that it is not so plain but that 't is necessary it should be Prov'd Now from whence shall we fetch the Proofs of the Churches Infallability I must take them from her own mouth and believe her to be infallible because she tells me so and for that only reason because she saith it This is manifestly absurd for no man's bare word is to be taken in a business wherein he hath a particular Interest to be partial Hath a Turk right to oblige me to believe the Divinity of his Alchoran only because Mahomet hath said that the Angel Gabriel brought him the Alchoran from Heaven Must I then consult Tradition that is the Councils and the Writings of the Fathers this is another plain Absurdity because it is evident that this way cannot be made use of by three Quarters of the number of Christians and more who are ignorant of Greck and Latin and so cannot read the numberless volumns wherein this Tradition is to be found Or must every one believe his Curate or Pastor when he tells him that the Church is infallible This is another Absurdity for this Pastor must be infallible or I cannot build my Faith upon his Testimony He tells me there is an infallibility in the Church but how doth he Prove it which way soever I turn my self I fall into the former inconveniencies for if he saith I must believe it without proof he deals with me like a Brute and not as a Rational Creature If he gives me Tradition for Argument in this case I tell him I know nothing of it if he turns me over to the Church I ask where is this Church If he sends me to the Pope I tell him I cannot go thither and if I could I 'm told he is not Infallible If he send me to a Councill I say there is none now sitting If he send me to the Canons of former Councills I shall answer that I cannot understand 'em and if I could have no assurance that these Canons were really made by such a Councill If he proves that these Canons were not forged but really made by a Councill there remains another difficulty which I cannot get over viz. that several Good Catholicks maintain the fallibility of a Council There is then but one way left to satisfie my self concerning the infallibility of the Church and that is the Testimony of the H. Scriptures But how can any man make use of that according to the Principles of the Roman Church for I shall say that the Scriptures have no Authority without the Church I cannot believe the testimony of the Scripture till I know it to be divine and I cannot know it to be divine but by the testimony of the Church as we are often told The Scripture then hath no Authority as to me without the Testimony of the Church and yet you would have me believe the Infallibility of the Church upon the Testimony of the Scripture you must therefore in the first place convince me that the Church is infallible without dependance on the Scriptures and then I shall believe the divinity of the Scriptures on the Testimony of the Church and after that I may be able to believe the infallibility of the Church on the Testimonies of the Scripture The absurdities of blind obedience If the Church be infallible a blind Obedience is my Duty to obtain this submission to the Church is the reason of asserting her infallibility I must blindly believe all that the Church affirms But till then I am not obliged to credit any thing which the Scripture saith or seems to say for I am not capable to understand the meaning and sense of the Scriptures without the Church so that until the Church hath declar'd that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God and equal with the Father I have leave to doubt of it There was a time when the Church had not deliver'd her opinion in this point there was then a time when I was permitted to be an Arrian Photinian or Socinian But on the other hand whenever it shall please the Church to determine that the Ark was of a square figure equal in length and breadth or that Aaron's Sandals were with or without latchets it will be necessary that I must believe this or be damn'd Can any man be unapprehensive of the absurdities of such a Doctrine according to which at one time we may Blaspheme God without the least danger and at another time lie liable to Damnation for the least mistake about that which the Church hath decided to be the Truth These Gentlemen tell us that we must believe without examination all that the Church declares And by the same reason the Heathens were obliged to believe all that their Priests told'um and the Jews to receive all that was taught in their Synagogues No you will say they were false Teachers and so not to be credited very well But the Pagans and Jews say the same concerning my Pastors that they are false Guides And if the Jews and Heathens are bound to examin the truth of what is told them by their Guides why are not Christians obliged to know and examin what is told them by the Church at least they ought to examin the Church it self and her Authority and then we fall into the same Difficulties which were mention'd before After all this if a short and easy way could be found out to convince me that the Church is infallible this were not enough to quiet my mind because I know not where to find this infallible Church I see a multitude of differing Sects in the East and West in Europe and Asia who all say that they are the Church and that all other parties of Christians are guilty of Schism The Latins say this of the Greeks and the Greeks are even with 'em and say the same of the Latins the Protestants charge it on the Papists and the Papists on the Protestants I must know which of all these is in the right and to find out this I am plung'd into an abysse of difficulties and how shall I find my way out or extricate my self for there is no way left but by the Scriptures and that way is forbidden me till I am assured of the Infallibility and Authority of the Church without which I cannot be certain that the Scripture is divine It may possibly be said that I may believe the Divinity of the Scriptures before I know in what Sect of Christians is the Church because the Scripture is receiv'd by all the several Sects It matters not may it be said which of them is the infallible Church since they all bear restimony to the Scripture and there is one among them that is infallible viz. the true Church for her where-ever she be the Scripture hath an infallible testimony But this remedy will serve to little or no purpose because 't is necessary that I should know which of these Sects is the true Church before I can understand the
rejoyee in my own Light and Glory and of my Kingdom there shall be no end This is the stile of Rome of Mystical Babylon let us then discern the true Babylon in the language of Rome and hear the voice of Rome in the stile of Babylon The second fault to be found with this pretence of Infallibility and eternal Duration is the multitude of gross Absurdities contained in it which we are here to lay open Absurdities contain'd in the doctrine of Infallibility First 't is supposed without any show of Reason that God hath divided the Infallibility necessary to salvation into two parts and cut off one half of it There are two ways which lead to Heaven Faith and Charity sound Belief and Good Works First an Infallibility in matters of Faith and not of Charity 'T is in vain to pretend to be infallible in the one if without being so in the other a man may perish and fall short of Heaven The Church of Rome hath not the Impudence to say she is infallible in the point of Charity and yet she would be thought so in matters of Faith. But on what foundation doth she build this Pretence Where do we read that God hath divided Faith from Charity as if the latter were less necessary than the former as if men might be saved who sinn'd against the Laws of Charity but might not be so if they offended against the Rules of Faith As if these two ways were not equally certain to guide us to eternal Life as if God might dispense with Crimes against Charity but could not bear with Errors against the Truth All or nothing both or neither The Church must be infallible in both or it is so in neither Whence comes this extravagant Division why dae not the Roman Church pretend to be infallible in Charity as well as Faith but because she is convinc't of an abominable Defection and Disorder in Manners and Practice but ought she not to be equally convinc't that she is fallen into Error because she worships Images An Error in the Faith every whit as palpable and notorious as the Sodomies of the Popes is against Charity Infallibility in points of Right and not in matters of Fact is ridiculous Another division of Infallibility is with respect to matters of Fact and those of Right The Church of Rome dares not pretend to the former but challengeth the latter at this rate she will not be infallible in the most important Articles All the Christian Religion is founded on matters of Fact. 'T is a question of Fact to know whether Jesus Christ be risen from the Dead whether the Apostles wrought any true Miracles whether there have been any Prophets and inspired writers who were the penmen of such and such books or not 'T is concerning a matter of Fact to enquire whether such a Proposition be recorded in the H. Scriptures or not If the Church of Rome be not infallible in matters of Fact in general she cannot be so in these and if she may err in matters of Fact wherein lies her Infallibility Lastly there is yet another division of Infallibility viz. as to Discipline and Doctrines The Roman Church pretends not to Infallibility concerning the latter What is that Discipline wherein she saith she is infallible 'T is in every thing that concerns the Government of the Church The Roman Hierarchy the constituting of a Pope to be the Head of the Church is a point of Government she may err concerning that which is a Principal point and why then may she not err in other matters The seat of this Infallibility connot be found This Infallibility is no less absurd if we consider the subject of it in whom it resides Where and in whom is this Infallibility plac't they know not what reply to make If it be said in the Pope we can produce an hundred Popish Witnesses who depose the contrary and maintain that the Popes may err We can produce with them numberless Instances wherein several Popes have actually err'd we can bring undeniable proofs to manifest that neither the Scripture nor the ancient Christian Church did ever imagine the Bishops of Rome or any other Bishop to have been infallible One part of the Romanists assert that this Infallibility is seated in the Councills We confute this Party with the reasons of the other for those Gentlemen are Infallible when they confute one another but speak nothing to the purpose when they go about to establish their own opinion for when they oppose one another they argue for the Truth but when they endeavor to prove their own Opinion concerning the seat of Infallibility they maintain a falshood So that the Pope is not Infallible neither the Councills their infallibility then is no where for if it be said it is in the Pope and a Councill united together we shall make use of their Arguments who say it is not in the Pope and their Reasons who deny it is in a Councill and will therupon argue that if it be not in either separated it is not in both when joyn'd together for both united are the same they were in the time of their separation they act by the same spirit make use of the same Tricks to deceive the same Injustice and Violence as when considered severally We know not where to stop as to the point of Infallibility Infallibility then is foolish and absurd whether we consider the subject about which it is imploy'd or the subject in whom it is thought to reside But let us view it a little in the general notion of it and in the general term of the Church which they make use of The Church is Infallible they say but how shall I be assured of this for should the Church be never so Infallible if I know it not and have no way to ascertain my self about it it can be of no use to me Is it a Principle so self-evident as needs no other proof to manifest and evince it Is it as plain that the Church is Infallible as that two and two make four or that the whole is greater than a part That is an Absurdity too gross and palpable to be affirm'd by any Romanist 'T is so far from being evident that the Church is infallible that on the contrary we must proceed against all appearances of reason to believe it For we see the Church of Rome doth judge by humane methods debate contest urge sollicit equivovate and deceive and imploy all the arts of Human Craft and Policy to overcome such or such an Opinion We see her oftentimes to change her sentiments and say that at one time which she did not and would not at another we see her contradict the H. Scriptures forbid that which is there commanded and command that which is there forbidden at least she seems to do so This appearance of opposing the H. Scripture will at least refute the evidence of her Infallibility and tell us
