01
E BOO)
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DISCOU
CONCERNING THE
O F T H E
£l)urcl) of 1&omc,
Elpecially, as compared with thofe of the
CHURCH of ENGLAND
In which it is fhewn,
That whatever the pretend,
there is not fb true Devotion among them, nor fuch
rational Provifion for it, nor Encouragement to
it, as in the Church eftablifhed by Law among us.
LONDON,
Printed for Renj. Took?at he Ship in St. Paul's
Church-Yard, 1685.


2
of this Life 5 the Gofpel is mo ft frequent in commenda¬
tion of the humble lowly and mortify ingVertues., which
would reduce the Mind to it felf, and keep Men with¬
in due Bounds, and teach them how to behave them-
felves towards God, and to live in a due regard to ano¬
ther Life.
Now there is (carcely any thing which the Church
of Rome doth more often urge for her fel£ or with grea¬
ter Confidence pretend to excel the Church of England
in, than by endeavouring to perfwade, that the Frame
of their Church is more fitted fir the exciting of Devoti¬
on and a good Life than ours is. And fo they will boaft
of their Seyere^Rulesaud Orders,the Aufteriti^s of their
Fads and Penances, the drift andrnortifyed Lives, the
condancy and inceffancy of Devotions ufed among
them 5 and would thence inferre, that that muft needs
be the bed Religion, or way of fervingGod in which
thefe Praftifes are enjoy n\i and obferved, That the Tree
mufl needs be good by fuck excellent Fruits } and that if all
other Arguments fail,yet they (ay they have this to (how
for themfelves, that in their Communion there is at lead
fbmewhat more like that great Self denial and Mortificati¬
on fo often made neceflary under the Gofpekthan is to be
found in the Reformed Churches, or particularly in the
Church of England.Now laying afide all Difputesconcer-
ning Points ofDoftrine,in controverfie between them and
us,in which it hath been abundantly fhewn,that they err
in matters of Faith $ and that in what they differ from
us, they differ alfo from the Scripture, and the true
Church of Chrid in all the bed Ages 5 I'll confine my
felf to examine their Pretence to Devotion, where I doubt
not but it will fufficiently appear, that they are as much
deficient alfo in Regularity of Pra8ice$ that there is not
that true Foundation laid for fuch Devotion as God
accepts, nor that drift Provifion made for it3 nor that


of the Church of Rome* 3
real Pra&ice of it which they would make us believe?
but that even the bed which they pretend to, is fuch as
doth by no means befit a truly Ctiriftian Spirit,
I'll difcourfe in this Method :
1. Til inftance in the (everal Expreffions of Devoti¬
on, the Motives to it, or Affiftances of it, which the
Church of Rome pretends to, and on which fhe is ufed
to magnifie her (elf.
2. I will alledge thejuft Exceptions which we have a-
gainft (uch their Pretences.
3. And then (how that they arefo far from encouraging
true Devotion, that many things both in their Doftrine
and Difcipline dire&ly tend to the Deftru&ion of it.
4. I'll (hew what excellent Provifion is made in the
Church of England, for the due exercife of all the parts
of Devotion, and what Strefs is laid on it, and on a
good Life among us.
Firft, Though Devotion is properly and chiefly in
the mind, a due (en(e of God and Religion, yet it is not
fufficient if it ftop there: For there are certain outward
A&s which are either in themfelves natural and proper
Expreffions, or elleare ftri&ly required of us by God,
as Duties of Religion, and Evidences of the devout tem¬
per of our Minds 3 and thefe are called ACts of Devoti¬
on. And all the. Commendation that can be given of
any Church, on Account of Devotior, muff: be either,
thatthere is a true Foundation laid forit inmensMinds,
or conftant Provifion made for the due Exercife of it,all
neceffary Encouragement given to it, and a fuitably,
ftrift and regular Practice of it obfervable among them.
And there are (everal things which are not at all infilled
on by us, which they of the Church of Rome boaft of,as
ferving to (ome or all of thefe purpofis, which I (hall re-
prefent as fairly as I can, that we may (ee what there is
in that Church that doth anfwer fuch great pretences.
B 2 For
/


of the Church of Rome. 5
in Scripture, and was fo pra&ifed by Holy Men almoft
from the beginning of Chriftianity, and areas it were
conftant Preachers of Holinefs and Mortification, who
tho' they do indeed (lay here in the World below, yet
converfe not in it, but are in fbme Senfe out of it, and
live above it,
2. They fometimes alfo boaft of the extraordinary
Charity, and Liberality to all good and Holy lifts
prefled and pra&ifcd among them, which is butfpa-
ringly uftd, fay they, among the Proteftants 3 Efpecially
their cxceffive Expence and Coft in building and
endowing Monafteries, ere&ing Churches, Chappels
and Croffes, their fo pompous adorning the Places de¬
dicated to the Worfhip of God, befides their Charita¬
ble Affiftance, and relief which they afford to the Bo¬
dies of the Living, and the Souls of the Dead 3 and no
Man can deny but Charity is a certain Evidence, as well
as a great branch and duty of true Religion and Devo¬
tion :
3. Sometimes they glory in the great number of
Saints commemorated in their Church, and dying in
the Communion of it, and urgethem as a forcibleExam-
ple to others, and a mighty incentive to Devotion they
think alfo it redounds much to the Honour, and Com-
mendation of their Church to have had fuch glorious
Members of it, and twit us as they think feverely,
when they ask us what Saints we have of our Church,
and wonder efpecially that we fhould obftrve fo few
Eeftivals and Holidays whereas the very many days ftt
apart in their Church in memory of their ftveral Saints,
they think not only afford proper Occafion?, for all Adts
of Religion 3 but are a fign of their being lefs addi&ed
to this World, when fo great a part of their time is fpent
in the Service of God, and that Piety and Devotion are
a conliderable part of their Bufinefs and Employment,
4. They


6 Of the Devotions
4. They urge alio the multitude of Pi&ures and Ima¬
ges of feveral Famous Men and Women, who have in
an eminent manner ferved and pleafed God, and been
inftrumental in converting the World, as very pro¬
per Affiftances of a Mans Devotion 5 inftruding fome,
they being the Books of the Unlearned, and fenfibly af-
fefting and alluring all to the Imitation of the Perfons
whom they reprefent.
5. Sometimes they commend their Church for theFa-
ftings, and other A&s of Severity and Mortification, ufed
not only by the Monks and Regulars, but by all forts
of Men, according to the Rules of their Church, on fet
days of the Week or Seafons of the Year} as well as
foch Aufterities as are enjoyned by their Confcflbrs, by
way of Penance 5 their going bare-foot and bare-head¬
ed in Procefiions, their whipping and lathing themfelves,
their drawing great Chains and Weights after them, as
great and proper Inftances of Self denial and Devo¬
tion.
6. They place alfo a great Deal of Religion in Pilgri¬
mages, which the more Devout fort take, andfpend their
Eftates, and fometimes their Lives in,to Jerufdlem9Rome9
Loretto^Mount-ferrat?to St. Thomas, at Canterbury St. Wine-
frid's Well,or fome fuch other places where fome extraor¬
dinary Perfon hath lived, or fome ftrange Relique is
left, or where they reckon God hath on fome Occafion
or other wonderfully manifefted himfelf} and they
reckon that the very vifiting or kifTing thefe, are either
an Argument of truly Devout Minds, or that which
will make them fo, And their Manuals or Books
which their.Priefts give into the Peoples Hands, do not
fail by all the art imaginable, to endeavour to forew up
Mens Devotion, even to rapture and extafie in Com¬
mendation ot thefe Pra&ifes and Orders, even as if they
would have us believe that there is no true Religion


