Protestant that the Church of which he is a Member holds them there needs no great industry to prevail with such a man to leave it This course the Popish Bishop of Ferns in Ireland took to perswaâ—e Father Andrew Sall who had left the Jesuits among whom he had continued many years and about sixteen years since became a Member of our Church to return to the Romish Communion insomuch that Father Walsh confesses that he had strangely misrepresented the Church of England in his Book against that Convert But I think never did any of their Writers equal Father Porter Reader of Divinity in the College of St Isidore at Rome who this very year in a Book printed there and dedicated to the Earl of Castlemain and Licensed by the Companion of the Master of the Sacred Palace and others as a Book very usefull for the instruction of the faithfull tells us that the God of the Protestants doth not differ from the Devil nor his Heaven from Hell and that the whole Frame of our Religion is founded in this horrid Blasphemy THAT CHRIST IS A FALSE PROPHET which he attempts to prove by another Misrepresentation as great as this for saith he the English Confession of Faith asserts that General Councils GUIDED BY THE HOLY GHOST AND THE WORD OF GOD may Err for which he cites the 19. and 20. Articles of our Church the latter of which onely asserts that the Church ought to be guided in her decisions by the Word of God and tho' the former doth affirm that the Church of Rome hath erred yet it saith nothing of General Councils the 21 Article indeed affirms that they may Err and the Reason it gives is because they are an ASSEMBLY OF MEN WHO ARE NOT ALL GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT AND WORD OF GOD so that all this Fryers Exclamation of the horridness of such a Doctrine as he charg'd upon us serves onely to shew his own immodesty and to let the world see with what strange Confidence some men can advance Assertions and alledge Authorities which any one that can read will discover to be forg'd This I confess seems to be a new Charge of his own inventing but that which he brings in another place that we are not oblig'd by our Religion to pray was long since framed by the Priests at the beginning of the Reformation who perswaded the people that in England the Protestants had neither Churches nor form of Religion nor serv'd God any way and they had so possess'd them with that opinion that several persons were reckon'd Lutherans onely because they were horrid Blasphemers That the Decalogue is not obligatory to Christians and that God doth not regard our Works is one of the monstrous Opinions which Campion had the confidence to 〈◊〉 both our Vniversities was maintained by the Church of England and like a Child who to cover one untruth backs it with another he quotes the Apology of the Church of England as his voucher wherein these words are found which are so clear that they alone are enough to make those blush who by Translating and Publishing this Treatise of Campions the last year have made his Forgeries their own the words of the Apology are these although we acknowledge we expect nothing from our own Works but from Christ onely yet this is no encouragement to a loose life nor for any to think it sufficient to believe and that nothing else is to be expected from them for True Faith is a living and working Faith therefore we teach the people that God hath called us to good Works And that the Reader may see what Credit is to be given to the Romanists in this point I shall give an account of the Doctrine of the several Reformed Churches about the necessity of good Works and then shew with what confidence these Gentlemen affirm that the Protestants teach that good Works are not necessary The four Imperial Cities in their Confession of Faith presented to the Emperour in the year 1530. having explained the Doctrine of Justification by Faith onely have these words But we would not have this understood as if we allowed Salvation to a lazy Faith for we are certain that no man can be saved who doth not love God above all things and with all his might endeavour to be like him or who is wanting in any good Work And therefore enjoyn their Ministers to preach up frequent Prayer and Fasting as holy Works and becoming Christians in which the Augustan Coâ—fession agrees with them that good Works necessarily follow a true Faith for even at that time the Calumny that they denyed the necessity of them was very common as appears by their solemn disclaiming any such Opinion in the twentieth Article affirming that he cannot have true Faith who doth not exercise Repentance The same is taught by the Helvetian Churches in their Confession compos'd at Basil Ann. 1532. that true Faith shews it self by good Works and in another fram'd at the same place Ann. 1536. we find this Assertion that Faith is productive of all good Works The Bohemian Churches affirm that he who doth not exercise Repentance shall certainly Perish and that good Works are absolutely necessary to Salvation is the Doctrine of the Saxon Reformers in their Confession of Faith offer'd to the Council of Trent Ann. 1551. and in that presented to the same Council by the Duke of Wirtemberg the following year there is this Profession we acknowledge the Decalogue to contain injunctions for all good works and that we are bound to obey all the moral Precepts of it We teach that good works are necessary to be done And in particular it commends Fasting and in the twenty second Article of the French Confession it is affirmed that the Doctrine of Faith is so far from being an hindrance to a holy Life that it excites us to it so that it is necessarily attended with good works The Church of England agrees with the rest of the Reformed Artic. 12. that good works are acceptable to God and do necessarily spring out of a True and lively Faith. And the Confession of Faith subscribed by all the Churches of Helvetia Ann. 1566. and afterwards by the Reformed of Poland Scotland Hungary and Geneva gives this account of the Faith of those Churches Faith causes us to discharge our duty toward God and our Neighbour makes us patient in Adversity and produces all good works in us so we teach good works to be the Off-spring of a lively Faith. And although we affirm with the Apostle that we are justified by Faith in Christ and not by our good works yet we do not reject them But condemn all who despise good works and teach that they are not necessary And in the thirteenth and fourteenth Articles of the Scotch Confession they maintain the necessity of all good
their part that they may catch at an occasion to make the world believe that they have forfeited that Protection his MAJESTY hath so graciously promised to afford them But our Loyalty hath a better Foundation than to be shaken by such malicious Arts it being founded upon the same Bottom with our Church the Apostles and Prophets and our Blessed Saviour the chief Corner-Stone of the building which all the Arts of men and Devils shall never overthrow not upon the will of man as theirs is Yet these Gentlemen think it sufficient to prove us disloyal to cull out a few Instances of men of rebellious Practices and this they charge upon the Church of England but with what justice let the world judge They cry out upon us as misrepresenters of their Doctrines because we affirm they teach the deposing power to rest both in the Pope and in the People and shew their Practices to accord with that Doctrine when ever they had occasion If this be to misrepresent what name may we call their dealing by who charge us with Rebellion when we freely condemn all such practices and that openly and that in our Religion there is no Rule to be found that prescribeth Rebellion nor any thing that dispenseth Subjects from the Oath of their Allegiance nor any of our Churches that receive that Doctrine When on their side several General Councils have asserted above TWENTY of their Popes pronounc'd that right inherent in them and I am able to prove that above three hundred of their Divines defend and plead for either the Popes or Peoples power to depose their Princes And though I know there are many in that Church who at least at present do heartily disown that Doctrine yet I will not stick to affirm that it hath all the Characters of an Article of Faith