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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52816	A Protestant antidote against the poyson of popery clearly proving the religion of the Church of Rome to be 1. superstitious, 2. idolatrous, 3. damnable, 4. bloody, 5. novel, 6. inconsistent with the publick peace, 7. irreconciliable to true Christianity ... / by Christopher Nesse ...	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.	1679 (1679)	Wing N461; ESTC R14548	103,633	225

dispositionis This par ratio is defended by him against the judgment of Gerson in lect 4. de vitâ spirituali and of Hugo de Sacram. p. 6. c. 5. 155. And de Clara confesses that there are others Qui asserebant Deum non permissurum ut aliquis decipratur in aliquâ veritate fidei absque suâ culpâ and then adds his opinion Ego ut ingenuè meum sensum hâc in parte aperiam c. to speak my own sence freely I think that the common people committing themselves to the instruction of their Pastors trusting their knowledge and goodness if they be deceived it shall be accounted invincible Ignorance 〈◊〉 saltem probabilis which truly excuses from fault 156. He goes on and says Im●… aliqui Doctores tantum tribuunt instructioni 〈◊〉 quibus incumbit cura ovium c. that if those Pastors on whom the care of the Flock dependeth do teach hic et nunc that God would be hated the rude Parishioner is bound to believe them Azorius also saith Rusticus et Imperitus qui parocho suo fidem babens credet diquid contra articules fidei excusatur a peccate where he cites Scotus and Gabriel to be of the same Opinion 157. 'T is true If their Priests did infallibly keep knowledge as they falsely sense those words in Mal. 2.7 saying further that the Law given is not a Law but in the mouth of the Priest then would it be the less sin to pin their faith upon the Sleeves of their Priests and the ignorance of their Laity would be invincible ignorance for want of information from their Clergy but we find in Story how notoriously their Priests have fallen short of keeping infallibly the knowledge of the Law of God 158. It is manifest in Ecclesiastical History that the Popish Priests like the Sons of Eli are Sons of Belial that knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 1.12 nor the Law of their God witness that (y) Acts and Monuments Fox Popish Bishop of Dunkelden in Scotland who boasted yea thanked God that he never knew what the Old and New Testament were and that he would care to know nothing but his Portuise and his Pontifical As likewise that Popish Priest in Germany who being asked by the Visitors whether he taught his people the Decalogue answered that he had not the Book so called 159. And of our own Popish Priests in England that were notorious Ignoramuses our Martyrology gives many examples as that Priest that told Justice Leland that the New Testament of Tindal's Translation was plain Heresie and none worse than it and bloody Bonner burning of Bibles and his Kinsman Darbyshire that said the Scriptures were sufficient to Salvation but not to Instruction but I would not rake in this Kennel Those Priests lips kept knowledge well 160. Chrysostom had long before discovered and lamented Multi Sacerdotes et tamen pauci multi in Nomine pauci in opere and Petrarch complained in his time that the stench of that Sink the Romish Clergy was come up to heaven this Ribera bewails also But above all Famous Luther speaks home to this affirming that Hell is paved with the Skulls of those prophane Popish Priests and Erasmus likewise lays them open in their colours who did them more mischief jocando than Luther did stomachando how can sober minds hang (z) As Luke 19. last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Ears at such lips as those 161. But the Romanists falsifie that Text in Mal. 2.7 reading it The lips of the Priests keep knowledge making it a plea for their Infallibility as if all things knowable were locked up in the Cabinet of their Breasts whereas in the Hebrew it is the Priests lips should keep knowledge which is not a prophesie but a Commandment by those words God doth not foretell that the Priests should never turn from the true Doctrine but forbiddeth them to turn from it 'T is equally absurd to make Commands Prophesies as to make Prophesies Commands (a) Moulin's Buckler of Faith pag. 65. as if Christs foretelling One of you shall betray me had been a bidding them betray him 162. And the following Verses in Mal. 2. plainly shows how those Priests lips had not preserved