because the Church doth not forbid it but this last he saith is not the general but the more probable Opinion 3. A Man may eat something when he drinks to prevent its doing him hurt besides his good Meal he may take what quantity he pleases of Sweet-meats or Fruit he may have a good Reflection at Night and yet not break this strict Precept of Fasting For the eating as often as one drinks it is the common Opinion saith the same Casuist who was no Iesuit That it is not forbidden because it is taken by way of a Medicine and he quotes a great number of their Casuists for it A Collation at evening is allowed saith he And Lessius saith There is no certain Rule for the Quantity of it And Card. Tolet saith very large ones are allowed at Rome by the Pope's Connivence even in the Court of Rome saith Reginaldus And now I leave the Reader to judge of the severity of Fasting required in the Church of Rome XXIX Of Divisions and Schisms in the Church HE is of a Religion in which there are as many Schisms as Families And they are so divided in their Opinions that commonly as many as meet in company so many several Tenets are maintain'd Hence arise their infinite and endless Disputes and disagreement of their Divines who pretend to give a true and solid explication of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith and yet differ in as many Points as they write of Besides what variety of Iudgments are there in their Religious Houses and Cloisters none agreeing with another in their Foundation Institution and Profession This being of the Religion of St. Dominick That of St. Francis a third of St. Bernard Others of St. Benedict and so without number so that as many Orders as many Religions And yet they pretend to Christian Unity amidst this diversity growing upon them every day HE is of a Religion in which there are no Schisms or Separations all the Members of it however spread through the World agreeing like one man in every Article of their Faith by an equal submission to the Determinations of their Church And no one of them tho' most Learned and Wise ever following any other Rule in their Faith besides this of assenting to all that the Church of God planted by Christ assisted and protected by the Holy Ghost proposed to the Faithful to be believ'd as the Doctrine of the Apostles and receiv'd as such in all Ages Which is all unanimously to believe as the Church of God believes No one of his Communion ever doubting of this or scrupling to receive any thing after his Churches Declaration And now tho they all thus conspire in every point of Faith yet there is great diversity among School men in their Divinity-points and Opinions of such matters as are no Articles of Faith and have no relation to it but as some circumstance or manner which being never defin'd by their Church may be maintain'd severally either this or that way without any breach of Faith or injury to their Religion And of these things only they dispute and have their Debates in manner of a School-Exercises without any disagreement at all in their Belief but with a perfect Unity The like Unity is there amongst their Religious Orders all which say the same Creed own the same Authority in the Church of Christ and in every thing profess the same Faith and have no other differences than as it were of so many several steps or degrees in the practice of a Devout and Holy Life some being of a more severe and strict Discipline others of a more gentle and moderate some spending more time in Praying others more in Watching others more in Fasting some being intended for the Catechising and breeding up of Youth others for taking care of Hospitals and looking after the Sick others for going amongst Infidels and Preaching to them the Gospel of Christ and for such-like Pious and Christian Designs to the greater Glory and Honour of God which differences make no other difference in the several Professors than there was between Mary and Martha who express'd their Love and Service to their Lord in a very different Imploy but both commendably and without any danger of prejudicing the Unity of their Faith XXIX Of Divisions and Schisms in the Church TWO things he saith upon this Head 1. That they are all agreed in matters of Faith 2. That they only differ in some School Points from whence he infers That they have no Schisms or Separations among them But that this is no just consequence will appear by the Schisms and Separations among us made by such who profess to agree in all matters of Faith Yet let us see how he proves that they agree in all matters of Faith because they agree to submit equally to the Determinations of the Church Now this very way evidently proves that they do not all agree because they do not equally submit to the Churches Determinations For 1. Some say they are bound to submit to the Churches Determinations as it represents the Universal Church Others say no but as the Churches Power is virtually lodged in the Guides of it Now this is a very material Difference for if it be on the former Account then not the Popes and Councils Declarations are to be regarded but as they express the sense of the Universal Church and so the Majority of Votes the Numbers in the Representative and Diffusive Church is chiefly to be regarded And on this Ground some reject the Deposing Power tho plainly decreed by Popes and Councils but they unhinge their Churches Authority by it Now how is it possible for them to agree about matters of Faith who differ fundamentally about the way how any things come to be matters of Faith If they be decreed by Popes and Councils say some and so the Deposing Power is become an Article of Faith No such matter say others for a greater Number in the diffusive Church oppose it as in the Gallican Church and elsewhere Very well But how then can these Parties be said to agree in matters of Faith and an equal Submission to the Determinations of the Church 2. Some again say That it is not the consent of the present Church can make any Article of Faith but there must be an Universal Tradition from the Apostles times And so they tell us the Deposing Power can never be an Article of Faith because it wants the Consent of all the Ages before Gregory VII So that upon this Ground there can be no Article of Faith which cannot be proved to be thus delivered down to us Others again say this is in effect to give up their Cause knowing the impossibility of proving particular Points in this manner and therefore they say the present Church is wholly to be trusted for the sense of the foregoing Now these differences are still on foot in their Church and from these do arise daily disputes about matters of Faith
be so much rather questioned because those who assert the Pope may dispense go upon this ground Because Circumstances may alter the Obligation of a Vow and when a greater good is to be attained it ceaseth to oblige which to my Apprehension doth not prove the Pope's Power to dispense but the dispensable Nature of the Vows themselves 3. Whether all things of this nature being liable in continuance of time to great Degeneracy and Corruptions and the numbers of such Places being unserviceable either to Church or State it be not in the Power of the King and States of the Kingdom to dissolve and reduce them to ways more suitable to the Conveniences of both As to what he discourses about Councils of Perfection the Distractions of the World the Corruptions of the best Things c. they reach not the main Points but are only general Topicks which we are not concerned to debate XXXI Of Wicked Principles and Practices HE is Member of a Church which is called Holy but in her Doctrine and Practices so Foul and Abominable that whosoever admires her for Sanctity may upon the same grounds do homage to Vice it self Has ever any Society since Christ's time appear'd in the World so black and deform'd with hellish Crimes as she Has not she out-done even the most Barbarous Nations and Infidels with her Impieties and drawn a scandal upon the name of Christian by her unparallel'd Vices Take but a view of the horrid Practices she has been engag'd in of late years consider the French and Irish Massacres the Murders of Henry III. and IV. Kings of France the Hoâ—y League the Gun-powder Treason the Cruelty of Queen Mary the Firing of London the late Plot in the Year 1678. to subvert the Government and destroy His Majesty the Death of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey and an infinite number of other such-like Devilish Contrivances And then tell me whether that Church which has been the Author and Promoter of such barbarous designs ought to be esteem'd Holy and respected for Piety and Religion or rather be condemn'd for the Mysteries of Iniquity the Whore of Babylon which hath polluted the Earth with her Wickedness and taught nothing but the Doctrine of Devils And let never so many Pretences be made yet 't is evident that all these Execrable Practices have been done according to the known Principles of this Holy Church and that her greatest Patrons the most Learned of her Divines her most Eminent Bâ—shops her Prelates Cardinals and even the Popes themselves have been the chief Managers of these Hellish Contrivances And what more convincing Argument that they are all well approved conform to the Religion taught by their Church HE is Member of a Church which according to the ninth Article of the Apostles Creed he believes to be Holy and this not only in Name but also in Doctrine and for witness of her Sanctity he appeals to her Councils Catechisms Pulpits and Spiritual Books of Direction in whâ—ch the main design is to imprint in the Hearts of the Faithful this comprehensive Maxim of Christianity That they ought to love God above all things with their whole Heart and Soul and their Neighbour as themselves And that none flatter themselves with a confidence to be sav'd by Faith alone without living Soberly Iustly and Piously as 't is in the Council of Trent Sess. 6. c. 11. So that he doubts not at all but that as many as live according to the Direction of his Church