nor doth the dissent of so many hinder it from being so for there are multitudes among them who disown Transubstantiation others the Pope's Supremacy and several other points which others amongst them acknowledge to be Articles of their Faith. Neither will a late Author's plea that if it were such an Article the opposers of it would not scape without a brand of Heressie prove the contrary for we know that they have been often mark'd with that Brand and are once a year Excommunicated at Rome in the Bulla Coenae wherein all persons who hinder the Clergy in exercising their jurisdiction according to the decrees of the Council of Trent which France does all secular powers who call any Ecclesiastical Person to their Courts all Princes that lay any Taxes on their people without the Popes consent are declar'd Excommunicate and if they remain so a whole year they shall be declar'd Hereticks We are told by one of themselves that a Doctrine when inserted in the body of the Canon-Law becomes the Doctrine of their Church now in the Canon-Law we find it asserted that the Pope may absolve persons from their Oath of Allegiance that Pope Zachary deposed the K. of France not so much for his Crimes as that he was unfit to rule that we are absolv'd from all Oaths to an Excommunicate Person and it is our duty to yield no obedience to him That Clergymen ought not to swear Allegiance to their Prince and that they are exempt from the jurisdiction of the secular Magistrate And the Council of Trent hath confirmed all these Canons to the observation of which all their Priests and dignifyed men are sworn Let the world then judge whether this doctrine be an Article of Faith or no. But they have not onely taught and establish'd this treasonable Principle upon the same foundation with their other Doctrines but though often call'd upon to joyn in a denial of it and to condemn it as sinfull they could never be prevail'd on to clear themselves from such an odious Charge as hath been all along justly brought against them This was once thought the only way they had to justifie themselves by a person who hath since made himself a Member of their Church who tells us 'T is not sufficient for the well-meaning Papist to produce the Evidences of their Loyalty to the late King Charles the First I will grant their Behaviour to have been as loyal and as brave as they can desire but that saying of their Father Cress. is still running in my head that they may be dispenc'd with in their obedience to an Heretick Prince while the necessity of the times shall oblige them to it for that as another of them tells us is onely the effect of Christain Prudence but when once they shall get power to shake him off an Heretick is no lawfull King and consequently to rise against him is no Rebellion I should be glad therefore that they would follow the advice which was charitably given them by a Reverend Prelate of our Church namely that they would joyn in a publick act of disowning and detesting those Iesuitick Principles and subscribe to all Doctrines which deny the Pope's Authority of deposing Kings and releasing Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance And a late Author of their own Church judges this so necessary that he affirms NO CLERGY MAN OUGHT TO BE RECEIVED WITHOUT SUBSCRIBING THE CONDEMNATION OF THE BULL DE COENA DOMINI AND TILL THE MONKS AND JESUITS SHALL SOLEMNLY RENOUNCE AND CONDEMN IT IT WILL BE NO GREAT INJUSTICE DONE THEM TO ACCUSE THEM OF ATTEMPTING AGAINST THE LIVES OF KINGS If any man did suspect me to be an Arian and I knew it and could justifie my self from such cursed opinions and did it not the world would have reason to impute to me all the Consequences of this pernicious Heresie and the same Author tells us it is well known all the Monks and especially the Jesuits have by their fourth Vow obliged themselves to the Execution of this INFERNAL BVLL Nor is it onely by private men they have been exhorted to such a Renunciation of those Doctrines but in publick Courts of justice both in France and England It is indeed very usual with them to deny this Doctrine in discourse but that it is onely a formal denial when they really maintain it I offer to prove against them from their own Principles and Practices a plain instance whereof Mr. Sheldon gives us of his own knowledge who was one morning denied Absolution by a Sussex Jesuit because he would not acknowledge the Pope's Power to depose Princes and yet the very same day at dinner in the presâ—â—ce of several this Jesuit denied any such power in the Pope But the Doctors of Rome have been very carefull to provide against any such scrupulous persons as cannot perswade themselves of the lawfulness of this point and therefore have found out a way to discharge the Conscience from any guilt and set men at liberty to follow an opinion which they believe unsound upon which Principle there is no manner
mean I should look upon him as the most immodest man that ever wrote who after the Confutation of the others Assertion hath the face to renew it again and publish it to the world but when I consider 't is want of knowledge in History that makes him so bold I am willing to excuse him upon that account from wilfull imposture tho' all the world cannot clear him from strange rashness and confidence I will therefore bate him all but near two hundred years and undertake to prove whenever call'd to do it that the Râ—manists Treasons owned by their Popes and great Men since the Reformation do far out number all the Plots and Insurrections they can lay to the Protestants Charge which notwithstanding have been condemned by the whole body of our Divines Mr. Pulton himself affirmed to Mr. Cressener that all good Princes ought to consent to the Church to which it being returned what if Princes have no mind to part from their Right in obedience to the Churches decrees must they be dispossess'd against their will he asserted that in such a case the Church hath power to decide in favour of it self This relation had been given the world of their discourse before Mr. Pulton published his Remarks in which he doth not once deny this passage though he makes Reflexions upon others 〈…〉 Cressener's Vindication But Mr. Pulton is not alone in this Opinion for there is a certain Jesuite who highly brags of the Loyalty of his Church that very lately affirmed in my hearing that in case of oppression of the Subjects by their Prince it is but reasonable that the Pope being the common Father of Christendom should have a power to depose or other ways punish the Oppressor and another great stickler for that Church a Convert never attempted to clear his Church of this Charge it being very plain as he affirmed that such a power must reside some where and the Pope was certainly the fittest to be intrusted with it And indeed I cannot see how men of any ingenuity can condemn it when they pretend the Pope's Approbation of M. De Meaux's Book is a clear Evidence that the Doctrine contained in it is the Doctrine of their Church for not to mention at present the Actions of former Popes this very Pope who approv'd that Book doth at this time notoriously assert his power over Kings by Excommunicating his Majesty of France in the matter of the Franchises thereby approving of that Doctrine as much as the Bishop's and giving us the same Authority for the deposing power that the Papists pretend for that Prelates Exposition Let Mr. Pulton or any for him make good his bold Slander against our Church and find so many Treasons and Rebellions in the Protestant Communion if he can as I will undertake to prove upon the Romanists affirming confidently is a Talent possess'd by most of the Missionaries but proving what they affirm is beneath them there have been above six and fifty open Rebellions raised and Parricides committed upon great Princes in about one hundred and sixty years and eighty two Bulls Indulgences and Supplies of the Popes for the furtherance of those Treasons besides an infinite number of horrid Conspiracies upon which I cannot but observe that at the beginning of the Reformation they own'd these Doctrines publickly and till the Pope gave them leave would never pay Obedience to our Princes but by all the traiterous Conspiracies imaginable endeavoured to depose and murder them they had the