 death. So that Beza himfclfin his Anno- 
 tations upon this place of Sr. "fohn con- 
 fefles this Feaft, which our Sa-viour kept, 
 to have been the Feaft we fpeak of. A 
 great proof alfo of ufing Prayer for the Dead. 
 For had the fnftitutor of this Feaft, who in 
 that Book is recorded to have ufed Prayer 
 for the Dead ; had he, I fay, been fuper- 
 flitioufly given, Chrift wou'd never have 
 kept Feafis of his inftitution. Note here 
 alfo, the warrant for Feaft of Dedications fo 
 ufual in our Church, yet fo unheard of a- 
 mongft the Protaftants. 
 
 The Forty-fourth Point. 
 
 We laudably obferve Fa/Is* Sainls Eves, and 
 other days. 
 
 /^\UT of the former Point we make tr5 is 
 
 flrong Argument: the Church has 
 
 Power to oblige her fubje&s to keep fuch 
 
 and 
 
 1
 
 Of Feajls and Holidays 3 1 9 
 
 fuch Feafta, as has been proved ; therefore 
 fhe has the Power to oblige her fubje<5hto 
 keep fuch and fuch fafting-days, for the 
 Scriptures fpeak univerfally of this obe- 
 dience, requiring of us carefully to hear the 
 Churchy [Matt, xviii. 17.] and faying, he 
 that bears you, hears me. He that de fifes you, 
 S me. [Luk, x. 16.] As alio, obey 
 hat have the rule over j on, for they ivatch 
 fir your fouls. [Heb. xiii. 17.] Yea, tho* 
 Scribes and P bar i fees mould, by lawful fuc- 
 cefTion, fit upon the chair of Mofes. Chrift 
 himfelf will bid us, do all therefore whatfoe- 
 ver they command. All therefore whatfoever 
 t ! >ey bid \cu cbferve, that olferve and do, 
 [tVlatt. xxiii. 2.] And if you fay, that we 
 mud obey only when they brine; clear Scrip- 
 ture, you are refuted by the former Point, 
 where you fee lb many Feafrs commanded 
 without clear Scripture, which did nowhere 
 appoint thofe Feafts. She then may com- 
 mand Fafts, not commanded by Scripture. 
 2- And now I will fhew you Fafts to 
 have been commanded bv the Church upon 
 a day not appointed in Scripture, but only 
 by the appointment of the High-pricft, or 
 Church. So Jofafhat proclaimed d Faft to 
 all J'<da, [2 Chron. xx 3.] So Joel, [i.14.] 
 exhorts the Church to command an extraor- 
 dinary Faft J S mc'tify ye a Feijl. Alfoupon 
 a day not commanded bv Scripture, Efdras 
 the Kigh-prieft commanded a Faft. And 1 
 proclaimed a Fajl, that we might be offlieled 
 O 4 before
 
 320 Of Pafling on Saints Eves. 
 
 before the Lord our God, [ i Efd. viii. 21 ] 
 Jlndwefafledand be fought our God for this, 
 and he was intreated of us. And Efth. [ iv. 
 6. J Gather together ail the Jews, and f aft 
 ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three 
 days, night nor day. And it was done ac- 
 cording as it was commanded. And E/ih. 
 [ix. 2 j.] the Jevjs ordained, and took upon 
 them, and upon their feed, fo as ix. Jbould not 
 fail that they ivould keep thefe two days, of 
 Feaft, every year. And [v. 31. ] they de- 
 creed for themfelves, and for their feed, the 
 Fa flings, and their cry. For faffing and 
 crying to the Lord were fitly then appoint- 
 ed to be obferved in the vigil or Eve of" this 
 Feaft, as we ufually fail in the vigils of our 
 Feafts : for devout fafting beft difpofeth our 
 Mind to devotion the next day. Moreover, 
 you Protectants teach there bs no counfels 
 given us of God, but only precepts : if th is 
 be Co, God himfelf commands you to kill, 
 when he fays, [Joel ii. 12.] turn ye to me 
 with all your hearts, and with fafting, and 
 weeping, and mourning. 
 
