Pazzi the Revelations of St. Bridget c. And these are made use of to shew what unlikely Stories the Papists swallow and upon what false Grounds they build their Belief Now who would not believe that Those who make these Invectives should be careful in avoiding what they pretend to Reform and be sure not to out-doe the Papists in the very thing they condemn them And yet see their Fate Whilst they are drawing out the Character of Papists in these Colours they e'en make a most exact Resemblance of themselves and Protestant Preachers are no sooner Challeng'd in their Pulpit-Narratives but we are bid consult the Authorities they went upon and what Authorities are these We are sent to the Quaker Vnmask'd to the New Discovery to Foxes and Firebrands And these are stil'd the Authorities they go upon As if these were more Authentic than the Miracles of S. Xaverius which have been so strictly Examin'd that even some pretended Reformers themselves have judg'd them worthy of Credit And here while I am upon this Subject I cannot but admire some Protestant Preachers Writers and other otherwise sober Laymen of late who take upon them thus to Ridicule and slightingly to wonder at the Papists for this their Fond Credulity forsooth in relation to Old Legends and Modern Lives of Saints Whenas if these same Preachers and Lay-men do but look a little back over their own Shoulders they cannot but see yet in sight such a Heap of Monstrous Legends I mean the Perjuries and Contradictory Fables of Oats and Tong c. solemnly Preach'd up in Pulpits by the most Eminent Men of the Nation and as eagerly swallow'd by infinit numbers of the People that they cannot without Confusion censure the Credulity of the Papists whilst they consider how deeply they themselves have given such Credit to Impossibilities And this is very observable in the way that there is scarce any thing in all those Books objected upon this score against the Papists whether Ancient or Modern Legends but however incredible it may appear yet generally is all in order to a good End and to the working Christian Effects in the Reader scarce a Miracle related but raises the Admiration of God's Power his Goodness and Mercy scarce a Passage but is a Recommendation of some Vertue an Encouragement against Vice c. and cannot be read without a great Spiritual Advantage to every unprejudic'd Christian In such things as these it is the Papists are condemn'd for over-credulous tho' even as to all these too the Church lays no Obligation on any of Assenting or Subscribing to the Truth of them but allows them to be read as it do's other History to which every one gives credit in proportion to the Authority which they find for what is related But whilst the Papists are thus reproach'd for being of too hasty a Belief in things of this Nature see which way the Protestants lean They are taught not to be too Credulous in things relating to God to the Works of his Power and Goodness c. No here they are bid be Cautious to be Prudent not to Trust to others but be sure keep close to their own Sense and Reason and not to believe Rashly or Blindly But then let them but turn on the other side and let the Matter be nothing of God or Heaven but against Popery and the Papists here They believe without Restraint there 's no Miracle too great no Extravagancy so Improbable no Legend so full of Contradictions but 't is receiv'd without scruple and as greedily swallow'd as easily believ'd and the very Pulpits too that know how to cry down the Papists for an over-credulity in Matters of Piety and Devotion shall now in Matters of Defamation of Malice of Interest tending to the Ruin of their Neighbor tell how to be as Credulous as any And tho' they condemn the Papists for appealing to Councils the Relations of Holy Fathers and the Examination of Commissioners in taking up Miracles upon their Credit yet when they themselves are put in mind of the Improbable and Impossible Stories they have help'd to spread from their Pulpits they without Blushing fly to the Authority of Foxes and Firebrands Proclamations and Votes of Parliament as if these were more Infallible than those others and as if the Preaching and Believing Legends of Malice and Envy were Marks of a True Christian when to receive Miracles in order to the improvement of Piety and a Good Life are made to be so Ridiculous and Antichristian I must beg the Reader 's Pardon for this little Digression 't is a Subject of which the Pulpit often rings and is as often objected by Protestant Writers and so not unworthy of a short Remark for the shewing the Perverseness of their way of Reasoning and especially too because I shall have an occasion of referring to it afterwards before the close of this Discourse Fifth Character of a Pulpit-Papist THE different Orders of Religion amongst the Papists are Good Advice to Pulp Caut. 3. neither better nor worse than so many Sects and several Casts of Religion only they have that advantage in managing their Divisions which