IVERSITY •• Y SCHOOL .ARY PRANK BAKER COLLECTION OF WESLEYANA AND BRITISH METHODISM Imprimatur, RAT). r BA c THX>%ST, Vice-Cancell. Own. OSiob. i$ % 1674. ..3 MIL 5c SAMUEL AT EXDOR SJVL and S AMVEL ENDO R, OR THE New Waies O F SALVATIONand SERVICE. Which ufually temt Men to R ME, and detain them there. - Truly Reprefented, and Refuted. By DAN. BREVINT, D. D. As alfo A Brief Account of R. F. his Mifjale Vi ndkatum^ or Vindication of the ROMAN MASS. By the fame Author. They have hewed them out Gfierns, broken Cifterrts that can hold no water. Jerem. c. 2, v. 13. OXFORD. At the THEATER. 1674. V ■3- J I The Preface. I Never expelled , '/to 7^y Book, again® the Mafs Jhouli have the liberty to go abroad two Tears together ', without meet- ing oppofition ; /zor /fo/ /ipo Points fo dear and fo fundamental to Rome, a* Mafs Sacri- fice, and Prieft-hood are, could be left fo long in the Dirt, and under the Impeachment of that Lewdnefs and Impiety, that I have dccufed, and I hope conviSled them of with- out an Advocate to defend them ; and there- fore am not at all furpri^d, that after fo long a time, an Anfwtr is pretended to be made to it : But fuch an Anjwer, fo emty and imperti- nent, Imuft confefs I did not eypeSi, imagine ing the Caufe, as bad as it was, tho it could not find good Reafon, would yet have had good Sophiftry, and Artificial Colour to defend it< But fince that Roman Catholics are pleafed to take up with thefe moji trivial Shifts and Cavils, and in tyight of both Senfe and Grace perfift in an Abufe, which neither they nor any The Preface. any body elfe can in any tolerable manner ju- ftifie : the next thing which I have to do, is to examine wbat the fyecial Attraftives are y which can draw Men to, and detain them in fuch afirangeandunchrifiian kindofWorfihip. Here I do not propofe to my [elf the cure of fuch 06 are already prepojfe/Jed i and throughly fick with wilful Ignorance. He that can cure the Deaf and the Dumb, is alone the immediate and proper Thyfitian for that Dif- eafe. But I do what I ought, when I do what I can, to hinder tbe Plague from fpreading, and them which are defteratly ill with it from infeSiing others. The Roman Church abounds with prudent and politic Men*, who can infufe their Myfteries in asplaufible and Chrislian Words , a6 the Affyrian Envoy did his Defigns, in good and true Jewijh Lan- guage,Ka.%6* The very Janfenifts, (a more reformed kind of Papifis, whom therefore one might lefs fufp eft) exceed fometimes the Miffi- onaries, and the Jefuits, in this black. Art of difguifing : and I have had in Conferences^ fuch The Preface. fuch Experienceoffomeoftbe beji of this fort, both at the French Court, and the 5or bone, that tho I may here (pare their Names % I may not, with any Charity, (pare to warn others, to tak§ heed of their Companies. The proper Genius, and as it were, the Vniverfal Spirit of that Church, Confijls much in a Confi- dence to raife any thing which they have, al- tho that were but a Vung-hill, into a Cafile ; and by the noife of flrange Exprejfions, toper- fwadeyou out of your own kjiowlege, that you may believe the Enchantment. Tranfub- ftantiation, the Mafs Sacrifice, Purgatory, and their pretended Infallibility, had bin as foon tumbled down, atflarted up, had they not bin kept on foot by this kind of Roman Hefto- rifm ; and the better to turn both Mens Brains and Hearts to that fide , their pre- tended Catholicnefs, Miracles, Suffrages, Confraternities, Church Trefury, Indul- gences, &c. (the very Dirt and Dung of that Church J are by the fame Art and Valor erefted into flaufible Means of Worjlip and Salva- tion. The Prefacd. tion. .. Therefore my prefent bufmefs is, tore-* move thefe, and other dike Snares out of the, way i and to lit impartial Men fee, that the. very Meat and Drink wherewith they are al- lufd and baited to Popery, ate the very 'Pol- Ion and Impoftume, that Jhould deter them from it. To this end, I fetch out the Spot, and Ajhes which lie bidden in the skin of a .Sodom, when it paffesfor a Golden A pple * and, as the Fathers did before me, under the, firji Chriflian Emperors , I expofe to public view the Vermine, theCats,tbe Crocodiles, and other fuchfoolijh Idols, which are adored, by vulgar People, upon the credit and ac^ count > to give Men a folid account both of the true Chriflian Doflrine ; that is, of the true waies of Godtofave ; and of the new Me- thods and Wiles of other Spirits , to feduce Souls. Of thefe I bave faid a* much as at this time Icouldprove out of their Books \ but much lefs, then I know, by mine ownExperi- a 2 ence. The Preface. ence. It is a grofs mislak?, to think, that the Roman Religion is made up of nothing elfe> then what we find in their Councils and Breviaries. Tou might fanfte as well*, that Rome hath all within the Walls of the City >, and little or nothing in the Suburbs ; and that all her unwritten Traditions are defiitute of unwritten Waies and Practices. The truth is, in time of War the Romanifts love to Camp as clofe as they can to Lateran,/o Trent, and to fuch other Council Forts while they Jland upon their defence ; but they dwell and fj?readinfinitly farther about \ when in peace- able Times they have a mind either to win, or conquer others : and I may fafely affirm, that Rome hath no ground more commodious for Ambufhes, nor more dangerous to poor Stran- gers, then what [he can either take or leave, as J/jefees caufe. There is not fo deadly biting, as with thefe Teeth, that Vipers, as they fay, can keep unfeen in their Gums ; nor are there fitter Tools to do mifchief, then tbofe Jhort Weapons, which one draws put, or hides under his The F refacc. hk Clothes. The Roman Church hath Of- ficers that can offer you Salvation on any terms ; if you take them , they are that which in their Language muji needs eafeyou of all your Sins ; and if you happen to per- ceive the Cheat, and the incredible Extrava- gancy, then fhe hath other graver DoSfors that will tell you (in order to fave her Cre- dit J that thefe are but the Dreams of fome Monks-) and no part of their Catholic Do- ctrine. So let that Church mix and temper whatever kind of fluff fie pleafes, to charm you into her Party ; if fie find you well di- ftofed to devour it, then fhe gives it you a* good Meat ; but if fie fee that you abhor it, then to pleafe you, fi>e will difown it as rank. Poifon. By thefe means, Rome both abufeth the World , and keeps up her Reputations and under this Collufwn, lies, works, and thrives, the My fiery of iniquity , and the Power of Darknefs. if after thisfecond Warning , Men will fall off to a Religion, which in its mojl Effen- tial The Preface. tial Services fas 1 have already Jhewedj h plain impiety, and be led to it by Motives which ijhew here to be no other then the vporft kind of impo /lures, their Blood Jhall fall on their omi Heads. It is not in thepowqr of human Help in this cafe to fave Men, who will defiroy themfelves. % THE THE CONTENTS. Chap. Pag. I. A General Account of the new waies to Salva- £\ tion 9 and Services of t6e Roman Church. i. II. How far, and in what fen feP apises may be called Catholics t, and how the Roman Church is neither the true Catholic* nor a truly Catholic Church. %* III. Concerning the fecond Inducement to Popery , The Roman Miracles. 34- IV. Concerning the Protection and } Affiflanc* of Ro~ man Saints. 7 r * V. Of the Worfhip deferredthe Virgin % and of the Blej[ings expeftedfrom this Worfl/ip . 99 • VJ. Concerning the Adoration* and new waies offer* ving the Virgin Mary. I2 5* VII. Concerning the daily Services befiowed upon the Virgin Mary. i53» VIII. Of another fyecial Inducement to Popery* by a more eafie way of ferving the Virgin by Beads, which they call the Rofary. l£8 # IX. Of the vaslTrefureof the Roman Church, and her power to difyoCe it. 1 89 • X. Concerning the Roman Indulgences* the moft ge- neral Inducement to Popery . 210. XL Concerning the procuring Pardon ofSins^ by the means of Holy Confraternities and Friends. 240. XII. Concerning three fyecial means of Salvation * The Holy Girdle of St. Francis; The 150 Beads of St, Dominic ; and the Scapulary of St. Simon Stock, in their refpefiive Fraternities. 269 . 1. Concerning the Holy Rope* or Girdle of 'St. Fran- cis* ib. %. Cm* THE CONTENTS. XIII* 2. Concerning the ftcond [fecial Means of Sal- vation in the Confraternity of Mount Carmel, by wear- ing the little Mantle or Scapular y of Saint Simon Stock. 277. XIV. 3. Concerning the third means of obtaining Salvation, bj the Co t> fraternity and 150 Beads of St. Dominic. 284. XV. Concerning divers other Infiruments of Bleffing and Salvation. 300. XVI. Concerning the moft general, and mo ft fenf- hle Inducement to Popery, by the means, and in the ufe of Confecrated Images. 3 go . SJVL CO SAUL & SAMUEL At ENDOR,&c. CHAP. L A General Account of the new Waies to SaU vat ion? and Services of the Roman Church* WELL may the Church of Rome look full and rich, fince what the Church of Chrift hath (ingle, lhe ft ill hath double, and of different forts 3 keeping in her bofom Sis much of good and bad together, as can both fur- oifh true Catholics with the Fundamentals of Chri- ftian Faith , and lend to others , thereon to build whole heaps of ruinous fuperftitions and Abu- fes. Here you (hall find under one Roof, the eter- nal God of Ifraelj and a mortal Woman, (landing very near upon the fame ground, both for your wor- ship and Praiers: Two forts of Chrifls called upon in the fame way ; theonebornofa^/>g/», and the Other made by a Maife Prieft : two neceffary Sac ri- h fins 2 Of the new Watts to Salvation fices for the Salvation of Mankind ; one once offered up to God on the Crofs> and another which is offer- ed up every day upon an Altar : Two fores of Media- tors and Advocates worfhipped and fur rounded with an equal number of Clients 5 ourblefied Savior, and Canoniz'd Saints. Suitably to thefe two different forts of Patrons , you (hall find in the fame Church two different waies of obtaining pardon of fins $ the one by the Evangelical Mercy of God upon all men, whofoever mall repent, and believe on his Son 5 and another, by the Bulls of the Pope, for them who will either pray before an Image, or without any men- tion of praiers , look devoutly towards an Altar: Two Ladders to get up to Heaven, one white with the milk oiMary^ the other red with the Blood of Je- fas 3 both equally puzling poor worfhippers about the choice:Two forts of fufferings to be allow'd to finners for their behoof and benefit, the Paflion of the fame Savior, and the Mortifications and Services of the Saints: Finally two forts offpiritual Kindred, and Ghoftiy Fraternity ; that of Chrift, by a partaking in Faith. and Holinefs, and that'of the Rofary for in- fiance, or S r Francis^ and twenty more, by turning Beads, or wearing Frocks or Girdles, and by fuch other new Performances. To join and keep all this, together, the Roman Church fubmits to two Heads, the Son of (Win Heaven, and His Holinefs in Italy - and preaches two different, and fometimcs contrary words of God, which you muff embrace both together with the fame devotion and faith ; namely the writ- ten word of God, which you may find in the Holy Scripture, and the unwritten Tradition, which you muft feek in that Churches Breaft. • In this unhappy conjuncture of true Catholic Chri- ftianity. In the Roman Church} $ ftianity and of meer Raman Popery, that happens which you may obferve , either in unnatural and beaftly Copulations , the bafer kind fpoils the bet- ter; or in the Dreams oifharoah, the ugly deftroies the well favor'd. We find by fad experiences in thefe laft times of the Gofpel, what heretofore was typi- fied by Ceremonies, and alio expreffed ever after, by unhappy examples under the Law^theFlefh which was comecrated and made holy at Gods Altar, had not the fame vertue to fanctifie the unclean , as the unclean had to defile that which was Holy. Nor were the IfiaeUtes fo powerful to convert the Idola- trous Jebufiies to God ( when married together ) as were the Jebifites, to feduce them to their Idols : and for this confideration the Law forbad fuch focieties. Corrupt Nature, we know, hath of it felf both a ftrange tendency to frivolous and unlawful, and no lefs Averfenefs from truly good and Holy things : fo, tho the power of both were equal, as to fanctifying, or corrupting , our inward inclinations are more like- ly to determine us to the worftfide. Never were Women fo ready to part with their choiceft Jewels, as when 'twas to make a Golden Calfc : nor could ever fo many Fathers have bin perfwaded to be fo cruel, as to pafs their Children thro the fire, had it not bin toferve Molock. The Kingdom of Heaven is by our Savior compar'd to Seed; now one handful of Tare is enough to poi* fon and overrun a whole Field. Hence it is that tho the ten Tribes of Ifrael retained the Law of Mofes> as well as thePapifts do at this prefent the Gofpel ; yet the holy Prophets mention no other Religion, whe- ther in Dan, or Beer/heba i but the waieso{ferofoam y and the Ordinances of Omry. And tho the Samaritans A 2 did 4 Of the new Walts to Salvation did make profeffion to fcrve the Lord God of ifraet, among the Gods of other Nations, 2 Kings. 17. 33. ,Yet their fervice to thefe fo immediatly takes up their whole Devotion, that in the following verfe you find, that they do not fear God at all. It is by this fatal Prevalency of evil over good, and the corrupt readinefs of men to yield to this Pre- valency, that the Roman fuperftition hath not only overtopped, but even overwhelmed the Catholic Faith, to that degree, as any Ghriftian may both fee it, if he have eies , and muft deplore it too, if he have any fenfe or fear of God. What the bleiTcd Evangelifts have fet down in the four Gofpcls, and what the blefled Apoftles have preached upon it thro the whole World, is yet at Rome as to its being 5 but as to its condition, there it is as miferably buried under the confufed heap of other new and unchriftian fervices, as ever was that book of the Law a Kings 22.8. under the Ruines of the Temple. Their Mafles, Legends , Auricular Confeffions , Bulls, Praiers to Saints, and the Worfhipping of Images fill up the Churches , and make the main Bulk ot all vifible Re- ligion. There if fome good Praiers to God Almighty appear by chance among the Croud, it is as one Pa- ter nofier among many Ave Marias, that is , one a- mong ten in their Beads ; and if you take the pains to compare how many Praters, Profes, Panegyrics, and other expreflions of the deepeft Devotion, are beftowed on the Virgin, with what is left for our Sa- vior ; there you (hall find fomewhat the fame pro- portion between them two, as you may fee both in the Images that reprefent them in their Churches, and in the moft Authentic Vifions, which are pre- tended to fhew them together to their Monkj> where me In the Roman Church. j me appears (till with all the Pomp that can attend a glorious Queen , whilft Chrift Her Son is ftill re- prefented but as a Child. Thus Papifts have the Common Faith (and I wifh to God they had no more ) and their own proper Romanifm, to the very fame or like purpofe, as the Jews have the Law and the Prophets, and the Talmudoi their Rabbies 5 and as the Turks have both much of Mofes^ and of the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift , and all the Impieties of Ma- hornet^ this latter to choak the former, as the Tares in the Parable did the good Seed $ or to difhonor and abufeit, as the Babylonians in Dan. 5. did the holy Veffels of Gods houle. To make all thefe fins more finful, and Popery more dangerous 5 thefe unhappy Superstructures , which ly as a heavy Encumbrance upon the holy Foundation of God, are now adaies ufed as fo many Snares and Attractives to draw men to the Church of Rome* Proteftants have among themfelves neither better, nor other waies of faving diftrefled Sinners, then by charging them to forfake fin, to believe and to live according to the Gofpel, and with this faith, and the ufe of Divine Ordinances,to caft their burthen and themfelves on the Mercies of God in Chrift 5 whereas over and above all this, the Papifts have a great deal more, which others do lay no claim to. Firft they have the Queen of Heaven and the Mother of Companions, who is unknown on this account to the beft Churches. And this Goddefs is reprefented, as fuch a Treafurer of all Graces , and a .favorer of fuch perfons, and upon fuch good and eafie terms, as without her it were abfolutely vain to expect ad- vantage from the aid even of the whole Trinity. In the fecond place, they have millions of Saints, who 6 Of the new Wales to Salvation who whensoever called upon, make it their bufi- nefs to help, as much as in them lies, every conditi- on, fort, and profe (lion of men. There is never a fmall Parifh, nor Trade, no nor any exigence, wanr, or dif- eafe, but hath fome favorable and proper Saint. The very Images of Wood and Stone, are instrumen- tal to great Bleflings : their Churches and Altars are confecrated in fuch a manner, that the very coming near them, forgives fome fins. The found and ring- ing of Bells , if Chriftened after their way, hath much vertue. Who knows not how much devout per- fons are benefitted by Holy Water, and devout prai- ers improved to high Merits by holy Beads i It were infinite to fay all that is pretended of the Agnus Dei Medals, and a numberlefs ftore of Relicks, and how they arc working every day up and down the World for believing Catholics, more cures their you can eve- imagine. The Milk, the Hairs , the Shift, the Shoes, but efpecially the Girdle of the Virgin Mary, are to this purpofe well tried and known. What fhall we fjy of thole fwelling Streams, which, tho they do not fan&ifie Sinners , yet overflow them with Pardons:' I mean the Bulls and Indulgences, the Confraternities, the Mafles upon priviledged Altars, Praiers before certain Images, Stations and Jubilees upon vifiting of certain Churches, great and extraor- dinary Powers conferred on certain Priefts, whenfo- ever occafion requires it, for difpenfing with ugly things at eafy rates : poor Proteftants I fay want al- together all thefe Bleflings , and bleiTed Catholics abound with them. And if any of thefe waies oi at- taining Salvation feem to fome men inconceivable - this -very inconceivablenefs is thought by orhers a proper Character to fet out all for Myftenes. And if that In the Roman Church* 7 that do not fully fatisfie all mens conferences , this muft , namely that their Roman is the undoubted Catholic Church , and that the Catholic Church cannot err. Such things as thefe have a great weight with Ignorant, and fometimes too with intelligent fin- ners , who find themfelves both loaden with their fins, and unwilling to part with them. And who could blame poor Creatures for going to Rome for fuch Pardons, as it is certain they can never find a- mongus, nor in the Gofpel, nor in Heaven, nor any where elfe but at Rome 1 Therefore 1 think it chan- ty to undeceive men in thefe Matters; and convince unhappy Saul^ if his obdurate heart be not altoge- ther incapable of reafonable Inftruc'tion, that what he fees, or hears at Endor, tho perhaps founding like the voice, and looking like the Appearance of Samu- el in the night time, will be found in the day light, not to be any thing but the Enchantment or cheat of a poor and filly Witch. I will begin with the Ca- tholic Church , becaufe it is the firft Varnifh that they adorn their Errors with, and the general Illu- sion , whereby they inveigle both themfelves and others. CHAP. 3 the Roman, neither the Catholic? CHAP. II. How far , and in what fenfe Pafifts may bt called Catholics , 0W how the Roman Church is neither the true Catholic^ nor a truly Catholic Church. TP'HE Papifts ire much pleated with calling 1 themfelvcs Catholics, and take ic a for the mft Mark, and acknowledgment of their Church, when fometimcs others call them fo$ not confider- ing in the mean while, that Titles in all kinds of Tongues do continue moft commonly long after tha things fignified by them are gon-.and that we may call Rome the Catholic, upon the fame account that S 6 , Matthew 4.5. calls (till Jerufalem the Holy City, tho this had loft hsr Holinefs, as that hath depraved her Religion. Catholic Doctrine and Service, rightly applied, and called fo, is the moft efTential Jewel, and the ve- ry Soul of true Churches. The firft Title they ever had, after Chrift was gonup to Heaven, was to be called Chriftian : the fecond was, after the blefled Apoftles had planted them in moft Countries, to be called Apoftolical: the third, if Churches did keep faithfully that Gofpel, which had bin preached by the Apoftles every where , both fuch Churches and fuch Doctrines were intituled Catholic. This laft Ti- tle is the eflential Seal and Character of the two 0- ther : for whatfoevcr is thus Catholic, that is thus ■ Bellarm. dc Ecclef. /. 4. c. 4. grown tior a truly Catholic Church, gfown Univerfal thro- out all Churches, and in all times, fince the preaching of Chrift and his Apoftles, let it be where it will, at Rome^ or at tftrufaUm , is both Apoftolical and Chriftian : and therefore S r Taut Colojf. i. 6. and 23. ufes it twice, as an infallible evi- dence to demonftrate, that the Doctrine which the Colcjfians had heard either from him, or from .£/><*- •phrase was the true Gofpel of Chrift , becaufe it was come to them and all the world, and was preached to every Creature under Heaven i Men may fet up fmall candles , that can fill with light private Rooms , and if carried about, lead Travellers fome part of their way : but none but God alone can make fuch z Light as the Sun is, that can in a moment, as theSun doth,fpread a bright day over the whole world. No Philofophers that we know, Were ever able with all their wit , to extend their Opinions beyond their Schools^ nor the greatcft Kings with their might, fet- tle their Laws beyond their Dominions 5 nor the worft Heretics fpread their Errors much farther then their feveral Abodes. The true Doctrine of Chrift only, and all fuch other holy Precepts, Ordinances, and Traditions, as are proper to his Gofpel 5 as they went forth with a commiffion, had futable Power to carry them, and to maintain them thro-out all parts, and to all Creatures e- very where ( whom God would call ) in the whole world. M&ttk. 26. 13. Mark- 14.9. Hence come fuch Doctrines , and the Churches on their accoune to be called Catholic. As for all other private Te- nets, Cuftomes, and Traditions whatfoever, how- ever intended by their Authors to follow clofe af- ter them , they could never reach half the way : they ftaied behind • they wanted breath ; they had not B the jo the Roman , neither the Catholic, the Arm of the Lord, nor the power of his Spirit, which the Gofpel had, to carry and convey them fo far. Thus without any exception, whatfoever you can find has bin made thus general among Chrifti- ans from its very beginning , ( and nothing elfe ) is Chrifhan, and Apoftolical, and truly Catholic, by this infallible token,and upon this aCcount,becaufe it had the ftrength and Almighty Spirit of God to> make it fo, and without which it could not be fo. Thus one may judg of the Catholicnefs, which Ro» manifis brag of, and challenge on two accounts; the firft,when they give it to their Church,and them- felves the honor of being the Catholic Church 5 the fecond, when they give it to their new Doctrines, and Traditions, and obtrude all as Catholic. By the Ca- tholic Church in the firlt fenfe, nothing elfe can be underftood , but an Univerfal Collection of all the Churches in the world, and of all Chriftians in thofe Churches, which by the fame faith join together into one Communion of Chrift their Savior and their Head 5 as all the Boughs of a Tree, however fpread and fcatteredone from the other, unite into one item 5 as all Rivers into one Sea 5 and as the twelve Tribes of 1/rael into one Kingdom. After this rate, if the Pope be the Univerfal or Catholic Bifhop, you muft needs conclude thence againft him , as Pope Gregory the great did feveral b times againft the Con* fiantinopolitaa Fatriarch : if one, faith he, be called the Univerfal Biiliop, this one hath all, and all the other Bifhops have nothing left : and thus if Rome be the Catholic Church , the other Churches are no .* Grcgor. Magn. /, 4, Indicia 13. Ejy.^.item.Ep. 36. item. 1. 7, Jntt. \ . £/\ 3a. Churches^ Nor a truly Catholic Church. H Churches : Rome alone is the whole World, and the Tiber the whole Ocean. To this fome are pleafedtofay, that the Roman is the Catholic Church, not collectively or exten- sively, that is not by being in her felf the collective and extended body of all the Churches , but virtu- ally, and as the eminent Cardinal Dtt Perron expref- fes it 3 eminently, that is, the Roman hath an eminent Power Influence and Empire over other Churches. Thus Rome is all Chriftendom ; as if one ihouid fay London is all England , when the King and the Parliament (it at Wefimwfter&nd the tribe of Levi all Jfrael, when the High Prieft and his Sanhedrinkeep their Courts there : Which is to fay, not that all Chriftendom is contained in the precinct and bo- fome of Rome , but under its hand and power. Thus to be the Catholic, is not to be the Univerfal, but only the Domineering Church, and fo far Roman Catholic; which many wife men take for a Bull t per- haps it founds better then they are aware of, fince the Romans love to be Matters, and fince the Ma- ttering Power hath bin a great while under their hand. But there is a reply againft all this, that no Roman Power or wit can well fliift off. Firft, this notion of Catholic, to fignifie commanding or Monarchical, is altogether unufual, and unheard of among the Fa- thers ; efpecially S l Cyprian and S c Auftin, who are all for keeping clofe to the Catholic Church and Faith ; and all, at the fame time, for keeping them- felvesand their Chuiches free from the Monarchy oiRome. Secondly, it is, tho it were true, imperii* nent to fuch purpoles as the Papifts apply it. For fuppofe Rome hath the Power- hath (he therefore the Hoiftiefs, the Infallibility, the Promifes of being led B 2 into i i The Roman, neither the Catholic] into all truth by the Spirit ? Hath fhe all fuch other great advantages which are made to the Catholic U- niverfal, and not to the Catholic Reigning Church? Did Aaron never make an Idol, altho he was the Lords high Prieft? Were either the Scribes everkepc from inventing idle Traditions, by being Rulers in Jerufalem< or S c Peter , from curfing himfelf, and denying his own Matter, by that Junfdi&ion, they fay, he had over the reft of the Apoftles < Is his Holi* nefs, for inftance, John the twelfth, or Sy Ivefter the third, the one lefs effeminate, the other lefs a forcerer, or either of them more holy,for all the power they fay they have both overall the Kings of the Earth, and over all the Churches of Chrift ? And may not the holy City oijerufalem be turned both into a Den of Thieves, or into a Synagogue of Devils, altho you believe her to have a very great and eminent fway over all the Tribes of Ifrael < Therefore it is not the Catholic, that is, the Monarchical, but the Catho- lic in a better fenfe , that is, thellniverfal Church of Chrift, that hath the Promises of God, and this excellent Privilege, which both Papifts and others look for, of bringing all its truly Catholic Mem- bers to Eternal Salvation. But admit all what they would have, that their Church may be faid to be the Catholic, becaufe it has dominion over all other Churches: whence comes this Catholic Power, that can make her as really to be, as to be faid fo ? It comes, they fay, by lawful fucceffion from Saint Peter> who had it, and fo be? queath'd it to their Popes. This is, Iconfefs, eafi- lyfaid, but hardly maintained or underftood. For firft, St. Paul knew nothing of it, when he refifted this Sovereign both publicly and to his Face, GalaU 2. II.' Kord truly Catholic ChtiYch. 13 t. 11. Nor did the whole College of Apoftles, when they fent him with John as freely, as now the Pope fends his Legats, to fettle the Church at Cefiirea, Atts 8. 14. Nor the whole Church of Jerufalem y when they called him to an account about his beha- vior with the Gentiles, Ails 11.2,3. Nor the holieft Fathers of the Church, when they did call his Suc- ceffors, that is , their own Sovereigns, by the fa- miliar name of Brothers : Nor the whole Church of God with them, when, as it appears c by the very Confeffion of one who afterwards came to be Pope, that took little notice of this fort of Catholicnefs, Ante Nicenamj &c» that is, Before the Nicene Council they regarded little the Roman Church: and by the Interpretation of Ruffinus a Roman Prieft, who lived but few Years after it, its fixth Canon reftrains this pretended Univerfal Power, within the adjacent Towns of Rome. I will fay more, even two hun- dred Years after, Pope Gregory the firft was fo little acquainted with this pretended Prerogative , that he could not fuffer the hearing e of it, no not in a Compliment (altho bellowed fomtimes on others) and fo little /as to this point skilled in Scri- pture, that tho he infifts often on thefe words, Thou artVe\.ex,fac. Feed my Flock, and I will give thee the Keys, &c. (the prefent great Supporters and De- monftrations of Univerfal Monarchy) this blind Dodor could fee in them nothing tending to fuch a Catholic Latitude. If Ghrift had intended any fuch Power for Saint Teter, 'twas not a bufinefs to be whifpcr'd privatly \ RnS)lv.Epift.l. 1. Epitt.-m. tag. 202. Ba/Jl. 4 Rufhn.Hifi.l. i;t.6 m £ Greg. Magn. Regifi. I, 7, lnd< 1 , £/>, 30. adEulog, in 14 The Roman, neither the Catholic, in the Ear,as the Treafon he told Judas of : it was to be proclamed on the Houfe tops, & in the hearing of all the World*, according to the practice of Mofes and EUJ1)a^ when they made choice of their Succeflbrs in the face of all Ifrael. Such a public Declaration might have prefently both quelled the dangerous and unde- cided Contention among the Difciples, to wit, Who fhould he the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven^ pre- vented all the Diforders, which have ever fince trou- bled the Church for want of knowing this fupreme and infallible Governor. Then might the Roman Church have fpared forging f Donations &Decretals to her own fhame,to aiTert her Power in Europe-. And the Popes might have referved for holier ufes, that mafiy weight of Gold, which they gathered from the Chriftians under the ordinary pretences of Holy War, then were either s the arming Turks againft fuch Churches, as Would not acknowledg his Gran- deur, or driving diftielTed Bifliops on this account by Perfecution h and hard ufage, to feek for lhelter a- mong the Turks. All Nations , without either fraud or "force, might then have learned their duty towards S l Peters Chair, at the fame time when they heard of S c Peters Gofyd : and if this pretended Tra- dition, whether written or not written, had wait- ed but at a diftance on the firft Preaching of Chri- ftian. Faith •, they would certainly have fubmitted to it, that is, to rhat Univerfal Empire, as they did to Epifcopacy. Secondly, Suppofe, againft all what I have faid, f Binm in Vonat. fe Ed'iB Con/rant, Cone. Tom. x.fag. 31 3, <{?* 314. Edit. far. 1636. 8 Avent. Annal.Bocor. I. 7. h Vid. Quilklm. Tjrium. I. i' r c 15, foe* that Nor a truly Catholic Church. 15 that S'Fe^rhad, during his life, an Univerfal Mo- narchy \ What found Reafon, what clear Text of the holy Scripturc,or what undoubted Tradition,can anyone allege to fliew he left it to a SucceiTor? Did he leave him alfo his other Gifts and Privileges, and among them his Faith of Miracles, his Apoftolical Rod to ftrike Men with , fome to the ground, as they fay he did at Rome Simon Magus 5 and others to their very Graves, as he did certainly Ananias and Sapfhira ? Did he pafs to his Succeilor his fpecial Commiflion and Apoftlefhip over the Jews? Did St. Paul leave either at Rome, or in any other Cities he was in, proper Apoftles to fucceed him in all his Prerogatives among the Gentiles? Let any one ihew me, where the twelve are whom James, John, and Thomas, and all the reft of the Apoftles, left en- dued with equal Power in their rooms ; and then let, if you pleafe, the Popes, in quality of Peters Suc- celtbrs, reign over them. Thirdly , Suppofe there were any where in the World fuch an Apoftolical Sacred College 5 What claim hath Rome, more then another place , to the Headihipof this College? is it not as likely, that St. Peter would have left his Throne at Ant'mh, where he made the firft Chriftians, as at Rome^ where no Scripture faies he was ever to make any < Would not one think that his firft Chair, namely that of An* tioch, which alwaies hath bin honored with a kind of Holy-day throChriftendom, mould aflbon be the Seat of their Univerfal Empire, as his other fecond Chair at Rome •, which if it have now the fame Ho- nor* hath it but | fince the other day ? They fay,thac this was k his laft Throne, wherein he died, and 5 Bell, ifeRom. Pontif, 1,2. c. 6, * Ibid, c 12. never 1 6 The Roman, neither the Catholic^ never removed any whither elfe-. but they fhould prove that this was hislaft Will alfo it mould ftand there. He removed this Seat no whither elfe, be- caufe there he was put to death. Thus Nero made it his laft Throne ; as about fix hundred Years after, Thocas made 1 it Univerfal. This laft did it to vex his Bifhop Cyriacus, for having m faved out of his Bloody Hands the Emprefs ConBantina , and her two Daughters : and to gratifie the Bifhops of Rome, who were fo bafe as to flatter him. So thefe two re- nowned Worthies, the Murtherer of his own Mo- ther, and the Murtherer of his own King, have firft founded that Univerfal Eminence, which hath made Rome thus Catholic. The Foundation being thus laid down, both for Primacy over other Churches, and for Reverence and Dignity among moft Chriftian Potentates, who ever ihewed themfelves exceeding liberal on thefe ac- counts (for as yet the Roman Papacy went but thus far 5) the next task was to raife it up from this degree to an abfolute Monarchy. Both the Invafions of Turks, and the Broils and Diffcntions that happened among the Chriftian Princes, helped the Popes to fliake off all Subjection : and Gregory the feventh un- derftood and practiced fo well the Art of Building upon Ruines, that he left to his SucceiTors , partly in Defign , partly in actual Ufurparion, very fair ground to advance farther by thefe Rules, common- ly called the Popes Dilates" 1 . 1. That the Pope alone is the Univerfal Bifhop. 2. The Pope alone 1 Paul, Diaccn. Geji. Longob. 1. 4. c .. 11 . Vet, Edit. tlatina in ?e-\ lagio 3. Anaflaf. ibid* fc Theopbanes, fa Gr^corum Anna I. apudBarw* ad An, 606. ■ DiftttHS Faf* Greg. /. x.poji. E]>. 55. can Nora truly Catholtc Church. 1 7 can make new Laws. 3. That the Pope alone can take the Arms of Empire and Sovereignty. 4. That the Pope alone muft have his Feet killed by all Prin- ces. 5* That the Pope alone hath the Power to Depofe Kings. 6. That the Pope alone can releafe Subjects from Allegiance. 7. That the Pope can- not be judged by any Man. 8. That the Roman Church never erred hitherto, nor can ever err here- after. 9. That he is not a Catholic, that is, a Chri- ftian , whofoever dhTents from Rome. There are many more Dictates of the fame fort ; but thefe are enough to intimate, how Popes would matter the whole World. After Gregory the Seventh, comes Pope Boniface 'the 8 th , to hoift this immenfe Power from this World both up towards Heaven , thence fetching Angels ° by his Bulls for the care of his dead Pilgrims ; and then down to Purgatory, thence pulling p up fuch tormented Souls (fome three or tour at] one bout) as his Croifado-men fhall require. Hell it felf is related to the Popes Dominions : for if he be pleafed by negligence, or otherwife 1 to fend whole Nations to Hell, and to deliver them as well as himfelf to the Prince of the Devils , many are of an Opinion, that no Man ought to rebuke him for it. The Project of this vaft Empire comes fully either to the Infernal Pride , that St. Gregory r charges him with, who would be call'd Univerfal Bifhop : / trills faith he, exalt my Throne above the Stars of Go d y end I mil afcend unto Heaven, Ifa. 1 4. 1 3 . or to their Weffel Gromng.dc Potejl, Papa. c, 8. fed* Nequeparum. p Ibid. * GrnUan.Viji.\o,SiPapa. r Kegijlr, I. 4, Ind, 1 3- Ep. 34. C Bed^ 1 8 The Roman, neither the true Catholic ', Bedlam Diftemper, who, whatfoever they hear or fee, imagine it to be their own. But take the whole workasyoupleafe, either as mad, or as impious, it becomes well its three Builders : The full: is Phocas, a Villain, who s Murthered both his own Matter and Emperor, and his Mafters Roial Family, his Wife, his fix Sons and two Daughters. His Holinefs, I fay, ows his firft Title of Univerfal Bifhop to this abominable MalTacre. The fecond is Gregory the Seventh, before called Hildebrand, who is branded among many for a Magician of the worft fort, and for a peftilent Incendiary, both in arming Subje&s a- gainft their Princes, and (which is more unnatural) the very Children againft their Fathers : And at laft, being at the point of dearh,he himfelf confefled in the prefence u of his Cardinals* That by the Devils per- fwafion he had provoked the wrath of God againft Man- kind. The third is Boniface the Eighth, who is re- ported in the x Chronicles, To have crept up to the Topedom like a Fox, and there reigned like a LyOn y and at thelaft, died like a Dog. Thefe are the Men that have preferred the Church of Rome to the Di- gnity flie takes upon her , of being the Catholic Church. Thus it appears, that the Church of Rome. is the Catholic Church in no fenfe, neither formally or properly , as it fignifies the whole Univerfal Church of Chrift- nor virtually or eminently, in their unproper and unufual notion, by having any lawful univerfal Dominion and Headfhip overall o- ther Churches. i Tkeophan, Mi feel I. l.\-j. 1 BannoCardinalis. de Gefi.Hildebr. u Mattb. Paris, Willclm. 2. Anno 10S6. * Fafciculus Tempo? urn. In BQjufac.%. Now Nor a truly Catholic Churc h. I p Now I come to the fecond part of the matter in queftion, to demonftrate, That the Church of Rome is no truly Catholic Church at all (much lefs the Catholic Church) further then it agrees with ours : and that the proper notion of Catholic, excludes as inconlifteDt with the Apoftolical and Chriftian Religion, whatfoever {he pretends as proper to the Popifh Faith. Firft, I begin with the Doctrine concerning St. Pe- ter and the Roman Dominion. Ask them that know, what is properly Catholic < they will tell you after honcft Lirinenjis, x '77s that which is believed by all Chriftians in all Ages, and every where. I have de- monftrated already, that St. Peters Roial Power was not believed by the Apoftles, nor in any Apoftolical times 5 and made it good out of Ads and Evidences altogether incompatible with, and deftruclive of this Belief .• namely , his being rebuked by St. Paul, both to the Face and publicly -, his being called to account by his Brethren ; his being fent to Cefarea^ fac. Can you think, that if at his return, they had found him guilty of fuch a foul mifcarriage as would fend whole Nations to Hell , they had thought ic prefumtion, as the Canon Law faies it is, to ask wherefore he did fo i Was it ever heard among the twelve, that befides the general Commiflion of Preaching Chrift, St. Peter had another more fpe- cial and proper Power of degrading all fuch Princes, as would not be ruled by his Bulls < And if he had it not ; Is it likely that the prefent Roman Popes have more Secular Power from Chrift thenhe, for compenfation of their having lefs Holinefs? To come lower to the Holy Fathers^ read their Epiftles to the * Vincent. Lirin. c. 3; C 2 then 20 The Roman, neither the Catholic', then Popes, and judg whether St. Cyfr'un^ St. Ba- fil^ fee. did believe them to be their Monarchs, when they call them (as commonly they do) their Brethren and Feliow-fervants. Did St. Actguftin and his Brethren, the worthieft Prelats of that Age, fub- mit themfelves very modeftly to the Roman Pa- pal Power, of controlling by their Legits and Offi- cers the AfricanChmch Affairs, when they called it again and again Secular -7 Pride * And do the Afru can 7 - Canons (the bell: Ecclefiaftical Rules that the Church hath) look upon Popes as their lawful fu- preme Vifitors, when they do forbid all Church- men, under pain of Excommunication, in any Church bufinefs, to appeal to Rome - ? During this long mif- underftanding, which lafted the lives of three Popes, didSvzimus , Boniface, and Celeftin, (Learned and Wife Roman Bifhops) believe, that clear Texts of Scripture did fufficiently affert the Papacy , when theyfwere afraid of their Caufe, unlefs they could help it up better, by forging falfe Nicene Canons i And on the other fide : What meant the honeft A* frican Fathers in fending a to Confiantinople, to A~ lexandrta and Nicea, for true Copies, with profefiion of a readinefs of fubmitting to all the true Nicene Canons, if they had thought, That feed my fock.-, and Thou art Peter, and fuch other Texts of Scriptures (better worth then all the Councils) had fo much as nodded the Roman way i Or if the Papifts fay (for I know not what they can fay elfe) that the fe places of Scripture, which they now mainly ftand upon, are not fo clear to their purpofe without the help of V Cone. Afric.f ub Bonif. Ep. adBonif. & Ep.adCelefl. 2 Codex Canon- Afric. Can* 2%. [e£l. Jtemplacuit ut Preslyteri. * Cwcil. Aftic. ibid. Tra- Nor a truly Catholic Church* 21 Tradition ? Did St. AuguWm, and all the reft of A- frica, not yet know what Tradition was or what it faid < Was the ancient Tradition of the Univerfal Church then quite loft, among the eighty Nicene Canons, which fome b fondly fuppofe to have bin burnt by the Arrians i Books and Papers indeed may have bin burnt ; but Chriftian Faith, and Tradition written no where fo legibly as in Mens hearts, could not be fo, unlefs the whole Church had bin burnt al- fo. Befides, the general Practice, whatfoever be- comes of Tradition, mull: remain (till: for you can- not imagin that the Church of Rome could a&ually exercife an univerfal Jurifdi&ion over all the Churches of the World, without imagining in thefe an univerfal Submiflfion to that Power. To this pur- pofe,tell me I pray, Whether & where St. chryfoflom or St. Bafd did fwear Canonical Obedience to his Holinefs when they were confecrated? What fums of Money did they fend to Rome, when they had thence got their Pallium? And when or where among a thoufand Prelats in the old Times, do you find one tither fubfcribing himfelf, or being called by others, as now they do, and are, Arch-Bimops or BifTiopsof Milan, of Constantinople^ or any other Diocefs, by the Grace of God, and of the holy Apoftolical See ; fairly acknowledging tnemfelves thereby , little better then what they are now, meer Suffragans, Vi- cars, or Curats of that Univerfal Bifliop * I am fure that Pope Gregory abhorred, as long as he lived, that very Title (and much more the Ufurpation) as c a Mark of Antichrift , and as a Deftru&ion of the h Alpb. Pi(an. !. 3, in Cone. Nk.Ep. ad Marcum. c Greg. Magn. Regifl. 1. 4. Ind. 13. £^♦33. Item I. 5. India. 14. Faith. 22 T/fo Roman? neither the Catholic, Faith ♦ Now it is cherifhed at Rome> not only as i Catholic Doctrine, but as the very Fundamental that makes the Catholic Church. Thus Knaves grow great upon cheating, and Rebels become Kings up- on a Murther , and Mens Crimes prove fomtimes their Pride and Exaltation. 2. From the %oman Supremacy, goon, and look upon the Roman Mafs ; you know what great pro- portion that. Sacrifice has among them. Whole Popery depends or tends that way, as on its Center .• and if the Roman Pope is that Churches Head, this RomanSewice is its Body. I fay then in the fecond place, that this vaft and comprehenfive Bulk is no- thing lefs then Catholic. Catholic is, by all Mens acknowledgment , that which hath bin alwaies be- liev'd (if a Doctrine) or obferved and practiced (if a Service ) fince Chriftian Antiquity, in all Chri- ftian Churches and Ages. Go therefore and feek, when and where the twelve Apoftles ever offered in Preaching their Savior to Men, to offer him up, and to make him a Victime to God. Enquire of all the Holy Fathers, when and where they fung any Mafs publicly without any Communicants except the Priefts? When and where they everfolemnly and publicly adminiftred the Holy Communion under one kind ? When and where they ever heard one fingle fyllable of thofe Unchriftian Doctrines, that now a daies make the main Fundamentals of the Romifh Religion < to wit, that Chrift offered up himfelf to God as an Expiatory Sacrifice any where elfe but on the Crofs ; that the Natural Body of Chrift is both jn Heaven upon a Throne, and on Earth on a thou- and Altars ; that here his Body contracts and flirinks t felf into the compafs of a (mail Crumb of Bread* or if or a truly 'Catholk Church v 2£ or any theleaft drop of Wine 5 that thcfe appear- ing Crumbs and Drops, akho emtied to all Sub- ftance, and attenuated to raeer Accidents, can both well fubfift by themfelves , and whitherfoever they be driven, pull along with them the Fleih of Chrift. If thefe andother like Do&rines, which now are efTential to Roman Mafs, had in Ancient time bin Freach'd and heard as effential to Chriftian Faith ; Where was all the wit of Celfus . ? or the Malice of Julian, and fuch Enemies of Chrift Jefus? When ihey fell foul upon the Blefted Trinity , the Incar- nation and Refurrection of Chrift, and all fuch 0- ther Articles as feemed to them ridiculous, to fpare both the Mafs- Sacrifice and the Tranfubftantiation, that both are, and feem to befo < Where was either the wifdom or the care of Origen> Eufebius, St. Au- guft/n, and other Chriftian Champions, whil'ft they were writing large Volumes in defence of Religion, where it feemed fubjed: to reproach, to leave this part alone undefended, which by all Mens confefiion had, if then in being, the greateft need of defence i If the Church of God had in thofe days a mod real and continual Mafs-Sacrifice ; How came St. CyriU of Alexandria to be fo dull againft his Cuftom, as when Julian laughed at Chriftians for having neither Altars nor Sacrifices, to flop his Mouth with nothing elfe then Metaphorical Oblations i And was this A- poftate fuch a Sot, as to object at every turn fuch meer falfhoods (if Mafs be true) wherein he knew (having bin long a Chriftian) that any Body might (top his mouth ( It feems (as fome of their bed Authors d confefs)the Myftery of Tranfubftantiation was yet in the Church incognito, and came to ap- * Apbonf. de Cafl; /.8. tit. Indulgent! a, pear, •24 The Roman, neither the Catholic] pear, as it doth now, but a long while (as they fay « too) after Chrift had inftituted it •• So it is not Ca« tholicat all. 3. Go you down to Purgatory, that vail: and wide fubterranean Rome, as great at lead as this above ground 5 who alfo in a very great mefure is her Mother and Nurfe : but if this pretends to fend down any kind of relief to that, by her Maffes and Mafs- officesj yet 'tis that which maintains and helps up this, with Wealth, Honors , Monafteries, and all imaginable affluence of Riches. In the mean time, this commerce, how mutual and great foever, is nothing lefs then Catholic, having not followed the Gofpel thro all the Countries , nor times of the Church. Whenfoever and wherefoever the Chriftian Faith was Preached, there it left an Impreflion in the heart of all Believers, that there is after this Life a Heaven prepared for Faithful Souls, and an e- veriafting Hell for thofe that mall be found not to be fo. Turgatory, which is a third place, and mould of courfe, if true, have gon in the fame company with thefetwo, never followed them half the way: no Apoftle, fo far as we can fee in their holy Wri- tings, ever Preached it: it was not blown by Gods Spirit thro-out the whole World, as other Catholic Dodrines were ; itlodg'dinfome corners only, and that late 5 or upon a Heathenifh account : and where by chance it was admitted, it found no better enter- tainment then a wavering Opinion .- Such a thing may he, faies one: It is not unlikely, faies another. The Greek and Armenian Churches, larger then the Ro- man is, do not believe it, [ faies one of the moil e Ga'br. Biel, in Can. Sefl, 41 . /• f Alfons de Cajiro. /. 12. tit- furgatorhm. Learned Nor a truly Catholic Church. 2$ learned Papifts. It was believed but fomewhat late, faies s one of their Cardinal Bifhops, and tho BtU larm'in turns over and over all the Scriptures to fearcrr it out, many of his own Church do confefs, thae they h cannot find it there. 4. Indulgences , that vaft revenue , and ftaple Merchandize of Rome> is neither more ancient nor Univerfal then its correfpondent Purgatory. For, faies i a good Roman Author, after Cardinal Fi fieri no body thought of Indulgences^ before Purgatory rvS) GtntilS) and old Heretks fcarce ever had any famous and general Abufe among them , but Rome would have fomewhat of it. But as for truly Chriftian and Apoftolical Antiquity, fuch as can be the only Root, and eflential Character of Catholic Doftrine 5 I may fafely defie the beft of them to name me any one Article proper to their own Roman Faith* that is ancient in this fenfe. And as to thofe Articles of Chriftian Faith , which they have in common with us, and are truly Apoftolical and Catholic ; it is moft pittiful to think, how fhamefully they abufe and poifon them by the mixture of their own pecu- liar Roman ones. Therefore if you take this mixt and confufed Body together, that is the Roman Church at the beft fide , as it holds yet the fundamental Ground of Chriftianity, which we profefs ; thus far I grant it is a true Church, and if you take it at the worft, as to its proper Roman Doctrines, wherein ic differs no more from us, then from all true Catholic e S.Augutt.cont.Herefes. c.16. * Hieron. ad Vametam. * hen. /.i. c. 24. & I. 3. c. 2. and Nor a truly Catholic Church. 31 and Apoftolical Antiquity 5 thus far it is, if Church atall,a moft corrupt,and defperately infected one. But if you come to huddle up thefe two heterogeneous and incompatible Parts together, in order to an ab- folute eftimate and denomination of the whole 5 as at the great day oftheLordonefhall not appear with- out the other 5 then it were moft unreasonable that the lefier and weaker part mould give the Title ; and that the Cities of Sodoma^ Gomorrha , Admah and Zeboim mould be called holy C ities becaufe they have one Lot among them. The Mountain that has many Grains of Gold lying under it, is rock or fand never- thelefs:& the Ocean is ftill fait water,tho fome Rivers, andfome Shipwracks mix with it other liquors.Thefe Papifts are ridiculoufly vain, who brag as they do of our acknowledging their Church, to have the Eflen- tials of Chriftian Religion. For thefe EfTentials are not faving but where they have the Prevalency : and they can but aggravate fin and leave it more inexcu- fable, where they are baffled and oppreft. Can any man think that Pilats Judgment Hall becomes a Church, for having Chi ill ftanding there to be con- demned ? or that Dagons Temple becomes Gods houfe for having the Ark there (hut up ? No wife man looks for any Harveft from a few handmlis of Wheat choaked with all manner of weeds : nor takes it to be good Pafture, which he fees to be overgrown with Thorns. No fincere Ifraelite can ever think of being faved by the Religion of Dan and Bethel, be* caufe it keeps ftill Mofes his Law •, nor by the Sa- maritan Religion, becaufe they ferve God as well as Baal. Mixtand corrupt Religions are not to be valu- ed So much in what is trodden under mens feet, a* by what is predominant, and let upon their high Altars. The 3» The Roman, neither the Catholic, The great Building raifed at Jerufalem by Adrian^ did not ceafe to be Jupiters Temple, for being raif- ed upon holy Foundations ; and the beft Altars of the Lord can procure no Atonement tho they be kept in good repair, when they ferve for burning Swines Fleih. Thus what expect lyou from the whole Bi- ble , while what is in it is but a Pedeftal to hun- dreds of falfe Superftitions i or from the Preaching ofChrift, and himfelf crucified, the chiefeft learn- ing of S. Paul, and the Salvation of jews and Gen- tiles ; as long as it is made a Fundamental for an abo- minable Mafs Service ? In the mean while, if Papifts will {till blefs them- felves, and think that all is fare at home, becaufe they are called Catholics abroad C and for my part, I can but wonder to find here Sellarmin fo weak ) let them remember, that in the ancient Times, Men, as erroneous as they are, were called Gnoftks, Apoflo- lics, and Angdics, that is , Sublime and Angelical Chriftians: and thus the very Turks may blefs themfelves, whenfoever we call them Mufulmans^ that is, Men of true faving Faith. The Papifts may give to themfelves fuch Titles as they are beft pleafed with; but when Proteftants call them Catholics, it is either out of ignorance (for many are not acquaint- ed with the true fignification of that Word,) or a ci- vil Complement, or a meer Jell: and Mockery. For, as to the truth it felf, the Roman Church is neither the true, nor a truly Catholic Church. She is not the true Catholic Church, for this me doth not pre- tend to, but upon the account of an Univerfal Ju* rifdiclion over all the Churches of Chrift ; which Pretention, where it prevails, is a Sacrilegious En- croachment 5 and where it doth not, is a meer Fa- ble. Nor a truly Catholic Church. 33 ble. Nor is fhe truly Catholic, either by her own proper Doctrines, Laws , and Woffhip, which all are new, (as to Chriftian Antiquity ) Local, and un-apoftolical : or by the common Principles of Chriftianity that fhe detains, fincc fhe detains them in Unrighteoufnefs, over-whelmed, opprefled> and groaning under many heavy marly Burdens of Su- perftitions and Abufes, beneath which fhe kept theirr^ 1 and that not like the Oracles of God In a Church, but as Captives in a Dungeon: There, both God in' his Law, and Jefus Chrifl: in his Gofpel , are in a manner clofe Prifoners, under a cruel Band of Sol-* diers : not one Commandment among the ten 5 few, if any, of the twelve Articles of the Creed ^ but there are in the Church of Rome fome fpecial Errors and Impieties wickedly fet to abufe them. And this is both the San&uary that Rome opens for Salvation^ and the firft fundamental Allurement fheferves Men' With, to entice them to Popery. CHAP. (34) CHAP. III. Concerning the fecond Inducement to To- J>ery , The Roman Miracles. NExt to the pretended Catholic Church, Roman Miracles are the main Pride of Popery, and its ftrange Wonders, fuch as they be, of Lauretta y Mont/errata and other places, give as much coun- tenance to the Romany asDelpbi, Delfhos^Vodona^ and fuch other Seats of Heathenifh Gods, did to the Heathenifh Religion. The truth is, Miracles will carry a great weight, both with the unlearned and Learned Men, when they are right 5 and there- fore it much concerns everyone that hath no mind to be cheated , well to know the right from the wrong. Ali true Chriftian Miracles are fupernatural, or extraordinary Works wrought for a time, either by the immediate Hand of God, or by the Mediation of Men and Angels, when moved and ftrengthned thereto by Him, for the farther authorizing and confirming true Catholic and Chriftian Truth, fpecially among Infidels. Firft, I fay, true Chriftian Miracles ; not only to oppofe them to all Cheating and Fabulous, but alfo to diftinguifh them from other more common fupernatural Effects, which God is pleafed fom- times to fhew promifcuoufly among all forts of Na- tions for the afferting of his Power, Juftice, Mercy ; or more generally, his Divine Being in the courfe of his Of tke Miracles > &c. 35 his Providence : There is not a Nation in the whole World, but may find, if they will fearch, many fuch admirable Pafifages in their Chronicles; nor fcarce any private Man, but may obferve fomwhat of thefe, as he calls them, ftrange Accidents in his own time. It is moft certain, that God fent his Angels, and with them his great Judgments and Powers among the Terfians, and Greeks called Javan^ Van.io. as well as among the Ifraelhesi and belides, what either the Earth or the Heavens can do by their proper In- fluence , and what Man-kind can add unto it , by their own good or bad conduct, in the ordinary courfe of things, the miraculous Hand of God often times over-rules fo vifibly, that no fober Man can doubt of his interposition and guidance. Of this kind are the ftupendous and unexpected rifes and falls of great Eftates : the {laughters of many thoufands,niention'd in divers Hiftories, by an inconfiderable handful of Men : the raifing of Princes among Pagans to an ex- traordinary pitch of Moral Vertue, and Heroicai Courage: the terrible Prodigies, Blazing-ftars, and Predictions, before great Deflations and Plagues; fomtimesCurfes, fomtimes BleflTings faftned as it weretofome Houfes, foe. No judicious Man will fancy, that Cyrus for example, or Alexander either, would undertake, or could perform their vaft De- figns amidft their difad vantages, without fome An- gular influence and help from above : and whofoe- ver will conlider , what Plato was , and what he makes » Socrates fay before his death, can hardly forbear thinking but that this Heroicai Pagan had commonly the Afliftanceof a good Angel. Thefe, and other fuch great Examples taken notice of by a Plato in Jpolog. Socrat. E 2 all 3 6 Of the Miracles k * all forts of Hiftorians, confirm the truth of Gods fpecial care, about the confervatitin of Societies, and fignifie nothing at all about their true or untrue Re- ligion in Churches or Temples. If they did, where is that pitiful Seel: or Country, but might^allege fun- id ry Miracles to juftifie its own Pagan or Heretical JPerfwafion { The Emperors Veffafian and Adrian^ might have authorized , by this means, the Wor- shipping of Roman Eagles .- for both are (aid b to have reftor'd fight to blind Men: the Veftal in YaleriWy with her holding of Water in a Sieve, or drawing a Ship with her Girdle, might as well have alTerted her Heathenim Religion, as her Perfonal Jnnocency. There is nothing fo abfurd with the Donatifts, nor fo impious with the Manichees, which fome Miracle or other wrought among them, might pot countenance in fome mefure. And without look- ing back towards old times, the Kings of England, and the Kings of France, with that gift which it is faid they have , of healing an ptherwife fcarcely curable Difeafe, might come near to juftifie at once (which is both abfurd and impoffible) both Prote- (hncy and Popery.* So far do thefe Providential, differ from Chriftian Miracles, as to the confirm- ing of any Chriftian Truth. Secondly, I fay, that thefe true Chriftian Mira- cles are commonly but for a time, and for the fir ft au- thorizlngi &c. For the Gift of working Miracles is 3 as that of fpeaking Languages, i Cor. 14.. 12. in- tended for the Converfion of Unbelievers, and for affifting the Gofpel, wherefoever it fhould be firft Preach'd. Jherefore the firft Evangelifts, and o- ther firft Planters of Churches, as well as the Holy b Corn. Tacitus, F/iJt. I. 4. Apoftles, In the Roman Church. 37 Apoftles, had as long this help of Miracles, as God had Nations in the World, to whom he would re- vele his Will : which, being a work of many Years, this fupernatural Hand of God help'd it forward^ both in confounding Pagan Idols, and ftrengchning Men againft Pagan Perfections, till God had fent Chriftian Princes, towhofecare he then committed the work (both of countenancing the Church thro- out all their Dominions, and of mattering her Ene- mies) which till then he did by his own hand. After this, 'tis certain Miracles ceafed apace , if not to be, yet to be common, being thenceforth not fo ne- ceflary as before: Thofe that continued the longeft, were about the healing of Sicknefies, and about the calling out of Devils : and the corners where they continued , were thofe wild Deferts and remote Places (the refuge of the Primitive Chriftians from the Face of their Enemies) where there was more need of fuch continued Wonders, becaufe that more Infidels didlurk there. And by the way, it may be imagin'd, that God inclined thofe laft Workers of Miracles, whofe auftere Life and Devotion now a- daies feems to us fo ftrange, * to leave the more cul- tivated World and retreat to Deferts, in order to convert barbarous Men in their moil: barbarous Countries. All this being done, and all known Parts and Creeks of the World being either moftly converted, or fufficiently called to the Chriftian Faith, the Holy Fathers tell us, that Miracles c ceafed ; that they were d unneceiTary 5 that to expect c of God any * SeeS.Theoc/oret's Religiofa Hifi. c S. Cbryfoft.2TheJ3. c.zl Horn. 4. * jdem i Cor. ci. Horn. 6. Author Ou and artificial tricks of Juglers : others have a real Being; but the Queftion is, Whence they have it. As for the firft fort of Miracles : The Papifts have by little and little, heaped them to fuch an Extra- vagancy, that divers of their communion, who have fome modefty left them, can fcarce forbear blufhing m at their relation. Gregory of Tours , and Gregory the firft Biftiop of Rome (if the four Books of Dia- logues be truly his) did begin pretty well to tell (lo- ries : But it is nothing to the advances made by fome other Prelats and great Roman Dodors, in the fol- lowing Ages : And I may fay confidently, that thefe Romaniftsare not much fhort of the moft extrava- gant Romancers. There you (hall read of Consign* tine the Great being a Leper, and transferring his Ro- man Empire upon that Pope that made him clean •, of Wolves and Lions bringing back Lambs , and re- ftoring them out of their Entrails, after they had torn them to pieces $ of Birds flocking about to hear Sermons $ and of AfTes becoming Roman Catholics, at leaft kneeling to adore the Mafs- Sacrament, &c. They cannot conceive any great Man to be a Saint, unlefs he hath an extraordinary Gift for the work- ing of fuch Miracles. How true they be, you may beft learn of the very Saints, who deny them: as for Example, n Bernard, ° St. Chryfoftom , and p St. Gregory and yet they are forced upon them : and you can hardly pafs for a true Catholic, unlefs you m Mdch. Canus* Loc. I. 1 1 . c. , 51. fto 48 Of ihe Miracles po 9 then Mofes and the Apoftles did in Gods Name, We cannot deny (faies the Bifhop of Canaries) butfom- times very grave Men write and leave to poflerity fuck reports about Saints Miracles, humoring hereby both themfelves and the People, whom they perceive both frone to believe^ and importunate to have them do fo. There is a fecond fort of Roman Miracles, which are fomewhat, but have it all from Artifice and Im- pofture. Pope Boniface in this matter once behaved himfelf like a Man, when thro a Pipe or Sarbatane he conveied fo dexteroufly this a Oracle, Celefiin get thee away^ if thou hasl a mind to be faved ; that Pope CeUHin took it> it feems, notwithftanding his Infal- libility, for an Angelical Warning, and fo left his Popedom to the Cheat. Pope fiildebrandhzd once another as good intention of Cheating, but as it was much more cruel, it had not fo happy a fuccefs ; when he had ready a huge Stone b , which mould have fain from a high Vault, like a Judgment out of Heaven,upon the hmperor Henry the Third's Head; but the poor wretch, who was emploied in that good affair, made too much haft, for he fell down with his great Stone, wherewith he was crufht all to pieces, before the Emperor came under that place where he ufed to kneel at Praicr. It was a prettier trick of the Country Curate, c who getting Crabs 3 With little can- dles faftned to their backs, fet them a crawling up & down his Church-yard at night 5 and perfwaded his People in the morning,after he had taken them again, that they were poor diftreffed Souls which wanted 2 Melcb. Canus, Loc. Com. /. 1 1. c. 6: a Tlatina in Bonifac. 