Name Protestant is a common Title to discriminate all those who renounce and forsake the Romish Communion because of its contradiction to the Holy Scripture from those who do own and are of that Communion But it was not designed to descriminate one sort of people renouncing and protesting against that Communion on the aforesaid Account from others who agree in the same Point And therefore in every Age and Nation other Names have been made use of to discriminate Protestants one from another according to the matter in difference betwixt them True Protestantism then consisteth more especially in two Points First Protesting against and renouncing Popish Corruptions and especially all such Infallibility Supremacy and Authority as the Bishops of Rome have for some Ages laid a claim to It is the renouncing the thing it self which Protestantism chiefly respects its reference to such a particular person is only accidental by reason of his audacious and arrogant challenging that Power But Protestantism would be equally against the Claim if that Bishop should lay it down and any other either in France or in any other Countrey should challenge it or if it should be pretended to be lodged in any other Man or Body of Men. Secondly Protesting for the Sufficiency and Authority of the Scripture That the Holy Scripture is a safe and full Rule for the Instruction of us in all things needful to be known or done in order to Eternal Life and that nothing ought to be admitted as an Article of Christian Faith which cannot by just consequence be proved by this Rule according as the Church of England expresseth her self Article 6. In these two things Protestantism doth consist the denial and renouncing of the Pope's arrogated Supremacy and all those Superstructions which have no foundation but that Authority and the owning and adhering to the Scriptures as the only compleat Rule of Religion This is the great fundamental positive Principle in Protestantism For Protestantism doth not take away an andue boundless Power and Authority from the Pope and conser it on another person It ascribes indeed to the Supream Power in every Nation what belongs to the same according to the constitution of the Government protesting against all forreign and every unjust pretence and claim to the prejudice of the rightful Owner And it asserts the only right of the Scripture to be the Rule that every Supream Power on Earth should observe in restoring and reforming Religion as occasions are offered by reason of the Decays or Corruptions which may have prevailed The Bible I say the Bible only is the Religion of Protestants whatsoever else they Believe besides it and the plain irrefragable indubitable Consequences of it well may they hold it as a matter of Opinion but as matter of Faith and Religion neither can they with coherence to their own grounds Believe it themselves nor require the Belief of it of others without most high and Schismatical Presumption And now seeing Protestantism doth mainly or rather only consist in asserting the Holy Scriptures to be the Rule the only Rule by which all Christians are to govern and manage themselves in all matters of Religion So that no Doctrine is to be owned as an Article of Faith on any account but what hath very plain warant and sound evidence from the Scriptures nor no instance of Religious Worship to be owned or submitted to as necessary nor any thing to be entertained as a part of Religion but what the Scripture doth appoint and warrant It may not be altogether unuseful to inquire briefly whether this Principle be really justifiable or no Or whether those who are called Protestants on this Account be truly in the right touching this matter For if we be right in this Point then the great Fundamental opposite Point of our Adversaries must needs have a slaw in it and cannot be solid and substantial and consequently all the particular Doctrines and Practices which have their whole being and Dependance on that Authority must necessarily expire and give up the Ghost Now much might be offered to evince that Protestants have very good ground to rest assured that they are not mistaken in this matter but I will only offer these few considerations which being well considered and improved may suffice to satisfie any unprejudiced and impâ—â—tial honest meaning person that Protestantism is not a â—â—mersome precarious thing but is really accompanied with the greatest evidence and certainty any Perswasion can justly pretend unto First It is universally acknowledged by all who profess themselves Christians that the Holy Scriptures viz. those Books contained in the Old and New Testament as received by Protestants are the Word of God and were written at the appointment of God for the constant Use and Benefit of his Church and People by Persons Divinely Inspired for that purpose Secondly Supposing but not granting that those Scriptures do not contain the whole Revelation God hath made of his Mind and Will for the constant perpetual and obliging Use of his Church yet it is most evident that these Scriptures are a safe and most certain Rule in Matters of Religion so far as they do extend They are a certain Rule touching those matters of which they do treat and so far as they do treat of them So that there can be no just pretence of a Divine Revelation for any Doctrines or Practices which are inconsistent with or contradictory to what God hath declared in these Scriptures Because the Divine Veracity and Truth which is Essential to the Deity cannot permit that God should contradict himself All that can be pretended with reference to this matter is that God may make more Declarations of his Will and either inlarge the Discoveries He hath made of his Will touching particulars already made known or add Declarations of His Mind concerning Matters which He doth not at all discourse of in the Scriptures But it is not consistent with the Natural Notions of a Deity not with the Revelations God hath made any way of Himself that He should overthrow the Truth of a Former Revelation by a Latter or that Contradictions should be reconcileable in His Will. For any Man to affirm that a Divine Revelation may contradict any thing taught in the Scriptures whil'st he professeth these Scriptures are pure Divine Revelations is not only to involve himself in most obvious and horrid Absurdities but to contract upon himself to burthen and overwhelm himself with the guilt of the most plain and unnatural Blasphemy against God. If any thing that plainly contradicts the Scripture can be a Divine Revelation then a Man may be indispensibly obliged to Believe and not to Believe the same thing to do and not to do the same work And so Man will be brought under such Circumstances that whether he Believe or do not Believe whether he Practice or do not Practice it will be the same thing he will be equally guilty But certainly if our Adversaries can pretend to