we have not to pack up their Fanatics in Convents and Cloysters and so bring them under some kind of Rule and Government Thus were the Papists set out in a Sermon at Whitehall in the Year 1675. in which the Preacher being desirous to take off that Foul Blemish of so many Sects and Divisions rending the Protestant Church of England inconsistent with the Vnity of Christ's True Church and so often objected against them by Catholics falls into that common Topic of covering the Defects of his own Church by Calumniating that of his Neighbor and therefore he boldly makes up to his Auditory and tells them That the Vnity the Papists boast of in their Communion is but a Pretence whereas says he They have readly more Divisions in their Religion than they charge ours with and then goes on in the words of the Character above cited In which he Represents the Church of Rome 1. To be divided into many Sects and different Casts of Religion 2. That the different Orders of Religion are neither better nor worse than so many Sects And that the only Advantage of that Church above Protestants is that they pack up their Fanatics into Convents so to bring them under Government Now what Protestant was there in his Auditory or what such Reader of his Sermon reflecting what the Sects and different Casts of Religion and what the so call'd Fanaticks are here in England but would presently receive this Notion imprinted as a Truth in his Head that as in in England so likewise in the Church of Rome are there different Sects of Religion and Fanatics to divide it but only that there they are shut up in Convents for better Order This is what the Preacher plainly and positively asserts and whosoever takes him at his word must necessarily believe so But because this
by his Church to own the Scripture as the Word of God and obliged to assent to all therein deliver'd as of Divine Authority and of necessity to be believ'd with a Divine Faith whilst for Legends tho' he may read them if he pleases as he do's other Histories yet he is not bound by his Church or Religion to give assent to or believe any one Passage in any Legend whatsoever This the Apologizer understood very well pag. 23. where he proves out of Bellarmine and Canus that according to our own Principles all these things contain'd in the Lives of Saints tho' mention'd even in the Canonization depend upon Human Testimony as to particular Matters of Fact and consequently are subject to Error And therefore no sufficient ground for any Point of Faith which can be built on nothing less than Divine Authority And tho' some of these are inserted into our Offices yet they are not there propos'd as likewise Particular Revelations as the Scripture is to wit as matter of Faith but only as a Relation of some History in the Reading of which some Spiritual Advantage may be reap'd as is at large discours'd above Which is very different from what the Preacher says that he changes Scripture into Legends 2. How do's he change the Sacraments into Shows when in his Church the Sacraments are not only Shewn but likewise care taken that they be duly Administred to all her Members The Apologizer pretends the Charge to be True because the Cup is shew'd to the People which they don't partake of and the Host elevated at Mass and carry'd in Procession And might not a Jew here step in and with this Argument pretend that Christ Crucifi'd was another Show upon Calvary while he was there expos'd for some hours upon the Cross to the view of the World But all this is nothing but a Method to teach Atheists how to make the greatest Mysteries of Christianity Ridiculous We know the Benefit of that Oblation Christ made of his Body and Blood upon the Cross and likewise of that he Instituted at his Last Supper where he gave his Body and Blood after an Unbloody manner under the Forms of Bread and Wine for the Remission of Sins and which is now daily repeated in the Church according to the Command of Christ which he gave to his Apostles when he said to them DO THIS in Remembrance of me We know the Benefit there is in this Continual Remembrance And those who make a Show of this are within one Step of those Vnbelieving Jews who made a Show of Christ in his Passion when 't was said to them Behold the Man. 3. As for the Third of Preaching Purgatory instead of Repentance 't is absolutely False inasmuch as in the plain import of the words it imprints this Notion in the Hearers viz. That the Papists don 't Preach Repentance to the People but instead of this they Preach Purgatory This I say is False and so evidently that the Apologizer dares not vindicate the Preacher in so foul a Calumny and therefore instead of what the Preacher asserts the Vindicator minces the matter and pretends only that the Doctrin of Purgatory invalidates that of Repentance Which too is False in it self since we see Catholics both in their Lives their Books and Sermons urge the Necessity of Repentance as much and as effectually as Protestants And 't is much more