The enthusiasm of the church of Rome demonstrated in some observations upon the life of Ignatius Loyola.

THE PREFACE.

AMong other Artifices, wherewith the Romish Emissaries recommend their Religion to igno∣rant and unwary Persons, none hath been more specious and successful, than the pretence of an excellent Ecclesiastical Policy, fitted to preserve Vnion in the Church, and prevent the Illusions of a private Spirit. The badness of their Cause permits them not to descend into a scrupulous examination of the merits of it. Every single Controversie hath been so often hand∣led, and so demonstratively determined against them, that it would be rash and disadvantageous to resume the debate of those particular Questions. It was therefore found necessary to advance some general Considerations, which might amuse the Ignorant, and divert the Inqui∣sitive from the examination of particular Controversies. Prejudices have been published against the Reformed Re∣ligion; and pompous Arguments of external Convenience daily urged in favour of the Church of Rome. The prin∣cipal of these is the pretended excellence of the Constitu∣tion of that Church, tending to preserve an intire unity of Faith, and universal decency of Discipline in the Church, and free all private Persons from the danger of entertaining any pernicious Error, or at least infusing it into others continuing in the Communion of the Church; while every one submits his private Reason to the Iudg∣ment of the Church, and with a blind obedience receives

directions from the Living Rule of Faith, whether Pope or Council.

This supposed Advantage hath been often, and with great ostentation produced in behalf of the Church of Rome; and a natural tendency to Disorder, Heresie and Schism, with great vehemence charged upon the Church of England. It is objected that she allows to every man an unlimited power of using his own Rea∣son in deciding matters of Faith; that she constitutes eve∣ry Person a supreme Iudge of the most momentous Contro∣versies, from whom lyeth no Appeal to any Visible Iudge on Earth; That she subjects the Faith of all private Chri∣stians to infinite uncertainty and fluctuation, since the In∣fallible Direction of the Holy Ghost is promised only to the Representative Church; and the Iudgments of men may be as various as are their Humours and Vnderstandings; That hereby a door is opened to infinite Heresies and Er∣rors, and the Christian Religion exposed to the danger of being divided into as many several Systems as it con∣tains Proselytes: That by this disorder all Rules of Faith are rendred useless, since whatsoever they may propose in their genuine sense, men will adapt them to their own pre-conceived Notions▪ and frame to themselves a belief from the Dictates and Inclinations of their private Spi∣rit: whereby unity of Faith will be totally destroyed, and Religion will degenerate into downright Enthusiasm.

Indeed the danger of Enthusiasm, when rightly under∣stood, is so fatal to Christianity, and destructive to the Reason of Mankind; that we cannot but conclude any Church, which is guilty of it, to be grosly corrupted and degenerate; and shall willingly put the whole Controversy upon this issue. But then Enthusiasm consists not in al∣lowing to every private Person the power of judging for himself in matters of Religion. For this the Nature as

well as Interest of Mankind requireth, which received the use of Reason chiefly for this end; and even our Adversa∣ries themselves must at last recur to this principle; but it consists in pretending to receive the Articles of Faith by extraordinary Illumination, and in irrational and ex∣travagant actions of Devotion and Piety, which a fond Ima∣gination mistaketh for the Impulses and Dictates of the Divine Spirit. Such Pretences and Actions, as they are most remote from the Genius and Constitution of the Church of England; so they naturally flow from the Principles of the Church of Rome, and are fomented and promoted by her.

This appears upon many accounts, but chiefly from the consideration of her most Illustrious Saints, whom she ad∣mired when living, and reverenceth when dead; consulted them then as Oracles, and proposeth them now to her Fol∣lowers as Patterns of the most consummate Perfection, and by canonization of them, and solemnizing their Me∣mories, hath set a publick stamp of authority and appro∣bation upon their Life and Conduct. The most eminent of these were extravagant Enthusiasts, who distinguished themselves from the rest of Mankind by nothing else but the continued exercise of a blind Fanaticism. The proof of this Charge is the design of this present Treatise; which hath therefore assumed for the Subject of it the Actions of Ignatius Loyola, as the greatest and most il∣lustrious of all the latter Romish Saints.

