coldly affected to the Catholick Cause who hath not been scar'd by the Thunders of the Pope and Rebellions of his Subjects I might instance in the Fredericks and Henry's of Germany who were harass'd with continual Civil Wars and Confusion in the two Henry's of France one whereof Henry the third was Murder'd by Jaque Clement and the act commended in a set Oration by Pope Sixtus quintus and that execrable Murder compar'd to the Incarnation and Resurrection of our Lord and the Virtue and Courage of the Fryer to that of Judith and Eleazer The other Henry the 4th was as barbariously Assassinated by Ravilliac But I shall confine my self to our own Land and briefly show how these men have turn'd our English World upside down Here I might instance in King Henry the 2d and King John who were both scar'd by the Popes Thunderbolts into mean Submissions below the Dignity of Crowned heads and the latter at last poyson'd by a fawning Monk But I shall only mention their villanous Practices since the beginning of the Reformation When King Henry the 8th first renounc'd the Popes Supremacy Pope Paul the 3d Curses and Damns that King and his Parliament Cites them to appear before him in sixty Days and upon their refusal ratifies this Excommunication Prohibits them any Christian Burial and declares them eternally Damn'd deprives that King of all his Dignities and commands his Subjects to take up Arms and compel him to Repeal the Law he had made When Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown 't is well known how Pope Pius the 5th deposed her and the Northern Rebellion and many secret Plots by Poyson Gun-powder c. are to be read in our Chronicles but when these designs prov'd unsuccesful Pope Sixtus quintus Publishes a Croisade against her and perswades King Philip to War against her and crowns his Fleet with the Title of the Invincible Armado but the immediate hand of Heaven dispers'd their Ships by Tempest and thus confuted their proud conceits and gave a Demonstration to the World that infallibility dwelt not at Rome which made the Spanish Admiral swear he thought Jesus Christ was turn'd Lutheran but the Spanish King said more soberly He sent his Navy to fight against men and not against God to whose immediate Providence he attributed that Defeat After That Queen's Death they us'd many Artifices to prevent King James his coming to the Crown Pope Clement the 8th sent two Breivs into England one to the Clergy and another to the Laity not to suffer any but a Catholick tho never so near in Blood to Succeed and Father Parsons writ a Book to invalidate his Title tho they had before Proclaim'd Mary Queen of Scots the lawful Heir to the Kingdom But when these attempts met not with their desir'd Success they enter'd into that black unheard-of Conspiracy of the Powder-Treason and tho now they pretend this was only a Plot of Cecil's to render them odious yet we have full Confirmation of their Guilt and may be assur'd the Pope would have resented the welcome News of this Islands Reduction tho by so bloody a means to the Romish See with as much joy as he since did the hopes of rooting out this Northern Heresie when he wept for joy And the 5th of November would have been as great a Festival in their Calender as now it is in ours Nor were they less restless in their designs against King Charles the I. 'T is well known how they design'd to Murder that King which was discover'd to Sir William Boswel at the Hague They fomented our differences inflam'd the Spirits of men and acting their parts in several Disguises were the great Authors of our Civil Broils and Confusions When that King was Imprison'd by his unnatural Subjects 't is now publish'd to the World * See this and more instances in Dumoulins Answer to Phil. Ang. how a consult of Priests and Jesuits met at London and in a Letter to the Drs. of the Sorbon at Paris sent this Question viz. Whether considering the present posture of Affairs it were for the interest of the Catholick Cause to cut off that King who remain'd obstinate in his Heresie It was answer'd in the affirmitive and resolv'd at Rome by the Pope and his Council That it was not only Lawful but Expedient It cannot be deni'd that too many profess'd Protestants did ingage in that barbarous Villany but they had suck'd these poysonous Principles not from any Protestant Confessions of Faith but Romish Canons and Decrees Protestants disown such Principles 't is therefore an unreasonable thing to accuse the whole Party because of some Delinquents But such Practices are authoriz'd and encourag'd by Popish Councils as agreeable to their Religion We may be assur'd the Ax that cut off our Sovereigns head was whetted among the Romish Philistines and whatever spurious Protestants join'd in that or in any Treasons of the like nature since that time they were so far Papist and belong not to us but them 'T will but be needless labour to mention their secret Conspiracies under our present Sovereign the World hath been so fully inform'd about them And I hope there is as little necessity of proving that such Practices are disown'd by the Christian Religion For must we pay unto Cesar the things