Pope's Bulls and Resolution of many Vniversities to satisfie their Consciences which mâ—y be well put into the ballance with the late Decrees of the Sorbonne against the deposing power for if their Decrees of late be Evidence enough to acquit the Roman Catholicks from the imputation of disloyal Principles as some affirm they are then surely so many Decrees of the same Faculty defending those Principles so many censures of other Vniversities pass'd upon the Opposers of them and so many Bulls and Breves of Popes to the same purposes may well justifie us in affirming that there is no security of their obediences any longer than the Pope pleases Till he forbad them they took the Oath of Allegiance and defended it but ever since have refus'd it with a strange Obstinacy and what security is there that his Orders shall not have the same obedience rendred to them in other points nay since that we have seen the Romanists of England who before were ready to subscribe the Remonstrance decline giving the King any assurance of their obedience because the Pope commanded them not to do it Could they have been prevailed on to renounce these Doctrines as sinfull and unlawfull they would have at least shewn that at present their principles were such as become faithfull Subjects but when they cannot be perswaded to do this all their profession that it is not their Doctrine gives no assurance of their Loyalty But if they should do this it is well observ'd by a late Writer that while they found their Loyalty upon this Supposition that the deposing Doctrine is not the Doctrine of the Roman Church doth not this Hypothesis afford a shrewd suspicion that if it were the Doctrine of the Church of Rome or ever should be so or they should ever be convinc'd that it is so then they would be for the deposing of Princes no less than those who at this day believe it to be the Doctrine thereof And I wonder how the Gentlemen of that Church can alledge the Decrees of the Sorbonne as an Evidence that they hold not the Doctrine of the deposing Power for the same Faculty Aug. 9. 1681. and the 16 th of the same Month approved the Oath of Allegeance and condemned the Pope's temporal Power over Princes as Heretical and yet our English Romanists will not take the Oath nor be perswaded to condemn the deposing power though they pretend to disclaim it And indeed it would be folly to expect that the decree of one single Faculty should be of more Authority than the Bulls of so many Popes and Canons of Councils the Supream Heads of the Roman Church But as I observ'd before it is more strange to hear these men affirm that the Doctrine contain'd in the Bishop of Condoms Exposition is the Doctrine of their Church and yet deny that the deposing power is so when all the Authority that Exposition hath is from the Pope and Cardinals approbation which in a more solemn manner hath been often given to that Doctrine so that either their Argument for the Bishops Book concludes nothing or it is an evident Demonstration that the Roman Catholick Church teaches the Doctrine of deposing Princes I offer to prove against them that the Popes power in that point was universally believed as a matter of Faith in that Church for near five hundred years now let them answer this Argument nothing can be believed as a matter of Faith but what was taught them
by their Fathers and so upward from the Apostles times but the Doctrine of the deposing power was believed as a matter of faith therefore it was deliver'd from the Apostles times let them either answer this Argument which is their own upon other points or confess that the deposing power is an Article of Faith in that Church for if the Argument be good it proves that to be an Article of Faith as well as others if it be not thâ—y give up all their brags of the Evidence of Oral Tradition from hand to hand so much insisted on by Mr. G. and others of their Champions among us But because it may be objected that the deposing Bulls were the effects of the passionate Tempers of those Popes I desire that one of their own Communion may be heard in that point who speaks thus I maintain that all these disasters proceeded not only from the pettish humour of any one Pope but were the natural effects of the principles of the Papacy and though we do not see it visibly break forth every day by some bloody Example yet we ought not to believe that the habit or the will is ever the less but that there is some external extraordinary Reason which suspends the Action and which doth sometimes make them act directly contrary to their own Inclination How can any man maintain that Princes need not stand in the fear of the Pope when three Popes of this present Age have condemned the opinion that the Pope cannot depose Kings as wicked and contrary to the Faith And now I have examined and refuted their Calumny of our Disloyalty in general and Mr. Pulton's Charge in particular which I have known asserted by others with so peculiar a confidence that it hath stagger'd many Loyal but weak Protestants in which as in All the rest of this Discourse I once again challenge the whole Body of the Romish Clergy to find one false Quotation and by the falsity of Mr. Pulton's Assertion I beg the Reader to judge what Credit the rest of their defaming Insinuations deserve CHAP. V. Of their laying Doctrines to our charge which we never taught AFter such a bold Assertion as that of Mr. Pultons which I refuted in the preceding Chapter we need not wonder if we meet with the same Treatment which the Christians in Tertullian's time under went seeing we have to do with a sort of Men who repeat their Slanders the oftner they are reprov'd and not asham'd to impute Doctrines to the Reformed which their Confessions disclaim and the Writings of their Divines confute At a time when the Gentlemen of that Communion make so loud Complaints of being misrepresented as to their doctrines and practices and with the utmost of their Rhetorick exaggerate the Injury which by such Misrepresentations is done to Truth and their Church it might rationally be expected that they should believe what they say and have some Sense of such injust proceedings or at least should in policy take care that their own Writings be not stuffed with false Charges against their Adversaries But it is somewhat surprizing to find no care taken in so material a point and that they are no more solicitous to represent our Doctrines right than to defend their own which they seem wholly to abandon if any pains be taken by them it is to bespatter the Protestants and coin opinions for them for they find it much more easie to refute those imaginary Positions than overthrow the well-grounded Tenets of the Reformed Churches Hence it is that that there is no Calumny so absurd which they blush to publish and that the old Charge against the Waldenses and Albigenses is renued by the Author of Popery Anatomiz'd who copies from the Jesuit Parsons affirming that they denyed the Resurrection of the dead or that there is any such place as Hell that with the Manichees they held two Gods and that it avails a man nothing to say his Prayers with several other Doctrines of a horrid nature but if we consult the Authors that wrote in and near the time we shall find a quite contrary Account that they were to all appearance a very pious people living righteously before men and believing all things rightly concerning God and all the Articles of the Creed and that their lives were more holy than other Christians insomuch that when the King of France sent Commissioners to enquire of and inspect their Life and Doctrine and they inform'd him that they baptiz'd and taught the Articles of the Creed and Precepts of the Decalogue observ'd the Lord's Day preached the Word of God and that they were not guilty of those abominable Crimes imputed to them he SWORE that THEY WERE BETTER THAN HE OR HIS PEOPLE WHO WERE CATHOLICKS But though the Romanists have no Authority for their Charge yet they have a motive which is always prevalent in that Church the Waldenses and with great freedom reprov'd the Vices of the Pope and Clergy and this was the chief thing which subjected them to such an universal hatred and caused several wicked Opinions to be father'd upon them which they never own'd For they agreed with the Faith of the