knowledge but had seduced the people and corrupted the Covenant of God They had forsaken the way and caused many to stumble v. 8. and must the Law be only a Rule in their mouths as if God were beholding to them for owning it (b) Cajetan Com nent on Matth. Cardinal Cajetan confesses thus much of the Popish Priests that they which should have been by their places the Salt of the Earth had lost their savour and minded nothing but the Rites and Revenues of the Church 163. Now are such Priests fit to be confided in in matters of knowledge and goodness as de Clara would bear us in hand must the people only believe as they believe must they look after no other knowledge and goodness but what is to be found in those doltish prophane Priests Our Lord gives us better direction than this quirking Fryar in bidding us try the Spirits 1 John 4.1 and prove all things 1 Thess 5.21 as those noble Bereans did Act. 17.11 and in telling us that if the Blind lead the Blind both falls into the Ditch Math. 15.14 164. Those blind guides indeed shall lye lowermost and have the worst of it but wo to them that follow their pernicious ways hoodwinked and blindfold This is their implicit faith believing as the Church believes and their blind Obedience walking in darkness and they know not whither but can never be judged invincible Ignorance to excuse from blame although Franciscus de Clara do affirm it especially here in England where so many Bibles godly Books and so much powerful Preaching may be easily come to 165. The holy Scriptures were written that we might believe John 20.31 and we are commanded to search them John 5.39 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word 2 Pet. 1.19 upon the testimony of which we must depend primariò and not upon the Church as they say for this is to leave the Fountain and a going to broken Cisterns and 't is a damnable Religion that keeps ignorant of the Scriptures They have Moses and the Prophets c. Luke 16.29 31. 166. It is worth our observation to take notice what difference there is betwixt the Apostolical and Antichristian Spirit the Apostolical Spirit saith thus Moreover Brethren I would not that you should be ignorant 1 Cor. 10.1 he would not have them ignorant in spiritual things but would have them zealous according to knowledge but the Antichristian Spirit is well content that the Brethren should remain ignorant and continue in blind Devotion 167. This Popish Religion is therefore a blind Religion so dangerous and damnable because it puts out the eye of knowledge Thus Antichrist saith to the Inhabitants of the World just as Nahash the Ammonite said to the men of Jabesh-Gilead On

restrictive as intimating that there be some heresies which are not damnable and so 't is to be restrained to the worst sort of Heresies only but rather descriptive as describing what heresie is in Suo Genere that it hath in it a downing nature Especially when there is a Concatenation of them as in this place 234. The holy Ghost uses the word here in the plural number to point out to us that there should be many of them linked together and indeed one heresie persisted in with an obstinate mind ushers in others dato vno absurdo mille sequntur Thus some Etymologists derive the word Heresie ab Haerendo because of ' its Glutinous property men do pertinaciously cleave to it but 't is rather a Greek word so cannot have a d Latin Thema but comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to chufe an Opinion 235. (e) 'T is a choice that cannont be reclained Such be the Heresies of the Romish Religion as they are damning in nature so they are many in number as justification in part by the works of the law This is a damning heresie If Paul say true Gal. 5.4 such are faln from Grace and Christ shall profit them nothing as their doctrine of merits de Congrue et Cendigno which is not holding of the head Col 2 19. But a despoiling of Christ his plenteons Redemption and becoming Saviouts to themselves 236 As also their congruent merits afforded by nature their freedome and innate power of will excited to apply and determine it self to Gods gracious perswasion Their expiation of Sins both of quick and dead by the unbloody Sacrifice of their Masses And many others ejusdem forma Which are both tanght and believed of the Romanists whereof I shall speak more particularly in the 2. part 237 (f) The 7. Scripture Evidence The 7. Scripture Evidence is Tim. 4.1 Popery teaches many Doctrines of devils as I have shewed in my treatise of Antichrist