of the Church of Rome. 7
and Devotion without thefe, and that where there are
thefe things pra&ifed, it is a certain Sign that the mind
is affeaed°as it ought, arid Piety flouri&eth in the high-
eft Degree.
And befides thefe Matters of Pra&ice, there are alfo
feveral Do&rines, and Opinions peculiar to themfelves,
whichthey reckon do naturally tend to the Advance¬
ment of true Devotion. As,
7. Their Doftrine concerning the Interceffion of
Saints for us, and the Advantage of Invocation or Pray¬
er to them, and that we of the Church of England
want one of the greateft Encouragements to Prayer and
Devotion that can be, who neither own nor make ufe
of thefe Helps, and therefore that we cannot have fuch
hope of Succefs and Bleffing as they have.
8. Their Doctrine concerning the Merit of Good
Works and Supererogation,is of the fame Nature,in their
efteem: For the more Worth you fuppofe in any Aftion,
the greater In courage merit is there to the Performance
of jr^ and therefore furely it muft be a moft irrefiflible
motive to Devotion, to perfwade men that the worth
and value of it is fuch, as that you may by it pur-
chafe Heaven not only for your felves, but for others
alfo.
9. Their belief of Purgatory, and of the validity of
Prayers for the Dead, doth naturally tend to excite
men to Devotion, fay they 5 for here is a greater Scope
and Occafion for our Prayers, we may hope to be in-
ftrumental to more good, more Perfons to be relieved
and helped by our Prayers, than arefuppofed in the De¬
votions of the Church of England.
10. And efpecially their Doftrine and Pra&ice of
Confeflion, Penance and Abfolution, they look on as
fo neceffary to Devotion, that it is a wonder with them
that thefe ftiould be any fliow of it, where thefe are
not


not received and pradfifed ; For a particular Confeffion
of all Sins to a Prieft being fo dridily required, they fay-
is the readied way to bring men to a Senfe of and Ihame
for their Sins 5 and Penance being alfo impofed prefent-
ly on them, will furely make Men to be more afraid of
finning again when they lee it mud cod them fo dear,
and that they may not defpair or defpond, by Reafon
of the Multitude or Weight of their former Sins, but
may be encouraged to drive more earnedly againd Sin
for the future, the Pried gives them Abfolution of what
is palled, at the fame time encouraging their hope, as
well as exciting their fear, and endeavouring by the
lame Method both to allure, to force and to fhame Men
into Amendment.
Ladly they infid much alfo on theValidity of theirOr-
dinations, the Truth and Succeffion Unity and Au¬
thority, of their Church,and the Obedience that is pay¬
ed to the Rules and Orders of it, as mighty Helps and
Afliftances, and Encouragements to Devotion 5 when
they are fo fure of the Sacraments being duly admini-
dred, and all other A&s of Authority rightly performed,
when the Laws of the Church, for the Punilhment of
Offenders are duly executed, and when the Church
hath Power to oblige all to an Uniform and Regular
Pradtice.
All thele things, fay they, do either encourage and
excite men to Devotion, or affid or diredt them in the ex*
ercifeof it,give more room or afford betterOccafions for
it, or elfe (how more fully the Neceflityoffuch and fuch
parts of it then what is received and pradtifed in the
Church otEngland &nd therefore the Church ofEngland
that wantsthefe wantethalfo much ofth eOccafion,Matter,
Opportunities and Arguments for Devotion : fothatlay-
ingafideall difputes concerning Articles of Faith, they
doubt not but it will be readily granted, that at lead,
they


they are a more devout People j whatever their is,
their Pra&iceis more agreable to that Self-denial and
Mortification commanded in Scripture}that God is more
conftantly and reverently ferved among them than he is
among usy that they take more Pains, are at more Coft
and Trouble in the Worfhip of God, which they think
is an Inftance of a good religious mind, and will be
moft fecure of God's Acceptance.
Thele are, I think indeed, the moft that they do urge
for themfelves in this point, and there is fomething of
appearance of Truth in all this. Moft of thefe Inftan-
ces are fuch as may perhaps be very taking at firft fight
withfome people, they having a Ihew of Regularity,
Stri&nefi and Severity, or elfe of being proper Helps
and Affiftances of Devotion: For Men are wont to ad¬
mire any thing that looks odd or big, efpecially ifo-
thers have but the Confidence highly to praift and ex¬
tol it. But if we examine them, we (hall find them to
fall infinitely fhort of fuch fpecious Pretences 5 fbme of
them to be unlawful, and thoft that are good in them-
felves, to be fbme way or other fpoiled in the ufe of
them5 always they err in fome material part or Circum-
ftance; and taken all together, they have nothing in
them which evidence any true devout Temper, either
defigned to be wrought by the Church,or aftually work¬
ing in the People: Much lefs do they befpeak greater
Devotion than is required and praftifed in our Church.
For it hath been well obferved by the judicious Sir
Edwin Sandys, that the Church of Rome hath fo contri¬
ved its Rules and Orders^ as rather to comply with,and
fit every Temper and Inclination good or bad, than to
work any real good effeffc on any. And therefore as it
hath feveral things which openly agree with, and pleafe
the profane and aebauch'd 5 fo it muft be granted, that
it hath fomewhat alfo to fuit with ana gratifie the
C melan-


io Of the Devotions
mtlancholly Temper, where the devoutly dilpofed may
find fomewhat an agreeable Retreat.- And therefore
one would be apt to lufpeft that the moft ftrift and fe-
vere of their Orders, were kept up rather out of a poli¬
tick end, to pleafe and quiet the People, than really to
advance true Piety to God and Devotion. But however
it is plain, that taking the whole Frame of that Church
together, it doth not defign to promote lerious and
true Devotion 5 but only to make a Noile, and to ap¬
pear lo to do. For when I lee the lame Church, tho'
fometimes leeming to countenance the utmoft Severi¬
ty as neceffary, yet at other times to give all Liberty,
and let the Reins loole to all kind or" Debauchery, I
have juft realbn to fear they are not in earneft for Reli- -
gion: For all luch irregular Heats, are a fign of bad
Principles, or a diftemper'd Conftitution. Juft as if I
fhould lee the fame peifon fometimes delperately diflo-
lute and debauch'd, and at other times intolerably ftrift
andlevere, and this interchangeably and often, I fhali
much queftion his ftriftnels, whether it be fincere •• If
his Senle of Piety were real, it would be more lafting
and uniform^ and therefore without Breach of Charity,
I thinklmay look on him in his greateft Severity,rather
to aft a part on a Stage, and to ferve a prelent Turn
and Occalion, than to be really in his mind what foch
Striftnels would reprefent him. And therefore what¬
ever true Devotion is in any of that Communion,ought
to be afcrib'd to fomewhat elle, than to the Conftituti¬
on of that Church: For even thole things which they
are uled to boaft moft of, which I have mentioned al¬
ready, we lhalleafily find to have little that is truly com¬
mendable, much that is greatly faulty in them 5 and if
their beft things are no better, what are their worft? If
the Subjeft of their Glory is fiamful, what will become
of the reft .<?
2. And


of the Church Rome. 11
2. And therefore I'll now fbew what we have jufHj
to accept againft their fore-mentioned pretences to De¬
votion.
i. As for Monkery in general,which they boaft fo much
of, calling it Statu* Perfetiionis & religiofus, as if befides
the State of Men in Holy Orders, that were a State of
Perfection, and nothing elfe worthy the Name of Reli¬
gious. We confefi, that fcarcely as to any thing concern¬
ing the Externals of Religion, doth the Church of Eng¬
land diftinguifh it felffrom the Romifh Church fb much,
as that there is not any Provifion made, or fo much as a
Suppofition of fuch Monafteries, or religious Houfes,
or publick places of Retirement for devout Peo'
pie, as they are called, being again ever fetled among
us. For tho* we are not fo rath as utterly to abhor and
throw away every thing that at any time had been abu-
fed to Superftition, yet we are very well contented that
Monafteries fhould never be rebuilt among us. For we do
not look on the Life of Monks as any great help to De¬
votion,or aninltance of true Religion prevailing where
they are found3 much lefs that they are neceffary in the
Chriftian Church.
For it is evident that the firft and pureft Ages of the
Church did not know any thing of them: Almoft three
Centuries paffed without any mention ofthem in Eccle-
Gaftical Hiftory. Antony and Paul in the Dioclefian Per-
fecution, being taken notice of as the firft of that Way.
We read indeed offome that did lead a more than ordi¬
nary fevere Courfe, and denied themfelves much of
the (perhaps) lawful Pleafures of this Life, in refpeft to
Religion and the other Life 5 but thefe were not Monks,
or the modern Afcetickf 5 tho' it hath been the way of
the Church of Rome in more inftances than this
to impofe fome new thing on the World upon the Re¬
putation of fome good and reverend Old Name: For
C 2 the
§