3 . Bergom. Supplem. U 1 yin v'rtaBmif, h Card.BennodeGeJiis Hildebr. • Erafm, in Mpijt. K ■ . tmfftSd In th e R om an Chunk , Mafles. Images and Crucifixes are very commodi- ous for working this kind of Miracles , efpecially when they are fet up clofe to thick Walls, as the great Seraph of Alexandria was once ; for then 'tis an eafie matter to get up behind, by fecret waies, to anoint the Face of the Saint, and to put in a dia- ling difh, that (hall make him bothfweat and weep, by heating and melting that Liquor. Springs, and Wheels, and fuch like Engines, are of great ufe to move and bow, and make them fpeak. By fuch a Miracle,the Married Clergy unhappily loft once their good Caufe at Winchester 5 for when they were up- on the point of winning it, d a Crucifix ftarted at it, and declared againft the Priefts 4 This Voice in the Synod being well feconded by the Monks, went pre- fefitly for an Oracle : So either fimple were the Men, or ftrong the Impoftures of thofe daies 5 nor are they now much lefs in many places. Altho Lyranus tells all the World, That great c Deluftons are often put upon the People by Mafs-Priefts^and their counterfeit* cd Wonders and Signs. Befides thefe two, I will not deny, but the Roman Church may be granted to have another third kind of Miracles, which neither are fancied by Hifto- rians,nor counterfeited by Juglers,but really wrought by higher Caufes* For my part, when I do read in grave and famous Roman Writers, that a Con- secrated Hoft will flie and flutter in the Air fom* times, tillaMafs-Prieft holds up his Pix to receive it 5 that fhapes of Flefh, and young Children have appear'd on their Altars , at the Elevation of the faid Hoft ; that by many good Experiences, Horfes, * Poly J. Virgil. Hi/}, 1.6. fub.fin* $ J~yranmc. i^. in Daniel. Q and 50 Of the Miracles and Mules, and Cows, have bin cured of their Dif- eafes, when fome MaiTes were fung for them, to the honor of St. Barbara 5 that St. Dominic did write Books, which, upon feveral Trials, no Fire could ever burn ; that once he was feen perfectly in the lhape of a Crucifix f , with the five Wounds in his Body, and a Crown of Thorns on his Head; that at the Consecration at Mafs, fomthing like Chrift was feen hard by him, with the fame figns of his cruel Pafiion, dropping out of his own Wounds, fome of his dear Blood on this dear Saint 3 that the BlelTed Virgin beheld all this, and of her own accord plaied the Mafs- Prieft, and adminiftred the very Bo- dy of her Son in one moiety of a Confecrated Wa- fer to this fame Saint, in token of fpeciai Friend- ship : and all this averred and fworn as true, by a for- mal Oath in the Name of the BlelTed Trinity, and under pain of all kinds of Gods Curfes, in cafe of a lie or a miflake, with five hundred fuch, and great- er Marvels : I think it a kinder and fafer part in me, to take them for fomthing , then for mere Tales. But for my pains of believing fo, let me, who by Gods grace am a Proteftant, have the liberty which the Papifts allow themfelves , when they controle what is done by Pagans ; to fay, as perhaps it is true, that s when the Emperor Vefyafian once cured a blind and a lame Man, it was the Divel, who hin- dring the fight of the one, and the motion of the other, feemed really to heal both, when really he did but ceafe from hurting and annoying them. Somtimes Papifts will come to far, as to fufpeCt their i Boet. Alan. Rediv. part. 2. c. 60. 5 Bell, de £cr/, /. 4. c. 14. Jeff, ad quartum. own In the Roman Church. 51 own Miracles, 6 and to take them but for fportings of unhappy & wicked fpirits.Thofe extraordinary fhows of a young Child, or of a Man of compleat ftature, that appear fomtimes, as they fay, among their ho- lieft Myfteries, and upon the Fifts of their bed Priefts. They might as well, if their Intereft would fufFer it, find the like flaws in all the reft : And you may eafily do it, if you compare their own Roman, with all averred Chriftian Miracles. For, . The Miracles of Chrift and of his Apoftles, had in them three prime Characters , which fet them paft all doubt. 1. In themfelves all were very fubftantial and ferious Works, and of a fuitable Na- ture befides , both to promote the Glory of God, and to procure fome very considerable good to Men. 2. They did tend, and were alfo proper, to roufe the dulled Infidels to the belief of fome fundamen- tal Article of Chriftian Religion, as the Refurre- &ion, or coming of Chrift 5 the accomplifhment of Prophecies, and the eftablifhment of the Gofpel. 3. And for this end, God had them wrought moftly in fuch remarkable times, as were fet out by moil: exprefs Predictions, and freed by Gods reftraining hand, from all mixture and poffibility of Lying Wonders. The Roman Miracles, contrary- wife car- ry with them three fuch fad marks (or at the leaft fome of the three) as both vifibly diftinguiihthem from the Chriftian ones, and muft needs render them fufpicious to all Chriftians. Firft,by their own intrin- fecal Impertinency and Frivoloufnefs. Secondly^ By their general Aptnefs and Tendency to confirm rather any piece of trifling Superftition , then any fundamental Point of Chriftian Faith. Thirdly, By h Bid in Canon. Lett. ^1. G 2 52 Of the Miracles being don late, after the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift had bin thus abundantly confirmed over all the world by the former true Miracles, that the farther continu- ance of them had bin ufelefs ; which times were referved for falfe Miracles, and are branded accord- ingly by Chrift himfelf and his Apoftles , with this woful Prediction, that Antichrift fhould then come, and enchant men with ftrong Delufions, and lying wonders, iTheff.i. Revel. 13. 13. As to the firft black Character, whereas the An-j cient Miracles of God are grave and ferious works, and do carry along with them both fome Image of Gods Wifdom, and fome holy ImpreiTion of the Di- vine hand that caufes them 5 the modern and Roman Miracles are commonly fuch fports and Pranks, as can become but Fairies or Hobgoblins. What is there in the whole world more impertinent, then to make the moft blelTed and holy Virgin Mary come pur- pofely out of Heaven, whence it was not heard She came before, to drudg here and there about Monks* about iick wives, about Images and fuch like things t Who could take for a holy Soul, or a good Angel ( much lefs for that ever bleiTed Saint ) that which appears under her Name like a woman fhewing her Breaft, * embracing men, giving them fuck, enti- cing them with her favors, Hoods, Veils, and fome- times fine Rings, which fhe makes for them of her own hairs t for whenfoever ilie is pleafed to come down 3 and to bring her Heavenly Train about her , it is commonly for fuch purpofes. Once St.llde- fhonfe met her at Church » fitting gravely in his own Throne, with thou fands of other Virgins, thaf * Alan. Rediv. part. 2. c. 4. ' Jul. Pomer* in vita Ildefh. ap. Sur.2*. Jan. flood In the Roman Church. f$ flood finging round about her, and about the read- ing Pulpit. This great Appearance was for nothing die then for complimenting that Bifhop $ and for prefenting him with a white Robe. Come to me, faies She, thou Servant of God) and accept of my hand thk fmall PrefenX^ which I have taken out of my Sons Ward-robe. Thou maiefl wear it upon my Day ( that is her AfTumtion 3 or Conception, &c. ) and not at any other time-, and becauft thou boldest the eies of thy Faith continually bent to my Service ; ( for this is the beft Eie of Roman Faith) thou Jfraltufeit here in this Churchy and hereafter in my Clofets, in Prom- tuariis meis, thou /halt have joy. They {how yet this Gown at Toledo. At Magdeburg another time fhe came to Church upon a more ferious affair. She k had the goodnefs before, it feems, often to chide Vdo> C the then Bifhop ) for lying fo often, as he did, with her Virgins the Nuns. Thou has! had, faies fhe, [port enough , do fo no more, Notwithstanding this fair warning, fhe found him afterwards a bed with no meaner Mifs, then the mother Abbefs her felt : then indeed was fhe fore vexed 5 fo fhe calls down her Son to her ( you may be fure it was not Chrift) and they both by their Angels pulled him orfout of the bed from his Abbefs , and foundly beat him for his pains. At every blow Vdo vomited out oneofthofeHofts, which he had confecrated, being in that fin : and be- caufeofher Sons dirty lying (if Tranfubftantiation be true ; in that ftinking , fhe held the Chalice to take both the wafers and her Son in it. Then the Queen of Heaven, faies the Hiftorian, takes up thefe vomit- ed wafers, and wailies them clean with great care, and laies them up reverently on the Altar. It would £ Chronic. Veipar^ an. 985. never 54 Of the. Miracles never be don to tell you of all her other ftrange pa f- fages$ as,when (he goes to Orleans l with a Box of pre- cious Ointment, there to anoint the back of a Dean ; when me m gives fpecial Pills to aMow^to purge his choler : when (he feeds S. Albert n with a kind of Bread, after which he refolved ever after to feed up- on no thing but Roots and Herbs : when fhe comes down out of Heaven ( that is, I think from the Pow- ers of the Air ) purpofely to uncover her Bread, and to put her Paps into mens mouths, as for example to ° S. Fulhetts, but more effectually p to S. Ber- nards 5 for fince this Virgins Milk went down his throat, his words and Eloquence, faies the fame Author, were much fweeter: when after thefe fami- liar vifits, this obliging Lady comes to woe Sweet- hearts, and to defire their Marriage. Thus when once fhe had made a Ring i of her own hair, and gi- ven it to S. Alain, a moll: filthy companion before, and in the prefence of her Saints and Angels ( all Spi- rits of the like nature ) (lie then took him after for her Husband. But before him (lie had another, who deferves to be remembred ; it was the pretty S. Bar- man, This Gentleman was from his youth much de- voted to her Service , and (lie to his. At laft after manyfvveet Converfations and vifits, under the no- tion of our Lady, and her Chaplain ( for (lie ufed to call him fo ) once (he appears r to him ( being at his Devotions J led by two Angels ; who being come 1 Leander. in vita Reginald. m Chronic- Veip. an. 598. n Robert. Archid. invitaS. Albert. ap.Sur.-j. Apr. Hifior. Eccl. Carnot. an. 1020. ' Chronic Veip. an. 1152. 1 Ibid. an. 1476. 1 Chronic. Veh. an. 1235. with In the Roman Church. 57 within the diftance, where S. Harman did well hear them 5 one of them cries out, to whom ft all we gwe and marry this Virgin? the other anfwered quite as loud 5 to whomfliould we, rather then to thk young man ? meaning Harman. Then the Angel took him by the hand, and joined it with the faid Virgin, with thefe folemn expreflions, Harman, I give thee thi* Virgin, to he thy Spoufe, in the fame manner as once /he was to Jofeph 5 and hereafter be thott her Husband, and upon theft terms be called Jofeph. Then at night when he was a fleep, this Queen of Heaven comes to his bed fide, and laying her Child, whom flie car- ried on her left Arm s into this new Bridegrooms hands, take yon charge of him, faiesfhe, hereafter, as once my other Jofeph did y when we three fed into Egypt, but after all thefe good kindnefles , there (astis ufual among lovers) happened an unlucky diftaft : for this Jofeph being intruded with the Guardianfhip of a Convent , Me grew Jealous of her new Jofeph, ( which me never was of the old ) as if he had taken greater care of his Convent, then of her felf : and being in thatmufty humor, flie appears to him under fuch an old ugly Face, that poor Har- man thought, ( as well he might ) it was the fame Devil, who in former times ufed to haunt him.- and cried out frightfully who art thou ? I am, faies the Apparition, Lam the keeper of this Place, asyouknow^ Iwatfo before $ then Jofeph Harman knowing who lhe was by her fweet voice , tho much troubled at her fowre face. my Rofe, quoth he, for he was ufed to call her fo ; art thou the fame, and how camefl thou by this old face, lhada mind, replied me, to ap- pear in your Lies, fuch as 1 fear I am in your heart-, where Jpeneive 1 am accounted™ better then if 1 were an 55 Of the Miracles an oldWontan i Where are now the frequent Fraiers i which lufed to receive of thee y and which did hereto- fore render m young one to the other? With thefe and many more reproches , fhe fo mortified her Eoor Jofeph, that he quite laid afide all the care he ad of his Convent ; and fince that time had no o- ther thought, then of making his Queen younger by rehearfing her Ave Maries, and other-like Angelical Prizes, till poor Harman got a mifchance : for when he was running too faft, he fell down flat upon his Face, and ftruck out two of his belt fore-teeth by that fail ; but his Lady put them in again, both fo faft, and fo dexteroufly, where they had bin, that he was well of them ever after. At another time fhe came to his Bed, and finding him lying on that fide, where he had bin let blood in the Arm, fhe turned him upon the other, and fhewM him how to lie and fleep without fear of farther danger. If thefe evil Spirits dare thus appear, under the name of Chrifts bleffed Mother, whereof Scripture gives no warning, it is no wonder if they do it under the name of Chnft himfelf, after fo many Prophecies. It is not the true Chrifl certainly, that being Immortal in Heaven, comes down either at every Mafs, there to lie as if he were dead, under the Hand of any Prieft ; or to fhew tricks of Activity under the ihape of a young Child, and act among Nuns and Novices twenty fil- ly Pranks in their Churches. We are not bound to believe all 5 but it were hard to believe nothing, when fo many and great Doctors, and among them fome great Saints too, aver for truth one and the fame (thing. One , faies he , hath feen this little Child creeping out * at the Mouth of a Crucifix ('tis Mattb. faris, jnvitaS, Godric. all In the Roman Churb 57 ^11 that a Sparrow could do, but the Devil can do much more) and thence jumping into the Lap of an Image, and thence flying up again the way that he came. Another faies, That St. Ida z had him, and kitted him, and embraced him, ut fyonfa fyonfum % that is, as you may think, as a young Wife kiffes and embraces her young Husband. Theworftis, that once when being to fing, and by her order to ftretch out her arm, me was put to a great diftrefs left he mould fall, Cogitate, fac Look to it my Lord,< faies the young Nun to the Baby, for I muit obey my Order: but the Baby was a ftrong Child, and fa twifted himfelf about her neck, that he had no need of her holding him, till me had done with her An- themn, and fo fhe took him in her Lap. St. Agnes • had him too, witnefsthe little Crofs which in a lo- ving way (he ftole at the fame time out of his bofom. And fo had St. Catharine, of the Order of St. Clara *, being brought to her by her own Mother to kifs up- on a Chriftmafs Eve. St. Boniface f had him likewife brought to his Bed in Swadling- clothes, by the fame Dame. As for St. Lucra> of the Order of St. Do* minic*, fhe had him three daies and three nights $ during which time, it is remarkable, that the Virgin: Maries Image had no Baby on its left Arm. At laft, Dominus Jefus, the Lord Jefus, (God have mercy on the Blafphemer) took her to Wife, (when he look'd as if he had bin but feven Years old) in the prefence of all his Saints. What (hall I fay of St, T Menel. Cijlers. 29. Offob. " Bov. 14. Annal. an. 1317. n. 2. x Flamin. in vita S. Catbar, 7 Henrique^. Fafcicul. SS- I Chronic. Ord. Tr*dic, M *#- 5& Of the Miracles Jfofiradus and others, who ever took thefe 'enchant* jng Devils for real Appearances of the Infant Chrift ' and upon this Illuiion, a fomedid offer him, as we do to Children, fomething to eat ; fome did take him b upon their knees y others did c play with him, and with St. John who was his Companion at it. Thefe few Inftances may ferve the turn, to let pious Souls fee with grief, that as according to the Pro- prieties, Jerufalem was trodm and danctd upon by ugly OvpUs and wild Satyrs, Ifa. 13.21. So the Ro- man Church is made a Stage for vile Spirits to a& upon. If fome fay, thefe were Vifions, I grant they were, and Divelifh ones too : For where are the good Saints or Angels that will reprefent, much lefs aft Chrift and the Bleffed Virgin, under fuch fhameful Perfonages i If you are for founder Miracles (tho good Ca- tholics mull: take thefe for very real and true ones, or moft of their Saints are but Cheats) go to the Founders of their Orders, you mail find about St. France d Sheep and Afles running to hear his Ser- mon ; Swines falling dead under his Curfe, for ha- ving hurt a poor Lamb $ all forts of Cattel recover- ing, with the Water he waiht his Feet in ; Women prefently eas'd of the hardeft Travel , by applying to them fome of the Hay which his Mule was ufed to eat. This done, go to St. Dominic, you fhall find him either at Mafs, e hanging in the Air like a Bird 5 or at the Bed-fide of a fick Woman, tranfub* a Henrique^. 3. fan, h Chronic. Veip.an. 1285. c Ibid. an. 1235. «* S Bonavent. In vita S.Francifcr. « Job,-Gar%o t in vitaS, Dominic, ac Lipam.- ftantiating- In the Roman Church. 59 fhntiating Worms into Pearls;or by the Water- fide 9 railing the River into a Flood ; or at his Devotions, forcing the Devil to hold a light, and to burn his Fingers in that Service ; or it may be, changing the Sex of a yong Girl into a Boy. Laftly, If you will know what Feats Women al Co can do fomtimes 5 read me but the Life f of Saint Chriflina \ to fay nothing of St. Brigitta, St. Julia* na, St. Clara, Saint Vrfula^ with hundreds more, known and famous in the Roman Church. This great Saint arofe from the dead twice, before (he died for good and all, and fo died thrice. All her Life long ihe had a very extraordinary gift of Miracles-,for having taken upon her to fave Souls from Purgato- ry, by fuffering here what they did there ; me loved to throw her felf into all the hot Ovens or burning Fires fhe could find, & yet met with none that could burn her; Ihe would attone for Gluttons, by refol- vingto ftarve her felf: and while fhe felt the great pains of a fharp hunger, this Virgin got Milk in her Paps, and fo found eafe by fucking her felf ; me did fatisfie for proud Souls, by applying her felf to the worft way of common Begging : and herein (he had this comfort, that when honeft Men did give her Bread, it tafted in her mouth like Bread 5 otherwife, it tafted like Toads fleih. To expiate ail forts of Sins contracted by much company, this Saint refol- vedto forfake Man-kind, and to come near none, but Beafts 5 and at laft, that ilie might be the fafer from all Contagion of Flefh and Blood, fhe parch'd her felf on the tops of Trees : There her thin Body being made thinner, both by continual Fafting, and 1 Tho. Cantapr. invitaS. Chriflina: ap. Sur. Jun, an. 1 160. item Jacob, de Vitnaco, invita $. Marine Oegniar* H z great 6o Of the Miracles great fervency of Spirit, fhe did at her Praier con- tract her felf into a round form, that was fomwbat like a Hedg-hog. She could climb up the higheft Trees like a Squirrel, and fwim in Rivers like a Fifh, till her Friends barbarous, it feems, and not believing all thefe Miracles, put her in Chains as a mad Wo- man 5 and there fhe tore fadly her poor Body with ftrugling hard to free her felf : and this ftrugling in her E rifon, gave occafion to more Miracles, for the Milk ihe had in her Breaft, turned into Oil, where- with {he did anoint her fores •, and fomtimes alfo fhe ufed it as Butter to fweeten her Bread. Cardinals, and whole Towns befides, can aver thefe Extrava- gancies, and make therewith the firft kind of Ro- man Miracles. A fecond Evidence againft Roman Miracles , is their looking quite another way, and their being de- lign'd for the confirmation of quite different Do- ctrines, then ancient Miracles were. The Iafl Pri- mitive Chriftian Miracles , being wrought for the moll: part at the Graves of Holy Martyrs, never con- firmed more then this Truth, That the Death, the Souls, and the very Afhes of thofe Saints were pre- cious before the Lord 5 and therefore, that the Chri- ftian Faith which they had believed, taught, and died for, was very true. So it remained only to enquire, what this Faith was, and what kind of Doctrine St. Stephen and other Martyrs believed and Preach'd •• for nothing elfe but this can be aflerted by their Mira- cles : What is //, faith St. Augufl/n, % that thefe Mi- racles rvellattefl but the Refurreffion and Afcenfion vf Chnfr? The Holy Apofties being alive, never confirmed by their Miracles, but what they taught 5 *Aug. t/eCivit. I.22. c.j. and In tht Roman Church. 6i and what they taught, St. Paul tells you is concluded within the Law and the Prophets You may be fure, it went no farther then what you find in Chrifts Go- fpel. This is that Faith , which once (and but once) being delivered to the Saints, was carried thro all Na* tions, (and thus made Catholic) by the Almighty Breath of God, and there fetled by his Almighty Hand, and the Miracles that followed it, Mark. i 6. 20. So at this very day, tho all forts of Operations were continually feenatthe Sepulcherof St. Paul at Rome, they would rather confirm his Epiftles, then the Popes Bulls. As for Roman Miracles, they do follow likewife Roman Doctrines, which fometimes are quite contrary to,and alwaies quite different from the true Chriflian Go/^e/.They would be huge books, that could contain all the Revelations and ftrange Wonders that encourage Men in general to the wor- ship of the Virgin Mary, As many more are bellow- ed upon the doing it by fpecial waies, and at fpecial Feafts: for what elfe mean thofe fwarms of Monks, who lie hid »> under her Coat ? or thofe Ladders whi- ted with her Milk f 3 from which no body taking that way to go up to Heaven, can tumbledown i or thofe Quires of k Angels heard in the bottom of a deep Well tofmgher Praifes? What can you make of thofe Images , that 1 bleed, or m fpeak , or fly as light n as Feathers, unlefs they ferve to bring Man- kind to the worfhipping of Wood and Stone < What all thofe thoufands of fad Souls to ramble up and * S. Anton. 3. part. fliji. t.i^.c. 1-fcEl. 1. 1 Chronic. Veip. an. 1231 * Hifior. Carnat. an. 1116 f Arcbiv. Buburg.inFrand. an. 1383. m Menol. Ciflerc. 28. April. * Leand.in vita ffyacinthi. ap. Sur. \6- Auguft. down 6 2 Of the Miracles down the whole World, fince the times of Pope Gre- gory, but to revele Furgatory, and to recommend Mafles to the dead ? How many ftrange Feats have bin wrought by the hands of St. Dominic, and St. Francis, to no better end, then to confirm the new Orders and waies of thefe Saints < All thofe heaps of Excommunicated p Flies, and that i poor Raven pining to death under the fame Fate, for having fled away with a Bifhops Ring 5 What elfe can they fi- gnine, but the terror of the Roman Keys < What fhall I fay of thofe both fmall, and huge great Toads, crawling r out and into Mens mouthes, when they doobferve ill or well the Ruies of Auricular Con- feflion i or of the many little Children s ftanding upon Confecrated Wafers, there purpofely tojufti- Ee the real Tranfubftantiation at Mafs? or of the many Cures wrought every where, partly in the be- half t of the five Wounds, which St. Franck had in his Body, or of the Rope he did wear about his Loins < And fince we are about this great Saint, tell me what you think of this Miracle, f A Biiliop moved with Paffion againft a Convent of Francif- cans, had refolved to turn them out of his City, and was to do it the next day : the Night before, behold their Sacrift fees in a Vifion the Image of St. Paul, and the Image of St. Francis , both painted in the Church Window, talking earneftly one with the o- ther. He hears Sr. Paul extremely blaming St. Fran* ° Gregcr. in Dialog, pajTim. p Specul.Exemp. Tit. Excommunicato. Exemp.$< * Jbid.Exemp.4. 1 Ibid, Tit. Confeffio. Exempt. 22. * Ibid. Tit. Eucharifcia., 1 S.Bcnav. invit. Franc* t Kieron* Tlatusde Bono fiatuRelig. I. $. c. 3,3. Ct* \ln the Roman Church. 6$ ck for not better defending his own Order $ and St. Francis anfwering to him, What fl) all I do, faies he, I have but a Croft, and that ps no dtfenfive Weapon 5 but had I a Sword as you have (for commonly they re- prefent them foj perhaps I might do fomewhat more. The Man being awak'd, ftarts off his Bed, and his Imagination being full of this, runs to the Church, finds the two Pi&ures had exchang'd their Arms : Paul in the Window had the Crofs, and St. Francis had the Sword. This amaz'dthe whole Convent^ but that which is more then all the reft, St. Franch had not St. Pauls Sword in vain, for that?&me night the Bifhop had his Throat cut. What Evangelical Do&rine can be confirmed by thefe three Wonders; Pictures, that can fpeak and move $ St. Paul, that exhorts to revenge 5 and a Saint, who during his Life made confcience, as they fay, to kill a Lown, and now can cut his Biihops Throat : What, I fay, can you make of this, unlefs it be this wholefomV Doctrine, That Bifhops are not Jure Divino , but Fryars are t All thefe, and whole Millions of other fuch Roman Miracles, are not fit for Chrifts Kalen- der, becaufe they never were fitted for perfwading Men of the truth of Chrifts Gofpel , and therefore upon that account muft needs proceed from any other then Chrifts Spirit. The third foul mark of Roman Miracles, is, that befides their un-chriftian ends, they happen in fuch fufpicious times, as may difcredit the beft that are. The Gift of Miracles being to Teachers, ftfhatboth Credential Letters and Roiai Colours are to public Officers, which fignifie much with good Subjects , whil'ft they know them granted to none but fuch as the King doth really fend j but very little, after they fee 6/\t Of the Miracles fee thofe in the hands, thefe on the backs of every dirty Carrier, who hath a mind for his own ends to counterfeit them, and rant with them. No wife man takes for good paiment, whatfoever hath Ce- fars Image, after he heaisof falfe Coiners who have difperfed vaft fums abroad, and marked them with the fame Stamp. We are not now in the privileged daies either of Mofes, or Elias, or Jefa thrift, or his Apoftles, when neither all the Magicians could make one Louce*, nor til the Baalims could light Fire on one altar ; nor all the Workers of falfe won- ders open their Mouth againft Jefus Chrift. We live in times, when the Devils, in all Mens account, are letjloofe from fuch a reftraint, and the Church left unguarded of fuch a Prote&ion : when falfe Pro- phets may arife with fuch Prophecies, Deut. 13. and falfe Chrifts with fuch Miracles, as, if it were pof- fible,might deceive the very Ele&, Mark 13.22.N0w *t\LeMira6ilarians a )ZS S.AuguftxdMs them, are abroad, againft whom, Chrift, faies he, already (and we much more, that are 1 200. years after him) cautum me fecit Dominus, the Lord himfelf (& his Apoftles after him) have given us all fufficient warning : And fo it were a great folly to take notice of zTainted Cloth ^ when ype are told of fo many that * run away with Chrifts Colours^ (that is, with a permitted power of coun- terfeiting true Miracles) and therewith amaze yoor Country People ; hut whofoever hath no mind to be ei- ther affrighted or cheated with this, may look^to it* The glorious Works of Chrift, of Chrifts Difciples, and other Apoftolical Fathers, were don in fuch clear daies, as fcattered and diffipated all fufpicions and • Aug. in Job, Trail. 13. fubfin, * Ibidem* not In the Roman Church. 6$ imaginable Clouds of Impofture$ the Devils had not So much as the liberty to preach the Truth, Mark 1. 25. If either -Simon^ ox Ely mas i tho Sorcerers of the higheft rank, did but offer to play their old game , you read in the Atts> how they were kept irk Thus this mighty reftraining hand, rather then thg intrinfecal greatnefs of the work was an infallible EU tidence* which in thofe daies mined about all true Miracles $ whereas the Revelations and Feats of Rmttnufi needs be full of fufpition, and noted for fuchbyall Christians, fince they came forth, when allfalfe Chrifts and falfe Prophets have the liberty* to work them. In this horrible Confufion either of Miracles, or A they fay, ei- ther perceive a Cloven Foot, or fmell a ftinking va- por, that betraies the pretending glorious appear-* ance •, Roman Miracles and Vifions have moft com- monly fome black Mark, which may convince any fober man, that they are not what they feem to be. Confider in the holy Scriptures what all the true Saints of God both holy Angels and Apoftles, fay or do whenfoever they meet with more honor, thenis their due - and ask S. Auftin^ what Spirits thafe are, who take it whenfoever given, or call for it, when it is not. No Saints or Angels, faies this holy Fa- ther c will take of others what they kjtow to be due only to God-, as it appears by Paul and Barndas, who tore their clothes to the.vv they weremeer mm* Ad, 14. * c aqd by that Angel, who rejected adoration ; " Unclean Spirits are for Worfhip . and tho they care "little for Flefh , yet they pride themfelves with a Sacrifices, oaly becaufethey areduetoGodr. And in another Place, f V Good Angels are for this one "thing namely that with them we may ferve God, tC in whofe contemplation they are happy: bat thofe, . * Auguft. cont. Fauff+ /. 20 c. 21 . {3*22. * J Jem. De vera Rshg. c» 55. ■ • "who In the Roman Church. 69 Ct who invite us to ferve themfelves, are like proud * c men, foe. only the ferving of proud Devils , is * c more hurtful. And in another place, s c< Cele* ** ftjall and happy b Spirits will have us Sacrifice " ( not to themfelves but ) unto God whofe Oblati- " on they are, as well as we 5 and therefore all Re- ci velations and Miracles that invite us to ferve more Ci then one God, are fuch Sedu&ions of Devils, as "any pioujand prudent men muft needs throw off 5 Gab. Biel. in Can. Left. 32. N. 91 Salntern. 1, ad TJnt, c. 2. E>ifp>, 7* /lie Of Roman Saints: 73 Vile Services •, as S.Anthony about Swine ^ S.Pela* gius about Corns 5 S. Eulogim about Hor/es ; Saint Vendeline>> and S. GaZ/as have the care both of Sheep and Geefe. Judg you how gladly thefe happy Souls kavethe Bofom of Abraham, to drudg about thefe forts of Cattel. Thirdly, in thefe diflindt. Provinces, and about thefe ranks of Men and Beads, the Roman Saints are for the moft part appointed to diftinct works, and helps, Non omnia pofjumus omnes, that is, Every one cannot do all , faies one of the * learned Ca- tholics ; and therefore will they fometimes direct Clients to other altho poffibly inferior Saints , as once S» Peter fent d a Woman to a Sacrift he had at Rome^ for the cure of her Palfie -, and it is upon this ground, that devout perfons are directed tofe- veral Saints* for their feveral Exigencies, to the end that both every Saint may have his mare in the wor- ihip, and every Client in the Relief. This is it which they e call the difcreet variety, fo honorable to their Church, and fo advantageous to her poor Members; when you fhall fee one pray to S. Peter 3 for the Gifc of Submijfton : to S. Agnes , for Continency : to our Lady S. Anna for wealth : to S. Margarhe for Child- bearing : to S. Koohm againft the Plague : to S. Pe- tronilla againft an Ague : to Saint Afollonia againft the tooth-ach : to S.Ltberius againft the Stone : and fo to every Saint for that help, that is in his way. Let no Batchellors go to S. Peter 5 bccaufe a married man : nor no married man to S. John , becaufe he was a Batchellor -, but * let every one go to a Saint * Biel. [up. d Grcgor. "Dialog. I. 3 c. 25* * Idem in Can. Le&. 32. N. * Salargr. Prvverk, c. 8. v. 18. n, 172, K K of 74 Of the Protection, and Aff&ance ofhisovvnTribe5 zWidow to a Widow-Sainr, and a Soldier to one of his Trade, for this is the humor of Roman Saints, to favor better their own Com- panions. According to this oeconomy, there is not one Ro- mania but may pretend to march under the colors of feveral Saints. For example, a french Catholic born at Paris hath as fair title as Rome can give, to the protection of S. Michael , S. Denis, and our Lady , who generally rule that Kingdom : of S. Genevefa, that more fpecially looks to Pans - 7 of S. Germain or S.Thoma*, or S. Suffice, if he either be born, or re- fide in thofe Pari flies: of S. Cofmus, and S. Vamian, in cafe he do practice Phyfic *• of S. Ottilia and S. Lu- c ia, when his eares and eies trouble him, and of S, MathurinaKotf he be troubled with folly. Over and above thefe, he may be fure of other Saints, as S. Do- minic, S. Ce left in, S. Francis, and twenty more by matriculating his Name into their Confraternities j which he may do for a fmall matter. It is great piety that this fancy of diftributing Pre- fidencies and Powers thus among Roman Saints, hath no better ground then that had which Julian * the Apoftat alleges, and S. Auslin obferves f to have bin conftantly practiced among the ancient Pagan Gods. What figni 'fies, faies this holy Father elfewhere, s that trifling Divifion of Offices among your Gods, where fort muft they be fever ally fraiedto, but to make it rat her a Play fit for a Stage, then any thing which may be- come the worth and gravity of a true God ? This new Comedy is ftill the fame, only the Actors wear better * Julian, ap- Cyrill. Alexand. l.^.fub init^ f Augujiin. de Civitate I. 6. 7. 8. '..:., * hUm Je Civit. 1, 6- f. 9, clothes, of Roman Saints. 75 Clothes, or rather borrow better Names 5 and the Roman People that ftand about it, adore the Virgin for Juno, and St. George infteadof Mars-, and as a Learned Romanift h faies, another kind of he and me Saints,inftead of the old Gods and Godefies. Buc as to any honeft ground and precedent for fuch practices, thefetwo things may, and muftbefaid, to the everlafting fhame or the F.oman Church. The firft is, That whereas, as long as either the Patri- archs, or the Prophets, or the Apoftles, or any Holy and Apoftolical Men ordered the Church, there ne- ver appeared one Soul that offered to fpeak to Men, unlefsthe Soul of Samuel, 1 Sam. 28. fand in the judgment both of the Fathers, and of many Roman Doctors, that appearing Soul was a Devil*,) the Church of Rome brags in her time of above ten thoa- fand Souls, all coming down to talk with Men,which Souls ilis believes to be Saints. The fecond is, That whereas neither Patriarchs, nor Prophets, nor any A- poftles, or any Apoftolical Holy Men, in all their dangers and diftreffes ever Praied to, or Worfhipped any Creature whatfoever, whether holy Angel or holy Soul 5 the Church of Rome In a great mefure praies to, and worfhips nothing elfe. And the truth is, this unufual praying to depart- ed Saints, and this new appearing of Mens Souls, may very well meet together. It is the conftant pra- ctice of evil Spirits, tho neither called nor thought on, to meet Men in unlawful waies. When the Pa- gans did confult Fowls of the Air about their good or bad fuccefs, and fo did Bird for Frophefies ; the Devils moved Ravens and Eagles to (ignifie fome- what,by either flying or croaking : the fame did a&u- h Lud. Vives, Je Civ* I. 8. c. 27. K 2 ate y6 Of the Frotetthn and dfftflance ate flocks & ftones,when they did call upon Images 3 they made the Votaries often to fee Vifions, when they watched for them about Tombs. And it is both very juft with the true God to fuffer, and pleafing to falfegods to do, that they, who run after dead Saints, fhould find the fame thing that Saul and the Witch did, when they fought after dead Prophets. Firft, Itisagreatprefumtion to pretend to more Wifdom. in point of ferving God and faving our felves, then either God hath appointed, or all the holy Prophets and Apoftles have known and taught ; and ir is moft juft and likely, that Men mould meet with ftrong Delulions, and with the Devils them- felves, when they venture upon flippery,& unknown, and dark by paths, where not one of Gods Saints ever durftwalk. Secondly, Admit what we know not, that the Souls of Holy Men are not confined to Heaven, and fixt there to their happy reft ; but (which » any di- fcreet Man, tho he fufpe&ed, it would not affirm) that they may come down now and then, and take fome care of our Affairs. Admit that thefe few Ap- paritions, which I find recorded by good Authors. I . OiVotam'una k to Bolides. 2. Of a Father, l who after his death , brings the true Acquittance of a Debt, that his poor Son was troubled for. 3. Of fomething like Felix the Confdfor m appearing to relieve Nola. 4. Of fomething like Spiridians daugh- ter, that n offered to the good Bimopher Father, tq 1 Otigen.ad Rom.C.i. I. 2. v Eufeb. Eccl. Hijt. 1.6. c. $. 1 Augufi. dt Cur a pro Mart. c. 1 1. m Ibid. c\6. I Socrat. Hifti Eccl. I. i, c. 12., mew Of Roman Saints. 77 fliew him where fhe had laid the Jewels, which a Friend had entrufted her with. 5. Of fomthing like John Monachw, (a Holy Man) that ° appeared to a really pious Women, when oncefhe longed to fee him. 6. And of fomething like St. Auguslin, that once appeared to p his Difciple Eulogim, and another time 1 to one Curma about Hippo , when both this John and St. Auguftin were yet alive, and knew nothing of this appearing (at the leafl: St. Aum gufiin did not ) but what he heard other Men fay : Suppofe, I fay, both againft all probability, and the s pofitive judgment of St. Auguftm himfelf , that thefe were not Angels, but real Souls $ What are fome few extraordinary Apparitions, to ground an u- niverfal and perpetual way of Worfhip ? And fup- pofe that not few , but whole thoufands of Souls fliould fwarm down amongft us, as we know the Angels do 3 the Angels we alfo know, were never called upon, nor praied to, by any true Servant of God, as long as the Church was ordered by any Pro- phet, Apoftle, or Apoftolical Men: and after their departure, it is well known, how the Fathers who next fucceeded them, alwaies voted both againft Worshipping and Praying to any one created Angel. The Difciples of Chriji^ faies St. Irentu* *, do nothing by praying to Angels, but by directing holy andun- dt filed Praiers to the Lord , who hath created all things. Praiers directed to others, it feems, are de- filed with fomething. And tho the blejjed Angels ", (faies Origen, a moft authentic Author in this Point) • Aug. fup. c. 17. P ibid, c. it. I Jd.c. 12. 5 Ibid c. 16. {src. 1 Iren. cont. Hercf. l.2.c. 57. fab fie. ' * Orig.Cont.Celfum.l.yp.2^ Edit. Cantabr. are 7 1 Of the Protection and Ajfislonce are fometimes called Gods, and convey down to us the favors of God, yet we do notferve them as Gods \ fo/ all our Praters, Supplications, Addreffes, andgivings of thanks (which he makes to be all one with the true Service of God) mu ft be dire fled to God, who is the Matter of all things, thro our High Prieft the li- ving Word and God,who is greater then all the Angels* And as for the Angels themfelves-, we have no reafon to pray for them, becaufe we do not underftand them well ; andtho we did, thti very knowing of both their \ Nature, and Offices, would not afford us the confidence of offering our Vows and Praiers to any other then to the All-fufficient and Supreme God, by his Son our Sa- vior. Not to trouble my felf, or others, with any more clear and direct Citations to this purpofe. I will only add the Verdict of two and thirty Fathers, who find x in a full Council, that the praying to An- gels ( for fo St. Theodoret y interprets the Word, i**f&Z*» *>f*Ass) to be both a hidden Idolatry, and a for- faking of Chrift andhh Church, The true reafon which makes thefe and other Fa- thers fo fharp againft Praying to Angels ( much more againft Praying to Saints) as to call it Idolatry, is not becaufe the Angels cannot hear alwaies, the Saints never 5 for this would make praying to them no more then an idle and ufeiefs ad : but mainly and princi- pally, becaufe Praier, Vows, and giving of Thanks, is a main part of Godsfervice; and therefore Sainc * Ireneus, and* Or igen, take Praier and Worfhip pro- mifcuoufly for the fame thing. And 'tis upon this fame account, that both b Scripture, and the Ancient * Concil. Laodic. Can. 35. y Tbeot/or. ColofJenf.c.2.v.i%. z Jren>Sup. a Orig. [up. b Pfalm. 50. 14, 15. c Fa- Of Roman Saints} 79 « Fathers, (till reckon Praier and Thankfgiving a- mong the trueft Sacrifices, and which can belong to none but God. Now Praier is part of Gods fervice, becaufe, if ferious and devout (and I am fure Ro- man praying to Saints is no jeft) it prefuppofes and ac- knowledges in the Saint which is praied to, fuch an infinite knowledg of Mens hearts, fuch an Univerfal andextenfiveGapacity, or rather Being, in hearing them all, alwaies, every where, and fuch an immenfe fufficiency and power of helping them accordingly, that to make, or to prefuppoie, created either Saints or Angels fitperfons for to be praied to, is to make or to prefuppofe them to be Gods. And this is the true account, wherefore Calling upon God, is repu- ted an Honor given to God, Call upon me, and thou /halt glorifiemc, Pfal. 50. 15. 23. becaufe it implies, and in very deed acknowledgeth the Immenfity, the Knowledg, the Mercy and Power of God : not cal- ling upon him, is Atheifm , Pfalm 79. 6. And fo calling on them, who are not Gods, is down-right Idolatry. The truth is, you may call upon a Saint, without any danger of Idolatry, if he be in fuch a diftance whence intelligent Creatures may without Miracle hear one another, thus the Prophets were not afraid to fpeak to Angels, Ban. Ch. 10. and Cb.22. Zachar. 1.9. If you did pray a Holy Man whil'ft he is with you, to pray for you, and to recommend you to God after he is dead, perhaps this exceeds not much the ordinary power of a Saint. Thus St. Cyprian <* intreat- treated his Friend Cornelius^ then Biiliop of %ome 9 c Tertullian. Apol. c, 30. Eufcb. Vemonfl. Evang- c. ult. fubfin. Crig. inRom.c. 10. v, 14. pag.^%2. Eitit.faris t \$iJ. d Cyprian. I. 1. Epi, fubfv. that So Of the TroteBion andJJfitfance that he of them two who mould, by differing Mar- : tyrdom, ftep the formoft to Jefus Chrift , would being with him there, continue his wonted Praiers ; for his poor Brother, whom he knew to be left be- hind. And, as I take it, the fame Father asks the fame favor of his Holy and Devout Virgins, againft the time when their Virgin Zeal and Piety e fhould be crowned wirh its due Honor. Thus far I fee no- thing at all, that an humble Chriftian may not wifh, and a created Saint may not perform : and if fuch Praiers have any defect , it is not Idolatry , nor Superftition perhaps, 'tis only they want an Exam- ple. Nor is it any Idolatry to pray to your Friends by Letters at any diftance whatfoever, for St. Paul in his Epiftles doth often fo •• and therefore I would not blame our learned Papifts for dedicating their Books, and writing Dedicatory Letters to the mod Bleffed Virgin Mary> if they had Expreffes to carrvthem. But if you can fancy a Saint of fuch an uniimitted and univerfal Intelligence, as, tho he be but in one place, yet to be able to fee, and hear what all Man- kind can fay or do, or think, or write, orfuffer, all the World over : and that St. Nicholas for example, hearkens and provides where he is(in Heaven I hope) to what one Sea-man praies in a Shipwrack at the Streits of Magellan \ to what another willies for, when he is becalmed in the South-fea ; to the cries of another,who fees a Hurricanby the Barbadtfsy to the private defires of another, who filhes for Pearls by the G uyney (hot e, or Herrings by our Englifh Coaft, or for Whales hard by Green-land , or for Trouts in our fmall Rivers 5 and whole thoufands of PatTengers> who cry to him being Catholics, and perifhing in as c Idem, de HabituVirg. Trafi.2> fubfin. Of Roman Saints, 8r many places both at once, and alwaies, as he is cal- led upon in all thefe places, and in all thefc times, and by all at once •, and if you do fancy withal, that he underftands befides all this, in thefe both number- lefs places and exigencies, what they do both think and deferve, in order to the returning of fuitable reliefs and helps : I fay, you fancy in St. Nicolas an infinite Omnifcience.* wherefore they that pray to him on this account, do give him what belongs to God, and make him a complete Idol. Here Roman and Sacred Authors are at a great di^ fiance the one from the other* Thofe will have the Saints being departed, to know whatfoever is faid, thought and done under the Sun : and thefe nothing 5 or if fomething, befides that which they muft needs remember, both of the Church and of themfelves, in order to their Holinefs and Thankfulnefs to God Almighty 5 St. AuguSiin \ thinks that they have it y either of thofe Angels who of courfe converfe here and there among Men, or from the fouls of the Righ- teous whom God takes up to them 5 or immediatly from God him felf, reveling to his Saints above as he doth to his Saints below, that which h necejfary they fljould know. But alas! all this comes farfhort of what is required in this cafe : For the Papifts them- felves confefs, that s neither the Angels, nor fepa- rated Souls, can be prefent every where, to know and report the Praiers fent up to every Saint, and by every Worihipper at one time, and from all Coun- tries * and tho they were, yet could they not tell what , or whether Men pray when they pray to themfincerely and in their hearts: Therefore they ' dug. de Cur a pro Mort. c. 15. * Bell. deSantt, Eeatif. I. i.e. 20. L muft 82 Of the Protection andAffislance muft make life of God, and turn, as much as in them lies, his EflTence into a Looking- glafs, where with- out any more ado, Angels and Saints may fee what they pleafe. And when they have thus taught the iimple People, and amufed them with their Grego- rian b Motto, that, Whofoever fees him that fees all, fees all him f elf : they laugh at it among themfelves, and fay plainly (as well they may) i That created things have not a Beings which may befeen in God, as an Objeft thatfhines in a Glafs $ witnefs the Angels that fee God, andyet are ignorant of many things^ but as EjfeSis in the k virtue of their own caufesjvhich indeed could be feen in God y by him who could know him per- fectly^ which no Man cm: and fo it knot true % that whofoever looks in a Glafy fees all in the Glafs. And it it fair, if the Saints fee in God the things that 1 are prefer to their Happinefs : And fuch certainly are not the cries of Menperifhing in a ftorm. In a Word, they all come to this, that when they fay that the Saints fee all things in God, it mull: be underftood, m as far only as God is pleafed to reprefent it to I them. Now let the Roman Catholics fhew us, either out J of Scripture, or fome infallible Author, that God I reveles to St. Nicolas (to infill: in the fame example) all the Rocks, the Billows and Storms, which may j put his Sea-men to pray $ and that the hearing of \ their Cries, and the light of all their Ship- wracks, is I to this fecond Neptune a great addition of Hap- pinefs. h Greg Mitgn Dialog. I.4C.55. » Occam. 4. Sent.q. 13. k Tkom part 1 q .12. a. 8- f Idem, p 3. q.10. a.l. 5 Greg. deValent. De mo do quo Deui Cognofcit, S>i$]>. 1. q. i2\ P 'unci. 6. fe8. Concejfo igitur, This Of Roman Saints. 83 This Looking- glafs being thus broken, they run as to their beft Refuge, to new Revelations, which, ii fufficientto the purpofe which they are invented for, muft fwarm up in Heaven, as thick and as con- tinually as there are Praiers made to Saints under the Dominion of Rome. At this rate, whensoever one faies Ave Maria , or another St. JEgidi, or another fome other Praier, God muft inform the Saint who it is that praies to him, to what purpofe, and with what Heart, or elfe it is a hundred to one if the Saint hears a word of it. And as the whole Trinity muft be rea- dy for a million of Miracles to do the bufinefs at Mafs ; fo muft it be for as many, or rather more Re- velations Night and Day, Morning and Evening, to wait on the Roman Litanies : Only there is this difference, that at the Mafs the Priefts are fo civil, as to pray to God for his Miracles ; and fo rude at the ' Litany , as never once in their whole life to ask for a ' Revelation, wherewith he may be pleafed to inform them all, whom it may concern. A very great rude- nefs indeed, and fucha prodigious over-fight, that whole Rome, as well as great Bellarmln n , may mod juftly be puzled at-, that a Pious and Infallible Church mould not remember, that fo many, fo continual, and fo abfolutely neceflary Revelations, wbioh if true, are true continual Favors 5 and that God,once in an Age, I 'might be as well fupplicated to mew andexpofe their Praiers, as continually as every petty Saint is impor- . tun'd to recommend them. But here isafarworfe, and I doubt not, a more impious Abfurdity. I'cannot cell whether it be more lawful for Papiftstofetup new Mediators (without any warrant) in Heaven, then it was for Jeroboam " Bell, de autl. Beatit. /. 1 . c. 20. feci, atque ex bis* L 2 to 84 Of the Vrotettion andAJJift&nce to makenewPrieftsini/r^/: nor whether the ma- king Mediatores ad Mediatorem , Grandees, who thro their own Merits, and not by their Praiers only, fhall promote our Concerns with Chrift, be a lefler temerity then it had bin, if Abraham had obtruded all his fervants as Officers and Levites to ferve under Mdchiftdec* But fee how Babel can fet and unfet, and over-turn all things up- fide down ; Chrift the only Mediator, the Advocate, and the rnterceflbr above to God the Father, muft lay this his Office a- (ide, and become a kind of Mediator and Intercef- forfor Men with the Saints. All the fupplications and addrefTes which the Papifts fend up to thefe Souls, fignifie to them nothing at all, unlefs Chrift be there in the ftead of either a Prophet to revele, or of a Mefl'engerto bring, or of a kind of Clerk, to read to them all thefe Praiers. Here to make ufe of thofe Examples, wherewith both ° Papifts and p Pa- gans will perfwade Men to call upon their Saints 5 the King alone muft be the Mafterof Requefts to his Courtiers, and the Speaker to his Commons, to inform them of every great, and every petty trifling thing that their refpective Relations, Countries and Towns will have them put in a Bill, and then pre» ftnt it to his own felf. Whenfoever the Pope calls on St. Fetes, or a Cardinal on St. Jerome, or a Monk on St. Cutbert, or any Catholic Manor Woman upon the Virgin 5 nothing is don, till God himfelf calls for thefe Saints, and tells them, Hear you Peter, -f e ~ rome, and you Cutbert, fuch and fuch People now pray to you, that you woufd pray to me, and per- fwade me, thro your Merits, to grant them fuch and • Bell de Beatit. San&, I. i.e. 20. jett. Retfondeo } quemac/mocluiH. * S. Ambrof. act Rom. c. i. fuch 0/ Roman Saints". £$ fuch things: And to cifpofe you the better to be for- ward in this Office, I muft tell you, the Pope is old, the Cardinal wants an inflate fuitable to his Emi- nence, and unlefs you make haft to folicit me for more Grace, fuch Monks or Maidens, your humble Suiters, are at this very nick of time in great danger of Incontinency. Then (and not a moment before) come up the Saints with thefe Praiers, to prefs and folicit with God, the very fame things and circum-* fiances which God hath reveled to his Saints before. Such Wheelings and Impertinencies as thefe, were ridiculous upon a Stage, much more are they fo in a Church 5 and how much more with God in Heaven i And what can you think of the Comedians, who dare bring both God and his Saints as chief Actors in fuch a Play i Well, Praier to Saints includes thefe fins in its mod plaufible Practice, when 'tis no more then calling on the blefled Saints, that they be plea- fed to mediate, and to intercede in their Praiers for us to God, which is the cheating notion under which Men, afhamed of what they do, would fain difguife their Praying to Souls and Angels with the colour of doing i no more,then when we pray here our Friends andPaftorsto pray to God Almighty for us. But, when they pray and beg at their hands, not only for Praiers, but (as it is apparent by their real practice, and the (lories of their beft Saints) for effectual Deli- verances, fuch Praying is without excufe : for inftead of the former Drudgery, which the other puts upon God, this attributes Ubiquity, Omnipotency, and other Infinite and Divine Powers to Saints $ that is, the Church of Rome cannot expect, and upon that expectation cannot Pray, as they do, every where at * Bell. JeSanfL Beat. I. i.e. 17. fac.20. the Z6 Of the TrouBkn and Affiance the fame time to the Virgin Mary> for example to blefs and help them, unlefs fhe be conceived as being both prefent every where, and potent to blefs them and help them every where. And this is a double Immenfity, that of being prefent where they pray, efpecially where they pray more devoutly, and of be- ing prefent where the helps. For without this Ubi- quity, how could me be feen at Harveft, wiping the Faces of r of reaping Monks ; or in a Chamber, rub- bing s the Head of the good honeft Father Adam, whiff! (lie is elfewhere c burning Villages, or in a rich Abby u Mid- wiving an Abbefs , whom her Steward had unfortunatly gotten with Child < Is it not unimaginable , that during either of the two daies, when fhe was under a Gallows x holding up a Thief under the Feet, for fear his own weight fhould ftranglehim, fhe could be then in a River y riding Prince Focoldas his Horfe, or upon the Walls of Poiftiers beating the Englifh off from that Town? Or if (he be fo nimble as to be at the fame time un- der a Gallows, upon a Wall, and in the middle of a River, becaufe all thefe places are in Europe? Can fhe run both the Easl and Weft Indies at the fame mo- ment of time, there to ' make a Jefuit more chaft, and here to comfort b a poor Captain i Thus far what Belhrmm faies *, may very well pafs for certain truth, that, to help Men in the point of need, at »• Vincent. Sperat. Hift. I. 8. c. 17. s Mend. Cifierc. 22. Decemb. T Chonicon. Ord.Min. To. 2. I. 5. "' DeMirac. B. M.2 Tom.Serm. T>ifcipuli y Moguntia, 16 12. x Chronic. T>eip. an.\**>%. > Ib\d< an. 1 134. 2 Ibid, an 1200. a Beretar. invitaAnachoreta, l.i.c.i. b Balinghem. 1 1 . Aw. c Bell. deZcat.Santt. /♦ i.e. 20. je&.Alii dicunt. the Of Roman Saints. 87 the fame time, and in fo many diftant Countries, no nimblenefs can ferve the turn,nor any thing lefs, faies he, then a true Omniprefence , which is an Attri- bute proper to God. Every Saturday in the Week requires in a fpecial manner this Univerfal Prefence, for then the Virgin Mary is in her own Perfon un- doubtedly, and by their moft folemn Devotions up- on that day, exalted befides others above the high- eft Heavens. She is at the fame time conceived to be moft prefent:, and beneficial by her Miracles and other waies, to her Worfhippers upon Earth 5 and according to the promifes which irie hath d palled to Pope $ohn the 22 d , ilie goes down to Purgatory upon that day , and therefore fhe is then under ground. This fame Univerfal Prefence, the cleared Cha- racter of God, is in a very great mefure required in all other Saints, for (he goes feldom without them 5 & then they are praied to neverthelefs from all parts, not only to intercede in Heaven (which there they might, being in one place} but to affift them by Sea and Land, in Spain, and in Armenia, which no Man believes they can do, without believing them every where. For no created Caufes whatfoever, can work any thing but where they are. If our Savior did help fome fick, at a diftance from him ; as Mattb. 8.12. He did it with that Divine immenfe Nature, that his human was united to. And Holy Souls are not likely to have more power then the Angels, who are perfonally prefent, wherefoever they work any thing. It any one fay, that the Saints may out of Hea- ven do on Earth whatever they pleafe, not by their * Bull, Sakbatb. 88 Of the Protection And Ajftilance coming down themfelves, but by their fending down fome Angels. Firft, let him mew, That the Saints are not only equal to, but fuperiors to the Angels, and then that they have thedifpofal of this Cekftial Hierarchy. Secondly, Thothey,orattheleaftthe Virgin had it, yet this fending of Angels could noc be applied but to fome few private Services ; as when fome fay, 'twas not her felf but fome Angel, whom fhe hadfentfor her, both to counterfeit the Devo- tions, and to fave the credit of Naro for the fpace of nine whole Years, when (lie was all the while ram- bling up and down in Bawdy- houfes 5 that it was not her felt, but an Angel who ran Races, and foughc Battels in the fhape of her Worfhippers being then atMafs. Some are alfo pleafed to fay, that every Saturday fhe goes down to Purgatory, not by her felt, but by her Proxy, for the refcuing thence of fome Souls.But none of her Hiftorians will aver, that it was a Deputy, or any other but her felf who did hug and kifs St. Bernard, St. T>ominic y and St. Alain, upon feveral occasions ; who did once ride behind a Knight, in the ifcapeof a Woman, in order to furprize the Devil*, or who in a dark tempeftuousnight was really met by two wandering Travellers in a Forreft, with Si, Michael) and St. Peter. ItisiTie, and not ano- ther, if you will believe what Ihe faies, who now and then will call her felf the Mother of Grace and Mercies; who comes often to vifit Churches with fweet Perfumes, or Holy Waters, or whole Baskets of HolyRofes, or white and black Hoods for her Chaplains. And accordingly it is fhe her felf, and not her Angel, that is adored in all the places where fhe appears. No Man praies either to her, or to any other Saint or Angel, upon any conllderable oc- cafion, Of Roman Sainti'. 8$ cafion, but jthinks to have her and them prefenr, and fo the very fame conceit of an Univerfal Power and Prefence Q efTential Attributes of God ) which makes men willing to pray to Saints, muft needs make theto Idolaters in praying thus. This impious worfliip is an Abufe of what was doni fometimes by God, in the primitive times, at the Graves of his own Martyrs : and no wonder, if igno- rant men could turn the Miracles and Mercies of Godj as they can all other good things, to their own de- duction. It is well known, how many wonders were wrought at the Sepulchersof holy Martyrs, as one at the fhadow of S.Peter. Aft. 12. and at the Bones of the holy Prophet EllJIia. 2 Kin. 13.21. Thefe Miracles were to thofe Saints in fome meiure, whae the glorious Refurreftion, and Afcenfi on had bin be- fore to their Savior, to wit, high Declarations from above, that their Souls and Bodies, however they had appeared vile in the Eies of their Murderers, were pretious in the fight of God; and that what they had believed, taught and figned as it were with their own Blood, were both true DoctrineSj& good Exam- ples in order to Salvation. And thefe extraordinary Marks of Gods favor on their Perfons, and Seals of truth to their belief, as they were principally in- tended in behalf of Infidels, fo they moftly and long- eft continued in thofe parts of the world, as Afri- ca c for example, where more Pagans remained noc called, or not converted to the we (hall get by the Cl fame means all the good Angels, Souls, and Spi- *' rits to be our Friends ; and which is more, actual e "Protection and djfiflance to do Co. This ancient Author is the hrft who ven- tured to fay, That the Saints might perhaps pray and a&forus: and yet he is as exprefs as any other, to direct Men to God by Chrift alone,and to keep them from Praying to Angels* and Saints. The other main Ground common to Pagans and Papifts, for Praying, thofe to their Gods, thefeto their Saints, is either the falfe Allegation, or the falfe Conftru&ion of Miracles. 'This every one knows, who knows them both. Whereas when the Mira- cles of the Saints were at the beft, that is, during the three Primitive hundred years, they never tem- ted Chriftians any farther, then to go and to pray to God in thofe places where they were wrought, and where Praiers had fometimes very extraordinary returns ; there they might perhaps wifn to God , that he would hear in their behalf, the general Prai- ers which thefe Souls moft probably offer to God, for the afflicted Members of his Church. But where U ike worthy Prelate or Chriftian (faith ° St. Augu- fbiri) who being by the Grave of a Martyr, ever faid y Peter, or Paul, or Cyprian, / offer to you thk Sacri- fice. Whether of Praier, or Praife, or Vow, 'tis all one. The Miracles don by Holy Men did fet, as it were, the Seal of God upon the Gofpel which they believed, and upon the Worfhip which they both promoted and died for-,therefore we muft believe and wormip as they did. If they did fet alfo, as cer- tainly they did, fome Marks of Reverence on their Ferfons, and their Memory , 'twas not to this pur- pofe, that they fhould be either adored or praied to. We do not read that true Ifraelltes ever praied to the dead Prophet, for the great Miracle wrought at ? S. AuguSl. contra Faufl. /„ 2 1 . c. 2 1 . Id. J>e Civit. /. 8. c 27. his Of Roman Saintsi 9j his Tomb 5 nor that Chriftians ever worihip'd the living ApofUes, for all the figns wrought by their hands, and fometimes at their very ihadow, §Xhry- fojiom p allures me, that God kept them moft com- monly under fome fenfible Infirmity , which they could not eafe themfelves of, as the ill Stomach of Timothy^ and the troublefom Angel about St. Paul, that the Glory of their Miracles might wholly re- flect on Chrifts Power, and that nothing of it might be abufed to the admiration of their Perfons. But all is in vain to fave thofe Men, who have a mind to lefe themfelves. Pagans in fpightof all, will wor- ship the living Apoftles , ABs 14. and Papifts will pray to dead Saints. The Miracles of God muft be wrefted, to countenance thefe Mens folly 5 and to ufe the words of an ancient Father 1 to this pur- pofe, here obferve the Wiles of Satan , Chrift em- ploies both at once, his Apoftles, and his Miracles to deftroy all Idolatry from among Men; and Pagans and Papifts make ufe of both to bring it in. This manner of calling on Saints, is both unchri- ftian and unjuft, on all the fides that you can take it. Firft, It transfers on Creatures that Prerogative of Gods glory, and that fpecial part of his Worfhip, which in Holy Scriptures doth comprehend his whole Service. Secondly, It makes Saints to be what the Holy Ghoft alone is, fearchersof Mens Hearts and Thoughts, and prefent over all the World ; if not, How can they perceive mental Praiers < Thirdly, If you fuppofe, that night and day God is reveling to them what Men do, and what they would have, it forges another Impiety, and makes God a perpetual * S.Cbryfofl.adTop.AntiQcb, Horn. l. « S. Cbyf. Ibid, Clerk, 96 Of the FroteBion and J0ance Clerk , Mediator , and Drudg to his own Saints* Fourthly, It intrudes into Chrifts Office, as many Mediators to intercede with God for Men, both by their Sufferings and their Merits, as there are with him Saints and Angels, whereas the Church knows none but one. Fifthly, It quite difables the Church from all poilibility of alTerting Chrift, and the Holy Ghofts Divine Nature, by their ttfual Demonftrati- ons, to wit, That God k in Scripture prated to, and, that the Holy Ghofi h every where ; or it proves Saints to have it alfo. Sixthly, As it is practiced by the devouteft Perfons of Rome , it Complements the Saints with fuch Praiers, fuch Expreilions, and fuch Services, as you may fafely challenge Melchifedec> JMofes, David, and all the Prophets and Apodles-, to magnifie God Almighty with any better. You may be fure that the Papifts will difown this, becaufe their own difcretion farters them not to avow more among ftrangers, then they think themfelves able to make good. But where Mafsisthe reign* ing Service, there Books, and Mouths, and if thefe lhould hold their peace, the very ftones of their Altars, Churches, and Images do fpeakitout: and judg what Religious Worfhip that is, which modeft Men mull: flatly deny, or palliate and excufe. Some will tell you, r that all their Praiers to the Saints are but fuch Apoftrophes, or Rhetorical Figures, as was that of David to Heaven and Angels, Pfalm 105. and that their Litanies, Titer ^ Paul, &c* Tray for ne, come butto this wirhing, Would to God^ or how 1 do wifl?) that all thefe Saints flnnld pray for me. Others who fee, what either biindneis or impudence r Ceorg, Cafiand. Hym. Ecclef in Vigil. Pontec. ScboL fag. 242. Mdit % Park. 1616. i« Of Roman Saint si 97 it is to fay fo, plainly confefs, that they dire&Iy 6 pray to Saints, but mince it as it were but as to Friends, only to defire them to pray (which yet at thatdiftance were bad enough) & not as to principal Benefactors: and it is upon this ground, they fam- ilial praying to Saints in Heaven, and praying to friends in my Houfe to pray for me, comes both to one. Thefe Men are fo confident at Rome., and do think us to be fo blind to all ends and purpofes here in England, that they fhall perfwade us thefe two things. The firft, That all their Breviaries and Pfalters fignifie nothing, but what they pleafe : The other, That they make Saints * to be Rulers and Princes over Nations, with an Iron Rodintheif Hands, only to pray. This defperate Gaufe forces Bdlarmin at every turn (the honefteft and wifeft Papift of his time) to forfake upon this account both all Knowledg and Confcience : For here you (hall find him fometimes offering l proofs out of fome Books, under the name of St. Athanafius, which, when he needs them not, M he acknowledgeth to be falfe: fometimes moft wil-, lingly and grofly fatisfying ■ Eufebitu : fometimes infilling y upon fuch Canons and Decrees (afcribed to the fixth Council) as in his Heart he knows to be * meer Forgeries ; fom times iiding with the ; Ari~ * Bell.deSanSt. Beat. I. i.e. ij.fefl. Pr which the Pope pleafes to Canonize ; fome are very true and blefled Saints , but were never praied for , nor praied to, as long as Ifrael had a Prophet, or the Church of Chrift an Apoftle : at the Head, I fay , of all thefe , appears now in the Church of Rome (whacallboth Prophets and Apoftlesmayjuft- ly rend their Garments at) the Virgin Mary under the Pomp and the very name of Goddefs. Not to mention the Woriliippers, how many and famous fo- ever, who in their Devotions * call her fo, one Pope or two may ferve for all. Leo the tenth, in an E- piftle that was published, and therefore confirmed by the Command of Paul the third, demands fome better Timber for the repair of one of her Churches, Ne tumnos, turn Beam ipfam, &c. d Left by fending fome ufelefs flicks, you feem, faies he, to delude both his Holinefs^ and the Goddefs her f elf. This pretended God-head, Deification, e and DU * Ambrof. Catkar, de Confummata Gloria, pag. 112. and n«J. "Per narden. Meriale*. p. S. 5. de Nominatione Maria- Lsgdun. Frar.cifc. Mendof. Virid. I. 2. Trobl. 