and in observance of her Doctrine live Holily in the Service of and Fear of God and with an humble confidence in the Merits and Passion of their Redeemer may hope to be receiv'd after this Life into Eternal Bliss But that all in Communion with his Church do not live thus Holily and in the fear of God he knows 't is too too evident there being many in all places wholly forgetful of their Duty giving tâ—emselves up to all sorts of Vice and guilty of most horrid Crimes And though he is not bound to believe all to be Truth that is charg'd upon them by Adversaries there being no Narrative of any such Devilish Contrivances and Practices laid to them wherein Passion and Fury have not made great Additions wherein things Dubious are not improv'd into Certainties Suspicions into Realities Fears and Iealousies into Substantial Plots and downright Lies and Recorded Perjuries into Pulpit nay Gospel-Truths Yet really thinks that there has been Men of his Profession of every rank and degree Learned and Unlearned High and Low Secular and Ecclesiastick that have been scandalous in their Lives wicked in their Designs without the fear of God in their Hearts or care of their own Salvation But what then Is the whole Church to be condemn'd for the vicious Lives of some of her Professors and her Doctrine to stand guilty of as many Villanies as those commit who neglect to follow it If so let the Men of that Society Iudgment or Perswasion who are not in the like circumstance fling the first stone Certainly if this way of passing Sentence be once allow'd as just and reasonable there never was nor ever will be any Religion or Church of God upon the Earth 'T is but reck'ning up the Idolatries Superstitions Cruelties Rebellions Murders of Princes Impieties and other such like Enormities committed by the Iews as they stand recorded in Scripture and 't is immediately prov'd that the Iews were never the chosen People of God nor their Law the Dictates of Heaven 'T is but making a Lift of the Misdemeanours Irregularities Abuses Excesses Treacheries Simony Separation Discords Erroneous Doctrines to be found even in the time of the Apostâ—es and their Followers and they are all effectually prov'd to be the Disciples of Antichrist and that the World's Redeemer had no sooner ascended into Heaven but his Apostles left him and began to set up for Schism and Vice By this way Constantine may be evidently condemn'd for an Heathen because he murdered his Wife and his Son And the Religion of Theodosius be mark'd out for Atheism because by his Order seven Thousand Thessalonians were treacherously Massacred in three hours space without distinction of Sex or Age or the Innocent from the Guilty A confident Undertaker would find no difficulty in proving all this especially if he had but the Gift of exaggerating some things misrepresenting others of finding Authorities and Texts for every idle Story oâ— charging the exâ—ravagant Opinions of every single Author upon the Religion they profess of raking together all the Wickedness Cruelties Treacheries Plots Conspiracies at any time committed by any ambitious Desperado's or wicked Villains And then positively asserting that what these did was according to the Doctrine of that Church of which they were Members and that the true measures of the Sanctity and Goodness of the Church in whose Communion these Men were may be justly taken from the Behaviour of such Offenders But certainly no Man of Reason and Conscience can
occasions of mentioning it if ever Christ had instituted a Headship in the Church gâ—ven it to S. Peter and his Successors in the See of Rome 19. For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come 1 Cor. 15.26 The Apostle speaking to all Communicants plainly shews that the Institution of Christ was That all should partake of both Kinds and so to continue to do as long as this Sacrament was to shew forth the Death of Christ viz. till his Second coming And there is no colour for asserting the Christian Church ever looked on observing Christs Institution in this matter as an indifferent thing no not for a thousand years after Christ. Altho the Practice and the Obligation are two things yet when the Practise was so agreeable to the Institutâ—on and continued so long in the Church it is hardly possible for us to prove the sense of the Obligation by a better way than by the continuance of the Practise And if some Traditions must be thought binding and far from being indifferent which want all that Evidence which this practise carries along with it How unreasonable is it in this Case to allow the Practise and to deny the Obligation 20. And whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 But whom God justifies they have the Remission of their Sins as to Eternal Punishment And if those who are thus justified must be glorified what place is there for Purgatory For there is not the least intimation of any other state of Punishment that any who are justified must pass through before they are admitted to Glory We grant they may notwithstanding pass through many intermedâ—aâ—e trials in this World but we say where there is Justification there is no Condemnation but where any part of guilt remains unremitted there is a Condemnation remaining so far as the punishmâ—nt extends And so this distinction as to Eternal and Temporal Pains as it is made the Foundation of Purgatory is wholly groundless and therefore the Doctrine built upon it can have no Foundation in Scripture or Reason 21. I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 What need this Praying with the Understanding if there were no necessity of attending to the sense of Prayers For then praying with the Spirit were all that was required for that supposes an attention of the Mind upon God And I can hardly believe any Man that thinks with Understanding can justifie praying without it especially when there are Exhortations and Invitations to the People to joyn in those Prayers as it is plain there are in the Roman Offices 22. Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10.34 35. Whereby we perceive that God doth not limit the possibility of Salvation under the Gospel to Communion with the See of Rome for if S. Peter may be believed the capacity of Salvation depends upon Mens fearing God and working Righteousness and it is horrible Uncharitableness to exclude those from a possibility of Salvation whom God doth not exclude from it 23. That ye should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude v. 3. Therefore all necessary Doctrines of Faith were at first delivered and whatever Articles cannot be proved to have been delivered by the Apostles can never be made necessary to be believed in order to Salvation Which overthrows the additâ—onal Creed of Pius IV. after the Council of Trent and puts them upon the necessity of proving the Universal Tradition of those Doctrines from the Apostolical Times and when they do that we may think better of them than at present we do for as yet we can see neither Scripture nor Reason nor Antiquity for them THus I have Represented that kind of Popery which our Author who complains so much of Misrepresenting allows and I have in short set down how little ground we have to be fond of it nay to speak more plainly it is that we can never yield to without betraying the Truth renouncing our Senses and Reason wounding our Consciences dishonouring God and his Holy Word and Sacraments perverting the Doctrine of the Gospel as to Christ's Satisfaction Intercession and Remission of Sins depriving the People of the Means of Salvation which God himself hath appointed and the Primitive Church observed and damning those for whom Christ died We do now in the sincerity of our Hearts appeal to God and the World That we have no design to Mis-represent them or to make their Doctrines and Practâ—ses appear worse than they are But take them with all the Advantages even this Author hath set them out with we dare appeal to the Judgments and Consciences of any impartial men whether the Scripture being allowed on both sides our Doctrines be not far more agreeable thereto than the New Articles of Trent which are the very Life and Soul of Popery Whether our Worship of God be not more suitable to the Divine Nature and Perfections and the Manifestations of his Will than the Worship of Images and Invocation of Fellow-Creatures Whether the plain Doctrine of the necessity of Repentance and sincere Obedience to the Commands of Christ do not tend more to promote Holiness in the World than the Sacrament of Penance as it is delivered and allowed to be practised in the Church of Rome i. e. with the easiness and efficacy of Absolution and getting off the Remainders by Indulgences Satisfactions of others and Prayers for the Dead Whether it be not more according to the Institution of Christ to have the Communion in both Kinds and to have Prayers and the Scriptures in a Language which the People understand And lastly whether there be not more of Christian Charity in believing and hoping the best of those vast Bodies of Christians who live out of the Communion of the Church of Rome in the Eastern Southern Western and Northern Parts than to pronounce them all uncapable of Salvation on that Account And therefore out of regard to God and the Holy Religion of our Blessed Saviour out of regard to the Salvation of our own and other Souls we cannot but very much prefer the Communion of our own Church before that of the Church of Rome But before I conclude all I must take some notice of his Anathema's And here I am as much unsatisfied as in any other part of his Book and that for these Reasons 1. Because he hath no manner of Authority to make them suppose they were meant never so sincerely And if we should ever object them to any others of that Church they would presently say What had he to do to make Anathema's It belongs only to the Church and the General Councils to pronounce Anathema's and not to any private Person whatsoever So that if he would have
