there exercise his Soveraign Authority over the Church and by cousequence that the Bishops of Rome are his Successors By what arguments is that proved to be certain will the Turk reply By Tradition must the Papist answer Common sense will advise the Turk to rejoyn we have lost the Subject and mistake the Case the Question was concerning an agreement with your Written Law and you carry me off to Vnwritten Tradition to prove your Title 'T is quite another Question wherein I perceive you are not of one mind viz. whether the points of your Religion must be decided by Tradition But be that determined how it will you must needs acknowledg upon the matter of fact that there is nothing in your Written Law to prove it The Invocation of Saints and the Adoration of Images and Relicks c. not proved by Scripture The Object of Worship and religious Adoration is a matter of the highest moment in Religion if any thing can be so and I am bold to affirm that any man must have lost Common sense and be delivered over to a reprobate mind who can say that this Article must be tried by Tradition and not by Scripture If then Popery would manifest it self to be Christianity they must show that the objects of their Worship are to be found in the H. Scripture and can be proved from thence They adore God the Father Son and H. Ghost but that is not Popery but Christianity This doth not distinguish Papists from other Christians in the point of Adoration But the Sacrament of the Altar the H. Virgin Saints and Angels Images and Relicks which they worship and invoke and bow themselves before this is that which they ought to justifie from the H. Scriptures Now how can any have the impudence to assert that the Worship of these is to be found in the Scripture to prove that the Sacrament of the Eucharist or Christ in the Sacrament ought to be worshipt they produce neither precept nor Example but those words This is my Body which they think proves all but indeed nothing 'T is Enough they say that we know the Body of Christ is there it will follow clearly that we must adore it If it were enough to declare the subject to teach us what Honour we ought to pay to it why did not the Father content himself to say of J. Christ This is my Son why did he add and let all the Angels of God worship him kiss the Son and pay him Homage Those Appearances of Bread that to us seem to be Creatures in the Sacrament and in reallity are so do forbid us to adore a Subject wherin a Creature is so sensible that Stumbling-block at least should have been removed by an express Command saying worship this as by an express command it is said Eat ye all of it The Religious Invocation of the Virgin and of the Saints takes up more room in the Popish worship than the Invocation of the true God. There are an hundred Chappell 's which bear the names of Saints to one that is consecrated unto God. Where-ever we go we see nothing but Devotions and Altars to the B. Virgin and the Saints Pilgrimages are undertaken to serve and invoke'em Miracles are expected from them great Deliverances wrought by their means and Thanks-givings accordingly return'd to ' em Their Churches resound with Letanies and Ora pro nobis's much more than with Hallelujah's In every prayer to God the Saints must make a part for they add the Merits and Intercessions of the Saints and pray to God to have regard to 'em and for their sakes to show Mercy the Images of those Saints are expos'd to the Adoration of the People in their Churches and even upon their Altars yea 't is not enough to have them in their Temples but they are plac't in the Streets and and in the most publick places There they worship 'em kneel before 'em and carry 'em in Triumph offer Incense to 'em and pay them all sort of divine honour Should an Heathen or an Indian be told that there is not one word to this purpose in the Law of Christians they could not believe it and would reckon it prodigious and unaccountable This is nevertheless true and to manifest that it is so we need but look over the Proofs brought from Scripture by the Papists to support this Idolatrous Worship For Example David saith Let us kneel before the Lord and worship before his Foot-stool Abraham and Lot bowed down before the Angels who appeared to 'em in the form of Men and they took them to be such The false Prophet Balaam kneel'd down before the Angel That reprobate Prince Saul bowed himself down before the appearance or shadow of Samuel Bellarmin lib. 1. cap. 13. de Ecclesitriumph call'd up by the Witch of Endor and Ahab at the feet of Elijah Nebuchadnezar King of Babylon at the feet of Daniel Jacob in blessing the Children of Joseph said The Angel who hath preserv'd me from all Evil bless the Lads Eliphaz saith unto Job Is there any that can answer thee and to which of the Saints upon Earth wilt thou turn thy self Moses saith Remember Abraham Isaac and Jacob. And Daniel prays for the continuance of Mercy to Israel because of Abraham whom he loved These are the proofs for the Invocation of Saints and such as these that they kneeled before the Ark upon which were the two Cherubims that they kneeled before the Serpent of Brass that God said to Moses The place where thou standest is holy Ground S. Paul writing to Timothy saith the Scripture is holy thou hast learnt the Holy Scriptures Moreover he saith that the first day of the week is holy therfore Images are holy and we may kneel before them These are the Texts which are brought to prove the Invocation of Saints and the worship of Images Doth not this very much resemble that worship of the Virgin wherin she is called the Redeemer of Mankind the Queen of Heaven the Gate of Paradise the Morning-star the Goddess of Christians and the Salvation of the Living and the dead wherin she is prayed to to give Grace to grant Pardon to Bind and Loose to Save to Heal to Protect to Deliver from Death from Hell and the power of the Devil wherin they build Temples to the honour of Saints consecrate Altars to 'em and sacrifice the body of J. Christ to their Honour place their Images upon Altars offer incense to 'em worship them and expect Miracles from them and render them all sort of Homage and Adoration Is it not a strange and horrible blindness that should make men call this a Proof of such Worship Is it not rather to proclaim that they despise the H. Scripture and care not for any conformity to it It would be too large to instance in all the Doctrines and Worship of the Roman Church and shew that they have no agreement with the Scripture let any man but consider
