own'd as Such And as to this I need only Inform you that the Council of Trent is receiv'd here and all the Catholick World over as to all its Definitions of Faith althò it be not wholly receiv'd in some places as to its other Decrees which relate only to Discpline And therefore in appealing to this Council for the vindicating all I have there asserted to be the Doctrine of Catholicks I have done nothing but what I was oblig'd and is justifiable before the whole World and on the truth of what I have said concerning the Councils being universally receiv'd as to Doctrines of Faith I 'le allow the whole Cause between us to depend But this only as to your mistake Now supposing this to be the Rule of such Points of Faith as are there set down for the Belief of the Papists you raise your Difficulty pag. 11. because I shew no Authority I have to Interpret that Rule in my own sence it being a thing expresly forbidden by Pius 4th And because several of my Representations depend upon my own private Sence and Opinion Truly Sir had I in undertaking to state the Belief of our Church Interpreted the Council of Trent in my own private Sence or Obtruded any Opinion of mine for an Article of our Faith you might justly have Arraigned me at that Barr. But you must give me leave here to tell you that you Wrong me and Impose upon your Reader For so far was I from committing this Fault of Interpreting the Council of Trent in my own Sence That I have only deliver'd it as it is Interpreted to me and to all our Church in the Catechism ad Parochos composed and set forth by Order of the said Council and Pius 5th for the Instruction of the Faithful in their Christian Duty touching Faith and Good Manners in conformity to the Sense of the Council And for this reason in my Conclusion I appeal'd to this Catechism for the justifying of what I have represented to be the Faith of the Papists to be really so And that you may see how vainly you have charged me with the Transgression of Pope Pius's Bull remember I appeal'd again in my Conclusion to Veron 's Rule of Faith and to that set forth by the Bishop of Condom for maintaining the Character of the Papist Represented to be just Now you must know the Latter of these drew up a like Character in Paris of the Belief of a Papist and it being conform to the Principles of Piety and Christianity it quite overthrew the foul charge of its Adversaries There from their Books and Pulpits and this so home that they had no other way of preserving their Credit with their Flock than to declare to them that the Character set forth by the Bishop was not Exact and True but only vampt up by him into that Form for the benefit of the Publick cause Upon which he Published another Edition with several distinct attestations of many Bishops and Cardinals and of the present Pope himself wherein they at large approve the Doctrine contain'd in that Treatise for the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of Rome and conform to the Council of Trent And now Sir in proposing the Faith of our Church as I found it deliver'd by this Reverend Prelate and supported by such Authentick approbations wherein have I Entrenched upon the Priviledge of the Apostolick See of Interpreting the Council of Trent Or what necessity of relying upon a private Mans Judgment as you Phrase it of no Name and no Authority instead of that of the Pope and Council The Faith of a Papist I have deliver'd according to the Catechism Publish'd by Order of the Council or as Explicated by a Prelate who brings along with him the Authority of the See Apostolick and which part of all this is my private Sense or Opinion But you offer to make good this charge in some Instances As in the Invocation of Saints I seem to limit their Power of helping us to Prayers only which Limitation is not to be found in the Council of Trent I cannot but acknowledge Sir that the Council mentions their Aid and Assistance which we may reasonably expect But there being no other means of their Aiding and Assisting us express'd in the Council or in the Catechism ad Parochos besides that of their Prayers to God to obtain benefits for us through our only Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ And it being thus limited by the Bishop of Condom on this Subject pag. 33. Edit Pa. 1681. with the Pope and Cardinal's approbation I think I need no farther vindication to shew that in the proposal of that Point I follow'd not my own private sense or Opinion as you endeavour to prove In the Point of Merit you urge this again pag. 56. as if I had qualified this Doctrine with the dependance on Grace on God's goodness and Promise without the Authority of the Council there being no such qualification express'd in Can. 32. read and cited by you 'T is true 't is not in this Canon But if you please to look back to Can. 26. Sex 6. you 'l find it there clear enough to aquit me from the scandal of publishing my own private sense or Opinion You instance again pag. 11. in the Point of the Popes personal Infallibility which I represent to be no matter of Faith pag. 42. and what reason have you you say to adhere to my representation rather than to that of many others who assert the contrary But this difficulty is nothing but your mistake for I do not in the least deliver here my own private sentiment or opinion touching this point in opposition to other Authors But I only by way of Narative relate that whereas some Divines endeavour in their School debates to prove and maintain this Personal Infallibility yet it is not receiv'd amongst Catholicks as any matter of Faith because not positively determin'd by any General Council and propos'd to the Faithful to be embrac'd as such And this Sir again is not my private sense or Opinion but a bare Narative of matter of Fact But I am now to encounter your Goliath-Argument which shews it self throughout your Answer and seems to defy all the Hosts of Israel If I can find never a Stone to fling at it I must e'en lie at its mercy And it appears thus In my Character of a Papist Represented I pretend to declare the Faith of a Roman Catholick as 't is defin'd and deliver'd in allow'd General Councils and yet tho the Deposing Doctrine has been as evidently declar'd in such Councils as ever Purgatory and Transubstantiation were in that of Trent yet still with me 't is no Article of our Faith This is the main strength of it as urg'd by you on several occasions I answer it in short that tho all Doctrinal Points defin'd in any approv'd General Council and propos'd to the Faithful to be receiv'd under an Anathema are