their forbidding of meats and marriages their teaching the lawfulness of Committing fornication which is the divelifh Doctrine of the Nicolaitans Revel 2.15 Or worshipping Idols of murthering Princes and of massacring Protestants and that because they are Hereticks Now these Doctrines of Devils must needs carry them to the Devil 238. The Apostle in this 1. Epistle to Timothy speaketh of latter times and in his 2. to Timothy 3.1 of the last times In the latter times those Doctrines of devils are broached to wit in the times of Antichrists rise and revelation when the Antichristian leaven shall be spreading it self over all christian Churches as 2. Thess 2.8.10 but in the last times which he says shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit about Antichrists destruction the harvest of those devil Doctriners shall be ripe and God will cut them down with his sharp sickle and cast them in bundles to the devil in Hell from whence they came 239. Thus both those times in both those Epistles have relation to Antichrist and the older Antichrist grows the worse and more perilous times shall be For those Doctrines of Devils shall like an Epidemical and vniversal Pestilence be so Contagious and catching that men yea good men will be put hard to it how to secute themselves from that overspreading Abomination then the Righteous should scarcely be saved were not their Names writ in the Lambo book of Life 240. But as for those dwellers upon the Earth whose Names are not found written in that Book these doctrines of Devils prevails with them and brings in that black bedroll of Sin whereof sinful self Love is the first of 19 as the Root of them all and love of pleasures the last all which lead directly to damnation and are found most predominant in the Romish Church above all others which hath a form of Godliness but denies its power 2 Tim. 3.1 to 6. 241. Having thus from Scripture Evidences made this clear demonstration how dangerous a Religion the Popish Religion is to live and dye in how can we but conclude that the Romanists are in a damnable State For 1. (g) Revel 13.8 Their Names are not found in the Lambs book of life 2. (b) Revel 14.9 10 11. They must drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God 3. (i) 2. Thess 2.10 They are in a perishing State 4. (k) 11 12. And believe lyes to be damned 5. (l) Rev. 19.21 Depart ye cursed shall be denounced against them 6. (m) 2 Pet. 2.1 They hold damnable Heresies And 7. (n) 1 Tim. 4.1 They ●uch and believe doctrines of Devils 242. But some will object here and say this is to pass the same uncharitable censure of them that they do of us and this is to conclude all that ever have dyed in Popery to be in a state of damnation To which I answer 1. Their censure of us may truly be termed uncharitable because it is unwarrantable being not grounded upon any clear Scripture Evidence but arising from their obstinate blindness which causeth them to (o) Jude v 10. speak evil of what they know not 243. And 2. I answer 't is not we but the Word of God that judges them by which they must be judged at the last day John 12.48.3 As we do not conclude all Pagans whom God suffered to walk in their own ways Act. 14. 16. to be damned for God might have vessels of mercy among them some became Proselytes so nor all those Papagans for some have held the head Col. 2.19 (p) 1 Cor. 3.11.15 and been sound in the Foundation although they lose their stubble yet not their Souls neither did Popish Errors come to their height at first but now their Heresies be more damnable than ever 244. I might have added several other Scripture Evidences as 1 Cor. 6.9 No Idolater shall inherit the Kingdom of God And Revel 21.8 All Idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Now that Popery is Idolatry and a Compound or Cento of many lying Doctrines I have shewed before why then should we be afraid to say that Papists living and dying in the Trent Faith without Repentance are Castaways and destinated to damnation Why strengthen we the hands of the wicked that he cares not to return by promising him life Ezek. 13.22 245. What warrant from the Word of God can be found of any hope that such damnable Hereticks as hath been made apparent they are can be saved or such plain Infidels in as much as they believe not either the Al-sufficiency of Christs meritorious Passion or the incommunicable Propriety of his mediatory Office in which two points lies the very life and soul of true Faith and Religion and thus far they are Infidels in saying that men must satisfie for their own venial sins and that Saints and Angels meritoriously intercede for us 246. What probability is there that such Infidels as believe not the holy