2. \ d Petr.Bemb.Epin.l.%. Epifi.lj. e Petr, Damian.Serm. i.inNativ.Virg. vine 1 02 Of th e Adoration of the Virgin Mary, vine l Majefty, which under feveral Titles is attri- buted to this Goddefs, is not a thin Participation, fuchasthey allow toother Saints, whom upon this fcore they call Gods : but § a kind of Equality with God, and an Infinity of Perfections, which no Crea- ture ever had. Some do call it h identity 5 others more plainly J EJjfe Dei, that is the very fame thing, or the very Being of God, befides her other three Beings, i. of Grace, 2. of Glory, 3. and ofthe^o- therotGod. Hereupon the Jejuites'mfcx (as well they may) i.that k there is an infinite diftance be- tween the Mother, and the Servants. 2. That the greatnefs l of this Goddefs is a Mefure in a manner ofGodsownlmmenfity. 3. And that therefore 'tis impoffible to know well Gods Immenfity without Underftanding the Virgins greatnefs. Now, if you will know, how the blefled Virgin, who was and is confefledly a finite Creature, hath attained to this real Godhead, and to the Infinity, that attends it* they will tell you, that this great Miracle of being made Goddefs, was wrought in her, 1. By a Singular Glorification and mutation in her, proceeding from the whole Trinity. For when once m flic prefented her felf to the Blefled Trinity in behalf both of her felf, and her devout fervants y God Almighty, they fay, fpoke to her thus. £#0, &c. Be thou the nohle and threefold Room , where the Trinity fl) all inhabit. I will be thoroughly changed into 1 Mart. DelriusdcVivin.Milit. p.%%6. Lipf. deVirgine HalU faflim. Gononus Chronic, an. 1356. 8 S.Bernardin. Serm. 61. h Argentenfis. Ve Sept. ExcellenUis. 1 B Alanus. part. 2. r.6. k Mendofa deFlorib. 1.2. Problem. 2. ft, n. 1 Viegas Apocai 12. Comm. l.Sefl. 4. n. 3. , p Alan, jupra. c. Z.pag. 130. thee s In the Church 0/Rome. 1 103 thee' and thou /halt be thoroughly changed into me, by .facial andfin^ular Glorification. 2. More efpecially, by an entire and eflential Com- munication from trie fecond Perfon$ for thus they make Chrift fpeaking n to her 5 Thott haft given me to be man % I mil alfo give thee my being God. 3. Moll: fpecially, by fuch a large Effufion of all Divine Excellencies, as may ° holdup proportion with the infinite Goodnefs and Appetency, which the holy Ghoft hath to be diffufed to others. So, thac as the Father did fatisfie his own defire, in beftow- ing his whole Divine Being on his Son : and the Son with the Father, in bellowing all what they have upon the Holy Ghoft 5 fo likewife the Holy Ghoft hath the fame iatisfa&ion, for want of a fourth Per- fon, to fpend and to pour himfelf in gifts and Gra- ces, upon Mary, whom upon this account they dare all ( and God forgive them for calling her fo ) 7V tiusTrimtath Com^lementum, that is, the Perfection end Accompli foment oft he whole Trinity ; and to this purpofe belongs what they fay, that in Heaven fhe ; hath her Throne by the Father , as his only Daugh- , ter and Mignion •, or as others fay, p in quality of Gods Lady, above the Son, 1 as being his Mother 5 and clofe to the Holy Ghoft 5 in quality of his dear Spoufe. I have no mind to trouble my Reader and my fclf with rehcarfing what here they babble, or rather moft ridiculoufly blafpheme concerning the r Jea- loufie between the Holy Ghoft and Jofeph upon the " Guerricus ap. Mendof. Virid. U 2. Trobl. 2. n, 1 1 . 9 £k/V, Salaxar . inProv.c. 8.1*. 23. n. 302. e Argentcns. Ve Seftem Excell. 7. 1 Ibid, c Salar-s inProv, c.zi.n- y } , 56, 57. point 104 Of the Adoration of the Virgin Mary, point of ferving and pleafing her beft. It is enough* which they will tell you and infill upon twenty times, that this Virgin was the chief Allurement, which in the beginning moved God Almighty, s to make the world $ l and that Heaven and Earth were created, and all the holy Scriptures written ob h/inc fa propter banc , for her fake, and upon her account. That when in the eternal Decree and Pre- vifion u of God, all other things did appear but as Molehills, the great worth of this Virgin flood be- fore him as a Mountain. That when he put his hand to the making of Creatures , Heaven , and Earth, Stars, Angels and Thrones, x he had flill this woman in his thought, topickandchufe out of every Creature, as it came out, the very beft of it for this true Pandora and true Abbreviate of all his works. That then fhe was the very y Perfpective thro which from all Eternity God both forefaw and pre- deftinated all Chriflians , S.Peter, S^Paul and all the reft ; becaufe they were not predeflinated to any Grace, but fuch as mould be conveied to them thro her hands. That when God did order the Springs* and courfe of Water, x then he but ftudied, what way it were poffible, to make Mary an Aquedutt of all Bleflings upon Mankind. That God had not fee | up fo many Princes in the world, nor fo many a Kings in Ifrael, had it not bin to procure her a more Roi- al Extraction. And finally that he made Eve 9 b the » Idem. c« 8, v. 25. «• 317. r Bernard* Serm* 1 . inSalv* * Salaxar. Frvu. c 8. v. 23. n. 269. * Ibid. v. 22; n. 269. J Ard. Hierofolymit. Serm. de Annum. * Stilaxar. c. 8. v. 27, n. 363, tt Rupert, ap. Sala^. p. 246. * Salax, Frw. c. 31. n. 41&. Ark, In the Church of Rome. 105 j^rk, the Tabernacle, and other Ceremonial Figures^ to pafs his time in thofe Images and Reprefentations ok Mary •, and fo to amufe as well as he could the ex- treme longing that he had, to poflefs the Original.' At laft this blefied Creature being come forth, fhe appears at her very c Birth, when fhe was lying in her Cradle 3 above all both Angels and Saints, like a Mountain above fmall Hills, far holier, as they fay, then Mount d Sina , but fomwhat like e the Mount Shn, in which God was pleafed to dwell ; all theAngells f ' that are in Heaven, all the Souls that are in Hell, all the Saints and Prophets that ever were, and all men that are or mall be, muft by all means look towards Her, as the Center and Support of the whole world 5 as the very Ark of God, as the Caufe of all Creatures, as the s founder of all Blef- fings, as the Fountain h and Vein of life, and the Author of l Salvation. Now left you mould think,thac thefe great Titles ( as great as God himfelf and our Savior can ever have ) are given her chiefly upon the account of Ghrift, whofe Mother fhe was, after the Flefh 5 thorough Catholics will tell you , that be- fore Ihe was the Mother of Chrift, fhe k had defer-, ved to be fo : that by her own Goodnefs * and Grace^ fhe had drawn God down towards her, and induced him m to take her Flefh : and that being as com-; c Idem c. 8. "u.2^. 11. 2,21. d Job. Darrufcen. c Bernard. Serm. de Annunc. f Gabr. Biel. in Can. left. 8o. e Ecnavent. in Pjalter. ft Bernard- apud Sala%. c. 8. v.^. rt. ttfi, x Petr. Dam Serm. 1. de Annunciat. * Anfelm. de Excell. Virg. c. 12. 1 Oxor. Tom. 3. Cone. I. in Annunc. faConc. 1 in Nativ. * Bernardiiu deBvft. 1. part. Serm. 2. de Csronat. Marine. O monljf 1 06 Of the Adoration of the Fir gin Mary, monly they do term her, Negotium omnium Seculo* rum^ the work of four thoufand years ; and polTef- fing eminently within herfelf all the Perfections that! lie fcattered up and down in all Celeftial and fubcele- flial Creatures;fuch a complete Hoftefs could not but procure, or ° at leaft haften the coming in of the bed Gueft. The Founder of the Jefuites did common- ly p blefs himfelf, whenfoever it came to his mind, • that fwallowing down Chrift at Mafs, he had alfo by the fame means fome of the Flefh of this Goddefs, ' And they fay, that on this fame account Chrift takes delight 1 to lie hidden under tranfubftantiated wa- fers, and to fall down into mens ftomacs 3 becaufe it reprefents and reminds him of his Ancient being in her womb : and that therefore me r would not mifs a day, without taking the Sacrament after her Son was in Heaven, that he mighthave that fweet fatis- faction every day. But when at the Salutation of Gabriel, fhe opened her Heart and her Bread to take him in, and therein to make him her Son 3 that one Act of humble Obedience expreiTed in nine Latin words, Ecce Ancilla, &c. Behold the Handmaid of jhe Lord, dec. that one Act of hers they fay, is more Meritorious, then God himfelf in a manner can recom- penfe. Chriftians may think 'twas no Merit of hers, but rather a favor of God 5 and that all which ilie could do towards it,was her Duty* but Roman Catho- lic Authors, and Saints too, teach otherwife. 1. That by that one Aft, fin hud fully s repaied to God, for n Bernard. Serin, i- de Tentecoft. Sala^ Troverb. c. $. v. 16 ;?, io6 v p Salax^ Prov c. 9. v. 4. &c. There fhe fits, as it becomes both the 1 Emprefs of Heaven, and the Conquerefs of HelU There both the Angelical, and the human Nature wait on her, u as the two Maids did on Queen E- fiber. There Saints, and Angels, and Arch-angels, are all in their feverai Capacities her Courtiers 3 or her Nobles, her Officers, or her Soldiers, and ge- nerally all one with another x her Servants and her Slaves. The beft is, that this large and wide Empire is not t Anfelm. de Excel I. B.V.c.-j. * Ibid. r Arnold. Car no tens fupra. s \diotade Laud. Mar. c.^. * Mi fal. Paris, in Purifications u £onave r,t. in [fecal. c.-$. * $alazar,Prov.c,%, v.i^. n. 136. ft tied ii 2 Of the Adoration of the Virgin Mary, 1 fetledonherby God, as a mere Donation y and Vz* vor 5 it is, they fay, a juft and proper Right of her ) own, grounded upon natural x Equity, both as being the a Spoufe of the Holy Ghoft : Con which accounc they fay, b (he had Spiritual Gifts, upon the Title of | the Wedding prefent, and afterwards fhe was to have what (he hath now, Heaven and Earth for her Join- ture :) and as having « by her own Merits faved and reftored all things ^ or d as being the Mother of Chrifr, and therefore Queen e upon as good a Title as he is King, and even as God himfelf. For, faies another Blafphemer, As God the * Father is Lord of all, be* caufe he bath created allthro his Power ; fo is the Mo- ther Mary the Lady of all, becaufe fhe hath repared andre-efiablzfl/d all things by her Mtrits. Thefe things being fo , as no true Roman Catholic mull: doubt but they are ; it concerns us all next to en- quire, Firft,What ufe this Queen of the World is pleafed to make of her Power. Secondly , What kind of Homage Men muft return to that high and Soveraign Majefty, for the great Favors and Bleflings that flow continually from that ufe. As to the ufe of her Grandeur, both old and new Papifts will tell you, That fince all Power is given to 'her, astoChrift, it is to this BlelTed purpofe, that all Men may receive, as well of s her, as his Fulnefs, Grace for Grace \ and that everyone may * JbJd. n.%2-i. Mendofa Virid. 1. 2. Problem. \.n 1 . z Ibid.n. 131. a Anfelm.de Excell.Virg. c. 4. fa Pfeudepiphan. de Laud Mar. c Anjelm. ibid.c. It, 4 Damafcen deFideOrtbod.l./^ c. 15. e Salazar. fupra n. 132. * Ludolpbus de Saxoma, de vita CbriHi.part, 2. c. Z6. f Tetr.Damian.Serm. 1. de Nativ.Virg, * Antonin. 4. fart. T. 1 5. c. 6. [eel. 3. lake In the Church of Rome< 1 1 3 take out of her Bofome," all fuchBlefllngs as he moft defires. Here the Sinner lhall find Mercy ; the Righteous, all increafe or' Grace ; the Angels, hap- pinefs and Joy ; and the whole Trinity, Glory. A* mong all others, Kings and Warriers are much con- cern'd on this account. She hath a Temporal Pow- er, both of taking and giving away of Eftates. Thus*, by her help, both the Spaniards and the Fortttgefes difcovered and l got a good part of the Baft In- dies. She turns Armies and Victories to what fide ihe pleafes. Read what they fay me did for Philip * King of France^gzmfrOtho the Emperor ; for * ?hU lip dt Valois , and m Philip U Bell againft the Tie* mings ; and for the Cities oi n Tournay, ° Ipres, f Or- leans, and p Poiftkrs, againft the Englim. This laft is confiderable *, for there, they fay, me flood like a great Queen, and the Keys were conveied away by night (no Body can tell how) from under the Gover- nors Pillow, and found hanging in the morning by her Image. Her very Shift being once fet up as a Banner upon a Wall, «* routed a great Army 5 and if any ones Shirt chance but to touch that BlelTed Shift,. it may go near to make the whole Body (as once it * did) invulnerable. Her very Images will infpire ftrength 5 for when King Arthurm was tired, s fome fay, that he had one of her Images, which was paiac- h Bernard.Serm.de Aqua dufti. 1 Petr.Maffaus. Hifh lndic.1.2. * Nicol.J&gidius, Annal. Franc, in Philippo Aug. 1 Hiftor.Carnot. An.\xi%. m Ibid, An. 1304; ■ Annal. Flandr. 1. 12. " 6 Mejet* Annal. F land. An. I3$6« t Nic. Mgidius, Annal. Franc. inCarol.j. * Chronic. De ip. Aji. 1 200. 1 Antonin.2part. Hifl tit. 16. c. 2. fetl. «$• f Anton. Solerius de Venerat. SS. * Robert, Hole. Sapient Sen. 35. c. 1,. P ed 1 14^ Of the Adoration of the Virgin Mary, ed upon his Shield, that when he look'd on it, did recover him from fainting Fits. You may guefs by thefe Shifts and Images , what the Lady her felf \ can do. By virtue of this fame Power about Temporal Affairs, me fends, or removes all Temporal Bleflings and Curfes •, Honors , Riches , and all manner of Earthly Prosperities are in her hand $ and what Gods Eternal and uncreated Wifdom is in Scripture, Prov. 8.18. the fame by a foolilh Impiety now is the Vir- gin Mary in Popery. Read their Sermons, and fee what good ufethey make of all the Power given to Chrift : f See the eighth Chapter of the Troverbs> fhe is now made blafphemoufly what Chrift was then, the Trefurefs l of all Gods Graces , and the very Trefure * of the Church. It is out of this new Store houfe, that the greateft Scholars of Rome, if you will believe them, had their Learning. Albert the Great was a u dull Fellow, and Duns Scottts a ve- ry x Dunce, till the Virgin Mary gave them more wit. Vdo Arch-btfhop of y Magdeburg, and St. Ru- fert % Abbot of Tuits had it the fame way. But St. Thomas Aquinas^nd S. Iharltvartt are in this Point mod admirable , that one a became an Angelical Do clor, byfwallowing down his Throat a Paper tha Ave Maria was written upon ; and this other got th full underftanding of the whole Bible, by drinking f Vid. guirin. $ala%ar. in Proverb. Solom. 1 Jdiota de Contempt Virg.in Vrolegom. * kicard.aS.Laurentio, de Laudib.VirgJ, 10. * Leander devlris lllufitib. * IFadd, Torn 1 . Annal Minor. An. 1 304. * Cani/iusdcB V. l.^.cio. * Eradtnbach.Sacr.Cclleft.1.2. c, 7. a SuriuSyF.Mart* out In the Church of Rome. 1 1 5 out of a Silver Cup, a fweet Liquor b which (he gave hirruNot to trouble you with more Inftances,wharcan you add to what they fay,chat She is the very c Ahyjje. and Ocean, * from whence all Bletfings flow, like Co many ft reams into the Church: that (lie is the true Mother, who keeps us alwaies like Embrions in her * Bowels, and makes us live with her own Breath : that fhe is both the Neck and the Hand e , that is, both the paflage and only means thro which our cries may go up to God, and his BleiTings come down to us. They who will fpeak at a foberer rate, compare the Virgin f totheMoon, which both qualifies and tranfmits all the Influences that come to us from the Sun and other Planets, that is,from Chrift and ail his Saints. But here to fpeak the plain Truth, without terms of Aftrology, they do find anabfolute Decree, made by all the three Perfons together (and God knows where they can find \\) whereby s God the Father hath obliged himfelf to his Daughter ; and the Son, to his Mother-, and the Holy Ghoft, to his Spoufe, to fliew no favor to Man-kind, but what flit fhrilpleafe to befiow on them. Through her, they fay, h with her, and in her, all muB be don : and as nothing was ever made without h;r Son^ fo nothing is made now without her f elf. The better to perform this vaft Work, and to fcat- ter up and down far and near her Graces upon all forts of Creatures, they fancy in her four ' Laps or Bo- foms, which like four great Maga^^s, furnifhthe ~ fc Balanghem.z^Dec. c ronavent.inSjecul.c. 3. * Sahxar.Trov.%.v.2'] n. 264. d Ibid. v. 18. ?i. 190. • Idem, c. 3 1 . n. 1 18. f Georg. Vend. H*v. Cant. I .T.4.C.38. e Sala%ar. Prcv. c. 8. v. 18. w. 193. h Pet. Dam. Senn.de Annunc. 1 Jacobus Epifcop.Genuenfis. Vemtiv.glorioftff. Virg.Serm.?,. P z Church ii 6 Of the Adoration of the Virgin Mary, Church with all Bleflings. i . A Lap, or Bofom of Favor for the Righteous. 2. That of Meeknefs, for theOpprefled. 3. That of Mercy, for the defperate Sinners. 4. And that of Glory, for them who die in her Service. The Bofom of Favor is referved for few Perfons ; fuch as are Prophets, orderly Monks, and all other devout Men and Women, who may without any fcandal be hidden k under her Mantle. The Bofom of Glory belongs to another Life : But the other two, namely of Meeknefs and Mercy, are of a marvelous ufefor this. Her Bofom of Meeknefs is open to all fuch Per- fons , as either groan under Oppreflion, or are in eminent danger. As when fhe was pleafed to come down her felf to break the Goal to l Prifoners *, to few, and to put up again the torn * Bowels of Va- lentin % , to refit and fet on again Heads n cut off, and hanging only by a very fmall skin 5 or to fet new r Eies , and new ? Tongues, inftead of thofe that were bored out or pulled off $ or to break the Hang- mans Halters , 1 to fave her Servants from being hang'd. So when you take her to be above, fhe is a- bout fome work of Meeknefs,either in a r deep Well, to fave a Boy ; in a River, to lead a s Horfe ; or on a dark pair of flairs, c to keep St. Martin from tum- bling down, where the Devil had fcatter'd Peafe. To this Meeknefs ? you may refer fome other cha- ritable Works, not indeed fo necelTary,as the faving k IJemutfup. l OdoGifiaus, Hiftor.Virginis Jnic. l.$.c.$%. m Aftolf. de Miracuiu B.M.I, i. n Vincent, in fpecul. 1. 294' «4- • B^yuius, Tom. 13. Annal. an. 122.1210. 72. 9. * C a' far i us, I 7. c. 24. * Hi ft. B. V. Monti ff err at i. 1 Chronic. Deip. an. m^. s Mir. c. 8. v 30. n. 394. Bernard, in Verba. Slgnum magnum. T Richard, de Laud. Maria I. 1. c. 2. * Antonin. in fum. ma], p. 4. titu. 150. 2. * Salaz^ fupra. * Anfelm. de Excell. Virg. c. I , fa 12. it 1 2 o Of the Adoration of the Virgin Mary, it * is a much fafer way for finners to go to the Vir- gin , then to Chrift * witnefs her white * Ladder, that could prefently help up to Heaven thofe whom his red one did make off and tumble down : witnefs the heavy Plagues, which, as they u fay, me often Hops if you do but carry about her dear Image , when all Devotions and Praiers to God did but prove vain : witnefs whole Hundreds of loofe Examples fcattered up and down in her Chronicles , which Chrift being about to punifh , this indulgent Mother did difpenfe with. Mater mea, &c. She is the x Sove- reign in fuch Matters , and can difpenfe with the Laws of Chrift^ when fhefees Caufe 5 And if me be fevere, and even almoft cruel fometimes , it is com- monly but in fome light matters, that Crucifie nei- ther Flefli nor Blood, and where it is eafy to pleafe her. For example, fhe ufed to plague Alexander Alenfis, y an honeft and learned Schoolman, with a great pain in his head, yearly upon her Conception day, becaufe he did not obferve it. Once fhe ftruck down dead a Preacher, at the very z end of his Ser- mon : and me would have damned a eternally Fran* cm Milet upon fomwhat the like account ; both were very fools for their pains 5 for what needed the one, to preach, and the other to hear Difcourfes, and keep Papers againft her immaculate Conception? Thus when fhe killed b one once, and fcratcht c out the Eie of another ; what plefure temted them to abufe her * Mendofa Virid. I. 2. frobl. 2. n. 14. 1 Chronic. Deip. an. 1231. u Mendofa ibid n. 16. * Chronic. Veip.an. 1360. * Buji. Marial. i.p. Serm. 7; z Henr. de Haffia ap. Gonon. an. 1477. a Chronic. Deip. an. 1430. b Bzvu. 15. Annal. an. 1383. ft »• ' Chronic. Deip t an. 781. poor In the Church o/Rome. 12.1 £oor Image < I pitty more d the honeft Painter whom me ftruck blind, for having once but touched it : or the e maid , and f poor Labourer 5 when I read, huw the ones Thred did intangle it felf about, and flick pittifully to her tongue, formoiftening and fpinning it upon the Annunciation-, and the other fell down flat in his Field for cutting Corn upon the AlTumtion day : as alfo the rich Citizen's Wife, and Child, whom fhe deftroied one after ano* ther •, and damned the Husband befides, for having hanged s about his Wives Bed ( then lying in ) a kind of Tapiftry, that belonged once to her Church. Thefe few Perfons, I fay may give warning to thou- fands not to difpleafe this Goddefs in trifling things, j where it is fo eafy to humor her. But in all other great matters more difficult to flefh and Blood, and more eiTential to Holinefs , let all Catholics be fare !of this to their encouragement to ferve her j that i there is no Sin agaicft the Gofpel , nor no Abomi* nation againft Nature, that this Indulgent Mother cannot overcome and pardon with her great Merci- • fulnefs. Let a Robber but hold his hand, and faft upon a Saturday •, and fall again to killing and plun- dering all the whole week 5 if he chance to fuffcr for it , {he will force Nature h to make him live with his head off, till he confefs, and be faved 5 it may be fhe will go alfo to his Burial, * as once fhe did at Trent y to have it honorably don. Upon the like or eafier terras fhe will refcu a Blafphemer k from * 'ibid an. 15,38. e Vincent. SpecuL Hi ft. I. i.e. 89- t, Vita S. Otton. ap. Sur. 2. Jul. * Sigebert. Chronica p. 154. Edit. Tar is. 1^12. 6 7b. Cantiprat. dt Apib. 1.2. 029. * Cefarius Hijlor. Memorab. /. 7 . 059. *• JobamaEareleta. Sertfl. Ter.4. Hebdom. 2. Quadr- Q^ periihing 122 Of the Adoration of the Virgin Mary, periihing by the fall of a Houfe, and leave others more honeft, but not fo devout towards her , crullit thereby. She will be fo merciful, as to undertake any Drudgery even during fifteen whole years, to fave a whore, i not from fin, but Infamy. The word fort of Inceft, and Murder m cannot overtop her Companion: nor make her Modefty amamed of appearing at the Bar, in behalf of her guilty, but otherwife devout Clients She will go her felt to the Gallows,and there hold up the feet n of a Thief,being a humble Servant of hers, for fear the Halter may hurt his neck, when he is hanging at the Gallows. At laft, when fuch worfhippers as thefe come to die 5 (lie will take fuch care of their Souls, as either to keep them fafe, whole ° years, in their dead, drowned, and torn Bodies, till fome Prieft come to abfolve them : or if Divine Vengeance prevent the Prieft 5 fhe will apply to them p her own Merits, and command her Son to do the like, ( for flie praies him as i a Miftrefs not a Servant ) and keep them from going to Hell, However fome good way or other ( and let Ruffians be Aire of this, having the grace of being Catholics) it is morally imfojftble, I nave a good r Author for what I fay, it is morally impojfible, that any one^ who hath any true devotion for this good Lady y can be damned. For if (lie do not come down purpofely to make them Chaft, whether by laying her K hand on their Breft 5 or rubbing ' 1 Menolol. Ciflerc. 6. Nov. m Vincent. Spe&ul. Bijl. I. 7. c* 93* " Chronic. Deip. an. 1358. Bonfinius Return Hungar. DecaJ. 3. /. 3. * Mendoja. Virid. 1. 2. Trobl. 5. n. 30. 1 Tetr. Damian. Serm. 1. de Nativ. Virg % 1 Mendofa. Virid. I, 2. P?c/>/. 9. f Cbrciiic. Qrdin, Min. part, 4. /• \Q t '. tneij In the Church of Rome. 12$ their backs c with fomthing, (as I faid before, fhe dQth fometimes ) ; me will fave them with that Al- mighty Power which me hath in Hell, as well as in their Church, of being, as me is called, u the Hope, and Advocate of damned Perfons. Do not trouble your feif with this queftion that your beft Doctors are puzled at, x with what Juftice tis poffible for her to fave damned or damnable men $ and to fave them \ after they are dead without Recent met ? It is enough for you to know y me doth it. And what might me not do for thefe Villains, fince me can with her two Angels be a Midwife * to very whores ; your main Intereft is to fee, in return of thefe great Mercies, KindnelTes, and Protections, what Services now me will have. CHAP. VI. Concerning the Adoration and new Waies of ferving the Virgin Mary. X Ji J H E N the Roman Doctors are among them* V V felves, either worshipping at their Altars, \ or difcourfing in their Pulpits, or teaching in their (public Scholes, they freely talk of adoring a the blefled Saints 3 they think them to be Canonized £ Leander. de Viris illufi* Ord. Pradic invita Conradi; u Pfeudon. Ephrem. Syr. in Tbreno Virg. x Richard, de Laudib- Virg. 1. 4. > Rich. ibid. 1 Difcipulus. De MiracuL Mar. Tom. 2. Serm. Exempt. 2$. P alb art. /. 21. c. 13. * Vid. Concil. Nicenum. 2, Q^2 moft 124 Of the new Watts moft principally for this end, that they may public* ly b be adored andpraiedto: and they highly com* mend the Greek, who at his firft Converfion pro- feffed that he did c adore from his heart our Lady the Queen of the world. And their S. Damafcen is herein their great Goliah driving before him all the Fathers with this weapon. Decet enim, &c. it mu$l befo % f or t is fitting that this Mother of God fJ)ould enjoy that which behngs to her Son ', and therefore the Glory of being adored by all men. But when the Papifts are amongft us , tho they keepftill their hearty thoughts, they do quite re- form their Language 5 they are afhamed to fay in England, what they are proud to do at Rome. If you believe what they fay here, it was never heard in their Church, that they muft adore any Saint, s un- lefsby chance it be in that fen fe, in which Jacob a- dored his Brother, and Abigail^ King David : which is no Divine honor at all; buE only fuch a reverence, as is deferred h to Kings, or Fathers, or fuch ho- norable Perfons* and therefore, (and juftly too) why not to Saints i And if you be inquifitive, and prefs them farther about thisFoint, then they will run out into fo many Diftin&ions and terms of Ar£ as will puzleany L3y-mar\:Dulia,Latria y hyperdulia$ Abfolute and Relative Worjlnp >, T>ivine Adoration y and bordering upon Divine; Godhead effent.al, and Godhead participated: fo that it will go very hard with them, if they do not leave him whom they pretend \o fatisfie, as ignorant, and more confound- b Antonin. Sum. fart. 3. /. 22. c. 8. • Sala%ar. Ptov. c. £. v. 15. n. 114. 1 Varrafc. I. Ve Nativ. (5- 2. de Affumt. f Centura Colon />. 22C>. h Cojier. inEnckirict* ed, Of fining the Virgin Mary. 12 j ed, then he was before. They will tell you,' that they intend not, either to adore the Virgin, or to adore her otherwife then refpeclively 5 that it is in a mere relation to her Son: and thofe Intentions be- iBg in their hearts, it is impoflible there to fearch out,either the Truth,or the untruth of what they fay. But if you look to what they do, inllead of heark* ning to what they fay 5 their molt folemn and pra- ctical Devotions have fuch a plain and real language, as mu ft declare to all the world, both what their Re- ligion is in it felf, and what you may bed think of it. 1 . Firft they bellow and accumulate upon the Vir* gin all the bell Titles, which both in the Church, and in the Scripture are proper to God. For in their moft folemn Devotions, ihe is a She a- gainft the Ar'wns^ that the Angel, whom Jacob praied to, when hebleffed his Grand-children, Gen. 4$. 16. is the Lord Ckrift $ becaufe in that praier I Atbanap. Orat. 4. contr.Arian.pag. 260 Edit- Cornel. he 12$ Of the new Wales he is joined with the God of his Fathers : and that this Chrift is very God , k becaufethe Apoftles join him with God, both in their Praiers and their Prai- fes. Grace be to you, and Peace from God the Fa* ther, and the Lord Jefvs Chrift. Rom. i. 7. &c. Theftrength of their Demonftrationconfifts in this, that in all thofe daies, both when the Prophets and Apoftles did write the Holy Scriptures 5 and when the holy Fathers did maintain the Faith which is contained in them 5 no man was feen or heard pray- ing l for any thing both to the Father , and to an Angela or to any other Creature : ( for Popery was not yet abroad ) nor wifiing^ that God^ or his Angela or any greater Creature whatfoever^ would grant or give him any thing* And they take it for an infuf- ferable piece of m Sawcinefs , when the Arians dare couple, ( as upon their Principles they do ) any Creature, with the Lord God. Such was the known Catholic Faith , and Profeffion of the Primitive times ; for otherwife Judicious and learned Men would not have produced it in that manner, as an undoubted Evidence againft fuch fubtil and dange- rous adverfaries. Now both the Roman Faith and practice taking a quite contrary way ; we, I hope, are more bound to think, that the Papifts, who fol- low this, are Idolaters 5 then that the holy Fathers, who went on in that, were very Fools. 3. Thirdly, The Papifts apply to the Virgin themoft illuftrious Places of Scripture, that belong direclly to Chrift : and by this means, either difable all true Chriftians, from the poflibility of proving v Ibid.p;!*,*)' ' Athanaf. fupra. CjrilL Alexdtid. Tom. 5. inThefaur.pag. 11$. Ed. Paris. 1638. m Cyt ill. 'Alex. ibid. vKanltTcHTis.&c.ZKcuo-xCwTai. by Of ferving the Virgin Mary, \ if by the Scriptures, that He is God 5 or prove as well, that She isfo too. I will mention out of many, but few Inftances. Every word almoft of the eighth Chap- ter of the Proverbs, which doth defcribe the Eternal Wifdom of God , which by the Fathers is applied to Chrift alone - y and which is none of the leaft cogent Mediums they ftand upon, to demonftrate him to be that true effential and uncreated Wifdom, is now turned another way , n to deifie their Virgin. It is by her, namely the Virgin, if you believe thofe A- bufers of Holy Scripture, " that Kings reign, and that Cl Princes decree Juftice. v. 15. By her Princes rule, "and Nobles, and all Judges of the Earth. 16. * c Riches and honor are with her, true durable Riches "and Righteoufnefs. 18. She leads in the way of " Righteoufnefsjihe caufes them who love her to have Cc fubftance. The Lord, ( faies ihe, outofthefe Blaf- phemers mouths ) cc poflefTed me in the beginning : of his waies 5 I was fet up from everlafting ; when < c he prepared the Heavens, I was there, &c. and fo all along. They fcruple not ° to fay of her, what God Almighty faies of himfelf, Malack. 1.11. c 'From tc the riling up of the Sun, unto the going down of ' c the fame, my Name ihall be great among the Gen- tils. And that of Chrift, Matth. 28. 18. * "All •' power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth 5 and what John the Baptift faies, p " of her Fulnefs The 29. thus, Bring to our Lady* ye Sons of God, bring praife and wor- fhip to oar Lady- Give fir ength to thy Servants, holy Mother, and blefs them that magnife thee. Let Hea- \ wen and Earth blefi thee, the Sea } and all the corners of the World, &c. The 42 . thus, Like The 44. thus, We I have heard with our ears f Lady, and our Fathers . have told us , that thy Merits are ineffable, and thy Mi- I racks wonderful: Thy Virtues are innumerable 9 and 1 thy Mercies ineflimable. Rejoice in her* my foul, j for many good things are laid up for them that praife : her. Blejfedbe thou, O Queen of Angels 9 ejrc. The ' 51, thus, Have mercy on me f Lady, who art c alt d the I Mother of Mercies, and ace or ding to the Bowels of thy. : Compaffions, make me clean from all mine Iniquities, 1 Tour thy Grace upon me y and withdraw not thy ufual ' Mercies from me, &c- The 68. thus, Let Mary arife, i and let all her Enemies be crufrd under her feet } &c. I The 72. thus. Give the King thy judgments, Lord 9 » And thy Mercy to the Queen his Mother •* Salvation and 1 life, OLady, arc in thy hand, perpetual jfoy and glo- rious Eternity, &c The 73. thus, Truly God is lo' i *uing unto ifrael, even to fuch as worship his Mother, &c. The 84. how amiable are thy Dwellings 9 O La- K dy I jo Of thenewwaies dy of H oft s> &c- The p 2 . it is a good thing to give thanks, and confers to the Virgin Mary, andtofing Praife s to her Glory : to tell of her Merits that rejoice the heart y and to imitate her Works , which rejoice the Jingels.&c.ihe 9^ It is the LordGod,to whom Venge- ance belongs, hut thou art the Mother of Mercy t who turneft him to companion. The #5. thus, o come, let us fwgto our Lady* let us heartily rejoice in the Virgin our Ihe Savior. T he 1 o 3 . Praife the Virgin Mai y , o my Soul* and all that is in me, praife and glorife her name-i drc- The no. thus, The Lord [aid unto my Lady, Mother^ fit thou at my right hand Be thou reigning with me- Have mercy upon me, Lady, Mo- ther of jplendor : enlighten me O thou Mother of Truth and Virtue, &c. The 1 1 7. praife the Lady, all ye Heathen •, glorifie her, all ye Nations , for her Merciful kindnefs remains upon us for ever : whofoever will ferve her, jhall he jufiified: hut whofoever neglecJs her, jhall die in his fins, &c. The 144. begins thus, Bleffedhe our Lady-, who teaches her Servants to fight, ejrc The 148. thus, praife our Lady of Heaven , praife her in the height- Praife her Sun and Moon- And fo all along to the very laft, praife the Lad) in her Holinefs : praife her in her Virtues and Miracles. Let every Spi- rit, or every thing that hath breath, praife our Lady, This Service goes under the name of a Superangelicai and Seraphxal Doctor, a Roman Saint, and a Cardi- nal belldes, whom they call St. Bonaventura. Giye this Wo: ftiip what aime you pleafe, it is all that Da- vid, and Mofes, and other Piophets, could beftow on the Lord God of Ifrael. Now when the fame is btftowedupona holy Creature, how great and holy foever, Of ferv'mg the Virgin Mary. 1 3 x foever, yet a Creature, judge what it is. 5 . Fifthly, Left the Lord God of Ifrael fhould re- ceive any kind of honor from Men, where the Lady had not her (hare : what ever more eminent pieces of Divine Service they can find fcattered in Holy Scri- pture, they will be fure to give it her. For example, that of Mofes, Deut. 32 Give ear ,0 ye Heavens t to what I will ffeak of the Virgin Mary. Magnifie her with me ,&c perverfe and crooked Generation I ac- knowledg our Lady for thy fhe Savior : Is jhe not thy Mother, that hath begotten thee in Faith ? ifthott for- fakefl her, thou art no friend unto our Soveraign Ce- far. o that thou wert wi(e y and wouldeft confiJer thy laft end* As an Infant cannot live without his Nurfe y no more canfl thou he faved without this our Lady. There- fore let thy Soul thirfl after her y and do not leave her till fhe hathbleffed thee- Let thy mouth be filed with her praifc, and fwg of her greatnefs all the day long* That of the fame Mofes at the red Sea, Exod. 1 j. Let us (wg to our glorious Lady the Virgin Mary .* Our Lady is Almighty : Her name is next to God ? She hath thrown into the Sea the Chariots of Fharaoh ejr his HoJl t ejrc* O Lady t thou hafl delivered my soul from the Lion- my dearefl Lady y cover thou me, as a Hen doth, &c> I am all thine , and all I have is thine ■ I will put thee as a fignet upon my hearty &c. That of Jfaiah 12. 1 willftngto thee, Lady, &c- for thou hafl comforted me', my Lady is my Savior » / will trufi in thee t and will not fear. Thou art my firength in the Lord, and art become my Salvation •' with joy will I draw Waters out of thy brook , and I will call upoft thy name ahaies > &c> That of King Hezefyas, m K z ths 1 32 Of the new waits the fame Prophet, 3 8.9. when he was recovered froni his mortal Difeafe. if Aid, in the midfl of my dates J will go to Mary 5 ejre. Father, Mother , and Friends did for Jake me, but Mary hath holden me up. I will pit my truft in hzr** in the morning, in the evejningi and at noon- day* {God) had, as it were a Lion, broken my hones', hut thou, our Lady , hajl delivered my Soul from per ifbing ', my Darling, from the hand of the Dog, fee. That of the three Children, commonly focal- led, dllthfrworkj of the Lord, blefs our Lady : praife And magnify e her for ever :' ye Angels, blefs our La- dy, &c, Bleffed be thou, Crown of Kings : Let eve- ry knee in Heaven, in Earth, And in Hell, bow unto thy Name, fee. That of Zachary, Luke 1.38. Bleffed be thou, Lady Mother, ejre* Save us from all our Enemies \ &c>. and perform the Mercy promt fed to our Fathers and us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our E» nemiesi may (erve thee without fear, &c* And thott Mary jhah be called the Prophetefs of the Highefl, by whom he hath given the knowledg of Salvation^ &c. By the Bowels of thy Mercy, O Morning Star, do thou vi- fit m from on high. To complete Idolatry with atx- furdity, that very Hymn 5 wherewith fhe adored once her God, is with fome parcels of the Song of An- nah y 1 Sam. 2. now turned into an Office to adore her: My Soul doth magnifie the Lord, andmy fbirit hath rejoiced in my 'Lady, &c. There is no Saint like our Lady, &c. Let S ion and tferufalem rejoice and praife Mary, for foe is the great eft among the Ladies of ifrael : She makes poor, andfhe makes rich : She brings lew, and flu lifts tip on high- This Lady of ours is higher then the Heavens, broader then the Earth, and { purer then the very Stars. Sixthly, Of ferving the Virgin Mary: 1 35 6. Sixthly, She is adored with the moft folemn and elevated Office, that the ancient Church could wo fliip God with, namely, TeDeum. Wepraifethee, O ..lary, we * acknowledg thee to be the Lady. All the Earth doth worf\vp thee t as the Spoufe of the ever- lajling Father. To thee all Angels^ &c- continually do cry, Holy,bolp holy>> Mary the Mother of God. The .holy Church thro out all the world doth acknowledg thee f Mother of an Infinite Majefly : Thou art the Queen of Glory, oMary, the Ark of Grace, and the Ladder of Heaven : Thou art the hope of all the world 5 the Sal- vation of them that call on thee ; the Teacherefs of the Apo flies • ' the firength of the Martyrs, &c. O Lady, favc thy People y fjr'c. Vouchfafc-i O Lady y to keep tu this day and for ever- O Lady ^ have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us* O Lady^let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trufl in /^e^.Laftlyjthere is added to her Honor, that Praier which belongs to the Holy Ghoft, Ven\Cre,tor\ and which, fome fay, the Council of Constance at their meeting, were pleafed to prefent the Virgin with. Come Mother of Grace , Spring of Mercy, Light of the Churchy ^ueen, Star, &c. come to defend the Church f to deflroy Her e fie , and to make peace^&c. And in a word, to do any thing that an honeft and pious Council may better expect of the ho- ly Ghoft. 7. Seventhly, There is a whole Bible made and Printed to her Honor, Biblia Maria*. Albertus Ma- gnus^ both a great Scholar, and a great Bifhop, and a kind of Roman Saint, is the Prophet who, as it is thought, compofedit. This Holy Book gives the * Melcb. Inchofern. EJ>. B. M. adfin?m. Virgin 134 Of the new wales Virgin all or b moftpart of what was in the true Bi- ble either faid or inrcnded for God and Chnft. As for Example, in Genefis, she is the truth both of the Al- tar, which Noah built, and of the Sacrifice which he off-red : and the Sweet favor which there was fmel- led, is nothing elfe then her Praier. She is the Lad- der wh ch Jacob faw, Gen. 28. wherewith Chriit is to come down to us, and we are to come up to him* In t xodus, fhe is faid to be both the true Mercy- feat, and the great Altar of Burnt-offerings. In Leviticus and Nmbers, fhe is the Ark of the Covenant, the Rock whence flow the Waters of Grace ^ aud the Star, which Balddm hw,J$-c. In Jojhuah, me is the Border of our Heavenly Inheritance $ the Window, through which we muft efcape and be faved from Je» richo,i\\zt is, from perifhing in and with the World ; the Ark, which marches before us to Canaan^ that is^ Heaven, there to prepare us a refting place ; the Ci- ty of Refuge, where thofe muft feek fhtlter whofoe- ver flee from the Wrath of God, &c. In the Book of Judges, me is the true and great Captain, in whofe hand our Celeftial Father puts the whole Land, Heaven, all Power, and Himfelf. Therefore taheheed, faies this Godly Bible, from going to war without her. In Ruth, lhe is the true Ruth (with more probability then the Captain) who goes to the Fie d, that is the Church, there to glean ears of com left in the Field by the Reapers , that is, fome few which fhe refcues from Devils : Thus me gleans whomfoeverlhe pleafes, for JSo4^hath charged the reaping Angels not to to touch her^Ruth 2. «?. 15,1^. When ihe hath gleaned them, fhe takes them up into the Bofom of her Mercy, and carries them into the fa 3ibliaMari great a number, confecrated to her Service, and Vifi- ted to her honor ; and all in fuch a fpecial manner, that as they impioufly are ufed to fay, c that the Holy Ghoft is jealous of Jo ftp b on her account, be- caule they both are her Husbands 5 God Almighty the Father^ the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, may juftly be Jealous of that Idol, which appearing un- der her Name, gets more Churches to its Service, then God to his. Thofe men cover this Shame but with Figleaves, who give out thefe Churches, to be but * Palaces : and herein as well their own Church books, as their very Goddefs gives them the lie. Their own Church Books ; For they have not one Church confecrated to God, fince Poperie, that is not with the fame words and order confecrated to the Virgin. e San- ttificctur^&c. Let this Church he Sanftifedand con* e Saldxar. Trov. c. 31. «u 11, n. 55. * Bell de Cult. Sana. I 3 c 4. feS. Altera folutit, I Pontifical, Rom*Tit, de Dedication. Mcclef. fee rated, i%6 Of the new waies fecrated, in the Name of the Father , the Son, and the Holy Ghoft to the Honor ofGodar.d of the Glorious Virgin *• and to the memory of fuch a Saint, By which words it appears, that, tho the Palace be pretended to be bat a Memorial, tofuch a Saint, talis Santti^ it muft be a Church to the Virgin 5 or not to God. Since He an She have the fame Rank and Intereft, in that main End, that the Church is confecrated to. I fay that their very Goddefs alfo confutes their di- ftin&ion between a Palace and a Church, whenfo- ever me ^appears abroad for the building either of them. Witnefs the Celeftial f Ladder, and the a- : fcending Angels, and he*r felf above them all, to mark the very Ground, where fhe would have a Church built to her Honor. Witnefs S. Balduin the Ermite ; whom this evil Spirit ( for the s good Spirits abhor fuch things) chidfeverely h for not building a Church fofaft, as file did wifh, in a place- that She had chofen^ for them that would ferve her. Witnefs that large and fquare Stone of Anis, .where fhe declared, what fhe intended for her felf, both in that and alt other places. ^ This is the Place^ faies Ihe, which I have c ho fen to thispurpofe, that h re, and hereafter mortal men may worjhip me and ferve me throughout all Generations. Now , I hope , fuch houfes for Devotion, Praier and Worfhip, by whae name foever you call them, are juit that which we ufeto call Churches : by making them (lately and Roial, you may make them Palaces alfo: but this Magnificency cannot unchurch them. The zfefuitt f Chronic. JDeip. an. 1274.' • 8 S Augufi. contra FauPt. 1. 20. c.i i . item de Civit. l.20pajim, b Chronic. Deip. an. 11 12. * Odo Gificeus. Hi/tor. Virg. Anic. Canifiui Offtrvtng the Virgin Mary.' i 3 f Can'ijius is plain and downright, (and herein more fincere then his good Brother Bellarmin J , for he calls them Temfla Mariana 1 the Tevfles \ o: the Churches of Mary. In thofe Churches they fay that ihe will appear fometimes in a created capacity only, either to flng her part among the Nuns like a Chorifter; 0- tO burn Incenfeto Perfume n the Church, like a 3fa- con : or to give the Sacrament ° like a Prieft. Vijhe y &c. that is, Mrf Son Sylvefter, v/ilt thou take the Bodj of my Son ? or to Confirm her worihippers, and crofs them p all with h^r Sons hand : or to fit in an E- pifcopal Throne, like a Eimop. But at lalt her main purpofe is to appear there more like her felf: to pro- clame before all the world that fhe is the x Mother of God, and the Queen both of men and Angels: (and upon this account Bdlarmms Palace WelL be- comes her ) to fwear y Catholics to her Service : topromifethtm % protection^ andali fpiiitualBlef- fings, upon condition, they Hull pray to her hearti- ly, and at the Service of God both begin a a nd end with her Praifes. Sometimes ihe will take this trou- ble upon her, of teaching the n how to do it. And this is the Model ihe gave and fung oncetoS. Go- drick, S. Maria, &C; b Holy Mary Mother of Chrifty blot out my Sins-, reign in my heart ; and bring me up to Hap fme fs with God alone. God himfelf cannoe 1 have more 3 and Churches by their ufual Gonfecfa- 1 Campus. Ve B. V. I. *,. c. 23. B Bover. Tom. i. Annal. Capucin. ■ ° Chronic. Veip. at. 124S. ' leafid. .Albert. ini'iiaJerJarii * Blo/ius inMcnili. * Jienriquex^ inGuntelin- i^.Sept, z Nicepbor. Ecclef. Hifc I: 1$. c, 2$< * Chronic. Veip. 221. t ', * Matib: Paris, in vita Godric, 8 * 138 Of the new waits tion promife no lefs. And to render this Confecra* tion yet more folemn , as the Ground where thefe Churches ftand is commonly markt outby the VirJ gin: fo the Confecratingofthem to her Service is 1 now and then c performed by her Angels. 9. Ninthly, Thefe Churches of hers have Altars,: which are no part of a Palace ^ and which are dedi- : cated to her Service. Every Altar, even in Chrifts; own Church, is confecrated to this double ufe, to wit d to the Honor of God $ and to that of the Glorious Virgin ; and this onfeveral refpe&s, either e as a Stone, or a Table, or a Sepulcher, or a complete Altar, twenty times. But befides this , She hath as many other Altars, which are proper to her alone ; where if God have anylhare , it is as it were, but by the by. Such as the Rofary Altars 5 Mariana Alta- ria, the Altars of the good Mary- and fometimes under feveral Titles •, f five fuch in one and the fame \ Church. The Holy God of Ifrael never had fo ma- ny in his own Temple. It is both a great difinge- nuity to difguife, and as great an impudence to face out this grofs and opejn Idolatry, with faying as they will, fometimes, that thefe belong to God alone, as Altars : and to the bleffed Saints, as Sepulchers. For, firft the Virgin Mary left no Bones ; if that be true, which they fay, that her whole Body was taken up , and carried by the Angels into Heaven. And if you be fo fimple to believe, what they talk of that great Abundance of milk, which they have got ofher, fince fhe is above, to wit when me is pleaf- 1 cd to come down , and give fuck ( for having a c Odo Gifeus Hijlor. B, V. Anic. A Pontijr'cat. Roman, fupra. * Ibid, f Chronic. Deip. an. 1287. Child Of ferving the Virgin Mary. 1 39 Child on her Arm 5 flie muft needs have milk to give himjthefe Altars are not fepulchers, for they do not bury this milk under them, but keep it among the other Relicks they have of her, Combes, Gloves , Hairs, Shifts and Slippers , very fafe as in wardrobes. 2. It is not a Grave, it is an Altar which fhe ( or rather a quite other Spirit under her Name ) calls for. Go, faies that Ambitious Spirit, and get me % an Altar built by fuch an Image, that it maybe a firing of all Graces to them, who ft all call on my TSamt. Never Saint in the whole Bible fpake near this rate. ia. All Altars being made by their general ! inftitution, both to receive, and to fan&ifie the Sa^ crifices and Offerings which are daily laid upon them$ the Virgin hath thefe alfo , and in an immenfe ; abundance. Gods Temple at Jerttfalem was fcarce (richer then Lauretta is on this account. Neither Gold, nor pretious Stones are too good for her Ma- jelly. If his Holinefs fear the French , as Alexander (the third once did, he will fecure himfelf from that ^danger, by h offering her a Silver ftatue: oras /«« \nocent the 8th. by offering Golden * Medals, and Clothes embroidered with Pearls : or, as the Red- ; neti did for fecuring themfelves from the plague , by (offering her a MafTy Crown k of Gold, and preti- [ous Stones. They that have not fo much, may of- iferlefs, tho it were but a wax-candle, as common i an Offering under this new Religion, as was a pair of 1 Turtle Doves under Mo/es. They that have nothing at all, muft make a vow of vifiting fomeof her Church- e Chronic. Veip. an. 1467. h Gianius Chronic. Setvitor. Mar. an. 1495. ' Job. Burcb. in Viario. 1492. , k Turfel. Lauret. Hift. 1.2. c. 8. S i «. 140 Of *& e ww waits cs. Such vows they fay have faved many from th« fallows, from Shipwracks, Falls, Fires, and all imaginable Dangers $ tho vows before Popery Cam* up, were never heard to have bin made to any Saint, but God alone. But which is more Sacrile-j gions then all either Vow.s and Sacrifices, that which thtycall the Holy M:fsmuftbe celebrated on her Altars 5 that is, the Son of God and Godhimfelf, as they take it, mull: be facrifked to her honor : and in tha.t impious fervice, as I have demonstrated l elfe- where, fuffer more (hame and Infamy to pleafe her, then he ever fuffered on the Crofs, to fave the whole world betides. 11. They allow her in every year eight holy daies. Chrift hath no more of his Chriftians ; nrr are they fo religioufly pbferved. Nothing but de th, or fome other Judgment as bad, threatens the Frofaner of them. Witnefs the Hill, ™ which they fay fell on the Villain 5 who offered to dig upon her Af? fumtion day: and the terrible pain, * which ever troubled honeft AUnfis as long as he read his Schole- Divinity upon the day of her Conception. Con* trarywiie, great Miracles and great Bleflings, will attend the holy keeping of thefe Qaies * for wax*, candles and Tapers n willburnthen a whole night without wafting : And Bifhop Bernard may fall down with his horfc thro a broken- Erid^e without harm , if he do but vow, while he tumbles, that ° he Will obfei ve the Immaculate Conception day. 12. And laftly, The Papifts beftow upon the Vir* 1 My fiery and Depth of re Roman Mate. n Bancius Anna!, an 1^80 * Bufl. Maria!/ 1. part. Seym. 7. p. 2. * Petr. Abbas Cluniac. Miracul. 1.2. C. 30. * Chronic. Pap. an. 14*6. gin Offerving the Virg in Mar y . 141 gin Mary , Proper Mafies, Litanies, Canonical Hours , and both great and fmall Offices, in all Churches, on all Altars, and upon proper Holy daies. Thus the Virgin, or that Goddefs which they take for the blefied Virgin, hath all the Religious Services, (and more) from the Papifts, that God andChrift have or ever had from the beft fort of If- raelitzs, and Chriftians. If God and Ghrift have not enough, then Mofes and the Prophets, the Apoftles, and the Holy Fathers are much to blame, who gave no more: and if they did and gave as much as could make up all the fervice, which God then required at their hands; and which now another Spirit, be- ing certainly a Creature, requires at the hands of Papifts; let the Ifrael of God be the Judge, both what that proud Creature is that craves as much as God ever had: and what thefe Catholics are, that will give it. For what they plead, is foon wiped off. Here a Woman ftands accufed of lying every night with her Neighbor: She cannot at all deny the Facl ; but fhe maintains, that the Fa& is not Adultery; becaufe fhe never lies with him, as with her Husband,but alwaiesas her dear Husbands Cozen and dear Relation. There ftands a Jew, publicly impeached of Idol-worfh;p by the Prophet, becaule he burns Incenfe to the Queen of Heaven. Jerem. 44. 25. The few for his Juftification avows this; but utterly denies that : becaufe he burns not his Incenfe to the Queen, as to the King: and underftands very Well, that this Queen is a Creature. Between thefe two guilty Perfons ftands alfo the Roman Catholic charged with the fame 5 he cannot deny but he hath Churches, Altars, Fom 7 Bibles, Pfalters, Oblations and 142 Of the new waies and Holy daies , and univerfally all thofe kinds of Worlbip, which Chriftians can beftow on God; which for his part he beftows alfo on the Virgin. But this moves him not at all $ he ftoutly clears himfelf (he thinks) of all, by once faying, that he neither honors nor adores with all thefe things the Blefled Virgin, as he doth God, whom he knows to be her Creator, but as a holy Woman, whom he knows to be his Creature. By this Reckoning none of the three, let them do whatever they will in the way of either Carnal or Spiritual whoredom, can be con- vinced of being guilty ; as long as they have but fo much wit, as to diftinguilli, the firft, a Cozen from a Husband : the fecond, a Moon, from a Sun : and the third 5 a Woman^ from God Almighty* Whereas, by their very pleading and excufing of themlelves, they are found to be twice Idolaters. 1. By their Act, which they confefs ; for they transfer on the Crea- ture, what is due to God alone. 2. Secondly by their own knowledge for all what can be don to God (in point of vifibie worlliip, which is all that men can take notice of) they willingly and voluntarily im- part to others, whom they know to be Greatures. By what they do, they (land guilty ^ and by what they know, unexcufable. Never iimple men were more grofsly drawn and inveigled into fuch fins then Papifts are. To begin firft, where I ended laft ; or thefe eight Holy Daies kepc and fet out for the Marian Worfiip^ not one can be called Catholic, nor bear any primitive Date. The very Papifts p cannot deny it 5 and among them the two greateft, namely the pretended Concepti- on, and AiTumtion , as they were the fitted to crown 9 Bell. VeCuUuSanUor.t.^s. 16. fetf. Ad tsrtium dico duo. ■ a mod Offerving the Virgin Mary. 143 a moft compleat Idolatry, fo they came in the lateft of all. That glorious Feaft of the Immaculate Concepti- on, now fo blifsf ull to them that obferve it, and fo terrible to them that do not, was never thought on by their Virgin, nor by themfelves, to any confide- rable purpofe, fooner then above twelve hundred years, after the Virgin her felf was conceived. It was about the year 1300, when this Marian God- defs appeared like a Queen, both of Heaven and all the Angels, both to revele it to S.Peter the Cifiercian, who * knew nothing of it before 5 and to take him for her Husband, upon condition he mould keep it: which he gladly undertaking, her Son came down to the wedding ; and in facie Ecclefu being in a Prieftly Habit, and in the face of the whole Church joined this holy -ftta^and his Mother in & Roman Wedlock together. Her other Solemn and great Feaft, which they call the AiTumtion, and which in the Roman account makes the Virgin as much a Goddefs , as the blef- iz&Afcenfion, among the Socinians, can make Chrift God, is fcarce older. One of the moft skilful of all the Fathers , in Sacred Antiquity , I mean St. Epi- fhanim had not yet in his time heard of it : nor had, a great many years after, pious and learned Pulche- rta, ; when ihe fought s the Virgins Corps in the Holy Land, not dreaming it was in Heaven. Nei« ther could Venerable r Bede^ox Arch-Bifhop * Ado, ( men the beft verfedboth in all true and untrue fto- ' Gononus Chronic, an. 1292. '» Nuepbor. Ejcclef Hifl. I, $. c. 14. 1 Beda de Loiis Sacr. c.6. * Martyral. Adon. 18. Cal. Sept. riesj 14.4 Of th e neiv whits ries ) tell much more • nor had Ludulphus de Saxon id tho a great Adorer of the Virgin, f yet heard of that Legend. Niccphorws^ isthefirft u Romancer, that can diftin&ly tell with what Triumph of men and Angels $he went up, twelve hundred years after it was don. The Blerfed Virgin Mary kept her felf during that interval clofe and happy , like other Souls in the Bofom of Abraham > and under the wings of her Savior. She never thought yet of com- ing forth, either to throw x Gold or Medals into their hand, who kept this Feaft % or to bury y them under ground, who kept it not. Neither mortal Ears had heard till then in the blinded times of the Church, the Angels % finging their Mattins to cele- brate that Fedivabnor mortal Eies feen Trees * both to bloflom and bear Fruit againd nature;nor Hoods and a Frocks becoming as good as drong Boats, to ferry Mo/.ks over a great River, when they would preach the Glory of that day. In good earned:, can an infallible Church, can a true Church be drawn away to new Services , upon the account of fuch Tales < Or if thefe Tales and hundred other, as bad orworfe, be true dories, (as they may be, and I am not he that will difpute it ) what mud we think of that Spirit, which is pleafed to entice us to his Service upon fuch Grounds i This matter proves as bad again, in the Point of Altars and Churches. Fird it cannot be a good Spirit, if created, that calls for either Altars, or Churches. Secondly, it is not a good Spirit neither,' f J)evitaChriJl^art.c.i%6. " Nicepb. ikicf. * Mag. Speculum. Tit. FcHum. Exemp. 2. * Bcrxius fupra. z Cantiprat. /. z.cv 4.7)07, * Gonon. ex Annalib. Colmar. an. 1276. * Cantiprat. /. 2. c.29. n.26. that Of ferving the Virg in Mary 145 that calls for them, by unbecoming, ridiculous, and jugling waies. Thirdly, 'Tis not a true Religion, or a true Church that yields to that Spirit what he calls, for, both on thofe accounts, and by thofe waies. Firft, Such Spirits, what name (oever they take, are to be fhrewdly (ufpected, who call for Churches, Vows, Altars, Offerings, and all fuch other facred fervices, as clearly belong to God alone. And iri exprefs terms , Saint Augufxin] makes no doubt b but that they are Devils. Good dngels, faies this ho- ly Father, do then love m, and foe our fakes do re- joice, when we worfoip the only God\ but if m do the like to them, they are not pleafed with it at all, hut 0- penly cafl it from them. And when feme have thought of deferring alfo to them that honor, they forbad them^ and commanded them to do it to him, to whom alone they know that it can be lawfully done. Herein the Ho- ly Men of God do imitate the Holy Artgels. &c. There- fore^ faies and concludes the c fame Father, (as well he may) whenfome (of thofe Spirits or Saints) have amindto be fervedwith holy Rites and Sacrifices ; and others avert it from themselves, andorder it for God a- lone 5 the very fen fe of true Piety may teach any Man-> how to difcern between that which proceeds from true Religion, and what from a Spirit of pride : for proud Spirits are neither good Angels, nor the Angels of a goodGod. And let J them do what Miracles they mll y even beyond the courfe of Nature, thefe are but fedu- ting Trickj of wicked Devils, which true Vlety ?nu$~i take heed of. Here the Papifts cannot anfwer St. Auguflin, nor fatisfie him at all, by faying, Thatno Roman Saint or Spirit was ever found calling for any k Augufi.iliCiiiit.l. 19. c, xj. c Ibidem, hi J. c. II. T Sacri- 1^6 Of the new wales Sacrifices, that is, for the Blood of Bulls, or Goats, which here St» Augufim underftands •, for then the Father will reply (and out of Porphyrias , an au- thentic Pagan Author) that thefe proud c Devils never cared for the Blood or fmell of {lain Beads, Upon any other account, then becaufe fuch Sacrifices were in thofe daies the Expreffions of Divine Wor- fhip$ as now furely Churches and Maffes are deft i- ned to the fame end, and therefore as much at the lead, if not more defirable and pleafing to them. Who doubts, but all the Gold and Silver Utenfils, which you mail find at Lauretta^ may be as rich Ob- lations, as all that was once at Delphi ? And let any Jeweller tell me, whether one of thofe many preci- ous Stones, which are daily by formal Vows fenc and prefented to that Goddefs, would not buy the bed Bull or Ram, that ever was at any time Sacrifi- ced at Jerusalem f To follow the Roman accounts, one Mafsis better then all what both Delphi and Je- rufalem had together.- and if the Devils anciently craved for the (laughter of filly Beads, becaufe fuch was the folemn worfhip of- J/rael- y how proud may they be now, to lee upon their Altars the Flefh and Blood of Jefus Chrift, which tho in very deed but a Wafer, yet in the Opinion of Papifts, is the mod folemn Worfhip of Rome ? You will fay, that this Flefh or Wafer is not facrificed to the Virgin Mary;, true indeed, but it isworfe-, for it is facrificed to God for her fake , in honorem Maria, Thus , when I make much of a Stranger for my Friends fake, the Stranger hath the entertainment : and God, upon the Roman Piinciples,hath the Sacrifice or theMafs : buc the Friend, and the good Lady, are the main end,and * ibid c. 19.- the Of ferv'ng the Virgin Mary. T47 the main Perfons I look upon, he in the Entertain- ment, and ilie in the Sacrifice. a Thus this fheGhoft underftands it : Thou art my fervant, faies Ihe to a Prieft, offering the Firft- fruits of his Mafs Prieft- hood, when he was finging his firft Mafs : Thou art my Jervantjfor J-have chofin thee (God ufes to fpeak fo to his Prophets) and I will be glorified in thee : I dearly love them of your b Order ^faiesfheto her St. Jor dunes that fucceeded St. Dominic') becanfe in alt their Divine Services, they both begin and end with my Praifes. So, c Go and fay to that Bifiop, becanfe he begins hk Sermons alrvaies with my Praifes,that I will be a Mother to him. I could bring to the fame pur- pofea hundred like, or worfe Examples, Let the -Roman Catholics mew me but one, where any good Angel ever faid as much, or where any Devil ever fpoke for more : If they cannot, who may not fear> what their beft Monks a oftentimes do, left the Spi- rits of former times, which feduced Men under the name of God, of Chrift, of Angels, and Apcftles, now may do worfe under the name and the apparition of the ever BlelTed and Holy Virgin i Secondly, This fear and fufpicion is fufficiently e<- videnced to be plain truth, by the undecent and fool- ill] waies which this pretended Goddefs takes, to al- lure Men to thefe Services. Commonly, to compafs her ends, fhe comes down from Heaven it feems, but however from above the Clouds, either with new- Hoods for Friars -, or Miters and Gowns for Biliiops; or Rofes and Garlands for Maids •, or Pots of Holy Water to fprinkle them all. When (he hadiover- a Gorton. Chronic, an, 1 372. b Leand. Albert, in vita Jordan, de virk lllufir. * Gonon.ib. d Chronic. Veip. an. 1476. T 2 joied 1 48 Of the new waies joied them with thefe Favors , that they may noc want what to fing, nor what to preach and do in her fervice, ihe tells them fhe is the Queen of Heaven, and the very Mother of Grace •, and that they {hall find her to be fo, if they go but to fuch an Image, and there build for her an Altar, or fing to her honor Sanfta Maria, &c. or fome other-like Godly An- them. Often times before ihe leaves them, fhe will kifs them, or fhew them her fine Breafts 5 (bmtimes give a tail: of her Milk, or acknowledg them lor her Husbands ; at the leaft, before her parting,(he is fure %o perfume the Room, and ftroak them on their Heads, and leave them t'ome good Books that will teach them to fing her Praifes. The ordinary con- clusion of all, is this : after fhe hath well bewitched them, what with favor, what with perfumes, they muft pray to her both day and night ; and, if they can, build her a Church or a Chappel, or do fome- thing to her honor. To promote this, Devout Peo- ple mall meet with Images lying here and there a- mong Brambles, under Trees, and under Ground, either crying, or laughing, or doing fome other won- der that needs muft be taken notice of .