A PAPIST Mis-represented and Represented OR A Twofold Character of POPERY THE ONE Containing a Sum of the Superstitions Idolatries Cruelties Treacheries and wicked Principles of that POPERY which hath disturb'd this Nation above an hundred and fifty Years fill'd it with Fears and Jealousies and deserves the Hatred of all good Christians THE OTHER Laying open that POPERY which the Papists own and profess with the Chief Articles of their Faith and some of the Principal Grounds and Reasons which hold them in That Religion Narraverunt mihi Iniqui Fabulationes sed non ut Lex tua Psal. 119. v. 85 By I. L. one of the Church of Rome To which is added A Book entituled The Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome truly Represented In Answer to the aforesaid BOOK By a Protestant of the Church of England And for the Readers better convenience in the Re-printing it is so ordered that every Chapter of the latter immediately follows that of the former to which it is an Answer Licensed according to Order Dublin Re-printed by A. C. S. H. for the Society of Stationers 1686. A PAPIST Mis-represented and Represented OR A twofold Character of Popery To which is added The Doctrine and Practices of the Church of Rome truly Represented c THE INTRODUCTION THE Father of Lies is the Author of Mis-representing He first made the Experiment of this Black Art in Paradise having no surer way of bringing God's Precept into Contempt and making our First Parents transgress than by mis-representing the Command which their Maker had laid upon them And so unhappily successful he was in this his first attempt that this has been his chief stratagem ever since in all business of difficulty and concern esteeming That his best Means for preserving and propagating Wickedness amongst Men by which he first won them to lose their Innocence And therefore there has nothing of Good yet come into the World nothing been sent from Heaven but what has met with this Opposition the Common Enemy having imploy'd all his Endeavours of bringing it into discredit and rendring it infamous by mis-representing Of this there are frequent instances in the Old Law and more in the New The truth of it was experienc'd on the Person of Christ himself who tho' he was the Son of God the immaculate Lamb yet was he not out of the reach of Calumny and exempt from being mis-represented See how he was painted by malicious Men the Sons of Belial Ministers of Satan a prophane and wicked Man a breaker of the Sabbath a Glutton a Friend and Companion of Publicans and Sinners a Fool a Conjurer a Traytor a Seducer a tumultuous Person a Samaritan full of the Devil he hath Belzebub and by the Prince of the Devils casteth he out Devils Mark 3.22 There being no other way of frighting the People from embracing the Truth following the Son of God but by thus disfiguring him to the Multitude reporting Light to be Darkness and God to be the Devil The Disciples of Christ every where met with the like encounters Stephen had the people stirred up against him because they heard he had spoke blasphemous words against Moses and against God Acts 6.11 Paul also and Silas for exceedingly troubling the City Acts 16.20 Iason also with them because he had turned the World upside down and did contrary to the Decrees of Caesar Acts 17.6 7. Paul again because he did teach all men every where against the people and polluted the holy place Acts 21.28 And because he was a pestilent fellow and a mover of Sedition among all the Iews throughout the World to which the Iews also assented saying that these things were so Acts 24.5 9 Neither did these Calumnies these wicked Mis-representations stop here he that said The Disciple is not above his Master if they have called the Master of the House Belzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold did not only foretell what was to happen to his Followers then present but also to the Faithful that were to succeed them and to his Church in future ages they being all to expect the like Fate that tho' they should be never so just to God and their Neighbour upright in their ways and live in the Fear of God and the Observance of his Laws yet must they certainly be reviled and hated by the World made a by-word to the people and have the repute of Ideots Seducers and be a scandal to all Nations And has not this been verified in all ages See what was the State of Christians in the primitive times when as yet Vice had not corrupted the purity of the Gospel 'T is almost impossible to believe in what contempt they were and how utterly abominated Tertullian who was a sharer of a great part gives us so lamentable a account of the Christians in his time that 't is able to move compassion in stones He tells us so many malicious Slanders were dispers'd abroad concerning the manner of their Worship and their whole Doctrine describ'd not only to be folly and meer toys but also to be grounded on most hellish Principles and so to be full of Impieties that the Heathens believ'd a man could not make profession of Christianity without being tainted with all sorts of Crimes without being an enemy to the Gods to Princes to the Laws to good Manners and to Nature Hence they conceiv'd such prejudice against them and they were render'd so impious in the opinion of the Vulgar that whatsoever Accusations were brought in tho' never so false and malicious whatsoever Villanies were laid to their charge all was welcom to the enraged multitude to which nothing seem'd incredibie concerning those that were thus already odious Upon this it was that they were brought in guilty of Atheism of Superstition of Idolatry of Cruelty of Sedition of Conspiracies of Treasons and bloody Persecutions were rais'd against them to which the people were exasperated by Fears and Iealousies Quod Pontifices as Spondanus says Gentilitiae superstitionis Christianos more solito calumniis circumvenissent quasi aliquid contra Imperium molirentur Because the Priests did use to divulge it abroad that the Christians were plotting against the Government Nor were these Crimes the whole Sum of their Charge For besides every publick calamity and misfortune that befell the Commonwealth was thrown upon them If Daphnes Temple was consum'd by Lightning from Heaven yet must the Christians be condemn'd as the Incendiaries If the City was laid in Ashes it must be reveng'd on the Christians Nay Tertullian has it if Tiber overflowed if Nile watered not the Plains if Heaven stop'd its Course and did not pour its Rains here below if there were Earth-quakes Famine or Plague they would immediately cry out Christianos ad Leones Cast the Christians to the Lions as the cause of all the Calamities that arrived in the World and all the Evils that People suffer'd And now the Christians
deny that they pretend them to be of Divine Original 2. We do not deny but the Apostles might deliver such things by Word as well as by Epistle which their Disciples were bound to believe and keep but we think there is some difference to be made between what we certainly know they delivered in Writing and what it is now impossible for us to know viz. what they delivered by word without writing 3. We see no ground why any one should believe any Doctrine with a stedfast and divine Faith which is not bottom'd on the Written word for then his Faith must be built on the Testimony of the Church as Divine and Infallible or else his Faith cannot be Divine But it is impossible to prove it to be Divine and Infallible but by the Written word and therefore as it is not reasonable that he should believe the Written word by such a Divine Testimony of the Church so if any particular Doctrine may be received on the Authority of the Church without the Written word then all Articles of Faith may and so there would be no need of the Written word 4. The Faith of Christians doth no otherwise stand upon the Foundation of the Churches Tradition than as it delivers down to us the Books of Scripture but we acknowledg the general Sense of the Christian Church to be a very great help for understanding the true sense of Scripture and we do not reject any thing so delivered but what is all this to the Church of Rome But this is still the way of true Representing XVI Of Councils HE believes that the Faith of his Church may receive new Additions every day And that he is not only oblig'd to believe what Christ taught and his Apostles but also every Definition or Decree of any General Council assembled by the Command of the Pope So that as often as any thing is issued out by the Authority of any of these Church-Parliaments and order'd to be believ'd he thinks himself under pain of Damnation immediately bound to receive it and having added it to his Creed to assent to it with as Firm Stedfast and Divine a Faith as if it had been Commanded by Christ himself and Decreed in the Consistory of Heaven And by this means he never comes to understand his Religion or know what he is to Believe but by the continual Alterations Additions Diminutions Interpretations of these Councils he is preserv'd in a necessary Confusion and tho he changes often yet he fondly thinks himself always the same HE believes that the Faith of his Church can receive no Additions and that he is oblig'd to believe nothing besides that which Christ taught and his Apostles and if any thing contrary to this should be defin'd and commanded to be believ'd even by Ten thousand Councils he believes it damnable in any one to receive it and by such Decrees to make Additions to his Creed However he maintains the Necessity and Right of General Councils lawfully Assembled whose business it is not to coin new Articles of Faith or devise Fresh Tenets but only as often as any Point of Receiv'd Doctrine is impugned or call'd in question to debate the matter and examine what has been the Belief of all Nations who are there present in their Prelates in that Point And this being agreed on to publish and make known to the World which is the Catholick Doctrine left by Christ and his Apostles and which the new-breach'd Error And by this means to prevent the loss of infinite number of Souls which might otherwise