Slaughter-house of the Saints and if the blood of men cry for Vengeance the blood of Saints doth roar for it yea and the blood of Kings Emperours some of which they have actually murthered more intentionally and some of which they have poysoned with the Bread in the Sacrament As she hath done so God will do unto her Obad. v. 15 16. God loves to Retaliate and to give severity for cruelty Psal 18.26 Levit. 26.18 21. Prov. 14.14 Revel 6.10 and 13.10 and 18.6 c. If the Blood of one Abel had so many tongues as drops and every drop a Voice to cry for Vengeance Oh! then how loud is the cry of those many Thousands yea Millions murthered by her Tot ora quot vulnera God will not pardon her murthers 2 Kin. 24.4 but fill her with the evil of her own ways Prov. 14.14 Rome's Ruine hastneth who dare shake hands with her hands so imbrued in blood horrible to God and Man CHAP. V. The Fifth Property is The Novelty of Popery 1. THe Fifth Character of the Romish Religion is the Novelty of it for which it ought to be abhorred The Romanists do indeed but unjustly impeach us of Novelty which in truth is their own Crime The Maxim is Actori non Reo incumbit probatio the Plaintiff that affirms not the Defendant that denyes should prove his Plea they complain of our Novelty we defend our Antiquity they do scornfully call us Novellers and ask where our Religion was before Luther we answer our Religion was always in the Sacred Scriptures where their Religion could never be found We can look beyond Luther even to the true Catholick and Apostolical doctrine wherewith ours holds consonancy in all points but their brags and boastings of Antiquity is no better than that Cheat which the Gibeonites put upon Israel with their old Shooes and mouldy Bread Josh 9.5 As they did work wilily teaching their Tongues to lye and covering their Falshood with Rags of Antiquity even so do the Romanists in our day with their old Shooes and clouted with their old Sacks old Bottles and old Garments to delude the World with their lying Doctrines for when they are put to prove the Antiquity of their Religion they can go no higher than about a thousand years ago and such an upstart Original as this made great Athanasius to deride Arrianism the elder Sister to Antichristianism for its Novelty because it had no higher a Rise than in such an Emperors Reign non erat sic ab initio It was not so from the beginning Matth. 19.8 2. 'T is a Romish Scoff that Turkeys Hops and Heresie came into England all together in one bottom to wit when Luther's Books and Tindal's Translation of the Bible were brought hither as if no such Man as blessed Wickliff with many other faithful Witnesses to the Truth had ever been heard of and as if the Writings of that holy Martyr John Husse had never been brought hither and wrought much good here above an hundred years before Luther's time and might not the mockers of the Jewish Religion take up the same Taunt against the godly Jews after the great defection in their Captivity of Literal Babylon saying Where was your Religion before Ezra and where was your Church before him It might have been answered then Our Religion is in the word of God in the five Books of Moses but our Church hath been in the bondage of Babylon from which God hath mercifully delivered it by his Servant Ezra So we may answer Our Religion hath been ever in Gods holy Word and will ever remain so but our Church hath been in the Bondage of Babylon Mystical as they of Babylon Literal which the Lord hath been delivering out of this many Years by many of his Servants in many Ages Yea and might not the Scribes and Pharisees have made the same Objection against our Lord Christ himself and his Gospel for an upstart Religion This is well Anticipated 1 Joh. 2.7 This is the old Commandment which was from the beginning 3. 