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A41608 A papist mis-represented and represented, or, A two-fold 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 / by J.L. ; to which is annexed, Roman-Catholick principles, in reference to God and the King. Gother, John, d. 1704.; Corker, James Maurus, 1636-1715. Roman-Catholick principles. 1685 (1685) Wing G1334; ESTC R8084 89,548 131

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meet for any Christian to appeal from Christ's Words to his own Senses or Reason for the examining the truth of what he has said but rather to submit his Senses and Reason to Christ's Words in the obsequiousness of Faith And that being a Son of Abraham 't is more becoming him to believe as Abraham did promptly with a Faith superiour to all Sense or Reason and whither these could never lead him With this Faith it is he believes every Mystery of his Religion the Trinity Incarnation c. With this Faith he believes that what descended upon our Saviour at his Baptism in Jordan was really the Holy Ghost though Senses or Reason could discover it to be nothing but a Dove With this Faith he believes That the Man that Joshua saw standing over against him with his Sword drawn Josh 5. 13. and the three Men that Abraham entertain'd in the Plains of Mambre Gen. 18. were really and substantially no Men and that notwithstanding all the information and evidence of Sense from their Colour Features Proportion Talking Eating and many others of their being Men yet without any discredit to his Senses he really believes they were no such thing because God's Word has assured him of the contrary And with this Faith he believes Christ's Body and Blood to be really present in the Blessed Sacrament though to all appearance there 's nothing more than Bread and Wine Thus not at all hearkning to his Senses in a matter where God speaks he unfeignedly confesses That he that made the World of nothing by his sole word That cured Diseases by his Word That raised the Dead by his Word That expell'd Devils That commanded the Winds and Seas That multiplied Bread That changed Water into Wine by his Word and Sinners into Just Men cannot want Power to change Bread and Wine into his own Body and Blood by his sole Word And this without danger of multiplying his Body of making as many Christs as Altars or leaving the right hand of his Father But only by giving to his Body a supernatural manner of Existence by which being left without eztension of parts and rendred independent of place it may be one and the same in many places at once and whole in every part of the Symbols and not obnoxious to any corporeal Contingencies And this kind of Existence is no more than what in a manner he bestows upon every Glorified Body Than what his own Body had when born without the least violation of his Mothers Virginal Integrity When he arose from the Dead out of the Sepulchre without removing the Stone When he entred amongst his Disciples the Doors being shut And though he cannot understand how this is done yet he undoubtedly believes That God is able to do more than He is able to understand VI. Of Merits and Good Works HE Believes Christ's Death Passion to be inneffectual and insignificant and that he has no dependance upon the Merits of his Sufferings or the Mercy of God for the obtaining Salvation but that he is to be sav'd by his own Merits And for this reason he very zealously buisy in Fasting in Whipping himself in Watching in going in Procession in wearing Hair-shirts and using a thousand such like Mortifications And having done this he thinks himself not at all beholding to God for his Salvation and that to give him Heaven will be no favour It being now his due upon the account of his own Meritorious Atchievements without any God-a-mercy to Christ's Passion or his Makers Goodness HE believes it damnable to say that Christ's Death and Passion is ineffectual and insignificant And that 't is the Doctrine of Devils to believe That he has no dependance for his Salvation upon the Merits of Christ's Sufferings or the Mercy of God but only upon his own Merits and good Works 'T is his Faith to believe That of our selves we are not sufficient so much as to think a good thought that the Grace by which we are justified is given us purely gratis upon the account of Christ's Merits moreover that no Man how just soever can Merit any thing either in this life or in that to come independant on the Merits and Passion of Jesus Christ Nevertheless that through the Merits of Christ the Good Works of a Just Man proceeding from Grace are so acceptable to God that through his Goodness and Promise they are truly Meritorious of Eternal Life And this he has learn'd from the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 8. where he is taught that there is a Crown of Justice which our Lord a just Judge will render at the last day not only to Saint Paul but also to all