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

SECT. III. What is the Fruit of these Vows well observed?

ANswer. A sweetness of Spirit which often overflows the very senses, and is read in the Faces of perfectly Religious Persons; a centuple of what they have for God renounced in this Life, and a true fore-taste of the Life Eter∣nal; or in St. Paul's Words, a Peace passing above our senses, Phil. 4.7.

Hieronimus Platus, saies our Adversary is as whim∣sical in his notions of this imaginary happiness, as Plato was in his abstract Idea's here he runs out at random as a Clock dismounted that stricks twenty for one, and tells you he can prove to perswasion, that their is no way of serving God more dangerous than in a Religious Order, and why? By reason of a Yoak they take upon themselves of keeping a num∣ber of petty Rules, which, altho' we do not hold

to be observed under pain of Sin, yet we teach none of them can scarce ever be transgressed with∣out Sin, either ratione scandali or ratione contemptus; by reason of the Scandal or Contempt of Authority. And what is more strange, that we say, non pro∣gredi is regredi not to go forward is to go back.

Then he concluds with an applause to his per∣swasive premisses, as he Imagins, thus, in what fears, if we have a timorous Conscience, Troubles, Tor∣moiles and Vexation of Spirit do we live?

He amplifies his conclusion by what he has heard some Religions say: that their burden was not like that of Christ Sweet and Light, but Bitter and most Heavy.

Hence, he further infers, that those Vows are snares to entrap Souls, by which the Devil catches some who would not admit an open suggestion to Sin, by giving scope to follow their own Incli∣nations to make Vows, which being above their frailty, weary to swim alwise against Water at last they yield to the Stream, and go down-wards, which was the Devils design.

Answer. What does Hicr. Platus for the most part in that Treaty of the Good of a Religious Life exhort unto but what the ancient Philosophers Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, &c. discovered by the Light of Nature, to wit, that the happiness of Man here upon Earth was to live a Life removed from Ambiti∣on, Covetousness of Riches, and other Cares, which might with-draw his Spirit from pleasing the immor∣tal Gods (as the Heathens spoke) acquiring Vertues and overcoming Passions; by which study his mind might be raised above all that is feared or loved in Human things, and so dispose himself by a dissipation of Clouds that rise from Human Affections, to a

clear Contemplation of the most perfect being which is intelligible or knowable, I mean God in which Aristotle tho' not a Christian, places the Felicity of Man.

Answer. Secondly, If Hier. Platus promised a singular Contentment to those who leave for God's sake all the goods which flatter the Hearts of worldly Men; did not our Saviour promise as much afore him, when he said, Luke 18. v. 29. Amen, I say unto you there is no Man that hath left House, or Parents, or Brethren, or Wife, or Children, for the Kingdom of God, (how do you understand that?) and shall not receive much more in this time, and in the World to come Life everlasting. I lived with a Religious Man, who said upon this Discourse, he saw the Truth of the first part clearly, he only expected the second.

Let my Adversary give me leave to tell him from St. Paul, animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus Dei, 1 Cor. 2.14. a sensual Man is not sen∣sible of the things of God, nor understands the ways of his Spirit, they are a folly to him: Those things which are great helps to advance in Spirit, seem to him impediments of Perfection.

Christ calling those who were under Burden, Math. 11. v. 29. and promising to ease them, bids them take moreover his Yoke on them, and tells them that by that means they shall find ease. This seems a Paradox, an odd thing to a sensual Man, who looses the Yoke from the Neck of his Oxen when he has mind to ease them.

Little knows he for want of Experience, that this more particular Yoke of Christ, I mean his E∣vangelical Counsels put in practise, are to a good Religious Man, what the Wings are to an Eagle, they weigh indeed something, but are so far from

weighing him down, that they help him to raise himself in the Air, and reach his Prey, which he could not do without them.

If the diminishing of Laws and Commands, for which our Adversary is so great a Stickler, makes the way smoother and straighter to Spiritual Per∣fection; then the Law of Nature was the most advancing Law to Perfection of the three, and car∣ried it far afore the written Law, and that of Grace. But who will say this? And consequently that from whence it follows?

A Subsect. Answers the rest of this matter of Vows.

I Avow, that the Yoke of a Religious Man con∣sidered in it self; is greater then that of a Lay-Person; but if you consider it joyned to the singular helps he has from God to carry it, 'tis far easier; crucem vident, saies St. Bernard, the People of the World see our Crosses, they know we Fast, we rise in the Night to Pray, and take other Mor∣tifications, unctionem non vident, they don't see, saies he, our Unction of the Holy Ghost, the vic∣torious pleasure of Grace, which upholds us, and makes us carry chearfully our Crosses, viam man∣datorum tuorum cucurri cum dilatasti cor meum, I did not only go, but run, saies the Royal Prophet, through the Wayes of thy Commands when thou didst enlarge my Heart, to wit, with thy Grace, Psal. 118. v. 32.