Revelations which do contradict the Scriptures they cannot pretend to lay any Obligation on us to comply with them in those Matters which the Scriptures do contradict for we have every jot as good Authority to Believe and Practice in direct contradiction to them as they have to Believe and Act in express contradiction to us though we should condescend to an impossible Supposition viz. That a Divine Revelation may contradict the Scriptures Besides they have no need or occasion to trouble themselves to prevail with us to comply with them in their Points for supposing their Revelations to be as they prerend whether we comply or do not comply the Case is just the same for we are never the better if we do comply with them nor is our guilt and offence one jot the more if we do not comply But if what they call Divine Revelations be not really so and they will notwithstanding Believe or Act or both in contradiction to the Scriptures which are known owned and professed Divine Revelations let them seriously consider what is like to be the fruit of their so doing We have reason therefore to conclude that all those Doctrines and Practices which are inconsistent with and do contradict what is declared in the Holy Scripture have not a Divine Original but have their Rise from the fountain of Falshood and Untruth And therefore we cannot be justly blamed if we protest against and reject such Notions and Practices for we certainly have a good Foundation and just Authority for every part of our Religion which Scripture doth expresly and plainly warrant And they must needs be at a great loss for just Authority as to those Points which expresly contradict the Scripture whatever may become of those Points amongst them touching which they may conceive the Scripture is silent But lastly If the Holy Scriptures we are speaking of do contain the whole and intire Revelation of the Mind and Will of God which he hath designed for the constant and perpetual use of his Church and People and do furnish People with full Instructions and Directions in all Matters of Religion then Protestants have very good warrant to affirm and stedfastly adhere to this Point viz. That the Holy Scriptures are the only Rule we are to govern our selves by in all Matters of Religion And we are safe enough as to this part of our main Principle and cannot with any justice be reproached or blamed by our Adversaries on this Account till they can produce very good and substantial evidence for some other Divine Revelation really distinct from those we are discoursing of But this is a task so hard for them to undertake so impossible for them to perform that there is not one understanding person in that Communion I am perswaded who dares adventure to ingage in it For it will not serve the turn to talk honourably of Tradition in general nor to make a noise about Apostolical Traditions without mentioning particular Traditions and proving them to be Divine Revelations and that they are truly Apostolical and were by Divine Appointment set apart for the perpetual use of the Christian Church The Council of Trent speaks loud of Apostolical Traditions and advances them to the same degree with the Holy Scriptures and appears so resolv'd for these Traditions that she makes them necessary to compleat the Scripture in order unto its being a perfect Rule but alas her courage cool'd in a little time for she dared only to talk extravagantly and in excessive terms of Tradition in General she dared not to name particular Traditions which she would own and undertake to prove truly Apostolical and of Divine and constantly binding Authority to the Church And since she thought it not convenient to descend to particulars I am of opinion particular persons in that Communion will not care to meddle in the matter but rather chuse to refer it to another Council when they can get one because if they should undertake it it must only be for our sakes and those of that Communion cannot but know that nothing less will satisfie such cautious reasonable people as Protestants are in a matter of this nature than such evidence as is very substantial and proportionate to the thing to be proved And could they produce ever so good evidence for any particular they will call a Divine Revelation or Apostolical Tradition it would be of no use to those of their own Church who prefer particular Humane Testimony called by another Name before all sort of proper and suitable evidence And after all their pains though they could produce satisfactory evidence which I affirm to be utterly impossible in this case for some Tradition which would inforce some Point the Scriptures do not inforce yet this would not do them any service however it would weaken our Principle as touching the Perfect on of that Body of Divine Revelations we have For notwithstanding we should in obedience to a Divine Revelation though roughly proved and evidenced concur and joyn with them in some Point we did not imbrace before yet the difference betwixt them and us in that matter would be as great as before there would still remain a formal difference betwixt us touching this very particular because though we should Believe or Practice the same thing yet the formal Reason of Believing or Doing it would be totally different So that if any would attempt to produce substantial evidence for any Revelation distinct from the Scriptures their labour will be wholly useless with reference to their Church unless they can produce a Revelation relating to their Church like that Law the flattering Courtiers of an Eastern Prince told him they could find when they were at a loss for a particular Law to warrant some particular Practice the Prince was inclined unto though they knew of no Law relating to what was propos'd yet there was a Law that the Prince might Command and do what he pleased Such a Revelation our Adversaries must produce Indeed I am apprehensive they Act in that Communion as if they had such a Revelation but all the mischief is they cannot produce valid proof for it or else they must be at the trouble of providing distinct Revelations for the several Points in dispute and distinct Evidence unless they can make a shift to croud three or four of their Notions into a single Tradition and so make shorter work of it In short the Protestants do affirm That Divine Revelation is the only Rule of Christian Religion That the Holy Scriptures are confessedly Divine Revelations That these Holy Scriptures do contain all those Divine Revelations God hath appointed to be of perpetual standing obliging Use to his Church and People We acknowledge that were it possible for our Adversaries to produce solid proof that there is any Divine Revelation distinct from what these Holy Scriptures do contain which God hath appointed to be of constant perpetual binding Use to his Church they might thereby invalidate
our Principle which doth affirm that the Holy Scriptures are the Only Rule by which Christians are to govern themselves in all Matters of Religion But yet we affirm their doing this would not really advantage their Cause because the same Formal difference would remain betwixt them and us after as before for though we should be obliged on their exhibiting such proof for some particular Revelation which should warrant and oblige to own and use some Doctrine or Practice at present in dispute betwixt us yet the agreement which would then seem to be betwixt them and us in that particular would only be material and not formal because we should then own the Doctrine or Practice what is injoyned purely because taught and commanded by a Divine Revelation throughly evidenced And they would own the Doctrine or Practice the Duty injoyned purely because taught and commanded by a meer Humane Authority which they are pleased to name Infallible And it will not be to any purpose for them to undertake a more quick dispatch in this matter by talking of an Infallible Judge for he cannot be Judge and Rule too There must be Divine Revelation which must be the Rule for their Infallible Judge to exercise and imploy his Infallible Judgment about And seeing all their attempts to prove their Infallible Judge by Scripture have been very unfortunate and without success I may take it for granted when once they have agreed together and found out their Infallible Judge their best proof that that Person or Body of Men which ever they shall agree upon is a Judge and an Infallible Judge in Matters of Religion must be some new Revelation or some old Tradition never hitherto known to be a Divine Revelation for we must have better proof than any that has yet been offered on the behalf of