* and when Men think, that thefe Images call on them merely forfuccor, to help them out of thofeobfcu re places into fome neighboring Church, it proves commonly amiftake-, for either the littie Image grows fo heavy that it is impoflible to remove it i or il you remove it twenty times, you fhall find it the next Morning in the fame place where it was before: and this is the ordinary token, that there is the place where a Con- vent, or a great Church, or at the leaft an Altar, muft needs be buildtd. This good Lady hath in the World hundreds of Churches and Chappels, both made Of ferv'ing the Virgin Mary, 1 49 made and ferved by this device. I need not tell you where I learn this, for no wife Catholic will deny it, or he fhall do it to his iliame. When the Building muft be a work of greater charge and importance, then will the take the trouble of beftirring her felf more vigoi ouily about it ; for in that cafe, either me will fet up fome great Ladder, reaching from the ground up to Heaven, and there bcfyeak. a c Church to her wor flip, or fhe will come down to fome Wall, and there fit like a Shepherdefs, ftroaking with her hand * a flock of Sheep, which (hall turn fpeckled with black and white under her hand, thereby to give a fair intimation, that there fhe muft have a Con- vent of Monks wearing thefe two colours. Or me will make Snow in * Summer, and tell the Pope of Rome in a Dream, that John the opulent Citizen muft there bury his whole fiftate, for the building of St. Maria major, the feventh great Church now at Rome, She will fometimes alfo mew the compafs her Church muft have, either by the means of a ftrange Stag, which flie willinfpire s to runabout, or me will fhevv it her felf with a thred h , which ac this very day is kept for a very great Relic. She counts it no difparagement to be found rooitingonthe ground », under the figure of a Dove 5 or fitting down by a k poor Girls fcrip, whileft (hz goes from her to tell the People where fhe would have a new Church (land. Her Churches of Montferrati and Lauretta^ ftand upon harder accounts • for that is e Gonon. Chronic, an 1274. * Menalog.Cifrerc.-j Oflob. i Idem an. 363. c OJo Giffceus, tfiH. Virg. Amic. h Bilinghem. in Catena". B. M. 1 April. 1 VitaS. Menuverci. ap Sur. 5 Jan. k F)raus. Cot -on. B. V. Ttafl. i.e. I2« buile I ^o Of the new rvaies built upon a Hill, where (be had taken the l pains to keep a Maid alive in her Grave fix whole Months, when her Throat was cut *• and this which ftands at Lauretta, was at firft a private Room in Naxareth ; but the Goddefs being fomewhat grieved m for not being fo well worfnipped in that Country, as flie de- ferved, tranfported it thence to n Dalmatian that is farther then from London to Rome^ all in one night 5 thence me made it jump over the Sea to Recineti $ thence back upon a little Hill •, whence upon a fourth jump, it gotandfetledin that place where now all Catholic Pilgrims do refort , to be cured of all Difeafes. This admirable Houfe had bin hidden hun- dreds of Years out of Mens fight (otherwife ° Vene- rable Bede and Arcutfhm might have found it-*) at laft, after more then 1200 Years burial, it ftarted upa- gain into that part of Italy, where now it is. Moft of the Marian Churches, as they call them, (hnd all uponfuch Fabulous Foundations : and Men muft not be taken for Catholics, unlefs they will ferve the Spirits who will play fuch Pranks to get them Churches. Thirdly, I faid that it is a ftrange Religion, that fteers it felf, and is guided by fuch abfurd Imperti- nencies. The very ridiculoufnefs eilential and inhe- rent to thefePaflages, might ferve better then the Cloven foot, to difcover thefe kinds of Spirits. Men who would he3rkento their own Reafon, and lay Prepofieflion alide, could not take her for a moft ho- ly, and a moft vertuous Virgin, that could at any 1 Hift. Miracul B. V. Month Serrst. m Govon. Chronic. an. 1292. />.*£. 179. Edit. Lugd. 1637. * Turfelin Laretan. Hift, I. J. * Bcda At Loch Santt. c. 1 6. time Of ferving the Virgin Mary, 151 time brag amongft Men of what fhe is, and allure them with Smiles and Rifles, to Worfhip her as a Goddefs. Or in cafe their Reafon were To weak, and fo inveigled with Cuftcm, as not to be able to fee fo much •, if inftead of Confecrated Wafers, Ho- ly Water, and Signs of the Crofs, which they try Evil Spirits with, and which thofe Devils do not care for, they would but confult the Example of the former Ages, and the practice of all Faithful People, much above four thoufand Years •, there they might fee that the Church of God ever had Angels, had Saints, had Deliverers, and fometimes Workers of great Miracles, and yet never had one Altar, nor one Chappel, nor one Image to ferve them with : And that if the very beft of all their either Saints or Angels, had called for any fuch Service, they would have thought him qualified rather for Execration, then for Worihip. The Women of Arabia did come far fhort of the Papiftsin their Devotions to the Virgin, yet St. Efiphanw calls what they did p Di- abolical ; and plainly tells them, That the Devil had put them upon the conferring of fuch Honors. What manner of Spirit mull: it be then, that falls himfelf, and puts the others upon feeking and craving them. If the Blejfed Virgin, faies the Pious and Learned 1 Father, have had a natural death and burial, let her Jleep and re (I in peace-. If /he have bin Jlain by the fword, let her be celebrated among the Martyrs : (for in thofe daies, it feeir.s, her end was not known) If /he hath feen no death at all (for no man^ faies he, knows her end) then let her be as Elias, who alfo was a Vir- gin , and was taken up i f ,to Heaven. None of theft * Epifkanius cant. Ar.tidiccmar, ptg.^. Edit.Bafd. * Ibidem. Sain.'s 1 52 Of the new waits Saints was ever adored-, and'tf r God will not havt tht Angels, much lefs Anna's Daughter, that it, the Vir- gin to be Jo. Churches, Altars, public Fraiers 3 Vows and Sacrifices, do betoken by their own nature, and fee out a fupreme Adoration, to the higheft degree: that it can reach to. For if Adoration, or Bowing and Worshipping in general, mayfometimes fignifie no more then a kind of Civil Honor, as when 'tis faid, Abraham adored or bowed himfelf before the People, Gen. 23. Vowing, Sacrificing, and eretting of Altars or Churches , denotes alwaies Soveraign Worfhip • thefe Acts, as the Jefuits themfelves confefs s , ha- ving in themfelves this inherent and proper fenfe* which no private Intention can make lower,asfome-" times it doth Bowing and Kneeling. Therefore they take it for a good evidence,tO prove our Savior Chrift to be God, becaufe the Church t honors him with Tern- plesy Altars, and Oblations: and fo, faies Bellarmin, if Chrift were not truly God, never fuch an Idol were in the world. And by the fame reafon, if the Vir- gin be not a Goddefs with all her Churches & Obla- tions, in good earned what mall the be < Here no Grove, nor hardly the made of a green Leaf, covers their fin. The Whore may kifs hard her Neighbor, and fay, me kifles him as a dear Friend \ but llie can- not lie with him, and put it off in the fame way, faying, die' doth it meerly upon her dear Hus- bands account, becaufe the other was his Kinf- man : this faying proclames her to be a moil: bold im- pudent Woman, as the very Act proclames her light 1 Id. contr. Collyrid.pag. 44.8. * Belhtrm. dcSanEt.Beatitud. 1. 1. c. 12. [eel. Tertia tfeciesCf- fler. in Enckirid. 1 Bell.dc Chrilio. I. i.e. %.[cSl. Vetuque omnes. and Of ferving the Virgin Maryf 1 5 3 £nd guilty in all the reft. For my parr, I like them better, who tell ingenuoufly what they do, and following the Trade of Idolaters, think they may ufe as well their Language. Sacrificemus, &c. fay fome of them u , that is, Let w Sacrifice to the Queen of Hea- ven, and four out to her Drink-offerings, Jerem. 44. 17. Herebothjews and Romans hit juft upon the fame Idol : the Moon for thofe ; the Virgin Mary (whom they reprefent by the Moon) for chefe 5 and the Queen of Heaven for both. J Abbm Livriacenfts in Rofet. JZxercit. Spiritual. Tit. 4. c . 6. CHAP. VII. Concerning the daily Services beftowedup* on the Virgin Mary. THE Virgin Mary, that is, the Ghcft that valksand appears under her name, doth not poil'efs thefe Churches in vain *• For firlt, They muft ferve for keeping eight great and univerfal Holy- daies, which ilie is allowed every Year ; the Annan* elation, Conceptions &c. God the Father, under the Law, had but three fuch ; and God and Chrift at Home have but eight. So ihe and her Son, are as to this, both of them pretty equal fharers. %. So are they too in every Week ; for if Chrift hath the Sun- day, ihe hath the Saturday before it, and therein thac Weekly Office, fo famous among them for Miracles, and fo pkntitul of Bleflings-, which Service is cal- U led, 154 *• Of the dally Services led , Officium Sabbatinum , that is the Office of the Saturday. But do not think that there is one day, in which you may excufe your felf from fome other more private daily Praiers and daily Praifes to her Honor. i. Not from Praiers; For the beft Matters of Popery fay, a that as you cannot live any one day in the week, without the Influences of fome of the Planets: To can you neither, without the fpecial Afliftance of the Saints: and that the Virgin Mary being the true, or the Original and fuper-celeftial Moon, Luna archetypa & Supramundana, that both qualifies, and immediatly pours down all the Blef- fings, which you can expect from other Saints , as the other Moon doth the good Influences, which you receive from the other Planets ; tis more then fit you mould pray to her every Day, and order your Devotions fuitably to the Temper and ftrength of the Star, that rules the fame day. For example, they fay that upon Munday the Moon hath a pro- per faculty of tempering the Heat of the Blood •, then come with an office lhoit or long, that is proper to that and every Munday 5 and pray to the Virgin for Modefty and Chaftity. Upon Tuefday, wherein Mars reigns , you mult pray to the Virgin again, bun not fo much for Modefty* as for Zeal and Strength and Courage. Upon Wtdnefday, which is the day of Mercury , the Merchants muft pray to her for good Traae 5 and the Lawiers, for Eloquence. Up- on Thurfday, .which is the day of Jupiter, call on the Virgin for high Defigns. Upon the Friday, be- caufe of VerniA^ tor loving kindnefs , and Charity. Upon the Saturday, becaufe of Saturn , for Pru- * Salazgr.FrQver'b. c. 8. v. 34 n. 435.. dence 3 Paid to the Virgin Mary. 1 55 dence. And finally upon Sunday, becaufe the Sun is conceived to rule that day ; you are directed to pray to her, for clear and bright undeiftanding about Su- pernatural Myfteries. You may likewife upon any of the feven daies pray for one of the feven Gifts •, for tho they proceed originally from the Holy Ghoft, they do not think they come toyou otherwife then through the Virgin. In doing this, they warrant you, * that you mall find both the Virgin Ma*y propitious, and the Scripture true,which faies ( when molt impioufly mifapplied from Chnft to a Crea- ture J Bleffedisthe man^ or, all forts of EUffings will light upon the man, who hears the Virgin Mary, and watches every day at Her Gates. Prov. 8. 34. 2; This Goddefs expects alfo after your Praiers, your daily Praifes ; and herein this is the Method, which great men of the Papal Communion b mind you to obferve : Meditate fay they upon the Mun- day, thofe Things, that preceded Her Birth-, how fhe was conceived without original Sin : how (he was adored by Angels : and how c fne had fublimer thoughts, and a better ufe of her Reafon, being yet in her Mothers womb, then men and women ufe to have, when they are come to a full age. Upon Tuefday , you mull: mind her Education and Courfe of life-, how Hie was at three years of age brought to the Temple: how there fhe was ihut up like a Nun ; how there in the Sanctuary, where by Gods Law the very High Prieft is not fuffered to come in oftener, then once in a year , She was fed by the Cherubims^ till fhe was fit for a Husband : then how much the * Sala%ar. ibid. b Job. Mauburnes in Rofeto Exerc. Spirit. Tit. 4. c.6. c S. Bernardin. Serm.De Nativ B.M.a.i.c.2. U z Priefts f)6 Of the Daily Services Pnefts were perplexed about either keeping her there any longer againft the Law, or marrying her againft her Vow 5 and how being ravifhingly fair, fuch a bright Light d fparkled about her Face, that with- out fome help from above, no mans Eies durft look upon her. On the Wednefday $ your task is her Fulnefs of Grace, andhowfheis an unfathomable Abyj/e, whence all Angels, and Saints, and finners mutt draw whatever they want. On Thurfday, you mull: admire her fingular Priyiledges ; her Immacu- late Conception . her Impoflibility of finning: her. Dominion over all the world , Men and Angels , Saints and Devils, &c. On Friday , make it your, bullnefs to meditate on her Paffion, and on her con- curring with our Savior , while he was upon the Crofs, towards the Redemtion of Mankind. On Saturday ; admire all her Joies upon Earth ; when the Archangel fell on his knees, and fung to her Ave Maria, ike. but remember that this joiful Devotion muft not excufe you from one Syllable of her weekly Sabbatin Office. On Sunday , you have a fit time to admire her AfiTumtion, and all herglori- ous Joies in Heaven. What thefe are fhe may bell tell you them her felf. Firft, faies e fhe to S. ArnaU fhw. a huge great mignion of this Ghoft, my firft joy is, that at my Afiumtion there, I found a greater Glory then can be uttered or thought of : and that my Glorious fulnefs goes beyond that of both Saints and Angels. My fecond Joy is, when 1 do fee the whole Ccleftial Hierarchy irradiated about by me, jufras the day is by the bun. My third Joy is, to lee both the Hofts of Heaven to obey me : and the 4 Pionyf, Cat thus I \.de land Marte.c. 39. e Henrique^ Meitol.CeJrero.^.Jun, whole Paid to the Virgin Mary. J57 whole Trinity to agree kindly with me. My fife Joy is ( for my Author hath not the fourth ) to fee my devout worfhippers thriving both in this and the other life, according to my hearts defire. My fixe Joy is, to find my (elf highly exalted above ail An- gels, and by a fmgular Priviledg, fee clofe to the Trinity. My feventh Joy is, tohefure, that this great Glory of mine lliall never fail. She confirmed the felf fame thing, * to *$. Thomas ol Canterbury. So upon the credit of two diftinft Apparitions, all this is as true as the reft 5 and you have work enough for a whole week. 3. But here is more; when you have fuificiently difcharged all the Duties, which belong to the Year, to the Week, and to the Day 3 you muft think of the Seven Hours. In former times, of twelve hours in the day, the Church had appointed Seven, called thefeven Canonical hours for the public Service of God ^ and now fince Mary is come abroad, and the Monks z are in requeft-, The Roman Church thinks ic no robbery to mai what with it, what with the horror of the wild place wherein they were , that they thought of leaving both the Placed and the Miracle of the fe- ven Stars. But then comes to them an old man, with long white and curled Hair who alTurtd them from God, ( as he pretended) that the Vir- gin Mary would protect them, if they would but read every day Preces ejus Horarias, that is herfmall Office at the due hours. So without any more ado they took her for their Patronefs, and confequently for their fhe God : and fince that time her Praiers went on. A while after the old man, came an An- gel, i who advifed them to put in between the firfl: and the third hour, Ave fanffa Parens, and one Mafs more to her Glory; and if you pleafe to believe all , Chrift himfelf r di&ated a Rule to S. Briget, where he commands them of that Order, torepete every day the faid Service. No mortal tongue can exprefs, how much that ambitious Spirit , who aiTum the Virgin Marks Name, is delighted with the hearing ofthofe Prai- ers. She now and then will come to fay s them her felf, when tired or fick Friers, as Herman was once > • * Status in vita Brunon. 6- QUob, * Chronic. Cartbus. I. 5. c. $. * Anton. Caracciol. ap. Al. Ga^ pag. 108. i Ai,Qa%jaui. deOfic. B. M, pap. 94. Edit. Atrcbat. 1622. X cannot 1 6z Of tie daily Services ' Cannot do it. She will come down alfo and leare Heaven and all to hear them, and in a c Majeftic Apparel will fmile upon, and kifs the Chorifters, if they happen to fing them well $ and if this be not encouragement enough, She v ill make her Son (a Baby whom fhe commonly carries about ) , run a- bout them, and exhort them * to be fervent in her Service : and tell them that nothing can ever be more acceptable to God Almighty,then is the honor which they (hall bellow on his Mother : efpecially when they fall upon fome verfes, as is in ringing the Te Deum, When thou tookefi, &c. thou didii not abhor the Vit gim Womb ', y her heart jumps and leaps with joy, and fo St. Ludgard advifes his friend then to bow down to the very ground. At the words Eja Advocata, * (he promifes to fpeak to her Son. At thefe words of the Antiphom , Pulcra es y & deco- ray a that is, thou art fair and gracious, She prefent- ly came with two Angels, and proud with hearing her Beauty praifed, (lie took a young man from the Altar, and perfwaded him to take her for his Wife, fince (lie was fo beautiful. Hence her Roman Chaplains argue well , b that if fhe be fo taken with fome Parcels of her Office, how much muft fhe be with the whole. It is upon this account, and her being charmed with thefe CarelTes, that (he' hath nothing about her too dear for her Spiritual Courtiers. She leaves all her Nobles above, to converfe veiled and ■ hooded , and ling like a de- * Chronic. Veip. an 1230. * Wadd. Annul Min. Torn. 3. an. 1338. ' Ga^. Ibid.p.CfC). a stell.B. V*l. 12. c. 10, Gaz*u$. p. 91. b At. Ga^ausde Offic.B.V.fag 8. e Gown, Chronic, an. 234. vout Paid to tht Virgin Mary.' X i£j rout Nun, among her white and black Friers ; fhe fetens to admire them, when they fing ; ihe kiflfes them when they have fung; and whilft fhe is hot and bufy with an exceffive Paflion to divert, by all means poffible, thefe fupreme and Divine Services from God to a mere Creature , nothing difco- yers the D^vil mere, then this fooliih overdoing. But to by afide thefe fond kindnefles of killing, fucklinps and marrying men, and hiding them un- der her Coat, which zFairefs, or a white witch could better do ; the Magniricency of her Promi- fes, backt as they are by the Roman Church, muft be a greater Temtation. For what would you have more terming then this ? By this [aving Office, fay they, h t4 if you ufe it now, efpecially when his " Holinefs hath improved it with Apoftolical Indul- gences; i. You may lay claim to Heaven, not wrong ft thou my Chaplain, and take 'si thou from him what thou didfl not give i At lair, after many found ftripes, the Bifhop being taught good manners, was glad to cry out peecavi, and to reftore to that worthy Man, the ftipends which he had kept from him. This is but a temporal Concern ; but here is one which is Eternal. It is fbmewhat long, but it con- cerns all Men to know it, and I have it from the fame Saint K An ugly Fellow named Bajfus, who died a fudden death, had the good luck to die fa in coming from cne of our Ladies Churches. He having bin in his Coffin the greatefr part of the flight after his death, rofe up out of it fuddenly,both arTrighted,and affrighting others: for with a terrible tone he cried for Praiers & Litanies, to fcareaway thofe ugly Spirits who watch'd for him about the Room : and at laft being come to himfelf (for Ave Maria, and Holy Water, had foun frighted the De- vils away) when my poor Soul, faies lie, parted from me, prefently came on lome black Troopers 5 this Fellow, faid they, is our prize, for he hath ever lived after the Fiefh, and never knew what the Spi-? ' Cardin* D'amian. I 2. Ep. 14. £ Curd- Damian. fupra. Taied to the Virgin Mary." i 6 5 ritwas. His good Angel cculdfay nothing, but that he was dead in the fervice of their Miftrefs the Queen of Heaven, and that whofoever hath her fa- vor, cannot perifh by the power of any Judg. To this they make bold to reply, that God being Juft, would do nothing for a Sinner to their prejudice ; and thereupon the Devils grew fo earneft after their Prey, and the Angels, on the other fide, fo remifs in keeping their charge, that the Wretch was upon the point of being given up, as he deferved ; when, behold the Queen of Heaven came among them, and an Army of Celeftial Soldiers with her, and with fuch a fplendor befides, that the Devils durft not lookup. Nevertheless, with reverence they pro- tefted againft the wrong which the former Angels had done them, in detaining from them their juft Prey ; and that if God and fhe were juft, they could not refcue fuch a finner out of their hands. The Queen confeiTed he had bin fo, but yet her Son and Lord would never fuffer, that one, who had ended his daies in her fervice, as this Fellow had done in going to vifit her Church, fhould ever fuffer their Cruelty: and withal he had confefled, tho he had not the time to do Penance. Hence the Devil took a fit time to tell her what a Villain he was, and what ugly Abomination he had never confeffed (and that is true, faes the revived Man of himfelf) at which the Mother of Mercy ftarted : but at lail,after a kind of niodeft filence in reverence to this plain truth, having fomewhat recovered her felf; It is as you fay, faies fhe, but yet of courfe Mercy goes before judgment. Go back again to thy Body, faies fhe to him, and then confefs to fuch a Prieft (vvhpm fhe named.) vhat thefe Spirits lay to thy charge 5 and 1 66 Of tie daily Services and in my name charge fuch Friars, (whom flie na« med alfo) to take upon them thy Penance, Then come again without delay, for I will not ftir hence till thou come. The Rafcal being confe(Ted, faies the Cardinal Damian> i and the Holy Friers having taken upon themfelves the fatisfacTion enjoined him by the Confeflbr, died again, bur as fweetly, as if he had but fallen afleen. A happy Sinner in* deed, who can find fuch a Savi refs, as will give way to all his Crimes, and fecure him fro n punifhment. Men troubled in their Confciences, and unwilling to leave their fins, do not confider the Abfurdity, tho vifible, in all fuch Stories,but fee their iwn con- veniency ; and what could pleafe and fit then bet- ter, then fuch a protecting Goddcfct Add to this Enchantment of daily Praiers to the Virgin, the Devotion of Fafting and Hearing one Mafs to her Honor every Saturday *, the Temtation will be ended, and your Soul fafe. This v eekly piece of Devotion on Saturday , Offi;ium Sabbati- num> is grounded, as they fay, l upon three Rea-» fons. i. Becaufethe Saturday and the Sunday, or the Ladies day and the Lords day, as do the Lord and the Lady, go together. 2. Becaufe as God the Father refted upon that day, and kept it holy under the Law, fo muft the Goddefs his Daughter and Wife do the like under the Gofpel. 3. Becaufe fhe is an entrance to Eternal Life, as Saturday is to the Sunday. But if you will be fo refradlory as not to acquiefce in thefe Reafons, be you fatisfied with a Miracle. They fay, m that in the Year 770. (it is pity it did not happen fooner, that the Holy Apo* \ Eur and. Rational. I. 4. c. I , m Gonoo. Cbron. an- 770- ftles Taid to the Virg in Mary. x6y files and the Fathers might have obferv'd it) a great Cortin, that hanged before our Ladies Image all the Week long, was miraculoufly drawn up, as they fuppofe, into Heaven, from Friday at Vefpers, to Sunday Night ; fo that the People could fee her Face for the fpace of 24 hours, and adore her ac- cordingly. This Miracle conftantly veiling and un- veiling the Virgin Mary on Saturday , as well as the other, that the Night of her AfTumtion made all forts of Lights burn without wafting, is quite abolinYd.* But the Benefit, and the Charm to in- duce you to hear her Mafs," Mijfa d* S. Maria in Sabbato, is ftill the fame if you believe them, and, by what Men find fince, far greater. It may be now they will not be fo plain with you, as the poor Wid- dow n was with the Robber one day, to tell you ; Sir, do what you pleafe all the Week long, only abftain from doing fo on Saturday ; this one daies Abftinencewill fofar expiate all, that either dead or alive, you fhall have time both to confefs and to «fcape: but they will induce you to faftthen, and to hear Mafs to the Honor of their Goddefs , by fuch miraculous 'PafTages , as muft oblige you if hearkened to, to believe more. Witnefs the Head of that Villain, which being * cut off, tumbled down a Hill to the very door of a MafsPrieft, and there both cried for, and obtained accordingly, Confeffion and Salvation together. Witnefs alfo theRofe ° growing in fign of Salvation out of the Mouth, and appearing upon the Tomb of that o- ther debauched Fellow, who efcaped Hell merely " 77)om, Cantiprat. deApib. /. 2. c. 29. w. 24. * Ibidem 9 Vincent. Eellaar- L 7. C. 102. 4=r 103, wpen 1 6 8 Of tht daily Service upon the account of not having raviflieda Maid, both becaufeher name was Mary, and that it was on a Saturday. So thankful and fenfible is this God- defs for mean Services 5 andfo either blind and in- dulgent to great Abominations. I forbear the pro- ducing of more inftances to this purpofe, becaufe they may be both too well known, and too great fnares toourCatholic Profelytes. Here the Car- nal and the Spiritual Whoredom, fufficiently help one another. GHAP. VIII. Of another fecial Inducement to Popery, ly a more eafie way of ferving the Virgin by Beadsy which they call the Rofary. j"^HE Rofary muft needs come in , after the i good Ladies hourly Service. For they a hold, that thefe two are the Wings in E%ek. i . that carry up the Cherubiins, that is, the Devotions of Pious Souls into Heaven : and the two golden ftaves, Ex- od.i$. wherewith the Ark of the Lord, or rather our Ladies Covenant is carried over the whole World. And if they feem to carnal Eies but con- temtible, thereby the better they refemble the two celebrated Gofpel Mites, which being devoutly of- fered to the merciful Queen of Heaven, and cad in- • AL Ca^etts. de Offic. B. V. pctg- 6-j.fa6$. CO tailed the Rofaryr 169 K)her Trefury, Luk.- %%• go far beyond all the rich- eft Gifts. The Rofary, otherwife called the Virgins Pfalter, is a new manner of praying, which, faies JNavarrus, b never was, nor can ever be valued at what it is worth : for it is made up of 1 50 Ave Ma- ries, and 1 5 Paters tacked together with little but- tons upon a ftring. There was before in the %oman Church a lefler fet of 50 Avesznd 5 Paters, which they call Beads 5 and a middle one of 63, in memory of all the years which, they fay, the Virgin^ived hereupon Earth ; which is called the Virgins Crown* Corona Maris. Thefe had bin * intended by an Eremite for the ufe of Soldiers , who had no better Books , nor could conveniently carry them to the Holy war. But this of 1 5 o Aves y and 1 5 Paters, both run over devoutly, and meditated on together, is a quite other kind of thing, as well in worth, as Ex- tent* They fay that the Goddefs her felf infpired it to St. ~Dominic about the year 1200. and blazed it abroad into\he world in the fight of 12000 men, with both the found and the fplendor of fuch won- derful Miracles, as, if true, muff needs make it mod Authentic. I am as unwilling as any man to trou- ble my felf with Romances. But let us not be loth to hear, what men turning Papifts are given over to believe. When firft St. Dominic began to preach this Ro- fiiry, there fell a Demoniac d at his feet, and cra- ved his aid againft the Devils, who did then make him roar and blafphcme. Wherefore the Saint be- h Hart. Navar, T>e Rofar. Mi [cell. i.n. 1 . * Cuilielm. Tyrius de Bello facro. * Legcrida S, Dominici ex Jordan. Conflanthu Vmbcrto, fee. X ing ijo Of the R oma n Service^ ing well pleafed with this occafion of confirming by fome fixange Feat?, what he had Preached, leaves his Sermon ; and in the Nime, faies he, both of the Virgin Mary, and of her Service, which I ftand for, O Hellifh Spirits I ccmmand you, toanfwer me to thefeQuefticns. i. You mufttell me, wherefore you torment this poor Man, and how many you are in him. Wou'.tom, fay theSpirits 3 it is not in our power, to refifi thk Adjuration : We have taken hold of him , both becaufe of his Irreverence to the Virgin Mother of God, (tho we hate her as much as he doth)5c becaufe of his unbelief; for everfince this Month and more, that thou art Preaching the i?o- fary, this Heretic hath continued as incredulous as before. Now we are fifteen thoufand Devils in him, becauCehe did blafpheme againft the Rofary y Whereof the Ave contain? five words, and the whole Pfiiter fifteen Paters, that this Rafcal offered to laugh at. 2. Saies St. Dominic, by tljis Rofary you mufr. tell me, Whether all that I have Preached con- cerning it, be true or not. Then all the Devils be- gan to fall to fearful Curfings and Howlings, why did we not choak this bafe Fellow when we took him ? Now it is too late, for this Holy Man holds us in fiery Chains, igriitn Catenis, and forces us to fpeak the truth. So hear ye all Men and Women, Whatever this our bitter enemy hathffoken, either of Mary, or of her Rofary, ps very true • ar.d unlefs ye believe it, yau /frail peri//;. 3. Thirdly, faies S. Do- minic, you mutt tell me, Who is the Man whom you hate moft. Thee, fay the Devils, for with thy Ser- mons and Praiers, thou JJjeweft every one the way of getting to Parad /?, and efcaping out of our Hands. Then the Saint being modefl at this, andconfeffing himfelf Called the R ofa ry; 171 himfelf a great finner: Curfed be, fay they, this ci- vility, which puts us all to this torture. 4. Fourth- ly, S. Dominic throwing his Mantle about this De- moniacs Neck, which made him fpue ugly matter ; I muff, faies he, know of you, who is the greateir. Saint in Heaven, whom you fear moft, and whom Men cught to love and ferve beft. At this Query, the Devils roared fo horribly, that all the People fell to the ground : Dominic, Dominic, faid they, havefome compaffion ; he content with what Hell makes vsfuffer, and do not put us to new Torments. At the leaft, webefeech thee, do not force us to anfwtr to this fublicly. (it feems they wculd have condefcended toan Auricular Confeffion.) Nay, faies Dominic, but you (hall give a clear and pubic anfwer. But they being a little ftubborn, St. Dominic falls on his knees, and thus praies to the Virgin Mary. moft excellent Virgin, by the Tower of this thy V falter, 1 hefeech the e make thefe 1 nemies of Mankind to fatisfy my Quefiion. At this Praier, prefent y F Lines of Fireburft out at the Mouth of the poor Wretch: and all the Devils cried out,by the P^ffion cf Chrifr, the Merits of the Virgin Mary and the Suffrages of the Holy Church, we befctch thee, O Dominic, do not keep us here any longer. The Holy Angels can revele to thee at any time what thou wilt know; and as for us, we art fuch Liars, as no Chriftian can believe us. But the Saint fell to another Praier, O worthieft Mother of Vvlfdom, for the Sal- vation of this good People, who have learned in this Rofary to falute thee, force thou thefe £ nemies jo de- clare to us the plain truth. He had fcarc e r .cc an end of Praying, when behold, flie comes v^ith a Ti oop of above an hundred Angels arqied with gqU Y 2 den 172 Of the Roman Service den weapons •, and in the midft of them the Vir- gin with a golden Rod fell foul on the Devils Backs. Then fell all the Devils to new howlings ; Dam- ning foe, who emtieft Hell , and makeft the beft way to Heaven; thou doft force us againft our will to (peak out truth, and our ownConfufion. Hear ye therefore, O Chriftians ; This Mother of Chrifh is too potent topreferve her devout Servants from ever fall'mgihtoour h*nds. It is /he, who breaks all our Plots: and Wi conffs, that whofoeyer keeps to her Adoration and Service, can never be damned with us 5 we never can prevail againft any one of hsr Peo- ple. She faves many againft our Rights •> at the ve- ry moment of Death ; and were it not that fie fru- slrates all our Defigns, we might have long ago made all her Church fall from the Faith. To fay all in s words no man who makes ufe of her Rofary, can be damned- S. Dominic having by this time what he lookt for, bids the People to fay the Rofary 5 then O Miracle never to be forgotten ! at every Ave Ma- ria, & Troop of Devils under the figure of burning Coals, breaks out of that Heretics Body *• and be- ing all out , The Virgin gives them her Bleifing, and goes her way. The Conclufion and defignof all this is, all forts of People from that time applied themfelves in good earned to the ufe of the Rofiry J and to the worihip oiMary. Chrift and all his Apo- ftles never thought of making thus the Devils to preach his Gofpd ^ no more did Mofes , or Elias employ them fo, to confirm the Law. It feentsthe Rofary, as to its end, hath neither Chrift, nor Eli- as, nor Mofes, nor any true Saint to favor it$ and therefore tis no wonder , if it was helped by other waies. Never- Called the Rofary. 173 Neverthelefs all the World was not fo generally blind and fottifh, as not to fee, that the Devil could tell a ly, and juggle then with S. Dominic ; and fo this new fort of fervice having no better ground to ftandupon, then the warranty of the Devil, madefo little Progrefs in the world, that the fame fprite under the Name 01 the Virgin Mary 400 years af- ter was fain to appear e to another Saint, and with extraordinary Favors, ( as Rings made of her own hair ; and milk which (he Drew out of her own Bred) to enchant him to the fame Ser- vice. At the firft it was called our Ladies f Pfalter : be- cause the Lady hath there 150 Salutations, as in the Bible the Lord hath 150 Pfalmes. Now itiscalled the Rofary, either becaufe of the Sweet Comforts, that, s as they fay, it perfumes Devout Hearts with: or more probably, becaufe of a fweet odour, fweeter then that of any Rofes, which devout wor- fhippers pretend to fmell, at fuch Praiers. Herman^ this Ladies great Mignion, did fmell it fo per- fectly, that at each naming otMary, h he (looped his nofe to the very ground, that fo he might have it the frefher: and they tell us of an old man of the fame Confraternity, that at any time or place fo- ever, when and where he faid his Rofary, ' he was revived with this Aromaticai Fragrancy. Nay the very hand of Saint Cdncilia^ * even after ihe was 5 GonotK, Chronic, an. 1476. ' Bulla Sext. 4. * Martin Ravar. Ve Rofar. Mifcell, u k Chronic. Deip. an. 1235, ' Ibid. an. 1594- * Ibid. an. 1507. ^UitC 174 Of the Roman Service quite dead, did fmell, they fay, better then any Rofe, by often touching her Rofary. This fmeil is invented to peifwade men of the Ex- cellency of the matter •, which Excellency is quite other, as they take it, then could be had, either from the breath of an Arch-angel, or the mouth of a Prophet. For the Roman Church hath improved it to fuch a form, to fuch an end, and tofucha fignifi- Cution, that, now it hath a hundred Myfteries in the mouth of a Catholic, which it never had in that of the Angel, thoyou lTiould grant as they will have it, that he J fung it upon his knees. For as they take it Ave, that is, fine v hath it written in letters of Gold, upon r her breft. Many People, who knew nothing but the three or four firft words of this Angelical Salutation, s have bin, as they fay, as well faved therewith, as if they had known the whole Gofpd. And all the * Ro- fes, and white Lilies, nay f Trees fometimes with thefe letters upon their leaves, which the Virgin Ma- ry ^ or rather fome other Spirit makes often grow upon their Graves, and out of their very Mouths, Nofes, and Ears, who did make it their buimefs and their whole Religion to fing it, are among Roman Catholics , a mod: fufficient Evidence both of the Excellency of thofe words, and of the efteem fhe makes ol them. Befides all this Depth and pregnan- cy, which thefe words bear in their fignification • they think them to carry often alfo fuch a miracu- * Anton'in. 4 part. Tit. 15. c.20. * Chronic. Veip. an. 1303. 1 Vita S. Margarita. Chronic. S.Tranc. c 3* r Conon. Chron. an. 294. ■ Chronic. Veip. an. 1149. Ren. Benedict, de Vit-SS. J. Nov, Tb Cantiprat.l. 2. c 29. [eft. 9. c Molan. Indie. SS.Belg. n Ren. Bened. ibid, f Chronic* Veip. an, 1149. lous 176 Of the Roman Service lous ftrength in the found, they are fpoken with, and in the very Ink and Paper, they are written in, that no Charm can be ftronger. What do you think of that x Infant , which, being yet not above fix months old, did ling it our in a full Church, when there was neither Clerk, no ; other Chorifters to do it? Was it not a clear infpira< n, that moved your Angelical S. Thomas, being yti an Infant, as the e- thcrwas, to take up y a loolefaper, where this. Sa- lutation was written; andtoholditinfpight of his Mother, till he had (wallowed it down? But what do you fay to the little Bird , that * having bin taught by a Nun, to prate Ave Maria , and being fnatcht away by a Hawk 5 affoonasthe Bird cried the two words (with what underftanding or devo- tion you may think ) prefently the Hawk fell down dead •, and the poor Bird fled back again to her Mi- ftrefs. Now, ifthefe few words, an incohfiderable pare of the Rofaryicm do fuch Feats 5 what may not one hope of the whole t when S. Dominic had put it all in a Packthred , and call it about a ones Neck, he could overmafter any Devil. One of his Captains named Antony (_ for S. Dominic was a Warrior ) could b caufe the Clouds to rain hot burning Bul- lets upon his Heretical Foes, by hanging it to his Banner* And it is confidently reported, that Brave Montfird c once routed an hundred thoufand of them, with this Weapon. Now you mult know, ( otherwife you do not de« * Ibid. an. 1 598. » Vita S, Thorn, ap. Sur, 7. Mart. 2 Butt, in Maria!. ii.Serm. 1. ■ Magn. Specul. Tit. Rofarium Exemp 1 . fc Planus lie Infults in RofaB.M. c chronic, Veip.an. 12 13. ferve Called the Rofary. J 77 ferve the Name of a true Roman Catholic ) that the Re far y with the hundred and fifty Angelical Saluta- tions, well rehearfed and minded together, befides the fenfe of every word, ( which reaches high ) con- tains in its whole Contexture the fifteen great My- fteries, which are d celebrated by fpecial Mattes. "What thefe Myfteries are, is a Myftery to Frote- ftants, as it was to the holy Fathers-, but of late times the Roman Catholics have got them all by fpe- cial Revelations from the Virgin. Of thefe 1 5 Myfteriesjthe firft 5 e are called 6 -audio* /rf',the 5 next DokrofaySt the laft 5 Gloriofa Gaudiofa; that is, the firft five joiful Myfteries,are the five great Joies, that, the Virgin had upon earth, as they fay fhe hath reveled to Come of her friends; the firft was, when the Archangel Gabriel got into the Sanctuary, the doors being fhut,to falute her with an Ave. 2. The fe- cond, when Elizabeth falutedherby the title of Mo* ther of "the Lord. 3. The third, when fhe was deli- vered of her Travel. 4. The fourth, when fhe pre- fented both her and Gods child in the Temple. 5. And the fife, when fhe found him twelve years after, di- fpuring among the Doctors. What the remembring of thefe Joies is worth,you may learn by the Experi- ence of that holy Mo «£, whowhilfthe was mutter- ing them by an Altar, heard an Oracle from Hea- ven, f in thefe words, Gaud .um^&c. thou baft ceki. brated my Joies on Earth : Thou foalt have great Joies hereafter. The fecond 5 Dolorofa, or full of Grief, are about the Paffion, as at the laft farwell , when Chrift went " Mifial. Rom. in MiJSa Rofdr. ' Navar. de Rofar. Mifcell. 20. n. i. i Card. Damian. an. 1360. 1 to 1 7S Of the Roman Service to Jerufalem : At the fight of the Crown of Thorns : At the hearing of the Hammer beating the Nails up- on the Crofs, &c. They fay that a very lew'd Ras- kal, and a Magician beiides, wasfaved from Hell upon this one account, that tho he cared neither for God, nor for his Mother, s yet he had the grace to think of thefe Griefs, whensoever he palTed by her Image. The laft five Myiteries, which are called Glorio- fa, or glorious Joies are 1. Whenfhe faw her Son arifing out of his Grave. 2. Going to Heaven. 3. When the at the rentecoft received the Holy Ghoft. 4. When fhe faw her felf above waited upon and courted by Ghrift, dec. Now if any third part of thefe fifteen Myfteries, can, as you have Examples for- it, fometimes refcue a Soul out of Hell 5 fometimes bring down the Virgin Mary from heaven •, and fome- times make Altars fpeak out ; how ftrong are the fifteen together? Nor istnisall. The R ofary one way or other in- volves within its proper Extent, beiides the 1 5 My- fteries, 165 Contemplations 5 h about what both Chrift, and his Mother did together : and every one of thefe Contemplations muft be applied to every Pater or 4ve. So no man living can fay how far the holy Rofary can reach. It is but a fm all trial of it, to fee it fheltering ' Monks a gain ft aftorm, as well as the Roof of a ftrong houfe could: or to fee Angels gathering k Lilies utvtiy Pater, andaixo/e at eve- ry Ave that is faid h and making Garlands and Po- fies for them, 1 who are careful to pray that way. e Chronic Deip. an. 1 360. i Chronic. $. Franc. 1. 1. c. x6. k Autor Method. Admirab. fol. 210. 1 Chronic.Ord. Miner, par* 3. It Called the Rofary. 179 It is fomewhat more to fee horrible Blafphemers carried m away by ftupid Afles from the Gallows into Holy Churches, for once undertaking the Ro~ fary : or to fee the Virgin her felf breaking on this account n all the Halters that fhould ftrangle con- demned perfons $ or keeping them ° fo flack and loofethat they could never flop their breath. But what can a Villain wi(h for better, or a holy man find more horrible, then is what they fay or dead Whores, p arifing out of their Graves by the power of their Rofary, an hundred and fifty daies (anfwe- rable to the 1 50 Aves ) after their heads had bin cut off? The Woman lived but two daies after ; for ilie came merely to confefs her fins, *nd to have Abfo- lution 3 then being dead : after 15 daies more fan- fwerable to the 1 5 Myfteries, and to the r 5 Paers ) being in the form 1 of a bright Star, (you fee what wanton Ladies may come to) flie appeared to St. Dominic, to tell him what he knew before , ( but fuch Things cannot be too well known) that there was nothing in the world comparable to the Rofary, both to fave all forts of finners, and to pleafe the Holy Virgin. I fay St. Dominic knew it before ^ for when he praied againft the Albigenfes , r the Queen of Mercy appeared to him , and had him to fet up the Rofary, and to teach all men that form ofPrai- er as moft acceptable Service both to her ft If and to her Son. And be fides this Inflrument, faies (lie, /hall be a fingular weapon to destroy Hcrefies and Vices : to advance all forts of Vertue : a,nd to obtain both the Divine Mercy, and my help. » Lipe%. deRofar.l. i. c. 10. ■ Chronic. Veip. an, \A%. 9 Pat. Arcbang. Gian. dc Rofar. v Alan 5. part. c. 62. * Ibid. l BoviusTom. i^.an. 12 13. Z z All 1 80 Of the Roman Service All this was farther reprefented by two notable ViHons, whichaBifhopfaw in a Dream. In one he faw S. Dominic, s making a Bridg with 150 Towers upon it, to bring finners into a Garden, where the Queen of mercy was giving Crowns to others^ but tohimfelfa fharp Cenfure, for his being not found in the Faith, concerning that Article of Catholic Religion. But in the other, this prelat being grown very little better, by what he had feen in the for- mer ; he found himfelf and many more in a moft {link- ing : Lake, and Puddle, where certainly they had binchoakt, but that both the Goddtfs, and the A- fettle of the Rofary let down from above a long Chain made of 1^0 fmall Rings 5 and fome few others bigger among them* by means whereof all were dra^nout. Thus far you fee, what the Holy Rofa or my fweet Lady ( faies the Catholic woifhipper, as b this fevere Divine advifes him) I do not under- {land what Ihear : and I as little under/land what J fay; yet 1 believe, that 1 both hear and fay thy Prai» fes'- and that 1 pray for my felf and all other Chrisli- ans y after the intention of the Holy Church. Grant me Dear Lord, or Lady, what JdeJIre, not knowing what. This being done, and the men, being thus well difpofed ^ let Mafs , hourly Praiers, and Rofa- ries be what they will, Greek, or Latin, Pater nofter y 2 Clement inCorxil.Vien.deCelebrat. Miferum.Tit. i$. f jbid. Taut. Layman Tbeol. Moral- 1 4. Traff. 1 . c . 5. n. 9 a Kavairus. Dehor. Can r c. i^TJ.q. * Navar. Ibidem. or 1 St Of the Roman Service, or la^fof^fa ; all is one to Roman WoHhippers. And as to the 15 Myfteries,and 16$ Contemplations, all this muft not trouble his head , as it might moft re- ally do, and it may be, c turn his Brain too, if he wereoblig'dtocareforit: for it feems thefe Con- templations and Myfteries are involved in the Ro- fary^ as a great Trefure under Walls, to make it vaftiy rich and powerful, altho the owner perceive it not. Thus their confecrating Words, Hoc eft enim corpus mtum , can work Miracles from the mouth of an Ignorant ; and fo do moftly Spells, and Characters in the mouth of a Conjurer. Oripjn obferves fomewhere, that the words of Abraham^ Jfaac , and Sabaoth , that Magicians did enchant with, did work far better in that Tongue which was unknown to them, then in their own. You mayhearof ftrange Feats alfo don by words taken out of the Latin Pfalms, which the Witches do not underftand. And fo muft at this rate Ait Mar ia, Tater noiler^ good and holy words ctherwife, if they do fuch Miracles as they fay, contract likewife a ftrange Virtue from fome Extrinfecal Principle, which is neither unclerftood nor thought of. Mean while, what Church is this, and where can the Pa- pifts find fuch another, that difpatches the Di- vine Service, as Conjurers do their mifchief, in a ftrange Tcngue ? 3. To fay the Rofary after thebeft way without diffracting your feif about Contemplations and Myfteries 5 take me the Virgin d byherfelf, that fo the whole ftrength of your Soul may the better mind her alone.- And fancy her the beft you can in fome of thofe Conditions, which her Images can 4 Wavan de Rofar. Mifcell. 26. n. 2. help Called the Rofary. 1S3 help you to 5 either as hearing with reverence the MelTage of the Angel Gabriel, Ave Maria, &c. or looking ftedfaftly on her Baby, whom fhe hath com- monly on her left Arm ; or elfe fitting like a great Oueen clofeto God upon a high Throne, and there hearkening to what we fay. To ufe your fancy to this way, you muft falute her thrice a day, at Morn- ing, Neon, and Sun-fetting, when you hear the Bell Salve Kegina 5 and at each time e adore one of thofe three Members or parts of her , which were the feats of the greateft Wonders. 1. Her Belly, in thefe or fuch Words : mofi glorious Queen of Mer- cy, J do falute the venerable Temple of thy Womb y Ave Maria. 2. Her Heart". moil glorious Qyeen of Mercy, I falute thy Virgin Heart, which never had any tintlure of fin, Ave Maria. 3. Her Soul: O mol\ glorious Mother of Mercy , I falute your mojt noble Soul) deckt as it is with all the frettous Orna- ments of Gifts, of Vertues, And of Graces^ Ave Ma- ria. 4. Thus having got ycurfelf intofome f fami- liarity with the Virgin, and thereby learned to look her full in the face ; now fail to the firfts Decad, or thefirft ten Ave Maria's of your Rofary, Ave Ma- ria Gratia plena, Dominus &c. And at the end of each Decad, fattening alwaies your Eies on her in one of the three poftures aforefaid, adore her with this Doxology (infteadof Glory be to the Father) Virgin Mother, Glorious Mary, let all the Angels and Arch-angels, allFrincipalities, Dominations and Pow- ers, the Thrones, the Cherubims and Seraphins, now glorifie you a thoufand times* And we hope to fee you e Ibid. < Ibid. « Ibid. Mifcell. 2^ ». 3. and 1 S4 Of the Roman Service, and adore you once in Heaven, as well as they. Amen. Then take your breath, and at the end of the fe- condDecad, or ten other Ave Maria's, tell her this: G glorious Virgin Mother, let Adam and live, £ lias and Enoch, the Patriarchs and the Prophets, St. John Baptisl, the Innocents, and all the Saints of the Old Teftament, with whom we hope one of thefe daies to fee and *dore you, now blefs you twenty thou- fand times. Amen. At the end of the third Dec id, that is as far as to 30. Aves: O glorious Queen, <&c. Let Peter, and Paul, and John, and all the Apoftles and Evangelifts ; let Stefhen, and all the Lords Di- fciples ; Sebaftian, and all the Martyrs with whom, &c. now praife and blefs you thirty thoufand times. At the end of the fourth Decad, that reaches to 40 Aves: Let all the ConfeiTors, Sylvester, Gregory, Jerome, Ifidor , Martin and Nicolas , Benedict and Bernard, Dominic and Francis, all the Bifhops, Monks and Eremits, &c, blefs you now forty thou- fand times. Ave Maria. And ar the end of the fifth Decad, O mod glorious Virgin Mother, let your Mother Anna, and your two lifters, Maries-, let Magdalen, and your deareft Martha, and Marcella ; let your dear waiting Maids, Agnes, Catharit.a, and Agatha-, let all holy Maids, Wives and Widows, with whom we hope,<&rc. now blefs you fifty thou- fand times. Am n. By this time you have done the third part of your Rojary, and now you may take breath a while. 5. When you (hall come to it again, (for the firft part is enough to fome for a day, and to others for a whole Week) that you may both recreate and im- prove Devotion with fome variety : A wife and holy Man Called the Rotary. iSj Mail advifes you h to fay but 5 Aves, and to put a Pater to each, and apply all to the five Wounds which Chriftfuffered in his Body (for it is ordinary with thefe Men to fay Our Father to the Virgin, and Ave Maria to God) with this Preface '• Go too, let us fing five Pater nofiers, and five Aves, to the ho- nor of the five Wounds ; and firft, in memory of the right Hand, Ave Maria gratia, &c. next, in me- mory of the right Foot wounded, Ave Maria, <&c; then of the left Hand and Foot in the fame way : finally of his fide, concluding all the five Pate/.s at every wounded Member, with an Am Maria by all means, that being as pertinent to his Body, as a Pater can be to her Image* 6. When you have done with applying your Ave Marias to Chrift, apply them now^ which is more proper, to her felf. And by all means ftick clofe to the direction of St 4 Herman (not Herman the fecond Jofeph and Husband of the Virgin Mary, but the Dominican, and therefore the beft acquainted with Rofaries.^) His advice is, that having the Virgins Image before you, you k take her whole Body piece by piece, and apply to each an Ave, beginning firft with her Bowels ; then proceed to her Heart •, then her Paps; after her Arms 5 then her Hands; then her Mouth: in a Word, every Member that you can civilly name and look upon in a Woman, that foall your Aves may get more Merit and Holinefs, by be* ing applied to every part of her Body 5 as the Beads or little Buttons of your Ro/ary do, you know, by being touched at her Image. For this piece of De- votion, me once on a Saturday gave a gracious vifis- 1 Navar. DeOrat.c. ia.«. 36. fc ' Chronic. Deip. an. 1243. A * t$ 1 86 Of the Roman Service, to this l Harmon, and enriched him then with Elo- quence, the gift of Tongues, and all other Graces imaginable. 7. Another thing you may do more, which Jor- dan m the Dominican, and a great Saint, gave in Counfil to Bertholdw. When you are pouring your Praiers before the Mother of Mercies, take notice of how m my Letters the name Maria is made of.-it con- flits of five; the firft is ^/.therefore feek for fome holy Song or Pfalm, of which the firft Letter is znM. fuch is for example Aiagnificat, &c. The fecond Letter is an A. then fay, Ad te kvavi^&c. The third is R. therefore have at Retrihue, 'fee. and fo to the very laft. After which, you muft difpatch your Aves 9 provided (which you may omit by no me ins) that before any one of the five Pfalms, you fin« or fay, Ave Maris fulla'- I falute you^ OJlaroj the Sea, &c. And at the end of every fuch Song, you make a Ltg 9 or aCourtefie, and then end with Ave Maria, This parcel of fpecial Wormip once pleafed fo well this Spirit (for God forbid I mould think it to be the blef- fed Virgin) that leaving all work in Heaven , (he came down with a Pot full of Holy \Vater,to fprinkle it on thefe Woifhippers with her own n hand, and to bid one of them tell all the others as from her, that flie was the Mother of God 5 that me loved dearly their Order for thus beginning and ending the Ser- vice of God with herPraifes • and that for her do- ing fo, fhe obtained of her Son, that no Dominican Friar fhall ever defile that holy Order, by lying long in mortal Sins. A very great Privilege indeed, and given to Monks from a good hand. You might al- 1 ibidem. * Gonon. Chronic, art, 1222, * Canon. ibid. fo Called the Rofary, 1 8 7 fo do what St. Joane the Carmelite ufed to do *, but not to that prodigious number ; for ihe did difpatch (I hope it was not at one time) fifteen thoufand Aves ; (fifteen fcore is enough for you) and at the end of each hundred, ihe faid a Salve Regina y and feven times Ave Stella, or, gloriofa Dom'ma , all prime Songs to adore her with ; and ihe called this, Our Ladies Shift ; this being her Ladifbips good- nefs to account it, as fo many Crowns, or Orna- ments, and rich Garments bellowed on her, when fhe is adored in this manner. It is by the firength of fuch Hymns, and well ordered Repetitions and Rofaries , that S. Dominic ° and S Francis were pre- defrinated, as they fay, both to reftore Piety, and to keep the World from perifhing 5 that in all proba- bility, fo many black Friars were admitted under the p Robe of their Goddefs ; that with continual repeting the Rofary Salutation, Euftachius 1 the Ciftercian had it miraculoufly wrkten in plain Cha- racters on his Tcngue ; that with continual ufing and killing holy Beads, r Alanus the Captain had a brightnefs like that of Cryftal about his Mouth, and ' in his Hands; and that many Monks of ail Orders, hadRofesand Lilies, with Ave Maria's in Go'den Letters growing on them, or their Graves. S. s J$fc fion, and S. l Joshert^xt upon this laft account great examples of her kind nefs. But and if your thoughts will not flie higher then * BenediEl. Mattus. invjta J r bann<£ Carmel, Flaminius invita S Dominic. p Antonin. 3. fart. Hi ft. tit 2$. c. 3. i Menol. Cifter. 27 Mar. l Chronic. Veip. an. 12 12. i Mayer. Annal. Fland. I. 5. c d an. 1 1 ?8. * Cantiprat, deAp. I. 2. c. 29. fe&. 15 A a 2 to 1 8S Of the Roman Service* to the common Glory of Heaven, the ordinary ufc of the Rofary needs not put you to half this trou- ble. It is certain, that St. Dominic, the firft Pa- triarch of this Device, and St. Alanus dc Rupe the worthy Reftorer of if, both infpired by the fame Spirit, intended it u for the common People, Men, Women and Children together, whom they knew unable to reach fo far. And therefore thefe in- dulgent Fathers are likely to difpenfe with them, who will ufe it at eafier rates. Read it but once in a whole Week, and at feveral times and parceis,that will abundantly ferveyour turn. Read it with no more attention, then fuch as you are capable of when you x go to the Market, or walk in a Procef- iion, or ride abroad, or prune your Vine *, or put on or off your clothes, &c. provided that you nei- ther read nor write. If furthermore by chance you have loft your Bead?, either you may take yyour Fingers, that will prefently make a Decad ; or ob- ferve by how many fteps you go up to fuch a Chap- pel, and run your Paters and Aves after that num- ber ', fuch curfory Devotions will be enough for to fave you. St. Alanus • alone, the great Migniort of this Virgin, can give you a whole fet of Blafphe- mers, and Rogues, and Whores, who did not the half of ail this, yet were all faved one way or c- ther. Now who is the habitual Sinner, who being confciousof hiswaies, and of his unwillingnefs to amend them, would not part with any thing rather then with fuch an Indulgent Mother, Rofary and Religion ? But here is yet more, if more can be. * Navar. de Rofar. Mifcell 22. n. I. ibid. Mifcell. 32. * Paul. Layman. deHcr. Canon, c.^.n. 11, feri2. y N*var; de 7fdlterMijcell.2S.iL l. z Alan. Rediv.par.$. c.51. c.^,ifrc. c.62. CHAP. (i39) * CHAP. IX. Of the vafi Trefure of the Roman Church? and her Power to diffofe of it. BEfides the Virgin Mary, whom the Papifts do look upon as their fure Trefure in Heaven, and themoft immediate Store-houfe whence they get one way or other all both extraordinary and eafie means in order to Salvation ; they alfo en- rich themfelves and others with another as great Trefure, which their Church difpenfes on Earth. In Heaven, as they take it, Mary is the great Ocean, into which all the Heavenly Bleffings and Venues, like fo many Rivers do flow : Omnia Flumina^ fee. faies a one of their moft Learned Saints, that is, All Rivers and Floods run into the Sea, when all Gifts and Graces meet in Mary, to wit, the Streams of Graces that the Angels are watered with ; the Rivers %f all the other Bleffings^ which all the Saints of God ever had, &c. And as another of their Saints ex- prerTes it, God hath placed in the Virgin b Mary, the fulnefs of all that psgood, fo that if we have any hope, any Bluffing and Salvation^ we may be fure it comes from her. If this fulnefs be not enough with what ihe hath on her account, fhe can fill it up, and make it run over with what all the Saints may add to it. For the Saints, they fay, are to c the Virgin, what 3 S. Bonavertt. inSpecul. b S. Bernard. Serm. de Aquadutt. I Georg. Ver.etus, ap. Sala%. Ptov. o, 8. v. 34. n. 435. the ijpd Of theTrefure the Stars are to the Moon 5 and thofe load her with all the Fruits of their Intercefiions, as thefe do this with their Influences, before either of them Come down to us. In Earth, they have theufe anddifpofal of an- other flock, as rich and as neceflary to Sinners,' which they call the churches Trefury. And if you compare it as the other, to a Sea, four great Rivers continually do till it up, or keep it full. The firft is, d the fatisfa&ions of all the Saints from Adam and Abel, to Chrift. For as the Roman Doctors teach us, they fufTered more then need was ; and no ufe was made of their fufferings, becaufe during the 4000 years to Chrifts Afcenfion, Heaven, they think, was not open ; nor had Chrift impowered any Man to take ought of this Trefure, in order to any Pardons. The fecond is, the Pailion of Je- fus Chrift, whofeBlood they fay, e had it bin but one drop, was enough to fave all Mankind : there- fore all the furplufage, either before or at his Paf- fion, is referved (unlefs loft) in this vaft Trefury. The third, all the meritorious Sufferings and Paf- fions of the Virgin Mary, which, as they think f , fhe needed not for her felf ; and fo the Church ap- plies to others. This one River may make a Sea. The fourth is, the Sufferings, the Martydoms, and the Penances of all the Saints, fince the Gofpel, Pe- ter, Paul, S.Vominic-i and S. Franc /*, and all holy Monks and Eremits , who, tho perhaps not quite finlefs, yet had no need to do fo much (as for them- felvesj to fatisfie Divine Juftice. d Mart. Bomcin. Ve liidulg. q. i . pun£t. \*n.6. e Clem. 6. Extravag. Vnigenitus. i Bdlarm.de Indulg. L 1. c. 2. jcfi> guarta. Propo/tth. Here Of the Roman Church. 1 19 1 Here then you have to makeufe of, firfr, all the Blood which the Martyrs from Abel to Barachias, under the Old, and from him to the laft Sufferer un- der the New Teftament could filed, in above five thoufand years. Secondly, We have of Chrifts Biood, allheeverfhed upon the Crofs, faving one drop 5 all that whole Flood, I fay, that from his Head down to his Feet gufhed from his Wounds, and the opening of all his Veins, even fince his Cir- cumcifion : and by thisguefs, how many thoufands of Roman Churches may be redeemed with this Trefure, if well applied. Thirdly, You have in the fame fto re, the hard Penances, the cruel Perfe* cutions, and the voluntary Whippings , whether bloody or unbloody of all other Saints, Monks and Erernits: whatever either S.Anthony, or S.HiU* rion, or S. V cuius, fo much celebrated by S. Jerome : whatever S. Ztbinas, S. Julian^ S. Simeon, S. Maris^ or S. Mapfmas-i and others, celebrated by S.Theo- d&ret, Palladlm, &c. could gain by their hard ufages and Iron Chains : whatever the great St. Francis could deferve of God Almighty, by leaving s all he had in the World, even to his very drawers and breeches, by rambling naked like a Mad-man, or by quenching his Luft upcn Maids and Women of Snow ; all this I fay, and a great deal more, is to bedifpofedof at Rome for the ufe of good Catho- lics : and yet all this is but one half of this Trefure. For befides all thefe fufferings, all the meritorious Works of pious men from the very firft to the laft Saint are gathered in ; and the Roman Church hath found the way of parting a good work in two, name- * Lippom- invita Francifc, 192 Of theTrefure ly, h the meritorious deferring fide, which make$ Supererogations , and gains extraordinary Re- wards: and another laborious and painful fide (Tor the Saints could not Preach or Pray, on do any manner of good, without taking fome trouble about it) which is put up and kept very faf'e for expiating other mens fins.' Hereupon Rome may fafely fwear, that no other Church in the whole World enjoies the like (if real and true) privilege with her ; and that fhe is the only that pretends to be able to eafe poor finners from the neceflity of repenting* or at the leaft \ from doing works meet for Repent- ance. This great Trefure and Privilege, hath bin loll and buried out of the notice of Chrifts Church, a- bove thirteen hundred Years. NoChriftian ever thought of it, till Pope Clement found it out. For tho there were Indulgences before , yet they were a quite other thing, as in the time of the La- tin Fathers ; or they were not taken out of this Tre- fure, but either out of the pretended ftrength of their Bleffings, or out * of the Keys, which then Popes turned backward and fprward, to (hut in or let out whom they pleafed. Such were the Indul- gences wherewith Innocent the third for example did encourage the Chriftians againft the Turks 5 and Gregory the feventh, his k Soldiers againft the Em- perors of Germany , which were but Letters of Fa- k Navar. de fubil. Bellarm. de Indutg. /.i.e. i, [eft. Toflremt poteft. Sonatina de Indulg. q.i.punft. i». |. ' BelL de Penitent, 1. 4. c. 1 4. feH. Retf ondeo Indulgentia. * Cajetan. & Medina, ap. Suarem de Thefaur.feft. 3. Parag 15. tor, Of the Roman Church, 19$ vor, and Teftimonialsand PafTes as it were to God Almighty, which (however much fought after, and fometimes clearly paid for, even in thofe daies) coft nothing but the Popes bleffing or credit ; whereas in thefe later times, Indulgences are Bills of Ex- change for hundreds and thoufands of Years, real- ly, as it is fuppofed, paied out of this Trefury ; that is, either out of that vail: abundance of Blood, which Papifts fay, Chrift might have fpar'djorout of the Blood and Penances of other Saints, which are referved in this Trefury, and thence by vertue of thefe Indulgences allowed to the finner, as much to all ends and purpofes, as if the finner were the Saint that had done and fufTered for himfelf. Here are two very great Wonders for Men and Angels to look upon : The firft, How all this Blood and Sufferings are from the remoter!: parts of the World, and through the diftance of all Ages fetch 'd and gathered into this Trefury. Thefecond,How, when thus got home, the Pope can difperfe them fd well abroad. 