and Christian Emperors Therefore he began so early to see in Rome Christian the Apocalyptick Harlot the impure Babylon which maketh the Kings of the Earth drunk with her Cup of her fornications Yea he saw further for he knew that the time of Antichrist's appearing was at hand He speaks admirably of this thing The Roman Empire was cruelly torn by the Incursions of Barbarous Nations Notwithstanding it remain'd intire as yet but St. Jerom seeing its approaching ruin saith But to what purpose am I so concern'd Ad Gâ—rontiam I am pleading for the Marchandise of a Ship that is wrack't He who did hinder is removed and yet we do not perceive that Antichrist is at hand But where was he to sit Read saith he the Revelation and what is said there Paula Eustaâ—h ad Marcellam of the Woman cloathed in purple which hath writ in her forehead Names of Blasphemy of the seven Mountains of the great Waters and consider the song which is there concerning the Fall of Babylon Come out of Babylon my people c. 'T is true the H. Church is there but the Pride the grandeur the power c. which are in that City agree not with the life and retirement of Monks In other places he granteth that Rome is the whore that hath written on her Forehead a Name of Blasphemy Ad. Algasiam quaest 21. viz. Eternal Rome and that Antichrist ought to sit there as soon as the Roman Empire shall be destroyed Yea he goeth so far as to observe that Antichrist must sit in the Church Gâ—â—â—â—â—â— I found out that Antichrist was to be Head of the Priests Gregory I. Bishop of Rome about the year 600. was in a very great rage at John Bishop of Constantinople who assumed the Title of Oecomenical Bishop which none had done before and he writes about this matter as one inspired He saith that ' lis a name of Blasphemy plainly alluding to that Name that Antichrist in the Apocalypse was to have on his Forehead He goeth further and saith What signifieth this Pride out of which he exalts himself Iâ— â—4 〈◊〉 24 but that the time of Antichrist is at hand And writing to the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch he saith to 'em You see clearly Fâ—â—â— â—â— my dearest Brethren who is now ready to follow since such pernitious beginnings are already to be seen in the Priests He is even as the door of whom 't is written that he is the King of all the Children of pride This is a definition of Antichrist 't is he whom he meaneth and whom he pointeth at as ready to appear In another place he speaks more plainly All things that were fore-told I pist 38. are come to pass the King of Pride is at hand and what I scarce dare to say they prepare for him an Army of Priests It seemeth as if these words were spoken by inspiration Antichristianism was at hand it must be in the Church yea in the Priests an Army of Priests must support it This is very much to be said by a Pope and who himself was in Antichrists Seat. 'T was impossible that a Pope should see more especially in the sixth Century when the Tyranny was not arrived to that heighth which it did a little while after For after Gregory I. the Antichristian tyranny swell'd at a strange rate and like a torrent did overflow the whole Christian world Accordingly the Antichristianism of the Bishop of Rome was soon perceived In the ninth Century In the ninth Age two Bishops prove that the Pope is Antichrist Gauthier Bishop of Collen and Tetgand Bishop of Triers being perhaps fpr a just cause deposed by Nicholas I. but against the forms of Law because the Bishops of Italy had no power over those of Gaule they perceived a character of Antichrist in this attempt who was to sit in the Temple of God as if he was God. They complain to himself in these expressions Aventin annal Boior lib. 4. You call yourself Father but you act as Jupiter and as God Professing to be the Servant of Servants you will be Lord of Lords According to our Masters Orders you ought to carry yourself as the least Minister of the Church but you give way to a desire of Ruling and believe that your will hath no other Rule but itself Therefore we and our Collegues do not regard your petty Edicts we know not your voyce we fear not your Thundrings and Thunderbolts c. The Holy Spirit is the Founder of all the Churches in whatever part of the world they are The City of our God of which we are Citizens is larger than the City that is called Babylon by the Prophets which usurps the Divinity equals itself to Heaven and boasts to be Eternal as if She was God and was fill'd with immortal Wisdom She falsly glorieth that She never err'd nor can err 'T is hard to make a more exact and close application of Antichristianism to the Church of Rome And this passage is remarkable in that we find in it one of the most antient claims of Infallibility made by the Roman Church But at the same time we see how this Chimaera was treated in the nineth Century The Council of Rheims in the tenth Age finds Antâ—christ in the Pope In the tenth Century the See of Rome was fill'd with the greatest villains in the world so that its Antichristianism became more sensible A whole Council of French Bishops met at Rheims in the year 991. spoke home to this point by the mouth of one of their principal Members Arnulph Bishop of Orleance O deplorable State of Rome Concil Rheim annâ— 991. Ap. Centuriat Cent. 10. which in our Fathers dayes did shine so bright and now is nothing but darkness which is dismal in this world and will be so in that to come c. What think you Reverend Fathers what think you concerning this Man who sits on a high Throne glittering with Gold and Purple if he wants Charity and is only puff'd up with knowledg He is Antichrist who sits in the Temple of God and acts as if he were God. But if He hath neither Charity nor Knowledg He is like a Statue or Idol in the Temple of God to consult him is to speak to an Idol Thus a whole Council speaks whose Acts were preserved by a Pope i. e. Gerbert then Bishop of Rheims and was Pope afterward by the name of Sylvester II. The Popish Compilors of the Councils had no mind to insert this They wisht that it was quitâ— lost but in spite of 'em we have it still intire After Gregory VII Antichrist was discernd in the Pope If the corruption of the Popes was somewhat less in the eleventh Century and if this did somewhat obscure the character of Antichristianism in the Roman Church to recompence for this their Tyranny did infinitely increase and fully open'd mens ey 's as to this point Men
Feudatories If we believe the Pope and Court of Rome almost all the Princes of Christendom are Vassals of the Church of Rome Vassals of the Antichristian Monarchy A bout the tenth Century there was forged at Rome a shameless Instrument call'd the Donation of Constantine in which 't is sayd That that Emperor gives to the Popes the East and West the North and South Thrace Grece Jewry Asia Africa Italy c. By virtue of this donation all the Kings of Europe are the Popes Vassals and hold their Kingdoms only as his Feudatories But the Court of Rome is since that time grown more cunning Baron in ann 324. and 1192. sect 52. Baronius asserts that this Piece is forged because Constantine was farr from giving away the Empire to Pope Silvester and his Successors And Silvester was farr from accepting it under that notion For the Empire belongs to the Pope not by virtue of any human Donation but by that of Jesus Christ In Sermone de Sto. Sylâ—cstro S. Sylvester saith Vincent of Ferrara pleaded his own Cause so well that he gained a sentence importing that all the Possessions of the World which had been in the hands of Tyrants who call themselves Emperors and Kings should be restored to their Lawful Administrators viz. the Pope and the Prelates But besides this General Title there is not a Kingdom in Christendom which the Popes do not or have not claimed upon some particular Rights as the Vicars and Lieutenants of Christ Gregory VII declares that the Kingdoms of Spain belong to the Church Baron ad ann 1073. §. 34. and 1077. §. 63. From the very beginning saith he the Kingdom of Spain is the Territory of St. Peter and the Right of it is in no Mortal The same Pope makes the like declaration to the Lords and Bishops of Corsica concerning that Island That it belongs to none but to the holy Church of Rome and that those who have possessed it without paying homage to her are guilty of Sacriledge Steuchus Bishop of Eugubium proves that the Kings of Arragon Portugal and Sardinia depend and ought to depend upon the Church of Rome as proper Feudatories England for a long space of time was reckon'd the Popes feudatorie Innocent III. forced King John to make over himself and his Kingdom to the Church of Rome And if we believe Polydore Virgil Lib. 4. Hist Angl. long before that time Ina King of that Isle made himself a Tributary of Rome laying the Tax of a penny Sterling upon every fire-hearth The same Polydore Virgil reports Lib. 3. that Pope Boneface VIII wrote to Edward I. King of England that he could not make war against Scotland because that Kingdom belonged to the Pope who alone had power to bestow and take it away If any Heathen Kingdom was Converted to Jesus Christ and the Christian Religion upon this account it hath been challenged as a Territory of the Church of Rome Upon this ground Baron ad ann 1074. Gregory VII wrote to Solomon King of Hungary that King Stephen and the Emperor Henry had given that Kingdom to the Church and that since that time it had depended upon his Apostolick Majesty The Kingdom of Poland was converted in the year 966. and was made Tributary to the Pope as soon as it was subjected to Jesus Christ And things were brought to that pass that not only were the Polonians obliged to pay Poll money without exempting the Gentry but to make their slavery visible to the whole World Benedict IX appointed them to go dressed almost like Monks Baron 1013. §. 