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1. THeir manner of Di∣vine Worship is not unlike that of the ancient Heathens, and on this account is far from the purity of the Primitive Church: They a∣dore God in Pictures and Images, as he was adored by the Heathens in the Sun, Moon, and other less noble Creatures, or rather to speak in their own terms, they worship those Images as re∣presentations of that invisi∣ble
and Soveraign Being, we call God: Though this was severely punished in the Isra∣elites worshipping the Gol∣den Calf as a representation of God, for I cannot ima∣gine they ador'd it as a true God, unless you suppose they were as void of reason as it was; if then this Worship of theirs be looked upon by all as Idolatry, what may we judge of that Romish I∣mage Worship the very same, or at least in nothing material differing from it?
2. Images are commonly called the Books of Igno∣rants, but in my judgment they deserve rather to be de∣nominated the Books of Ig∣norance, because they occa∣sion
often mistakes and er∣rors: As for instance, an Old Man representing God the Father, a Dove the Holy Ghost, are apt to make the ignorant sort believe they have indeed some such shape. I shall not contest here about this point, because it hath been discuss'd so often by o∣thers: One thing only I shall say, which I think is undeni∣able, that Protestants serve God more in spirit and truth than Romanists do: Because they make their Addresses to him immediately, without having recourse to Images, or imploring the help of Saints as Mediators: I know they answer this by distingui∣shing a relative and Soveraign
Worship. The former they allow to Images, the latter to God only: But
First, This relative Wor∣ship was condemn'd and pu∣nish'd in the Israelites, as I have insinuated above.
And Secondly, They adore confessedly the Cross, cultu latriae, with that Soveraign cult belonging to God on∣ly: What then can they in∣stance in defence of their in∣nocency? I must as yet tell them in this place;
3. They fall short of the end they aim at, in covering the inside of their Churches with rare Pictures, and Ima∣ges of exquisite Artifice; their aim is, as I charitably suppose, to stir up the people
thereby to greater devotion. But we find by experience a quite contrary effect; they are diverted from Prayer, by that great variety of alluring objects they have before their eyes, you may see them in their Churches more gazing, for the most part, than pray∣ing: At least, certain it is, the common sort is with∣drawn by such outward shows, from uniting their hearts to God by fervent Prayer: The use of Images then, is not so great a help to Devotion, as the Romanists do falsly imagine.
4. Nevertheless their I∣mage-worship, though to be rejected, is not so intollera∣ble as their adoration of the
Consecrated Wafer; because besides what I have said be∣fore, it may happen, and I am of opinion very frequent∣ly, that their Priests either want the necessary intention, or intirely forget, or design∣edly will not Consecrate the Wafer: In this case meer un∣consecrated Bread is ador'd, and expos'd on their Altars to the publick Cult: Will they say this is no inconveni∣ency, though the People may be guiltless because of their invincible ignorance, and strong imagination of Christ's Body really there existent. The thought of this accident, which no doubt happens fre∣quently, with-draweth seve∣ral Romanists from yielding
to the Wafer, that Soveraign Cult, due to God only.
5. There is another in∣conveniency, not unlike the precedent, in a sort of Wor∣ship ordinary amongst Ro∣manists: They honour the Relicks of Saints, as their Bones, Garments, and Par∣cels of their Bodies, they ex∣pose them to the publick Cult on their Altars, they carry them with a ceremonious pomp in their solemn Proces∣sions: But what if these Re∣licks be of Men that are not in Heaven? For I suppose 'tis no Article of their Faith, that whom the Pope Cano∣nizeth, as they speak, is not a Reprobate; since his infal∣libility was never yet declar∣ed
by any of their eighteen General Councils, he is not infallible, when he declares this man to be in Heaven, or that Woman to be a Saint: Perhaps then you invocate a damn'd Soul, you kneel be∣fore the Bones of a Repro∣bate, you ask help from those whom God has rejected; than which I can imagine no∣thing more absur'd: If this were well reflected on by the Romanists, they would not be so forward in worship∣ping the remainder of the dead.