any of their Traditions before we can entertain them as Divine Revelations And when they have well proved that Tradition and its Divine Authority which shall fix and settle their Infallible Judge they must still be at the trouble and pains to produce very substantial proof for every other Tradition they will make a part of the Christian Rule For the Authority of their Infallible Judge will not do here because his Infallibility does not reach to make nor declare a Rule but is purely concerned about the true sense and meaning of an acknowledged Rule when Controversies do arise about the importance of any Expressions contained in that Rule But besides all this Protestants have such evidence as doth create certain assurance that the Holy Scriptures are fully Perfect to instruct and direct Believers in all matters of Religion and do contain all those Divine Revelations God hath appointed to be of necessary and perpetual Use unto his Church greater evidence cannot be desired than the express Witness Testimony and Declaration of the unerring Spirit of the Faithful and True God. And this we have most plainly to the unavoidable and full Conviction of every honest piously disposed ingenious and unprejudiced Person who really owns and believes the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God And this you heard before is the professed Belief of all who profess themselves Christians And if such kind of evidence will not serve peoples turns I must acknowledge they are of a temper I do not much care to deal with for I must confess I am no preat admirer of booted blunderbus Apostles nor do I think he makes any real Proselites who only dragoon's Men into a Perswasion I never lik'd murthering Men for Religion nor persecuting Men because their Consciences would not stretch to every body's phancy I think whil'st the Scriptures are acknowledged on all sides to be Divine Revelations the greatest and best evidence we can have in matters of Religion is plain and express Scripture And if in all our Disputes with our Adversaries we did strictly keep within this compass we should guard and maintain our owe Cause the better and wound our Adversaries Cause the more fatally not but that I am very sensible we have Antiquity the Fathers rhe Primitive Writers and the most General Councils on our side either expresly or by way of silence thereby certifying us that no such Points were known or in question in those days But alas by having ordinary recourse to the Fathers c. we mightily gratifie our Adversaries for hereby they get out of the immediate reach of the Sword of the Spirit And all the Testimonies of Antiquity taken together in their own strength will not do rhe thousandth part of that execution against a Heresy as one plain and express Scripture will. Besides how often do we see that when the greatly Read and Learned on both sides do fall together by the Ears over the Fathers they lengthen the Dispute beyond measure and not only bewilder the Hearer or Reader but even themselves too that by the time they are got half through the Dispute they have well night forgot what it was they began to dispute about And having slipt into this digression I may even adventure to hint one digression more relating to the common way of managing Controversies with our Adversaries the Romanists It may be if it be well inquired into it may appear that we do not ordinarily proceed in our Controversial Discourses with them in that free and ingenious manner we ought but do too much limit and straighten our selves According to that little measure of apprehension I have it seems to me most expedient and most proper for us in opposing our Adversaries to maintain Protestantism or the Protestant Doctrines both really and professedly as such and not to pinnion our selves by pretending to maintain them as Taught or Owned by particular Communions The Cause is a common Cause and the Arguments we can truly maintain it with are common Arguments one Party is no more interested in them than another nor do the Matters in dispute amongst our selves concern the Controversies betwixt us and our Common Adversaries Why should we so affect and hug our selves in our private Notions and particular Differences as to please our selves with or at least receive and keep up the unreasonable Remembrance of them Indeed I do acknowledge the candor of our Adversaries in that they have not improved the advantage they might have taken to have made some Tragical Appearances by falling upon us with reference to this very matter of undertaking to maintain Protestant Doctrines meerly as owned by a particular Party for what doth this properly import but that we relinquish the Common Principle and undertake only to maintain our Doctrines not by the Scripture as the General and Only Rule of Christian Religion but by the Scripture as limited and bounded by those discriminating Terms and Instances whereby we are distinguished from all others who take the Scripture to be the Only Rule in all Matters of Religion Now will not this if insisted on make our task the harder and the more confound and perplex our
Controversies But would it not seem odd for a Remonstrant or a Contra-Remonstrant to defend Christianiry or the particular Doctrines of Christianity against Jews or Heathens purely as a Remonstrant or a Contra-Remonstrant For what have their particular differences to do in matters wherein they all agreed and in maintaining of that for which both sides are equally concerned The main of the Controversy betwixt us and those of the Romish Communion is either whether the Holy Scriptures be the Only Rule in all Matters of Religion Or whether those particular Doctrines wherein they and we do differ have warrant from the Scriptures And what need we intreating on these points to interest any discriminating notions amongst our selves As far as we do agree let us walk by the same Rule Besides by concerning our selves for Protestantism and Protestant Doctrines even in opposition to our Adversaries in common as fixing the Scriptures to be the Only Rule and that our particular Doctrine have plain warrant from the Scripture and those we oppose are either contrary to the Scriptures or have no warrant at all from thence we are excused from any obligation to trouble our selves with defending any unwary or less proper expressions which may have slipt from particular Parties or particular Persons in declaring their sense of particular Doctrines for whether they exprest themselves properly or no or whether their opinion were right or no is not at all material to the Controversy betwixt those of the Church of Rome and us For if any Parties or single Persons have declared their sense and opinions concerning any Doctrine or matter of Practice either that their opinion doth accord with Scripture or it doth not if it do it is the Protestant Doctrine if it do not it is not a Protestant Doctrine and so it doth not at all affect us since we own that persons professing themselves Protestants may mistake as well as we do declare our assurance that those who have been named Infallible in another Communion have erred most grieviously But this we affirm that so far as any do keep strictly and closely to the Holy Scriptures they cannot mistake And Protestants have no real concern to vindicate any Party or Person any further than they do keep unto the Scripture But now to return from these digressions unto what was said before viz. That Protestants have such evidence as doth create certain assurance that the Holy Scriptures are fully perfect to instruct and direct Believers in all matters of Religion and do contain all those Divine Revelations God hath appointed to be of necessary and perpetual use unto his Church I need not relate the whole evidence that might