1. To get all in, the Blood of Chrift and his Martyrs cannot be conveied into the Roman Trefu- ry ,as Rivers are down their Chanels into the Sea 5 oraslelTer Waters are by Pipes and Spouts con- veied into a Ciftern: No more alfocan they be kept in Bottles, as they fay our Ladies Milk is 5 nor in Ward-robes, or other Rooms, as they fay alfo her fhoes and ihifts are ; and by that means it were poflible to fetch up all from Nazareth, or from Rome, or from Venice, or from any other Country. But as if you fhould fee thefe faid Bottles, Shifts, Shoes, and other Relics, leave all of them upon their own accord their refpective ufual Abodes, and Bb flock J^4 V tbe Trefure flock together into one place, you would take it for a ftrange Miracle, as ftrange at the leaft,as when the Chamber where they fay the Virgin was born, jumped with the Doors, Chimney, Windows and all, from Na%areth to Lauretta 5 the Satisfactions and Scourgings, andorher Penances of the Saints, to meet under the hand of his Holinefs, mufh not do lefs. Whether we be bound to imagine fuch an Attractive Vertu at R.ome, which is the Center of their Church, to draw fatisfa&ions to her Trefu- ry, as there is imagin'd in the Center of the World, to draw heavy Bodies to its bottom ; or whether all this be done by fome other ftrange ConveianceS : however, all the fatisfadory Works and Penances, let them be what they can , do tend, and unlefs hindered and ftopt in fome parTage,take their courfe towards this Store-houfe. Infomuch, that 1 un- lefs a Man, by afpecial intention, applies to his own benefit the fatisfadorinefs of his Work, be- fore it parts out of his hand, it runs forthwith to the Trefury ; and thence in vain would he have it again, tho never fo much for his own need, unlefs the Pope will give it him. 2. The fecond Wonder is about the getting out what is thus got in, and the fcattering it far and near upon all manner of Perfons, Families, Build-' ings, and other things whatfoever his Holinefs can think upon. Let the Pope of Rome but turn the Cock, this Fountain will caft forth its Waters what way, how much, and how far he will ; and as he 1 Greg.deValcnt. de Indu!g.Pimff.% x feft. Secundo } qma. Bona- tin. delnd. Quccjl. \.pun&. 3. Propoftt. 3. Layman, delnd, c. 4. n. $. feft.Dico fecunde. Suare^. To. 4,. Difjut, £1. fed. 4. Pjrjg. may Of the Roman Church. ip f maychufewhathepleafes, nothing hinders him to pick out for example the works of Ahel-> that have bin kept clofe five or fix thoufand years, and ap- ply them to Gardiner : or all the Merits of auftere JobnBaptifi, andbeftow them upon the courfe of fome wanton Catholic Lady. "lis indeed an ad- mirable Magazine, or Store-houfe, that can keep things fo long for fo good ends. And, which is an- other great Wonder, what thing foever they be clapttoj there they mail be as long, or longer, then the very matter which they ftick to. Let his Holinefs for example, apply one of thefe Bleflings by way of local Indulgence to an Altar or a Church, it will outlaft the very Stones (unlefs re- called ; ) and tho Thunder or time beats them down m , it will ftick to the very ground, and there be as good for a new Church, if the Pari/honers will build it up, as ever it was for the old one. Nay, the lighteft and moveable!! things, as Beads, Me* dais, Pieces of Wax, Holy Grains,^, what way fcever you tofs them, cannot fhake it off. Na- varrusy a great holy Man among all the Fathers of Trent n , faies, That he hath feen the Pope beftow- ing out of this Trefure,asmuch upon alittle Button of Wood, Globulo Ugneo , as could fave any one Soul, if in faying the Lords Praier he will but hold it in his hand ; now this Blefling will ftick to it, though you threw it into the Sea ; and if you did throw it into the Fire, this admirable favingVertu would probably ftick to the Allies .• I am fure it will Jay hold upon the very ringing of Bells ; andwhen* m Paul. Layman, de Indulg. c. 13. n. 3. Suarex^ To. 7. tie hid. feff. i.n.%.&y. ■ Navar.de J uhiLNotab 15. n. 15. Bb a foever X96 Of theTrefure ibever ° you hear them, in the Morning efpeciallyj at Noon, and at Sun-fetting, and have the grace to put off your Hat to fay an Ave Maria , you may thereby expiate fome fins. Happy fin ners, whofe Churches , Altars , and the very Bells can do fo much, and theTrefure (hall pay for all. But this is a fitter matter to be abhorred, then jefted at. As this Trefure is beft contrived, both for the Intereft of Covetous, and the Luft of lewd Per- fons, it is made up of Blafphemies, and imperti- nent lies againft God. The firft Pope who invent- ed it, maintain'd it upon this ground, That Pone drop of Chrifts Blood could fave man-kind : whence follows, that he had no need to die. Hereupon the Blafphemer concludes, Thatfince Godfparednot hi* Son, but put him to fuch a violent deaths as forced out of him not one fingle drop, but i a whole jit earn md Flood of Bloody there muft be fomewhere a Trefury to receive this mofi precious , but fuperfuous quantity, lefl it be loft. But, Firft, This impious untruth deftroies the necemV ty of Chrifts fatisfaction and futFerings, and coun- tenances all what the old, and the new, and worfe Arrians will fay againft his Sacrifice upon the Crofs. For if one drop of Blood was fufficient, he (hed that and more at his Circumcifion, and thus far his Paffion wasufelefs. Secondly, It charges the Juftice of God with fuclj a foul Reproch , as can never be wafh'd off, as long as this Roman trefury flhall ftand : For fince it ftands merely to receive that Blood, which might have bin fpared at our dear Saviors Paffion ; it ftands up as Richard Clunhcenf. in Papa Job* 22. * Clemens 6, ExtrAvag.Vfligemtus. 2 ^'V» an Of the R oman Church. 297 an Evidence, that whatfoever is therein kept, was demanded of, and paied by Chrlft, as a tyrannous rigor above what was due, to affiid and torment him ; and that the fame Eternal Judg, who, as they fay, is fo merciful, even in Hell, as to take * lefs of damned men then they deferve, was in the very a&s cf Grace, and the Redemtion of Man-kind, fofe- vere againft his cwn Son, as by moft infufferable Punifhments to extort from him a thoufand times more, then it was ftridly juft he fhould fuller. Thirdly,It throws the fame Dirt upon that Love, which God bears to his only beloved Son. For Chrift never fought for Torments,farther then they were neceflary for the faving of his own Flefli, that is, Man-kind. Contra riwife,with Praiers and Tears hewifh'd, That that Cuf might pafs from him : And therefore, what kindnefs had this bin in God the Father, to put his Son to vain Tortures, and to plunge his very Soul into a moft fhamefulkind of death, when one drop of Blood had done as much, the Popes Intereft being laid afide ? And what BoweIs,and natural Companions were thefe,in both a Juft and Loving Father, to draw fo much B:ood out of his Son, as fhould bring him to a cruel Death, merely to fill up Roman Purfes ? Fourthly, Nothing lefs then blind Covetoufnefs, could betray Men into that blind Opinion. For what could perfwade the Popes, that one drop of Chrifts Blood w^as enough to fave all the World out of Hell, butthe pretence of having a!l the reft in their difpofal, to fave Men from Purgatory ? Can any ordinary Divine , unlefs blinded by that In- tereft, be fo fundamentally ignorant , as net to * Aloys, Novarin. Umbra Virg.To. 2. /. 4. Excurf. 43. n. 799. knew^ ip8 Of theTrefure know"! that what fanners deferve, the Law demands, 1 the Sacrifices for fin did threaten, and therefore ei- ther we , or our furety for us was to fuffer, was a real and curfed Death {? And can any other then a mad-men think, that a Drop of Blood flied without Death is a real and curfed Death? It is true, one Drop of that Blood was of an infinite value: and tis perhaps with this pretenfe, that Popes blind them- felves, and others , or unconfidering men in their ha- rangues have talkt unwarily , but there are many more things in Chrift, which are of an infinite va- lue, as for example his Praiers, his Groanings, his Tears, &c. which yet are not fufficient for our Ran- fom$ for no infinite thing could be it, but fuch as were an infinite death : and certanly a Drop of Blood, is neither death, nor a death of infinite worth. Popes, or at the leaft Popifh Divines r have ano- ther Foundation to fet their Church Trefure upon • which I confefs is not fo impious as the former - 7 but is as much or more impertinent. They fay, and they fay well, that the Death of Jefus Chrift was abun- dantly fufficient, not only to fave thofe few, who are faved out of the World •, but to fave all men befides, and twenty thoufand both men and worlds more, if God had created them; and if they had corrupted themfelves. Hereupon, and this is their foolifli Impertinency, they part Chrifts death and infinite Ranfom into two -, Namely that which hath bin really applied and made ufe of $ and that which hath not bin fo. The former, they think well beftowed on them, whoareorfliall be really faved 5 and there- fore lay no claim to it. But the other, which, is the 1 Bellar.de Indulg. I. i.c'.2>fe&. Tenia Tr&pofith, Becan. d* Jndulg. q. 1 . ftfl. Prima ConclufQ. fa? Of the Roman church. 199 far greater part, that never was applied, becaufe in was reje&ed ; for fear it mould fall to the ground, they challenge it for their Trefure •, and that is it * which they apply every 25 th year in a Jubilee^ and every day in Indulgences. After this rate Rome may provide for new ftore- houfes ; for they may part as well in two, the Infi- nite Wifdom or power or Providence of God ; and leaving that part he makes ufe of, for Creating and Ordering this one world , wherein we live 5 take for themfelves that other mare, which might have ferved, and yet did not, for creating and ordering ofthoufand more. Did one ever hear of mad-men, that went about to trefure up that part of fun-fhine, that might fhew the way to a whole Army , when bur one man makes ufe of it i or to referve that part of Chrifts Voice, as far as it might have bin heard by the feventy , where it was heard but by the twelve Difciples. p the Papifts in this Poin are very little wifer then fo» The fame Wifdom and Power of God, which is all-fufficient both to create and order many worlds, is all neceflary 5 and therefore indivi- fibly and wholly fet to order one: the fame Sun- fliine which at one time fills a whole Hemifphere, or the voice, and Sermon, which fills a great Auditory, do not ufe to fubdivide themfelves into greater or lefler fhares after the number of Eies, or Ears of more or fewer prefent perfons. One Ear hath as much of the voice, ( being in a convenient diftance ) as hath the whole Auditory : and one Ere takes as much of the light for its own ufe, as twenty do: and both the voice and the light impart themfelves wholly and indivifibly, whether to one, or to fourfcore. Much more doth the al-fufficient fatisfaftion and Ranfom 200 Of the Trefiire Ranfom of Chrift our Savior, which being by itfelf infinite, mud needs therefore be indivifible. For if youpartitintofhares5 either thefe (hares are finite and limited ; and fo they cannot make an Infinite: or if they be infinite and immenfe ; then every one of thefe Parcels, muft be conceived as great as the whole; which is abfurd, contradictory, and impof- fible. And tho this infinite fatisfadtion andRanfom werefuch as could be divided-, yet everyone man hath need of all. As every mans finis infinite, that is, deferves an infinite Punifhment, fo muft the fa- tisfaction for it, be infinite in the fame way, that is as great as can be prefented to an infinite Majefty, by an infinitely worthy Savior. By confequent, the unconceavable Mercies of God in Chrift Jefus, and the infinite Price offered to the Divine Jufticeby this Savior, cannot be diftributed, as the price he was fold for , in thirty Pieces. Whofoever applies to himfelf that immenfe value of Chrifts Blood, applies it all : and all being not too much for him ; he hath nothing of it to fpare* This is plain and demonftra- tive to any unconcerned Chriftian , that hath but learned well his Catechifm. Now when Popes came with their new and ft range Dividend ; fo much to God, for them, whom this Blood faves : and fo much, which is twenty thoufand times more to me, from them, whom it doth not 5 and out of this large por- tion fo much muft go for fo many years of pardon to one , and for fo many daies to another 5 they fo tear the Sacrifice and Body ©f Chrift, as the other Romans would have torn his Garment •, and as them- felvcs part and diftribute their own Relics. Here is an Arm of fome Saint for his Imperial , and there a skull for his moil Catholic Majefty. The moft Chri- ftian Of the Roman church, 201 ftian King mud have fomething?, and the devout 'and Holy Queen Chrifiina lik ewife* a Hand, aTce s a Tooth, a Jawbone or what you pleafe. This is the great Komm Wifdom ; let the Jubilee come when it will ; Europe fhall find in this Ti efury e- nough to buy, and Rome to fell. And if Proteftants offer to fcruple at this new Divinity •, great Scho- lars will fpend all their vvit, and the Vatican all its learning and all its Books, to juftifie what Bedlam faies. The Virgin Marys and other Saints number- lefs Satisfactions fill up alfo a considerable Corner in this Store-houfe • and the fame Villains , who make God fo unnatural to his own Son as to make him fuffer far more grievous Puniihments, then the fe- vered: Juftice did require 5 make him in fome pro- portion as bad, and in another refpect, worfeto his Sons friends ^ as bad, if he makes them alfo pay more then they owe: and worfe, if he make them pay it for debts, namely for temporal Punilhments> which the blood of Jefus Chrift had mod fufficiently paied for already. And the Drift of charging God with this rigor both againft Chrift andagainft his Saints in taking of them more then the cue, is to be- flow this Overplus^ and fupafluomfatisfaVuonswsxQ the Roman Magaxjne. Firft then I fay, if all thefefecond raiments, and Satisfactions of the Saints be conceived necellury for theiatisfying Divine Vengeance j they either wrong the Juftice of God, or undervalue the Satisfaction of Chrift 5 for if they muft fatisfy again for a Debt, which Chrift had already moft fufficiently fatisfied for*, this not only wrongs, but deftroies all the beft known Rules of Juftice/. or if Juftice demands yec € c any 202 Of the T/e/ure any farther fatisfa&ion, it prefuppofes that it was not yet fufficiently fatisfied 5 and this undervalues and raaimes in a very great mefure Chrifts infinite fatisfaclion- What the Papifts have here to fay, is, 1. That the Satisfaction of Ghrift is infinite, and therefore raoft fuflicient to difcharge all fcores what- foever-, but that s it is applied ./wifOtfWo, that is,' is not applied by the Roman Church to its full worth 5 as far as it could reach, but only to the fa- tisfying for fins before our Baptifm moft fully , buc for the fins committed afcerwards, not fo. But now let them give an account , wherefore it is not : and what Power Chrift ever gave them of reftraining the true immenfe value of his fatisf action and facrifice, in fuch a mefure as may referve both for Popes and Mafs Priefts as much as they can fell both in MafTes, and in Indulgences. 2. They are pleafed to fay, or rather they are not afraid to blafpheme, that our Sa- viors immenfe fatisfaclion , as they prefume to re- train it, is but a remote and c general Caufe to help and qualifiewhat we do, when we fatisfy for our felves ( which they may fay as well of the Father and the Holy Gholt, who fatisfy not at all ) and that mens good works and Penances when applied either by themfelves during their life ; or by others, when they are dead, are the proper and immediate * Cau- fes, which do the Deed. Only the fatisfa&ion of Chrift helps mens good and fatisfactory works, fom- what like as Ambregrh can help Sweet Drugs rather by actuating and reviving them to perfume, then by $ Bdlarm. delndulg. /. i. c. 4. fetl. Tertiaobjeflio. Snares de Tanit. Vifput. 10. [eft. 3. n.6. Bonacln. deSacram.Tanit.q.6. furiff. 4. SeCMidapropofttio* c Layman. delndulg. c. 1 . n. 3. $uare\. dt Tbefaur. Vifput. 5 1 . SeB.i-n. 17. * ibid, perfuming I Of the Roman Church. 203 perfuming of it felf. For here Bellarmin will tell you, that there are not two tt fatisfa//?. 38. * Mattb. Paris, an. 10S0. [ Chrome. V^ip. tin. 34 could Of the Roman Church. 205 could keep long by her felf that overplus of Satisfa- ctions and Merits, which to her were fuperfluous, and not beftow them upon thofe , to whom they might be of fo great ufe ? not upon her molt dear Abbefs, 1 to whom llie would be a Midwife, when her Steward had lien with her ? nor to her 2 Dear Loyola, for his former Debaucheries and Vanities before he came to be a Saint? nor to either of her I>ear devoted Servants, whom fhe protected fo vi- sibly ; the one from being burned by courfeof Law, for 3 having deftroied her own Child after flic had got him by Inceft ; and the other from being + trou- bled at all for enticing her Neighbors Husband ? As thefe Creatures had all along to their lives end, a very great fhare in her Favor, can you think they had none at all in her fatisfa&ions for their iins ? Is there any reafon to think, that fhe would throw all the fatisfa&ions ihe had into the Roman Trefury for the ufe of unknown Perfons . ? could me forefee that the Roman Popes might a thoufand and three hun- dred years after her abode on earth better difpofe of them then fhe could her felfrThere is the fame impro- bability concerning all other true Saints, S.John^S. Paul, S.Peter, all the bleifed Martyrs, &c. The Roman Saints may come in too-, For who reads theearneft AddteflTes, that S. Dom'mic k makes to his Goddefs, for his dear Children the black Preachers ♦, and can believe, he could forbear the applying all what he had to the neceffaiy wants of his Order I or if he had 1 Petb.rrtus l 21. c. z. 2 Mapbceits. Devita lgnat. 1. i.e. 2. Ribadcneira. Vit$ LojoU. I. \.c 7. 3 Maori. Specul. Titul. Ccnfefio. Exemp. 7. 4 Pelbart. Stellarii Corona. I. 12. c. 3. 4 S. Briget Revelat. /. 13. c, 17. referred 206 Of the Ttefure referred any of his great fatisfacYions, and daily Whippings for fome others ; is it not more then probable, that he beftowed them on fuch Perfons as the Whore was, (I mean his dear Mifs Cathar'ina) 1 who heard all his Sermons fo devoutly, and yet continued a Trade that had need of all he could do i Was St. Be ward unkind, or St. Francis unnatural, that , not to apply to his Nephew all he could fpare, for preventing all thofe Torments, which he faw did attend him in Hell, becaufe he had left his Convent? and this, not to do the like to his own Father, who certainly could not fare better, tho there had bin no fin in him, but this of beating St> Francis, and turning him naked out of doors for a mad Fool ? In all likelihood the Roman Cafh is quite emty, if there is nothing elfe to fill it up, then the fatisfattions of fuch Saints; and his Holinefs deals not truly in either felling or giving away to fome, that which the Saints have bellowed on o- thers. Thirdly, it is the like, or rather a greater folly, to think as ° they do, to fcrape off from every good Work don by the Saints, the labor and pains they took in doing it ; and fo, to think of filling their ilorewith fuch fcrapings, inftead of goodfatisfa- ctions. For firft, not to fcruple at their Language, that which is Merirorious, and that which isSdtif- fa#ory in a good Work, are commonly fo clofe to- gether, that it is impoflible to part them afunder otherwife then you miy part one and the felf-fame thing, in fome considerations and refpects. Thus the fame gallant Action in an Officer for example, 1 BoviusTom. 3. Annul, an. 122 U n. 10. * Vid.jupra,. who Of the Roman Church. 207 who was cafhiered for fome mif-behavior, will be fatisfaclory in refpcd of his former Guilt, for the procuring of his Pardon $ and in another who is guiltlefs, it will be Meritorfous by way of Service only, and 'twill procure him not a Pardon, which he needs not, but it may be, fome confiderable pre- ferment. And if the Service of the Guilty be much greater then his Offence was, and fuch it may be, Abners cafe was, when being in a Rebellion before, he brought the ten Tribes to the King; the over- plus of this fatisfaclion, mall be allowed by David to be thus far Meritorious, and thus far alfo to have a Reward. After this rate, no part of the gallant Service fhall remain behind for the Trefury, but the whole fhall be taken up and accepted for its full worth, tho partially, fo much to procure his Pardon by a Commutative ; and fo much to pro- cure him another Reward, by a diftributive Juftice. A good King, I fay, will obferve thefe Proportions . with his Subjects : and I hope, at the laft Day, God will not deal worfe with his Children. 2. When it happens, as it doth fometimes, that the labori- ous and painful part is fo extrin fecal to the good work, as to be eafily fevered from it; as when S* Paul Preaches in the Chain, or when*S\ John loofes his Head in a Prifon for his Preaching; altho the Chain and the Preaching be two different things in their nature, yet they cohere and are clofe toge- ther in the Eiesof God Almighty: there the holy Work of Preaching fhall fandifie the cruel Chain; & the hard Chain fhall improve the price of the Holy or Meritorious Preaching. And if David can well confider not only what Service Abner did him, in bringing If rati to him; but alio, that he lot an Army 20$ Of theTrefuri Army, Or part of his Eftate in doing it ; there is ria fear, but God is a good God, and will extend his Mercies as far, both on what his Servants do in his Name, and what they fuffer in thofe Services: For 1 fay unto you , that every one that hath forfaken Houfes, or Children, or Lands, &c. /ball receive an hundred fold more, fee. Matth. ip. And when every little parcel of the Suffering is recompenfed, as well as the Meritorious part, wirhfo liberal a Re- ward ; What can Popes fcrape off from it, that remains unrewarded, to fpend in fatisfa&ions for more, and to lay up in their Trefury i It feems thefe crafty Shavers would have the Meritoriouf- nefs for one thing, and the pain of performing it for another : or in more homely terms, they would give the Money for the Purchafe, and the trouble of telling and paying it, for the difchargeof fome other Debts 5 whereas the fum well told and paid, can fcarce fuffice to buy the firir, much lefs to leave any over-plus to fatisfie the fecond Account. 3. Laftly, Whenever CroiTes and Hardihips fall upon one, not in order to any gocd Work which they do precede cr follow, but becaufe they are fent from God,for Chaftifements, or Curbs, or Tri- als; as the Tribulations of $ob, the buffeting An- gel of Paul, and the Sicklinefs of Timothew were : or becaufe they are voluntarily fetch'd in, and un- dertaken by fome Saints 5 as the hard Diet of John the Baptist, the often Fairings of Anna, the low and narrow Lodge of Hilarion, the feeming barba- rous Mortifications of fome ancient Holy Perfons : What is all this to the Popes Trefure < Did ever God at any time lay thefe Afflictions on the Righte- ous, in order to make the Pope richer, or his own Chil- of the Roman Church. io9 Children humble and better ? And when thefe laied them on themfelves, can the Roman Church well think, but that they intended them rather for mor- tifying their own Bodies, and fecuring their own Salvation, then for discharging other Mens fins ? What and if God and they laied more then was ne- ceffary for thefe true ends, Are Roman Divines igno- rant, that God, who made Job twice as rich as he was before he made him poor, will moft abundant- ly remunerate all fuchhard furplufage, if there is any < And when all accounts are made even, what- foever Burthens are charged either by their S.ivior, or themfelves 5 St. Paul tells them, Thatthe fuffer- ings of this prefent tifs (and 'tis with thefe, if fome could be found unrewarded , that this Trefury fhould be fluffed up) are fo far from fuperabound- ing, or equalling, that they are not to he compared with that Glory (immenfe reward of all Sufferings, and not only of all gcod Works) which fhall be re- veledinm, Ro.8.18. Or if by chance Clement the 6 :h y and the firft Founder of this Trefure, better under- ftcod this Balance, andfawin fome corner oro- ther about S. Mary, S. Stephen, and other Martyrs, fome unrewarded Afflictions which S. Paid rook no notice of 5 in Confcienceare we come to this, that Roman Popes may fetch them out, and apply them to whom they pleafe 1 That pcor John the Baptift fhall fee from Heaven his auftere Life and hairy Clothes , fhelter Herods and Herodias lying fe- curely together ? That mod vile and unclean Per* fons, fhall with the unfpotted Holinefs and Chafti- ty of the BleiTed Virgin Mary, buy off out of Pur- gatory, andfometimes out of Hell it felt", theve- 210 Of the Tre fare, Sec. ry Whores who * made them Popes ? And that the Martyrs fhall be in the difpofal, and for the ufe of fo many diflolute Monfters? And to this comes the Church Trefury, that makes fo much noife in the World ; and like a Drum, is as emty as it is loud. Let us fee what they draw out of it. Luitpr. 1. 2. c. 13. VU. Jeron. ad an. 908. G H A P. X. Concerning Roman Indulgences , the moji general Inducement to Popery. TH E Church Trefury, the Jubilee, the Indul- gences, are words capable of a good fenfe, if the Roman Church would allow of it. For really, the Church of God pofTefTes a very great Trefure, namely, Jefus Chrift in Heaven, and in his Holy Ordinances. All finners, whefoever they be, if eontriti & confeffi after Gods way, that is, really and truly penitent, and turning from their fins to good Works, fuchas become true Chriftian Faith and Kepentance 3 may without the Keiesof the Pope open this Heavenly Trefure, and thence take out as much of Chrifts Blood, or, to make ufe of the Roman terms, as much of the fatisfaclions of Chrift, as will make up a full and a moft plenary Indul- gence ; that is, Mercy and Pardon without Mony, and pienueous Redemtion both froYn ihe Spot and the puniihment of all their Sins, John the. Baptift y Jefus of the Indulgences^ &c. 211 Jefus Chrift, and the Apoftles, are the firft Men, who at the very Birth of the Chriftian Church did Preach abroad thefe Indulgences : and among them Feter isthefirft (not Boniface) who proclamed at Zferufakm the great Chriftian Jubilee. You have his Bull inhisSrrmcn, ABsi. 38, 39. The Church of Rome, for her own ends, hath much abufed this good Trefure, as well as thefe great Indulgences: and if you look into what fhe hath to brag of, you mall find her Trefury to be but a broken Ciftern, and her Indulging Bulls, inftead of Living Waters, to be but Puddles. With all the B ood fhed on the Crofs, one drop whereof in their judgement couid have faved all, they fay that Chrift hath not fully fatisfied for any actual fins after our Baptifm 5 and th.it befides the Eternal Torments in Hell, for which he hath immediatly fatisfied, there remain other not lefs grievous, tho not fo long, for which we our fclves muft needs fatisfle, either in this Life, or near about Hell , in a place under Ground which they call Purgatory. TheirMafs Priefts and Bifhops, with all their ordinary Power, cannot abfolve their Penitents, tho never fo con- trite, farther then this : and to have more, they muft either procure it to themfelves, by their own works 9 or fend to Rome for Indulgences. All this is pack'd and contrived with great Wif- dom for the beft advantage of Rome. His Holinefs gains much by it, for ail that Blood which might have paid for dll the pains, as well as for the vicious Ads of fin, is fparedfor his Trefury: and all Ca- tholic Souls being affrighted with Purgatory, out of which Cnrift hath not redeemed them,and which none but Saints or Marty is are likely to efcape; Pd 2 there 212 Of the Indulgences there is no fear he can want Money, as long as ho will help Men out with his Trefure and Indulgen- ces. The other inferior Clergy alfo are not loofers, for tho their Power be much ihortned from giving full Absolution, this Reftraint may be look'd upon as a rule of good Husbandry ; for if they did par- don all at once by their Keies , as God doth by his Minifters in his Gofpel, who, unlefs fome fimple Ignorant, would care for any of their Mattes ? But both Chrift, and all Chriftian Souls fuffer much, by what others gain. Chrift is vifibly defrauded of the Honor that he ever had of being the only Re- deemer, which he is not at the leaftat Rome, a but in a large fenfe ; fince bcth others and we, may ve- ry well redeem our felves, and fatisfie Divine Ven- geance in a very confiderable mefure by our own perfonal Sufferings. Chrift alfo fuffers a fecond and groft Injury, to fee the moft part of his Blood under the indifcreet hand of a Fope, who fquan- ders it at theirpleafure who will buy out his Indul- gences. Chriftian Souls are not ufed better, being by thefe Indulgences drawn afide from the true vvaies of Salvation, to fpend their Devotion and their Mony upon that which avails nothing 5 and which, if relied upon, will certainly prove a great deal worfe in the event. The main ground of all thefe Devifes, is a Com- plication of Biafphemies, and an open Profeffion, that Chrift hath not by his Sacrifice on the Crofs, fully farisfied Divine Juftice ; or that God demands from Penitents and Believers, that which he was fatisfled for ; and that our fins are neither fufly nor properly remitted in the Blood of Chrift. Thefe three Anricbriftian AfTenions, being involved and wrapt In the Roman Church, 21$ wrapt up in this, which both their Purgatory, and all their Indulgences ftand upon, that God in Chrift remits the fins, without remitting the punifhment ; thatis, that God in Chrift remits our fins without remitting them at ail. For if God in Chrift re- mits fins, why, being fully and properly remitted, are they (unlefs redeemed by Indulgences) punifh- ed in Purgatory ? How comes God to demand of his Children that they be burned and tormented in order to fatisfie his Juftice, if the Sacrifice of his Son hathfatisfied it fully and properly on that account ? And what Juftice is this to exaft of me the fame fatisfacftion and payment, that Chrift my Surety hath fully given already ? They fay that Chrift hath fully fatisfied Divine Juftice for our fins, but not for that part of the puniihment, which either Purgatory doth inflift, or the Popes Indul- gences muft difpenfe with. Againft this, it is eafie to prove, and common lenfe will tell them fo, that both Chrift hath fatisfied Juftice on all accounts, and God remitted fins likewife as to thefiuisfying of Juftice, if Juftice have in Chrifts Sufferings all it requires from guilty Perfons, upon the fcore of fullering. For what is it, that Divine Juftice can demand of the word and guiltieftfinner ? Is it that the fins which he hath committed, may never have bin committed. ? that is impoiTible,& a plain contradi- ction •, and it God remits fins upon fuch terms, he remits none. Is it that the finner may not fin here- after ? So much did Juftice demand of Adam before his fall ; and fo much demands it yet of the bleiTed Angels, to whom neverthelefs God remits or for- gives nothing, becaufe Addm was not yet, andthefe are never Trefpafters.' The Queftlon is, What it is which 214 Of t^ Indulge me s which the fevere and holy Juftice of God can de- mand of Trefpafiers ? Sin, as to this, denotes two things, to wit, the Vice or Ulnef? of the Aft, and the punifhmentdueby the trefpafs for that ill Aft. Divine Juftice requires not the ill Acl, or the Ini- quity of it ; contrariwife, it fhuns, deceits, and for- bids it: What therefore Juftice doth andean de- mand, is all due, and fufficient punifhment. Now pardoning, or forgiving, or remitting, is to par- don, or to forgive, or to remit, what Juftice de- mands of the finner and for his fin, and this is the punifhment only. And fo when Chrift did on the Crofs fatisfie Juftice for our fins, and did cake our fins from us upon himfelf, it was not by taking up- on him our Vices, or ugly Afts and Difpcfitions, God forbid .' Chrift took all our fins upon himfelf, when he took andpaied fully all the punifhment due for our fins : and God remits and forgives our fins in Chrift, when he accepts of that punimment of his in lieu of ours. Therefore whenfoever Papifts talk of fins remitted,as to the trefpafs of the Fault, & not as to the puniihments due for the fault;or that Chrift hath fully fatisfied for thofc & not forthefe,it is either. fuch a piece of non-fenfe, as if one fhould fay, That he forgives me all my Debts, on condition I fhall pay them : or a Blafphemous Raillery put up- on Chrift, as if he did fully fatisfie Divine Venge- ance for all our fins, when, except thofe before B— ptifm, hefatisfies fo for none of them. And fo the whole Frame of Purgatory for punifhing, and all the Jubilees, and Indulgences, and daily MaiTes, forabfolvingMen from the punilhmenr of remitted fins, that is, the whole Fabric of the Raman Churchy is built upon thefe impious Bulls. In the Roman Church. 2 1 5 It is true, God may, and often doth lay heavy Chaftifementi>(cali them Punifhmentsifyou pleafe) on his Children, even after he hath pardoned their iins, but it is never to fatisfy Divine JufHce in any puniihment it requires more \ but either to keep the forgiven finner , by what he feels, from finning more 5 or to affright others from it by fuch Exam- ples ; or for removing the fcandal, which otherwife might v-ell a rife from all unchaftifed fins. Which conflderations agree not at all with the Torments of Purgatory, where Souls, a as they confefs them- felves, are neither better in themfelves, nor either more exemplary, or a whit lefs fcandalous to others by what they fuffer. There thefepoor Sou is burn and howl in long and terrible torments , with the Faith of Chrift. above them, and the Blood cf his Sacrifice upon their pretended remitted fins, juft as 'notable Rogues are hanged and quartered fomtimes with their Pardons abcut their Necks. Pa- pists would be much difplea fed to hear that any of their devout and contrite Dames fhculd fuffer fo much in fpight of one plenary Indulgence ; and Chrift mult not be fo,to fee his true and lively Mem- bers tortured in Purgatcry in fpight of his Redem* tion. Thefe Indulgences were never heard of, till the filly Wcrld had bin frighted with thefe Flames of Purgatory, which as their moft ingenious Authors coiifefs, was very late : and then the Roman Cler- gy had a fair pportunity from the fa lie Appariti- ons of Souls, and tremblings of fimple People, to look 10 their own private profits,by felling vain Se- curities to prote&againft van dangers & fears. The a Cellar. de mdulg. I. i.e. 7. fell. Quarta Tropoftio. very 216 Of the Indulgences very found of a Latin word, Indulge ntin^ without its proper fenfe and ufe , was ground enough for crafty men, to build what they would upon it; and how far they have abu fed it, and more abufed their Church with it , one may guefs by what here fol- lows. It was, and mould be (till, the PracYife of the Holy Church, to expell from their Society Scanda- lous and known finners: and fince the Church could not alwaies keep Hypocrites from coming in ; fhe could not take a better courfefor afierting both her deteftation againft all fin,and her credit with God and men, then to keep them off, when duly known •, and tofhunthem, in their holy Meetings efpeci ally, till many and great Evidences both of their forrow for what they had done, and of their Amendment for the time to come, had procured them Readmittance. They were y enjoined to pray, to faft, to curb and" to mortifie their Fiefh, to afflict their Souls for their fins, and to apply themfelvestoallfuch works, as might both improve and declare their inward fincere Repentance. Thefe long and holy Exercifes did pafs among all Chriftians for Satisfactions to the Church; and in fome manner x to God too. Before the Church moft properly • becaufe that was all which the Church Difcipline, and Ecclefiaflical Canons did re- quire 5 and before God in a lower, yet a very true^ and proper fenfe 5 becaufe, tho all fuch works of Repentance be far from being a price equivalent to what Divine Juftice demands ( which can never be had, but either from the eternal death of the (inner, or from the infinite fatisfa&ions of Chrift for him ) y Concil. Ancyran. Can. 1 6. Cbncil. Nicen. Can, 1 1 i * Cyprian. I, l. £/>. 3. yet In the Roman Church 217 yet it is the main Condition, which God requires of Offenders , before the grant of his Pardon , and which he is in his Mercy both fatisfied and pleafed with, when they fincerely perform it. This was not all, 'twas not enough to have don it, they muft do it a long * while ; fome a whole yearfome two, fome ten, fome according to the E- normityofthe fin all their lifelong: and the fureft Proof the Church could take of their real fincerity, was in the length of their Performances. By this, it feems, the holy Fathers had a great care, that ta the management of their keies, whether to iliut our, or to let in, their Church might keep time with Heaven: fo that they might neither retein, nor re- mit here upon Earth, but what and when they mighc welljudg, God would retein, or remit above. It was not then, as now at Rome, where Difpenfati- ons, and Licences are prefently got at a fmall Rate ; ■ a Ravifher of a Virgin was in the year 1520 (I hearic is now much raifed, as well as the Rate of Monies ) about fix a Groats: theRavifher of his own Sifter was but at five: and the heavieft feverity , that thefe Villains muft undergo, is that 'tis impoflible for them, how penitent and contrite foever, to be releafed without fome Mony. Pauf>etibu>s,&c. b that is, they cannot have the Comfort of thefe Mercies^ rvhojlever brings in no Mony. Infuch Occafions of Scandal the Roman Church, whilft a Virgin, was asfevere, as now ihe is become remifs : and what the Whore gives for twelve pence, the honeft Virgin had fcarce granted for a penance of twenty years. So * Concil. Ancyr. fupra. * Taxa Cancellar. ApofloU Foi. $6.pag. 1. Edit. P^ris. 1520. b J bid. /0/.23. P- I. E e careful 2 1 S Of the Indulgences careful were they in thofe daies to clear the Church from foul Scandals : and fo afraid were they withal in the exercife of their Power, to break correfpon- dencie with Gods Juftice ; to unloofe them whom he kept bound ; and to bind themfelves before God, * by a rafh unbinding of others. You may read in S. Cyprian c and Ambroft how both finful and dan- gerous, this loofe and remifs indulgence is in their opinion. Neverthelefs there now and then happened fuch caufes as not only permitted, but moved them alfo to be more free. As when the excommunicated Sinner gave fignal proofs of an extraordinary for- row: when upon dangerous occasions he ftoutly own- ed and defended the Chriftian Faith : when in times of Perfecutions all Chriftians were to be encouraged, and ftrengthened to Martyrdom : and when valiant ConfefTbrs ( who ever before their Death, were re- puted for true Martyrs) did intercede forfome of their friends; on thefe and other like rational and pious Inducements, the holy Fathers thought they might, d either eafe fuch Penitents of the length, or fometimes quite difcharge them of the whole Bur- then , that excommunicated , but withal contrite perfons did lie under 5 and fo before the time pre- ferred, readmit them into the Church. And this Relaxation of Ecclefiafticai Severity , fome Latin Fathers e call once or twice in their writings, by the Name of Indulgence, Tbis was enough for cunning Cheats, to ground * S.Ambrof. VeTanit.l 2.C.2. c Cyprian. I. 3. Ep. 14. .EX 1 5. £/>. 16. itemSerm. de lapfs. d Cone. Ancyran. Can. ■>. far \2. Cone. Nic. Can. 12. e Cyprian, de Lapps Sub fin. Tertull. de Exb art at. Cajiit. their In the Roman Church. u? their Indulgences upon 5 and for filly men, to enter- tainthem. So that as one word Mi/fa could feive their turn, as I have fhew'd in another Book, for in- troducing that great Abomination, which they call Mafs: fo doth this other Latin word Jndulgentia, ufed once or twice by fome ancient Authors in a good fenfe, and now turned, to a quite other $ for countenancing all the Impoftures, that now a daies are bought and fold under the name of Indulgences. Here you may whenfoever you pleafe , difcover Homes either Knavery, or Folly, or both by theie twodiftinct Characters. Thefirftis, that when the Fathers thought good to ufe any Indulgence, it was tofhorten, or to moderate their Ecclefiaftical Cen- fures, before Reconciliation and pardon '■ whereas the Roman Indulgence is for another fort of Punishments, which Mafs Prieft are pleafed both to inflict on the Penitents, and to moderate or quite take oif after their Abfolution. The fecond is, that the holy Fa- thers never either thought, or attemted to mode- rate or to take off any other Cenfures or Punish- ments, then fuch as had bin impofed: whereas the Pope by his Indulgences offers to moderate or take offall, bottavhat is laid on by his Church, and what is or fhall be laid on by God himfelf. As to the fitft Mark, to diftinguilli the Primi- tive Relaxations, from the prefent Roman Indul- gences 5 The Church of Chrifl never ufed upon any occafion whatfoever, this unnatural and popiili way of inflicting pumfhments or Eccleiiaftical Cen- fures, after Pardon : and therefore they could not have occafion of ever granting fuch Indulgences, as mould eafe men after pardon, from fuch Cenfures. When notorious and public Offences had turned the Ee 2 miner 220 Of the Indulgences finner out of dores ; the Holy Fathers did lay on him feveral Degrees of Rigor, before they would take him in again , as antecedent Preparations to make him fit to be taken in. i. The Sinner was en- joined a to ftand without ; and there v, ith cries and tears b to beg them who came in, to pray to God for him. 2. Some years or months after, he was admitted within Doors, but in a remote Corner of the Church, behind the Catechumens , that is, the not Chriftened Profelytes^ where they might hear Sermons, but not Praiers. 3. After fuch other time as they thought fit 5 he was furTered to hear and pray with the Chriftians, but not to take the Holy Myfteries. Thefe with fome other Mortifications and trials were all the Penalties inflicted by the Church upon Ccandalous Offenders; the Satisfacti- ons, when undergon, given by the Offenders to the Church; and when humbly and fincerely perform- ed , upon good grounds were alfo thought in the Cenfe above faid, acceptable to Godhimfelf. And here among thefe performances was the only time of Indulgence, either to fhorten the time, or to miti- gate the Rigor of the Hardihip, that they were un- der. 4. This don, either with, or without favor; atlaft the finner was at the time appointed for his Readmiflion , brought in into the Church • there he kneeled, and there the Bifliop coming to him, as the good Father in the Gofpel to the loft Child, fell both himfelf and all the People upon their knees: then after holy Praiers and a holy laying on of hands, gave him Sacerdotal Bleiling, and complete Abfo'u- tion: raifed him up from kneeling : for condufion a Greg Neocccfar. Epifi. Canon. b AmbroftuSoDeTicnit. I. i.e. if. of In the Roman Church* 221 of all, he was admitted at the fame time, both to the ly Communion, and the Churches Peace. The enitents being thus reconcilM neither under-wenc ther Punifhments, nor needed other Indulgences. j-. d if that Holy Mother the Primitive Church ufed to chaftife her itubborn Children, and upon their amendment to kifs and embrace them afterwards ; we do not read in any Father, that it was ever her Ivlethod, fir ft to kifs, then to correct and punilb. It is an extravagance proper to Rome, to abfolve her Penitents and after Absolution, to have them pu- nifht thereby to fatisfie Divine Juftice : and fo con* fequently are all her Indulgences, to eafe men of fuch Punifhments, Tricks of their own invention. Our Savior did not plague tinners, after he had bid them, go in Peace : and if God kept them afterwards hum- ble , and fenfible of their former fins by Fatherly Corre&ions, as you read often that he did ; Pfal. 89. Hebr. 12. 1 Corinth, 11. Roman Indulgences are but both idle and fawcy Toies to take them off. And this brings to the fecond vifible Character, by which you may difcern the Primitve Relaxations, from the prefent Roman Indulgences. 1 . Therefore as to this fecond 5 the Fathers of the Primitive Church never intended with their Con- defcenfions or favors to moderate or to take off any other Punifhments, then that which they had laid on by their own fentence and Cenfure : They knew that the Power of reteining, and the Power of remit- ting, which God allowed them in his Church, are both « proportioned and relative, the one to the other : and that they could remit nothing, but when they had bin able to bind. This appears fo by the 1 Suaresdc Indulg. I>i[p. 5c. Sett. 2. «. 5. very 222 Of the Indulgences very Contents, and Form of their Warrant* Whatfoever you /hall bind on Earth, &c. Matth. i. 16.19. and 18. 18. and Johmo. 23. Wherethe power of Loofingand Remitting, follows clofe to that of Retaining and Binding. This is exer- cifed by Excommunications and Cenfures, that, by taking them away in the reconciling of Offenders ; and both Keies turn in the fame wards,that is,with- in the fame compafs, within the Minifterial Pale of the Church, and within the bounds of this Life. Roman Popes are the firft Heftors, who durft break out beyond thefe Lines, and roving into Purgato- ry, there over-rule Divine Juftice , and pull out thence out of Gods hands the Souls, whom, they fay, his Vengeance doth burn and torment. This is then the drift of the Popes, and the fecond via- ble Mark of their beft and moft authentic Indul- gences 5 that whereas the Fathers of the Church never attemted to difpofe of any other punifh- ments, then fuch as they had mfli&ed; the Popes ftretch their hands much farther, even as far as to reverfe the Judgments, which, (as they prefuppofe it) Godinfli&s. Now let Rome ranfack their Learn- ing, and procure from any corner of good and known Antiquity, one precedent for fuch Indul- gences. In the mean while laying afide Antiquity, which in true Confcience cannot but fhame this new at- temt ; it is a bufinefs worth enquiring, what thefe Roman Indulgences ( whether new or old) are in themfelves. They are intended for thefe c two, ends. 1. Theeafingof true Penitents from the Pe- nalties laid on them by their ConfelTors, after their c BelUrm. de Indulg. 1. 1 . 7. In the Roman Church. 223 Abfolution here in the Church. 2. And the remo- ving of more grievous punifhments, hied on them by God Almighty, yonder in Purgatory. And cer- tainly it is hard to fay, in the which of thefe two you (hall find lefs, both Impiety and Extrava- gancy. 1. The Indulgences for the firft end, are both foolilh and impious upon feveral accounts: What rebellious attemt is this, to bind to punifhment thofe (Men, as it is fuppofed, contrite and truly peni- tent for their fins) whom the Gofpel of Chrift loofcs and abfolves ? May not one as well curfe, whom God bleiTes, as retain or bind whom God re- mits ? And if one may bind the Penitents, whom God abfolves ; may he not as well unbind the Faith- lefs andlmpenitents whom God hath bound ? If fo, We know where the Antichrift lies ; yet he fhould go and learn Manners from the Example of Balaam, Num. 23. 8, They fay, that what they bind their Pe- nitents to, isnotaPunifhmentonly, butanufeful Correction alfo. Then, I fay, what they do in binding them whom God doth loofe, lhall be as far a Rebellion, as it is a punifhment ; and as far unlaw- ful and unchriftian to take off, as 'tis an ufeful Cor- rection, and as it was good to lay it on. And have the Popes no better waies to fill their C offers, and to maintain their Holinefles, then by fuch a Trade of Indulgences, as difpenfe with Men againft their own good ? 2. There is yet more ; to juftifie their Penalties from being a re/ifting of God, and a re- taining what he remits * they fay, that after Ab- folution they lay no more on any Man, then what a fincere Penitent a ps both willing to undergo, and obliged by the fear of Cod, and thefenfe of his Confci- eme 224 Of the Indulgences ence to do or fuffer 3 and that this is it properly and direftly, what the Indulgences do eafe Men from. Do not then call this, if you pleafe, Rebellion or Refifting God: but you cannot choofe but perceive, that if this fame penitent Soul lies not between a cruel binding Confetf or, and a gracious remitting God ; Die now falls into another as bad or worfe condition. For here is within the fenfe of Confci- ence, that charges her to do or fuffer fuch a thing ; and there is without, a Bull from Rome , that dif- charges her from both doing and fuffering it : Do you not think to fee this Soul, as the Body of Mofes was once, between a good and a bad Angel i Here God imprefTe$ a pious Fear, in order that the Peni- tent may do ot fuffer fuch a thing; and there the Pope (hews an Indulgence, that he may do but what hepleafes : Do you not fee God, and the Pope con- tefting ftill about Mofes, & ftrugling one againft the other, what way {hall be taken by this honeft Soul i If the Fope have the better of it, then his Indul- gences come to this, and the Sitisfa&ions and Blood of Chrifr, which the Pope wraps up in thefe Bulls, have this good end, namely, that Men need not be perplexed for Gods Fear, nor for the motions of Confcience. Certainly, not to do what both the fear of God, and the fenfe of an honeft Confcience do move us to, is a fearful omiflion : and if any in- dulgence can wafh it off, it rauft exemt Men not only fromapunifhment, as they pretend, but from a very great fin alfo, which they do not. 3. This fcattering and abufing the Blood of Chrift by In- dulgences, will better appear, if you confider in retail what thefe Penalties are, which this Blood applied to us by them, mud free us from. Thefe Pe- In the Roman Church. 2 2 J Penalties are chiefly thefe three, e Fafling, Trd'ur % and Almes-giving. The very * Pagans can tell you, that the exercife of Moral Vermes is even a Sove- reign Happinefs : How then ccme good Catholics to imagine, that the exercife of Ghriftian ones may- be to them a punifhment ? In confeience, is Pray- tng, Fading, and giving of Alms, the punifliment, or part of it, which fin deferves? Did ever Gods Law reckon Praier and Charity amongft its Cur- fes ? Or did ever the Gofpel ot Chrift impofe this Holy and Blefled Exercife , under the notion of Chaftening ? Is it likely, that the Apoftles, who often plagued Men with Blindnefs , with Death* with delivering them over to Satan, ever inflicted Praiers, and Exercifes of Alms-giving, as ftrokes of their Apoftolical Rod i Did the Lord Jefus filed his Blood to be applied in Indulgences, that you mould not Pray, or Fait, at all * Or that we fhouldnot Pray, or F aft fomuch? Andif this be none of the true ends of Chrifts Death and Satif- faclion ; I do not fay, how unprofitable, but how both unchriftian and Antichriftian are the Indulgen- ces, that trifle away this Sacred Blood to fuch con-* trary purpofes ? 4. Laftly, to lay this impious a- bufe afide, and to let Fading, Praying, and charit- able giving of Alms,pafs at Rome for hard and pain^ ful Punifhments $ yet they are, neither the Death that the Law threatens finners with, nor the Helhfh burning in Purgatory, which, as they fay, the Ju- stice cf God requires, that they mould fuffer when; they are dead : they can be at the moft, but an emty (hadow of thefe pains. And tho they were (what * Bellarm. de Tocnitent. I. 4. c . 6. f Jriftot. MeraUad Mcwnacb. I- 1 F f they 2i6 Of the Indulgences they are not) a full Equivalent for them 5 yet are they nofatisfaclion in any Balance of Juftice, un- lefs God will accept of them for due paiment. Therefore let Roman Confeflbrs fhew now to their poor Penitents, either when, and where God hath told them, that he will accept of their Praiers* &c. inftead of Purgatory Burnings, which is their pro- per punifhment: and let the other greater Cheats, the Popes and Bull-fellers of Borne, afTure any o- thersbut Fools, upon any provable ground, that God is both pleafed and refolvC^to accept of their Indulgences, in lieu of Failings and Praiers j and good and Chriftian giving of Alms. 2. Thefecondend, that Roman Indulgences are intended, and fo bought for, is the removing cf that Judgment, which condemns Roman Catholics after this Life to dreadful Burnings and Tortures, unlefs (which few befides Saints and Martyrs can do) they can fatisfie otherwife. This hot and ter- rible Torment is not impofed on departing Souls by Popes or Priefts $ for if it were, it wculd be no wonder that Popes and Priefts could remove it. It is none of thofe voluntary Chaftifements, which one may take upon himfelf to prepare him for Gods Mercies, finceit is confefled by them all, that no Body grows better for them. It is an unavoidable Punifhment lying on them for the fatisfaclion of Ju- ftice. It is, they fdy, decreed by God f himfelf due and demanded by Gods Law, grounded and radica- ted upon the effential right of Nature : and by this you may judg how indifpenfable this Purgatory punifhment is, fince, as they fay, God Almighty will rather fee his own Children burning many ' tfavar. dejubil. tfntabih 15, ». n* ban- In the Roman Church. 227 hundreds of years in hellifli Flames , when even their fins are pardoned , then to break his Law to take it off. Yet the Almighty Pope dares do it : gnd if you cannot go fo far as to Rome, Rome will in a manner come to you 5 and give you fuch an Indul- gence, that is in their own language, fuch a juridi- cal Abfolution, as mall reverfe all Judgments whe- ther of natural Juftice, or God himfelf : and thus get you clear on all hands. Heaven and Earth can- not afford the like Example. A Hoftler, or a Porter making Acts of Oblivion 5 or a Prifonerat New- Gate granting Decrees to flop the Judges, and their Pro- ceedings at Weftmmfter, are nothing to Pope Sixtus the 4< h , nor to Alexander the fixt, nor to any of thofe Villains, who fend Indulgences from Rome y and from the Embraces of their Harlots, to obftruct the Courfe of Divine Juftice, and to order judicially, to what degrees of Punifhment it may proceed ; or whether it mall proceed at all. This is far worfe then what they fay the Ruffians do, when upon the breaft f of their dead Friends, they fend a Mandac toS. Peter ) charging him, that at the fame moment, when he fhall have received their letter, he fail not to admit the Bearer thereof, whom they have ab- folved from all fins. For the Popes Indulgence is a formal Sentence, and as they call it, a Juridical Ab- folution directed to and ferved upon God himfelf a- gainfl the ufual courfe, as they conceive, of this or- dinary Supreme Juftice. I have read of a conceited man, who, even to the endangering of his life, keeping himfelf from making water, for fear of drowning the whole World, at laftwas perfwaded, it would not be fo, by the ex- * Wolf us Cent. 16. an. 1580, Ff a pciience 128 Of the Indulgences perience of his weaknefs upon a poor fmall Cottage^ fet on fire, which his friends had called him to quench. If His Holinefs in this refpect were not twenty times more incurable ; twenty thoufand Ex- periments of the like nature might have cured him. Let him and all Papifts but confider, what a ntoft plenary Indulgence, or even a whole jubilee can do towards the preventing of the leaft other temporal punifhment for fin, for example, want, ficknels, or death ; and thence let them guefs, what it can do againft the greateft, and, as they conceive the mofl fatal, the burning of Souls after Pardon. Let them try, what kind of Relief thefe Bulls can afford to contrite and repenting Robbers againft hanging, in an human Judicature 5 and then hope or defpair of what they are boafted to do, againft the Soveraign Divine Juftice. Nay let the wifeft of all the Papifts hearken to their own fenfe and reafon. If an i In- dulgence, faies Bellarmin, cannot fo much as take a- way the Puni/hment , which an Inferior Magi fir Ate condemns a Thief, or a Murderer to ; how much lefs able /hall it be, to take off that Yuni/}>ment, which God hath decreed againsl Sinners ? And what do they concefve Purgatory Burning to be elfe? They * ac- knowledgalfo, that, the Tope by his Indulgences can- not pardon any Punijhment, which is inflitledbyGod asjudg, in an Exterior and criminal Judicature. If fo, in good earneft doth not God Almighty act as a Judg, when he condemns men to Punifhment in o'der to fatisfy his Juftice? And is not that an exterior and Criminal Court of Juftice, wherefoever men are condemned to fuch grievous and long, and out? 8 Bel far. delndulg. /• 2. c. i.fect. Puarta Objeffio. ward In the Roman Church. nj ward Punifhments ? Or if you call it inward ; why fhouldthe Judgment ofGodbelefs, and the Power of the Pope more regarded, in Gods own internal, then in his external Judicature . ? Here the Popes are pleafed to juggle, as the Fel- low ufed to do, who bragged, how far he could jump at Rhodes, where he knew no man had feen him. But faiesone, if it be fo^ come friend, here is as good ground as at Rhodes J\tt us therefore fee what you can do. The Popes brag much, how bravely they can fave men from all the dangers in a Place, where no body tells us the truth of what they are pleafed to brag of. But here in theCourfeof this mortal life, where we fee fo many temporal Judgments of God, fo many Plagues and Penalties inflicted by God Al- mighty upon abfolved finners for their fins, my Rho- dian Boafter cannot jump : the Popes Bulls fave from none of them ; and by their own ConfeiTion, their Indulgences h can help no managainftany kind of Mifenes, whether for Original fins fuch as are Infir- mities, Difeafes and Death; or for any a&ual fins, fuch as Plagues upon men, and Countries. It is in vain, when men go to Rome for a Bull againft any kind of Tribulations whatfoever, either in their Soul, or Body , Relations or Fortune. No Indulgence can reprive from any Punifhments that we can fee : only that one which we fee not, the being torment- ed in Purgatory for fins which God hath forgiven 5 and there only my Jumpers can work wonders , and their Indulgences are worth Gold. If [he comparing of thefe two Ends, namely the eafing you from pious. Exercifes, whenfoever you are troubled with them •, and the removing of Gods b Be liar, tie Ir.dulg. I. i.e. $. purga- 33& Of the Indulgences purgatory Juftice, be both impious and impoflible 5 the manner of attemting it by laying out the blood ofChrift in Indulgences, is not much better. Ac firft, when the Fathers of Trent talk magnificently of opening their great s Ce left ial Magazines , and of drawing out thence, by the means of their Indul- gences, Chrifts Blood, andallfortsofBleflings 5 all this makes mew of a great matter. But if you will come but fomewhat near , you mail find it what Eneas did, when being in the Heathenifh Limbus, he thought to fee and embrace his Father ; it is but an emty Phantome , which hath neither flefti nor bones, that you can hold. 1. For firft this Celestial Magazine is not lockt and opened at Rome^ as the Vatican Library is, whence the Pope and his Offi- cers may lend to Baronius what Ancient Records he calls for, there to find tales for his purpofe ; and fometimes Truth againfl himfelf. Nor is it like the Trefury where His Holinefs keeps his Monies 3 when it comes in from felling Bulls, under the pretenfe of Holy Wars, &c. and goes out as they k fay fome- times it doth,in real truth,to arm Turks againft Chri- ens. Nor is it like thofe more holy confecrated Re- positories, where their holy Relics are kept 5 and whence they may at any time fhew all what you have a mind to fee, the Head, or the Toe of a Saint, the Milk, or the Hairs of the Virgin. It were fair ? if this Trefury, where Chrifts Blood and Ranfom is kept, were but like their Holy Mafs Pyx-, where the whole Body lies ftill at hand, for any man that may want it ^ for then it were eafy for the Pope, to take in and out what he pleafes. They fay that this 1 Condi Trident. Seff. 21. c. 9. % Aventin. Anna I, Bohr- I. 7. whole In the Roman Church* 231 whole Trefure is laid up in ntente fa acceptation? Vi- Tjina^ * that is, in the very mind and acceptation of God himfelf, where no fober man will imagine, that any Roman Pope can reach, as he muft in the pre- fent Cafe. The Cafe is this. The Pope muft have to difpofe of, as much, or as little of the blood of Chrift, as he intends to make his Indulgence to be worth, if it be an Indulgence for 40 daies , any Bifhop may take as much ; fo very little of this blood may ferve : if the Indulgence be for 40, or for 4, or 500 years , he muft proportionably take fo much the more 5 for all Indulgences being fuppofed to be real- ly fraught with Chrifts Blood 5 and to be effective Paiments made by the Pope, to God himfelf, out of his Sons fatisfactions and Sufferings 5 herefirft you muft admit another fuch bufinefs asintheMafs Sa- crifice. Firft the Pope reaches to part of this Celeftial Trefure, which is with God (above any human reach one mould think) otherwife how could he pay it, and having it ( I leave to others to deter- mine what way the Pope can come it) fupply all Exigencies, efpecially at the Jubilee^ and generally at any time. I ask any Chriftian Conference, whe- ther thefe fatisfa&ions and this Blood , fuppofing true what they fancy, fhould not be much better left in the hand of Chrift himfelf 5 then in the difpofal of a Pope , who , when we may have the greateft need, namely when after Death we muft all ftand above at the Bar, is at a great diftance from us$ knows neither our Danger, nor our fins : nor what Judg- ment fhall pafs on us ; uorwhatwe want to fecure againft that danger. Were not this better in his hand, who hath fhed it, and prefented it already to * Suare^ Pe Tbefaur* Veip. 51. Ss&. in. 6. Cod r 332 OJ the Indulgences God, who fees our need, and who (lands there to help out * Were it not better left in Gods own hand to whom Chrift firft prefented it ? And who is the Judg to whom, they fay, the Pope muft prefent it back again? Is the Pope being at Rome more willing or more able, having this Blood under his key, to help with it remote and unknown Souls, then Chrift who is prefent, to fave his Members ? And whether of the two is more merciful and more likely to ufe it beft to our Salvation, thePopeatadiftance, in ap- plying it to ftrangers , or God the Father being there prefent, in applying it to his Children? Is it that Chrifts Redemtion muft come to Rome^ and there be ratified by fome Bull, before it be good againft Burning? Secondly, this Paiment, however reacht to, is, they fay, prefented to God by the Pope. It is fo in all Indulgences , but in thofe efpecially , which his Holinefs grants for the dead. For there the Pope refcues no man from what he fuffers, but by offering as much to God, of Chrifts Sufferings , that fo Juftice, they fay, n may be fatisfied by the exchange. And herein lies a moft impious Abfur- dity. i. For what is this, to offer up again what Chrift, by his eternal Spirit offered before? Was not Chrifts once offering it, furricient^ Is the Popes Offering more acceptable ? and fince Chrift alone can by theLawofM^i/h&cf Prieft-hood, offer up his Body, and Blood •, what is the Popes fecond Offer- ing in every Bull, but a moft facrilegious Boldnefs ? Will they fay, that this Offering is merely intentio- nal, fuch as every Chriftian may do by praier l then fay I, the Indulgence which the Pope fells with this Jdnd of Offering, is a mere Cheat; if it be more, it * Ztllarmin. d& Indnlg. l.i.c, 14. fell. Tertia .Qu^ffi^ is In the Roman Church, 233 is the Sacrilege. 