Doctrine it is taken ill of them when they disclaim all such Tenets 't is call'd a Clamour and a Noise when they justifie themselves in Protesting against such false Imputations And if they say they are fouly Misrepresented this draws out a Vindication in a Postscript to sink the dirt in deeper For his part 't is no satisfaction to him to be engag'd in Disputes or Quarrels But yet he confesses he can no more forbear crying out when he sees Dirt unworthily thrown at his Religion than if it were cast in the Face of his Dearest Relations his Father or Mother and therefore he must needs say that if he finds any one dressing up a Papist to the Multitude as a Monster and shewing his Horns and cloven Foot to the Crowds he cannot stand by in silence but will cry out A Cheat A Cheat with endeavours to find out who the cloven Foot belongs to But however he could heartily wish there were no occasion for this that there were more Charity in the World and when Men speak of their Neighbours Faith and Religion that they would be truly serious and not think it a less Crime to cast an Aspersion in this particular than in other Concerns of their Good Name and Reputation he that wrongfully defames him for a Thief only injures his Person and at most his Family But he that casts an Infamy upon his Religion wrongs Millions and abuses the Multitude into a false Perswasion that upon this score 't is now more a Christians Duty to hate than to love one another The Divisions and Animosities amongst Christians at this day are but a sad Spectacle And God knows how far the Passionate Exaggerations and Rash Charges upon others Faith and Religion have been an Encouragement to these Evils He heartily wishes there were some Moderation in this Particular It being no Commendation to Christianity that her Members like the Canibals of America have no other way of Thriving than by Devouring each other nor a good Argument of the Truth of any Perswasion because they can make the greater Devil of their Neighbour But the Catechist in his Postscript will convince his Reader that the Papists Pray to Images For why says he do they direct their Prayers to them As they do to the Cross which they Salute after this manner Hail O Cross our only Hope c. But this shall be the Subject of our Next Publish'd with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel 1686. THE PAPIST Misrepresented and Represented SECOND PART CHAP. II. Whether Papists pray directly to the Cross as is positively asserted by a Protestant with an Essay of a Heathen-Catechism after the Copy of the Truly-representing Protestant-Catechism in which this Calumny is publish'd THe Papist Misrepresented does not only ascribe peculiar Vertues to the Cross praying that God would make the wood of the Cross to be the stability of Faith an increase of Good Works the Redemption of Souls as the Pontifical has it in Bened. nov Cru But they Pray directly to it saluting the Cross after this manner Hail O Cross our only Hope in this time of the Passion Increase Grace in the Godly and blot out the Sins of the Guilty in which very words they directly pray to it in the Hymn of the Passion which is in the Public Office of their Church Catech. tru repres Q. 46. Postsâ—r THe Papist Represented confesses and believes God to be the Fountain of all Goodness to be the Centre of all Vertue Power and Wisdom and that there is no Good whatsoever whether Spiritual or Temporal can arrive to him but what is to come immediately from God the Father through the Merits and Passion of Jesus Christ his only Son Our Redeemer Blessed for ever more in the Vertue of the Holy Ghost the Comforter Whatsoever Good therefore he desires whether the Stability of Faith Increase of good Works or the Redemption of his Soul c. he can hope to obtain from no other than from God the Author of all Good Gifts and Father of Mercies This Truth he owns and professes and believes himself bound rather to lose his Life then any ways contradict or deny it it being the very Doctrine deliver'd by St. James in his Epistle c. 1. v. 17. that Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights And having thus acknowledg'd that in God is infinitly treasur'd up all that can be called Good he likewise confesses that Man can be no otherwise partaker of any of these Blessings but according to the Pleasure and Ordinance of this infinit Being who essentially comprehends them all so that no Creature whatsoever whether in Earth or in Heaven tho the greatest Angel or Saint has power of themselves to bestow any of these Gifts upon Man they being wholy in the disposure of Him who is their Author and not to be communicated to any but as He shall order and appoint The Principal Means by which these Heavenly Blessings are deriv'd to the World is the Passion of Christ And the Way ordain'd for Christians to apply to themselves the Blessings thus purchas'd by our Redeemer is the Doing the Will of Heaven and Prayer By these he has access to that Heavenly Treasure and is made partaker of that rich store without which he can be nothing but eternally miserable Whensoever therefore he desires Increase of Grace Forgiveness of Sins or any other Divine Benefit from the Hand of God he endeavours to compose his Life and Actions according to the Prescript of the Commandments and Will of Heaven and raises his Heart and Soul by Prayer to petition assistance and a supply of his necessities from the Divine Throne And because he is taught from Scripture that God hears the Prayer of the Righteous he therefore desires sometimes the Just on Earth sometimes those in Heaven to unite in Prayer to be joynt-petitioners with him to the Seat of the Divine Majesty that so he may find more acceptance in the sight of God and obtain his desires through the Merits and Passion of Him who died for all But to think that he prays to the Cross or from any material Crucifix expects relief either for Body or Soul is only to render him more sottish than the worst of Heathens and in one extravagancy to make him out-do all the Frenzies of Bedlam He confesses it evident to the least glimpse of Reason that a piece of Wood or Stone fashioned into a Cross is no more capable of hearing his prayers or praying for him or granting his Requests than when it lay regardless upon the ground without either shape or figure And that if his Religion did either teach or practice such sâ—upid Idolatry as praying to a piece of Wood c. he could no more be any longer of her Communion than he could sacrifice to Molech or with the Zidonians and