that are Cesars And is Rebellion and Treason the Tribute we owe him Must every Soul be subject to the higher Powers And are Plots and Conspiracies the best Testimonies of our Allegiance Are Consecrated Knives and Daggers any of our Gospel-Artillery and these Instruments of Death our Weapons of Righteousness Surely that Religion that thus practically own Rebellions is far different from what it was in the Apostles days and it will be no Slander for us to say These are the men that have turned the world upside down I now proceed to consider IV. What useful Inferences may be gather'd from our past Discourse 1. Hence we may see the excellence of the Protestant Religion The Scripture is the sole Rule of our Faith and Manners pure and uncorrupted Christianity reformed from the abusive Additions of the Romish Church is our Religion We profess to own nothing as part of it but what is as to the essentials summarily contain'd in the Baptismal Covenant and more explicitely in the Creed Lords Prayer and ten Commandments and as to the Integrals in the Old and New Testament So that whatever is said in the former part of this Discourse to prove the excellence of the Christian Institution doth equally confirm the excellence of the Protestant Faith which is the very same with naked Christianity We believe the imcomprehensibility and spirituality of Gods Nature and dare not entertain any Images of him no not in our very Imaginations Angels we Reverence as nobler and more excellent Beings than our selves but dare not pay them that Adoration which the Jealous God will not give to another The Virgin Mary we account blessed among Women but dare not
THE TRUTH and EXCELLENCE OF THE Christian Religion WITH THE CORRUPTIONS and ADDITIONS OF THE ROMISH CHURCH A Discourse Wherein the Pre-eminence of Christianity is demonstrated above the Religion of Jews or Heathens and the Contradiction of Popery to its main Articles And that Religion prov'd in many Instances to be a mixture of Heathenish Superstitions and Jewish Ceremonies With a short Vindication of Christian Loyalty And a brief Historical Account of Romish Treasons and Usurpations since the Reformation By a hearty Professor of Reformed Catholick Christianity Publish'd for the Benefit of those that have not leisure to read larger Volumes LONDON Printed for John Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in St Paul's Church-Yard 1685. To the Honourable Sir Thomas Roberts Knight and Baronet of Glassenbury in Kent SIR HAVING been for some time no uncompassionate observer of the strangely unnatural heaâ—s and angry Vnchristian jars of Protestants one with another I was willing to divert my thoughts from so melancholly a Scene and direct my Zeal against those more dangerous Enemies of our Peace Popery and Irreligion I was willing to call off my Native Country-men from biting and devouring one another to unite against those potent Adversaries which are coming in upon us through those wide Breaches our Divisions have made And methinks if men would but give themselves leave to consider how their hot Disputes about Trifles expose their Religion to the seorn of the Hectoring Atheists and Derision of the bold Incendiaries of Rome they would be less eager about Circumstances and Modes of Worship and more industrious in an unanimous Defence of the common Principles of Christianity I know many excellent Worthies have labour'd before me in this Argument and adorn'd their Discourses with all the Beauites of Wit Learning and Eloquence but yet because Irreligion gains new Proselytes and Rome swells big with greater hopes of once more introducing its blind Superstitions into our Land I have adventur'd at the same time to vindicate the excellency of Christianity against the Infidel and arm my Countrey-men against the bold Corruptions of Rome and tho I am not able to bear the Helmet of Saul and his weighty Coat of Mail be too heavy for my Shoulders tho I pretend not to such strong Lines and nervous Arguments as have been produc'd by the great Defenders of the Christian and Protestant Faith in our Age Yet I know not but a Sling and a Stone even in the hand of a Stripling may by Divine Assistance in some measure prevent the increase of our Enemies and confirm the staggering among us in the profession and practice of our Reform'd Religion And when once I had resolv'd to expose these Papers to the Censure of the World I at the same time resolv'd to make this publick acknowledgment of the endearing Obligations you Sir have laid upon me I must acknowledg the Present is too mean for so great a Person and 't is a Disparagement to so worthy a Name to prefix it before so inconsiderable a Piece but your good Nature is such that I hope your Affection will bribe your Judgment and what your Reason disallows your undeserv'd respect to the Author will not condemn I know Sir the usual Flattery of Dedicatory Epistles but know as well that you hate the fawning of mean Parasites and had rather be good than be magnifi'd as such in the World and tho I might expatiate in your due Praises yet I will not so far trespass upon your Humility that great Ornament of your Nature as well as