those that shall have fought a good fight and consummated their course kept the Faith and lov'd his coming Knowing therefore that at the day of Judgement he is to receive according to his Works He endeavours by good Works to make his Vocation and Election sure And in following this Councel he thinks he no more offends against the fulness of the Merits of Christ's or God's Mercy than the Apostle does in giving it VII Of Confession HE believes it part of his Religion to make Gods of Men foolishly thinking that these have power to forgive sins And therefore as often as he finds his Conscience oppress'd with the guilt of his Offences he calls for one of his Priests who are commonly more wicked than himself and falling at his feet he unfolds to him the whole state of his Soul and having run over a Catalogue of his sins he asks of him Pardon and Forgiveness And what is most absurd of all he is so sillily stupid as to believe That if his Ghostly Father after he has heard all his Villanies in his Ear does but pronounce three or four Latin words making the sign of a Cross with two fingers and a thumb over his head his sins are forthwith forgiven him although he had never any thoughts of amendment or intention to forsake his wickedness HE believes it damnable in any Religion to make Gods of Men. However he firmly holds that when Christ speaking of his Apostles said Joh. 20. 21. Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven and whose sins you shall retain they are retained He gave to them and their Successors the Bishops and Priests of the Catholick Church Authority to Absolve any truly Penitent Sinner from his sins And God having thus given them the Ministry of Reconciliation and made them Christ's Legates 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. 12. Christ's Ministers and the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ and given them power to loose on Earth whatsoever was to be loosed in Heaven Matt. 18. 18. he undoubtedly believes that whosoever comes to them making a sincere and humble confession of his sins with a firm purpose ●●●mendment and a hearty Resolution of turning from his evil ways may from them receive Absolution by the Authority given them from Heaven and not doubt but God ratifies
prayers and assistance of another in this World Notwithstanding all which Catholicks are taught so to relie on the prayers of Others as to neglect their own Duty to God in Imploring his Divine mercy and Goodness in mortifying the Deeds of the flesh in Despising the World in loving and serving God and their Neighbour in following the footsteps of Christ our Lord who is the Way the Truth and the Life to whom be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Apog c. 2. Sp. Anno 286. Par. 5. a Spond An. 362. b Id. Anno 66. c Apo. c. 40. d Apo. c. 3. e P. 1. pag. 936. Ep. ad Rom. Cor. Eph. Redemption in Christ a Eph. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 22. applicable by Faith b Mark 16. 16. Heb. 11. 6. Which is but One c Eph. 4. 4. d Ja. 2. 10. Supernatural e 1 Cor. 1. 20. Mat. 16. 17 By the Divine Providence to be Learnt f Isa 35. 8. g Joh. 9. 41 h Mat. 11. 25. i John 15. 22. Nor from private Interpretation of Scripture k 2 Pet. 3. 16. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 22. 29 l 1 Joh. 4. 1. 6. Pro. 12. 15. m Matth. 18. 17. Luk. 10. 16 n Psal 2. 8. Isa 2. 2. c. cap. 49. 6. Matt. 5. 14. and guided by the Holy Ghost for that end o Is 59. 21 Joh. 16. 13 Eze. 37. 26. Eph. 5. 25. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 16. 18 p Mat. 28. 23. Joh. 14. 16. q Deu. 17. 8 Mat. 23. 2. This Church is the same with the Rom. Cath. r Can. 6. 8. Joh. 10. 16. Rom. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22 Phil. 2. 2. From the testimony of which we receive the Scripture to be Gods Word s Mat. 16. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 18. 17. t Isa 59. 21 Joh. 14. 26. Divine Revelations onely matters of Faith What Heresie and what Schism u 1 Cor. 11. 19. Mat. 18. 17 x Tit. 3. 10 1 Cor. 1. 10. cap. 12. 25. How matters of Faith are propos'd by the Church y Joh. 5. 39 z Act. 15. per tot a 2 Thes 2. 15. cap. 3. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. b Ja. 2. 18. What is the Authority of GEneral Councils Gal. 1. 7 8. a Deu. 17. 8. Mat. 18. 17 Act. 15. per tot Luc. 10. 16. Heb. 13. 7. 17. An Explanation of the same Authority b 1 Tim. 6. 20. c Jo. 14. 16. A Deduction from thence concerning Allegiance A second Deduction concerning the same Declar. fac Sorb The Bishop of Rome Supreme Head of the Church but not Infallible d Mat. 16. 17. Lu. 22. 31. Jo. 21. 17. e Eph. 4. 11 c. Nor hath any Temporal Authority over Princes 1 Pet. 2. v. 12. c. The Church not responsible for the Errors of particular Divines King-Killing-Doctrine Damnable Heresie Conc. Const Sess 15. Personal misdemeanours not to be imputed to the Church No Power on Earth can authorise Men to Lie Forswear Murter c. Equivocation not allowed in the Church 2 Cor. 1. 