2 3. to have their heads shaven their ears bare to wear on great Festivals a linnen garment like a Surplice Gregory VII procured a surrender of the great Empire of Muscovy by Demetrius to whom he gave it back again to hold it in Feè of the Pope The Popes have had the same pretensions to the Kingdoms of Sweden Denmark Norway and Bohemia Above all they have counted the Empire of Germany as their proper Demesnes and have done their utmost to have the same Jurisdiction over France For Boniface VIII had the insolence to write to Philip the Fair We will have thee know That thou art subject to Vs both in Spirituals and in Temporals I know nothing that this Monarchy wants to make it like those other Monarchies which are represented in the Prophecies under the Emblems of Ravenous Beasts Lyons Leopards and Bears It hath a Metropolis a Monarch a Senate a Council Senators Emhassadors Allyances Leagues Governours of Provinces Courts Judges Vassals Subjects Feudatories It receives Hommages Oathes of Allegeance Tributes in First-fruits Provisions of Benefices Tythes and a hundred other wayes It hath further its Canon Law its Laws its Codex exactly as Emperors have their Pandects their Novelles and their Civil Law. The Papists boast that their Church is a Civil state But what need so much proving of a thing which is not denyed yea is boasted of Read but Steuchus Bishop of Eugubium about the Donation of Constantine Blondus in his Roma restaurata Thomas Aquinas on the 2 Chap. of the 2 Epistle to the Thessalonians Lipsius in the Preface of his Book de Magnitudine Romana They all confess take a pride in saying that the Majesty of the Roman Empire is restored in the Papal power that this new Monarchy is made up of a Religion and an Imperial Power that by means of the Church of Rome is accomplisht the Oracle which was given to old Rome Imperium sine fine dedi That the Pope is a perpetual Dictator that the old Senate is found in the Colledge of Cardinals c. That Rome still to this day receives Tributes from the whole World. Is it possible that the eyes of men should not be open'd at last to discern this How is it that God will suffer such a vail to remain on the minds of men Will men never discern that the Papacy is the head that was wounded to death which is healed again Apoc. 13.3 Will not men perceive that it is the Image of the former Beast or of the old Empire and that speaks acts commands and performs all the Actions of the old Empire What have men seen in Christ and his Apostles what have they read in the Gospel that gives any pretext to imagine that the Kingdom of Jesus Christ ought to be a Temporal one and have a Monarch a Metropolis Governours Officers about secular things Tributes Subjects and Vassals How is it possible that men should not see a Mystery of such shameful Iniquity which under the appearance and names of a Spiritual Kingdom and Ecclesiastical Power excercises a Carnal Worldly Earthly Dominion that is pompous vain and devilish and directly opposite to the Genius of Christianity Our French men with their Liberties of the Gallican Church do miserably blind themselves with the vain distinctions of the Holy See and of the Court of
orders and comply with them no farther than they think good If after this we should examin the whole conduct of the Papacy it will appear altogether conformable to that spirit of humane policy whereby the whole body is compounded and all its parts united When any difference in Religion comes to be determin'd provided that the persons whose different Opinions are under examination are favorable to the Court of Rome all their Heresies are but trivial Mistakes but if they are less bigotted for the Pope all their Opinions deserve an Anathema Grace by it self efficacious is sound doctrine in the Jacopins but down-right Heresy in the Jansenists the plain reason is because these latter are enemies to the Pelagianism of the Church of Rome as well as to its Tyranny Because the Protestants are Adversaries to the Pope they must be Hereticks in the Article concerning the Trinity and that of the Incarnation of Christ They must err mortally when they say that Concupiscence is a sin notwithstanding Baptism and the marriage bond is dissolved by Adultery Let us look into the Popish Councils and we shall evidently discover this Spirit of Human Policy there we may see all the Arts and Tricks and Devices that are in use in the World for men to gain what they desire and reach the ends they aim at All the world hath observ'd this in the Council of Trent 't is every where complain'd of and all men consent to the truth of what was said by the Marquis of Lansac the French Ambassador that the Holy-Ghost who was invok't at the opening of that Council came every week from Rome in a Cloak-bag with the post letters It hath often been observ'd that the conduct of that Councill was altogether by the spirit of Worldly Bolicy and had nothing at all of the Character of a Divine spirit and yet those Canons which were forg'd by the Tricks of Humane Policy must be obtruded on us as Divine Decisions from the Spirit of God. In a word if we would see the Politiques of the Roman Church in the source and fountain and upon the Threne we need but go to Rome All the Courts in the World how refined and subtle soever are but meer Blockishness and Stupidity in comparison of that of the Pope Cardinal Pallavicin mentions this to the honour of his Religion pretending that Policy is the Principal of all moral vertues and that the Church ought to be govern'd according to the Politicks of Aristotle and after the Maxims of the Pagan Common-wealths CHAPTER III. The Pretence of Infallibility and eternal Duration The third Character of the Antichristian Kingdom HEre is an Example that will teach us how much we ought to be on our guard with respect to fair Pretences and Appearances that we be not surpriz'd and deceiv'd by ' em Doubtless if there be any strength in any thing of the Papacy it must be in their pretence of Infallibility For nothing can be more specious and glittering than their Arguments about the Necessity of an Infallible Judge upon Earth They have had recourse to this Article as their last refuge for twenty five or thirty years last part There is good reason they should make it an Idol because 't is their Tutelar God and if men could once be brought off from this Chimaera of the Infallibility of the Roman Church she were utterly lost 'T is her only Foundation by the removal whereof she tumbles to the ground But this Principle which appears so comely so useful so necessary is the most Pernicious the most false and the most absurd that was ever alledg'd This makes me say that we ought to stand upon our guard with respect to the fairest Appearances Rome the Eternal and Infallible is the name of Blasphemy of the Beast The first fault I find with this Principle is that it is one of the Characters of the Antichristian Kingdom according to the Prophets When S. John describes it under the image of a Beast he saith that on his heads was writ a name of Blasphemy All the Ancients and moderns ever since S. Jerom hold it for certain that the name of Blasphemy there is that of Rome the Eternal and I cannot question it The City of Rome hath alaways pretended to an endless Duration Virgil makes Eternity to be one part of her Destiny and makes Jupiter say Imperium sine fine dedi Now this is blasphemy because unchangeableness is one of the divine Perfections incommunicable to a Creature All things under the Sun are subject to change Modern Rome is much more guilty of Blaspheray than Rome Pagan was of old Not only doth she say that her Monarchy shall never cease shall not be destroyed untill three years and an half before the end of the world but declares that her faith can never be changed that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it So that now more than ever doth Rome carry the name of Blasphemy on its fore-head Rome the Eternal This is that which is afterwards exprest by those words of S. John And there was given him a Mouth Rev. c. 13. v. 5. speaking great things and Blasphemies For those great things can be nothing else than the great Encomiums and glorious Titles she gives her self of being the Queen of all other Churches the seat of Infallibility the Eternal Temple of the H. Ghost the Fountain of Oracles the Infallible Interpreter of the H. Scripture the Judge of the Prophets and Apostles the soveraign Decider of all Controversies who makes and discovers the Authority of the sacred Writings without whom they deserve no credit All these great things which she speaks of herself what are they but so many Blasphemies against God for none can ascribe that to themselves which belongs only to God without Blasphemy Rev. c. 18. v. 7. But this Character of Antichristianism doth most plainly appear in those words of the Apostle She hath glorified herself and lived deliciously she saith in her heart I sit as a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow 'T is Babylon who speaks thus or the H. Ghost who introduceth Babylon thus boasting of her self She hath glorified her self This the Church of Rome doth by assuming to her self the most glorious Titles that can be given to a Society she hath said in her heart I am Queen the Mistress of the world the Chair of the Vniverse the Metropolis of the Catholick Church God hath establisht me to be an Head unto all Christians He hath intrusted his own Power in my Hands the happiness or misery the good or evill Destiny of Mankind is at my dispose I shall never be a Widow the Holy spirit whose spouse I am will never abandon me he will love me forever and continually guide me in the Way of Truth and be with me to the end of the world I shall never see Sorrow or Mourning I shall never fall into Error or know what it is to dye I shall allways
true sense of Scripture one sect interpreting it one way and another sect in a different manner So that I cannot be discharg'd from the obligation to inquire after the true Church among the many differing Sects and to search for it in some way different and independant from that of the Scripture Upon all that I have said I would make these two Reflections First that this pretence of Infallibility on the one hand is the character of Mystical Babylon who boasts of her being alway Queen and that she shall never see sorrow on the other hand that 't is full of Absurdities and Inconsistencies Secondly that this Antichristian false and inconsistent Principle according to the Church of Rome is the great fundamental Principle of Christianity I wish men would reason a little upon these two Reflections in some such manner as this If God hath bestowed on the Church the priviledge of Infallibility 't is one of the best and greatest advantages that can be 't is the Basis of Christianity now it is not plain or probable that God should give for the ground of his Religion such a principle loaded with so many difficulties on the one hand and on the other containing a pretention which the Scripture speaks nothing of save in the mouth of the false Prophet and Antichrist This pretended Infallibility should have been as clear as a Sun upon an high Mountain to give light to all the Faithful at the greatest distance But instead of being so 't is an ocean of impassible Darkness The wisdom of God would not have suffer'd such a Truth to be clog'd with so many absurdities which being the principal and foundation of all others ought to have been the clearest and discernable by the most Ignorant It must not be said that 't is the fate of the Christian Articles to show great Depths and Mysteries in the difficulties which attend 'em and produce the Articles of the Trinity and Incarnation for