be produced on this occasion I will therefore content my self with these two particulars relating to this matter which certainly must sway powerfully with them who are under an influence which is truly Religious The first is this 1. That the Holy Spirit of God hath expresly declared that the Holy Scriptures are compleat and perfect to all the ends and purposes of Divine Revelations Hear how large and particular the Holy Spirit of God is in declaring the Fullness and Perfection of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. And that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works 2. The same Holy Spirit hath solemnly devoted to the most dreadful Curse of Almighty God whomsoever shall be so arrogant and presumptuous as to offer any other Doctrine besides what the Holy Scriptures do teach as a Divine Revelation Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Now if people will pretend to produce other Divine Revelations which God hath appointed to be of perpetual use to his Church either those must invalidate these Holy Scriptures or else these Holy Scriptures must invalidate them they cannot consist well together If we will own and stick to the Holy Scriptures we must reject whatever additional Discoveries shall be produced because the Spirit hath in these Scriptures excluded them What hath been discoursed concerning the evidence Protestants have for their great and main Principle may justly promt to take notice of two things 1. That they who would hinder and discourage people from reading and studying the Holy Scriptures do give them just occasion to suspect that they have none of the honestest and most commendable designs to manage We are very certain the Holy Prophets of God the Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles were Persons beloved of God and Persons who were greatly concerned for Peoples Spiritual Welfare and we are as certain that these were very much and in good earnest in pressing exciting and perswading the common sort of People to read and study the Scriptures they command them in the Name of God to read and learn the Scriptures and those Revelations of the Mind of God which were communicated unto them read Deut. 31. 11 12 13. Deut. 6. 6 7 8 9. John 5. 39. Col. 3. 16. Nay does not the design and end for which God hath made his Will known and caus'd it to be committed to Writing manifest and prove our Duty evidently enough For what end hath God given the Holy Scriptures unto his Church and People Are we not assured that the Scriptures were written for our Learning for our Instruction for our Admonition c. And must we not read them then How will they answer these ends if we must not consult them Were not the Scriptures written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope Read and consider Rom. 15. 4. Have we not then too much ground to suspect that those who would take or keep our Bibles from us are Enemies to our Faith Patience Comfort Hope and Happiness Is not the Word of God that Sword of the Spirit with which we are to defend our selves and worst our Spiritual Enemies Ephes 6. 17. And now what reason have we to take them for our Friends who would lay us open and expose us Naked to the Assaults of Sathan and his Instruments The Holy Penmen of the Scriptures did by the direction of the Blessed Spirit commend People for applying themselves to the Holy Scriptures and endeavouring to improve in the knowledge of them See Psal 1. 2. Act. 17. 11. Act. 18. 24. 2 Tim. 3. 15. And it is certain that the People of God of every rank and condition under the Old Testament Dispensation were obliged by Especial Appointment from God to take care to read and labour after a continual Increase in the knowledge of the Scriptures Now can we imagine that God having given
Faith hath outward Honours Preferment Carnal Pleasures and Ease accompanying it it will not want Followers and Attendants but when Storms and Persecutions do arise and it is separated from these external Allurements they will soon shake hands with Religion and court whatsoever shall be drest up in its former Robes Such as espouse the True Religion not for its native Excellency but for its gorgeous Attire and great Dowry in this World will in all probability when Persecutions arise part with their Faith rather than their Pleasures Wealth and Ease they will sooner throw away their Bibles rather than their Bottles 1 Joh. 2. 19. Mat. 13. 20 21. Now if there be such danger of people's Apostatizing from the True Faith after they have made a profession of it it must certainly very importantly concern all who profess the Protestant Religion that is True Christianity as taught and delivered in the Holy Scriptures and as purged and reformed by the guidance and direction of this Divine Rule from all those Errours and Corruptions which have either through people's heedlessness crept into the profession of Christianity or through design have been slily ushered into it or by imperiousness have been forc't upon it I say it very highly concerns them to take care that their Minds and Hearts be so fixed and settled in the Faith of the Gospel that they may never be removed from their Constancy that they may not be as Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Eph. 4. 14. It should therefore be our care to get our Minds furnished with clear distinct Notions of those Truths in which the Scriptures do instruct people It is not enough that we can talk over in a general way the Doctrines of Religion we ought to labour for an explicite knowledge of Divine Revelations so that we may be able to prove and confirm every part of our Profession by express and clear Scriptures 1 Pet. 3. 15. The Ignorant Man will be always wavering Yea we should strive to get the Truths we profese and understand very strongly indeared unto our Hearts so as to prefer them above all Worldly and Carnal Interests and to have our Affections yea our whole Souls brought under their Power and Influence their Government and Soveraignty our Souls should so cleave unto them they should be so precious and dear unto us that neither Frowns nor Smiles Promises nor Threats may make any unhappy impression on us but the more blustering any Storms may be which can arise the deeper root we may take and grow the more firm and stable Phil. 1. 27 28. For 1. We must expect to meet with Tryals and Sufferings for the Faith of the Gospel which will overwhelm and ruine us if we be not well provided against them Our Passage to Glory is through many Tribulations We have many and various Enemies who will mischief us and obstruct us all they can who will do their utmost to prevail with us both by fair and foul means to make shipwrack both of Faith and a good Conscience We are not only exposed to the malice rage and spite of absurd and unreasonable Men but to the craft and fury too of those infernal Fiends who prompt and excite their carnal and earthly Tools and Instruments to vent and vomit forth their rancour and spleen against the True Faith and its Professors See Eph. 6. 12 13. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Rev. 2. 10. If you be not well fixed in the Truth how can you expect to hold out when temptations and sufferings shall come When you shall be in danger of loosing Estate Liberty all that is dear to you in the World yea Life it self for your Religion Did not the House built upon the Sand fall when the Rain descended and the Winds blew and beat upon it Mat. 7. 26 27. 