of the Church of Rome. 15
Morofenefs,Melancholly, Cenforioufnels, fpiritual Pride,
and other Sins of as high a Nature as thofe, which by being
fhut up from the World he pretends to avoid. And yet fiich
as theft are generally legible and obfervable in the very
Looks, Conversion and Carriage of nd Hermits.
Indeed Retirednels fometimes is an excellent help
to the Mind, by giving it time to recoiled: it ftl£
and to refled on its former Mifcarriages, and the
better to prepare it felf for its future Encounters in
the World. But a man may exceed in the Mea-
fures arid Degrees of this, as well as of other Conveni¬
ens arid lawful Enjoyments j and fo it may become a
Snare and an Evil to him: For the mind will naturally
be as much tir'd with Solitude as with Bufinefs .-Befides,
that the Devil is always moft bufie when men are idle,
arid Diverfion and Recreation is as neceffary to moft
Temper's, as Health and Cheerfulnefs are5 and fitsaman
even for the Duties of Religion. For the keeping the
Mind in a conftarit Bent, tho' of Devotion, will in a
Ihorttime weaken its Spring and dull its Edgej and the
Ads of Devotion in fuch a mind, will, it's to be feared,
be rather a formal piece of Drudgery than areafonable
Service. And though we fhould grant, that by being
confined to a Monaftery, a man might better efcape the
Defilements of any kind of Sin j yet it mult be granted,
that he cannot be in fo much capacity of doing good in
the World as if he converfed freely with it:
And Sozomen quotes it as a moft remarkable '•'•c-
Saying of fbme of the firft Monks, That he
that abftainsfromEvil,but doth noGood,ought to be efte-
med a very bad Man 5 and fo theCommands of Scriptnre
erijoyri us to take Care to do Good.as well as to abftain
from Evil, elfe we (hall be reckoned among the unprofi¬
table Servants. We are fure that publick Service ought
to'be prefeWfed before private, the Glory of God, and
the


of the Church of Rome. 17
and accorpingly the Precepts of cur Saviour and the A-
poftlesare adapted to the common Cafes of Men, and the
Concerns of fuch as converfe freely in the World. And
therefore I muft needs fay, that it hath been very wife¬
ly ordered, that there fhould be new and diftinft Rules
made for thofe that delight in this folitafy and Mona-
ftick way of Life: For they are fuch a kind of men as
the Gofpel of Chrift hath no proper Rules for.
Secondly, And I am afraid that there is as little true
Devotion in their fo frequent and conftant Pray¬
ers enjoyned and praftifed in their Monafteries, though
this be confeffedly what is moll commendable in their
wayofLife,andistheonly wayby which they themfelves
can pretend to do any Good in the World. (If I except
thofe,whicharebut very few,that workwith theirHands.)
Praife and Prayer is therefore acceptable with
God, as it is in the volunrary Expreffion of our
Souls, a Free-wiil Offering and Sacrifice which we
offer to God, in confideration of his infinite Ex¬
cellencies and Perfeftions in himfelf, his former un-
deferved Goodnefs to us, and our Liablenefs to him.
Now the conftant Prayers ufed in their Monafteries,
in more particulars than one,comefhort of that true De¬
votion due from Men to their Maker: For firft,they are
as much as can be forced on a rational Being,and on that
acccount muft needs lofe much of their Worth and Ac-
ceptablenefs. The Monks are obliged by the Rules of
their feveral Orders to fay fuch and fuch Prayers, and
juft at fuch and fuch times, whatever Devotion or In¬
tention of Mind they have*} and they are feverely pu-
nifhed if they fail of them. Exa&ly at Midnight,
at two or three a Clock in the Morning, fo very
often, and at fo very unfeafonable times, that ma¬
ny have confeffed this ftri&nefs of their Devotions,
to be of all the greateft Burden of their Lives 5
D And
I" . ;


18 Of the Devotions
And yet this they mnd do in Imitation of fbme
holy Man of Old, who is recorded to have pray'd
at thefe Houres 5 whereas thefe Mens Devotions
is not warm enough to keep them awake when
they are at Prayer. And therefore thefe Prayers
not being the free Emanations of their own mind,
methinks the praife of them is not fo much due to the
Monks themfelves, as to the head and founder of their
Order, who obliged them to fuch Rules.
And their Devotion is little more praife-worthy than
that of the Jews at Avignon, and feveral other Places,
who are once in a Week forced to go to Church and
hear a Sermon, fas thefe Monks are) at lead to fit there
whilft a Sermon is preached, and return home as good
Chriftiansasthey went thither.
But then they are not only thus dri&ly obliged to
fuch Hours of Prayer, for that were fomewhat tolerable,
they might poffibly be intent on their Prayers, notwith-
danding. But they are at the fame time taught, that
they need only fay the Words with their Mouths 5 it is
not abfblutely neccffary that their mind ftiould go along
with them, and this together with the other muft needs
fpoyl all true Devotion. The frequency and unfeafo:
nabJenefs of their Prayers, will make it very difficult
for them to attend as they ought,and their Doftrine con¬
cerning theNo-neceflity of attention at Prayers, will
certainly make them to yield to thefe difficulties, and
fo there may be abundance of Words faid, but no Devo¬
tion performed.
Befides all this, they have a way of being eafed of
this trouble of the Prayers, for according to their Cafu-
ifts, it is allowable for a man to get or hire another
to fay his Prayers for him. At lead he may be dilpenfed
with by his Superiour,and thisDifpenfation is good,whe-
ther there be a jud Reafbn or Occafion for it or no, ac¬
cord-


of the Church of Rome. 19
cording to an excellent Maxim of theirs, Ncn ad Valo
rem, fed ad Juflitiam requiritur Cauja.
And if after all this, Men ftill will be more than they
need ftrid in their Prayers, according to the Rules of
their Orders, they almoft conftantly offend in the End,
and Defign of their Devotions. For they do them not
fb much to benefit the World, or work themfelves up
to a better temper of Mind 5 But to perform a task im-
pofed on them, and which they have vowed to perform,
or efpecially to merit by their works. For they do not
fo much as pretend that this ftri&nefs in Devotion
is abfolutely Neceffary for their Salvation, (for elfe why
do they not enjoyn it toall, feeing all have the fame need
of Salvation? ) and therefore thefole end of all this
ftriftnefs and conftancy in Prayers, is only to get Hea¬
ven for others. Which Opinion, befides that it will
mightily difcourage Men of an ordinary Charity, from
being very intent on what they do, when they
are fenfible they Labour only for another 3 It coun-
tenanceth alfo afalfe and dangerous Doftrineconcerning
the Merit of good Works, and incourageth all vicious
pra&ifes in other Men, who will hope to be faved, tho
not by their own Prayers, yet by the Prayers of thefe ho¬
ly Monks {aid for them.
So that on many accounts, there is little of true Devoti¬
on to be found in that conftant courfe of Prayers, (aid
fo regularly by the Monks and Hermits3 Not to menti¬
on feveral other particulars, concerning the Frame and
Language of their Prayers, the Objeff or Perfons wor-
fhipped or prayed to, the Perfons prayed for, and the
like, which I may have Occafion to mention afterwards,
which being put together, do abundantly fhow the
impropriety, and the worthlefsnefs of fuch Devotions.
Thirdly5 And as to the Aufierities of the Lives of their
Monks and Nuns, the Punifhments which they infiift
D 2 on