be deluded and carried away after new inventions not being capable by their own knowledge and abilities to distinguish betwixt Truth and Falshood and discover the subtilties of every crafty Deceiver And in this case he believes that he is oblig'd to submit and receive the Decrees of such a Council the Pastors and Prelates there present being by Christ and his Apostles appointed for the decision of such Controversies They having the care of that stock committed to them over which the Holy Ghost has made them Overseers to feed the Church of God Acts 20.28 and to watch against those men who should arise from among themselves speaking perverse things tâ— draw Disciples after them Ib. vers 30. And he having receiv'd Command as likewise the whâ—le Flock of Christ to obey their Prelates and to be subject to them who watch and are to render an account for their Souls Heb. 13.17 with an assurance That He that heareth them hearch Christ and he that despiseth them despiseth Christ Luke 10.16 And withal being taught that as this way of the Ancients of the Church and Prelates meeting in case of any danger threatning their Flock or any new Doctrine arising was the means instituted by Christ and practised by the Apostles in the first planting of the Church for the preventing Schisms and preserving Vnity among the Faithful and that they should speak and think the same thing and be perfectly joyn'd together in the same mind and same judgment 1 Cor. 1.10 So it ought to be the means in all succeeding Ages for the preventing Divisions and conserving Vnity among the Faithful And that therefore as that Controversy concerning the necessity of Circumcision Act. c. 15. arising in the Apostles times was not decided by any private Person nor even by Paul and Barnabas who nevertheless had received the Holy Ghost and one would have thought might have pretended to the Spirit and a Heavenly Light but by a General Meeting of the Apostles and Elders of the Church at Ierusalem who were consulted by Paul and Barnabas about this Question So all other Disputes and Difficulties of Religion arising in succeeding Ages ought to be referr'd to the Successors of the Apostles whose Charge Dignity and Office is to continue to the end of the World tho' they are dead in Person who are to consider of the matter Acts 15.6 as the Apostles did while all the Multitude keeps silence ver 12. without any one presuming on any Learning Gift Virtue Prayers or Inspiration to intermeddle in the Dispute or put an end to the Question This being none of their business or obligation but only with all Patience and Humility to expect the Determination of their Prelates and Elders and receive it with the same expressions as those good Christians did heretofore who rejoyced for the Consolation Acts 15.31 And unless this that the Apostles did and their Obsequious Flock be taken as a Pattern in all Ages for the ending such-like difficulties he believes 't is impossible that Believers should stand fast in one Spirit with one Mind Philip. 1.27 and be not carried away with divers and strange Doctrines Hebr. 13.9 XVI Of Councils 1. WE are glad to find so good a Resolution as seems to be expressed in these words viz. That he is obliged to believe nothing besides that which Christ taught and his Apostles and if any thing contrary to this should be defined
Universities And why should the Actions of some few Popes with the Private Opinions of some Speculative Doctors be so often and vehemently urg'd for the just charging this Doctrine upon the Faith of the Church of Rome which to a Serious Impartial Considerer are only meer Fallacies capable of Libelling all Societies in the World of overthrowing all States and Kingdoms and only fit Arguments for Knaves to cheat Fools withal There being no Government in the World which might not be easily proved Tyrannical No Religion Perswasion or Society which might not plausibly be indicted of Atheism If the Actions Pretences Claims and endeavour of some few of their Governours and Leading Men the Opinions Writings Phansies of some Authors be allow'd as sufficient Evidence for the bringing in the Verdict of Guilty upon the whole When Malice therâ—fore and Envy have done their worst in this point to render the Papists bloody and barbarous to the World yet ' ds certain after all that Popish Princes sit as safe in their Thrones enjoy as much Peace and Security as any other Princes whatsoever and that the Papists in England can give as good proofs of their Loyalty as the best of those that clamour so loud against them They can bid defiâ—nce to their Adversaries to shew any one Person of Honour and Estate amongst them or even four of any condition whatsoever that bore Arms against Charles the First during the whole time of his Troubles They can make good that there was scarce any amongst them that did not assist his Majesty either with Person or Purse or both And they can say that Charles the First was murder'd in cold blood by his Protestant Subjects after many hundred Papists had lost their Lives for the preventing that Butchery and that Charles the Second being pursued by the same Subjects for his Life sav'd it amongst the Papists XX. Of the Deposing Power TO bring this matter into as narrow a compass as may be I shall first take notice of his Concessions which will save us a labour of Proofs 1. He yields that the Deposing and King-killing Power hath been maintained by some Canonists and Divines of his Church and that it is in their opinion lawful and annexed to the Papal Chair 2. That some Popes have endeavoured to act according to this Power But then he denies that this Doctrine appertains to the Faith of his Church and is to be believed by all of that Communion And more than that he saith The affirming of it is a malicious Calumny a downright Falsity Let us now calmly debate the matter Whether according to the received principles of the Church of Rome this be only a particulâ—r opinion of some Popes and Divines or be to be received as a matter of Faith The Question is not Whether those who deny it do account it an Article of Faith for we know they do not But whether upon the Principles of the Church of Rome they are not bound to do it I shall only to avoid cavilling proceed upon the Principles owned by our Author himself viz. 1. That the sense of Scripture as understood by the Community of Christians in all Angels since the Apostles is to be taken from the present Church 2. That by the present Church be understands the Pastors and Prelates assembled in Councils who are appointed by Christ and his Apostles for the decision of controversies and that they have Inâ—allible assistance 3. That the Pope as Head of the Church hath a particular assistance promised him with a special regard to his Office and Function If therefore it appear that Popes and Councils have declared this Deposing Doctrine and tâ—ey hâ—ve received other things as Articles of Faith upon the same Declarations why should they then stick at yielding this to be an Article of Faith as well as the other It is not denied that I can find that Popes and Councils for several Ages have asserted and exercised the Deposing Power but it is alledged against these Decrees Acts. 1. That they were not grounded upon Universal Tradition 2. That they had not Universal Reception Now if these be sufficient to overthrow the Definitions of Councils let us consider the consequences of it 1. Then every Man is left to examin the Decrees of Councils whether they are to be embraced or not for he is to judge whether they are founded on Universal Tradition and so he is not to take the sense of the present Church for his Guide but the Universal Church from Christs time which overthrows a Fundamental Principle of the Roman Church 2. Then he must reject the pretended Infallibility in the Guides of the Church if they could so notoriously err in a matter of so great consequence to the Peace of Christendom as this was and consequently their Authority could not be sufficient to declare any Articles of Faith And so all Persons must be left at Liberty to believe as they see cause notwithstanding the Definitions made by Popes and Councils 3. Then he must believe the Guides of the Roman Church to have been mistaken not once or twice but to have persisted in it for Five hundred years which must take away not only Infallâ—bilâ—ty but any kind of Reverence to the Authority of it For whatever may be said as to those who have depended on Princes or favour their Partâ—es against the Guides of the Church it cannot be denied that for so long time the leading Party in that Church did assert and maintain the Deposing Power And therefore Lessius truly understood this matter when he said That there was scarce any Article of the Christian Faith the denial whereof was more dangerous to the Church or did precipitate Men more into Heresie and Hatred of the Church than this of the Deposing Power for he says they could not maintain their Churches Authority without it And he reckons up these ill Consequences of denying it 1. That the Roman Church hath erred for at least five hundred years in a matter fundamental as to Government and of great Moment Which is worse than an Error about Sacraments as Penance Extream Unction c. and yet those who deny the Church can err in one hold that it hath erred in a greater matter 2. That it hath not only erred but voluntarily and out of Ambiâ—ion perverting out of Design the Doctrine of the Primive Church and Fathers concerning the Power of the Church and bringing in another contrary to it against the Right and Authority of Princes which were a grievous sin 3. That it made knowingly unrighteous Decrees to draw persons from their Allegiance to Princes and so they became the Causes of many Seditions and Rebellions and all the ill Consequences of them under a shew of Piety and Religion 4. That the Churches Decrees Commands Judgments and Censures may be safely contemned as Null and containing intolerable Errors And that it may require such things which good Subjects are bound to disobey 5. That Gregory VII