of the Antiquities of Rome confess it The Pantheon is now the Church of the V. Mary surnamed the Rotunde Twelve Idol Temples are reckon'd that have the same Honour i. e. to be consecrated to the Virgin. The Primitive Christians did so abhor Paganism that they would not for any thing in the world have celebrated their Mysteries in Pagan Temples But Popery which came in afterwards makes use of any thing of the Pagans their Temples their Images their Ceremonies I know not how any one can look on this Conformity otherwise than a certain Character of Antichristianism CHAPTER XVIII The Eleventh Character of Antichristianism that is found in the Papacy a Spirit of Lying and Fables Falsehoods to sustain the Authority of the Pope A short account of the Romance of the V. Mary The Antichristian spirit must be a spirit of Lying and Fables ALL Heresies and false Religions in general have the Father of Lyes for their Author But yet 't is certain that there are some Sects that are distinguisht by this and have a Spirit of Lying for their Character 'T is plain by Scripture predictions that this was to be the Spirit of Antichristianism This is signified by those V. 13. Three unclean Spirits Apoc. 16. that come out of the Mouth of the Dragon and of the Beast and of the false Prophet V. 14. For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the Earth These Spirits of Devils are those Lying Spirits who by Fables and false Miracles deceive the Inhabitants of the Earth 'T is of the same Spirit of Lying and Imposture that this Prophecy speaks V. 13. And he doth great Wonders Cap. 13. so that he maketh Fire come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men V. 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by means of those Miracles These Wonders are Lying Miracles Delusions Impostures or Fables This is also predicted by St. Paul in his 2. Epist to the Thessalonians V. 9. Whose coming viz. of the Mystery of Iniquity is after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders But above all this is the Character that the same Apostle expresly giveth the cursed Authors of the Antichristian Apostacy telling us that the Worship of Demons and Spirits as Mediators was to be set on foot by V. 2. Men 1 Tim. 4. speaking Lyes in Hypocrisy having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron The true Spirit of Popery is lying Fables and Imposture and consequently it is Antichristianism Let none wonder that we detain the Reader longer than usual on his Point For there is not a more sensible and palpable evidence that the Papacy oweth its Original to the Devil than this All false Religions have their fabulous Stories Paganism had its Fables corrupted Judaism had theirs But all the Fables of all the false Religions put together do not come near those of Popery either for number or horridness And those who will not see its Falsehood and Vanity by this prospect will never discern it by any other I promise once again that I do not call Popery that which remains of Christianity in the Roman Church for instance the Divinity of Christ his Resurrection his Redemtion and Judging the World c. Popery works no Miracles but to confirm its Superstitions These grand Truths are supported by Miracles and Wonders which were wrought by the Apostles and by Apostolical Persons The Papacy is not at all concern'd to support the Christian Truth by their Lying Miracles it takes little or no eare to preserve any part of it Or rather God hath not permitted that his holy Mystery should be disparaged by fabulous Evidences and Impostures of the Devil But the Papacy not being able to work true and real Wonders to confirm their Doctrines hath framed most horrid Relations fill'd with Lyes and ridiculous Fables to support the Popes Supremacy and Empire the Invocation of Saints the Adoration of the Virgin the Sacrifice of the Mass the Real Presence the Adoration of the Eucharist and of Images We must with some exactness view some Instances of these Lying Histories that we may understand the spirit of Popery Fables invented to set up the Popes Supremacy One of its principal Articles is the Authority of the Pope his Infallibility his unlimitted power his Succession to the Apostelship and Supremacy of St. Peter These things must be found in Tradition for Scripture saith nothing of them And to find them there they must be put into it for they were not there neither To put them into it for want of History they must weave together a heap of Fables Therefore in the first place they must without any proof suppose that St. Peter after he had been seven years Bishop of Antioch came and made himself Bishop of Rome and that he sat there five and twenty years that he was crucifyed with his head downward and at his death appointed a Successor to whom he bequeath'd a full Authority over the Vniversal Church This Successor of St. Peter left his and this third another so that in a continued Succession until this day the Popes of Rome have always been Soveraigns of the Church Umpires of all differences Judges without appeal of