2. Secondly what a rude extrava- gancy, is it to offer to God for Paiment his own Mo- ny ? andtoprefent him with that which he had al- ready from an incomparably better hand ? Is this fair and honeft dealing, to pay one out of his own Purfe? and what Piece ofCourtlhipisit in a Sub- ject, to prefent his Prince with nothing elfe, theQ his own proper Roial Jewels ? This is the truth of Chrifts Satisfaction : and Pope and Papifts mould either learn, or teach it better. Chrift having once offered to God a Ranfom mod: furficient to redeem ail men, both from all fins and all the Penalties which attend them ; God the Fa- ther hath accepted of it, forfuch, at the hands of his Dear Son. Now the way of applying this great and infinite Sacrifice: and ofrendringit as well all Enicacious to us, asitisal-fufficientinit felf, is not to return it up to God, either by ordinary Priefls at Mafs, or by Popes pretending to repay it him in In- dulgences ; ( for this were rather the way of apply- ing it to Gor!, who gives, then to us whomuft re- ceive it) but to beg it of God through Chrift by continual Praiers ; to thirfl and long after it, by the fenfe of our wants, and unworthinefs 3 to qualify our felves towards the receiving of it, by repenting 5 and then to embrace what God according to his mer- cies and promifes will give ^ to embrace it, I fay, with faith , and fecure it to our felves by a conftanc courfe of holy life. Or to fay the fame in Roman terms f The Church hath an infinite Trefure, both of Satisfactions and Merits: out of which you may have as many Jubilees and Plenary Indulgences fo^_ all your Sins, and all the Penalties, whether etti- nalor temporal that attend fin, as you fhaLl want. Gg This 234 Oftht Indulgences ThisTrefure of' Satisfactions hath already bin both fo fafficiently, and fo efficacioufly offered to God, -by Chrift and accepted cf by God for you, that with- out any farther Offering by Mafs Oblations or Popes Bulls, it ftands alwaies before God, in his mind, and -acceptation. God is pleafed to offer it you, full as it is in his Gofpel ; His Holy Sacraments, and his gra- cious Promifes are both his Bulls and Indulgences, and be fare that you fhall gain them, if you are but willing and earneft to have them: Only know this, thatChrift, who is the Steward, and the Difpenfer oftheTrefure, throws it not a way undifcreetly on every finner, that bids mony. None of his Indul- gences are to be had fine Caufa rationabili , as the Bull-mongers ufe to fpeak , without fome reafona- ble caufe , which is leaving the Pope, to come with repentance and Faith to Chrilh inftead of bow- ing to a Rofary Altar or an Image , to humble your felf,and walk uprightly both before God and before men. Now have you got the whole Trefure upon thefe reafonable terms; yc u have the keies along w ith it, as far as your private concern reaches. Impe- penitency, or continuing in any fin, are the two or- dinary keies , that lock it up : holy Faith, and true Chanty are the keies that get it open. There are keies of another kind , that belong to public Per- fons, S Peter, S.Paul, and all the Lawful Officers in the houfe of God. Thefe public keies are to lock out of it all fuch wretches, as ftand in the church toihameit: and to open it to them again, when af- * ter due proofs of Amendment, they fhall watch and /knock at her Gates. And this is more then perhaps -you think *, for altho directly they belong only to the Church, they do ■ alfo confequently both lock or In the Roman Church. 235 or open Gods good Trefure, and in fome manner Heaven it felf. For tho Chrift properly be the keeper of, as well as the way and the Gate of this Celeftial Palace*, take it for certain, that his Keies do fhut or open his Kingdom, whenfoevet Paul 01 Apollos^ or any other Lawful Bifhop, Lawfully (huts or opens the Church -, and whenfoever alfo your pri- vate ones (hut or open your ow,i Trefure. If Rome trefpafs againft the rule(as her keies may turn wrong, and not in the wards of the Catholic Church ) your private ones fhall ferve your turn, and the keies ofChrift will fecond them. Thefe keies every true Christian, zsTertullian p faies very well, dot like *p and carry about him : and may with them attain un- to the tender Mercies of God, and the fatisfa&ion of Chrift for all his (ins, without the Bull of any Pope. The very Papifts do confefs it, tho they do it in other words, when they fay, r That there is no mortal fm but may be remitted by true Contrition, without the Sacrament of Penance. Only for fear of beggering themfelves, they keep in their own Power the remit- ting of Temporal Pains. This one Refervation makes all the trouble about Pardons, and fo fecures all the profit. It makes all the trouble for Pardons-, for letthefouleft finner g® and confefs, the meaneft Mafs Prieft can abfolve him from all his fins, and from all the eternal punifnments in Hell : and if fome Repentance be required f tho fome s think it fcarce necevlary) it will go hard with the Penitent, if a very fmall forrow be not counted r Bee an. cte Sacram c.^\. feft. i . Parag. Tertia Conclufio. Lay- man. deSacram. Ptrnit. c. 1 . n 8. s Sniveller. Verb.Confefi. i. c.21. Soto, in 4. Sent.d.i^. 94. G g 2 At- 236 Of the Indulgences Attrition, and by the power of their Keies be not elevated, that is made to pafs into fuch a degree of O ntrition, or Roman Repentance, asfhall fecure the worft Livers from Eternal Deftruction. And Gcd kno^s, how many Wretches both are drawn away to that Church, and there emboldened to fin by this fweet Enchantment. But when you think to have done all (for who is the honeft Penitent that might not think to have done enough, when he hath freed him felf from fin, and from the eternal Mifer) that follows it) there remains frill the tem- poral, which may make you burn for every one of thefe fins you think pardoned, in a Fire as hot as Hell , fome fay feven , fome ten , others twenty Years, for every one of your Mortal Sins. You may hear Godprotefting by moft of the Holy Pro- phets, That if you turn and believe. He will not fo much as remember your fms any more. But Romes Purgatory Vengeance tells quite the contrary. You hear an Apoftle preaching among the ancient Ro- mans, That there i* no condemnation at all for them that are in ChriftJejtM^ Rom. 8. 1. That is true for Hell, fay now the Modern Romans, but not for Pur- gatory. You hear another Apoftle telling you, That the Blood of Jefus Chrifl cleanfeth you jrom all fins, when you have committed any, 1 Johm. 5. but not, faiesthe Roman Church, from all the Pu- nishments and Burnings which you muft fuffer. Nay more, thefe will tell you alfo, that l Chrift hath moft fully fatisfied for all Sins and Puni foments, both in Hell andin Purgatory : What can they fay, andyou wiihmore? one fhould think fo ; but they only mock you. For Chrift, fay they, hath fatisfi- * Bell.delndulg. I. 2.c.j. ed In the Roman Church. 137 cd Co for you, but 'tis upon condition, that you fhall fatisfie alio for your felf. Good God! I thought my Savior had fatisfied fully for all my Debts, if by Repenting and Believing, and leading aChrifti- an Life, I mould make my felf capable of his full Satisfaction. Now it feems he hath fatisfied Divine Juftice, in cafe I do fatisfie it my felf; he hath freed me of all my Debts, if I pay them 5 he hath obtain- ed the full pardon of all my fins, if I befufficient- \y punifh'd for them. So I receive and may expect this favor , that I fhall not be puniih'd neither fo long, nor in Hell ; and that I fhall net be drawn and quartered en Tower-hill, if I be hang'd at Tiborn. This certainly is no full Pardon, nor full Satisfacti- on, nor full Paiment. They fay, it is, if you ap- ply it well. It is full to all ends and purpofes, when it is applied by Baptifm ; it is full after Baptifm for all Mortal Sins and Eternal Punifhments in Hell, if it be well applied by temporal and worldly pains. So I need not trouble my felf for Hell or Sin : But what muft I do to free my felf from Purgatory? Here therefore is the Corner, where you muft pay the utmoft Farthing : Here in good earneft lies all the trouble, and hence the Roman Clergy gains the profit. For after you have bin at the trouble cf continual Pilgrimages, Failings, Scourgings, and great Ex- pences, no body can well affure you, that feven Years of fuch hardfhips in this fad Life, ihall x fa*e in Purgatory one hours burning. You muft have yourrecourfe to Mafles, and redeem your felf out of that terrible Fire with whole thcufands of thefe, as they call them, Celeftial ViB'vnes^ for they * Soto, in ^.Diji. 21. q.2. a. 1. pro- 138 Of the Indulgences properly are intended for that purpofe : and many rich Men every day grudg not to deftitute their Children , and to beftow their vaft Eftates to this good end. How much this hath raifed up the Roman Church , you may fee by thofe vaft Lands and Patrimonies which (lie enjoies : and how- little it can help poor Souls, you may fee alfo by this, that after Millions of Mafles fo dearly bought, none of the Priefts will think their Founders Souls fo free from the pains of Purgatory, but they will fell and fing as many more, for their greater fe- curity. In a word, after all is done which both Mafs and Mafs-Priefts can do, there is no fafety but in the Pope and Indulgences. If you will know what they Blafpheme^ Chrift himfelf with his whole Body and all his Blood, tho a hundred times Sa- crificed in a hundred MafTes, is far fhort of what the Pope can do in one plenary Indulgence ; and, what Heaven and Earth may tremble at, his Roman Ho- linefs fometimes applies more of Chrifts Blood in a (ingle piece of Parchment, then Chrift himfelf will do in three or four thoufand Mafs-Sacrifices. Therefore befides all you can gee of the Mafs- Priefts, with their Superceleftial Victims, the Pope promifesyou far more out of his Celeftial Store- houfe. This he can open as wide or little as he thinks fit: So you may have Bulls of all fizes ; fome for 40 daies, Quadra gens. Afterward they grew to one Year, as that folemn one which * Alexander the third beftowed in F err Aria upon St. Georges high Altar : Some other grew to feven, fome to ten, fome to twenty years ; but all things well confidered, * Baron, an. 1177. n. 49; thefe In the Roman Church. 1 39 thefe fmall Indulgences proved too weak and infi- gnificant to help one out of Purgatory : For alas ! who can tell us, whether one fin may not require as much or more, to be burnt out ? thereforeyou may have larger Indulgences, even for hundreds and for thoufands of Years : fuch is that which Pope Boni- face t granted, when he dedicated the Chappel M\- fericordia, being worth one thoufand Years to the Romans, two thoufand to remoter Neighbors, and three thoufand to them who came to it from beyond Sea. This is nothing; ten and twenty thoufand Years came to be an ufual rate for every Month in the Year, and fometimes y for many daies in fome Months. Read the Account of Roman * Indulgen- ces,there you fhal find fome of thirty three thoufand Years. In one of the Altars of the hater an Church, which they call Ara Maxima, x there is one of 4800 o for every day. They fay the Venetians have one gran- ted to them by Benedict the 1 1 r h , which extends to above fourfcore thoufand ; at laft they are grown, and in one Church, for example in the Lateran, to a a number beyond all calculation : and they who think to guefsbeft at it, do not find them lefs then the many fmall grains which you may find in a good handful of Sand 5 or the many fmall drops cf Wa- ter that can fall in three whole daies and nights of Rain. This way of mefuring Indulgences by a greater t Job.Diaccn ap. Caf. ReS[on. I. 2. c. 14. y Judu'gentiaRom. ltalice. EJit.Veterb.i6Af,. * Ibid. 1 Ccef. ReHon.de Bafd. Later an. 1.2. c. i^.p. 207. * Ibidem, pag 204. or 140 Of the Indulgences or leffer number of Years, is, as it were an old Rag of the old Relaxations, which the Popes are pleafed to tear off, either to blind or to coun- tenance the newnefs of their Indulgences. The Primitive Church fometimes did puni/h fcandalous Men with Cenfures, that lafted, fome five, fome ten, fome fifteen, and fome twenty Years: and if (he faw reafon for it, fhe ufed to remit more or lefs of this time of humiliation, according as the Peni- tent feemed to make better ufe of it. Now the Pope by his Indulgences remits another kind of Pu- nifhent, not that which the Church had laid, but that which God himfelf will lay on them 5 not in this life and in the Church, but after death and in Purgatory ; not to make them a whit the better, but only to pleafe his Juftice. So becaufe they know well enough, that thefe new Indulgences of theirs are quite another thing then b what the ancient Re- laxations were, they will borrow fom thing of thofe to cover with it the newnefs of thefe 5 and having changed the very Subftance, they do what they can to inveigle themfelves and others with fome emty Shadows and Forms. Only they muft betray them- felves, when to make Indulgences more precious, they multiply twenties into thoufands, a number as inconfiftent with the Cenfures, as with the Lives of Penitents in the Church of God, but compatible with their new waies of Penance in Purgatory. For whereas one, or two, or fome few Years of Eccle- fiaftical Relaxation, did tend only to take off fome Years of their Eccleiiaftical Cenfure ; our Roman Relaxations and Indulgences intend to take off b Navar.de Jttbil.Notab. \\.n. 7. Suarex. cle Jndulg.T>ifjut. 49. Sett. 2. n. 7,8,9. quite, In the Roman Church. 241 quite^ or to abridge Gods Judgment, v hich may laft upon burning Souls longer then the longeft Bulls* Andthisisthe fenfe and meaning of their extravagant Calculation. Sir, you have from his Holinefs a Bull of forty thoufand Years 5 ibatis, a holy Privilege, by which you fhall be c exemted from as long and as hot Burnings in the other World, as you might have freed your felf from, not only by fcourging your back every day of your natural life* but every day of forty thoufand Years, if you were able to live fo long. Every one of your Mortal Sins defervesby fome ancient Canons a d Mortification of three, cf feven , and fome of ten Years and more : think how many fuch lie upon you, and then peradventure you fhal find,that tho an Indulgence of forty thoufand Years goes very far,it may be yet too fhort for you* But if you be not pleafed with this mefuring of Indulgences, becaufe how long and wide foever, it is upon many c accounts uncertain, whereas the fum which you pay for them is not fo : take at your choice either partial, or plenary Indulgences, and then ycu fhall know what you take. If you take a partial one, chufe what piece of Pardon you pleafe, whether to be freed from the Penances that your ConfefTor puts you to, or from the punifhiuent of venial, or for half, a third or fourth part of Mortal Sins. I fay this, becaufe beyond Sea I have known fome great Perfons , who would not take Pardon for all, being informed by their Directors, that God • Layman, de Irtdulg. c. 3. n. 1. Suarcx^ dclikJ, Pi$]nt. 50. SeSJ. 5. n. \z. • Cellar, tie Indulge I. i.e. 9. • Snares fnfm< H h would * 4 2 Of the Indulgences would be better glorified, if they fhould expiate fome part of them by Burning themfelves along with them in the Purgatory Fire. However, the Pope now hath the Blood and the Satisfactions of Chrift fo perfectly at his command, that he may & will let you have of it,for as much and as little asyoupleafe. But if yoa have a mind to make clear work, and to be quit with Gods Juftice upon all fcores, take a to- tal or a plenary Indulgence. A plenary Indulgence, (God in his great mercy forgive,and undeceive them who Blafpheme fo) is thought equivalent to Holy Baptifm, and able to convey as much of Chrifts Blood upon you,as will wafh you clean from all your Sins ; or at the leaft, clear you from all Debts, from the very date of your Baptifm, to the taking of the Indulgence. Yet this total or full Indulgence, admits of feveral degrees. For in Pope * Boniface's account, there are fome that are more then full, Pleniores ; fome o- thers yet fuller then thefe, VUniJftma. Some of the Roman Champions are puzled at this gradation,and do not know how to take it, unlefs it be for an ex- aggerating Expreflion, to fwell fomewhat the bu- finefs, and to lighten the Buyers purfe. Never- thelefs there is in the cafe ground enough for thefe, and more Gradations, i. You may think to have gained a total Indulgence, becaufe it releafes you of all the Punifhment which can be laid on you by the Church ; when you want another, to releafe you from all ocher punifliments, which may, either in Purgatory, or in fome other place be laid on you, by God himfelf. 2. Suppofe your plenary Indul- gence remits both thefe, Ab in]un$ti^& drbitu ; it * Rxtravag, Anti^uoruffi, com- In the Church o/Rome. 245 commonly remits them no farther, then the time when it is applied to you, when being in great dan- ger of dying, you are abfolv'd by it. But in cafe you live longer, tho it were but a Fortnight, your total Indulgence is fpent ; you want another, that may remit the fins which you may fall into before you die. Therefore there is a fuller oxit^Plenior y that may ferve you to your la ft breath. 3. There muft be another yet fuller then this, for when you are in fuch an extremity of either ficknefs or dan- ger, that apparently you cannot live, Articulus mor- tis prafumtu5, that is, the point s and laft term when you muftufeit$ then if you efcape this danger, you fee you are to feek of another, againft both the point prefumed, h and the point real, when you ihall die ; unlefs you take their good advife *, who are for two diftinct Indulgences ; one for the pre- fumed end of your life, which for greater fecurity you may ufe in any danger; and the other for the real term, when you ihall die in good earneft : for thus, they fay, you cannot fail to end your daies in a Baptifmal Innocency. 4. But yet you may per- haps want a Prieft to fay your Abfolution ; For tho thefe kind of Officers be common enough, even five or fix in a Pariih, yet they may be all finging their Mafs, when you are at home groaning to death. And in thofe barbarous Countries , where Mafs- Priefts are not fo frequent, what will avail all your Indulgences , if you chance to die at Ditrbam,when your Mafs-Prieft is at New-cajlle f Therefore there are other fuller then thofe, and moft full and fulleft, * Fclin.de Indulg.n. 16. Anton'tn i.part. Tit. io, c. 13. h Navut. de Jubil. Notabil. 3. ». 18. ' Id. Notabil^ 11. ». 7, Hh 2 P/e- 244 Of de Indulgences Yknhres <£r VUniffim&-> that can fecure you from be- ing burned,tho you want a Priefbwhich is done two manner of waies, either by impowering you to make your Groom, or the next Man or Woman that you meet with, a lawful Officer to abfolve you, becaufe thefe Indulgences are fuch unfacramental Pardons, which may be as well applied k as granted, without any Prieftly Character 5 or by wording your Indul- gence in fuch terms, as fhall require no Body at all 1 to apply it ; and in that cafe, they idy^ the Pope himfrlf is the immediate Prieft, whoabfolves you at any diftance. 5- When you have this, you have not yet all ; for there is another fort of lins that this Indulgence, how large foever, takes, it may be, no notice of; to wit, all the fins which you may ha- zard your felf into, byprefuming on the ftrength of this Indulgence. Some of your beft Directors tell you, m that nochingisa fin, which you a re em- boldened to do by the hope of the next Jubilee, or of a mo ft plenary Bull, fuch as Friends and Mo* ney can eafily procure you from Rome; orar the leaft, that what you do, tho the venturing were a fin, yet it cannot at all debar you from the benefit of this Pool, that wafhes all your filth away. Yet 1 hear of fome ether great ones, and Saints too, who will except prefumtuous fins, when they apply thefe large Pardons. For thus runs the Abfoluti- on, n Autfaritate, &c. that is, By the authority of the Apoftrdical See committed to me, I ab/Jve thee of all thy fins, except'mgthofe which thju haft committed k SuahXj de Indulge Deip. 49. Sett. 3. n. 6. 1 Ibid. Dip, wf . 56. Sett. 1 . ih 3. "■• Navaf ubil&i, and, Quantum fe Claves exten- dunt ; that is, After the manner of a Jubilee^ and, As far a* the Keies of the Church can reach \ this is absolutely a Plenary, and more Plenary , and moft Plenary Indulgence. With this, for ought I know, you may fave all the World and yourfelf: how- ever, you may fecure all the Crimes, and In- cefts, and Sodomies, which you find expiated, and paid for in the Popes Apoftolical 1 Chamber. For who can tell what that is, which St. Peters Keies cannot fetch in ? And what is too much to be taken out of an infinite Trefure i and to be given k out of it , by an unlimited Power ? Qu*cunque folvem y Rofar. Viterb. 164^. p. 2\6. f Ibid. p*g. 212. 1 TaxaCancellatia. * Suare\. Dil} 50. Seel- 1 . n. 2> 246 Of the Indulgences &c. The main difficulty of the bufinefs is, that fuch a large and comprehenfive Indulgence is like to ftand you at a high price. For fuch gracious Con- ceflions ,- as you may fee at large in the Roman s Chancery Office,muft all be granted after the pro- portion of what they give : So much for having kil- led r your Father ; and fo much for him that hath ravifhed u Sifter and Mother:but there's no Difpen- fation or Mercy for him who hath a mind to pay » nothing. You may be abfolved from (ins, which you have not actually confefled, if you had a mind to confefs then? ; and your Indulgence on this ac- count will accept of an intended Confeflion : But fo cannot the Roman Office of an intended paiment; the fum, fuch as it is, muft be laid down. Tapa non debet^fec, faies a great * Man, The Pope ought not fo to grunt Indulgences to them wh o would fain p ay , as to them mho fay actually, Andinthkcafe^ faies he, the rich Men have the a better Title to the Bleffedmfs which the Pope gives \ as cur Savior faies, The poor have it, to that which he ispleafed to give himfelf, Luke 6* 20* Quia b nonfunt, &c. faies his Holinefs, Book of Rates* Who foever hath no Money , cannot he comforted with Pardons i and if you will have it in other terms, Such full Indulgences are Jewels for Kings and great Perfons, let them be never foprofane : not for poor and private Men, let them be never fo pious. But neverthelefs, do not defpondin this good Ca* f TdxaCancellaru. Edit. Parity 1520. 1 Ibid. Pag. 58. " /bid. p- 57. x S,Antonw. i.p. tit. 10. c. 3. * Augufl. de Anron. de Potejl. Pap. q.^.ad^c * Ibid. b TaxaCancell.fol.25. tholic In the Roman Church 247 tholic way, for the Pope takes care of you, in the care he takes for himfelf. You muft not think that fome few Grandees are able to make up the vaft fums which he raifeth out of Indulgences : It is all that whole Europe can do. Therefore befides thofe few Indulgences , which you (hall find in fome great Houfes ; as in Corporations and Cities, not only fob the Lord, the Lady, the Children, Male and Female who are living, but for many Generations, and hundreds of Years after them, fo the Proteftant Hereiie may never creep into thefe Houfes ; be- fides thefe great and hereditary Indulgences, I fay, which are proper to fome Families 5 the Pope fcat- ters others as good for their prefent occafion, thro- out all the Catholic Countries. 1. Sometimes Princes will engage for all, and ac- commodate his Holinefs with * a good lufty fum of ready Money, fuppofe 200 thoufand Ducats, that they may fell them in retail, and at fmall rates a- mong their Subje&s ; or the Pope will engage thofe Princes with fome d ccnfiderable fhare in the Pro- fits, to countenance his Officers, if he will retail them himfelf. Thus all paffages being made free, Friers will run all over the World, of whom you and every Man elfe may have their Merchandife for a fmall matter. If your Parfon will take as much as he thinks may ferve his Parifli (as heretofore Re- ctors e and Curats ufed to do, in hope of gaining fomthing for their pains, and for the eafe of their poor Flock) you are like to have it cheaper. Whe- ther the Blood of Jefus Chrift follows both forward ■ Hifhr. Concil. Trid. 1. 8. 4 Poljfd. Virgil. /. 26. pag.602. Edit.Baftl. I $34. • Flor. R*mund. d< Or ax, & fregrefi. tftref. I. i.f-8. and 248 Of the Indulgences and backward all themotions of thefe Merchants, or whether God, inwhofehand is the Church Tre- fure, will punctually fend as much cf it, as makes the Indulgence worth the buying , whether and whenfoever the Pope of Rome, for his own ends, will fend his Bulls, is not the Point in queftion. But however, thefe great Indulgences, full or emty, fuch as they are, can by the means of thefe Hu§k- fters, both return Millions back to Home, and come home ready to your hands for eighteen pence. Over all Spain, and the Kingdoms appertaining, faies f Navarriu(2.i\& think not that England f ares worfe) a full Indulgence of all Sins, with many other Fa- culties and Privileges added to it, fuch as the liber- ty of eating Cheefe on Saturday, &c. may be had by every one (Prince or Pefant it matters not) for two fmall pieces of Silver. 2. There is not any poor country Church or Chappel, but, as it hath a Saint for us fpecial Pa- tron, and an anniverfary Feaft for the day on which it was confecrated,hath alfo fome fpecial Graces out of the Roman Trefury, to wait both upon the Saint and the Feaft. Thus one needs net to go farther then the Pariih, to get at the leaft twice in a Year the benefit of Indulgences. 5. If you be not content with what your Parifh can afford, the Pope hathfo judicioufly fcattered great Sanftuaries over all his Catholic World, like the Moa%im in Daniel, and the High places in Ifrael\ that there is fcarce any Country fo unfortunatly feated, but it can fupply all Catholic Inhabitants with all they can want in this cafe. In Spain you I Navar.de J 'ubi I. Notabil- IJ. n % have In the Roman Church. 149 have the Chappel of Angels s, whereby the Vir- gins fpecial favor, you may fave one Soul every Year (you might have done it every day, if the Pope had not grudged at it) if you will but ftep into the Church* At Venice you have the Chappel called The Lords Sepulcher ■> and therein fome think, fourfcore thoufand Years of Pardon. Padna, Pe- rufium, Florence^ Montfdrrat, Lauretta^ &c. do not come much fhort of this* In France you mail find it may be more, if you go to St. Denis, St. Michael, Limoges, and a hundred other famous Places, which it were needlefs to mention here. You may be fure that Germany, and the Low Countries^ do not want fuch Commoditits as thefe are. 4. Beildes thefe local Indulgences that are fixed to Altars and Churches, which you may eafily re- fort to , his Holinefs hath taken care to fatten fome other, and large ones too, upon certain move- able h things, which are brought ready to your hand. For as there are privileged Altars, Maffes, andChurches,made fait to certain pieces of ground; there are Fraiers enrich'd with the like Favors and Indulgences,flying up and down the Roman World, as lignt and nimble as Paper can be, that can afford you upon this fcore more then you can need. Buy but a little Book, fuch as I have an old one by me, containing the Suffrages of the Saints ; there you lhall find in one fhort Ave Maria l faid to the honor of St. Anna, St. Mary and her Son, ten thoufand Years for your Mortal, and twenty thoufand more for your Venial Sins. In another Salutation^ g Conformit S. franc. Conf. 14. h Suarex, de Itidulg. Vity. 52 Sefl. 1 . n. 3. 1 Sufrag fol. 74 alima 85. I i k Ave 25 o Of the Indulgences k Ave Vulntu 4000 daies ; in the Praier Virupifti 6ooo-inthe Praier* Dominejefu^en hundred thou- fand Years ; in the Praier Adoro te^ l 32755 Years of Pardon. And if this be not enough. Pope Sixtm the 4 th was pleafed to add to it a great deal more, even fo much as to double it, and the 1 5 Oo's of St, Brigit^h&t is, in a Praier made of 15 Ejaculations" 1 , all beginning by OJefu ; forty five huge great In- dulgences, and extraordinary Powers, namely, fif- teen to deliver from Purgatory any fifteen Souls you pleafe to name of your kindred ; fifteen, to con- vert to a good Life any fifteen Men or Women, that you may find among iinnersj and fifteen, to keep fifteen more honeft Perfons, fafeand conftant in a good way. And the Rubric adds more, n that what' foever you //jail defire, if it be for the good of your Soul, youfl)all have it. And what can you not ex- pecl: of Salve Regina , Ave jpes, and fuch other more folemn Praiers ? When you are weary cf Prai- ers, take your Bends, Vidcmw % <&c\ a faies a molt Learned and Pious Author in the Roman way, J my felf faies he, have feen fmall Buttons, or Beads of 'Wood, fo powerfully bleffed by the c Pope^ that whom- ever had one in his hand, in faying but the Lords Praier , was therewith enabled to fave a Soul. Any Medda], when rightly confecrated, can do as much ; J tis but getting fome ofthofe rufty Pieces, which Pope Sixtm the Fifth found once under the mbbifh cf an old Wall, then prefently ycu are b fitted with . * Sufrag.fol.y. * Suffrsg. fold. a Sufi a g fol 64. ' l Sufrag. foi 52* m Sufrag. foi 49. n * Navat.jeJubilNetabil. 15. n £ b Cardinal Eat] on. I. 4. c. 1 1 jag. 347. rare In the Roman Church* 251 rare IndulgentUl Privileges, The Agnus-Dei's, as Iwillfliew you anon, that is, pieces of Wax feal- ed with the Image of a Lamb, and eonfecrated ac- cordingly , go beyond this. But obferve what I tell you, and admire the bleffednefs of being a Ro- man Catholic ; by that time you are grown fo weak, or fo lazy, as not to ftretch your hand to a Book, in order to the gaining thefe Indulgences 5 the very Bell of the Parifli will fcund them int your Ears. Pope John the 22 d is the firft I know, who c being at Avignion, allured twenty daies of Pardon upon the toling about Sun-fet 5 and fince that time, thefe 20 were out of the Church Trefure 4 by Pope Sixttts improved here in England, into 300 daies of pardon at every daies toling 3 times 5 this they call the Ave Bell. Thus, uniefsyou flop both Heart and Ears, you can't want every day a fair proportion of Indulgences. 4. If you will drink at the Fountain of all thefe £ood things, go to Rome. As that Town is by the Teftimony of her e own Friends acknowledged to be the durtieft Neft of all forts of uncleannefs $ Ihe hath, to warn all clean, a whole Ocean of Indul- gences. There the feven great Churches, not to name a hundred more, can upon their own account afford more Propitiations, then thegreateft Villains can commit fins: for there is Scala Santla, that is, thofe 2 S Steps, or Marble Stones, that once be- longed to Pilate 5 but now have in them fuch a mea- sure of Holinefs, that the Popes think it Devotion c RicardCluniac. in Job. 22. d Suffrag. de Beat. Mar. foi 42- e Alvar. Pelagiusde Tlaitfu Ecclef. I. i. Art. 2. PLitina invi- -ta Marcel. S. Bernard, de Confderat. I. 4. Ii 2 to 152 Of the Indulgences to kneel on them: And that of late, Queen chru slina is much celebrated f by fome for having bent her Roial knees, and, what (he never had done in her Country, exprefled much Devotion, by creep- ing up thofe Holy Stairs. There is that moft Holy Chappel, which they call SancJa Sdnttorum^ where Men at the firft ftepping into, find wherewith g to expiate all fins : and Women, at the very looking into it (for they are not fuffered to come in) get even as much through an Iron Grate. This is the moft Holy Sanctuary, more Holy then Heaven it felf, fince it is too Sacred and Holy for his Holinefs h to approach near its Altar, and for the very Body and Blood of C hriit there to be offered at Mafs. A great Holinefs, you may think, which will admit neither of Chrifts Vic^r, nor Chrift himfelf. There finally are the four Gates, Porta Santta, which ftand open all the Jubilee long, to let all People into Heaven. The way of it is admirable, and I have it ' from good Au- thors. His Holinefs comes to St. Peters, with a fil- ver Hammer in his hand ; and being followed by a great Pomp and Proceffion of Cardinals, and beft Grandees of the City, hefhikes the Wall with his Hammer, and bids the Temple to lay open its eternal ■or everlafting Gates , that the Righteous Nation may come in. Then prefently Mafons appear to pull down the Stones, that that Holy Gate was Walled with. The %nrt.an people throngs to help, and thrice happy is the poor "Wretch, who gets one bit of the Ho y Materials, which was touched with the Popes Hammer. 1 Card Re f, on I 4 c 10. S Jbid.c.iy.pag 373. ' * Ibid. h ibid p. g 384. 1 Aii.itin. Navar.de Jubd. ad fin. What In the Roman Church. 1%% What is don by the Pope at S, Peters, the fame is don at the fame time by fome of the beil Cardi- nals, at S. Pauls, S. Johns of Latera^znd S. Maries the Major. And the 4 Breaches are the four ftraic Gates, through which the Roman Catholics by the ftrengrh of their Indulgences break into the Kingdom of God. It is beyond the power of men, faies the Cardinal k Rafyoni-> to tell what an infinite deal of Indulgences is given by Popes on thefe accounts* But without thefe Extraordinaries , the ordinary and daily Allowance of thefe Ghoftly Helps comes to that point, ( unlefs my Italian Authors, and Public Authority deceive me ) that there is neither a Month in the year, l but Rome can afford you out of her very walls and (tones, wherewith to fave 25 or 30 Souls befides your own ; nor a Day in the Month where any one may not with little trouble , gain Hundreds and Thoufands, and ten, and twenty, and fometime three and thirty thoufands of years 5 be- fides the many Quarmtms^ Moities, and thirds, and half Moities of forgiven fins, over and above. You may juftly wonder at this vait Affluency of Indulgences : but you may better wonder at and blefsthe Pope for the light andeafy terms, that he throws upon you his Trefure at. You do purchafe all thefe Pardons , neither at the rate of the Gofpel , Pluck out thine Eie that of ends thee ; Cut of the Hand, and be renewed in the inner Man : nor at the old rate of the firft Popes, who began with thefe Indulgen- ces ♦, Go, and fight againft the Turks , or againfl: excommunicated Heretics: or if you will not be at the hazard of Loofing your life 5 go and be at the k Cardinally Rafpon. 1. %. c. 14 item I. 4. c. 19. 1 Arch . Car raft, dt Rofario.part. 4. charges t^6 Of the Indulgences charges of keeping Soldiers for this Service. But Attritus^ & Confejfa, withafmall tincture of Sor- row , which the Sacrament of Confeffion changes prefently into Repentance, go to which Confeffor you pleafe : eat or rather fwallow down one piece of a confecrated wafer . then go and bow to fuch an Altar $ or if you muft falute five , you may ftand in fuch a Place, whence you may fee, and falute, and fay your Ave Maria before all the 1 five atone time. This is enough in confcience ; for you may find almoft everywhere, faies 'Navarrm, Indulgences with all the Pardons, that Rome affords, ( confider what a deal that is ) without m any mention of Praier 5 if you will but vifit three Churches, or three Altars. Nay, Hand but at a convenient diftance from one of them, as for example before S. Peter at Rome. When his Holineis like ° a great King fcatters his Roial Bleifings and Favors among his Catholic Subjects: or p carry hallowed Beads at your Girdle (one day perhaps you may be bidden as well to wear a Feather inyouihar, or to cock your Beaver, or to cut a Ca- per, or to dance a civil Sarabrand ) thefe and fuch like are the Conditions put upon you as proper Means, for gaining the greateft Pardons. In the mean time, to compleat the Impertinency, and to crown it with Impiety ^ God and his Chrift muft be called in, not as Spectators only of, but as Actors fubfervient to thefe Doings ; there to pro- vide, and to diftribute a proportionable Quantity of his Satisfactions, that lie by him, whensoever, and 1 Arch.Carraccio. Pe Rofar.part. 2.c 9. m Navar.de Jubil.Notab. ^n.^. Suarext de Jndulg. Difput. 49- SeFl. 5. n. 3. p Carraccio. De Rofar . part . 3. c. 8. what In the Roman Church, 237 what way foever the Popes otRome utter their Bulls. For, if you believe what they are at , Chrift ordi- narily meddles but little with applying to any man his own Blood or fatisfa&ions. If he did fo, there might be fome danger indeed, left Saints, when im- portunatly called upon , or undifcreetly merciful , might intercept, and make ufe of the Trefury, with- out the help of Popes , and Mafles : and by that means praying to Saints would ingrofs all ; and, as to the Churches intereft, would moil: really undo all. Therefore it is thought more * convenient, that Chrift of Courfe mould do nothing in the ma- nagement of thefe Affairs, but by the intervention of "his Ordinary Inftruments •, and when it happens otherwife, as when once the Virgin , as they fay took a drop of Blood from her Sons fide to apply to one of her ugly Chaplains 5 it is lookt upon, as one of thofe very ftrange things, which if (lie doth, it is feldome. Witnefs the cafe of Pope Innocent the 3 d whom,ihe would never pull out of the direful Flames, where S. Ludgardis fawhim f burning, for three fearful Crimes he was dead in, and in good juftice had bin damned for, had not the Mother of Mercy faved him 5 She would not I fay take him out thence, but by obtaining , ( which is the ordinary courfe, fhe takes, in the Salvation of damned men ) that he might come up abroad a while, for to ac- quaint his Friends with his Pains, and to beg mercy by their Suffrages. So the ordinary courfe is this, that tho God have the Church Trefury by him, yet he difpenfes not the good things which it contains, fpecially in the matter of Indulgences , but accord- * SuareXj ~£>e Suffrag. Sett.*, n. 10. | Sut ins in 'vita S, LuJgard. ing 2 3 8 0/ *£e Indulgences ingasthe Pope his Deputy is willing to difpenfehis Bulls. There God fomewhat like a Factor (its by theGafh, to pay out of it, great and fmall fums, ac- cording as the Chief Merchant draws upon him great or fmall Bills. In order to this Law, you may re- member, that when the Queen of Heaven once had a mind to inveft the Monks called Carmelites, with a privilege that doth free them every Saturday with- out failing, out of Purgatory 5 She i firft addrefted her felftothe Pope John 22. Chrift himfelf, (that is, the Spirit, who took Chrifts name ) did the like for S. Francis t, for before he would grant what the Saint would have, namely the faving of every Soul* that after ConfelTion fhould ftep into his little Chap- pel-, he fent him to Pope r Honorim 3 d , who much difputed the cafe in a full College of Cardinals : and after along debate whether heihould ratifie that fa* vor ; at laft he thought more convenient to reftrain it, from every day in the year, to the fir ft in the Month ofMay. Whereas we never read, that Chrift ever took upon him to reftrain any Popes Bulls, no not the moft exorbitant of them. Here then both God, and Chrift are made the Drudges, as well of every Pope at every Bull, as of every Mafs-Prieft, at every Mafs. At Mafs , whenfoever the Prieft faiesthe words, Hoc efi enim Corpus meum, Chrift by their Law yields his Body, and God the Father* his Miracles, to make the Tranfubftantiation : and tho the Prieft minds nothing more, then Witchcraft, Mifchief, and Profanenefs, as I havefhewed it in an- other Book, both Chrifts Body, and Gods Power muft be rather fubfervient to the Abufe, then not 1 Vid. Bull. Sabbat. I lib,, Conform. S. Franc, Conform. 14. fubfer- In the Roman Church* i$g fubfervient to the Mafs. And in the cafe of Indul- gences, which, if worth any thing, are nothing elfe then gracious Favors of the Pope, and real paiments out of Chrift s Purfe j Chrift is fuppofed to be rea- dy to part with his Blood, whenfoever the Pope parts with his Bull; andthothefe Bulls be intend- ed, as it happens very often for quite other Ends then they pretend; thrifts Blood and Satisfactions muft wait on them, whether for pardoning mens Sins, or for s emtying poor German Purfes j for arming Chriftians againftthe Turhj\ or the Turks againft l the Chriftians •• for the Building up of Pa- laces , or for enriching the u Nepotifm : for in- dulging Divorcements , Adulteries , and Very In* cefts •, for thefe and fuch other good Ends I fay , Chrift is prefuppofed to be as free to make good fuch Bulls with his Blood, as the Pope is, when his own intereft will have it fo, to make them pafs under his Seal i However good Catholics when they buy them, believe it fo. And this Belief is one of the greateft Allurements, that draw new Profdytes to Reme. Kk CHA*. ?4-0 Tar dons procured by Confraternities} GHAP. XL Concerning the procuring Pardon offins^ by the means of holy Confraternities-, and Friends. NEXT to the Popes Bulls and Indulgences, the help of any honeft Friend, that will take our Guilt upon himfeif : and the having ones Name entered into a Holy Confraternity, are two ready and eafie waies of procuring Atonement. And the Roman Religion is commodious in nothing more,then in finding out expedients either for removing quite away 5 or for (hitting from one to another all perfo- nal Punifhments. Have you committed Adultery, Extortion, orany Crime of this nature? Such grand Sins in the Auricular Confeflion deferve at the leaft Fading, and giving of Alms : but if you are not ei- ther willing, or ableto do it your felf 5 it is enough, if fome of your kindred will do it for you. One fhall fait, a the other give fomefmall relief ; if they in- tend it for you when they do it , it (hall all turn for your own ufe .• and God, they fay will take it fo, as well, and in fome cafes, even better, then if you had don it your i'elf. And this is the beft of all ; o- therslhali fuffer all the hardmip, when you enjoy the fweet ol fins. And if you wane fuch honeft Friends, as will do it out of kindnefs ; you cannot want them, who will do much more for mony. All * Msdin. de Satisfatl. q. 5. Sotus in 4. d. I J, q. I , a. 4. the and frhndsl 241 the World knows, what upon this account is don ac Jtome , in Spame , and other Catholic Countries ; there men are publicly hired to do Penance, anci to whip themfelves to the blood, for the discharge of other mens fins. Only , look well to thefe two things. 1. That the poor fellow, whom you hire to perform this Service for you, be an honeft likely fel- low to be in the eftate of Grace . in fiatu Gratis $ for fear his Fallings and Lafliings otherwife, may chance not to be accepted either for you or for himfelf. 2. Get you before hand b theConfentof your Confef- fov] who in that Cafe both will and may capacitate the felf-whipper : and by the Power of his keies, improve every lam he gives himfelf, into an expia- tory and c Sacramental Satisfaction for you. The cuftomisin fome Countries to get amiferable Ras- feal on A/hrvedwfday to d turn himfelf out of the Church : and to walk all that day and night bare- footed about the Streets. After that, every Body invites him home, gives him mony, and laflly he is brought again, and abfolvedinthe Church, After the Abfolution, the man, whom they have thus made their Proxy, is called by them /jdam^ e and is thought to be made again by .this Penance both as innocent in himfelf, as Adam was before the fall : and as able to expiate the whole Town , into as fpotlefs a Condition, zsddamhad left his Pofterity in, without that fall. Thefe good Services and Suffrages done in behalf of Catholics, either by Friends or Hirelings, are of Suarexs Tom. 4. ln^ m . Vifput. 38. Sett 9.71 2. k Medina. TiaEl.i. §.84. 6 Volateran. Geograph. /. 7 . Seft. Vltra Albim. I Belforejl. ffift. Muriel. 1. 3. Kk 2 a quite 2 60 Pardons procured by Confraternities^ a quite other importance , then all the beft helps which Chriftians ever begged or expected one from another, by Praiers, Intcrceflions, and any Endea- vors whatsoever, that are ufual among Fellow Mem- bers in the communion of one Body 5 which at the moft, come to no more then to pray day and ntehc to God, for what is unknown and uncertain, whe- ther they (hall obtain it or no. Some few f more fober Papifts indeed would fain underftand it fo; and this is it which they call in their School Lan- guage, Fcrre Suffragwm, fee. to Vote for their Friends towards God, by way of Impetration^oi ?e- tition, or meer Congruhy. But alas ! what thefe iimple Men fuggell: at Rome as a Cloak for their mo- defty, is to be baffled by all the reft as dangerous s In- novation. Thefe Suffrages, as the Catholic current Tenet takes them, are nothing elfe then good, real, and lawful Paiments or Satisfactions, which both the Sinner may rely on, and which God is obliged to accept of, in lieu or exchange of all other punifh- ment. For here the kind Undertaker addrefles not himfeif to God for his Client, with a meer Petition to beg favor ; but as if I went my felf to the fevered Creditor with ready Money in my hand, not to de- fire him to fpare my Friend, or to releafe h\m grati*, but fully to difchai ge his Debt, and thus by courfe of Law to get him ouc. For it were an idle thing, as thefe Catholic Divines do think, h to fue fo: Mercy and a gratuitous Releafe, as long as Men have fuit- able Penances, and fatisfaftory Works, wherewith they may difchai ge what their Friends owe, and thus acquit them with Juftice. Andleaft, Prefum- i Jp Suarem dcJuffag Di?] . 4%.Sefl.2.n. I. * Ibid. #. 4. h Jbid.jupra, /». 9. tkn and Friends: 261 tion mould want Blafyhemy ; they dare compare thefe Suffragants with Chrift » himfelf, who redeemed us from punifhment no other way, then by fatisfying and paying down that punifhment. So the Roman Catholicshave the happinefs (and 'tis a huge one if it be true) to have as many Redeemers as Friends. Now that God will accept of the Ranfom , which thefe Friends offer in behalf of guilty Perfons, they put it above all doubt, and allege thefe two grounds for it. 1. Becaufe the Penance which the kind Neigh- bor is pleas'd to offer, is equivalent k to the punifh- ment, which the guilty perfon fhould fuffer. 2. Be- caufe, as they pretend, God hath bound himfelf by his own fpecial J Order and Promife , infallibly to accept of as due fatisf action, that which fhall be thus offered for the Sinner, by the Sinners Friend. And if you fhould think to beat them off from thisper- fwafion 05* plain Scripture, That every one fiall bear his own hur then, Gala:. 6. That every one /hall re- ceive the things done in hitflej/j, according as he hath done, whether it he good or had, 2 Cor. 5. 10, &c. They will grant you this to be true m , when he hath no Friend that will bear the burthen for him, or un- dertakefor what he hath don amifs ; but if he have, they make no queftion at all, but honeft Men n may fay toGodwhat others owe, and Jo bear the burthen cne of another. Yet more, they do not fcruple to fay, That the good Work being offered for another with true kindnefs, is more ° acceptable to God in fomc refpe&s, then when it is offered for ones felf. 5 Ibidem. k Ibid Sett.* n $. 1 Ibid, n ic, 11, 12. m lbid.fe&.2. n. \6. ■ Catechifm.Pii.^. De Sacram. hanit. n. 61. ** Thorn. 3. cont. Gent, c- 58. Here 2$ 2 Tar do ns procured by Con fr at em Hies] Here if you defire to enquire into the ground, which, by their own confeflion, the whole bufinefs depends upon •, to wit, whence they have, or know any fuchLaw as mould admit of a Proxy in perfo- nal Punifliments, and enable a Man againft Scripture to deliver hk Brother^ and to make agreement unto God for him, Pfal.49. they will anfweryou, nhat they have it not from any Reafonor Juitice* that it muft be thus ordered of God by fome fpecial Con- ftitution of his • that this fpecial Conftitution 1 can- not be evidenced by any convincing Text of Scri- pture, becaufe whatever is brought out of Scripture to this purpofe , proves no more , then a mutual help of Praiers to God by way of Impetration and Favor, which God may either grantor deny, as he pleafeth ; and not by way of a fufficient Satisfaction or Paiment, which he is obliged to accept of. In a Word, that the common Opinion and feqle of the Church, (that is, the prefent Roman Clergy) is the only Evidence they have for this Conftitution. But if this ground feem too Sandy , to bear any great weight with wife Men, feverai Revelations will be brought in to ftrengthen it ; and tho thefe Revela- tions be neither from Chrift nor fots Apoftles, what would you have better then the Virgin ? I have told you already, how among many of her dear Villains, whom often me fuffers to live and to die moft dis- orderly, fherefcued Baffm out of Hell, and brought him up to life again , that he might have time to confefs, and to get Friars in her Name, to undeN take r for him the Penance 5 which the Godly Monks * SuareZjjup.fen.2^n 5. 1 Ibid, n 6. I AL Gazi a Toe of St. Paul, and a Finger of S. Catha- rine y , in the Confraternity of the Holy Ghoft ; or in vifiting a certain Altar and Ghappel*, as in the Confraternity of St. Rochus ; or in kneeling with an Ave, when you hear a certain Bell % as in the Confraternity of the Holy Sacrament ; or praying before a little Image found by a Shepherd in an old Tree b , as in the Confraternity of our Lady Hal- lenfis, and of Montague. And who can doubt, but thefe and other fuch elevated Devotions about Bones, Bells, and old Images, may much Spiritu- alize Chriftian Souls, and advance them to Heaven- ly Things ? 2. The fecond advantage of thefe Holy Confra- ternities, confifts in an infinite heap of Indulgen- ces, which the Popes call, c the Spiritual Sweet- Meats, Spiritttalium Alimentorum Efca, wherewith Men are allured and baited to Chriftian Perfection. At your firft ftep into a Confraternity, all your fins whatfoever (Herefie and Rebellion againft the Pope alwaies excepted) fhall be moft fully forgiven: at yourfteppingoutofitby death, you have as much; and as long as you live in it, you fcarce can do any * ClemensS. Conftit.i<). Exdebito nojlri. » Si»;t. 4. Conflititt. 14. x Pius 4. Conjlitut.ib. * tduU%. Con/lit. 20 * LipOus. yirg.Hall.b-^fferJcoll. * d wor. 1 *. Con flit. 38. Tafxorh at am, LI l the l66 Pardons procured by Confraternities the leaft thing, as to go to Church, walk after a Proceflicn 5 or in cafe you muft keep your Cham- ber, fay a fhort d Ave when it paries , or when the little Bell rings , but you (hall be rewarded for what you do, with feven, or ten, and fometimesa hundred Years of true Pardon. Be/ides all this, by entring into a Confraternity, you enter at the fame time under the Protection and fpecial Favor of fome great Saints, St. Sebaflian, St. Hubert, &c* and moft commonly our Lady her felf, who, you may be fure, will look well to her Family, and make good what true Catholics daily teach and hope of her, c namely, That it is abfolutly impojfible for any one of her Servants to be damned. And hence fvvarm out moft, if not all, yet mod of the Revelations,the Miracles, and wonderful Deliverances wrought in behalf of the Brethren, whether Monkifh , or Lay and Secular Perfons of every Confraternity. 3. But the main Benefit indeed, and the moft earneftly fued afrer, by them who give their names to thefe admirable CompanieS,is that of exchanging their Guilt and Sins, with other Mens Satisfactions and good Works. The Proteftants never under- ftood well, how the Roman Church is skilful in miff- ing on and off good and bad Deeds from one Man over to another. Firft, There are in every Con- fraternity Saints , and other more common Bre- thren, endued with fo many and great Merits, and fatisfa&ory Works, that they have much to fpare to others. Secondly, There are, as they fay", in every one of thefe good Works two feveral diftincl d Paul.?,. Con flit. 20. Dominus noHen Taul.*,, Conftit. 29. foftulat ratio. * Franc. MenJofa. Viridar. I. i.e. 9, Virtues, And Friends, 26 '7 Virtues, to accommodate a poor Friend with 5 to wit, a Meritorious Influenee,to procure him Grace, and an Expiatory Quality, to fecure him from Pu- nifhment. Thirdly , they can order both Influ- ences to go juft what way, and upon what Perfon they diredl them. If the Owner feels any need of them for his own ufe, it is fit they fhouJd fray at home ; but if he withes them for a Neighbor, this very wifhing and aftual Intention will fo appropri- ate the whole bufinefs to whotnfoever he pleafes, that when he Praies, Fafts, Whips himfelf, and doth any act of like Piety 5 all this mail make the poor Sinner both as acceptable to God, ex Congruo, that is in equity, and as fafe from Punifhment, ex Con- digno^ that is, in due courfe of Juftice, as if he had done all himfelf. But in cafe the Holy Man de- figns by his work nothing elfe but to pleafe God, and fo thinks neither of his Friend nor of Himfelf ; then it muft be prefuppofed, that he is alwaiesfor the good of his Corporation .* and this,' which they call Implicit or Virtual Intention, conveiesall the Merit and Satisfaction of what he doth, not into the public Trefury, whence the Pope takes his Indul- gences 5 but into thefe more private Magazins, Which are proper to each Company, whence every Member takes what he wants. And if you com- pare thefe two together, the Trefure of the Church may afford more Satisfactions to fhelterone againft Purgatory : but the frock of Confraternities is more proper for inverting him with Merits,and advancing him to Gods Favor. Therefore Papal Indulgences, * faies their beft Doctor upon this Matter, may be more certain to keep off vengeance $ but the entring f Navar.de Jubil. Notabil. 31,0. 24. LI z into ^68 Pardons procured by Confraternities. into a Fraternity (which all Catholics of all Age5 and forts may do) ps the better way to procure Grace. For whatfoever great Saints have ever deferved of God in their life times, as S. Francis in teaching of Birds, and St. Dominic in making Beads, and all others in like holy Feats (befides their Interceffion and Patronage) is referved in, or hath a direct influ- ence upon their refpective Societies ; that is the reafon wherefore now adaies all forts of People> both high and low, Husbands and Wives, Nobles, and common Trades-men, throng to get in, and to have their names entred into thefe vifible Sanctu- aries. And who is the ignorant or mad Sinner, that would not there provide himfelf with other Mens Satisfactions and Merits, when he knows he wapts his own ? Tho thefe faving Harbors be grown, and growing more and more beyond numbring, I will recommend to my Catholic Friends but thefe three. Namely, i. The Confraternity of St. Francis his Holy Rope. 2. That of Sr. Simon sScapulary. 3. And that of S. Dominic's 1 50 Beads. CHAR' CHAP. XII. Concerning three fpecial Means of Salvation; the Holy Girdle of St. Francis ; the 150 Beads of St. Dominic ; and the Scapulary of St. Simon Stock, in their refpeSlive Fraternities. Firft, Concerning the Holy Rope, or Girdle of St. Francis. I) I O U S and Learned Authors have of late fuf- ficiently informed the World, what kind of Saint S. Francis is. He is the Mao, whom the Pope in a Prophetical Dream faw a fupporting his Late- ran Church from falling. He is the Man, whofe Soul roving abroad as bright as the Sun in darknefs, and like Phaethon in a Chariot, whil'ft he was at his Praiers, gave from that time b a clear Omen, that he was born to be the Light and the Chariot of the Roman World. He is the Man, who taking on him~ felf this vaft Province, as he was by two fpeciaj Re- velations directed to fave it, not by Praying only, (ro which his fimple Genius inclined more) but by Preaching. Firft, c He began ftoutly with teaching Beafts, and with Catechizing Swallows and Larks : S. Bonaventur.invitaS. Franc. ap. Lippom.c. 13. *? Ibidem c. 4. e Ibidem c 12. And 2 jo The Girdle of St. Francis And * the Sheep, which he inftru&ed firft to bleat when they fang the Canonical Hours 5 and after- wards to kneel alfb at the Elevation of the Hoft, was an indubitable proof of his extraordinary skill in Teaching. Laftly, When he had rambled o- ver the World by the fpace of eighteen Years with many fuch Fabulous Wonders, living all the while with his Followers on what they begged, and fo eating, as he did call it, the Bread of Angels 5 he was, as they fay, carried upon a certain Hill in Avergne, Alverni* Mons y at the time when he was Faftingtothehonorof St. Michael; and there and then a Seraphim e fliewed him a Crucifix brought from Heaven , and wrapt about with fix bright and burning Whigs. This glorious Apparition foon rendred good S. Francis perfectly like this Seraphi- cal Crucifix,andgave him thofefive famous Wounds, to the Memory and Honor whereof, the Popes have granted fe vera 1 Bulls, and all the Roman Church fcruples not to facrifice her own God by an Anni- verfary 8 Mafs in November. Thefe Noble Sores troubled him two Years, and made him pine away to skin and bones : till at laft, finding himfelf dis- abled to live any longer, he lay flat and naked on the bare ground, that all the World might be wit- nefs, how he died ;uft as he was born. Then came the Fowls, but more efpecially the Larks to this fpectacle, not to feed on his Flefh, for he had none> but to take their leave of their Tutor ; and by their fluttering and finging abcut him, gave him thanks * Ibidem c.%. * Ibidem c. 1 3. f Gregoriusj. Conjlit. 12. Alexander 4. ConEit, 4. f. Mifial. Pari*, {y Rom 17 Septemb. * ponav. in vita Franc, c. 14. for an efpeciai means of Salvation. 271 for his good inftru&ions. Thus this Superangelical Dodor in the year 1226 ended his daies '• but fo did not the ftrange dories of his Miracles. During his life , which was a time , when Beafts could learn Chriftianity , and men difcourfe of any thing 5 a- mong all the wonders he did, he had a fpecial faculty to render pregnant and powerful any thing that had bin near him. I can juftifie by h good Authors, ( however the bell: that wrote his life ) that his fpittle reftored fight to a blind Maid : that the wa* ter, where he had wafht his Feet, could cure all forts of difeafed Cattle: that any Crumb of Bread, which he had bit, did prove a Remedy againft all E- yils : that a fmall Piece of Paper written with his hand, did preferve an honeft man , as long as he had it about him, from being difquieted in his mind : that the Sign of the Crofswith the ftrokingof his finger, did expel all infirmities from the Body, that he had touched : that a fmall handful of the Hey de- voutly taken from his Mule, delivered once a wo- man, who was dying in hard Travel. But the Frock ^ the Rope and the long Breeches, which had touched his holy wounds, were the moft wonderful of all. I will lay afide both Frock and Breeches , the Rope or Girdle being more pertinent to this purpofe : and more then fufficient befides, to amaze men at Gods Judgments againft thofe , who leave plain Truth, to feek after Superfluous waies. This is the Cord , that St. Francis had about him," wherewith one ol his Difciples, and which is more wonderrul, a very difcreet man withal, made once afluftto cure a whole Multitude of fick people. His Method was, to dip in ' water the end of this Rope, * San£im3ovav,invitd Franc. \ Bwav ent. ibid. till- and 272 The Girdle of St. Fttncfe, and which you may well wonder at, the water fackt in out of the Rope, if you believe them, fuch a Blef- fing, that being carried from houfe to houfe, and fome few drops of it taken inwardly , it clear'd the Town at once of all manner of Difeafes. This was don when he was alive $ when he was dead blef- fed was th^Francifcan^ that had a fmali piece of the Rope, for then it had rubbed a gainft the wound he had in his fide 5 and this Rubbing, ( you may well think ) added great Venue to the Relic. Poor "Bea- trix had a happy proof of it. For fhe, after k fear- ful pains and pangs, having her Child dead in her Womb about 4 dales , and her felf being even at Deaths door, after a devout motion called for fome Relic of S.Francis ; by good chance afraall bit of this Girdle of his was brought to her: and it was no fooner applied to her Belly, butfhe was prefently well: the Child came forth of it felf, and I cannot tell whether it came not to life alfo. . Well then, it is to the Memory of this Rope, and to theHonor of the great Saint who made it his Gir- dle, that his Holinefs Pope Sixtus the fift thought himfelf bound in confcience, and by the l care he had of all Chriftian people, to erect a famous Con- fraternity of men and women, whofoever will vow and give their Names for the wearing of a Rope in outward fafhion fomewhat like to his. The End, which this Inftitution aims at, as it is exprelTed in the Bull, is the greater Worfhip and Veneration of S. Francis. Gregory the Ninth is the firft who made him a Saint; with this Character be- iidcs, that by his illiterate m and fimple Preaching k Ibid, f . 1 3 . 1 Sixtus 5. Conflit. 13. • Gregtr. 9. Confijt^. and An efyecial means of Salvation. 273 and as Samfon did before him, with the Jaw-bone of an Afle, he had don all. Sixtus 4th and Alexander the 4th afterwards thought good to Canonize his five Sores alfo, but with a handfomer Character , n to wit oiaGiant pulling up all men out of hell. Now Pope Sixtus ° thefifthas honor'd his Rope: here- after ic may be, his Holinefs will do as much for his old Shoes, or for his Breeches. Mean while, the work and task or* this Confraternity in order both to conferring greater honor upon the Saint , and the better facilitating the * Eternal Salvation of oar poor Souls, is to wear indeed of a (ilk Girdle, fuch a Cord as he did, about our Loines. This venerable Badge of being ( as well as Sheep, and AfTes were ) fomeof S. Francis his Difciples, is to them that wear it, a Cord twifted of three infalli- ble Bleflfings. 1. The Protection of a great Saint. 2, The Title to all the Pardons, granted by Popes. 3. The happinefs of being accommodated in time of need, with all the Satisfactions and Merits of this great Confraternity. 1. Their hope is, that the Protection of S. Fran* cis cannot fail them, who wear this Rope. For al- tho it be not the felf fame that rubbed againft his Flefh and Wounds : yet it is thought to be like it .* and the devotion or wearing it upon this account, may enough and enough fupply the want of being the fame. Saint Cardinal BonAventure , who was one of his bell: Difciples , can inform you fufHciently, how great a lover this Saint was in his life time of any thing that came near him •, be it man or Beaft, Pare or Partridge, Sheep or Lamb or Wolf, or • Alexand. 4. ConHit. 