Protestants at this day as Popliniere affirms who alledgeth the Acts of a Disputation between the Bishop of Pamiers and Arnoltot Minister of Lombres written in a Language favouring much of the Catalan Tongue affirming that some had assured him that the Articles of their Faith were yet to be seen engraven 〈◊〉 certain old Tables in Alby agreeing exactly with the Reformeâ— Churches And Mr. Fountain Minister of the French Church at London told Arch-bishop Vsher that in his time a Confession of the Albigenses was found which was approved of by a Synod of French Protestants Thus as the Romanists have brought most of the Heathens Rites and the ceremonious part of their Worship into theirs so they seem to be actuated by the same Spirit which taught the Pagans to represent our Holy Religion in the most odious manner and they have found such success attending this unchristian Artifice that it is hugg'd as their darling and when any party discovers their Corruptions they endeavour to expose them as men of seditious Principles which will effectually render Princes jealous of them and draw upon them the displeasure of those under whose protection they might otherwise be secure that the common people may entertain as great an Aversion to them it is not onely their practice but a principle of their Policy laid down by a famous Jesuite to charge them with such Opinions as are absurd in themselves and abhorr'd by all men By this means they are sure to possess the vulgar with such prejudices that they will lend no Ear to the other side whom they look upon as a sort of Monsters according to the Character these Politicians have given of them And such Opinions being easily confuted if they can but once perswade an ignorant
works because they are commanded by God which is likewise the Doctrine of the Dutch Churches as appears by the Profession of their Faith in the Synod of Dort affirming that it is impossible that True Faith should be without works seeing it is a Faith working by love which causes a man to do all those good works which God hath commanded in his word And the same Doctrine is delivered in the Articles of the Church of Ireland but because I have not those Articles at hand I omit the words Thus by an VNIVERSAL CONSENT of ALL the PROTESTANTS we find the NECESSITY OF GOOD WORKS maintained and I CHALLENGE OUR ADVERSARIES TO PRODUCE ANY ONE ALLOWED AUTHOR WHO HOLDS THE CONTRARY AMONG US WHICH IS A UNITY BEYOND WHAT THEY CAN SHEW IN THEIR CHURCH FOR ANY ONE POINT though if they could it would not justifie their Charge who so often tell us that we must not take the Faith of any Church from private writings but their publick Confessions But these Gentlemen scorn to be tyed by any Rules tho' never so just even in their own opinions and therefore in a Supplication directed to King James by several Romish Priests they affirm that whosoever leaveth their Communion for ours beginneth immediately to lead a worse life so it is grown into a Proverb that the Protestant Religion is good to live in but the Papist Religion good to dye in And indeed they made it their business to possess their people with that Opinion so that Father Francis de Neville a Capuchin confesseth That he did imagine for a long time that they of the Reformed Churches admitting Justification by Faith alone did it to exclude good works from the way of Salvation and shew themselves in that to be Enemies of Charity and of other Virtues and did therefore extreamly condemn them but when he came to sound their Doctrine and see how they judge good Works necessary to Salvation and that the Faith whereof they speak is not a dead Faith but a lively Faith accompanied with good Works He acknowledged they were wrongfully blam'd in this as in many other things also But though this Gentleman was so sincere yet there are but few among them who tread in his steps for to pass by all the Controvertists of the last Age we need go no farther than these late years to find instances of their Misrepresentations in this Particular one of them in a Book dedicated to her Majesty tells the world that the Principle of our Religion takes from us the yoke of fasting freeth us from all necessity of good works to be saved and of keeping the Commandments of God and that we might not think he asserted these onely to be consequences of our Doctrines he adds that most Protestants hold that position and that it is our express Doctrine and in another place he affirms that praying watching and fasting are wholly out of use among Protestants and not only contrary to the liberty of their new Gospel but even fruitless vain superstitious Toys according to the Tenets and Principles thereof Another sets it down as one of the Protestant Articles That good works are not absolutely necessary to Salvation Which Father Turbervill confirms by being more particular The Catholick Church saith he teacheth much Fasting Prayer and Mortâ—â—â—cation she exhorts to good works voluntary Poverty Chastity and Obedience the contrary to all which holy Doctrines are taught by Protestants And a very late Author insinuates that it is all one to Protestants whether God be served with Fasting Watching Mortifying or without But the Roman Divine Father Porter is more express that one of the Causes which renders the Reformed so averse to Popery is that they abhor Fasting and Repentance and account Prayer and other Offices of Religion tedious that our Religion allows us to believe that good works are not necessary to Salvation that by our Doctrine Thieves Murderers Blasphemers c. may attain Heaven BY THEIR BEING SO if they will but believâ— and that BY BEING SVCH they are as much the Sons of God as the Apostles were with abundance more of such abominable stuff fit only for carrying on a most malicious Design When with their best Rhetorick these Gentlemen have endeavoured to perswade the world that they are abus'd in the account given of their Doctrines by our Divines all they pretend to complain of amounts to no more than this that we have drawn Consequences from our Doctrine which they will not hear and we find not that their greatest malice can pretend to much more surely then it is high time for them to reflect a little upon that Counsel of our SAVIOUR first to pull the Beam out of their own Eye 'T is not for want of Materials but because I would not be prolix that I produce no more particulars in this point of good works for I do not remember to have seen any one of their writings which is not guilty in this kind I have more need to make an Apology for insisting so long upon this one particular but I was easily induc'd to it knowing that one of their great Designs is to possess the devouter sort of men with a belief that we left their Communion to have greater Liberty for the Flesh in prosecution of which they are so strangely immodest as to publish such false Opinions for us as directly contradict our publick Confessions the discovering of which I look'd upon the best way to oppose their Slanders But to take a short view of other particulars The Author of Veritas Evangelica before cited runs wholly upon this point that we believe the whole Church hath failed and thence argues that Christ had no Church for some years into the same Error Father Mumford the Jesuit runs and another affirms that we teach the Church of all Nations is confin'd to England Because we reject all Traditions that are not according to the Rule of Lirinensis received every where at all times and by all Father Porter laies this down as one of our Principles that all Traditions of all sorts are the inventions of men though he could not but know that we receive the Scriptures from such an universal Tradition and are ready to embrace any other Doctrine conveyed to us as they are With the same sincerity and modesty he affirms that we pretend that the EXPRESS WORDS of Scripture are our RULE OF FAITH without any interpretation or consequence drawn from them tho' not to mention other Churches the Church of England declares that we are to be guided not onely by the express words of the Scripture but by the consequences drawn from it and yet this Gentleman affirms that our Confessions of Faith pretend onely to the express words It is notoriously known that our Differences about Church Government are no Articles of our Faith and yet this Author tells us that the equality of power in