2o Of the Devotion?
on themfelves, as they profefs for the fake of Religion,
by coarfe and uneafie Garments, fcanty Food and Fare,
long and tedious Watching*, frequent and cruel Whippings,
and Lafhings, and other fhch Courfe and Harfh Treat¬
ments, which they ufe towards their own Bodies. I
confefs I pity them, but can difcern little or no true
Chriftian Devotion in them.
For all Severity to our Bodies is not Devotion, or any
part of that Self-denial which the Gofpel requires, nor
is this of theirs, though they pretend it to be for the fake
of Religion 5 but their infilling fo ftri&ly on it, and va¬
luing themfelves fb much on it, is of very badConfequence
to Religion.
All Punijkment which men inflidl on themfelves is not
Religion, nor commendable, nor is the patient bearing
of it always a Sign of a true Chriftian Temper. Chrift
hath no where told us, that he that can faft longeft, or
endure moft Lafhesisthebeft Man 5 but he that govern-
eth himfelf and his Life bed. We have ftrange fnftan-
ces of this Infenfiblenefs of Pain in many of the worft
Principles and moft profligate Confidences; The De¬
vil hath his Martyrs as well as God 5 and if the volunta¬
rily inflifting Puniftiment on themfelves be a Sign of De¬
votion, thePriefts of Baal, 1 Kings iS.mufthave been a
very devout Generation of Men. Therefore it is not a-
ny religious Commendation of a Man, that he canftcut-
ly whip, or lafh himfelf, or bear it from another without
flinching.- Such a man might have made a good Gladia¬
tor, but feems not fo well qualified for a Chriftian■.
Nor is all Punifhment which Men inflift on themfelves,
and fay they do it for the fake of God and Religion, always
a Sign of true Devotion : For in other Cafes, it is not
Mens Saying that they defign well, which will make
their A&ions acceptable with God 5 but it is their do-
ipg what he hath commanded,, and for the ends which
ha


22 Of the Devotions
contentedly, cheerfully, and without Diftradion : As a
Man may be to blame alfo for his Charity, when with¬
out a juft Occafion he throws, or gives away all 5 For if
this Courfe were allowed or followed, the word Peo¬
ple,and they that know lead how to ufe an Eftate well,
would be the richeft and Owners of all,and the only per-
fons in Authority and Power,
And he tranfgrefieth alfo in the End and Defign offuch
Severity, when he pretends to merit by it, and hopes
to buy Heaven (which is the Gift of God J with a few
La flies, or a little Money.
And I have too much reafon to undervalue and dif-
like the Severity of the Monks on both thefe Accounts,
They often tie themfelves up to fuch Degrees of Strid-
nefi as are above the Meafures of a man,and confequently
not to the purpofe of Religion and Devotion. And they
always defign to purchafe Heaven for themfelves or other,
by the Merits of fuch Sufferings: At the fame time
undervaluing the Sufferings of Chrift, and over-valuing
their own 5 and yet making them of lefs worth in God's
Efteem than elfe they would be, by their own letting fo
high a price upon them.
And befides all this, their infifting fb ftridly on thefe
pieces of Aufterity,and placing fuch Religion and Perfe-
dion in them,is of very illConfequence toother purpofes.
It makes men to acquiefce in the means as the end^ to
content themfelves with having performed their Fafts,
their Number of Prayers and Ladies, without ever aim¬
ing at any Reformation and Change of Temper and Pra-
difes, than which nothing can be more abfurd in it felf^
or more contrary to the Defign of Chriftianity.
It makes men alfo to efteem this or that kind of Meat
andDrinke, Condition or Courfe of Life, to be unlaw¬
ful or finful,which really is not $ which doth much harm,
even to Religion: For it difparageth Gods Creation
and


of the Church of Rome. 2 ?
r
uch Mortification, as the melancholly and deje&ed. O-
thers cannot bear the Striftnefs and Confinement, the
weak and fickly. And now to force this fame courfe of
Life on all,or fuch a number of Men,indifferently, is like
the Cruelty of that Tyrant that would make all men of
the fame length : And the beft that can be faid in the
cafe, is, that the Perfons who thus confine and fhut up
their Children and Relations,are like to the Perfecutors,
who in the like manner fhut up St. Cyprian, which cer¬
tainly was Cruelty in them, tho by fo doing, they gave
him a greater Opportunity for private Devotion." So
that in truth I look on the Monafteries, as they are now
ordered, to be rather a kind ofPrifons,and places of Pu-
nifhment, than convenient places of Retirement in or¬
der to the freer and more undifturbed Exercife of Reli¬
gion and Devotion. And if I am not miftaken, the
Church of Rome her felf, whatever fhe pretends, really
thinks fo of them: For the worft Punifhment that fhe
infli&s on a Prieft for one of the worft of Offences, viz.
for his violating the Seat of Confeffion, is, that he fhall
be condemned to be fhut up in a Monaftery} and Idare
fay, that he and I agree in thinking that to be a fevere
Punifhment, rather than an Helpto Devotion.
Secondly, And if the Multitude of Monafteries in the
Church of Rome is no certain Sign of Devotion flourifh-
ing among them,they have little reafon to boaft of their
works of Charity: For it is mold plain, that the biggeft
part of their Charity is turned this way, to the build¬
ing and endowing Monafteries, and to the Encourage¬
ment of the Monaftick way of living.
But befides this, though I am very loth to find fault
with any pretence to Charity, yet I have too much rea¬
fon on many accounts to think very meanly of all that
which is pra&ifed in the Church of Rome: For whate¬
ver hath been given to that Church under the Name of
E


26 Of the Devotions
Charity, and is now enjoyed by it, hath for the moft
part been ill gotten, and is as ill employed.
And here I will not treat of the temporal Power of the
Pope himfelf, and of the feveral Principalities which he
Stands pofleffed of in Italy and France ; for they can¬
not be ranged under the Head of , according to
my acception of the Word ; though it might be eafily
made to appear, that they have generally been gotten
by unjuft and unlawful, or at belt by harlh and cruel
Means,and fuch as one would not expeft from theSuccefo
for ofSt. Peter. But I concern my felf with fmaller and
more private Benefactions and Gifts, though thefe
are fo confiderable, that generally a third part, often
half the Lands of a Country are the Propriety of the
Church, Now all this is gotten chiefly from men
that are dying, who can keep their Riches no longer,
and therefore who do not fo much give this from them-
felves as from their Heirs ; and is efpecially,as it were, to
buy Heaven ; and a man muft have a moft defpicable e-
fteem of Heaven, who will not give all the good things
of this Life, when he can no longer ufe or enjoy them,
for the Puvchafe of it: And what is given from fo bad a
Principle, is commonly applied to as bad a purpofe. It
is a common Obfervation, that in all the Popifh Coun-
treys the Poor are the moft miferablein the World 5 and
theirSecular Priefts too are generally in a fad Condition,
notwithstanding the infinite Riches of that Church:
And fo the Regulars only have any confiderable advan¬
tage by them ; and they alfo, as it were, club together
to fet up one great Man as Cardinal,or Head of their Or¬
der, in mighty Pomp and State; and heap Riches and
Preferments on him till he can hardly bear them. So
that one can fearcely fuppofe fo great Riches as that
Church is in common endowed with, to be gotten into
fewer Hands, or do left Good than it doth amongft
them.


of the Church of Rome. 27
them. Let them not therefore boaft of their Charity, whilft
amidft fo great Plenty, they (uffer the Poor to want fo ex-
treamly$ and yet to make a Show build a fineHofpitalin
two or three of their chief Towns: For perhaps no
where in the World do the Rich more exalt themfclves,
and tyrannize over the Poor, no where is there a grea¬
ter inequality of Conditions $ no where is there fo much
given to the Church and Charity, and no where is the
Eftate of the Church engrofled into fo few Hands, to
maintain Grandeur, rather than to be a Relief to Po¬
verty. For the Cardinals above Seventy in number are
maintained out of the Church-Revenues5 and yet are
by their Creation equal to Kings, and fuperior to Prin¬
ces. Now if this be Charity to have a prodigious Re¬
venue for the Maintenance of the Church and Poor5and
yet to employ this to the Luxury of a few, and to let
the reft perifh, I will acknowledge the Church of Rome
to be the moft charitable Church in the World. And
if it be faid that a great deal indeed hath been given to
good and truly charitable ufes, but is now perhaps mi£
employed: I anfwer, it is poffible it may be fo, yet ftill
I have fbme reafon to queftionit^ For their Do&rines
of Merit, and of buying Souls out of Purgatory,
are enough to fpoil their works of Charity, and make
them to be rather efteem'd a Bargain of Sale than a free
Gift. And yet their Donations run commonly in this
Form, I give this tofitch a Monastery for the good of my
Soul, or of the Souls of other perfons deceafed, or for the
Honour of fuch a Saint5 but feldom for the good of the
Poor, the Maintenance and Support of true Piety and
Religion $ or for the Glory and Honour of God ; And
yet in my Opinion fuch as thefe are the only ends for
which a Gift ought to be efteemed charitable, or will be
accepted by God as fuch.
E 2 But