all Controversies and Liege Lords of all the Kings of the Earth but all this is founded on meer Fables Fables concerning the abode and actions of St. Peter at Rome First The Journey and Death of St. Peter at Rome are not very certain 'T is true antient Authors have said so But it doth not in the least agree with the History of the Acts of the Apostles or with the Chronology of St. Paul's Epistles That Apostle made two Journeys to Rome where he was twice a Prisoner In his second Imprisonment they will have him suffer Martyrdom with St. Peter 'T is very surprising and astonishing that the Apostle who in his Epistles written at Rome mentioneth so many persons of a mean quality should say nothing of St. Peter The Mystery of Iniquity began to work in Saint Paul's time this Journey and Martyrdom of St. Peter at Rome whether true or false was to be the principal foundation of the vain pretences of this Counterfeit Monarch of the Church 'T is not improbable that this Spirit of Lying which sowed the first seeds of Antichristianism persuaded the Antients of the second Century that S. Peter had appointed the Bishop of Rome to be his Successor tho this was plainly false For St. Peter had the charge of the Jews and of the Church of the Circumcision Now the Jews were very inconsiderable at Rome where they had no more respect than those Fortune-tellers whom we call Gypsies have among us The greatest and most considerable part of the Jews were about Babylon and 't is there that St. Peter dates his first Epistle As to the pretended Episcopacy of St. Peter at Rome which lasted five and twenty years
is the Sun and that the Emperor is but the Moon who hath all his authority from the Pope who gives him the Empire and that in the interregnum between the death of one Emperor and the Election of another the whole soveraign power comes into the Popes hands That Kings are only the doggs of his flock but the Pope is the only shepherd That he hath all Lawes in the cabinet of his breast that he is the Cause of Causes that he keepeth the keys of Heaven and hell that he hath authority to command the Angels that he is the Infallible Judge of the whole Church that none can be saved but in communion with him that the Old and New Testaments ought not to be received but because the H. Pope hath so pronounced that he can change the natures of things and make something out of nothing that his power is greater than that of all the Saints and that the Pope is the only Bishop and the rest are but his subdeligates and have no power but from him that Emperors and Kings ought to adore his Pontifical Crown and his Diadem that all Kingdoms are tributary to him and that he may constrain all the Commonwealths of the world to pay him Tribute that he is the stomach of the Church and consequently it belongs to him to distribute nourishment i. e. riches and wealth to the whole body But what perhaps these pretentions are vain and without effect Quite the contrary For the Pope took the actuall possession of all those pretended Rights Proud actions of the Popes as far as he was able Divers Popes have deposed Emperors and Kings They took away the Empire from Henry IV. Frederick I. and Frederick II. they depriv'd several Families of the Kingdom of Naples and bestow'd it on others Innocent III. gave the Kingdom of England to Philip August King of France After that he assum'd it to himself and made King John pay him homage for it as his Tributary and Vassal Alexander VI. gave the West-Indies to the Kings of Spain by the title of a Kingdom Julius II. took away Navarre from its lawfull Soveraings to bestow it on the Spaniards The Popes have setled Imposts and Taxes throughout all their Dominions and appointed Receivers to Collect the money They have forc'd the Greatest Monarchs actually to kiss their feet they have trod upon the necks of Princes and kickt their crowns from off their heads assoon as they had put them on and made 'em hold the Stirrup while they got on horseback they have obliged them to come and ask pardon on their knees in the habit of Penitents stript of all their royal Robes they have sent swords to Princes to let them know that they have all their power and authority from them they have pronounc't Anathema's against all who would not obey them and declar'd them to be Accursed of what rank quality or condition soever they be who should refuse obedience They have appear'd in publick with a magnificence and pomp that was rather divine than Royal they make the H. Sacrament which is their God to be carried in a less honorable place and manner than they themselves It is carried upon an Hackney while the Popes are born upon mens shoulders of whom the Emperor is to be one if he be at Rome at the time of the great Ceremony They actually grant dispensations contrary to the laws of God in Oaths and in the forbidden degrees of Marriage They exalt themselves above their own Saints who are their Gods for they canonize'em and decree them to have the honour of Altars and Incense whenever they please They open the Gates of Purgatory to fetch Souls from thence whenere they have a mind to do so They give Indulgences for Sodomy and Buggery for the murder of Parents and for Incest with a mother or sister Could God himself do more There is not a tittle of all this but is notorious matter of fact known and acknowledg'd ledg'd or sufficiently proved by undeniable Instances in our History of Popery and Legal Exceptions Is it possible that the eyes of mankind should continue shut as to these things was there ever any picture more like the original How can it be that we should not confess that this is he who should oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God and worshipt and should carry himself as if he were God Is not this to exalt himself above the true