Exposit. of the Doctrine of the Catholick Church Lond 1685 4 to F. Ellis's Sermon before the K. Dec. 5. 1686 4 to F. FIfth part of Ch. Government Oxf. 1687 4 to Fowlis's History of Romish Treasons Lond. 1681 fol. Franckland's Annals Lond. 1681 fol. The Franciscan Convert Lond. 1673 4 to G. GAge's new Surv. of the West-Indies Lond. 1655 fol. Gee's foot out of the Snare Lond. 1624. 4 to The Gunpowder Treas with a discourse of the manner of its discovery Lond. 1679 8 vo Good Advice to the Pulpits Lond. 1687. 4 to Gratian Edit 1518 4 to H. HOspiniani Historia Jesuitica Tig. 1670. fol. History of the Irish Rebellion Lond. 1680. fol. Dr. Harsenet's Declarat of egregious Pop. Impostures in casting out Devils Lond 1603 4 to The Hind and the Panther Lond. 1687 4 to Hunting the Romish Fox Dubl 1683. 8 vo History of Geneva by Mr. Spon Lond. 1687 fol. History of the Church of Great Britain from the Birth of our Saviour Lond. 1674 4 to History of the Powder Treason Lond. 1681. 4 to Histoire de France par Seigneur du Haillan deest mihi titulus I. INstructiones secret pro super Societ Jesu see Arcana societ Jesu Index expurg librorum qui hoc seculo prodierunt Edit 1586 12 s. Instance of the Church of Englands Loyalty Lond. 1687 4 to The Jesuits Reasons Unreasonable Lond. 1662 4 to See Collection of Treatises Important Considerations Lond. 1601. 4 to It is in the collection of Treatises concerning the Penal Laws K. Jame's Works Lond. 1616 fol. K. MR. King's Answer to the Dean of Londonderry Lond. 1687 4 to Key for Catholicks Lond. 1674 4 to L. LAst Efforts of afflicted Innocency Lond. 1682 8 vo Long 's History of Plots Lond. 1684 8 vo A Letter in answer to two main Questions in the first Letter to a Dissenter Lond. 1687 4 to Letter from a Dissenter to the Divines of the Church of England Lond. 1687 4 to Three Letters concerning the present State of Italy 1688 8 vo M. MYsterium Pietatis Vltraj â—686 8 vo Moral Practises of the Jesuites Lond 1670 8 vo Maldonati in 4 Evangelia Mogunt 1624 fol. Masoni Vindiciae Ecclesiae Anglicanae Lond. 1625 fol. Mirrour for Saints and Sinners Lond. 1671. fol. Manual of Controversies Doway 1671 8 vo Monomachia Lond. 1687 4 to Mr. Meredith's Remarks on Dr. Tennison's Account Lond. 1688 4 to N. NOvvelle de la Republique des Lettres Juin 1686 8 vo Novelty of Popery by Dr. Du Moulin Lond. 1664 fol. Nubes Testium Lond. 1686 4 to New Test of the C. of E. Loyalty L. 1687 4 to Nouvelle de la Republique des Lettres Oct. 1684 8 vo O. OGilby's Japan Lond. 1670 fol. P. PRotestancy destitute of Scripture proofs Lond. 1687 4 to Pontificale Romanum Col. 1682 8 vo Pastoral Let. of the Bish of Meaux L 1686 4 to Present State of the Controversie between the Church of England and the Church of Rome Lond. 1687 4 to Pap. misrepres and repres Lond. 1685 4 to â—ultâ—n's Remarks Lond. 1687 4 to Provincial Letters Lond. 1657 8 vo Mr. Pain 's Answer to the Letter to a Dissenter Lond. 1687 4 to Policy of the Clergy of France Lond. 1681 8 vo Pulton's account of the Confer Lond. 1687. 4 to Popery Anatomis'd Lond. 1686 4 to Parson's Treatise tending to Mitigation 1607 8 vo The Primitive Rule before the Reformation Antw. 1663 4 to A Picture of a Papist Edit 1606 8 vo Primitive Fathers no Protest Lond. 1687 4 to Preservative against Popery by Dr. Sherlock Lond. 1688 4 to Primitive Fathers no Papists Lond. 1688 4 to Papists not misrepresented by Protestants Lond. 1686 4 to Papists Protesting against Prot Popery Lond 1686 4 to Parsons's 3 Conversions out of Eng. 1604 8 vo R. RIâ—herii Histor. Concil Gener. 1683 8 vo Rushworth's Collect. P. r. Lond. 1659 fol. Reply to the Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Ch. of Eng. Lond. 1687 4 to Reflexions on Mr. Varillas Amst. 1686 12 s. Reply to the Reasons of the Oxford Clergy against Addressing Lond. 1687 4 to Ricauâ— s State of Greek and Armenian Churches Lond. 1679 8 vo Reflexions on the Answer to the Papist Misrepresent Lond. 1685 4 to Religio Laici Lond 1682 4 to Request to Rom. Cath. Lond. 1687 4 to Reynerus adv Waldenses Ingol 1613 4 to Rogers's Faith Doctrine and Religion professed in England Cambr. 1681 4 to Reasons of Fryer Neville's Conversion Lond. 1642 4 to Reflexions on the Historical part of the fifth part of Church Government Oxford 16â—7 4 to S. SUmmary of the Principal Controver bet the Church of England and the Church of Rome Lond. 1687 4 to Secret instructions for the society of Jesus Lond. 1658. 8 vo Sure and Honest Means for the Conversion of Hereticks Lond. 1687 4 to State of the Church of Rome before the Reformation Lond. 1687 4 to Saul and Samuel at Endor Oxf. 1674 8 vo Spanhemii Histor Imaginum Lug. Bat. 1686 8 vo Surii Commentar brevis 1574 8 vo Smith's acc of the Gr. Church Lond. 1680 8 vo His Miscellanea Lond. 1686 8 vo Sheldon's Survey of the Miracles of the Church of Rome Lond. 1616 4 to Dr. Stâ—ll unreas of separ Lond. 1681 4 to Speed's Chronicle Lond. 1623. St. Amours Journal Lond. 1664 fol. Seissellius adv Valden Paris 15â—0 Securis Evangelica Rom. 1687 8 vo A Supplication to the King 's most excellent Majesty Lond. 1604 4 to St. Peter's Supremacy discuss'â— Lond 1686 4 to T. TReleinie's undeceiving the people in the point of Tithes Lond. 1651 4 to Terry's voyage to East-India Lond. 1655 8 vo Tertulliani Opera Franek 1597 fol. Touch-stone of the Reform Gosp. L. 1685 12 s. Transubstantiation defended Lond. 1687. 4 to Traver's Answer to a supplicatory Epistle Lond. 1583 8 vo Toleti Instructio Sacerdoâ—um Venet. 1616 4 to Travels of Sig. de la Valle Lond. 1665. fol. V. VIndica of the Bishop of Condoms Exposition Lond. 1686 4 to Vasquez de cultu adorationis Mog 1601 8 vo Bp. Vshers Life and Letters Lond. 1686 fol. Vidicat of the sincerity of the Prot. Religion Lond. 1679 4 to Veritas Evangelica Lond. 1687 4 to The Use and great Moment of the Notes of the Church Lond. 1687 4 to W. WAlsh's Histor. of the Irish Remonstrance Lond. 1674 fol. His 4 Letters on several Subjects 1686 8 vo Wilson's Hist. of G. Britain Lond. 1653 fol. Correct the Errata thus 95. l. 19 in the Margin r. p. 12. p. 32. l. 11. r. commendavit INTRODUCTION HAving observed the difference between the Method followed by Protestant Divines and that which the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome take in their unwearied endeavours for gaining Proselytes I have several times taken notice that instead of handling particular Controversies they for the most part wholly decline them and take another course wherein what their design is will easily be apprehended if we consider that their experience tells them that Prejudice is
Vnderstandings but so they get them to their side they have their end but this I refer to the SECOND PART where I design to treat more particularly of this Method There is yet another effect which the readiness of the MISSIONARIES to OBLIGE those they deal with is design'd to produce the creating such a good opinion of them as shall incline men to be guided by their Directions this I mention'd before but chose to insist upon it here because it is usually furthered by the opinion of Zeal and Love to Souls which by their words and gestures they endeavour to drive the people into a belief of But here it is to be considered that a fair Carriage is not the sign of a messenger of Truth but may be and is found in deceivers and false Prophets our Saviour having long since told us that false prophets come in sheeps clothing and the great Apostle of the Gentiles informs us that with good words and fair speeches they deceive the Hearts of the simple and therefore is the more earnest with the Colossians because he knew deceivers would use enticing words such going about for that end who have a form of Godliness though not the power and for these who go about in the name of Christ to promote their own ends with words smoother than Butter our Saviour when he told us of them gave us likewise a rule how to deal with them ye shall know them by their fruits not by their outward actions for none are more outwardly strict than deceivers but by their Doctrines if they be not of God all the rest is but sheeps cloathing but pretence to innocence and sincerity when the Essence of it is wanting that sheeps cloathing being expounded by the Romanists themselves to imply an