50 Of the Devotions
Body. St. Almachhts, on Jan. 1.which only comes from
the Corruption of AlmanackA St. who was
only St. Albans Cloak; St. Vrfula, and her 11000 Vir¬
gins, of whom no Foot-fteps can be found in true Hi-
ftory. Many of them, I fear, it had been better thatthey
had never been, as being notorioufly vicious and fcan-
dalous in their Lives. And others, though more inno¬
cent, yet if we believe what is written in their Lives,
were fo prodigioufly ridiculous, that a wife and religi¬
ous man would be afham'd of fuch Company. To hear
Men in an Extafie of Devotion to talk Non fence, or to
preach to Birds and Beafts,to run naked, to wander vo¬
luntarily in Defarts, &c. is more likely with fober men,
to bring their Perfbns and A&ions into Contempt and
Scorn, than to affeft them with any quick Senfe of Re¬
ligion^ beft it will excite Men only to that extaticaland
enthufiaftical kind of Devotion, which was in vogue a-
mong the Heathens, whole Priefts were befides them-
felves, when they fpake in the Name of their Godsjand
their moft celebrated Exercifes of Religion were fuch
kind of irrational Aftions; but there is nothing of this
at all countenanced under Chriftianity.- For theGofpel
would make us wife as well as devout; and it is not re¬
quired that we put off the Man, but the Old Man and
its Vices when we become Chriftians.
And though we are fenfible of many among us
that have been very exemplary for Vertue and Pi¬
ety, and have no reafbn to doubt of their Salvation;
but have as full Affurance of it, at leaft, as they have of
their Saints; yet we are very fhy of canonizing or faint¬
ing of them, becaufe we know not Mens Hearts, nor
dare we to prefume to difpofe fo abfolutely of Heaven
as the Pope doth. We thank God for thofe that have
lived and died well among us, and exhort our people
to imitate all the Good which Ihewed it felfin them;
but


3 2 Of the Devotions
prevailed with to cut off many of thofe days of Idlenefe,
yet hill in moft places the Number of them is intole¬
rable.
Fourthly, As for Images,! fhouldhave thought it more
proper to range them among the Hinderances cf Devo¬
tion , did I not fee the Men of Rome to plead earneftly
for them, as Helps and Ajfifiances, and to blame us for
not ufing them, and paying no refpect to them.
I confefs my felf not acute enough to difcern how they
can any ways advance Devotion: For their paying fuch
Honour and Refpedt to them as they do own and acknow¬
ledge, muft needs be a great Diftraftion 5 it diverting
the Mind, and making Men fpend their religious Reve¬
rence on that which is expofed to their View : but their
paying fuch Worfhip to them as they do pay, hut areajha-
jned to ownj is flatly deftru&ive to all true Devotion.
They indeed plead the Ignorance of the People for
the neceflity of Images, and call them the Books of the
Unlearned : But they muft firji fuppofe their People in-
fufferably ignorant to need fuch Helps as thefe are. And
to give the Priefts their due, if any Ignorance would
fuffice to juftifie fuch a Praftife, they take careto heep
their People in Ignorance fufEcient; And then if they
are fo ignorant that they cannot worfhip God without
an Image, the Church cannot be fecure, but thefe fo fil¬
ly People may worfhip the Image for God or Chrift 5 or
at leaft as having fome extraordinary Vertue in it, and
fo make an Idol of it, efpecially when they fee the Eyes
and Hands ofthe Image to move,and fee Miracles wrought
by the Touch of it* as is frequently pretended and be¬
lieved to be done: So that either there is no need of I-
mages,or great danger in the ufeof them.
I confefs, I am not of Mr. Baxters Mind, who thinks
that they may be properly or fafely ufed to excite De¬
motion 5 at leaft I muft confefs my felf of a different tem-
per


per from htm. Methinks I reprefent Gad in greater Ma-
jefty to my felt, when I confider him in his Works of
Creation and Providence, than to fee him pidured, as
in the Cloud?, though with Thunder in his Hand. And
my Saviour appears more lovely to my mind and thoughts
when I confider him as coming into the World and dy¬
ing for us, than when I fee him pidured and carved on
a Crucifix. For it is more ufeful to fee him with the Ej e
of Faith thanofSenfe, and it is not the Proportion of
his Body reprefented to my Eyes, but the Dignity of his
Nature, the Love that he bore me, and the Paffions of
his Soul for me, that I admire mod, and which no Pen¬
cil can draw.
Befides, a Pidure or Image tells me nothing but what
I knew before j and it is by what I knew before that I
can make fenfe or any devout ufe of this Pidure 5 for
elfe I might take it for another profane and idle Story.
And I would fain know whether the reading confide-
rately the 26, and 27^. Chapters ofS will not
afled any pious Heart much more than the feeing and
contemplating a Pidure. Certainly if this will affed the
Senfe and bodily Paffions, the other will more work on
our Reafon, and that will be to better purpofe. Nay,
the feeing of any Pidure often will naturally make it
familiar, and not at all affeding to us.
5. And if the feverity of the Monks to their Bodies
is not any great Sign of Devotion, much lefscan theAu-
fterities ufed by the common People turn to any great
Commendation of the Church. It is true, they are for¬
ced to keep Fafts, but it would make a Man laugh to
read how their Cafuids have defined concerning the mo¬
dus, the Meafure and End of Fading. Efcobar hath
refblved it, " That no Drink breaks a Fad, be it Wine
" or Chocolate and becaufe it is not wholefom to drink
<c without eating, you may eat two Ounces of Bread :
F " For


of the Church Rome. 55
Ifitbe voluntary, there is no true Devotion in it:
For the Worth of it muft confift in fome of thefe Rea-
fons, viz. either, Firft, That God is more prefent, or
Secondly, more propitious in one publick place of Wor-
fliip than another.- both which are contrary either to
the Nature of God, or his Declaration in Scripture, when
he (ays,/« every place a pure Offering /hall be offered to him,
Mai. r. 11. And fVhereever two or three are gathered toge-
in ChrjJis Name5 he is in the midjl of them* Matt. 18.20.
And the teaching otherwife is in fome meafure to revive
Judaifm, which allowed God,as to fome cafes,to be ferv-
ed acceptably only in one place * or Thirdly, That the
Saint is more prefent or propitious here than any where
elfe: But we are fpeaking of Devotion to God, not to
the Saint , or Fourthly, That it is their punijhing them-
felves that is fo acceptable} but that hath been fufficient-
ly difcarded already: Or, Fifthly, That going fo far,
and taking fuch pains is a Sign of their Love: But a man
may (hew his Love to God,and to his Saint too by more
proper Inftances, and do more good by it, which God,
to be fure, will better accept, and the Saint, if he be
a Saint, will like as well. And therefore the making
fuch account of Pilgrimages, feems rather to favour the
Mahometan, than the Chrifiian Religion : For the go¬
ing on Pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the five indilpen-
fable points of the Mahometan Superftition.
And as for the Veneration of Reliques, all the World
knows,what a Cheat is put on Men, in vending any old
rotten Bone, or piece of Cloth, &c. for a Relique of
this or that Saint :So that according to a moderate Com¬
putation, I fappofe fcarcely one in a hundred is true:
And (bme have pleaded they need not be true. Now
whatever Devotion is performed to, or on occasion of thefe
Reliques, can be commendable only in regard of the
Mind and devout Temper of the Perfen } which I think
F 2 migh