the ridiculing of Popery but the same if followed on will as certainly undermine the Truth of the whole Gospel and cut the Sinews of all Religion This Heathen-Catechist has not gone one tittle beyond the Copy set him in the True-representing Catechism and you see how fearfully it begins to work The citation of three or four words out of a Hymn was Argument enough to lay the Papists flat for so many stupid Sots and has any thing been here asserted against the Protestants but what has been supported by as plain and express words as those of the Popish hymn If in the one case therefore this way of proving do's not hold how comes it to be so conclusive in the other Misrepresent The Words 't is true of the Scripture cited in this Mock-Catechism are as plain and express as can be but they are here made use of in a sence never intended by those Divine Pen-men the Authors of Sacred Writ who tho they have the very words cited yet never meant them as here they are brought in their literal and rigid sence but some of them Figuratively some of them in Conformity to our Apprehensions some of them in the Person of another c. and begin thus understood they make no reflection upon Protestancy or Christanity but are truly edifying Repres This is honestly said and if you could but do so in any others case besides your own there would be more peace in this Nation and above half the Devils that disturb its quiet would be laid Had the True-representing Catechism but thus impartially interpreted the words of the Hymn above mention'd and given the true sence of it he had never been set upon the File of Misrepresenters But to charge bluntly an absurdity upon the Papists and to pretend to prove it against them from their own plain words without discovering their meaning is to do the same as our Heathen-Catechist has perform'd to the life defaming Christianity from the express words of Scripture and both alike by Misrepresenting Would you and such whose thriving depends much upon your Art see to give every thing its true weight and sence and shew the right side outward of every thing you expose to the admiring Crowds this sincere and honest dealing would much more recommend you to well meaning people than the more fashionable way of blackning and ridiculing your Neighbours But an ill habit is not easily laid by 'T is matter of some Admiration to me to consider how uneven your Proceedings are in this kind how readily you can discover a speech to be figurative when that sence best serves your own turn And how in other occasions nothing of Figure can be found when the literal sence will serve to cast an infamy upon the Papists The Fathers in their Works do very frequently address themselves to the Martyrs and Saints in Heaven desiring their Assâ—stance and Prayers that they would joyn with them in their Requests Nay they expresly say that the Saints ought to be pray'd to Now because this do's not favour your Cause in the literal sence 't is strange how industrious you are to suck out the substance and to blow it all up into a Figure and those express Prayers are no Prayers but rather Raptures Innocent Wishes Rhetorical Flights and Apostropâ—es On the other side tho the Papists are never any where directed to pray to the Cross have no Prayers to the Cross yet because in one of their Hymns are found two words literally implying a Prayer to it Oh! this must be taken literally here no Figure can be discover'd no Rapture no Innocent Wish Rhetorical Flight or Apostophe altho the whole Hymn be nothing but a Poetical composure which without any injury to Christian Truth takes the liberty of such Innocent Flights Thus are you sometimes for Figures and somtimes for no Figures managing every thing as will best contribute to the advancing your own Cause the running down Popery and making it odious with the People This seems to be your chief aim in all your Performances and the only Measure of your Comments and Interpretations I wish you would be more serious in a Concern of this moment and not expose thus the Reputation of the greatest part of the Christian World to the mercy of every little Conceit and petty imaginary Proof Such Arguments as these might serve well enough for a Christmas-Nights Entertainment but to insert them for a Catechism-Proof when the Subject is Religion and the Guidance of Souls is very unseasonable and improper especially when true Representing and doing it faithfully is pretended in the Frontispiece Misrepresent Do'nt run your self out of Breath upon this Point you have another yet to speak to viz. Why the Papists go in long Pilgrimages to certain Images if they do not Pray to them or hope to be better heard for Praying there Represent That 's another of the Catechism Proofs but for a Diversion there 's another Piece calls for a Word or two Publish'd with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel 1686. THE PAPIST Misrepresented and Represented SECOND PART CHAP. III. Whether the Doctrine of Transubstantiation be contrary to the Writings of the Primitive Fathers or agreeable to them The Papist believes his Senses in this Mystery as much as the