If our Arguments shall be convictive, and the most admired Saints of the Church of Rome shall be found to be in the highest degree guilty of Enthusiasm; many con∣siderable Conclusions may be drawn from thence in relation to other Controversies, which I shall not here insist to prove; The so much boasted Order and Discipline of the Church of Rome will be intirely ruined. For if the

pretence of a private Impulse be once publickly admitted and countenanced in any Church, all Impulses whatsoever must be allowed without distinction, whether agreeable or contrary to decency and the established Discipline of the Church, which will open a wide door to all licentious Dis∣orders, since it is the nature of Enthusiasm ever to affect somewhat extravagant and irregular. The certainty of Oral Tradition will be overthrown; since if Persons of so great authority and repute, as Saints are supposed to be, received not the Catholick Faith from any precedent Tradition, but from extraordinary Inspiration, that is in truth, the whimsies of their own Brains, and so deli∣vered it to vast multitudes of credulous Hearers; Oral Tradition will be interrupted, and the grossest Heresie might be easily introduced in the Church.

But to omit other Consequences prejudicial to the Do∣ctrine of the Church of Rome; the Invocation of Saints will hence receive a fatal blow. For it would be highly irrational to address our Prayers to any Saint to desire his intercession in Heaven, unless we were probably assured that the Saint hath already obtained a place in Heaven. But if the Church can so far err in the Canonization of Saints, as to bestow that sacred Character upon, publickly address Prayers to, and exhort the People in their pri∣vate Devotions to desire the intercession of such foolish En∣thusiasts, as are utterly unworthy the lowest seat in Hea∣ven, and perhaps never got so far as Purgatory; then Invocation of Saints, altho we should grant it to be law∣ful in the Theory, cannot but be infinitely unsafe in the practice of it.

If the imputation of Enthusiasm renders the Invoca∣tion of these Saints unsafe and dangerous; much more will the evidence of some notorious Crime unrepented of incapacitate other Romish Saints from receiving our Ad∣dresses.

That there have been such, the Examples of St. Thomas Becket and St. Dominick put past all dis∣pute; the first of which violently opposed the lawful power of his Prince over the Clergy; the last employed his whole life in inciting Armies of holy Pilgrims to the slaughter of the innocent Albigenses.* 1.1 But what, if after all, great numbers of Saints, placed in the Roman Ca∣lendar, and invoked in the publick Offices of the Church, had never any existence, and are the meer Inventions of Romantick Legends? A Learned Person hath lately in∣stanced in some few of them, as St. George, St. Seba∣stian, St. Longinus, St. Viarius, &c. to which perhaps some hundreds might be added. I will instance but in one, but him most remarkable, and not yet observed by any, as being such a Monster of a Saint, as Pagan Super∣stition would have never thought of, and which may per∣haps at the first sight seem incredible.

The Church of Rome hath taken the Almanack into the number of the Saints, and canonized it under the name of St. Almachius, solemnizeth its memory on the first day of January, and giveth to it an illustrious Cha∣racter in the Martyrology. This probably proceeded from the mistake of some ignorant Monk about the seventh or eighth Age, who finding the word S. Almanacum, San∣ctum Almanacum written in the front of the Calendar, and not knowing what to make of that barbarous term, with which he was before unacquainted, imagined it to be some ancient obscure Saint, who took up the first place in the Calendar. Being possessed with this Error, it was no hard matter to make S. Almachius of S. Almanacum written in the old way of Abbreviation. Having thus framed the Saint, out of good manners he placed him af∣ter the Circumcision of our Lord, the memory of which is celebrated upon the same day; but yet to keep the former