affected simplicity and sincerity enticing words and specious works Now for any man to be caught with these which are the special properties of false prophets and deceivers would appear incredible if Experience did not shew how little the Cautions of our Saviour are reflected on which renders such weak persons the less capable of excuse because though they were warn'd of this Snare they would not avoid it This shew of Zeal and Piety we are told by the Jesuite Acosta will be industriously affected by the Messengers of Antichrist whereby he says they will ensnare many heedless and unthinking Souls which makes that caution of the Wise Man absolutely necessary to be frequently reflected on and diligently observed when he speaketh fair believe him not for if the ANTICHRISTIAN EMISSARIES shall bid as fair for the good opinion of men by such specious preserve how great an indifference ought every one to preserve for all persons till they see their fruits This is equally the duty of all sides neither can we be too suspicious in matters of our Eternal Concern where nothing but evident proof from Divine Authority should prevail with us For in obedience to the command of St. John to try the spirits whether they are of God it is our business to receive no Doctrine till it is confirmed by the word of God this suspicion and caution is recommended to us by the great Champion of the Romanists at OXFORD so that all reason concurs to excite us to that diligence for which the Apostle Paul so highly commends the Inhabitants of BEREA that they would not believe what he taught till by searching the Scriptures they found he agreed with them I know indeed the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome will not allow such a search but the aforesaid Author expresly affirms that when new Doctrines come into the world Christians are directed to try such Doctrines whether they be of God which is all I at present plead for If I should urge to this end the same reason which SOLOMON does where he gives this Advice He that hateth dissembleth with his Lips and layeth up deceit within him when he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven Abominations in his Heart I could find several Instances given by their own Divines to justify such a Caution but because this Chapter is lengthen beyond what I at first intended I shall remit them to another place and mention onely the instance of Mr. Parsons the famous Writer against K. James's Succession to the Crown and in defence of the Pope's deposing power of whom several French Divines observe that no mans Writings are fuller of Spite than his But it is mixt with such floods of Crocdiles Tears when he is most spitefull that he then always pretends so much Charity and tenderness as if every hard word he uses went to his very heart by which the simpler sort are greatly blinded Nay they are so us'd to this pretence of love to Souls that in the INQVISITION when they are tormenting a Heretick as they call him with the greatest Torments they pretend all is out of love to his Soul though all the WORLD KNOWS that Tortures make no real Converts and consequently seeing they can have no effect upon the Soul they can do that no good I know it is very hard for one whose disposition is ingenious to guard himself from such Insinuations and therefore have been the more prolix in setting forth the COMMAND of our SAVIOVR and the NECESSITY of being very WATCHFVLL over our selves lest out of a piece of good nature we throw away our Souls and make shipwrack of the Faith. Let us endeavour to have a real Love for them and our desires for their Salvation be sincere and fervent but till they can shew us a CHVRCH that doth more sincerely advance the great ends of HOLINESS and PIETY let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering and not throw away our selves out of love to others as those unfortunate Gentlemen who purely out of love to Catesby became partakers of his Guilt in the GVNPOWDER-TREASON and so lost their Fames their Lives and greatly hazarded their Souls CHAP. II. Of their strange Confidence in asserting any thing that may tend to their Advantage TO strengthen that Advice with which I concluded the former Chapter it is an excellent Observation no less true than ingenious made by an eminent Divine who lived seventeen Years abroad among the ROMANISTS that the proper Genius and as it were the universal Spirit of that Church consists much in a confidence to raise any thing which they have although that were but a Dung-hill into a Castle and by the noise of strange Expressions to perswade you out of your own knowledge that you may believe the Enchantment Transubstantiation c. had been as soon tumbled down as started up had they not been kept on foot by this kind of ROMAN-HECTORING Which is so fit a name for their Carriage that there are no men in the world to whom the Appellation of SPIRITVAL HECTORS so properly belongs as to these Gentlemen all the
of the Book of Judith which for some time seem'd to him Apocryphal till the Council of Nice declar'd it otherwise now tho' I doubt not it was his design to establish the Authority both of a General Council and the Book of Judith by this one instance yet he hath unhappily fail'd in both the confidence with which he backs this Affirmation being all the strength of it for it was impossible there should be any truth in it seeing when the Council of Nice sate St. Jerome was either not born or but two years old and the Council made no Decree at all about the Books of Scripture yet doth that witty Author venture these three untruths in one Chapter as if because setting a good face on the matter prevails with the people of his Communion who are kept from examining what they hear affirmed we must therefore believe all he saith with the same implicit Faith. But when Baronius and Bellarmine those Champions of the Church of Rome care not by what means they establish the Doctrine of the Pope's power which is the character given of them by a learned man of their own Communion their unfaithfulness being so obvious that a Franciscan Fryer yet living observes that the great Annalist Baronius seems to have had no other end in writing his twelve laborious Tomes than to heap together how well or ill soever all the Topicks he could imagin for asserting to the Bishop of Rome the universal Monarchy when we find that Pillar of the Cause pointing out the way to the inferior Missionaries 't is no wonder if an exact imitation of these great Examples be affected by them And indeed this disposition is so natural to the Guides of that Church that no sooner can a Proselyte breath among them but he is running in the same path thus Mr. Cressy very seriously attempts to perswade the world that when examination is made of Miracles in order to the Canonization of any Saint the Testimony of women will not be received for which he gives this reason because naturally imagination is stronger in them than judgment and whatever is esteemed by them to be pious is easily concluded by them to be true but though there be very much weight in this reason yet the matter of Fact is so notoriously false that there is scarce any of their noted Saints in the process of whose Canonization we do not find the Oaths of women pass current nay sometimes without any other Testimony to confirm them for as his Right Honorable and Learned Answerer observes the single Testimony of the Nurse was the only evidence of the first Miracle that St. Benedict Mr. Cressy's great Patron wrought and in the Canonization of Ignatius Loyala the Founder of the Jesuits the Attestation of Isabella Monialis was taken to confirm his working Miracles and yet no doubt this plausible Assertion of Mr. Cressy's passes for truth among very many who being destitute of opportunities to discover the mistake yield firm credit to it because it is confidently advanc'd There is nothing more frequent in these Gentlemens mouths than ALL THE FATHERS are of this opinion ANTIQVITY is VNANIMOVS in this point and such like bold expressions though they deserve as much credit as Mr. Cressy's pretence and very little more For though Mr. Mumford the Jesuite tells us that the Text of St. Paul Let a Bishop be the Husband of one Wife was only a permission at that time when it was impossible to find fit men