true devotion, that many things, both in their doctrine and discipline, directly tend to the destruction of it.

4. I will shew what excellent provision is made in the church of England for the due exercise of all the parts of devotion, and what stress is laid on it, and on a good life

among us. First. Though devotion is properly and chiefly in the mind, a due sense of God and religion, yet it is not sufficient if it stop there; for there are certain outward acts which are either in themselves natural and proper expressions, or else are strictly required of us by God, as duties of religion, and evidences of the devout temper of our minds; and these are called acts of devotion. And all the commendation that can be given of any church, on account of devotion, must be either that there is a true foundation laid for it in men's minds, or constant provision made for the due exercise of it, all necessary encouragement given to it, and a suitable, strict, and regular practice of it observable among them. And there are several things which are not at all insisted on by us, which they of the church of Rome boast of, as serving to some or all of these purposes, which I shall represent as fairly as I can, that we may see what there is in that church that doth answer such great pretences.

For it is observed, that they of the church of Rome oftentimes, instead of dispute, endeavour to work on our people, and too often prevail, by appealing to matters of practice visible to every one's eye; an argument to which men need not use their reason but their sense; and this will, say they, sufficiently convince any of the excellency of our way. "For here are several things used as instances and expressions of devotion, very acceptable to God, and suitable to a good Christian temper, which are either not at all used in the church of England, or at least not in that degree and measure, and yet all those that are used in the church of England, say they, are used among us; for we not only enjoin, and practise constant use of prayers public and private, together with reading and preaching of the word, sacraments, and whatever is used in the church of England, but we have besides several things which are as well proper expressions of devotion as helps and assistances, which are not used among the protestants."

The principal things which they urge are such as these:

1. They blame the reformation in general, as well as the church of England, for the want of monasteries, and such other religious houses which are so numerous in the popish countries, where holy men and women being shut up, and having bid adieu to the world, live as in heaven, in constant exercise of praising of God night and day, and of praying to him for the church and state, and particular Christians, as well as themselves; and who are not only so beneficial to the world by the constancy of their prayers, but also by their example, putting others in mind of religion and of doing likewise; and by the severity of their lives, as to diet, garb, and other circumstances, live in a constant practice of that selfdenial which is commanded in scripture, and was so practised by holy men almost from the beginning of Christianity; and are, as it were, constant preachers of holiness and mortification; who, though they do indeed stay here in the world below, yet converse not in it, but are in some sense out of it, and live above it.

2. They sometimes also boast of the extraordinary charity and liberality to all good and holy uses pressed and practised among them, which is but sparingly used, say they, among the protestants; especially their excessive expense and cost in building and endowing monasteries, erecting churches, chapels, and crosses, their so pompous adorning the places dedicated to the worship of God, besides their charitable assistance and relief which they afford to the bodies of the living, and the souls of the dead; and no man can deny but charity is a certain evidence, as well as a great branch and duty of true religion and devotion.

3. Sometimes they glory in the great number of saints commemorated in their church, and dying in the communion of it, and urge them as a forcible example to others, and a mighty incentive to devotion; they think also it redounds much to the honour and commendation of their church to have had such glorious members of it, and twit us, as they think, severely, when they ask us what saints we have of our church, and wonder especially that we should observe so few festivals and holydays; whereas the very many days set apart in their church in memory of their several saints, they think not only afford

proper occasions for all acts of religion, but are a sign of their being less addicted to this world, when so great a part of their time is spent in the service of God, and that piety and devotion are a considerable part of their business and employ

ment.

4. They urge also the multitude of pictures and images of several famous men and women, who have in an eminent manner served and pleased God, and been instrumental in converting the world, as very proper assistances of a man's devotion; instructing some, they being the books of the unlearned, and sensibly affecting and alluring all to the imitation of the persons whom they represent.

5. Sometimes they commend their church for the fastings, and other acts of severity and mortification, used not only by the monks and regulars, but by all sorts of men, according to the rules of their church, on set days of the week or seasons of the year, as well as such austerities as are enjoined by their confessors by way of penance; their going barefoot and bareheaded in processions, their whipping and lashing themselves, their drawing great chains and weights after them, as great and proper instances of self-denial and devotion.