Order as much as possible, immediately after it, as it now continueth in the Roman Martyrology. This unhappy mistake was thence transcribed into many other Copies, and so encreased the Rabble of the Romish Saints with the addition of St. Almanack. Afterwards a goodly Story was framed of him; that he suffered Martyrdom at Rome under the Presecture of Alipius, where repre∣hending the Gladiators in the Amphitheater for their bloody sports, he was killed by them. That my Conje∣cture is just, manifestly appears from the constant silence of all ancient Writers concerning any such Martyr. None makes mention of him before Alcuinus (a) 1.2; and he doth it in such a manner as sheweth that he knew not what to make of him. For as for the Martyrologies of Beda, Usuardus and Ado, they have received so many Inter∣polations from latter hands, that no Arguments can be drawn from them. Baronius is grievously perplexed about this S. Almachius. One while (b) 1.3 he makes him to have suffered under Honorius; another while (c) 1.4 under Theodosius; and supposeth him to have been the same with the Martyr Telemachus, of whom Theodoret (d) 1.5 makes mention. But so prodigious a change of Telema∣chus into Almachius is somewhat incredible; and that Telemachus was stoned, whereas Almachius is said to have been stabbed. Add to this universal silence of the Ancients, that S. Almachius is placed exactly in the be∣ginning of the Calendar, on the first of January, imme∣diately after the Circumcision of Christ; and the matter will be rendred highly probable. The only Objection, which with any shew of reason can be opposed, is, that the word Almanacum seems not to have been so ancient as the time of Alcuinus, as being received from the Ara∣bians. But this is no other than a vulgar Error. For Porphyry (e) 1.6 used the word 1400. years since, where

speaking of the many different Horoscopes, he saith of them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whose names are contained in the Almanacks: which may also give a probable reason how the letter h crept into Almachius. For as anciently in spelling words derived from the Greek, they kept much more closely to the Greek Orthography, than we now do; it is not unlikely that when this word was first adopted by the Latins, it was writ Almanachum.

These Arguments will at least create a probability of my Assertion, that this fictitious Saint arose from the un∣happy mistake of some ignorant Writer. If our Adversa∣ries of the Church of Rome shall yet persist to defend the honour and truth of their Calendar; it will concern them to produce better Arguments for the existence of St. Al∣machius, than I have now proposed against it: But to return from St. Almanack to St. Ignatius; it cannot be pretended by our Adversaries, that the Character of En∣thusiasm or Falsity, which I have affixed to him, and the Miracles attributed to him, may equally be fastned on the Actions and Miracles of Christ and his Apostles; altho both Ignatius and St. Francis in acting their Extrava∣gances flattered themselves with the thoughts of a perfect imitation of Christ. As for the reception of the Faith by extraordinary Illumination, and in many cases acting by Divine Impulse; that in the first propagation of Christia∣nity (when it was both necessary and convenient) was no argument or character of Enthusiasm: but only in subse∣quent times, after the Faith had been once published; and an ordinary Rule, whether Scripture or Tradition, was fix∣ed, which by natural means might divulge the knowledge of it. Nothing childish or ridiculous can be discovered in the Actions of Christ and his Apostles; none of those frantick Motions, or irrational Extravagances, which are so emi∣nently

conspicuous in the whole Conduct of Ignatius. At least none of their Miracles are subject to those Objections, which intirely ruine the credit of those ascribed to Igna∣tius. They were all well attested, performed before whole multitudes of Enemies as well as Friends, delivered to us by Eye-witnesses, and that without any fluctuation, or mutual repugnance of their Testimony, were not destructive of the Laws of Corporeal Beings, nor included any contra∣diction, contained nothing monstrous or indecent in them, and were in all respects intirely conformable to the Maje∣sty of that God, who wrought them; and the gravity of that Religion, which was confirmed by them.