38 Of the Devotions
nor can they be prefent in all places, and hear all Can-
fts themfelves: So that it is often neceffary that Princes
ihould employ and truft other than their own Eyes and
Ears. Many things they think below them to enquire par¬
ticularly into, and fometimes they will do that at the Ro
queft of a Favorite, which they would not do for the fake
of a Perfon that is not particularly known to them. But
there is no Room nor Occafion for this in the Court of
Heaven: For God is not only intimately known, but
is immediately prefent to all his Creatures 5 as he hath
declared himfelf no Refpe&erof Perfons,but to love all,
and therefore there is no need of any Interceflbr for us,
except the Lord Jefus 5 he affefts not empty Pomp and
State, but his Providence extends to every particular
Concern of the meaneftof all his Creatures 5 and though
he may give fome undeftrved Favours, as longer Lives,
and further Opportunities of Amendment, &c. for the
fake of others Prayers, yet no Man is fo far his Favou¬
rite, as to be able to perfwade him to reverfe his own
Laws, and to (ave a wicked Perfon that continues in his
Wickedneft. On all which Accounts there is no Occa¬
fion of praying to the Saints fo much as to intercede for
us, as the Church of Rome pretends. But to pray to
them to blejs us> and give us this or that Temporal or
Spiritual Good, as they of the Church of Rome praftife,
and to fuppofe them to have Power to help us in this or
that particular Difficulty and Diftemper is plainly intol-
lerable: For this is in a great meafure to revive Hea-
thenifm, by which Men worfbipped this or that God
for this or that particular Cafe. They muft grant the
Saint to have, though not an Original, yet a mod cer¬
tain and derivative Power, according to which he will
not fail to affift them that worfhip him 5 and in all fuch
Prayer, methinks they even terminate their Worfhip
on the Saint: For if I pray to a Saint to help me in this
or


of the Church of Rome. 3 9
or that Difficulty, with a full aflurance that this Saint
hath fufficient Power to help me, though I thould grant
that this Saint received this Power from God, yet my
Prayers terminate on the Saint. Indeed the Saint is ob¬
liged to God for that Power 3 but I Heem to own my
felf only obliged to the Saint, for his applying this his
general Power to my particular Cafe: Juft as I am ob¬
liged to a man for giving me an Eftate, though he is be¬
holden to the Government and Laws, that either he en¬
joyed that Eftate himfelf, or was empowered to give
it to another.
Befides that they often pray to Saints for fuch things,
which, if they be only Creatures,they can have no pow¬
er to give, or to be even fb much as the Inftruments of
conveying to usand yet it is notorious, they pray
fometimes to the Saints for Grace,for Pardon of and
Jirength againft them. So in Bonaven-
ture's .P/i/fer,tran(lated into Italian,and Salmi di S. Bonav.
pablifocd for ,he ufc of .be people, ££
tho the Tranflator and Publifher (ays, tifta Pinello. inGe-
that he had purged it from the Biaf- n03> Anno l6°6'
phemies which were in the former E-
ditionsj yet we find fuch pafiages as thefe to the Virgin
Mary, Pfal. 7. Come to her all ye that are heavy laden, and.
fie fiall give Reji and Refrefhment to your Souls. Pfal. 40.
Cleanfe my Heart. Pfal. 41. Thou art the beginning and the
end of my Salvation. Pfal. 44. By thy Holinefs my fins
arc purged, and by thy Integrity, Incorruptibility is given to
me. Pfal. 104- Eternal Salvation is in thy Hand,0 ,
and he that worthily honoureth thee fiall obtain it $ and many
more Sayings of this nature, or worfe, if poffible. Now
can any man fay, that fuch Prayers as thefe are fit to be
offered up to a Creature, or that they are Inftances of
the Devotion of a Chriftian, when they are fo offered
I am fure that we charge the Heathen with giving Di-
vins


of the Church of Rome. 45
into the Councils of great Men, or to anfwer fome other
fuch politick End, than to advance piety towards God,
or Amendment of Life in the Penitent? I am fare they
can have no hearty refpeft for Devotion, when they are
taught to look on their Prayers to God, as a levere Pe¬
nance $ and yet which they may be releafed from by
winning a Game at Cards, as is too commonly
known.
9. And their Do&rirre concerning the Merit of good
Works and Supererogation, as it is falfe, fo we cannot
look on it as any Encouragement to Devotion 5for God
will not be ferved with a Lye.
I confefs, if what is required of Men in their Confeflt-
on and Penances be enough to fave their Souls, they may
very eafily do more than is required: For they cannot
do Iefs, if they do any thing, though indeed one would
wonder, that any that confider the Nature of the Go-
fpel, or the Words of our Saviour, fhould ever pretend
to fupererogate.
But fuppofing their Do&rine to be true in thefe points,
they cannot be thought to ad vance Devotion,but rather
hinder it: For feeing it is fomewhat natural for a Man
to love his own Eafe, every one will be apt to argue
with htmfelf, that fo many have nterited already, that
there is no need of what he can do. Nay, it is Folly
for him to attempt it: For what need he endeavour to
add to a Stock of Merit, which is already infinite, as
fome have thought ?
And indeed it had need be infinite,elfe it is to be fear¬
ed, it is almoft, if not quite fpent, efpecially confider-
ing the vaft Expence of thefe Merits in frequent Jubilees^
and other Indulgences,the Multitude of Sinners, and the
little extraordinary Vertue and Piety found among them
at this day, to add to their Store; So that methinks it
may juftly be queftion'd whether they are not bankrupt
G 2 before


44 Of the Devotions
before now, their Disburfement Co much exceeding their
Receipts} and the Credit of their Bank (eems to depend
wholly on their OldJloch^oC Merit which the Ancients
laid up (or them, and yet they grant that this was ra¬
ther cafual, than out of Defign or good Nature; For
the Saints defign'd only to make fure of doing enough
for themfelves, and it feems that lefs ferved their turns
than they thought of, and the reft was laid by for the
ufe of (uch rich Sinners as the Church would fell it to.
So that all this Stock of Merit, which the Church of
Rome hath fo great occafion for, and of which there is
made fo prodigious an Expence, is at the beft but a
Chance and fpare-heap,which they cannot tell how they
came by (for every Bifhop hath the (ame Title to fuch
Treafure-trove that the Bilhop of Rome hath,) nay, they
have reafon to fear there was never any fuch Treafure :
(For I doubt not but the Saints in Heaven will thank¬
fully own, that they have received more from God
than they deferred, or could challenge;) to be fure,
they knew not how much there was ever laid up, nor
whether the Stock be fpent 5 and yet they fpend as free¬
ly now, as if they had been only laying up till this time,
and that the Treafure were now firft opened.
Many other fuch Abfurdities and unanfwerable Diffi¬
culties there are in their Doftrine of Merit, and in their
prattife of applying thefe Merits to the ufe of others.
And is it not a diftnal thing, that the Priefts of the
Church of Rome fliould teach men to truft in, and as to
Salvation,depend affuredly on thefe,of which they them-
ftlves have no manner of Affurance nor Ground to hope.
Is not this to play with Men's Souls and Eternal Salva¬
tion? And efpecially can this be urged as an Encourage¬
ment of Devotion, when, if it were as true as it is falfe,
it tends direftly to make Men vicious, and to ncgledfc
Devotion:, For fo a Man will think if there be fuch a
Stock