Protestant being Notes upon a late Pamphlet intit'led The Papists Doctrine of Transubstantiation not agreeable to the Primitive Fathers The Papist Misrepresented by the wonderful Advantages of Implicit Faith and Prejudice is preserv'd in Ignorance and led into the most Monstrous of Errors By these helps the late Inventions of Men are shamm'd upon him for the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and what was never known to the Ancient Fathers takes place in his Creed as Their most constant and profess'd Doctrine This is evident in many Particulars but most clearly as to the Point of Transubstantiation which the Primitive Fathers were so far from holding that They believ'd the direct contrary Indeed we have from the Writings of the Fathers so many plain Places against this Doctrine that we cannot conceive how it came into the World so that notwithstanding the Papists pretence to Antiquity in this Point we shall find they are meer Gibeonits who have made use of their moldy bread and clouted shoes to deceive the People of the Lord and that they confidently lay claim to the Fathers for the defence of this Point which upon examination is found quite contrary to their Belief Sum. of the Pamphl THe Papist Represented admits nothing to take place in his Creed but upon such strong and convincing Motives that none can accuse him of Ignorance or Error but those who have their Judgments swallow'd up by Prejudice and whose Passion has over-run their Reason The Inventions of Men are with him but of little value they may be the Subject of his Opinion but no concern of his Faith This bids them
defiance and embraces nothing but what is securely founded on the Scripture and the Doctrine of the Primitive Fathers Upon these solid and lasting Supports stand every Article of his Faith And that of Transubstantiation has nothing less than these to rely on This has an undoubted claim to Antiquity and is so far from being contrary to the sentiments of the Primitive Fathers that nothing contrary to it can be discover'd in them by the most critical Observers Many and express are the Testimonies found in their Works upon this Subject because a confident Undertaker has in a late Phamplet endeavour'd to stamp this Doctrine with Novelty and to shew that the Primitive Fathers believ'd the direct contrary we 'll set down the Testimonies he produces for the advancing this Position and for clearing the matter place on the other side of the Ballance other Sayings out of the same Fathers and then leave it to the impartial Judge to determine whether side out-weighs that is whether the Doctrine of Transubstantiation be direct contrary to the Belief of the Fathers as is pretended or else agreeable to it Testimonies of the Fathers cited in the Pamphlet against Transubstantiation Testimonies of the Fathers in behalf of Transubstantiation Dionys c. 3. Eccl. Hier. By those reverend Signs and Symbols Christ is signified and the Faithful made partakers of him DIonisius in the same chapter prays thus to Christ in the Sacrament O most Divine and Holy Sacrifice open those mystical and signifying Vails wherewith thou art cover'd shew thy self clearly unto us and replenish our spiritual eyes with thy singular and reveal'd brightness Justin Mart. Apol. 2. Our blood and flesh are nourished by the conversion of that food which we receive in the Eucharist Justin Martyr This place of this Father is thus at length For we do not receive this as common Bread or common Drink But as by the Word of God Jesus Christ our Redeemer being made Man had both Flesh and Blood for our Salvation So also we are taught that this food by which our blood and flesh are by a change nourish'd being consecrated by the prayer of the Word is the Flesh and Blood of Christ Jesus himself incarnate Tertul. adv Mar. l. 4. c. 4. Christ taking the Bread and distributing it to his Disciples made it his Body saying This is my Body that is to say a Figure of my Body Tertullian Christ taking the Bread and distributing it to his Disciples made it his Body saying This is my Body that is to say a figure of my Body Which means that he made that to be his Body which had been a Figure of his Body in the Old Law to wit the Bread as is evident from the context and is prov'd at large by Perron who shews the design of Tertullian in that discourse against Marcion to be that Christ came to fulfil all the Types and Figures of the Old Law and so that he made the Bread to be his Body which in the Old Law had been only a Figure of it The same Tertullian l. de Resurr Car. c. 8. says thus Our flesh feeds on the Body and Blood of Christ that the Soul may be fill'd with God. Id. l. de Anima That if we question our sences we may doubt whether our Blessed Saviour was not deceiv'd in what he heard and saw and touch'd He might says he be deceiv'd in the voice from Heaven in the smell of the Ointment with which he was annointed against his Burial and in the taste of the Wine which he consecrated in remembrance of his Blood. Chrysostom Homil. 