Religion but rather turn my Panegyricks into Prayers That greatness and real goodness may be in you conjoin'd and the Nobility of your Birth may be equall'd by the noble Endowments of your mind Go on Sir in your hearty Zeal for God and Religion and let your great Example prevent the boasts of the bold Hectors of this Age That they have Proselyâ—ed all the Gentry of the Land Let your Dependents and Neighbours be aw'd into Seriousness by your strictly holy life and allure men into the practice of Religion by your sincere compliance with the amiable Virtues it recommends Let not the Infidel be able to say That Religion is only fit for the Cells of melancholly Souls and the retirements of the poor despised Men in Black who make it their Trade and Profession but continue Sir a glorious instance How well Religion becomes the most noble Souls and that Virtue is the best accomplishment and the highest badg of Honour Continue Sir in your becoming-Zeal against Papal Corruptions which so naturally tend to Debauchery and Irreligion And if this Discourse may be any way useful for so excellent a purpose I shall have great reason to bless God for directing me to such a Subject Who am Honourable Sir Your Oblig'd Humble Affectionate Servant S. C. ACTS XVII 6. These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also A Just Vindication of the Christian Religion from the impious Slanders of its professed Enemies and covert practices of its pretended Friends hath in all Ages of the Church been a very necessary work For tho our Religion be sufficiently attested and God hath given convincing Evidences that it came from him tho the excellency and intrinsick worth of the Precepts recommend it to the Approbation of all mankind Tho the Doctrines it delivers are highly agreeable to the wisest Apprehensions of men no way unbecoming a God to speak or men to hear Tho no Religion in the World was ever so admirably sitted to advance the interest of particular persons or promote the advantage of publick Societies yet hath it been vilely misrepresented by its Adversaries and the malice of Earth and Hell hath been busied in inventing lying Accusations to prevent its settlement and Propagation The blessed Author of it was accus'd as a Blasphemer and Impostor tho he came upon the most admirable design of promoting the happiness of mankind and laid down such excellent Rules as would certainly have fill'd the World with the blessings of a flourishing Peace and lasting Prosperity yet was he traduc'd as a Troubler of the World and Seducer of the People and tho he deserv'd to be honoured with the most profound respect and recompenc'd with the best rewards yet had he no other Crown than one of Thorns and no other Throne than a Cross And the same Spirit that murder'd their Lord did appear also against his Disciples and Followers Whereever they went to Preach the Word of the Kingdom they were still persecuted with the bold lies and virulent slanders of their enraged Adversaries The Magistrates were excited to secure the publick Peace against these pretended Disturbers of it And thus they boldly cry out in the Text These that have turn'd the world upside down are come hither also For the better understanding which words it will be necessary briefly to reflect upon the Context Paul and Silas having travell'd v. 1. through many parts of Asia publishing the Gospel
own Reason or convince the Judgments of others That his God is blasphem'd and his Saviour dishonour'd by an huge party of men who pretend to be of his Holy Religion But because this Infection is of a spreading nature and the growth of Popery is too common and too just a complaint and the Bigots of that Church are continually using all the artifices of Cunning and Insinuation and Treachery to delude the easie multitude and once more Introduce their blind Religion into our Nation I cannot think it an unseasonable work but a piece of charity to the Souls of men to give a just Character of that Religion which if God had not and did not still mercifully interpose would have again over spread this Land as well as other Nations I shall therefore pursue my former method and inquire Quest 1. Whether they have introduc'd new Doctrines different from what the Apostles taught and what warrant they can produce for doing so Ans He that runs over the former particulars may soon be satisfi'd that they have restor'd absur'd Gentile Idolatry and superannuated Jewish Ceremonies and wofully corrupted Christianity in those great Articles wherein I have show'd its pre-eminence to consist 1. They have introduc'd new Doctrines concerning God and the manner how he will be Worshipp'd This will be evident if we reflect upon these four particulars following 1. Their Representing and Worshipping God by Images 2. Their Adoration of Saints and Angels 3. Their Adoration of the Host 4. The manner of their Worship too exactly symbolizes with that of Jews and Heathens 1. Their Representing and Worshipping God by Images Those who are acquainted with any thing of the Romish Worship know how in their Churches nay in their Psalters Mass-books and Manuals of Devotion the incomprehensible Trinity