6. 'Tis now full time, lest I exceed the bonds I have set to my self, to speak one word of their Ecclesiastical Disci∣pline: When I consider be∣sides,
the Written Law of God, how many and how heavy Obligations the Romish Church imposeth upon her Subjects, I am fully convin∣ced that Popery is justly cal∣led, and without exaggerati∣on, a meer slavery; the Crown'd heads are lyable to it, no less, yea rather more than others: Most of Ro∣manist Divines teach with∣out any warrant, either from Scripture or reason; the Popes of Rome have power to de∣pose Princes, untye their Subjects from their sworn al∣legiance, to give their Do∣minions, primo occupanti, to such as can conquer them if they refuse to purge their Kingdoms of opinions judg••d
by Romanists Heretical. This you may see at large in the Council of Lateran, held un∣der Innocent the third, third Chapter.
7. The Romish Church enslaves so far the under∣standing of her Followers, as to forbid them the use of that rational faculty God has be∣stowed upon us, chiefly to find out by its light the true Church, and having found it to govern our selves there∣in by the same, to search the Scriptures, to try the Spirits if they be of God or not, lest we be carried away by the wind of all sort of Doctrine. But this is not permitted to the Romanists, they must pull out their eyes and say,
white is black, if a General Council, though never as yet proved by them infallible, affirm it: This occasion'd an ancient Philosopher to call the Christian Religion, the Religion of Fools, not be∣cause they believe things a∣bove the reach of Humane Reason; for that is no folly, but on this account, that some of them, to wit the Romanists, believe as 'twas instanc'd in the Eucharist, or Lord's Supper, that which is contradicted by the experi∣mental knowledge of all our Senses.
8. 'Twas a Liberty and Priviledge of the Primitive Church,* 1.1 as S. Paul witnesseth to the
Corinthians, that whatsoever is sold in the Shambles, what∣ever is set before us we may eat, asking no question for Conscience-sake, that every Creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with Thanksgiving; the Roman Church has taken away this Priviledge, and commands abstinence from Meats, ordains Fasts obser∣ved most punctually by some of them, falsely perswaded the best part of Christian perfection consists in such in∣discreet Rigors, not know∣ing that true vertue consists mainly in an intire Victory, we should endeavour to get over our own Passions, our most dangerous, because Do∣mestick
Enemys: So many commanded Fasts as we see in the Romish Church, under the pain of Mortal Sin, are no doubt, an occasion of sin and disobedience to many, who think themselves obli∣ged in Conscience to observe them as injunctions of their Church: Cardinal Bellarmine that Renown'd Romanist, was of this opinion: 'Tis re∣ported, he was wont to say, that if 'ere he happen'd to be Pope, he would abolish the Obligation of the Lent Fast. No doubt because he judg'd it a too heavy Yoke, and on this account more hurtful than profitable.
9. Marriage in the purest age of the Church, was not forbidden to Ecclesiasticks; saith not S. Paul,* 1.2 that a Bishop may be the Husband of one Wife.* 1.3 That Marriage is ho∣nourable in all, and the Bed undefil'd: And writing to Timo∣thy,* 1.4 that forbid∣ding to Marry, and com∣manding to abstain from Meats, is the Doctrine of the Devils: Was not the Fore∣runner of Christ, the Son of the High-Priest Zacharias, an evident mark, that our Savi∣our approv'd of, and honou∣red such sort of Marriages? yet the Romish Church ad∣ding
still great and heavy weights to the yoke of Christ, forbids expressly Ec∣clesiasticks to Marry, though S. Paul saith,* 1.5 let every man, that is, whether Clergy or Lay∣man, unless he hath the Gift of Continency, have his own Wife; which Gift is always suppos'd when a Man or a Woman vows Chastity: So if you find by experience, you have it not, you are obliged not to vow, or if you have vowed rashly, flat∣tering your self, you had this Gift, you are no more en∣gag'd by your former vow, because none is obliged to perform beyond what lies in his power, and 'tis in no man's
power to live continently, without a Gift of Continen∣cy, which God bestoweth on whom he pleases, and refu∣seth it to others as he thinks fit; who may, and perhaps are obliged in this case, to se∣cure themselves from Sin and Temptation, by a lawful Marriage: For in this con∣juncture, Melius est nubere quam uri, 'tis better to Mar∣ry than burn.
