An answer, to a little book call'd Protestancy to be embrac'd or, A new and infallible method to reduce Romanists from popery to Protestancy

CHAP. IX. A Recapitulation, or short Repe∣tion of the Contents in this Book.

OUr Adversary out of his foregoing discourse imagining, or willing seem to imagin, that all his weak Fancies are as many Perswasi∣ons, telling us, he will prove this to Perswasion, and he has proven that to Conviction, concludes Protestants to be most happy, because they do not meet with the Obstacles found in Popery, to Eter∣nal Salvation. And what are those Obstacles? Here he makes a kind of Recapitulation of what he had said.

1. The R. Faith is so blind, sayes he, that it be∣lieves Decrees of Errable Councils.

In this place I will set to your view and considerati∣on, the passage he brings to prove that our general approved Councils are Errable in St. Austin's Opi∣nion. I had not seen it in St. Austin by reason of his wrong Quotation, when I answered it (pag. 35.) by my knowledge of St. Augustins mind from else where. St. Austin contra Epist. Fundam: c. 5. saies, for me, I would not believe the Gospel if the Authority of the Church did not move me to it, to wit, the Authority of the then existing R. Church, which moved him to believe that Manicheus was not an Apostle of CHRIST (as is clear out of his Words in that place.) Again, Epist. 118. he saies

to controvert or question that which is held by the whole Church, (a General approved Council) is insolent madness, and Epist. 162. he saies, that a General Council is the last Iudgment of the Church.) Would St. Augustin, or any Reasonable Person think that Man insolently mad, who in the weigh∣ty matter of his Salvation would question and ap∣peal from a Judgment that might be Erronious?

St. Austin having spoken of the Council of Nice and Arimini, disputing with Maximinus an Arian Bishop, L. 3. c. 14. Whether CHRIST were of the Substance of GOD the Father. He sayes, sed nunc nec ego Nicenum, ne•• tu debes Ariminense tanquam praejudicaturus proferre concilium: Nec ego hujus Authoritate, nec iu illius decineris, Scriptura∣rum Authoritatibus, non quorum cumque propriis, sed utriusque communibus testibus, res cum re, cau∣sa cum causa, ratio cum ratione concertet. That is say,

But now neither ought I to alledge the Council of Nice, nor you the Council of Arimini as to pre∣judge one another, (to wit, because Austin was cast by the Council of Arimini, as Maximinus was cast or condemned by the Council of Nice)

Nec ego hujus Authoritate nec tu illius detineris, that is, neither am I taken (convinced) by the Autho∣rity of this, (of Arimini) or you by the Authori∣ty of that, (of the Council of Nice,) viz. because as I reject the Authority of the Council of Arimi∣ni, so you reject the Authority of the Council of Nice.

Scripturarum Authoritatibus non quorumcumque propriis, sed utriusque communibus testibus, res cum re, causa cum causa, ratio cum ratione concertet, Let mater contend with matter, cause with cause, and reason with reason, by the Aurthorities of Scrip∣tures,

which are not proper to each of us (as the Nicene Council is to me, and that of Arimini to you,) but common witnesses to both.

2. Now see how he has falsified this passage to make appear that St. Augustin did not stand to the Au∣thority of an approved General Council. Where he saies, neither am I bound to the Council of Nice, nor you to that of Arimini.

St. Austin saies, Neither ought I to alledge the Council of Nice, nor you the Council of Arimini: Is this the same in Words or Sense? He goes on, Neither ought you to stand to the Authority of this, i. e. of the Council of Arimini, nor I to the Au∣thority of that, i. e. of the Council of Nice. St. Austin has the quite contrary, saying, neither am I taken (convinc'd) by the Authority of the Coun∣cil of Arimini, nor you by the Authority of Nice.

Now be pleased to look back to pag. 35. and there you will find my Explication of the passage, and how it does not hurt us at all, or imply any apprehension in St. Augustin of Fallibility in a Ge∣neral approved Council.

2. That Romanists are subject to be tortured with doubts of their Baptism.

3. That we have an inticement to Sin by relying on Purgatory.

4. That one distinguish Venial from Mortal Sin, opens a Door to loosness.

5. That we don't allow every one to read the Scripture.

6. The Novelty of Transubstantiation the occa∣sion of Idolatry and Hypocrisie in it.

7. Our relying on the Mediations of Saints and our own Merits.

8 Our mixing Superstition and Idolatry in our Divine Worship.

9. Our not Adoring God in Spirit and Truth, but under corporal shapes, and having our recourse to the help of Saints.

10. The di••••ormity of our Ecclesiastical Disci∣pline from primative times.

11 C••r not serving God with freedom of Spirit, but indangering our Souls by Vows.

Answer. First our Faith does not believe the Decrees of Errable, but of general approved and consequently infallible Councils as I have shown Chap. 4. in 3. Sections. After all this I avow our Faith is an obscure knowledge and as St. Paul speak, Heb••. ••••. v ••. a perswasion of things not appearing: Bu•• 'tis not so weak, as that of Protestants, that it needs the evidence of sense to sup∣port it.