is pictur'd sometimes like an old Man with a long grey Beard and a ray of light over his head with a Crucifix between his Knees or a Child in his Arms and a Dove with spread Wings under his Beard Sometimes like a Monster with three Faces in a Knot Now how abominably foolish and impious are such Representations as these What ridiculous entertainment doth this afford to the Socinian And how doth it expose this sacred Mystery to his Derision and Contempt How naturally doth this tend to debase the Divine Majesty as if the Infinite Lord of Angels and Men bore any resemblance to his imperfect Creatures and the incomprehensible Majesty of Heaven and Earth were like such Worms and Dust as we If any man should reverence a Worm or a Toad as the Image of his Prince would not such a mans honorary respect be interpreted as an high affront And is it not an infinitely greater Indignity to Worship the Divine Majesty in the shape of the most glorious of any of his Creatures There is very great danger lest the ignorant Vulgar should fancy God like the Images he is represented by and they naturally tend at least to debase our conceptions of his incomprehensible nature His Immensity cannot be represented by a piece of Wood nor his Infinity by a finite Idol Images are apt to suggest too low Thoughts and mean Apprehensions of his Nature and therefore are not to be us'd If it be pleaded That such Representations may be instrumental to raise our Thoughts and excite dovout Affections within us Alas he that hath not rais'd Apprehensions of the Divine Majesty and Greatness from the consideration of his own glorious works must expect little benefit by the imperfect Art and Invention of man Let them therefore call Images Laymen's books till they show us Gods License and Imprimatur for them we shall esteem them as Surreptitious Pamphlets offensive to the King of Heaven If it be again pleaded That God by his appearances to Abraham and the Patriarchs in the form of a man and his being represented as an old man to Daniel and the Holy Ghost's descent in the form of a Dove hath authoriz'd such Representations I answer The appearances to the Patriarchs were of the second Person in the Trinity as Anticipations of his Incarnation and were no Representations of his Nature but only signs that he was then and there present As to that in Dan. 7. 9. concerning the Ancient of days that was only represented to the inward sense of Daniel in a Vision and was only a Symbol of Gods fitness to Judg the World White to denote the purity of his Nature Ancient of days to represent his eternity and white hair to shadow out his Wisdom and Prudence As to that of Matth. 3. 16. Dr. Hammond's Exposition takes off all necessity of answer according to him the Expression like a Dove hath reference not to any assumed likeness Hammond in Matth. 3. 16. but to the manner of the descent that he came down upon him as Doves use to do when they light upon any thing hovering and overshadowing it Thus we know the Holy Ghost descended on the Virgin Mary Luke 1. 35. For St. Luke indeed adds in a bodily shape but that may be render'd with a bodily appearance so that perhaps the Holy Ghost might appear in no outward Figure but only appear to be present by the appearance of Angels and it is not unlikely it might be in a bright shining Cloud as at the transfiguration of our Saviour Matth. 17. 5. it is said A bright shining cloud overshadow'd them descending as Doves use to do For the full confirmation of this I must refer to the place But if the general Exposition be allow'd That the Holy Ghost did appear in such a symbolical Figure this was only to represent the Innocence of our Saviour and the purity and peaceableness of that Religion he was then beginning to teach the World No representation of his Nature Nor can God be worshipp'd under any corporal Figure without palpable Idolatry For as soon may deliberate Murder and Adultery be reconcil'd to the 6th and 7th as this can to the 2d Commandment And our Romish Doctors are very conscious of this and therefore have very fairly expung'd it out of their Catechisms and Manuals and split the tenth into two to keep up the number They had reason to fear lest the Laity not having such Metaphysical heads as themselves if they had left it standing should have been deterr'd from so gainful a sin For thou shalt not make a Graven Image would quickly make their Temples desolate and thou shalt not bow down to the likeness of any thing in Heaven or Earth would open the eyes of their deluded Proselytes if they were but permitted to read them Words so fully Emphatical and Comprehensive that all worship of Images could hardly have been condemn'd in more large and significant terms And Moses who best knew the meaning of the Lawgiver hath given a clear comment upon this Command Deut. 4. 15 16. Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves for you saw no manner of similitude when the Lord appeared unto you in Horeb