 3. We fail on Ember-days, becaufe thofe 
 days are deputed by the Church, to ordain 
 xlid confecrate new Pritfls and other Mini- 
 iti\rs of the Church. And it is Chrift's com- 
 mand, [Matt. ix. 38.] Pray the Lord of the 
 Harvcft, that he fend forth Workmen into his 
 Harvcfl. To obey this command the more 
 perfectly, and to make our Prayer, poured 
 forth for (o important a Bldfing, the more 
 
 effttfual
 
 and othet Days. 321 
 
 effectual, the Church with this Prayer joins 
 three days fa ft. So of the mod primitive 
 Church we rea< 7 , \Atls xiii. 3.] J/! en they 
 had fnfled, and prayed, and laid their hands 
 on them, they fent them away, to wit, Bar* 
 nnhas and Saul ; fo they being fent by the 
 Holy Ghoft departed. And [xiv. 23.] JVhen 
 they had ordained them elders (Priefts) in 
 every Church, and prayed with fajlings, they 
 commended them to the Lord. 
 
 4. Moreover, by our Fadings in each of 
 the four Seaibns of the year, we confecrate 
 thefe Seafons and our Jives to God, and 
 more effectually petition for his Blefilngs in, 
 and at, all Seafons. We faft .on Fridays, 
 bcc.mfecur Saviour died upon a Friday. And 
 becaufe he remained dead ail Saturday, we 
 abftain from Flefh upon Saturdays. Chrifr. 
 faid exprefly, [Matt. ix. 14.] That after 
 Bridegroom fhould be taken from his dif- 
 ciples, (as he was at his P.flion) then they 
 Jhould alfo fa ft, as much as the difeiples of 
 Sr. John, and the Pharifee^ did. And 
 there the Scripture fays, they fafled often. 
 And you know the proud Pharifee bra 
 th:u he failed tivice a week. No wonder 
 then that the Church thought this meafureat 
 leaft expedient for us. She alfo knew by 
 Scripture, th.it it was expedient, to keep 
 
 \>-our Body, and bring it into (uliettion, 
 
 [l Cor. ix. 27. ] and to approve curfehes in 
 
 watching s and frffi'ngs, [2 Co . vi. 5,] and 
 
 to live curfelvis ft r fa fling, [j Cor. vii. 5-] 
 
 O 5 For
 
 322 Of fa/ling on Saints Eves, 
 
 For this reafon it was that St. John, the 
 greateft of Prophets, taught his Difciples to 
 fafl often, [Matt. ix. 14.] Our new Pro- 
 phets teach their Difciples to feoff at Faft- 
 ers often. Moreover, we who fin daily, 
 have but too much need to fafl weekly, fo 
 to fatisfy for our fin>, to which cffj£t how 
 much fading availeth I declared in Point 24 
 numb. 6. Now there being fo great g->od in 
 fading, and all God's greater! Saints hiving 
 pra£tifed it fo mu:h upon this accounr, as I 
 fhewed out of Scripture, Point 23. it is a 
 wonder, that among our ungodly Saints, 
 even Good-friday itfelf, on which we receiv- 
 ed a greater Benefit than ever mankind re- 
 ceived, mould have no more notice com- 
 manded to be taken of it, than if Chrift's 
 dea.h belonged not to us. 
 
 5. We fait the Eves of feveral grcatFeanS, 
 fo to be the better difpofed to Prayer the 
 next day. By failing alfo we imitate and 
 excite thofe Saints to help us, whofe Feaft 
 we folemnize; thus more honouring thc j m, 
 and more powerfully imploring their. Inter- 
 ceffion by Fading joined with our Prayers. 
 We faft fortv days in Lent, for even the 
 mod ancient Fathers called this Faft an ap- 
 pojlolical Tradition. And furely, if the A - 
 poftles had not, together with the other 
 Practices of our Religion, delivered alfo this 
 Praelice of fafting for forty days, the like 
 may be faid of fading weekly, no man after- 
 ward could have had fufficient authority. and 
 
 this
 
 and other Days. 323 
 
 this through the whole multitude of Christ- 
 ians, to make them all believe themfelves 
 obliged to faft i'o often. Men love their 
 Belly too well to be brought foeafily to fuch 
 an infufferable burthen as this feems to 
 many. Nothing but a ftrict command of an 
 undoubted authority could have made all 
 Chriftianicy accept of this great Faft with 
 that rigour, which Luther found in the whole 
 C lurch at his time. Some Proteftant^ ven- 
 ture to f v, that Pope Ttlefphore, who lived 
 Jnno Dcmii 141, was the firft that com- 
 manded this Faft. They mould have faid, 
 he was the firft that by written Liw com- 
 manded the more exacl obfervar.ee < f this 
 apoftolical Tradition, which by f me Mens 
 jie le& was grown to be lei's oblerved ; if 
 they make him the firft Introducer of Lent, 
 then they muft be forced to confi (s, t 1 at in 
 th.»t primitive Age the Pope's authority was 
 kn wn for undoubted, and reverently obey- 
 ed even over all Chriflendom at that time, 
 and this in a matter which pincheth many fo 
 hardlv, that we fee here in England neither 
 the known Laws of the Land, m.tde by thofe 
 of their own Religion, nor the King's Pro- 
 clamations preffing thofe I>aws, nor the pe- 
 nalties enjoi ied by them, can prevail half fo 
 much in this one Nation, as the authority 
 commanding Lent did, in thofe pure 
 and primitive Ages, prevail through, all 
 Chriftian Nations. I muftnot end this Point 
 without obferving, that the whole Church 
 U6 nay
 