10. 'Tis observable, the most of those that enter these Orders, they call commonly Religious, make their vows so young and so inconside∣rately, that they hardly ever reflect on what they under∣take, several of them protest they are forced thereunto by
their Parents, or upon the account of some other hu∣mane respects and interest, and if afterwards they renew twice a year, as 'tis customary amongst the Jesuits, their first vows, 'tis but with their Lips and not from their Heart: They may sin, I con∣fess, by this dissimulation, though I am perswaded, their Crime is none of the greatest, because of the juncture and necessity of their affairs; but however this Sin communi∣cates no validity to their vow, which subsists not in reality, without an intire li∣berty, freedom, and inward consent, because of the hea∣vy and insupportable Yoke it lays on their Necks; which
in this case they may shake off at the first opportunity, and follow that sort of Life they shall find most conve∣nient for their Spiritual con∣cerns and good of their Souls.
11. I wonder'd often up∣on what grounds the Roma∣nists call these three vows of Chastity, Poverty, and O∣bedience to their Superiors, Evangelical Counsels, be∣cause I had never read in the Gospel, that Christ exhorted ever any to tye themselves to his service by solemn vows. He counselled, I confess, a young man to sell all he had, and give it to the Poor, but not to make a vow to do so: Neither could I ever be per∣swaded,
nor any rational man ever will, that 'tis a higher degree of perfection to vow, for instance, Cha∣stity, than to live in Continen∣cy, without such a tye and obligation.
12. This is nevertheless the Doctrine of the most learned Romanists. And if I remember well of their chief Divine Thomas Aquinas, but as they commonly say in Sor∣bon, Amicus Aristoteles, ami∣cus Divus Thomas, sed magis amica veritas, no man's au∣thority is to be admitted of against the truth, which un∣doubtedly sides not with them in this conjuncture; be∣cause their assertion is intirely grounded on this weak and
illusory reason, that he who vows Continency, sacrificeth to God the thing men make most account of, that preci∣ous liberty, they think pre∣ferable to all the Riches of the World, which he that lives chast without such a tye does not.
13. This I say is a meer falshood and a flat illusion, for though I vow, I keep in∣tirely my former liberty. True 'tis I can't break this promise and vow made to God if it be a real one, with∣out committing a sin, but this puts me in a worse condition than I was in before: For now if I fall, I commit two Sins, one against my Vow, and another against the ver∣tue
of Continency, whereas before I vowed I could be guilty but of one. I think then the state of highest per∣fection is that which remo∣veth us farthest from sin and the occasions thereof, which certainly vows do not, but ensnaring men rather because of their great weakness and frailty, expose them to both by that perverse, though in∣bred inclination of theirs, to whatever is forbidden them; for nothing more true than nitimur in vetitum semper, &c.
14. This engageth me here to the defence of an Asser∣tion, which will be looked upon as a Paradox by the Romanists, yet if reflected
on without preoccupation, is a clear, simple, and undeny∣able truth: They dry up all the veins of their Eloquence in extolling a Religious Life, as they call it: they say it is most perfect, happy, blessed, and what not: read Jerome Platus on this Subject, and you shall find him as whim∣sical in his notions of this ima∣ginary happiness, as Plato was in his abstract Idea's.
15. I can prove to per∣swasion there is no way of serving God more dangerous, and wherein you shall meet with greater obstacles to your spiritual progress and eternal happiness, than in these pretended Religious Or∣ders, as they now stand of
the Romish Church; my rea∣son is clear, and runs thus, because their yoak is incom∣parably greater and heavier than that of other Christians, since besides the Commands of God and their Church, they tye themselves to a num∣berless number of petty ob∣servances and rules, which though they confess bind not their conscience, yet they teach none of them can scarce ever be transgress'd without sin, either ratione scandali, by reason of the scandal, or ratio∣ne contemptus, because of the contempt of Authority, or on some other account; they say as yet something more strange, that non progredi, regredi est, 'tis not enough for them to
observe the Commands of God and the Church, they call that non progredi, no pro∣gress, unless they do more than he has commanded, by standing with as great pre∣ciseness to their Customs and Rules, as if they were an es∣sential part of Gods written Law.