2. Apostacy from the True Faith is a very hainous provoking sin is not this to offer God the utmost affront we can and in effect to say all manner of evil of him Do we not hereby charge him with being the greatest Impostor that ever was Is not this to throw the foulest dirt that is possible upon Religion yea openly to avow that Sathan and his drudgery are much better more ligible than Christ and his most Holy Faith That God is not to be trusted and that his Religion is not what he represents it O what abominable what innumerable what monstrous wickednesses are bred in the womb of Apostacy And what direful consequences and fruits may those expect who thus affront and incense the Almighty God against themselves He will not have a gracious regard for such He will cast off and punish severely all those that cast him off and deal treacherously with Him. The Just shall live by Faith but if any Man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. The Lord Jesus Christ will reject them and be ashamed of them when he shall appear in all his Glory Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the Holy Angels Mark 8. 38. Though you set no value on Christ's Love at present and care for no more but that you may have the Countenance of great Persons and injoy the Pleasures and Wealth of the World yet remember that it will not be long before ye shall have other apprehensions of things than now you have It will not be long before you shall perceive all these things you prefer before the Faith of the Gospel to be very empty and void of all satisfaction and full of torment and horrour when Christ shall appear in Glory with his Holy Angels all these things will fail you and how you will howl and roar and complain then What tears will you then shed How will you curse your Apostacy and all that helpt it forward And now when your Case is thus helpless thus dreadful and all your Comforters are gone the Lord Jesus and his Mercy will fail you too he will send you to them whose favour you prefer'd before his who will tremble and quake as much as you and to your Wealth which will then disappear and to your beloved Pleasures which will then be bitterer than Gall and Wormwood you must only expect to behold his frowns and to feel the terrible discoveries of his insupportable displeasure you can expect no favour at his Hands See Prov. 1. 24. to the end 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. Nay you have no good ground to hope you shall prosper in any of those designs you intend to drive forward by or under your Apostacy God doth very often notably blast such projects He causeth some remarkable and very fatal Curse to accompany those who relinquish his Cause and Truth What was Judas
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST RISE OF THE Name Protestant And what Protestantism is with a Justification of it and an earnest Exhortation to all Protestants to persist in that Holy Religion By a Professed Enemy to Persecution LORD BISHOP of CORK'S Protestant Peace-Maker Pag. 128. I am and must be in the mind that the Strength of the Protestant Cause both here at Home and throughout Christendom lyes in the Vnion of Protestants and the Glory Purity and Power of Christianity in the World stands or falls with PROTESTANTISM LONDON Printed in the Year 1688. THE EPISTLE TO THE Protestant Reader THE following Papers were for the most part of them writ two Years since and had then been offered to your view if they had not been obstructed by some Persons and for some Considerations of no use to be here mentioned The Author conceived at that time there was occasion to suspect that many who pretended to be Protestants closed with that Profession out of Interest or something a-kin to that rather than from Knowledge and Conscience Many appeared ignorant of the occasion of the Protestant Name and to understand no better what was Protestantism it self These seemed to be so wavering and uneasie under their present Circumstances that little less was necessary to reconcile them to the Roman Religion than to be certainly secured from the terrible effects of Humane Statutes provided to deter Men from such Reconciliation This prompted the Author having some undesired vacation at that time from his usual Imploy to endeavour to contribute something towards the helping of such who were thus unsteady to discern what it was they were about to relinquish and consequently enquire what it is on the other side they must espouse People in matters of Religion ought to be considerate and wary they should not deal with Religion as they do with their Hats and Cloaths when out of the fashion He thinks that Gibbets aad Confiscations and such Engines are no Gospel Appointments to befriend the True Faith. Yea he is of opinion that the Ambition and Sloth of Church-Officers did first introduce Penal Laws to defend and guard Christianity and force People into a Profession of the Truth And that Christianity made greater numbers of real Proselites during Constantine's general Toleration than were made by the Penal Laws under that Emperour's Government or by all the Penal Laws that ever were made since that time He thinks that Penal Laws have not wholly rendred Christianity ineffectual but how much they have impeded its progress he thinks is very hard to comprehend They have certainly very much promoted Hypocrisy and Formality The Author is indeed a Conformist but one that was grieved at the indiscreet and less charitable censures and carriages of many who boasted of the same character He was really troubled to see them who said they were Protestants behave themselves so unbeseemingly towards their fellow Protestants and so industriously weaken and undermine that very Church they made such a clamour about He does not impute what they did intirely to spleen and malice against the Church they pretended to As for many of them he apprehends their Intellectuals were so impotent they had few thoughts of their own by which to govern themselves but were wholly under a forreign conduct which yet they perceived not How many more were influenced by motions too mean and carnal for any good Man voluntarily to resign himself unto For the first sort we may pray as our Saviour did for his Crucifiers Lord forgive them for they knew not what they did But as for the other sort he leaves others to consider what measure of Charity belongs to them who furiously ruine their Religious Neighbours and pull down the Church they seem to own meerly to satisfie their own filthy and most detestable Lusts He manifested some resentment that Protestantism should be treated with so much harshness by those who pretended to the same Religion Which occasioned his having some experience not only of the reproachful language but the ruder effects of the misguided vehemence of some of his own Communion But these things he overlooks and hopes that others whose treatment hath not been very obliging will so forget what is past as not to insist thereon to the prejudice und dammage of the Religion in common amongst us The Prefacer concurring in all these matters with the Author thinks he may with greater confidence apply to all sorts of Protestants in intreating and beseeching them that they will not do any thing now against but for the Truth And more particularly I would desire 1. Those who are indifferent and wavering to consider and think seriously before they change Some it may be would make no scruple to depart from the Protestant Profession were it not they were awed with the dread and terrour of some future danger in this World that may possibly overtake them should they under present Circumstances resign up themselves to a Profession our Laws have made Criminal But true Religion is a matter quite distinct from Humane Laws it is of most necessary and important concern to Men's Souls and their Eternal Salvation And Humane Laws whether for or against it do not alter the Case And therefore both as Christians and as Men you ought to consider and weigh things Where different Religions are propos'd you must examine the Particulars on each side by