being no direction in Scripture concerning the Number of the Commandments to be assign'd to each Table nor to let us know which is the first which the second which the third Commâ—ndment or which the last He is taught that 't is but an unnecessary trouble to concern himself about the Number of them or Division when-as his whole Business ought to be the Observance of them in his Life and Conversation XXV Of the Second Commandment THE Dispute about this is not Whether the Second Commandment may be found in any of their Books but by what Authority it comes to be lâ—ft out in any as he confesses it is in their short Catechisms and Manuals But not only in these for I have now before me the Reformed Office of the Blessed Virgin Printed at Salamanca A. D. 1588. published by Order of Pius V. where it is so left out And so in the English Office at Antwerp A. D. 1658. I wish he had told us in what publick Office of their Church it is to be found But himself pleads for the leaving it out when he saith The People are in no danger of Superstition or Idolatry by it since the First Commandment secures them from it and there is nothing in this but what is vertually contained in the First and is rather an Explanation than a new and distinct Precept But is this so plain and clear that a Mans Conscience can never make any just and reasonable Doubt concerning it There is a terrible sanction after it and men had need go upon very good Grounds in a matter of such moment Hath God himself any where declared this to be only an Explication of the First Commandment Have the Prophets or Christ and his Apostles ever done it How then can any mans Conscience be safe in this matter For it is not a trifling Controversie whether it be a distinct Commandment or an Explication of the First but the Lawfulness or Unlawfulness of the Worship of Images depends very much upon it For if it be only an Explication of the First then unless one takes Images to be Gods their Worship is lawful and so the Heathens were excused in it who were not such Ideots But if it be a new and distinct Precept then the Worshipping any Image or Similitude becomes a grievous sin and exposes men to the Wrath of God in that severe manner mentioned in the end of it And it is a great confirmation that this is the true meaning of it because all the Primitive Writers of the Christian Church not only thought it a sin against this Commandment but insisted upon the force of it against those Heathens who denied that they took their Images for Gods And therefore this is a very insufficient Account of leaving out the Second Commandment XXVI Of Mental Reservations HE is taught to keep no Faith with any that are reputed Hereticks by his Church and that whatsoever Promises he has made thô never so positive and firm with this sort of People he may lawfully break and cheat and cozen them without any scruple And tho he must not do this by down-right Lying and telling Untruths for that would be a sin yet he may make use of any indirect ways such are Dissimulation Equivocations and Mental Reservations and by these means draw them into his snares And this without fear of offending God who is well pleas'd with these kind of pious Crafts allows of these Holy Cheats HE is taught to keep Faith with all sorts of People of whatsoever Iudgment or Perswasion they be whether in Communion with his Church or no he is taught to stand to his Word and observe his Promise given or made to any whatsoever and that he cannot cheat or cozen whether by dissembling equivocations or mental reservations without defiâ—nce of his own Conscience and the violation of God's Law This is the Instruction he receives from the pulpit the Confessionary and his Books of Direction The holy Francis Sales in his Introduction to a Devout Life p. 3. c. 30. tells him plainly Let your Talk be courteous frank sincere plain and faithful without double-dealing subtilty or dissembling This he is taught to observe and practise and that without this 't is not possible to please God In the Catechism ad Parochos compil'd by order of the Council of Trent and recommended to all Parish Priests for the Instruction of the Faithful he is taught that by the Eighth Commandment he is forbidden all Dissimulation whether in Word or Deed that cum scelere conjuncta sunt to speak or do otherwise than for the intimation of what is in the mind is abominable and wicked That no man shall bear false witness against his Neighbour whether he be Friend or Enemy And Pope Innocent XI in a Decree issued forth the Second of March Anno 1679. has strictly commanded all the Faithful in virtue of his holy Obedience and under pain of incurring the Divine Vengeance that they never swear equivocally or with any mental reservation upon no account or pretended convenience whatsoever And that if any presume either publickly or privately to teach or maintain the Doctrine of Swearing with equivocations or mental reservation that they de facto incur Excommunication latae Sententiae and cannot be absolv'd by any but the Pope himself excepting at the hour of death He is taught therefore to speak plainly and sincerely without Dissimulations Equivocations mental Reservations or any such like Artifices which cannot be but very injurious to all Society and displeasing to the First Truth And now if any Authors in Communion with his Church be prâ—duced as Patrons of inward Reserves and grand Abettors of thâ—se mental Iuggles let them hold up their hands and answer for themselves Their Church has declar'd for no such Doctrine and is no more to be charg'd with their extravagant Opinions than with the unexemplar lives of other her Members whose Irregularities are not at all deriv'd from their Religion but from the neglect of their own corrupt Inclinations and giving way to the temptations of their Enemy XXVI Of Mental Reservations UNder this Head he denies Two Things 1. That they are ever taught to break Faith with Hereticks 2. That their Church doth allow any Equivocations or Mental Reservations As to the former I am sincerely glad to find a Principle so destructive to all humane Society so utterly disowned when he saith He is taught to keep Faith with all sorts of People of whatsoever Iudgment or Perswasion they be and to stand to his Word and observe his Promise given or made to any whatsoever And whatever Opinions and Practices there may have been of that kind formerly we hope there will never be occasion given to revive that dispute 2. As to the Second We embrace his Declaration against it and hope there is no Equivocation or Mental Reservation in it But there are some things which must here be taken notice of 1. He cannot deny that there are Authors
allow of such Proceedings No sober Man would ever go to Tyburn and Whetstones-Park to know what is the Religion professed in England according to Law Nor would look into all the Sinks Jakes Dung-hills Common-shores about Town from such a Prospâ—ct to give a true Description of the City Why therefore should the Character of the Church of Rome and her Doctrine be taken only from the loose Behaviour and wicked Crimes of such who thô in Communion with her yet live nâ—t according to her Direction She teaches Holiness of Life Mercy to the Poor Loyalty and Obedience to Princes and the necessity of keeping the Commandments witness the many Books of Devotion and Direction made English for Publick benefit written originally by Papists and great numbers there are God be prais'd who practice this in their Lives And now if there be many also who stop their Ears to good Instruction and following the Suggestion of their own ungovern'd appetites of Pride Ambition Covetousness Luxury c. so lay aside all concern of Salvation and become unchristian both to God and their Neighbour that they are a shame to their Profession Why should the Church be repâ—esented according to the Wickedness of those that neglect her Doctrine and not ratâ—er by the Piety and Exemplar Lives of such as follow it Is not this to deal by her if we may use such a Comparison as 't is generally done by the Sign of St. Dunstan near Temple-Bar on which thô the Saint be drawn almost in the full proportion and there 's no more of the Devil on it besides the reaching towards him with a pair of Tongs yet 't is describ'd only by the name of the Devil-Tavern without the least mention of the Saint And is not this partiallity unjust and these piece-meal Descriptions unreasonable Lâ—t the Character of the Church be given according to what she teaches and not according to the Writings of every positive Opiniator and the Practices of every wicked Liver and then there 's no fear of its coming out so ugly and deform'd Neither leâ— any one pretend to demonstrate the Faith and Principles of the Papists by the Works of every Divine in that Communion or by the Actions of every Bishop Cardinal or Pope For they extend not their Faith beyond the Declarations of General-Councils And standing fast to these they yet own that many of their Writers are too loose in their Opinions that all Bishops and Cardinals are not so edifying as becomes their State and that Popes may have their 〈◊〉 too A Pope is a Temporal Prince keeps a Court has variety of Officers â—bouâ— him And it he has Flatterers and Mis informers too 't is nothing but what all Princes are sensible of but cannot remedy And hence he doubts not but 't is possible he may be engag'd in unlawful undertakings and invite others to the like And are not all other Princes subject to this too But what then These Actions of Popes concern not the Faith of those who are in Communion with them they may throw a scandal indeed upon the Religion but they can never alter its Creed But what need any other return to the numerous Clamours made daily against the wickedness of the Papists 'T is a sufficient vindication of their Chief Pastors and Popes to use the words of a Person of Quality that among two hundred and fifty that have now Successively bore that Charge there are not above ten or twelve against whom their most malicious Adversaries can find