15. In what fears then, if they have a timorous consci∣ence; in what troubles and turmoils, and what vexation of spirit they live in: for if so few keep Gods Commands, as 'tis said the Just falls seven times a day, what judgment may we frame of them who pretend to do more than he has ordain'd, by observing a number innumerable of petty
Rules, Statutes, and frivolous Customs. On this account I have heard several amongst them say what I believe to be most true, that their yoke was not like to the yoke of Christ, sweet and light, Ju∣gum suave & onus leve, but rather exceedingly bitter, and most heavy, Jugum ama∣rum & onus grave.
16. In fine, I may affirm, without deviating from the Truth, That these Romish Vows are rather Snares to intrap Souls, than true means to their attaining to a higher degree of Glory in Heaven. The Devil overcomes some by manifest Temptations, and a flat Proposition of Sin, but because some others, desirous
to live after a more perfect manner, admit not so easily of his Suggestions, he catch∣eth them by their own incli∣nations, by vowed engage∣ments, to the pursuance of a Perfection, which, through Humane Frailty, they shall never reach to; so weary to swim always against the wa∣ter, they are forc'd, at length, to yield to the stream, and go downwards, which was the Enemies sole aim and main design.
17. Out of this foregoing Discourse, we may conclude, Protestants to be most hap∣py, as meeting with none of these forementioned Obsta∣cles, to their eternal happi∣ness, so long as they follow the
Maxims of true Protestancy. For,
First, Their Faith is not so blind, though submissive e∣nough to Church Authority, as to hold for Divine Truths, the fanciful Opinions of fal∣lible Men, or Decisions of er∣rable Councils: The Word of God onely is their Rule, to this they are taught to conform their Faith and their Actions.
Secondly, They are not tortur'd and turmoil'd with Doubts, if they be Baptiz'd or not, because they know the Existency of Baptism to be independant on the Mini∣sters uncertain intentions.
Thirdly, They have no In∣citement to Sin, by relying
on a middle place between Heaven and Hell; they hold no Purgatory, and so are powerfully deterr'd from of∣fending God, through fear of his terrible Justice exercis'd in Hell, upon such as die without Repentance.
Fourthly, They reject the dangerous distinction of Ve∣nial, and Mortal Sin, as open∣ing a door to Looseness; for though some Sins be more heinous than others, yet in this we must confess a perfect equality, that they are all of∣fences of an infinite Majesty, and consequently deserve his eternal Wrath, as being of an unlimited malice.
Fifthly, They allow every one to read the Scripture as
the Fountain of all wholesom Doctrine, and capable to make us wise unto Salvation, as being a Light to our Un∣derstanding, lest we err; and a Fire to our Will, lest we wax Cold in Charity and Love towards God and our Neighbors.
Sixthly, Their Doctrine concerning the Lord's Sup∣per is spirit and life, it gives no occasion either of Idola∣try or Hypocrisie, by teach∣ing that strange Novelty of Transubstantiation: They ca∣ptivate indeed their under∣standing in obsequium Fidei, in obedience to Divine Faith, but pull not out their Eyes to believe there is no Bread in the Eucharist, where they
see all the inseparable Proper∣ties thereof, as Colour, Shape, Quantity, &c.
Seventhly, They rely solely on the Merits of Christ; nei∣ther on the mediation of Saints, nor on their own good works, fully persuaded of this Christian Truth, when they have done all they can, they are but useless Servants, and that all their sufficiency is from Above.
Eighthly, Their Divine Worship is pure, and with∣out mixture of Superstition or Idolatry; neither intirely without Ceremonies, nor o∣verburden'd with 'em super∣stitiously.
Ninthly, They adore God in Spirit and Truth, not un∣der
corporal Shapes, and false Representations; they adore him as Spirit and Truth, as he is in reality, knowing perfect∣ly all their spiritual needs, and bodily necessities, without the help of Saints as Speakers and Informers.
Tenthly, Their Ecclesiasti∣cal Discipline is most confor∣mable in all its parts to that of the Primitive Church, as also their Faith, their Manners, and way of living, as may be ga∣thered out of this and the foregoing Article; and eve∣ry one knows that is not al∣together a Stranger to Anti∣quity.
Eleventhly, They serve God in all freedom of spirit, without endangering their
Souls by vows of Continen∣cy, true Snares rather to In∣nocency, than fit means for attaining to Perfection and eternal Felicity.
1 Cor. 10.24, 25, 27.
1 Timot. 3.
Hebr. 13.4.
1 Timot. 4.3.6.
1 Corinth. 7.2.