 324 Of abft aimng from certain 
 
 mav ftand ob'iged to obferve fuch and fuch 
 Fafts, notified to her without any Scripture, 
 by the fole atteftation of Church Tradition, 
 delivering this obligation as impofed firft 
 fey the Apoftles, or fuch like lawful Au- 
 thority. For, from the days of Noah until 
 Mofes, that is above a thoufand Years, all 
 were obliged thus not to eat the flejh with the 
 blood, [Gen. ix. 4.] See Point 2. n. 2. A 
 command made known to them only by 
 Tradition. 
 
 The forty-fifth, and laft, Point. 
 
 77?at we laifdally in our Tafts ahf.ain from 
 certain Meats. 
 
 /~\UR Adverfai ies finding fafting fo often, 
 ^ and fo highly commended in Scripture, 
 2nd not knowing well how to find fault 
 with it, they turn-to pick a Quarrel againft 
 our manner of Fading. For upon fafting days 
 we abftain from Fiefh, and in Lent from 
 E-gg-S yea from white meats alfo in fome 
 Places : for we ho.'d that the more afflictive, 
 or laborious the Fail: is, fo that it be difcreet, 
 the more perfect it is of its own nature, as 
 being more fatisfaclory for our Sins pad ; 
 and by mere taming of our Flefli, more 
 preventive of new bififf, and containing a
 
 Meats in our Fa/Is. 325 
 
 greater Exercife of virtue, to the greater 
 lncreafe of Merit. Not that God delights 
 in our Sufferings, as they are afHi&ive of 
 us a but bcrauie he highly delights in them, 
 as they are fo many Ways benefi ial to us ; 
 hence, [Joel ii. 12.] turn ye to me with fill 
 your Hearty and with Fajling. Now to 
 faft all day without eating any thing, is a 
 thing over hard to he pi'efcribed by precept, 
 to fuch a vaft Community as the Church 
 is. The Church therefore according to her 
 prudent Charity, hath thus mrderated the 
 matter. Fir ft 9 that we mould faft till 
 Noon, or thereabout, without eating any 
 thing that may break our Faft. Secondly, 
 that the meat we then eat be not of Flefh, 
 which being more nourifhing, doth alfo 
 nourifh Temptations. Thirdly, that at 
 Night we eat no Supper ; bu: a fl : ght col- 
 lation is permitted, for fear our nights reft 
 fhould otherwife be loft, with prejudice of 
 Health. Other Fafts be lefs ftrift, and are 
 rather to be called days of abfrinence as Sa- 
 turdays are, on which we only abftain from 
 Flelh. But other Fafts we have vet more 
 rigorous, as from Eggs, and all that is 
 made of Figs ; from white meat, which no 
 one, that has the fenfe of feeling, can 6eny 
 to be a very confiderable addition to the 
 aufteiky of Fading. 
 
 2. '1 his abft^ining from certain nourifh- 
 tng and delightful Meats, is peculiarly recom- 
 mended by Scripture, as especially pleafmg 
 