12. a Ez. 18. 21. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Of Sacramental Absolution b Ps 32. 5. Pro. 28. 13. c Act. 19. 18. 1 Cor. 4. 1. Jam. 5. 16. d Lu. 3. 8. e Joh. 20. 21 c. Mat. 18. 18 f Tit. 3. 5. Of Satisfaction by penitential works g 2 Cor. 5. 3. h Acts 26. 20. Jonas 3. 5. c. Psa 102. 9. c. Ps 109. 23. Dan. 9. 3. Joel 2. 12. Luk. 11. 41 Act. 10. 41. i 1 Pe. 2. 5. Indulgences are not Remission of Sins but only of Canonical Penances k 1 Cor. 5. 5. c. l 2 Cor. 2. 6. Abuses herein not to be charged on the Church There is a Purgatory or State where Souls departing this Life with some blemish are purify'd m Numb 14. 20 c. 2 Sam. 12. 13. c. n Pro. 24. 16. Ma. 12. 36. and cap. 5. 22. 26. o Mat. 5. 26. 1 Cor. 3. 15. p Rev. 21. 27. Prayers for the Dead available to them q 1 Cor. 15 29. Coll. 1. 24. 2 Mac. 12. 42 c. 1 Jo. 5. 16. Superfluous Questious about Purgatory Of the merit of good Works through the merits of Christ r Jo. 15. 5. 16. s Mat. 16. 27. Cap. 5. 12. Cap. 10. 42. 2 Cor. 5. 10 2 Tim. 4. 8. Christ really present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist t Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. Lu. 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 23 c. cap. 10. 16. But after a supernatural manner Whole Christ in either species Hence Communicants under one kind nowise depriv'd either of the Body or Bloud of Christ u Jo. 6. 48. 50 51 57 58. Acts 2. 42. Of the Sacrifice of the Mass x Luk. 22 19 c. y 1 Cor. 11. 26. z Heb. 13. 10. a Lu. 22. 19. b Mal. 1. 11. Worship of Images wrongfuly Imposed on Catholicks c Luk. 4. 8. d Ex. 25. 18. 1 Kin. 6. 35. Luke 3. 22. Num. 21. 8 Acts 5. 15. Yet there is some Veneration due both to Pictures And other sacred things e Jos 7. 6. Exod. 3. 5. Psal 99. 5. Phil. 2. 10. Luk. 3. 16. Act. 19. 12. f Jo. 12. 26. g 1 Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 13. 7. Prayers to Saints lawful h Rev. 5. 8. i Lu. 15. 7. k 1 Cor. 13. 12. l Ex. 32. 13 2 Chron. 6. 42. m Romaus 15. 30. Yet so as not to neglect our Duties n Jam. 2. 17. 30 c. o Rom. 13 14. p Ro. 12. 2. q Gal. 5. 6 r Joh. 14. 6
Dead the Vse of Holy Images Relicks the Sign of the Cross Processions c. were a receiv'd Doctrine and common Practice of Christian in those Primitive times Then shall the Papists remain as they are as being of the sinne Faith and Religion with those Antient Believers without any Additions and Alterations and all their Adversaries ought in justice to return again to their Communion and making up one Quire cry out with them Blessed are they who believes as our Forefathers believ'd who receiv'd their Faith from the Apostles and their Successors and Accursed be they who separate from this Faith and upon the Noise of Novelty and Errour make Divisions in the Church and fall from her Communion believing Lies rather than Truth In order to this I intended in this place to have given the Reader a fair prospect of the Doctrine and Belief of the Fathers at the first five hundred years after Christ but finding the Matter to increase so much beyond expectation upon my hands I have reserv'd them for another occasion But however upon confidence of what I am able to produce in that point I cannot omit to assure the Reader that the chief and most material Points charg'd upon the Church of Rome for Novelty the Primitive Fathers do so plainly own to have been the Faith and Profession of the Church in their days and to have been deliver'd down and taught as the Doctrine of the Apostles that an impartial Considerer need not take much time to conclude whether are the greater Innovators those that now Believe and Profess these Tenets and Practices or they that disown or reject them 'T is evident that every Point of that Doctrine which is now decry'd for Popery and basely stigmatiz'd with the note of Errours introduc'd of late and of a modern invention is by many Ages older than those who are reputed to be the Authors that every particular Article laid to the Ignorance of the Tenth Century and to the contrivance of Pope Gregory are as expresly and clearly own'd and taught some Ages before as it is now at this day That those Great Men were as down-right Papists in these Points as we are now And that any disturber of Christianity might have as well defam'd them for believers of Novelties and Errours as we are now at this present The Faith that they profess'd then we profess now and if any of our Doctrine be Novelty 't is a Novelty of above twelve hundred years standing And who can question it not to be of an older date If it was the publick belief of the Christian World in the fourth Century who can be better Witnesses of what was believ'd before them even in the third Age than They They tell us that the Doctrine they maintain and deliver is the Faith of the Catholick Church receiv'd from their Fore-fathers and as it was taught