83. in Mattheum Let us give Credit to God every where and not contradict him altho what he says seems contrary to our Apprehension and our Eyes Let his saying master our Understanding and our Eyes And thus let us behave our selves in the Mysteries not only looking upon what is before us but holding fast his Words For his Words cannot deceive but our sence may be easily mistaken his Words cannot be untrue but our sence is very often deceiv'd Since therefore he has said This is my Body let us be convinc'd and believe and behold it with the Eyes of our understanding Cyril Hier. Cat. c. 4. Do not therefore look on it as meer Bread only or bare Wine for as God himself has said 't is the Body and Blood of Christ Notwithstanding therefore the information of sence let Faith confirm thee and do not judge of the thing by the Tast but rather take it for most certain by Faith without the least doubting that his Body and Blood are given thee Origen contra Mar. Calls the Bread and the Chalice the Images of the Body and Blood of Christ Origen Hom. 5. in div lo. Evang. When you receive the holy Food and that incorruptible Banquet when you enjoy the Bread of Life and Cup you eat and drink the Body and Blood of our Lord then our Lord enters under your Roof do you therefore humble your self and imitating the Centurion say Lord I am not worthy thou shouldst enter under my Roof For where he enters unworthily there he enters to the judgment of the Receiver Id. in Mat. That which is consecrated by Gods Word and Prayer as to the matter of it goeth into the belly and is voided into the draught Ambros de sacr l. 4. c. 4 The Bread and Wine are what they were and yet are changed into another thing St. Ambrose de Myst init c. 9. How many examples do we produce to prove that this is not what Nature fram'd but what the Benediction has consecrated and that the power of Benediction is greater than the power of Nature because by Benediction Nature it self is chang'd Moses held a Rod in his hand he cast it from him and it became a Serpent The Rivers afforded no drink at the prayers of the Prophet they ran no longer Blood but the Nature of waters return'd Now if Blessings given by Men were of so great efficacy as to change the Nature of things what shall we say of the divine Consecration where the very Words of Christ our Saviour are operative For this Sacrament which thou receivest is made by the Words of Christ And if the words of Elias were so powerful as to draw fire from Heaven shall not the words of Christ be powerful enough to change the nature of things Thou hast read of the Creation of the World that God spake and the things were made he commanded and they receiv'd a Being If therefore Christ by his Word was able to make something of nothing shall he not be thought able to change one thing into another For it is no less a work to give a Nature or Being to things than to change them from one Nature to another 'T was above the order of Nature for a Virgin to conceive and this Body which we make in the Sacrament is that which was born of the Virgin. Why do you require here the order of Nature
are Partakers of it He pour'd out this very Bloud that we might not remain in Error and he not only pour'd it out but he has likewise given the very same to us Wheresore says he to us If you desire Blood do not colour the Altars of Idols with the Bloud of Beasts but upon my Altar offer up my Blood. And Lib. 3. de Sâ—câ—â—d O Miracle He that sits above with his Father at the very same instant of Time is here in the Hands of all he gives himself to those that are wâ—lling to receive him And Hom. 46. in Joan. The Devils when they behold the Bloud of Christ within us are put to Flight and the Angels come in This Bloud purified the Holy of Holies and if the Figure of it had so great Vertue in the Temple of the Jews and when sprinkled on the Doors of the Egyptians it has much greater now being the Truth Macar 27. Hom. 27 In the Church Bread and Wine are offer'd the Type of his Flesh and Blood and they who are Partakers of the visible Bread do Spiritually eat the Flesh of the Lord. S. Cyril Alexan Ep. ad Colos Cited by S. Thomas That we should not feel horror to see Flesh and Bloud on the Sacred Altars God condescending to our Frailty flows into the things offer'd the Power of Life converting them into the verity of his own Flesh to the end the Body of life be found in us as a certain quickning seed S. Greg Nyss c. 37. I do now rightly believe that the Bread sanctified by the Word of God is chang'd into the Body of God by the Word Pope Gelasius l. de 2. Nat. The Sacraments which we receive of the Body and Blood of Christ are a divine Thing by means whereof we are made Partakers of the divine Nature and yet the Substance of Bread and Wine doth not cease to be Here the Author has made a new Pope for this was another Gelasius as is prov'd at large by Bellarmin and if the words immediately following the text cited in the same Author be added the difficulty is remov'd which are these They the substance of Bread and Wine do pass into a Divine Substance the Holy Ghost effecting it yet remaining in the propriety of their Nature Here 's a short account of what the Primitive Fathers say as to the Point under debate which may be seen more at large in such volumes as designedly treat of this Subject And what think you now Misrepresenter Take both sides into your hands and weigh them and see to which part the Fathers incline Consider the matter a little and tell me whether the Fathers are such strict Protestants in this affair as is pretended Do you think They could have taken the Test Do their express belief of the real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament their plain assertion of the supernatural change of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ agree with that Parliamentary Divinity Come Misrepresenter it argues a great Stock of Confidence in you thus to pretend positively that the Fathers believ'd direct contrary to our Doctrine whereas 't is evident to any Eye that is not blinded like yours They deliver themselves most largely and fully in its behalf and that amongst all the Ends of Text you have pick'd out of them there is not so much as one directly contrary to what we hold Misrepresent You press too many Questions at once You bid me Consider and would have me Answer too But the best on 't is I need no consideration here for without it I know what I am to return and 't is that tho you heap up fifty times more express Testimonies than these yet the Fathers still believ'd direct contrary to your Doctrine They speak of the Sacrament and call it a