God to dispense with his laws to assume to himself the adoration and worship that belongs to God to call himself his vicar and vicegerent without any authority or Commission to do so and take to himself the name of a God upon Earth Is it not to exalt himself above all that is called God to advance himself above all those who are called Gods and the sons of the most High above the Kings of the Earth who bear the Image of God Is it not to exalt himself against that which is worshipt to take place of the H. Sacrament of the Altar which they adore as God to prefer himself before Glorified Saints and Angells to whom they build Temples and confer upon 'em divine Honour Lastly is it not to act as if he were God to pretend to be Infallible which God alone is to require that men should worship him and kiss his feet to rule over the Kings of the Earth to depose them at pleasure and set up others to exact tribute from the whole Church and stile himself the chief Shepherd and only Bishop of Souls The vanity of the popish Excuses for all this Pride Shall we always be put off with this pittifull reply that these are only proud pretences of some Popes and that we are not to judge of their true Authority by such attempts as the wisest and best men among the Papists do at this day condemn that these are only particular Opinions of some in the Roman Church who with the Prot. Ministers abuse the people to make the Holy See odious to the People Prudence is an admirable thing and so is the blindness of the Gallican Church and of the present Clergy of France to facilitate the return of the Protestants to the Church of Rome they deprive the Pope of his soveraign power they delare that he is not Infallible that he is not above the universal Church but the Church is superior to the Pope that he hath no authority to depose Princes or to dispense with the oaths of allegiance and fidelity in subjects upon any pretence whatever no not in the case of Religion But what do they do by all this they declare the Pope to be a Monster of Pride who doth arrogantly ascribe to himself a soveraign Power which doth no way belong to him and that all the bold attempts he hath made to dethrone Emperors and depose Kings and cause so many thousands to be murder'd to preserve himself in this authority are enormous crimes villanies and Injustice
'T is a Fable whose Original is found to be in the fourth Century in Sr. Jerom's time who is the eldest Author who mentioneth it For it is only to be found in Jerom's version of the Chronicle of Eusebius This Falle is unanswerably refuted both by the History of the New Testament and by Chronology And as one Fable produceth another the long abode of St. Peter at Rome hath produceth the Fable of his Contest with Simon the Magician in which this Magician flying in the Air out of sight St. Peters prayers tumbled him down and broke his Leggs or rather this last Fable was the older and so produced the other But because this Fiction of St. Peter's long abode at Rome was not sufficient to found the Dominion of the Pope they have forg'd Decretal Epistles of the first Popes from S. Clement Peter's Successor In which Epistles these first Bishops of Rome ascribe to themselves all that Authority which the Popes have since usurped They have besides forged a counterfeit Donation of Constantine by which he gives away to Pope Sylvester and his Successors the Popes the City of Rome Italie the Western Kingdoms and almost the whole Roman Empire And that this Title might be supported by possession the fabulous History of the Papacy maketh the first Bishops of Rome by virtue of their Papal Authority to send Bishops into every Countrey to plant Christianity there Thus St. Clement sent into Gaule Dennis to be Bishop of Paris Gratian to Tours Julian to Mentz St. Nicasius to Roüan Taurm to Evreux Exuperius to Bayeux Sainâ—â—n to Verdun Eucherius to Triers St. Saturnin to Thoulouse All Fables which Launoy a Doctor of the Sorbon hath taken the pains lately to refute they were expresly invented to establish the Supremacy of the Pope above Bishops This is but a small part of the Romance of the Papal Authority but because we must proceed to several other Instances we cannot insist longer upon this 'T is certain The Romance of the V. Mary that in all Popery there is nothing so singular and so near to that Worship which is 0165 0 given to God as the Worship of the Virgin. 'T is not easy to carry Idolatry to a higher degree as we have before demonstrated And we may truly say there never was a larger and more detestable Romance than the History of the Virgin framed on purpose to establish the Adoration of the Mother of Jesus Christ This Adoration is grounded on the glorious Priviledges which she received from God in her Conception in her Birth in her Life in her Death in her Resurrection in her Assumtion and in her Miracles We must give you an Epitome of this fabulous History and this Romance of the Virgin is far less discreet than that of St. Rose mentioned before 'T is probable that the Holy Ghost hath designedly been silent about the Life and Death of the blessed Virgin. Perhaps he intended by this silence to prevent the horrid Superstition which would flow from the Honour that is due to this holy Woman If this was the design it hath succeeded but ill For men have by their Conjectures discovered all the Circumstances of the Life of this Saint By one means or other God knows how they know them all as certainly as if She had always had an Historian or Annalist by her side who kept a diary of all that befel her even before she was born First they have understood I know not from whom that her Fathers Name was Joachim her Mothers Anna. That Anna had two Sisters and that all three were Daughters of Matthan the High Priest that so the Royal and