by the Apostles and we don't find that in any of these Points they were challeng'd by any Authority or opposed by the Pastors of the Church or any Writers either then living or succeeding them but received always with great veneration And upon what grounds can any callenge them now Is it possible that any living now can give a better account of what was believ'd and practis'd in the third Age than They that immediately follow'd them Which will be more credible Witnesses of what was done in Forty Eight those that shall be alive fifty years hence or they that are not yet to come these thousand years If therefore these Holy Men declare to us the Doctrine they believ'd with an assurance that it was the Faith of the Catholick Church so believ'd by their Ancestors and as they had receiv'd it from the Apostles and their Successors do not they deserve better credit than others who coming a thousand years after cry out against all these several Points that they are nothing but Novelty and Errour 'T is evident therefore to him that this noise of Novelty was nothing but a stratagem for the introducing of Novelties and that those that brought an Infamy upon these Points by this aspersion might with as great applause every and as easily have laid a scandal upon other Article of the Christian Faith which they thought fit to retain and have had them all exploded for Novelty And this has been so far done already that even three parts of that Doctrine pick'd out by the first Reformers for Apostolical and conform to the Word of God we have seen in our days clamour'd against for Novelty and thrown by with as general Approbation and as clear Evidence of the charge as ever they laid by Transubstantiation and the Primacy The first Reformers cast off the Authority of the first Bishop as being a Novelty Others soon after cry'd down the Authority of all Bishops for a Novelty The First disown'd a great part of the Priestly Function as being lately crept in the Others disown'd all the rest and even Ordination it self as having all crept in together The First threw out a great number of Ceremonies as being not Apostolical but of a modern Institution The Others threw out even what they had retain'd for being no more an Ordination of the Apostles than the former The First laid by five of the Sacraments the Others laid by the other two And thus Novelty was the Word whensoever any receiv'd Doctrine of Christianity was to be outed and may to be made for a Novelty And he does dot 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 fair way of being thrown out of doors and the Bible Preaching Catechising Christ's Incarnation and Passion c. is as likely to be 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 Missonaries 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 The Conclusion THese are the Characters of the Papist as he is Mis-represented
Scripture and all other Christian Mysteries and Duties respectively necessary to Salvation VIII This Church thus Spread thus Guided thus visibly continu'd in One Vniform Faith and Subordination to Government is that Self-same which is term'd the Romau Catholick Church the Qualifications above-mentioned viz. Vnity Indeficiency Visibility Succession and Vniversality being applicable to no other Church or Assembly whatsoever IX From the Testimony and Authority of this Church it is that we Receive and Believe the Scriptures to be God's Word And as She can assuredly tell Us This or That Book is God's Word so can she with the like Assurance tell us also the True Sense and Meaning of it in Controverted Points of Faith The same Spirit that Writ the Scripture Enlightening Her to understand both It and all matters necessary to Salvation From these Grounds it follows X. All and only Divine Revelations deliver'd by God unto the Church and propos'd by her to be believ'd as such are and ought to be esteem'd Articles of Faith and the contrary Opinions Heresie And XI As an Obstinate Separation from the Vnity of the Church in known declar'd Matters of Faith is Formal Heresie So a wilful Separation from the Visible Vnity of the same Church in matters of Subordination and Government is Formal Schism XII The Church proposes unto us matters of Faith First and chiefly by the Holy Scripture in Points plain and intelligible in it Secondly By Definitions of General Councils in poins not sufficiently Explain'd in Scripture Thirdly By Apostolical Traditions deriv'd from Christ and his Apostles to all Succeeding Ages Fourthly By her Practice Worship and Ceremonies confirming her Doctrine SECT II. Of Spiritual and Temporal Authority I. General Councils which are the Church of God Representative have no Commission from Christ to Frame New Matters of Faith these being sole Divine Revelations but only to Explain and Assertain unto Us what anciently was and is Receiv'd and Retain'd as of Faith in the Church upon arising Debates and Controversies