Figure a Symbol a Sign an Image a Remembrance and this is a contradiction to your Belief and as long as these Words are to be found in them the People I have to deal with will take it so Represent This is thine own true self Misrepresenter to prove a thing by halves and call that consuting of Popery is your Master-piece Why these expressions of the Fathers terming the Sacrament a Figure a Symbol a Sign an Image a Remembrance are so far from being contrary to our Belief that they are as agreeable to it as to the Articles of the very Protestant Church it self For the Catholic Church teaches that the Body and Blood of Christ are in the Blessed Sacrament really and substantially and so indeed not only as in a Sign Symbol or Figure But it do's not deny the Sacrament to be a Figure for the Eucharist is a Figure or Representation of the Death of Christ It do's not deny it to be a Sign for the outward and visible species of Bread are a Sign of the Heavenly Bread that is within It do's not deny it to be a Remembrance or Commemoration for whosoever receives it shews forth according to St. Paul the Passion and Death of our Redeemer It do's not deny it to operate by a Vertue for it has Vertue and Power there to work in the Soul. What our Church denys and condemns is that the Body and Blood of Christ is there only as in a Sign or in a Figure or a Vertue and not according to the Verity and Substance of it You prove therefore nothing against us in producing Testimonies of the Fathers owning the Sacrament to be a Figure a Sign c. For this is not to shew Them contrary to us but positively agreeing with our Belief especially if taken together with what you see cited out of them in our favour If you will make good your Pretences and not abuse your Followers with half-demonstrations you should see first to understand the Doctrine of your Adversaries before you undertake to confute it Shew that the Fathers maintain the Sacrament to be only a Sign only a Figure c. and you may do something but till then don't pretend They believ'd contrary to us Misrepresent This is a put off with a piece of New Popery But let that go Some of the Fathers positively say that the Nature or Substance of Bread remains after Consecration I hope this too do's not agree with your Doctrine Represent What I have declar'd to you has nothing new in it 'T is asserted positively by Bellarmine and that every Sacrament is a Sign has been the constant Doctrine of our Divines who make that an essential part of the Definition of a Sacrament As for what some of the Fathers mention of the Nature or Substance of Bread remaining any one that is vers'd in their Writings is not ignorant that by those terms they often mean no more than the Natural qualities or visible appearances of things as you your selves can tell us upon occasion when it serves your turn to have it so and in this sence it do's not at all disagree with our Belief But suppose the worst
Reform'd away one after t'other all that belongs to Christianity Some reform'd away the greatest part of the holy Ceremonies and Religious Decency observ'd in Churches comes another sort and reform away what These left after them comes a Third and Reform away even the Churches themselves Some made a Reform of the Priestly Vestments retaining the Name of Copes and Miters with the Vse only of a Surplice the next reform the Surplice and the Third reform the Priests and Ministers themselves all out of doors Some began to reform the Sacraments and all were Superstitious but Two others came and thought these Two as Superstitious as the other Five and at last they have reform'd amongst them Religion so far till the only Christianity that is left without Error Corruption or Innovation is that which tho Protestancy still is without ever a Christian in it Misrepresent Certainly you have forgot what you were about and instead of looking for the Protestant Religion you have taken a leap from Constantine down into all the Enthusiasms of our Age. Represent No no We shall soon be back agen I have only given you a hint what 't is you call purging Christianity of Errors and Innovations and what edifying work it makes And by this we shall find there was no Protestant Religion Generally Practis'd and Profess'd amongst Christians in those days of Constantine of which we have lately taken a Survey Misrepresent How so Represent Because if the Protestant Religion had been at that time generally profess'd the Protestants then would have as zealously Protested against what you call the Errors and Innovations in Constantine's time as they did twelve hundred years after in the Reign of King Henry 8. Misrepresent Make that out Represent You know 't is the very Essence of Protestants to Protest against those Doctrines and Practices which they condemn as the Errors and Superstitions of Popery But such Doctrines and Practices there were in Constantine's time as Eusebius and other Historians declare and you your selves own Therefore if the Protestant Religion had been at that time genenerally profess'd they would have Generally Protested against those Doctrines and Practices But there was no General Protestation against those Doctrines and Practices by the Christians in Constantine's time Therefore the Christians in Constantine's time were not Generally Protestants Misrepresent Methinks this gingles something like a Syllogism Represent 'T is to that Tune and I think convincing enough to any serious Considerer that is acquainted with the Spirit of Protestantism Come I dare appeal to your judgment tho' so perversly byass'd for the Case is clear Don't you observe the Protestants that have been in the world ever since Luther's Pretended Reformation have not only Ridicul'd and Condemn'd what they call Romish Errors in the time of Henry 8. but likewise condemn the same practis'd as