6. They place also a great deal of religion in pilgrimages, which the more devout sort take, and spend their estates, and sometimes their lives in, to Jerusalem, Rome, Loretto, Mount Serrat, to St. Thomas at Canterbury, St. Winefred's Well, or some such other places where some extraordinary person hath lived, or some strange relic is left, or where they reckon God hath, on some occasion or other, wonderfully manifested himself; and they reckon, that the very visiting or kissing these, are either an argument of truly devout minds, or that which will make them so. And their manuals or books which their priests give into the people's hands, do not fail by all the art imaginable to endeavour to screw up men's devotion, even to rapture and ecstasy in commendation of these practices and orders, even as if they would have us believe that there is no true religion and devotion without these, and that where there are these things practised, it is a certain sign that the mind is affected as it ought, and piety flourisheth in the highest degree.

And besides these matters of practice, there are also several doctrines and opinions peculiar to themselves, which they

reckon do naturally tend to the advancement of true devotion. As,

7. Their doctrine concerning the intercession of saints for us, and the advantage of invocation or prayer to them, and that we of the church of England want one of the greatest encouragements to prayer and devotion that can be, who neither own nor make use of these helps, and therefore that we cannot have such hope of success and blessing as they have.

8. Their doctrine concerning the merit of good works and supererogation, is of the same nature, in their esteem: for the more worth you suppose in any action, the greater encouragement is there to the performance of it, and therefore surely it must be a most irresistible motive to devotion, to persuade men that the worth and value of it is such, as that you may by it purchase heaven, not only for yourselves, but for others also.

9. Their belief of purgatory, and of the validity of prayers for the dead, doth naturally tend to excite men to devotion, say they; for here is a greater scope and occasion for our prayers, we may hope to be instrumental to more good, more persons to be relieved and helped by our prayers, than are supposed in the devotions of the church of England.

10. And especially their doctrine and practice of confession, penance, and absolution, they look on as so necessary to devotion, that it is a wonder with them that there should be any show of it where these are not received and practised; for a particular confession of all sins to a priest being so strictly required, they say, is the readiest way to bring men to a sense of, and shame for their sins; and penance being also imposed presently on them, will surely make men to be more afraid of sinning again, when they see it must cost them so dear, and that they may not despair or despond, by reason of the multitude or weight of their former sins, but may be encouraged to strive more earnestly against sin for the future, the priest gives them absolution of what is past, at the same time encouraging their hope, as well as exciting their fear, and endeavouring by the same method both to allure, to force, and to shame men into amendment.

Lastly, They insist much also on the validity of their ordinations, the truth and succession, unity and authority of their

church, and the obedience that is payed to the rules and orders of it, as mighty helps and assistances, and encouragements to devotion; when they are so sure of the sacraments being duly administered, and all other acts of authority rightly performed, when the laws of the church, for the punishment of offenders, are duly executed, and when the church hath power to oblige all to an uniform and regular practice.

All these things, say they, do either encourage and excite men to devotion, or assist, or direct them in the exercise of it, give more room, or afford better occasions for it, or else shew more fully the necessity of such and such parts of it, than what is received and practised in the church of England; and therefore the church of England that wants these, wanteth also much of the occasion, matter, opportunities, and arguments for devotion: so that laying aside all disputes concerning articles of faith, they doubt not but it will be readily granted, that at least they are a more devout people; whatever their belief is, their practice is more agreeable to that self-denial and mortification commanded in scripture; that God is more constantly and reverently served among them than he is among us; that they take more pains, are at more cost and trouble in the worship of God, which they think is an instance of a good religious mind, and will be most secure of God's acceptance.

These are, I think, indeed, the most that they do urge for themselves in this point; and there is something of appearance of truth in all this. Most of these instances are such as may, perhaps, be very taking at first sight with some people, they having a show of regularity, strictness, and severity, or else of being proper helps and assistances of devotion; for men are wont to admire any thing that looks odd or big, especially if others have but the confidence highly to praise and extol it. But if we examine them, we shall find them to fall infinitely short of such specious pretences; some of them to be unlawful, and those that are good in themselves to be some way or other spoiled in the use of them; always they err in some material part or circumstance; and, taken all together, they have nothing in them which evidence any true devout temper, either designed to be wrought by the church, or actually working in the people; much less do they bespeak greater devotion than is required and practised in our church.