occasion of spitting their Venom and that a Challenge may be made to the whole World to shew but the fifth part of so many Successive Governors since the Creation of which there have not been far more that have abus'd their Power And as for their Flock and People owning this Authority 't is true many wicked things have been done by some of them and too many like Libertines neglect the care of their Souls But however the Generallity of them live like Christans few come to them but with their Religion they change also their Manners for the better Few desert them but such who seem to be fall'n out with all Christianity And whosoever will look into any of our Neighbouring Popish Towns as Paris Antwerp Gaunt c. will find in any one of them more Praying more Fasting more receiving the Sacraments more visiting of Prisoners and the Sick more Alms-giving than in any ten Towns of the Reformation XXXI Of Wicked Principles and Practices THE Misrepresenter charges the Church of Rome with many horrid Practices as the French and Irish Massacres the Murders of Two Kings of France the Holy League the Gun-powder-Treason c. And charges these as being done according to the Principles of that Church But in Answer to this he saith 1. In General That the Doctrine of it is holy teaching the Love of God and our Neighbour and that none can be saved by Faith alone In which Doctrine we heartily concur with them 2. That altho many uncertain things pass for certain and false for true yet he cannot deny that all ranks and degrees of men have been corrupted among them being scandalous in their Lives wicked in their Designs without the Fear of God in their Hearts or care of their own Salvation This is a general Acknowledgment but no particular Answer to the things objected 3. That the whole Church is not to be charged for the sake of such villanies Very true unless some Doctrine owned in that Church gave encouragement to them As suppose any should ever have fallen into Rebellion upon the belief of the Deposing Power is not that Doctrine chargeable with the Consequences of it They are extremely to blame who charge a Church with what her Members do in direct Opposition to her Doctrine but it is quite another Case when the main Ground they alledge for their Actions is some allowed Principle in it 4. They are not accountable for the Actions of every Bishop Cardinal or Pope for they extend not their Faith beyond the Declaration of General Councils But suppose General Councils have declared such Doctrines and Popes act but according to them is not their Church then accountable for their Actions 5. There is more Praying and Fasting and receiving the Sacraments more visiting the Prisoners and the Sick more Alms-giving in any of our neighbouring Popish Towns as Paris Antwerp Gant c. than in any Ten Towns of the Reformation And is there more Charity too It doth not appear if they be as ready to censure others and admire themselves as our Author who so freely gives his Judgment about a matter it is impossible for him to know We see no reason to admire or imitate the manner of their Praying and Fasting and receiving the Sacraments for to pray without understanding to fast without Abstinence to receive a maimed Sacrament are things we do not envy them for but althô our Devotion be not so pompous and full of shew yet We
may pray and fast in secret according to our Saviours Directions far more than they do however our People are mightily to blame if they do not understand what they pray for if they do not receive more of the Sacrament than they and we verily believe there are as great and remarkable Instances of true Charity among those of the Church of England as among any People in the World XXXII Of Miracles HE is so given up to the belief of idle Stories and ridiculous Intentions in favour of his Saints which he calls Miracles that nothing can be related so every way absurd foolish and almost impossible but it gains credit with him and he is so credulously confident of the truth of them that there 's no difference to him betwixt these Tales and what he reads in Scrâ—pture 'T is a pretty Romance to see what is recounted of St. Francis 's Cord the Scapular St. Anthony St. Bridget and other such Favourites of Heaven He that has but read the Atchievements of these may excuse the perusal of Bevis of Souâ—hampton the Seven Champions or Quevedo 's Dreams For these are nothing to compare to the former either for the rare invention wonderful surprises or performance of impossibilâ—ties HE is not oblig'd to believe any onâ— Miracle besides what is in the Scripture and for all others he may give the credit which in prudence he thinks they deserve considering the Honesty of the Relator the Authoriâ—y of the Witnesses and such other circumstances which on the like occasions use to gain his assent And if upon the account of meer History and the consent of Authors few make any doubt but that there was such a one as Caesar Alexander Mahomet Luther c. Why should he doubt of the truth of many Miracles which have not only the like consent of Authors and History but also are attested by great numbers of Eye-witnesses examin'd by Authority and found upon Recoâ—d with all the formalâ—ties due to such a Process St. Augustine relates many Miracles done in his time so does St. Ierom and other Fathers and if they doubted nothing of them then Why should he question the truth of them now He finds that in the time of the Old Law God favour'd many of his Servants working Miracles by their hands and he thinks now that God's hand is not shortned that the Disciples of Christ are no less Favourites of Heaven than those of Moses and that the new Law may be very well allow'd to be as Glorious and as particularly priviledg'd as the Old especially since Christ promised that his Apostles should do greater Miracles than ever He himself had done And what if some Miracles recounted by Authors are so wonderfully strange to some they seem Ridiculous and Absurd are they the less true upon this account Is not every thing Ridiculous to Unbelievers The whole Doctrine of Christ is a Scandal to the Iews and Folly to the Gentiles And what more Absurd to one that wants Faith than the Miracles recounted in the Old Testament Might not such a one turn them all into Ridicule and Buffoonry Take but Faith away and see what becomes of Balaam and his Ass. Sampson and his Iaw-bone Elias and his Fiery Chariot Elijah's Mâ—ntle Ax-head and Dead Bones Gideon's Pitchers Lamps and Trumpets in demolishing the Walls of Iericho Moses and his Burning Bush his holding up his hands for the Victory over his Enemies his parting of the Red-Sea and Ioshua's commanding the Sun to stand still c. Might not these and all the rest be painted out as Ridiculous as any supposed to be done since Christ's time and be put in the same List with the History of Bevis or Guy of Warwick A little incredulity accompanied with a presumption of measuring God's Works by Humane Wâ—sdom will really make the greatest part of them pass for Follies and Absurd Impossibilities And thô he is so far from giving equal assent to the Miracles related in Scripture and the others wrought since that the former he believes with a Divine Faith and the rest with an inferiour kind of assent according to the Grounds and Authority there is in favour of them like as he does in Prophane History Yet the strangeness of these never makes him in the least doubt of the Truth of them since ' â—is evident to him that all the Works of Heaven far surpass all his reasoning and that while he endeavours but to look even into the very ordinary things daily wrought by God Almighty the Motion of the Sun Moon and Stars the Flowing of the Sea the Growing of an Ear of Corn the Light of a Candle the Artifice of the Bees c. he quite loses himself and is bound to confess his own Ignorance and Folly and that God is Wonderful in all his Works a God surpassing all our knowledge Whatsoever therefore is related upon good grounds as done by the extraordinary Power of God he is ready to assent to it although he sees neither the how the why nor the wherefore being ready to attribute all to the Honour and Praise of his Maker to whose Omnipotent Hand most of poor Man's impossibles are none XXXII Of Miracles 1. OUr Author saith He is not obliged to believe any one Miracle besides what is in Scripture 2. He sees no Reason to doubt the truth of many Miracles which are attested by great numbers of Eye-witnesses examined by Authority and found upon Record with all the Formalities due to such a Process Now how can these two things stand together Is not a Man obliged to believe a thing so well proved And if his other Arguments prove any things it is that he is bound to believe them For he thinks there is as much Reason to believe Miracles still as in the time of the old or new Law If he can make this out I see no reason why he should not be as well obliged to believe them now as those recorded in Scripture But I can see nothing like a proof of this And all Persons of Judgment in their own Church do grant there is a great difference between the Necessity of Miracles for the first establishing a Religion and afterwards This is not only asserted by Tostatus Erasmus Stella Andradius and several others formerly but the very late French Author I have several times mentioned saith it in exprâ—ss Terms And he confesses the great Impostures of modern Miracles which he saith ought to be severely punished and that none but Women and weak People think themselves bound to believe them And he cannot understand what they are good for Not to convert Hereticks because not done among them Not to prove there are no corruptions or errors among them which is a thing incredible with much more to that purpose and so concludes with Monsieur Paschal That if they have no better use we ought not to be amused with them But Christ promised that his Apostles should do greater Miracles than himself had done