lest ye corrupt your selves and worship Graven Images If the Heathen Idolatry were only forbidden of what inconsequent arguing would Moses here be guilty Take heed lest ye worship the Images of false gods for ye never saw any Representation of the true God But if all Worship of Images be here forbidden then the Argument is very pertinent and forcible Take heed how ye Worship God in any outward Representation for if such a thing were pleasing to him he would not have left it to your choice to do it in what form you pleas'd but would have appear'd in such a likeness as best pleas'd himself Besides the golden Calf which the Israelites worshipp'd as a resemblance of God was a breach of this Commandment and is called an Idol Acts 7. 41. For that the Israelites did make this as a resemblance of the true God is Exodus 32. clear from the Story Aaron says these be thy Gods O Israel that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and Proclaims a Feast to Jehovah for either we must suppose the Israelites to be so stupidly sottish as to suppose this Calf to be really that God that brought them out of Egypt before it was made or if we cannot find in our hearts to believe them so absurd we must believe they fell back to the Egyptian Idolatry or worshipt the true God under this representation That it was not a resemblance of the Egyptian Gods is evident from hence that he is call'd Jehovah and is represented as the God that brought them out of Egypt for could they once imagine that the Egyptian Gods had destroy'd their own most zealous worshippers and wrought such wonders for them who abhor'd their worship and would give them no adoration is it not much more rational to suppose that the Israelites expected some symbol of the Divine Presence going before them as they might expound that promise Exod. 23. 20. And Moses being See more of this in Stillingsleets Defence of the Idolatry of R. C. Page 747 absent for 40 Days they doubting whether ever they should see him more devise with themselves what token to have of Gods presence with them and the most part being sway'd by their Education in Egypt where they worship'd their chief god Osyris in the form of a Bull compel Aaron to make a Golden Calf And if this be in them accounted Idolatry must not the same title be given to our Romish worshippers of Graven Images Of the same sin was Micah guilty in Judg. 17. who to ease himself of the trouble of travelling so often to Sbiloh to worship there made a molten and graven image as a representation of the Lord Jehovah builds a Chappel in his house and hires a Levite to be his Priest and in this rejoyces exceedingly now know I says he that the Lord will do me good seeing I have a Levite to my Priest Judg. 17. 13. Of the same nature was that great sin of Jeroboam for which he is branded with so black a Character in Scripture he made two Calves in Dan and Bethel as a representation of God 'T is plain he design'd not to draw the Israelites from the Worshipping God but from going up to Jerusalem to Worship lest their converse with the Two Loyal Tribes should revive their principles of Loyalty also and reduce them to their subjection to their Lawful Sovereign and therefore his successors were look'd upon as worshippers of Jehovah Thus Jehu was zealous for the Lord 2 King 10. 16. Jehovah though he departed not from this sin of Jerobcam Thus it appears how plainly God hath forbidden all worship of him by images And that this Law was not only positive and temporary but unalterâ—bly obliging all men appears from the reason of the Law The unsuitableness of an image to the Divine Nature Isa 40. 18 25. The Prophet rhere after a stately and majestick description of the Divine Greatness concludes with this inference To whom then will ye liken God Or what likeness will ye compare unto him As if he should say Seeing God is so immensly Glorious a being your own reasons may convince you of the folly of making any representations of him John 4. 24. God is a Spirit and will be worship'd in spirit and truth That is as some interpret the words not in the Image of a Dove as the Samaritans Worship'd him on Mount Gerizim nor with the Typical Sliadows of the Jewish Law St. Paul when arguing with the Athenians bends his discourse against their Worshipping the Sovereign God in the likeness of silyer or gold or stone Acts 17. 29. and in Rom. 1. 23 He disputes against the wiser Philosophers and accuses them that when they knew God to be an Immensly Glorious being they fashion'd him like a man and Worship'd him by Images and the accusation will equally concern our present Romish pretenders to Wisdom The same apologies the wise men of Athens and Rome made to excuse their Heathenish Idolatry are adapted by the Popish Schools to justify their worshipping Images Plutarch and Celsus and Julian and Maximus Tyrius and many others tell us they look'd upon Images only as helps to remembrance and means of exciting their devotions nay the worshippers of the Sun and Moon and Stars might better apologize for themselves For these natural Images are great Monuments of the Divine Wisdom and Power and Goodness but the present artificial ones express only the Gravers skill and imperfect cunning Nay further the very same pleas might be us'd by the Priests of Egypt to justify their most ridiculous follies Leeks and Onions may as