Examples For we must carefully distinguish those Truths which we are to believe from the Principle for the sake whereof we ought to believe ' um It is not necessary that the Truths we are to believe should be disintangl'd from Difficulties 't is sufficient if the Authority or Testimony on which we give credit to 'um be not obscure or at least have sufficient light to manifest it self to a free and unprejudic'd mind Such is the H. Scripture whose Divinity and true Meaning are visible to all those whose eyes are inlighten'd by the Grace of God. Whereas this Principle of the Infallibility of the Church is visible to none but such whose eyes are shut by their own Prejudices CHAPTER IV. The fourth Character of Antichristianism that is found in the Roman Church is the manner of their dealing with the H. Scriptures the common Rule of all Christians WHile we are on the subject of Blasphemy 13 Exception part 2. chap. 5. which is the proper Character of the Antichristian Beast who carries written on its Heads the Name of Blasphemy and to whom is given a mouth speaking great things and Blasphemies we must go on to show after what manner she treats the H. Scriptures Her carriage in this respect is an exact accomplishment of what was foretold concerning her And she shall open her mouth in Blasphemies Revel 13. v. 6. even to Blaspheme against God and his Tabernacle and those who dwell in Heaven This pretence of Perpetuity and Infallibility which she bears on her forehead is the name of Blasphemy that is writ on the head of the Beast But the manner after which she vilifies and annuls the H. Scripture is in words full of Blasphemy 1. Against God for the H. Ghost who inspired those sacred Writings is infinitely affronted and provoked by it 2. Against his Tabernacle for this H. Scripture is the Dwelling-place of God and his H. Spirit the Ark from whence he speaks between the Cherubims the Temple whence he gives forth his Oracles 3. And against those who dwell in Heaven for the Blessed Prophets and H. Apostles who were the Organs of the H. Spirit are greatly affronted by her treating their Writings after such a manner This Antichristian proceeding of the Papacy against the H. Scripture may be reduc't to three Articles 1. Their Contempt and neglect of the Scripture 2. Their Abuse and ill use of it 3. The out-rage they commit against it by False Accusations for Popery neglects and slights the word of God and hath no esteem or value for it They miserably abuse and wrest it and lastly they accuse it of many faults Popery endeavours to avoid any conformity to the H. Scripture I say then in the first place that 't is the true Character of Antichrist to take no care to comply with the Rule of Christianity Every Religion hath its proper Books the Jews have Moses and the Prophets for theirs the Mahumetans have their Alchoran and the Pagans had their sacred Books and Rituals and accounted it their duty to be exactly Conformable to ' em If the Jews should rebuild a Temple and therein practise such Customs and Ceremonies as had no agreement at all with the Law of Moses we might with justice tell 'em you are not of the Religion that you profess for your Worship and Doctrines have no agreement with the Religion prescribed in Your Law. If among the several sects into which the Mahumetans are divided there should be any that pretending to receive the Alchoran should yet have nothing like it but altogether depart from it would it not be evident that such a Sect were not of the Religion of Mahomet Ought we not to argue after the same manner against the Papacy You call your selves Christians let us see how you prove it if you say true you ought to have some conformity with the sacred Books receiv'd by all Christians But if there be no kind of Conformity and Agreement between your Doctrines your Worship your Religion and that of J. Christ you are certainly Christians only in name but in Truth and reality are Antichristian Now I dare assert that there is no kind of Conformity between Popery and the Laws of J. Christ which to me is an undoubted Character of Antichristianism Paganism 't is true hath no agreement with the Rule of Christians and the Law of Christ but it doth not pretend to have any and therefore cannot be charged with Antichristianism But for men to call themselves Christians and yet neglect the Laws of Christ and have no agreement with the Christian Rule this is to be Antichristian For the Antichristian Church is a false Church an Harlot who pretends to be the Spouse of Christ who saith I am no Widow and shall never see sorrow Therefore to confirm this Character there needs nothing more than to prove that Popery hath no agreement with the H. Scriptures In the Roman Religion Popery must be distinguisht from Christianity To prove that their Religion is
that kindled the flame which burns to this day 'T is a prodigious blindness in which there is somthing supernatural that men should come so far as to utter such Blasphemies and that at this day men should not be afraid to repeat them Scripture insufficient The Third Affront tho Papists offer to the Scriptures is their asserting them to be insufficient and imperfect and that they cannot serve as a Rule of Faith. They employ their greatest Engins to establish this Principle Councill of Trent Ses 4. that Traditions ought to be regarded with the same reverence and veneration that is given to the Scripture Yea that Traditions excell the Scriptures because the H. Scriptures cannot subsist unless confirmed by Tradition Baron Tom. â— Annal. whereas Traditions keep their strength intire without the H. Writings We stand more in need of Tradition than of Scripture for the Scriptures only furnish us with a dead and dumb letter But Tradition as the Church holds it forth helps us to the true sense which is not indeed distinctly layd down in the Scripture yet is the real word of God. W. Bayly Nothing is more injurious to the Scripture than this Nothing is more contrary to the intention and wisdom of God than to suppose that he hath given a Rule of Faith which cannot regulate Faith which is too short by more than three quarters which is crooked dubious flexible and altogether useless without the aid of another Rule that is unknown to all Christians excepting a small number of Learned men who alone are capable of consulting it Scripture hath no Authority The fourth Affront that Popery offers to the Scriptures relates to their Authority They have no Authority without the testimony of the Church Without the Authority of the Church Bayly we should have no more Obligation to believe the Scriptures than the History of Titus Livius The Scripture Hosius if deprived of the Churches testimony have no more Authority than Esops Fables How know we say they that the Writings which go under the name of Moses are his seeing we never had a sight of the Originals And if we should who could assure us that they were writ by Moses's own hand Again if we could be assured of this what certainty have we that what Moses writ is true Who shall assure us that the Evangelists were Witnesses to all that they report But tho we should believe that they saw and heard all the Actions and Discourses of J. Christ which they report yet they might forgett and lye as every man may deceive and be deceived How can we again know with certainty Pighius that what goes under their names are their true Writings and not corrupted or forged I know not what kind of Temper a man must be of who can read and hear such things without trembling He that should speak at this rate of the Alcoran at Constantinople would be impaled alive An Infidel cannot say more to destroy all the Authority of the Holy Scriptures The several ways used by Papists to take away the Credit of the scripture 'T is not enough to these Gentlemen to affront the Scriptures by these four Accusations 1. That they are not necessary to the Church 2. That they are obscure 3. That they are defective 4. That they have no Authority as to us without the Church there is no Method imaginable which they employ not to dishonour them They tell us that they were writ only Occasionally and not at all with any design to make them a Rule of Faith. An Evangelist or an Apostle wrote a Gospel or an Epistle at random by chance and on particular private designs Afterward the Church collected those loose writings into one Book But seeing these were not writ by one or several persons writing in concert we cannot find in them a System of Faith. Can any thing be said more affronting to the H. Spirit who ordered the pens of these Writers and the occasions that obliged them to write The Papists talk just as if the Apostles had writ meerly on their own designs without any Inspiration But did not the H. Spirit who moved them to write design their writings collected together should be the true Rule of Faith To lessen the Credit of the Canonical books that are truly divine Popery hath joyn'd with them fabulous books a tale of Tobit a Romance of Judith of Bel and the Dragon of Susanna This tends to dispose the minds of men to believe whatever they have a mind to propose seeing the veriest Fables when authoriz'd by the Church ought to be received as Truth and the greatest Truth destitute of the Churches Testimony may be rejected as a Fable This is not yet enough the more effectually to abolish the holy Books and their Authority they affirm that at this time we have not the H. Scriptures compleat Many Books say they are lost we have not the Book of the Wars of the Lord mention'd in the Book of Numbers We have not the Books of Gad and of Iddo Solomon wrote concerning plants from the Cedar even to the Hyssop and I know not how many thousand Parables and Songs which we have not S. Paul wrote a third Epistle to the Corinthians which is lost one to the Church of Laodicea and perhaps many others which are not to be found and who knows whether in all these writings that we have not there were not innumerable things which would have made the Rule of Faith more compleat Perhaps what is come down to us are only some Planks escap'd from a Shipwrack which hath swallowed up the Vessel All the sacred Books of the Old Testament were burnt at the sacking of Jerusalem under Zedekiah Afterward Ezra gather'd what he could of the scatterd pieces There are Popish Authors who discourse at this rate Yea they go further Those Books of Holy Scripture that are preserved are yet corrupted and alterd The Jews out of hatred to the Christian Religion have corrupted the Originals at the best these Originals are lost and the Copies have felt the injuries of Time and the fate that is inevitable to all antient Books having for above three thousand years past thro the hands of so many ignorant persons many things may have been changed in them Besides they are dead Languages in which these Books are written such as we understand not we are not skill'd in their Grammar we know not the signification of their words This is what they discourse at this day Lastly to compleat the Affront they pull away these books out of the peoples hands they affright them with these as if they tended to ruin their souls They tell men that it never was the intention of God to abandon his Scriptures to the indiscretion of the Laity And on this pretence the Scripture is become a secret Book hid under a barbarous Language to which none is allowed to approach unless he is aforehand initiated in their