Sacerdotal Blood might be joyn'd in the person of Mary This was known in the fourth Century in the time of St. Epiphanius But in the eighth Century Miracles in the Conception Birth and Infancy of the V. Mary men were told by a new Revelation that Joachim was the Son of Barpanther and he the Son of Panther These Names are not to be found in any of the Jewish Genealogies but that is no matter Anna the Mother of the Virgin and Wife of Joachim was a long time barren The High Priest Issachar refused the Offerings of Joachim as being a Dry Tree an useless Member of the Common-wealth because he could not perform the work of Multiplication Joachim filled with shame would not return home Anna sorely troubled that the Reproach of her Barreness had deprived her of her Husband doubleth her Prayers and Tears Joachim afflicted with her Sorrow hideth himself in a Desert where after forty Dayes retirement an Angel finds him out and biddeth him return to his Wise Anna the mean while had retired alone into the Sanctum Sanctorum whither never any Man or Woman could come excepting the High Priest who went there once a year In this place an Angel appeareth to Anna and tells her of the future Birth of Mary Behold how the Virgin is already as highly honour'd as her Son for an Angel cometh to fore-tel her Birth before she was conceived After this Anna is with Child in a miraculous manner for she was naturally barren and was now too old to bear Children Besides the Conception of the little Mary was immaculate as well as that of her Son Jesus she was also conceived without Original Sin. Indeed this discovery was not very certain for the sixteen hundred years past but in this last Age after innumerable Violent and bitter Contests between the Franciscans and Dominicans the former being assisted by the Jesuits have confirmed the Truth of the Immaculate Conception All the best Antiquity knew nothing of it the Fathers have expresly contradicted it But Salmeron the Jesuite hath proved that all the Fathers in this point are meer Fools and Blockheads and that men owe them no submission but only when they plead for the Catholick Church against the Lutherans then they are Infallible To confirm this Fable of the Immaculate Conception they have not fail'd to frame others S. Bridget had several Revelations about it and the Virgin herself often assured her of her own Immaculate Conception To oppose this Truth the Dominicans of Bern in the year 1507. wrought that famous Miracle which is related by all our Historians which History Dr. Burnet hath very lately rectified in the Relation of his Travels Without doubt the Virgin being provokt that they should by false Miracles oppose her Glorious Conception suffered the Cheat to be discovered Four principal Actors of this Comedie were taken and burnt as Victims to the Virgin and her good Friends the Franciscans in a Medow that was over against and in view of their Convent that those good Fathers might feed their Eyes with the sight of this just Punishment of the Enemies of their Goddess The Virgin being thus miraculously conceiv'd and with a Priviledge equal to that of her Son came into the World the eighth of September at such an hour For without doubt there was present some devout
their Princes when 't is for the Interest of the Court of Rome And to bind them more firmly to her self she grants them Priviledges which exempt them from the Jurisdiction of their Bishops This makes these Monks take part with the Pope against the Bishops which assists the Design which he hath ever had to bring down Episcopal Authority to make himself the only Bishop and to make all other Bishops to be his Subdelegates The Monks draw all manner of Advantages from these exemptions They have none near them to order and correct them they enjoy the greatest impunitie indulge themselves in Licentiousness Among the Monks the Jesuites Order is the product of as hellish Policy as the world ever knew The Prince of darkness sent it out of the bottomless Pit exactly at the time of the Reformation to support the Papal Monarchy which had felt some shaking Blowes After so many Books written on this matter men cannot but understand the Maximes of the Policy of this detestable Society But the corrupt and Antichristian Moral Doctrine of it is not the least of the Tricks of its Policy Which leads us to consider a new Evidence of the Carnal Policy which prevails in the Papacy 6. Policy a care to flatter the flesh and the senses 'T is the great care which it takes to flatter by all wayes imaginable the Flesh the Passions and Senses by making easy Laws and suting them to corrupt Inclinations by sending out every where loose Directors of Conscience and by furnishing Sinners with means of flattering themselves in their Disorders Hence have proceeded the Simonaical Laws of the Court of Rome Dispensations to marry within the prohibited Degrees to enjoy Bishopricks without having the Age or qualities which are required Indulgences for the most horrid crimes Relaxations of Pennances and the setting a rate upon all sins Lastly from hence 't is that care hath been taken to provide all the Pleasures for the Flesh which it desires Cardinal Pallavicin in this History of the Council of Trent saith that the Form must be suted to the Matter and such Lawes made as agree with Times and Places and that we must not deal with men wholy in the dreggs of Adam as if they were still in a state of Innocence V. The new Gospel Therefore they must be Indulged as to Idleness Excessive Eating and Drinking Playes yea Stewes which are allowed at Rome And that the Church may be able to triumph over Paganism which held men by the Pleasures of Sense she must furnish them with those that are more exquisite and delicious than those of Paganism 'T is from the same design of pleasing