about them The Definitions of which General Councils in Matters of Faith only and propos'd as such oblige under pain of Heresie all the Faithful to a Submission of Judgement But II. It is no Article of Faith to believe That General Councils cannot Err either in matters of Fact or Discipline alterable by circumstances of Time and Place or in matters of Speculation or Civil Policy depending on meer Humane Judgement or Testimony Neither of these being Divine Revelations deposited in the Catholick Church in regard to which alone she hath the promiss'd Assistance of the Holy Ghost Hence it is deduc'd III. If a General Council much less a Papal Consistory should undertake to depose a King and absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance no Catholick as Catholick is bound to submit to such a Decree Hence also it follows IV. The Subjects of the King of England lawfully may without the least breach of any Catholick Principle Renounce even upon Oath the Teaching or Practising the Doctrine of deposing Kings Excommunicated for Heresie by any Authority whatsoever as repugnant to the fundamental Laws of the Nation Injurious to Sovereign Power Destructive to the Peace and Government and by consequence in His Majesties Subjects Impious and Damnable Yet not properly Heretical taking the Word Heretical in that connatural genuine sense as it is usually understood in the Catholick Church on account of which and other Expressions no-wise appertaining to Loyalty it is that Catholicks of tender consciences refuse the Oath commonly call'd the Oath of Allegiance V. Catholicks believe That the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of S. Peter Vicar of Jesus Christ upon Earth and the Head of the whole Catholick Church which Church is therefore fitly stil'd Roman Catholick being an universal Body united under one visible Head Nevertheless VI. It is no matter of Faith to believe That the Pope is in himself Infallible separated from a General Council even in Expounding the Faith By consequence Papal Definitions or Decrees though ex Cathedra as they term them take exclusively from a General Council or Vniversal Acceptance of the Church oblige none under Pain of Heresie to an interior Assent VII Nor do Catholicks as Catholicks believe that the Pope hath any direct or indirect Authority over the Temporal Power and Jurisdiction of Princes Hence if the Pope should pretend to Absolve or Dispence with His Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance upon account of Heresie or Schism such Dispensation would be vain and null and all Catholick Subjects notwithstanding such Dispensation or Absolution wouldbe still bound in Conscience to defend their King and Countrey at the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes even against the Pope himself in case he should invade the Nation VIII And as for the Problematical Disputes or Errors of particular Divines in this or any other matter whatsoever the Catholick Church is no wise responsible for them Nor are Catholicks as Catholicks justly punishable on their account But IX As for the King-killing Doctrine or Murder of Princes Excommunicated for Heresie It is an Article of Faith in the Catholick Church and expresly declar'd in the General Council of Constance that such Doctrine is Damnable and Heretical being contrary to the known Laws of God and Nature X. Personal Misdemeanors of what Nature soever ought not to be Imputed to the Catholick Church when not Justifiable by the Tenents of her Faith and Doctrine For which Reason though the Stories of the Paris Massacre the Irish Cruelties or Powder-Plot had been exactly true which yet for the most part are notoriously mis-related nevertheless Catholicks as Catholicks ought not to suffer for such Offences any more than the Eleven Apostles ought to have suffer'd for Judas's Treachery XII It is an Article of the Catholick Faith to believe that no Power on Earth can License Men to Lie to forswear and Perjure themselves to Massacre their Neighbours or Destroy their Native Countrey on pretence of promoting the Catholick Cause or Religion Furthermore all pardons and Dispensations granted or pretended to be granted in order to any such Ends or Designs have no other Validity or Effect than to add sacriledge and blasphemy to the above-mention'd Crimes XII The Doctrine of Equivocation or Mental Reservation however wrongfully Impos'd upon the Catholick Religion is notwithstanding neither taught nor approv'd by the Church as any part of her Belief On the contrary simplicity and Godly sincerity are constantly recommended by her as truly Christian Virtues necessary to the conservation of Justice Truth and Common-security SECT III. Of some Particular controverted Points of Faith I. EVery Catholick is oblig'd to believe that when a Sinner Repents him of his Sins from the bottom of his Heart and Acknowledges his Transgressions to God and his Ministers