5.4. due Circumftances: And as God's Creatures may be abused, fo they may be bleß'd to the End, that Men may use them as they ought. Thus Images, Meats, Swords, Banners, Veftiments, and many other Things are bleß'd and none ought to find Fault with this but they, who either think that God cannot bleß the moft indifferent Things, or that Prayer is not a proper Means to obtain his Bleffing.

However you are under a Mistake, if you imagine that we place any inherent Sanctity in inanimate Things by their being bleß'd. We only truft, that whatever Creatures are blß'd by the Church in the Name of Jefus-Chrift, Almighty God will for his Sake render them beneficial to those who use them with Devotion in order to the End, for which they are ordain'd.

§. 4.

The Sign of the Crofs, Holy Water, and Exorcifms.

Hat you say concerning the Sign of the Croß

upon our Bells is no more a Matter of Jest, than the Sign of the Croß in Baptifm; for the one is of meer human Inftitution as well as the other. But what an Age do we live in, when the Sign of the facred Inftrument of Man's Redemption is made a Subject of Laughter amongst Christians! This was one of the earliest Fruits of the bleffed Reformation. For ther it was that a Crucifix began to be treated in this Ifland with the fame Marks of Ignominy and Contempt, as if it were the Image of fome infamous Trai tor, or Enemy of the State. And even now a Man becomes as ridiculous in Proteftant Company by Bleffing himself with the Sign of the Croß, as if he were drefs'd up in a Fools.coat.

But was it fo in the primitive Ages? Hear what Tertullian writes upon that Subject. At every Step and every Turn; at every Coming in and Going out; if we put on our Cloaths or change our Shoes; if we wash, if we take a Repaft, if a Candel be brought into the Room; if lye, if we fit, whatever we do, we are still Making the Sign of the Croß upon our Foreheads. Lib. de corona militis. C. 3. And St Cyril of Jerufalem writes thus. To this Day it [the Sign of the Croß] cures Difeafes, chaces away Devils, and diffolves Charms of Witchcraft and Art Magick. Cat. 13, p. 138. Here you fee the Sign of the Croß not only chaced away Damons, but was a Remedy against Difeafes, and Magicall Spells. And why then may it not have fome Part of this Effect by the Benediction and Prayer of the Church, when it is imprefs'd upon Bells, as well as any other Way? But, to omit numberlefs other Teftimonies of the Ancient Fathers relating to this Subject, how can you read the two Paffages, I have quoted, without being convinced that in Deriding our prefent Practice you condemn that of the purest Ages of the Church? You tell me, the Diffenters can shew no outward Action, or Thing appointed in your Church, by the Ufe of Which Evil Spirits may be chaced away, help'd in Labour, of Storms at Sea quell'd, A most wonderful Commendation! and you add immediately by Way of Reproach to us, that all thefe, and many more Virtues are attributed in our Church to the Use of

Women

what we call Holy Water, and many other fuch like Inftitutions of Mechanical Means of Grace.

Well, Sr, let us fee, whether this Mechanism was not in Use amongst the Ancients, and what Effects it wrought. It is above eleven hundred Years, fince Holy Water began to be used in England. This appears from St Gregory's Epistle to St Melitus to whom he wrote thus. Let the Idols be destroy'd: Les

HOLY WATER be made; let it be sprinkled in the faid Temples; let Altars be made, and Reliques placed in them: Lib. 11. Epift. 76. This is an unanfwerable Proof, that the English received the Use of Holy Wa ter, as likewife of Reliques together with their Chrif tianity from Rome. But it is ftill far more ancient. For in the Reign of Conftantine, the firft Chriftian Emperor, when the Jews by Magical Enchantments hittder'd the Building of a Church, we have in St Epiphanius this Bleffing of Water ufed effectually against them by the holy Count Joseph; who after he had made the Sign of the Croß upon it pray'd thus. In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth------ may this Water baye Power against the Magical Charms and Enchantments, they [the Jews] have used; and may it reftore to the Fire it's natural Force, that the Houfe of God may be finish'd. Which Effect it had accordingly, and forced the Jews then prefent to confefs the Power of Chrift.Epiph. Hær.30. §. 12. p. 136. 137.