2. We have no reason to be tortured with doubts of our Baptism, as may be seen in what I said Chap. ••. in the 2. and 3 sect. But Protestants have when they read in the Gospel Io. 3. v. 3. unless one be born over again by Water he can not see the King∣dom of Heaven. Because they know their Church doth not look upon it as a thing necessary to Sal∣vation, and that many are wilfully, at least among the Presbiterians permitted to Dye without it.

3. We have no incitment to Sin by our belief of Purgatory, because we believe the Pains of that place are greater than any Torment we can suffer in this World. And who would willingly pur∣chase to himself the pleasure he may enjoy by his Venial Adhesion to a Creature, by the pains of the Stone, Colick, Gout: Of Fire, Rack, Wheele, and all that ever was suffered in this Life by a Malefactor? But the less Godly of Protestants, may have some encouragement to slight Sin, be∣lieving that an Act of Faith at their Death will do

the turn, and if they be of the Elect, they are sure to have it.

4. We admit the destinction between Mortal and Venial Sin, strongly grounded on Scripture, a just Man falls seven times, or often, and rises up again, Prov. 24.16. who remains just in his fall does not incur Damnation by it. And Luke 1. v. 6. If Zachary and Elizabeth did not keep the Commandements of God perfectly in the Pro∣testants sense. At least their breaches of the Law were not Damnable, bereaving them of their Ju∣stice and of the Friendship of God. From Matth. 5. v. 23. You see there are some Sins Guilty of Hell, others not Guilty of Heil Fire, and such Sins we call Venial, call them as you please, so you distinguish them from failings, depriving Men of the Friendship of GOD. But this does not open the Door to loosness, for the reason I brought in my third Answer. but the denying of this distinc∣tion, opens the Door to a perpetual disturbance of mind, dread and fear in a Protestant, of Dying suddenly (as many Dye) after he has spoken an idle Word; for this idle Word, according to our Adversary, is a Damnable breach of the Law of GOD, and deserves his Eternal Wrath, as being of an illimated Malice, as he speaks, and can't be forgiven in the other World; but must be repen∣ted here under pain of Damnation, Luke 13. v. 5. I suppose he won't say that Protestants have a Priviledge to repent afore hand for Sins to come.

5. The Church does not indeed allow every I∣gnorant Person to read indifferently the whole Bi∣ble, least by their misunderstanding, some hard passages they find Death, where others find Life. As the Manicheans from that passage of Io. 8. v. 12. I

am the Light of the World, held that Christ was the Sun, as St. Austin relates, Trac. 34. in Io. And the Seleutians misunderstanding that passage, Math. 3. v. 11. he will Baptize you in the Holy Ghost and Fire, made use of Fire instead of Water in Baptism, wit∣ness the same St. Aug. Heresi. 59. But she orders the Pastors to give out of it as St. Paul did, not all to all; but Milk to some, and stronger Food to others.

See out of the following passage of St. Augustin that 'tis not necessary that every one read the Holy Scripture, Homo (saies he) fide spe & charitate subni∣xus eaque inconcusse retinens non indiget Scripturis nisi ad alios instruendos. Itaque multi per haec tria etiam in solitudine sine codicibus vivunt. Aug. L. 1. de Doctr. Christi. c. 19. A Man born up by Faith, Hope, and Charity, and immoveably retaining them has no need of the Scripture, unless it were to teach others. So many by these three live in the Desert without the Scriptures.

6. The Term Transubstantiation is new, as the Term Omousios, of the same substance against the A∣rians; but not the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, (no more than the Doctrine of the Son's Consub∣stantiality with the Eternal Father.) Which is Spirit and Life, imparting to the worthy Receiver of the Eucharist the Spirit of God, or an increase of his Grace, which leads to Eternal Life. It gives no oc∣casion of Idolatry or Hypocrisie by teaching that the Accidents are not to be Ador'd, but the Body of Christ under them. And that we ought not to come to it upon the account of pleasing Men, but moved by our Faith of Christ's Real Presence there, by a Love of him, and a hope of Happiness from him.