the Only Rule of Religion and must govern your selves by Evidence The nature and importance of Religion and the unvaluable worth of your own Souls require this There is nothing so foolish and absurd as to be of a Religion you do not understand or to change your Profession you know not why nor wherefore Would you alter to obtain Preferments and Honours Alas how littlt reason have you to expect these things whil'st there are others of more desert and who bring better Testimonials with them than you can For he that changes inconsiderately gives no proof either of his Parts or of his Integrity Do you hope by altering your Religion to escape Troubles and Sufferings This is an ill course to be taken for such a purpose and not likely to succeed because God can find you out and has ways enough to punish you Besides you are assured you shall not be forced to relinquish the Profession or Exercise of your Religion by a Royal Promise A Promise which fully performed will attract greater repute and glory to the Roman Religion than all the Arguments and Devices the most learned and subtil Adherers to that See did ever invent So that you have nothing under which you may shelter your Apostacy nothing to patronize your Revolt And to Apostatise without a Temptation is at once both a Folly and Wickedness that nothing can match on either account 2. Those who pretending to the Church of England have by an extravigant fervency and unneighbourly earnestness done all that was in their power to impoverish macerate and render their follow Protestants uneasie
and comfortless These I would intreat to think with sedateness on what they have done how much they have injured the Protestant Interest and what a stroke they have laid the Communion to which they pretended open unto 'T is high time you to betake your selves to a deep Humiliation godly Sorrow and sound Repentance for what you have done yea to take care you manifest your Humiliation and Repentance in so solemn and publick a manner as may bear some proportion to the Notoriety of your fault What inexcusable wrong have you done to the Protestant Cause What a dreadful blow have you given the Church of England Have you not made it thus to totter Have you not laid it almost irrecoverably prostrate What wounds like those which were made by pretended Friends Go not about to contrive excuses to palliate the mischief you have done no verbal Apology can make amends for your Crime Repent and weep and pray and reform and this speedily thorowly aggrevate your guilt take shame to your selves publickly and by hearty Repentance and thorow Reformation hasten to put a stop to those Inundations of Judgments you have made way for this is the least you ought to do Remember that Heathens and Jews in prosecuting the Old Christians and the Romanists in persecuting Protestants have this excuse above you that they never persecuted for things which they themselves acknowledged to be meerly indifferent As you have not been afraid to commit these evil things against your Fellow Protestants with a high hand and in the sight of the Sun so be not now ashamed to make your Repentance as open and visible neither be averse by restitution to the utmost of your power to make satisfaction for all your unjust and merciless exactions What have you wrung and squeez'd from others in an violent arbitrary way How many have you impoverish't and reduc't to utmost extremities and this for things which at the same time you could not but acknowlede were not worth one hair of any Man's Head Suffer not the Wages of unrighteonsness to remain in any of your Hands or in any of your Houses but by faithful restitution do the best you can to secure your selves from the dreadful Recompences such Wickednesses do expose you unto If you make not the best satisfaction you are able to those you have wronged what can you expect but that God will remember your doings against you and that you shall perish for ever like your own dung He hath swallowed down Riches and he shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his Belly Job 20. 15. Have you not just reason to be afraid least Divine Vengeance should overtake you on the sudden and that God should make the Land spew out such Inhabitants Wherefore let my Counsel be acceptable unto you and break off your Sins by Righteousness and your Iniquities by shewing Mercy to the Poor if it may be a lengthening of your Tranquility Dan. 4. 27. 3. Those who dissent from the Church of England These I would desire to take care they do not resent their former unkind Treatment with any exorbitances nor suffer the remembrance thereof to alienate them from their Protestant Brethren of the other Communion Do not indulge to your Passions nor keep at any greater distance than needs you must Be not hurried into any unadvised compliances on the one Hand or stifness on the other Permit not wrath or revenge to have any place in you much less to transport you into any unchristian indecencies Fall not your selves into what you have perceived to have no comliness in the Conformist Party Fall not out one with another improve the Ease Freedom and Liberty you injoy for the real Interest of Religion Be not concerned to make Parties neither be over-warm for Notions or Practices which have no plain and express warrant in Scripture Let us all unite and be brotherly affectioned one towards another Let us lay aside and cast from us with utmost dislike all our Animosities carnal Interests and unjust Prejudices on every hand Let us wholly mind the things of Christ and bear on anothers burthens leave all Indifferencies just as Christ hath left them make the Scriptures our only Rule and lay no more stress on any particulars than Christ himself hath laid on them Let us all pray earnestly improve diligently both the Instructions of the Holy Scriptures and the present Calls of Providence Let us all humble our selves duly under the Mighty Hand of God search into and try our Hearts and our Ways and turn to the Lord from all our evil doings with our whole might Let us all be of one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel and let us follow after Peace with all Men and Holiness without which none must see the Lord. Then will the Lord return and be gracious And the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Songs and everlasting Joy upon their Heads They shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away Isal 35. 10. AN ACCOUNT Of the FIRST RISE of the Name Protestant c. MAimburgh in his History of the League having occasion to take notice of a Story which had been published and had passed very currently a long time without contradiction for which he could find no warrant after he had made a full inquiry about it makes this Remark This in reason should give a caution to such as undertake the writing of a History not to trust all sorts of Writers and not ambitiously to swell their Works with all they find written in certain unauthentick Memoirs without giving themselves the leisure to examine their merit and their quality Pag. 169. Had this Author himself exactly remembred and strictly kept to this hint in all his Writings he would have done much to have rais'd himself a lasting honourable Reputation he would have greatly befriended and obliged the present Generation and Posterity none could have had good warrant to write against him his Histories would have been more considerable for their Truth than now they be for their Stile And if others who pretend to mislike misrepresenting had but carefully observed this Rule of Main-burgh's with others of the like import Christians the most innocent and of greatest worth could not have been so injuriously asperst and bespattered as of late they have been by several hands Whatever complaints and outcries may be rais'd against the Protestants as if they were not candid and just enough in the Accounts they give the World of the Romanist's Faith Worship and Practice though we should allow that in some particulars particular Writers have exceeded and not kept within such moderate bounds as they would have done had they followed the examples of our most Learned and Judicious Authors who beyond contradiction have proved more against their Adversaries than we do ordinarily expresly charge them with yet upon supposition that some of our Writers have been faulty this