well draw forth my penitential tears deified Apes and Monkeys may as well be the objects of my adoration as the Monstrous Pictures of the Trinity in their Temples But how contradictory soever this practise be to Scripture Images may well agree to that Church which retains little more than the faine image and shadow of a Religion 2. Their Adoration of Saints and Angels and giving them the same Worship the Heathens gave to their Daemons or inferior Deities By Daemons the Heathens understood an inferior sort of deified powers as middle Beings between the Sovereign God and mortal men and because they thought the higher God too pure and sublime to meddle with Earthly affairs they placed these as Mediators to prefent the prayers of Men to God and convey the benefits of God to Men thus Plato and Hesiod and others that describe them To this opinion the Apostle seems to allude in 1 Cor. 8. 5. 6. As there be Gods many and Lords many yet to us there is but one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ i. e. Tho the Heathens Worship'd many Supreme See this confirm'd in Mede's Apostacy of the later times Gods and inferior powers as Presidents and Mediators in Earthly things yet we Christians acknowledg but one sovereign Deity and one Mediator who presents our Prayers to the Father and brings us back the rewards
to convince Hereticks and that was to call for express words of Scripture and absolutely deny whatever reason said against any of the Articles of their new Belief And now since their Doctrines are thus confessedly unreasonable we may be assur'd they came not from Heaven or the God of Reason 2. Are their Doctrines warranted by any Prophecies concerning them The Apostles compleated those Prophecies that had been long before made God had foretold his abolishing the Ceremonial Law and establishing a perfect standing-rule for Jews and Gentiles But doth he any where foretell That after the expiration of so many Years Judaism and Paganism should be mix'd together by his appointment On the contrary the Gospel is call'd an everlasting Gospel and at the closing of the Canon of Scripture a Rev. 22. 18. terrible curse is denounc'd against those who should dare to make any additions to Scripture There are some Prophecies indeed in Scripture which seem to concern them St. John and St. Paul have spoken many things concerning Antichrist and the Man of Sin which many think are clearly applicable to the Roman Church But I know she will say concerning these as Ahab of Micaiah I hate these men for they Prophecy not good but evil concerning me 3. Can they attest the truth of their Doctrine by Miracles Here I know they will make their boasts There is not a Saint among them but is famous for incredible wonders The Apostles were but puny Miracle-workers in comparison of their Modern Saints And the great St. Francis St. Bridget St. Catharine and St. Thomas of Canterbury far exceeded St. Peter or St. James or St. John or any of the other Disciples Who can question the lawfulness of Worshipping the Virgin Mary when he hears that the Angels brought wood and stone cross the Sea to Loretto and built her a Chappel there Who can forbear falling prostrate and crying St. Thomas help me when those very words from the mouth of a Sparrow struck a cruel Sparrow hawk dead that had almost fastned upon her as his prey Have not the wild beasts of the wood fallen down before the Host when casually let fall and the very Asses cast themselves into a worshipping posture And is it not mighty strange that men will still trust their own senses and remain Hereticks after such wonderful evidence I might instance in manyother pretty tales out of their Legends but they are so ridiculous and extravagant as plainly speak out their forgery and the wiser among them are forc'd to confess them Pious Frauds and Godly Cheats Our Saviour and his Apostles did their mighty works openly in the sight of their greatest enemies But these are all transacted in corners before friends and those that have already entertain'd their doctrines And surely there must be some Legerdemain in the business that so many Miracles should be done in Italy and Spain and none in England But the true reason why they can do no mighty works in our Country is because of our unbelief Protestants would soon discover their cheats and they were once so baffled in that intended miracle of the Boy of Bilson a known story that they have hardly ventur'd the exposing themselves since Their Miracles when they are not plain forgeries are either the curing of melancholly sumes or Hysterical-Distempers which frequently create fancies in persons as if they were possess'd of which instances have been given by Protestants particularly as I remember by Mr. Baxter who have cur'd such and might have gain'd the name of Miracle-workers as well as they Or if any of their Indian Apostles as Xavier and had a true miraculous power it was to confirm the truth of Christianity to the Heathens and not their additional corruptions Finally if God do permit them to do some strange unaccountable actions to confirm their errors 't is but as a trial to our faith to see whether we will forsake