False as to Preaching since amongst so many Sermons I have been at both Abroad and in our own Country I have heard Repentance so often press'd to the People and Purgatory never so much as mention'd unless it were to shew the insufferable Torments of the Place and how great the hazard is even of getting thither And amongst the Printed Sermons of Spaniards French Portuguese c. that are extant in Latin I challenge the Apologizer to find one that so sets out Purgatory to the People as to make them neglect Repentance and if he do's I 'll be bound to shew him a Hundred for his One that enforce the Duty of Repenting without the least hint of Purgatory or their considing in it 4. He says We Preach Faction instead of Faith c. This the Preacher said of the Papists at a time when the Church of England had been assisting a Faction about Four Years with all the help the Pulpit could give them in Consecrating their Villanies and finding Arguments to gain them Credit for the deluding the People And tho' they cannot be Advis'd to be more Cautious for the future without an Apology appearing in their behalf yet I hope 't is not without some Sense and Shame especially since they have seen the Cart and Pillory so often appearing in Confutation of those Truths that were then so often Dispens'd to the People with the Gospel As for the Faction they can discover in Our Preaching let them do their best to find even half so much we freely give them a Thousand Years to review for to match these Four of theirs Let them take in likewise the Sermons that are now Preach'd in our Chappels throughout the Kingdom I hope they 'll all appear Instructive as to Faith and Manners but free from Faction Can the Church of England say as much of theirs at present in which there are so many unworthy Reflections made upon the Religion of their Prince so much Animosity blown up Fears and Jealousies insinuated into the People and the Government made to them uneasie even in the very Method that dispos'd them heretofore to Rebellion and ended not but with the Murder of their Sovereign I can't imagine them to intend the like Mischief at present neither did they I believe heretofore when they made way for it by their Indiscreet Preaching But when they have seen so lately the People exasperated to that degree by the Pulpits against Popery as even in an Unnatural Rebellion to take up Arms against their Prince and never leave pursuing him under the Pretext of his being a Papist till they had brought his Royal Head to the Block under the same Notion Methinks such as are truly Loyal and boast themselves the Best Subjects in the World should be more Tender of their Sovereign than to venture upon the same Method with the Son which prov'd so Fatal to the Father and so Dangerous to the Brother But I fear the Excess of Jealousie for their Religion puts them upon being too Bold with their Prince and that by a Just Judgment of Heaven they are blindly practising the very Principles they have so often charg'd upon the Papists Making their Church's Interest the Center of their Religion Preaching Faction instead of Faith Esteeming everything Conscientious that makes for the Cause And not minding the Lawfulness of the Means provided the Thing be but done Twelfth Character of a Pulpit-Papist THERE is a great noise of Alms made in his Church but the Scope they too often vainly aim at is the Blessing of a Dr. Tenison ibid. Presumed
Saint Security from the external force of Evil Spirits by the Charms and Spells of Monkish Conjuration a sort of Ecclesiastical Magic Nay sometimes the Scope is that very wicked one of Compounding with Heaven by their Liberal Alms for their Vnforsaken Sins and here in this Nation whilst this Island was enchanted with Popery there were granted Indulgences even for what they call Deadly Sins for many Thousand Years to come In this manner did Dr. Tenison render our Religion at S. Sepulcher's 1681. before the Honorable Magistrates of this City in a Strain so unbecoming that every ordinary Reader upon the Perusal must necessarily be tempted to turn to the Title Page to see whether it bears Sermon or Play. And therefore I think the Doctor upon Reflection might have rather given me Thanks than quarrell'd for my not inserting more of his Discourse since I am confident the less I put in was more for his Credit But however another Author has since done him that Right as to transcribe him and set him out more at Disquisit and Expostul with the Church of Engl. length let him view himself there drawn to the full and then let him tell me whether he be not oblig'd to me for shewing him but in Little. I refer the Reader thither to be Judge and in the mean time I 'll throw away a Page upon him in the Examen of his Vindication where I no sooner cast my Eye but I see that being now a Doctor he understands no more Our Doctrin or Practice than when he was a Child he knew Gubbard from a Jesuit 1. He says Sometimes the Scope is that very Wicked one of Compounding with Heaven