for that office who were single an Assertion perfectly false that the Apostle would have no man who married a second Wife be made a Bishop and that the Text is so interpreted by the COVNCILS and FATHERS VNANIMOVSLY St. Chrysostome will tell him that this Text is so far from being only a permission of Marriage for a time that it is designed for encreasing the esteem of it and if he pleases to consult him in another Homily upon the same Subject he will find that the interpretation he calls ridiculous is given by that great Divine the Apostle saith he forbiddeth excess because among the Jews the Association of a second Marriage was lawfull and to have two Wives at once so that all the Fathers we see are not unanimous in his Exposition though he is pleas'd to say they are and if we are as he tells us in the same place ridiculous in interpreting the words of Saint Paul in this Sense that a Bishop should have but one Wife at once we have very good Authority for being so though his Consideration or Sincerity was but small when he tells us ALL the Fathers are VNANIMOVS of his side and that 't is ridiculous to dissent from him With the same briskness we are told by the IRISH Animadverter on the Bishop of Bath and Wells's Sermon that Melchisedeck's Bread and Wine is own'd by all to be a Type of the Sacrament I suppose he meant ALL of his Communion for he must be very ignorant not to know that the Protestants deny it and yet by his telling the Bishop that he durst not meddle with that point because of this VNIVERSAL Consent he seems to extend his ALL beyond the narrow â—ounds of the Roman Church But we may well expect such a spirit of Confidence in the Members of a Church in whose RVLE OF FAITH the COVNCIL OF TRENT we find this Assertion that the ancient Fathers when they gave the Eucharist to Infants did not teach it was necessary to Salvation that they should receive it An affirmation which we may in some sort excuse the Fathers of that Council for being so hardy as to advance their Skill in Antiquity being so very small that it is more than probable very few of them knew the contrary though a little more modesty might have been expected than so rashly to pronounce against the whole current of the Fathers and the universal Tradition of the Church for some Ages nay against the decree of Pope Innocent the First who as Saint Augustine assures us taught that little children cannot have eternal Life without Baptism and the participation of the Body and Blood of Christ with which place when Mr. Campion was press'd he after the example of this Council as positively answer'd there is no such Decree though the very work of Saint Augustine was brought and this passage shew'd him With the very same Sincerity doth Bellarmine affirm that the WHOLE CHVRCH and ALL the Greek and Latin Fathers teach that when Christ said upon this Rock will I build my Church he thereby meant Peter and Alexandre Natalis that the Fathers with a NEMINE CONTRA DICENTE interpret the Rock to be that Apostle there needs but very little reading to confute this notwithstanding all the assurance it is back't with for not onely particular Fathers tell us that when our Lord said upon that Rock he meant upon the Faith of the Confession Peter had
then made insomuch that Saint Ambrose is positive it is not of the flesh but of the Faith of Peter that this is said but that main stream of Antiquity runs this way to establish that exposition which St. Austin so plainly gives that the Church was established upon that Faith which Peter had then confessed when he said thou art Christ the Son of the living God nay so far are the Ancient Writers from being unanimous in this point that there are three several Opinions among them some and but very few affirming it was Peter's Person in the same sense as all the Apostles are called the Foundation of the Church others that it was himself CHRIST designed by the word ROCK and the third that which I have mention'd that it was the Faith then confessed by St. Peter which hath near threescore Fathers and Councils to authorise it where the first hath hardly six judge now on which side the NEMINE CONTRA DICENTE lies By this time I think it pretty evident that these Gentlemen are too much akin to those who are desirous to be Teachers of the Law but understand not or at least mind not what they say nor whereof they affirm which makes the Advice of one of themselves in another case very seasonable who tells us that this huffing humour is caution enough to any reasonable man to take care for if it be our duty to take nothing in Religion upon trust it is certainly of very great concern that we be suspicious in trusting those whose insincerity is so very great that they are not asham'd to publish the most palpable Vntruths what is to be expected then from their discourses with ignorant and unwary men especially in private where they are in no such danger of being expos'd CHAP. III. Of their Slanders WHen the Prophet Jeremiah was in the name of the Lord endeavouring to Reform the Corruptions of the JEWISH CHURCH he complains that his enemies said one to another Come and let us devise devices against him and let us smite him with the Tongue Report say they and we will report it which made him give that Caution and Advice to those who obeyed the Voice of the LORD by him Take ye heed every one of his Neighbour and trust ye not in any Brother for every Brother will utterly supplant and every Neighbour will walk in Slanders whose Case being so very like that of the REFORMED CHURCHES both in the work he undertook REFORMATION and in the opposition which was made to him by CALUMNIES and SLANDERS his Advice is as seasonable to us as to the Reforming Jews we having to deal with a politick sort of men who notwithstanding the WISE Solomon hath pronounc'd that he that uttereth Slanders is a fool establish it as a Maxim which they are very diligent observers of THAT IT IS NO MORTAL SIN TO CALVMNIATE FALSLY TO PRESERVE ONES HONOVR like the Hereticks St. Augustine speaks of who not being able to defend their Cause set themselves to revile their adversaries spreading the most false reports that seeing they cannot evade the force or obscure the evidence of the truth contained in the holy Scriptures they may render those who preach it odious by reporting all the evil of them they can invent I know this is a severe charge and will be look't upon even by many sober and impartial men as uncharitable but if they can either prove that the passages I relate are false or the Authors I cite who maintain it lawfull are forged and corrupted I am willing to lie under that imputation But on the other side if they prove to be truly cited I must desire of the Reader that their Character of religious men and their formal pretences to sincerity may be look't upon as indeed they are but a fair covering and cloak for their designs and I CHALLENGE the WHOLE BODY of them to prove one particular Instance or Citation false wherein I do not as Mr. Pulton in his Remarks charge those Slanders on them which are only the additions which a story gets by running from hand to hand for I know it is possible a man may relate things that are false without being guilty of the Slander by being deceived in the account which was given him of those matters but when men make it their business to defame and assert the lawfulness of doing it by false Reports I think it is no piece of injustice or want of Charity to call them SLANDERERS I am not insensible that the generality of men are apt to reason with themselves that surely Religious Men cannot be of such sear'd Consciences as to damn themselves by such malicious backbiting but in this case such a reflexion is ungrounded for their great Casuists defend it to be lawfull and are so far from being apprehensive of damnation that they justifie its practice as Father Dicastillo informs us I have maintained saith he and do still maintain that Calumny when it is used against a Calumniator though grounded on absolute Falsities is not for that any mortal sin either against Justice or Charity And to prove it I have brought a cloud of our Fathers to witness it and whole Vniversities consisting of them all whom I have consulted and among others the Reverend Father John Gans Confessor to the Emperor the Reverend Father