4. • SuprJ. f Sixtus ecial knowlege the nice!!: Perfons now beyond Sea, have commonly about their Shoulders. CHAP. XIII. Concerning the fecond [fecial Means of Sal- vation in the Confraternity of 'Mount Car- mel, by wearing the little Mantle or Sca- pulary ofS. Simon Stock. THIS Confraternity, among Perfons of Qua- lity pafles for the moft gentile, as, I am fure,'tis the eafieft.The Badg it gives which is call'd the Holy Scapulary, is made of two fmall Pieces oi woollen Stuff, about the extent of a hand, hanging by two lictle laces down from the Neck upon both the Back and the Breft of the devout perfon who wears it. They fay that among a great many Things, which the a7$ The Scapular y ef S. Simon] the Virgin Mary brings from Heaven, whenflieap-; pears, as Books, Gloves, Images, &c. once me was pleafed to come down with this Tool of Salvation : and to beftow it upon S. Simon, an Englifh Saint, in the year 1265, This Simon was, they fay, a a moft retired Eremite ; and fo great an Enemy to all human Converfation, that to the age of 80 years he kept himfelf moft of his time in an old hollow rotten Oak* & hence he was called S.Simon Stock^ox Stoch, becaufc this Stock was his lodging. All this while in his old Tree,he was night and day entreating fometimes God, fometimes the Virgin, that they would be pleafed to direct him, what kind of men he might more fafely join himfelf to. At length, as the ftory faies, there came over to England a Company of Monks from Mount Carmel^ who made him their General, that is the General of their Order. Never fince that time did the good Saint mifs one day, without praying his Fa*;w/y for fome fpecial Mark of her Favor up- on his Flock. Flos Carmeli, b Carmelite &C that is, Fhwer o/Carmel, Star of the Sea, fend a token ta thy Servants the Carmelites. Monks will tell you of thoufands of Apparitions, whereby me ufes to come to kifs them, or give them fome other favor and expreilion of kindnefs. Whe- ther this Lady who appears to them to be fo free and profufe of her Favors, be the Virgin ; or rather fome wanton Devil, that takes her Name as it is ufual, to countenance Superftition 5 is not the pre- fent Quere. Certain it is that the Spirit which com- monly appears for her, will bring them fometimes very fine Things : Lightfom mining Garments, as a Joban. Pitfaus. De /lluHrib. Anglic Script, an. 1 26$. b FaJtiCarmelit.an. 1250. A fecond means of Salvation* 27P to e the Bernardin Friers : Scarlet- Robes d {hue up in a Box , as to Thomas of Canterbury : Rich Drinking e Cups , as of late to St, Tharlavaret : fometimes, but more feldom, .good i Mony, as to Bifhop Bonifacius : fine ever burningand never waft- ing s Lights and Tapers, as to the Proceflion of Arras : Fine bread, open Lilies, and Books, as to the h feven Servites: and among others the ftory is remarkable, when the Cifiercian Order was yet in its Infancy, and had need of this Patronefs, She appeared among them all, when they were ringing their Mattens^ » with a fine white Hood in her hand, wherewith fhe hooded their Abbot: and as foon as he had it on, to their great joy and amazement, they prefently faw their former black Hoods or Capu- chions turn pure milk white 5 and the good Lady added befides thefe words. Egoordinem, &c. I do undertake to favor and defend this Order to the worlds end. Well, old Simon was day and night begging for fome fuch favor, till he had it. For after much praying to this Flower ofCarmel^ at laft fhe appear- ed unto him with a great multitude of Angels, ha- ving the 2 d Scapular J or little Rocket in her hand ; and 7 'his fh all be , faid fhe, * bothtoThee^ and to all the Carmelites a Privilege. Whofoever dies in thi* Habit^ fl)all notfuffer the Eternal Fire. Whofoever dies in this, Jhall be javed, « Myraus. Chronic* Pr called the Sabbatina, or Saturday Bull, as I find it in Latin, in an Authentic* Roman Author, with the approbati- on of both the Dominican, and the Carme litan Order. And I thought fit to Englifh it, that every one may take notice what Spiritual waies Rome can afford for faving Men, beyond what Chrift and his Apoftles were ever knowq to be able to do. The Bull of Pope John the xxn. for the Confirmation and Approbati- on of the Holy Scapulary. JO HN, Bifliop and Servant of the Servants of JefwChrifl, to all and every Faithful, &c. While I was Praying upon my Knees, the Virgin of Mount Carmel appears to me, andfpake unto me in thefe Words. John, Jchn , the Vicar of my dear Son, as 1 will deliver thee out of the hand of thine Ad- verfary (the Emperor Lewis the 4 th , whom he had Excommunicated) and make thee V of e, flwilLihat thou J/jouldesl grant to my Holy and Devout Order of Mount Carmel, founded by Elus and E\\(hi,the gr*& of a full Confirmation -^ namely^ That whofoever be~ * Bencd'i&.Gononus. Chronic. An. 1321. N n 2 ing 284 The Scapulary of St. Simon^ ingprofeft, willobferve the Rule given by my Servant Albert the Patriarch, and approved of by my well- beloved Innocent, the true Vicar of my Son, giving his consent upon Earth to what my Son hzd decreed in Heaven 5 viz. Th»t whofoever foal I per f ever e in th*t Holy Obedience, Toverty andChafiity, and fo) all enter into this Order, fojall be fat ed. And that any other Men or Women, whofoever fjjall enter into this Holy Religion, wearing the fign of the Holy Habit (to wit, the Scapulary J calling them f elves by the Name of Brethren and Sifters of the /aid Order and Confrater- nity, fit all be delivered and abflved from the third part of their Sins^ from the day of their admittance ; fromifing withal, Chaslity, if fhe beW'idow \ Virgi- nity, if a Maid; and Conjugal Fidelity, if foe be a Married Woman. And as to the profesl Brethren of this J aid Order , they fhall be delivered both. fromPu- ni foment and Sin. And when they fojall part out of thtsWorld, making f peed to Purgatory, I the Glorious Mother of God will come down thither the next Satur- day after their death, and will refcue whomfoever I foall find in Purgatory, and Will bring them up into the loly Hill of Eternal Life. But thefe Brethren andSislers of the fa id Confraternity , mu ft fay the Ca- nonical hour s> after the Rule of St. Albert; and if th:y be ignorant, they mufl abftain from eating Flefh every Wednef day and Saturday, unlefs Jome neceffity hinder them, except on my Sons Nativity. Having iaid thus much, that holy Apparition vanished away. Therefore I John aforefaid, accept of this Holy In- dulgence, and do confirm and irrengthen it on Earth, juft as Jefus Chrift hath by the Merits of his glorious Mother gran ted it in Heaven. Therefore let no Man prefume to annul or contradict this Afecond means of Salvation. 28 J Page or Writ of our Indulgence : or if he dare, let him know, that he fhall incur the indignation of God Almighty, and of his blefled Apoftles Peter and Paul. Given at Avignion, Indiff. 3. and the fir ft Tear of our Pontificat. This being fo, I wonder who would wifh for more, or who would not leave all, to have fo much. 3. Neverthelefs, altho the beft Indulgences of Rome, or all other fuch Roman Pullies cannot do more then this ; viz^ to pull a burning Soul out of the Purgatory Fire, up to the Hill of Eternal Life ; yet if this happy Soul had a mind to appear there more Gentile, then her own Works will allow her, flie hath the advantage of borrowing from the Con- fraternity wherewith to make her felf as fpruce and neat as one can wifh. Let but any Man imagine,' what ftock of Mortifications and holy Works Elias did leave behind for Jexebel^ and John the Baftift for Herod and Herodias 5 or our Country-man S. Simon fcr all other fuch as thofe three were, in cafe they* will all humbly come , and devcutly wear about them this holy Scapulary ; Who is the ignorant or blind Buzaid,that wil not leave any Religion, Gofpel, and Prcteftant Churches, to run himfelf and all his fins under this bleflfed fhelter ? CHAP. (*S4) C H A P. XIV. Concerning the third means of obtaining Salvation by tbe Confraternity and 150 Beads of St. Dominic. SAint Dominic and S. Francis are the two Saints, which, asth^yfay, our Lady Mary pacified a her own Son with, being about to deft roy Man- kind 5 for there fhe paffc her honeft Word, that thefe two Doctors ihouid, without fail, reform the three forts of Sinners, the Proud, the Covetous, and the Carnal, whom he hated, and fo fet up a- gain true Holinefs thro the whole World. You may guefs what Francis hath don on that account, by what I have faid of his Girdle 5 and you may hope likewife, that S. Dominic may do as much or more with his 150 Beads.However,thefetwoare,by his Holinefs & Sixtu* the Fourth, voted to be both the two great Seraphims, that help Men to flee up to Heaven upon the Wings of Divine Contempla- tions and Raptures, and the two loud Trumpets which fill Heaven and Earth with their Holy found ; and therefore to their honor is this Privilege duly granted, that whofoever will but vifit any of their Churches or. Chappels, (hall receive Pardon f for a hundred Years ; and if any of them being dead d , will be wrapt up in Frocks 5 or be buried in a Church a Flaminius in vita S. Dominie. b Bulla Aurea.Sacrifradicatorunii *> ibid. fe{{. 6. d Jbid.fea.9. yard St. Dominic's Beads, fee . 287 yard belonging to either of their Orders, fhall in all probability have as much more. Judg you by this, what thefe Confraternities of theirs be worth, and what value you may well fet upon their two moft Sa- cred Standards or Bodies, the Rope or Girdle of St. Francis, whereof enough; and the 1 50 Beads or Rcfary of S. Dominic \ of which you muft now learn fom thing. This new and admirable way of praying to God, by faying Ave Maria t hath, as they fay, proved in their Church fo fuccefsful, for railing Hearts to Devotion, fancftifying Men, extirpating all Here- sies, and propagating Catholic Light, as it appears by e many Bulls, that moft Popes from Sixtus the Fourth, 1479. have thought themfelves concerned in their Confidences, to raifeit to a Confraternity as Univerftl as their Church 5 and to make it as the Sun is, (to ufe their words) common to all Men in the whole World. For this brave Corporation is not as the moft part of others are, fome for Men on- ly, and not for Women 5 fome for great Men, and not for mean People; fome for the Religious, and not for the Secular ; fome for the found, and not for the weak : * this great and comprehenfive So- ciety takes in all ibrts and conditions of Men ; and to fay all, as it fhall appear hereafter, even the very dead may come to it. Whofoever will be admitted as a Member of this vaftBody, and march *, as they love tofpeak, un- der the B. Virgin and St. Dominies great Standard, he muft go firft to Confeifion, and take the Confe- • Pius <, . Conftit. Cenfuevcrunt. * Arcbang Caraccius. De Rofar. l.far. C. I . 1 Idem ^.par, c. 5. crated 288 St. Dominic's Beads y crated Wafer, thenhe muft appear in Perfon, if he can ; or by a Proxy, if he cannot ; and there either himfelf or his Proxy being proft rated before the Al- tar Del Santiffvno Rofario, of the moft holy Ro- fary, declare what great defire he hath, to be en- rolled under St. Dominies Banner. So the Officers, being duly qualified to that purpofe, (hall take his name, and acquaint him with what he the new Bro- ther is to do ; efpecially how he muft once every Week run over the whole Rofary, that is, the 150 Beads, Ave Maria? and the 1 5 Pater nofters? fola- cing him at the fame time with this moft gracious affurance, that he muft not think it a Sin, * nor a breach upon his Confcience, if at any time he fliall fail in the performance 5 and that the whole duty confifts of fuch things, as never were commanded by Gcd, nor practiced by his Apoftles 5 fo the o- mitting of them muft not difquiet his mind, only he muft be content to lofe the good Indulgences,which his Roman Holinefs was pleafed to grant upon fuch terms. After this, he gives him a Confecrated Re* fary of Beads, and the Confecrating cf them comes to this. After fome ihort Praiersand Refponfals, the Mafs-Prieft begs at the hands of God, this great and Blafphemous Favor ; s namely, That to the ho- nor and prat fe of his Sons Mother jvould he be pleafed to infufe into thofe Beads, fo much firength of his Holy Ghofi y that whofoever Jhall either carry them abroad, or reverently keep them at home, and there devoutly fray with them after the way of the holy Confraternity, may abound in Devotion,may have his fhare in all the Graces ', Privileges and Indulgences granted to the fa'd Society 5 Ibidem. 6 jdem part. 3; c. 5. may A third means of Salvation. 2 8^ §nay as long as he lives be protected every where, a- gainfl all Enemies whatsoever ; and at loil, may be. frefented full of good works to God by the Bleffed Vir- g/*Mary. To which is added, the other Blefling by Holy Water, and as it were a fecondBaptifm, In the Name of the Fat her ^ &c. Next to the holy- Beads thus impioufly Confecrated, and devoutly delivered into the hand of the new Brorher or Si- fter, comes the Holy Candle. This Holy Candle is of great ufe, when yoa walk in ProcelTion, when you go to Burial, when any one of the 1 5 Myfte- xies (you may remember What that is) is folemnly celebrated, and efpecially when you die ; for there, but efpecially here, if you do hold this holy Can- dle lighted in your hand, you maybe fure that all your fins are forgiven, becaufe Pope Adrian the * Sixth hath ordered it ib. But the Candle muft be Confecrated, as folemnly as your Beads were, and with a Form to this pufpOfe : That thro the Inter- cejfwn of the Blejfed Virgin Mary, and the 1 5 great Myfteries contained in the aforefaid Beads, chrifl the true Light, that enlightens every Man that comes in- to the World, will enlighten aljo thk Candle, with the true light of his Grace, &c. Then is the Candle fprink led with Holy Water, in Nomine Patris, &c. This is not all, you muft have a Hoiy Rofe, for it is of a lingular Vertue ; and befides, Rofe and Ro- fary are of a kin 5 efpecially as focn as it is Confe- crated with this execrable Form of BlefTing, Veu$ Creator \&c, thefenfeis, That God the Creator and Giver of fpintual Grace and eternal Salvation-, bt f 'leafed to blefs the fid Rofe, which isfrefntcd unto h Breve, lllius qui Vonrinicam. 1 Arcbang. Caraccim. de Rofar. part.-$ c.6. G him ipo St. Dominic's Beads^ him^ for the worflrip of his Mother : and to infufe into the Rofe by the vertue ofthefignofthe Cro/s, [uch a Celeftial Bleffing, that to what Infirmities joever it be applied, and in what houfes andplacesfoever it be de- voutly Inept or carried \t he [aid Infirmities may be cur- ed\& that thence all Devils may flee aw ay. This Charm is iikewife compleated with the ufual Baptifm of Holy water. With thefe Tacklings you may here- after reckon your felfmoft fully incorporated into this Heavenly Body. What you have next to think upon, is well to difcharge thofe duties that belong to a Heavenly Member : and to fall luftily to that incredible and ftrange way which S. Mary and §.Do- mink her Husband have in the latter times brought into the Roman Church, offerving God, by faying Ave Maria. To the great encouragement of the faid Brethren and Sifters , this way of Devotion is called the Crown, the P falter, and the Rofary, the Crown, becaufe whenfoever you fay fifty times Ave Maria ( as my Italian k Author obferves , and I may prove it many waies ) the fo fainted Goddefs , is pleafed to take it, for fo many Crowns, and Gar- lands of fine Flowers, that you do adorn her Head with. 2. The ? falter \ becaufe the Church of Rome doth think it fit, to worfhip the Lady of the moft Holy Rofary , with 150 Salutations, as King Da- vid the Prophet did , to adore the Lord God of Ifrael with 150 Pfalms ; and becaufe, as Davids i falter was an Inftrument, wherewith he could eafe the Spirit of Saul, when it was troubled by the Devil • fo do Catholics with thefe Aves, defend themfelves , and charm all the Powers of Hell from k Car actio. Part. i.e. 13* doing A third means of Salvation. 19 1 doing any barm to their Souls. 3. It is call'd the Rcfitry ; becaufe as with Rofes you make Rofe-wa- ter Oil, Sugar and Hony Rofal; fo do the Bre- thren and Sifters of the Rofary make with* it admira- ble Confections , Drugs and Syr of 's to Phyfic their pcor fick Souls ; to foften the hardnefs of fin ; to difpof: Roman Catholic Hearts., towards all Gra- ces 5 and to fay all with them, C&lum ridet^ &c< that is , the Heavens laugh, the Angels dance, the Church Ktefs her joi/al Feflivals, Hell trembles, and all the Devils run away, when they fay or fir, g Ave Maria. T much wonder they fliould excufe or ex- clude all the prifoners in Purgatory from jumping or cutting Capers y fince they hold, that the Dead are as much concerned as the Living. Therefore when one goes to enter a Name, he may 1 put in as well any Soul of Father, Son, Uncle, or anyo- ther Relation, as his own. Only thereby he binds himfelf to fay the holy Rofary, and to perform all other Duties for them he puts in ; that fo they may wherefoever they be, above or under ground , re- ceive all the Profits and Pardons of the Society. And if he put in two Names ; he muft perform the Duty twice, once for himfelf and once for his Friend. This double work islefs troublefom be- caufe you may fpeed it away at any time you have little elfe to do, as when ra you drefs and undrefs youffelf ; when you walk,ftand, fit, ride abroad, or wait : and for more eafe and more Merit too, you may join more hands to one work, when for example you are with two or three Neighbors walking and travelling together. 1 Caraccio. De Rofar. Part. i. c. 13. rc Id. parte 3. e f 3. Oo 2 I did 2?2 St. Dominic's Beads, I did forget another Duty, which you muft by no means forget, it being as indifpenfable as it is eafie ; and it is this : borh the Pooreft and the Rich- eft muft needs contribute to the Charges of fetting up a neat Altar, n and adorning it with a Standard, bearing the Picture both of our Lady giving, and S. Dwtin/c receivi r,g on the other fide the holy P (al- ter from her Hand. They muftbelikewifeat the Charges of having the fifteen great Myfteries fairly painted both over and on each fide of the great Al- tar. Btfides, you muft pay your fmall fhare for both the wax and the Oil, that burns night and day before the Rofary Lad) : and leaft you fhould grum- ble at fuch expenfes, beyoufure, that one Mafs upon, or one A 1 ?, or one Fater before fuch a pri- vileged Aitar; especially onfolemn Daies, is bet- ter worth then a thoufand whether Majjes, ov Avts tjiityou may hear or fay elfewhere. This being done, you may confidently look for all forts of Blefiings, and Privileges muft needs, from ali parts flow towards you. i . Rome opens in your behalf her whole Celeftial Trefure -, a full Pardon of all your fins at your firft coming to this Society : at your going out, when you dy : at all and every holy Day kept to the La- dies Honor, through the whole year: at all and every folemr, Day kept for any one of the fifteen great Myfteries : at Chrijimas ; the Sunday before Ipiphunj : holy Thur/d.iy y and good Friday '. the 3 holy daies at Eafler: at the Ajcenfion: the three Holy D its at Whitfunt'ide • all the firft Sundries of every M. nth, &c. And all this, both for fick , and found, for the abfenr, as well as prefent, at Sea ■ Id* part. 3 c.M. or A third means of Salvation* 293J or Land, in prifon, and at Liberty, fothat there be a juft Impediment, that detains you from the Duty, and from vifiting the Altar; you can h?rdly make three or four fteps , or open the ° Mouth to fay Jefu, or Maria, but you fhail get by, ita con- liderable Indulgence. When you devcudy * take your Beads'- When you hear Salve Re gina (tisa fhortfong to the Ladies Honor: ) when you walk after the Proceflion : when you march after the Banner, at a Burial : when you vifit a rick Brother cr Sifter- when you wait upon the Hoft in the ftreet, &c you gain hundreds ofDaies, of years, and fome Quarantaim or Quadragenes to bcot. And if all this be not enough ; all the Stations and daily Indulgences of Rome are at your command and mercy, it you will but vifit a Rofary Church, with faying three Aves in it : or in cafe of too much throng, ftand at a diftance before one ^ or the five Rofary Altars 5 ( and you may ftand fometimes be- fore them five, tho you do not ftir from one Place:) however my Italian p Author, aflures me that di- vers Popes have granted all thefe huge Pardons both by Bulls, and by word of Mouth, Oraculo viva vo~> cti , which is the Roman Church's Oracle, upon thefe terms. I hope that by this time you have enough for your own ufe. But if you pleafe alfo to plefure your Friends , you may weekly refcue out of Pur«? gatory two of their Souls, one on the Sunday , 1 the other upon the Wednefday following, and Eleven other fouls more upon other fpeciai daks ; which 1 leave out to fpare you trouble. Only you mull: • Caraccius de Ro far. part. 2. c. 7. f lbiJ.c.%. * Ibid.c.iQ. 1 IbiJ.c.$. take 294 $*• Dominic'* Beads, take the pains to vifit the Rofary Altar, and of fay- ing ar it this fhort praier. Lord, I pray you to ac- cept of the Indulgence, which hath bin granted by your High Priejt, the Steward of the holy Trefure, to the foul of John , or James : or if he the faid John or James have none or little ufe of it, to fuch a foul in Purgatory, which I am mofl obliged to', concluding all with a Requiefcant in face , thereupon let them reft in peace. This way one may help in one year fbme 1 1 5 fouls 5 and' flie is a woman of large Corre- fpondence that hath more friends yearly to care for. 2. Befides this incredible abundance of Privi- leges, and Pardons coming upon ycu from with- out , they fay that this Rofary Confraternity en- joies within it felf the greateft Trefure of the. whole World, namely a real and perpetual Participation of the Merits and Penances of all and every one of the greateft Saints (ince Adam, Confide* what vaft Abundance of Good works S.Dominic left in this Magazine, by whipping r himfelf to the Blood thrice every day ; once for his own fins , which, it is verily thought, he had none: once for the fins of the World : and once for the fins of the fouls burning in Purgatory. Calculate what Saint Vincent might hoard up for the ufe of his Bre- thren by converting 8o.c.o Turks , and 25000 Jews. Think what Trefure mi $u Agnes bequeath to her Society, with 'thofe incomparable Jewels which s ilie had partly received from the Virgin Mary 5 and partly got and ftolen from her Son, when he had bin in her own lap. What can you not hope ofS.Ofanna, another fifterofthis holy Confrater* f Caraccio. DeRofario. Part. i.e. 3. 8 Bov.Tom. 13. Aonal, an. 15,17. «. 9* nity, A third means of Salvation, 295 nity, who being yet l a Child, had the Virgin for her School-Miftrefs : and being come to riper years had the Holy Babe for her Husband ? . What fhall I fay of St. Alanus of Vinam^ for whofe Deliverance the u iJoy^Goddefs deftroied his Enemies at land with 150 Thunderbolts 5 and raifed out of the deep Sea, as many Mountains, ( an equal number to his Beads) to make him a Bridg to run away * and what of the other S. Alanus dc Eupe , the Reftorer oiRofaries, the true x Husband of this Goddefs, and withal her bofom fucker ? Have thefe and all, whom I could name, Popes, Cardinals, and other Grandees of the fame Confraternity caft nothing into the Trefury ? And if all thefe did not caft in enough 5 take all Gods Saints from the very beginning of the World, to the year 1431. for if Roman Revelations be at all true , they y all without exception ufe and fing out the Rofary. Take along with them all the Angels,and as they love to fpeak, the whole Celeftial Court •, for every good Roman Catholic is perfwaded (unlefsthey offer to contradict x both S.Alan and his Virgin ) that they alfo fing in Heaven the Rofa- ry : and that both thefe, to wit, Saints and Angels, make up but one Arch-Confraternity together. Now the Cuftomof this Society a being fo free, as to limit no favors at all ( as others molt common- ly do ) but to allow to every Member, a full Com- munication of all 5 what a huge deal of wealth is all this to every one, be he otherwife never fopoor? All the IntercefTions of Saints above : all the Me- 1 Balinghen. Calendar. B.M. 17. Jun. * Chronic. Veip. an. 1212. * Ibid. an. 1476. ^ Arch. Caruccius. ^t Rofar. part. 4. c. 35. 2 B. Alan par ( . 1. c. 19. * Navar. de Pfalter. Mifcellan, 9. ». 4* lits *$6 St. Dominic's Beads, rits of more Saints below : all the extraordinary {howers of Privileges, and full Indulgences from Rome : all the watchings and helps of the good An- gels •* and that which muft be reckoned above all things , the continual favor and Countenance of the Queen of Heaven her felf •, in this vaft Concurrence of all the Saints and holy things from Heaven and Earth together, what can the wit of man fancy, that both this Confraternity may not contain , and the Rofary Brother well expect? Are you for a fhelter againft public Calamities ? The Holy Rofary is good for it. They think that by the ftrength of this Wea- pon the b Turks were beaten from Europe : the war ceafed from d Cologne, and c Genua : and the great Plague f from Pavia. Are you troubled with pri- vate Diftrefles ? Frier Amat had no better way to schoaka Devil, nor S.Salvator h to cure the deaf, nor S. Dominic * to procure Children, and cure Ear- rennefs; nor General Mo ntf "or t and Captain Antho- ny, k to rout Armies ; nor the two Spanifh Women 1 to efcape hanging. "What they fay of the Spanifri Afs, is moft pertinent to this purpofe : This Bead is often in that Country made ule of to carry condemn- ed Perfons to the place of Execution, and 'tis not heard, but the innocent ftupid Animal performs qui- etly this Office, except one time, m when it grewfo intelligent, as to perceive, that the Wretch who * Gregor. 13. Bull. Monet Apojlolus. * Leo 10. Bull. Pajiork #tetni. * Arch. Carac.de Rof. part. I . c. 17. * Id. part. ^.Miracul. 19. s chronic- Veip. an. i^S- h Ibid. an. 1567. ' Bov. torn. 13. an. vn^.n. 9. * Alanus de /nfulis in Rofar. * Arcbaflg. inRofarioipart.4. * LopaXj de Rofar. l.i.c.io, was Of St. Dominic'* Beads. 297 was on its back, related to the Rofary : then it was wonderful to fee, how quick and nimble this flow Beaft turns back again from the Gallows, and gal* loping through all the Guards, who attended the Execution, and all the common People, which then was thronging to fee it, carries her dear charge to the Church, there laies it down molt, devoutly be- fore a Rofary Altar. You muft conceive, that ei- ther the Grace infufed into thefe Beads at their Coafeeration, works out thefe ordinary Miracles ; or that the Rofary Queen, whom they call the Mi- ftrefa of the World, and the General of this Order, is alwaies prefent and active upon all great Exigen- cies, wherein her Officers are concerned, efpecial- ly whenfhe fees them bearing up, or marching under that which ihe takes u for her Banner. Neverthe- lefs, tho the eiTential Riches of this potent Con« fraternity be fo extremely confiderable in all Secu- lar advantages (even fometimes fo as ° to make Men fortunate in Wives, and all other Bargains) yet its great worth lies more in all Spiritual and Eternal Concerns. St. Ala'm^ who never was feen without the Ring, which our Lady p twitted for him of her own Hair; nor without that Heavenly Chain of Beads, which {lie put about his Neck at the fame" time, dothaffureus upon this account, that to be enrolled in the Book of this happy Confraternity, is 1 to be enrolled in the very Book of Life : that the benefit which they receive from being thus regi- ftred < , is no lefs then to be chofen and adopted fcr ■ Caraccius tie Rofar. part, i.c, 10. * Navar. de Horti Canon, c. 19. n. 160. * Gonon. Cbronic.an. 1476. *» Beat. Alan. part. 1. c. 17. t //cifc P p Gods sp8 Of St. Domimcs Beads. Gods Children : that fuch regiftred Perfons are much better, then the hundred forty four thoufand Mere, in cht fiventh of St. Johns Revelation : and that all Friends and Promoters of this admirable Society, do fet up for all finners as good as the. Ladder, in Jacobs Virion, to fcale Heaven. And as tor it), wfelves, they (hall be there glorified, not only a8 Abel and Abraham^ViA the other Patriarchs are, but as the nobleft Angels of God. And let none be difcouraged from this great Hope, for feel- ing himfelf but a fmful Wretch, finceas the fame Father faies, if true, Qui frofriis^ &c. that the very Reprobates, as to their proper and perfonal Demerits, are made the Children of God by the communion and benefit of this Society. For as a Rofary had in the hand of S- Salvator the vertu of curing Quartan Agues, when it was laid c upon ones head ; fo it had in the hand of St. Dominic a greater Gifc, name'y, that of infilling Grace ; or however, expelling Vice, when laid u at Night under ones Piliow. For my part, I know no fowler Villain, then that Noble Man at Paris was, who was fan- 6ified by this means. Where ever was a more proftituce Whore, then fair Catharina at Rome ^ who both in the heat of her Luft , and her Zeal for this bltrfled Rofary, was converted alfo ; and in fuch an extraordinary manner x , as is not fit for Hie to relate ? But tho Regiftred Brethren or Sifters fhould not care much for Conversion 5 and tho their good God- i hi c. 33. * Chronic. Min. I. *,- tit* 4. u BoviusAnnat.to. i$.an.2l$.n. 12. * Chrome. Veip. an. J221. 4fcfS of St. Dominic's Beads. 599 clefs and Miftrefs would Indulge them rheir liberty, as fhe often doth, as long as they fliali en ; oy their life, yet, which is the fweeteftofall, none of rhefe worthy Members can perifh, but either the frrengih of their Beads, or thekindnefs of their Lady, or fome like tring or other, (hall fave them from Htll when they are dead. Whocanbe more^nton (hen Alexandra of Aragon was ? And yet fhe was ra? fed from the dead, abfolved, and vilibly f.ved, as they fay, 150 daies (the juft number of h r Rofary Beads) after her Head had bin chopt off , and thrown into a deep Well? Was ever a Man in the whole World more fit and likely to fall into Hell, then was the defperate Robber , whom fome 0- thers ftronger then he, had fudd.-nly kill'd in his Sin, and whom the Rofary Princefs reviv'dand kept fo long under x ground, till St. Dominic heard him calling for help, and both digged him up and abfol- ved him, two whole Years after he had bin buried ? This High-way M~n, itfeems, had heard of Siint Dominic's Preaching, and therefore had made ufe of his Rofary, purpofely to venture himfe f more fafely, to all the hazards of his Trade ; and he did well, for as foon as he was abfclved, his Body fell down to the Grave, and his Soul fled up to Heaven. Anlndulgent Miftrefs indeed, who will allow her deareftMignion c , during their life, their Bellyfull of all PlefureS} and when they die, all the Joiesof her Paradice. Let good Catholics hive but as much Devotion as a public Rcbber, or a common Whore are capable of, then a Scapulary, a Rofary, erSt. Francis Girdle, all three together, or any one of 1 Chronic, ibid. z Archang. Caracc* de Rofar.part 4. Miracul, 16. Pp a them •c© Of St. Dominic* Beads. them by it felf, fliall fave them all. And among all thefe Impertinencies, fober Papifts cannot perceive their own weaknefs, or the irrefiftible Charm of a befotting Religion. CHAP. XV. Concerning divers other Inftruments of Bkffing and Salvation. SAint Simons Rocket, S. Francis Girdle , and S. Dominic's Rofary, are but three of the num- berlefs Inventions, which the Church of flowe hath found of late to promote Grace and Salvation ; The poor Proteftants have no waies to help them- felves with, but fuch as Chrift and his Apoftles did leave to all the World befldes, Faith, Repentance, Terfeverance in well doings &c. happy Catholics have an hundred other, both more commodious and more taking; and it is fk, that all Chriftendom fhould know them, fince they do prove fuch ufeful means, both to keep and to draw the common Peo- ple to their Faith. Thefe gracious Tools are of two forts ; fome are fuppofed to have had a being a good while ages butwereof latedifcovered, orhowever put to the new ufe which new they have. The others are made new every day, by £oman Popes, Bifhpps and Priefts, in the fame way that other Tools are made, and brought to what they are, by the Ma- iler of every Craft. Of Of St. Dominic's Beads* 501 Of the firft fort, are the Tacklings which how the Roman Church gives out for Relics, and which of late have got the credit of procuring what every one asks. For if the vaft ftore cf fuppofed old holy fluff, which S. Peters^ S. Pauls, S. Laurence, and other Churches keep in their Sanctuaries at a Rome, had a being in ancient times, it was un- known. Neither Jofefhtts^ nor Thilo, nor Origen^ nor St. Jerome^ nor any other of thofe great Men, and moft verfed in Antiquity, can tell us where to find the Rod, wherewith Mofes did ftrike out Wa- ter ; nor the Altar, where Melchifedtc prefented to God Bread and Wine ; nor the Golden Cenfer of Aaron •, nor the Ark of the ancient Covenant, &c. which now they fliew in the Vatican* The moft pious and ancient Fathers had bin amazed to hear Men fpeakof the firft Shirt that Chrift put on ; or of the Bottles which the Virgin ufed to fill with her own Milk . or of the Hair, the Shift , the Shoes,' and the very pareings of her Nails, which fheleft with them when Die went up. If all thefe things, I fay, had a being, either it was hidden fomewhere with thofe many CrofTes and Images, which the Monks have digged up from under ground, or in the bottom of fome deep Well, where none but Angels b are heard to fing ; or it was kept in fome of thofe Ward-robes, whence the Virgin, brings out her Veils, Hoods, and fuch other Fa- vors, when (lie hath a mind to hearten her Monks. And tho fome Men had known fomthing of their Being, which is not true , yet no Man ever had hitherto any experience of their Virtu. For who *. 'job. Diacon. de\upr. Santfit. Ecd. Lateratt. b Conon. Chronic, an. 1 1 16. of j 1 Divers other Injlruments of all the Fathers ever knew, that any Shift which the Virgin had left behind, had the power which that of Chartres, as they fay hath, ofdifabling'an Enemy from going back wards or forwards, and of imparting the fame quality to any Shirt, a which toucheth the Box wherein 'tis kept < Did ever Men dream, before Pope John the 22% e that her Slip- per being kitted and adored with fome Aves, fhould procure Atonement for many fins, and a Pardon for 700 Years i Who may not wonder that thefe Utenfils fhould have bin kept fo long, that is, a- bove a thoufand Years in the dark, and now in thefe laft Ages fhould fwarm abroad fo thick,and admira- ble, to all ends and purpofes every where ? Mofl of them, f faies the Popes Protonctary , have bin kept hidden a great while, and from hand to hand deliver- ed, either to ignorant perfons, who knew not how to va- lue them; or to profane and negligent Trufiees, who did not care. They think 'twas upon this account, s that our now Lauretan Lady kept her felf above 1 200 Years obfcure and una&ive in Nazareth, till at laft fhe forfook her Country to fhew her felf in Italy, where fhe meets with more pious People^ and worthier to fee hir Miracles, then the Apoftolical and Primitive Golden Age was. i* Firft begin, ifyoupleafe, with this prodigi- ous Relic, a whole Room with Walls, Roof, Win- dows, where the faid Lauretan Lady allures a Bh ihop, that fhe was born, and had received the Salur e S. Anthonin. i.p. Hift. tit. \6. c. 2. fetf. $. d Hifior.Carnot.an. 1060, % Medida del Tie San&iJSimo, i9"C. impreff* cum Licentia. 1 Baptifl. Lauras. De Annulo pronubo. ? Horat. Turfel, Lauret. Hip, I. 1 . tatiofl Of BUJfwg and Sdlvatfonl 303 Ution of the Arch-angel. There alfo they ihew the Altar, which, they fay, St. Peter confecrated 5 a Crucifix, which the other Apoftles had fct up, and chiefly her own Pi&ure, which, as (he faies, her ad- mirable Painter Luke had drawn. This famous Domicile was brought with thefe Appurtenances in one Night from Na?aretb over Seas and Lands by mighty Angels $ and can, if honored with a Vifir, with an Offering, or with a Vow, cure in a moment all Difeafes. 2. Hence walk to Peruft^tiiert you fhall find the Virgin Maries Wedding Ring$a very homely one in- deed(fuch as might be expected from a Carpenter)of Iron, & a fmall whitifh Stone to it$but having parted through many hands, and at laft being difcovered what it was by three great Wonders; namely, i.The Apparition of the Virgin, who owned it. 2. The Deftru&ionof a young Prince, becaufe itwasnoc valued enough. 3. And the Refurre&ion of the fame, at the time of his Burial, both to chide his own Father, for his profanefs in neglecting that Sa- cred Ring, and to give all the World warning how they ihould ufe it afterwards. This blefTed Ring fhall make h your Finger as ftiff and as dry as a very ftick, if you dare raflily put it on $ but it will reftore the fight, reconcile the greateft Foes, drive out all fears of ill Spirits , if you adore it reve- rently. And that you may never doubt of this, take but a Ring of Ivory (it muft be of the fame big- nefs) and let it touch this Virgins Ring, it will con- trad from it fuch a Vertu, as to eafe one of the Scia<* tica, and to help Women to an eafie Travel, if they put it on their right Finger. By this, ;udg what her * J$b. Baftifi. Ltur.de Atwuh PronuK 304 Divers other Infiruments ftiifc can do, what her Gloves, what her Comb,Wfi*f the broken pieces of her Glafs, what her Girdle, much more precious then the Cord of St. Francis, and the * very Heaven it felf, what the vaft quan- tity of Milk, which ihe gave when fhe was a Norfe, and which fhe hath given to forty Perfons, Men and Women, out o£ her own Breaft, fince the Papifts bave made her Queen. Catholics may look on us all, like as £0 many poor Raskals, who have none of thefe Jewels. 3 . T hey may do it much better upcn the account of Chrift himfelf: for tho all other Chriftians have hisGofpel, and his active and pa (five Juftice by his ParTionandHolinefsj the Roman Catholics look np« on this as the common Materials, and do believe them as things of courfe ; but in the mean while, they mind quite other things, and make ufe of quite other means of going up to Heaven, which certain- ly Proteftants have not. As befides the Blocd of Chrift fhed on the Crofs, which nobody hath nor can have^being,as one of their Learned Saints affirms, L re-entred into his Veins, and afcended to Heaver* with him: they have to lhew a great deal more of other Blood, all that which St. Kicodtmm took in his Glove, all that which hath bin received in Bot- tles, and now they fay is carefully kept at Mantua\ and without going any farther,all that which is upon' Eafter-day k moft folemnly adored at Rome. Now to argue according to Pope Clements divinity, if one drop of this Blood was enough to fave all the world;, What obdurate Papift mufr he be , whom now * German. Or at. In Advocat. Zion. Vitg. 1 Thorn part.^.q, 54. art. 2. 1 Siei in Canon, Lett. J. L.B. l $nlU Vniggnitas. m Bot* Of BleJJings and Salvation. 305 * Bottles full of the fame both Blood and Water could not fave ? What will you think of the Cra- dle, the Shirt, the n Coat without feam,the Co.\t of Purple, the Barly Loaves, the Table, the Stool , the Towel, the Communion Bread, the Spear, the Sponge, the Nails, and other Utenfils relating to his Life and Paffion, which a Romanill hath all, and looks upon both as Objects of his beft Worfhip,and great Inftruments of BlefTing ? Do not forget the Holy Rood, rfor all the great and frnall pieces of Wood, fcattered and adored over the Roman World, whereof as much as a fmall crumb, when hanged about a Catholic Neck, is in their conceit all in all. Howfarthefe and other Relics fet one forward towards Heaven, you may judg by two Characters 5 namely, both by the Opinion that the Papifts, and the care that fometimes the very Devils have of them. In the Opinion of the Papifts, they are able to [anftifie what or whomfoever they can touch ; ° Jo that whofoever toucheth the Bones of a Martyr, becomes in a manner a partaker of his Justice and Holinefs, through the Grace iffuing out of their Bodies ; which furely is a great encouragement for one to keep fuch things clofe to his skin. And befides this, they are lcok'd upon as a great means of en- gaging the Saints to mind and Eivor them who kifs thefe Bones, or any thing elfe relating to their firft eftate : and therefore thofe are in the right, who do beflovo p the like honor on the Relic, as on the Saints ; Jince from both, they hope to receive (as they thall) n Job. Viaconus. ap. Refron. L\.c. \o.paP. 48, * lbid.\\. ° Cofler Encbirid. c. 15. i ' Stapkton.Ticmtuiir.part.i.f.iyi. Qj} the 3 o6 Divers other Instruments the like advantage. Thus if you kifs Su Thomas Beckets Breeches, (th y fay you may i adore them too) you are forthwith fure of a Saint, who fhall thus make you twice happy, both by his Srul pro- tecting above, and his Relics which fan&ifie and fave below. And ho.v were it poflible for thefe Saints not to befriend them, whom they fee kifllng and worshipping their very Shoes ? Upon this rea- fbn are thefe Relics devoutly laid under the Altars, and there as devoutly called upon : infomuch, that you can hardly tell, which of the two Papifts do pray to* whether the Sunt, as affiirant to his Re- lics, or the Relics as nearly relating to the Saints. Sub Altar e Dei, <&c. * you (whether Saints or Re- lics that are feated under Gods Altar, intercede ye to God for u*. If you make theleaft doubt of it, read the public Office of the Church;what better Author can you wifh ? and by what this Church folemnly praies in behalf of the very boxes or fhrines,fee what you may hope of the Relics. We befeech * you (faies the High Prieft, and the Praier of the Church you know cannot be in vain) fo to fanclifie thefe fmall Veffds, (Vafcula) by your -free Grace; and fo liquor them (perfundere) with your Celeflial Bleffing, that whofoever requires the protection of your Saints, and imbrace their here inclosed Relics (here is their ufe) againft the devil and his angels 5 againsl all Thun- ders, Lightnings and Storms; againft the corruption af the Air, and the Tlagues of Men andBeafls ; a- gain ft Thefts, Roberies, Invafions 5 againsl all forts of evil Reaps, and againsl the devices of wicked Men y ^ Navar.de Horls Canon, c. 18. n 26,27, 28. * Pontific. Rom. fefl. DeConfecratione Ecclef* * Ibid.'jeft. VeVeneditl.Caylaram* way Of BUffings and Salv at inn. 307 may obtain of you through their Propitiations and Prai- ers, firength both to overcome all harms, and to find all profitable things. This is in all livelihood (to come to the other Character of faving Relics) what the Devils at Rome did confider, when, r as an Ainhentic Roman Au- thor reports it, they took once efpecial pious care, lefrthefefaving means fhould be ffolen away from Rome. The Hiftory is remarkable , and it runs thus: About the Year 250, under the Popedom of Cornelius, fome Greeks who were at Rome attemted to fteal thence away St. Peter and St. Pauls Bodies ; then happened a great Earth-quake, and all the Devils foon perceiving what thefe Sacrilegious Thieves were doing, prefently beftirred themfeives out of their Temples and Images, running up and down through the Streets, and crying with a migh- ty Voice (as concerned in the bufinefs) Come out Ro- mans, come out, for the Greeks in all ha fie are now carrying away your gods. At this huge Cry met to- gether both the C hriftians, for the fecuring of their Apoftles (forfoth which once a Man could well carry upon his back, is fince that time multiplied to fo many pieces, that, if they were all put together, might very well loada good Barge. It is moft certain, that our Savior was never Cir- cumcifed but once, that St. Titer had but one Body^ and St. Denhhut one Head, while they lived: the fame is true of the Wifemen> or the three Kings. But now fee where their Relics are beft kept,to wit, at Rome, Bruxels, Paris, Milan, Ratisbom, and o- ther places, whether now, when they are dead, they have no more. Ic feems the Roman Church hath a notable faculty of making Bodies, Heads, and Teeth, and all other fuch things to breed, while Ihe keeps them in her Bofom. This faculty is nei- ther by Tranfublrantiation, as when they put one individual Body in a thoufand places : nor by fimple Bivifion, as when they break one of their Confe- cra ted Wafers into parcels, whereof on$', and even the leair, conteins as much as the whole doth ; this is performed by a certain Efflux & Tranfmigration of Roman Grace, fuch as you fee in a burning Can- dle, when it lights as many others as you are pleafd to bring to it- For the Roman Church thinks to know by infal- lible Experiences, the gift, which their Holy things 8 InMfitth. 23. have Of Bkfjfings and Salvation. 309 liave of imparting their good Talent, to anything which comes near them. If they but put their Beads, cr any fuch little thing on their long ftick, as the Jews did their Sponge on a Reed, and then with a low bo" ing, make it kifs our Ladies Image ; this gentle touch is a Biefling : and I am fure all Me- dals and Beads, v hich have had it, are bought and fold at a good price. If this touch be between fuch things, as are of the fume or like nature, then the Transfusion of Holinefs is much ftronger : and for example, a burning Taper, which will perhaps but heat the finger, will prefently light a Candle. And to this purpofe is the Danifh Suffragan Matthias's public acknowledgment, when he declared folemn- ly, That he had from his Holinefs a CommhTionto hallow, ortoconfecrate any Bone, even of a Hog or a Sheep, if it were of the like member with that one which he had, inco Relics fit for Altars, Here I cannot forget that c Honorable Gentleman, whofe profperous and pious Family is frill in Normandy, a great Ornament to that Church • whofe Father, as he told me, had the firft diftaft of Popery, when, being with the French AmbalTador at Rcme 9 he faw a heap of Bones, taken out of a very common Church-yard, and folemnly Confecrated for the Altars of Hungary which the Turks, much wifer then they, had cleared of fuch pitiful Train. This large Transfufion of Grace was fufficiently tried by the Noble Knight u , whofe Shirt kept him Invulner- able againft all blows and wounds whatfoever, after it had touched our Ladies Shift : and by many Men and Women, who are cured in Italy both of the 1 Monftcur de Cerify. In Love h'ormPndy. ? fhfow.Deip. an. 1060. * Gout, 3 r o Divers other Inftrnmnts * Gout, and many ether painful Difeafcs, by Rings of Wax andlvory gently rubbed againft our Ladies Wedding Ring. Doubt not, but that if you can get fome, either of that * Straw which St. Martin did lie upon, or of the Hey *, which St. Francis Horfewas fadled with ; and if you did mingle o- ther with it, both mail prove to be fit alike, either for working Roman Miracles, or being Objects of Roman Worfliip. Thus Rome is guilty of no Cheat, whenfoever fhe gives more then one Head to one Body, and many Bodies to one Saint, to be wor- fhip'dinfeveral places. And whether Queen Ifa- bella, or Pope Clement the Fourth, have the right Head, which S. Paul had on his Neck; this hath very fmall reafon to grumble as he doth * at that, or that to complain at all of this, fince they have both, if not the fame, at lead as good. 2. But and if by chance neither the care of the Pagan Gods could fave, nor the craft of Roman Monks invent as many Relics, as may fatisfieall the World,the new Romans fhall fupply that want, with other as good means of Grace, which are of their proper making. Firft, They will give you an Agnm Dei^ that is, a godly Lamb made of Wax. The Original of this new Device, was firft found out by the Mafons, who laied the Vatican Foundations. For, as they fay, a with much digging, they met among many Medals and Rings, the Figure of a Lamb made with Wax, enclofed in a Golden Cafe, engraved with thefe con- x Flatu. fupra. J Biel. in Canon. Lett. 50. * Bottavent in vita Franc. * Clem 4. ap. C nor ill Air, nor Shipwrack , nor Eire ; that no man may ever have the Dominion over him. ( So Catholics muft have ftill the better. ) And that if a woman wear it in Childbed, the Child may be kept fafe with the Mother. The great Sacraments of Ch rifts own inftitution, namely the Holy Baptifm, and Communion have not the half of this: and yet, both for the great encouragement of Poperie, and the greater horror of all true Chriftianity, you may have more ; for the firft Pope who made them, and there- fore knew beft what they were good for , makes their vertue like to Chrifts Blood, e Balfamus fa Cera, &c. / frefent you, ( faies he to the above faid Emprefs) "with an Agnus or Lamb of God as a great but only the Lip of the Bottle, Labium Ampulla. Nothing ot all this is don in vain ; and nothing can be don too much 5 for this is the great Chrijmal Ointment, which fupplies the want or Buptilm • aod which arms the true Ca- tholics with all Graces, not one excepted, againft all Temta:ions whatfoever. The third Bottle conteins what they call, the Oil of the Catechumens', which , laying Balfam afide , is confecrated as the former •, for trie High and the 12 low Mafs-Priefts, blow thrice on it; then it is conjured and praied over, that all the Devils may fee from it ■ and that fo many Graces may come into their Places, as both to adopt and to pur i fie the Flefb and the Spirit of all, rvhofiall therewith be liquored. For the Conclufion they all worfhipthe third Bottle as they did thefecond, with their repeting Ave San- Bum Oleum, Iworfhip or Salute thee Holy Oil. So you have all you can defire to fet your Salvation for- ward againft ihe world, the Flefh, and the Devil. Fourthly, the Church of Rome knows how to ad- vance Salt, and water, either each by it felf, or both together, by Conjuring, them into another B faving Sacrament ; the Salt, to be both the Health and the Salvation of the Body and Soul. Salus Mentis & Cor- poris: and the water by it felf, no lefs : but when both are mixt together, then you are fafe on every B Tontifxal, Rom. feci. De Benedict, pi itjii Lapiddis. fide : 3 r 8 Divers other Inftruments fide : then all ill Spirits , and uncleannefs muft fly away : and then the affift ing Prefence of the Holy Ghoft comes in good earneft about you. That is the reafon, that no wife Catholic willpafs one day, if he can help it, without fprinkling himfelf with this water ; nor let the Chamber, where he lies, be with- out a little Bottle full of this holy Prefervative. Fiftiy, the Roman Church affords two other great Saving © Devifes by bleffing Wine , and conjuring Allies. Thefe Afhes , if it be poffible, mud be taken p out of the burning of fuch Boughs as had ferved the year before for Palm-Sunday Wnat vertu thefe Arties have, f efpecially on a Catholic, when troubled in his Conscience) guefsbythe praier of the Church, who fends exprelsly for i God> Angel y to infttfe (irength and bltfjing into them. The Wine, (not that of the Holy Communon, for this is a Myfterie, which neither Chnft, nor his Apoftles e- ver thought of ) as it appears by its conftcruting Praier, hath a great deal of vertue too. But it fhews it efpecially, when the Mafs Biihop hath mixed it with the faid Afhes, Salt and Holy water, therewith to hallow Churches, Altars, and all other Inftru- ments of Catholic Devotion, with fuch admirable Properties, as can make all Services more accepta- ble. Sixtly, this is one of the greateft Perfections and Allurements oiRome *, that over and above the many Means of Inherent Bleffings, to enable the deadeft Souls towards fomethmg 5 ihe can enable Marble, Wood and Stone, toraifeand quicken the leaft Per- formance. And for my mony give me fuch a Mafor, • Pontifical. Rom. ibid. fol. 114. * Id. feff, !>? Officio 4 Ter. Cmrwn. q l\>iA as Of BUJfings and Salvation 319 as can both animate my hand with skill and motion to play upon an Inftrument, and help me to fuch an Inftiument, as can make moft fweet harmony of the leaft touch of my finger, when I come near -, and this is the Cafe of the Roman Church , and the great Attra&ive me hath to make blind Souls look towards her. All , even the meaneft Country Churches,what with this admirable Confection made of Allies, Salt, Wine, and holy Water 5 what with Greek and Latin r Characters, drawn in Afties up- on the Ground crofs-wife, with a Mafs Biihops pa- ftoral Staff ; what with Proceflions about the walls ; what with hard knocking and finging at die Doors, are enchanted to that degree of holinefs, as that the firft ftep into them , and the leaft good word or thought in them, may * wipe off clear your venial (Ins .• and that fome Churches if no more then lookt upon at a Diftance , will clear you from s mortal too. All, even the mod common Mafs Altars, what with little * Candles burnt crofs-wife j what with fcveral forts of Ointments 5 what with Signs of the Crofs ; what with feveti turnings about 5 what with old Bones, or confecrated wafers, are conceived to have no lefs vertue, then the light of the holy Ghoft, and a general capacity to make all holy and accepta- ble, which the Pneft offers thereon: and many have the Privilege, if they be 1 feen at certain times, but a far off, to procure" general Pardons without any Mafs, u orPraier. All Images what by being waflic with holy water •, what by being fmoak'd and fiiffu- r Pontifical. Rom fe&. T>c Cm^ecr. Ecclej. * Tbvm p. 3 9.83 a.-$ i Supra re Rofar. 1 pontifical. Rem. [eft De Cunfecrat. Altar. * Navj-rtdejubil, Notabil. ij.77. J. roigated 3 2 o Divers other InftrUments \ ungated with the burning of Frankincenfe $ are ad* vanced to this blefiing,- that whofoever makes a fhort Piaierto our Lady, before x fuch an Imageof hers, for example, fhall be. faved here from all dan- gers : and (hall in the prefenceof God hereafter be releafed of all his fins. Some fuch Images there are which go as far, and require lefs, even but a fimple bowing, when you pafs by.. All Crofles, whether ofwood^ or ftone being wafht , and fmoak'dinthe like manner, promife the fame, or greater Effects ; namely y to be a Foundation of ones Faith, a De- fenfe in affliction, a help in Profperity, a Bulwark in the City, adielter in the Field ;in a word by Con- secration x a Crofs becomes a fit Object *o be ado- red , killed, and kneeled :unto, even by him, who did make it • efpecially when there is a Crucifix nail- ed to it-, for then 'tis both a Crofs and-anlmage: and who, upon- this double account would' not be eufily tensted, to adore and to kneel before the work of his own hands ? A fmall wqodden Button, fuch as you may. have many -hundreds for two pence, ( as I have obferved already ) ; is by the Romap Popes Blef- fing made a fufficient Inftrumenttoraifeone 'Pater to that Price, as to be a furricient Ranloitiipr the buying of a Soul out of Purgatory. All Bells, and of all forts (whichjn the fR&Rfm account * amount to fix} what with their ; ^jhrifmal Ointment and another Oil for tjiefick; what with abufed Parcels, of Scripture, and terrible. b Conjurations % what with other Roman and diftorted Rags o) ILpiiim, are x Pontifical. Rom. Dc Benedict hnaginis. T Jbid. z Id. Ve BenediFt. Imaginn. a Vurand. Rational. I i Rubric deCampanis. b Pontifical. Rom. de Benedict. Signi. thought •J Of Bleffings and Salvation. 3 2 1 thought to have the faculty as well of fcattering ftormsand Devils from, as of calling the People to Church : and of working true compunction, in the Heart, as well as a found or notfe in the Ear. How- ever the Roman Church among herfolemn Confe- crations praies to God for no lefs, in behalf of her Bells, then in behalf of Chriftian Souls •, that thefe (Bells) tC may beblefled with all Heavenly Grace^ ur f ind Kation.l. \.deCampanh.l.6. dePened.Cerea. « Cojmat Vejntor. ap. Pel hart- de Obit. V. M, well Of Blefiings and Salvation. 3 25 well very great Wonders from the Juglers, Hocus, Po- em, which I am fure were great folly : or if fome great things ufually happen at fuch pitiful Ceremo- nies, as there is neither ftrength of Nature, nor Or- dinance of God to caufe them, my Belief is worfe then Folly $ there muft be fome Devil in the cafe, whom an open Abufe and Profanefs in taking in vain Gods holy Name, doth uftier in. 2. For what worfe abufe can there be, then to call on the Holy Ghoft to infufe his Light, his Grace, and the Dew of his Blefling into Afhes, Stones, and Morter made of Water, Lime and Sand ? In Con- fcience, are thefe dirty things capable of any Grace, and Spiritual Infufion? Or is the bleffed Spirit of God become to us fo contemtible, as to be called in- to this Dirt < 2. What impudent attemt is this, to pretend, either by our Praiers, or by the help of light Geltures, to raife up filly Elements to high prodi- gious Effects i And what vifible temting of God is it, to call on him for Help, Grace and Blefling, upon this proftitute boldnefs i For when we call upon him to Blefs or to Sanctifie what we have, it is to improve it to thofe ufes, which by its nature it is fit for. And when we blefs the Elements, either for holy Ba- ptifm, or for the holy Communion 5 it is to procure then a Blefling in order to thofe Spiritual Ends, that he himfelf harh ordained both Baptifm and holy Communion to. So whenfoever we Blefs or Pray, we havealwaies a Natural, or a Supernatural ground of God, to bear us up in what we ask. So had Mt' fts y when with a Rod he offered to divide the Sea r Jojbua, when he bid the Sun to ftand ftill : and all the holy fervants of God, when by the laying on of their Hands, or any other weak Ceremonies, they wrought 326 Dfaers other Instruments wrought fome Wonders. There and then the Men of God neither fpoke nor did any thing, but when moved by his Spirit *• and without fuch Grounds and Principles, whether natural, or better, all our Prai- ers are but Faithlefs, and our Bleffings and Confe- crations unchriftian. Now what of all this, can a Mafs-Pneftor Bifhop pretend for all his Conjurings ? If Lights and Lamps can by their Natural proprie- ty fcatter Darknefs , or by an human Institution reprefent Glory and Joy : Can they alfo procure Blef- fings, and cure Difeafes i Is there any ground in Na- ture, whereupon one may pray to God, that fuch a Bell (call and Chriiten it as youpleafe) maywork Compunction of Heart, or preferve the Cattel and the Corn, otherwife then by fcattering perhaps fome Clouds? Is a rag either of Silk, or of Cotton, being at a certain time dipt in Oil, like to give eafe and refreshment to a dead Pope lying on it? Or if Nature fail them in this : What Divine Inftitution, what true Revelation have they to make them think, that their three Bottles, if a Mafs-Bimop will breath on them, ihall fetch down Graces from above? and that one little drop of this Oil, mingled with Wax andBalfam, mall fave People againft all Dangers? Why mould one think that his Parith Church is bet- ter freed from ill Spirits, by fome few Greek and La- tin Letters made with a ftick upon fpread Afhes, then his Room is, if he writes Slut with his Finger upon a nafty or dirty Board £ And what ails a Tulip more then a Rofe, or an old Shoe more then a Gir- dle, not to be as well con fee rated to great Marvels ? 3. As 'tis tothefe and other fuch idle purpofes, that the Holy and Dreadful Name of God is by them all taken up, and called upon at every turn ; if in truth, as Of Buffings and Salvation. 3 27 as it fhould, in Juftice and Judgment, let them fhew by Come good Precept, Promife, or clear Revela- tion that it is fo : and if not, let them now tremble both at the horror of their attemt, and at the dread- ful Voice of God threatning, that he will not hold them guiltlefs, but look on them alwaies as Sinners, and abominable guilty Perfons, whofoever do take his Name in vain. Read who will Roman Service Books, there he fhall find the whole Trinity as fre- quently and as formally called down on Bells, as on Children 5 as dreadfully named and conjured, (Per Dettm vivum, &c. By the true God-, the living God) the Holy and Almighty God) upon Salt, Stones,Afhes, and fuch Trafh, as on his Sacred Ordinances. The whole Service of Rome, from end to end, is peftered with fuch Conjurings. 3. But if fuch Conjurings be not thought to be taking Gods Name in vain, but feem fomtimes to work out fomthing, you may jullly fear that they be worfe. The Jews had an Art of calling out De- vils, and curing many Difeafes, fome with Rings, and Roots of r Herbs, which, they faid, they had from Solomon ; fome by SurTumigations s and Conju- rings. The ancient Pagans did the fame with Flow- ers % with Figures, and with Words, which them- felves did not underftand. Thefe for the moft part were Scripture names, Sabaoth , u Adonai, God of Abraham, Ifaac and Ifrael, &c. The truth is, a- bufed Scripture and Medicine have ever bin the two common Ingredients of Black Arts : this finds out r Jofepb. Antiquit. I. 8. c. 2. f Jufnn. Martyr, cent. Trypk .p. 91 . Edit. Stepb . 1 551. • Eufeb. Prcepar. Evang- 1. $.p, 1 17. Edit, Rob. Stepb. * Or i gem c cant; Cclfum.l.i. , . . Herbs, 528 Divers other Infirumtnts Herbs, Roots, Gums, Perfumes, &c. that furnifhes facred Words, facred Figures, and holy Daies, to make up the Enchantment. Thus the Devils are beft pleafed, when they trample both on Nature and Grace, both on Gods good Creatures, and Chrifts facred Ordinances. You can no where find more of this then both in the Jewifh Talmud^ and in the Con- fecrations of Rome, No Salt, no Wine, no Smoak, no found of ftrange Words and Characters, can be out ot their way and ufe, in order to true Popery : and if Chrift, and the Primitive Fathers, ever ufed any of thefe Creatures to a Moral and Myftical fenfe, the Papifts will firft ftretch it out to extravagant Al- legories, and at the conclufion will abufe it for the working out of ftrange Feats. Thus the ufe of Oil, which by the Fathers was applied to reprefent the Graces of the Holy Ghoft, falls into the hands of Papifts to cure Difeafes. Thus the ringing of the Bells is improved from calling the People to Church, to make Corn profper in the Fields : and thus the Bones of dead Saints, and the very Sacrament of the Lord, from being kept as holy Memorials ; to be thrown to quench the Fire, and to fave Houfes. And as the Lord of Hofts, the God of Ifrael> and fuch o- ther Names of God proper to his ancient People • fo muft the Holy Trinity ■> the Living God> and fuch o- ther Expreflions cf the blelTed Divine Nature, which are more proper to the Chriftians , among other names of Saints and Angels be now brought in, with many Croflings and Figures to conjure their Buii- nefs, and, as Cardinal Rafioni ingenioufly exprefles it, to make a x Charm of bleffwg. With this, a lit- tle Bottle of Holy Water, hanged at or by the Beds * Rejpon, tie Later an.Bafdk. 1.2. c. 8. f>< 147, Teller,- Of EUJJlngs and Sal cation. 3 2 9 Tetter, is conceived to keep the whole Chamber both from Fire and evil Spirits ; and as much as a fmall Peper corn of Wax, fowed and wrapt up with Silk in the Figure or a Heart, and carried about ones Neck, is a ftronger Prefervative then all the forbidden >' Phy latteries. And as thefe great and fa- cred Names did not conjure fo well, as when pro- nounced in Hebrew •, (for the Devil did not care for the word, unlefs itwasfaid Sabaoth, or Adonai, as Learned Origin well x obferves) all the Pontifical Confeciations and Exorcifms are in Latin, Per Deum Vivum^&c. and this may he thought a goodreafoii for celebrating their Mafs in a Tongue that few un- derftand, for fear the Confecrating words in Englifh, or other known and common Languages, might noc work out the great Miracle, which they callTran- fubftantiation. Therefore whenfoever Serpents, or Floods, or Quartan Agues are conjured; or when to the fame good purpoie Spells and Papers are given out, all is faid and written in Latin, out of their vul- gar Verfion. See their Book called Flagellum D*- monum^ full of Enchantments to fcourgethe Devils ; or their other Book, called The Trefure of the dread- ful Ccnjurings. Thus, 'tis the Fate of corrupted Re- ligions, whether Jew;lli, or Mahometan, or Roman, to end in Witchcraft and Sorcery : and who can won- der, if fuch continual abufing Gods Holy Name, and Scripture, proves a ftrong Invitation to any other Spirit rather then his own. But of this, you lhall Jtiear more about Images. ' Concil. LaoJicen. Can. 36. * Lilt. 1. cont. Celfum. p'23. Edit. Cantab. Ts CHAP. (.33°) CHAP. XVI. Concerning the moji general, and moji fenfible Inducement to Popery-, by the means and in the ufe of Confecrated Images. O T H the firft fcope and moft difficult work of Chriftian Religion concerning Mankind, is to raife up their Souls from low and grofs vifible Creatures , to God himfelf and all Spiritual Gbjecls. Contrariwife, the main bufi- nefs of Heathenifh Superfrinons , was ever obfer- ved to confift in deprefling Men from God, and ail fuperceleftial thoughts , down as low as ever they could, to grofs and fenfual Idols. This fe- cond is the eafler Task, becaufe human corrupt Na- ture (all good or bad Religions being laid afide) is aptandprone to move downwards, by the very weight of its Principles. Men naturally do love as little to look up, or to employ themfelvcs about invisible Matters, as to gaze at random on emty Air: and being guided only by their Senfes, it is exceeding hard for them to take any other way, but towards what they fee and touch. Hence Rome hath taken the advantage to fit her own Religion^ from what true Chriftianity prefcribes > to what fenfual Men can or will do. For as to what they can; if to love God with all their hearts, and to a- dore him in Spirit, be much above their Moral llrength 5 The mofi finable Inducement to Tofery^ &c. 331 ftrength 5 to bo " palling by an Altar, cr to fprinkle themfelves with Holy Water, or to ftand or kneel demurely at the lifting up of a Wafer, are fuoh. acts of Devotion, as any one, whoh.tth but Pome health, and the natural ufe of his Members, hath PutficJent ability ro perform. And as to what they affect, al- tho all Ppiritual ExerciPes and menial Elevations, be to them unpleafing 5 and all pure and eternal Ob- jects very far above their fight, and farther yet a- bove their care 5 yet they will kifs a Crucifix, fa- lute a CroPs, carry mofr devoutly a Scapulary, an Agnus, or a Pet of Beads about them : and theie and other like Devotions, as I have fhewed in many In- ffances, go far in the Roman Account. And as to the great Zeal and Falfion which the Gofptl of Chrift requires, tho few Men can force themfelves fomuch, aspatiently to hear one Preaching upon any EiTential Article of the Chriftian Faith •, yet all of their own accord, efpecially upon certain daies, will throng both to Pee and to worlhip St. Paul's Head, or St. 