that this occasion'd the revolt of Zuinglius and Luther and disposed the spirits of the people to separate from a Clergy that was guilty of such dismal Disorders Besides we have the Confessions of the Papists of the same Age of Pope Adrian VI. of Cornelius Musse Bishop of Bitonto who in the midst of the Council of Trent said That there was no Filthyness how monstrous soever no Villany no Impurity with which the People and Clergy were not defiled We have the Testimony of the famous Mantuan and of the learned Espensaus who make such dismal and affrighting descriptions of the manners of the Roman City and Church in general that one cannot forbear trembling as he reads them After this we need not the testimony of the Lutherans and of the Hundred Grievances which were drawn up at the Diet of Norimberg 1522. wherein the Abominations of the Clergy of that time are set down with exact Fidelity The Priests and Monks have always been guilty of the greatest Corruption Observe I pray you that this dismal Corruption of Manners in all the Ages which we have been mentioning hath always been charged more particularly on the Clergy than on the People And this is a sensible Character of Antichristianism that is found in the Papacy We know that the Clergy and Monks are the principal Members of the Papacy its Spirit and Soul resides in them so that if Popery were Christianity the spirit of this later would be found in these two Orders of men we should perceive some marks of the Christian Religion to shine forth in them But by a righteous Judgment God hath permitted them to contract the very greatest corruption to convince those whom God will save that the Papal Empire cannot be the Kingdom of J. Christ The Corruption of the Priests Monks and Nuns hath always been worse than that of the Laity that so it might appear that the farther a man goes in Popery the more he partakes of the spirit of Antichrist We may view over again Alvares Pelagius Petrach Nicholas de Clemangis Fasciculus Temporum and add to them Walter Mapes an English Doctor Arnold de Villâ novâ Leonard Aretine and an infinite number of others and we shall see that their most bitter Invectives the lively Descriptions and affrighting Representations of the Corruption they speak of do principally relate to the Court of Rome the Priests the Clergy the Monks and Nuns This is not a matter that needs to be proved 'T is notorious even in our dayes for all who have had a mind to collect filthy and obscene stories even among the Papists themselves scarce relate any thing besides the enormous Crimes of the Priests and Monks this hath made the Name of a Fryar odious and the Proverbs which are in use among the vulgar make these the Instances of impurity such a one they say is Lazy fat and leacherous as a Friar Hence those who write Satyrs fall especially on the Monks as may be seen in the writings of Rablais and the Apologie for Herodotus Nor are they only obscure writers who have attacht them with violence The Bishop of Bellay in the present age hath omitted nothing that might make them odious And yet not one passage in him can be cited where he hath spoken without truth Consequences that ought to be drawn from â—â—nâ—e Here I conjure those who have any care of their own salvation to bestow their attention on this subject For in my judgment 't is the most proper to awaken those who have not quite lost even Common sense How can it possibly enter into the mind of any man that the only true Church should be found in a Society which for eight hundred years together hath been guilty of so abominable a corruption of manners that that of the Heathens has not equall'd it I grant indeed that we may find in Heathen History some passages as dismal as those which are seen in the History of the Papacy But I am bold to say that we cannot find such a long series of Villanies and abominable Practices so long continued For about a thousand years a Church is made up of Drunkards Whoremongers Incestuous Wizzards Magicians Sodomites Luxurious Unclean Wretches without Shame without Virtue without Modesty without Bounds without Masque These are the main body and community there are scarce honest men enough to complain of the Disorders of the rest A man I say must be resolved to damn himself in cool Blood if he digests this Absurdity and is persuaded that 't is possible for Jesus Christ to abandon his true Church at this rate and suffer her to sink into such a Corruption What can be replyd to this The Vanity of the Papists excuses 'T will perhaps be reply'd that in all Ages of the Church the H. Fathers have complain'd of Corruption of Manners and that we must not condemn the whole for the Faults of some particular men But 't is an intolerable Affront to the Primitive Church to make the Comparison between some Disorders that the Fathers complain'd of and the horrid Enormities of the Papacy At least the Clergy of those times complain'd therefore they were not guilty of the Disorders that they reproacht in others Some will say That there were great Corruptions sometimes in the people of Israel which was the only people of God. 'T is true but then they did not last so long God never sufferd this people to persevere constantly for seven or eight Ages in the Vices of the Heathen and in the Abominations which they borrowed from the Gentiles 'T is sayd that however these Disorders are past and that we cannot any longer justly charge the Church of Rome with them But First if this were true it doth not contradict the Truth of what I have alledg'd 'T is a certain Truth that the Church of Rome for seven or eight Ages was sunk into this extreme Corruption And I say it over again There is none who retains any Liberty of Mind who can possibly believe that the true Church could lye under this dismal Infamy for so long a time thro the permission of God. But besides where is this Reformation of Manners which they so much glory in In all the Countreys where there are no Protestants to inspect the Deportment and Manners of the Papists things are almost at the same pass We have Historians Travellors and Writers of Travells who tell us that in Italy and Spain Convents are places of Prostitution the Monks are employ'd to execute the worst of Villanies and the Priests are the most notorious Pimps We may consult A Relation of the Commonwealth of Venice writ by M. de S. Didier a Papist and a thousand other Books that are in every ones hands 'T is true in some Countries the outside is somewhat alter'd especially in France where for these twenty years past the Court being set upon the design of Reunion hath judg'd it necessary in order to gain the Protestants
endured by the Brothers of the Order But nothing can be had without good ready Money which must be put in the Box by the name of Almes These are the great Revenues of the Mendicant Fryars Accordingly you have one Order contending with another which is a good diversion to see every Order cryes up their Fraternity and Marchandises and speaks the most contemtuously of the advantages of the other Orders The Jacopin boasts of his Rosary and saith that God reveald it to S. Dominick to be the scourge and terror of Devils a short abridgement of the whole mystery of Religion a remedy against all Evils the source of all good things a certain means of getting eternal Life The Carmelite saith that his Order is as antient as Elijah that the Virgin Mary is one of its Founders that all the Carmelites are Brethren of the Virgin that the Holy Scapulary was brought by her to the Blessed Simon Stock General of the Order for this end that whoever dyeth in the Scapulary might escape the flames of hell The Cordeliers and Augustins speak of as great Wonders about their Ropegirdles and Girdles They have Bulls in which full pardon of all sins is granted to those who shall wear these marks of the Beast On the other hand every Order turns the devotions of the rest into ridicule While the Dominican cryes up the Virtues of his Rosary he jeers at the Scapulary of the Carmelites the pretended antiquity of that Order the extravagant visions of Simon Stock The Carmelite calls the Rope-girdle of S. Francis a Whip for Doggs Every Fraternity hath its Writers whose Books are fill'd with impertinent Commendations of themselves and contain Rules of devotion to be observed by their Disciples But the whole is so dull so ridiculous and nonsensical that a very Jew who is wont to make his Religion consist in impertinent Observations would be asham'd of it and would not on any terms submit to it These are the unclean spirits that come forth of the mouth of the False Prophet Impurity of the mystical Teachers These spirits do also come forth of another Mouth of the Beast These are the Mystical Teachers a sort of men who are for Devotions that are much raised above the ordinary Devotion of the vulgar They are in a manner distracted and have a style peculiar to themselves which is altogether unintelligible both to others and themselves When they would express the elevations of the Soul to God and its uniting with him they will tell you of passive unions of the Deiform state of the Soul of the introversion of the Mind of the deiform fund of the Heart of Irraditions of Sequestrations of melting ones self to lose and drown ones self in God of imaginary Exercises of divine Inactions of the state of Totality Among these mystical Authors I believe we may rank a certain kind of Fishers of mysteries who make it their work to spiritualize and turn into Mysteries all the Ceremonies of Popery Chance Time Superstition Ignorance brought them into the Church sometimes such causes as subsist not now and there was never any intention to couch mysteries under them But afterward they must be discovered in them A Priest hath six or seven kinds of habits a Bishop many more The shape the figure the stuff of every one of these vestments must hide under it some mystery of our redemption A Priest cannot make the least antick motion but 't is mystical We have taken the pains to relate in our Legal Exceptions against Popery some considerable specimens of these impertinencies any one may consult the Book There he will read the pretty mysteries for example which are coucht under the Ringing of Bells Rationall divin offic lib. 1. cap. 4. as Durant explains them Bells signify Preachers whose Office is like a Bell to call the faithful to the Faith the wide hollowness of the Bell is the Mouth of the Preacher the Clapper is his Tongue the hardness of the mettal denotes the strength of his understanding according as God said to the Prophet I have made thy forehead hard against their foreheads the Bands which tye the Clapper to the Bell is the moderation of the Preachers Tongue the Bell-stock is the Cross of Christ the pieces of wood that go from side to side are the Fathers who have spoken of the Cross of Christ c. the wheel fastned to the Bell-stock is the Conscience of the Preacher the bell-rope is his Humility c. There is a whole long Chapter of this strain we may judge of the rest Impurity of the Eternal Gospel of the Monks Indeed if we should go on with the History of these Spirits of Reprobation that come forth out of the Mouthes of the Monks and Teachers of the Papacy we should never come to an end I will therefore only instance in The Eternal Gospel which the Fryars labour'd to set on foot in the 13 Century on design to ruin the Clergy or to speak more truly Christianity itself for never any thing more horrid was seen This Eternal Gospel was as they gave out a New Revelation made to the blessed Abbot Joachim And this new revelation was much more excellent than the doctrine of J. Christ the Prophets and Apostles more than the New Testament which was to be abrogated within six years i. e. was to continue only till the year 1260. They gave out that another Gospel and another Priesthood were to come in its place That the Jews who dye in their Infidelity and Blasphemies against Jesus Christ shall notwithstanding be saved in the next World that the Monks are not obliged to suffer martyrdom for J. Christ that out of a Monkish Order should arise a person in whom the Prophecies should be accomplisht that men ought to think of returning to Judaism This is a specimen of the impieties of this Gospel which was framed by the Abbot Joachim Abbot of a Monastery of the Order of the Cistertians in Sicily one Cyrill General of the Carmelites and John of Parma General of the Franciscans The Divines of Paris were alarm'd the wrote and order'd others to write against this Gospel but their writings were sharply censur'd at Rome The issue of the Controversy was that some Censures were granted against the Monks whose Body declared themselves Protectors and Patrons of this Gospel and the Book that bore this name was silently suppress'd This History is to be read in the Directory of Inquisitors and in the Treatise of Archbishop Vsher de Christianarum Ecclesiarum successione statu There only remains another Mouth of Antichrist which we have not mention'd viz. the Divines who have treated concerning the Object of Adoration and the manner of Worship Out of this Mouth are come forth unclean and diabolical Spirits abominable Discourses which must not be omitted But because we shall hear them in the ninth Character of Antichristianism viz. Idolatry we will not mention them here CHAPTER XIV The Ninth