7. We rely on Saints not as Mediators of Redemp∣tion, (yet Moses, Act. 7. is called a Redeemer, Lytrootees,) but of Intercession, that the Merits of

Christ may be applyed to us: We rely not on any thing, we add our selves to them, (it being so small) as the Church witnesses in Her Prayer for the Sunday of Sexagesime, O God who sees we confide in no Action of our own, grant mercifully, &c. acknowledging when we have done all we can, we are but useless Servants to God, tho' enabled by the Grace of Christ. not useless to our selves.

8. Our Divine Worship is pure without any vain Devotion, or Honouring of that which should not be Honoured, but not without many Sacred Cere∣monies, which serve to make us, we being sensible Creatures, sensible of inward Graces, for warrant of which we have upon Record Ceremonies used by Christ; and since he is the chief Agent in our Sacrifice, why may not he use Ceremonies by his Vice-Gerents as well as by himself?

9. We Adore God in Spirit and Truth, endeavour∣ing to make our minds joyn with our outward Sacri∣fice to the true God, moved often by the Picture of Christ Bleeding on a Cross to morn with him, and rue our by past Actions which were cause of so ex∣cessive a Torment, and grief to him: But not so Foolish as to think there is any Divinity in the Pic∣ture, or Vertue in it to do us good.

Also Conscious to our selves of our own un∣worthiness, by our hainous offences, we go often to God by the Meditation of the most Blessed Vir∣gin and other Saints in Credit with him, warrant∣ed sufficiently by Eliphas, (Iob. 42.) and the Cen∣turion's Example, Luke 7. v. 7. The one being Commanded by God to do so, and the other prai∣sed by CHRIST for so doing.

If you ask me how the Saints in Heaven know I am praying them; I ask how do they know the conversion of a Sinner upon Earth? Luke 16 v. 7.

if they know when I convert my self to God, can't they as well know when I am praying?

Again how did Samuel know the thoughts of Saul Sam. 1. c 9. v. 20. and how knew the Prophet Ahijah the wife of Ieroboam 1 Reg. 14? They knew by Gods Revelation to them; and so does God reveal to Saints in Heaven things which regard them upon Earth, and this belongs to the felicity of their state to hear our Prayers, present them to God, and obtain from him favours to us. Because he will this way Glorifie them for Glorifying him upon Earth, according to his promise, 1 Sam. 2. v. 30. Thus we Read, Apocal. 5. v. 8. That the 24 Elders had Golden Vials full of Odours, which are the Prayers of Saints. To wit, of Holy People upon Earth, which the 24 Elders presented to God, as the Angel offerd up the like, having a Golden Censer, upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne, Apoc. 8. v. 3.

10. Our Ecclesiastical Discipline is conform to that of primative times, not because we say so, for Protestants say as much for theirs, but because R. Catholicks speak now as they spoke then, and do now as they did then. St. Ambrose L. 5. Epist- 33. ad Marcellam his Sister, saies (at a certain oc∣casion) I begun to say Mass, caepi Missam facere. St. Augustin L. 9. Confes. chap. XI. sayes, his Dy∣ing Mother desired him to be mindful of Her at the Altar, and in the 12. chap. he sayes, He did not Weep in his Prayers while the Sacrifice of our Re∣demption, (viz. of the Mass) was offered for his Dead Mother, Her Corps being set down beside the Grave. If a Protestant Bishop should Write thus to his Sister, at ten a Clock I begun to say Mass, what would she say? Certainly my Brother's not well he is raving, and if another should relate that

his Protestant Mother desired him to Pray for Her after her Death, you would fay without doubt she had lost her Judgment. Why? Because we do not Pray for People after their Death. By this you see Protestants do not speak, nor do as they spoke and did in primative times, then their Religion and Ecclesiastical Discipline is not conform to that of primative times.

11. Our Vows (against which our Adversary so eagerly inveighs, altho St. Augustin thinks our Vows should be kept by those Words of his Ser. 10. de Diversis. If it displeased God, sayes he, speak∣ing of the Sacriledge of Ananias and Saphira, to withdraw of the Money which they had Vowed to God, how is he angry when Chastity is Vowed and is not performed, for to such may be said that which St. Peter said of the Money: Thy Virginity remain∣ing, did it not remain to thee, and before thou didst Vow, was it not in thy own Power? For whoso∣ever have Vowed such things and have not payed them, let them not think to be condemned to Copo∣ral Death, but to Everlasting Fire) are the great helps our Church-men have to serve God in all freedom of Spirit, for not owing the use of their Body to a Consort, their Spirit is not drawn from Heaven in that violent way to the Earth, nor have they their mind entangled with those cares which must needs attend Wise and Children.

Here I leave my Adversary, wishing him most happy, and for a Fare-well I mind him of these Words of our Saviour to St. Paul, Act. 9. v. 5. Durum est tibi contra stimulum calcitrare.

FINIS.