'T is true the Scribes and Pharisees might have pleaded for their Traditions to be of more account than Christs own Instructions just as the Romanists do against us because of their Antiquity Universality c. for assuredly their Traditions had been received in the Jewish Church and had an universal Approbation amongst that degenerate Generation long before Christ was born Yea and during his whole life all the Jewish Clergy the Priests Levites Scribes and Pharisees consented together as one man to maintain their own Superstitions and to suppress the Religion of our Lord Jesus they having been with the people that were their Proselytes time out of mind the visible Church Yet were these men nothing so profound in their speculative Questions as the Romanists are in our day to require a Catalogue from Christ of all the Names of such as had from time to time professed that same Religion which he preached so contrary to theirs to his own time Had they required this Christ must have confessed to them that for the last three hundred years at the least no such Succession could be demonstrated and yet our Lord rectifies the Extravagancies of those blind Guides by reducing them to the first Institution which is the best Rule of all right Reformations telling them that from the beginning it was not so Matth. 19.8 Yea and the beloved Disciple which lay in Christs Bosom seems studiously to decline all suspicion of Novelty in saying I write unto you no new Commandment 1 Joh. 2.7 as if he would have us to have a jealous eye upon new Notions seeing Truth is like Wine the Older the Better Luke 5.39 Gods people are called the Antient People Isa 44.7 that stand in the old way Jer. 6.17 and walk in the antient Paths Jer. 18.15 but Idolaters are said to sacrifice to New Gods such as came newly up Deut. 32.17 And whether those many he-Saints and she-Saints which the Romanists do worship be not so many new Gods that be newly come up the Sequel may discover 4. The Romish Religion being brought to the touchstone of the Word cannot justly become a Loadstone unto any Souls after a true tryal of it to draw them after it we should prove all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 Now the best Religion is that which is truly the oldest Religion according to that Axiom Illud verissimum quod Antiquise simum that Religion is the truest which is the ancientest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new things are nothings or at the best vain things saith the Greek Proverb Of Witnesses Aristotle witnesseth that the more Ancient they are the more Credible and Creditable they are because less corrupted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. lib. 1. Antiquity if it be right is of great Authority and hence Moses sends the Israelites to Antiquity Remember the days of Old Consider the years of many Generations Ask thy Father and he will shew

redibis c. And Aio te Aeacida as King James saith right enough they learned it from the Devil yet the Jesuits out-do the Devil himself in their holy Fraud for he calls his Equivocating Oracle in plain terms a lying Spirit v. 22. I will go and be a lying Spirit in the mouths of all these Prophets of Baal c. But the Jesuits defend their holy Fraud to be no lying But Mr. Thomas Fuller hath excellently evidenced that every Aequivocator is at least a secret Lyar saying that surely Speech is but the Copy of the heart Sermo est index Animi and that cannot be accounted or avouched for a true Copy that hath less in it than the Original Such an one is a secret Lyar as by Mental Reservations and other tricks doth deceive him to whom he speaketh being lawfully called to deliver all the truth Hence saith he it oft comes to pass Fuller's Prophane State pag. 390. When Jesuits unto us answer Nay * Which in Greek doth signifie Yea. They do not English speak 't is Greek they say 10. The late order of the Jesuits whom King James calls Papae mancipia Apology p. 76. the Popes Manciples or rather Blood-hounds or the Devils last by-blow to uphold the tottering Kingdom of the Beast hath found out this Arcanum or profound secret as a Catholicon or universal Remedy and Salvo for Catholick Consciences Some conceit that it was shak'd by a Miracle out of their St. Francis his Sleeve for their Casuist Navar tells of him that being asked which way the murtherer did flee that ran by him St. Francis putting his hand into his Sleeve answered he went not that way meaning his Sleeve Navar tom 3. cap. 12. But wheresoever the Jesuits so happily hit of it I know not yet surely this new trick they have abundantly exposed as a choice and Soveraign Unction and whereby they can slip all Examinations all Impositions and all Oaths and Obligations whatsoever Thus their casuistical Rabbies teach their Novices and Disciples If any man or Magistrate do examine you whether you did such a deed or no Though you did it yet may you answer I did it not provided you reserve in your mind that your meaning is not at this time when he asks or not to tell him or some such