by their Liberal Alms for their Vnforsaken Sins This he positively and solemnly declar'd before so Great an Assembly but without one word of Proof in the Sermon for so foul a Charge and now when he takes upon him to make his Defence he only proves at large the Practice of Indulgences but not a word of their being given for Vnforsaken Sins which is the chief Point of his so scandalous Aspersion We own the Power of granting Indulgences or Pardons as may be seen in our Profession of Faith but that this can or may be done either with Money or without for Vnforsaken Sins this we look upon as Abominable and Absurd in the sight both of God and Man. And amongst all that List of Pardons he has heap'd up in his Defence there is not one that he can pretend makes for this intent excepting that of Boniface 9. which too has nothing in it for his purpose besides his own False Translation and the Perverse Construction he puts upon it the Effect I hope more of his Ignorance than his Malice Since those words quoted by him Omnia Peccata etiam SINE POENITENTIA ipsis Confitentibus relaxarunt do not signifie the giving Indulgence for all Sins WITHOVT REPENTANCE as he translates them but only the granting Indulgence for all Sins to such as Confess'd to them without obliging them to undergo the Penances enjoyn'd by the Canons for thus this word Poenitentia here signifies and not Repentance which is indispensably imply'd in their Confession which cannot be rightly perform'd without Repentance Thus grosly do's this Doctor mistake in his Defence and upon such slight Grounds positively from his Pulpit blacken us with the worst of Infamy and Scandal before so Great an Assembly And the same he do's in the other part where he says 2. That they have granted Indulgences even for what they call Deadly Sins for many Thousand Years to come And this looks like an Asserting of that Vulgar Reproach to wit That the Pope can give the Papists leave to sin for many Years to come and is the thing he seems willing to imprint on his Readers in all the Instances he has brought by the way that he handles them And yet this is most contradictory to the Doctrin we are taught and to the receiv'd Notion of Indulgences amongst Catholics who are so far from presuming upon Leave to sin upon the grant of Indulgences that they don't think that any One Sin that is past can be forgiven by an Indulgence No we are taught that no Sin is forgiven even in the Sacrament of Confession without a sincere Repentance And as for Indulgences they are only for the Relaxation of the Canonical Penalties due to Sin which being appointed and assign'd by the Church may likewise by the same Authority be releas'd And therefore however Indulgences may be term'd Pardons or said to be granted for the obtaining Pardon for Deadly sins yet whoever considers that they were many times given for many Hundred years nay as the Doctor has it for many Thousand years to come he must soon conclude that this could not be giving Leave to sin for so long time to come which so far exceeds the term of Mans Life but only the Releasing of Penances which being assign'd in proportion to the Sins for some Sins Three years Penance for others Five for others Seven might with some careless Christians amount to that degree that for Fifty years of Life they might possibly have Five thousand years Penalties due to their Sins This is it then we understand by Indulgences or Pardons not a Leave or Liberty to sin nay not the Forgiveness of Sins but only a Discharge from the Canonical Penances which is very far from what the Doctor insinuates into his Auditory which as propos'd by him We acknowledge is a Practice Unjustifiable and if any Prelates in our Church have formerly made an unjust Gain of Indulgences we as little approve it as the Doctor For tho' we may lawfully justifie all good Practices yet for Abuses let those Answer that were concern'd in them Thirteenth Character of a Pulpit-Papist 1 N. Bisby IF he be False and Deceitful to Mankind yet Euge bone serve all is well and he in an instant is thought worthy of a better Kingdom 2 Hickering No Man can be a Papist but he whose Eyes are blinded by Education or he who puts his own Eyes out by Atheism 3 Dr. Fowler His Council of Trent expresseth its allowance of Picturing the Divinity it self and accordingly Pictures of the Blessed Trinity O Hateful Sight are ordinarily to be beheld in Popish Churches 4 Apol. for the Pulpit He Prays to Images 5 D. Fowler He Worships the Bread and Wine not as Representations of God but as God himself 6 D. Fowler He is taught that the Passion of Christ takes away only the Guilt of Mortal Sins not their Eternal Punishment 7 D. Fowler Likewise the Non-necessity of Repentance before the Imminent Point of Death 8 D. Fowler And that the bare saying of Prayers without either minding what he says or understanding it is sufficient to the Divine Acceptance 9 Dr. Hooper Ibid. So is he to appear before God dumb and sensless like one of his Idols In