make a Collection of private Mens sentiments and obtrude them for the truly Representing the Doctrine of the Church in whose Communion they are And this is not the Case of our Church alone there 's no Church or Congregation in the World will stand this Test And if it come a little home to you it may be you will be more sensible of this truth For althô you seem to maintain in your Answer that good works of justified Persons are not Free yet t is not just this Doctrine should be immediately charg'd for the Belief of your Church Althô Mr. Thorndike seems to allow Prayers for the Dead yet neither from him are we to take a true representation of the Doctrin of his Church Thô a worthy Divine declares that in case a Popish Julian indeed should Reign over us he should Believe him uncapable of Repentance and upon that supposition should be tempted to pray for his Destruction yet would it not be honest hence to blacken his Church with this Dis-loyal Principle as if she allowed her Members thô not to Fight against yet to Pray for the Destruction of such a Prince The like may be said of King James the First his holding Christ to be truly present in the Sacrament and there also to be truly ador'd maintaining in his Epistle to Cardinal Perron the Doctrine of the Real Presence to be the Doctrine of the Church of England and again what the aforesaid Mr. Thorndike delivers of the same Real Presence and Adoration of Christ in the Eucharist practis'd in the Antient Church from the beginning and thereupon owning the Eucharistical Sacrifice to be truely the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross in as much as the Body and Blood of Christ are contain'd in them and then farther adding that the Sacrifice of the Cross being necessarily Propitiatory and Impetratory both it cannot be denied that the Sacrament of the Eucharist in as much as it is the same Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross is also both Propitiatory and Impetratory Will you give me leave from hence to inferr that because these are the sentiments of such Eminent Persons in the Communion of the Church of England that therefore they are the Doctrine of that Church I suppose you will not and therefore in the true Representation of the Doctrine of yours or our Church I suppose you will easily grant that no appeal ought to be made to such Private Authors but the Undertaker is oblig'd to keep close to the sense of either Church declar'd in their Councils and Decrees and as explicated by their Authority And as far as you have effectually prov'd this against what I have represented for the Faith of a Papist so so far will I allow you have given me a just Answer And as much as you fail of this so much you come short of what you undertake which I recommend to your own perusal to examine But for any of these ways they are insignificant to your design and deserve not to stand under the Title of an Answer For how does your acknowledging our Doctrine to be yours your producing some broken Expressions out of Mass-Books your putting Objections from external Actions from private Authors or your own Opinion any ways prove that the Faith of a Papist as I have represented it is not according to the Council of Trent and what really he is bound as a Papist to Believe And yet this is the thing you ought to have prov'd to make good your Title But instead of this you generally let your Reader understand that I have indeed stated the matter aright and only tell him that you have something to say against the Doctrine and do not like it But your saying I hope or if it could be proving that Catholicks do not do well to Believe as I Represent is no Argument to prove that I do not Represent well This as to the Representing the Doctrine of our Church I should say something to your concluding Argument which comes so home p. 14. I allow it seems the Orders of the Supream Pastor are to be obey'd whether he be Infallible or no. I confess likewise in another place that some Popes have own'd the Deposing Doctrine and Acted according to it And here you infer Therefore the Papists are bound by the Doctrine of their Church to Act when the Popes shall require it according to the Deposing Power And does this bring the matter home Why then Sir you must ee'n give me leave to make another inference That What brings the matter home is nothing but an ordinary piece of Sophistry and let the Reader judge The Representer p. 42. speaking of the Popes Authority says that as in any Civil Government the Sentence of the Supream Judge or Highest Tribunal is to be Obey'd thô there be no assurance of Infallibility or Divine Protection from Error or Mistake So is he taught should be done to the Orders of the Supream Pastor whether he be Infallible or no. Where a Parallel is made between the Orders of Popes and Civil Powers as to the Obedience due to them from their Subjects Now Sir if it be your Opinion that this Authority and Power in these Supream Governours is so Absolute and Vnconfin'd that like to God himself there can be no just exception made to any of their Actions or Decrees whatsoever they be then indeed your reasoning Answers your intent But if the Case be possible that these may so Act or Command that the not-following or not-obeying in Inferiors may be no Crime then you come but short