they own heretofore in the time of Constantine And here I ask of you Don't you think if Luther and his Fellow-Reformers had hapned in Constantine's time they would as certainly have Reform'd the Christian Religion of Constantine as they did afterwards of Hen. 8. Their loud Protesting against and condemning the Pretended Errors of both the One and the Others Religion is a sufficient intimation what they would have done had the Sins of Christendom so early provok'd the Divine Vergeance and brought them before into the World. Since therefore 't is evident it cannot be made appear That the Christians in Constantine's time did Protest against any such pretended Errors as the Protestants have done ever since Luther 't is evident there were no such Christians in those times as Protestants And however Dr. Swadlin confidently derives the Succession of the Protestant Religion not from the Waldenses Wicklifists and Hussits but from Constantine Eusebius c. You have now seen the One Practising the Other relating such Doctrines as are by Protestants now marked out for Superstitious without the lest guilt of Conscience or making any the least Protestation against them and what kind of Protestants these must have been who were thus deep in Popery I leave you to consider Only one thing still I le propose to you We have made hitherto some enquiry into the Christianity of those Former Times and look'd back upon those Christians Now suppose it had been your Fate to have been in those times just Protestant as you are at this day Had you gone into their Churches and seen there the lighted Candles the appeasing the Deity with Vnbloody Sacrifices and Mystic Consecrations Had you seen the Awful Translation of Holy Relicks Constantine prostrate at the Sepulcher of the Apostles and imploring their Intercession had you seen him signing his Forehead with the Cross and with great veneration repositing part of the Holy Cross for the security of the City Had you seen him Fasting and chastising his Body honouring Monks and Virgins by Vow consecrated to God Attributing Primacy to the Bishop of Rome and Subjecting all Christian Churches to him Had you seen the Body of the Deceas'd Emperor in the Church upon a stately Throne with the Priests and numerous Crouds in Tears and Sighs praying for his Soul Had you seen I say in those days the Christians serving God and publickly exercising their Religion in this manner would you have thought them Protestants Would this have agreed with the Notion of Protestantism you have now in your Head Or tell me seriously should you not have run out of their Churches and heartily Protested against them as Rank Papists And yet these are the Christians your Divines appeal to as the Antient Professors of the Protestant Religion 'T is according to these times they say they have Reform'd Christianity And that the Religion as now establish'd by Law in this Nation is the same as was then Antiently and Generally profess'd and practis'd in those Primitive Times Misrepresent You stand close tied up to Constantine s' time and there make your boasts You know we appeal to the First Five or Six Hundred Years and 't is not reason you shou'd confine the search to so narrow Bounds as the Reign of one Emperour Represent Wee 'll go forward therefore and see what was the Religion of all these Ages and because we cannot learn this better than from the Belief and Doctrine of the Eminent and Learn'd Fathers of of those Times wee 'll see what Information their Works will give us as they are acknowledg'd by the Centurists and other Protestant Historians and Writers The Century-Writers you must know give an Historical account of those Ages and in their Fourth Century dedicated to Q. Elizabeth and affirm'd by Protestants to be an Excellent Work worthy of immortal Memory they charge the Fathers of those Antient and Purer times with the holding the Doctrines as follow viz. with Justification by Works Merit Confession of Sins to a Priest Vnwritten Tradition Invocation of Saints Purgatory with Altars so call'd of Sacrifice offer'd upon them and Consecrated with the Sign of the
currant Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers are so certain and evident that many Learned Protestants upon this Consideration refuse to stand the Test of their Authorities thinking it far more advantageous to their Cause to give them a general Disclaim Hence Mr. Whitaker affirms the Popish Religion to be patcht up out of the Fathers Errors Cont. Dur l. 6. p. 423. And Dr. Humfrey most severely reprehends Mr. Jewel for his so bold Appeal to the Primitive Fathers affirming that herein Mr. Jewel gave the Papists too large a scope was injurious to himself and after a manner spoil'd himself and the Church Misrepres So then I see you intend to claim the Fathers not only of Constantine 's Time and the Following Ages as Abettors of Popery but likewise Those who in the First Centuries immediately succeeded the Apostles And what Room then do you leave for Protestancy Repres 'T is not only I that claim Them but even the Protestants themselves you see of the precedent Age such who were not asham'd to speak the Truth make a surrender of them laying aside all Pretensions either to Them or their Doctrine And when they have disown'd all the Fathers one by one from Clement Ignatius Irenaeus who liv'd in the Apostles Days and succeeded them in their Function to S. Jerome Austin Leo Gregory the last of which surviv'd the Fifth Century when they have declar'd that Antichrist began his Reign and obscur'd the Light of the Gospel even from the Time of the Apostles I wonder what Room as you say there 's left for Protestancy It savours something of a Mystery methinks call'd Nonsense to say the Protestant Religion is the same Pure Religion as was Anciently and Generally Profess'd amongst the Fathers