 to
 
 326 Of abflaining from certain 
 
 to God. Firfl, the Nazarites, [Num. iv.] 
 were obliged to abftain from Wine: tho' 
 wine were the ufual drink ot their Country, 
 there being no Beer. Secondly, [Jerem. 
 xxxv. ] The Rechabitesxn like manner, ab- 
 fraining upon commind from Wine, are 
 highly commended by God, and rewarded 
 for it, [v. 18.] Thirdly., [St. Luke i. 15. J 
 He fall be great before our Lord, wine and 
 prong drink Le fall not drink. Fourthly, 
 the fame great John Baptijt's ordinary Food 
 was Lccufts and ?vi(d Honey, [Matt, iii 4 ] 
 And even of this courfe Food, he did feed 
 fo fparingly, that Chrill himfelf faid, he 
 came neither eating nor drinking, [Matt. 
 xi. 18.] Fifthly, S. Timothy could not be 
 induced to drink a little Wine in the Weak- 
 nefs of his Stomach, and his often infirmities^ 
 until St. Paul, for this reafon, advifrd him 
 not ft ill to drink Water, [ 1 Tim. v. 22.] 
 Sixthly, I might add that this kind of Fait 
 is the mod effectual to keep under our Bodies^ 
 and bring them into lubjedtion, left we become 
 reprobate, as Sr. Paul faid of himfelf, [1 Cor. 
 ix. 27,] Daniel fays alio of himfelf, Flejh 
 and Wine entered not into my Mouth for three 
 Weeks. [Dan. x 3 ] 
 
 3. Hence we may eafily anfwer our Ad- 
 verfaries objections. * F.rjt then, they object", 
 [Mark vii. 15.] nothing that is without a 
 Alan entering into a Man can defile him. 
 For the fenfe is this, no Meat t fits own 
 nature is polluting, or defiling ; tho' to eat 
 
 Meats
 
 Meats in our Fafts. 327 
 
 Meats that are foi bidden doth pollute and 
 defile the Soul, as the Apple defiled Adam's 
 Soul ; as alio the taking Drink to excels pol- 
 lutes the Drunkard. And even after our 
 Saviour fpoke thefe words, eatjng of Ht>gs- 
 flefti would have defiled the Souls of the A- 
 poflles. Yea, ai.d ihe firft primitive Chrift- 
 ians fhould have been defiled bv eating BLod 
 or A/eats Jlr angled. Not becaufe thofe 
 Meats were It ill unclean, but becaufe the 
 Church thought fit, yea and neceffary, to 
 forbid at that time ihe eating of thoieMeats, 
 [dels xv. 28.] It hath feemed good to the 
 Holy Ghojl and us, to lay no further burthen 
 upon you, than theje necejfary things, thatycu 
 abjiaxn from Meat offered to Idols, and Hood ; 
 and that which is Jlr angled. So, [Gen.-'ix. 4.] 
 for above a thoufand years before Scripture, 
 all were ob'iged not to cat 'the Flejh with the 
 Blood. And this no Scripture then either 
 commanded, or teftified; yet, even then 
 not the Meat, but the breach of the Church's 
 commandment would have defiled them, 
 and fti!l defileth u^ if we eat what the fame 
 Church ftill forbids to be eaten at the times 
 forbidden. 
 
 4. Secondly, you object, [1 Cor. x. 25. J 
 all that is fold in Shambles eat, cfking no 
 quejlion for Confcience. I anfwer, that the 
 Apoftle there .only tells them, that tho' to 
 eat in the Temple of Idols what is there of- 
 fered up to the Idol be unlawful, [v. 28.] 
 )et we mu ft not have a Scruple of eating 
 
 what
 
 328 Of abstaining from certain 
 
 what we fee fold in the Shamble;, by afking 
 queftionsj out of an over timorous Con- 
 fcience 5 whether that Ox, Calf, or Sheep* 
 ibid there, were not, before it was brought 
 to the Marker, immolated to fome Idol ? 
 Now what is this to our purpofe ? 
 
 5. Thirdly, it is objected, [Co/, ii. 16.} 
 Let no man judge you in meat nor drink, or 
 in rejpccl of a holy day, or cf the new Moon, 
 or of the Sabbath. I anfwer by what is 
 here added of a new Moon, it is manifefr. 
 this Text only fpeaks of Fafts according to 
 Judaical diftincYion between meat clean and 
 unclean, all meats being now clean to Chrifl- 
 ians frill, as above, excepting blood, and 
 
 firangled meat, tho' fold in the Shambles, 
 for this is not contrary to that St. Paul faid, 
 ell that is fcld in the Jhambles eat. 
 