way they are not the only Persons guilty and of all people in the world the Romanists have the least reason to insist on a charge of this nature for though their fault doth not excuse any of our Writers if guilty in the same manner yet it renders them very unmeet to upbraid and reproach and make tragical complaints against others for what they are more enormiously faulty in themselves It is but too obvious that some pains have been taken of late to misrepresent the Protestants all over and to perswade the world into a belief of very odd and strange things both concerning their Persons and Religion yea the very Name by which they are every where known Indeed the word Protestant and its Rise have been so decyphered and represented under such ungrateful Characters by persons of one complexion and of another that some who it might have been expected had had more knowledge and more wit have been almost or rather quite ashamed of that Name which their Ancestors accounted an honour and by which the Religion they pretend to is every where known what thoughts such have of the Religion it self time may discover Who would ever have thought that Englishmen who had a long time or rather all their time been brought up in the Church of England and would fain have made a Figure in their Countries should yet be at a loss by what name to call the Religion they did profess certainly the common name might have past well enough had not some unjust prejudice prevail'd And it 's very probable this prejudice did take its Rise from one or others misrepresenting and giving a wrong account of that Name Those who prefess true and unmixt Christianity have for a great while been distinguished in most parts of the World by the name of Protestants from others who have mingled with a profession of Christianity a great many gross contradictions and inconsistencies And till now of late none who owned the Religion were ashamed of the Name Those who liked not the Romish Communion did not think it a reproach to be called Protestants Though the Name might be first devised by the Adversaries of our Religion and might be used by them at first in scorn and contempt with reference to those who would not imbrace and submit to all the forreign and unscriptural Notions and Practices which received life and authority from Rome yet the antient love to and zeal for Religion only as commanded by divine Authority and as warranted by those Books which are universally acknowledged by all Christians to be writ by men divinely inspired reconciled our Ancestors to that Name by which the Adversaries of their Religion would have redicul'd them out of their Profession And how it is come to pass that people professing the same Religion should now appear shy and boggle at the Name as if some dreadful and hideous matter were wrapt up in the word Protestant I cannot imagine unless either their love to and zeal for their Religion be less than their Ancestor's was or that some false representations have been made to them of the importance and first occasion of this Name What sort of writers have contributed most to create prejudices in mens minds against the name Protestant I will not determine but I do not lay all the fault of misrepresenting in this case on those who do openly profess themselves of the Romish Communion and yet I cannot wholly excuse them because of late they have been at no small study and trouble to perswade people to entertain very wrong Idea's both of the Protestant Name and Religion We are lately told that The Protestant Perswasion has its Name Being and Support not from what it is in it self but from what it is not in defying and protesting against their Neighbours Rep. in behalf of Amicable Accomod pag. 17. Now it may not be altogether improper in order to the setting of some weaker people right in their apprehensions to give a short and true account of the first occasion and rise of this Name Protestant and its general use ever since from Authors of the best credit and repute on each side And that this Account may be the more clear and distinct it will be requisite to observe in general That a great corruption had for many Ages overspread Christianity in the Romish Church Afterwards we may take notice how Princes and People were more directly prepared to renounce and cast off those Corruptions and then it will be proper to relate the particular matter of Fact which occasioned this Name Protestant and when these are dispatched you shall hear what Protestantism is and wherein Protestantism doth really consist The word Protestant is a forreign word derived to us from other people and it has been and is still used with relation to Religion in all Nations where it is mentioned So that every where those who have owned and professed the Protestant Religion have past currently with all sorts of people for Protestants And the Protestant Religion is the true Christian Religion rescued and reformed from those Corruptions and humane Additions the Church of Rome had for many Ages without good warrant intermixed with it The Mystery of Iniquity which began in the Apostles days did by degrees increase to that height in the Roman Church that it almost overwhelmed true Christianity and made Religion appear and be in the world little else than a trick of policy and a meer piece of Pageantry And when the people had been a great while inured to nothing but lifeless Superstitious Formalities and were brought up blindly in a superstitious carnal gay sort of practice which was called Worship the Bishops of that See did by several artifices and tricks first acquire and then improve opportunities to gratifie their own utmost and unreasonable ambition for the Princes and People were in many places so effeminated made so soft and easie and unthinking by their methods they very tamely and patiently gave way to their most unjust incroachments till at last they were not able to help themselves nor oppose the increasing greatness of that See. And when matters were brought to this pass then several points were forced on the whole Western Church the burthen of which the Inhabitants of those parts had never before felt and which those who first gave way to the Usurpations of that See never dream't of Now an universal Supremacy over the whole Church was challenged and a power pretended to make whatever pleas'd a Duty In short the Bishop of that See pretended an Infallibility which must not be call'd in question he assum'd a power to dispose of People's Sins and Souls as he thought fit and perswaded them he could consecrate any thing they would buy to be an effectual means to purge away their guilt Nay at last he claimed a power to dispose of Governments appropriating to himself a Superiority in every Prince's Dominions and both Princes and People were blinded to that degree