the true Doctrine confirm'd by greater miracles when we are fore-arm'd against such aslaults by being told that Antichrist shall come with lying wonders and we need not fear the sin against the Holy Ghost if we say that by Beelzebub do these men cast out Devils But I had almost forgot one great Miracle which is daily perform'd and that is Transubstantiation But those who believe this must live by faith or rather unreasonable credulity and not by sight And the greatest Miracle of all is That men who are Wise and Rational enough in common matters should swallow such an heap of Contradictions And thus have I made good the Charge against the Romish Church in the first Sense and tho much more might have been said yet this fully proves that they have corrupted Christianity with their impure mixtures and cover'd the excellent Foundations of our Faith with the Hay and Stubble of their own Inventions And thus I proceed to make good the Charge against them in the second Sense 2. Whether they have desturb'd the World by Principles of Religion This hath been so common a Theme of late years ' that I need not spend much time in proving it The Miter is by them exalted above the Crown and Peter's pretended Successor is so far from Preaching up his Doctrine of Subjection to the Civil Powers that he requires Kings and Emperors to stoop to him I need not laboriously prove this by Quotations out of their Authors If the Decrees of their Councils the Bulls of their Popes the Determinations of their Canon-Law the Assertions of not only Jesuits those known Enemies to Monarchy but of the most approv'd Doctors of all Orders among them may be taken to be the Sense of their Church the Learned Bp. of Lincoln hath lately Collected them together and thereby fully confirm'd the Title of his Book That Popish Principles are destructive to Protestant Princes There we may find such dangerous Assertions as these That Emperors and Kings are the Popes Subjects That they may be depos'd by him for Schism Heresie Laziness or unprofitableness and that he is the sole Judg of the Crime and Condemnation That Statutes made by Laymen bind not the Clergy That the Pope is the Vicar of God and every creature is subject to him That he that prefers the King before the Priest prefers the Creature before the Creator In a word He hath given such convincing Demonstration That King-killing Doctrines are authoriz'd at Rome that we may justly wonder at the daring-Impudence of the late Tyburn-Saint who pretended that none but Mariana ever publish'd such Doctrines But what truth can be so plain which the Confidence of a Jesuit dare not deny Neither have these been the idle Speculations of the Schools or the entertainment of the Cells and Cloysters but have been practically maintain'd many hundred Years and the History of the Church for some Centuries is nothing else but a Tragical and Bloody Comment on this Doctrine 'T is hardly possible to mention one King since Rome's rise to her greatness that hath been but
in upon us at those wide breaches we have made for them By our Divisions we become accessary to our own ruin and have great reason to fear lest we do that with our own hands which all the Policies of Rome have not hitherto been able to effect By our Divisions we may provoke God to suffer our enemies to prevail and by fiery trials to scourge us into Love and Unity Then we shall too late repent of our violence and bitterness And when we sadly look back and reflect how happy once we might have been this will be no mean aggravation of our misery And when we remember we brought our afflictions upon our selves we shall have cause to say with sad hearts and tears in our eyes Oh that we had known the things that belong to our Peace Let us now therefore be intreated to lay aside prejudice and passion and have greater regard to the common good than the interest of any particular Party Let us more impartially weigh the differences among our selves and resolve that nothing but sin shall hinder a full agreement And by mutual compliances 't is no impossible thing to be reconcil'd But if that be too great a blessing for such a sinful People and there must be differences among us Oh that we could once learn to differ in judgment without any alienation of affections That we could once learn that the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink consists not in such little things as are the matters of our difference But in Righteteouness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And he that leads an holy Life shall be accepted by God tho he worship not him after our particular mode and prehaps be guilty of some mistakes Are not our differences much of the same nature with those St. Paul mentions Rom. 14. And why should not his directions be carefully observ'd Why should we aggravate every little difference or heighten every small mistake or censoriously condemn one another as Hypocrites because tho we agree in all the substantials of Religion we cannot be all of a mind in some particular forms and modes and ceremonies Are not we all fallible creatures and shall we be angry at our brethren for that which is the common