say that Infidels shall not be damned for their Infidelity where the Gospel hath not been sufficiently proposed to them and no Christian for not believing any Article of Faith till it be so proposed that we must be damned for not believing the Articles of the Roman Faith which never have been and never can be sufficiently proposed to us Methinks such men should study a little better their own Doctrine about the sufficient Proposal of matters of Faith before they pass such uncharitable and unlearned Censures XXXVI Of Ceremonies and Ordinances HIS Church upon the presumption of being Apostolical and Commissioned by Christ has brought in such an infinite number of unnecessary superstitious Ceremonies that the whole exercise of her Religion consists in nothing but a vain Pomp and empty Shew And whereas Christians are commanded by the Apostle to serve the Lord in Spirit and Truth She has made void this Precept and neglecting both Spirit and Truth has restor'd the heavy Yoke of Jewish Rites without the least Authority of the Word of God but rather in express opposition to it has made these her humane Inventions take place of the Divine Law And then besides her Ceremonies what an endless account is there of other Ordinances Institutions Precepts to which she obliges all in her Communion How many are her Fast-days Rogation and Ember-days How many her Festival and Holy-days How many her Injunctions on several degrees of People That Priests shall not Marry that whosoever is in Orders shall be oblig'd to the reciting or singing such and such Offices That Marriage shall not be permitted but at some set times and a multitude of other such respective Commands which have no grounds in Scripture and no other Authority for them besides the decrees of some Popes who for some private Ends and the making themselves great thought fit to lay these burdens upon the People Some being first instituted by Pope Telesporus as the Fast of Lent Some by Calâ—xtus as the Ember-days Some by Pope Nicholas as the Prohibition of Marriage And so all the rest And yet forsooth all these must be observed under pain of eternal Damnation as if God and the Pope commanding were but all one and had Heaven and Hell equally at their disposure HIS Church has appointed a great number and variety of Ceremonies to be used in the Celebrating Divine Service in the Offices and the Administration of the Sacraments She has likewise many Observances Ordinances Constitutions appertaining to Discipline and the Government of the Flock And all these are receiv'd approv'd or instituted by her every one in her Communion does embrace admit and willingly submit to without opposition exception or calling any into question because altho the Particulars thus appointed or commanded be not to be found in Scripture yet there being in the Scripture an express and absolute Command given to the whole Flock of Christ of following and being obedient to those that have thus order'd these things in virtue of that Command they voluntarily and without constraint accept all that is of their Appointment without excepting against any thing unless it be manifestly sinful And this they look on as a Christian Duty belonging to all such that are by God's Pleasure in subjection to the Hâ—gher Powers or under charge And therefore as a Servant having receiv'd a Command from his Master is oblig'd to comply with it in case it be not sinful altho he cannot find the thing then particularly commanded in Scripture the general Precept of Servants being obedient to Masters being sufficient to let him know his Obligation and to remove all scruple And as Châ—ldren are in Duty oblig'd to perform the Will of their Parents upon the Command Obey thy Father and thy Mother whether the thing particularly willed be in Scripture or no so they judge it the Duty of all Christian People to submit without contention to the Ordinances and Constitutions of their Pastors and Prelates altho the things particularly order'd by them be not express'd in Scripture it being a sufficient ground for this their Submission and Obedience that God has given them a General Command Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account Hebrews 13.17 Remember them which have the Rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God whose Faith follow Hebrews 13 7. So that to them it seems a very fallacious rule leading to all Confusion and unchristian Comentions viz. That the Higher Powers our Superiours Pastors and Prelates are not to be obeyed but only in such things as are express'd in Scripture and as for any other Particulars whosoever upon Examination cannot find what is commanded by them in Holy Writ may lawfully refuse Submission nay he is oblig'd to resist For however this seems to bear much of the Word of God in the face of it yet certainly 't is wholly destructive to it and under pretence of adhering close to the Scripture undermines the very Author of it This the Primitive Christians understood so well that they detested all such Maxims and following the Advice of the Apostle chose rather to trust their Souls in the hands of those whom God had plac'd over them by an humble Submission to the Government and a peaceable Obedience to their Decrees than by a presumptuous questioning of every thing and raising vain disputes to take the Rule of the Flock out of the hands of those to whom God had providentially deliver'd it and place themselves Judges over the Church their Elders Prelates and Pastors whom God had commanded them to hear and be in Subjection to So that we never read that they ever pretended to weigh the Ordinances of their Superiors by their own reasoning or to bring them to the Test of the Word of God before the acceptance but alway judg'd it conform to the Word of God that their Governours should Rule and they Obey Thus when the Apostles observ'd the Sunday instead of the Sabbath and met together at Pentecost we don't read that the Faithful then began to turn over their Bibles to find a Command for these particulars but with a prompt Obedience readily followed them in the Observance So when Abstinence from Blood and strangled Meats was order'd by the Elders assembled at Ierusalem Acts 15. the multitude of Believers having heard the Decree never murmur'd at it or call'd it into question however seemingly contrary to the intention of Christ who in abrogating the Law of Moses was thought to have cut off all these Obligations but they all rejoyced for the Consolation ib. v. 31. So when St. Paul gave orders to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. in what manner and posture they were to behave themselves at Prayers in their Assemblies both Men and Women we don't hear that he was challeng'd by any to shew by what authority of Scripture he thus reprov'd and prescrib'd in these Particulars or by what they
Word whensoever any receiv'd Doctrine of Christianity was to be outed and may to be made for a Novelty And he does not doubt but that if the noise of Novelty continue long so unhappily successful as of late and the liberty be permitted to every presuming Spirit to fix this scandal upon whatsoever Doctrine or Institution they shall think fit that all Christianity is in a faiâ— way of being thrown out of doors And the Bible Preaching Catechising Christ's Incarnation and Passion c. is as likely to bâ— cast off for a Novelty as all the rest have been Those that will but shew to the People that even these things have been all receiv'd from Rome and that the Papists by their Missionaries spread these Doctrines over the World may soon perswade them they are nothing but Popish Inventions meer Novelties that those that began the Reformation did their business by halves and that the World will never be throughly Reform'd till all these Romish Superstitions are laid by with the rest they being of the same date He takes no notice thereof of all the clamours rais'd against several points of the receiv'd Doctrine of his Church his Faith is founded on better Principles than to be shaken with such a Vulgar Engine Novelty Novelty is a cry that may fright unthinking Men from their Religion but every serious Man will require better Motives than a Noise before he forsake any point of his Faith and 't is impossible he should joyn with any in condemning such things for Novelties which he finds the Profession of all Antiquity XXXVII Of Innovation in matters of Faith THE Substance of his Discourse on this Head may be reduced to these things 1. That the Church in every Age hath Power to declare what is necessary to be believed with Anathema to those who Preach the Contrary and so the Council of Trent in declaring Transubstantiation Purgatory c. to be necessary Articles did no more than the Church had done before on like Occasions 2. That if the Doctrines then defined had been Innovations they must have met with great Opposition when they were introduced 3. That those who charged those points to be Innovations might as well have laid the scandal on any other Article of Faith which they retained These are things necessary to be examined in order to the making good the charge of Innovation in matters of Faith which we believe doth stand on very good Grounds 1. We are to consider Whether the Council of Trent had equal Reason to define the necessity of these points as the Council of Nice and Constantinople had to determin the point of the Trinity or those of Ephesus and Chalcedon the Truth of Christ's Incarnation He doth not assert it to be in the Churches Power to make new Articles of Faith as they do imply new Doctrines reveal'd but he contends earnestly That the Church hath a Power to declare the necessity of believing some points which were not so declared before And if the Necessity of believing doth depend upon the Churches Declaration then he must assert that it is in the Churches Power to make points necessary to be believed which were not so and consequently to make common Opinions to become Articles of Faith But I hope we may have leave to enquire in this Case since the Church pretends to no new Revelation of matters of Doctrine therefore it can declare no more than it receives and no otherwise than it receives And so