much more freely and say that these Visions are the Illusions of the Devil and these Miracles are the Cheats of the Monks Hear with what heat and zeal the good Father replyes 'T is an intolerable rashness says he to give the name of Tales and Fables to those Histories that are related by Authors eminent for Learning and Holiness and to reckon as the Mistakes of a weak understanding such Revelations as have merited the approbation of the Council of Basil of the Popes Gregory II. Urban VI. and Martin V. In the next Page the Reverend Father addeth For my part saith he I shall not think that I wrong the Historians of our Age if I give as much credit to St. Antonin who relates that Vincent Ferrier raised eight and thirty men from the dead as I do to all the stories in Gazetts out of which they make their Histories These grave Authors eminent for learning and Piety as F. Crasset calls'em are St. Antonin Arch-Bishop of Florence Bartholomew of Pisa Author of the Book of Conformities Pelbart of Temiswar the Speculum of Vincent Bernardin de Bustis the Monk Caesarius the Annalists of the Monks and in a word all the Authors out of which we have taken our proofs Our new Converts as they are called ought to be very wary as to this point They persuade'em that all these Extravagancies these Cheats these Fables and Legends are at this day out of date We shall see that in a little time In the mean while they ought to know that F Crasset who asserts the credit of those Books which some despise and decry is esteemed and approved by the whole Gallican Church it self What ought to be said to the superstitious and credulous as to the matter of Legends and that those of his sentiment are still the bulky part of the Papacy What is to be done with such people 'T is best I think to leave 'em to their evil Genius as those Patients whose case is desperate and say to 'em well even remain Fools without judgment and without conscience seeing you have a mind to be so believe that Vincent Ferrier raised 38. from the dead and Jacynthe 52. Take for Gospel the horrible Lyes collected by your Batholomew of Pisa by your S. Antonin by your Caesarius c. But give us leave to look on you as persons given up to a reprobate mind This in my opinion is all that can be said to these wretched creatures If they were capable of hearing reason we might thus bespeak them Consider in the name of God whether it is likely that your Monks and their Disciples have wrought more Miracles in ten years time than all the Prophets the Apostles and Iesus Christ himself have wrought in two thousand years We might add Reflect upon the impertinence of these Miracles which we have proved and judge if it be probable that the Wisdom of God should expose his Power to be turn'd into ridicule by doing mean sottish things and altogether unbecoming his Majesty The Famous Maimonides a Jewish Doctor in his Book of the Foundation of the Law makes an important and judicious remarque The Israelites saith he did not believe Moses because of his Miracles for one that would not believe unless there be Miracles might suspect lest the Miracle should be wrought by Sorcercy and Enchantment But all the Miracles that Moses did in the Desert he wrought them as it were out of necessity and not directly to confirm his Prophecy Thus it was necessary to divide the Red Sea to make a passage for the Israelites and to drown the Egyptians we wanted food therefore he brought down Manna from Heaven c. Indeed this deserves to be remarqu't God scarce ever hath wrought Miracles meerly to work them i. e. such kind of Miracles as are properly prodigies and serve only to discover the power of the Speaker All the Miracles of Iesus Christ and his Apostles were miraculous Cures raising of the Dead multiplying of Bread to feed the people There was always some profit and they were not meer prodigies And this is another evidence of the Falsehood of Popish Miracles that their Saints make impertinent prodigies which are good for nothing change pounds of Butter or heaps of Flegme into Gold make Light to stream out of their fingers make use of the Sun-beams or of the shadows of Trees to hang their Garments on Never any of the real Saints wrought such like Prodigies that are of no use and good for nothing in the world We might further say to these superstitious Creatures examin the Character of those Authors whom you style Eminent for learning and holiness Read their Writings and see if they deserve not very well those titles Men of leaden Hearts of Iron Months of Brasen Foreheads as some of your own Catholicks have called 'em on the account of their stupidity their barbarous style and their impudence in venting notorious Falsehoods for Truths We might also say to them Examin the Authors of the five first Centuries you will find in 'em some relations of Miracles especially in the fifth Century But is it the thousandth part of what is to be read in the Chronicles of Saints who have liv'd in the last seven or eight hundred years The Fathers and the Authors in whom we find the Narratives of these true or pretended Miracles wrought none themselves How comes this to pass Was the Jacopin Vincent Ferrier who raised 38. from the dead a greater Saint than S. Augustin who never rais'd one St. Athanasius the famous Champion of the Son of God and of the Holy Spirit St. Cyprian the glorious Martyr St. Polycarp the famous Disciple of the Apostles wrought no Miracles at all but St. Jacynthe a Polonian Dominican and Father d' Aviano a Capucin shall have the Priviledge to do that which the great Lights of the Church for Learning and Sanctity never did A man must have lost his reason if he believeth this When the Church was sorely assaulted by persecution and Heresie there was little talk of Miracles We might also say to these Gentlemen the Devoto's Pray tell us when the Church was cruelly persecuted by Heathens her Doctrine openly attacqu'd by Hereticks had she not more need to be supported by Signs and Miracles than in the time of S. Francis of S. Dominick of S. John Vincent Ferrier when she reign'd triumph't and was without Enemies And yet we hear of few or no Miracles when one would judg the Church stood in most need of 'em afterward we hear of millions when the Church did not want ' em But these Miracles they 'le say were wrought to authorize the new Religions i. e. the new Orders of Franciscans of Dominicans of Begging-brothers c. This is ingenious and well contrived that God should work a hundred fold more Miracles to establish the Order of St. Francis than he had wrought to establish the Christian Religion Observe well the design of these Miracles
us by the Titles of the Beast the City and the Empire by which 't is represented to us V. 5. And there was given to him a mouth Rev. 13. â— speaking great things and Blasphemies and power was given to him forty and two moneths i. e. twelve hundred and sixty years to reign and have Authority in V. 7. She hath glorifyed herself Chap. 18. and lived deliciously She saith in her heart I sit a Queen and shall see no sorrow The Church must be meaâ— and afflicted On the contrary every Body knoweth the Holy Scripture represents the true Church as a Society that must be persecuted afflicted under the Yoke and under oppression until the end of the sixth Period The faithful Witnesses must prophecy clothed in Sackcloth during the 1260 years of Antichrists Reign The Woman which had brought forth the Man-child must be hid in the Wilderness for the space of three Prophetick years and a half Let us now see to whom this Character of a long and constant prosperity belongs It doth not to the Christian Church of the three first Centuries for she was always in flames and blood It doth not belong to the Church of the fourth and fifth which kept as yet some purity for in those Ages the Church was cruelly persecuted by the Arrians and other Hereticks But as soon as the Church of Rome began to be corrupt and became Antichristian she began to have rest If she was opposed by some she did in conclusion rid herself of 'em she hath kill'd burn't and dispatch't those who had a mind to oppose her Doctrines and her Tyranny And she had the most desirable success until the last Age when the fatal ruin of the Papacy began Yea even after the Wound that she got a hundred and fifty years ago she is so recovered and hath got such strength that she was scarce ever more glorious She hath subdued new Kingdoms instead of those that were taken from her She hath persecuted at her old rate and always overcome she hath made others bear the Cross but hath boâ—n none herself Is this the Character of Christianity or of Antichristianism I ' le make the Bishop of Meaux Judge in the case Let us hear him speak The Bishop of Meaux confesseth that the Cross is inseparable from the Church The most peculiar Law of the Gospel saith he is the command of bearing the Cross The Cross is the true evidence of Faith the true foundation of Hope the perfect resining of Charity in one word the way to Heaven Jesus Christ dyed on the Cross he bore his Cross all his life On these terms he biddeth us follow him He makes this the price of Eternal Life The first to whom he particularly promised the Rest of the next World is a Companion of his Cross This day saith he to him thou shalt be with me in Paradise As soon as he was hung on the Cross the Vail that conceal'd the Sanctuary was rent in two from the top to the bottom and Heaven was opened to holy Souls 'T was presently after the enduring of the Cross that he appeared to his Apostles glorious and a Conqueror of Death to let 'em know that himself must enter into glory by the Cross and that he had told his Children of no other way thither Thus in the person of J. Christ was set before the world the Idea of acomplete Virtue that hath nothing and expects nothing