of home and prove just nothing Now change but the matter of your Argument and see how far it goes The Orders of a Prince being Supream Governour are to be Obey'd whether he be Infallible or no But some Princes have done thus and thus therefore the People by the Law are bound to Act so and so Does this hold in every Action or Order of a Prince without Limit or Exception Tho a Prince be to be obey'd yet it follows uot that his Word is the Law So that whosoever takes this for a concluding Argument must neither understand Law nor Logick I need not put the Reader in mind how often you make your digressions amongst the School-men and leave not scouting among them till you have lost the matter in hand And dispute about their Opinions instead of matter of Faith how in the Point of dispensations where we speak of the Moral Law and assert the Pope cannot dispense with it as give leave to break the Commandments to lye or for-swear You shew your learning in proving he can dispense with other Laws and Positive Institutions a thing scarce to be doubted of and nothing to our purpose I le say nothing of the admirable close of Your Chapter of Dispensations in which tho you have not produc'd one proof of Dispensations for lying or for swearing being allow'd in our Church on any account whatsoever you yet give this
assurance to your Reader We know this Dispensing Power is to be kept up as a great Mystery and not to be made use of but upon weighty and urgent Causes as their Doctrines declare Where certainly one proof of the Who the Where and the When had been much more Satisfactory than the Positive We know and Their Doctrines declare For tho many are willing to take this upon trust yet it would have gone farther if you had prov'd it down right without taking Sanctuary in a Mystery I le pass by your dexterity wherewith you have manag'd the History of St. Perpetua in the Chap. of Purgatory Where after you have disguis'd it to your purpose in the Relation and drol'd the Vision of a Martyr and so esteem'd by St. Augustin into a young Ladies Dream you at last set it forth for the Foundation of our Churches Doctrine and would perswade your Reader that Our Tenent of Purgatory is built upon it when 't is us'd by me for no more than a Marginal Citation amongst several others And yet this is our Foundation and our Doctrine is built on it Here I fear you had forgot your promise made in the beginning of being sincere and using no Tricks But I forbear And will only conclude that if you have truly represented the Doctrines of the Church of Rome I would as soon be a Turk as your Papist whose character you have drawn at large throughout your Book and in little in pag. 161. which however you may call truly Representing I can look upon no better than truly Mis-representing And by what I see I think I might with as good reason go to a Pharisee to be inform'd of Christ and receive the Character of a Christian from a Mahometan as come to you to know what a Papist is what his Belief and Doctrine Neither do I wonder that you come thus wide of what you pretend to The method you take would bring a Scandal even upon the Apostles themselves and render the Church of those purer times of the same colour with ours Observe but the same in drawing the Features of your own Chuch and then tell me whether this be the way of truely representing If a man were but to bring into publick your School-debates the differing Opinions of your own Authors concerning the Scriptures Predestination Freewill the Authority of the Church the Reformation Traditions c. all expressions of Sermons Prayers c. and out of these and all others of this kind pick out and patch up a Religion according to the best contrivance of the Undertaker and then shew it forth to the world do you think this would be yours truly represented Why then must such another Jumble as this be exposed to the World for ours If you 'l let your Flock see what our Religion is send them to the Council of Trent the Catechism ad Parochos this wee 'l own and stand by But for you to pick here a bit and there a bit to patch as you please to make your Inferences and Applications at pleasure and then to tell your Reader these are the Doctrines of the Church of Rome truly Represented this is to abuse the World and your selves and to render us Infamous for principles which are nothing of our Religion And in Case you do not judge what I have here said sufficient to convince you that the Faith as I have Represented it is really the Faith of a Papist I 'le be content all these Reasons at present pass for nought and that the decision of this whole affair depend upon an Experience Do but you or any Friend for you give your Assent to those Articles of Faith in the very form and manner as I have stated them in the Character of the Papist Represented and if upon request you are not admitted into the Communion of the Roman Catholicks and own'd to Believe aright in all those Points I 'le then Confess that I have abus'd the World that my Representing is Mis-representing the Faith of a Papist and that my design has been not to undeceive but to deceive the People But if on the contrary it shall appear that the Faith as I have Represented it is the approv'd Doctrine of that Church and sufficient for any one to be receiv'd a Member of it I may then justly renew my Complaint of its being Mis-represented that the Religion of the Papist is nothing like what 't is commonly render'd and that 't is a hard fate that the Professors of it should be so injur'd in their Reputation and by this means become so Odious that even amongst Fellow-Christians Atheists and Jews shall be tolerated with less regret than they FINIS Answer pag. 10 11. pag. 11. To. 2. p. 46. 54. 213. c. Vol. 3. p. 515. pag. 181. pag. 99. Jov. Introd pag. 4. pag. 9. 〈…〉 pag. 9. pag. 172. pag. 10. pag. 27. pag. 12. 143. pag. 34 35. pag. 21. 1 Sam. 25. 24. Jos 5. 14. p 57. pag. 152. Epil 1. 3. c. 5. pag. 117. pag. 9.