 6. Fairthh, and chiefly they object, [1 
 Tim. iv. 3.] The doctrine cf devils, forbid- 
 ting to marry, and commanding to abftain 
 from meats, which God created to receive 
 with thankfgiving. For every creature of 
 God isgcod, and nothin; is to be refufed which 
 is received with thankfgiving. For as much 
 as concerns our do&rine of abftaininp fn m 
 marriage, we have already anfwered by this 
 Text in Po ; nt 20. n. 8, We mutt fee now 
 in what fen fe it is Dev'ls doclrine to abftain 
 jrom me ts, which God created. It cannot 
 
 be in that fenfe, in whidi the Nazarites, 
 and Rcchahites abftaincd from Wine, and 
 St. John Baftift from Wine and ftrong 
 
 drink
 
 Meats in our Fofis. 329 
 
 drink, and from all meats almofl but Lo- 
 cufts and wild Honey, coming neither eating 
 nor drinking : or in which St. Timothy alio 
 abftained from Wine : or in which all 
 Chriftians, as then, abftained from bloody 
 and what was ftrangled, or offered to Idols. 
 The abfiinence of the Manichccs was Devils 
 doctrine * for they taught to abftain from 
 meats which God created ; becaufe, they faid\ 
 that the Devil, and not God, created Jome 
 meats. Againft fuch men St. Paul, of all 
 meats without exception, faith, God created 
 them. To attribute fuch meats to the Devil's 
 creation, and therefore to abftain from them, 
 is to teach the doctrine of the Devils. This 
 t'o£trine of the Manichees was held by divers 
 more ancient Heretics, as the Rhemijb Tef- 
 tament iheweih in this place. Again the 
 doctrine of fome Jews was the doctrine of 
 Devils, who taught that full we muft makn 
 a difiinci;on between meats clean, and un- 
 clean, and abftain from thefe becaufe the 
 Law was given by A gels ; and they faid that 
 the Angels had revealed, that therefore this 
 Law was frill to be kept, even by Chriftians, 
 l>ut thefe Angels were a'-gels of darknefs, 
 ;md this was truly the doctrine of Devils, tho' 
 difguifed in the fhape of Angels of Light. 
 This is the Interpretation of the moft learned 
 Man, as I alio ihevvtd Point 36. n. 9. 
 
 The
 
 330 The Conclufion. 
 
 The Conclufion to the Proteftant 
 Reader. 
 
 qUP POSING thefie forty five Points have 
 ^ been with attention read by thee, it enly 
 remains that I ftjould prefs thee to anfiwer we 
 Jincere'y to this one queftion* zvhether in thy 
 Confidence, and in the fight of Almighty God, 
 thou can ft remain perfuad.d that we Roman 
 Catholics have, fio much as in any one of thefie 
 Points, hi Id or forth held, any dottrine oppo- 
 fiteto clear Scripture? Name that Point, and 
 read over again what we here have fiaid of it ; 
 and fee if thy Confidence doth not tell thee that 
 we have rather clearer Scripture for it, than 
 you for the contrary. Why then are we, who 
 did in a manner build all the Churches in Eng- 
 land, and who taught no other doclrine in them, 
 than ivhat had been delivered to us at our fit ft 
 being madeChrifitians ; a doclrine fund fio con- 
 formable to Scripture, even in the/every Points, 
 in which we fit and accufed by you mo fit to con- 
 tradict Scripture ', why then are ive, 1 fay, 
 not allowed jo much as to have one C> urch left 
 us, at leajt in one Shire, or County, with free 
 liberty to teach, and praclifie thai faith, which 
 has been taught and pr„clijed by all our fore- 
 fathers in this Kingdom, and ejtablijhed by all 
 the Laws thereof, ever f nee we pro fie [fie d 
 Chriftianity until the Sixteenth century gave 
 birth to jo many new Religions. And this 
 jliallbc the conclufion of our Plea. 
 
 A Table
 
 A Table of the Points 33 1 
 
 A Table of the Points contained 
 in this Treatife. 
 
 pOINT I. That the Scripture alone cannot 
 
 A be a Rule Juffiacnt to direcl us in all ne- 
 ceffary Controverftes, Page 1 
 
 Point II. Tradition, bcjides Scripture, muf I di- 
 recl us in many necejfary Controvcrfies, 1 2 
 
 Point III. Of the never failing of the Churchy 
 which being perpetual, can preferve per- 
 petual traditions. Alfo of fucccjjicn of true 
 Paftors and Profeffors, 2 1 
 
 Point IV, Of the univerfality and va ft extent 
 of this perpetual Church, whith alfo mu ft 
 be the converter of G entiles : this no Church 
 differing from the Roman, ever zuas, 74 
 
 Point V. Of the infallibility of the Church ; 
 and conipqurntly cf her fitnejs to be judge of 
 Controversies, 45 
 
 Point VI. Th it the Roman Church is this 
 infallible Church, and our jud^e in all 
 points of Controverfy, 66 
 
 Point VII. That t'> e chief pa ft or of this 
 Church is the fucceffor of St. Peter, 68 
 