like Evasions whereof they have plenty and this they judge not only lawful but necessary This is their general Doctrine whereby they quite overthrow not only the nature of all humane Testimonies but also the genuine Juncture of all Humane Societies as famous Sir Walter Rawleigh upon his History of Joshua's Oath to the Gibeonites most excellently and amply sheweth saying That it admits of no Evasion or distinction neither leaves it any hole at all open to creep out at to that cunning perfidiousness and horrible deceit of this latter Age called Aequivocation that God-mocking Sin to swear one thing and mean another is found among Image worshippers which are of an Apish Religion they break no faith saith he that have no Faith to break whosoever hath true Faith and the fear of God dare not do so God will not be mocked Gal. 6.7 Gustavus King of Sweden told the Jesuits they would neither preach Faith to others nor keep Faith with others they could play fast and loose with their Equivocations 11. The fourth Jesuitical Principle destructive to common safety is Their Oath of blind Obedience 'T is notoriously known that in all Popish Seminaries the old Foxes The Fathers impose an Oath of Obedience upon all their young Plants and Novices wherein they Vow Obedience to their general Fathers in those Schools as those General Fathers are all sworn Vassals to their Grandfather the Pope whatever Errand they send them they must walk and work they must run per Mare per Terras c. even the Devils Round Job 1.7 and the Devils Errands and not dispute but dispatch what they are commanded without any Hesitation This Oath of blind Obedience saith that Royal Interpreter of Revel 13.16 17. King James in his Premonition to all Princes p. 93. is the mark of the Beast in their right hand signifying their actual implicit Obedience unto that Beast which thinks he cannot err whatever the Pope or under him their Superior commands them their hand that hath received this mark must execute their Command though it be to Rebel against Depose or Destroy rheir Natural King and Native Kingdoms see much more to that purpose Idem ibidem All this the Jesuits are sworn to King James shows in their Oath de caecâ Obedientiâ and in the English Seminaries beyond Sea the young Jesuits take this Oath to wit to return to England and to Convert their Countrymen and Kindred when and as often as it shall seem good to the Superior of that Colledge see Fuller's Church History Cent. 16. Book 9. p. 92. This Oath of blind Obedience Jesuiticos Pontificios ad omnia Imperia quantumvis impia superiorum spiritualium suorum Exequenda paratissimos Reddit makes the Jesuitiz'd Papists or Jesuits to be ready pressed for performing all the Precepts of their spiritual Superiors though never so wickedly hainous for those Superiors do sometimes injoyn conceited Coxcombs and that under the opinion of some supererogating merit such things as are very pernicious to Kings and Kingdoms Alas there is too plain proof hereof in both former and later years both in this and other Kingdoms see Dr. Davenant determ Quaest 17. p. 83. circa finem 12. Hence it is that such swarms of Jesuits are poured in upon us out of those foreign Seminaries which do plainly threaten an inundation from the See of Rome The Royal Interpreter King James aforesaid upon Revel 16.13 14. in his Premonition to all Princes p. 96 97. makes the Jesuits to be the three unclean Spirits like Frogs coming out of the mouth of the Dragon of the Beast and of the false Prophet This Sect he saith of unclean Spirits were raised up for the defence of the falling Throne of Antichrist by the ignorance of its Priests whereof few then were able to read Latin much less to understand it Those Spirits thus spewed out from this three-fold Authority Satan Antichrist and the Apostate Church for defence of their Triple-Crown'd Monarch are well likened to Frogs for they are Amphibious and can live in either Element Earth or Water Church or State for though they be Churchmen by Profession yet can they use the Trade of Politick Statesmen going to the Kings of the Earth c. And rather than fail that they may with less observation draw people off from Obedience c. by their subtle Insinuations they scruple not to change their Names to put on laick Habits yea and undertake any Callings of Handy-craft c. either in City or Country so that a Jesuit may be found among all Ranks of men even from the Noble Man to the Dust Man and of any Trade or Profession in England yea in the Pulpit also