of the Church of Rome. 45
Stock in the Church, why Ihould not he have a Share
of it as well as another ? And if one can merit for ano¬
ther, why (hould not he depend on others, as well as,
they on his Merits? And feeing Merits may be bought
as the Roman Cafuifts have adjudged, he may think it
very reafonable that other's Merits fhould be given him
in exchange for his Money. So the Refiilt of all is this,ac¬
cording to this Do<drine,and the foppofed Church-floe^
only onething is needful,and that is Moneys and this will
fully make up all lack of Piety and Devotion.
10. And the belief of Purgatory,and of the validity of
Prayers for the dead, is no proper Encouragement of true
DevotiomFor true Devotion is fuch as we perform to God,
agreeably to his Will, when we know what we do,and for
what ends,and have a promife or hope ofSuccefs^but when
a man prays to God to deliver a Soul out of Purgatory,
he rauft fuppofe as true feveral things, which are ei¬
ther falfe, or at lead very uncertain 5 fo that he can
never pray in Faith, or without great perplexity and
diftraftion of mind 5 for he knows not whether there
be any fuch place or date as Purgatory: For Scripture
fays nothing of it, nor the Fathers of the three or four
fird Centuries. He knows not whether the Soul that
he prays for be in Purgatory ( if there fhould be fuch
a place ) for it may be in Heaven or in Hell, for ought
he can tell. And if the Soul be in Purgatory^ he knows
not whether it be tKeful or Lawful to pray for it 5 for
God hath given us neither Command, nor Encourage¬
ment, nor Liberty fo to do, Nay, there are feveral
particulars which they themfelves cannot agree on con¬
cerning Purgatory, viz. What Sins are promifed there ?
How the Sou! without its Body can be tormented there
with a material Fire? Who are Gods Indruments in pu-
mlhingthe Souls there? For the Devils are not 5 and.
how the Pope by his Indulgences can apply the Satisfa¬
ctions


4 6 Of the Devotions
ftions of Cbrift and of the Saints fo as to deliver any
Soul out of Purgatory > And if there be fuch a place,
the Pope himfelf by his Example doth enough to dif-
hearten all Men from endeavouring to deliver the Souls
of their Friends from thence: For it is not doubted but
he can deliver all out of Purgatory, he having the Com¬
mand of theTreafure of the Church. And it muft needs
be a wonderful Dilcouragement to a Devout Mind, that
among fb many hundred Popes, there fhould not be one
found fo Charitable as to releafe fo many thoulands of
poor Souls that lye under intolerable pains, and fo
muft lye till thelaft day, or til! the debt of their tempo¬
ral punifhment be paid. If the Pope can do fb much
with fo little Charge or Trouble tohimfelfj and yet will
not do it, fureiy I have left Reafon to do any
thing.
Nor doth it follow, that becaufe it is a part of ac¬
ceptable Devotion^ for one Man to pray for another,
whilft living here on Earth 3 that therefore it is as plea-
fing to God, for us to pray for Souls departed For
our Prayers for others on Earth, are either for Tempo¬
ral Bleffings, or for the means of Grace. We pretend
not to defire God to reverfe his own Laws, and five
fuch a Man, let him be as bad as he will 5 but to make
him Holyfirft, and then to make him Happy : And to
Pray any otherwife for another Man, naturally tends to
reprefent it as feafible to reconcile a wicked Life with
the hopes of Heaven 3 but when a Man is dead he can
Work no more, nor make any ufe of the means ofGrace9
and therefore there is no room for this Prayer to God
for him, he is not capable of Repentance, and Glory, and
Amendment, and of being made fit for Heaven.
Lafily, If they boaft of the validity of the Orders of
their Bifhops and Priefts, as an Encouragement to De¬
votion, the validity of the Sacraments dependnig fo
much


of the Church of Rome. 47
much on the Legality of the Miniftry 5 We anfwer
that we have a Clergy as properly and truly of Chrifts
fending as any Church in the World 5 againft whole
Ordination and Miffion nothing can be objected .• We
deriving the Suceeffion of our Bifhops, not only from
their own Auftm , but from the Britift) BiChops before
his time, which is the only Regular way of Miffion,
that we know of, except that of an extraordinary Com-
miffion from Heav'nas St. Paul had. And 1 would not
that there were that to be objected againft us, that is
juftly objected againft them, as to the Suceeffion of their
Popes even fince the Reformation began. For the Ele¬
ction of Sixtus V. wasmoft notoriously Simomacal, and
yet one that comes by Simony into the Popedom, is by
their own Canon Law, by the Bull or Conftitution of
Julim II. approved in the Council of Later an,An. 1513.
to be locked on as a Magician, Heathen, Publican, and ptimi
Arch-Heretick, and his Eleffion can never be made valid Decree^
by any after A3, and yet feveral of the Popes fince-, were
either made Cardinals by this Sixtus V. or received
that Dignity from thofe that received it from him ^
which is the very Cafe of this prefent Pope Innocent
Eleventh.
As for their Unity2 it is plain that they have more
divifions among themfelves, then they can charge us
with. For they have not only fuch as openly difient
and feparate from them, but great and violent distenti¬
ons among their own Members, and fuch as live in the
Communion of their Church, one againft another, and
each party pleads the Doftrine of the Church, and De-
cifions of its Councils. And yet the Pope himfelf^ not-
withftanding his Infallibility and Authority,either cannot
or dare not determine which is in the Right, or which
Opinion is True.
So


there may not be a Difpenfation granted for the doing of
it, or a Pardon for it when it is done.
And all Indulgences are dire&ly defigned to hinder
Devotion, for they are given to free Men from the Ne-
ceffity of Mortification, frequent Alms and Prayers,
which elfe would have been enjoy ned as Penance ; and
yet we know that thefe are the chiefeft parts of Devo¬
tion.
And as their general Do&rine concerning the validi¬
ty of Pardons and Indulgences is very deftru&ive of all
true Piety and Religion: So,
Seco ndly,Their conftant Practice ofgiving -
fore Penance js in a more efpecial manner influential to that
purpofe. For the People are taught to believe, that
by thePriefts faying, I abfolve thee, See. the Sin is actu¬
ally pardoned by God .• And though indeed their
Guides of Confeflors advife that Abfolution fhould not
be given till Penance be impofed and accepted 3 yet
when the Confeflor thinks that the Penitent will accept
of the Penance, he may abfolve him firft .* That is, the
Perfon may be abfojved before he accept the Penance,
or even promife to perform it 5 but it is their conftant
Method to abfolve him before Penance be a&ually per-
form'd.
Now if their Abfolution be of force, the Perfon is
free from his Sin, and fure enough of Heaven, whether
he perform any Penance or no : Which Praftice gives
all imaginable Encouragement and Licenfe to Sin 3 the
. fear of Penance being the only reftraint from Sin which
they pretend to 3 but if the Sin be fully pardoned be¬
fore Penance be accepted or performed: I lee not why
a man fhould trouble himfelf much for the performance
of his Penance y he fees plainly that it is only an Appen¬
dix that is ufed to be annext to Abfolution, but is nei¬
ther neceflary in it felf nor for Abfolution 3 the Sin is
pardon'd


of the Church of Rome. 5^
the Priefts are obliged to Celibacy by the Laws of the
Church,and their own Vow 3 as if they were not by the
Laws of God, and their Vow of Baptifm more obliged
to abftain from Fornication 3 and accordingly for Mar¬
riage, a Prieft is excommunicated or depofed 3 but for
Fornication, he is only obliged to confefs it fecretly a-
mong his other Sins 3 and the Guilt and Irregularity of
it is done away by Abfblution. Indeed they bring al-
moft all Sins under the Head of Difcipline, not only by
pretending to give Pardon and Difpenfations for molt
Sins that can be committed 3 but alfo when they com¬
pare Sins, they are always moft earneft againft fuch as
tranlgrefs the Commands of the Church. So v.g. when
Efcobar asks the Queftion, What if I communicate unwor-
thily df Eafler? He anfwers,, That by fo doings I fulfil the
Command of the Church, which is what I am immediately
bound to: And pafieth over the Duty of Self examinati¬
on and Preparation fo ftriftly enjoyned by St. Paul, as
not worthy to be confidered: And fo in innumerable o-
ther Cafes 3 by which means indeed they create a great
Veneration for the Church, or for that which they call
the Church 3 but thereby make the Commands of God
of none efieft.
Fourthly0 Their very Doftrine concerning their Pray¬
ers and Devotions, and their Praftife confequent on itr
is fuch as is altogether inconfiftent with the Nature of
true Devotion: For, according to the Church of Romey
the outward Aft will fuffice in many Cafes, though no¬
thing of the Mind go along with it 3 particularly as to
Prayers Efcobar from Coninch and Durandus affirms, that
neither an aftual, rior vertual Attention is required
when a man prayeth 5 and they give an excellent Reafon
for what they fay, viz• Becauje theChurchhath no Power
in hidden Cafes, but only in the Cafe of Auricular ConfeJJion:
As if in Prayer only the power of the Church,and Obe¬
dience