condition of Men May not the error be on our own side as well as our Brothers And is this becoming a Christian or an ingenuous man to condemn another for that wherein perhaps I may be guilty my self We cannot gratify the Papists more than by these unhappy disputes Let us therefore by the friendship we bear to the Protestant Interest by the concern we have for our Religion and just hatred we bear to the Romish Faith be perswaded either wholly to lay aside or at least to be more moderate and calm in our differences Let us labour after Healing Uniting Spirits imploy our zeal about the great Duties of Religion strive which shall be the best Christians and the best Subjects and leave the Disputes about lesser things to those who know not how better to imploy their time Then we need not fear the attempts of our enemies And as God hath hitherto so we may hope he will still be our great defender But as one says very well till we are as zealous against the Antichrists in our own breasts as Pride Anger Malice and Bitterness as against him that sits in the Roman Chair and learn heartily to love one another we have little reason to hope with Agag that the bitterness of Death is past but have too much cause to dread the Romish Yoak 4. Let us never Apostatize to the Romish Religion A Religion which perfectly overturns Christianity and absolutely overthrows all Civil Government A Religion which destroys our duty to our Heavenly and dissolves our obligation to our Earthly Sovereign A Religion that takes away that fear of God which Christianity obliges us to and denies that honour to the King which the Law of Nature and the Light of Revelation binds upon us If we would perform a more reasonable service than Heathens offer let us not return to the sorceries and charms of Rome If we have any respect to the Commands of God or dread Divine threatnings let us not deny him that Spiritual Worship he requires nor fall down before Graven Images Except we can be content with a Catechism without the Second Commandment a Sacrament without the Cup and a Bible which we cannot understand Except we will Worship we know not what Pray unto those that cannot hear us and trust in those that cannot help us Except we can be content with a Faith without knowledgâ— a Hope without foundation and a Charity that damns all the World but our selves Till we can be perswaded That there may be Devotion without understanding Repentance without amendment and Salvation without any labour or great industry to obtain it Till we can be satisfi'd in these and all the other particulars I have mention'd we cannot be thorow Papists And if these things are not prejudice enough against that Church it 's a sign we little understand what Religion means Let us therefore seriously reflect on these particulars that our abhorrence of Popery may not meerly be because we were educated in the Protestant Faith and 't is a fashionable thing to rail against the Church of Rome but it may be establish'd upon firm and stable principles such as may endure a storm and fiery trial which God knows whether we may not be visited with That we may never run such hazards of our Salvation as we shall incur if we Apostatize to that Church For how far the depths of Gods mercy may reach and his sovereign goodness may save a Natural Born Papist I know not how far their ignorance and prejudice may excuse them is not for me to dispute But this I will say If any who have been educated in the Protestant Faith and well understood the Grounds of that Religion shall turn Papist he must have a great measure of charity who can think such an one in any near probability of Salvation Let us therefore hold fast our Religion and strictly comply with its excellent commands let our professions be sincere and our lives obedient then tho our enemies do plot our ruin the God of Heaven will appear on our side and his never-slumbring Providence defeat their designs Tho these who have turn'd the world upside down should come hither yet their policies shall not prevail But only give fresh occasion to us to glorify God the Author of our Deliverance FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by John Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in St. Pauls Church Yard Folio BOnetti Sepulchretum sive Anatomia Practica 2 Vol. Mercurius competalitius sive index Medico-Practicus Medicina Septentrionalis Collatitia Baudrandi Geographia Ordina litterarum disposita 2 Vol. Quarto Zâ—diacus Medico-Gallicus 3 Vol. pro 3 Annis Binchii Mellificium Theologicum Theses Salmurienses 2 Vol. Sedanenses 2 Vol. Octavo Sir John Temples Irish Rebellion Sir Willian Temples Observations on the united Netherlands Miscellanea Plutarch's Morals Translated from the Greek by several hands in 3 Vol. Bishp Wilkins of Prayer and Preaching 2 Vol. Sermons and Beauty of Providence World in the Moon and Earth a Planet Mathematical Magick Dr. Fords Exposition upon the Church Catechism Dr. Jacomb's Personal and Domestick Dedication Duodecimo Herles Wisdoms Tripos Garbut on the Resurrection Virgil cum notis Minellii Florus cum notis Minellii Tentamen Medicum de Varioris Old Mr. Dods sayings in one large Sheet