the Fleth and the Senses that the External Pomp in Worship proceeds Because men love Playes Theaters and the Pleasures of Sense the Policy of Rome hath introduced all these into Religion that She may engage them to herself by those things of which alone they are sensible Churches are splendidly adorn'd they glitter with Gold their Lights are ordered with great care those that serve at the Altars draw mens Eyes by the pomp of their Vestments in them Musiek sounds and flatters the ears They make Processions which are a marching in Triumph after the mode of the Pagan Romans Yea their very Funerals have Pomp that so even death itself may afford pleasure 'T was once a very difficult matter to reconcile Religion and Lust together But the Papacy hath found out this wonderful Secret by bringing into Religion whatever gratifieth Lust 7 Policy the Tribunals of Confession The Mysteries of the Chairs of Confession are the most profound in the Policy of Rome Nothing could be imagined more effectual and proper to reign over the Consciences of men than to oblige them to come and discover themselves even to the bottom to the Agents of the Papacy Scire volunt secreta domus atque inde timeri A Marryed Woman looking upon a Priest as the Confident of her Disloyalties and the Witness of her Disorders trembles at his Presence and can refuse him nothing A husband that hath disclosed to a Confessor all the Violations of his Promise to his Wife is a fraid lest something should come out which might trouble the quiet of his Family and to avoid this mischief he becomes the Slave of him who knows his secrets A Merchant who hath cheated in Trade will part with some of his Gain to assure himself of the Fidelity of him who is privy to his Crimes But above all on such Occasions when there are but two heads together the Priests say what they please they wind about the Conscience according to their own designs and Interests they rack they loose they bind they terrify they astonish they flatter it And by these different Methods they lead it where it had no Intention to go God knows and Experience hath told us somthing how many dismal effects have proceeded from this mysterious Policy All men are not made alike some are cholerick others are Melancholy and serious these are willing to live austerely others are sanguine and will have pleasure whatever it costs There are Confessors of different Characters according to these different humours Some who will endure nothing at all others who will endure every thing By this means they hold fast all sorts because every one is gratifyed 8 Policy a great external austerity This human Policy which so indulgeth Inward Licentiousness at the same time requires a great External Severity and Rigour For men are willing to give something to God and not being able to give him Fruit they are willing to pay him in Leaves Therefore they love those Customs which have a great shew of Mortification You cannot rid men of this notion that the Christian Religion is a serious thing and an Enemy to the Pleasures of the World. Therefore if the Papacy was licentious in all respects and held no correspondence with the Temper of Religion it would be impossible but men would quickly see through it Therefore it endeavours to keep up a great Appearance of Seriousness in the midst of its innumerable Villanies It ordains above a hundred and sixty Fasts in a year men eat and drink on these Fasts as at other times provided they choose such a diet But no matter they are always call'd Fasts and this makes a great Figure in the Outside of Religion From the same Policy we have the Penitents and Whippers of the Roman Church who tear themselves with Blowes of a Whip when they are hired to do it Thence come the Cloisters Frocks Hair-shirts Whippings Discipline Confinement Silence Solitude and all the strict and severe Rules of the Monks Such Rules and Orders as in show and appearance are very considerable and gain them Reputation with the people but in reality they are not much incommoded by 'em and suffer little by their observance as to any thing of that severity and mortification they pretend to because they are Masters of their own
of the Text Gen. 3.15 where God saith and it shall bruise thy heel which the Vulgar Latine renders and she shall bruise thy heel which the Papists apply to the Virgin in order to make her the Redeemer of mankind and the object of adoration S. Paul in the 11. Ch. of the Epistle to the Hebrews saith that Jacob worshipt leaning upon the top of his staff i.e. he lean'd upon his staff to bear him up whiles he worshipt the Vulgar Latin hath corrupted this passage by translating adoravit fastigium virgae he worshipt the top of his staff a mistake as palpable as 't is gross and yet the Papists receive and defend it as very proper to justify the worship of Images For you need only suppose that his staff had an Image on its head How the Canonists abuse the Scriptures If we would see these Abuses and ridiculous applications of Scripture in their deformity we must read the Canonists Authors who have a great yea a soveraign Authority at Rome You will find these men proving the twofold power of the Pope from the two Swords which the Apostles had when Christ was seized by Judas Jesus sayd It is enough he did not say 'T is too much therefore the spiritual and temporal power belong to the Pope Moses relating the History of the Creation saith In the beginning God created c. in principio and not in principiis in the beginnings therefore the Pope is the only Prince the only Soveraign of the Universal Church you are a Manichee if you understand it otherwise Christ saith to Peter Feed my sheep in general and not such and such sheep in particular therefore the Pope is the Vniversal Pastor of the Church S. Paul saith the powers