 Pent VIII. That this our chief Pa ft or, or 
 Pope, is not Jni'uhrift, 76 
 
 Point IX. Of ike Sacraments of the Church, 
 
 etnd
 
 332 d Table of the Points 
 
 and of the Ceremonies w' h ich the Church 
 
 ufeth in adminiftring ihefe Sacraments ; as 
 
 clfo in ether occafions, 8 I 
 
 Point X. OfBaptifm, which is the fir ft Sa- 
 crament, 87 
 Point XI. Of Confirmation 8*9 
 Point -XI I. Of (he holy Eucharift 91 
 Point XIII. Of Communion under one kind, 1 08 
 Point XIV. Of the Mafs' 9 and cf the holy 
 
 Eucharijt as it is a Sacrifice, 1 1 1 
 
 Point XV. Of faying Majjes, and ether 
 
 public prayers in the Latin Tongue, 121 
 Point XVI. Of the Sacrament cf Penance, 
 
 or Confefificn, 133 
 
 Point XVII. Of the Sacrament of Extremo 
 
 Unclion^ 1 3 7 
 
 Point XVIil. Of the Sacrament cf Holy 
 
 Order, 1 40 
 
 Point XIX. Of the Sacrament of Matrimo- 
 
 mony, J 4 1 
 
 Point 'XX. Of the fugle Life of Priefis, 144 
 Point XXL Of the ftngle Life cf juch as 
 
 vowed chaftity, 152 
 
 Point XXIi. Of Works cfCounfel, andfu- 
 
 pererogaticn, J 58 
 
 Point XXIII. Of voluntary au ferity of 
 
 Life, 163 
 
 Point XXIV. Of faiisfaclon Gc;d- 
 
 Work-, ic8 
 
 Point XXV. Of Purgatory, and Prayer fcr 
 
 the Dead, 176 
 
 Point XXVI. Of Indulgences, 193 
 
 Point
 
 contained in this Treatifc. 333 
 
 Point XXVJI, That Faith alone doth not 
 juftify, 200 
 
 Point XXVIII. Whether Juftiji 'cation be 
 any thing inherent in us, 204 
 
 Point XXiX. Whether our J unification may 
 not be loft 209 
 
 Point XXX. To yuftification it is neceffary 
 to keep the Commandments, 2 1 3 
 
 Point XXXI. How /till we have Free mil 
 to do good or Evil, 111 
 
 Point XXXtl. How this frec-iuill is ftiil 
 helped with fufjicicnt Grace, lis 
 
 Point XXX1I1. This fufficient' Grace is 
 denied to none, Chrift dying even fur Re- 
 probates, 224 
 
 Point XXXIV. How cur good works done 
 in Grace, and by the help of Chrifts 
 Grace, be meritorious, and merit Life 
 ever I aft i tig, 229 
 
 Point XXXV. It is laudable to do good works 
 for reward, 238 
 
 Point XXXVI. We laudably worfiip Angels 
 and Saints, 240 
 
 Point XXXVII. The Angels and Saints can 
 hear our Prayers, 250 
 
 Point XXXVIII. That Saints' can, and will 
 help us, and therefore it is laubable to 
 pray to them, 258 
 
 Point XXXIX. That among the Saints it is 
 moft laudable to pray to our Lady j and 
 of the Beads f aid to her honour \ 269 
 
 Point XL. It is laudable to worjhip the 
 Images of Saint: , 281 
 
 Point
 
 334 contained in this Treatife. 
 
 Point XLI. It is laudable to wor/bip the 
 Relics of Sa ints, 295 
 
 Point XLII. Some Places are more holy than 
 others, we therefore laudably make Pil- 
 grimages and Procfjftons to fuch holy 
 Places, 302 
 
 Point XLI1I. That we laubahly keep Feafts 
 in the honour of Saints, 312 
 
 Point XLI V . That we laudably obferve Feafts, 
 Saints Eves, and other Days^ 3 1 8 
 
 Point XLV. That we laudably in our Fafts 
 abftain from certain Meats^ 324 
 
 To
 
 To the Prof eft ant Reader. 335 
 
 mbly beg of thee, to pcrufe this 
 Table of the Feints here treated, 
 and to turn fir ft to that very Point 
 in which thou think eft ive are iejs 
 able to given thee • Satisfaction. And 
 according as thou findeft what 1 fhall 
 fay, even in that Point, to be more 
 or lefs fatisfattcry, fo judge of the 
 reft. 
 
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