It will perhaps be pretended with greater shew of rea∣son, that the actions and Histories of many famous Monks and Anchorets of the Ancient Church give no small counte∣nance to the Conduct of Ignatius, and by the authority of their Examples rescue it from the force of our Objections; that consequently the Ancient Church is no less subject to the Charge of Enthusiasm than the Church of Rome, and both equally concerned in it. Altho the deformity of En∣thusiasm cannot be palliated by any Authority whatsoever; yet the regard which I have to Truth, and the great re∣verence which the Church of England not unjustly beareth to the more pure and ancient times of Christianity, obli∣geth me to remove this prejudice, and preclude the force of any such Objection, before I dismiss the Reader.

First then, however it cannot be denied that many Per∣sons, who obtained to themselves an extraordinary repute of sanctity in the Ancient Church, committed many gross irregularities in the conduct of their Devotion, practised immoderate Austerities, and were sometimes guilty of ri∣diculous Actions; yet the Ancient Vniversal Church is not in the least concerned in all this, nor receiveth any preju∣dice from the indiscreet Zeal of these private Bigots.

She gave no countenance to their Extravagances, never recommended them to the practise or imitation of her Chil∣dren, much less approved them by any solemn and publick Act. Whereas the Church of Rome hath in the highest and most solemn manner espoused the Follies and Whimsies of her Enthusiastick Saints by canonizing them, celebrating their Memories with Festivals and pompous Ceremonies, invoking them in her publick Offices, and recommending their Examples to the World as the best and greatest Patterns of Christian Perfection.

This alone might suffice to overthrow all pretence of Antiquity in this case. Yet to clear the matter somewhat farther, I will observe that these indiscreet Actions and Childish Irregularities were the products of latter and de∣generate Ages in the Ancient Church, unknown to the first four Ages, when Christianity flourished in its greatest pu∣rity. In the three first Ages not the least footstep or sha∣dow of them can be found; and in the fourth Age they were very rarely practised, and wholly confined to the Desarts of Egypt or Palestine. As for the Follies rela∣ted of St. Antony in his Life, ascribed to St. Athanasius, and those of other Saints in the Vitae Patrum, said to have been writ by St. Hierom, all Learned Men are now agreed that the former Work is miserably corrupted, the latter wholly spurious. After the fourth Age, many Chil∣dish Impertinencies and trifling Superstitions began to be practised by the Monks and Hermits, whose Follies are celebrated and magnified by injudicious Writers of the same Order and time, such as Palladius, Heraclitus, Sul∣picius Severus, Cassian and Moschus; but augmented with a large addition of Fables and absurdity, by the lat∣ter Legendary Writers of the Church of Rome.

In the next place it deserveth farther to be considered, that in the Ancient Church none but obscure and inconsi∣derable

Persons, confined to a Mountain or a Desart, who obtained neither authority nor reputation in the Church, were guilty of such foul mistakes and irregularities. The great and famous Doctors and Fathers of the Church, who drew the eyes of the whole World upon their Actions, and acquired to themselves an universal veneration, cannot be accused of such fatal miscarriages, which were so far unworthy of them. On the contrary, they sharply opposed the misguided Zeal of these ignorant Devotoes, censured their imprudent Actions, slighted their external shews of apparent Piety, and deplored the evil consequences of their irregular Practices. What the wisest of the Ancients dis∣owned, deserve not to be excused and defended by us. And indeed the trifling Devotions and wild Impertinencies of the Monastick Order were the greatest blemish to those latter Ages of Antiquity; and laid the foundation of all Corruptions, whether of Faith or Manners, which infected succeeding Ages.* 1.7 Towards the beginning of the fifth Age, Eunapius, the Heathen Historian, could find no more plausi∣ble or rational objection against Christianity, than the sor∣did Actions and ridiculous Conduct of the Monks: cer∣tainly no objection was then more visible, or less capa∣ble of a refutation. But then the Actors of these Follies never obtained that respect and admiration from the pub∣lick suffrage of the Ancient Church, which Enthusiastick Saints have received from the Church of Rome. The for∣mer commemorated none in her publick Offices but Mar∣tyrs, Confessors and famous Persons, who had been emi∣nently instrumental in the service of the Church; and fil∣led not her Diptychs with Monks and Anchorets. The lat∣ter hath scarce canonized any other than such as were chiefly eminent for Enthusiasm.