are ordained of God i. e. that all Kings are the Popes vassals Moses tells us that God made two great Lights the Sun and the Moon the Church is the Moon therefore the Pope is the Sun the Guide and Light of the Church Christ saith to Peter put up thy sword into its sheath therefore the Pope is to manage the sword and take away Crowns from Kings as he pleaseth God saith to the Prophet I have set thee over the Kingdoms to root out and to plant this is another express text to prove that the Pope may dethrone Monarchs and make new Soveraigns S. Paul writes to the Corinthians he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man therefore the Pope may condemn and judge whom he pleaseth but as for him tho he is a Sorcerer Sodomite a Pagan he ought to be let alone and lest to the judgment of God. Christ said concerning himself all power is given me in heaven and earth therefore the Pope may challenge this as Christs Vicar * All the Kings of the earth shall worship him We did honestly believe that this passage respected Christ and none besides but thanks to the Canonists we now unsterstand that the Pope must be worship'd and that all Kings must kiss his Pantofle this Text saith so He hath put all things under his feet The Kings of Tarsis shall bring him presents i. e. the whole world ought to pay homage to the Pope Scriptures abused by the Mystical Authors Their Mysticall Authors who have written whole books for this very end to explain the mystical significations of the Ceremonies of the Church and of the habits of the Priests come not behind the Canonists in impertinent applications of Scripture The Priest puts a hood on his Head which is call'd the Amict the reason given is because S. Paul said take The Helmet of Salvation He wears a linnen Surplice which is call'd an Albe the reason is because 't is written let thy Garments be White This Surplice must be embroider'd about the edges because 't is written the Queen shall be brought in raiment of Needle-work They who are pleased with such stuff may find many other Instances in our Exceptions I will add no more of this kind because they are meerly triffling But will proceed to their Blasphemies Thus we ought to call those impious and profane applications which the cursed votaries of the Roman Church make unto the Saints of that which belongs only to God and his Eternal son Blasphemous applications of the Scriptures Beside those blasphemous and cursed Applications which are every where scatter'd in their Writings the lying Spirit hath taken care to compile a whole body of them in two Books the one is call'd The Ladies Psalter composed by Bonaventure the other the Bible of Mary by Albertus Magnus In these two Books you will find all the great and glorious things which the Scriptures speak to the Creators Glory applyed to the Glory of the Creature 'T is not the glory of God which the Heavens declare 't is that of the Virgin The Heavens declare your Glory O Virgin. The 27 Psal celebrates God as the Light of Believers but 't is no longer He the Virgin hath his room O our Lady say they to her my Illumination comes from your face The 31 Psal maketh God the object of the Soul's Confidence but they address those excellent words unto the Virgin and say to her Mother of God I have trusted in you I shall not be confounded forever take my Soul into your Favour and Mercy I commit my Soul into your hands O incomparable Virgin. Nothing is more peculiar to God than the exercise of Mercy which the Psalmist implores in the 51 Ps Have mercy upon me O God c. The Papists pull God out of the Throne of grace and teach their Penitents to say Have mercy upon me O our Lady who art call'd the Mother of Mercy and according to the bowels of your Compassions purge me from mine Iniquities pour out your Grace upon me and take not your ordinary Clemency away from me For I will confess my Sins before you I will accuse my self of my own faults The Psalms of David are peculiarly consecrated to the Glory of God this is the reason why the Psalmist every where sings the praises of God and celebrates his Greatness but all this is applyed to Mary For instance that excellent 103 Psalm which begins Bless the Lord O my Soul is thus changed My soul bless the Mother of Jesus Christ and all that is within me glorify her Holy Name Forget not Her Benefits Her Favours and Her Consolations by Her Grace sins are forgiven by Her Mercy Diseases are healed There is the same strain from the beginning to the end of the Psalter The Bible of Mary is written on the very same design Whereas the true disciples of J. Christ find him every where in the Old Testament not only in the Predictions and Types but even in such passages where few would have sought him This Bible of Mary finds the B. Virgin every where in the Old Testament agreeably to its design which is as the Author tells us to apply unto the
of Images triumph in the East used violence to carry on this design and besides massacred a hundred thousand Manichees and Paulianists thoughout the whole Empire The pride of the Bishop of Rome was the cause of the Schism of the Greeks and afterward of a great shedding of Blood. The Pride of Antichrist the Enterprises of the Bishop of Rome who would raise himself above all the Churches in the World caused about the end of the ninth Century that great separation between the East and the West which is call'd The Schism of the Greeks And this Schism hath been the cause of numberless mischiefs The Popes left nothing untryed to bring the Churches of the East under their yoke To effect this they have shed Rivers of Blood 't was on this design that the Court of Rome set on foot the Croisado's The pretext was Piety and a design to conquer the Holy Places that were in the hands of Infidels Indeed this was really designed by some