Religious Orders have many Rules I grant, but they are all reduc'd to three Heads, the keeping of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience. As the gene∣ral Laws of Kings and Countries are subdivided in a number of particular Observations. Neither is it true that a Rule cannot be scarce broken without Scandal or Contempt of Authority. For when the Bell in a Religious Community Rings a quar∣ter of an hour afore Dinner, to make the Examen of Conscience, a Religious Man reflects that he has a Letter of Importance, that must be sent to the Post at their rising from Table, he Writes his Let∣ter in the time of the Examen, thinking it pleases God he do so; the Rule is brok without Scandal, Contempt, or Sin, in that case: This and such like, we call defects not culpable, or breaches of the Rule without Guilt.

When we say, non progredi, is regredi, not to go forward, is to go back, we don't mean as our Adversary mistakes, that he who keeps the Com∣mandements of God and his Church onely, goes backward, no, we think he goes forward, for the new observance of every Command, is a new step to Perfection, but that as a Boat can't stand or flote upon a Currant, but must either bear up a∣gainst Tyde, or must be carryed down with the Stream; so we must never stop in the way of Per∣fection, saying with that Foolish Man, Luke 12. v. 19. my S••ul rest, for we have a Provision for many Years, thinking we have enough, but still make forward for more. Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect, sayes our Saviour, Matth. 5. v. 48. Not that we may hope to arrive to his Per∣fection, but that we may never rest in the way of Perfection, but alwise strive to draw nearer and nearer to him.

Our Adversary needs not ask in what pain and trouble Religious, who are of a timerous Con∣science, live under the burden of some Rules, be∣cause they believe that with the Grace of God they can keep them all, and feel so much ease in keep∣ing them, that many undertake far more than the Rule prescribes. Facile equitat quem Gratia Dei portat, he Rides at ease who is carried by the Grace of God, saies the following of CHRIST. But he should ask in what pain Protestants are, who think the least Deviation from the Law by an idle word is a grievous Sin, and worthy Hell Fire; and who believe, that with all the Grace of CHRIST they cannot keep themselves from making Damnable breaches of the Law of God. In what pain and anxiety of mind ought they to live?

Those, who told our Adversary that their Yoke was bitter, had not merited by their negligence to feel that inward Unction of which St. Bernard speaks nor tasted of that Water of which our Saviour to the Samaritan Woman, but living in Religion, and breathing still after the World, as some wick∣ed Israelites not tasting with the Good, the sweet∣ness of the Manna, Hungred after the Flesh-Pots of Aegypt. So suffering within themselves a perpetual Combat between Nature and Grace, the one draw∣ing to God, and the other to the World; no won∣der their Burden was not like that of CHRIST, Sweet and Light, but heavy and unpleasant by their own Fault.

If the Devel thought to insnare Men by giving way to their inclination of making Vows, he may now leave of (as being deceived) by a sad experi∣ence to himself seeing thousands by the daily obser∣vation of their Vow, gain signal Victories over him; especially, if he be more gal'd by the eminent

Sanctity and Elevation of one far inferiour in nature to him, than pleased in the fall of many, who despoiled of Grace are not considerable in respect of him. But deceiv'd, he is not in giving way to the Ministers common Exhortations to the People to keep the Commandement of God, by a practical horror of Sin, and embracing of Vertue. For when on one side, the Minister threatens them with a heavy Judgement, if they don't live a good Life, and on the other, tells them 'tis impossible to live so and walk in the Commandements of God; is not this to distract a Man, or cast him loose, and after he was wearied himself, striving against the Tyde of his corrupted Nature, make him yield to the Stream of Sin, impossible to bear up against it, and so go down-wards? Which was in our Adversaries own Words the Enemies sole aim and main design.

Roman Catholicks have a more rational and wor∣thy thought of the goodness of God. Who Wills the end, sais the maxime in moral philosophy, affords means to attain it; God Wills we keep his Com∣mands, will he not afford us Grace with which we may, and without which we cannot keep them? If Men who are wicked give good things to their Children, will he refuse the good Spirit to those who ask it of him, Luke. 11. v. 13. will he leave Men without Grace, who have left all for the pure love of him? No, Roman Catholicks find the Truth of St. Paul's saying, God is Faithful and will not suffer us to be Tempted beyond our force, 1 Cor. 10. but will make us find advantage in the Temptation. and that they can do all in him who comforts them, ad Philip. 4. no, there is no Sin or Temptation that Grace can not overcome, nor Grace necessary for our Salvation which Prayer can not obtain, and a

Gift of this in some measure is given to all.

Men need not fear to undertake prudently to do for God, he will still out do them. By the same proportion that they go out of themselves, for his sake, he comes upon 'em by his Grace, filling their understanding with surprising Lights, and their Wills with Flaming Affections, so that seing him now in a fairer day, and burning with more Affec∣tion towards him, they covet to do still more and more for the love of him, far from thinking it hard to keep their Vows, by which it has been favourably given to them, to tye themselves more straitly to him. But you who are so secure in your wide way of living, and make it your study to diminish the Gospel Obligations, be pleased to re∣member that Christ said Math. 7. v. 14. the way that leads to life is narrow and they are but few who find it.