Daniel Bastele Confessor to the Arch Duke Leopold Father Henry sometimes Preceptor to those two PRINCES All the publick and ordinary Professors of the Vniversity of Vienna all the Professors of the Vniversity of Grats all the Professors of the Vniversity of Prague of all whom I have at hand the Approbations of my opinion written and sign'd with their own hands Besides that I have on my side Father Pennalossa a Jesuite and Confessor to the King of Spain Father Pillecorolli a Jesuite and many others And when this was objected to the Jesuits by the Author of the Provincial Letters in his fifteenth Letter the Answerers of that Letter where they undertake to defend themselves instead of condemning add more Authority to Father Dicastillo's Position by citing several Authors besides those mentioned before in defence of it Neither do they deny the Doctrine of Caramuel who asserts that it is a probable opinion that it is not any mortal sin to caiumniate falsly to preserve ones honour for it is maintained by above TWENTY grave Doctors so that if this Doctrine be not probable there is hardly any such in all the body of Divinity And the same is asserted by the Theses of the Jesuits at Lovain Ann. 1645. in case of calumniating and imposing false Crimes to ruine their Credit who speak ill of us Besides these Vniverslties and Divines who teach the lawfulness of Calumnies and false Reports we find it among other Rules of the Jesuits that they should be sure to put this Doctrine in Practice even against those of their own Cummunion the
the Pastors of the Church is one of the fundamental Articles of the Reformation A way of misrepresenting which hath been sufficiently blacken'd by themselves so that I need say nothing to expose it But to leave this Fryer whose whole Book consists of little else but as bad or worse Assertions one of their Champions could perswade the world that we account the belief of Transubstantiation to be Idolatry a cunning Artifice to draw the people from considering where the Charge is laid not against the Doctrine of the corporal Presence but the Adoration of the Host. And his fellow Advocate seems resolv'd not to be behind hand when he affirms that we believe there is nothing to be hoped for of substance in the Sacrament We dispute with great earnestness against the Idolatrous Worship given to Angels and Saints in that Church and our Adversaries have found it impossible to make a fair defence for it therefore they betake themselves to prove that those happy Spirits pray for us which we acknowledge as well as they and yet a very celebrated writer affirms that we deny it We profess to believe the Article of the Communion of Saints but Mr. Ward hath the assurance to tell the world That Protestants believe no Communion of Saints Hitherto we have had Instances of their direct way of misrepresenting but they are not so unskilfull as not to be furnished with finer Methods and which are not so easily discovered by the vulgar when they are eagerly disputing 'tis an easie thing to drop some Assertion which in the heat of Discourse shall pass unheeded by the warm Adversary but they will be sure to resume it and make their Advantage of it s not being contradicted either during the conference or afterwards to some of the persons then present which renders it necessary for those who engage with them to watch every word and not onely attend to the main Question for by this method they gain one of these two points if their Insinuation be not answered at first they will urge the point as granted and if the disputant deny it they presently cry out that he is now reduc'd to a strait and so denies what he own'd before which observation shall be surely seconded and applauded by their Adherents and often leaves an impression in the weaker Hearers on the other hand if when they find themselves pressed and at a stand which is their usual time to drop such a bye assertion and that their Artifice is discovered and their position denied they leave the first point and pursue the other and so engage insensibly in a desultory dispute from one thing to another never fix'd by which they render most disputations ineffectual so that whether stopt in their design or not they make their Advantage either to misrepresent our Doctrine or extricate themselves from the difficulties they can't resolve Thus one of their Divines urging the Authority of the Fathers to a Protestant and not willing to expose himself so far as to affirm in express terms that we thought those Holy Men divinely inspired us'd this Expression that seeing we owned the Authority of the DIVINELY INSPIRED FATHERS he would prove the Infallibility of the Church from their Writings to this the Gentleman not regarding the Epithete answered that he could not and so proceeded in the dispute they had not been parted many hours but the Fryer desired some of the company to observe how the Protestants contradicted themselves about their Rule of Faith professing to receive whatever was inspired by the Holy Ghost and yet not admitting the writings of the Fathers into the Rule tho' the opponent had acknowledged that they were inspired from above and when it was reply'd that there was no such Concession he urg'd that when he termed them Divinely inspir'd there was no exception taken at it which was a tacit affirming them to be so But the Gentlemen were too wise to be caught with so very slight an Appearance I shall have occasion to give a farther account of this under another Head therefore I shall at present onely observe that how thin soever this Artifice is in it self they use it in their publick discourses as well as private Conversation Mr. Clench arguing for the Infallibility of Councils hath these words speaking of our Appeal to the four first General Councils I know no reason why the Church should be credited in the four first General Councils and slighted and dis-believed in the following Christ promised he would be with them to the consummation of the world I can find no place where Christ promis'd to be with them for a limited time so as to direct them in their first Assemblies and to leave them for the future to themselves Here he would make the Reader believe that we receive those Synods as believing them secur'd from Error by Christ's promise for else his Argument is impertinent but we do not receive them on any infallible Authority of theirs not because they could not err but because they did not and therefore we reject others because they have err'd for we know of no promise made to them but are yet ready to receive any such Councils as the first were who govern themselves by the Holy Scriptures They find no great difficulty in confuting imaginary Opinions which makes them so very dexterous in this Method to dispute against our Doctrine of Justification by Faith was too hard a task and therefore F. T. coins a new definition of it in the middle of his Argument and immediately runs away with that endeavouring to prove that Faith is not an assured Belief that our sins are forgiven learnedly arguing against his own imagination however he had what he aim'd at for he made a shew of saying somewhat and if he could but perswade any ignorant Protestant that the definition was own'd by the Reformed he was sure he had overthrown it With the same sincerity another of their Champions would insinuate that the Protestants left the Communion of Rome because of the wickedness of the Members of that Church and therefore heaps up Authorities to prove that it is not a sufficient motive for a separation from them but all his Labour is to very little purpose for we know the Tares and Wheat are to grow together till Harvest and not onely the wickedness of their Priests and Bishops but the Errors and monstrous Corruptions of their Church could not have justified our Separation if they had not endeavour'd to force us to be partakers of those Abominations which we durst not do least we should be partakers of those Plagues which are denounc'd against them It was an easie matter to prove the former no ground for Separation but some thing hard to undertake the other Point so that our Author wisely wav'd it It was observ'd by the Duke of Buckingham that these Gentlemen serv'd themselves of hatefull Nick-names when they are pressed in disputes about Religion