God with St.Paul that all mistaken Perfons were both almoft and altogether fuch as we are, Auts xxvi.z9. Now those who have erred and are deceived are of many forts, for the Words are fo general, that they extend to the very Heathen, who of all others have erred the moft miferably, as having not only been miftaken in fome leffer matters, but have been deceived in the very Foundation, fuppofing there were many Gods, and worshipping them in Images, or in fome of their Fellow Creatures, believing things most strange and ridiculous of them, and thinking to please them by abomina. ble things. Now as to thefe, when Litanies were first compofed, they were infinitely the greateft part of the World, yet thofe few Chriftians,who then lived among them ceafed not to pray for those that were without, and that were deceived, that God would convert them (w), and fo he did in a great Measure; for within 400 years after Chrift, the greatest part of the known World had renounced Pa

(m) Ὑπὲρ τῶν Vortar & ITαnuroor sensuouso, 8πως ὁ κύριΘ ἀντὶς inssip Clem.

Pro vocatione Genti um-S.Ambrof.

Oremus proPaganis,

S. Greg. Sacramentar. p. 104.

gan Idolatry: But there ever were, and are ftill, many rude and barbarous Nations, grofly deceived with the moft monftrous Lyes, being moft grievous Idolaters to this very day. The Good Lord pity them and discover the Light of his Truth unto them, as alfo unto the obftinate Jews, the fierce and conquering Turks, who are not only lamentably deluded,but utter Enemies unto the Truth: Yet these two laft are equal in number, if not fuperior to the Chriftians; and oh what pity is it fo many millions of Souls fhould believe a Lye; let us pray heartily for their Converfion to him, who only can reduce them: But Secondly, Thefe words do take in all Hereticks and Schifma

τὰς πεπλάνη

ulis, & average, σώαψον τῇ ἁγίᾳ σε καθολική και Αποςο24x ExxAnda Lit. S.Bafil.

ticks, and all that believe and hold any falfe Doctrine, although they be called Chriftian, and thus St. Bafil's Liturgy applys this Petition, defiring the Lord to gather together the difperfed, to bring back thofe that have erred, and to unite them to thy Holy Catholick and Apoftolick Church (x): And the like Petition we have in St.Gregories Sacramentary. Thofe who have erred therefore are theRing-leaders and Heads of Evil Principles, Herefies and Factions; and those who are Deceived are the vulgar, the followers and admirers of these Seducers: For both of which we pray with a hearty Charity, that God may give them Repentance to the Acknowledging of the Truth, 2 Tim.ii.25. And that our pity may be the more excited toward them, and our Petitions more fervent for them;

Et pro hæreticis atque fchifmaticis, ut Deus ac Dominus nofter eruat eos ab erroribus univerfis, & ad fanElam matrem Eccleft m Catholicam, &c. Sacramen S. Greg.

I. Let it be confidered how many they are in number, who do thus err and are deceived: For there is but one right way and many wrong, the Truth is but one (y), but Errors are various and manifold, even almost innumerable (z). On the right hand a great part of the Chriftian world is abufed with the Superftition and Errors of Rome, and that they may

(y) Certè fola five1, plura enim vera difcrepantia effe non pefunt. Cic. Acader.1.2.

(2) Πολυσχι

dãs 28′ 78 Tõifő-fwallow the abfurdeft Tenents,are

Discourse or Reading to inform themfelves what Scripture or Reason faith against it: On the left hand we fee vaft numbers of Hereticks, Enthufiafts, Sectaries and Schifmaticks,agreeing as little among themselves,as they do with that One Truth, which all of them do oppofe. It were endless to reckon up all the little names, which fet up for themselves in our late fad times of Libertinifm and Rebellion, every one of which had many abetters, yet divers of them are now vanished,and barely to mention them were to do them more honour than they do deserve But of thofe who do remain there are too many, who quarrel with the most antient Government, the moft innocent Ceremonies, and the beft Devotions in the World, and invent new ways of Worship and new articles of Faith, the Leaders of all which Sects have erred, and they which follow them are Dereibed. When we therefore confider how many poor Souls are wandring on either fide,their very number will move us to pity and pray for them,efpecially if we add to this,