and Christians of the Primitive Church and then to condemn the same Fathers and Christians of the Primitive Church for being infected with Popery and giving way to Antichrist Wherefore to avoid these Inconveniences if you 'l take my Advice Misrepresenter I believe you had better pretend no longer Right to the Primitive Fathers but as you have condemn'd the Eight hundred Years next before the Reformation of Damnable Errors and Popish Superstitions to take one step further back and e'en take in the other Six hundred Years too and so condemn them all in the lump from Christ's Time to Luther for being Papists and Popishly affected Never Mince the matter They were all Men you know and subject to Error and when you are once in 't is as easily condemning your Fore-fathers for Fourteen Ages as for Eight Your First Reforming-Apostles were something of this mind and thought it no more difficulty to Censure and Condemn the Primitive Fathers than Those they found in the time of K. Henry 8. but were for Reforming all with the same Hand Hearken a little to your courageous Luther In the Writings says he of Jerome there is not a word of True Faith in Christ and Sound Religion Tertullian is very Superstitious I have held Origen long since Accursed of Chrysostome I make no account Basil is of no worth he is wholly a Monk I value him not of a Hair Cyprian is a Weak Divine The Apology of Philip Melancthon far excels all the Dostors of the Church and exceeds even Austin himself Coll. Mens c. de Patr. Eccles And in another place The Fathers says he of so many Ages have been plainly Blind and most Ignorant in the Scriptures They err'd all their Life-time and unless they were mended before their Deaths they were neither Saints nor pertaining to God's Church To. 2. l. de Serv. Arbit Peter Martyr is of the same mind and therefore says plainly That as long as we stand to Councils and Fathers we shall always remain infected with the same Errors viz. of Popery And certainly Misrepresenter these Your First Setters up for Reformation were in the Right on 't for nothing can possibly so strengthen Protestancy and justifie the Separation as this Levelling Divinity For your Going by halves and pretending to be of the Religion of the First Ages of the Church fills People with Doubts and Scruples whilst looking back upon the Professors of those Times instead of Protestancy they find so much Popery amongst them Publish'd with Allowance Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel M DC LXXX VI. THE CATHOLIC REPRESENTER CHAP. XVI A New Way of making all the Popish Sayings of the Primitive Fathers to be Good Protestancy The Art of Interpreting do's Feats it makes way for Atheism and Infidelity Represent HOW stands your Head to day Misrepresenter have you Consider'd the Proposal I made you at our last Meeting Are you for disclaiming all Title to the Primitive Church and Huffing those Ancient Fathers as Luther Peter Martyr and others did who designing a Through-Reformation were alike for calling those Great Doctors to an account of the First Ages as they did those they found in the Time of King Henry 8 Or are you for Reforming upon These First Reformers and taking in those Primitive Fathers of the Church for Protestants which They cast off and Condemn'd for Papists Misrepres I have Consider'd this Matter very seriously and taken the Advice of Friends upon the Point And therefore to be short with you I value no more the Saying of Luther than he did Those Ancient Fathers whom he condemn'd as Weak Divines Superstitious and Valu'd not of a Hair. He was so near the Times of Darkness that he could not well look back and make Judgment of any thing behind him Repres Nay I commend you in this 't is only just to serve him in his kind 'T was Tertullian's Saying Curâ—â—nm idem licet Marcionitis quod Marcioni If Marcion has rebell'd against the Church why should his Followers think much to rebel against him And since Luther cast off all Authority and valu'd not the Writings and Doctrine of the most Eminent Fathers of the Primitive Church why shou'd any one think much of undervaluing him by his own Example If Luther could so easily throw by S. Cyprian for a Weak Divine and S. Basil for being wholly a Monk is not this Precedent enough for any Follower of Luther to cast him off for an Apostate Friar and an Ambitious Divine Well but if you Reform upon Luther in this Point and don 't think fit with him to lay aside all the Writings of the Ancient Fathers as Erroneous and Superstitious what do you do with all those troublesome Passages in their Works wherein They are such Positive Asserters of Popish Doctrines that 't is impossible for any Man to take the Authors for any thing but Papists which do's not well suit with your Claim to them as Protestants Misrepres Pish I value no more these Difficulties than Luther did the Fathers that is not of a Hair. If the First Reformers bad their Eyes but half open what 's that to us who have the Noon-light of the Gospel shining upon us