upon earth which men require only with continual persecutions which â—easâ—th not to do 'em good and draweth on itself the last and worst punishments by its own benefits Jesus Christ dyeth not finding gratitude in these whom he had obliged nor fidelity in his Friends nor equity in his Judges His innocence tho it was confessed did not save him yea his Father in whom alone he had put all his trust withdraweth all the tokens of his Protection The just one is given up to his enemies and dyeth forsaken of God and men c. The wisest of the Philosophers searching after the Idea of Virtue concluded that of all wicked men he is the worst who can so conceal his wickedness as to pass for an honest man and by this means enjoys all the credit that virtue can bestow And on the other hand he is without doubt the most vertuous whose virtue by its perfection draweth on him the jealousy of all men so that he hath none to befriend him besides his own Conscience and seeth himself exposed to all sorts of injuries and even to the death of the Cross whilest his virtue cannot do him the small kindness of exemting him from such a punishment Is it not probable that God inspired the mind of this Philosopher with this marvellous Idea of Virtue intending to give an instance of it in the person of his Son and to let us know that the Righteous man hath another Glory another Rest and another Happiness than that which can be had on earth Behold how his heart speaks when he is not on his guard against the Calvinists when he frameth his Idea's from Reason Gospel and Experience It must be granted that these Reflexions would a little better fit the mouth of a persecuted Protestant than that of a person who liveth at the greatest ease in a persecuting Court. However I stand to the Decision of the Bishop of Meaux That the most peculiar Law of the Gospel is that of bearing the Cross But let 'em shew me what Cross the Church of Rome hath born from the time that she hath made material Crosses of Wood Stone and Metal the objects of Worship Where are her Martyrs where are her Persecutions Is it not a prodigy that for these seven or eight hundred years past she lives at the greatest ease always victorious Or if she hath endured any shakings her own restlesness Ambition Covetousness and Cruelty have caused ' em If she will have the honour of bearing the Cross and of reckoning the Persecutions that she hath suffer'd she must bring into her account the troubles she hath endured from the Emperors of Germany the oppositions they have made to her grandeur the bounds they endeavour'd to set to her pride the Arms they were forced to take up for repressing her insolencies I know of no other sufferings that the Papacy hath endured Indeed you shall hear Cardinal Baronius and his fellows tell us very seriously that the Emperors the Henries the Fredericks the Lewis's of Bavaria were cruel Persecutors of the Church and that under them the Church was miserably afflicted because sometimes they undertook to chastise the Ambition of the Popes 'T is true if they make Martyrs of all those who dyed in the Wars against those Emperors and of all the Guelfes who were slain by the faction of the Gibellines they will not want Confessors and Confession But I doubt whether they of Monfr de Meaux's principles do like these Martyrs and believe that the destiny of the Church
are far more sensible of a Tyranny that oppresseth 'em than of a Corruption that doth little or not at all concern and touch ' em This was the occasion why in the eleventh Century the Clergy of Liege being unjustly excommunicated by Pope Paschal the II. made him know that he was Antichrist and that his See was Babylon Tom. 10 of the Councils Paris Edition There was never a greater confusion in Babylon than is at this day in the Church c. Peter saith in his Epistle The Church that is at Babylon salutes you 'T was thought till now that he meant by Babylon Rome Pagan because then it was fill'd with Idolatry and filthiness But at this day sorrow forceth us to believe that Peter speaking of the Church at Babylon did by a spirit of Prophecy foresee the confusion and discord that at this day reigns in the Church This is to speak somewhat afar of But Aventin tells us that they most spoke more home The Preachers saith he did publickly curse the Pope and sayd that he was Antichrist and that under an outside of Piety he exercised his cruelty that under the pretence of Jesus Christ he advanc't the interest of Antichrist that he did sit in Babylon in the Temple of God and did lift up himself above all that is worship't and gloryed as tho he had been God that he could not err The Emperors of Germany cruelly vex'd by the ambition of the Popes plainly perceived that the real Antichristianism was there We have many Letters of the Emperor Frederick II. the conclusion of 'em is that Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist But if we would know the sentiments of the Church of Germany concerning this it will be sufficient to hear the Admirable Discourse that Eberard Bishop of Saltsburgh made at Ratisbon before all the States of the Empire 'T is long and we will only take out what our Subject requir's An admirable Dicourse of a German Bishop that proves the Pope to be Antichrist Anno 1240. Aventin l. 7. 'T is about a hundred and twenty years since Hildebrand under pretext of Religion began to lay the Foundations of Antichrist's Monarchy He was the first Author of that War that is continued to this day by his Successors First they took from the Emperor the Right of Electing the Popes and gave it to the Priests and the People c. Paul who had a Treasure of Divine Philosophy saith Be subject one to another in the fear of the Lord our Soveraign and eternal Master our Heavenly Teacher instructs us in the difference between the Princes of the world and those of the Church which is this that the former rule over their Subjects and the later serve theirs He that was clothed with Soveraign Majesty took the form of a Servant ministred to his Disciples and wash'd their Feet But the Priests of Babylon will reign alone they can suffer no Equals and will give themselves no rest until they have put all things under their ' Feet and are exalted above all Authority Their Hunger after Riches and their Thirst after Honours is unsatiable c. He who calls himself a Servant of Servants will be Lord of Lords as if he were God c. He speaks as majestick as if he were God he frames new Projects in his heart he designs to found an Empire for himself where he is to be sole Master he changeth Lawes he publisheth his own he ravageth he pillageth he plundereth he cheats he kills Thus acteth this man of sin who is called Antichrist on whose Forehead is writ a name of blasphemy I AM GOD I CANNOT ERR He sits in the Temple of God and ruleth far and wide But as it is written in the Mysteries of the H. Scriptures he that readeth let him tenderstand the wise shall understand but the wicked shall do wickedly and shall not understand The Sybills spake plainly of this a long while ago and Hydaspes a very antient King he interpreted by a Child who prophecyed left to posterity the Name Roman a long time before the Trojan people were in the world And the Oracles of our Prophets have fore-told this under other names and in riddles that so every body might not understand it The Majesty of the People of Rome who once governed the Empire is vanisht out of the Earth and the Empire is return'd into Asia The East will recover the Empire and the West become a Slave The Kingdom hath been divided and the Soveraign Authority parted among many and at the same time weakned and lessned not to say that it hath been torn in pieces c. The name of Emperor is now nothing but an emty Title and a meer shadow There are ten Kings who have divided the Roman Empire among 'em not to govern but to destroy it These are the ten Horns which seem'd incredible to St. Augustin 1. The Turks 2. The Greeks 3. The Egyptians 4. The Africans 5. The Spaniards 6. The French. 7. The English. 8. The Germans 9. The Sicilians 10. The Italians possess the Roman Provinces and have expell'd the Romans out of ' em But among the ten a little Horn is grown up that hath Eyes and a mouth that speaks proudly and this little horn hath especially vanquisht three Kingdoms viz. that of Sicily that of Germany that of Italy and hath forced 'em to serve it Further it vexeth the people of Jesus Christ and his Saints by an intolerable tyranny it confounds divine with human affairs and commits horrid and execrable villanies Is there any thing more plain than this Prophecy I never read this passage without very great admiration There seems to be an enthusiasm in it And I cannot conceive how in such an Age as that any other Spirit than that of God could bestow so much knowledge Never any Calvinist or Lutheran spoke any thing more clear more excellent and exact to interpret Daniel or St. John. Let those who accuse at this day the applications of the Prophecies to the Pope as vain fancies and sports of wit learn that 't is now four hundred and fifty years ago there were those who had the same sentiments and proved 'em in a most convincing manner But some will object Why did not the Church of Germany break with the Pope at that time when it so clearly saw and so invincibly prov'd that he was Antichrist I answer Why the Germans in the 13th Age did not break with the Pope 't was because the Church of Germany was then divided Antichrist had there an infinite number of slaves who kept the rest in bondage Thence it was that even those who so clearly discern'd the Pope to be Antichrist remain'd nevertheless in the worst errors and in Idolatry They deserved not that God should give 'em the Grace to seperate from him whom they knew to be Antichrist Lastly the principal reason is because the Time appointed by the divine Providence was not come Only God was pleased