I omit feveral other Relations of the like miraculous Effects wrought by the Ufe of Holy Wa ter recorded in the Writings of the ancient Fathers. And I shall only add that the Power over Devils did not expire with the Apoftles; nay that it was an ordinary Power of the Catholick, Church in the third Age (tho it never was, nor ever will be in the Reform'd Churches) is evident from what St Cr prian wrote Epift. 76. To this very Day, fays he, the Devil is fcourg'd, and burnt, and tormented by the EXORCISTS with human Voice, and a Divine Power. Now, Sr, you may laugh, or proceed to fomething elle, if you please.

§. 5.

Invocation of Saints.

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Y Lord, that which makes up the Bulk & of the Romish Devotions is the Worship and Invocation of Saints and Angels, the Adoration « of their Images, and the Reliques of Saints departed, «e Pieces of their Bodies, or of their Vestments, &c. « to which great Miracles ate attributed and there- « fore they are made ftrictly and properly Means of « Grace. pag. 113. «

L. What, Sr, are all Things, to which Miracles are attributed, made strictly and properly Means of Grace? Then they are by Confequence made Sacraments; for thefe alone are Means of Grace ftrictly and properly fo call'd. So then the Handkerchiefs and Aprons, which touch'd St Paul, and by which Difcafes were cured, and Evil Spirits chaced away. Act. 19. . 12. were (at least whilft he lived) fo many more Sacraments, than ever were inftituted by Chrift. Nay it is writ, Act. 5. v.15. that they brought forth the Sick, and laid them on Beds and Couches, that at leaft the Shadow of St Peter paffing by might overshadow fome of them, and they might be deliver'd from their Diftempers. So that St Peter's Shadow, for ought we know, had as good a Title to be of the Number of Sacra ments, as any of Christ's Inftitution. How dangerous a Thing is it to be carried away with a violent Prejudice! For a Man's own Principles are generally for gor, and even common Senfe is loft in the Harry.

You tell me, that the Bulk of the Romish Devotions is made up of the Worship and Invocation of Saints, and Angels, the Adoration of their Images, &c. And I tell you, Sr, that the Bulk of Proteftant Objections is

made up of Mifreprefentation and Slander; For the Bulk of our Devotions, and indeed the only effential Devotion of every true Chriftian confifts in the Worship, Invocation, and Adoration of God through Jefus Chrift: And we hold it to be a damnable Impiety to give God's Wordship, to any Creature whatsoever, As to our Invocation of Saints (which is the Article, we have now chiefly before us) I shall fet down the Doctrine of our Church, as it ftands recorded in the Council of Trent; whofe Definitions in this as well as other Doctrinal Points muft furely be allow'd to be the true Standard of our Faith. What therefore the Council teaches is this. Viz. That it is good and profita ble for Chriftians humbly to invocate the Saints, and to have Recourse to their Prayers, Aid, and Assistance whereby to obtain Benefits of Gad through his Son our Lord Jefus-Chrift, who is our only Redeemer and Saviour, Self. 25.

Thefe are the Words of the Council, wherein our Doctrine concerning the Invocation of Saints is fully and faithfully deliver'd: and the Sum of it is, that it is good and profitable, and by Confequence lawful to defire the Saints in Heaven to pray for us. Whence I inferr, that the Queftion between us if truly stated is this. Viz. Whether it be not as lawful for Chriftians to defire the Saints in Heaven to pray for them, as it was for St Paul to defire the Chriftians upon the Earth to pray for him. Rom. 15. v. 30. I confefs I have not Penetration enough to fee the Lawfulneß of the one, and Unlawfulness of the other.

» G. My Lord, the Reafon of the Lawfulness of » the one, and Unlawfulneß of the other is, because the one is commanded, the other not ; nay forbidden, » as I will shew you. pag. 114.

L. Sr, I remember a good old Woman once made me this Anfwer, and I thought it was well