Alas the Protestant Church in the Time of Luther c. was but in her Nonage and what wonder is it if We standing upon their Shoulders see farther than They Repres Then we are like to have Old Protestancy I see and New Protestancy a Protestancy of Luther and a Protestancy of those that stand upon Luther's Shoulders And who knows but some other Doctors in the next Age may set their Feet upon your Shoulders and see as far beyond you as you think you do beyond Luther As far as I see The Reforming Humovr is not so much out of Fashion but all this is possible And tho' the Word of late be STAND FAST yet this cannot be very effectual when Those that give it never knew what 't was to Stand Fast themselves They that have no other Being but what they gain'd by a Violent Breaking loose and Separation Argue but weakly when they cry to their Followers to HOLD FAST When Doctrine and Example go together it moves powerfully but when the Example is a Confutation of the Doctrine it sinks not beyond the Ear and is no more to the purpose than for a Rebel to Preach up Loyalty and Obedience to his Followers Misrep Whither are you gone Why the Protestancy of the First Reformers and Our Protestancy is much at one only Luther and his Contemporaries were for Reforming the Primitive Fathers taking them for as rank Papists as those that we found in the Time of King Henry 8. And we take them for Good Sound Protestants and regulate our Belief and Doctrine according to what was then generally Taught by them and Practis'd Repres So that Those Fathers it seems whom Luther condemn'd as Superstitious Monkish and Accursed you follow as True-Protestants 'T is well Luther is gone before you if he were to come again he would as certainly throw you into the same List of Superstitious Monkish and Accursed as he did those Fathers whom you follow as Protestants but were rejected by him for Papists Misrep No such matter For tho' we believe as the Fathers believ'd yet we don't dissent in any material Point from Luther we accept of and own his Reformation and fear no Anathema from him tho' he were to have a Second Coming All the business is Luther Peter Martyr c. did not understand the Fathers They mistook their Meaning and thought them in their Writings to teach Popery and therefore declar'd them Accursed But Our Divines the Divines of these Days of clearer Light whose Discerning Faculties are more Pure and more Refin'd than those that went before them have now Examin'd the Works of the Fathers with a stricter Eye and find all that in the Fathers to be Stanch-Protestancy which Luther and his Followers mistook for Popery Repres How so Man What strange Discovery is this Misrep Nothing strange at all 'T is only by the Natural Art of Interpretation 'T is but the Application of three or four Significant Words to the Popish Expressions of the Fathers and forthwith they appear all in as true a Protestant Dress as if the Fathers of the XXXIX Articles had been the Authors Repres What this is some Controversial Legerdermain I le warrant you You 'l favour me with a sight of it who knows what Effect it may have upon me If it do's not make a Convert of me at least I shall undoubtedly admire the Art and Industry of the Operators Misrep You are upon your Rallery However produce you any of what you take for the most Popish Sayings of the Fathers even those very Sayings for which They were condemn'd by Luther for Papists and you shall soon see I le make good what I tell you I don 't like Empty Quacks promise more than I le perform Repres Let 's see then As to Invocation of Saints We quote St. Gregory Nyssen who thus directs himself to S. Theodore Martyr Orat. de S. Theod. Intercede and Pray for our Country to the Lord of the Vniverse Thou hast left this World yet thou knowest our Desires our Wants and the Necessities of Human Life Ask for Peace We quote likewise S. Gregory Nazianzen who thus Addresses himself to S. Cyprian Orat 18. in S. Cyprian Do you full of Compassion look upon us from Heaven direct our Words and Life and help me who have the Charge of this holy Flock The like we read in St. Chrysostom St. Ambrose St. Jerome St. Austin c. And for this very Reason are these Fathers reprov'd by former Protestants as infected with Popish Errors and spotted with Superstitious Doctrines Now how do you make this a Protestant Doctrine Misrep Why look you now with one Word I turn all this Popery into Protestantism These Sayings of the Fathers are not Prayers to the Saints but only so many Rhetorical Flights or Innocent Wishes and what 's become of all the Popery now But proceed have you any more Repres This is as good as the Powder of Pimperlimpimp a German Artist cou'd not make a more Expedite and Undiscernible Conversion But pray let 's have some more of this We quote for the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome some Passages of the First General Councils in which he is stil'd Head and of some Ancient Fathers who acknowledge his Jurisdiction and obey his Orders tho' being Prelates not of the Western but of the Eastern and African Church Misrep These are nothing but Complements Repres Good agen We quote likewise upon the same Subject St. Irenaeus who lib. 3. c. 3. adv Haer. says that All Churches ought to accord to the Roman Church in regard of her more Powerful Principality And Others who call it the Head-Church adding that to its Bishop is given a Preeminence of Priesthood For which Sayings These Fathers are rejected by the Centurists Misrep Pish The Centurists understood them not These are only Expressions of Civil Respect and no acknowledgments of Authority Primacy or Jurisdiction They are nothing but Respectful Compellations and Words of Courtesie Repres We quote again upon this Subject The many Applications that were wont to be made by the Eastern and African Bishops to the Bishop of Rome wherein they acquainted him with the State of their Church-Affairs Gave an Account of their Faith Inform'd him of Heresies arising Requir'd his Assistance c. Misrep All this was only for the maintaining a Mutual and Brotherly Correspondence It means no more Repres We quote again in behalf of the Real Presence and Transubstantiation the Sayings of the Primitive Fathers affirming That as Christ chang'd Water into Wine at Cana of Galilee so at his Last Supper he chang'd Wine into his Blood. That the Flesh of Christ which we eat for our Salvation ought to be Ador'd and that we Sin in not Adoring it That the Words of Christ cannot deceive us or be untrue but our Sense is very often deceiv'd Since therefore He has said This is my Body let us be Convinc'd and Believe That He that Sanctifies and Changes the