And have you such numerous examples and presidents take heart then and go on as they did joyfully in the strengrh of you God. How many have ventured all and sustained all both in former Ages and in this present Age in a neighbouring Countrey with astonishing Joy for this self same Religion But Oh! what will you loose and what must you suffer if you wickedly depart from your God and renounce his Truth Would you be in Judas his despair or sustain the horrour Spira was filled with for Worldly Favour and Preferment Would you be willing for ease and pleasure here to be the object of God's heaviest displeasure for ever To be shut out of Heaven to be continually followed with God's Curse To be a perpetual Companion of Devils and the worst Sinners To lie roaring and howling to all Eternity in unquenable flames In a word consider how the Faith you profess is the Faith which God Almighty hath taught and appointed which the Lord Jesus hath born witness unto and sealed with his Blood which the Apostles preached to the World and suffered for the Faith which has been justified and confirmed by multitudes of most real and undeniable Miracles a Faith that is pure and peaceable and tends most intirely to propagate and increase all that is truely excellent and praise-worthy amongst Men a Faith which God hath taken care of in all Ages of the Christian World and which assures its sincere Professors of things incomprehensibly great and glorious hereafter and fills them with unspeakable peace and comfort at present amidst all the Suffering they can be exposed to on its account a Faith God hath wonderfully freed from the Corruptions which were formerly mixed with it in these Nations and for which He hath often and even miraculously appeared in discovering and blasting the projects the designs and the attempts of its most subtle and unreconcileable Enemies a Faith your Ancestors after mature consideration priz'd above all their worldly Interests and Lives a Faith they took a great deal of care and pains to have transmitted to you pure and undefiled a Faith which brought with it multitudes of outward Blessings and which occasioned these Nations to be eas'd of a Yoke which all the Inhabitants who had ingenious sense complained often of and groaned under a Faith you cannot part with but in all probability you will again involve your selves in Calamities and Miseries like to those out of which your Predecessors strove with all their might to extricate themselves Have you an ambition now to expose your selves and your Posterity to all the mischief and evil which people of the adverse perswasion have been known industrious and unwearied to bring upon those they look upon as Hereticks Are you resolved to pull down with your own hands upon your selves all the sad and direful Plagues which are reserved to be inflicted in the next World on them who perfidiously betray the Faith of the Gospel and wickedly Apostatize from the True Religion If not then take care and look well to your selves and see that you be fixed and confirmed in the Protestant Religion And therefore 1. Be sure you be built upon the true Foundation Take heed you profess not the True Faith meerly because it is owned by any Society of some particular extrinsical denomination any particular Church may fall There is a Body of Men now in the World who assume to themselves a very glorious Title and yet when a just enquiry is made and the largest allowances Charity can prompt to are yielded them that Society can only pass for a very corrupt part of the Christian Church and yet the antient Inhabitants of that place where the Head of this Society hath fixed his See were a people in St. Paul's time so hearty in and true to the Doctrines of Christ their Faith was spoken of throughout all the World. Rom. 1. 8. Where are any tracts and footsteps now of those Churches you read of in the Revelations And yet God never forsaketh any till they first forsake him There has been I fear there is still altogether a fault amongst us that we are immoderately concerned for the credit and outward grandure of particular Parties and Christians are respected not for their being Christians but for their espousing some distinguishing Notions and Characters of Man's devising I am perswaded God will utterly overthrow at least mightily abase Men's affections to and zeal for all Party-making Notions amongst Christians before he will raise his Church to that prosperous flourishing State prophesied of and promised in the Scriptures There must be more Love and Charity and Unanimity amongst Christians Christianity will endure to the End of the World but as for all the Modes and Fashions of Man's devising wherewith any do dress up the Profession of Christianity these may all fall to the Earth as the Inventers of them have fall'n or will fall Mat. 16. 18. Gal. 6. 15. The True Foundation you should be built upon is that of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Corner-Stone Eph. 2. 20. Therefore 2. Embrace nothing as an Article of Faith or part of Religion but what the Holy Scriptures are express or very clear concerning You have in these Scriptures all that is necessary to any Man's Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Joh. 20. 13. Believe no Man nor no Society of Men in these Cases further than the Scriptures do warrant what they teach Act. 17. 11. Isai 8. 20. 3. Be not extreamly hot and zealous about any thing but what the purity of Faith and power of Godliness are really concerned in Good Men and Orthodox Christians may have different apprehensions about Matters of small moment without much prejudice to their own Souls or the common Faith provided these Differences be managed without uncharitableness and unchristian violence But too much heat and violence about things diverts from the weighty matters of God's Laws and Religion soon sensibly decays Phil. 3. 16. Gal. 6. 16. Tit. 3. 9. 4. Expect and prepare for Tryals Christ hath dealt plainly and openly with us In the World ye shall have Troubles See Mat. 16. 24. Learn to resign up your selves and live in expectation of Sufferings Read 1 Pet. 4. 12 13. 5. Be earnest in Prayer that your Hearts and Souls may have an inward real spiritual affectionate sense of the Truth and Importance of the Doctrines of Christianity 1 Cor. 2. 12 13 14. 6. Study the Holy Scriptures diligently and make them your dayly delight Psal 1. 2. Psal 119. 97 98. 7. Make a good Improvement of the plain faithful Ministry of the Word whil'st you can injoy it you know not what Times may come 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. 8. Take heed of Self-confidence and depend wholly on thy Saviour 9. Learn to be expert in using every part of the Christian Armour Eph. 6. 13. c. 10. Watch your selves carefully and your Enemies too 2 Pet. 3. 17. 11. Take a due care that your Faith may effectually influence you to all Holiness of Life and Conversation That Man is in a great preparation to renounce his Faith that hath prostituted his Conscience and is regardless how he lives 1 Tim. 1. 19. Read consider and improve what is offered unto you and the God of all Grace who hath called us to his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus after that we have suffered a while make you Perfect c. 1 Pet. 5. 10. FINIS Per lustra popinas quotidie sine pudore in aleae lusum ususque turplssuhos potestatem extratendi animas functoâ—um ex igne expiatorio profundebant In Aug. Thuam Hist l. p. 13. vide Mezenrah Ann. 1517. Sleid. Com. lib. 1. An. 15. Qnicunque non innititur doctrinae Romanae Ecclesie ac Romani Pontificis tam quam regulae fidei infallibili aqua etiam sacra Scriptura â—obur trabit authoritatem est Haeriticus Mouns Clauddef of the Reformation part 3d. M. Clauddes of the Reform part 3d. pag 51. c. Vnde Protestantium nomen quod ad omnes postea qui eorum quae perperum in religionem invecta sunt emendationem amplecti se professi sunt obitque ab Ecclesia Romana defecere dimanavit Thuan Hist lib. 1. p. 26. Nomen per contemptum ab adversariis ob protestationem Spirae impositum D. Prideaux Lect. 9. de visibil Eccles Chilling worth 's Safe way to Salvation pag. 375. Catholick Ballance pag. 19.