54 the Devotions
dience to its Commands were to be regarded.- And he
confirmeth his Affertion with this other moft cogent
Comparifon, That an outward Aft of Devotion, or
Prayer only with the Mouth, is a true Aft of Prayer,
tbo without the Intention, as an outward Aft of Ado¬
ration of an Idol, though without the Intention,is a true
Aft of Idolatry.So that for a man to mind what he doth
when he is at Prayers, or to be earneft in his Defires of
that which he prayeth for, though it may poffibly be a
Commendation, and Accomplilhment, yet it is not ne-
ceffary either to the pleafing of God, or fatisfying of
his Duty according to the Church of Rome. Nay, it is
a praifeforaman to draw nigh with the honour
him with the Lips, though the Heart he far from God, not-
withftanding that our Saviour, after the Prophet Ifaiah
blamed the Jews for fo doing. Indeed luch a kind of fo-
perficial Chriftians will this Doftrine make, that a Pha-
rifee would have been an excellent Man, if he had lived
in thefe days.
And purfuant to this Doftrine of the No neceffity of
Attention at Prayers,they take care that the people fliall
not be able to attend to what is donej and therefore pro¬
vide that th epuhlichPrayersand th it lelf {hall be
only in a Language xnktioivn to the people,andare fo defpe-
ratelyfondof thisDeviceofkeeping the people ignorant
of what is prayed for, that their Cafuifts have defined,
that a Man may fay his Office privately in other Langua¬
ges befides the Latin, as in or Gree%, but not in
the Vulgar Language} at the lame time keeping the peo¬
ple in Ignorance, and difoouraging them in their De¬
votions, and exercifing their Authority over them in the
moft dangerous manner that can be.
6. Their afcribing fpiritual Effefts to foveral things
which are purely of their own Invention, is much to the
Difcouragement of true Devotion towards God. And
yet


of the Church of Rome. 55
yet they have very many things of this Nature; As Ho¬
ly Waterway the being fprinkled with which,they believe
the Devil (hall have le(s power over them; Agnus Deis5
Swords and Medals which they wear to preferve them
from Dangers 3 which being confecrated according to
the Rules of their Church-, have through the Devoti¬
on of the Perfons, and the power of the Church, a
wonderful good effed5 though indeed God never pro-
mifed any fuch thing.
To this Head I may refer alfo, their Rofary, which is
nothing elfe but an odd Combination of Pater-nojlers
and Ave Marys. Several Jhort Prayers to the faying of
which thoufands of years of pardon of Sins are annext:
Their carrying the Image of St. Genovefa in Proceflion
at Pariand other Images in other Places to obtain
Rain, &c. and innumerable other fuch like Pradices,
on which Men are taught to relie, and to exped great
good by, though they have neither any natural force
or efficacy that way 5 nor any aflurance from God that
fuch effeds fhall follow. Nay even the Sacraments
themfelves according to the Dodrineof the Church of
Rome are only fuch a kind of Charms 3 for they are fup-
pofed to work effedually on the Perfon, without any
Devotion or Vertuous Difpofition being required of him
in order to it.
Now whatever effed they promife above what the
natural efficacy of the thing is apt and able to produce,
they muft have expreft Authority from God, or ehe
they fadly delude and cheat thole poor Souls that depend
upon them. And at the beft they ai£ fuppofed only a
(horter cut to Heaven, an eafier way of pleafing God
and getting his Bleffing, and are invented only to eafe
a Man of the fatigue and trouble of the common and
ordinaryrode of ferving him by a conftancy and regu¬
larity of Devotions.
Seventhly


Seventhly, Their Manuals and Books of Devotion
which they give their People to read, inftead of the
Scripture which they forbid to be ufed, though they
may defign them as jHelps,yet I muft range them among
the Hindrances of Devotion.
For the beft of them are lo full of Tautologies and
vain Repetitions, that they muft needs come under the
Cenfure of our bleffed Saviour, Matt. 6. though they
ule his own holy Name. For fo in the Pfalter, at
the end of the Manual of Prayers and Litanies Printed
at Paris in Englijh, An. 1682. in a Litany of fifteen Pe¬
titions, the Name Jefu is repeated over above 130
times. And in the fame Book , in the Litany of
tke bleffed Virgin, they pray to her by 40 feveral Names,
being only fo many diftina prailes ofher. And the like
is obfervable in all their Books of Devotion which lever
law. Now their laying the lame thing (o often over, is
not contrived to help and alfift Attention, or prevent
Diftra&ion, or as a Repetition of what is more then or¬
dinarily important,or for any other good and prudent
Realon, but out of pure Vanity and Oftentation, or as
it were even to flatter our bleffed Saviour or the Saint
which they pray to.
But moft of the Books and Legends which they put
into the hands of their People to excite their Devotion,
and by which the People take an eftimate of the Chri-
ftian Religion, are luch wretched plain Forgeries, and
fo pitifully contrived Fables, as can never be believed
by Men of Senle, and if they could be believed, are
proper indeed tp make Men Mad and Enthufiaftical$
but not to advance true Devotion 5 and he that reads
only luch Books is qualified indeed to tell Stories and
to believe Lies, but no ferious truth will ftick to him
or be valued by him. So that fuch Books as thele are
fo far from doing good,that they do much harm to Re¬
ligion


of the Church o Rome. 59
Mother ajjzfl my Weaknefs in all my Dangers and Necejji-
ties, in all Temptations to Sin9 and in the hour of my Death,
that through thy Prote&ion I may be fafe in the Lord.
Where the Lord indeed is mentioned, out of Comple¬
ment, and for Faftiions fake, but they had firft begged
of the Lady as much as they wanted or could defire .•
and pag. 80. they call her Spoufe of the Holy Ghoft, Pro-
mife of the Prophets, Expe&ation of the Patriarchs, gfueen
of the Angels, Teacher of the Apojlles, Strengthner of Mar¬
tyr /, Faithful Comforter of the Living and Dead. Now
if they Print fuch things in Englifh, what do they Print
in Spanijh ? If they do fuch things in a Green Tree, what
fhall be done in the dry > And I fear that even their ni-
ceft Cafuifts give too much Countenance to this fo grofs
Practice: For they have determined that Honours above
Civil, cult us Hyperduli<e are due to the Virgin Mary, that
is in plain Englifla, Divine Honours muft be paid to her.
For it muft be a very Metaphyfical Head, that can in this
Senfe apprehend a kind of Honour above Civil, and yet
not Divine 5 it muft be fomewhat like his, that would
pretend to find a mean between Creator and Creature, be¬
tween Finite and Infinite.
Laftly, this is moft notorious, that they enjoyn afts
to beufed, and propofe Objefts of Worfhip which they
themfelves cannot deny but there is danger of offending
in them, and even of falling into that Idolatry 3 and yet
take little or no care of giving caution concerning them 5
and if the groffeft abufe fhould happen, there is fcarcely
any poffibility of redrefs.
Indeed wherever they fpeak of Veneration due to Re-
liques and Images, of worfhipping of Saints, and efpe-
cially the Virgin Mary, they always feem as if they ca¬
red not how much Honour were paid to them 5 only
they muft make as if they put fome Reftri&ion on it,
for the fake of the reformed who would exclaim againft
I 2 them


of the Church of Rome. 67
eth over his whole Churchy will in an efpecial manner
watch over this which is (o pure a Member of it 3 that
he will accept of the Devotions which are offered to
him in it, and hear the Prayers that are made unto
him for it, and defend it againft all its Enemies
on every fide 3 which God of his Infinite Mercy
grant for the fake of Jefus Chrift our Lord.
finis.
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