'Peter's Tcoth. And without any gre~t teaching, Men learn pre Pently any where, what mofr. Israelites learn'd in Egypt •, when they care little for God or for Mofes, whom they Pee not, they will gape and run luitily after the Calf, or any thing which they can Pee. Thus evidently, Let us make Gods to go before us, is the mofr corrupt natural vifh, and the molt univerfal Religion of all Man- kind. To this pu: poPe, the Holy Fathers have ob- Perved this Enchantment in Images, that the very Men that mould befr know what ituffthePe Idols are made of, yet will ftand in fome a awe of them, when they Pee them bravely Peated over the Heads of a a S. Augull. Efift. 49. Quail. 3. " ' Tt 2 mul- 332 The moii fenfiblt Inducement to Popery, multitude ; and that either fuch is the Charm of thefe dead figures \ to make Mens Souls ftoop un- to them 5 or the natural weaknefsof Men T to lee themfelves ftoop to thefe fhapes 5 that the very Men who fee the Sun 3 and brieve it to be their God, will turn c their back to their own God, and turn their Face to his Image. The truth is , carnal Wor- shippers, fuch as naturally all Men are, are all for prefent carnal Objects : and if thefe have alfo hu- man iTiapes, in SuAuguSiins Judgment, this likenefs becomes to them fo great a Charm, that, as the fame Father obferves. Men fhall not be difcouraged from following after Images, by feeing them both Deaf, Blind, and Dumb, but will take them lor friendly Gcds, becaufe they fee them have Ears, Eyes, and Mouths. Whatever this Reafon be worth, this Experience is moft certain, that, the People of God excepted, all the World befides hath bin drawn to their refpective Religions, by the help of thefe grofs Images : and if by chance, any Tem- ple or Nation happened to have none, that is obfer- ved by mcfc Hiftorians as extraordinary and fin- gular. All the Provinces of China-) however full as they fay of Teachers, who think of God, much above all what an Image can reprefenr ; yet never draw up their Train'd Bands to any Religious fo- lemn purpofe, but frill march v. ith fuch Standards ; and the true Israel of God , and the Primitive Church of Chrift, are the only two Societies that both had not, and dtttfted Image Worfhip. Not to fpeak of the Ifraelites according ro the Flefh, of which there is ho queftion., the Church of Chrifr, b ^ Idem in T\al. 113 Cone . 2. *fclbitlem. as By the means of con fecrated Images, 333 as well at Rome as every where elfe hath, for above fix hundred Years after her firft Inftitution, beft lived, and beft ferved her Savior without Images, as 10 any W01 (hipping account. If there vere Images at allto be feen among Christians, during thethree firft and moft Virgin Centuries, they were either kept ufelefs in private hands, or ufed by the Fol- lowersof Simon the d Magician, Carpocrates e , and fuch Infamous Heretics • and if by any Christians, it was by fuch weak Superftitious ones, as in S. Au- guVuns f Judgment deferved well to be deceived, for their ottering to learn Chriftian and Apoftoiical Faith from painted Walls. When firft: Images crept into Churches,which was about the fixth Cen- tury, it was on a civil account, enheras Ornaments of Chriftian Temples , or as Memorials of Holy Stories. Pope Gregory the firft, and the firft Pa- tron of Images, * never pleaded farther then this againft Serenas for his Clients, which flood 200 Years in this pofture ; till the fecond A//6e Benedict. Nov. Cructi' b Lajman.l. 5. trafh.t 9. c. 1 3 71. 12. For The moflfcnfib U Inducement to Popery, 3 3 £ For conclufion, the Mafs Bifhop devoutly c kneels before this his new Crucifix, and both adores and kifles it : fo do all other Catholics in their greateft Devotions, fpecially in time ofDiftiefs: and foall may, ifCi ucifixes be fuch helpers. All other Images, efpecially that d of our Lady, are confederated in the fame way, with the fame no- bleft holy water, and the burning oflncenfe; only they have thisfpecial Praier more ; to wit, that God e Almighty would be pleafed fo to fandlifie thefaid Images, that whofoever fhall pray before them, may never want the Mediation and Interceilion of that Saint, who owns the Image, to promote all what he praies for. Where by the bieyou may difcern Blafphemy and Impertinence coupled together ; A Blafphemy , in calling upon God to blefs that which in his fervice he fo profefTedly curfes and detefts; and the Impertinency, in praying Backward and for- ward 5 forward to God, to move or get his Saints to mediate : and backward to move or get their God to the hearing of all the Requefts, that mall be made before their Image. A Mathematical Device indeed an Image is ( and who would not have fuch an In- flrument ) to turn God down to any Saint : and to turn up any Saint to God -, and both God and Saints, to what one faies, when he kneels before that Fi- gure. To fpare Gods Name out of the Cafe, ( for it is both a mod fearful boldnefs to go to God for a Blef- fing upon what he hates and condemns, and a mod defperate folly,to believe that He will grant it ) a ve- • Pontifical* Rom.fupra. d Pen tif. Rem. de Bemd. Imag. B. M. * Ibid* /ttmfetf. Bcned. /mag. aliorum. S. & if By the means of cottfec rated Images. 337 ry Child might fee both in the drift, and the man- ner of thefe Confecrations, that the main deiu;n of Images is not, to fet up Refemblances or Memo- rials ( as Pope Gregory * fakto Serenut) where un- learned People might fee, what they could not read 5 but to contrive fuch kind of Engins, wherewith Chriftians might call in and prefentiate their Saints, as the Pagans had to call in their Gods. For Hoy water, and Frankincenfe ai e quite extrinfecal, you know, and impertinent as to the procuring of repre- fencation, and likeneis : but theym d y perhaps con- duce much to making and procuring fuch a neat and fweet Abode^ as both in the Papifts and Pagans opi- nion , might invite to it a great Saint. But if you will go to the practice ^ the common ufe made of Images inall tell you molt plainly, what is the true end that they are made for. No Worfb.pper goes to Lauretto^ to S. Denys, to S. Micbaelficc, there to learn and read upon Images the Face, or the Mine of fuch Saints : nor would he think it worth the trouble and the charges of a long Journy, to go fo far merely to inftruft himfelf more fully , whether our Lady hath an Aquiline Nofe •, or whether S. Mi- chael hath wings in his back ; or S.Franch r a deep long Hood, or S. Dominic^ a bald Pate .- the main Motive, that drives Pilgrims to thofe Churches , where Images are, is to find, not the Refemblance, but the very Prefence of the Saint. So , when they fay, as they may truly, that thefe Images are con- fecrated to reprefent Saints ; it is in a much higher fenfe, then when we fay, that Pi&ures do reprefent Faces •, for it is alfo, ( and chiefly too ) as when we fay, that EmbalTadors and Nuncios reprefent Kings, * R&fi. /. 9. £#/*• ?• U ti and 3 3$ ?he mofifenfible Inducements to Toper f, and c Roman Popes $ and upon this account it is that if you chance to mifufe the Image, thereby you do mifufe the Saint as really, as they did;whip Henry the great, whofoever wfript flout du Perron y repre- fenting at Rome that Kings-Perfon. Contrariwife, kneeling , praying , and bowing before the Image , thereby you kneel, and pray, and bow as really be- fore the Saint, as our Kings under Popery did fub- mit all to his Holinefs, when they did it to his he- gats : or as poor Frederic the Emperor thought really to put his Neck under the Feet of S.Peter himfelf, when he put it under the Popes. Thus are Images fet up in Churches with a twofold Capacity 5 the one, as formal Reprefentatives to be ferved with all the Worfhip, Praiers, Maffes, burning Lamps, confecrated Tapers, and Candles, and all fuch 0- ther Formalities, as the very Saints can be ferved with : and the other, as Sacred Seats of their afllft- ing Prefence and Power ( Divum Numen ) fo that whenfoever you touch or pray to the Image , this mull: be don as with the fame Devotion, fo with the fame hope of Relief, as if you did touch and pray perfonally and immediately to the very he or ihe Saints themfelves : the Images in fuch occafions be- ing joined, i as they fay, or even identified with the Saints, and the Saints clothed , with their Images. Now, how Saints, and Images come to be fo near- ly related, and concerned one with another , is a Myftery , that goes beyond any Chriftian Appre- henfion. When Princes allow or refent what is don to their Embafladors, ill or Good, asdontothem- e Bellar. De Imaginib. 1.2 c. 20./*e#. 3. DiftintfiQ. f lbid % c. 23. felf. guotl autem. felves 5 By the means of con fe crated Images, 339 felves *, tis becaufe they out of their own plefure, have chofen and fent them abroad as their own Re- prefentatives : and if they concern themfelves in the wrong don to their Statues, as the Emperor Theo- dojius once, which Eellarmin s ftands much upcn ; it is becaufe they did fet them up as Roial Marks of their Soveraignty '■ And if God would have thofe Jfraelites that had bin bitten by Serpents, to look up toward the Brazen Figure of a Serpent in the Defart ; or in their public fervices to turn their Faces towards the Ark ; as now Chrift will have Chriftians come with reverence to his Table; it is becaufe God for certain Reafons, Typical, and pro- per to the Law, had ordained thofe Ceremonies, as now Chrift under the Gofpel hath ordained his Sacraments. But what is all this to this Roman purpofe ? and for Gods fake v* hat is the connexion between Gods Saints , and Romes Images ? Firfr. did ever any one cf Gods Saints, exprefs any defire of being ferved, or praied unto, after his death i Secondly , fuppofe this untruth, that they did ? have they declared in what , and by what fort of Reprefentatives they would be ferved at a diftance ? Can any Papift mew, that the Virgin ever cared more for Images 3 then God doth , who abhors them i And mould we not fufpeft thofe Saints,, if by chance were found any fuch, who had any love for th^t worfhip , which in all the times of true Saints, none but Devils were pleafed with ? And if for any thing that we can certainly tell, the Saints of God are altogether ftrangers to Images ; why fhould we think Image-worfhip to be fodear, and fo Charming a Service to Saints? and therefore * Bellar, Ve Imag. 1. 2 . c. 1 2. fetf . Tbeo.Iofius. Uu z when 54^ The moft fenfible Inducements to Foperyt when the Mafs Bifhop praies, and believes after his Praier, that all Bleflfuigs may and do light on them, who bow or kneel before an Image or a Crucifix; can he not pray and believe as well, that they may and do light on them, who to the great honor of thrfe Saints either whip a Top about a Room, or drink claret in a Tavern ? Since thefelaft waies of Worfbipping, are not moredeftitute of Gods word, and Inftitution then thofe : and thofe more unlaw- ful, and more exprefsly forbidden in all holy wri- tings then thefe. And fo much of the firft known Original of made and confecrated Images. 2. There is a fecond fort of Roman Images, 1 which need no Confutation ; being, as it is thought, fufTiciently confecrated, either by the hand that made them, or by fome other extraordinary Ex- traction. Such are, i . That Image, which Chrift, as they fay, made of himfelf, when King Abagarus fent him a letter, and a Painter, h who being not able to look Him in the Face , much lefs to draw well his Piclure, be- caufeofthe Glorious light which dazled his Eies ; Chrifr, faies the Romancer, took his own Cloak, and by applying it to his Face, took a perfect Co- py of it, and fent it to Abagarm. But long before Images were ufed in the Roman Church, Pope Ge- lafim accounting this pretended i letter to be falfe : it is much, the ftory of the Painter, and oyhe^ Pi- cture can be true. 2. You have another Image of the fame worth, and or' the fame Impreflion, which Chrifr, as they fay, gave to Berenice, called otherwife Veronica. h Jch Damafc. De Fide Orthod. /. 4. c . T>e Imaginib. ' GtLif,CQ7,c Rom. Deaet.de Librls Apocrjph. The Bj the means of confecrated Images* 341 The ftory goes, that this woman gave aHandker* chief, wherewith he wiped off the Sweat and Blood, which was on his Face ; and thus his Refemblance ftucktothe Cloth ; and it is this which at this day is both fo folemnly fhewed, and To devoutly adored at Rome 5 and you have to thispurpofe the whole legend k carefully kept in the Vatican. 3. To thefe may be added that w onderful Image, which they call, J made without hand ^ which Ca- tholics keep, and adore at Rome in the Chappel of S. Laurence. 4. All thofe images which of late times are fup- pofed to have bin either made by God himfelf, or however brought do^ v n by his Angels. Witnefs that fine Picture of the Virgin, m wrought curioufly in a Saphir ftone, with her Baby on her left Arm , which Pope John fawfirftintheSkie, and then all the Bells of the Town rung of themfelves , while' the Angels put it in his hand. Witnefs another brave Image, which two French-men being in Pri- fon, found in n a night made to their hand, wnen the evening before they were thinking how to mak one. Witnefs that other more glorious one, at Tungres, ° which the Angels left in a Garden. If you ask what good it did there ; they will tell you, hew coming dov\ n, it turned the Night into a bright day: and cured the Earl, who owned the Ground where it was left , from an inveterate blindnefs. Witnefs that other Miraculous Image near F/o- rence, which the p Painter thinking to make, found k Baron. An. 34. n. 139. l C.ef.Rafpon. /. 4.0 19. m BulinghemCalend. B. M.2J- Mail. Chronic. Deip. rough to the Image. Witnefs the Painter x , who loft his fight for three whole Months, becaufe un- der the pretence of mending, hehad rafhly touch- u Lijiftus. Viva Fla Hens. * Turfel. Hifior. Laurel. /, 2. f . 6. * Idem L \.c 6. * Jov. in Epitom. /. 2 f . 2 Oliver, de Miracul. B. M. Montfer* ed By the means of Confeorated Image f* 349 ed with his Brufti , the Lady of Montferat in the Face, And take you here for a good warning, that fign of Indignation againft the Scholars of Dojvay, when a very Statue of Stone did ftretch ? out her hand againft them, becaufe they plaied where they fhould kneel. So the Roman and furer way is for Worfhippers, when they come near (andfor Pik grims at any diftance, where firft they can but fee any part of the Steeple of the Church) looking up devoutly on the Image, to pour out to the Lady their Heart and Soul with a Salutation, Ave Maria, &c. or with fome other Praier, as Salve Regina, &c. O Interne rata, &c. or a Pater nofter % that is, to fay Our Father, to our good Lady : for grave Do- ctors approve of this feeming Abfurdity. If the Image be the Veronic, that is, that wonderful Copy which our Savior left of his Face, when he wiped it with a Handkerchief, you muft look the Image in the Face, and fay to it or her, Salve SanBa fades, &c. Ivporftipthee, thou holy Face^ make me clean of all my fins. O thou happy Figure, lead up to Hea- ven, there to fee the pure Face of Chrift '• Be thou to us a fafefl)elter, afweet Comfort, &c. If it be that other Image of Chrift, when he was juft 33 Years old, which, they fay, was made d by St. Luke at the earneft defireof his Mother, and ilnce impro^. ved and perfected by fome Angels , becaufe this fame Image is upon good experience believed to be, tutifimum e Propitiatorium, both a moft fure Seat of Mercy, and an infallible Inftrument to procure it ; you muft, efpecially upon folemn da ies, proceed. " Chronic. Deip.an. 1563. a C. 375. h Bened. Canonic. S. Petr. ap. Rjfyon. 4 Petr. AbbM Cluniac. MiracuU 2.C.30. Cafar R^on. I 4. c. 19. Word By the means of Confecrated Images. 351 Word of God in the Scripture) all that Night they do moft miraculoufly either provide or multiply more Wax, then all the Lights or Flames can burn: fo that in the Morning all the Tapers and Candles being weighed, prove often-times much heavier then they were, when lighted the Eve before. AH this fervice is very little to what another Image of our Lady was ufed to receive near Tungres. This Image for two DaieS and Nights, namely every Monday and Tuefday in Eafter Week, is (or at leaft was before the Proteftants came to difturb Devo- tion) adored after this manner. As foon as this Sacred Image hath bin brought out with Divine Hymns and Pafchal Songs, from its Chappel into the midft of the great Church, k whole thoufands of People fall to their Praiers about it; and in that huge thronging, thrice happy is that devout Soul, that can creep under, or fomewhat near to worlliip it. In the folemn Procefiion,which is a considerable long way, the People are marfhalled into an Army. Firft, march as it were in the Van,whole Regiments of Men and Women, girded about with the long Ropes of St. Francis: After them, other Troops follow, of Men, Women, and Children together, running both forward and backward all bare-foot- ed, and in Drawers, with lighted Candles in their hands : After them quite naked Bodies, loaden with Iron Armors and Chains, and in that cruel Equi- page , crawling on their Knees moft part of the way : Then come another Train of People, whofe Order and Confraternity is, as the Jefuits do teach them, to fcourge themfelves ; the very Nurfes, with their poor Babes; and old Wives, not being * Henr. Se Julius, dc Virginc. Mof* Trajetl. c* 21. able 3«J2 The moVi fenfibk Inducements to Popery, able to crawle, are carried upon little Beds, rathef, ? then to lofe the Blefling that doth attend as they think, their appearing before the Image. Clofe before it, and after thefe march both the Order of St. Frcwcti, finging Praifes, and Benedttta es, &c. to theGoddefs $ and other Officers with Torches. At laft comes the Goddefs her felf , being carried upon the fhoulders of the beft and nobleft Virgins, which the Country can afford. Next to them fol- lows the Troop of true Penitents williingnomore, but that the good Image may fee their unfeigned Contrition, in their poor Members torn, as they are, and bleeding molt pittifully, under the hard weight of their Chains. Then follow the Magi- Itracy ; the Lieutenants, and Nobles of the Coun- try, who bear up the confecrate Hoft under a brave Silk Canopy , being followed in the Rear with Multitudes of all conditions. Yet after this long Proceflion is gone and come , the Zeal and Devo- tion is not over; for during eight daies and nights more , the People will run to and fro upon the Track, which they guefs the Holy Image was car- ried over : thus to gather up the BlefTmgs, which they hope the good Lady hath fcartered in that way. Now call you this Devotion, as you pleafe, whether Duly , or Hyperduly, or Indirect , or Re- ductive , or Reflected , or Anogogical worftrip ^ which is beftowed onfuch Images ; and puzle into Idolatry poor ignorant Souls, with what words and diftin&ions you think fitteft-, this worfhip is for certain fo great, that none fo great was ever fo vifi- bly beftowed on Chrift ; and if all Gods Saints fliould appear y no greater Gould be beftowed on Godhimfeif. *. As By the means of consecrated Images. 353 2. Asto the other ufe of Images, which con lifts in procuring Graces ; you may be fure that the Bleilings, and Advantages both fpiritual, and tem- poral, which the worfhipper expecls from them, are at the leaf! both as numerous, and as great, as the Devotions which he bellows, I could [ell of hun- dreds of Images adored here and there by Papifts, which are more regarded and trufted to, then ever was the Image of Pallas at Troy ; or that of Diana at Epbefus, or any one of the greateft Pagan God any where elfe. When Turks prevail on Chriftians, as when they infefted Negro Pont ; or if Rome her felfbe fore diftreft, as when once Aiflulphusczmt to take it ; His Holinefs Paul the fecond's beft Re- fuge was to fupplicate the Image of l Chrift, Effi* giem Salvatoris^ and to carry it about a Church in a folemn Proceflion. Pope Stephen the third fhew- ed himfelf yet more devout in the fame way, as be* ing ccncerned nearer home; for m he walked upon his bare feet, and carried the Image on his own Shoulders ; the Covenants which had bin bro- ken by the Enemies hanging upon a Crofs before it, that it or (he might better fee, and upon the fight be more fenfible of the wrong don. So by this means, faies my Author, (and with the help of the French too ) Aiftulfhus his Forces were foon routed, and Romes honor and Intereft kept fafe< But if in the moft defperate neceflity you will ap- ply yourfelf to bom Images $ there is no furer way,, » faies the fame Cardinal, in the whole world, of attaining the Peace of Heaven , and the greateft Mercies of God. It were a long tedious work, to. 1 Rafpon. lib. 4. c. i^.fag. 374. « Ibid. ?ag.y ? 376. 8 Ibid. Yy relate 3 J 4 The mo fi fenfible Inducements to Popery r relate here the hundredth part of great Blefllngs, and both public and private Deliverances , that Roman Images have bin, and ftill are admirable for, when devoutly ferved and adored. It was with carrying Im iges about, that Rome the Mother and Nurfe of Images, was once ° freed frcm a raging Plague, Health and purenefs of wholefom Air following the ProcelTion moft vifibly : Witnefs the Pope, who both faw the Angel (heathing his Sword over the CafHe of S- Angelo , and heard a Troop of other Angeis, applauding the Queen of Heaven, when her Image made by S>Lukf was fo proceflio- naily followed about. It was by fetting up, and worfliipping of an Image, whereof no notice was taken before, that in the year 1570. another fuch moft p fearful Plague, was fuddenly ftopt at Pa- dua ; and left you fhculd take this for a chance, or for a religious miftake ; the Virgin her felf appear- ed to ibme holy men, at the fame time, and allured them, it lhouid be fo. What fhall I fay of the I- mages at 1 Bayeux , r Montpellier , and s Sens , which conftantly, they fay, cure all Difeafes , and eafe the poor Phyiuians of all practice ? Ask the Mafs Priefts of Lauretta, Monfirrat, Florence, S. Denis, Composlella, Ardilliers, Halls, Tungres, and thoufand like Places, whether they know any fick- nefstoo hard and defperate for their Saints, when praied and adored at their Images. No Tongue fo perfectly r cutoff, noBreafts u fo cruelly run * Antonin ^.part.t. 15. c. 24. * Hieralcus invito. Sylv. 1 Chronic. Deip. an. 1529. 1 defari'us Dialog l.f.ci. * Chronic, Veip. an. 152^. c &>anuu$. Hi/tor* Rev. Memorab. c. 86. * Turf el, Lauret. Hiftor, 1. 2. c. 1 8, through, By the me ins of confecrated Images. 355 through , no Bodies * To quite unbo * : elled , and emtied of their Entrails, but the praying before an Imaie , or even bov ing at a diftance to a Saint , which the Image frands for, fliall reftore, and make all whole again. But in the wars, and great Con- quers , their Images ihew beft what they are. For as Images carried about, fo it be with devotion, will in time of need both bring in y fhowers, and keep off % Storms : fo will thev now and then defend Towns, and drive away Enemies. Witnefs the of- ten mentioned defeat of the poor Engliili m«-n a at Poitiers 9 vrheii the Ladies Image hadthekties ; Wit* nefs alfo the fearful Cloud, whence Angels brcke outagainft the Tartars, asfoon b as they had hurt an Image. They fay that the Emperor Heraclittd with two Images, which were carried alwaies c be- fore him, defeated once the Perfians , whom the Romans could never beat. The brave Emperor Comnenus with the fame conquering Machins did noiefs d again!!: the Tartars-, and fo he publicly profeffed, what he owed this Victory to, when he fet both thefe Images in his triumphing Chariot , and walked by them himfeif a foot. A confiderable Part of the Lafi- Indies \s laid to have bin conquer- ed this fame way. Witnefs the great liland Cuba, where one of their petty Kings is thought to have won great Battles, e becaufe he kept among his Captives, one, who wore frill about his Neck a foiall Image of the Virgin. Many hundred yes. rs before him, old King Arthur moft fuccefsfully uicd * Ibid, i Villan.l 4.C.6. 1 Ciaccon in Paul 2 a Chronic. JDeip. an 1200, b W. eip r Jeff. 70. ' Yy 3 the 3 $ 6 The mofifenfible Inducements to Popery, the fame Devife: forhehadftill a fhield moftcu* rioufly painted with the Image of the fame Saint, * which revived his Spirits and ftrength , when- foever he found himfelf fainting. Anddoubtlefs this is the reafon, why S* Lcwm, when tired with hunting, or otherwife diftreft, ufed to alight , and to hang f an Image, which he carried ftill about him, to the firft Tree he met with, and there kneel- ing and praying to it, had prefently what he want- ed : and it is believed that by this Means he reco- vered his Eftate, which his Children had taken from him, when they kept him clofe in a Cloifter. 3. Now, which is the third, and thelaft, and the nioft confiderable Point to examine ; what is or may be the matter in or about all thefe Images, which can procure thefe quick Returns , and here- with, upon all occafions, temt men to pray and worfhip them , is more then the Roman worihip^ pers can or dare diftinclly tell. All that ycu find in an Image, muftcome to fome of thefe three Things. J. The fubftance that it is made crT. 2. The outward s Shape or Refem- blance, that makes it in mens conceit the Image of fuch an Angel, or fuch a Saint. 3. TheConfecra- tion, that makes it a holy Image. As to the firft , the matter or fubftance it felf, to wit Marble , Brafs, or Silver , &c. can do no more, then to make the Image more or lefs fine, rich andcoftly • and tho it were a Saint Christopher C that is a huge great ftatue, like a Giant, which glands in mofl of their Churches ) of MafTy Gold ; * Gononus Chronic. an. 640. 1 Eet:e ' lren, cont.H which no holy man , or Scripture ever thought of , to put both God upon hearing, or his Saints upon media- ting and promoting, what we fhall pray for, before Images? 3. And as to more fpecial Bleflings, which arelookt for at the devout ufing of thefe Engines 5 what filly fancy is this to call upon God, for making wood, ftcne or any other materials that Images are commonly made of, after they have ihapedit after their own way , happy and powerful Inftruments to keep houfes and Vineyards; to keep off Hail and Devils ; to give women an eafie labor 5 to pro- cure good Husbands to Maidens ; or to kill them who are not fo ? For I am fure many Images are renowned and fought after for fuch Bleflings. 4. But what horrible Boldnefs is this to conjure God in thefe confecrating Praiers thro his holy Names and Titles in behalf of fuch ftrange Purpo- fes, fofar againft the ordinary Co urie or ins Pro- vidence, By the means of con fee rated Images, 361 vidence, and farther beyond his Piomifes ? And what Returns can they expert of fucb faithlefs finful Pref- ers, but Vanity ? and if Something elfe, but Gods wrath and their own Confufion ? If you take this Confecration ,. as a Power ; I pray, when and where appears it, that God ever be- ftowed this Power either on his,or the Popes Church ? Chrilt in the firft times of the Church invelled both his Apoftles, and other Servants with many great and extraordinary Gifts, for cafting out Devils, for curing all forts of Difeafes, for removing even Moun- tains ^ but where , either for enabling Images , or for the doing either good or harm with Images.^ They beftowed the Gifts of the Holy Ghoft very of- ten , and as it were of courfe upon Believers at their Baptifm * but when and where upon Marbles, or curioully wrought Pieces of Timber at their Con- fecration ? Where and when did they confecrate Pictures, to fink Ships, to rout Armies, to raife ftorms, and thunders, and Hails, as Roman Images will do fometimes? When the blefled Apoftles, with the laying on of their hands, could endue other men befides themfelves with miraculous Power from a- bove, in order to prephefying, and fpeaking My- fteries in ftrange Languages 5 did they endue carved (tones alfo, with power to fpeak, and to play , to fing or weep, and to do ail thefe handfom Feats which are faid of Roman Images ? Did ever S. Peter leave this Power with Simon Magus, or the Pope, or any confecrating Bifhop, that on what it atue or Picture foever he fhould lay his hand, and fpnnkle water , and pour Oil, and burn Frankincenie , it iliould be forthwith elevated to high and mighty Performances ■? If Peter m&Faul had this Power, Zz and 3^2 The moft fenfible Inducements to Popery , and left it to fucceffion ; God, and his Saints muft look to it : for as Chrift is at every turn liable by Confecration to be fhut up in a Mais wafer, God and his Saints are not quite free from confecrated Shapes and Images. For the Confecration , as a Power, obliges God in a confiderable manner to hear and report to his Saints, whatfoever is praied for at their Images : and ties as confiderably the Saints, to follicite and intercede with God, for the Requeft which he reports ^ and often to come down themfelves , to execute and difpatch it. God is bound I fay by this confecrating Power which he is fuppofed to grant,both he to hear and to report what is faid before the Image -, for otherwife, how could the Saints concerned in the Cafe underftand it ? and what were the Power good for ? And the Saint is put to fo much trouble ; For befides the trouble of iblliciting the buiinefs, which they underftand they are praied for, at their confecated Images ; how ma- ny Ramblings to and fro are they in equity obliged to, (unlefs all their Apparitions, and Activities a- bout their Images be mere Lies ) either to hear it the fooner, or to give it a quicker difpatch ? And who knows not that Roman Images, and Roman Saints, ( in famous Churches efpecially ) are never orfeldom afunder? I call to witnefs all the long and holy Pilgrimages undertaken upon this fcore , to Lauretta^ to Mnntferrat, to S. Michael, &c. there purpofely to meet either with the refpective Saints, or their aififting Vertue, Divorum <&• Dwarum Nu- men y that is the Godhead of the He or she Saint, which is fuppofed to watch fomewhere, in, or about his dear Image. I call to witnefs the many Vows, which are directed from all parrs to thefe faid Saints, not By the means of confe crated Images. 363 not in Heaven, their proper Abode, as one lhould think 5 but to the Lady at Lauretta, or Montaigue, or to the good Saint at Tadua, Arddl.ers, Monte- gardia,8tc. there helping men and women by their Images, in fuch Churches. And it is to this pur- pofe, that both thefe Images^ and Churches are con- secrated with the greateft Pomp ; wafht with the beft fort of Holy water ; made fweetwith the choiceft Perrumes ^ lighted day and night, with the cleareft Lamps and Candles ; drefied with the coftlieft Clo- thes and Laces ; ferved with the Curioufeft Mufic ; the Images fpeciallyfeated on the Eminenteft Places of the Church, and ( what would you have more > honor'd with the compleateft Mais , to invite thi- ther out of Heaven thefe Holy guefts. And let Rome fearch out her Vatican , and try whether in all Antiquity me can find an honeft Example for fuch Confecrationsand Attractives, but either among old heatheniih Priefts, or among old and new Sorcerers. Now, tho by this which I havefaid, it appears clearly enough, that the Matter, the Form, the Likenefs, the Power of Confecration, or any thing elfe, which you can find intrinfecal to an Image, is both uneffe&ual, and unchriftian, both as to make it a fit Object for any Reiigious fervice, or to make itafufficient Caufe of any wonderful BlelTing} Ne- verthelefs it is found by experience, and however it is moft certain in the common Apprehenfion of Roman Catholics,that a very great number of Images by being confecrated and worfhipped, have attained to fuch a great degree and improvement of ftrength and Action above what either they are in their Na- ture, or can be raifed to by Art, that it highly con- cerns all Chriftians , ferioufly to inquire into the Zz 2 hidden 3 64 The moftfenfible Inducements to Popery, hidden Caufes and Principles of fuch Extraordinary Achievements. For my part I do not believe, ( and many Fapifts do not ) that all and every particu- lar thing commonly reported pfthefe Roman Images, is true ; and, of the other fide, I do not believe that all is falfe. Ho^ ever, if all were falfe , they fhould do well to burn out of their Church their great Pon- tifical, Ceremonial, and MiiTal Books : and to throw away their Images back again into the fame Holes, whence they were pleafed to dig them out. But if any part of what they fay concerning them be true ; I make no queftion it will prove worfe then if it were falfe: and to make it good I require only the pa- tient attention of an underfhnding, and unprepoflcf- fed Reader. Not to make Pagans, or Papifts in any degree worfe then they are ^ both difown in the confecrat- ing of their Images all fuch a fubftantial Change, as in the tranfubftantiating of Mafs wafers: both ac- knowlege the material part of their Images, how- ever called, and adored bythofeas Gods, by thefe as Saints, to be ftill ftone, or wood, or filver, or viler fluff: And in this cafe the Papifts deal difinge- nuoufly with the Pagans, when they b make thefe worfe then they are, that they may feem vorfe then themfelves. But that within, neer, or about the Roman or Pagan Images either by confecrating, or woi {hipping them, are imported fuch Additionals of either inherent, or wonderful affifting veitues, as may both help out worfhippers , and well deferve Adoration and Service ; is an Article of Heathenifli Faith, which the Pagans publicly declare : and which a CeKus ap. Origen. I. 7. ' h Be liar. 44.9. Habdkkuk.1* 1 J.praies to the Wood, Rowfe now thy felf andrefcue me. There both the Devil and his Idol, and there the Saint and his Image are hudled up in the fame Adoration. And as when the Hoft is carried along, all that fee the Mafs-Prieft at any diftance, fall on their knees ; and if they hear only the little Bell, they cry, There is the good God, who fajjes by : whofoever goes to , or comes from a Church, faies, Either I will go and pray, or now I come from vifiting and praying to our good Lady : becaufe as he really believes that there the Mafs- Waferis, by Tranfubftantiation, become the Lordj fo he believes, that the Image which he hath feen, is either by Confubftantiation , Inhabitation, or fome other aflifting mode, become to him the good Lady. And I defie all the Roman Preachers to fay any thing to juftifie what they do upon this ac- count, which the Pagans may not fay as well or better for themfelves. Secondly, Left you fhould think, that Wcod and Stone are thus adored, fpoken, and praied to, up- on the mere account of Refemblance 5 (in which cafe, anyone of our Ladies Pictures might be a- dored and praied to as well at a Painters, as in a Church) is is generally done upon the Faith and Be- h Bellarm. Ve Imag. I. 2. c. 23. lief By the means of confecrated Images, 367 lief of an inclofed, or at leaft aiMing Vertue. It is this ftrong perfwafion that makes a Catholic Worfhipper creep reverently and trembling to our Lady, to get a touch for the little Image, which he hath newly bought of a Shop: and all Men know how much the better their Beads will fell, when the Pedler can ftoutly fwear that they have touched fuch a Saint, that is, his Image. By this it doth appear evidently, that the Image is conceived by them to have fome prime Vertue in it felf, flnce it imparts it to another : and I would know, who of them all dares fay any of thofe Images, which he dares not fcarce look in the Face, that it hath be- fides refemblance, nothing more then another (tone. They that go to touch the Chin, or the Toe, or fome other Bone of a Saint, think it endued with fome vertue, above that of ordinary Bones, becaufe it was, and is ftill the part of a Holy Body. They who go a long Pilgrimage to rub their Clothes a- gainft the Shift of our Lady, or their Stockings a- gainft the Breeches of Thoma* Becket, muft think that the warmth of their holy Fleih have left in them fome hidden Blefling , which they do hope may be in fome mefure communicated to other things. Ask the Papifts , why that Image which they do call Veronica^ fhould have fuch extraordi- nary vertues ; they will tell you , that Chrift made ithimfelf; and that befldes this, he made it of the Sweat and Blood in his Face. But what have other Images in their carved pieces of Wood, which may temt fober Men to feek after, to touch, tokifs, in hope of being Blefled by fuch Embraces , unlefs it be the aiMing, or inhabitation, or fome other like commerce of Holy Powers , which the Pa- pifts ^6% The moflfenjibk Inducement to Voptry^ pifts call Nitmina, which are either therein, or there- about ? Thirdly , If you will have more convincing Proofs* go for example, to the Image of our Lady in Mount Gardia s which keeps Whores off, and perfumes all that comes near it, with a moft Cele- Itial Fragrancy : or to another Image of hers, once adored in Soxofolk, which k fweats ouc of its hand a kind of Oil, to cure them who are anointed with it. Go to a third Image of hers \ which, when hidden and unfeen, difcoversit felf by its own light. Juftfuch another you have in Sp*in m > which wa9 perceived in the fame manner finning under the root of an old Oak. But nothing can be brought more demonftrative to this purpofe, then the Image of Bardenarda .- it had bin bought by a Bilgrim at Jerufalem? out of a Shop, confecrated, when, and where, or whether at all, I cannot tell: However, after much fervice and adoration, the Image it felf, ■ from a coloured Board at the Painters, is grown Flefhy in its Chappel; its Breaft from being flat,, is fwelled perfectly into the Figure of two Paps, whence flows fuch odoriferous Oil, as no Baifamis like it 5 and fo Miraculous withal, that it cures all forts of Difeafes. This, however it comes to pafs r is Intrinftcal and Inherent in the Image, and may draw Pilgrims to Worfhip it, without the coniide- ration of its Saint. And the truth is, it is fo Holy 1 B ened. Gononus Cbron . an. 1433. * Bozjusde Sig. Ecctef. t.i.l.j.c.% * Baton, an 446. n. 16 m Ant. Tepes Ord. S.Bened. 40. 574^ 1 BarooiHS. An. 87. 9. 6j. By the means of Confecrated Images. $ 69 by its felf, if you believe Baronim, that no Wor- fhipper dares touch it. Fourthly, What will you fay to fuch Images as have an invifible Faculty within themfelves, of ei- ther crawling or flying back to that place which they like better, in cafe you offer to remove them ? And fuch are the mod part of them, which now a daies are reported to work Miracles. Such is that of Montegard'iA for example, which fled away out of the Ship, when Thieves thought to carry it to Venice. Such is that other of Rachktta in Savoy, which being p removed from whence it was, into a very handfom Chappel, was found the next Morn- ing in its old Room. Such is that of the Servites^ near Lamo % which made nothing to jump from one fide of the River to the other. And to infift upon no more, fuch is that famous one of Lau- retta y which r being difpleafed (at leaf! the Saint dwelling therein) that it was not more regarded in its Country at Nazareth, tranfported it felf, with Houfeandall, to Italy-, where now it is ferved to fome purpofe. Fifthly, What can you fay to common Stone and Marble Images (dead and fenfelefs things, as one fhould think) that have in them all forts of Teeming Natural andOrganical Motions i Such is that, which one of your s Mafs-Bifliops fpeaks of, which crook'd its Finger to hold a Ring. Such is that which another Learned Man mentions too c , which ftretch*d out its hand to ftrike a Nun. Such is thatac * Bened Gonon. fupra. * Hierafc. invita Syh * Chronic. Dcip. an 1492. r Turfelin. Lauret. Hiji; * Vincent. Belluar. Spec. Hift. 1. 7. c. 87. 1 C*Jarius.l. 7.C. 34. Aaa Or* 37° Tht mo ft Cenfible Inducements to Popery, Orleans", which held up its knee, to flop the Ar- row that otherwife had killed a Soldier. And fuch was that Here in the North, which held forth x both its Arms to receive a fweet Baby, creeping out at the Mouth cf a Confecrated Crucifix. Sixthly, Thefe and many more Images have, be- fides thefe Motions of all their Members, the ufe of all inward Faculties which can be perceived in living Men. They will fhew you that they have Biood, if you wound them ; witnefs y our Lady at Paris, which a mad Fellow pierced with a Sword, and was whiptto death for it 5 and Milk fomtimes, if you touch them too hard * about their Paps, as once did a rude Soldier in plucking off a rich Jewel. Some a weep, fome b laugh, fome c can do both, fome d fing : all e fpeak, when occafion offers it felf. And, which is more, all this they do with fo much reafon, and to fuch fpecial purpofes, that it dothmoft clearly appear, that they are moved to what they fay, by much higher then human Souls. When a Holy Man paries by, the Image fees his Holinefs ; and fo one f feveral times ufed to falute Holy Bernard j Salve Bernarde^nd to offer him the Babe out cf its left Arm. Bernarde, <&c. s that is,0 Bernard, take you this Cbild> the Redeemer of the whole World, faid once our Ladies Holy Image. An- other did the like honor to St. Lucia h 3 who very » Vincent. Hijl. I. 8. c. 83. * Matth- Paris, in vita S. Godric, y Chronic. Deip. an 1418. z Tritbem. in Chronic, an. 1302. a Hierafc. in vita Henr. Sylv. b Menol. Cifierc. \ 1 April. c Jhid. e Leand. in vita Hiacyntki. ap. Sur. \f> Aug. i Menolog. Cijterc. 1 8 Offob. » Henrique^ in Chronic. an. 1 1 52. * Chronic. Pradicat. an, 1543. care- By the means of Confecrated Images. 371 carefully carried it home. Contrariwife, when wic- ked Men approach 100 near, feme Images will foon perceive their wickednefs $ witnefs that S which faid to one v ho had a murtherous intention, with a threatning Voice and Face, Wh a art thou here for, thou Villa hi ? Wilt thou kill my Servant in my p,efence ? They fry, that there is an image in a Con- vent of Carmelites in Sicily, which, aifoon as any Woiih'poer comes near , doth prefently difcern, whether he be in the ftate of Grace, or in mortal Sin 5 and ib accordingly fmiles or frowns, as the Man or W-man deferves. And it is this fort of Images, that piercing into Mens hearts, by a Pro- phetical Spirit, wiJl either turn their Backs to A- poftares and Hypocrites, as once one did to fthat unhappy Carthuflan Novice, who afterward rorfook the Order, and perifh'd no Man can tell ho« : or fmell out Whores, and keep them off with Thun- drings and Lightnings * fomtimes •, as the abovefaid Image of Montegardia in Italy ; or be troubled, and fweat and blow at fome eminent, tho never fo re- mote dangers ; as was f that Image in Germany % when all was ready above to come down, and to deftroy this Univerfr. St. Peter of Verona^ as they fay, being once in danger of being baffled by an He- retic in a Difpute , an Holy Image helped l him out how toanfvver the Argument that puzled him, Petre^&c. Peter (faks this admirable Teacher) / have prated for thee^ that thy Faith may never fail* \ Bened Gonon Chronic, an. 1476. i: F ape .tier fc in vita Sylv. f Chronic. Deip. rf/M3$3- * Idem an. 1588 | Ibid. an. 1 160. 1 S. Antbonin. 3 Fart. Hitt. tit. 23. c. 6. Aaa 2 And 3 7 2 72* moslfenfible Inducements to Popery, And another S. Peter Ctralt m , had bin worfc con* founded by the Devil, who appeared to him under the notion of a Divine ; when having not a word to fay, he begged help of a little Image, which by good chance hanged on the Wall ; and affoon as he had but lookt fomwhat devoutly towards it,prefent- ly the Image turned to him, and enlightned his Soul with fuch Reafons,that forthwith the Devil left him. Thefe,and five hundred more Images, which I could produce, if need were , are the ufual Oracles of Rome, and the ordinary Seats ol Roman Saints : and when Bellarmin, with fome others fay, that they do honor thefe Images as figns only reprefenting, and not as Seats and Inftruments inhabited or aflift- ed by the invifible Spirit of their Saints $ they are confuted by thefe two waies, the vifible Practice of their Church, and the invifible Teftimony of their own private Confciences. What might be (aid more probably both in behalf of thefe Images, and of their zealous Devotion in worshipping them, is what frees them from the re- proach which Holy Scripture cafts on Idols ; that they have Eies, and fee withal 5 they have Hands, wherewith they handle, and fomtimes give terrible blows : if they have Mouths, it is not in vain, fince they can cry, and laugh, and fpeak, and fomtimes al- fo Prophefie : Feet have they , and thereon leap, and walk, and flee : and if they have Nofes, they fmell therewith, and can tell where the wanton and the wicked Perfons are : All this, I fay, from their own approved Authors. Only the main difficulty remains ("and I conjure all fober Men, as they ten- der their Salvation, to look how to fatisfie it well} » Bened. Gonon. Cbren. an. 1474. n By the means of Confecrated Images. 373 to know what is the inward Principle, Spirit,or Soul, which moves and animates thefe dead Figures, to all and more then what living Bodies can perform with the help of their living Souls. Here let the Roman Catholics w ell confider, whether to juftifie them by thefe ads of activity from being Idols, doth not by the fame means both accufe and convince them of be- ing Devils. The Hojy Scripture warns Men often againft falfe Chrifts, and, falfe Prophets , againft falfe Apoftles and falfe Spirits : it were ftrange, if we had no need of warning, or of being wary againft falfe Saints. I find fomtimes the beft Roman Monks much puzled, what to think of their moft celebrated Apparitions : andtho they truft too much their Holy Water (a pi- tiful trial God knows) in thedifcernment of the good from the bad Spirits, yet they do not think it unca- tholic to demur fomtimes in fuch matters. It is neither want of Learning, nor want of Faith in the Schooi-men, the Primitive Fathers of Popery, which makes them difpute now and then , whether that which they fee at Mafs under the Figure of raw Flefli, or a young Child, be Chrift himfelf , or a Thantome : and certainly, we have no ground either in Scripture, or in Reafon, or in Experience to fe- cure us, but that the Devils, which play fuch pranks both in Apparitions, and on Altars, may jug- gle as well, and play worfe tricks about confecrated Images. Firft, Itisnofmall prejudice againft thefe Roman Images, and the Roman way of ufingthem, that both came fo late into the Church *• and that in the beft Primitive Times, when the Church was a purer Vir- gin, none but Heretics had images $ whereas in thefe later 5 74 Th* m0 & f erj fi6 k Inducements to Popery, later and worfe Ages, when the Church is confeffed- ly worfe too, no Roman Catholics are without them. It is alfo no fmall prejudice againft the btft, as it is fuppofed, andthemoft famousof tnefe Images, that when they were admitted at firft, as either vifible Re- cords of ticclefiaftical Antiquity, or as Ornaments of new Wails, not one of them did work Miracles - or if it did, 'twas in behalf of Infidels and Pagans only, as it is prefuppofed by Patriarch Tbarafius n y the great Promoter of Image Worfhip : whereas now fince they are become both the Objects and the In- ftruments of Roman Devotion and Biefling, they ge- nerally work all Miracles in behalf of the Rom an ifts. The alteration in the Church, as it is now full of Images, from the Church as it was then without any Image Wordiip , as it is vifible and great, mult, have fome vifible and great Caufe. Is it becaufe the Pa- gans and the Heretics then, and the Mafs-Priefts and Papifts now underftand the worth of Images, and the right ufeof Image- worfhip, better then the Holy A- poftles did < Or is it becaufe the Holy Apoftles had neither Patriarchs, nor Prophets,norMartyrs,to make Saints of, or to conlecrate Images to i Is it not more probable to think > that this Alteration hath thus happened, becaufe both Pagans and Papifts are of the fame mind as to Images ? And becaufe the Spi- rits, which Chrift and his Blefled Apoftles had fi- lenced and beaten off from mod of their Pagan Quar- ters, having long wandered among the Heathen, and in dry places, have at laft found better inciter and em- ploiment at Lauretta^ Montferat^ and other great Roman Oracles? What can one think elfe of Images, which having kept themfelves clofe, dumb and obr ■ Nican. Synod. Jecuncl. AEt. 4- pag- 626. Edit. Bin. Park. 1634. fcure, By the means of Confecrated Images. 3 7 $ fcure, in the beft and Primitive daies, take now their advantage to (tart up, and to make a noife, and to fliew Miracles in thefe later times of the Church, when both by Chrift and his Apoftles Predictions, and the Judgment p of fober Papifts, all muft.be full of falfe Proprieties, of ftrong Illufions, and lying Wonders < Secondly, That which aggravates the fufpition of appearing in unhappy Times, like the coming of Thieves and unexpected Straglers in dark Nights, is the ugly and pitiful Holes where molt of thefe Images were at firft found. For thefe Images (I mean thofe wonderful and famous ones which the Roman Church runs moft after) were neither lately made by com- mon Painters, nor confecrated by ordinary Roman Biftiops : they are fuppofed to have bin made and confecrated by no meaner Workmen then God him* felf, his Chrift, his Angels, andfuch of his Saints 5 as S. Luke, S. Nicodemitt) fee. were, and (0 left and depofited to the Chriftian Church, and ICatholic Tradition. Hereupon let me ask two things abfo- lutely neceflary for any fober fatisfaction. The firft, When and where, if ever at all, thefe Saints made thefe Images 5 and by laying on of their Hands, or otherwife, conferred on ttrem the Gifts of Speaking, of Prophecying, and working Miracles $ or put in them an inward or affifting Spirit , to make them fpeak , foretel , and do ftrange things ! The fe- cond, When and where having ufed them , as it is fuppofed they hate, they thought fit to bury them under Ground , and to hide fome among Thorns* fome under Brambles, all in moft pitiful places ; as dark Holes , and hollow Trees, where they were * Joje^b.Acelia de Tewporib. Nwijim. 1. 3- C 3- & H- found, 1 $y6 Themofifenfible Inducements to Popery, found, and where any wife Man would rather look for Worms or Toads < If you fay they hid them in thofe places, for fear of the Pagan Periecuters ^ Pa- gans were not haters at all, nor deftroiers of Images 5 contrariwife, they love^ Images, as Papifts do. But fince they were great Burners and Deftroiers of Holy Scriptures : Why would the Apoftolical Men rather hide their Books under ground , which were moft principally both hated and fought after, then their Images, which were not fo i And if they hid both Images and Books together, by what univerfal Mif- chance did they never find any of thefe, where they found thofe i How came the Holy Scriptures to dis- cover themfelves fo foon, ever in cruelleft times of , the Primitive Perfections 5 and Roman Images fo late, and fo many hundred Years after all thefe Per- fections were over * Why did not Images howl or fing under their Nettles as well in the fourth and fifth Age, when S. £piphaniua, S. Jerome^ S. Chryfoflom r and fuch Learned Fathers might have beft judged of their worth, as they did many hundred Years after, when Antichrift was expected , and when all the Learning and Holinefs of the Gofpel was under the thickeft Cloud < If you go to Tradition, which, is ■ what the fecond Nicene Council, and now the Papifts go too : as if Roman Images were come from hand to hand immediatly from the Apoftles: By what mif- fortune comes it topafs, that the many hundreds of Greek Prelats, all great Admirers or Images , and Boafters of Tradition, had never one ot St. Luke's Pictures, nor of Nicodemus, norofChrift, and that now Rome hath got them all < Buc imce thefe images never came to us through their hands, as it is certain they carue not that way, Rome hath got them, either flying By the means of Confcerated Images. 377 flying like Birds and Fowls over their Heads , or creeping along filently like Moles and Vermin under their Feet. The truth is, when this fecond Coun- cil of Nice was held, it was fomwhat too foon for fuchi?o»w« Novelties, as the prating and howling of Images, to appear above Chriftian Ground ; ic was not then yet quite fo dark, but the Church could fee about. her, altho it was toward Sun-fetting : Hob- godlings venture not to dance at any Light, but the Moon-ihine. A deep Mid-night of Ignorance, and of all other Confufions befides , which foon after over- whelmed the following Ages, was by much a fit- ter time for Stones and Images to fpeak , and for Spirits to delude Men. And you may judg whac Ghofts they are, who hide their Heads during the times of the Apofties, and all the Primitive Fathers, and take their times to (hew them, when all is full of new Revelations, and Dreams, and Monks ; and yet ihew themfelves in fuch a manner, as marks both their Original and their Nature, appearing forth from under ground, and watching under Bufhes and Bram* bles, like thofe Spirits in Jfa. 29. 4. which were not heard, but muttering out of the du(L Certainly, thofe blefTed Spirits who are imagined to fpeak thus, are not in Hell, whence damned Souls in Romes ac- count will fomtimes howl ; nor in that other place, which in their Opinion, is about ic, and which they call Purgatory, whence they fay that tortured Spi- rits will come up to bemoan themfelves ; they have a moft happy and glorious abode in Heaven, whence it is not imaginable they will come down, unkfs thruft out, to lurk aud weep here under Hedges. The Scripture fpeaks of fome falfe Gods, which, you may be lure of it, were true Devils, who loved to Ebb be 2 7 -3 The mo/I fenfible Inducement to Topery , be courted under greeti Trees ; and of fome other wicked Spirits, which either whifper with a low voice, as from the Earth, or are met with and fpoken to in fome ^epulcher, and love to keep themfelves and others in Wildernefles, and about Tombs. The Heathen Rome had familiar Spirits, or Demons, Dii Lares, and Dii Penates, which watch'd and fluttered about their Hearths and Houfes. I have heard of fome who had travelled in the Eaft, that in thofe vaft Defarts between the Holy Land and the Red Sea, e* fpecia.ly about Mount Sina, there are many unhappy Fhanwnes, that will watch and kill Men fomtimes, when they find them fmgle, and ftragling from their Convoies or Caravans. And I am fatisfied by fome noble and living Eye-witnelTes, that often in fome Silver Mines,as for example, near Be/ort in the Fion- tiers of France and Germany, are feen a fort of feem- ing little Men, in red or blue ]uppa's,(je#i; Metallic'^ playing and trifling about Work-men, efpecially in the deepeft Holes. Thefe are both fit and likely Juglers, to act their part in hollow Trees and dark Corners .• But who could expect it of Mofes, of E- lias, or of any Glorious and Blelled Saints or Angels, •thatinftead of waiting upon Chrift in their Robes, about his Throne (or if need be, as at his Glorifica- tion, upon the glorious Mount) they would come down into bafe Holes , and there become Pupet- plaiers, to make Images whiftie under Nettles i Lee Rome find us one fuch Example, and fecond it with fome reafon why the Bleffed Saints and Angels, who- foever appear in Holy Scriptures, deteft and wave A- doration for themfelves ; and now a daies under Popery come down purpofely to crave and beg it, tor their Images, Thirdly, By the meam of Co nfe crated Images, 3 79 Thirdly, in the judgment of the holy Fathers a in their Controverfies againft Paga^.s^ it was afuffici- ent Evidence and Demonftration again!* h'St Gods, (and it can be no lefs againft falfe Saints) to {hew that they did teach men, to make Images : and thac they did love thefe Sc the like Figures* And the truth is , if hcly Souls may be allowed in that elevated condition wherein they live, to fancy yet dead and grofs things ; it were rather their Bones and Relics, wherewith they have fought the good Fight, then carved Wood, and painted Boards, wherewith they never had any commerce. For, as to Pieces of ftone or wood, which are nothing to their Nature, and as little to their Happinefs- itweremoft ftrange, to fee them taken with fuch Things, and upon fuch poor filly accounts , becaufe therein forfooth they fee fomewh3t like either their Form, or their F^ces. Tho good and fober men may love fome- times their Friends Pictures, none but vain fools dote on their own : and they that laugh to fee young Cats turning about, and admiring their RefembLnce in looking- GlafTes, would be forry to fee their old and venerable Friends doing the like in their Pictures. Let the great Devil Serapis brag among his other Pagan Cods, b of the fine Head, brave Locks, and Beard, and golden Feet, which he then had in his Statues 5 How mean and unbecoming fuch a great Saint, as certainly rhe Biefled Virgin is, were it, to fee her pleafing her felf, as doth the Laurettan Lady, with acquainting (orretunes a c ficK Mais Biihop, and fometimes an d oldLremite, with the value ot a Eufebius. De Tr^par. Ev a ng. I. 5. p. 120. Edit. Rob.StepK 1 544. b Eufeb. fupra />. 1 19. e florat.Turfd. Law. Hiji. / 1 . d Aid. c. 6. Bbb 2 what 3 So the moflfeuftble Inducements to Voperfr what me had in her Chamber at Lauretta : and (hew- ing here the very Altar, where S. Peter did offici- ate 5 and there, the very Crucifix, which the Apo- ftles had fet over it. But efpecially, faies fhe, here is our Image of Cedar ', which Luke the Evangelisl made with his own hand, to reprefent my Faci^ as much to the Hfe> as it wasfoffiblefor a Mortal $ and all this is a Dear Jewel) bothtoGcd Almighty \ and to myfelf. She acquaints them withall, that it had bin long honored and with the highcft degree of wor- ship in her Town of Nazareth : But at laft their Faith and Devotion decaying, file had removed all from thence, to receive more Honor in Italie. In good earned will a true Saint make fuch difcourfes ? and will a true Saint tell fuch a lie, as that S Luke had bin a Painter ? S. Luke was an honeft Jew : and therefore drove no diflioneft Trade, fuch as that of making either Pictures , or Statues was e among Jews. But will a grave and glorified Saint ever make fo much of a trifle ? and leave her Station near Gods Throne, to be fluttering continually, or at leaftthe beft part of her time, about a miferable painted Board i fhe might upon a better account come down purpofely from heaven to admire her Hair, her Milk, her Combs and Gloves, her pared Nails, and all, wherein fibe had a nearer Concern. But fuppofe that the Saints had aiwaies a fond inclination for fuch Toies $ can you think them alfo fo fierce, as the Roman Saints are commonly, to revenge them i What do you think of thofe poor Jews, f who had their Faces wrencht to their Backs, for following the Law of their Fore-fathers , and turning their * Origen.cont.Celf. I $-pa* 1S1. Edit. Canted* * Jovius in Efitcm. /. 2 1 . Eies By the means rfconjecrated Images. 3 &* Eies afide in deteftation of an Image ? Do you not pity the cafe i of the honeft Prebend at Florence* whom this faid Lady foddenly deftroied with Thun- der, becaufe he chanced to fmile a little when he faw the Rofary Confraternity carrying in folemn Procef- (ion her dear Image through his own Church i How lamentable was the reward of that good Lady, who being forry h to fee one of our Ladies Images, both Worm-eaten and ugly fhaped as it was, and wiftiiffg for a better one, happened but to fay, What n thh old Dame doing here? Few daies after appears the faid Goddefs in Perfon, and taking the affront done to her Image, as if it had bin done to her felf, reven- ged it accordingly, Whomever, faies me, calls me old Dame, /k all be unhappy , and fo all not live long: and fo it was with the Gentlewoman , for prefently me was ftript off, by her own Son, of her Eftate, infpi- red to it it feems by our Lady,and lived begging from door to door until me died, if thefe, and a hun- dred more like Stories be true, as Catholics believe they are, Whether is it a Saint or a Devil, thatde- ftroies Gods living Image, to fave dead Stones and Stocks from any mew of Injury * And is this the Mother of Mercy, or not rather one of thofe fworn haters of Men, that love alike both the deftru&ion of Men, and the prefervation of Images ? Take the Images at their beft fide, the BlelTed Saints are more earneft and ferious, then to be taken with fuch Tri^ fles ; and if you take them at the worft, the Blefled Saints are more holy, then to be fuch zealous Hectors in the defence of what God hates. * Chronic. Deip. an. 1490. fc Peved'.Gonov.ex VetuJioCed.aS' 131®. Fourthly, 3 $2 The moTt (enfible Inducements to Poperf, Fourthly, Another flirewd Evidence to prove, that fuch feeming Saints are real Devils, is the Magical Sympathy and ufual Correfpondency,that binds them and their Images together - 7 and this is what Image- worlhip is come to. The firft Chriftians had neither Image- worfhip, nor Images. Afterwards, about the Year 600, Pope Gregory the firft would have images, * But no worfhip ; and thus they flood awhile only as Ornaments to Walls, and as a kind of Book to I- gnorant People. About fome 200 Years after, Gre- gory, by the Forwardnefs of Pope Adrian (a bold Gazetteer of old Tales, as I can prove whtnfoever I will) and by the blind Zeal of Irene fa cruel Mo- ther to her own Son, and more cruel to Gods Ser- vice) Worfhip was fattened upon Images : and both were in a Council pack'd up, as the Emprefs pleafed, and regulated to thefe terms, that the honor or dis- honor done to the Images, mould redound upon the Saint 5 and that Saints might be conceived to have fuch amoral Being, or civil Capacity in their Ima- ges, as Princes have in their AmbafTadors, and pri- vate Men in their Proxies. Hitherto the Roman Doctors dare not own or advance more then this, in their Difputations and Schools. But alas, in their Practifes, and in their Sermons, and devout Dif- courfesand Hiftories, the true Food of their Roman People , this Moral Capacity is grown into a true Na- tural Inexiftency or Conjunction, both of the Saint acting and doing all in his Image, and of the Image, as a fubfervient Inftrument, or beloved Seat to the Saint. And from hence comes the true fellow- feeling and mutual Sympathy between Roman Images and Roman Saints, fuch as have bin alwaies obferved to * Kegifi.l.j.Efifi.c). be $y the means of confe crated Imagesl 33^7 be between Pagan Idols and Pagan Gods* For proof whereof you may obfer ve, 1 . T hat when the Roman Saint is either hardly ufed, or hard at work, his I- mage fuffers the Symptoms of it. Thus, if the Lady be m great diftrefs, as they fay, that flie was once, to fee her Son ready to deftroy all Man-kind, » and her felf fcarce able to hold him, her dear Image was feen> fweating. If ihe is terribly provoked, as once (he was againft a Preacher, who (aid, that (he was con- ceived in Sin ; her Image, tho made of cold Marble, will be fenfible of that affront, k and with a fierce and angry look, turn its back to him when he pafles. If (he have a mind to a certain Day , as when (he would chufe the Saturday in every Week,her l Image will correfpond to her fecret Intention, and conftant- lyupon that day put off its Veil, that all the World may thereby know, that both the Saint and the I- mage have a defire to be then feen. On the other fide, the Saint is neither unthankful, nor backward in returning with advantage all good Offices to his (or her) Images, not only by countenancing them, for that he or (lie doth mod zealoufly ^ but alfo in any way that may befpeak a ftricl Partnerlhip, and friendly mutual Intelligence. For example, if one will be wedded to the Roman Lady, let him but do *as Edmund of Canterbury did, take any Ring, and with that intention put it upon her Images Finger, flie will wear the fame on her own, and accept him for her Husband. If you will well fecure your Town againft Wars and Invaiions, truft her fweet Image with the Keies, and you (hall lee, by wnat flie • Chronic. Deip. an. 1160. ► Ibid an. 1460. l Ibid, an 770. « Rtb. Rich, invito S. Edmund, c, 6. f once 5$4 ^he mofkfenfible Inducements to Toperj y t oace at Poitiers^ and at Toumay, how fhe will Iu- ftily beftir her felf to make good the Truft. If the Image be hurt or maimed, the Saint commonly lends it fome Blood to bleed, that Men may fee, that tis not a Stone that they ftrike at, but a' Body which is