are layd up under the Altar These Saints are departed souls which have been Canonised or deifyed At first this Canonization was made by the tacit consent of the superstitious But in following ages modern Rome imitated the fashions of antient Rome She hath her witnesses ready takes informations solemnly declares such or such an one a Saint or Blessed After this is done they are prayed to their names put in the Calendar a Feast is made for them their Protection is desired sacrifices are offer'd in their honour men shelter themselves under their merit recommend themselves to their intercession ask of them every thing that they want They are made the Protectors of Cities of Kingdoms of families Paganism shar'd employments among their lesser Gods. The Supreme God had the inspection over all but Neptune was to manage the sea Pluto the entrals of the earth Ceres the Surface of it Lucina had the charge of Infants and child-bearings c. The Papists after the same manner have divided the employments of their Saints in governing the world S. Nicholas is the Patron of Seamen S. Margerit takes care of women in childbed S. Rochus cureth the plague S. Hubert madness S. Memin the jaundise S. Paulina the toothache Papists have borrowed their Ceremonies at Funerals from the Pagans The very Ceremonies us'd at Funerals in the Papacy have been borrowed from Paganism For that which the Papists at this day perform to the dead is nothing but an imitation of the Pagan Ceremonies At this day when the dead body is to be buryed 't is exposed at the door oâ— the house that every one may throw holy water on it and pray for the soul Thus the Romans exposed the corps's of their dead placing them in the porches of their houses When the corps of a Great man is carryed to a distant city every night it is layd by the way in a Church Suetonius relates that when the body of Augustus was brought from Nola where he dyed to Rome where his funeral was to be solemniz'd when it came to any City it was layd in some Palace or in the greatest Temple and when it came to Rome it was set in the Porch of his own house The old Romans set branches of cypress by the dead body at this day a branch of box-tree is set by it At the end of seven days they solemniz'd the funeral the Papists have masses said for the dead seven days that so the dead person saith Durant may the sooner come to the eternal sabbath and that his sins which are reckond ' by sevens may be forgiven him Among the old Romans the corps's were accompanyed to the Funeral-pile by all who had a mind to honour the Ceremony with their presence and by a company of Singers and Musicians who sung mourning songs The modern Romans have sorrowful and mourning songs sung by their Priests The Romans made great use of lustral or purifying water in the interments and funerals of the dead and at this day the Papists make adoe in sprinkling their holy water tho with this difference that then the living were sprinkled whereas now they especially sprinkle the dead Then it was to cleanse the living from the pollution contracted by touching the dead for under Paganisin as well as Judaism the touching of a dead body was thought to defile S. Jerom informs us that the Heathens in there obsequies made use of torches and flambeau's and thus the Papists do The Romans in kindness and honour of their dead kept a religious solemnity which they call'd Novemdialia i. e. a nine-days festival they also celebrated the last day of the month the fortieth day and the anniversary day on all which they offerd sacrifices to the dij inferi the under ground Gods they saluted the souls of the deceas'd they prayed for them and requested such as pass'd by to pray for the soul of the deceased they wrote on the graves bene precare qui legis whoever passeth by pray for him that is dead They added sit tibi terra levis molliter ' ossa quiescant let the earth lie light upon you let your bones rest in ease The Papists also exactly colebrate the ninth the fortieth the anniversary day at all which times they offer sacrifice for the Rest of the departed souls they pray for them they salute them The old Romans had a stated time which was appointed for the appeasing of the Manes and for the procuring rest for them it was in the month February Now 't is the second day of November when the feast of all souls is celebrated and solemn services are performed in order to their rest We are told that it was an Abbot of the Order of Clugni named Odilon who invented this Feast Mount Aema in Sicily often casts out fire with most dismaying noises Odilon imagin'd that they were devils who roar'd out of rage because souls were fetcht out of purgatory and the more to enrage these wicked Spirits he agreeth with his Monks to say solemn Masses once every year to fetch souls out of purgatory In the Papacy you scarce hear of any thing else besides the apparitions of souls which complain and beg succour i.e. masses The heathens had such kind of fables and offer'd sacrifices on the same design viz. to appease the Manes who were out of humour or tormented Est honor tumulis animas placere paternas The worship of the dead is much more superstitious among Papists than among Pagans There is we see a near resemblance between the Service which the Pagans did to their dead and that which the Papists do to theirs But that of the modern Romans in point of superstition infinitely surpasseth that of the old ones and of all other heathens In all Pagan antiquitie 't was an unheard of thing to adore the ashes the bones the cloathes the raggs of the dead or any thing which at this day is call'd Reliques The Fathers reproach the heathens with this that their Temples were nothing but the sepulchers of dead men and women that the Temple of Minerva of Larissa was the tomb of Acrisius Arnobius Eusebius and that of Minerva of Athens was the sepulcher of Cecrops that the Capitol was the tomb of Aulus Vulticentanus But the Heathens did not own this and were so far from honouring their dead by burying them in their Temples that they buryed none within their Cities they buryed always in the high ways But now modern Rome boasts of that which old Rome was asham'd of They glory in having the reliques of dead men and women in their Temples yea they lay them under the altars they think that a Church or a Chappel is not rightly consecrated without reliques If the body of some Hero was laid in a Pagan Temple they did not believe that these bones did make the Temple Holy on the contrary they believed that it was a great honour to him that was buryed there But the Papists believe that
the holiness of a Church comes from the holiness of the Relique 'T was never heard of among the old Pagans that a dead mans bones were kept for a show were carryed about in State that men sell down before them gave them worship The heathen did not worship the ashes of the dead expected miracles from them and exposed them to be adored by the people This is the madness of superstition and was reserved for revived Paganism for the beast who was wounded to death and recovered The Soul and not the body was the object of all the services that the heathens did in honour of the dead They believed that the souls or at least the Ghosts as they call'd them had a particular kindness for the places where their bodies were buryed And 't was for the repose and satisfaction of these Ghosts that they built emty tombs when they had not the bodies to bury 't was for them that they poured out wine and warm milk on the ashes of the corps and in these services they cry'd aloud to the departed soul saying to it Accept these funeral sacrifices which I offer to thee come and drink the blood which we offer to thee But the Papists address not their devotions to the departed souls only they adore the ashes the carkasses of the dead and pay them divine honours Nay their folly is such that they adore the very shirts and linnen the slippers the ropes the girdles the hair and nailes of the dead an extravagance that was never seen among the Pagans Conformity in the worship of images between Popery and Paganism I come to the fifth Article of the Conformity between the Pagans and Papists as to the object of worship viz. their Images And here the Conformity is so sensible that we need only explain it to make it evident to all The Churches of Christians are at this day fill'd with pictures and images as well as the Pagan Temples were Instead of thundring Jupiter they place a Crucifix on their Altars Instead of Juno the Queen of heaven they have the Virgin the Mother of God the Queen of Paradise Instead of the twelve Dij consentes or consentientes i. e. the Councellors of the supreme God they have the twelve Apostles Instead of the Heroes that were deifyed one for first planting vines another for inventing the Art of Physick they have the founders of the Monkish Orders and the Inventors of modern superstitions Their Images relate unto objects that differ from those of Paganism but are of the same materials of wood of brass of stone of gold of silver of ivory they have mouthes but speak not ears but hear not hands but handle not feet but walk not eyes but see not They are likewise serv'd after the same manner the Pagans fell down before their images smok'd them with incense carryed them in processions kiss'd adorn'd them set them in such places where all might see and worship them The Papists do exactly the same to their Images This is a thing that perplexeth those Papists who have kept any thing of Conscience Therefore they attemt a thousand wayes to make a distinction between themselves and the Pagans some on the one hand extenuate the worship that is given to Images on the other hand some aggravate the Idolatry of the Pagans with respect to their images The first say 't is false that we adore images we worship them not God forbid we only make use of them to raise our minds to their Originals This is a pitiful Evasion a ruinous intrenchment out of which the Papists have been beaten a hundred times It hath been proved to 'em The Papists reâ—lly worshâ—p images that their Councils in express terms enjoyn the adoration of images that their Doctors do downright plead for it that their Practice doth undenyably prove it and that their boldness in this dispute is like that of those who while they beat a man almost to death yet at the same time protest that they do not touch him They worship not images but they fall down before them they kiss 'em they burn incense to 'em they cloth 'em they carry 'em in procession they go on long pilgrimages to visit and pay homages to ' em They may call this what they please but we will speak the language of men and of common sense therefore we will always call this the giving Adoration to Images They adore not images say they because they give 'em not that supreme worship that is due to the Soveraign Lord of the world or because they give 'em not the internal worship which they give to creatures that have life sense and reason In earnest we are obliged to them for this fair dealing but at this rate where shall we find any Idolaters Had the Pagans other sentiments of their Images than the Papists have of theirs The Pagans did not worship their Images as Gods. The Doctors of the Roman Church to shew what a distance there is between them and the Pagans in this affair do suppose that these did worship their Images as Gods because they said to a stock thou art my Father and to a stone thou hast brought me forth And because the Israelites said to their Calf these are thy Gods O Israel that brought thee out of the land of Egypt We must say that these Gentlemen have very little respect for the Reason of men and for Truth That they may justify themselves they make the wisest among the Pagans to be madmen and fools For must not that man have lost his senses who can believe that a statue but the other day cast or graven is a very God an infinitely perfect eternal Almighty Being If one should ascribe this sentiment to the brutish vulgar perhaps we might believe that some vulgar Pagans might be guilty of this sottish stupidity But we cannot without the worst injustice and insincerity charge the Heathen Priests with such an opinion We must therefore know that the Heathens had the same sentiments of their Images that the Papists have of theirs They call'd them the signs or symbols the emblems the portraits the memorials and at most the dwellings of the immortal Gods. Among the Pagans many despised Images To understand how exact the Conformity is between Popery and Paganism in the point of Images we must know that the sentiments and expressions about it were different under Paganism of old as they are at this day under Popery First there are persons of the Roman Communion who very much despise Images who believe that Religion might very well spare them yea are willing with all their hearts to have them quite destroyed There are but few who dare speak thus but many think it The wisest among the Pagans had the very same thoughts of their Images S. Augustin citeth the words of Varro Lib. 1. cap. 31. de C. D. That the Romans would have worshipt the Gods much more purely if they had continued