II.How grievously they are deceived,and how grofs errors they are made to believe: The Romanist embraceth many things for Truth plainly condemned in Scrip-' ture, unknown or difallowed by the antient Chriftians, and contrary to Senfe and Reafon: Such are their Veneration of Images, Praying in an unknown Tongue, making the Saints Mediators, the Popes Infallibility, the fale of Indulgences and Maffes to free Souls from Purgatory,& the prodigious Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation,yet all these being guilded over with the fair Titles of Carbolick, Apoftolick, they believe fo confidently as to call thofe Hereticks, who will not wink and fay as they are taught, to faysand the more to confirm them in thefe deceits they have invented many incredible Legends and Miracles, which are received for mighty Arguments with Women and the Laity, who are apt to believe all to be done out

of pure Zeal to God and his Church, which is meerly to encrease the Wealth, and maintain the Grandeur of thofe, who find the fweet of deceiving them;all which we speak not to reproach them, but to move our felves to pray heartily for them, for we do not hate them,but grieve for their delufions, and heartily with they may fee them all. Again, who can reckon all the weak and idle fancies, which our abused Sectaries take for Gofpel, rudeness and ill-manners is Religion with fome of them, Rebellion or disobedience against Authority with others; pure Churches without any Sinners in them is a dream, that fome make a Foundation-Principle: But not to reckon the Errors of particular Sects, how fadly are they all deluded, who imagine the Tautologies, Non-fence and Impertinencies, yea the Railings and blafphemy of their Speakers to be the Language of the Spirit and the Infpiration of God, and are more moved with an incoherent Prayer and a loose Discourse than with more exact and rational Compofures. How miferably do, they err in perfwading themfelves, that to be one of their Party is to get into Chrift,to be one of Gods Elect and chofen ones, to be out of it is a Sign of a Child of wrath and a Reprobate: All the promises and good things in Scripture they apply to themselves, all the Curfes and threatnings to others, and this they account Demonftration. Good God! How fad a Spectacle is this to a pious and fober man! To fee fo many wellmeaning Men and Women thus mifled, who defired to do well, and find the Dne right way (4), but through the misfortune of an evil-Education, or an unhappy acquaintance with fome of the Mafters of error are led far off from the paths of Truth; who if they had met with a found Guide might have been eminent Inftruments of Gods glory, and ŌrCaments to a good Profeffion. III. We

(a) O quam honefta Voluntate miferi ersant. La&.Inftit. 1.5.

(b) Quod femel fividiamini aliquando ne ratione feciftis, ne nefciiffe, defenditit, meliufque putatis non vinci quam confelle veritati. Arnob.l.6. cedere atque annuere

III. We may confider the Dbftinacy with which they persist in these Errors, for having once poffeffed themselves with a fancy, that they are in the right, they refolve never to believe any thing to the contrary (b), though Reafon and Scripture, Experience and the wifeft Men be against them: And though they choose their opinion rafhly, and for little Reafons they will not quit it for great ones, falfly judging it is a fhame to forfake their Choice, whenas in truth the only shame was to chufe fo ill, and it will be their Honour to chufe better upon second Thoughts. 'Tis very strange to fee the violent prejudice and defperate confidence of many,who will not endure to hear any thing against theirOpinions, nor have they patience to examine, whether they be right or no if they do, it is with fuch refolutions not to be altered, that as St.Hierom faid well, it is easier to convince them, than perswade them, and though our Endeavours must not be wanting, yet verily unless God turn the hearts of moft of thefe deceived People, we cannot hope for much fuccefs, which ought to make us pray the more fervently to him for them,especially if we also remember:

Laftly, In what extraordinary Danger of Damnation thefe deceived Perfons are, while they hold their grievous Errors: It is not only Practices, but Opinions also which may condemn us; for we read of damnable Herefies, 2 Pet.ii. 1. and those who receive not the Love of the Truth are fuffered to be deluded (faith St.Paul) that they might all be damned, who believe not the Truth, 2 Theff.ii. 12. and elsewhere he faith fuch perfons are in the fnare of the Devil, and taken Captive by bim according to his defire, 2 Tim.ii.25, 26. So that St.