Princes and the ordinary people but the ambitious Popes and Latins had a further and more Politick aim viz. to enlarge their Dominion and to subdue the Greek Church yea and the Greek Empire too This was evident by the sequel For the Latins after they had carryed on this pretext of a Holy War at last fell on the City of Constantinople which they took and sack'd and ravag'd the Empire of the East for sixty years How many attemts Violences Murthers were committed to force the Greeks to submit to the Patriarch of the Latins How much Blood was shed how many millions of men lost their lives in these Holy as they were called Wars that were nothing but commotions caused by the Pride and Superstition of the Papacy Never was there so much Blood shed or so many crimes committed Antichrist then acted as a Leopard and a Lyon who invaded and tore in pieces all that lay in his way or ordered to do so The Blood shed by the Croisado's caused by Antichristianism After the Croisado's Antichrist found out other pretexts for shedding of Blood. The Popes openly invaded the Authority of the Emperors and the Princes of the West They would excommunicate 'em they deprived 'em of their Authority they took from 'em their Right of Investitures they spoyl'd the Emperors not only of the Soveraignty of Rome but also of that of Germany by making 'em the Vassals of the Popes who gave out themselves as Soveraigns and sole Administrators of the Empire during Vacancie's and by obliging 'em to receive the Imperial Crown from them and by depriving 'em of their Right to confirm the Elections of Popes And for not submitting to all this they deposed some Emperors and made others in their stead By these methods and this diabolical ambition from the time of Henry IV. and Pope Gregory VII until that of the Emperor Lewis of Bavaria and Pope John XXII i. e. during the space of 300. years the Popes turn'd Germany and Italy into a Field of Blood in which one might have seen the Son in Arms against his Father Fathers sheathing their swords in the bowels of their children Subjects rising up against their Princes and Princes obliged to shed the Blood of their Subjects and to lay wast their own Countreys Cities were broken into parties that cut throats and massacred each other yea Families were divided and one Kinsman murthered another in this fury which was inspired by the Papacy The Combats the Battels the Sieges of Cities the Millions of men who perisht in those three Ages cannot be numbred Henry IV. alone for his share fought above sixty Battels or fights in those Wars which the Popes raised against him Behold the true spirit and temper of Antichrist Persecution against the Waldenses and Albigenset The Papacy which is a devouring Beast which tears in pieces on the right hand and the left whilest it shed such streams of the Blood of its own Subjects at the same time poured out great torrents of that of the Children and Servants of God. For in the very same Centuries the Popes raised those cruel Persecutions against those whom they named Waldenses Albigenses Henricians and Poor men of Lyons First they persecuted 'em in their Reputation accusing 'em that they asserted all manner of carnal conjunction tho with ones Mother or Sister to be lawful that they held the Old Testament to be the work of the Devil despised the Apostles Creed rejected Baptism were Manichees Panlicians Originists They revived against 'em the antient calumnies charged on the Christians that they kept their meetings by night in which their Barbes i. e. their Pastors after they had put out the Candles gave every one liberty to lye with the first woman that came to hand They call'd 'em Bulgarians from whence is derived the odious term B ... because over and above all other crimes they were charged with that of Sodomy To Calumny they joyn'd the Persecution with Sword and Fire Dominick the Monk and Simon Earl of Montfort had a commission to convert 'em but not being able to bring 'em as they said to reason they brought 'em to ruin All Languedoc was fill'd with Divastations Beziers Carcassone Tholouse felt the rage of Antichristian false zeal the Cities were burnt to ashes the Inhabitants were butcher'd the Women ravisht their goods plunder'd by the Army of Cross-bearers who wore the sign of the Cross on their shoulders and had the rage of Hell in their hearts Those who were taken by 'em were burnt alive For 50. or 60. years Languedoc was a very Theater of cruelty The fury of the Inquisitors had neither bridle nor bounds the innocent and the guiltie the Albigenses and those who were none were buryed under the same ruins The miserable Remnant who got away from this Persecution was scatter'd into all places a part of 'em escap'd by getting into the Rocks and Mountains of Piemont but the cragginess of these places which furnisheth Bears and ravenous Beasts with safe shelters could not afford shelter to these poor persecuted Christians The rage of the Papists followed 'em every where and still sacrificed 'em to the Idol Antichrist A hundred and fifty of 'em were burnt at one time at Grenoble They were attaqu't in the very midst of winter when they fled into the Snow that was on the Mountains and were found frozen to death among which were a Mother and her Child the Child lay at its Mothers Breast If their Persecutors overtook any they hung 'em on Trees or brain'd 'em against the Rocks In another place these poor Creatures having fled for shelter into some large Caverns they stopt up the entrance with Faggots and Straw which they set on fire so that all who were within were either suffocated with smoke or perisht by the flames In other places the unmerciful Souldiers fell upon the common people without distinction butcher'd old men women and children ravish't the girles and rip 't 'em up then pull'd