nothing can be made necessary to Salvation but what God himself hath made so by his Revelation So that they must go in their Declaration either upon Scripture or Universal Tradition but if they define any Doctrine to be necessary without these Grounds they exceed their Commission and there is no Reason to submit to their Decrees or to believe their Declarations To make this more plain by a known Instance It is most certain that several Popes and Councils have declared the Desposing Doctrine and yet our Author saith It is no Article of Faith with him Why not since the Popes and Councils have as evidently delivered it as the Council of Trent hath done Purgatory or Transubstantiation But he may say There is no Anathema joined to it Suppose there be not But why may it not be as well as in the other Cases And if it were I wouâ—d know whether in his Conscience he would then believe it to be a necessary Article of Faith thô he believed that it wanted Scripture and Tradition If not then he seees what this matter is brought to viz. That althô the Council of Trent declare these new Doctrines to be necessary to be believed yet if their Declaration be not built on Scripture and Universal Tradition we are not bound to receive it 2. As to the impossibility of Innovations coming in without notorious opposition I see no ground at all for it where the alteration is not made at once but proceeds gradually He may as well prove it impossible for a Man to fall into a Dropsy or a Hectick-Fever unless he can tell the punctual time when it begun And he may as well argue thus Such a Man fell into a Fever upon a great Debauch and the Physicians were presently sent for to advise about him therefore the other Man hath no Chronical Distemper because he had no Physicians when he was first sick as because Councils were called against some Heresies and great Opposition made to them therefore where there is not the like there can be no Innovation But I see no Reason why we should decline giving an Account by what Dâ—grees and Steps and upon what Occasions and with what Opposition several of the Doctrines defined at Trent were brought in For the matter is not so obscure as you would make it as to most of the Points in difference between us But that is too large a Task to be here undertaken 3. There is no colour for calling in Question the Articles of Faith received by us on the same Grounds that we reject those defined by the Council of Trent for we have the Universal Consent of the Christian World for the Apostles Creed of the 4 General Councils for the Doctrines of the Trinity and Incarnation who never pretended to determine any Point to be necessary which was not reveaâ—ed in Scripture whose sense was delivered down by the Testimony of the Christian Church from the Apostles times But the Council of Trent proceeded by a very different Rule for it first set up an Unwritten Word to be a Rule of Faith as well as the Written which althô it were necessary in order to their Decrees was one of the greatest Innovations in the World and the Foundation of all the rest as they were there established The CONCLUSION THese are the Characters of the Papist as he is Mis-represented and as Represented And as different as the One is from the Other so different is the Pâ—pist as reputed by his Maligners
from the Papist as to what he is in himself The One is so absurd and monstrous that 't is impossible for any one to be of that Profession without first laying by all thoughts of Christianity and his Reason The Other is just contradictory to this and without any farther Apology may be expos'd to the perusal of all prudent and unpassionate Considerers to examine if there be any thing in it that deserves the hatred of any Christian and if it be not in every Point wholly conform to the Doctrine of Christ and not in the least contrary to Reason The Former is a Papist as he is generally apprehended by those who have a Protestant Education such as whensoever reflected on is conceiv'd to be a perverse malicious sort of Creature Superstitious Idolatrous Atheistical Cruel Bloody-minded Barbarous Treacherous and so Prophane and every way Inhumane that 't is in some manner doubted whether he be Man or no. The Other is a Papist whose Faith is according to the Proposal of the Catholick Church which by Christ's Command he is oblig'd to believe and hear and whose whole design in this World is for obtaining Salvation in the next And is it not strange that these two Characters so directly opposite so wholly unlike one the other that Heaven and Hell is not more should agree to the same person 'T is certainly a strange piece of Injustice and yet not at all strange to those who know that they that follow Christ shall be hated by the World that those who study the Wisdom of Heaven shall have the repute of Fools and that as many as attend the Lamb shall be painted in the Livery of Satan Our Fore-fathers were so before us all the Primitive Christians the Apostles and even the Lamb himself our Redeemer Calumny ever follow'd them Mis representation waited upon them and what wonder that Infamy was their constant Attendance And now if the Orthodox Christians have thus in all Ages had their double Character one of Justice exactly drawn from what they really believ'd and practis'd the other of Malice copied from them as Mis-represented 't is not at all strange to find it so now in our days when Calumny Malice Ignorance c. are as powerful as ever who though from the beginning of the World that is above five thousand Years they have made it their chief business to Paint Copy and Represent Things and Persons yet they never did it with so much injury so altogether unlikely as they do now to the Papists there being scarce any one Point of their Faith and Profession which they do not blindly mistake or basely disguise The Papists believe 't is convenient to pray before Holy Images and give them an inferiour or relative Respect These describe the Papists Praying to Images and Worshipping them as Idols The Papists believe 't is good to desire the Prayers of the Saints and Honour them as the Friends of God These paint out the Papists as believing Saints to be their Redeemers and Adoring them as Gods The Papists believe that Christ left a Power in the Priests of his Church to absolve all truly Penitent Sinners from their Offences These Representing the Papists as believing That the Priests can infallibly forgive all such as come to Confession whether they Repent or no. The Papists believe there 's Power in the Supreme Pastor upon due Motives of granting Indulgences that is of releasing to the Faithful such Temporal Penalties as remain due to their past Sins already remitted as to their guilt on condition they perform such Christian Duties as shall be assign'd them i. e. humble themselves by Fasting confess their Sins with a hearty Repentance receive worthily and give Alms to the Poor c. These make the Papists believe That the Pope for a sum of Money can give them leave to commit what Sins they shall think â—it with a certain Pardon for all Crimes already incurr'd and that there can be no danger of Damnation to any that can but make a large Present to Rome at his death The Papists believe That by the Merits of Christ the good Works of a just Man are acceptable to God and through his Goodness and Promise meritorious of eternal Happiness These report That the Papists believe they can merit Heaven by their own Works without any dependance on the work of our Redemption The Pâ—pâ—sts worshâ—p Christ really present in the Sacrament true God and Man These say they fall down to and worship a piece of Bread Some Papists maintain the Deposing Power These will have it to be an Article of their Faith and that they are oblig'd to 't by their Religion Some Papists have been Traytors Rebels Conspirators c. These make these Villanies to be Meritorious among the Papists and that 't is the Doctrine of their Church And thus there is scarce any one thing belonging to their Faith and Exercise of their Religion which is not wrong'd in the describing it and injuriously Mis-represented And if any be so curious as to desire to be satisfied how this comes about let him but stand by any of the Undertakers while they are taking the Copy of Popery and observe their Method and he may soon come to the bottom of the Mystery He may see them seriously viewing some of her Tenets and upon a short Consideration immediately to fall to the making Inferences and deducing Consequences then down go these for so many Articles of Popery They go on and see other of her Tenets and these containing Mysteries such as Reason cannot reach to when Faith is not an Assistant they are presently follow'd with variety of Absurdities and seeming Contradictions And down go these to the former for so many Articles of Popery They pâ—ssâ—on to others and these being not conform to the Principles of their Education several Misconstructions are presently rais'd upon them and down go these for so many Articles of Popery They look forward and seeing others in the practice of which many Abuses have been committed then down go the Abuses for so many Articles of Popâ—ry Heâ—ce they turn to the Court of Rome and as many Dâ—sorders and Extravagances as they find there so many Articles of Popery They enquire into the Actions and Lives of her Pastors and Prelates and as many Vices as many wicked Designs they discover there so many Articles of Popery They examine the Behaviour of her Professors and whatsoever Villanies whatsoever Treasons and Inhumanities they find committed by any that own themselves Members of that Communion down they all go for so many Articles of Popery They hear the Reports of such as have deserted her Authority and tho through thâ—â—r Extravagancies and rashness they deserve not credit even in a trifle yet their whole Narrative shall be accepted and all their idle Storâ—es be summ'd up for so many Arâ—icles of Popery They peruse every scurrilous Pamphlet and abusive Libel and such ridiculous Fâ—bles as are only sit for a Chimney-corner