Lastly, to say no more, Even the highest Extravagan∣ces of these Ancient Bigots come far beneath the Enthu∣siasm

of Ignatius and other admired Saints of the Church of Rome. They might perhaps commit many gross absur∣dities and indecent actions, and entertain Childish notions of Religion; but never proceeded so far, as to pretend to extraordinary Illuminations, reception of the Faith by su∣pernatural Revelation, and continual Impulse of the Di∣vine Spirit; nor took upon them to publish their own Whimsies by preaching to the People without any commis∣sion from the Governours of the Church; which are the genuine and most essential Characters of Fanaticism. If the Miracles related of them be sometimes found to lye open to the same Objections, which are opposed by me to those of Ignatius; the honour of the Ancient Church suf∣fers no prejudice thereby; which far from building her Authority and Reputation on them, hath frequently dis∣owned and rejected them; as appears among other Argu∣ments, from that Passage of the Learned Author of the O∣pus Imperfectum, which I have produced in the following Discourse. None will be concerned in the truth of these ancient Monkish Miracles, but that Church only, which hath proposed them to the People in her publick Offices and Ecclesiastical Legends.

In representing the Actions of Ignatius, I have chiefly made use of the Authority of F. Dominick Bouhours, a French Iesuit▪ altho one of the latest Writers of his Life; because in publishing the Life of Ignatius of late among us, that Author was thought fit to be preferred before all o∣thers, and his Relation of him translated into our Lan∣guage. However, in whatsoever he proposeth, he wants not the attestation of more ancient and authentick Writers. For he seems to have taken his whole Relation from Or∣landinus his History of the Society of Jesus, printed at Colen in the Year 1615. with the approbation of Clau∣dius Aquaviva the General. I have seldom produced any

other Writers of Ignatius his Life; but when the first is either wholly silent, or giveth a different Relation. If I have sometimes inserted Observations from the Life of Apollonius Tyaneus; that tendeth as well to illustrate the nature of Enthusiasm in general, as to do justice to the common Cause of Christianity against the pretences of an Impostor, whom the latter Heathens set up in opposi∣tion to our Blessed Saviour.

To conclude, I hope our Adversaries will not pretend that I have misrepresented or falsified the Actions of Igna∣tius: since I have all along to every particular Action so carefully annexed in the Margent the Author who relates it, and the place where it may be found. The pretence of misrepresentation is the last refuge of a baffled Cause; and therefore made use of by our Adversaries as the only re∣maining expedient upon all occasions; particularly by the Author of the Monomachia, who not being able to answer the Objections brought by a Friend of mine against the Au∣thorities of his Speculum Ecclesiasticum, pretended to overrule the concurrent Testimonies of Labbé, Oudin, Du Pin, and other Romish Criticks; because the particu∣lar places of their Books, to which those Passages related, were not adjoined; and insinuated a suspicion of some in∣sincerity, as if that omission had proceeded from a fear, lest the truth of those Citations should be examined. What the ignorance or artifice of this Author will not permit him to do▪ at least all judicious Persons will allow, that it were both unuseful and impertinent to stuff the Margents with particular mention of the places of such Critical Writers, who in giving their Censures upon Ancient Authors, pro∣ceed either Alphabetically, or in order of time, and may consequently be immediately recurred to without any diffi∣culty. But a lame excuse must serve the turn, when the badness of the Cause will admit no better.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vid. 2d part of the Vindi∣cation of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England.
• (a) 1.2

  De Divin. Offic. c. 4.
• (b) 1.3

  Not. in Martyrolog. Rom. p. 3. Edit. Paris, 1645.
• (c) 1.4

  Annal. ad an. 395. n 20.
• (d) 1.5

  Hist. Eccl. l. 6. c. 26.
• (e) 1.6

  Ap. Euseb. Praep. Evang. l. 3. c. 4. Paulo post princip.
• * 1.7

  In vita Aedesii prope fin.